Wordless Wednesday - Summer!

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Psalm 138:8 (NKJV) The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

Throne Trip Tuesdays - I'm Struggling

I struggle with my weight. Sugar. I struggle to read and study the Bible regularly. Daily. I struggle to manage my time. Better. I struggle with money. Spending. I struggle. I need more purpose. More direction.

I thought when summertime rolled around, I'd be so motivated to accomplish so many things. I am not. Motivated. When I was taking classes, I knew exactly how to manage my time. I planned out each week. By the day. Sometimes by the hour. Now, there are so many free hours I just plod along with no real direction.

So.....starting today, This Day, I'm changing that. I found this super cute To Do list and I'm so stealing the idea. Here are some of the activities I want to accomplish this summer. Most of them involve the grand-boy.

4th of July at Aunt Pam's

Bike Trip with Jess (me and my buddy are heading out on our Harley's for a few days)

Mammoth Cave

St. Louis Zoo

Water Park

Make a craft (I'm going to need some ideas with this one. I seriously lack in crafting ability. Seriously.)

Read a Bible story every day

Have a water balloon fight

Go to the library. Read at least 10 books.

Bake cupcakes.

Have a squirt gun fight

Go to the pool every other weekend (at least)

Make s'mores.

CANNING:

Refrigerator Pickles

Zucchini Relish

Peach Jam

Tomato (some with basil. this stuff is amazing)
Salsa (maybe)

Apple Pie Filling (definitely)

FREEZING:

Strawberries

Blueberries

Raspberries

Peppers (green, red, yellow, hot)
Herbs

Plus, exercising at least three days every week. I've been such a slug lately. It's just so stinkin hot and humid. ugh! Who wants to get out in that and run? Not me. It's time to consider joining a gym. Ahhhh. Air conditioned workouts.

What are your plans for summer? Need some motivation (ummm prodding) like me? Hope this helps you.

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Jeremiah 23:24 (NKJV) ²⁴ Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the LORD; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD.

Monday Musings - Amish Christmas Lights

I know it's not the season, but these are amazing!

 

 

 

 

You know very well that the Amish don't use electricity. ahahaha.  


Peace and Joy,
Susan

Matthew 16:25 (NKJV)  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Jigsaw Lessons

Don't force a fit. If something is meant to be, it will come together naturally.
When things aren't going so well, take a break. Everything will look different when you return.
Be sure to look at the big picture. Getting hung up on the little pieces only leads to frustration.
Perseverance pays off. Every important puzzle went together bit by bit, piece by piece.
When one spot stops working, move to another. But be sure to come back later (see above).
The creator of the puzzle gave you the picture as a guidebook.
Variety is the spice of life. It's the different colors and patterns that make the puzzle interesting.
Establish the border first. Boundaries give a sense of security and order.
Don't be afraid to try different combinations. Some matches are surprising.
Take time to celebrate your successes (even little ones).
Anything worth doing takes time and effort. A great puzzle can't be rushed.

Praying all your pieces fall into place and fit together naturally. Have a great weekend.

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Romans 15:13 (NKJV) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

A Woman of Strength vs A Strong Woman

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape ...
but a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape...

A strong woman isn't afraid of anything ...
but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear...

A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her ...
but a woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone...

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future...
a woman of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be God's blessings and capitalizes on them...

A strong woman walks sure footedly...
but a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls...

A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face...
but a woman of strength wears grace...

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey...
but a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong...- Marta S. Hardy

I want to be a woman of strength having that faith for the journey God has prepared for me.

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)  ³¹ but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;        they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

My Own Randomness

An Old Farmer's Advice:

~ Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.

~ Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
~ A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.

~ Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.
~ Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.
~ Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.
~ Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
~ It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.
~ You cannot unsay a cruel word.
~ Every path has a few puddles.
~ When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.

~ The best sermons are lived, not preached.
~ Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.
~ Don't judge folks by their relatives.
~ Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
~ Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.
~ Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.
~ If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.

~ Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.
~ The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with watches you from the mirror every mornin'.
~ Always drink upstream from the herd.
~ Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.
~ Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.

~ If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.

Do you have an insightful sayings to share? 

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Colossians 3:13 (NIV) Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Throne Trip Tuesdays - When He Shall Come

A morning TV show recently presented a film clip of an American soldier who had just returned from Iraq.  His return was a bit earlier than expected, so he showed up unannounced at his daughter's school.  A film crew was allowed to capture the scene.  When he entered the classroom, his daughter looked up and saw him in stunned unbelief, then she burst into tears of joy, covered her mouth with her hands, and ran into his embrace.  Lifting her off her feet, he hugged her tightly as she sobbed and classmates cheered.  It was impossible to watch the scene without shedding a tear.

Maybe that's a small picture of how we'll feel when Jesus comes again.

Perhaps you remember a time in childhood when you looked forward to a beloved family member coming for a visit.  The days and hours leading up to their arrival seemed interminable.  The eagerness and anticipation were hard to contain.

The Lord wants us to long for His appearing like that.

When He shall come resplendent in His glory, to take His own from out the vale of night, O may I know the joy at His appearing, only at morn, to walk with Him in white! Almeda Pearce

Peace and Joy,

Susan

2 Timothy 4:8 (NIV) Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Monday Musings - Window Display

Anything for the shot. ahahahaha!

