Thankful Thursday, July 2

I have joined 1000 Gifts Gratitude Community, but I want to also continue the Thankful Thursday Meme. I now noticed there are themes each week. I'll try and stay with that theme. This week it is freedom. If you noticed a couple posts down, I mention praying for all my visitors, readers, followers, etc that they too will experience freedom, political but also more importantly spiritual. That is what I'm thankful for this week is spiritual freedom. I'm thankful for my grandparents who emigrated to this country seeking political and religious freedom. I'm also thankful for spiritual freedom for myself as I journey on my spiritual search (as I write about on my other blog--"What is a Real Christian") I have the freedom to search the Scriptures, ask questions, pray, and learn more about Jesus. For that freedom I'm truly blessed and thankful.

image courtesy of heartlight.org

Praying for my visitors/followers and readers...this holiday weekend.

Graphic courtesy of heartlight.org

As the weekend of holidays approach for many of you in the United States and Canada, I'll be praying for you, all of my readers, visitors, followers, etc. Many places will be celebrating political freedom. I want to also remember those of us who may be struggling with spiritual freedom. I pray that each of us will be released by these bondages and enjoy the true freedom that comes only from the Lord. HUGS.

1000 Gifts 25-33

I praise the Lord for:

25. A new home
26. Getting settled in
27. Touring the nearby country side with its amazing views
28. Getting library cards
29. Getting books from a new library
30. Getting flowers for my container gardening
31. My family as we all worked together to make this house a home
32. My new discoveries on my spiritual search
33. New insights on the Bible

Just an update on my blogs

I've reopened my other blogs to help me keep some of my thoughts straight. Please see this blog's header for a description of this particular blog's purpose, then click on my profile and read the 'about me' to find out about my other blogs. Feel free to bookmark, and follow my other blogs too....:)

June 26-28, praying for my readers, followers, visitors

Graphic courtesy of heartlight.org


This is graduation month for many areas of the United States, and other places in the world too. Some in fact have been held in May. This weekend I want to pray for those of you who are graduating or know of someone who is graduating. I'm praying that as they graduate from whatever level of school, elementary, junior high, high school, college, etc. that the Lord will guide the steps and direct their ways. Blessings.

Praying for my readers, followers and visitors June 25

Graphic courtesy of heartlight.org


Hi everyone, how are you today??? I'm praying for you all...no matter what's on your heart today. May the Lord hear what's whispered in your secret closets and may He bless you today.

Word filled Wednesday June 24

I found this courtesy of heartlight.org. This just seems to fit me today. The Lord has done great things for me (and my family) especially in the last week as we moved. It's been so awesome, I just have to shout it out!! (Luke 1:46)

Hi everyone!!!

Hi everybody!!! I'm back! :)

I still have some glitches to work out with this new computer set up, but for the most part I'm back.

We're almost all settled in, still have to buy some stuff for the house in the next couple of days, but things are starting to really look like a new home.

It's all so strange and so nice, a little scary, but so filled with adventure all rolled into one.

Thanks for all the prayers, and please continue to pray as we finish the little settling in left to be done. As soon as we're a little more settled in, and the glitches are worked on, I should be back to start reading, posting, commenting, etc.

I have prayed for you all in my week while I was offline. And I continue to do so.

HUGS to all.

Couldn't shut down my computer....

image courtesy of heartlight.org

I couldn't shut down my computer till I came back on real quick to say, first thanks for all the lovely comments on my post below. 2nd, I have to admit, I'm feeling both scared and hopeful on this night before the move. I found this picture. It's for me as well as for you. It's been a rough journey where I'm at now, and I want a new start...but part of me is afraid that the bad will come again. Those who pastor/pastor's wives know what I mean. I want to let the past be the past..so tonight I'm calling out to the Lord. I will continue to keep you all in prayer. But I just had to share some of my feelings before I shut down for the night. Thanks for listening/reading. I'm claiming that verse as a promise from Psalm 22:5 for me as I move onto the next house (adventure) that the Lord has for our family.

I remain in prayer for you all. Blessings.

June 17-June 24 Praying for all my readers, visitors, followers etc.

Graphic courtesy of heartlight.org


Just so that you know I'll be offline after today (Wednesday) due to the move, for about a week. (For those of you who have been praying for me, I indeed thank you.) I wanted to leave you all with the following photo courtesy of heartlight.org. The reference is Psalm 10:14. Here in the United States its Father's Day weekend. As some of you know my father died last fall. This will be my first Father's Day without my dear Dad. I'm posting this, because Father's Day is not always easy for everyone. Sometimes, its due to death, or estrangement, divorce, or abuse, or whatever. So for those who feel fatherless in one way or another this is for you. Know that I'm praying for you all in my absence. Can't wait to get back on and catch up with you all. See ya in about a week. (by the way after I move in look for some new features, such as book reviews, gardening happenings, etc on this blog). Till then I'm praying for you all.

Tuesday, June 16, Praying for my readers, visitors, followers today

Graphic courtesy of heartlight.org


I saw this photo below, and thought of all you who may be going through hard times, and are struggling with keeping God's ways in the midst of turmoil. I know some of you see this site through google reader, some come and visit, and some follow, however you stop by...this is for you today, Tuesday June 16. Know that I'm praying for you. The reference is from Galatians 6:9.

