Deception

 Our lives, whether we admit it or not, are part of the natural world. Our body obeys all of the things nature does without exception. It is born, matures, gets sick, suffers, experiences joy, sorrow and dies. The body returns to the earth from which it was formed. It is not separate from but is part of the nature we would like to think we are not a part of. We are a part of nature. However, the part of us that is not a part of nature is the spirit and soul that inhabits this body. It is the vehicle through which we experience life in all of its complexities. It is the womb through which we are taught what is needed to become citizens of heaven. It is a classroom for those whom the Lord has called to Himself. It is also a battleground of spiritual warfare. A place where we are tested and refined, strengthened in our faith. It is where choices are made that determine the direction our journey will take us, the place where our ultimate destination lies. This world has nothing lasting to offer us. physical things of this world are finite, are left behind when we die. They are treasures for this world, not the next. The things we love of this world will remain in this world. The spirit within can savor and love in both worlds. It is the very essence of God, through the Holy Spirit, That supports and causes us to grow. God is love (1 John 4:16). Love is what makes life eternal.

Remember to "Always Love The Details."

Dedication

 

This quote is especially meaningful for me. The month that I paused the blog was to pray about and deal with what is happening in my wife's life. She has been slowly becoming unable to remember things, suffering unsteady balance and becoming more dependent on me. The first line of the quote is her life right now. the rest is what I am going through. I tell you these things not for sympathy but to ask for prayer for her. She has a wonderful sense of humor through all of this that is amazing to me. She has been my support and at times my guiding light. She never failed to be there when needed with love and caring devotion. Even through her current struggles she is supportive. We are one and, no matter the circumstances, support one another. That is what Christ has done and is doing today. (1 Sam. 12:24 - Fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; for consider all of the great things He has done for you.) He did not abandon us in our time of need nor set us aside as no longer wanted. We are cherished as though we are the only ones in His life. The world would abandon those who are poor, sick, destitute and helpless. The world would take what little they have and discard those that are of no use to them any longer. That may very well be our fate. That is not the way of our Lord. That is not the way that we are to be. Charity and caring does not begin at home but with all that need it, then it comes home. This blog is dedicated to bringing the word of life to the world and showing there are those that care for all of humanity. The only way to do that sometimes is to say "Hey, We all struggle and have problems." There are those in this world that struggle openly with their conditions. There are those that are private and struggle in silence. No matter what the problem or the circumstance the Lord is still there no matter if we are aware or or not. We are blessed with His presence. We need to bless those in need with our presence.

This week I would like to share an image I have colored. I still have some 70+ images to do. I will not be sharing all of them. But from time to time I will share one with you. 

At this point I usually give the colors and media used to create the image. I did use Copic alcohol inks. I am still coloring images but not as steadily for obvious reasons.

Remember to "Always Love The Details." They always matter.

Becoming

 

It has been a hard road to travel in this life. Recent times have been a test of mental, physical and spiritual strength. It doesn't get easier but is steady and for the perseverance of the soul. Getting older is not for the faint of heart. We travel and survive with the assurance that if we fight the good fight our Lord will be with us the whole way. Many friends, loved ones and others that have already joined Him we pray are at peace now and forever. Those that are left behind must lean on the strength of the word of God and pray continuously for the day ahead. Our hopes and dreams are on the power of the Christ we serve and no other. in a previous post I quoted the passage on the cross I wear and I believe it completely. Acts 4:12 "there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved". Though I stumble and fall, I will get up and continue on blessing Lord Jesus always for His grace and love. If we stay down, do not get up and continue on in spirit and belief, we are in danger of a death worse than death. We will fall often in our walk with the Lord but He is always there to help us back up again. He takes us by the hand and guides us along the way and forgives us, telling us we are his and He loves us. He tells us our pain is His pain, our concerns are His concerns. He died on the cross for the whole of Gods creation to assure that if we believe in Him we are forgiven and will be with Him always. (from Lumen Fidei by Pope Francis) Believing means entrusting oneself to a merciful love which always accepts and pardons, which sustains and directs our lives, and which shows its power by its ability to make straight the crooked lines of our history. Faith consists in the willingness to let ourselves be constantly transformed and renewed by God's call.

