Sabbath Keeping

"Then those that feared the Lord talked with each other,

and the Lord listened and heard. 

A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence

concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name."

~ Malachi 3:16 ~

"To fear is to have more faith in your antagonist than in Christ."
~ D. L. Moody ~

"The remarkable things about God is that when you fear God,

you fear nothing else,

whereas if you do not fear God,

you fear everything else."

~ Oswald Chambers ~ 

"When men no longer fear God, they transgress His laws without hesitation. The bear of consequences is no deterrent when the fear of God is gone."
~ Aiden W. Tozer ~

"I call education, not that which smothers a woman with accomplishments, but that which tends to consolidate a firm and regular system of character; that which tends to form a friend, a companion, and a wife. I call education not that which is made up of the shreds and patches of useless arts, but that which inculcates principles, polishes taste, regulate temper, cultivates reason, subdues the passions, directs the feelings, habituates to reflection, trains to self-denial, and, more especially, hat which refers all actions, feelings, sentiments, tastes, and passions, to the love and fear of God." ~ Hannah More ~

"We fear men so much, because we fear God so little. One fear cures another. When man's terror scares you, turn your thoughts to the wrath of God."
~ G. K. Chesterton ~

"We must fear God out of love, 

not love Him out of fear."

~ Saint Francis de Sales ~

"The carnal person fears man, not God.

The strong Christian fears God, not man.

The weak Christian fears man too much,

and God too little."

~ John Flavel ~ 

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name,

He will teach you all things,

and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you."

~ John 14:26 ~ 

Please, remember in prayer ~ Anita ~ Julie ~ Nancy ~ Alicia ~ Vicki ~ Rainey ~ Diana and her Hero ~ Patrice and family ~ Stephanie ~ Patty ~ Brenda ~ Faith and her baby ~ Sandra ~ 

A Girl With a Dream Becomes a Women With Vision

Everywhere I go (feed store, library, post office, church) people ask, "Can you believe it's already the end of August?" My answer is, "I can't believe I've lived, actuarially, two-thirds of my life much less it being the end of August already."

Perhaps it's due to the ennui of Autumn's fast approach...Dave always said my blog posts had a bit of ennui to them and while that's probably even more true since his death, I'm still not sure I agree with him. These past almost five years, I've lived in Dave's shade and not his shadow and have learned contentment. The struggle has been real but I've learned to make a life out of what I now have and not what I'm missing. I'm allowing, even encouraging, myself to be myself and know how to be quiet and listen for God's whisper although that's fairly easy since I don't have the intrusive noise of radio or television. If I do listen to either, it's XM preachers or DVD's that are of my choosing and not what subscription throws at me and calls "entertainment". I chose to give up subscription television because I object to porn coming into this house. Yes, I do know I can change the channels but I was tired of having porn thrust upon me when channel surfing. It's a small way I can honor God and myself. I'm too important in His eyes, and my own, to see anyone devalued for the sake of a cheap laugh or 'filthy lucre'.

(Marti sent the above to me, it arrived at a much needed time and I am grateful she heeded God's whisper. If I knew whom to credit, I would be delighted.)

Perhaps the bittersweet, but not ennui, is due to the aches and pains of bones, joints and muscles that receive hard use even though they protest...or perhaps it's due to the skeins of Canada geese that have returned.

I know I've lived in one spot for a long time when the geese voices tell me they are coming in for a meal or when they are gathering strength to fly to the nearby pond. I know I've lived in one spot for a long time when I glance at the clock and know to grab my camera because the geese are due any minute.

The days are languid, still full of heat but the dark hours before dawn have a chill that say winter is hard pushing autumn who urges summer to pack and leave. Garden weeds are taller than me and, once again, my ambitions have exceeded my abilities. Heck, I can't even remember to go to any of the farmers' markets that dot the landscape and am lost among all the work. A glance tells me the hay bales are lined against the fence, waiting pick up and there are bales under storage being kept dry against the weather for my beasties when pasture wanes and snowballs fly.

