Lady Hazel Topper-Naylor

I just saw this and can't resist joining in the fun!

"In honor of William and Kate's Big Royal Wedding on Friday, use your Royal wedding guest name! Start with either Lord or Lady. Your first name is one of your grandparents' names. Your surname is the name of your first pet, then followed by with the name of the street you lived on growing up."

How will you be addressed on your invitation to the royal wedding this Friday? Post your royal wedding guest name in the comments section.

You may call me Lady Hazel Topper-Naylor.

Home Sweet Home!

Wow!  It is so GOOD to be home!  You really don't get the full depth of that phrase, "Home Sweet Home" until you've been gone for a long time.  This morning I walked through my quiet house and marveled at the delicious sweetness of being in my own home.  I stepped outside in my bathrobe and gazed for a long time at my surroundings (especially the pool in my backyard) while enjoying the mild temperature--compared to the coldness of Montana.  When I stepped back inside, there was a smile on my face and in my heart as I breathed aloud,
"Home Sweet Home".

Sitting here typing these thoughts, I realize anew how much I long for my ultimate home in Heaven.  What will it be like?  We can only imagine.  How much sweeter will that be than our home on earth?  It's unfathonamable.  "Even so, come Lord Jesus."

He is Risen Indeed!

Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to see the tomb.  Suddenly there was a great earthquake, because an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and rolled aside the stone and sat on it.  His face shone like lightning and his clothing was as white as snow.  The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.

Then the angel spoke to the women, "Don't be afraid!" he said.  "I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He isn't here!  He has been raised from the dead, just as He said would happen.  Come, see where His body was lying.  And now, go quickly and tell His disciples He has been raised from the dead, and He is going ahead of you to Galilee.  You will see Him there.  Remember, I have told you." 

The women ran quickly from the tomb.  They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to find the disciples to give them the angel's message.  And as they went, Jesus met hem. "Greetings!" He said.  And they ran to Him, held His feet, and worshipped Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "Don't be afraid!  Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there." 

As the women were on their way into the city, some of the men who had been guarding the tomb went to the leading priests and told them what had happened.  A meeting of all the religious leaders was called, and they decided to bribe the soldiers.  They told the soldiers, "You must say, 'Jesus disciples came during the night while we were sleeping and they stole His body.'  If the governor hears about it, we'll stand up for you and everything will be right."  So, the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say.  Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today.

Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.  When they saw Him, they worshipped Him--but some of them still doubted!  Jesus came and told His disciples, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirt.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this:

I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Matthew, chapter 28

Finally Home!

Today is my first day at home since March 23rd.  I spent a whole month in Montana, spending time with my dad (due to health situations) and with his wonderful, "committed companion" Marilyn; also with my daughter's family--my grandchildren!  An added bonus was a visit with long-time family friends, Cary and Louis, plus some other friends of my dad, whom I've known for many years.

I chose not to take my computer with me since I would have no easy access to the internet.  So, this morning I have spent the last two hours catching up on my stuff on the computer, including emails and this blog.  Wow!  What a massive amount of stuff piled up while I was gone! 

It's so good to be back at home!  What a treat to sleep in my own bed last night!

I'll have a bit of catch-up to do for awhile, but will also welcome the return to my "normal" life.  I'm especially thankful to be at home, and in my own church, for Easter Sunday.

The Lord is Risen!  Blessings be upon all who know and love our Savior Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God!

Change

Yesterday I talked about "change".  Today, in my "quiet time" reading, I read something about "change", written by Jill Briscoe.  She was talking about how her peace is restored, even in the midst of change:

"First, change is an incentive to my spiritual serenity as I am forced to be God-reliant, not self-reliant.  Being out of my comfort zone means I look to Him for comfort.

Second, change gets me out of a rut, which someone has said is only a grave with the ends knocked out.  Anything that forces us to do that increases our sense of well-being.

Third, change gives me a chance to start over and forces me to be flexible.  Change helps me to move beyond my rigid positions, inviting me to grow in spiritual intelligence as I think in new ways about new challenges that face me.

Fourth, change forces me to accept things I cannot change--and to have peace about them!  

Some changes arrive on our doorstep, having asked no permission from us!  Then it is up to us to ask the Lord to help us respond rightly to changes that He--a good and loving God--has allowed.  God's indwelling Spirit offers us power and peace in the midst of change.  In this sure knowledge, we can be at peace." 

The changing of the seasons provides an excellent illustration of
"change".  Springtime shows us new life from that which appeared to be dead, but was only dorment.  Spring flowers bring new beauty and vibrancy to the earth--in sharp contrast to the dullness of winter hibernation. Spring cleaning brings about a new "freshness" to our homes.

It rings true that positive change is incredibly refreshing as it brings about new growth, beauty, and vibrancy.  Doesn't it follow that there should also be seasons of positive change within our lives?

Whether you are aware of needed changes or you feel confident that no change is needed, why not ask God what change(s) He desires to bring about in your life?

"Change my heart, O God;

Make it ever true;

Change my heart, O God;

   May I be like You."

