In my last post I shared a lot of pictures that I had taken! I am not going to share all of them with you now, but I would like to share some of the pictures I have edited!

I am going to post the original first, then the edited one.

The bees acted a little disturbed when I was taking pictures of them! =D

I love editing pictures! I could have made the bee a different color but that would have been a little odd!

I hope ya'll have a great day.

In Christ,

~Mac

Spring is here!

Here are some pictures that I took on four different days, with two different cameras!

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This is a picture that I took out of our dining room window of our female squirrel! Isn't she cute!

This is a picture I took out the kitchen window of a little, red-bellied wood pecker that comes to our bird feeder.
I hope you liked all of the pictures! I know there is a lot but hey I couldn't decide which rose picture was the best! =D I did narrow it down for ya'lls sake though! I originally took around 300 pictures! I will hopefully be posting some pictures of a yellow rose, that I just got, soon!

In Christ,

~Mac

P.S. I made a poll on the side so ya'll can vote on which picture is your favourite or you can leave a comment!

Help Stop the Me addiction!

Please take time to watch this!

In Christ,

~Mac

Peace Challenge Outcome and April's Challenge

Jenna, from Feminine Farmgirl, challenged everyone, in March, to have Peace. Something funny that happens to me every time I comment on her blog, to tell her that I am going to join the challenge, is that I get challenged! What I mean is that when the challenge was to be joyful I found it hard to be joyful! I found it hard last month to be have peace but with God all things are possible (Philippians 4:13) and here I am in April! My allergies have been acting up all year and it has affected my stomach! Sometimes my stomach feels like it wants to be sick but I haven't been yet (Praise the Lord). It was hard to feel peaceful when my stomach was acting up!

Here are some verses that I read at the beginning of the month about peace:

Romans 5:1-2

¹Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,²through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Romans 15:13

¹³May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

I hope everyone had a wonderful and peaceful month! April's Challenge is on self-control! If you want to join just visit Jenna's blog and leave her a comment that you want to join the challenge.

In Christ,

~Mac

Mystery Food Answer!

I thought I should share the answer of the mystery food as a post instead of as a comment, so that you don't have to check the comment section for the answer!

And Now...

Ladies and Gentlemen

for the answer!

It's a Grape!

The other day my mommy was washing some grapes and found this one. I know it doesn't really look like one but it is! So don't judge a bag of grapes by its cover! =D

In Christ,

~Mac

P.S. Thank you Max for commenting!

Mystery Food!

What do you think this is?

Leave a comment with your answer!

The possible answers are:

1. Grape
2. World's Smallest Pumpkin
3. Tomato
4. Other

In Christ,

~Mac

Outstanding Books!

A while back my momma had me start to read the, "Scarlet Pimpernel" by Baroness Orczy, for school. I read about a chapter a week until it started to get interesting! It was so good I could put it down! After I read that one, I rented the second book, "The Elusive Pimpernel", from the library and finished it in less than two days! "The Scarlet Pimpernel" is a little hard to read at first but after you get into it it isn't that bad! "The Scarlet Pimpernel" and the "Elusive Pimpernel" both take place during the French Revolution. The Scarlet Pimpernel is a man, who risks his life to save the French aristocrats from being sent to the guillotine. Scarlet pimpernel is his nick name not his actual name! In the book, you try to discover who he is! "The Scarlet Pimpernel" is known as one of the greatest mysteries of all time! If you are in need of something to read this is it! I will warn you not to read about it online because in some places it gives away who he is! It is now also a movie and has been for some time. There are different versions of which, I have seen the oldest! Just for the record it put Kat to sleep! The book is way more exciting though! If you have read it I would love to know what you thought of it!

In Christ,

~Mac

P.S. I was slightly depressed after reading them so beware! (I get depressed after reading exciting books or even watching exciting movies! =D)

"Grace"

by Carolyn Hamlin

Lord, as I seek your guidance for the day,
I find my thoughts unyielding: confusion clouds my way,
But, then when I bow to you, the challenges you guide me through,
Your promises are ever new: I claim them for today.

