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!

Unwrapping the Greatest Gift Ever, Jesus!

Dear Eden

Dear Eden,

Even though your birthday was just a week ago I have been thinking about the letter I would write to you now that you are 5. I am surprised how quickly the time has gone because it seems as though it was just yesterday when you were born. I think about you often and am reminded of you each day as I look at the art work on my fridge ....

It's such a good picture and an even better reminder for me to eat healthy even though I forget at times. I am so proud of the young lady you are and how you love to share and be kind to your sisters. You will always be the "middle" child and your mommy knows just what that's like as she was a "middle" too. I am looking forward to the months ahead when God brings a new baby to your house weather it be a sister or a brother I know that you will make an excellent "big" sister. I am certain that you will want to help in many ways because you are a good helper! I want you to know how much I miss seeing you because you live in Dallas but how often I think of you and pray for you. Hoping this year of being 5 years old is a great year for you. You are a gift from God! 

Happy Birthday Eden. Nana loves you more 

however Jesus loves you most!

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

Autumn

 Autumn ... pumpkins ... hot cider ... and leaves, maple, oak they fall, they fall then the leaves are raked into the street and raked into the street and burned in the street in front of the house at 3804 Thomas Ave So

No longer being burned in the street in Minneapolis but rather raked and piled up, and raked and piled up for the then littlest, only child at the time to jump into at the house in Minneapolis
6025 4th Ave So

No longer being raked up in Minneapolis but rather being raked up in Maple Grove and the littlest only girl, now the oldest is joined by the younger sister and brother and they rake and they pile and they throw the leaves in each other's hair all the while the mom watches from the deck at the house off Sunnyslope Drive

Then finally the dad and mom come help in Plymouth after the now older children all five from the littlest to the oldest rake the leaves and throw the leaves to bag the leaves, and bag the leaves and bag the leaves will the job ever end? after the trees shed their leaves and shed their leaves only to bag the final bags of leaves. 

The bags are then dragged by the children to be put around the house to keep the cold of winter out at the house on Nathan Lane


This was the piece I wrote at an Explore Spoken Word night at New Hope Church

Let's All Be Brave

Jumped over here today in hopes of reading another good book by blogger and author AnnieDowns

http://www.incourage.me/2014/10/a-lets-all-be-brave-giveaway.html

Happy Birthday Ginny!

I make it a habit now to be reading one fiction (fake as we call it in my 1st grade classroom) book along with the other books I am reading.
A lot of women come in to LifeWay in Maple Grove where I work part time to buy books by Beverly Lewis so I picked up a copy of The Shunning.

Beverly Lewis is a New York Times Bestselling Author and in this book she writes about Katie Lapp's mother, a plain and simple Amishwoman who embraces the old way, and hides a beautiful satin baby dress in the attic ... but why? You will have to read it to find out :-)

You can pick up the book here: http://www.lifeway.com/Keyword/the+shunning+book or by stopping into the store at Maple Grove!

Today is my good friend's birthday and in honor of her birthday I am wrapping up my copy of The Shunning to give her as a birthday re-gift! You see, she is a missionary and has a missionary mind-set so I know she will appreciate that I did not spend a lot of money on her. (ps because she is such a good friend and I love her a lot I did spend time on a homemade gift as well) 

Most of my books given off my book shelf this year have been non-fiction however my good friend Ginny will hopefully enjoy getting lost is this fiction book as I did. 

Happy Birthday Ginny! 

Words written in red

When I sat with my grandson on Friday night and I listened to him read Frog and Toad Together I was pleased to hear another generation read. I want to never take the ability, art, and privilege to hold a book, touch it's pages, read it's words and have the words wash over my life and change me for granted. 

It is the reason I practice the "daily office" as some call the discipline to read the word daily 

It is the reason why the gift of a book is my first thought for giving

This year 2014 I had a desire to give the gift that keeps on giving so I looked over and through my bookshelf. I handled and touched and reread some books and some that had handwritten notations and prayers I had jotted down during the times I read the books.

It is the reason why when my Tx daughter turned another year older I passed on The Mother's Topical Bible

It is the reason why when my son turned 30 I passed on a devotional I had read at different times over my life span in Christ of thirty seven years

It is the reason why I passed on My Daily Light to a good friend. She is one who continually reminds me, instructs me and holds me accountable to the reading and applying of the word  

When my grandson was reading Frog and Toad together and he read their "lists" I was reminded of the things on my list this year....

passing on books that had depth and meaning in my life 
books on prayer, classics like Pilgrims Progress, books with journaling pages and character traits 

my prayer this morning is that the next generation of Pederson's in a time of computers, i phones, kindles will never loose the desire and ability to touch the pages, read the words especially the words written in red

Monday Blank Page on Tuesday

I think I indicated my intention was to write at least once a week on Monday's and here I am, already having missed one week and even a day as it is Tuesday, September 23 ...

I'm OK with this as it is the beginning of a new school year and it tends to be a busy time for me .... however some things that I find myself grateful for today are:

The end of one season and the beginning of another:

Last Summer Friday morning donuts

Back to school shopping at MOA with Girls Group (that's Catherine under that bear costume)

A new school year at Edinbrook Elementary serving alongside of several teachers in the area of EL (English Learners)

A new part time job at LifeWay, Maple Grove

A new ministry at NHC Life Groups (an opportunity to serve with the golfer)

The color of the leaves changing as I walked home from church this past Sunday reminding me that He never changes

The good health of all of my family members and the eager anticipation of two new grandchildren this winter

Another birthday celebrated; Sid turns 7

The start-up of a new ministry year with HopeWatchers 

The continued discipline of growing in prayer, the word, and the fellowship of believers

Just an overall gratefulness for Who He is and how much He loves me!