Fall In and Be Thankful

I set up my fall decorations by Labor Day weekend so that I can enjoy them until Thanksgiving-the entire fall season. When you think of fall what comes to your mind? Beautiful trees full of color, piles of leaves for children to jump in, displays of pumpkins ready for carving and pies and roasting the seeds, rows of apples-yellow and red ready for carmel and bobbing. Do you like this time of year? I do because it includes Thanksgiving-a season to be thankful. What are you thankful for? I believe that if I sat down and started my list I could fill an entire book with all the blessings God has given me. As I live one day at a time, I try to start each of my days with a prayer of thankfulness and praise to God-my Creator and Savior.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Colossians 3:15-17 

"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Colossians 4:2

"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;"

Thankful

For days with rain or shining sun, I am thankful

For family dear and friends so near, I am thankful

For health to work and jobs supplied, I am thankful

For local church and God's Word to hear, I am thankful

For all He's given and supplied, I am thankful. ~by LLD

Stand Up or Be Willing to Lose It!

Tonight I was reminded that I live in a free country and although I am blessed to live here I must not take my freedoms for granted. Slowly, our freedoms are being stripped away from us and although I believe that a majority of us believe in our religious freedoms, a few people have protested and we have backed down.

We went and saw "A Last Ounce of Courage". I strongly believe that every American needs to see this movie.

Ronald Reagan spoke these words before he ever became President and they are so true.

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."

This film made some interesting statements. It is NOT illegal to have a Christmas decoration on public property but we have been scared into the phrase 'separation of church and state'. Christ was declared a federal holiday in 1870. It is not just a religious holiday. We use that day as a remembrance of Jesus' birthday. We are becoming complacent in what we stand for. We have lost over 1.3 million lives as they have fought for our freedom over the years. Yet, we continue to do nothing over here. Do we really want their efforts to be in vain? This really convicted me in two areas. One, as I live one day at a time I am an American and two, I am a Christian. I have the freedom to worship as I please when I please. But if I am not willing to protect my freedom then one day I may have it stripped from me and praying in public or even going to a Bible believing church may land me in jail.

I am so thankful for those that still believe in freedom and are willing to fight for it. Are you willing to do your part? Will you stand up and speak or will you sit quietly by and watch as America, a land where our forefathers came from a land where they were under oppressive religious beliefs to a country where they established freedoms for all men.

Remember when Abraham Lincoln stood and spook for Freedom during the Civil War?

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

It may seem little and inconsequential now but mark my words, if we sit quietly then we will see our country be swallowed up and forgotten. Of course, we won't have total freedom until Christ returns and conquers Satan, but He has told us that He will hear us if...

2 Chronicles 7:14

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

Revelation 21:5-7

" Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.  He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son."

 We have a message and we have a job to share that message. What will you do?

Strumming Something New

 

Tonight we went into a guitar store and this beautiful wall of guitars jumps out at you. It has sparked my interest again and so tomorrow I will pull out my husband's guitar that has been gathering dust under the couch. I have wanted to learn how to play a new instrument and the guitar was my first choice. I am going to use a beginner book and attempt to teach myself. 

Have you ever learned something new? Have you ever taken lessons, maybe for an instrument like the piano or trumpet, or for a craft such as knitting, crochet, or quilting. By taking lessons and learning something new, you are expanding your horizons and challenging yourself. It also can open new doors for you-meeting new people, giving you more qualifications maybe for a job. You also never know when you may use one of your  skills in reaching out to those around you and establishing relationships in order to witness.

Some things you can learn and sometimes there are things that you may not be able to master. If you are tone deaf then it will be challenging to learn an musical instrument. If you are color blind then painting may not be at the top of your list. God gives us all gifts and talents and we should strive to use them. We should look into His Word and seek after His will to find out where God would have us serve and how we can use the talents that He has given us-teaching a Sunday School class, or working with the babies in the nursery, organizing the functions in the kitchen or ordering and keeping the tract holder full for others to be able to share. There are plenty of opportunities to be a part of your local church and further the gospel of Christ one day at a time.

Romans 12:3-8

"3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness."

Ephesians 4:11-13

"11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;"

Share what you know and the talents that you can do well, but also be willing to learn something new-you never know where it might lead you!

If the Shoe Fits..

Yet another idiom...I have said in the past that our English language is full of them. I believe that those from other countries that come and try to learn our language must be so confused. I know there is a television show where one of the characters always says some part of an idiom incorrectly and has to have it explained to her.

