Apple or Pineapple?

I was just thinking during the sermon this morning (yes, my mind was wondering) about the fruit deal with Adam and Eve.  We don't know if it was an apple, do we?  So, what if it was a pineapple?  Maybe there wouldn't have been a Fall.  How do you even eat a pineapple without having a knife to cut it up?  The aggravation alone wouldn't have been worth it.....unless, Satan himself would have provided a knife!

Yeah, I know...losing a few brain cells every day!!!

~deb

Struggles bring strength....often more than we ever thought we had!!!

 "Where there is no struggle, there is no strength"

Reading in the book of Joshua in my devotions today....Joshua is close to the end of his life and sharing with the people of Israel to be strong and of good courage.  Reminding me that life is hard, it will be hard this side of heaven and I have to remember my strength comes from the Lord.  

Holding on to Psalms 121 this day......

~deb

What are you reflecting?

 What are you reflecting in your life today!!!

  

Selling this on ebay, this 1957 Chevrolet visor mirror.

  

I thought, how is this not a word picture for our spiritual lives!!!  

As I am listening to Louie Giglio on grace, I thought about these pictures that I had taken recently to list this mirror.  

Loving YOU because of HIS GREAT LOVE FOR ME!!!

Thanksgiving...."thanks-give-to-the-king"!!!

"The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving."

~H. U. Westermayer



Thanksgiving, the holiday came with a great price paid by many who were willing to sacrifice safety and comfort, even though religiously oppressed, to come to a New Land and establish a way of life that honored God. "Seven times more graves than huts," Westermayer states. You do the math. It wasn't a good time for those that came with great vision. And yet, it was here the idea of Thanksgiving was begun.



I think most people know Joni Eareckson Tada. She is the lady in a wheelchair that paints pictures with a brush in her mouth. Yes, that's the one! Well, she is also a very enlightened lady in a wheelchair who paints with a brush in her mouth! She would be the first one to tell you how thankful she is for the accident that took place in 1967 that left her as a quadriplegic. In Secret Strength, Joni writes, "Being a quiadriplegic means I have no use of my hands or legs. Like my friend, I need someone else to floss my teeth or hold a cup to my lips so I can drink. Somebody has to tuck in my blouse when it pulls out of my slacks. If I get too hot someone has to reach for the ice or the fan. Someone has to help me in and out of bed. There's hardly an hour of the day that I don't rely on the willing hands and feet of others.



"But I've learned not to be so shortsighted about my disability and the people who help me. It is Jesus who feeds me my sandwich...after all, He's the one who provides that friend sitting next to me, just as He provides the food. It is Jesus who lovingly works through my husband when he helps me in bed at night. And it is Jesus who brings people to help me in the morning.



"No, my hands and legs don't work. But like Paul, I've learned to see that these things have happened that I might not rely on my own meager, personal resources. These things have happened that I might lean my full weight on the power, presence, and provision of my Lord.



"I do need Jesus. And if I ever ask you to help me with a sandwich or hold a coffee cup for me, I'll smile my thanks at you...but give Him the glory."



Our Bible/Book club meets on Mondays at 1pm. During one of our discussions, we talked about what we would say if we could sit in a restaurant with Jesus. What would we ask Him? One said that she would ask Him, "why did He die for me?" As we went around the table, it occurred to me that I had always thought I would have tons of questions for Him (you know, that mental list to check off). But, as I have been made to realize through our study and through a program that I am going through, all that is worth saying is just to say....thanks.



So, please remember to be mindful this holiday season and "show" your thanks for all the you have, all that you are in Christ and love on others, especially those that may be hard to love in your life. Jesus said it is easy to love those that love you, but try loving on those not easy to love....try it and be blessed.

He Cares for the Birds....

....how much more He cares for you and me!!!

Had a great ladies retreat this weekend...check out my other blog!

Blessings, deb

Yes WE are!!!!

Created different and unique.....

...and all for a purpose!!!!

~deb :)

Have some great news!!!!

Please read all about it on my craft blog! Would so appreciate all your prayers!!!

