Two days ago we had a very moving ceremony for Patriot Day at my work. In honoring several people for their sacrifice for our country, I realized how selfish I have been for much of my life and I was ashamed. Amazingly enough, this is something that pleases God! In Jeremiah 6:15 and again in Jeremiah 8:12, God has a problem with people who offend Him and never take note of it.
     He knows the wrong we have done; that is what the cross is all about! He reminds us in James 4:6-10, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. I am so grateful for His grace, and the robe of righteousness He puts on me to cover my sin--at such a great cost to Himself! Written below is the poem God's mercy (and this ceremony) inspired:

 

What Do I Do?

 

What do I do

When I'm covered in shame?

I look all around

But there's no one to blame

Because I chose to "get"

Instead of to "give"

I cared not who died

As long as I lived.

 

What do I do

When I'm covered in shame?

I look all around

But there's no one to blame

I thought of myself

More than anyone else

How I fought to get my own way!

Selfish and greedy

Unloving, self-seeking

I did not see anyone pay.

 

But my parents did pay

With their money and time

They raised me inside of their home

My teachers paid too

In sacrifices untold

To give me an education

 

So what do I do

When I'm covered in shame?

I look all around

But there's no one to blame...

 

I'll run to the cross

To the One who paid most

To seek and to save

All who were lost!

 

I'll run to the cross

Where my God does not blame

But takes on Himself

My guilt and my shame.

 

I'll run to the cross

Where my guilt God relieves...

...receiving the pardon

That's more than reprieve!

 

Then I'll run from the cross

With others to share

The great love of God

And His merciful care

 

I'll run from the cross

With the joy of the Lord

Who gives great forgiveness

In accord with His Word!

 

I will serve Him and you

With all of my heart

In fear and humility

Because I know now

He died in my place

To secure for me liberty!

 

I am free from my sin!

I am free from my shame!

I am free to serve God and mankind!

I am free to live holy...

...And wholly to live...

Giving glory to God divine!

 

Praise Jesus!!!

 

 

 



For the joy...

Last night I was getting my backpack ready for church today. Today was my day to teach and I like to have things to help the children connect with the lesson so I carry them in my backpack. I needed more things than usual for today. Furthermore, I walk to church on the Sunday mornings I teach so that my husband can drive to second service and we can attend together. It is a twenty-five to thirty minute walk (depending on my paceJ). Normally, I love walking to church and I usually do not have much to carry.

I noticed last night that with every item I packed I had the same thought; Oh, this is going to make the bag heavy.  In went 3 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt, 1 ½ cups of water, table decorations, some miscellaneous items and finally my Bible; My Bible is BIG!

I needed everything I packed, but with every item I packed, my desire to walk to church decreased; I did not want to bear the load. Yet with the decreasing desire, came the inspiring thoughts; Jesus bore a cross.

Jesus did not just bear something heavy, He bore something shameful, and messy. Why did He do this? My Bible tells me Jesus did it because He loves me; In fact He loves the whole world!

I do not have to bear any shame. I get to teach some children about the love of God in Christ. I may sweat a little getting to church, but I am not going to bleed. With every thought, my apprehension waned while my joy increased.

Only God can give joy and peace in forgetting about ourselves.

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Hebrews 12:2

“…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of [our] faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

musing...

The Book of Life

Recently my phone became inoperable and I needed to get another one, but did not have the money and it was not time to renew my plan. I soon learned that my son had a half dozen old phones lying around and he was happy to let me have one. There were a lot of phone numbers in there belonging to people I had never heard of and many numbers belonging to people I was somewhat acquainted with, but I had no relationship with them.  Delete, delete, delete...

As I began to delete these names and numbers from the phone I thought about God’s Book of Life.  I had long marveled at Moses’ request to God to blot his name out of the Book of Life before He blotted out the names of the people of Israel (see Exodus 32:31-33). According to Scripture it seems the book is already written; the names are already there.  God calls everyone, but many do not answer and have no relationship with Him.

My sins are blotted out by the blood of His Son so that my name will not be blotted out before Him! What a wonderful God. What He has done for me, He wants to do for you. He is not waiting for you to get it right so He can write your name in; He is waiting for you to acknowledge His righteousness so He will not have to blot it out! He loves you! I hope you know this.

