Gods Love*

 John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Fall in love with the ordinary. Dare to believe that the minor details of your life matter to God. You are much more than pretty…you are wonderfully made. You are much more than likeable…you are deeply loved. You are the spice of life, created to bring zest and flavor to the world around you just by being yourself.

I believe that people don’t know the love God has. We all believe in God in some form. You need to fall in love with the Word of God to see His love like never before.

In the bible is everything we will ever need to live in this world. When you know that God loves you it just makes your life different. Nothing can happen to you that God can’t handle. Thing is we don’t let Him handle it. We try to handle life on our own. That old saying let go and let God is so true.

Most don’t know either that the Creator of the Universe wants to take care of you. He says give Him all your burdens. When you give your burdens to Him though remember to leave them there don’t take them back.

If you are not convinced of His love just look at what He created. Watch a sunset it is beautiful.

My prayer for you is that you know His love and give Him all your burdens.

Talk to God from you heart it will heal you.

Noah’s Ark and Now*

Hebrew 6:13

Noah warned for about 125 years about a flood coming. At that time their was no such thing as rain. The mist would come up from the ground and water everything but rain never came from the sky. 

Noah is talking about a rain from the sky. He’s warning people of rain that they knew nothing about. They thought he was crazy. What's rain? What’s a flood? He’s crazy. They tuned him out. They mocked him they laughed at him. They ridiculed him. 

He was the prophet in that land at the time. He was there to warn a evil dark dying world that a flood was coming. What was the flood for? To destroy the evil that was there in the world but also to cleanse it of all the destruction.

 Right now God has been talking to us about shakings. Something significant is coming He says. He’s been talking about bracing for impact. He’s been warning over and over again. And just like the days of Noah the prophet’s are still mocked by some. Not just prophet’s but people too. We are told we’re crazy when we try to tell some people what’s coming. People didn’t listen then and some aren’t listening now. 125 years is a long time to warn about a flood. (Noah that darn conspiracy theorist. Lol.)

Matt 24:37 is a warning. 

We all have been eating and drinking and enjoying our life. But one day everything is going to change just like in Noah’s day. 

 Noah wanted to help these people. Even though Noah did what God was telling him to do the people didn’t listen. The only people saved were Noah, his sons and their family. 

People right now are blinded by truth. It’s right there in front of there face. The truth is out. It seems everything regarding truth right now is conspiracy. 

The Bible says in the last days good will be betrayed as evil and evil as good. If you can’t see that you are a sleeper. 

Romans 12:1-2 renew our minds. 

Without renewed minds we will believe anything we’re told. That is happening right now. Proof is in 2020 and the lockdown.

We’re living in a time where God is warning the world about something coming that will change the world. Just like Noah warned about a world changing event and no one paid attention. Right now there are people paying attention to warnings but not everyone. 

There is another world changing event but of course not a flood. God promised He would never flood the earth again and gave us the rainbow. Rainbow isn’t for what the world is saying. 

God says evil is coming down and His glory will fill this earth. Get ready My children for these great changes which are about to take place. God doesn’t tell us dates but He tells us seasons. We are in that season. Something is coming so big that the world will take notice that God is not dead. God is still sitting on the throne. He is still the judge over all the earth. Some in this world think justice is not being served but God says things aren’t the way they appear to be. 

God is bringing down everything evil. It’s in the news that our three letter agencies are corrupt and were never meant to be anyway God said. We have been living in bondage just like the Israelites. 

Pharaoh taxed the Israelites right into slavery. They came from the land of Canaan extremely wealthy. No one cared to find out why they came in wealthy and then they were enslaved. They had nothing. Sound familiar? What’s going on in this world today is nothing new under the sun the enemy just calls it something different. It’s the same strategy. Same tactic of war that he’s been putting on Gods people and the world for a long long time. Since Adam and Eve. 

He’s trying to overthrow Gods people. The serpent deceived Adam and Eve by making them believe that they didn’t have something they already had. Eat this fruit you will know something you don’t know now. 

Same thing now with the children of God. We all know what we have in Christ but the world wants us enslaved to their power.  They keep trying to take God out and His people. God calls them the Pharaohs of today. They are trying to take complete control of what they want upon this earth. 

God has a army. It’s us and our mouths. God has been giving us marching orders. Tear down with our words. We have learned our words are powerful. God has His military too. 

It’s time to continue to fight. Democrats- Republicans doesn’t matter. They have fooled us all these decades. There all the same. There are a handful of politicians that do work for us the people.

Everything is changing. Some people say nothing is changing. Complaining just like the Israelites in the Bible times. 

God has said whistle blowers are coming forth and they are. God says we will find out everything.

