Joy to the World

"Then the angel said to them,

"Do not be afraid,

for behold, I bring you

good tidings of great joy

which will be to all people.

For there is born to you this day

in the city of David

a Saviour,

who is Christ the Lord."

Luke Ch 2:10,11

The Heavenly Choir

"Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night."Luke 2:8

The Precious Gift

"And this will be the sign to you: You will find  Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
lying in a manger."
Luke 2:12

Immanuel God with Us

"But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed."

Isaiah 53:5

Coffee at Laurent found

I accidentally deleted this picture earlier and have lost a poem or two with my mucking around!

Trusting in the Lord...another scripture:

"Woe to them that go down to Egypt

for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots,

because they are many; and in horsemen,

because they are very strong; but they look not

unto the Holy One of Israel,

neither seek the Lord!

Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words; but will rise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.

Now the Egyptians are men, and not God;

and their horses are flesh,

and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand,

both he that helpeth shall fall,

and he that is helped shall fall down

and they shall all shall fall together.

For thus hath the Lord spoken unto me,

"Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey,

when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him,

he will not be afraid of their voice,

nor abase himself for the noise of them:

so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion,

and for the hill therof.

As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem;

defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.

Isaiah 31:1-5

THE EARTH WILL GROW OLD LIKE A GARMENT

I think everything must have a beginning and an end except perhaps a MacDonalds hamburger. Apparently if you put one away in a cupboard for years it will still look as good as new when you get it out!

"Lift up your eyes to the heavens,

And look on the earth beneath.

For the heavens will vanish away like smoke,

The earth will grow old like a garment,

And those who dwell in it will die in like manner;

But My salvation will be forever,

And My righteousness will not be abolished."

Isaiah 51:6

Meeting the Lord

The world is running out of oil creating serious shortages of nearly everything in the future,climate change is also a major concern causing droughts, earthquakes, floods etc and to make matters worse, the economic health of the nations is in trouble. There is one great comfort.

There shall come a day when all true believer's shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, what a comfort!

"But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

The Paris Deli, Hanoi

There are some lovely French cafes and restaurants in Hanoi.

Psalm 145:19

"He will fulfill the desire

of those who fear Him.

He also will hear their cry and save them."

A Family Home Hoi An

In Hoi An we went for a bicycle ride, I stopped and sketched this pretty home and soon the owners came out and invited us in and gave us a tour of their house, including a walk on their roof deck. They could not speak a word of English but with hand signals and nods etc we managed to understand one another. As a thankyou I gave them a brightly coloured cotton handerchief as a gift. The Vietnamese peple are so lovely and gentle and friendly.

"Ponder the path of your feet,

And let all your ways be established.

Do not turn to the right

or the left;

Remove your foot from evil."

Proverbs 4:26

House in Hanoi

This is an example of French colonial architecture, in Hanoi, Vietnam. The houses, usually narrow and often about five stories tall are often painted bright and lovely colours.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts..."

Isaiah 55:8-9

Ms Snevellicci

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication".
Leonardo Da Vinci

"Do not be overcome
by evil, but overcome
evil with good."
Romans 12:21

Louelle

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

Laura's Bouquet

'Unpeeled apples are high in pectin, a special form of fiber that has been shown to lower cholesterol levels, bind and eliminate toxins from the GI tract, and help relieve constipation . Fresh apples contain phytonutrients including ellagic acid, which, as noted previously, possesses significant anticancer properties. Those who eat apples regularly have been shown to have far fewer colds and upper respiratory infections than those who do not. The old saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away", has a great deal of medicinal truth to it!
Excerpt from "WHAT WOULD JESUS EAT?"
by Don Colbert, M.D.

"Oh sing to the Lord a new song!
For He has done marvelous things;
His right hand and His holy arm
have gained Him the victory."
Psalm 98:1

Choisir

Choisir means to choose.
Before we make any decisions
it is wise to ask the Lord
first. He knows the future
and what is always best for us.


"For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
2 Timothy 1:7

Wangaratta Jazz Festival

I forgot to write how my macarons
turned out. Well they were tiny.
I did not pipe enough mixture for
each one. Good for a mini mouse tea party!
And I think they are a little
overrated or that could just be my cooking.

"IN ALL YOUR WAYS
ACKNOWLEDGE HIM
AND HE SHALL DIRECT
YOUR PATHS."
PROVERBS 3:6

Willomina by William Montgomery

GUEST ARTIST
William John Montgomery
friend of Mickey the cat.
Check out his art blog
Montgomery Today!
Bill drew this sketch on a paper napkin
and didn't like it
so binned it. I rescued it because I liked it.

