Friday, March 31, 2017

BETTER NIGHT

Psalms 33:12  Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.

Nations are blessed when God is their Lord, this is a joyful thought,
Each member of this nation is someone whom God sought.
We are chosen by God, and His inheritance we are,
We rejoice in this great fact and for us it's the best thing by far.(RP)

For several nights Margie had to go into the family room and use her lift chair for sleeping. For some reason when she cannot sleep, that chair helps her. Thankfully last night that was not necessary and she slept through the night in her bed. This morning we look forward to the Bible class. Thanks so much for praying for Ernie, my brother. He is now home and doing well, for which we are so thankful. Thanks for praying.

Thursday, March 30, 2017

HAIR AND PRAYER

Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.  Jer 24:7

God's love for his own  grows not dim no matter how far they have gone,
God gives them a heart to commune, even if they are withdrawn.
How gracious of God to call men, wanting constant communion with them,
He does this with a heart of compassion even when men condemn.
God longs for the day of return when hard hearts are turned toward Him,
And He will receive them with joy even though the chance appears dim.(RP)

Ever since I coined this phrase for Thursday's activities, it has stuck with several. This morning Margie has her hair done, then in the afternoon we attend prayer meeting. While Margie is having her hair done, I will be shopping. This morning I also want to get the handicap license plates renewed. It is so much easier for parking in special zones, without having to remember the disable tag on the rear view mirror.  We are rejoicing that my brother Ernie is better, and apparently did not have a heart issue that sent him to the E.R. in Singapore. Thanks for praying.


Wednesday, March 29, 2017

THANKFUL

Mark 6:46   And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.


The prayer life of Jesus is a lesson rich and instructive for all,It's the greatest story of prayer I have read; none other can I recall.When His tasks for the day were over, he climbed the mountain to pray,And poured out His heart to the Father in a place alone, far away. When the pressures of life are upon us, do we take them to God in prayer?Do we secretly ask such questions: Does God really care? We are assured as we read God's Word that our heavenly Father sees,Come to Him in prayer; He will certainly answer and your burden ease.
(RP)

Late last night Siang sent a text that Ernie my brother is better. We are thankful for this report. Many have been praying for him since his trip to the emergency room earlier. Today is wash day, so we are busy with that. Thanks for praying. 

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

SINGAORE

Deuteronomy 33:27  The eternal God is your refuge,And underneath are the everlasting arms.


Oh the joy of having Jesus - our refuge strong and sure,
With His arms right underneath us we have a place secure.(RP)

Early this morning we received word from Singapore that my brother Ernie was in the E.R. with chest pains. At that point it was not a heart attack but their concern was an aortic valve. We appreciate prayer for this. Thanks for praying.  

Monday, March 27, 2017

CHECK UP

Deuteronomy 31:8 And the LORD, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.

What more than this could we want: our Savior leading the way,
And walking right beside us, we stay with Him and not stray.
He will not leave us nor forsake us; this is His promise today,

He's the one who gave this, this promise He will not betray. (RP)

Microsoft will call me this morning to check on the help they gave last week installing Office on our laptop. So far all seems okay and we are pleased. We had a good day yesterday, but our church family was surprised that Matt Whithead announced he would not be available for pastor of our church. The Lord has led him to continue in his secular job. This came as a disappointment to most, but we must accept it as how the Lord is leading in our pastoral search. Pray for the elders as they start over in this process. Thanks for praying. 

Sunday, March 26, 2017

NEW WEEK

My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me..Ps 31:15

What worries should we have when our times are in His hand,
Are we worked up over problems and nervous over things?
Take God's Word into your heart, rest on Him and Him alone,
And you'll see how much he calms you and to your soul His peace soon brings.(RP)

With the start of a new week, perhaps things will calm down a little. Last week was a very busy one. We are grateful for the things the Lord brings into our schedule, even though it means more work at times. Yesterday the memorial service for Nelta June Walsh was held in Bliane, WA.  This morning we look forward to church and a restful afternoon. Now that the computer problem is solved with Microsoft office programs, I hope to make good progress on class study for next Friday. thanks so much for praying. We appreciate it. 

Saturday, March 25, 2017

BIBLE CLASS & BURIAL

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the spirits  Proverbs 16:2

Self deception is rampant in man, for he thinks he does everything right,
But God keeps the records and one thing is sure, He sees our every plight.
I'm so glad God knows us well and all that we say and think,
His holy eyes behold us well and from Him no one can shrink.(RP)

Yesterday we had Bible class with a pretty good attendance. In the afternoon I had a burial service at our local cemetery. In the evening our son arrived for a vist this weekend, so we are blessed with his presence, also his wife and our granddaughter.  Within the hour, I will join them at Starbucks for coffee. In the afternoon I have a funeral in Blaine, Washington. Thanks for praying. 


