And the winner is....

Thank you everyone for entering the draw... I will be having another one soon so keep your eye out for it! I wish I could sent all of you something!

There were 2 winners... I haven't finished the things for the second winner yet but will get em sent out as soon as I do!

Winner #1 is MAE

Winner #2 is KRISTEN
Ladies... Please send me your deets!!!! Hilmarose At AOL dot com

Word Verification...

(Don't forget to enter my blog candy draw)


I HATE it!!!!! So many times I want to leave comments but when I click and see the verification letters I just close it out!!!! I have a few hundred blogs in my reader and and if a lot post each day that is way too many to do verification. The blog owners are the ones missing out on my comments, as well as many others!
ETA: I am soooooo very sorry to my readers!!!! I thought I had turned OFF the verification but after reading someone's post about the owner not seeing it unless they go in settings I went and it was ON!!!! I know I turned it off in the old blogger but when we switched to the new one it must have been automatically set! AGAIN... I AM SOOOOOOO SORRY!!!

Thanks Julie for the button!!! Go read her post about it too!

Chris has been campaigning and here is what she has to say:

ARGUMENTS AGAINST WORD VERIFICATION

Everyone will have their own view, but in my case, I regard the removal of word verification as a basic courtesy to my visitors who are kind enough to take the time to leave comments. Being aware of their comments through comment moderation, but not hindering them with word verification is the very least I can do to reciprocate their courtesy to me.

The problem with word verification is that it takes too long. The characters are very often hard to decipher, and it’s frustrating when you get them wrong and have to re-enter the little suckers!

So this campaign is on behalf of busy bloggers. Please spare a thought for the poor bloggers who work so hard at getting round as many blogs as possible to leave sprinkles of blessing and good vibes wherever they go. The terrible proliferation of this awful plague of word verification is a blight on their efforts to make the Land of Blog a cheerier place.

I think most people don't realise that they have word verification on their blogs by default, or how easy it is to switch it off, and perhaps not realising how annoying it is for other bloggers. Either that, or they’re under the misapprehension that they will be bombarded with spam messages. This is not the case. I’ve had mine switched off now for three of the four months that I’ve been blogging, and have had two spam comments. The responses I’ve had from other bloggers to my earlier posts on this topic back this up. (You can see the comments in response to my previous post on this subject, HERE.)

For safety’s sake, have comment moderation on for sure, but please consider canceling word verification on your blog. Maybe for a trial period, and see how you get on.

Unless there are thousands of comments being left, comment moderation shouldn’t be too much of an issue for the blog owner, and other bloggers will also be more inclined to leave comments if they can see that you don’t use word verification.

However, each to their own, and if you disagree with me, that’s cool. We can agree to differ and not visit each other’s blogs! lol ;o)

OK.. rant over. If you have read all the way to the end, thank you for putting up with it, and ~ obviously ~ do what you wish on your blogs, but I had to say something. I love to get around and leave comments, but word verification spoils the experience.

Of course, when I get my new job, all this will be academic to me, as I will then have a life, and I won't have time for much blog-hopping!! Not that blog-hoppers need to get a life.. Errr... think I'll stop digging now, before I get into REAL trouble!! lol ;o)

Sharing a wonderful post

This is a blog I visit regularly... I started because of her recipes but go back now for her posts... everything including the recipes. Tonight I ran across this post ... it was very thought provoking about photographs and memories.... here is a small excerpt:

"One day that will be all that's left of me . . . just a few pictures in a box. Will someone wonder about who I was, and what I stood for, or will I have left a legacy that speaks for itself?? Will they look into my eyes and see the joy there . . . and the pain . . . and the hope?? Will they see all my yesterdays linked to their tomorrows . . . will the essence of my being be able to reach down through the passage of time and speak to their hearts??"


Please go read the post for your self and see if it doesn't touch you at your very core.


(and don't forget to enter my blog candy draw here!)

Sometimes I just need a reminder...

I found this on Beestamper's blog... she found it on another blog.
Just about made me want to cry... after just passing the 3rd anniversary of the death of someone very close to me.
To listen scroll down and mute my song video


(Don't forget to enter my blog candy... scroll down)

Chrissy's Blog candy

Here is yet more blog Candy!!! She is offing it for a number of reasons... to me the greatest being to celebrate her NEW career as a Stamp Designer! PLEASE GO SUPPORT HER!!!!


