The Lord is my Provider

I've been reading through Exodus and came across the portion where the Egyptians had been thrown into the sea and the Israelites were delivered from bondage and slavery. They were saved! The next chapter begins to talk about God's provisions for the children of Israel. He provides water for their thirst at Marah, He provides manna for their hunger. They had the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night for guidance. He gives them what they need to fully satisfy them, right?

It reminded me that it is the same way for me. I have been saved from the bondage and slavery of sin and the Lord is the Provider for my every need...hunger, thirst...whatever I need He has provided all that I need for my complete satisfaction and contentment. But, too often, I lean toward the tendencies of the children of Israel and I focus on what I do NOT have and I begin to complain. I look for my satisfaction in all the wrong places and it breeds a discontented heart and a loss of joy.

So, tonight, I am thankful for a Savior who fully satisifies and provides for me...for salvation, for my daily needs, all things for life and Godliness. Oh, what a glorious God we choose to serve!

"How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore, the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.
They are ABUNDANTLY SATISFIED with the fullness of Your house."
Psalm 36:7-8

"What we proclaim is not ourselves...

...we proclaim the holy name of Jesus." In light of my last post, I thought I would continue the idea of the glory of the Lord by posting another song from the Glory Revealed II cd. I just keep thinking about the glory of the Lord and can't get the idea out of my head. So, I share this song with you today...enjoy!

What We Proclaim

We have this treasure in jars of clay,
To show that the power comes from God.
We are afflicted in every way, but we're not crushed.
We are perplexed but not driven to despair.
Persecuted but not forsaken.
We are struck down but not destroyed,
struck down but not destroyed.

What we proclaim is not ourselves,
What we proclaim is not ourselves.
Oh we proclaim the holy name of Jesus.

Not to us, Oh Lord.
Not to us, Oh Lord.
But to Your name be the glory.

*from Glory Revealed II

To You be the glory...forever and ever...

I recently bought the Glory Revealed II cd and have been enjoying it so much. I keep thinking about the song, "To You be the Glory". I've been thinking about how deserving the Lord Jesus Christ is of all the glory. He died on the cross for my sins. He cares for me, He loves me. He protects me and provides for me. He is all in all and deserves all the glory. But how often do we seek glory for ourselves instead of giving it all to Him? I've enjoyed the words of this song and I hope you do, too. Let us reflect hour by hour about how we might honor the Savior's name with our lives and give Him the glory He so rightly deserves!

To You be the Glory

Who could hold the wealth of God? Such treasure found in Him.
Who could comprehend His heart and mind? His wisdom has no end.
For from Him, through Him, to Him are all things.

To You be the glory forever, to You be the glory, Lord, amen.

Who has known the mind of God? Who has counseled Him?
Who has given gifts to God, that He might be repaid?
For from Him, through Him, to Him are all things.

To You be the glory forever, to You be the glory, Lord, amen.

In dark and light, In death and life, When hard times enter in.
In all thing, we will worship You.
With You there is no end, there is no end.
From Him, through Him, to Him are all things.

To You be the glory forever, to You be the glory, Lord, amen.

**from Glory Revealed II

Dublin: Day 2--Ha Penny Bridge and Christ Church Cathedral

Second day out sight seeing in Dublin....well, at least I think it is the second day! It's all beginning to blur just a little...oh wait, I think that's why I tried to journal this year...so I would remember what we did. One flaw in the plan...where is there time to journal when on a trip? :-)

The Ha (pronounced "hay") Penny Bridge

Anne-Marie and I on the bridge

Melissa and Anne-Marie

As we walked to our next destination, we saw some beautiful buildings...I just love the stone buildings there so forgive me for the many, many more random pictures of stone buildings over the next several posts! :-)



Everywhere we went in Dublin, we walked. Why use public transportation when you can walk all over the entire city!!? Actually, it was more fun to walk because we got to see so much more that way!

Our next destination was...Christ Church Cathedral, a beautiful church founded in 1030. It was beautiful!

Christ Church Cathedral

The building needed a little help standing so Anne-Marie
and Melissa did what they could to help out!

A beautiful door
(don't mind the shadow..we were so thankful for a sunny day!)

Inside the Cathedral

The tile floors were beautiful!

Anne-Marie, Melissa and I

Beautiful Pipe Organ

Door to the "basement"..more like catacombs!

They got punished for too much fun on a holiday :-)

Where should we go next?!

It was time for lunch so we headed across the way to a famous and incredibly yummy fish and chips place. It was sooo good!

I'll write more soon to bring you the afternoon portion of Day 2 in Dublin!

Dublin: Day 1--Trinity College & the Book of Kells

We arrived in Dublin on Wednesday morning, July 29th. We took the city bus from the airport to our hostel, The Abraham House. We had to wander around a bit and ask directions a few times but we finally arrived...

