Happy New Year!

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your family. 

Happy New Year and May 2011 be filled with health and prosperity!

The Arnolds!

How to Observe Thanksgiving

Count your blessings instead of your crosses; 

Count your gains instead of your losses.

Count your joys instead of your woes; 

Count your friends instead of your foes.

Count your smiles instead of your tears; 

Count your courage instead of your fears.

Count your full years instead of your lean; 

Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth; 

Count on God instead of yourself.

~~Author Unknown~~

Happy Halloween ~ The Christian Pumpkin

I am a Jack O' Lantern My light will shine so bright For I am a Christian pumpkin My symbols tell what's right.  My nose is like the cross on which our Savior died To set us free from sin We need no longer hide.  My mouth is like a fish The whole wide world to show That Christians live in this house And love their Savior so!  The story starts at Christmas My eyes are like the star That shone on Baby Jesus And wise men saw from far  My color it is orange Just like the big bright sun That rose on Easter Day Along with Gods' own Son.  And so on Halloween Let's set our pumpkins out And tell the trick or treaters What Gods' love is all about! Author Unknown

---

No Negative Thoughts Allowed

A negative thought came to my mind
He wore a charming smile
And I was sorely tempted
to invite him in a while.

And as I hesitated,
He tapped softly on the door
And whispered through the keyhole
As he'd often done before.

He said, "I'll help you hold your grudge,
I'll help you sing the blues,
It seems like all your folks and friends
have turned their backs on you."
He said, "You've been misunderstood,
Mistreated and maligned.
I'll help you cry your heart out
If you'll let me come inside"

But, I kept my windows fastened
And my doors securely closed,
For I knew I'd be the loser
If I let him take control
For negative thoughts can multiply
And crowd the positives out
And make the mind a cesspool
Of anxiety and doubt.

And so I told the negative thought
I could not let him in.
He went his way, but I am sure
That he'll return again.

But no more will I greet him
With a welcome or a smile
And never will I entertain him
Even for awhile.
I'll fill my mind with positive thoughts
And on the door install
a sign which reads, "DO NOT DISTURB"
when negative comes to call
For tho' he knocks a thousand times
And yet, a thousand more
He cannot dominate my mind if I don't open the door.

Can You?

IF YOU CAN...

Start the day without caffeine;
Get going without pep pills;
Always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains;
Resist complaining and boring people with your troubles;
Eat the same food every day and be grateful for it;
Understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time;
Forgive a friend's lack of consideration;
Overlook it when those you love take it out on you when, through no fault of your own, something goes wrong;
Take criticism and blame without resentment;
Ignore a friend's limited education and never correct him;
Resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend;
Face the world without lies and deceit;
Conquer tension without medical help;
Relax without liquor;
Sleep without the aid of drugs;
Honestly say that deep in your heart you have no prejudice;
Then my friend, you are almost as good as your dog!

Almost, but not quite!

Wanna Go For a Hike?

There is a saying that I see in Colorado all the time that says...
"If your lucky enough to live in the mountains, you are lucky enough."
I would prefer to say...
"If you are blessed enough to live in the mountains, you are truly blessed!"

I feel abundantly blessed to live in Colorado, where every morning I can see Pike's Peak out of my front window. It looks different every time you look at it and it never ceases to amaze me! The past couple of weeks, Dave and I have had the privilege of spending time in our favorite vacation location in the Rocky Mountains.
Yesterday we took an incredible hike that showed how amazing and creative our God truly is. I thought you might to take a little hike with me! I wish I could share all of the beauty we saw with you, but here are a few pics here I can share with you. (Thanks to my hubby and his excellent photography skills) The wildflowers were stunning! This is a Rosy Paintbrush. And above is an Alpine Sunflower
A Wyoming Paintbrush above and all different flowers below! Lakita and I are sitting and enjoying all of the colors. This side of the mountain was a blanket of color. (You may have to click on the picture to get in a little closer and see all of the different colors.) We started hiking at 6:15 in the morning, and saw lots of birds and wildlife too. It ended up being a 6 hour hike by the time we got back, but we sat and relaxed and tried to take in all of the beauty.

