I am thankful for indoor plumbing.
I remember as a little girl, spending the night with my great great grandmother and her ‘old maid’ daughter.
I don’t recall if the house had electricity or not, I didn’t notice that. But I sure did notice the absence of a bathroom. The little country church just up the road where they attended services didn’t have one either.
I remember the trails that led to both of them. I remember the smell. And I remember looking over into that hole….uuugggghhh. Wish I could forget that !
I am thankful that when I ‘need to go’, I have only a few steps indoors to be in the appropriate place, no stench, and no horrendous sights.
I am thankful that I don’t have one of those ‘chamber pots’ under my bed, and I have never had to empty one of them.
I am indeed thankful for indoor plumbing. And it just amazes me that the men of this house will walk past two of them to go outside …..
Showing posts with label thankfullness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thankfullness. Show all posts
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Thankful #17...
I am thankful for blow dryers.
I have been working behind a styling chair for 38+ years. When I started, there were no blow dryers. There were hood dryers. For home use, if we had the fancy one, it folded into a hard case. The not so nice one had a plastic bonnet that stretch fitted over your head.
My first blow dryer looked nothing like the ones I use today. And believe me, it didn’t work like mine does today either !
My niece is now in beauty school. Every day that I work, when she gets out of school, she comes to the salon and helps me for the rest of my day. I look forward to her arrival because she always has a tale to tell about her day. And I love hearing them.
She did her first roller set the other day. She told me about her client, and about how well her technique was in getting the rollers in. And she said ‘It was fun!’
If roller sets come back…I’m going home. Just so you know…..
I am thankful for blow dryers.
And I am thankful that most women prefer them !!!
I have been working behind a styling chair for 38+ years. When I started, there were no blow dryers. There were hood dryers. For home use, if we had the fancy one, it folded into a hard case. The not so nice one had a plastic bonnet that stretch fitted over your head.
My first blow dryer looked nothing like the ones I use today. And believe me, it didn’t work like mine does today either !
My niece is now in beauty school. Every day that I work, when she gets out of school, she comes to the salon and helps me for the rest of my day. I look forward to her arrival because she always has a tale to tell about her day. And I love hearing them.
She did her first roller set the other day. She told me about her client, and about how well her technique was in getting the rollers in. And she said ‘It was fun!’
If roller sets come back…I’m going home. Just so you know…..
I am thankful for blow dryers.
And I am thankful that most women prefer them !!!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Thankful #16...
I am thankful for being satisfied.
I think back on how hard I have worked for some “thing”.
I worked hard for the dining room table that still sits across the room from me. I bought is at Plum Fun Discount Furniture so many years ago I can’t recall…it is solid oak. The chairs are beginning to show a lot of wear, the tabletop needs resurfacing yet again, and one of the claw feet has some chew marks from a puppy the boys brought in long ago.
I worked hard for the sofa I am sitting on, (the same one I spent a few sleepless hours on last night….!!) It is very heavy, wonderful fabric, very well made. It it the best piece of living room furniture we have owned…much better than the three cheap sofas we have had.
I am thankful for the camper that sits outside under it’s own shelter. I worked hard to pay for it and the camper barn that it sits under. It is not as fancy a camper as the ones they make now, it doesn’t have as many slides as they make them with now, but does have one. It is much nicer than the camper my parents had when I was young, and certainly better than the tent we camped with when our boys were little. Definitely not a needed item…
I am thankful for king sized maple bedroom suit in our bedroom, I worked hard for it. It provides me with more sleeping space than I had when we slept on a full sized bed. Kerry Pinkham has some long legs…..
We never had a matched bedroom suit until I bought this one. When they began to unload it, he said he thought they’d brought the wrong one, this was a really fancy one.
No…it was right.
He asked how much I’d paid for it and I advised him that if he wanted to be able to sleep when he laid down on it, he probably shouldn’t know. It was an expensive purchase for us, especially at that time. But I worked hard, and I paid for it.
All of those things were expensive. They aren’t the finest things in the world, but they are much finer than what we once had, but certainly they are not necessary.
We could eat sitting on the floor. Many do. Dirt floors in fact.
