A New Day Just For Us

Entering In

I battled tears in the Sunday School classroom in the basement that served as a make do nursery . . . Bitterness was trying to worm it's way in and tears of pity for myself came flooding in . . . But drawing His strength, my spirit choose praise and I sang to my little person fairly loudly not worried  aboutothers hearing, because most of the reason for the tears were from the fact that that I couldn't hear the semon down here and my little one had to be here due to her humanity and stubborn will . . . And I desperately craved  all that a Sunday morning could hold, good solid preaching, sweet singing,  worship and close fellowshipping . . .

So the weapon of praise did it's job and I sang and sang . . .

Little girl did not go to sleep.

Finally, I took little girl upstairs and got in on the last prayer and testimony time after the sermon and I raised my voice and  thanked the  ministerfor the message and with joy gave thanks that I would get to hear the rest of it this week . . . And as I was verbalizing this and the words were tumbling out, my heart skipped a beat as I saw where the person was sitting that was to record the message that morning . . . He was not in the place to record.

This job was not his, but given the him just to do today as the regular guy for this was gone this Sunday . . .

There.  I had it.  Another chance . . .  to use the weapon of praise.

So as my mind scaled the mountains and valleys this revelation brought . . .I choose to start thanking God that instead of hearing the message from the ministers recorded voice, I could, dig in and study the word and hear this message DIRECTLY from God Himself . . .

That . . . Now that IS Nice!

Satan knows what gets us . . . He knows how to jab and send those darts . . . He knows what I care about and cry over . . .

But God.

God is the Victorious One! . . . And whatever Satan thinks he can use, God can turn it around and use even more! 

He used this simple incident in my life to help ingrain upon me the value of praise.

It won me the victory.  It worked. 

"Greater is He that is in me, then he that is in the world."

So this entering into his Gates of Righteousness through praise . . . Is just that.  An entering in . . . Getting inside . . .a key to joy and closeness . . . A way that I so often pass by . . .

May I enter in each time . . . May I sing His praises!

Gates of Righteousness

Are these the gates of Thanksgiving and PRAISE that we are to come to God through? . . . How many times do I try/go around them? . . . And just start praying selfish prayers, "give me this Lord, give me, give me that . . . "

ENTER

into

His

GATES

With

Praise . . . "

Enlarged Borders

It was calling for rain this morning . . . I started on things to be done . . . My list is rather long, but I am becoming more fond of lists . . . I used to hate them (and the reasons for that are too long a subject for today) . . . One of my goals was to edge another flowerbed today . . . So if it's gonna rain, I better get out there now and work on it . . .

 The air was lovely with a kiss of the tiniest raindrops . . .
 and the fragrance of summer . . .

I haven't messed much with the old house flowerbeds at all as we were going to be tearing this house down this spring, but as you can see it's still standing and I need to deal with things after all . . . I gave in the other day and sprayed a bit around to keep the grass from going into the beds any further!

. . . I found this morning that it has been a huge help as I dig an edging . . . I did not grow up with using mulch or digging edgings so I am new at this . . .but I love the look . . .

This old-fashioned hardy rose that leaves the rarest most special fragrance of any flower equal only to Lily of the Valley and the Lilac started out just a "slip of a girl" . . .

Over the years, it has grown to this mammoth bush that needs trimmed!

 As I dug, I was contemplating this . . . How that time after time, I have had to enlarge the borders around this plant.  It has taken over more yard a bit by bit each summer . . . Each summer I have had to take away grass clumps and give it more room.

The grass tries to take over . . .  bit by bit it slowly establishes it's right to grow into and steal the roses glor, . . . to cover the beauty with tall, wild blades of grass . . . using up precious nutrients and water meant for my rose!  It has no desire to let the world see what a glorious plant God created this to be!  

John 10:10 says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy:  I am come that they may  have life and have it more abundantly!"

I thought about my life and it's edges . . . the edges of my heart and soul . . . am I enlarging those edges with a shovel?. . .  Am I giving myself separation from that which destroys? . . . and takes away from God's beauty in my heart and life? . . . Am I NOT digging and letting that grass slowly, ever slowly grow into my life choking out what God had planned for me? . . .

  Psalm 119:32

"I SHALL RUN

the way of

 Your 

commandments,

for You will

ENLARGE 

my

heart."

It Only Takes One

So we don't have a place to hang a bird feeder yet . . . I bought this little suction one a couple years ago and tried it at our old place without success. . . Then one of the boys had it in their upstairs bedroom window for awhile and they finally had some action there.

Before we moved in and since it takes awhile  for birds to find new feeders, I had this one here in our new place all summer at the living room window with no success . . . One of the boys, once again, got birds to come to their bedroom window with a feeder even though it was two feet off the ground!!!

