The King of Love

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One of my favorite hymns:

The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never,
I nothing lack if I am His
And He is mine forever.

Where streams of living water flow
My ransomed soul He leadeth,
And where the verdant pastures grow,
With food celestial feedeth.

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love He sought me,
And on His shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me.

In death’s dark vale I fear no ill
With Thee, dear Lord, beside me;
Thy rod and staff my comfort still,
Thy cross before to guide me.

Thou spread’st a table in my sight;
Thy unction grace bestoweth;
And O what transport of delight
From Thy pure chalice floweth!

And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise
Within Thy house forever.

~ Henry W. Baker

Spring Reading Thing 2010

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It’s time once again for the annual Spring Reading Thing sponsored by Katrina at Callapidder Days! The idea is to post some reading goals, whether a few pages a day or a list of books to read, just for yourself or with children, not to beat yourself up with if you don’t fulfill every single one in the time frame, but just as a guideline for more purposeful reading. It’s also fun to read other people’s goals and to get some ideas for more good books to read (though my to-be-read list is pretty long now…) Plus there are prizes! You can find the basics and guidelines at Katrina’s as well as a Mr. Linky to post goals now and a wrap-up post at the end.

I have no shortage of books on my shelves waiting to be read plus more I’d like to get to. It’s just a matter of choosing which ones to list!

Non-fiction:

I am currently reading:

Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross: Experiencing the Passion and Power of Easter, essays on various aspects of the death and resurrection of Christ from people such as Charles H. Spurgeon and Martin Luther to John MacArthur and Joni Eareckson Tada, compiled by Nancy Guthrie.

I’d also like to read:

Detour, a non-fiction sequel to Dr. Frau: A Woman Doctor Among the Amish by Grace H. Kaiser.
Port of Two Brothers by Paul Schlener, the name of a village along the Amazon in Brazil named for two brother missionaries and their families who worked there.
Beyond Prison Walls by Marian Bomm, about her interment in a Japanese prison camp in WWII.
My Heart Restored, a Bible study by June Kimmel.
Hoping for Something Better: Refusing to Settle for Life as Usual, a Bible study by Nancy Guthrie.

Classics:

I’d like to reread Emma by Jane Austen. I read it over 30 years ago in college and would liek to revisit it again after recently seeing the newest PBS production.  I’m also thinking about The Great Gatsby after seeing someone mention it this morning.

I don’t know if you’d call it a classic exactly, but I am currently reading Carry On, Jeeves by P. D. Wodehouse.

Christian Fiction:

I am currently reading The Hidden Flame by Janette Oke and Davis Bunn, the second in the Acts of Faith series set just after the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.

I’d also like to read:

A Touch of Grace by Lauraine Snelling.
Take 3, the next in the Above the Line series about Christian filmmakers by Karen Kingsbury, due out next week.
The Telling, next in the Seasons of Grace series by Beverly Lewis, due out in April.
Where My Heart Belongs by Tracie Peterson.

That should keep me busy for a while, and if I happen to get through all these, I’ll get to some more that have been waiting for me.

Friday’s Fave Five

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Susanne at Living to Tell the Story hosts a “Friday Fave Five” in which we share our five favorite things from the past week. Click on the button to read more of the details, and you can visit Susanne to see the list of others’ favorites or to join in.

1. Pink doilies!

2. The generosity of the folks from my church and the way the Lord provided through them for care packages for our college students. I miscalculated and got the announcements for them out later than I should have, but everything came together, and all the boxes and bags were stuffed.

3. A very nice lady at the post office who told me my packages would be cheaper with the flat rate boxes and helped me empty the boxes I had  into flat rate boxes, tape them, and make out new address labels right there in the post office. This was at a little old post office a little ways past the one I usually go to, but I think I am going there from now on! I had checked the first couple of packages against the flat rates, and it was the same, so I assumed they would all be, but the flat rates made a big difference. For her not only to tell me that, and not only to let me take the time there to change boxes, but to actually pitch in and help was way above and beyond the call of duty, and I so appreciated it.

4. Jeremy, my oldest son, helped me take a few of the bags to a college about 45 minutes away from here, not far enough to justify sending through the mail. He delivered the ones to the guys’ dorms and I did the same for the girls. Then we ate lunch at a Sticky Fingers barbecue restaurant there, which we don’t have in our town. That is some good stuff, lemmee tell ya.

5. Having not one, but two good Christian radio stations that I switch back and forth between. Being able to have spiritual edification at the touch of a button is something I tend to take for granted, but I enjoy listening especially when I am in the car or working in the kitchen.

Hope you have a great Friday! We’ve been having wonderful springy weather — just the right temperature, not too hot or cold, and I’ve seen a few blossoms and some green growth here and there around town — enough to brighten the landscape but not enough for allergies to kick in yet. 🙂

Flashback Friday: Dating

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Mocha With Linda has begun a new weekly meme called Flashback Friday. She’ll post a question every Thursday, and then Friday we can link our answers up on her site.