"Enthusiasm is the force
that encourages us to the final victory"
inaccurate quote
Paulo Coelho

"You are the light of the
world. A city that is set on a hill
cannot be hidden."
Matthew 5:14

Ranges at Olinda

This is my favorite place in the
Dandenongs. It is a treat to enjoy
a coffee in this modern and attractive
cafe and sit in front of the open fire
just enjoying the view across the road,
and watching people walk by
or reading the day's newspaper.

"A word fitly spoken
is like apples of gold
In settings of silver.
Like an earring of gold
and an ornament of fine gold
Is a wise reprover to an
obedient ear."
Proverbs 25:11-12

Self Esteem

Isaiah 45:9,10
"Woe to him who strives
with his Maker!
Let the potsherd strive
with the potsherds of the earth.
Shall the clay say to him who
forms it, 'what are you
making?'
Or shall your handiwork say,
'He has no hands'?
Woe to him who says to his
father, 'What are you
begetting?'
Or to the woman, 'What have
you brought forth?'"

Fancy Fair

I have managed to paint a floating chair, mmm...
And it only has two legs as well!

Today while I was going through
the checkout at the supermarket,
I was served by a
young man who had served my
daughter and I a few days earlier.
He told me that he thought my
daughter was lovely and that
she had 'made' his day.
He told me that he had been
having a dreadful day and that
when my daughter was friendly
to him at first he was overcome
but upon realizing she was genuine,
he felt so much better.
It makes you realize how
important a smile, and a friendly
attitude can bring so much healing to others.

John 15:12
"This is my commandment,
that you love one another as I
have loved you."

The Pink Room

Matisse has inspired me for this painting. I admire his works very much.

STRESS

There are some things
that can help insulate us
from stress.
The first is prayer.
The second is meditating
on God's word (the Bible).
The third is getting together
with other Christians.

Exercise and good food
and rest are also good.
So really the first is about
protecting the mind
and the second is about
protecting the body.

PROVERBS 22:4
"BY HUMILITY AND THE
FEAR OF THE LORD
ARE RICHES AND HONOR
AND LIFE."

Milly goes to the Seaside

Matthew 5:44"BUT I SAY TO YOU,

LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, BLESS
THOSE WHO CURSE YOU,
DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO
HATE YOU, AND PRAY FOR THOSE
WHO SPITEFULLY USE YOU
AND PERSECUTE YOU
THAT YOU MAY BE SONS
OF YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN;
FOR HE MAKES HIS SUN
RISE ON THE EVIL
AND ON THE GOOD,
AND SENDS RAIN
ON THE JUST AND ON THE UNJUST."

Matilda

Lunch today: Thin slices of cantaloupe, two passionfruit, then 3 x Kavli crispy thin crackers with sliced tomatoes and basil finely chopped from our vegie garden. Yum!
1Peter Ch. 3 vs 8-9: "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing."

The Red Fruit

We had a break from the heatwave last night a relief to the firefighters who are probably so exhausted after the bushfires which are still not under control and many people have lost their lives.

Isaiah 662b: "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word."

Strawberry Patch

It is 40 degrees celsius outside or 100 farenheit, a very hot day. We have an ornamental and a wine grape vine that winds itself around our house along our verandah.The vine leaves hang like a natural green curtain sooo lovely and the house is cooler for it's shade.

Psalm 32v8: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go: I will guide you with my eye."

Chapel Street

There is some superb architecture in Chapel street Prahran and Sth Yarra especially above the shop fronts.

Philippians 2 v3-4: " Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others."

Costruire

Jeremiah31vs3-6: "The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned with your tambourines, And shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice.You shall yet plant vines on the mountains of Samaria; The planters shall plant and eat them as ordinary food. For there shall be a day When the watchmen will cry on Mount Ephraim, 'Arise, and let us go up to Zion, To the Lord our God.' "

Ms Byzantium

Galatians6v7: "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap."

la lampada

Psalm71vs20,21: "You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, Shall revive me again, And bring me up again from the depths of the earth. You shall increase my greatness, And comfort me on every side."

Master Amaro

Matthew 6v14,15: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." The Age Newspaper Sat Jan 10 Comment by a Derek G. Andrews from Warrnambool: "the 22 month old artist (The Age, 8/1) brought to mind two saws most appropriate to modern "art": the emperor's clothes; and a fool and his money are soon parted."

la riva del mare

Psalm 46v10,11 "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah."

Cosa ne pensi ?

Proverbs 3v11,12: "My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in."

Phoebe's Folly

Ecclesiastes Ch. 1 v 17,18: "And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind. For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow."

Bella D.

Song of Solomon: Ch.6v8,9."Sixty queens there may be, and eighty concubines, and virgins beyond number; but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the only daughter of her mother, the favourite of the one who bore her. The maidens saw her and called her blessed; the queens and concubines praised her."