Your will cannot lead me where your grace cannot keep me.
Your hand will protect me: I rest in your care.
Your eyes will watch over me: Your love will forgive me.
And when I am faltering, I still will find you there.

Each new day’s design is guided by your hand,
And graciously revealed as I seek your Master plan.
Keep my footsteps faithful when from you I go.
Return me to the joy that your blessings can bestow.

Your will cannot lead me where your grace cannot keep me.
Your hand will protect me: I rest in your care.
Your eyes will watch over me: Your love will forgive me.
And when I am faltering, I still will find you there.

Your eyes will watch over me,
Your love will forgive me,
And when I am faltering,
Lord, I will find you there.

I heard this song on my "Pendragon Sword of His Father" soundtrack. On the CD a couple of the lyrics were slightly change and some of the quotes from the movie were read in the middle of the song.

Here are the quotes:

"Whatever happens, remember... what God calls us to do, He gives the grace to accomplish, the strength to live, or die, for His glory."

"God does not call men to futility; those who follow Him are part of a master plan."

This song is so inspiring and comforting to me! I hope it is to you as well!

In Christ,

~Mac

P.S. In case you were wondering what the changed lines were I have written them below.

"Your hand will protect me"

to

"Though storms swirl about me,"

and

" Keep my footsteps faithful when from you I go.Return me to the joy that your blessings can bestow."

to

" Keep me ever faithful when dreams give way to fears, and guide me on Your path, through the days and through the years."

Pray for Nigerian Christians!

On March 9, a tragic massacre took place in Nigeria! I read that about 500 Christians were killed! Open Doors has details about it. You can click on these links for information about it and how you can help! http://www.opendoorsusa.org/content/view/934, http://www.opendoorsusa.org/content/view/949/21/ Click here to donate https://secure2.convio.net/ccod/site/Donation2?df_id=2920&2920.donation=form1

Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Nigeria right now! They need it!

~James 5:16~

⁶Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

~Matthew 19:26~

²⁶Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

God can restore peace in Nigeria!

In Christ,

~Mac

Free GIVEAWAY!!!

Hey all! I am having a free giveaway over at Beautiful Elegant Designs!

God Bless!

~Kat

Need Some Inspiration?

There was a professor of philosophy at USC who was a deeply committed atheist. Hisprimary goal for one required class was to spend the entire semester attempting to prove that God couldn't exist.

His students were always afraid to argue with him because of his impeccable logic.

For twenty years he had taught this class and no one had ever had the courage to go against him. Sure, some had argued in class at times, but no one had ever *really gone against him* (you will see what I mean later). Noboby would go against him because he had a reputation.

At the end of every semester, on the last day he would say to the class of 300 students, "If there is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up !"

In twenty years, nobody ever stood up. They knew what he was going to do next.

He would say, "Because anyone who believes in God is a fool. If God existed, he could stop this piece of chalk from hitting the ground and breaking. Such a simple task to prove he is God, and yet he can't do it."

And every year he would drop the chalk onto the tile floor of the classroom and it would shatter into a hundred pieces. All the students were convinced that God couldn't exist. Certainly a number of Christians had slipped through, but for 20 years they had been too afraid to stand up.

Well, a few years ago there was a freshman who happened to get enrolled in the class. He was a Christian, and had heard the stories about this professor. He had to take the class because it was one of the required classes for his major. And he was afraid. But for three months that semester he prayed that he would have the courage to stand up no matter what the professor said or what the class thought. Nothing they said or did could ever shatter his faith, he hoped.

Finally, the day came. The professor said, "If there is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!" The professor, and the class of 300 people looked at him, shocked, as he stood up at the back of the room.

The professor shouted, "YOU FOOL! If nothing I have said all semester has convinced you that God doesn't exist, then you are a fool! If God existed, he could keep this piece of chalk from breaking when it hit the ground!"

He proceeded to drop the chalk, but as he did it slipped out of his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the pleats of his pants, down his leg, and off his shoe. And as it hit the ground it simply rolled away, unbroken. The professor's jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk. He looked up at the young man and then ran out of the lecture hall.

The young man who stood up proceeded to walk to the front of the room and shared his faith in Jesus for the next half hour. 300 students stayed and listened as he told of God's love for them and of his power through Jesus.

