My Slow Takes (Vol. 95)

1. Welcome back Jennifer. You are blessed with many friends. Through their prayers and God's love, you and your family are healthy and together.

2. Tuck at Denbigh Church wrote the following that made me think. If we just show our faith in the daily things we do others will see. Some will agree with us and some will not. But if we can touch just one person and bring them closer to God, we have accomplished a beautiful deed.

"Peter put it like this in 1 Peter 2:12--

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

If your faith in God makes you a better friend, a better co-worker, a better family person, a better neighbor, a better person, then people will listen when you talk about it. But if faith doesn't have any real impact on your life in any visible way, then why would they want to listen to you talk about it? The greatest argument for the truthfulness of the faith is the lives of people who take it seriously! Otherwise the world will continue to be blind to the power of Jesus."

3. Friendship is a wonderful blessing from God and He has blessed me with many. Beth DeCristofaro shred her experience with a friend in Tuesday's blog. My friends, my Brothers-in-Christ, those who are true friends have always been there when I needed them. Thank you Lord for this gift of friendship. 

"Have you ever experienced the solidity that comes with having a friend who has your back?  In grade school and into high school, Tece, was smarter and braver than I was but she was my friend and I could confide in her with utmost confidence that she would never gossip or turn on me.  In college, when I was certain that I was in over my head, Paul listened to me voice my academic worries and my dismay with the dating scene.  He was the brother with a strong back.  And I have been blessed with a husband who is a true friend and confident as well as several other sisters whose mutual trust sharing our deepest hopes, concerns and issues ground me and raise me up when the daily grind threatens to pulverize me.

Meditate on Jesus’ words in the Gospel and remove the plugs from our ears and the plank from our eyes.  Give thanks to the Shepherd who is holds us night and day because of His love for us.   Say a prayer of thanks for true friends."

4. These figures represent Lee’s Legion from the American Revolution, 1776. They are converted Old Glory Colonial Dragoons. I painted them for the southern campaign where it was most effective against the British. The Legion was at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. It served with Francis Marion and Thomas Sumter in various missions in South Carolina. Henry Lee, aka "Light-Horse Harry," has always been one of my favorite heroes of the American Revolution.

5. Our statute of St. Francis surrounded by flowers that Dee planted this week.

6. Dee's Uncle Tony joined our Father this week. He was 91 years old and a veteran of World War II. He welcomed me into his family and always made me feel loved. We enjoyed wine together and Sunday afternoon football, especially the Buffalo Bills. He brought love and laughter to our family and we will miss him.

7. We are getting quotes for replacement windows for our home. The current windows are the original wood windows and are about 18 years old. We are looking at the new vinyl energy efficient replacements. Hopefully not too expensive. 

Read other "Takes" at Conversion Diary.