From The Mud Puddle

posted by Muddy at 4:10 PM | 0 comment(s)

I like this quote from Greg Laurie's (Harvest.org) January newsletter:

"I have often said that a good test of where we are spiritually is our reaction when we hear someone say that Jesus is coming back again. True believerswho are walking closely with the Lord will feel their hearts jump a little bit at these words"

posted by Muddy at 5:17 PM | 0 comment(s)

"All right, but I've heard a lot of talk about Jesus Christ as a man. How can he be a man and God at the same time?"

Murphy laughed. " A lot of people smarter than me have wrestled with that one over the last couple thousand years, but let me give it a try. How's your Shakespeare?"

"I read some stuff in college. But I don't remember a whole lot , to be honest."

Murphy laughed. "Me neither. But you remember who Macbeth is?"

"Sure. The Scottish guy. Had a doozy of a wife."

"See, you remember more than you think. Anyway, could the character Macbeth ever meet the author Shakespeare in person?"

Baines looked confused. " I would say no."

"Ah, but he could meet him." Murphy went on."Shakespeare could write himself into the play as a character named Shakespeare and introduce himself to Macbeth."

"I guess."

"Well, that's what God did. He is the author of the universe. He wrote Himself into the play of life in the bodily form of Jesus Christ. God took on the form of a man. Jesus even said, "I and the Father are one."

~The Secret on Ararat
Tim LaHaye and Bob Phillips
My husband is reading this book right now and read this part to me earlier in the day.

posted by Muddy at 1:06 AM | 0 comment(s)

Drew these up to match the hat to have a complete set.....

posted by Muddy at 3:08 PM | 0 comment(s)

This year has been one of many challenges and adventures. It has been a year where God so graciously taught us new ways to depend on Him, and that He WILL provide and knows when our power bill IS due. Provision didn't always happen how I thought was best, but what he thought was better (to borrow a phrase from a Watermark song)...

I ran across this poem today by Ruth Bell Graham...thought it was worth sharing.

Plenty
is always provision for a need:
another's
or some future of our own-
unrealized, perhaps;
unseen,
The seven years of famine
that would come.
So
when a winter promises to be severe,
nature generously provides
for little friends;
and sensing
in her lavish spread
a hint of coming wantk,
the ants
and squirrels are busy
harvesting;
and so am I.
I have been
so generously provided for
in happiness,
good memories,
family,
and true friends,
and more than all-
His presence and His word;
perhaps it is a "sign,"
as mountain people say,
that winter is to be a tough one,
If that is so,
let it be;
my larders are well stocked.


from the book
-Sitting by my laughing fire...

posted by Muddy at 10:28 PM | 0 comment(s)

I have always loved paints and colors and papers of many shades. I have always enjoyed as I've stated getting messy as I created my "master pieces". The picture above was taken sometime around my seventh birthday. This was one of my absolutely most favorite pastimes. I could have spent hours (and did many days) just painting what I knew. I loved mixing colors to get new colors and the way that it made the glass of water look when I rinsed out my brushes. I must admit though, that I still enjoy all these things. Though pencils, pens, colored pencils and PSP seem to be my current choosen outlets for this artistic creativity, paint will always be the messy fun just waiting for me when I have the time. How one color compliments another, though very different from one another facinates me. How colors can be hot or cold and lend a tone, a melody that you feel the passion in the art inspires me. How can it be that purple looks good with yellow? How is it that blue is a great compliment to orange? I do not know, but I do enjoy mixing up the colors and blending shades.

I find that often I want to play it safe where color is concerned. I am careful to make sure that everything matches or that everything is not clashing. But mostly, I notice the beauty that occurs when two colors are matched. Both colors could stand on their own, both colors could be mixed to make a new color (careful though or everything turns brown lol), but the beauty occurs because both colors look even more beautiful beside another. Somehow completed, somehow enhanced because the two build up one another. I was thinking about this some as I made up my bed. I recently started laying a new (and different) throw on the end of the bed after it is made. It is a different color than the "safe" beige blanket that was there. This one is blue, and as I looked at it next to the quilt already there, I started seeing things in the quilt I had not, for it pulled out more of the beauty in the quilt...Side by side both made a good pair.

I think Christians are a lot like this. No , we are not all alike, nor do we always seem "complimentary", but we do often pull out the good in one another as we stand side by side. I believe the real word is edification, and the artist is God through His Holy Spirit, as He paints our lives together.

posted by Muddy at 3:36 PM | 0 comment(s)

HATS!

posted by Muddy at 1:12 AM | 0 comment(s)

I remember finding this site listed in a computer magazine shortly after getting this computer several years ago. Fun freebie, with lots of desktop posibilities you can change and update according to your tastes.

http://www.mycorkboard.com/

posted by Muddy at 2:26 PM | 0 comment(s)

posted by Muddy at 4:25 PM | 0 comment(s)