Faith

I'm still thinking about this post.
And remember a conversation I had one day with our old pastor (he's gone to be with the Lord and has finally gotten to rest in his favorite verse). We were talking about making decisions and determining the Lord's will. It was a small comment but he said something like, "you know that when you make the decision and move on, that is faithfulness too, that you have to have faith that your doing what you think is right is what He's ordained for you. That you aren't to be immobilized trying to figure out God's will, His will is for you to believe and to act."

I often stumble through my days, just trying to keep my head above water. I have a child who takes all of my energy some days, most days. And yet my other responsibilities don't stop because I have it hard in one area. I think that when it has been so hard, God has taught me so much more about who He is, that His Grace is sufficient. Sounds almost cliche doesn't it? I should know these things! I find that I use an awful lot of my own strength keeping things together, keeping the house calm, trying to keep everyone doing what they ought to be doing and keeping them from doing what they ought not to be doing. And then my child (or is it God?) demonstrates that there is nothing I really can do. So then I do what I should have done all along. Pray and repeat His Word to me and to mine. And then just serve.

I really think that I should have this down, this stopping and praying and seeking out His Word and then just moving out in faith. I have to relearn it almost every day! And it really is true, there is much joy in serving and being surrendered! My master is kind and loves me and mine, He also watches over me in such a way⁶
that not a hair can fall from my head
without the will of my Father in heaven:⁷
in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

Heidleberg Catechism Q1.

We are keeping Quiet Time journals based on this post by Ann at A Holy Experience. I have great hopes for the things we will encounter using the journals...if we can only keep them up!

Today is the beginning of our week...we enjoyed a day of relaxation and visiting with friends. The rain is falling pretty steadily and the light coming in the windows is gray. We have the lights on throughout the house and I am trying very hard to keep the mood from being dreary. My students are at the table working on their assignments and I'm settling down in the library adjacent to begin my morning of paperwork.

I have begun to take Conrad to work since parking has gotten so bad at the shipyard and we will have to figure out how to fit that new aspect of the morning into our routine. It gets us started a little late, but all together, which is a good thing.

Well, there's much to do and my time on the computer is up. Have a good week!

What's for dinner? Burritos and salad

What I'm thankful for: The rain and a comfortable dry house! For new beginnings. For prayer time in the morning with my husband. For kids who are demonstrating good attitudes...so far!

What I'm praying for: For me to remember my huge influence over the tone of our home. That God would help me to be thankful and prayerful. That I would remember that by dying I will live, by serving I will be satisfied, by caring I will feel carefree. That instead of worrying about my burdens, I should carry others' burdens. *see what I'm studying below.

What I'm reading in The WORD: I'm reading Isaiah 58 over and over this week (perhaps this month). I'm punched in the stomach with it! Today, I'm meditating on verses 10 & 11.

A blog to check out today: Look at WEE FOLK ART for a cute mini pumpkin patch craft...I'm thinking that these would make cute little gifts to bring to someone when we visit.

I'm trying to see my life as art... it's hard for this unimaginative soul. I miss too much joy, trying so hard to "do the next thing".

I know that my thinking- my heart is something that I constantly have to stop and realign. I can get very caught up in getting our chores done, our math and spelling done... even that Bible lesson - lesson 65 comes after 64 which comes after 63... And then my children are nothing but cooperators or annoyances - when they are not cooperating.

It is very easy to frame such thinking and living in righteous sounding terms. I am my husband's helpmeet and it is helpful to him if I keep the house clean and educate our children. I'm helping him in his calling...

But looking under it all, those are the good things that often take priority over the best. Those things are definitely important... doesn't that go without saying?

I've been forgetting the first G of the three G's of education*. I'm forgetting WHO GOD IS! What has that got to do with not appreciating my kids for who they are? EVERYTHING! We need to stop together and remember who God is and in that we remember who we are. Then everything is a precious gift!

Then I see my life as art! I see the beauty before the dust, I see the joy before the character flaws. I see His loving benevolence to me in my husband and children, in what we learn, in what we have and even in what I do.

Heavenly Father, help me to remember who you are, what you hve done and then what you require of me. Thank you for constantly renewing my mind and heart in Christ Jesus. AMEN


The three G's - Who God is. What He has done. What He requires of us. From When You Rise Up; A Covenant Approach to Homeschooling by R.C. Sproul Jr.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly

Ann’s writing often moves me, telling me truth in poetic words that sink deep into me, convicting me and pointing me to The Savior.
Read today’s post at A Holy Experience.
I was convicted by this phrase: “So I do it. I grab the angriest, messiest heart and hold it close.”
How often I want to push away the angriest, messiest heart in our home! How often I let that one turn me into the one who is the angriest, leaving a bigger mess that is so much harder to clean up than the one left by one littler, simpler… “take the log out of your own eye…”

We are memorizing a passage of Scripture as a family. We desperately need to renew our minds with the truth of God, I need it most of all.

Here is what we are working on.

“Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:12-16

Isaac's Memorywork

Praise for the Incarnation

by John Newton

Sweeter sounds than music knows
Charm me in Immanuel's name;
All her hopes my spirit owes
To his birth, and cross, and shame.

When he came, the angels sung,
"Glory be to God on high;"
Lord, unloose my stamm'ring tongue,
Who should louder sing than I?

Did the Lord a man become,
That he might the law fulfil,
Bleed and suffer in my room,
And canst thou, my tongue, be still?

No, I must my praises bring,
Though they worthless are and weak;
For should I refuse to sing,
Sure the very stones would speak.

