Psalm 123:1-2
"To You I lift up my eyes,
O You who are enthroned in the
heavens!
Behold, as the eyes of servants look
to the hand of their master,
As the eyes of a maid to the hand of
her mistress,
So our eyes look to the LORD our
God,
Until He is gracious to us."
May your 2010 be filled with grace and peace.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Christmastime
Christmas is almost here! Merry Christmas everybody!
Our cat brings us much entertainment these days...outside of computer and old TV programs and videos / DVDs!
We've started listening to some old cassette tapes which is quite fun after not listening for years probably.
I think about not wanting to wear out the cassette players, but then I lose out on listening while I may!
My sister worked hard to get some medical info. sent, and after some mistakes on others parts they have finally been sent! Hooray! Please pray for wisdom of the doctor/surgeon on what to do with the information.
We give gifts for Christmas on Christmas Eve Day or evening, so Christmas is mostly just for thinking about Jesus' birth and eating yummy food. Actually, we will probably go ahead and have the Mexican food again this year as well. It's our nonconformist tradition for a number of years.
Our family also has a tradition of a Christmas project...giving to some mission agency for needy people. It can be for something like Spectrum ministries or Action International. We might have given through Compassion Intl. before too. Anyway, it is very low key for those who want to or are able to participate here in our household. It's fun to give for those who are really in need.
We don't usually spend a lot on each other either.
Well, other than listening to Christmas songs or singing or hearing the Christmas story, that's about all I can think of we might do for Christmas.
Hope yours is great!
Our cat brings us much entertainment these days...outside of computer and old TV programs and videos / DVDs!
We've started listening to some old cassette tapes which is quite fun after not listening for years probably.
I think about not wanting to wear out the cassette players, but then I lose out on listening while I may!
My sister worked hard to get some medical info. sent, and after some mistakes on others parts they have finally been sent! Hooray! Please pray for wisdom of the doctor/surgeon on what to do with the information.
We give gifts for Christmas on Christmas Eve Day or evening, so Christmas is mostly just for thinking about Jesus' birth and eating yummy food. Actually, we will probably go ahead and have the Mexican food again this year as well. It's our nonconformist tradition for a number of years.
Our family also has a tradition of a Christmas project...giving to some mission agency for needy people. It can be for something like Spectrum ministries or Action International. We might have given through Compassion Intl. before too. Anyway, it is very low key for those who want to or are able to participate here in our household. It's fun to give for those who are really in need.
We don't usually spend a lot on each other either.
Well, other than listening to Christmas songs or singing or hearing the Christmas story, that's about all I can think of we might do for Christmas.
Hope yours is great!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Let It Snow!
Well, I tried sledding (tobogganing) today for the first snow of the season. It was a bit slow, as it wasn't too hard or deep. I just tried 3 times, and it seems like it might not snow enough more to do much. Still, it was fun to make a snowman, and I even went along for the ride for my sister's shopping outing!
I'm having pain from my fibro., etc., but I even managed to help out by making hummus today. It needed less salt, but oh, well...still not too bad.
It seems very exciting coming from somewhere where snow didn't fall normally. I did live for a few years where it snowed in the mountains (No it didn't snow the whole time we were there!)! Well, we could see snow where I used to live from a distance sometimes, and there was at least a couple of strange hailstone storms where they accumulated. Believe me, I was very excited just for that! Snow is still a novelty, and I hope we will have more. I don't want it when we have appointments though!
I'm having pain from my fibro., etc., but I even managed to help out by making hummus today. It needed less salt, but oh, well...still not too bad.
It seems very exciting coming from somewhere where snow didn't fall normally. I did live for a few years where it snowed in the mountains (No it didn't snow the whole time we were there!)! Well, we could see snow where I used to live from a distance sometimes, and there was at least a couple of strange hailstone storms where they accumulated. Believe me, I was very excited just for that! Snow is still a novelty, and I hope we will have more. I don't want it when we have appointments though!
Monday, November 30, 2009
November Finishes
It's a rainy day here today, but I posted on the Christian Forums and thought I'd put something here for anyone bored enough to look.
I am listening to them playing In Wonder by the Newsboys which they played for astronauts as a wake up song I read on the Newsboys' site.
For Cliff fans, William Hooper who has a Cliff Chart site apparently had pneumonia. Hopefully he will be well and back online soon.
Our cat that we adopted likes to play now, and she has actually been going into the cat cube lately. It seemed to take a couple of weeks or so...if not, it seemed like it.
We had a good Thanksgiving Day and ate a southern breakfast at church. We didn't have turkey though, we had Angus burgers! We did have some traditional things like pumpkin pie, and some things we ate the next day. I felt nauseated Thanksgiving night.
For the breakfast I ate a biscuit and gravy, one piece of bacon, scrambled eggs, a half a small piece of ham, some grits with milk. I also had orange juice, milk, and coffee....half a cup on two of those. They also served sausage and perhaps some other things I can't remember. Our table was mostly immigrants from other states like ourselves.
This Sunday we visited back at a church to hear a missionary guy. I don't give often to the familyfor their support, but I more give gifts sometimes especially for the kids.
I transplanted some sort of evergreen tree to a different spot in the yard/garden, but I have strong doubts about it surviving.
A new cat photo or two will be posted...so look to the right if you want to see!
Back to the interesting thing about the post I did today. It was interesting to see a Muslim's feelings about God's view of Himself being closer to right than even some so-called Christians. While perhaps he might have gone a bit far, it was very interesting. Of course my view of God from what's in the Bible is that He does care for His reputation and glory, but He also shows love and mercy. Jesus was God the Son in human flesh...He did humble Himself for both our sake and the Father's...for His glory. Still, the topic was about proselytizing in different religions, and whether it is required or not in people's religion. I indicated that I do care for people's souls. I'm not sure if I said everything I would have wanted or not, but if you want to have a look at the page: http://www.christianforums.com/t7420146-3/#post53624602
I don't endorse the advertisements on the forum. Hopefully you can figure out which post was mine. I can't find anything that says I can't link this, so if I'm wrong let me know and I'll take it off.