I cry a lot these days but it's out of happiness, or at least contentment. How can I be homesick for heaven when I live here? If I won the lottery, I'd keep this place, hire an on-site farm manager and spend winters near my family and summers here. Then again, as someone told me, in order to win the lottery, I must buy a ticket. There's always a catch, isn't there? -wry smile-

The apple tree is loaded and promises pies, cakes, butter and out of hand eating but only after a hard frost. That's when the apples are sweetest, that's when they release their best. Eleanor Roosevelt said, "A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong it is until it's in hot water." I say it's like a Christian...when God allows trials and troubles, He, and we, find out what we're made of. We can either turn to Him or away from Him; it's always our choice but, sometimes, people forget it's not about the here and now, it's about the hereafter. Just recently I said privately to Becky, a blog reader, "Christians haven't any idea what the Bible says about anything; therefore, they'll believe anyone and then say, "In my opinion...". AS IF a Christian has an opinon...WRONG! Christians are to have a Biblical world view...so...what does the BIBLE SAY? THAT'S what a Christian believes...what the Bible says. If we think we won't have to stand before God and answer for every word, thought, deed, vote...we're in for a very unpleasant surprise. We're so consumed with the here and now, we've forgotten about the hereafter. Because we only see the here and now, we can't envision the hereafter and that's so sad. The Lord God who created Creation has such enormous, glorious plans for us and we sit here, quibbling over non-essentials."

Similar to the old song about if you want to have roses, you put up with thorns, at Thistle Cove Farm thistles comes with thorns and a wild, regenerate beauty that promises "beautiful one day and perfect the next". In response to a six year old girl's dream, God gave me Thistle Cove Farm. He has allowed me to be a steward here; He has grown me into a woman with vision; a vision that doesn't end here but will continue where He wills both while there's breath in my body, then into eternity.

God doesn't abandon His plans, and His plans for all His children who accept Him are plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future. 

Because God can be trusted, 

I choose to trust Him.

Ponder this ~ "I am not afraid. I was born to do this. ~ Joan of Arc ~ "

What were you born to do?

Sabbath Keeping

"He has told you, O man, what is good;

and what does the LORD require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God?"

~ Micah 6:8 ~

"I am convinced that the jealous, the angry, the bitter and the egotistical are the first to race to the top of mountains. A confident person enjoys the journey, the people they meet along the way and sees life not as a competition. They reach the summit last because they know God isn't at the top waiting for them. He is down below helping His followers to understand that the view is glorious where ever you stand." ~ Shannon L. Alder ~

"In feature films the director is God;
in documentary films God is the director."
~ Alfred Hitchcock ~

"Your current circumstances are part of your redemption story He is writing."
~ Evinda Lepins ~

"There are no 'if s' in God's world.
And no places that are safer than other places.
The center of His will is our only safety -
let us pray that we may always know it!"
~ Corrie ten Boom ~

"Doing the will of God leaves me no time for disputing about His plans."

~ George MacDonald ~

"When you are convinced that everything that happens is the will of God,
what is there to do but wait until God has mercy?"
~ Maaza Mengiste ~

"in many cases, our need to wonder about or be told what God wants in a certain situation is nothing short of a clear indication of how little we are engaged in His work." ~ Dallas Willard ~

"The will of God is not something you add to your life. It's a course you choose. You either line yourself up with the Son of God...or you capitulate to the principle which governs the rest of the world." ~ Elisabeth Elliott ~

"In Gethsemane the holiest of all petitioners prayed three

 times that a certain cup might pass from Him.

It did not."

~ C. S. Lewis ~

"Your spouse, your children, your job are part of the plan. 

They are not the plan." 

~ Sandra ~

"Like when you sit in front of a fire in winter - you are just there in front of the fire. You don't have to be smart or anything. The fire warms you." ~ Desmond Tutu ~

"We are weak Christians simply because we have refused 

to be bondservants of Christ." 

~ Dr. Paul Gitwaza ~ 

"It will be very interesting one day to follow the pattern of our life as it is spread out like a beautiful tapestry. As long as we live here we see only the reverse side of the weaving, and very often the pattern, with its threads running wildly, doesn't seem to make sense. Some day, however, we shall understand. In looking back over the years we can discover how a red thread goes through the pattern of our life; the Will of God." ~ Maria Augusta von Trapp ~

"For everyone who calls on the name of the LORD

will be saved."

