What is it all about?

"I view my role now as more divine. Something more, not just a mother who wakes up and makes her kid's food. It's a mother who enriches and teachers the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's a privilege."

-Stephanie Nielson

She gets it.

(and I adore GBTV!)

True Independence

image source and more information

Here is an article you may also find interesting:

10 Things You Might Not Know About America's Independence

and if you would like to read more about the preservation of our

Declaration of Independence, click here.

The Hope of Easter

51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed..."Death has been swallowed up in victory."

55"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:51-57

Happy Easter!

A Life Well Lived

My sincere apologies for not posting lately. You see, our family recently lost our patriarch, my dear precious father. He passed on quite suddenly and unexpectedly. We have all had to adjust to a new reality of life.

My father was an amazing man. I would not be the person I am today without his guidance and influence. He taught us what was most important in life: our personal relationship with God. We are all better for having known him. I am confident that I will see him again in Heaven one day.

A celebration of his life was held at our church and I found the service to be tremendously healing. The setting was perfect-our old church's majestic sanctuary. The beautiful stained glass windows, the choir, the pipe organ and the bagpipes were a fitting tribute to a wonderful, multi-faceted man.

I would like to share with you a few words that were shared at his memorial service. I hope you find them as uplifting and assuring as I do.

"This service of resurrection is a declaration of our faith in the living God, whom we have come to know in Jesus Christ.

On the occasion of the passing of (my father), we gather to worship God who raised Jesus Christ from death

and made resurrection the true mark of our future.

We have come as people of God to express our love for (my father) and to share our faith and hope in that life which is God's gift to us.

In celebrating God's love and the passing of this life, we readily confess our sorrow and our difficulty in always accepting death as a natural part of life. However, we dare to look beyond our sorrow to claim a deep joy in knowing that there is nothing in life or death that can separate us, and those we love, from the love of God which is ours through Jesus Christ our Lord."

(see Romans 8:38)

If my father was to speak to you now, I know that he would say, "I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God."(see Job 19:25)

Many thanks to Pearls and Grace for the kind post about my father's passing. The love and prayers from friends like you help us every single day.

"because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:14-18)

I will be back to posting about all things visually delightful and lovely, but for now, I've got my mind on the divine that I can not see, but I know is so very real.

"Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living just because He lives."

(Gloria & Bill Gaither)

VIOLET, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

Isn't she one of your favorite characters?

Who's been watching?

Does Mary need Matthew or another Turk?

Ah, the saga is to continue next season!