Blessings Day 3

I'm thankful for everything this table represents - community, security, good food, laughter, fellowship, and peace.

Blessings Day 2

I enjoyed the beautiful sunrise on the way to work at a dear widow's house. I'm thankful for light and the change it makes.

Blessings Day 1

Beautiful, glorious trees showing their true colors. I'm thankful for God's beauty that surrounds me.

"Surrender in Obedience"

Posting this as a reminder to myself... an excellent truth from C.S. Lewis' book The Problem of Pain.

"But when we have said that God commands things only because they are good, we must add that one of the things intrinsically good is that rational creatures should freely surrender themselves to their Creator in obedience. The content of our obedience -- the thing we are commanded to do -- will always be something intrinsically good, something we ought to do even if (by an impossible supposition) God had not commanded it. But in addition to the content, the mere obeying is also intrinsically good, for, in obeying, a rational creature consciously enacts its creaturely role, reverses the act by which we fell, treads Adam's dance backward, and returns."

Grace Gifts

-- waking up from a sweet dream of him

-- teaching about manna ... God always provides what we need!

-- the joy of reading a book together

-- beautiful, sunny, fall weather

-- a walk in the park with a dear friend

-- that Harvest Wheatberry Turkey Salad

-- black raspberry chip ice cream

-- the drive home listening to beautiful music

-- His strength is always perfect

I Choose Communion

Ann's blog was so so good today. Just what my heart needed after an especially rowdy, talkative, "self-focused" day. So forgive me for blatantly copying and pasting, but I need this truth tonight!

"A million little things will happen this week — and there are always really only Two Choices:  You get to decide whether you want to Complain.  Or whether you want Communion.
Life’s complicated. That’s clarity:  Complain… or Communion.

Your Reality in Christ is that you’re 100% saved, redeemed, accepted, carried, cared for, watched over, provided for, comforted, loved. Christ isn’t just sort of for you, Christ is 100% for you – your Reality is 100% safe in Him.

As for expectations — your expectations have a direct correlation on your irritations. The higher your expectations, the greater your irritations.

Mama’s watching the girls run down the shore and she’s about told it to me as many times as the waves keep lapping the shore:  Expectations kill relationships.

Your Expectations in Christ are that you don’t deserve anything, can’t earn anything, don’t merit anything — your expectations are 0% in and of the flesh. It’s all grace.

The formula for life turns out to be blessedly simple:

Reality in Christ (1oo%) – Expectations (0%) = A Happiness — that has nothing to do with what Happens

The waves just keep coming and they can."

 I'm weak. I'm small. I never have all the answers. But when I commune with Him...when I invite Him in...when I'm led by Him, I'm strong. He's enough. His truth will prevail. And that deep joy resides through waves or storm.

My heart yearns for heaven

Nineteen year olds are not supposed to die in car accidents...

Jesus...our sinful world must make your heart break.

Oh for the day when all is made right...

Christ is Enough

We sang this song this morning during worship...wow. Simple but powerful words.

Colossians 2:9-10 (NASB) "For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority..."

I like this translation... "The Lord is my shepherd. I have everything I need." (Psalm 23:1 NCV)

The knowledge and reality of this urges me to say, "The cross before me, the world behind me, no turning back, no turning back!"

Psalm 107

Wow. Four times, four different types of people cried out to God in their distress and God moved on their behalf.

He delivered...

He saved...

He brought them out of their distresses...

When they were at their wit's end... All hope was gone... They cried out to God... And He answered.

Because God delights in redemption...buying back what only He can buy. He delights in loving His children. He delights in meeting our need.

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His loving kindness is everlasting."

Dependant

Blue sky...
Crisp, cool air...
Sleeping in a few more hours than I planned...
I'm enjoying the last few delicious moments of summer break.

But, shockingly enough, I'm getting excited for this new school year. I'm eerily peaceful.

I met with one of my boy's parents yesterday. What a blessing they will be! Near the end of our conversation I told them that I start the year with fear and trembling because of the great responsibility that's placed on me. I said I must look to God each moment for wisdom and guidance. I told them that I covet their prayers.

I think I'm slowly learning that I can't do this alone. Nor was I designed to...

So we have another day to fully rely on God for every need...to delight in Him...and to bless others along the way.