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Thursday, March 24, 2016

It is Only Through Your Grace, Lord



                                   Sunset at my home

I rejoice in the magnificence of our Almighty Lord as I gaze upon the beauty of the nature He placed around me.  I am reminded of His resurrection in each sunrise and sunset.  My soul is renewed by the birth of new life each spring.  Praise be His most holy name.  



Only Through Your Grace, Lord


It is only through Your grace, Lord that I stand any chance of ever seeing Heaven.  

I can try my absolute best to do what I am supposed to do and always fall short.  There is not a single day that goes by that I don’t commit some sin, imperfect person that I am.   

Thank you so much Loving Father that You always knew me for exactly who I am and for loving me so much anyhow.  

Long before I was even in my mother’s womb, you knew exactly what I would do every day of my life.  You knew every good deed, every sinful deed, every charitable thought and every nasty one.  

Amazingly You loved me so much that You designed a way for me to be saved, to go to heaven in spite of, not because of who I am and what I do.  

You arranged for Your only son to be born, to live and to die a terrible death, to pay the debt that I rightfully owe.  

You said, “Debbie, your sins are forgiven, welcome to heaven.  Just take my hand and accept it.  Debbie, you do need to accept me.  You do need to acknowledge your sins and tell Me that you are sorry.  You need to try your best to live a good life.  

In return, I welcome you to paradise for eternity.”

That my friend is what Easter is all about.  

God’s wonderful grace and love for each and every one of us.



Blessed be His most holy name.  Hosanna in the highest!!


The son of man did not come to be served but to serve and give his life as ransom for many.  Matthew 20:28


In him we have redemption, through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us.

Ephesians 1:7

                                  Brook near West Potsdam



                                      Near Clayton, NY


What Will You Choose?


Caution:  Graphic descriptions

On the blackest Friday that ever was, the Son of God was dying on a cross.  

He was a writhing, mass of agony from the top of His thorn crowned head to the bottom of His nail pierced feet.  

His bloodied, broken body had been beaten, spit upon, slapped, whipped mercilessly and ridiculed.  

Every square inch of His battered body screamed out in agonizing pain.  He hung nailed to a cross, choking on His own blood as He suffocated to death. 

He, the only Son of our Creator, chose to accept this torturous death.  He welcomed it so He could pay the debt we rightfully owe. He loves us that much.

Each time we tell Him through our actions “No, I don’t want You.  I don’t believe in You.   I don’t care about Your payment.   I’ll do as I please,” it’s almost as if we are adding another blow to the hammer striking the nails tearing into His hands and feet, another lash of the whip ripping the skin off His back, another thorn in the crown piercing His head, dripping blood into His eyes and adding untold sorrow to His loving heart.

On the third day after His crucifixion, Easter Sunday, Jesus rose triumphantly from the dead, conquering death and paving our way to heaven for eternity.

Will we continue to add to His agony and pave our way to the abyss or will we join Him in paradise?  

What will you choose?

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.  The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head.  They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again saying "Hail, King of the Jews." And they slapped him in the face.  John 19:1-3


There they crucified him and with him two others - one on each side and Jesus in the middle.  John 19:18


Then he (one of the men crucified with Jesus) said, "Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom."  Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."   Luke 23: 42-43



                                  Siberian Cilia at my house


I Have Faith


The new season is trying so badly to Spring forth.  

Snow falls and disappears.  Flowers send up shoots only to be stopped in their tracks.  Trees bud but are stalled in place.  

Some weeks have been warm and then turned back to chilly temperatures.  

At least the maple sap can run and we can enjoy the syrup.  

In time we know the warmer sunshine will chase away the chills of winter and the grass will finish turning green.  

The birds will stop shivering and even the dreaded bugs will be buzzing again.  

I look forward to the song of the peepers and the crickets, the birth of the baby birds, the blooming of the flowers and the appearance of the leaves on the trees.  

I anxiously await the warmth of the sun on my back and the warm breezes that will blow away all remnants of winter’s cold. 

In the meantime, I have faith in what is to come.


                           Wood ducks in marsh near West Potsdam

                           Male mallard in pond near West Potsdam

Easter Blessings

May the Risen Lord bless you with renewed faith
May the warmer weather rejuvenate your spirits
And may your days be filled with the joy of the Risen Lord!


             Closeup of Egret in huge nest on top of electric pole near Depeyster, NY

All photos taken by Debbie and Tim McEwen - 
  used with permission
All bible reference from the NIV
If you are interested, you can click on the Blog Archive 
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I post every other Saturday 
The next post will be 4-9-16
I hope to see you then.  
In the meantime, God's blessings on you, my friend.  Debbie



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