Category Archives: Photos

Power Failure???

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There’s never a power failure with God!

Unlike in Florida…

Where we experience power failures all the time…

Like today…

The sun was shining…

It was beautiful outside…

And our power went out!!

We’re used to it in hurricanes and lightning storms…

Prepared for it even…

But, I wasn’t prepared for a power outage today…

Electricity!!!!

I can’t live without it!

I was on the computer…

The internet went down…

Digital clocks were blinking…

The security alarm was beeping…

My hubby was watching his beloved Yankees…

And now nothing!

My son was getting ready to go out…

But can’t use the hair dryer…

Life just stands still a moment…

Or two, Or three…

I quickly forget we have no power…

I’m so used to having it available!!!!

 I go to turn on a light…

I go to microwave something…

I know I’ll freak out soon…

When I realize…

The air conditioning is dying!!!!

Help!!!

Oh, wait!

Thank You, Jesus!!!!!!

Here it comes…

The power is back…

Oh, Praise God!!

I know I need all Your power, too, Lord!

All the power Your Word says I have in Christ!

Power in Your Holy Name, Jesus!

And the power of Your Holy Spirit living in me!!

Thank You, God!!

You’ve never failed me yet!!!

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Luke 24:49

“I am going to send you what My Father has promised;

but stay in the city until you

have been clothed with power from on high.”

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John 1:12-13

“Yet to all who did receive Him,

to those who believed in His Name,

He gave the right to become children of God

children…born of God.”

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Romans 15:13

“May the God of Hope

fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him,

so that you may overflow with hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

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1 Corinthians 4:20

“For the Kingdom of God is not in word,

but in power.”

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You can count on God’s Power!

It’s Time To…

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“Enjoy Your Freedom” by Holley Gerth

http://holleygerth.com/

photo by n11a11m

photo by n11a11m

For many years, freedom sat like an unopened present on the shelf of my heart. I looked at it a bit suspiciously. From time to time, I’d pick it up and shake it so I could try to figure out what was inside. But I never had the courage to open it.

Then God said it was time. He placed my hands on that box, helped me untie the ribbon, peel back the paper, and lift the lid.

And here’s what freedom looks like to me this summer:

Being able to laugh out loud.

Friends who accept me as I am, mess and all.

Sitting on the back porch watching fireflies.

A nap.

Knowing I can make mistakes and then try again.

Grace spread out like a picnic and God handing me a paper plate.

Freedom given is not complete. It’s only when we receive it, enjoy it, give thanks for it that becomes fully ours.

The fourth of July in America is a day for celebrating freedom–please do.

And let’s also celebrate the freedom God has given us every other day too.

Open the gift and enjoy what has always been yours, friend!

XOXO

Holley

***Now this is a great post! 

Thank you for permission to reblog this, Holley!

Check out Holley’s entire blog!!

“Heart to Heart with Holley”

Best-selling author of You’re Already Amazing

Who also partner’s with DaySpring

What does freedom mean to you???

Open your gift of freedom from God!!

And Enjoy!!!

Amen!

Galatians 3:22

“But the Scriptures declare

that we are all prisoners of sin,

so we receive God’s promise of freedom

only by believing in Jesus Christ.”

Seek Out The Life-Giving Water!!

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And Bring Your Whole Family With You!!!

Job 5:10

“Who gives rain upon the earth

and sends waters upon the fields.”

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John 4:14

“…but whoever drinks the water I give them

will never thirst.

Indeed, the water I give them

will become in them

a spring of water

welling up to eternal life.”

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Proverbs 18:4

The words of the mouth are deep waters,

 but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.”

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John 7:38

“Whoever believes in Me,

as Scripture has said,

rivers of living water

will flow from within them.”

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Proverbs 22:6

“Direct your children onto the right path,

and when they are older,

they will not leave it.”

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Acts 18:8

“…and everyone in his household believed in the Lord…”

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Ephesians 6:1–2

“Children,

obey your parents in the Lord,

for this is right.

‘Honor your father and mother’

(this is the first commandment with a promise)…”

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Revelation 7:17

“For the Lamb

at the center of the throne

will be their shepherd;

He will lead them to springs of living water.

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

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Revelation 22:17

“The Spirit and the bride say,

‘Come!’

And let the one who hears say,

‘Come!’

Let the one who is thirsty come;

and let the one who wishes

take the free gift of the water of life.”

Ahhhhh…

So Refreshing!!!

Where Do You Get Your Identity?

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From my Father…

“Because you are sons,

God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts,

the Spirit who calls out,

‘Abba, Father.’

