For Felisol

Mourning roses cast by sympathizers float in the lake near the island of Utoya, Norway, Sunday, July 24, 2011.
(AP/Frank Augstein)

photo source

A blog post dedicated to a precious Norwegian sister, coming alongside her in her time of grief.

I cannot bear to just watch in silence as a dear friend goes through so much pain.

In my own small way, may this post bring comfort to your heart, Felisol.


Fighting in the Opposite Spirit

WHERE I AM

So last night I made another important phone call, I talked to my new sister for the very first time! It was a little awkward at first. "So what have you been up to the last 45 years?" I asked. How DO you cram in 45 years in a 45 minute phone call? My father had shared with me her background but I listened while she shared her story with me.

Her mother had died when she was 14 months old and so she and her 2 older half-sisters went to live with grandparents on their farm. Her stepfather came around periodically but she really didn't know him because she was so young, she has no memories of her mother. Her stepfather was encouraged to remarry so the family could be together again, which he did. He drank frequently and the stepmother was abusive. (This just breaks my heart!) At the age of 12 she found out the truth that her stepfather wasn't her biological father. She said that she had always felt like a spectator in the family and that it started to make sense now. My father had agreed to not be involved in her life because he didn't want to create any more disharmony. I'm sure at the time, he did what he thought was right. Still, she told me she wishes that she could have been a part of our family growing up.

I shared with her that in a small way I can relate to feeling like an outsider; having been raised by my Mom and not having the closeness that the other siblings all experienced. I also shared with her my struggles to be whole and healthy and allowing God to mend the relationship between our father and I.

My new sister, Debra is a Christian! I felt a real bond with her right from the get go! I think that we are going to be good for one another! She and I share a lot of the same interests and our e-mail address are very similar! Go figure! Also, I have a 25 year old niece!

I'm hoping I get a chance to meet her face to face when we go back to St Louis this Thanksgiving!

Thanks ladies for your prayers! What started out as a struggle is actually becoming something quite lovely!!

This Day...in Gloryland

My dear sisters....I would ask that today you would remember my dear friends, Scott and Frances. Frances will be going home to be with Jesus today, after a year long battle with ALS. This horrendous disease has taken her Father, her Grandfather, her Aunt and other members of her extended family and threatens to steal away the lives of her two daughters as well. She has a mutant gene which carries with it the Familial type of ALS (commonly known as Lou Gherig's disease.) The type she has is more aggressive than other types of ALS, although equally as devastating. It is unknown at this time whether or not the gene has been passed to Rebekah and Sarah.

Frances has spent the last months of her life connected to life support - unable to move anything but her eyelids. Yet she so carefully types on their blog by looking at a letter and blinking her eyes. The words she has shared have been so uplifting and full of grace. She is truly the most courageous women I have ever known.

This family has been through so much - first with the diagnosis of cancer - Ewing's Sarcoma - in their oldest daughter, Rebekah, and the battle that followed. Then Rebekah was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and developmental delays. They lost their home and everything they owned in a house fire - and now this ALS. Throughout all their trials, they have remained steadfast in their faith and trust in the Lord - holding fast to His side.

This morning, as Scott was listening to the song, I Can Only Imagine, Rebekah was sitting on his lap. Her eyes lit up and she said, "Jesus! I call Him. Tell Him mommy still here. I pray."

Please pray that the Lord will comfort Scott, Rebekah and Sarah as Frances crosses over to the great river of Jordan today - as she finds herself in the magnificent presence of her Lord and King...oh, what joys await her there! May the God of all grace comfort Scott and the girls, as well as the rest of their family. Thanks for your prayers.

Thermometer Or Thermostat????

THERMOMETER-----An instrument for measuring and indicating temperature.

THERMOSTAT-----A device that automatically regulates temperature, or that activates a device when the temperature reaches a certain poin


Based upon those definitions, we can confidently say that a THERMOMETER is a device used to measure the environment surrounding it and a THERMOSTAT is a device which not only measures the environment, but activates something which will make proper adjustments to that environment based upon the settings that have been given it.


