Winter on The Bay and Christmas on it’s way!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“ Oh “… Hello there. Just thought I would stop by. It has been awhile since I posted anything on my blog. It has almost been a whole year. Lots has happened in my life since my last post. Some good , and some challenges along the way. A few health issues of my own , and my mom as well. I have learned to take  one day at a time, and God gives me new Grace for each day.

Life goes on and is to be embraced, and celebrated, and not taken for granted. I am thankful for the life God has given me, and I strive to walk with Him day by day.

I have a new Granddaughter and her name is Marina. Now Mikey has a baby sister. She was named after my mom. That makes me smile. I am truly Blessed in so many ways. Yep! 7 Grandchildren. Six girls and one boy. Everyone loves Mikey. He doesn’t seem to mind and I don’t think he knows the difference at this point in his life. He gets lots of attention and he doesn’t mind that a bit. :)

Well I sure hope to find you all well. As I write this little message I think of so many of you I have met over the yrs. and often think of you even though I haven’t been blogging as of late.

I want to wish all who read this, a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year, filled with Love and Joy, Laughter, and Good Health, and the Peace that passes all understanding. God Bless each and everyone of you.

I will try and visit some of your blogs in the next little while.

As I close I would like to leave you with this verse of scripture which many of you are familiar with but it speaks of the reason for the Christmas Season.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour  which is Christ the Lord.  St. Luke 2:11

But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God.  John 1:12

So yes! We have a lot to be Thankful for, and to celebrate.

God Bless each and every one of you, and may each one of us be a blessing to the Lord Jesus Christ as we celebrate His Birthday once again.

Sincerely Dianne :)

Dianne © dsphotocats

The Path

 

 

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
⁶ Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 3:5-6

 

 

 

2 Corinthians 5:7
For we walk by faith, not by sight.

 

 

 

Isaiah 42:16

¹⁶ I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake them.

 

 

 

Be encouraged, and  Be Blessed

Hope to find you all doing well as you walk the paths before you.

Sincerely Dianne :)

It is still Autumn here although the colors have now faded and quietly disappeared. The fallen leaves have been swept, and blown away.There is a chill in the air and it whispers that snow will soon be on its way, along with the new season called winter.

I want to wish all my American Friends a Happy Thanksgiving as it is just around the corner. Remember, “Thanksgiving is more than a Holiday. It is an Attitude.”

Dianne © dsphotocats

Where’s The Color,Where’s The Light?

 

 

Watching The Rain Coming Across Lake Ontario

 

 

 

 

There was Sun and Clouds behind me,

And the Storm in front of me.

Soon to be over my head.

The sun shining on the clouds changed their color.

It was like a natural filter.

And then it was time to head for the van just in time,

before the downpour of rain.

 

 

 

 

 

This picture was taken about an hour earlier

And I was hoping for a break in the clouds.

This is what I saw and this picture is out of my camera.

Dull and so needing some light to brighten the colors and my view.

 

 

 

 

This photo was taken earlier in the day as we were driving along looking for Autumn colors in Prince Edward County. So Beautiful. It was a day when one minute the sun was out and the next several minutes was dark and dreary. It was like driving in and out of the clouds. No consistency, but inconsistency itself.

 

 

 

 

I am not sure where I am going with this,

But going back to the storm ahead of me, then minutes away from me.

I look behind me and this is what I saw.

As the Dark clouds moved in there was still a window of light shining through the darkness, now threatening  to surround me.

 

 

 

 

And over to my right I looked up and saw this image above the clouds. Again these cloud pictures are not altered in any way other than resized.

Funny, but I didn’t take a close look at these pictures until tonight. These pictures were taken October 20th/2012.

 

 

 

 

What I see you may not see. But as I look at these pictures I feel the Love, and Presence of God.

Though storms may come, I know that they will also pass. My God is watching over me, as I walk with Him, He is watching over me, day by day.

I am reminded that as a Believer, and a Child of God, I am to walk by Faith, Not by sight.

And I know that Brighter Days lay ahead, and Jesus is my Light that shines in the darkness. All I have to do is Hope and Trust in Him, in every circumstance of life. Living the Christian life is not always an easy road to travel, but it is worth more than silver and gold.

Jesus said, that in this life we would have trouble but fear not for He has overcome the world. So take heart brothers and sisters. We have a Glorious Hope in Jesus. Jesus said, He would come back to set all things right. I believe Him. Jesus is Coming Again.

