2016

Where, oh where, is my beautiful snow! How I miss it! I love to watch it fall and listen to it as it comes down. It is beautiful and makes my heart glad. I love to consider how God will wash my sins as white as snow, all because of Jesus. Following are some snow snaps since I don't have any snow to look at.

I had the pleasure of watching War Room for the first time, as it recently was released on DVD. What a powerful stand for our Savior and God! Do you have a War Room where you go to intercede for your family? your friends? your country?

                    How excited I was when I saw this red barn a delightful, snowy morning!

I liked Miss Clara's attitude: strong belief and powerful prayers! They stirred my soul. I was thinking where I could have a "war room." Our home is small so there's not much space for my own private "war room." But I do have the smallest bedroom as my writing room. It's all mine. It would be the logical place to house my "war room."

                           These cardinals were content with the seed put out for them to eat.

But, if truth be known, I fail in my prayer life. Can I really live up to powerful prayers like Miss Clara, or would I be a hypocrite telling you I'm going to have my own "war room"? I don't want to give up. I want to be faithful.

I smiled when I found these two squirrels down where we put out corn for the deer having their own meal. 

And then there's those prayers that have gone on forever and I wonder if they'll ever be answered.
My friend, Carol, sent over these words from Max Lacado that I think fit in nicely here:

"Hang in there! Don't give up! Is anything too hard for the Lord? No!

"Easy for you to say! You have no idea how long I've been praying and asking--and asking again!

"Just when you least suspect it--the God of surprises strikes again! God does that for the faithful. (I like that.) . . . Don't quit! You may miss the answer to your prayers! God s faithful--He's always in time!"

                  The snow was falling heavy when I snapped this scene of sheep in the barn.

 God certainly is faithful. And I want to be faithful in my prayer life.

The other day I was reading one of my favorite psalms, 119. When I came to verse 147 it tugged at my heart. "I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word." Some thoughts on Psalm 119:

"This Psalm is called the Alphabet of Divine Love, the Paradise of all the Doctrines, the Storehouse of the Holy Spirit, the School of Truth, also the deep mystery of the Scriptures, where the whole moral discipline of all the virtues shines brightly. And as all moral instruction is delightsome, therefore this Psalm, because excelling in this kind of instruction, should be called delightsome, inasmuch as it surpasses the rest. The other Psalms, truly, as lesser stars shine somewhat; but this burns with the meridian heat of its full brightness, and is wholly resplendent With moral loveliness." Johannes Paulus Palanterius, 1600.

It is, indeed, a lovely psalm which thrills my soul!

                       A beautiful morning with bright sun and blue sky and ice on the branches!

Morning has always been my best time to pray and read God's word. But the many health concerns through 2015 kept me from my normal routine. But I long for the satisfaction and joy of previous years spending early morning with my God.

It sure would be a good way to begin 2016. So I will take my challenge and pray for the ability to persevere in prayer, in a powerful way, as Miss Clara showed me.

                                        The lovely snow heart I made one year!

We are at war. Soldiers are being killed and wounded right here in the United States. As Miss Clara said: "Raise them up!" (prayer warriors)

I like what Pastor Mark Batterson said: "God honors bold prayers because bold prayers honor God."

             Abby and Jo shortly after we brought them home, at 3 months old. They loved the snow!

I'm waiting snow! "When you decided to make snow . . . that was a really cool idea!" Hank Ketcham, Dennis the Menace