Tradition, Tree, and Truth

Glad my intention more than 4 months ago was a loose intention to blog on Mondays. Since my kids set me up on instagram I have been using this more than blogging however it is still important for me to write and post pictures. Blogging presents itself an opportunity to write more than the brief things written on instagram.

Christmas Tree Cutting 2014

So .... as I was looking back at pictures I found the below picture and compared it to the above picture!

Christmas Tree Cutting 2013

It's how we start the beginning of our Christmas Season. Tree Cutting. It's often about family, traditions ... things we love to do and things that bring us together as family! 

The tree cutting then leads to advent, which leads to Luke, Chapter 2 and Unwrapping the Greatest Gift ever, Jesus! It's how I was raised (me above on my dad's lap) and how we raised our children and how our grandchildren are being raised. 

So grateful for the lineage of my family and the 

lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ!

I'm Glad Nora is 3!

Today I am glad and rejoicing that God has made this day, 

this birthday, 

October 20, 2014

This 3rd Birthday to celebrate 

Nora Lynn Davis

Happy, Happy, Birthday Nora

Nana loves you more however

Jesus Loves you most!

May Nora be built solidly on the foundation of Jesus, and grow in Your grace with a conscious sense of Your presence. May she continue to be built up with Your wisdom, favor, truth, love, life, faith, strength, and thankfulness.

personal devotions at the keyboard

Dear Father,

I do thank you for the fun had with the grandchildren last night and for the good night's rest for all, bumpa, nana, Sid, Pru, Lenny and Beckett. I am so grateful that many of our grandchildren are close by and I pray this morning for each one of our grandchildren, the Texas girls the Mpls kids and the two new grandchildren to be born. Please Father, I pray that each of them will come to a saving knowledge of you Jesus. Protect their little lives spiritually, physically and emotionally.

Only His is enough, “His divine power had granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us.

 2 Peter 1:3 a

This morning as I read the word and have my quiet time before the children arise I will spend some time in 2 Peter 1:3-11, Galatians 5:22-23 and John 15:4-5. Father, give me understanding and I will keep your law and obey it will all my heart, direct me in the path of your commands, make me the best wife, mother, grandmother that I can be today!

Father, I thank you that you "call and elect" me according to 2 Peter 1:10. You have called me to faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness and brotherly kindness. I am so sorry for times when I have neglected not only your word but what you have called me to ... Please forgive me.

In Galatians 5 I learn today again about the fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Father, this is my prayer for Tim and Nancy, Mike and Denise, Aaron and Alisa, James and Kathleen, Ken and Ginny Kim Le and Teresa: as you have called them to be missionaries. Father on the harder days would you remind them that they are filled with the Spirit and can depend on You! Remind us today to take spiritual inventory ....

Add goodness. Do what you know to be right.

Add knowledge. Study the word. Pray without ceasing.

Add self-control. Control your will and operate in the Spirit.

Add perseverance. See His tasks through, even when it’s hard.

Add godliness. Let others know to Whom you belong by your conduct.

Add mutual affection and love. Give your time, talents and life for others.

  ~ taken from She Knows Truth

In my inbox today ... can I hide my sin from God?

JEREMIAH 23:24 24 "Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?" declares the Lord. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the Lord

Wow this was in my inbox today and was very convicting of my sin that I try to hide .... 

Really, do I think I can hide sin? 

I'm so sorry Lord. Please forgive me. 

And thank you Jesus for taking my sins upon the cross today!

Obedient to her calling

Obedient to her calling, Andrea Tyson, a single, 20-something women’s ministries director at New Hope Church (New Hope, MN) invested in and discipled Beth—never knowing it would lead to becoming a "grandmother" of sorts.

As Andrea and Beth were spending time with each other, Beth met Helen at the Sunday prayer group. Helen was attending the Sunday prayer group at New Hope Church in search of a deeper prayer life. It was there, Beth and Helen became friends…meeting regularly to share life, talk and pray together.

As Andrea shares, “It was fun for me to be in the background praying for and coaching Beth to be a disciplemaker with Helen. After a couple months I said, ‘Beth, Helen knows you love her and care about her; but, at some point in the conversation, she needs to be asked, ‘Does she want to put her faith in Christ and be His disciple?’”

Beth followed Andrea’s advice asking Helen that important question. What was Helen’s answer? A resounding, “Yes!" Beth experienced the joy of leading Helen to Christ.

And that’s how Andrea, a 20-something became a “spiritual grandma.”

