One Last Look Back

Before my heart dances into the Advent Season, I want to cherish one last look at fall. She comes slowly to South Texas, quietly making her way among the cedar trees and live oak. The Master Artist has saved just enough paint on His palette to dab His breath-taking colors onto this vast green canvas.

Whenever we have friends or family come for a first time visit from the north, they are always astounded that we aren't set in the middle of desert country with cactus and tumble weed our only vegetation. If that is your image of South Texas, I want to give you just a glimpse of what it is really like.



This is our very own little red oak. We guard her carefully, knowing the reward she brings us in the fall.






















Blessings,
Linda

Walk With Him Wednesday

Ann has suggested that we write a Psalm of Praise for Thanksgiving.


"To be grateful is to recognize God's hand on everything that touches your life. Every breath you draw is a gift of His love; every moment of existence is a gift of grace..."
James MacDonald



Grateful Praise

Father in heaven, we lift our hearts to You in praise.
You are high and lifted up and Your glory fills the heavens.
You are righteous and perfect in all your ways - never changing.
Your wisdom is beyond our understanding; Your power beyond our imagining,
And yet You are mindful of us.

You hear us when we pray, bending low to listen.
You answer every prayer according to Your perfect will,
A will that seeks only to do us good.

In times of difficulty, You are there - measuring grace sufficient.
In sorrow, Your tears are mingled with our own,
Bringing comfort and peace beyond understanding.

In times of happiness, You rejoice with us - pouring out Your love.
You dance over us with radiant joy,
And cover us with Your wings.

It was Your love that drew us - a love that held nothing back.
It is Your love that holds us - though we may wander now and then.
With hearts filled with love we praise You and give thanks
For all that You are.


Happy Thanksgiving. I pray your day is filled with love and warmth.
Linda

Thanks to God

Thanks to God

Thanks to God for my Redeemer, Thanks for all Thous dost provide.
Thanks for times now but a mem'ry, Thanks for Jesus by my side.
Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime, Thanks for dark and dreary fall.
Thanks for tears by now forgotten, Thanks for peace within my soul.

Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered, Thanks for what Thou dost deny.
Thanks for storms that I have weathered, Thanks for all Thou dost supply.
Thanks for pain and thanks for pleasure, Thanks for comfort in despair.
Thanks for grace that none can measure, Thanks for love beyond compare.

Thanks for roses by the way-side, Thanks for thorns their stems contain.
Thanks for home and thanks for fire-side, Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain.
Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow, Thanks for heav'nly peace with Thee.
Thanks for hope in the tomorrow, thanks thro' all eternity.

(an anonymous Swedish hymn)
picture: Norman Rockwell

Blessed Thanksgiving,
Linda

Multitude Monday

"O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting."
I Chron. 16:34

Yesterday a portion of our church choir and orchestra gathered in the parking lot of our church. Within a few minutes the three buses cruised slowly down the hill and came to a stop. Like a bunch of excited high school kids going to the "big game" we climbed aboard.

Once everyone was seated and accounted for, the buses began the journey to a little town about an hour and a half north of us. We were on our way to an event we had been anticipating for months. The congregation in this little town had just moved into their brand new church building and invited us to sing during their evening service.

The people were waiting for us when we arrived. They had prepared a meal that was absolutely amazing. It was a complete Thanksgiving Dinner! The tables were just groaning under the weight of turkey, ham and all the sides you can imagine. And the deserts!!! I could hardly make a choice.

We were served first and then the rest of the church family joined us. I have always loved fact that when people have Jesus "in common" - there is an immediate connection. We may not know each other well, but we know the One who has given us everything and it binds us together. I am a naturally shy person, but that commonality puts me at my ease.

I am thankful for the unity we have in Jesus. I am thankful that no matter what our life story, when He is the common thread we are family. It fills my heart to see the difference He makes in a life. It is, for me, the greatest testimony to the truth of the Gospel.

It is not a set of beliefs that binds our hearts together. It is not a philosophy or a new way of looking at things. It is a relationship with the great God of creation. It is that which gives hope and joy and meaning and purpose to life. It is that which takes a life that was full of despair and pain and turns it around. It is the true and living God whose lovingkindness is everlasting."

An elderly gentlemen closed in prayer when we were finished singing. My heart overflowed as I listened to his voice, a little weak with age but strong in the faith of a lifetime. Nothing speaks more eloquently than a life lived for Jesus.

I am so thankful.
Linda

Please visit Ann's and become part of the Gratitude Community.

Burdens

I am here, but I am weary. There are lots of things running around my little mind, but I find I just don't have the energy to get them out and onto paper. I'm not sure what it is. I certainly haven't been over-doing things in the physical department. It is just a sort of "mind weariness."

