The Week in Words

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Barbara Harper

Welcome to The Week In Words, where we share quotes from the last week’s reading. If something you read this past week inspired you, caused you to laugh, cry, think, dream, or just resonated with you in some way, please share it with us, attributing it to its source, which can be a book, newspaper, blog, Facebook — anything that you read. More information is here.

I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving weekend. Ours was wonderful, though we hate to see Jeremy leave again. But it’s not too long till he comes back for Christmas!

In the meantime, here are some thought-provoking quotes:

This was a comment on the post 5 Ways to Make More Time to Read:

Reading allows me to thrive. If I don’t, then I feel stagnant. ~ Michael D. Perkins

I feel exactly the same way.

Seen at Diane‘s:

“A surrendered mind is not one which is no longer in operation. It is, rather, a mind freed from rebellion and opposition. To be Christ’s captive is to be perfectly free.” ~ Elisabeth Elliot

From With the Word by Warren Wiersbe, p. 505:

“His promises are checks to be cashed, not mere mottoes to hang on the wall.” ~ Vance Havner

From Beyond Suffering: Discovering the Message of Job by Layton Talbert:

If he seems defiant, it is the daring act of faith. All Job has known about God he still believes. But God’s inexplicable ways have his mind perplexed to the breaking point. Job is in the right; but he does not know that God is watching with silent compassion and admiration until the test is fully done and it is time to state His approval publicly (emphasis mine). ~ Francis I. Anderson, Job: An Introduction and Commentary, p. 139.

Whatever is going on in our lives, we can trust that God is watching, aware, and caring.

You can share your family-friendly quotes in the comments below or write a post on your blog and then put the link to that post (not your general blog link) in Mr. Linky below.

I hope you’ll visit the other participants as well and glean some great thoughts to ponder. And don’t forget to leave a comment here, even if you don’t have any quotes to share.

God of Heaven

Posted on November 27, 2011 by Barbara Harper

This has got to be one of the most beautiful songs ever written, both words and music. I had heard it on the Steve Pettit team CD Come Boldly, but didn’t really get the full impact until our church choir sang it last Sunday. Our pastor has been taking us through the book of Job, and this song grew out of a study of Job. The author, Heather Sorenson writes,

“The piece ‘God of Heaven’ was a personal response to my morning devotions a couple months ago. Something that I have been actively working on is to shift my relationship with God from a “give me/bless me/help me” vending machine to learning and knowing who God is. As I was reading through the book of Job during a particularly difficult week, I was hit with the fact that God’s response to Job did not include the solutions that I always ask for. God’s words to Job didn’t specifically offer the hope and comfort that I often beg God for in difficult times. God’s response in Job 38-41 was to show who He is. As I moved on to the rest of my day, I sat down to write a completely different song, but I was so moved by who God is, that ‘God of Heaven’ came out instead. I pray that this piece will bless both your choir and your congregation as you continue to build your relationship with God your Father.”

I am so glad our church puts the words to the songs being sung or played up so we can follow along. Our choir did a beautiful job, leaving me not only loving the music and dynamics, but filled with the wonder of my God. The full choir version is richer, but this one by the ladies of the Steve Pettit team is lovely as well.

God of Heaven, God of all the earth and sky.
Great Creator, Master of all nature.
Who gives birth to snow from heaven,
Holds the waves at ocean’s edge,
Gives the orders to the morning,
Shows each dawn its place to shine.
God of Heaven, God of all the earth and sky.

God of Ages, God who wrote the Book of Time.
Sovereign Ruler, Alpha and Omega.
Saints before, He’s guided safely.
History’s pages signed by Him.
Author of our days and hours;
Things to come are held secure.
God of Ages, Alpha and Omega.

God of Power! God who breaks the darkness.
Righteous Warrior, Champion of His children,
Goes before us into battle;
Good and evil bow to Him,
Those in bondage freed forever,
Victories won at His command!

God who heals us, God who gives us peace and hope.
God who listens, Carries all our fragile
Dreams and heartaches, wins and failures;
Binds the broken; hides the weak.
New beginnings freely offered;
Who can make us whole again?
God who heals us, God of Power,
God of Ages, God of Heaven,
God of all the earth and sky.

Laudable Linkage

Posted on November 26, 2011 by Barbara Harper

Don’t know how many people will be around today with shopping and visiting and such going on, but if you’re looking for a few interesting reads, here are some I’ve seen this week:

When the Battle-Weary Speak, We Listen.

Missionary answers. Great posts soliciting answers from missionaries about how churches can minister to them. Many helpful answers in the contents.

Sending gifts to missionaries, HT to Susan. Very helpful suggestions.

The following are from Pinterest. Love that place!

What to do with cards. Great idea!!!

Pretty organizational center.

Scrabble Home Decor.

Button wreath.

Button clock in embroidery hoop.

