Family..view

I was thinking about family recently. Family is such a refreshing blessing. No matter how tough your day is or week, when you think of family- warm thoughts generally fill the mind and the recounting of God's Blessings stirs the heart to thankfulness. The Lord is so kind and merciful! Surrounding us with family is just one expression of this kind mercy.

Psalm 145 is a great reminder that The Lord Is Kind and Merciful. Also that those that have come before us tell us how wonderful God is and also that the next generation will carry on telling the wonderful and powerful deeds of God to family in our future.

Psalm 145 (CEV)
1 I will praise you,
    my God and King,
    and always honor your name.
2 I will praise you each day
    and always honor your name.
3 You are wonderful, Lord,
    and you deserve all praise,
    because you are much greater
    than anyone can understand.
4 Each generation will announce
    to the next your wonderful
    and powerful deeds.



5 I will keep thinking about
   your marvelous glory
    and your mighty miracles.
6 Everyone will talk about
    your fearsome deeds,
    and I will tell all nations
    how great you are.




7 They will celebrate and sing
    about your matchless mercy
    and your power to save.
8 You are merciful, Lord!
    You are kind and patient
    and always loving.
9 You are good to everyone,
    and you take care
    of all your creation.




10 All creation will thank you,
    and your loyal people
    will praise you.
11 They will tell about
    your marvelous kingdom
    and your power.
12 Then everyone will know about
    the mighty things you do
    and your glorious kingdom.
13 Your kingdom will never end,
    and you will rule forever.
Our Lord, you keep your word
    and do everything you say






14 When someone stumbles or falls,
    you give a helping hand.



15 Everyone depends on you,
and when the time is right,
    you provide them with food.
16 By your own hand
    you satisfy
    the desires of all who live.

17 Our Lord, everything you do
    is kind and thoughtful,
18 and you are near to everyone
    whose prayers are sincere.
19 You satisfy the desires
    of all your worshipers,
    and you come to save them
    when they ask for help.

20 You take care of everyone
who loves you,
    but you destroy the wicked.
21 I will praise you, Lord,
    and everyone will respect
    your holy name forever.

"The Lord is my portion, saith my soul." Lamentations 3:24

Family is such a blessing in our lives but we all know the the love experienced in this lifetime is just a reflection of the God we serve, and that if trial and separation happen in our family that God is     all-sufficient. Though things in this life fade and perish we can say-

"Deep in my heart I say,

“The Lord is all I need;

    I can depend on him!”

"That God is, and ever will be, the all-sufficient happiness of his people, and they have chosen him and depend upon him to be such (Lam. 3:24): The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; that is,
 1. “When I have lost all I have in the world, liberty, and livelihood, and almost life itself, yet I have not lost my interest in God.” Portions on earth are perishing things, but God is portion for ever.
2. “While I have an interest in God, therein I have enough; I have that which is sufficient to counterbalance all my troubles and make up all my losses.” Whatever we are robbed of our portion is safe.
3. “This is that which I depend upon and rest satisfied with: Therefore will I hope in him. I will stay myself upon him, and encourage myself in him, when all other supports and encouragements fail me.” Note, It is our duty to make God the portion of our souls, and then to make use of him as our portion and to take the comfort of it in the midst of our lamentations." (MHC Lam 3:24)


Morning Nov 16
 Charles Spurgeon

morning-and-evening 2014/11/16

It is not "The Lord is partly my portion," nor "The Lord is in my portion"; but he himself makes up the sum total of my soul's inheritance. Within the circumference of that circle lies all that we possess or desire. 

The Lord is my portion. Not his grace merely, nor his love, nor his covenant, but Jehovah himself. He has chosen us for his portion, and we have chosen him for ours. It is true that the Lord must first choose our inheritance for us, or else we shall never choose it for ourselves; but if we are really called according to the purpose of electing love, we can sing--

"Lov'd of my God for him again

With love intense I burn;

Chosen of him ere time began,

I choose him in return."

