As always, when Christmas time is in the air - I hear people discussing "keeping Christ in Christmas" and that it is "awful" to use XMAS - because that takes HIM out. SO NOT TRUE, dear ones!
On November 7, 2008 I posted a writing about the LABARUM .... a Greek symbol used to represent Christ for many, many years. If you go to the left of this page, find CHRISTMAS, click on it ... you will be taken to all the "Christmas writings" I have posted on this blog; then find November 7, 2008 to read the history of the labarum and what it means for us today!
I so want the world to keep Christ in Christmas. It is up to us - HIS followers - to make sure that happens by not getting caught up in the commercialism and materialism that the world sees as the reason for this holiday time! I LOVE this time of year! I LOVE to give gifts! I LOVE the Music and the Message! Let's focus on family and friends this year! Let's KEEP CHRIST as the "reason for the season" - as the saying goes!
Blessings on you, dear friends and loved ones!
Ruthie
picture
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
Who Gets The Glory?
I really, really, really dislike this day ... October 31 ... and all it represents! My reason - It has its roots in pagan customs!!!
The Celtic people of Great Britain and Northern France were the first to celebrate this eve. Here is some history in a nutshell! They were worshippers of many gods - one being the Sun God - whose "job" was over for the year as harvest time was upon them. Another god was the god of the dead - which was how they perceived winter... they believed that on this night he called together all the souls of the dead which took on animal shapes. The priests of these people built bonfires hoping to increase the sun's power so that the god of the dead would be overpowered. And then there is the history of the jack-o-lantern; and the "trick or treating"... and so on. This just barely touches the tip of the iceberg! You can research more if you need to know more!
I just KNOW this is not a celebration from my GOD! I KNOW too, that this IS the day HE has made and I WILL rejoice in HIS day! And - I GIVE HIM ALL THE GLORY FOR TODAY!
For most North Americans this day has no special meaning except to dress up and go home-to-home asking for a treat! BUT - my heart gets heavy when I see the church involved in this night.... I KNOW there will be many people say that it is an outreach avenue! That it is to keep the kids off the streets! That it is one more way for the church to be part of the community! I have even contributed to the treats being passed out tonight! Go figure!
Please - know this comes from my heart and not a place of judgment ---- for I realize that many, many churches across our country are celebrating Fall Festival. To me it is like taking an orange & painting it red, calling it an apple --- it is NOT an apple - it is still an orange!
PRAISE GOD! Scriptures tell us that the dead will rise - when Christ returns! Hallelujah! Not tonight! Not any other October 31st! Then - and only then!!!
1 Corinthians 15:52-53
It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.
Elsewhere in scripture we are told that we will not know the day or the hour this will occur! I love that His ways and thoughts are not ours...
I sometimes feel saddened though, wondering if HE is sad with us! Does He look at us and say, Oh my children, when are you going to learn.
Do you not KNOW that I AM!
I AM ENOUGH!
I AM IS SUFFICIENT!
I AM WILL ENABLE YOU TO STAND STRONG AND BOLD BEFORE THE WORLD!
Father God,
I bow my head and my heart before you today. Make me a light today - your light! You know the heaviness I feel every year at this time... show me, Lord, what I can do to be an instrument of change for You! Bless those reading this - may they KNOW that You are I AM!
Resting in HIM,
Ruthie
The Celtic people of Great Britain and Northern France were the first to celebrate this eve. Here is some history in a nutshell! They were worshippers of many gods - one being the Sun God - whose "job" was over for the year as harvest time was upon them. Another god was the god of the dead - which was how they perceived winter... they believed that on this night he called together all the souls of the dead which took on animal shapes. The priests of these people built bonfires hoping to increase the sun's power so that the god of the dead would be overpowered. And then there is the history of the jack-o-lantern; and the "trick or treating"... and so on. This just barely touches the tip of the iceberg! You can research more if you need to know more!
I just KNOW this is not a celebration from my GOD! I KNOW too, that this IS the day HE has made and I WILL rejoice in HIS day! And - I GIVE HIM ALL THE GLORY FOR TODAY!
For most North Americans this day has no special meaning except to dress up and go home-to-home asking for a treat! BUT - my heart gets heavy when I see the church involved in this night.... I KNOW there will be many people say that it is an outreach avenue! That it is to keep the kids off the streets! That it is one more way for the church to be part of the community! I have even contributed to the treats being passed out tonight! Go figure!
Please - know this comes from my heart and not a place of judgment ---- for I realize that many, many churches across our country are celebrating Fall Festival. To me it is like taking an orange & painting it red, calling it an apple --- it is NOT an apple - it is still an orange!
