great grandchildren

Blessings Overflowing

A very happy time occurred this past year when all eight of our children (and their families) came together with us to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.

A very happy time occurred this past year when all eight of our children (and their families) came together with us to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.

“You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.” Psalm 23:5b

With Mother’s Day coming up this weekend my thoughts concerning blessings go toward our wonderful eight children given to us by God in His great kindness to my husband and me. God led us beautifully through difficult, as well as, joyous events during the forty-one years children were in our home. Now, He blesses us even more with the happiness of wonderful grandchildren and great grandchildren; our “cup overflows with blessings.”

Perhaps the most important thing in my life during all my years of mothering (and even now) came down to spending real connected time with the Lord every day not only attentively reading His Word, but, also pouring my heart out to Him. I came across a beautiful quote from Samuel Burder (1773-1837)in his comments on Psalms 23:5b that pictures the blessings I sense in spending time alone with God. “In the East the people frequently anoint their visitors with some very fragrant perfume; and give them a cup or glass of some choice wine, which they are careful to fill till it runs over. The first was designed to show their love and respect; the latter to imply that while they remained there, they should have an abundance of everything.” I hope you daily experience such blessings.

This Thursday morning Zoom will bring us together at 9:30 to discuss this short passage of Scripture. I am looking forward to seeing you and encouraging you in staying close to the Lord.

If you would like to be part of this study, go to discoverybaptist.org and click on Ladies Bible Study.


BLESSINGS AT CHRISTMAS AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

Zwingli’s church in Zurich, Switzerland—built in 1100.

Zwingli’s church in Zurich, Switzerland—built in 1100.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”(Isaiah 9:6)

 With cheerful hearts we look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus this Christmas. God has blessed us for more than 38 years to serve together with a passionate band of His people at Discovery Baptist Church. As we gather on Christmas Eve by candlelight to remember His humble birth, once again our hearts will be rejoicing together.

During this past year we added to our dear grandchildren two more little girls, Irene and Grace; that makes our total of blessings so far at 28.  A new role for our lives also began with the birth of our first great-grandchild, little Pippa who lives in Chile with her parents Jorge and Naomi.

As we are in the middle of our 50th year of marriage, we took a special trip to see amazing and beautiful Switzerland by train; what an unforgettable adventure. The photo shows us near the Matterhorn. Then we joined our two missionary kids and their families for a conference in Malta.

Resting at Gonergrat, Switzerland at over 10,000 foot elevation with view of the Matterhorn.

Resting at Gonergrat, Switzerland at over 10,000 foot elevation with view of the Matterhorn.

Now we look forward to 2019 knowing that God is in control of everything and we trust Him concerning all the days ahead—the comfortable and the difficult.

This is an early Christmas present with the dates of all of our family birthdays and anniversaries.

This is an early Christmas present with the dates of all of our family birthdays and anniversaries.

Blessings to you this Christmas,

Mark and Nancy