Monthly Archives: November 2012

Suffering

For our light affliction,
which is but for a moment
worketh for us a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory.
2 Corinthians 4:7

Suffering may endure for a season,
And we wonder when relief will come.
Is this for a time of testing
A really deep trial for some?

Day by day we endure our heartaches,
Often questioning why,
We don’t seem to fully understand
And we come before God with a sigh!

“Just quiet yourself in My presence,” He says,
“I have blessings for you in store,
This time with me will be precious,
Even more than ever before.”

The wonderful promises in God’s Holy Word
Bring comfort, encouragement and peace,
And as we nestle up close to Him.
Our Faith brings sweet release.

So let us joyfully praise the Lord,
If, through suffering we can learn,
Truths that will help to guide our way,
And His Word more clearly discern.

Elsie K. Young

Humility?

“Humility is to make a right estimate of one’s self. ”
Charles Spurgeon

The Good Shepherd

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me–

… the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.

My sheep hear my voice…

…My sheep know my voice, and a stranger they will not follow…

I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. “

 John 10

 

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Heavenly Father, on Thanksgiving Day

We bow our hearts to You and pray.
We give You thanks for all You’ve done
Especially for the gift of Jesus, Your Son.
For beauty in nature, Your glory we see
For joy and health, friends and family,
For daily provision, Your mercy and care
These are the blessings You graciously share.
So today we offer this response of praise
With a promise to follow You all of our days.

–Mary Fairchild

Thankful

          “They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. “

Psalm 145:7

We Gather Together

We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;

He chastens and hastens his will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing,
Sing praises to his name: He forgets not his own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, wast at our side, All glory be thine!

We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
And pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!
Amen

Traditional Thanksgiving Hymn

Theodore Baker

Psalm 100

Psalm 100

      “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 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. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, For love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends.♥

–Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Thanks To You, Lord

“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,

for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;

You are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.”

1 Chronicles 29:11-13

Please and Thank You

post

When my children were pre-schoolers, they liked watching Barney, and I remember one of the little songs from the show was called “Please and Thank-you.” The song was a lesson and a reminder for children on the importance of saying “Please” and “Thank you”, something that we learned from our moms and dads when we were little as well.

Saying “Please” comes a little easier, as we often find our selves asking or praying for something that we want. But sometimes we forget how important it is to give thanks… Thanksgiving is nearly a week away, and  in honor of this I’d like to share a post with you each day, between this Thursday and Thanksgiving Day, about  giving thanks.

Preparing these posts has been a blessing for me already, and I hope that you will be blessed too!

Thanks and God Bless.

Faith ♥

Rest for the Weary

“Come to me, all you who are weary…

 and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28

Be Still

“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him…”

 “Be still and know that I am God…”

 Psalms 37:7 and 46:10

 

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

Through the Seasons

Summer and winter,

Springtime and harvest

Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love…

 

Thomas Chisholm

Our Home

“Lord, through all the generations You have been our home! Before the mountains were created, before the earth was formed, from everlasting to everlasting,Thou art God.”

Psalms 90:1-2

Smile!

A smile costs nothing, but gives much-
It takes but a moment, but the memory of it usually lasts forever.
None are so rich that can get along without it-
And none are so poor but that can be made rich by it.


It enriches those who receive, without making poor those who give-
It creates sunshine in the home,
Fosters good will in business,
And is the best antidote for trouble-
And yet it cannot be begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is of no value
Unless it is given away.


Some people are too busy to give you a smile-
Give them one of yours-
For the good Lord knows that no one needs a smile so badly
As he or she who has no more smiles left to give.

Author Unknown

Fruit of the Spirit

“…The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…”

Galatians 5:22-23

Faithful Forgiving Father

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

 “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,

Jesus Christ the Righteous.”

I John 1:9 and 2:1

Pleasant Surprise

Yesterday,  I glanced out the backdoor and saw, not one, not two, but several beautiful bluebirds, perched on the ledge of our deck! It was so beautiful, and I got so excited, because we usually only see one or two such birds at a time, but it seems that since we’ve added a bird bath to our backyard garden this past spring, we get to see more birds than ever. These lovely little bluebirds were everywhere! On the deck, perched in a now leafless tree, and splashing all about in the rainwater filled bird bath! This was such a treat, such a pleasant surprise and I’m reminded that there are so many such blessings that surround me everyday, and I can’t help but wonder how many go unnoticed…

“O LORD, how manifold are your works! in wisdom have you made them all: the earth is full of your riches.”

Psalm 104:24

Squeaky Clean

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

Psalm 51:10

The Secret Place

He that dwells  in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Psalm 91

Can You Sing a Song?

 

Can you sing a song to greet the sun,

Can you cheerily tackle the work to be done,

Can you vision it finished when only begun,

Can you sing a song?

 

 

Can you sing a song when the day’s half through,

When even the thought of the rest wearies you,

With so little done and so much to do,

Can you sing a song?

Can you sing a song at the close of the day,

When weary and tired, the work’s put away,

With the joy that it’s done the best of the pay,

Can you sing a song?

Joseph Morris.

From Mourning to Dancing

” Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness. To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.”

Psalm 30:11-12