For Helen, I have been praying In confidence, I will say to this mountain of cancer in Helen’s body to be taken up and cast into the sea. I will not doubt but believe that what the Lord has said, He will do. Knowing that as I have asked in prayer, believing I shall receive it (Mark 11:23). 

morning quiet time in TX

Eden journals in my journal

Annika follows along in a picture Bible while I read in my bible

Day 2 in TX

Yep, I am in TX with my son-in-law, daughter, and 3 granddaughters. One on the primary reasons I came was to help, support, and encourage my daughter as my oldest granddaughter (6 years old) was in the hospital with a new diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes and is now home. Life has changed for this family dramatically but the same God of last week is present in this home today. 

I have seen my family love, support and pray for this adjustment. I have seen my oldest granddaughter learning to live differently when it comes to food, blood sugars, insulin and I am more than amazed at how well she is responding. Some kids are so resilient and I am seeing this in my sweet Annika. She is the same, happy, content, and trusting little girl she was last week before this new routine. Her mommy does such a great job explaining about carbs and numbers, snacks and of taking blood sugars and giving insulin.  

I love being here and just watching all the learning and loving that is going on in so many ways. So grateful for the gift of being able to come to TX!

ps I also saw today ways my only son and daughter-in-law are supporting from a distance as Carrie opened "this" package .... no coincidence that this morning before getting the mail Carrie and I were talking at the park about how she wants Annika to still be able to cook and make snacks with her in the kitchen! I love this  family and I am seeing yet one more time how good God is!

"this" package

My favorite story read at a favorite time! Merry Christmas!

 

Luke 2

New International Version (NIV)

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

The Crying Out

Now under the covers of darkness I could let myself cry. I wiped the tears away on the pillowcase but the more I wiped the more they came. I pressed my face to the pillow. Finally my eyes cleared enough to fall asleep in my Savior's arms.

His words:

Seek the Lord while He may be found: call on Him while He is near.  

Isaiah 55:6

Jesus is my constant friend!

In a sense, sometimes the crying out is because I am being taken captive by my thoughts ... but then I wake in the morning knowing I stand in victory as I take every thought captive to the mind of Christ ...

So tonight under the covers of darkness as I lay my head on the pillow, may I be mindful of the truth that brings my thoughts into the light, into His presence!

Remaining In His Arms night and day! B.

mercy

 5 minute Friday linking here on Saturday

 

http://lisajobaker.com/

 

 

Where does the practice of writing begin? Does is begin with a list? A list of goals for the day? It certainly can begin there and has in my Texas daughter's home as she begins the process of home-schooling. It did not begin for me until my twelfth year of school. That is when I learned that writing starts with reading. So today as I read this; is has become my writing (or rather copying) of what God came up with regarding mercy ....

 



What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!  For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.  For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.

Where does the practice of writing begin? Does it begin with the forming of letters on a page or the typing of the words on the keyboard?

Check out this blog post form saidkelley.com love love love this song!

May 27, 2013

MUSIC VIDEOS IN MAY | WORSHIP VS. SONGWRITING

well here is another music vid for you before may ends in just 1 week! for those of you who don’t know i am the worship leader at Church of all Nations and have been singing worship music since i was a youngster. i truly love older hymns and contemporary stuff…pretty much everything. this is one that i dusted off recently and i can’t seem to get enough of it…the end tag was introduced to me by some friends and it resonates with me in so many ways. i love worship and it is an important outlet for me. the songwriting i do isn’t separate but definitely a whole different ball of wax.
my fabulous producer/guitar instructor Bruce Balgaard challenged me to “stop plagiarizing the bible” a number of years ago, his words not mine. i had never really thought about it that way, but once he gave me ‘permission’ it was incredible the journey i started on. i realized how much fun it was to really paint pictures with my words and write about love, and sex, and silly things. it was freeing in so many ways…in no way could it replace worship music and what that is to me, but it made me realize even more who God has designed me to be. the gifts he has given me and ultimately that he finds satisfaction in me creating whether it is directly about him or not cause it all truly comes from him. if how i see my kids is just an iota of how he sees me that is exciting and allows me to have the confidence to keep writing music and keep worshiping and when those two intersect it is all the more beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OlPt1HPBXA&feature=youtu.be
 

full

gratitude and full of faith

928. family, extended family, friends and food

929. the next generation of Pederson’s giving thanks at the Wednesday night service

930. that You are the God who acts on my behalf as I put my hope in You

931. the full moon and knowing the Creator

 

932. requirements for my marriage

• love
• respect
• forgiveness
• humor
• fun
• commitment
• prayer

933. Emanuel. God with me.

934. indeed. God is here.

These are words I can sit with—words that will sustain me in the darkest moments. At times, I will struggle to believe them, and other moments they will be for me my surest salvation. All the while I know that God is with me.

My cry is one filled with faith, for I know the story of Jesus does not end in agony, but in glory.

4 weeks out

Hard to believe that I am 4 weeks post-op .... I am feeling so much stronger and leaning so much more into His arms. There are a lot of things happening in my life, the life of my children and in my church family that have given me cause to pause and pray often. Something I read by Paul Tripp this week impacted me.