The flashback question this week is:

When was your first date? You can choose either your first date ever or your first date with your spouse – or both! How old were you? What did you do/where did you go? Did anything memorable – either good or embarrassing? If it was your first date ever, did you continue to date that person? If so, how long? If it was the person you married, did you know he/she was “the one” or did it take a longer for love to bloom? Any other memories you wish to share about those wonderfully awkward first dates?!

My husband and I had our first date in January of his sophomore year and my junior year of college. We had worked together at the library all first semester, so were already friends. He asked me to a basketball game on a Friday night (a Friday the 13th, but I am not superstitious. 🙂 ), but I regularly went with a team to a nursing home in another town then, so I had to turn him down. But…it started snowing on Friday, so the university canceled all ministry teams for the night. As I was leaving the dining hall where the announcement was made after dinner, Jim was waiting for me, and said, “Well, since you can’t serve God, would you like to serve mammon?” He doesn’t remember saying that…but he did!

So we went to a basketball game that his best friend was playing. He somehow picked up on the fact that I am not much of a sports enthusiast, but we had a good time talking. We continued on as just friends, going out occasionally, but it wasn’t  long before I began to feel he was someone special and began to be interested in him as more than just a friend. It took me a long time, though, to determine that he was the one, partly because I am indecisive anyway, partly because I had been engaged before and wasn’t sure how to sort through my feelings and determine the Lord’s will. I told more about that and the rest of our “love story” here. We dated for almost a year and a half before we were engaged, and then we were married seven months later…30 years ago this last December.

I don’t have a picture from our first date — I don’t have many pictures from our dating days at all, and somehow most of them are a little blurry — but here are a few:

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God is able…

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(This was originally posted three years ago but is on my mind again today.)

The March 8 evening reading of Daily Light for the Daily Path had a list of verses concerning what God was able to do. That led me to look up other references with the word “able” referring to God. The results were a faith-inspiring blessing to me, and I wanted to share them with you:

II Chronicles 25:9
And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this. (See II Chronicles 25:1-9 for the bigger picture.)

Daniel 3:17
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

Daniel 4:37
Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

Luke 3:8
Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. (See also Matthew 3:9)

Matthew 10:28
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Acts 20:32
And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

Romans 4:21
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Romans 11:23
And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.

Romans 14:4
Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work…

Ephesians 3:20-21
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Philippians 3:21
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

2 Timothy 1:12
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Hebrews 2:18
For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Hebrews 7:25
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Hebrews 11:19
Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

James 4:12
There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

Jude 1:24
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy….

Believe ye that I am able to do this? . . . Yea Lord. . . . According to your faith be it unto you. (Matthew. 9. 28, 29).

Top o’ the mornin’ to you!

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stpat14

(Graphic courtesy of Anne’s Place)

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

We don’t really do anything special for the day, but these Shamrock Shakes look good, even though I don’t care for mint myself…and can’t have ice cream…but they’re cute! 🙂

I do like that it has become a celebration of all things Irish. I did a longer St. Patrick’s Day post with several related links last year, so I won’t repeat that, but I was reading a little in one of the links there and can say a hearty Amen to this from St. Patrick FAQ at IrishChristian.net.

Is Patrick A Saint?

That Patrick is a saint is no myth, although he has never been canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. When the Roman Catholic Church established the first list of Saints (the first official saint was Ulrich canonized in 993), Patrick was already on it.

But is that how one becomes a saint? According to the Bible, sainthood is not attained by what others think of us, but by who we own as our Saviour. At least six New Testament epistles are addressed directly “to the saints.” The authors were not writing to dead people, but to all those who believe this: “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8).

Patrick did not become a saint because of his good deeds in Ireland, but because of what he came to believe while still a slave boy in that country. After his salvation, he was called by God to return to Ireland, “to dwell in the midst of barbarians … for the love of God.” He went, not to obtain salvation, but because he was already saved and wanted to share his faith out of love for his Saviour.

I was going to do Linda‘s Random Dozen, but I am a little late getting to the computer and have to go to the dentist in about an hour (NOT a fun way to celebrate anything!), then have an errand in another town. So…I might do it later or just skip it this week. I’ll be by to visit here and there as I am able today.

Meanwhile, I’ll leave you with my favorite Irish hymn, Be Thou My Vision:

An inspiring giveaway!

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Comments are now closed. The winner is:

Need A Nap2!

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If you’ve looked at any wall decor in stores lately, you may have noticed a lot of plaques with words on them. “Believe.” “Dream.” Live, Love, Laugh,” etc.

Jeanne Winters takes that idea a step further, inspired by the Scriptural instruction to keep God’s word in our hearts and even upon the door posts of our homes. She creates decorations for the home which incorporate Scripture. She designed the “Simply Inspiring” line of inspirational gifts at Hallmark, maintains a blog called Inspiring Ideas, and has a book out titled Inspirational Home: Simple Ideas for Uplifting Decor and Craft.