'If the shoe fits, wear it' What is the meaning behind it? It means If it applies to you, take it to heart.

Shoes come in many different shapes and sizes and colors. Most women have more shoes than men. I love to buy shoes-especially if they are on sale! Shoes become part of your outfit and have to look just right in order to wear them out.

I have a collection of  "Just the Right shoe". They are miniatures of the right shoe! They are fun to look at and show just a smidgen of how many different types are out there.

So, if someone was to give a description of a 'real' christian-one who follows after Christ in all aspects of 'his' life-'his' walk and talk-could they say to you-the shoe fits?! As I live my life, one day at a time, I want to be known as different. That may seem odd to say-most of the time we try to 'fit in' with everyone else-we wear the same fashions and go to the same places, talk the same talk and have the same "stuff", but we should stand out. God talks about this in His Word.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?  And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?  And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will dwell in them And walk among them.

I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”

 Therefore “Come out from among them

And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean,

And I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you,

And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.”

Remember, this world is not our home (there is a song about this, are you singing it?) we are just passing through. God has a wonderful place He is preparing for us and one day we will be with Him in heaven for eternity. Be different in a good way so that those around you want to know why you are different-so they will want what you have-eternal salvation that can come only through Christ-and will change your life forever.

Blessed Beyond Words

Tonight will sort of be an unpaid advertisement for a ministry in which my brother is involved. Some of you have heard of B.U.S.E.S. International. (It stands for Bringing Unto the Saints Encouragement to Serve. The ministry operates out of Elyria Ohio in a combined garage/building.

Since 1988, BUSES International has been converting buses, box trucks and trailers into mobile medical and dental clinics, food distribution vehicles, shower facilities, classrooms and other mobile outreach centers. Our mission is to help churches, ministries, relief organizations and other non-profits become mobile in their approach of providing life-changing and life-saving care and services to people in need.
They stand behind the verse  Acts 20:35, " ... it is more blessed to give than to receive",

They take buses and turn them into mission works. Some have become dental buses while others are fully equipped with a surgery room. The buses used to travel to Mexico's different neighborhoods to minister to the physical and the spiritual needs that many have down there. A doctor and nurse and sometimes a dentist would travel down with others and help out. Each year they were also involved in a shoe box ministry. They would collect boxes filled with gifts geared to different ages and take them down and distribute them to the children. Since the government has changed in Mexico and it is no longer safe to travel across the border they have redirected their ministry to the Appalachian mountain area.

It is a wonderful ministry and God has blessed abundantly. Funds come in and buses are converted and sent out to different areas for use in ministry. They have converted some as mobile sonogram units for pregnancy centers. One bus has traveled as far as Nigeria to be used. Currently buses minister in 10 different countries including the United States. As long as there is sin in the world there will always be a reason for this ministry. While the bus travels around they are able to share God's love and salvation with those they treat.

I love to hear the success stories-souls that are touched. Lives that are saved-both physically and spiritually.

As most of us live our lives one day at a time, we don't worry about our next meal...or where we will sleep tonight. We have doctors we can go to when we are hurt or sick. We even have a choice of where we can go and hear the gospel preached. We are a very comfortable and spoiled people. This ministry makes me stop and think. It helps me be thankful for what I do have and try not to take for granted. It makes me take the time to pray for those that this ministry is able to touch-that their hearts will be open and forever changed as their physical needs are being met. I am blessed beyond words. God has allowed me to find a godly husband and have two children who all have acknowledged Christ as their personal Savior. We live in a beautiful home and are members of a wonderful fundamental church that preaches God's Word. As we enter the Thanksgiving season soon, take the time to be thankful for all that you do have-don't linger on what you don't have.

What are you doing to further the gospel of Christ? You may not be able to travel to another country but you can get involved with a local ministry, tithe to your church, support a missionary, and most importantly...PRAY! I am thankful that my brother stepped into this ministry and is following where he believes God is leading him. We have the Great Commission given to us by Christ before He went back to heaven after his crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. 

Matthew 28:18-20

"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Follow through until Christ comes back for us.

"Let Jesus Christ Be Praised"

We live and breathe one moment at a time, one day at a time. Each morning as I drive to work I see beautiful sunrises more often than not. Today I saw one and I couldn't help but burst into song,

"When morning guilds the sky, my heart awakening cries, May Jesus Christ be praised!"

Isn't He amazing? Isn't He wonderful? His handiwork is beautiful! I am so blessed to be able to enjoy it.

Psalm 104

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul!

O Lord my God, You are very great:

You are clothed with honor and majesty,

2 Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,

Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.