We could sleep on the floor. Many do.
We don’t need a little house to pull around behind the vehicle I have. That little house is more shelter than a large number of people enjoy.
These are examples of things I have become satisfied with. Regrettably, there were many things I worked hard for that didn’t satisfy for long. Much of my work has been for things that I no longer even have….things that I became dissatisfied with, and discarded.
I am thankful to have come to the place in my life where I am satisfied more easily.
Oh don’t get me wrong, I often still have the desires for the new, the better, more of , the latest…(for those of you who know me well, you’ll know my weakness for a nice handbag.)
I heard it once said that happiness is not having what you want…it is wanting what you have. I have learned how true that is.
Solomon, who was the wisest of men, wrote this…“Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them? (Ecc. 5:10-11)
The quest for having what will make you happy is a lie. You can’t earn it, create it, or buy it. There is only One Source of life and true happiness. Only He can give and provide what He alone created.
“ A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without Him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness…”(Eccc. 2:24-26)
“ Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this..”(Ps: 37:4-5)
I think back on how hard I have worked for some “thing”.
I worked hard for the dining room table that still sits across the room from me. I bought is at Plum Fun Discount Furniture so many years ago I can’t recall…it is solid oak. The chairs are beginning to show a lot of wear, the tabletop needs resurfacing yet again, and one of the claw feet has some chew marks from a puppy the boys brought in long ago.
I worked hard for the sofa I am sitting on, (the same one I spent a few sleepless hours on last night….!!) It is very heavy, wonderful fabric, very well made. It it the best piece of living room furniture we have owned…much better than the three cheap sofas we have had.
I am thankful for the camper that sits outside under it’s own shelter. I worked hard to pay for it and the camper barn that it sits under. It is not as fancy a camper as the ones they make now, it doesn’t have as many slides as they make them with now, but does have one. It is much nicer than the camper my parents had when I was young, and certainly better than the tent we camped with when our boys were little. Definitely not a needed item…
I am thankful for king sized maple bedroom suit in our bedroom, I worked hard for it. It provides me with more sleeping space than I had when we slept on a full sized bed. Kerry Pinkham has some long legs…..
We never had a matched bedroom suit until I bought this one. When they began to unload it, he said he thought they’d brought the wrong one, this was a really fancy one.
No…it was right.
He asked how much I’d paid for it and I advised him that if he wanted to be able to sleep when he laid down on it, he probably shouldn’t know. It was an expensive purchase for us, especially at that time. But I worked hard, and I paid for it.
All of those things were expensive. They aren’t the finest things in the world, but they are much finer than what we once had, but certainly they are not necessary.
We could eat sitting on the floor. Many do. Dirt floors in fact.
We could sleep on the floor. Many do.
We don’t need a little house to pull around behind the vehicle I have. That little house is more shelter than a large number of people enjoy.
These are examples of things I have become satisfied with. Regrettably, there were many things I worked hard for that didn’t satisfy for long. Much of my work has been for things that I no longer even have….things that I became dissatisfied with, and discarded.
I am thankful to have come to the place in my life where I am satisfied more easily.
Oh don’t get me wrong, I often still have the desires for the new, the better, more of , the latest…(for those of you who know me well, you’ll know my weakness for a nice handbag.)
I heard it once said that happiness is not having what you want…it is wanting what you have. I have learned how true that is.
Solomon, who was the wisest of men, wrote this…“Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them? (Ecc. 5:10-11)
The quest for having what will make you happy is a lie. You can’t earn it, create it, or buy it. There is only One Source of life and true happiness. Only He can give and provide what He alone created.
“ A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without Him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness…”(Eccc. 2:24-26)
“ Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this..”(Ps: 37:4-5)
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Thankful #15...
I am thankful for my simple way of life.
Things tend to start getting really complicated this time of year. Holiday plans overlap. People get over extended both in time and energy. Sometimes even financially…
I have determined that I will not get caught up in it or stressed about it.
Starting right now........
Things tend to start getting really complicated this time of year. Holiday plans overlap. People get over extended both in time and energy. Sometimes even financially…
I have determined that I will not get caught up in it or stressed about it.
