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Desktop of October 2009



Desktop_October_2009, originally uploaded by eph2810.

Ah, yes…October is just around the corner and I finished the desktop for the up-coming month.
As I was searching through my photos to come up with a theme for this month, I came across a photo I took in Miami (Arizona). There is a church with a beautiful prayer garden. Not sure if you can see in this small version of the photo…on top you can see a foot…guess WHO’s …

Peace is something that I can only get when I am close to Him…He truly gives me a peace that this world can not give. If you are pulled in so many directions, or you loose heart, remember His words from John 14:27…

The kit I used is by Newlife Dreams Designs called “Autumn Splendor“. If you are into scrapping, I suggest to check out this kit…It is huge, and the papers alone are amazing!!!! The photo action I found at PanosFX.com – totally love it!!!!! I believe that this action is also available for PS Elements.

Okay, enough babbling…I hope you enjoy my October Desktop. If you click on the photo, it will take you to my Flickr Page. Again, this is created for a wide-screen monitor. If the size does not work for you, let me know and I will re-size it for you (just let me know in the comment section)

Thanks for stopping by today…Be blessed today and always…

grace_iris1

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Thankful Thursday ~ Friends

“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” ~ John 15:15 (ESV ~ emphasis mine)

Did you know that Jesus calls you ‘friend’? Isn’t that cool? I am so thankful that God sent His Son to make us His friends. Not only did Jesus came to teach us about our Heavenly Father, but He also laid down His life for His friends…

Lori and Iris Bloggers 004

(Photo is courtesy of Debbie from Heart Choices – thanks Debbie)

Monday I had the chance to reconnect with Lori from Lori’s Reflections and meet Debbie from Heart Choices. You know what is cool? When you blog with women like Lori and Debbie (at LWG) and you have lunch together. We had a marvelous lunch, talked up a storm 🙂 – The best thing is that you don’t really have to ‘warm’ up, because you have a common friend in Jesus. I know Lori for almost 4 years now; every time I get together with her, we share what ever is on our mind. Debbie is just as sweet in person as she is on her blog :)…So, I am thankful for the sisterhood of believers. I will talk about the ‘sisterhood’ a little more on Friday at LWG…

If you have a chance, connect also with other women that are not your immediate friends from church or your neighborhood. There will be a blogger meeting in Florida this fall. Angie and Marsha (two other ladies from LWG 😀 ) put together a blogger meeting in October. To find out more about it, please visit their special site “Free to Be Me“. Really, there is nothing more exciting to chat in real life with blogging friends.

What are you thankful for this week? Please do share with us by leaving your link to your post below.

Thank you for stopping by today. Remember: you have girlfriends around the world with your best Friend ever as your ‘Connector’…

grace_iris1

Thankful Thursday Participants

1. Amy – my tudor house
2. Rocks@Made To Worship
3. Angie K.
4. Lynn (Spiritually Unequal Marriage)
5. Lisa@ BlessedwithGrace
6. It Feels Like Chaos
7. lily valley karen
8. debi @ Who Says 8 is Enough?
9. Barbie
10. My Life’s Adventure
11. JesuLalaine
12. Debbie @ Heart Choices
13. Janujennifer
14. Pia
15. Serendipity Park
16. Denise		 17. AMAZING GRACE
18. Chris
19. GRACE
20. Kim @ Homesteader’s Heart
21. hip Chick
22. angela
23. Jen S.
24. Laurie @ Women Taking a Stand
25. Chocolate and Coffee
26. mizhelle
27. Rita @ Following31
28. Jerri @ Jerri’s Journey
29. Loren
30. Tanya
31. bp
32. Raise Them Up		 33. Noreen
34. Jana@Life with The Leonard’s
35. Carla
36. Oklahoma Nicole
37. becky aka theRAV
38. Michele
39. Lisa @my little corner
40. Kathy C.
41. Kitchen Stewardship (being a SAHM)
42. Connie
43. TerritoryMom
44. Marsha
45. Donetta at a life uncommon…
46. LaDonna
47. Karen
48. Erica

Learn more about Thankful Thursday here.

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Thankful Thursday ~ Hope

“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…” ~ 1 Peter 3:14-15 (emphasis mine)

Hope (to believe, desire, or trust), what a beautiful word. You know, so many today are hopeless, I am glad that we have Someone who gives us hope. Hope for a better tomorrow; hope to see us through the valleys…Yeah – I am very thankful for HOPE!!!