PRAISE GOD! Scriptures tell us that the dead will rise - when Christ returns! Hallelujah! Not tonight! Not any other October 31st! Then - and only then!!!
1 Corinthians 15:52-53
It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.
Elsewhere in scripture we are told that we will not know the day or the hour this will occur! I love that His ways and thoughts are not ours...
I sometimes feel saddened though, wondering if HE is sad with us! Does He look at us and say, Oh my children, when are you going to learn.
Do you not KNOW that I AM!
I AM ENOUGH!
I AM IS SUFFICIENT!
I AM WILL ENABLE YOU TO STAND STRONG AND BOLD BEFORE THE WORLD!
Father God,
I bow my head and my heart before you today. Make me a light today - your light! You know the heaviness I feel every year at this time... show me, Lord, what I can do to be an instrument of change for You! Bless those reading this - may they KNOW that You are I AM!
Resting in HIM,
Ruthie
Saturday, September 24, 2011
The "Wheeler Saga"!
Ephesians 3:20
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think ..."
What a week this has been at Thousand Hills Farm! Hubby went out to jump on the 4-wheeler Monday morning to find that it was GONE! STOLEN! Sometime Sunday evening - when he used it last - and Monday morn it "disappeared". Actually it probably happened within a short period of time on Sunday evening - but that is another story for another time!
He was discouraged to say the least! This wheeler is his life-line to the rest of the farm... carrying feed etc. to the pigs and chicks, and closing the birds up at night and ... everything else he has to do around here! Immediately I began to pray - quoting the above Scripture to God - telling Him that I KNOW He is so much more than we even think or know about Him! Telling Him that I KNOW He can do amazing things - asking Him to create a miracle in this situation. For me, that miracle would be returning the wheeler unharmed so that hubby could use it. For GOD - that MIRACLE / MIRACLES was/were soooooo much more!
I have a group of praying women around me that I can call on at any time and I immediately sent out emails to them asking for their prayers. I was gently reminded by a couple of them to pray for the person / persons who had stolen it. Many times each day I would praise God and thank Him for what He was going to do - and told Him I was believing for a miracle! And asking Him, thru His Holy Spirit, to speak to those lost individuals.
Hubby told a friend that he "counted it all joy" - he gave it all to God to work out - and he continued on with his work with a joyful attitude. I don't think he even knows how much that means to me. I could see in his face and in his speech that he was "resting in God's Provision". What a blessing!
When hearing of this dilemma a gal who has a wheeler sitting in her barn - not being used - offered it to hubby until he could get another one! No questions asked - just "I know you guys are my sister and brother in the Lord - so what's mine is yours". How I thank God for her!
Already here were some miracles:
- My "KNOWING God is able" was settled even deeper into my heart!
- Hubby's "dependence on God" was deepened!
- God speaking to people to be the hands and feet of Jesus has been so evident in our lives!
But WAIT - another miracle is on its way!
- This afternoon around 5 p.m. we were "gifted" - anonymously - with a bigger, newer, better wheeler than he had! How awesome is the hand of God in the lives of those people who are obedient to His Voice! Oh My! Tears come to my eyes thinking of the blessing He has bestowed on us!
WAIT! - Another One!
- Less than 2 hours later the RCMP called and said they found his wheeler, abandoned on the old track, close to the next community down from us! Found it! Unharmed! How can that be? it can only be because God is at work! Hubby told our story to the Officer and he was amazed! You can be sure he will retell this story! Use it Lord, I pray!
Oh My ... And Yet Another One!
- We will "pay it forward" - hubby told the RCMP officer
Are you sitting with your mouths open? I am! How amazing is this! It is like something you read in a book - not in our lives! OH! I am sooooo excited! God has plans - He will use this situation to speak to many lives - our family; friends - and others!
I Praise Him and I humbly Thank Him!
"... for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep What I have committed to Him until that Day." 2 Timothy 1:12
Dear Sweet readers -
I cannot put to paper the joy and praise and the full heart I have at this moment in time! I hope and pray you will get a sense of how magnificent our God is! That He does care about all the things in our lives - even such things as a 4-wheeler! I pray that this situation in our lives will help your faith to grow; that you will see the awesomeness of our Lord! And - that you will "LISTEN" for His Voice; that you will be obedient in prayer and praise!
I can hardly stand it - I just want to shout HIS Name from the rooftops!!! I so want "people" to get it"!
Holy Spirit - Minister to people - show people Who You are! Convince them of their need of You! Bring them to their knees in submission to You!
