A Shepherd’s Tale

                    Listen, my friend to my amazing story.

It’s so cold tonight. The stars are so bright and seem so close, I could almost reach out and touch one. I snuggle close to the lamb who was born last night. His mother died in the birth and he seems so forlorn. One of the other ewes is nursing him so he should be fine.

The other shepherds are calming their sheep too. Something’s in the air. I wonder if there is a wolf or bear close by. 

                I take the Hanukkah lamb to Simeon

I really enjoy my sheep. I even like the earthy smell. All the Jews turn up their noses to me and how I smell except that holy man, Simeon who stays in the temple. He is ancient but so kind to everyone. When I delivered his Hanukkah lamb, he complimented me about how perfect it was. No one else has ever even given me the time of day. He even took the time to tell me about God’s promise to him that he, Simeon would not die before he sees God’s son. Rabbi Simeon is so certain that God will honor His promise. I have to wonder because the good Rabbi is so old.

I wish I could see God’s son. I’m only a poor shepherd and no one special. But I can dream.

                      The angels come with their message of love.

What’s happening? The sky is getting so bright. The sheep are bleating and running around. There are huge, glowing, flying men with wings coming near us, singing about glory to God and peace and that the Son of God is born. They tell us not to be afraid, but I am terrified. After a while I calm down and so do the sheep. They tell us that they bring good news for all men, including us poor shepherds, that the Son of God was born tonight and is lying in a manger in a stable in Bethlehem. They tell us that we need to go and see for ourselves and to worship him. They tell us that we need to spread this news that will bring great JOY to all men.

I am no longer afraid. I am so excited that I hurry with the other shepherds to Bethlehem. There is a star that seems to be guiding us to a stable behind an inn. We slowly walk into the stable. There in the center of the room is a tiny baby wrapped in cloths lying in the manger. His mother sits beside him, smiling at him. She is so young and looks so tired. A young man stands guard over the mother and child. He looks so proud and reverent as though he too heard the angels’ message. 

                          I bring my lamb to the Son of God.

Each of us shepherds slowly approach the mother and baby. Each has brought a present of food or an animal. I brought my orphaned lamb to keep the baby warm on this cold night. As I offer it to the mother and baby, the mother smiles at me and tells me it is a wonderful gift and that she really appreciates it. She says her son does too.

As she says this, the tiny baby wakes and smiles at me. I am dumb-founded! The angels told us this is the Son of God! I cannot believe that the Son of God would appreciate a gift from lowly me. This is a moment that I will treasure forever! I can hear the angels singing and see the brilliant light of the star. I can see the animals in the stable. Each is blurring as the tears come to my eyes. I am so happy to be here right now. Never in my life have I done anything as important as this, not even when I married Merriam. Not even when my children were born. 

I slowly leave with the other shepherds. We hate to leave but our sheep must be tended. The man tells us it’s ok to leave and the baby seems to wave goodbye to us. We hurry back to our flocks.

I can’t wait to tell my Marian and Jacob what I saw.

I can’t wait to run to the temple tomorrow to tell Rabbi Simeon that I saw the Son of God!

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.


I cannot imagine the joy that the shepherds must have felt to know that they were actually seeing the Son of God and to know that God trusted them to be the first visitors.

That JOY can be yours and mine if we just open our hearts to Him and let Him fill us with His love for eternity.

Thank you for reading my blogs!  You bless me when you do.  

Be blessed, my friend for a most JOYOUS Christmas and 2019.

Remember to keep Christ in Christmas.  He is indeed the reason for the season.  And remember those less fortunate.

All  photos taken by Debbie McEwen

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 usually post every other Saturday.

Lately I have been very busy with Grandma duties on weekends 
    so I may try to post during the week.

The next post should be in about 2 weeks.

   River in Winthrop, NY.  There is a halo or "sundog" around the sun that I did not see but that the camera picked up.  There is so much that God will show all of us if we just open our eyes and hearts to Him,  especially at this JOYOUS time of year.

The Pieces of My Life

               Sometimes my life feels like a jumbled jigsaw puzzle 
                                with no picture and no directions 
               - until I look to my Father and His guidebook, the Bible.

Here are my pieces, Lord.

Here are the pieces of my life,
the pieces of my family and my friends,
with health, relationships and all the other issues.

Here are the pieces of my church
with all our issues, needs and prayers.

Here are the pieces of my country
So many issues, Lord.
So many problems
So many people trying to do their best
and then there are the others, Lord

Here are the pieces that don’t fit into any category

I give you all my pieces, Father.

I know you will sort them out and make sense of them.

When you are done, this puzzle will be a masterpiece
because You know the best way to put everything together
and how to make sense of it all.

Only Your way is best.

Only Your time is right.

It can only be Your will, not mine, Father.

And the pieces will fit perfectly!