I am listening to them playing In Wonder by the Newsboys which they played for astronauts as a wake up song I read on the Newsboys' site.
For Cliff fans, William Hooper who has a Cliff Chart site apparently had pneumonia. Hopefully he will be well and back online soon.
Our cat that we adopted likes to play now, and she has actually been going into the cat cube lately. It seemed to take a couple of weeks or so...if not, it seemed like it.
We had a good Thanksgiving Day and ate a southern breakfast at church. We didn't have turkey though, we had Angus burgers! We did have some traditional things like pumpkin pie, and some things we ate the next day. I felt nauseated Thanksgiving night.
For the breakfast I ate a biscuit and gravy, one piece of bacon, scrambled eggs, a half a small piece of ham, some grits with milk. I also had orange juice, milk, and coffee....half a cup on two of those. They also served sausage and perhaps some other things I can't remember. Our table was mostly immigrants from other states like ourselves.
This Sunday we visited back at a church to hear a missionary guy. I don't give often to the familyfor their support, but I more give gifts sometimes especially for the kids.
I transplanted some sort of evergreen tree to a different spot in the yard/garden, but I have strong doubts about it surviving.
A new cat photo or two will be posted...so look to the right if you want to see!
Back to the interesting thing about the post I did today. It was interesting to see a Muslim's feelings about God's view of Himself being closer to right than even some so-called Christians. While perhaps he might have gone a bit far, it was very interesting. Of course my view of God from what's in the Bible is that He does care for His reputation and glory, but He also shows love and mercy. Jesus was God the Son in human flesh...He did humble Himself for both our sake and the Father's...for His glory. Still, the topic was about proselytizing in different religions, and whether it is required or not in people's religion. I indicated that I do care for people's souls. I'm not sure if I said everything I would have wanted or not, but if you want to have a look at the page: http://www.christianforums.com/t7420146-3/#post53624602
I don't endorse the advertisements on the forum. Hopefully you can figure out which post was mine. I can't find anything that says I can't link this, so if I'm wrong let me know and I'll take it off.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Freedom of Speech
Does it seem that freedom of speech is for possible terrorists or others who have or want to harm someone physically?
It seems that you can no longer express an opinion about a lifestyle or a person without the risk of getting fired in some places. People who have no intention whatsoever toward harming a person get fired for political or Christian beliefs, but if it's an atheist or Moslem they have a lot more people willing to defend them or turn a blind eye.
If you believe conservatively, they think you may be like the KKK or a Nazi or call you a Right Wing nut or the Religious Right (like that's equivalent to a criminal?). It is so outrageous the attacks that conservatives and Christians receive, and there is no accountability for this kind of commenting by certain people.
Still, this is the kind of thing that Christians can expect, and it's likely to get worse. If you believe the actual Bible as a Christian about morals, you may one day soon be labeled a criminal in court. Actually, the hate crimes legislation is opening the door already.
If you want to pray in school, you already have people ready to censor you. Now you can be fired for telling the truth about a lifestyle or political person even if you are not mean spirited. Some pastors in some countries have already gotten in trouble for speaking out against homosexuality.
Even on this blog I think there are some limits and restraints on me that I am not sure of if I might say something that they might censor or kick me off for.
Still, I can do my best to speak the truth civilly, and if I get in trouble then I have done nothing wrong.
Aside from these subjects, I just wanted to mention our cat is sick.
It seems that you can no longer express an opinion about a lifestyle or a person without the risk of getting fired in some places. People who have no intention whatsoever toward harming a person get fired for political or Christian beliefs, but if it's an atheist or Moslem they have a lot more people willing to defend them or turn a blind eye.
If you believe conservatively, they think you may be like the KKK or a Nazi or call you a Right Wing nut or the Religious Right (like that's equivalent to a criminal?). It is so outrageous the attacks that conservatives and Christians receive, and there is no accountability for this kind of commenting by certain people.
Still, this is the kind of thing that Christians can expect, and it's likely to get worse. If you believe the actual Bible as a Christian about morals, you may one day soon be labeled a criminal in court. Actually, the hate crimes legislation is opening the door already.
If you want to pray in school, you already have people ready to censor you. Now you can be fired for telling the truth about a lifestyle or political person even if you are not mean spirited. Some pastors in some countries have already gotten in trouble for speaking out against homosexuality.
Even on this blog I think there are some limits and restraints on me that I am not sure of if I might say something that they might censor or kick me off for.
Still, I can do my best to speak the truth civilly, and if I get in trouble then I have done nothing wrong.
Aside from these subjects, I just wanted to mention our cat is sick.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Catalina the Cat & Prayer Requests
We got a cat last week at the Humane Society. It has now been declawed and has been treated for ear mites and the first treatment for roundworms...makes me nervous!
She seems to be doing pretty well this morning. She loves to be petted, and she is getting spoiled! She meows now for us to scoop her poop. She is very smart and loves treats.
Please pray for my family...we are experiencing pain, and some other relatives have had or are going to have surgery and have other problems.
The leaves have been changing here in Tennessee, and the wind has blown many into our yard /garden.
I am sporadic about posting on that outreach section of the Christian Forums, but it's okay to not get overly stressed going on regularly. I check on Cliff news still often enough, but it' more just a hobby as I am not pleased how far Cliff is drifting away from the truth of the Bible in recent years. Still, God can work in his heart as well.
If you will, you can pray for a friend who is doing outreach to immigrants and language learning in England right now.
Also, my brother is teaching English and using the Bible in the Czech Republic.
