Tag Archives: kid’s activities

Olympic Gold illuminations

23 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by in Christianity, favorite songs, Friendship International, Fun stuff for kids, gold medals, Olympic games night, wisdom and understanding

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“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”      I Corinthians  9:25   Olympic gold medal winners achieve their goals through hours and hours, days, months and years of strenuous training.  Their time and energy is continually focused on their goal and when they stumble and fall, they get up and try again because quitting is not an option. I admire their courage and perseverance as well as their abilities.  One of the things I love best about sports is when one of the athletes gives Glory to God.  They are an inspiration to many others who watch and hope to follow in their footsteps.  The time they spend training is never wasted because the wisdom they have gained along the way has eternal value.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father in heaven.”      Colossians 3:17  

Our entire world is in love with sports.  If we are not participating in a sport, we like to watch them on T.V. and we encourage our children to be active in sports when possible.

We love watching the Olympic games and encourage our children to watch with us.  Each of the participants is an inspiration for younger children to watch and imitate hoping to achieve excellence.

When our younger son and daughter were in preschool, we attended a preschool Olympic Games night.  The kids really put their hearts into it as you can tell by this picture of our little girl participating in the tug of war.  All the proud parents were thrilled by the presentation of medals and of course every child was a winner.  The children couldn’t have been more pleased if the medal had been pure gold and presented at the real Olympics.  We are also obsessed with being fit and healthy.  We spend our time energy and  money buying exercise equipment, healthy foods and vitamins.  We are all looking for the quick fix that will give us a healthy, disease free body.

But how much time is spent training our souls and feeding our minds with wisdom from God’s Word?  Soul starvation is an epidemic in our world.  What about you, do you spend as much time training and feeding your soul as you do your body?  “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?”    Matthew 16:26

When I was looking through some old papers I discovered the words to a song that the ladies in Friendship International sang on Friendship Sunday many years ago. “Friendship International is a gift of Christian love from American ladies to Internationals living in the Lexington area.  The purpose of it is to help make the adjustment to the American way of life easier, to provide activities of interest and to facilitate building cross-cultural friendships.”  There are many Friendship International groups in cities around the United States.  Here is a list of some of the classes that are offered:  Bible Study, Cooking, Crafts, Crochet, Cross-cultural, Needlepoint, Quilting, Scrap booking, English (levels 1,2,and3) and Spanish.   Since the Olympic games are being held this summer I thought this song would be perfect to remember and sing during it.  It only takes one little candle to make a difference so put this song in your heart and let your light shine and brighten the world for everyone.

One Little Candle

  • One little candle burning bright,   
  • One little gleam of radiant light,
  • Shimmering softly in the night
  • Makes the darkness fade away.
  • One little song that’s freely sung,
  • one little bit of good that’s done,
  • Brightens the world for everyone,
  • Like a candle’s golden ray
  • Keep your light, shining bright,               
  • Like a torch of hope held high.
  • Let it glow, let it show,
  • Keep the flame of love alive.
  • One little smile for someone new,
  • One little word of kindness, too,
  • Kindles the friendship flame anew,
  • Soon the loneliness is gone.
  • One little candle flame when shared
  • Spreads through the darkness everywhere,
  • Reflecting in hearts of those who care,
  • And they pass the light along.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said,  “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”   John 8:12

“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”      Matthew 5:16

4th of July Fun and Fireworks

25 Monday Jun 2012

Posted by in beach sunsets, beauty, faith, fireworks shows, fun stuff for grandparents, Fun stuff for kids, Hearts Filled With Joy, parade floats, sandcastles, thunder storms and lighning, wisdom and understanding

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The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Psalm 19:1

The fireworks displays on the 4th of July have always been for me the most beautiful and exciting part of each celebration.  A few years ago I was very disappointed that the sky was cloudy and rainy and we were not planing to go see the fireworks.  As the sky grew darker and darker, a great thunderstorm rolled in and we could see flashes of light and hear rumbles of thunder in the distance.  As I watched out my window I saw one of the  best fireworks shows I had ever seen with  bolts of lightning zigzagging across the sky and huge crashes of thunder. I shall always remember it as the year that God provided the fireworks and it was awesomely magnificent!