Starting right now........
Monday, November 14, 2011
Thankful #13...
I am thankful for immediate answers.
More often than not, waiting is involved. I’m better at waiting than I was at one time, but I’m not any better at liking the wait.
I like immediate service, immediate responses…and I like immediate answers to my prayers.
More often than not, I have to wait for all of them.
But, occasionally I get an immediate answer, and I must admit…it is usually quite startling when I do. God has such a sense of humor sometimes…. Here is my latest immediate answer…
Do not fret.
Trust in the LORD and do good
Delight yourself in the LORD
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways.
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.
Wait for the LORD and keep His way. He will exalt you to inherit the land
(select verses from Psalm 37)
When frustrated and disturbed, (that sounds better than mad as a wet hen…) I think of all sorts of ways to respond…(that sounds better than retaliate)
And when I ask God to show me how to walk thru it, He needs only to remind me of what I already know. Hence the latest message from Psalm 37.…
Fretting is useless.
I am responsible for my choices, either to do good….or not so good.
Handling it in my own human manner is just telling Him that I don’t trust Him to take care of it.
Taking charge and setting everyone straight is not committing my way to Him, but committing to my own agenda.
Waiting is the smart thing to do because I don’t see the big picture nor do I know other people’s heart.
What something ‘looks like’ is not always what it is. God will have His way ultimately…He just sometimes has a purpose for it taking longer than it ‘looks like’ it should take.
My temper and imagination will only lead to my own wrong thoughts and behavior.
I have a choice. I can continue to look at my wrong thoughts and consider them…or I can on purpose turn FROM them and choose life instead of death.
I can believe that God WILL keep His promises, that He IS KEEPING His promises even now, and especially when I don’t see nor understand the mechanics of His ways.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Thankful #12...
Today I am thank for grandchildren.
I remember eleven years ago today getting a call that my first would be arriving within hours.
The time was a bit early, but circumstances demanded an early delivery...so we headed off to the hospital and got there just in time to see our son hovering over a tiny little baby girl in a hospital nursery. Chesley was here, healthy, and precious.
She was our first experience as far as grand children went…and our first experience at little girls. They are indeed different than the two little boys born to us. Their grandfather had no daughters, and had no sisters. Boy was he in for surprises !
What a joy it is to be a grandparent. Grandchildren are just that. Grand children. Grand indeed.
What a legacy born to us.
“Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children…”(Prov. 17:6)
What a responsibility.
“A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children..”(Prov. 13:22)
We can’t eat cake and ice-cream with our firstborn grand-daughter on this, her birthday. We are geographically separated. (…another reason to be thankful for technology !! )
But we will never be separated in heart.
How we love you Chesley. Happy birthday sweetie…
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Thankful #11....
I am thankful for rest.
Rest, as in going to bed and actually sleeping all night.
And rest, as in sleeping late!!
Rest, as in sitting with coffee for as long as you want.
Rest, as in reading whatever you want, and for however long you want.
Rest as in no agenda, no demands on my time or energy.
All of those things and a list of dozens more define what we think of as rest.
But here is where REAL rest comes from…. "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest….”(the words of Jesus, Matthew 11:28 emphasis mine)
When I find myself so very weary, often it is not a weariness that can be recuperated from by a good night’s sleep. It is weariness that is a result of getting out from under the yoke with Jesus, pulling the weight of my life in my own strength. When I do that, it doesn’t take long for me to wear myself out.
“ Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but You have not let me know whom You will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with Me.' If You are pleased with me, teach me Your ways so I may know You and continue to find favor with You. Remember that this nation is Your people." The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." (Ex. 33:12-14)
Moses was called by God to shepherd His people out of bondage, thru a wilderness, to a promised place.
Moses knew the landscapes and the dangers. He knew the Egyptians, and he knew the life of a nomad shepherd. He had his hands full…but he was never asked to do it in his own ability.
I’m certainly not Moses. but I’m called by God to be a beacon of His Light, leading people out of bondage, pointing the way to His promised land.