So be ready. Be prepared for this shaking God talks about. I can’t say enough that if the internet goes down it will be hard to buy anything since it all works together. Millions of us have been waiting for this and it’s here. Remember too that when God was delivering the Israelites from the Egyptians He locked them in for there safety. Yes He said it’s coming. God says not to fear. He warns us He says it will look really bad but He says things aren’t as they appear. 

New Neighbors*

December 15, 2024

A bit over a year now that Butch has been retired. We both are enjoying it. Some people think it's all fun and games. Not saying it isn't because we enjoy not having a work schedule to follow. Someone said to us Butch could do whatever he wanted now that he is retired. I said no he can't. I think when people retire and have nothing to do that isn't good for them. They lose part of the life they have been living. 

We still have sort of a schedule. Butch still likes to make the urns and he has been making other things too. He made some outside planter boxes. Now he brought some bark from Andrews and Jodi's to make me a candle holder. Plus, he has been playing on the 3D printer. We have never been lazy people, and we don't intend to start now. 

Does God talk about retirement in the Bible. I never saw it. Over the years the term "working for a living" has changed for the worse. With all the evil politics and what they have been doing to use for years or should I say decades stealing our money and such. God says in His prophecies that He never intended for us to live this way. God is healing our land. Enemies of Almighty God as He calls them don't stand a chance. Every one of them is defeated. 

So, we still sell our urns and such, but it is nice to go out shopping or to lunch whenever we want.

Butch didn't get to go deer hunting last year. He did this year, and he shot a buck fawn and a doe. Andrew shot a 4-point buck, Foz shot a 6 pointer and a nubby buck. Very successful hunting year.

We are done with Christmas Shopping. We just buy for the grandchildren mostly. Little things for our girls and their boys. We also downsized our Christmas tree this year. We have 9-foot tree and now we have a 5 foot. Next year we can do both or just the small one. Choice is ours. 

We are having Christmas eve with Kim, Travis and the kids. Spaghetti and meatballs. 

We so enjoy having Willa every other week. She is growing up. Jordon too when they come to get her, we can see he is maturing. I told Willa when you sing praise songs to Jesus and lift your hands up and put them flat in the air God will touch you. When she sleeps over on Wednesday, she starts out in her bed but always ends up in our bed (and no I will not tell her she can't). So, this week I asked her where she wants to sleep, and she just said with you. So that means grandpa in spare bed. Anyway, we go to bed and the room was dark because if she is with me, I don't bother with the candles. So were laying there talking and she says to me I touched God. I asked her how she did that and she said she lifted her hand. She is so learning about Jesus. She tells me all the time Grandmas I just love Jesus. Willa loves to sit by Grandpa with one of our Bibles and ask him what it says. I did have to tell him she is five so make up things she will understand like it says: Jesus loves everyone, Jesus died for your sins, lying and stealing is a sin, God wants us to love everyone, and so on. He gets the picture. 

In the summer the house next door went up for sale. As always, I pray and believe for the right neighbor. After talking to the Jeanne the realtor, I added the right neighbor at the right price. I always love to hear and know how God does what He does. Anyway, in Il there is a person interested in the home however her realtor shows her all the spec sheets to show her the home is overpriced. She waits and waits and finally came down to a price that was doable. We have been helping them get settled and getting to know them. Also getting to know one of their good friends as she is helping too. God has done it again.

Imagine that I pray for friends that live closer to us and God gave us three all at once. They are an added blessing to us and our neighborhood. 

Forgot my Purse*

Our Willa is so cute. It's amazing to me how much she knows at her young age. We left home the other day, and I realized I forgot my purse. It wasn't a big deal. We seldom use our credit card but Butch had his if we had to. Willa said if we don't have your purse how can we go shopping? She knew without money we would not have been able to buy anything. We did come back for my purse, and she now knows though that grandpa has money too. 

It made me think back to when Jodi was that age. We were at Kmart and Butch and I were dating. Jodi saw a strawberry short cake blanket set. When she asked me for it, I had to tell her no that I didn't have money for that. Her cute answer was but Butch does. Yes, he bought it for her. 

Back then, I wasn’t born again. I didn’t know about the things of God. We got born again shortly after we got married (41 years ago). I never use that phrase anymore that I don’t have enough money. The Bible states that God will meet all our needs.  Salvation means more than just asking and receiving Jesus in your heart. It's the full package. Salvation, healing, and prosperity. That promise belongs to us.  

All these years later we still have every need met. We live daily on His blessings.  

The Bible says we must know Jesus and have a personal relationship with him. Lotta people know Jesus through their religious beliefs, but there’s no relationship there. There’s no believing there. Everyone believes in God the Bible says, even the devil does. 

