The Thousand Word Project - Embers of the Day

Psalm 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep:

for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. 

Is Today A Sad or Lonely Day?

If today is a sad day, a lonely day, a hard day for you, know this - there is One who sees your struggle and His love for you is greater than any human love ever could be. Faint not, weary one; you are of much value to Him. He sees, He cares, and He will be with you in your time of difficulty.

Lamentations 3:21-26  This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

Matthew 14:27  But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

This may not be a cheerful day for you by the world's standards, but knowing that Jesus Christ is with you is a good reason to be of good cheer.

----

It Is Jesus

There is a Voice through Earth's wild clamor calling,
To all the heavy laden and oppressed,
Sweet as the cooling dew at even falling;
"Come unto Me and rest."

It is the voice of Jesus still entreating,
To all the comfortless and all the sad;
Day after day His tender call repeating,
"Come unto Me and I will make you glad."

There is a Hand outstretched in tenderest pity,
Where all the weary and the wandering roam,
Waiting to lead them to the heavenly city,
To bring the homeless Home.

It is the hand of Jesus, still upholding,
Strong to deliver, mighty still to keep;
And none shall pluck from out that safe enfolding,
The weakest one of all His blood-bought sheep.

There is a Form that walks life's stormy ocean,
Bidding the noise of wind and tempest cease;
Crying along through all the wild commotion,
"In Me ye shall have peace."

Oh, it is Jesus coming o'er the waters,
As once He walked the waves of Galilee,
Speaking to all earth's shipwrecked sons and daughters,
"Be not afraid; have faith, have faith in Me."

There is a Love that longs with deep affection
To gather all the sin-sick sons of men,
Beneath its wings of shelter and protection,
And give them health again.

It is the love of Jesus, sweet with longing,
His full salvation to the world to give;
Crying to all the dead, earth's highways thronging,
"Come unto Me, come unto Me and live."

by Annie Johnson Flint

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

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Evening Song - The Peace of God

Because tomorrow may be a hard day for some people...

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

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A New Page of Short Poems

Poppies. Central Texas.

I added a new collection of short poems at The Home Maker's Corner.

The Place of Peace

At the heart of the cyclone, tearing the sky

And flinging clouds and the towers by

Is the place of central calm;

So here in the roar of mortal things

I have a place where my spirit sings,

In the hollow of God's hand.

- Edwin Markham -

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Read More.

Thoughts for Troubled Times

 

Worth Repeating
First published here Aug. 2014
Edited.

There is so much sorrow and misery and tragedy in the world lately, what with news sources and people posting things on social media one can quickly be overwhelmed by it all. While I strongly encourage prayer for various situations, and especially for the true Christians in places such as Ukraine, West Africa and Iraq, in all honesty, I don’t believe that the Lord would want us to dwell on these things. I have two reasons for saying this.

One is obvious: Philippians 4:6-9  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

The other reason is because throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry we find Him only rarely talking about “current events.” Obviously He cared about people, but He seemed to focus primarily on those who were in front of Him at the moment. “God so loved the world”, but Jesus didn’t come the first time to set all wrongs right, and He didn’t even try. He came to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10), and He did that with all His might, so to speak. In essence we were commanded to continue that commission until He comes to finally set this world straight Himself. 

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be moved with compassion and pray for those in tribulation. We should. But it is not our focus nor our job to fix the whole world or save it from itself. Spreading gruesome photos all over the internet and even supporting organizations of doubtful reputation thinking that we’re helping doesn’t seem like a useful fulfillment of “the great commission”, as it’s called, nor of ministering to the saints. (Besides, I can’t help wondering if spreading the horrible photos doesn’t inspire some evil people to even greater wickedness, rather than inhibiting them.  In some instances it seems more like aiding their evil cause than stopping it. It’s something to think about anyway.)

This poem by Annie Johnson Flint has been a real blessing to me on a number of occasions. It is such a timely and helpful reminder of where our thoughts should be focused in the midst of both our personal struggles and the turmoil of this present wicked world. It also tends to remind me that things haven’t gotten worse as much as we might imagine sometimes. She wrote this sometime in the late 1800s, but her description of the world was just as appropriate then as now.

When I Think of Thee

When I think of just myself and my little cares,
Looming large and crowding close, hindering my prayers,
Of my weakness and my sins, I am sore depressed;
Weary, weary grows my thought; I can find no rest.

When I think upon the world and its many woes -
Hunger, misery and crime - how the long list grows!
Greed and hatred and unrest, strifes that never cease,
Weary, weary grows my thought; I can find no peace.