---

"'Have faith in God,' Jesus answered." -- Mark 11:22

Love always in Him "The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness
has not overcome it." -- John 1:5

Peace in God

Hey Everyone! Here lately I have really been trying to focus on spending time with God. Usually it's in the evenings once I've gone to my room for the night. I try to spend at least 10 minutes a day reading the Bible and praying. I can't tell you how much closer I feel to Him. It's so peaceful when you make the time for Him and you feel safe and secure when you are reading His word. I would like to encourage each and everyone of you, to make time in you day to share with the Lord! He has given me this marvelous sense of peace and excitement now that I'm trying to find what He has planned for me in life. Life seems so much brighter!!Please! Make time for Him!

God Bless!

~Kat

Joy Challenge Outcome

Joy was sometimes hard to for me to find in the month of February! But, "With God all things are possible.'' (Philipians 4:13) I have had a messed up immune system all year so it has been hard being joyful through that! Sadly enough, joy has always been a struggle of mine, so it was hard for me to be joyful at times. I loved being challenged, though, because it made me stop and take every thought captive. It was so wonderful having the Joy of the Lord flow threw me! There are things that bothered me on specific days and I would start to get frustrated! But in February, I would remind myself to be patient, wait for a second and calm down, then speak. I often found joy in the hardest moments, since the Lord was gracious to me and helped me be joyful . I found the strength to press on even when I didn't feel like it! Thank you Lord! It is a lot of work being joyful, even more so in all circumstances! I forgot to do a lot of the little things Jenna wanted us to do! But I will write several of the verses that I liked pertaining to joy!

Psalms 30:10-12

¹⁰ Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me;
O LORD, be my help."

¹¹ You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

¹² that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.

Psalms 51:11-12

¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Romans 12:11-13

¹¹Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Galatians 5:22-23

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Philippians 4:4

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

1 Thessalonians 5:16

¹⁶Be joyful always

James 1:2

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.

1 Peter 1:8

⁸Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

Here are some of the things that brought me joy last month were:

1. Playing in the snow at my friends' house! I don't get the chance to do that often!

2. Hearing my little "adopted nephew" tell me that he loved me and was glad that I got to visit his house!

3. Spending time at my grandparents' house!

4. Driving home and taking a long much needed nap! LOL

I hope everyone had a wonderful month!

In Christ,

~Mac

Such a sweet story!

The Cab Ride


I arrived at the address and honked the horn.
After waiting a few minutes, I walked to the door and knocked...
'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice.
I could hear something being dragged across the floor.


After a long pause, the door opened.
A small woman in her 90's stood before me.
She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it,
like somebody out of a 1940's movie.


By her side was a small nylon suitcase.
The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years.
All the furniture was covered with sheets.


There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters.
In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.


'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said.
I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.


She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.


She kept thanking me for my kindness.
'It's nothing', I told her..
'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated'.

'Oh, you're such a good boy', she said.
When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked,
'Could you drive through downtown?'


'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly..


'Oh, I don't mind,' she said.
'I'm in no hurry.
I'm on my way to a hospice'.


I looked in the rear-view mirror.
Her eyes were glistening.
'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice..
'The doctor says I don't have very long.
' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.


'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.


For the next two hours, we drove through the city.
She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.


We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived
when they were newlyweds.
She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once
been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.


Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner
and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.


As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said,
'I'm tired. Let's go now'.


We drove in silence to the address she had given me.
It was a low building, like a small convalescent home,
with a driveway that passed under a portico.


Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up.
They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move.
They must have been expecting her.


I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door.
The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.


'How much do I owe you?'
she asked, reaching into her purse.


'Nothing,'
I said


'You have to make a living,' she answered.


'There are other passengers,' I responded.


Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug.
She held onto me tightly.


'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said.
'Thank you.'


I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light..
Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life..


I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift.
I drove aimlessly lost in thought.
For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk.
What if that woman had gotten an angry driver,
or one who was impatient to end his shift?
What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once,
then driven away?


On a quick review,
I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.


We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.


But great moments often catch us unaware - beautifully
wrapped in what others may consider a small one.


PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY
WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID ~BUT~THEY WILL
ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM
FEEL.

Update on Kat's Mom

Please continue to Kat's mom! The doctor said that there is a chance that she will never fully recover from it! Please pray for a fast and full recovery!

~"Everything is possible for him who believes." Mark 9:23~

~Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." Mark 10:27~

In Christ,

~Mac

Prayer!!

My mom goes in for her check up today so please keep her in your prayers!!

~Kat

Book Bomb!

Alex and Brett Harris, who are the authors of "Do Hard Things," are having book bomb for their new book "Start Here" (visit their website, The Rebelution, about purchasing their book)! I just learned what a book bomb is so if you don't know here is a brief explanation- A book bomb is were the someone sets a date were everyone is to buy a certain book. The object is to see how high you can get the book ranked as themmost bought book! I haven't purchased my copy yet but I am planning on buying it soon! I loved their first book and can't wait to read this one!

Go help them out!

The King reigns and His Son.

~Mac

That's not all folks!

Untitled by Beautifully Elegant Disigns on Polyvore.com

Sorry everyone for my long absence! I really have no excuse other than the fact I've been keeping very busy! As you read from Mac's post my mom is sick with the shingles and at this point has partial paralysis on her face. The paralysis should go away with the shingles but since she isn't able to close her eye very well it could result in blindness(only in the one eye). For a bit of humor.... we tease that she has one eye on us at all times! lol!! Please keep her and us in your prayers! She goes for an eye exam tomorrow so hopefully all will be well!!! AGAIN PLEASE PRAY FOR HER!!

~Kat

Prayer Request

I just found out that my Gran bob (my daddy's dad) had surgery today. Something was wrong in his back so they removed a vertebra and put something in (I don't know that much about it as you can see! =D). Please pray for a fast recovery for him. Also, please pray for Kat's mom! She has the shingles right now! She went to the doctor again today and he said that her face would be breaking out with blisters real soon. She can't close one of her eyes because of the shingles and has to go see the eye doctor about how to help it, since there is a chance of blindness in that eye because it can't shut.

Please pray for both of them!

The King reigns and His Son,

~Mac

Create in Me a Clean Heart

Create in me a clean heart
Oh God and renew a right spirit within me (2x)

Cast me not away from thy presence, O Lord
And take not thy holy spirit from me
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation
And renew a right spirit within me

That is one of my favorite songs. Today it was really comforting to me since I was struggling with being joyful! I love it when I am in a difficult moment in life or even a awesome moment in life and a song comes into my head and makes the moment so much better! Does that ever happen to you or am I the only one? LOL

The King reigns and His Son,

~Mac

Yes we are living! :) Sorry we haven't posted sooner! We have been struggling with what to post on! I have ideas but it is difficult finding the time. I have decided that this Joy challenge is more difficult than I had originally anticipated! I will post about my trials of this month at the end! I hope ya'll are having an awesome February! Don't worry I will be posting again soon!

The King reigns and His Son,

~Mac

Joy Challenge

Last month Jenna from Feminine Farmgirl challenged her followers to Love our enemies. She called it the Matthew 5:44 challenge

Matthew 5:44 "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

Click here to read her challenge.

This month she challenged her followers to be joyful! Here is what you have to do:

1) Read and meditate on 8 verses in the Bible that relate to being joyful.

2) Copy or print 2 of the 8 bible verses and put them in a place that you'll see each day!
3) Journal one blessing per day that brings a smile to your face and reminds you of God's goodness and gift of joy.
4) Thank Jesus Christ for the joy that He has put in your heart. Pray that He will shine through the joy on your face and that He will use your testimony of JOY to bring others closer to Him.
5) Be prepared at the end of this month to post your thoughts, bible verses on Joy, and 5 blessings that made you smile!!!

~Don't forget to link back at her blog at the end of the month~

Click here to read the rest of the article.

I now challenge you to be joyful in all circumstances this month! It isn't going to be easy, but with Christ all things are possible.

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Him who gives me power." I hope you will join me in this "Joyful' challenge.

