"In Christ Alone"

The Getty's just happen to be my favorite musical group.  

And probably will be till I die.  

Their music is so Biblically accurate and it reaches to the depths of my soul!

Today, January 31st, is the 10th anniversary of their song, "In Christ Alone".  

You can listen to it here and have your heart encouraged!

You can also find good deals on their recordings.

Genesis = Today

Just finished reading the book of Genesis again.  Whew ... this book could sound like a modern day afternoon television program.  There is a little bit of everything found in Genesis .....

     distrust, lies, (Abraham, Laban)

     deceiving your father/husband (Rebekah, Jacob)

      unfaithfulness to daughters (Lot)

      unfaithfulness to wife (Abraham)

      doubting God's promises (Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, Rachel)

      murder (Simeon, Levi)

      hatred of siblings, betrayal of siblings (Joseph's siblings)

      immorality (Sodom)

      rape (Shechem)

     liars (Joseph's brothers)

and the list goes on and on......

I am reminded of God's  soverignity  in each and every life and situation.  Then and now.  Those things that we abhor and think "how could they" God used for good to accomplish His ways.  And so He continues to do today.  Not in Joseph's wildest thoughts, when he was sold to some Ishmaelites, did he ever imagine that he would be "set over all the land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:41).  That God would use him to preserve his very own family from starvation and extinction.

What an encouragement it is to know that this same God sees and knows all things.  Just as He was sovereign over the lives of the people in Genesis, so He is sovereign over all the details of our lives today.

Trust Him !

"This God--His way is perfect;

the word of the LORD proves true;

He is a shield for all those who

take refuge in Him."

2 Samuel 22:31

  

HE is ...... in every Book

of the Bible.  

In this song, by Aaron Joeffrey, they talk about who God is or how He is represented in each Book of the Bible.  I have been thinking lately about the 'Scarlet Cord of Redemption' found from the beginning (Genesis) right on through the book of Revelation.  This song helped me visualize today just how Awesome my God is!

In Genesis, He's the breath of life

In Exodus, the Passover Lamb

In Leviticus, He's our High Priest

Numbers, The fire by night

Deuteronomy, He's Moses' voice

In Joshua, He is salvation's choice

Judges, law giver

In Ruth, the kinsmen-redeemer

First and second Samuel, our trusted prophet

In Kings and Chronicles, He's sovereign

Ezra, true and faithful scribe

Nehemiah, He's the rebuilder of broken walls and lives

In Esther, He's Mordecai's courage

In Job, the timeless redeemer

In Psalms, He is our morning song

In Proverbs, wisdom's cry

Ecclesiastes, the time and season

In the Song of Solomon, He is the lover's dream

He is, He is, HE IS!

In Isaiah, He's Prince of Peace

Jeremiah, the weeping prophet

In Lamentations, the cry for Israel

Ezekiel, He's the call from sin

In Daniel, the stranger in the fire

In Hosea, He is forever faithful

In Joel, He's the Spirits power

In Amos, the arms that carry us

In Obadiah, He's the Lord our Savior

In Jonah, He's the great missionary

In Micah, the promise of peace

In Nahum, He is our strength and our shield

In Habakkuk and Zephaniah, He's pleading for revival

In Haggai, He restores a lost heritage

In Zechariah, our fountain

In Malachi, He is the son of righteousness rising with healing in His wings

He is, He is, HE IS!

In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, He is God, Man, Messiah

In the book of Acts, He is fire from heaven

In Romans, He's the grace of God

In Corinthians, the power of love

In Galatians, He is freedom from the curse of sin

Ephesians, our glorious treasure

Philippians, the servants heart

In Colossians, He's the Godhead Trinity

Thessalonians, our coming King

In Timothy, Titus, Philemon He's our mediator and our faithful Pastor

In Hebrews, the everlasting covenant

In James, the one who heals the sick.

In First and Second Peter, he is our Shepherd

In John and in Jude, He is the lover coming for His bride

In the Revelation, He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords

He is, He is, HE IS!

The prince of peace

The Son of man

The Lamb of God

The great I AM

He's the alpha and omega

Our God and our Savior

He is Jesus Christ the Lord

and when time is no more

He is, HE IS!

Who could ask for anything more!

HE IS all we need for life & godliness!


