Monday, November 18, 2013

First Snow, Followed by Tornados

Last week we had our first snowfall! I am not a fan of the stuff! But, ready or not, it's here! After it stopped, though, the sun came out and the snow glistened on top of the fallen leaves. It was SO pretty!

We just had a light layer, and by noon it was all melted.

The lake was clear and sparkled, as it met the shoreline. Yellow leaves were salted with snow.

Icicles formed streaks of frozen rays on the patio.

A lonesome leaf is surrounded by our first powder.

The warmth of the sun soon melted the snow below.



Less than a week later we were bombarded by rain, wind, hail, and TORNADOES!
Sunday morning: We debated whether or not to go to church. The  weather was predicted to get nasty sometime in the afternoon.The sky was gray and nasty-looking. We went....only to have such a downpour of hail, mid-service, that we were sure the roof would collapse. Pastor cut his sermon short, so we could get home, if things got worse.

 At home, the wind picked up drastically...we brought in anything not anchored down on our property. The news channel is on. My phone beeps loudly, a text from the local weather service announcing a tornado watch! (I have an automatic text alert on my phone)

 We watch the T.V., and keep an eye out the windows. I start to panic. This is the first time we have had a tornado alert at our new house on the lake. We have no basement or lower level where we can go for safely if we are hit directly by a tornado.

 The hubs grabs my hands to calm me. We pray for safety and protection. We still watch and wait. A few phone calls, one from my mom. Another from a neighbor , who is currently in Florida. The sky looks extremely menacing. Then a gust of wind blows with vengeance, bending the trees almost to breaking. I jump, run into the living room, grabbing my two dogs, yelling for my hubby to follow. I run into the bathroom, the only interior room in the house. He follows, but keeps looking out the window. Debris is flying in all directions. We pray with radio and flashlights in hand....and wait what feels like an eternity. Soon (maybe 5 minutes), the wind seems to calm a bit. We go to see what the sky looks like. It isn't as dark and eerie. The worst seems to be past us.

The news indicates that the storm is headed more eastward, now. The sun is actually shining. Over the lake....a double rainbow shines. The weather reporter states that many have seen rainbows in their areas....

In awe and thankfulness, I pause and take in the beauty. I praise God that He spared us any injury or major damage to our home. (Only a piece of privacy fencing pulled up).

Today, the news of how much damage this stormfront has done starts trickling in....facebook posts, news reports....and I am crushed. 

Early findings show at least 10 Indiana tornadoes: INDIANAPOLIS (AP) 

In Kokomo (about 1 hr. north of Indianapolis; 
One and a half hours drive south of where I live.)
High winds that eyewitnesses say were caused by a tornado left large swaths of the Kokomo in shambles, flipping cars, downing power lines and turning homes and businesses into ruble.

Reports of a tornado in Howard County started coming in just after 3 p.m. near Russiaville. High winds slammed into Kokomo shortly after that, with a short bout of hail raining on the city.

The destruction prompted the city to declare a state of emergency around 5:30 p.m., banning vehicle and pedestrian traffic throughout the city until 6 a.m. Monday.



'It's all gone': Midwest communities weigh costs of deadly tornadoes...

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

An overturned car rests in a pile of rubble about a mile northeast of Washington, Illinois, on November 17. Washington is in central Illinois, east of Peoria.
A stuffed animal lies in the road in Brookport, Illinois, on November 17.
An elderly woman is escorted through tornado debris in Brookport, Illinois, on November 17.
The roof of a building sits in the middle of the road in Kokomo, Indiana, on November 17.
Ray Baughman embraces family shortly after his home was destroyed by a tornado south of Peoria in Pekin, Illinois, on November 17.
A firefighter, in lower center of photo, peers down into the home of a colleague whose home was destroyed when a tornado swept through Washington, Illinois, on November 17. Lord, how do we deal with such destruction? How do we respond to Your power to protect some, while others lose everything they own?
 The Bible proclaims that Jesus Christ holds all of nature together (Colossians 1:16-17).
We can understand why natural disasters occur. What we do not understand is why God allows them to occur.
For one thing, such events shake our confidence in this life and force us to think about eternity.
Natural disasters cause millions of people to reevaluate their priorities in life. Hundreds of millions of dollars in aid is sent to help the people who are suffering. Christian ministries have the opportunity to help, minister, counsel, pray, and lead people to saving faith in Christ! God can, and does, bring great good out of terrible tragedies (Romans 8:28).