...our room wasn't going to be ready for a couple more hours, so we put our luggage in the "luggage closet" and headed off to see a bit of Dublin. Yes, we had been up for over 24 hours...and since we had some rowdy teenagers on our flight over, I didn't get a lot of sleep!

We headed off to see Trinity College. Trinity College is Dublin's oldest university, founded in the 1500s and it was great fun to walk around the campus and snap some photos!

Anne-Marie and I attempting to look
studious at the Trinity College entrance!

Walking around the campus! I love the stone paths!

Old buildings...I love 'em! And I love the sky in this one, too!

This is one of my favorites from the trip!

While at Trinity College, we went to see the Book of Kells. What is the book of Kells, you ask? Well, to keep it simple, it is essentially illustrated manuscripts that include the four gospels, all written in Latin and transcribed by Celtic monks a really, really, really long time ago! You can see pictures and more history HERE.

After Trinity College, we were all fading fast so we stopped for a sandwich at a local bakery and headed back to our hostel. We took a nap....then made a grocery trip to Tescos for some dinner preparation.

A pic from Anne-Marie's phone
of Melissa and I cooking dinner!

Then, we headed to our room and did some planning for the next day....



...and then did a wee bit of gabbing...



...before finally hitting the hay!

Day One...the end!!

Tea & Toast

Today, I had the most delightful start to my day. I popped the bread in the toaster and the water in the kettle. And, when the bread was toasted and my water was boiling, I sat down and enjoyed a little tea and toast while I read my Bible. Oh, what a splendid way to start my day!

Day of Departure

Anne-Marie, Melissa and I got ourselves packed up for a month and headed off to the airport, ready for the adventures of Ireland/N. Ireland. Our flight left around 4 pm and we arrived in Dublin the next morning around 8:30 am. The flights went smoothly in spite of a few delays and we were thankful when we arrived safely in Dublin. Stay tuned....the Dublin adventures post is coming soon....

***Just in case you were wondering how much luggage three girls take for a month of travels....stand and be amazed...because I still can't believe it!!


Throughout the trip, Anne-Marie and I packed and re-packed our suitcases a total of 9 times in 30 days! I am so thankful for my closet and the end of suitcase living....until my next adventure! :-)

Waiting for our flight
(Thanks, Tisara, for my little flowery bag! I love it!)

Melissa showing off her water bottle!

Anne-Marie, finally on the plane
and enjoying a wee snack!

Mother/Daughter Dinner

Before Anne-Marie, Melissa and I headed off to Ireland, we had a dinner out with our mothers. It was a lovely evening! We went to the Plaza and ate at Hibachis Steak House...yummm...

Melissa & I-On the way to dinner

All the girls: (Left to right) Melissa, Kristi,
Kelly, Stella,
Anne-Marie, Vickie

Anne-Marie with her mom

Melissa with her mom

Me with my mom!!

The next day, we all gathered together with our mothers in one of the Sunday School rooms at chapel and committed our trip to the Lord. It was such an amazing way to be sent off on our trip!! We love our moms!! :-)

Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer

I arrived home safely on Tuesday after a month in Ireland. It was a wonderful trip and I can't wait to tell you all about it....once I'm at least a little recovered from the jet lag. Until then, I'll leave you with a song that has been on my mind today...

by Margaret Becker
Jesus, draw me ever nearer
As I labor through the storm;
You have called me to this passage,
And I'll follow, though I'm worn.

Jesus guide me through the tempest
Keep my spirit staid and sure;
When the midnight meets the morning,
Let me love You even more.

Let the treasures of the trial
Form with me as I go--
And at the end of this long passage,
Let me leave them at Your throne.

May this journey bring a blessing.
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart's testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.


"So we do not lose heart...for this momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." II Corinthians 4:16-17

May whatever life brings you draw you ever closer to your Savior.

Psalm 84

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD of hosts!

My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.

Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
ever singing your praise!
Selah

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

As they go through the Valley of Baca (Weeping)
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.

They go from strength to strength;
each one appears before God in Zion.

O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob!
Selah

Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed!

For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.

O LORD of hosts,
blessed is the one who trusts in you!

He Is My Everything

I've been whistling, humming and singing this song wherever I go for the last several days! We used to sing it in youth group...yep, those songs from way back in the day still run through my head all the time!

He Is My Everything

He is my everything. He is my all.
He is my everything, both great and small.
He gave His life for me, made everything new.
He is my everything-now how about you.

Some folks may ask me, some folks may say...
Who is this Jesus you talk about every day?
He is my Savior and He set me free!
Now listen while I tell you what He means to me!

