Sunday, January 31, 2016

HOSPITALITY SUNDAY

Proverbs 12:1  
Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid. 

Tough words are these in Proverbs today; please accept them for what they are,
If you love God's word and its instruction, you will always be the winner by far.
God tells us in simple words the result of those who really do not care to learn,
They are stupid who hate instruction, and we pray they will to His word return.(RP)

At church today is hospitality Sunday and a couple in our church already invited us for lunch. We look forward to this. Tonight there will be a business meeting at church. We will attend it, Lord willing. We look forward to Sunday School and church this morning. Thanks for your prayers. 

Saturday, January 30, 2016

GREAT TIME

.....lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. 2 Corinthians 2:11

Our enemy Satan has many tools to trick us day by day,
We are not ignorant of them, because they are on display.
Our duty is to resist him, this great enemy of our soul,
And God will help us do it, if our problem on Him we roll.
Take courage Christian, and stand firm in Him right now,
Faithfully keep at it, making this your firm and solid vow.(RP)

The Friday Bible class was well attended and we had a great time studying together Genesis 23. I have emphasized to the class that it is much better to go through Scripture slowly and learn some of the gems contained in the stories.  I know they agree. We have a wonderful time each Friday in that class. We even had a new member. We will be working more on future classes today, trying to keep ahead on our preparation for them.  We trust you all have a great day as well. Thanks for praying.  

Friday, January 29, 2016

WE WONDER

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
2Co 8:9

We're told in simple words right here, what Jesus did for us,
And how He came from Heaven's heights, so rich and then made poor.
And when I claim Him as my own He gives me all His wealth,
And shows me from His word each day in Him I'm so secure.(RP)

Margie and I wonder if the newly talked-about virus Zika, caused by mosquitoes, was the source of our daughter Joy's microcephaly years ago. She was born in the jungle town of Iquitos, Peru.  We will never know but now that so much has been said about this virus carrying mosquito, we wonder.  Yesterday was a full day and this morning our Bible study is our main event for today. Thanks for praying. 

Thursday, January 28, 2016

AWANA

Matthew 5:48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Because of what Christ does for us, He wants us to be complete,
To be perfect is to love others as He loves, otherwise it is incomplete.
God wants you and me to be mature, so read his word and pray,
You will grow in your spiritual life and be ready to face each day.(RP)

Last night Margie and I attended AWANA at church and I spoke using Power Point and an object lesson about G.P.S. In the morning Margie had her appointment with the doctor. They actually talked me into taking a flu shot something I had never done in my almost 85 years. I also had a pneumonia shot. We made a couple of other errands while in Lynden. Thanks for praying.

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

FULL DAY

Matthew 22:37 
Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 

God asks us to love Him more than we have ever loved before,
And I am telling you, this is something you and I cannot ignore.
We love with our heart and soul and mind; this is God's command,
And we can do it and I know we must, because it is what He planned.
So start to today by getting into God's word, and letting it teach you well,
And every day you do this, you will soon learn that it is something swell.(RP)

This is a full day of activities.  This morning it was change and make the beds, shower, and now I am washing clothes. Margie will fold them and iron most of them, but if she can't, then I finish. We leave before noon for Lynden, Washington, where Margie has a doctor's appointment. I will do some shopping at a Safeway, nearby. Tonight I speak at AWANA. So the day is plenty busy for us. Thanks for your prayers.

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

WHAT DID YOU SAY?

Luke 21:4  
For all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.

Giving is a spiritual thing that tests many along the way,
Jesus watched people give that day, and had this to say.
Some give because they have much; others are not so,
They give what they have because,this is what they know.
In proportion to what the rich gave, her offering was not much,
But Jesus looking on that day gave it a wonderful touch.(RP)

You can tell by the title of this blog what I will be doing this morning. I go to the audiologist for another check up on my hearing. I think things are going well with it, but we will see after I get there what she will discover. Yesterday we had a more quiet day at home but managed to keep busy. I have quite a bit of shopping to do while in town this morning. Trust your day goes well too.  Thanks for praying. 

