THE CANDLE OF HOPE IS BURNING............Let's share it...............!!

We light the candle of Hope last Sunday, as we journey together into the first week of Advent, let's all try and discover the true meaning of Christmas together. And let's all pray that we will have enough hope to share with all the people of the world that need it more than us.

There is no pain jesus can't feel
No hurt he can not heal
All things work according to his perfect will
No matter what you're going through
Remember god is using you
For the battle is not yours
It's the lord's

There's no sadness jesus can't feel
And there is no sorrow
That he can not heal
For all things work
According to the master's holy will
No matter what you're going through
Remember that god is only using you
For the battle is not yours
It's the lord's

It's the lord's
Yes it's the lord's
Hold your head up high
Don't you fright
It's the lord's
It's the lord's
Yes it's the lord's

No matter what
You're going through
Remember that god
Only wants to use you
For the battle is not yours
It's the lord's

No matter what
You happen to go through right now
Remember that in the midst of it all
God only wants to use you
No matter what you're going through
For the battle is not yours
It's the lord's

No matter what it is
That you're going through
Hold your head up, stick your chest out
And remember he's using you
No matter what you're going through
God is only using you

For this battle is not yours alone
This battle is not yours, no
You can not handle it all by yourself
No, no, no, no, no, no
It's not yours
This battle is not yours
It's the lord's, not yours

This battle is not yours
The lord is the only one who can fight it
He wants to use you as his vessel
So be open to him
It's not yours
No it's not yours
It's the lord's, not yours

The battle is not your's
It's the lord's

Hallelujah
Yeah!

Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christs sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

( NKJV Bible )

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

1st DAY of ADVENT

Sunday, November 29


First Sunday of Advent

Watchword for the Week
Jesus says, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."
Luke 21:33

Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25:1-10
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 21:25-36

Inquire first for the word of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 18:4

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory. John
1:14

Jesus, you provide us with a perfect example of how to stand firm against the
surrounding criticism. Keep us focused on you when challenges come our way.
Amen.

Jeremiah 33:14-16 (New International Version)

 ¹⁴ " 'The days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.

 ¹⁵ " 'In those days and at that time
       I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line;
       he will do what is just and right in the land.

 ¹⁶ In those days Judah will be saved
       and Jerusalem will live in safety.
       This is the name by which it ^[a] will be called:
       The LORD Our Righteousness.'

Psalm 25

A David Psalm

 ^1-2 My head is high, God, held high; I'm looking to you, God;
   No hangdog skulking for me.

 ³ I've thrown in my lot with you;
   You won't embarrass me, will you?
   Or let my enemies get the best of me?    Don't embarrass any of us
   Who went out on a limb for you.
   It's the traitors who should be humiliated.

 ⁴ Show me how you work, God;
   School me in your ways.

 ⁵ Take me by the hand;
   Lead me down the path of truth.
   You are my Savior, aren't you?

 ⁶ Mark the milestones of your mercy and love, God;
   Rebuild the ancient landmarks!

 ⁷ Forget that I sowed wild oats;
   Mark me with your sign of love.
   Plan only the best for me, God!

 ⁸ God is fair and just;
   He corrects the misdirected,
   Sends them in the right direction.

 ⁹ He gives the rejects his hand,
   And leads them step-by-step.

 ¹⁰ From now on every road you travel
   Will take you to God.
   Follow the Covenant signs;
   Read the charted directions.

 

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 (New International Version)

⁹How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? ¹⁰Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
 ¹¹Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. ¹²May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. ¹³May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

Luke 21:25-36 (The Message)

 ^25-26"It will seem like all hell has broken loose—sun, moon, stars, earth, sea, in an uproar and everyone all over the world in a panic, the wind knocked out of them by the threat of doom, the powers-that-be quaking.

 ^27-28"And then—then!—they'll see the Son of Man welcomed in grand style—a glorious welcome! When all this starts to happen, up on your feet. Stand tall with your heads high. Help is on the way!"

 ^29-33He told them a story. "Look at a fig tree. Any tree for that matter. When the leaves begin to show, one look tells you that summer is right around the corner. The same here—when you see these things happen, you know God's kingdom is about here. Don't brush this off: I'm not just saying this for some future generation, but for this one, too—these things will happen. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won't wear out.

