She Graces Her Home In God's Beauty

Changes for 2020 ~

2020-01-06T05:00:00.001-07:00

It was a cold frosty day as I walked along the creek
on our quiet mountain road.
I snapped these photos trying to capture the beauty
of the icy covered creek.

Why, even the willow branches were graced with ice crystal's.

A beautiful sight for sure!

Winter is my favorite season and I believe we can enjoy

it's beauty if we go through our days with a right heart attitude.

God's creation with all four season's is magnificent

and each season has a purpose that unfolds amazing beauty
for our everyday enjoyment.
Thank you God!

"To every thing there is a season,

and a time to every purpose

under the heaven."

~ Ecclesiastes 3:1 ~

There is One who keeps the world (and our lives) in order,

that is God.

He is the One who causes all things to happen in their "seasons"

and gives everything a "purpose".

I see the season's changing in my own life.

With much quiet time and prayer with the Lord,
and contemplating over a few of my own personal reasons

I have come to the decision of not continuing with my Blog.

It will be a change for sure, but I believe God has a purpose

for my stepping away ~ from the computer especially.

This month marks three months short of six years when I wrote my first post here

and it was such a huge step for me!
I sincerely believe that God directed me to Blogging
and had a purpose for my life with this Blog, at that time for certain.

God has certainly been the center of each posting,

all 201 postings infact. 😊

Having this Blog has allowed me to share with so many of you

my love for Jesus and it has been pure joy!

I have met and made some wonderful friends establishing

some very beautiful friendships that I pray will continue

outside of this Blogging community.

While I will not be posting, I will continue to leave my Blog live
allowing God to use the postings He has faithfully guided me to share
in the hearts of those who may visit here.

My prayer is that readers will be blessed as they visit.

I see God taking me in a different direction now

and while I'm one who tries to do it all, I just can't, and God knows I can't;

therefore His plans and His purpose for me, are changing.

Thank you, for faithfully following, visiting and connecting

with me through your most delightful comments.

You have been awesome!

These last six years with my Blog have changed my life

in more ways than one, and ALL my praise goes to God!
"Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises
unto our God; for it is pleasant
and praise is comely {beautiful}."
While I'm looking to spend my time going down different avenues,

you may very well see a visit from me from time to time as I know I'm going

to want to swing by and see not only YOU, but your beauty.

~ ~ ☆ ☆ ♡ ☆ ☆ ~ ~

Each season has a joy it brings and with it's own song it sings ~
Each season represents a new cycle of life
as a reminder of God's loving grace.
God is so good to us!
As we allow Him into our lives, He will guide us lovingly,
step by step in the direction and down the paths
He has precisely chosen for each and every one of us.
God's purpose and plan for our lives is always for our very best!
Thank you God, for Your love towards us!
❤

Joy!
Debbie

Glory to God in the Highest ~

2019-12-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hello to you my dear and precious followers!

In the busyness of this season, the celebrations,

the shopping, the lights, the decorations, the parties

and all the glitter that comes with the season, I pray that you are

finding the time to reflect on the true joy, peace, hope

and love that the coming of the Christ child

makes possible for each and every one of us.

O to behold His glorious appearing!

~ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ~

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lowly exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

~ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ☆ ~♡ ~ ~

The hope of the world is a Savior.

On this Christmas Day find in your hearts time for Thanksgiving ~

"Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift."

{ 2 Corinthians 9:15 }

Christmas is a time for gifts...God's Christmas gift to you, is Eternal life.

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord."

{ Romans 6:23 }

By faith...you can receive God's greatest gift...Eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

~ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ~

"And she {Mary} brought forth her firstborn son,

and wrapped him in swaddling cloths,

and laid him in a manger; because there was no room

for them in the inn."

{ Luke 2:7 }

Jesus came to earth as a helpless, tiny seed planted

in the womb if a young Jewish virgin.

Forty weeks later, Jesus was born in a filthy stable in Bethlehem.

It's the Christmas miracle ~

"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."

{ John 1:14 }

Have you room in your heart for Jesus?

The very definition of our Lord is this:

"God is love { 1 John 4:8 }

" He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."

~ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ~

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world;

but that the world through him might be saved."

{ John 3: 16 -17 }

~ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ~

Merry Christmas!

For myself ~ I will be taking some time to reflect and enjoy Christmas.
This season is always my greatest time to reflect
on the past year and quietly spend alone time with the Lord.
It's a special time for me.

I'll see you back here in the New Year.
Take care and God bless you richly.

"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you

through the knowledge of God,

and of Jesus our Lord"

Joy!

Debbie

Where O Where have I Been!

2019-12-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Tulips...my most favorite flower of all.

And the color of these which is an orange/red makes them so very pretty!

These tulips were what I would consider perfect,
both in their color and in the length of time they graced my bedroom dresser.
Tulips...as we all know...do not last very long, but these were amazing!
I usually cut the stems as they continue to grow and begin to droop,
but not this time, instead I left them to themselves with plenty of space
and each day they were more stunning than the day before.

I was in awe each day with their beauty.
As the stems grew longer and they drooped downwards
it caused the flower to point directly at me as I stopped to enjoy their beauty;
oh I could see right into the center of the flower...gorgeous!
Maybe that's how we are to enjoy a tulip?
If you think about it, the center of a tulip is like a Kaleidoscope.
A tulip is short lived and fades quickly, sadly they are temporal.
But, the Word of God and His promises are Eternal.
"The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the Word of God stands forever.
~ Isaiah 40:8 ~
What matters in our lives is that we are following the leading of God's Word,
that we're on the right path, always eager to move forward,
willing to be transformed into the image of God,
day by day, moment by moment, by His Word.

It seems like Thanksgiving came and went so quickly.
My husband and I were able to enjoy Thanksgiving
and a few days with mom in Arizona.
Going away involves so much, but its always worth the effort.
We took both of our pets with us on this trip, Donatella and Binx our rabbit
and they were awesome travelers!
I made some mini mincemeat tarts for mom, her favorite.
They freeze well which makes them easy for traveling.

Before going away to Arizona we were blessed to have
our three oldest grandsons with us for a few day's.
They all have birthdays a month apart this time of year,
so it has become a tradition to celebrate their birthdays together
during their Thanksgiving school break.
When it comes to entertaining and throwing a party, that's my niche,
so of course I went all out making it special and memorable for them.
Our boys are turning 12 ~ 14 ~ 16 and that's a BIG WOW!
They were just babies not too long ago...where did those years go?!
Sometimes its hard to believe that our 4 grandsons are in the double digits now.
I can remember when our first grandson was born,
I said to my daughter, 'what am I supposed to do with that?!
I grew up with 3 sisters and each of us had girls, so boys
were all new to me.😉
Well...those grandsons have warmed their way right into my heart.

While we were in Arizona we took a drive through the
Saguaro National Park and this time through it was gorgeous!
This cactus looks so soft doesn't it, but don't be fooled, a cactus is a cactus.

With a touch of snow on the high mountain tops, along with the rain they had
we were able to see the river flowing as well as some water falls.
That was a first for me and I thoroughly enjoyed the beauty God afforded us.

Just a slow leisurely drive the day after Thanksgiving
added a beautiful touch to our time together.

These are water droplets on a bush in the National Park
and it appears that the plant was meant to collect the water like this.
God's creation really is intricate, isn't it?

We had good traveling weather both directions missing snow storms
both before going and returning home
allowing for some beautiful landscapes for our 14 hour drive each way.
The distant mountains in Utah were covered with fresh snow
on our way back home.
The red rock formation in front of the snow covered mountain
makes the white stand out even more so.
Just plain gorgeous!

These rock formations look like a painting, almost unreal.
Makes me think that they could be from another planet.

~ ~ ☆ ☆ ☆ ~ ~

This was a long overdue post, so thank you for taking the time
for a long visit.
I trust your days are beautiful as you make your way into December?
I hope to enjoy decorating our home this week
and preparing for Christmas in celebration of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
I'll be around to visit with you and see what
beauty you have to share.
God bless you!

Joy!
Debbie

Meet our Foxy Lady ~

2019-11-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

A great BIG Hello to each and every one of you!

Is it really possible that Thanksgiving (here in the States anyway)

is in less than two weeks?

October hit us hard with snow and some below freezing temps (-7)

but November has been absolutely beautiful with those

Colorado blue skies and warmer days,

in fact, the 28 inches of snow we had at our home

has nearly disappeared. Hard to believe that I was out on my

snowshoes twice with that awesome snow.

I'd like for you to meet our new friend Foxy Lady,

isn't she one gorgeous fox?!

She's the prettiest female we've seen on our property over the past 25 years.

Cooper, or White Paw as I called him (he had only one white paw) was an

older Male who became buddies with my husband, but never returned

after one hard winter. We think he died of old age, he seemed very wise

and I'm sure that's why he lived to be so old.

Cooper would take an egg right out of our hands ~ he sat with us

when we had a fire in the outside pit ~ played like a dog with my husband

and came around as if we were his family.

Unlike Cooper, Foxy Lady has yet to figure the egg out. 🤔

Hence ~ fox in the hen house.

She greets my husband at the garage when he arrives home from work ~

she waits on our front porch early every morning

to say Good Morning.

We find her curled up with that full and fluffy tail wrapped around her

keeping herself warm and snug.

