Yesterday, Today, Forever-

Happy Birthday, dearest Canada! Best wishes we send you. May our great nation honor God; May you be strong and true. May all God’s people in this land Get on their knees to pray, Repent from all their wickedness Walk on the narrow way. Each choose to do what’s true and right, Be honest, humble all their days. Then God will surely hear from heaven And heal this Land; bless you always. And may all those who still don’t know Him Have their eyes opened so that they can see Almighty God, through His Son Jesus Christ, Extends to everyone Salvation, full and free! We love our Land, our cherished home; Our precious freedoms – every one. May all your children give God thanks When all is said and done! Karin Ristau

Wendy, from All in a day's thought, had a question on her blog, "Are you ready? Set? Or going?" Her questions are ambiguous on purpose - to get one thinking. In my mind more questions surfaced and this is what came to me. One of our grands, ready and set to go! Behind her our little Toyota Venza! Need a front plate, lol! ARE YOU READY? Have you picked the place? Are you on the right path? Is this your life’s race? Do you have a plan? Do you know what to do? Have you counted the cost? Who is coming with you?  SET? As in.... Set in the ground like a bulb to grow? Finished your set of reps at the gym? Set in your ways, in your comfort zone? Foot planted firm at the starting point? Focused intent on what lies ahead? Fearlessly wait for one to say when? Fiercely stretch every fiber you have? OR GOING? Has the going, the ground, been prepared for this race? Are you easy going or a going concern? Where, when, and how and just why are you going?...

Someone’s affliction may be of the body And you show compassion, love, empathy. But another’s may be one of throbbing emotions A pain so deep where no one can see. It’s both that will need your sensitive spirit, Your caring concern, your fervent prayers. The fragile faith that’s just a flickering flame Needs another’s great faith; from a heart that dares. She bores you to death with her conversations Of her sadness, the memories that keep hounding her soul. Give her of your faith, your assurance, your confidence, That she will come through this; she will be made whole. Again and again share with her Christ’s Good News! Infuse her with hope that she will be set free! This time it’s her turn to be hopeless and needy. Next time could be your turn, my friend, don’t you see? For the one who keeps asking as a needy, poor beggar, Seeks just to be loved, if not understood. Perhaps it is this one, who God sent your way, To grow in you patience and that is so good! ...

 2 weeks ago in southern Alberta! Happy official first day of summer everyone -  winter for you down in the southern hemisphere!   For us the days will now be getting shorter  ---------------SIGH---------------

Hubby is a philatelist - daily at his favorite work station  which is not his office, but the kitchen island!! HAPPY FATHER'S DAY  to all the godly men in my life hubby, son, sons-in-law, brother, brothers-in-law extended family, fellow bloggers, and many, many friends and colleagues! You make a difference in the world as you've done in my life! God bless you and keep you in HIS care! Affectionately, Karin

"But what about you?" he asked.  "Who do you say I am?"  Simon Peter answered,  "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah,  for this was not revealed to you by man,  but by my Father in heaven. Matth. 16: 15-17 Every generation since then has had to answer this for itself!   To help us know the person of Christ in all His glory, Authors Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola “hope to bring vision and understanding of Jesus into sharper focus” for the reader. “You and I are meant to be living epistles – that is, “Jesus Manifestos” – in our world.   Cities set on a hill.   Salt and light. That’s why we wrote this book.” This book is for everyone who wants a deeper relationship with our Lord! Jesus Manifesto comes highly acclaimed by more than a dozen leaders, such as Rowan Williams, Calvin Miller, Ed Young, Jack Hayford, Shane Claiborne, Ed Stetzer, Anne Jackson and many more, whos...

Check out Warren Baldwin's blog! Over at FAMILY FOUNTAIN    he has added one of my comments to his post on an excellent series called Favorite Marriage Books.  Thanks Warren for extending to me that honor and compiling all these recommendations.  

Our middle daughter and hubby with their 4 children live about a 6 hour drive south of us. It is great to have them back in the same province, if not the same city!  We miss having them close!!  I love the way she thinks and writes and appreciate her wisdom - though she doesn't post nearly often enough for my mother heart!! She is one busy mom, plus she works!! This is one of her recent posts... BATHROOM REALITY Usually when I see graffiti on a bathroom wall I expect to see crude humor, phone numbers, initials in hearts...that kind of thing, right? Well today I saw this: Guilt is what I always feel But that doesn't change the path I am on......... ...........for the rest of the story you are invited to read Evi's blog at CAUGHT UP !!

  from Wikipedia When we were newlyweds I LOVED ironing, especially my hubby's shirts!  It was such a picture of domesticity for me - an expression of love from a caring, thoughtful wife who was also an excellent homemaker! I lovingly buttoned the top and the third button of each shirt and hung them all in the the same direction in his side of our closet. I ironed everything:  sheets, pillowcases, dresses, slacks, tablecloths - and even dishtowels - until I read that ironing flattens the nap on the tea towel and makes it less absorbent!  Well, of course I didn't want that! So I gave myself permission to stop ironing tea towels! Loved when fitted sheets came out and I stopped ironing those! I did take them immediately out of the dryer and did fold them - all four corners into one - into a smooth package - all facing the same way. Loved when my linen closet looked like beautiful shelves in a fancy store!! Oh, what fun! Nowadays????? I absolutely HATE ironing! I have...

We don’t measure up And that is the point! That’s the reason the Savior came! We all needed saving We’re all born in sin. There’s salvation found in His Name. The moment we think, “Oh, I’m not like that,” That’s precisely the moment we sin! When our foolish pride Puts our nose in the air It blinds us from looking within. Our God is holy And just as I am I could never stand before Him. But just as I am His grace has saved me And now I’m IN Christ – forgiven of sin. Let’s never compare Our life with another Never think more of self than we ought. We don’t measure up And that is the point It’s not about us, but the Grace of God. THANK YOU LORD! Karin Ristau

 My path to school in Goslar/Harz Betsy asked a question and I thought I’d post the answer here! "Did your Mom and Dad learn to speak English?   I know that you kids did.. Did you teach your kids German as well as English? " Yes, my parents learned English quickly after immigrating to Canada, but they continued to have a strong accent all their lives. They learned to read very well, but when writing, there were always grammar and spelling mistakes. You could still make out what they meant though! For parent/teacher interviews regarding my younger siblings, I was the designated ‘parent’! Oh what fun!! However, when it came time for devotions, prayer and worship they much preferred the German,  because I’m sure that God could understand them better, lol. Family and social times were always mostly German. We as children were even sent to the Saturday German School at our church – which was an all German church where my uncle was the pastor.  After completing the...

 One of our grandangels fallen asleep! Recently my sister and I reminisced  about the wonderful treasury of children's songs and prayers we inherited and passed on to our children. Now it is my niece's turn who wants to teach these to her children. This little song was sung to us by our parents and grandparents. We learned it in the old country as Muede bin ich, geh zur Ruh.   It is such a deeply meaningful prayer and has a simple, soothing melody! I decided to translate (loosely translate!) this particular one into English.  I still recall gathering our own children for their night-time devotions, prayer and song.  What a precious time!  One of ours, can't recall who, was a night owl already as a child and didn't want us to sing that song - because it meant that after the song it was bedtime and lights out! Here way up north during the summer months, it really doesn't get dark until after 10 p.m. We never made bed-time an issue.  It was always,...