God's Eye

Photo attribution here

 But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of
is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven.
 It is a land the Lord your God cares for;
the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it
from the beginning of the year to its end.
Deuteronomy 11:11-12

I take so much for granted:
day and night
sun and moon
stars
rain and snow
animals and people
family and job
comforts and discomforts.

I tend to complain more than praise and grouch more than encourage.  I don't give God the glory for the little things that mean so much to my life and realize He has a purpose for every minute that transpires.

His eye is on me all the time.  He sees and knows everything I do and will do.  He cares for me and I will give Him praise for everything...yes, everything; for it's in the acceptance of the "everythings" that show my true love for Him.

Nest in a Rock

Photo attribution here

Your dwelling place is secure,  
your nest is set in a rock.
Numbers 24:21


It's nice to feel secure in a world that is so crazy.

Blood Donor

Photo attribution here

This is how we know what love is: 

Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

 And we ought to lay down our lives

 for our brothers and sisters.

1 John 3:16

When I read this verse today I  thought of blood donors...those silent warriors who sacrifice time and discomfort for someone they do not even know.  My husband and daughter have been donors for years and they don't think twice when they have the opportunity to give.  I've tried but my body does not want to donate quickly enough and they've suggested I not give.  I would anyway, though, if there were an eminent emergency.

My thoughts went to the fact that Jesus was the ultimate blood donor and we sing of his blood sacrifice in our hymns.  Non-believers don't like to hear those hymns because they don't understand Christ's immense love for them as He gave up his life on the cross.  

What can we do today to "lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters?"

Cloudless Morning

From personal files

When one rules over people in righteousness,

    when he rules in the fear of God,

⁴ 

he is like the light of morning at sunrise

    on a cloudless morning,

like the brightness after rain

    that brings grass from the earth.

2 Samuel 23:24

The above verses can be an encouragement to people in leadership positions.  Isn't wonderful hearing the words of a leader who truly cares and honors the Lord with what he or she says or does?

These verses are so poetic and  breathe thanks for the heavenly sunlight we have this morning after three days of clouds and rain.  Thank you, Lord, for your precious world.

Scripture Photos

Photo attribution here

I thought I'd share a new site on Flickr with you.  I love photos with scripture.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

2 Corinthians 10:13

Confess and Believe

What must I do to be saved?

If you declare with your mouth,

 “Jesus is Lord,”

 and believe in your heart 

that God raised him from the dead, 

you will be saved.

Romans 10:9

...simple and effective words...taken seriously by my granddaughter Easter Sunday.

Praise the Lord.

The Chosen Path

Photo attribution here



Direct me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight.
Psalm 119:35

Many times through life I've chosen the path that I think God wanted for me only to look back and think, "Is this the right one?"

This one is too difficult.
  I don't feel confident here.
  I'm afraid to continue.
Are you sure this is right, Lord?

And then I find consolation in His Word--strength for the walk.  His voice comes to me...
 Do not be afraid.
I have come to test you,
 so that your respect and trust in Me will be always be with you
to keep you from sinning.(My paraphrase of Exodus 20:20)

So, I continue on the path He has set before me until He points to another path to take.  I trust Him to choose the right one for me.
I just keep on walking.

The One Who Trusts

Photo attribution here

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,

whose confidence is in him. 

They will be like a tree planted by the water

that sends out its roots by the stream. 

It does not fear when heat comes;

its leaves are always green. 

It has no worries in a year of drought

and never fails to bear fruit.

Jeremiah 17:7-8


I want to be one who trusts regardless of circumstances.

He Is Risen!

Photo attribution here

But when they looked up,
 they saw that the stone,
which was very large,
had been rolled away.Mark 16:4

This is a photo of a roadside grave in Israel.  This source has more interesting photos.   If you'd care to view more, click on  "here"  under the photo.
Viewing this hits home the fact that it was difficult to gain access to the graves of Jesus' time unless you had a pick.  It also shows how the grave was sealed.  Rolling the stone away was a very hard task.  That stone looks very heavy so the swoon theory is thrown out.  Since the grave was guarded, no one could have been sneaky enough to rob the grave without alerting the guards.
 My Redeemer lives.

Thankful

I will praise the Lord God

 with a song 

and a thankful heart.

Psalm 79:30

(photo attribution)

 I'm thankful

that Christ died for me,

 was raised to life

 and offered a place for me in heaven

 with him for all eternity.

I'm thankful for a family 

who loves us and each other.

 I'm thankful for our church who offers us 

a place to serve the Lord and others,

I'm thankful for a job

 that gives me the opportunity 

to use the abilities God has given me.

Yes, I'm thankful.

God's Spring Surprise

Photo attribution here

Winter is past, 

the rain has stopped; 

 flowers cover the earth,

 it's time to sing. 

 The cooing of doves 

is heard in our land. 

Song of Songs 2:11-12

...and the bluebirds are in our new bluebird house!

Cravings

The last five of our fourteen grandchildren

Therefore, rid yourselves of

 all malice and all deceit, 

hypocrisy, envy,

 and slander of every kind.

  Like newborn babies,

 crave pure spiritual milk, 

so that by it you may grow up

in your salvation,

  now that you have tasted 

that the Lord is good.

1 Peter 2:1-3

Can old, sinful people become like newborns again--beautiful, innocent, open to learning?

Yes, we have to crave the right food--the bread of life.

The Right House

Photo attribution here

 Come to Jesus Christ.
He is the living stone that people have rejected, but
 which God has chosen and highly honored.
  And now you are living stones
that are being used to build a spiritual house.
 You are also a group of holy priests,
and with the help of Jesus Christ
you will offer sacrifices that please God. 
1 Peter 2:4-5

House hunting?
Be sure you choose the right one but
 remember that you were first chosen by God to represent Him.  Anything you do will witness positively or negatively to your family and the people with whom you come in contact.  How can we be what God wants in His world if we don't live in a "spiritual house?"

Don't Worry. Be Happy.

Photo attribution here

If you worry about the weather
and don't plant seeds,
you won't harvest a crop.
Ecclesiastes 11:4

We're not in control.
We do what we are lead to do,
leave the rest to God and be glad.
Happy Spring.

Finding My Footing

Photo attribution here

Just looking at this photo makes my palms sweat and my heart rate go up.  This is the last place you would find me on this earth.  Sometimes I find myself in situations that bring those same symptoms--I'm afraid.
Most of the time when I face fear, I'm either not prepared, surprised, or intimidated.  Sometimes I question whether I'm in God's will or not and other times there is no question. I know that I am. (The above situation would not be one of those.)  
I keep climbing, praying that God would reveal his will to me and as I climb and I thank Him for the opportunity to do so.

Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
 May your Gracious Spirit
lead me forward
on a firm footing.
Psalm 143:10