Horizons of Mercy

For an explanation of the posts this month, please go here.

Day 2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2

Jennifer's prayer: "I pray that my descendants will always stand in full view of your mercy--that your mercy will fill their horizon--and that they will joyfully offer themselves as thank offerings, a pleasing aroma to you. May they be transformed from the inside and become living proof that your will is good, pleasing, and perfect."~~Jennifer K. Dean

My prayer: "Oh wow, Father, I have read this scripture so many times but when I start thinking about it in the light of praying for my descendants, I am overwhelmed with all it contains and all that my heart wants to pray for my children and my children's children.

First of all I pray that they will always understand and acknowledge just how merciful you have been to them--to all of us. I pray that my descendants will live out all their days glorifying you, sacrificing their will to yours in obedience thereby fulfilling scripture which says 'obedience is better than sacrifice.'

I pray that they will renew their mind daily Father so that they will not be conformed to the world's ways. I pray that they will depend upon your Word daily for the cleansing, the washing, the renewing of their minds.

Father, we know that all you have planned for them is ultimate good, is pleasing and perfect because that is Your nature.   We trust You to bring this to pass in their lives."

To access Jennifer's website featuring her book, Legacy of Prayer, and prayercards, go here.

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


a repost from past pages

A Blog Advent

I have been thinking, pondering, praying, meditating--

Such a special time of year! How can this blog bring glory to God, make the season more meaningful and celebrate family?

My idea is this:

With the gracious permission of Jennifer Kennedy Dean, the author of numerous books including one of my favorites, Legacy of Prayer, I would like to feature Jennifer's 30 days of prayer for our families and descendants.

Each day for 30 days I will share a scripture that she suggests in her book and a short prayer from her to go along with it. I will also share a prayer of mine.

Here is where your presence and comments come into play. On the days that you are able to read and comment, I would like for you to also meditate on the scripture and share a prayer in your comment. At the end of 30 days, I plan to print these off and bind them, having my own special prayer book to pray repeatedly for my descendants. I hope you will do the same.

If you are not comfortable voicing a prayer in the comment section, that is fine.  I want no one to feel any pressure but I will only be sharing prayers for the next 30 days.

One paragraph cannot define a person or a book but I would like to share one portion of Jennifer's book that I think is so important, especially in light of the prayers we pray for our descendants.

"In praying for our children, our grandchildren and our descendants, we must learn to pray in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Our mother-flesh and our father-flesh is protective and possessive. The love we have for our children, in its flesh form, would like to control their lives and keep them from any pain, disappointment, or discouragement. Our flesh wants to rescue them and shield them and run interference for them. Our flesh will pray, "Don't let anything bad happen." To which the Lord will say, "I need to allow disappointment, pain, and failure so that I can give him the treasures of darkness and the riches stored in secret places." If we pray for our children from our flesh rather than the Spirit, we may think that God is not listening when our children do have difficulties."  ~~Jennifer Kennedy Dean

Day 1

"If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you."  Proverbs 1:23

Jennifer's prayer: "Lord, may my descendants respond to your love, even when it comes in the form of rebuke.  Pour out your heart and cause them to know your thoughts."

My prayer:  "Lord, I want to know you more--I want to know your thoughts and your heart--Oh God, I pray that you will turn my descendants thoughts to you, I trust you.  I know you will deal as gently with them as they will let you."  Thank you that I can pray in confidence resting assuredly in Romans 8:28 and the ramparts of your faithfulness."

If you do not have children, please take this opportunity to pray for your parents' or grandparents' descendants, friends of yours, or the lost and dying of the world.

I hope by Christmas day, the birth of this precious Son and Savior will have become even more meaningful to all of us.

Loving all of you,
Dianne



To access Jennifer's website featuring her book, Legacy of Prayer, and prayercards, go here.

An edited repost from past pages.

Exciting News!

Okay, I am so excited I can hardly stand it. My awesome friend, Nava, is starting a blog today. The picture I am sharing here is from her first post. Please hop over HERE and check her out.

 I think you will absolutely love her photography. I have shared quite a few things of hers in the past but she is getting better and better all the time. It seems that she has an incredible ability to capture God's most intricate beauty. Two favors I would ask of you--would you kindly consider becoming a follower of hers and would you kindly consider giving her a little "shout out" on your blog?

She is a wonderful person who loves Jesus with all her heart and I want her to be encouraged in this endeavor today. Thank you for your beauty.