She seems to be doing pretty well this morning. She loves to be petted, and she is getting spoiled! She meows now for us to scoop her poop. She is very smart and loves treats.
Please pray for my family...we are experiencing pain, and some other relatives have had or are going to have surgery and have other problems.
The leaves have been changing here in Tennessee, and the wind has blown many into our yard /garden.
I am sporadic about posting on that outreach section of the Christian Forums, but it's okay to not get overly stressed going on regularly. I check on Cliff news still often enough, but it' more just a hobby as I am not pleased how far Cliff is drifting away from the truth of the Bible in recent years. Still, God can work in his heart as well.
If you will, you can pray for a friend who is doing outreach to immigrants and language learning in England right now.
Also, my brother is teaching English and using the Bible in the Czech Republic.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Our Trips & Yummy Food
At the end of September we went to Asheville, NC and spent the night at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Biltmore Square Mall. It was a fairly good hotel, although my part of the mattress seemed to slope a bit.
The trip was a celebration of my parents anniversary...only they took us along!
For our evening meal we went to the Cracker Barrel which had a great Autumn salad that claimed to be new. It had lettuce, apple slices, craisins, what tasted like praline pecans, chicken, bacon, blue/bleu cheese, and a side dressing. They had a special chocolate cake dessert I shared with my Mom as well.
They also have a store that was interesting to look at. A lot of things were made in China though unfortunately.
Some panhandlers bugged us in their parking lot.
We went to a certain Estate in Asheville ...very expensive and exclusive on their name and image... and got worn out. I dressed up, and it was pretty fun except some immodest things that rich people seem to like to have in their places!
They had a lot of rooms and a lot of stairs. We forgot to bring in the wheelchair, but learned we could have used it for the whole thing one person said. Oh, well! It's a good thing my fibromyalgia pain wasn't at it's worst to start with then!
We shared some yummy shakes that were make with Hershey's ice cream at a creamery near the estate.
Last week we went to Nashville to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center for my sister's appointment there. We stopped at Maggie Moo's for ice cream before arriving. I had found about that place online, and it was good!
We stayed at the Sleep Inn on Dickerson Pike. The mattresses weren't great, and the bathroom door too heavy to close all of the time (it was a sliding door). They did have breakfast and a super rate for patients to the Vanderbilt place. I had picked them out from reviews and price even before my sister asked about a discount.
It smelled of smoke in the hall, but the room was okay as far as odor.
The second day we went to the Grand Ole Opry museum which was interesting, even though I do NOT like country music generally.
We ate at another Cracker Barrel instead of the other place I had found online. The other place had few cars, so it made me nervous. The Cracker Barrel was just the opposite...rather crowded.
I shared another salad and some cinnamon apple French toast...too much, but yummy! They have fried apples I tasted from my Mom's food at the other Cracker Barrel (like the Sweet Apples I tried somewhere else)....actually, like stewed apples I found out from a British friend.
It started pouring when we were leaving a Piggly Wiggly grocery store after the restaurant, and we stopped part of the time while lightning and thunder and rain were a problem.
We experienced rush hour in Nashville a couple of times on the trip...nearly as bad as California!
The ride home the next day was mostly blue skies and very nice. We stopped at a Wendy's where a senior citizen group from a tour bus were also eating. The restaurant did a great job getting through that long line!
On my Mom's birthday I served some fried /stewed cinnamon apples I made with her help the day before, and some pumpkin soup I made on the day. Served with garlic bread for my Mom & I, it was a nice meal. I found recipes and tweaked them a little so to speak. The apples weren't meant to be a cinnamony, but I had my Mom put in the spice from my pie recipe. That's how it turned out!
Friends can e-mail and ask for recipes.
Wednesday of this week I am scheduled to get my final bridge in my mouth!
I've posted some on that Christian forums again, even though it can be quite discouraging. I don't know if any of the non-Christians posting and reading are actually open. Well, I hope so. If God wants someone reading those posts, He will bring them to it!
The trip was a celebration of my parents anniversary...only they took us along!
For our evening meal we went to the Cracker Barrel which had a great Autumn salad that claimed to be new. It had lettuce, apple slices, craisins, what tasted like praline pecans, chicken, bacon, blue/bleu cheese, and a side dressing. They had a special chocolate cake dessert I shared with my Mom as well.
They also have a store that was interesting to look at. A lot of things were made in China though unfortunately.
Some panhandlers bugged us in their parking lot.
We went to a certain Estate in Asheville ...very expensive and exclusive on their name and image... and got worn out. I dressed up, and it was pretty fun except some immodest things that rich people seem to like to have in their places!
They had a lot of rooms and a lot of stairs. We forgot to bring in the wheelchair, but learned we could have used it for the whole thing one person said. Oh, well! It's a good thing my fibromyalgia pain wasn't at it's worst to start with then!
We shared some yummy shakes that were make with Hershey's ice cream at a creamery near the estate.
Last week we went to Nashville to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center for my sister's appointment there. We stopped at Maggie Moo's for ice cream before arriving. I had found about that place online, and it was good!
We stayed at the Sleep Inn on Dickerson Pike. The mattresses weren't great, and the bathroom door too heavy to close all of the time (it was a sliding door). They did have breakfast and a super rate for patients to the Vanderbilt place. I had picked them out from reviews and price even before my sister asked about a discount.
It smelled of smoke in the hall, but the room was okay as far as odor.
The second day we went to the Grand Ole Opry museum which was interesting, even though I do NOT like country music generally.
We ate at another Cracker Barrel instead of the other place I had found online. The other place had few cars, so it made me nervous. The Cracker Barrel was just the opposite...rather crowded.
I shared another salad and some cinnamon apple French toast...too much, but yummy! They have fried apples I tasted from my Mom's food at the other Cracker Barrel (like the Sweet Apples I tried somewhere else)....actually, like stewed apples I found out from a British friend.
