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. 

   

I Hope to Sparkle

                      Photo taken on Rte. 56 between Norwood and Potsdam, NY 
                                        at Norwood Pond
                             When we allow and cooperate, 
                         Jesus makes us sparkle with His love.

I looked out the window and saw the sun shining on the fresh snow.  The snow lies flat reminding me of a frosted cake.  The sun is bright and individual flakes sparkle like prisms when the sun reflects on them.  The scene is so bright that it resembles of bed of diamonds shining in the sunlight.

Each snowflake is tiny and does not stand out but when joined with the thousands and maybe millions of flakes in my backyard, each does his part to make a thing of beauty.

These tiny flakes know only one thing, that is to be a snowflake, and each is the best snowflake he can be. 

It occurs to me that we are each very tiny in the scheme of creation and we may not feel very significant since  God has created billions and billions of people.  We may not feel that we stand out.  

However, if we each do our very best, we sparkle.

Our souls shine. 

                            This photo and the following ones 
                     were taken after the ice storm in Feb. 2016.

Each of us shines in our little place and each stands out to our Maker.  He individually chose us.  We were not random any more than the snowflakes that we are told are each shaped differently from every other snowflake.  

God has a special plan for each of us.  He placed us deliberately in a specific place and time with a specific job to do.

How do we find out what our job is?  

Good question.  

We pray. We evaluate out abilities and talents and gifts.  We develop those gifts and pray some more.  We listen and wait for that still small voice to speak through others, through what we read or even thoughts that come in our minds.

We read and study the Bible.  

When something is right for us, we will be at peace with it.  If is isn’t right for us, we will know no peace.

When we strive to find our purpose and then work to achieve it, when we do our very best, our souls will stand out like those fresh, clean snowflakes on the snow outside.

Then we will sparkle.  

I am still very much a work in progress and God has a lot of work to do with me.  

However, in due time, I really hope to sparkle.  

I hope you do too, my friend.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

                                The ice storm was serious and dangerous 
         BUT because the sun was shining, the landscape was gorgeous.
       Imagine what your life will look like when the SON shines through you.

    This and the next picture were taken on the back side of Norwood Pond.

Apologies:
I apologize for posting my blog a week late.  My 
computer wasn't working and had to be fixed.
I hope this is worth the wait.

Blessings:
I pray that God shines through you and your soul so you absolutely sparkle.
Blessings on you, my friend.

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 10, 2018.

            Even through the bitter cold of winter, there is great beauty.

                   God makes all things beautiful in their time.

                         Imagine what He can do for you, 

               the child that He chose before time even began.

Be Still and Know That I am God

     

                                  
                        Inlet of water from St. Lawrence River 
                              at Fobare's near Louisville, NY

 
Look around you 
and see the handiwork of the Maker. 
All of creation shouts 

"God made me and I am special 
just because I am His."

Be Still and Know That I am God

What does that mean?   

It means that no matter what life or the world hands out, God is with us always.  

Regardless of our circumstances, our Loving Father is present.  He is never gone, never far away.  We may not see or hear Him.  

It may seem that “all hell has broke loose” and Satan has won the battle.  That is not the case.  We know with absolute certainty that Jesus wins the final battle and the war.  

We know that now the war wages on and will until the day Jesus defeats Satan in that final battle.  

We know that only God Almighty knows when that day will be.  We know that things will get worse before they get better.  

God will always be with us helping us to survive and to overcome whatever comes up.  

We only have to give it all to Him and know that He will take care of us.   It may not be exactly what we are hoping and praying for because He will do all things in His time, His will and His way.  However, when all is said and done it will be perfect.  

This bible quote means that we need to take time each day to praise God for all He does, for His wonderful loving kindness and to thank Him for His awesome love.  

We need to take time to “be still and know that I am God.”

                                                            Psalm 46:10

Please scroll through all 13 photos to enjoy entire post.

Please click on these photos for a larger image. 

                              
                  Parking area at Nature Trail 
           near Cole's Creek on St. Lawrence River                       
        The sun sparkling on the water is magnificent.   
              The love of God shining in our hearts 
               makes our souls sparkle with His JOY!!
                    

                 
             St. Lawrence River near Massena, NY

              
          Along St. Lawrence River near Massena 

                
           St. Lawrence River near Massena, NY 

                       
                   Tug boat pushing a barge
                     on St. Lawrence River

                  
           Wilson Hill Preserve near Massena, NY

               
                  St. Lawrence River at Nature Trail 
                       near Cole's Creek

          When you gaze at the beauty of nature, 
                listen for the still, small voice                                            speaking to you, 
                          telling you
             "Be still and know that I am God."

The Simple Life

I lie in my cocoon, soft and warm, snug and secure

The alarm rings.  I push the snooze button again and again

I am so comfortable.  The air is cool.  My covers are warm.

I delay the inevitable.  There is time to laze, time to savor, time to enjoy this simple pleasure.

My life has become a series of simple pleasures.

A good meal, good company, my grandchildren's hugs, holding one on my lap, a beautiful sunset, a peaceful day, one with few pains, holding hands with my husband, a good book, The Good Book, fellowship with God.

So many joys.

My priorities have changed as I have aged.

There is less chaos, so much less stress, so much more satisfaction.

Life is simpler.

I appreciate more, expect less and enjoy what God provides.

I have all I need and so much more. 

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

1 Timothy 6:6-8

                      
                  Inlet from St. Lawrence River 

                 at Fobare's near Louisville, NY

               All pictures were taken on a car ride 

               with my husband,Tim, on 4-19-2016 

                  within 30 miles of our home 

                         near Potsdam, NY.  

               God places so much beauty 

                           around us

               We only need to open our eyes 

                 to feast on the magnificence 

                        of His creation.   

               This is another simple pleasure.

Brook near West Potsdam, NY

                       

              Brook near West Potsdam, NY 

I just finished reading this book - for the second time.  I love Max Lucado's books.  This book added a new dimension to my understanding of the last days and what will happen.  It gave me a greater understanding of the Book of Revelation and a great deal of security about where I will spend eternity.  

I borrowed it from the library at the Knapps Station Community Church.  I have found many books there that I greatly enjoyed and saw many more I hope to read.

Knapps Station Community Church located near Norwood, NY is my church.  Everyone is welcomed and fed with God's word, the Bible.  I would love to see you there.

Please feel free to check out my church at this website.

Knapps Station Community Church




Spring Blessing

May your eyes be open each day to the miracles that are unfolding

May you never cease to appreciate the wonder that is God

And may you be blessed with God’s joy for all of your days

Bear Cub mailbox at Wilson Hill, NY

       
    There is a moose on the loose at Wilson Hill, NY.

All photos taken by Debbie and Tim McEwen - 
  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 post every other Saturday 
The next post will be 5-7-2016
I hope to see you then.  

In the meantime, God's blessings on you, my friend.  Debbie