There is no cure, but there is a treatment....
I heard this phrase recently about a type of cancer...it just stuck in my mind about life...
We go through life trying to do the right things, act the right way, say the right words..."the treatment"...to get in the right side of a "higher power or supreme being" or whatever we call our god...the performance based life...if we care at all...for an afterlife...our accounting ...when we finally die...
That is how we may look at life without the real God...working our way to heaven,,,our treatment, but it really has no cure for our lives....a lot of self help books along the way...
But, on the other hand, there really is a "cure" for our lives, our striving to do right...it is freely given, freely bestowed, even though the cost was great..
Belief in the one true God is our "cure". Belief in the atoning Blood shed on the cross by Jesus who came, lived a perfect life, died and rose again that we might have that life, that eternity for which we strive...that "cure" that forgives us of our sins...the real cure to life...
Thank YOU that there is a cure for my sins, not just a treatment ...
John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Thursday, September 28, 2017
Monday, September 25, 2017
Eagle Scout ....
Eagle Scout ...
This weekend has been another milestone...my oldest grandson turned 18, an adult...as well as received his Eagle Scout badge...both of which he has long awaited...so many people came to help him celebrate both...what an honor to watch this happen...
It seems like yesterday he was born...I have pictures of this tiny little boy who made his way into the world, was entertained by baby Mozart, smiling with his first teeth, wearing his first uniform all the way to this celebration...both in my mind and in books...
He displayed his mementoes of scouting along with a sash from his great grandfather's containing his merit badges...a finished legacy...( grandpa would have been so proud to see that...and had lots of stories to add)
As important as this milestone was, I remember getting a call, saying that he had accepted the Lord as his Savior...that was worth all the gold in the world...and more...it meant that he had an eternal future in heaven...a place I pray all my family chooses...
Thank YOU for guiding, growing this next generation into Your kingdom...thank YOU for the grandchildren that YOU have blessed me with...such treasures each one in their uniqueness...their paths that You have prepared...I pray they each follow after You in their lives...that they find their life in you...as generations who have gone before them have...
* The Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million Boy Scouts since 1911.
*
* 181 NASA astronauts have been involved with Scouting, including Neil Armstrong.
*
* According to the World Organization of the Scouting Movement, all but six countries make Scouting available to their youthful citizenry.
*
* During World War I, the Boy Scouts of America comprised the largest uniformed body in America. Working in partnership with the Treasury Department, Scouts secured approximately $352,122,973 in Liberty Bond subscriptions.
*
* During World War II, the Boy Scouts collected 318,000 tons of paper to assist with the war effort. In addition, they gathered 10.5 million tons of scrap metal. The paper was used by the United States government to package arms and equipment traveling overseas, and metals were recycled in answer to the demand for metal-based military supplies.
*
* The first national jamboree of the Boy Scouts of America took place in Washington, D.C., from June 30 to July 9, 1937. It drew more than 27,000 Scouts to the National Mall in the heart of the capital city. The national jamboree has since been held throughout the United States on a regular basis, representing the largest recurrent gathering of Scouts in the country.
*
* The first national jamboree was supposed to be held in 1935, but an outbreak of polio prompted organizers to postpone the event to a later date.
*
* Prior to becoming a founder of the Boy Scouts of America, Daniel Carter Beard earned early notoriety as a professional illustrator. Beard's artwork caught the attention of Mark Twain, who commissioned him to illustrate A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, and other writings.
*
* Early in the organization's history, the Boy Scout Handbook quickly became the best-selling volume for American boys, with 100,000 copies sold per year through 1914. As the popularity of Scouting grew over the decades, the book was revised and reprinted, and by 1935, the Handbook had sold five million copies. In a ceremony conducted at the White House, the five-millionth Handbook was presented to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
*
* Each president of the United States has supported the work of the Boy Scouts of America, serving as honorary presidents of the organization since 1910.
*
* No troop? No problem! Lone Scouting became an official part of the Boy Scouts of America in 1924 to include children of citizens living abroad, exchange students residing away from the United States, disabled youth, and youth in rural communities.
*
* As a serving officer of the British Army, Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell was a national hero. In 1907, he founded the Scouting program in England, which launched into a worldwide movement.
*
* One of America's best-known artists, Norman Rockwell, became a regular contributor to Boys' Life magazine when he was just 18 years old. He credited the Boy Scouts of America with jumpstarting his career, and worked with the organization throughout his adult life.
