Christian Photographers Community

Hi everyone. I am at Kauffman Tire waiting for them to replace the light bulbs over my license plate.  I sure don't want a ticket.  I have a few things on my schedule today including my Thursday men's luncheon.  It is chilly here this morning as was 39 at the time I got up.  However the sun will warm up the day. 

Have read all the posting this morning but am writing from my phone and not easy to refer back so will just say I hope all have a nice day.

I thought this piece was quite nice and wanted to share it with you all.

​Grandpa,  some  ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench.  He didn't move, just sat with his head down staring at his hands.  When I sat down beside him he didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat,  I wondered if he was OK.​
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   Finally, not really wanting to disturb him but wanting to check on him at the same time, I asked him if he was OK.

   He raised his head and looked at me and smiled.  "Yes, I'm fine.  Thank you for asking," he said in a clear strong voice.

   "I didn't mean to disturb you, Grandpa, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to him.


   "Have you ever looked at your hands," he asked.  "I mean really looked at your hands?"

   I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them.  I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was making. Grandpa smiled and related this story:

   "Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands,  though wrinkled, shriveled, and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.  They put food in my mouth and clothes on my  back.

   ·        As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer.
  ·        They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots.
  ·        They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and  bent.
  ·        They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son.
  ·        Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.
  ·        They trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse and walked my daughter down the aisle.
  ·        They  have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body.
  ·        They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw.
  ·        And to this day,  when not much of anything else of me works real well, these hands hold me up, lay me down,  and again continue to fold in prayer.
  ·        These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of my life.
  ·        But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home.
  ·        And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of  Christ."

   I will  never look at my hands the same again.  But I remember God reached out and took my grandpa's hands and led him home.

   When my hands are hurt or sore I think of Grandpa.  I know he has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.   I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.

   When you receive this, say a prayer for the person who sent it to you and watch God's answer to prayer work in your life.  Let's continue praying for one another.

Thanks Larry, I did send on a prayer as well.

Hi everyone.  It looks like we will have another beautiful day here in Georgia.  Fall is a great time of the year.  It is suppose to get to 72 this afternoon and it wasn't quite a cold last night.  Today was our last meeting for awhile at the Senior Center as they are closing it of some remodeling the city is going to do, including new furniture and carpet plus a redo on the kitchen.  Until it is completed we are moving our Friday men's meeting to McDonald's.  Nothing else on my schedule for today and am ready for a quiet day.  Yesterday turned out to be a very busy day. 

I hope you all have a very enjoyable day as we prepare for the weekend.

Good Morning Everyone!

I think that the surgery has started to help.  The surgeon did say to give it at least a week so that's what I'm doing.

I see the today is Judy McKenna's birthday.  I've sent her an eCard from Jacquie Lawson.  She's stuck up in that Senior's Residence unable to get out and Norm is in a different one.  So I wondered if you'd like to send her a wee card or short email to help brighten her day.  Here's her email address:  mckennajudy2@gmail.com

Maybe you could all tell her that she's missed on CP! 

http://www.jacquielawson.com/cards/birthday

John and I went to an OASIS meeting today, had a wonderful time, visiting with friends over lunch.
there was a speaker who was interesting in his presentation.  One thing he said that has stuck with us; "God cannot do two things.  He cannot force repentance and he cannot take money out of our pockets!"

We opened with this Video.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I read on Facebook that Sue Walsh's husband/partner passed away. That's Ruth's daughter isn't it? why hasn't something been said on here yet?

Marilyn, I didn't feel it was my place too.

Hi everyone.  Once again we have a beautiful fall day in store here in Georgia.  Today Pat wanted to visit a specialized foot store in Cumming, GA, which is about an hour from where we live.  However, we just checked the website and found she needed to set up an appointment.  She has left a message for them to call her as they don't open until 11 am on Saturdays.  So it is unlikely we will be going there today.

Pat, I just stopped reading the postings and sent Judy an email to wish her Happy Birthday.  It has been a long time since I had heard anything about her.  Glad you shared the information. 

Judy, I had never heard that before about what God will not do in terms of repentance and taking our money.

Two more BIG things God cannot do:  He cannot lie, and He cannot fail!  I really enjoyed the video Prayer for Canada.  Thanks, Judy.

Marilyn, I read about that, too, but think it is Ruth's place to write something about it, if they choose to do so.  Some people are very private.  My dear friend Maxine's daughter's husband (easier to say Maxine's son-in-law!) passed away a week ago.  He had lung cancer, and only lived less than two monhs after the diagnosis.  I felt bad that I hadn't even heard he was sick.  I called Pam this morning and she was happy to hear from me.  I asked her if Maxine knows and she said "I don't want her to know, it would make her feel bad because she loved Dave."  Pam and Dave's home is in Missouri.

I still haven't heard whether the Royals won last night!  They were ahead when we went to bed, so I really hope they won! 

Tonight is our "date" with our kids and I'm excited to spend some time with them!

Larry, I never heard of a store where one had to have an appointment!  They must really give individualized attention.  (And expect you to spend money!) 

Darrel has been having spells where his blood pressure drops really low.  Do any of you know what might cause that?  Not a good thing.

I have a little painting project I want to get done today, so I am heading to my studio!

I received this updated prayer request and decided to pass it on.

QuoteURGENT PRAYER NEED

Please pray for this urgent request.

