Friday, July 24, 2015

Summertime

Hello, friends!
Summer is in full swing around here. :-)


I took this picture back in the Spring, but it's pretty anyway. I can't remember exactly when my husband bought this lilac bush for me, but it bloomed for the first time this year. I love lilacs...they're not only beautiful, they also smell wonderful! :-)



Our blueberry bush this year ~ last year the birds got nearly every berry before we could.


My dad also has blueberry bushes and said we should put a rubber snake in it, so we got this one and put it in our bush! It scared off the birds, and we were able to enjoy our blueberries this year. :-)

Last week I moved the snake to the blackberry bushes in the backyard.




Some feathery friends came to see me the other day when I was getting my clothes off the line.
Our neighbors have chickens now...:-)


My husband and I celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary last month. He drew this sweet card for me. I love it...I like these types of cards much better than the store bought ones.♥

Hope you all have a great weekend! Thanks for stopping by. :-)

Take care,
~Melanie

Friday, July 17, 2015

Ice and Sin

These are some pictures I took this past winter. They look pretty good to me on these hot summer days! :-)





If you've ever been in an ice storm, you know how pretty it is when the sun is shining and all the ice is sparkling. However, even though the ice is pretty, it's dangerous! People who don't see the danger of ice or ignore the danger will get out in it and end up getting hurt. Sin is that way. It may look pretty, but like ice, it's very dangerous. The devil is deceptive, and has a way of making sin look pretty. People let that 'beauty' lure them into dangerous territory, and before you know it, they've fallen and been broken. I've learned from experience that the best thing to do in an ice storm is stay home. :-)

Also, the ice accumulated! Our power lines were weighed down with it. Thankfully in this storm, the ice wasn't so thick that it caused our power lines to break. (We have had that happen before. It's not fun!)  Like the ice on our lines, we can get 'weighed down' under the load of sin. In Psalm 38:4 David said, "For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me."

The good news is we don't have to stay weighed down by our sin! Because Jesus died on the cross, our sins can be forgiven. I John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

I hope you all will have a great weekend. Thanks so much for stopping by. :-)


Take care,
~Melanie

Friday, July 3, 2015

Encouragement from God's Word

Hello, friends! I hope you all are doing well. Things here are going well. I've just been away for a while taking a break. There's so much happening in our nation and the world that I've felt the need to sort of back away for a bit, and spend more time with the Lord and His Word. I have a little notebook to write down thoughts as they come to me, and so much of what I've written over the last few months are verses, songs, and thoughts about resting and not worrying, remembering that our time here on earth is so short, that I'm just a pilgrim passing through this world, and that my treasures are stored in heaven.

I'm so thankful that God isn't caught off guard by what's going on in the world. As Christians, we can trust Him to be with us through whatever may be in the future.
 
So many Bible verses have been coming to my mind lately, and I believe it's God's way of helping me in these trying times. It's so important to read the Bible and even memorize it!

Psalm 119:11 - Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psalm 119:105 - Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Romans 15:4 - For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Below are some verses that have been coming to mind these last few months. I hope they will bless you and be as comforting and encouraging to you as they have been to me.♥

Psalm 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. v.10a - Be still, and know that I am God:

Psalm 55:22 - Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 56:3 - What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. 

Psalm 119:114 - Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

Isaiah 26:3-4 - Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Matthew 6:19-21 - Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. vs.31-34 - Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Matthew 11:28-30 - Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

John 14:1-3 - Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. v.27 - Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 16:33 - These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Philippians 3:20 - For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.  

Hebrews 13:5 - Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

James 4:14 - Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

To all of you who have checked on me while I've been away, thank you. I hope you all have a great weekend. Thanks so much for stopping by.♥

Take care,
~Melanie