Do You Ever Feel Discouraged?

                           Have you ever noticed that the sunsets 

                           broken by clouds are the most beautiful?

                                  When times are at their worst,

             Jesus takes our pain, our problems and turns them around.

              He truly makes us beautiful, if we just allow Him to do so.

                 

Stressed?
Down in the dumps?
Overwhelmed?
Broken?
Like you messed up your life?

Fall down on your knees and look up.
Jesus is calling to you,
He says “Take My Hand, I’ll help you.
I’ll take your broken life and make you
   and your life beautiful.
I love you more than you can imagine.
I have loved you from before the beginning of time.
I know you are hurting.
I feel your pain.
My heart hurts so much when you are hurting.”

Jesus says Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29

Open your Bible and visit the church of your choice.
Get to know the One who paid for your sins
   with His life.
Put your life in His hands.
Tell Him you are sorry for all you ever did wrong.
He dying to forgive you
   and He will every single time you ask Him.

Life will continue to give you problems, difficulties, stress and turmoil but when you follow our Gentle Lord and Master, you will have peace in your soul, in your core.

When you turn to Him,
   Jesus will be with you every step of the way.
He will take your hand and walk with you
   through the rough patches of your life.

He will even carry you when you can’t walk anymore.

You will feel peace that defies the world’s logic.
You will learn the true meaning of the word JOY.
And you will never be discouraged again.
Because, with Jesus at your side, you are never alone.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Dear Friends:

I just finished writing this last night and then read about the shooting at the Walmart in Colorado.  My heart was broken.  I hurt so much for all the victims and the perpetrators who are hurting so much that they feel they must strike out.  We have had way too many tragedies this year.  One tragedy is too many but there have been so many more. 
What can we do?

We can be extra kind to everyone we have any contact with, especially the ones who may not behave like they "deserve it."  They just may need it the most and our act of kindness just might prevent them from doing something that they shouldn't.

Love with abandon.  Sew the seeds of your love and kindness.  And pray, pray, pray. You will make a mighty difference whether or not you ever see the results.

I would be grateful if you would pray for my husband, Tim who is having knee replacement surgery on Tuesday Nov. 7, 2017.  Thank you!

May you be mightily blessed, my friend.

Knapps Station Church will have their
Annual Bazaar
Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017
9 am to 3 pm
There will be a food sale
and a donation white elephant sale.

All photos taken by Debbie and Tim McEwen unless otherwise noted-          

     used with permission.
All bible reference from the NIV
     unless otherwise noted.

If you are interested,
    you can click on the Blog Archive
    dates on the top right side of this post
    to connect to previous blog posts.

I would love to hear from you either 

    on the comment section of this blog post
    or through my email.
    debbieamcewen@gmail.com
I post every other Saturday.
The next post will be November 18, 2017.

           Jesus is the light that will bring hope and peace for tomorrow. 

                       Turn to Him and be blessed, my friend.

P.S.  Have you noticed how much I love sunsets?             God has given me so many beautiful ones.                       Through these beautiful sunsets, 

    He gives me great hope for my tomorrows 

                  - and yours too!

Am I an Owner or a Steward?

                            View from bridge in park in Canton, NY

                       Our Father created all that is.  He is the owner.

                        How magnificent is the work of His hands!

                              It's our job to be the "good stewards" 

                             and provide good care for everything
                                     under our stewardship.

                         

I grew up thinking that what I had was mine, that I could do as I pleased with my stuff – within reason.

I own my house – with the bank.
I own my car.
I own my body.
I worked for and earned my money.

They’re mine, right??
Can't I just do as I please as long as I pay my bills and live within the laws of our nation?

Deep inside my soul, a little voice says “No.”

These things are mine to use and enjoy but I do have obligations.

I need to take good care of all of them.
My property is mine to use and pass on.
I have an obligation to take proper care of my body.
It’s not ok to abuse anything - even myself.

God is good – all the time and He has been very good to me.

I have the right to enjoy my property and stuff.
I also have the obligation to use all these things for His honor and glory.
Even the talents and abilities that He gave me are mine to use – for His honor and glory.

