Give Thanks

The Mighty One, God, the Lord, 
has spoken, and summoned the earth
from the rising of the sun to it setting.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God has shown forth.
Psalm 50:1-2
Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son.

And now, let the weak say, "I am strong"

Let the poor say, "I am rich"

Because of what the Lord has done for me.

Give thanks.

Wisdom

By wisdom the Lord founded the earth;

by understanding he created the heavens.

By his knowledge

the deep fountains of the earth burst forth,

and the dew settles beneath the night sky.

Proverbs 3:19

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, 
who became for us wisdom from God—
and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 
that, as it is written, 
“He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."
i Corinthians 1:30-31

1972

My first year of teaching public school was in rural Forsyth County, Georgia, in 1972. A new building had been added to house the first and second grades, but the interior was far from being finished for several weeks .

A cornfield had been partially cleared for the construction, leaving dried stalks, and hungry crows.
Behind us were lovely woods and a gurgling creek with ferns growing in the shade.

To get away from the workmen with their drills and hammers, I took the 17 six year-olds for many nature walks and treasure hunts that September.

A special memory that year was my Mother spending the day with us on a field trip and teaching the children a song from her childhood about the Scarecrow in the Cornfield.

The scarecrow stands up all day long,
Nodding and waving to the old wind's song.
His coat tail flapping and his hat pulled low
As he stands and waits to scare that crow.

Highest Honor

Therefore, God elevated Jesus

to the place of highest honor

and gave Him the name above all other names,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that

Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9-11

Encourage Yourself in the Lord

I have been crucified with Christ;

It is no longer I who live

but Christ who lives in me;

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God!

They cannot be numbered!

I cannot even count them;

they outnumber the grains of sand!

And when I wake up

You are still with me.

Psalm 139:17-18

Trusting

Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. Ephesians 3:17

So how can I "grow roots down into God's love"? I seems it has to do with learning to trust during the small trials (that seem like big trials at the time!). As I am tempted to doubt, I have to lean more and more on God. Then, when the really hard times come,  I pray that my roots are already established and my faith will remain strong.

Simply trusting every day.

Trusting through a stormy way.

Even when my faith is small,

Trusting Jesus that is all.

Edgar Stites 

Exalted

Cease striving and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalm 46:10

September Country Road

The paved road out of town turned into a dirt road after a while, As a child, I would keep an eye out for a scarecrow guarding the corn, or a friendly farmer waving from his tractor across the field.
During the last days of Indian summer, MawMaw would take my brother and me to wade in the creek on Great-Papa's farm. The creek was clear and sparkling and I liked to watch insects striding quickly on top of the water and tiny minnows rushing past my feet.
All too soon, it would be time for MawMaw to get home and start cooking supper.

There's something about an old dirt road

That seems to call to me.

I shuffle slowly in the dust 

To see what I can see.

The scarecrow's coat tail flapping
Crows calling overhead
Horses come right to the fence
 Hoping to be fed.

Muscadines in clusters
Pumpkins on the vine
 Windblown leaves and the smell of hay
Fall's beauty is divine.

by Karen

Do you see a seahorse?

These pictures show how amazing God's creation, provision, and protection are for even the tiny seahorse.

As I was watching a National Geographic video about how sea animals are camouflaged from their enemies, I couldn't help thinking about how many enemies in the sea are bigger than a seahorse! Yet God made a hiding place for it in the debris after a storm.

Sometimes we make choices that bring disastrous results, but sometimes there are storms not of our own making.

Kaedyn and I read the familiar story of Jonah in the belly of the great fish. Was the fish a "punishment" from the Lord, or a place of provision and protection until Jonah repented and surrendered to God's will?

In the midst of storms, debris and rubble, Jesus is our hiding place, our protection, our provision..

The Fountain

A crisp clear morning, sunlight kissed,

A rainbow appears in the windblown mist

I like to hear the sprinkling sound when there's not another sound around.

The Very Best One

Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. Malachi 3:16

Kaedyn (age 8) was asked to hold the Bible and lead the school assembly in the pledge to the Bible yesterday. They say the pledge to the US flag, the Christian flag and the Bible.

Her best friend asked her, "Aren't you nervous?"
Kaedyn said, "Nah, I got this! The Bible is the very best one!!"

I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God's Holy Word.
I will make it a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path,
and will hide its Word in my heart that I might not sin against God.

https://ministry-to-children.com/vbs-pledges-bible-christian-and-american-flag/

Time to Decorate

We will have a couple of rainy days, so Kaedyn and I are decorating my apartment for Fall.
She dislikes coloring, but she likes for me to color and cut out the pictures she chooses.

God Knows The Way

Lord, In me there is darkness, but with You there is light; I am lonely, but You do not leave me; I am feeble in heart, but with You there is help; I am restless, but with You there is peace. In me there is bitterness, but with You there is patience; I do not understand Your ways, but You know the way for me.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6

Comfort in Times of Trouble

    

Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! The Father is a merciful God, who always gives us comfort. He comforts us when we are in trouble, so that we can share that same comfort with others in trouble. We share in the terrible sufferings of Christ, but also in the wonderful comfort he gives.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 CEV

Open Door

When one door of happiness closes, 

another opens;

 but often we look so long at the closed door 

that we do not see the one
which has been opened for us.

Helen Keller

Miss Keller could see and hear at birth
 but became deaf and blind following an unknown illness at age 19 months.

The Lord on High is Mighty

Firm Foundation

Fear not, I am with you.

Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, I am with you.

Oh, be not dismayed,

For I am your God

And will still give you aid.

I'll strengthen you, help you,

And cause you to stand

Upheld by my righteous

Omnipotent hand.
How Firm a Foundation

In Christ

Outside of Christ, I am only a sinner, but in Christ, I am saved.
Outside of Christ, I am empty; in Christ, I am full.
Outside of Christ, I am weak; in Christ, I am strong.
Outside of Christ, I cannot; in Christ, I am more than able.
Outside of Christ, I have been defeated; in Christ, I am already victorious.
How meaningful are the words, "in Christ."
Watchman Nee

"Christ is the Son of God. He died to atone for men's sin, and after three days rose again. This is the most important fact in the universe. I die believing in Christ."
(A note written by Watchman Nee was found under his pillow in prison at his death as a martyr for his faith in Christ.)

Watchman Nee trusted in Christ in mainland China in 1920 at the age of seventeen. He spent the next thirty years preaching the gospel, starting church meetings, and writing. He was in prison for his faith from 1952 until his death in 1972 at age 69. His writings still inspire us today.

Jesus said:

At that day you will know that I am in My Father, 

and you in Me, and I in you.

John 14:20

Day of Prayer - Cry to the Lord

O LORD, how my adversaries have increased!

Many are rising up against me. 
Many are saying of my soul,
"There is no deliverance for him in God." Selah. 
But You, O LORD, are a shield about me,
My glory, and the One who lifts my head. 
I was crying to the LORD with my voice,
And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah. 
I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the LORD sustains me.
Psalm 3:1-5

I was so thankful to see the thousands of military personnel and volunteers responding to the flood victims last week. As the Governor of Texas declared a Day of Prayer tomorrow, I want to also remember all of our military stationed around the world. I was amazed to see all the different countries where our men and women are serving. This graph gives a visual of 200,000 troops deployed in 177 countries overseas:

http://www.visualcapitalist.com/u-s-military-personnel-deployments-country/