Hodge Podge Wednesday

1. What lesson has failure taught you?

Probably the greatest thing failure teaches me is patience with others who don't get it right.  I know that God uses failure in my life to make me even more dependant on Him also, but it makes me more understanding and tolerant of others.

2. What decision are you glad you made?

Of course the most important decision I have ever made was when I accepted Jesus as my Savior from sin. 

Most other major decisions I've made over the years are ones I just fell into, but I am happy with many of them, such as the decision to go back to school and get my degree in education, the decision to marry again after Don died, the decision to purchase a piece of property on the side of a hill with LOADS of rocks.  Of course we pray about the decisions we make, but it does take a step of faith into the unknown and trust that God will lead... and He always has.  Every major decision has come with butterflies in the stomach, but if it has been prayed through those will go away.

3. I've been a little bit surprised to see fully lit and decorated Christmas trees popping up for the past several weeks in friend's Instagram feeds. So tell the truth-is your tree up and decorated, and if so when did that happen? If not, when will you be decking the halls?

We don't have an indoor tree, not because we don't want one, but because we have no room.  As you can see in the picture at the top of my blog, we have a tiny tree that we could put up, but no room for it... really.  Camper living means every nook and crannie is filled with things you need.  If it is not needed it goes.  I will have an outdoor tree this year since we have the electricity hooked up outside but not till after Thanksgiving.

4. Solitaire-Poker-Rummy-Hearts-Go Fish-Old Maid...which game of cards would you most like to join?

We love playing games.  On holidays our family sits around and plays games one after the other... lots of fun and relaxing.  Our favorite is the Monopoly card game, the older one, not the newer version.  We also like a game we play with Rook cards called "Scum" and my daughters and I like "Dutch Blitz" and a card/board game called "Sequence".

5. This question comes to you courtesy of a Facebook friend, who once upon a time had a blog...When you're feeling stressed do you snack a lot or are you more the 'can't eat' type?

Real stress makes me sick to my stomach, but mild stress such running around trying to get stuff done, makes me eat the wrong kinds of foods.  I eat fast foods that are high in fat and sugar and those are things I really should keep away from.  If I have plenty of time I like to prepare and eat good foods like fresh veggies and grilled meats with all the fat trimmed off etc.

6. Have you ever reviewed a product or service on line? Was your review favorable or less than favorable?

I haven't done this.

7. What was the best conversation you had yesterday?

The last couple of days have been quiet at our house since Mr. D is preparing a message for Prayer Meeting at church.  He works outside during daylight hours and then at night comes in to study.  He has been studying a lot which means I either go to the house and work on sewing projects or sit on the little couch and hand stitch or read.  We did have quite a discussion at work yesterday about the health insurance changes that are happening.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I'm currently embroidering a tea towel with Bluettes which were my mother's favorite.  I'm excited to see how they will come out.

Have a happy Wednesday.  Join up with HodgePodge Wednesday at http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/

 

MORE ON "FORGIVENESS"

Psalm 103:3

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

When we repent, God is willing to forgive and cleanse. This is a finished work, it’s not a thing we should pick up and examine over and over (I John 1:9).

God does the forgiving of sin. He buries our sins it in the deepest ocean, sends them as far as the east is from the west.

Psalm 103:12
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.


Can we forgive ourselves? I’ve thought about this a while and I’m not sure that is a Biblical concept. We need to know God’s forgiveness.

Just as he has forgiven us, we can forgive others their trespasses against us.

Matthew 6:12
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Matthew 6:14
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

What if someone asks for forgiveness and we are unwilling to forgive. This is sin and will disrupt our relationship with others and with God.

Luke 6:37
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:


What if you need to forgive someone who is no longer alive, or is not able to communicate with you for one reason or another. They may not be able or willing to ask for forgiveness. We can forgive them anyway and this will have an effect in our life. Did the Roman guards ask for forgiveness at the foot of the cross? Look at some Bible examples of forgiveness: Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25,27,32,33)

Joseph forgiveness of his brothers (Genesis 37-50)

David and Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9)

The Prodigal Son (Luke 15)

Some of these asked for forgiveness, others did not, that wasn’t a limiting factor of forgiveness.

What about the woman caught in adultery (John 8) precious words of Jesus…

John 8: 10,11
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more

God forgave us while we were yet sinners. (Romans 5:8)

We could write our own story. What about you when…






As far as “forgiving ourselves”, we should try to remember that God is the one we need to seek forgiveness from if we have sinned against Him. This could be in our attitude. Like I tell my Sunday School class: “Sin is anything we do, say, or think that displeases God”. We need to repent of those things and leave them with the Lord. If we are able to seek forgiveness from someone we have wronged, I think it is good for them and ourselves to go to them and ask for forgiveness and let them know we are sorry. If they are unwilling to forgive, we have done the right thing and before God we are forgiven. Satan would like to make us think we are still condemned, but what does God say about that?

We are no longer condemned…

Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Is there anything too hard for God to forgive?

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.

When the Bible says “all”, that means all. Reflect again on the story of Corrie Ten Boom who came face-to-face with the SS guard who had murdered so many. Had God truly forgiven him? What about David in the Bible? Did God forgive him when he asked for forgiveness? (Psalm 51)

Acts 13:22
… he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.

