Bye-by Xanga as I know it. You’ll never know how much you meant to me. Thank you for all the friendships I garnered while being on this site. Happy Trails to you until we meet again.

Remember, Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today, [yes] and forever (to the ages). Hebrews 13:8 AMP

MY STRENGTH

The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. Nahum 1:7

 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.  Isaiah 41:10

But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. Psalm 37:39

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.  I Peter 5:7

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:19

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 14:27

The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. John 34:7

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.  II Corinthians 12:9-10

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28

Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.  Psalm 57:1

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  Isaiah 26:3

 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.  Zephaniah 3:17

This is what I baked this morning … first time … it’s delicious. Even my husband likes it and he says he doesn’t like Angel Food cake.

THERE’S NOBODY LIKE HIM!

‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…’ Proverbs 9:10 NKJV

In a world out of control, we like a god we can control: a comforting presence who blesses, provides and advises. Kind of like ‘God in a box’. But when it comes to Christ, no box works. His contemporaries designed an assortment of boxes for Him, but He didn’t fit in any of them. They called Him a revolutionary, but He paid taxes. They labelled Him a country carpenter, but He confounded scholars. They came to see His miracles, but He refused to entertain them. He was a Jew who attracted Gentiles, a rabbi who gave up on synagogues, a holy man who hung around with prostitutes. In a male-dominated society, He recruited females. In an anti-Roman culture, He opted not to denounce Rome. He talked like a king yet lived like a pilgrim. People tried to put Him in a ‘box’, but they couldn’t. And we can’t either; indeed we must not! ‘…The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding…’ (Proverbs 9:10 NIV) Most of our fears are unhealthy. They rob us of peace and joy. But the fear of the Lord does the opposite. Ellen Davis writes: ‘There is nothing neurotic about fearing God. The neurotic thing is not to be afraid, or to be afraid of the wrong thing. That is why God chooses to be known to us, so that we may stop being afraid of the wrong thing. When God is fully revealed to us and we “get it”, then we experience the conversion of our fear… “fear of the Lord” is the deeply sane recognition that we are not God.’ Bill & Debby Gass

TWO CHOICES

Jerry is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, “If I were any better, I would be twins!”

He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, “I don’t get it! You can’t be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?”

Jerry replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself, ‘Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.‘ I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.”

“Yeah, right, it’s not that easy,” I protested.

“Yes, it is,” Jerry said. “Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or a bad mood.”

I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.

I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, “If I were any better, I’d be twins. Wanna see my scars?” I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place.

“The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door,” Jerry replied. “Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live.”

“Weren’t you scared? Did you lose consciousness?” I asked.

Jerry continued, “…the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read “he’s a deadman.” I knew I needed to take action.”

“What did you do?” I asked.

“Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me,” said Jerry. She asked if I was allergic to anything.

“Yes,” I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, “Bullets!”

Over their laughter, I told them, “I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.” Bill & Debby’s Gass

THE CARPENTER

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. “This is your house,” he said, “my gift to you.”

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort.

Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized, we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.

Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today. Author unknown 

GET RID OF THE ‘CLUTTER’

When you sell a house, it feels great to get rid of stuff you’ve accumulated. You wonder why you lived so long with it weighing you down. It’s the same with mental and emotional clutter.

Jon Gordon says, “Why do we fill our life with so many things that weigh us down? Thoughts that hold us back. Habits that limit us. Distractions that derail us. Negative people [who] drain us. Fear that paralyses us… time zappers that sabotage…productivity. We spend so much time…on things that don’t matter – we fail to focus on what does matter. We fill up with so many things that generate negative energy, there’s no room for positive energy in our lives.”

Paul writes, “…throw off your …former way of life… let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” (Ephesians 4:22-23)

The clutter you need to lose includes: believing you’re alone, trying to please everyone, feeling insecure, putting yourself down, needing everyone to like you, jumping to negative conclusions before you know the facts, thinking you’re always right, recalling all the times you messed up, wanting to know how it all turns out, needing to have all the answers, worrying you’ll lose the memories if you let go of the memorabilia, agonizing you’re not rich enough, good enough or clever enough, surrounding yourself with people who recall the bad times and not the good, making energy-sucking comparisons, observing life instead of participating, believing your best days are over, constantly waiting for the right moment, fearing you’ll look foolish, focusing on negative type-casting …and anything else you don’t want to pass on to your children.

