remember our fallen

The dead soldier's silence sings our national anthem.
- Aaron Kilbourn

one of my favorite memories...

I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Matthew 25:36 NIV

When I was in my mid-teens, there was a particular experience that made a permanent impression on my heart. On occasion, something will remind me of what happened many years ago.

My Dad bought an insurance policy from a salesman I’ll call George. As it turned out, George was a successful salesman who had written many insurance policies. However, the policies were worthless. The premium payments were put into the pockets of George instead of the pockets of the insurance company. George was caught, arrested, tried, and convicted of insurance fraud. I never knew how much money Dad lost, but in the scheme of things, it really wasn’t very important.

My Dad was involved in a local prison ministry, taking his turn leading services for the men who attended. I don’t know how it happened, but I imagine that one day when Dad stood to speak, he noticed a specific inmate sitting among the others. It was George. And no, I don’t believe it was just a coincidence.

Some inmates were allowed passes, so Dad brought George to our home for Sunday dinners. I don’t know how often George ate with us. After a couple of visits, I didn’t think of him as a prisoner. He was a man who had wronged others. He was a man who enjoyed Sunday dinner with us. He was a man separated from his family. (Although his wife and daughter were local, no contact was permitted while George was with Dad.)

This is my favorite part of the story. George finished serving his sentence and was released from prison. While he was cleaning out his house preparing to move, he came across some papers. These weren’t just any papers. These were records of some of the people he had defrauded.

And whose name do you think he saw? Yes, it was Dad’s. Right about then, I would think he had a sinking feeling in his gut. More than likely, he was embarrassed, mortified, and ashamed. George probably had an extremely hard time facing Dad again. He must have had many questions, such as “why didn’t you tell me who you were?”, and “why did you let me have meals with your family?”, and “after what I did to you, how could you treat me with such kindness?, and “why?”, and “why?”.

Dad lived his faith in front of others.

What about me? Is there anything that my son remembers about me? Is there some word or some action or some feeling or some example or some attitude or some something?

I sure hope so.

love (reprise)

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39 NAS

 This is a favorite verse of mine. As a Christian, it’s a comfort to know that God’s love is within me for eternity. I am secure in the knowledge of His wondrous, mighty, and unconditional love. I do not, and can not, envision my life separated from God. I pray that others would accept and believe in Jesus Christ, and experience the eternal love of God.

The light of God surrounds us;

The love of God enfolds us;

The power of God protects us;

The presence of God watches over us;

Wherever we are, God is.

***************

God loves me enough

to keep me on my Knees

so I don't forget

I am in His Hands!

~unknown

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how often?

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Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness
Word of God speak

Chorus - Word of God Speak

by MercyMe

These words encircled my mind yesterday.  Literally, around and around and around, again.  I hummed this song in Target in the household department.  I realized I was singing (softly, singing) it in the garden section at Lowe’s.  While unloading the flower and veggie plants from the car, I hummed it a tad on the loud side. Resting on the garden bench, yep, I was singing it again (and not so softly).

So, I figure if the song was stuck in my thoughts, there may be a reason why.

How often do I really, and without distraction, let God’s Word speak to my heart?  How often do I let it pour over my soul, so that I may see God?  How often do I pause and worship the majesty of God?  How often am I conscious of God’s presence every day in every place in every way?  How often do I sit and rest at the feet of His holiness?  How often? 

When I’m still, and know that He is God!

"Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!"

Psalm 46:10 ESV

pause 'n ponder

Slow me down, Lord.

Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind.

Steady my hurried pace with a vision of eternal reach of time.

Give me, amidst the confusion of my day,
the calmness of the everlasting hills.

Break the tensions of my nerves with the soothing music of the

singing streams that live in my memory.

Let me look upward into the branches of the towering oak

and know that it grew great and strong
because it grew slowly and well.

Slow me down Lord,

and inspire me to send my roots deep into the soil of life's
enduring values that I may grow towards

 the stars of my greater destiny.

~(excerpt) Wilfred Peterson

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The light of heaven is the face of Jesus Christ;
The joy of heaven is the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ;
The melody of heaven is the name of Jesus Christ.
The theme of heaven is the work of Jesus Christ.
The fullness of heaven is the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself.
~Unknown

who woulda thunk it?

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I went outside this morning to clean out the bluebird house.  This needs to be done after the babies leave the nest, so it’ll be ready for the next batch.  The pine needle nests are such intricate structures, I like to put them somewhere in my flower garden.  Anyway, I used a trowel to carefully remove it....and what a surprise!  A precious newborn and cracks visible on some of the eggs.  I happened to have my camera strapped around my neck, and snapped a few shots.  What an awesome miracle! 

pause 'n ponder

Attitude

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.

It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes,

than what others think or say or do.

It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill.

It will make or break a company... a church... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding

the attitude we will embrace for that day.

We cannot change our past... we cannot change the

fact that people will act in a certain way.

We cannot change the inevitable.

The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... 
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens

to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes."

