Gratitude

• "Gratitude is born in hearts that take time to count up past mercies."

~Charles E. Jefferson

No Big Deal?

010: He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
011: If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
012: And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
013: No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
(Luke, Chapter 16:10-13)

"We are apt to under-estimate little failures in duty.

It seems to us, a small matter:
that we do not keep an engagement,
that we lose our temper,
that we say an impatient or angry word,
that we show an unkind or harsh spirit,
that we speak uncharitably of another,
that we treat someone with discourtesy, or
fail in some other way which appears trivial.

We think that so long as we are honest, faithful, and loving in the larger things--that it of small importance, that we make 'little slips'.

But we never can tell what may be the consequences of our failure, in even the most minute duty.

A little slip hurts our own life! It leaves us a little weaker in our character, a little less able to resist the next temptation that comes at the same point. It breaks our habit of faithfulness, and makes it easier for us to break it a second time. We sin against ourselves, when we relax our diligence or our faithfulness, in even the least thing!

Then, we do not know what the consequences to others will be--when we fail in their presence. An outburst of temper in a Christian, may hinder many others in their Christian life. The failure of a Christian minister to pay a little debt, may destroy the minister's influence over many in his church."

~ J. R. Miller "Miller's Year Book--a Year's Daily Readings"
~ The Bouquet by Johan Jensen.

Memories

When Christmas bells are swinging above the fields of snow,
We hear sweet voices ringing from lands of long ago,
And etched on vacant places
Are half-forgotten faces
Of friends we used to cherish, and loves we used to know.

~Ella Wheeler Wilcox ("Christmas Fancies" Poems of Power)

Duty

Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God,

and set a watch against them day and night,

because of them.

Nehemiah 4:9

"But we prayed to our God--AND posted a guard day and night to meet this threat!"

We are in danger of making prayer a substitute for duty; or of trying to roll over on God, the burden of caring for us and doing things for us--while we sit still and do nothing! When we pray to be delivered from temptation--we must keep out of the way of temptation, unless duty clearly calls us there. We must also guard against temptation, resist the Devil, and stand firm in obedience and faith. When we ask God for our daily bread, pleading the promise that we shall not lack--we must also labor to earn God's bread, and thus make it ours honestly.

A lazy man came once and asked for money, saying that he could not find bread for his family. "Neither can I!" replied the industrious mechanic to whom he had applied. "I am obliged to work for it!"

While we pray for health--we must use the means to obtain it.

While we ask for wisdom--we must use our brains and think, searching for wisdom as for hidden treasure.

While we ask God to help us break off a bad habit--we must also strive to overcome the habit.

Prayer is not merely a device for saving people from toil, struggle and responsibility. When there is no human power adequate to the need--we may ask God to work without us, and in some way He will help us. But ordinarily WE must do our part, asking God to work in and through us, and to bless us through faithful obedience.

"I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me!"

Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. Colossians 1:29

J. R. Miller "Miller's Year Book - a Year's Daily Readings"
Photo: a bucolic scene along the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway

Weekly Journal #4

Outlook today...
Joyful! And besides, the woodlands, fields, lawns and gardens are blanketed in sparkling stars . . . snow! It's a winter wonderland!

On my mind today...
Mental lists for groceries, cards, gifts and materials for projects.

Biggest challenge in the coming week...
"For I have learned in whatsoever state I am to be content."(Philippians 4:11).

Blessings from the past week...
Still thinking about our wonderful and ongoing Thanksgiving especially for our close and dear family! . .
The dental surgeries of last week went well. No problem with the antibiotic and didn't take the prescription pain meds that the surgeon said would probably make me sick. (I should add, lest one think I am being overly cautious, that I overdid after having a couple wisdom teeth removed and ended up with serious repercussions and complications. Enough said. Lesson well-taken!)
My beloved's company Christmas party/dinner was especially nice and I was able to enjoy it.
The two and a half hour trip to attend was also good and our complementary overnight accommodations were delightful.
We made it home before the snow was heavy
Our youngest daughter's beau is coming home for Christmas!

What's cooking in the kitchen...
Now that the leftovers are but a delicious memory, it is time to start some Christmas baking. My family desires the temptations limited to their favourites - sugar cookies, molasses cookies, Baklava, and cinnamon rolls are the indispensables!

Prayer requests for the week ahead...
Unspoken . . .

My appearance today...
It is early as I write, sipping the freshly brewed coffee my beloved brought with a whispered "I love you" and a kiss as he is off to the office, his mind preoccupied with pressing issues. Morning is his best time for thinking through conundrums and their resolutions. He says his best ideas come as he dozes, sipping the coffee I set up before going to bed, along with his bowl of homemade granola, napkins, spoon and mug so he doesn't have to do much more than pour and enjoy. So, I am now enjoying my own snuggled in a favourite cobalt fleece robe, Max warming my toes hair loosed and wavy.

Exercise goals for the week...
Took it easy last week as some dental work healed but hope to use the treadmill regularly. I do still have lots to do in the gardens but am not sure that will be practical this week with the snow, but maybe - would rather do something productive.

My reading this week…
Always my Bible first and foremost. Continuing with the wonderful devotional writings of the Puritans, so sound in doctrine, beautifully written and Scripturally sound. Bathtub reading is usually the Herb Quarterly, the Herb Companion and/or The Country Journal
Several books are awaiting my reading including "John Adams" and. Jane Austin's "Emma."

A Scripture passage I am memorizing/meditating on...
This is usually reflected in daily postings.

Homemaking tasks this week...
Besides all the routine cleaning and laundry, perhaps I will do some decorating for Christmas this week which will involve gathering of the greens, holly, ivy, rose hips, pine cones, etc for filling door baskets, urns and cache pots as well as making some wreaths and swags.

Something new I want to try...
I have a new book on Williamsburg Christmas decorations which style is fitting for our early eighteenth century home. It is filled with lovely inspirations for doing with what I have and in just the sort of style I am taken with. Exciting!

The week is looking...
Delightful!

Creative projects I'm working on...
The aforementioned decorating with Christmas greens.

God has been teaching me...
As I look back on the years, the wondrous ways of God are becoming more evident as He has orchestrated circumstances.

A simple pleasure...
The blessings and joys of learning obedience

A picture to share…
These are from our recent Thanksgiving.

How Do I Love Thee?

"We love Him, because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
He moved my soul to seek Him, seeking me
.It was not I that found, O Savior true;
No, I was found of Thee.

Thou didst reach forth Thy hand and mine enfold;
I walked and sank not on the storm vexed sea.
'Twas not so much that I on Thee took hold,
As Thou, dear Lord, on me.

I find, I walk, I love, but oh, the whole
Of love is but my answer, Lord, to Thee!
For Thou were long beforehand with my soul,
Always Thou lovest me.

~Anon­y­mous, cir­ca 1880. This hymn's first pub­li­ca­tion was ap­par­ent­ly in Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts, in Ho­ly Songs, Car­ols and Sac­red Bal­lads. Music: Peace, George W. Chad­wick, 1890. Chad­wick wrote the tune spe­ci­fic­al­ly for this hymn. Al­ter­nate tune: • Artavia, Ed­ward J. Hop­kins, 1887

"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:44)

"And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father." (John 6:65)

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." (Romans 3:23-28)

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

"Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:6-7)

How can you know when you become TRULY saved? ONLY God can give you assurance. Begin asking God to make you truly humble and broken before Him as you continue seeking His mercy. Keep reading the Bible with the desire that God will bring your will into submission to His will.

"The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations." (Psalm 145:8-13)

"The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." (Psalm 34:18)

"...but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word." (Isaiah 66:2)

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Psalm 51:17)

"I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies." (Psalm 40:1-4)

"It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD." (Lamentations 3:22-26)

"Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved." (Psalm 62:1-2)

"The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation." (Psalm 118:14)

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation." (Isaiah 12:2)

"Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished." (Isaiah 51:6)

"..[We] preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways." (Acts 14:15-16)

"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." (Acts 17:30- 31)

"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." (Revelation 4:11)

"...Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." (Revelation 5:12-13)

Amen!

After a Fall of Snow

"Before going to bed
After a fall of snow
I look out on the field
Shining there in the moonlight
So calm, untouched and white.
Snow silence fills my head
After I leave the window.
Hours later near dawn.
When I look down again
The whole landscape has changed.
The perfect surface gone
Criss-crossed and written on
Where the wild creatures ranged
While the moon rose and shone.
Why did my dog not bark?
Why did I hear no sound
There on the snow-locked ground
In the tumultuous dark?
How much can come,
How much can go
When the December moon is bright?
What worlds of play we'll never know
Sleeping away the cold white night
After a fall of snow."

~ May Sarton - December Moon

The rose taught me a lesson

Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way:

'"Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless." Psalm 119:37

We must be always turning--if we would keep our life true and according to God's commandments.

There are some flowers which always turn toward the sun. There was a little potted rose-bush in a sick-room which I visited. It sat by the window. One day I noticed that the one rose on the bush was looking toward the light. I referred to it; and the sick woman said that her daughter had turned the rose around several times toward the darkness of the room--but that each time the little flower had twisted itself back, until again its face was toward the light. It would not look into the darkness.

