An encouragement

Yesterday at church the pastor shared some wonderful truth from God's word that I have been pondering...

2 Peter 1:4 "Through these [His glory and goodness] He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature..."

I have to go now, but I'd like to share more here later.

Do you ever wonder?

Do you ever wonder if you are doing the right thing?

Do you ever wonder if homeschooling is the best thing for your kids?

Do you ever wonder if you are the best teacher for your kids?

Do you ever wonder if this is really what God wants you to be doing?

Do you ever wonder how you got here? And where here is?

I do.

Help me, Lord, to see. And hear.

A morning prayer

Lord Jesus,

I give you this day - this day that you have given me - fill it as you see fit.

Help me to accept with joy the people, the circumstances You allow into my life this day.

May I see You, honour You and bring pleasure to Your heart and glory to Your name.

Come fill me, Holy Spirit.

Faith

"Where lies the secret strength of faith? It lies in the food it feeds on; for faith studies what the promise is - an emanation of divine grace, an overflowing of the great heart of God ..."
-- CH Spurgeon

(If you want to read the whole of this thought, you can access it at Brandon Staggs website and there are more "Morning and Evening" devotions online at Daily Dose of Spurgeon.)

Worry

It comes in at odd times. Some mornings it slinks into my waking thoughts, whispering in my heart's ear. Some nights it trumpets me awake with crashing and crushing thoughts. When there are unexpected late returns or illness, it teases my imagination into fearful possibilities.

But I have a choice. Like my grandmother used to say, "You can't stop the birds from flying over your head, but you can stop them from making a nest in your hair." Those fleeting thoughts of worry, of doubt, the temptation to mistrust my Heavenly Father will come - but I do not have to invite them in for a cup of tea. I can, and I must, turn to my Father and put my hand in His and put my trust in His unfailing love.

I must rehearse again and again all the ways He has met our needs, and so often our desires, with faithfulness and abundance. And I must go beyond my own experiences too, to His unchanging promises. So I have to remind myself of what He has said.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in Me." John 14:1

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns; and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matthew 6:25-26

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31

"Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." Psalm 16:5-6

For He is good. And He does not change.

105 and more

105. laughter

106. the wisdom of others

107. the honest enthusiasm of a child

108. the muted splendor of a morning sky

109. a mother who travels around the world to wash my dishes, do my laundry, love on my kids and just generally be a blessing

110. healing for a pony

111. an anniversary present of a fuzzy hat

112. 10 years of Your grace and countless glimpses of Your love through this man

113. A sister who rejoices in giving - and delights in blessing her nephews

114. These Truths: that You provide, that You hear, that You are pleased with faith (even if it is the size of a mustard seed), that faith does not see with these eyes of flesh...

Oh my Father, You are so good. Please strengthen my faith as I lift my eyes to You.

96...

96. hard work

97. the steady sound of rain and the glow of morning sun in the same moment

98. a garden to plant in

99. a garden to anticipate the harvesting of

100. good neighbours

(from the boys)

101. that I could have my big two brothers and my Mum and my Dad to help me do things (Nate)

102. goats, Flash, cats and ponies (Ben)

103. opportunity to work and friends that love (Sam)

104. warm blankets on my bed

Good night! :)

How can I?

This is my question for the day (and most likely 'days').

How can I, like our first mother Eve, be a bringer of life? In this place, at this time, to this husband, to these children, to these neighbours, to these friends - how can I follow in the footsteps of Him Who is the Life?

Words, words, words

If you were a fly on the wall at my house lately you might have heard me quietly singing (muttering) to myself: "Words, words, words I'm so sick of words. I hear words all day long first from him now from you."

(Envision an impassioned Audrey Hepburn in "My Fair Lady" if you are wondering where that random phrase comes from.)

But really, it is my own words I am feeling sick of. Sometimes I get lost in my own words - and I wonder how much good I am really doing for my children with all these words. Are they drowning in the torrent of my words? Sometimes they get that glazed over look which is the warning light - I've lost them.

I have been made aware of by friends over the years that I restate things, oh, a few too many times. (And my husband agrees.) It is part of my search for just the right words... but there is only one truly right Word. Jesus. He is the Word my children need - that I need. It is His Spirit who must breathe life into my words if there is to be lasting benefit from my many failing words.

Maybe my words need to be fewer so my children can hear Him better.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16)

"For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45)

May I be filled with Your Words so that I speak life to my children - to all whose lives I touch.

Mother's Day - a reflection

Motherhood.

I am not a Hallmark card kind of mother. No painted fingernails, just nibbled ones. I don't think I am one of those people for whom motherhood comes naturally for that matter.

