Parched

I am feeling a bit parched these days - just sort of "tapped out". I'm going to pause for a little bit to get refreshed. Be back soon.

Blessings,
Linda

Joy Challenge - Day 35 - Flower Gardens

I love flowers. I especially love those English flower gardens where all sorts of beautiful flowers grow in abundance. I admire those who have green thumbs and can seem to make any plant flourish. I am not one of those.

However, I am familiar with a Gardener who freely shares His garden with me. I revel in its beauty and variety every time I walk.

The other day He displayed it against a backdrop of perfect blue.


Yellow seemed to be the color of the season - coming in a variety of shapes and sizes.


He even decorated them with beautiful butterflies.



He planted grasses along the sides of the road that rippled like spun silk in the morning breeze.


- for variety He put in a splash of red.


- tiny yellow flowers mingling with lavender ones.



- then some white flowers against the green.


- and for breathtaking beauty, red holly berries.



- a still pool of water among the rocks adds just the right touch to His garden.


- a little rock garden to set things off.



He also planted some oaks - long before I ever took my first breath. They stand like sturdy sentinels in our front yard.


Then He added more - to grow strong and continue the vigil.



"This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalm 118: 24

Blessings,
Linda

Joy Challenge - Day 34 - Overflowing with Thanksgiving

"We are all debtors to God's common blessings, beginning with life and breath and health and strength all the way down to the specific ways He is working in our lives this moment - forgiving us of our latest sin, bearing with us in our growing pains, providing for us in ways that bring us joy, teaching us insight from His Word that nurtures and sustains us in trial, giving us the ability to love and be loved, comforting us with His Spirit's voice, and drawing us into closer fellowship with Him. Gratitude sees it all from God."
James MacDonald

I know that I have written about gratitude before for my Joy Challenge, but I just had to do it one more time. Not because I couldn't think of anything else (honest), but because today my heart is just filled to overflowing with thanks to the One who has given me everything and so much more. The above quote from my Bible Study, "Lord, Change My Attitude" sums up my feelings perfectly. I am so thankful for this study and for Pastor MacDonald, who has taken spoken to my heart over and over again in such a powerful way. He makes me laugh too - a wonderful trait in a Pastor I think.
We measured over three inches of rain in the rain gauge this morning. I am so thankful for the rain. It has come in abundance this month, but in such a way that there was no flooding or damaging storms - just life-giving rain for a drought thirsty land. Thank You Lord.

A cold front blew in during the morning hours, sweeping away the clouds and humidity - leaving us with cool, crisp air. Oh the joy of open windows and fresh breezes blowing through the house.
I think we appreciate it a bit more after months of 100 degree weather, windows shut tightly against the oppressive heat.

I am so thankful for:

- little birds who sing their hearts out - with gratitude, perhaps, for a beautiful day

- rain water gurgling down the ditches along the side of the road - making beautiful music

- refreshing breezes moving us along on our walk

- realizing anew the amazing gift of love the Father has extended to me - I who have done nothing to deserve it.
"In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and gave His son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."
I John 4:10, 11

- for the verses I have hidden in my heart this year. Had it not been for Beth Moore's challenge, I would never have begun. I honestly thought there was no way I could memorize scripture at my "advanced" age, but we are on verse number 20 working toward the goal of 24. Every single one of them has ministered to me in one way or another. The word truly lives and breathes and has the power to change us.

- for the grace and forgiveness that brings such joy and peace. I cannot measure the enormity of such a gift. The burden and the guilt of a life -time of sin cleansed and washed away. Nor can I measure the cost - "...He gave His only begotten Son..."

- for help and strength as we walk through difficult times.
"Do not fear for I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; surely I will help you; surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
Is. 41:10

- for safety for my loved ones as they travel

- for health

- for laughter

- for the firm foundation under our feet, no matter what the circumstances in our lives or in the world around us.
"The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation."
Ps. 18:46

For all these things, and so much more - Thank You Lord.

Blessings,
Linda

Joy Challenge - Day 33 - Poetry

A Stroll

A perfect day to meander
down a lonely country road.
The sky above a watery blue
The leaves all russet and gold.

No thought for the heavy burdens,
Or the things I've left undone.
No counting of the minutes,
Just a walk in the warmth of the sun.

Deliberate steps grow lighter,
A peace settles into my soul.
As He slips into step beside me
For an unhurried afternoon stroll.

Poetry prompt: We’ve been celebrating ’slowing.’ Make a “word pool” of at least five slow words. Yeah, I guess molasses counts. But verbs are good too. Create a poem using a minimum of one of your slow words, but feel free to use the whole pool. Post your poem by Thursday, October 22, for links and possible feature. Drop your post link in L.L.'s comment box so she doesn’t miss it.