When I meditate on Thee and Thy works, O Lord,
On Thy strength and majesty, on Thy changeless word;
On Thy Steadfast faithfulness, reaching to the sky;
On Thy patient, watchful care over such as I;
On Thine everlasting love, high and strong and deep;
On Thy wisdom and Thy truth and Thy power to keep;
When I think of what Thou art and what Thy power has done;
When I number all the gifts given in Thy Son --
I forget the things that pass in the things that bide,
And my soul can rest in peace, fed and satisfied.

Annie Johnson Flint

This is a wonderful reminder of the blessedness that we can enjoy when we focus our thoughts in the right place. May God help us to do this.

Psalms 63:5-6  My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:  When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

Malachi 3:16  Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Psalms 37:35-40  I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.  Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

You Can't Hurry Through Grief - A Short Thought

One of the weird things about grief is how it ebbs and flows. It ebbs and we think that it's lessening and now things will be better and we can move forward. Then something happens and it flows freely again. Sometimes the oddest things will set this off. It can be discouraging and exhausting. We may be in a hurry to get past this painful point, and then feel guilty for wanting to feel better. 

The thing is, God doesn't hurry. Neither does He stay always in one place. It is ok to feel and then to move on as well. Let's rest in the knowledge that the Lord knows exactly where we are in our process and He knows what will affect us deeply and what will not. He allows these things to touch us for reasons we don't always understand. Let's leave our grief timeline with Him knowing that He will in any eventuality give us the comfort that we need when we need it.

Psalm 31:15 My times are in thy hand...

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation...

Like A River Glorious

Like a river glorious is God's perfect peace,
Over all victorious in its bright increase,
Perfect, yet it floweth fuller every day;
Perfect, yet it groweth deeper all the way.

Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest,
Finding as He promised
Perfect peace and rest.

Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand;
Never foe can follow, never traitor stand;
Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care;
Not a blast of hurry touch the spirit there.

Every joy or trial falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love;
We may trust Him fully all for us to do,
They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.

- By Frances Ridley Havergal

Songs of Comfort and Peace

There are a lot of sad and lonely people right now for various reasons. This is a common time of year for some people to feel alone or depressed. Most of all this has been a very hard year for a lot of us. Here is a collection of hymns and spiritual songs to lift you heart and mind up in the name of the Lord.

Psalm 42:6-11 O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. 

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Evening Song - Fear Not Tomorrow

Psalm 32:7-11 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. 

John 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 

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He's Helping Me Now - A Poem by Annie Johnson Flint

Psalm 121:2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. 

He's Helping Me Now

He's helping me now--this moment,
Though I may not see it or hear,
Perhaps by a friend far distant,
Perhaps by a stranger near,
Perhaps by a spoken message
Perhaps by the printed word;
In ways that I know and know not
I have the help of the Lord.

He's keeping me now--this moment,
However I need it most,
Perhaps by a single angel,
Perhaps by a mighty host,
Perhaps by the chain that frets me,
Or the walls that shut me in;
In ways that I know or know not
He keeps me from harm and sin.

He's guiding me now--this moment,
In pathways easy or hard,
Perhaps by a door wide open,
Perhaps by a door fast barred,
Perhaps by a joy withholden
Perhaps by a gladness given;
In ways that I know and know not,
He's leading me up to heaven.

He's using me now--this moment,
And whether I go or stand,
Perhaps by a plan accomplished
Perhaps when he stays my hand,
Perhaps by a word in season
Perhaps by a silent prayer;
In ways that I know and know not,
His labor of love I share.

--Annie Johnson Flint

Psalm 146:5-6 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 

Thoughts from the Past: Crippling Fear

[Originally published, 7/2012; Edited, Dec. 2017.]

Proverbs 24:10  If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

Deuteronomy 33:27  The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms…

Last Sunday evening a thunder shower started during the church meeting and kept on for a long time.  It was still going when we were leaving the building to head home. My friend Michelle and her littlest girl, Lucy, were going out the door at the same time I was. Another lady – a guest – was trying to help some with Lucy as she was starting to cry. Lucy started howling even more, and, assuming that it was partly because this lady was a stranger to her, I stepped in and picked Lucy up to carry her out. Well, she continued to cry and then began to writhe as toddlers will sometimes when they want to be put down. So, I put her down. To my consternation, she almost promptly fell over onto the cement. She was acting like she couldn’t function. I tried to lift her onto her feet, but she wouldn’t use her legs, she just kept them bent. 

All this time her mom, whose arms were full was saying encouraging things, but Lucy paid no attention to her. Eventually, when I was trying to hold her up and she was refusing to stand, her dad saw what was happening came out to assist, saying he would get her. I didn’t dare let go of her till he had her in his hands because she would have fallen backwards and hit her head on the cement.