My heart aches and I pray for those who have lost their homes, businesses, and family members.
"Oh, Lord! Have mercy and show them your love. Provide for them what they need. Bring those who don't know you to a saving knowdege and desire to follow You the rest of their lives! Amen."
In the midst of destruction and devastation, many were able to view a sign of the promise, made by God to all of His children.
Corn husks fly through the air as Eric Crawford checks his mail after the storm passed in rural Orchard Farm, Missouri, on November 17.
"What The Rainbow Says" 
No doubt we live in a world of great wickedness, violence, evil and those that hate God, the principles in the Bible and all those that are bold and wise enough to believe it and live by it's precepts. 
That Rainbow, God said, "My Bow."  Every Rainbow, the miraculous display of color and beauty belongs to God.  It is a heavenly reminder when he looks down and sees the wickedness... He promised Noah that he would not do what he did again with water.
The Rainbow is a reminder to us, There is still time for someone to get on the boat before the fire of judgement comes.  JESUS is the Boat for this generation.  We get on that boat through the DOOR that is Jesus. 
That Rainbow should not only make us thankful for Grace, but motivate us to live a godly and holy life.  Peter gave us a grave warning, the very same God that destroyed the unrighteous with water is going to destroy the same kind with fire.

What does the Rainbow mean?

Rejoice, Repent, and live a righteous faith filled life.
11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. 
2 Peter 3:11-18

Continuing to give thanks, listing the many gifts from the Lord all week long...  Linking over at  "Multitude on Mondays". 
1,533 - First snow
1,534 - The warm sun on a cold day.
1,535 - Feeling a love and closeness to my husband and son that can only be topped by a close relationship with Jesus!
1,536 - That God is in control, even though we may not understand why He allows certain things to happen. 
1,537 - Safety and protection of my family through the storm.
1,538 - Rainbow, after the rain.
1,539 - The meaning behind the rainbow.
1,540 - God leading me to re-write this post a couple of times, as I felt led to talk about this current event.

(All photos from Kokomo Tribune at  //www.kokomotribune.com/local/x143678763/Storm-strafes-Kokomo)
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Thursday, November 14, 2013

How to Have the Mind of Christ

Most of us are familiar with the t.v. ad that quoted, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." It is one of the most memorable slogans in higher education.

Our minds are pretty amazing.
Here are just a few interesting facts about the brain and how we think.
Fascinating Facts About the Human Brain Infographic 
God created us with so much potential with the detail and abilities we are given to use our brains to think. We have the ability to use our brains to produce good in life. We also can let our brains effect us and others in bad ways. We can love or hate with our minds. We can find joy or live in complete depression. These abilities are very powerful...sometimes the chemicals our bodies produce even affects our minds. What we allow our minds take in is also extremely vital.

I've been reading books and Scripture about how important it is to keep our minds steadfast on the Lord. I am learning that we need to continually seek to have the mind of Christ in order to live for Him...but first we need to know what that is.
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus"... Philippians 2:5

Having the mind of Christ means sharing the plan, purpose, and perspective of Christ, and it is something that all believers possess.
  
Sometimes we may think we aren't worthy or able to have the mind of Christ. But the Bible speaks clearly that that's not the case.

 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:16

In the verses leading up to 1 Corinthians 2:16, we note some truths concerning the mind of Christ:

1) The mind of Christ stands in sharp contrast to the wisdom of man (verses 5-6).

2) The mind of Christ involves wisdom from God, once hidden but now revealed (verse 7).

3) The mind of Christ is given to believers through the Spirit of God (verses 10-12).

4) The mind of Christ cannot be understood by those without the Spirit (verse 14).

5) The mind of Christ gives believers discernment in spiritual matters (verse 15).

