" I Have Conquered Death! "

I woke one morning after a acute illness that my wife, daughter, and I had experienced on the last day of a week's beautiful vacation. We were able to find refuge in a hotel an hour into our trip home. We slept from 2 pm to 8 am the next morning, without eating anything but a few crackers.

Honestly- my first thought or impression when i awakened was

 "I have conquered Death".

I then thought how do people with terminal illness press on in life when they feel so bad.

Dying may be easier since Christ has conquered death.

Today i was reading the  August 31st devotional in Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon.

August 31st Morning

I realize that year after year  we "Wait  in Hope for His Arm".

"My righteousness draws near,
my salvation has gone out,
and my arms will judge the peoples;
the coast-lands hope for me, and for my arm they wait.
6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
and look at the earth beneath;
for the heavens vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment,
and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;
but my salvation will be forever,
and my righteousness will never be dismayed." (Is 51: 5-6)

That year after year we will have times in our lives that " drive us to the Father." And that God alone and His care is the only hope we have to breakthrough.

So how do we show the world that our God is " worth 10,000 worlds to us when we feel hopeless or feel bad?

 How do i get the strength for  "feats of faith and valiant exploits? "

We..... "cast ourselves on God alone" who supports the sky and arch of the heavens without anything visible to our eye!

Some other help on how to process and go forward:

Revelation 21:4

4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

1 Corinthians 15:55
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?

John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

As i look over the notes on this page of 7 yrs--
 many things have happened, great things as well as trials, and each year I realize that I
" simply must entirely entrust myself on the providence and care of God my Father,

Breakthrough - Michele Tumes

Love, love will make the distance
It's song riding through the moors
Of all that's lost

Hope, the flag that leads the mission
Flying over rain and foe
To rescue me from harm

I see my love, see my love
With might to save
Scale the walls of yesterday
Break through
Be my joy, be my joy
Charge this path and
Storm the tower of my heart
For only You can break through
To me

Love, the banquet for the famished
It's song rising through these halls
To fill my heart

Hope the banner in my anguish
Writing words of faith
Erasing thoughts of a darkened soul

I see my love, see my love
With might to save
Scale the walls of yesterday
Break through
See my joy, see my joy
Charge this path and
Storm the tower of my heart
For only You can break through

Let the choir sing
Listen to the angels

Fill the chapel
Singing adulation
Let the bells ring

John 11:25
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

Old and New alike...

Very busy week, few trials in between. Missing all the family time we had the few weeks prior. Trying to set mind to see fresh hope in all areas.

Took some time to walk. Surely i could stir my mind and sight to see things from a new perspective.

Ephesians 3:14-21 (ESV)

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth is named,16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

I saw vines growing together on a tree. One mature and one new- growing the same upward fashion. Not random or without direction but by created internal means.

Saw two sized grape-like looking vines- same detail but one large and one small in diameter.

Ferns or different sizes

Seedling pine (close look) and large pine

Spiders of all sizes weave similar webs- not random

fawns learn naturally and by similar means as the older deer

Thistles and flowers together (little random but real life)

1. 2 size climbing vines 

2. 2 sizes of grape vines 

3. 2 sizes of ferns

4. Large pine and in front - (look close sapling pine )

5. Flowers with thistles

God has created a cycle of life And it is certainly not random.

Climbing vines obey nature's laws and climb toward the sun both young and old .

The new plants ferns vines and trees grow like those before.

Very young spiders spin a similar web as the old

Spotted fawns learn from older deer

Each generation learns from those that come before and those that follow.

Ecclesiastes 1:8-10 (NIV)

8 All things are wearisome,
    more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
    nor the ear its fill of hearing.
9 What has been will be again,
    what has been done will be done again;
    there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which one can say,
    “Look! This is something new”?
It was here already, long ago;
    it was here before our time.