Photo also courtesy of heartlight.org

Leaving

LEAVING

Not wanting to

Have to

Hurt feelings

Unknown

Pastor's wife life

New start

Hopefully~~good

Tears

Boxes

Moving truck

Straddling two houses

Camping out

Bare necessities

Almost to new home

Unknown church

Will I fit in?

Will they like me?

Will I like them?

Mission field even here in US

New school for Kiddo

Excitement for house

Better upkeep

New rugs, paint

Bigger yard

Rose bushes

Woods to explore

Places for my garden and flower pots to bloom

Hope

Scary

Still here in old house

Soon to move

Christ is with me~

~through the unknown

Thanks Lord

copyright by PW 2009

Just curious....

what do you think Christian community means?

June 15, Praying for my visitors, readers, followers today

Graphic courtesy of heartlight.org


As I said before, each of you is special, whether your visit is a second or longer; whether you visit only once or come back again and again. You are special to me~~ and more importantly you are very special to God. He hears the longings of your inner heart. That's what I want to pray for you today...those inner longings, hurts and desires that maybe no one else knows about. Today I lift each of my visitors, readers, followers up in prayer, praying that the innermost, secret desires, hurts, pains, etc will be touched by Jesus in a very special way. Blessings to you today.

1000 Gifts 14-24

I praise the Lord for:

14. Walks with my Kiddo
15. Seeing the stream at different points along these walks, and throwing stones into the water
16. Seeing an old train depot, beautifully decorated, including an old luggage cart
17. Hearing a train whistle in the distance
18. Chicken Parmesan subs
19. Hearing the different birds on our walks
20. Seeing rabbits scurrying
21. House church with my Kiddo
22. The sound of gurgling stream as we stopped and listened
23. The kerplunk of the rocks hitting the water, and also ricocheting off of rocks into the water
24. Bags of corn curls

These small things all made the weekend special...thanks Lord

June 13/14 Praying for my visitors/followers today

Graphic courtesy of heartlight.org

I'm posting this late Saturday afternoon, my time. I want to pray for my visitors, followers, readers who may be unsatisfied with their current church or may be having ill feelings toward church, Christians in general. You may or may not be currently attending a local service of any kind. I'm praying for you. May you know that Christianity is more than attending a service. It's a relationship. When we get to heaven God's not going to ask what church you attended. He's going to ask if you believed on His Son Jesus for salvation.

Some of you may think Christians are hypocrites. And I'm going to be blunt and say that some who say they are Christians ARE hypocrites. I know I've been badly hurt by many of them, and so has my family. You aren't the only ones who have been betrayed, hurt, and abused by so called Christians. But don't let the bad apples turn you away from a relationship with Jesus.

I'm praying for each visitor who is unsettled in their relationship with Jesus today, whether its Saturday night or Sunday when you read this.

1000 Gifts, #13

13. Chocolate chip pancakes!!! mmmmmmmm Kiddo and I went out to eat for breakfast, at a local small diner. We both ordered the same thing, scrambled eggs and chocolate chip pancakes. I also ordered a hot biscuit to split with Kiddo. We both LOVE their chocolate chip pancakes. It's a regular pancake dough with chocolate chips mixed in. It's huge. We get two per serving, and they are a good 6-8 inches in diameter!! Delicious. I praise God for the gift of chocolate chip pancakes.

Do you know.....

some of these vocab words that Kiddo is studying for a science final next week?
innercore, heliocentric theory, greenhouse effect, foliated rock, fossil, extrusive rock, crater, condensation, coarse grained, boiling and melting point in Celsius, axis, list the layers of the atmosphere, asteroid belt, igneous rock, clouds, gas giants.

June 13, Praying for my visitors/followers today

Graphic courtesy of heartlight.org

It's a beautiful Saturday morning here. Today as you visit, scroll down to see my recent posts, including the 'ribbon cutting' post: the official beginning of "Praying for my visitor/followers today", as well as my continued journey on the 1000 gifts...Gratitude community.

Anyways, since its the weekend, I pray for safety for all my visitors, commenters, followers, as they work in the yard, travel on errands, or travel to and fro for visits, camping, vacations today. May God's angels bless and protect you as you work and travel on this Saturday.

1000 Gifts~~ # 12

12. Furniture. As you may have been reading we are straddling two houses for most of this month. Here at the old house we have very little furniture. I mean very little. We have a computer, an end table where the computer sits, and coffee table, and an old dining room table, washer/dryer, stove, refrig. All of these so far stay with the house. We have air mattresses that we bought to sleep on, and a small folding table and two chairs to be in the kitchen to have our meals. We borrowed the folding table and chairs from the church. The chairs are multi-use. Depending upon the time of day, they may be at the computer, or at the kitchen.

One thing we don't have and I will never take for granted again, are couches, soft chairs, and recliners. We have a makeshift couch to stretch out on. We use afghans to lay on that are on the floor, and a pillow propped against a box against the wall. I will never take furniture for granted again!!