It started pouring when we were leaving a Piggly Wiggly grocery store after the restaurant, and we stopped part of the time while lightning and thunder and rain were a problem.
We experienced rush hour in Nashville a couple of times on the trip...nearly as bad as California!
The ride home the next day was mostly blue skies and very nice. We stopped at a Wendy's where a senior citizen group from a tour bus were also eating. The restaurant did a great job getting through that long line!
On my Mom's birthday I served some fried /stewed cinnamon apples I made with her help the day before, and some pumpkin soup I made on the day. Served with garlic bread for my Mom & I, it was a nice meal. I found recipes and tweaked them a little so to speak. The apples weren't meant to be a cinnamony, but I had my Mom put in the spice from my pie recipe. That's how it turned out!
Friends can e-mail and ask for recipes.
Wednesday of this week I am scheduled to get my final bridge in my mouth!
I've posted some on that Christian forums again, even though it can be quite discouraging. I don't know if any of the non-Christians posting and reading are actually open. Well, I hope so. If God wants someone reading those posts, He will bring them to it!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Kingsport Food & Whatever Happened to So and So
Well, the fire near where some family members live seems to be under control in that area.
We've been having a lot of improvements around our place recently ... for a price.
I still haven't been back on the one forum. I've been stressed by various things lately.
If you ever visit Kingsport, TN, you might be interested in eating at The Purple Cow. It's fast food sort of, but it isn't all that fast. If you go a little early for lunch ... like 11 something AM, it can be better ... at least when I compare our experience to what others online said. Well, we only went once, but the shakes tasted like there was real ice cream in it which is a plus. They have lots of flavor choices! We had sandwiches, and even a half of a sub was too much really for me! Three of us had egg salad sandwich halves.
I found out some interesting things about some people I met years ago. One worked on translating the Bible in a communist country, and it looks like he married a native from the picture and name of the wife and has 3 kids with her. I learned he grew up as a non-Christian and smoked dope with his family. They apparently were very poor. I met him at New Tribes Bible Institute when I was 17 close to 18 (which I dropped out of after a few weeks). He apparently had only been a Christian since he was 18...so for 2 or 3 years when I met him. He was from TN, and I was from CA. I thought he was a country hick or backwoods person or hillbilly as he called himself online. I didn't want to move to TN then, and I didn't want to go to a tribe. I only had some interest for 2 or 3 weeks or so, but he definitely wasn't what I wanted I decided at the time. Well, that was the most interesting story so far in the "whatever happened to so and so" curiosity thing. It was something to do when I was bored.
Today I saw our current pastor at WalMart. We still would like to find an even better church that teaches and follows the Bible even more, but at least we heard a good message last Sunday night there. Well, my wrist or higher is bothering me again, but I just thought I'd post on here for people to keep updated (if they are interested).
We've been having a lot of improvements around our place recently ... for a price.
I still haven't been back on the one forum. I've been stressed by various things lately.
If you ever visit Kingsport, TN, you might be interested in eating at The Purple Cow. It's fast food sort of, but it isn't all that fast. If you go a little early for lunch ... like 11 something AM, it can be better ... at least when I compare our experience to what others online said. Well, we only went once, but the shakes tasted like there was real ice cream in it which is a plus. They have lots of flavor choices! We had sandwiches, and even a half of a sub was too much really for me! Three of us had egg salad sandwich halves.
I found out some interesting things about some people I met years ago. One worked on translating the Bible in a communist country, and it looks like he married a native from the picture and name of the wife and has 3 kids with her. I learned he grew up as a non-Christian and smoked dope with his family. They apparently were very poor. I met him at New Tribes Bible Institute when I was 17 close to 18 (which I dropped out of after a few weeks). He apparently had only been a Christian since he was 18...so for 2 or 3 years when I met him. He was from TN, and I was from CA. I thought he was a country hick or backwoods person or hillbilly as he called himself online. I didn't want to move to TN then, and I didn't want to go to a tribe. I only had some interest for 2 or 3 weeks or so, but he definitely wasn't what I wanted I decided at the time. Well, that was the most interesting story so far in the "whatever happened to so and so" curiosity thing. It was something to do when I was bored.
Today I saw our current pastor at WalMart. We still would like to find an even better church that teaches and follows the Bible even more, but at least we heard a good message last Sunday night there. Well, my wrist or higher is bothering me again, but I just thought I'd post on here for people to keep updated (if they are interested).
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Kingsport, TN Day Trip
Today we took a trip to Bays Mountain Park and the Exchange Place in Kingsport, TN.
The park was very nice, and we saw different kinds of animals as well as a snake in the lake (man made lake from a dam). There was a bobcat, some white tailed deer, wolves, turtles, a raccoon, river otters I think, some birds, etc. They have some historical farm things, and at the Exchange Place we saw even more historical things. They have a place that was a home, a schoolhouse, a small home that slaves and a cook lived in, an old store/ post office buiding, etc. On the other side of the street were places from people from the Union side that came from somewhere else in the area. It was difficult to find the Exchange Place without the exact address with us...even though we have a GPS directions/map device.
The barge rides at the park were not available until next month...which it almost is! We didn't pay to go into the planetarium either, but apparently it is one of the main attractions there. At the Exchange place at the museum store I bought a bonnet like ones worn in the old days (for gardening I plan to use it). Anyway, I thought I'd share about our fun trip. Recently I saw a couple of American finches in our front yard/ garden (birds that have yellow on them. At the Exchange Place they had some chickens, and there was a little creek.
The park was very nice, and we saw different kinds of animals as well as a snake in the lake (man made lake from a dam). There was a bobcat, some white tailed deer, wolves, turtles, a raccoon, river otters I think, some birds, etc. They have some historical farm things, and at the Exchange Place we saw even more historical things. They have a place that was a home, a schoolhouse, a small home that slaves and a cook lived in, an old store/ post office buiding, etc. On the other side of the street were places from people from the Union side that came from somewhere else in the area. It was difficult to find the Exchange Place without the exact address with us...even though we have a GPS directions/map device.
