Archive for May, 2007

Count it as Loss

Friday, May 25th, 2007

His eyelids test the sons of men…

Give me more trials, Lord. More breaking hearts. More troubled nights. More scorn. More confusion.

You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you.

Every trial You turn to gold. Every stony heart You replace with a heart of flesh, no matter who, no matter what, no matter how long, You are capable of the task. Every hour of lost sleep You store for a sweeter, deeper rest in heaven. Every scorn You proved endurable to me. Every chaotic day shows You Lord of peace.

Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you.

Gracie

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Morning: May 22

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007

The ways that God speaks to our hearts through His own life-giving words and the wisdom of others, are innumerable. I cannot expect to grow in maturity if I chaff at God’s hand in various and diverse trials and do not immerse myself daily in God’s word.

I opened up my Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon and lo and behold! Here were the words of a dead preacher speaking directly to me:

“He led them forth by the right way.”—Psalm 107:7.
CHANGEFUL experience often leads the anxious believer to enquire “Why is it thus with me?” I looked for light, but lo, darkness came; for peace, but behold trouble. I said in my heart, my mountain standeth firm, I shall never be moved. Lord, thou dost hide Thy face, and I am troubled. It was but yesterday that I could read my title clear; to-day my evidences are bedimmed, and my hopes are clouded. Yesterday I could climb to Pisgah’s top, and view the landscape o’er, and rejoice with confidence in my future inheritance; to-day, my spirit has no hopes, but many fears; no joys, but much distress. Is this part of God’s plan with me? Can this be the way in which God would bring me to heaven? Yes, it is even so. The eclipse of your faith, the darkness of your mind, the fainting of your hope, all these things are but parts of God’s method of making you ripe for the great inheritance upon which you shall soon enter. These trials are for the testing and strengthening of your faith—they are waves that wash you further upon the rock—they are winds which waft your ship the more swiftly towards the desired haven. According to David’s words, so it might be said of you, “so He bringeth them to their desired haven.” By honour and dishonour, by evil report and by good report, by plenty and by poverty, by joy and by distress, by persecution and by peace, by all these things is the life of your souls maintained, and by each of these are you helped on your way. Oh, think not, believer, that your sorrows are out of God’s plan; they are necessary parts of it. “We must, through much tribulation, enter the kingdom.” Learn, then, even to “count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.”

“O let my trembling soul be still,
And wait Thy wise, Thy holy will!
I cannot, Lord, Thy purpose see,
Yet all is well since ruled by Thee.”

For You, O God, have tested us;
You have refined us as silver is refined.
You brought us into the net;
You laid affliction on our backs.
You have caused men to ride over our heads;
We went through fire and through water;
But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.

Gracie

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Psalm 66

Sunday, May 20th, 2007

Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!
Sing out the honor of His name;
Make His praise glorious.
Say to God,
“How awesome are Your works!
Through the greatness of Your power
Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.
All the earth shall worship You
And sing praises to You;
They shall sing praises to Your name.” Selah

Come and see the works of God;
He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.
He turned the sea into dry land;
They went through the river on foot.
There we will rejoice in Him.
He rules by His power forever;
His eyes observe the nations;
Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah

Oh, bless our God, you peoples!
And make the voice of His praise to be heard,
Who keeps our soul among the living,
And does not allow our feet to be moved.
For You, O God, have tested us;
You have refined us as silver is refined.
You brought us into the net;
You laid affliction on our backs.
You have caused men to ride over our heads;
We went through fire and through water;
But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.

I will go into Your house with burnt offerings;
I will pay You my vows,
Which my lips have uttered
And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble.
I will offer You burnt sacrifices of fat animals,
With the sweet aroma of rams;
I will offer bulls with goats. Selah

Come and hear, all you who fear God,
And I will declare what He has done for my soul.
I cried to Him with my mouth,
And He was extolled with my tongue.
If I regard iniquity in my heart,
The Lord will not hear.
But certainly God has heard me;
He has attended to the voice of my prayer.

Blessed be God,
Who has not turned away my prayer,
Nor His mercy from me!

Grace

Posted in Christian, Poetry, quotes | 1 Comment »

Barnacles

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2007

Here is a poem that Mom read to us children earlier this morning time. Yes, she posted it on her blog as well. I just can’t escape being like my mother! Who says that’s bad, though, as long as her wit stays sharp, she retains her figur’, and her temper stays sweet. ;) Just keep in mind, that, while we are like each other, we are separate and distinct individuals. She is a far better self-editor than I.

Here is the poem:

Barnacles
by Sidney Lanier

My soul is sailing through the sea,
but the Past is heavy and hindereth me.
The Past hath crusted cumbrous shells
That hold the flesh of cold sea-mells
About my soul.
The huge waves wash, the high waves roll,
Each barnacle clingeth and worketh dole
And hindereth me from sailing!

Old Past, let me go, and drop i’ the sea
Till fathomless waters cover thee!
For I am living, but thou art dead;
Though drawest back, I strive ahead
The Day to find.
Thy shells unbind! Night comes behind;
I needs must hurry with the wind
And trim me best for sailing

Gracie

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Close-Knit

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2007

Ruby Red. Ruby Ring… oops. Cleansing rain. Softened air. Gloria. Thrumming hearts. Crucial decisions on carpet. Black and white tile. Breaking waves. Beached wales. Shared emotions. Throbbing heads. Voices raised in unison. Wave upon wave of grace; an all encompassing sea. Shame. Hidden smiles. Pitiful strawberries; at least they grew.

This past week has been a whirlwind of adventure. Not a very original statement, I know, but it is the truth. One day spent apart from the close-knit bonds of my family. Welcoming them the next day with big hugs ;) . A day spent at the beach laughing at the people and sneaky waves. A loud dinner at Bubba Gump’s; would the children have been less overwhelmed at a burger joint? Probably, but we got to eat shrimp! One day spent at a friend’s church, singing to burst our hearts, and listening with joy to a much needed sermon on wisdom and unity.

We’re an unusual crowd. Rest assured that you probably won’t fit in with us and we with you, unless you are as opinionated as us. Don’t worry, we might like you a lot, but the truth is, we love each other to death. We don’t like to show it, but we really do, some of us just won’t admit it without a few pricks of a pin. :P This love was especially evident by an amplification of homesickness in all my younger siblings after a few hours away from home. Are we weird or what? :D Just a bunch of misfits…

sea.jpg

Even at the beach we like to remain a crowd. *Sheesh*

Gracie

Posted in Adventure, Christian, Family, Weird | 6 Comments »