Nothing trifle about it...

Hope everyone had a great Easter weekend... I just love the spring-time of the year... just wish it was a little more spring-like in the temperature department... I'm not complaining! *Ü*

I wanted to share my "masterpiece" with you from a PC party I did last night... doesn't it look so yummy??? And it tasted as good as it looks... it is made in the P. Chef trifle bowl... I named this dessert... "Strawberry Dream Trifle"... chocolate, strawberries, pudding, cream cheese, whip topping... I would say that is a dream! The nice thing about this bowl is that it comes in 2 pieces so you can put the "pedestal" part right inside for storage... also comes with a lid.

Just a little snip it of a verse I came across this morning:

Ecclesiastes 12:1 "Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth."

Anyone that reads my blog on a regular basis knows I get pretty personal in what I write so this will not be a surprise to you... I have to say when I read that verse I thought about my parents... what a blessing they are to have as parents... I don't know where I would be if they hadn't shown me Jesus at a very young age... no, I didn't always like living with restrictions (I was the child that tried my mother's patience... big time!)... but how thankful I am for it now. I guess what I am trying to say is, "thanks Mom & Dad"... I know I have told them this before, but I don't want another day to go by without it being said again. Time is so fleeting... if there is something you need to do or something you need to say to someone... don't put it off for another day. A word of encouragement, a hug, giving your life to Christ, whatever it may be... by putting things off we find ourselves living a mediocre life... I don't want to live an OK life... none of us were put on this earth for that... I want to live a life that honors God... He wants the best for me & you too... take the time to do the things you are being led to do... that is what I am going to try to do... how 'bout you?

Thanks to all of you that stop in & leave a word of encouragement... my blog friends are the best!

with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Lead Me...

It is Easter Sunday…what an awesome day the Lord has made… blue skies & sunshine…woohoo! Here is a pic we took on this glorious Resurrection Sunday!

This morning something happened that led me to think about the way God uses us if we allow Him to. When God moved Luke & I to the Cadillac area 4 years ago…it was so hard giving up what we had to give up but the answer was always “yes, God we are willing”… I believe God always has a purpose & not knowing what His purpose was never slowed us down from being willing… not that it was easy at the time. Anyway, getting back to this morning… we were able to see some of the seed we have been able to sow coming to harvest… it just thrills my heart to know that because we were willing… someone’s life was changed forever. Anything that we gave up means nothing compared to that one soul… just one makes it all worth it.

A song we sang in church this morning, called “Lead Me To the Cross” keeps going through my mind… the words say, “everything I once held dear, I count it all as loss…lead me to the cross where Your love poured out… bring me to my knees, Lord I lay me down… rid me of myself, I belong to You… lead me… lead me to the cross”. Living a surrendered life… that is the ultimate goal.

We will be having Easter dinner with some friends later... thanks Mike & Deb for thinking of us... with a grateFUL HEART, carin

No Greater Love...

It is another beautiful, sunny day here in northern Michigan! Thank-You, Lord! I don't have a crafty item to share with you today... but I did take a shot of the hyacinth Luke brought me home on Tuesday... aren't they sooooo pretty... you can smell them all over the house... I love spring flowers!

A lil' meditation for today... Good Friday – I’ve often wondered why it is called “Good Friday”—if this is the day Christ died for me…then why is it good??? I’m not sure why it was named that... being the great theologian I am *Ü*... but for me the day that Christ gave up His life brings mixed feelings… on one side I would not have a chance of eternal life in Heaven without this Great Sacrifice…even that statement leads to mixed emotions… good for the sake of my salvation, but so sad that it was my sins that sent Him to that death on the cross. I was reading in John 15… today my thoughts are focused on verse 13:

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

That verse has always been a mind blowing verse for me… would I be willing to lay my life down for a friend???? As I was thinking on that I had quite the revelation… He was not asking me to just physically lay down my life for my friend, but to spiritually & emotionally lay it all down for Him… I really had to think about that… if someone put a gun to my head & said “deny Christ or die” would I have the strength to die for Him???? I would hope so. On the other hand, everyday I am asked to “die to self”… but how easy is that to do???? Most every day I know I am a total failure at that… since I am not perfect (God knows that *Ü*) He can see I have a desire & a willing heart to lay it all done for Him. And because of His unconditional, unfailing love He gives me an “A” for effort and not an “F” for failure… He made me… He knows I am a work in progress… I am a blessed, priceless child of my Heavenly Father… I am so thankful that He loved me so much to give me a second chance at life by giving up His Son to save me.