*
* Navigational skills have been taught to Boy Scouts since the program's inception. The National Scouting Museum in Irving, Texas boasts a collection of historic compasses from across the globe which explores the historical tradition of way finding. The oldest of these dates to 1500 and originates from China.
*
* In 1911, Boy Scouts were able to earn as many as 57 merit badges. Today, that number has grown to more than 100, with new badges regularly being added in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math.
*
* Arthur Eldred of Oceanside, New York, earned the first Eagle medal ever presented to a Boy Scout in the summer of 1911.
*
* Jimmy Stewart participated in Scouting as a youth in his home state of Indiana. He remained an active supporter of the organization throughout his life. As an actor, he became a household name for his roles in It's a Wonderful Life, Vertigo, The Philadelphia Story, and other classic films.
This weekend has been another milestone...my oldest grandson turned 18, an adult...as well as received his Eagle Scout badge...both of which he has long awaited...so many people came to help him celebrate both...what an honor to watch this happen...
It seems like yesterday he was born...I have pictures of this tiny little boy who made his way into the world, was entertained by baby Mozart, smiling with his first teeth, wearing his first uniform all the way to this celebration...both in my mind and in books...
He displayed his mementoes of scouting along with a sash from his great grandfather's containing his merit badges...a finished legacy...( grandpa would have been so proud to see that...and had lots of stories to add)
As important as this milestone was, I remember getting a call, saying that he had accepted the Lord as his Savior...that was worth all the gold in the world...and more...it meant that he had an eternal future in heaven...a place I pray all my family chooses...
Thank YOU for guiding, growing this next generation into Your kingdom...thank YOU for the grandchildren that YOU have blessed me with...such treasures each one in their uniqueness...their paths that You have prepared...I pray they each follow after You in their lives...that they find their life in you...as generations who have gone before them have...
* The Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million Boy Scouts since 1911.
*
* 181 NASA astronauts have been involved with Scouting, including Neil Armstrong.
*
* According to the World Organization of the Scouting Movement, all but six countries make Scouting available to their youthful citizenry.
*
* During World War I, the Boy Scouts of America comprised the largest uniformed body in America. Working in partnership with the Treasury Department, Scouts secured approximately $352,122,973 in Liberty Bond subscriptions.
*
* During World War II, the Boy Scouts collected 318,000 tons of paper to assist with the war effort. In addition, they gathered 10.5 million tons of scrap metal. The paper was used by the United States government to package arms and equipment traveling overseas, and metals were recycled in answer to the demand for metal-based military supplies.
*
* The first national jamboree of the Boy Scouts of America took place in Washington, D.C., from June 30 to July 9, 1937. It drew more than 27,000 Scouts to the National Mall in the heart of the capital city. The national jamboree has since been held throughout the United States on a regular basis, representing the largest recurrent gathering of Scouts in the country.
*
* The first national jamboree was supposed to be held in 1935, but an outbreak of polio prompted organizers to postpone the event to a later date.
*
* Prior to becoming a founder of the Boy Scouts of America, Daniel Carter Beard earned early notoriety as a professional illustrator. Beard's artwork caught the attention of Mark Twain, who commissioned him to illustrate A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, and other writings.
*
* Early in the organization's history, the Boy Scout Handbook quickly became the best-selling volume for American boys, with 100,000 copies sold per year through 1914. As the popularity of Scouting grew over the decades, the book was revised and reprinted, and by 1935, the Handbook had sold five million copies. In a ceremony conducted at the White House, the five-millionth Handbook was presented to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
*
* Each president of the United States has supported the work of the Boy Scouts of America, serving as honorary presidents of the organization since 1910.
*
* No troop? No problem! Lone Scouting became an official part of the Boy Scouts of America in 1924 to include children of citizens living abroad, exchange students residing away from the United States, disabled youth, and youth in rural communities.
*
* As a serving officer of the British Army, Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell was a national hero. In 1907, he founded the Scouting program in England, which launched into a worldwide movement.
*
* One of America's best-known artists, Norman Rockwell, became a regular contributor to Boys' Life magazine when he was just 18 years old. He credited the Boy Scouts of America with jumpstarting his career, and worked with the organization throughout his adult life.