The Lord is our all-sufficient portion. God fills himself; and if God is all-sufficient in himself, he must be all- sufficient for us. It is not easy to satisfy man's desires. When he dreams that he is satisfied, soon he wakes to the perception that there is somewhat yet beyond, and straightway the horse-leech in his heart cries, "Give, give." But all that we can wish for is to be found in our divine portion, so that we ask, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee." Well may we "delight ourselves in the Lord" who makes us to drink of the river of his pleasures. Our faith stretches her wings and mounts like an eagle into the heaven of divine love as to her proper dwelling-place. "The lines have fallen to us in pleasant places; yea, we have a goodly heritage." Let us rejoice in the Lord always; let us show to the world that we are a happy and a blessed people, and thus induce them to exclaim, "We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."

"He loves YOU "

"Watching and waiting."

I was thinking a lot this week about watching and waiting for answers to prayer.
We met in a fellowship group the past week and prayed for breakthroughs in areas that needed hope restored and answers to prayer. Some prayers to The Lord have endured for a long time!

God can heal or provide solutions in a blink but at times we can go for long periods of time without seeing the answers to prayers. Some cases, we may not ever understand -at least, this side of heaven.
Still we are called to ask, seek, believe and never give up hope!

So I was on a woods trail this week and was MOTIVATED to call on God in prayer for those things we sought -to see His hand move.

We pray for relief and healing and we do not give up praying for the hard things we see and for relief of suffering of those we love.
Though we believe "all thing work for good" we are perplexed at times at circumstances and on how to pray and reconcile God's love for us and the reality we see.
 A few of the people I spoke with this week needed cheering and heartening.

• Spouses who lost the love of their lives and it is so much harder than they ever thought -we encourage them--though words are hard to find. We reverently ask why Lord? Help !
• Sickness, and debilitating migraines in youth and do not understand -yet set our minds to pray to see healing and give wisdom.
• Accidents that lead to injury and loss of memory- we call out and look expectantly for restoration and recovery.
• Work relationships that require forgiveness and humility and trust to resolve.

"I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning,more than watchmen wait for the morning." Psalm 130:5-6 (NIV)

Cape Otway Lighthouse around Melbourne Australia- Photo credit Matt and Cyndi 

October 30 and 31 are dates that I recall from times in our past when we had waited for the return of son and daughter from war times, from thousands of miles away. Difficult, painful, in the waiting and watching and trusting God for the safe return. Welcome home and reuniting is sweet despite delay. You find yourself, as a family in wartime,unable to change the situation or intervene and bring them home, but continue to pray. Similarly, in times of uncertainty and unexplained delay We ask for mercy and are reminded that
"no affliction dims the luster of Thy Love"

In the wilderness or dry land He provides refreshing times.

"I wait for the Lord, I expectantly wait, and in His word do I hope.
I am looking and waiting for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, I say, more than watchmen for the morning."
 Psalm 130:5-6 (AMP)

An excerpt from
Evening October 31 (Charles Spurgeon)

morning-and-evening/2014/10/31

"I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought."
Hosea 13:5
... but thou hast known my soul in adversities, for no affliction dims the luster of your love. Most gracious Lord, I magnify thee for all thy faithfulness to me in trying circumstances, and I deplore that I should at any time have forgotten thee and been exalted in heart, when I have owed all to thy gentleness and love. Have mercy upon thy servant in this thing!



I keep a picture of the kids on a bookcase and recently caught a glimpse of it and thought- watching,waiting.
I got the picture down and looked on the back of the frame and I had forgotten that I had cut out words from a magazine about watching and waiting. For years we have had a Glimpse of watching and waiting in prayer and thankfulness! Not always easy things in life or does not always go as I planned but we trust.

My life's on the line before God, my Lord, waiting and watching till morning, waiting and watching till morning.  Psalm 130:6 (The Message)



I can be impatient and many times delay can bring a struggle in my faith and  I have to pray and recall the Bible verses that relay the truth I need in times of impatience, fear and shock.