So, what are you? Are you a THERMOMETER or a THERMOSTAT? Do you measure your surroundings and then go about your business, or do you measure your surroundings and then set about doing something to change them based upon your 'settings' as a Christian?


"Simply put, if you're not willing
to take what is dearest to you,
whether plans or people,
and kiss it good-bye,
you can't be my disciple.

"Salt is excellent.
But if the salt goes flat,
it's useless, good for nothing.

"Are you listening to this?
Really listening?"

Luke 14: 33-35 (The Message)

Now, if I read this passage correctly, it tells me that I am of no use to the Lord, or to the advancement of His Kingdom, unless I am willing to forsake everything and give my life over completely to His control. If I do that, I automatically become a THERMOSTAT because I have no choice but to do so.

If I am to be a device of change, however, my will must be put under the submission of the will of the Lord. Therein lies the problem. I am so sure I can do it, I know what's best, I've got the answers, I've got "a plan" and surely God wants me to use my plan. After all, He did give me a brain to think with and the ability to make plans and the desire to have direction in my life, right?

We go so far away from the Lord when we begin to think that our way is better than His way, or that we can even understand which "way" is right without submitting to Him.


Seek God while he's here to be found,
pray to him while he's close at hand.

Let the wicked abandon their way of life
and the evil their way of thinking.

Let them come back to God,
who is merciful,
come back to our God,
who is lavish with forgiveness.

"I don't think the way you think.
The way you work isn't the way I work."

God's Decree.

"For as the sky soars high above earth,
so the way I work surpasses the way you work,
and the way I think is beyond the way you think.

Just as rain and snow descend from the skies
and don't go back until they've watered the earth,

Doing their work of making things grow and blossom,
producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry,

So will the words that come out of my mouth
not come back empty-handed.
They'll do the work I sent them to do,
they'll complete the assignment I gave them.'

Isiah 55: 6-11 (The Message)

We will never fully understand the ways of the Lord as long as we inhabit this mortal body; nor will we understand His thoughts. Accepting that truth is essential to having peace about surrendering our will to His. Just as we accept His love for us through faith, we must accept His omniscience....His infinite knowledge of us and all we think, do or feel. Because He knows us so well, He knows the plans that will foster the greatest potential in His Kingdom.

Isn't that what you want from your life as a Christian? Don't you desire to be and do the very best for the Lord? Isn't that what our daily striving is all about? Yet, the answers are there, within each of us who know Jesus Christ and we have only to surrender to Him in order to realize our greatest potential for Him. It's really quite a simple and uncomplicated concept when you consider it.

In my own life, I have no problem with the concept; it's the practice of the concept that brings me difficulty. Yet, when I surrender, there's no peace quite like the peace that fills my inmost being when I know I am surrendered to Him. Isn't it so completely human to know that peace, yet rail against it over and over again in our daily walk with Him?


Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these
children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
Luke 18: 16 & 17 (NLT)

Precious Father, once again I surrender myself to You, completely and wholly; all that I am, all that I think, all that I feel, all that I do.....these I surrender to You. I want to be Your instrument of change in my world. I want to bring comfort and hope to those who so desperately need it. I know I can only accomplish that when I surrender to You and allow You to work through me. Thank you for Your precious mercy and grace that allows me to come time and time again to present myself as Your servant. Thank you for Your loving kindness that never turns me away nor reprimands me, but forgives me and draws me back into the fold of Your loving arms. Help me to mirror You to everyone I meet, talk to or interact with in any manner. In the precious Name of Jesus I ask these things..................AMEN.
Posted by Diane at 3:35 AM

Thermometer Or Thermostat????

http://auntdisexperimentallife.blogspot.com/2011/07/thermometer-or-thermostat.html


Please visit the above link to see my post for today.  I'm sorry, but Blogger wasn't cooperating and I couldn't post the link as a new post here.  :(

Praying each of you have wonderful, blessed day!