He is my everything. He is my all.
He is my everything, both great and small.
He gave His life for me, made everything new.
He is my everything-now how about you.

I sing the words, but do I really live my life as though He is my everything? Too often I get distracted by circumstances and situations that surround me or by the frivolous things of this world and lose sight of what it means that He has truly set me free! But, as a child of God, I am no longer in bondage (Isn't that glorious!?!) and my daily living should reflect that!

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore,
and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."
Galatians 5:1

What do you seek?

Vessels of Honor convened this weekend and many sat under some excellent teaching that challenged us and taught us about the mindset of being a pioneer in the work of the Lord. As I reflect on the messages, I'll post some thoughts but for now, the thought that resonates in my head is to be continually seeking the face of the Lord.

"You have said, 'Seek my face.'
My heart says to you, 'Your face, LORD, do I seek.'"

Psalm 27:8

Twenty-one inches?!

In preparation for my travels this summer, I just invested in a new suitcase. This picture makes it look quite large and roomy...perfectly suited to fit all my needs, right?!




...but in fact, this suitcase is only 21 inches! It meets domestic flight carry on regulations although it thankfully expands an entire 2 inches in a pinch! Am I crazy to think that I can pack for my month long trip in this itty bitty suitcase!? Oh the pains and woes of a weakling like me who has to determine how much to pack based on her ability to carry it herself!! :-)


**Tips and suggestions are welcomed and encouraged! **

The Fruit of the Spirit--Meekness

In studying the fruit of the Spirit, the one thing that I keep being reminded of is the fact that this fruit is cultivated in me by supernatural power alone. I can not conjure up this fruit myself...it is a work of the Spirit! It is a reminder to me that this is how the Christian walk is...it is a willingness on my part to submit to the Lord and allow Him to work in my life and to mold me and shape me into His likeness. It's about acknowledging my failures and being broken before the Lord over those failures. It's about learning to submit to His will and trusting my life in His hands, which are much more capable than mine!

"The fruit of the Spirit is...meekness..." (Galatians 5:23)

"When we think of meekness, we are apt to think of Caspar Milquetoast, the comic strip character who was the embodiment of timidity and weakness. But this fruit of the Spirit is something very different. It comes from supernatural power, not from weakness.

It refers first of all to a believer's loving submission to all God's dealings in his life. The meek man bows to the will of God without rebellion, questioning, or complaint. He reckons that "God is too wise to err and too loving to be unkind." Realizing that there is no chance or accident, he believes that God is working everything together for good in his life.

Meekness also includes the believer's relationship with others. Here he is self-effacing, not self-assertive, and humble, not haughty. The meek man is one who practices brokenness. When he has said or done something wrong, he conquers pride by saying, "I am sorry. Please forgive me!" He would rather lose face than self-respect. When he suffers for doing what is right, he endures it patiently without any thought of fighting back. When he is falsely accused, he refrains from defending himself. As Trench says, the meek man accepts the injuries and insults of others as permitted by God for his chastening and purifying.

Someone has defined a meek man as "one who accepts the will of God without resentment, who can afford to be gentle and mild because of inward strength, and who is under the perfect control of God." When a parishioner told Dr. Alexander Whyte that a fellow minister was being castigated as an unbeliever, Dr. Whyte blazed with indignation. When the parishioner added that the critic said that Dr. Whyte himself was not a true believer, he said, "Please leave the office so that I can be alone and examine my heart before the Lord." THAT is meekness.

We are all called to take the yoke of Him who is "meek and lowly in heart." As we do so, we find rest for our souls and will ultimately inherit the earth. "

*One Day at a Time, by William MacDonald
(italics placed for emphasis by me!)

Got Gas?!

Today started off quiet. I was looking forward to Tanya, Kate and Zach coming over to play. Our original plan was to go to the park. But, the weather was gross and rainy so we decided to stay at the house and play. I've got all sorts of toys for the kids to play with so they got to playing and laughing and we had a great time...we even made a xylophone with the tinker toys...

and then....

Whooooshhhh...it seemed like it came out of nowhere. All of the sudden Tanya and I smelled gas and heard a loud whoooshing sound. We quickly realized it was coming from the fireplace. Kate was sitting in front of it so we tried to figure out what she had touched that would have turned the gas on. I ran into the kitchen and blew out the candle. I made sure the furnace/AC were turned off. I opened a window and a door and quickly got the attic fan turned on. We got the kids out of the house and I called my dad to figure out how to turn it off.

Even outside, the smell of gas was so strong. Tanya and I were frantic, trying to figure out how to turn it off. My dad mentioned a key and Kate said she had found a key. But, where was it? I ran into the house as I called 9-1-1. Just as they answered, I saw the key...