So I need to Hope in the Word of God and stand against doubt and unbelief.

John Piper states in the sermon excerpt -
battling-the-unbelief-of-impatience

"I want you to see this relationship between the promises of God and the patience of the believer in Psalm 130:5. How does the psalmist battle against impatience in his heart?

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
And in his word I hope.

"Waiting for the Lord" is an Old Testament way of describing the opposite of impatience. Waiting for the Lord is the opposite of running ahead of the Lord and it's the opposite of bailing out on the Lord. It's staying at your appointed place while he says stay, or it's going at his appointed pace while he says go. It's not impetuous and it's not despairing.

Now how does the psalmist sustain his patience as he waits for the Lord to show him the next move? Verse 5 says, "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and IN HIS WORD I HOPE." The strength that sustains you in patience is hope, and the source of hope is the Word of God. "In his word I hope!" And hope is just faith in the future tense. Hebrews says, "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for."

So what we have in Psalm 130:5 is a clear illustration that the way to battle impatience is to buttress your hope (or faith) in God, and the way to buttress your hope in God is to listen to his Word, especially his promises."
(http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/battling-the-unbelief-of-impatience)

So look up  

"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." (Psalm 5:3 KJV)

Keep watching and waiting...



I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.Psalm 130:5 NIV



"Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

Hurricane Ridge, WA

Morning...Sunrise

Morning is a time that gives a fresh start.

It could be a patch of blue sky that gives hope for a sunny day. 

The clouds can be pink/blue in the early morning which is pleasing to the eye. 

The first rays of the sun through tree branches or the sunrise's first sight on the horizon stirs the soul and invigorates.

"But this I call to mind,

    and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

    his mercies never come to an end;

 they are new every morning;

    great is your faithfulness." (Lam 3:21-23 ESV)

One of my favorite promises of God is that He hears our prayers and that we can expectantly and eagerly look up in faith for the answer and provision  to our pleas.

"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." (Psalm 5:3 KJV)

I Will Look Up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEQnoE7SnZw

CCLI # 7011443

Written By: Matt Redman, Jason Ingram, Wade Joye, Chris Brown, Mack Brock

Verse 1:

All the worries of this world

I will lay them at your feet

Surrender every anxious thought for perfect peace, your perfect peace

Verse 2:

All the loved one's I hold dear

All my hopes and dreams and all my fears

I will choose to trust your name in everything, with everything

Chorus 1:

I will look up for there is none above you

I will bow down to tell you that I need You

Jesus Lord of all

Jesus Lord of all

Verse 3:

I will take you at your word

For Jesus you have taken hold of me

All my life is in your hands

You are my strength, you are my strength

Chorus 2:

I will look up for there is none above you

I will bow down to tell you that I need You

Jesus Lord of all

Jesus Lord of all

I will look back and see that you are faithful

I look ahead believing you are able

Jesus Lord of all

Jesus Lord of all

Bridge:

Prince of Peace

Perfect Healer

All my life, all my cares on you

King of Kings

Mighty Savior

All my life, all my cares on you

One thing I AM THANKFUL for is that God wakens me each morning and as a loving Father gives me the desire to pursue Him in the reading of The Bible, and in reliance on the Holy Spirit gives me a word to sustain, and a listening ear to obey Jesus.

"The Lord God has given me

    the tongue of those who are taught,

that I may know how to sustain with a word

    him who is weary.

Morning by morning he awakens;

    he awakens my ear

    to hear as those who are taught." (Is 50:4 ESV)

So grateful to have another day!

Washington Mtn.Sunrise by Matt and Cynthia

"..I cried out."

I was working recently with a family on a building project. One of those working had an accident and my first response was to cry out to the Lord. I said "No, oh No , No have mercy Jesus" When we got to the person we immediately prayed and cried out to the Lord, and tears filled my eyes as well at the scene of what happened. We prayed for mercy and healing and that all would be ok in his whole body.


