...today in mid July makes me long for the above cold, snowy conditions...but next winter, I'll be longing for warmer temperature. That said, the cartoon I found on Facebook gave me a laugh.  I'm not sure I can cut and past it here, though. Hmm...gonna give it a try.​

Somehow, in trying to improve this website and blog, I ended up creating a NEW WEBSITE...in error! I've just managed to take all that down and delete the site. Now I am back to just this site. I barely keep up with this site, so why start another one? One is enough don't you think? As for the configuration of this site, you'll find it's much the same. By the way, head on over to the book review page for a post of my latest terrific read. Blessings to you all on this upcoming Easter...I'll say more about that later.

Like this one where nothing goes right, except when we persevere. Today, I've been trying to post one single review...needless to say....what could go wrong did. Sigh. Now the review is up at Facebook, Amazon and here at Words About the Word. Hannah Claire's Wilderness is a story to be read! I pray you enjoy it as much as I did. Bye for now.

​Sometimes I'm amazed by the things I say or write...more often I'm either embarrassed or ashamed by loudly declaring my sinful humanity instead of my redeemed Christianity. To paraphrase my Saviour, "God forgive us for we so often do not know what we have actually done when we choose to do what we do."

The above picture just about shows what it looks like around these parts since that photo is of Cook Forest which is not far from where I live. The difference is that our snowdrifts are deeper. We had about a foot of snow fall over the last weekend. Below zero wind chills and blizzard like conditions saw many events cancelled including worship on January 20, 2019 at the church where I've been attending. Good Shepherd is only a couple of miles from where I live as opposed to around ten miles into Tionesta where my son lives these days. That's where the closest Presbyterian church is and being a retired minister in that denomination, I try to attend a Presbyterian service as often as possible, but these days with roads being what they are and my doctor having restricted my driving to good roads and weather, I've been worshipping closer to my mobile home. That said, I still write devotionals for the Presbyterian Church in Canada's website Daily Devotions page. They've had some really talented devotional writers published there of late. I look forward to it arriving in my inbox every day. Here's the link to that website... ​https://presbycan.ca/

Facebook seems to have their act together again these days so I'm now sharing back on that social media platform.  As for other news, I've been doing a lot of pre-publication reading for other authors and will review these books when they are available for purchase. One thing that's been a bit of a hassle is that my computer has been acting up. My keyboard sticks from time to time, but only certain keys. Not sure what that's about. I've run virus scans, etc. Some of the keys seem to be working again, but others...well time will tell if I'll be needing to take my laptop in for refurbishing. Been praying about this minor detail Sigh. 

On a more serious note, the last two days I've been watching the services for our Forty-First President George H. W. Bush. Sadly, I'm among those who never truly appreciated this honorable man's achievements...probably because he never bragged about them. He just quietly went about the business of running the country in a most amicable fashion. The Eulogies about this great man highlighted what President Bush 41 was loath to share. Likewise, the contrast between his achievements and character as ​compared with current politicians stands out sharply. I name no names since my mother taught me to say nothing if I can say nothing nice. 

Well enough about politics. Now let's consider the upcoming Christmas season, or holidays as so many in the media are calling them. Yes, Hanukkah is also coming up too and we certainly want to honor that festival, but being a Christian, the birth of the Christ has greater personal significance. Without the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in Bethlehem of Judea, this world would be a much more cruel place than it is. I can't lay the blame for all the nastiness at Jesus' feet, no, I lay my own nastiness at the foot of His cross and beg forgiveness. He was only good, kind, loving, self-sacrificing, generous and gentle with those who came to Him. He couldn't help but shine with God's personality since He was God-made-manifest among us, God Incarnate, God become fully human while still emanating holiness. ​Jesus' eyes positively shine with love. 
How blessed are we when we know Him!

​Have a joyous Christmas Season, my Christian friends, and a happy Hanukkah celebration to my Jewish friends. Blessings, joy, and peace now and forever, Amen!

ARGH! Facebook hacks are out of control. My presence over on Facebook has been compromised so I have DELETED ALL my Facebook accounts and contacts. Ugh! Hated to do that, but.... after wasting beaucoup time over days trying to sort it out, all that happened was everything got more messed up! I am officially having NOTHING whatsoever to do with Facebook from now on...or at least until they get their act together. Sad since I really enjoyed chatting with my friends over on Facebook, but now... well, it's time to move on. I'm now at Google plus and will post here more. Sigh. Hopefully the nasty folk that messed up Facebook won't proceed to take down all communication here in the USA! Nuff said for now from me. You may go back to your regular scrolling of the internet. 

​My friends, we can never rely upon ourselves. Only God known through Jesus Christ can transform us into the person He calls us to be. We cannot ever do it ourselves. He must begin the process! That's the lesson Martin Luther learned. It's the lesson many today forget because inside our hearts lives that rebellious two year old who wants desperately to do it themselves. You've heard the two year olds, "Me do it, me-self, Mommy!" Punctuated with the stomp of a foot! It's what St. Paul calls the Old Adam (Old Eve)! Therefore, we must not just "let go and let God so God can'! We must fall to our knees before God and capitulate to His Sovereignty. Calvin was right about that. So was Luther. Modernity thinks we can do it "me-self"! End of rant. Have a blessed day, my friends.