Goodbye/Hello...

Today we are saying good-bye to 2009. Y2K seems like it was just yesterday, and yet the truth is that already one tenth of the 21st century has zoomed by. In just a few hours we will say hello to 2010. Who knows what the new year will bring? What comfort it is to know that God knows, and that He is in control. I'm so grateful that we belong to Him and that our times are safely in His hands.
Picture highlights of 2009...(in random order because I have already wasted hours on here!)

Just keep walking...

I believe that, to an overwhelming degree, the secret to having a victorious walk with God is...just keep walking!  Giving up, quitting, refusing to keep going, is not an option.  Deciding that your circumstance of trial, trouble, or even failure, is as good as it gets, and building a homestead there while refusing to move on, is not God's plan.  Even when you are in a good place, in good circumstances, there is new ground to cover, new adventures in God ahead, so keep walking! The most victorious believers I know are the ones who, when every cell of their being was crying out to just give up, lay down and quit, they put one foot in front of the other and kept walking...and sooner or later, their steps of obedience intersected with God's supernatural intervention and timing and their lives were never the same...and I believe your's won't be either.  Come on, rise up, and WALK!

Keep walking in God's ways...
Deuteronomy 5:33
You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land which you shall possess
Psalm 128:1
BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, to be envied) is everyone who fears, reveres, and worships the Lord, who walks in His ways and lives according to His commandments.

Keep walking, even in the dark times...
Job 29:3
When His lamp shone above and upon my head and by His light I walked through darkness;
 
Keep walking, through the valley of the shadow of death...
Psalm 23:4
Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.

Keep walking in integrity...
Psalm 26:1
Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity; I have [expectantly] trusted in, leaned on, and relied on the Lord without wavering and I shall
Psalm 101:2
I will behave myself wisely and give heed to the blameless way--O when will You come to me? I will walk within my house in integrity and with a blameless heart.
Proverbs 20:7
The righteous man walks in his integrity; blessed (happy, fortunate, enviable) are his children after him.

Keep walking in Truth...
Psalm 26:3
For Your loving-kindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth [faithfully].

Keep walking even through the valley of weeping...
Psalm 84:6
Passing through the Valley of Weeping (Baca), they make it a place of springs; the early rain also fills [the pools] with blessings.

Keep walking uprightly...
Psalm 84:11
For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield; the Lord bestows [present] grace and favor and [future] glory (honor, splendor, and heavenly bliss)! No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
Proverbs 28:18
He who walks uprightly shall be safe, but he who willfully goes in double and wrong ways shall fall in one of them.

Keep walking in His footsteps...
Psalm 85:13
Righteousness shall go before Him and shall make His footsteps a way in which to walk.
 

Keep walking in His commandments...
Psalm 119:32
I will [not merely walk, but] run the way of Your commandments, when You give me a heart that is willing.
Jeremiah 7:23
But this thing I did command them: Listen to and obey My voice, and I will be your God and you will be My people; and walk in the whole way that I command you, that it may be well with you.

Keep walking even in times of trouble...
Psalm 138:7
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.

Keep walking in the way of insight and understanding...
Proverbs 9:6
Leave off, simple ones [forsake the foolish and simpleminded] and live! And walk in the way of insight and understanding.

Keep walking with those who are wise...
Proverbs 13:20
He who walks [as a companion] with wise men is wise, but he who associates with [self-confident] fools is [a fool himself and] shall smart for it.

Keep walking, with your ears tuned to His directions...
Isaiah 30:21
And your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it, when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left.

Keep walking eventhrough the hard times...
Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you.
Who is among you who [reverently] fears the Lord, who obeys the voice of His Servant, yet who walks in darkness and deep trouble and has no shining splendor [in his heart]? Let him rely on, trust in, and be confident in the name of the Lord, and let him lean upon and be supported by his God.
Habakkuk 3:19
The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!

Keep walking in the Spirit...
Romans 8:1

THEREFORE, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16
But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).

Keep walking in faith...
2 Corinthians 5:7

For we walk by faith [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or

appearance.

Keep walking in the the plans and purposes you were created for...

Ephesians 2:10

For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

Keep walking worthy...

Ephesians 4:1

I THEREFORE, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to and beg you to walk (lead a life) worthy of the [divine] calling to which you have been called [with behavior that is a credit to the summons to God's service,

Colossians 1:10

That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition].

Keep walking in love...

Ephesians 5:2

And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.

Keep walking in unity with Christ...
Colossians 2:6

As you have therefore received Christ, [even] Jesus the Lord, [so] walk (regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in union with and conformity to Him.

Keep walking in the Light...
1 John 1:7

But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].

(scripture references are from the Amplified Bible)

I'm in heaven...

Let heaven and earth praise Him,The seas and everything that moves in them.

Psalm 69:34

Hubby and I, our girls, sons in law, and grandbabies are all together for a week at the beach.

(YaY!)

A late December day on the Oregon coast, and yet it's blues skies, no wind, and only light jacket required.(Amazing!)

I put on my walking clothes, and while the others are enjoying naps, I walk...just me, the sea, and the Ipod playing Handel's Messiah..."the trumpet shall sound, and we shall be raised, be raised incorruptable".

(I'm in heaven!)

My favorite gifts...

The wrappings and ribbons covered the living room floor,

but my favorite gifts this Christmas season didn't come from the store!

Thank you God for...

181) A lazy Sunday afternoon with hubby following our wonderful Christmas service at church

182) A walk that "cleared the air" between God and I

183) Jeremiah 29:11 Thank God that His plans for us are good...we have a future and hope!

184) Precious " Mary" time with Jesus...finally

185) Our Christmas surprise from our children...portrait of them and our grandchildren and "treasure boxes" filled with slips of paper on which they have written thanks and memories

186) Middle eastern food with dear friends on the eve of Christmas Eve, and brunch with dear friends on Christmas Eve morn

187) Early Christmas morning...a fire in the fireplace and coffee with hubby and youngest daughter, before the rest of the family arrives

188) Grandson sharing his mp3 with great grandma

189) Togetherness...Grandaughter reading her new books with her mom, son in law putting Knex together with grandson, Auntie painting with niece, Papa throwing the football with grandson, daughter and friend helping with dishes

190) A Christmas evening walk in the neighborhood to look at the lights

191) Handmade gifts from 6 year old grandaughter, (an apron...she can actually use a sewing machine with supervision!), and five year old grandson, (a wooden heart shaped peg with "Nana" painted on it, to hang my apron on)

192) A blessing, written each year by my husband, who then reads it over our daughters (and their husbands and children) every Christmas

193) My girls, my sons in law, my grandbabies, (especially our long awaited miracle grandaughter on this, her first Christmas).  What an overwhelming privilege to be a parent and grandparent...and thank God for His grace that they all love and serve Jesus!

194) Laying in bed with youngest daughter watching T.V. and talking, after all the rest of the family went home