Blessings on you -
Ruthie
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think ..."
What a week this has been at Thousand Hills Farm! Hubby went out to jump on the 4-wheeler Monday morning to find that it was GONE! STOLEN! Sometime Sunday evening - when he used it last - and Monday morn it "disappeared". Actually it probably happened within a short period of time on Sunday evening - but that is another story for another time!
He was discouraged to say the least! This wheeler is his life-line to the rest of the farm... carrying feed etc. to the pigs and chicks, and closing the birds up at night and ... everything else he has to do around here! Immediately I began to pray - quoting the above Scripture to God - telling Him that I KNOW He is so much more than we even think or know about Him! Telling Him that I KNOW He can do amazing things - asking Him to create a miracle in this situation. For me, that miracle would be returning the wheeler unharmed so that hubby could use it. For GOD - that MIRACLE / MIRACLES was/were soooooo much more!
I have a group of praying women around me that I can call on at any time and I immediately sent out emails to them asking for their prayers. I was gently reminded by a couple of them to pray for the person / persons who had stolen it. Many times each day I would praise God and thank Him for what He was going to do - and told Him I was believing for a miracle! And asking Him, thru His Holy Spirit, to speak to those lost individuals.
Hubby told a friend that he "counted it all joy" - he gave it all to God to work out - and he continued on with his work with a joyful attitude. I don't think he even knows how much that means to me. I could see in his face and in his speech that he was "resting in God's Provision". What a blessing!
When hearing of this dilemma a gal who has a wheeler sitting in her barn - not being used - offered it to hubby until he could get another one! No questions asked - just "I know you guys are my sister and brother in the Lord - so what's mine is yours". How I thank God for her!
Already here were some miracles:
- My "KNOWING God is able" was settled even deeper into my heart!
- Hubby's "dependence on God" was deepened!
- God speaking to people to be the hands and feet of Jesus has been so evident in our lives!
But WAIT - another miracle is on its way!
- This afternoon around 5 p.m. we were "gifted" - anonymously - with a bigger, newer, better wheeler than he had! How awesome is the hand of God in the lives of those people who are obedient to His Voice! Oh My! Tears come to my eyes thinking of the blessing He has bestowed on us!
WAIT! - Another One!
- Less than 2 hours later the RCMP called and said they found his wheeler, abandoned on the old track, close to the next community down from us! Found it! Unharmed! How can that be? it can only be because God is at work! Hubby told our story to the Officer and he was amazed! You can be sure he will retell this story! Use it Lord, I pray!
Oh My ... And Yet Another One!
- We will "pay it forward" - hubby told the RCMP officer
that if he knew of anyone needing a wheeler for work around their property that we would give the lost/found one to them!
Are you sitting with your mouths open? I am! How amazing is this! It is like something you read in a book - not in our lives! OH! I am sooooo excited! God has plans - He will use this situation to speak to many lives - our family; friends - and others!
I Praise Him and I humbly Thank Him!
"... for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep What I have committed to Him until that Day." 2 Timothy 1:12
Dear Sweet readers -
I cannot put to paper the joy and praise and the full heart I have at this moment in time! I hope and pray you will get a sense of how magnificent our God is! That He does care about all the things in our lives - even such things as a 4-wheeler! I pray that this situation in our lives will help your faith to grow; that you will see the awesomeness of our Lord! And - that you will "LISTEN" for His Voice; that you will be obedient in prayer and praise!
I can hardly stand it - I just want to shout HIS Name from the rooftops!!! I so want "people" to get it"!
Holy Spirit - Minister to people - show people Who You are! Convince them of their need of You! Bring them to their knees in submission to You!
Blessings on you -
Ruthie
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Oh, the Blessings He Bestows!
"Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything." Philippians 4:6
I am struggling here today to get this post to line up the way I have written it ... when I "publish" it blogger does its own thing with it... so i apoligize for the wonkiness of it all ... God knows my heart and I pray you will be blessed by the content not the way it looks!!!
More wonderful blesings -
576. The peace of a campfire
577. Pleasant conversation with friends
577. Pleasant conversation with friends
578. Pot-Luck!
579. A sun flower in full bloom
580. Spending time with hubby!
581. New life - the birth of a beautiful baby girl.
582. Camp Peniel - awesome placce - meeting God - face to face!
583. The sound of praises being sung to our Creator by 50+ women!
584. Crisp Fall air!
585. Testimonies of God's hand at work, all over, in so many ways.
586. A Baptism - in the lake.
Thank You Father for this beautiful day!
For the blessings that will be in it I ask You to give me eyes to see and ears to hear!
