September 10, 2008

  • He Has Been Faithful

    Twenty-six years ago today we chose Jesus as our personal Saviour
    as we were buried with Him through baptism and raised up in newness of life...
    Today He is still our personal Saviour and best friend. 

    GREAT IS HIS FAITHFULNESS! 


    Painting by Nathan Greene


    Lamb of God



    Your only Son
    No sin to hide
    But You have sent Him,
    From Your side
    To walk upon this guilty sod
    And to become the Lamb of God


    Your gift of Love
    They crucified
    They laughed and scorned him as he died
    The humble King
    They named a fraud
    And sacrificed the Lamb of God


    Oh Lamb of God, Sweet lamb of God
    I love the Holy Lamb of God
    Oh wash me in His precious Blood
    My Jesus Christ the Lamb of God


    I was so lost I should have died
    But You have brought me to Your side
    To be led by Your staff and rod
    And to be call a lamb of God


    Oh Lamb of God, Sweet lamb of God
    I love the Holy Lamb of God
    Oh wash me in His precious Blood
    My Jesus Christ the Lamb of God



    Happy Spiritual Birthday Heather! 


    He who began a good work in us
    will be faithful to complete it...


August 28, 2008

  • For My Father...



    Build:  to construct,
    to make by combining materials, to form, to establish, to order,

    supervise or
    finance the construction of, to give form to according to a plan,

    to
    strengthen, to develop & grow.

    Seems like building is a thread that runs through many of my
    thoughts

    as I reflect on our life together as father & daughter…

     

    Practical building…

     

    Together we built tissue paper kites

    And flew them in the field

    In front of our house.

     

    Off-cuts of wood, hammer & nails gladly given,

    For us to  build
    “furniture” for our dolls

    Under a your watchful supervision.

     

    With love & the little spare time & money you had

    You built us a wonderful wendy-house

    For us to play “house” in with our family of dolls.

     

    I remember racing through the field

    Catching bright orange butterflies

    With a home-made butterfly net which

    I am sure your hands built especially for me. 

     



    Fun building…

     

    You built fun into our lives.

    Together we:

    Hiked up mountains

    Rowed boats

    Went on picnics and swam in
    streams

    Took Long walks on the beaches on
    warm summer evenings

    Enjoyed rare special treats: 

    appletiser, soft serve ice-creams &
    custard slices

    Went on Family holidays

    Played games of scrabble

          Enjoyed home
    movies and home slide shows

     

     

    Character building…

     

    Only to mention a few things

     

    You taught us to be faithful in returning things

    Having us leave a treasured possession

    For security against the scissors

    We borrowed from you

     

    You taught us to be faithful in having a neat appearance

    We still smile about finding one school shoe beautifully
    polished

    Which of course encouraged us to do the other one!

     

    You taught us how to be loving & thoughtful towards
    others

    Calling us into secret conferences in your study

    To plan birthday surprises for Mom

     

    Perhaps the most building was done by your example

    Your kind manner, firm and gentle ways

    Your quiet love for us.

     

    Spiritual building…

     

    Much was built into our lives spiritually

     

    because of your faithfulness in calling us to morning &
    evening family worship each day 

    &
    because you gave us the opportunity to brings something,

    share something,
    participate in a real way

     

    because you daily sang hymns with us and encouraged us

    to
    learn ALL the words of all the verses –

    how that still blesses me now

     

    because you sacrificed to make sure

    that we could go to a
    Christian school

    and get a Christian education

     

     because of your faithful prayers for us

    and words of
    encouragement to us

     

    I am so glad that God gave me you as my Father. 

    Thank you for working with my Heavenly Father

    to build so many good things into my life.  

    Thank you for always loving me unconditionally 

    Thank you for always being there for me

    I love you Dad!

     Happy 70th Birthday!

     

     

     

August 27, 2008

  • Let your desire....



    Let your desire
    be the
    vision of God,


    your fear the loss of Him,


    your sorrow His absence,


    and your joy in that which
    may take you to Him,

    and
    your life shall be in great peace.


    — St. Teresa of Avila


August 16, 2008

  • Breathtaking Beauty



    Beauty is transcendent. 

    It is our most immediate experience of the eternal. 

    Think of what it’s like to behold a gorgeous
    sunset or the ocean at dawn. 

    We yearn
    to linger, to experience it all our days.  

    Sometimes the beauty is so deep it pierces us with longing. 

    For what? 
    For life as it was meant to be. 

    Beauty reminds us of an Eden we have never known,

    but somehow know our
    hearts were created for. 

    Beauty speaks
    of heaven to come, when all shall be beautiful.

    It haunts us with eternity. 


    Beauty says, There is a glory calling to you. 

    And if there is a glory, there is a source of glory. 

    What great goodness could have possibly
    created this?

      What generosity gave us
    this to behold? 

    Beauty draws us to God. 


    (Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge)

August 14, 2008

  • May Thy Rich Grace Impart


    This is the cry of my heart tonight...
    read slowly,
    ponder the words,
    make them your own,
    worship,
    find encouragement
    & comfort,
    find Him who is able.


