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I am Sandra - faithful steward. listener. shepherd. dream believer. hard worker. collects brass bells, boots. Jesus follower. contented. star gazer. homemaker. farmer. prayer warrior. country woman. reader. traveler. writer. homebody. living life large.

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Sabbath Keeping


"Call upon me and I will answer you..."

For those old enough to remember prefixes, God's phone number is JER333. Prayer is a dialogue, not a monologue; God hears the prayers of His righteous people but the only prayer God hears of a sinner is the prayer of salvation. Tennessee Ernie Ford sang a great song, Give Me Jesus On The Line, here.

"We have to take the first step as though there were no God. It is no use to wait for God to help us. He will not; but immediately we arise we find He is there. Whenever God inspires, the initiative is a moral one. We must do the thing and not lie like a log. If we arise and shine, drudgery becomes divinely transfigured.
Drudgery is one of the finest touchstones of character there is. Drudgery is work that is very far removed from anything to do with the ideal-the utterly mean grubby things; and when we come in contact with them we know instantly whether or not we are spiritually real. Read John 13. We see there the Incarnate God doing the most desperate piece of drudgery, washing fishermen's feet, and He says--"If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash another's feet." It requires the inspiration of God to go through drudgery with the light of God upon it. Some people do a certain thing and the way in which they do it hallows that thing forever afterwards.It may be the most common-place thing, but after we have seen them do it, it becomes different. When the Lord does a thing through us, He always transfigures it. Our Lord took on Him our human flesh and transfigured it, and it has become for every saint the temple of the Holy Ghost." ~ Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

"Do not forget to meet all your difficulties with love and laughter. Be assured that I am with you. Remember, remember it is the last few yards that tell. Do not fail Me. I cannot fail you. Rest in My love.
How many of the world's prayers have gone unanswered because My children who prayed did not endure to the end. They thought it was too late, and that they must act for themselves, that I was not going to act for them. Remember My words: "He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved."
Can you endure to the end? If so, you shall be saved. But endure with courage, with Love and laughter. Oh! My children, is My training too hard?
For you, My children, I will unlock the secret treasures hidden from so many. Not one of your cries is unheard. I am with you indeed to aid you. Go through all I have said to you, and live in every detail as I have enjoined you. As you follow implicitly all I say, success-spiritual, mental and physical-shall be yours. Wait in silence while, conscious of My presence, in which you must live to have rest unto your souls, and Power and Joy and Peace." ~ God Calling

The above are today's devotions, along with the last five chapters of Romans, the book of Romans being the story of God's relentless grace. I try and pay attention to God's whisper, His guidance and direction. I don't always know what He means by what He's saying but I do recognize His voice and, these past few days, He's been speaking to me through God Calling, Oswald Chambers, Romans and C. S. Lewis' Narnia and Prince Caspian. There's a point in the film where Lucy alone sees Aslan and he bids her come. Her siblings cannot see Aslan and they deride Lucy, eventually persuading her to turn and go with them and, almost immediately, things begin to not go well. To hear God's call and ignore it is a frightening thing with unknown circumstances, but in even those circumstances, God will be with us.

It makes me ask myself the question...when and how have I gone my own way and, in doing so, missed out on God's blessing, protection, promise? While I never question my salvation, I'm always questioning how I can better follow Him, hear His voice, do His will. 

If you're a Christian, I strongly encourage you to read and watch all of C. S. Lewis' books, especially the Narnia series, either chronologically or published order. When you do, hear God's whisper through the books and apply to your own walk.

The epic mess, begun January 8, continues but the contractors have sheet rock in place and primed and, on Friday, the floors were stained. Since then, my body has all but shut down from the horrific odor. Today, I went to WalMart pharmacy and asked for help; they sold me allergy meds and eye drops and I can see a little improvement. What frightened me most were my eye balls (and lids) swelling...red, irritated, weeping...but the eye ball swelling and the headache since Friday is most frightening. Please pray people men will come tomorrow to work on the camper (yes, the one that's for sale) so it can be moved to the house, hooked up to electric and I can live in it for the next week or two. At least until the poly odor, putting down poly tomorrow, abates. (The dogs and I tried staying at Super 8 but the dogs were good watch dogs...every time someone walked down the hall, the dogs barked...not so good.)

Friends, these more than five years since Dave's death, I have leaned on God as never before in my life. I know God keeps me, the animals and the farm safe; I know He's gone before me, carried me at times and yet, sometimes, I feel abandoned. That lie is from the father of lies and has no place in my home or in my life! You are being lied to as well...it might be health problems, a wayward child, marital difficulties, financial, job, vehicles on the fritz, isolation...you know your difficulties but, better yet, God knows them. He will never leave you nor forsake you; He has written your name on the palm of His hand, you are the apple of His eye. Do NOT listen to lies; focus on God...His promises, mercy, grace, love, forgiveness. Feed yourself on those things that will encourage you and give you life and a future both now and in eternity.

