Positive Thoughts

Positive Thoughts.
 I am beginning to see the importance of Positive thoughts instead of negative thoughts.
I could get discouraged if when I write in my blog that no body reads them. I love to write and for me it is a releasing what is going on inside and letting it bring freedom. I also find speaking out what is going on in my head so I can see it in it true light and not have what is going on in the darkness.  

Wow I never thought about this before. I  can have self control when I feel out of control and I want to give in to Anger, wanting to do something because I am emotionally upset about something. I don't have to give in.

With God's all things is possible. I can submit each day to the Lord and say Lord you are in control, I submit  my emotions to you.   I choose to listen to your voice instead of letting emotions get in the way. Whether I have pain or not I can say with God's help I will do what I need to do.

So I say God is in control there fore I have  Control.

I am going to try it out for 30 days and see what changes.

Pray: Dear Father God I come in Jesus name. I realise that I lose control  at times and that I let my emotions dictate how I feel or don't feel,  Jesus I give my emotions over to you to control  when I feel out of Control.
I acknowledge that you are in control and I am not. I will trust you and come to you through out the day.
Amen

Thanks Joyce Meyers for writing your book on positive thoughts and aattitudes and to God I give him my gratitude.

Friendship from my heart

What Friendship means to me.
I have done a lot of thinking about friendship and this is what I have come up with. You may or may not agree with me. That is ok.

Friendship for me is sharing a special times with a friend in my life, For me in Friendship with a friend I try to put myself in the other persons shoes. I don't understand where they are coming from. i love them just the same.


In being a Friend sometimes means honesty and being careful how you say it so you won't hurt the person. It grieves me when a person misunderstands.



Being a Friend to me means you don't have to be perfect at being a friend.



If there is a disagreement between a friend I like to take ownership for my part in the disagreement. It hurts when a friend doesn't take ownership. When i am being a friend I am Not perfect and I don't expect a friend to be perfect. No one person is better than the other person. A friend doesn't pull a person's what is near and dear to them apart. Friends are not perfect but will respect another persons opinion.  





When a person admits their weakness a friend doesn't expand on their weakness.


The friend gives understanding.



Friendship is being willing to hear what the other person has said and not become defensive. A friend knows that you didn't say something to hurt on purpose but just to your friend express how you felt about it.

A Friend doesn't pull apart everything you say. If they do you don't do it back. A friend doesn't turn your words around to what you have said. You rise above it and try not to say something nasty even though you truly would like to.




A friend realizes that you are trying not to be rude but honest and after long time of friendship you can say it without that person taking offence.  A friend never does it out of spite.



A friend sets boundaries. For protection and respects herself enough to set boundaries.


Kind words, gentle answer, yet being firm in what you will allow and not allow people to treat you. .

If boundaries are broken it is ok to set the person straight what you will tolerate and what you will not tolerate.

I am thankful to God for all my friends.!

Hiding behind Walls

Heart Matters December 2011


How do I get out of the box?

 Are you hiding behind walls?

 Enough for people to see you but not fully see ?

Is there safety living behind walls?

What is it that is keeeping you hiding between the wall.

What Walls are you Hiding Behind?

Rejection,

            Anger?

                Stupid? 

                              Pain?  

           Fear?

                            Shame?

                                                       Lies

Allow Jesus to take the Walls down.

Step out in Faith and live in the Light of God's word and truth.

Thy word is a light unto my feet and a light on path,

Psalms 119:105

 In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shal direct your paths  Proverbs 3:5,6

Tongue Disease



Lord please put a
Guard on my tongued



I don't about you but I struggle with watching what I say. It starts with what I am thinking about. It has also been what I have watched on television.  Through out the years my tongue has caused me to say things I didn't mean to say. You cannot take back your words.

Controlled Tongue

 Think before you Speak, Sometimes this is hard to do. I do try to think before I write or say something. I make an effort to keep a guard over my mouth. I am not perfect at it but I know God helps me and forgives me. God loves me unconditonally.  

  When words are many  sin is not absent. but he who holds his tongue is wise! Proverbs 10:19

I have learned from experience not to lash out and point the finger. Sometimes it is best to be short on words and listening to what the other person is trying to say. Sometimes it is best not to retaliate and to drop a subject so you don't get into further trouble. 

The Caring Tongue

Through patience a ruler can be persuaded and a gentle tongue can break a bone. Proverbs 15:15

Being gentle helps mend a broken heart. 

The Conniving Tongue - gossip and slander

Oh this one is hard. It is hard to not gossip or slander another person. Stopping a quarrel keep the fire from spreading from your tongue

With wood a fire goes out. without gossip a quarrel comes down. 