The barge rides at the park were not available until next month...which it almost is! We didn't pay to go into the planetarium either, but apparently it is one of the main attractions there. At the Exchange place at the museum store I bought a bonnet like ones worn in the old days (for gardening I plan to use it). Anyway, I thought I'd share about our fun trip. Recently I saw a couple of American finches in our front yard/ garden (birds that have yellow on them. At the Exchange Place they had some chickens, and there was a little creek.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Newsboys Music & TN Beauty
The Newsboys new album In The Hands of God is expected out on May 5. To hear some samples of some of the songs go to the following website:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/newsboys-official/33108412065
A lot of things have been going on here lately at home. Some I won't share here, but you may be interested to know that a wild cherry tree cracked on our property and eventually fell splitting apart a dogwood tree. We had a guy cut them up and remove them paying him $14o or 150 as he broke 3 chains sawing it. We also have learned we have a pecan tree which is exciting. I'm hoping it will produce well, even if we might not be up to harvesting all of them. Maybe we will get to have pecan pie with our own pecans! There are a number of irises blooming in our garden already some bearded and some not bearded. There is an Iris Festival this month. Next month there is a Rhododendron Festival in another place.
There are a lot of negative things going on in our country and the world, but God's Hand is still evident around us. I expect we will have many more reasons to feel our need to trust Him in the years to come.
The dogwood blossoms have been falling here, and now the green is showing more around us. It's like having the woods and the country mixed together here in the northeastern part of Tennessee. I still love the sights of California and having more stores close by, but I can also enjoy the beauty of God's creation here. For those coming to visit, I think you will enjoy it if you like nature... just be prepared for the accents and possibly hearing country music (but not in our house!).
http://www.facebook.com/pages/newsboys-official/33108412065
A lot of things have been going on here lately at home. Some I won't share here, but you may be interested to know that a wild cherry tree cracked on our property and eventually fell splitting apart a dogwood tree. We had a guy cut them up and remove them paying him $14o or 150 as he broke 3 chains sawing it. We also have learned we have a pecan tree which is exciting. I'm hoping it will produce well, even if we might not be up to harvesting all of them. Maybe we will get to have pecan pie with our own pecans! There are a number of irises blooming in our garden already some bearded and some not bearded. There is an Iris Festival this month. Next month there is a Rhododendron Festival in another place.
There are a lot of negative things going on in our country and the world, but God's Hand is still evident around us. I expect we will have many more reasons to feel our need to trust Him in the years to come.
The dogwood blossoms have been falling here, and now the green is showing more around us. It's like having the woods and the country mixed together here in the northeastern part of Tennessee. I still love the sights of California and having more stores close by, but I can also enjoy the beauty of God's creation here. For those coming to visit, I think you will enjoy it if you like nature... just be prepared for the accents and possibly hearing country music (but not in our house!).
Saturday, April 18, 2009
We got back yesterday from a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains and my Aunt & Uncle's home in North Carolina. We had money back to spend at Costco, and my Dad & sister bought shoes on the trip. I also got some items. It was cloudy until later in the day on the day we went to the National Park. Still, there were pretty flowers, the stream/creek, lots of trees and thick fog that was kind of fun there. Also, we saw a little bit of waterfalls, but we didn't go to the ones mentioned online. We still haven't seen Cades Cove yet. Before we got there there was so much touristy places it assaulted the eyes. We stopped at a discount Christian bookstore and the Old Mill, etc. I also tried to follow a road into the park that didn't work out. It was a nature trail street. There are plenty of twists on the roads in the park, but then Tennessee seems to be full of those on the eastern half at least.
We got to see dogwoods on the trip(which we have some of in our yard as well), and other flowering trees. There are still bare trees now, but the drive was beautiful. We also saw a little of Asheville, and on the way back there was the Bear River on the way back home from Asheville. There was a lot of sunshine on the last two days of our trip, and my Aunt & Uncle were very hospitable the second night. We spent the first night in Cherokee at the Microtel Inn & Suites which was a good hotel, but it was hard to find it! I enjoyed looking at souvenirs and other interesting items at shops on our journey.
I plan to put some photos on the side.
Please pray for my friend who is leaving on a trip tomorrow. It is a nervous place to go, and the person is going there to encourage and be involved to do with missions. Also, it will be a new experience, so please pray for safety and culture awareness.
We got to see dogwoods on the trip(which we have some of in our yard as well), and other flowering trees. There are still bare trees now, but the drive was beautiful. We also saw a little of Asheville, and on the way back there was the Bear River on the way back home from Asheville. There was a lot of sunshine on the last two days of our trip, and my Aunt & Uncle were very hospitable the second night. We spent the first night in Cherokee at the Microtel Inn & Suites which was a good hotel, but it was hard to find it! I enjoyed looking at souvenirs and other interesting items at shops on our journey.
I plan to put some photos on the side.
Please pray for my friend who is leaving on a trip tomorrow. It is a nervous place to go, and the person is going there to encourage and be involved to do with missions. Also, it will be a new experience, so please pray for safety and culture awareness.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Updates & a Nation in Decline
An update to the previous post:
You will find Peter's letter about why he is not continuing as lead singer on the Newsboys website. http://newsboys.com/
I have been suffering with my fibromyalgia pain a lot lately and also spending time doing other things even while online, so that is why I have not even bothered to put new photos on until now.
A friend of mine is going on a trip soon and could use prayer.
I also would like to ask prayer for Karis who had organ transplants in the past that have now it seems been finally rejected by her body after many battles it seems. She will have a long wait for possible new organs, but there may not be a lot of hope on this earth for her. Still, God has worked it out for her to make it for a lot longer than people could have thought!
