Disciples

One of the reasons that I started disciples nook was to help us all grow in the knowledge of God. And to share everyday life and how God works within my life.

Today I was reading my daily devotions in I John 3 and in verse 1 and 2 of that chapter says, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (KJV)

How exciting for those who are Christians. And the way that we know if we are a Christian for sure is by the following verses, again found in I John 3. Verses 23-24, "And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment, and he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us." (KJV)

Also we should not continue in sin. That is to keep doing the same sin over and over again and not confessing it to the Lord. We are to life our lives as pure as we can. If we do sin then we confess that sin to God and we are cleansed from it by the blood of Jesus Christ. Then we continue on in keeping our lives as clean and pure as we can.

It sounds hard, it is hard, but it is worth it to live for Jesus and like Jesus.

I Was Right!

When I am with my husband I am not usually right in things I say. He is pretty smart in some areas but when it comes to cars that is not one of them. So I was real excited that when our brake light came on and I said, "Maybe it needs fluid," and I was right. I wasn't excited about the brake light coming on though.

It was fun when I drove to work and every so often I would flip up my hood and check my oil. Everyone asked if everything was OK. I would say yes and I was just checking the oil.

But one day I did it and I couldn't get the hood to close again. So for some time it didn't get checked as much. I then ended up having to get a new motor. Not good. My mechanic would check the oil. But my husband starting driving the car more because he got rid of his. So he didn't stop as much.

Anyway, I just wanted to share with you what happened and also thank the Lord that it happened just before we got to the mechanics so that he could put the fluid in before we had to drive to far. The Lord is so good.

A Blessing Comes My Way Today

I haven't been able to listen to one of my favorite radio shows on the computer on Tuesday because I usually working. But for the last two weeks I have been able to listen to it. Today was a great blessing.

The program is The Imperfect Wives and you can go to theimperfectwives.net and see what they are all about. Today subject was to live a simple life. That is not easy today. It seems like my house is so cluttered with stuff and also my life.

Simple in the study today means being straightforward, easy, uncomplicated, effortless, clear, plain, candid, unpretentious.  And the verse that was used was Luke 6:45 "A good person produces good deeds from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil deeds from an evil heart. Whatever is in your heart determines what you say." And I found that so true.

There was another word that was use and that meant the opposite of simple and won't go into that now because I would like you to go to the site if you can.

The blessing was for me that I need to clean up my life and have it become simple like it was many years ago.

How about you? Is your life simple?

A Recital

My husband has some very close friends and schoolmates that have an non-profit organization that brings to our community different types of music. They have two recitals a year. In the summer it was an twelve-year-old girl playing the piano. We had seen her when she was only eight and played classical pieces. She travels all over-the world.

Yesterday's recital was presented by Michael Davidman. He is fourteen and lives in New York City. He has claimed top prizes in over a dozen competitions and has appeared as soloist with orchestra in performances of some of the most illustrious musicians.

Michael plays classical music and yesterday he played five pieces all memorized. Then he and another pianist played a duet together and it was just beautiful.

It was not until I met my husband 48 years ago that I found out what classical music was. He was into such music. Most of it I like very well. The older composers. The newer music is just not the same. I am not saying it isn't good but just a different style.

So even though I had no idea what the young man was playing except for one piece I enjoyed it. It is nice sometimes to get out of your comfort zone, if not going in wrong direction, and enjoy something different.

I am so glad that the Lord gave us all different talents including music.

Book Reviews

I had such a great weekend. I was able to read some of my friends books.  So I wanted to share with you who they are and if you get a chance to read any of their books I know you will not regret it and they would appreciate you reading them.

First, is Dax M. Tucker book called The Leaf Catcher. It is a paper back book and I got mine through Barnes and Nobles, but he is on Twitter so maybe you can contact him there. This book was amazing. If you like poetry but not necessary rhymning poetry, you will love this book. It is a whole story set in the 16th century so you will have that language setup. It is 120 pages long and I read it in two days. A great style, a different approach and a wonderful read.

Second, is two books by Loyd C. Taylor. A great writer and also a fantatic artitist. I met him on a site called fanartreview. The first book that I bought is called Using My Muse. Again this is a poetry book, paper back, and 185 pages. It is a family-friendly book and contains many stories right out of the writer's life and some are not. He lets you chose which ones you think are real and fiction. A great read. His second book is called Mr. Pumpkinhead's Fabulous Fall Festival. This is a children's paper back book and has very nice graphics and the story line the kids will love. He has another book out also another in the same series. I haven't read that one yet.