If you have 7 minutes, here is a link to 
watch & listen to this song.  

Friday .... funnies

After many years of faithful use

my curling iron quit heating.

When I buy something my thought process goes something like this.

If I just use it once in a while.....I can buy any kind.

However, if it is something I use every day

I like to make sure I am getting the best for our hard earned dollar.

So after researching products I decided to buy a 

"Hot Tools" curling iron.

My mother in law needed a new one also....so I bought two.

It looks nice.  It works well.  The spring is nice and tight.  

It heats up fast.  The temperature dial is easy to see and to set.

Perfect.  It was a little more than a Wal Mart curling iron but

I was willing to pay a bit more as I will be using it almost every day.

I sat down to read the directions and it told me all the normal

things you would expect to read about something electrical.

Like ---------

 Don't leave it unattended when plugged in. 

(Who would do that !??!)

Turn off the switch when not in use.   

Use only for intended purpose.

Never operate this appliance if it has a damaged cord or plug.

Then there were several surprising instructions:

THIS CURLING IRON IS HOT WHEN IN USE.
(Really ? ? ... )

 DO NOT LET EYES AND BARE SKIN TOUCH HEATED SURFACES.
(I must not have read those instructions when I burned my forehead AND my fingers!)

  

But the one that really got me laughing was this.

NEVER USE WHILE SLEEPING!!

I will keep that in mind while using my new curling iron!

Like Father ..... Like Son

In Genesis chapters 20 and 26 some very remarkable things take place.

Chapter 20 finds Abraham lying about his wife Sarah.

Telling Abimelech that she is not his wife but his sister.

And he did this mostly to protect HIMSELF.

Isaac was not born yet.  He did not hear his father tell this lie.

(Which in reality is a half truth....which makes it a half lie ? ? )  lol

Chapter 26 finds Isaac telling the same lie to a different Abimelech.

The same old sin of deception raises its ugly head....just like it did in his father's life.

Isaac put Rebekah's purity on the line....for ......  HIMSELF!

Both of these men had an ungodly ruler rebuke them for their deception.

That must have really hurt!

To think that these Abimelech's or ungodly rulers had higher standards

then these men whom God had spoken with....is hard to understand.

In God's soverignity, neither Sarah nor Rebecah was harmed.

That is a true blessing and encouragement to me.  

Our purity matters to Him.  He is pleased and honored by our purity.

Even though the 'protectors' in these women's lives made some horrible mistakes,

God's protection was there....guarding....keeping.....preserving!

I read a little commentary that was encouraging to me about these chapters.

Because, I too, am a sinner, and my children watch......and perhaps follow in my footsteps.

"Our children walk in our footsteps.  They must come to a personal relationship with the Savior,

 the LORD Jesus Christ.  Our children must begin at the point we did.  

Then they must be allowed to make mistakes as we did

 in order that they may come to a more mature faith 

and trust in the God who has called them.

We prefer that our kids not make the same mistakes we did. 

But Isaac did walk in a path nearly identical to that of his father. 

 Let 's be willing to allow our children to fail and to grow in the way God has purposed.  

Much as we would prefer it otherwise, our children cannot begin 

to relate to God on the level of our walk.  

They must start at the beginning.

  

We can best help our children by making certain that our footsteps 

are such that we would want our children to walk in them.  

If our children's lives are to mirror our own,

 what an awesome responsibility we have as parents to walk

 a path of obedience and submission to the will and ways of our God."

--B. Deffinbaugh

How are your "footsteps" today?

Whats Your Name ?

Thinking some more about Peter.

His birth name was Simon.  

A common first century Palestinian name. 

When Jesus first met him, he named him Cephas, 

which is Aramaic for 'rock'.

Peter is the Greek equivalent to Cephas.
"... you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church..."
Matthew 18:16

Throughout the New Testament, 

Peter was sometimes called Simon,

when referring to his mother in law (Luke 4:38)
 or his business (Luke 5:3,10)

But he was also called Simon to mark key failures in his life......

those times when he acted like his 'old' unregenerate self.
Like when Jesus was grieved at Peter's inability to stay awake
while He was praying in the Garden (Mark 14:37).
Or when Peter was proud and overconfident in Luke 22
and Jesus said to him,
"Simon, Simon, satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat."
The last time (John 21:15-17) Jesus called him Simon
is when the disciples fished all night and caught nothing....
back on the beach Jesus asked him,
"Simon, son of John, do you love Me.?"
Three times Peter affirmed his love for the LORD.
But from that point on......Peter, the rock, lived up to his name.
He was a leader amongst the disciples, he preached the gospel fearlessly,
he boldly confronted Jewish authorities
and did not hesitate to judge sin in the churches.
Through Peter's ministry the NT church was opened to the Gentiles.

