Devotionals – The Welcome Home

Songs in the Night

There is a River… The truth of this beautiful song comforted me back to sleep a few times throughout the night and into this morning. I’m evermore thankful for God’s prompting, His presence, His provision in and through music.

Similar to memorized Scripture, being the only thing one can read on the ceiling in the dark, music can play in the theater of our mind and be used of God to bring comfort, clarity — calm to a stressed, anxious, worried mind.

The concerns of the day were heavy on my heart last night so it seemed best to just get ready for bed, read for a little bit and turn off the light. In prayer I drifted off to sleep. There is a river… the background music to my sleep through the night, waking long enough to mentally hear it, then sleeping once again. A few times this occurred and this morning I shared it with my husband. He quickly found and played the song for me and I sang along with great thanks to God for His provision of not only sweet, restorative sleep, but His presence and songs in the night. This isn’t an isolated case; it’s happened many, many times through the years because there is a River that flows from His throne.

There Is A River

There came a sound from Heaven
Like a rushing,wind
It filled their hearts with singing
And gave them peace within
The prophet gave this promise
He said, the Spirit will descend
And from your inner being
A river with no end!

There is a river, that flows from deep within
There is a fountain, that frees the soul from sin
Come to these waters; there is a vast supply
There is a river, that never shall run dry.

There came a thirsty woman,
She was drawing from a well
You see her life was ruined and wasted
And her soul was bound for hell
Oh but then she met the Master
Who told of her great sin
He said, “If you’ll just drink of this water,
You’ll never thirst again”.

There is a river, that flows from deep within
There is a fountain, that frees the soul from sin
Come to these waters; for there is a vast supply
There is a river, that never shall run dry.

May you (and I) drink from the rich well of God’s Word today, yield to His calling, walk with Him today, be filled with His Holy Spirit, repent, rejoice, redeem the time He’s given.

The Eternal God is thy Refuge

The days seem long but the years are quickly passing. As I typed that, I recalled saying something similar in the early years of motherhood: the days are long and the weeks fly by.

I never thought about the swift passage of time in terms my own mortality but in terms of our children growing taller, learning new things—getting older. Now I think of them as young —in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s— so much life ahead while our years are swiftly slipping away.

Early on, older women would tell me to enjoy the children while they’re young, it’ll go so fast; or, these are the good old days. I remember nodding and smiling in agreement (I had no idea!). Some fifteen or twenty years ago I began to tell weary mothers they’d one day cry for those days. I meant it then. And I really mean it now. The years went by so quickly; our eleven children are all grown now… so are a couple of our grandchildren.

In the ten year trap of depression I’ve done more looking back than looking ahead — the regrets of former days, the regrets of what was and wasn’t done, what was and wasn’t said encircled me in an abyss of defeat. The cycle repeated daily like a broken record skipping and repeating. It still could if I weren’t vigilant——and for that reason, among others, I resolve to stay vigilant.

The Word says the Lord’s mercies are new every morning. And, for me, God’s proven that to be so.

“As thy days, so shall thy strength be…
The eternal God is thy refuge
and underneath are the everlasting arms…”
—Deuteronomy 33.25, 27

Strength today and bright hope for tomorrow,
great is His faithfulness.

And great His faithfulness has been! His faithfulness is great. Great. On the bright days (and there have been many!) and on the dark days (and there have been many!). Learning to take every thought captive, to be vigilant to watch for that roaring lion lurking about seeking to destroy, to be patient in the process has borne rich fruit. Interestingly, as I write this we’re in a testing of faith, a stretching of faith, a s-t-r-e-n-g-t-h-e-n-i-n-g of faith! Truly, we are learning to “count it all joy!” And surely, there’s nothing like a trial or a test to fortify and/or verify one’s faith.

Whatever’s happening round about you or me, one thing I know: God is only good all the time.

Over the last decade of deep valleys and bright mountaintops the constant is the Word of God. Truth always wins. Truth always defeats the foe. Truth always sets free. Prayer is peace. The Word of God is life.

