Thanksgiving at the Ranch

We spent Thanksgiving at a ranch this year.

Nana, Pop, and Uncle Philip joined us.

The weather was beautiful and there was so much to do!

Archery

Reading on the Porch

Feeding the Horses on Thanksgiving Morning

Pre-Dinner Hike

The Best Part - Real Whipped Cream and Pumpkin Pie!

Post-Dinner Shoot "Em Up

Claire's Pie

This picture was taken a week ago when Claire made her first pie. We sliced apples and used plenty of cinnamon and sugar. Claire sprinkled raw sugar and more cinnamon on top. It was delicious!

Weekend at Nana's

The kids had a fun weekend with Nana. Claire found a leaf bug (the green one). Later, they put together a ten act dramatization that included music and gymnastics. They can't wait for another sleep-over. Thanks Nana!

Hold My Heart

How long must I pray,

Must I pray to You?

How long must I wait,

Must I wait for you?

How long ‘til I see your face,

See you shining through?

I'm on my knees,

Begging you to notice me

I'm on my knees.

Father, will you turn to me?

One tear in the driving rain.

One voice in the sea of pain.

Could the Maker of the stars

Hear the sound of my breaking heart?

One life, that's all I am.

Right now I can barely stand.

If You're everything You say You are

Would You come close and hold

my heart?

I've been so afraid, afraid to close my eyes.

So much can slip away before I say goodbye.

But if there's no other way

I'm done asking why.

I'm on my knees,

Begging You to turn to me.

I'm on my knees.

Father, will You run to me?

So many questions without answers.

Your promises remain.

I can't see but I'll take my chances

To hear you call my name.

To hear you call my name.

Tenth Avenue North: Michael Donehey, Jason David Ingram, and Phillip Larue

Psalm 116

I love the Lord, for He heard my voice;

He heard my cry for mercy.

Because He turned his ear to me

I will call on Him as long as I live.

The cords of death entangled me,

the anguish of the grave came upon me;

I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.

Then I called on the name of the Lord:

"O Lord, save me!"

The Lord is gracious and righteous;

our God is full of compassion.

The Lord protects the simplehearted;

when I was in great need, He saved me.

Be at rest once more, O my soul,

for the Lord has been good to you.

For you, O Lord, have delivered

my soul from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling,

that I may walk before the Lord

in the land of the living.

This is my prayer - that this psalm would be true in my life.

God Cares!

God demonstrates his own love for us in this:

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8, NIV

When have you felt so totally helpless that your prayer was fathoms deeper than mere words-it was a desperate heart's cry? Was it when some bad thing happened to someone you love?

Was it when you experienced . . .

a physical illness?

a financial collapse?

a severed relationship?

a social rejection?

Did you think because something bad happened, it indicated Jesus doesn't really know what's going on? Or that maybe He knows, but He's not pleased with you? Or that if He does know, He just doesn't love you or your family enough to do anything about it? Are you interpreting His love by your circumstances instead of interpreting your circumstances by His love? When we are tempted to question whether or not God cares, we are reminded that, "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,

Christ died for us." God does care!

Blessings,

Anne Graham Lotz

He Gives and Takes Away

"He is the Lord; let Him do what is good in His eyes." (1 Samuel 3:18)

If I see God in everything, He will calm and color everything I see! Perhaps the circumstances causing my sorrows will not be removed and my situation will remain the same, but if Christ is brought into my grief and gloom as my Lord and Master, He will "surround me with songs of deliverance" (Ps. 32:7). To see Him and to be sure that His wisdom and power never fail and His love never changes, to know that even His most distressing dealings with me are for my deepest spiritual gain, is to be able to say in the midst of bereavement, sorrow, pain, and loss, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised" (Job 1:21).
(Taken from Streams in the Desert, by L.B. Cowman, September 17)