Just songs for the soul…

God don’t let the light in me die…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb3Sc_sv3ig

Jesus, there’s just something about name…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvd1yLeRWcs

This the day…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A5klnLG2uM

 Organizing people…

Have you ever heard the phrase, “ it’s like herding cats”?

I can imagine that leading the Israelites in the desert may have been like that…people came to Moses everyday asking questions and his father-in-law saw this…it must have been wearying for all…

Exodus 18: 13 The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. 14 When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” 15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; 16 when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” 17 Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. 19 Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, 20 and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. 21 Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 22 And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”

A future king, David, organized his army in a similar way using different numbers of groups. 

Both men, Moses and David, looked for trusted men to lead the various groups…thus taking much of the burden off of the top leaders….

We still use these examples in leadership today…although differently in different cultures….from the total authoritarian to empowering….

We are told to pray for our leaders…they carry a heavy weight of leadership….

1 Timothy 2:1-6

Pray for All Men

2 Therefore I [a]exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, andgiving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in [b]authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and [c]reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there isone God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,

Thank YOU…

https://biblehub.com/topical/d/david_organizes_his_troops.htm

https://outline-bible.com/1-chronicles-27-davids-leadership-administration

 Our Father who art in heaven…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSVBm8V79Wc

 Abuse…

One of our dogs was a rescue dog…he was afraid of men, or people in hats, plus he avoided being around feet of anyone.

My husband would take him to his office everyday, where the dog would sleep under the desk, comfortable in the warmth…it took months for the dog to warm up to us…if  one reached out to touch him, he would shrink back…if you wore a hat, he would cower….he watched our feet constantly…trust was a long time in coming…but, finally he was won over reluctantly…he became a great traveling buddy, hiker, and seemed to enjoy life with us….then, one day he turned…he would wait until the person whom he just greeted had passed and then bite them on the ankles for no apparent reason…be it guest or us…

In the end, we found someone who lived alone that wanted the dog…we had grandchildren coming and going and we couldn’t trust the dog around anyone…so with both sadness and relief, we gave him away…that was hard…

What brought this chapter to mind was the Israelites leaving Egypt and their beginning wanderings.  They had been abused for years by the rulers of the land in which they dwelt…along comes their savior, Moses, bringing statements and miracles of God…one after another, miracle after miracle, sign after sign….God showing himself trustworthy, faithful, they obey and leave the land of their abusers to go into the unknown…with promises of a land filled with milk and honey awaiting them…

It had to be hard for them, even though they saw that God proved himself worthy of trust…they were used to cowering, lack of care, abuse…and they fell back on old habits easily, not fully trusting…but, God persevered caring, providing, leading….

A faith journey for each person brought out of Egypt…

Just like us who have turned to Jesus…times we want to turn back to old comfortable ways instead of having faith in our Savior…but he is faithful, kind, filled with goodness….

Thank YOU….

Psalm 9: 9 The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,

    a stronghold in times of trouble.

10 And those who know your name put their trust in you,

    for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

The book of Exodus….

Faithful one…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PjSO5Ihl0M

 

Grumble….

Doesn’t that word sound negative? Then the definition of discontent or the synonyms sound just as bad…I said them out loud and they really sounded awful….

Grumble….

: to mutter in discontent

Whine, moan, fuss, lament, gripe, bleat, grouch, quibble, murmur, complain, grouse, yammer….Merriam Webster 

This weekend, of all times, that was me…I had most of my family around, we were celebrating a wedding, good company, good food, beautiful setting, etc..and my heart grumbled at the end…over something of no worth…I even came home and put music on to drown out the grumbles, the gripes, the bleating….finally asking for forgiveness for my attitude…then peace of soul…reigned…

Oh, how easy it is to fall into that trap…and how easy it is to take it to God…

Thank YOU….

Exodus 16:4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” 8 And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.”

Psalm 102: A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the Lord.

102 :1 Hear my prayer, O Lord;
let my cry come to you!

Colossians 3: 12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Psalm 102…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5qkjs-N8xM

Hear me when I call…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz89RXMG-Z4

 Comfort verses.  ….#?

Honestly I have lost track of what number I am on for comfort verses…but God’s comfort is numberless, infinite….

Thank YOU…

So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great (Job 2:13 NKJV).

“He called out to them, ‘Friends, haven’t you any fish?’ ‘No,’ they answered” (John 21:5 NIV). ( He provided)

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4 NIV).

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting” (Psalm 100:1-2, 3b, 4b-5a KJV).

“But I have prayed for you, Simon [Peter], that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32 NIV

He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control (Philippians 3:21 NLT

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23:6 NKJV

My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music (Psalm 57:7 NIV

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: … a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance (Ecclesiastes 3:1,4 NIV).

You comfort me….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6syDo3t3pe8

 Countdown….3….

Flowers, flowers and more flowers…

What’s on the list to do?

Thursday was flower day…pumpkin patch  day…morning first thing was a trek to the local flower place…three shopping carts later, we emerged for the store, loaded flowers into one vehicle…a couple of hours of conditioning the flowers, or visiting the local pumpkin patch…then the attendants and mom of the bride, a couple of the grandmothers , plus the bride and time….buckets of flowers turned into the bridal bouquets, table arrangements…

And then Family night….

Friday was gathering final supplies, discussions, rehearsal, rehearsal dinner…

24 hours till the nuptials….

Another popular Bible segment is the verses from Ruth…

Ruth 1: ……. 16b For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”

Realizing that these verses is actually words between a widowed daughter  in law to a widowed mother in law…Ruth makes it quite clear she wants to stay with Naomi…follow her God rather than return to her own country…and she becomes an ancestor of King David through her eventual marriage to Boaz, her kinsman redeemer…

Another picture of Christ…our redeemer…he paid the price of our salvation..

Also a picture of marriage…choosing to cling together, following  God together...on this journey of life.

thank YOU..

I will follow…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFna4pEF7M8

 The countdown is over….the day of….

The temperature dropped 30 degrees from the day before…windy, chilly…the rain held off…thank YOU….

The last of the steam pressing, the flowers loaded, the chairs in place, the table decorated, the sound system working…clothes at ready for groomsmen, attendants…the bride…extra coats packed…

Then another round of pictures to be followed by another round. Professional and amateur….while the sun is out… the fall leaves fluttering, adding more color to the whole ambiance….

Finally, we assemble for the processional….and all that preplanning has paid off…

“We assemble here to witness the uniting of this couple…”

The challenge, the rings, the vows, the tears, the communion, the proclamation of “husband and wife”…the recessional…and we are done until the ensuing party and celebration….

What an amazing day  and evening….

Do you remember your wedding?  The precious moments of friends and family…

Other Bible verses set the tone of the wedding ceremony…

Song of Solomon 8:6 Set me as a seal upon your heart,

    as a seal upon your arm,

for love is strong as death,

    jealousy is fierce as the grave.

Its flashes are flashes of fire,

    the very flame of the Lord.

7a Many waters cannot quench love,

    neither can floods drown it.

Ecclesiastes 4: 9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Matthew19: 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Numbers 6: 24 The Lord bless you and keep you;

25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

1Peter 4: 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the Lord has made;

    let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Since the Word is given to us, a personal letter about God’s Love, redemption, there is really is so much about relationships…we  can find more and more that could pertain to marriage…

Thank YOU…

So that’s my week…now a bit of clean up and sorting, getting borrowed items returned, etc… maybe a nap or two…getting caught up on some rest…and I was just one little part of it all…

But, praise and thank yous to all that participated….what love was shown…

Blessings…

The recessional…

I’m a believer…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWqmc8qxEps