“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.”
pips 4.8

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage;
be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed:
for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
Joshua 1.9

Your Sphere of Influence

Your sphere of influence is broader than your sphere of acquaintance… have you ever stopped to think about that?

Maybe you have never given much personal thought to the influence of your own life; maybe you think your mundane life, your seemingly menial work, doesn’t have much impact around you. But your daily walk, the investments you make in your home, family, prayer, work, church, etc., etc., are likely having a much greater impact than you can possibly imagine.

We never know who is watching us—who will be affected by our actions—who will be influenced by our decisions, our faith, our experiences. You may think your life is insignificant by comparison to the lives and lifestyles of others you know. But, God. But God who is rich in mercy toward us sees a different view, for you do not know the depth of the impact you are making on those in your sphere of influence—for it is broader than your sphere of acquaintance.

Do you think King David realized at the time his sphere of influence when he made the decisions he did? I really don’t think he did… but what did he realize? He realized that his times were in the Hand of the LORD—he walked with God and his heart was for God. Did his actions always appear to be so? By no means… in fact, many times, his actions appeared to be completely contrary to the will and ways of God—yet The Word says in Hebrews 13 that he was a man after God’s own heart and yet, it is unlikely that some of his acquaintances would have thought so! But through his life, we see his sphere of influence was beyond remarkable!

Hebrews 13.21-23 “And afterward they [Children of Israel] desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will. Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:”

King David’s life and his writings influence us even to this day: he was used of God to demonstrate His mercy, His forgiveness, His love. It is because of David’s failings and shortcomings and the resulting faith that many of us are encouraged to press on, to climb the heights and to seek the Face of our LORD. O, how great is his influence! His acquaintances saw a shepherd boy and God saw a King whose sphere of influence was broader than his sphere of acquaintance.

What of your life? Do you see? Do you realize young wife, that your influence over the condition and direction of your home is great? And mother of young children, your influence over the course and behavior of those children is tremendous? And mother of teenagers, whether it appears like it or not, your influence is deeply affecting the decisions they will make through the course of their lives? And grandmother of little ones… your influence is keenly felt by your children and grandchildren? You see, it really doesn’t matter who you are or where you are, your sphere of influence is broader than your sphere of acquaintance… and it is in both cases, much more intense and far reaching than you may realize.

Last night I was talking with some old friends I hadn’t spent time with in years. It was incredible, though, the passage of time had little effect on the conversation nor the familiarity we all felt. It was as if the passage of time hadn’t existed and we talked as though we had talked every day. Neither of us realized that we had made such a tremendous impact on one another’s lives, but it was evident by conversation that we really had. And now, we sat sharing stories that were at once familiar and yet much time had passed since our last visit. During our conversation, things were mentioned about our oldest children and how much influence she had had on them as youngsters and how some of the things they do today in their own home are things they learned many years ago from this friend… little did she know that her influence would carry this far and still be in motion today.

I was visiting another friend last year and she shared that fifteen years previous to that time, her sister had talked about fearing having children and shared that I had answered her that God would take care of them, that He would guide and direct… and other things that I don’t recall… but you know, apparently, even now she tells of the influence of those conversations… conversations I really took very lightly–conversations that come so easily to me. O, our sphere of influence is broader than our sphere of acquaintance.

Some of my favourite reading comes from works that are hundreds of years old… you see? The sphere of influence is broader than the sphere of acquaintance. God used these men to write His truths and to testify of His marvelous greatness which are still being read and applied and blessed even hundreds of years since they were written and the authors went on to their reward. They likely never knew the tremendous impact they would have even yet today. Yet, in obedience to the call on their lives, they wrote of timeless truths and enduring love. Their focus was on the eternal, not the temporal and the far reaching effects still touch lives today— their sphere of influence was far broader than their sphere of acquaintance.

The lonely, lost world is looking for answers to the dilemmas of the day, to the emptiness of routines, and to the dryness of daily living. Jesus is that Well of Living Water for which they are thirsting. You have a cup in your hand… will you ask the LORD to fill it and will you offer it today? I pray you will… for your sphere of influence is broader than your sphere of acquaintance.