How can you get rid of the clutter? ‘Let the Spirit renew your … Attitudes’. Ephesians 4:23. Rev. T. Satryan

ON GUARD

“Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong.” – 1 Corinthians 16:13

Roger Perkins wrote how he “once encountered a ruffled grouse in the woods of Montana. She was close and feigned having a broken wing and unable to fly. She would run ahead of me and look back to make sure I followed. Her purpose was to lead me away from her chicks who were somewhere nearby, although I couldn’t see them. This is a common ploy among mother wild game birds. I am capable of the same thing in my life and have done it on occasion. I have to keep on constant guard.”

What Roger is saying is that it is very easy to be led astray by rationalizing tempting thoughts and allowing them to lead us astray, and then justifying our actions when we chose to do something that we know in our heart is wrong.

As the Apostle Paul advised, we need to be constantly on guard against our own deceptive thoughts, rationalizations, and actions because Satan will never give up on seeking to lead us away from God. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

The fourth verse of the hymn, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” by pastor and hymn writer Robert Robinson say it well– Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above

Author Unknown

I was browsing through my Word documents and came across the following:

To celebrate the State that most people assume is part of Canada. Post a comment why you’re a fan!  AND HERE ARE THE COMMENTS:

Down home is where they know you by name and treat you like family.  I love North Dakota because you can cash a check at your own bank without having to show your ID!

I love North Dakota because it’s one of the only places where when in need of a helping hand…there is always someone there to help you out and plus…the parties are INSANE!

I love the people in North Dakota! I also love the fact that we can see the endless sunsets and the beautiful northern lights on a regular basis. Proud to be a North Dakotan!!

Yay, I’m member 245! That’s about our whole population, now, eh?
I love ND because I can say “Uff da” without people staring at me.

I love ND because of the 1996 VCSU Viking Football Program!!! GO VIKES!!!

I love North Dakota because where else would the delivery guy leave your packages INSIDE your house when you’re not home! We’re blessed to be in Williston and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!

“Home is where the ♥ is” and for me that place is North Dakota! Spent a few days there this summer. They still say ‘pop’ when you want a Coke/Pepsi/Sprite … “You betcha!” & “You bet.” were very used phrases … dinner is for lunch and supper is for dinner … North Dakota has the best people living there. Honest and hardworking … just like … me. ♥ They remember their own and ‘give a hand’ when someone needs it. When you move far, far away … they don’t forget you. They still remember that I am ‘Charlie & Lizzie Knuth’s daughter”. I’ve been gone since 1965 and I always treasure the opportunity to go back for a visit. I’ve always been proud of my German heritage. My grandparents were pioneers who worked the ground and provided for their families. YES, I AM PROUD TO BE FROM THE GREAT STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA! YOU BETCHA!!!  Carolyn

I love North Dakota because of the Godly, friendly, honest, helpful, & hard working people that call it home. Also, the clean air and you can see the stars at night and enjoy the open space. It is a great place to live and raise a family. We may not have all of the big fancy things that other states have but we have peace, quiet and love for one another. You can visit those other places and come back to the peaceful ND. 3 cheers for North Dakota!!!

I love the endless prairie….

I am a fan of North Dakota because it is the best kept secret in the world!!!

I am a fan of NORTH DAKOTA because we have the hardest working, most loyal to STATE, COUNTRY, AND GOD people in the nation. WE will come help anyone in need any time any place. No rain snow sleet or -50 degrees will stop us.

American by birth NORTH DAKOTAN by the grace of God!!!!!!

I’m a fan of ND! Who else brags about the weather because it’s been below zero for two weeks straight?

No place like home especially North Dakota!

You have to be proud of where you came from. Bottom line.

ND is a great state …. Especially Fargo

I grew up off and on in ND although my family is from Texas. My dad was in construction and worked on refineries throughout the state. We usually spent our summers in Texas and winters in ND (which most would say was pretty screwy). But I LOVE North Dakota. And even though I lived all over the US since graduating from Steele-Dawson High School Class of 1990. I still have the greatest love for ND. I’m hoping to bring my family up there this summer for a vacation.

I once had a conversation with an out of state customer and he asked where we were located. I told him North Dakota and he asked if it was near South Dakota. I said, “Yeah, we’re straight west of there.” which figures…. he was from California. true story.

I once had a southerner ask me if it really was a state! Not sure how they got through school without knowing the 50 states.

I love the mission – isn’t it the truth!! The “national” weather people I don’t think even know where it is….tsk tsk.

It’s so true. It does produce people filled with awesomeness.

North Dakota is a great state with many hidden treasures. (most people prefer them to be kept a secret) to find local businesses in North Dakota use www.yellowbook.com Also, vote on their latest commercial ending at www.yellowbook.com/tv