Dave relaxing with Lakita! It was a great day, and I wish you could have been there to enjoy it all, but hopefully this gives you a little taste of heaven!
Well I have to run! Lakita says it's time to log off! Thanks for joining me on today's hike! I hope it has inspired you, as it did me, to worship our amazing Creator!

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1 NIV

Happy Father's Day

A Godly Man

I Love a Godly Man

A man who has postponed his plans to fly planes and sail to exotic places

So that his children will have memories of a dad who taught them to fish, swim and change a bicycle tire



I Love a Godly Man

A man whose strong hands handle the greasy, dark, and dirty jobs that no one else wants to do

And gently pat a fussy baby to sleep



I Love a Godly Man

Who carries the weight of the world on his shoulders during the day

And carries small children on them during a game of “Horse” at night



I Love a Godly Man

A man who understands that real Success is not found in the boardroom

But in watching his children grow and learn and love



I Love a Godly Man

A man whose character is sterling and velvet, whose handshake is better than gold, and whose word stands for honor, integrity and trust.



I Love a Godly Man

A man who is creating a spiritual legacy that will affect generations to come

And who knows that his real treasure is stored up in a better place



I Love a Godly Man

A man who knows that real strength is not found in the gym

But on his knees



I Love a Godly Man

and I am proud that he is my husband and the father of my children.


To him and all the Godly Men like him:


A Very Happy Father’s Day!

Psalm 112

1 Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. 2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed . 3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever. 4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. 5 A good man sheweth favour , and lendeth : he will guide his affairs with discretion. 6 Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. 7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed , trusting in the LORD. 8 His heart is established , he shall not be afraid , until he see his desire upon his enemies. 9 He hath dispersed , he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. 10 The wicked shall see it, and be grieved ; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away : the desire of the wicked shall perish .

Waiting

It can be so hard to wait sometimes. We want things to happen right now! Here's a great poem of encouragement for those of you who are waiting for something to happen in your life, or are praying for someone you love and waiting for the answer.

Waiting! Yes patiently waiting!
Til next steps made plain will be;
To hear, with the inner hearing,
The Voice that will call for me.

Waiting! Yes, hopefully waiting!
With hope that need not grow dim;
The Master is pledged to guide me,
And my eyes are unto Him.

Waiting! Expectantly waiting!
Perhaps it may be today
The Master will quickly open
The gate to my future way.

Waiting! Yes waiting! Still waiting!
The Master will not be late:
Since He knows that I am waiting
For Him to unlatch the gate.

J. Danson Smith

Too Busy

I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due..

So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease...

All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.

No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die

I went before the Lord,
I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God! Held a book;
It was the book of life.

God looked into his book and said
"Your name I cannot find
I once was going to write it down...
But never found the time"

Is Life Hard for You Right Now?

Many times life is hard. It seems that everywhere I turn lately I have friends and family going through very difficult times. Maybe you find the same thing in your life, and sometimes, you just don't have the words to say to encourage them.

I have been reading Streams in the Desert this year. It was given to me by a dear friend, and it is great encouragement for anyone going through any kind of difficulties.

I recently had some friends who lost their 19 year old son in a car accident. He was a very strong Christian, and had tremendous influence for the Lord in his school and in our community. At his funeral about 150 people came forward to give their lives to Christ. It was amazing. And yet, it is still so very hard for the parents and sister left behind who are daily reminded of the emptiness left behind in all they do now.

There is never any perfect answer as to WHY? We can only trust that God knows. Our faith is truly tested during times like this. I'd like to share what I read in my devotions this morning with you, and I pray if you are going through a difficult time, that it will be an encouragement to you.

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord...Wait for the Lord,; be strong, and let your heart take courage (Psalm 27:13-14

Do not despair!