My husband sits and talks with her on the deck, it's so cute.

Their buddies now.

Foxy Lady had two babies this Spring and brought them around

only a few times (sadly no pictures) but we have not seen her babies.

She's not as calm as Cooper was, she's always looking up and around,

maybe the mountain lion got her young ones as we've had a problem.
Look at those velvet legs and ears, she's gorgeous!

Foxy Lady wants to play with Donatella but I'm not so sure
she wants to bother with her.
Not knowing Donatella's story before we rescued her
leaves us uncertain of her social training as she doesn't
really pay much attention to other dogs or other animals
for that matter, she's kind of aloof.
We think she was used in a puppy mill, she's a lemon Beagle,
rare because she has no dark spots.

In this particular picture above my sweet Donatella
isn't feeling very well, so of course she isn't giving Foxy Lady
much of her attention.

Look at this darling face!
Donatella loves to sing for her Kong filled with treats in the morning
and twice I've caught her falling backwards onto her back...Yikes!
The vet told us that Beagles are known to have back problems
because their bodies are long so we need to be careful.
Well...a Beagle with no song...that is going to be hard to change.
Our vet did a laser treatment on Donatella's back,
Wow, it was amazing!
That girl was feeling better soon after we arrived home.

Isn't she precious.
It's been just over a week now and my baby girl is slowly returning back to herself.
Oh! I nearly forgot to mention that while we were waiting
for the vet in the exam room I was rubbing Donatella's ears...she loves that...
and I felt a bump behind her ear, I thought it was a wart,
she has been blessed with a few of those, poor darling.
Turns out it was an abscess from a spider bite. ☹
Poor, poor baby girl...
With each day she's growing stronger and stronger,
going up and down the stairs by herself, enjoying her walks
with a little more enthusiasm and staying close by my side
rather than sleep the day away.
I'm praising the Lord for His watch care over her
and for my wonderful veterinarian and her assistant.

"Sing aloud unto the God our strength:
make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob."
~ Psalm 81:1 ~

Joy!
Debbie

What Rolls off your Lipstick ?

2019-11-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

For years now, my mornings in my private little "girlie" bathroom
have been my time to ponder.
What do I ponder on you might ask?
Just about everything ~ from my family to this world's happenings
to the relationship I have with Jesus, (examining myself before God)
but always on God.
It's early...It's quiet...I'm all alone...And I know God meets me there.
Mornings spent in my little corner of our home
are directed in personal quiet talks with the Lord over so many things.
This precious time is also used for my Scripture memory time,
which allows for the beginning of the day to be focused on God, the One
who is greater than all the things which fill up my mind and heart.
As I finished off getting ready for the day ahead with a splash of lipstick
I had a thought and was reminded (from God I know) of certain Scripture verses
pertaining to my lips, my mouth, and what comes out of it.
As women, some of us like to pretty ourselves with a splash of lipstick

adding some color and sweetness to our lips.

But...what do we allow to roll off of those pretty little lips?

The Scriptures are very clear as to

flattering with our lips.

♡♡♡

"He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets:

therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips."

~ Proverbs 20:19 ~

♡♡♡

"A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a

faithful spirit concealeth the matter."

~ Proverbs 11:13 ~

♡♡♡

A talebearer is a gossip, someone who likes to talk about others.

It's as easy as sitting over a cuppa with friends,

sharing and having a wonderful time together

when someones name comes up and before you realize it,
that sweet fellowship can lead to gossip.

At that moment, are we willing to honor God's Word

and be of a "faithful spirit" who honors God with our lips?
Or will we fall prey to evil and open our lips saying something we shouldn't have?
"He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life:
but he that openeth wide his lips
shall have destruction."
~ Proverbs 13:3 ~

♡♡♡
Oh Precious Jesus... as Your messengers, Your mouthpiece
and Your ambassadors, may our lips be all that You want them to be ~
encouraging, exhorting, edifying and uplifting.
Words really do matter.
They have the power to heal, to hurt, to love,
to hate, to change people and relationships.
♡♡♡
"Hear; for I will speak of excellent things;
and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
For my mouth shall speak truth;
and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness;
there is nothing froward or perverse in them."
~ Proverbs 8:6-8 ~
♡♡♡
Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.

Heavenly Father,
we know that out of the abundance of the heart
the mouth speaks ~ for good or evil.
By the power of Your Holy Spirit
and as we apply Biblical Truths to our lives
help us to place a guard upon our lips,
to be true and faithful with our speech
so as to give You all the praise and glory.

Be Lovely!
Debbie
❤

Thirsting for God ~

2019-11-04T05:00:00.001-07:00

"As the deer pants for the water brooks,

so pants my soul for You, O God.

My soul thirsts for God,

for the living God."
❤
~ Psalm 42:1 &2a ~

"O God, thou art my God; early will I seek Thee:
my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee
in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is."
❤
Psalm 63:1

Water is the rich symbol of salvation, especially to people who
lived in the dry land of Palestine.
"Whosoever drinks of this water will thirst again,
[ reference to the Samaritan woman at the well ]
but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him
will never thirst.
But the water that I shall give him will become in him
a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."
~ John 4:14 ~

☆ ♡ ☆ ♡ ☆ ♡ ☆

"In the last day, that great day of the feast,
Jesus stood and cried, saying
If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said,
out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."
~ John 7:37-38 ~
Amen and Amen!

Joy!
Debbie
❤

Yes ~ God hears our Prayers

2019-10-28T05:00:00.000-06:00

We have such a blessed assurance from the Scriptures

that God hears and answers our prayers in His time.

We can have the confidence in knowing that as we turn
to the One who gladly listens to us as we pour our hopes
and fears our joys and concerns out in prayer,
those precious moments will bring us very near to the heart of God.

As I was reading John's birth announced to Zacharias

in the book of Luke chapter 1 certain words leaped off the page;
not that I had never read those words before, as I most certainly had,
but they spoke differently as God's Word does each time we read it;
Because it is the Living Word of God.

"But the angel said to him [Zacharias]

"Do not be afraid Zacharias, for

Your prayer is heard;

and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,

and you shall call his name John."

Chapters 1-3 are so exciting because they speak of

John's birth, Christ's birth announcement, Mary's visit to Elizabeth

and the song of Mary.

But...it was those words "your prayer is heard"

that spoke so strongly to my heart this particular day.

The angel Gabriel, stood in the presence of God,

and was sent to bring Zacharias good tidings. WOW!

"But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly;

The Lord will hear when I call to Him."
~ Psalm 4:3 ~
Psalm 4 speaks of why we should pray ~
In God's infinite love and wisdom, God always knows
what to give us in answer to our prayers.
I think we can all attest to the fact that our prayers
do not always change our situation,
but they should always change us.
As we bring our anxieties to our all-wise, all-loving,
and all-sovereign God, we can be assured,
He is enough!
♡
Four years ago when my dad was undergoing triple bypass surgery
I called upon many of you for prayer,
and you were faithful.
I knew that you were faithful in your prayers, because I could sense
the presence of God in that time of great burden.
There was a peace that was unexplainable,
a peace that passed all understanding for what was taking place.
One evening during those last days when dad would be with us
mom and I were ready to rest our weary heads upon our pillows
when mom said to me ~
"Debbie, I'm exhausted... yet I do not believe I will be able to sleep"
Mom was worried...it wasn't looking good for dad.
I too was exhausted...
But ~
I knew that I could lay my weary head down and sleep peacefully
because you see, there had been people from all around the globe
praying for our situation throughout the day.
Now it was evening for us, but not for those across the world,
we had prayer warriors who would be holding us up in prayer
while we slept, because for them, it was daytime.
What an incredible peace that was to my soul!
We had prayer warriors around the clock,
it doesn't get any better than that!
I reassured mom with that very thought,
and she slept like a baby in the arms of a Loving Heavenly Father,
while our many prayer warriors covered her in prayer.
Did our situation change?
No, God took my dad to his heavenly home.
But ~
I know that I changed.
God hears our prayers and answers our prayers
in His time and according to His will.
How we would have loved for God to heal dad,
but that was not His will.

"Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me,
and I will listen to you.
And you will seek Me and find Me,
when you search for Me with all your heart."
~ Jeremiah 29:12 & 13 ~
The Lord would restore His people when they turned back to Him
and sought Him with all their hearts.
When we earnestly seek God anywhere and everywhere
with our whole hearts, He will meet us at every crossroads
of our lives, and through pain and victory
with each step we take with Him, we will come to know
our God who hears and answers our prayers
in a very real and personal way.

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,
you will ask what you desire,
and it shall be done for you.
By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit,
so you will be My disciples."
~ John 15: 7 & 8 ~
In our relationship with God, His words abide in us
and our branches abide in Him.
A natural outgrowth of that abiding relationship is prayer.
Chapter 15 goes on to say that Jesus wants
the Christians joy to be full.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer
and supplication, with thanksgiving,
let your requests be made known to God;
and the peace of God, which passes all understanding,
will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
~ Philippians 4: 6 & 7 ~
When we take our anxieties to God in prayer,
we discover the peace of God.
We are also promised something better: the God of peace Himself,
His protection, presence, comfort, and encouragement.
God seeks our prayers.

"Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus
from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
make you complete in every good work to do His will,
working in you what is well pleasing in His sight,
through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever."
Amen.

To God be the Glory!
Debbie

My photos were the last days of our spectacular colors
before the blanket of snow covered their glory

I Will Sing and Give Praise ~

2019-10-21T05:00:00.000-06:00

"O God, my heart is steadfast;

I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.

Awake, lute and harp!

I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples,

And I will sing praises to You among the nation's.

For Your mercy is great above the heavens,

And Your truth reaches to the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,

And Your glory above all the earth."

~ Psalm 108 1-5 ~

O Lord, You are so worthy of our praise!

❤

Glory to God in the Highest!

Debbie

Sincerely from your heart ~ Rejoice

2019-10-14T05:00:00.000-06:00

Sincerely, from your heart rejoice in the Lord

and forget not His benefits throughout the year.

Our God is a Great God and deserves our heartfelt

praise for all He does for us.

~ ~ ♡ ♡ ♡ ~ ~ ♡ ♡ ♡ ~ ~

"Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice
of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips,
giving thanks to His name."
~ Hebrews 13:15 ~

In the Old Testament ~ Hosea 14:2 speaks of God's people
offering Him "the sacrifices of [their] lips"
in contrast to the animal sacrifices under the Old Covenant system.
As Christians we now offer sacrifices of praise and worship to God.
Whatever season awaits you outdoors where our loving God
has placed you ~ be it a gorgeous autumn afternoon ~ a day blanketed
in beautiful white snow ~ a bright spring day ~ or a hot summer afternoon ~
everyday is a day of Thanksgiving.
Because those of us who love God, it is!

"I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples.
And I will sing praises to You among the nation's."
~ Psalm 108:3 ~

"But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of Thanksgiving
I will pay what I have vowed
Salvation is of the Lord."
~ Jonah 2:9 ~

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ~

"For the Lord takes pleasure in His people;
He will beautify the humble with salvation.
Let the saints be joyful in glory;
Let them sing aloud on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth."
~ Psalm 149 4-8 ~

Heavenly Father,
Give us a heart to rejoice always, pray continually
and give thanks daily for Your goodness to us.
Amen and Amen.

Joy!
Debbie

The photos were taken last week when we received 7 1/2 inches of snow
I have so enjoying my new camera
capturing some of God's beauty close to home.
Friends, have a most glorious day and be blessed!

Around the Home ~

2019-10-07T05:00:00.000-06:00

A cheery HELLO precious friends!

Thank you for taking time out of your own busy day for a visit.

I appreciate each and every one of you

and I always enjoy hearing from you.

~ ~ ☆ ~ ☆ ♡ ♡ ☆ ~ ☆ ~ ~

While we are enjoying the Fall season, which comes and goes so quickly,

winter will soon be knocking at our door here in the mountains

and this is the time we finish off splitting and stacking

our winter's supply of firewood.

We usually have 5 to 6 cords to see us through the winter and early Spring.

While we do have electric heating, the wood burner is our preference

of heating for our home, it's warm and cozy.

Here's our stacked pile, nearly there, phew!
You can't really tell by this photo,
but there are four rows and more to come.

We stock the front deck making it easier to get on those blustery winter days.

That glow on the glass front door is from an Aspen tree in the yard,

isn't that spectacular?!

Our colors this year have been amazing, they really have been.
This is our humble home, much larger than it looks from the outside.
This home was built in the early 1900's, same structure with some remodeling.
We have been blessed abundantly!

This cute little guy is my backyard buddy,
he likes to sit on the brick ledge right beside me
when I am outside enjoying the sunshine.
He too, is getting ready for the winter
by hauling his pine cones to his home.
He, as well as others are quite busy right now
knocking the pine cones from the pine trees
and then hauling them off. These critters are in no way slothful.

During these months there's something wonderful about pumpkin,

pumpkin anything as far as I'm concerned.

I could eat pumpkin right out of the can,
of course the real deal beats all.
Why is it that pumpkin with spices tastes so much better this time of the year?

Pumpkin pie...yes please...and thank you!

My grandmother (dads mom) made the very best pumpkin pie.

Sure do miss her...

Lazy days here at home for my sweet Donatella,
come to think of it... 🤔 this is about what her days usually consist of
when we are not out for our daily walks.
Now don't you mind her tummy...its just the way she's laying.😉

Isn't she just precious?

I love that girl S-O-O-O-O much!

As much as I hate it, the motor home has to be winterized

and put away this time of the year.☹

We had a wonderful time in the Spring when we went to Canada,

and enjoyed my husband's side of the family.

We all parked our RVs together on my sister-in-laws beautiful property

while we went through the things from my husband's parents estate.

It's hard to believe that this month marks one year since

my father-in-law went on to glory.

Donatella is doing her part while we winterize the motor home.🐾

I wanted to share some gorgeous flowers with you,
flowers that always look their best in the Fall.
Wished I could say they were in my flower garden, but they are not.
Look at them just showing off their vibrant color!
It's funny, if my flowers get the frost in the Spring they never make it,
but for some reason the frost when it comes in the Fall
causes my flowers to flourish.
Sadly, they have to be pulled up and cut back
in order to get the beds ready for winter;
Although, I do hold off as long as I possibly can as
it's a sad day when I have to put all the patio furniture away
and dig up those flowers that have given us such joy over the last few months.

Speaking of pulling up, my husband's little garden is finished.

He enjoys his little garden of potatoes and carrots.
The carrots are strictly for our rabbit Binx.
His potatoes didn't do well this year, he's thinking
it was due to the cold and snow we were getting late into Spring,
though he did reap nearly 30 pounds of potatoes.
Having a garden at our altitude isn't that good, but it's fun for him.

Awe...Cherry Delight.
Donatella and I took her out a number of times this Summer
and had some beautiful drives together.
I feel as though my dad is riding alongside of me
and telling me stories of how Cherry Delight came to be his.
Dad had a great personality and easy to talk with,
there were no strangers in his life.
Dad was a good man and an awesome father!
You can read all about Cherry Delight here.

After returning home from Arizona I dug into the house
and did a major deep clean!
I enjoy giving our home a good deep clean
both in the Spring and in the Fall.
Looks great! Smells great! Feels great!
While I'm on the subject of cleaning ~ I was pulling a book off
of the book shelf the other day when I came across a vintage magazine dated 1987
"Household Hints Almanac"
"The world's most useful guide to solving everyday problems"
It's been years since I had this little helpful magazine out.
I was reading it and you know, there's some great tips.
"Serve fluffier mashed potatoes by adding a half teaspoon
of baking powder to them as you whip them"
♡
"A stick of spearmint gum placed in your flour canister
will keep the weevils away"
♡
"A drop of oil of wintergreen in the refrigerator
will keep food odors from mixing"
♡
"Rub molasses over grass stains, wash as usual,
then allow to dry in the direct sun"
♡
Left over tea - the stronger the better - makes an excellent final rinse
for brunettes. It adds shimmering highlights
and removes soapy film, leaving hair shining"
These are just a few of the hints.
Has anyone ever heard of these helpful hints before?

~ ~ ☆ ~ ☆ ♡ ♡ ☆ ~ ☆ ~ ~

So many things to do on a daily basis with a "To Do" list
that is never ending, but God wants us to trust
our tomorrows to Him. He wants us to rest in Him,
knowing He is in charge and holds each day
safely in His loving hands.
Having a "To Do" list is fine if we seek God's leading
when we make those plans and hand them over to Him
at the start of each new day.
God has each day covered according to His perfect will.
"Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not
what a day may bring forth."
~ Proverbs 27:1 ~

~ ~ ☆ ~ ☆ ♡ ♡ ☆ ~ ☆ ~ ~

Mom was going through some of her things and was letting go
of a Life Principal Study Book by Charles Stanley
and I latched on to it!
"Developing a Servant's Heart"
~ Give of yourself and receive from God ~
This is going to be my next personal Bible study
that I'm planning on starting soon.
I love to look into God's Word and find what He has for me.
Lord...
Let me wake each morning with a deep hunger for Your Word.
Woo me to Your side, and teach me your Word.
Fill my mind heart, and soul with Your marvelous Truth.
That is my prayer. ❤

Joy!
Debbie

Our Glorious Fall Colors ~

2019-09-30T05:00:00.000-06:00

Here in Colorado the colors have been magnificent this year!

Our spring was long with plenty of moisture

and I believe because of that we are reaping the glorious

benefits now in the changing of colors

as our aspen trees, grasses and shrubs show forth their beauty.

Our home is surrounded with glorious yellows, reds, oranges and green

with beauty at every turn.

As I step out of the house I can't help but sing the hymn Majesty;

There's glory at every turn and my praise

is to God and God alone!

Isn't His world glorious?!

Majesty, worship His majesty,

Unto Jesus be all glory, honor, and praise.

Majesty, kingdom authority flow from His throne unto His own;

His anthem raise.

So exalt, lift up on high the name of Jesus,

Magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus the King.

Majesty, worship his majesty;

Jesus who died, now glorified, King of all Kings.

The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty;

the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith

he hath girded himself: the world also is established,

that it cannot be moved.

Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.

The floods have lifted up, O Lord,

the floods have lifted up their voice;

the floods lift up their waves.

The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters,

yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becomes thine house,

O Lord, forever.

~ Psalm 93:1-5 ~

The reason Aspen leaves change, like the leaves of any deciduous tree,

is because of a decrease in photosynthetic activity

as the days get shorter in the fall.

The gold and yellow colors we see in autumn

are always there; in the fall, they simply are revealed

when the green hues from chlorophyll production fade.

☆ Colorado State Forest Service ☆

I've always said that the leaves on an Aspen tree clap their hands.

Well, flat rather than round stems allow the leaves to flutter

making them sound as if they are clapping.

Plus, stems give leaves strength,

allowing them to twist in the wind.

That is why the Aspen tree is so beautiful when the wind blows.

I pray that you are enjoying all he beauty and glory

that surrounds you.

God, in His greatness shows forth Himself everywhere we look,

don't miss out on the glories He has for you.

Take care my lovely friends and joy to you!

Be Lovely!

Debbie

Return from Arizona ~ Ladies Retreat

2019-09-21T05:00:00.000-06:00

"Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God;

for it is pleasant; and praise is beautiful."

~ Psalm 147:1 ~

My heart is extremely full of praise and thanksgiving!

Thank you each and everyone who prayed for me

as I traveled to and from Arizona.

I had also asked for prayer on behalf of mom as she

had surgery on her hand and elbow, and with another praise,
the surgery went very well and mom is doing great.

Mom can already feel the change from the nerve block

and is able to use her cane now with out severe pain.

I've had a song of praise in my heart now for the past few weeks as

God's goodness time and again, fills my heart with joy.

Arizona was HOT 🌵☀️

I'll never forget the day it was 109 degrees!

It was a great time regardless of the heat

and I was able to accomplish so much for mom.

I did some pruning on a few cactuses around mom's home

and found it quite different from the type of pruning here in Colorado.

Mom and I took a beautiful drive through the

Saguaro Desert National Park on a lovely Sunday afternoon.

You know...the more I visit Arizona, the more beautiful I find it.

Such beauty in each and every cactus, even this disfigured one.

The second day on my drive home I chose to take a scenic route

and I was not disappointed!

My dad loved taking the back roads and I'm no different.

It was a perfect sunny day and it was as if I had the road all to myself.

Slow and peaceful is the best way to describe that drive.

Donatella and I stopped a number of times

and took a leisurely walk discovering new territory.

Oh the new smells that Donatella enjoyed,

she was in her Hound dog glory! 🐾

As I came around a bend there was a herd of buffalo in the field
and what a magnificent sight!
This was quite an awesome ranch and well looked after.
The buffalo seemed quite at peace on those grounds near that pond.
I quickly turned the car around and sat by the roadside
drinking in the beauty of this magnificent animal, God's creation.
When I left Arizona the temperatures were in the 90's and cooling down some.
I left behind warm sunny days and beautiful blooming foliage
and was greeted with the changing of colors in our Aspen trees.
One of the mountain passes I drove over had a few clumps of yellow
popping up announcing that Fall was arriving.
While I love and enjoy all the seasons, I have to be honest,
I am not ready for this next season quite yet.

"God is with you"
"If you have a heart willing to be changed
and a mind willing to be stretched,
our God has something amazing planned for you.".

This was the theme for the ladies retreat
with Liz Curtis Higgs in Pagosa Springs Colorado.
Three days after I returned home from Arizona, I repacked my suitcase
and headed for some quiet time alone
just me and God, and a whole lot of joy and laughter
with author/speaker Liz Curtis Higgs.
It was through a dear blogging friend and her giving heart
that I was introduced to Liz just after my knee surgery over a year ago.
Liz is a cancer survivor who has an infectious positive attitude, who is
full of joy laughter and a smile that warms your heart.
Being able to go to one of her speaking engagements
has been a desire of mine since I first read her book
"31 Verses To Write On Your Heart".
Liz teaches the Word of God in a way that you understand it ~ word for word
and in a way that is thought provoking for your own personal walk with the Lord.
She's amazing!

~ Liz and myself at the retreat ~

I had the most wonderful time at this retreat!!
I left Pagosa Springs having met new friends and sisters in Christ
and a renewed and refreshed heart through the working of the Spirit.
Liz does not usually speak to small groups,
but God opened up that door for a unique purpose
and I truly believe that it was God's appointment for my being there.
Three Bible characters Liz spoke of were, Sarah, Lea and Hagar,
and she shared how "God was with them".
God knew them, He knew their situations, their troubles pain and sorrow
and He met them right where they were and never left them.
God's love is enough, may we never forget that!
The joy of the Lord is our strength,
the strength of the Lord is our joy.

You know summer is coming to an end when these beauties arrive.
These happy little "weeds" line our highways
as our Summer comes to a close.
I love seeing these as they show off their happy faces,
it's just knowing what follows... the end to another Summer season
that I dislike about their appearance.
I'm doing my best in making the rounds so I can visit with you,
but these last few weeks have not allowed for many visits.
I hope to catch up with you and the beauty you share
with us throughout our blogging community.
Take care my friends and God be with you.
God is worthy of our praise!

Joy!
Debbie
💖

Writing Letters ~

2019-08-25T05:00:00.000-06:00

Grandma Maxie with two of her sons ~ my precious dad is sitting next to grandma
Uncle Spike was instrumental in my salvation and my personal relationship with Jesus

My mother was going through her things doing some more purging
when she came across some old hand written letters by
my Grandmother (dads mother).
She asked if I would like them and happily, I said yes!
Grandma always began her letters with ~ Good Morning,
as she was an early riser and made her way out to her little
"Rancho Chico" as soon as she was able.
Grandma loved the outdoors and played on her little ranch with delight.
I'm pretty sure I took after Grandma Maxie in that respect, why,
once the weather is warm I absolutely DO NOT want to be inside!
I believe Grandma knew that if she didn't write her letters
first thing in the morning, then they would never be written.
Hand written letters are becoming a lost art, yet,
I think we can all say that we enjoy a hand written letter
delivered to us in our mail box now and then, don't we?
I actually enjoy writing personal words to others either
in a card or on pretty stationary, which is hard to find these days.

☆ ☆ ~ ♡ ♡ ~ ☆ ☆

In one of my daily Devotional readings the topic was on ~
"Writing Letters"
quite fitting I thought as I had just received my Grandmother's letters.
2 Corinthians 3:2
"Ye are our epistle written in our hearts,
known and read of all men."
♡♡♡
The apostle Paul's words ~ "that those who follow Jesus
are "a letter from Christ," who were
"written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God."
2 Corinthians 3:3
"Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the
epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink,
but with the Spirit of the living God;
not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."
♡♡♡
Paul encouraged the church in Corinth to keep on following
the true and living God as he had previously taught.
In doing so, he memorably described the believers as Christ's letter.
Their transformed lives were a more powerful witness to the
Spirit's work than any written letter could be.
God's Spirit in us writes a story of grace and redemption!
It is our lives that are best witness to the truth of the Gospel,
for they speak volumes through our compassion,
service, gratitude, and joy.
What message might you send today?
Please know that as it states in John 17:3 ~ It is never too late
to enter into a personal relationship with God thru His Son, Jesus Christ.
Open your heart to Him!
"And this is the life eternal, that they might know thee
the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom thou has sent."

☆ ☆ ~ ♡ ♡ ~ ☆ ☆

The time has arrived for mom to return home,
so Arizona, here we come!
I will be driving "Miss Daisy" back home
and staying in Arizona for a few weeks in order to
get mom and her home up and running after being away over the Summer.
Mom will have hand surgery while I'm with her
so I will be able to look after her needs.
Once again ~ may I ask for your prayers as we travel and for her surgery?
There is great peace in knowing others are in prayer with you
and I certainly covet your prayers. ♡

Joy!
Debbie

One Year Ago ~

2019-08-05T05:00:00.000-06:00

A big HELLO to you my dear and faithful blogging friends!

I trust you have been enjoying the beauty

of Summer right where God has planted you.

We couldn't ask for a nicer Summer than what we have had.

Yes, our Spring was long and wet with an awful lot of snow,

but boy did it ever help in yielding the most luscious, green Summer.

This past week as I've gone out and taken my daily walks with sweet Donatella,

each day is showing evidence that our Summer is soon coming to an end.

These photos I'm sharing are signs of what has arrived and what's around the corner.

The daisies are in their assortment of color

along with the light shades of grasses mixed with horse tails,
or cat tails as some call them.

August can be cooler with rain here in the Rocky mountains,
my husband's favorite month ~ maybe it's because his Birthday is this month? 😊

September can bring with it an awesome Indian Summer,
but then the dreary month of October arrives with little to no color at all.

I'm the type of person who takes each day as they are given to me

from our Great God, and I enjoy them all.

It was one year ago when I had my total knee replacement

and when I saw my Orthopedic surgeon he was delighted with my results.

My x-ray was perfect with nothing showing scar tissue or arthritis

and my bend as well as how straight I am able to put my leg

was awesome according to the Doctor.

I was told to keep doing what I've been doing as it appears to be working.

I've been faithful in massaging my knee with cocoa butter daily

praying that it will help with the scar tissue

as I've heard it can creep in quickly.

My therapist told me that I was to ride my stationary bike

20 minutes a day for the rest of my life.

I guess I had better obey. 😉

Exercise...Mmm ...that's not every one's most favorite thing to do

but we all know how important it is for our health and heart.

My new knee holds me accountable these days,

and for that, I am very thankful.
I'm reminded of these Scriptures ~
"Exercise thyself rather unto godliness"
~ 1 Timothy 4:7b ~
"For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness
is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life
that now is, and of that which is to come."
~ 1 Timothy 4:8 ~
Exercise is important, because the body is God's temple.
"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit
of God dwelleth in you?
If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy;
for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."
~ 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 ~

Exercising unto godliness is profitable both now and in eternity.
We would be foolish if we took care of our decaying bodies
while ignoring our spiritual lives, which will last
into eternity and which can be renewed day by day.
"And be not conformed to this world:
but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable,
and perfect will of God."
~ Romans 12:2 ~
"For which cause we faint not;
but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man
is renewed day by day."
~ 2 Corinthians 4:16 ~

Like physical fitness, godliness is not developed by being passive
and does not just happen; it requires effort and is
maximized through our daily exercise (spiritual discipline).
As much as I love the Lord with all my heart, soul and mind,
disciplining myself in exercise both for my soul and body,
ISN'T EASY!

I think we all know deep down the importance of exercise,
but unfortunately it's easy to find a reason not to exercise.
Years ago, I read somewhere on the topic of exercise
and it has stayed with me, though I may fail at times,
it's still in the back of my mind.
It was something like this, and so true ~
Knowing we should exercise regularly but not doing it can create negative feelings
toward ourselves, and that is an energy drain.
The way this happens is every time you think of exercise,
all day, if you haven't done it yet, you say to yourself,
" Well, I haven't done any yet today,
and I probably won't be able to later, so I'll do it tomorrow."
Meanwhile you can't help feeling guilty.
However, if you exercise first thing in the morning,
then every time you think of exercise during the day,
it's with a feeling like "Yeah! I've already exercised!"
It fills you with a fantastic positive feeling for yourself,
and these feelings spill over into other areas of our life.
Everything is enhanced.
Once we get into the habit of exercising every morning,
we'll get to the point where we'll actually feel disappointed
if we miss a day.
And that my friends, goes for bodily as well as spiritual exercise.

~ ~ ❤ ❤ ❤ ~ ~

"Horses sweat, men perspire, and women glow."
I like that!
As women, we glow when we exercise, but don't you find
that we have a godly glow after we have been with Jesus?

Be Lovely!
Debbie

Peaceful Sunset ~

2019-07-22T10:30:00.000-06:00

~ Peace is seeing a sunset and knowing Who to thank ~

While my husband and I were in Canada back in June

we did as we always do and went down to the beach

to watch the sunset.

This particular evening we had gone out for a delicious fish dinner

with family members on my husband's side,

then headed to the beach.

Southampton Ontario, which is on Lake Huron is known for their
majestic sunsets, many of them with gorgeous pink tones

and this one did not disappoint.

When we arrived it was looking as if it wasn't going to amount to much,

but wow!

I was headed back to the car thinking it can't get any better,

then I turned around and captured this photo of the family silhouetted

with my phone no less.

What a picture!

As the sun began to go down the colors came alive

and looked more vibrant with each snap shot.

The heavens declare the glory of God;

and the firmament showeth his handiwork.

{ Psalm 19:1 }

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same

the Lord's name is to be praised.

{ Psalm 113:3 }

The day is thine, the night also is thine:

thou hast prepared the light and the sun.

{ Psalm 74:16 }

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,

and a light unto my path.

{ Psalm 119:105 }

And the evening and the morning were the third day.
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven
to divide the day from the night;

and let them be for signs, and for seasons,
and for days and years.

And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven
to give light upon the earth:
and it was so.
{ Genesis 1:13 ~ 15 }

Glory to God in the Highest!

Joy!
Debbie

God Speaks through Nature ~

2019-07-08T05:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Monday to you ~ my dear friends!
My husband and I enjoyed an afternoon out on the 4-wheeler
and what a perfect time to get to know my new camera as I
captured some shots of nature here on the property.
We can evan take great "selfies" with this camera! 😉
While we were in Canada at the crokinole tournament
I was asked by a friend if I would use her camera and take pictures
since she and her husband are always participants
and unable to get pictures of themselves and their senior club.
I happily accepted insuring her that they may not be the best.
As I've shared here on my blog before, I am not very good with a camera,
but Cathy's camera was so nice and easy to use
that I found great delight rather than frustration
as I went around snapping shots of the tournament.
To my husband's surprise, my pictures turned out beautifully.
We came home and my sweet husband so kindly bought me
the same camera as Cathy's, a Canon SX70 H with a zoom that is awesome!
I am amazed at the detail with this zoom.
This camera is a perfect size for me, easy to hold and easy to function,
my kind of camera.
In time I'm hoping to do much better with my picture taking,
I feel like I have a vision for a good picture,
just really bad with a camera.
I'm sharing with you some of the pictures I took on our day out ~ enjoy!

Lord, let me recognize Your voice above the world's clamor
and follow You alone.
~ Cathy Elliott

Each spring we have the return of our Canadian geese
and a pair of mallard ducks that nest near the pond.
The red winged black birds as well as other small birds
enjoy the bull rush surrounding the pond.
It's a beautiful and peaceful site when Donatella and I take
our daily walks so as to check on the activity around the pond.
The red winged black birds look as if they were posing for the camera.

Lord, thank you that You are my hiding place
and that You protect me from harm
just as Your birds of the air do their young.
~ Janet Holm McHenry

Lord, thank you for looking out for Your creation!
For I know that if Your eyes are on creation,
then You are looking out for me.
~ Sandra Clifton

May we find our contentment in You, our Father.
~ Pepper Basham

The wild flowers have been stunning with all the rain
God has blessed us with!
Our State flower is the Columbine and this year they are magnificent.
The wild roses are in abundance with bloom after bloom.
And the mushrooms...they are the size of a volleyball ~ yes, a volleyball!
I have never ever seen anything quite like these mushrooms.
I placed the mushroom beside the seat on the 4- wheeler
to give you an idea of the size.

Lord, let me see the beauty of Your plan in all things,
all creatures, and all people.
~ Cathy Elliott

Spend time outside today and see how many masterpieces
God has put on display.
With each one, praise Him for His awesome creativity.
And then thank Him that this same God
knows you and calls you by name.
~ Ginger Kolbaba

Lord, teach us to stop and observe creation.
Help us see what You reveal about Yourself through
Your artistry and craftsmanship, in every creature great and small.
May we reflect You, too, in the details of our own lives.
~ Lori Stanley Roeleveld

Spend time in God's secret love garden today.
~ Devon O'Day

☆ The mushroom is beside the seat ☆

Let us go outside and open up our senses, and soak in the
wonders all around us.
I know that God will be there, waiting for us.
~ J. Mason Williams

Summer days keep us busy with so many wonderful things,
so thank you, dear friends, for taking time out of your own
lives and stopping in to say hello.
Your visits bring a smile to my heart.
As you enjoy God's glorious creation where He has planted you,
may you find yourself encouraged, inspired, challenged and comforted
by His unfailing love and attention to your daily lives.
God's detail in our lives is precise, just as it is in His marvelous creation.
Glory be to God!
❤

Heavenly Father, there is not one aspect of Your creation You haven't touched,
and not one aspect that hasn't known the flaws of a fallen world.
Thank you for the beauty of Your present creation,
but the glorious promise of an Eternally perfect one.
~ Heidi Chiavaroli

Amen

Be Lovely!
Debbie

Like a River Glorious ~

2019-06-24T05:00:00.000-06:00

For thus saith the Lord, Behold,

I will extend peace to her like a river...

~ Isaiah 66:12 ~

The lyrics on each photo are from the hymn ~ Like a River Glorious,
written by Florence (Frances) Havergal.
While Florance met with some boys so as to witness the Gospel
she ran into cold, wet weather and became chilled.
Her fever grew worse and at the age of 42 with her brother at her bedside,
he commended her soul into the Redeemer's hand.
So young, yet, she was ready to meet her Savior.
Then sings my soul ~ is a book on 150 Hymn stories that belonged

to my beloved in-laws ~ Bill and Betty.

I came home with this precious book and I will read and cherish it

knowing that it belonged to my in-laws.

Our time away in Canada was a time for family

and the internment of my husbands dad.

It was also a time with my husband's siblings to go through

their parents estate bringing a little bit of a closure to both

Bill and Betty's passing.
Praise the Lord, they are both together now in glory with their Savior.

After spending time with family my husband and I headed up North
to spend some time at Lake Superior Provincial Park.
We practically had the park to ourselves,
maybe it was due to all the rain. 😉
Even though we had plenty of rain, that didn't stop us from
enjoying some of the sites, nature, hikes and God's amazing creation.

These photos were taken of the Sand River
while we enjoyed our 3 hour hike on a day that was
a mixture of sun, clouds and rain,
but oh what an amazing river with its many rushing water falls!
These photos are just a small glimpse of some incredible beauty.
The hiking trail was right alongside the river
and those rushing waters were astounding.

We stayed in Agawa Bay, where again, we practically had the
campground to ourselves.
Our site was right on Lake Superior where the beach was
nothing but granite stones ~ my husband's joy!
He loves looking for stones to polish
and the beach certainly kept us busy looking for those perfect stones.
My husband has a rock tumbler, so our collection of stones will be beautifully polished.
As we hike around the large granite rock, I can't help but think of
the many granite countertops in their various colors that
grace many homes with their beauty.
God's marvelous and glorious creation that we are blessed to enjoy.

We crossed the Border into Michigan and drove along Lake Michigan
enjoying yet again, the beauty of our God.
Unfortunately we were not able go get good scenic photos
due to the rainfall.
We stayed at a beautiful State Park right on the lake,
but oh my...the puddles in the park were incredible!
Each site had it's very own private puddle pool. 😉
So much water, every water source we encountered was swollen.
As we drove through areas of farm land in a few of the States
it was disheartening to see the fields flooded.
We prayed for those farmers as they work hard to plow their fields
in between the rainfall, then having to wait for a dry spell.
We saw a sign attached to a fence that read ~
Did you eat today? Thank a farmer
Yes, thank you to those HARD WORKING farmers and their family's!
Seems as though we brought the rain and cold weather back with us,
as it has been cold and rainy since we arrived home.
In all things give thanks ~ I am very thankful for the moisture
which has made everything just that much greener and lush.
We enjoyed our time away ~ but it's good to be home.

I'm praising the Lord for His love and watch care over us
while we were traveling.
Both going and coming home we had some pretty nasty storms,
and driving a 35 foot motor home with our "toad" behind us
can make for a stressful ride.
God cares for His own.
While driving through Wisconsin, as big and bright as anything
was a billboard that said,
JESUS CHRIST
It was breathtaking to say the least!
Through the many heavy rainstorms we drove through
our hearts were blessed with the Name of our Savior,
surely nothing less heavenly could have
reflected such a glorious site for our eyes to behold.

To God be the Glory!
Debbie

Time for some Traveling ~

2019-05-14T05:00:00.000-06:00

For weeks now I have been enjoying the beauty of these gorgeous tulips!

As some of you may know, tulips are my ultimate favorite flower,

but sadly they do not last very long.

These little pretties are in a garden area that I have to pass

every time I go to town and with the cooler weather we have been having

God has allowed me to enjoy these for quite a long time.

Our Spring has certainly been on the cooler wet side

making for a slow growth process with just about everything,

so this bunch of tulips has been a lovely welcome to my soul.

This season always brings travel plans with myself and my husband.
We will once again be going to the World Crokinole Championships
held in Ontario Canada, followed by some traveling up North
to enjoy the beauty while taking in some hiking.
Oh yeah...Hiking with my new knee, I can't wait!

Our time is running short and we are both scrambling to get things accomplished
with all that must be done in packing and getting the motor home
ready to take out on the road.
With the cold weather and snow some of the things have been put on hold.
We have yet to unwinterize the motor home due to below temps
and now our list is enormously long with very little time left.

So...I will be around for a little while, then off line.
I never take the Internet with me on these trips
and it's such a peaceful holiday.

♡ ♡ ~ ~ ~ ♡ ♡

After our traveling, life will be busy with the Summer
just around the corner and I am planning on taking
some time away from blogging to enjoy life with a little simplicity.
My notebook will be placed on the shelf in the cabinet
and I will be quiet on the Internet for awhile,
so no worries if you do not see me around,
I'm looking forward to some down time.
So my dear and faithful friends ~
Enjoy the remainder of your Spring and the beauty of your Summer.

Joy to You!

Debbie
🌷

Mother's Day ♡

2019-05-09T05:00:00.000-06:00

Mother's Day is a day set aside to remember and honor our mother's.
There are many "special" mother's who deserve such honor showered with love.
Mother's ~ Step Mother's ~ Grandmother's ~ Great Grandmother's ~ Mother-in-Laws ~
and those who have been a loving Mother figure in the lives of others.

As a mother, we each one walk a path that has been set for us by God,
and God does nothing without purpose.

He made each of us with a specific purpose in mind.

He also promised to work in us to fulfill that purpose.
What a blessing to know that God is lovingly working specifically in our lives
and in the lives of our children and grandchildren.
I know that my dreams and desires for my daughters and grandsons
don't even begin to match God's, so I will rest in His purposes for them,
as well as for what He has for me.

♡ ~ ♡ ~ ♡

"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead

our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep,

through the blood of the everlasting covenant.

Make you perfect in every good work to do his will,

working in you that which is pleasing in his sight,

through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."

~ Hebrews 13:20 & 21 ~

♡ ~ ♡ ~ ♡

For us mother's, we can go through our daily routine with the hope
of God's promises found throughout the Scriptures.
We can know that we are able to accomplish what God is calling us to do,
as we seek God and allow Him to draw us into intimacy with Him.
He will show us the areas that need perfecting so we can walk
in obedience to His purpose for our lives as mother's.

♡ ~ ♡ ~ ♡

"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord,
and whose hope the Lord is.
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters,
and that spreadeth out her roots by the river,
and shall not see when heat cometh,
but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought,
neither shall cease from yielding fruit."
~ Jeremiah 17: 7 & 8 ~

♡ ~ ♡ ~ ♡

We are like trees. Without the life-giving power of Jesus Christ,
we would dry up.
I don't know about you ~ but I really do not wish to dry up!
According to these Scripture verses "we will be a blessed woman"
a happy woman, should we put our hope and trust in the Lord.
In so doing we will "be like trees that are planted next to the water."
Our roots will go deep into the riverbed of God's Word,
drawing the thirst-quenching, life-sustaining truth
from the flow of His Spirit.
As a mother/grandmother, that is the desire of my heart.
It will be then that we will "bear fruit" so that our families can be nourished.

♡ ~ ♡ ~ ♡

As a daughter, my heart is grateful for my mother and grandmother's
who loved me, cared for me and taught me by their example
of living out their lives as ladies with a gracious spirit.
As a mother, my heart is grateful for the two daughters God gifted me,
both unique and beautiful in their own special ways
with their own personalities, creativity and grace.
Lord, you know that I tried, and still try to love them according to their
own personality and needs knowing they are both so
opposite from one another, which makes them
so very beautiful in their own special way.
As a grandmother, my heart is grateful for the four handsome grandsons
that my daughters have given me through God's goodness to them.
Lord, you know that my prayer as their grandmother
is to love each one of them just the way they need to be loved
as they too, are unique and have been individually created by You.
It is a privilege to come before You and intercede on behalf of these boys.
Bring them to a place of Salvation and keep their hearts tender for You.
Give them a love for You, Your Word and a desire to obey
and make right choices over wrong in this tainted world.
Give them a desire to walk before You all the days of their lives.
As their grandmother, I am not always by their side,
so when they are standing at the crossroads trying to decide
which path to take, please put a person of faith there to point them
in a direction that would be right and pleasing to You.
Watch over and guide them, I pray in Your Precious Name, Amen.

Happy Mother's Day lovely ladies!

To God be the Glory!
Debbie
❤

Whiter than Snow ~

2019-05-02T05:00:00.000-06:00

Yesterday,"May Day" we woke up to the sight of snow, yes,

beautiful wet snow was evident as I looked out the window and saw the trees on our property laced in such splendid beauty.
It is a pretty sight when the trees look this beautiful,
even on a Spring day.

I couldn't help but think of Psalm 51 ~ a prayer for Spiritual cleansing.

This particular Psalm is a Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet

came to him after he had gone in to Beth~sheba.

Sorry enough to stop ~ those are the words I wrote at the beginning of Psalm 51

some years ago in my Bible.

The heart of every problem, is the problem of the heart,

and only Gods Spirit and Gods Word can change and control

the heart, as we yield.

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness:

according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out

my transgressions."

~ Psalm 51:1 ~

David's repentance included ~

A godly sorrow for his sin.

"Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin."

~ Psalm 51:2 ~

A verbal confession.

"For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me."

~ Psalm 51:3 ~

A turning away from sin and denouncement of his sin.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight:
that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest,
and be clear when thou judgest.
~ Psalm 51:4 ~
Forgiveness.
It is against God whom we sin against first and foremost.
"Behold I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me."
~ Psalm 51:5 ~
Restoration to God's favor.
"Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part
thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
~ Psalm 51:6 ~
Rejoicing in salvation.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."
~ Psalm 51:7 ~
A willingness to testify to others about the grace of God.

David is picturing how God cleansed him of his sin.
The idea David expresses is that God alone can forgive his sin and remove it.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse your us from all unrighteousness."
~ 1John 1:9 ~
In the Old Testament, man was required to go before a priest and have a sacrifice
offered to receive a "covering" for his sin.
Under the New Testament system of grace, however, a believer can go
directly to his High Priest, Jesus, and can boldly approach the throne
and receive forgiveness for his sin, which was covered by
Christ's shed blood on Calvary.
Praise God!
"Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
~ Hebrews 4:16 ~

Even on a Spring day when we're hopeful for a beautiful sunny day,
we can choose to appreciate the snow and it's beauty.
We have no control over the weather, that belongs to God.
But ~ we can choose to except what ever the day brings
and go through our day with joy in our hearts
while praising God for His goodness to us.
Whiter than snow, such purity!

Praising my Jesus!
Debbie

Perfectly Light and Lemony Dessert for Spring ~

2019-04-27T05:00:00.000-06:00

More than half a century has passed,

and yet each spring, when I wander

into the primrose wood and see the

pale yellow blooms, and smell their

sweetest of scents...for a moment

I am seven years old again and

wandering in the fragrant wood.

~ ~ Gertrude Jekyll

~ ~ ☆ ☆ ~ ~ ☆ ☆ ~ ~

I remember my grandmother's house as a young girl,
it was like a wandering path through blooming flowers...a series
of surprises with fragrances that sooth, fragrances that delight
and fragrances that have lingered and left an impression on my heart.

My grandmother (dad's mother) was amazing in her flower garden,

it seemed like everything she grew was bright and beautiful.

I remember her petunias over everything else, gorgeous full blooms

graced her backyard walkway, and till this day,

petunias grace my window boxes in memory of my dear, lovely grandmother.

Soon enough my window boxes will once again be showing off their beauty,

awe...the glory of spring.

Spring has finally arrived, though we still have snow banks surrounding our home
and when springtime arrives I'm eager to try new desserts out on my husband,
desserts that require no baking with hot ovens.
Well...I've got a wonderful dessert that is perfect for springtime

and I wanted to share its goodness with you.

This Philadelphia No-Bake Lemon Chiffon Cheesecake

is out of this world light and delicious with springtime written all over it!

I was given a Kraft Recipes magazine by a dear friend and this recipe was in it.

My dear friend Dixie had my name for Stephanie's Christmas ornament exchange

and we have become fast friends.

This dear lady sends me the happiest mail!

Boxes chocked full of joy and goodness, and for no special reason at all,

just because she has a BIG loving heart. ♡

If you have any special occasions coming up this spring,

then you may want to add this to your menu,
because I'm telling you, its wonderfully delicious!

☆ Philadelphia No - Bake Lemon Chiffon Cheesecake ☆
This recipe is from Kraft Recipes

What you will need ~

28 square shortbread cookies finely crushed (about 1 3/4 cups)

5 Tbsp. butter, melted

3/4 cup angel flake coconut toasted, divided

3/4 cup boiling water

1 pkg. (8oz) lemon flavor gelatin

1 cup ice cubes

1 pkg. (8oz.) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. lemon zest

1 tub (8oz) cool whip ~ whipped topping (about 3 cups) thawed, divided

Make it ~

Combine cookie crumbs, butter and 1/2 cup coconut;
press onto bottom and up side of 9 1/2 - inch tart pan with removable bottom.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

~ I used mini pie pans so I could share two with my dear Stephanie
who was in need of some deliciousness. ~ ❤

Add boiling water to gelatin mix in medium bowl;
stir 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Add ice; stir until melted.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and lemon zest in large bowl with mixer until blended.
Gradually beat in gelatin.
Add 2 cups (about 2/3 of tub) cool whip; whisk until blended.

Pour into crust.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until filling is firm.

Remove cheesecake from side of pan just before serving.

Top with remaining cool whip and coconut.

Extra Special garnish with lemon wedges.

Enjoy this perfectly light and lemony dessert as you enjoy spring!

"O taste and see that the Lord is good"

Be lovely!
Debbie

Celebrating our 40th Wedding Anniversary ♡

2019-04-16T05:00:00.000-06:00

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother

and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

~ Genesis 2:24 ~

♡

One man and one woman in a lifetime commitment.

God never intended for man to be alone ~

"And the Lord God said, "It is not good that man should be alone;

I will make him a help meet for him."

~ Genesis 2:18 ~

The very bone from which woman was crafted came from man.

"And Adam said,

This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh:

she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."

~ Genesis 2:23 ~

Woman was taken out of Man, then presented to man in order to complete him.

We were created in the image of God with physical and emotional needs

that only another human being could meet.

It is not good that man should be alone.

♡ ♡ ♡ ☆ ☆ ♡ ♡ ♡

42 years ago on the ski slopes of Vail Colorado

where I was a chair lift operator and my husband was visiting from Canada

we met...and fell in love.

We believe it was the hand of God that brought us together,

and for 40 years He has kept us together.

We had a long distance relationship for two years before we married

which involved a lot of letter writing, and believe me,

there was A LOT of snail mail sent both ways.

Back then there were no cell phones and using a land line was quite costly.

If we phoned at the wrong time of the day it could cost as much as $1.00 a minute.

My husband remembers paying a $120.00 phone bill one time,

that was a lot of money back then. Ouch!

For myself, saving up for a long phone call was well worth it,

I was in love. 😍

♡ ♡ ♡ ☆ ☆ ♡ ♡ ♡

A while back I was reading some of A. W. Tozer's collections

and in his book "The Purpose of Man" he spoke on

"The absolute worth-ship of Christ", he was writing about

"The Lord of All and His Bride."

"Our Lord Jesus Christ came into the world that He might

save us from the ugliness of sin to a beautiful heaven. "

How beautiful are those words A. W. Tozer penned!

"The old Testament gives us the story of a man named Isaac.

His father, Abraham, called for his servant to go find an

acceptable bride for his son (see Genesis 24).

With the help of the Holy Spirit, that old servant went down into the town Abraham indicated and found a young woman there.

The Bible pictures her as being very beautiful.

Her name was Rebekkah and she must have been beautiful,

because the servant was instructed to find a

bride that was beautiful to look upon.

Isaac is a type of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God the Father sent the Holy Spirit out among the

people of the world to win a bride for Christ,

one that was worthy of Him. "

One that was worthy of Him!

What a beautiful picture.

Those words actually took my breath away as I read them,

one that is worthy of Him, sigh...

As a wife, I am constantly asking myself, am I worthy?

Am I honoring the man God has blessed me with?

Am I the help meet God desires of me to be

each and every day of our lives together?

Daily in great humility I bow before the throne of God,

seeking His face as a wife, for I long for nothing else but Thee

as I strive to be first, worthy of God, then worthy of my husband.

Without God in my life, it would be extremely difficult

to be the wife I so desire to be.

It is only by the grace of God that I am who I am.

"The bride's significance was to rest in the groom.

She has no worth of her own, but her worth lies in her

relationship to the groom. Jesus Christ is the groom

and is worthy of our love, adoration and joyful worship.

Rebekkah was merely the daughter of her father.

But, when she was taken to Isaac, she took on a new identity-the identity

of her groom."

A picture we all know that comes with marriage,

the taking of our husband's name, such an honor to him!

Our identity is now in our groom.

"Our identity is now in our Groom. The past identity is now forgotten,

with all its obligations. Our Groom is now our identity,

and nothing in our past matters anymore.

The bride not only takes on the identity of the groom

but also his name as well. She is now forever known by that name.

The Groom Shepherd is worthy of our affection

and is deserving of us leaving everything and

embracing Him as our own."

I found this to be such a beautiful picture, both in my

marriage to my wonderful husband

and in the marriage of Christ and his bride.

This isn't a new story to me ~ but knowing that our Wedding Anniversary

was just around the corner it found its way into my heart

and touched those heart strings in a very special way.

If I were to say it's been 40 wonderful years of BLISS I would be lying to you,

and to God.

But I can say, that these past 40 years have been beautiful

because God has been there orchestrating the both of us

in our lives together as husband and wife.
As Christ-followers, by faith we press forward in our daily lives together
knowing God will lead and guide us,
and by faith we believe He will never leave nor abandon us.

My husband is a steady man who loves the Lord, and because of his love for the Lord
he is a wonderful husband whom I am honored to love and respect

until death do us part.

♡♡

"But she that is married careth for the things of the world,
how she may please her husband."
~ 1 Corinthians 7:34 ~

Take Joy!
Debbie

Wishing you all a blessed Easter Resurrection Sunday,
as you celebrate the victory that has been won
through our loving Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Hallelujah ~ what a Savior!

Happy Tail on a Happy Trail ~

2019-04-02T05:00:00.000-06:00

A happy trail in deed was the life of our sweet and gentle Toby.

This past week we said our goodbyes to our precious cat of 17 years.

Toby joined our family before he reached 6 weeks

coming from a home where there was the use of drugs.

Our niece picked him out for us, thus, saving him from

a life of who knows what.

Toby was special in more ways than one and brought great joy

into each one of our lives.

He was a Ragdoll ~ with a color point coat and blue eyes,

long beautiful soft silky hair ~ half Persian half Siamese

and one gorgeous handsome boy!

His temperament was docile and placid

making life with Toby a real pleasure.

Toby lived through three of our pet rabbits and because of his

gentle nature he was like a daddy to those dear rabbits.

Those five week old bunnies would snuggle up in Toby's soft silky hair
and find great comfort after having left their mother's so young.
Toby never turned them away.

There are so many things that make up the lives of our precious pets.

Those who have the joy and pleasure of a pet can attest to that.

Toby wanted so badly to be out doors, but I sheltered him trying to

keep him in doors where I knew he would be safe.

He was gentle in every way and with predators in our area

I found that to be such a concern.

One day I caught Toby hanging on the screen door while reaching

towards the door handle with his right paw trying to open the door
for his escape to the unknown world that he was kept from.

He would time it just perfectly waiting for one of us to head out the door then,

he made his big escape and darted out the door

only to find himself carried back into the house.

Poor Toby 🐱

I used Toby and Lakota, one of our pet rabbits for character building lessons

for the children in Children's Church in between a missionary story,
because Toby would entice Lakota to do wrong.

Those two were a riot playing together!

Toby would tease Lakota by dangling his tail as bait

to get Lakota's attention, then when Lakota went for the tail

Toby would slap him!

Other times Toby would get Lakota to chase him through the house

and end up in a place where Lakota would get himself into trouble.

The Bible tells us ~
"He that walketh with wise men shall be wise:
but a companion of fools shall be destroyed."
~ Proverbs 13:20 ~
"It is as sport to a fool to do mischief:
but a man of understanding hath wisdom."
~ Proverbs 10:23 ~
Proverbs is a great book of the Bible that teaches on character building
and with those two I had many stories to share
and the children enjoyed them.
Toby became famous in the eyes of those sweet innocent children.

From the time Toby arrived he was forever in something,
be it in a basket ~ a box ~ a cooler ~ a bucket ~ a shoe ~ even a ladies purse.
Yes, if you were a visitor in our home and owned
a purse or even a diaper bag, he was sure to claim it as his own.

If we had a delivery I would sneak the box in and try opening it
with out Toby knowing, but it was impossible.

I could go on and on with happy stories of our beloved Toby,
but it would make for a long posting that has already become way too long.
I have to tell you one last story ~
As you can see, Toby was a long haired cat and long haired cats shed!
Well ~ One of Toby's favorite spots to sleep was in the bathroom vanity
on top of the bath towels.
We always knew when Toby was headed to his spot because we could hear
the slight banging of the cupboard door.
He would take his paw and open the door, but it took him awhile,
so you would hear bang ~ bang ~ bang until he got it just right
and off he went for hours.
We have some dear elderly friends who come and stay with us often
and they are not animal people.
No pets in their home, no sirree ~ no way ~ no how!
This one particular visit the misses was having her shower and I had FORGOTTEN
to take the top towel out beforehand which was covered with Toby's hair
and I'm telling you it was grossly covered with hair.
To her horror and to our horror she was covered with animal hair,
face and all!
Behind closed doors my husband and I had a great laugh! 😂
From that time on I was careful NOT to let that ever happen again.

We knew Toby's days were numbered and that we were coming to the close of his life
but its still hard to let them go.

We will miss our Toby in the window where he sat quite often
watching the world go by while he was safe and secure in our loving home.
Toby hated the car, but he loved traveling in the motor home,
maybe because of the big front window where he could see the world.
I was so hoping he would have the chance to travel just one more time to Canada,
but he enjoyed his last hurrah and his last visit with Grandpa Bill in the Spring of 2018.
Grandpa Bill, whose now in glory was not an animal lover either,
but he loved Toby, and Toby loved him.
We have learned over the years to enjoy the moments we are given
because they don't last forever. 🐾

Today there are two very special Birthdays being celebrated.
Stephanie and my grandson share their Birthdays
and I would love for you to stop by her lovely place
and wish them both a very Happy Birthday! 🎂

The Joy of the Lord is my Strength!
Debbie
♡

Jewels that Adorn our Lives ~

2019-03-25T05:00:00.000-06:00

For a number of years now I have been collecting jewels,
well, jewels to me.
These jewels are brooches ~ pins that are quite unique in their own way.
As I've collected these jewels my mind has been busy thinking of
a way to use them for God's glory.
I've thought about using them in a Ladies Retreat
or a seniors program, with the youth or maybe during a Tea Party.
It's all in God's timing but in the meantime
I will continue to gather up my jewels and wait upon the Lord.
I thought a good devotion would be on the Fruits of the Spirit
using these beautiful brooches in representing the jewels
that adorn our life found in Galatians 5:22
on the Fruits of the Spirit.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is ~
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self- control
Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's
have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Let us not become conceited, provoking one another,
envying one another. "
~ Galatians 5:22-26 ~

As the bride of Christ ~ He will know us by the jewelry we wear.
He will know us by what He has bestowed upon us.
The " fruit" of the Holy Spirit refers to the godly attributes of those
who " walk in the Spirit."
The fruit of the Spirit should characterize the life of every believer.
These godly virtues are evidence of salvation
and the genuine work of the Holy Spirit.
Each of the fruit of the Spirit responds to the nature of Christ.
He looks into our life, sees what He recognizes as coming
from Him and accepts it.
I'm thinking the biggest jewel of all is that of worship.
The glorious jewel of worship in all its beauty as we
practice the presence of God, pursuing Him with all of our time and energy
with amazement of His love and grace.
To have hearts aflame for God!
When God sees our worship, purified by the Spirit and the Blood,
He responds and recognizes it as His.

~ The Fruits of the Spirit ~

Love ~ the love of choice, respect, devotion and affection
that leads to willing, self-sacrificial service.
Joy ~ it's a gift from God. Its the sense of wellbeing experienced by one
who knows all is well between himself and the Lord.
Joy can even occur in and through painful circumstances.
Joy isn't just a happiness of heart.
Peace ~ the inner calm that results from confidence in one's saving relationship
with Christ. A sense of having it all together, even in difficult circumstances.
Longsuffering/Patience ~ the ability to endure injuries inflicted by others and the
willingness to accept painful situations.
Kindness ~ tender concern for others, willing to treat others gently.
Goodness ~ moral and spiritual excellence manifested in active kindness.
Believers are commanded to show forth goodness.
Faithfulness ~ loyalty and trustworthiness.
Gentleness ~ a humble and gentle attitude. Submission to the will of God,
teachable and considerate of others.
Self-Control ~ restraining passions and appetites.
When a Christian walks in the Spirit and manifests his fruit,
he doesn't need the law to produce the attitudes and behavior that please God.
Our Lord Jesus Christ knows who we are by our jewelry
which He has given us
He is our Lord and He desires our beauty.
As women, are we adorned with the jewels God has given us
to show the world Who we belong to?

"Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning
of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold,
or of putting on of apparel.
But let it be of the hidden man of the heart,
in that which is not corruptible,
even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit,
which is in the sight of God of great price."
~ 1 Peter 3:3&4 ~

Always choose Joy!
Debbie
♡

Go West Young Man ~

2019-03-18T05:00:00.000-06:00

Like the Pioneers, I decided to head west

for a little warmer weather where I knew there would be

less snow, new baby calves streams that have melted and rivers with little ice.

I can go 30 miles west from our snowed in home

and find the weather to be extremely warmer, it's crazy!

Right now, our home at 8,000 feet is nearly buried in snow,

while it is beautiful in deed, outside enjoyment is limited.

I've been taking Donatella to the walking/bike paths in our area

where we are able to walk at a faster pace and get some proper exercise.
While we have been walking on the road near home
it's just not the same with the snow and ice,
I need to be careful of falling with my new knee.

She and I both need to shed some winter pounds!

Donatella has to visit the veterinarian every 6 weeks

for an on going issue she has and she is up in weight a few ounces

with every visit, not good!

Of course the veterinarian reassures me that it's okay

during the winter months.

Well...when I see my Doctor this week for my yearly check-up

I will be sure and tell him that my extra weight is okay,

after all, it's the winter.😉

The two of us have enjoyed our extra long walks

on dry ground right beside the river.

We are blessed with wonderful walking paths throughout this valley.

Just the other day, I decided to take a drive after our walk,

the sun was shining and we had clear Colorado blue skies,

so off we headed towards the west, off the beaten path

enjoying every bit of God's created beauty.

The river sounded glorious as it rolled over the rocks.

The bridge is an old railroad bridge that is no longer in use.

The deer were out being lazy and enjoying new growth under the trees.

They really blend with nature around them, don't they?

You could see some cow elk grazing on the hay

that a rancher had put out for his horses.

Everyone gets along.

To my surprise, there was a ranch with a number of bison.

I had no idea this particular area where I took a drive had bison.

Donatella was quite intrigued with them as well.

Look at the size of this nest!

Of course nothing was making it their home as of yet,

but soon enough.

As I continued along with my pleasant drive

the dry road became narrower and muddy.

Mmmm... should I continue on?

Having never been on this road I wasn't quite sure what might be ahead.

What to do?

Then strangely enough I came across this snowman

standing on the side of the road.

Why would someone build a snowman there?

He was out in the middle of nowhere as if he was trying to tell me something.

Was he telling me to turn back?

Was he telling me up ahead was safe for travel?

I chose to drive on and see just what the end of this road had to offer.

Well, not much further I came to a small parking area which indicated I was at the end of the road, I was able to turn around and safely head for home.

Did you notice this snowman had an extra roll?
I think he should join Donatella and I on our daily walks.

⊙ ~ ⊙ ~ ⊙ ~ ⊙ ~ ⊙

Awe...there's nothing like a warm sunny day and a drive in the country.

With my instrumental music playing softly in the background

and the windows open allowing the fresh air

to wrap itself around us, my mind found itself in thinking mode

as I turned my thoughts towards God.

All that I had seen belongs God, He owns it all.

"For every beast of the forest is mine

and the cattle upon a thousand hills.

I know all the fowls of the mountains:

and the wild beasts of the field are mine."

~ Psalm 50:10&11 ~

Always Choose Joy!

Debbie