I think of those who are homeless and who are worse off then we are. For us its a brief time compared to their plight. I also think of countries where furniture that we have here in America is considered such a luxury. Or it might even be culturally unacceptable, maybe they use the floor much more, and learn how to get comfortable.

Anyways, for my 12th item on my list is furniture, especially couches/soft chairs, recliners. I praise the Lord for furniture, it truly is a gift!

btw, I have heard many words used for that long piece of furniture, everything from couch, sofa, davenport, and even a chesterfield. What do you use?

Praying for my visitors/followers today, the explaination and official beginning

Graphic courtesy of heartlight.org

As you may have noticed I have been praying for you, my readers, commenters, followers, and visitors. Whether you have stopped by for just a brief second, or just browsed, or even commented, I am praying for you. So far since the beginning of this particular blog PW~The Real Me, (not counting the previous three recent blogs I had prior to this one, that merged into this current blog), I have had visitors from 10 countries including US and Canada. I'm embarking on a journey to pray for each person who stops by. This is my official ribbon cutting ceremony post. lol. My grand-opening as you say.

YEAH!!

I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store for my readers. I may never know the answers to my prayers till I get to heaven. But it is so much fun praying for you.

I have learned that praying is a relationship with the Lord. I had a solid basis as a child from the summer camp and an old country church (I wrote about this past week). Though I got messed up and searched for a long while who Jesus really was, I'm back on track!! That means, I'm back in relationship with the real Jesus who I knew as a child. I could talk to Him everywhere and anywhere, and anytime.

Growing up in harsh circumstances, I needed His friendship to survive. That must have been a major factor in how I look at prayer. There for a while I kept a journal. Mostly I would talk to Him spontaneous about anything and everything, and everyone. I saw many answers to prayers, and even some non-answers...in His time. I also valued the time I had on the Indian reservation as a mission worker where I witnessed first hand the faith of persecuted Christians. Their faith was real. When only two percent of the population was Christian, that changed the way of their life. That also taught me that the Lord was real, and further developed my prayer time with Jesus.

Then some other factors came into my life that mocked this relationship with Jesus. They begged to say that this relationship was outdated or too fundamentalist to be real. That nonsense infected my heart for many years. I am just now being purged of this spiritual cancer.

I'm returning to my first love, Jesus...and to spending time with Him, anywhere and everywhere, and about everyone. That includes you.

So come with me on this wonderful journey, as I pray for you around the world. Step back and watch the amazing things as we witness the Lord's power as we join in prayer.

Today, as I mentioned in this morning's post, I'm praying for your spiritual lives. I pray for your walks with the Lord. I've been through the desert many times, and I know the pain. I've been on mountaintops and know the joy. Where ever you are today in your walk with the Lord....I'm praying for you.


It's official, the ribbon cutting ceremony for my praying for you!!

A good morning to you and praying for my visitors/followers

It's a beautiful morning here, though cloudy. Like I said earlier, we're straddling two houses. Today I will have access to the car, YEAH...so that means a quick trip to the grocery store. I will also load up the car again for hubby to transfer some more stuff to the new house later today. I love to pack, and find nooks and crannys (or is it crannies) for all sorts of things. Trust me, over my life time, I've had to learn how to pack: boxes, cars, luggage, etc. It's fun, really. Well, most of the time. Except our move before this one, three years ago, when we found out hubby was being transferred and after it was offical only 19 days later the movers came. Now that was SOME stress. However, for this move, we've been packing the house since Easter. Slow but sure. Anyways, finding room in the car today is getting a lot easier, because there is very little left. More on that on my next 1000 gifts post.

I'm heading to do chores/errands today, which includes hubby's laundry. He's at the new house with a washer and dryer, and said yesterday, "Honey, I'm bringing my dirty laundry for you to do." I told him, "HUH, I have absolutely no place to hang yours. I barely have enough room for kiddo's and mine." He said he hadn't had time to figure out the laundry machines there. Well, that's another compliment, I guess I'm the laundry expert of the family. I have to admit, I love doing laundry. I shared earlier about having to do laundry with a wringer washer, and then a washer that sucked up water from metal bins, these machines these days make it easier.


NOW>>>

I'm praying for you, my readers and visitors today. I'm praying for your spiritual walks with the Lord. May you be strengthened. May your faith be renewed. And may the Holy Spirit draw you closer into Jesus' outstretched arms. I am praying for you, even if you don't leave a comment, but just merely show up. However, I would appreciate a comment, to help me more specifically pray for you. God Bless.

1000 Gifts~ my beginning 1-11

I found this at http://www.aholyexperience.com/ It's the Gratitude Community. I've signed up. I'm beginning to list my 1000 gifts. As she explains on her blog its not about the gifts we give to others, but the gifts that we are given each day. Since we are all unique our lists will be unique. We give God all the praise.

I've been grumbling lately. Yes I've listed occasionally things/places etc that I've been thankful for. However, this challenge that I'm embarking on will help me to LOOK for things to be thankful for, and then come back here and write them down. All my gifts I see are in thankfulness to the Lord who has given me SO much.

