Sweet and Salty

Don't you just love sweet and salty as a food combination? It is such a perfect marriage of tastes. Mike knows that if I eat something very sweet, I'm likely to need some potato chips to go with it. That's why some cookie recipes that I saw on Pinterest practically shouted out my name! I had to have them!

I didn't exactly use the recipes as written. If you know me, you know that is no surprise. I can tackle a recipe with only two ingredients, such as these, and still manage to change them up a bit. This time was no different.

The first recipe called for Ritz Crackers and full size Rolos. I found mini Rolos and found them to be perfect. They were NOT individually wrapped, which saved a lot of time.

The second recipe called for pretzels and Hershey Hugs. I saw the Hershey Kisses with Amonds as well as the Hershey Kisses with Caramel but no Hugs... no worries....improvise is my middle name! (Not really. My middle name is Ann.)

I preheated the oven to 250 degrees. I didn't bother going back to Pinterest to see what heat was recommended. I probably would have done my own thing anyway. So, first, I started with the pretzels. I added the Kisses with Almonds on some and the Kisses with Caramel on others. I know it sounds kind of whiny but I will admit that unwrapping all those little Kisses got to be a bit tedious.

But I finally got the job done.

I popped the cookie sheet into the oven for only about 4 minutes. Trust me, you don't want to let it melt all the way or you'll have a big mess. Even I knew that. I just wanted the Kisses to get soft enough so that I could moosh the lid on successfully.  When they look shiny and limp, they are just right to top.

I found that the ones with almonds didn't look as pretty because the bulky almond kind of got in the way.

 It turns out that almonds don't melt or moosh. 

They tasted great, though!

The ones with the caramel Kisses were perfect. I bet you wish you could eat one of these right now, don't you?

Next, I turned to the Ritz Crackers. Because I'd found the bag of Rolos that weren't individually wrapped, these were super simple. I decided it was important to be sure that the salty side of each cracker be on the outside of the sandwiched cookie. It only makes sense, really, for your mouth to better experience the salt.

I think I melted these maybe only 3 minutes.

As you see, they were just barely melting when I took them out. I topped them with a second cracker, just giving a little twist as I added the "lid" in order to smear the little Rolo all around the cracker.  Yummmm!

Then, I couldn't stop! 

I tried some with Rolos on the Pretzels.

They were my favorite combo for ease and taste.

You just couldn't make a better little treat!

They were pretty messy, though.

I found that letting them cool and then putting the whole pan in the fridge for a bit was the best way to handle them, taking them off the pan after the chocolate and caramel kind of hardened again.

I then tried the Kisses on the Ritz Crackers. 

Also good and much neater. 

If you are making cookies to take somewhere (I was taking them to church) you might find my last combination to be the best. I used Ritz Crackers with the Rolos (easier) and topped with the pretzels (saltier). That was really good and looked kind of fancy.

There were no left-overs!

Next time, I hope I can find a bag of the Hugs, too,

as I think that will be pretty with the white oozing out.

Sweet and salty..... mmmmmmm good!

Rejoicing and Weeping

Romans 12:15

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. (King James Version of the Bible)

Yesterday we experienced a very meaningful but emotional church service. As I told you, we had a baptism. We rejoiced with a handsome boy. He came to church all dressed up in a suit, surrounded by relatives. It was a happy time. 

We rejoiced.

(photo from  free-extras.com) 
But we had a death in our church family Saturday evening. Many were just learning about this loss as they arrived. They weren't expecting it. We all felt rather numb and disbelieving I think. It seemed she should walk in and take her place, sit in her usual spot. People who loved her were in the pew, people who first came to our church because of her. She wasn't there.

Our Worship Team sang her favorite song, Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone). We cried as we sang it to her family. We all knew she had some heavy chains in this life, shackles really. We all knew she was free now. We all knew she'd been ransomed and was experiencing Amazing Grace in a way we could only yet imagine.

But we saw a mother who had to see her daughter go before her. We saw a young son, a sister and many others who weren't ready for her to go so soon. We saw our friends in pain.

So we wept.