    My Faith Looks Up To Thee
    By Ray Palmer


    My faith looks up to thee,
    thou Lamb of Calvary,
    Savior divine!
    Now hear me while I pray,
    take all my guilt away,
    O let me from this day
    be wholly thine!
     
     
    May thy rich grace impart
    strength to my fainting heart,
    my zeal inspire!
    As thou hast died for me,
    O may my love to thee
    pure, warm, and changeless be,
    a living fire!
     

    While life's dark maze I tread,
    and griefs around me spread,
    be thou my guide;
    bid darkness turn to day,
    wipe sorrow's tears away,
    nor let me ever stray
    from thee aside.

August 13, 2008

  • Content Whatever State

      

    Content
    Whatever state
    My life is in His Hands
    His is in control
    of all that touches me.

    Content
    Whatever state
    For I know
    for now
    I am exactly where
    He has put me
    Doing the work
    He has given me.

    Content
    Whatever state
    Though I may not like
    All that I am given
    I know
    All He calls me to
    He enables me to do
    and the outcome
    is not dependent on me
    but on Him
    as I cooperate
    with Him.

    Content
    Whatever state
    For He has promised
    to supply all my needs.
    He has 1000 ways
    His grace is sufficient.

    Content
    Whatever state
    For all my life
    He has carried me
    And never failed me
    I can trust Him
    With everything
    For He has promised
    He works all things
    For my good. 

    Content
    Whatever state
    For He is:
    Wonderful
    My Counselor
    A Mighty God
    An Everlasting Father
    Prince of Peace
    Redeemer
    Saviour
    Friend

    Content whatever state.

    (Phil 4:11)

August 12, 2008

  • Live It!


    The
    Truth.

    We
    have learned it

    And
    received much.

    Heard
    it spoken often,

    Seen
    it lived out.

    But
    it matters little

    Unless

    We
    learn

    To
    boldly live it

    In
    real life.

     

    The
    promise

    And
    the reward,

    Peace

    And

    The
    Presence of God.

    (Phil 4:9)

August 11, 2008

  • Endless Gifts

           

    The day is just beginning, but as I pondered the new day and His many gifts,
    these are the things that I am thankful for this morning:

    42.  The Birds. 
    This morning as I woke up I could hear the sweet songs of the birds
    as they sing their little hearts out, praising their Creator. 
    I am thankful for the reminder that God cares for them
    and that He will certainly care for me.

    43.  Peace.
    I am thankful that I still live in a country of relative peace
    and can come and go without fear.  But even more, 
    I am also thankful for the peace that He puts in my heart
    on a daily basis.

    44.  Protection.
    In a country where there is much crime and violence,
    God has always taken, and still does take such good care of us physically. 
    But even more I am thankful for the spiritual protection He provides for us,
    that He protects us from the power of the evil one.

    45.  His Word.  
    How much I need to know the truth. 
    It is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path continually.
     It fills me with courage, and hope and peace on a daily basis. 
    It reveals to me a Saviour & Friend who always keeps His promises.

    46. Beauty. 
    As seen in the little things never fails to encourage and inspire me to look up -
    the little surprises and gifts, special treasures from His hand.

    47.  Health, Energy and the Opportunity to Serve others today.

    48.  A Sound Mind.
    The Ability to Think, Reason, Plan,
    Feel & Communicate.

    Now it is your turn...
    What are you most thankful for today?

August 10, 2008

  • Never Alone & Thankful


    Be strong and of a good
    courage,
    fear not, nor be afraid of them:
    for the LORD thy God,
    he it
    is that doth go with thee;
    he will not fail thee,
    nor forsake thee.
    Deuteronomy 31:6

    Never alone
    He will not fail us!

    How have you seen His hand in your life today?
    How has He been faithful to you?

August 9, 2008

  • Song For The Sabbath


    My Lord & I

    Mary A. Lancaster

    I have a Friend so precious,
    So very dear to me,
    He loves me with a tender love,
    He loves me faithfully;
    I could not live apart from Him,
    I love to feel Him nigh;
    And so we dwell together,
    My Lord and I.

    Sometimes I’m faint and weary,
    He knows that I am weak;
    And as He bids me lean on Him,
    His help I’ll gladly seek;
    He leads me in the path of light,
    Beneath a sunny sky;
    And so we dwell together,
    My Lord and I.

    He knows how much I love Him,
    He knows I love Him well;
    But with what love He loveth me,
    My tongue can never tell;
    It is an everlasting love
    In ever rich supply;
    And so we dwell together,
    My Lord and I.

    I tell Him all my sorrows,
    I tell Him all my joys,
    I tell Him all that pleases me,
    I tell Him what annoys;
    He tells me what I ought to do,
    He tells me what to try;
    And so we dwell together,
    My Lord and I.

    He knows how I am longing
    Some weary soul to win,
    And so He bids me go and speak
    A loving word for Him;
    He bids me tell His wondrous love,
    And why He came to die;
    And so we dwell together,
    My Lord and I.

    This is the song in my heart today...