My five words were: meander, pokey (which I didn't use), unhurried, deliberate and stroll

Blessings,
Linda

Joy Challenge - Day 32 - Front Porch Weather

Long before I bought my lap top, during the days when I was saving money in a little envelope, I dreamed about some day sitting on the front porch and writing. I got the new lap top months ago, but the weather continued to be far too hot to make sitting on the front porch pleasurable.

A cool front came through on Friday. We went from a hot, sticky 92 degrees on Thursday to temperatures in the 70's on Friday. At last, open windows with fresh breezes blowing through the house and a chance to sit on the front porch.

What joy! The sky is a cloudless blue, the grass is freshly cut (my husband worked for hours over two days to get it looking that way) and green (no longer dry and brown), the flowers are blooming, little butterflies are bouncing through the air, the branches of the old oaks are swaying gently in the breeze and I am quiet and still. There isn't another sound except the distant buzz of an airplane.

The cares and concerns of life haven't disappeared, but they have faded into the background. I have this precious moment, and my heart turns to Him. All that satisfies the soul comes from His open hand. He knows how to give His children good gifts. I am blessed.

Blessings,
Linda

Joy Challenge - Day 31 - Smile

My Dad is working toward the day he can walk out of the rehab facility, where he has spent the past week, on his own. He grows stronger each day and soon he will do just that.

There are many people there, though, who will never be able to walk through those doors again. Their remaining days will be spent confined to those small rooms and long halls that make up the nursing home part of the facility.

I pass them every time I walk the halls toward my Dad's room. The tired eyes, set in softly wrinkled faces, seem turned inward. Perhaps they are looking back in time - to the life they once knew. It hurts my heart.

I have found that if I can engage their eyes and give them a smile from heart, they are quick to respond. Faces that seemed set in rigid lines relax and there is a connection. Sometimes that is all there is - just that smile in return - but with some it is the opening to exchange a few words.

Some time ago the Lord whispered to my heart that I could have a "ministry of smiles." I, who am so shy and timid about approaching others, could bless someone else by simply smiling. It is amazing the reaction this simple act invokes. The looks of surprise, the smile in return, bring me such joy. It is such a little thing, but the Father is a master at using our "little" to accomplish His "much".

Blessings,
Linda

That smiling doll is my granddaughter - more joy!!

A Sweet Fragrance

When we first moved into our house over twenty-five years ago, I planted a little rose bush by the garage. It did fairly well the first year, but I don't think it was an ideal spot because it began to fail bit by bit, year after year.

Every spring I would look it over, trying to decide if it was worth saving. I thought perhaps if I cut away the dead branches it would grow fuller. I ruthlessly pruned, and for a while it looked better. Inevitably, though, more branches would die off, and it began to look hopelessly spindly.

We had a terrible drought this past summer, the worst on record. At first I struggled to keep the rose bush, along with all the other flowers in the garden, alive, but as water restrictions deepened it was like fighting a losing battle. Every living thing in my garden looked as though it could not possibly make it through that long, hot summer.

Then the rains came - refreshing, life-giving rains. Overnight the plants put out the most vibrant blooms I had ever seen. It really was miraculous. The flower garden looked lush and colorful, with the exception of my poor, little rose bush. It was tall and scraggly with fully half of the plant nothing but dead wood. I reluctantly decided that I would have to dig it up in the spring.

To read the rest of this devotional please visit Laced With Grace. I will be there thursday.

Blessings,

Linda

Contentment

"Contentment is actually about wanting more - more of Christ and less of everything else. It's not to roll over and sigh with resignation to be satisfied with your lot in life, but it is to sense in your spirit all that you have in your salvation and relationship with Christ and to want more of that. A holy contentment is to want less of yourself and more of Him - more of His life in you and all the peace and passion and exhilaration of being swept up into His plans and purposes and activities in this world. This is the life abundant that He promises to those who are found in Him and draw their joy and satisfaction from an ever-deepening relationship with Him (John 10:10)
James MacDonald "Lord, Change My Attitude"


My Dad is doing a bit better - working to get his strength back. Thank you, dear friends, for your prayers.

I have been "camped out" on this song recently - playing it over and over at full volume. Oh how it blesses my soul!


Blessings,
Linda

Some Thoughts on Prayer

It is time to take a little break from blogging - just until life settles down a bit for us. My Dad is taking little steps toward regaining his strength. We are thankful - to our heavenly Father and to you who have so faithfully carried us with your prayers and encouraging words.