May the good Lord bless and keep you safe. Remember to "Always Love The Details."

Looking Back to January 7, 2015

 SOME EDITING HAS BEEN DONE TO THE ORIGINAL POST.

January 7, 2015 Change

            There is little in this life that is guaranteed. Change is one of them. Much has happened in the roughly three months that I was absent from blog land. The world has gone on. It has moved on as it always has. Each of you has had your experiences in life that marks what change is all about whether unnoticed or traumatic. Change is always present.

            It is difficult to tell of the changes that have happened in three short months. There has been a sense of greater bonding in my marriage. There is greater awareness of life and how important it is to cherish every moment. Most of all, there is a sense of the presence of our Lord. Spending an hour or more in reading the word and praying and spending even a few moments of quiet time to listen or just be in His presence several times a day has profound effects on us. These things change us not only inwardly but outwardly as well. I used to take a one day pilgrimage to an overlook on a mountain south of Gettysburg, Pa at least once a year. It was known as Indian lookout point. It was a magical place that had a long beautiful view and a huge rock where you could sit and meditate and just be with the Lord. It is no longer accessible and I miss it. Change is inevitable but it need not be a bad thing. All things are given that we may become stronger and wiser in His ways. Always be glad for what you are living and thank Him for all things.

From my book of poetry and prose: (copyrighted)

      I often see others become envious or even depressed when  someone close to them experiences a powerful "revelation" or "touch" from God. It isn't the earth shattering religious experience that keeps us or makes us whole but the realization that every moment we live is an incomprehensible touch from God. Life continues but sudden experiences fade and become diluted with time. Life, on the other hand, renews itself constantly and is a constant, living, flowing revelation.

          

 I do have some photos to share from our recent visit to Longwood Gardens. Longwood is the estate of Pierre S. du Pont (1870–1954). It is one of the premier botanical gardens in the US and is located Near Kennet Square in southeastern Pennsylvania. It consists of over 1077 acres (1.68 square miles) of woodlands, gardens and meadows. The pictures are mainly of the summer gardens, conservatory and Christmas lights of last year. This will take awhile so grab a cup or glass of your favorite beverage, sit back and enjoy! 

The summer of 2014:

  
 This is a very small sample of the grounds. Next is the Christmas out door display. A large portion of the grounds were closed for a renovation. 

 The tree consists of lighted spheres.

The final area is the conservatory which is always spectacular. Again, this is only touching on the spectacular displays.

 The entrance

 The pink rose is for my DW. She loves pink.

This final picture is in the childrens garden.

(Since this post there has been significant construction and improvements to the grounds and displays. In a future post I will share the photos of those new constructs and displays.)

That is it for this post. I would apologize for the length of it but if you are reading this you must have liked it. LOL. As Darnell says, life is short. Stop and enjoy the beauty all around you. Until the next post, ALWAYS LOVE THE DETAILS.                           

All that you are I am

 

All that you are I am.

Do you have a phrase that you both love and hate? I have several but there is one in particular. It is "But for the grace of God there go I". It is true in one sense. Without Him I could not exist nor would it be possible to strive to be sin free. On the other hand, what a gross case of judgmental audacity to imply someone is better than another. That includes self. We were brought into this world with every sin, every possible tendency and fault of every other person that ever existed. Quite a paradox, huh! Want proof? Have you ever been brought to the point of saying or thinking you would like to kill someone for something they did to you? Or how about, I got an extra twenty cents in my change at the grocery store. It must be a gift from God. REALLY????? Give the twenty cents back because if you don't you just stole money from the store and cashier. She may have to make that up at the end of the day. Give it back even if it is a penny. Do you ignore "Do not touch", "Do not handle" or "Do not move" signs? Do you hold grudges? Do you get even? Should I go on? Didn't think so. The flip side to this and the reason for the statement is not that one person is better than the other but realizing you have been given a chance at redemption by changing the way you perceive things and how you act on events in your life. If you are invited to a party that will have 40 guests and you volunteer to bake a cake will you bring only half a cake to the party or the whole cake? I know someone who would and does bring half a cake. How self centered and crass. The "I and Me" must become the "You and They" in your life. There is only one place that "self" cannot be compromised and that is your salvation. This is the only place where self is number one. To get there means removing self when you are around others. Christ became a servant when dealing with others and became the example of what we are to be. We are to be the example of Christ working in our lives but always mindful that "all that you are I am but for the Grace of God." 