She continued to cry as her dad paused to talk a minute, explaining to me that she was scared of the thunder. Still, she would put her head down on her dad’s shoulder and let him comfort her a bit, but when the thunder crashed again (and it wasn’t really loud thunder), she would howl and writhe and maybe even throw herself around a bit as if she wanted to be put down. She was perfectly safe in his arms. He wasn’t going to put her down – that would have only meant another fall for her as her fear was so overwhelming that she apparently forgot how to walk when it happened. But, she wouldn’t be comforted, she wouldn’t be assured, she would not rest in the safety of her father’s arms and be at peace. As the lady who had tried to help earlier said, Lucy probably was frightened because she did not understand the storm.

Speaking to my husband later about this little by-play, it crossed my mind how we are like that at times with our heavenly Father. Something happens that we don’t understand, or perhaps we are made frightened by events going on around us in the world or are fearful about the future; but rather than standing on our own two legs of faith, as it were, we begin to thrash around and stumble and become so overcome with our fear that we even fall and may injure ourselves, figuratively speaking. Fear can have very real physical effects. It can be debilitating. 

Perhaps our brothers or sisters in Christ see it is necessary to come along side of us and try to help to keep us on our feet, though that is a blessing, there is only so much they can do, especially when we refuse to be helped.

Ultimately, we need to rest in the everlasting arms of our heavenly Father. Yet, how often do we thrash and howl and writhe even while the Lord is trying to bring peace and comfort to our troubled minds and hearts! How apt we are to resist the very One who is …the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;  2 Corinthians 1:3! We are so overwhelmed by our own terror that we can’t realize that we are safe in the arms of God, and even more we fail to hear His word and believe it. We can’t even comprehend it because we are allowing ourselves to be governed by the spirit of fear.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 

Fear is a natural response in some situations, and it is a useful reaction to keep us from injuring ourselves, attempting foolish things, going into dangerous situations and such like. When people say that “fear is sin” in a blanket statement they are misrepresenting the thing, which is unhelpful. But, fear is also something that can be totally unfounded, irrational, or exaggerated far beyond what a situation may call for. This is why our adversary uses it to his advantage.

1 Peter 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 

The roaring of the lion causes fear and panic in those who are candidates to be his victims. But, as Christians we are told to be sober and vigilant – not so panic stricken that we can’t function properly. I know this can be very hard. As a person who deals with anxiety struggles, I know that it can be very easy to allow ourselves to be overwhelmed to the point of uncontrollable fear.

I find it interesting to note the verses just before and just after 1 Peter 5:8. First regarding the Lord, it tells us: 1 Peter 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. And, then regarding the roaring adversary it continues in 1 Peter 5:9, Whom resist stedfast in the faith…

Getting back to little Lucy, though, and her refusal to accept her father’s comfort and care, another verse comes to mind. Colossians 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

The key there is in the letting. God gives us a choice in this matter. Lucy’s father could not make her be comforted or at peace. She had to choose that. As a toddler, this was something hard for her to do. We understand that, and I’m sure our heavenly Father understands our struggle as well since …he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. Psalms 103:14 That is a blessing. But, I know Lucy’s dad would have liked to see her accept her safety in his arms and be at rest. How much more do you think our heavenly Father would be blessed to see us rest in His infinite, all powerful, sustaining arms? How much more does He know that it is for our good to accept His admonition to let His peace rule in our hearts?

Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Vintage graphic: source unknown

Was Jesus Homeless?

Something that has come across my path from time to time in various ways is the idea that Jesus was a homeless person. This is used to make Him "relate-able" to homeless people, but I think it is primarily intended to make Christians feel guilty about how they treat the homeless.

Ministering to the poor is an important duty. It is mentioned in the New Testament a number of times. We also see God having pity upon the poor and encouraging us to do so over and over in scripture.

Galatians 2:10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. 

Proverbs 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. 

Psalm 9:17-18 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.

But, in our zeal to acknowledge the suffering of the homeless it is not appropriate to misrepresent the Lord Jesus Christ.

The thing is that Jesus wasn't homeless. I think that people get the idea He was from this verse:

Matthew 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 

He had nowhere to lay His head on this earth, but heaven was still His home. He left His home to come and save us.

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

It was still his father's house, and it was His home. He voluntarily gave up the comforts of His home to be a servant, to walk in the dirt and grime of this world, and to minister; ultimately to bring us eternal salvation. He endured many privations, the suffering of life on this earth, and the horrible death of the cross so that He could make heaven our home too!

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

1 Peter 2:21-25 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

Because Jesus Christ did all that for us, we are called to follow His example.

We are also told to be content with food and raiment.

1 Timothy 6:6-8 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 

If you don't have a house, or a car, or a bank account, or property, but only the clothes on your back and some "daily bread," you still have a home if your are a child of God by faith in Jesus Christ. Your home is heaven.

Oh, that is so easy to say and so terribly hard to live out in real life. I have heard and read of believers who were actually homeless and living on the street. This may happen for a number of reasons, and war and persecutions have been two that have caused this throughout the history of the church. In ancient Rome during the severe persecutions a lot of Christians even lived in the tombs under the city - the catacombs, as they are called (which takes some of the awfulness off of the face of it because that word isn't commonly used).

Hebrews 11:37-38 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

My own family was once "homeless" for a few months when a man told my dad to move to California because he had a job and a house for him there. My dad loaded us up (we were four total at the time) and we drove out west from Michigan, only to discover that there was no job and no house. We were just about 7 months home from the missionfield at the time and my dad had thought this was God's leading, so it must have hit him pretty hard. Well, it was the Lord's will, but we had to wait for three months. Thankfully, the man who got us into the mess opened his home for us to live in, but those were difficult days. [Eventually the Lord opened up a place for my dad to serve as a pastor. It was his first pastorate and possibly his best, but we had to go through that trial of not having an earthly home of our own to get there. And, by the way, pastors who live in parsonages do not own "homes" anyway. We lived in that situation for many years.]

I have also known missionaries who lived in very limited situations - in tiny cinder block houses, in a small space within a church building or Bible Institute building, in tiny apartments, in mud houses, in jungle huts, etc. None of them were places they could really call their own. This is part of following the example of Jesus Christ to do His will.

These are the sort of things that happen sometimes to pilgrims who are on a journey to their eternal home. Because we are not called to have nice houses and comfortable lives all the time, or even most of the time in some cases, we often learn to look more hopefully and joyfully to the future home in heaven. Probably this is what the Lord intends by allowing these situations. But no matter the circumstances, we are never really "homeless" and even the best that this world has to offer should be nothing but a temporary dwelling place for us while we "...look for a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Hebrews 11:10

1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 

Hebrews 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. 

We are strangers and pilgrims on this earth, but we have a home in heaven and someday we are going to go there.

Jesus was not "homeless" and neither are we.

---

The Lights of Home

O the friends that now are waiting,
In the cloudless realms of day,
Who are calling me to follow
Where their steps have led the way;
They have laid aside their armor,
And their earthly course is run;
They have kept the faith with patience
And their crown of life is won.

Refrain:
They are calling, gently calling,
Sweetly calling me to come,
And I’m looking through the shadows
For the blessèd lights of home.

They have laid aside their armor
For the robe of spotless white;
And with Jesus they are walking
Where the river sparkles bright.
We have labored here together,
We have labored side by side,
Just a little while before me
They have crossed the rolling tide.

On those dear familiar faces
There will be no trace of care;
Every sigh was hushed forever
At the palace gate so fair.
I shall see them, I shall know them,
I shall hear their song of love,
And we’ll all sing hallelujah
In our Father’s house above.

- Fanny J. Crosby

---

Since Yesterday 

Along the golden streets
A stranger walks tonight
With wonder in his heart --
Faith blossomed into sight.

He walks and stops and stares,
And walks and stares again.
Vistas of loveliness
Beyond the dreams of men.

He who once was weak,
And often shackled to a bed,
Now climbs eternal hills
With light and easy tread.

He has escaped at last
The cruel clutch of pain;
His lips shall never taste
Her bitter cup again.

O never call him dead,
This buoyant one and free,
Whose daily portion is
Delight and ecstasy!

Now bows in speechless joy
Before the feet of Him
Whom, seeing not, he loved
While yet his sight was dim.

Along the golden streets
No stranger walks today,
But one who, long homesick,
Is home at last, to stay!


- Martha Snell Nicholson

Also see: The Road that Leads Home

Evening Song - Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee

Photo by Stephen Van Nattan.  Graphic work by Mary Stephens.

Evening Song - Peace Medley

Evening Song – Gentle Voice

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.

Evening Song – I Could Not Do Without Thee

Hebrews 13:5  …he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.



Cades Cove, Tenn.

