Happy Friday

I would say TGIF, but I should be thankful for every day.  I do like Sunday, Wednesday and Friday the best.  Saturdays are OK, and Tuesdays are fun too.  Tuesdays used to be more fun, 'cause Mr. D would come in with me to work and stick around all day and then we'd go home together, but new rules prevent him from being here, so we don't see each other even if he is in town for the day.  The rest of the days are good too, but those are my favs.

Any day that we can live for God is good.  I can honestly say my life is full of good days.  Some may seem better than others, but they are all good.  Today I went to pick up compost for the chickens and ducks and found 2 nice looking pears and a couple of small bananas.  That was nice 'cause I drove off this morning and left my lunch on the counter at home.  Thank you Lord for your blessings.  The pears are even ripe... see God knows I have no teeth to chew with and so He gave me soft fruit.  Isn't that cool?

It's kinda slow today at work too so I have a little time to post some thoughts here during my lunchtime.  That's cool too.

What will you be doing on your Friday?  I would love to get together with friends, but Mr. D and I will probably make a pizza tonight and then spend some time with the Lord, watch the news, maybe one of our old movie videos, or play a couple games.  Recently I picked up a monopoly card game that is really fun.  Mr. D like the Monopoly board game, but I get bored to death playing it, 'cause it is sooooo loooooong.  Who has time for that?  So this card game is a lot like the board game except it is really fast moving.  We enjoy playing that. 

Saturday I have the laundry and it's going to be a nice day, so the clothes will be hanging in the sunshine and they'll smell oh so nice when I bring them in.  I have some raking to do and some weeding in the garden and if there's enough time I should till the garden too.  Mr. D has his hands full with getting ready for the building.  He has been sorting and figuring and I hope we've collected enough lumber (from the dump), to get the addition done.  

Saturday evening I will be working on my Sunday School lesson and probably baking bread.  If it's a warm evening it should rise OK.  Poor Mr. D had only one small loaf of bread this week, so he'll be looking forward to that.

Sunday will be a day of rest.  Church in the morning, then an easy lunch, maybe a walk through the woods with the Spot dog and then evening church.  Early to bed and then we start all over again.

I hope you have a great weekend.

Mrs. D

Just a little thought

Hebrews 9:28

"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
 
This was the topic of the Days of Praise devotional for today.  Sometimes a verse you have looked at possibly hundreds of times suddenly speaks to you heart.  You know?  Well, this did today.  The word "once" meaning "one time".  Jesus gave Himself for us that one time and that is all it took to reconcile us to God.  Complete. 
 
This is such an encouraging thought to me.  Do I need to fret that somehow because of my sins there will ever be a loss of salvation?  Nope!  It's a once and done act.  Not something I have done, but what Jesus has done for me... "once"!   I often think of those I have been associated with in the past and even now who try so hard to live in such a way so as to not lose their salvation.  How disheartening it must be to try and fail, try and fail over and over again. 
 
Titus 3:5:

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"

Praise God for His mercy and the work of Christ, (once) and the Holy Spirit's renewing and regenerating.   How WONDERFUL!

All of this reminds me of an old hymn that I don't think I have sung in a while, but came to mind today...

"Once For All"  Philip P. Bliss
Free from the law, O happy condition,

Jesus has bled and there is remission,
Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,
Grace hath redeemed us once for all.

Refrain
Once for all, O sinner, receive it,
Once for all, O brother, believe it;
Cling to the cross, the burden will fall,
Christ hath redeemed us once for all.

Now we are free, there’s no condemnation,
Jesus provides a perfect salvation.
“Come unto Me,” O hear His sweet call,
Come, and He saves us once for all.

“Children of God,” O glorious calling,
Surely His grace will keep us from falling;
Passing from death to life at His call;
Blessèd salvation once for all.

I like Free Foto, but their logo is right over the end of this reference, so let me write it out here for ya:

John 11:25-26 "...I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die..."

Praise God!

Spring Snow

We all woke up Friday morning to 2 inches of snow and then again on Saturday.  Altogether is was a wet and chilly weekend.  It's not unusual for us to get snow this time of year, but the poor plants are a little confused.  My poor daffodils were laying down, broken off by the heavy snow filling their little floral cups.  I love spring flowers.  Crocus, Daffodils, Tulips, Forsythia and even Trilium and Adder's Tongue all coming up and gracing the grey landscape with the bright yellows and purples and reds.  It is so encouraging after living with snow for 5-6 months and sometimes more. 