Hindsight Isn’t 20/20

You’ve heard the saying — probably have said it yourself from time to time: “Hindsight’s 20/20!” When looking back on what you did, what you shouldn’t have done, or what you’re sure you ought to have done, could have done, would have done… you may have reasoned a better outcome with your 20/20 hindsight vision. But it’s a lie. Hindsight isn’t 20/20.

Hindsight isn’t 20/20 bcz we don’t know what God knows. You don’t know if you would have had a perfect outcome had you been able to exercise your now perfect 20/20 hindsight bcz you couldn’t have known all the variables at play, or all the extenuating circumstances surrounding that situation. Sure there’re things we wish we’d done, or things we regret doing, but our now “perfect” or mature vision/hindsight really has no sure affirmation of what could have been had we exercised it back then.

One thing’s sure: God allowed what happened to happen for His purposes—for your good and His glory. All the things we should have done or “could have” done but didn’t are still being worked out for our good and His glory. To claim 20/20 hindsight is to take the place of God and all He knew/knows. We were imperfect then and imperfect now. Even our so-called 20/20 hindsight isn’t clear.

Lately I’ve begun to accept the failings I’ve had and have finally begun to see all I’ve learned bcz of those failings, all the things God did in and through all the different trials. I’ve begun to thank Him for them all and in doing so, I’ve begun to see I was taking too much credit for things that didn’t go well or for things I thought I’d don’t badly or hadn’t done right. I’m beginning to see what He allowed to happen was for my good and His glory and had I not experienced failure, I’d not have learned all I have from those experiences and I just might still be entangled in failings and shortcomings, distractions and self-centeredness.

What is clear is that God works all things together for good to those that love Him and to those that are the called according to His purpose. Only God’s foresight, sight, hindsight is “20/20” or, rather, perfect. Perfect: better than 20/20.

So at the beginning of this new decade, this new year, this new month: “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.” 1Peter 2.21

I hope you’ll join me in seeking to walk in His steps this year. By His faith, not by our sight, by His will, in His grace, for His glory, not by or for our own.

The year stretched out before us is as an unpainted canvas, vast and wide, unblemished, full of opportunity and hope. 2020… a new year, a new decade, a clean new slate. Sure, we’ll bring into it all our stuff, but let’s endeavour to walk with the Saviour and let Him guide the path and sort it all out.

God bless you, God bless the year ahead.

The Finished Work of The Cross

[cp_dropcaps]T[/cp_dropcaps]he finished work of the Cross is profound. It is finished, Jesus said. He had finished the work God had created Him to do, to complete, to finish: Unto us this child was born, unto us this child was given.

“And they crucified Him…” Matthew 27.35

This is the finished work. This is what Jesus came to do. He came to die — die by the will of God, to shed His own blood, to lay His life down. In that moment a great transaction was accomplished. The wrath of God: satisfied. In that moment the rending of the veil signified a new and living way: His blood was shed for the remission of sin, His blood paid it all. His blood purchased our redemption. His blood is our passage from death into life.

“…without shedding of blood is no remission of sins”
–Hebrews 9.22

Because of Jesus —and only because of Jesus– we take the cup of salvation and say, Thank you. Thank you for the Cross. Thank you for atonement. Thank you for opening blind eyes, softening hard hearts. Thank you for redemption. Thank you for hope. Thank you for your unfailing love. Thank you for the still, small voice that draws us to You. Thank you for your grace: your great, great grace. Thank you.

At the Cross… Jesus died.
And praise Him, that’s not the end of the story,
but the beginning.

“And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain, from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection and when into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly, this was the Son of God.” – Matthew 27.51-54

The finished work of the Cross.
“… the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. ” – Ephesians 3.10-12

By the faith of Jesus, the finished work of the Cross: Redemption and hope is mine, yours, and whosoever will believe.
The finished work of the Cross: for all the whosoever will‘s.

Today, harden not your heart {Hebrews 3.15}, hear the Word of the Lord, repent, follow Him.