In order to have the mind of Christ,
  1. One must have saving faith in Christ (John 1:12; 1 John 5:12). 
  2. After salvation, the believer lives a life under God’s influence. The Holy Spirit indwells and enlightens the believer, infusing him with wisdom—the mind of Christ. 
  3. The believer bears a responsibility to yield to the Spirit’s leading (Ephesians 4:30) and to allow the Spirit to transform and renew his mind (Romans 12:1-2).
  4. Discipline yourself to spend time in the Word with the guidance of the Holy Spirit to safeguard the renewal of your mind. Because it won’t happen overnight (your existing patterns developed over many years!), patience and practice are required to consistently walk in God’s principles.
Benefits of having the mind of Christ:
  1. Peace. Romans 8:6 tells us that "to be spiritually minded is life and peace." 
  2. Increased intimacy with God. Isaiah 1:18 says that God wants us to come and reason with Him. He wants us to know His will for our lives (Heb. 13:21). 
  3. Desire to live a life of obedience to Him. The psalmist asked God to give him understanding in keeping His laws and walking in His commandments so that he might "turn away ... from looking at worthless things" (Ps. 119:33-37). Having any mind other than Christ's causes us to live a life of disobedience and rebellion.
A couple of books I found online that also look like great reading on this subject are listed below. I may have to buy them and read up more on how to better have the mind of Christ.

The Mind of Christ - By: T.W. Hunt
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/author/lesley-malpas/

May God's children
"...keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds that are steadfast,
    because they trust in You."
Isaiah 26:3
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Monday, November 11, 2013

My Conversion Story

This week, I have been thinking about the approaching Thanksgiving season. This is a time when most of us think more deeply about  what we are thankful for in our lives. Since I've been listing my gifts from God every week for the past 2 years(last Friday was my blogiversary), this is nothing new for me. So, I decided to reminisce about some things I have been the most thankful for over the years and also share one of the things I'm most grateful for....my salvation. A song I recently heard by Chris Tomlin especially brings this to my mind.
You could say my conversion story isn't anything earth-shattering or out of the ordinary. But to me, it was miraculous, because it would have been easy for me to coast on the coattails of my parent's beliefs. I grew up in a very conservative Christian home. During my younger years, our family attended the local Christian college church, which was Mennonite (It was not the Amish Mennonites, who live in surrounding areas of our little Midwestern town, but still a very conservative college and church). When I was in middle school, we switched churches...still going to a Mennonite, church, but even more conservative.(Many of the older women wore head coverings and dresses only.)

 The summer between my freshman and sophomore year in high school, I worked 5 days a week, babysitting for my cousin's 2 small children. Every day, the children took an afternoon nap, which left time for me to have some free time to myself. At first, I actually would watch t.v., but the only thing on t.v. at that time of day were soap operas. I tried getting into watching them, but got bored pretty quickly. So I tried reading. One afternoon, I brought a Bible with me to read, more out of curiosity, than anything. I started reading and was drawn to read more. 

 On one afternoon in particular, I really believe the Holy Spirit was working on my heart. As I sat at the dining room table, I bowed my head and said a prayer....asking the Lord to come into my heart. I made a commitment that day to do my best to commit all I did to Him alone. I was 15 at the time. A few months later, when I was 16, I was baptized at my church. Not to say I didn't falter many times after that. The year my hubby and I were engaged, I was making some unwise choices and recommitted my life to the Lord at a local revival service. 

 One thing I have learned in my years as a believer is, once you ask God to be the Lord of your life, He doesn't let go of you! He has a way of showing you His presence in all you do and when you start to stray or make unwise decisions, the Holy Spirit is constantly there. working in your heart, to bring you back to living for Him again.

Life has had it's ups and down throughout my life, but I'm more sure of my salvation than I have ever been! 

 God has been so very good and I am so thankful for His presence in my life! What is YOUR story?

10 random gifts I listed from my 1,000 Gifts list... 

62. Christmas lights – love to drive by houses with big light displays.
91. Really big snowflakes, lightly falling…as long as I can watch them through a window in a warm building.
152. 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
171. Aging - Getting older is significantly superior to the alternative.
262. Insight and clarity -You know when you look back at something that has been bothering you and suddenly see it in a different light?
466. Each day I receive literally millions of love gifts from God. – Having daily food, shelter; When I snuggle into bed, hear a bird chirp, see a fluffy cloud.
692.  Memories – old photos, son’s school papers,family heirlooms.
760.  Drinking Orange Crush soda from a bottle.
787. Going to a graduation open house...being reminded how our kids grow up SO fast.
847. Freedom - "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36
925.  Cool air after a rain storm.