Fun Stuff For Kids  

In our small town when I was growing up, the 4th of July  celebration began with a parade.  When I was very small I was allowed to ride on the vintage firetruck   at the front of the parade.  It was a little scary when they blew the siren but I was reassured when I saw my father walking along beside the firetruck  and my mother waving in the crowd.  When I was a little older we decorated my doll carriage and I felt very grown up walking my baby doll in the parade.  I always wanted to be a part of the parade and often decorated my bike spending hours using colored crepe paper and winding it in between  the spokes on the tires.

Following the parade the town put on a small carnival in the park and I remember riding a little train and playing carnival games in hopes of winning a stuffed animal.  I don’t think I ever won but it was fun trying.

We always had a wonderful picnic dinner that Mother prepared when I arrived home.  Roast beef on homemade rolls with chips and icy cold deviled eggs and marshmallow fruit salad.  Dessert was strawberry shortcake on made from scratch muffin cakes, divided in half and covered with big scoops of vanilla ice cream, fresh strawberries and a dab of whip cream.    Yum, it was delicious!  This was always followed by the town putting on a fantastic fireworks show about dusk.  We would take a large blanket to the park and lie down snuggling up to each other and ooh and ah after each one went off.  Those sure were fun times

Float Building for the Parade  

After I was married, we moved to a small town that also had a wonderful 4th of July  parade and fireworks. Each year we had so much fun dreaming up and putting together a float that consisted of a wagon and some big boxes.  It was usually pulled by our oldest son on his  tricycle or bike.  One year we did, “You’ve Come A Long Way Baby” with a covered wagon and a rocket ship.

                 Our daughter rode in the rocket ship and her baby brother in the covered wagon and they were quite content with lollypops to stay put.  Our oldest son pulled it on his bicycle and he deserves the award because it was quite a load!

Another year we built a train which we named “The Liberty Belle.”  Our son the engineer pulled his baby sister who rode quite happily in the caboose. 

One of the most fun floats we ever built was when my sister, her husband and son came down to visit and we designed the Pollution Plucker.  It had multiple arms and legs made out of bathroom and  kitchen utensils.  It was a very funny looking contraption and had all the parade viewers laughing as the kids rode by pulling it on their trikes.  It was designed to be a litter picker upper and the two boys were dressed like litter bugs with bits of paper glued to their outfits.  The idea was to harness your litterbugs.  Our daughter dressed in her best white dress was happy to ride inside it.  Needless to say it won first prize which thrilled the kids.  I think every town needs a Pollution Plucker!

Sand Castle Fireworks  

Now that we have grand kids, we have discovered that one of the best fireworks shows is on the beach.  The excitement begins early in the day.            We set up our lounge chairs and watch a beautiful sunset going down over               the ocean.  The children wade in the reflected light along the beach searching   for shells.

Then the Uncles and Dads provide an early display of Roman Candles shot from a large sand castle that they have worked on with the kids throughout the day.  As it grows darker we can see beautiful fireworks being shot off all all along the beach.  Seeing all these beautiful star-bursts in so many colors and listening to the laughter of the grand kids with their faces lit up with light from their sparklers fills my heart with joy. And so I look up and whisper a prayer of thankfulness to my Savior that we live in freedom and I pray that God will continue to bless America and enable all the people of the world to live in freedom. 

Therapy Dogs & Friendship International

28 Saturday Jan 2012

Posted by in Best Friend Dogs, crafts and recipes, Friendship International, Fun stuff for kids, Hearts Filled With Joy, therapy dogs

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“Greater love hath no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  John 15:13”

Friendship International

“Friendship International is a gift of Christian love from American ladies to Internationals living in the Lexington area.  The purpose of Friendship International is to help make the adjustment to the American way of life easier, to provide activities of interest and to facilitate building cross-cultural friendships.”

Friendship International meets in Immanuel Baptist Church each Thursday during the school year, unless Fayette Co. Public Schools are not in session.  Childcare is provided for preschool children.

Here is a list of some of the classes that are offered:  Bible Study, Cooking, Crafts, Crochet, Cross-Cultural Parenting, Cross-Stitch, Exercise, Knitting, Line Dancing, Needlepoint, Quilting, Scrap booking, English (levels 1,2and 3), and Spanish.

