PRAYING OUR NAME

After writing a prayer using my name, I sent it to my grandchildren and encouraged them to do the same. Here is what I received from two of them. Mariah is 13 and Jasmine is 9. This is not only a "fun" thing to do, but is very rewarding spiritually.

Joy is Having Grandchildren

M -Miracle! God helped a man to see, when he was born blind. God provided fish and bread
to over 1,000 people in a famine.
A -Arose. Jesus arose from his grave, after they crucified him.
R -Rejoice! He should rejoice everyday that God is in our hearts.
I -Immanuel. The word for Jesus meaning " God with us."
A -Amen. Ending prayers with God, you should say amen.
H -Hope. Hope is my favorite word, but Jesus Christ always hopes the best for each one of us.

R -Repent. You should always repent and do as God wants us to.
A -Awe. We should all awe when we think of God.
E -Exalt. I exalt God, for he is my Father.
L -Life! God all gave us life.
Y -Yoke. To all join together like Jesus at his feast.
N -Noah. A man who created the arc.
N -Neighbor. As God says in the 10 commandments " You shall not do false witness against
thy neighbor."

S -Strength! You shall have great strength if you follow the Lord.
Z -Zeal. Zeal your Lord, for he is good.
O -Oracle. The word of God. The oracle of God is meaningful.
T -Tithe. Give 10% Of what you earn to the Lord.

Joy is serving Jesus

J -Joy. Have joy in your heart.
A -Abel-Second son of Adam.
S -Sanctuary.We should all have our own sanctuary to worship God.
M -Meek. Our Lord is a very meek person.
I -Israelite.Jesus was born for Jewish beliefs making him a Israelite.
N -Noah-The man who built the arc.
E -Equal. We are all equal through Gods eyes.

Joy is the Abundant Life

Happy Birthday Grampa

Tonight, May 25, 2010 some of the family met at Portillo's in Batavia, Illinois to celebrate the 80th birthday of my husband, Jim. It was a fun time. What a blessing to be able to live 80 years and most of them serving the Lord. Jim was about 32 years old when he gave his life to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our beautiful Savior!

I have been married to Jim for 30 years and can say that each year I see him growing closer to the Lord. You see, God is conforming His children to the image of His Son, Jesus, and so as we live longer and as we truly set out to live the life of a Christian, then God uses what He knows is best to conform us. I wish it were always easy, but sometimes we must go through some pretty difficult times to become more like Jesus. But, it is worth it all!

Happy birthday Jim - may God grant you many more to come.

MY NAME PRAYER

I was encouraged by our Assistant Pastor Steve, to use the letters of my name to say a prayer to God. So, I thought I would post it for you. It was wonderful to do and I now encourage you to also try it. We have a wonderful God and it is worth the time to do it.



Jesus, thank you for your
P - atience with me. You are truly an
A - lmighty God that I can count on for
T - ruth in my life because you have said that You are the Way the Truth and the Life. Because your
S - pirit lives within me I know this is true, for you are the same
Y - esterday, Today and Forever. How wonderful to know that you are the
A - uthor and Finisher of my faith. You are the
N - ecessary person in my life and as the
N - ame above all names, I will always call on you in praise and in want. Yes, I know you are a
J - ealous God, but you have a right to be; you created me, gave me life, and then gave me the joy of knowing I will live with you forever. You deserve all my heart. Knowing that you are
O - mniscient I can only be honest with you and confess daily my sins because that is what you desire of me - to be aware of my constant need for you. Oh, Father, when I think of how
H - oly you are I long even more to see you face to face. You are always
N - ear to me and definitely you are my
S - hield against this world’s influence. I am so grateful that you are
O - mnipresent because your presence is my protection and I can always rely on you to be my
N - eed “meeter” for I am truly in need of you. I can only say thank you from the bottom of my soul for all you have done, are doing, and will do in me. I love you and need you so much, Jesus.

Vacationing With Granddaughters

On Tuesday, June 16, we boarded Amtrac in Chicago, Illinois and headed west! Well, we arrived in Everrett, Washinton on Thursday, June18. The two-day train ride went pretty fast. We kept our eye on the destination and not the long journey. Although, I will say, it is pretty along the way; and there is something to say for just setting back and doing nothing while getting somewhere.

Grampa's brother, Bob, picked us up at the station. We had lunch at their house and then took the ferry over to Whedbey Island. Steven and girls met us there and we drove up to Oak Harbor. Took showers (after two days on train) and just discussed plans for the next 5 days. My, how 4 girls can have different opinions!! Anyway, now it is 6:00 am and grampa and Steve and girls are still sleeping. I will go ahead and get dressed and then wait for the sleepy heads to awake. Raeanna is going to do my nails, read out Bible chapters, and then head out to the unknown. But, you can bet we will find some fun things to do. Perhaps by noon, suggestions will be accepted for the next 4 days.

REAL MEANING OF EASTER

For so many, Easter is just a time to buy baskets, fill them with eggs that are boiled and colored or plastic that can be filled with candy or whatever. All sizes! For some, it is a time to purchase new clothes, maybe even an Easter hat and white gloves. (OK, I'm dating myself) In fact many are buying presents like it was Christmas. And, even for their animals.

What is the real meaning of Easter. The following verses tell us just what happened on Easter. But, wait, first we must go to what we refer to as "Good Friday" - the day that Jesus gave His life for us. FOR ME! He was crucified upon a cross to take away the sins of the world. Only a Holy Person Who had never sinned could be an offering for the sins of the whole world. What an awful sight to see the Son of God hanging on that cross and suffering such agony for my sin. Oh, but God had a plan. Just before Jesus took His last breath, He cried, "It is fininished." What was finished!? The sacrifice for sin - for the sins of the whole world.

They took Him off the cross and laid Him in a tomb. Sorrow fell on all who loved Him. This is "Good Friday" - yes, good because our sin had been paid for. The story goes on...... "up from the grave He arose" - yes, on what we refer to as Easter morning, the grave was shaken and Jesus came forth, alive, alive, He has given us life!! When some went to the grave and found the stone rolled away, an angel said, "he is not here for he is risen." "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" - what a joy beyond words to describe as to the feeling of knowing that it was for me that Jesus died - and yes, rose again. Below are the words from Isaiah 53, telling us just what Jesus did for us. As you read it, please remember that it was for YOU that God gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. It is my prayer that whoever finds this blog and reads this will turn to Jesus and be saved. God bless you.

Isaiah 53
Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground.He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;We have turned, every one, to his own way;And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
9 And they made His grave with the wicked --But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him;He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.
11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,For He shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors,And He bore the sin of many,And made intercession for the transgressors.NKJV

Jelly Beans

My precious granddaughter just loves jelly beans.

Here is a little poem I have had for years.

A Jellybean Prayer

Red is for the blood He gave,

Green is for the grass He made,

Yellow is for the sun so bright,

Orange is for the edge of night,

Black is for the sins we made,

White (white) is for the grace He gave

Purple is for the hour of sorrow,

Pink (pink) is for a new tomorrow.

A bag of jellybeans, colorful and sweet,

is a promise, and a loved one's treat.

Jellybeans -we cannot think of a little Easter basket without them. They brighten the little green grass in the little spring colored baskets and give it a special touch.

INTERESTING?

"People are not bank accounts, they don't have expected rates of return. Talk to your friends, ask them what they need from you -- that's the best way to ensure that you are doing your part in keeping the relationship thriving. Think with your heart, be honest about what you feel." '