Sabbath Keeping - storms

"He calmed the storm to a whisper 

and the waves of the sea were hushed."

~ Psalm 207:29 ~

"My boy, one small breeze doesn't make a wind storm."

 ~ John McGraw ~

"A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor."

"God will invade. But I wonder whether people who ask God to interfere openly and directly in our world quite realize what it will be like when He does. When that happens, it is the end of the world. When the author walks onto the stage, the play is over. God is going to invade, all right: but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream  and something else - something it never entered your head to conceive - comes crashing in; something so beautiful to some of us and so terrible to others that none of us will have any choice left? For this time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. There is no use saying you choose to lie down when it has become impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing; it will be the time when we discover which side we have really chosen, whether we realized it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side, God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it." ~ C. S. Lewis ~

"We men and women are all in the same boat, upon a stormy sea. We owe to each other a terrible and tragic loyalty." ~ G. K. Chesterton ~

"You feel pain because inside you are transforming." ~ S. Ajna ~ 

"Doubt swells and surges, with swelling doubt behind!

My soul in storm is but a tattered sail,

Streaming its ribbons on the torrent gale;

In calm, 'tis but a limp and flapping thing:

Oh! swell it with thy breath; make it a wing,

To sweep through thee the ocean, with thee the wind

Nor rest until in thee its haven it shall find.

Roses are scentless, hopeless are the morns,

Rest is but weakness, laughter crackling thorns.

But love is life, to die of love is then

The only pass to higher life than this.

All love is death to loving, living men;

All deaths are leaps across clefts to the abyss.

Weakness needs pity, sometimes love's rebuke;

Strength only sympathy deserves and draws -

And grows by every faithful loving look.

Ripeness must always come with loss of might."

~ George MacDonald, The Diary of an Old Soul ~ 

"I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship." ~ Louisa May Alcott ~

"All who sail the sea of faith find out before too long

How quickly blue skies can grow dark and gentle winds grow strong

Suddenly fear is like white water pounding on your soul

But still we sail on knowing that our Lord is in control

Sometimes He calms the storm with a whispered 'Peace be still' 

He can settle any sea but it doesn't mean He will

Sometimes He holds us close 

lets the wind and waves go wild

Sometimes He calms the storm and other times He calms His child.

He has a reason for each trial that we pass through in life

And though we're shaken we cannot be pulled apart from Christ

No matter how the driving rain beats down on those who hold to faith

A heart of trust will always be a quiet peaceful place.

"Sometimes He calms the storm with a whispered peace be still

He can settle any sea but it doesn't mean He will

Sometimes He holds us close lets the wind and waves go wild

Sometimes He calms the storm and other times He calms His child. ..."

~ Scott Krippayne ~ 

"The real problem is not why some pious, humble, believing people suffer but why some do not."
~ C. S. Lewis ~

"Heaven is full of answers to prayer for which no one ever bothered to ask."  ~ Billy Graham ~

"No one tells you when you get born here how much you'll come to love it
and how you'll never belong here." ~ Rich Mullins  and here (a wonderful monologue)

"That day when evening came, He said to His disciples, "let us go over to the other side." 

Leaving the crowd behind, they took Him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. 

The disciples woke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" 

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" 

Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to His disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" 

They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!"

~ Mark 4:35-41 ~ 

Please pray for ~ Maxine who is drawing close to going Home; her family, especially her Dad; her friends, neighbors ~

Sabbath Keeping

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.

Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the

floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room

enough to store it."

~ Malachi 3:10 ~ 

"One is not born into the world to do everything

but to do something."

~ Thoreau ~ 

"Go the extra mile. It's not crowded."

"What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead." ~ Nelson Mandela ~

"Money often costs too much." ~ Emerson ~

"Scientists have discovered that the small, brave act of cooperating with another person, of choosing trust over cynicism, generosity over selfishness, makes the brain light up with quiet joy."
~ Natalie Angier ~

"Let Christ be your example in your giving. In heaven He possessed everything, and yet He sacrificed it all - even His life - so we could be saved." ~ Billy Graham ~

"When I chased after money, I never had enough. When I got my life on purpose and focused on giving of myself and everything that arrived into my life, then I was prosperous."
~ Wayne Dyer ~

"I am only one,

but I am one.

I cannot do everything,

but I can do something.

And I will not let what I cannot do

interfere with what I can do."

~ Edward Everett Hale ~ 

"Help one another; there's no time like the present and no present like the time."

~ James Durst ~

"I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little." ~ C. S. Lewis ~ 

"You are blessed to be a blessing."

"Forgiveness is the giving and so the receiving of life." 

~ George MacDonald ~

"But my God shall supply all your need 

according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

~ Philippians 4:19 ~

Please continue praying for Maxine as the situation worsens ~ please put me on your prayer list ~

Sabbath Keeping...and a little bit more ~

"I said, I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin,

I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked."

~ Psalm 39:1 ~ 

"A smart person knows how to talk.

A wise person knows when to be silent."

~ Roy T. Bennett ~

"Live your truth.

Express your love.

Share your enthusiasm.

Take action towards your dreams.

Walk your talk.

Dance and sing to your music.

Embrace your blessings.

Make today worth remembering."