Oh, how great the temptation is to despair at times! Our soul becomes depressed and disheartened, and our faith staggers under the severe trials and testing that come into our lives, especially during times of bereavement and suffering. We may come to the place where we say, "I cannot bear this any loner. I am close to despair under these circumstances God has allowed. He tells me not to despair, but what am I supposed to do when I am at this point?"

What have you done in the past when you felt weak physically? You could not do anything. You ceased from doing. In your weakness, you leaned on the shoulder of a strong loved one. You leaned completely on someone else and rested, becoming still and trusting in another's strength.

It is the same when you are tempted to despair under spiritual afflictions. Once you have come close to the point of despair, God's message is not, "Be strong and courageous: (Josh 1:6), for He knows that your strength and courage have run away. Instead, He say sweetly, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps.46:10).

Hudson Taylor was so weak and feeble in the last few months of his life that he told a friend, "I am so weak I cannot write I cannot read my Bible. I cannot even pray. All I can do is lie still in the arms of God as a little child, trusting Him." This wonderful man of God, who had great spiritual power, came to the point of physical suffering and weakness where all he could do was lie still and trust.

That is all God asks of you as His dear child. When you become weak through fierce fires of affliction, do not try to "be strong." Just "be still, and know that He is God." And know that He will sustain you and bring you through the fire. God reserves His best medicine for our times of deepest despair.

Be strong and take heart. Psalm 27"4

Be strong, He has not failed you
In all the past,
And will He go and leave you
To sink at last?
No, He said He will hide you
Beneath His wing;
And sweetly there in safety
You then may sing

My prayer for you today is that you rest in Him if you are going through a difficult time, until He gives you the strength you need to carry on.

Janna

What's Your Excuse?

Desire is a powerful motivator. If we really want something, we'll find a way to do it. Unless we admit this we will spend our lives deceived by our own excuses about why we cannot do things.

Excuses are very dangerous and one of the main reasons we don't make the progress we desire. Perhaps you would like to exercise, but you make an excuse about why you can't. Maybe you want to spend more time with your family, but you have an excuse as to why you just can't. You might realize you need to give more of yourself to help others and you may want to do it, but there are always reasons (excuses) why you don't actually do it.

Until we realize that excuses are keeping us deceived and disobedient, we will be stuck in joyless, fruitless living.~Joyce Meyer

What excuses have you been using to keep you from reaching your life's dreams and desires? Why not make a commitment today to quit making excuses, and just do it! Start with one area in your life you want to change today and conquer that, and then move on to others. I'd love to hear what you are working on! No Excuses! =)

Janna

St. Patrick's Day

March 17th is St. Patrick's Day. It is a holiday named after the Irish patron, Saint Patrick. St. Patrick was actually born, Maewyn Succat, in Scotland or Wales to a Roman-British army officer. When he was just 6 years old, he and other young lads were kidnapped by pirates and sold into slavery in Ireland.

When he was twelve years old, he had a dream of seeing God and was directed by God to escape in a ship. He went to Britain and then France. There he joined a monastery and studied for the next twelve years of his life. Later on in life, he became a bishop and felt he was being called to Ireland to tell them about God. At that time Ireland's population was mostly Pagan. He spent the next twenty years of his life in Ireland. I found that Patrick used the Shamrock Leaf with its three leaves to explain to the Irish people the Trinity of God, (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). That, I think is interesting because the Shamrock leaf was an ancient symbol for the triple goddess, Brigit. It is legend that St. Patrick drove all the venomous snakes from the land and into the sea. But most likely it is a metaphor of driving the pagans out of Ireland.

Two hundred years after St. Patrick arrived, Ireland had become completely Christianized. He died March 17th, 461. This is the day commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since. St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday to celebrate the Irish culture.

Other icons of St. Patrick's Day are:

Leprechaun-Celtic Fairy- also known as male aged pygmy, intoxicated shoemakers who are guardians of ancient treasure.

