Wendy Blight: On-Line Study, Cultivating a Heart of Prayer, Begi...

Wendy Blight: On-Line Study, Cultivating a Heart of Prayer, Begi...: "Cultivating a Heart of Prayer Begins February 7, 2011 Hi Bible Study friends, In a little over a week, we will begin our next online-study..."

One Thousand Gifts

I am so sorry that I did not continue the list I had started a couple of years ago of all the things I was thankful for. Every day for me is a gift from God, and within that gift are just tons of smaller gifts for me open and treasure if I'm willing to look, and see, and take the time to wonder at it all. Today, a flock of robins stripped my cherry laurel tree of it's cherries. Those berries have been hanging there for what seems like forever, freezing, thawing, refreezing, thawing again, etc., etc. But today, I guess, they were just right! Either that, or mine were the last ones left in the neighborhood.


I loved listening to their cheerful voices and wondered why I couldn't be that happy with the simple things in life????
I make it all so complicated -- to the point it can make me crabby in a moment!

I want a Robin's heart! I want to see good things in simple places. I want to sit on my branch at the end of the day, snuggle my beak in my feathers and thank the Lord for the berries He gave me, the song He gave me, and another beautiful day! Can it be that hard?????

You've got to watch this! I sooooooo want the book! Be sure to turn off my music at the bottom of the page.

Little By Little

"O my Saviour,
let me not fall by little and little,
or think myself able to bear
the indulgence of any known sin
because it seems so insignificant.
Keep me from sinful beginnings,
lest they lead me on
to sorrowful endings.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon
1834-92

Taken from today's daily devotional found at Transformation Garden:

http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/transformgarden/

Foundations

During the past few weeks, I've been thinking more and more about my "foundations" --
what I have built my life, my faith, my hopes on. I've gained a lot of insights into my own heart, some good with assurances and a basic knowledge of how to pass it on, and some. . . well, let's say I found out I needed some brushing up and studying to do.

As my brother went through the final stages of lung cancer, he shared with me some of the "projects" he had been working on. I think that anytime a question was raised that he could not answer, it became an unending quest until he was satisfied with the answers he found. Doubts? I don't know. We always seem to criticize the word, "doubt," as it sounds so opposite to the word, "faith." Yet, is it not our doubts and questions in life that send us on our quests to find the ultimate truth in Christ? I know I have my brother to thank for igniting the spark in me to dig around my "foundations" and see if they are right and built upon the true Word of God.

Years ago, my pastor did a series called, "On These We Stand." Week by week, he went through the doctrines (like Sanctification, Justification, etc), and made it all so simple to understand. Ever since the day I was born, I was in church. From the cradle roll all the way through I never missed a Sunday School class, church services 3 times a week, youth groups, DVBS, camp, and whatever else was going on. I did all the Bible Memory Association verses, memorized chapters for contests, etc. I even went to Bible School for 3 years. But all of this learning was never "filed away" in some sort of "grab it and use it" kind of way. It was through this series of messages that I finally got a filing cabinet in my mind where things started falling into their proper places!!! Thank you, Dan!

I don't think I ever realized before how important it is to get the "foundation" right. Paul says in I Cor. 15, "So, then, brothers and sisters, don't let anyone move you off the foundation of your faith." In my old age, though, I have come to see how everything topples and falls apart if the foundation is not right from the beginning. When all is said and done in life, it all boils down to where we put our trust and faith. Most of the guilt, fears, doubts and regrets that we carry with us are so unnecessary, but are there because we have built our lives and beliefs on foundations that are incorrectly taught to us.

Hosea 6:3 says, "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord." To know Him is to know the truth. And this was Paul's utmost desire as he expressed it in Philippians 3 -- "That I may know Him. . ."

There were so many sleepless nights for me during Tony's illness, and I would dig into the deepest parts of my heart and brain for stuff I had once learned but had forgotten. It bugged me to no end! I don't like loose ends and unanswered questions. My brother had spent so much of his life searching the Scriptures, and I'm sure he knew them way better than I do. I have him to thank for rattling my cage because I found lots of rusty hinges and loose screws!!!

Beth Moore is challenging women to memorize at least 24 verses this year -- that's just 2 verses a month.

http://blog.lproof.org/2011/01/2011-siesta-scripture-memory-team-verse-2.html

She even has a little spiral notebook you can buy (or download for free and print out yourself) to write your verses out and join in on the challenge. Since I love tags, I made my own and I'm off and running with it. I'm picking verses that are foundational to my faith in Christ, promises I can count on through eternity, and principles I can live by. I don't know what's in my future or who I will yet meet along the way, but I NEVER want to be caught without an answer!

I feel like I'm rambling today. Maybe it is because I feel I'm entering new doors and I don't know where they are taking me. Maybe it is because there are holes in my heart that need to be filled. Anyhow, thanks for listening!

Since Yesterday

Tony is finally home!

It seems so long since yesterday
When he was with us here.
Though weak and tired and struggling,
We knew that he was near.
But now we stand upon this shore,
His path we cannot trace.
We only know since yesterday
He saw his Savior's face.

His first day home since yesterday --
We wonder at the thought!
We'll never know that special joy
That moment must have brought;
No clouds, no mists, since yesterday,
No pain, no questions, "why?"
Unshadowed now he sees the sun
As time has passed him by.

We miss him so since yesterday,
Each memory seems so real.
We long to share, to see him smile,
His special love to feel;
Yet, could we call him back again,
To leave his soul's delight,
To leave the gladness of the morn
For one more painful night?

Ah, no, we let him go with love,
For we shall meet some day.
We would not take away the joy
He's known since yesterday.
Could we deny the special gift
The Savior had to give?
For he who struggled so for life
Has just begun to live!
--Cora Eelman

When there are No Words!

Sometimes a song just hits you and goes to the very core of your heart. This is one of them. I've played it over and over and over and it washes over me like nothing ever has! Be sure to turn off my music at the bottom of the page!

My New Year's Prayer

Dear Lord,
I'm not making any promises or resolutions. I know from my past performance that this would only be setting myself up for failure, discouragement, and ultimately confession to You that I had no intention of keeping them in the first place.

I know I've changed in the past few months --- not a whole lot, but enough to know that change is possible. "Probable" is another whole issue. Thank you, Lord, for my brother and what he has brought about in my own life. Thank you for the example of my other brother, sister, and family members and how they have sacrificed with joy to take care of Tony. Thank you for making me look deeper into my own soul because of all of this.

Lord, if I can ask for one thing this year, it's this: Keep changing me. Little by little. Day by day.

Change me into someone who can discern what's really important from the trivial irritations that would ruin a whole day.

Change me into someone who can see a need in one person's life and fill it. Not the whole world -- just one person.

Change me into someone who lives Your Word instead of someone who just knows it.

Change me in such a way that maybe 365 days from now, I'll look just a little bit more like You.

If You can change me in just these things, then this coming year will be considered one of true miracles! With You, all things are possible, aren't they? Let's go for it!