Weekend Words

From A Year's Journey with God...

Alone Against Evil

Ahab summoned everyone in Israel ... to Mount Carmel.  Elijah challenged the people: 'How long are you going to sit on the fence?  If God is the real God, follow him; if it's Baal, follow him.  Make up your minds!' 1 Kings 18:21-22, The Message

Have you ever walked along a busy street looking into the faces of the people coming towards you?  Because they think no one is watching them, it is easy to see the stress, sadness and resentment they usually hide underneath their masks.  When my grandmother was a child, people in Britain still lived by Christian values, but few do today.  Have you ever longed to go on national TV and ask, 'If the permissive society hasn't brought you happiness and security, why don't you come back to Christ?  Elijah did exactly that, but not on TV!  He came out of hiding to discover that even the drought hadn't turned the people's hearts to God, and Jezebel was systematically exterminating anyone who still had faith in Him (1 Kings 18:13).  So Elijah summoned the nation to a mountain-top confutation.  If you don't know the story, give yourself a treat and read 1 Kings 18.

It takes enormous courage to stand up for God all on your own.  Perhaps you often have to do that?  You might be the only Christian in your family, workplace or social network; people around you all live by totally different standards.  By nature you may prefer to 'merge in' and not look different, but that would mean compromising the ideals of your faith.  It is easy to think, 'What difference can a minority group of one possibly make?'  But one person and God are always a majority, so don't lose heart.

Fire from heaven did not convince Elijah's audience, but his unwavering example during the rest of his life brought many to faith. 

From Be Still and Know...

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direst thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

When I have need of direction and guidance for my life, I claim these verses more than any others as my assurance of God's promise to undertake for me.

How many times have we asked ourselves, "What am I to do?  What is God's will for me?"  God wants us to know His will for our lives.  "Wherefore be ye not unwise but, understanding what the will of the Lord is" (Ephesians 5: 17).

We are promised God's guidance in this Scripture passage, but it has a conditional promise.

First, if we are to know and do His will, we must trust Him with all our heart.  It has been said, "Faith consists of belief and trust.  We believe with our minds but when it reaches the heart it becomes trust."  We are to trust in the Lord with ALL our heart.  In one language the word for trust means "leaning your whole weight upon Him."

Next, we are to put no confidence in ourselves, "Lean not unto thine own understanding."  Instead of depending on human wisdom, we must seek the wisdom that comes from above.  "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God" (James 1:5).  Then we are to acknowledge Him in ALL our ways, every area of our lives.  This is to acknowledge that He has the right to be on the throne of our lives, in complete control.

We are to acknowledge Him in the affections of our heart, the thoughts of the mind, and the decisions of the will.  To acknowledge God in all our ways is a committal of all our ways to Him in submissiveness.  "In everything you do, put God first" (Proverbs 3:6, LB).  There is a two-fold relationship between God and man in these verses.  Our part is to trust, lean on, and acknowledge Him.  If we keep our part, God has promised to keep His part in directing our path.  This is a never-failing promise to the one who meets its conditions.  

On the home front (and by the river)...

 One good thing about all the rain is that I have more inside time to get blog posts on.  I'm still managing to go for my walks in between (or during) the showers, and here are some photos from this morning.  It was all so lush and green in the parkland adjacent to the river...

And here are a few other things I've been meaning to tell you...

I often browse through my back issues of Grass Roots magazine while I have my coffee.  I read this article about Michelle and her natural beauty products (BARE Nature'skin) and decided to buy some...

The moisturizer (I decanted some into a smaller container for daily use) is really lovely, for body and face!  I'm trying to simplify my skin care routine so having just one moisturizer works great...

and I really like the simplicity of the Shampoo Bar, so quick and easy, lathers really well, and leaves my hair squeaky clean.  (haven't tried the Goats Milk soap yet)

Then in another Grass Roots, I read about these soap shakers (Soap Shakin Sisters)...

I originally bought one to use in the kitchen.  Instead of buying dish washing liquid, you put your soap scraps in it and swish it around in your washing up water as the sink is filling.  The explanation is for those who aren't as old as I am and may not remember the 'olden days' :).  I'm also going to try it in the laundry when I use up the laundry liquid I have...

but then I decided to use it to store my shampoo bar in

And hang in the shower...

  now I need to buy another one for the kitchen!!

But wait!  There's more!!

Drum roll please... 