*
* Navigational skills have been taught to Boy Scouts since the program's inception. The National Scouting Museum in Irving, Texas boasts a collection of historic compasses from across the globe which explores the historical tradition of way finding. The oldest of these dates to 1500 and originates from China.
*
* In 1911, Boy Scouts were able to earn as many as 57 merit badges. Today, that number has grown to more than 100, with new badges regularly being added in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math.
*
* Arthur Eldred of Oceanside, New York, earned the first Eagle medal ever presented to a Boy Scout in the summer of 1911.
*
* Jimmy Stewart participated in Scouting as a youth in his home state of Indiana. He remained an active supporter of the organization throughout his life. As an actor, he became a household name for his roles in It's a Wonderful Life, Vertigo, The Philadelphia Story, and other classic films.
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Darkened clouds...
Darkened clouds...
Yesterday as I white-knuckled the drive to the local airport in the dark, pouring rain in 4-5 lanes of traffic with thousands of other commuters, I prayed, "please help me drive safely as well as those others on the road." I only saw two accidents on the commute, neither of which looked too serious...
I arrived at the airport, parked, took a picture of which parking structure I was in (there are more than one connecting ones) and made my way into the terminal, checked in, went through security (love that TSA precheck) and started walking...and walking....and walking...(that is how I spend my extra time in the terminal, walking)..
Finally, my flight was called as I looked out seeing the black sky surrounding the area as the light of day began...that meant we had to fly into and hopefully through those black rainy clouds, ugh...
We did....kind of bumpy, but livable...and on the other side, the sun shone brilliantly, the sky was beautiful blue until we had to descend again into the storm at the next airport...and that happened at each stop... Up into the clouds, blue sky/sun and back down into the storms...
There are days like that, even months or years, stormy/black on the downside, but the sun and blue sky on upside...we long for the warm sunny days with no storm clouds...no life problems, just cheeriness and good...but the storms come, sometimes relentlessly...sometimes a quick one...
It reminded me of Psalm 23..."thou art with me"...
Or "low, I am with you"... Through the storms, through the cloudless days...always...thank YOU...
Psalm 23:1-6 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Yesterday as I white-knuckled the drive to the local airport in the dark, pouring rain in 4-5 lanes of traffic with thousands of other commuters, I prayed, "please help me drive safely as well as those others on the road." I only saw two accidents on the commute, neither of which looked too serious...
I arrived at the airport, parked, took a picture of which parking structure I was in (there are more than one connecting ones) and made my way into the terminal, checked in, went through security (love that TSA precheck) and started walking...and walking....and walking...(that is how I spend my extra time in the terminal, walking)..
Finally, my flight was called as I looked out seeing the black sky surrounding the area as the light of day began...that meant we had to fly into and hopefully through those black rainy clouds, ugh...
We did....kind of bumpy, but livable...and on the other side, the sun shone brilliantly, the sky was beautiful blue until we had to descend again into the storm at the next airport...and that happened at each stop... Up into the clouds, blue sky/sun and back down into the storms...
There are days like that, even months or years, stormy/black on the downside, but the sun and blue sky on upside...we long for the warm sunny days with no storm clouds...no life problems, just cheeriness and good...but the storms come, sometimes relentlessly...sometimes a quick one...
It reminded me of Psalm 23..."thou art with me"...
Or "low, I am with you"... Through the storms, through the cloudless days...always...thank YOU...
Psalm 23:1-6 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Accommodations in the desert...
Accommodations in the desert...
David lived in caves...
Elijah by a brook...
Moses and his crowd lived in tents...
The lepers lived outside the city, ostracized from others...
Some live in castles...or hospital chairs...hotel rooms...McDonald houses...hurricane tossed shelters...
A friend of mine lived in shelters for abused women...
Another in her car...
We lived in 6 different places as we journeyed with my husband's cancer...
Or we just live in everyday homes as we journey in our deserts...
But no matter where it was or is...God is there...dwelling with us...even in the dark alleys of life...sometimes we don't see him or even recognize that he is there...he may come in the quietness, offering cool water...food...a shoulder on which to cry ....in the light of day or in the dark of night...he may come in a semi with cases of water...or a lineman to fix the electricity...he may come with extra clothing for the bodies drenched with rain...or carrying out our favorite pet from the burning inferno....he finds us where we are ...it may not be in our timing, as his ways are different from ours ....