The rose taught me a lesson--never to allow myself to look toward any evil--but instantly to turn from it. Not a moment should we permit our eyes to be inclined toward anything sinful. To yield to one moment's sinful act--is to defile the soul. One of the main messages of the Bible is, "Turn from the wrong, the base, the crude, the unworthy--to the right, the pure, the noble, the godlike!" We should not allow even an unholy thought to stay a moment in our mind--but should turn from its very first suggestion, with face fully toward Christ, the Holy One.

"I will set before my eyes no vile thing!" Psalm 101:3

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things!" Philippians 4:8"'

~J. R. Miller "Miller's Year Book--a Year's Daily Readings"

Bible Study Guidelines

"Seven Guidelines For Bible Study

1. Acknowledge and Treat the Bible as the Accurate Word of God
Many people will say they believe the Bible is the Word of God, but we have to ask ourselves, “Do I really believe that? Do I tremble before the Bible or do I just read it like any other book? Do I trust that every single word in the original manuscripts comes directly from the mouth of God or do I think that perhaps God has allowed some errors to occur so it's no longer 100% accurate?”The Bible was not written by man. True, man physically put the words on paper but every single word came from God:

“...holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:21)

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16)

The fact that all Scripture is inspired by God is not to be understood the way we understand it when a fiction author says he or she was inspired by such-and-such. When God says all Scripture is inspired by Him He means that the scribes wrote down word-for-word what God wanted to be written:

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” (Exodus 17:14)

“Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.” (Jeremiah 30:2)

“Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.” (Jeremiah 36:2)

“For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O LORD God.” (1 Kings 8:53)

Moses is the one who physically put the words of the first five chapters of Genesis on parchment. He was not around to witness any of those events; yet we have such detailed accounts of what took place. Likewise, in Luke chapter 22 we have a prayer of Jesus’ recorded. The only people around were the disciples, but Jesus had walked away from them to pray while they were sleeping. Yet, we have Jesus’ exact words recorded. This is because God wrote the Bible, not man. Therefore, it is entirely accurate. Every single word in the original Hebrew and Greek was carefully selected by God. There are those who argue that the original manuscripts were accurate, but then they suggest that the copies we have today are not as reliable because a scribe may have made an error while writing a copy. However, God preserves His Word and would have ensured that even the copies were made with 100% accuracy. We have examples of this in the Bible itself. When the original copy of the ten commandments was destroyed God ensured a copy was made exactly like the first:

“And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me.” (Deuteronomy 10:4)

When Jehooiakim burned the roll containing God’s Word God ensured that a copy was made exactly like the first:“Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying, Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.” (Jeremiah 36:27-28)

In fact, Jesus read from a copy of the Bible in Luke chapter 4, and His reading is recorded which indicates that what He read was the accurate Word of God.

2. Approach the Bible with an Open Heart
If we really are interested in finding truth in the Bible, then we must be willing to accept that what we currently believe or what we’ve been taught may be wrong. This is difficult to do because we trust our teachers and family. In the busy lives we all lead it’s admittedly easier to simply assume that what we’re being taught is accurate, but we should be spending time studying the Bible to ensure we are being presented with faithful doctrines.Our teachers and family don’t intentionally teach us falsehoods. Pastors teach what they were taught in seminary, and seminaries teach what their founding fathers believed to be accurate. These teachings all appear to make sense to the student because the student is listening to the supporting Scripture under the assumption that the teaching itself is accurate. Then they read the Bible and interpret it in light of the doctrines they assumed were accurate. This is why it is so important that we approach the Bible without any assumptions of what it teaches.We have to set our feelings and logic aside when we study the Bible. We have to be careful not to interpret God’s Word in light of what we feel is right or logical. There are many truths in the Bible that are scary or difficult to comprehend. If we try to make Scripture fit within the box of human logic, then we are likely to lose grip of some spiritual truth. If we find ourselves thinking, “I just don’t think God would do that so I must be reading this wrong,” then we need to take a step back and reassess our approach. This kind of statement indicates that we are reading the Bible in light of what we feel is right, rather than letting God’s Word alone guide us. We have to be careful that we aren't accidentally trying to be wiser than God:“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” (Proverbs 12:15)“Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:21)

3. Approach the Bible with Patience
The Bible is complicated and difficult to understand, not because it’s old but because God purposely wrote it that way. He could have written the Bible so that any child could understand it, but it was God’s intent that truths in the Bible be hidden and only revealed to believers:“And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” (Matthew 13:10-13)

We also find this fact taught in the Old Testament:“And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:9-10)
It’s not by chance that the Bible can easily be used to support numerous contradicting doctrines. Diligent and careful study is required in order to discover truth within it. Unfortunately, a common study method is to assume that if we can understand the surface teaching of a passage, then we shouldn’t look for a deeper spiritual teaching. This approach causes us to dismiss the richness of the Bible’s content. Remember Who wrote the Bible. There are doctors who spend half of their lives learning about the human body and even then they only have a pretty good understanding of it. To really be an expert they have to narrow their focus to just one organ or one physiological process and specialize in it. The same is true of scientists. They typically have to narrow their focus and specialize in a specific area of their field because a lifetime is not enough time to become an expert in a broad focus. This sheds light on the complexity of God’s creation. The same God that created this intricate world also wrote the Bible. It should come as no surprise that a passage can reveal facts about a historical event, present a moral lesson, and provide us with a hidden spiritual teaching all at the same time. God reminds us that we cannot quickly know everything the Bible teaches in a short period of time. It takes a lot of careful study, time, and patience:“Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little” (Isaiah 28:9-10)God here is saying we are like little children being raised and slowly learning. Young children are not capable of writing the next great fiction novel by the time they are 3 years old. In order to write a story they must first learn the rules of grammar, and before that they must learn to read and write, and before that they must learn the alphabet. This is also how we learn from the Bible. We don’t read through it once and understand every teaching it has to offer. Instead, we must learn little by little, building one truth upon another. Therefore, the Bible must be approached with great patience and care.

4. Remember What Comprises God’s Word
We must keep in mind that the entire Bible is God’s Word, not just the New Testament or Jesus’ red-lettered words. We must also remember that only the entire Bible is God’s Word. We shouldn't be looking to any other source for spiritual truth. This is a relatively simple fact that most professing Christians acknowledge, but it’s inadvertently ignored when we allow our experiences to help mold our understanding of what’s spiritually true. If we allow a dream, for example, to play a role in our foundation of spiritual truth, then we have effectively expanded what we hold to be God’s Word. Then to us the Bible is no longer our sole source; it is the Bible plus something else.

5. Remember the Applicability of All Scripture
Second Timothy 3:16 says it best:“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
Passages in the Bible do not expire as the world’s culture changes. It is true that certain laws in the Bible no longer apply to us today, but it is not because our world’s culture makes them no longer relevant. Rather, it is because somewhere else in the Bible there is additional information instructing us that God has modified His law. We have to be careful that we don’t assume that parts of the Bible can become obsolete.

6. Let Scripture Interpret Scripture
The Bible is its own interpreter:“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spritual things with spiritual.” (1 Corinthians 2:13)

God doesn’t always use words the same way we do in everyday speech. When we need clarification on a word or passage in the Bible we shouldn’t turn to a dictionary or reference book. We should check where else in the Bible God has used that word or phrase to help us gain an understanding of what God means when He uses it. The Bible is its own dictionary. When we do these word studies it is important to keep in mind that we often need to go back to the original languages. A particular Greek word may have been used ten times in the original manuscripts, but when translated to English those ten occurrences may not have all been translated into the same English word. Likewise, just because we find the same English word in two different verses doesn’t mean they both were translated from the same Greek word. When it comes to word studies we should look up all occurrences of the original Greek or Hebrew word regardless of the English words into which they were translated.

7. Don't Confuse Popularity with Accuracy
Just because a doctrine is widely accepted doesn’t mean it is Biblically accurate. We might be tempted to think, “Surely not all of these theologians and pastors can be wrong about this,” but we need to be careful not to base our beliefs on what others believe. We may also catch ourselves thinking, “God wouldn’t let so many people believe something that’s wrong,” but the Bible contains many statements warning that the world is filled with false doctrines:“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” (1 Timothy 4:1)

First Kings 18 tell us about the time Elijah was on Mount Carmel with 450 other prophets. The 450 prophets were those that the people of Israel trusted in and those prophets all agreed theologically, but Elijah disagreed. Yet Elijah had the truth. Consensus is never a basis for truth.
It’s human nature for us to believe that which sounds pleasant to us. We don’t want to hear bad news and we certainly don’t want to be presented with teachings that contradict what we’d like to believe.