I have been carrying the cure around with me - written out on an index card in a little spiral notebook. Matthew 11:28-30 were my very first memory verses for this year. I believe, without realizing it, I have been carrying burdens around which were never meant for my feeble shoulders. Whenever I have recited these verses, I have felt the tears starting. It is time to let the words do their heart-work; time to let Him carry the burdens.

It is one thing to bring the burdens to Him; it is quite another to leave them there and not pick them back up. It is even possible, I have found, to think you have not done that - but the heart knows better. It feels the weight and grows weary.

So once again I come, sit at His feet and lay it all down. I feel the stirring of joy, of hope. I find Him faithful - always faithful.

Blessings,
Linda

Multitude Monday

I am thankful for:


Autumn decorations that brighten our home...



The delicious smells that fill the house as I prepare supper...


A hearty soup on a crisp, cool day...


The sweet little face of a brand new pansy...






The tiny beginnings of life - miraculous....


A surprise in the flower bed - a flower dug up and thrown away long ago makes a reappearance after the rains....


The poignant reminder in front of the school on our street....



Beautiful, wonderful clouds...


A birthday bouquet....


A handmade present from my Mom....


Praise and Thanksgiving

"O My God,

Thou fairest, greatest, first of all objects, my heart admires, adores, loves Thee,
for my little vessel is as full as it can be,
and I would pour out all that fullness before Thee in ceaseless flow.

When I think upon and converse with Thee
ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up,
ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed,
ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart,
crowding into every moment of happiness.

I bless Thee for the soul Thou hast created,
for adorning it, sanctifying it,
though it is fixed in barren soil;
for the body Thou hast given me,
for preserving its strength and vigour,
for providing senses to enjoy delights,
for the ease and freedom of my limbs,
for hands, eyes, ears that to Thy bidding;
for Thy royal bounty providing my daily support,
for a full table and overflowing cup,
for appetite, taste, sweetness,
for social joys of relatives and friends,
for the ability to serve others,
for a heart that feels sorrows and necessities,
for a mind to care for my fellow-men,
for opportunities of spreading happiness around,
for loved ones in the joys of heaven,
for my own expectation of seeing Thee clearly.

I love Thee above the powers of language to express,
for what Thou art to Thy creatures.

Increase my love, O my God, through time and eternity."

from "The Valley of Vision"

Join the others at Ann's to take part in the Gratitude Community.

Blessings,
Linda

Joy Challenge - Day 40 - A Glimpse

" Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which Thou hast done, and Thy thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with Thee; If I would declare and speak of them, they would be too numerous to count."
Psalm 40:5




We drive past this tree every day. I look at the simple beauty and marvel. The Master Artist has paused in this place and created something very special. It makes my heart sing. He takes the time to fill our lives with matchless beauty. Pure joy!

To share a glimpse of the splendor with which the Lord has blessed us, visit Jennifer's blog. Perhaps you would like to share a glimpse He has given you.

Blessings,
Linda

P.S. This is the last day of my Joy Challenge. As with anything that causes my heart to draw closer to the Lord - it has been .......A JOY!!

The Dung Beetle

I passed this little guy, hard at work, as I was walking the other day, and it reminded me of a post I wrote a couple of years ago. I thought I would re-post it today:

I have a penchant for seeing things in nature and then finding an analogy between that and my Christian walk. The Lord just speaks to my heart through the things I observe (and I seem to possess a rather vivid imagination).

However, I may be taking this analogy thing a bit far with this one. I can’t help myself. I have observed these little guys for years, and I am so impressed with their dedication to their work and their absolute determination to persevere. I speak of the Dung Beetle.

I see them so often when we are walking. In deference to those of us with more sensitive natures I won’t go into their purpose in life in great detail except to say that their sole objective is to rid the world of – well , you know – dung.

It is a rare day when I don’t see these little guys (and gals too I suppose) making their way laboriously across the road pushing a ball of (sorry) dung. Their round burden is usually at least twice as big as they are and usually much larger than that. Nothing seems to deter them from their goal of getting that “thing” to a place where they can bury it in the soil (which, by the way, is quite beneficial to the soil). They will stop for a moment if our steps bring us to close to them, but as soon as they determine there is no real threat they continue rolling along. It is just amazing. The burden seems so ridiculously large, and yet they continue on their way without as much as a sigh. The Lord has equipped them with the strength and stamina and heart to get the job done.

I look at those little beetles with absolute admiration. I can’t help but compare my attitude to theirs. When I am weighted down with a heavy burden, I have often been known to whine and complain. Why me? Why must I struggle with this? Please just take it away Lord.

If I listen carefully, I will hear the Lord whisper to my heart words of help and encouragement. He reminds me that He is with me – always – and that He has given me everything I need with which to keep going in the face of what seems like impossible odds. As I persevere, He comes along side and with His strong right hand helps me along. He just asks me to be faithful – to keep going just like that faithful little beetle.

