Thursday, July 31, 2014

Thanksgiving on Thursday


Today I am thankful for love...
Especially from this man...


He has stuck it out patiently
for 18 years,
With his lady who has surely
Complicated his life, and
Given him cause to lose his temper
And give up on me.

I have been blessed to know a love
So true that it causes me to
Admire him...
ALOT.



I'm so thankful to have been shown Jesus's kind of love
Through my husband and others.

It is pure joy to me to bless him
And I know I'm in this marriage
For life,
Thru thick and thin,
Good times and bad times.

Praise God for power in Jesus's name
To make us want to,
And to live out His design...
While being perfected daily.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Security...

photo courtesy of P. Allen Smith
"Jesus says, 
Your Father, 
who looks after 
the sparrows,
 will care for you; 
fear not therefore. 
It is not to be a 
life of self-interest 
at all. 
When God calls us 
He never gives security; 
He gives us a knowledge of 
Himself. 
We reveal how
 much we believe 
in the things Jesus said when we 
reason like this--
'Is this God's will for me?
 No, it can't be because
 there is no security.' 
'It is enough for 
the disciple
 that he be as his Master.' 
Jesus never had 
any home of 
His own, 
never a pillow 
on which to lay
 His head. 
His poverty
 was a deliberate choice. 
We may have to face 
destitution in order 
to maintain our spiritual connection 
with Jesus, 
and we can only
 do that if 
we love Him supremely." 

--Oswald Chambers, 
in The Place of Help from 
The Quotable Oswald Chambers.

Doing the Will of God...

"Jesus saith unto them,
 My meat is to 
do the will 
of him that sent me, 
and to finish his work" 

(John 4:34).
There's a widespread belief that Bible study, reading Christian literature, church attendance, and participation in a variety of outward religious activities are the food that feeds the soul and produces Spiritual growth. While these activities may provide instruction about the will of God, persuade us to do it, and guide us to the source of power for doing it, they, in themselves, are not doing the will of God, so they are not "meat" for our soul, and can not produce the least bit of spiritual growth or Divine virtue. Our bodies gain nothing from meat by learning about the farm it came from, who raised it, where it can be obtained, and having it set before us. We must eat it to gain the benefits of it. The life of the soul is nourished by the spirit that is one with it, and so long as it is one with the spirit of this world, it can only be fed with, grow in, and reflect a life of pride, lust, envy, and wrath. The "meat" for Life to our soul is to believe that the gospel is the power of God to free our soul from its union with the spirit of this world, to unite it with the Spirit of Jesus, and to draw its life from Him, whereby it is influenced, or nourished, by nothing but His self-less love, humility, long-suffering, and total resignation to God. Till we eat that meat, no amount church attendance, participation in religious activities, Bible study, or consumption of Christian literature will help us to any Spiritual growth or Divine virtue.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Morning Musings...

There are many devices in a man’s heart;
nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.
~ Proverbs 19:21


More morning ponderings...
musings while I gardened...

"Follow your heart," they say. And Christians say it, too.
Do what your gut tells you to do.
Do what feels best to you.

But God says...
The heart is deceitful above all,
and desperately wicked,
who can know it?

Jesus says whoever does the will
of His Father in heaven is
His mother, brother and sisters.

Isn't doing the will of God
directly against the choices our hearts
would make?

Isn't basing life choices on what 
our heart tells us dangerous?
Should we maybe not pick up the
lingo and actions of the world
which strokes the heart and 
allows it to rule,
and instead lay down our lives,
our wants, hopes, dreams,
ambitions, preferences, etc
and follow the Holy Spirit
which often leads us to something
that directly puts a sword
in the selfish heart?

I'm not talking about Ephrata Cloister style
sleeping-on=wooden-block-pillows type of
asceticism; I'm just simply saying
that do we know where we have picked up
the lingo of the world and of mixed religion
that does not recognize nor teach 
cross bearing?

Many times I have had a personal preference
but God hindered me from living it out,
and though it was hard on the flesh sometimes,
and I felt neglected
(see how the human heart is deceitful?!),
I later could see the blessing of obedience
to what God called me to do
and I was so thankful that I had not
followed my heart or listened to my gut.