Friday, March 24, 2017

SUCCESS

Psa 32:1   Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered.  

The forgiveness of God - what a precious thought as we look at His Word today,
What love He has shown and grace displayed as we walk along this way
When God covers sin it is covered indeed and happy the man who gains all
And a word to the proud ones who reject God's love, you'll be lost if you continue to stall.(RP)

Yesterday success came, as Microsoft got us a new download of their Office program. Obviously we were scammed Jan 9, 2017 by technicians we were made to believe were from Microsoft. This time it is legitimate and we are grateful for the capable help of the men who made it possible. I was also able to get a personal package of software that I renew each year. With it comes support and other amenities. I was mighty thankful to be able to print all the material needed for our class today and the burial service and funeral today and tomorrow also. Thank you Lord. And thank YOU for praying. We appreciate it. 

Thursday, March 23, 2017

FROZEN

Romans 8:28
To my surprise, this morning all related programs that are Microsoft, have stopped functioning. I cannot cut and paste, add to or manipulate anything I have in all my programs. 
Why?
Because when my brother Harold purchased a new laptop for me, the old Microsoft programs would not transfer to the new machine because they had to be 2016 instead of what they were, 2013.  So I went Online and got a technician, supposedly from Microsoft to fix things.  Well yesterday a pop-up announcement said I had to register my program with Microsoft. I have no registration code or anything. So I guess today I will purchase, for the second time, Microsoft Office and install it. If I don't I will have to copy all my class notes by hand and try to print them for Friday. I also have all my sermon preparation for Friday's burial and Saturday's Memorial service on this machine. But they are useless. Please pray I can resolve this matter SOON. Thanks

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

DAY AT HOME

And they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13


Help me to live for You today in such a special way,That others will know without a doubt in my life He is on display(R.P.)

Margie commented this morning how nice it was we can be home today. As far as we know we will stay at home. There is always plenty to do while here. I need to prepare the prayer sheet for our church, and study ahead for Friday Bible class. Yesterday I was at the church, had membership class, then at night attended an elder meeting. We thank you for your prayers. 

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

THANKFUL

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding

Some people are really smart, but about others we are not so very sure,
God's test of wisdom always outweighs ours, his score is right and pure.
Do you think it strange that wisdom starts with God, and the fear of Him?
It is not strange because this He planned long ago; it was not just a whim.
So when you decide to do things God's way, you have to ask him for it.
And when you do,God always answers with just exactly what is fit.
(RP)

We are thankful the retina specialist reported that Margie's eyes have a good reading, given her condition. He said no deterioration was revealed in the tests and that her other eye is staying stable. We are indeed greateful to hear this. Of course the injection in her right eye is never a pleasant experience, and that eye ached for the rest of the day. We have a full day today so will discuss that perhaps tomorrow. Thanks for praying. 

Monday, March 20, 2017

SPRING

Ephesians 6: 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil

Believers are given the armor of God in order to stand our foe,
This weapon is greater than anything else that we can have below.
Each piece is given for a purpose, and when worn will do its work,
To ward off the devil and his plans, so please do not this duty shirk.
Read about this armor in Ephesians 6 and you will be greatly blessed,
By taking each piece and wearing it right , for you this is the best.
Above all else pray much, knowing this brings us the power of God,
And never forget your shoes because with peace your feet are shod. (RP)

The first day of spring. It is here and things are sprouting, flowers are starting to bloom and the stores are selling flowers. We are always amazed at the wonder of spring. It is still cool (for us) but the sun is hining a little more. We had a good day at church. I taught a Sunday School class, and after the morning service, taught the first session of the membership class. We have busy schedule this week with something going on each day. I will have to watch things closely in order to get all done on time. Thanks for praying. 

Sunday, March 19, 2017

SPRING BANQUET

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. Exodus 14:21

We never know how God will work as He leads His dear children along,
In our story today they were by the sea and there was a mighty throng.
In a miracle never seen, God divided the sea and His children walked over on dry land,

And his love and strong arm were seen by all as the One with the very strong hand. (RP)

Last night the Spring Banquet was at our church, and a good group came to savor a delicious meal prepared by Kathy Golay along with her husband Glenn, and a great group of helpers. Kathy was even helpful to those who are gluten free. She made special dishes for Margie and others. It was a lovely evening. Pastor Josh Ausfahl gave a very timely message. This morning we will attend Sunday School and I will teach Glenn's class. Then this afternoon I have a membership class. We pray you have a blessed day. Thanks for praying. 