Thank you,

deb

www.debbiedemmers-lujan.blogspot.com

It is Well....with My Soul....

Was blessed this Sunday to go sing at the United Congregational Church here in Redfield. This song and message has been deep on my heart lately.

Have a great day in the Lord.....

deb

It is Well with My Soul

When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows flow,
Whatever my lot Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought.
My sin, not in part, but the whole
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, oh, my soul.

And Lord haste the day when the faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll.
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend.
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul.

God's Bible written in Creation....

God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone,

but on the trees,

and the flowers,

and the clouds, and stars.

~Martin Luther

Sitting around waiting for some Spring

Well, not really sitting around, but I am anxiously waiting for Spring. And as I wait, and get down trodden at times, I reflect on the Lord and know that each season has its place here on earth. Life springs anew from what has died as we a live anew because of a Risen Savior!!!

Blessings this day! deb

Jesus....Lover of my soul.....

It has been too long since sharing. I have been doing alot of reading besides my devotional time and having great Sunday School lessons, Wednesday night lessons and sermons on Sunday!!! Has anyone read "When Heaven Weeps" by Ted Dekker? It is a great story that parallels the book of Hosea in a more up to date time. I believe it will greatly move anyone who takes the time to read it. Go to Amazon and look at the reviews, too. As the Lord loved Israel....to show that love and with love comes heartache, too.....God told Hosea to marry Gomer, a prostitute and there, the heartache begins. As we love the Lord, we also fail.....but thankfully and mercifully, we have a forgiving God. I believe you will be blessed. Know that God loves you this day....

deb

Desiring good things for you in 2011!

So hard to believe that we are into 2011. I remember like yesterday when we were concerned about how everything was going to be once we entered the year 2000! A lot has happened in the 11 years since and I wouldn't begin to even try to recap for you! Just didn't get our picture sent out for the Holidays so here we are minus Melody. Am giving you one of us posing together and Josh putting the angel on top of the tree. So, Josh is in the gray shirt, Jacob in the blue, Jenae with her fabulous hair is behind her dad. I in my flannel....forever in flannel and blue jeans!!! May the Lord richly bless you in Spirit and in Truth for 2011....
~deb

Relaxing for the Holidays....

Here's hoping that you all find your way.......

........to a good book for the Holidays!



HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Ever have one of those days????

People are staring at you.....you feel like they can see right through you and all you can do is smile. You have no control and all you can do is smile and hope you look ok! Well, if I eventually get outside myself and remember God sees me; in, out, through, my going out and my coming in and still loves me!!! Whew! What a relief!!!

A Blessed Life....

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

"Leave the rest to God."

Life is like a fancy bracelet!!!

Good afternoon!!! Getting ready for the craft show on Saturday. As I was taking pictures and getting them on my craft blog, I got to thinking....oh, boy! Last year, at our Ladies' Retreat, we were each blessed with a bracelet...a memory wire bracelet. This one I made and will be selling along with many others at the show. I remembered what was shared about these bracelets as a sort of devotional thought last year and would like to share this with you. As you look at this bracelet, see the different sizes and shapes of the beads. And compare this to life with its moments, large and small, smooth and not so smooth, highs and lows, little and big events in our lives. If we didn't have those moments that help us grow....well, life would really be boring. I know someone who wants life to be easy, predictable, no surprises....do we really want that? In the realm of making a bracelet....if I used all smooth beads, same size beads, same color, same everything....well, that would be boring. So, here you have an interesting bracelet and I would parallel this to an interesting life, wouldn't you!!! Remember, God never takes us where He can't keep us and He has always, always made the way after traveling it first.......debbie

"I love Him", that's all there is to it!!!

Sharing my Angel "Song" ornaments with you that I am doing for the craft show. Please go to my other blog to see more creations. I am so excited for the craft show coming up in October. Took this picture and arranged it deliberately, because it says it all for me...."I love Him" and I want to do all things; creating, singing, sharing, working....all for Him!!!

Blessings this beautiful day in the Lord!!!

~debbie

The "Trees" are changing, and so do we....