In these days we need Jesus more than ever. He is knocking at your door just open it and let Him in. 

Blessings….

Retired

 January 27th, 2024

Butch has been retired two months’ now. It’s nice. We had a couple winter days where even he was happy to stay in. Otherwise very mild warmer winter. 

People say well Butch how is retirement? I said how come nobody ever asks me. Things are very different for him but also for me. For 41 Years I have taken care of everything. Now Butch is home and he must think I forgot how to do it. He wants to always help me, and I understand that but go do your own stuff.  

Three months already with no Zoe. I miss her. I want another dog but for all the wrong reasons. I will wait and see if God puts a special dog in our path. 

I think Jodi and Andrew might start building their new home soon. I really wish they would wait till the housing crash and prices are the way they should have always been.

Gods hand is moving in this world, and we are about to have an exodus moment. Then things change for our good. 

He has been building urns and working on a bigger project he wants to finish. 

I think Willa is getting use to him being here when she comes. She likes to sneak up on him when he is relaxing in his man cave. He joins us too on our once a week out to lunch. 

Travis and Kim got engaged at Christmas. Not sure when the big date is but thinking they will make it a small one. Then they all move into Kim’s small home. It won’t take long, and they will know a bigger home might be required.

Jordon enjoys kindergarten. They grow up so quickly. Eden is twelve now. She was here with Willa one week and I taught her to sew. She had told me when she was eight or so her grandmother gave her a sewing machine for Christmas but still in the box. Well, I pulled out mine and we made some purses. She was so happy. 

We have no real plans right now to go anywhere. Trips are more for the warmer weather. However, we might take a ride to Janesville to see my sister and her husband.

 God is so good He never stops taking care of us. Blessings.

Jodi’s Poem*

 By our Jodi December of 1995 after my dad her grandpa Bob died. 

I watch the trains as the last car goes by and after it's gone, I can't move. Cars beep, people pass but I still can't move. 

I remember as a child being excited to see the last car of the trains. Waiting to see if he would be on it. Even if he wasn't there was always the possibility, he could be on the next one. I'm an adult now and that excited feeling has turned into emptiness because I know he won't be on the next one. He's at home waiting to leave us forever. The train is long out of sight and still I can't move. 

It's been six years since you've been gone. Memories of you are still so clear. How you loved to sing and what a great voice you had. If only I could hear it once more. The way you made people laugh. I don't think I'll ever meet someone quite like you. How you loved to be outdoors working in your garden. What pride you had in your roses. Your patience in teaching me how to drive is a very treasured memory. How lucky I am to have had you in my life. Not a day passes when I don't think of you. I miss you grandpa. 

My mother her grandma Joy died April 7, 2021. 

Things are a Changing*

 November 9, 2023

Even though Butch needed to put new lights on the Christmas tree I still got it up like I normally do. The whole house is decorated. I normally do fall decorations for two months and then Christmas for two months.

Yes, every year I hear from some people, but we haven't had Thanksgiving yet. The two go together and to me it doesn't matter what you think. I don't listen to what anybody says anymore or what they think I should do. 

We are truly blessed no matter what day it is. God says Blessings will chase us down if we believe. 

We just started our sixth year in this home a few months back. It's still new but we have changed some things that never should have been. Like wire shelves in our pantry. Thanks to my talented husband I now have wood shelves in there. 

We said goodbye sort of to and old friend. Butch got himself an almost brand new 2022 Nissan Frontier. He loves it. He put a tonneau cover on it himself as well as running boards. So, we said goodbye to the Ranger. Jodi and Andrew bought it but soon sold it to their friend Jeff who from the first day he saw it he wanted it. 

We said goodbye to our Zoe a couple weeks ago. We sent her to heaven and told her to go find Grandma, Oliver and Ali. Words can't describe how we miss her. I am crying as I write this. She was a great dog as was Ali. We will not be getting another dog though even though my heart says to. Both dogs gave us about 13 years. Ali had cancer and Zoe lost the use of her back legs. She had other issues too. (We did get another dog. Her name is Ivy).

Butch is retiring today from Graybar. It's his last day. It's one of the reasons we will say no to another dog. We will have more time to do different things. It is not my dream to do much traveling but maybe a few places. We will see. We will start by going to different towns for Christmas shopping, lights and such. 

Butch will still make urns but now even more things. I will finally get some tables I have wanted. God gave him such a blessing working with his hands. 

Jordon is enjoying Kindergarten, and I am enjoying have Willa four days a week. It reminds me so much of Kim when she was little. They are so cute. Blessings.