Your Love Never Fails

Your Love Never Fails

Even if I run away

Your love never fails

I know I still make mistakes

You have new mercy for me everyday

'Cause Your love never fails

(Chorus)

You stay the same through the ages

Your love never changes

There may be pain in the night

But joy comes in the morning

The wind is strong and the water's deep

I'm not alone here in these open seas

Cause Your love never fails

The chasm is far too wide

I never thought I'd reach the other side

Your love never fails

Chorus

And when the oceans rage

I don't have to be afraid

Because I know that You love me

Your love never fails

You make all things work together for my good

You make all things work together for my good

Chorus

And when the oceans rage

I don't have to be afraid

Because I know that You love me

Your love never fails

Baptism

This week our church secretary sent out an e-mail to congregation members to let us know there is a young boy who is getting baptized tomorrow. To Christians, baptism is a very big deal, a very happy big deal. At our church, if we know about it ahead of time, we do something special.

First of all, there are men in our congregation who make these beautiful baptismal chests.

Isn't that pretty? I know they try to keep ahead of the demand as it would be rather tough to whip one of these beauties out at the last moment. I don't know how long this has been the tradition in this congregation, but I think it is really special.

The rest of us bring gifts, then, to place in the chest. When we arrive at church tomorrow one of these chests will be right up front. As people arrive we will see some of them going up front to deposit a gift for the young boy who is getting baptized.  At the end of the service he and his family may gather around the chest for photographs, marking the special occasion. When they go home tomorrow, the chest and gifts go with them. Won't that be a special reminder to him, perhaps a lifelong reminder, of the day he was baptized?

Baptism is done many different ways within Christian Churches. Some of the differences are based on traditions. For example, giving this baptismal chest and gifts is a tradition within our congregation. It isn't something we've read about in the Bible; it is just something we do to celebrate a joyful event. Some of the differences are based on varying theological understandings of Biblical accounts of baptism.  This accounts for such differences as sprinkling versus immersion and infant versus someone old enough to make the decision for themselves.  Mike and I spent hours and hours discussing these differences, even when we were dating, as we come from different denominational backgrounds. 

Most Christians agree, though, that baptism is very important and very special. I've heard baptism compared to adoption. People have said that the day you are baptized is the day you are adopted into God's family, the day you become a Child of God. It isn't quite that simple, I suppose, given that we believe everything, including ourselves, belongs to God in the first place. However, I think it is a fairly good way to explain baptism to someone who is new to Christianity.

I am not a theologian. Although raised in the church, I have never attended a Bible College or Seminary. I do have a theologian in residence as my husband has both a Bible College and Seminary degree. As I write this post, he is sitting right here in the same room with me, easily accessible. However, I am recklessly tackling this subject without his help. As far as he knows, I am furiously typing out cute granddaughter stories. So, if you landed here by googling "baptism" and were hoping for some deep theological insights, you may be disappointed.  I can tell you a few things, though.

Baptism is done in obedience to God's Word. That is to say, the Bible tells us we should do this so we do.  

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19 (NIV) 

That is one of the verses that tells us to do it. To be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (we'll talk about the Trinity another day) is a command. We who are disciples of Christ, meaning His followers, want to do this out of obedience. We don't do it in secret, either. We want others to know that we are His followers.

“But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” I Corinthians 6:11 (NIV) 

Baptism is also a washing away of our sin. Do people sin even after they are baptized? Yes, of course. With our human understanding of time you may think we are to be baptized over and over again, each time we sin. Nope. As children of God we are able to repent and claim this forgiveness of sin over and over and over. I would think that must get so tedious for God, but his love for us is big enough to handle it.

Baptism points to the fact that we are to die to ourselves. Our will is no longer paramount. It is so hard to remember and to live this way, but Christians really do want God's will to be what matters, not our own. We love our Lord and he loves us. HIS love is so pure, so complete, we are overwhelmed by it. Dying to ourselves is not a sad thing, it is a great thing. This next verse means a lot to me.  

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”Galatians 2:20 (NIV)  

My firm belief is that as a baptized child of God, I have Christ living within me. What could be better than that? This is a great heritage to claim!

   I have joined a link-up today. Click on the button to read more.

Dreams Do Come True

One of the things Cordelia once told me was that some day she wanted to ride in one of those kid cars at the mall. Yesterday was her dream-come-true-day!

She wanted Elise to enjoy it as well. 

She did...for awhile anyway.

Cordy was so casual; she could drive with one hand out the "window".

Just look at those pretty smiles!

footnote: We may have driven (shopped) a bit too long. 

At one point Cordelia told me she didn't want to ride in it forever.

