Category Archives: Christianity

They Spoke to Me

I’m going to catch up with posting some quotes that spoke to me and I’ve written down in my journal over the last several months. Putting them here will help me find them easier.

The photos that I’m interspersing with them came from our drive to and from Spokane on Wednesday the 19th of  November, 2025.

The first quotes are from notes in my Church History Study Bible related to Psalm 81 and 82 and 93.

“There is unconquerable opposition between us and God. Without a mediator there can be no communion with him.” Blaise Pascal

“Where ignorance reigns in the mind, there is confusion in the heart and life.” Thomas Boston

“There are those who seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge; that is curiosity. There are those who see knowledge in order to be known by others; that is vanity. There are those who seek knowledge in order to serve; that is love.” Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God. 

” The time will come when all races of men shall own their God and accept him as their king. There is one who is King by right divine, and he is even now on his way. The last days shall see him enthroned, and all unrighteous potentates broken like potters’ vessels by his potent sceptor. The second advent is still earth’s brightest hope. Come quickly, even so, come Lord Jesus.” Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David.

“May the Lord appear in his church, in our day in manifest majesty and might, saving sinners, slaying errors, and honoring his own name.” Spurgeon

“The only reason God is our Savior is that he is merciful.” John Calvin

Psalm 93:1 The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt.

“Faith is not just an exercise of the mind. It is a commitment of the heart that fundamentally changes the way you live your life.” Paul Tripp

“You may begin anywhere in the Bible and preach Jesus.  You may begin at the first chapter of Genesis, or at the last chapter of Malachi, at the first of Matthew or the last of Revelation, and still preach Jesus, for he is the sum and substance of the whole Scripture.” Charles Spurgeon

“God is to be praised because he has not based his covenant of the forgiveness of sin on our merit but on his Word, and because he commands that it will stand firm and eternal, not falling when we sin, nor becoming valid only when we are godly.” Martin Luther

Today is Saturday before our Thanksgiving week here in the USA begins. This is a very busy weekend. Last night I attended The Messiah at The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Spokane with three friends. Today we have 2 events at church to meet and learn more about a Pastoral Candidate and his family. Besides church on Sunday morning we have a Pie and Praise event Sunday night and I’m in charge of getting the pies out for everyone to enjoy. Whew! After Sunday we’ll have a few free days until it is full speed ahead with Thanksgiving Day and a house full here Thursday through Sunday. Life is rich!

Hope y’all are doing well.

Truth for Today #170

Friday November 21st

On Fridays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s continue to dig deep into God’s truth.

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Romans 6:1-4

 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?  By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?  Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Romans 8:1-4

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,  in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

From Vera:

“Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.””
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭

From Dianna:

I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge.

1 Cor. 1:4-5

A Flag Ceremony Hodgepodge

The story around some of my flag photos dates back to 2011.

A group of veterans and young people in Orange, California respecting the flag and folding it after a flag ceremony.

Another Wednesday, another Hodgepodge. Thank you, Joyce!

1. What does patriotism mean to you? 

It means honoring and obeying the laws of my country and doing whatever is in my power to insure the freedoms our founding fathers established. I love singing the National Anthem at sporting events. A little flag waving is good, too. Displaying the flag on holidays and other key times during the year.

2. September-October-November…your favorite fall month? Tell us why. If you live in the southern hemisphere use these months but sub spring for the word fall. 

I’m cheating and naming something that is special to me for each of these months.

September ~ it always seems like the fresh start back to routine activities that make me feel grounded and we get to celebrate Greg’s birthday in this month.

October ~ where Fall colors shine the best and we enjoy the annual corn maze.

November ~ the Thankful month. gathering with family on Thanksgiving.

3. A song you love with the word thanks (or some form of that word)  in the title or lyrics?

I’m sharing one of many songs that make me say thank you, Jesus!

My hymn of Praise shall always be forever Jesus! In Jesus I have sooo many reasons to say Thank You!

4. November is National Peanut Butter Month. Are you a fan? What’s the last peanut butter bite you had? Fill in the blank: peanut butter and _____________________ . 

Oh, and you can’t say jelly. 

It is peanut butter and honey for me. I had a piece of toast with peanut butter and honey for breakfast on Monday.

5. This week’s gratitude question-What event from this past year are you most grateful for? 

The year started out with an epic surprise visit from Josh and Laura. We were having our local kids over for a birthday dinner on a Saturday. Dan and Jamie have birthdays 1 day apart and Josh has a birthday 3 days after Dan. Dan and Jamie arrived and 5 minutes later Josh and Laura came in the house with shouts of surprise!! It was such an epic surprise and so much fun to be able to celebrate all our January family birthdays together! I’m so grateful to God for the love he extends through our family.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Speaking of patriotism I’m copying a post here from 2011. This is from the Orange Circle Flag Ceremony, a weekly event, in Orange, California.