Saturday, March 18, 2017

MEMBERSHIP CLASS

To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.  Titus 1:15-16

The unbeliever's heart is hard, impurity prevails, Their mind is set on negatives and nothing good avails.Their profession is commitment, but in deed they just deny,Abominations and sinful living every day will multiply,And when God looks at their lives He discounts the things they do,For their works are not for the right, and only evil they pursue.(RP)

I am printing the material needed for the membership class I will start tomorrow afternoon at church. That, plus preparation for the Sunday School class, keeps me busy today. The regular teacher asked if I would teach it because he and his wife are in charge of the Spring Banquet which is at our church tonight. I am always glad to teach the class. Speaking of classes--our Friday class was pretty well attended despite some who were ill. We trust your day goes well. Thanks for praying. 

Friday, March 17, 2017

WE WONDER

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.  Rom 8:1

Condemnation is an awful word and no one wants that curse,
When you come to Christ,finding life in Him, you will quickly that fear disperse.
If you walk in the flesh you do not belong to God and your end is sad indeed,
But the Spirit of God transforms those who will and from your sin will be freed. (RP)

We heard yesterday that some of our class members are ill, and will not be in the class today. In counting, we discovered there may be as many as 12 who will not be there. We are sorry about this. We are studying the book of Matthew, and every chapter is a blessing and we would like all to be present for the class. We trust your day goes well and we thank you for praying. 

Thursday, March 16, 2017

HEART

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;Philippians 4:6

Why do we worry and fret so much in our daily walk down here?Is it because we don't listen to what God says and our mind is so  unclear?Just listen to Him and begin to pray about everything in your life,Then you will  discover worry will fade and it will mark the end of your strife. When you pray and talk to God with thanksgiving true, your anxious days will pass,And God's peace will be your portion and it will surely last. (RP)

Margie did too much yesterday. In the morning she baked bread, and suffered for it the rest of the day. She said, "No More !"  By last night she was in her chair suffering from a-fib. We prayed, she took an aspirin and suffered through another crisis. Thankfullyi she had a good night. This morning I take her to the hairdresser. Thanks for praying 

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

WASH DAY

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psa. 34:1

To bless the Lord is to thank Him for all he has done for you,


Let's join in this, and praise Him for daily mercies that are new.(RP)

Today is the day I change the bed linens, wash clothes and Margie folds them. To make the beds and wash the clothes is too much for her plus I don't want her going in and out of the garage on those steps. Last week our iron gave out, so I go a new one. It sure is better. Margie sometimes irons, but lately I have told her to just let me do it. She gets tired. I had a profitable day at the church yesterday and was able to pray with a person who needed help and get some other things done. We trust your day goes well. I believe it is today my brother Ernie returns from a very short rest and relaxation in a neighboring country to Singapore. 

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

AT THE CHURCH

He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread, But he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding.Prov 12:11

God takes delight in those who work to provide their daily needs,
He surely knows their working skills and for sure this one succeeds.
But some are foolish in their ways, and lazy to say the least,
And they have proven by their lives that it'll be hard for them to feast. (RP)

This morning I will be at the church to work and be there to help in any way I can. I use the time to work on the church weekly prayer sheet, and also continue studies for the Friday Bible class. Yesterday a company came to our home to give an estimate of updating our old aluminum windows. The representative was a fine Christian man and he actually suggested we not do the improvements. How honest of a company to give this advice. It is because of our age and finances, etc. We appreciated him. We knew several people in common, and we were in his church in Everett, WA, to present the Shepherds ministry several years ago. Thanks for praying.

Monday, March 13, 2017

WHAT NEXT?

Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Doing things half-way is so common today, but God expects more from us,
Love Him with total devotion, my friend and for you this will be a great plus.
With heart set on Him as your Lord, and your soul consumed with Him,
Your strength and all you have, will be to Him a beautiful hymn.(RP)

It is hard to know what's next when it comes to weather, and also our daily schedules. It is amazing how things stack up so quickly. I guess at our age we must admit it takes a bit longer to get everything done. But we are glad and thankful we can still do some things. I will be working on the bathrooms shortly, because we discovered that the cleaning chemicals,give Margie an allergic reaction that makes her sick. We don't want that. Our week seems to be plenty busy. We trust your day goes well. Thanks for praying. 