Many hugs..............

Diane

LEARNING TO FORGIVE

I have been pretty low key the last couple of weeks. I had shared with many of you the jaw breaking news of learning I had a sister that I never knew existed, on the day that Dave had his surgery-on Face Book of all places! Needless to say I had a lot on my mind, especially when I learned that this occurred while my Bio-dad (AKA my father) was married to my mother. Having just lost my Mom a tad over 2 months ago, I was feeling very protective of her and that she had been disrespected.

I have shared that my father is a very Godly man NOW but in his youth, he was an extremely wild man. I have come to respect his counsel and I know that he continually intercedes for my family. It took me a lot of years and a lot of tears allowing God to heal the wounds of my childhood and make me whole and healthy. My father and I started over in our relationship and began moving forward. Maybe that is why I felt so utterly betrayed when I learned of my new-found sister. At a time when we laid our cards out on the table and spoke from the heart, he had an opportunity to share this with me, with all of us and he did not.

My father turns 73 this month and it didn't set well with me knowing that he could have literally taken this secret to the grave with him. I felt that the only reason why this was coming to light now was because my new sister had forced his hand. I must admit, I don't know what it would be like to carry that kind of secret for 45 years knowing that once it comes to light, there will be consequences and ripple effects that will affect so many people. To be completely honest however, part of me was delighted that he had squirmed under the weight of this...

My father called me several times after the revelation but I chose not to speak to him. I needed some distance so I could regain a sense of balance in my life. With Dave recovering from surgery, we go out every morning at 5:30 to walk and jog around the lake. We walk a lap together and while I continue to walk he will jog 2 laps. We repeat this and finish with us walking a lap together again. During my time of walking solo, I have had some heart-to heart talks with God. He shared something with me that I feel is important to share.

I have every right to feel hurt, betrayed, disappointed, angry, resentful, confused and so on. What happened DID effect me and it also HAS an impact on me today. To try and deny that truth, in an attempt to "act like a Christian" would be false. Too many times, Christians "push it down" when it comes to life-changing events, thinking that if they don't, they must not be very good Christians; a very effective tool of the enemy but how can you ever move forward if remains buried?

God also made me realize that if I hold on to those things too long, I am prolonging my own healing. I will continue to let it fester under my skin unless I F-O-R-G-I-V-E. Not only would I be prolonging my healing but I would be withholding the glory that should rightfully be His by allowing Him to be Lord over this situation.

I made my choice and this past weekend I picked up the phone and called my father. I shared all of my emotions with him and told him that I had not returned his calls because I wasn't ready to speak to him, I was completely honest with him, I left nothing unsaid. He asked me to forgive him and I told him that I already had.

Something happened inside of me when I told him that I had already forgiven him. I saw him with human eyes and how satan had kept him in bondage to this secret all of those years. He told me, "Now I can be transparent." I could literally "hear" the weight being lifted off of his shoulders. I have always believed that ANGER is the most powerful and destructive of behaviors. In that instant, I learned that FORGIVENESS is in fact the most powerful of our behaviors!

My father knows I have been hurt, I told him so. My forgiveness doesn't dismiss his actions-he knows better than anyone the consequences he bears from his youthful indiscretions. I do know that I am free of this burden that I've been carrying. God's mercy and grace has enabled me to free my father from HIS burden as well. No wonder satan tries to keep us in state of un-forgiveness, he knows how liberating forgiveness can be!

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32 NIV)

A Visit With Mrs G

We  are  so  happy  our  precious  Bible has  found  its  way   'home ' and  will  soon be on  its   way  to  its  next   destination.