Think about the story of Micaiah in First Kings chapter 22. The king of Judah came to seek Israel’s assistance in battle. The king of Israel sent for 400 prophets to determine if this was a wise move and all of them agreed that the king would be victorious. However, the king of Judah didn’t trust these prophets and asked for another prophet. The king of Israel said, “There is yet one man, Micaiah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” A messenger was sent to bring Micaiah and that messenger told him that all 400 prophets prophesied favorably for the king and that Micaiah should do the same, but Micaiah said, “As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.” He didn’t care what the popular prophesy was; he was going to stay faithful to God’s Word and so he told the king that they would be defeated. The king’s reaction was, “Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?” Later discover that Micaiah had the truth and the other 400 prophets that spoke favorable words did not.
We must always remember that the popularity of a doctrine doesn’t validate its accuracy. Sometimes God’s Word presents us with very unattractive truths and often these are ignored, side-stepped, or refuted by churches that don’t want to teach doctrines they don’t like. Please understand that this statement is not meant to offend anyone. The plethora of conflicting doctrines across the church community indicates that a lot of wrong doctrines are being taught. So where is truth? Though they conflict, all the doctrines can sound biblically accurate when presented by their teachers. If nothing else, this should at least make us want to double-check our approach to the Bible. Do we really approach it with an open heart or have we locked ourselves into the doctrines with which we’re comfortable?

. . . We all need to set our pride aside, take an honest look in the mirror, and ask ourselves, “Who is really my teacher? Is it God? Or is it my pastor? Or perhaps it’s my family or friends?” Every one of us has been guilty of trusting what some other person has taught us without seriously examining that teaching in the Bible ourselves."
~author unknown

Stand by Me

"Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side. After leaving them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray.

He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o'clock in the morning He came to them, walking on the water." (Mark 6:45, 46, 48)

Jesus did not come immediately; indeed, it was almost morning when He came, and the disciples had been struggling all night in the storm. Yet He had not been indifferent to them meanwhile. From the mountainside where He was praying--He kept His eye upon them. "He saw that they were in serious trouble." All that dark night, He kept a watch upon that little boat that bore His disciples in the midst of the waves.

There is something very suggestive in the narrative. This 'boat in the storm', is a picture of 'Christ's friends in this world, in the storms of life'. Sometimes we think we are forgotten--but from His place in glory, Christ's eye is always on us! He sees us struggling, battling with the waves, beaten, and distressed. He has full sympathy with us in all our struggles. It ought to be a great strength and comfort to us in trial, to know this. Jesus intercedes for us in our distresses!

It may not be best always to deliver us immediately--but His prayer continually ascends, that our faith may not fail in the struggle. This also should encourage us.

Then, He always comes in time. He may delay long--but it is never too long. If we call upon Him in trouble--we may be sure that He hears and sees us, and knows just how hard it is for us to endure; that He prays for us that we may not fail, and that He will come at the right time for our deliverance!
~J. R. Miller

When the storms of life are raging,
Stand by me;
When the storms of life are raging,
Stand by me;
When the world is tossing me
Like a ship upon the sea -
Thou Who rulest wind and water,
Stand by me.

In the midst of tribulation,
Stand by me;
In the midst of tribulation,
Stand by me;
When the hosts of hell assail,
And my strength begins to fail-
Thou Who never lost a battle,
Stand by me.

In the midst of faults and failures,
Stand by me;
In the midst of faults and failures,
Stand by me;
When I do the best I can,
And my friends misunderstand,
Thou Who knowest all about me,
Stand by me.

In the midst of persecution,
Stand by me;
In the midst of persecution,
Stand by me;
When my foes in battle array
Undertake to stop my way,
Thou Who savèd Paul and Silas,
Stand by me.

When I'm growing old and feeble,
Stand by me;
When I'm growing old and feeble,
Stand by me;
When my life becomes a burden,
And I'm nearing chilly Jordan,
O Thou "Lily of the Valley,"
Stand by me.

~Words and Music: Charles Tindley (1851-1933)
~Photograph: Cape May Light House by Bruce W. Lowery

A Prayer

Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;
Wean it from earth; through all its pulses move;
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art;
And make me love Thee as I ought to love.

I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies,
No sudden rending of the veil of clay,
No angel visitant, no opening skies;
But take the dimness of my soul away.

Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh;
Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear.
To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh,
Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.

Hast Thou not bid me love Thee, God and King?
All, all Thine own, soul, heart and strength and mind.
I see Thy cross; there teach my heart to cling:
O let me seek Thee, and O let me find!

Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love,
One holy passion filling all my frame;
The kindling of the heaven descended Dove,
My heart an altar, and Thy love the flame.

Words: Psalms and Hymns for Pub­lic Wor­ship (Lon­don: 1854). Music: More­cambe, , 1870; At­kin­son orig­in­al­ly wrote this tune for Abide With Me, but it ne­ver caught on with that hymn. Al­ter­nate tune: • Emilie, , 1905

Grumbling

The LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD. Exodus 16:8b

"Does God really hear every discontented word which I ever speak?

Does He hear when I grumble about the weather . . .
about the hard winter,
about the late spring,
about the dry summer,
about the wet harvest?

Does He hear when I grumble . . .
about the frosts,
about the drought,
about the high winds,
about the storms?

Does He hear when I grumble . . .
about my circumstances,
about the hardness of my lot,
about my losses and disappointments?

If we could get into our heart, and keep there continually, the consciousness that God hears every word we speak--would we murmur and complain so much as we now do?

We are careful never to speak words which would give pain to the hearts of those we love. Are we as careful not to say anything that will grieve our heavenly Father?"

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Matthew 12:36

"He who complains of the weather--

complains of the God who ordains the weather!"
~William Law

~J. R.. Miller "Miller's Year Book - a Year's Daily Readings"
~Photograph: Cape May Lighthouse by Bruce W. Lowery

Precious Memories

The old Grove Street School still stands, howbeit shabby and forlorn, now used for Maple Sugaring. My father and his siblings attended this little one room school, once picturesque, standing on the corner of a tree lined lane.

By the time I went to school, we passed by this vacant building, greyed with age, surrounded with long grass and wild flowers. An old iron swing set and see saws stood vacant there. A wistful little girl knew not to trespass - they eventually disappeared. Orange Day lilies lined the narrow unpaved roads leading to it. . Roses grew not far from the north east corner. I wandered along "Grove Street" wondering . . .


Precious memories, unseen angels
From somewhere to my soul -
How they linger ever near me
And the sacred scenes unfold.
Precious memories, how they linger
How they ever flood my soul
In the stillness of the midnight
Precious sacred scenes unfold.

Precious father, loving mother
Fly across the lonely years
And old home scenes of my childhood
In fond memory appear.
Precious memories, how they linger
How they ever flood my soul
In the stillness of the midnight
Precious sacred scenes unfold.

As I travel on life's pathway
Know not what the years may hold
As I ponder hope grows fonder
Precious memories flood my soul.
Precious memories, how they linger
How they ever flood my soul
In the stillness of the midnight
Precious sacred scenes unfold . . .
Precious sacred scenes unfold.

~Author Unknown

Loving Companionship

'"He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:4

If your faith stops at the cross--it misses the blessing of the fullest revealing of Christ!

You need a Savior who not merely two thousand years ago went to death to redeem you--but one who also is alive to walk by your side in loving companionship.

You need a Savior who can hear your prayers, to whose feet you can creep in penitence when you have sinned, to whom you can call for help when the battle is going against you.

You need a Savior who is interested in all the affairs of your common life, and who can assist you in every time of need.

You need a Christ who can be a real friend--loving you, keeping close beside you, able to sympathize with your weaknesses.

You need a Savior who will come into your life, and will save you, not by one great act of centuries past--but by a life warm and throbbing with love today, and living again in you.

A DYING Christ alone, will not satisfy our heart. We must have the living One for our friend! Nothing less than a LIVING Christ will do for us! And that is the Christ the gospel brings to us: one who was dead--and is now alive for ever and ever!

"My soul thirsts for God, for the living God!" cried the psalmist, and cries every redeemed soul. It is only as we realize the truth of a living Christ - that our hearts are satisfied. We crave love - a bosom to lean upon, a hand to touch ours, a heart whose beatings we can feel, a personal friendship that will come into our life with its sympathy, its inspiration, its companionship, its shelter, its life, its comfort. All this, the living Christ is to us!

"I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!" Revelation 1:18"

~J.. R. Miller, "Miller's Year Book--a Year's Daily Readings"

My Weekly Journal # 3

My outlook today...
Cheery!

On my mind today...
Thankfulness but must think on Christmas lists and shopping soon. Only 25 days - that's little more than three and a half weeks!

Biggest challenge in the coming week...
Have to be on antibiotics this week and have frequently had allergic reactions.

Blessings from the past week...
So much to be thankful for that I am speechless with awe and wonder! Our daughters and those near and dear to them (and us) were here for a real Thanksgiving feast and then we celebrated the birthday of our youngest, gathering again for a brunch on Saturday. Such a good time, good food, such dear, dear ones!

What's cooking in my kitchen...
Hope to make some Turkey Noodle Soup today, my favourite after-Thanksgiving meal. My family loves leftovers!

Prayer requests for the week ahead...
Unspoken

My appearance today...
Dark Chocolate longish knit skirt, a dark brown silk buttoned cardigan sweater, dark brown suede ballet flats, gold ball earrings and locket, a beautiful gold and dark brown woven pashmina shawl/scarf, hair in the usual upswept style.