 Proverbs 26:20

The Careless Tongue 

 Filled with lies and curses

As a north wind brings rain so a sly tongue brings  

angry looks  Proverbs

Lets be careful not to lie or putting curses on those we live. A gentle answer and not saying anything is good.

Ask God to put a guard over your mouth! 

What is in your heart comes out with words from your tongue. 

                                                                               

A Smile, A mothers love

Heart Matters 2011                                                                                                 Hazel Etcher


my mom



 . My mom had Dementia for about 10 years. The last 6 years of her life mom couldn't speak. The disease had taken her speech. When mom first went into the home Mom was sullen and wouldn't respond. I wondered if we would ever see mom smile again.

One afternoon while we were down visiting mom I took mom's hand and prayed that she would know the love of Jesus and her family.  I did something I hadn't done for a while since mom had Dementia  I said I love you mom. Moms eyes began to show to life. She started to smile! She even hugged me. I started to cry . Mom had come back. Mom seldom spoke words. One day on Mothers Day I heard her a muffled  of syllables and I understood. "I love you to."

Dementia steals a lot from you. It steals you the ability to do normal everyday tasks, it steals the ability to think clearly, it  sometimes  steals your speech.

One thing that is always there is a smile, a giggle and a hug and touch of a hand. These were never stolen from my mom. 

 My mom was born on Manitoulin Island in 1920. My mom went to
Bible College and taught school upnorth in a one room school house. Mom later became a City Mission Worker with the United Missionary Church. City Mission Workers were know as Ministering Sisters.

 Mom met my Dad Clifford Etcher in Port Hope. After mom's stint as a Ministering Sister ended in Port Hope, Mom married my dad who attended the church where mom was a ministering sister in 1951.  Dad worked as a worker in the  The Port Hope Sanitary (made cast iron bathtubs) and also worked at the Town Hall until retirement. They raised 2 girls Marilyn my sister and I (Margaret).   

Dad  had a massive heartattack and  passed away in 1987.
Mom continued on in the family home until 2000.  The disease  Dementia was progressing and she was no longer able to live in her own home and she went to live in a retirement home.

Mom passed away May 12,2006.  I was by her side. A mom whose smile and laughter I will never forget. A mom and dad who were always there for me.

Proverbs 3:5,6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, Lean not to your own understanding in all your ways
Acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths.

Heart Matters 2011     

Christmas Memories

 Christmas is filled with good

memories and some memories that are painful. These are some of my memories of Christmas in the past



Merry Christmas
My husband Maurice enjoying a fun time 



Our Wedding Anniversary December 23, 2009
20 years of marriage



 Christmas  Fun with friends and our dog Pedro



Our Home was Smoked out Christmas Day
Thankfully we did lose a lot! like our Neighbors did

My husband and I in our own home at Christmas

My niece with my Dad's on his last Christmas with us  

Some times memories can cloud Christmas in the Present.  Jesus wants us to give our hurts to him. 

Sometimes memories are happy memories.

At this Christmas Season lets remember

Jesus is the Same  Yesterday Today and Forever.

Jesus never Changes.

 Jesus is the reason we Celebrate Christmas

For unto us is born a Savior who is Christ the Lord.

For God so love the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosover believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.  John 3:16

Beauty !

Oh this was fun!

                                                               Heart    2011

  He gave me beauty for ashes the oil of joy for mourning  A garment of Praise for the Spirit of heaviness. that we might be trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified.


Some times we get ourselves in a tangled mess. It take us a while to untangle the mess in our life.


I was getting ready for a retreat in my home a while back. My about to t put a ball of wool away when Pedro my puppy came took off with our wool where i was sitting in the livingroom and the wool trailed behind him as he raced through the living to the kitchen and back threw the living. He ran at least 2 times before I could catch him and commanded Pedro drop it.   The wool was tangled and knotted and  there  wasn't  time to untangle the wool. So I left it for a couple of weeks .mess of our life.
My fingers seize upand  I had to ask my husband to unravel this mess. The wool was still tangled three weeks later  and nothing had changed.  The tangled mess was there there.  It  weeks to untange what took Pedro 3 minutes of running around in the living to the kitchen a couple of times. Sometimes in life we  are  so tangled up in a mess and we decide to put it aside to deal with other things.  We don't want  to deal the  mess. Our fingers are bruised and sore.  Jesus is there to help us to heal and sort out  the mess in our life. It may take a while but with Jesus help we can untangle the sin and wounds.