The day that I attended they were celebrating the countries of the International ladies with a Parade of Nations.  The traditional dress of their country worn by many of the International women and their children was breathtaking.  I am sorry I was unable to take pictures of all the lovely ladies and children.

Following the Parade OF Nations I visited the cooking  class and enjoyed listening to Kim Okesson explain and demonstrate how to prepare and cook Ramen Cabbage Salad, English Muffin Pizzas and Rice Pudding.  The English Muffin Pizzas were not only just what my grand kids would love but also very easy and inexpensive to make.   The recipe is as follows:

English Muffin Pizzas                                                  

English Muffins

Pizza or Pasta Sauce

Mozzarella Cheese

Toppings:  Meat: cooked chicken, ground beef, ham and sausage.

Vegetables: onion, green pepper spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, what ever you like.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Split English muffin in half and toast in toaster if you like a crunchy crust.  Place split muffins on cookie tray.

Spoon on sauce, then add toppings.  Add the cheese last.

Cook in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes.  Once the cheese is melted, your pizzas are ready.  Enjoy!!

Best Friend Therapy Dogs

Baby is a therapy dog as well as a service dog.  The way that Lee and Linda explained the difference to me is as follows.  A therapy dog does something for someone else.  A therapy dog has a “bachelor degree” and has to like people and get along with them well.  He must not be spooked by walkers or loud noises like a plate dropping to the floor.  Baby has provided therapy to anxious parents and children in emergency rooms and waiting rooms.  Baby has worked at the V.A. Hospital on Leestown Rd., at U.K. children’s Hospital oncology unit, and with Alzheimer patients at the local Best Friends program.

Lee developed a vision problem in 2006 and now Baby is pretty much a full time service dog for him.  A service dog has a “master’s degree” and does something for it’s owner.  Baby has traveled with Lee on airplanes to California and accompanies him into restaurants.   She is very well behaved and should not be petted when she has her service vest on because that would distract her focus from her job.  She is able to sniff out smoke and help Lee not run into things.  Some service dogs sniff out bombs and drugs.  A seeing eye dog has a P.H.D. and is highly and specifically trained.  The key trick in training a dog is repetition that is reinforced.

Baby will be 10 years old in March and was rescued from a “kill shelter” the day before she was going to be put down.  I met Baby at the Heirloom restaurant in Midway and immediately fell in love with her.  When you look into Baby’s eyes, you see great depths of compassion, wisdom and love.  No wonder she has made such a great therapy and service dog.  What a blessing she has been both to Linda and Lee as well as all the people she comforted through the years.

Fun Stuff For Kids

We decided to take our two year old grandson with us when we took Ladd for a check up at the vet.  Shepherd decided that his dog Raffy needed a checkup also.   The doctor at the Animal Hospital of Nicholasville was so understanding and examined both Raffy and Ladd explaining patiently everything to Shepherd and answering all his questions.  What a joy it is to find doctors who are concerned about their patients as well as their owners.

More Fun Stuff For Kids

When our daughter Christy was young, she wanted a dog house for her best friend Snoopy.  One weekend, my husband agreed to help her build one and together they constructed it out of a cardboard box and lots of tape.  They had a wonderful time painting it and made a beautiful and priceless memory of fun and laughter.

Time with our children, loved ones and friends is so precious.  We should never take it for granted.  Make the most of every moment you are given!

“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!  How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.  When I awake, I am still with you.”  Psalm 139:17, 18

Best Friend Dogs

21 Saturday Jan 2012

Posted by in adoreable puppies, Best Friend Dogs, Fun stuff for kids, Hearts Filled With Joy

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“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”    Philippians 4:19

It was 22 degrees outside this morning and 56 degrees in my family room when I got up.  I put on a double layer of fleece to begin the day since we don’t heat part of our home at night to save money (don’t try this in any room that has water pipes because they might freeze, break and flood your home.)  When I looked outside my window, I discovered that our yard was covered with sparkling diamonds of frost.  Their beauty along with the memory of my grand kids laughter and smiles reminds me that I am very rich indeed!