Neat idea for Christmas buffet table — cheese, crackers, or veggies in a Christmas tree shape.

Saw the first of these on Pinterest, the rest on Facebook.

Been there. 🙂

So true — those things are horrible to step on.

I feel that way sometimes, too.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Friday’s Fave Five

Posted on November 25, 2011 by Barbara Harper

Welcome to Friday’s Fave Five, hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story, in which we can share five of our favorite things from the last week. This has been a wonderful exercise in looking for and appreciating the good things God blesses us with. Click on the button to learn more, then go to Susanne’s to read others’ faves and link up your own.

This is a week with an abundance of favorites, but I’ll try to narrow it down to five!

1. Our church’s Fall Festival. This is the first year we’ve attended (had a scheduling conflict last year). Every year the Saturday before Thanksgiving, the church has a number of festival things set up for kids (bouncy house, petting zoo, games, a fire truck), food, a game for all, then singing and testimonies. The food this year was a chili cook-off, soups, hot dogs, and pies, and the game a version of Minute to Win It. We didn’t go to the early festival parts, but came in time to eat, and enjoyed the whole evening. My favorite part was the testimonies, reflections of God’s faithfulness over the last year.

2. Jeremy’s coming home and having all the family together again.

3. Thanksgiving foods. We tend to be pretty traditional in our Thanksgiving feast, so we look forward to the same dishes each year.

4. Games. Listening to the kids play Settlers of Catan “just like old times” and then joining them for Apples to Apples later in the evening.

5. Time to relax. Though there was a lot of cooking and dishwashing going on the last couple of days, there was time to watch a DVD together and even some time to sit and read. It’s nice when everyone is off and there are not the usual constraints on the schedule.

Though we’re to be thankful all year, it’s nice to have this time set aside specifically to focus on being thankful.

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! No Black Friday shopping for me, at least not in the malls!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Barbara Harper

Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath 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 unto him, and bless his name. Psalm 100:3-4

Here are some of the many things I am thankful for:

1. God, Who made me, saved me, and keeps me.

2. A kind and loving husband.

3. My children, three sons and a daughter-in-law.

4. That we have a voice in our government and the ability to vote in America.

5. “For the beauty of the earth,” as the hymn says — beautiful fall colors, spring flowers, multicolored sunsets, and so much more. Even though the earth is marred by the fall of man, God’s creativity, intelligence, and love for beauty still shine through.

6. Extended family

7. The Bible

8. Books

9. Chocolate

10. That I have good reason to be thankful for every thing

11. Veterans, freedom.

12. Senses

13. Facebook

14. That I know Whom to thank. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

15. That I can cool or warm my home at the touch of a button

16. Friends

17. Home

18. Food

19. Humor

20. Technology

21. The “peace that passes understanding.”

22. My mother-in-law’s new hearing aid

23. Music

24. The family being all together again for the holiday.

25. The many blessings of Thanksgiving Day and its reminder to cultivate a thankful spirit.

26. Health

27. Answered prayer — even when answer has been “No.”

28. Church

29. Doctors, nurses, medicines, health care

30. Being able to be a homemaker since my children came along

31. Running water, indoor plumbing, hot water heaters (I’ve visited places with none of those luxuries!)

32. Games

33. Art, crafts, hobbies

34. The ability to walk. I was without it for a few short months, and I think maybe that makes me appreciate it a little more.

35. Decaf Diet Pepsi and Mugs Root Beer

36. Pellet ice

37. That I’ll never run out of things to be thankful for, in major spiritual blessings and little everyday ones.

Hope you all have a wonderful, thanks-filled day!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve!

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Barbara Harper

One friend’s Facebook update said, “Ladies, start your ovens!”

Yep, it will be that kind of day!

But first we have to go to the airport: Jeremy was due in last night but one leg of the flight was delayed and another cancelled, so he is coming in this morning. At least he was told all of that at the outset, so he was able to reschedule and go home to sleep in his own bed rather than having to spend the night in an airport somewhere. So excited to see him! And to have the family all together.

The first year or two of blogging, I shared a lot of material from my files during holidays. I thought I’d share the links here, if you’d like a bit of inspirational or funny Thanksgiving reading in-between pie-baking and such. 🙂

Thanksgiving devotional reading.
Thanksgiving Bible Study
Some Thanksgiving quotes are here.
More Thanksgiving quotes are here.
Thanksgiving “funnies” are here and A “Redneck Thanksgiving” is here.
Thanksgiving poems are here and More Thanksgiving poems are here.

What’s On Your Nightstand: November

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Barbara Harper

The folks at 5 Minutes For Books host What’s On Your Nightstand? the fourth Tuesday of each month in which we can share about the books we have been reading and/or plan to read.

Here’s what I finished since last time:

Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero by Michael Hingson, reviewed here, pretty interesting.

Coffee Shop Conversations: Making the Most of Spiritual Small Talk by Dale and Jonalyn Fincher, recommended by Lisa, reviewed here, mixed emotions.

