Blog addict!

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Since I began blogging for over a year now, the whole world suddenly laid bare before me. Waiting to be explored. I never thought that there are so much treasures to find.  I became a blog addict. Sounds negative word, but for me it has been positive. Suddenly I have friends all over the world young and young once like me:) But each and everyone has made my life more  meaningful and colorful. I learned a lot and seen a lot through other blogs. And not only that, I developed myself too in many areas of my life.

But, the negative of blogging is it takes much of my time because after work I  use  hours in reading blogsposts, writing my own and editing pictures to publish.  Result:  my stamina went down to almost zero level.

Being fifty, I have to think of my health. So I decided to do something about it. It does not mean that I am going to stop blogging.  But maybe going to use less hours on it because I began going to the gym. Three times a week of training,  Zumba dancing, Pilates and yoga. And I am really enjoying it.

And that is for my body! But wait a minute. How about my spiritual life?

Good to be reminded by God  that as I take care of my physical body, I have to take care of my soul and spirit too.

God is saying that I shall not live by bread alone, meaning just feeding my physical body, but I have to feed  myself with his words. That is the right thing to do. And he said too:

So God is telling me that what good it is for me if I will be popular in blog world and  have a good physical body if I neglect my soul. Those things won't bring me to heaven. His advice:

Yes, I found the secret! To be successful in everything I do whether blogging, handcrafting, photography, training , in my job or in evey area of my life...I should be obedient to the word of God.

That I need God's wisdom to set my priority straight! How about you? Are you a blog addict too?

                                                                            JOY

Sara Zebra and more!

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Hello out there! Meet my new project Sara Zebra.

I found her from my hobby book , but my Sara Zebra is a little bit longer. Don't you think?

This will be the right place for her. 

                               Anyway, my not so colorful sunrises this week!

And sunsets! But  I still love the variation of them.

                                                 Captured flower shots! 

                                        Yellow rose!

Red tulips

Orchids

Blue  one. Found these flowers at my mother-in-laws house.

And lastly, dinner prepared by my youngest daughter for us. Salmon with cream and vegetables. Hmmmn. It was really yummy.

Thought for the day

Where are you heading?

I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it, but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor. 

- Oliver Wendell Holmes

JOY

F-E-B-R-U-A-R-Y

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                                                 F is for : 




2 kgs 7:1-2 Elisha said, " Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of flour will sell a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria."
The officer on whose arm the king was leaning said to the man of God, " Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen? " You will see it with your own eyes," answered Elisha, " but you will not eat any of it"


                 So to see miracle, one has to believe! 

                                                           E is for:

2 kgs 1: 13-15 So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. 

" Man of God," he begged, " please have respect for my life and the lives of these fifty men, your servants! See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all of their men. But now have respect for my life.!"

The angel of the Lord said to Elijah, " Go down with him; do not be afraid of him." So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.

Being humble always helps and moves the hearts of those who encounter him/ her.

B is for:

Jgs 3: 1-4 These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan ( he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from the mount of Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. They were left  to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord's commands, which he had given their forefathers through Moses.

It is only in adversity God can test our faithfulness. It defines who we are and whom we trust.

R is for:

Dt.17:18-20 When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law , taken from the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kindom in Israel. 

  It means reading Gods words and obeying them brings blessing.

U for:

Ps.147:5 Great is the Lord and mighty is his power, his understanding has no limit.

If we lack understanding we can come to God so that He can impart us knowledge and wisdom.

A is for:

Phil 3:4-6 though I myself have reasons for such confidence.

If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eight day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.

It is through Christ alone we can be saved.

R is for:

Mt. 4:6  "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down." For it is written:

"He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."

So not all people who uses words from the Bible can be trusted. We must  always be guided by the Holy Spirit to discern what is from God and what is a con.

Y is for :

Mt 11: 28-30 Come to me, all of you who are weary and hardened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your soul. 

    So that is God's words in the month of February.

          F: Faithfulness

           E: Efectiveness

    B: Barriers

   R: Reading

             U: Understanding

                 A: Accomplishments

           R: Rationalizing

Y: Yoke

                                         JOY

Best shots of the week!

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What is so amazing with sunrises and sunsets are they change their 

appearances everyday. They never fail to enchant me. So I keep capturing and marvelling of the beauty of God's creation. God's handpainting everyday!

And so with the words. They have beauty too and  inspires many. So hope you enjoy watching my skies and reading the quotes that goes with them.

