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.

And the Clouds Parted

The clouds are gray and threatening.
It’s been raining.
The wind blows leaves hither and yon.

My mood is down-cast.
So much is happening
So many problems at home and in the world
So many issues to deal with.
Sometimes it’s over-whelming.

And the clouds parted.
The sun shone through.
The sky is still gray with patches of blue

But the day brightens
My mood brightens

My father is telling me that regardless of how dark my life becomes, He is with me always, beside me, helping with all my problems, with all life’s issues.

He says “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5
He never has and never will.

I am never alone.

He has a plan for me, a plan to help and not to hurt me – or you.

Be blessed, my friend.

This is the day the Lord had made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Jeremiah 29:11

                        God gives us rainbows to remind us 
               that He walks with us through each of life's trials.

Happy New Year dear friend.
It's the time to reflect on what happened in 2018 and think about what we would like to accomplish in 2019.  I would encourage you to pray and ask God what He would like you to accomplish in 2019.
Your true happiness and fulfillment will come when you are working with your Father and living the life that He has planned for you.  I wish that happiness and fulfillment for you and that 2019 is your best year yet.

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.

                               I'll close with a beautiful sunset.  

             I am so blessed that God has planted me in a beautiful area 

             and that He sets up wonderful scenery for me to photograph.

                            When I look at His wonderful sunsets, 

                 God seems to be saying "See you in the morning, child.

                                         Tomorrow is a new day, 

                             wait till you see the plans I have for you.

                      "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, 

                           plans to give you hope and a future. "  

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      

Come, Loving Father

        I took the photo of this magnificent sunset about a week ago.
            As you will see in the pictures that follow the prayer, 
                           the more I zoomed in on the sun, 
   the more beauty and intense color that the camera was able to pick up.
        In our prayer lives, the more we "zoom in" on God, 
                      the more JOY we find in our lives
                         and the happier we become.

I sit here and wait for You to come
I welcome You into my heart and soul
I ask You to fill my being
I long for Your heavenly presence

I am empty
And You fill me up

I am insignificant
You are my everything

For many years, my heart had longed for You
I didn't know what I was seeking until I found You

Now my whole being knows that I need Your presence every day

I need Your wisdom
I need Your love
I need Your grace, Your mercy

I have humbly repented my many sins
and asked Your forgiveness
As my loving Father, my Abba,
I know that You have forgiven me
And welcomed me back into Your loving arms

I need Your essence to be complete

With You, I am as I was meant to be

My whole being rejoices when You are with me
You are the lover of my soul who makes me whole

Thank You, loving Father
for always being so accessible
Always being so present in my life

You have all of creation to attend to
And yet I matter, everything about me
is important to You

You are too wonderful for words

You dearly love all Your children
You made all of us in Your image and likeness
And we are all so precious to You

You are always present and available
for each of Your children
We only have to ask You, Our Loving Father
and You come to us

Blessed, blessed be Your most holy name

...that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. John 17:20

     This is what I saw with my eyes without benefit of a zoom lens.

            Just starting to zoom in and getting prettier.

           The sunset also gets more beautiful as it progresses.

     Never underestimate the power of prayer to affect our lives for the better.

Prayer Request:
There is so much going on in our world.  There are almost daily tragedies with shootings, crashes and so much more.  Never forget that God is in charge and will make all this right.  Please pray for the victims.  Please pray for the perpetrators.  Please pray that God will touch these people in a mighty way and prevent further tragedies.  Please pray for unity under God in our country.  Whatever you choose, please pray.  Pray for God to make all the wrongs right and know that He will in His time, His will and His way.  He does all things for our good and this too will turn out right.  Please, just pray at all times.

May God bless you greatly, my friend.

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 post every other Saturday.

The next post will be on September 1, 2018.

                  This is a moon shot that I took about a month ago.

             This world where God has placed us is absolutely amazing 

      from the sun, moon and stars down to the tiniest molecules in our bodies.

                   Everything is a testimony to God's infinite power 

                          and the incredible love He has for us.

                and God

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!