“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.   Matthew 7:7

           Picture was taken at Fobare's near Chase Mills, NY.
                     When I give all my problems to my Father, 
                 He will handle them and make everything right 
                                    - in the end.

Prayer Requests:  Please pray for all the less fortunate, especially those in Alaska where there are earthquakes, those in the war torn zones, the refugees who are seeking asylum at our Mexican border, those guarding the border and all those in need.  There are so many needs in our world and the only good answers are from our Father.

        Our Father is the light through the trees.

           He is the shelter in the storm.
        He doesn't take all our problems away
      but He helps us find a way through them
            and guides us to the solution
               -when we turn to Him.

    He is the glorious sunset at the end of the day.

All  photos taken by Debbie McEwen

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 usually post every other Saturday.

Lately I have been very busy with Grandma duties on weekends 
    so I may try to post during the week.

The next post should be in about 2 weeks.

This post is a little late.  Sorry.  My husband had knee replacement on Nov. 13 and I am late posting.  He is recovering nicely but still in a lot of pain.

If you like my photos and would like prints, I have started printing my pictures and I am selling them.  If you are interested, please contact me 

at debbieamcewen@gmail.com 

or call at (315)265-7469.

                   This is the church at Paul Smiths.
      A good path to find your way to your Father
     is to join a Bible based church of your choice
           and fellowship with other people 
                 who are seeking Him.
              I attend and recommend 
        Knapps Station Community Church 
                      Norwood, NY

What Will You Do to The Walls You Meet?

                                              Each of us is "under construction".                                       

If you think of everyone you meet
   as a wall under construction, 
   what will you do when you encounter them?

Do you add bricks and mortar?   Do you smooth the mortar and settle the bricks,
   or do you loosen the mortar 
   and knock down the bricks?
  
In other words, do you build up
   or do you knock down?

Every time we interact with other people,
   we do exactly that.
Our words and actions will either build up
   or knock down others.
We can either brighten someone’s day or darken it. We can bring Jesus’ light or Satan’s darkness.

It costs us nothing to give a store clerk a kind word       but may take the sting out of
   someone else’s thoughtless remark. 
A misbehaving child may need a hug 
   more than anything else. 
He or she may have been acting out 
   just to get attention. 
An act of love can turn around a life.

Our lives consist of a series of choices
   and each choice leads us to our final destination. The love we show may be passed on.
The bricks we lay make that wall stronger. 
The lack of love only tears down walls and lives. 

When we build up, it strengthens someone else, 
   it also shores up our souls against the darkness 
   that fights every moment to take over. 
Our building up, our laying of bricks can be small 
   or large actions. 
Even a smile can brighten a day 
   and spread Jesus’ love.

Sometimes we think we don’t matter, 
   that what we do really isn’t important, 
   but it is. 

There is a battle waging in the heavens 
   for each of us. 
Light versus darkness. 
What we do, gives ammunition to one side 
   – or the other.

I choose to lay bricks. I choose light!

What will you choose?

Ephesians 4:29 tells us ”Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give good grace to those who hear.”

  We've lost the brilliant reds and orange colored trees but the sun shining on                     these golden trees is beautiful on this glorious day.
   This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!"
                   Psalm 118:24

                  This is a side road near Paul Smiths, NY a week ago.
                              I can choose to dread the snow
                 or choose to see the beauty that God places in my path
                     and edify others with the beauty that I see.

     The image of the trees on the water is only a distorted image of reality.
                                Do we only see the reflections of life?
                    For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; 
                                then we shall see face to face. 
                      Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, 
                    even as I am fully known.  1 Corinthians 13:12

                           I challenge you to choose the light
                and to soar above the evil that tries to fill this world. 
                 When you fly to the light, your heart will sing.
       Your choices to build up others will give strength to your wings
                                   and JOY to your soul.
                  When you fall short, as we all do, keep trying. 
                    God sees your efforts and loves you for it. 

All  photos taken by Debbie McEwen

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 usually post every other Saturday.

Lately I have been very busy with Grandma duties on weekends 
    so I may try to post during the week.

The next post should be in about 2 weeks.

                           

                Be blessed, my friend 
       and may your life reflect the beauty 
                of God's love in you.

This is the Day!

This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!  Psalm 118:24
My 4 year old grandson Mark and I took a ride to see the beautiful day and take pictures.  We stopped at a playground in Waddington, NY.  Here Mark jumps for joy, just to be alive and enjoy the day. Our Lord wishes us to become like little children, to jump for joy and to delight in Him and all He has done for us. 

Something startled the Canada geese and they took flight.  On a day like this one and every day, my heart takes flight when I see the wonders that God has made for my delight.

A ship traveling somewhere between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic.  This part is the St. Lawrence River.

There is still some beautiful color on the trees at Brandy Brook at the McGuinnes Road Waddington, NY.

There is so much beauty to be see around each bend in the road if we are looking.  (McGuinness Road)

              The beauty that the Lord has created 
              makes my heart sing.
            This photo was taken at Fobares near Waddington, NY.

