Thank you, Father

                       "This is the day the Lord hath made
                           let us rejoice and be glad in it."
                                            Psalm 118:24
                This is a picture of my backyard and the fields behind.
                     I greatly appreciate where He has "planted" me.
                      God is so gracious with His many blessings.


Thank you for this opportunity.

A pending surgery doesn’t sound like an opportunity
   to say thank you
   but it is.

You are giving me the opportunity to surrender
   to You and Your love,
   Your grace and Your peace.

You are giving me the opportunity for spiritual growth
   and for You to work on my soul.

You are the potter
   who is constantly tweaking His work to improve it.
I am the clay that is being tweaked.

I started out as a big lump that needed shaping.
You had a plan and started working on me.
You poked and prodded. You nudged.
You removed the excess that is not part of Your plan.

Sometimes it was painful for me.
Sometimes I didn’t want to give up that excess.

However, You are the Master Potter. 

I am only the clay.

Who knows best?
You, of course.

This upcoming surgery is another opportunity
   for You to work on me.

I am learning to trust. I am learning to have faith. It’s not always easy.
Sometimes I have control issues.

However, I need to remember
   that You made everything that exists.
You absolutely know what is best
   and how everything will turn out.

I need to remember that You are my loving Father
   and that I rest firmly in the palm of Your hand.
I need to remember that You will never let go,
   never drop me,
   that You said,
   “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

I need to remember that Your love for me is limitless
   and that You suffered a horrendous death
   to pay my way to spend eternity with You
   in Paradise.

Therefore, I know I can trust You with my surgery.

Thank you, Father. 

                         "Consider how the wild flowers grow.             
                              They do not labor or spin.
            Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor
                     was dressed like one of these." Luke 12:27

                              I found this "arrangement" 
                        growing wild beside my garage.
                        I've never seen the two color lily before.
                     It must be one of those little "God surprises"
                                 that God uses to bless us.

As I was putting this on my blog post, a tremendous storm came up.  The skies opened and the rain poured.  The wind blew hard and the thunder roared.  A very large limb broke off a tree that is against my house and the limb with all the adjoining branches fell against my house.  It partially blocked the entrance BUT there is absolutely no damage to my house.  There will be a lot of work to clean up the mess but no repairs to make.  God is so good, all the time.  He takes care of us through everything that life and Satan can throw at us.

                      This is what I saw when I opened the door 

     after the branch broke.

                   This is what it looked like from outside the house.

This is my husband starting to cut up the branch.  

We got it cleaned up in less than an hour.

"It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, 

and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain."  

Isaiah 4:4

I wrote the "Thank You, Father" prayer because I am facing abdominal surgery that may be laparoscopic or may need to be major surgery if the polyp that needs to be removed is in the "wrong" location.  I came away from the surgeon's office frazzled.  I know I'm not supposed to worry, but I was.  I called to ask for prayers from my church family and I wrote this prayer.  I am now at peace about the surgery.  It is in the hands of a very good surgeon but ultimately in the hands of my Loving Father who will take the very best care of me.  I am fortunate that the surgeon believes in prayer and I asked that he pray for me.  I am so blessed that God put me where He did, among so many Godly people who are my church family and friends.  I am loved and cared for.  I can only wish and pray for this blessing for all of you.

        Another beautiful sunset from my backyard.
              I have so many things for which to say
                                  "Thank you, Father."

****************************
Save the date.  Mark your calendar.
YUMMY  YUMMY  YUMMY
Knapps Station Community Church will have its
Annual Chicken Pie Dinner 
Thursday,  September 19, 2019 

Times:  starting at 5 pm for the dining room
     take outs will be available starting at 4:30 pm

You can call ahead for take outs if you wish
  Call Barb at 315-212-9771 
      or June at 315-244-3149 for take outs 
Or to order a whole chicken pie for $10.00
Whole pies must be pre-ordered by Sept. 12.

