This morning Rich took the children to McDonald’s for breakfast, leaving me alone in a quiet house.  Just that fact alone (of quiet) brought tears to my eyes.  I thoroughly love my children, but I admit I had moment of celebration as I watched the truck pull out of the driveway and then stand in my clean kitchen (so glad I cleaned it yesterday evening for a change!) to make myself some breakfast, knowing that no one would interrupt me and there was no one else I had to care for.

I turned on a favorite cd, then brought my fried eggs, buttered sourdough toast, and hot cup of coffee to the table.  Then, still in my pj’s and sitting cross legged in my chair, I opened my Bible, my journal, and a commentary.

What a precious time it was to listen to some beautiful music and study.  I had to get up to get tissues  in order to dry the tears of gratitude .. . . .so I could see to write in my journal.  Outside the sun was shining, but a cold wind and snow flurries made my kitchen table seem so cozy.

If I had quiet mornings every day I would not have enjoyed this one so much.  It was like an unexpected perfect gift.  I’m adding a link to the cd I listened to, it was so beautiful and the perfect cd to have on during devotions this morning.

I just had to take some pictures and add this moment to my site.  I want to remember it.

studying Romans 5:1-5

cinnamon candle

my favorite quote of the morning, from the commentary

“Right here lies one of the distinctives of the Christian faith, in that

the believer is taught to glory and rejoice in the midst of

suffering rather than to sigh and submit to it

as necessary or inevitable evil.”

This post is not so much about me, but about God providing a need in my life–a need to be still and spend time with Him.

Happy first Day of December!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.

And this I pray,

that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in judgment;

that ye may approve things that are excellant;

that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:8-11

“God looks not at the elegancy of your prayers,
to see how neat they are;
nor yet at the geometry of your prayers,
to see how long they are;
nor yet the arithmetic of your prayers,
to see how many they are;
nor yet at the music of your prayers,
nor yet the sweetness of your voice,
nor yet at the logic of your prayers;
but at the sincerity of your prayers,
how hearty they are.
There is no prayer acknowledged, approved,
accepted, recorded, or
rewarded by God, but that wherein the heart
is sincerely and wholly.”

Thomas Brooks

I hope you all had a wonderful, refreshing weekend.  Our Pastor just finished up a study on the book of Philippians and I thought I would share a few verses this morning, along with the awesome quote by Brooks.

In about half and hour I am taking the kids on a field trip, with other homeschooling families from my church.   

Have a great day!

“A saved soul has many sorrows.

He has a body like other men-

weak and frail.

He has a heart like other men-

and often a more sensitive one, too.

He has trials

and losses like others-

and often more.

He has his share of bereavements,

deaths, disappointments, crosses.

He has the world to oppose,

a place in life to fill blamelessly,

persecutions to endure,

and a death to die.

And who is sufficient for these things?

What shall enable a believer to bear all this?

Nothing but the “consolation there is

in CHRIST.” (Phil. 2:1)

“In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my soul.  Ps. 94:19

“But have you come to Christ already, and found relief?

Then come nearer, nearer still.

The closer your communion with Christ,

the more comfort you will feel.

The more you daily live by the side of the Fountain,

the more you shall feel in yourself

“a well of water springing up

into everlasting life” (John 4:14)

You shall not only be blessed yourself,

but be a source of blessing

to others.”

Quotes from the following book:

Homesick for Heaven

Yesterday evening I sat outside while Caleb was playing in the sand box.  I had magazines with me but I never touched them because as I looked around me at God’s beautiful world, I was filled with longing for Him and for heaven.

My eyes filled with tears as I thought about it.  What an awesome thought that I am actually going to go to heaven someday.  I will be there. 

“What if it were today?  Glad day, glad day, then I shall see my friend. . . . .” (from a hymn)

After I put Caleb to bed, I read in one of my books these quotes from Richard Baxter:

“Christian, believe this and think on it: you will be eternally embraced in the arms of that love which was from everlasting and will extend to everlasting.  .That love which was weary, hungry, tempted, scorned, scourged, butteted, spit upon, crucified, pierced. . .that love will eternally embrace you.”

“The noblest of Christians are they whose faces are most direct for heaven. . .What makes such frozen, uncomfortable Christians, but their living so far from heaven?”

“The diligent keeping of your hearts in heaven will maintain the vigour of all your graces, and put life into all your duties.  The heavenly Christian is the lively Christian. . .We run so slowly, and strive so lazily, because we so little mind the prize.”

“The heavenly man will be speaking of heaven, and the strange glory his faith has seen, and our speedy and blessed meeting there.  How refreshing and useful are his expressions!  How his words pierce and melt the heart, and transform hearers into other men!  That is the Christian of the right stamp, and all about him are better because of him. . .For my part, I had rather have the company of a heavenly minded Christian than that of the most learned disputants or princely commanders.”

“What a pity that Christians should ever meet together without some talk of their meeting in heaven or of the way to it, before they part.  Pity that so much time is spent in vain conversation and useless disputes, and not a serious word of heaven among them. . .Should not Christians be delighted in talking of Christ, and the heirs of heaven in talking of their inheritance?”

Wherever thou meetest a Christian, he is going to heaven.