 ^34-36"But be on your guard. Don't let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it's going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don't go to sleep at the switch. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that's coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man."

THAN SING MY SOUL SATURDAY ~He Shall Feed His Flock~

Saturday, November 28


Psalm 137
Hosea 10,11,12; Revelation 3:19-4:8

Shepherd your people with your staff. Micah 7:14

Christ says, "I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring
them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one
shepherd." John 10:16

Lord, we know that there is plenty of room for more in your flock yet we are
sometimes reluctant to make space. Stretch our arms and open our hands to extend
the invitation of your grace to the world. Amen.

Psalm 137

 ¹ By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
       when we remembered Zion.
 ² There on the poplars
       we hung our harps,
 ³ for there our captors asked us for songs,
       our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
       they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"
 ⁴ How can we sing the songs of the LORD
       while in a foreign land?
 ⁵ If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
       may my right hand forget its skill .
 ⁶ May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
       if I do not remember you,
       if I do not consider Jerusalem
       my highest joy.
 ⁷ Remember, O LORD, what the Edomites did
       on the day Jerusalem fell.
       "Tear it down," they cried,
       "tear it down to its foundations!"
 ⁸ O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction,
       happy is he who repays you
       for what you have done to us-
 ⁹ he who seizes your infants
       and dashes them against the rocks.

Psalm 19:14 (New International Version) 

¹⁴ May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

visit more THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY with

Amy @ Signs, Miracles and Wonders

Thankful Thursday ~ Thanksgiving Edition

Thanksgiving

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends. --Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

• This week we celebrated my daughters 11th birthday. I'm so thankful for her life and praise God for her uniqueness.
• This week God spoke through music to my heart and i am so thankful for music yesterday's post and here and here
  
• Thankful for my husband and his hunger to grow in the Lord and share His word with others.
• Thankful for an longdistant call with my parents this week and on both ends we where in good spirit
• Thankful for an warm house now the weather get rainy and cold

• Thankful for the provisions to pay our basic bills 

Wish you all an blessed thanks Giving holiday from this side of the world ( No thanksgiving celebration overhere!)


To read moreTT post click on the buttons.

THANKFUL for MUSIC.............

This is a week of a lot of focuss on THANKSGIVING i see in blogland...
I even join the 30th day Challenge ( you can see it in my side bar on the left)
Overhere we do not have this celebration day but nevertheless i join all of you in cultivating an attitude of gratitude this month and it is something we need to keep on doing the whole year isn't it?


Today MUSIC made my day ....
Due to an day devotion on . www.pray-as-you-go.org I listen again since an long time to Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Gospel Songs

"Inkanyezi nezazi" The Star and the Wiseman

The next song can't let me sit still and i love the earthly song...It really brings the tropics in my house .What an blessing it was today. Hope it will bless you also. On youtube you can find a lot more music of them also english ones...."Amazing Grace" is also powerful.




SHOSHOLOZA BY LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO
The Zulu word Shosholoza means go forward or make way for the next man, and is also reminiscent of the sound made by the steam train (stimela) described in the song.

SHOSHOLOZA LYRICS IN ZULU (Mostly in Zulu):
Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo.
Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo.

CHORUS:
Shosholoza
Shosholoza
Ku lezontaba
Stimela siphum' eSouth Africa

Shosholoza
Shosholoza
Ku lezontaba
Stimela siphum' eSouth Africa

VERSE 1:
Wen' uyabaleka
Wen' uyabaleka
Ku lezontaba
Stimela siphum' eSouth Africa

Wen' uyabaleka
Wen' uyabaleka
Ku lezontaba
Stimela siphum' eSouth Africa

CHORUS:
Shosholoza
Shosholoza
Ku lezontaba
Stimela siphum' eSouth Africa

Sithwele kanzima, sithwele kanzima (ooh aah!)
Sithwele kanzima, sithwele kanzima (ooh aah!)
Sithwele kanzima, sithwele kanzima (ooh aah!)
Sithwele kanzima, sithwele kanzima (ooh aah!)
Sithwele kanzima, sithwele kanzima (ooh aah!)
Etshe!
Shosholoza

SHOSHOLOZA LYRICS TRANSLATION INTO ENGLISH:
Lord bless us, we her offspring (of Africa)
Lord bless us, we her offspring (of Africa)

CHORUS:
Move fast
Move fast
on those mountains
train from South Africa.

