Happy Birthday Jon

Today was our dear youngest sons birthday!  What a blessing to spend the day celebrating a life that God created and knitted together.  Every time we celebrate a birthday in our home it reminds us that each one of us are fearfully and wonderfully made by God.  It's a time to reflect on the gift that God has given and to be thankful!  

We began our day by having a special breakfast out......it was very good and very fun.  At dinner as we were waiting for our guests we were asking Jon if he minded waiting and he said......no, it's not about the cake anyhow it's just good to have fellowship.  Wise words from a 7 year old.  I will have to remember that myself....it's not about the stuff it's about the fellowship.  

One of his biggest joy's was that his older brother called and had the whole team sing to him.  He smiled ear to ear.....thanks Justin!

Happy Birthday Jonathan!  We Love You! 

Too cute!  Where does the time go?  Life is truly a vapor!

No Greater Joy

3 John 1-4

The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

This morning I was meditating on these verses.  God's Word is so incredible.  Perhaps it's because our first born has been traveling away from us for the first time or since God has worked in my heart as a parent this has been my desire: that my children walk in truth.  I can remember praying this for my children since they were little. This is an action word, walk.   There comes a time, when God chooses, that they have to walk.  We cannot do it for them  and when they do it brings my heart great joy.  The other thing I noticed about this passage was in verse 2.  The desire or wish is that we may prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.  This tells me the soul can prosper without physical prospering because of the Lord.  Paul said God's grace was sufficient for him even when the thorn in his flesh was not removed and it is sufficient for me today.  I have been amazed at how well we have all done with J leaving for the summer.  I know that it is only God's grace because we love being together.  It has also been such a blessing to hear from afar how the Lord is working in his life and that he is walking in truth.  Now don't get me wrong..there have been tears shed and many prayers gone up but God has been faithful.  

HOLINESS

I read this post on a blog that I follow this morning. It was such an encouragement to me that I wanted to pass it on. So with permission of the blogger for lifeinskunkhollow.blogspot.com (thanks Julie) I am passing this on. My prayer is that it encourages you in your walk with our Lord.

Holiness

"I learned early on that to be "set apart" is not a punishment; it is not an attempt on God's part to deprive us or to condemn us to a cheerless, joyless lifestyle. It is a priceless privilege - it is a call

* to belong, to be cherished, to enter into an intimate love relationship with God Himself, much as a groom declares his intent to set his bride apart from all other women to be his beloved wife

* to fit into the grand, eternal plan of our redeeming God for this universe

* to experience the exquisite joys and purposes for which we were created

* to be freed from all that destroys our true happiness."

". . . Sooner or later, sin will strip and rob you of everything that is truly beautiful and desirable. If you are a child of God, you were redeemed to enjoy the sweet fruit of holiness - to walk in oneness with your heavenly Father, to relish His presence, to rejoice in His mercy, to know the joy of having clean hands, a pure heart, and a clear conscience, and one day, to stand before Him unashamed. Why settle for anything less?"

-- Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Holiness - The Heart God Purifies

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A New Year!  As I was meditating on the New Year yesterday I had this thought.  The Lord is eternal, yet He gave us time.  Each moment can be new.........a new second, a new minute, a new hour, a new day, and a new year.  It reminded me of what the Lord says heaven will be like....everything will be as new and as a person that is born again the scripture says " all things are become as new".  I wonder if God in His grace and mercy gave us the opportunity to take time to evaluate and put the "old" things away and begin the new?  Whatever it may be it is a blessing and we can bask in God's goodness to us for His mercies are "new" every morning!  We truly have a wonderful Savior!

Pondering Over Gifts

There are many wonderful gifts that the Lord has blessed us with and we will celebrate one of them tomorrow. Our oldest son will be 18. I must say I am amazed. More than just from the passing of time, which seemed so fast, but from all the special moments packed into that time. It is such an incredible gift. As I am remembering my precious baby to now my handsome young man and all the wonderful times in between my heart is swelling with gratitude to the Lord.

You are loved Jus and we are thankful and proud to have you as our son!!!!!!!!!!

Mom

I can trust God even when I can't see what He is doing!

God has lovingly reminded me this morning that He is always working on my behalf for His glory.  

As I was in my study of Exodus this morning I was impressed with the fact of how the Israelites seemed to trust God when they could see His miracles and His works on their behalf and when it benefited them personally.  When God had brought them across the Red Sea the scripture says that they feared the Lord, they believed in the Lord, and they believed in Moses but how quickly they forgot His faithfulness when they could not see what God was doing.  I had to ask myself how quickly can I doubt when I can not see what God is doing?   The Lord lovingly reminded me that I am to walk by faith not by sight and that He is always working on my behalf even when I can't seem to see anything happening.  I am so thankful that God in His mercy and grace spoke to me this morning through His word to remind me of this beautiful truth and to caution me to remember He is always with me, He will never leave me nor forsake me, and He is working on my behalf for His glory and I can trust Him.  It may not always be how I see it because my ways are not always His ways but I can trust in His faithfulness!

BEAUTIFUL WORDS!

I read the words to this Hymn and I was so blessed that I thought I'd share.  I hope it encourages you in your walk with the LORD as it did me.  We have been asking the Lord to fill our mouths with praise and laughter even in situations that seem difficult for it is so easy to give praise when everything goes my way but oh how different it can be when they do not.  As I ponder over the last few years I can definitely see how God is teaching me this very truth.   

HYMN: FILL THOU MY LIFE

Fill Thou my life, O Lord my God, 

In every part with praise,

That my whole being may proclaim

Thy being and Thy ways.

Not for the lip of praise alone,

Nor e'en the praising heart,

I ask, but for a life made up

Of praise in every part:

Praise in the common things of life,

Its goings out and in;

Praise in each duty and each deed,

However small and mean.

Fill every part of me with praise;

Let all my being speak

Of Thee and of Thy love, O Lord,

Poor though I be and weak.

So shall no part of day or night

From sacredness be free,

But all my life, in every step,

Be fellowship with Thee.