3 He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters,

Who makes the clouds His chariot,

Who walks on the wings of the wind,

4 Who makes His angels spirits,

His ministers a flame of fire.

5 You who laid the foundations of the earth,

So that it should not be moved forever,

6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;

The waters stood above the mountains.

7 At Your rebuke they fled;

At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away.

8 They went up over the mountains;

They went down into the valleys,

To the place which You founded for them.

9 You have set a boundary that they may not pass over,

That they may not return to cover the earth.

10 He sends the springs into the valleys;

They flow among the hills.

11 They give drink to every beast of the field;

The wild donkeys quench their thirst.

12 By them the birds of the heavens have their home;

They sing among the branches.

13 He waters the hills from His upper chambers;

The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works.

14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,

And vegetation for the service of man,

That he may bring forth food from the earth,

15 And wine that makes glad the heart of man,

Oil to make his face shine,

And bread which strengthens man’s heart.

16 The trees of the Lord are full of sap,

The cedars of Lebanon which He planted,

17 Where the birds make their nests;

The stork has her home in the fir trees.

18 The high hills are for the wild goats;

The cliffs are a refuge for the rock badgers.

19 He appointed the moon for seasons;

The sun knows its going down.

20 You make darkness, and it is night,

In which all the beasts of the forest creep about.

21 The young lions roar after their prey,

And seek their food from God.

22 When the sun rises, they gather together

And lie down in their dens.

23 Man goes out to his work

And to his labor until the evening.

24 O Lord, how manifold are Your works!

In wisdom You have made them all.

The earth is full of Your possessions—

25 This great and wide sea,

In which are innumerable teeming things,

Living things both small and great.

26 There the ships sail about;

There is that Leviathan

Which You have made to play there.

27 These all wait for You,

That You may give them their food in due season.

28 What You give them they gather in;

You open Your hand, they are filled with good.

29 You hide Your face, they are troubled;

You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.

30 You send forth Your Spirit, they are created;

And You renew the face of the earth.

31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever;

May the Lord rejoice in His works.

32 He looks on the earth, and it trembles;

He touches the hills, and they smoke.

33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;

I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

34 May my meditation be sweet to Him;

I will be glad in the Lord.

35 May sinners be consumed from the earth,

And the wicked be no more.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Praise the Lord!

Take the moment...look at the creation around you and then praise the Creator-for He is worthy of all our praise!

'I love you Lord, and I lift my voice, to worship You, O my soul  rejoice, Take joy my King, in what You hear, may it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.'

"All That Glitters...."

This weekend another one of "our kids" got engaged! 

**Our kids-Bill teaches Sunday School for the 18-30 year old's and those that are in there we consider them as our kids!

Whenever I see a diamond, the phrase 'all that glitters' comes to mind.  The rest of the phrase 'is not gold'. 

If you have been following me for very long then you know that I love to research phrases and the history of things that I don't know. This phrase originally was "all that glisters is not gold" from a line of a Shakespeare play 'The Merchant of Venice'.

The phrase means that not everything that looks beautiful or precious really is beautiful and precious. 

Cubic zirconium stones can look quite beautiful and yet they are not worth very much at all. A diamond in its true form is just an ugly rock and yet once it is mined and cut and shaped-it is both beautiful and precious.

This all brings me about to the fact that when we first get saved, we are diamonds in the rough. Each and every soul is precious in God's sight and He desires that all come to a saving knowledge of Him. But when we are saved, we don't know everything all at once. It's like gold-we have to go through a refining process in order to come out looking beautiful!

Job 23:10

"But He knows the way that I take, and when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold."

We need to study God's Word so that we can learn more about Him and be more like Him-from the inside out. We may not all be beauty queens or Mr. America on the outside but we can be beautiful and precious on the inside. Our inside is more important to God than the outside. We should not judge others on their looks or style, but accept everyone on their own merits because we were all created in the image of God. 

Genesis 1:27

"So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."

There are beautiful people that are lost in sin and, if you want to have a word picture then everyone has an ugly black heart.

Romans 3:23

" for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"

Salvation is the most precious gift that we can receive.

1 Peter 1:7

"That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

Live your life for Christ one day at a time, holding it dear and precious in His sight and wanting to share this gift with all those around you.

Time to Laugh

Ever make a silly face just to get someone else to laugh? Funny faces are just that-funny! 

I think it's great  when you see an adult making silly faces to get little ones to laugh. There are times when we just need to laugh.