Move fast
Move fast
on those mountains
train from South Africa.

VERSE 1:
You are accelerating
You are accelerating
on those mountains
train from South Africa.

You are accelerating
You are accelerating
on those mountains
train from South Africa.

CHORUS:
Move fast
Move fast
on those mountains
train from South Africa.

Word-Filled-Wednesday ~ Psalm 139 " Lead me in the way EVERLASTING..............I WILL PRAISE YOU.....!" !

14 I WILL PRAISE YOU

FOR I AM FEARFULLY AND

WONDERFULLY MADE!

Word-Filled-Wednesday is hosted by the lovely Amydeanne at The 160 Acre Woods. This week, please join us for God's Word at Susan's blog Forever His.

No matter what this day will bring...........I will lift -up my hands and say.............!!

THE POWER OF GODS LOVE

<

Birthday Girl !

11

For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.Proverbs 9:11

Want de wijsheid verlengt uw leven en God zal er jaren aan toevoegen. Spreuken 9:11 

Yesterday we celebrate our daughters birthday to have fun as an family at an favorite place of her in a zoo. She is so fun of animals and and outside life.

The zoo we went " Oudehands Dierenpark " we never went before and had an beautiful day and lot of fun.

Fearles Friday ~ PRAYING..........and looking over our borders.......~

Today is Fearless Fridays! A day where I commit to pray for you. Other precious prayer warriors have also committed to pray for you. To participate in Fearless Fridays please leave a comment at "FREE SPIRIT HAVEN". I hope you will join Fearless Fridays and see the power of prayer in your life and others.

If the Lord so leads you, grab the Fearless Friday button and bring it to your blog, letting others know you too will stand in the gap for others through prayer.

I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loose in heaven. Again I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in My name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:18-20


“They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly.” ~ Psalm 112:7-8 NLT

"Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT

Last week our host Angela put this picture up and said this

"When I look at this picture above my spirit just rises up!
BACK OFF!
I bind you in the Name of Jesus Christ!
We submit to God.
We resist you Satan. and you HAVE to flee!
We come near to God.
And He comes near to us.
This picture reminds me that we are from the tribe of the Lion of Judah!
We look to our enemies and say: DON'T MESS WITH ME!
We are God's holy children! "

Yes our spirit is rising up today within us and any day we have to to stand and stay firm...
This picture stayed in my minds eye and i pray and hope it will in yours!


I was contemplating this morning what i should put up as prayer requests and what to put under attention for other bloggers to lift up in prayer.


There is a lot of need and also a lot of praise in blogland

Let's rally around the family's and friends who are in need feel weak...need encouragement

You can find in my side bar link's to the blog from Andrews Mum BELLA MELLA,and to the blog of the wife of Ron.
Please pray for Andrew and his family and for Ron and his family
A lot of praise went up on the blog of Mc Mama for the healing of Stellan from his SVT........my heart also went up and stil when i see pictures of his smiling face....In my side bar you can find links to the whole story and video's when his parents tell about everything......


I was thinking this morning i do not want to direct only to bloggers and family's who need healing.......
No idea came up but just before starting to compile this blog an email from an very dear friend in India( Mumbai) caught my attention.....

I am so busy for these cancer patients I caring and preaching among them. last two days for the whole day I was helping those.  today i am going to mission field for Gospel camping from 20 too 22 November.  Please forgive me, I didnt have much time for our beautiful Ning page.  Pray for us, our preacher could be Mr. Ravi and I woul be councellor and many other missionaires.

Pray many call gal, back slider, hindu/muslims come to Jesus.

I will update you all.

Blessings

Muani

I said God what message you like me to post...to pray for my dear friend Muani and her newly wed husband Rev David Whitener?

 Yes join me in praying for them BUT i believe God want us to pray for our selfs also when we look at how f.e this couple is working and bringing God's work to HIS PEOPLE in HIS WORLD!

The lessons we get when we look see and hear about mission work for our own life and daily walk as Christian

Be blessed by the day to day Life of David and Muani in Mumbai!

You can find my dear sister's page overhere


Both there blogs for ministry you can find here

You add SUNSHINE to my day!!