~ Steve Maraboli ~

"I love to talk about nothing. It's the only thing I know anything about." ~ Oscar Wilde ~

"Many people are good at talking about what they are doing, but in fact, do little. Others do a lot but don't talk about it; they are the ones who make a community live." ~ Jean Vanier ~

"Great minds discuss ideas;

average minds discuss events;

small minds discuss people."

~ attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt ~

"Many men talk like philosophers and live like fools." ~ Philip K. Dick ~

"One ought, every day at least to hear a little song, 

read a good poem, 

see a fine picture, and, 

if it were possible, 

to speak a few reasonable words."

~ Goethe ~

"Remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now,  you would strongly be tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal." ~ C. S. Lewis ~

"I would never speak about faith, but speak about the Lord himself - not theologically, as to the why and wherefore of his death - but as he showed himself in his life on earth, full of grace, love, beauty, tenderness and truth. Then the needy heart cannot help hoping and trusting in him, and having faith, without ever thinking about faith. How a human heart with human feelings and necessities is ever to put confidence in the theological phantom which is commonly called Christ in our pulpits, I do not know. It is commonly a miserable representation of him who spent thirty-three years on our Earth, living himself into the hearts and souls of men, and thus manifesting God to them."
~ George MacDonald ~

"Quit playing, start praying.

Quit feasting, start fasting. 

Talk less with men, talk more with God.

Listen less to men, listen to the words of God.

Skip travel, start travail."

~ Leonard Ravenhill~ 

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray (talk) to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This then, is how you should pray (talk to God):

"Our Father, who are in heaven,

hallowed be thy Name,

thy kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those

who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory,

for ever and ever.

Amen."

~ Matthew 6: 5-14 ~ 

Please pray for ~ Maxine's family. Max has been given six months; at this point in time, she's being kept as comfortable as possible. Please pray for her sister as she oversees caregivers for Max as well as their Mother who has been in nursing home care for years. Please pray for Arial, the primary CNA (who is studying for her nurse's exam), and other caregivers, family, friends, neighbors. Max and I have been friends for 47 years but last week, she didn't appear to know me and she has totally stopped talking to everyone. 

If you've read my blog for the past few years, you know Dave's story and my story. You know I've said I'm only smart enough to know God has good plans for our lives and for His glory.  His purpose and design are mysteries but I do know He can be trusted. This brief life is over so quickly and I firmly believe each and every thought, word and deed here has enormous ramifications in eternity.  God, who created Creation, has designs, plans and purposes for all eternity and we cannot begin to comprehend this side of the veil. He loves US so much He sent Jesus to bring us back into the fold, but we must accept Jesus and, through Jesus, make our peace with God. You may rant and rail all you like. You may choose not to believe. The fact remains: Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and NO one goes to heaven unless they say 'yes' to Him and accept God's free gift:

"Lord Jesus, I'm sorry for my sins and want to spend eternity in heaven with you and God." 

Find a Bible believing body of believers; go to church to seek and worship God, read the Bible every day and, if possible, be baptized. As importantly, keep your eyes off other people and keep them on God.

A little bit more...it's hard to believe on July 31, it'll be a year since I signed the papers and bought this new to me farm. Someone told me it would take me a year to unpack and, as it turns out, they are correct. There are still dozens of boxes to unpack, things still have to be hung on walls, Dad's garden is coming in which means food to can and freeze and my raised beds are coming along nicely.

Before I could hook up the trailer and pick up, Ronnie delivered fifty sacks of top soil and each of the three raised beds received twelve sacks. The other sacks were used for flower beds and pots. My little patch has tomatoes, herbs (lavender, rosemary, basil) and flowers to attract bees and birds. I must admit, it takes more strength and energy to dump the dirt and, as well, takes more time to recover. Gosh, I hate to admit that!

If I'm on the farm, I usually have a shotgun and handgun close by; there are critters who aren't welcome here...snakes, muskrats and a few miles up the road, Ronnie's employees' horse was attacked and killed...possibly by a mountain lion or, some call it panther, cougar or puma. Whatever it's called, the horse was violently attacked and subsequently died so I'm not taking chances; guns are always at hand, just in case.

Another reason to be safe...one of the Inkspots, reclining his bad self as he watches me work.

Awww, you know I've always run a loose household! When the dining room furniture was delivered (after the Epic Mess of 2017), I turned to answer the phone (or some such foolishness) and when I came back to the job, Gypsy Rose Lee was overseeing.

As we ease into July, it's hotter than you know what and yet another reason to spend eternity in Heaven! I try and finish outside work by 10:00 (sun time and not that dratted DST!), come inside to work or take lunch to Dad and visit with him a spell. My attitude regarding work is, it'll always be here so no need to try and set records. I've come to terms with being behind but every now and again have a good telephone visit with folks.

I'm still working toward a new blog...I want to do a "brain dump" while I've still got a brain and a memory and there's a ton of stuff I know that might be useful to folks. The learning curve is tremendously steep and I've only put up the beginning of "The Story", here, which might be of interest. If nothing else, it'll make you chuckle!

Take care, be safe and remember what's important, truly important, in life. It's over ever so quickly; please know as God brings you to my mind, you're tucked in prayer. Some of you I know how to pray while others I simply say, "Please, God, bless ____." He knows and that's enough.