We could argue that we simply mean
(by these phrases)
that we are going to do what 
God is telling us to do.
I ask then, 
would it not be better to acknowledge
Him in it and leave our heart out of it?
Sure, He gave us a new heart and a new way,
if we are born again,
but I don't think we mean that heart
when we adopt the phrase
"follow your heart",
simply because of how we say it.

What are your thoughts?
How can we live more fully 
the Way of the Cross?
Scriptures, thoughts, etc
would be very welcome.


Monday, July 28, 2014

Laying Down Your Life...




Give, when you feel like keeping,

Pray for others when you need to be prayed for,
Feed others when your own soul is hungry,
Live truth before people, even when you can't see the result,
Hurt with others when your own hurt can't be spoken of,
Keep your word when it's not convenient,
Be faithful when your flesh wants to run away!
This is keeping the commandments!
This is Christianity!
This is following Jesus!
This is ministry!

~encouragement from a friend

Friday, July 25, 2014

Of Relationships...



Life is made up of twists and turns, mountain tops and valleys. The older I get, the more I see the reality of this. What seems to be the most difficult to push through in life is relationships with people. People the world over will tell you this. People disappoint, they encourage, they hurt, they bless, they lift up and they tear down. Sometimes they leave our house better than when they found it after a visit, and sometimes they leave you standing, speechless with shock over something they believe that you  never knew they would, and you wonder how in the world you knew them all these years and didn't know that...

This stuff is real and it is life. We will never truly be able to run to the Alps like Heidi's Grandfather did, not if we are following God's design for us. He didn't make us to be hermits alone on our alpine paradise. He made us to relate to fellow travelers in this journey we call life. He called us to be witnesses that Jesus lives and transforms lives today.

The only way I know of to be a witness that He changes lives today is to walk through those times of testing, those times of being called higher in something, choosing LIFE and letting ourselves go through the process of being changed from glory to glory.

"Expectations ruin relationships." I heard a godly mother say that one day recently and it stuck. "You can expect, but that doesn't mean it will happen (the thing you are expecting another to do/be)," she said. And I thought how true that is. I think that we expect people to be one thing and then they either disappoint us by not being for us what they were never called to be or they disappoint us by being to us what they were called to be, but it isn't what we were expecting. Sometimes disappointments over people's choices is not a bad thing and we do need to walk less closely (sometimes it happens by default if you are not on the same road) than we once did, but I'm not talking about that in this paragraph. I simply mean this as it relates to our own 'needs' and comforts, and how we often look to people to fulfill them instead of to God.

What I am learning from the dashed hopes and heart breaking 'ruined relationships' through the short years of my life (and I'll be learning more as the years roll by, I am sure!):

1. People are not God. Do not ever look to them to heal your hurt, make you whole, or be your everything.

2.People are created in His image and that puts us all on the same plane...with respect and love and blessing being mine to give because my Father calls me to do that; it has little to do with whether or not they deserve it. I deserve no mercy or grace but God graciously lavishes it upon me. How can I not pass it on to my fellow men?

3.There will not be true fellowship with everyone. Jesus said few will find the narrow way. So while it is disappointing how few there may be who truly are simply following Jesus and freely share hearts, that does not mean we need to be morose and sullen. Sure, the startling reality of it all may hit you sometime along the way and you will walk through a valley of mourning for a time, but get up in Jesus' name and be the person He called you to be.

4.People change. They may be hardened sinners for years, and then one day choose JESUS...or they may proclaim His name but stubbornly cling to other gods for a time as well. Just as you have walked through mountain tops and valleys and have been constantly changing and moving, allow others that privilege as well. Sure, there may be times you wish to shake some sense into them, or you stand forsaken when they leave your company for the company of those who do not wholly love God, but keep in mind...people change. They are not ours to control. Keep walking.

5.The best and most important thing you can do for a person is to care for their soul that will never die. In fact, that is what the Great Commission is all about. Sometimes that might mean helping a busy mama or it may mean taking the time to talk to your teenager when you might be tired and worn out at the end of the day. It is of utmost importance that we never lose sight of this Commission and that we remember that what we say and do with people always, always must be from this premise: that we are not here on earth to stay, we are just passing through.