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Deuteronomy 28:43 (NIV)  The alien who lives among you will rise above you higher and higher, but you will sink lower and lower.

Thankful Thursday - 06/10/10

This morning my little brain is darting around in so many directions I could not pick a single topic to write about. The pictures from my graduation and vacation to Charlotte are posted on my photo blog, Shutter Clicks. What is Shutter Clicks you ask? Well, last year I participated in Project 365 where I took a photo each and every day. It was a lot of fun and some work getting them posted every week. Even tho I took pictures every day, I was not always faithful in posting them. You know.....life happens.

For Project 365, I used this wonderful little camera. It takes great pictures. I love it cause it's small enough to just throw in your purse or slide into the back pocket of jeans.

Anywhoo, my wonderful hubby bought me this fabulous graduation gift:

I'm super uber excited about it. I just have to figure out how to use it. lol Oh, I've taken a few photos with it. It has auto everything like a point and shoot. But on my holy cow.....it does so much more. The few pictures that I did take are still in the camera. I want to figure out what editing features can be done in the camera before they are uploaded to the computer. Once I get the hang of my new camera, I'll be posting pictures on my photo blog, Shutter Clicks. Just click on the camera on my side bar to get there.

Many years ago, I used a regular 35mm camera. You know....the film kind. Yes. I'm old. lol. It was a fully manual camera so I had to learn everything about aperture and shutter speed. It's been years since I last used it. I forgot everything I learned about aperture and shutter speed. Ok. Maybe not everything. But it will take a while before I feel comfortable with all the features on this awesome gift.

So where does the thankful part come in? Oh, let me just tell you! Besides the actual gift, I'm thankful that I have eyes to see God's beautiful creation. I'm thankful for the ability to capture and share God's awesome creation. I'm thankful that this will be another venue to bring glory and honor to my God. I'm thankful that this will open another door to tell others about God.

I'm so thankful you stopped by today. What are you thankful for today, This Day? Please leave me a comment or better yet join me in linking up with Greg and Iris.

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Psalm 84:3 (NIV)  ³ Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young — a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.

Wordless Wednesday - Life

Some days you're the dog...... some days you're the kitten. Whether I'm confused by ...or overwhelmed by what's in front of me today, This Day....God is in control.

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV) ^{13 "}Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Throne Trip Tuesdays - They Will Know You by Your Fruit

On his way to work one morning, a man purchased his usual newspaper and went on his way. To his dismay, he discovered that he had accidentally taken two newspapers instead of one. He immediately got in his car, drove back to the store and returned the extra paper. About a week later, someone stole money from that same store, and when the grocer thought through the patrons who frequented his store, he immediately dismissed the man as a suspect, saying, "That man is really honest. He came all the way back here just to return a newspaper he took by mistake."

Everything we do in life becomes evidence of who we truly are. What does our life's evidence say about us? Does it say that we merely profess to be a follower of Christ or does it reveal our love and true devotion to Him? While our goal should not be a morally perfect life, we should strive to have a walk with the Lord that is consistently growing and changing to resemble the One whom we serve.  

A man's life is always more forcible than his speech. If his life and doctrine disagree, the mass of onlookers will accept his practice and reject his preaching.  C.H. Spurgeon

Peace and Joy,

Susan

Matthew 5:16 (NIV) In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Thankful Thursday - 06/03/10

WOW! Can you believe it? It's June! JUNE!!! How crazy is that? Pretty crazy if you ask me. The month of May flew by with a flurry of activities.

I'm thankful for this:

The occasion was made even more special because my dad joined the celebration.

Thankful too for the trip to Charlotte to visit family and watch my cousin graduate.

I'm especially thankful for my wonderful hubby who supported and encouraged me to complete my degree.

He also encourages me to visit my family and friends......like these crazy women:

I'll post more photos of my Charlotte trip and graduation activities on my Shutter Clicks blog soon. Today, I'm linking up with Greg and Iris. Thanks for stopping by today.

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Proverbs 15:1 (New International Version) A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Throne Trip Tuesdays - Help Your Neighbor

On its nightly newscast, one of the three major television networks invited viewers to write the network with examples of people helping people during the difficult economic times of 2009—and they received far more examples than they could ever broadcast.

If you knocked on the doors of all the homes in your neighborhood you would likely find a high percentage of families or individuals who have been hurt by the economic recession. Perhaps unemployment, defaulting on a mortgage, loss of life savings or other funds, unpaid medical bills, retirees having to return to the workforce—the economic downtown has touched almost everyone. What a marvelous opportunity to manifest the love and compassion of God with those who need it most! In His ministry Jesus reached out to everyone and He wants us to do the same.

Sow the seed of service in your neighborhood. Even if you have been hit hard by the current recession you can still offer a word of encouragement or a helping hand to those in need. And perhaps share the love of Christ if they ask you "Why?" 

If you want your neighbor to know what Christ will do for him, let your neighbor see what Christ has done for you.  Henry Ward Beecher

Peace and Joy,
Susan

1 John 3:17 (NIV) If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?