So you are no longer a slave,

but a son;

and since you are a son,

God has made you also an heir.”

Galatians 4: 6-7

He is my Future…

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’

declares the Lord,

‘plans to prosper you

and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope

and a future.'”

Jeremiah 29:11

My Destiny…

“But you are a chosen people,

a royal priesthood,

a holy nation,

God’s special possession,

that you may declare the praises of Him

who called you out of darkness

into His wonderful light.”

1 Peter 2:9

In Him I find my Identity!!

Lay Your hands on me…

Tell me who I am…

“For You created my inmost being;

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise You because I am fearfully

and wonderfully made;

Your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.”

Psalm 139:13-14

I can do all things…

If You say I can…

“For we are God’s workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus

to do good works,

which God prepared

in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:10

Show me I am free…

“You have been set free from sin

and have become slaves to righteousness.”

Romans 6:18

Free to accomplish Your plan for me!!

“Yet to all who received Him,

to those who believed in His Name,

He gave the right to become children of God-

children born not of natural descent,

nor of human decision

or a husband’s will,

but born of God.”

John 1:12-13

I worship You my Father…

“For He chose us in Him

before the creation of the world

to be holy and blameless in His sight.

In love He predestined us

for adoption to Sonship

through Jesus Christ,

in accordance with His pleasure

and will—”

Ephesians 1:4-5

You are my Identity!!

 No Identity Crisis!

Christ is our Identity…

Don’t try to be like anybody else…

Christ is the true prescription…

For low self esteem…

Self doubt…

And all other insecurities…

Protect Your Identity!!

Can You Be Accused  Of Identity Theft?

Have you taken your Identity from your Father???

“O LORD,

You have searched me

and You know me.

You know when I sit

and when I rise;

You perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

You are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue

You know it completely,

O LORD.”

Psalm 139: 1-4

See yourself the way God sees you!!

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Is There A Road I Should Walk??? Lord, Help Me Find It!!

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He will!

Walk right into His will…

Stay close to Christ!!

That’s where the blessings are!!!

6-12-13 Sunset-Rainbow 084“He made known to us

the mystery of His will

according to His good pleasure,

which He purposed in Christ, 

to be put into effect

when the times reach their fulfillment—

to bring unity to all things in Heaven

and on earth under Christ.”

Ephesians 1:9-10

6-13-13 Beach-Sunset 030“Now may the God of peace,

who through the blood of the eternal covenant

brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus,

that great Shepherd of the sheep,

equip you with everything good for doing His will,

and may He work in us

what is pleasing to Him,

through Jesus Christ,

to whom be glory for ever and ever.

Amen.

Hebrews 13:20-21

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You want His perfect will for you

Not just the road you choose…

Be careful….

He’ll let you have it!

Pray!!

His Plan is always the best!

Where to go from here?

Isn’t always very clear!

We can’t do this on our own…

As long as He is near…

We’re done fighting…

We’re finally letting go…

Trust in Him!

He’s never failed before!

If there’s a road I should walk…

Lord, help me find it!

If I need to be still…

Give me peace for the moment…

Whatever Your will…

Can you help me find it?

I’m giving You fear…

You give me faith…

I’m giving You doubt…

You give me grace…

I know I’ve never been alone!

Even when it hurts…

Have Your way…

Even in the valley I will say…

With every breath…

You’ve never let me go…

I will wait for You…

You’ve never failed before…

I will wait for You…

I lift my empty hands…

Come fill me up again…

Have Your way my King…

  I give my all to You…

I lift my eyes again…

I was blind, but now I see…

You are all I need to find the road I should walk!!

I’ll start with this road in Romans:

“As it is written,

there is none righteous,

no, not one.”

 Romans 3:10

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“For all have sinned,

and come short of the glory of God.”

Romans 3:10

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“But God commendeth His love toward us,

 in that, while we were yet sinners,

 Christ died for us.”

 Romans 5:8

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 “Wherefore, as by one man

 sin entered into the world,

and death by sin;

and so death passed upon all men,

for that all have sinned.”

Romans 5:12

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“For the wages of sin is death;

but the gift of God is eternal life through

Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

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“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth

 the Lord Jesus,

and shalt

believe in thine heart

 that God hath raised Him from the dead,

thou shalt be saved. 

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;

and with

the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

For the scripture saith,

whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.”

Romans 10:9-11

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“For whosoever

shall call upon the Name of the Lord

 shall be saved.”

Romans 10:13

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Thank you, Lord!

Invest In Your Future!

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“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’

declares the Lord,

‘plans to prosper you

and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope

and a future.

Then you will call on Me

and come and pray to Me,

and I will listen to you.