And if you wear The Name of Jesus Christ….you too are called. Jesus Himself said, “….go and make disciples …and teach them…”(Matt. 28:20)
Like Moses, I am not left to my own ability. I don’t have the cloud guiding me by day and fire by night, I have the indwelling Holy Spirit of God within.
If Moses couldn’t do it alone, who am I to think I can…..
Friday, November 11, 2011
Thankful #10
I am thankful for today.
Thankful that it is over.
Thankful that all todays aren’t like this one was…
And I’m thankful for the encouragement and hope from God’s Word about days like today….
“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.”(Hebrews 3:13-14)
“…as long as it is today….:”
That includes this day.
Encourage one another. And if there’s nobody encouraging you...for those who share in Christ, He provides encouragement Himself. He comes in The Person of The Holy Spirit to encourage.
I am thankful for today, and thankful for the Comforter Who helped me get thru it.
Thankful that it is over.
Thankful that all todays aren’t like this one was…
And I’m thankful for the encouragement and hope from God’s Word about days like today….
“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.”(Hebrews 3:13-14)
“…as long as it is today….:”
That includes this day.
Encourage one another. And if there’s nobody encouraging you...for those who share in Christ, He provides encouragement Himself. He comes in The Person of The Holy Spirit to encourage.
I am thankful for today, and thankful for the Comforter Who helped me get thru it.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Thankfullness #9...
I am thankful for my man.
I am thankful for all the nonsense, the wisecracks, all the picking and teasing… There are very few hours that pass that he does not in some way acknowledge my worth to him…certainly never a day of the last 37+ years.
I am thankful for the morals that he has, the standards by which he endeavors to live, and the integrity that he strives to maintain.
I am thankful that he has never lorded himself over me, but has instead always had a servant heart. Not only does he think he’s not above any task, he considers that I am…and steps in to perform them instead.
I am thankful for the genuine concern he has for other people, the strong convictions about right and wrong, fairness, justice…
And I am thankful for the compassionate heart that has not become hard and calloused over the years, in spite of seeing and experiencing so much of human sinfulness and suffering.
He is a mighty man of God, my knight in shining armor.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Thankfullness #8....
I am thankful for seasons.
I love them all and my favorite one is usually whichever one we are in at the moment. (…unless I’m cold…I don’t like to be cold, but it takes more and more to make me be cold these days !!..)
When it is springtime, I enjoy watching the leaves sprout and the flowers begin to bloom, the birds building nests and laying eggs.
When it is summer, I love our garden, working the soil, enjoying fresh vegetables on our dinner table. I love a freshly mown lawn, the scent of honeysuckle in the evening air, and dips in the lake or swimming pool.
When it is fall, as it is now, I love watching the leaves change colors before my eyes. I love the smell, the warmth and the crackling sound of a fire as I sit on the patio by our chiminea sipping a cup of coffee.
When it is winter, I love the way snowflakes fall so silently and cover creation with a blanket of white that looks so incredibly serene and peaceful. I love the curling of the smoke coming from our chimney, the patterns of frost on the windshield, and the way it shimmers from the roofs of the houses.
I would tire of any one of the seasons. You would too.
God was wise to give us change in the seasons. We get bored so easily….an opportunity for the enemy to lead us into disobedience and rebellion.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
...I know that everything God does will endure forever…” (Ecc. 3 select verses)
Seasons don’t last.
The leaves bud and grow, they become lush and green, then change into brilliant colors, eventually falling to the ground to decay. They don’t last…
But they come back..
My life has seen many seasons. I’ve been thru lots of phases and experienced lots of growing pains. Certainly not suffered like some have, and certainly not from any merit of my own.
I’m nearing the autumn of an average life. Winter will come, this body will become dormant. And die.
And I will enter an eternal season with our Creator, with a glorified body, walking on the streets of glory.
“....Desperate, I throw myself on you: you are my God! Hour by hour I place my days in Your hand, safe from those who pursue me…….warm me, Your servant, with a smile; save me because You love me. (Ps. 31:14-16)
I love life. I love the seasons. And I love the God Who gave them both….