Ben, Hayley and Hazel have a new family business selling (and commissioning) Hayley's original artwork.  Check out her cute, quirky, whimsical designs on their website: Averilda Haze

she also has a series of Christmas cards coming

And this morning the book (A Burning In My Bones) I ordered from Koorong arrived... 

Really looking forward to reading this

Natasha sent me this photo of a recent trip she took to Maine...

And I found this poem...

How I go to the woods

Ordinarily, I go to the woods alone, with not a single
friend, for they are all smilers and talkers and therefore
unsuitable.

I don’t really want to be witnessed talking to the catbirds
or hugging the old black oak tree. I have my way of
praying, as you no doubt have yours.

Besides, when I am alone I can become invisible. I can sit
on the top of a dune as motionless as an uprise of weeds,
until the foxes run by unconcerned. I can hear the almost
unhearable sound of the roses singing.

If you have ever gone to the woods with me, I must love
you very much.”

― Mary Oliver

Enjoy your week!  Alone, or in the company of others :)

xx

Weekend Words

 

From Be Still and Know...

"For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me." (Job 23:14)

Most of us today find it necessary to keep appointment books in order to remember our daily appointments.  With the full schedule I keep, I find it very important to keep an accurate appointment book and to check on it daily.

Job recognized that God kept an appointment of everything that was to be a part of his life.  He knew that God would do all He had appointed for him.  "So he will do to me all he has planned, and there is more ahead" (Job 23:14, LB).

Perhaps you do not understand what is happening in your life at this time.  There may be no apparent reason for your trouble.  But God has not promised that we will always understand the circumstances of our lives.  We may never know why.

However, we can be assured that nothing comes into our lives without His permission.  Paul wrote, "And we know that ALL THINGS work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

When we believe that all he has appointed for our lives is for our good and His glory, and when we trust our lives to Him, then we can be assured He will do nothing short of His best for us.  "No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:11).

Recently I have been working on a piece of needlepoint.  As I look at the underneath side, it is a mass of knots and ends of yarn, with no distinct pattern visible.  But it is different when it is turned over and viewed from the right side.  There is a circle of flowers done in beautiful shades of yarn.  The rest of the piece is filled in with a solid color, revealing a definite pattern.

This is an example of our lives.  We see them from the wrong side, from our viewpoint, and all we see is the confusion of our circumstances.  But God sees it from His viewpoint.  He knows just where to put each stitch and shade to complete the pattern He has appointed for our lives.

"Lo, I am with you all the appointed days" (Matthew 28:20, Variorum Version)

From Our Daily Bread Classic Gems...

The Reward of Trials 

"Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need." - Psalm 142:6

Read: Psalm 142

There are certain lessons of grace that can be learned only in the valley of pain and distress.  Show me a Christian who has suffered much and deepened his dependence on God, and I will show you a sensitive soul full of compassion for others, and with a deep love for his Saviour.

According to a legend, a king once placed a heavy stone in the roadway.  Then he hid and waited to see who would remove it.  Many who came by loudly blamed the government for not keeping the highways clear; but none assumed the duty of pushing the obstacle out of the way.  At last, a poor peasant stopped and rolled it into the gutter.  To his surprise, he found a bag full of gold embedded in the road beneath the spot where the rock had been.  A note said it was the king's reward for anyone who removed the troublesome object.

So, too, our King has hidden a blessing under every trial.  The obstacles on our path are placed there for a purpose.  By them God tests our faithfulness, turns our attention heavenward, and gives us opportunity for spiritual reward.

Hidden under the "rock of trials" that has brought you low and put you in "desperate need" is a special blessing.  Roll your burden on the Lord, and in time you will find the divine favor.

- Henry Bosch

Reflect and Pray

Let us trust Him in our troubles,  He is loving, kind, and wise;

And most often trials and troubles,  Are but blessings in disguise. - Jarvis

On the home front (after the floods)...