(don't forget to scroll down for your chance at mine!)

EVEN more BLOG CANDY!!!

There is so much candy out there!!! Here is Sally's!

(don't forget to scroll down for your chance at mine!)

want to win over $200 in free stamps?

Want to win over $200 of free stamps?
Check out here how you can... and it is a very worthy cause!!!! I know alot of people are struggling and here is away we can help!!!

Kristen's blog candy!

Kristin has some wonderful blog candy up for grabs!!! Magnolia stamps to top it off!!!

(don't forget to enter my blog candy draw... scroll down!)

Three years ago today

Three years ago today I lost one of my best friends... My Daughter's Daddy.
I miss you soooo very much... I would give anything just to talk to you one more time, to see your smirky smile, to hear your smart alec comments, to feel your hug... But most importantly I would give even my life if Cassie could just spend one more hour with you.
I love you and miss you so very much my friend. Life has not been and will never be the same without you in it. I MISS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

( I should have taken the picture AFTER I cleaned of his head stone)

BLOG CANDY TIME

I said I was going to do blog candy at 50,000 hits... well, I passed it without realizing it!!! from my stats counter I am at 50,521.
I know MOST of my hits were from when I gave out digi templets for scrapbooking but have no idea how many since I started doing what I am doing now... So here are the rules: Just post my candy on your blog, and post a comment on this post.
School starts here on Sept 3rd... so after school I will have my daughter pick a winner. PLEASE check back to see if you have won!
This is what I have so far (I plan on adding stuff that I have made and a few supply things): File folder box, box and six 3x3 cards and a little note book.
I may even make a different set of things for a second winner.
Thank you for visiting my blog :)

COMMENTS are now CLOSED... I will pick a winner by the morning... life is crazier here than I thought being the first day of school and after school activities!

Blog Candy Alert

Debbie has some wonderful... wintery blog candy up for grabs!!!

Be Still and Know

This came in my in-box... wanted to share:

MountainWings A MountainWings Moment
#8228 Wings Over The Mountains of Life
-------------------------------------------------

Be Still and Know
=================

In my life I have faced many struggles.

I am human and by nature I have grown sin weary and overburdened.

My hands have worked alone, in vain to build masterpieces
that always fall short of perfection.

In the midst of despair, I place my discouraged heart
in the hands of the one who softly whispers,
“Be still and know that I am God.”

I place my confidence in the one who faithfully works
to do what is positively right for me.

I rely on the perfect knowledge that keeps Him from doing
anything in my life that is not exactly what I need.

He is the Lord of creation, and yet He is committed to gently
knocking at the door of my heart.

I adore the God whose love is so pure that He sent His son to
live a perfect life for me. His love is so holy that He sent
His son to shed His blood on the cross for me.

I treasure the God who will never stop forgiving me.

My hope is in the one who knows the depths of my heart and still
loves me so passionately and watchfully.

The one who softly whispers,


“Be still and know that I am God.”


~A MountainWings Original poem by Billi Jo Bentley, Albany, OH~
Based on Psalms 151

Forward this issue to a friend or send them the link below:
http://www.mountainwings.com/past/8228.htm

Katharina's blog candy!

Katharina has some woonnndeeerrrful blog candy up for grabs!!!

The winner of her blog candy gets the complete Whiff of Joy Guardian Angel Collection by Elisabeth Bell ( 4 stamps ) for free!!!!

Missing....

The hardest part of my daughter being gone... Missin' one of my little guys!!!
I missed his first birthday yesterday. He is eating his "birthday pancake"
Don't ya just love those eyes?!

I miss you David!!!!!
(pronounced with a short a, with the i sounding like an e_ Da-veed)

My beautiful Daughter!!!

And (one of) my wonderful Son-In-Law... Josue

Saw this quote today... fits perfectly with the changes in my life!
What the caterpillar calls the end, The Master calls a butterfly ~~Richard Bach

More Blog Candy ALERT!

Michelle has some wonderful blog candy up for grabs!!! I love the colors!!!!!!!!

