Why Did I Do That?

  

The rainbow is a sign of God's faithfulness to us. 

Did you ever say or do anything you wish you could take back? 

I can remember speaking so many unkind or foolish words, committing so many ungodly actions.  

I never killed anyone or robbed a bank or beat up anyone but I have thought nasty thoughts.  I have said hurtful words.  I did some things that I really wish I never had.  

I have asked God and others for forgiveness but I so wish I could take back the hurtful things I have said and done.  It bothers me that I hurt others and most of all that I hurt God with my thoughts, words and deeds.  

I have wondered why I did those things.  It occurs to me that they were learning experiences and I'm trying very hard to learn from them.
  
I’m learning to watch what thoughts I allow to stay in my mind. My thoughts affect my words and ultimately my actions. 

I’m learning to be more watchful especially during stressful times.  I’m learning that I must carefully choose what I think, say and do rather than to merely allow them to happen as they will.  

I’m learning to feed my mind, that is my thoughts, with God’s word (the Bible) rather than the stuff that the world is promoting.  Then I have the “good stuff” (Godly stuff) to fall back on when I need it.  

I will never be perfect but with the effort I have less to regret and so more to offer for God’s honor and glory.

     Above all else, guard your heart,

for everything you do flows from it.

    Keep your mouth free of perversity;

keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

    Let your eyes look straight ahead;

fix your gaze directly before you.

Proverbs 4:23-25

When I look at the beauty all around me, I see the love and magnificence of God.  I never cease to be amazed by His attention to detail and how He decorates the world for our enjoyment.

Amazing

It is amazing how loving, forgiving and patient you are with me, Lord.  Your quiet voice gently encourages me to do what You know is best.  

There are times when I just do as I please.  Other times I am very obedient but certainly not always.  Sometimes I feel like a very young child just foolishly wanting things her way.  

There are times when You give consequences as any loving parent does to teach Your child right from wrong.  Usually You just gently nudge.  

You never fail to show Your incredible love.  

Considering my advanced age, most of the rebellion should be out of my system by now.  But it’s not.  

You were so patient and loving from the time I first discovered You.  You are just as patient now.  

I’m trying to listen more closely and trying to be obedient but I fall short so many times.  

No matter how many times You have to repeat Yourself, You are never impatient, never cross.  You just keep encouraging me.  

You keep refining me, guiding me along the right path, Your path, showing me the way home for eternity.  

How blessed I am to have my wonderful, amazing Father.

The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him;  Daniel 9:9

                                                                      Crocuses

                                         A raft of geese at  Black Lake, NY

                            View from Burlington, VT

Will Spring Never Come??

Grass is trying to turn green but recent freezing cold stalls it in place.

Trees are budded.  Tulip leaves have risen 3 or 4 inches out of the ground.  Frigid chills prevent further progress.

Even blue skies with wispy clouds and bright sunshine are overwhelmed by wintry winds bitter bite.

Mother Nature is teasing.  She gave us Springtime warmth and then brought back late Winter’s chill.  I had heard the joyful songs of froggy peepers and spring birds but the renewed chill has silenced them. 

Enough games, Mother Nature.  Allow Spring to awaken.
 

Arise Sister Spring. Come and dance the joyful dance of new life. 

My soul craves your warm breezes, the spring green of your new grass and newly minted leaves, the bright colors of your early flowers and your bird songs.  I even miss your buzzing insects.

Awaken.   

Bring your warmth, your colors and your new life.  

Come and touch my soul.  

Rejuvenate me.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Psalms 51:10

                            Bridge at Rouses Point, NY

 Springtime Blessings

May our Divine Lord bless you with renewed faith
May He bless you with renewal of mind and soul and body
And may your days be blessed with His everlasting joy.

    Even in the absence of visible life, there is beauty in all God has created.