America seems to be going downhill fast with the current president helping to speed it up. He is allowing funding of all kinds of abortions, planning a way to limit free speech in a behind the scenes manner from what I read, trying to socialize medicine which would give more limits to more people to some treatments (people who don't have insurance now already are treated when they go in anyway), spending like mad when the country is in debt, and planning to raise taxes in various ways.
As that member of European Parliament Daniel Hannan so aptly put it, "You cannot spend your way out of recession or borrow your way out of debt,..."
That is exactly the strategy that is going on now in the U.S.A. as well! Crazy! Our country is up over our heads in debt it seems, and instead of calling on God and making wise decisions our leadership is spending like drunken sailors (not to insult sailors...as McCain would say) and begging for China to buy our debt.
I was very upset to learn the new tower to replace the world trade center is going to be called "One World Trade Center" (as apparently it was being called already) instead of "Freedom Tower." Well, the Chinese may be some of the first tenants which is really an insult in my opinion. I'm certainly not for a "One world" anything. The more countries do away with individuality the less freedom they have.
Well, those are my thoughts for the night, and it is quite late!
Please pray for the U.S. and Christians if you know the Lord. He is our hope, even if the country never turns back around.
You will find Peter's letter about why he is not continuing as lead singer on the Newsboys website. http://newsboys.com/
I have been suffering with my fibromyalgia pain a lot lately and also spending time doing other things even while online, so that is why I have not even bothered to put new photos on until now.
A friend of mine is going on a trip soon and could use prayer.
I also would like to ask prayer for Karis who had organ transplants in the past that have now it seems been finally rejected by her body after many battles it seems. She will have a long wait for possible new organs, but there may not be a lot of hope on this earth for her. Still, God has worked it out for her to make it for a lot longer than people could have thought!
America seems to be going downhill fast with the current president helping to speed it up. He is allowing funding of all kinds of abortions, planning a way to limit free speech in a behind the scenes manner from what I read, trying to socialize medicine which would give more limits to more people to some treatments (people who don't have insurance now already are treated when they go in anyway), spending like mad when the country is in debt, and planning to raise taxes in various ways.
As that member of European Parliament Daniel Hannan so aptly put it, "You cannot spend your way out of recession or borrow your way out of debt,..."
That is exactly the strategy that is going on now in the U.S.A. as well! Crazy! Our country is up over our heads in debt it seems, and instead of calling on God and making wise decisions our leadership is spending like drunken sailors (not to insult sailors...as McCain would say) and begging for China to buy our debt.
I was very upset to learn the new tower to replace the world trade center is going to be called "One World Trade Center" (as apparently it was being called already) instead of "Freedom Tower." Well, the Chinese may be some of the first tenants which is really an insult in my opinion. I'm certainly not for a "One world" anything. The more countries do away with individuality the less freedom they have.
Well, those are my thoughts for the night, and it is quite late!
Please pray for the U.S. and Christians if you know the Lord. He is our hope, even if the country never turns back around.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Peter Furler of the Newsboys Quitting As Lead Singer
I was confused by something I heard on the radio the other day. They were talking about Peter Furler not being the lead singer with the Newboys anymore or something like that, but that he was going to come back and be in Johnson City at the concert singing as well as Michael Tait.
I thought that the DJ was confused on station, but I have looked it up today and have seen others telling about the announcement of Michael Tait taking over as lead singer.
Peter Furler will just write and direct behind the scenes. He is not quitting the band entirely, and he may turn up now and then on the road.
That is very sad to me, because Peter Furler is pretty much the Newsboys in my opinion. I was thinking of maybe communicating on their site, but now I don't think I will.
It isn't that I dont like Michael Tait. It will just be a different group than before. Perhaps I will like the sound of the new group, but even with the name Newsboys it won't have the same sound or be the same. I'm confused at to whether Peter will keep being the lead or a backup singer on the albums. A further announcement will come on their website soon.
I can understand it that he doesn't want to keep traveling about in some ways, but it is still sad for fans. It won't be like Cliff Richard's long career, but then Peter is a married man and the road can be tiring for singers I've read or heard. If they switch during the concert tour that will be a disappointment to many people. Some might think that he is wanting the group to continue with someone younger. Michael Tait is not that young at all. He used to sing with DC Talk and then on his own, and he has got to also be in his 40's. That's not old, but for a singer it is unfortunately considered old to some. Peter is 42 until September 8th.
It is nice that he will continue to write, but he won't be lead singer ... at least at the concerts?
Anyway, I even more so want to get the In the Hands of God album where Peter is still the lead singer, in case we don't get to hear that either ever or much again!
It's disappointing to lose that unique sound that I enjoyed off and on over the years.
http://newsboys.com/2009/03/
http://www.newsboys.com/news.html
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=92459748&blogId=475619920
I thought that the DJ was confused on station, but I have looked it up today and have seen others telling about the announcement of Michael Tait taking over as lead singer.
Peter Furler will just write and direct behind the scenes. He is not quitting the band entirely, and he may turn up now and then on the road.
That is very sad to me, because Peter Furler is pretty much the Newsboys in my opinion. I was thinking of maybe communicating on their site, but now I don't think I will.
It isn't that I dont like Michael Tait. It will just be a different group than before. Perhaps I will like the sound of the new group, but even with the name Newsboys it won't have the same sound or be the same. I'm confused at to whether Peter will keep being the lead or a backup singer on the albums. A further announcement will come on their website soon.
I can understand it that he doesn't want to keep traveling about in some ways, but it is still sad for fans. It won't be like Cliff Richard's long career, but then Peter is a married man and the road can be tiring for singers I've read or heard. If they switch during the concert tour that will be a disappointment to many people. Some might think that he is wanting the group to continue with someone younger. Michael Tait is not that young at all. He used to sing with DC Talk and then on his own, and he has got to also be in his 40's. That's not old, but for a singer it is unfortunately considered old to some. Peter is 42 until September 8th.