“ Blessed be the name of God, forever and ever. He knows all, does all:
He changes the seasons and guides history,
He raises up kings and also brings them down,
He provides both intelligence and discernment,
He opens up the depths, tells secrets, sees in the dark--light spills out of Him!
God of all my ancestors, all thanks! all praise! (Daniel 2:20-23)
Thankfullness #7.....
I am thankful for children.
I love babies. They are so very small and helpless. A tiny little human being is such a wonder !
I love toddlers. They are so curious, constantly learning, absorbing new information all the time.
I love adolescents. They are so awkward, ready to explore the world while still loving to be coddled.
I love teenagers. They are so sure of themselves, so confident in their own wisdom and ability.
I love adult children best…..
One day they see how tiny they still are in the grand scheme of things.
They see how small a human being is, yet how incredibly important.
They begin to see how much they don’t know….. and admit it.
They begin to embrace the wisdom of other rather than claiming they don’t need it.
They embrace the awkwardness of living in this world where we have no control except of personal choice.
They begin to see the older generation thru different eyes, seeing beyond surface and circumstance. They begin to see the frailty and weakness that was there all along and appreciating the battle we refused to stop fighting.
I loved my sons when they were in the womb, never having seen them or known them.
I loved the infants that nuzzled at my breast.
I loved the toddlers who hid under the bed and spilled their milk.
I loved the adolescents,so happy yet utterly miserable, fighting to mature yet stay babies.
I loved the teenagers who were so sure they were smarter than me.
I love the adult sons who now see my efforts instead of my mistakes.
I love the adult sons who are willing to share themselves freely with their parents.
I love the adult sons recognize the passing of time, and understand that it is limited.
I love the adult sons whose desire is to fill our needs as fully as their needs were filled.
I love the adult sons who ask what I think, and genuinely value my input.
“Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.”(Psa. 127:3)
I am thankful for the two sons we are blessed with. I am thankful to know they will always be there for us as we grow older and older. My heart rests in knowing they will care for us when we can not.
I am thankful that our two sons acknowledge our Creator God, and thankful that He will guide them into all truth, one step at a time….. Just as He did with their father and I. He will make them into mighty men of God as they walk in His truth.
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”(3John 1:4)
“Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding.
The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him.
May your father and mother be glad; may she who gave you birth rejoice!
My son, give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways,..”(Pro. 23:22-26)
Lord, help me listen as an adult child to my own words. Help me to continue to make my father and mother glad, may I be a blessing to them, a reward from You, an arrow in their hand, contending with any enemy, may I bring them joy as I walk in Your truth, may I never despise but always delight in them and value their wisdom.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Thankfullness #6
11-7-2011
I am thankful for color.
Especially this time of year.
I just drove to town and back and the colors of the leaves are just stunning.
My sweet man can explain to you just exactly how that happens and why. He loves to understand the ‘how’ behind God’s design. (..when he can..) Understanding the ‘how’ doesn’t change the wonder and awe of it for either of us. God is such a creative Creator ! Leaves change colors because of a certain activitiy that is going on within them.
Not that I care really, certainly not like my man does. I just know that God did it and I love it.
"…He changes times and seasons….. (Daniel 2:20)
In every season, there is evidence of His majesty.
Stop and look with wonder at His creation. Do it on purpose. Today. Right now.
Oh let us not loose the ‘Wow!’ of it !!
“…… turn from…. worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them…….He has not left Himself without testimony:…”(Acts 14:15)
He is God !! And He designed all that is reality to us !! Not me, not you, no human…. If you disagree, answer a few of the questions He asked Job.
"Job, have you ever commanded the morning to come? Have you ever shown the sun where to rise?”
“ What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?”
“Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons?”
“Do you know the laws of the heavens?…. tip over the water jars of the heavens…?”
(Job 38 select verses)
He is God.
"Think about this. Wrap your minds around it. This is serious business……….
I am GOD…
The only God you've had or ever will have-- incomparable, irreplaceable--
From the very beginning telling you what the ending will be. All along letting you in on what is going to happen, Assuring you, 'I'm in this for the long haul, I'll do exactly what I set out to do,..”(Isa. 46:8-10 The Message)
Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great;
You are clothed with splendor and majesty.…
You stretch out the heavens like a tent …
You make the clouds Your chariot…….
