Worth Repeating - Hard Questions - Should We Power Through?

Photo by Mike Van Nattan

1 Peter 1:24-25 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

2 Corinthians 12:9 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.

Are you weary of hearing that we should just "power through" or "push through?"

Got pain or chronic illness? Power through.
Going through hard times? Power through.
Grieving? Power through.
Financially destroyed? Power through.
Depressed? Power through.

What an utterly hopeless answer.

I wonder what people really think we are, or what they think they are themselves. God clearly says that ...all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. He also tells us our life is but ...a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (James 4:14)  

It is true that all power is given unto Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18), and we ...can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth... us (Philippians 4:13).

But, does that justify "powering through" in every situation? 

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Evening Song - He Is A Faithful God

Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 

1 Corinthians 15:58 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. 

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September 2026 Writing and Journaling Challenge

 

Me, my mom, my sister circa 1990.

Write about a sweet memory of a departed loved one.

I think the prompt is pretty clear, so I'll just leave you to it if you happen to be participating. If you make a blog post or Facebook post about it, please let me know, if you feel like it. :-) 

You can find the link to download the free printable for this month HERE.

Texas Memories - Good Morning, Glory

Evening Song - He Leadeth Me

Psalm 23:1-3 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

John 10:2-3 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 

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Sew Happy Saturday - Make A Mat with Tiny Scraps

It's been a good while since I posted a sewing videos here. This one is a fairly straightforward design to make a mat using up tiny scraps. You can turn off the sound if you don't like the music. There's no talking.

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Tennessee Memories - A Touch of Green

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 

Everlasting Glory Unto Jesus Be

 

Everlasting Glory unto Jesus Be

Everlasting glory

Unto Jesus be!

Sing aloud the story

Of His victory!

How He left the splendor

Of His home on high,

Came in love so tender,

On the cross to die.

Yes! He came from heaven,

Suffered in our stead;

Praise to Him be given,

“Firstborn from the dead!”

Jesus, meek and lowly,

Came the lost to save;

He, the Victim holy,

Triumphed o'er the grave.

Christ is Lord of glory,

Sing we now today;

Tell abroad the story;

Own His rightful sway!

Sing aloud; and never

Cease to spread His fame;

Triumph, now and ever,

In the Savior's Name.

Hannah K. Burlingham

 

Colossians 1:12-20 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Evening Song - Sweet Hour of Prayer

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

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Texas Memories - Firebush

Thoughts from the Past - Two Kinds of Trees

Roane County Park, Tennessee

Two Kinds of Trees

Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. 7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

A pastor friend of ours preached at both a funeral and a wedding on one weekend. He was highly praised by various people after both events. This is not because he's some kind of Baptist wonder boy or the next John MacArthur. His strength is only in the fact that he trusts and hopes in the LORD, so he has access to the water. He strives to be faithful in giving God's word to saints and sinners because of that.

Those flatterers - and it was nothing but flattery, for as he put it, "somewhat less than one" of them showed up Sunday at the church fellowship he pastors - but, those flatterers' problem is that they trust in man and the arm of flesh, and have departed from God. They are in a desert spiritually. They get all excited when someone passes by and spills some water on them from his full bucket, but the next day or so they've forgotten all about it.

Now if you ever tried to water plants in a desert area you know how that works. Parched ground in a desert place can absorb water with great speed and require more again tomorrow or it "forgets" it had any. And, when a large amount is dumped on it at one time, it often runs off at a fierce rate and leaves little lasting benefit.

Proverbs 30:15 …There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: 16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.

So it is with those who trust in man. They recognize the water when it comes near them, but no lasting benefit comes from it. Their roots are in parched places. They seem to drink it up but in a day or two they're as dry as ever. (By the way, there a lot of people like this, and they are not all in dead beat churches!) 

[As a side note:  God’s word does not return unto Him void, Isaiah 55:11.  It will accomplish something for Him.  Maybe some of these people will one day have a desperate need and will remember where the water is, or perhaps it will serve for “evidence for the prosecution” when they stand in judgment before God.]

In the Arizona desert south of Tucson there are many mesquite trees. They are usually rather runted as trees go. They are scrubby and not usually well developed. They survive in that dry, hard soil and they are better than nothing, but they aren't much either. They provide a little shade and a little food for animals.

My parents, though, once had the opportunity to see what mesquite trees could do when planted by water. They found a spot where the trees are growing right by a river where many gallons of water must be available to their roots. Never had they seen such mesquite trees as those! Big, huge trees like oaks - well developed and beautiful. Obviously they never suffer from drought.

The trees up on the desert plain have no idea what good things an abundance of water would do for them. The ones in the river bed have no concept of drought. The ones in the desert are small and emaciated both to preserve water and from the lack thereof. The ones by the waters know not heat nor drought. They flourish.

And so it is with people. Those who have walked away from the Lord, His word and His ways and are trusting in man and the flesh, live in a barren wilderness but cannot realize it. Those who trust and hope in the Lord find continual water to bear fruit and green leaves even in these days when spiritual drought has covered the globe! May God grant us the strength to follow hard after Him, to hope and trust in Him, that we may be among those who do not feel the heat or drought of these times!

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water... 13 ...Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 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.

-------------
Written Sept. 5, 2006; edited Sept. 2012.

Evening Song - The Great Redeemer

Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 

Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 

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Texas Memories - That Cloudy Evening

Psalm 113:3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name is to be praised. 

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.

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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.