It is nice that he will continue to write, but he won't be lead singer ... at least at the concerts?
Anyway, I even more so want to get the In the Hands of God album where Peter is still the lead singer, in case we don't get to hear that either ever or much again!
It's disappointing to lose that unique sound that I enjoyed off and on over the years.
http://newsboys.com/2009/03/
http://www.newsboys.com/news.html
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=92459748&blogId=475619920
Monday, March 9, 2009
Another Sad Day For America
Today is the day our current President undoes another good thing that our former President Bush did in office. President Bush limited funding for embryonic stem cell research to lines existing previously from before a certain date. That was because those babies were already dead, and they cannot be brought back to life. President Bush stopped federal funding from going to the destruction of human embryos which is human life.
Now, President Obama is rescinding that order, and now the taxpayers money will go to killing human life against the will of any well-educated Christian with a conscience.
Embryonic stem cell research is not necessary, and other means have been found that are actually moral and work better than killing a person when they are most helpless.
I realize that others were still killing these helpless people to do research apart from U.S. funding. It should have been made illegal.
As I have become more educated about such things, I question people having human life put together outside the womb at all. I know people are desperate to have babies, but I feel that God knows better than we do about how that should come about or if it should. Still, if a person chooses that route, if they are a Christian they can try to have every single baby that they have had put together outside the womb. They are still human and should not be discarded or treated like scientific guinea pigs.
I have heard on the radio an adoption group that takes some of these babies and puts them up for adoption for other women to have.
God is the Creator of human life after all, even when people put their finger in the pie and think they are creating life themselves. God created the egg and the sperm. He creates the DNA. He is the true Author of life no matter how we humans try to take control.
Is life so cheap? Just because these children haven't been allowed the luxury of a natural start inside the protection of a womb do we discard or do scientific research on them?
Some people wouldn't even allow an animal to be treated this way, but animals do not have a soul like a human. Animals and other creation were made for mankind, but man has a higher value even than these. We are made in God's image. Today, a president is planning to force people to pay for something against their conscience and against their God.
This is indeed a sad day for America.
Now, President Obama is rescinding that order, and now the taxpayers money will go to killing human life against the will of any well-educated Christian with a conscience.
Embryonic stem cell research is not necessary, and other means have been found that are actually moral and work better than killing a person when they are most helpless.
I realize that others were still killing these helpless people to do research apart from U.S. funding. It should have been made illegal.
As I have become more educated about such things, I question people having human life put together outside the womb at all. I know people are desperate to have babies, but I feel that God knows better than we do about how that should come about or if it should. Still, if a person chooses that route, if they are a Christian they can try to have every single baby that they have had put together outside the womb. They are still human and should not be discarded or treated like scientific guinea pigs.
I have heard on the radio an adoption group that takes some of these babies and puts them up for adoption for other women to have.
God is the Creator of human life after all, even when people put their finger in the pie and think they are creating life themselves. God created the egg and the sperm. He creates the DNA. He is the true Author of life no matter how we humans try to take control.
Is life so cheap? Just because these children haven't been allowed the luxury of a natural start inside the protection of a womb do we discard or do scientific research on them?
Some people wouldn't even allow an animal to be treated this way, but animals do not have a soul like a human. Animals and other creation were made for mankind, but man has a higher value even than these. We are made in God's image. Today, a president is planning to force people to pay for something against their conscience and against their God.
This is indeed a sad day for America.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Hero Worship
The other night my family & I were watching the movie Keeper of the Flame (1942), and I couldn't help but think of the similarity of the treatment of Obama to the man Robert Forrest I believe the name was.
Spencer Tracy was playing a writer who was wanting to write a biography on the life of a man who was known as a hero to Americans. He was able to interview the dead man's wife, but he has trouble getting to the truth. He becomes more troubled the more he learns, and things seem quite mysterious.
There is a man who the deceased used to serve under in the army who doesn't seem too excited about the dead "hero." There is the son of this same man whom Mr. Forrest served under who is upset that he wasn't allowed out in the storm to warn of the bridge collapse which is how the man died.
The boy seems to get sick over it, and then you later learn that his sister had worked for Mr. Forrest as a secretary. She had had a breakdown getting worn out worshiping the man. Apparently, Robert Forrest had that effect on people.
In the end, the truth finally comes out from the wife Christine Forrest. Mr. Forrest had changed. He looked down on the people who looked up to him and worshiped their hero.
He secretly was getting money from people and having articles printed in papers that were meant to stir up prejudice toward different kinds of people. He believed in his own kind of "Americanism." His wife had seen the face of fascism in her own home which the U.S. was fighting against in the World War.
It turned out that Christine Forrest could have warned her husband in the storm about the broken bridge, but she didn't. She had just learned the whole truth about her husband before that incident. She had already noted a change in him. A man came to the "arsenal" building where she was telling him - Steven O'Malley (Spencer Tracy) - the whole true story. Her husband's male secretary came and shot her and set the place on fire. Well, Spencer Tracy's character survived to write that Christine Forrest died a hero. He felt that the truth should come out about the supposed "hero" everyone had believed in.
Now, you wonder how I find a similarity to Obama in that? I will let you draw your own conclusions. The facts are not exactly the same, but there are some similarities to me.
People should never be worshiped. The truth will come out no matter how deceived people may be.
I plan to put the links in the previous post on a link on the side of my blog at some point before it disappears completely. I think it would be great to keep these available for the future.
Our family watched Fireproof again last night. It's a really great one with just a little bit of problems...not much. I still can pretty much recommend it though. It's only in Region 1 though still as far as I know.
