All Creation Glorifies God

Hello!
  Dear gracious and faithful followers,

both my husband and I 

would like to thank you for your

sweet and precious Anniversary wishes

that you sent our way.

Our hearts were blessed by your love and kindness.
 For some of you, welcome as new followers,
and thank you for your wishes too.

~~~***~~~

All creation glorifies God!

For our wedding Anniversary, my husband and I

took a few days and spent time

surrounded by God's amazing beauty

in some National Parks.

As we visited these parks in all their beauty,

scripture as well as certain hymns

would fall upon my heart and mind ~

you couldn't help but sing praises

to God, the Creator, with joy in your heart.

This rock formation looks like two kissing,

why she even has hair on her head and a bow on her dress

We were awe struck as we either

drove or hiked through the masses

of rock formations.

Such uniqueness with every bend 

we would come around.

"To God be the glory" 

would come forth from our lips time after time,

 it was just amazing!

We took close to 1000 pictures

and I would love to share just a small glimpse

of our beautiful get-away with you.

~~~***~~~

We started in Moab Utah on a cold and snowy day.

We thought we were heading 

into warmer weather, but God who controls

the weather treated us to some snow, hail, rain,

thunderstorms, cold winds and then some

warmth and sunshine on our last day.

Oh how easy it would have been to grumble,

but instead we saw the goodness of God.

We stayed in a warm and cozy cabin ~ sat on the heater

of the van after every wet and cold hike ~

played in the water puddles and sang in the rain ~

praising God in it all!

We chose to see the beauty in the weather, and we certainly did!

The wet weather made everything

come alive with vibrant colors.

~~~***~~~

Dead Horse Point, with the low clouds

snow/hail and thunderstorms 

was breathtaking!

The flowers and trees were vivid in color.

The rocks and arches displayed their beauty with the rain showers.

The mountains with fresh snow off in the distance

made the canyon lands all the more glorious.

The cloud cover allowed us to photo areas

that would have otherwise been washed out.

Bryce Canyon

And while hiking these were the words of my husband,

"well at least were not sweating."

Boy was he right there!

Actually, by the time we reached our cozy cabin

I was chilled to the bone.

Awww... warmth in a hot bubble bath...

 Part of the hiking trail around the rim of Bryce Canyon

Steep switch-backs as part of the hiking trail.
The switch backs were stacked like stairs
because of how steep it was.
Quite amazing!

I was reminded of Psalm 148

where all creation is to praise God.

We were surrounded by God's glory

and we couldn't help but praise His Holy Name!

~~~***~~~

"Let them praise the name of the Lord:
for his name alone is excellent;
his glory is above the earth and the heaven."
Amen.

To God be the Glory!
~ Debbie ~ 

Looks like the remains of a heart

I'm joining the party with Stephanie at
Roses of Inspiration 

My Steady Man

  April 16th will be the wedding Anniversary

of my husband and me, 36 years in celebration!

~

A very dear friend gifted me with the book

"Created to be his Help Meet" By Debi Pearl, 10 years ago.

God used Debi's book to teach me

many valuable lessons,

and by God's grace changes (for the good)

took place in my life as a wife.

~~~***~~~

I'm not real sure why ~ but I felt compelled

to pull that book off my bookshelf

and skim through it just the other day.

I was drawn to the chapter that speaks on having

"wisdom to understand your man"

( Co-authored by Rebekah (Pearl) Anast )

"A wise woman learns to adapt to her husband"

~

In this chapter, Rebekah speaks about three kinds of men:

Mr Command Man ~ Mr Visionary ~ Mr Steady

"Most men are a little of all three,

but tend to be dominant in one.

And all the training and experiences of life

will never successfully make a man

into a different type of man."

Isn't God awesome in His creation!

My husband was created by God,

in the likeness of God and for His glory.

(Genesis 1:26)

My husband is who he is because that's how God created him.

Man was created in the image of God ~ therefore ~

"God is dominant - command man a sovereign

and all-powerful God. He is also visionary

omniscient and desirous of 

carrying out his plans. And, 

God is steady the same yesterday and today and forever,

our faithful High Priest."

My husband is the "steady man"

and wow! He is just that!

Thursday we will celebrate 36 years together

as a married couple,

and my steady man is basically the same

"yesterday and today."

~~~***~~~

I began pondering on our 36 years together

keeping in the back of my mind

what Rebekah said in that particular chapter;

"As we identify our husband we will be able to

see where we have been a curse 

or a blessing to him."

Those are thought provoking words.

Ten years ago when I read those words

for the first time, I examined myself and asked God

to reveal to me the areas in my life

where I may have been a curse to my husband.

And as we all know, when we ask, God begins to reveal.

~~~***~~~

Now, 10 years later as I read these words again,

I look back to where God began to change

me so as to be more of a blessing than a curse.

I ponder...and ask myself,

"Have I grown through the grace of God

into a woman my husband would find lovely?

Am I a blessing or am I a curse?
~
I would encourage you to reflect on your own marriage
(those who are married)
and between you, God and your husband,
search and ask the question,
Am I a blessing or a curse?
Then let God's abundant love flow through you.

~~~***~~~

A wise woman learns to adapt to her husband.

We live in a world where selfishness reigns,

"it's all about me."

How can one adapt if one is all about self?

Some women really believe they can change 

their husbands in order to have their own selfish ways.

~

My husband is who he is,

not what I want him to be.

I married who this man is ~

who the God of the universe created him to be,

and it's not my business to change him.
The secret is not to try to change 
the man God gave you as your spouse
but to receive him with acceptance
and help bring out the best of his God-given personality.

~

In the beginning years of our marriage

I thought I could change my husband

in some areas ~ but now after 36 years

I have come to realize and accept 

that he is very much a steady man

who is " the same yesterday and today."

My place as his "help meet" is learning to adapt,
not wanting to control but giving the controls
over to God, and trusting in His promises. 
~
"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord,
and whose hope the Lord is.
For he shall be like the tree
planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out
her roots by the river, and shall not see
when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green."
(Jeremiah 17:7-8a)

My Dear husband has been divinely designed by God,

and in the grace of our marriage, walking beside him,

honoring him and adapting to who he is,

is exactly what God would have me to do as his "help meet."

(Genesis 2:18)

~

I desire for my husband to be the one God made him to be

without getting in the way;

Steady as a rock ~ gentle ~ caring ~ providing ~ understanding ~

 a man of peace and safety ~

one who doesn't make quick and hasty decisions ~

one who avoids controversy ~ doesn't find fault or gossip ~

and a man who will be faithful

until the day God calls him home.

In God's time and in His way

He is refining me into the wife He wants me to be.

36 years, and God is still, ever so gently,

dipping me in that refining pot

skimming off the uglies

so that I will come forth as gold.
Oh to be the work of His masterpiece 
bringing glory to His Holy Name.

~

The desire of my heart, with grace,

is to be a woman who honors, obeys and loves Jesus,

by honoring my husband.

(Titus 2:3-5)

" God is the Master at making heavenly marriages"

I have been blessed with a dear loving and faithful husband,
and give all my praise to the glory of God!
~
To my Dear husband,
thank you for being the "Steady" man 
God has designed and called you to be.
Happy Anniversary with love
~

Our Precious Heavenly father,
as women, teach us the truths of Your Word
that we might be gracious and lovely,
 as the wives You have called us to be.
Help us to love, honor and cherish our husbands,
giving You all the praise and glory.
Amen.

Be Lovely
~ Debbie ~ 

I'm joining with Stephanie at
Roses of Inspiration