This Morning's Walk

Isn't this beautiful? No photoshop--that's the true color! I was quite fascinated. It's a mushroom!

I marvel at God's handiwork, both in creation and in people. He is so good!

After and Before, Technically

This is one of my favorite things to do: rescue potential treasures! What do you think? Yes, the cover looks amazingly like the curtain in the background for some strange reason.... Oh, yes, and the chair cost me $9.99 at Goodwill.

Update

Wow, a whole month without posting. Shame on me!

Surprisingly enough, the Risses are moving. Come visit us next door to Dairy Queen. How easy it that to find! It's one of Bonnie's houses, and, if you know anything about her, it's beautiful! Hardwood floors. A REFUGE of a back yard. This is the first back yard we've had that I will actually inhabit. It's so lush back there! AND a storage room, AND a covered carport. AND a BLACK kitchen. I'm excited about that, believe it or not! My kitchen here is pink and black, with beige walls. See you on the 1st to help unload the truck!

Winters has (bad English already) been very good to us. I will miss the folks here, and we had a lovely duplex in which to live. It was a good year.

I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store for us in Coleman. We've come full-circle. We started out there in 1992, and we're back! (Minus 6 children.) To go to church 1 minute away! To have Mom in the same town. To have the brethren right there. To be able to invite people to church. To be closer to Sarah. I am stoked.

God is good, and He is faithful!

Can You Believe It?

I found what appears to be a great website. http://puritanpicks.com is what you would love *net*fl*x to be. Check it out and tell me what you think. Reasonable price, and interesting conferences available, too! No long-term commitment, either.

A Nice Dog!

Anyone need a great pit bull? Her name is Downy, and she is so sweet. I might even consider her if we had a place where she could run freely. She has stolen my heart. But WOW, you can tell she is powerful! She could rip me in half easily. (Yes, that's a dinosaur bone next to her!)

Aren't they dear?

There's that sly old Gregory, telling his usual story. His dear mom looks a little wary, doesn't she?

We're having a great time out here; freeze warning this morning! You KNOW how much I'm loving that! We took a three-mile walk this morning already. I love it here (but not enough to stay!).

While enjoying the folks, I'm looking forward to getting back home. I miss my place and my people.

Love to all! Thanks for your prayers.

Stranger?

Greg asked little Sarah at school, "Who is stranger, grandpa, or PEEWEE?"

"No."

"What do you mean, No? Do you know what "stranger" means?"

"Yes; someone you don't know."

Love these baby grands!

In the 60's

Minnesota--here we come! Greg will no longer be teaching and coaching junior high; he will be teaching GED classes some evenings. The starting date got moved to the 15th, with a workshop for him on the 12th, so we can't go as scheduled. We leave for the Land of 60-degree Highs on Tuesday. I'll be basking in that weather.

Happy Lord's Day! I am so looking forward to the preaching this morning, and tonight's the Lord's Supper. My favorite kind of day. How I missed my dear church family when I was in South Dakota!

"Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to usward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." (Psalm 40:5)

Beautiful verse! I am in awe thinking of what God is doing behind the scenes, when things look their bleakest. Thank God for God! I love holy surprises.

I really have been known to post on here....

I hope to have a new post in a few days. It's so good to be home! In the meantime, please head to http://sermonaudio.com/aashepard and listen to our pastor's fine message on God Remembered Noah. What an encouragement! I needed it. Love to all my 3 readers!

Last pics of SD

These are a few of my favorites, especially of Luke just waking up. I miss my babies! Thank you, Risses, for a wonderful time in your beautiful home. I love you!

The Risses

This is not the best family pic, as my good camera won't transfer to this computer. But aren't they precious? A shoutout to Sarah: I NEEDED you for this photo shoot!

Much love to all! Going home tomorrow! Yahooey!

Hint, Hint for Sarah

Happy Mother's Day! Sarah, your gift is NOT the frap. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

Please Note the Pony Tree

This was Anna's invention, with a little help from her sidekick. I thought
it was a great idea!

