Bottled Water

We got a new CD recently that has this fun song on it, called "Bottled Water" by Mark Bishop.  Enjoy! =D

When you walk into any store,
you'll pay a buck or even more for water -- bottled water.
If my grandpa were here today,
he'd say we're all nuts to pay for water -- bottled water.
It falls for free out of the sky,
The ocean's full, yet still we buy it by the case at Walmart -- bottle water.
I'll never understand,
but I'd like to meet the man
who came up with the plan to bottle up and sell us water.
I'm sure his wife said, "It'll never fly,"
He said, "I think it will, and here's the reason why,
We won't sell just plain old water,
But Mountain, Stream, low Sodium, from Colorado or Canadian water."
But where it comes from no one knows,
It may just be a garden hose, in Detroit.
I know I'd be a millionaire,
If I could bottle up some air and call it -- Bottled Oxygen!
To sell beside their bottled water!

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child is a ministry of Samaritan's Purse. OCC sends hundreds of thousands of Christmas Presents to needy children in other countries. People across America put gifts of all kinds (school supplies, candy, toys, etc.) into shoe boxes and designate the gift for a boy of girl of a certain age group. All the boxes go to one of six processing centers in the US before being shipped. In the processing center volunteers do several things:

1. Take out the money which is donated to Samaritan's Purse for transporting the boxes to foreign countries.
2. Inspect the boxes for inappropriate items, like war toys, snakes, chocolate, food, breakable items, liquid items, and used items. And all of these inappropriate items have to be removed.
3. Replace those items with other donated items: toys, toothbrushes, toothpaste, candy, etc.
4. Tape the shoe box shut.
5. Pack at least 14 shoe boxes into cardboard boxes for transporting.
Today my Daddy, Mother, me and three friends from Cheyenne went to volunteer for 4 hours at the processing center in Denver. It was so much fun to work with them!

 Hard at work with a lot of other people there.

 My dear friend, Ivanna and me at our station for sorting through the boxes.

Three Words

Some of the most significant messages people deliver to one another often come in just three words. Those statements have the power to forge new friendships, deepen old ones and restore relationships that have cooled.
The following three-word phrases can enrich every relationship:
   
     I'LL BE THERE -
Being there for another person is the greatest gift we can give. When we are truly present for other people, important things happen to them and to us. We are renewed in love and friendship. We are restored emotionally and spiritually.                                    
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is;” Hebrews 10:25

     I MISS YOU -
This powerful affirmation tells friends they are wanted, needed, desired and loved.
“Without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; greatly desiring to see thee…” 2 Timothy 1:3-4

      I RESPECT YOU -
Respect conveys the feeling that another person is a true equal. It is a powerful way to affirm the importance
of a relationship.
"In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” Philippians 2:3

      MAYBE YOU'RE RIGHT -
This phrase is highly effective in diffusing an argument and restoring frayed emotions. The flip side of "maybe you're right" is the humility of admitting "maybe I'm wrong."
“Confess your faults one to another.” James 5:16, and James 4:10, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord.”

      PLEASE FORGIVE ME -
Many broken relationships could be restored and healed if people would admit their mistakes and ask for forgiveness. All of us are vulnerable to faults, foibles and failures. A girl should never be ashamed to own up to where she has been in the wrong, which is by saying, in other words, that she is wiser today than she was yesterday.
“Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32, and Matthew 5:23-24, “If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”

      I THANK YOU -
Gratitude is an exquisite form of courtesy. People who enjoy the companionship of good, close friends are those who don't take daily courtesies for granted. They are quick to thank their friends for their many expressions of kindness.                  
“Be ye thankful.” Colossians 3:15

      COUNT ON ME -
"A friend is one who walks in when others walk out." Loyalty is an essential ingredient for true friendship; it is
the emotional glue that bonds people. Those who are rich in their relationships tend to be steady and true friends. When troubles come, a good friend is there, indicating "you can count on me."
“Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the
faith of the gospel.” Philippians 1:27

      LET ME HELP -
The best of friends see a need and try to fill it. When they spot a hurt they do what they can to heal it.        
“Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galations 6:2, and Philippians 2:4, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

      I UNDERSTAND YOU -
People become closer and enjoy each other more if they feel the other person accepts and understands them. Letting others know in so many little ways that you understand him or her is one of the most powerful tools for healing your relationship.
“Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.” 2 Corinthians 13:11, and Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”

      GO FOR IT -
Some of your friends may be non-conformists, have unique projects and unusual hobbies. Support them in pursuing their interests. Rather than urging your loved ones to conform, encourage their uniqueness.
“Now the God of peace…make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ.” Hebrews 13:20-21, and Hebrews 10:24, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.”