Menu:  Chicken pie, mashed potatoes and gravy,  squash, green beans, rolls, and for dessert either apple crisp or pumpkin pie

Prices:  Adult (ages 12-90)  still $8.00
            Child (ages 5-11)    still $4.00
            Free for those under 5 and over 90
            Take outs are available at the same prices
           
****************************

Prayer Request:  I ask everyone to pray that God softens all hearts.  There is so much division, so much hate in our country right now.  Some of you may already be praying for all the victims of the horrendous shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio from this past weekend and I encourage those prayers. I also ask you to pray for everyone who has hardened their hearts and would wish to harm anyone else.  God loves all of us regardless of the color of our skin, where we came from, how we choose to worship Him or who we love.  All lives matter.  God listens and He answers prayers.  If we all pray every week for all those with hurtful intentions, I wonder how many shootings might be prevented, how many lives might be saved and how much heartache might be prevented. Let's call this Preventive Prayer and pray with all our might.  Pray for love and peace and God's JOY to fill the emptiness of those hardened hearts.

              Just as the wax will soften 
                   when the flames melt it,
              so too will hardened hearts soften 
                 when we pray and God acts.

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 have not posted regularly and I apologize to my followers.

Life, health issues and grandchildren interfere.

Mea culpa my friends.

I will try to do better in the future.

Blessing:  

I pray for God's blessings on all of you.

I pray that you experience
    His many "God surprises" 
    on a daily basis.
I pray that you experience 
    the JOY of having

   God touch your heart and soul.

You only have to allow Him in.

Blessings, my friend!!!

           This dragonfly (I think that is what it is)                       
                    is so delicate and beautiful.

          God made us all in His image and likeness.

                      Just imagine how much He loves us.

                     "For You formed my inmost being;

     You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

                             I will praise You,

        for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

                      Marvelous are Your works,

                  and I know this very well."

                                 Psalm 139:13-14
                     
                                 Thank you, Father.

Please Help Us, Loving Father

Lord, hear my prayer,

listen to my cry for mercy;

in your faithfulness and righteousness

come to my relief.

Do not bring your servant into judgment,

for no one living is righteous before you.

Psalm 143: 1-2

Loving Father, I cry out to You on behalf of myself and my fellow man.

This world is in terrible turmoil.
There is war, oppression, discrimination, torture, greed, and all the sins that man can think of.

One country is testing nuclear weapons with the goal of bombing the United States.

There are wild fires in many areas of our country.
There are 2 major, devastating hurricanes in other parts of our country.

Our leaders are dividing our country, discriminating against people because of the color of their skin and their country of origin.
Many groups of people are being treated badly.

Our country was based on tolerance and freedom for all.
It was based on You. Even our money is printed with “In God we trust.”

We may disagree with each other.
Some of these groups may believe things we disagree with, even some that are against Your Word.

But You love us and You love them too.

We desperately need to find ways to deal with each other in loving, Godly ways.
We desperately need Your divine guidance.
We cannot do this on our own.

Please help us to use our hands, feet and tongue spread Your word and Your way.
Please guide us to do whatever we are able to help those in need.
Please guide us to treat all people as Your creatures who are loved dearly by You, regardless of their beliefs.

Guide us to reach out to our politicians to let them know how we feel and what we want.
Please guide all politicians and leaders to You and Your way, to make decisions based on Your Word.

Guide us to bring relief to others to the best of our ability.

Please teach us, guide us each and every day to spread the essence that is You and to bring peace to this world that is in so much turmoil.
Please teach us to pray before we act so all that we do is Your will, Your way and in Your time.

Please help us or we are lost.
I ask this in Jesus most precious name.
Amen

                   Our days may be so dark and foreboding.
                Fear and worry may fill our minds and hearts.
       When we turn to You, our Loving Father, You are always there.
            You are the light shining through the darkest clouds.
                              You will never desert us,
             regardless of what we have done or not done.
            You regard us just a little lower than the angels
           and desperately want us to spend eternity with You.
                          You are Love incarnate.
   I will turn to You, repent of my sins and rest safely in Your Loving arms.

"if my people, who are called by my name, 
will humble themselves and pray 
and seek my face 
and turn from their wicked ways, 
then I will hear from heaven, 
and I will forgive their sin 
and will heal their land."  2 Chronicles 7:14

                           Pictures of the brook near my house.
                   Our Loving Father will lead us to the still waters  

                         in the midst of life's worst turmoil
                                    - if we let Him.
             What will you choose? Where do you put your trust?
                                    Think carefully.

