O How I Need You, Father

         Just as the earth needs the warmth of the sun to survive,
                   I need the love and the grace of my Father.
               

Every moment of every day
And every step along the way

I need You so badly.

I need You to breathe.
I need You to walk.
I need You for all the parts of me to function.

I need You to help me with my pains and with my troubles.

I need You to hold the stars and the moon in place, so I can delight in them at night. 

I need you to make the sun shine to warm me and to make the grass, the flowers and the food grow, to feed my body and my soul. 

I need You to hold this wonderful world in Your loving hands and keep all its parts functioning properly to house me, until I go to heaven.

I need You to correct what is wrong in this world, so it works the way You meant it to.

I need You to direct me, to do my part to make it work right.

I ask You to make me, Your hands, Your feet and Your mouth to do Your work.

I ask You to touch me and whatever I do in a mighty way to give You all honor and glory and to spread Your love.

I humbly ask You to forgive me for all the things I do wrong. I am well aware that my sins are many and happen every day. Without Your love, mercy and grace I would be absolutely lost.

I thank You Loving Father, for the people You have put in my life. I am so blessed with wonderful family and friends.

I ask that You teach me how to treat them as You would treat them and to bring Your Love and Your Word to them by my words and actions.

I need even more than I can even think of or be aware of.

You know everything I need, and You always provide.

I thank You so much for always being in my life, even when I didn’t know that I needed You.

Thank You so much and Blessed Be Your Most Holy Name.

Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalm 103:1-5

                 Photo taken last spring near Saranac Lake, NY.
                           The beauty of this sunny day 
                   makes my heart sing praise to the Lord.

On a yummy note:  Keep June 14 available for the Strawberry Shortcake Dinner at Knapps Station Community Church.

It is a dinner not to be missed!

Prayer request:  My dear friends, please pray for the people of Puerto Rico.  They are our American brothers and sisters who are still suffering terribly from the effects of Hurricane Maria which hit them in 2017.  4645 souls have died since then!  The island is still in a shambles and the new hurricane season has begun.  If you are able to do more than pray, I humbly ask you to do whatever you can to help.  

There but for the grace of God could be any one of us. 

May God bless you greatly for whatever you are able to do!

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 on June 16, 2018.

                This Johnny Jump Up is growing outside my garden.
                   I didn't plant it there but I am enjoying it anyhow.
              We all need to remember to bloom where we are planted,
                     even when it isn't where we think we should be.
                                God puts us where we need to be.

Till I Go Home

Park in Canton, NY last fall.

God gives us so many ways to spend our days,
so many opportunities to enjoy ourselves.

What should we choose?

                 

My days are numbered, Lord.
What would You have me do with these days?

What is Your will?
Will I look back from Eternity 

    and regret what I did not do?
Or regret the ways I wasted my time?

Please guide me, Father
to make my time productive and fruitful
until the day I go home to You.
     Amen

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. 

 Psalm 90:12

A Time for Everything

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,
  a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
  a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
  a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones
     and a time to gather them,
  a time to embrace
     and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
  a time to keep and a time to throw away
a time to tear and a time to mend,
  a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
  a time for war and a time for peace.

 What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.  He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.  I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.  That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13

             

              This frozen river shines with the reflected beauty of the sun.
                       You make all things beautiful in their time, Lord.
                          Please make me beautiful in your eyes.
                    Teach me to live my days for Your honor and glory.
                        Help me to follow Your commandments 
                                         to love You first and best
                             and then to love my neighbor as myself.

Blessing

May you be blessed, my friend with the joy

    of living for the Lord.

May you find peace and fulfillment

    in doing His work all the days of your life.

May you feel His love and grace in your soul
And may you find final rest in the arms 

    of your Loving Father.

                                Sunset on Lake Colby
        seen from my husband's hospital room in November, 2017.

                    When the sun sets on your days, my friend,

                I pray you see the Son coming to take you home.

                       Enjoy the pleasures that God Lord gives you

                         let Him help you through the hard times

                            and make your days count for Him.

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 February 24, 2018.

                         Our last "super moon" (1-30-2018).
                            I couldn't see the red tints that were expected
                                  but it was big and it was beautiful
                                       as is all of God's creation. 

   

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.

Just for Today, Lord

                                  As I gaze at this beautiful sunset, 
                              I am in awe of Your might and majesty.

Just for today, Lord, let me live Your way.

                       Please, Lord, open my eyes to  see You
                    and Your love in the beauty of Your creation.

Let me know that I cannot live in tomorrow.

I cannot relive yesterday.

Let me know that this moment is the one You give me now.

Let me make the most of it.

                            Your creativity and love, Lord
         are mirrored in the beauty You provide for our enjoyment.

Let me hear You knocking at my door this morning and invite You in.

Let me open my heart and soul to You.

Please fill me with Your love and Your JOY.

Just for today, please take hold of the strongholds of my flesh 
     and open my will to do Your will.

                             These lilies are beautiful 
         because they are true to the plan that the Creator made for them.                                            We too are made beautiful 
                       when we do our best to follow the Word.  
                              We cannot do this on our own 
                  but only through the grace of our Loving Father.
         

I’m not strong enough to handle all the things      
     that will take place in my tomorrows
     or to redo all my mistake and sin filled yesterdays
     but please give me the grace to live today
     to the best of my ability as that ability is guided by You.

I am weak and You are strong.

I am a speck. You are the creator.

I am sinful but You love me so much
     You want to spend eternity with me.

            (Cross on steeple at St.Gabriels Church near Paul Smiths, NY)
                   Lord, may I never forget what You paid for my sins. 
                        Please help me to live as You taught
                     so I can enjoy paradise with You forever.

Please forgive me my sins and help me Lord not to sin for today.

Please take my hand.

Please help me to make this my best day ever.

Please come back tomorrow and repeat.

Amen

                 Because we are made in the image and likeness of God, 
                       we too can reflect Him in all we say and do.
            Please Lord, let me be a loving, Godly reflection of Your love and JOY.
               Let Your light shine in and through me to everyone I meet.

Just for This Moment, Lord

Just for this moment, Lord,
may I enjoy my time with You.
May I praise You
and thank You for the multitude of blessings that I enjoy.
Quiet my thoughts.
Slow my breathing.
Close my eyes.
Just for this moment, Lord,
may I enjoy my time with You.
Amen

                            St. Gabriels Church near Paul Smith's, NY.
                   May we always make time to worship and fellowship 
                                  at the house of our choice, 
                          giving all glory and honor to the Creator 
                              who gives so much to us daily.

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 5, 2017

  

  

                     Take time to reflect and REJOICE!

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.