              I zoomed in on still brilliant trees across a mown field.

                                                      More of Fobares

                                                   More of Fobares

Did God compose this just for me to find today?

How many other JOYS
are waiting around the next bend,

waiting for me to say: 

This is the day the Lord hath made, let us  rejoice and be glad in it!  Psalm 118:24

Notice, Notice

Knapps Station Community Church
Women's Bazaar
Saturday November 3, 2018
8am to 3pm
There will be a bake sale and lots of great stuff.
Something for everyone!
Another one of those Knapps Station events that is not to be missed!

All  photos taken by Debbie McEwen

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 usually post every other Saturday.

Lately I have been very busy with Grandma duties on weekends so I may try to post during the week.

The next post should be in about 2 weeks.

As all grandparents know, there is nothing more special than our grandchildren, especially when they are being silly.  I believe that God also delights in us, who are His children. Especially when we are enjoying His wonderful creation.

What Makes Your Heart Sing?

                                   Does it take your breath away 
              when you see a beautiful sunset?
               

            How about when you look in the eyes 
              of your children or grandchildren 
        and see them looking back with eyes of love?

                Does it brighten your day
                  and quicken your step
         when you come upon a beautiful flower?

       Or find a woolly caterpillar with no black?
      Can that actually mean a very mild winter?

               Discover the sun sparkling on the water                                  under an old bridge.

       Find the sun sparkling through

               ice covered trees.

          Find the first dandelion in spring.

                       Do you chuckle 
      when you find your kitty peaking out at you 
              from his latest hiding place?

              Or discover that he is an acrobat?

         Experience the magnificence
            of the mighty mountains.

           Or the delicate beauty of a butterfly.

   View the riotous colors of fall in Northern New York.

Find a barred owl perched just outside your home and are able to sneak up and shoot a picture.

Enjoy the friendship and love of friends and family.

Enjoy the beauty that God has created just for me to enjoy.

           I am blessed to be married 45 years 
                   to my best friend, Tim.

These and so many other blessings have brought happiness to my heart and a laugh to my lips.
Some have taken my breath away.
I am so blessed that God has placed me in a time and place where I can experience so many wonderful things.  
I am not a world traveler but I have found incredible beauty in my life. 
So many discoveries have brought me great happiness.
However, when I feel the love and presence of Jesus in my heart and soul, I am filled with an incredible JOY and peace that no earthly event can compare to.
That is why my heart sings!
Have you found that song in your heart yet?
Our Father is waiting patiently for you to reach out and He will freely give it to you.

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.  Psalm 28:7

All  photos taken by Debbie McEwen

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 usually post every other Saturday.

The next post should be about October 13, 2018. 

Some blog posts have been late due to my having extra Grandmother duties and enjoying my grand babies.
My apologies.  I will try to budget my time better in the future. 

      I took this picture from the Medical Campus 
              in Canton, NY yesterday.  
     It as a glorious day with mild temperatures 
              and a beautiful blue sky.
I could only say "This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."  
           Psalm 118:24      

God is Love and God Loves You

                               "In the beginning, 
      God created the heavens and the earth."
                           Genesis 1:1
      Before that, there was NOTHING except God
                   and His Incredible Love.

    In 6 days, God created the heavens and the earth 
                 and everything on the earth.  
          And on the 6th day God also created 
                        man and woman.  
   God said "Let us make mankind in our image, 
             in our likeness."  Genesis 1:26
             God saw all that He had made, 
                    and it was very good.
                          Genesis 1:31

God had so much love, 
that He created all that exists.
And He created us.
God knows all things.
Before time began, He knew all about us.
He knew our faults and our talents.
He knew ahead of time all we would do
both good and bad.
He created us anyhow.
And He loves us without limit.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16

    God knew we would make so many mistakes 
                and commit so many sins.

                  He loves us so much and 
    so badly wants us to spend eternity with Him
                that He can be called 
          the God of our second chances.

The rainbow represents mankind's second chance after God destroyed the world with the great flood.

          The cross where Jesus took on all our sins                               and died for us 
                     and the empty tomb 
              where Jesus rose from the dead 
               represent our second chance 
            to spend eternity with our Father 
           who is love and who loves us dearly.

        Jesus reaches out His arms and asks
         "Will you accept my limitless love?"

            We love because he first loved us. 
                     1 John 4:19

         When life becomes extremely difficult, 

                when you make mistakes
              and may question your worth 

            (as I have done so many times)

            when you wonder why bother:

              Remember that God is love

                   and He loves YOU!

          (Know God will ALWAYS help you 

             through all those hard times)

All  photos taken by Debbie McEwen

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 usually post every other Saturday.

The next post should be on September 22, 2018.             

     

        As you may already know, I love sunsets.

       They represent God's promise for tomorrow

     and for a magnificent eternity to look forward to.