Have Your way and I will give You Prasie!
Have a sweet, wonderful day, dear ones!
Resting in HIM,
Ruthie
Friday, September 2, 2011
Roots....
The other day a friend and I were sitting at my kitchen table and talking about the world around us - the beauty, our blessings, the good, the bad, and the ugly! Just outside the patio doors, on the other side of the deck is a HUGE tree - and I mean HUGE!!!! It has grown so much since we have lived in this house. The trunk is too large to get my arms around and yet the branches are "spindly" - every time there is any amount of wind the lawn and deck are covered with leaves and branches from this tree. Here is a picture I took a couple of years ago ....
We discussed how this tree "stood" firm" during the wild winds of Hurricane Irene last weekend.... and she said, "It must have a good root system". Right away I was reminded of the Scriptrues which speak of OUR root system.... being grounded deep in HIM! Without a "good root system" we will flounder when troubles come our way! What is our "root system"? It is our faith - our belief in our God who sustains and protects and keeps us safe.These words were written by Paul as he worte to the church in Ephesus - I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your heart as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. Ephesians 3:16-17 As Christians, we must have a "good root system - just like that huge tree outside my window! The roots of that tree draw nourishment from the soil around it - the farther they reach out the more nourishment they find and the better hold they have on the ground around them. How like us! It is only when we are grounded in Him with our roots going deep, gaining nourishment for our souls, that we will be able to stand strong - day by day - and that occurs only thru the empowerment of the Holy Spirt who resides in our hearts!
Dear Ones, as Paul prayed for the Ephesians, I pray for you - for the Creator of all to empower you through the Holy Spirit to grow deep in Him, AND for you to to have the power to understand how wide and long and high and deep HIS love is for you! Blessings on you!
Resting in HIM - Ruthie
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Do you KNOW???
To KNOW .... not just with your head ...but to KNOW - in your heart!!!!
- HE loves you with an everlasting love! - Jeremiah 31:3
- You are HIS Masterpiece! - Ephesians 2:10
- You are HIS child! - 1 John 3:1; Galatians 3:26; Galatians 4:7
- The Spirit of God lives in you! - 1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 1:27
- HE has made you a new person! - 2 Corinthians 5:17
- You can come boldly and confidently into HIS Presence! - Ephesians 3: 12
- HE will never give up on you! - Philippians 1:6
- HE chose you! - 1 Peter 2:9
- You do not need to fear anyone, anything! - Hebrews 13:6
- HE gives you strentgh to do all things! - Philippians 4:13
- HE has rescued you! - Colossians 1:13
- HE will hear you when you call to HIM! - Jeremiah 29:12 -13
- HE will be your GOD throughout your lifetime! - Isaiah 46:4
- HE has given you Victory! - John 10:10; Isaiah 12:2
- HE will not abandon you! - Psalm 9: 10
He LOVES you! Believe it today, dear ones! KNOW it in your hearts!
Resting in HIM ---- Ruthie
Sunday, August 28, 2011
And ... still counting!
556. Sisters in the Lord gathered around a smokey fire - sharing our joys, hurts, pains - AND - HIS Presence thru it all.
557. Bling! on my new sandals!
558. Gentle rain
559. Blessed sleep.
560. Gentle mist in the air
561. Snuggles - with Madi-Joy!
562. The sound of the Cardinal calling to his mate.
563. A gentle breeze
564. BBQs with friends!
565. Fresh green and yellow beans.
566. Making Pickles.
567. Chicken stir-fry with hubby's chickens
568. Making cards with girlfriends.
569. Picnic on the beach
570. Church on the beach!
571. The book - One Thousand Gifts - by Ann Voskamp
572. High tide!
573. The roar of the surf!
574. Cobwebs in the flowers - covered in dew.
575. Madi`s voice across the miles!
Thank You, Lord for Your blessings on my life!
Ruthie
557. Bling! on my new sandals!
558. Gentle rain
559. Blessed sleep.
560. Gentle mist in the air
561. Snuggles - with Madi-Joy!
562. The sound of the Cardinal calling to his mate.
563. A gentle breeze
564. BBQs with friends!
565. Fresh green and yellow beans.
566. Making Pickles.
567. Chicken stir-fry with hubby's chickens
568. Making cards with girlfriends.
569. Picnic on the beach
570. Church on the beach!
571. The book - One Thousand Gifts - by Ann Voskamp
572. High tide!
573. The roar of the surf!
574. Cobwebs in the flowers - covered in dew.
575. Madi`s voice across the miles!
Thank You, Lord for Your blessings on my life!
Ruthie
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