1. My Saviour and Lord-Jesus and the Word of God~the Bible
2. My husband
3. My 'kiddo'
4. My dad who died last fall (he was the best)
5. My pot of violas blooming on the porch
6. My three house plants,
7. The flower my kiddo gave to me earlier this week
8. Our move to a new house that we're in the midst of right now (we're straddling two houses)
9. The rain on the roof as I hear it from the bathroom
10. A washer and dryer
11. My readers/visitors/followers of this blog

Praying for my visitors/followers today 6/11

Today I'm praying for each visitor and follower. Some of you only stop by for a quick second, others for longer. Today I'm praying for you and for those who you know who are house hunting/selling/looking for an apartment, etc. If that fits you or someone you know leave me a comment, so I can pray by name. If not I'll pray in general for my readers who are or know of someone that's looking for a place to live or trying to buy/sell their house, etc. Blessings. hugs

Thankful Thursday, June 11

This week I'm SOOO thankful for two very key places in providing me with the knowledge of God. The first is a summer camp I attended as a child/youth. It was a very rustic camp in the mountains of the Appalachians. A generation before me, they traveled by train to the camp, and then from the train tracks they traveled by barge to get to the camp on the other side of the river with all their luggage. When I was growing up we traveled a treacherous mountain road to the isolated camp. Once we got there, it was well worth the trip. We had no electricity for the week. The camp rented an army generator to power the mess hall and the cabins, and the bathhouses for part of the day. The refrigerators and stove were gas. There were no outside influences allowed. We swam in the river and the creek. We hiked to a waterfalls. We had fun but most importantly it was a place to concentrate on your relationship with the Lord. As I look back, it was the highlight of my summer for many years. It was the place that I really learned, away from all the family troubles, and other influences to really know the Lord.

The second key place in providing for my faith was the little country church that I attended as a child. There were a few very key people there who modeled the Christian faith and taught Sunday school year-round and Vacation Bible School. The roots of that church go back to pre-American Revolutionary times. The Word of God continues to be preached there. I especially am thankful for my fifth grade VBS teacher who made sure where we stood with the Lord, before the VBS week was over. I never forget her private, intentional conversations with each of us that summer. It meant a lot to me.

Today, I pause and give thanks to the many camp counselors, pastors, and other staff persons of that camp, as well as members of the little country church. Without those folks in those two places, many many lives would not have been touched by the Lord.

Thank you Lord for these wonderful people, some of whom are now in heaven, and for the summer camp and for the little country church.

Since then, in recent years things have entered my life that threw me off balance, but as you may have been reading recently on this blog, I have returned to my childhood faith. I'm so glad that the Lord has not forgotten me and still loves me.

Pray for the unsaved and backslidden Wednesdays

Beginning this week, on Wednesdays I'm going to pray for the unsaved loved ones, extended family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc of those who actually have commented on my site. If you want me (and my readers) to pray for your unsaved or backslidden people in your life leave me a comment on Wednesdays to these posts of "Pray for the Unsaved Wednesdays". No need to mention any one's names, or locations. Just by you saying, yes, please pray for the unsaved people in my life, is enough. Jesus knows who you mean.


Spread the word.

I (we...my readers) will pray for those unsaved and those who have fallen away from the Lord..friends /family /coworkers,etc of those who comment on this post each Wednesday.

So leave a comment and we'll pray for the unsaved ones in your life.

Thanks.

Word Filled Wednesdays~6-10-09

This is my verse for today:

33But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides. (from Matthew 6, NASB)

Looking back over yesterday

Now before I go any further, I want to make a disclaimer....(giggle)....this is the REAL me speaking. I'm learning that its okay to share my opinions, beliefs, etc on my blog. After all its my blog, and I can share if I want to. (giggle).

After posting the previous post on Sunday, and having the move looming over us, with a car that needed mechanical attention, movers coming yesterday, and hubby planning to drive last night in order to meet the movers today.....anyways, after posting that, and giving the matter over to the Lord, I've got a huge praise report.

When we went to church on Sunday a church member who works over at the mechanics said she'll call the mechanic and alert him of hubby's urgent need, and told hubby to have the car at the shop by 8 am. So that's what hubby did. He left the car there, and since we live in town, they gave him a courtesy ride back to the house. They planned on looking at the car first thing and then calling us. Now excuse me, for those who are mechanically minded, for my layman's terms of car trouble. It turns out that an elbow joint in the transmission was either loose or had broken and it was leaking transmission fluid from there. It was not at an easy spot to get to. But nevertheless, the mechanic knowing the urgency of our situation called us, informed hubby of the situation. He told hubby that he was having a part delivered ASAP and the car should be done by early afternoon! PRAISE THE LORD

Now the movers came on time, loaded hubby's stuff from the church, and then started on the house. We've moved several times, and so far this is the most efficient bunch of laborers we have seen. They took note of special requests, and worked hard. They took very brief breaks and we fed them a light lunch. They didn't want to get too full, and break their momentum. The whole loading procedure was done in about 5 hours for a church load/and a 3 bedroom house. That was the best time ever.