Are you ready?

As we get ready to celebrate Christmas, remember there is more to the story.

I could go on but it is time to call it a night.

This post is made up of my thoughts and images.

I have shared from my heart.

God Bless and be with all those who pass through and take the time to read this.

Sincerely Dianne :)

All script and Photographs by Dianne © dsphotocats

Accept for the picture with me in it which was taken by my husband, 4% Vision.

In the month of Oct. we had continued rain and grey skies for all but 5 days of sun. It was a long month. I didn’t get out much to capture the Brilliant Colors of Autumn this year accept for a handful of pictures, and for that I am grateful.

My thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by Hurricane Sandy. May the storm clouds disappear, and you all experience Brighter days ahead.

His Eye Is On The Sparrow

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." (Matt. 10:27-31).

"Sparrow" is the name given to several different species of birds in the Bible -- they ate grain and insects and gathered in noisy flocks. Sparrows would often build their untidy nests in the eaves of houses, but were not driven away when they built their nests in the Temple (Psa. 84:3). These insignificant little birds were such social creatures that a lone sparrow was the symbol of deep loneliness (Psa. 102:7).

In the days of our Lord sparrows were sold for a very low price -- two of them for a copper coin (Matt. 10:29). A copper coin, an asarion, was a very small Roman coin, was worth about 1/16 of a silver denarius, and was therefore worth less than a quarter in U.S. currency today. Those who were poor and could not afford to sacrifice a sheep or a goat might bring a sparrow to the Temple (cf. Lev. 14:1-7).

So insignificant were these little birds that if you bought four sparrows the seller would throw in one more for free (Luke 12:4-7). It was this extra sparrow of which Jesus said, "and not one of them is forgotten before God." His care for His creation is so great that even this extra sparrow is noted and observed by God!

The point our Lord was making is this: if God is concerned about the tiny sparrow and notes its fate, how much greater must His concern be for man, who is immeasurably greater in value than the sparrow!

God's Eye Is On Things We Deem Insignificant

Sometimes it seems that God is the only one who cares for sparrows. Cats and birds of prey like to hunt and eat them, and little boys have been known to torment them. Adults complain about how they multiply and consider them pests. Yet, Jesus said, "not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will" (Matt. 10:29). It is interesting that Jesus chose the most common of all birds to teach a profound truth: in God's eyes, no one is insignificant!

God not only provides food for "the birds of the air," but He also "clothes the grass of the field" (Matt. 6:25-34). The "lilies of the field" were the scarlet poppies -- they bloomed for only one day on the hillsides of Israel, and yet in their brief life they were clothed with a beauty which surpassed "Solomon in all his glory," and when they died they were "thrown into the oven."

In the days of our Lord ovens consisted of a clay box set on bricks over a fire. When it was desired to rapidly raise the temperature of it, some handfuls of dried grasses and wild flowers were thrown inside the oven and set alight. The flowers had but one day of life; and then they were set alight to help a woman to heat an oven when she was baking in a hurry; and yet God clothes them with a beauty which is beyond man's power to imitate. If God gives such beauty to a short-lived flower, how much more will he care for man?

Surely, the generosity, which is lavished upon a flower for one day, will not be forgetful of man, the crown of His creation.

 

God Does Not Always Prevent Evil From Happening To Us

Though God does provide care for the sparrows, the fact that "not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will" (Matt. 10:29) means that sometimes bad things can happen. Although He watches over the sparrows, this does not prevent them being hunted by predators. Although He watches over every one of us, this does not mean that our lives will be free from care.

God had placed a "hedge" around Job (Job 1:8-11), but allowed Satan to tempt Job (Job 1:12). In the midst of his trials he did not lose his trust in God (Job 1:21). In one of the most beautiful passages in the book of Job, we hear Job say of God, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15).

We can be assured that with every temptation there will also be a way of escape. "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" (1 Cor. 10:13). My brethren, there are no special cases! When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!

God's Care Continues For Us

We may not esteem the tiny sparrow, but Jesus used it to illustrate our heavenly Father's watchful care: "you are of more value than many sparrows" (Matt. 10:31). If God is concerned about the tiny sparrow, how much greater must His concern be for man, who is immeasurably greater in value than the sparrow!

There is no place for worry in the life of a sparrow, and no attempt stockpile supplies for the future -- yet their lives go on. The point Jesus is making is not that the birds do not work; it has been said that no one works harder than a sparrow to make a living; the point He is making is that they do not worry. Sparrows do not strain to see into a future, which they cannot see, and do not seek to find security in the things they have accumulated for the future.