It reminds me of the parable that Jesus told of the Bags of Gold in Matthew 25:14-30 (see below). Those stewards were each given treasure to invest wisely and bring dividends to the master at the end of the time. Those who invested wisely were rewarded. The one who did not invest wisely was punished.

It puts a different perspective on “my property” when I realize that I am only the steward and not the owner.

It makes me think that I am to share that I have, that the goal is not to accumulate more wealth in the way the world looks at wealth but at the way the Father looks at wealth.

Do I need that new whatever or do should I help…………….??

It’s important to meet our own needs but it’s also important to share with those whose needs are not being met.

Do I look for opportunities to be kind – even when the individual doesn’t “deserve” my kindness?
Do I “deserve” all that Jesus did for me?

If I use my talents and money and whatever He gave me to share the treasure of His love and grace and to spread His Word, then I will have invested wisely, and my Master will be pleased.

I may never be “rich” as the world views wealth but if I use my resources as Jesus taught, I am confident that I will be very wealthy in eternity.

Deep in my soul, I know I am only “a steward”, that my Father is truly “the owner” of all that exists, of all His creation.

I pray that my Father will teach me to be a good steward, so I can enjoy my rewards with Him for eternity.

How about you?

                            View from the other side of the bridge.

             I never cease to be amazed by the beauty that God has created.

                Our Maker makes all things beautiful - even a single leaf.

The Parable of the Bags of Gold

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

“ ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 
Matthew 25:14-30

Knapps Station Community Church is just finishing a study on 

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller.

I heartily recommend this book.  It spoke to me about Psalm 23 in ways I had never considered before and greatly enhanced my appreciation for my own "Good Shepherd."

Knapps Station Church will also have their
Annual Bazaar
Nov. 4, 2017
9 am to 3 pm
There will be a food sale
and a donation white elephant sale.

            This beautiful, lone petunia is growing out of the pavement
                           on Main Street in Waddington, NY. 
                          It is thriving despite its environment.
             It embodies the idea of blooming where you are planted
                           and does so with grace and beauty.
                     It inspires me to face adversity as a challenge,
           to be the good steward and make the very best of any situation.
                  The one thing I truly own is my attitude 
                     Lord help me to make mine like Yours.

Blessing
May you be blessed by a life of Godly stewardship
 and an attitude that gives you a heart after God.
May our Loving Father bless you with His Love,     Grace, Peace, Wisdom and everlasting JOY.

All photos taken by Debbie and Tim McEwen unless otherwise noted-          

     used with permission.
All bible reference from the NIV
     unless otherwise noted.

If you are interested,
    you can click on the Blog Archive
    dates on the top right side of this post
    to connect to previous blog posts.

I would love to hear from you either 

    on the comment section of this blog post
    or through my email.
    debbieamcewen@gmail.com
I post every other Saturday.
The next post will be November 4, 2017.

             Canada Geese that I saw at the park in downtown Canton, NY.

            And lastly, don't let the sun set on you without seeking the Son
                         who will give you light and life everlasting. 

Where are You, God?

                                                          The sun is setting. 
                           Light is leaving the world for the night.
                                      Have You left us, Lord?
                                            NEVER!
                               Jesus said, "Never will I leave you,
                                  never will I forsake you!"

Hurricanes have ravaged.
Droughts, forest fires, earthquakes,
tsunamis have struck.
Shootings, shootings, shootings!!

People are being oppressed.
Others are starving to death.

Man is hurting man.
Where does it end?

Where are You in all this?

You say You love us.
You say You are with us?
Where do You fit into all this chaos and pain?

I hurt for all these people.
My heart breaks.
When I open my heart to You, I feel that Your heart is breaking for all of them.
I can’t imagine how badly it must hurt You.

But where are You?

Why don’t You fix everything so there isn’t so much pain?

You let me know that You have given us free will, the power and right to choose how we behave.

People making terrible choices have caused so much of the pain we see.

The earth was perfect when You created it and then, Adam and Eve chose their own way, refusing to follow You.

Life became hard for all of us.

I suspect that their choices and resulting banishment from the Garden of Eden affected not only them and the rest of mankind but nature and the weather as well.

Who knew that eating one little piece of fruit could cause so much trouble!

Satan knew.
He knows today that every choice we make has repercussions.