---
It is not "by chance" i come across this award.....At Christy Rose  from "The Secret Life of an American Wife and mom". She really deserves this award what she gave away to all her readers last sunday.Why i say that she deserves also this award is because her blogpost "I am leaning" gave me today the first ray's of sunshine in my day!Her transparency about her struggle with her teenkids stirred respect in me and her attitude in this season how to handle get through it i read in her  last words in the last sentence " only God can empower me when i am weak" i needed to hear that today to keep the good focus...Thanks Christy Rose!



And reading further in her blog i found this award an answer to my thoughts already for some weeks to find an award for 2 special "newbiebloggers" to my heart....
I could not find the fitting award......Beside blogworld i know them also online...and no matter if we chat or when i read or listen to the songs in their blog.....They warm my heart also...
So when i saw this award " You add sunshine to my day" i thought " THIS IS IT.......THIS FITS..
HOLLY from "Letting Go and Letting God!" and
My friend at " Mountain Tops and Valleys: My Growing Walk"
Take a peek in there blogs and leave a comment at it .....I want others to get to know them better and experience the rays of Sun(Son)shine they are bringing in the day.......


To put this award up in your side bar or give it away in a post you need to

use this code to take this bling of an award!-- <"img src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt308/TheRedHeadRiter/commentboxBUTTON-1.gif"/"> you have to remove the quotation marks at the beginning and the end of the html in order for the button to pop up wherever you want to put it.


there are no rules to this award. it is just a blessing to those who have blessed you with their comments, encouragement, or inspiration from a writing in their own blog.

Have an blessed day!

Spiritual Sunday's ~ My Sunday morning reflection...~

 Today is  

Sunday, November 15  
Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

 
Watchword for the Week
Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for God who has
promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

Daniel 12:1-3; Psalm 16
Hebrews 10:11-14,(15-18),19-25; Mark 13:1-8

Ah Lord God! It is you who made the heavens and the earth by your great power
and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. Jeremiah 32:17

Our Savior Christ Jesus abolished death and brought life and immortality to
light through the gospel. 2 Timothy 1:10

O Creator God, we are in awe of the beauty and wonder that surrounds us. Knowing
you enables us to imagine the unimaginable. Inspire our visions; ignite our
dreams. Amen

This  morning and to be honest until this moment i feel like this lady in the picture

And if i do not watch-out i will  give in to different negative thoughts and beat myself up.......

• You went to bed to late after work.........
• You are not giving your kids and family attention or make breakfast when they make themself ready for church
• Look outside what an dark cold weather....not good for your mood
• You need to work later....again till late......

• Look around you....see what need to be done in the house.....

And so on and so on.......I wanted to jump in bed again after these thoughts crossed my mind while having breakfast in front of the computer reading blogs........

Speaking to myself PLEASE.....do yourself a favor...get a grip over your feelings( mood) 

DIVE in GOD'S WORD........

" THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN HIM " isn't it.....??!!

BE GLAD IN HIM and HIM ALONE!!

Not in circumstances not in things not even in yourself!!

HE IS .....must be YOUR STRENGHT your HOPE........., COUNSELOUR

He is FAITFUL to keep His promises to you......

If You are tired or even feel like not being a life.....

He can make You a life.........!!

Did His word not said  Our Savior Christ Jesus abolished death and brought life and immortality to
light through the gospel. 2 Timothy 1:10

 

This is what happenend to me this morning PRAISE God and i see and experience what He is saying in His word ...That it works like that.........

He says to His children read my Word cling to the gospel of Christ .....no matter your thoughts feelings or circumstances even if you dis-appoint yourself and hold fast and believe what it says!!

For more spiritual sundays click on the button

Blessings.

 

Fearles Friday ~ What If His People Prayed ~

Welcome to Fearless Fridays!
A day where I commit to pray for you and join with other precious prayer warriors who are also committed to pray for you.
To participate in Fearless Fridays please leave a comment sharing your prayer request overhere or at "FREE SPIRIT HAVEN" the home of this special day set a side every week. I hope you will join Fearless Fridays and see the power of prayer in your life and others.