Worry is needless, useless and even injurious (Matt. 6:25-32). Worry, which wears out the mind also, wears out the body. Worry affects our judgment, lessons our powers of decision, and renders us progressively incapable of dealing with life. Worry is a manifestation of our lack of faith in God (Matt. 6:30). We need to learn to be content (Phil. 4:4-13).

In the midst of turbulent times Habakkuk said, "Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls -- Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (Hab. 3:17-18).

God's continued care for us should bring contentment in our lives. "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content." (1 Tim. 6:6-10).

Conclusion

In 1904, a songwriter, Mrs. Civilla Martin, went to visit a bedridden friend in Elmira, New York. Mrs. Martin asked the woman if she ever got discouraged because of her physical condition. Her friend quickly responded: "Mrs. Martin, how can I be discouraged when my heavenly Father watches over each little sparrow and I know He loves and cares for me?"

On her journey back home, Mrs. Martin completed the writing of her new text, which has since been a source of much encouragement to many of God's people:

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come, why should my heart be lonely and long for Heaven and home, when Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me...

"Let not your heart be troubled," His tender word I hear, and resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears; though by the path He leadeth but one step I may see: His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me...

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise, when songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies, I draw the closer to Him; from care He sets me free; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me...

God's care for us is immeasurable -- He allowed His only begotten Son to die in our stead (John 3:16). When we consider the "riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering" this ought to soften our heart, "knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance" (Rom. 2:3-4).

God's care for us will sustain us throughout life, for "we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28).

God's care for us extends beyond the grave and into that home of the soul, for those who "do His commandments" have the right to the tree of life, and "may enter in through the gates into the city" (Rev. 22:14).       

His Eye Is On The Sparrow by David Padfield

 

 

 

 

 

I found this very encouraging and hope those of you who take the time to read it will be encourage also.

Hope all is well and you all have a great week ahead.

Love and Care

Dianne :)

 

How Can We Know The Way?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus’s disciples felt confused when he talked about going away. “You know the way to the place where I am going,” He told them. Thomas voiced the question burning in all their minds: “Lord we don’t know where you’re going. So how can we know the way? Jesus’s answer was simple and direct: I am the way, the truth and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me.”

It may be popular to claim that many paths lead to God, but that contradicts what the Bible teaches. Jesus taught that access to God can only come through placing our faith in His sacrificial death and resurrection. The way is clear and open to everyone, blocked only by a person’s unwillingness to believe. There is no alternate route. People who denounce the gospel as narrow minded miss the wonder that God provided a way for us to come to Him at all.

Jesus is more than the path to salvation and eternal life: He shows us the way to live a life of true meaning and purpose. Nurturing our relationship with Him and following the directions in God’s Word are the only way to travel. We may be temped to let our life be guided by sources that seem more exciting, but we’ll only end up feeling confused.

Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

 

 

I want to wish you all a Happy Easter as we celebrate the Life, the death and Resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ , The Son of Almighty God.

For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son that who so ever believes in Him shall not perish but have Ever Lasting  Life. John 3:16.

 

Love and Care

Dianne :)

New Beginnings and A New Year

 

 

Baby Michael’s First Christmas

               

 

           Baby Hope’s First Christmas

Hope, Tesa, Jenna and Courtney.

 

 

It seems strange looking back when we have a New Year ahead of us with new beginnings. I haven’t had a lot of time to reflect on this past year, but one thing that stands out for me personally is what a Blessing my Family, and my Grandchildren are to me. Life and Family are precious treasures that I hold dearly. Friends are treasures I hold dearly also. I am so Blessed beyond measure. I have so much to be thankful for.

This past year I have been Blessed with two more of Grandma’s Little Angels as I like to call them. :)

Hope was born premature back in May, and with God’s Grace she has come a long way, and is doing just fine, and just had her first Christmas. Thank you for all who kept her, and us in your prayers for her safe arrival. God heard each and every prayer.

Baby Michael arrived not long after and experienced his first Christmas also. We as a family are so Blessed. Thank you for all who prayed for his safe arrival also.

I now have 5 Grandchildren. Time keeps ticking as the years come and go. Life goes on. We can look back and reflect, and then must move on, and look forward to a New Year and New Beginnings. I am reminded of Ecclesiastes 3 in the Bible, where it talks about “There is a time for everything under the sun.

