Dear friends, I just wanted to say goodbye. The blog experience has been great but I have decided to put an end to it - at least for now. There's too much going on in our life at the moment. What's more, I realized that I much rather hand write my own journal, as I have done most of my life. Thanks for being loyal cyber friends. I wish you well.
Repairs having been done, the house is now on the market. We have had quite a few people interested already but no offers yet. No need to say that things have been hectic here lately, hence the absence of posts! I still log on daily to read about the blogs I follow though, simply to know how you guys are doing. About two weeks ago, we found out we had to change our furnace and A/C condenser, a financial investment we weren't prepared to make. Since it had to be done, we went ahead and called an A/C & Heating specialist. Shortly after he started taking off the old furnace he called my husband and I and said: 'you had a fire that started here but somehow it stopped - it doesn't make any sense because with the gas and the wood, that should have burnt and possibly, the house with it.' All of a sudden, my knees got weak realizing the tragedy that could have happened. It didn't make sense to him how the fire stopped but I knew right away that God had intervened in our favor and stopped it, to spare us. How faithful is our God, the only One and True God! How good is He! He reaches out His hand and helps us in times of trouble. I wonder how many of these 'fires' He's stopped in our lives...how many tragedies -unbeknownst to us- we almost were involved in if it hadn't been for His intervention. One day, we will know and we will all bow down to Him. All. To Him be the glory, forever and ever.
Here's a sneak preview of some of the work I do: this necklace combines light and dark gray freshwater pearls with a hint of silver here and there. Click on the Beading section on top of the page to see more of my creations. Enjoy!
Last night, my husband and I sat down, watched and listened to the true, heart-wrenching story of Soraya M., an Iranian woman who was falsely accused of adultery - which is still punishable by death by stoning in today's Iran. That's what happened to kind spirited Soraya, a devoted mother, a wife, whose husband's desire to marry a 14 year old girl led him to want to divorce then get rid of her. With the help of the village's Mayor and Mullah, they plotted to kill her, trapping her and the whole village inhabitants into an intricate web of lies. There are no words to describe what was done... As I watched the movie, I was reminded of that woman whom the Pharisees brought to Jesus Christ, to see if He too, would accuse and take part in the stoning.
'The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.' John 8:3-6
Oh, how sweet and loving is my Lord, who forgives all of our sins. Instead of accusing her, he simply said:
"If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.9At 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. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." (John 8:7-11)
My heart grieves when I hear stories like Soraya's. I can only sigh and look to our Lord, the one and only true God, who has provided a way out from our transgressions in His Beautiful son Jesus Christ, whose blood purifies us from all sins and restores us as heirs of the Kingdom.
In the midst of the hustle and bustle I still find some time to read some good books I have acquired lately. Apart from savoring the book of Leviticus, I have found a gem in 'Jewish Literacy' by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin. It is a mine of information on the different books of the Tanach, one to have on your bookshelf! In addition, I have started 'The miracle of the Scarlet Thread' by Richard Bookerwhich looks into the power of the blood of Jesus Christ through the whole Bible, Old and New Testament alike. It links everything. It shows how the old Testament was a shadow of the things to come as far as Jesus Christ, His sacrifice and the forgiveness of our sins through that sacrifice are concerned. Hopefully it will shed some new light on the subject. The reviews were pretty good and thought I'd give it a try. Alright, enough posting - back to my books!
I am a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend...but above all, I'm the daughter of Almighty God, the creator of all things, a sinner redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ through whom I have eternal life.
