The LORD is Good!

"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."

Lamentations 3:22

This past Sunday evening one of our missionaries from India, brother Temple Meek and his family, visited our church. He spoke of the work there in India and told us about the many gods the Indian people worship. India is mostly Hindu. He said the gods which are in the thousands are like men: they fight, envy, become jealous, and are bitter towards one another etc. Of course this is in the minds of the Indian people. But I was thinking how sad it is to have no hope. Their gods bring no hope to them and there is no hope for a home in heaven, sense they believe in reincarnation. How great that we have a God that is not like a man for he is merciful when he could consume us, and he is compassionate when we do not deserve it. His mercies and compassion are new every day. What a wonderful God we serve and what a blessing it is to have peace in my heart and a hope for the future. How blessed we are.

" Oh Give thanks to the LORD for he is good: his mercy endureth for ever." Psalm 136:1

Painting

My children, that is two of them anyway, take piano. Their teacher Lynn is the sweetest person. She is one of those people that just warms your heart when your around them. It is amazing how God puts people in your life in places you never dreamed.

Lynn teaches piano out of her house on Mondays. On other days of the week she and her cousin continue the cake business that their grandmother left them. She lives in what I believe to be her grandmothers old house. The house is one of those farm houses with the big country porch with swings and rockers; you know, were people use to stop and visit one another. The good old slow days ,where people took time to relax. The house is situated on the top of a hill overlooking pastures. The sky just seems so much bigger up there. My boys take piano, mom relaxes, and enjoys the beauty of God's creation. If Lynn knew how much I enjoyed her yard she might charge me for therapy.(: In the warmer months there seems to always be a cool breeze blowing up the hill. Aw www... how peaceful.

Well on one of those therapeutic days in spring, her dogwoods were in bloom. I had my camera with me and could not resist. The sky was a bright cobalt blue, as you can see from the photo. It was just breathtaking! Latter I decided to paint Lynn's blooms, and God's sky (yes, I know the blooms are God's, all of creation was created by him and for him, but you get what I mean.(: This painting was the most fun and relaxing; I did not worry with drawing it all out, I just painted. I enjoy impressionist painting; I know this disturbs some of my friends, but I love the bright colors, and the technique. I most enjoy works by Claude Monet, Renoir, Sisley, Degas and Seurat. (: I know my realist friends may not appreciate this as much, but thank you for loving me anyway. This painting puts a smile on my face every time I look at it and it brings me back to relaxing moments in Lynn's yard.(:

Benefits of Godly Wisdom

Human wisdom fails us in more ways than we know. It falls short of the spiritual wisdom that we can gain only from God. He desires that we have this wisdom but we must seek it, desire it. When we seek the wisdom this world has to offer we risk much and will make mistakes in our decisions. We will also loose our focus on the things of God and will have an attitude of self- sufficiency. The benefits of God's wisdom are so numerous but Proverbs 3:13-18,21-24, gives us a good idea of some of them.

"Happy is the man (or lady) that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth

understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver,

and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies:

and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is everyone that

retaineth her.....keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life

unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely,

and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid:

yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet"

According to this passage, having godly wisdom influences our:

• 
  
  Happiness( verses 13,18)


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  Length and quality of life,(v 16,18,22)


• 
  
  Wealth (v.16)


• 
  
  Honor (v.16)


• 
  
  Ways (v.17)


• 
  
  Peace (v. 17,24)


• 
  
  Safety (v.23)

What are some of the responsibilities you have in your home and life? Would the promised benefits of godly wisdom listed in Proverbs help you fulfill those responsibilities? How? Remember if you are not yet married and are waiting for God to send you someone, this is your preparation time. You should be preparing for that time. While all the homemaking skills are needed and important you will be most beneficial to your future husband if you gain godly wisdom. You will be the Proverbs 31 lady and he will have found the greatest treasure, apart from God, in you. What a blessing. God is good all the time; his love and care for us is unmeasurable.(:

A Wise Woman

A wise woman realizes that because God loves her so much, He wants nothing more than to give her the desires of her heart. But she also understands that sometimes she isn't even aware of what her deepest desires are! God, however, does. He knows everything about her, after all, He created her. She steers clear of trying to understand His ways and avoids feeling discouraged when she can't see Him in action. Instead, she delights in trusting that God is always up to something good where she's concerned; whether it has to do with her earthly home or her heavenly one! What is your biggest dream at this time? What evidence of God moving to fulfill your dream have you seen in your life? Even if that dream does not happen right away remember that God is preparing for it. David was anointed king when he was young. It was many years before he would sit on the throne ruling as king over God's people but God was preparing David for his future task. So what does all of this mean? Be patient, and wait on God. " Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9

All That, for Me

"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him". 1 Corinthians 2:9

The world's wisdom says: Life on this earth is as good as it gets. But God's Wisdom says: "You ain't seen nothen yet!"

I can not begin to imagine what God has in store for us. We talk about mansions, and streets of gold, but I know this is such a small thing compared to what awaits us, it is just all our little minds can understand. Eternity with the Saviour of my soul is more than I can grasp!(:

Well I am almost finished. What do you think? I was going to do a pink back, but there was no pink to match the background. I went to cutestblogontheblock.blogspot, to get my page. There is a few things I still want to do but have not figured them out yet.

"He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver: nor he that loveth abundance, with increase." Ecclesiastes 5:10

The world's wisdom says what we have is what matters ,but God's wisdom says who we are is what matters.

