Overflowing

As we get older, may we never stop bubbling over with joy.
Kids just seem to come into the world overflowing with joy - knowing that rain puddles are for jumping into, steps are for leaping off of, bath water is for splashing onto the floor and a straw is for blowing bubbles in their milk.

May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing - bubbling over with hope. Romans 15:13 Amplified

Teach Us to Pray

Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace,

that we may obtain mercy

and find grace to help in time of need. 

Hebrews 4:16

Trusting

I was listening to Corrie ten Boom on you tube, quoting a poem by A.B. Simpson.

It is strange that we trust each other

And only doubt our Lord.

We will take the word of mortals

And yet distrust His Word.

But oh what light and glory

Would shine over us all our days

If we always would remember

That He means just what He says.

The eternal God is thy refuge 

and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Deuteronomy 33:27

Heaven-Rescued Land

On Memorial Day Weekend
My favorite verse from our national anthem:

Oh! thus be it ever, when free men shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blessed with victory and peace, 
may the heaven rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto:  
"In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Francis Scott Key

Remembering so many who gave their lives to protect ours.

.

Sweet Fragrance

Now thanks be to God 

who always leads us in triumph in Christ, 

and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

2 Corinthians 2:14 

When Cameron was little we loved to watch for morning glories, Queen Anne's lace, sweet peas, honeysuckle and other wild flowers along the way as we walked to the bus stop to meet his big brother and sister. 

I enjoy it now when he emails pics of flowers from his travels. 

Today is Cameron's 33rd birthday.

Keep On Praying

This morning, I was praying for our nation, our leaders, upcoming elections, and for revival in the land. I asked the Lord, "What can I do?!" He led me to Ephesians 6, about putting on the whole armor of God. Verse 18 says:
KEEP ON PRAYING!

With all prayer and petition 
pray at all times in the Spirit.

Rainbow Surprise

Looking out my bedroom window Sunday, there was the most beautiful sunrise. I decided to go outside and get a better view. To my surprise, there was a brilliant rainbow stretching across the sky.  I decided to go for a walk and felt rain drops. Suddenly the wind picked up, clouds moved in and my beautiful rainbow vanished. But what a treat it was. I was the only one outside at that early hour.

"Who Is Jesus Christ?"

A few years back, when I was teaching second grade in public school, a student was writing on a topic of his choice, and he raised his hand and asked me how to spell Christmas. I was breaking it into syllables for him.

"C-H-R-I-S-T," I began.

"That spells 'Christ', " he complained. "I said Christmas."

"Well, Christ is the first part of the word Christmas."

"Who is Christ?" he asked.

"Christmas Day celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ," I told him.

"Really? Well, how old is that baby now?" he asked.

"It has been 2010 years since His birth," I said.

He thought for a minute and came back with, "Well, that's funny! This is the year 2010!"

This whole conversation was started by a seven year old's question.

The little boy keenly observed: "It's funny that our date comes from when Jesus was born, but in school, we never even talked about Him!"

Promise

Remember your word to your servant,

in which you have made me hope.

This is my comfort in my affliction,

that your promise gives me life.

Psalm 119:49-50 ESV

Pastor RT Kendall posted this today: A ninety year old saint once told my mother when she was a teenager,"I have served the Lord so long now that I can hardly tell the difference between
a blessing and a trial."
Let that grip you.

It is He that shall tread down our enemies

Give us help from trouble: 
For vain is the help of man.

Through God we shall do valiantly:

for it is He that shall tread down our enemies.

Psalm 60:11-12 KJV

We Bring a Sacrifice of Praise

Through Him [Jesus] then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
Hebrews 13:15

For a few short years during this lifetime, believers have the privilege of offering a sacrifice of praise to our Heavenly Father.

The psalmist wrote: "I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Psalm 34:1

We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise - Brooklyn Tabernacle

https://youtu.be/KsXMRVUG3vU

Purpose

I had a son with Down Syndrome who loved to "reach out and touch" people, whether we knew them or not!