Blog Candy Alert

My bloggin Sister Sonja has some really cute blog candy up... check it out!

Comin home!

Tomorrow my baby comes home!
She went to Florida with my other daughter last month... after 6 weeks she flies home tomorrow! She is NOT ready to leave there but... what can I say? She has to come home sometime! Next summer, Yahwey willing, she will get to spend another month.
This is her at the ocean.

What kind of music I am!

Well.... this did NOT surprise me!

You Are Country Music

You are friendly, down to earth, and fairly conservative. You are true to your friends and your upbringing. Change is hard for you. But beneath your old fashioned attitude, you are expressive and artistic in your own way. Very few people can express pain and pleasure as eloquently as you can.

What Kind of Music Are You?

Always wear...

Boots while you are splitting wood! And this is after two hours with an ice pack!
I had on sandles.... the wood fell faster than I could move my foot!

Kraftin Kimmie's Challenge

well... I have only done one other sketch challenge... this isn't exactly a sketch challenge so I guess you could say this is the first "challenge" I have done! but when I seen this I knew I just had to do it!
It is from Kraftin Kimmie's Korner
we were to take her book and use it for inspiration! I did... made mine almost exactly like hers! but I really like how the cover came out (I still have to finish the inside of the book)
Sorry about the lighting!
TFL

Accordian File box

I found this on someone's blog who is going to be selling it in a "class"... I so wanted to make one... but was thinking about the cost.
Then in my blog reader... I was sooooo excited.... Dannie had posted a link to the instructions!!!! (check out her blog!!!) It ended up not costing me a thing except the supplies of course!!!!!
I want to publicly thank her for posting the link! I know Yahwey used her to give me one of the little desires of my heart!!!! and she blessed me without even knowing it!!!
Here is a link to the site... you have to have a free membership but they have some cool projects!
It is the july 4th episode called "expanding Memories"
http://sbl.tvweekly.com/

Struggling

Well... I have been struggling with Kathy's passing (see last post) and today I got some crushing, devastating news about the health of my oldest (2 1/2 yrs) grandson... I don't want to really go into it right now except to say that the doctors believe he will be completely deaf but years end and could be going blind on top of it (he has been having some issues seeing somethings, which we thought was just depth perception issues)। At least now, after 2 1/2 years testing, they have a diagnosis... good on one hand, because they know what they are dealing with, but very devastating on the other... because of what it is and there is NO treatment... NO cure.
IF you want to read about it here is a link....
http://www.cdc.gov/cmv/signs.html

I forced myself to be creative today to try to pull myself away from just feeling overwhelmed with life... I made 4 cards and a card box... not sure who I am going to give it to or if I will try to sell it (would be my first for cards) anyway, Here they are and TFL.
Box is in center back.

and the box.

RIP Kathy... I love you

Blog Candy Find

Nikki has some wonderful blog candy for reaching 10,00 hits... check it out!

I've been Tagged AGAIN

This tag is different than what I played before...so I will play!
I was tagged twice with this tag...
first by Char and then by Anita, my friend across the water!

The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

1. Ten Years Ago
I was moving into this house exactly 10 years ago this week!!!!!


2. Five Things on todays 'To Do List'
1) CLEAN
2) Clean
3) Clean
4) work on a magazine holder I am making out of foam board
5) maybe go to Michaels.


3. Snacks I enjoy
a) Peanut butter cups
b) kettle corn
c) Peanut M&Ms


4. Things I would do If I was a Millionaire
a) The first thing I would do is buy my oldest a car.
b) I would build a homeless shelter for families and single women.
c) I would find a way to help some Jewish people go home.
d) I would help to get an out of print Bible printes again... it is a Bible that uses the names of Yahwey and Yahshua and is as close to the original that they can find.
e) I would buy my own house.


5. Places I have lived
I have lived in many places... being married to the military for 20 years.... we only lived in the USA though, lets see... we lived in Washington 2 times, both in Oak Harbor. we lived in California, San Francisco area. we also lived in Detroit, Tennessee and Phillidelphia. At the moment those are the duty stations I can remember. Now I am back in washington... the State I was raised in.

I TAG....
BECCA

JULIE

JENNIFER

AMY

MELANIE

Ready, Set, Don't Go!