When You Know What God’s Called You To

When you know what God’s called you to, you’ll seek it, you’ll endeavor to walk in Truth, it will be your joy to be called by His name, His great name.

Thanks for joining me for morning coffee ☕
Blessings to you all as you seek to follow what God’s called you to.

When we fail to seek the Lord, to embrace the truths we know, the great and precious promises in God’s Word, and the convictions we hold, we can easily be deceived by smooth speech, pretty lures, and popular trends.

We read in the Word the importance waiting daily at the gates of the Lord: “Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.” —Proverbs 8.34
And why would we do this—why should we do this? Because the days are evil, the days are filled with deceptions, traps, lures. Look around you, everywhere: traps — sights, sounds, enticements and distractions that would lead us astray if/when we yield to them.

[cp_quote style=”quote_left_dark”]Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.[/cp_quote]When you know what God’s called you to, you’ve got to then determine to guard whatever that is. You and I must be vigilant to watch for the snares that would entrap us. Most all sin begins with a deception–sometimes so seemingly inconsequential, it’s easily dismissed. By nature, we want to dismiss sin, and when we’re not walking in the Spirit, we’ll most assuredly be blindsided by the entrapments of sin. If we’re not daily at His gates, abiding in Him, obeying His commands, listening for His promptings, we’ll be prone to entertaining {maybe even personally adopting} deception.

Sometimes we don’t recognize the trap until we’re entrenched in it. Smooth speech, in particular, is but one trap. Think of books, articles, seminars, conferences you may have read or attended. It’s so easy to get caught up in the emotional excitement of the moment, to get tangled up in love for the captivating or entertaining messenger—so much so, that Biblical inaccuracies of the messages may be overlooked. Think of popular Christian women making the circuits today. It might be uncomfortable to stand against the rolling tide, but it’s not that difficult to see deviations from Scripture–though perhaps they’re subtle. Over time, if left unchecked, the deviations might be excused because the messenger is so popular (Luke 6.26), believable, and adored by Christian masses {maybe even our own dear girlfriends—or ourselves!}.

Often, when we see error, we don’t want to be the girl that rocks the boat. But, surely, when we see the girls running to that side of the boat, and we see that it might result in capsizing, we must dare to be that girl to right the ship—to warn the passengers leaning over the edge! We must endeavor to speak the truth in love. With tact. When you know what God’s called you to, you seek to live it.

When we quiet a caution or silence an alarm, we tend to deafen our ears to hearing, dull our consciences listening to the still small Voice, and quiet promptings of the Holy Spirit. When we repeatedly allow this to happen, we become silly women. Those promptings—those great and precious promises we have known—begin to be scattered in the path behind us —opening us to error, heresy, and to embracing the deception of the pretty lures as we begin to accept another gospel—another way—ever learning but never discerning the folly. It may begin with just a small step off the path, but down the way a bit, the path is nowhere to be seen.

“For of this sort are they which creep into houses,
and lead captive silly women laden with sins,
led away with divers lusts, ever learning
but never able to come
to the knowledge of the truth.”
—2Timothy 3.6-7

So, those things God’s called you to? Take in the Word today. Seek it, study it, pray about it. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2T 2.15
When you know what God’s called you to, you’ll seek it, you’ll endeavor to walk in Truth, it will be your joy to be called by His name, His great name.

“Thy words were found, and I did eat them;
and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart:
for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.”
—Jeremiah 15.16

Regard Not Your Stuff

And so, I encourage you to rest in the Lord… fret not over what God’s doing in your life or where He’ll call you to go or what He’ll call you to do. Regard not your stuff. No matter how things seem to you to be today: God cares for you, the Holy Spirit is ever making intercession for you. The LORD Jesus has taken care of everything that concerns you. God says He will be found by you when you call upon His name.

On my mind lately is the paradox how much I regard my stuff and how much I know this truth: Regard not your stuff! It’s a common thing, isn’t it—to fret or to fear or to regard our stuff? We sometimes fear what God might ask of us. We fear He just may send us to Africa (gasp!) or some other place we know we do not want to go; we fear He may ask us to (gasp!) Homeschool, or to (gasp!) submit to our own husband, have a home business or do things we’ve never done or, never (gasp!) wanted to do. We may actually have several “never’s” on our list.