****************************

YUMMY, YUMMY!

Knapps Station Community Church will have their Annual Chicken Pie Dinner on 

Thursday September 21, 2017.

Time:  Takeouts may be picked up starting at 4:30

     Call (315)244-3159 or (315)212-9771 to preorder

           Dining In starts at 5 pm

Prices:  For a dinner:

            Ages under 5 and over 90   FREE

            Ages 5-12                         $4.00 each 

            Ages 13 to 89                    $8.00 each 

            For a whole chicken pie      $10.00

{Whole chicken pies must be preordered by Sept 19 by calling   (315)244-3159 or (315)212-9771}

MENU: 

          Chicken pie, mashed potatoes and gravy, squash, green beans, cranberries, rolls, apple crisp OR pumpkin pie.  Also coffee, tea, lemonade or water.

Is your mouth watering yet?  Mine is!

****************************

Blessing:

May you be blessed, my friend, in the knowledge that you have an incredible Loving Father who is watching over you.
May you have the faith to know that He will guide and take care of you through the most difficult times - if you let Him.

And may you have confidence that He will do all things for your ultimate good - regardless of how it appears at the time.

Please pray, my friend, for all the disaster victims in our country and all those suffering all over the world. Please pray for yourself and for me that we will keep to the straight path, stay the course and not give up. Satan is working hard to get our souls.  God is infinitely stronger. He is our strength but we must do our part and never give up. 

****************************

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 September 23, 2017.

          Live each day as if it is your last 
        and tomorrow, you meet your Maker!

Your Eyes Must Gush Rivers of Grief, Lord.

                Does the color and JOY drain from Your loving eyes, Lord,
                  when you see the way we brutalize each other?

There is so much violence in the news.
So many people have been injured and killed.

Even children!

You made us because You love us
   and want us to spend eternity with You.

We have lost our way.

So many do not know You and even deny You.
So many do terrible things in Your name.

It must break Your loving heart.

It breaks mine.

As much as my tears flow,
   Your eyes must gush rivers of grief.

                            When we turn to Jesus and His way,
               there is light, life, peace and JOY shining through the darkness.

             

                  Out of His tears come rivers of life and beauty.        
                   Jesus is making all things beautiful in their time.

Has it always been this way?
History has not been pretty.
We have always brutalized each other.
Your Precious Son, Jesus,
   came at a terrible point in history
   when life for Your people was at its darkest.

He taught a different way then,
I know His message is still vital and relevant today.

Please guide us, guide me to do whatever we can
   to spread Your word, Your message of love.

Please help us to sow the seeds of love, of tolerance,    of forgiveness, of peace
   and of Your JOY that is never ending.

Please help us how to show others
   there is another way.

Your way

Help us to do our part to bring peace on earth
   so there are no more tears of grief,
   only tears of JOY.

                  Lord, please teach us to live Your way.  
        Help us do our part to bring light, color and Your JOY 
                   back into this dark, cold, cruel world.
              Please teach us to love as You have loved us.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, 

holy and dearly loved, 

clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 

Bear with each other and forgive one another. 

If any of you has a grievance against someone, forgive as the Lord forgave you. 

And over all these virtues put on love, 

which binds them all together in perfect unity. 

 Colossians 3:12-14


Book Review:


Sons of Encouragement by Francine Rivers is a wonderful compilation of stories of 5 unsung heros of the Bible.  Aaron, the Priest; Caleb, the warrior: Jonathan, the prince; Amos, the prophet and Silas, the scribe whose lives are fleshed out in this set of 5 fictional bible stories.  Ms. Rivers took the actual people from the Bible wrote these men into life with human qualities and faults and ultimately with a desire to follow and serve the One True God. Ms Rives has researched the Bible and its times so carefully that her writing has the flavor of reading an unabridged biblical account of these men. 

YUMMY, YUMMY!

Knapps Station Community Church will have their annual Chicken Pie Dinner on 

Thursday September 21, 2017.

Not to be missed!

Blessing:

May you be blessed, my friend in the knowledge that you have a loving father in heaven who is watching over you all the days of your life.  He sees what is happening in this world and will guide you over the rough patches and through the hard times that come to all of us.  He will take your hand and never let go- unless you tell Him to.  His love for you is never ending and He waits anxiously for you to join Him in heaven.  Lets all meet there together! 