Just a thought to share on this "good Friday"... have a blessed day... with an over-flowing, grateFUL HEART, carin

Rejoice...

Just a quick post today... I have a sneak peak at gifts I have been working on for NOFL... these jar candles I found at our local Walmart... they were so nice & smelled so good... I figured I could re-create them in my fashion... what do you think... will the birthday recipients like them???? Hope so.

The title of this post is "Rejoice"... we should always rejoice... but especially during this Easter season my thoughts are brought to the main reason to rejoice... this verse says it all:

"He is not here, but He has risen." Luke 24:6

I can rejoice in the hope that Christ gave me when He was raised from the dead... He conquered death & sin... all I can say is REJOICE!

with a grateFUL HEART, carin

PEACE...

As you may notice my blog has taken on a new look... what do you think? I wanted to jazz it up a bit... did it work?

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I have one little project to share with you for now... I am working on so much for our ladies' ministry... maybe I will have something to share later...but for now here is a little notebook I did for a NOFL gift...very simple, I know.

Also, I have a verse for today: John 14:27 - "Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]" (Amplified)

I love what the Amplified translation says about not permitting yourself to be agitated, disturbed, fearful & intimidated. Remember these words are the “red letter” words so they are right from Christ’s mouth (so to speak). *Ü* What does peace mean to you? It can mean great things like establishing peace from a war in the world, but it can also mean finding peace from the war I have going on inside of me… you know... those days when everything or everyone seems to be irritating… when I get disturbed over the dumbest things… when fear grabs hold of me over a passing thought (those “what if” moments)… when I come face to face with someone I feel is better than me… even on those days when I can’t remember the words I am trying to speak… these are the days when this verse comes to my mind… God gave His Son as my ransom & in return Christ gave me peace that passes ALL understanding… what LOVE… what SACRIFICE… what PEACE! I hope you have peace today! Thanks for stopping!

with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Candy

Here is a great blog candy... check it out... nice blog too!

Joy in the little things...

Our life is easing up a bit... we finished the life-group we were hosting last Thursday... "Fireproof Your Marriage"... it was a great study... praying that it strengthened the marriages of those that participated... I know it did ours. I am so grateful for God's working in our life as a couple!

We also just finished a 13 week Financial Peace class... yes, 13 weeks...every Sunday afternoon for 2 hours... it is also a great class, but a major commitment... I would advise everyone to take it... we are a financial work in progress... do we have financial peace? not quite yet, but we are on our way!

I have a card to share with you today... it was one I gave to a friend of mine for a belated birthday... those colors make me think of summer...not cold north winds blowing!!! No, that was not a complaint!

Also, something else I want to share is this scripture, Psalms 51:10-12:

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit."

Do you ever feel sometimes like the only thing you can pray is a Psalm? I have felt recently a little stressed & overwhelmed... I wonder if I am living up to my potential or am I just being too hard on myself???? So many questions... so little time! Then I come across a verse or two that just jumps right out at me... so many times I read Psalms right out loud like I am speaking directly to God... it might sound crazy... but it helps... it also lets the devil hear God's Word & he will be on his way so he doesn't have to hear It.

With Easter just around the corner it reminds me of times gone by... Easter was always a very important day because of the celebration of the resurrection, but my mom always made it a fun time as well with coloring & hiding the eggs... of course we always got a basket full of candy... actually we still do, but now I have to share it with Luke! *Ü* We want to be at our own church for Easter & so we will be without family again this Easter. I think holidays are the hardest... don't misunderstand... Luke & I have such a full life in Lake City & we love our church family, we are living the life God has given us... but it is at the cost of losing close contact with my family... that makes me sad... everyone just gets too busy.

Sorry, I know this is to be uplifting... lift me up by sharing a nice Easter memory with me... with a grateFUL HEART, carin