Isaiah 32:2 Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.
Psalm 27:5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.
Thank YOU...
Isaiah 35:1-10 The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus,
it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. He
Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.
The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there, and those the Lord has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
David lived in caves...
Elijah by a brook...
Moses and his crowd lived in tents...
The lepers lived outside the city, ostracized from others...
Some live in castles...or hospital chairs...hotel rooms...McDonald houses...hurricane tossed shelters...
A friend of mine lived in shelters for abused women...
Another in her car...
We lived in 6 different places as we journeyed with my husband's cancer...
Or we just live in everyday homes as we journey in our deserts...
But no matter where it was or is...God is there...dwelling with us...even in the dark alleys of life...sometimes we don't see him or even recognize that he is there...he may come in the quietness, offering cool water...food...a shoulder on which to cry ....in the light of day or in the dark of night...he may come in a semi with cases of water...or a lineman to fix the electricity...he may come with extra clothing for the bodies drenched with rain...or carrying out our favorite pet from the burning inferno....he finds us where we are ...it may not be in our timing, as his ways are different from ours ....
Isaiah 32:2 Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.
Psalm 27:5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.
Thank YOU...
Isaiah 35:1-10 The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus,
it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. He
Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.
The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there, and those the Lord has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
The deserts...
The desert
There are times in our lives when we feel or are in the desert...it can look differently for different people, where our individual paths lay...for some, it is actually a desert...dry, barren, hold/cold, desolate...feeling the aloneness, the forsakeness...before salvation or after when we are tested and tried ....before we come to that lush valley of forgiveness, care, provision...
For others, the desert may be amongst people, mounds of paperwork, the daily "grind " of "everydayness"...the multitude of daunting tasks to be completed, parenthood with tiny ones or teens, or health events which leave us feeling deserted by our unhealthiness...
Deserts look differently for each...
I have been contemplating this desert picture...I have been there on numerous occasions, each looking different, but deserts for me...each had a time of feeling adriftness, aloneness, desperation in some, times when scripture was dry and times when I really didn't care for the Word...I wanted back into the lushness of the oasis, I wanted back into the regular world...I wanted what others had...not the desert...
But, in each desert there was an undercurrent of care...I may not have acknowledged it openly, but it was there...under the turmoil, there was an undeniable peace that was steady, unwavering, solid...the Rock...the daily mana...the living Water...
Each desert had and still has lessons to learn...
The following are a few notes on deserts...
The deserts can be signify judgement, provison, growth, renewing ....amongst a few...
Deuteronomy 32:10-12 In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft. The Lord alone led him; no foreign god was with him.
Ezekiel 20:10-12 Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live. Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.
A place of refuge...provision- David, Elijah, Jesus, Moses, Paul...learning to trust...manna, water in the desert...preparation...learning...
I led you in the desert...
God joins his people in the desert...gives Just enough for the day...when we need it..to know him more intimately...
Jeremiah-talks about the desert
In times of pain, learn to know Him, love him,
Manna, living water, shade,,,In the unknown, he is there.. Through the pain...
Psalm 105:41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert.
Psalm 107:35 He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs;
John 7:38-39 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
Isaiah 35 describes the lush desert...
Isaiah 32:1-2 See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.
Isaiah 41:18-20 I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs. I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive. I will set junipers in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together, so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.
Isaiah 48:21 They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made water flow for them from the rock; he split the rock and water gushed out.
Real Deserts that various people went through and their meaning...I found these interesting...the meanings and the stories behind them...
Desert of Paran...beauty, glory, ornament.
Desert of Zin...buckler, coldness
Desert if Sinai ....bush, enmity...
Desert of sin...bush
Desert of kedemoth....old age, antiquity..
Desert of ziph....falsehood
Desert of maon.....house, place of sin
Desert of En Gedi...eye
Desert of Edom.....red..
Desert of tekoa...trumpet, that which is confirmed
Desert of Kadesh...holiness
Desert of Judah ...confession, praise of the Lord
Thank YOU for the deserts of life...even when they are the harsher ones, You are with us...bringing us to the desert of Judah-praise of the Lord...and/or Kadesh-your holiness...because your eye is always in us....
There are times in our lives when we feel or are in the desert...it can look differently for different people, where our individual paths lay...for some, it is actually a desert...dry, barren, hold/cold, desolate...feeling the aloneness, the forsakeness...before salvation or after when we are tested and tried ....before we come to that lush valley of forgiveness, care, provision...
