Me and Jeff about a year ago.

 

 

Two days ago Jeff and I celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary. And by "celebrate" I mean, the day passed by with the two of us spending the day together, eating a good breakfast and watching TV. It was far too cold and rainy to go anywhere, as I had been dealing with a cold or something for a couple days. Being in each other's presence is a comfort and a blessing to us. Funny story: A couple months ago I moved my computer and everything into the spare bedroom where I could shut the door and go online with friends, or create videos on my You Tube channel without disturbing my husband while he watched TV in the living room. I made a very comfy cozy little nest in there and had complete privacy and quiet. It lasted less than a month because I missed just being in his presence, even though we were almost always doing our own thing there in the same room.

I guess you could say that this is a sign of true love!

Thank you for reading, I hope this post made you smile today.

~Blessings & Love~

and always remember, we are...

~NEVER FORSAKEN~

A Dead End Road (A post from 2016)

More often than not, we tend to avoid driving down a road marked 'Dead End'...

But sometimes you might discover that it leads to a wonderful surprise!

And a nice place to have lunch! We no longer have this vehicle. We sold it last year after almost getting hit by a car backing out of their driveway without looking, getting chased by a dog, having a tree branch whack me in the face, and picking a tick off of Jeff's neck. We figured we could still ride some pretty country roads and enjoy nature in a safer manner!

 

 

CLEAR VISION (A post written at the end of 2019)

 

 

2019 is drawing to a close. It was a year full of both loss and gain. We lost our beloved boy Bud in February, Jeff lost a good friend and coworker to cancer suddenly that same month. I lost an old friend to cancer in July, our Son in law lost his dear mom, also to cancer..and our daughter and son in law also just lost a dear friend suddenly to a heart attack right on Christmas day.

We had a daughter diagnosed with a serious incurable disease this year too.

But..we were blessed with the birth of two grand daughters both born in the summer! And my PET scan continues to show No Evidence of Disease! My daughter's condition is also currently in remission!..So we are rejoicing in the good things and remembering, through our tears, all the people we have lost as well as the challenges we've had to face.

Its been awhile since I asked God to give me a goal for the New Year. I used to get a certain word that I would take into the new year as a way of remembering a goal..like a promise for the next twelve months to hang onto.

Well this year I asked..and this is what I got...

@)@) When you type '2020' in CAPS..it looks like two eyes..The word I see in my mind when I think of 2020..is

CLEAR VISION. No, I am not getting Lasik surgery on my eyes..I asked instead for a clear spiritual vision for the months ahead. I want to see the way God sees, I want to see who Jesus is in a clearer way.

This means that sometimes in order to see the truth, I may have to close my physical eyes and ask God to show me a deeper (hidden) meaning behind some things. Also, I may need to keep those eyes wide open when I would rather close things out..instead of ignoring the stuff going on around me, I may be asked to face some truth that God wants me to see..maybe even something about myself that I need to change.

 Matthew 13:10-17 The disciples came to Him and asked, 'Why do You speak to the people in parables?' He replied, 'The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. ... This is why I speak to them in parables: 'Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.' 

 

~Blessings & Love~

and remember, we are...

~NEVER FORSAKEN~ 


I don't know why I did not publish this post back when I wrote it. It's been over two years ago now. Maybe I just needed to wait until today to re-read this and evaluate what all has happened from 2020 and beyond. After all, so much has happened! The biggest event of recent history was the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, at the time I was writing this originally, the virus was already happening, but we were unaware of it. Little did I know that something very sinister was just around the corner, and it would change the entire world! 

As for my own life, there has been some ups and some downs.

As far as my spiritual vision...There was a reason this post was hidden away until now. I have been walking around with my eyes tightly closed for several months now. I think it's time for me to open them up and once again, ask God to help me to see the way He sees.

This won't be easy.

 But it is so very necessary.

Nobody knows what is around that next corner, but as a Christian we have hope because our Lord knows and he is always with us, come what may!

Thank you for reading this. I hope it helps you in some way.

 

Blessings & Love

and remember, we are...

~NEVER FORSAKEN~

 

 

 

 

LIKE A TREE PLANTED BY THE WATER

 

                   

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water..

 Wetlands are protected by government because they play a unique role in the survival of many plant and animal species. Their environment sustains many important species that can only survive in that unique place.

 When I worked in land division and zoning for my area, I had to learn a lot about wetlands..I had to learn which types of trees grew in wetland swamps, for instance. 

Sometimes a wetland can actually appear dry and arid..but there are certain features that can be observed by the trained eye in order to determine whether or not a certain place could be considered a wetland swamp during a very dry season.

One of the things I learned was there are trees who "Like to have their feet wet." Trees like the white cedar which grows on our property.

Regardless of the current condition of the environment, the land is classified a certain way, and that does not change just because it looks different at the time. A wetland is still a wetland.

How does this example compare with the idea of what we are as Christians, our classification?

Maybe you are experiencing a dry spell in your walk with the Lord?

 

You yearn to "get your feet wet" once again!

You feel so thirsty for the Word of God that sustains and refreshes you daily, but you just can't seem to soak it in right now. 

You are affected by an unhealthy environment. You are rooted where you are and cannot do anything to change it..or can you? 

Where you are planted

You may not be able to change this. It may be you are rooted in a dry place right now. At one time it held the nourishing, life-giving water and you grew very strong in your faith, but now the water has evaporated into the earth and is long-gone...or is it?

Remember the classification of a wet-land is not dependent upon the current status of the environment, but on it's intended status or intended form and nature.

 If anyone is thirsty, let Him come to Me and drink He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, “From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37–38)

"From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water" 

You are thirsty ..The fountain of living water is JESUS! Who through the Holy Spirit resides in your INNERMOST BEING. He is the well that never runs dry.

 One of  the main restrictions about the wetland is not allowing someone to bring in a lot of material such as sand, or even some invasive plants and animals who will negatively affect the environment. If this is done it may result in the land being changed and made unhealthy, useless even.

     

Mark 4:19
but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

The cares and worries, desire for wealth, and even being distracted by "other things" is like allowing someone to come into your life and dump a lot of material into your river..stopping the flow and choking out the nourishment for your roots."Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.."

We must use discernment about who we listen to, who we follow after, and how we behave ourselves when we hear the Word of God..Do not sit among those who mock God!

 

 

 "But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night."

Instead, our attitude towards God's Holy Word should be one of delight! And it should be on our mind day and night! Then and ONLY then, will we be spiritually healthy once again, a tree planted by the water!

 Thank you for reading this. I pray it helped you in some way.

Blessings & Love

& remember, we are...

~NEVER FORSAKEN~ 

*All images posted on here are my own photos. I thank The Lord for allowing me to take and to use them for his glory, and not my own.