This has been a "sad" week-end for me....
All of my girls were here... together for the last time, for awhile...
maybe years.
My second to the youngest, the one on the far left,
is moving to Florida with her hubby and one of my grandsons.
She has never been far away...
she is STILL my baby even if she is married and has a baby of her own.
Reminds me of Billy Ray's song...
"Ready, Set, Don't go!!!!!!"
I love you guys... I will miss you horribly...
But I know you must follow Yahwey into your destiny....
I let you go in His hands!

"() indicates them singing together"

[Billy]: Shes gotta do what shes gotta do
And I've got to like it or not
Shes got dreams to big for this town
And she needs to give them a shot
Wherever they are
[Miley]: Looks like Im all ready to leave
With nothing left to pack
[Billy]: Aint no room for me in that car
Even if she asks me to tag along
(God I gotta be strong)


[Miley]: Im at the startin line
Of the rest of my life
As ready as I’ve ever been
Got the hunger and stars in my eyes
The prize is mine to win
[Billy]: Shes waitin on my blessings
Before she hits that open road
Baby get ready get set don’t go


[Miley]: Looks like things are fallin in place
[Billy]: Feels like there fallin apart
I painted this big old smile on my face
To hide my broken heart, if only she knew
[Miley]: This is where you don’t say what u want so bad to say
[Billy]: This is where I want to but I wont get in the way
Of her in her dreams and spreading her wings
*Miley is the the backgrounds singing "im ready to fly"

[Miley]: Im at the startin line
Of the rest of my life
As ready as I’ve ever been
Got the hunger and stars in my eyes
The prize is mine to win
[Billy]: Shes waitin on my blessings
Before she hits that open road
Baby get ready get set (don’t go)

[Miley]: Im at the startin line
Of the rest of my life
As ready as I’ve ever been
Got the hunger and stars in my eyes
The prize is mine to win
[Billy]: Shes waitin on my blessings
Before she hits that open road
Baby get ready get set please don’t go

[Billy]: Don't go
[Miley]: Let me go now im ready
[Billy]: Mmmm Don't go
[Miley]: I’ll be alright, I’ll be okay
You know that ill be thinking of
You each and every day
[Billy]: Shes gotta do what shes gotta do
[Miley]: Let me go now
[Billy]: Shes gotta do what shes gotta do
[Miley]: I've gotta do what I've gotta do
*sings "fly" while fading*
[Billy]: *says "shes gotta do" while fading*

ONE more post for today!!

I started this blog an eon ago... before I was making cards etc... when I was really into digital scrapbooking.... it took me awhile to put a stat counter on it and I didn't reset it when I started doing cards... I just looked and my hits are at 49,442!!!!!
When I reach 50,000 I am going to be giving away some blog candy... I will start posting pics starting tomorrow! When I reach that point (50,00 hits) I will take all the comments between today and that point and enter them into the draw... you will get extra entries if you post it on your blog... just let me know in your comment!

PIF

3 posts in one day... LOL
Here is the first current PIF, I won this one from Bela. She sent me 3 card kits... Thanks Bela!!!
Now for the PIF....
Here's the details:
1) Be the first three to comment to this post.
and email me your snailmail addy (get my email by clicking on my profile)
2) I will send you some "PIF" stamping goodies... may be a little while, but I will get it sent.
3) When you get your package post the PIF on your blog...Committing to send three others some goodies.

WHERE OH WHERE is SUMMER???? and another share

I have lived in this house 10 years... as some know I only heat by wood.... this is the first year I have EVER needed to STILL be burning wood in JUNE!!!! Where is the summer???????

OK... here is a pic of some more happy mail I got! It is blog candy I won from Beverly
Thank you Sweetie!!!!!!
My next post will be a PIF!

updating 1

Since I hadn't been blogging lately I have a lot to post but I will do it a little at a time!
First off I have won a couple blog Candy prizes
I won Kazza's blog Candy! (I just used her picture) THANK YOU SISTA!!!!


I will try to get the other posts done soon... I have some PIFs to share so that means I will be posting my own PIFs soon!!!!!!