Listen closely to my words, be attentive, understand what I am saying. Does the ploughman plough all day to sow, breaking up and harrowing his ground? Once he has levelled its surface, does he not scatter fennel, sow cummin? Then he puts in wheat, millet, barley and, round the edges, spelt, for his God has taught him this rule and instructed him.

The New Jerusalem Bible. (1985). (Is 28:23–26). New York: Doubleday.

This post I want to share a few Hubble photos with you. The pictures are available for download at the Hubble picture album. God's glory is awesome. 

M51 The whirlpool Galaxy and it's small companion NGC5195 in the constellation Canes Venatici (The Hunting Dog).

The "M" stands for Messier and the "NGC" is for New General Catalogue.

NGC 5128 (better known as Cenaurus A) The two lobes or jets coming from the top and bottom of the galaxy disk are what are known as radio jets from a very active black hole at the galaxy core. Beautiful but deadly if you were in that galaxy.

 NGC 1300 is barred spiral in the constellation Eridanus (The River) 

This is a general idea of what our home galaxy would look like if we could see it from afar. Our galaxy would have more arms.

NGC 1073 in Cetus (The Sea Monster) 

This is another barred spiral. It is considered to be an archetypal type barred spiral.

A nearly perfect ring of hot, blue stars pinwheels about the yellow nucleus of an unusual galaxy known as Hoag's Object. This image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captures a face-on view of the galaxy's ring of stars, revealing more detail than any existing photo of this object. Notice the apparent second ring galaxy in the far distance between the ring and the core at the one o'clock position. Fascinating!

 

NCG 4313 in Coma Berenices

The ring is composed of hot new young stars. It is enhanced to show them more distinctly. 

Arp 148 in Ursa Major (the Great Bear or The big Dipper)

Arp 148 is the staggering aftermath of an encounter between two galaxies, resulting in a ring-shaped galaxy and a long-tailed companion. The collision between the two parent galaxies produced a shockwave effect that first drew matter into the center and then caused it to propagate outwards in a ring.

I hope you enjoyed my short tour of the wonders of my long time love affair with astronomy. The beauty and wonder of God's creation is mind blowing. It does not matter if you don't understand the jargon, just enjoy the beauty of the object and images. Thank you for joining me and allowing me to share the wonder and truths of our Lord.

Until next we meet, Remember to "ALWAYS LOVE THE DETAILS."

The Journey

 

To this point in time I have been publishing weekly for several years. Even though the fire within is stronger than ever I need to take a short break and take stock of everything happening in our daily life. My wife and I are getting on in years and more time is being taken up in health, financial and other issues. We are both slowing down and being pulled away to take care of those issues. I need to decide if I want to continue to post weekly, post every other week or once a month. I don't want to stop posting altogether because the Lord's word is important to me. It is life and salvation for me and others around the world, including those dear visitors to this blog. You are all precious to me in more ways than you know. It is a blessing to me to have so many visiting, whether you comment or not. If all goes well I will post again in about a month from now. Keep my family in prayer.

ACTS 4:12  - There is no other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved  -  Jesus

May you always be blessed and safe in His care. 

Remember to "Always Love The Details."