Prayer:
Dear Father God: I come in Jesus name. I know that I have made a mess of  ..................   area of my life. The mess is overwhelming. I ask that you will help me sort out the sin  of .......... .
Thank you that you forgive me and remember my sins no more. Help me not to fish in this area any more.
Amen

Heart Matters Joy

The Joy of the Lord


 Psalms 100 :1

Shout for



Puppy singing!



      to the Lord all  the earth.

        Worship the Lord with

   with  Gladness

My favorite person to sing with

                Come before him with Joyful songs

              Lets  Celebrate with our whole heart 

                             This Christmas Season

                        The Miracle of Jesus birth!   

The Lord is my Shepherd

The Lord is My Shepherd

Led by Conductor Pedro Theriault 

So what am I doing in a Conductors outfit!

Psalms 23

The Lord is my Shepherd

I shall not want.

He makes me lie down

in green pastures



Look what happens when you go to bed at night
after you have read the 23 Psalm!

          He leads me beside Quiet Waters  restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name sake. Ye though I walk through the shadow of death I shall fear no evil . For thou art with me Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou annoints my head with oil.  My Cup overflows

Overflow of coffee got into my glasses
while I was lying in green pastures

Surely  Good ness and mercy shall follow me all the day of my life
 and I shall dwell in the House of the Lord Forever

Amen Lord
This was hard work  

Amen 

Laughter Gods Medicine to us



I am not  Seeing Clearly



Heart Matters November 30,2011

Laughter is

Is

Good Medicine 

Keep on the Sunny Side
Always on the sunny side of life
It will help you every day if you keep on the Sunny side of life.

Some of my Funny Glasses



I am in the Money

Do not store your Money on your Face!

The Joy of the Lord is my Strength. We can be cheerful and know that God has everything under control.



I am Proud to be Canadian

God Keep our Land

Glorious and Free

Oh Life can be a lot a lot of Fun

Rejoice

in the Lord

Always!

Heart Matters

Heart Matters
 November 30, 2011
Pedro cleans the dishes

Create in me
a  Clean heart 
Oh Lord and renew a steadfast Spirit within me.
 Psalms 51:10

A couple of years ago I had a raging headache for 3 weeks. I was getting ready to start a course in helping others. I had some healing emotionally.  Spiritually I was falling apart. Inside my heart there was a lot of rage. towards God and it come out how I interacted with people. I also realize that I was angry towards the church and the rules that were imposed upon me as a teenager. I was angry because people had hurt me. I was hiding behind a mask.  My stress was coming out in my body with stuttering. I had to come from my body suit and confess my anger towards God the church and family. I had to lay my hurts at the feet of Jesus and let Jesus forgive me o f my anger  and heal my heart. I had to pledge my allegience and loyalty  to Jesus instead of the vow I made as a teenager.   Immediately I experienced the Lord's forgiveness and my heart began to come back to it proper place.  
  God cleaned me up my heart and  there was restoration to my heart.
Reflection in a stream, shows us the way we really are. It doesn't mean a thing. God looks at us the same way and sees our reflection but doesn't miss a thing. When we try to hide from him he sees it even more We have to get down on our knees and pray forgiveness, Lord reflect in me your Spirit so others will see you and want your reflection in their lives


  

! Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine

Heart Matters

Pedro has been a part of our lives for 4 years. Pedro has introduced my husband and I to many people. Pedro has helped me in a lot of ways. He has given me the gift of laughter. Pedro has given our home the gift of song.

 When we moved to our home 4 years ago we came with a mixed feelings.  Our Heart were filled with graditude to God for providing our new home! We were  excited to have a home of our own.  Our Hearts were filled with sadness that Kayla our other dog would not be with us.

  My heart was filled with sadness as my  Mom would not be vistiting as she had passed a way a year earlier.   God knew the desires of our heart to have another little dog.  Pedro came to our home in September .

One day I was singing at the piano and I had little Pedro in my arms as I played the piano. I heard a squeek from  Pedro and I laughed out loud as Pedro was singing. After my mom had died in a dream - visison she came to me and said Thanks Margaret for sending me to heaven Heaven is Gorgeous. I am Praising God and I will never be far away when you are Praising the Lord. I laughed as I thought of Pedro singing with me. Singing took on a whole new meaning to me.

 Blessed Assurrance is Pedro's favorite. 

This song has began to be my life song. 

Blessed Assurance Jesus is mine. This is my story, this is my song Praising my Savior all the day long

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine. But a broken Spirit drys up the bones. But a merry heart is the Joy of the Lord.
                                          Proverbs

Pedro licking off the plate that had apple pie on it! yum!

Overwhelmed by God's Grace Uncovering the Truth about adoption

Overwhelmed by God's Grace 

uncovering

 the truth

about  adoption

Margaret Etcher Theriault

 

Came out in January 2011

Margaret always knew she was adopted. She was told she was "chosen" and "special"

but she alway wondered why her roots needed to be such a big secret. 