Exercise goals for the week...
Hope to do a half hour daily (except Sunday) on the treadmill, a Christmas gift for my beloved which was too awkward and heavy to hide! He is very pleased and likes that I want to use it also to keep in shape over the winter. He wants to increase his breath support for his singing.

My reading this week…
The newest herb magazine is usually bathtub reading and catalogues for Christmas shopping as well as devotional readings (Miller's Year Book--a Year's Daily Reading) and especially my beloved Bible.

A Scripture passage I am memorizing/meditating on...
IS 29:18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
IS 29:19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

Home making tasks this week...
Will be cleaning throughout as usual. Have to start a little Christmas decorating but we keep it very simple - predominantly greens and candles as fitting for an early eighteenth century home but also to keep the focus on the birth of the One we are commemorating

Something new I want to try...
Nothing comes to mind just now although trying to start/maintain an exercise regimen over the winter. Don't like to waste any time so plan to entice myself with reading or listening.

My week is looking...
Relatively quiet, of necessity, after dental surgery tomorrow, hoping to be recovered sufficiently to accompany my beloved to his company Christmas party which always includes a sumptuous sit-down dinner, music and seeing old friends. .

Creative projects I'm working on...
Planning to use quiet time to compose Christmas letters and do some catalogue shopping. Would love to do some weaving . . .

For my devotions...
Have been studying end time-related Scriptures as that time hastens closer. May our lamps be filled . . .

God has been teaching me...
To stand alone in His Strength, relying not on myself or anyone else but Him.

A simple pleasure...
Letters, notes and cards

A picture to share…
My friend has chickens which she calls her "working girls" and she used to have a distinguished rooster dubbed Fred!

Utterly Mortified

"Christ will be master of the heart, and sin must be mortified. If your life is unholy, then your heart is unchanged, and you are an unsaved person. The Savior will sanctify His people, renew them, give them a hatred of sin, and a love of holiness. The grace that does not make a man better than others is a worthless counterfeit. Christ saves His people, not IN their sins, but FROM their sins. Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord."

~Charles Spurgeon
~Nature's Glory I by Albert Williams.

Satisfying the Soul

.1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies;
5 who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

"Praise the Lord, O my soul, and
do not forget all His benefits:
who forgives all your sins,
who heals all your diseases,
who saves your life from the pit,
who crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things!"
( Psalm 103:2-5)

What an enumeration of divine blessings is this!

Any one of them is worth more than all earth's treasures combined!

If we are not forgiven--we must lie forever under the burden of sin, a weight greater than all the Alps! But God forgives--and forgives all our sins--and forgives freely, fully and forever!

If we are not healed--we must be sick forever, sick with the plague and leprosy of sin! But God heals--and heals all our evils, and heals completely!

If we are not saved from the dangers of this ensnaring world--we never can reach heaven! But God keeps, rescues, and saves our life from all impending destructions!

Earth's crowns are made of thorns, and at the best are only what the children call, 'play-crowns', for they are but of leaves that wither, or of gold and gems that will not last. But God crowns His people with crowns of love and compassion, which are real and radiant, which shall never fade--but shall shine forever, becoming crowns of eternal life and glory in heaven!

This world cannot satisfy our heart's deepest cravings. Its possessions only make our hunger more intense! But God satisfies the souls of His people, and meets all their cravings and hungers with truly good and eternal realities!

~J.. R. Miller , "Miller's Year Book--a Year's Daily Readings"
~Kathleen's Geraniums

Perfection?

'"I am God Almighty; walk before Me and be perfect." Genesis 17:1

"Perfection is impossible!" we are in the habit of saying; and therefore we do not try to reach perfection. But it is better for us always to keep our aim high, although we cannot hope to reach it. If we have low ideals and aims--our attainments will be low. We cannot look with approval upon anything lower than the perfect beauty of God Himself--and not have the beauty of our own life dimmed thereby. We should always keep perfection before us--as our aim. We should keep our eyes ever fixed upon the perfect model, Jesus Christ!

He Himself taught, "Be perfect, therefore--as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48. We are always to seek to model our life upon the divine pattern. Of course we cannot reach this lofty standard in a day--but the way to Christlikeness, is to strive toward it.

When a child begins to write, his scrawling lines fall far short of the beauty of the original at the top of the page. Book after book he fills with his scribble--but if he is diligent, each new page shows a little improvement, and by and by--his writing rivals the original. We can learn to live holy and sweetly, only in the same way. Begin where you can, no matter how imperfect or faulty your life--but strive always toward perfection, and at last you shall be like Christ! That is the hope which shines before us: when we shall see Him as He is--and shall be like Him! "'

J.. R. Miller, "Miller's Year Book--a Year's Daily Readings"

Such a Happy Thanksgiving!

"It is a beautiful holiday especially for those of us who embrace our Christian faith and are closely tied to agrarian pursuits. The harvest has been gathered in, the leaves have been mulched to provide nourishment for next season, the beautiful flowers have been cut back until spring, and the stillness of the garden evokes peace. We are thankful for all our wonderful Maker provides. It is so meaningful to congregate with our loved ones, our treasures, and breath in the gratitude."

~J. M. Benson

The day is winding down, dishes are done and food is all put away. Everyone has gone their separate ways. What a nice day it was!

Now night has fallen and I can sit down for a bit to reflect and bask in the after glow I think about those I love and all I am so thankful for. There is so much!

Just wanted to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and whisper a thank you to God for the blessing and joy of you!

Unrealized Blessings

Perhaps it takes a purer faith to praise God for unrealized blessings than for those we once enjoyed or those we enjoy now. 
~A.W. Tozer

Gratitude

Sweet is the breath of vernal shower,
The bee's collected treasures sweet,
Sweet music's melting full, but sweeter yet
The still small voice of gratitude.

Thomas Gray

Grandma .M. inherited this old table to which many memories and leaves have been added, readied to be laden with a bounty and surrounded by dear ones. Cranberries float in a pool of water within the footed vases each centered with a votive. Bittersweet and dried wildflowers make up the centerpiece. Candles are ready to be lighted in the eighteenth century chandelier. Sprigs of bittersweet brighten each place setting, with Grandmother's embroidered napkins. Back to baking . . .

Wishing You and Yours a Blessed Thankfulness

Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers' arms has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!
All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;
The Son and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven;
The one eternal God, whom earth and Heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore

Words: , cir­ca 1636 (Nun dank­et al­le Gott); first appeared in Prax­is Pi­e­ta­tis Mel­i­ca, by Jo­hann Crü­ger (Ber­lin, Ger­ma­ny: 1647); trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by , 1856.

Photography by B. W Lowery

Giving Thanks

For the hay and the corn and the wheat that is reaped,
For the labor well done, and the barns that are heaped,
For the sun and the dew and the sweet honeycomb,
For the rose and the song and the harvest brought home --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the trade and the skill and the wealth in our land,
For the cunning and strength of the working man's hand,
For the good that our artists and poets have taught,
For the friendship that hope and affection have brought --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the homes that with purest affection are blest,
For the season of plenty and well-deserved rest,
For our country extending from sea unto sea;
The land that is known as the "Land of the Free" --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

~Author Unknown

It's That Time Again!

When all the leaves are off the boughs,
And nuts and apples gathered in,
And corn stalks waiting for the cows,
And pumpkins safe in barn and bin,
Then Mother says, "My children dear,
The fields are brown, and autumn flies;
Thanksgiving Day is very near,
And we must make thanksgiving pies!"

Make Today Beautiful

"Teach us to number our days aright--that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12

We so number our days aright, when we give to each one as it passes, its own measure of faithfulness. Our days come to us 'one by one'. God breaks up His great years, into 'little sections' for us--that we may be able to get along with our work, our burdens, and our struggles. Take the 'single days' as they come to you. He who has learned this secret--has gained a heart of wisdom.

Take the 'one little day', and . . .
do all its duties faithfully;
seize its opportunities;
endure its trials;
meet its temptations victoriously;
bear its burdens;
receive its blessings;
miss not its privileges;
do all the kindness you can;
make it a beautiful day.

Anyone can live 'one single day' sweetly and victoriously. Make today beautiful. Then do the same with tomorrow, and with the next day--and so on, to the end of your life! Thus you will 'number your days' in a way that will make each one profitable. Thus you will write on each day's page--a record of which you will not be ashamed, when it is spread before you on the judgment day.

Our morning prayer each day should be, "Lord, teach me to number my days!"

~J. R. Miller

A Weekly Journal #2

Outlook today...
The sky is still a deep, dark blue as I arise to write, with a glimmer of light in the east lighting the sky. I sip Sweet Maria's Classic Espresso Blend of our freshly roasted coffee, feeling thankful - as I look forward to celebrating and giving thanks to God for His many, many, MANY blessings!

On my mind today...
Those MANY blessings that I count instead of sheep!

Biggest challenge in the coming week...
Getting the gardens "put to bed for the winter" before the snow flies! There is still much I hope to do to ease the workload in spring.