So I am frustrated . . .  I try my feeder at my kitchen window . . . And finally, occasionally I get a chickadee.

But I am so happy!  I got a bird!!! And he feeds here occasionally!!! So even though I'd like lots of birds . . . Lots of birds eat lots of feed . . . And we don't buy bags of sunflower seeds very often . . . We need the money to feed our family!

"It only takes one" I have said on the past and still say about guys and girls . . . When I was single and whether or not there were many we eligible young men out there, I only needed one . . . And God had one for  me . . .

Now, I could take enjoy more birds, but the Bible does say to be content with the things you have . . . But I still pray for more birds and bird feeders . . .

I Want It To Be My Turn

I had just come home from visiting an elderly lady in the hospital.  I had been saddened at the deteriorating of her physical body . . . Things just didn't hardly work anymore, her shoulders, standing, parkasons had set in and she was trying to reason with the therapist that she didn't need this . . .  she was going home and would do therapy there . . . In tears and a quavering voice, over and over she related her wishes and I could tell her world was feeling apart.

I asked the therapist is I could share my Bible memory verses with her before they took off from the room to therapy . . .I read Hebrews 11:1-13 in a voice that I hoped conveyed my faith and trust in God, this God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob who having seen the promises afar off were assured of them, embraced then and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth . . .

Hugging her, I prayed over her God's peace and comfort . . .

All the way home, my heart ached . . .

And as I said on my kitchen bar stool and forked salad into my mouth contemplating this ladies distress, I lost sight of the truth.

My husband who had stopped by on an errand in the middle of the morning laid his have on my shoulder as now MY voice  quivered as I  tried to express how it would be to know one isn't getting any better . . .  things slowly stop working and ya know someday your gonna die . . . And the years, months weeks and days keep ticking by and you e done with life here below.

With his hand still in my shoulder, my steady man reminded me in an absolutely cheerful voice of what we have to look forward to . . . My heart stopped and considered . . . And turned around.

God, you are so right . . . What have I been thinking . . . She's getting closer to "home" . . . There isn't pain in that . . . There is great joy and anticipation of the wedding day with Jesus!!!

In fact, as I kept meditating on this vein of  thought . . . I remembered my thoughts at funerals as an adult . . . I go there thinking it's not fair . . . It's not fair  that . . . That they get to go first now. . . Now . . . Before me . . . I want to go . . . I want to be in my beloveds presence, to be married to my Jesus . . . I want it to be my turn . . .

My daughter's go around  thehouse singing songs occasionally . . . One of their favorites goes like this, "How far is heaven, when CAN I go???"

Satan wants me to pity the elderly . . . To think of earthly things . . . To be sad and gloomy about the end of earthly life . . .

God on the other hand says rejoice and be exceeding glad!

There is another song that goes through my mind today, "We're not Home yet children, keep your eyes on the Savior . . . "

So there you have it . . . I'm selfish . . .  I have found when I had cancer that life is harder to live each day faithfully staying in the battle, than it is to let go and be ok with going home sooner . . .

So here's where bravery steps in . . . The courage to live and fight, to go on . . . To continue with a firm resolve that this world is not my home and to live for eternity . . .

What are you doing? . . . Fighting bravely or letting go . . . Relaxing and taking it easy, cause life is hard . . . Cause life isn't fair . . . Cause living for God takes effort . . .

My middle name Loraine supposedly means "brave in battle" . . . But I feel so not that!!! . . . I feel wimpy and weepy . . . Crabby and grumpy . . . Soft and spinless . . . But when I embrace Jesus . . . Then there is stability and strength in my life ...

Whatever we need, God is . . . And if He isn't, then we don't need it . . . Well, isn't that true? . . .

I have a few more thoughts about childhood friendships and newly dating couples, newly Weds and older married folk like myself lol, but I need to get back to work . . . So, until He calls me home, I'll be here.

Lessons From Simple Folk

"I needed to learn submission" she stated.  "God knew EXACTLY what I needed!"  . . . And this lady from a horse and buggy Mennonite\Amish group with her forthright soul spoke volumes to my heart.  What an example.  Why am I so slow to admit the times when I need or needed to learn submission of my heart and attitudes and actions . . .

She had asked for prayer the last time I had stopped by to buy three fifty lb sacks of potato's . . . prayer about waiting and resting in God's will as she wanted to have time to paint some rooms in her father-in-laws house while they were on an upcoming trip . . . . but it was at a very busy time and her husband had his opinion about the timing as all this was in his crazy schedule of planting and preparing gardens and fields as they sell produce.  So the next weeks that crept into months, I prayed when she came to my mind . . . my friend and sister-in-the-Lord out there in this Minnesota untamed, wild land . . . She who always welcomed me in . . . always an open door no matter when I came . . . showed me how to make "raw fries" and was so interested in ancestors as our last names are the same . . .