I’d say in conclusion here, though I’m sure I will learn many more things on this topic as time goes on, it is easy to see that the world has an entirely different view of what forgiveness means. I’ve looked around the internet and read excerpts from books and magazine articles and the conclusion I make is Forgiveness is of God. Our ability to forgive and forgiveness of our sins… God is the author.

A Trip to the Great North Woods

On Saturday a friend and I took a trip to Northern New Hampshire.  When my brother and I were much younger we took a fishing trip to some places around Berlin, NH.  There were lots of logging roads due to the Paper Company pulling out pulp wood.  The whole countryside is covered with spruce and pulp paper was big business at that time.  Many of those mills have closed now or gone to recycling.  We went on Saturday even further north to the Third Connecticut Lake. 





falls on Beaver Brook

 

Ice forming on small branches at Third Connecticut Lake

 


My friend taking pictures at Scott's Bog.

 

Scott's Bog

 




Second Connecticut Lake

Yup, that's the first snows of this winter.
Later this night we received 4 inches.



We had a wonderful trip enjoying the beauty of God's creation.  Many years ago this area was logging territory.  See the history of Pittsburg, NH here http://www.greatnorthwoods.org/pittsburg/logging/



HodgePodge Wednesday (a day early)



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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 149

1. My sister is celebrating a birthday today. Happy Birthday little sis! What's one way you're like your siblings? If you don't have siblings how are you like your lifelong best friend or cousin?

In many ways I am very different from my brother, but one thing is the same, that we both love and serve a great God.

2. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of yourself at age eighteen?

Hmmm rebellious and headstrong… maybe they are the same thing, not really sure, but that’s what I think I was like. I was always busy doing something or going somewhere and planning for college at that time.

3. Sculptor-actor-painter-dancer...if you could excel in one of these arts, which would you choose and why?

I would love to be a good painter. My daughter is a lovely painter/artist.  She has the "artist's eye".  I especially like painting, but never was very good at it.

4. What's a scent that takes you back in time, and where does it take you?

Some time ago I bought some Herbal Essence Shampoo and when I used it I was taken back in time. I did use this shampoo exclusively all through high school.



5. November is for Peanut Butter Lovers (National Peanut Butter Lovers Month). Are you a lover or a hater?

I just ate 3 spoonsful of peanut butter. YUM!

What's your favorite dish/recipe that calls for peanut butter?

Chocolate/peanut butter no-bake cookies and/or peanut butter fudge - Christmas time only!!!

6. What do people thank you personally for most often?

For listening and my husband thanks me every time I cook a meal which I do most every day. Glad he can live through my cooking.



7. What event this year are you most thankful for?

I am thankful that Brandon was able to come for the summer and stay with us. He’s getting older now and I’m not sure how many more years he’ll want to come to Grandpa and Grandma’s house for the summer.  I am thankful that my 'lil Peanut and his mom live so close and I get to see them most every day.  I'm thankful for a great Sweetie who loves me no matter what and is patient with me even when I am crabby.  I am thankful for a good harvest and that it is almost all put up (dug beets but they are not put up yet). Thankful for my church family and for God most of all who forgave a rebellious, willful me.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

FORGIVENESS

A friend and I are embarking on a study of "Forgiveness.

It's true, we've all been offended or betrayed at one time or another in our lives. Sometimes this causes intense discomfort and may seem to be overwhelming. These hurts to the heart if left to fester can cause bitterness to spring up. Some people have no idea how to rid themselves of those feeling. It may lead to hate towards the ones who have offended us or unreasonable fear of being wounded again. They shy away from relationships with people because they are afraid of being hurt. Forgiveness is very important to the Christian especially because we have such a great example in the Lord Jesus. We have been forgiven much and because we have been forgiven much we should in turn forgive those who have wronged us.

Ephesians 4:32

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Sometimes we think of forgiveness as something we are doing for the offender. We actually are allowing God to work a good work in us when we forgive. He brings healing to our heart and life. We are agreeing with God, that He is the only one who is able to judge another.

Romans 12:19

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

So we aren’t letting the offender “off the hook” so to speak, but we are allowing God to work in that persons’ life, and our own. Bitterness comes from playing the offence over and over in our mind. Remembering over and over the insults, hurt, rejection, injustices and pain that others have caused us. It causes us to be weak and fearful. Bitterness can actually cause us to be physically sick.

Hebrews 12:12-15

Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Forgiveness is not a forgetting or promising to forget.  Forgiveness is not promising to believe that the other person was not guilty or responsible for what they did. It is not praising or rewarding the other person or approving of what was done. Forgiveness is not permission to repeat the offense. Forgiveness is our decision to no longer hate the offender; to realize that God will make things right. He has promised healing to our mind. He will work in the heart of the offender in ways we cannot.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Forgiveness is between you and God. Choose a time when you are ready. Pray and tell God that you are choosing to forgive, that you want Him to heal your heart and give you the sound mind He has promised. When we pray, agreeing with God that is a powerful thing. He will hear us. He is ready to heal us and give us peace. Just as with salvation it is not something we can DO, we are trusting GOD TO DO the work in our heart. We make the choice, but He does the work.

Galatians 2:16

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Titus 3:5

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us

…to be continued…