     I suppose the 3 little words that you were expecting to see have to be reserved for those who are special; that is: I LOVE YOU.
“Let brotherly love continue.” Hebrews 13:1 and John 15:12, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” Romans 13:8, “Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” 1Thessalonians 4:9 “But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.”

Received on email and my mother added Bible verses to it.

Beautiful Moments Captured - Gifts from God

Roses ~ they are so beautiful and delicate; God made them so wonderfully!

Sunsets ~ They are amazing. God blesses me every time I get to see His amazing paintings in the evening skies.

Rain ~ it is so inspiring at times, fun to capture through a camera lens, and good for the earth.

Gorgeous flowers ~ like my favorite - crab-apple blossoms.

Rainbows of promise ~ Reminding me that God's promise to Noah after the flood Is Still True.

Fall colors ~ Reminding me that all things in life go in seasons. Things die in the fall and winter, but spring comes again with new life.

Christmas reminders ~ the colors green and red, candy canes, decorations, snow, but most importantly, Jesus coming to earth as a baby so long ago to save us in the end. That's what Christ-mas is really about.

Well, this is also the 100th post on this blog!!  That is so exciting for me! I hope this blog has been an encouragement to you, all who read my blog.  I'd love it if you would comment (please do!) and let me know who reads this blog, so that I can think of you and pray for you. Have a blessed weekend in our Lord, Jesus Christ!

Consecrated to God -- Emily Grace

Thanksgiving!

We had MUCH to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!! While traveling here, my two sisters-in-law and niece and nephews were in a car accident, but the Lord protected them and they were unhurt! Totally amazing since they had rolled and the car was totaled. Brenda and Joy had a few bruises and their backs were out, but they all were still alive! So after that whole ordeal on the Monday before Thanksgiving and after they all got here, we had a wonderful thanksgiving together! All the family was together, except for my brother, Jeffrey, who we sorely missed. So, here are some pictures from our blessed t-h-a-n-k-s-g-i-v-i-n-g!

 My adorable parents :)

The still at home kids:

 My sweet niece, Cherry playing us a tune!

She just couldn't reach it!  She was trying so hard!

 Me and my newest nephew, Jonathan

 Our Thanksgiving meal...

 Daddy and Mother with the grandkids.

 Jason and Jonathan

 Mother singing to Jonathan.

 Us purple ladies...

I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful! There is so much to be thankful to God our Father for!

Another drawing!

Yeah, I know it took me awhile, but I finally got it done, after 3 months of working on this picture of my niece and I! It's 8.5x11 inches. I had so much fun on it!

Recommended Books

(If a title is colored, than you can click on it, and it will come up with the place where you can buy it.)

'Young Woman, Be Virtuous'   is a really good book for teen girls who are striving to be everything God wants them to be, sharing truth, power, and love.

 'Valkyries' has 2 books in the series. They are books that deep readers will love. Hard to get into at first glance, but it's hard to rip you away from the pages once you get into it, which won't take long in this story. You can't foresee what is going to happen, like you can in a lot of books. It is an great story of a girl searching for her way in life.

 'A Father's Promise' is a book centered in the time period of Hitler. It's about a Jewish boy who survived a life of running, hiding from Hitler and his hate. One of my first favorite books.

 'The Little Sparrows'. I love Al and Joanna Lacy's writing. There are 3 books in the 'Orphan Train Trilogy' series. It is about orphan's stories, and an orphan train which carried them to lives of: be separated from siblings, love or hate, joy or heartache.

 'The Greatest of These'. A homeschool girl wrote it, and it is a really good book.

 The Millie Keith Series. My favorite fiction books ever. written. There are 8 books in the series. And I think anyone would love them. Even my brother does. They are great, Christian books. I definitely recommend them for anyone who wants to read exciting, fun, real life, serious, Christian books.

 'My Utmost for HIS Highest'. A deep thinker, devotional book that makes you contemplate a lot in life.

 The Hutchinson series-written by Nancy Rue (no connection to Nancy Drew). These were the first "real" books I ever read and I loved them! They were the books that first made me want to write.
There are 6 books in a set, and 5 sets in the whole Hutchinson series.

I hope you enjoyed this!

Bible Verse Cards

These are card fronts for the cards that I sell. Yesterday, I made a bunch with Bible verses.  Which one is your favorite?? Please let me know!

If you would like a pack of my photography cards, with these fronts, please list out which ones you like. There are 10 cards in a pack for $10 plus tax. The cards are great for anyone, and they are encouraging.
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