She is a true sister . . . calling me to live by that HIGHER standard that I can't always reach . . . calling me to listen more closely to my Lord . . . just by living . . . just by plainness of speech, just by openness and brave honesty . . .

I'll have to tell her next time I visit . . . until then I'm telling you . . . and other lady friends whose paths cross mine at times . . .She inspired me . . .

What has inspired you these days?

.

Sometimes I Need . . .

 

 . . . Someone to invite me into their loving room and sing a song to me . . . So I did that just for you today . . . It is what it is . . . But I needed this song, so I'm giving it away.

And this afternoon when my little daughter was bawling upstairs . . . The problem was I didn't sing to her at nap time . . . I went and sat in her bed with her and we listened to the song, "Sing to Me of Heaven" . . . Because I have a lump in my throat today and can't sing other than the one I sang for you, because God is testing my metal about praising Him in our trials and giving thanks for everything . . . I shouldn't be surprised . . . But you know . . . We humans have this natural tendency to think that w we have a right to have ALL things go well . . .

Sand Pit and Poison Ivy - Part II

So years ago my friend and neighbor had a little girl who if I remember the story correctly was definitely NOT fond of her Sunday shoes . . .in fact I think she was complaining and making a fuss about them . . . Her mom being guided by the Holy Spirit instructed her that she COULD CHOOSE to have joy in them . . . She could CHOOSE to like them . . . Then she would be happy . . .

So I contemplated this short story as I strolled all over my dessert sand pit . . . mulling over my natural thoughts and starting to replace them with God's thoughts . . . For some unknown, unseen reason to me He sees fit to give me a sand pit . . . and lots of poison ivy that I am NOT so very fond of at all . . . In fact I have complained and made a fuss about it, verbally as well as in my heart . . .It's time to change this . . . It's time to CHOOSE joy . . .  It's time to rejoice in the day that the Lord made specifically for me  . . . in the land He's given us . . .

His promised peace reigns once again in my heart as I do this . . . and I am thankful that I can choose His ways and His will . . . and align my thoughts and actions with His . . .

There is a peace and quiet rest ... in this . . .in this submission . . .in this place of praise and gratitude . . .

New Definition of Double Date

Japheth took me out on a date Wednesday evening (This summer due to schedules, we are having mid-weekly church on Tuesday evenings) . . . And the next afternoon as he was scraping cement on the wall of our house and I was joking/asking him about how did he ever get off work to do this . . . He replied, "OFF WORK?"  . . . Incredulous that I was counting this relaxing . . . Well,  to be honest, I had rested a bit that afternoon and came out to see what he was doing and was just talking with him, having a grand old time enjoying his presence and work on our house . . . He was balancing a heavy hock of mud in one hand and applying it with the other, sweat running down his face . . .

Anyway, in our conversation as he worked, he asked me if i remembered that this afternoon/evening there was an anniversary celebration of a customer/friend . . . And that he'd like just he and I to attend . . . So we did . . . but I felt guilty leaving the children for the second evening in a row!

That evening I decided that this is the second definition of a"Double Date" . . . When we go out TWO evenings in a row!!

Baby's Breath

 Welcome to the wild wayside beauty of Minnesota in July . . .

 God knows how many eensy blossoms are in each plant . . . Just like He keeps track of the number of hairs on my head and how many are grey and how many are still dark brown . . . He knows and cares about all these little things . . .

And He cares about my day . . . And yours . . . Hold His hand and walk through His world . . . your world . . . Look at things through His eyes . . . Trust . . . Rest . . . Be joyful!

Sand Pits and Poison Ivy

Sunday morning I managed to get out the door without little girlies of several ages hanging onto my skirts . . . When Mom goes out for a walk, most often they beg to come along and often I let them.  But this morning I snuck away as I sometimes do for some alone time in nature where I might be able to hear myself think.

A few mornings ago on an early morning run turned into a walk the last half, there was a vehicle that acted funny by turning into driveways close by and turning around, careening  down the road and then turning into another drive . . .  and it worried me . . . I had my phone along and called Japheth.  He isn't sure I should be walking by the road like that early in the morning by myself, though I assured him that I would be safer doing what God calls me to do here by the road then out of His will in my house. 

So as I contemplated where I would walk this morning and my tennis shoe was rubbing a blister I had on the back of my foot\ankle, I took off my shoes and socks and lifted my skirts a bit so that it wouldn't get so wet in the grass.  I took off barefoot down the grass\sod path through our property down and around to our sand pit.  The summer morning was warm and the dew felt nice, the grass, sod, and sand textures washed and  massaged my feet as I strolled along . . . This wasn't really a place to run, and it was Sunday after all so I communed and walked with the Lord . . .