Revelation 3:5

"He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Revelation 3:20

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door,
I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

 

A New Twist

I have been married to the same man for thirty-two and a half years now, and for thirty-two and a half years I have reacted to his being angry and/or upset the same way (it has never gone well for us). Today was different. I bought the wrong size pretzels after work Friday (I am making a skeleton with them), so I asked my hubby to go get me the right kind as he needed to go to the store anyway (I am sick). I do not want to tell the whole story because he was inspired to do so and I want to share his version here. I think this is precious:

LADIES, if you have a special project and don't have all the ingredients, then might I suggest you don't send your husband (like my wife did me), because invariably he will return with the wrong items. A case in point, "THE PRETZEL DILEMA". After church this morning I went to Wal-mart for some things, one item in particular (my wife's request) was a bag of twisted pretzels. I arrived at the chip aisle, saw a 98 cent bag of big fat salted pretzels and I bought them. I know she wrote down twisted (and she even drew me a picture), but my brain said big fat salted pretzels (or maybe it was saying, only 98 cents). Well to my dismay, after arriving home, I was informed by my lovely wife that I got the wrong pretzels. Well of course I was indignant about the whole thing (SORRY BABE). So I ate lunch, went to Rite Aide, went to the chip aisle and found no pretzels. Well I asked the Lord to please give me a break and low and behold He did. There was 1 bag of twisted pretzels, so I bought them. I thanked the Lord and went on my merry way. It was a short lived victory. When I learned that the pretzels were the wrong size, I nearly had a complete melt down (SORRY BABE). So I was on my way to store #3, Target, where I found pretzels galore, they had big fat salted ones in five different brands, 3 sizes of twisted to choose from, salted and unsalted, with or without cheese; I was in pretzel heaven. I bought 2 bags of different size TWISTED pretzels, just to make sure. In short, IT TOOK ME 3 STORES, 3 HOURS and 5 BAGS OF PRETZELS, to solve, "THE PRETZEL DILEMA", thank God!

I do thank God for "THE PRETZEL DILEMA". Although it did not please me to see my husband so distressed, my husband and I had a good laugh over this afterword, and we did not fight! God works in mysterious ways when conforming each of us to His own image. How blessed I am to see the man that loves me. 

Matthew 7:3 & 5b And why do you look at the speck in your bother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?...First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Happy Valentine's Day Jesus!

 

My

Move  into my heart, move into my life

Make me Your bride, make me Your wife

Mold me and shape me according to Your will
Melt my heart and keep me still

Lord

Let me fall in love with You

Look to You and trust in You

Live right here inside my heart

Love me Lord and don't depart

And

Always stay right by my side

Answer prayer and be my guide

Amazing grace You  give to me

Apart from You I can't be free

Savior

Sin is here, deep stained within

Shower me and cleanse, forgive

Show me how to walk in Your ways

Stay with me for all my days

Happy Valentine's Day Jesus!

 

My

Move  into my heart, move into my life

Make me Your bride, make me Your wife

Mold me and shape me according to Your will
Melt my heart and keep me still

Lord

Let me fall in love with You

Look to You and trust in You

Live right here inside my heart

Love me Lord and don't depart

And

Always stay right by my side

Answer prayer and be my guide

Amazing grace You  give to me

Apart from You I can't be free

Savior

Sin is here, deep stained within

Shower me and cleanse, forgive

Show me how to walk in Your ways

Stay with me for all my days

Trouble on the Path

It was Saturday, November 18, 2011. Steve and I were watching our grandsons while their parents were at a couple's retreat. I had taken the boys and the dogs out for a walk in the desert. This time, the walk did not go so well.

Camden ran far ahead of us this time and would not stop or come back when I called. For a moment, I was scared; if I did not act quickly he would soon be out of my view. I would not be able to catch him if I carried Keegan and Keegan could not keep up with me. I made my decision.

I left Keegan where he was and ran after Camden (I knew Keegan would stay where he was and wait for my return). I got Camden and quickly walked him back to where Keegan was waiting. Lowering myself to Camden's eye level I explained to him, "Camden, you can run all over this desert, but when granny says come, you come! Do you understand?" Camden replied, "I don wanna stan!" "Then you will hold my hand", I replied.

Camden whimpered softly as we held hands and walked back toward home. After a short time, I let him try again, and this time, he obeyed.

Matthew 18:12 "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep,

and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine

and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?

Psalm 32:9 Do not be like the horse [or] like the mule, [Which] have no understanding,

Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you.