Spiritual Fire

In recent days it has become harder to put into words the things that are going through my mind and the lessons in them. Spiritual awakening is not something easily explained. It is a process of allowing yourself to experience it and remaining present in it. It does no good to try to fight it or to pass it off. It will only return until it runs its course. The spirit that dwells in the heart and soul have lessons to teach us and to reveal all that we are. I have often tried to tell someone of the things revealed. It is a process of knowing ones self in order to experience God. Sounds crazy doesn't it? Knowing God is impossible. He is as far above us as we are from a bacteria, even more so. We experience God in our lives but we never really know Him. Science struggles to understand His creation on all levels. From the universe we can and can't see down to the smallest of the small we understand little to nothing of who God is. We struggle to understand Him in ourselves and daily lives. Scripture tells us He loves us and we can do nothing to earn that love. It is a struggle to remain still enough to hear His whispers, to feel the touch of His loving embrace. That can only happen on a very personal level for each of us. It cannot be taught. Everyone is different. Everyone will experience Him in a unique way. That makes it near impossible to put into words what it is like. The only way I can describe what it is like is to say it is Spiritual Fire. A warmth within that permeates every corner, nook and cranny of your being. Struggle as we may, we cannot cause that experience to happen, it just happens. Enough of my ramblings for now. 

Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the LORD had descended upon it in fire; the smoke went up like the smoke of a kiln, while the whole mountain shook violently. 

The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition (Washington, DC: National Council of Churches of Christ, 1993), Ex 19:18.

  

In the mid 70's I had found this image in Better Homes and Gardens of a needle work kit that I fell in love with. It was titled "The Prophet." I had tried for some time to find this kit but to no avail. I finally gave up because I was told it was not being offered any more. I was really bummed out. I REALLY wanted this kit.

My DW, Jill, and her close friend at the time went to Allentown, Pa to a shop her friend knew about that had all sorts of craft stuff. It was a birthday present to Jill. Jill said when she saw the shop it was wall to wall to ceiling with everything crafty you could imagine. They were greeted at the door by a lady that said, "Welcome! Looking for something special? You name it! We have it!" Jill immediately thought of the kit I wanted and thought "we'll see about that and described it to the lady. She went somewhere in the back and came out with a kit but it wasn't the one she knew I wanted. The Lady then went to an area where clearance items were piled high and dug out another item and handed it to Jill. Jill said it stunned her. In her hands was "The Prophet." The last one, discontinued and on sale for a fraction of the original cost. She purchase it brought it home and gave it to me. To say I was excited would be an understatement. Remember, she did this on HER birthday with some of HER birthday money. I went right to work on it. The gold thread gave me fits and had to purchase more to finish it. We had it framed and it has hung on a wall somewhere in the house since that time. It is a prized gift From God and my dear wife that will always be displayed as long as I am around. Blessings come in small and large portions. What may seem insignificant is not. In fact, ALL blessings are significant. Be thankful for them. They are free. You can't earn them.

It is my favorite of all of the projects done over the years. It took weeks to finish. It is Spiritual fire on display.

Remember to "Alwasys Love The Details"

Renewal (from 2015 post)

(I am struggling to write posts right now so this is a post from 2015. Thank you for visiting) 

RENEWAL

Before the Cross: Law, Condemnation, Death. During the Cross: Pain, Suffering, Crucifixion. After the Cross: Resurrection, Hope, Renewal.

The above is how lent should be entered. With Hope and Renewal. I am Catholic so when I say I do not like the image of Jesus on the cross it comes as a surprise to many. He is not on the cross anymore. He is only there if we put him there. I have a wooden cross in my upstairs hallway with the nails and foot block but He is not there. Why? Because He has taken up residence inside of me. He reminds me I am his and that He loves me. Yes, I am imperfect and VERY human. I have heard someone say to another person that Gods spirit wants to live in a clean and perfect body. The person they were speaking to was was sick and infirmed. My heart reached out and I wanted to scream "THAT IS NOT TRUE." God will tidy up His dwelling place no matter the condition. The container matters not. The spirit of the person within does. How a person looks has nothing to do with it. I am guilty of feeling repulsed by visual appearance. Anyone who says they have not been is a lier. If you take the time to see the beauty within you will also find a renewed heart......for yourself. Any time we reject outright someone without first finding the beauty within we have put Christ back on the cross. I know, there are some pretty unlovable people out there. How unlovable are we to someone else? Have you ever asked why? Renewal has many avenues to take but few are as hard as love. You might need to go places you do not want to go. You may need to say things you do not want to say. GO! You may be surprised what you find there. Speak your words with Christ and the cross in mind and you will find renewal. I am NOT on a soap box. I am speaking about your place on that cross. When you put Him back on that cross you are there too. If he truly died for our sins then he must suffer and endure our sins again. This is a time of renewal. Use it wisely. In fact, practice it all year long. It is not just for Lent but for a lifetime.