6. Love much because you have been loved much. It isn't about you getting back. That isn't true love. Sometimes you might have to 'take a rest' in the desert alone with God to get your bearings and to figure stuff out, but never ever lose sight of the goal of living and loving like Jesus does. We can never truly get away from people, so even while in the desert, there are certain responsibilities that we have as children of the Light, to love those in our care. God will supply every need, no matter how maxed out we feel or how pulled apart we seem to be by the people in our lives.

These are some thoughts I've been pondering as I walk through the ever changing scenes of my own relationships. I have had some disappointments, to be sure and having just walked through a let down recently, I have had the privilege of seeing some of these things in a new and deeper way.

May the Lord Jesus find us living peaceably with all men as much as lies within us, when He comes to call us Home. Life isn't about me getting my own way in things. It is about me living His Life and serving as He served. Hard on the flesh, but so good for His glory.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Thanksgiving on Thursday...


Lord, thank you for helping me to realize
as I tried to teach my son today the
reality of this verse,
how very prone to being a fool
I am outside of JESUS...

Thank You for power 
in the name of Jesus
to keep calm 
though anger boiled
and afflicted me sore
through various scenes of 
life this day...

thank You for mercy and for grace
to call me to come higher,
even though past regrets
loom large today.

Thank You for forgiveness,
and for mercy that I most 
certainly do not deserve.

I remain:
Your ever grateful daughter...
newly sobered and willing
to answer that call to 
climb up to new golden heights,
a soldier of the Cross...

Amen

Saturday, July 19, 2014

In Psalms and Hymns...



I'm looking forward to this
very
very
very
very
much.

There is much to this old world
that is hard to understand
and hard to live through.
But what a blessing
to have the hope of
eternal life,
through the redemption
of the Savior
I have completely
dedicated my life to,
and Who I will know
when I stand by
His side
REDEEMED!

Keep on climbing, dear friends.
The end will come soon.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Live While You Wait...


"For what is your life?
 It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time,
 and then vanisheath away" 
James 4:14
 Lets us remember this,
 to use our short lives for God's glory alone. 
Let us not waste away,
 waiting for something to happen
 but live our lives for His glory
 right here where He has placed us!! 

I am not sure where I found this quote, 
but it hit home for me.
This is one lesson God has
been teaching me the past few years.
This is my life.
The life I live.
With circumstances I wouldn't choose,
but also blessings beyond measure
that I receive in great mercy
from a God who supplies my every need.

My thoughts ran similar to these
yesterday as I spent the day potting
summer container gardens,
and just really enjoyiing the day.
It was my "escape to the hills"
moment that was much needed
after a few intense weeks.
As I finished the day,
I thought of how restful it is
when we simply bow ourselves
under the mighty hand of God
and let Him make of our lives
whatever He will,
whatever brings Him the most glory.

Sure, I will always be deeply disturbed
by what is wrong and evil...
I will be broken with what breaks God's heart,
but in many ways I have come to a place
of just being...
because I refuse to live my life 
bitter at what was that should not have been
and angry over what isn't that should be.



People for centuries have been abused,
neglected, mistreated, etc.
It is the way of this old, sinful world.
True followers of Christ in these centuries
have chosen to follow the path of Jesus,
the way of death that brings LIFE.
They didn't cry JUSTICE
for themselves,
and reached out to help those in need,
no matter the circumstance,
wherever God called them.
They chose love and peace with all men,
as much they could.
They chose forgiveness.
They chose to serve Him wherever He 
called them to,
no matter how thorn infested
or lush
the vineyard they were sent to.

Just some thoughts circling 'round my heart
the past while as I soberly
ponder my own life decisions
and choices
and where they have brought me
and will take me...

I am so thankful that we serve a God
who is constantly mercifully
changing us from glory to glory.

Happy day to all.
Marcia



(as we sang this song in church on Sunday,
I thought of how 'dangerous' is this prayer
for the flesh. So many times we get put
where we would never have chosen to be,
and called to do work we would not
pick to do ourselves because it
isn't glamorous and pleasing to
personal tastes or wants. I thought
as we sang, how very wise of God
to do this...He needs us to be
in certain places, and if we got to 
be and do everything WE want to
then we wouldn't bring Him much
glory, would we?!)

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Thanksgiving on Thursday


Today, I find myself again deeply grateful
For the wonder working power
Of the precious blood of the
Lamb of God,
JESUS...