Monday, January 25, 2016

NEW WEEK

Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him, and that He might send them out to preach. Mark 3:14 

Twelve men walked with Jesus because He called them for this,
He taught them faithfully so that in nothing they would be remiss,
The privilege of being with Him; what a thrill it must have been,
Any who desire to be with Him we know for sure they will win.
Jesus sent the men out to preach; this they did in every place,
They were blessed in their work; it was all of His marvelous grace.(RP)

WE started a new week yesterday and I forgot to post a blog. I don't know how that happened. We had a good Sunday. Our son left after breakfast to be with his family for church in Stanwood. Our pastor's son, Ben, was our preacher today. Today we will continue with our studies for Genesis. Margie is busy cleaning a bathroom now, and will later work on lunch, making a meat loaf or porcupine meat balls. Saturday night Rawlie, Margie and I had a great Skype connection with my brother in Anchorage. Thanks for your prayers. 

Sunday, January 24, 2016

FORGOT

Sorry, I forgot to post this in the morning and now it is late at night. I will make up for it in the morning. 

Saturday, January 23, 2016

LIFT CHAIR FIXED

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 3 John 4 

This is so true in every sense; we joy when our children are right,
When they walk with the Lord and love Him,it is a special delight.
We are joyful when our family walks in truth; what blessings it brings,
And we all feel so good when God runs our lives; truly our heart sings.(RP)

Rawlie arrived last night in time to join us for supper. It is nice having him here. He also covered the payment for our lift chair repairs which were done yesterday by Colony Furniture company in Lynden, WA.  They gave such good service. We appreciate them and the men they sent to do the repairs. Rawlie and I will be going for coffee this morning, then he goes to a neighboring town to meet his wife and daughter who are at a special school Science Fair. Monique has a science display at this fair.  I will get busy preparing for next week's Bible study. Thanks for praying.  

Friday, January 22, 2016

PREPARATION

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 
1 Thessalonians 5:18 

Are you thankful today for the things that you have; have you told the Lord this in prayer?
Then go to Him now and pour out your heart, because of all your needs He is aware.
God's will for you as His child, is to give Him thanks in the midst of everything,
And when you do this He is pleased, because to Him your praises will bring.(RP)

Throughout the week, I work on the Bible lesson as much as I can. Even though we do not have a huge number in class, I print each week the study sheets to hand out in the class for the next lesson.  It is amazing how much paper is used over time. I also print the lesson for God's Handiwork in Nature study, and I try to pass around a picture of the subject of the study. For instance, today I will be speaking about the Mexican walking fish. This is an amazing creature. I love to present these facts to the class, and it is obvious they like them very much.  We look forward to our son being with us tonight. Thank you for praying. 

Thursday, January 21, 2016

SECURITY SYSTEM

James 4:7 
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Do you want to the devil to bother you less; then listen to James today,
He will tell you in certain terms exactly how you should obey.
To keep distant from the devil, do this: submit yourself to the Lord,
You then can resist the devil, and he will flee from you; this is your reward.(RP)

The trouble with security systems is the long contract they force on you. I purchased another system which is MUCH cheaper, but cannot use it until May. That's when our present system's contract runs out. But the system has been cutting up lately and I had to disconnect the speaker because it made so much racket. Now it has affected our phone calls, because the phone line is connected to it. That's the way it works. Yesterday the phone started dropping calls we received and people would have to redial our number. I spent about an hour with the security company trying to get it fixed. What I really want is for them to break the contract, but I know they will not do it. We pay 50 dollars a month for it. The new one will be 14. What a difference. Thanks for your prayers. 


Wednesday, January 20, 2016

WASH DAY

Acts 10:43
All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

The Old Testament prophets foretold forgiveness of sin for all,
True believers in God receive it, whether they are great or small.
To have your sins forgiven is the greatest gift one can receive,
So come to Jesus with all your sin and trust Him as you believe.(RP)

Every Wednesday is wash day here. So we are in the middle of that process.  Margie has been able to do some extra cleaning and dusting in the house also. The beds are freshly made and the washing machine is going strong out in the garage. Margie will fold the clothes and later iron them, if she is strong enough. If not, I will do that. Yesterday we were able to do more on our Shepherds book.  Thanks for praying.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

NO SCHEDULE

2 Timothy 3:1 
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.

The Bible keeps us up to date; it is always so correct,
I hope you appreciate it; is is always so very direct.
God tells plainly that perilous time will come,
So pay attention and please do not be dumb.
These critical days are upon us; listen to God's Word,
Do not act like you do not know, and have never heard.
Read the Bible and be informed of what God's plan is,
And know without a doubt that what you read is HIS.(RP)

We have no specific schedule today but there is plety to do. Yesterday we both did house work, and were able to have a more leisurely afternoon.  We worked some more on chapters for the Shepherd book. I found a discrepancy in the files and had to retype one story. The only thing on today's list is to pick up some items a dear friend is giving us. We are still waiting for the lift chair part to arrive so Margie can sit down and get up easier. We hope it comes today. Thanks for praying.