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 
  on the top right side of this post to connect 
  to previous blog posts
I post every other Saturday 
The next post will be 4-23-2016
I hope to see you then.  
In the meantime, God's blessings on you, my friend.  Debbie 

Only With God's Help

Deep Cleaning

The weather is feeling so much like spring
even though it is only February.
that I’m feeling like it’s time to start spring house cleaning

There’s so much dust and so much clutter
that has accumulated
I need to go through the whole house
Every drawer and cupboard needs to be cleaned out
and re-organized
Every surface needs to be cleaned

When and if I finally get it all done,
the house will be renewed and spiffy

Spiffy is neat, clean and decent, not perfect but decent

Today I am asking God to deep clean my heart and soul
My own efforts are making me sort of spiffy

But here are a lot of areas that I’m sure I never get to
I want my heart and soul to be absolutely clean
and right for Him

Spiffy isn’t good enough for God
I want to be the absolute best for Him

I would never be able to do that on my own
But with God’s help, all things are possible

I’m asking You, Lord
Please take me and make me Your own

Please clean out all the sin,
all the stuff that stands in the way of me being Your child

For You, spiffy isn’t good enough,
For You, I want to be the best

With Your help, Lord, I can do it

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  Hebrews 4:16

Guide My Thoughts

Dear God

Please guide my thoughts today so my words and actions will be what You want them to be

I ask this before I get started
so my whole day would meet with your approval

Please help me to stop and think before I act
so I have no regrets

It's so easy to slip up and I've done it so many times.

I really want to be the best child of God that I can be

But I need your help so much with everything I say and do

I cannot do it alone

On my own, I make messes

With Your loving help, I'll get it right

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Philippians 4:18

In honor of Valentine's Day
I'd like to share something I wrote 
for my husband of 42 years.

My Mind's Eye Canvas - My Love

I paint a picture of my love in my mind's eye. 
I start with a clean white canvas.  

I begin a pencil drawing of his face and form.  
Then I take a delicate brush to paint his blue eyes,
I remember the love that has shown in them 
for so many years.
I rim those eyes with the glasses that he now needs.  

My eyes mist when I paint his reddish mouth 
that has spoken so many loving words, 
given so many kisses over the years. 
I choose to ignore our verbal disputes
because his love overshadows them.  

I paint his strong nose, his forehead
now wrinkled from years of work and worry.  

I use a very fine brush dipped in grays 
to paint his eyebrows, his beard and his hair, 
revealing his receding hairline.  

I use a medium brush to paint the blue-grey plaid shirt
that covers his muscular shoulders and arms. 
I remember those arms holding me, loving me,
supporting me through all the trials and joys
that our life has given us.  

I vividly remember those arms holding our son
right after he was born. 
I was too weak to hold our baby but Tim did. 
He supported me through all my labor that day
and all of our days together.  

I paint the expanded waistline from all my cooking;
the good meals and the "burnt offerings" 
(not so good meals.)  

I paint his strong hands that have fixed my car,
manufactured things that we needed for the house
and things he has done just to make me happy.  

I remember him lying on the cold ground in winter 
to fix my car and to change the oil 
when we had no money
for anyone else to do the job
and he had no other place to work.  

He now walks with crutches from arthritis.  

I remember his strength and gentleness.  

My eyes tear to realize how blessed I am
to have had so many years of love.  

I cannot finish this mind's eye canvas
because our life together is not done.  

Each day brings new details.  

It's so difficult to paint a picture of love.  

It's a series of moments, a series of days and memories
that I treasure in my heart.   

Happy Valentine's Day Tim
and I ask God to bless us with many more years together.

My Blessing for you, my friend

The Book of Deuteronomy tells us that God is our dwelling place. We have the promise of security when His arms are beneath us,
holding us, supporting us, strengthening us.
He never leaves us alone.

May He bless you all the days of your life
with the assurance of His mighty love.

In your darkest hours and happiest days,
may you always feel His loving arms around you
and know that He never leaves your side.



May your days be blessed until we meet again.  Debbie

     
       A "smiling tree" located on Rte. 11B
              between Hopkinton and Potsdam.
                         Photo taken by Tim McEwen and used with permission


All bible verses from the NIV
All photos taken by Debbie McEwen unless otherwise noted.