Lidia ..Crown of Beauty..Beautiful Light

while the tidbit package flies to the next sister, i thought i had better post about a few sisters who i have just yesterday noticed that i have neglected...i got a comment from our dear sister from the philippines and suddenly i wondered, "i can't remember what i said about crown of beauty!...alas though! time is so short and so i just thought "i will steal a post from canadian blog and just copy and paste it here"...it goes along very well with what felisol has been posting about..salvation the FREE gift of god...no good works required!

crown of beauty has graciously allowed me to put the story of how she was saved in a post and i will not say anything more, other than that this dear christian lady from philippines is a dear friend to many. her name is lidia and it means, "beautiful light".


 "I was 12 years old, and on the threshold of my thirteenth year in the mid 1960's. I was about to go to bed one night and I heard myself asking God a few questions. These were some of the specific things I asked Him: God, if you really are the God I believe in, I want to know You more. I want You to show me if the things I believe in are true. I ask You to show me the truth. Please, God, somehow I feel that there is something lacking in my understanding, but I don't know where to get the answers...or if there is even someone who knows the answers to my questions. Before I go any further, I have to make some things clear. I was not a heretic, and I certainly was not about to turn my back on my religious upbringing. But even as a young girl, I was hungry for God, and would even go to bed with my Missal, my Book of Prayers, my precious collection of stampitas - lovely gilt edged picture cards of Jesus, Mama Mary, St. Theresa of Avila, St. Peter, St. Christopher, and many other saints - under my pillow. I would often pray, asking Jesus to help me be a good girl, and help me keep my heart pur My frustration was that it always seemed so easy to fall into sin. Nothing major - a cross look, a lie, an unkind thought... nevertheless, I knew it was sin. It seemed like I was never good enough, that my actions were always being weighed, and somehow, they always fell short. If someone asked me what my idea of God was back then, here's my reply: to me He was like a tally-keeper up in heaven...some kind of a heavenly policeman. However, those thoughts did not really bother me so much. As I progressed into my teen years, those questions got pushed underneath. After all I was just so busy with more exciting things, like school, friends, weekend parties and going out on dates... I was enjoying life... the way any normal teenager would enjoy life. And my growing up years were memorable, happy ones. I came from a small family where our parents faithfully looked after me and my sister's well-being; we were loved, we were nurtured, we were valued, and appreciated. Our needs were met. We celebrated birthdays, and anniversaries, graduation days, Christmas, New Year, Easter. I felt secure and confident in my parents' love. It was only when I was a freshman at the University of the Philippines that those questions re-surfaced, and the answers came...in a miraculous way. To be honest, I had actually forgotten those questions. But God did honor my desire, after all, and revealed Himself to me, when I least expected Him to. One day in 1972, when I was a second year university student, a classmate gave a speech to convince in our speech class. It was entitled "The Man You Cannot Ignore." Though she only spoke for a few minutes, her words had a deep impact on me. Much of what she said were answers to many questions in my heart, some dating back to when I was still a child. The next week, I joined a small group that met weekly to study what the Bible had to say. It was a year later, in December 1973 that I came to know Jesus as my true Lord. After taking this step of faith, one of the things that really changed in my life was how I regarded the Bible. From just being another book it became, The Book... and began to hold a very special place not just on my desk, but most importantly, in my heart. There was a growing spiritual hunger to read it; each morning I couldn't wait to discover the gold between its lines and pages. There were days when I'd wake up before dawn, sit at my desk and begin reading. And that was the best thing that ever happened to me - when I began to understand that my going to heaven was not something that I had to work for, or earn. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. - Ephesians 2:8-9 Thus began a long journey of soul searching... studying the Bible, knowing that this Book was written by men under the inspiration of the God the Holy Spirit, and could therefore be trusted. After a long period of evaluating and carefully looking at the evidences of the Scripture, accompanied by much prayer for enlightenment, the day came when I could hold back no longer. I couldn't be a fence sitter, wavering between two opinions. I knew I had to turn the reins of my life over to the One who created me, my God, my King, my Redeemer. As soon as that decision was made, it felt like a heavy burden was lifted off my back. It was the beginning of my spiritual journey, an exciting journey of knowing what God my Father was really like, and a brand new life of freedom and grace! There may have been many rough roads on this journey, but the light of a million mornings has dawned in me... Definitely, there is no turning back!"




and then we travelling sisters had the great hounour to welcome crown of beauty to the sisterhood..."the 24 plus one" group that love each other equally and pray without ceasing for each one! crown of beauty travelled all the way to the united states to meet her new family of sisters and even for the sisters that couldn't attend, she is as close as a tapping of the keyboard to talk to her!

oh my!...now as you know crown of beauty is known for her long posts and here i am with the longest post with the help of our beautiful sister!

