Freedoms

Here in the United States, we are blessed with many freedoms.  Freedom of Speech, Religion, Press, Assembly, Petition, the Right to Bear Arms, “No-Quartering”, the Right to Equal Justice, the Right to Own Private Property, and many other rights including the Freedom to live or travel anywhere in our nation, to work at any job for which we can qualify, to marry and raise a family, to receive a free education in public schools, to join a political party, a union and other legal groups…

The Glory of God is that we are Free from Sin when we accept the gift of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.  Freedom in Christ is more important than any of these ‘freedoms’ we have in our country – because we gain eternal life when we become a child of God and become dead to sin.  As we surrender daily to our Lord, we are given Grace [the power to obey] and the ability to continue to say NO to sin; yahoo!

We have been in the Book of Romans at Church and this past Sunday the ‘big idea’ was: We have a choice; serve sin and die or serve Christ and live forever!  

Happy May Day

Although May Day is an ancient spring festival; I always think of making paper baskets and flowers or picking flowers and leaving them on our front door for my mom when I was young :-)

Spring Visit and Resurrection Sunday

The last weekend of March, I went out of town to visit with my dad and his wife.  What a great weekend it was!  I’ve wanted cowboy (girl) boots for ages and purchased some *early birthday gift to me*; we went to a couple of craft stores; ate rosemary fries; crocheted; ate pizza; played cards *313* and had wonderful fellowship.  They live just blocks from the Tulip Farm (see pic)!  It makes for a busy road but the tulips are gorgeous.

Yesterday was Resurrection Sunday and I hope you all were as blessed as me in the remembering of our Lord’s sacrificial death and rising from the grave.  What hope He gives all who believe in His life!

Acts 4:12  Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.

Bible Study Group

I have been in my Bible study group for about 3 ½ years now.  It is such a blessing to forge relationships with other Christian women.  We are from different backgrounds and run the gamut of ages from early 30s to 70s.

I have just embarked on co-leading (facilitating) a new Bible study for ladies on Sundays during one of our church services.  This will enable women to use the child care that is available, if needed.  We have prayed over the room, resources and our willingness to be used by the Lord.  We have been informed that we are a total of 8 commencing this weekend.  The Lord is good!

Learning and drinking in the Word, being accountable to sisters-in-Christ and being a servant for the Lord are all things I am praying come of this group.

Modest Dressing and Headcovering Anniversary

February, 2015 marked my two year anniversary of modestly dressing in skirts/dresses and wearing a headcovering daily.

I have been the only lady in my church to wear a headcovering.  Just this last Sunday, I had a lady (whom I have done volunteer work with) come up to me before service started and begin to ask about my modest dressing and headcovering – did I make my own headcovering?  Were the changes I made hard?  She had been convicted through a variety of situations and confirmed with her husband as the head of house.

I am so thrilled to have another Sister in Christ who headcovers. I did not ask if it was just during church or always as I do.  Either way, I was blessed with our conversation.

I did let her know that my headcoverings are purchased from www.garlandsofgrace.com and I am blessed by that group of sisters.

The Lord is good!

Christian Fiction

I just finished reading The Daughters of Boston series and The Winds of Change series which continues with the same characters.  Author Julie Lessman ( www.julielessman.com ) has done a superb job writing about a family named O’Connor which takes place at the beginning of the 20^th Century.  If you want to read a saga of faith, hope and love with a bit of history added in, please check these two series out!

I love books that share the Christian faith with those who are reading them.  I enjoy other types of books but Christian ones are my favorite as I get such a blessing and much encouragement from reading them.

Winter Continues ~ Grace Abounds

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow yesterday…which predicts another 6 weeks of winter.

I have to laugh at that since the official First Day of Spring is March 20^th – 7 weeks away.

The poor creature – who wouldn’t be scared after being ripped out of a cozy bed and thrust into the ‘limelight’!

I am sure the East Coast is dreading another six weeks of winter.  However, over here in the Pacific Northwest, we have had an extremely mild winter.  I’m not sure what that will mean for the spring/summer months…drought?

As a Christian, I put my faith in the Lord.  This is for all aspects of my life, not just weather J  As a human, I fall short of that goal.  However, God’s grace and mercy are in abundance and cover my failings.  Thank you Lord!