It’s like throwing a pebble in a pond.
The ripples go on forever.

One sin causes so many things to happen.

One prayer does too.
It’s power goes on forever.

One act of kindness - to feed the starving, the give aid to the victims of the disasters, of the shootings.

One act of kindness and a lot of praying might even prevent some of the shootings, some of the oppression, some of the pain.

We are God’s hands, feet and tongue.
He acts through us.

That is where You are Lord
You are with us, guiding us to live as You taught us.
If we follow You and Your Way, we can make incredible differences in our world.
If we pray, if we do what You put in our path.
If we listen for Your still small voice directing us.

If !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
Matthew 25:31-40

      This bee is gathering pollen to make honey to feed the hive for the winter.  

      This is  her job.  It is what God made her to do and she does it well.

                                      Are you doing your job?

      Do you love God first and foremost and love your neighbor as yourself?               

               Nature reflects the beauty and wonder of the Creator.

                       Since we are made in His image and likeness,

             we also reflect Him when we follow His teachings and His love.

                  (a little brook on a side road near Saranac Lake, NY)

                 

Blessing:

May you be blessed my friend
by listening and watching carefully
to find the jobs that Our Father has in mind for you that no one else can fulfill quite the way you can.

May you have much JOY and peace 

in completing those jobs!

Be Blessed!!

                    Don't let the sun set without finding the true JOY 

              that comes from doing a little of the Lord's work each day.

                             If we each do our little bit each day,

                            truly amazing results will be achieved!

NOTICE!! NOTICE!! NOTICE!!

You can find and follow me now on Instagram by going to Instagram and entering:

#myheartjumpsforjoy.

All photos taken by Debbie and Tim McEwen unless otherwise noted-          

     used with permission.
All bible reference from the NIV
     unless otherwise noted.

If you are interested,
    you can click on the Blog Archive
    dates on the top right side of this post
    to connect to previous blog posts.

I would love to hear from you either 

    on the comment section of this blog post
    or through my email.
    debbieamcewen@gmail.com
I post every other Saturday.
The next post will be October 21, 2017.

            I recently got a new camera. Now I can take moon shots.
    I took these over a few nights when the moon was at different phases. 
           With a more powerful lens I was able to see more details
                              of the moon's surface.  

    

You are Jesus’ Precious Child

Jesus protects and cares for us just as this egret protects her babies.

Picture taken near Black Lake, NY

Do you feel precious?

                            You are so much more important to Jesus 
                                    than this fawn is to his mother.

Jesus knows you are.

He went to hell and back just for you.

He would do it all over again
   if that was what it would take to save you.

But He doesn’t have to.

He paid the price for your sins and for my sins once
   and for all time.

That covers everything everyone ever did wrong
   or ever will do wrong.

You and I are so important to God that He wants us
   to spend eternity with Him in Paradise.

Can you possibly fathom what that means?

I feel overwhelmed to think about it.

The One, the Great I Am, the Great Jehovah planned
   each and every one of us from the beginning of time.

         Despite the immeasurable power and might of our Father,
            not a bird falls without Him knowing and caring.
                 Think how much more He values you
           when even the hairs of your head are numbered.
             Picture taken from boat launch Ogdensburg, NY

And He loves us.

Each of us has value beyond measure. 

That means that God loves us without limit,
   without conditions, without strings attached.

However, to get to spend eternity with Him in Paradise,
   we have to accept His love, His free gift.  
We have to believe in Him and love Him back.  

We have to tell Him we are sorry for the things
   we do wrong. 

He forgives each and every time we ask Him to.

When the thief crucified beside him, asked Jesus
   to remember him when Jesus got to His kingdom,
   Jesus said, “You will be with me today in Paradise.”

The thief was Jesus precious child
   and so are you for all eternity.

And don’t you ever forget it!

See what great love the Father
            has lavished on us,
  that we should be called children of God!
           And that is what we are!
                    1John 3:1

                                      In the eyes of the world,
           we may mean no more than the fluff of a dandelion who is gone by.
             In God's eyes we are worth than the life of His beloved only son.