Laughter is a wonderful medicine-it can release stress. I think it's wonderful to sit back and listen to a group of teenage girls that are talking and sharing and start laughing. It's such a joyous sound. Or when adult girlfriends get together and end up just laughing and laughing over silly things. A sweet sound is a baby's  belly laugh. When you hear it you just have to join in.

The Bible talks about laughter.

In Ecclesiastes 3 it says that there is a time for laughter.

I believe that God created laughter and enjoys seeing His children laughing. But there are times when laughter is not appropriate-certain circumstances that you may be in when to laugh would be rude. Laughter at crude jokes or offensive language is wrong. We should never laugh at someone else's expense. Laughter should be something that everyone involved can join in on and be a part.

But we must remember that laughter should not be confused with joy. God is the source of your joy (or should be). If you are joyful you can have laughter. But laughter is just a feeling. It will eventually end but your joy can be constant if you look to Christ.

Psalm 43:4

"Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy;"

Remember, The joy of the Lord is my strength as Nehemiah told the people is Nehemiah 8:10

Change of Season

Today marks the first day of Autumn. I love the fall season...when we lived in Ohio I loved the changing of colors with the leaves, pumpkins, and fires in the wood burner. In Florida, it's a little different...we are thankful when the temperature dips just a little and the fall festivals kick in, with their craft booths, food, and lots of pumpkins.

(Northeast Ohio last fall when I was home)

(Hunsader's Pumpkin Festival in 2009 here in Florida)

Normally, everyone has a wonderful memory that includes the autumn season. I remember a very special Thanksgiving season when we traveled to North Carolina to spend time with dear friends. The weather was cooler and the leaves had changed. Another special memory involved flying to North Carolina to spend a long weekend in the mountains with some girlfriends in a cabin. Shopping and eating and talking with a beautiful fall view! 

But, the season of autumn normally shows things dying or coming to fruition. Corn stalks die, trees changed their leaf colors and fall to the ground. Pumpkins reach their picking weight and the vines die. It is very much a season of change. The earth is preparing for winter in many places-things becoming bare and going into hibernation for a season.

This is a cycle that God created. I love each season for it's own reasons and am thankful for the changes that God allows in this beautiful world.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

"To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:

 A time to be born, And a time to die;

A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill, And a time to heal;

A time to break down, And a time to build up;

A time to weep, And a time to laugh;

A time to mourn, And a time to dance;

 A time to cast away stones,

    And a time to gather stones, A time to embrace,

    And a time to refrain from embracing;

 A time to gain, And a time to lose;

A time to keep, And a time to throw away;

A time to tear, And a time to sew;

A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;

A time to love,And a time to hate;

A time of war,And a time of peace."

It reminds me that the changes must happen or we wouldn't appreciate the different seasons quite as much. 

Fall sometimes feels like an artist getting ready to start with a new canvas. Everything dies off and becomes bare for the snow of Winter-a white canvas to start fresh and prepare to burst out with all of the colors of Spring and Summer!

Maybe this change of season makes you stop and think about something in your life that you need to let die and become bare of. Old, useless, or bad habits. This can be a time for you to wipe the slate clean-talk to God-confess and start anew. Let the negative words and actions drop from you and be "raked" into a big pile to be burned. Let yourself be "bared" before God for Him to work in your life, to stretch you, and help you grow for Him. When trees and shrubs are pruned in the fall, they come back healthier in the spring. They are pruned or cleaned up so that they will produce more fruit. This is what God does to us as well if we let Him. If we are living one day at a time and striving to please Him with our lives then we will be producing some fruit. He will prune us so that we will produce more. This may mean that some adversity may come your way. But if we never had any adversity, then we would only be coasting along and the times of bounty would not mean as much to us. I am learning to be thankful in every situation and look to the Lord to see what He has for me to learn.

John 15:1-2

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit."

Take the time to sit and enjoy a little taste or sight or scent of Autumn. Happy Fall y'all!

""In the garden, Autumn is, indeed the crowning glory of the year, bringing us the fruition of months of thought and care and toil. And at no season, safe perhaps in Daffodil time, do we get such superb color effects as from August to November." Rose G. Kingsley 

Watching, Scanning and...Caught!

Quite often you can look out of our front door and see a police officer parked on our street. They set up a speed trap for the main road at the end of our street. The speed limit is 35 mph and most people think that it is a little slow. I don't have a problem with obeying the speed limit here-in fact my children tease me about always going 34 mph!! 