Sometimes I wonder what the LORD's name is for me....
It is written down in the Lamb's Book of Life.
"And if anyone's name was not found written in the Book of Life,
he was thrown into the lake of fire." Rev. 20:15

My parents named me Kathryn, which means"pure".
In high school I was mocked/teased and called "Polly Pure Body"
But I don't always live my life in a pure way.

Everybody calls me Kathy......but perhaps......
Perhaps some days the LORD would look at me
 and see me acting like my old regenerate self....
 and I would more appropriately be called
Greedy, or Selfish, or Critical.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY - FIRST BORN

Thirty four years ago today yesterday !

God allowed me to

 became a mother to a living, breathing son.

He is my firstborn.

He has become many things in life:

a student, a piano player, a trumpet player, a music writer,

a home schooled student, a high school graduate,

a college student/graduate, a husband, a father,

a student of the Word, a lover of the Truth,

a business owner, a home owner and many, many more.

BUT

the greatest and most lasting mark he has made is that he is

a man of God.

Not perfect, not without fault, 

but one who is striving daily to be

holy, sanctified, set apart for his Master's use.

And for that, I thank my LORD,

and pray that his life will continue to be 

"to the praise and glory of the One who ransomed him."

Happy Birthday Jeremy ....... my love and prayers.

Lois & Jeremy
Chloe, Samuel & Lydia

ps.  Jeremy has a blog if you want to check it out.
and for that matter he has two blogs!

Pondering on Peter

I have been thinking about Peter.  

Some call him "impetuous Peter." Meaning that he responded quickly to situations, 

often without thinking about his actions.  Hmmmm..... sometimes I do that!

When Jesus chose his disciples, he chose men who were just like you and me.  

Not perfect men.  Not men who had arrived in their 'holiness'.  

But men with flaws.  Men with personality quirks.  

Men who needed to be transformed into the image of Christ.  

Men who needed to be continually sanctified or set apart for their Master's use. 

 Jesus found Peter tending to his "fishing business" near the Sea of Galilee. 

"He said to them (Peter &  his brother Andrew),

Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. 

Immediately they left their nets and followed Him."

That's amazing  because these two fishermen 

made their living by catching fish.

Peter had a family & a home to support.

Yet, at the call of Jesus.....

a Man whom they likely didn't know too much about,

because Jesus' ministry was just geting started,

they left their livelihood, 

all that they knew as 'normal' 

and followed Him. 

This morning I was reading in Genesis 12, 

about another man who obeyed His God. 

"Now the LORD said to Abram,

 'Go from your country and your kindred 

and your father's house to the land that I will show you....."

And in verse 4 it says, "So Abram went...".

It is beautiful to have examples like Peter & Abram,

 and many others, who obeyed the Word of God.

Not knowing what lay ahead. 

Not knowing how they would be provided for.

Not know so many things......yet they obeyed their God.

This challenges me to be aware of my obedience to Him. 

In small things.  In big things.

Know what the Word of God says.  Obey what the Word of God says.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart!

Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there be any grievous way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting!"

Psalm 139:23-24

BRIANN TURNS 9 ! ! !

Last Tuesday we celebrated Briann's 9th birthday.  Family and friends were there for a good supper.  It included Jalon's now famous 'salsa'.  Complete with avocados in it.   

Briann is a very special young lady!! She loves life....and loves having fun.  She's a great soccer player and sings in a choir.  AND she always has

hugs and kisses for me.....

I use to get to sew on her AWANA patches......but now the level she is in does not give patches.  

I pray she will always be

hiding God's Word in her heart!!

She had these VERY YUMMY brownies

with homemade ice cream for her birthday dessert.

She excitedly and politely opened all her birthday gifts and then declared

"I got EVERYTHING I wanted."