We may think not so much of where we’re going or what we’re going to do as what we’ll necessarily have to leave behind. Consider Joseph:
Genesis 45.17-21
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan; And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours. And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.

Did you catch a few morsels of truth in that passage? God uses situations — whomever, whatever and however He wants — for His purposes. God used Pharaoh to accomplish His purposes and He will use men and women in our lives, situations we face: mission fields or businesses or ministries He’s given us: to accomplish His plans for us. As wives and mothers, we might not immediately see how He’s using us—it might be years down the road when we get a glimpse of how He’s used/using us. Note what Pharaoh said – and I think what God says to us in verse 20: “Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.”

Regard not your stuff. But we do regard our stuff, don’t we?! We think on our stuff, plan for our stuff, guard our stuff and probably often covet even more stuff. But when God has a plan and that plan calls for action, I think one of the most important decisions we need to make is the decision to NOT regard our stuff.

You know what that “stuff” is in Genesis? It’s the sort of stuff we have in our lives today. Strong’s identifies it like this: from 3615; something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon):–armour ((-bearer)), artillery, bag, carriage, + furnish, furniture, instrument, jewel, that is made of, X one from another, that which pertaineth, pot, + psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, + whatsoever.

Read those words again… you’ll get a better picture of the stuff God doesn’t want you to regard when He places a call for you to do something. And the next time God asks something of you and you’re tempted to say no or to doubt the plan or God’s design for the next season, regard not your stuff… your clothes, purses, 15 passenger carriage or your sports car, your furniture, the stuff in your kitchen, the jewels, pictures, the scrapbooks, the plans, the quilts — hopefully, this little message will come back to your remembrance: regard not your stuff.

Maybe God’s calling you to give Him Lordship of your womb and you might fear you can’t handle what He might bring. Maybe you feel like you cannot take care of many children, or that the needs will be too great. Maybe you are too highly regarding your husband, his life, health, job, finances, companionship — maybe all of those things prevent you from fully trusting the Lord—that it is Him—the Lord—who provides for you, protects you, comforts you, guides you. I know I’ve put my husband in the place of the Lord so many times — feeling quite sure I’ll never survive were he to die before me. Most times, the stuff we’re “regarding” are things we cannot control or are things we fear—things we cannot see.

See? We all have stuff we regard. God knows all this. God knows what you’ve got, what you like, what you need, what you think you need and on and on. God knows it all. But you know what? Most important is: that God knows what you really need and He’s already made provision for it. We, you and I, need to accept His call, accept will, and not regard our stuff so much that we miss it: God’s marvelous plans. Or, worse, that we reject His marvelous plans.

Remember: “… regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.” I think the LORD has this note in Scripture for our good — it’s a reminder to us that we needn’t worry about what we might have to leave behind because He already has a plan for us. And it is good. And it is for our good!

You know a couple of very familiar passages: Romans 8.28 and Jeremiah 29.11. Have you thought on them in awhile? I’d like to say that those two verses, in particular, are very helpful, but I’d like to suggest reading the passages that contain those two verses for tremendous encouragement and blessing. Here they are in part:

Romans 8.26-28

26 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.
27 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.
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.

I have more assurance of this than I’ve ever had as I edited this post today. Trials and triumphs, sorrow and tears, joys and delights have taught me so much in the 11 years since I initially wrote much of what’s written here today. And so, I encourage you to rest in the Lord… fret not over what God’s doing in your life or where He’ll call you to go or what He’ll call you to do. Regard not your stuff. No matter how things seem to you to be today: God cares for you, the Holy Spirit is ever making intercession for you. The LORD Jesus has taken care of everything that concerns you. God says He will be found by you when you call upon His name.

Daily Devotionals

Daily Devotionals: potentially instructive, potentially destructive.

