Prayer Request

I'm traveling home today. Flying. Into and through storms. Rain. Not very nice weather. Please pray for my traveling safety....the pilot....and all those traveling with me.

I'll be back to a more normal posting schedule next week.

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Luke 19:10 (NKJV) for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Throne Trip Tuesdays - Prayer....Does It Change Things?

They say that prayer changes things, but does it REALLY change anything?
Oh yes! It really does!

Does prayer change your present situation or sudden circumstances?
No, not always, but it does change the way you look at those events.

Does prayer change your financial future?
No, not always, but it does change who you look to for meeting your daily needs.

Does prayer change shattered hearts or broken bodies?
No, not always, but it will change your source of strength and comfort.

Does prayer change your wants and desires?
No, not always, but it will change your wants into what God desires!

Does prayer change how you view the world?
No, not always, but it will change whose eyes you see the world through.

Does prayer change your regrets from the past?
No, not always, but it will change your hopes for the future!

Does prayer change the people around you?
No, not always, but it will change you - the problem isn't always in others.

Does prayer change your life in ways you can't explain?
Oh, yes, always! And it will change you from the inside out!

So does prayer REALLY change ANYTHING?
Yes! It REALLY does change EVERYTHING!

Prayer does change me. I have seen this is my own life. Have you?

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Philippians 4:6 (NKJV) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

He's Alive - Hallelujah

Praise His glorious name. He IS alive!


Happy Resurrection Day!

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Matthew 28:20 (NKJV) teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Easter, It's Not About the Bunnies

By Fr. James Martin S.J.

It’s not about bunnies. It’s not about coloring eggs. It’s not about chocolate. It’s not about flowers. It’s not even about spring or signs of “new life” in nature after a long winter. So what is Easter about?
It’s about something almost terrifyingly serious: Jesus rose from the dead.

That’s one reason why Easter hasn’t been completely subsumed by the consumer culture. (Though department stores and cheesy movies like “Hop” try their best to do so.) Christmas, which can be cast as the cozy story of Mary and Joseph and their little baby Jesus surrounded by cuddly animals in a manger, is easily domesticated. Easily tamed. More easily sold to the masses.

Easter, on the other hand, is untameable. The man whose followers imagined him to be the Messiah, the one who would forcefully, even violently, deliver them from the hands of their oppressors (For isn’t that what the Baptist said?) was tried, beaten and executed like a common thug. What’s more, after the crucifixion the Gospels portray the disciples not as stalwart stewards of their master’s legacy, but as abject cowards, cowering behind locked doors for fear of someone trying to arrest them.

Then on Easter Sunday everything changes. It changes so much that it’s hard for them to take it in. In one of his first of Jesus’s many “appearances,” one of the women doesn’t even recognize him. Several disciples refuse to believe the story—one until he actually touches the man. But Christians believe, and I believe, that it’s true: Christ has risen from the dead.

Sounds strange said so bluntly, doesn’t it? But the resurrection is the heart of the Christian message. If you don’t believe it, then you’re not Christian. Not really, as St. Paul would say elsewhere: “If Christ is not raised, your faith is in vain.”

About that new life: it is in fact “new.” Christ is not simply “resuscitated,” that is, brought back from the dead with the understanding that he’ll die some time in the future. No, he lives “forever and ever,” as the Bible (and Handel’s “Hallelujah” chorus) say. It’s a completely new kind of life. And a completely new kind of reality.

That may be one reason why the Gospel accounts of Jesus’s appearances after his resurrection are so confusing. As I said, in one passage he is mistaken for the gardener. But for the disciples he was the most important man in their lives: How could they not recognize him? In another account, he seems like a ghost—for he seems to pass through doors and suddenly appears before the disciples. And in another passage he is clearly physical. “Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones,” Jesus says in the Gospel of Luke. What’s going on?

To my mind, the confusing accounts point out impossibility of describing what the disciples were seeing. What was it like? Well, he was like a ghost…but not really. He was flesh and blood…but something else. No one had ever seen anything remotely like this; no words could encompass the reality of what theologians call the “glorified body.”

So everything changes on Easter. And what Jesus said during his earthly ministry (love one another, pray for your enemies, give to the poor) now takes on added meaning for the disciples.