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

Good morning dear friends, hope your holiday was everything you dreamed it would be.

 We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Just one person missing--my DIL, Kim, was in bed sick. She did get to cook with us all day on Thursday but had to miss Friday, the day we actually celebrated together.  To us the particular day doesn't matter so much--it is when we can all be together--and that was Friday.

 Before we ate, we formed a circle--14 strong--and told what we were thankful for. Of course with it being the first Thanksgiving since the death of my nephew, it was a very emotional one--many tears--but good tears--and the smiles and recollections of all our blessings certainly trumped the tears.

After lunch our whole family went to Michael's house to watch our precious piggies from the University of Arkansas play LSU. We got beaten, badly, and our hearts were broken about that but it is just a game and there will be other years.

 I usually mess something up (recipe wise) every year but this year everything was really good. My dressing was especially good--I bought new spices this year--I think I will do this from now on--I usually keep my spices at least 2 or 3 years--and the flavors were out of this world. It was the best I've ever made in my humble opinion.

I used a recipe for my cranberry sauce that called for orange juice instead of water--it was terrible at first and I spent the whole day trying to rescue it cause I had used two whole bags of cranberries. In the long run, I think I did save it because I ate quite a bit of it and normally I barely touch the sauce--ha ha--no pun intended. To try to overcome the orange juice taste, I added tiny bits of allspice and nutmeg and apples, pecans and celery. After it set for a day or so, it was wonderful.

I tried Paula Deen's homemade mac' and cheese and I did not care for it. Some of the others really liked it but not me. I used sharp cheddar with some pepper jack. Loved the pepper jack but will replace the sharp with colby or some other kind next time.

I didn't make turkey this year--we had Petit Jean peppered ham. And if you have never had a Petit Jean peppered ham, let me just say, I'm feeling sorry for you about now. It is incredibly wonderful.

We also had corn pudding (from the Cotton Country--Monroe, Louisiana, cookbook), green bean casserole, creamed potatoes (yum-in the crock pot with sour cream and cream cheese added), yams, pecan pie, lemon ice box pie, and rolls.

The yams were the best I've ever had also--got the recipe from a friend--I baked them in the oven a day ahead (baked them-- not boiled-- so they would carmelize)--made a sauce of 1 cup sugar, 1 cup butter and 1 cup karo nut syrup. Cooked them in the crock pot for several hours with the sauce.

Our kids from Tulsa stayed until Saturday morning and helped us get the tree up and decorated. They had to drive through quite a bit of heavy rain but got back to Tulsa all safe and sound.

Thank you, Lord, for a wonderful time with family and for your hand of protection over all of our children and grandchildren. We do not take this lightly, Lord. Our hearts are full of gratitude to you.
© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

A Poem for the Prisoner

The post today is dedicated to all of you who have someone who won't be spending Thanksgiving with you this year because of imprisonment of one sort or the other.

The day I wrote this poem, my heart was hurting for an acquaintance who had gone to prison. I had just driven over the top of a hill and the steeple of a beautiful white church was draped against a blazing autumn sky.

The steeple pointed my mind straight to the God of the Universe who cares about my every thought. These are the words that came to me. I realized later that this poem could just as well describe the person who is locked in spiritual, mental, emotional, addictive situtations, or as one reader pointed out in a comment on the original post, even in their own neighborhoods.

 As I topped the rise this late Autumn morn, 

 I saw a sight—my heart stood still 

 For there in majesty rose on that hill 

 A church, a steeple, a life reborn. 

 How does a person walking free 

 Express in words the colors seen 

 The blazing reds and fading green 

 To a person behind bars who cannot see? 

 I want my eyes to see for all, 

 My heart to express in words the artistry, 

 The myriad hues of God’s tapestry, 

 To see for those who saw before their fall. 

 I want my heart to feel for those 

 Who barbed-wire now a prisoner makes 

 I want to comfort for Jesus' sake, 

The broken-hearted one who feels enclosed. 

 Please know that if for just one day 

 I would give my eyes for you to see 

 I’d give my liberty for you to be 

 Among society—walking free! 

 The sights you’d see, they would astound, 

 And you in words could portray to me 

 In vivid scenes that I could never see 

 Just how beautiful your life—now found!

© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted
comments off for the weekend
relax and enjoy
comments will be back on next week

I love you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I think this will be the third year in a row I have posted this--guess it will become a tradition!