 We had floods here last week, as did a few other areas of the state.  I was fine where I am (up on a hill), but many homes and businesses were inundated.  The river is back to its usual level now, but two of the walk bridges over the river that I use on my daily walks are still closed, I'm assuming until they are checked for structural damage and deemed safe.  So, I still go for my walk each day, but my route has had to be changed, which is a bit disconcerting as now I have to actually 'think' about where I am going rather than being on 'auto pilot' :))

Here are some photos when the river was at its height...  (Maybe you shouldn't look at these Lisa!)

this is normally dry ground

I usually walk here

this is the road, rail crossing, and caravan park buildings under water

the swimming pool enclosure, and ramp to the walk track (where the trees are) under water

the walk track on either side of the river was also under

the rail bridge just managed to stay above water

as did the road bridge, but I usually walk this path under the road bridge to the other side

even the pigeons that nest under the road bridge had to evacuate

Within a few days it had gone down...

the water was rushing over this bridge at its height, and unfortunately, as it seems to have sustained some buckling, I cannot walk over it to do my usual walk loop

Since then, we've had some lovely sunny days which my garden enjoyed...

my apple tree is covered in blossoms, the 'pigface' is flowering (with my honeysuckle climber in the background)

More rain is forecast over the next few days.  Nothing like what we had last week, but I have stocked up on plenty of reading and watching material...

And I'm back working on Hazel's cardigan...

And here are some photos of Freya practicing her circus act this morning...

the 'wild child' :))

But she was wild; so wild in fact that when the vet came to inspect her, she behaved in such a savage fashion that he told Derek and Jeannie she would never stay with them.  Other people who saw her said the same thing.  "Once a wild cat, always a wild cat..." - (from Lama by Derek Tangye)

Weekend Words

From Be Still and Know...

"When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person.  He is not the same anymore.  A new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:17, Living Bible)

As I stand back and view my life, I find it filled with peace, quietness, calmness, and joy.  This is a result of a great change that took place years ago.  Since that day there has been one controlling purpose in my life.  "For to me to live is Christ" (Philippians 1:21).

From early childhood I attended church.  Yet as I grew older, I was aware of something missing in my life.  There was an emptiness I could not understand.  I longed for something to satisfy an inner yearning of my heart.

One day I turned on my radio and heard a pastor speaking about Jesus Christ.  I listened intently to what he said and continued to listen each morning for about three months.

One Sunday evening when my heart was desperately reaching out for an answer to life, I went to the church where the program originated.

That night for the first time I realized that although I knew ABOUT Jesus Christ, I did not know HIM in a personal way.  Although I believed with my mind that Jesus came to earth to become the Saviour of the world, I had never believed in Him as my personal Saviour.

Alone at home that night I knelt down and confessed my need of a Saviour and that I believed that Jesus had died and risen from the dead for me, personally.  Then I invited Him into my life.

My life was filled with peace and joy.  I knew for the first time that I had been accepted by God into His family.  Based on the authority of God's Word, I knew I was a Christian.  "I have written this to you who believe in the Son of God so that you may know you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13, LB).

I began to grow in my Christian life as I read the Bible and prayed each day.  The Lord Jesus has become my dearest Friend as we have walked together through the years.

From Our Daily Bread Classic Gems...

Reason Enough

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice." - 2 Timothy 1:5

Read: 2 Timothy 1:1-7

Perhaps, like many Christians, you didn't go through a long reasoning process before believing in Jesus.  You heard the good news, and realized you were a sinner and needed God's forgiveness.  You understood that when Jeus died on the cross, He took the punishment you deserved.  You believed that He rose from the dead, and you placed your trust in Him.  This simple act of faith gave you inner peace and brought you into a personal relationship with God.

Let's suppose, however, that a well-educated skeptic challenges you to present solid historical evidence for the truthfulness of the Gospels.  Though some Christians can skillfully defend their faith, you might not be one of them.  Does this mean you believe without reason and your faith is just wishful thinking?  Not at all!!  You believe because God showed you your need and His provision for it.  That's reason enough!  And the peace you have comes from the Holy Spirit (Romans 8: 16-17)

Study so that you can give reasons for believing in Christ.  But don't worry if you don't have all the answers.  The God who helped timid Timothy be a good soldier for Him (2 Timothy 1:7; 2:1-4)

can use you, too.  Thank God for enabling you to believe.  Then tell others what He has done for you.

- Herbert Vander Lugt

We sang this hymn in church this morning.  Here's a toe tappin version for y'all to sing along to... :)

Weekend Words

 From Beside the Still Waters...

In Quietness and Confidence - Read: 1 Kings 19

"Be still and know that I am God." - Psalm 46:10

The early fall morning was perfectly quiet with not even a whisper of a breeze.  I sat on the front porch of a cabin deep in the forest and meditated on a question from a Sunday school class many years ago: "Why did God make me?"  The answer: "To know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this life and to be happy with Him forever in Heaven."  Not theologically profound, yet accurate and beautiful in its simplicity.