"For God so loved the world 
that He gave His one and only Son
that whoever believes on Him
should not perish
but have everlasting life."

Please pray one for another.

20 comments:

  1. Amen, praying that camper is u[ and ready for you to move into while work is done on your house repair.

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    1. Keep praying! Tires are off camper, going to be re-mounted today, brought back tomorrow, put on camper and then camper moved to house...PTL!

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  2. Lord love your heart!
    Hoping this week goes better,
    And the camper is hooked up!
    Thank you for the blessings!
    Hugs!

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    Replies
    1. Still working on tires and camper but getting closer!

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  3. Praying that you will have a safe place to stay while the work is done.

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  4. Beautiful post dear Sandra. I pray that the camper will be brought to you and hooked up smoothly for you and your pooches health and well-being while this job is finished up.

    You so encourage me dear friend. May God's continued blessings be on you and may you keep feeling His peace, strength, love, healing and joy flowing through and surrounding you.

    Love, hugs & prayers ~ FlowerLady

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    Replies
    1. Getting closer, Rainey, but not there yet. Glad to be of encouragement...although I'd rather be "done"...lol. XO, R.

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  5. Anonymous7:13 AM EST

    I am praying for the camper to be ready for you and the pets to live in during this time. I pray the meds will help you to heal, also. Please remember 16 yr old Alyssa who is very ill in hospital (link on my blog) in your prayers. God bless. Love, Mildred

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    Replies
    1. Prayers are working and am closer to camper being ready. Tires are off, taken to shop to be remounted and men will pull to house tomorrow. They also do more staining of floors tomorrow, had another leak (!) and they have to start over...boo hoo! BUT, they'll have me/dogs in camper tomorrow night...PTL!
      Alyssa is in my prayers. XO,M.

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  6. Praying for the camper hook up . . .
    For you and the "animal family " . . .
    Oh my . . . poor dear, eyes, allergies, pounding head, misery!
    (I did have a giggle over the "watch dogs" . . .
    been there, lived that" with our little one.")

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    Replies
    1. I'm not sure the dogs enjoyed out little escapade...they looked and acted totally confused. They've spent 1 night off the farm and that was at my parents...where 2 dogs and I slept in one hospital bed...NOT GOOD for anyone. Although, Sadie snored so she probably got some sleep .

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  7. Praying camper already hooked as I type, soon if not.

    Have listened to Narnia in the car for years. Love talking along with many sections. Especially, how the reader does Aslan's roar. My roar never quite as good as on the tape !

    Oswald Chambers. Often he sears into the middle of it, yes?

    May your health return, and thoughts of abandonment, loneliness, leave.

    XOT

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    Replies
    1. Chambers, Spurgeon, Ravenhill...favorites although they do cut the heart and human reason. All cause me to be a better Christ follower. Feeling better, still taking allergy meds, drops and tires are off camper, headed to shop for remounting and will be put back on tomorrow. Men have to re-do portions of floors...another leak...will, hopefully, sleep in camper tomorrow night. It'll be better than killing myself with stain fumes again.

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  8. Anonymous3:39 AM EST

    Checking back in to see if you are in the camper. God bless you dear friend. xoxo

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    Replies
    1. Hopefully tomorrow night...God willing and the men finish. Thanks, Mildred, XOXOXO

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  9. I hope your allergies are remedied by the meds you bought.
    Great post, Sandra!

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    Replies
    1. Meds seem to be working, thank God and thanks for saying.

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  10. Sandra, I hate that you've had to breathe all these fumes. These symptoms are scary, your body telling you the danger. I know you know that. Not much good me telling you that, right? My daughter-in-law would be putting essential oils in a diffuser for you to combat this.

    I have not read the Narnia books since I read them to my 4 children when they were growing up. Spine-tingling, I remember. And Chambers' devotions on drudgery once got me going on my laziest mornings long ago. I took them as a dose of medicine, needed but sometimes not very tasty.

    Your last paragraph is riveting, Sandra, grabs my heart. I remember those times of feeling abandoned and feeling guilty because my trust wavered when the going got really tough--most often when I was worried about one of my children. Doubtless, those times will come again but I hope I always remember your words to feed myself on because there is the truth, always.

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    Replies
    1. Dewena, the camper is in the yard and hooked to electricity. We've hit a snag with the house so won't have to camp until next week. Essential oils and diffuser sounds great...I need to get mine out and thanks for the nudge.
      Any of C. S. Lewis books are fabulous but I'm drawn, time and again, to the Narnia series. Maybe I'm so simple, they speak to me.
      Negative feelings are difficult for us all...with no one here to talk to...to discuss choices, decisions, directions...it becomes more difficult to stay on track. So, daily Bible reading, Chambers, etc. help...but sometimes, just sometimes, I'd sure like Jesus with skin on.

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