Good morning dear friends, Happy Thursday to you. For many years now I have made a conscious decision to "cultivate an attitude of gratitude" about all things-which, to be honest, can sometimes be really hard. As you all know, the weather here in the states has been peculiar this year, to say the least. I usually try to read what the Farmer's Almanac says about the coming months but haven't this season. If I had, I would have read that they were advising people not to plant until the second week of May. Yesterday morning we awoke to 2-3" of the wet,white stuff of the ground. You know I love the snow but now???? For heaven's sake, it is May already and although we've had a few days of nice weather I am not ready to hunker back down for more of the winter stuff. But as I found myself grumbling, I made a decision to find one reason for being thankful. I am so very thankful that my dear hubby had not left yet for his golf tournament, out of state, because our water level rose and our basement had water in it yesterday. Apparently, our ground was so saturated that the water level rose in our window wells. Thankfully, our basement isn't finished and only one, old area rug was soaked. I am thankful that he was here to deal with it because there are days I don't go down into the basement and the water could have sat for a few days before I noticed it. I am thankful that in the two years we've lived here we've never had to deal with this before and today we will be buying sump pumps to put in the window wells. I am thankful that my hubby is still so healthy and able to rectify these types of problems. I am thankful that today I woke up to sunshine-Yippee!!!!! I know there might be more rain but I'm praying that the storm will pass us by. I am thankful for the promise of summer days and warmer weather and long walks or bike rides.
I am thankful that behind every storm there is a promise of beauty. I'm off this morning to help our youngest but know I've been around, visiting you all and even when I don't leave comments-which I didn't do very much this week-I'm always blessed by you.
Hugs, Noreen

I Can Only Imagine

Many of you know this song and probably, like me, sing along whenever you listen to it but once again it takes on a new and deeper meaning for me today as my dear friend is now pain free forever. Sing with me won't you.

I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By Your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When Your face
Is before me
I can only imagine

[Chorus]:
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for You Jesus or in awe of You be still
Will I stand in Your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son
I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You
I can only imagine,

Barbara wore purple today as she entered the presence of the Lord. I will be forever grateful for her friendship and that with Christ there are no mistakes-He moved us right next door to her for a reason.

Noreen

Monday Morning Musings

Good morning all, So girls, how was your Mother's Day? I pray that you had a wonderful day filled with lots of love. My girls and their families had planned to come over for breakfast yesterday but alas one family came down with the most horrid cold so they had to cancel. It was still a blessing to have our youngest and her family over. Both daughters and their families chipped in and bought me a Weeping Cherry tree for the back yard. I've always loved these trees, had them in Ca. and so glad to have one here. After breakfast, we planted the tree and then headed out for a nice walk as the weather was fabulous. About lunch time, after our loved ones had left, hubby and I headed to the hospital-specifically the Hospice unit-and visited with our dear Barbara. She was somewhat alert and I was able to tease her about going to Italy to film Moma Mia with a well known actor. She had yes to that; you see this has been one of her favorite movies and just two weeks ago we watched it together. Although we didn't stay long, I was able to quietly pray for her and tell her how much the Father cherishes her as well as the rest of us. My plan is to go visit her every day that she has left, as long as I'm not intruding on the family being with her. Her daughter flies in tomorrow for a visit-one last hug so I'm not sure whether I'll get a chance to get up there or not. Her daughter and I have gotten to know each other through blog land and it has been a special bond that we've shared. I feel very connected with April-guess it is the momma in me, knowing I'd want someone to love up on my girl if the situation was reversed.
Today thoughts are floating around in this head of mine about God's grace. When you are walking through the valley of the shadow of death and a believer, you know the Word and words said by well meaning friends often come out very hollow sounding. I know as I walked through this with my sister almost five years ago. But again this morning, I'm reminded that we aren't promised a cake-walk when we are believers but we are promised that He will never leave us or forsake us. We aren't promised a life free of trials and tribulations be we are promised that His grace is sufficient for us. We are promised that He will meet all of our needs through Christ Jesus and that the Spirit intercedes for us. We are promised that our Jesus has gone before us to prepare our home. We are promised that there is no sting in death, for He conquered death once and for all for us. We are promised that we will be united again and that we will see Him face to face. Oh what a glorious day that shall be! Does it take the pain away now, no, but it comforts us to know we have one who has made our way.
Cherishing His promises today.

For Barbara

This photo was taken last November, with my closest friend here in Colorado~Barbara. Barbara and I met because she was my next door neighbor and over the last two years I've gotten to know this dear lady and I count it a blessing that she is one of the best friends I've had.