I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loose in heaven. Again I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in My name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:18-20


“They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly.” ~ Psalm 112:7-8 NLT

"Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT

What if the armies of the Lord

Picked up and dusted off their swords

Vowed to set the captives free

And not let satan have one more

What if the church, for heaven's sake

Finally stepped up to the plate

Took a stand upon God's promise

And stormed hell's rusty gates

Chorus:

What if His people prayed

And all who bare His name

Would humbly seek His face

And Turn from their own way

And what would happen if we prayed

For those raised up to lead the way

Then maybe kids in school could pray

And unborn children see light of day

What if the life that we pursue

Came from a hunger for the truth

What if the family turned to Jesus

Stopped asking Oprah what to do

He said that they would hear

His promise has been made

He'll answer loud and clear

If only we would pray

If My people called by My name

If they'll humble themselves and pray

If My people called by My name

If they'll humble themselves and pray

a slide show to the song what if his people prayed by casting crowns

When You Are Low on Hope

When You Are Low on Hope
by Max Lucado
Water. All Noah can see is water. The evening sun sinks into it. The clouds are reflected in it. His boat is surrounded by it. Water. Water to the north. Water to the south. Water to the east. Water to the west. Water.
He sent a raven on a scouting mission; it never returned. He sent a dove. It came back shivering and spent, having found no place to roost. Then, just this morning, he tried again. With a prayer he let it go and watched until the bird was no bigger than a speck on a window.
All day he looked for the dove's return.
Now the sun is setting, and the sky is darkening, and he has come to look one final time, but all he sees is water. Water to the north. Water to the south. Water to the east. Water to the ...
You know the feeling. You have stood where Noah stood. You've known your share of floods. Flooded by sorrow at the cemetery, stress at the office, anger at the disability in your body or the inability of your spouse. You've seen the floodwater rise, and you've likely seen the sun set on your hopes as well. You've been on Noah's boat.
And you've needed what Noah needed; you've needed some hope. You're not asking for a helicopter rescue, but the sound of one would be nice. Hope doesn't promise an instant solution but rather the possibility of an eventual one. Sometimes all we need is a little hope.
That's all Noah needed. And that's all Noah received.
Here is how the Bible describes the moment: "When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf!" (Gen. 8:11 NIV).
An olive leaf. Noah would have been happy to have the bird but to have the leaf! This leaf was more than foliage; this was promise. The bird brought more than a piece of a tree; it brought hope. For isn't that what hope is? Hope is an olive leaf—evidence of dry land after a flood. Proof to the dreamer that dreaming is worth the risk.
Don't we love the olive leaves of life?
"It appears the cancer may be in remission."
"I can help you with those finances."
"We'll get through this together."
What's more, don't we love the doves that bring them?
Perhaps that's the reason so many loved Jesus.
To all the Noahs of the world, to all who search the horizon for a fleck of hope, he proclaims, "Yes!" And he comes. He comes as a dove. He comes bearing fruit from a distant land, from our future home. He comes with a leaf of hope.
Have you received yours? Don't think your ark is too isolated. Don't think your flood is too wide. Receive his hope, won't you? Receive it because you need it. Receive it so you can share it.
Love always hopes. "Love ... bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Cor. 13:4-7 NKJV, emphasis mine).

From A Love Worth Giving
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2002) Max Lucado

A song for YOU!!

Read along with me today... GODS WORD !!

 My reading for today are Psalm 124
Daniel 2:1-33; 1 John 3:11-24

It is long time ago i posted them on my blog and read it together with you.

I don't know if you have the same experience as me .., that to SEE God's WORD to speak it out and personalize it...brings forth powers.....in and around me...It is as i can see the devil is running away and can't stand to hear it and get dis-couraged to try to manipulate my set of mind!

Read with me today God's word my friends and be blessed!

Psalm 124

A Pilgrim Song of David

 ^1-5 If God hadn't been for us —all together now, (........)Israel, sing out!—
   If God hadn't been for us
      when everyone went against us,
   We would have been swallowed alive
      by their violent anger,
   Swept away by the flood of rage,
      drowned in the torrent;
   We would have lost our lives
      in the wild, raging water.

 ⁶ Oh, blessed be God!
      He didn't go off and leave us.
   He didn't abandon us defenseless,
      helpless as a rabbit in a pack of snarling dogs.

 ⁷ We've flown free from their fangs,
      free of their traps, free as a bird.
   Their grip is broken;
      we're free as a bird in flight.