 

As a New Year is upon us we hope for a Happy New Year filled with good things. We all have things we wish for ourselves, and those we hold dearly, friends and family.

The reality is that life is full of good things , and also many hardships, and even disappointments. It is filled with many Happy moments, and also sad moments and even losses. None of us know what is down the road on our Journey Of Life. None of us know what this year will bring but we have Hope for a bright future. In saying all of this I want to wish and pray that each and every one of you will have a Happy and Healthy New Year, and God’s strength, and endurance to get over the times when the road may be a  rough. Keep loving, sharing with friends, and family, and your neighbors, as well as new persons you will meet along your path. There may even be those you will need to forgive, and hopefully reconcile with. Life is too short not to show one another Grace.

I know this post is wordy and long. I haven’t been able to post as much but many of you remain in my thoughts, and prayers. Thank you for your friendship, prayers and support. I look forward to visiting you and your blogs when I can.

Love and Care

Dianne :)

 

I will leave a portion of Ecclesiastics 3 for those who may want to read it.

God Bless each and everyone who may stop by and those who leave their heart prints. Thank you.

Happy New Year !!!

 

…….. 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 3 (New International Version)

 

A Time for Everything

¹ There is a time for everything,
   and a season for every activity under the heavens:

² a time to be born and a time to die,
   a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
   a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
   a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
   a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
   a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
   a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
   a time for war and a time for peace.

⁹ What do workers gain from their toil? ¹⁰ I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. ¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet^[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. ¹² I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. ¹³ That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. ¹⁴ I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.

¹⁵ Whatever is has already been,
   and what will be has been before;
   and God will call the past to account.^[b]

Baby Hope Has Arrived Home Today

 

 

Sweet Dreams

 

 

Daddy’s Little Girl

 

 

These photos were taken on Sunday Morning when I went with my son for Hope’s Feeding.

She no longer has her tube in and was released from the hospital today and is home with her family. She weighs in at 5 lbs. and is now 57weeks old. What a miracle she is.

Thank you Jesus for this precious gift you have given  us to love and cherish. Thank you for answered prayers.

Thank you all so very much for your prayers and support during the weeks leading up to this happy day.

God Bless each and everyone of you.

xox Dianne :)

Dianne © dsphotocats

Baby Hope

 

The Beginning Of Hope’s Journey

 

 

 

Don’t give up Hope

The answers to Prayer

are on the way!

 

 

 

 

A wee bit of heaven
drifted down from above-
A handful of happiness,
a heart full of love.
The mystery of life,
so sacred and sweet-
The giver of joy
so deep and complete.
Precious and priceless,
so lovable, too-
The world’s sweetest miracle,
baby, is you.
~ Helen Steiner Rice

 

 

 

You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
~ Psalm 139:16

 

 

I want to thank all of you who have prayed, and those who will continue to pray for Baby Hope, and her mommy and daddy, and her siblings, and family.

It has been a rough, hard journey thus far but each day she is getting a little stronger as she continues to grow. Hope is now 36wks. old and weighs 4lbs 15oz.. It is hard to believe that under normal circumstances, she would be still in her mommy’s womb.

Hope is out of the NICU, and is in a Special Care Unit at this time. She still has her feeding tube in but is starting to breast feed as well. She tires easily and has a way to go before she can go home to her loving family. Please remember her mom in your prayers, as she faithfully goes in every three hours to feed her little one, and mommy and daddy are very tired beyond words, and will be glad when Hope can be with them at home.

Hang in there Sandra, and David. I am so very proud of you both. Take a day at a time, and you will get through these trying days, and soon look back and see just how far you all have come.  You are not alone, and many are filling in the gap by praying that God will give you the strength to do all you have to do. Don’t give up Hope, for the answers are on the way.

Thank you Jesus for Hope, our little Miracle which is a Gift from above. Watch over her as she grows. May she be healthy and strong, and may your hand be upon her all the days of her life. May we always be thankful, for the great things you have done. May we count our Blessings, one by one. Amen

           …………………………………………….

 

I hope to find you all well and thank you for your encouraging words, and prayers. They mean more than you will ever know. May God Bless each one of you.

I haven’t been able to blog for awhile. Lots still going on. My mom is recovering from her surgery, and I have been helping her as much as I can. Please remember her in your prayers also if you feel lead to do so. She has chronic kidney disease, but is still able to live on her own with help.