Blessings from the past week...
A molar broke just before we left on our two week road trip to Key West and back. . I was only eating rice! Dunno! First toothache ever. Anyway, my dentist removed the broken portion, put in a temporary filling, set up an appointment with the oral surgeon upon my return. It is beyond his expertise. He said an infection is likely so I am thankful that hasn't happened so far. I will have dental surgery next week to remove the rest and start a bone graft.

What's cooking in my kitchen...
Not much yet but made the Minestrone Soup (recipe in last week's journal) and plan to serve that for our supper this evening. SO good and healthy too! Today I will shop for the holiday feasts and start preparations tomorrow
This is our menu:

Turkey with Cranberry-Pecan Stuffing
Oyster Stuffing
Mashed potatoes with roasted garlic (home grown)
Gravy
Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows/pecans
Corn (home grown)
Butternut Squash (home grown)
Winter Vegetable casserole (mostly home grown)
Fruit Salad (with melon, grapes, blueberries, pineapple, mandarin oranges garnished with fresh mint)
Cranberry sauce (mother-in-law's old recipe)
Homemade Rolls (mother-in-law's old recipe)
Pickles (homemade), olives
Fresh mozzarella (homemade by son-in-law!)

Freshly roasted Coffee
Herb Teas

Mince meat pie
Apple pie
Pumpkin pie (home grown)
Ice cream

Our youngest daughter will prepare the turkey and stuffing. Our oldest daughter does the winter vegetable casserole for the vegetarians among us. Both entres are extraordinary! A few other things may be added to the menu. The day promises to be very special! I am excited!

Appearance today...
Tan straight skirt with Privos ballet style sport shoes, tights, jewel neck long sleeved cotton ribbed sweater, tan lace scarf, gold locket and earrings, hair as usual although about six inches shorter (mid back length) making it easier to manage. Haven't been to a hairdresser in over thirty years. My beloved trims my hair, gingerly because he wants it long.

Exercise goals for the week...
Most of it comes from managing this spacious old home and many gardens leaving little energy or time. If I need more exercise, there is always more work to do!.

Reading this week…
My beloved Bible

Home making tasks this week...
This week will be busy with Thanksgiving day preparations and our youngest daughter's birthday brunch.

Something new I want to try...
Hope to create a new center piece for our dining room table using Bittersweet and whatever else strikes my fancy when I go agathering. Also should add some to the front door baskets. Closer to Christmas, I will add evergreen and holly.

My week is looking...
Very busy!

Creative projects I'm working on...
Didn't get the new warp on the small Schacht loom ye but working on a pair of lavender blue wool mittens. Ripped out the scarf I'd started as the pattern did not do justice to the beauty of the yarn.

For devotions...
Have been rereading, studying and meditating on the end times passages in Jeremiah.

God has been teaching me...
To be still . . . and obey. "He must increase, but I decrease." (John 3:30)

A simple pleasure...
Watching Max (our cat) wash!

A picture to share…
This another view from the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway. Breathtakingly beautiful!

The Humble Life

Verily, I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist; not withstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Mt. 11:11)

"Human estimates of greatness are ofttimes defective, sometimes false. Men see only the outward appearance.

Many people are not as great--as they seem to be. They practice tricks which deceive the world. They pass for great--while in reality, they are very small in character. Strip off their gaudy tinsel--and but little would be left.

Other people, however, are greater than they seem. They lack the popular qualities which attract attention and win applause. Yet they are great in their souls, great in spiritual graces, in heart-purity, in the elements of true manhood, in moral strength.

But there is an Eye that sees all things as they are! It pierces all thin disguises, and penetrates to the core of things! It discerns the poor shriveled soul--which is hidden beneath the external glitter. On the other hand, it sees in the humble life, which gets but little praise of men, whose outer form is homely and plain--the true worth, the qualities of holy character.

It is well that we sometimes stop to think--how we appear to God, what God thinks of us. One says, "There is some things in every man's heart, which, if we could know--would make us hate him!" Perhaps this is true; but it is true also that there is something in every Christian, in even the most repulsive, which, if we could know, would make us love him.

As God sees us, we are both worse and better than we seem to any other eyes in all the world. He sees the hidden faults and the secret stains; but He also sees the feeble yearnings which at length will be splendid spiritual qualities. I love to think of this side of the lives of my fellows--not the poor stained fragments of being which my eyes now see--but what they will be when God's work of grace in them is finished!"

~J. R. Miller "Life's Byways and Waysides"
~The Spinning Wheel by G. B. Torriglia

Amen!

"We had low clouds and kind of a misty sprinkling.

I love all clouds and felt surrounded, sort of like a hug from God.

It's truly been a blessed day."

~Charlene Sidorvich

Cares Transformed

"For the Christian, all of life's conditions and circumstances are transformed.

Take the matter of CARE. Every life has 'cares'. There are cares in business. There are cares in home-life. There are cares of poverty--but no less has the rich man his cares. Childhood has its anxieties; young faces sometimes appear careworn. No one can escape care!

To many people--life is very hard. But Christian faith transfigures care, for those who are Christ's and have learned how to live as He teaches us to live. He tells us not to worry about anything, because our Father is caring for us. He tells us that life is a school, and that all our cares are parts of lessons which He has set for us. That means that every care has hidden in it--a secret of blessing--a gift of love which our Father has sent to us. Every time you come to a hard point in your life--an obstacle, a difficulty, a perplexity--God is giving you a new opportunity to grow stronger, wiser, or richer-hearted.

We try to make life easy for our children--but God is wiser than we are. He wants His children to have struggles--that they may grow strong, holy and noble!

Thus it is that common care is transfigured by the grace of Christ! It enfolds blessings for us. It carries in its 'dreary form' secrets of blessing for us. Even our 'drudgeries' have blessings in their wearisome routine; we get many of our best lessons out of them.

All we need to learn is how to meet our worries, and they are transfigured for us! Paul tells us in a wonderful passage how to get this transformation of care: "Do not worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7. God's peace will then shine through all life's frets. Thus care is transfigured, by the love of Christ in the heart."

J..R.. Miller "Life's Byways and Waysides"
Painting: Camille Pissaro "Woodburning"

To Everything There is a Season

"How silently they tumble down
And come to rest upon the ground
To lay a carpet, rich and rare,
Beneath the trees without a care,
Content to sleep, their work well done,
Colors gleaming in the sun.
At other times, they wildly fly
Until they nearly reach the sky.
Twisting, turning through the air
Till all the trees stand stark and bare.
Exhausted, drop to earth below
To wait, like children, for the snow." -

Elsie N. Brady, Leaves
Photo: November in the Blue Ridge Mountains

The Duties in Friendship

"It is very sure that merely worldly ease and comfort are not the best things we can seek for our friends. It is natural that we should want to shield them from hardship, burden-bearing, and sorrow. But in the very tenderness of our love, we may rob them of the best possibilities of their lives.

When God would bless us most largely in a spiritual way—he does not give us all ease and luxury. He knows that the room must be darkened sometimes, if we are to learn to sing the new, sweet song; and that before we will accept heavenly good things, it may be necessary that our hands shall be emptied of absorbing earthly things.

One of the first duties of friendship is prayer. Perhaps most of us do pray for those we love when they are sick or in great trouble. But what do we ask for them then? Probably we pray that they may recover from their sickness, or be comforted in their trouble. But are these love's best intercessions?

When our friends are sick, it is right for us to pray that they may get well—but that should not be our only request for them. The sickness has a mission from God—something it was sent to do in them and for them. It would be a great misfortune, therefore, if they should recover from their illness, and get out into the busy world again, and miss receiving the blessing which the illness was commissioned to bear to them. While then we pray for the curing of our friends, that they may return to their duties—we should also ask that the will of God in their sickness may be done in them!

Then if we pray for our friends who are in sorrow, what should we ask for them? The sorrow also comes as God's messenger, bringing gifts of love. The best blessings of life lie beyond experiences of pain—and we cannot get the blessings, without passing through the experiences. We should plead that our friends may not miss receiving the gifts which the messenger, sorrow, holds in his hands for them. It would be very sad if pain or grief should come into a life and pass—leaving no blessing, no enriching.

But not only when they are sick or in sorrow should we pray for our friends—they probably need our prayers far more—when they are in health and joy and prosperity! "When you see me growing rich," wrote a good man to a friend, "pray for my soul!" We may all say to those who love us and watch over our lives, "When I am very happy and very prosperous, and when all things are bringing me joy—pray for me!"

So we should never fail to pray for our friends, to beseech of God the best things for their lives. Their greatest danger is not sickness, nor bereavement, nor loss of money, nor pain—but, lest they forget God. Thus should we exalt the aims and goals of our friendships. It is not enough to seek to give pleasure to those we love, to make them happier; we should endeavor also to impart to them enduring good.

And not only to our personal friends should we seek thus to do good—but to all whose lives we touch. Everyone who meets us should be the better for it, taking from us some inspiration and uplifting. We are debtors to all men—we owe love and love's service to everyone. God sends us to carry blessing to each person we meet. It may be a lowly one who stands before us tomorrow, one who is unworthy, one who has sinned; it may be an enemy, one who yesterday wronged us, spoke bitter things of us, tried to injure us. This does not matter. We are sent from God with something for this very person, whoever or whatever he may be.

