Thoughts for the weekend: Psalm 121

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
         From whence comes my help?
 My help comes from the LORD,
         Who made heaven and earth.
         

 He will not allow your foot to be moved;
         He who keeps you will not slumber.
 Behold, He who keeps Israel
         Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
        
 The LORD is your keeper;
         The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
 The sun shall not strike you by day,
         Nor the moon by night.
         

 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
         He shall preserve your soul.
 The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
         From this time forth, and even forevermore.

Storms of Life— Where is the Peace?

Thunderstorms.

Tornadoes. 

People dying.  

But miracle stories of survivors in the rubble.

More storms to come this season. 

People learning to care for their neighbors.

Helping people they rarely talk to. 

Sacrifices made.

Searching for peace tonight.

The Lord will take care of His people.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
   where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.

 He will not let your foot slip—
   he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

 The LORD watches over you—
   the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
   nor the moon by night.

 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
   he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
   both now and forevermore. 

~Psalm 121~

Through hard times and good...

...God is always here to help.

This song has meant a lot to me lately, so I thought I would share it.

Rainy days and Beautiful Sunsets

It rained tonight after I got back from school today.  Torrential rain.  We were under a tornado watch too, but the clouds weren't dark enough for a tornado.  Anyways...I got out after the rains and swept all of the leaves off our porch so they wouldn't get tracked into the house. I also took a few pictures.

I don't know why I like this picture so much.  Maybe it's the rain drops continuing to cling to the fragile petals or how the colors turned out.

Here's the top part of the sunset.  I can't see the bottom half from our place, but oh well.

And tonight I am thankful for:
80) God's glory streaming through the clouds this morning on the way to school and keeping me awake!  Amazing!
81) Around 10 deer in the road ditch this morning
82) The deer stayed in the ditch and didn't meet my car. Yay! (I was trying to figure out how I could stop, pick it up, and butcher it if they did decide to meet my car though.  *grin*)
83) Not having to drive through the rain storm
84) Nice weather so I can open the windows
85) No deadlines tomorrow!

*You can see the pictures big if you click on them...or you should be able to.

Eucharisteo

Charis. Grace.
Chara. Joy.
Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving.
~One Thousand Gifts


Joy comes from giving Thanks.  Thankfulness comes from recognizing the Grace that God grants us in everyday life.  Not only the good times, but also the hard times.  God has a purpose and a Season for every thing under Heaven.

Thankful for:
7) Friends and walks
8) A loving God who grants us Grace that we might have Joy
9) Cherries picked and seeded with love
10) Stew and bread
11) Long talks with friends under the moonlit skies.
12) Tall glasses of fresh water.
13) Books
14) Talented piano players who seem to play my heartstrings with their notes.

Dead

I saw Iron Man 2 tonight, and not of my own choice but that's a different story.  Needless to say, it was NOT on my list of "have to see" movies.  I did not enjoy the first one, and from previews I read, I did not expect this one to be any better.  Well, my suspicions were correct.  The movie opens with a 1/2 hour of sex dance scenes and while it doesn't get much worse, it definitely does not get any better.  However, this brings me to my question of the night.

What has happened to Christians, that we are so DEAD to the sin and evil in this world?  Why do we ALLOW (yes, allow) these worldly things into our homes to influence us?  Last time I checked, none of us were required to watch the latest trashy films or read the latest books. 

Romans 12:2~"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of GOD."

We are called to be different in this world: a witness to those that do not know God.  However, if we are allowing these worldly films/books/etc. into our minds to influence our thoughts and behaviors, we are no different than the world and people around us that do not know Christ as their Savior.

So, to my fellow Christians and believers in the One True GOD, I urge you to take a stand in your communities and homes.  Read God's word and allow Him to teach and show you the difference between conforming to the world and keeping yourselves set apart to do His will.  Be strong and of good courage, for God is always with you and will help you through the tough decisions.

Do not be a dead Christian!  Take a stand for God's truth.  Learn to differentiate between trash and treasure and let the treasure in, but leave the trash on the street.

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1.03.01

Beautiful

Don't know how it is you looked at me

And saw the person that i could be

Awakening my heart

Breaking through the dark

Suddenly Your grace

 

Now there's a joy inside i can't contain

But even perfect days can end in rain

And though it's pourin' down

I see You through the clouds

Shining on my face

 

I have come undone  
But i have just begun  
Changing by Your grace

 

Like sunlight burning at midnight  
Making my life something so

Beautiful, Beautiful

Mercy reaching to save me

All that I need

You are so

Beautiful, Beautiful

Beautiful, Beautiful

~Francesca Battistelli~

Some (emphasis on the some) of the leafs here are finally changing colors.  Most of the leaves here in TX turn brown and stay on the tree until next spring when the new leaves finally push them off the branches.  (It doesn't get cold enough for all of the trees to change colors or for the leaves to fall off.)  However, a very few trees do turn colors.  I think that there are about 5 very small trees between here and school that are a brilliant red.  God truly did a wonder when he created leaves and their colors...even though I would much rather be in the middle of the plains without a tree in sight.  I'm looking forward to the next time we go to OK when I finally get to see a good sunset without all of these trees in the way.  I miss those.

It was a good day today. It seems to me that when I can feel God with me everything is sooo much more vibrant and beautiful.  Maybe it's just that I need an attitude adjustment and need to stop thinking about me so much!!  Whichever.  This song just reminded me of that tonight.  Some days I feel like I could just explode with the joy and wonder of God and His creation!!!

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! 

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the LORD, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.    

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.  
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;
His mercy is everlasting,  
And His truth endures to all generations.

~Psalm 100~

Psalm 139 and thoughts....

O Lord, You have searched me and known me. you know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a work on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall uphold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” even the night shall be light about me; indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.

For you formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed, and in your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! how great is the sum of them! if I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.

Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

~God knows everything we do. He knows when we are scared to give our 'all' for His kingdom. I need to learn how to submit my will to His will for me. I need to learn to trust Him, even when I'm scared because I do not know what all the future holds for my life. I want to know my God and Father more. That is my hope and prayer for my life currently~