About a half an hour before the movers were done the mechanic called saying the car was done, and that they'd bring the car over to the house (as is their policy). They also told hubby that he could settle up the bill on another day as he is traveling back and forth between the two houses. That way hubby was able to finish loading the car and shortly after the movers were done for the day, hubby left for the new house. Praise the Lord.

Also it was supposed to rain/storm yesterday and today. The rain held off until just when hubby was leaving. The movers were gone by then, so all our stuff was dry. Now it was supposed to be raining today for the unloading but the rain and storms have come through yesterday evening and overnight and it looks for the unloading that hubby will have a dry spell before more storms this afternoon. Praise the Lord.



NOW (stepping on my soapbox)....this leads me to my point. The Lord has answered so many requests in the last 24-36 hours that I give HIM full praise.

I hereby declare, and always have, that I do NOT believe in luck. These events some (even Christians) would say that I/we were very lucky for the car to be fixed, to be delivered, and to have the rain hold off. phooey. I don't believe in luck. That was ALL God's working. Now to me, to believe in luck means one doesn't believe in God. There were many people over the past few weeks wishing us good luck in our new adventures. I cringe inwardly, especially when they come from mouths of Christians. I just have to give them to the Lord.

For me personally, what I have lived through in my life since I was a child and the many, many, many ways I have seen the Lord work in otherwise impossible situations...that's NOT luck...it's the Lord.

Yesterday was just one more example in almost a book full of personal examples of ways the Lord has come through and met needs.

OK, climbing down off of my soapbox. (giggle)

What a great devotion for today.

My husband woke up full of worry for tomorrow. We have a car that is leaking something, and he needs to make a major 100+ mile trip tomorrow to our new house. So with movers coming tomorrow, and him having to make a trip to the new house, he is worried. Kiddo and I will be staying here while school finishes for the year. Hubby will be back and forth as we straddle two houses. Car trouble on a day when he has to travel is not making him happy.

THEN

I came across this devotion and read it to him. Meanwhile, I'm also encouraged that somehow the Lord will work and hubby and a carload of stuff will get to the new house in time to meet the movers on Tuesday.
http://www.internetcafedevotions.com/

I found this neat meme, and though I might be a little late for today, but its still Saturday here. I grew up singing hymns in an old country church. I have a hymnal collection that I often look through. Though I can't play the piano, I can sing alone with the tune in my head. I also learned praise choruses at a summer camp. However, its often the old hymns and those 'early' contemporary choruses that really uplift me.

One of my favorites that I'm thinking about this week is the hymn, Blessed Assurance. Click here for words, picture/biography and music. http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/b/l/e/blesseda.htm

Busy...but a question for you

Thanks ladies for praying for me today. Briefly in one sentence: I survived the dentist okay. :) Some suspicious teeth, but no immediate action is required. Ok, that was more than one sentence but thanks for your thoughts and prayers.

I have a quick question for you all...

Would you buy this Bible for either yourself or another person or even an unsaved friend or relative? Please see the sample pages, the video and please read the whole page that contains more of the 'interview' information, that contains the motives behind the Bible, and also read the customer reviews. Then come back and share your feelings. Thanks.

http://www.amazon.com/Bible-Illuminated-Book-New-Testament/dp/919766944X#

Fearless Friday June 5

Note: I will continue the discussion (after this post) of persecuted Christians. Good points have been raised in the comment section, and I want to continue the discussion.


My prayer requests/praises:

1. Unsaved or backslidden family members
2. Details for move
3. Dentist cleanings today (I've had bad experiences; but today is a new day, and with my new freedom in Christ, I woke up with the verse from Romans 8 in my mind; the verse about nothing will separate us from God's love (not even dental visits and problem teeth)
4. Praise for the new joy and freedom I have with my Lord, its been an amazing week. Joy that many bondages have been loosed. Pray that I become strengthed in this new walk and able to resist put downs by family members.
5. Thankful for all my readers/commenters...and I pray for each one of you.

Are we persecuted as Christians?

In my blogger reader I came across this blog post entitled, "Blessed are the Persecuted" http://acroamaticus.blogspot.com/ It is in reference to a news article about Christians in the UK and the persecution they are facing. I was wondering are we as Christians persecuted? I was going to ask are we persecuted here in the US, then realized that some of you may be living/or have lived elsewhere in the world. I know that some areas are totally against Christianity. But what about the 'free' countries? Are we as Christians really persecuted? What are your experiences, feelings, knowledge about this topic?

Thankful Thursday, June 4

This Thursday I am thankful that I am free!!!! As a dear online friend reminded me this week of these words, I want to put them here. Then scroll down a couple of posts to see the post entitled, "My search is over" for the full story.

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. from John 8 NKJV


Note: for more Thankful Thursday posts for this week see: http://womentakingastand.blogspot.com/

A neat contest

Visit ~Brenda at http://prairiebren.blogspot.com/ for a great "Phrase that Photo Contest."

Misc stuff

~~ First, thank you SOOO much for the lovely comments about my post below, "My search is over". I really appreciate them. The Lord has really been working wonderfully in my life the last day or so. It's amazing.

