Author Archives: Marie

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About Marie

Happily married to the same awesome guy for many years. Love God, reading, cats, and travel. Avid crafter especially counted cross stitch and crochet.

Word-Filled Wednesday Book Review

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StonesI really enjoy reading history and novels based on historical events.  Rebekah’s Treasure by Sylvia Bambola did not disappoint.  Ms. Bambola took a great deal of time to research the events happening in Jerusalem and its surrounding towns  in 70 A.D.  The preparation for battle and the battle scenes during the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple were intensely descriptive and although violent, definitely necessary to understanding the story. (The picture to the left is stones from the Western Wall of the Temple Mount (Jerusalem) thrown onto the street by Roman soldiers on the Ninth of Av, 70 A.D.-from Wikipedia photos.)

As the story is developed and the characters come to life the reader is taken into the 1st Century.  Believer’s are trying to flee the city and the persecution they are experiencing at the hands of Rome.   Rebekah is carrying the Cup of the Last Supper and her husband, Ethan, is charged with guarding and using the treasures of the Temple.  Their journey’s include caravan robbers, lack of food and water, intrigue and mystery.

In weaving the story there is a constant thread of Family Values.  There is great concern as to the safety and well-being of each member.  The artifacts that are being transported to new locations remain simply things while the family relationships and friendships provide the cement that holds the story together.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.  It is refreshing, accurate, and believable.  If you would like to purchase a copy for yourself, just click on the picture and it will take you to the author’s blog.  (I receive no compensation from the author for suggesting that you purchase the book.)

I have been provided a complimentary REbekahcopy of Rebekah’s Treasure by Sylvia Bambola from BookCrash for the the sole purpose of review.

 

5-Minute Friday

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I am joining the flash mob of writer/bloggers for 5-Minute Friday.  Today’s word is – fill.  If you’d like to join in the fun head over to Heading Home, Kate Motaung’s blog and join in.

jar-106855_640Immediately my mind goes to the Professor who brings a glass jar filled with rocks to a lecture and asks the class if they believe the jar is full.  Of course, the class says yes.  He then proceeds to fill in the empty areas with small gravel.  When asked if the jar is full the class says yes.  After adding sand he asks again and gets yes.  He then adds water and asks is the jar full.  Well of course it is, so he asks what is the significance of this exercise…

Unless we put the large rocks in first we won’t be able to fit them in later.

I have found this to be true in so many areas of life but nowhere more so than in my relationship with Jesus.  The basics have to be put in place each day to be filled to the brim with life nourishing water.

Look at it like this;

The rocks are the early morning times of prayer and praise.

The gravel is reading and studying the word.

The sand is asking for His help, encouragement, love, and forgiveness in all of the day’s situations.

The water is His response to my request…filled to the brim…overflowing…adding more as necessary…never letting the jar (me) run dry.

My 5 minutes has run out but …

Wonderful words from His Word – John 4:4-14

Fill My Cup, Lord

Heavenly Fill me to the fullest with Your Living Water.  Let it wash over not only me but everyone I come into contact with.  Hear my prayer, Lord, in the Precious Name of Jesus.

 

Our Amazing Brain…..

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Anne at FreedomBorn is one of my favorite bloggers. She writes with total truth, integrity, and sincerity. I share this because brain function is a fascinating area for me. My years as a teacher and principal gave many opportunities for learning more about how the brain works. God created the perfect vehicle (our brains) for interaction with Him. I fear we don’t use it enough!

Freedomborn's avatarFreedomborn

Brain 1

SDAll God’s Amazing Creation leaves us in Awe, how can we doubt that He is The Awesome Designer, all He made is very good and when we know Him as Love, we know this is True, He is the same Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

SDBelow is a Power Point of our incredible Brains and also Optical illusions that we will find hard to perceive as they really are, our Brains will tell us something different.

SDClick to enjoy –The Human Brain

SD

 If you don’t have a Power point viewer this link is for a free one that you can download then click and enjoy the beauty of God’s Creation http://www.freewarefiles.com/Microsoft-PowerPoint-Viewer_program_24404.html

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Fallen

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falling-98712_640I fell..flat out…full body…talking to my friend as I walked across her yard…holding my glass of iced tea…didn’t see the landscape timber…caught my toe and down I went…

How did it happen?  I was headed toward the Holy Hug we share each time we see one another.  My mind was set on the accepting, loving, non-judgmental, person walking toward me.  I did not see the obstacle, it was just there.

Isn’t that so like the believer’s journey?  The pure joy of the welcoming, loving arms of our Savior are always waiting for us.  As we move toward Him we don’t see the obstacle and down we go.

There’s more to the story.  I did not have to try to get up on my own.  My sweet husband was there to help me.  Just like my Jesus…the rescuing hand is always there to pull me up and restore.

Oh, How He Loves You and Me!

Romans 323

 

Follow Me

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fisherman

Peter was with Jesus from the beginning to the end…yes, we know that.  Did you know that his beginning started with “Follow Me” and ended with the same words?

When I was a child we often sang a delightful song with the words,”I Will Make You Fishers of Men”.   Even today, so many years past childhood, I can still sing the words and hear the melody in my mind.

Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee when he saw Simon Peter and his brother Andrew fishing in the lake.  He said to them, “Follow Me and we’ll fish for people.”  And so they did.  Further on down the road he came upon James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were in the boat with their father.  Jesus said the same thing to them,  “Follow Me” and they did.  That little story, in my own words, is found in Matthew 4:18-22.

Let’s travel three years into the future.  The four have followed Jesus faithfully, fully immersed in His journey.  They have watched Him closely, learned from Him, shared His words with others, been at the Cross with Him and He is about to return to the Father.  In this scene we find them once again by the side of a lake.  Jesus has cooked them breakfast and when they done eating He says to Peter, “Do you love me?”  Peter answers, “You know I love You!”  This went on two more times, each time Peter answered positively and Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep (or lambs)”.  It was very important for Peter to understand what his future was to be about, but something even more important is said at the end of this conversation.  Jesus tells him what his death will be like and then He says, “Follow Me!”  (John 12:15-19)

Why did Jesus say these words again?  He knew Peter so well and knew that he needed reminded that it’s not about him, that to follow Him, Peter would have to take himself out of the picture.  It’s the same message for us.  We are are to follow Him and forget ourselves.  From the beginning to the end of our relationship with Him it has to be all about HIM.

Heavenly Father, teach us to make this life all about You.  Teach us to put others first.  Teach us to serve those around us.  Oh, LORD, teach us!