 
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Sunday, November 3, 2013

Two Years of Blogging!!!

This Friday marks two years of blogging, for me. I was pretty clueless and beyond nervous back then! The day I wrote my very first post, here at "Christ in the Clouds", this is what I wrote...
(Tuesday, November 8, 2011)
"There are several reasons I decided to start a blog. First and foremost I like writing, especially about how God is working in my life. I also love to read. I've been reading and following other bloggers for a while and decided it would be fun to be a part of that community.  I have read how others have been encouraged and built friendships from all over the world through blogging. I also know that I have more recently had more time on my hands and God has been working in my heart to do this. I held off doing it, more out of not knowing how to get it started or what I would even write about, than anything else. I also know that I’m not a professional writer and would hate to bore anyone who would read what I wrote. Even if I get very few(if any) followers, I hope that someone may find my blogs helpful in their lives, as so many have done for me in sharing theirs.  Maybe, I’ll even learn a little about how to become a better writer.  No matter what, I want to give God the glory and grow in Him, and have fun doing it!!!! I’ll do my very best to keep this blog updated, at least every week. There’s nothing more frustrating than for me to follow someone’s blog and all of a sudden they stop blogging for several months!!! So, here I go..."

Little did I know where blogging would take me! I HAVE kept it going, with very few breaks between posts.  I've learned SO much over the years, started a second blog about lake/cottage living, called "Cairn Cottage", and most of all, I made some awesome bloggy friends! 

Here are my 5 most viewed posts in the last 2 years:
What a Beautiful Name
Nov 29, 2011
 (This has been my top read post for nearly the full 2 years I've been blogging!) There's one Name that has many titles, the Name of Jesus. Now, that's a beautiful Name!  (More)
multi color
Barking Spiders and Other Funny Poems
Feb 4, 2012
Sometimes it's just fun (and good for us) to laugh a little bit! (More)
A joyful heart is good medicine...

(Proverbs 17:22a)

 multi color 

Guarded and Protected 

Aug 11, 2012  (Sometimes all it takes is just a few words. This was one of my shorter posts, but one of the most viewed!) (More)

 multi color

The Greatest Gift, Multiplied
Oct 9, 2012 
 This post was a special occasion for me.....I listed my one-thousandth gift!!! It still is the greatest Gift of all....(More)
 
(How appropriate, with Christmas just around the corner, too!)

 multi color

How to Become an Adventurer
Jan 25, 2012,  
 "Adventure" is defined in the dictionary as "an undertaking or enterprise of a hazardous nature; an unusual or exciting experience; participation in hazardous or exciting experiences. (More)
  
After re-reading this post, I was also led to go over to my post called, "My Adventures", where I listed 
My Adventures for 2012: *The ones striked through, I actually accomplished.  
  • Moving from a large home to a small lake house (very soon!)
  • Losing 40 pounds in 6 months! Winning a local “biggest loser contest.”
  • Reading "Made to Crave" and learning to crave a daily relationship with God!
  • Reading the Bible in 90 days.(an internet blog challenge group) starting in February. 
  • Renewing my wedding vows with my hubby on a tropical beach! 
  • Relaxing! 
  • Getting involved with other couples in my church 
  • Getting involved with more blog parties and making lots of bloggy friends. 
  • Restarting an awesome garden on our new property! 
  • Lots of fishing! 
  •  Make a healthy eating plan for myself.
I did do most of them...need to work on healthy eating, still! :( Maybe I'll accomplish that and reading the Bible through in 2014! :)

I am so grateful that I listened to God's prompting me 2 years ago to start writing my own blog and listing the gifts He has for me each day! It has literally changed my life!

And finally, I want to say a great big 'thanks' to all my readers/followers!!! I have been SO BLESSED, getting to know and making so many new friends here!!! You have made blogging so much more fun and interesting!!! (I hope and pray you have been blessed, as well!!)


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Everything is Blooming!!

Well, if it wasn't evident in my last post, it’s definitely very evident this time around!! Spring has sprung!!! We’ve been keeping so ...