JESUS: That Beautiful Name

I know of a Name, a beautiful Name,
That angels brought down to earth;
They whispered it low, one night long ago,
To a maiden of lowly birth.

I know of a Name, a beautiful Name,
That unto a Babe was giv'n;
The stars glittered bright, thru out that glad night,
And the angels praised God in heav'n.

The One of that Name, my Savior became,
My Savior of Calvary;
My sins nailed Him there, my burdens He bare,
He suffered all this for me.

I love that blest Name, that wonderful Name,
Made higher than all in heav'n;
'Twas whispered, I know, in my heart long ago,
To Jesus my life I've giv'n.

Chorus:
That beautiful Name, that beautiful Name,
From sin has pow'r to free us!
That beautiful Name, that wonderful Name,
That matchless Name is Jesus!

Song: That Beautiful Name
Words: by Jean Perry
Music: by Mabel Johnston Camp
1916

May you hear HIS NAME whispered in your heart today.

~MERRY CHRISTMAS~

(Photo of quilt made by Mary, my sister in law! Thank you, Mary, for the beautiful reminder of HIS NAME: JESUS!

Candlelight Carol

I came upon the words to a 'new' song yesterday, so therefore searched to hear it.
I found several arrangements, via Youtube, but found this one to be most clear, sung beautifully by Neil Diamond. Isn't it interesting that a Jewish man would sing a Christmas carol about our Savior? Let's pray these words penetrated and changed his heart for eternity, as well as the hearts of many others who will hear and receive the 'GOOD TIDINGS of GREAT JOY, which shall be to all people'.

FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY...A SAVIOR, WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD!
(Luke 2:11)

Candlelight Carol, by John Rutter, an English choral conductor/composer, ©1984.

Merry Christmas!
Enjoy!

Are You Busy?

Thanks, Robin, for sharing this with me this morning.

Are You Busy?

Satan called a worldwide convention of demons.
In his opening address he said,
"We can't keep Christians from going to church."
"We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth...."
"We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with
Their SAVIOR."
"Once they gain that connection with JESUS, our power over them is
Broken."
"So let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish
dinners, BUT steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a
relationship With JESUS CHRIST."
"This is what I want you to do," said the devil:
"Distract them from gaining hold of their SAVIOR and maintaining that
Vital connection throughout their day!"
"How shall we do this?" his demons shouted.
"Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable
Schemes to occupy their minds," he answered......
"Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow."
"Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to
work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their
empty Lifestyles."
"Keep them from spending time with their children."
"As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from
the pressures of work!"
"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small
voice."
"Entice them to play the radio or I-Pod whenever they drive." To Keep
the TV, DVDs, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home and see
to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical
music constantly."
"This will jam their minds and break that union with CHRIST."
"Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers."
"Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day."
"Invade their driving moments with billboards."
"Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes,
and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products,
services and false hopes."
"Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands
will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and they'll become
dissatisfied with their wives."
"Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night."
"Give them headaches too!"
"If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin
to look elsewhere."
"That will fragment their families quickly!"
"Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children the
real meaning of Christmas."
"Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about HIS resurrection and
power over sin and death..."
"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive."
"Have them return from their recreation exhausted."
"Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on GOD'S creation.
Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and
movies instead."
"Keep them busy, busy, busy!"
"And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and
small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences."
"Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek
power from JESUS."
"Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their
health and family for the good of the cause."
"It will work!"
"It will work!"
It was quite a plan!
The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians
everywhere to get busier & more rushed, going here & there.
Having little time for their GOD or their families.
Having no time to tell others about the power of JESUS to change lives.
I guess the question is - has the devil been successful in his schemes?

You be the judge!!!!!

Does "BUSY" mean: B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke?

The Bible says; "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of
God, so that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon
Him, because He cares about you. Be sober and alert! Your adversary
the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he
can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same
sufferings are being experienced by your brothers in the world." 1
Peter 5:6-9

Author Unknown
Originated from a newsletter on this website.

REST

There is a place of quiet rest,
Near to the heart of God,
A place where sin cannot molest,
Near to the heart of God.

O Jesus blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God,
Hold us, who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.

There is a place of comfort sweet,
Near to the heart of God,
A place where we our Saviour meet,
Near to the heart of God.

There is a place of full release,
Near to the heart of God,
A place where all is joy and peace,
Near to the heart of God.

(~Cleland B. McAfee, 1866-1944)

Kat Chat: Addition to our family... Pictures

Here are the pictures I promised.

Last night on John's bed












John has claimed the kitten.













Notice...

The color of 'his' fur...


his collar,...


and his tag.


Sleeping peacefully after a trip to the vet and Pet'smart this afternoon. The vet said, 'He's approximately eight weeks old'.

