Oil of Joy for Mourning - by Martha Snell Nicholson

 

Oil of Joy for Mourning

When mother gave me medicine

She always used to say,

"Here is a lump of sugar, dear,

To take the taste away."

Through all my life the LORD has poured

His oil of joy for me

Until my cup was running o'er,

So bountiful was He.

When I must drink some bitter draft

Of sorrow or of pain,

How quickly to my lips He puts

His cup of joy again!

Martha Snell Nicholson

Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Evening Song - Good Old Gospel Singing

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 

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Texas Memories - Hot August Evening

Psalm 65:8 They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. 

August 2026 Writing and Journaling Challenge

Make a list of small ways to bless or encourage children and/or teens.

In the next few weeks a lot of children and young people will be headed back to school. This is a good time to think about some little ways to be a blessing to them. In the last decade or so, it has become more and more common for people to do big, grand gesture type things for children - trips to Disney World, cruises, excursions to expensive and exciting places, etc.

I think sometimes that social media and the deadly comparison disease have made people do things that make them feel like their "keeping up" with others, rather than thinking about the things that really matter. Occasional adventures are not necessarily bad, depending on what it is and why you're doing it, but sometimes the simple things are the ones that will have the lasting benefits and blessing in the kids' lives.

Continue Reading.

Evening Song - Victory In Jesus

1 Corinthians 15:55-58 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us. 

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The Thousand Word Project - Roses Are Red

 

Short Thought - Are We Given What We Can Handle?

 

2 Corinthians 5:7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

I'm tired of seeing and hearing people put forth the idea that "God only gives us what we can handle." That's a lie. If we only ever got what we could handle where would the "living by faith" come in? Being given more than we can handle kind of is the whole point. It drives us to cast ourselves upon the power and strength of the Lord. Life will always be more than we can handle in some ways.

God gives us more than we can handle so that we will learn to cast our burden on Him. 

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

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Jesus told us that we would have tribulation and conflict in this life.

John 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Matthew 10:34-36  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 

Our trials and weaknesses and sorrows are opportunities for God to show us how much strength and comfort He has and wants to give to us if we will let Him.

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.