READ John 5:24

Today I want to share a card DW gave me. It is one of those just because cards we give each other once in awhile. She said she felt funny giving me a card with an image I colored. I don't care. She did such a fantastic job with one of my very favorite images that I am truly honored. Love you too.

The card was enhanced to bring out the wood grain color of the card. I am not including the colors used since that was done on DW's posting of this card. Her site is Ribbon Challenged.

I have one more thing to share and that is a hanging quilt a neighbor made for us. Last year one of our neighbors knew we were having trouble shoveling our walk on a regular basis. They kindly and without being asked to, used their snow blower to clear our front walk. Since she love to sew, we got her a gift card to a local sewing supply store. Two days ago I went and helped her clear some of the ice from her sidewalk until she got her sons to finish the job. I left my heavy ice chipper with her to help clear the ice away and finished my own walk. About an hour later the door bell rang and it was Janice and her black Lab, Pearl. (Pearl loves to come visit if I am outside and once drug Janice over a three foot high snow pile and across the snow covered street just to say hi and get her loving and belly rub). This is what she brought with her to give to us.

This is the front of the wall hanging quilt. I will have to get a stringer for the top to hang it. Beautiful work. I had trouble getting the back to photograph properly so, for now, it is not included. Amazing craft work. We are so honored to be given this beautiful hanging quilt.

That is it for now. Hope you liked what you found on this post. Remember. Always LOVE THE DETAILS. Love hearing from every one and I will send a personal note back to all who comment.
THANKS AND BLESSINGS TO ALL.

June 5, 2014 Proclaimed

I have been visiting some old posts that I thought you might enjoy. 

June 5, 2014 Proclaimed

“I have come to accept the feeling of not knowing where I am going. And I have trained myself to love it. Because it is only when we are suspended in mid-air with no landing in sight, that we force our wings to unravel and alas begin our flight. And as we fly, we still may not know where we are going to. But the miracle is in the unfolding of the wings. You may not know where you're going, but you know that so long as you spread your wings, the winds will carry you.”
― C. JoyBell C.

No comment per se today. Instead I offer Psalm 34. The blue underlined words are the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.



PSALM 34

In Praise of God’s Justice

Of David, when he had feigned insanity before Abimelech, and Abimelech sent him away
Aleph
1. I will bless Yahweh at all times, his praise continually on my lips.
Bet
2. I will praise Yahweh from my heart; let the humble hear and rejoice.
Gimel
3. Proclaim with me the greatness of Yahweh, let us acclaim his name together.
Dalet
4. I seek Yahweh and he answers me, frees me from all my fears.
He
5. Fix your gaze on Yahweh and your face will grow bright, you will never hang your head in shame.
Zain
6. A pauper calls out and Yahweh hears, saves him from all his troubles.
Het
7. The angel of Yahweh encamps around those who fear him, and rescues them.
Tet
8. Taste and see that Yahweh is good. How blessed are those who take refuge in him.
Yod
9. Fear Yahweh, you his holy ones; those who fear him lack for nothing.
Kaph
10. Young lions may go needy and hungry, but those who seek Yahweh lack nothing good.
Lamed
11. Come, my children, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.
Mem
12. Who among you delights in life, longs for time to enjoy prosperity?
Nun
13. Guard your tongue from evil, your lips from any breath of deceit.
Samek
14. Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.
Ain
15. The eyes of Yahweh are on the upright, his ear turned to their cry.
Pe
16. But Yahweh’s face is set against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
Zade
17. They cry in anguish and Yahweh hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.
Qoph
18. Yahweh is near to the broken-hearted, he helps those whose spirit is crushed.
Resh
19. Though hardships without number beset the upright, Yahweh brings rescue from them all.
Shin
20. Yahweh takes care of all their bones, not one of them will be broken.
Taw
21. But to the wicked evil brings death, those who hate the upright will pay the penalty. 
22. Yahweh ransoms the lives of those who serve him, and there will be no penalty for those who take refuge in him.