The love of Christ in us says to this man, "I long to impart unto you some spiritual gift!" We dare not refuse this ministry of love to any being under heaven. Then we do not know how sorely he needs us, how hungry he is for love, in how great peril he is this very moment—sent to us perhaps as a refuge, that we may be the bosom of Christ to him, that he may be saved by a word, a look, a kindness, a prayer, of ours."

~J. R. Miller
~Family Treasures by Barbara Mock.

Suffering

Ever feel like this poor old car? Somehow it is still beautiful! Beauty, it has been said, is in the eye of the beholder. Isn't it a wonder how some such vehicles are chosen to be dismantled, pounded, reshaped, sandblasted, painted and restored?

No pain - no gain . . .

"Everyone has sorrow. Being a Christian does not exempt anyone from grief. But faith in Christ brings a transformation of sorrow. Not only are we taught to endure the sorrows that come to us patiently and submissively--but we are assured that there is a blessing in them for us, if we accept them with love and trust.

One of the deepest truths taught in the Bible--is that earthly sorrow has a mission in the sanctifying of life. "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. God disciplines us for our good--that we may share in His holiness." Hebrews 12:10-11

We dread pain! And yet the person who has not experienced pain--has not yet touched the deepest and most precious meanings of life.

There are things we never can learn--except in the school of pain! There are heights of life we never can attain--except in the bitterness of sorrow. There are joys we never can have--until we have walked in the dark ways of sorrow. Not to have sorrow, in some form, is to miss one of life's holiest opportunities. We get our best things--out of affliction! "I have refined you in the furnace of suffering!" Isaiah 48:10"

~ J. R. Miller "Life's Byways and Waysides"
~ Photograph (used with permission): c HMMooreNiver

Earth's broken things

I have an old vase that belonged to Aunt Alice. When her estate was dispersed, the broken vase sat in the nearly emptied room, passed by, ignored, undesired, unclaimed, rejected by all those who had been there before our arrival. It obviously had suffered the ravages of time and her extensive travels, shattered and subsequently pieced back together with love and care. I don't know its history but suspect great sentimental value, perhaps a gift, possibly an heirloom (for she had acquired many items from estates of her parents and those who came before) or perhaps it was given to her by one of her ardent admirers. We'll never know

Many people believe something that has a chip, scratch or dent is worth less than it would be if "perfect." Although I appreciate beautiful things and good quality, a flaw reminds me of people and more particularly of myself for I am far from perfect. Broken, needs work, under construction" or incomplete might well describe yours truly!

The vase stands in a place off honour on our guest room dressing table ever reminding . . .

"This man welcomes sinners--and eats with them!" Luke 15:2

I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you!" Matthew 21:31

"Christ is building His kingdom with earth's broken things.

Men want only the strong, the successful, the victorious, the unbroken--in building their kingdoms. But God is the God of the broken, the unsuccessful, of those who have failed. Heaven is filling with earth's broken lives, and there is no 'bruised reed' which Christ cannot take and restore to glorious blessedness and beauty. He can take the life crushed by pain or sorrow--and make it into a harp whose music shall be all praise. He can lift earth's saddest failure--up to heaven's glory!"

~ J. R. Miller
~Aunt Alice's Pitcher

Choosing

"Only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better." Luke 10:42

Paul prayed that his friends "may be able to discern what is best." Philippians 1:10.

We must be always making choices in this world. We cannot take up everything that lies in our path--and we ought to choose the best things. Even among 'right things' there is room for choice, for some right things are better than others.

There are many Christians, however, who do not habitually choose the best things--but second-rate things. They labor for the food that perishes--when they might labor for the food that endures unto everlasting life. Even in their prayers, they ask for temporal blessings, when they might ask for spiritual treasures!

They are like "the man with the muck-rake", in Bunyan's 'Pilgrim's Progress'--who only looks 'down' and drags his rake among the weeds and worthless rubbish--while over his head are crowns which he might take into his hands! They are like Esau, who sold his valuable birthright, for some lentil stew. They toil for this world's vain things--when they might have been laying up treasures in heaven!

We only have one life to live--and we ought therefore to do the best we possibly can with it. We pass through this world only once--and we ought to gather up and take with us the things that will truly enrich us--things we can keep forever!

It is not worth our while, to toil and moil, and strive and struggle--to do things that will leave no lasting results when our life is done--while there are things we can do which have eternal significance!

"Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things!" Colossians 3:1-2

~J.. . R. Miller "Life's Byways and Waysides"
~Flowerys in a basket by Antoine Berjon

The Embracing Arm

"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms!" Deuteronomy 33:27

"There are some choice thoughts in the figure of 'God's embracing arm'.

One thought is protection. A father puts his arm around his child when it is in danger. Just so, God protects His children. Temptations beset us on every hand. Many people think of 'dying' with dread, fearing to meet it. But life has far more perils than death! It is easy to die--when one has truly lived for Christ; it is only entering into eternal joy and blessedness. But it is hard to live. At every point there are perils. We need protection. Here we have it, "The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms!"

Another suggestion is affection. The father's arm around the child, means love. The child is held in the bosom, near the heart. John lay on Christ's bosom. The shepherd gathers the lambs with his arms and carries them in his bosom. This picture of God embracing His children with His arm, tells of His love for them. It tells also of intimacy, and closeness of relation. The bosom is the children's place.

There is yet a tenderer phase of the thought here. It is especially in the time of danger or suffering, that the mother carries the child in her arms. She takes it up when it has fallen and hurt itself, and comforts it by enfolding it in her arms. When it is sick, she presses it to her bosom.

We have here, a picture of the special sympathy and tenderness of our heavenly Father for His children--when they are in pain or in trouble. This is one of the blessings of suffering--it gets us to the inner place of divine affection, nearest to the Father's heart! God draws us nearest--when we are in trouble or in pain!

The arm is also the symbol of strength. A mother's arm may be physically frail--but love makes it strong. The arm of God is strong--it is omnipotent. It supports worlds! When that divine arm encircles one of His feeble children--all the power of the universe cannot tear it away!

Every true human friend is more or less a strength to us. Yet the finest, securest human strength--is only a little fragment of the divine strength. "Trust in the Lord always--for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength!" Isaiah 26:4. This is omnipotence! Here is an arm that never can be broken, and out of its clasp we never can be torn!

Another thought concerning the everlasting arms, is endurance. There might be protection, affection, and strength--and yet the blessings might not last. We have all these in human love--but human arms grow weary--even in love's embrace. But the arms of God are everlasting. They shall never grow weary. It is everlastingness, which is the highest blessedness of divine affection and care!

Here is something that lasts, which knows no separation, which never unclasps. The arms of God are everlasting. Neither death nor life can separate. The mountains shall depart, crumble, vanish--but God's kindness shall never depart from His beloved child!

There is a very sacred thought in the word 'underneath'. A father tried to save his child in the waves, clasping his arms around the beloved form. But his arms were too weak, and the child slipped from them, sank away in the dark waters, and perished. But the arms of God are underneath His children--and none can sink out of His embrace! His arms are always 'underneath'.

The waves of sorrow are very deep--but still and forever underneath the deepest floods--are the everlasting arms. We cannot sink below them. If we lie down in sickness, the everlasting arms are underneath us. If human friendships are stripped off, and we stand alone in our bereavement, still we are not alone. Underneath are the everlasting arms. God remains--and God suffices.

Then, when death comes, and every earthly thing is gone from beneath us, and every hand unclasps from ours, and every face of love fades from our eyes, and we sink away into what seems darkness--it will be only into the everlasting arms! To every true Christian, death is only departing from earth's weariness and pain--to forever nest in the bosom of Christ!

If we realized that the eternal God is our refuge, and that the everlasting arms are truly underneath us--our joy would not fluctuate as it does, nor our zeal be so fitful. We need a deeper repose in Christ, a more trustful settling down upon Him and upon His atoning work. Then nothing could disturb our confidence, nothing could chill our ardor, nothing could hinder our consecration. Then in sorrow we would rejoice, in temptation we would be victorious, and in all of life we would be Christ-like and strong!"

~J. R. Miller, "Life's Byways and Waysides"
~Painting: Mother and Child by Frederic L. Leighton

A Weekly Journal

This week will commence a different sort of journal rather than the Daybook. I wasn't comfortable with all the "I"s in the Daybook nor the copy write restrictions. Another dear like minded friend has suggested this new format:

My outlook today…
Sunny both inside and out! An older neighbor man used to call me "sunshine" which thought makes me smile. He was always cheerful.
It does look like the upcoming week will, indeed, be mostly sunny.

On my mind today…
The happy memories of the past couple of weeks and all that needs to be done before the snow flies. Looks like most of the leaves have fallen so finishing the clean-up will be one major priority this week as the lawns are mowed perhaps for the last time this season.