25% off your total regular purchase at Michaels

I always enjoy finding these goodies on other people's blogs, I am still not feeling well but I got this in my in-box and thought I would share... 25% off your total regular purchase at Michaels HERE
Enjoy!

MORE blog candy!!!

This is BIRTHDAY blog Candy!!!! Check out another Deb's blog candy!!!!

Deb's Blog Candy!

Deb is trying to reach a goal... so go check out her blog candy!!!! Just remember... you can only check it out cuz I wanna win it!!! LOL

Michelle's WONDERFUL Blog Candy!!!

Michelle has some wonderful blog candy!!!!! Check it out!

New Monogram Stamps (New to me anyway)

Sorry I have been so quiet in here lately... life has been busy but I have managed to read the blogs in my reader.
I wish I could remember what blog I first saw the monograms from florishes but I can't. I loved them so much I had to buy a set for myself.
this is one of the sets I have made... it is for my daughter Stephanie (red is her fav color). I thought they turned out pretty well. Here is the link to see them for your self at the website. I wish I had the money to buy them all!!!!

More Blog Candy

Cass has some WONDERFUL blog candy!!! Check it out!!!!

Ila's birthday blog candy

Hey... check out Ila's BIRTHDAY BLOG CANDY!!!!! Her Birthday is a day before mine... I wish I could give out birthday blog candy too! maybe next year!!1

Purple Blog Candy!

Purple is one of my fav colors too ... I want to share michelle's purple blog candy!

Gratituesday:Yahwey and Yahushua

I am grateful today that I learned the names of My heavenly Father and My Messiah Yahwey and Yahushua! Learning their true names has been freedom for me.

Kazza's Candy!

Check out Kazza's Birthday candy!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTA!!!!!

Tagged!!!!

I have been tagged twice!

Charlene and Allison have both tagged me to play the 7 things game!

7 Things Game:
The Rules for 7 Things:

1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

My 7 things:

1. I am a lover of Yahwey and Yahushua.

2. I married three months after I turned 17.

3. For 20 years I was a navy wife and moved across country. I am now a single Mom.

4. I have lived in my present home for 10 years... the longest I have ever lived anywhere. Including as a child. And it is a RENTAL.

5. I have 4 daughters, one still at home. One granddaughter and three grandsons... They call me Nana.

6. I never knew I had any crafting ability until I had been married a few years.

7. At one point in time I had my own craft business but never got into paper crafting except scrap booking. I got into digital scrapping....One day blog hopping I found altered items and now I am attempting to make cards.

I am tagging

CraftyScot

Debby

Vicki

Kazza

Melanie

Karen

Tosh

FREE Pentel Oil Pastels

I found a link (from http://www.moneysavingmom.com/) to get these for free Click here and be sure to enter the promo code SA2008

Gratituesday

I decided I was going to do a "Gratituesday" as hosted by Heavenly Homemakers. I have so much to be thankful for but it seems that when circumstances are difficult I often forget all of those things. It has been colder here than normal and I am almost out of wood (that is all I heat with) but for this Gratituesday I am thankful that I have wood to heat for this day.

I found more blog candy!

Tracy Jane has some blog candy on her blog celebrating her birthday next week!!! Go check it out!!!

Li'l Buck's Blog Candy

Check out the blog candy Misty has on her blog!! Her blog

Sisterhood of the Blogging Stampers-16

I am soooo excited to be part of the Sisterhood of the Blogging Stampers-16! THANK YOU SOOOO VERY MUCH for letting me join!!!! I am not sure what it all entails but I am eager to start!!!

lets see... I am a single Mom... one daughter at home (age almost 11) and 3 grown daughters (22, 25, and 28) who are all Moms themselves now. I did scrap booking for a long time and started digi scrapping when it was barely even heard of. And now my new passion is cards and altered 3-D items. I just started card making a couple months ago and I love doing it when I have my mojo!
Not sure what else to say right now except... THANK YOU AGAIN For letting me be part of the group!!!!

Katherina's blog candy

Katherina is celebrating her 30th birthday is coming up at April, 17th.
To Celebrate She came up with an extraordinary candy.
She is giving away one brand new, original Hänglar and Stänglar stamp! And some stamped images!
Check out her blog!

