Friday, January 29, 2010

The First Full Moon of 2010

Close to home
The full moon's reflection is pinched by ice as it rises over Lake Superior and the Duluth Ship Canal on Friday evening. This weekend's full moon will be the closest of the year. (Bob King )
This being the first full moon of 2010, it is also known as the wolf moon, a moniker dating back to Native American culture and the notion that hungry wolves howled at the full moon on cold winter nights. Each month brings another full moon name.

Tonight's full moon is the first of the year.But why will this moon be bigger than others? Here's how the moon works:The moon is, on average, 238,855 miles from Earth. The moon's orbit around Earth – which causes it to go through all its phases once every 29.5 days – is not a perfect circle, but rather an ellipse. One side of the orbit is 31,070 miles closer than the other.So in each orbit, the moon reaches this closest point to us, called perigee. Once or twice a year, perigee coincides with a full moon, as it will tonight, making the moon bigger and brighter than any other full moons during the year.Tonight it will be about 14 percent wider and 30 percent brighter than lesser full moons of the year, according to Spaceweather.com.As a bonus, Mars will be just to the left of the moon tonight.

~another of God's great creations for us to enjoy! Have a good weekend.......Susan

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Tailor-Made


“Receive the kingdom God has prepared for you since the world was made.” Matthew 25:34

The problem with this world is that it doesn’t fit. Oh, it will do for now, but it isn’t tailor-made. We were made to live with God, but on earth we live by faith. We were made to live forever, but on this earth we live but for a moment. We were made to live holy lives, but this world is stained by sin.

This world wears like a borrowed shirt. Heaven will fit like one tailor-made.
~max lucado
.....It gives me goosebumps! But such a comfort! The best is yet to come ~Susan

Saturday, January 23, 2010

My Birthday Weekend!

My dear friend Delia came to spend my birthday weekend with me. I worked yesterday and when I got home from work she had dinner for me. Many of my favorites. We ended the evening with carrot cake muffins with walnuts and cream cheese frosting. I only ate one, honest!
This vintage green basket is one of my gifts from her but in it is one of my gifts to her. This is a purse made out of one long long zipper. Here it is unzipped.............

......and here it is zipped up and ready to use! We are so easily amused!!!


This morning my nephew Philip brought me a gift....no it is not a pie, it is hand picked, Lake Superior Agates from the "secret pit". He polished them himself. He said I was the only woman he knew that gets excited over a bag of rocks!!!!!!!!

Have you ever seen anything more beautiful????
Thanks Philip, I was very surprised and touched by your gift!!!





Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Divine Direction

~photo by william conk

How nice will it be, if the Lord Himself will give us the directions to proceed in our life? That is what exactly the Lord wants to do for His children. In the modern days that we live in, we have so many advanced technologies to give us directions when we want to get somewhere.

The Bible talks about divine direction in the scriptures. God has a road map for each and every one of us. God knows exactly where to take us. He knows the minute details of our life. He has the blue print for our whole life already. We do not have to ask him to put a new plan for our lives. All we have to do it just fit in His plans for our lives. His Word of God declares in Jeremiah 29:11, ' For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope'.

To get to the bigger picture, our God goes step by step. Though He knows the end from the beginning, He does not tell you the destination right away. All He wants to tell you is one step at a time. And the Lord God Almighty orders each step.

Steps are ordered:
The word that is mentioned in the Bible is 'ordered' just like the way you order your food in a restaurant. You order as much as you can eat. In the same way, God orders our steps and steps that we are able to take. God's word says, 'He orders every step'. 'The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way' (Ps 37:23).
Have you noticed the way we plan things in our life. Most of them do not happen at all. Sometime people are concerned about things that may not even come to pass. Still there are some who spend half of their time in just worrying about things that are irrelevant?
The Bible says, 'A man's heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps' (Pro 16:9). Notice the word 'step'. Our God directs our steps.

Paths are directed:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths (Pro 3:5). The key to unlocking God's direction is by acknowledging Him in all our ways.
Many think that God's paths are full of lack. That is not true. Just because you have not seen abundance doesn't means that God's paths are not abundant. The Bible says, 'You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance' (Ps 65:11)When we are in God's direction, we are heading towards abundance. It may not feel like it, it may not look like it. But the Word of God says, God's path drip with abundance. Let not the devil talk you out of that word. Our God is not a God of lack. He is a God of abundance. His paths drip with abundance. All you want to be is, in His path. God's word is final.

How to know God's directions:
1. Prayer:
Look at the prayer of David, a man after God's own heart. David was a king but yet He had the time to pray to the Lord God Almighty to show him His ways and teach him His paths. 'Show me your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths' (Ps 25:4). Direct my steps by Your Word (Ps 119:136).
Take God at His word when you pray. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with my eye (Ps 32:8).
Tell Him, 'Lord Jesus, I am here to ask for your directions in my life'. I do not want to go in my path but take me in Your ways, Lord. You will soon see God coming through.
2. Word of God:
God's word is the lamp unto your feet and a light to your path (Ps 119:105). After you have prayed, do not expect a prophet to come out, and put his hand on you give you a prophesy. That may not happen. That is not always the way God wants to work.
Expect God to reveal things from His heart to yours. He wants you to know His ways from His word. So while you are going through the Word of God, listen to the Holy Spirit for revelation from the word Write down the impressions and ideas He gives you. Let the truth He reveals to you settle in and begin to work in you.

3. Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit:
The thing that we need to understand is that we cannot hurry God into anything. The Bible calls it 'waiting'. There is something called waiting upon the Lord that is so important in our spiritual walk. The Holy Spirit talks in a still small voice right in your heart. He loves to talk to us. When our heart is in the right place, we sure will hear Him speak to us.
Isaiah 30:21 says, 'Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it." Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left".
Jesus said in John 10:27 says, 'My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me'. We need to fine tune our spiritual ears all the time so that we can hear Him.

Let us walk in His ways all the days of our life. Amen.
~jemina rayan-from potter's ministries

Monday, January 18, 2010

My Sweet Church Friend Janet

Nice visit with Janet my prayer warrior from church! She was working as a receptionist the day 4+ years ago when I went to SMDC for a job interview for Nurse On Line. She prayed with me right before going into the HR department. It was just a few days later that they called and offered me the job! Next month I will celebrate 4 years working at NOL. We were actually celebrating her retirement from SMDC today. Her job there was more than a job, it was a ministry.....an example for me to go that extra mile!

Sunday Night Dinner Out in Balmy Canal Park!

Siblings Philip and Stacy who are both 35 years of old for 1 month only!


Best Friends Stacy and Shelley

Shelley and Tony and Stacy and Brian

My nephew Philip and niece Stacy, I am glad they still like to include me in their gatherings.
Dinner at the Green Mill and 40 degrees above in Canal Park in Duluth in January!




Sunday, January 17, 2010

Family Birthday Party after Party #1 on Saturday

Linda made blankets for Hannah, Charlie and Colin for their birthdays!
Brianne and Sue Sue bonding over sparkly lip gloss! We are lovely wouldn't you say??

Grandpa Great makes Joshua giggle non-stop!
We celebrated 12 birthdays but the photographer got weak and forgot to take any more pictures of the birthday crew! But we can say that a good time was had by all!



Clarence's Party Take Three!!

Clarence has a new parking permit, he is special he is retired!!!!!!!

Robert, Mandy and Preston looking at Clarence's scrapbook from his accident
What a transformation!
Dad, Charlie, Clarence, Clarence's brother Marvin and his wife Carol


Brian and Joshua



Mike and Colin (with Stacy and Morgan in the background, our hostesses for the day!-Good job ladies!)





Clarences Party Take Two!

The Moolatte Sisters~Kerry and Cindy~
School Chums Gary and Clarence & Gary's wife Jill
Clarence's brother Gene and wife Dawn

Crazy cousins~Barb, Cindy, Clarence, Joyce, Sam. Ken and Evelyn

Dan Rabitt and Clarence~they started working at Minnesota Power on the same day!






Saturday January 16th, 2010 Honoring Clarence for his Retirement from Minnesota Power

Clarence and Cindy, still in love after all of these years!

Stacy and her Dad at his party

Clarence's Aunt, Shirley Hart and his Mom Isabel

The Hart Cousins and Spouses
We held a party at the White Oak Inn in Deer River to celebrate Clarence's Retirement and his 10th Anniversary of his Logging Accident/Head Injury. Our lives would of been so different if God had not spared his life and given him recovery. It was a miracle of miracles how God brought him back and then gave him 10 more years to work. Bless God!





Saturday, January 9, 2010

Moving ahead with JOY

~photo from duluth newstribune
When Jesus worked, He worked as no man had ever worked. When He found the sick He showed them the way to healing, when He found the impure He showed them the way to cleansing, when He found the broken He showed them the way to wholeness, when He found the heavy of heart He lead them to the fountains of joy, when He found those in darkness He lead them to His glorious light, when He found the thirsty He lead them to the rivers of living water.

When Jesus spoke, He spoke as no man had ever spoken. He spoke with authority. His words went deeper than the mind—His words reached deep into a person’s inner-most being—piercing the heart, touching the conscience, stirring the spirit, restoring the soul. What He said could be trusted, and every heart that trusted what He said was changed forever.

Jesus still works and He is still speaking. What is He working in your life? What is He saying to your heart? Is there a new step of faith to take? Is there a new ministry He is leading you to do? Is there a change He wants to make within you? Is He asking you to trust Him at a deeper level? Is He saying to be still and wait? Let Him work, let Him speak, let Him have is way with you and your obedience will be clothed with joy.
~meet me in the meadow

I take joy in doing your will, my God. Psalm 40:8 NLT

Lunch with some dear friends! January 8th

Cathy McGovern and her daughters ~Luisa and Laila
Auntie Laila with Baby Abigal

Little Ellie getting ready to dance for us!



Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Moving Ahead in God's Will

~photo taken by William Conk

Ponce De Leon Light in Florida

Cindy, Stacy and I visited here ~7 years ago

Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. Hebrews 10:9 KJV



“Chance” and “luck” do not sit on the throne of heaven, but a loving, personal Creator does. Life is not a gamble and fate does not guide your destiny. God did not bring you into this world to live without a purpose, to exist without a reason, or function without meaning. He loves you, cares about you, and wants you to know Him and do His will.


He has chosen you and prepared you for the work He has called you to do. When your heart is set on His will, you will have the assurance that He will be to you all that you need. This confidence of faith allows you to move through each day with a peaceful spirit, inward rest, and quiet trust.


In the coming year, remember these five important things regarding God’s will for your life.


1. Place—Be in God’s place in His perfect time.


2. Peace—Let His peace keep you at rest in the place He has called you.


3. Purpose—Believe God’s purpose for you will be fulfilled in the place He has you.


4. Plan—Have confidence that nothing can frustrate God’s perfect plan for you.


5. Power—Receive His Spirit to equip and empower you to do what He has called you to do.


~meet me in the meadow

May we all let God be our guiding light......blessings on your day~Susan





Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Dad's 7th or 8th ERCP

The 3 sisters~ Sandi, Susan and Cindy with Dad before he had his procedure
Linda is really the #1 daughter-in-law today!

This is the view from Dad's room of lovely Lake Superior with an Orr boat coming in


The Orr boat may have been a 1000 footer as it filled the entrance to the harbor!
A lovely winter day in Duluth!



Saturday, January 2, 2010

Love that Lasts Forever

“Love never fails.” I Corinthians 13:8 NIV
“Love,” Paul says, “never fails.”
The verb Paul uses for the word fail is used elsewhere to describe the demise of a flower as it falls to the ground, withers, and decays. It carries the meaning of death and abolishment. God’s love, says the apostle, will never fall to the ground, wither, and decay. By its nature, it is permanent. It is never abolished.


Love “will last forever”
It “never dies”
It “never ends”
Love “is eternal”
God’s love “will never come to an end” …

Governments will fail, but God’s love will last. Crowns are temporary, but love is eternal. Your money will run out, but His love never will.

~Max Lucado: Grace for the Moment

Friday, January 1, 2010

There is a Love......

~photo taken by Jere . His tree on his dock on the Oyster River in NH
There is a love that extends to the breadth,
descends to the depths,
ascends to the heights,
and transcends all that all our hearts can ever imagine.

May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! Ephesians 3:17-19 AMP
~meet me in the meadow
~this is my prayer for myself and those I love, that we may experience this love and be a reflection of it. Happy New Year! Love from Susan

Christmas 2009 with Family Take Three!

It was Jonathan's Birthday on 12/26, the day we had our Hotel Christmas!
This is Hunter, Jonathan's step son and Hunter loves Jonathan so much! He calls him Johnny!

Trenton loves his Uncle Robert


Ashley with her new tattoos! She was sad to see them gone after her 2nd swim!



Mike, Morgan and Colin. (Don't know where Charlie is!) Colin is full of personality!
It was a great Christmas. We missed Stacy, Brian and family as they were snowed bound in SD!
We missed Gavin and Elise too as they were in Denver. We really missed our sweet Mama as she loved Christmas and everything about it! But we saw her in the faces of so many of our family.




Christmas 2009 with Family Take Two!

My sister Cindy and Clarence

Linda and Brother John

Brother Jeff and Tammy


Brother Jason and Carol



Nephew Philip and son Alex and my Dad