~William Gurnall

“The wound religion receives from hypocrites is far more dangerous and incurable than that inflicted on it by the open and scandalous sinner.  For religion is never brought into question by the enormous vices of an infamous person; all see and all abhor his sin.  But when a man shall have his mouth full of piety and his hands full of wickedness, when he shall speak Scripture and live devilism, profess strictly and walk loosely, this lays a grievous stumbling-block in the way of others; and tempts them to think that all religion is a mockery, and that the professors of it are but hypocrites.”  Ezekiel Hopkins (from A Puritan Golden Treasury of Quotes)

Do you ever have a certain word jump out at you as you read your Bible?  Lately, the word SINCERITY has been on my mind.  Sincerity is sometimes overlooked.  For example, think of love in 1 Corinthians—“if I have not love, I am nothing”.   The focus is on “love”, however, what SORT of love are we to have? 

“Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth”  Joshua 24:14

“In godly sincerity, and not with fleshly wisdom”  11 Cor. 1:12

“Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.”  Ephesians 6:24

“In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works:  in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity. . . . ..”  Titus 2:7

(Sounds like a command to me!)

–the quality or state of being sincere : honesty of mind : freedom from hypocrisy

Sincere means:   wholehearted,  heartfelt, honest, pure, true, unfeigned

With the command in Scripture to be sincere, I think it is safe to assume that there are pretenders in the midst of our churches. . . . .let’s pray today that we are never numbered among them.

Christ is the One who does the work of sincerity in us, we need Him desperately!  Get close to the Savior today!

“Thou the Spring of all my comfort, more than life to me!

Whom have I on earth beside thee?  Whom in Heav’n but Thee?

Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry!

While on others Thou art calling, do not pass me by!”

Fanny Crosby, 1820-1915

Hello Xanga friends!  Not much new here–David is over the stomach-bug and everyone else is still healthy (other than some sniffles).  We had a day of rain yesterday but this morning looks lovely and the sun is shining.  My only complaint is my back is hurting me, I ask for prayer that it would get better.   I hurt it months ago but I am beginning to realize with all the lifting, twisting, carrying that I do it probably doesn’t have a chance to heal.  I’ll be taking some pain-killers this morning and am somewhat discouraged about it.  Thankfully, I have a God who cares and gives me what I need. 

PRAYER

We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties.  ~Oswald Chambers

When you pray, rather let your heart be without words than your words without heart.  ~John Bunyan

When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do:  for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Be not ye therefore like unto them:  for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

After this manner therefore pray ye: 

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.

(from Matthew 6)

“Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden.”  ~Corrie ten Boom

Casting all your care on HIM: for HE CARETH FOR YOU.  1 Peter 5:7

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:  and ye shall find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

When I copied this verse into my journal a few months ago, I was struck by the phrase “learn of me”.  It struck me that if we have an opportunity to disciple a brand-new baby Christian, the first thing we need to do is direct that person toward a long and satisfying study of Christ.  When I was discipled, I was immediately put to work writing papers on “tithing”, “divorce”, and other topics.  Topical studies are fun and beneficial, but I believe that we need to put aside the list of “issues” and first study Christ, the Lover of our souls.  As we learn of Him, we learn His ways.

This verse can be applied in so many ways.  Not only to discipleship, but to our own personal our daily walk.

What do you think?

Thanks for the feedback yesterday!  It was one of those time when I clicked “submit” and then “chewed my nails” with insecurity the rest of the day.  I loved all the encouragement I received and it make me all the more determined to bathe motherhood in prayer–for all mothers!  Because of Christ, we can raise godly kids!  We can! 

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Beatitudes

I am ashamed to say that I usually think of the beatitudes as a “list of how I should act” when I read them in Matthew 5:3-11.  I would read it and think, “okay, I am pretty much failing all these things, I have to try harder.”

 I had an “aha” moment (which is what I call those moments when the Holy Spirit shows me something fresh and new about my life as a Christian) recently when I read this quote:

“A true Christian must exemplify the Beatitudes, because you do not get grapes from thorns or figs from thistles.  A good tree must bring forth good fruit; it cannot help itself, it is bound to.  A man who has the divine nature within himself must produce (through Christ alone!) this good fruit.”  D. Martin Lloyd -Jones

In other words, as a Christian, I am already living a “beatitude” kind of life and those promises are for me!  Not by my own power, but because of Christ in me!   A Christian cannot help but be different!

“Blessed are the the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

“Blessed are they that mourn:  for they shall be comforted.”

“Blessed are the meek:  for they shall inherit the earth.”

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:  for they shall be filled.”

“Blessed are the merciful:  for they shall obtain mercy.”

“Blessed are the pure in heart:  for they shall see God.”

“Blessed are the peacemakers:  for they shall be called the children of God.”

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake:  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  Rejoice and be exceeding glad:  for great is your reward in heaven:  for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

“Ye are the salt of the earth.”

“Ye are the light of the world.”

There is something different about you. . . . . .

From the book, Holiness, by J.C. Ryle 1816-1900

I see some professing Christians always running about after spiritual food, always in public, and always out of breath and in a hurry, and never allowing themselves leisure to sit down quietly to digest, and take stock of their spiritual condition. . . . .

Spiritual prosperity depends immensely on our private religion,
and private religion cannot flourish unless we determine that
by God’s help
we will make the time,
whatever trouble it will cost us,
for thought,
for prayer,
for the Bible,
and for private communication with Christ.
Alas!  That saying of our Master is sadly overlooked:
“Enter into thy closet and shut the door.” (Matthew 6:6)