Blessings,
Linda

Joy Challenge -Day 39- Memorizing Scripture

Ann writes : "Every Wednesday, we Walk with Him, posting a spiritual practice that draws us nearer to His heart. "

Today that spiritual practice is scripture memorization. I had fallen into the habit of thinking that I simply couldn't memorize very well any more. After over six decades, this little brain is just not as nimble as it used to be. As a young girl I could, and did, memorize whole chapters of scripture for our girl's club in church and for sunday school. However, those days, I thought, were long behind me.

Then at the beginning of the year, Beth Moore challenged us to learn a verse of scripture every two weeks. Hmm.....that, I reasoned, might possibly be doable. She gave us little tips to help us memorize more easily. The one that helped me the most was writing the verses out on index cards and carrying them with me.

I bought this little spiral book of index cards and recorded my first verses : Matthew 11: 28-30



I began carrying the cards with me on my morning walks. I practiced saying the verses over and over as I ambled along on our three mile walk. Before I knew it, I was actually remembering the verses.

As the months passed, my little book filled with more and more verses. To this date I've actually memorized over twenty-one verses (some weeks I tackle more than one verse). I am totally amazed!




The best part isn't that I can actually remember something. The best part is the way those verses have ministered to me over these past ten months. Invariably, they exactly fit whatever it is I am going through. It has been such a blessing. It never fails; when we are obedient to the things the Father asks us to do He blesses us more than we could have ever imagined. It is an absolute truth that the Word of God is living and powerful. I am indeed filled with joy as I hide His Word in my heart.

Please visit Ann and read her beautiful blog and the other blogs participating in this. You'll be blessed.

Blessings,
Linda

Multitude Monday

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
I Thess. 5:18

With praise and thanksgiving:

- comfort in time of trouble

- the rock solid unchanging character of God - firm beneath my feet

- "Do not forget that you have a grandson in Albania also (if you allow me to say so) who loves you very much. Lots of kisses from the bottom of my heart! I am really proud of you!" - from a letter written to us by the sweet boy we've sponsored for several years now through World Vision. His letter brought tears of joy.

- a rainy sunday afternoon - perfect for curling up with a good book and a cup of tea

- a few trees whose leaves have turned a beautiful red (even here in South Texas!)

- a beautiful full moon hanging in the vast Texas sky, surrounded by numberless twinkling stars

- the power of love and a warm embrace

- joy in the midst of trials - laughter that bubbles up from the heart

- the changing of the seasons - a reminder to me of God's faithfulness

- the hope we have in Jesus; when I look at Him, all earthly cares dissolve.

To be part of the Gratitude Community, simply stop by Ann's and join us.

Blessings,
Linda

Joy Challenge - Day 38 - Hope

Only a few more days left of my Joy Challenge - just a few more posts to write. I knew from the beginning I would have to write this one, but I have put it off. It is one that puts it all to the test. Is it really true that this great God we are privileged to call Father can bring us joy even in times of deepest pain?

Over the last several months I have watched my once strong, vital father diminish before my eyes. This octogenarian, whom everyone took to be twenty years younger, has suddenly aged. He walks stooped over his walker, the flesh hangs from his body. He is skin and bones.

The hardest thing to see is his once ebullient spirit sunken under the weight of suffering. I sat at my Mom and Dad's small kitchen table yesterday and listened with breaking heart to their conversation. Dad was talking about the very real difficulty of dialysis. How that now he has begun to have a terrible pain in his back which only adds to the hardship of having to sit in one position for three and a half hours. It has been one thing after another until the weight of it has just crushed his spirit. He sat stooped over, head bent, eyes filling with tears and said, "This is no life. This is no life. I'm ready to go home."

My Mom began softly weeping. She is trying so desperately to get him well again. She cannot bear the thought of his home-going. After nearly sixty-four years, she doesn't want him to leave her. "I love you very much," Dad said, "but I am ready to go home."

So, Father, where is the joy. If I believe all I've written, then it is there somewhere. With aching heart I see it, hidden beneath all the sorrow and suffering. It comes wrapped in hope. Hope in the One who has promised us that He will never leave us or forsake us, that He will comfort us and give us grace for every trial, and a future that is so perfect we simply cannot take it in. It is tied with the ribbon of faith - a belief in the One who made those promises. The One who loved us so much He sent His own beloved Son to die for us - so that in Him and through Him all of those things and so much more would be possible.