Welcome Spring!

Spring brings another opportunity for "newness",
"freshness" and beauty to spring forth--from the inside to the outside. What is springing forth from your life?
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A spring of water cannot bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water. (James 3:11) What kind of
"water" bubbles out of you?
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A salt spring cannot produce fresh water (James 3:12) What kind of "spring" are you?
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Spring is a time for new growth and change.
What is growing in you? What needs to change in you?
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"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think." (Romans 12:2)

Change me, Lord--make me more like You.

gniknihT esreveR

WOO HOO !

I'm goin' to Montana next week!!!

Indescribable Calamity

With just two of us in our home, and life going really well for us, it seems impossible not to be fully enveloped in what is happening in Japan.  The television is full of dreadful news and pictures of complete devastation that totally bombards my senses.   I have found it difficult to think of anything that I want to blog about. My own little world seems absolutely perfect compared to the world of Japan. The people over there have had their world turned upside down, to put it mildly!

"Unimaginable distress and grief"

"Unbearable pictures and details of horror"

"Unbelievable damage and destruction"

"Unfathomable heartbreak and loss"

These are just a few of the expressions uttered in the fearsome news reports being broadcast continuously since this tragic and horrific event began. The devastation and suffering caused by this apocolyptic event is far worse than anything that has occurred in recent years. The impact of this catastrophy already exceeds the tragic consequences and predictions of any major disasters in recent history.

May God help them and comfort them.  Beyond that I am speechless.

Some of My Favorite Pictures

Unsquishable Joy

I’ve been thinking . . . has anyone ever wondered whether this “joy” thing I ride on is real, or whether I just like to promote that image? For some reason, I’m pondering that question today. So, maybe I need to talk about it.

Yes, this “joy” thing is real in my life! It’s very real to me, and it is really me! I’m full of it! (joy, that is) It just seems to bubble out of me, without me having to drink liquid soap first!

I think I inherited the gift of laughter and the ability to find the “funny” in everything, from my grandmother and my mother. However, I believe true joy is a gift from God.

That doesn’t mean that my life is always wonderful and happy. I experience sorrow and hurt, loneliness and sadness, loss and grief, frustration and disappointment, happiness and unhappiness, just like all human beings do. Yet, somehow, even in the midst of all that, joy remains. It springs up from somewhere deep inside of me and flows out unbidden. I can’t seem to squish it, nor would I want to try-- even if I was concerned about others being skeptical of the validity of my joy.

The words to an old Southern Gospel song suddenly come to mind:

 “This happy face that I’m wearing—

I know my Jesus put it there to stay!

  And since the world didn’t give it to me,

 I know the world can’t take it away!” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This smile on my face wasn’t always there--the struggles use to get me down;
Hassles and problems from every direction use to make me wear a frown;
In the midst of the storms, I found a deep contentment, to help me face this night and day;
You see the world didn’t give it to me, and the world can’t take it away!

The world didn’t give it to me, and the world can’t take it away;
The world didn’t give it to me, and the world can’t take it away;
This happy face that I’m wearing--you know my Jesus put it there to stay;
And since the world didn’t give it to me, I know the world can’t take it away!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Much More Than Just a Journey to the Grave!

Tonight I came across a quote I've heard several times over the last few years. It conjures up an image in my mind that makes me laugh every time I hear it.

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming:
   "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Here Comes March!

What comes to mind for you when you think of "March"?

This is what pops into my mind:

March Madness

March of Dimes

March for Life

March of the Toy Soldiers

Beware the Ides of March

Marching bands

As we go marching on

We are marching to Pretoria...

Marching to the beat of my own drum

He marched them up to the top of the hill, and marched them down again

March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb(or vice-versa)

We're marching upward to Zion, that beautiful city of God

Oh, Lord, I want to be in that number, when the saints go marching in!

What else?

HEAVEN IS FOR REAL

A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back

Heaven is for Real
By: Todd Burpo, Lynn Vincent

This is the true story of the four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room. The family didn't know what to believe but soon the evidence was clear.

Colton said he met his miscarried sister, whom no one had told him about, and his great grandfather who died 30 years before Colton was born, then shared impossible-to-know details about each. He describes the horse that only Jesus could ride, about how "reaaally big" God and his chair are, and how the Holy Spirit "shoots down power" from heaven to help us.

Told by the father, but often in Colton's own words, the disarmingly simple message is heaven is a real place, Jesus really loves children, and be ready, there is a coming last battle.
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This book was recommended highly by a friend of mine, so I put it on my Christmas wish list, and did receive it. I read it and then passed it on to Larry to read. Both of us were absolutely amazed by this true story!

It turns out that the author/pastor is related to and known by some people in our church, so he was invited to come and speak to us. He and his wife were our guests this past Sunday, and an audio clip of the interview is posted below. I highly encourage you to listen, and read the book. It is an incredible, yet totally credible account of a young boy's visit in Heaven, and then coming back to tell about it.

Here is an excerpt from the book--read it now.

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