Help! I Can't Stop Pinning!

I'd like to write a thoughtful and earnest post about something intellectual and fascinating. It would make me feel cerebral if I could offer some deep insights. Maybe I could toss in some brilliant humor as well. That would be a great blog post, don't you think?

Well, too bad.

I'm much too busy on Pinterest right now. I couldn't possibly take myself away from all the "pins" leading me to useful websites. I'm learning things such as how to make houses for goats and ideas on making centerpieces out of gumballs and such.  After that maybe I just want to keep looking at photos of German Castles. Here's a cool one... art out of sticks. Actually, I thought that would be a dumb link but they have some pretty neat things. Look at this!

(greige: interior design ideas)

Yes, I'm sorry but I am simply too busy right now to write a blog post.  

P.S. If you are also addicted to Pinterest, feel free to follow onlythemanager.

Talking About the Weather

On my post a few days ago Elizabeth said we were lucky because our weather was more Spring-like than her's. Well, those photos were taken late Sunday afternoon. Below are some photos from Monday. I think even the weatherman was taken by surprise!

Wyoming has a saying, "If you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes and it will change." Actually, I've heard this saying in several of the states where we've lived. It was true in Montana and Minnesota... not quite so much in New Mexico. 

When we lived in the Seattle area I saw a slogan that was so true it made me laugh...

"Seattle Rain Festival - Jan 1 through Dec 31"

Do you have any funny and/or true weather sayings where you live? 

Crying My Eye Out

I am going to tell you about a mistake I made this past week-end.

Have any of you ever used Clear Care to clean your contact lenses? It seems to do a superb job. It was recommended to me because I had been having trouble with my contacts being uncomfortable at times. I was also warned that if used like regular saline solutions, it would really sting. It contains hydrogen peroxide. Your contacts go in a little cage and down into a container with some of the solution. That little cage has special material that neutralizes the hydrogen peroxide when left to soak for at least 6 hours. Ok. I can do that.

When I was putting my first contact in Saturday morning I blinked and dropped it. I picked it up off the counter and reached for my saline solution to rinse it. You've probably guessed by now what I did. Yes, instead of rinsing it with the saline solution I rinsed it with the Clear Care solution. I even filled it with a drop of extra solution as my eyes were real dry. Without my contacts in, I just didn't realize I'd grabbed the wrong bottle.

The pain that followed is hard to describe. I'm not saying it was like childbirth, but it was quite intense! It took some time for me to be able to pry my open to get the contact out. I then tried to flush my eye with tap water. It would have been better to flush from the saline bottle I suppose. I've since read that another idea is to immediately step into the shower with your clothes on, holding the eye open for flushing. Another way is to fill a cup with water, bend over and place the affected eye over the cup then tip cup and face back together for flushing. I'm telling you all this in case you ever have need to flush your eye in a hurry. I just used the faucet along with a splashing technique. It was hard but gave me some relief anyway.

For awhile my eye was just stinging and very, very red. Later it felt like I had rocks under my eyelid. Light started bothering my eye as well. My clip-on sunglasses, even indoors, helped. Every blink hurt! It hurt to have my eye open and it hurt more to have it closed. That eye cried tears all day long! It was a wonder I didn't get dehydrated just from the water loss.


Perhaps I should have gone to the ER. If I had been advising someone else, that is what I would have told them. When I went online to see if there was more I could do I read about people getting corneal abrasions and even corneal ulcers from doing what I did. Nevertheless I decided to wait until Sunday morning to decide if I needed more care.

By 8:30 Saturday night I felt exhausted, I guess from the misery. I know, poor me. I took ibuprofen for the pain and later took a couple of Benadryl because I knew I couldn't otherwise sleep. That seemed to help.

By Sunday morning it was feeling better, still sore but most definitely better.  It is still not quite right but my vision has been fine and as long as it keeps improving I expect I will soon be ok.

I found out that this is a common mistake with Clear Care. Most people who use it also have the saline for rinsing. Unfortunately, the bottles are similar and without my contacts in, it was an easy boo boo to make. To be fair, though, Clear Care does have warnings on the bottle. It wasn't that I didn't know how it was to be used. I did know it could sting or burn but I must admit I didn't know it could cause any serious damage.

If you use Clear Care, my advice is to put that bottle in a totally different place from your saline. You likely use the Clear Care just at night when taking out the contacts so just put it in a cupboard or something far from the other. Don't leave the two bottles side by side. As for me, I got rid of mine.  

An Evening Exploration

You Are God Alone

You Are God Alone

Phillips, Craig and Dean

(from YouTube)

You are not a god 
Created by human hands
You are not a god 
Dependant on any mortal man
You are not a god 
In need of anything we can give 
By Your plan, that's just the way it is

Chorus: 
You are God alone 
From before time began
You were on Your throne
Your are God alone
And right now 
In the good times and bad 
You are on Your throne
You are God alone

You're the only God
Whose power none can contend
You're the only God 
Whose name and praise will never end 
You're the only God 
Who's worthy of everything we can give 
You are God 
And that's just the way it is

 

I have a bonus video for you. Mike showed this to me yesterday. I thought it was wonderful and decided you might enjoy it. Click here to see how creative this one church celebrated their 50th anniversary.

Have a happy Sunday!

Precious Moments - Her Hand in Mine

Making Yourself Vulnerable

Recently I was reading from the December 2012 issue of Reader's Digest. Yes, I realize I am a bit late. Anyway, under the Quotable Quotes section I found a little gem that is similar to something I've long felt to be true. It was a quote from Jonathan Safran Foer, "You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness." Isn't that soooooo true?!

To really enjoy something or someone also makes you very vulnerable to pain when or if whatever you enjoy is no longer available to you. Seriously, the only way to avoid loss is to avoid happiness. I've often heard people say they won't have another pet because it hurt too much to lose the last one. I recently heard a friend say she wouldn't consider marriage again because the pain of being widowed was too much. I'm not judging those choices and it certainly isn't my place to decide how much pain is more than someone can handle. I understand why they would say what they said. It does make me think, though, that in order for a loss to be painful, we first had something pretty wonderful...something worthy of being missed.

I let my mind momentary travel down that "what if..." road. I thought of potential losses in my life that would devastate me, at least for a bit. I live in a house that isn't fancy or big by local standards, but in some parts of the world would be thought large enough for multiple families I suppose. I am never hungry, at least not because I have no food. I have plenty of clothes, lovely art work to enjoy, heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer, a cell phone, a computer and so much more! What I value most, though, are the relationships in my life.  Due to the nature of the human body, though, any of those I love can be gone in a  heartbeat.

I don't really know how to handle those thoughts other than to be so very grateful for what I have now. All the "stuff" I enjoy is expendable. The relationships are not. I have a long list of friends that bring great enrichment to my life. And my family? My family is my joy!

(9/2012 my sister, my mom, my granddaughters and my husband)

I've typed out this last part over and over, and erased what I typed over and over as well. I am trying to tell you about the gift of faith that lets me relax a bit about making myself vulnerable through relationships. I'm trying to tell you that I do not believe that saying good-bye to a loved one in this life is necessarily a permanent good-bye. I was having a lot of trouble trying to do this without sounding sappy. Then, I had a brainstorm! I'd just share a Bible passage that says it better than could I.

1 Corinthians 15:54-57
Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. (NLT)

Yet I Receive the Hugs

During my years of being a chemotherapy nurse I got to meet a lot of people. Even though it has been two and a half years since I gave my last drop of chemo, I still see patients from that time all around town. Yesterday, it happened again. I was shopping for groceries and I saw a former patient. When we first met, he was fighting a terrible cancer and I was one of his chemotherapy nurses. I run into him from time to time now as he works where I often shop. Seeing him always warms my  heart. We chatted for a few minutes. He spoke of his treatment and recovery, his remarkable recovery. Then we went our separate ways.

This particular patient was very, very ill at one time. As a matter of fact, there was a point when we were all afraid that he would not survive through his cancer treatment. He is a real quiet person who didn't freely complain but he really, really suffered and we knew it. Our hearts broke as we saw him lose more and more weight and become desperately ill. He suffered more than most.                                                                            

He did survive, though, and I get to receive the sweet hugs and smiles when I see him. He hugs me because he is just so grateful to be alive. He sees me as part of the reason he lives. I love seeing him. I always walk away feeling lighter. He makes me feel like a heroine.

After I left him yesterday, though, I started thinking about the other nurses that gave him chemotherapy. I plan to ask them if they ever see him. I know it would make them feel so good about the work we did together.  Then, I started thinking about how really it wasn't us who saved him. I was mentally giving credit to the doctor who prescribed the chemo that we gave. Her knowledge and expertise were what saved him.

After mentally honoring the doctor for a bit, I thought even further back in the process. I thought about those who worked years on clinical trials to test the medications we gave this patient. There were patients and clinical personnel alike who were a part of those trials. I mentally honored them for what they did to make these drugs available to our patient.

Then, I thought further back yet. Before the clinical trials there were scientists and other researchers who came up with the theories and recipes for chemo medications. These people work years to perfect their products. They likely never see the patients who benefit from their work. What I did as a chemotherapy nurse would not ever have been possible without all those people!  Behind every little vial of chemotherapy we put into our patients, there was years of work and likely hundreds or even thousands of people who played a part in making it available. They all deserve the credit.

Yet, I am the one who receives the hugs.
***************************************************************************************

(photo from FREEDIGITALPHOTOS.NET / Bill Longshaw)

                          

Yesterday

I had a lovely day yesterday. I was supposed to work but many of the surgeons are out of town with their families (it is Spring break here) so I wasn't needed. Is there anything better than an unexpected day off?!

I picked up Mike and we met Sam, Maria, Eric, Cordelia and Elise at the mall for our weekly mall lunch.  Elise has recently reached that age where she is excited when she sees us. She is very affectionate and hugs over and over.  It's wonderful!

After lunch today Cordelia left with us. She worried a little that her family would miss her or that she would miss them, but we did fine.

After dropping Mike back at work Cordy came with me to run an errand at a home improvement store. She was quite intrigued. What would otherwise have been just another chore for me, turned out to be an adventure!

We explored a little playhouse before we even went into the store.

Inside the store, Cordelia was mesmerized. In fact, we had to go back a couple of times to take a look...

...at the Koi pond.

We walked all around looking at all the things they had there, discussing how it was for fixing up houses or for building new houses. I told Cordy that I didn't know how to build a whole new house. She told me that I just needed to look at a poster and it would tell me how to do it. Easy as that.

She also told me several times that when she grows up she wants to be a "nurser" like me. Aaaah. I told her she could even be a doctor if she wanted to but she was pretty insistent that she wanted to be a nurser. She told me that when someone in her family got sick she would come to them and save them and they would be better. I love that little girl.

We met up with her family at Walmart. Don't judge us!

Elise was pretty happy to see us!

I did have to return home to laundry and tax preparations and other mundane chores, but I have to say that the dose of granddaughters made the entire day brighter. 

Fee Fye Foe Fumm

(photo from http://jackthegiantslayer.warnerbros.com/gallery.php)

I am putting on my Movie Review Hat again today.  No, I have no special credentials qualifying me to do movie reviews. But, I do see movies sometimes. Maybe that is all you need to qualify for this job.

Last night Mike and I went to see Jack the Giant Slayer. It is the "real" story behind Jack and the Beanstalk. Does that sound like a dumb idea for a movie? I don't think it is doing that well nationwide, maybe because people pre-judge it. I don't know but I thought it was an excellent movie! I gave it a 4.5 out of 5. I judge movies, not against each other, but against what I presumed they meant to be. I presume this movie meant to be adventuresome, with some sweet romance stirred in. Like all fairy tales, it is meant to have really, really bad guys and really, really good guys. It does just that. I don't really even have a reason for holding back that .5 as I can't think of how I would want this movie to improve.  I just don't give out perfect scores I guess. 

One thing I have to tell you about Jack the Giant Slayer is that it is a magnificent piece of cinematography! I'm not kidding! The giants were very detailed and believable. The scenery was stunning! The action was astonishing! In this day and age of digital photography and all that entails, it must be hard to do anything new with cinematography. I think this movie incorporated the work of some very talented artists to get the effects they managed. They managed to give the feel of dirty, dark giant abodes to magnificent royal palace scenes. Most of the movie takes place outdoors, though, and it is so, so beautiful! You have to see it to know what I mean. I think you will be impressed!

And the characters... this movie is packed full of them! There are good guys and bad guys and subdivisions among them. Do you know what I mean? For example, obviously the giants are the bad guys. Even among the giants, though, you get to see some character development. They are all gross but some are more so than others. I have to say, seeing a giant pick his nose and eat it while preparing his meal (pigs-in-a-blanket as well as human-in-a-blanket) was almost more than I could handle!