Shout Out to SheetLoad

Check out the "Sheet Load" blog and down load their April issue! I am sure you can get older issues too! If the link doesn't work for some reason here is the web address http://sheetload.blogspot.com/

More PIF

I signed up for some PIFs soooo I need 3 more people to sign up with this post.
More will come in the next few days or next week as I may leave town for the weekend! remember if you sign up you must pay it forward to 3 more people. With this PIF you need to have a blog and post it there. There are many different versions going around but just promise to PIF and, to me, it doesn't matter if you send it out right away or if it takes a LITTLE while!

a link to some wonderful blog candy!

Nikki is offering some wonderful blog candy for reaching 15,000 hits!
Go check it out!!!! http://nikkiscardsandnews.blogspot.com

new cards from sketches

I did some cards based on a couple sketches... I didn't have the stamps they were using but I used what I had. http://mypaperworld.blogspot.com/
I sure wish we would get some sunshine so I wouldn't have to use my flash!

The stamps I ordered from Rubbernecker, the ribbon is from dollar tree and the paper I had from my scrapping days.

Anyway... there they are!

My First Card post

Well... I think I am finally brave enough to upload a couple cards I have made.
I made these for a PIF I already did... The papers I used were from a blog candy I won from Tosh (http://stamptalkwithtosh.blogspot.com/2008/02/thank-you-gift.html) . One of the stamps, The "Thank you" stamp I got from the same person... she was sweet enough to throw in some extra stuff since I had just started stamping. the other 2 stamps were borrowed... and the saying was computer generated. The ribbons I got at dollar tree.

So... there ya go... my first card post!

PIF now Closed

I now how the first 3 people I need for the first PIF in this round:
Nancy Grant http://inkcicles.blogspot.com/
and
Belas http://belascreatingplace.blogspot.com/
and
Julie http://juliescraftycorner.blogspot.com/

Ladies please mail me your snail mail addy's (thru my profile)

I can't think of a title!!!!

I only have one person for my PIF (scroll down) anymore takers????

Another "new to me" Blog

Oh MY!!! I WISH I lived where Heather lives!!! I would go crazy on ribbon for my new card making venture!!!! Check out her blog!!! And be sure to sign up for her Blog Brownies!!!!
http://www.stampdetails.blogspot.com/

My newest Grandbaby

I am REALLY bad about sharing on my blog but when my daughter sent this pic from her cell I just had to share it! such a good pic with his eyes wide open!!! and them just looking at each other!
I will try to get better at posting here.
Funny how when you stop giving out freebies no one seems to come (I know there are some because you have emailed me.. lol)
Anyway... I started crafting and making cards so I hope to get past this thing I have with this blog and actually start posting some more pics and pics of my creations!

PIFs

This PIF is now closed... check later for another!!!


I am signed up for a few PIFs (pay it Forward) so watch for me to be posting them and my offerings!!! I will do them one at a time so as not to confuse myself!!!!

The first 3 people to comment or email me (see my profile for email addy) about this post will receive something from me.
For this one you do NOT have to have a blog but MUST promise to Pay It Forward to 3 other people requesting them to do the same.

A new WONDERFUL blog I have found!!!

Check out this blog http://sassy-crafts.blogspot.com/ and help support her in her new venture!!! While u r there check out the blog candy you could win!

In LOVING MEMORY

In loving memory... forever in our hearts.
To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord and
You are now with your two sons who left here before us...
we will see you all again... and we will walk the streets of gold together forever...
With the Lord, A day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day...
we will be there before you know it....
and we will never ever part again.

REMOVE THE STONE! Let Out the Thing that is Rotting and Beginning to Smell

February 12, 2008

Anne Elmer:

"REMOVE THE STONE! Let Out the Thing that is Rotting and Beginning to Smell"

Dealing with Disappointment

At this moment in my life, I seem to know quite a few people who are dealing with great disappointments and have had their fair share of sufferings. Many are dealing with issues they feel God has done to them or has not done for them, or are struggling with situations He has allowed to happen. They feel let down by Him.