...it was sticking out of the floor, hidden by the rocking chair! I quickly turned the gas off and was so thankful to hear the whoooshing stop whooshing. For safety reasons, the fire department came (no sirens, thankfully!) to make sure everything was safe again. We were standing outside in the front lawn with a few rain drops coming down when the fire engine got there. Kate and Zachary were wide eyed! (They looked how I felt!) The firemen checked our "gas leak" and thankfully, everything was just fine. They told us that we did everything right! (Of course, it would have been helpful if I had been more aware of the KEY before this situation!)

But, if we did everything "just right", why do my hands still tremble at the thought of the events of the day? Why does my heart skip a beat whenever I think of how different it could have been? And why do I feel like I just had a "stupid girl moment"?! (This is my second "stupid girl moment" this month! That's 2 too many!)

But, in spite of my trembling I am reminded of a few things for which I am so thankful. I am thankful for the Lord's protection of my loved ones and me, thankful that we have nothing to fear while in His care!

"God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble,
Therefore, we will not fear."

Psalm 46:1-2a

I am also thankful for a child's heart that is tender. Kate did not purposefully do wrong. She did not take the key with the intent to cause any sort of trouble. She was being curious. But, her first response at realizing the result of her actions? She asked to say "sorry"! She wanted to do what she could to make a wrong right again. Do I respond with that same sensitivity? Is my heart tender, desiring to make my "wrongs" right again? Or do I try to defend my actions, intentional or otherwise?

I pray for the children in my life--Kate, Zachary, Ethan, Simon, Jacob, Nyah (to name a few! There are others of you who read my blog that I am faithfully praying for your children, too!)--I pray that their hearts might be sensitive to their sinful nature, that they might have a tender heart towards the things of God, that they might grow to be faithful men and women of God! I pray that one day soon, we will all be hearing the good news of one of these wee souls saved so that we might rejoice together!

"Though you have not seen him, you love him.
Though you do not now see him, you believe in him
and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

I Peter 1:8-9

**P.S. In case you were wondering, the key has been moved into another room, far and away from where it can be used by accident. And, my dad came over and plugged the gas line (I don't use it anyways!). So, this house is safe again! Whew!

A lovely day for a hike, don't you think?!

Today was a little overcast and perhaps a little muggy, too, but I found it to be a lovely day to be outdoors! Anne-Marie and I decided that we are going to start checking out the various trails around here. I know we're not exactly known for great trails in this area, but that's ok. We're going to find the best of what's here and enjoy the adventure in the mean time!

Anne-Marie, ready for the big hike!

Checking out the sights!

A really cool natural archway! Don't you love it?!

Taking a rest, enjoying the day.

Flowers! A wonderful sign of spring!

Trying to decide if I can trick people into
thinking I'm a real, bona fide hiker!

The Fruit of the Spirit--Faith

Am I known by my friends and family as faithful? When I say I'll do something, can I be relied upon to follow through on my word? I must admit that I used to be more faithful than I have been lately. I find myself committing to things and then realizing later that its more than I can handle. Life is so busy, there are so many things to get done, so many events to participate in and so many more things I want to do...but, I don't want the hustle and bustle of life to be an excuse to compromise faithfulness. The Lord has been impressing upon my heart the need to be faithful to my word. When I say I will do something, I want the people in my life to trust that I will follow through on that commitment.

So, in light of this thought, here is an excerpt from One Day at a Time in the continuing series on the Fruit of the Spirit...

"The fruit of the Spirit is...faith..." (Galatians 5:22)

The fruit of the Spirit is generally understood as being faithfulness. It is not the faith that saves or the trust we exercise in God day by day (although it may include that). Rather it is our fidelity and dependability in our dealings with the Lord and with one another. Someone has defined it as being "true to oneself, to one's nature, to any promise given, to any trust committed."

When we say that a man's word is his bond, we mean that in dealing with him, no written contract is necessary. If he has agreed to do something, he can be depended on to do it.

The faithful man keeps appointments on time, pays his bills on schedule, attends the meetings of the local fellowship regularly, performs tasks assigned to him without having to be constantly reminded. He is unswervingly true to his marriage vows, and unfailing in the discharge of his family responsibilities. He is conscientious in setting money aside for the work of the Lord and careful also in his stewardship of time and talents.

Faithfulness means being true to one's word, even at great personal cost. The faithful man "swears to his own hurt, and does not change" (Ps. 15:4c NASB). In other words, he does nto cancel one supper engagement when he receives another that promises a better menu or more congenial company. He does not renege on a work assignement to go on a recreational trip (unless he first arranges for a satisfactory substitue). He sells his house at the agreed price even if someone later offers him $10,000 more.