Prayer finds its hope not in the qualifications of the one praying, but in the character and plan of the God who is hearing.
 

It may be hard for me, but I choose to resist my hard things as intruders and to welcome them as friends. I trust that my life may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that I may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ. 

May the peace of Christ dwell in you richly today! Remaining In His Arms. B.

He Whispers

These are the whispers I heard this morning:

Beth, you are to love people but you are only asked to please Me!

Beth, remember,

I am your Fortress
I am your Stronghold
I am your Delieverer
I am your Shield

Take refuge in Me!

In God's Heart ,,, I Am Forgiven

Oh my gosh,

I saw this today

How powerful

Knowing Who I am in Christ

Don't Miss this and please feel free to leave a comment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnQvp8_41Uo&feature=player_embedded

In His Arms, B.

waiting for all things new

Broken and weary ... battered and bruised .... waiting for All Things New as I remain In His Arms

Praying for those in Japan

Praying for those who have yet to know Jesus

Praying for those who have left their faith behind

Praying this song today ...for me, for you, and for others.

Come broken and weary. Come battered and bruised. My Jesus makes all things new, all things new. Come lost and abandoned. come blown by the wind. He'll bring you back home again, home again. Rise up, oh you sleeper, awake, the light of the dawn is upon you. Rise up, oh you sleeper, awake, he makes all things new.

Come frozen with shame,. come burning with guilt. My Jesus, he loves you still, he loves you still. Rise up, oh you sleeper , awake, the light of the dawn is upon you. rise up, oh you sleeper, awake, he makes all thing new. The world was good, the world is fallen, the world with be redeemed, so hold on to the promise. The stories are true that Jesus makes all things new. All things new ...


check it out here ...
https://store.rabbitroom.com/music/resurrection-letters-vol.-ii

"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy."

May I be worthy

Praying that God will grant me the grace to be worthy of His name today!

Baby Lennon and Everybody Else!

Saturday, June 26th, 2010
Afternoon Pages

Today is Lennon Eleanor Larson's birthday ... and that makes 4 everybody else's Annika, Eden, Sid, Pru!

I know that my time is short because when the everybody else (Sid and Pru) went down for a nap I choose to sleep too. (Sid's prayer at naptime, thank you Jesus for baby Lennon and Mommy!)

I just woke up and deceided to say a few words about how excited I am to be a Nana yet one more time. and just like the rest, her brother, sister and cousins she is one beautiful baby!

She weighed in at 8 pounds 2 ounces at 6:34 am!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Morning Pages

As one of Jesus' followers when I read this devotional by Anne Graham Lotz this morning I was struck by the fact that I really want this to be my prayer as I continue to learn to follow Him. I want to serve Him and by serving Him serve others, my husband, my children, my grandchildren, my extended family, my friends, my students, my co-workers with this in mind that Nothing more than being with and doing for Jesus matters!


Jesus encouraged His disciples by promising, "where I am, my servant also will be." There is nothing in this world that I desire more than the presence of Jesus in my life.
Nothing . . .
not houses or honors or health,
not cars or careers or children,
not money or marriage or ministry,
not fame or family or freedom,
not promotion or pleasures or position,
not strength or success,
not ability or achievement,
not even love or life itself.
Nothing!

Constantly striving to be In His Arms, B.

Christmas Day Personal Devotional Thoughts

Christmas Day
December 25, 2008
morning pages

ponder; to weigh in the mind; to consider carefully

treasure; to keep as precious; something of great value

As I have focused my study these past 25 days on the Christmas Story in Luke Chapter 2 I have thought deeply about the word "ponder" as it states in the NIV and the ESV and the word "treasure" in the NLT. What does it mean to ponder and do I take the time to ponder? And what about treasure ... what do I treasure, keep at precious and think of as great value. Well after time, thought and deliberation, I have found that I do indeed love to be able to take the time to ponder God's words. I like to study, and come up with questions regarding the scriptures. I often can not answer the questions myself, but I love that I can go to Terry and Andrea who usually have an explanation for what I am unsure of. Recently, while reading the story in Luke 2:9b I began to think, what does the radiance of the Lord's glory look like? For this question, I had some thoughts that others, who are fully and totally in love with Jesus, display this radiance. But I believe it is more than this, yet I am just not sure. Because of my uncertainty, I will ask. Yesterday, when I read through the story the word that struck me was "ran" in Luke 2:16 NLT.
I like to think, that I too, am like the shepherds, and that I "run" to Jesus, not just on the day of his birth, but daily and often during the day. My prayer today is that you, the reader and I the writer, will daily and often during each day run to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good day and night!~ In His Arms, beth