 ⁸ God's strong name is our help,
      the same God who made heaven and earth. 

Daniel 2

King Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

 ^1-3 In the second year of his reign, King Nebuchadnezzar started having dreams that disturbed him deeply. He couldn't sleep. He called in all the Babylonian magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and fortunetellers to interpret his dreams for him. When they came and lined up before the king, he said to them, "I had a dream that I can't get out of my mind. I can't sleep until I know what it means."  ⁴ The fortunetellers, speaking in the Aramaic language, said, "Long live the king! Tell us the dream and we will interpret it."
 ^5-6 The king answered the fortunetellers, "This is my decree: If you can't tell me both the dream itself and its interpretation, I'll have you ripped to pieces, limb from limb, and your homes torn down. But if you tell me both the dream and its interpretation, I'll lavish you with gifts and honors. So go to it: Tell me the dream and its interpretation."
 ⁷ They answered, "If it please your majesty, tell us the dream. We'll give the interpretation."
 ^8-9 But the king said, "I know what you're up to—you're just playing for time. You know you're up a tree. You know that if you can't tell me my dream, you're doomed. I see right through you—you're going to cook up some fancy stories and confuse the issue until I change my mind. Nothing doing! First tell me the dream, then I'll know that you're on the up and up with the interpretation and not just blowing smoke in my eyes."
 ^10-11 The fortunetellers said, "Nobody anywhere can do what you ask. And no king, great or small, has ever demanded anything like this from any magician, enchanter, or fortuneteller. What you're asking is impossible unless some god or goddess should reveal it—and they don't hang around with people like us."
 ^12-13 That set the king off. He lost his temper and ordered the whole company of Babylonian wise men killed. When the death warrant was issued, Daniel and his companions were included. They also were marked for execution.
 ^14-15 When Arioch, chief of the royal guards, was making arrangements for the execution, Daniel wisely took him aside and quietly asked what was going on: "Why this all of a sudden?"
 ^15-16 After Arioch filled in the background, Daniel went to the king and asked for a little time so that he could interpret the dream.
 ^17-18 Daniel then went home and told his companions Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what was going on. He asked them to pray to the God of heaven for mercy in solving this mystery so that the four of them wouldn't be killed along with the whole company of Babylonian wise men.

Dream Interpretation: A Story of Five Kingdoms

 ^19-23 That night the answer to the mystery was given to Daniel in a vision. Daniel blessed the God of heaven, saying,

   "Blessed be the name of God,
   forever and ever.
He knows all, does all:
   He changes the seasons and guides history,
He raises up kings and also brings them down,
   he provides both intelligence and discernment,
He opens up the depths, tells secrets,
   sees in the dark—light spills out of him!
God of all my ancestors, all thanks! all praise!
   You made me wise and strong.
And now you've shown us what we asked for.
   You've solved the king's mystery."

 ²⁴ So Daniel went back to Arioch, who had been put in charge of the execution. He said, "Call off the execution! Take me to the king and I'll interpret his dream."
 ²⁵ Arioch didn't lose a minute. He ran to the king, bringing Daniel with him, and said, "I've found a man from the exiles of Judah who can interpret the king's dream!"
 ²⁶ The king asked Daniel (renamed in Babylonian, Belteshazzar), "Are you sure you can do this—tell me the dream I had and interpret it for me?"
 ^27-28 Daniel answered the king, "No mere human can solve the king's mystery, I don't care who it is—no wise man, enchanter, magician, diviner. But there is a God in heaven who solves mysteries, and he has solved this one. He is letting King Nebuchadnezzar in on what is going to happen in the days ahead. This is the dream you had when you were lying on your bed, the vision that filled your mind:
 ^29-30 "While you were stretched out on your bed, O king, thoughts came to you regarding what is coming in the days ahead. The Revealer of Mysteries showed you what will happen. But the interpretation is given through me, not because I'm any smarter than anyone else in the country, but so that you will know what it means, so that you will understand what you dreamed.
 ^31-36 "What you saw, O king, was a huge statue standing before you, striking in appearance. And terrifying. The head of the statue was pure gold, the chest and arms were silver, the belly and hips were bronze, the legs were iron, and the feet were an iron-ceramic mixture. While you were looking at this statue, a stone cut out of a mountain by an invisible hand hit the statue, smashing its iron-ceramic feet. Then the whole thing fell to pieces—iron, tile, bronze, silver, and gold, smashed to bits. It was like scraps of old newspapers in a vacant lot in a hot dry summer, blown every which way by the wind, scattered to oblivion. But the stone that hit the statue became a huge mountain, dominating the horizon. This was your dream. 