What I find as interesting is that most people don't think of speeding as doing something wrong. A lot of people think that this is a gray area-not black and white. Some think that it isn't serious if they run a red light. I don't necessarily agree with all of the laws that are in place, but when they are put into place we are supposed to obey them. Here is the truth...if you go one mile over the speed limit then it is breaking the law.  It can be a very difficult thing to accept at times. Life has rules. As a child you have rules you have to obey and the majority of them are given to keep you safe. As an adult we have rules to keep order in our world. God gave the first set of rules back in history to the Israelites in the form of the 10 Commandments.

Exodus 20:1-17

" And God spoke all these words, saying:

 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

 “You shall have no other gods before Me.

 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;  you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,  but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

 “You shall not murder.

 “You shall not commit adultery.

 “You shall not steal.

 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Although we live in the age of Grace and are not under the law anymore we still need to follow the 10 commandments-they have not gone out of style over the years.

A person that lives by his own rules or doesn't have any rules at all to follow will give in to everything and not stand for anything. The world would be one of chaos-like the world was at the time of Noah.

Sin ruled and men were living however they wanted, so much so that God sent a flood to destroy the world and only saved Noah and his family.

When the Israelites didn't have a ruler it happened again as shared in Judges

Judges 21:25

"In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes."

As we live one day at a time while still here on earth we are living in a world that still has sin. Man cannot rule himself and therefore needs to have safeguards installed for him with penalties implemented if they are disregarded.

If we love the Lord and are seeking Him with all of our heart then we will want to obey Him and the rules He has given us to live by. No one is perfect, but if you do something wrong then you need to ask forgiveness. But remember, it isn't worth speeding to get where you are going. It may take a couple of extra minutes but you will get to your destination.

What Do You Know?

There are lots of fun and interesting facts that can be found in God's Word.

Everyone likes dinosaurs and we see lots of their skeletons in museums but when were they around?

They are described in great detail in Job 40:15-41:34.

“Look now at the behemoth, which I made along with you;

He eats grass like an ox. See now, his strength is in his hips,

And his power is in his stomach muscles. He moves his tail like a cedar;

The sinews of his thighs are tightly knit. His bones are like beams of bronze,

His ribs like bars of iron. He is the first of the ways of God;

Only He who made him can bring near His sword.Surely the mountains yield food for him,

And all the beasts of the field play there. He lies under the lotus trees,

In a covert of reeds and marsh.The lotus trees cover him with their shade;

The willows by the brook surround him. Indeed the river may rage, Yet he is not disturbed;

He is confident, though the Jordan gushes into his mouth, Though he takes it in his eyes,

Or one pierces his nose with a snare. “Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook,

Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower? Can you put a reed through his nose,

Or pierce his jaw with a hook? Will he make many supplications to you?

Will he speak softly to you? Will he make a covenant with you?

Will you take him as a servant forever? Will you play with him as with a bird,

Or will you leash him for your maidens? Will your companions make a banquet of him?

Will they apportion him among the merchants? Can you fill his skin with harpoons,

Or his head with fishing spears?Lay your hand on him;Remember the battle—

Never do it again! Indeed, any hope of overcoming him is false;

Shall one not be overwhelmed at the sight of him? No one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up.

Who then is able to stand against Me? Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him?

Everything under heaven is Mine. “I will not conceal his limbs,

His mighty power, or his graceful proportions. Who can remove his outer coat?

Who can approach him with a double bridle? Who can open the doors of his face,

With his terrible teeth all around?His rows of scales are his pride,

Shut up tightly as with a seal;One is so near another

That no air can come between them; They are joined one to another,

They stick together and cannot be parted. His sneezings flash forth light,

And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.Out of his mouth go burning lights;

Sparks of fire shoot out.Smoke goes out of his nostrils,

As from a boiling pot and burning rushes. His breath kindles coals,

And a flame goes out of his mouth.Strength dwells in his neck,

And sorrow dances before him.The folds of his flesh are joined together;

They are firm on him and cannot be moved. His heart is as hard as stone,

Even as hard as the lower millstone.When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid;

Because of his crashings they are beside themselves.

Though the sword reaches him, it cannot avail;Nor does spear, dart, or javelin.He regards iron as straw,

And bronze as rotten wood.The arrow cannot make him flee;

Slingstones become like stubble to him.Darts are regarded as straw;

He laughs at the threat of javelins. His undersides are like sharp potsherds;

He spreads pointed marks in the mire.He makes the deep boil like a pot;

He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.He leaves a shining wake behind him;

One would think the deep had white hair. On earth there is nothing like him,

Which is made without fear. He beholds every high thing;He is king over all the children of pride.”