The ultimate in faithfulness is being willing to die rather than renounce one's loyalty to Christ. When the king demanded that a faithful Christian retract his confession of Christ, the man replied, "The heart thought it; the mouth spoke it; the hand subscribed it; and if need by, by God's grace the blood shall seal it.l: When Polycarp was offered life in exchange for a denial of the Lord, he chose rather to be burned at the stake, saying, "These eighty-six years have I served my Lord. He never did me any harm, and I cannot deny my Lord and Master now."

The martyrs were faithful unto death and will receive a crown of life (Rev. 2:10).

One Day at a Time, by William MacDonald

Faithfulness....sometimes there is a cost to be faithful but may we each strive to exhibit faithfulness in our lives. And, above all, may we remain faithful to our Lord and Savior.

Susan Koman Luncheon

The weekend before Easter, my mom and I went to a Susan Koman Foundation luncheon in honor of breast cancer survivors. They had boutiques there for some pre-luncheon shopping...I bought a new bag! How can you NOT buy something when it benefits breast cancer research!? :-)

Our very yummy dessert!

It was astounding to see so many women gathering, brought together by one common thing...breast cancer. There were women there that had been diagnosed as recently as the last week to being cancer free for over 45 years! Did you know that 1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer?

My mother with two sweet ladies that have
been cancer free for 12 and 14 years!

The guest speaker, a former anchor for the CBS Early Show, mentioned her desire to live her life to the fullest. It made me think of John 10:10, "...I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly", or as some versions say "...have life and have it to the full." I'm so thankful that we have the ability to live life to the fullest because the Good Shepherd was willing to lay His life down for mine.

Generally, when our lives or our health is threatened is the moment we finally realize what it means to appreciate life and health. Why is it that we take it for granted when we have it, and the moment it's gone is when we realize how much we really had? Are we the same way with our spiritual lives? Am I just going along this road, not fully realizing what it means to live my life, my spiritual life, to the fullest? Am I not reaching my potential as a believer because I'm missing what it means to live this life abundantly?

I had a purpose and a reason to be at that luncheon. My mother. She is a survivor. She has been cancer free for 4 years now (Praise the Lord!) and I am thankful to be able to celebrate her life and be reminded of how easily these moments with our loved ones slip past us and I want to appreciate every moment. And, I want to live my life to the fullest...with purpose...with contentment...with fullness...as God intended us to live!

My mother and I!

Where was my head?!

Do you ever have moments where you wonder where your head was? I have these moments more often than I'd like to admit and today I was not-so-lucky to have another "moment". I was doing laundry.....normally, when I do laundry, I do my whites, then darks, then towels. Today, though, I did my towels first because I was in desperate need. Most of my towels are white so I threw in a little bleach to make them sparkly white.

A few hours later, I was changing the laundry and proceeded to put my darks in the washer. Then, I poured in the detergent...or so I thought! I looked and my stomach sank when I realized I had just poured in a liberal amount of bleach onto all my darks! My jeans. My sweaters. My dress pants. My shirts. Two weeks worth of darks had been stuffed in that washer and I had just poured bleach all over them! I frantically began to pull out what I could, trying to salvage what items I could, seperating obviously ruined items from the others. I rinsed and squeezed and blubbered my way through a very unpleasant experience!

I'm sad to tell you, that several t-shirts are ruined along with two new sweaters, a pair of dress pants, some pajama pants and sweat pants. The verdict is still out on 5 pairs of jeans (2 of those are new!)and 2 nice shirts. Uggghh...how frustrating!

Where was my head during this "laundry catastrophe"? I have no idea but now I know...laundry is NOT a mindless task!

I've learned my lesson...no more bleach allowed in this house because I apparently am not responsible enough to use it! Maybe someday when I grow up! ;-)

Fruit of the Spirit--Kindness

"The fruit of the Spirit is...kindness..." (Galatians 5:22)

The King James Version has the word "gentleness" here but almost all modern versions read "kindness." "The fruit of the Spirit is...kindness..."

Kindness describes the gentle, gracious, generous disposition that results in the doing of favors, the showing of mercies, and the bestowing of benefits on others. The kind person is gracious, not harsh; sympathetic, not indifferent; and helpful, not uninvolved. He is considerate, compassionate and charitable.

There is a natural kindness which even the people of the world show to one another. But the kindness which is produced by the Spirit is supernatural. It goes above and beyond anything that man is capable of doing by himself. It enables a believer to lend, hoping for nothing in return. It enables him to show hospitality to those who cannot repay him. It enables him to reward every insult with a courtesy. A Christian university student displayed this supernatural kindness toward another student who was an alcoholic. The latter had become so disgusting that he had been rejected by his classmates and finally was evicted from his quarters. The Christian had an extra bed in his room and so invited the drunk to live with him. Many nights the believer had to clean up his roommate's vomit, take his clothes off, bathe him, and put him to bed. It was a magnificent display of Christian kindness.