I wanted to take some pictures of my flowers outside, but they didn't come out too clear.  I do have a picture of the daffodils I brought in that were all broken off.  Picked up a suitable vase at the dump on Saturday, cleaned it up and here they are sitting on my kitchen table.

Mr. D and I took a little walk on Easter afternoon to enjoy the warm sunshine and temperatures.  Here is a picture that Mr. D took of Spot and I sitting on a rock amidst the still grey surroundings... soon to be green!

OK, I know.  I've got to shed some of that winter flab, but this is one good way, right?  A couple months in the garden should take care of that... hopefully. 

Here's my sweet Mr. D...

Spot had lots of fun too.  She has almost fully recovered from her injuries this winter and though there are some residual problems, we thank the Lord for mending her poor bones and allowing her to be with us a little longer.  I know she's just a dog, but she is a useful dog and we so enjoy her crazy antics.  She's back to playing ball with us and helping herd the ducks in at night.  Her bite is far less firm and this causes problems when hunting rodents, but she is still effective in giving them a hard time and we really haven't seen too many recently.  Our neighbors now have chickens too, so perhaps they have gone where the pickin's are easier.

Can't tell she is loved, can you?  Notice the unsulation in the window.  We found this cut down on the sweating of the window this winter.  In the winter cold, moisture ran down the front wall causing mold to form behind the couch.  I am so glad that this problem has been fixed. 

Well, hope you all have a wonderful week.  Keep close to the Lord and in fellowship with other Christians, then  I know the Lord will bless your heart.

 

It's spring!!!!!

(not my crocus pic, but same type as mine - found on http://www.flowers.vg/flowers/crocus-white-purple.htm)

We had a wonderful Resurrection Day at our house.  We started the day with Sunrise Service at church.  It was so nice and warm this year and we actually saw the sun rise.  A wonderful time to sing and hear God's Word as we remembered God's gift of life.  Then we had a huge breakfast.  Everyone brought something to share.  We had all sorts of fresh fruit and egg cassaroles and fresh made cinnamon buns.  We had a good time of fellowship around the table with our brothers and sisters in the Lord.  After breakfast and fellowship we had a wonderful church service with singing great hymns and hearing the Word of God again and it all ended with a baptism.  Two young people, missionaries children, followed the Lord's example in baptism signifying the commitment of their lives to the Lord.  It was so wonderful.  Then after church Mr. D and I were able to spend some time together.  We wandered all around the land and made plans.,  Then we had a quiet supper and went to bed early.  Much needed rest.

(picture my daughter sent of the cherry blossoms in DC this year)

I have been just so excited about our early spring in New Hampshire.  I had to go to Boston Wednesday for a dental appointment and WoW!  it was 85 degrees when I came out of the office at 5:00.  It is just amazing.  Even where we live in the north country the flowers are springing up.  My friend, Betty, gave me a forsynthia bush the year we moved in here and it is blooming beautifully this year.  My crocus have multiplied around the old pine tree stump.

  Daffodils and tulips are coming up as well as rhubarb and chive and my swiss chard from last year is coming back... probably won't amount to much because I think chard is a biennial, so this year it will just go to seed.  Lots of wildflowers.  We went for a walk up through the woods behind our house on Easter afternoon and found thousands of Adder's Tongue coming up and many other little green shoots.  The stream is babbling along but soon will be dry.  We had some rain the past couple days and that will make everything grow a little faster.  I am going to go down this weekend and till the garden area up.  I want to get the squash in as soon as I can.  I'm a little hesitant to get everything planted this early, but some things are cold hardy and would probably be OK... like broccoli and peas and cabbages.  Memorial Day is planting day for us.  That's the day the squash, beans, beets, and other good stuff gets planted.  Also the day we spread manure and till it in.  We have lots of chicken droppings from the old coop that are going in too, so hope this year will be good gardening.

What do you grow in your garden?  Do you have flower or vegetable or both?  How early can you safely plant?

I just love getting in the dirt!  I'm ready for the gardening to begin!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend as you also remember the joy of Resurrection Day everyday!

Up from the grave he arose; 
With a mighty triumph o'er his foes; 
He arose a victor from the dark domain, 
And he lives forever, with his saints to reign. 
He arose! He arose! 

Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Robert Lowry, 1826-1899