Dinosaurs are real and I love the fact that we can read about them in the Bible.

I have read that there are estimated to be more than 300 sextillion stars in the universe-can you imagine? I love to go out at night and look at the stars and find the different constellations but I can't imagine ever counting all of them. Did you realize that God created them and He knows the exact count AND He named every single one of them-unbelievable!

Psalm 147:4

"He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name."

What an amazing God we have!

We can read about these facts and learn more about God's Word and all of the interesting facts that He has included in there as we live one day at a time and spend time daily with Him.

Other little "things"-the first word in the Bible is "In" and the last is "Amen". I love how God had over 40 men write 66 different books over a period of  about1600 years.

Of course, the Bible wasn't written in English in the beginning-it was in Hebrew. Greek, and Aramaic.

What interesting facts do you know? The shortest verse? John 11:35- "Jesus wept."

Esther is the only book that doesn't mentioned the word God.

Psalm 118 verse 8 is in the center of the English Bible: "It is better to trust in the Lord than put confidence in man."

It can be inexhaustible! It never gets old and God's Word is always the living truth. The more you read it, the more you will want to learn. 

I Was There...Were You?

It's the middle of the week. If you are anything like me, today can be a good day or it may be a difficult day. But it means that you have made it half-way through the week and only have a couple more days until the weekend. It means another thing to me though. Sunday we spend our day in our local church. We have Sunday School-my husband is the teacher of the under 30 group-it's my favorite part of the day! We then have our morning service, where I sing in the choir and take part in special music before listening to Pastor Andy preach from God's Word. We enjoy our afternoon at home before going back for choir practice and then into our A.W.A.N.A. program where I work with the third-sixth grade kids. It's a great start to my week-hearing from God's Word, worshiping God in prayer and song, and being able to fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ.

Psalm 122:1

" I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the LORD.”

Then, the work week begins and the pressures of the world and life attack me. I am thrilled to find refuge on Wednesday night---at church.

Hebrews 10:23-25

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."

We live one day at a time. I need fuel to make it through my week. It's wonderful and helps to have our Pastor share God's Word and then be able to spend time in prayer with other believers. 

If you aren't in the habit of going to church on Wednesday night, why not? Too tired -you will be refreshed after sitting under God's Word. Too busy-you will make time for the things that are important to you.

Wednesday night is one of the most important times to be at your church. Our founding pastor always told us that 'As a church moves forward, it moves forward on its' knees'. Time in prayer. There are situations that will keep you from church-some are not able to be there because of their mobility or health. Keep them lifted up in prayer and keep in touch with them to encourage them-"considering them". 

Church attendance may not be popular and events in the world may try to compete but God will bless your faithfulness. 

An Honest Day's Work

This is my place of employment. Outside of tax season I am here four days a week about 9 1/2 hours a day. I love my job. I enjoy my responsibilities and I am blessed to work for a Christian boss. Something that has struck me as interesting is how many people in the world today don't put in an "honest day's work". The complete phrase that has been coined is "an honest day's work for an honest day's pay". People want to be paid but they find ways to "cheat" their employer of a full day's work-get in a few minutes late or take a few extra breaks, or leave early often.  I'm thankful for parents that taught me a good work ethic, one that hopefully I have passed on to my children. If I am being paid for something then I should be there and do what I need to do. I read an interesting article that talked about God being the first one to "work". He created the world in six days and then He rested. When He was done, He placed Adam in the garden to tend to it-this was work.

Genesis 2:15

"Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it"

God tells us in Colossians 3:23

"And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men," 

And I believe that this includes your job as well. As Christians, as we live one day at a time we need to keep Christ as our focus-doing our job for Him and not just for our boss. Being a good employee means that you learn to be a good steward of your time while you are at your job. If you read the story of Joseph, when he worked for Pharaoh, he saved many people's lives because of his work. I want to be remembered in a good light like Joseph is in the Bible.

1 Corinthians 4:2

"Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful."

Christ talks about how faithful servants are rewarded. 

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’  He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’  His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Be an honest worker, work while you are at work, be an employee that your boss would want to clone and brag about! Then you will know that you have earned your paycheck. But do everything you are supposed to do for Christ first, so that if you are praised by man it will be "an added bonus." (as my "big brother Bill would always say.)