God bless you always lydia,- crown of beauty-beautiful light...love terry

God gave the growth

 

I have been allowed to share this picture from the  the blog Sola Scriptura  http://2tim3v16.blogspot.no/

It's Paul summing up what I have tired to share as my tidbit for this week.

God alone, Jesus alone save us. Our acts, our good deeds, our piety and devotion, their may be the fruits of the spirit, or they may be something we use to praise ourselves, -a jewelry around our neck.

Epesians 2:

⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.
That again leads us back to faith.  Can we boast ourselves of our strong faith or or burning love. My book says we cannot. We are nothing in ourselves, but we can do what the thief on the cross did. Turn to Jesus. The rest is Amazing Grace.
Grace upon Grace. What a huge relief and freedom. The only thing we need to do, is receive. We do not depend or rely on feelings. Feelings are fluctuating. Our belief is founded on a cliff.
                                                       2 Timothy:

¹⁹ Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.

I thank you for walking with me this short week. I let Mrs. Mac pass the torch on, while I leave for Sauda to celebrate with friends from my youth the 50 year anniversary of my confirmation. All these years my testimony is, if I have been unfaithful, He has stood by and never left me. Praying that me all some sunny day may take part in the everlasting reunion in Heaven. Yours Felisol

Who can be saved?

                                               

I've just discussed with a childhood friend for four hours tonight.
She told about her grandchild asking, can a man be cruel even to children, and in the moment of death repent his sins and come to heaven?

She had to think hard about this, because the grandchild thought sins against helpless children were the worst imaginable.
In the end she had to say yes. My Bible says so.
Romans 10:13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

In my youth there were so many things a Christian could not do, wear earrings, nail polish, go to the cinema, you name it, I've heard it. Not from my parents, but from ministers and the elder in the congregation. 
Alcohol and tobacco were the devils sign as well.
People used to quote Christians from the Bible belt, where I was raised. "Yes, we know that Jesus made wine from water, but we don't approve of it.
It offended my common sense.

I had to find my own way. A way where the name of Jesus was the only thing who could save, and where my many shortcomings were not the isue of measurement and weight.

I loved to go to church Maundy Thursday and receive communion, listening to the Lutheran pastor declaring  that Jesus had forgiven all m sins.

How could he say that? He knew nothing about me. Nothing but one thing, I came to the altar to receive, not from him, but from Jesus.

The story about the villain at the cross is so dear to me. He wasn't saved in church, he wasn't baptised,  he had no testimony and great words to tell, he just asked Jesus,
^Luke:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
⁴³ And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Remember me, and he was saved for eternity.
We should always remember, this is what it takes.Salvation is for everybody who mention his name.
We are free to gather in the church of our liking, but it doesn't save us.
We are free to get baptised, but it doesn't save us.
If fact, Jesus did it all on the cross, he paid the price, he made up for even the ghastliest sins. all we need is to whisper his name and we are saved for eternity.

My heart sings hallelujah.

In my Father's house are many mansions

This song reminds me of three equal important things.

1. Me buying m first Elvis record, called "His hands in mine" early 1960-ies. I've still got the worn LP.
2. My father talking to me, his the 5 year old daughter. I asked if only members of the Pentecostal Church , to which he belonged, came to heaven.
He answered with an absolutely no. Then he took me o his lap and read from his Bible:

1. John 14:2
   "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."
   
   3. We, the sisters come from a range of churches. It's not important. Jesus doesn't care, so why should we?
   I don't know how much you know of church history. When I grew up it was a subject for 12 years in Norwegian schools. Not anymore.
   The biggest church in Norway is the Lutheran. This year 75 % of the population belong to this Church of Norway. Strong forces are working to abolish the church and diminish it's power and influence. That's why I chose to join it. Some must go the other way around. The former Catholic munch Martin Luther had one important devise, "Grace alone". Nothing else can save us or is of any importance. Then he of course was dragged into political conspiracies, and he organized his church with Christening, sacraments, the whole shebang.
   But the scripture stands for us all to embrace, 
   Ephesians 2:8
   

   "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."