Sunday, March 12, 2017

IT IS SUNDAY

Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard thatJesus made and baptized more disciples than Johnthough Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples,He left Judea and departed again to Galilee.But He needed to go through Samaria.John 4:1-4

Jesus walked in obedience to the Father, so to Samaria he needed to go,
What a display of surrender was shown as He faithfully walked here below.
Are we living close to the Lord, desiring always to do His will?
I pray we all are. so the joy will be ours as we obediently His commands fulfill. (RP)

We are glad it is Sunday. In a few moments we will make our way down to the church, Lord willing. We start a new study in our Sunday School this morning. We are interested in the way the teacher will present this new series he is developing. Our Sunday preacher, Matt Whitehead, is very interesting and we look forward to his messages each week. We trust you have a great day wherever you are today. Thanks for praying. 




Saturday, March 11, 2017

BETTER

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
(Psalms 37:4)

What a marvelous recourse we have in the Lord, His love is so special to us,
We cannot contain all the blessings He gives; for the believer it is such a great plus.
We delight in the Lord as He tells us to do, giving  us more than we ever deserve,
And this gives us such pleasure to keep close to the Lord and earnestly try to serve.(RP)

A good group came to Bible class yesterday. We were supposed to go to lunch with friends after the class, but Margie was not feeling well. I called them and cancelled our lunch engagement. It was much better, because Margie slept a long time in her lift chair. By last night she was feeling much better. We are thankful. Today we have a busy schedule thus far, so hope we can accomplish what we would like to do. Thanks for praying.


Friday, March 10, 2017

MILD

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth,but what is good for necessary edification,that it may impart grace to the hearers.Eph 4:29

Words are important and God tells us so in this verse written just for us,
So listen with ears tuned to His leading please, and stop making such a fuss.
Corrupt words are forbidden so stop them right now,and learn to do things God's way,
Gracious speech edifies, so begin right now to help others you meet today.(RP)

A change in weather has made the temperature rise to 49 degrees F. this morning. It's hard do believe. And, as is often the case on Friday, strong winds are predicted. We almost expect this every Friday when we have to put out the recycling material or garbage. The wind plays havoc with it, and sometimes liters the street with paper or tins cans and bottles.  This morning we go to the Senior Center for the Bible class. We trust a goodly number will appear for the study. Thanks for praying. 

Thursday, March 9, 2017

PRAYER FOR SICK


Blessed be the Lord,Who daily loads us with benefits,The God of our salvation!  Selah 


Benefits galore from the Lord are ours as we walk each day with Him,
Rejoice and bless the Lord for filling our lives to the brim.
He is our God and Savior and daily He does these good things,
So never forget to praise Him for all the blessings He brings.(RP)

Several have had operations lately, or been in an accident, so the church "Meal Train" has been kept plenty busy. We are happy that these folks are improving, so we rejoice in answered prayer. This morning Margie will have her hair appointment, and in the afternoon our weekly prayer meeting. There are few dull moments in the schedule. Thanks for praying. 


Wednesday, March 8, 2017

FULL DAY

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

The devil pursues with his intent to devour, so Peter gives warning: beware,
We must be sober and vigilant too, and leave all to His sovereign care.  (RP)

Yesterday was a full day. I was at the church for a few hours to be there for those caring to speak or pray with me. I then had some important matters to care for with Margie's medication. Somehow the doctor's office had incorrectly thought we were asking for a prescription she already has a supply of. We finally got it straightened out and by 5:30 in the afternoon, received the medicine. We also had missionary meeting in the afternoon where we spend the hour in prayer for the special needs of missionaries. Last night I had an elder's meeting. So the day was filled with activities. Thanks for praying.

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

IT'S HERE!!

For I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.  Philip.1:11

It’s hard to learn this lesson, Lord for we who are so weak,
But give us faith & courage, Your will to always seek.(RP)

We may not need it right now, but the electric snow shovel arrived late yesterday afternoon. My brother Ernie gave this to us and we appreciate it greatly. They do predict a little snow in the forecast, but we never know how intense it may be. We had another wakeful night because Margie's restless leg medication ran out and we needed to call the doctor to renew the prescription. Now we may have to wait 3 days. I pray that won't be necessary. Thanks for praying. 

Monday, March 6, 2017

FELLOWSHIP

Psalm 5:3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.