I want to add a link of Tennessee birds here that I discovered on the web. Hopefully it is fine to do that. The person has no connection to me or my views.
http://www.pbase.com/brucecole/birds
We have seen cardinals, blue jays, wild turkeys, robins, etc. here.
Spencer Tracy was playing a writer who was wanting to write a biography on the life of a man who was known as a hero to Americans. He was able to interview the dead man's wife, but he has trouble getting to the truth. He becomes more troubled the more he learns, and things seem quite mysterious.
There is a man who the deceased used to serve under in the army who doesn't seem too excited about the dead "hero." There is the son of this same man whom Mr. Forrest served under who is upset that he wasn't allowed out in the storm to warn of the bridge collapse which is how the man died.
The boy seems to get sick over it, and then you later learn that his sister had worked for Mr. Forrest as a secretary. She had had a breakdown getting worn out worshiping the man. Apparently, Robert Forrest had that effect on people.
In the end, the truth finally comes out from the wife Christine Forrest. Mr. Forrest had changed. He looked down on the people who looked up to him and worshiped their hero.
He secretly was getting money from people and having articles printed in papers that were meant to stir up prejudice toward different kinds of people. He believed in his own kind of "Americanism." His wife had seen the face of fascism in her own home which the U.S. was fighting against in the World War.
It turned out that Christine Forrest could have warned her husband in the storm about the broken bridge, but she didn't. She had just learned the whole truth about her husband before that incident. She had already noted a change in him. A man came to the "arsenal" building where she was telling him - Steven O'Malley (Spencer Tracy) - the whole true story. Her husband's male secretary came and shot her and set the place on fire. Well, Spencer Tracy's character survived to write that Christine Forrest died a hero. He felt that the truth should come out about the supposed "hero" everyone had believed in.
Now, you wonder how I find a similarity to Obama in that? I will let you draw your own conclusions. The facts are not exactly the same, but there are some similarities to me.
People should never be worshiped. The truth will come out no matter how deceived people may be.
I plan to put the links in the previous post on a link on the side of my blog at some point before it disappears completely. I think it would be great to keep these available for the future.
Our family watched Fireproof again last night. It's a really great one with just a little bit of problems...not much. I still can pretty much recommend it though. It's only in Region 1 though still as far as I know.
I want to add a link of Tennessee birds here that I discovered on the web. Hopefully it is fine to do that. The person has no connection to me or my views.
http://www.pbase.com/brucecole/birds
We have seen cardinals, blue jays, wild turkeys, robins, etc. here.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Great Pastors & Church Worship Music
I was thinking that it might be nice to mention and share some links of the sermons of pastors that I have listened to before and have respect for. I have sat under the teaching in person of all of these men before except one.
It is very difficult sometimes to find great teaching, so it's nice to supplement church by listening to some of these pastors.
Of course, we still need to not neglect the asssembling of ourselves as Christians, but we can add some especially excellent teaching and great worship songs separately to help us either to grow in knowledge and to worship all the more. I may not agree 100% with some of the teaching of these godly men, but I know I would agree with them on many things anyway.
Here are the sites:
Pastor David Forsyth
http://www.foothillbiblechurch.org/site/audiodownloads.asp?sec_id=140000708&nc=1234192242784
Pastor John MacArthur
http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons
Pastor Scott Ardavanis
http://www.placeritachurch.com/site/audiodownloads.asp?sec_id=140005082
Pastor Jack Hughes
http://www.calvarybiblechurch.org/Sermons.aspx/Year/2009
Besides Chris Tomlin and the Newsboys and many others who have good worship music, one church I attended used some songs from this site:
http://www.sovereigngracemusic.org/albums
Well, I haven't listened to them all, but there are some good ones I think!
I still especially like the songs Grace Unmeasured and Jesus, Thank You.
*By the way, comments do not seem to make it to me unless I send it myself. If you know my e-mail address and want to comment just send me an e-mail with comments to blog and I can try posting it in comments myself. Sorry about that.
It is very difficult sometimes to find great teaching, so it's nice to supplement church by listening to some of these pastors.
Of course, we still need to not neglect the asssembling of ourselves as Christians, but we can add some especially excellent teaching and great worship songs separately to help us either to grow in knowledge and to worship all the more. I may not agree 100% with some of the teaching of these godly men, but I know I would agree with them on many things anyway.
Here are the sites:
Pastor David Forsyth
http://www.foothillbiblechurch.org/site/audiodownloads.asp?sec_id=140000708&nc=1234192242784
Pastor John MacArthur
http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons
Pastor Scott Ardavanis
http://www.placeritachurch.com/site/audiodownloads.asp?sec_id=140005082
Pastor Jack Hughes
http://www.calvarybiblechurch.org/Sermons.aspx/Year/2009
Besides Chris Tomlin and the Newsboys and many others who have good worship music, one church I attended used some songs from this site:
http://www.sovereigngracemusic.org/albums
Well, I haven't listened to them all, but there are some good ones I think!
I still especially like the songs Grace Unmeasured and Jesus, Thank You.
*By the way, comments do not seem to make it to me unless I send it myself. If you know my e-mail address and want to comment just send me an e-mail with comments to blog and I can try posting it in comments myself. Sorry about that.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
My New Blog Site : KT Under Grace
I thought I would do a new site, and I saw that this was the kind of blog that someone else was using that I read at times. Hopefully it won't be more trouble than it's worth!
I plan to share thoughts or photos as I feel like. I may add other things on the site, but I don't want to be a slave to it! I'm going to try doing this where others can see it at first, but if it becomes a problem I will change to a sign in only one.
That means I want to be careful about which photos I select, etc.
I plan to share thoughts or photos as I feel like. I may add other things on the site, but I don't want to be a slave to it! I'm going to try doing this where others can see it at first, but if it becomes a problem I will change to a sign in only one.
That means I want to be careful about which photos I select, etc.