But the Greatest of These is Love

                    As the sun shines through the clouds 
                             and reveals the beauty 
                            that only God can create, 
         His love is shining through the COVID clouds of life 
                            and revealing His love.  
             You can see His love in the eyes of those 
             who are sacrificing to take care of others.  
             So many people have stepped up to help.  
                          There are so many heroes.  
                     "Greater love has no one than this: 
            to lay down one's life for one's friends."  John 15:13

There is no greater calling than to love.
We love because God first loved us.
We are living in a time of great change.
So much is unknown.
The rug was pulled out from under us.

This COVID has totally changed our lives.
It may never be the same in my lifetime.

Everything is in God’s hands.
It always was.
We just had the illusion 
that we were in control.
There is no longer that illusion.

However, we do have control 
of how we conduct ourselves.
We can choose how we behave. 

We can choose positive.
We can choose negative.
God wins or Satan wins.
It is really that simple.

We can choose to be courteous and loving.
Or not.

We need to think about our choices because they will have eternal consequences for us.

Our choices also have immediate consequences for those around us.
Our choices matter so much to others and to God.

Think about each choice and each action as though it were your last and what legacy you would wish to leave. 

Choose love.

“If I speak in the tongues of men 
or of angels, but do not have love, 
I am only a resounding gong 
or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy 
and can fathom all mysteries 
and all knowledge, 
and if I have a faith 
that can move mountains, 
but do not have love, 
I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor 
and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, 
but do not have love, 
I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. 
It does not envy, it does not boast, 
it is not proud.

It does not dishonor others, 
it is not self-seeking, 
it is not easily angered, 
it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil 
but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 
1Corrinthians 13: 1-8, 13


I know this is a very long quotation, 
but I really love it 
and it completes this piece. 
I loved it 
long before I started my walk with God. 
It has always touched my heart. 
I pray it touches your heart too. 
Nothing is more important than love. Especially in this COVID time.

                           Spring is here 
       along with the beautiful sunsets that I love.
                 The Canada geese are back.  
               It is a time of renewal and hope.
                   I hear the peepers at night.  
                I hear the birds singing all day.  
             They don't know it is COVID time.  
              They only know it is springtime 
             and time to rejoice in being alive.  
                     And they do rejoice, 
                 giving glory to the Maker 
             who loves them and loves us.  
       "This is the day the Lord has made, 
           let us rejoice and be glad in it."  
                     Psalm 118:24

        There was a very red moon in the wee hours 
              of the morning about 3 weeks ago.  
             I had never seen one so deep a red.  
                   It appeared even redder 
            than the camera's eye captured. 
                          Is this an omen?
              Or just a beautiful phenomenon?
     Is God saying that His heart is bleeding for us 
        and for what is happening in the world?

            New grass and tiny leaves on the trees 
           greet us as we stop by the bend in the river 
       on the Potsdam Norwood Road near Norwood, NY.  
            I love the "veils" of new leaves on the trees 
                that almost hide the sky in spring.  
      God is speaking His language of love and of hope.  
                We only have to look and listen 
   and wait expectantly for what He has in store for us. 
                  God is love and God loves us!!! 



Blessings on you dear friend.
I pray you have enough to eat, 
a roof over your head 
and whatever you need to live.

I pray you can feel the love of our Father who is always close to you, 
watching over you 
and caring about everything about you.

I pray you and yours are healthy and safe and stay that way.

If you have suffered tragedy, 
if you lost your job 
and are struggling,
I grieve with you 
and know our Father is sitting beside you and grieving too. 
Our Father weeps when we weep. 
Only He can help us through this time.

Regardless of what the world says, 
God brings JOY in the morning!!

And there will be JOY again in your life!!

                These are my grandsons: 
             Mark, Luke and Kodda
               God is my first JOY.
     My grand babies are a close second.

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.

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      

Are You Ever Overwhelmed?

              Do you ever feel like you are at the end of your rope
                           and hanging on for dear life ?

Do you ever feel like you have too many obligations?

No time for yourself?

Thoughts swirling in your head?

Do you ever feel like there's just too much to do?

Do you ever have people coming at you from all directions with requests and demands?

Do you ever feel like there just isn’t enough of you to go around?

Do you ever feel totally depleted, empty, like there is nothing left of you and your essence?

Is that how Jesus felt when the crowds followed him?

Pleading, yelling, demanding, requiring, “heal me!” “help me!” “save me!” “speak to me!” “give me what you’ve got, all you’ve got!” “I’m needy” “feed me” “It’s all about me!”