Charles Swindoll

what matters the most (reprise)

When I was growing up, there were things I dreamed about being, and things I dreamed about doing. I’d imagine my future held promise, and believe my life had possibility. I dared to dream, but did my dreams to come true? A few became realities, but most were never fulfilled. But in the end, as long as I believed in myself and believed in Jesus Christ, that’s what mattered the most.

I dreamed of being:
a singer – quite gifted, perhaps someone like Rebecca St. James
a musician – harp, flute, and piano, incredible at all three
an ice skater – graceful and breathtaking
an artist – painting landscapes, striving to capture the splendor of God’s creation

I dreamed of:
sailing across vast seas overflowing with dolphins
riding in a hot air balloon on lazy summer mornings
hiking up a tall mountain bursting with waterfalls
camping in the wilderness close to Gentle Ben
living in a log cabin and having a pet deer

I'm all grown up, but even now, I still wonder and I still dare to dream. This one thing I know for sure - I searched and found the Lord. That's what matters the most...

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)

"Come," my heart says, "seek his face!" Your face, Lord, do I seek.
Psalms 27:8 (NRSV)

a song and a prayer

Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:25-26 NIV)

While I was working in the yard this afternoon, I had a song stuck in my head. I sung it over and over and over and over again. It was 'Be Thou My Vision', an old Irish hymn from the 8th century. My favorite Christian artists who have recorded it are Ginny Owens and Rebecca St. James.

This song is a prayer, asking God to work in our lives, in our hearts, and in our thoughts. It reminds me that God is in control of my life, that He lives within me, that He works thru me, and I am His child.
-->All I need is God in my life and to be in His presence. This song is relevant today, as it was when written in the 8th century.

Be Thou my Vision

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art

Thou my best Thought, by day or by night

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord

Thou my great Father, I Thy true son

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise

Thou mine Inheritance, now and always

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart

High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art

High King of Heaven, my victory won

May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall

Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all

in my garden

This is my Father’s world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings,
and round me rings
the music of the spheres.

(‘This is my Father’s World’, words by Malt­bie D. Bab­cock, 1901)
                                            

There’s a deep feeling of comfort when I’m in my garden.  I find it peaceful and relaxing and soothing and calming.  While resting on my bench, I enjoy the scents of flowers around me, the sounds of birds singing, the brilliant colors around me, the splash of goldfish in the pond, the amazing sky above, and the quiet, gentle breezes.

The sun warms and refreshes my soul, and in these precious moments, all is right with the world.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 

Genesis 1:1 NAS

God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. 

Genesis 1:31 NAS

foto favs

His love is eternal

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8:38-39 NAS)

This is a favorite verse of mine. As a Christian, it’s a comfort to know that God’s love is within me for eternity. I’m secure (and totally convinced) in the knowledge of His wondrous, mighty, and unconditional love. I do not, and I can not, envision my life separated from God. I pray that others would accept and believe in Jesus Christ, and experience the eternal love of God.

Considering how great the universe is, and how tiny and insufficient I am, there is no way I can begin to comprehend how much God loves me. He created every thing and every one that has been, that is, and that will be. I don’t have to, nor need to understand the vastness of God’s love. I just know that He does - He does love me.

dear sweet callie!

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Everything I Need To Know In Life, I Learned From My Cat

1. Life is hard, and then you nap.
2. Curiosity never killed anything, except maybe a few hours.
3. When in doubt, cop an attitude.
4. Variety is the spice of life: one day ignore people, the next day annoy them.

5. Climb your way to the top - that's why drapes are there.
6. Find your place in the sun - especially if it happens to be on that nice pile of warm, clean laundry.
7. When you go out into the world, remember: being placed on a pedestal is a right, not a privilege.

Our character is what God and cats know of us.
Thomas Paine

There is something about the presence of a cat...that seems to take the bite out of being alone.
Dr Louis Camuti

:(

I have blogger’s block!

have a blessed easter

there's something about that name.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

There's just something about that name

Master, Savior, Jesus

Like the fragrance after the rain

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

Let all heaven and earth proclaim

Kings and kingdoms shall all pass away

But there's something about that name

is it well with your soul?

No matter what my circumstances are, can I truthfully say ‘it is well with my soul’?

No matter how terrible it may be, no matter how miserable it may be, no matter how difficult it may be, no matter how terrifying it may be, no matter how lonesome it may be, no matter how unbearable it may be, can I truthfully say ‘it is well with my soul’? Even thru sorrows and troubles and trials and...

Yes, even so, it is well with my soul!

‘It Is Well With My Soul’ is an old hymn that has great meaning to me. Its name may seem impossible to truthfully say, but with the peace of Jesus in my heart, it is.

The words of the first verse and refrain are:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.


Only thru Jesus can I honestly say it is well with my soul!

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7 NAS

Even so, it is well with my soul.

pause 'n ponder

Consider Jesus.
Know Jesus.
Learn what kind of Person it is you say you trust and love and worship.
Soak in the shadow of Jesus.
Saturate your soul with the ways of Jesus.
Watch Him.
Listen to Him.
Stand in awe of Him.
Let Him overwhelm you with the way He is.

John Piper