Unfailing God

Though my eyes may fail meI will follow after YouThough You promise seems forsakenI'll remember the world's in Your handsYou'll find me singing

You are unfailing GodYour love's unendingAnd Your word is eternalFirm in the heavens its stands

Though sorrow's my conditionAnd pain holds back no blowThough this be my darkest hourYour lamp is leading me homeYou'll find me singing

Eyes can't see but I feel You nearI know You're working through my tearsI trust You Lord I trust You for You never walk away

Psalm 52:8-9 (NIV)

8 But I am like an olive tree
    flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love
    for ever and ever.
9 For what you have done I will always praise you
    in the presence of your faithful people.
And I will hope in your name,
    for your name is good.

unusual weather-- prayer requests, orders chaos

I reviewed the weather forecast on July 5 for a special family gathering we were having on July 26-27. The  forecast was storms and rain. Panic .. and prayer..

".....His way is in whirlwind and storm,
and the clouds are the dust of his feet." Nahum 1:3

unusual weather pattern blamed for heat wave

Some excerpts that peaked my interest since on 7/5  prayer request that the weather would be 

"Normally U.S. weather systems move west to east. The western Atlantic high pressure system behind the hot dry weather started moving east to west last week.."

“It’s definitely unusual and going the wrong way,” Gottschalck said Thursday. “This is pretty rare.”

The unusual movement wasn’t seen in computer models until four or five days in advance, which is relatively late for these models, so meteorologists were surprised, he said.

Gottschalck said there’s no evidence pointing at man-made climate change, but this is likely just natural chaos in the atmosphere. He couldn’t say how often these backward weather flows occur, but they are less frequent than once a year.

The article prompted me to look up Job 38 and 42 recalling that Job was rightly set in his place by The Lord.
also God does hear prayer requests and orders the chaos..

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it? 

“Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain
and a way for the thunderbolt,
 to bring rain on a land where no man is,"

“Has the rain a father,
or who has begotten the drops of dew?

“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
that a flood of waters may cover you?
Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go
and say to you, ‘Here we are’?

Job 38: 4-5, 25-26, 28, 34-35

When i checked the weather forecast on 7/19 it improved to sunshine , less humid and hot weather. 
Amazing, chaos thought by scientists....  order and answer to prayer by God? 

So will continue to pray for beautiful weather for the weekend of July 25-27 but will also need to be content with the days ahead knowing i know very little.

"Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man;
I will question you, and you make it known to me." Job 38:1-3

"Then Job answered the Lord and said:
 “I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, "

Job 42: 1-3

when the enemy comes like a flood

 I went to relax in the family room and realized a pipe was leaking by the fallen ceiling panel. It has happened multiple times over the years. I generally have a better attitude and a sense of hope than i did this time. :(
The LOCATION of the leak on this pipe is in an area that is NOT CONVENIENT, and takes much WORK to fix. The pipe would push up so i could not work on it as i would have liked, so after 2 hours, and 3 "sharkbite" pipe joint joining ATTEMPTS I gave up for the night since it was still leaking and i was anxious and angry.

Morning devotions i was reading an article by Billy Graham from 1956 and it was straight shooting and when i saw the picture of him with his finger pointed, i felt like this was a WORD for me "

The Mystery of lawlessness and the Tide of Evil

"Have you ever wondered about the tumultuous tide of evil in the world? How it overwhelms society, how it engulfs nations, how it infiltrates all races, how it devastates the individual, how it ruins the family and destroys the home?

"The mystery of lawlessness is the power unseen, unknown except by its effects, that is ever working in the world for evil. It is working against the law and will of God, corrupting what has been well done and well begun, causing misery in the natural world and in all that people do. We try to trace evil back to its origin, and we soon see that there is indeed a mysterious element to it." (Bily Graham)
It ended with a hopeful scripture and encouragement!
" When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him."

"Great is the mystery of lawlessness. However, there is another mystery that is even greater. It is called in the Bible “the mystery of godliness”—the secret, unseen, unmeasured power that lies in the inspiration, guidance and comfort of the Holy Spirit, who is within all those who have trusted Jesus Christ as Savior."


So TODAY I decided to try again, met a very CALM shopper at the hardware store and asked him for advice. I wish i was calm. He told me he would "sweat it" in, solder it using a torch. I have caught the floor on fire a few times and didn't want to take this ROAD but i did with his ADVICE-- and it worked!