~~ Secondly, I will be including some more posts about favorite books, book reviews, in the future. The month of June and maybe the first part of July may be very crazy. There will be days that I can be on the computer for extended times, and there will be days that I will have limited access or none at all, due to the move related details. From now through Monday, its a 'limited access' time. After that I'll be on for a good bit, then later in the month, I'll be offline for a couple days, then back on limited. I'll keep you posted.

Current Status: through Monday, June 8, Limited access/sporadic and may not be for extended times. Just possibly quick email checks, blog comment moderation, and some posting. Thanks for understanding. I promise, I'm not giving up on blogging, I love it too much. I'm just heading into some bumpy time schedule waters. I'll keep you posted.

~~ I have set up an email account for contact from my blog readers it is pastorswife505 (at) yahoo (dot) com.

~~How do you all find such lovely pictures to include in your blog posts? I don't have a digital camera. Are there places on the Internet where you can have pictures for your blog? Is there a fee? What are your experiences with pics for your blogs...are they mostly your personal pics from a digital camera?

Okay, gotta go. Have a blessed day. Looking forward to hearing from you.

My search is over.

For those of you who have been following me on the past three previous blogs, I have been treading some treacherous waters as I search for what I believe. Your thoughts and prayers and words have meant much. I really have found Jesus, again!!! It is a return to Him that I needed. It doesn't really matter what denomination holds my paper of membership...because that won't matter when I die. God is not looking for a membership paper from a church, He's looking for a heart that is trusting Him as Saviour and as Lord!

And today, I declare, that I DO! I trust in Jesus as Lord, and Saviour. I do not have that icky feeling of finding where I belong. Because I belong in Jesus' arms!! That icky feeling of trying to find myself is over. I have returned to the faith, in my heart, that I grew up with.

I believe in the Bible, as I have since I was a child. It is God's Holy, inerrant, authorative, and powerful word, not just for salvation, but for all things!

I am a Child of God, King, and Lord!

Someone say amen!!

Lighthouse steps

This series is inspired by ~Brenda over at Prairie Tales...as a way of occasionally giving little glimpses into little known facts about me. I know this whole blog is a way of me finding my way out of my turtle shell that I have put myself in the last couple of years for various reasons. But as I progress and discuss different things, like vacuums, (see my previous post), I'll stop and give some hints about me.

Some tidbits

~~I LOVE chocolate and peanut butter, and many combinations of the two, (another post will include the various ways to use peanut butter!)
~~soon I'll be moving into my 16th house since I was born
~~I love to read!!
~~I have tried to crochet and knit, and embroidery. Note the word try!!
~~I have quilted. Quilting was much more successful than the above needlework attempts!!!
~~I have been whitewater rafting, (as a non-swimmer)
~~ my first above ground experience was not on an airplane, but on a ski lift on a mountain in Arizona with a view of the Grand Canyon
~~I DON"T like to fly! I have tried it. Never again. I know they say never to say never, but seriously, never.
~~I do love to travel my train and have seen much of the US by train.
~~I have been to the Grand Canyon, and even sat near the edge at sundown waiting for my brother to come back from hiking down it.
~~I better quit, or I'll write everything in one post, more later. lol

Vacuum question

We are in the need of a new vacuum. What do you recommend, canister style or upright. We've had uprights for a while, but are considering a canister. This will be for carpet, some rooms with thinner carpet than others, but none will be shag. Would love to hear your opinions and experiences. Do canisters last longer then uprights? Do they have better suction? What brands? We know we can't afford the top of the line, but do not want the bottom of the line. We are figuring at least a couple hundred dollars???????

We are finding that our uprights last only about 3-5 years. Our wheels are shot on this one, totally. We just had it repaired for other reasons earlier this year. sigh.

thanks

Monday, Wash day how it has evolved in my years

Now the old line is that Monday is wash day. But around here nearly any day of the week is, except Sunday. We even wash towels always on Wednesday, and sheets on Thursday. As I re posted the gardening history posts below, memories came back and I started to think about how washing has evolved in my life time. Now I'm not that old, but times have changed. But as I did Internet research, I noticed more and more, the old style washers are coming back in style and use because of the economy.

I first learned how to do laundry on a wringer washer. Now according to the Internet, Maytag was one of the major producers of wringer washers and the last ones rolled off their assembly lines in 1983. We had the wringer washer set up down the cellar. The washer was next to 2 metal 'rinse' tubs set on cinder blocks.

For photos see: http://www.maytagclub.com/page-16.htm

For explanation of how to use it: http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2009/05/14/wringer-washer/

In the second article when they link to show you a picture of rinse tubs...my how far they have come! Those they linked to are Amish made, and plastic. Oh my! We used the old style metal 'tub's you could find in most any hardware store. Once the clothes went through the wringer the last time they were hung up outside. Or if in winter, downstairs in the cellar on clothes lines.

One thing with wringer washers, you had to be very careful about using the wringers, and the placement of your hands!!!!!!!!

Eventually we did get a washer upstairs in the kitchen. It was the type with a unique feature. Again we had the rinse tubs nearby. We recycled the wash and rinse water. The machine would drain the wash water out and we'd collect it in a tub. Then it would do the same for the rinse water, and we'd collect that in another tub.