You will seek Me

and find Me

when you seek Me

with all your heart.'”

Jeremiah 29:11-13

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This is my son’s favorite verse!

Mine. too!

Along with…

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“Call to Me

and I will answer you

and tell you great

and unsearchable things

you do not know.”

Jeremiah 33:3

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“…and call on Me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you,

and you will honor Me.”

Psalm 50:15

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God’s plan is to…

Prosper you…

Not harm you…

Give you Hope…

And a Future…

Call on Him…

Come to Him…

Pray to Him…

He will listen to YOU!!!

Seek Him…

Find Him…

With all your heart!!

Call to Him…

He will answer YOU!!

And tell you great and unsearchable things…

You don’t know!!

Call on Him in your times of trouble…

He will deliver you…

And you will honor Him!!

Amen!

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You have now invested wisely in your future!!

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Praise God!!

You Are Amazing God!

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 Majesty…

Indescribable!

Uncontainable!

Amazing God!

All Powerful!

Untameable!

Awestruck…

We fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim…

You are Amazing, God….

None can fathom…

Indescribable!

Unobtainable,

Incomparable!

Unchangeable!

You see the depths of my heart and you love me the same!!

You are So Amazing, God!!!

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Feel free to add your own words!!!

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How about…

God, You are…

Holy, Grand, Vast, Great, Marvelous, Excellent, Glorious, Exalted, Dynamic, Thrilling, Astonishing,

Breathtaking, Magnificent, Overwhelming, Impressive, Permanent, Exciting, Stunning, Heart-Stirring,

Wonderful, Outstanding, Splendid, Faithful, Enduring, Divine, Extraordinary, Inspiring, Fantastic, Imposing,

Astounding, Fantastic, Unforgettable, Wondrous, Incomprehensible, Spectacular, Incredible, Phenomenal

Miraculous!!!

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He’s definitely all these things…

And more!

This is the Amazing God who rules our lives!!

Mind-Boggling, huh???

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Makes you want to go and tell everybody, doesn’t it???

When Did Going On Vacation Become So Difficult???

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Apparently…

When I became an adult…

With responsibilities…

A family…

A job…

A house…

And a dog!!

When we were children…

We just hopped in the car…

And we left!

Okay, so we are packed…

But, it was a rough road to get to this point!! 

This vacation has been planned well in advance…

I’ve been looking forward to it all year…

You know how much I love the beach…

You know how much I love to be at the beach…

To read, to write, to do whatever I feel like doing, or nothing at all!!

But, working part-time this year…

As much of a ministry opportunity as it was…

Has put quite a crimp in my retired lifestyle…

Where all my ministries were challenging…

But, I was a volunteer…

And the beauty of that is that I still had control over my time…

 I’m feeling drained…

I’m really stressed…

I just don’t feel like going on vacation right now…

That’s crazy, I know!!

Plus, my poor, precious Crazy Siberian has not been feeling well lately…

We certainly all love her deeply…

But, we’ve all lost sleep…

Lots of sleep…

We’ve all cleaned up pee, poop, and throw-up…

More times than we care to…

We’ve made multiple runs to the vet with her…

And she definitely, ridiculously, horridly hates the car ride to see the vet!

It’s exhausting!!

We now have a calendar on our kitchen counter…

Just for her…

So we can keep track of all the medicines she’s on…

It’s just like living with a newborn, needy baby…

Which I remember so well…

Or, an ornery, elderly person…

Which I also remember!!

Teaching was so crazy at the end of the year…

That I lost my cool…

And it ceased to be fun…

I had to apologize for my grouchiness to everyone…

There, and at home, too!

 I really just want to stay home…

And vegetate on the couch!

But, no…

Not me!

I decided to tackle the humongous job of cleaning my house from top to bottom!

Starting with the ceiling fans the day after school got out…

My son, the one actually cleaning those fans…

Was not elated!

Well, that’s as far as we got…

When I had to stop cleaning to start packing for this vacation…

While dealing with a sick dog…

I hate packing…

Why can’t all my “stuff” just be there when I get there…

And I don’t do well with unfinished jobs…

So I’ll be planning my next cleaning job…

The blinds and windows…

For when we get back from vacation!

Rats!

Why do I do this to myself?

Please tell me to stop!

Take a deep breath…

Count to ten…

And enjoy my blessings of a wonderful beach vacation…

With my wonderful family…

And the whole summer off from work!

Just tell me, Lord…

I’ll listen to You!!