The New Jerusalem Bible. (1985). (Ps 34). New York: Doubleday.

This will be a short post today. I have created a note card today. The image is from Our Daily Bread called "The Grunge Cross". The image itself is deceptively difficult if you decide to color it completely. If you like a challenge, and I do, this will be fun.

Copic colors: R27, E41, BV13, BV11

Vision Elite Gold Gel Impact Pen

The gold was not very impressive when done with the Copics so it was colored over with the gel impact gold pen. Still unimpressive I know but it will serve as a background for an overlay. I stamped the image again and fussy cut the gold cross part to use as a stencil. I laid it over top of the image to be sure it would cover the parts I wanted and then I flipped it face down on the back of a sheet of AC Cardtock Gold glitter Paper, temporarily taped it down and fussy cut it out. I laid the new cross over the image to make sure it would work.

I took a piece of gray card stock and cut it to 3 3/16" X 4 13/16" and folded it in half. (I know it is precise but that is just the way it turned out) I cut white card stock 3.25" X 4.625" And folded it. I used Scor-Tape to fasten the gray cardstock to the white card stock. The same tape was used to fasten the image to the gray card stock. The glitter cross was glued to the image with Tombow Liquid glue. This is the result.

It just did not seem finished so I took a die cut from Memory Box and and used it to embellish the back of the card.

There you have it. A little note card from me to you. Except for the coloring it took about 2.5 to 3 hours to do. For me that is FAST. hope you like it. For now I will say thank you for visiting and please leave a comment. Remember to AWAYS LOVE THE DETAILS. 

Another step back into the past

 

June 10, 2014 Special Edition

Friends are a special gift with a place of honor in the heart of those who receive them.



There have been many definitions for friendship but living up to any of them is something few are able to do. They come in many different flavors but they are always there in time of need and, at times, even give their lives for us. I would not expect the sacrifice of a life for me but it is comforting to know that some are willing to give up time and put forth effort to solve a problem even when not asked to do so. They are there in good and bad times to offer support and to comfort. There is no judgment or finger pointing but advice or a shoulder if needed. All of these things and more are what a friend is.

1792 Best Definition

An English publication offered a prize for the best definition of a friend, and among the thousands of answers received were the following:
“One who multiplies joys, divides grief.”
“One who understands our silence.”
“A volume of sympathy bound in cloth.”
“A watch which beats true for all time and never runs down.”
But here is the definition that won the prize: “A friend—the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out.”
—Selected

1793 Tribute To Friendship

    I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you;
    I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me;
    I love you not for closing your ears to the discords in me, but for adding to the music in me by worshipful listening;
    You have done it without a touch, without a word, without a sign. You have done it just by being yourself.
    Perhaps that is what being a friend means, after all.
—Author Unknown

Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (pp. 463–464). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

Now we come down to brass tacks. The post. This a very unusual card for me. No image(s). I recently saw several posts that were dedicated to a parent who had passed and thought it to a be a good idea for a card. So here is the front of the card.

I have often wondered what we are paying for when we buy a card and the back is bare and what did my $8 or more buy? The back of my card.

Nice idea card companies. Now I got my monies worth. Front and back together.

The left side was not done to match the front edge. After all the front is the focal point. The inside is finished this time as well.

Jill asked me, "who the card was for since I am sitting right here." Now you have your answer. In remembrance of those who have gone before us.

My list of supplies:
Stampendous peel and stick gold leaves
Unknown peel and stick hearts
Sizzix Vitaj embossing folder (Never Used)
Spellbinders - Heartfelt Creations "Decorative Lace Border" (trimmed to my needs)(Never Used)
Spellbinders - Shapeabilities "Nested Hearts" (Never Used)
DCWV Inc. - Glitzy Glitter Card Stack
 Sentiments were computer generated in WORD.

I will not be entering in any challenges unless they are for very special reasons. Darnell at http://www.djkardkreations.com/ is celebrating her 500+ follower. I can't think of  a more special reason. This one is for you Darnell. No one will be happier if you hit 1000 followers than me. 

May the good Lord bless and keep you safe.

Remember to "Always Love the Details."