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
           
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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.

Time Races By

"but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

My life is passing so quickly.
Days merge, a blur
Weeks and months disappear, gone forever

What did I do?
Did I make each day count?
Did my life count?
Am I living in the moment?

Or am I just existing and riding the tide of life passing by? 

Will I leave my footprint as I pass?
Will it matter that I lived, that I existed?
Will I make a positive difference in anyone’s life?

Can I try to do that each day?
With little kindnesses and encouragements and smiles?

Can I treat my brother as myself, reflect a little of God’s love on each so each sees God through me?

If I can do that, then my life will matter as I race to my eternal home.

Then I will leave each of my footprints topped with the Cross for others to follow, 
as time races by.

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace. Acts 20:24

               As I race through my life, 
      am I racing for the gold or to the Son?
      It really does make quite a difference
                  when I get to eternity.
                       Think about it.

Prayer Request:
Please pray for kindness, love and tolerance for all of us.  There is so much hate and intolerance that is growing in our country and around the world.  Please pray for God to take our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh so we love God first and foremost.  And then that we love each (that is every other person in the world) as we love ourselves.  These are the 2 great commandments that Jesus gave us.

May God bless you greatly, my friend with His mighty love and grace.

Apology:  I apologize that it has taken me 2 months to publish another blog.  As my blog says, I have been very busy and the days flew by.  I will try very hard to publish every 2 weeks from now on.  I ask your forgiveness and appreciate your understanding. 

                    As your life races by,

            stop by the church of your choice,
               to review your road map for life.
                   God's Word, the Bible 
        is the best road map for life that exists.
     This church is near Paul Smith's College, NY.

                      This my church, 
          Knapps Station Community Church.
                   I feed my soul here 
            as I worship and study the Bible 
              and fellowship with others. 
         

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.

                      As your life races by,
            remember to check out the beauty 
              that God places on your path.

What Are You Searching For?

          As I zoomed in for closer shots of the "supermoon" in November. 

                  as I searched for clarity, I found what I was seeking.

                          Jesus told us "seek and you shall find, 

                     knock and the door shall be opened to you."

What is your heart’s desire?
It is money, fame, power?
How about good health?
A good marriage?
A happy life?
One without worries?
Satisfaction and success in your job?
What else would you really like?

How can you possibly achieve all this in your lifetime?

And what about eternity?
What do you want there?

So many questions.
Where do you find the answers?
Where do you even start looking for answers?

I strongly suggest the “Good Book”
It has answers for everything under the sun.
It only guarantees results if you follow the Son.

I am studying the Good Book myself and have learned that Jesus is my heart’s desire.

The problems still come, things break down, I have relationship problems with family and friends from time to time. I still make lots of mistakes.

However I now have new priorities and I make more choices based on God’s Word.

The satisfaction and inner peace, the Hope and the JOY that I have, show me that I am now heading for what my heart and soul truly crave.

The Wise Men followed a star searching for the King of the Jews.

If you are still searching for peace and happiness.
If you want an eternity of bliss.

Follow your heart and seek the Christ Child.
It is the season to seek and find the only One who can satisfy your deepest desires.

Reach out and take the out-stretched hand that has been waiting to give you the inner most desires of your heart and soul.

In Him, your search is over.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."  Luke 19:10


You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Romans 5:6

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  Matthew 7:7-8

                          Near Saranac Lake, NY
                   I gaze to the mountains and wonder what lies there.
                   We think about tomorrow and wonder what it holds.
                     When we trust in Jesus, we can rest assured, 
                                   regardless of what happens 
                    never will he leave us, never will He forsake us.

Blessing:
 May the Christ Child bless you greatly with His       Peace, Love, Peace, Grace, Healing and
       never ending Joy.
And may your New Year be filled with His Hope.

            Route 458 between Nicholville and Saranac Lake, NY
                       Even on a frigid winter day, there is beauty. 
                  Our Father has decorated the world for our pleasure.
                                Do you enjoy His handiwork?

All photos taken by Debbie unless otherwise noted.

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 next year on January 6, 2018.  
                 

          O Come let us adore Him, 
               Christ, the Lord!

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.

I Am Broken

                           This rock is permanently cleft in two.
                       However broken we may become, God can repair us.
                           We only have to ask and trust in Him.  