I'm not sure why it is, but it seems that in times of great difficulty I find it hard to quiet my heart and spend time with the Lord. There are those brief prayers that are cries for help, but I feel incapable of sitting quietly to pray and read the word. There is so much going on, and when the quiet moments come my mind reels with all the "what ifs".

Years ago, when I had major back surgery for scoliosis, I was flat on my back for weeks. I had planned to spend lots of time drawing close to the Lord. The reality was, I couldn't even really pray. The same is true when I walk through the most difficult of circumstances. My initial reaction is to withdraw from the very One I need most.

It is the reason the prayers of others mean so much. For those times when I am not able to pray, they are interceding on my behalf.

I don't do well if it goes on too long - this "prayerlessness". I feel so distanced from the Lord - so lost and empty - and ashamed of myself for drifting away. He never moves. He is always just a whisper away. I am the one who wanders. When I finally reach out to Him, He draws me close. His love and grace overwhelm me.

Blessings,
Linda

Joy Challenge - Day 30 - The Prayers of Friends

Update:
Dad was moved to a beautiful rehab facility today. He is all settled in and is already showing improvement. My Mom is so encouraged.
God is good. Thank you for praying.

Just a little note to thank you for your prayers dear friends. I haven't had the time to write a long post, so I've been using my Facebook page. I know not everyone reads that, so I thought I would write a quick update here.

My Dad was hospitalized last friday with terrible pain in his upper back. The doctors were concerned about his heart, so they did a battery of tests. The tests were very hard on him and in the end showed that there was no problem with his heart.

He has had three falls in the past couple of weeks, and they now think that he must have aggravated a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder. We are relieved it isn't his heart, but it has taken a real toll on my Dad.

They will be transferring him to a rehab facility tomorrow. He has gotten so weak he cannot even stand on his own, so he really cannot go home yet. We're praying that he will be able to get his strength back. We're also praying for strength and grace for my Mom. She is taking this very hard.

So many dear friends have been praying. It is so encouraging. What joy to know that others are praying for you. Thank you so very much.

Blessings,
Linda

Joy Challenge - Day 29 - Joy Quotes

"When was the last time you laughed for the sheer joy of your salvation? People are not attracted to somber doctrines. There is no persuasive power in a gloomy and morbid religion. Let the world see your joy and you won't be able to keep them away. To be filled with God is to be filled with joy."
Anonymous

"Where others see but the dawn coming over the hill, I see the soul of God shouting for joy."
William Blake

"Joy is not the absence of suffering. It is the presence of God."
Robert Schuller


"I believe God, through His Spirit, grants us love, joy, and peace no matter what is happening in our lives. As Christians, we shouldn't expect our joy to always feel like happiness, but instead recognize joy as inner security -- a safeness in our life with Christ."
Jill Briscoe


"This is the secret of joy. We shall no longer strive for our own way; but commit ourselves, easily and simply, to God's way, acquiesce in His will, and in so doing find our peace."
Evelyn Underhill

Blessings,
Linda

picture:flickr mcbeth

Joy Challenge - Day 28 - Contentment

The attitude we studied in our Bible study this past week was covetousness. Before we opened our books and Bibles to begin, we all rather sheepishly looked at one another and unanimously agreed that this was one attitude we thought we weren't going to have to be too concerned about, but......

As James MacDonald took us through the study it became apparent to each of us that we all, in one way or another, do indeed struggle with covetousness. Here is the definition he gave us:

"Covetousness is wanting something so much that you lose your satisfaction in God. It's looking elsewhere for what only God can give."

Gulp...rather convicting - especially after the time of self-examination I've undergone recently. One of the areas of covetousness he listed was "coveting status or position." I looked into my own little heart and saw not a blatant jockeying for power and position, but that subtle, pervasive need for the approval of others.

Another area - "coveting your own agenda." Oh dear - another hit. How I dearly love to have everyone and everything under control, and I do so enjoy making my own plans.

The encouraging part of the study is that for every negative attitude there is an opposing positive one. Contentment is the answer to a heart marred by covetousness.

"Contentment," writes James MacDonald, " is a satisfaction in God's sufficient provision, to rest in what you have and to seek nothing more, a settled sense of adequacy."

If I have a heart that is fully trusting and fully satisfied with whatever the Father provides or allows into my life - then I will have genuine contentment. When I am always striving for something more, the more will never be enough. When I have an eternal perspective, I will have more than I could ever have imagined.

And my heart will be filled with joy!

"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart is."
Matt. 6:20-21

Blessings,
Linda