Isn’t it interesting what the Lord uses in our lives to speak to us? He speaks through His Word, He ministers to us through teaching, poetry, testimonies, music, His creation; He works in us through joys and sorrows, hardships, grief, loss, trials, and countless other ways. He blesses us with all of these things — though we often miss seeing His signature it at the time. He blesses us with all these things — if we’ll receive them with that recognition.

Do you have or read a daily devotional? I’ve had mixed opinions about devotionals through the years — generally bcz I read them for a few days and then encounter an entry that’s ‘off’ or is doctrinally unsound. Sometimes I keep reading to see if it was just me misinterpreting the text that particular day — but, more often than not, with more recently published devotional books, I’ve seen error. I then resort to my default: Just read the Word. Stay in the Word. And then another devotional will come along – another book will come to me highly recommended and I go through the same exercise of starting the process and ending it at some questionable entry. It usually doesn’t take long to pick out the error.

The hard part is, sometimes, that respected friends suggest something that’s been especially meaningful, instructive, or inspirational to them. When I decide not to continue with a book, in that case, I often feel like I’m disparaging their thoughtful recommendation. That’s actually not the case at all, but feelings — you know, feelings lead us down slippery slopes, foolish reasoning, or a myriad of other paths, but not the right path. Not the path the Lord calls us to walk.

Well, late last year I picked up a daily devotional that I determined I’d begin the year and read each morning and evening for this year. It was recommended to me about 20 years ago — I never stayed with it consecutively day after day. But, due to some circumstances that have become blessings to me, coupled with circumstances that have not —yet-– seemed so, I decided to commit to reading through this compendium of Streams in the Desert and Springs in the Valley by Mrs. Charles E.Cowman morning and evening readings. It’s filled with scripture, short stories, poems, “sermonettes,” and encouraging words.

So… what have I discovered in reading through Streams (each morning) and Springs (each evening)? In so many ways, on so many levels, God is at work in and through us all. I knew this. He uses so many things to speak to our hearts. I know this. And when I read a Spurgeon entry, for example, I am reminded of sermons I’ve read or heard in other places or at other times in my life and I’m reminded how God ministered then, how He’s ministering where I am now — I see more clearly what God is or has been doing, teaching, or leading me to do. I’m so inspired to press on when I read of others (in very difficult circumstances) victoriously pressing on. Does a daily devotional take the place of the Bible? No, by no means. It’s just been an added benefit during this season for me. A caveat, be very careful when you choose a devotional (or teacher, author, etc., etc.) to read. Doctrine matters.

Regarding devotionals, I’m seeing that when we’re grounded in the Word, and we read of His work in (by) various people, circumstances, or times in history, we can see God’s providential care, His wisdom, His provision. We’ll more readily spot error, too. Additionally, we’ll be more apt to discern the sound (or not sound) doctrine of whatever else we’re reading.

A daily devotional and/or daily devotions… In the end, the Word of God is what I’m sure of.

—more soon.

Mother’s Happy Day 2017

[cp_quote style=”quote_left_light”]
a child, unclear on the concept, loaded the dishwasher so carefully for me.[/cp_quote]So many “Mother’s Day” entries have filled my journals — tomorrow will be another, Mother’s Happy Day.

As I read this morning’s entry of Streams in the Desert I marveled at how many of the examples were part of the fabric of my experience as a mother and how many times the Lord gave me not what I wished, but what I needed. He gave me not what I asked for, but all that I hoped for. He has chosen the most amazing things to demonstrate His love — good things, messy things, beautiful things, hard things, exhilarating things, excruciatingly painful things, lofty accomplishments, utter failure… all of these characterize motherhood for me.

The Lord has graciously given me not always what I thought I wanted but everything I didn’t even know I desperately longed for.

Streams in the Desert ~ May 13
MORNING

We know not what we should pray for as we ought (Rom. 8.26).

Much that perplexes us in our Christian experience is but the answer to our prayers. We pray for patience, and our Father sends those who tax us to the utmost; for “tribulation worketh patience.”

We pray for submission, and God sends sufferings; for “we learn obedience by the things we suffer.”

We pray for unselfishness, and God gives us opportunities to sacrifice ourselves by thinking on the things of others, and by laying down our lives for the brethren.

