Being Remembered

While we don't have tv here I can read the news online and of course today the news is all about the new president and the huge celebration. I couldn't help but be drawn to a picture of President and Laura Bush. After 8 years living in the White House it is time for them to pack up and make room for the new people to arrive. There is much talk about how our President will be remembered. From what I read, people are not very nice and only have negative things to say about him. While I don't agree with everything he has had a part in, I certainly will not remember only the negative.
It caused me to think about our own lives and how we will each be remembered when we move on. Are people going to remember all of our mistakes and things they didn't like about us or will they think back to fond days together and look past the bad and choose to focus on the good.
We all want to be remembered in a good way and it's normal. The more I thought of this, the more I thought of how the Lord remembers things and the things He chooses not to remember.
I can think of verses in the bible where I read and say "Huh????" Let's take Lot-in 2Peter, Peter uses the phrase 'righteous Lot'. Hmm, is that a phrase you would associate Lot with? The Holy Spirit inspired these words so they are not there by accident. It could easily have been written without the adjective righteous. I wouldn't have. Kind David is known as a 'man after God's heart', he said in 2 Samuel that he was blameless before the Lord. Would we consider David to be blameless after his little meeting with Bathseba and having Uriah killed? Not me! Sara-she is recorded in the chapter of faith Hebrews 11! As I remember her story she lacked faith from time to time and went about her own ways because of it.
Wow! Do these things give us hope or what?!!! We fall, we sin, we fail, yet our gracious God remembers us in such a greater way. He sees us through His Son! Amen! The death of Jesus on the cross has allowed our sin and failures to be forgotten in the eyes of the Lord. I am amazed! I am humbled and able to rejoice that we have such a gracious Heavenly Father!

Hard to imagine that in six days I will be on a plane to the states! Wow-I am a bit nervous because I found out I actually have to change airports in London which means I have to collect my luggage, take an hour bus ride and then start all over again at the other airport.
Jim is freaking out and thinking I am going to fall with my luggage. Ever since we found out I have osteoporosis he gets scared for me. So, if you read this, pray for me please! I am going to send out a prayer request for this anyway. I must admit I have a bit of fear about it.
I am going out this Sat to get some goodies to bring back with me.....little bit of this and a little bit of that.....yummy!

To those in So Cal...see you soon!

I made a little list of what I have to do this week-somehow when it looks a bit cute it doesn't seem so bad as just a plain piece of paper with magic marker writing :)

2008 Year In Review

I figure if you can't beat them, you might as well join them!! I saw this and wrote it down for our reading enjoyment!! What would the world do without blondes???!!!! It would be quite boring I think!

Yes folks, what a year it was :)

click to enlarge if your eyes are as bad as mine

New beginings

New Year's Eve we went to the church in Montebelluna for some food and fellowship! I love how they go together!!!!

We had a great time, made it til midnight and then to our surprise walked outside to a snowfall! Not bad if you are in the house, drinking cocoa by a warm fire....to drive back home is a whole other story! I did pack my overnight bag just in case but Jim wanted to brave it and drive home. What is normally an hour drive became a 2-1/2 drive home. Man, it was so snowy-like a blizzard at times and no snow plows. I was pleasantly surprised when we reached 0ur little town to see the plow guy was 2 cars ahead of us plowing the way-of course he made a left turn into his bldg before plowing all the way down to our house though! Thankfully, we made it safely home!

While we were driving home, I mentioned to Jim (in between asking him a million times if he's scared to drive) how appropriate it was to have a fresh snowfall the first of the year. It was neat because we talked about how it represented newness, purity, clean, fresh, all those adjectives and more. It brought great joy to my heart to think how the Lord does all these things in our lives.

I wanted a verse for the year-something to be reminded of and as usual, the Lord answered.

Be still and know that I am God

Psalm 46:10

There are many things that have happened that I will probably never understand. I have spent a lot of time and energy trying to figure them out and asking God why things are the way they are. Instead of worrying, fearing man, and making myself sick over it, I need to know that He is God! First, to be still. Not to pick my brain trying to figure things out but to be still-be at rest.


Then, to know He is God. I mean really know that He is God! Not just sing the words or read the words or repeat them to someone else in their time of need, but to really know that I know that I know that HE IS GOD!! Nothing escapes Him, He sees all, He knows all. Knowing that with all my heart and mind will allow me to be still!


Here are a couple pictures of our New Year's snowfall from my balcony!!