Prayer Request from Dan and Marilyn Wilson Missionaries who are in the areas that are being attacked by ISIS are asking to be showered in prayer. I'm forwarding this because you will not hear this on the news. It doesn't fit their fantasies but people need to know what's happening. If you are a person who prays, then by all means pray for these people. Chances are they will not be coming home. These are people known personally by some at our church. They could easily be neighbors of any of us who had decided serve others. Those who are doing this to them want to do it to us here and they mean to do it.

ISIS has taken over the town they are in today. He said ISIS is systematically going house to house to all the Christians and asking the
children to denounce Jesus. He said so far not one child has. And so far all have consequently been killed. But not the parents.

The UN has withdrawn and the missionaries are on their own. They are determined to stick it out for the sake of the families - even if it means their own deaths. They are very afraid, have no idea how to even begin ministering to these families who have had seen their children martyred. Yet he says he knows God has called them for some reason to be His voice and hands at this place at this time.

Even so, they are begging for prayers for courage to live out their vocation in such dire circumstances. And like the children, accept martyrdom if they are called to do so. These brave parents instilled such a fervent faith in their children that they chose martyrdom. Please surround them in their loss with your prayers for hope and perseverance.

One missionary was able to talk to her brother briefly by phone. She didn't say it, but I believe she believes it will be their last conversation. Pray for her too. She said he just kept asking her to help him know what to do and do it. She told him to tell the families we ARE praying for them and they are not alone or forgotten -- no matter what. Please keep them all in your prayers.

This came this morning... Just a few minutes ago I received the following text message on my phone from Sean Malone who leads Crisis Relief International (CRI). We then spoke briefly on the phone and I assured him that we would share this urgent prayer need with all of our contacts.

"We lost the city of Queragosh (Qaraqosh). It fell to ISIS and they are beheading children systematically. This is the city we have been smuggling food to. ISIS has pushed back Peshmerga (Kurdish forces) and is within 10 minutes of where our CRI team is working. Thousands more fled into the city of Erbil last night. The UN evacuated its staff in Erbil. Our team is unmoved and will stay. Prayer cover needed!" Please pray sincerely for the deliverance of the people of Northern Iraq from the terrible advancement of ISIS and its extreme Islamic goals for mass conversion or death for Christians across this region.

May I plead with you not to ignore this email. Do not forward it before you have prayed through it. Then send it to as many people as possible. Send it to friends and Christians you may know. Send it to your prayer group. Send it to your pastor and phone him/her to pray on Sunday during the service - making a special time of prayer for this. We need to stand in the gap for our fellow Christians.

Thank you for all your prayers !!!!

Thanks for that Judy.  All of our Christian missionaries in those troubled lands need our prayers.

Hi, friends,

I've had a very busy week, so am needing rest. I hope to hear tomorrow's alarm, though, so I can be at church.

Y'all have a really good rest of the day.

Ruth Ann

John has gone to bed.  He was dozing on the couch.  I am tired but not in the least bit sleepy.  Uggggg wish I could go to bed and sleep like he does!

On a lighter note, the sun was shining for the afternoon.  I took the dogs for a walk and a pick-up came down the road.  This is a forced road not a township road, and is only used by others during hunting season......That starts next week.  I have made the decision that I will get a reflective vest for Zeke, and start wearing mine every walk.  Also take leashes so if there is a vehicle coming I don;t have to kill my hands holding to collars!

Tomorrow should be a nice day if the sunset was any indication.  I sure hope so, we are getting a little frustrated with the rain.  Janet do I send it your way?

Have a great night everyone!

Hi everyone on a bit warmer fall Georgia morning.  It was 64 degrees this morning at 7:30 and is headed to 82 degrees today.  Yesterday we did not go to the shoe store as Pat found she needed to have an appointment, which she now has for Tuesday morning. Just glad she found this out before we made the trip up there.  So we went to lunch at Ruby Tuesday's and then made a quick stop at Walmart.  Finally I stopped at the AT&T phone store to see if they carried the BOSE Bluethooth headphones.  They did and I was able to use the $200 card I had gotten from trading in my old iPhone.  I put a little more with that and now I have something I have dreamed about but never really expected to have since they are so expensive.  They are truly great and listened to them most of yesterday afternoon and evening.  I plan on going to church this morning but doubt that Pat will as her shoulder is very painful and seems to be getting worse everyday.  She apparently has tendinitis caused by spending hours unraveling that big ball of yarn.  I am looking forward to listening to Don's classic music program with my new headphones as orchestras sound wonderful on them.   

Janet, this is the store chain where Stacey once got specialized shoes for her Charcot Foot disease foot.  It is a very specialized store dealing with special problems.  It is pricey but will be worth it if Pat can get some comfortable shoes.  Darrel's low pressure could be from his heart or from diuretics or other medications. He should call this to his doctor's attention.  I have had low blood pressure all my adult life as it stays around 100/60 and sometimes gets into the 80's over 50's range. 

Judy, I saw that same email several weeks ago and did share it with others getting a mixed reaction (which is fine).  However, good to be reminded again.  As Jeanne said we need to keep our christian missionaries and the Christians in those lands in our prayers as well as those over there fighting such evil. The vests sound like a great idea as you or the dogs don't need to be involved in hunting accidents. 

Ruth Ann, hope you were up to attending church this morning.   

Time to start a new "Thoughts".

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