Third,  Howard Tuckey has written also a paper back book and it is called Mattie's Place. This is a story about a small town and the things that can happen in a small town. A lot of the things he wrote about happened to him. It is a funny book and brings back memories of the good-old-days where people gathered around and talked with each other.

Fourth, "OPEN SKY" is written by my friend, Mark Winheld who is in my writer's group. It is a missionary story and is also a paper back book. This is the story of a missionary pilot Dwayne King. If you like an action-packed story of what a missionary does this is the book for you. Can go to Barnes and Nobles for this one also.

Fifth, was a e-zine that I received from Mary DeMuth and you can find her on Twitter. It is a 90 page book and I read it in a couple of hours and took a lot of notes. It deals with abuse. She has written another book which I just ordered which goes along with this book called Thin Places. Can find Mary at marydemuth@.com

So you see I am excited that I can read books that my friends have written and share them with you by telling you about them. So if you want some good reads look the books up.

Why Do I Blog

I was just reading my e-mail that I have on my Google account and the question that was asked was, "Why do you blog?" Since I didn't have a subject for today I thought I would answer the question.

I decided that I wanted to blog because it is fun for me to share what happens in my life that brings me closer to the Lord.

I like to talk and this is a good way to talk except putting it in print. And since I have had my thyroid out my vocal cords tighten up and it is hard to talk with my voice so I do it with my fingers.

Also, when I went to my Writer's Conference last year it was suggested to start a blog, twitter, facebook which I have done. I like twitter but don't seem to get to it as much as I want to. I run out of time.

So those are just a few reasons why I blog.

Starting Again

In my March 20th post I was saying I felt I was getting off track a little bit. But I can say that today is much better. I am all caught up with all my e-mails. I am now writing my blog and I yet to do my devotional. But I am a lot farther ahead than yesterday and I thank you for those who prayed for me.

I also wanted to say I do enjoy playing games with my friends, family and people I don't even know. It is a way to relax as I said. I just have to leave them till the end and get the main things done first.

So just an update and as I read on one blog today, "Don't give up." So I just kept that in mine and keep on going.

Time Goes By So Fast

I am resting by going through my e-mails and blogs and facebook but I am finding that doing all this takes time and for me energy. I enjoy it but I am not even half-way through all that I need to do and I am tired already.

Computers are nice and I enjoy having it all to myself this week, but I just have to stop doing some things, like games, and get back to my original schedule. Like revising my story for children, and do all my e-mails.

Prayer
Father, today is one of those days where if I had the energy I could do so much. But for some reason You chose to slow me down and so now I will go and read and lay down for awhile and then come back to doing computer. Thank You Father for this quiet time today I have really enjoyed it a lot.

Ouch That Hurt

I haven't posted in a few days because I got injured at work on Friday afternoon. I fell off a chair that had rollers on it and hit hard on the floor. So I was checked out and I have two bruised bones. So am sitting on a cushion and having a heat pad on the cushion also.  So it is hard to sit. One bone was the tail bone and the other bone was called the sit bone.

I hope that I will at least now to be able to get back and write a blog each day. It depends on how I feel.

Your prayers would be appreciated. As it turns out I am on vacation for the next two weeks from work so I can lay around and rest and have some time to heal.

Thank you in advance for your prayers.

Getting Old

This picture was taken back when I was a little younger and enjoyed staying in a Motel with my husband in Cooperstown. We would go up every year for about ten years and spend a week or a few days and enjoy the small town.

Now we are at retirement age. My husband will be 72 in a couple of months and I will be 66 in August and our health is not as good as we would like it to be. Our car has gotten older too. It is a 1999 Prism. Also living on a little smaller income all plays a part in us staying home now and not making the trip to Cooperstown.

We do have some great pictures and videos of our times there. And they are always nice to look at.

I am so glad that even though we are older we have been married 45 years and still like to be with each other. And we kept our vows before God and they were "For better or worse, in sickness and health, richer or poorer, to death due us part." So glad we made those vows as being married and getting older takes a lot of work. But it is worth it.  So many don't give it a chance today which is so sad.

Thank You My Heavenly Father for choosing my husband and helping us to grow closer each day.

A Kodak Moment

After I had surgery my husband gave me this puzzle to work on while I was recovering.

When I put the puzzle together I started to laugh really hard and it really hurt. My husband thought he was helping me and he was--but it still hurt when I laughed.

I am so glad that I have my husband who is so caring. And we have many kodak moments that I have in my memory.

I hope you have many kodak moments in your life.

Music

I know that I have talked about music before but tonight I am relaxing doing this blog and listening to music by Jim Donovan called Rhythmic Foundation Volume 1. It is a play along CD. If I wasn't typing right now I would be playing along with my djme drum.