While  it  is  in  transit, let  me  share  with  you  about  another  Radio  program   which drew  me  closer  to  the  Word  of    God. (I  hope  I am  not  boring you with this)

Popularly  known  around  the  world as  Mrs  G, Kitty  Anna  Griffiths narrates   Bible  stories  in her own  inimitable  way. I  discovered  her  broadcast on FEBA  Radio aired  from  the tiny island  of  Seychelles  in  the  Indian Ocean  off  the  coast  of  Africa.

I was  immediately  hooked  to  her  soft  ,  gentle  voice  and   her exciting  way  of  telling Bible stories. Each  Biblical character  came  alive and walked and  talked  with  you.  It  was  like  entering  their  world.

The  Bible   was no   longer a  heavy ,  serious  book meant  for  adults  and  ceremonially robed  preachers  in  high pulpits. Mrs  G  made  us  walk  the streets,  deserts and  mountains  of  the Bible. We  eavesdropped  on Joseph in  Pharaoh 's Palace, felt  the  gnarled  wood  of   Moses 's staff and   felt the   gentle  rocking of  the  boat  as Jesus  sailed  the  sea  of Galilee  with   his  disciples.

I  received  free  books  and tapes  from  Mrs  G and  a  personal  reply  whenever  I  wrote  to  her. They  are  my  treasures.

Mrs. G—Kitty Anna Griffiths, of Toronto, Canada—is loved worldwide for her warm, captivating style. A British high-school teacher turned storyteller, she has served with her husband, Gerald, in churches in Britain, South Africa, and Canada, and has told stories to children in many countries. In 1991 she received the degree of Doctor of Literature from Biola University, California.

Her Bible stories are broadcast in English on hundreds of weekly releases in North America and worldwide by shortwave, satellite and internet

Believing that “all scripture is inspired by God”, Mrs. G studies the text to make sure her stories bring out the meaning of the scripture. As part of her research, she has visited Israel six times, three times as a guest of the government of Israel.

The stories combine accuracy with modern appeal. Mrs. G has made the Bible come alive for thousands of children—and adults—at home, in church, in schools, camps, cars, hospitals, in all kinds of places.

The stories are for children of all ages—3 to 103! Right now, the youngest correspondent is 3, the oldest 105! Entertaining and educational, the stories are full of spiritual instruction.

The stories have been translated into Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Mandarin, Rumanian, Norwegian, Farsi, Khmer, Amharic, and Russian.

Bible Stories Alive are “you are there” stories. Things of long ago come alive and you feel part of the drama. One little girl says, “I feel I am with Jesus,” and a medical doctor says, “You make the Bible people become family”.

Please visit  her  website  HERE.HERE

Mystery Solved!

Well...  The Bible has returned... to me!  The box is a little tattered...  only part of the piece of paper that I used to write the address on was intact, thankfully I had put tape over my return address because otherwise it never would have made it anywhere! 

The poor box looks a little worn out!  I actually found it by the door this morning...  So I will find a box a work today and get 'her' out tomorrow!

I am SO thankful that she has returned!  I believe that God's timing is best, so I have a feeling that it will arrive 'just in time' for the next sister!!

LOVETOYOU!

The Friendly Wall

I  want  to  share  with you  a story  I  received  from Joni  Eareckson Tada. May  it  encourage you too.

The Wall Won't Hurt You
For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall.

--Psalm 18:29, NKJV

Corie is 19 years old, a little under five feet tall, has one of the most winsome
smiles I've ever encountered, and has Down Syndrome. Corie's speech is a little
slurred and her nouns and verbs don't always match. But that just adds to her
charm. One summer at a Family Retreat she asked me excitedly, "Are you going rock
wall and come down and watching me climb it all the way to the top and back down
okay?" I replied, "You bet!"

I watched the conference staff workers strap my new friend into her helmet and climbing
harness. Corie was ready! She gave me a happy 'thumbs up,' turned to the wall,
grabbed a rock, and away she went. She was so fast! This girl had no fear! After
she had conquered her goal and scooted back down the wall, everyone cheered.