You set the earth on its foundations….
You make grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate—
The moon marks off the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.
You bring darkness, it becomes night….
How many are Your works, O LORD!
In wisdom You made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures.
May the glory of the LORD endure forever…
I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to Him, as I rejoice in the LORD.
(Psalm 104 select verses)
Hallelujah.
I am thankful for color.
Especially this time of year.
I just drove to town and back and the colors of the leaves are just stunning.
My sweet man can explain to you just exactly how that happens and why. He loves to understand the ‘how’ behind God’s design. (..when he can..) Understanding the ‘how’ doesn’t change the wonder and awe of it for either of us. God is such a creative Creator ! Leaves change colors because of a certain activitiy that is going on within them.
Not that I care really, certainly not like my man does. I just know that God did it and I love it.
"…He changes times and seasons….. (Daniel 2:20)
In every season, there is evidence of His majesty.
Stop and look with wonder at His creation. Do it on purpose. Today. Right now.
Oh let us not loose the ‘Wow!’ of it !!
“…… turn from…. worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them…….He has not left Himself without testimony:…”(Acts 14:15)
He is God !! And He designed all that is reality to us !! Not me, not you, no human…. If you disagree, answer a few of the questions He asked Job.
"Job, have you ever commanded the morning to come? Have you ever shown the sun where to rise?”
“ What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?”
“Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons?”
“Do you know the laws of the heavens?…. tip over the water jars of the heavens…?”
(Job 38 select verses)
He is God.
"Think about this. Wrap your minds around it. This is serious business……….
I am GOD…
The only God you've had or ever will have-- incomparable, irreplaceable--
From the very beginning telling you what the ending will be. All along letting you in on what is going to happen, Assuring you, 'I'm in this for the long haul, I'll do exactly what I set out to do,..”(Isa. 46:8-10 The Message)
Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great;
You are clothed with splendor and majesty.…
You stretch out the heavens like a tent …
You make the clouds Your chariot…….
You set the earth on its foundations….
You make grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate—
The moon marks off the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.
You bring darkness, it becomes night….
How many are Your works, O LORD!
In wisdom You made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures.
May the glory of the LORD endure forever…
I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to Him, as I rejoice in the LORD.
(Psalm 104 select verses)
Hallelujah.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Thankfullness #5
11-6-11
I am thankful for technology.
I know technology has brought a lot of undesirable stuff into the inner sanctuary of our home, but the devil intends to bring his evil into every realm., and he uses every means and every angle….in every generation and every culture. We are wise to learn his standard operating procedures and learn to recognize them immediately, shutting him down before he gets his stinky foot in the door.
Sure, there is a lot of porn on the internet. But there are thousands of excellent sources for Chrisitians to learn and grow or be entertained.
Sure, email and Facebook etc. remove the face to face, up-close-and-personal ways of relating to others. But there are thousands of friendships that are born and grow from the cyber world of social networking. Hundreds of friends and relatives are re-connected and communicating on a regular basis, sharing their lives thru words and photographs or videos.
There are lots of negatives to the social technology of today. (….I seem to remember the same said of television and satellite recievers…) Some things are most certainly of an evil nature, but the way to block out evil is not to do away with television or internet. Instead, we must choose to use them wisely and in obedience to how God created us to live.
There’s a way to navigate away from bad web-sites, and there’s a channel changer and off switch on the television. We again get to choose, use it….for good or for evil.
“………… God created humankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes." (Ecc. 7:29)
Humans are capable of making a mess of pretty much anything. And there is a very real spiritual realm that will help us do just that.
“….here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”(Ecc. 12:13,14)
That includes what you do in your cyber-world.
I was almost finished with this reflection last night when the computer sitting across my lap began to sway and I realized that I’d just experienced an earthquake. For the next several minutes, I visited in cyberspace with people from miles away and from people close by, who had also felt the earth move and heard it groaning. Instantly, before the television news had anything to report, I heard from my friends all over Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas about the event.