Just as the trees are starting to turn and shed their leaves, I think something starts happening to us, too. We don't necessarily change colors and start shedding (thank goodness), but I think we start preparing inwardly and outwardly for the changing of the seasons. Oh, yes, of course, the putting away of the summer clothes, bringing out the flannel (my favorite material) and preparing the yards and the flower beds for a time of sleeping....inwardly, what do we do? Well, I sigh many times during these days.....things are dying all around me, it is a time that just has to be.....life has to die in order to be renewed and live again. God calls us to do this also, but He just doesn't call us to do this at the changing of the seasons....No, He wants us to daily die to self so that we can live for Him.

Another sigh.....it is an ok thing.....

Longing for the peaks as I stand here in the valley...

Still using the internet at the library.....next week should have it back again at home. Have enjoyed though seeing the pictures on this computer and the thoughts they bring.


Helped and attended a funeral this morning for a dear friend in our church. Al was 80 years young and though, as Darlene (Al's wife) and I were talking about how it was not his heart that took him from us after all these years of having trouble there....it was a fall and hitting his head and over a period of days just not feeling right. Al went peacefully from this earth and into a much better place, the home that was meant to be his all along. I myself am longing for "higher ground" and do not like the view much from the "valley" time. I will miss Al, especially tomorrow as we all had such fun in Sunday School discussing our lesson....oh, the thoughts and opinions we shared! I will miss the humbleness of Al, a man who was so honest about how he once lived and how the Lord saved him and how he so wanted others to have what he found. Didn't know that it was at Promise Keepers that he had found his way back to the Lord and attended a few more times and tried to get other men to come along. Everyone is so busy. Oh, to see all men experience Promise Keepers as we women experience our gatherings! Spiritual men of God can change the tide of this whole world!


Anyway....as I am down in my valley today and pondering the higher heights, I know the Lord wants me to make good use of where I am. It is hard but it is what He calls us to do. Live for the Lord where you are! I have the privilege of singing for a couple trying to raise money to take a mission trip to Haiti tomorrow.....my prayer is always that God speaks through me as well as the others performing and that people are willing to look ahead and up to that higher ground of where we are meant to be someday....."Al, you have one up on us, for the moment....." ~debbie

Going into the night, ending each day.....

I don't know about any of you, but I have a hard time when it comes to sleeping. Most of it is just turning the brain off. I take an over the counter "melatonin" to help slow things down. I got an e-mail about how one ends their day is as important as how one begins a new day! Thought we could all benefit from this. Computer is still down at home so am relying on the computer pictures available at the library. This is pretty, isn't it? Sometimes going to sleep is like "walking a long pier" for me!!! Blessings to you, deb

The way that you end your day is just as important as how you begin it. Here are some tips to help you have a better night and a better tomorrow.

1. Let go of your responsibilities at day’s end. Set your burdens aside and relax. Take time for happy moments with loved ones and friends. Be relaxed and jovial. Don’t carry the day’s work into the night. Let it rest while you rest.

2. Spend some time every evening with your Bible. Do it regularly. When this becomes a consistent, regular habit, it begins to take hold of your daily life, and it changes things. It will change you. Read a chapter or two a night until you have completed the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Then read Paul’s Epistles. Add to this a Psalm or some great Old Testament chapter such as Isaiah 55. As you do this, some wonderful insights will come to you, and you will feel so helped that you will have a new mastery of your problems.

3. Tell a few people that you love them. Telephone someone or write it in a letter. This will take you further out of yourself, and that, of course, will get you closer to other people.

4. Before you go to sleep, run over your life, thank God for everyone and everything. Count your blessings, name them “Lord, bless this conversation.”

5. Empty your mind of the day as if you were emptying your pockets. Remove all the the irritations, frustrations, disappointments, hurts and regrets then go to sleep with a cleansed and uncluttered mind.

6. Finally, commit your soul into the kindly care and keeping of the Lord, and then go to sleep in peace. He watches over you. Affirm “God watches over me, over my house, over all my loved ones. In His peace I have peace.”