How can we, as followers of Christ, give others the hope we have? To be honest, some days I have a hard time when looking at all the things happening around us…Economy is in the basement, people persecuting Christians (yes, even here is the U.S.)…so much negativity in the corporate world. I think that we can live hope. Have a positive attitude (sometimes hard – I agree), have encouraging words for others, be friendly…Maybe we are the only ones listening…Be open — listen and live out the hope you have — someone else might be thankful for hope 🙂

What are you thankful for this week? Please do share with us by leaving your link below. If time allows you this week, please visit others.

Thank you for stopping by today…Remember, Hope is always there – reach for it 🙂

grace_iris1

Thankful Thursday Participants

1. Daisy
2. Lynn (Spiritually Unequal Marriage)
3. Melanie
4. Rocks@Made To Worship
5. Trish @ Another Piece of the Puzzle
6. bp
7. Debbie @ Heart Choices
8. LaDonna
9. Karen
10. debi @ Who Says 8 is Enough?
11. Laurie @ Women Taking a Stand
12. Chris
13. Denise
14. JesuLalaine
15. purple moose
16. It Feels Like Chaos
17. Pia
18. Grace of A walk to remember
19. PASTOR GIOVANNI		 20. Pia
21. Janujennifer
22. hip chick
23. angela
24. Erica
25. AMAZING GRACE
26. TerritoryMom
27. Red
28. Karen@Hallelujah Anyhow
29. gengen
30. Stacey
31. lisa@my little corner of the world
32. lily valley karen
33. Debra Kaye
34. Jana@Life with The Leonard’s
35. Connie
36. Rita @ Following31
37. Chocolate and Coffee
38. Lisa @ Kelly’s Klues		 39. Claudia
40. Carla
41. becky aka theRAV
42. Peggy @ Missions
43. Jen @ Scraps and Snippets
44. Janet @ Wildflower Thinking
45. Hannah @ fortheirfuture
46. Carrie – Oak Rise Cottage
47. Cora
48. tami aka agodlyhomemaker
49. Marsha
50. Donetta at a life uncommon…
51. Susan
52. Sandy
53. Magee Baby
54. Bernice ( My Journey )
55. Carolyn

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PS: I am a little sad tonight…Our little doggy Bandit passed away about an hour ago. He lived a long and happy life though — we was 17 years old…He will be missed.

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Thankful Thursday ~ Joy

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
~ Romans 15:13 (ESV)

Today I heard a marvelous quote on my way home from work…”Happiness is depended on our circumstances; joy is in our bones”. Per the radio announcer, the quote is attributed to John Piper.

The quote really made me think about the difference between happiness and joy…And I couldn’t agree more with John Piper. You see when we are happy, it is really just for a short time, e.g. vacation, something new, a nice dinner etc. The moment of happiness is fleeting soon…

Pure joy comes from God, don’t you agree? Not only knowing the joy of our salvation (Psalm 20:5), but also the joy in giving, serving others. Today I am thankful for the joy the Lord has put into my ‘bones’ 😛 .

Today, my friend Debbie from Heart Choices asked me about my photography; if I ever had considered putting my landscape photography with Scripture passages to share them online for people to download. Debbie said, she really enjoyed these kind of things. I agree, what better way to display His marvelous creation in conjunction with His Word – great combo in my eyes. Maybe I could put that in a book some day to sell to people who enjoy them both together 🙂 …

What are you thankful for today? Would you care to share? If so, please leave you link to your Thankful Thursday post below…

Thank you for stopping by today. Remember: Happiness is but a fleeting emotion, pure JOY comes from God 🙂 …

grace_iris1

PS: I would also like to thank Laurie and Lynn for keeping Thankful Thursday up and running during my blogging break…Love Ya – girls!!!!

Thankful Thursday Participants

1. micey
2. bp
3. Karen
4. Angie
5. Melanie
6. Debbie @ Heart Choices
7. Pia
8. Linda
9. Denise
10. It Feels Like Chaos
11. amada:)
12. debi @ Who Says 8 is Enough?
13. lira		 14. Janujennifer
15. PTR . JOHN
16. GRACE ( MY FIRST TIME HERE)
17. AMAZING GRACE
18. angela
19. Mrs.B@ Homekeepers Journey
20. gengen
21. LisaShaw
22. Jerri
23. Sandy
24. Michele
25. Lynn (Spiritually Unequal Marriage)
26. Connie		 27. Rita
28. JesuLalaine
29. Bernice ( My Journey )
30. Erica
31. becky aka theRAV
32. Lisa @my little corner
33. Donetta at a life uncommon…
34. Sab
35. ~ linda @ Being Woven
36. Multitasking Mama
37. tanya

Learn more about Thankful Thursday here.

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