Praise You Lord
    for All Your Creation

Praise You Lord for the stars and moon that light our nights
   and bring our time of blessed sleep

Praise You for the sun that lights and warms our days
   so we can marvel in the glory of Your mighty hands

Nature Preserve on St. Lawrence River near Massena, NY

Praise You for the hills and mountains, for the rivers
   and streams
   that fill our lives with animals, fish, birds, trees, flowers
   and bountiful foods for us to enjoy, to nourish our bodies
   and our souls

                                      Lake Placid, NY  in winter

                            Brook near Nicholville, NY in Fall

                     River in West Stockholm, NY in Springtime

Praise You for the oceans filled with endless fish 
   and amazing creatures.
   The seas are vast and deep like Your amazing love.

                     St. Lawrence River in early Spring with ship and tug boat.

Praise You for the four seasons that bring us variety
   and allow nature to rest, revive, grow, mature
   and be fruitful.
   Your creation never ceases to amaze me
   with its variety and beauty

                         Canada geese in bare cornfield in Spring

                            Brook near West Potsdam, NY in Summer

                               Flat Rock Road, Potsdam, NY in Fall

               Back side of Norwood Pond after ice storm Feb. 2016

Praise You for the rain and snow that bring life-giving water 
   to our lives and our environment

Praise You for all of nature that shouts Your praise saying 
   “The  Almighty Creator and Lord of all,
   the Great I Am, made me. 
   Look at the beauty and infinite creativity
   of His loving hands.”

Praise You Loving Father for making me,
   “for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   Your works are wonderful, 
   I know that full well.”  Psalm 139:14

” God created mankind just a little lower
   than the angels,
   and crowned him with glory and honor.”
   Psalm 8:5.

   The details of Your creation are infinite.
   No photograph has sufficient pixels
      to capture all the details.
   No painter can begin to duplicate the Master.

Praise you Lord for the wondrous majesty that is You!

Praise You for Your incredible love that caused You to call all
   creation into existence   

Blessed be Your most holy name.  Amen

            Even on gray days, God makes all things beautiful - including us!

Book Reviews

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller

Every once in a while I inadvertently find a real treasure.  I had no idea how great this book was until I started reading it.  Phillip Keller raised sheep and describes in detail what a good shepherd goes through to take good care of his sheep.  He draws remarkable parallels between a shepherd caring for his flock and Jesus caring for us. This is one I plan to reread and hopefully do a study on.  It is really that good.

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Begin Where You Are is the new blog post by my Jean Oathout encouraging us to begin where we are to reach our place in eternity.
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Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Check out the production at Christian Fellowship Center
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Knapps Station Community Church
Stay tuned for more information about Operation Arctic Vacation Bible School in July at Knapps Station Community Church.  It promises to be very COOL!
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What it Takes to Give Others Grace is the Jane Aunt's newest blog post.  Do we only soak up God's grace or do we pass it on to others?  Can we become a bridge between God and others to share God's grace and love?
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Voice of the Martyrs 
Please pray for our brothers and sisters who do not have the freedom to worship as they choose.
Many suffer and die for their faith.
We are so blessed to worship as we choose.
Many died to give us this freedom
May we never lose this freedom.
And may we never take it for granted. 

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Blessing:

May you be blessed in the knowledge that 
   you are indeed Jesus' precious child
   that He loved enough to die for.
May you never forget just how special 
   that makes you - and all His other children too!
May you never take the magnificence of His creation
   or God's love for granted.
And may you daily receive great JOY 
   through your relationship
   with our Creator and Father.

                                   Lighthouse in Ogdensburg, NY

Know that His love and JOY will guide you over any troubled waters that life sends your way on your journey to an eternity with the Father in Paradise.

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All photos taken by Debbie and Tim McEwen unless otherwise noted- 

  used with permission

All bible reference from the NIV
   unless otherwise noted

If you are interested,
   you can click on the Blog Archive 

  dates on the top right side of this post
  to connect to previous blog posts

I would love to hear from you either on the
   comment section of this blog post
   or through my email

   debbieamcewen@gmail.com 

I post every other Saturday 

The next post will be April 22, 2017

May God bless you greatly until we meet again

      Paul Bunyan and Babe the Big Blue Ox live on Route 56 near Colton, NY

Imagine you’ve never owned a Bible. How would you feel when they called your name to give you one? Kumar experienced that joy.