I love a rainy day ...

...and we are certainly having our fair share of those at the moment.  A good opportunity to do a catch-up post...

I've made a start on the baby quilt for my new grandson.  I think Marnie gave me the quilt top years ago, so I'm happy to have an opportunity to use it :)  I bought some tartan flannelette, and was just going to quilt the two layers together, but then decided to use some thin polar fleece in the middle to make is a bit more padded... 

Pinned the three layers together...

And I have started hand quilting it (although you can't really see the quilt stitches in the photo)...

I haven't done any hand quilting for years.  It makes a nice change from the knitting and crocheting :)

I finished the fourth book in this series and really enjoyed them...

Now I'm reading this...

We are off daylight-saving time now, so our evenings are darker earlier.  When I finish my dinner and dishes, I've been continuing to work on my Fistula blanket squares, while watching episodes of the Waltons before bed.

Have you watched this series? 

I only have Season 1, but am enjoying it again :)

Still on track with my 'one chapter a day from the New Testament' Bible reading.  Today it's Acts Chapter 13.

This past week I listened to an interesting audio (although there is also an option to watch on YouTube) from Anabaptist Perspectives. It goes for just under an hour. 

So, take a break, make yourself a cup of tea or coffee, and have a listen. 

 

Here's the link.

Enjoy

xx

Wisdom (devotional)

From Oasis of Hope... 

Wisdom

"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy." - James 3:17 NASB

Have you ever pondered the Old Testament patriarch Abraham's journey from Ur of the Chaldeans to the land of Caanan?  God had called him to start toward the unknown land of promise.  There must have been many problems associated with moving the whole company and all the animals.  It was not at all clear how they would reach their destination.

The New Testament tells us that Abraham did not know where he was going (Hebrews 11:8).  He had to learn to trust God's guidance without knowing or seeing beforehand.  It is this that makes him an example of faith.  How could Abraham know how to solve the problems they faced so that in the end they would reach the right place?

When Abraham and his nephew Lot's herds had grown large, they had to separate.  Without this parting, there would not be enough pastureland for all their animals.  How could the situation be resolved?

Abraham allowed his nephew Lot to choose the land he wanted, and Lot chose the verdant, well-watered Jordan plain.  Abraham simply went in the opposite direction.  Only later did God confirm his decision as correct.

What could we learn from all this?  First, God see's the Christian's daily walk and is interested in his everyday life.  Second, He knows circumstances can be complex and they may demand a new kind of orientation.  He can use every detail in life to guide His children.

If we have come to a turning point in life and cannot see the road ahead, we need wisdom from above to move forward in faith and trust.  Where do you need wisdom today?  Ask God for His perspective, and trust Him to lead in the way He knows is best.

-Anu Ahonen

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

And do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Prayer + Praise = Peace (devotional 4 of 4)

 From Be Still and Know ...

"If you do this you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.  His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus " (Philippians 4:7, LB).

This verse begins with "If you would do THIS."  Do what?  Pray instead of worrying.  Our problem may not always be removed, but we can have peace instead of anxiety.

It is easy to have peace when we have the security of a home, position, bank account, friends, and health.  But God's peace sustains us when trouble comes and the heart is breaking.

Before Jesus left earth, He promised to leave His peace for us.  He said, "Peace I leave with you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).  This is a supernatural peace, a peace that passeth our understanding, but not our experience.

Satan will do all in his power to keep us worried and upset.  But Jesus keeps our hearts and minds at peace.  In exchange for our problems He gives us His peace.  "And the peace of God which transcends human understanding will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus" (Phillips).  This word "keep" has the thought of acting as a guard over our hearts and minds, preventing anything from upsetting our inner peace.

We can have an inner peace during the storms in our lives.  This peace is Christ Himself, for "HE IS OUR PEACE ..." (Ephesians 2:14).

His peace is personal - it will keep OUR hearts and minds.

God's formula for "peace instead of worry" is: "Be careful for nothing; be prayerful in everything; be thankful for anything; be peaceful through all things."

Easter Thoughts (devotionals)

Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.

But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.

Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.

Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?

He is not here, but is risen!  Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,

saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.'"

And they remembered His words.

(Luke 24:1-8)

From Behold the Lilies...

"And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: and as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?" - Luke 24:4-5

Why did the women make that unnecessary, early-morning trek to the tomb?  Jesus had told them He would rise again.  Why did they not remember it sooner?  Was it because they were heartbroken and worrying about what would happen now that their beloved Lord was killed?  They could have saved themselves much grief had they not been so slow to believe.

God may view scenes from our lives with the same kind of thoughts we have as we think about the scene at the tomb.  Does he see that the women of today have not changed much from the women at the tomb?