And--to complete the story--it paid off. Once, during a sober period, the dissolute fellow asked with irritation, "Say, look here, why are you doing all this for me? What are you after?" The Christian replied, "I'm after your soul"--and he got it....

quoted from One Day at a Time, by William MacDonald

Too often I find myself being unkind and ungracious towards others. What a shame to my testimony for the Lord! It makes me wonder what sort of an impact we could have for the cause of Christ if all believers were characterized by a generous and gracious spirit? Would we begin to see revival in our neighborhoods if we were consistently displaying the kindness of the Lord, as only produced in us by the Spirit of the Lord?

I am praying that you and I might show this sort of kindness to those around us. To our neighbors, to our co-workers, to our brothers and sisters in Christ...and that each one of us might make a small difference by exhibiting the kindness of the Lord to those around us.

Mouth to Snout?!

So I was in a meeting at work this week and another nurse rushed in and proceeded to share a story from her morning. She had been making her lunch and her dog jumped up and got a chunk of her meatloaf. She let him have the one bite and took the rest away. A few minutes later, she turned around and saw her dog, lying unresponsive. She immediately rushed over and started doggie CPR! Yep, that's right! Mouth to Snout CPR!

I'm not a pet owner so this intrigued me. Now I'm quite curious...how many of you would do mouth to snout?! (I'm also a little curious about her meatloaf! :-)

Fruit of the Spirit--Longsuffering

It's so easy to be aggravated with the people around me. It might be the crazy driver who cut me off when I'm late to work. Or maybe a co-worker that forgot to follow through on a task I had delegated to them. There are so many things that can happen in a day that might fall into the "aggravation" category! I get frustrated. Sometimes I can hide my frustration and show outwardly an attitude that resembles patience. But, I must admit that too often I am still aggravated in my heart..I am merely trying to muster up a fake image of longsuffering. But, longsuffering does not come from me, (no matter how hard I try) because we see that longsuffering is a fruit of the Spirit, according to Galatians 5:22, and not a fruit of Kelly!!

"The fruit of the Spirit is...longsuffering..." (Galatians 5:22)

Longsuffering is the virtue that bears up patiently and even triumphantly under the aggravations of life. While it may refer to a patient response to adverse circumstances, it usually refers to a merciful endurance of the provocations of people.

God is longsuffering with man. Think for a moment of the gross sinfulness of the human race at the present time -- ... the laws permitting abortions, the breakdown of marriage and the home, the wholesale rejection of moral standards, and, of course, man's crowning sin -- the utter rejection of God's Son as only Lord and Savior. One could scarcely blame God if He were to wipe out mankind with a stroke. But, He doesn't do it. His goodness is designed to lead men to repentance. He is not willing that any should perish.

And His will is that this longsuffering should be reproduced in the lives of His people as they yield to the Holy Spirit. This means that we should not be quick-tempered. We should not fly off the handle easily. We should not try to get even with people when they have wronged us. Instead we should display what someone has called "a kind of conquering patience."

When Corrie and Betsie ten Boom were enduring indescribable sufferings in the concentration camp, Betsie would often say that they must help these people after they were released. They simply had to find a way to help them. Corrie thought, of course, that her sister was planning some program to rehabilitate the victims of the Nazis. It wasn't til later that Corrie realized that Betsie meant her persecutors. She wanted to find some way to teach them to love. Corrie commented, "And I wondered, not for the first time, what sort of a person she was, this ssiter of mine...what kind of road she followed while I trudged beside her on the all-too-solid earth" (The Hiding Place, p. 175).

The road Betsie followed was the road of longsuffering. And Corrie walked it too, in spite of her humble disclaimer.

quoted from One Day at a Time, by William MacDonald

Fruit of the Spirit--Peace

Peace has been on my mind a lot lately. We hear people talking about the peace of the world, of our country but do we really know what peace is all about? Do people really live in such a way that promotes peaceful living? What is it to really know peace in our lives?

Life happens all around us...the good, the bad and the ugly. And it is hard to have peaceful reactions to the scary and difficult things that present themselves to us. But, I'm learning, that when I try to conjure up peace myself, I always fail miserably. Peace is a fruit of the Spirit, NOT a fruit of myself! Peace can only come from the Lord. So, in continuing my posts on the fruit of the Spirit, peace is next on the list! William MacDonald writes:

"The fruit of the Spirit is...peace..." (Galatians 5:22)

As soon as we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1). That means that the hostility between ourselves and God has ceased since Christ has effectively dealt with the cause of that hostility--our sins.