Before they lowered the flag and folded it properly Mark Wayland acknowledged 5 veterans in the audience that had served in World War II. One of the veterans was celebrating his 90th birthday and his family brought cupcakes for everyone at the ceremony. We got to sing Happy Birthday to him. This vet with Mark in the photo above, served in WWII, Korea, and the Vietnam War. He comes to the ceremony every week. It was great to meet him.

Mark also acknowledged a young bride in the audience who’s Marine husband was serving in Afghanistan right then…our Katie. He made her cry but the tears were good tears and then when the big burly Vietnam Vets came over to give her a hug with tears in their eyes we knew they understood and we cried some more. It was great to hear these Harley riders tell her they would be praying for her and Andrew.

Dear’s brother Terry and wife Christina with one of their 3 daughters with Katie and me. Christina got to know Mark while working with the Orange County School Board. She invited Katie and me to attend this ceremony.

I got the following information from an Orange County Register article written by David Whiting although my sister-in-law who knows Mark from working with him at the Orange County School board also filled me in about Mark and his giving heart, a Purple Heart retired Marine.

“Mark Wayland, Marine Vietnam vet, retired firefighter and Orange school board member, looks like a biker with his denim vest and bushy mustache. And he is. So are many of the men in the Circle.

Most are members of the Patriot Guard Riders. In particular, they ride to remember fallen military brothers and sisters and to ensure things go smoothly at military funerals.

With his black Harley Electra Glide decorated with Marine logos parked just 50 yards away, Wayland explains tonight’s mission.

Every Wednesday night, Wayland, his buddies, their wives, friends and supporters gather in the Orange Circle. They come to lower the flag at 6 p.m. and honor, as Wayland puts it, “those who are in harm’s way.”

What an honor to be able to meet these folks and to honor them and others who have sacrificed so much for all of us. Thank you Mark for all you do and may your sacrifices return to you tenfold.

ht: Orange County Register, David Whiting.

The Patriot Guard Riders honored our brother-in-law at his burial on Veterans Day in 2015.

Thanks for the time you took to visit this very long and wordy Hodgepodge. I’m grateful for all who stop by here.

Thou Art the Way ~ Hymn

Thou Art the Way

Thou art the Way; to Thee alone
From sin and death we flee;
And he who would the Fa­ther seek
Must seek Him, Lord, by Thee.

Thou art the Truth; Thy Word alone
True wis­dom can im­part;
Thou on­ly canst in­form the mind,
And pu­ri­fy the heart.

Thou art the Life; the rend­ing tomb
Proclaims Thy con­quer­ing arm,
And those who put their trust in Thee
Nor death nor hell shall harm.

Thou art the Way, the Truth, the Life;
Grant us that Way to know,
That Truth to keep, that Life to win,
Whose joys eter­nal flow.

Words: George Doane, 1824.

Truth for Today #168

Thursday November 6th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Announcement: I will be switching my Truth for Today posts to Friday starting next week. 

John 12:44-50

And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.  I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.  If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.  The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.  For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak.  And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”

From Dianna:

“The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

From Vera:

“Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭27‬-‭31‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Karen:

Matthew 9:37-38

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Remember, Remember the 5th of November

We’ve had a few days of showing our friends from Southern California around our parts and even took a little trip into Canada with them. I’ll share all the fun in a future post.

Time for the first Hodgepodge of November, thank you, Joyce! 

1. Besides Thanksgiving, something on your November calendar you’re looking forward to? 

We have been gifted tickets to the Nutcracker and we are also going to enjoy a performance of the Messiah in Spokane.

2. Dictionary.com’s word of the year is ‘6-7’. Huh? 

Is it even a word??? I had to consult the internet to find out it’s meaning because apparently I’m old and this particular slang is not part of my vocabulary. Is it part of yours? According to the article I read, it’s a viral term, more of an inside joke with an unclear meaning driven by social media.

What do you think?       Oye is what I think.

Dictionary. com says it’s selection each year is a ‘linguistic time capsule reflecting social trends and events, but they also admitted to being confused by ‘6-7’. Some say it means so-so and is sometimes accompanied by the up and down hand motion we associate with the phrase so-so.

What word do you think would have made a better choice? 

3. What’s a food, trend, activity, or thing people love but you think is just so-so? 

Cruising on the high seas in a little city called a cruise ship! Specialty coffee drinks. Sushi.

4. Are you a tea drinker? Hot or cold? How do you like yours and at what time of day? Do you like flavored teas or teas billed as calming, energizing, healing, etc? 

These days I’m a morning coffee drinker. I’ll enjoy teas if I go to high tea or other tea experiences but tea is not an everyday thing for me.