Color Green-Symbolic for Ireland's nickname, "The Emerald Isle", because the grass on the hills of Ireland is extremely green.

Blarney Stone-Kissing the stone is to bring the gift of persuasive expression. This stone is set in the wall of an Irish castle tower in the village of Blarney.

Corned Beef & Cabbage-Cabbage is a traditional vegetable of the Irish and corned beef was used at the turn of the century to make this traditional dish. Originally bacon was used, but the Irish immigrants of New York found that substituting the Corned Beef was more cost effective for them.

Life's a Climb, But The View is Great!

I don't know if you have heard this song before or not, but I was listening to it yesterday and thought the words were so good. I then saw that my daughter had posted the words on her Facebook, so it was double confirmation that I should share them with you today. Sometimes we can get so focused on reaching (or not reaching) our goals, that we forget how much we are growing in the process! I hope this encourages you to focus on the climb!


I can almost see it
That dream I'm dreaming but
There's a voice inside my head sayin,
You'll never reach it,
Every step I'm taking,
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking but I
Got to keep trying
Got to keep my head held high

There's always going to be another mountain
I'm always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes I'm gonna to have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing,
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down but
No I'm not breaking
I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm going to remember most yeah
Just got to keep going
And I,
I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on, cause

There's always going to be another mountain
I'm always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes I'm gonna to have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

There's always going to be another mountain
I'm always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes you going to have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

Keep on moving
Keep climbing
Keep the faith baby
It's all about
It's all about
The climb
Keep the faith
Keep your faith

Success

Success is doing the best you can
With every task and every plan.

Success is speaking words of praise
And cheering other people's ways.

It's silence when your speech would hurt,
Politeness when your neighbor's curt.

It's deafness when the scandal flows
And sympathy with another's woes.

It's loyalty when duty calls
And courage when disaster falls.

It's politeness when the hours are long,
It's found in laughter and in song.

It's in the silent time of prayer
And in happiness and in despair.

In all of life and nothing less We find the thing we call success!

A Valentine Prayer

I said a Valentine prayer for you
and asked the Lord above
to fill your heart and bless your soul
With the precious gift of love.

I asked Him for sincere love
The kind that's meant to stay
Just like the generous love
You give to those you touch each day.

I prayed for love from family
And from every cherished friend
Then I asked the Lord to give you
His love that knows no end.

Love is patient,
Love is kind.

It bears all things,
Believes all things,

Hopes all things,
Endures all things.

Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4,7,8

Happy Valentine's Day

to All of My Friends!

What Are You Doing To Nourish Your Soul?

We live in a very stressful, fast paced world. What happened to the days when you worked all day, and then sat on the porch at night to watch the kids play or read a good book? It seems like those days are behind us. Most moms and dads have such hectic schedules that it is hard to find time to to anything but work all the time. And many of them are working 2-3 jobs, just to make ends meet. Our kids are even stressed to the max with competitive sports, test deadlines, and technology every place they turn.

We live in a society that is quickly becoming burned out! Health issues of every kind plague us, simply because we are not taking time out to nourish our souls.

What does it mean to nourish your soul? Well it could look differently for each one of us. Think of what your favorite thing to do is.

Is it?...

*Reading a good book
*Having coffee with a friend
*Taking a walk
*Doing something artistic like painting or scrapbooking?
*Getting a massage or manicure?
*For you guys it might mean watching a football game, or golfing!=)

To me the ultimate is getting away to the mountains for a hike or retreat!

It could be any number of things, but if you are not taking time to nourish your soul, and are always giving, giving, giving, I can guarantee you WILL burn out.

Everything in life need balance. Including you. I challenge you to do one thing each day to nourish your soul. I can guarantee you will be a better mom or dad, business person, husband, wife, etc. because of it. Start today! And let me know...What Did You Do to Nourish Your Soul Today?

Janna