In Christ who gives me strength

~Mac

Christmas Catastrophes Finale

I was planning on writing each of these in its own post but since it is already February, I thought you might like us to move on! =D I will give you a brief overview, though, of what did occur! Sorry this took so long!
1. Here is your Science lesson for the day!
New Year's Day was my daddy's birthday, so my Omie Eva (my daddy's mother) made him a chocolate birthday cake with powdered sugar on top! We put candles in the form of how old he was turning and then lit them. As my daddy proceeded to blow out the candles, the powder sugar blew upwards and caught fire! We were not expecting that! My daddy's eyelashes were singed, his eyebrows were singed, and the tips of his hair were singed! We now know that powdered sugar is flammable! =D 2. I was working on Cd's that I was going to give my mother for Christmas and itunes erased them all!
3. We were straining out seeds of some berries that were going to become punch and they went everywhere, on the counters, on the floor, and all over my mother! (We had church at our house that night!)
4. I was traveling with my cousins to our grandparents' house and a tire bouncing down the interstate hit their car. This was my first, and hopefully last, wreck to ever be in! This was my cousins second wreck in 2009, so please pray that they will be able to get the parts they need for their van cheaply.
5. And last but not least, I was at my other grandparents' house watching a movie with my siblings and Kat and her siblings when the chimney box fell in! We had noticed it earlier in day that it was cracking but didn't think it would collapse!
I hope everyone is having a wonderful New Year!

In Christ,

~Mac

Beautiful Elegant Designs!!

Hey Everyone!! I wanted y'all to know that there have been major updates on Beautiful Elegant Designs!! I invite you all to stroll on over there and take a look!! I would love your input for topics that you would like discussed (about style..etc.) Comments are of course welcome as well!!! Enjoy!!

http://beautifulelegantdesigns.blogspot.com/

Christmas Catastrophes #1

In my last post I told you that I would be sharing all of the horrible things that have happened to me this Christmas season! Here is number one.

One morning , before Christmas, I was cleaning up candy which had fallen out of a cornucopia ornament that my sister had made. After I had picked the candy up, I turned to pick up an ornament which had fallen off as well. As soon as I arranged them correctly on the tree again, the initial one tumbled to the floor spilling candy everywhere!! As I reached to pick up a piece of candy next to a present, my hand brushed against the bottom of a present! I felt it again to make sure that it really was wet and not just my imagination. Alas, it was not my imagination. My sister's present was wet, as was one of my brother's, my daddy's and one of mine. Mine was completely soaked! The other presents were fine though.

In Christ,

~Mac

2010!

Happy New Year!

Yippee! It's finally 2010! The new year is here and a new decade is starting. Time to make my new years resolutions, right? Well I haven't had the time yet to write them down but I will sooner or later. :) I am still on my Christmas vacation so I will post later about my Christmas vacation! Or should I say my Christmas Catastrophes! But that will have to wait!

I hope everyone is having a awesome New Year and will continue to have a blessed year!

The King reigns and His Son,

~Mac

Question

My mother asked the question "What is your favorite name for Jesus?" My daddy and I both said "We hadn't really ever thought about it before." After thinking about it for awhile I said "Messiah, Mighty Councilor, and Savior of the World." So I am asking you, do you have a favorite name for Jesus is?Post a comment with your answer!

Here are some of His names and were to find them in the Bible:

King of kings (1 Tim 6:15; Rev. 19:16)

Lord of lords (Rev. 1:18)

I am (John 8:58)

Lamb of God (John 1:29)

Lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5)

Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14)

Light of the World (John 8:12)

True Vine (John 15:1)

Savior (Eph. 5:23; Titus 1:4; 3:6; 2 Peter 2:20)

Immanuel ( Mt. 1:23)

Click Here for a link to 100 biblical names of Jesus!

In Christ,

~Mac

I hope you all are enjoying this Christmas season! With all the parties, decorating, gift opening, and family gathering, I hope you don't forget the reason for this season!

We have FINALLY finished decorating our house and are now sitting back and enjoying it. This year we have truly tried to focus on the birth of Jesus and not so much on the gift giving. I thought I would share some pics from around our house!

Merry Christmas to all of you! May God bless you and keep you safe throughout the holidays.

~Kat