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 September 9, 2017.

                              The road at our house is now paved.  

                            There is still finishing work to be done

            but the worst of the dust and very bumpy road are ended.

Am I Vigilant Enough, Lord?

                               (Campground near Eel Weir, near Black Lake, NY)

Am I watching for the ruts in the road, for children darting out in the road?

Am I focused on the task at hand or am I distracted by other things?

Am I careful enough when I drive down the road?

Do I watch my finances carefully enough so the money stretches as far as it needs to?
Am I conscientious about the way I treat friends and family?

Am I giving You, Lord, the time, honor and glory that You deserve?

I try to do all those things but fall short so many times.

When I started my walk with You, I gave You my heart, soul, mind and all my resources.

I knew I needed to avoid temptations, the ways of the world and the wiles of Satan.

However, it’s so easy to become lax.

                       This picture is obviously out of focus.

       This happened when I was distracted, in a hurry and not careful enough. 

   
Satan keeps me busy, distracts me, gets my mind on other things and then he sneaks in.

It’s become too easy to walk on the “slippery slope” where daily living relaxes into the ways of the world.

It’s too easy to excuse behaviors and issues that are not Your Way.

I need to refocus and put EVERYTHING into alignment with Your Word, the Bible.

It’s so hard at times and I can get very confused.

Then I remember “With God all things are possible” and know You will guide me to be vigilant enough when I put my heart and soul in Your loving hands.

I pray for Your guidance.
I can’t do anything on my own.

Amen

Jesus looked at them and said, 
"With man this is impossible, 
but with God all things are possible."  
Matthew 19:26

                            When the mountain is my destination, 

                        I can try to take shortcuts across the fields 

          but I really have no idea what pitfalls or obstacles I will encounter.  

            I know I can trust You, Father, to lead me along the right paths. 

              I know You will keep me vigilant enough to arrive safely.

****************************************

Prayer, Does It Make Any Difference? by Philip Yancey  is a great book discussing various aspects of prayer such as "Why pray?" "Does God listen?" "Does He care?" "Why are some prayers answered but not others?"  Mr. Yancey does not have all the answers but he has great insights into why prayer is so vital and yes, it does make a great difference. 
Remember how much Jesus prayed!
****************************************

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 Wednesday and Saturday.
The next post will be August 16, 2017.

           Sometimes the "Son" is obscured by the things of this world 

   

    and we have to move ourselves to a position where we can see Him clearly.

Where is Your JOY?

                    This world is filled with the beauty of God's creation. 

                                   It brings us much JOY.

              (photo taken of lake across from hospital in Saranac Lake, NY)

What makes you truly happy?

Where does your heart lie?

What are your most treasured possessions?

You need to answer these questions for yourself.

Eternity is coming.

Are you getting ready?

Are you making the arrangements for your final destination?

Is your heart right with the Lord?

Do you know Him?

Do you love Him?

Have you reached the point that you are truly sorry
   for everything you ever did that was wrong?

Reach out to Jesus.

He is waiting patiently, lovingly, longingly for you 
   to call to Him.

He will forgive all your sins when you ask.

He will help you on your way to eternity.

He will accept your failings if you only accept Him.

He will NEVER fail you.

He brings unimaginable JOY.

Actually your only other choice for eternity 
   is the infernal abyss.

Think, my friend.

Where is your JOY?

Are you busy with the business 

of walking around in the woods of life?

Or are you walking to the sunset, to your home for eternity?

This life is temporary.

Eternity is forever.

****************************

Hand in the Cookie Jar by J. Brooke-Harte 

is a book written by a new friend I met at the Montrose Christian Writer's Conference. She uses humor and interesting stories to make points vital for this life and the next one. I especially liked the chapter titled "The Chair."

****************************

YUMMY, YUMMY!

Knapps Station Community Church will have their annual Chicken Pie Dinner on 

Thursday September 21, 2017.

Not to be missed!

****************************

May our Loving Father bless you greatly my friend, with His Peace, Love, Grace and never-ending 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 Wednesday and Saturday.
The next post will be August 12, 2017.

                                Where is your heart's desire?
                            Where is your JOY?