~ Romans 10:13 ~

Prayer Praises ~ Lori ~ Heather ~ 

Please keep in prayer ~ Vicki ~ Alicia ~ Nancy ~ Julie ~ Stephanie ~ Rainey ~ Diana and her Hero ~ Brenda ~ Bonnie Jean and family ~ Pat ~ Joe and Mandy ~ Anita ~ Faith ~ the people who have been attacking me these few weeks ~ Sandra ~

Quinn's Kiva Giveaway

It's August and if the old folks are correct, there's a snow for every morning fog this month; thus far, four fogs have been noted. This morning is beautiful...but aren't they all when one wakes up above ground? and the promise of a new day looms large. Yesterday, I went to the birthday celebration of a 90 year old woman, a cousin by my marriage to Dave and saw a great many people I've not seen since Dave's wake. Pretty much, I've barricaded myself on the farm as it's simply easier to apply myself to the urgent, what needed to be done and to protect myself from scoundrels, rounders and the like. Unfortunately, I've not been totally successful but I still try.

Betwixt the scoundrels, rounders and the like, there have been glimpses of good and kindness, reference the birthday celebration above. Included is Quinn, Comptonia blogger, who recently had a giveaway wherein a $25 donation was made to Kiva and the giveaway winner could choose the person to whom the money was donated. In the process, my name was chosen and I've spent pleasurable time...in that I get caught up in reading about the folks, worldwide, who are in need and why...and find myself praying for them.

For me, practicing Christianity is a daily process and one at which I not always successful but I can, and do, pray over everything and everyone. That, and the aforementioned reference dealing with scoundrels, rounders and the like, is why I'm delinquent in choosing a recipient.

The Kiva loan had to a woman who was either in agriculture or had a sewing or textile business. Catherine, a young woman in Columbia, was my choice; she has a sewing business and wants to enlarge her business. Quinn, thank you for the win of your giveaway contest and thank you for allowing me to fund Catherine. You've made several people very happy.

Ponder this ~ let your moderation be known to man and your desperation be known to God ~

Sabbath Keeping

"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you,

all whose thoughts are fixed on you."

~ Isaiah 26:3 ~

"Faith don't come in a bushel basket, Missy. It come one step at a time. Decide to trust Him for one little thing today, and before you know it, you find out He's so trustworthy you be putting your whole life in His hands." ~ Lynn Austin ~

"We have very little faith in the Lord, very little trust. If we trusted the Lord as much as we trust a friend when we ask him to do something for us. neither we as individuals nor our whole country would suffer so much."
~ Thaddeus of Vitovnica ~

"Fear is the glue that keeps you stuck.

Faith is the solvent that sets you free."

~ Shannon L. Alder ~ 

"Trust God or worry. Those are the two choices you have in every situation. Trust God and be at peace. Worry and experience stress. Your choices are that simple and you will make you life as peaceful or stressful as you choose to make it. Trust God and be at peace. This is all that is asked of you."
~ James Blanchard ~

"The hardest part of letting go is the "uncertainty"--when you are afriad that the moment you let of of someone you will hate yourself when you find out how close you were to winning their affection. Every time you give yourself hope you steal away a part of your time, happiness and future. However, once in a while you wake up to this realization and you have to hold on tightly to this truth because your heart will tear away the foundation of your logic, by making excuses for why this person doesn't try as much as you. The truth is this: Real love is simple. We are the ones that make it complicated. A part of disconnecting is recognizing the difference between being desires and being valued. When someone loves you they will never keep you waiting, give their attention and affection away to others, allow you to continue hurting, or ignore what you have gone through for them. On the other hand, a person that desires you can't see your pain, only what they can get from you with minimal effort in return. They let you risk everything, while they guard their heart and reap the benefits of your feelings. We make so many excuses for the people we fall in love with and they make up even more to remain one foot in the door. However, the truth is God didn't create you to be treated as an option or to be disrespected repeatedly. He wants you to close the door. If someone loves you and wants to be in your life no obstacle will keep them from you. Remember, you are royalty, not a beggar." ~ Shannon L. Alder ~

"One may have an abundance of faith in God,

but do we trust Him when we don't understand?

What good is faith without trust?"

~ Danny L. Deaube ~ 

"The reason some of us are such poor specimens of Christianity
is because we have no Almighty Christ.
We have Christian attributes and experiences,
but there is no abandonment to Jesus Christ."
~ Oswald Chambers ~

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. 

I do not give to you as the world gives. 

Do not let your hearts be troubled,

trust in God and also in me."

~ John 14: 27 ~

Please pray for ~ Nancy ~ Anita ~ Alicia ~ Vicki ~ Joe and Mandy ~ Sandra ~