Now for the following load(s)...we'd turn the dial to where the machine would suck up the water through a long hose that went from the machine and to the tubs. We would have to place the hose in the right tub, and as the water level dwindled, even tilt the tub so it could suck up all the water. Eventually, when it couldn't suck it up anymore, we'd lift the tub and dump the little remaining water into the machine.

Yup, that was wash days as I was growing up. We had well water so water conversation was important.

That was the house with the huge gardens I wrote about below. When we moved out of that house, I think we had a 'regular' washer and that didn't use the hose/recycling water feature.

Oh the days of washing with a wringer washer, and the hose/recycle washer. I do think that more of those machines may make a comeback in today's economy.

My gardening history, (pt. 4 of 4)

After my time on the reservation was finished I decided to go to seminary back East. There I met and married my husband. Soon after graduation we headed west, and soon our family grew.

Now in this current church, I was privileged to have the opportunity to garden again. The yard is not able to support a veggie garden in ground. There is not enough sunny space, etc. We live in an area where homegrown fruits and veggies are plentiful, so its cost effective to buy local.I decided to do container gardening. I wanted to do flowers...something new for me.

The first year, I started with one geranium and an ivy plant from a big box store. I borrowed tons of library books and bought a couple of books as well. In addition, I visited about 10 or so plant nurseries around the area. I asked questions, I observed their plant stock, and just got a ton of information. I quickly learned that sometimes the salesclerks knew a lot...and sometimes they didn't. I found one good salesclerk in a big box store in the garden section that had formerly owned a plant nursery so she's been a big help. I also found a plant nursery where the workers, not the salesclerks, but the actual workers...knew a lot. In just a few sentences they could give such a book full of information.

So the second year, I tried more flowerpots. My hubby liked the look of the flowers and encouraged I get more. I ended up with 17 that year. I learned a LOT that first full year, made a lot of mistakes and re-evaluated during that winter. I spent a ton of time that following winter researching and finding out what I did wrong, and what I wanted to try again.

The next year, I ended up with 28 flower pots and had a great time!!!! SO glad that I stuck with it. I had several kinds of annual geraniums, impatiens, diamond frost, begonias, ivy, million bells, petunias, pansies, and double impatiens.

This past winter, I have acquired, a "Christmas? cactus", a jade plant, and an African Violet for indoors....and now as I have written about a couple of posts ago on this blog I have a pot of Violas outside.

I will continue to write about my experiences with the various annual geraniums especially the Wilhelm Langguth zonal geranium, which really loved the environment where it was placed and grew to a small shrub size. More on the individual plants I have worked with in future posts. I'll also keep you up-to-date with my gardening adventures this year. :)

My Gardening History, (pt. 3 of 4) re-post

It wasn't many years after we moved from that special house with the BIG veggie garden plots that soon I was on my own in the world. I had graduated college and was working for the summer in the Midwest. Then from there I moved to AZ and lived on an Indian reservation working as a mission worker. I lived with other single teachers on the school grounds, and we had the desert as our backyard, nestled on the valley floor between two mesas.

The backyard desert beckoned me to get my fingernails dirty. SOOOO...I learned how to garden like my friends and neighbors whose land I lived on. They had been tilling this sand for a good thousand years or so and were struggling to eek out a living....so I tried too. Growing a garden in the desert is MUCH different than growing one back East. The semi-aridness, and the sand called for a change of planting depths, and other changes in gardening. So I acquired some seeds and tried. And though the winds mixed with the sand blew hard that spring, and many of my seeds never took root, some did. I grew corn!! Corn in the Desert is SOOOOO different than corn in PA. But I grew it! With advice from the locals, I had such a small harvest, but a harvest I did!! I was excited. I came to have a much different appreciation for the local people once I planted my first seed, and struggled all summer for a crop. I only planted a couple of hills of corn, but it grew!
And I learned a LOT.There's something about being in a different culture and learning to grow their way.

My Gardening History (pt. 2 of 4) Re-post

Looking back on my childhood/youth years at that one house, I realize I learned a LOT about gardening, just by watching my dad, and helping out in the family gardens each year. I learned how to plant with seeds, onion sets, seedlings and other young plants. I also learned how to put milk jugs over vulnerable transplants until the danger of frost was past and they were bigger. I also learned how to hoe weeds, and more weeds, etc. ;). I also learned how to harvest carefully. Some plants would yield another 'picking(s)' if you harvested carefully and didn't pull on the plant too hard when picking the beans or peas, lol. It was hard work, with the big garden plots, but our stomachs sure appreciated it!!

I also learned to LOVE the feel of dirt on my fingers and yes even under my fingernails. It was something I never really thought about until years later...it was my way of life.

Also, when you talk about gardens and love of soil, you gotta talk about other plants too besides veggies. Looking back I was very blessed by the 'boondocks' where we lived. We were WAY out in the country. Besides the veggie gardens we also had a peach tree, grapevines, a pear tree, apple tree, walnut trees, berries on our property, in addition to the woods that surrounded our house.