Fun Stuff for Kids

Last night for Cousin’s Night we took all eight of the grand kids skating at Triangle Park.  None of them had ever been skating before and I had only gone skating once in the last 44 years.  I thought seriously about wrapping myself up in the roll of bubble wrap that we had bought for Shepherd to play with popping the bubbles.  Thankfully after much prayer and most likely a guardian angel holding me up on each side, I didn’t fall.  The grand kids were amazing!  The boys, not caring how many times they fell, took to it immediately.  The girls were a little more cautious but after about an hour, they were all skating.  Shepherd, our fearless two year old went right out and started walking on his skates with no problem.  Everyone loved skating and another fun thing about our trip to the “city” was hearing Shepherd exclaim “WOW!” over and over again.  “Look at the tall buildings with all the lights, Grammy, look at the towers and look at the church steeple all lit up.”  He especially liked parking in a parking garage with all the cars and riding in an elevator with a window over at Victorian Square and walking across the sky walk and seeing the cars go under us.  How wonderful it is to see life through the eyes of a little child!  No wonder Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”   Mark 10:15  It takes childlike, fearless faith to believe that which we can not see.

Housekeeping Fun Tip

This is the most fun way to clean your wood floors.  First wax your table and chairs with some lemon Pledge (I like lemon because it smells so good.)   Next put on some good skating music like Skater’s Waltz.  Then put on an old pair of clean socks and have all your kids or grand kids put on socks also.  Then everybody skate around the floor.  The kids will love it and you’ll have a nice shiny floor from the little bit of Pledge mist that fell on the floor when you waxed your furniture.

Kitchen Drying Mats

Have you tried the new drying mats for pots and pans and stuff you wash by hand? My daughter gave me one with snowflakes on it for Christmas and I love it.  So much nicer than spreading out a kitchen towel and you can throw it in the washer if you need to clean it.

Mind Illuminations

I’m playing “Words With Friends” which is like scrabble only better (you play at your own convenience over the internet.)  Right now I have four games going and two of them are with my grandsons.  They keep me busy trying to come up with words and hopefully it will keep my brain sharp!

Best Friend Celebrations

Shepherd wanted to celebrate his best friend Raffy’s birthday so I took two candles and some matches with us to the bakery and we had “fire on the doughnut” as he called it and sang happy birthday to Raffy.  Shepherd talks to Raffy like a real person and takes him everywhere he goes.  We’ve discovered that the best way to get Shepherd to go to bed is to tell him that Raffy is sleepy and then ask Raffy who he wants to sleep with.  Of course all the names we suggest are met with a big “NO” until we say Shepherd.  This pleases Shepherd so much that he happily goes off to bed with him.

Other Best Friends who have blessed our hearts through the years:

Happy was one of my best birthday presents ever.  My daughters surprised me with him by placing a large picnic basket with a big red bow on my kitchen counter for my birthday.  You can imagine my surprise and delight when the lid started to lift up and a darling puppy poked his nose out.  It was love at first sight.

My son Jim is a tech genius or maybe I should say wizard because he patiently taught me a lot of new skills on the computer so I could start this blog.  Here he is pictured with his former best friend, Morgan.

This is Bobby with his best friend Oscar. He owns Wombles Transportation (more later about our trip with Shepherd down to see his big buses.)

This is Mary Ladd with one of  her best friends, Sampson when he was still a puppy.

When Sampson came to our house to live, I thought he would be a great guard dog.  But the only person that he ever ran off was the U.P.S. delivery man who he chased down our driveway.  We still can’t get U.P.S. deliveries to this day.  Great Danes are very playful and the only problem with them is that they are big as a small pony.

I forgot to mention that one summer Sampson jumped into our neighbors pool.  I received a call to come get him immediately!  I never found out who was swimming when this happened.

Christy fell in love with Sidney when she first got married to Chad and they took her to Beaver Dam with them.  On a weekend visit home to our house Sidney became Happy’s sweetheart.  Later she became the Mother of first Bailey and eventually Sunshine.  Sidney use to disappear and eventually Christy would find her in the bath tub behind the shower curtain.  She loved to take  baths.