For others, the desert may be amongst people, mounds of paperwork, the daily "grind " of "everydayness"...the multitude of daunting tasks to be completed, parenthood with tiny ones or teens, or health events which leave us feeling deserted by our unhealthiness...
Deserts look differently for each...
I have been contemplating this desert picture...I have been there on numerous occasions, each looking different, but deserts for me...each had a time of feeling adriftness, aloneness, desperation in some, times when scripture was dry and times when I really didn't care for the Word...I wanted back into the lushness of the oasis, I wanted back into the regular world...I wanted what others had...not the desert...
But, in each desert there was an undercurrent of care...I may not have acknowledged it openly, but it was there...under the turmoil, there was an undeniable peace that was steady, unwavering, solid...the Rock...the daily mana...the living Water...
Each desert had and still has lessons to learn...
The following are a few notes on deserts...
The deserts can be signify judgement, provison, growth, renewing ....amongst a few...
Deuteronomy 32:10-12 In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft. The Lord alone led him; no foreign god was with him.
Ezekiel 20:10-12 Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live. Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.
A place of refuge...provision- David, Elijah, Jesus, Moses, Paul...learning to trust...manna, water in the desert...preparation...learning...
I led you in the desert...
God joins his people in the desert...gives Just enough for the day...when we need it..to know him more intimately...
Jeremiah-talks about the desert
In times of pain, learn to know Him, love him,
Manna, living water, shade,,,In the unknown, he is there.. Through the pain...
Psalm 105:41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert.
Psalm 107:35 He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs;
John 7:38-39 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
Isaiah 35 describes the lush desert...
Isaiah 32:1-2 See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.
Isaiah 41:18-20 I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs. I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive. I will set junipers in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together, so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.
Isaiah 48:21 They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made water flow for them from the rock; he split the rock and water gushed out.
Real Deserts that various people went through and their meaning...I found these interesting...the meanings and the stories behind them...
Desert of Paran...beauty, glory, ornament.
Desert of Zin...buckler, coldness
Desert if Sinai ....bush, enmity...
Desert of sin...bush
Desert of kedemoth....old age, antiquity..
Desert of ziph....falsehood
Desert of maon.....house, place of sin
Desert of En Gedi...eye
Desert of Edom.....red..
Desert of tekoa...trumpet, that which is confirmed
Desert of Kadesh...holiness
Desert of Judah ...confession, praise of the Lord
Thank YOU for the deserts of life...even when they are the harsher ones, You are with us...bringing us to the desert of Judah-praise of the Lord...and/or Kadesh-your holiness...because your eye is always in us....
Monday, September 18, 2017
Elijah, again?....
Elijah, again?....
Earlier this year, our pastor worked through the life of Elijah...soooo good...
Last week another pastor shared about Elijah and this weekend still another pastor is working through the life of Elijah as well...three different localities, three venues, three pastors....just Maybe there is a message for me...all have been excellent...obedience, trust, provision, promise...all with emphasis in different texts, as God has related to them...but also my life...again....obedience, trust, provision, promise...in the desert, in life...contentment in change, leading in the impossible, help from unlikely sources, provision in desert times, watching God at work, blessings In the rain and dry times, supply of strength in the calling...
God is always working...even when I see the destruction of the west coast in fires, the east coast in hurricane after hurricane hit millions of people, their lives, their homes, their livelihoods...devastated..hungry, thirsty, homeless...as thousands respond to the fires, the cleanup, the mountains of garbage, ruined homes, businesses, streets, towns .....
God still has control...even when we don't see it...he is speaking to each of us whether in the storm, the provision of food from the ravens( an unclean bird), an impoverished widow...a fire from heaven, a small cloud in the sky. ...cruise ships or aircraft carriers bringing food and water, semis with washing facilities, boats of all shapes and sizes to rescue, or millions of other ways...compassion in the little and big ways... The Word spoken in care...
Provision in the deserts of life...
Thank YOU...
1 kings 17
Earlier this year, our pastor worked through the life of Elijah...soooo good...