O my Saviour, Shield, and Sun,
Shepherd, Brother, Husband, Friend,
Ev'ry precious name in one,
I will love thee without end.

Shayna's Memorywork

Christ the Believer's Adorning Garment

By Ralph Erskine

"Thy Maker is thy Husband."—Isa 54.5


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Yea, thou excell'st in rich attire
The lamp that lights the globe
Thy sparkling garment heav'ns admire,
Thy husband is thy robe.


This raiment never waxes old,
'Tis always new and clean:
From summer-heat and winter-cold,
Thy husband can thee screen.


All who the name of worthies bore,
Since Adam was undrest,
No worth acquir'd, but as they wore
Thy husband's purple vest.


This linen fine can beautify
The soul with sin begirt.
0 bless his name, that e'er on thee
Thy husband spread his skirt.


Are dunghills decked with flow'ry glore,
Which Solomon's outvie: :
Sure thine is infinitely more,
Thy husband decks the sky.


Thy hands could never work the dress,
By grace alone thou'rt gay.
Grace vents and reigns through righteousness,
Thy husband's bright array.


To spin thy robe no more dost need
Than lilies toil for theirs;
Out of his bowels ev'ry thread
Thy husband thine prepares.

The Best of Love Stories

LOVE FROM THE NORTH.
I had a love in soft south land,
Beloved through April far in May;
He waited on my lightest breath,
And never dared to say me nay.
He saddened if my cheer was sad,
But gay he grew if I was gay;
We never differed on a hair,
My yes his yes, my nay his nay.
The wedding hour was come, the aisles
Were flushed with sun and flowers that day;
I pacing balanced in my thoughts,--
"It's quite too late to think of nay."--
My bridegroom answered in his turn,
Myself had almost answered "yea":
When through the flashing nave I heard.
A struggle and resounding "nay."
Bridemaids and bridegroom shrank in fear,
But I stood high who stood at bay:
"And if I answer yea, fair Sir,
What man art thou to bar with nay?"
He was a strong man from the north,
Light-locked, with eyes of dangerous gray:
"Put yea by for another time
In which I will not say thee nay."
He took me in his strong white arms,
He bore me on his horse away
O'er crag, morass, and hair-breadth pass,
But never asked me yea or nay.
He made me fast with book and bell,
With links of love he makes me stay;
Till now I've neither heart nor power
Nor will nor wish to say him nay.
Christina Rossetti

Prayers of the Church

This prayer was prayed at church yesterday during worship. I want to meditate on it this week.

Father in heaven, we raise our voices in thanksgiving to You, confessing that we are unable in ourselves to do good or to seek after You. Left to ourselves, we seek only our own peace, our own comfort, our own pleasure. It is Your Holy Spirit who works in us, giving us hearts to love You, changing us, and sanctifying us and our desires so that we may truly seek to glorify You in all that we do. So we pray, dear Father, that You would soften our hearts to hear Your Word, and quiet our wills that we may be guided by Your Spirit. Enable us to see past our own fleshly desires so that, in all we do, Lord, may we seek Your honor and glory.

We pray for the hastening of the day when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that You are the One, True God and that salvation is found in none other than Your Son. Continue to work in Your people to make our efforts effective for the advancement of Your kingdom. Use us as leaven to work in the world around us, transforming lives, throwing down everything that sets itself up in opposition to You, and bringing all things into subjection to Your throne of grace. Give us boldness to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to those around us, and grant that our words would go forth in power to bring the multitudes into Your Church.

Give us also a burning desire to see Your Church built up in faith and good works, washed by the water of Your Word, and cleansed from every spot and wrinkle, that we might be presented to You perfected at the end of time as a Bride for our Bridegroom, Christ Jesus. Give us a sense of urgency to minister within your Church, seeking not only to bless, but also to edify and to exhort one another unto holiness in our lives. Use our worship—the preaching of Your Word, the singing of praise, our prayers and the celebration of the sacraments—to nurture in us an abiding desire to walk worthy of our calling as Christians. Remind us of the privilege that is ours to lift up before You our fellow saints throughout the world, and especially those who worship in the face of persecution and martyrdom. Comfort them with the knowledge that their trials are a fleeting thing compared to the glory that awaits them in the world to come.

Lastly Father, we pray for our needs. We lift up to You all those who suffer from illness, infirmity, and difficult circumstances. We pray first of all for peace and a faithful witness in the midst of trials. We pray that You would be glorified in how we respond to adversity, and that Your strength would be made perfect in our weakness. Remind us that You love us, and that everything You bring into our lives is done out of love for us, Your children. Keep us faithful to You as we seek after healing, as we seek after work, as we look forward to moving and to the birth of new children. And in all this, Lord, grant us what we need. Give us this day our daily bread. In Your mercy, grant us healing, jobs, homes, and safe delivery of children.

Heavenly Father, where there is sin in our lives, root it out and grant us repentance. Where there is complacency, give us zeal for You and Your kingdom. Where there is pride, humble us. Where there is corruption, grant us a desire for purity in thought, word, and deed. Where there is anger and bitterness, grant us a desire for peace. Where there is selfishness, grant us generosity and abundant love. Where there are idols in our lives, give us the desire and the determination to cast them down. And in their place, may we exalt You, our glorious God and King.

We ask all this in confidence, knowing that as we seek Your will for our lives and as we sincerely desire to obey You in all things, we know that You will lead us not into temptation but will deliver us from the Evil One. And so we lift all these prayers up to You and rest in the knowledge that You are our faithful covenant keeping God, praying through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.