Starfish Dreams

Persecuted Christians in Iraq

Friends,

I just read a news report where 3,000 Christians are fleeing the Norther Iraq Province of Ninevah.  They are being persecuted, and are being threatened . They may lose their very lives.

Please, keep the Christians in the Persecuted Church in Iraq in your prayers tonight.

According to a statistic from www.persecutedchurch.org ,  there will be an estimated 165,000 Christians who will die this year for their faith in Christ.

May God bless & protect  these souls who are in harm's way -- and may they stay strong in their love for the Lord!

~ gloria ~

Shayna and Jeffie

Dora and her family from church came by last night for me to worm and give their dogs a set of shots.   It is so funny how people see things .   Dora was watching Jeffie how he was with Michelle (she stopped by for a bit) and she also watched how Jeffie is with Shayna. 

Dora told me with tears in her eyes " Shayna is his mom"  I gave a sad smile and said I know.   She remembers them from church events and other home schooling events.  Dora knows Shayna is his aunt (tea as he calls her) and that Shayna has raised him for a lot of his life.

We are blessed that Shayna at 15 years old took on the roll.  They have such a strong bond.  He cries every time he has to go.

Here are some of Shayna's senior pictures taken last year at this time.  Shayna was 17 and Jeffie was 2.5.  We bought the hole cd so we have the funny ones too:

Jeffie will be 4 in January.

God Bless, mj

The Answer to our Financial Woes

The "financial" woes of our nation are on the hearts and minds of many in our nation right now. 

I am not surpised in any way by the economic crisis we face. What did Americans think would happen when it has lived on a steady diet of debt and allowed our government for decades to get deeper and deeper into national debt? It does not take a rocket scientist to understand that our nation's economic crisis is due to poor financial management. We can't point a finger at our nation and it's leaders without taking a good look at our own lives. Americans are addicted to debt. YES, I say addicted.  Pretty strong words, ya think? Americans want everything and they want it right now. They want their government programs and don't realize that everything comes with a price tag. They want their new cars, new homes and fancy electronic gadgets and don't think twice about putting down plastic to pay for it.

Then there is the concern over the upcoming election. Most of my loved ones and friends are very concerned about things. They are concered about the moral and social demise of our nation.  They are concerned and rightfully so.

So now what?

I was talking the other day to a good friend. She was expressing her family's reponse to our economic woes....... there was concern in her voice...... she was worried...... her response is to stockpile food and get a gun.

Now I want to say that I think it's great to have a full pantry, anytime of year and under any enconomic state we may find ourselves in.  But, I do not believe our trust should be in what  "we are doing" or "what we can do" or what our "government" plans to do or will do. I believe , whole heartedly that our trust is to be in the Lord. The Word of God tells us that the Lord watches over the sparrow and even the lilly of the field is dressed beautifully!   When times get tough, we need to earnestly place our trust in the ONLY safe harbor of  security  --- the Lord!

" Trust in the Lord with all your heart , and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."  ~~ Proverbs 3: 5 & 6

Too many Americans have forgotten this proverb.

Many have invested heavily in the stock market. My husband was a broker for a few years. He could tell stories about what goes on in the stock market.  It's really just a more polished way of gambling.  I am sorry if that offends some of you.  Many are seeing their retirement funds disintegrate before their very eyes.  In the news the past few days there have been reports of some committing suicide because of their financial woes.

What is happening here?

Friends, let us not dispair! Let us not put our trust in our stocks, our savings account, our food storage or even our guns! 

May I gently encourage you to place your trust in the ONLY SAFE SECURITY we have -- and that is the Lord God!

" It is the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is His faithfulness."  ~~ Lamentations 3: 22 & 23

Great is His faithfulness! He will not fail us !!   Let us not turn to "man made" answers to our problems. Let us seek His face, humble ourselves and He has promised us that He will heal our land. 

My prayer is that all of us will seek His face, seek a closer walk with Him ..... and trust, trust, trust that He will provide, protect and continue to shield us!

~ gloria ~

Missouri Voter Registration Fraud

For those of you in Missouri, PLEASE MAKE SURE TO VOTE this coming election.

The news just broke out stating that the  orginization/ group ACORN has been charged with fraudulent voter registrations. Apparently Acorn help folks register to vote and targets lower income families who vote Democrat. Apparently the FBI is investigating ACORN because many of the registrations they have compiled are coming up as "false signatures names and addresses".  This has been reported here in Kansas City.

So please folks - if you live in the great state of Missouri, please make sure you are registered and ready to vote in November.

Missouri is a battleground state and EVERY VOTE counts!

Keep praying for America, we reallly need to keep coming before the throne of Grace on this coming election.

~ gloria ~

Rootbeer Cookies!

This was a new recipe we tried and it's a keeper! These are fabulous and not just the ordinary run of the mill cookie!! My kids LOVED them!  The rootbeer used in the recipe is concentrate/extract not the rootbeer / pop you buy to drink. You can purchase the extract at the supermarket where the extracts are sold. ( next to vanilla)

The frosting/ icing is rootbeer flavored too!

YIELDS: 4 dozen

                                   Rootbeer Cookies

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup butter softened

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 tsp rootbeer concentrate/extract

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Icing:

2 cups powdered sugar

1/3 c up butter melted

2 TBS hot water

1  1/2 tsp rootbeer extract

Cream sugar, butter and eggs. Add rootbeer and buttermilk. Combine dry ingredients and add to creame mixture.  Mix until  smooth.  *Refrigerate dough for 1 hour*.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Cool completely before icing.

Glaze/Icing: Melt butter in pan, remove from heat and add hot water, rootbeer concentrate and sugar.  Stirl until smooht. Spoon over cooled cookies.  If glaze gets too thick you can reheat over low heat.

Enjoy!

~ gloria ~

Prayers for our Country -- He can heal our land

Friends,

As you know our nation is struggling right now.  The past few months our nation was hit by 3 tornados,  and then the financial crisis on Wallstreet.  We are in the midst of a bitter contest for the leadership of our nation with the upcoming election in November.  Same gender marriage was recently allowed in the state of California. Shootings of various kinds have plagued our nation this past year.  Our nation continues to embrace national infantacide thru abortion.

We are in a deep mess and there is only ONE way out. 

" If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, an turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven an will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."                             ~  2 Chronicles 7:22 ~

I listen to the politicians spew their thoughts on "how" we can heal our nation from the challenges we face.......and I shake my head in disbelief....... where is God in all "their" plans? The fact is, it's just "their" plans and not God's plans.  God's plan is for us to repent, to humble ourselves, to pray and to seek His face...... and THEN He will HEAL our nation!

Our hope does not lie in a new administration ..... our hope does not lie in a "bailout" program.... our hope lies in the Lord! 

Please join me in prayer for our nation.  I have been praying for years for our nation to "turn our hearts around" .... but my prayers have become more feverent.   We are in a pickle for sure  & we have gotten ourselves there because of our wrong choices. We have left our "first love" and run after other gods.  We have as a nation ran after the god of money, greed, debt,... you name it, America's got the latest "idol"....

It's so very sad.

Please pray for our nation....... pray for our people to turn their hearts to the only SOLUTION to our national crisis we are facing......... God.

May He forgive us,

gloria

Pictures and update

Hello to all,

I feel like Winnie the Pooh right now, with our blustery day. Yesterday we had a nice light rain all day so I was determined to get my projects done. With the house to just hubby and I, I accomplished just that.

First, after numerous times of taking apart and putting back together, my granny hexagon crochet blanket is done. YEA!!! I probably will not make another one in my life again. ha ha So here is the finished project.

As you can see, it fits the top of my queen size bed but will be for one of my grandsons twin bed when they get older. I am going to do a regular granny square blanket for the other. They can pick what they want when the time comes. I did have fun putting the hexagons together, it was just the laying it out part that was time consuming.

As for the second finished project, I have always wanted to do a square yo-yo quilt. It looked interesting and just had to try that once also. So with no further ado, here it is.

OOPS, the picture is sideways, but you can get the jist of it. It is one that I know I won't make again. Too many open places for fingers and toes to get caught in. And yes, I had to hand sew all those corners together.

As for today, well, I am going to get those five shirts of hubby's sewn and done. I still have some donation blankets to make and get to their locations. The farmers almanac calls for another cold winter here in our neck of the woods and I know that they would be much appreciated. I am donating to the Palouse against Violence organization. They help needy women and children that flee from their homes. They come to the shelter with nothing but what they have on their backs and we all know that a blanket is both comforting and warmth. I consider this my wrapped up in Love project.

Thank you for all of those who are showing interest in my other project that I want to start. I am still in the works of getting it together. I was going to do it bi monthly, but may do it monthy and add just a few extra things in. As for the other website that I found, it is FrugalDad.com. They have some great tips for everyday.

I hear the shirts calling and must go for now. Will talk to you later.

Good Afternoon Everyone!!

I am so very sorry I have not been a very dedicated blogger and I apologize. My Dad was in the hospital with a very bad kidney infection but he is out now and seems to be doing better my sister came over last weekend with my neices and nephews and we had to take my 3 year old nephew Jayden to the ER  he had a very high temperature and they diagnoised him with some kind of throat infection and gave him Tylenol w/ Codeine I have been real busy with College and worth actually while I am typing i am doing overtime.. we are backlogged so we are trying to catch up on everything.... well you all have a wonderful blessed day.. I know what I will be doing when I get gome... LAUNDRY....

Blessings,

Alyssa

Tired of the liberal biased media?

Anyone out there in blogland weary of the liberal biased media?

If so, please leave a comment..........I have been trying to keep up on election news, only to become sick to my stomach whenever I read what is in the print media. :(

It is SO obvious the liberal media machine have picked their "star boy" for this coming election. He can do no wrong in their eyes.  It is obvious they are out to "eat alive"  those that even slightly ruffle their feathers. 

It makes me sick and I hope Americans are seeing the media for what they are -- socialists who are despereately trying to "shape" American's thinking......... do they really think they can dictate to us what we should think and believe???

I am sick and tired of the oh so obvious partiality and bias...... this is not journalism......good grief.

I for one am not going to allow the socialist liberal media machine dictate to me what I should think about this coming election and "who" I should vote for.

I hope & pray you will do the same!

~ gloria ~

Gods Blessings and gifts

I am reading a book called " The Wind Is My Mother " By Bear Heart.

This book is a native American teaching and I just love it.   Bear Heart talks about God a lot.   But this saying about God caught my eye and thoughts going.

Bear is talking to a man and the man said I've been called to preach.  

Wonderful who called you bear asks??

God the man says.

Bear: , why that's even more wonderful if he called you.  So when are you going to start preaching?

Man: That's what I wanted to see you about.  I need some seminary training , at least 2 years.  But my daughter's graduating this year and next year my son graduates.  Meanwhile I'm working at a service station barely making ends meet.

Bear: Wait , wait, before you go any further , I know exactly what you can do.

Man :  What?

Bear:  Go back and tell God the one who called you all about these problems. Maybe he didn't know when He called you , so you tell him.

If we are genuinely called by God , there will be a way provided.

How many of these gifts, blessings did God send our way and we did not see or take it.  Did we put them on a back burner  for later.  Or did we take that leap of faith because we KNEW God called us to do it?

This page in this book got me thinking really deep, I could not sleep for hours.    They are many more teaching about God like this in this book.

God Bless, to you all , I hope this gets you thinking, mj