Last week another pastor shared about Elijah and this weekend still another pastor is working through the life of Elijah as well...three different localities, three venues, three pastors....just Maybe there is a message for me...all have been excellent...obedience, trust, provision, promise...all with emphasis in different texts, as God has related to them...but also my life...again....obedience, trust, provision, promise...in the desert, in life...contentment in change, leading in the impossible, help from unlikely sources, provision in desert times, watching God at work, blessings In the rain and dry times, supply of strength in the calling...
God is always working...even when I see the destruction of the west coast in fires, the east coast in hurricane after hurricane hit millions of people, their lives, their homes, their livelihoods...devastated..hungry, thirsty, homeless...as thousands respond to the fires, the cleanup, the mountains of garbage, ruined homes, businesses, streets, towns .....
God still has control...even when we don't see it...he is speaking to each of us whether in the storm, the provision of food from the ravens( an unclean bird), an impoverished widow...a fire from heaven, a small cloud in the sky. ...cruise ships or aircraft carriers bringing food and water, semis with washing facilities, boats of all shapes and sizes to rescue, or millions of other ways...compassion in the little and big ways... The Word spoken in care...
Provision in the deserts of life...
Thank YOU...
1 kings 17
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
Last morning walk...
Last early morning walk...
I am waiting the mivie truck to arrive ...so..
I walked early this morning as I have for last five plus years...sometimes I treaded on my tread mill and many, many times on the side walks in my new/old neighborhood...
Here I was awakened slowly from the grief work of losing a spouse...and both parents...moving to a new town, taking over a business having no experience, watching my children work through their grief as well, meet new people, adjust to new doctors, learning and exploring a new normal...each day treading away, walking the new dog....I found solace in the fresh morning air, the flowers, the beauty of a sunrise, new neighbors, new babies, children growing, trees filling out more and more each year...even the hardly dandelion multiply in some lawns...
The shining paths, the solitary flower, the deer, the quail, the multitude of birds at the bird feeders,...topics of daily blogs...each different from the day before...healing grief ones, family stories, general thoughts...a story given each day to put into print...
Now a time for new stories, a new neighborhood, new adventures...
Thank YOU...
Psalm 118:21, 24, 29 I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.
The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 121:1-8 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
I am waiting the mivie truck to arrive ...so..
I walked early this morning as I have for last five plus years...sometimes I treaded on my tread mill and many, many times on the side walks in my new/old neighborhood...
Here I was awakened slowly from the grief work of losing a spouse...and both parents...moving to a new town, taking over a business having no experience, watching my children work through their grief as well, meet new people, adjust to new doctors, learning and exploring a new normal...each day treading away, walking the new dog....I found solace in the fresh morning air, the flowers, the beauty of a sunrise, new neighbors, new babies, children growing, trees filling out more and more each year...even the hardly dandelion multiply in some lawns...
The shining paths, the solitary flower, the deer, the quail, the multitude of birds at the bird feeders,...topics of daily blogs...each different from the day before...healing grief ones, family stories, general thoughts...a story given each day to put into print...
Now a time for new stories, a new neighborhood, new adventures...
Thank YOU...
Psalm 118:21, 24, 29 I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.
The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 121:1-8 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Monday, September 4, 2017
Never once....
Never once...
Every time we sing the Song, "Never Once", by Matt Redman, I tear up and sometimes can't finish the song...not out of sadness but gratefulness mingled with sadness...
Yesterday, we sang it again, or attempted...at the beginning and the end of the service on the topic of "overwhelming loneliness".
As the movers are scheduled to arrive this week, my house is packed boxes with trails through them, my little dog not wanting to leave my side, the refrigerator on countdown, the cupboards all but bare....I face another change...I feel the loneliness creeping in and I don't want it to...
I moved here five years ago, broken, alone, widowed, almost an orphan- with one parent passed and another one on the way....I did have wonderful children and their families as support, but they, too, were broken and hurting...from all the changes and loss...God was faithful, even when we didn't "feel" it...we had His under girded strength and peace when we drew upon it...days were rough, waiting for the phone the ring saying it was all a dream...ambushes of memories, tears of grief, anger at the situation, denial that this was happening or had happened....but, slowly, oh so slowly we climbed out of the pit of despair...
There are still times of overwhelming sadness, tears...
I have attended and facilitated the Greifshare workshops, even written a book on my grief journey which is finding a home into many widows hands...
But, now again, there is change...a move to a new community, new home, new opportunities ....and I need to face the challenges of choice...how do I assimilate into this new area...knowing that "never once do we ever walk alone..."