I am broken, Lord, I am broken

I totally surrender to You

I give it all to You

       When the future seems "foggy" read the "God's Word" for guidance.
                                  It has all the answers
               God will speak to you in ways you cannot imagine
                                   and give you peace.

My pride is gone
My spirit is broken

There is only You

And that is enough

You empty me out

                              I trust You to take me around the blind bends of life
                                and know You will take me to safety.
                   You guide me along the right paths and restore my soul.


And then fill me up with Your love

You mold me into a new person
Your person

My way is gone, broken, laid aside

I surrender to Your will and Your love

Thy will be done, not mine

And it will be perfect

                           The snow covered path is not easy
            but with God as your guide, the destination will be wonderful.

Surrender yourself to the Lord,
   and wait patiently for him.
      Psalm 37:7 God's Word Translation

            When you surrender to God, He makes all things beautiful.

I Lay It All at Your Feet, Lord

I give You all our problems

I give You all these pains, all this sickness,
   all these worries, all these concerns

            

We are all broken, Loving Father

Only You can mend us

Only You can take all these issues,
   all these problems,
   all this pain and make it right

          God's love and blessings will break through the ice of life's troubles
           and flow upon us if we only look to Him who is reaching out to us.

I give it all to You

I lay all of us at Your feet, at the foot of the Cross

I give You our talents and shortcomings

I raise our joys as well as our sorrows to You

I give You everything about us

We are weak but You are strong

We cannot handle our problems on our own

You can overcome them all

          Jesus is the light in the storm who will guide us to safety.

I lay them all at Your Feet, at the foot of the cross

You sent Your only Son to free us
         from the power of sin
   and to give us life everlasting,
         to give us life in the fullest

       God gives us a rainbow when and where we least expect it
                  so be alert for your unexpected blessings.

I offer us to You and humbly ask Your forgiveness
   for all our sins

I ask for You to take us, all that we are
   and make us into the children You want us to be

I humbly ask for that life in the fullest for us
   now Lord

I humbly ask You to help us now,
   in the time of our great need

   The clouds in this sunset seem to reach out to us as do the hands of God.
                              We only have to hold out our hands
                and He will take us and hug us in His loving arms.

Thank You Loving Father for loving us so much,
         for listening to our prayers
         and for coming to help us

Blessed be Your most holy name.  Amen

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

            I am nothing compared to the glory and majesty of our God.
                             But He loves me so much
                  that even the hairs of my head are numbered
                       and He knows that number so well.

Book Reviews



Why I Am a Christian by John Stott

Rev. Stott discusses why God who is "the hound of heaven" pursues us and why He values us so greatly. Rev. Stott says that Christianity explains who Christ is, what He achieved on the cross and explains who we are and much more..  Jesus never stops inviting us to come to Him. This is a very interesting and compelling book. I heartily recommend it. 




Billy Graham God's Ambassador by Russ Busby

God put it on my heart to check out Billy Graham. When was he born?  What did he do?  What did he stand for?  This book is full of helpful information and pictures that give a brief overview of exactly that. It has been in the back of my mind to learn about him for a long time.  The first time I experieneced the Holy Spirit was during one of Billy Graham's televised crusades. I borrowed this book from the Knapps Station Church Library. 

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Knapps Station Community Church has started a 13 week bible study entitled Preparing to Hear From God by Pricilla Shirer.  


He Speaks to Me by Pricilla Shirer

It started recently and promises to be a very fulfilling study. It's not too late to join.  I am looking forward to it.

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


Treasures in Christ Revival in India

My friend Jean Oathout has a blog post that is focusing on prayer and it's power.  I invite you to check it out.

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


Choosing Grace/Partnership in Marriage by Jane Ault

I invite you to check out the blog post of my friend Jane Ault as she give some great insight into her journey as a pastor's wife.

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


Voice of the Martyrs

I invite you to check out this link to find out what Christians in some countries suffer just because they believe.  We have no idea how fortunate we are. Please pray for our less fortunate brothers and sisters.  


Blessing

May God grant you the wisdom to seek Him at all times and know that He is always there for you.
May you find the peace that surpasses all understanding when you turn to Him in prayer.
May you be blessed greatly, my friend!

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 February 11, 2017

May God bless you greatly until we meet again.

 

       Buffalo from behind Webster's Meat Market near Knapps Station

     These little footie prints were in the mud outside my house the other day.
             I think they might be from the skunk who gets under our porch
                                      and "perfumes" our house.