Friends Through Thick and Thin

Life has its ups and downs. As we grow up we learn that the world and what goes on in it is not always rosy.   When we become adults we take on more responsibilities and have pressures from home, work, family, and friends that can weigh us down. If I was not a Christian, I would say that the world is pretty dismal. There are wars and famines and poverty. Yet, as a Christian I have a different perspective-knowing that Christ is my anchor and although things around me falter I can thrive through Him. I am thankful for the friends that have stuck with me through thick and thin. The ones that I made when I was young and have since moved away from physically, yet we still keep in touch. I know I can count on them if I need them. I am also thankful for the ones that God brought into my life for a short while for a specific reason. Different friends have brought out different positive character qualities in me and for that I am thankful. 

Proverbs 18:24

"A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

You can always make new friends. Just reach out to someone and show them you care. You will have different levels of friends and that can be a great thing as well. You may have ones you only see once a year but you still keep in touch. You may have friends that you love to get together in a group and you share a lot of similar likes. Then you will have a few close friends with whom you can share your heart. Treasure all your friendship. Don't treat any of them lightly because a friendship is a pressure gift.

We constantly need to be stretched and challenged to continue our love for Christ and desire to share Him with those around us. Friends should bring out the best in us. They will be happy for us when something wonderful happens. They will cry with us when we go through a valley. They will drop everything to go through a crisis with us. There are friends that even when you are miles apart, you can pick up the phone and continue a conversation just as if you hadn't stopped talking-I love that! Being a friend takes commitment and time and sometimes sacrifice, but the rewards are so worth it. We are to be examples of Christ and that means being selfless.

We need to be a positive friend. Cheer, encourage, one day at a time, and lift up the one that is sad or discouraged. There isn't anyplace for negativity or selfishness in a friendship-it isn't Christlike and it doesn't do anyone any good. 

Proverbs 27:17

"As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend."

John 15:13

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends."

The three girls in the picture are my daughter and her girlfriends and they are a wonderful example of true friends to me. I think that they will still be laughing together 60 years from now as they roll down the halls of the nursing home together! ;)

Collecting & Keeping Your Thoughts

I love journals~

Over the years and recently I have had friends that have bought me a journal and I have thoroughly enjoyed them. I have kept travel journals, journals with poems that I have written, and journals that have carried my thoughts about certain events that have taken place in my life throughout the years. 

Journals can be a great companion. There are times when you want to remember a special time or event and being able to write it all down, you can go back later and relive it again. Plus, as time goes by you may forget certain things until you read it and it sparks a memory.

I have also kept a prayer journal. I have written specific prayers out. I love having scripture written out that you can pray. Making a list of prayer requests is good too so that you remember what to pray for but more exciting is when you are able to go back and place the answer to prayer next to it with a date. God is still a God who answers prayer.

I have enjoyed writing letters to my children from the time that they were born-putting them in an envelope and dating them. It includes special things that have taken place in the past year. I will give them to each of my kids at some point in their adult life so that they can hopefully sit and read and remember and enjoy.

A journal can be where you write down your thoughts on different subjects-maybe dreams you have for your life or job or children or future. It can be a safe place where you unload your feelings when you are sad or angry. It is encouraging to look back and read some entries and find how I have changed and matured since then. Even as I write I realize that I can have all the words in the world but I need to be sure that my life is being lived to honor and glorify God. I may have difference of opinions with those around me and things may not always go my way but I need to live my life with Christ as the focus. 

Colossians 3:17

"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

Isaiah 55:8-9

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Take a moment as we live one day at a time to put some our your thoughts down on paper (or maybe in a file on your computer) so that those in your family, future generations, will be able to look back and learn a little bit more about you. 

Memories

So last night a friend and I went to a 24 hour scrap booking marathon. (Only we did go home to sleep for about 8 of those hours and then we came back in the morning.) It was a lot of fun. Eighty-eight ladies gathered in about 8 different rooms with all of their pictures and paraphernalia! It was amazing how many "supplies" some of them brought with them! My goal was to chronicle our family vacation we took last summer to London & Paris. (I did get it all put together except for the journaling.)

Modern technology is wonderful in that it has given us the capabilities of having a tangible way to record our memories-trips, events, and life-one day at a time. 

There are some events that take place in our lives that even if we didn't have any pictures we would still be able to remember a lot of the details-maybe it would be our wedding or the birth of our child. But having pictures allow you to "freeze the moment" so that you can remember and relive more details. It also allows us to share special moments with family and friends that may not have been present with us. I especially am thankful for pictures since moving 1200 miles away from my parents thirteen years ago. My parents have been able to see their grandchildren in special events even though they weren't there physically.