Well that’s  about it for now. I will end with this verse of scripture that has helped me .  I have my share of ups and downs, like everyone else, but God has seen me through them all, and He is my Strength and Strong Hold. I am weak but He is Strong. I am imperfect and God is Perfect in everyway. He is my Help.

Mathew 11 vs 28,29,30

28.Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest in your souls. 30. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

 

I hope you all have a wonderful day and weekend.

xoxo Dianne :)

 

Dianne © dsphotocats

Hope Has Arrived

 

I want to thank each and every one of you who have kept us in your thoughts and prayers. They have all paid off and last night “Hope”, our new little granddaughter arrived. We are all so very happy and grateful that all went well.  Hope weighed in at 4 lbs. 4oz. She is in the NICU as she was born at 34 wks. and could be there for 2 or 3 wks. depending on how she progresses. She is on oxygen to keep her oxygen levels up, and they are tube feeding her at the moment, until she is stronger and able to suck. She also has fluid in her lungs and there is a procedure they use to help dry out her tiny little lungs. She has got off to a rough start but is in good hands. She is in God’s Hands.

Please keep Hope, mom and dad in your prayers. It hasn’t been easy for them, or the family. We are all so very thankful for her safe arrival, and will be so glad when she can come home to her family.
Thank you all so very much for your continued prayers.
xx's Dianne  :)

Train Of Life

 

 

 

Train Of Life

Some folks ride the train of life
Looking out the rear,
Watching miles of life roll by,
And marking every year.
They sit in sad remembrance,
Of wasted days gone by,
And curse their life for what it was,
And hang their head and cry.
But I don't concern myself with that,
I took a different vent,
I look forward to what life holds,
And not what has been spent.
So strap me to the engine,
As securely as I can be,
I want to be out on the front,
To see what I can see.
I want to feel the winds of change,
Blowing in my face,
I want to see what life unfolds,
As I move from place to place.
I want to see what's coming up,
Not looking at the past,
Life's too short for yesterdays,
It moves along too fast.
So if the ride gets bumpy,
While you are looking back,
Go up front, and you may find,
Your life has jumped the track.
It's all right to remember,
That's part of history,
But up front's where it's happening,
There's so much mystery.
The enjoyment of living,
Is not where we have been,
It's looking ever forward,
To another year and ten.
It's searching all the byways,
Never should you refrain,
For if you want to live your life,
You gotta drive the train.

Author Unknown

 

 



 

 

I was riding my bike one day, and I stopped dead in my tacks,or should I say train tracks.

It was a late summer afternoon, and I had gone for a ride on the waterfront trail, and was on my way back home.

Out of the corner of my eye I looked in both directions, and this is what I saw. This is a little moment in history. I am looking forward to what lies ahead, but since I haven’t been out with my camera in awhile this is from my archives. :)

><><

 

I have had a lot going on in my life, and that of my family. I would ask that you remember my Daughter-In Law (Sandra) and my little granddaughter who as of yet hasn’t been born. They are in the hospital in a NICU, because the baby is only 33 weeks old at this time. She is expected to have a premature arrival. I would appreciate your prayers for them, and that the baby would have a safe, and healthy arrival.

The last few weeks have been very unsettling for all of us, and stressful as well.

I know they are both in God’s Hands, as we all are.

The Medical Team is hoping that the baby can stay safely in the womb until the 34th week, and then if need be they will induce her labor . This is the short version of what has been happening without going into too much detail. Please remember my son who is the daddy, and Tesa, Jenna, and Courtney who are missing mom, and looking so foreword to having another little sister to be part of their family.

><>< 

My other son and daughter-in-law are also expecting a little baby boy in August. :)

I had the pleasure of watching a 3D ultrasound, live broadcasting on my computer, yesterday. I got to watch my not yet born little grandson, in his mom’s womb. He was blowing bubbles , and was quite active. It brought me to happy tears as I watched the miracle of life before my very eyes. I only wish I could have seen the expression on my son’s and daughter-in-laws face as they watched their son. I am so very happy and excited for the both of them.

Life is good, and so very Precious!

Well there are other things going on in my life also, but this is more than enough for one day.

God Bless and be with you all. Have a good week.

Sincerely Dianne :)

 

God On A Cross? The Creator Of The Universe!