Easter is not about bunnies or chocolate or eggs. It is an event that makes a claim on you. Either you believe that Jesus did not rise from the dead (or his body was stolen, or the Gospels are made up, or the disciples simply “remembered” him and passed on his message). Or you believe he was raised from the dead. In which case everything changes for you, too.

James Martin, SJ, is a Jesuit priest, culture editor of America, and author of the bestsellers The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything and My Life with the Saints .

May your Easter be filled with the hope of His resurrection.

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Galatians 2:20 (NKJV) I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Hippity Hoppity HodgePodge

1. What are your plans for Easter Day/weekend? I'm helping family move. From one state to another. Packing. Taping. Carrying. Driving. Oh, don't feel too sorry for me. I'll end up at the beach. For a few days. lol

2. Besides Jesus, what one person from The Bible would you most like to meet and why? Esther. This young woman faced death for her faith. She teaches us that: There is a time of preparation. We need God's favor. God works in His time and His season. Our past does not hinder our future with God. His timing is best.

3. What is one modern day convenience you didn't have as a child that was easy to live without? I'd have to choose a microwave. It has it's good points for quickly warming up foods and liquids, but there are easy ways to do that without one.

4. Are you more right brained or left brained? If you don't know what that means there is an interesting little quiz here. I'm "right brained" by one percent. But my strongest characteristics are left brained: sequential and reality based (no surprise there). Here's my results. How did you fair?

Thank you for taking the Creativity Test. The results show your brain dominance as being:

Left Brain	Right Brain
50%	51%

You are more right-brained than left-brained. The right side of your brain controls the left side of your body. In addition to being known as right-brained, you are also known as a creative thinker who uses feeling and intuition to gather information. You retain this information through the use of images and patterns. You are able to visualize the "whole" picture first, and then work backwards to put the pieces together to create the "whole" picture. Your thought process can appear quite illogical and meandering. The problem-solving techniques that you use involve free association, which is often very innovative and creative. The routes taken to arrive at your conclusions are completely opposite to what a left-brained person would be accustomed. You probably find it easy to express yourself using art, dance, or music. Some occupations usually held by a right-brained person are forest ranger, athlete, beautician, actor/actress, craftsman, and artist.

Your Left Brain Percentages

61%	Sequential (Your most dominant characteristic)
40%	Reality-based
27%	Linear
25%	Logical
17%	Symbolic
0%	Verbal (Your least dominant characteristic)

Your Right Brain Percentages

44%	Nonverbal (Your most dominant characteristic)
36%	Fantasy-oriented
34%	Random
29%	Intuitive
19%	Concrete
18%	Holistic (Your least dominant characteristic)

5. What is something you intended to do today but didn't? Why? Finish up some HR paperwork. I ran out of time.

6. Cadbury Creme Eggs or Reeses peanut butter? Cadbury Creme Eggs. I can get a Reeses any ol' day. 

7. Who was your favorite cartoon character when you were a child? Wile E. Coyote. What? Really? Yep. He never gave up. He didn't always make the right choice, but no matter what the circumstance or the odds against him, he kept trying.

8. Insert your own random thought here. Yesterday was my anniversary. Eight wonderful years. I am so blessed.

Thank you for stopping by and visiting. Please hop on over to Joyce's to read other participants answers or better yet, link up with your own. 

Peace and Joy,

Susan

Galatians 2:20 (NKJV) I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Throne Trip Tuesdays - How to Get Along Better

Proven ways to get along better with EVERYONE:

1. Before you say anything to anyone, ask yourself 3 things:
- Is it true?
- Is it kind?
- Is it necessary?

2. Make promises sparingly and keep them faithfully.

3. Never miss the opportunity to compliment or say something encouraging to someone.

4. Refuse to talk negatively about others; don't gossip and don't listen to gossip.

5. Have a forgiving view of people. Believe that most people are doing the best they can.

6. Keep an open mind; discuss, but don't argue. (It is possible to disagree without being disagreeable.)

7. Forget about counting to 10. Count to 1,000 before doing or saying anything that could make matters worse.

8. Let your virtues speak for themselves.

9. If someone criticizes you, see if there is any TRUTH to what he is saying; if so, make changes. If there is no truth to the criticism, ignore it and live so that no one will believe the negative remark.