For the rest if my life 
I will kneel at His feet,
And thank Him for
Hearing me and
Lifting me up out
Of the miry clay.

Thanking God for complete
Wholeness
In Jesus
Today.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

For Mamas...



I read this today and it hit home very much for me. Sure, I would love to run to the hills all alone on a 3 day vision quest some days...and sure, I have melt downs, and struggley moments and weary-to-the-bone days. BUT...in the end of all things, when I look at my life and at God, I see the design He has created for my life, and I am happy to walk in it. 

And there is where I rest.

Happy motherhood to you.

Love and blessings,
Marcia

"Hey Mama,
Just a few choice words for you this morning. It's descriptive. It's you.
1. You love your husband. You're not perfect; neither is he. But before the Lord you made a commitment and the Lord will bless you for your obedience. You have chosen to love. And there are SO many blessings along the way.
2. You love your children. They are far from perfect, but you realize that they are growing in grace and love every day. They look to you continuously as an example, and while that's not always a "good thing", it's real. And that is a very good thing. No pretenses, no airs.
3. You are dedicated to your family. There are days you would like to run hollarin' for the hills and disappear behind a mountain. A tall mountain. Even if only for a minute. But nothing is keeping you apart from the family God has given you; you are one faithful Mama. Your heart always turns back to the ones in your care.

4. You can cook (some things). You can clean (to a degree). Your home is safe. Your kids eat just fine. Your home is a fortress for your children, and your friends speak highly of you because you are AVAILABLE. That is your middle name. Most importantly, while the cooking and cleaning are on your radar, they're not central. You "get" what's important. The Lord is central in your home, and your husband and children are much higher priorities than any spotless abode. THEY are your abode.
5. You facilitate laughter and enjoyment. You can laugh harder than the rest of them. Life throws its stresses your way, and sometimes you melt down (hello - you are human), but other times you laugh in the face of trials, and slice right through them with confidence. You are strong because Jesus is the Lord of your life; you are made strong in your weakness because you lean on Him. It's a lesson you learned long ago; you know Who your High Tower is. And your children are watching that, too. One day they will fall back on it. You are sowing precious seeds, and you are leaning on the Lord of your life to water and harvest what He has called you to sow.
Messy, beautiful Mama = Messy, beautiful LIFE.
Chaotic, insane, wacky, loud, torn-up, built-up, hurricane FAMILY. Your family. And you'll defend that fiercely until the end of days. It's yours, because He has given them to you, and never will you take that gift for granted.

His hand is still on your head today."

From the Old Schoolhouse Magazine's page on Face book

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Morning Musings...



I'm starting a new series with the title of this post...a series that encourages, interaction, hopefully with my
 friends who read this if you care to do that.

So many musings come through my heart as I walk through my mornings of gardening, tending family matters, counseling women, and spending time in quiet before the Lord...

Recently, I have been hearing the words of Hebrews 11:6 ringing through my heart:

"Without faith it is impossible to please Him;
he that comes to God must believe that 
He is,
and that He is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek Him."

Oh, those words hold such promise,
such encouragement,
such wonder to me!

All I really need to do is to believe that
God exists (is),
and that He rewards those who
diligently seek Him.

So...
if I truly believe
that God exists,
and if I truly believe that
He rewards those who diligently seek Him,
then I will put faith into action, 
right?

Will you ponder this,
and leave me a comment if you care to
(here or on Facebook or Google Plus
or my email: courage225@juno.com)
about what you think this belief
will look like, act like, etc?

I have been blessed to ponder this,
and it comes to me often through
the days in situations that I face.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Love and blessings,
Marcia

Monday, July 14, 2014

Whatever You Do...

… how can we live lives 
acceptable to God?


The answer is near thee, 
even in thy mouth.
 Vacate the throne room 
of your heart and 
enthrone Jesus there. 
Set Him in the focus of 
your heart’s attention
 and stop wanting to
 be a hero. 
Make Him your all in all 
and try yourself to become
 less and less.
 Dedicate your entire life to His honor alone and 
shift the motives of your life from self to God.
 Let the reason back of your daily conduct be 
Christ and His glory,
 not yourself, not your family nor your country nor your church.
 In all things let Him have the preeminence.

A. W. Tozer

"Whatsoever you do in word and in deed,
do all in the name of the Lord Jesus..."