But Heather, who was next, was too nervous to cheer. It was her very first climb...
and she has Down syndrome, too. "Are you ready?" the staff worker asked her. She
could only stare at him with a blank expression. But then Corie stepped in. "Headder,
you are going, too, up?" she said. Slipping an arm around her friend, Corie said
softly, "Okay it is, Headder. The wall won't hurt you." That was all Heather needed
to hear. In the next instant she was scrambling up the wall. Halfway up, she meekly
called down, "It doesn't hurt!"

Are you facing an intimidating wall right now... a medical problem, an unexpected
bill, a strained relationship, or a wrestling match with temptation? God has a
purpose, and knows all about what you're facing. Look up, take heart and say, "I
can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13).

Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you are the Master of every wall in life. Help me to
take courage from little Corie's courage and counsel. With your help, I'll grip
that first rock and begin to climb.

Faithbook

Facebook connects you  with  man

The Faithbook connects  you with God

Another  radio  programme  which  fed   me  Scripture  manna was  Back  to  the  Bible. Preachers  like Theodore  Epp,  Ord  Morrow, G Christian  Weiss, Warren  Weirsebe and Woodrow  Kroll  brought  us  the faithful  Word  of  God which  laid  a  firm  foundation to  our  faith. My  whole  family  listened.  We  loved the  Hindi version  of  the  broadcasts  with   very good  Indian  preachers. I  am again  listening  to  Woodrow Kroll on Internet  Radio.  I lots  of  their  literature.  my  Dad was  a  life  member  of   the  Good  News  Broadcasting Society as they  are   called   in  India.
You  can  visit  their  website  HERE

These days  they   don' t  feature   a  choir.  But I  want to  share  a  video  of  their  opening  hymn


Next time  I  will share  about  another  radio  program which  enhanced  my  knowledge   of  the  Bible , this  one  originated  in  Toronto. Children all  over  the   world  loved  it. Can   you  guess  which  one  it  was?

Happy Birthday Miss Patty

last year at this time bernie and i and the little red car were almost in my beloved manitoba..maybe a hundred or so miles from the border...and it was miss patty's birthday,.. and so bernie and i phoned her and sang the happy birthday song..but alas...there will be no beloved manitoba this year or norway but... yay!..there will be, lord willing a trip to michigan to see miss patty and some of the other sisters!
in the meantime birthday greetings go to our dear sister...
following right along with cyndi's heart warming post about the troops, i am putting this video in..miss patty has a hero and it is the statue of liberty.
i, being canadian don't have two statues of liberty but at least being a christian, i DO have ONE statue of liberty and that is the cross...lucky you miss patty..YOU have two statues of liberty!









now last year dear donna made miss patty a lovely post that was simply filled with mouth watering cakes and cupcakes, but as the sisters know, i cannot bake and so i have ordered miss patty a cake from googles images!
happy happy birthday miss patty...i am sure all the sisters are joining in the song!
god bless you...

Lets say thanks to our troops !

 I tried not to tear up as I scrolled through to pick one. I hope it is ok to share on here if not then please feel free to remove it and I will not be insulted , but thought some of you lovely ladies may like to send a card of thanks to one of our troops overseas . There is a tab to the left to see some of the troop responses.  Peace and Blessings to you all .  Love, Cyndi

http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html

How Firm A foundation Ye Saints Of The Lord

Like  little  children  desire   the  sincere  milk  of  the  Word  of  God.

The  old  hymn How  Firm  A  foundation is  very  dear to  my  heart  because  it  was  the  signature song  of  the  Thru The  Bible  radio in  which  the  late  Dr  J  Vernon  McGee  took  his   listeners   verse  by  verse  through the  entire  Bible. From  my  teen years  upwards  I  listened  to  him  faithfully  and  received   his  study  notes and literature  every  month till  his   death. I  have  a  whole  stack  of  them His  program still  continues as  he  desired ,  using  his  recorded  messages..