Some time ago, a lady who evidently had many problems came to see me and asked for prayer. This lady was the first of many people who I have met with similar hurts and disappointments. I got on my knees by her side and waited a few minutes in silence while I shouted quietly to the Lord, "Help!" She had asked for prayer for something specific, but I did not feel this was the real issue. Suddenly the Lord spoke to me and said, “She cannot accept the answers to your prayers because she is too wounded by something that happened a long time ago.” When I told the lady what the Lord said, it opened the floodgates and she cried and cried. Many years previously, something happened to one of her children and she had not forgiven God for allowing it to happen. Even though she had tried to forgive Him, the disappointment remained, meaning she could not trust her Creator with very many other things.

I set out to search for what the Bible says about disappointment, and frankly, I did not find it very satisfying. Romans 5:3-5, "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance...character...and hope. And hope does not disappoint us..." I cried out to God and said, "This is not true because I can think of many cases where hope has disappointed." Yet I know it is true because it is God's Word and God cannot lie and I do believe it. I kept asking Him to show me what all this was about.

The Greek word used here is "kataischuno" and it means "to be ashamed or to be humiliated." Isaiah 49:23 says, "Those who hope in Me will not be disappointed." I was not yet satisfied, so I spent time asking the Lord to make it clearer to me. We must always choose to trust Him, and I know there have been many times in my life when I have been disappointed, but I have chosen to say, “His ways are not my ways,” and continue on with Him.

Recently the Lord prompted me to look up Isaiah 55:6-9 in its context: "Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will freely pardon. 'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.'"

I read this Scripture and said, “OK Lord,” and He said, “Read it again, and then again, and again.” Suddenly I recognized that the evil man of whom this verse is speaking of, is me. Do not get me wrong, I know that I am forgiven and blessed, but the Lord is teaching me about walking in the TRUTH and how His thoughts are true and mine are often not, because they are based on my experience and my emotions and on the situation as I see it, not on what the Bible says. 3 John 1:4, "I have no greater joy than to hear that My children are walking in the truth." This has all to do with the "renewing of the mind" and "being changed" from glory to glory (see Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18). I began reflecting on all this and asked the Lord to take away disappointments from my life and to help me align my thoughts with His thoughts. Then I can come alongside those that need help in this area.

Stones and Tombs

I remember Mary and Martha who had said, "If only You had been here Lord..." They too had been disappointed by the Lord's late arrival on the scene. As I was praying through these things, the Lord gave me a picture of a heart. At the bottom of the heart laid a "stone," and I heard Jesus shout as in the story of Lazarus, "Move the stone." John 11:39 says, "'Take away the stone,' He said. 'But, Lord,' said Martha, the sister of the dead man, 'by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.'" There is a reluctance on Martha's part to allow the stone to be moved because behind the stone there will be a bad smell, and things are disintegrating, rotting, and wasting away.

What is rotting at the stone in your heart and needs to be let out of the tomb? Some of the things we leave in our hearts are not meant to stay there. They are buried things in the natural. They are things others think have passed. They are events in our lives that were painful. They may be big or small. Maybe there is a time when we prayed and God did not do what we asked--maybe the loss of a child; maybe the death of a person very close; maybe a broken relationship; maybe a permanent illness or handicap; or maybe something we did wrong that we have buried deep down.

People now see other relationships in our lives, other children, another job, and they think we have moved on...that we have "gotten over it." But we know in our heart of hearts, these memories are still there. Maybe we remember these things and visit the tomb often. If we really think about it, we know there is nothing of use, nothing worthwhile in the tomb. But we keep the disappointment there. We know what is in the tomb--rots. But we do not want the tomb to be opened (there would be a bad smell); we want to keep it firmly under our lock and key to keep the memory in our hearts. It symbolizes for us (as it did for Mary and Martha) our disappointment that the Lord did not do what we wanted Him to, and He did not arrive on time. In this part of our hearts we keep sadness, hurt and unforgiveness that we hold against the Lord. We move on with our lives, telling ourselves we will get over it and have other children, new friends, a new marriage, a new job, but if we keep something locked away, it rots and it smells bad.

Like the moth and rust which corrupts in the physical world, so issues kept hidden in our souls end up rotting. Unforgiveness turns our hearts sour. Anger turns to bitterness. Disappointment results in lack of faith. We say, "God did not do it then, so I cannot trust Him to do it now." No matter how many good answers to prayer we have had since the event was put in the tomb, there is always the "doubt" which holds us back, and the weight of that stone in our souls. Today Jesus says, "Take away the stone. Let that thing out, and let it live with Me now."