Monday, January 18, 2016

YESTERDAY

Psalm 30:5 
For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.

God's trials come and go, but He sends them to teach us well,
They are sent by His loving hand, not meant to make us rebel.
Weeping is short lived, and the morning will very soon be here,
The joy comes in the morning, when His dear voice we hear,(RP)

Yesterday at church after the morning service we visited the Ministry Fair held in the basement. It was very instructive, showing all the many ministries of our church. We visited the many tables and booths, then came home. The afternoon was short because we returned to the evening service at 6. It is mainly an information and prayer time for all as we seek another pastor. We are glad we could be there. Thanks for praying.  

Sunday, January 17, 2016

SOMETHING NEW

Psalm 27:14 
Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

You say you do not want to wait? You better listen my friend,
He tells you something you need to know; this I recommend.
Brighten up, take courage, and learn to wait, and not be in a rush,
God will strengthen your heart and you will not need to blush. (RP)

Last Sunday, and today, there is something new at church. We meet in the evening also to pray. The elders scheduled the evening service when our pastor gave notice of his resignation, to assume a new position with the Baptist Network Northwest. It is wise on their part to have these meetings so the church can be in much prayer about the pastor who will take this responsibility. We leave within the hour for Sunday School and church and look forward to it. Thanks for praying.

Saturday, January 16, 2016

BREAKFAST

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. Galatians 6:7

We get caught in a trap, and know not what to do; we are easily deceived,
When life is over we will someday learn that things unwanted were received.
God teaches the law of sowing and reaping; we reap what we sow,
We are sure to get things that we never dreamed of, or even want to know.
So friend, my counsel to you is: please be careful how you live down here,
Because when we reap what we sow, I am sure the pain is going to be severe. (RP)

Our church is having a men's breakfast this morning in Ferndale. In a few minutes I will be going down to that. Yesterday we had another good group at Bible study and the participation was excellent. In the afternoon I worked on the next lesson we want to hand out to the class in next weeks session. We trust your day will be a blessing. Thanks for praying.

Friday, January 15, 2016

IT IS HERE

Proverbs 4:26 
Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.

Pay attention to your ways, and make sure you are obeying the Lord,
Walking the wrong road is wrong; disobedience you cannot afford.
Let God establish your path, by His Word and obedience to His way,
And you will reap great benefits, that will bless and always repay.(RP)

As usual, we are happy it is Friday.  It is here! Last week we had almost a full house for the Bible study. We trust today will be a repeat of that. Yesterday we made a quick trip into town to exchange our Crockpot for a smaller one. This one will be easier for Margie to handle. The other one was real heavy and hard for her to carry. The weather is cold and rainy but no snow is forecast. We trust your day is going well. Thanks for your prayers.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

PRAYER MEETING

Hebrews 12:14 
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

One must first seek peace for himself by trusting Jesus as Lord,
This is the most important thing, and because it is such a reward.
When we have peace, we easily have it with others around us too,
It gives endless joy, and this provides comfort that's true blue.
God expects us to be holy in our walk before our fellow men,
And living this life gives peace untold so we do it again and again. (RP)

Yesterday Margie had a permanent. Today we look forward to the afternoon prayer meeting. I have been working on Friday Bible class work, and today I will finish that and choose a nature study lesson that I always use to start the Bible class. We lost a good friend yesterday, Dale Harvey. His service will be tomorrow in Montana. Thanks for praying.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

PERMANENT

Matthew 5:24
Leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

Problems among brothers and sisters in Christ, hinders the gospel today,
And makes havoc of testimonies for sure, and puts God's work on delay.
When YOU have a problem with anyone, be sure and straightened it out,
Otherwise God will not bless you, and you will live in agonizing doubt.
So don't go around saying you are worshipping the Lord if you have erred,
Because your life will tell the real story, and your testimony will be impaired(RP)


The furniture company called to say they will order the parts to fix the lift chair, if I am in agreement. I am, so they ordered the part. Now we wait for them to arrive. Yesterday we tried out our new Crock Pot and this morning the food looks and smells great. We will know for sure at lunch time. Margie is having a perm right now. I will get her around noon.  Thanks for praying.