Who of us have not had doubts about our salvation?  We doubt in spite of the promise, "He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37).  Who of us has not felt anxious when we saw a difficult circumstance ahead?  We are anxious in spite of His promise, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5).  Who of us has not worried about material needs?  We worry in spite of the promise, "Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things" (Matthew 6:32).

We have the same Lord as the women at the tomb had.  His promise to them was fulfilled, and He will fulfill His promises to us as well.

 

Christ hath risen! Hallelujah!

Blessed morn of life and light!

Lo, the grave is rent asunder,

Death is conquered through His might.

Christ is risen! Hallelujah!

Gladness fills the world to-day;

From the tomb that could not hold him, 

See, the stone is rolled away!

Prayer + Praise = Peace (devotional 3 of 4)

 From Be Still and Know ...

"Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Philippians 4:6)

Sometimes our lives are so filled with anxiety and care, we feel we have little to be thankful for.  We forget the many everyday blessings that we take for granted.  Yet as we begin to count our blessings, thanking Him for what He has given us and done for us, our list grows rapidly.

Paul reminds us that THANKSGIVING is one of the ingredients for inner peace.  " ... in everything by prayer and supplication with THANKSGIVING ".  Thanksgiving comes from a heart filled with an awareness of the goodness of the Lord.  In Psalm 103:1 and 2 we read, "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.  Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."

How thankful we should be for the access we have into His presence; of the privilege of coming to Him with our needs.  How often we bring Him our requests but forget to thank Him for what He has given us.  In the story of the ten lepers whom Jesus cleansed, only one returned to thank Him.

When we pray, we must remember to thank God for past blessings.  "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord" (Psalm 92:1).

We are to thank Him in the midst of our difficulties and trials.  "In EVERYTHING give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).  This is not easy.

As we pause to thank Him for answers to prayers in the past, our faith is increased as we pray for present need.  

A. B. Simpson said, "Worry and anxiety flee as we come to Him with thanksgiving for past blessings and requests for present needs.  As we commit them to Him, our hearts are filled with his peace."

Have you included thanksgiving in your prayer as you bring your requests to Him?  

Don't forget to thank Him for his answers" (Philippians 4:6, LB).

Further afield and at home ...

While Ben, Hayley and Hazel were holidaying here, they spent a few days at Stanley, and I drove down and joined them for the day.  I lived there for 2 years in 2010-2012.  It's my favorite place in all of Tassie.  I started this blog when I moved there, so if you want to see more pictures of the place, go to the start of my blog :)

we enjoyed a lovely walk on the beach

and more walking

looking for shells

 

wading in the water

and all too soon it was time to say goodbye :(

And on the home front

the apples are ripening

as are the blackberries

My knitted squares for the Fistula blanket are coming along slowly

And I'm reading book 3 (of 4) in the Canadian West series

 

This is Hannah Ruth.  She joined the family a few months ago...

I'm going to sew her a skirt...

And a baby project on the go ...

Hayley is having a boy!! :)

My Scripture copying is going well...

as is my Bible reading (one chapter a day from the New Testament). 

Palm Sunday today...

 

Prayer + Praise = Peace (devotional 2 of 4)

From Be Still and Know...

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don't forget to thank him for his answer" (Philippians 4:6, LB).

How easy it is to say to someone, "Don't worry."  But that does not give the person the comfort he needs, nor the solution to his problem.

God tells us not to worry about anything, but He doesn't stop there.  He has a formula by which we can exchange worry for peace, a supernatural peace that passes understanding.  The cure for worry is prayer - "PRAY about EVERYTHING."

The Amplified Bible reads "in EVERY circumstance and in EVERYTHING by prayer."  If we are not to worry about anything, we must pray about everything.  We must bring our requests to Him and leave them with Him.  We are not to pray about just some things, or most things, but EVERYTHING.

Often when problems arise we go to a dear friend for help.  Sometimes the friend can help; sometimes not.  But through prayer we have access into the presence of the One who can answer every need.  Nothing is impossible with Him.  In our helplessness we not only come to Him with our burdens but leave them with Him.  "In everything with PRAYER and SUPPLICATIONS let your requests be made known unto GOD."

If we are to pray about everything at all times, we must be sure to keep the line of communication open.  Nothing must be allowed in our lives to cause a short circuit.  Then when emergencies arise, requiring "SOS" prayers, we have instant contact with Him, finding HIM listening on the other end of the line.

We can develop the best plans to meet our needs, we can look to people for help, we can depend on our strongest resources, but they cannot be a substitute for prayer.  God alone knows what we really need and how to supply it.  He invites us to, "Call upon Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not" (Jeremiah 33:3).

What is the cure for worry?  PRAYER. What are you worrying about today?  "Tell God every detail of your needs in thankful prayer" (Philippians 4:6, Phillips).

What a Friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer!