Before I spent time in Israel I imagined Shepherd’s Field, the place where angels announced the birth of Jesus to lowly shepherds, like a big open grassy plain. A place of great beauty and open spaces like on a Christmas card. The picture below is of Shepherd’s Field today. It’s not at all what I imagined but then, most of what is true in the bible is not what most of us imagine……
Sunday Scripture
WHAT IS ADVENT?
What is Advent? Today is the first day of Advent. Many Christians celebrate Advent, the time before Christmas. But what is it? How did it start? What does it symbolize and what does Advent mean for us today? Let’s look at this four week period before Christmas and learn the true meaning of Advent….
GIVING THANKS AT MEALTIME
This past week our family went out to dinner at a local steakhouse chain. You know the one that has free peanuts and two-steppin’ servers and plays country music’s top 40 and embarrasses birthday folk by making them sit on a big saddle! YEE-HAA! Yes, that’s the one! And something in that loud and happy restaurant got me thinking……
I LOVE YOU THIS MUCH
Thank goodness for Facetime! I can see my grandbabies every day even though don’t live close. At the end of the conversation, I often say, “I love you this much” as I hold hands out to each side as wide as they will go! I love them with my heart and soul! Did you know we are to love God “this” much too?…
MEMORIZING SCRIPTURE
Do you have a good memory? Or are you like me? I have so many things I am thinking of all at one time once in a while I’ll forget something. Today let’s talk one thing worth using your brain’s bandwidth to remember!…
WAITING FOR SUPERMAN!
If you were in dire trouble and needed to be saved by a superhero who would you pick to come to the rescue? I would pick Superman! Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound……
LIVING WATER
It’s been a decade since I spent part of a summer studying in Israel. It was a life-changing experience in more ways than I can tell! Studying in Israel was one of the best things I have ever done but going in the summer was insane! It was on a very long, uphill hike I learned a profound lesson! And I want to share it with you!…
A HUG FROM GOD
I remember that day so well! We had just moved into StoneGable. Mover’s boxes were piled high in every room waiting to be opened. And I could still smell fresh paint. Everything was new and beautiful and clean! Then why did I feel like the bottom of my world has just dropped out?…
BE A STANDING STONES
When I think of Israel in the summer, the color of the land comes to mind. It is so different than the bucolic farmland where I live. I think of the color of a bone a dried bone. Bleached by the sun and exposed. Beautiful in its own way. …
LIVING WATER
I studied in Israel a few summers ago. It was a life-changing experience, in more ways than I can tell! Studying in Israel was one of the best things I have ever done but going in the summer was insane! Our small group was always drinking water just to stay alive!…
A LESSON IN KINDNESS
There is the power of great change in kindness. It’s a gift we give the world. And it is ours’s to choose whether to give it or to let it dissolve inside of us and never reach out beyond our own hearts. Today lets talk about being kind!…
HOW TO HANDLE TROUBLE, PART II
In this life, we are guaranteed to have trouble and trials. It’s a part of life, but God uses our trials to do mighty things in us! This week we are still talking about what to do when trials come knocking at our door. One thing is for certain… they will!!! Here’s how to handle those trouble God’s way……
LESSONS FROM MY GARDEN
A garden can teach a person a lot about life! I am not a fancy gardener or one that likes to spend my days weeding and fussing. What I do love is watching my garden grow! Here are a few lessons from my garden……
FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS
If I were born in a different age or place I don’t think I could have ever made it! I can’t imagine cooking over a fire or sleeping in a room full of people with lice and chiggers and all sorts of other maladies! So how is it that I am here in this place for such a time as this?…
THE MEANING OF PALM SUNDAY
Today is Palm Sunday. It’s the time when we celebrate the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Many churches hand out palm branches. But what exactly is Palm Sunday? It’s meaning is rich and deep and so exquisite! Let’s talk about… WHAT IS PALM SUNDAY……
FREE EASTER PRINTABLE
Decorate your spring home with this free Easter printable. Add grace and a reminder of the true meaning of Easter or Resurrection Day! He is RISEN, indeed!…
FINDING THE EMPTY TOMB
Resurrection Sunday has such a personal meaning to me. Yes, it’s always been special. Brunch, Church, Easter baskets, family, food. But ever since I made a pilgrimage to the tomb it has changed me forever! This is my story……
BRINGING FRIENDS TO THE THRONE OF GRACE
What do you do when illness or tragedy or troubles or anxiety or difficulties strike someone you know? It could be friend, or family member or even a person you hear about! Let me tell you a story about a man with a debilitating illness and how his friends helped him in a time of his great need……
THE BLESSING CIRCLE
Last week I attended a dinner for one of my favorite ministries HOPE INTERNATIONAL. One of the speakers said… “You are blessed to be a blessing”. And I was struck by the truth and weightiness of that statement. YOU ARE BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING! Let’s look at what the word blessing means and how it applies to us… …
CELEBRATING THE 4TH WEEK OF ADVENT- JOY
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays are ways we all express greetings to one another during Christmas. But merry and happy don’t really adequately express the true feeling we should be experiencing during this season! Of course, it’s not bad to wish people a merry or happy Christmas but the emotion behind those two words fall so short of what God wants us to experience. Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent. Today, let’s ponder on the true meaning of joy at Christmas….
THE GREAT BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
Like all proud parents, God was excited to announce the birth of His Son. But never had there been such a birth announcement and never will there be again. Let’s go back to first century Israel, in a shepherd’s field at night and listen to the real Christmas story. Let’s strip off all the tinsel and trappings and fa la la and see an even more beautiful picture of the love of a Father for His Son and for you and me! Meet me in Shepherd’s Field in Bethlehem. …
KEEPING A THANKFUL HEART FOR THANKSGIVING
My sweet friends, Thanksgiving is less than a week away. Does that make you feel happy, anxious, sad, nervous, harried? As women, we often carry the Martha-like burden of making sure all the moving parts are in place and everything is ready for Thanksgiving day! I really understand that! Today let’s talk about keeping a thankful heart for Thanksgiving……
A LAMP UNTO MY FEET
When my children were very little I would get up early, often dragging myself out of bed unwillingly, and make a hot breakfast every school morning. And I would wake my kiddos up early too, but not as early as myself. Then Bobby and I and the children would sit around the table and eat a scrumptious breakfast and we would do devotions together. I knew that feeding them both physically and spiritually was the best way to start their day and send them off to school!…
THE ANCIENT OF DAYS
One of my favorite names for God is “Ancient of Days”. It’s a very timeworn name, which first appears in the Book of Daniel, Chapter7. The date is 553 BC. Daniel has a dream and a vision given by God about the Gentile nations of the world and God’s dealing with them. It is a dream of prophecy. Part of Daniel’s dream gives him a look into heaven… and what a sight he sees Let’s set the heavenly scene and discover this beautiful name for God… Ancient Of Days… In heaven, thrones are set up and the court sat! Daniel is……
ABIDE AND OBEY
Have you ever been so pressed in by God about something? It seems so much of what I am reading and listening to and thinking about revolves around one subject. Abide and Obey! I ask God to impress on my heart (mind, will, emotion and intellect) what to post each week and I have felt such a strong inner voice and moving of the Spirit about this subject. Today let’s talk about abide and obey….
BEAUTIFUL FALL GRACE BEFORE MEALS PRINTABLE
As I was thinking of all the bounty of fall and its beauty I was thinking how gracious and creative and good our Father is. And how we need to be mindful that everything was created by and is a gift for us to enjoy. Today I created a Fall Grace printable for you. Such a touching prayer to say before your meals! You can print it out, frame it and enjoy it this Autumn season!…
A LESSON FROM MY FRONT PORCH
If you were to stand on my front porch and look across the street you would see a huge corn field. The tops of the corn are tasseled and the color of staw. And in just a couple weeks every stock of corn will be the same gorgeous color. I love corn at harvest time. When the wind blows through the dry stalks it sounds like the rustling of a taffeta ball gown….
HIDDEN IN YOUR HEART
I have been blessed in the last 22 months with three adorable grandbabies! Anderson, Emma Kate and our newest addition Alexander. Since the day these my precious little ones were born I have sung “Jesus Loves Me” to them as many times as I can in a day. I am no singer, believe me, but I don’t think God cares very much about that and either do my babies….
HOW ARE YOU SPENDING YOUR LIFE?
I recently had the opportunity to hear Bruce Wilkerson (a best selling Christian author) speak. His message was so profound and so thought-provoking, I was going to write about it today… BUT, why write about it… when you can see and hear it! Bruce is talking to the student body at Liberty University at a convocation service. As Bruce addressed the students, pretend he is talking directly to you. Now here is my challenge…HOW ARE YOU SPENDING YOUR LIFE? Click HERE to listen to this powerful message. …
OUR TRUE SHELTER
I am a “shelter” blogger. A term used to describe bloggers who write about anything related to home. And I think it’s a pretty accurate title. For me, the word shelter speaks of all things home, a sanctuary away from the world and protection all that is harmful. I spend most of my day almost everyday immersed in the beautiful world of home decor. And I love it. I hear readers and clients talk their forever home. StoneGable is not my “forever home” Today, let’s talk about our true shelter…our true forever home….
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