Evening Song - You Are My Hiding Place

 

Psalms 32:7  Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

Arizona

Evening Song- Face to Face

1 John 3:2-3  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Evening Song – Like A River Glorious

 

Psalms 46:4  There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

John 4:13-14  Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

A Morning Visit In Our Garden

 

Since I missed yesterday’s post and didn’t have anything scheduled for tomorrow, I thought I’d combine the two with a little talk about the garden and accompanying photos.  I took the photos another morning this month but a little later in the morning, not the one I’m telling about here.
---------------------------

Pride of Barbados

This time of year in the Texas Hill Country the best time of day is early in the morning before the sun comes up and just after.  The air is still cool then and if there’s a breeze at all it’s almost intoxicating compared to the heat of the afternoons.  There’s a good reason why people compare good news or events to “a breath of fresh air”!  It puts something into you that it’s hard to get otherwise.  Plus, since we’ve had more rain this year (thank the Lord!!), it’s still quite green out there, and the garden is bursting.  Our little spot here is so pretty that sometimes I think it’s like some pretty camp ground or “in the rough” park.  It’s hard for me to get inspired to go sleep in a tent when our own yard is so lovely right outside my own bedroom. :-)

Yesterday morning I just couldn’t stay in bed knowing all that good fresh air was going to waste, and since I couldn’t sleep any more anyway for various reasons, I got up.  I opened a couple windows and turned on a fan at the opposite end of the house to get as much of that goodness inside as I could before it was gone.  Then I went out to work in the garden.

It’s so peaceful at that hour.  My fan was maybe the only “noise pollution” I could hear.  :-) The birds were singing, a rooster crowing in the distance,  maybe a peacock calling – it was all very idyllic and pastoral.  On mornings like that I think we get a little taste of how God meant this world to be, don’t you?  Genesis 2:8  And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

I went to the garden for the purpose of picking yellow beans which my dad had told me were ready to pick.  At first I couldn’t find the plants.  He has planted things very crowded this year to help conserve water.  I think it’s working, but I’m not sure how we’re going to pick some of the stuff when it’s ready!  It’s a challenge now, but it’ll be a regular jungle when the plants are all grown.

I saw a butterfly that I think was just newly out of it’s chrysalis.  It may have been a day or two old, but the wings looked so bright and fresh to me that I think it was a brand new one.  I wished I’d taken my camera, but I was trying to focus on the work that morning (no pun intended), so I didn’t get any pictures.  :-)

I wished for it again shortly.  I heard something in the woods, but I didn’t see it so I wandered down to the end of the garden past Daddy’s gigantic non-GMO corn.  There I heard something else up toward the property line and saw an animal come leaping down toward where I was, but it was on the lower side of the fence.  (Our property has a fence around it and across it so that we can keep the donkeys on the lower property away from the houses.)  It turned out to be a fawn and it stopped and looked all around for a few moments so I got to really enjoy it.  I stood very still!  One of the dogs saw it and came running, but thankfully she can’t get through the fence there.  The fawn is much safer from the dogs on the lower side of the fence because the donkeys hate the dog and won’t let her chase the deer.  If she goes down there, she gets chased herself.  :-)

I ended up picking some sweet potato leaves for our dinner and a few peppers that were ripe. Then I looked around a bit more and finally found the yellow beans.  I didn’t know how many there would be so I went and got a basket to pick them into since my colander was partially full by then.  It wasn’t a lot, but I got some good stretching and squats in trying not to step on all the plants around the beans.  I’d rather get them that way than doing my exercises. Ha.  ;-)

I also watered a couple flower beds while I was out and at the end swept the steps and sidewalk.  Before I went in Mom showed up and we had a nice natter.  We “solved” a few problems and enjoyed the fresh air and breeze.  :-)  It was lovely. 

This weather won’t last much longer.  Early mornings won’t be this cool before too long, so I want to drink them in as much as I can before they end.  Some years they end earlier than this, so I’m extra thankful to the Lord that we’re still having it now.  “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.  Praise Him all creatures here below…”

Come and look.

Aji Dulce peppers
They look and taste like habaneros, but with very little heat!

Squash blossom

South Indies cucumber blossom.
Isn’t this an amazing flower?  I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it.
An added bonus of getting out early is that there are some blossoms in the garden that will wilt when the day heats up.

Noodle beans
Yes, they really are that long.
I picked these another day.

Noodle bean blossom

Thoughts from the Past – Childless By God’s Choice

By Mrs. Robin R.
[Robin is unable to have any children of her own.]

In the Bible there are several examples of barren women…Sarai, Rachel, Manoah’s wife, Hannah…to name a few. But if you carefully study the lives of these women, you will find that they were barren only for a season. Albeit, barrenness for any amount of time can seem like an eternity!

What about those of us who are truly barren and will not ever conceive? Can there be any contentment in our lives?…

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