What is motherood really about?

Discipleship.

A one foot ahead of the other following of Jesus into servanthood. In motherhood Jesus gives me the opportunity (sometimes it feels like every minute) to deny myself, take up a cross and follow Him. Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying my children are a burden. I think it is my own selfish nature that is the burden. My children are one of God's graces to me.

Thank you Lord for the gift of being a mother.

Slow down

I have just put the boys to bed.

It is often at these moments that I glimpse what is vitally important

a slow tasting of time with them.

Sometimes I believe I am too busy to slow even then - there's the dishes to do, the rooms to be tidied, the laundry to be put away, there's the... and the .... and the... and the list goes on.

To slow down, to take the time to really see and to truly listen - that is my privilege as a mother. It is my privilege to see how their hearts are growing. To listen to their stories.

But, oh, how rarely do I really do that.

There is always the next thing to be done -

usually something that feels terribly urgent, but is not vital.

At least not in God's economy.

As their breathing slows, I take the time to breathe. Relishing the very breath that God has given me. Reminding myself how very dependent I am on the Breath of Life - the God of heaven and earth.

Thank You, dearest Father - for bedtime.

For all the precious reminders to slow down. And live.

83 and counting...

It is as if I can almost taste the transformation possible through this practice of giving thanks, but my practice is too far and few between. I want it to become a lifestyle to me - as necessary as breathing.

But I am not a good habit former - it is difficult for me to daily connect-the-dots that make a new habit. But I guess that is why the Lord tells us that His grace is sufficient for us - His power made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Lord I ask You for Your grace to enable me to be consistent.

83. the light beauty of a butterfly

84. the growing man-strength of a 7 year old - to carry groceries, to help a brother, ...

85. the silver whiteness of the moon

86. the bright eyes of a child who has done well at something

87. running water in my house

88. a peaceful place to live

89. a faithful husband

90. fun had on Adventure Friday

91. deep words

92. books

93. a glimpse of kindness and then reciprocation

94. other people's good ideas

95. Your goodness which wraps around me . . . Thank You.

Another Monday

73. a waking glimpse of blue sky and sunshine

74. mist draped hills - beauty surrounding us

75. a roof that keeps out the rain

76. sweet words from my sleepy boy

77. hearing S reading aloud and enjoying it

78. a soft bed

79. sleep - the restfulness of closing my eyes

80. meeting a new friend, who has the mark of a kindred heart about her

81. the caress of a gentle wind - reminding me that Your Spirit is all around me

82. This day...

Yes, this day - whatever it may hold is a gift from You, Father. Thank You.

Please help me to abide in You this day.

To draw from no other source but You.

Please gently remind me when my heart goes elsewhere.

Help me to be ready... with joyful gratitude.

A weary heart

This is one of those days where I feel weary.

Heart-weary of the multitudinous demands on this dusty frame.

Self-weary of the 'old' nature that broadcasts how far I am from who I want to be.

Ear-weary of the noise level created by three boys.

But Jesus says, "Come to Me all you who are weary and I will give you rest."

He speaks to me in my weariness - in precious particular ways.

He is my strength - the joy of the Lord is my strength. (Neh. 8:10) He knows the weariness of serving, for He came to serve.

My old nature can drive me to the arms of my precious Saviour, my Redeemer.

I can turn in gratitude to my Father who has blessed me with these three healthy, lively boys of His.

He will meet my needs - abundantly, when I come to Him.

Thank You, Lord.

If you want to share how our Lord meets you and speaks to you in your weariness,

I'd love to hear.

His perfect faithfulness

O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name,

For in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things,

things planned long ago.

Isaiah 25:1

I praise You Lord, for You are perfectly faithful to Your plans and purposes. You will not allow anyone to alter them.

I praise You for You are perfectly faithful to Yourself - You do not change. You are not changed by circumstances or situations.

I praise You for You are perfectly faithful to me - Your desire for me does not change and Your desires for me do not change.

Thank You my perfectly faithful God!

To Begin

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name."

Psalm 100:4

It has been a while since I have been here to write out my thankfulness for His gifts. I have so very much to give thanks for - how amazing it is that our God reminds us to enter His presence with thanks. My Father knows. He knows that without being reminded I would come to Him in so many other attitudes: shamed, burdened, bothered, rushed, apathetic. Choosing thankfulness lifts my eyes to my Father's - thank You. Through thankfulness I am humbled by His goodness to this beloved piece of dust. Perspective is righted. Thank you.

This day, I thank You!

Your Word which speaks life to my heart

Your Spirit Who breathes life

Your Son Who is the Life

Yourself, my Father, my God, the Source