Biggest challenge in the coming week...
Will be completing all that needs to be done outside on the lawns and gardens especially not knowing how much time there will be. One day is an early morning appointment with the Oral Surgeon to deal with a broken molar which my dentist feels is beyond his expertise. This happened just before our trip so he pulled the broken part (would you believe I was eating rice when this broke?) and put in a temporary filling. Have been using lots of Ibuprofen and clove oil. ~smile~

Blessings from the past week...
We just spent sixteen days traveling down to Key West and back (for a total of 4,000 miles) arriving home yesterday. We spent eight days at The Gardens Hotel which is listed in "1000 Places to See Before you Die" as well as in the top 100 most beautiful and romantic small hotels in the world. It was lovely and a world apart from the business of Key West. My beloved had a 20 year service award for an all expense paid trip for four days anywhere on the East Coast which we combined with our 40th Anniversary trip! (He will soon have 30 years with the company but has been too busy to get away and needed to use this.). So anyway, the past days have been filled with blessings, happy memories, safe journeys and reflections on forty years of a wondrously happy, blessed marriage.

What's cooking in my kitchen...
Our daughter often makes baked pancakes and says how easy they are to prepare for breakfast or supper and especially weekend guests This recipe is from a dear southern lady, Vickie Hutchinson (http://my-daughters-and-me.blogspot.com/2009/11/my-autumn-kitchen-baked-apple-pecan.html) and makes good use of the pecans we just got in Georgia, some of the half bushel of Honey Crisp apples in the frig and some of our daughter and son-in-laws luscious maple syrup:

Baked Apple Pecan Pancake
(from scratch)

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon sugar
2 large tart apples, sliced (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup melted butter (I used less)
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup sugar (to make cinnamon sugar) - I used slightly less

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Saute sliced apples in butter.
• For pancake mixture: combine flour, milk and salt (do not over mix).
• Add eggs and 1 tsp. sugar
• Layer in pie plate: apples, pecans, and pancake mixture.
• Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over pancake mixture.
• Bake at 400 degrees until puffy and browned, about 20 minutes.
• Top with honey or syrup, or sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Serves 4.

My appearance today...
A black mini waffle knit long skirt, a bottle green cotton ribbed knit long-sleeved sweater, black ballet sport flats, black tights, a hand knit purple/bottle green/ivory bamboo scarf and gold knot earrings. Hair is pulled back into a chignon.

Exercise goals for the week...
We walked miles many days these past couple weeks so my ankle seems to have healed sufficiently to add more walking to my daily schedule again above and beyond all that chores require.

My reading this week…
I took a novel on our trip but really prefer devotional reading and especially the Scriptures which are so much more profitable!

A Scripture passage I am memorizing/meditating on…
Philippians Four has so much in it that I am drawn to this chapter over and over for focus and consolation:.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Home making tasks this week...
Monday: vacuuming throughout, watering plants, laundry
Tuesday: dusting throughout, washing kitchen, bath and summer kitchen floors
Wednesday: ironing, changing linens, laundering them
Thursday: miscellaneous
Friday: this day is usually reserved for errands and time with friends although other days include time such times as well so Friday is for the overflow or catching up. Friday evening is date night!
Saturday: my beloved is usually home so much time is spent preparing meals and spending time with him. Oftentimes, our youngest daughter likes to spend this day together so we might do errands and have lunch together. One of my favourite things is one on one time with the special people in my life.
Sunday: (my favorite day) Our Lord's Day

Something new I want to try...
Vickie Hutchison's Maggiano's Little Italy Minestrone Soup: http://my-daughters-and-me.blogspot.com/2009/11/my-autumn-kitchen-minestrone-soup.html

Homemade soup and bread is one of my favourite meals. Minestrone Soup has long been a favourite. Have been looking for a recipe that reflects all it should be. This sounds ideal and a recipe I can hardly wait to try this week:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups Maggiano's Marinara Sauce
• 1 small baking potato, diced
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 yellow squash, diced
• ½ cup canned chick-peas, drained
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 dark green romaine lettuce leaves, diced
• ¼ ounce fresh basil leaves (stems removed), chopped
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus some for garnish
• ½ cup tubetti or other small pasta

1. In a large stock pot, melt butter over low heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and oregano. Cook, covered, until vegetables are soft but not browned, about 20 minutes. While you're waiting for Step #1 to simmer, slice and dice and measure the rest of the ingredients.
2. Add flour and stir to form a paste. Add garlic, chicken stock, marinara sauce, potato and tomatoes. Raise heat and bring mixture to a boil. If you're making the soup to eat today, start the water for preparing the pasta according to package directions. If the soup is for tomorrow, wait until Step #5.
3. Add zucchini, yellow squash, chick-peas, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
4. Stir in romaine, basil and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
5. Re heat soup over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.
6. Divide pasta among individual serving bowls and ladle hot soup over pasta.
7. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.
Focaccia bread is wonderful served with this soup.

My week is looking...
Joyful as I resume my routine!

Creative projects I'm working on...
Hope to get back to weaving this week and put a new warp on the Schacht.
.
For my devotions...
Reading lots of the beloved pastor J R Miller's works together with the associated passages. Also still studying passages related to the end times which are fast approaching, knowing full well even tomorrow will not come for some of us.

God has been teaching me...
The need to focus on Him through His Word and the need to understand, submit and obey Him in all things. It is so easy to become sidetracked, caught up in things of the world which leads to fear of what the future might bring but I am learning and have SO much more to learn!

A simple pleasure...
The sight of our cat, Max sleeping contentedly in a ray of sunshine

A picture to share…
One of the views we enjoyed most on our trip was from the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway where we saw cattle peacefully grazing in the meadows beyond which rose the foothills of the mountains, still with some autumn colour in the trees. Here and there were round bales to feed them come winter.

"Autumn is the eternal corrective.

It is ripeness and color and a time of maturity;

but it is also breadth, and depth, and distance.

What man can stand with autumn on a hilltop and fail to see

the span of his world

and the meaning of the rolling hills that reach to the far horizon?

~ Hal Borland

(This photo was taken by HMMooreNiver and used with permission )

Wow!

May be able to comprehend with all saints

what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,

that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Ephesians 3:18-19

"Think of the length of the love of Christ--in its wonderful forgiveness, its infinite patience, its mercy that endures forever.

Human mercy is usually very short. There are evil chapters in your 'life story', which you would not for the world, uncover to the eye of even your gentlest friend! "He would detest me!" you say, "if he knew these things about me!"

There are evil thoughts in your inner life--feelings, emotions, desires, lusts, imaginations, jealousies, envyings--which you would not dare to lay open to your neighbor's gaze! "He would loathe me!" you say, "if he knew these things about me!"

Yet Christ sees all, knows all--and still He loves. He loves unto the uttermost. His mercy endures forever. His patience never fails. When the love of Christ clasps a human life--its clasp is for eternal years! He says to each of His children, "I have loved you with an everlasting love!" "The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from you!"

We may think also of the depth of Christ's love. How shall we fathom it? Human love is often a stream so shallow--that it cannot cover even the minor faults and the trivial mistakes of its object. But the love of Christ is so deep--that it covers everything, hides completely out of sight, the multitude of our sins, and buries them forever in its unfathomable abysses!

"May you have the power to understand, as all God's people should--how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love really is! May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it!" Ephesians 3:18-19

~J.. R. Miller - SERMONS., "Life's Byways and Waysides"
~Photo: View on Blue Ridge Mt. Parkway (day before yesterday)

Why? Oh Why?

"God does not deal with us in this 'sentimental' way!

"A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to Him, crying out, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession!' Jesus did not answer her a word!" Matthew 15:22
We are apt to forget that the aim of God with us, is . . .
not to flood us with tenderness all the time,
not to keep our path always strewn with flowers,
not to continually give us everything we want,
not to save us from all manner of suffering.

No! God's aim with us, is . . .
to make something of us,
to build up strong and noble character in us,
to mature qualities of grace and beauty in us,
to make us more like Christ!
To do this--He must ofttimes deny us what we ask for, and must seem indifferent to our cries. "Jesus did not answer her a word!"
There are 'sentimental ideas of God' prevalent, which are dishonoring to Him. There are those who imagine that God's love means tenderness that cannot cause pain. They think that He cannot look a moment on suffering, without relieving it; that He must instantly hear and answer every cry for the removal of trouble.

Not such a God--is the God of the Bible! When suffering is the best thing for us--He is not too sympathetic to let us suffer--until the work of suffering is accomplished in us. He is not too kind to be silent to our prayers--when it is better that He should be silent for a time, to allow . . .
faith to grow strong,
self-confidence to be swept away, and
the evil in us--to be burned out in the furnace of pain!
There is a danger with all of us--our tenderness lacks strength. We cannot tolerate to see people suffer, and so we hasten to give relief--before the ministry of suffering is accomplished. We think of our mission to others, as being only 'to make life easier for them'. We are continually lifting away burdens, which it were better to have left resting longer on our friend's shoulder! We are eager to make life easy for our children--when it were better if it had been left hard.

We must learn that God does not deal with us in this 'sentimental' way. He is not too tender to see us suffer--if more suffering is needed to work in us the discipline that will make us like Christ!

Here we have the key of many of the 'mysteries of Providence'. Life is not easy for us--and God does not intend it to be easy!