Thank YOU for the deep hearted reminder that YOU, the creator of the universe, are faithful, constant, ever present ....caring...
"Never once..." Godtube.com, http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=WYWYYWNX
Job 14:7-9 “At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail. Its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant.
Walking into the unknown was always duffcult, no matter your age or circumstances....Irene Hannon , "hope harbor"
Never once-lyrics...
Standing on this mountaintop Looking just how far we've come Knowing that for every step You were with us
Kneeling on this battle ground Seeing just how much You've done Knowing every victory Was Your power in us
Scars and struggles on the way But with joy our hearts can say Yes, our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone Never once did You leave us on our own You are faithful, God, You are faithful
Kneeling on this battle ground Seeing just how much You've done Knowing every victory Was Your power in us
Scars and struggles on the way But with joy our hearts can say Yes, our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone Never once did You leave us on our own You are faithful, God, You are faithful You are faithful, God, You are faithful
Scars and struggles on the way But with joy our hearts can say Never once did we ever walk alone Carried by Your constant grace Held within Your perfect peace Never once, no, we never walk alone
Never once did we ever walk alone Never once did You leave us on our own You are faithful, God, You are faithful
Every step we are breathing in Your grace Evermore we'll be breathing out Your praise You are faithful, God, You are faithful You are faithful, God, You are faithful You are faithful, God, You are faithful Your are, You are faithful, God, You are faithful
Read more: Matt Redman - Never Once Lyrics | MetroLyrics
Every time we sing the Song, "Never Once", by Matt Redman, I tear up and sometimes can't finish the song...not out of sadness but gratefulness mingled with sadness...
Yesterday, we sang it again, or attempted...at the beginning and the end of the service on the topic of "overwhelming loneliness".
As the movers are scheduled to arrive this week, my house is packed boxes with trails through them, my little dog not wanting to leave my side, the refrigerator on countdown, the cupboards all but bare....I face another change...I feel the loneliness creeping in and I don't want it to...
I moved here five years ago, broken, alone, widowed, almost an orphan- with one parent passed and another one on the way....I did have wonderful children and their families as support, but they, too, were broken and hurting...from all the changes and loss...God was faithful, even when we didn't "feel" it...we had His under girded strength and peace when we drew upon it...days were rough, waiting for the phone the ring saying it was all a dream...ambushes of memories, tears of grief, anger at the situation, denial that this was happening or had happened....but, slowly, oh so slowly we climbed out of the pit of despair...
There are still times of overwhelming sadness, tears...
I have attended and facilitated the Greifshare workshops, even written a book on my grief journey which is finding a home into many widows hands...
But, now again, there is change...a move to a new community, new home, new opportunities ....and I need to face the challenges of choice...how do I assimilate into this new area...knowing that "never once do we ever walk alone..."
Thank YOU for the deep hearted reminder that YOU, the creator of the universe, are faithful, constant, ever present ....caring...
"Never once..." Godtube.com, http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=WYWYYWNX
Job 14:7-9 “At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail. Its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant.
Walking into the unknown was always duffcult, no matter your age or circumstances....Irene Hannon , "hope harbor"
Never once-lyrics...
Standing on this mountaintop Looking just how far we've come Knowing that for every step You were with us
Kneeling on this battle ground Seeing just how much You've done Knowing every victory Was Your power in us
Scars and struggles on the way But with joy our hearts can say Yes, our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone Never once did You leave us on our own You are faithful, God, You are faithful
Kneeling on this battle ground Seeing just how much You've done Knowing every victory Was Your power in us
Scars and struggles on the way But with joy our hearts can say Yes, our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone Never once did You leave us on our own You are faithful, God, You are faithful You are faithful, God, You are faithful
Scars and struggles on the way But with joy our hearts can say Never once did we ever walk alone Carried by Your constant grace Held within Your perfect peace Never once, no, we never walk alone
Never once did we ever walk alone Never once did You leave us on our own You are faithful, God, You are faithful
Every step we are breathing in Your grace Evermore we'll be breathing out Your praise You are faithful, God, You are faithful You are faithful, God, You are faithful You are faithful, God, You are faithful Your are, You are faithful, God, You are faithful
Read more: Matt Redman - Never Once Lyrics | MetroLyrics
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