This post is for her, although she won't be reading it, I'm hoping maybe her husband and daughters may. Barbara was diagnosed,15 mos ago, with liver cancer; it was a shock because she was one of the healthiest ladies I've ever known-a marathon runner, semi-vegetarian and so very active. When I first met her I noticed how shy she was but I also noticed how incredibly intelligent she is. I was a bit intimidated at first but found within a short time she had a warmth about her and we grew to be good friends. Barbara did not let the cancer slow her down very much and as a scientist by profession she researched all she could about her disease.
Barbara has a wonderful devoted husband and two wonderful daughters who she cherishes so very much. Her grandchildren are her delight and have given her so much joy. What can you say when someone you love is hanging on by a thread and only a very short time to live? I have said, again and again, that I love her. I wish she wasn't leaving this earth and I think we would have had many fun adventures together. I don't want her to suffer though and so it has been my prayer that the Lord would be merciful and take her quickly. The last two weeks have been tough on Barbara and today she was hospitalized, not to return home. She will be sorely missed, not only by her family, but by me. She gave me the gift of friendship in this new community and state and for that I will be always be grateful.
Each day of life is a gift, one to be cherished and lived to the fullest so dear readers go out and live as though there is no tomorrow because we really never know....
I may be taking a few days off, if I am needed, but know I'll be back and visiting soon.
Noreen

National Day of Prayer

Today is a very important day in our country-it is the National Day of Prayer. Today is also Thankful Thursday so my list is a tad bit different than normal.

I am thankful that I live in a country that can gather, freely without fear of arrest, to pray for this nation.

I am thankful to live in a country and have freedom of religion and speech and not fear a government that would throw Christians to the lions or into prison simply for our beliefs.

I am thankful that our country was founded on the Lord and on His word; that the founding fathers believed in Him.

I am thankful that the Lord is on His throne and He is still in control. That when it would seem on many fronts our great nation has turned our back on Him, He has not forsaken His children.

I am thankful that we are not regulated concerning family size or educational choices.

I am thankful that if His people would humble themselves and repent, He would bless us once again as a nation.

I am thankful that no matter what befalls us, with the Lord we need not fear.


"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD." - Psalm 33:12 On our National Day of Prayer, then, we join together…to petition God to show us His mercy and His love, to heal our weariness and uphold our hope, that we might live ever mindful of His justice and thankful for His blessing.
-President Ronald Reagan (who signed a bill in 1988 making the first Thursday of May a National Day of Prayer)


How about you, what are you thankful for today?

Blessings, Noreen

Happy Tuesday dear friends, As is the case with most of us, I generally have several books I am reading at the same time and most often they are devotionals. I mentioned last week that I am reading a book by Dutch Sheets but also on my night stand you can find THE PRAYER THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING by Stormie Omartian and PRAYING THE NAMES OF GOD by Ann Spangler. So this morning I want to share a quote with you from Stormie's book, from the Chapter entitled When I don't see answers to my prayers. This chapter goes along so nicely with Dutch's book-I think the Lord is trying to show me something profound.
"Whenever we have a dream in our life that seems to go unfulfilled year after year, and there is no way possible to make it happen, we need to worship God in the face of it. When hope that this thing can ever be brought to life completely dies, we need to praise God for His resurrection power. The Bible tells us that not only can God bring to life things that are dead, but we are to prepare for that possibility because of who He is and what He does. Even when all hope for our situation seems to be dead, praising God releases His resurrection life to flow in us. This is the hidden power if praise." page 215
All of us deal with disappointment,heartache,hope deferred which makes the heart sick ~this is a part of living in a fallen world but if we would but turn those tears and heartache into praise our focus will change. Won't you join me in praising Him during those times of anguish. I believe the Lord desires to change His children, to give us joy instead of ashes and in the midst of the darkness a new revelation of His love for us.

Be blessed today, Noreen

Happy Monday to you! Although this day signals a new work week for many, it also signals a new and glorious day filled with grace~so many possibilities.
This weekend, hubby and I, worked throughout our backyard pulling up all the old tanbark and then taking it to the refuse center. Let me tell you, what a lot of work it was, we took over 40 large black garbage bags and filled the Explorer completely with them. Yesterday, we evened out an area that was covered in rocks & dirt so we can put some new river rock over it and clean it up. It felt wonderful to get so much done, even though we were quite sore by Saturday night.
Reflecting on how difficult it was in places to get the old pulled up and removed made me think about those things in our lives that the Lord regularly wants to purge us of-you know the bad attitudes, old habits and patterns that are not His way for His children. The taking away can be just like the pruning but once it is done it yields beauty and newness to our lives. All I know is that I want a fresh anointing of His Spirit on me, not walking in the past-distant or otherwise.
I want a new planting as well, just like I'm going to be doing in our yard, I want the Lord to do in me. Digging up the soil of my heart, taking what is not needed for something better~something more like Him.

So get rid of the old stuff that is no longer useful and come and join me for some new plantings and growth.
Hugs today, Noreen