Tuesday, January 12, 2016

FOLLOW UP

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 1 Timothy 4:1 

Troubling days are upon us, and Paul told us they would come,
We should heed his warnings and be careful to not act dumb.
It is sad to think that some will abandon the faith, giving it all up,
They will do this enticed by the demons, and with them they will sup.
Deceiving spirits are here today doing all they can to make men stray,
So we should pray more than ever before, and lead people to God's way.(RP)

Yesterday we contacted the furniture store where we purchased the lift chair and they sent a man to examine it. They will do one of two things in getting it repaired. They will either try to exchange the broken housing around the gear drive assembly, or replace the entire framework under the chair with a new motor and assembly. They will also determine if the work is covered by the warranty. It would be nice if it is. We were impressed with the prompt help on this. Today we must do some shopping, then I will work on Genesis material. Thanks so much for praying. 

Monday, January 11, 2016

LIFT CHAIR PROBLEM

So we may boldly say;The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me? 
 Heb 13:6

Oh how wonderful to serve the Lord and trust Him day by day,
Leaning trustingly upon Him as I walk along the way.
He is our greatest Helper and trusted Friend indeed.
And with Him no fear assails me and with Him we will succeed.(RP)

The special lift chair we purchased for Margie several years ago is a life-saver for her. Without it she cannot get out of the chair easily. Through the years I have "fixed" it many times. For some reason occasionally  we  have to unplug the power source from the small motor assembly underneath the chair and reconnect it in order for it to work properly. Yesterday, however as she was sitting in it, we heard a loud noise, a bang, and it appears to have broken some gear or lift mechanism.  Today I am trying to find out from the place where we bought it, where we can call to get it repaired.  Thanks for praying.

Sunday, January 10, 2016

SUNDAY

If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2:13

Do you ever feel like you have failed the Lord, in something your should have done?
Or maybe you have pondered the idea - of asking God to give you another rerun.
No matter what our condition may be, or whatever we have done to get into a mess,
Just remember one thing as you move along, our God never loves us less.
He is faithful, loving, kind, and forgiving, and faithful to us until the very end,
It is hard for us to grasp this truth, but I pray that soon you will fully comprehend.(RP)

We go down the hill to church this morning, and look forward to Sunday School and morning worship. And tonight we will return, Lord willing. Starting today, each Sunday we will meet for pray and information concerning the pastor's transition into his new position as Executive Director of Baptist Network Northwest. Here in Ferndale at our church, a search committee will be chosen as they look for the next pastor of this ministry. We need much prayer. Thanks for praying. 

Saturday, January 9, 2016

MISC. TASKS

Romans 8:31 
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

When God is on your side, what more could you possibly ask,
What a wonderful place to be in, and all that without a task.
Choosing the Lord as your Savior, He comes to live within,
He has forgiven and forgotten all the former times of sin.
How special to have God for us as we walk this road below,
And because He is on our side we know our joy will overflow.(RP)

There are several things we want to get done today. Margie has just finished going through our files to cull out much paper work we no longer need. That was a big job. I am working on a Power Point presentation for AWANA. I also keep working on Genesis because I must keep ahead of the class on the study sheets which we give them each Friday. The most important thing is this is countdown to Sunday, and we always look forward to being there. Thanks for praying.

Friday, January 8, 2016

BACK TO WORK

Luke 15:7 
I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

Heaven rings with joy when a sinner is saved by grace,
And when death comes they will see Jesus face to face.
God is still interested in those who need no repentance,
But it is consoling to know that they do not have a sentence.
So we keep on rejoicing whenever a sinner is saved,
And praise God that they are no longer by sin enslaved.(RP)

It is back to work this morning. But we like this kind of work: Bible teaching. We have not had a class since Christmas, so I believe most are eager to have it restart. Yesterday we went to afternoon prayer meeting and it was a blessing, as always. Margie will have her hair done after the class today because the hairdresser was not able to do it Thursday. Thank you all for your prayers.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

SCHEDULE CHANGE

Matthew 11:28 
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

You who are tired, and burdened down, accept Jesus' invitation today,
In Him you will find rest and solace for your soul, as you travel the way. (RP)

Margie's hairdresser will do her hair Friday, instead of today. After the Bible class, I will take her there for that. Today we have prayer meeting in the afternoon. We were treated to a delicious meal last night, and enjoyed our time so much.  Today I will get all the work done for our class tomorrow. We always look forward to starting up for the first class in 2016. Thanks for your prayers. 