How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,


Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!

What more can He say than to you He hath said—

To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?


“Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,

For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.



“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;

For I will be with thee thy trouble to bless,

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.



“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,

My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;

The flame shall not harm thee; I only design

Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.



“The soul that on Jesus doth lean for repose,

I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”

I will not stop blogging

I am waiting for the Bible eagerly, like the rest of you.
Meanwhile I will share what word may come drifting, and hope it may become food for your souls as well.
This early morning this word came.

John 15: ¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other.

Not much to say after Jesu' words, other than; this is so vital, so important that our Lord found it necessary to give a new commandment about this issue. LOVE EACH OTHER.
Oh, Lord help me, not just to love the ones with whom I can easily bond, but everybody without more "buts ".

Help me now; help me today. Amen
From Felisol

Small act of love

An Old Yet Ever New Message

i took this picture at Katy's Tuesday evening.

Spotting a sail boat out on the lake, I zoomed in on it with my camera.

It made me think of the verse in Matthew 4:19...."And He saith unto them, Follow me and I will make you fishers of men."

The days are dark as we know,and are growing even darker as the sun is setting lower.
Nevertheless, we must be encouraged to spread the gospel still to our family,friends and those we meet along life's path and yes even to our enemies; all of these who know not the Lord nor believe in the great Salvation that is open to us all.

Luke 4:40..."Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick, with divers diseases brought them unto Him; and he laid his hands on everyone of them and healed them."

The sickness that we have is our sins and the Lord Jesus is willing to heal us, everyone!!!

Isaiah 53:5..."For he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

i made this post when i knew only julie and saija and none of the other sisters, so i thought i would just slip it in here...it was writtbe august 25th 2006..

i love this sunday school chorus

1. The gospel bells are ringing,
Over land, from sea to sea;
Blessed news of free salvation
Do they offer you and me.
“For God so loved the world
That His only Son He gave;
Whosoe’er believeth in Him,
Everlasting life shall have.”

2. The Gospel bells invite us
To a feast prepared for all;
Do not slight the invitation,
Nor reject the gracious call,
“I am the Bread of life;
Eat of Me, thou hungry soul;
Though your sins be red as crimson,
They shall be as white as wool.”

3. The Gospel bells give warning,
As they sound from day to day,
Of the fate which doth await them
Who for ever will delay.
“Escape thou for thy life,
Tarry not in all the plain;
Nor behind thee look—oh never,
Lest thou be consumed in pain.”

4. The Gospel bells are “joyful,
As they echo far and wide,
Bearing notes of perfect pardon,
Through a Saviour crucified.
“Good tidings of great joy
To all people do I bring;
Unto you is born a Saviour,
Which is Christ the Lord” and King.

Refrain.
Gospel bells (Gospel bells)
how they ring! (how they ring!)
Over land, from sea to sea;
Gospel bells (Gospel bells)
freely bring (freely bring)
Blessed news to you and me.

god bless you sisters...looking forward to everyone's posts before the bible lands..love terry

for encouragement

WAITING FOR THE BIBLE

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 And ye shall call upon Me, and go, and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD.

I prayed for a word, opened my Bible and found this.
In the margin I have noted blessings from these words in June 1968 and August 2000.
It is wonderful to be met by the God's own voice over and over again.
He WILL be found by us. What a promise and a comfort.
Let's not get tired of seeking and praying, dear Sisters.

My old Sunday School cards with stars on the flip side.
A special greeting to all of the Sunday School Teachers among my Sisters.
You'll probably never know here on earth just how important your work was.
Have a blessed Lord's Day everyone.

Blest be the Tie That Binds

Beloved  ladies, while  we  are waiting  for   our  precious  cargo  to  arrive  at  its  intended  destination, let   me  share with you  what  has  been  happening  in  my  little   patch  of earth.

