A Witness Against Myself

"So Joshua said to the people, 'You are WITNESSES against yourselves, that you have chosen the Lord for yourselves to SERVE Him.'" - Joshua 24:22

I have started a journey . . . of eating healthier . . . years ago.  I have learned a lot.  But in my weak efforts to loss weight or tone up, it hasn't amounted to a "hill of beans".  Except for the fact that overall I think I DO eat a bit healthier.  At least I have broadened my horizons and learned to like\love foods that I hither to have not liked or been accustomed to eating very often.  For instance:  okra, lots of fresh spinach or sauted spinach, zucchini pizzas, Greek yogurt, avocados, quinoa, sauted cabbage, roasted cabbage, black beans, hummus salmon, baked tilapia, sweet potatoes, red cabbage salad, red beets, green tea, coconut oil candy, liquid flavored stevia,  kalamata olives, etc.

I've always known that I have some bad habits health wise.  Eating before going to bed is\was\still sometimes still is a H.U.G.E. temptation and lack of self-control.  Also, I usually have tended to eat more than I should.  Yeah . . . not a good idea if one wants to shed a few pounds that have been accumulating over the last twenty years.  Oh, and should add, I shy away from exercise with LOTS of excuses and reasoning's that I don't have time.  Mostly, the real reason is that I don't FEEL like it! How sad is that!?

The past few weeks, I have lost a few pounds.  This I attest to the fact of two things - using self-control and accountability.  Fasting regularly this fall taught me the most important thing of all.  I CAN GO WITHOUT FOOD!  I can eat less.  I can be in control of this thing called hunger in my life.  I can go without eating brownies even though the kitchen\living room area is permeated with chocolate sugary goodness's that we make to bring the man of the house and the children of the house great delight.

Accountability plays a crucial part in this thing of self-discipline.  I was part of an accountability program\group for one short week that a friend of mine got together.  Being part of that was a large step in helping me realize that it can be done with challenges, encouragement and goals.

This morning in my devotions, I was challenged by the above verse in Joshua.  And even though I don't have a group to be accountable to, I do have one friend that communicates with me most every day.   She has graciously granted my request at this accountability thing with eating.  And as I remembered again this morning, that I do have God.  I am a witnesses against myself.  God is watching.  God's power strengthens.  God's power sustains.  God has enabled me thus far . . . I want to continue on and grow.  Grow in self-control, in being open, in encouraging others, in being victorious in this area of my life.

Good Poem to Memorize

Our Father Knows What's Best For Us
-----------------------------------
Our Father knows what's best for us,
So why should we complain -
We always want the sunshine,
But He knows there must be rain -
We love the sound of laughter
And the merriment of cheer,
But our hearts would lose their tenderness
If we never shed a tear...

Our Father tests us often
With suffering and with sorrow,
He tests us, not to punish us,
But to help us meet tomorrow...
For growing trees are strengthened
When they withstand the storm,
And the sharp cut of the chisel
Gives the marble grace and form...

God never hurts us needlessly,
And He never wastes our pain,
For every loss He sends to us
Is followed by rich gain...
And when we count the blessings
That God has so freely sent,
We will find no cause for murmuring
And no time to lament...

For our Father loves His children,
And to Him all things are plain,
So He never sends us pleasure
When the soul's deep need is pain...
So whenever we are troubled,
And when everything goes wrong,
It is just God working in us
To make our spirits strong.

- Author unknown

Storytime

The story that my friend Joy shared with me . . .