One Wednesday night at our church prayer meeting, he began to squirm and fuss, and I carried him out to the foyer. Another lady got up and went out at the same time. When the doors closed behind us, she burst into sobs.

As I held Caleb, he reached out and placed his hand on the lady's shoulder and patted her. He looked so sympathetic. Through her tears she told me, "I felt such peace when he touched me." Their family had received serious medical reports that afternoon about her new twin granddaughters. (They fully recovered!)

I came to understand, because of Caleb, that in God's eyes, it is not our intelligence, looks, fame or even our experience that makes us a blessing to someone. God' has a PURPOSE for every person. Even though Caleb lived only three years, and said very few words, his "prayers" were heard by a Heavenly Father who was tuned in to a loving heart.

"For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." 2 Chronicles 16:9a NASB

True Beauty

When I was young, I went to visit a great-uncle in the nursing home. As I walked down the hall looking for his room, a cheerful voice called out for me to come in and visit for a moment. I still think of that lady, lying in her bed all day, who could not move her arms or legs, yet her smile brightened the mood of the nurses and visitors who stopped by her bed. She did not complain but wanted to hear about my day at school. She possessed a kind of beauty that never fades.

Satisfy us each morning

with Your unfailing love,

so we may sing for joy

to the end of our lives and let 

the beauty of the Lord our God

be upon us,

Psalm 90:14, 17a

On Mother's Day

I am thankful for mothers, sisters, aunts. teachers, friends and mentors
who have encouraged me all through my life.
Hope you all have a beautiful day.

Lily of the Valley

I have found a friend in Jesus,
He’s everything to me,

He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;

The Lily of the Valley,
in Him alone I see

All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.

In sorrow He’s my comfort,
in trouble He’s my stay;

He tells me every care on Him to roll.

He’s the Lily of the Valley,
 the Bright and Morning Star,

He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

by William Hays and Charles Fry

A favorite hymn that was the inspiration for my blog name.

Why me?

If you will humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, in His good time, He will lift you up. Let Him have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?
 Proverbs 20:24 The Living Bible

My first teaching job after I graduated from college was teaching preschool in Atlanta. Although I loved the children dearly, I had an associate who stole money from my purse and lied about me to the director. I talked to my Dad about the situation and he said, "You will deal with similar situations throughout your career. Don't worry about settling the score or defending your reputation. Just do your best and the truth will come out in time."

He was right, and the woman's dishonesty was found out, but also there was a boiler explosion and fire in the building one evening after everyone had gone home, and I moved on to a much better teaching job at a country school with a wonderful principal and staff.

Your Love, O Lord

Your love, O Lord

reaches to the heavens

Your faithfulness

stretches to the skies.

Your righteousness 

is like the mighty mountains

Your justice flows

like the ocean's tides.

I will lift my voice

To worship You, my King.

I will find my strength

In the shadow of Your wings.

Mac Powell, Third Day

FORGIVEN

As you live this new life, we pray that you will be strengthened from God’s boundless resources, so that you will find yourselves able to pass through any experience and endure it with courage.

You will even be able to thank God in the midst of pain and distress because you are privileged to share the lot of those who are living in the light.

For we must never forget that he rescued us from the power of darkness, and re-established us in the kingdom of his beloved Son, that is, in the kingdom of light.

For it is by his Son alone that we have been redeemed and have had our sins forgiven.

Colossians 1:11-14 J.B. Phillips New Testament

Glad

As we were worshiping God in church, three little girls joined hands and began to dance and sing along. After the song was over, their sweet voices continued. They seemed oblivious to the rest of the world. It was truly a holy moment as we "grown-ups" sat reverently listening to childlike faith and the sounds of pure joy.

Let them shout for joy and be glad,
Who favor my righteous cause;
And let them say continually,
“Let the LORD be magnified,
Who has pleasure
in the prosperity of His servant.”
Psalm 35:27

Mr. Bluebird's On My Shoulder

I hope that you will have one of those days 

where you "can't open your mouth

 without a song jumping right out of it!"

 Have a Zip-a-dee-doo-dah day!