We’ve had so many best friends through the years.  Dogs are a gift from God to men and provide us with “good medicine” when we are lonely, hurting or sad! (more about this later)

Health Tip

Tonight when I was plugging up all my tech stuff that needed charging (cell phone, Kindle Fire,and camera), I suddenly realized that I felt like my own battery was needing to be charged.  So before I fall asleep tonight, I intend to plug into God knowing He will energize me for tomorrow.

Mind illumination   “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”   Psalm 119:11

Three of my grand kids said their Bible verse to me last night and what a special blessing it is to hear them and receive the big hug they give me when I tell them how very proud I am of them.   If you haven’t learned a new bible verse for January yet take a look at the Challenge For Great Riches in my Jan. 14 blog and put a smile in your heart today by memorizing a verse.


Challenge To Great Riches

14 Saturday Jan 2012

Posted by in Best Friend Dogs, Challenge to Great Riches, Fun stuff for kids

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“you will fill me with joy in your presence,”     Psalm 16:11

Have you ever noticed how on a cold winter day the closer you sit to the fire the warmer you feel?  If Jesus came into my home I would want to sit as close as I could to Him.  I know it would be just like being outside and feeling the winter winds when suddenly the sun comes out and you feel warmed all over.  I love to have my grand kids cuddle up to me when I read them a story and I’ll bet God rejoices when we want to be close to Him.

Beauty tip:

Next time you have a fire in your fireplace watch how the firelight reflects on your family’s face.  Did you know that when you are in the Presence of God, you become a reflection of His Glory and that’s what makes us beautiful – with an inner shining beauty.  “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD.”  Exodus 34:29

Grammy Fun Stuff

Shepherd and Daddo at Magee's Bakery

Today we went to Magee’s Bakery with our two year old grandson, Shepherd.  When you walk in the door the most delicious aroma greets you and it always reminds me of the bakery I loved to visit when I was a child.  I remember that they had trays of yummy looking assorted cookies in a glass case and the sweet lady who waited on us always gave me a free sample sugar cookie.  But Magee’s has wonderful doughnuts and a glass case of beautiful celebration cakes plus lots of pretty cup cakes.  We love their cinnamon sugar doughnuts the best and it has become a weekly stop on Wednesdays which is the day we have Shepherd.

One beautiful Wednesday last fall we arranged to meet our daughter, Mary there along with her four children.  She home schools all of them, ages 6, 8, 10, and 12.  I suggested that it would be a great field trip (of course the kids all agreed) and afterward, we went over to Woodland Park so Shepherd could play while the older kids did bark rubbings and collected leaves from the many different, wonderful old trees there which have name plaques underneath.  It was almost like a treasure hunt finding all the trees with name plaques and the kids thought it was lots of fun.

TREASURE HUNT:   “I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel who summons you by name.”   Isaiah 45:3

Cousins Night Jan. 11

Speaking of treasure hunts, this year on January 11 at Cousins Night I gave each of my grand kids a challenge to learn some of my favorite bible verses.  I also did this last year and since four of them completed the gold challenge part two, I added a diamond challenge this year.  The best thing about the challenge is that I am learning the verses along with my grand kids and their parents hear them say the verses as they try to remember them.  It is the greatest BRAIN ILLUMINATION possible!!

Health Tip:  Will you take the challenge and illuminate your mind with me?

THE CHALLENGE TO GREAT RICHES

The Hunt for Gold  (part one ages 5-8)

The Great Riches will be the treasure of wisdom and knowledge of God you have hidden in your heart throughout the year.

 THE CHALLENGE:   Learn the verse or verses for the month.  Find it for me in your Bible and say it to me.  Receive a large gold coin

January:  Joshua 1:9   Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

 February:  Proverbs 3:3, 4   Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

 March:  Jeremiah 33:3  Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

 April:  John 8:12   When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said,  “I am the light of the world,  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

 May:  Proverbs 3: 5, 6   Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding:  in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

June:  Psalm 16:11   You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

 July:  Daniel 12:3   Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

 August:  Psalm 56:3, 4   When I am afraid, I will trust in you.  In God whose word I praise, In God I trust; I will not be afraid.  What can mortal man do to me?