Sunday, July 13, 2014

Musings from the Garden...

This past week, I have been in my gardens a lot,
weeding, pruning, and giving them their
summer look...
and I've had alot of time to muse...
and ponder...
and pray...
( I saw this video the other day)


and I thought of how painful it is to be planted
as a seed and then die so we can grow into
what God intended us to be.

That old nature, our sinful selves, just wants to be
in the way and will be as alive and flourishing as we
allow it to be!

As I weeded and pondered,
I happened upon my daisies that I had
transplanted a year or two ago.
They are just bursting into bloom,
and from my kitchen window, they bring
much joy for my eyes to feast upon...

They grew from the moment I transplanted them.
I knew it from the way they didn't wither and shrivel up
but stayed green and slowly at first, and then more rapidly,
spread their roots and increased.

This month marks the 13th anniversary of my
choosing to follow Jesus.
From the moment I was born again,
I chose to be all in.
I determined that whatever God would ask of me,
wherever He would take me,
whatever I needed to change,
it was going to be all or not at all.



Sometimes I have struggled, yes,
and I have halted sometimes too long 
on a thing that clearly was selfishness on my part,
but I have never backed down on that decision
to be all in.

It has proven to be a very good choice to make,
because the longer the I live this way,
the shorter the list of things I need to get right with God,
and the more abundant life I experience in Him.

And the longer I live this way,
the more free and peaceful is my life
and the life of my loved ones.
I thought of this as I went on one of my many errands
to be the Farmer's chauffer this week from field to farm.
He asked me kindly one morning if I would have time
to come and pick him up yet again that day.
And I flexed my heart to include yet another change
of plans to my busy day.
Then I remembered...
not too many years ago,
this kind of request would have
irked and irritated me.



But now, thanks to the pruning and
calling of my Lord to come higher
in my calling as a Farmer's wife
and daughter of the King,
I no longer am irked...
and I am, in fact, delighted to bless my
hardworking Farmer in any way I can.
And we gained a bonus:
much time this week to share hearts
on our little jaunts to and from the field.
What a delight!

The Bible is clear that fruit
comes after obedience and
yieldedness to the
Master Planter and Pruner.

It hurts like crazy because
we start off not recognizing that
pruning and planting at first,
then maybe sometimes we
struggle to yield to the Lord's
skillful hands,
and sometimes we have this
illusion that our life is still
our own.

But every sincere heart that truly seeks Him
gets the royal treatment of the Master Gardener.
And then there is serious work done,
and watering that happens,
and fruit that results...
to bring Him glory.

I use my own life as an example of these thoughts,
not because I am more special or better than anyone else,
but because I want to shout out to the world
that JESUS LIVES
and He lives within my heart!

I am so thankful that I decided to follow Jesus
no matter the cost.
I experience joy that no one can take away.



Life is hard.
It is not easy at all.
But I am never alone and I always have direction,
thanks to the Master Gardener in my life.
My advice, looking back over the few years
I have walked with Him in the Garden of life,
is to get all in and stay that way 
all the days that He gives you breath.
For His glory.
To accomplish the thing He wants to do
from your life that He planned
since before the world began...

I am excited to walk with this wonderful
Gardener and wonder with complete confidence
in Him what He has planned for me
through all the changing scenes of the rest of
my life...

Love and blessings to all,
Marcia


Monday, July 7, 2014

As the Life of a Flower...



Yesterday, I was feeling pretty discouraged
and frustrated,
and the enemy was trying valiantly to 
knock me off my feet,
and be troubled by things
'way far beyond my ability
to fix or control...

A dear friend suggested that
I go out and look at my flowers,
examining each petal.
I think she was reminding me
that the Creator who planned
and cares for each of those
intricate pieces of art,
surely knows and cares about
me and my struggles.

The video above reminded me of
that gentle reminder.
I was blessed and encouraged.




No, I certainly have not a clue
what tomorrow holds.
But I know Whom I have believed,
and no matter if things look 'up' 
or if they look 'down',
I know HIM.
To get to the end of my journey
and KNOW HIM
and His way is enough.

God bless you all with a week
full of love and appreciation
for Him and His way.
~Marcia



I Can Trust Jesus...

This quote has grabbed my attention alot. I have had opportunity, just like anyone else in this world, to experience the reality ...