To Your Name Be Glory

Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. — Psalm 115:1

We do not take any glory for ourselves.

Instead, to God be the glory.

He is our Creator.

And He is love.

His faithfulness reaches way up to the skies.

To God's name be the glory.

Next week some of my coworkers will return to the office after working at home for the past month.

They are anxious about being among people again.

Comfort them, oh, Lord.

Take away their anxious thoughts.

Lead us to the place of your peace.

God's Righteous Acts

My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long. — Psalm 71:24

God continually blesses me with His righteous acts.


My tongue will tell of them all day long.

From the rising to the setting of the sun, God watches over me.

He is our Creator and Redeemer.

He has planned the months and the years, the seasons and the times for solstice.

We are coming to end of April, but this week has been really hot here in San Diego.

God's righteous acts are continual and amazing.

My Lips Will Shout for Joy

My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you— I whom you have delivered. — Psalm 71:22

God has delivered me from the power of death and sin.

My lips will shout for joy.

I will sing praise to God.

Here's our choir before we had to shelter in place.

Now we meet on Zoom every week for our rehearsal.

About 20 of us tune in on Zoom or Facebook each week.

It is fund to catch up with everyone as well as to sing together.

When I sing praise to God, my lips will shout for joy!

I Will Praise God With the Harp

I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel. — Psalm 71:22

This week I went down to our church on Monday to record some hymns for the next few weeks.

One of them was included in our worship service yesterday.

It's on vimeo https://livestream.com/fpcsd/events/9038961

Our pastor gave a wonderful message on Psalm 69.

He made the point that if we don't have something kind to say about someone, we shouldn't say anything at all.

So instead of complaining, I will praise God with singing.

I will thank Him for His faithfulness.

God is the Holy One of Israel.

He cares for me.

God Helps Me

Do not be far from me, my God; come quickly, God, to help me. — Psalm 71:12

Mint in Our Garden

Today Kirk and I weeded the garden, trimmed back the mint, and cut back the ice plant.

Our apple tree is budding happily.

Now it has room to continue growing.

Kirk made the trip to Home Depot, braved the crowds, and picked up some fertilizer.

He also picked up a tomato plant for our garden.

I'll plant it tomorrow.

Last year I was too tired from chemo to do any regular planting.

This year I'm looking forward to veggies from the garden.

God came quickly to help me when I called to him.

God Is My Strong Refuge

I will ever praise you. You are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long. — Psalm 71:6-8

I have been working at home for the past three weeks.

But my hours have been long.

It has been stressful to keep my team motivated and get everything done that we need to accomplish.

Even so, I am blessed to have a good job and a regular paycheck.

When we go outside, we get to look at beautiful roses blooming in our courtyard.

I know many others are not nearly as fortunate.

God has blessed our family, and we are grateful.

My mouth is filled with God's praise.

I declare His splendor all day long in my words and deeds.

God My Hope

For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. — Psalm 71:5-6

Today Kirk took some photos of our roses.

They are very happy with the weather we've been having.

And they are opening and budding like crazy.

God is our Sovereign Lord.

I have relied on him from a very young age.

He brought me forth from my mother.

He has been my hope and my confidence.

Praise God Forever

 Lord my God, I will praise you forever. — Psalm 30:12

The flowers in our courtyard are blooming and budding.

God has blessed us with flowers of all colors.

Today we saw a bunny in the back on teh bank.

And birds were singing in our trees.

It makes me want to sing songs of joy.

I will praise you, God, forever.

You are my Lord and God, my Savior and Father.

God Clothed Me with Joy

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,  that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. — Psalm 30:11-12

God turned my wailing into dancing.

He clothed me with joy.

My heart will sing God's praises.

I cannot be silent.

God removed my mourning clothes and clothed me with his love.

Today our sweet neighbors brought us Lilacs. 

They smell wonderful!

We are filled with God's joy.

Sing God's Praises

Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime. — Psalm 30:4-5

I love singing God's praises.

Our choir is now meeting to rehearse on Zoom.

It's fun to be able to stay in touch with everyone around the county and the state.

What a blessing to be able to sing the praises of the Lord, even while sheltering in place.

His anger lasts only a moment.

But His blessings last a lifetime.

I am grateful.