We pray for strength and humility, and some messenger of Satan torments us until we lie in the dust crying for its removal.

We pray, “Lord, increase our faith,” and money takes wings; or the children are alarmingly ill; or a servant comes who is careless, extravagant, untidy or slow, or some hitherto unknown trial calls for an increase of faith along a line where we have not needed to exercise much faith before.

We pray for the Lamb-life, and are given a portion of lowly service, or we are injured and must seek no redress; for “he was led as a lamb to the slaughter and… opened not his mouth.”

We pray for gentleness, and there comes a perfect storm of temptation to harshness and irritability. We pray for quietness, and every nerve is strung to the utmost tension, so that looking to Him we may learn that when He giveth quietness, no one can make trouble.

We pray for love, and God sends peculiar suffering and puts us with apparently unlovely people, and lets them say things which rasp the nerves and lacerate the heart; for love suffereth long and is kind, love is not impolite, love is not provoked. LOVE BEARETH ALL THINGS, believeth, hopeth and endureth, love never faileth. We pray for likeness to Jesus, and the answer is, “I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” “Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong?” “Are ye able?”

The way to peace and victory is to accept every circumstance, every trial, straight from the hand of a loving Father; and to live up in the heavenly places, above the clouds, in the very presence of the Throne, and to look down from the Glory upon our environment as lovingly and divinely appointed.

Happy Mother’s Day… every day.

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Tending Your Marriage Garden

If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you’ll remember I often make references to my gardens. Not so much to share gardening techniques or skills, but what’s growing in the gardens. I think more than in any other place, I find instruction in the garden. It seems the Lord meets me out there in ways I can never anticipate — but one thing I can or do anticipate is that He will be out there with me and He’ll have something to show me.

So I was walking around today to see the work ahead in the garden. I shouldn’t wonder, but I do this every year. And sure enough, the Lord met me in the garden as I was singing and admiring the new growth, the blossoms, the tulips… And then beside our house there’s that incredibly fast spreading Bishop’s Weed (Aegopodium ‘Variegatum’). It’s beautiful, soft and such pretty shades of green. And it spreads everywhere. Kinda like mint. 🙂

I’d been reflecting on last night mom’s meeting at church where the topic of discussion was: marriage. And I’d also been thinking of a couple of devotionals I’d read this morning. So, it’s not surprising that when I was looking at that pretty Bishop’s Weed, I noticed something else — something that wasn’t visible to me last year but seems to have crept in over the winter and into this springtime.

As I have noticed through the years, weeds in the garden tend to look very similar to the plants they grow beside. In fact, it’s often so difficult to see the difference that it’s easy to miss them entirely.

I stopped to reflect on last night’s talk… on my thoughts that lingered long after the meeting. I thought on a scripture that wasn’t brought up last night: “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.” –SongofSolomon 2.15-16.

The leaves of that “Bishop’s Weed” are beautiful, very soft and tender — and if I don’t get out there and remove that invasive dark green weed, it will choke out and overtake the tender plant. Same with those little foxes–those weeds: poor or wrong attitudes, habits, actions, words in marriage. Weeds in marriage are pesky, invasive destroyers. Have you thought about those things lately?

Have you reread some of those earlier embraced books on your shelf? Have you listened again to recorded messages that were once inspiring to you? Have you revisited notes, decisions, plans you once had regarding your marriage? Have you looked back on memories of the sweet words, dates, walks, talks, future-plans?

Is there some cultivating you need to do? You know, every seed grows; and in the seeds of today there are tomorrow’s plants, shrubs, trees, flowers. Not every seed brings desirable fruit — some are weed seeds — weed seeds that grow into plants and vines that are set to destroy all the beautiful plants. And many a beautiful plant (read: marriage) was destroyed by an invasive weed.

I thought on all this this morning as I took a closer look around the gardens. And I asked the Lord again, as I did last night, what do You want me to do? Will you show me the little foxes that are spoiling the vines? And I ask the Lord… will you fill me and equip me to do Your will, and will You help me to be ever more the wife my husband needs?