   We may be organized in different ways, that's alright. However there is no sole right way, except receive by Grace alone.

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Well the travelling tidbit has been ordered to be sent along to the next sister...BUMP! i must say that i have had a good time with it and i thought i would put this 24 plus one picture in of some pretty sweet timbits!...hi amy!

as you know we travelling scarf sisters are an international affair and i have put the flags here....hope that i got the right flag and name!

and THIS is the flag of my beloved manitoba!...ha!

and so goodbye so long for now and i love you all...god's blessings...love terry oops! i almost forgot...here is a verse that i so do love and it will be my tidbit for for all of you dear sisters of mine “The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between His shoulders.”

The foolish Virgin

Matthew 25

King James Version (KJV)

25 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

² And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
³ They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
⁴ But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
⁵ While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
⁶ And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
⁷ Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
⁸ And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
⁹ But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
¹¹ Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
¹² But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
¹³ Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

I almost panicked when Terry sent me a small FB message today, introducing me to the

fact I was next in line for sharing tidbits.                                                                     Like the Five foolish Virgins I strongly felt  there were no oil in my lamp.                

The picture of copy of a medieval the tapestry illustrates the Five wise and the five foolish virgins. So there I am, more accurate, here I sit in front of my computer,  not even managing to create a straight left margin while writing. Every room in the house is a mess, and Thursday our cleaning lady will come, I need to do some serious tidying up. Our kitchen is half renovated, the laundry is one big pile of dirty clothes, the garden is flooding with herbs that need to be harvested and frozen, tomorrow I must send a package to a costumer, pay the carpenter, plummer, my seamstress who has mended my bunad,(folk costume), I need to have my dirty garden hands manicured and my hair done,(ahh, take a deep breath ), because Friday I am leaving for Sauda to attend a gold confirmation jubilee. For two days I'll be together with boys and girls who were confirmed in the Church of Sauda in 1963. How I am excited about it, and how some of us have been looking forwards to it, making plans and chatted on FB, dresses have been bought, bunads altered and prepared. 

Then the midnight cry was made, and I had to look if there were any oil in my lamp.

I decided to write while the rest of my world was seeping. So many in line waiting to give their contribution. I honestly did not understand the instructions, but I hope my bestest Terry will fill me in.

Meanwhile I'd like to post a picture of the church where we will attend mass, (yes, Lutherans call service with communion a mass.), our names will be read and we will stand forth one by one. Pictures will be taken, and I just might post them in a week or two. Here's the church where also my father had his confirmation and where my grandparents and my parents are buried. Need I say I love it and am connected to it with so many strings?

 

The interior of our church at my mother's funeral. Brother Kel in front, Serina and I sitting. A place for birth, confirmation, wedding and death. Gathering for Christmas, Easter, Syttende mai, 17th of May, and ordinary services. A place for generations.

Luke 2:49

King James Version (KJV)

⁴⁹ And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? in the Norwegian Bible, "my father's mansion."

New Life For a Fallen flower

last week bernie and i made our usual trek to walmart, as we were leaving the store, i spotted a flower attached to green leaves on the floor...people were tracking over it and it made my heart sad...not caring who was looking, i stooped down and picked it up..in the car we had a burger king cup in which i put water into and just put that little flower into that cup and home we went...

that little wilted flower sure looks in dreadful shape, eh?

well perhaps the bright sun and the water would bring back a little life!

and SO it did[a little].

in fact,its little face was actually glowing! albeit those leaves still looked a lot to be desired! unbeknown to me, bernie who goes out early every morning to water the flowers and feed the birds took pity on my plant..he knows that i am not a green thumb and if i looked after that flower mush longer, it would surely die and so this is what he did.....he put some soil into an old teapot that mom golden had given to us years ago and gently planted the little plant into it.

with tender hands, he gently took away the dead leaves and already this gave the little flower new life.

and to top it all off...just look at the new friend that the little flower has and come the next few days by the looks of the buds on the plant...well there will be many more friends added and so that bernie will have to transplant them into a bigge [rmuch bigger] planter!

and so with bernie's faithful care and the green watering can and god's caring that it would live again, that flower will have a good summer! here are a few verses that i thought of when i considered this come to life flower.