I love to think of the Bible as a very relevant, word descriptive scrapbook (without the pictures). God has had the story of creation to New Testament church and then what will take place after the rapture all written down in 66 books for us to read. If you take the time to read it, He gives us so many details that you can picture it in your mind as you read the stories-from creation to Noah's ark to the crossing of the Red Sea to Christ's crucifixion.

Genesis 6:13-21

" And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.  Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch.  And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.  You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.  And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them.”

Matthew 27:32-37

" Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross.  And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, 34 they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.

Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet:

“They divided My garments among them,

And for My clothing they cast lots.”

Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.  And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him:

THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS."

Memories can be happy and yet there are also sad memories. But the best memory of all can be when you are able to remember the day that you accepted Christ as your Savior. I remember the day when I was 5 and my mom was the one who talked with me in my bedroom and led me to the Lord. I  remember both of the days that I was privileged to lead my children to the Lord and a lot of the details that surround them. My personal advice is to take lots of pictures as your family grows up and older so that you will have tangible memories to look back on, but more importantly, take the time to share Christ with all of those that are in your life so that you can also have the wonderful memories of the day of their conversions.

A picture may be worth a thousand words but salvation lasts forever!  

Cup 'o Joe

These coffee houses and ones like it started popping up all over America some years ago. Their main menu item? Coffee. Some people may think-how in the world can one beverage sustain such a large business. People love coffee. There are many different ways to have it-brewed, percolated, or french-pressed. You can serve it hot or cold. There are lattes, espressos, frappes, or macchiatos. My husband laughs at me because I have so many adjectives when I order my drink. You can personalize it to your liking. People say they are drinking coffee, java, a cup of joe. There are different slang terms for a cup of coffee. But they all stand for the same drink. Coffee has been around a long time. It shows in history way back in the middle of the 15th century in the Arab world. The beans were harvested and sold. It spread through Egypt and North Africa and then traveled to the Middle East. From there it went to Europe, the East Indies, and finally America. It started replacing the popular drink of tea.

Coffee has become a past-time-entertaining over coffee.

The reality of the drink is that it doesn't matter how many cups of coffee you drink, you will still eventually become thirsty again. (Or the caffeine will wear off and you will need more for a pick-me-up) 

You can compare this to the spiritual thirst that so many people have. As we live this life on earth one day at a time, people are searching for meaning. There is a hole in their life that they try to fill with other things that will only bring temporary satisfaction. The story is told of the Samaritan woman in the Bible. She was coming to draw water and Jesus talked with her. He gave her the option of having "the water" that will satisfy all thirsts.

John 4:5-30

"So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.  Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?”

Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”

The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.”

Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’  for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”

The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”

Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.”

 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?”

The woman then left her water pot, went her way into the city, and said to the men,  “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him."

There isn't anything wrong with coffee and we can continue to enjoy our cup 'o Joe each day but we can be assured that our eternal thirst is satisfied if we accept Christ, the Living Water, as our Savior.

Scars

I talked about my son last night and shared with you about the injury he acquired during his soccer game.

This injury will most likely result in a small scar above his eye. It's so funny because since he has had the injury we have heard some different comments like, "girls like guys with scars" or "scars are tattoos with better stories" and "athletes get many scars, it builds character". I have to agree with all of these statements.

A scar is a type of fibrous tissue that replaces the normal skin after an injury. Over time, scars may fade but they will always be there-as a reminder of whatever happened.

I can't help but think about Christ and the scars that he will show us once we get to Heaven. If He had not died on the cross for our sins then He would not have the nail scarred hands and feet or the scar in His side from the spear.

John 20:24-29

"Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”

So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

One result of having a scar is that it is something visible for you to be reminded of what happened. As we live one day at a time, there are occasions that we choose to walk our way and sin. If we are Christians then we can ask for forgiveness and our relationship with Christ can be restored. But  there will be consequences that result out of our sins and they may leave scars. Our goal should be to grow closer to God as we walk along our Christian life so that we sin less and therefore we won't have as many "scars" in our lives with which we have to live. God can still use the "scars" in your life. You may be able to minister to someone else going through a similar situation or you may be able to prevent someone from taking a wrong path. A new movie out has a statement in it that I really like, "To be human is to be beautifully flawed." As long as we are here on earth in human bodies with our sin natures we will be flawed. God can still bless and use us if we let Him. One day, when Christ returns, we will be rid of our scarred earthly bodies and transformed to be like Him.

I Corinthians 15:35-58

But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

Thou fool, that which thou sows is not quickened, except it die:

And that which thou sows, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:

But God gives it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differs from another star in glory.

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.

 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

 But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."