Many times God is working on our heart attitudes to help us change to serve others. It is not convenient at times to grow, and the location of the problem is not always easy to resolve and takes work and Many Attempts. Direction comes from theWord, and others willing to take the time to give Advice along the Road. The Holy Spirit is our strength against the tide of evil and helps us to refuse to alllow evil to devastate me, ruin my family, or destroy my home.

as long as you are glorified

"Shall I take from Your hand Your blessings
Yet not welcome any pain
Shall I thank You for days of sunshine
Yet grumble in days of rain
Shall I love You in times of plenty
Then leave You in days of drought
Shall I trust when I reap a harvest
But when winter winds blow, then doubt

Oh let Your will be done in me
In Your love I will abide
Oh I long for nothing else as long
As You are glorified" 

So quiet my restless heart
Quiet my restless heart
Quiet my restless heart in you"

(Verse from song by Mark Altrogge)

"So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." Isaiah 59:19

Crimson ..stain washed away

Isaiah 1:18

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.



Jesus Paid is All- Kristian Standfill
Jesus Paid it All
I hear the Savior say
Thy strength indeed is small
Child of weakness watch and pray
Find in me thine all in all

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

Lord now indeed I find
Thy power and thine alone
Can change the lepers spots
And melt the heart of stone

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

It’s washed away! All my sin! And all my shame!

And when before the throne
I stand in him complete
Jesus died my soul to save
My lips shall still repeat

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

Oh praise the one who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead (x6)

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

Psalm 139

1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.

fall afresh

Spring time brings many opportunities so see fresh times ahead. The buds and blossoms always reflect the hope of anew day to me! It is like all things are saying "Awake" . Come on wake up from your sleep!

The mountains and hills seem to come alive !

“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. " Isaiah 55:12

FALL AFRESH by Jeremy Riddle
Awaken my soul, come awake
To hunger, to seek, to thirst
Awaken first love, come awake
And do as You did at first
Spirit of the Living God come fall afresh on me
Come wake me from my sleep
Blow through the caverns of my soul
Pour in me to overflow, to overflow
Spirit come and fill this place
Let Your glory now invade
Spirit come and fill this place
Let Your glory now invade

Blow through the caverns of my soul

buds, blossoms and leaves

I noticed various buds, blossoms, and leaves at different stages this year that got my attention.

It is amazing to think that seeds planted can grow to beautiful trees, blooming vines and shrubs.

Flowers blooming each year , over and over each year, remind us of the constancy of God's love and care for us.

We are reminded to bind a heavenly forget-me-not about our hearts

A song i recently heard reminds me of springtime hope-

"My Beloved bring me awake
Cause I want to feel Your light on my face
Oh, there's a sun coming up
In my soul, Lord, in my soul
There's a sun coming up
In my soul, Lord, in my soul"

David Crowder Band- My Beloved
My Beloved bring me awake
Take me up to Your resurrection place
My Beloved bring me awake
Cause I want to feel Your light on my face

Oh, there's a sun coming up
In my soul, Lord, in my soul
There's a sun coming up
In my soul, Lord, in my soul

My Beloved bring me awake
Take me up to Your resurrection place
My Beloved bring me awake
Cause I want to feel Your light on my face

Oh, there's a sun coming up
In my soul, Lord, in my soul
There's a sun coming up
In my soul, Lord, in my soul

I see the light, I see the light
I see the light, I see the light
Oh thank You God, I see the light

Daniel 4:21
whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived—

Psalm 72:16
May there be abundance of grain in the land; on the tops of the mountains may it wave; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field!

"whatever else we let slip, let's hold fast to Him."

Jeremiah 18:14-15
14 Does the snow of Lebanon leave
the crags of Sirion?
Do the mountain waters run dry,
the cold flowing streams?
15 But my people have forgotten me;
they make offerings to false gods;
they made them stumble in their ways,
in the ancient roads,
and to walk into side roads,
not the highway,