September  Philippians 4:13   I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

 October:  Ephesians 6:10, 11   Finally be strong in the LORD and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

 November:  Luke 18:27   Jesus replied,  “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”

  December:  John 3:16   For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

 The Hunt for Gold (part two ages 9 and up)

The Great Riches will be the treasure of wisdom and knowledge of God you have hidden in your heart throughout the year.

 THE CHALLENGE:  Learn the verse or verses for the month. Find it for me in your Bible and say it to me.  Must be 100% correct.  Receive a large gold chocolate coin for each correct verse.

Bonus rewards should be given for naming the books of the Old Testament, naming  the books of the New Testament  and reciting Ephesians 6:17.

January:   Isaiah 45:3  I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel who summons you by name.

February:  Matthew 6:20-21   But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

March:  Jeremiah 32:17   Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too hard for you.

April:  Isaiah 40:31   But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

May:  Matthew 17:20   He replied, “Because you have so little faith.  I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you.”

June:  Psalm 23  The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.  He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

July:  Philippians 2:14   Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

August:  Psalm 91:1, 2   He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.”

September:  Isaiah 64:4, 5   Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.  You come to the help of those who gladly do right who remember your ways.

October:  Ephesians 6:12   For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

November:  Proverbs 16:16, 17   How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver.  The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life.

December:  Philippians 4:19   And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

THE ARMOR OF GOD:   Ephesians 6:17  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The Hunt for DIAMONDS 

The Great Riches will be the treasure of wisdom and knowledge of God you have hidden in your heart throughout the year.

 THE CHALLENGE:   Learn the verse or verses for the month.  Find it for me in your Bible and say it to me.  Must be 100% correct.  Receive a large chocolate gold coin for each correct verse.

January:  Psalm 37:5, 6   Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:  He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

February:  Jeremiah 29:11-13   “For I know the plans I have for you,”  declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

March:  I Corinthians 2:9   However, as it is written:  “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”

April:  Jeremiah 32:19, 20   Great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds.  Your eyes are open to all the ways of men; you reward everyone according to his conduct and as his deeds deserve.  You performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt and have continued them to this day, both in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown that is still yours.

May:  Philippians 4:4-7   Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again:  Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

June:  Job 22:25, 26   Then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you.  Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God.

July:  Philippians 3:14   I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

August:  Hebrews 12:1-2a   Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…

September:  Proverbs 1:9  For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.

October:  Matthew 7:26, 27   “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

November:  Ephesians 2:8, 9   For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

December:  Ephesians 3:20, 21   Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen.

Golden Illuminations                                      

                                                                                          

On Saturday October 8, I received an early Christmas present from my daughter.  A beautiful seven week old Golden Retriever puppy from the litter of my grandson’s dog, Lucy.  My grand kids named this puppy Snowball because of his fluffy, thick, white puppy fur.  But I decided to rename him Ladd in honor of the Lad in “Further Adventures of Lad” by Albert Terhune.  This was one of my favorite books as a child along with “Sunnybank, Home of Lad.”  It was said that Lad was a dog of uncanny brain and great loving, loyal heart and with a dancing sense of fun.  A dog with a soul.

My Laddie has all those wonderful traits and brings delight and laughter into our lives every day.  This morning he was doing his own version of ‘dancing for joy’ as he twirled round and round the room somehow managing to kick an old tennis ball with both his front and back paws.  His favorite spot is by my chair or in the kitchen near the stove if I am cooking dinner.  His favorite treat is a sliver of cheese or an ice cube. He likes to be near me wherever I happen to be.

We also have another Golden Retriever named Happy.  He is the grandson of our original dog, Happy. (more about him later).

“Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD. You have filled my life with greater joy.”   Psalms 4:6,7

My New Year Resolution:

This year I intend to sit just as close as I can, as often as I can and as long as I can at the feet of Jesus.  What a joy it is to be in His Presence!

Hearts Filled With Joy

10 Tuesday Jan 2012

Posted by in Hearts Filled With Joy

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“Above all else guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”    Proverbs 4:23

What are you putting into your heart?  Our hearts can be a deep well of precious treasure giving joy, encouragement and delight.  You probably know that drinking plenty of fresh pure water is one of the most important things you can do for your body.  But just as important is the emotional life giving thoughts or garbage you allow to enter your heart from your mind.  Our thoughts either strengthen and nourish our bodies or make us sick.  Every day we make a choice to put into our mind and body good stuff or stuff that will eventually ruin our health and steal our joy.  Why not resolve that this year will be a year of joy because you only allow those thoughts that will illuminate your body, mind and soul to enter your heart.

