He's Risen! A Joyful Easter!

(This is a photo of some chocolate - dipped Peeps marshmallow bunnies that my sister fixed for Easter. She got the idea from Phyllis Hoffman's Celebrate magazine. Aren't they cute?)


Hello, dear friends! I hope each of you is having a wonderful weekend...... we have been out of town on two trips since I last blogged, (more about all of that later) so I have missed reading your blogs and seeing what's going on in y'all's worlds...........

Oh my! Today was simply gorgeous! Not too hot, and just beautiful, with breezes and sunshine and green grass and blooming flowers and singing birds............ went to choir practice this afternoon...... and had some lovely time talking with Jesus in the sanctuary, before everyone arrived..... and then, as we sang songs about His birth, death, burial, resurrection, and steadfast love....... I just began to feel something stirring in my spirit...... and it was all I could do to stand still and sing! That Joy just began to feel like it was going to bubble over out of my soul...........

Another song has been on my heart today, also...... along with the ones we are singing for Easter..... it's called "He's Alive" and the original one was done by a man named Don Francisco???? The Chorus has just been running over in my head.....

He's Alive!

He's Alive!

He's Alive and I'm Forgiven

Heaven's Gates are open wide

He's Alive

He's Alive

He's Alive! He's Alive!

Do y'all know that song? I surely hope so!

Well, I must go and wash my hair and get ready for tomorrow..... but please know there is Hope today because Jesus Christ did not stay in the manger, on the Cross, or in the Grave....... He's Alive, and is still forgiving hearts, washing people's sins away, and filling souls and lives with His Precious Holy Spirit!

Easter Decorations

(Click on the photos for a closer look, if you'd like)

Goodness! I can't believe it's already almost Easter Sunday! Wow! Where did the time go? I just realized that I never did get around to decorating for it this year..... was too busy dealing with pneumonia and going to Doctor's offices with my Mom and such..... so, if I do anything, it probably won't be as elaborate as I did last year....... I got to looking through my photos of last year's pretty bunnies and flowers and bows that I had decorated my piano with..... and they made me smile. And I just love the Easter Train from Cracker Barrel that my parents gave me.....so I thought I'd share some of the photos with my dear blogging friends.....

I am excited about a trip we are supposed to take this week..... I'll take my camera, and if I get some pics I'll share.....I hope you are all having a joyful Spring....... I am, thanks to the Giver of real Joy..... if you don't know Him, please know this: He wants to fill your heart and soul with Peace that Passeth Understanding, and Joy like a river! Please read His Word, the Holy Bible to learn more about Him...... I would recommend the book of Acts........read it, and you will never be the same!
Hugs, and heart-felt blessings,

Jenni

What a Lovely Spring Day

( I created this card using Colorbok's Beatrix Potter Flopsy Bunny stickers, and papers from the Mademoiselle stack, as well as some cut outs from K and Co.)
I made it for a dear friend who has been ill. I hope it brought a smile to her face.......

I want to dance

I want to Sing!

Because it's

Wonderful, Beautiful Spring!

There! I got my silliness out for the day, hehe! But goodness! It was such a lovely Spring day today in this part of Texas.... after days of rain, the Sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the breeze was gently blowing.... how I love days like this. My heart is happy, too, because one little skinny, bald, boney, scared and timid squirrel I have been feeding (and praying for) is looking chunky, and her hair is growing in. She used to have big bald patches near her arms, and the hair on her back was falling out, too.... it made me want to cry! Plus, the fat, older squirrels would bully her away from the food. Well, I have been making sure she is eating, and she looks so much better...... What can I say? I am such a sucker for animals!

I bought some pretty flowers at Lowe's tonight.... some pink Pentas, and a hanging basket filled with multicolored impatiens...... I love impatiens and vincas (periwinkles) because you can't kill them. They are tough little flowers...... we have them every year. Around this time every Spring we start getting "Flower Crazy" tee hee! We want to buy every flower basket in sight! Hopefully we will just get what we can take care of this year..... because we lost a lot during the drought of last Summer.... it was sooooo difficult to keep up with watering everything...

My health is still doing much better, Praise the Lord! He is so good to me! I hope you are all doing well, too...... and I hope the skies are sunny where you live, and that the breezes are blowing softly, and the doves are cooing in the trees around your house......but most of all, I wish you Peace.....the Peace that Jesus Christ alone can give..........

Praise the Lord... I'm feeling better!