Some of the cousins played "Uno Attack" and had fun.  When I was taking their picture they begged......can we take a funny one Gramma???

So here they are.......... not sure where they learned that ! ! !

My prayer for you, Briann, is that you would know the LORD God 

and love Him with all your heart. 

And that your desire would always be to please and honor Him.....

I  LOVE  YOU  BRIANN  MARIE  !  !

Yesterday, on our way to CA, we viewed the marvels of God's creation from above the clouds. We commented on how neat it was to see the tops of the mountains poking thru the clouds. Well...because of dense fog at the Sale Lake airport and not enough fuel to circle for awhile....we diverted to Twin Falls Idaho, a VERY SMALL airport.   Meanwhile our flight crew "timed out" which means in their words....NO ONE IS GOING ANYWHERE!! Didn't matter where you were headed or how angry you got or what you were going to miss or even if you were a grown man and cried!!

Leaving out lots of funny details.....two hours later two huge coach busses arrived to take us to Salt Lake City airport.  SO.....we got to see Gods marvelous creation, again, this time close up.  And it was still truly beautiful and amazing.

The pilot said.  at first, that it was a two maybe 2.5 hr trip.  The bus driver said 4 hrs and he was right. The bus kept overheating going up those passes.  But we made it safe and are thankful.

We occupied ourselves by listening to the Gettys and finding out if you have the free version of Scrabble you can only play if you have I internet.

Eddy Turns THREE

Since Myron and I will be out of town when Eddy has his birthday party we went early to party with him.  On the drive out there I was reminded of the day of his birth and the LORD's protection over Jared, Jill and their kiddos.

Jill was on her way in for her scheduled C section, with the three girls all strapped safely in their car seats, when she hit a patch of ice and ended up in a pretty deep ditch.....thankfully to the LORD.....the ditch was very full of snow. Everyone was ok.  It was a scary time but another instance of God's sovereign care in our lives.  

Here is a picture of Jared, attempting to light three little birthday candles with a TORCH!!  Jill soon found some matches.

Eddy was fascinated by the candles as they kept coming back on and on and on and on.  After many laughs and lots of spit we finally put them out with water.

Eddy is our very special 10th grandchild. (And every one of them is VERY special!)

Thanks for the fun time and the memories!  

We love you Eddy!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY --- EDDY !

The Little Professor

Turned Pirate

Eddy - you are so blessed to have those big sisters who love you so much....

and can transform you into a Pirate or Indian in no time at all!!

We pray that you will come to know and trust  our LORD Jesus as your Savior 

while you are still a little boy.  And if our LORD does not come for us soon....

that you will live your life for His honor & glory.

Our Love and  Prayers ......Gramma and Grampa M...

ps.  I took these pictures off of Jill's blog.  To see more you can go here and here.

We laughed so hard at these sweet little pictures. 

What is THAT ?

Jeshanah and I have a little cleaning business together.  We clean & she gets paid! 

Works good for both of us!  

The house we were cleaning last week is owned by the man who was the principal

at Moorhead High School when I was in High School!  So you know that this couple is

well, kinda old.  They have some strange things in their house! 

Anyway last week when we were cleaning we found this

'thing' pictured above laying on the counter.  I picked it up and she asked, "what is THAT"?

I said, "it's a typewriter eraser".  She said whats a typewriter?   After explaining that is is 

just an old fashioned keyboard...she understood and then wondered how it could be an eraser.

I showed her how it turned like a wheel and then had a little brush attached to brush off all

the little 'eraser debris'.  She agreed that folks of yesteryear were so creative!

Reminded me of the time when one of my other daughters saw an old fashioned 'dial' phone at my parents house and was wondering how it worked! 

"Invention is the mother of necessity."

Eternal, Infallible, Inspired .....

Incredible, Amazing, Heart Warming

Wow!  I didn't know there were so many Bible reading plans available.  

When JoAnna was in early High School we read through the Chronological Bible.  I tend to think of the events, especially in the Old Testament, as happening in the order we find them written.  But our Bible  is not written in the order it happened.  So reading through chronologically every now and then is good for me. Its been a few years and I think that will be my choice for 2011. Here you can find many different plans......maybe one that is just right for you.
As you think about your 'goals' for the coming year...
put reading the Bible EVERY DAY
at the top of your list!