Meeting Bethany Hope

Everyone got gifts! I got a new granddaughter, the children got sweet treats from their parents, Bethany got a sweet pillow from Tabitha, that thoughtful friend, and a pretty dress from Aunt Sarah in Texas, and Luke fell in love. It was a precious time. The bottom right is our first view of our girls.

God is good!

A Day without the Parents

Welcome, Bethany Hope! God is good!

Hello, Fans! A shoutout to Sarah for the family pic; the one on my good camera is excellent, but Misty laptop won't take my card. Hang on!

And Tabitha, don't the kids look great in their shirts?

Luke is in love! He didn't want to let her go. Precious. And she looks like my mom! Dark hair! Cutie! Luke looks gigantic next to her.

Thank you, Lord, for a safe labor and delivery! And thank you for your prayers.

The very grateful Emmie

PS See Misty's blog, http://family-risse.blogspot.com for better pics of Beth.

Spurgeon is Right On

PS Please note there is another new post below my Hamburger Helpers.


Those who can look with delight or any degree of pleasure upon the sins of others are not holy. We know of some, who will not themselves perpetrate an unseemly jest, yet, if another does so, and there is a laugh excited upon some not over-decent remark, they laugh, and thus give sanction to the impropriety. If there is a low song sung in their hearing, which others applaud, though they cannot quite go the length of joining in the plaudits, still they secretly enjoy it; they betray a sort of gratification that they cannot disguise; they confess to a gusto that admires the wit while it cannot endorse the sentiment.

They are glad the minister was not there; they are glad to think the deacon did not happen to see them just at that moment; yet still, if there could be a law established to make the thing pretty respectable, they would not mind.

Some of you know people who fall into this snare. There are professing Christians who go where you at one time could not go; but, seeing that they do it, you go too, and there you see others engaged in sin, and it becomes respectable because you give it countenance. There are many things, in this world, that would be execrated if it were not that Christian men go to them, and the ungodly men say, "Well, if it is not righteous, there is not much harm in it, after all; it is innocent enough if we keep within bounds."Mind! mind! mind, professor, if thine heart begins to suck in the sweets of another man's sin, it is unsound in the sight of God; if thou canst even wink at another man's lust, depend upon it that thou wilt soon shut thine eye on thine own, for we are always more severe with other men than we are' with ourselves.

There must be an absence of the vital principle of godliness when we can become partakers of other men's sins by applauding or joining with them in the approval of them.Let us examine ourselves scrupulously, then, whether we be among those who have no evidences of that holiness without which no man can see God. But, beloved, we hope better things of you, and things which accompany salvation. If you and I, as in the sight of God, feel that we would be holy if we could, that there is not a sin we wish to spare, that we would be like Jesus,—O that we could!—that we would sooner suffer affliction than ever run into sin, and displease our God; if our heart be really right in God's statutes, then, despite all the imperfections we bemoan, we have holiness, wherein we may rejoice.

Not Hamburger Helpers--Chocolate Cake Helpers!

Here's a shout-out to Mimi, who I'm sure misses her babies right about now! They are precious, and such good helpers! The recipe is chocolate cake from the back of the Hershey's baking cocoa can. Highly recommended.

Misty's looking beautiful and she's full of energy! I would be so wiped out! She is a hard worker.

Missing the family, the church, and the ladies.

Have a blessed Lord's Day tomorrow, 4 faithful readers!

The Lord's Name in Vain

http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/epl-09/wat10-10.txt This is the beginning of an excellent article by Thomas Watson on taking the Lord's name in vain.



This is something I've been thinking about lately. More on this later. I encourage you to read the article. Pretty convicting!

An Excellent Sermon

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=417081452501 Who wouldn't be interested in a sermon entitled, "The Worst Sin I Have Ever Committed"? It's a LONG one, but totally worth your time. May I encourage you to listen? It might answer some questions you have about the Christian life. It blessed me! Find a quiet time, sit and listen. And let me know what you think.

Love to my 4 readers! No baby yet, but we're waiting....

Listening to the base playing Taps at 10 PM. Love it!