When we begin to look for fulfillment in an overflowing shopping bag, we should be aware that the bag has a hole in the bottom! Don't store up more than you truly need, in the end it will just be more work to care for and you will have to buy containers to store it in. Even if you got a good deal at the store, Goodwill, yard sale or the thrift store do you really need it. :)

Something to think about- How might you begin to cultivate an attitude of gratitude rather than greed?

Who are you? I pray a child of God, If not I pray by faith you will receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. He will save your soul and you will know it. Read Ephesians 2:8, Romans 10:13, John 1 :12, 1 John 5 10-13

Our Purpose

What is our purpose in this life? That is a question many people ask. We as God's children know what our purpose is ,to do the will of the father. I was reading Isaiah 43:7 " Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him." We were made to bring glory to God!

* Glory means to give the world (saved and lost) a correct opinion or estimate of who God is and what he is like. Wow! do we, do I, give the world a correct opinion of God when they see me at work, play, in difficulties and struggles, just in my every day dealings. Do we make people think God is sad, downcast, mean, unforgiving, rude, selfish, or do we show he is joyful, loveing, forgiving, kind, never selfseeking. I do not mean to say that we are not to stand for the truth, for God is not only a God of love, but of rightousness. His wrath will come upon those who reject him, we need to warn the world. But do we show the truth out of love for a lost world or out of hate and pride. Ephesians 2:8-9"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves : it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." May we each bring glory to God in everything we think, do and say. ( :

Cracked Tea Cups

I enjoy a good cup of hot tea. I have all kinds of tea cups. Some I have bought, others belonged to my grandmother and my mother. Over the years some of them have become cracked, chipped or brocken. I have never thrown them out, they mean to much to me. I do still use them, maybe not for tea, but in other ways. Some have candles in them, others have dried flowers; I have even put office items in some. As I was looking over my cracked and chipped cups this morning, God reminded me that my life has been like my tea cups. I have been brocken and cracked and if you look you can see marks from these cracks and bracks. I was thinking even though I have been cracked through the years God has never thrown me away, I mean to much to him. He uses me in other ways. Maybe not the way he would have, but he still uses me. God can use imperfect tea cups like you and I. God most often delights in choosing the most unlikely people to do his will in this world. I am sooooooo, very thankful God uses cracked and brocken tea cups, aren't you?

Isaiah 55:8-9

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

A Just God

"Man is unjust, but God is just; and finally justice Triumphs."

-Longfellow

When we start thinking how unjust someone or something is, remember God is just, and those in Christ will triumph over this unjust world .

Isa. 45:21... "there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me."

Memories

I was reading a post on the blog "Simply Sanctified", it had a very nice poem about a grandmother. I often think of my grandparents, who have past away, and the memories always put a smile on my face. I do miss them and can't wait to someday see them again. When I think of them it gives me a peace in my heart. I hope you have good memories of your grandparents and if they are still around take the time to make memories with them. One of the memories I have ,that I think of often, is so simple and it may not seem like much. The memory is so clear, I can even remember how I felt as a little girl. I had not a care in the world. I would often spend the night at my grandmother D's house. My grandfather passed away when I was around three, so it would be just my grandmother, my sister and I. My grandmother would often read the Bible to us and would tell us about heaven and answer our many questions about God. Sometimes after all of this I still could not go to sleep ( probably to excited about my future home). She would take her little alarm clock, that sat on her night stand, and would place it by my ear. It would just tick, tick, tick away and off I would go to sleep. The clock numbers and hands also glowed in the dark. That has been many many years ago ,but in my mind I can feel and smell the sheets and how cosy the bed was, and see the love my grandmother had for me in her eye's and her gentle kiss. If you have any memories of your grandmother or grandfather I hope you will share them with me.

Israel was often told throughout the bible to remember God and what he had done for them. Isaiah 46: 9 "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me. " One of the most loved accounts in the Bible is , when Joshua becomes leader over Israel. They cross the Jordan on dry land and God tells the Israelites to make a memorial of the crossing. Joshua 4:20-24 "And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal. And he spake unto the children of Israel saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall say let your children know, saying Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over: That all people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.

Always remember those before us that shared the love of Christ Jesus with us and as Israel was instructed to share them with those that came after them, let us share Christ with those around us. We must tell them the crossings in our life that the LORD our God has brought us through. My grandparents shared Jesus with me and I must share him with my children and grandchildren; that they might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that they might fear the LORD our God for ever.

Just Thinking

I was just looking over some of the new posts on some of my favorite blogs. I was thinking about what a blessing they are. There seems to be so few people in my area with like minds. God is receiving glory even in a system so full of evil. A Light shining in Darkness.

Lemons To Lemonade

The other day my son picked our first lemons off of our lemon tree, I had three beautiful lemons. " What to do", I made lemonade. This reminded me of the saying " When life gives you lemons make lemonade." This saying in turn reminded me of what the Bible (KJB) says, in James 1:2-4 "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptation; knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." I was also reminded of Philippians 4 :4, on my outlook of things,"Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." It's easy to get thinking about all of the negative this life has to offer, but God says in Philippians 4:8, I am to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, things that are of good report, if there be any virtue or praise, these are the things I should dwell on. Life is always ready to hand you a lemon, but God always gives to those that love Him what is good, James 1:17, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." God gives out honey sweetened lemonade and I'm ready for my next glass.