‘If disaster comes upon us, ....... 
we will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’..."For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. 
We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” 
 (2 Chronicles 20:9,12 ESV)

Matthew Henry's commentary explains this verse-
“We have no might against this great company, none without thee, none that we can expect any thing from without thy special presence and blessing, none to boast of, none to trust to; but our eyes are upon thee. We rely upon thee, and from thee is all our expectation. The disease seems desperate: we know not what to do, are quite at a loss, in a great strait. But this is a sovereign remedy, our eyes are upon thee, an eye of acknowledgment and humble submission, an eye of faith and entire dependence, an eye of desire and hearty prayer, an eye of hope and patient expectation. In thee, O God! do we put our trust; our souls wait on thee.” (MHC 2 Chron 20:12)

You see, this fall, this trial, happened to someone I care deeply about and respect, A man who honors God, his family, father and mom, Someone who has gone through other trials without complaint. So,I was in disbelief that this could be happening  to a friend of 30 years, a man that "the mold was broken once born."
I cried out No,, Oh No ! because these things shouldn't happen to good people.

We had much more work to do on this bright sunny day. We had to get the rest done!

Thoughts came through my mind- the person has had previous back surgeries, did something break, would he walk, or have serious injury?

I was with his wife, good friends, and adult children who I have known since they were born.

All praying for healing and help in this time of need. The children, praying in faith to God. God, who they have been instructed. year after year, cares for us, loves us, and works all things for good. God cares for us but his happened. Help us.

No major injuries was the report, at the end of a few hours of testing and anxious waiting,
"Praise The Lord" was my response to the doctor.

I had not seen a miracle like this for awhile.
I was there at the scene, and saw and was so grateful for the outcome. Though it was going to be a road back to recovery, God had mercy and heard our cry!

"But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
    my glory, and the lifter of my head.
 I cried aloud to the Lord,
    and he answered me from his holy hill." (Psalm 3:3-4

"In my distress I called upon the Lord;

    to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
    and my cry to him reached his ears." (Psalm 18:6 ESV)

I remember a picture from my morning walk. I say the Sun rising and reflecting on a pond. I was at an angle I could see both bright areas at the same time.

The compassion God has on us-- transcends my finite mind. The goodness and healing and protection we see on a daily basis is a mere reflection of his Great love and perfect plan that works for good. Trial and pain are allowed by Him yet He orchestrates all for our good.

The next morning, as well as through the night, I was thinking of God and how He heard our cry for help.

I thought of how when the person fell from from the truss over 12 feet on a piece of 3/4 in. board- that the board landed on a circular saw handle that cushioned the fall -to some extent, supporting instead of hitting concrete directly.

The question remains that The God who cares and protected could have not allowed this to happen at all. "Though leagues of distance lie between the finite creature and the infinite Creator, yet there are links uniting both." 

As a father shows compassion to his children,
    so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
 For he knows our frame;
    he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:13-14 ESV)

September 28

Morning... (Charles Spurgeon)

Psalm 33:13
The Lord looketh from heaven; He beholdeth all the sons of men.

"Perhaps no figure of speech represents God in a more gracious light than when He is spoken of as stooping from His throne, and coming down from heaven to attend to the wants and to behold the woes of mankind. We love Him, who, when Sodom and Gomorrah were full of iniquity, would not destroy those cities until He had made a personal visitation of them. We cannot help pouring out our heart in affection for our Lord who inclines His ear from the highest glory, and puts it to the lip of the dying sinner, whose failing heart longs after reconciliation. How can we but love Him when we know that He numbers the very hairs of our heads, marks our path, and orders our ways?

Specially is this great truth brought near to our heart, when we recollect how attentive He is, not merely to the temporal interests of His creatures, but to their spiritual concerns. Though leagues of distance lie between the finite creature and the infinite Creator, yet there are links uniting both.
When a tear is wept by thee, think not that God doth not behold; for, "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him."

Thy sigh is able to move the heart of Jehovah; thy whisper can incline His ear unto thee; thy prayer can stay His hand; thy faith can move His arm. Think not that God sits on high taking no account of thee. Remember that however poor and needy thou art, yet the Lord thinketh upon thee. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards Him.

Oh! then repeat the truth that never tires;
No God is like the God my soul desires;
He at whose voice heaven trembles, even He,
Great as He is, knows how to stoop to me."

Mt. Shuksan -Near Mt Baker,WA

"I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.For your steadfast love is great above the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the clouds." (Psalm 108:3-4)

"..fellowship .."

I was recently helping a friend move from a current home to a transition home. Eventually they will be moving to a renovated farmhouse and 180 acres farm. Of course it is natural to think back on the years we have known each other. We first met nearly 20 years ago and were involved in the same church and fellowship group.

You see the EMPTY room where we gathered many times for worship, study and hospitality! 

You think "How I am going to miss this place."

I then started thinking about the years-over 32, that we have been in various fellowship groups. So grateful for the years of care and fellowship.
Fellowship consists of many great times and some low times as well when at one time of another a couple or individual may be going through a difficult time.

We experience the high and celebrated times in life like picnics, marriage, weddings, birth of a child, baptism of family members, graduation of school then college.

We have also have experienced times of sadness when the death of family or friends happen, or news of cancer is shared, or long term illness is a factor.

We have experienced times of growth in friendships and relationships and have experienced on-going care from others and the loyal friendships. We have helped each other in our homes,farms,building projects and study.

We have also experienced times when you invest your lives into others and they may leave the group or church and you feel a little empty and saddened at the loss-you miss them so much.

So over his time you see care and answers to prayer. You also see funny things happen- like when praying for someone near a candle their shirt catches fire, or someone is so tired they fall asleep during the sharing time and someone calls on them to share what they may think :)

Many times people in your fellowship group are first to come to your help when it is needed most. First to the Fallen and you try not to leave anyone behind that is in need.

We have seen each other's children grow and mature and start their own careers and some their own families.

When we first met this individual's children they were 2 and 3 years old now they are in the early 20's. You look back with fond memories and times and are thankful and recall the blessings.

We have experienced Christian fellowship over the years and I was thinking today how can I put this in a nutshell.

We are called together, we serve, are built, grow, friend, and look to the future in faith!

CALLED
We are first called by God and then joined with others in faith. We study and apply the Bible to our lives.

“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”      (1 Cor. 1:9 ESV)

SERVE 
 "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." (Galatians 6:10 ESV)

BUILT
"For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone."(Eph. 2:18-20 ESV)

GROW

Fellowship enables growth and gratitude. We see how God has been faithful and we look forward.

“Gratitude exults in the past benefits of God and says to faith, ‘Embrace more of these benefits for the future, so that my happy work of looking back on God’s deliverance may continue.”

(Future Grace. 1995 – John Piper Page 38)

FRIENDSHIP

FUTURE
We pray for one another for grace and grow in faith.

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thess.1:11-12 ESV)


"Grace, in the New Testament, as we have seen, is not only God’s disposition to do good for us when we don’t deserve it — undeserved favor. It is also a power from God that acts in our lives and makes good things happen in us and for us. Paul said that we fulfill our resolves for good “by his power” (verse 11). And then he adds at the end of verse 12, “according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” That power that actually works in our lives to make Christ-exalting obedience possible is an extension of the grace of God.

Therefore this grace which moves in power from God to you at a point in time is both past and future. It has already done something for you or in you and therefore is past. And it is about to do something in you and for you, and so it is future — both five seconds away and five million years away.

God’s grace is ever cascading over the waterfall of the present from the inexhaustible river of grace coming to us from the future into the ever-increasing reservoir of grace in the past.