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“My son, if you receive My words and treasure up My commandments with you,

making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;

yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,

if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,

then you will understand the fear of the Lord

and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 2:1-5

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“Be anxious for nothing,

but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving

let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God,

which surpasses all comprehension,

will guard your hearts

and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7

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Thank you, Lord!! 

Amen!

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“Blessings crown the head of the righteous…”

Proverbs 10:6

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I love the refrain of the old hymn:

“Count Your Many Blessings”

Count your blessings, name them one by one…
Count your blessings, see what God hath done…
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done!!

Visiting Naples? Go See “Stage 2 Improv!!” Hilarious!!

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6-2-13 Casey's Show! 001IMPROV:

Ad-lib!

Extemporization!

Impromptu!

Opposite of:

Planned…

Or routine!

As in,

“That comedy skit was a totally unrehearsed improvisation!”

So every show is different!

6-2-13 Casey's Show! 003Voted “Best Live Theatre” (Including professional venues) in Southwest Florida 10 years running

by the Naples Daily News SW Florida Choice Awards,

ranked as one of the Top Ten Community Theatres in the United States.

https://foursquare.com/naplesplayers

Today The Naples Players stage more than 220 performances a year,

many of them sell outs.

With a subscriber base of more than 4,000,

and children’s program that reach over 600 children annually…

http://www.naplesplayers.org/his.html

6-2-13 Casey's Show! 005Sunny Naples is a popular, sophisticated and charming beach destination on the Gulf of Mexico.

It boasts many world-class hotels and resorts along miles of white sand beaches.

The ocean surf is gentle and the people are friendly.

Shoppers delight in searching for antiques, home furnishings, clothes and jewelry.

With its beautiful neighborhoods and grand architecture, the atmosphere is elegant, yet relaxing.

Sports enthusiasts spend glorious days pursuing their favorite activity, from golf to tennis to fishing.

There are restaurants to suit every taste and budget.

Even though it is a busy and cosmopolitan city, Naples offers easy access to secluded islands

and the wilderness of the Everglades.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g34467-Naples_Florida-Vacations.html

6-2-13 Casey's Show! 010Sugden Community Theatre

The Sugden Community Theatre is the home of The Naples Players,

a community theatre located in the City of Naples in Southwest Florida.

Our actors light up the stage with musicals, comedies, dramas, children’s’ theatre, original plays and much more.

From the artful to the thought-provoking,

The Naples Players provides affordable quality entertainment.

http://www.explorenaples.com/brochure.phtml?memberno=1374

6-2-13 Casey's Show! 011Great Theatre Review:

“One of the best, if not the best, community theater in the country.

The quality of the shows…

the talent here is superior to most ‘professional’ theaters.

This is one of the better things about Naples.

Go see a show or two here.

 They also offer classes in all things theater.

They have an amazing kids program.

Also, there are occasionally concerts and film programs.

Great staff and amazing volunteers.

Oh, and you can volunteer…

actor, backstage, tech.

Check out their website.”

http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-naples-players-naples

6-2-13 Casey's Show! 014Caricatures of the Stage 2 Improv cast…

6-2-13 Casey's Show! 013That’s our boy!!

6-2-13 Casey's Show! 015Cool set design!

6-2-13 Casey's Show! 018Relaxing atmosphere!

6-2-13 Casey's Show! 021Gets you right in the mood…

6-2-13 Casey's Show! 023To LOL!

6-2-13 Casey's Show! 029The usher and the stage manager are part of the act!!

6-2-13 Casey's Show! 032The Playbill!!

And the Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Bar…

  We won for driving the greatest distance to see the show!

Here’s a You Tube video tour of 5th Ave. in Old Naples!

Go see the show…you need a good laugh!!

“He will yet fill your mouth with laughter,

and your lips with shouting.”

Job 8:21

My Simple Everyday Prayer…

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Here’s a definition of my recent days…

Pulled in a thousand different ways…

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At a loss for words to explain…

The need to relax, and rest my brain!

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Lord, I come to You for peace…

Make all my cares, and worries cease…

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So many opportunities abound…

To share Your Love all around!

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Help me know which ones to choose…

(Please make them my passions, desires, talents, and gifts)

Not just my obligations, or “have-to’s!”

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Help me stand strong, and not spread my life too thin…

With commitments, and busyness where I can’t win…

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Help me to see that You’re in control…

When tempests come, and friends cajole!

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To trust Your Word, and Your Voice…

To find the path where I can truly rejoice!!

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Where do you want me five years from now?

What will I do to get there, and how?

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Help me fulfill Your plan for me…

No matter what obstacles I see!

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To be in Your Image I must not fret…

You have never, ever failed me yet!!

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Thank you, Lord!

I feel better already!!

Amen!