Christ Bell

Christ Bell

THE BELL I KNOW WHO I AM

I am God's child (John 1:12)

I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )

I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)

I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)

I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)

I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)

I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)

I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)

I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom 8: 1-2)

I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3 :20)

I am free from any charge against me (Rom 8:31 -34)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)

I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)

I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 )

I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28 )

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )

I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 )

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13 )

I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)

I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)

I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). I have been justified (Romans 5:1)

I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10)

I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)

I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child (Eph

1:5)

I belong to God

Keep this bell ringing...

pass it on 'The LORD bless you and keep you;

The LORD make His face shine upon you

And be gracious to you;

The LORD turn His face toward you

And give you peace...Numbers 6:24-26

Merry Christmas!

Happy 11th Birthday Hannah Sue Reed

Here you are with your Grandma Reed in 2006. She loved it when you came to visit her!

Here you are with your Grandpa Reed just a few weeks ago!

I hope you have a very special birthday, try not to grow up too fast, it is making the rest of us get old! Love you lots from you Auntie Sue Sue

The Older I Get.....

The Older I Get....

The simpler my holiday preparations become....

the closer I feel to old friends as I write my Christmas Cards....

the more I cherish the older ornaments....

the more fondly I remember Christmases past...

the longer I hold on to a holiday hug....

the more I realize that Christmas is a matter of the heart...

the tighter my throat gets when I sing "Silent Night"....

the more I enjoy giving instead of receiving....

the more I try to see Christmas through the eyes of a child....

the longer I sit at night in the glow of the Christmas tree....

The more wondrously beautiful the Christmas story is...

the deeper my awe at God's infinite love....

the More I Love Christmas!

~this was in a Christmas card I received today and it is just how I feel so I wanted to share it with you.......susan

Jesus~Ever Near, Forever Glorious

Jesus, ever near me, ever looking on; seeing my intentions before He beholds my failures; knowing my desires before He sees my faults; cheering me to endeavor greater things, and yet accepting the least; inviting my poor service, and yet, above all, content with my poorer love. The humblest and the simplest, the weakest and the most encumbered, may love Him not less than the busiest and strongest, the most gifted and laborious. If our heart be clear before Him; if He be to our chief and sovereign choice, dear above all, and beyond all desired; then all else matters little. That which concerns us He will perfect in stillness and in power. –H.E. Manning

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, How lovely are your branches......

My Christmas Elves came today and put up my Christmas Tree!

Their names are Jerry and Steve!

We shared many a laugh

and a good meal!

Noah's Ark

Noah's Ark
Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark .

ONE: Don't miss the boat.
TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat!
THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.
TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.

My POW Bracelet

I have had a very special experience this week. When I was in high school in the late 1960's, the Viet Nam war was going on. It was well known that there were many POW's. Some organization put the names of POW's on bracelets and sold them for $5. I ordered one and wore mine faithfully from the 10th grade until 1973 when on TV my Mom, my Aunt Pat and I saw a list of POW's as they were coming home from their captivity and we saw some coming down the steps of an airplane. We saw his name, so we knew my POW was home. I tried back in the 70's to write to him and maybe I did but never heard a reply. OK, still with me? The beginning of this week my friend William went to dinner at his friend's house and one of the reasons he was there was so their high school daughter could interview him about the 60's and what he remembered about the Viet Nam war. It made me think, "What would I say if someone ask me those questions?" Of course my first thought was that POW bracelet that I wore and I prayed for him. I went to my jewelry box to find it and a light went off! Why have I not tried to find him now that we are in this computer world? So I first went to Google and right away information came up about him. He was forced to eject over North Vietnam on May 15th, 1967, and was taken as a Prisoner of War. After spending 2,120 days in captivity, he was released during Operation Homecoming on May 4th 1973. He suffered many injuries during the torture and malnutrition. He retired from the AF in 1981. He has been married for 55 years, has 2 children and 4 grandchildren. Next I went to Facebook to see if I could find him and there were 129 Ben Pollard's. But I found the picture above and by this time I knew his age and family info so I wrote to him via FB asking him if he was the POW on my bracelet. He sent me a brief message back saying "Yes, I am". I wrote him back and told him my story. Today on Thanksgiving Day I received a lovely email from him. I will mail him the bracelet. This was a gift to hear from him after all of these years. God is so good!

In one of the articles I read on line was a quote: "There's no such thing as a bad day when you have a knob on the inside of the door." CDR, Paul Galanti, USN (ret)

Count your blessings!

Thanksgiving Blessings!

Thankful For All Things
Never complain of your birth, your training, your employments, your hardships; never fancy that you could be something if only you had a different lot and sphere assigned you. God understands His own plan, and He knows what you want a great deal better than you do. The very things that you most deprecate, as fatal limitations or obstructions, are probably what you most want. What you call hindrances, obstacles, discouragements, are probably God’s opportunities. –H. Bushnell

Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20 NKJV

God's Best to You!

God can only give the best to you, because second best is not a part of His nature, His character, or His heart. If you cast yourself upon Him, He will not let you slip through His hands; if you drink from His fountain you will never taste of tainted waters; if you eat at His table you will never find stale bread; if you walk in His footsteps you will never be led into pathways of confusion.

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. 12 O Lord of hosts, blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts in You [leaning and believing on You, committing all and confidently looking to You, and that without fear or misgiving]! Psalm 84:11 AMP

~meet me in the meadow

Happy 55th Birthday Yvonne!

~ My precious friend, I bear in mind

That faithful friends are hard to find

In you I've found one good and true

And yearly grows my love for you~

~adapted from a Victorian Verse

Dinner out tonight with the "girls" to celebrate Yvonne's Birthday.

Each birthday is such a blessing!

Dad

Dad age 81....not too shabby!

Dad and his daughter in laws....they each claim that they are the favorite!
Linda, Tammy and Carol!

Dad and his favorite son in law...Clarence is #1 for sure!!!

What a crew... Dad, John, Sandi, Jason, Cindy, Susan and Jeff!
What a blessing to have each other!

We miss you Mama!

"Beautiful Christian Sister" by Maya Angelou

By Maya Angelou

'A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ That a man should have to seek Him first to find her.'

When I say.... 'I am a Christian' I'm not shouting 'I'm clean living;

'I'm whispering 'I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven.

'When I say.... 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say.... 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success.

I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain...

I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou;

I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good grace, somehow!

~I dedicate this to my special Christian Sisters who are an encouragment to me ~Susan

1939-2009 70th Anniversary of the Movie "The Wizard of Oz"

My favorite movie from my childhood, in case you did not know!

And always remember.... "There is no place like home!"

Once

~photo by Toni Drake

You, who were once far from God, have now been drawn close to His heart; (Ephesians 2:13)
You, who were once in spiritual poverty, have now been made lavishly rich; (Ephesians 2:7)
You, who were once without fruit, have now been made to flourish; (John 15:16)
You, who were once extremely needy, have now been made complete; (Colossians 2:10)
You, who were once alone and empty, have now been immersed in love; (Ephesians 3:18-19)
You, who were once a wandering sheep, have now been brought into the fold; (1 Peter 2:25)
You, who were once an alien, have now been made a citizen of heaven; (Ephesians 2:19)
You, who were once an orphan, have now been adopted into God’s family; (Romans 8:15)
You, who were once going your own way, have now been brought into His glorious will and plan. (Galatians 2:20)
~meet me in the meadow

It is all so simple...once we were sinners but once we ask Jesus into our hearts and have a personal relationship with Him, these promises are all ours. Blessings on your life ~Susan

Weekend in Mpls.

Karen, Delia, Susan and Toni

Had the pleasure of spending time with these dear friends this weekend. We scrap booked on Saturday and went out to dinner Saturday night and the Splan guys joined us. Toni and I stayed at a favorite Inn where we could relax in the pool and hot tub. It is a tough life! God is so good to give us such dear friends!

Boo! October 31st, 2009

Passing thru Deer River yesterday I found these children~Taylor, Maddi and Trenton!
Mr.Transformer himself~Preston

What a blessing these great Nieces and Nephews are!

Nothern Minnesota Yesterday October 31, 2009

This is the road to Mt. Tabor Bible Camp in Bigfork, MN
The next 3 pictures were taken on Hwy 6 enroute to Big Falls

Looks like winter has come to Northern Minnesota.

~lunch hour stroll in England-photo by Robert Stewart

The grass withers, the flower fades. but the word of our God stands forever.

Isaiah 40:8

Dinner Guests!

Linda and Rolland and nephew Philip.

Rolland works at Teen Challenge and always

was a favorite of Philip's when he was in the

program. We all go to the same church. A good

time was had by all!!

~photos by Delia when we were up the North Shore

"But those who wait on 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 40:31

So many of us are going through trials, this verse is a reminder that our strength comes from God and He has promised us if we trust Him He will give us what we need to complete our journey. love to you today. ~Susan

Happy Birthday Delia!

What made us Friends in the long ago when we first met? ???? Well I think I know..........

What a blessing you have been to me Delia! God blessed us with friendship since we were 8 years old when we officially met at Washkish Bible Camp. Altho Mom tells us we met when we were babies and we even shared the same blanket on the floor! What we wouldn't give for a picture of that!! To think that even that day God knew we would grow up and be the dearest of friends to each other and to be sisters of encouragement to each other along the way?! God is so good and I am glad our friendship was part of His Plan!

Happiest of birthday's, 57 looks mighty good on you! I wonder what adventure we will go on to celebrate our 50 years of friendship??? I can't wait!!

Love you!

God is our guide

~painting by Otis Reed

As your Guide God will…
Tell you when it’s time to go ( Genesis 12:1)

Guide you in His strength (Exodus 15:13)

Give you rest (Exodus33:14)

Go before you (Numbers 14:14)

Light your darkness (2 Samuel 22:29)

Provide for you (Nehemiah 9:20)

Lead you in paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3)

Guide you in truth and faithfulness (Psalm 25:5)

Teach you His way (Psalm 25:9)

Keep His eye upon you (Psalm 32:8)

Give you His counsel (Psalm 73:24)

Correct your course if you start to drift (Isaiah 30:21)

Not leave you or forsake you (Isaiah 42:16)

Nurture you (Isaiah 58:11)

Be your companion (Jeremiah 3:4)

God is Our Rock!

Chaco National Monument ~photo by William Conk

If I were going on a safari, I would want a guide who had the fire power to stop a charging wild beast from devouring me. If I were traveling through the desert, I would want a guide who knew where all the wells were located. If I were traveling through the jungle, I would want a guide who knew the trail and could get me to my destination.

As we travel through life we need more than tips or well intended advice, we need a true Guide. We need a true Guide because we need to be guided. Sadly, many people seek guidance from guides who do not know the way and lead them to dead ends. God is the only true, trustworthy, fully qualified Guide there is who can rightly direct our steps and lead us in the way we should go. If we have the right Guide, we will know the right guidance.

We must first yield ourselves to God before we can know His guidance. God wants to rule in our hearts before He guides us and directs our steps. Guidance comes out of relationship. Elisabeth Elliot, in her book on guidance, reminds us that “When God spoke to Moses from out of the burning bush, first came the ‘I Am’ then came the ‘Do this.’” When it comes to our future, Elisabeth Elliot also reminds us that, “God knows the way, He has been over every foot of it.”

The Palmist, David, tells us in Psalm 31:3, “For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name's sake, lead me and guide me.” Before David asked God to lead and guide him, David knew that God was his rock and fortress—his safety, his protection, and security. Because David trusted God for his life, he could also trust God for his future. For David, God’s guidance also meant God’s glory. David did not ask God to guide him in ways that would make David look good, but that would exalt the Lord’s name.

For the believer, God’s guidance is one of the greatest issues that must be settled in the heart. God’s guidance is what separates the believer from the world. God is looking for those who want His way in their lives instead of their own way. The ones who know God’s guidance are those who have said in their hearts, “God, I am trusting in your plans for my life instead of pursuing my own plans.”

My Sister Cindy's Birthday!

Happy 53rd birthday Dear Sister of Mine. Here you are being a Grandma to Ashley and a good Daughter to Mom! You wear many hats and you do it well. Our family would be lost without you. Please know how much you are loved and appreciated.

Birthday lunch in Deer River Take 2!

Grandpa Jack and the munchkins! Taylor with 2 of her young Great Aunties!!
Sue Sue, John and Taylor

Robert, Mandy and Preston

Bryan, Ami, Taylor, Maddi and Trenton

Many were missing for various reasons, but a good time was had by all!

Birthday Lunch in Deer River

Jason, Carol, Jared and Hannah

Colin and Morgan

Charlie and Mike

Cindy and Charlie

Jessica and Jonathan