Most of us like the name 'Tebow', but Dad wants us to still consider another name.
Oh well, we tried...

Stay tuned...

Kat Chat: Addition to our family... I hope

Earlier tonight Mom looked out the window and saw a person with a flashlight looking around our neighbor's truck after they left for church. So Dad and Mark went to investigate. They found out the girl was on a walk and heard a kitten crying under our neighbor's truck and tried to get it out. Dad tried to help but couldn't get it so they left thinking we would let the neighbors know it was there when they came home. When our neighbors returned home, the girl knocked on their door, and asked if they'd help her get the kitten. The girl came over holding the kitten and said "The man (our neighbor) lifted the hood and there he was sitting on the engine". Some how we talked dad into letting us keep it but now mom is having second thoughts. Oh well... Will upload pictures later. (suspense) :)

Kat Chat: Thank you Jesus for Special Friends

Last week our "Dear Friends" came to town.

We do not get to see the Scott family as much as we'd like. That's okay, considering they live in Tennessee.
Here are some lovely memories (error...We didn't get any pictures of them at church, but we took a few while they were at our house. I'll show you those).

Silly moments before they left...













Abby and Mrs. Scott













John's buddy...Bye Eli












We love you Scott family. See you in 16 weeks... and counting.

(I wish I could've taken my camera to the 'girl party' they had at their grandparent's house, but it had to charge. What would really be cool, would be to have pictures of when they went to TKD with us on Thursday night! HA! Oh well.)

S'more Special Memories...Dahlonega, GA

"O God, whose Son Jesus is the Good Shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear His voice we may know Him who calls us each by name, and follow where He leads; Who, with You and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen"
The Book of Common Prayer~

Amazing Grace....

































































































What is man, that Thou are mindful of him?
And the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Psalm 8:4


































Sweet Family, Sweet Fellowship...



































































































































The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
Psalm 16:5-6

Kat Chat: Happy Birthday Mawmaw!!

Today is Maw Maw's birthday!! She is... well, I guess I shouldn't tell you how many years young she is, but I can tell you some other stuff.
We call her "Maw Maw" because Dad used to call his dad, "Paw" (and still does), so it seemed most fitting to call Dad's mom, "Maw". Mark Stephen was the first one of us to start the "Maw Maw" thing, and that's what we've called her ever since.
Thank you Maw Maw for being such a WONDERFUL GRANDMOTHER and good role model for us "children".

We love you!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Mom's Musing: The Girls

I am not without plenty to do these days, but am terribly missing my time here, so thought I'd take ONLY a few minutes to blog about 'The Girls'...

You may remember from reading an earlier post that Tink is our feral kitty. She came to live with us in the fall of 2006, shortly after we adopted Maple from the Humane Society in 07/06. Mark told Kat and I that day, 'get two kittens...you know two are more fun than one'. However, we didn't, for I feared his pocket would despise taking one kitten to the vet, let alone two! So we adopted only one that day. Little did we know at that time there was a scared little kitten hiding in the bushes across the street. It wasn't long before we discovered she was coming out at night to eat the cat food I set out on our front porch for our neighbor's cat (a courtesy, of course). Within a few short weeks we slowly began to win her heart. To make a long story short, by 10/06, we officially adopted Tink into our family. We have loved her from the start...and Dad doesn't mind paying her vet bills either! ha!
The above picture is one we captured of Tink's first Christmas with us. She's more mature these days and doesn't make time to play in our tree anymore, thankfully!!

The picture below, taken in 10/06, is of Katherine with Tink shortly after we lured her into our house. Her transition from life outside to inside was quite dramatic!













The following picture was taken shortly after we adopted Maple from the Humane Society in 07/06.













Five months later, Maple loved being under our Christmas tree. Isn't the change of her appearance remarkable in just 5 months?

Now, three years later, our cats still enjoy Christmas! Maple's favorite place these days is still under the Christmas tree. Tink loves the glow of the lights, and the warmth of the fire in the fireplace, as we all do. They're meant to be here! I'd welcome more kitties if Mark would let me!

Well, my time is up...I must continue ahead to the more pressing matters!
Blessings to you today~

Mom's Musings: Aunt Clarice Boren Chastain

Aunt Clarice B. Chastain at our Boren/Stanley Reunion
in March 2009, Grassy Pond
(01/18/24--11/28/09)

Our family lost a dear member this past week...Aunt Clarice is no longer with us, but with our LORD!
Her character was bright, like the meaning of her name! Her life, a joyful melody, as I remember. She was a happy soul!
She left us with happy memories!!
Last year she was diagnosed with cancer, and although it finally took her life, she purposed to not succumb to it's defeat!
She left us VICTORIOUS!!
I pray for her three sons and their wives, her grandchildren, and great-grandchildren....
It doesn't seem very long ago that we lost Uncle Paul as well.
I'm sure her children and children's children are feeling a great loss!
Uncle Paul and Aunt Clarice had an enduring marriage!! What a blessing!
I'm very grateful there are still other marriages like theirs in our family!
Although this loss is great and difficult, I know we will watch God's hand at work, and trust all He allows!