Alas! the bible does tell us that earthly flowers will decay, but when the lord reaches down to pick us sinners up, he cleanses them with his blood and so we will never die and no one can pluck us out of his hands.....we will live forever and i am just hoping that there will be flowers in heaven that will never die!..............love terry

Our Four Leafed Clover

i have to put these four scarf sisters on the same post...i have overstayed my visit with the tidbit package and i must send it on its way very soon.
i got this idea from my bestest friend on the far sea, felisol....she says that her four leafed clover is mom and dad golden and bernie and me and i kind of like the idea..
now here we have the tidbit four leafed clover...connie, becky, cheryl and betty...don't they just look choice?

now here is our first four leaf clover....david and connie..david is a hero to us and connie calls him her superman and we sisters all heartly agree!...connie is something too!..we are so glad that she is our sister who is always there to pray when we ask her!'''actually she is the pot of gold that her superman found at the end of the rainbow one happy day!

this is the tidbit scripture which connie shared with her beloved sisters and how it so goes for not only her and superman but also for all of us who are going through some sort of trial....we are always being delivered byt the lord jesus!...what a blessed people we surely are!

yes! connie we are walking in the pattern the lord has given to us and when we arrive to heaven, may we all hear the lord saying to us, " Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."


thank you connie for these delicious tidbits!

now we come to another leaf in the clover....our becky....i found this nice sentence on her blog and it is just what becky is all about....LOVE!

becky is the quiet scarf sister and yet we know she is ever by our sides praying for each one of us ...i have taken the liberty of copying down some of the posts that appear every so often on the sisterhood facebook..these always come at just the right time and our little sunshine seems to know when to pop in and tell us she loves us...what a bight jewel is this sister to each and every one of us and such an encourager!

see didn't i tell you what becky is all about?......thanks becky!

our third leaf is cheryl...now i must admit that i never do call her by her name...i call her jada gigi and she doesn't seem to mind....jada gigi's  bent on life other than the lord and her handsome husband is her children and her grandchildren, and what a fortunate group they all are having her but you know what?..what a fortunate group we are too!...the sisters of the travelling scarf, having her  as a large part of our  family!

at the second reunion of the scarf sisters, jada gigl was the first one to hug me and man that hug was worth waiting for.!..even though i had never met her before that time at miss patty's house, in michigan, it seemed that i had known her forever and so it seemed with all of the sisters there!...and that jada gigi was forever hugging any sister she could get her hands on...what a joyful and yet full of fun  christian she is!!

this is such a sweet morsel from god's word just full of promise that the arm of the lord will NEVER fail us!

a very hard for the normal person to do jada gigi...we need the lord's help for sure in this!

Then said Jesus," Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

almost impossible for us to do jada gigi but with the help of the lord we CAN do it, eh?

thanks for you good tidbits my sweet jada gigi [jada's gramma]...

and now last but not least is my scarf sister betty jane...oh how many years did i beg her to join the scarf sisters and i am so glad that she finally did...like our becky, she is on the quiet side but she is also famous for her one liners that make so many people laugh....she is dad golden's oldest daughter and the two of them have always been very close...she had one hard time trying to get married because she was dad golden's girl..ha!,,,this picture sure shows how happy she is with her arms around him!..

many times my sister has been afraid but the lord has always helped her through...she has  like i myotonic dystrophy and so do two of her sons and sometimes it is a scary thing but between betty and rachel, we have been able to face it and not be afraid.......
thanks for the helpful tidbits sis!

oops!...betty had two more tidbits!...how could i have missed this one..what a wonderful friend we have in jesus for sure and how sometimes it is so hard to understand "why me lord?"...it is just as well as we don't know. we JUST  know that he does love us!

betty always was a good girl and we could always look up to her for being a good sister and a protector of her eight younger brothers and sisters....i love you betty!


as i have been writing about these four sisters and the sisters before, this song has been  playing in my heart

We're a pilgrim band in a foreign land
Who are marching from Calvary,
Where the wondrous Cross,with its gain and loss
Is the sum of our history:
There we lost our stand in a death-doomed land
As children of wrath by the fall;
There we gained a place as heirs  of grace
At the feast in the heavenly  hall.

We read our guilt in the blood that was spilt
And we weep o'er the crimson flow;
But we joy in the grace of the unveiled face
Of a Father here below:
And as sons of our God redeemed by blood
We hasten from Egypt away:;
We cross the sand to the pleasant land
And the joys of an endless day.