                                          Secret of long life and prosperity

My son, do not forget my teaching, 

but keep my command in your heart,

for they will prolong your life with many years 

and bring you prosperity. Proverbs 3: 1-2

         Good reputation

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;

 tie them around your neck, 

write them on the tablet of your heart. 

Then you will win favour and a good name

 in the sight of God and men. 

Proverbs 3: 3-4

Guidance

Trust in the Lord with all your heart 

and lean not unto your own understanding,

in all your ways acknowledge him 

and he will make your paths straight.

 Proverbs 3: 5-6

Health

Do not be wise in your own eyes;

fear the Lord and shun evil.

This will bring health to your body

and nourishment to your bones. Proverbs 3: 7-8

God's love

My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline

and do not resent his rebuke, 

because the Lord disciplines those he loves,

as a father the son he delights in. Proverbs 3: 11-12

Freedom to express

Human beings the world over need freedom 

and security that they may be able to realize their full potential. - Aung San Suu Kyi

Work versus self

The most important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one's work seriously and taking one's self seriously. The first is imperative, and the second disastrous - Margaret Fontey

    

 Loyal criticism only

Though bitter, good medicine cures illness. Though it may hurt, loyal criticism will have beneficial effects. - Sima Qian 

Nobody gets everything they want

Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get, but if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen. - Conan O’Brien

 Hope

Hope is the only good that is common to all men; those who have nothing else possess hope still. - Thales  

Respect

Every human being, of whatever origin, of whatever station, deserves respect. We must each respect others even as we respect ourselves. - U. Thant

Heart-rendering

Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, 

I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat. - Mother Teresa

Wisdom and understanding

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,

the man who gain understanding,

for she is more profitable than silver

and yearns better returns than gold. 

Proverbs 3:13-14

Have a nice day friends.

JOY

Celebration!

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Lots of celebration in the month of february for me. Mother's day in Norway, Valentines Day and birthdays. So calorie intakes had been on top. Oh my! 

Last celebration I attended until now was my older sister's birthday. And when it comes to cooking and decorating, she is the best. Just take a look!

                            Meet my sister Lourdes! The lady in pink.

 And the first visitors: My youngest daughter and me. Guess who is the prettiest? The youngest of course:)

 And since it is love month, she decorated a love table for in love couples. It seems that no one were in love. This place remained empty the rest of the night:)

Featuring the guests from the oldest to the youngest:

This is Otelie my sister's mother- in -law  and her friend Reidun! 

She invited my friend Lillan too!

              And then come the younger generations with the celebrant.

Cynnthia and Doreen

                                           The youth: Helene, Kamilla and Gina

                 
                                             The youngest: Adrian and Trond

The beautiful couple, Geir Yngve and Anja who touched our hearts with their song number.

I was captured by the love look in their eyes!

Let us not forget the men!  

 
                                        But anyway, its calorie bomb time!

Here are the couple who prepared all the foods. My brother in law might get angry with me for publishing his picture, but, I believe he will forgive me this time. Again:) 

                                         Let us see what they prepared for us!

                                       Pancit as always, for long life!

Vegetables to go with the meat dish . 

Tastes like kaldereta!

                                                 Garnished salmon

                                                 Potatoes and Kare kare

Cold cuts salmon, scrambled eggs with sliced bread.

And the most important of all. The rice!

As you can see, they really prepared so much foods. Many had been invited but couldn't come. We were I believe just 20 persons. 

And to burn all the calories, my brother -in -law made us join the games he prepared.

The rule is to go around the small bottle 5 times and then after that run to the next table

and then  put  a thread into the needle's eye, pull out again and run to the next contestant. 

You can just try putting a tread into a needles eye after turning around five times. The girls were so dizzy aftrewards, but had fun.

                     The ladies who won! Edelyn, Maria and Rowena

                         
 But it is now finished yet. The next game is to eat 3, 4, and five pieces of biscuits. Not easy concerning all the food intakes we had done minutes before.

After that is to blow a ballon later until it explodes.

                                                       and the winners!

 Well, after burning some calories, time to eat again the cakes that my sister and brother -in -law baked.

   Here they are:

Happy Birthday to my sister! Thanks for everything!

 Well, we couldn't eat all the cakes, so my sister told me to serve the cakes to the elderly the day after. Guess what! They were so thankful!

And lastly, the gifts that she received. Adrian is helping her to count how much money she got:)

Bye for now! Thanks for dropping by!

JOY