Eternal Praise to God

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. — Psalm 111:10

San DIego Skyline

Knowing, respecting, and honoring God is the beginning of wisdom.

We are in awe of Him and His blessings.

All who follow God's precepts and laws have good understanding.

To God belongs eternal praise.

I want to praise Him every day with my thoughts, words, and actions. 

Our God is awesome!





Eternal praise belongs to Him alone.

I Called to the Lord

To you, Lord, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy. — Psalm 30:8

God heard my cry and answered me.

While I was going through chemo, my mouth got very dry.

I got this biotene spray and kept it with me all of the time.

It really helped and it tasted pretty good.

I also got some Mighteaflow gum that helped, too.

When I ordered it, the order came wihh some samples of throat lozenges that also worked well.

Now that my sister is going through chemo for her autoimmune disorder, her mouth is also getting very dry.

So I sent her this photo to see if she could get it in Vienna or have it delivered to her.

I'm hoping she can get it or something just as good to help with her dry mouth.

God has us in the palm of his hands.

God's Power

He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations. — Psalm 111:6

Today one of the ladies who lives near Cowles Mountain posted a photo.

She was looking through binoculars and saw over a hundred coyotes.


She also saw two deer, two fawns, a buck, a couple of bobcats, and a mountain lion.



The sad thing was that they were all trying to eat each other.

Now that there are no people on the mountain, the animals are taking over.

It's only been a month, but they now have free reign.

Quite a difference from the animal-free mountain I experienced when I hiked in March.

God has given us the animals as well as this beautiful area to live in.

We see the power of His works each day.

God's Works Are Faithful

The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. — Psalm 111:7

God's Words are faithful.

His works are just.

He formed the world with His hands.

Everything in creation belongs to Him.

All of His precepts are trustworthy.

He always keeps His promises.

And His commandments are good and right.

God Provides Food

He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. He has shown his people the power of his works. — Psalm 111:5-6

Blueberry Coffee Cake

God provides food for us, even in the midst of the Coronavirus.

This is the blueberry coffee cake I made this past weekend.

He always keeps His promises and covenant with us.

God numbers the hairs on my head — there are more and more growing each day.

We are grateful to be healthy with a safe roof over our heads.

He has shown us His healing touch and the power of His works.

Glorious Deeds

Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. — Psalm 111:3

Doves in Tree

Monday we walked outside and saw our neighbor's tree filled with doves.

Those are not our favorite birds, by any means.

But what an awesome sight to see ten of them in the tree.

Can you find them all?

God's deeds are glorious and majestic.

His righteousness lasts forver.

Thanks be to God!

Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. — Psalm 111:2

God's works are amazingly great.

We delight in them each day.

We rejoice in them each night.

Sunday we celebrated Easter sheltering in place.

I chatted with my sister in Vienna.

We watched our worship service via Zoom.

Our dinner celebration was for just three.

Quite a change from last year when we hosted 18-20.

And Kirk's dad was still with us.

But we thanked God for the blessings he has given us.

And we celebrated the resurrection of Jesusas we sheltered in place.

He is risen. He is risen indeed!

Rejoice in God

Rejoice in God; all who swear by God will glory in him. — Psalm 63:11

Easter 2019 Before Sheltering in Place

We rejoice in God.

He has blessed us beyond measure.

We are thankful.

Yesterday we celebrated Easter as a family of 3 instead of our usual 21.

Abby suggested we dress up, so we did.

Kirk went shopping on Friday and got the last ham at Vons.

Easter 2019 - Chemo had started

We are able to celebrate together at home.

None of us are sick - we are all healthy.

Kirk and are both working full time.

Well, Kirk is working part-time but getting paid for full time.  

Abby's job has ended temporarily, since the school no longer needs an office assistant.

But her masters classes are continuing remotely.

We are thankful and blessed.

He Is Risen!

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. — Matthew 28:6

Saturday the sun was shining after several days of non-stop rain.

I took a picture of the sky when I went out to pick up the paper.

The birds are singing and we are rejoicing that Jesus has risen, just as He said.

God always keeps His promises.

On this holy Saturday, I am reminded of the price He paid for me, giving His life so I could live forever with Him.

What a Savior!

I Sing in the Shadow of Your Wings

Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me. — Psalm 63:7-8

Cowles Mountain Waterfall

It has been raining now for the past few days.

Parts of the county are flooding.

And a waterfall is pouring down the side of Cowles Mountain.

We are blessed to have a strong roof over our heads.

Hearing the rain come down at night is like a sleeping remedy.

I just wished I had planted some tomatoes a few weeks ago so they could enjoy the rain, too.

My mint is going crazy, growing all over our garden.

God has overwhelmed us and cared for us and we are grateful.

I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. — Psalm 63:5

During this season of Lent, I praise God with singing.

Even though I am sheltering in place so I can't sing with the soloists at church, I can sing at home.

I will sew us some masks this weekend.

We will purchase a ham for Easter.

And I'll make another coffee cake over the weekend.

We will celebrate Christ's resurrection with just the three of us.

He is risen! He is risen indeed.

Lord, My Refuge

In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge. Let me never be put to shame. — Psalm 31:1

Lake Coeur d'Alene Idaho

I can trust in God.

He is my refuge.

He loves me with an infinite love.

God upholds me and guides me.

He hears and answers my prayers — not always the way I have in mind.

But He sees the big picture, and I don't.

In God I take refuge.

He is my fortress and my rock.

I Will Lift Up My Hands

I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. — Psalm 63:4

I will continue to lift up my voice and my hands to God.

I will praise Him as long as I live.

For some reason, butterflies like our plants.

A few weeks ago this monarch landed in our back yard and enjoyed the sun.

God's creation is amazingly beautiful. 

I will praise Him as long as I live.

 

God's Love Is Better Than Life

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. — Psalm 63:3

Chicken Pot Pie

God's love is better than anything.

I will glorify Him as long as I live.

Saturday night I made chicken pot pie.

Talk about comfort food!

Just as God comforts me during these days of uncertainty, so does the food we eat together as a family.

I pray that my lips will glorify God all the days of my life!

I Thirst for God

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you. — Psalm 63:1

Potomac River

God is my God.

He watches out for me.

He has my back, even when I feel alone.

I seek Him in earnest.

When I read His Scripture, He fills me with His words of hope, conviction, and love.

My whole being longs for Him and His presence with me each day.

I thirst for Him as if I'm stranded in a desert without water.

And He fills me up with His Spirit, His Word, and His Presence.

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. — Psalm 32:7

Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

God has protected me, even when I didn't even think to acknowledge Him.

He is my hiding place.

I know I can go to Him whenever I need to get away from the hectic day-to-day life.

He is my refuge.

He protects me from trouble.

He surrounds me with songs of deliverance and joy.

And He is my strength in times of exhaustion and worry.

When I remember that, I can turn all of my worries and cares over to Him.

I can get back to sleep knowing that it's in His hands and He has it under control.

What a blessed assurance.

Here's the blueberry cream cheese coffee cake I made Saturday morning.

The whole house smelled wonderful!

He Gave His Life

The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. — Matthew 20:28

Jesus came to serve and to give His life for me.

What a blessing.

What grace.

To me, someone completely undeserving.

I made bean soup for our family for lunch yesterday.

Then I made a few more jars of the mix for another day.

We are blessed.

And thankful.

He Will Be Raised to Life

They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” — Matthew 20:19-20

The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus not only died for us, He came alive again.

Because of that we also have the assurance of living with Him in heaven one day.

This will be a strange Easter since we will still be sheltering in place.

One of our friends just made a Thanksgiving dinner so they could enjoy the leftovers. 

I made a couple jars of bean soup mix so we can have some for another day.

God is good.

Going Up To Jerusalem

Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. — Matthew 20:17-18

Over the weekend I made oatmeal banana bread.

Our pastor gave a wonderful "parson to person" talk where he explained that sheltering in place gives new meaning to the time of Lent.

Jesus was delivered up in my place.

He took my place on the cross that I deserved.

And he died for my sins.

The third day he rose again from the dead.

And one day we will be with him in paradise.

Count the Stars

Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them. — Genesis 15:4

God created the heaven and the earth.

He created the seasons and time.

He placed each star in the sky.

He knows the number of hairs on my head.

God has created us and knew us by name before we were even born.

When I look toward heaven, the moon and the stars that God has created, what is man that he is mindful of me?