We were children of night, kept far from the light,
Enslaved by a cruel foe
But Jesus'  pains broke the iron chains,
And redeemed our souls from woe.
Now as children of light we walk and we fight
In a path of triumphant joy ,
For our strength is the Lord, whose Word is our sword,
While faith is the shield we employ...


Our house is with God, and our paths have been trod
By the faithful of ages all,
And us He will bring , as on eagles' wing.
To our place in the marriage hall;
Then shall we sing as Bride of the King,
Of the blood that has brought us so high
To bask in the blaze of the Ancient of days,
Enthroned above the sky.

God bless you all my sisters...these timbits of joy have been such a blessing to me...love terry

Saija the Scarf Sister Who Lives in my Beloved Manitoba

out to the west of here lives a lovely lady named saija...now she lives in my beloved manitoba...a few years ago, bernie and i had the privilege of winding our way  along the flat highway to meet saija and her husband leo in her manitoba home...we were so glad to see her!...in this picture you see the blue and golden fields that spread the manitoba province.....almost as beautiful as saija, eh?

i swiped this from saija's blog and what a verse it is and how she surely lives up to it!....although she is so far away, we sisters often hear words of wisdom from her in our email and so many times she sends us sweet pictures of cats and dogs and many other scenes of god's nature....

yes indeed saija....these words speak volumes!...without the coming of the lord on our horizon, how absence of hope would we surely have!.....love terry

god bless you saija in your little corner of the world, flat though it may be!...love terry

Linda Jackson Arkansas Scarf Sister On a Tidbit Adventure

When I read this beautiful tidbit that sweet linda put in here, it made my heart so joyful!
now, i have never told anyone of my sisters save my beloved felisol on the far side of the sea, but she thinks that i should share it....dad golden had a father that was a jew and so that would make betty and me one quarter jew...i used to wonder why i had such a love of the jewish people while i was growing up...how rich that i am being a christian with the royal blood of a jew, flowing in my blood, eh?..i am so happy that the scarf sisters are always praying for the peace of israel.....and i am so happy that linda put this verse in!

now this is some tidbit!...the lord jesus is always making something that is planned to be wonderfully made and he sure did that very thing when he put into mrs. macs heart to create the scarf sisters and the workmanship  was all of his own and we are blessed and we know it!!!

we used to be told in sunday school that sometimes the only bible that people have to read is the christian and when they see that we are different and wanting to obey god and live for him, then they will wonder why we can be so content and so happy and less fearful then they are....and then they might ask questions and we will tell them about the way and the truth and the LIFE!

these have been beautiful and delicious tidbit mrs. brown shoes and we all agree, ALL of your sisters, how we are so glad that you are one of the travelling scarf sisters!...love terry

mrs mrs. mac and donna have been friends for years but now they are more than just friends...they are kindred spirits and sisters of the travelling scarf...
these two girls between them came across the idea of having the tidbit adventure.....in september of 2013, while at the sisterhood reunion in new york hosted by donna, we had stopped at a tim hortons, where mrs. mac bought a box of timbits for dad golden....with the verse john3:16 written on it which he read out loud when bernie and i gave to him..

and then the lord sent to our donna a dream in which he suggested to her that it would be a good idea for the sisters to join in the timbit adventure.....so this is what we have!...a wonderful sharing of the lord's word with delightful scripture verses....so good!...so delicious donna.!

have a cuppa' coffee while you are enjoying these donna's coffee and sweet pastries, read these tidbits!

and now for you mrs. mac...your mac-tibit to the sisters....just choice!

and this is especially for you mrs. mac

and this is especially for you donna and the eest of us...love terry....

Sandy...a beloved Scarf Sister!

on july 8, 2010, the scarf sisters were blessed with a new sister, sandy.
i have stolen a couple of pictures from her but as you all know i am the number one picture thief!
i just had to put her into this sign from her facebok because christ alone is her whole life!....and the verses here go along just perfectly..

this morning in sunday school the subject was the trinity...tri, we were told meant "three" and the "nity" meant unity. one god, three persons in one in complete agreement with each other..
these verses that sandy has put here shows the truth completely...just to think that our saviour, the lord jesus is god!
god the father...god the son and god the holy spirit..
thanks so much sandy for these lovely connected verses from
god's word..

now this is just choice sandy...this reminds me that it sure isn't just in the head...it must be in the heart!
james 1:27

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

god bless you dear sister and we cherish the day that you finally joined the scarf sisters.....love terry

especially for sandy......

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