When the truth finally came out, the struggle for acceptance and belonging intensified

But then there came healing and a growing understanding

 of the deep love and grace of God.

Margaret Etcher Theriault lives in Kitchener,Ontario

 with her husband, Maurica and dog Pedro.

Margaret runs a business that
 makes baskets for all occasions.

Mother Mugs Baskets and Sewing,  

Guardian Books

Essence Publishing

Bellville,Ontario Canada

http://www.essence-publishing.com/

1-800-238-6376

Importance of Rest

Negative Thinking Pattern

I was  consumed with worry thoughts because the Car was  not starting.
I kept dwelling on these thoughts I became Discouraged.  My body  started to stiffen up as I walked.  I continue dwell on these negative thoughts. Doubts plague my mind  What is I would always have a walking problem. How would I get the car fixed? 

Change my Thinking Pattern  

 Psalm 8:4  Rest gives you energy to get through the day,strong.
The Joy of the Lord is my strength. Nehemiah 3:10

My focus has been on myself My thoughts were negative. My thoughts were  focus was on me and not on God.

  I can rely on the Lord for my strength.

 Is. 40:31 They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be wary they shall run and not Faith. 1Peter 1:8 says we have to carry each others borders.

God is Sovereign, God is my strength

 Habakkuk3:19 The sovereign Lord is my strength , he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and he enables me to go on to the heights.
Prayer

Dear Father God I come in Jesus name. I confess that I have worried, I have doubted your sovereignty. I have drained my energy by worrying. Forgive for doubt you.
In Jesus name
Amen

Spiritual Vitamins

Lets remember to take our Spiritual Vitamins 

Are you Anxious? Take Vitamin A:" All thing work together for good to them that love God" Romans 8:28

Are you Brokenhearted? take Vitamin B: "Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted."

Are you Confused? Take Vitamin C: Casting all your care upon him for He careth for you. 1Pter 5:7

Are you Depressed? Take Vitamin D Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He He shall give thee  the
                                                          desires of thine heart Psalm 37: 3,4  

Are you Empty? Take Vitamin E : Enter into (the Lord's gates with thankgsiving and into His courts with    
                                                   Praise

There are more Vitamins  to come !

Heart Matters.

Finally brethren,whatsoever things are true,whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things pure,whatsoever things pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are good  of report; if there be any virtue  and there be any praise think on these things
Philippians 4:8

I have been doing some thinking about this verse. What comes to mind here is when someone is rude by saying something  to us rather than taking their words to heart lets choose to  over look what they have said forgive them, lets choose to think lovely thoughts, pure thoughts about the person who has been rude to us. What are they going  on that persons life ?  I have learned from experience if you harp on what someone has said and think about you have take on their anger. You become distressed and your thoughts towards that person grow.

Get rid of malice and bitterness, clamor and evil speaking against one another. Ephesians 4:31
Don't let it take root.

How do we do not  take root. First bless the person who has wrong you, or has been rude to you, Forgive them and then seek to think on the goodness of that person and bless the Lord in Praise,  Pray for them as they might have had a bad day. 

Heart Matters

I will give  give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh   Ezekiel 36:26

 I was lying in my bed and I had a lot of things weighing on my mind. It had been a particulary a busy couple of days. So I got up and I started to write what was on my mind. As I wrote  in my journal  what was bothering me  I noticed the scripture  Psalms 90:2 on the bottom of the page 
 .
Before the mountains brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world even from everlasting to everlasting You are God. Psalms 90:2  

He is our God and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of his hand. Psalms 95:7

God spoke through scripture to me. "I am God" I know you are uptight and I know  about your troubling thoughts.

I am holding you and those whom you are concerned  about in my hands. I have the whole world in my hands.

I am the Lord and there is no other. You have spent the day praising my name and now it is time to be Still and know that I ma God.

Before the world was created I am God,  I am  even God even  before the mountain were moved. I sing over you with joy and I am delight in you.

Open up your heart to me for all I want to do in your heart. To show you my glory and power. Let me show you the extent of what I want to do in your life and in the hearts of others.  I am God Be still and know that I am God.

I prayed Jesus I need a new heart that is softened  by you. My heart is open to all you want to do in my heart. My heart is open to trust you Here it is.
A calmness came over me. These words rang in my mind as I went back to bed. 
Be still and know I am working
Be still know I am God.
Be still know I have it in my hands.
Be still as I am your Rock and Fortress.
Be Still.

I went back to bed and the pain in my body stopped and the concerns were put to bed in my journal.

I slept soundly