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

APPOINTMENT

The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. Psalm 19:8

We often hear cries of wanting more light for our every way,
God is more than willing to give it to you, if we will  obey,
His Word commands us always; it is our duty to simply comply,
Then our eyes are opened, and this you cannot ever deny.
Walk the pathway He has set for you, and you will really see,
Keep doing this because this is what God wants for you and me. (RP)

Today Margie has an appointment with the sleep specialist. Thankfully she is doing much better now, and I do not think the doctor can add to this. We also have an appointment for dinner tonight with a very dear family. We look forward to this. Yesterday we attended the mission meeting at our church and we always enjoy that hour. Thanks for praying.

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

MISSIONS

1 Peter 5:8 
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Keep your head, fellow Christian; the devil is really after you,
Watch for his attacks and bait, because he wants to pursue.
He is walking always behind us, wanting so much to devour,
And he is diligent in his work and is busy every single hour. (RP)

We look forward to the missions meeting this afternoon where we hear from various missionaries, and pray for them. Yesterday was a quiet day. It is cold these days and today they forecast snow. Margie is doing better since her two allergy tests. We pray that continues. Sleep is the most important thing, and she has done better since the testing. Thanks for praying.  

Monday, January 4, 2016

TRACE OF SNOW

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 
1 Corinthians 3:16

An awesome word this is today, that we are the temple of God,
It is humbling to think He dwells within this simple body of sod.
That God would place His Spirit in us,is so amazing indeed, 
He said it and we know it's true, and very much guaranteed.(RP)

The street and sidewalks are white this morning. Only a trace on the grass. The sky is partly blue, so that is all the snow that is coming, I believe. Yesterday was a shocker for us at church when at the short business meeting at the end of the service, pastor Dave announced his resignation.  This will happen most likely in April when the general business meeting of the Baptist Network Northwest meets. He will probably be voted the director of this at that time. Thanks for praying. 

Sunday, January 3, 2016

TIME FOR CHURCH

Psalm 63:7 
Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.

God is my help, and I am so glad for that,
And because it is so real, I can really chat.
God helps, and we take refuge in His wings,
And the security given, to our heart joy brings(RP)

We look forward to this day every week. We go to Sunday School, then the church service. We stay around the welcome room after church to visit with folks. Today there will be a short business meeting following that, and we hope we can stay for it. Gina and the children came by for a visit yesterday before leaving for Stanwood. We enjoyed that. Last night my brother Harold and I had a chat on Skype. He is so good to us, and we are thankful for good communication privileges to visit with him. Thanks for praying.

Saturday, January 2, 2016

APPRECIATED HELP

You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD your God is giving you for all time.Deut. 4:40

God's commands to Israel apply to us today, as we seek to do His will,
He wants Christians to follow His precepts, and His Word in us instill.
If we parents do God's will, it is much easier for our children to obey,
So do not give up dear follower, but determine to live for Him each day.(RP)

It was nice spending a leisurely day yesterday. In the morning Rawlie, Gina & I had coffee, then Rawlie installed the new modem/router Comcast sent us last week. It really improved the service and helps on our smartphone also. I stuffed green peppers and baked them for future meals. Our weather is cold, at least for us, and we are grateful for a warm house. We hope your first day of the New Year was a blessing to you also. Thanks for praying.  

Friday, January 1, 2016

HAPPY NEW YEAR


This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24 

As we begin 2016, let us rejoice in this great gift from Him,
Praying that God will bless us, and fill our hearts to the rim.
We can decide right now to make this year the very best, 
Or never commit to Him our life, and live all year in unrest.
Each day is a gift from God, how we thank Him for it today,
As we move about our business, let's never forget to pray,
Thank God for all your blessings and be glad for what He's given,
And most of all give praise because you are saved and forgiven.(RP)

We trust 2016 will be a blessing for you. The fireworks last night did not keep us awake. Our son and his family arrived yesterday and we will have some time together today. Rawlie stayed at our house last night. We will go down for coffee sometime this morning. We are hoping this will be a leisurely day. There is always something to do, but we will keep everything at a low key. Are you reading the Bible through this year? I just printed off a reading plan which I got from Faith Baptist Bible College. It is free and I print it right from their site. We pray God's best for you. And we thank you so much for praying for us.