I have hardly walked through the sand pit much at all . . .  It really has been kinda a depressing place . . . When we first bought the property and moved onto it, we envisioned possibly having a garden (as this was really the ONLY flat and SUNNY place on the eight and a half acres that we call our own.  We had once thought about turning it into a ball diamond . . . but these dreams never materialized in the seven years that we have been here.  For one thing, we'd have to buy LOTS and LOTS of black dirt or rent a dump truck to haul in some dirt from a friends cow pasture . . . and then there's the problem of watering . . . It's so far from any well . . .

 . . .  Barren dry dessert . . . dead dreams . . . feels like wasted land . . . nothing hardly grows at all . . . sand, sand sand gravel . . .  We pile firewood down there and also have a huge burn pile that stays and stays and we never seem to find the time to get the permit and get it taken care off . . . Sometimes our neighbor adds to it (with our permission of course) . . . At times I wonder, why we ever bought this land . . .I like to garden (Well . . .  sort of as long as it's not too big and overwhelming) . . . And I feel like I have no bit of earth to grow things on . . . Now that feeling is not fact . . . I do indeed have flowerbeds, but these beds have had the sand dug out and good dirt put in . . .  I have tried growing veggies in these, but most of them don't get enough sun . . . and my husband likes his trees . . .  and I do too, but I probably like my flowers and gardens more . . .

Along the path, this morning I made an exciting discovery of three plants of Baby's Breath . . . It grows wild up here, the soil must be perfect and I can show you plot after dry plot dotted with large white\grey blobs of shrub\plants of Baby's Breath . . . I've been looking for a good place whenever we drive and planning . . . planning to go out this fall and dig one up out of the ditch and bring home like I did a few years ago . . . But now God has given me some right in my spot on earth, in my barren wasteland . . .

As I walked along the sparse clumps of dessert grass and occasional wild flowers, God spoke to me and awakened my dreams again . . .

Number One. . . . of praise . . . the weapon of praise like Otto Koning talks about . . . verbally praising God for the trials and hard things just like God asks us to "in everything give thanks".  So I thanked Him for my "dessert" . . . and for poison ivy, even though I can't see ANYTHING good that could come out of that . . . But as I have been learning in God's special training school for Aimee, that GOOD can come out of EVERYTHING even the deepest, darkest trials if I let Him work in my heart . . .I am learning that in "THIS" I can be thankful that "I CAN DRAW CLOSER TO HIM BECAUSE of this trial!!!"

Number Two.  I could possibly turn part of my dessert into a watered garden . . . wagon load by wagon load of goat manure, horse manure,  my neighbors discarded straw\hay pile that they tried to burn to get rid of it, all the cardboard I saved over the winter and all the cardboard that A Stitch in Time hauls to the dump EACH week and whatever else God might see fit to provide . . .  If I would just buy a few more garden hoses and IF we fix the well in the basement of our old house, I might have a source of water.

Number Three.  A camping site

Number Four.  A wayside bench\shade area to sit and rest in . .  alone or with a friend . . . a place of solitude and leisure to reflect, to just be . . .

If none of these dreams go anywhere . . . number one can make me successful, because after all that is what this life should be all about, walking with God, learning the lessons from the "classes" He puts me in and resides as my personal tutor\teacher and Friend . . . I can praise . . . I can learn good things that help me grow and thrive in my spiritual walk . . . I can become more like Him . . .

Part Two coming soon . . . wherein I tell a true story of a friend of mine . . . and her wise advice to her little girl about black sunday shoes . . . (Yes, it does fit in with the above dessert story.) :)

Spring in My Heart

I know it's summer . . .

But as I was straightening up my pantry this afternoon, I spotted sprouting potatoes that needed to be used.  I brought them to the sink and started cutting sprouts away, washing and slicing them into smaller pieces in order to cook faster.  One potato in particular had this sprout deep in it's interior . . . I had to butcher the potato in order to try and get it out.

God brought to my mind that I should be like this potato . . . growing, sprouting, preparing for the future.  It wouldn't stop at anything . . . It just HAD to come bursting forth with new life!

It made me think of the verse that talks about out of our bellies will flow rivers of living waters . . .  the gushing of new life and growth and inspiration that can ONLY come from God himself.

What is in my heart?

Is it Spring?  Can anything stop it?  The other potatoes around it weren't that desperate to grow yet . . . but like the thankful leper who came back to give thanks . . . Could I be like this potato?  Intense deep joy and vibrant life that it gushes and pours fourth not letting any trial or problem get the best of it?

Wanna join me?  Wanna keep that SPRING in your heart?

I do.

I want that . . .

I want to live with LIFE coming forth!

I want to give NEW life and growth . . . It's what He created me to do . . .