A Djme drum is an African drum and is made in different ways. Mine is handmade. Some parts from Africa and others from a drum shop near where I live.

I started taking lessons just for the fun of it. Did you know that the drum is the closes sound to a heart beat there is. And to just play the drum and get into a rhythm it is very relaxing.

Most people who have never heard this drum would not think this music is relaxing or easy to listen to, but I am enjoying it.

I am so happy that I found this instrument and a fine teacher to show me how to play it.

Reading Other Blogs

To me it is so interesting to read other people's blog. Everyone seems to have a different way of putting things. Even if you have a person doing a blog similiar to the one I write. It is like the saying about you can have seven people see the same thing and get seven different responses.

It is great that God made us all different. That way we have different things to read, look at, and do. I wouldn't want us all to be like me. I don't think you would like to all be like me either.

So I am going to continue on reading other's blogs and enjoy what they have to say.

My Smile Rock

It was hard to scan my rock but hope you can see it clear enough. This is what I bought at a store yesterday and it has become one of my favoirte objects I have.

I have placed it right where I can see it whenever I am typing on my computer. It is just such a small thing but it brings so much enjoyment. And whoever did this piece of stone was an excellent designer. They carved out in detail everything. Oh to be talented.

Wait! I am talented. Not like this artist, but God has given me the talent to write a blog. To paint with wax. To make stationary. To work with stained glass, and to use branches and other materials to make paperweights. So I am a very happy person that I can do some things.

How about you? Can you write, take photographs, paint, do crafts. Be happy with what talent you have or another word is gift or gifts God has given to you.

The Time Has Come

When I usually get sick it is something usual and not the normal thing. But for the last week my husband has had a cold. He never gets colds but he got one. Guess what? I got it too.

It is that time of year and the nurse said that Monday and Tuesday was very late days for her and the doctor as they had so many people coming in. I can believe it.

I don't think anyone likes to be sick, but for me this is mild to some of things I have had. So I am thankful for a great husband who takes such good care of me and helps me out whenever he can.

Stay healthy if you can.

Self-Discipline

Word: Self-Discipline

Meaning: Control, obedience 

 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Home Going Celebration

As I have mentioned before, today is the third funeral I have gone to in a week and the fourth death in the same amount of time. I was not able to go to one funeral.

Today's gathering was announced in the bulletin given to us by the family not as a funeral but in big words at the top of the page, written in red, Home Going Celebration of and then the name of the person who went home.

To me it was a unique time together. We sang some of my friend's favorite songs, her son read a poem and she had two Pastors do her Home Going Celebration. Of course their were tears, a lot of Amen's as the Pastor's spoke and gave their thoughts on this lovely, godly woman. But the best thing that took place, which was my friend's prayer, was that someone might be saved at this service. Her prayer was answerd not just one but seven people raised their hands and accepted the Lord.

Seven in one day. My friend's body was there but she was already with Jesus so she must have been rejoicing with Him as she saw the hands that were raised.

My friend will be greatly missed but she will live in our hearts forever.

A Special Day At Church

Today was a special day at church as we had our teens present the message and music. They did a fine job and it was good to see so many of our teens involved.

They all did a fine job and it is exciting to me to see so many duet in song and music being started. It is good practice for them and some are going to be in a contest in the next week or so.

So I am so thankful that we have Pastors who want our young teens to strife to be all that they can be. Doing what the Lord has given them to do. We have a very good teen who is a great Preacher already. I see him going a long way in the ministry of preaching.

It has been a good day.

Raised As An Only Child

I was born in 1946 and was adopted so I grew up as an only child. Then in 1996 I met up with my birth family and low and behold I found out that I had a older sister and brother. When I met them I said that we could be the Three Musketeers. I think we would be in a lot of trouble if we were together all the time.

Today I was reading Hebrew 2 and found the verses which told me that the ones that Jesus maked as holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them His brothers and sisters. What that means is that all believers are my brothers and sisters and Jesus is my brother. So I have many brothers and sisters.

I didn't come to know Christ as my Savior until 1966 so then I was no longer an only child but then I became a sister to many. Love it!

So if you are a believer you are my brother or sister. Let me know love to hear from you.

Another Friend Goes Home

Yesterday I found out that another friend of my went home to be with the Lord. This is the fourth person in just one week. It is so sad when a friend leaves us as I had mentioned before.

But I know without a doubt that my friend is with Jesus and is out of pain and suffering and enjoying every moment with Him.

She will be missed here on earth but I know that I will see her again as I will be going to my final home someday.