Determined to speak to the Lord each day, the Psalmist wrote his vow,And oh how special it was for him to declare just when and how. He desired to pray in the morning, and start his day just right,Doing it this way was routine which gave him perfect delight. The focal point of his morning was God, as he looked to Him above,And all through the day he was aware of one thing; his heavenly Father's love.(RP)

Yesterday afternoon, several of the women of our church went to the church secretary's house. Marianne Brudwick invited them to meet and visit with Jessi Whitehead. Jessi is Matt Whitehead's wife. He is our preacher each Sunday. We are praying he will be led to accept the position of lead pastor. He is presently in secular work and under contract. so thus the delay in his response to our invitation to candidate as pastor. As far as we know, all appreciate his ministry and we pray he will be led to accept the invitation. Thanks for praying.

Sunday, March 5, 2017

OPEN ROAD

Ephesians 6:11  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

To be rightly dressed is a command from God and we better listen now,
For His orders are right and meant to help so stand before Him and bow,
Put on His armor described by Paul and you'll be the better for it.
And through the tests of life which come your way, you will never want to quit.
The ability God gives to withstand our foe, so put on His armor today,
And you'll be prepared to fight right and to be all He wants you to be each day. (RP)

Thankfully, as far as we know now, all the roads are open after a light snow fell during the night. We will be going down to church in about an hour. We had a quiet day yesterday. I was able to get most of my research and study done for next Friday's class. That is a help because we never know what unscheduled happenings may appear. Margie will be at a special meeting this afternoon and I will talk of that tomorrow. Thanks for praying. 

Saturday, March 4, 2017

BACK TO NORMAL

Therefore , if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;old things have passed away, behold all things have become new.II Corinthians 5:17

To be IN CHRIST - what a place to be,Salvation in Him is the best, we agree.When you come to Christ,old things pass away,And now in Him you begin a new day.Your life becomes new when you come to Him,And forever you'll sing the redemption hymn.(RP)

After weeks of not having Bible class because of the snow, and people also being sick, I think yesterday our Bible class was almost back to normal.  We had a good attendance and the class participation was excellent. We learn so much together in this question - answer format.  I just heard on the radio that some snow did fall in some areas of our county. There is none here where we live, however. We are told that tomorrow we can expect some. We have heard this often during the cold months. thanks for praying. 

Friday, March 3, 2017

PRAYER

(Mal 3:8)  
"Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings.

When the offering is taken do you drop in a bill or a check or a penny or two?
God talks about money in His Holy Word and what He says is for you.
To rob God is so easy and it's done every day, so play close attention to this, 
For neglect may be fun for a very short time, but the guilty one God will not miss.
Be faithful in giving your offering to God, and His blessing will be upon you,
And in doing God's will with your income each month, the Lord you can never outdo. (RP)

There are so many hurting people it seems. From our church alone, several have either recently had surgery, or are scheduled for it. After the sad accident last Sunday that put some in the hospital, and now Monday and Tuesday others will be having operations. We need to pray all the more. At our Thursday afternoon prayer time yesterday it was a privilege to remember these people. This morning we will go to Bible study and pray most of them will be able to get to class. Some will be missing because they are not well, and we are praying for them. Thanks for praying.

Thursday, March 2, 2017

CARDIOLOGIST - FOLLOW-UP

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends, 

There may not be many like this, who would lay down his life for a friend,
But Jesus our Savior did exactly this, which is something I can't comprehend.
Jesus showed his love in a tangible way, the day He died for me,
And I and millions who have received His gift, will thank Him for eternity.(RP)

Yesterday afternoon Margie saw the cardiologist practitioner, who gave an EKG as part of the consultation. She apparently is doing well. She told Margie that the generic medication is not as good as the Brand name. We didn't know which she was taking until we returned home and checked. I guess the insurance companies give the cheapest until the patient negotiates a change. So now we will see what should be done. Last night we met with the Daws and Coonrod families for a delicious meal at Anthony's in Bellingham.  Upon arrival home, Margie was VERY tired and had to go to bed earlier than usual. Thanks for praying. 

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

WEATHER CHANGE

I no longer call you servants, because a servant
does not know his master's business.
Instead, I have called you friends,
for everything that I learned from my Father
I have made known to you.
John 15:15

Our relationship with Jesus is a special one indeed,
if we claim Him as our Savior and live each day for Him.
He does not call us servants even though we are that too,
but He considers us His friend,
and that hope will not grow dim.
(RP)

Yesterday it snowed hard both here at home and at church. It eventually warmed up and this morning all the snow is melted. It is supposed to get cold again by Sunday and they even forecast snow. By Friday the snow removal machine and blower my brother Ernie gave me as a birthday gift, should arrive. I hope it does. I asked my other brother, Harold, about the snow blower, because he works with snow all winter and helped me find the best machine. Today Margie sees the heart specialist. We will report on this tomorrow. Thanks for praying.