My Personal Schedule

600 A.M.  Arise, make a big cup of black coffee and have a long talk with God.  I ask God to illuminate my heart and mind to his desires and purposes for my life.  Then I try to quiet my mind and listen (which is very hard sometimes) so then I turn to my Bible for guidance and counsel.

8:00 A.M.  Exercise: ‘Dancing For Joy’ which my daughter calls “doing my la las”.  This has been a part of my life for the last 25 years.  I have an old stereo in the living room that plays the big 33 1/3  records and my favorite exercise record is  ‘Aerobic Celebration Vol II.’

830 A.M.  Walking on the treadmill to Praise songs.  My favorite is Timeless Praise compiled and created by Mike Speck and Stan Whitmire.  As i walk I send up prayers for all those who come to my mind that may need a special blessing of God’s love.

9:00 A.M.  Time for my favorite breakfast of whole wheat toast, orange juice, cheerios and Dannon’s blueberry Greek yogurt which is like a yummy dessert that’s healthy.

9:30 A.M.   Laundry, house cleaning, grocery shopping etc.  I like to get these out of the way early.

10:30 A.M.  Fun Stuff:  This includes craft plans for my grand kids and painting which is my passion along with baking,writing and photography.

Grammy Fun Stuff :

Cousins night at Heirloom Restaurant in Midway, KY

Snowflakes

Cut out some paper snowflakes with your kids or grand kids letting them know that they are each special and one of a kind.  Draw a circle on white paper.  You can use a plate to draw around.  Cut it out.  Snowflakes have six sides so fold it in half, and then in thirds.  Cut the top off straight and then cut notches of different shapes out of the folded sides and top.  Open it out carefully and dot with Elmer’s glue.  Then sprinkle it with sparkles and glitter.  That’s the way God illuminates our lives.  He sprinkles them with the sparkling eyes and smiles of our children and grandchildren.

Catch a Smile

Do something special for someone today and watch their eyes light up with joy.  Say something nice to someone you see or meet or maybe someone you don’t even know and watch them smile.  Smiles are contagious and that’s the best thing you can catch. Soon you too will be smiling and happiness will illuminate your face.  It’s the cheapest face lift you’ll ever receive and before you know it you’ll feel younger and look younger.

Melting Snowman snacks:

Take one graham cracker square, half of a chocolate Hershey bar and a large marshmallow.  Put in your microwave for about 5 seconds until the marshmallow begins to soften and like magic you have a snowman ready to melt in your mouth.  This is sticky delicious so have a wet wipe and some napkins available!

Cooking With Joy

Make some sugar cookies and cut them out like snowmen or decorate them like snowflakes.

I like to use Wilton white sparkling sugar sprinkles for the snow.

This is my favorite recipe for sugar cookies:

1 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 egg

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp.vanilla

1 tsp.almond

Beat butter and sugar til light and fluffy, then add egg and beat some more.  Stir dry ingredients together and blend into mixture.  Add flavorings and refrigerate for several hours.

Preheat oven to 375.  Roll out dough on lightly floured pastry cloth.  Cut with cooky cutters and place on air bake cooky sheet.  Sprinkle with Wilton edible sprinkles, white and colored sparkling sugar.     Bake 6 to 8 minutes till light golden. Carefully remove form pan to cooling rack.    Enjoy!!

Painting and Photography

My passion for painting has been put on temporary hold since Thanksgiving.  I’m looking forward to beginning work again soon on my series of paintings entitled Reflections of Glory which illustrates some of my favorite Bible verses.  (more about that later)

Another passion of mine is photography.  I love taking pictures with my new Nikon COOLPIX camera which is so tiny it fits in my purse.  I take pictures of sunsets and clouds and storms and of course puppies and my 8 grand kids (when they hold still long enough which is seldom).  Life is filled with so much joy when we look for the ways God illuminates the many blessings in our lives

So just a reminder, “As a man thinks so is he”

Think joyfully!!