Did anyone have a care if Jesus ate, if he slept, if he had any comfort, any peace?

Did He complain?

Did He send the crowds away?
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 9:35-36

Or send the children away?

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14 


Was He ever sick?

Was Jesus ever exhausted?

Did He ever have a bad day and just not feel like “doing all that?”

Although fully God, Jesus was fully human so He must have felt that way at times.

The time He spent in prayer with His Father kept Him going.

He knew He was opening the door, paving the way for all of us to spend eternity with Him and His Father.

He knew He was paying a terrible price to atone for all the sins of humanity.

When Jesus was overwhelmed, He thought about the end game and how precious we are to Him.

When you feel overwhelmed, turn to Him, reach out to Him and He will give you eternal peace and never-ending JOY!

                              This was my yard just a month ago.

                        This is my yard today.  The snow is gone.  
                                 New growth is everywhere.  
                  I have heard the peepers and Spring is here.  Yeah!!
          When I turn to God, He takes away the cold in my heart and soul. 
                                   He gives me new growth.  
                          He warms me and makes me come alive.  
                    I may still need a lot of cleaning up like my yard
                              but He puts me on the right path. 
                            And He puts JOY in my heart and soul!

Blessing:

My friend:  I wish you the peace of knowing that when you are troubled, when your life is in turmoil, that our Brother and Savior, Jesus is only a heartbeat away, waiting anxiously for you to call out.  When you do, He always answers.

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 May 19, 2018.

              2 pictures of a beautiful sunset this past Monday night.
             No matter how bleak and foreboding your life may seem,
                   God can take you and your life and make you
                                 absolutely beautiful! 

Are You Self-Reliant?

                       On the road to Lake Placid from Saranac Lake, NY at dusk.  

                                         Are you self reliant?  

                         Do you stand on your own like this mountain?

                           Self reliance can be very cold and lonely.  

                    Reliance on God brings incredible peace and security.

Since it is the New Year, are you making resolutions to make you into a better you? Will you eat healthier? Exercise more? Save more money? Clean out and organize your home and your life to be more efficient and better for you?

Do you rely on yourself to make things happen for you and for others? How is that working for you?

For years I thought I had to do everything for myself and prided myself in being very self-reliant. How did that work for me?

I thought as well as it could and settled for that situation.

About 4 years ago, God plucked me out of my situation and led me to the church that I attend now, Knapps Station Community Church. I had been attending a church but had not been walking with God.

At Knapps Station, God led me to take a Bible Study, to read the Bible and to pray. I began fellowshipping with other church members.

I broke my leg and needed help. My husband was very debilitated at the time and could not help much. My church family brought meals for a week. A friend took me grocery shopping and to doctor appointments. One of the church elders took Tim, my husband to his doctor appointments. They prayed for us and loved us. We could not have managed without this wonderful church family.

Gradually I came to realize that it’s ok to let others help and that I can’t do everything. I started realizing that God’s hand was working in all of this and that everything really is in His control. I began to see how helpless I am without Him and His love.

I think I had always had a measure of insecurity and thought that was just the way it had to be. I never felt much peace.

I didn’t realize what was happening until it changed. It took a while for me to progress on my walk with the Lord and look back to see where I had been and where I am now.

Now I feel incredible peace. No matter what happens, God is in control and He works all things for my good.

I still have problems and things still break down. The oven of my kitchen stove quit last night and I am waiting for a repairman to call back. God will lead me to food that doesn’t need baking and it will be great. If I can’t find what I’m looking for in a store, I ask God what He wants me to try and it always works out.

He has led me to write this blog and share my thoughts with you. I pray it has blessed you as much as it has blessed me.

I cannot read your mind and don’t know all your circumstances BUT I do know that when I surrendered to Jesus and rely on Him, my life changed greatly for the better.

My new relying on God self, wishes you the peace and blessings that you will find when you give up self-reliance and rely on the only secure Rock that truly exists.

Blessings, my friend.

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. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Luke 12:27-31

       Most of these photos of flowers were taken at Montrose, PA last summer.

                  Today is bitterly cold and very difficult for us.  

                             It is important to remember 

            that our Heavenly Father will get us through this difficulty 

                and every other problem that life will send out way.

When relying on your own abilities isn't working, remember this:

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

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 20, 2018.

Hopefully the weather will be better by the next blog post 

                 and I'll be able to get outside and get some new sunsets.

May the Lord bless you 

   with brighter and brighter tomorrows 

   and may your New Year 

   be filled with His unending blessings and JOY.