Creatures Great and Small - Love that Yarrow

 

Yarrow. Tennessee

Guest Post - The Parable of the Lavender

The Parable of the Lavender

By an Anonymous friend
2023

Proverbs 3:5-8 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

Editor's note: Sometimes one of the hardest things we have to deal with in life is being content where we're planted. It is so easy to look back at some place in the past where we think life was better, or to look at someone else's life and think that it is better. It can be a real temptation to imagine, when things are hard, that we would do better in a different situation, a different location, different circumstances than where God has us.

 

A friend of mine was struggling with just such discontent when the Lord prompted her to think about this parable. She is not a gardening expert, so some of the flowers don't necessarily grow together normally, but I think you can still get the message.

 

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

   

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Once upon a time, God planted lavender in a garden and she thrived. She grew and flourished and loved her neighbors - the beautiful smelling rosemary and the hydrangea with her giant purple blooms, much larger than her own. Each morning their master would come smell lavender and hydrangea and pick a few sprigs from rosemary for his meals. Daily, lavender, rosemary and hydrangea would talk of the ways of God and encourage each other to stand up tall, soak up the sun and be the best they could be to delight the God who planted them there and bring their master joy.

As lavender settled into this routine, she began to notice the plants in the field across the way.  It was much greener over there - a far contrast the the browns that surrounded her. The papyrus, marigold and blue iris were surrounded by deep greens and tall horsetail. What diverse colors they had! Surely she could plant herself in that field and serve God there - after all, they were all once together and so close. They were family whom she dearly missed each day of her life. She remembered vividly their beginnings long ago in the greenhouse and did not understand why God separated them.

Continue Reading here.

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More Lessons from the Garden.

Evening Song - Melody Medley

 
Ephesians 5:18-20 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 

Psalm 149:1 Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. 

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Tennessee Memories - Balloons In the Garden

 

Balloon Flowers

Evening Song - Yes, I Know

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

1 John 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Revelation 1:5-6 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 

1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

 

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Tennessee Memories - Red Hollyhocks

 

So Many Hurting People

Sometimes it feels like every time we go to church meeting or answer the phone or look at a text message or read an email, there is some pain or suffering or burden. Whether it's the sorrow of seeing people we know and love walking away from the truth or someone we care about who is dealing with health or personal difficulties or tragedy. The adversary is very busy these days making conflict and trouble for anyone who is even trying at little to follow Jesus Christ.

Some days it's hard to keep lifting when we are so often in the midst of our own struggles. Yet this is the very thing that we should do in obedience to the Lord and because we are His disciples.

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 

This song reminded me of why we need to keep helping one another and those who need redemption through Christ.

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The Voice of One Who Wept

Today I heard the voice of one who wept
In far off lands
Because of sin and misery,
And begged with outstretched hands
For one small lamp to light his dark.
Now fain I would have slept,
So - stopped my ears, but in my heart
That sobbing voice still wept.

And then I heard the voice of one who
Counted not the cost,
But left His ivory palaces to seek and
Save the lost.
He said, "The sound of one who weeps
Is coming up to Me.
Dost thou forget that last command
Which I gave unto Thee,
To preach my Word to all the world?"

O, bitter be our shame!
Still hopeless millions walk the earth
Who never heard His Name,
And still the world spends lavishly
In every crowded mart,
And still the voice of Him who wept
Is sobbing in my heart!

by Martha Snell Nicholson

Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 

Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

Through good report and evil, Lord,
Still guided by Thy faithful Word,
Our staff, our buckler and our sword,
We follow Thee.

In silence of the lonely night,
In the full glow of day's clear light,
Through life's strange windings, dark or bright,
We follow Thee.

Horatius Bonar

Isaiah 35:3-4 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. 

I must tell Jesus all of my trials;

I cannot bear these burdens alone;

In my distress He kindly will help me;

He ever loves and cares for His own.

Tempted and tried, I need a great Savior;

One who can help my burdens to bear;

I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus;

He all my cares and sorrows will share.

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!

I cannot bear my burdens alone;

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!

Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.

Elisha Hoffman

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Evening Song - Who Is On the Lord's Side?

Exodus 32:26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. 

John 6:67-69 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. 

2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 

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I do not know what African choir this is.

Tennessee Memories - Crossvine

 
1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 

Letters to My Friend - Believer, Are You Resting In Christ's Finished Work

Dear Friend,

Are you going through a really rough time? Are the comforts of life that you have enjoyed all gone? Do you feel like you have been stripped of everything that you could do or hold or show as your works for God? Does it seem like you have no blessings left to show how great God is? Perhaps you’ve lost your house, your health, a child, your spouse, your best friend, or more. Maybe you have lost your faith in other people because of the things you have suffered.

If the answer is yes, then you are at a very crucial turning point in your life. You will choose one of two things. You will cast yourself wholly upon God and recognize that all you ever had was from Him to begin with, and it was not earned by you. Or you will become defeated through false pride and self-justification (like Job), blaming God for what He has allowed you to go through after all the good things you did for Him.

If you are not truly born again and all your good works and valiant striving to do the right things, have the right things, give to the Lord, and make something of yourself spiritually were your own efforts. They were done to prove to yourself, others, and God - in that order - that you are saved when you are not.

If this could be you, then you need to sit down and study through the gospel of John and 1 John with someone who is actually saved and find out if you truly believe. [Also, please read the story of Theresa's salvation under similar circumstances.] You need to ask God to give you "...the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe..." (Romans 3:22) You need to be sure of your salvation. You need to be a “know-so” Christian. Anything short of this will leave you in the same mess you are in already.

But, this letter is more specifically to those who are born again, but are not resting in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Continue Reading.

Evening Song - Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting

Psalm 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him...

Psalm 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. 

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Colossians 2:9-10 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 

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Tennessee Memories - Wild Roses In the Hedge