5. The November Hodgepodge has always included a weekly gratitude question. Here’s the question for today-what are three things that make your heart sing? 

  1. Being with family, part or whole.

2. Listening to a sermon from the Word of God. Here’s a quote I saw on Sunday at Tim Challies Blog;  

“Preaching is the miracle of God communicating himself to a fallen world through the words of a fallen man.” Brian Edwards

 “Each Sunday, he (God) communicates to fallen men through fallen men to save his people and to sanctify them. What a miracle!” Tim Challies

If you are interested in reading the whole article, click on Tim Challies Blog, above.

3. Trips to the United Kingdom.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We have adopted the first line of the Guy Fawkes Rhyme and repeat it on November 5th because it was on November 5th of 2022 that Greg had his stroke. By God’s providence. Greg survived and he survived well. There are lingering difficulties as we continue to live with the ‘thorn in the flesh’, but we thank God that Greg’s life was spared and trust God with our future.

Here’s some history about Guy Fawkes Bonfire Night in the UK the Rhyme is included below.

Remember, remember, the 5th of November,
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason
Why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, ’twas his intent
To blow up the King and the Parliament
Three score barrels of powder below
Poor old England to overthrow
By God’s providence he was catch’d
With a dark lantern and burning match
Holler boys, holler boys, let the bells ring
Holler boys, holler boys
God save the King!

 

A Mighty Fortress is Our God ~Hymn

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great,
And, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Through Him who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

Words and Music: Martin Luther, 1529.

This song has been called the great­est hymn of the great­est man of the great­est per­i­od of Ger­man his­to­ry, and the Bat­tle Hymn of the Re­for­ma­tion. It was sung at the fun­er­al of Am­er­i­can pre­si­dent Dwight Ei­sen­how­er at the Na­tion­al Ca­thed­ral in Wash­ing­ton, DC, March 1969.

Truth for Today #167

Thursday October 30th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Luke 24:44-49

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

From Vera:

‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭29‬:‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.”

From Leonard:

1 Peter 5:6-7

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

From Dianna:

Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

From Karen:

Colossians 3:17

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

 

Adieu to October Hodgepodge

Time for Joyce’s questions for the last October Hodgepodge of the this year.

1. Are you a risk taker? To what degree? 

I will take risks in the kitchen by trying new recipes or throwing things together in desperation for a meal.

2. What’s your favorite candy? Would you say you have a sweet tooth? 

I have sweet and sour favorites. See’s Almond Royal is a favorite. I gravitate to dark chocolates from Sees. I enjoy Mike and Ike’s Original Fruits. I do have a sweet tooth. My favorite kind of sweet is in pastry form and not overly sweet.

3. Somewhere you’ve been recently that had you feeling ‘like a kid in a candy store’? 

The new brand from Homegoods/TJMaxx/Marshall’s has been fun to explore. Sierra is the name of the store and it is a more outdoorsy themed store.

4. What do you think is the most effective way to make a positive change in the world? 

On my knees in prayer and keeping close in obedience to the Savior of the World, Jesus Christ my LORD.

5. Do you like surprises? 

Yes, but not in me being the center of attention as in surprise parties. I love a surprise visit from loved ones! I love a surprise sighting in the stores in town when I happen to run into our grands with their mom.

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

Speaking of sweet surprises, It was a surprise when Uncle Joshie and Auntie Lolo  pivoted their plans for the weekend and drove to our side of the mountains after they heard our weekend company had their flights canceled. We were able to continue our Family Fall tradition of mastering the corn maze!

A Message Sweet is Borne to Me ~ Hymn

A Message Sweet is Borne to Me

A mes­sage sweet is borne to me
On wings of joy di­vine;
A won­drous mes­sage, glad and free,
That thrills this heart of mine;
I’m saved by grace, by grace alone,
Through Christ, whose love I claim,
No oth­er could for sin atone,
Hosanna to His name!

Refrain

O glo­ri­ous song that all day long
With tune­ful note is ring­ing,
I’m saved by grace, am­az­ing grace,
And that is why I’m sing­ing!

I hear the mes­sage that I love
When morn­ing dawns anew;
I read it in the sun ab­ove
That shines across the blue;
I hear it in the twi­light still,
And at the sun­set hour—
I’m saved by grace! what words can thrill
With such a ma­gic pow­er?

Refrain

Oh, won­drous grace for all man­kind,
That spreads from sea to sea!
It heals the sick and leads the blind,
And sets the pri­son­er free;
The soul that seeks it can­not fail
To see the Sav­ior’s face,
And Sa­tan’s power can­not pre­vail
If we are saved by grace.

Refrain

Words: Fanny Crosby, 1898.