Suppose for a moment, that God immediately gave us everything we ask for--and immediately removed every little pain, trouble, difficulty, and hardness that we seek to have removed; what would be the result on us? How selfish it would make us! We would become weak, unable to endure suffering, to bear trial, to carry burdens, or to struggle. We would be only children always--and would never rise into manly strength. God's over-kindness to us--would pamper in us all the worst elements of our nature, and would make us only poor driveling creatures!

On the other hand, however, God's wise and firm treatment of us, teaches us the great lessons which make us strong with the strength of Christ Himself.
He teaches us to yield our own will to Him.
He develops in us--patience, faith, love, hope and peace.
He trains us to endure hardness--that we may grow heroic, courageous and strong.

It is well for us to make careful note of this--that in all God's delays when we pray--His aim is some good in us.

Perhaps we are willful, asking only for our own way--and must learn to say, "May Your will be done."

Perhaps we are weak, unable to bear pain or to endure adversity or loss--and we must be trained and disciplined into strength.

Perhaps our desires are only for earthly good, not for heavenly blessings--and we must be taught the transitory character of all worldly things, and led to desire things which are eternal.

Perhaps we are impatient--and must be taught to wait for God. We are like children in our eager restlessness--and need to learn self-restraint.
At the least, we may always know that silence is not refusal--that God hears and cares, and that when our faith has learned its lessons--He will answer in blessing!

"The Lord disciplines the one He loves, and punishes every son whom He receives." Hebrews 12:6

"God disciplines us for our good--that we may share in His holiness." Hebrews 12:10

~J. R. Miller, "The SILENT Christ"

One Day at a Time

This rose with its homely name is one of my favourites for a lot of reasons. The sight and exquisite aroma of the Cabbage Rose which blooms last but a fleeting day reminds me of the enormous significance of living each day to its fullest and one day at a time

"And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day." Genesis 1:5

One of the secrets of happy and beautiful life, is to live one day at a time. If we would learn it, it would save us from the worry that in so many people spoils the days, and would add immeasurably to the value of the work we do. For, really, we never have anything to do any day—but the bit of God's will for that day. If we do that well—we have absolutely nothing else to do.
Time is given to us in days. It was so from the beginning. We need not puzzle ourselves trying to understand just what the "day" was in which God wrought in creating the universe—we may leave this matter to the scientific men and the theologians; but it is interesting to know that each day had its particular apportionment in the stupendous work. At the end of each of the creative periods we read, "There was evening and there was morning, one day." So it has been ever since.

Time is measured to us by days. Each day has its particular section of duty, something that belongs in between sunrise and sunset, that cannot be done at all if it is not done in its own hours. "There was evening and there was morning, one day, a second day, a third day." This breaking up of time into little daily portions means a great deal more than we are accustomed to think.

For one thing, it illustrates the gentleness and goodness of God. It would have made life intolerably burdensome if a year, instead of a day, had been the unit of division. It would have been hard to carry a heavy load, to endure a great sorrow, or to keep on at a hard duty, for such a long stretch of time. How dreary our common task-work would be—if there were no breaks in it, if we had to keep our hand to the plough for a whole year! We never could go on with our struggles, our battles, our suffering—if night did not mercifully settle down with its darkness and bid us rest and renew our strength.

We do not understand how great a mercy there is for us in the briefness of our short days. If they were even twice as long as they are, life would be intolerable. Many a time when the sun goes down—we feel that we could scarcely have gone another step. We would have fainted in defeat—if the summons to rest had not come just when it did.

Night with its darkness seems to be a blot on the whiteness of day. It seems to fall across our path as an interruption to our activity, compelling us to lay down our work when we are in the very midst of it, leaving it only half done. It seems to be a waster of precious time, eating up half the hours. How much more we could accomplish, we sometimes say, if the sun did not go down, if we could go on without pause! Night throws its heavy veil over the lovely things of this world, hiding them from our view.

Yet night really is no stain on the splendor of day, no thief of time, no waster of golden hours, no obscurer of beauty. It reveals as much beauty as it hides—for no sooner has the sun set, leaving earth's splendor of landscape, garden, and forest in gloom—than there bursts upon our vision the other splendor of the sky filled with glorious stars.

When the privilege of work is interrupted, God has another blessing—the blessing of sleep. One may figure out with mathematical certitude that it is a waste of time to spend one-third of each day in the idleness of sleep.

But these hours, which seem to be lost, in which we appear to be doing nothing, bring us new gifts from God. An old version renders the Psalm verse, "He gives his beloved in sleep." We lie down with our vitality exhausted in the toils and struggles of the day. Then, while we sleep, God comes to us in the silence and stillness, and refills the emptied fountains. It is really a new creation that takes place in us while we sleep—a miracle of renewal and restoration! We die, as it were—and are made to live again.

Thus we get hints of the graciousness of the divine thoughtfulness in giving us time in periods of little days, which we can easily get through with, and not in great years, in which we would faint and fall by the way. It makes it possible for us to go on through all the long years and not to be overwrought, for we never have given to us at any one time more than we can do between the morning and the evening.

Not only are the days short, so that we can go on to eventide with our work or our burden—but they are separated as by an impassable wall, so that there can be no overflowing of one day's care or responsibility into another. Night drops down its dark curtain between the days, so that we cannot see today—anything that is in tomorrow.

Our Lord taught us that we sin if we let ourselves try to carry the load of any day, but this one little day. "Do not worry about tomorrow," he said, "for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." If we allow ourselves to borrow anxiety from tomorrow, we shall find that we have a greater load than we can carry.

The only true way to live, therefore, is one day at a time. This means that we should give all our strength to the work of the present day, that we should finish each day's tasks by nightfall, leaving nothing undone at setting of sun that we ought to have done. Then, when a new morning dawns—we should accept its duties, the bit of God's will it unrolls for us, and do everything well that is given us to do.

We may be sure, too, that there is something for each moment, and that if we waste any portion of our day—we cannot make it complete. We should bring all the energy and all the skill of mind and heart and hand to our duty as we take it up, doing nothing carelessly or negligently. Then we can lay our day back into God's hand at nightfall with confidence, saying, "Father, I have finished the work which you gave me to do today."

But we should never be anxious about either yesterday or tomorrow. Yesterday is gone, and we never can get it back to change anything in it. It is idle, therefore, to waste a moment of time or a particle of strength fretting over it.

Tomorrow is not yet ours, and we cannot touch its life—until it becomes our today. God means us to put our undivided energy into the doing of the present day's work. If we do this, we shall have quite enough to do to fill all the hours and to engage our best energy and skill and strength. In this way, too, we shall best prepare for tomorrow. One day's duty slighted or neglected, prepares confusion and overburdening for the next.

The days are all woven together in God's plan, each one following the day before and fitting into the day coming after it. Each takes up the work which the day before brought to its feet, and carries it forward to deliver it to the one which waits. A marred or empty day anywhere spoils the web, losing the thread.

If we learn well the lesson of living just one day at a time, without anxiety for either yesterday or tomorrow, we shall have found one of the great secrets of Christian peace. That is the way God teaches us to live. That is the lesson both of the Bible and of nature. If we learn it, it will cure us of all anxiety; it will save us from all feverish haste; it will enable us to live sweetly in any experience.

~J. R. Miller (1903)
~Photo: The Cabbage Rose

Thoughts Build Character

"When, on my bed, I think of You, I meditate on You during the night watches." Psalm 63:6

It is a law of life--that our thoughts build our character.

If we meditate on the purity, the holiness, the goodness, the love, the righteousness, of Christ--these qualities will print themselves upon our own hearts.

Paul has given us an infallible direction for the best spiritual culture.
"Whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable--
if anything is excellent or praise worthy--
think about such things!" Philippians 4

(J. .R. Miller "The Lesson of Love" 1903)
Illustration from the collection of J. Frey

The more Christ has suffered for us -

Christ is that golden pipe through which the golden oil of salvation runs!

The more Christ has suffered for us--the dearer Christ should be unto us. The greater and the bitterer Christ's sufferings have been for us--the greater and the sweeter should our love be to Him. O my friends! there is no love but a superlative love, which is any way suitable to the transcendent sufferings of dear Jesus. Oh,
love Him above your lusts,
love Him above your relations,
love Him above the world,
love Him above all your contentments and enjoyments;
yes, love Him above your very lives!

Certainly the more bitter His sufferings have been for us, the more eminent should be our love to Him. Oh, how should this inflame our love to Christ! Oh, that our hearts were more affected with the sufferings of Christ! Who can tread upon these hot coals--and his heart not burn in love to Christ?

Oh, the infinite love of Christ--that He should leave His Father's bosom, and come down from heaven--that He might carry you up to heaven; that He who was a Son should take upon Him the form of a servant:
that you slaves--should be made sons;
that you enemies--should be made friends;
that you heirs of wrath--should be made heirs of God!
To save us from everlasting ruin, Christ was willing to be made flesh, to be tempted, deserted, persecuted, and to die upon a cruel cross! Oh what flames of love to Christ, should these things kindle in all our hearts!

Oh, let a suffering Christ lie nearest your hearts!

(Thomas Brooks "The Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures")

Photo: Flowers of Key West