The princess was, of course, beautiful and kind. That is exactly how a fairy tale princess must be, you know. The main hero is, naturally, Jack. You'll like him. He has his weaknesses but of course finds courage from deep within, born of his love for the princess. There are other good guys in this piece as well. Some are very brave, putting the needs of others above their own. Some are quirky and funny. I like funny the best!

This is NOT a movie for little kids. I was horrified as we left to see that a couple brought their preschoolers. It is too realistic and scary in a lot of places. It's not really grown-up scary...well, maybe it is. I did cringe a lot and hide my eyes quite a few times. You know what I mean, though, it isn't real-life kind of scary. With little kids, though, real-life is all too close to make-believe-life and the lines get blurred. It could definitely be nightmare-inducing. Just don't risk it with the little children.

Excluding little impressionable children, though, this movie is one that can entertain a wide variety of folks. Old children and teenagers would likely enjoy it... although the teens may have to hide their enjoyment as it may not be considered cool to like a fairy tale movie. I think a lot of men would like it for its grittiness and action. They'd likely enjoy the funnier moments as well. Deep down they will like the romance but like the teens, they'd have to hide that enjoyment.  Sometimes it is hard to find a movie that a couple will enjoy but this one fits that calling. It has a little something for everyone. So, if you are looking for a bit of entertainment, something that turns out well in the end, give this movie a chance. I really don't think you will regret it.

Click right here to see a trailer.

Did You Guess?

Did you know what you were looking at on Saturday's Post?  Maybe? It was just snow.

Well, here are some more photos taken that same time. It was about 5:25 a.m. one day this past week. I had driven to work on slick roads, not really appreciating the beauty of the morning. When I stepped out of my car, though, I was rather overwhelmed by it. There were big lazy flakes floating down, sparkling in the light of the street lamps. I took these photos with  my cell phone in low light. I wasn't surprised that they didn't capture the moment as I was seeing it. Still, I thought the slow shutter speed made for some really interesting photos. I hope you like them.

Come To The River

(click on title to hear song)

Rhett Walker Band

from the album Come To The River

  

I'm torn between myself and your truth

These cursed memories, forever seeping through

My thirst for myself left me wanting more 

Till I found myself face down on your shore 

You say

Come to the river

OH AND Lay yourself down 

And let your heart be found 

You say come to the river 

Drink from the cup I pour 

And thirst no more

My restless heart, led me astray

To my selfish pride, I became my own slave 

But you placed a thirst in me, with no drink in sight 

Cause I could not see, till I saw through your eyes

What is It?

What do you think you are looking at here? Anyone?

I will show you more Monday and then you will know for sure.

Grandma Rose

My Grandma Rose left for heaven more than 2 years ago. I still miss her so much!

When I was younger I used to always find rose things such as perfume, stationery, etc. to give to Grandma. I wonder if she got kind of tired of that. She would never have told me that, of course. I liked her name, though. I always thought it was pretty classy and fit her well. I liked it so much, our daughter's middle name is Rose. In fact, a LOT of Grandma Rose's descendants have her name incorporated into their own identities, including our own granddaughter. I love that. So, in honor of Grandma Rose, I am leaving you with these pretty photographs...

Darkness Can Not Overcome the Light

I want to tell you about a very cool app I have on my smart phone. My sister, Tina, told me about it. It is called Bible.Is and it is really worth your time... plus, it is FREE. It is the Bible online. I know there are many of them. This one, though, will read to you! How cool is that? To get it, just go to Bible.Is and set it up for your computer. And, as I said, they also have apps for smart phones, etc. It's pretty nice. You can listen in your car, on a walk, or wherever.

When I was on Bible.Is today I was reading from the book of John. You know how sometimes a verse, maybe one you've read a lot before, really hits you? Well, the one that hit me this time was John 1:5, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." The light is Jesus.

Do you ever just get so distraught by stories on the news? Maybe it is sadness, tragedy or horror that you deal with in your own life that makes you distraught. I was listening yesterday to some information about human trafficking. Such despair! It is just so hard to believe that is going on in this day and age and to so many people! There is so much darkness in this world! I think that is why that verse jumped out at me. What a relief to know, the darkness can not overcome the LIGHT!  No matter what, we have that to hold on to. No matter how bad things are, we know that evil does not, can not, will not win in the end.