Today Jesus weeps as He did before the tomb of Lazarus. Why did He weep? Some thought it was out of love for Lazarus; but He knew He was going to bring him back to life, so it could not be that. Maybe it was out of His love for Mary and Martha; maybe His frustration at their lack of faith; or maybe He was sad at being blamed for being late. I do not know, but I do know He weeps today for those of us who still have the stone over a tomb in our hearts. I know today He is saying, "Remove the stone. Let out the thing that is rotting and beginning to smell." Today He is saying as He did at the tomb of Lazarus, "Take off the grave clothes and let it go" (John 11:44). Today He is saying, "My ways are not your ways, and My thoughts are not your thoughts."

I was beginning to understand, but yet I still felt the reaction of Mary and Martha was OK because they did receive their brother back. When I started this study, most of the people I was thinking about may not have a resurrection of those lost hopes. So I kept on asking and of course the Lord showed me the answer.

Take No Offense Toward God

Luke 7:20-23, "When the men came to Jesus, they said, 'John the Baptist sent us to You to ask, "Are You the One who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"' At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So He replied to the messengers, 'Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me.'" The New King James Version says, "Who is not offended by Me."

Jesus came to set the captives free and John the Baptist knew that, but where was John? In prison; and we most likely suppose he was waiting for Jesus to set him free. Jesus' reply to John's disciples was to look at what God is doing and not look at what He isn't doing. We have the choice. John had the same choice. We can choose to look at what God is not doing and be disappointed and offended. Or we can choose to praise God for what He is doing and not dwell too long on what He is not doing. As we know, John never got out of prison. Why? We do not know. Jesus could have done it, couldn't He? He was God. But Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing. When Jesus heard what had happened to John, He went away on His own to talk to the Father.

Matthew 14:12, "John's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard what had happened, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place."

We do not hear that He asked "WHY?" Why is never a good question, because His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. We must trust Him and let Him deal with our disappointments. We must choose not to be offended. We must realize when we blame God for not doing what we wanted, it is tantamount to sin. And Jesus died to pay for our sins. His death allows us to be free of all that binds us. When we harbor those thoughts in our hearts, they rot and cause us problems in the future.

For a long time now the Church has been singing, "Lord, I give You my heart, I give You my life, I want to live for You..." and "Purify my heart...Refiner's Fire." But at the same time we have been saying, "But not this part of my heart, Lord; this stone has been there a long time and is too comfortable. If you move it, there will be a bad smell." I thought of the verse in Matthew where Jesus talks of "whitewashed tombs," and I saw for many of us, our hearts are pure--at least the parts we have allowed Him to have. Many hearts have been washed in His Blood, but there is still the stone. The first commandment Jesus speaks of is to "love the Lord your God with ALL your HEART."

It's time to move the stone.

Anne Elmer
Bestselling Author, Transported by the Lion of Judah
Email: anne.elmer@editionsdelasource.fr

Anne's Bio:

Anne and her husband Malgwyn were both born, brought up and married in the North of England, but after 16 years in a small Lancashire village, they moved to live just outside Paris, France, where they have had an open-home policy for many years, and where they now run a small Christian publishing company, publishing books in both English and French. Married for over 40 years, they have 3 children and 9 grandchildren. Together they are praying to have a Christian conference centre in the Paris region. Anne is the author of The ElijahList's best selling book, Transported by the Lion of Judah and has recently given up her job as a part-time English teacher to spend more time writing and expanding her ministry as an international speaker and author.

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I'm a bit of a cynic

Your Candy Heart Says "Get Real"

You're a bit of a cynic when it comes to love. You don't lose your head, and hardly anyone penetrates your heart. Your ideal Valentine's Day date: is all about the person you're seeing (with no mentions of v-day!) Your flirting style: honest and even slightly sarcastic What turns you off: romantic expectations and "greeting card" holidays Why you're hot: you don't just play hard to get - you are hard to get

What Does Your Candy Heart Say?

(He is my )Everything

You need to turn off my song (right side bar) before you hit play on the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA