What I Am Doing While I Am Not Blogging!

Painted her yesterday!

Ponderings

Dear Friends, I will be taking this week and the month of June off from blogging.

I have some pondering I need to do.

See you in July.

Love, Dianne

Weekend Worship at Cedar Hill Cumberland Presbyterian, Russell Crossroads, TN

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord!
Psalm 33:12a

You would never believe how many church parking lots Karen (over at Places of My Heart) whipped in to as we made our way to and from North Carolina.  There were so many pretty old churches--we over here west of the Mississippi don't have nearly as many old churches as there are east of the Big River.  But it was such great fun having someone who enjoyed taking pictures of them as much as I did and would indulge me in one of my favorite hobbies.  Thank you, Karen. I especially love the last picture with the American flag and the sign announcing that Jake and Howard would be singing on Sunday evening.  Oh how I wish we could have heard them.

Hope your Memorial Day weekend is safe and blessed,
 

Joining with Spiritual Sundays this weekend--

Here is a link to a Flickr picture--The church is located in Russell Crossroads, TN.


Would you like to share your thoughts or your heart with me? My contact information is listed in the upper right of the sidebar. Please feel free to email me. I love hearing from you and cherish the friendships I have made through blogging. 

 © all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

I Saw the Light

This morning as I was reading in John 9, there was a passage that especially stood out to me.

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”    “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”    After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.  “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

A study of the gospels and Jesus' Words in particular point to the fact that every recorded word He spoke was meaningful, important and powerful.
Take, for instance, when right before healing the man born blind from birth, Jesus uses the contrast of 'night and day.'  He goes on to say that He Himself is the Light of the world.
A man born blind from birth would have no idea of the difference between night and day or any connotation of light--but Jesus, talking to the Pharisees, uses this anyway.
Imagine the moments right after the blind man sees for the first time in his life.Imagine what his thoughts were--
Maybe something like:
"I now know I have been in darkness my whole life,I now know what darkness is.
I now know what the day looks like,I never could have dreamed of its brightness.
I now know what the Light of the World looks like.I now personally know Light."
Jesus used the analogy that would make the most sense to this blind man.The Pharisees couldn't begin to see what he saw.
What do you see today?  Is it light or is it night?

   Blessings and love, 


 Would you like to share your thoughts or your heart with me? My contact information is listed in the upper right of the sidebar. Please feel free to email me. I love hearing from you and cherish the friendships I have made through blogging. 

© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

He Wrote Them One By One

A t this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.  Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”  “No one, sir,” she said.  “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” from John 8--The Message

Led into the courtyard

barely able to catch a breath

My heart was in my throat

I expected sudden death

But when questioned

He begin to write

I never would have guessed

the Sin within His sight

Fraud, libel, slander

malice, pride and greed

gossip, bitterness, resentment

even 'no good deed'

No names to go with Sin

were written in the sand

Enough was the conviction

Written by His hand.

Feeling Lifeless?

Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.

This is the bread that came down from heaven.

Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”
from John 6, the Message

Are you feeling lifeless today?  No zest for living.  Just putting one foot in front of the other.  Numb to happiness, joy and abundance?

This old shed could reflect on some of our lives today.  The life is right there in front of it.

Jesus told us that whoever feeds on him will live--somehow, I think He is referring to that abundant living that cannot contain rivers of living water flowing out from it.

Since that is what I want for me and mine today and all of you and all those for whom I am praying, this scripture will be my Kingdom prayer today.

Lord, I pray that we will not neglect You today, that we will go through our day walking and talking and discussing things with You.  I pray that we will acknowledge Your Word, spending time in it and reading and meditating over it just as we would if it were the first time we had ever read it, letting its truth, beauty and goodness soak into the very marrow of our beings.

I pray this in Jesus' Name.  Amen 

The life truly is right there in front of us!

Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you, love him with all you've got!  Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.*** From Deut 6

Would you like to share your thoughts or your heart with me? My contact information is listed in the upper right of the sidebar. Please feel free to email me. I love hearing from you and cherish the friendships I have made through blogging. 

 © all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

Weekend Worship at Highlands United Methodist Church, Highlands, Tennessee

When we first drove up Marilyn and I both noticed that there seemed to be

the outline of an angel in the clouds.

And maybe I am just wanting to see things but I can see the form of another angel between these clouds--it looks as if she has a crown with a star atop her head.

But the most beautiful sight that rendered the most meaning to me was this cross
with the long sash of starry lace.

To me the dichotomy of the cross and lace spoke volumes--
the ugliness of sin in mass heaped upon an innocent lamb...........

the beauty of the spotless lamb who spoke not a word when
led to the slaughter.....
against a backdrop of splintery scars

and suddenly the scarred becomes the starred.........

Philippians 2 urges us to become blameless and without fault, children of God who amidst a perverse generation shine like stars in the universe.  If ever our country and our world needed us to shine, dear friend, it is now!

May your weekend be blessed,

Comments on for Sunday!

Would you like to share your thoughts or your heart with me? My contact information is listed in the upper right of the sidebar. Please feel free to email me. I love hearing from you and cherish the friendships I have made through blogging.

© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

Sharing with Spiritual Sundays today!

Kingdom Prayers

God Most High is stunning, astride land and ocean.

Loud cheers as God climbs the mountain, a ram's horn blast at the summit.

Sing songs to God, sing out! Sing to our King, sing praise! 

                      He's Lord over earth, so sing your best songs to God.***

My Kingdom Prayer Lord, I pray for all of those I love so much today--my children, grandchildren, my friends who have special needs, the guys at Renewal Ranch--Lord, you know all of those for whom I am praying-- Lord, as you climb your mountain today and as you work around us, I pray that in our hearts we will sound a ram's horn when we see You accomplish what only You can do.  May we be there in full force to support and to participate in Your work--to show how much we agree with You in what you are doing.  I pray also that all of us would shout out songs of loudest praise to You, we would sing our very best songs to You, O God--the One and Only Living God! I pray this in the Name of Jesus, Your Only Begotten Son.........Amen

Analysis of a Kingdom Prayer
When we pray scripture over those we love, we pray God's perfect will for them.
Instead of getting bogged down in praying for all the things that could go wrong in their lives, I am determined to pray what God would have go right in their lives each day.
Now try to imagine one of those for whom you are praying supporting God today in His work, following God to the top of the mountain, sounding a ram's horn, singing at the top of his lungs--
When that happens, the enemy will not be able to have his way in anyone's life.
So I encourage you to search out God's Word today--find the scripture that is perfect for your loved one and pray that scripture over him/her.
You will also be amazed at the peace that comes from knowing we have prayed God's perfect will.
Lord, please continue to teach us how to pray Your Will into our lives.

   Blessings of love,   Dianne


Would you like to share your thoughts or your heart with me? My contact information is listed in the upper right of the sidebar. Please feel free to email me. I love hearing from you and cherish the friendships I have made through blogging. 

© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

***"Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group." 

Wrapping Up the Waters

© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

Wonders On Our Journey Home

'The world will never starve for want of wonders, but for want of wonder.” ― G.K. Chesterton

 Continuing our journey home-- On Monday, April 30, we were in Brevard, North Carolina. We spent the morning exploring the Pisgah National Forest area including Looking Glass Falls, shopping and eating.

The afternoon took us up through Highlands, TN and Nantahala National Forest.

This is just a small sampling of all the beautiful sights we saw along the way.

It is hard to get a handle on how big these falls were.  Wikipedia says they are 60 feet tall and I believe it but with no perspective it is hard to tell.

The tree growing out of the rocks on the right gives a little.

This is not the best of pictures but gives a little more perspective.

The mist (from the Falls) on the surrounding leaves made them glisten like diamonds--

A roaring creek just a short distance away.

The English Chapel--you can read about it here.

This is Titus.  He and his owner were taking a walk along a path beside the church, the creek and many other beautiful sights.

He was a wonderful photographic subject.
He posed first this way.......

and then that way............

and seemed right pleased with himself.......

the rhododendrons were in full bloom in the lower elevations--

Tennessee was not to be outdone by gorgeous North Carolina--

The Bridal Veil Falls were breathtaking--

and so much bigger than they look in these pictures--


Here is a YouTube video of the Falls--thank goodness it was not raining like this when we were there but it does give you more of a sense of their wonder.

Remember the world of wonders he has made,
      his miracles, and the verdicts he's rendered—
         O seed of Abraham, his servant,
         O child of Jacob, his chosen.*** 

from Psalm 105

May all your journeys bring you wonder,

One more day!

Would you like to share your thoughts or your heart with me? My contact information is listed in the upper right of the sidebar. Please feel free to email me. I love hearing from you and cherish the friendships I have made through blogging. 

 © all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted


***"Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group." 

Dressed Up In Sunshine

Praying that your day is blessed and dressed up in sunshine,


Would you like to share your thoughts or your heart with me? My contact information is listed in the upper right of the sidebar. Please feel free to email me. I love hearing from you and cherish the friendships I have made through blogging. 

© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

***From The Message--portion of Psalm 104
Photo Credit:  My brother-in-law, Mike--

Weekend Worship at First Presbyterian, Aliceville, Alabama

We have a big weekend ahead as I'm sure a lot of you do. We have two graduations and of course Mother's Day to celebrate.

But first I wanted to share this beautiful church we came across in Aliceville, Alabama.  I hope the members there will have a wonderful sabbath celebrating our Lord.

And I wish you and yours the very best this weekend--whatever you are doing.

This church was so pretty, I just couldn't quit taking pictures of it.  Hope it blesses you.

 What a beautiful home, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! 
      

I've always longed to live in a place like this,
   Always dreamed of a room in your house, 

where I could sing for joy to God-alive! 

Birds find nooks and crannies in your house, 

 sparrows and swallows make nests there. 

 They lay their eggs and raise their young,
      singing their songs in the place where we worship. 

 God-of-the-Angel-Armies! King! God!
      How blessed they are to live and sing there! 

And how blessed all those in whom you live,
      whose lives become roads you travel; 

 They wind through lonesome valleys, come upon brooks,
      discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain! 

 God-of-the-Angel-Armies, listen:
      O God of Jacob, open your ears—I'm praying! 

  Look at our shields, glistening in the sun,
      our faces, shining with your gracious anointing. 

One day spent in your house, this beautiful place of worship,
      beats thousands spent on Greek island beaches.
   I'd rather scrub floors in the house of my God
      than be honored as a guest in the palace of sin. 

 All sunshine and sovereign is God,
      generous in gifts and glory.
   He doesn't scrimp with his traveling companions.
      It's smooth sailing all the way with God-of-the-Angel-Armies.

 God-of-the-Angel-Armies! King! God!

Psalm 84

  Sweet Sabbath blessings to you my precious friend,

Would you like to share your thoughts or your heart with me? My contact information is listed in the upper right of the sidebar. Please feel free to email me. I love hearing from you and cherish the friendships I have made through blogging.

 © all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted


"Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress 
Publishing Group." 


Linking to Spiritual Sundays today--