I will always remember the walks that Dad and I, and usually my brother would take through the woods, just enjoying the creations that the Lord has made. Wildflowers grew in abundance, along with weeds, vines, and berries. We even found a swinging vine in our woods.

As the years passed, and we moved from that house, things began to go downhill in more ways than one...but one thing for sure remained the same, Dad would always take a walk with my brother and I as his health permitted, and we'd always have a garden, albeit much smaller as the years passed and the houses that we lived in had much smaller lots.

My Gardening History Pt. 1 of 4 (Reposting from other blog)

Speaking of gardening, :).....I thought I'd repost some of my older posts from my other blog. Here's part 1 of my gardening history...how I came to love 'dirt underneath my fingernails'.

I think, I was almost born with dirt under my fingernails. I realize that now. For a period of several recent years, without dirt to be in and garden, I felt something missing. Now that I'm gardening again, I know the feeling that I was lacking........These memories of my recently dearly departed Dad are sweet. It all began as a child in a house where I lived in another state. Back then our focus was on survival. We grew what we ate, (prettynear') and we ate what we grew!! We had two BIG plots of garden for a veggie garden. Each spring my parents would have our landlord or someone else 'disc' the gardens. They'd bring in their tractor and turn over the soil. It created huge playing mounds, if the dirt was the right texture. Then soon Dad would bring out his tiller and start the several day job of tilling the ground. Then he'd rake it and then we'd start to plant. Little bit at a time, veggies that would take the cold first....then eventually the warmer weather ones. He'd either hoe rows or dig holes and we'd plant, and plant and plant...lol, the seeds or sets, or transplants.
We had: onions, head lettuce, leaf lettuce, red peppers, yellow peppers, potatos, tomatoes, peas, green beans, corn, radishes, carrots, pumpkins, squash, cucumbers, sunflowers, cabbage, celery, wax beans, and probably a couple of others I have forgotten.

oh my!!

We'd also receive seeds from our local elementary school to plant and then bring the harvest in the fall for some sort of harvest festival. Fun. One year I brought in a HUGE pumpkin that ended up being a chair in the reading group circle area until it outlasted its prime. Then the school cooks, took the pumpkin and returned with roasted pumpkin seeds.

Those were the days...planting, picking, harvesting, shelling, snapping, watering (by hauling water in huge pots in our little red wagon), hoeing, weeding.

What sweet but sad memories. But the gardening love instilled by my Dad lingers. :)

Pentecost Sunday

Today is Pentecost Sunday for many of us. For more info read Acts 1 & 2. It would have been too long for me to post here. Have a great day.

My sad flower pot

Well, thanks to ~Brenda's encouragement in the comment section in the last post, the REAL me is going to come out. Now not all of it, after all this is the world wide web. But more than my other three blogs.

I have to say my flower pot outside is SOOOO lonely. It has lovely violas in it. But this time last year I had 28 pots!! Yes you read it right!.....TWENTY EIGHT POTS. My fingers are just ACHING to get to the business of flower gardening outside. The last frost date has passed.

BUT

We are moving during June, and dear hubby has said he's not transporting a carload of pots. So I have one outside pot, that I just HAD to get at the end of April + 3 indoor pots of houseplants that dear hubby said I could have over the winter. Previously we had been scared the cat would get to any indoor pots, but we rigged up a place where she doesn't bother it. So inside the house, I have a Christmas (or is it a Thanksgiving, or even an Easter)cactus, a jade plant and an African Violet.

BUT

I miss my outdoor pots.

Alas, as soon as we are moved in, guess where we are going? "Kiddo" (my online name for my offspring) is going to explore the woods of the new house, and I'm going to the nearby nurseries. It will not be 28 pots. After all I have to get used to the 'environment' see where the sun and shade is. After all, you know, plants ARE particular that way, giggle. But it will be a handful...how many, we'll just have to see!

But, meanwhile, I'll enjoy the one little flower pot.

Okay: time for the real me to begin

If you have been following any of my three other blogs, you know that I was on a search. Now I think I've moved on. I am a pastor's wife of a Methodist preacher here in the States. I had a parent who died recently who came from Eastern Orthodox roots, therefore, I have decided to retain that part of my heritage. I will be the first to admit that I'm still learning about that heritage. Through my growing up years little was said, probably due to the Cold War, and to the fact that my parent changed denominations upon marriage. Furthermore, I'm also studying and learning about Lutheranism. So throw that into the mix. I guess you can call me a mixed up Christian...not confused, but mixed from various denominations. I won't even go into the fact that I have also been a visitor/member or associated with Roman Catholic, Baptist, Presybterian, Mennonite, Assembly of God, Independent, Non-denominational churches. Let's just leave it as a mixed up gal who is married to a Methodist minister who has Eastern Orthodox roots, and still cherishes them, and is learning about Luther. Okay.

I know this may offend some of my readers. I may lose some of those from my other blogs. So be it. I'm ME! God loves ME! And in the end isn't that all that matters?

I will also be talking about my love for books, gardening, and everyday life. I'll still share Scripture verses, prayers, discussion questions, and quips, and observations from my 'boring' pastor's wife life. (GIGGLE).