Today we  had  several visitors. First  of  all  came  Mr  Panday who  was  my  Dad 's  colleague  and  very  dear friend. Panday Uncle  is  a  Hindu but  has great  respect  and appreciation for  the  Lord. His  visit  invoked  so  many  memories  and  I  imagined  my Dad  sitting  there  next  to  him  on  the  couch.

Just  after  he  left came  a  group  of  young  people. Two  of  them  , Barun and  Benalin  are  missionaries among  college  students (like  Inter Varsity  workers) and  the other   two  are a newly  married  couple  working at  a  Christian University.

We  had  sweet  fellowship together. Mama   and  Aunt  Maya  (mother 's  widowed  sister in law) who  is  visiting  us,  dug  into  old  memories.., and recalled   anecdotes. Aunt  Maya  who  is  a  good Bible  teacher related  several short  stories  illustrating  Bible  principles  which we   all  enjoyed.
In the photo above   (seated  Mama  and Aunt  Maya)
(back row) Ameeta & Indraish, Benalin , Barun)

Blest  be  the  tie  that  binds
Our  hearts  in  Christian  love
The  fellowship of  kindred  minds
Is like to  that  above.

Aunt  Maya is  currently  living  like  a  displaced   person. She had  to  vacate  the  little  flat (apartment) in which she  was  living. Having  no  where to  go  she has stored   her  stuff in various  places including  my  store room. Her  married  son and  daughter with their  families live  in the  city. They are  all  looking   for  a  rented   apartment  close  to  their  homes because  Aunt  Maya 's  health   is  very fragile  and  she  has   several  medical  problems and  allergies. She  cannot  afford  an expensive  house too. So she  has   many  parameters  to  consider  before  renting a place. Her  son and daughter  have  opened  their   homes  to  her and she 's  lived   with  them  for  short  periods  of  time.
But  she  feels  cramped and  uncomfortable  in  their  small  apartments - their  active and  busy  lifestyle leaves her  at  a loss. They are  all  good Christians.

She  used  to  come  and  spend  short  holidays  with  us when she  was not  too  sick  and  again she  expressed   a  desire  to  come  and  live  with us  till  she  finds  an  apartment, maybe one  or  two months. She says she  feels  more   comfortable  living  with  us than her  own children , although  they  are  very kind and  caring, she  doesn' t  feel  free in  their   homes  like she  does  in  ours.

I  could  not  turn her  away, although  it  will  put  me in a  tight  spot in  various  areas. We have  dedicated  our  humble  home  as  a haven of  rest,  shelter  and  succor for people  who need it. And since  my  childhood I have seen  my  family  do  this - no  matter  how hard  it  was.
Please pray  for this and  also for Aunt  Maya  to  find  suitable housing.

These   flowers are  blooming in a  corner of the  rose  patch. Can  anyone tell  me  what they  are. We  didn 't  plant  them.

My  mother wanted me to post a

photo of  our  mangoes.

I wish  I could  send  a  basketful  to each

of  you dear  sisters.

Let  me  end  with a poem by Patience  Strong.

CHILDREN OF LIGHT

The radiance of the  hidden Christ,

illuminates  the  loving  heart.

The glory of  the  crucified lights

up the world till every part-

is lit with a celestial splendor

such as no man  can  define.

Things  prosaic shine and shimmer

with a  beauty half  divine...

Light  of  the  world , O come to us-

and make our drab  lives  glorious.

Ye are  all  the  children of  light, and the  children of  the day, we  are  not  of  the  night,

nor  of darkness.

1 Thess 5;5 (BIBLE)

Where is She??

Have we come to a complete standstill?? where in the world IS that Bible?? Seems like ages since we've heard from that girl!

God Bless America !...God Bless My Sisters and Their Families

American Sisters

Enjoy  your  national  day  of freedom and  peace

Canadian Sisters

Happy  Canada Day  to  our  Canadian  sisters