 1 John 3:11-24

View commentary related to this passage

 ¹¹For this is the original message we heard: We should love each other.
 ^12-13We must not be like Cain, who joined the Evil One and then killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because he was deep in the practice of evil, while the acts of his brother were righteous. So don't be surprised, friends, when the world hates you. This has been going on a long time.
 ^14-15The way we know we've been transferred from death to life is that we love our brothers and sisters. Anyone who doesn't love is as good as dead. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know very well that eternal life and murder don't go together.
 ^16-17This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God's love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.

When We Practice Real Love

 ^18-20My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.  ^21-24And friends, once that's taken care of and we're no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we're bold and free before God! We're able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we're doing what he said, doing what pleases him. Again, this is God's command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit he gave us.

My week of THANKFULNES

I must believe it it is THANKFUL THURSDAY again!!

To me it does not feel like a week is gone again.....My days where so packed with activities.....Over the weekend i had even no change to come to my blog....

Planned to post everyday ( left side-bar) this month an point of thankfulness to achive and keep an attitude of gratefulness. So i walked it in on tuesday ....

This is my list until tuesday:

#5 For my 2 "arrows" he blessed us with

#6 For his provision daily; f.e bringing daily custumors to our business

#7 For family and sharing with eachother on birthdays and get-togethers

#8 For my health

#9 For having a job

#10 Miracle result during the operation of STELLAN'S heart

Yesterday on the 11th of November........I was thankful for being able to REST; no work ...,kids at school.........,having an house and a bed to rest in........,having food in the pantry and leftovers...so no shoppings and no cooking.....
Having internet to catch -up with online friends...........and in the evening we where blessed with beautiful weather to have an great evening walking with the kids outside and celebrating St Martinsday...


When i look good and recapture a day it is amazing to see how i am surrounded with a lot to be thankful for
Say with me together:

This is the day the LORD has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

There are several  TT meme's to join ( click on the buttons)

 

WFW ~ If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? ~

Welcome to  Word-Filled Wednesday!

Matthew 5:14 (The Message)

 ^14-16"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

St. Martin's Day Is Celebrated Throughout Europe today on the 11th of November. This picture is seen tonight in my neighbourhood

Posted about this celebration yesterday for some info and recipies you can go here

For more WFW

You can find McLinky at our hostess Penny’s blog Lori at  www.allyouhavetogive.com
next week our hostess will be  Christy’s blog  Critty Joy
God Bless!

To God be the glory, great things He hath done!

That is what happenend yesterday with STELLAN!!
Good answered ALL the prayers around the world going up for him.
Keep praying further for all the side effects of the treatment and that his body will recover completely

PEACE in the hustle and bustle of activities........

St. Martin's Day Is Celebrated Throughout Europe

St. Martin's Day is celebrated on Nov. 11 throughout Europe. Named after St. Martin, the 4th-century Roman Catholic Bishop of Tours, France, this holiday spread from France to Germany, Scandinavia, and Eastern Europe.


It celebrates the end of the growing season and the beginning of harvesting. It also marks the last day to celebrate before the fasting of Advent begins. Children and adults walk down the streets with lanterns and torches, and sing St. Martin songs. The children visit neighborhood houses singing and reciting poems, which earns them sweet treats, not unlike Western Halloween.

Poles Have Two Reasons to Celebrate

Nov. 11 is Independence Day in Poland, but it is also St. Martin's Day and in Poznan, Poland, the Roman Catholic saint's name day seems to take precedence.


Every year on Nov. 11, thousands of Poznan residents attend a high Mass in St. Martin's Church followed by a parade through St. Martin Street led by "St. Martin" sitting astride a white horse. St. Martin rides up to the square in front of Zamek Cultural Centre and is handed the keys to the city by the mayor. Then the celebration begins in earnest.


Inside Zamek, there are exhibitions, concerts and performances, while outside, there’s a street market with knights reenacting medieval jousting tournaments. A splendid fireworks display ends the day.