10. Cultivate your sense of humor; laughter is the shortest distance between two people.

11. Do not seek so much to be consoled, as to console; do not seek so much to be understood, as to understand; do not seek so much to be loved as to love.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this list. Do you have a way to get along with others that is not listed here?


Thank you for stopping by and visiting.


Peace and Joy,
Susan

Matthew 7:12 (NKJV) Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

That's My King

I'd like to introduce you to my King. Do you know Him?



Easter. It's more than chocolate bunnies, dying eggs, and new clothes. It's about hope. Do you know Him?

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV) ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Shore It's the HodgePodge

 

1. Would you rather talk to everyone at a crowded party for a short time or have a significant conversation with two people? It would depend on the crowd. But I'm more likely to visit with everyone. You never know who you'll meet. There might be that one person who is in need of a kind word or engaging conversation.

2. What objects do you remember from your parent's living room? A stand up ashtray. Disgusting habit. Smoking. My dad quit the same year I did. So thankful for that. Anyway. The one in our living room next to my dad's chair was similar to this one.

3. Do you hog the bed? Steal the covers? Snore? I sleep right at the edge of the bed. It's a remnant from my previous life when I was kidnapped by aliens. lol. I am getting better. But it's something I don't think will ever go away. 

4. Speaking of Easter dinner....what is your favorite way to cook/eat lamb? Or does just the thought of that make you squeamish? If you're not cooking lamb what will be your entree du jour on Easter Sunday? I'm more of a ham or fried chicken kind of gal for Easter dinner. Cooked by someone else.

5. Let's throw some politics into this week's mix-oooohhh...Do you know the whereabouts of your birth certificate and when was the last time you had to produce it to prove you're you? I absolutely know it's whereabouts. I haven't had to produce it in a little over ten years when I applied for a passport.

6. As a child, how did people describe you? Wow. Can you believe it? They would say, "That girl sure is childish." ahaha.

7. What do you complain about the most? Probably the weather. Cold. Snow. Ice. Rain. Especially when they are combined. Ugh!

8. Insert your own random thought here. I'm not from the 'shore, nor am I a California Girl. I was raised in Iowa near Sioux City and this song comes to mind:

 

Is there a song you relate to yourself or where you grew up? Thank you for stopping by and visiting. Please hop on over to Joyce's to read other participants answers or better yet, link up with your own.

 

Peace and Joy,

Susan

Matthew 6:22 (NKJV) “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.

Throne Trip Tuesdays - Living Like a Billionare

Many people have suffered financial losses this past year. Even Bill Gates lost more than $18 billion dollars. Yet even with that loss, Gates' net worth for 2009 was still somewhere near $40 billion--allowing him to reclaim the title of richest man in the world.

It's helpful for believers to remember that we're billionaires, too--recipients of billions of blessings. Our wealth is infinite. We've been granted "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). The blessings of God don't lead to moral failure. The world's wealth, on the other hand, is deceptive; the love of money yields much evil. 

The church of Laodicea thought it was rich, wealthy, needing nothing. But it didn't realize it was really wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

None of us wants to face financial loss, but sometimes the loss of some of our material goods can remind us of our true wealth. It helps us focus afresh on the eternal riches that cannot be lost, stolen, or eaten by moths. What loss have you recently suffered? Let Christ turn it to gain.

How many have pulled down their souls to build up their estate. Thomas Watson, Puritan
Peace and Joy,
Susan

Matthew 6:20 Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys.

My Favorite Things Swap

I was so glad to be able to participate in Mamarazzi's "My Favorite Things" swap. Let me just tell you, Mama runs a tight swap which was a big draw for me. Kelly at Life in the South was my swap partner. If you haven't met Kelly, please swing by and say, "Hey!" She has a heart for the Lord and a beautiful family. I have concluded that Kelly and I are twins from different mothers. We are so alike in many ways, and we have a lot of the same favorite things. How do I know? We sent each other almost the exact same things. Look what Kelly sent me, then go look what I sent Kelly. Uncanny! 
I received my box of Kelly's favorite things. Is this not the cutest tissue paper ever? So bright and cherry. Full of spring colors. Tied with curly ribbons and darling little flowers adorned each gift from her.
Here. Take a look.

This is what I received.

