What Are We Listening To?

"When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. “Get out!” he told them. “The girl isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” But the crowd laughed at him. After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up!"   ---Matthew 9:23 - 25

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So yesterday morning, as usual, I sat at the dining room table putting on make-up, yet this time I recalled that story, above. You know, how Jesus got rid of the mocking quitters before He prayed for the dead girl.

I thought, "All January I told myself, 'Kick out doubt! Clear-out the disbelievers, the doubters from your online viewing.' The ones remaining? They're preaching the message God gave me early 2020. God's not changed His mind so I'll not change mine."

Then after tossing my make-up bag into the bathroom cupboard, I climbed the stairs, sat down here and listened to a Youtube sermon. Guess which passage the minister used? Yep, the Matthew 9:23 one.

Don't you love it when God makes Himself so obvious? 

Often I ask myself, "Why continue listening to those who bailed out of the Believing Boat? Why feed my doubts when I can feed faith and be helped, instead?

Anyway, I believe God has miracles up His sleeve and when they arrive soon, everyone will see them. They'll stand in awe, then respond according to the type of soil within their heart (Luke 8).

And any teasing while we stood, non-wavering, will be so worth the going through on that remarkable day.

With God's ways not being ours, it behooves us to remember His sense of timing is also very different.

"I feel God is imploring us to hang on a little longer. I know how hard it has been! You have heard stories that promised to uncover the truth and turn the tide. Each time they raised our hopes and, when it didn’t happen, it wounded us.

I am not asking you to trust in myths, legends, or conspiracy theories.  I am compelling you to trust in God Himself and in His inspired words recorded in the Bible.

Hang in there. The enemy is going to be shocked! Hang in there. There are options we don’t know about. God is going to finish what He started in our great movement!"  ---Mario Murillo

Hebrews 10:35-39, “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise."

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But while I'm standing, waiting, believing, I'm also doing this: designing my heavenly mansion.

Seriously. It's especially fun when I spy a house in a movie (for example) which has a perfect entryway. I might tell God, "Ooooo! I'll take one of those in my mansion, please."

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Well, I'm not yet prepared to describe my heavenly home, but I will describe its backyard. 

Through four French doors, you'll step out onto a natural stone patio the width of the back of the house. (I've always remembered my grandparents' stone patio.)

From there within the gleaming light you'll see a meadow/field with yellow, orange and red wildflowers dotting the tall blond grasses. Oh, the silence. The quiet, with only crickets and birdsong. 

Way out to the left there's a small pond for swimming.

Through the meadow's center winds a wide path leading to an autumnal forest, one which will make people exclaim, "Oh, it's dreamy! Just like a painting by Monet."

A forest always asking to be explored, that's what stands twinkling back there and oh!  A family of five adorable red screech owls flutter amongst its treetops. 

Part of me can hardly wait! Yet the other part remembers God still has plans for me and as long as I have Jesus here? All shall be well within me, especially if, within my mind, I can continue visiting my heavenly getaway each time Life upon Earth turns unheavenly, indeed.

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Feeling a bit down? Need something which feels like a gift of encouragement from God? This might help.  (Wearing headphones is an extra plus.)

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When Tom's and my tv shows aren't available (seems often lately) we watch Jay Leno's Garage. We both enjoy it much! (Considering I'm not even into cars, that's saying something.)

In one episode, the car he was in rolled over three times. Yikes! Thankfully he and the driver weren't hurt.

Lots of humor! (And hey, the only show we watch on CNBC.)  ツ

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We all made it through January--hooray!

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

January This And That

1.) If you're interested in the old Sears houses built from kits, you'll most likely enjoy this video. Frankly, I never tire of learning more about these.

2.) You realize men's t-shirts are often less expensive than women's, right? Walmart has a package of five v-neck shirts (after years of watching What Not To Wear, that's the only kind I'll wear) for just $3.25 per t-shirt!

Now yes, they fit kinda masculine-y, but since I always wear flyaway sweaters over mine, it's not a problem. At least, not to me.  シ

3.) Does this tickle your imagination, or what?

4.) I'm enjoying Gab.com! The site's owner even shares Bible verses and truths and many folks wish us good morning, adding beautiful images. So because it's a woman's perogative to change her mind, I'm considering remaining at Gab even after Parler returns. 

5.) So when all the lockdowns began last March, I had 6 weeks' worth of dishwashing gel. I wanted more, but oh my! Everyone seemed sold-out online. But at Amazon they had this so I bought 2:

Oh brother. Weakest excuse for dishwashing gel, ever! Eventually I found 2 bottles of good ol' Cascade and am still using-up this awful stuff by adding it to the Cascade each load. Live and learn, right?

6.) Any other Disney+ watchers loving Wanda Vision? Wow. It's as though the writers asked me, "Hey Debra. If you could create a tv series, what would it be like?" Seriously, Tom and I both hugely anticipate this show on our 'Saturdates' (as Naomi calls them).  

7.) Everyone have their Valentines ordered? Each year's a lovely one in which to send Valentines, but 2021? More perfect than ever for reaching out to anyone with love.

Oh! And Rita in the comments asked if I could include some links to cute Valentines. Sure! I'll add them at the bottom of this post. Thanks for asking, Rita.

8.) Oooo... Daniel The Cat loves this new Tim Janis video. Why? Lots of birds! Sometimes he even acts like he'll jump up on the screen. (Yikes.) These gorgeous autumn videos feel like my winter medicine and do me much, much good.

9.) And since you certainly won't hear this from our government, again, I'll post what I've discovered boosts my immune system. In nearly 10 years I've only been sick twice and I feel these, below, hugely help. Daily I take--

5,000 units of Vitamin D3 
2,000 units of Vitamin C (divided doses)
1 acidolphilus capsule
1,000 units of krill oil 
500 units of magnesium
And lately? 50 mg.'s of zinc
Lots of forgiveness toward others
And much godly, peaceful contentment

I would tell you I exercise and eat right, but that would make me a Big Fat Liar.   ツ 

10.)  So pretty, right? (Posted on Gab by BrownEyedGirl1961.) --

11.)  Oh, and you have at least two weeks' worth of groceries in your home, right? Just asking, just in case...

12.) For a smile--

And I shared these at Facebook because, hey, they're true:

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Here are a few Valentine links. Some cards will need to be placed in larger envelopes if you wish to mail them.

Valentines #1

#2

#3

#4

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Right now say what you can while you still can wherever you can.

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

Still Hanging In There?

"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."   ---Matthew 24:12, 13

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A sunny early morning! No having to use like crazy the reading sun lamp Naomi gave me. One can believe for Spring on these rare bright days, even though it's just 20 degrees. 

Springtime will arrive again.

Miracles from God? Visible ones? They're coming also--and soon. Stay-tuned to Life. Hopeful. Believing.

Anyway, what a wild ride, these past months. One of many good things? Now I can easily release my strangle-hold upon this Earth, this Life. Not just the bothersome parts, but rather, the beautiful ones.

That's the true test, I think.

Really, Heaven so often tickles my brain and you know? Lately I'm even intricately designing my heavenly mansion and its backyard. Seriously! Someday I'll describe it all to you in a post.

Yet I must make this clear: I'm not waiting all sloth-like with an emotional suitcase packed. Not hiding, not avoiding the battle raging out there nor am I even wishing this would all just be over so we could step into Heaven tomorrow.

Nope! Too much anticipation of a move of God upon Earth swirls within me.

Rather, I keep asking (and asking) Him to keep me from blowing my last days' part in the battle. That He'll show me how to fight His way and that He'll help me help others not be swayed by weird circumstances, also. 

After all, there's no extreme joy of obedience in only hiding when He created us for so much more, for ripples eternally traveling across the wide river of Time.

"If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them."   --- James 4:17

'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger' --or-- it's supposed to, 

anyway.  シ

"This is our watershed moment. I hear the abundance of rain. It may not look the way we think it should ... it may not have turned out the way we think it should have turned out. But quit saying, "When's the military gonna do something? When is Trump going to do something?"

I don't care. I'm asking, "When's God gonna do something?" Because God's the one who's going to have to do it. So I'm trusting Him... I'm waiting for God to do something because only Jesus can fix this."

--Pastor Greg Locke

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Now here's something beautiful. Remember the song, The Sound of Silence? This guy (what a voice--and he had the flu!) makes the warning of non-communication all the more real. 

(You'd not believe me if I told you how many times I've watched reactions to that song at Youtube. Really, it's become my nighttime lullaby.) Find my favorite reaction here. I love watching his face 'melt'! As he mentioned before watching, he believed Simon and Garfunkel got it right the first time so no need to listen to others. 

Loved the moral of the story he gave at the end.

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"Few men ever repent of being silent."   ---Charles Spurgeon

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Oh, and I shared this at Facebook:

Personally, I'm never going back, doesn't matter who in the government tells me to return to old ways of thinking. No way.

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"He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights."   ---Psalm 18:33

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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15