When I saw that Jeanne was having a special buy one, get one free sale of her book at her Etsy store, I decided that would be a perfect opportunity to get one for myself plus one to give away!

The book is divided into four sections: Inspiring Accents, Artistic Walls, Fresh Florals, and Delightful Favors. You can see the first few pages here. I tried to take a few photos which really don’t do justice to the loveliness of the book, but you can get a little taste of her style and the kind of projects included.

This last photo is from Jeanne’s site where she shows how to make this wall art:

If you would like to win a copy of Inspirational Home: Simple Ideas for Uplifting Decor and Craft, just leave a comment on this post. I will use the Random Number Generator to choose a winner from the comments next Tuesday morning, March 23. Only one entry per person, please. This giveaway is open to anyone in any country: I will pay shipping, and I wouldn’t think there would be any customs fees, but if so, the winner is responsible for those.

Best wishes!

The Week In Words

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http://breathoflifeministries.blogspot.com/2010/01/announcing-week-in-words.html Melissa at Breath of Life hosts a weekly carnival called The Week In Words,which involves sharing something from your reading that inspires you, causes you to laugh, cry, or dream, or just resonates with you in some way.

I forgot to note where I saw the first one, but I think it was on someone’s Facebook wall:

“I must secure more time for private devotions. I have been living far too public for me. The shortening of devotions starves the soul. It grows lean and faint. I have been keeping too late hours.” William Wilberforce

Wilberforce was a busy man behind good causes, yet felt the need of Scripture to strengthen and support him. We all have that need.

This is from the daily Elisabeth Elliot e-mail devotional:

He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed (Prv 11:25). “If you…satisfy the needs of the wretched…the Lord will satisfy your needs” (Is 58:10,11 NEB).

Do you often feel like parched ground, unable to produce anything worthwhile? I do. When I am in need of refreshment, it isn’t easy to think of the needs of others. But I have found that if, instead of praying for my own comfort and satisfaction, I ask the Lord to enable me to give to others, an amazing thing often happens–I find my own needs wonderfully met. Refreshment comes in ways I would never have thought of, both for others, and then, incidentally, for myself.

Lord, be as the dew to me today, as You were to Israel, that I may “flower like the lily” (Hos 14:5 NEB).

She’s not discounting the refreshment that comes from the Word, prayer, worship, fellowship, etc., but this avenue of refreshment is often over-looked: getting our attention off ourselves and concentrating on serving others.

Finally, this prayer was at the end of the March 14 reading from Our Daily Walk by F. B. Meyer:

Lord, be Thou within me, to strengthen me; without me, to keep me; above me, to protect me; beneath me, to uphold me; before me, to direct me; behind me, to keep me from straying; round about me, to defend me.

What struck me was not just the wonderful, bracing truth contained within the prayer itself, but the fact that each phrase recalls a truth of Scripture. I decided to look up at least one Bible verse for each phrase:

Within me, to strengthen me:

Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27:

Without me, to keep me:

For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. Hebrews 13:11-13.

Above me, to protect me:

He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. Psalm 16:18.

Beneath me, to uphold me:

The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33:27b.

Before me, to direct me:

I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Psalm 16:8.

Behind me, to keep me from straying:

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Psalm 139:5.

Round about me, to defend me:

Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7

I wrote a post last year about the blessing of looking at prepositional phrases such as these in the Bible. Those who know God are wonderfully surrounded by His love, care, and strength.

Microfiction Monday

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microfictionmonday

Susan at Stony River has begun a Microfiction Monday wherein participants write a story in 140 characters or less based on a particular image that Susan has chosen for the day.  Design 215’s Character Counter helps keep track of the number of characters. It’s a fun exercise in creative conciseness…or concise creativity… You can visit Susan’s to see some very creative stories for today.

Here’s today’s photo and my “take” on it:

Unnoticed by Katie’s mother, Father Time lurks in the shadows, ready to whisk Katie to adulthood all too soon. He moves fast for an old man.

As the bridegroom to his chosen

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As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. Isaiah 62:5b.

As the bridegroom to his chosen, as the king unto his realm,
As the keeper to the castle, as the pilot to the helm.
As the captain to his soldiers, as the shepherd to his lambs,
So, Lord, art thou to me.

As the fountain in the garden, as the candle in the dark,
As the treasure in the coffer, as the manna in the ark,
As the firelight in the winter, as the sunlight in the spring
So Lord art thou to me.

As the music at the banquet, as the stamp unto the seal,
As refreshment to the fainting, as the winecup at the meal,
As the singing on the feast day, as the amen to the prayer,
So Lord art thou to me.

As the ruby in the setting, as the honey in the comb
As the light within the lantern, as the father in the home,
As the eagle in the mountains, as the sparrow in the nest,
So Lord art thou to me.

As the sunshine in the heavens, as the image in the glass,
As the fruit unto the fig tree, as the dew unto the grass,
As the rainbow on the hilltop, as the river in the plain,
So Lord art thou to me.

You can hear this song here. John Rutter composed the music; I’m not sure about the words.