The Hermit and the King

     "There’s an old, old story that I love to tell about a dirty, old man who used to live in a dirty, old house away up on the side of a hill in a country far, far away. He was called a hermit because he didn’t like to be with people. He just liked to live all by himself. He ate as little food as he could so that he wouldn’t have to work any more than he just had to. He never swept his house, he never washed his clothes, and he never pulled the weeds from his garden. He just slept and slept and sat and sat in the sunshine nearly all the time.
     Down in the valley, there was a beautiful city where the good king of the country lived. But the dirty, old hermit was content to live all by himself and only went to the city once in a while when it was necessary to sell a bundle of wood in order to buy something to eat.
     One day the dirty, old man was sitting in the sunshine among the weeds, when he heard a horse coming up the path toward his house, cloppity, clop, de clop, de clop. And he looked and it was the king, riding on his horse up the hill. He came closer and closer. He tied his horse to a post and walked towards the dirty, old house. Then he stood there looking over the valley, to the majestic mountains on the other side. “What a beautiful sight!”, said the king. “Aren’t those mountains beautiful?” The dirty, old hermit heard the king speaking and turned to look at the mountains and the king saw him. “Friend hermit,” he said, “May I come again to look at these majestic hills from your garden? The view from here is so grand it makes me feel like a better man.” But the poor, old hermit was so ashamed of his dirty, old house and his dirty, old garden that he couldn’t speak and he hung his head in shame. And while he sat there, wondering what to do, the king went away.
     “But he will come again”, said the hermit to himself. “And I must get ready for him”. So he cleared away the weeds and swept the path of his house and repaired his old, broken stool and placed it in front of his house and waited for the king to come again.
     And one day he heard a horse coming up the path, cloppity, clop, de clop, de, clop. And he looked out and it was the king riding on his horse up the hill. He came closer and closer and tied his horse to a post and then walked up. And he came and sat on the stool and gazed and gazed over the valley to the beautiful mountains. And the king said, “Thank you, thank you so much, friend hermit.” I just love to come here! May I have a glass of water to drink?” Poor, old hermit, he didn’t dare to tell the king that his cup was dirty and his bucket was empty and his spring was muddy and overgrown with weeds. What could he do? In shame, he ran to the spring to clean his cup but when he got back, the king had gone away.
     “But he will come again”, said the hermit to himself. “He said he would and I must get ready for him.” So he cleaned the spring and cleaned his cup.  Then he put a table beside the little stool in front of his house. And he brought fresh water in his bucket every day and kept it on the table and waited for the king to come again.
     And one day he heard a horse coming up the hill again, cloppity, clop, de clop, de clop. And he looked and it was the king riding on his horse up the hill. He came closer and closer. He tied his horse to a post and walked towards the dirty old house. And he came and sat on the stool and drank a cup of lovely cool water. And the king said, “Thank you, thank you so much, friend hermit.” He said, “I just love to come here and enjoy this beautiful view. It was so good of you to have lovely, cool water all ready. I’m so tired and hungry today. Could I please have a little bread to eat?” Poor, old hermit, he had nothing to eat but a few half- rotten grapes and a dry crust or two of bread. He didn’t dare to offer any to the king. And while he sat there wondering what to do, the king went away.
     “But he will come again”, said the hermit to himself, “He said he would and I must get ready for him.”
     So he went into the forest and cut wood and sold it in the city and bought cornmeal and baked corn cakes every day. Then he watered his garden and weeded his turnips and waited for the king to come again.
     And one day he heard a horse coming up the hill again, cloppity, clop, de, clop, de, clop. And it was, it was the king!  And he came and sat on the stool and drank the water and ate the corn cakes. And the king said, “Thank you, thank you so much, friend hermit. I just love to come here and enjoy this beautiful view. It is so good of you to let me come and rest in your garden and refresh myself with your food and your water.” Then he said, “Friend hermit, I’d like to sleep here tonight so that I could see the sun rise in the morning.” Sleep here?! Poor, old hermit! He didn’t dare to tell the king that he had no bed and that he slept on some old bags on the floor. In shame he hung his head and went inside his house, wondering what he could do. And while he was there, the king went away.
     “But he will come again”, said the hermit to himself, “He said he would and I must get ready for him.” So he went into the forest and cut some nice poles and made a nice bed. And then he cut some more poles and made a nice veranda in front of his house. Then he sold some more wood and bought a nice mattress and a nice blanket. Then he noticed how dirty his house was. So he swept his house and washed his windows. Then he noticed how dirty his clothes were. So he sold some more wood and bought some nice clothes. And every day he swept his house, and weeded his garden, and drew fresh water, and baked corn cakes, and bathed himself, and dressed himself in his nice new clothes, and waited for the king to come again.
     And one day he heard a horse coming up the hill again, cloppity, clop, de clop, de, clop. And it was, it was the king! And the old hermit went to meet the king. And the king came and sat on the stool and drank the water and ate some corn cakes and watched the sun set behind those beautiful mountains. And the king said, “Thank you, thank you so much, Friend hermit!” He said, “I just love to come here and enjoy this beautiful view! It is so good of you to let me come and rest in your garden and refresh myself with your food and your water and to sit here and look over the valley at those great, tall, strong mountains. God must be so good to be able to make mountains like that. And He is so good to let us see them. It makes me want to be a better man and a better king.
     Then the king slept on the nice new bed and stayed with the hermit all night and watched the sun rise in the morning. And the old hermit was so happy because the king ate with him and talked with him and stayed with him.
     And the people didn’t call him ‘dirty, old hermit’ anymore. They called him ‘The Friend of the King!’"
     
 

Remembering

This afternoon I had a phone call about poems and memory work . . . I found out that my Aunt Thelma had never heard these three poems\stories that I have been blessed by over the years. . . So I thought I'd share with you as well - if you are interested.  I had the children memorize these years ago (so some of them would have not been born or were babies or toddlers).

 "The Unbarred Door", "There Is a Reason for Everything" and "The Hermit and the King" (a neat little story that I learned through a friend named Joy :))

Here is the first one. Be blessed by it as was I.  If I remember correctly I memorized it as well in school also.  I think perhaps it was under Mr. Harlow's teaching in seven or eighth grade at Berea Christian School.


The Unbarred Door
When on America’s eastern plain
Still roamed her forest child,
And the new homes of Europe's sons
Were rising in the wild.

 Upon a clearing in a wood
Amos had built his cot;
He tilled his little farm
And lived contented with his lot.

A just, peace-loving man was he,
Kind unto all and true,
And well his ever-open door,
The wandering Indian knew.

 But often were the settler's lands.
By force or fraud obtained
And to the Red man dispossessed,
Revenge alone remained.

 And 'round the blazing tire of logs
When winter nights were cold,
To shuddering listeners, dreadful tales
Of Indian raids were told.

 But Amos feared not, though his home
All undefended lay,
And still his never-belted door
Was open night and day.

 One morn a neighbor passed in haste;
"Indians, they say, are nigh,
So Amos, bolt your door tonight
And keep your powder dry."

 "My friend," said he, the God I serve
Commands me not to kill,
And sooner would I yield my life
Than disobey his will.

 "One gun I have, but used alone
Against the wolf or bear,
To point it at my fellow-man,
My hand would never dare.

 "But I shall put the thing away.
They shall not see it here.
For the old gun in hands unskilled,
Might do some harm, I fear.

 "Besides, the Indians are my friends
They would not do me ill,
Here they have found an open door
And they shall find it still."

 "Well," said the neighbor, as he went,
"My faith is not so clear.
If wretches come to take my life,
I mean to sell it dear."

 But the good wife of Amos stood,
And listened with affright.
"Unless," she said, "that door is fast,
I shall not sleep tonight."

 And with her words as women can
She urged her husband sore,
Till for the sake of household peace,
At last he barred the door.

 They went to rest, and soon the wife
Was wrapped in slumbers deep;
But Amos turned and tossed about,
And vainly tried to sleep.

 Then came a voice within his heart,
A mild rebuke it bore.
It whispered, "Thou of little faith
Why hast thou barred thy door?"

 'Weak is that poor defense of thine,
Against a hostile band;
Stronger that strongest fortresses,
The shadow of my hand."

 "Hast thou not said, these many times?
That I have power to save,
As when my servants trembling feet,
Were sinking 'neath the wave?"

"Now let thy actions with thy words
In full accord agree;
Rise quickly and unbar thy door
And trust alone in Me."

 Then Amos from his bed arose.
And softly trod the floor;
Crept down the stairs and noiselessly
Unbarred the cottage door.

Then forth he looked into the night;
Starlight it was, and still
And slowly rose the waning moon.
Behind the tree-ringed hill.

He looked with trustful, reverent gaze
Up to the starry sky,
As meets a child with loving glance,
A tender father's eye.

 The cloud was lifted from his brow,
His doubts were over now,
The cool air breathed a kiss of peace
Upon his tranquil brow.

Then back to his forsaken bed
He slowly groped his way,
And slept the slumber of the just,
Until the dawn of day.

 That night a painted warrior band
Through the dark forest sped,
With steps as light upon the leaves
As panthers' stealthy tread.

 They reached the farm; "we make no war,
With good and faithful men,"
The foremost Indian turned and said,
"Here dwells a son of Penn."

 "But brother, if still his heart is right.
How shall we surely know?"
Answered another; "Time brings change.
And oft turns friend to foe."

 Said the first one, "I will go
And gently try the door;
If open still it proves
His heart is as it was before."

 It yielded and they entered in.
Across the room they stepped,
And came where Amos and his wife.
Calm and unconscious slept.

 With tomahawk and scalping knife.
They stood beside the pair.
A solemn stillness filled the room;
An angel guard was there.

The eye sought eye and seemed to say.
How sound the good man sleeps!
So may they rest, and fear no ill,
Whom the Great Spirit keeps.

Then noiselessly they left the room
And dosed the door behind,
And on their deadly war trail passed.
Some other prey to find.

 And horror shrieked around their steps.
And bloodshed marked their way,
And many homes were desolate.
When rose another day.

But Amos with a thankful heart
Greeted the morning light,
And knew not until after years
How near was death that night.
—Author Unknown

A Tree by the Water

"He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”  Jeremiah 27:8 ESV

When all I have is water to drink that day. . . I can still remain "green" and flourishing . . . I can still bear the fruit of patience . . .

Trees of the Field

I've been studying trees recently . . . The Olive tree, the Sycamore,  and this Eucalyptus tree.  Read this Devotional by Jan on her blog.  I have so enjoyed and gathered inspiration reading about her blog posts on different trees.  Read about how the roots of this tree affect it's leaves!  I can't get my link to work, sorry.  Google: Devotions by Jan,  "Money grows on Trees".

"For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." Isaiah 55:12

Trees can help me see how to praise God!

A Thousand Words

"A picture is worth more than a thousand words... my baby."

Bible Quiz

Read I Samuel 16:1.  Question:  What am I mourning for that God has rejected in my life?