A few weeks ago, my son and his family experienced an earthquake in New Jersey. In moments I knew about it, heard them share their experience, and knew they were ok. Cell phone and video call technology….
Another reason to be thankful for technology !
I am thankful for technology.
I know technology has brought a lot of undesirable stuff into the inner sanctuary of our home, but the devil intends to bring his evil into every realm., and he uses every means and every angle….in every generation and every culture. We are wise to learn his standard operating procedures and learn to recognize them immediately, shutting him down before he gets his stinky foot in the door.
Sure, there is a lot of porn on the internet. But there are thousands of excellent sources for Chrisitians to learn and grow or be entertained.
Sure, email and Facebook etc. remove the face to face, up-close-and-personal ways of relating to others. But there are thousands of friendships that are born and grow from the cyber world of social networking. Hundreds of friends and relatives are re-connected and communicating on a regular basis, sharing their lives thru words and photographs or videos.
There are lots of negatives to the social technology of today. (….I seem to remember the same said of television and satellite recievers…) Some things are most certainly of an evil nature, but the way to block out evil is not to do away with television or internet. Instead, we must choose to use them wisely and in obedience to how God created us to live.
There’s a way to navigate away from bad web-sites, and there’s a channel changer and off switch on the television. We again get to choose, use it….for good or for evil.
“………… God created humankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes." (Ecc. 7:29)
Humans are capable of making a mess of pretty much anything. And there is a very real spiritual realm that will help us do just that.
“….here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”(Ecc. 12:13,14)
That includes what you do in your cyber-world.
I was almost finished with this reflection last night when the computer sitting across my lap began to sway and I realized that I’d just experienced an earthquake. For the next several minutes, I visited in cyberspace with people from miles away and from people close by, who had also felt the earth move and heard it groaning. Instantly, before the television news had anything to report, I heard from my friends all over Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas about the event.
A few weeks ago, my son and his family experienced an earthquake in New Jersey. In moments I knew about it, heard them share their experience, and knew they were ok. Cell phone and video call technology….
Another reason to be thankful for technology !
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Thankfullness #4
I am thankful for music .
I don’t remember the time that I did not sing. I grew up singing alto at church. I sang at many a wedding and funeral. I sang in talent shows, in the school choir….I sang along with records, 8 tracks, and transistor radios.
Glen Campbell was young and handsome, Rod Stewart was old and kinda weird…but I sang along with them both. I imagined myself as Connie Francis and Karen Carpenter…..
I am thankful now that I was neither one.
I can hardly remember when I couldn’t play the piano, even though I’ve never been an accomplished pianist.
My mother had an upright piano that her daddy bought her before she married and left home. It was hers, so it was ours, and it took up a big part of our living room for many years.
Somewhere along the way, she taught me to read the lines and spaces of music out of a church hymn book. The first song I learned to play was “What A Friend We Have In Jesus”.
He’s still the best Friend I have.
I thank Him this morning for how music ministers to my soul in ways that nothing else can.
I thank Him this morning for the love of music in both my husband and sons.
And I ask Him to use the love of music that He has placed within each of us for our good and His glory and honor.
After all, it was His idea……..
Friday, November 4, 2011
Thankfullness #3....
I am thankful for joy.
I almost said laughter, but laughter is not always something pleasant. Laughter can indicate derision or ridicule. Laughter can even hide pain.
There is no mistaking joy.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22)
Joy can be present even in the most difficult moments.
I’ve known people suffering, fighting for life…and witnessed joy. I think of my own hours of childbirth…certainly no laughter, but filled with joy.
Only God can bring joy out of circumstances that are unpleasant at best.
“….Messages of joy instead of news of doom, a praising heart instead of a languid spirit…..” (Isa. 61:3The Message)
Only God can redeem. And He can even redeem anxiousness, sorrow, and hurt, bringing about joy.
“ When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought joy to my soul. “(Ps. 94:19)
“You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in your Presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right Hand.”(Ps. 16:11)
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song. The LORD is the strength of His people…”(Ps. 28:7,8)
Thank You Lord for the joy You have brought to my heart and life.....the joy of my family, my friends, my home, Your marvelous creation all around me… Thank you for simple pleasures of life and the capacity You have given me to find joy in them.