In the next five minutes, you will receive sustaining grace flowing to you from the future, and you will accumulate another five minutes’ worth of grace in the reservoir of the past. "(John Piper)

Sermon link

http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/living-by-faith-in-future-grace

VISION 

We look forward to fellowship. Soon we will looking back another 10 years and be grateful to see all that God has done. We must look up in hope and move forward in faith since life is brief.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jer. 29:11 ESV)

So lets move on, work hard, and look forward to fellowship with intention to study and apply God's word.

“At evening let not your hands be idle." (Ecclesiastes 11:6 NIV)

"The evening of life has also its calls. Life is so short that a morning of manhood’s vigour, and an evening of decay, make the whole of it.... Life is so brief that no man can afford to lose a day.  

......Some are spared to a long evening of green old age; if such be my case, let me use such talents as I still retain, and to the last hour serve my blessed and faithful Lord. By his grace I will die in harness, and lay down my charge only when I lay down my body. Age may instruct the young, cheer the faint, and encourage the desponding; if eventide has less of vigorous heat, it should have more of calm wisdom, therefore in the evening I will not withhold my hand." (Excerpt Charles Spurgeon- Evening Sept 20)
Evening September 20

We are called together, we serve, are built, grow, friend, and look to the future in faith and vigor!

Lane Peak- Zipper Couloir  The Tatoosh Range, Mount Rainier National Park

UPDATE- March 2016

The farm and farm house are nearly done and have provided great memories and fellowship already!

Video of me in a 10 row harvester

Harvesting with Boyd- Mennonite Harvest

We had care group at the home a few weeks ago. 

The restored entry hall now reflects the vision they had for their home. Many more memories and times of fellowship to come

 in the future with family and friends!

stars by name, carry and sustain..

Canadian Wilderness Sky - 110 sec exp. hint of the Milky Way  Photo by eholuta.wix.com/portfolio

The stars in the Canadian sky - an awesome picture.
Countless stars. First thing I thought of is how I remember reading that God created the stars and knows them each by name.

I thought- if this is the case then how much more does he care for, carry, and sustain us.

"He who made the Pleiades and Orion,
    and turns deep darkness into the morning
    and darkens the day into night,
who calls for the waters of the sea
    and pours them out on the surface of the earth,
the Lord is his name;" (Amos 5:8 ESV)

Star trail- Canadian sky

“To whom will you compare me?
 Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
"Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
    Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
    and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing." (Isaiah 40:25-26 NIV)

The ESV Study Bible notes:
The Holy One is incomparable in his power, wisdom, immensity, sovereignty and authority.
Not one was missing: God's creating the stars would have been awe-inspiring even in ancient Israel, where about 5000 stars were visible at night. Astronomers now estimate there are more than 400 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy, and that there are 125 billion galaxies in the universe. The total number of stars is estimated at 10 billion trillions
Them all by name- Such a God will surely never forget even one of his people.


THERE ARE THOSE TIMES-- 
we see things from a distance or when we see things on a foggy day- they are not clear,  just like our circumstances- we do not always know the reasons we need to walk through the paths we have been given or who we may affect along the way.  Our lives on this earth are always under construction.




























At times
 we do not see the path ahead as clearly as we would like.
We do know God created the stars and knows each by name and not one is missing so such a God will surely never forget even one of his people. (Isaiah 40:26)



'Cause you light up the path'

'Cause you get lighter the more it gets dark'

You're such a heavenly view

even these lyrics from a pop song can reflect the kindness of God 

Coldplay- A Sky full of Stars


CARRY and SUSTAINS-
While walking recently and holding the hand of  the little guy and in the past holding the hand of my grand-daughter-
I thought of him and how trusting to allow us to carry and lift him. 

Thought of how God sustains us and as we get older this is so much more evident in the care the younger show those older.

"Even to your old age and gray hairs
    I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
    I will sustain you and I will rescue you." (Isaiah 46:4 NIV)

 such a heavenly view.

sustaining grace for the day

Sunrise to a new bright day.

Sunrise- WA mountains photo by Matt

The skies clear and refresh our souls and we go forward.