 Kelly was so thoughtful. I love everything. Easter candy in a cute little basket. Nail polish and emery boards with bling. Pens. Note Cards. A note pad.A vanilla & cream oil diffuser (love this).A prayer book.A photo album with the beautiful cover that says: Live. Laugh. Love.

Oh and I almost forgot. She also sent me the cutest wind chime. As soon as I opened it I hung it up and totally forgot to get a picture of it. This was a fun swap. Thanks for being a wonderful swap partner, Kelly. I had fun and look forward to growing the friendship seed that has been planted.

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Proverbs 16:24 (NIV) ²⁴ Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Poet Laureate HodgePodge

1. National Read a Road Map Day falls on April 5th. Would people say you have a good sense of direction? Do you rely on a GPS when you drive somewhere new? When was the last time you used a map? I have a very good sense of direction. Having a GPS is nice to have but honestly, I prefer a real map. You know....paper. One that you fold. Isn't that part of the fun? Trying to refold the map? ahaha

2. What's your favorite cookbook? You mean today, yes? Because it sometimes which cookbook is my favorite depends on seasonal produce. There is one cookbook I purchased this year (ummm within the last 12 months) that I go to a lot. It's Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything. If I could only keep one cookbook, this would be it. 

I also have a favorite canning cookbook. The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving. (I stole the picture from Amazon. You can go to the link and look inside the book. I highly recommend it if you would like to try canning.

3. What painting would you like to "walk into" and experience? Why? Van Gogh's Cafe Terrace at Night. It depicts such a beautiful scene. Lovely colors. Inviting atmosphere. Reminiscent of Paris. I've always wanted to travel to Paris. Anyone want to join me here?

4. What annoys you more- misspellings or mispronunciations? Mispronunciations. My grandmother was a stickler for good grammar and correct enunciation of words. She instilled that in me.

5. What is something your mother or father considered important? I'll have to get back with you on this one.

6. Do you like or dislike schedules? I like schedules. Even though there are times that I like to throw caution to the wind and fly by the seat of my pants. ahaha

7. Let's have some fun with National Poetry Month (that would be April)...write your own ending to this poem-

"Roses are Red

Violets are blue..." 

I've never experienced

A love so true.

Incidentally if you'd like to read the history behind that little ditty you'll find it here.

8. Insert your own random thought in this space. I'm heading to Chicago tomorrow. I'm hoping to capture some awesome pictures. It would be really nice if it didn't snow while I was there. 


Thank you so much for stopping by and visiting. Please hop on over to Joyce's to read other participants answers or better yet, link up with your own.

Peace and Joy,
Susan

1 John 3:16 (NKJV) By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Throne Trip Tuesdays - Death

~DEATH~ 
WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO EXPLAIN IT ..  

A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to 

Leave the examination room and said, 

'Doctor, I am afraid to die. 

Tell me what lies on the other side.' 

Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know..' 

'You don't know?  You're, a Christian man, 

and don't know what's on the other side?' 

The doctor was holding the handle of the door; 

On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, 

And as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room 

And leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. 

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, 

'Did you notice my dog? 

He's never been in this room before. 

He didn't know what was inside. 

He knew nothing except that his master was here, 

And when the door opened,  he sprang in without fear. 

I know little of what is on the other side of death, 

But I do know one thing... 

I know my Master is there and that is enough.'  

Do you know the Master? I encourage you to seek Him today, This Day!


Peace and Joy,
Susan

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NKJV) ¹⁴ For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; ¹⁵ and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Project ThreeSixFive Week Fourteen

This is one pic I want to share with you. Our new pal, Chumley getting his first bath. He didn't fuss, but he definitely was not thrilled about it either.

There was a lot of dirt in the water when we finished. He looked and smelled much better afterward. Would you like to see a better picture of him? Then please hop over to my photography blog TurningPoints Photography. You'll get a good glimpse of him along the with rest of this past week's shots.

Thank you for stopping by and visiting. Have a fabulous day.

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV) looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

TSMSS - Like a Lion

I'm joining Amy at Signs, Miracles, and Wonders again for Then Sings My Soul Saturday. In a post earlier this week, I wrote about how March was roaring out like a lion. I ran across this awesome song by Kristian Stanfill and wanted to share it with you.


Have you heard it before? What do you think of it?

Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting. Have a fabulous weekend.

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Romans 8:9-11 (NKJV) ⁹ But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. ¹⁰ And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹ But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.