Yes, the joy is there because joy doesn't come from our circumstances, it comes from Jesus.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you...
In this you greatly rejoice even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials."
I Peter 1:3-6

Blessings,
Linda

Photo: Dad, Mom and me

Redeemer / Lover

Redeemer / Lover

You took me in-
just as I was
Into your heart;
Into your home.
I, whose sin and shame
made me an outcast

I took your love
and trampled it underfoot,
Running back to my old ways
back to the sins that had me bound.
I broke your heart
and thought only of myself.

When I was at my worst
you came and redeemed me-
paid the price for my freedom -
I who was not worth
the least of your favor.

Your forgiveness and grace
filled my heart with love.
I, Gomer, am loved and redeemed.


L.L. says...Would you like to try writing a love poem, in character? Post your offering by 6:00 pm, Thursday November 5, for links and possible feature at HighCallingBlogs.com. Drop your post link here in the comment box so I don't miss it. Don't be shy! :)

Blessings,
Linda

Passionate Pursuit

We bought new shades for our bedroom windows when we first built our home, but I have yet to use them. I don't like that "closed-in" feeling. I like to be able to lie in bed and look out at the starry night, watch the rain beat against the windows, or see the sun rise in the early morning hours.

One morning I woke to see just one of the branches of our old oak tree shaking violently. I couldn't imagine what it was. On closer inspection I saw a little gray squirrel bravely making his way to the very end of the branch in search of acorns. He moved swiftly, grabbing an acorn and heading back the way he had come. At the base of the tree he buried his treasure and immediately ran back up the trunk to get another.

My seat at our kitchen table faces out onto the lawn where the huge oaks are, and I began to watch these little" nut gatherers" whenever I was sitting there. My admiration for them grew daily as I watched them diligently gather and store acorns...

the rest of this devotional is here today:

Blessings,
Linda

Joy Challenge - Day 37 - Big Families

I love big families. I didn't have a big family myself, but I have always thought it would be nice to be part of one. The only disadvantage might be that you would have to share your parents' time with so many others.

It has occurred to me, clever girl that I am, that I am part of a big family. I have more brothers and sisters than anyone could ever count. They come in every size, color, age and nationality you can imagine. We speak many different languages. The great majority of them I have never seen or spoken to, but they are all part of my family. We have one thing in common that joins us at the heart. We are all saved by grace.

The wonderful thing about my family is that, in spite of its size, I never have to vie for the attention of our Father. The moment I open my mouth to speak, He bends down to listen to me. There could be a million of us speaking at the same time, but He hears me as though I were the only one.

He is never more than a whisper away. There is no place that I go that He is not with me - and with all of His other children as well. Miraculous. He has never broken a promise - not one time.

He loves me with such abandon I can scarcely take it in. Amazingly there is enough of that very same love to go around to each one of us. He forgives me when I stumble and covers me with grace.

There have been times when He has had to discipline me, but it is always for my good. I have been rebellious, proud and selfish so much of the time, but He has waited patiently for me to repent and run back to Him. No matter how many of us are running to Him at the same moment - His arms are wide enough to hold us all.

There is always room on His lap for one more child to climb up and rest his or her head against His chest and hear the beating of that enormous heart of love. Or perhaps to sit at His feet and feel the tender touch of His hand as He gently caresses each head.

He sings over me and delights in my company. He has a perfect plan for my life, but never imposes His will. He has made plans for my future that my mind cannot contain. He is the perfect parent. He is my Father; He is your Father.

What joy!

Blessings,
Linda

Multitude Monday

Today I am joining Ann and so many others in giving thanks.

I am thankful for:

- picture-perfect days

- hundreds of little butterflies looping their way among the flowers and keeping me company as I walk

- chilly nights and the warm comfort of a hand-made quilt

- the smell of freshly baked apple pie

- a phone call from a friend, reaching across twenty-seven years to reconnect

- hearing a friend, paralyzed in an accident from the neck down, say, "God is good - always."

- Dad home from the rehab center

- sitting on the front porch, reading a good book and just "being"

- studying the word with dear friends

- the smell of freshly cut grass

- the colors of fall

- the smell of a wood fire

- the encouragement of friends

"That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and declare all Thy wonders."
Psalm 26:7

Blessings,
Linda

Joy Challenge - Day 36 - The Source of Joy

I must learn to carry a pen and small notebook with me wherever I go, for my memory is just not what it used to be. Last evening, in our church service, our Music Minister extraordinaire, Ray, said something so profound about joy. It touched my heart like a laser beam. I was standing in the choir loft, and I kept repeating it over and over again fearful I wouldn't remember it perfectly (wishing fervently that I had the fore mentioned pen and notebook). I'm not sure I have it word for word, but this is the best I can do (with apologies to Ray for any mistakes).

"Happiness comes from our circumstances; joy comes from Jesus."

I can be in the midst of circumstances that would bring me anything but happiness, but if I have Jesus, I can still have joy.

Blessings,
Linda