"There is no music in a rest, but there is the making of music in it. In our whole life-melody, the music is broken off here and there by 'rests', and we foolishly think we have come to the end of time. God sends a time of forced leisure---sickness, disappointed plans, frustrated efforts---and makes us a sudden pause in the choral hymn of our lives and we lament that our voices must be silent, and our part missing in the music which ever goes up to the ear of the Creator.
How does the musician read the rest? See him beat time with unvarying count and catch up the next note true and steady, as if no breaking place had come between. Not without design does God write the music of our lives. But be it ours to learn the time and not be dismayed at the 'rests'. They are not to be slurred over, nor to be omitted, not to destroy the melody, not to change the keynote. If we look up, God Himself will beat time for us. With the eye on Him we shall strike the next note full and clear" (written by John Ruskin more than a hundred years ago).

More importantly...

"...The LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life" (Psalm 42:8).

Thank you Jesus for the life and legacy of Aunt Clarice...the melody of her life resonates in my heart!

Happy Thanksgiving!! Happy Thanksliving!!

I am grateful this morning for ALL that we are and have!
We're together, we're redeemed, we're healthy, we're happy, we're clothed, we abound...

Our children, even Mark, are all in a whirl of activity to dress and collect their 'STUFF' for the
impending day at Aunt Faye & Uncle Jim's farm.
Uncle Jim is no longer with us, but we're very mindful of him.
His life and legacy is close at heart!

Thou has given so much to me,
Give one thing more, a grateful heart...
...I cry, and cry again,
And in no quiet canst thou be,
Till I a thankful heart obtain
of Thee.

Not thankful when it pleaseth me,
As if Thy blessings had spare days;
But such a heart whose pulse may be
Thy praise.

George Herbert

The Smith House, Dahlonega, GA

The weather was beautiful the day we visited Dahlonega's town square. Part of our family chose not to go into town, but to the woods instead. Those of us that went 'to town' had more fun, shopping and eating fudge and ice cream. The rest of our hot and sweaty family joined up with us later for more good food.
Mark and I broke away from the group early in the day to walk to our special honeymoon spot...The Smith House, (view link 'Our History') to look around and enjoy being there. It was here that we stayed the second night of our honeymoon 22 years ago (I'll never forget the message awaiting us when we arrived that night...'Call Home'. Mark's parents gave him the news, 'You left your clothes in St. Augustine!' HA! We never missed them! Needless to say, we shopped for shirts the next day).

Our special 'Honeymoon suite' was located in this part of the house.












Sights around the Square























Some of Mark's favorite sights....



































(Notice The Smith House in the background!)












Taking a rest on the bench...
























Later in the day, we returned to The Smith House
with our family for a home-style dinner.
It was great, of course!





























Matt & John liked Uncle Wilbur's phone, for some reason!

















Katherine enjoyed telling her new friend, our waitress,
the story of our return to The Smith House, after 22 years.













I'm grateful for our return to a place that holds special memories for Mark & I.

Gray Family Vacation

Our recent family vacation began with a day of travel to join our extended Gray family in Dahlonega, Georgia. After a record 'one stop' drive, we arrived around 3 in the afternoon. This would be the place our niece, Crystal, would marry the following day. I anticipated this special gathering not only for the wedding and the special reunion we'd experience with all of the Grays, but for the opportunity of being in Dahlonega again.
Twenty-two years ago, Mark and I spent the second night of our honeymoon in Dahlonega. What a beautiful, small mountain town. The pleasure of returning to this special place was a great thrill for me!
With exception of the bride's family, all the Grays stayed together in a five bedroom, 3 1/2 bath mountain rental home positioned on the Chestatee River. The space suited our needs nicely.

Luvin' Cousins












Together in the bed loft

















The children, especially, loved being down by the river, collecting rocks and throwing them in hopes of getting one to skip across
the top of the water. Of course, the water was irresistible, and COOOOOOOOOLD!





























Mark's parents, Mawmaw and Pawpaw, must've experienced great JOY as two out of three of their children and their families were united under one roof for three nights in a row. There were 18 of us in all, which included their great-grandson on the way.

Mawmaw & Pawpaw just before heading out for the Rehearsal Dinner












I saw the precious reality of God's overwhelming love and mercy for our family roll down Mawmaw's face as we gathered and sang Amazing Grace in the living room during 'Church' on Sunday morning.
God has surely heaped His love and mercy on The Family of Gray.

"But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them" (Psalm 103:17-18).