Pozanians treat themselves to St. Martin's Croissants - rogale swietomarcinski also known simply as marcinski. These crescent-shaped pastries filled with poppyseed and almond paste are consumed by the hundreds of thousands.


Legend has it this centuries-old tradition commemorates a Poznan baker's dream. His nightime reveries had St. Martin entering the city on a white horse that lost its golden horseshoe. The very next morning, the baker whipped up horseshoe-shaped croissants filled with almonds, white poppyseed and nuts, and gave them to the poor.


Another story cites the Rev. Jan Lewicki of St. Martin's parish appealing to his congregation in 1891 to make something for the poor for St. artin's Day. Baker Jozef Melzer is said to have made croissants which were given to the poor or bought by the wealthy.


Some bakeries have started to produce these pastries year-round, but the "best ones" are considered to be those available only on Nov. 11.

Traditions in Slovenia and Croatia

In Slovenia and Croatia, St. Martin's Day marks the day when the must traditionally turns to wine. The must is usually considered impure and sinful until it is baptized and turned into wine.


St. Martin's Day Festivals -- -- Martinje-- include a "baptism" performed by someone who dresses up as a bishop, usually the host, and blesses the wine. It is definitely a time to eat, drink and be merry with a feast consisting of goose and mlinci -- a type of dumpling.

Czech Traditions

A Czech proverb -- St. Martin is coming on a white horse -- signifies the snow that begins to fall in November. Some Czechs hold a festival - posviceni - with roast goose as the main course.


Also in Germany  Martin's-Goose, is served

to commemorate the life and legend of St. Martin.

The history takes us far back to the 4th century and to the young Martinus, who served as an officer in the Roman army. One night he was riding on his horse through a town and was approached by a beggar asking him for warm clothes, since it was freezing cold. Martinus split his coat with his sword and gave a half to the beggar. Later Martinus quit his job in the Roman army and became a soldier of God and lived a life of an anchorite. When the story of his good deed spread he should become a bishop. Legend has it that Martinus was too shy to take this honor and tried to hide in a goose hutch. People equipped with lanterns, searched the half night for him and were finally alerted by the twitter of the geese. The geese were butchered and eaten, Martinus became Bishop Martin and was later canonized and still today his story is told and celebrations take place to remember the good deed of St. Martin.
Although this is a nice story to explain why a goose is on the menu on this particular day, there is a far more rational explanation to that. In the yearly calendar of the church- and farmers, the 11th of November marks the beginning of the winter and the 40 days lent before Christmas, where no fat food is allowed. It was also the day, when the farm laborers were laid-off, got paid and received a present and when the annual land lease had to be paid. As currency and presents a goose came in very handy, since money was not often used in the Middle Ages.
All that is left today, thinking of the goose, is the traditional way of preparing this festive meal. Basic rule is, the more aromatic the filling, the better the taste of the meat. In the north of Germany it is common to fill the Martinsgans with a mix of ground pork, onions, garlic and herbs while in the south soaked buns, chestnuts, roasted nuts, apples, plums, sugar, salt, vinegar and red wine are widely preferred. The goose is placed in an oven and constantly basted with its own stock to ensure the meat doesn't dry out.

Well tomorrow night i will walk with my son  and my daughter with her friends ...just like in the picture above

The last two month's of the year are so packed with festivities and in-between family birthdays or fare-well celebrations as we did one last sunday....

That and the normal weekend activities ( soccer  on sat. and church on sun)  followed by two days of work where the reason of not posting on my blog........

I'm still too tired of the last days....but wanted to post about tomorrow activity and celebration what is going on overhere

Coming weekend is the ariving of St Nicholas in Holland

All schools are decorating and making presents for the 5th of december

After tomorrow we as Christians are entering the SEASON of ADVENT

To reflect and meditate on THE REASON for this season is what i appreciate and love to do THIS season of the year. Really every year it surprises me over and over how the message is pure and simple....

THE BIRTH of THE PRINCE of PEACE our PRINCE of PEACE JESUS CHRIST

He wanted to be birthed in our hearts so PEACE can flow in and stay...

PEACE that surpases all understanding

PEACE amids all the hustle and bustle in what the world make of this season......