Well, I think I'm gonna live, after that bout of pnuemonia! God is so good! I am thankful for all the prayers that everyone prayed for me.... because I know that God hears and answers prayer.... it is a rainy, gloomy Sunday here in this part of Texas, but there is Joy in my soul.... I just came from the House of the Lord.... and was so blessed to feel His dear Prescence......

I hope you are all healthy and strong, dear friends!

Hugs,
Jenni

Joy in spite of Circumstances....

(This was a neighbor's yard decoration at Christmas... can't believe I forgot to share it with y'all in Dec... but it works with how I am feeling today!)

I am feeling so happy today.... and I know what it is... it's called "the joy of the Lord"! I was diagnosed (yet again) with pnuemonia... this time it's in my right lung..... and I'm not feeling my best physically...had a steroid shot and an antibiotic shot and pills...
BUT!
The Joy of the Lord is my strength.......
and I have Peace that passes understanding!
I'm so thankful today that the joy, peace and happiness I feel in my soul..... is not predicated by circumstances.... because it's given to me by my Wonderful, Amazing, Loving, Wise, God...

One reason for joy.... no matter the circumstance.... is promises such as this scripture on my heart today: Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; For I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

Isn't God good? And I know with certainty He will bring me through this pnuemonia.....

Heartfelt Praise

We are rejoicing and Praising our Amazing God....

Mom's biopsies came back NORMAL! She is still going to have a surgery.... but that hideous

"C" word is nowhere around...... Halleluia!

Thank y'all for praying for her! A song is in my heart today:

God is a Good God

The Gospel is the Good News

Today is a Good Day

To Give our Good God Praise!

Looking for the meaning

As I toil through yet another bout of illness with my lungs..... something just occured to me... could there be something I am missing spiritually through all of this illness? I am reminded of this scripture:
Phillipians 3:10 "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death;"
I am also reminded of an old Song by Fannie Crosby:
I am Thine, Oh Lord,
I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me,
But I long to Rise
in the arms of Faith,
and be closwer drawn to Thee
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord
to the Cross where Thou has died...
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord...
To Thy precious Bleeding side....
Consecrate me now,
to Thy service Lord,
By the Power of Grace Divine,
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.....

Is there something to be learned from this trial I am going through? For, while I do realize that some things that happen to us are just "Life"..... I also know this very well.... God can take bad situations, painful things... valleys, and times of suffering, and turn them into beautiful, good, and blessed things, times of refreshing and strength..... and great Faith can be born during these times........when we come through them and and see that His Mighty Hand was holding us and guiding us so gently and tenderly.... and yet so firmly......
Lord Jesus, please help me to "get it"..... whatever is to be learned from this.... reveal it to me I pray......in Jesus' Name......

A sweet hand-crafted card for Spring

This evening I enjoyed working with these pretty pastels.... it seems that I am drawn to all shades of lavender and purple and pink these days...... and I have also found myself getting that same itch that I get every year around this time, too! It's an itch to plant flowers..... lots and lots of flowers..... as soon as the weather settles a bit, though....... I had bought a pretty tin bucket last year that I am hoping to use as a planter of sorts..... hmmmm..... what do I want to see growing in it? Maybe something Lavender, purple and pink? I don't know yet.... but it is fun imagining what I'll put in there.....

I have caught yet another cold.... **Sigh** and my lungs are filling up yet again.....my Mom and Sister are also suffering from this cold.... when you get the three of us in the same room.... we sound like a family of Seals barking away ..... LOL!

I went with my sister to petsit this weekend, and spent more time just lying around than I usually do..... made it to T.J. Maxx Homegoods, bought a pretty Spring Wreath for our Door.... and then went out to the car and fell asleep while my sister finished up in Ross.... then both of us headed back to the house, coughing up a lung or two.... and just took it easy the rest of the day.... we didn't feel like doing much else!

I hope each of you had a wonderful weekend...... as always, I am rejoicing in my Heavenly Father's Steadfast Love today....I didn't get to make it to the Thursday night Service at our Church, and didn't make the A.M. Sunday service, either.... so I was pretty anxious to get to the Sunday P.M. service.... I knew that if I could just walk through those doors..... and worship God with my brothers and sisters.... and hear those beautiful songs of Praise... and if I could hear the Preached Word of God..... I would feel so much better....... I was just starved for it! Goodness! I detest having to miss Church....... and you know what? Oh My! The service just fed my soul! And it gave me strength to keep on Walking with my Lord! And as I worshipped... I began to feel the joy and peace that only Jesus can give......