 

 

At The Foot Of The Cross  

 

 

 The Dawn Of Heavens  Dream. God on a cross. Humanity at its worst. Divinity at its best….God isn’t stumped by an evil world. He doesn’t gasp in amazement at the dearth of our faith or the depth of our failures. He knows the condition of the world…and loves it just the same. For just when we find a place where God would never be ( like on a cross), we look again and there He is, in the flesh.

God on a cross? The Creator of the universe sacrificing himself for his creation? How could this be? Who was this Jesus?

He was – and is- a God of tears. A creator with a heart. Bloodstained royalty. A God who became earth’s mockery to save his children.

How absurd to think that such nobility would go to such poverty to share such a treasure with such thankless souls. How incredible to know that God himself died on a cross for his children.

But he did.

Incredible.

Yes, incredibly.

 

 

 

 

Jesus was given to you, and with the help of those who don’t know the law, you put him to death by nailing him to a cross. But this was God’s plan he had made long ago; he knew this would happen. God raised Jesus from the dead and set him free from the pain of death, because death could not hold him. (Acts 2:23,24).

The cross was no accident .

Jesus ‘ death was not the result of a panicking cosmological engineer.

The cross was not a tragic surprise. Calvary was not a knee jerk response to a world plummeting toward destruction. It was not a patch up job or a stop gap measure. The death of the son of God was anything but an unexpected peril.

No it was part of an incredible plan. A calculated choice. “ It was the Lord’s will to crush him” (Isaiah 53:10)

The moment the forbidden fruit touched the lips of Eve, the shadow of the cross appeared on the horizon. And between that moment and the moment the man with the mallet placed the spike against the wrist of God, a master plan was fulfilled.

 

Excerpt from Max Lucado’s book entitled "The cross"

 

 

 

 

 

I hope and pray you all have a wonderful Easter as we celebrate the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, who will one day return for His Church, which is made up of all who believe, and receive Him as Lord and Savior, and soon coming King .

Happy Easter one and all.

With Love and Care

Dianne :)

Happy Spring!

 

 

Spring makes it’s own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer.

- Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

 

 

 

The Robins and Red Winged Blackbirds are back.

The Swans, and Canada Geese are back too, as well as a few other song birds, all chirping away. My pair of swans, and pair of geese are already back, and claiming their territory and where they will nest in the near future. Yes, “Spring Romance” is in the air. Some may say it is for the birds! They certainly think so. :)

7:21p.m Eastern Standard Time is officially the beginning of Spring! I want to wish you all a Happy Spring. Spring is a time of new beginnings, new growth, new hope, after a long cold winter. A new season is upon us. Yes, it has finally arrived. I for one am looking forward to it, and the days ahead.

Happy Spring to all who are about to enjoy this new season of life. As I post this to my blog it is now officially here!

Love and Care, Dianne

The Light_Sharing From My Heart

 

 

 

        

 

 

A Missionary was sailing home when she was awakened by a cry – a cry which is perhaps the  most difficult to hear when at sea. “Man overboard!” She arose quickly from her berth, lit the lamp at the window of her cabin, and then held the lamp at the window of her cabin in hopes of seeing some sign of life in the murky waters outside.

Seeing nothing she hung the lamp back on its bracket, snuffed it out, and returned to her berth with prayers for the man lost at sea. In the morning, to her surprise she discovered  the man had been rescued. Not only that, but she learned it was the flash of her lamp through the porthole that showed those on deck the location of the missing man who was desperately clinging to a rope still attached to the deck. He was pulled from the cold waters just in the nick of time. Such a small deed of shining a lamp at the right time had saved a man’s life.

  It isn’t the size of the deed you do that counts. God can take every deed we perform and use it for His purposes, in our lives and in the lives of others.

                ---------------------------------------

My heart has been very heavy for the people of Japan, Haiti, and so many. We must all do what we can to help our fellow man. Shining our lamps in  what ever way we can. All of us can pray. All of us can do something.  

 

 

 

 

If I didn't do anything else with my life, I do want to spread His Love, and be able to encourage others in The Faith. We really do need to Love and support each other, as God's Children. We are Family! :) We do need to pray for our unsaved loved ones, and others who don't know Jesus Christ, and haven't accepted Him as Lord, and Savior.