How can I remember something I learned at age five when I frequently forget where I left my car keys fifteen minutes ago?  The overwhelming distractions of noise, hurry-up pressures, and endless busyness often drown out the quiet time we urgently need to meditate on questions like this.  Today's key verse says, "Be still," because when we are alone in silent places, our minds tend to focus on spiritual truths.  But the natural man is frightened by such musing, and he tries to drown out these thoughts with busyness, amusements, and raucous music.

"Peace, be still" (Mark 4:39).  The words that calmed the wind and waves are also intended for mankind, because the Lord is well able to calm our greatest fears and smooth our roughest waters.  God's message to Elijah on Mount Horeb was not in the great wind, the earthquake, nor the fire, but in a "still small voice" (1 Kings 19:12) - the same way He speaks to our hearts today.  The barn loft, the bedside, the church bench, or any quiet place is just as good as a remote forest cabin if we really want to hear.  Every day let us listen in quietness and confidence for Him to speak His perfect will through His Spirit, His Word, or a faithful brother or sister.

 Pete Lewis - Halsey, OR

"In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength." - Isaiah 30:15

From Be Still and Know...

"Jesus himself drew near, and went with them" - (Luke 24:15)

Cleopas and an unnamed companion were on their way home to Emmaus.  As they trudged along, their hearts were sad.  In the past few days, Jesus had been crucified and buried.  Now startling news was spreading that He had risen from the dead.

While they were absorbed in talking of these recent events, "JESUS HIMSELF approached and walked along WITH THEM" (Luke 24:15, Phillips).  But they were so busy talking ABOUT HIM they failed to recognize Him.

Jesus knew their bewilderment, but He questioned them concerning it.  He said, "You seem to be in deep discussion about something.  What are you so concerned about?" (v. 17, LB).

They proceeded to tell Him of the recent happenings.  They were troubled.  Their faith had been shaken.  They failed to understand what had taken place.

Jesus shared the Scriptures with them concerning Himself.  What a Bible study it must have been, with Jesus as the Teacher!  Later they remembered how their hearts were warmed as they listened to Him.

As we walk through life, we may be perplexed and disillusioned with things that have happened.  Our hearts may be filled with sorrow, tears may be falling from our eyes.  Jesus is always with us, but during such a time of need, He draws near in a special way.  He asks, "What are you concerned about?"  As He speaks, our hearts are warmed and the heavy load we carry is eased.

Perhaps we have been looking so intently at our problems and trying so hard to find an answer for them, we have failed to see Him walking with us in the midst of them.  As He walks with us, He guides, protects, and provides for us.

We do not face our needs alone.  He promises, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5).

Our road may be in the valley of discouragement and disappointment; the steep climb of heartache and sorrow; the rough path of pain.  He knows each step of our way.  He draws near to walk with us on it.

He is near to you today wherever you are, whatever your need, and walks with you as your close Companion and Friend.

On the home front...

 October already!?!?

I guess it's about time I got my act together!  I did finally get around to making the tomato relish that has been on my 'to do' list for months...

but the blackberry jam is still on the list.

Spring growth has started in the garden.  Here's a bit of what's going on...

violets growing in a crack in the driveway

forget me not

almost an apple blossom

blueberries

dandelions (and bee)

spring onion flowers

rosemary

pig face - finally flowering after 2 years!

bay tree blossoms

Tasmanian pepperberry

I have a couple of books on the go...

and of an evening I've been watching an episode (or two) of the Little House series on DVD

While I work on my knitted blanket squares...

18 done and 10 to go, but I'm going to run out of yarn so will need to make a trip to Devonport soon to buy more

As the weather warms up (slightly), I've not been lighting the wood heater, so its a good place for my collection of spider plants...

this was one little pot plant I bought at a road side stall for $4 I think.  I now have 5 plants from it, and will be able to plant up some more of the 'babies' soon :)

Still walking most days, although the weekend was a bit of a write off as I had headaches.  But here's a few photos from my recent walks...

Spring came walking through the grass;  I heard her happy footsteps pass;

 I went outside and took her hand,  And followed her across the land.

And everywhere we took our way, the flowers called a holiday.

(Spring Came Walking - Annette Wynne)

What ever season you are in... Be blessed!

xx