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    This past October 2023, we had the trip of a life-time! Our original plan was a cruise to the Holy Land but a week before we were scheduled to set sail, war broke out in Israel. Our hearts were broken for the people; the devastation, death and destruction seemed unbelievable. We had talked about canceling but decided to continue with the cruise even though it would be different. Celebrity Cruise Lines added more stops along the Greek Isles and two stops in Turkey. I’m glad we made the decision to continue with our journey. We had a great time but our hearts continue to hurt for those affected by the war.   Here's a little bit of our journey…first stop Athens Greece we stayed and toured here a few days before we board the ship for our official cruise. We did the touristy thing and road the Hop on – Hop off bus but we stayed on for the round trip. Athens is the capital of Greece. It was also at the heart of Ancient Greece, a powerful civilization and empire. The...

Happy Thanksgiving!   It’s the season of thanksgiving! We are posturing our hearts with gratitude for all the gifts and blessings God has placed in our lives. Let’s focus on how we can take these grateful thoughts and turn them into prayers and praises of thanksgiving that allow us to grow and strengthen our relationships with Him. Let’s learn how we can become more devoted people of prayer by turning to His word in this beautiful season.   Have An Attitude of Gratitude   Living a life of gratitude means having a heart that is sensitive to God’s presence in our everyday lives.   Take some time each day to thank God for who He is and for something He has done for you. You can thank Him always for everything—great or small—but being specific about something each day that is especially meaningful to you will be a blessing to you and to God.   For example, it can be as simple as, “Father, thank You for helping me make good decisions today,” or “L...

  Labor Day is an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. It is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States. The holidays stem from the late 1800s when labor activists wanted a federal holiday to recognize workers' contributions to the country.   The first U.S. Labor Day was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882 in New York City, planned by the Central Labor Union.  The Labor Day parade of about 10,000 workers took unpaid leave and marched from City Hall past Union Square uptown to 42nd street and ended in Wendel’s Elm Park at 92nd Street and 9th Avenue for a concert, speeches, and a picnic. Oregon was the first to declare Labor Day an official holiday in 1887. Labor Day is considered the 'unofficial NF...

Travel Adventures 2023 – So many places to go!   This year my husband and I traveled to Reno, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park. I took lots of pictures but could only choose a few for this blog. I’ve included a little information about each location we visited, along with a few pictures. Enjoy! Reno is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about 22 miles (35 km) north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry. We stayed at the Nugget Casino & Resort...and no, I did not put any money in the slot machines!!! :-) What's a vacation with shopping - the  Outlets at Legends  proved to be more than shopping. Then off to  Virginia City.   Lake Tahoe is located on the border of California and Nevada. About two-thirds of the lake is in California, with about one-third extending into Nevada at the north and south ends of the lake, ...

Juneteenth  ...is considered the longest-running African-American holiday and has been called "America's second Independence Day." The day was recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, when President Joe Biden signed Juneteenth National Independence Day Act the into law.        Blessings!

  Memorial Day Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day 2023 will occur on Monday, May 29.  Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season.  

  What is Good Friday? Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:20 Good Friday, also known as "Holy Friday," is the Friday immediately preceding Easter Sunday. It is celebrated traditionally as the day on which Jesus was crucified.   Why is Good Friday referred to as “good”? What the Jewish authorities and Romans did to Jesus was definitely not good (see Matthew chapters 26-27). However, the results of Christ’s death are very good! Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” First Peter 3:18 tells us, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.”   The death of Christ on the cross—along with His bodily resurrection—is the paramount event of the Christian faith.   “God with us” became “God ...

  What is Palm Sunday?   Palm Sunday is the day we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, one week before His resurrection. As Jesus entered the holy city, He neared the culmination of a long journey toward Golgotha. He had come to save the lost, and now was the time—this was the place—to secure that salvation. Palm Sunday marked the start of what is often called “Passion Week,” the final seven days of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Palm Sunday was the “beginning of the end” of Jesus’ work on earth. Palm Sunday began with Jesus and His disciples traveling over the Mount of Olives. The Lord sent two disciples ahead into the village of Bethphage to find an animal to ride. They found the unbroken colt of a donkey, just as Jesus had said they would. When they untied the colt, the owners began to question them. The disciples responded with the answer Jesus had provided: “The Lord needs it.” Amazingly, the owners were satisfied with that answer and let...

  What is Holy Week?   Holy Week, in the Christian church, is the week between Palm Sunday and Easter; observed with special solemnity as a time of devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ.   Tomorrow – Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week – which commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem where the crowds greeted Him waving palm branches and crying “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”   Ironically, these same voices the greet Jesus as Messiah and King will be the same voices that shout “Crucify him!” just a few short days later on Good Friday.   The 5 days of Holy Week are: Palm Sunday – entrance into Jerusalem.  Holy Wednesday – into the darkness.  Maundy Thursday – the Last Supper.  Good Friday – Jesus' agony on the cross.  Holy Saturday – visiting the tomb of Jesus.

Today - March 8th - is International Women’s Day Proverbs 31 echoes this praise: “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. . . . She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard” (verses 10, 12 – 16). This is a concrete example of what wisdom looks like in a person’s life.  From beginning to end, Proverbs is a practical handbook for leading a life based on wisdom. In the end, there are only two choices for both men and women: to embrace wisdom or to love folly. The woman of Proverbs 31 may well be meant to inspire both men and women with a picture of what a virtuous life, male or female, is capable of producing: shelter for others, serenity, honor, ...