(John 14:6), He is the Only Way, to be saved, and God help those who reject Him. (John 3:16), God is not willing that any should perish, and has made a way for all to come and be reconciled with Him. This life is temporary, but Eternity is Forever. I want to spend it with Jesus, and I want all to be saved, but I know that is not the case, according to His Word. God will not share His Glory with those who choose to worship false gods, and reject His Son. All other ground is sinking sand. 
  We serve a Wonderful Savior who gave His Life, so that we could be saved. I pray God will open the eyes of the spiritually blind,and that all will come to a saving knowledge of who He is. That all would hear the gospel, and come to the place of decision. We all must make that choice. God is not to be taken lightly. I am just sharing some of my thoughts, and feelings with you, this day. I have many loved ones and friends, and people I know who don't know the Lord. I pray for them, and I also pray that God would give me the courage to tell others about Jesus when He gives me the opportunity to do so, and know when to speak, and when not to speak.

We are living in troubled times. Our world is changing before our very eyes. Jesus’s disciples asked Him in Mathew chapter 24, in the Bible, What would be the sign of His coming, and the end of the age? Jesus warned them to watch out for many will come in His name, claiming to be Christ, and deceive many. He also said, there would be wars, and rumors of wars, but don’t be alarmed for such things must happen but the end is not yet. Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdoms against kingdoms. There will be famines, and earthquakes in various places. (Sound Familiar?) All these are the beginning of birth pains.

It goes on… You can read it for yourselves.  I am not a Bible scholar but I do believe the Bible is the Inspired Word of God, to all man kind.

This is what I believe. This is my conviction. God gave us all a free will to choose. All I ask is that if you don’t believe at this time, you give it some thought, and ask God to reveal Himself to you, if He is real. If you are sincere and seek Him, He will show you. Ask Him to open the eyes of your heart, and He will. If you are the least bit curious, and want to find Truth, read the Gospel of John. What have you to loose?

Sincerely, Dianne

Wishing You A Happy New Year

 

 

I didn’t go shopping on Boxing Day, but I did find a few Boxing Day Specials.

 

 

I got up early and went out with my camera and took a few shots. It has been awhile and it felt good to be out in the fresh morning air with camera in hand. I went to a friends house to check out her bird feeders. The birds slept in , but the squirrels were out and about, hustling, and bustling, gathering up some nuts for breakfast. They were fun to watch and photograph, as I swept the dust off my camera so to speak , and starting clicking away.

 

 

 

 

There were Black, and Grey Squirrels, and some in between. They never cease to amaze me, as I watched them running across this fence with barbwire on top, and it didn’t seem to hinder them at all. They are so sure footed as they run on almost anything, and jump from tree to tree, up and down and all around. I had so much fun watching them. Soon after a few birds flew in to see what was on the bird feeder menu. I will save them for another day, or maybe until next year. Ha! Which isn’t too far away. :)

 

 

 

 

 

I want to thank you all for your friendship, and all that you have added to my life through your wonderful and unique Blogs, this past year. Thank you for visiting my blog also, and leaving your comments, and kind words. Thank you for your love and support, and encouragement, and sharing.

I am not sure where this new year will take us or the world. We live in a fast moving world where things can change very quickly for the good, or the not so good. I am an Optimist at heart and I do look for God's Beauty in His Creation that surrounds me each and every day. I see the good, and I see the bad in this world, but I try to live my life by Faith, Hope and Love, and that is what I pray for each one of you, as we continue this journey of life. May we all embrace it, for life is precious and each one of you are Precious!

Have a wonderful and safe time as you celebrate the birth of the New Year. In closing I leave you with this little story called, "The Optimist".

 

The Optimist

The optimist sees the doughnut, the pessimists, the hole.

                                           Quote by: McLandburgh Wilson

 

Their is a story of identical twins. One was a hope-filled optimist." Everything is coming up roses!" he would say. The other twin was a sad and hopeless pessimist. He thought that Murphy, as in Murphy's Law, was an optimist. The worried parents of the boys brought them to the local psychologist.

He suggested to the parents a plan to balance the twins' personalities. "On their next birthday, put them in separate rooms to open their gifts. Give the pessimist the best toys you can afford, and give the optimist a box of manure." The parents followed these instructions and carefully observed the results.

When they peeked in on the pessimist, they heard him audibly complaining, " I don't like the color of this computer... I'll bet this calculator will break... I don't like the game... I know someone who's got a bigger toy car than this..."

Tiptoeing across the corridor, the parents peeked in and saw their little optimist gleefully throwing the manure up in the air. He was giggling, "You can't fool me! Where there is this much manure, there's got to be a pony!"