Love’s Pursuit by Siri Mitchell, Christian fiction about a woman in Puritan New England struggling to live by “the rules” yet realizing they were not helping her to be truly righteous, reviewed here. One of those books that keeps you thinking long after you close it.

The Mercy by Beverly Lewis, last of The Rose trilogy, not reviewed, but a fitting wrap-up and an enjoyable read.

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell, reviewed here, pleasant but not riveting.

I’m currently reading:

Created for Work: Practical Insights for Young Men by Bob Schultz, reading with my youngest son.

While We’re Far Apart by Lynn Austin.

The Best Seat in the House: How I Woke Up One Tuesday and Was Paralyzed for Life by Allen Rucker about dealing with transverse myelitis (same ailment I have) and it’s after-effects. Very interesting though marred by a smattering of bad language.

Next up are:

Longing, book three in the Bailey Flanigan series by Karen Kingsbury.

One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson.

I haven’t decided for sure what’s after that, but I have a stack of a dozen or so to choose from, not to mention my ever-growing TBR list.

I also wanted to let my fellow readers know I am hosting a Laura Ingalls Wilder Reading Challenge here in February. You can read more about it here. Hope you’ll make plans to join us!

The Week in Words

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Barbara Harper

I still have more quotes saved up than would be beneficial to share all at once, but here are a few standouts:

From our youth pastor’s Twitter:

God’s mercies are new every morning, and morning happens every hour on the hour all across the globe. New is always happening with God. ~ Dan Cruver

Isn’t that a neat thought? I’d always reveled in God’s mercies being new every morning, but to think morning is happening at some point on the globe all through the day!

Seen at Challies:

You all have by you a large treasure of divine knowledge, in that you have the Bible in your hands; therefore be not contented in possessing but little of this treasure. God hath spoken much to you in the Scripture; labor to understand as much of what he saith as you can. God hath made you all reasonable creatures; therefore let not the noble faculty of reason or understanding lie neglected. Content not yourselves with having so much knowledge as is thrown in your way, and as you receive in some sense unavoidably by the frequent inculcation of divine truth in the preaching of the word, of which you are obliged to be hearers, or as you accidentally gain in conversation; but let it be very much your business to search for it, and that with the same diligence and labor with which men are wont to dig in mines of silver and gold. ~ Jonathan Edwards

Forgive me for another lengthy one, but this convictingly cuts to the heart of the matter:

The original sin, pride, is behind my “poor self-image,” for I felt that I deserved better than I got, which is exactly what Eve felt! So it was pride, not poor self-image, that had to go. If I’m so beautiful and lovable, what was Jesus doing up there, nailed to the cross and crowned with thorns? Why all that hideous suffering for the pure Son of God? Here’s why: There was no other way to deliver us from the hell of our own proud self-loving selves, no other way out of the bondage of self-pity and self-congratulation. How shall we take our stand beneath the cross of Jesus and continue to love the selves that put Him there? How can we survey the wondrous cross and at the same time feed our pride? No. It won’t work. Jesus put it simply: If you want to be My disciple, you must leave self behind, take up the cross, and follow Me. ~ Elisabeth Elliot, Keep a Quiet Heart.

I thought about doing Thanksgiving quotes this week, but really wanted to share the ones above instead. But I have shared some past Thanksgiving quotes here and here.

You can share your family-friendly quotes in the comments below or write a post on your blog and then put the link to that post (not your general blog link) in Mr. Linky below.

I hope you’ll visit the other participants as well and glean some great thoughts to ponder. And don’t forget to leave a comment here, even if you don’t have any quotes to share.

Thanks to God

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Barbara Harper

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. I Thessalonians 5:18

Thanks to God for my Redeemer,
Thanks for all Thou dost provide!
Thanks for times now but a memory,
Thanks for Jesus by my side!
Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime,
Thanks for dark and stormy 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 wayside,
Thanks for thorns their stems contain!
Thanks for home and thanks for fireside,
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 through all eternity!

~ August L. Storm, 1891

Laudable Linkage

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Barbara Harper

I have just a few things to share this week:

Do You See the Warrior? Neat post about training rather than “taming” boys.

Michelle Duggar, Feminist? (No!), HT to Carrie. Quote: “Michelle Duggar is an admittedly extreme example of a lifestyle choice that challenges today’s feminist norms. But can we write off her choice as anti-feminist? Or is that in and of itself a violation of feminism’s first principle: choice?” I’m not up for birthing and mothering 20 children myself, and not advocating that for everyone, but it’s ironic that the feminist community so big on choice would criticize other people’s choices when different from their own.

Thanksgiving Ideas For Kids.

Bunnell Strings, HT to nikkipolani. Nikki shared about this group after they played at her church — five siblings staying together and supporting themselves by string concerts after the death of their parents. Here is a lovely original number: