The Value of Previous Generations

Looking back on the heritage that my Grandparents left I have realized that as they have passed on, and as the remainder of their friends pass on, their generation is leaving a void of many great things.  Their generation had their priorities straight in so many ways and quite possibly just didn't have as many things to keep busy with and therefore the important things were easier to focus on.

There are some things that I saw in my grandparents that I do not want to forget and would like to carry the torch forward as I continue to parent and eventually become a grandparent.  I hope that I can help shrink the void that their generation is sure to leave.

Some of these things included...

When people come over to visit you stop whatever you are doing and be with them.  Shut of the TV, music and other distractions because time with people is more valuable than anything else you could possibly be doing.  Value the relationships that you have and always take time to invest in new ones.

What good food tastes like!  Whether it is pickles, peas, peppernuts, jam or mashed potatoes... everything just tastes better when it is home grown and home made!

Never say anything negative about anyone.  They taught me about unconditional love and acceptance.  I don't actually recall ever hearing negative come from my grandparents about anyone.  

Be faithful in prayer.  I was thankful to have grandparents that prayed.  I am sure that their prayers got me through some tougher times in life.  

Be honest and trustworthy.  Say it like it is not any different.  Always keep your word.  Never say anything misleading or dishonest.  Always tell the truth.

Life is better when you share sweets and treats.  Whether it was m&m's or beet pickles grandparents always seemed to have that special something "just for you".  

Life is too short to complain.  I never heard my grandma complain once the whole time she struggled with arthritis.  Come to think of it I never once heard any of the 4 grandmas that I had the priviledge to know complain at all.  They were too busy making you feel special and like you mattered.  

Family is important.  Family time is always priority and they are worth being proud of!

Be content with what you have.  If it breaks find a way to fix it.  If you live life simply and be content with what you have you don't always feel like you need to purchase more.  It gives you more time and money to spend on things that are important... like family.

Help those in need.  Visiting the sick or the lonely and making quilts to keep the poor warm were some of the ways my grandparents helped those in need pratically.  My grandma also donated blood quite often.  If it is in your power to fill a need when you see a need then do it.

I am sure there are many more lessons that I have learned from each of my grandparents over the years that have helped to make me into the person that I am today.  These are the ones that come to mind most often.  

Scriptures for my 40th Year

From my sister Kendra:

Psalm 18:30

30 As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

From my sister Tamara:

Joshua 1:9

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

From my aunt Evan & uncle Lorne

Deuteronomy 6:5

5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

From my Freind DeLee:

Jeremiah 29:11

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

From my mom:

Isaiah 40:31

31 But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Ephesians 3:14-19

14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,[a] 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

My aunt Caron passed on these scriptures to encourage me:

1 Thessalonians 3:12
May the Master pour on the love so it fills your lives and splashes over on everyone around you.

Romans 8:37
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God.  I will strengthen you , yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Deuteronomy 31:8
And the lord, He is the one who goes before you.  He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.

Isaiah 54:13
All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall the peace of your children

Philemon 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

1 John 4:4
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Psalm 107:20-22
He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.  Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!  Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare His works with rejoicing.

Other Greats!

Isaiah 26:3

3 You will keep in perfect peace
    all who trust in you,
    all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Philippians 4:6-7

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 91

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
    he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
    and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
    He will shelter you with his wings.
    His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
    nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
    though ten thousand are dying around you,
    these evils will not touch you.
8 Just open your eyes,
    and see how the wicked are punished.

9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
    if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
    no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels
    to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
    so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
    you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
    I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
    I will be with them in trouble.
    I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
    and give them my salvation.”

Psalm 34:19

19 The righteous person faces many troubles,
    but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

Psalm 32:8

8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
    I will advise you and watch over you.

John 16:13

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.

Jeremiah 32:17

17 “O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!

Matthew 19:26

26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

Mark 9:23

23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

Exodus 15:26

26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”

Exodus 23:25

25 “You must serve only the Lord your God. If you do, I[a] will bless you with food and water, and I will protect you from illness.

John 15:5-9

5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.

Turning 40... What Already!

Today I turn 40.  Really I have no negative feelings towards this day whatsoever.  I probably had more anxiety when I turned 30.  I am looking forward to the next 2/3rd's of my life and being used in whatever capacity God wants.  It should be quite the adventure since life never seems to get boring.

Thank you to all who made this day special for me.  The notes, pictures, flowers, candy, visits at the lake with a few people and all the greetings on facebook.  Here is a glimse into what a blessing my day was:

This was a puppy that was left behind at the cabin... and a beautiful bouquet of flowers that I received from my Aunt Caron.

This is what happen's when you have 3 four year old's for photographers!

Faith Comes by Hearing

These are a series of scriptures that God has etched in my mind as He has drawn me to His word and caused me to fall in love with His Holy Scriptures.

Proverbs 4:20-22
My son attend to my  words; incline your hear to my sayings.  Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart.  For they are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

When these verses first jumped off the page at me, I remember God pointing out that it didn't matter where I was reading in the Bible, He would use every word to bring life and health to my weak body.

John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father,) full of grace and truth.

Jesus is literally a part of every word we read in Scriptures.  He was the word, He was with God, He is God, He became flesh and lived with us!  Which means the power and authority that we are given by Jesus Christ, which gives us access as equals to the inheritance of heaven, is encased in each and every word we read as well.

Matthew 4:4 (Deuteronomy 8:3)
But He answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

I know in my life this is very true.  Most days I need God's word more than I need food to keep my body healthy and strong.  My immune system is sustained by the word of God.

Romans 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing and hearing y the word of God.

You need faith to please God and to come to His throne boldly.  The way to get faith is to hear God's word.

Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

There is sacrifice in diligently seeking God but the rewards far outweigh anything I need to give up to seek His face.

2 Timothy 3:15-17
And that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be adequate, perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works.

God is a Great Artist!

Do you see it?  This was just out of Rosthern... amazing clouds and the beginning of a rainbow on the horizon.

As I continued the rainbow began to creep up towards the sky and get brighter!

You could see all the colors so clearly (these photos don't do it justice really)

And by the time I got the the Wakaw turn off...

it was a full arch!! So beautiful.

Then the sunset was so gorgeous reflected on those clouds!

These photos don't show that really the only sign of rain the whole trip was in front of me in that one cloud formation... the rest of the sky was scattered clouds with promise of clear skies :-)  When I got to the cabin the lake was calm and reflecting the sunset.