We also have peace of conscience knowing that the work is finished, Christ has paid the penalty of our sins, and God has forgotten them.

But then the Holy Spirit also wants us to enjoy the peace of God in our hearts. This is the serenity and tranquility that comes from knowing that our times are in the hands of God and that nothing can happen to us apart from His permissive will.

So we can remain calm when we have a tire blowout on the busy freeway. We don't have to lose our composure when heavy traffic causes us to miss the plane. Peace means remaining cool in a car crash. Or when grease ignites on the kitchen range.

The fruit of the Spirit enables a Peter to sleep soundly in jail, a Stephen to pray for his murderous assailants, a Paul to comfort others in a shipwreck.

When a plane flies into clear air turbulence and is thrown around like a feather in the gale, when the wing tips flex thirteen feet, when most of the passengers are screaming as the plane lurches, falls, rises, and dips, peace enables a believer to bow his head, commit his soul to God and praise God for whatever may be the outcome.

Or to change the illustration, the Spirit of God can give peace to us when we sit in the doctor's office and hear him say, "I'm sorry to tell you but it's malignant." He can enable us to reply, "I'm ready to go, Doctor. I'm saved by the grace of God, and or me it will be 'absent from the body, at home with the Lord.'"

And so in the words of Bickersteth's lovely hymn, we can have "Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin...by thronging duties pressed...with sorrows surging round...with loved ones far away...our future all unknown" because "Jesus we know, and He is on the throne."

*One Day at a Time, William MacDonald

I am so thankful to our Savior who humbled Himself to the point of death on the cross for MY sins, so that I might have peace with God, peace with the very One who created me and that I have the Holy Spirit dwelling in me, to equip me for walking this life in a way that will honor and glorify the life that He gave up for me! Won't you praise Him with me today?

Fruit of the Spirit--Joy

I haven't posted in a while. The Lord has been working on my heart in so many ways lately that its difficult to even put it into words on this blog post or to convey some of these "elementary" realizations without feeling like a moron for not learning these lessons earlier in life! But, that's how we humans can be...a little dense, a little slow...or sometimes just a little stubborn!

So over the next several posts, while I contemplate the lessons the Lord is teaching me, I'd like to share with you a few thoughts from William MacDonald's One Day at a Time devotional that have both encouraged and challenged my heart. There are several days where he addresses the fruit of the Spirit and so as this dreary winter is winding down and we look forward to the hope and sunshine of spring, and all the blossoms that it entails, I pray that we will reflect and also see the fruit of the Spirit blossoming in our lives this spring!

"The fruit of the spirit is...joy..." (Galatians 5:22)

Man never finds real joy till he finds the Lord. Then he enters in to what Peter calls "joy unspeakable and full of glory" (I Peter 1:8).

Anyone can rejoice when circumstances are favorable, but the joy which is the fruit of the Spirit is not the result of earthly circumstances. It springs from our relationship to the Lord and from the precious promises He has given to us. Christ would have to be dethroned before the Church could be finally robbed of its joy.

Christian joy can coexist with suffering. Paul weds the two when he speaks of "all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness" (Colossians 1:11). The Thessalonian saints had received the word "in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost" (I Thessalonians 1:6). Suffering saints down through the centuries have testified how the Lord has given them songs in the night.

Joy can coexist with sorrow. The believer can stand by the grave of a loved one, shed tears of sorrow at the loss, yet rejoice at the knowledge that the loved one is in the presence of the Lord.

But joy can not coexist with sin. Whenever a Christian sins, he loses his song. Not until he confesses and forsakes that sin is the joy of his salvation restored.

The Lord Jesus told His disciples to rejoice when they were reviled, persecuted, and falsely accused (Matthew 5:11, 12). And they did! Not many years later we read of them leaving the courtroom, "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name" (Acts 5:41).

Our joy increases as we grow in the knowledge of the Lord. At first, perhaps, we can rejoice in minor irritations, chronic ailments, and trivial inconveniences. But the Spirit of God wishes to bring us to the point where we can see God when circumstances are at their worst and rejoice in the knowledge that His way is perfect. We are spiritually mature when we can say with Habakkuk, "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls; yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (Habakkuk 3: 17,18).

*One Day at a Time, William MacDonald, p 67

Spring cleaning??!

I'm not sure about any of you, but spring cleaning hit my house today! I'm sure it's just wishful thinking that spring is right around the corner but I was dying to get my clothes closets cleaned out! I've been so antsy about cleaning that I could wait no longer and had to do it! Every morning when I was working on getting dressed, I would struggle to identify the clothes that actually still fit me! So, I tried on all my clothes today (except the ones in the hamper that I've confirmed appropriate fitting) and I got rid of 2 large trash bags of clothes that no longer fit! Astounding! I have two trash bags of clothes headed to goodwill. They are in great shape...they just don't fit MY shape anymore! :-)

Some clothes I was so glad to see go...they weren't my favorites and it was good to have a legitimate reason to excuse them from service in my house. But there were others that I really liked. Isn't it odd that a person can become so attached to something like an article of clothing?! Sometimes I am attached because of memories associated with the item. But, sometimes it's just pure silliness!