I almost said laughter, but laughter is not always something pleasant. Laughter can indicate derision or ridicule. Laughter can even hide pain.
There is no mistaking joy.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22)
Joy can be present even in the most difficult moments.
I’ve known people suffering, fighting for life…and witnessed joy. I think of my own hours of childbirth…certainly no laughter, but filled with joy.
Only God can bring joy out of circumstances that are unpleasant at best.
“….Messages of joy instead of news of doom, a praising heart instead of a languid spirit…..” (Isa. 61:3The Message)
Only God can redeem. And He can even redeem anxiousness, sorrow, and hurt, bringing about joy.
“ When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought joy to my soul. “(Ps. 94:19)
“You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in your Presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right Hand.”(Ps. 16:11)
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song. The LORD is the strength of His people…”(Ps. 28:7,8)
Thank You Lord for the joy You have brought to my heart and life.....the joy of my family, my friends, my home, Your marvelous creation all around me… Thank you for simple pleasures of life and the capacity You have given me to find joy in them.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Thankfullness #2
11-3-11
I am thankful for being ‘churched’.
There was instilled in me a very strong sense of right and wrong, a recognition and submission to authority, and a knowledge of Biblical information and teaching.
For some time, I resented such tight boundaries, so many restrictions…and of the fear of not staying within the boundaries.
Now, I am so very thankful for those restrictions. Those boundaries kept me safe. Those restrictions prevented me from ever having the opportunity to make some bad choices….and that saved me a lot of heartache.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.”(Ps. 111:10)
Fear was the beginning of any wisdom I now have.
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”(John 8:26)
I now enjoy freedom. Now, I am not as apt to choose poorly, I am just a bit wiser than I was. Not as wise as I hope to become. It is a journey.
I’m definitely not there yet…..
I am thankful for being ‘churched’.
There was instilled in me a very strong sense of right and wrong, a recognition and submission to authority, and a knowledge of Biblical information and teaching.
For some time, I resented such tight boundaries, so many restrictions…and of the fear of not staying within the boundaries.
Now, I am so very thankful for those restrictions. Those boundaries kept me safe. Those restrictions prevented me from ever having the opportunity to make some bad choices….and that saved me a lot of heartache.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.”(Ps. 111:10)
Fear was the beginning of any wisdom I now have.
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”(John 8:26)
I now enjoy freedom. Now, I am not as apt to choose poorly, I am just a bit wiser than I was. Not as wise as I hope to become. It is a journey.
I’m definitely not there yet…..
Thankfullness...
11-1-11
I am challenging myself to post one thing I am thankful for as my status every day until Thanksgiving. Want to join me? Today I am thankful that I have a clearer understanding and more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ than I have had in the past, and thankful to know His love in a very real way.
11-2-11
I am thankful for the promises of scripture. Promises from a holy God who can not lie and will never forget nor fail.
“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
I can be sure that what God asks is always and only good. Whatever He asks, whatever difficulty I face, no matter what it ‘looks’ like….God’s plan for me is good.
I am thankful that He doesn’t take my failure as an out for Himself.
It is me who has the desire to quit, never ever Him. No matter how often I stumble or even fall flat on my face…He is willing and anxious to raise me up and continue forward.
(….there’s that song in my head again…. ‘movin’ on up….’…)
I am challenging myself to post one thing I am thankful for as my status every day until Thanksgiving. Want to join me? Today I am thankful that I have a clearer understanding and more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ than I have had in the past, and thankful to know His love in a very real way.
11-2-11
I am thankful for the promises of scripture. Promises from a holy God who can not lie and will never forget nor fail.
“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
I can be sure that what God asks is always and only good. Whatever He asks, whatever difficulty I face, no matter what it ‘looks’ like….God’s plan for me is good.
I am thankful that He doesn’t take my failure as an out for Himself.
It is me who has the desire to quit, never ever Him. No matter how often I stumble or even fall flat on my face…He is willing and anxious to raise me up and continue forward.
(….there’s that song in my head again…. ‘movin’ on up….’…)
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