Source Unknown

 

I Hope this New Year is kind to you all!  May you have a Happy, and Healthy New Year, filled with many Blessings.

xx’s Dianne :) 

A Father’s Love

A Father’s Love

Every Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at the church, the Pastor and his eleven year old son would go out into their town and hand out Gospel Tracts. This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and his son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold outside, as well as pouring down rain. The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said, "OK, dad, I'm ready. "His Pastor dad asked, "Ready for what?" "Dad, it's time we gather our tracts together and go out." Dad responds, "Son, it's very cold outside and it's pouring down rain." The boy gives his dad a surprised look, asking, "But Dad, aren't people still going to Hell, even though it's raining?" Dad answers, "Son, I am not going out in this weather." Despondently, the boy asks, "Dad, can I go? Please?" His father hesitated for a moment then said, "Son, you can go. Here are the tracts, be careful son. "Thanks Dad!" And with that, he was off and out into the rain. His eleven year old boy walked the streets of the town going door to door and handing everybody he met in the street a Gospel Tract.
After two hours of walking in the rain, he was soaking, bone-chilled wet and down to his VERY LAST TRACT. He stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a tract to, but the streets were totally deserted. Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk to the front door and rang the doorbell. He rang the bell, but nobody answered. He rang it again and again, but still no one answered. He waited but still no answer. Finally, this eleven-year-old trooper turned to leave, but something stopped him. Again, he turned to the door and rang the bell and knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the front porch! He rang again and this time the door slowly opened. Standing in the doorway was a very sad-looking elderly lady. She softly asked, "What can I do for you, son? With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy said, "Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell you that *JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU* and I came to give you my very last Gospel Tract which will tell you all about JESUS and His great LOVE."With that, he handed her his last tract and turned to leave. She called to him as he departed. "Thank you, son! And God Bless You! " Well, the following Sunday morning in church Pastor Dad was in the pulpit. As the service began, he asked, "Does anybody have any testimony or want to say anything?" Slowly, in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her feet. As she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her face, "No one in this church knows me. I've never been here before. You see, before last Sunday I was not a Christian. My husband passed on some time ago, leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday, being a particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more so in my heart that I came to the end of the line where I no longer had any hope or will to live. So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic of my home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof, then stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my neck. Standing on that chair, so lonely and broken-hearted I was about to leap off, when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs startled me. I thought, "I'll wait a minute, and whoever it is will go away." I waited and waited, but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and more insistent, and then the person ringing also started knocking loudly. I thought to myself again, "Who on earth could this be? Nobody ever rings my bell or comes to see me." I loosened the rope from my neck and started for the front door, all the while the bell rang louder and louder. When I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes, for there on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I had ever seen in my life. His SMILE, oh, I could never describe it to you! The words that came from his mouth caused my heart that had long been dead, TO LEAP TO LIFE as he exclaimed with a cherub-like voice, "Ma'am, I just came to tell you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU." Then he gave me this Gospel Tract that I now hold in my hand.
As the little angel disappeared back out into the cold and rain, I closed my door and read slowly every word of this Gospel Tract. Then I went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them any more. You see---I am now a Happy Child of the KING. Since the address of your church was on the back of this Gospel Tract, I have come here to personally say THANK YOU to God's little angel who came just in the nick of time and by so doing, spared my soul from an eternity in hell."
There was not a dry eye in the church. And as shouts of praise and honour to THE KING resounded off the very rafters of the building, Pastor Dad descended from the pulpit to the front pew where the little angel was seated. He took his son in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably. Probably no church has had a more glorious moment, and probably this universe has never seen a Papa that was more filled with love & honour for his son... Except for One. Our Father also allowed His Son to go out into a cold and dark world. He received His Son back with joy unspeakable, and as all of heaven shouted praises and honour to The King, the Father sat His beloved Son on a throne far above all principality and power and every name that is named. Heaven is for His people! Remember. God's message CAN make the difference in the life of someone close to you. "Faith is the affirmation and the act that bids eternal truth be present fact.

 

   

  I found this story in my archives and I thought I would share it. Some of you may remember when I posted this on my other blog , and some may not.

We can all make a difference in some ones life by just being kind, and showing a little Grace. It doesn’t always have to be something big. Some of the best acts of kindness are the little, simple things that can make all the difference in the world, and you may or may not ever know what it means to that person. A smile as you are walking by another person , or a prayer for someone you noticed as you are driving by on your way to work or wherever.

I just want to say that many of you have made a difference in my life with your thoughts , prayers, kind words, comments, and all that you share. Thank You! Dianne :)