Whatever the reason, I was reminded as I was cleaning that I am a sojourner in this land. This is not my permanent home. It is my home for now but one day I will be with my Lord and Savior, worshipping at His feet and praising His name! I am looking forward to that day when I will see him face to face. Are you looking forward to that day, too?

Face to Face
by C. Breck

Face to face with Christ my Savior
Face to face--what will it be--
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ, Who died for me?

Only faintly now I see Him,
With the darkling veil between;
But a blessed day is coming,
When His glory shall be seen.

What rejoicing in His presence,
When are banished grief and pain;
When the crooked ways are straightened,
And the dark things shall be plain.

Face to face! O blissful moment!
Face to face--to see and know;
Face to face with my Redeemer,
Jesus Christ Who loves me so!

Chorus:
Face to face I shall behold Him,
Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face in all His glory,
I shall see Him by and by.

My Song is Love Unknown

A few weeks ago, I was practicing the piano. When no one is listening, I love to find unfamiliar songs and play them. I came across this hymn, My Song is Love Unknown, (Hymns of Truth & Praise, 162) that has a lovely tune and, more than that, the words struck me. I haven't been able to get them out of my head. And, today, as I was forced to miss meeting because of feeling a bit under the weather, I came back to this song, thinking on the wondrous love of my Savior for me, that He showed love to me, the loveless, so that I might be lovely. He has set me free and I gives thanks to Him with a heart grateful for the love He has bestowed on me!

My Song is Love Unknown
by Samuel Crossman

My song is love unknown, My Savior's love to me,
Love to the loveless shown, That they might lovely be.
Oh who am I, that for my sake My Lord should take Frail flesh, and die?

He came from His blest throne, Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none the longed-for Christ would know:
But O, my Friend, My Friend indeed, Who at my need His life did spend!

Sometimes they strew His way, And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day Hosannas to their King:
Then "Crucify!" Is all their breath, And for His death they thirst and cry.

They rise, and needs will have My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they save, The Prince of Life they slay.
Yet cheerful He to suff'ring goes, that He His foes from thence might free.

Here might I stay and sing, No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King, Never was grief like Thine.
This is my Friend, In whose sweet praise I all my days could gladly spend.

**If you like, here is the tune on YouTube to the rendition found in Hymns of Truth & Praise

Memories and Scripture

I like the beginning of a new year. It feels like a fresh start. It's an opportunity to reflect on the past year and the lessons learned. It's a chance to look at the good times and smile at the memories. It's a chance to look at the not-so-good times and rejoice that the Lord brought me through it. It's an opportunity to look at my mistakes and determine what I will choose to do differently this year to avoid those mistakes. A new year gives me a chance to assess my habits, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

One weakness that is identified every year, to my shame, is my lack of faithfulness to memorizing scripture. I STINK at memorizing. I am not being dramatic! I really am awful at it! I've struggled with it for as long as I can remember. I remember something for about 2 seconds...then it's gone! In fact, I have a dear friend, who I lovingly refer to as my "Sticky Note" because she can remember things FOR me better than I can for myself!

Why should I memorize scripture and what do I know about God's word, (according to Psalm 119)?

1. God's Word is truth. "The entirety of Your word is truth..." Psalm 119:160
2. God's Word is cleansing. "How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your Word." Psalm 119:9
3. God's Word keeps me from sin. "Your word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11
4. God's Word revives. "My soul clings to the dust; Revive me according to Your word." Psalm 119:25
5. God's Word strengthens. "My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word." Psalm 119:28
6. God's Word gives life. "This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life." Psalm 119:50
7. God's Word gives light. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105
8. God's Word is pure. "Your word is very pure; therefore Your servant loves it." Psalm 119:140

Those are just a few reasons I think it's important for me to work diligently to create a new habit of memorizing scripture.

To help me in this memorizing endeavor, I'm using a new program, that I found on "Revive Our Hearts" website...it involves repetition...a LOT of repetition.

1. Choose your verses.
2. Review them daily for 7 weeks.
3. Then, weekly for 7 months.
4. Then, yearly for 7 years.

Each time you rotate your verses to the next step, add in new verses. So you'll always have new verses to read through....ie memorize!
(Click on the above links to find the printable pages to follow the program!)

I've started with a bite size number of verses...but, I'll share those with you another day! Good luck and Happy Memorizing!!