Sabbath Keeping

 ~ we see as through fog ~

"The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end."
~ Isaiah 60:19-20 ~

"He gives light to the sun." ~ St. Patrick ~

"Give me thy grace, good Lord, to make death no stranger to me. Give me, good Lord, a longing to be with thee, not for the avoiding of the calamities of this wretched world; nor so much for the avoiding of the pains of purgatory, nor of the pains of hell neither, nor so much for the attaining of the joys of heaven in respect of mid own commodity, as even for a very love to thee." ~ St. Thomas More ~

"Now it is you alone that I love,

you alone that I follow,

you alone that I seek,

you alone that I feel ready to serve,

because you alone rule justly.

It is to your authority alone that I want to submit.

Command me, I pray, to do whatever you will,

but heal and open my ears

that I may hear your voice.

Heal and open my eyes

that I may see your will.

Drive out from me

all fickleness,

That I may acknowledge you alone.

Tell me where to look

that I may see you,

and I will place my hope in doing your will. Amen. ~

~ St. Augustine ~

"And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever."
~ I John 2:17 ~

"Death, be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;

For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow,

Die not, poor Death, not yet canst thou kill me

From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,

Much pleasure, then from thee much more must flow,

And soonest our best men with thee do go,

Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.

Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men, 

And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell;

And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well

And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?

One short sleep past, we wake eternally,

And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die."

~ John Donne ~

"In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to Almighty God, our brother, J.A.W., Sr., and we commit his body to the ground; earth to earth; ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless him and keep him, the Lord make his face to shine upon him and be gracious unto him and give him peace. Amen."  ~ Book of Common Prayer based on Genesis 3:19 ~

"Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace." ~ Luke 2:29 ~

Blessings ~ the Son ~ a life well lived ~ a short sleep ~sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ ~

Thanks for visiting Thistle Cove Farm,
Sandra

Sabbath Keeping

 ~ early morning fog ~

 "Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of your love, in your great mercy turn to me."  
~ Psalms 69-16 ~

 "Lord, I know not what I ought to ask of Thee, Thou only knowest what we need; Thou lovest me better than I know how to love myself, O Father! give to Thy child that which he himself knows not how to ask. I dare not ask either for crosses or consolations; I simply present myself before Thee; I open my heart to Thee. Behold my needs which I know  not myself, see, and do according to Thy tender mercy. Smite, or heal; depress me, or raise me up; I adore all Thy purposes without knowing them; I am silent, I offer myself in sacrifice; I yield myself to Thee; I would have no other desire than to accomplish Thy will. Teach me to pray; pray Thyself in me." ~ Fenelon ~

"May your unfailing love be my comfort..." ~ Psalms 119:76 ~

"Love divine has seen and counted
   Every tear it caused to fall,
And the storm which Love appointed
   Was its choicest gift of all."
               ~ Anonymous ~ 

"I am serene because I know thou lovest me. Because thou lovest me, naught can move me from my peace. Because thou lovest me, I am as one to whom all good has come." ~ Gaelic Prayer ~


"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." ~ I Corinthians 13:12 ~

Blessings ~ The Word ~ Love ~ comfort ~ church on a Sunday morning ~ people who ask, "how are you doing? ~ The Father ~

Thanks for visiting Thistle Cove Farm,
Sandra

Be Yourself...

everyone else is already taken.

 ~ bottles in early morning light ~

Simple, isn't it?

A good portion of this week has found me locked out of my blog and, indeed, blogger. I could visit, but couldn't comment, on any blogs that were Blogspot. That's okay, I still think Blogger is a great tool and am grateful to Blogger and Google for giving us all the wherewithall to have on-line journals.

A lot of the blogs...okay, maybe not a lot but it sure seemed like a lot...I've visited share a common theme or themes...weariness, exhaustion, trying to slough off the negative emotions and be positive. I think it's due, in part, to the harsh winter we've had. Global warming notwithstanding, it's been a bear of a winter; a she-bear of a winter; a she-bear whose cubs are standing on yon side of a perceived threat and she-bear is now ready to kick some major you know what.

Everyone is tired both physically, mentally and, dare I say it, spiritually. Vince Lombardi once said, "Fatigue makes cowards of us all" and that is So True! Whenever we're tired, we're overwhelmed and feel life simply isn't worth the trouble. That's when all those negative, bad, terrible, no good, horrible thoughts creep into our minds and, if not nipped in the bud, into our actions.

 

It is then, truly before then, we must take time out for personal renewal, reflection, daydreaming...doing those things that make our bubble seek, and find, center again. I've been doing some of that this week and, in the days to follow, will tell you about it - dyeing yarn, making baby blankets, taking photos, cooking some great meals, baking some wonderful cookies. In short, doing those things that make a house a home and people a family. Dave and I have been cozying up in the evenings, after supper, drinking a glass of wine, sitting in the deepening darkness in the sunroom, talking of this and that, making plans, talking over old times, sharing memories. It's good for both souls, to catch up like this. Some of our family and friends have been going through troublesome times this week and we've tucked them into prayer.

Nothing, really, in and of itself that's exceptionally extraordinary but, when put all together, becomes a life well lived and worth the living.

 ~ early morning in the front yard ~

I want to tell you of the wonderful things that have been sent to me over the past few weeks. Remember the Sew, Mama, Sew! contest just before Christmas? I won a lovely mini-quilt that is just perfect for me and this farm...photos and story to come.

Remember Lisa's OWOH 2010 Blogland visitation of Jan/Feb? From a USA artist I won a delightful art piece sculpture and it WOW'ed me when I opened the box.

Then, another gift of a bookmark that's fabulously made and sure to be treasured as well but I cannot find my photo just this moment. And Misha, my next door state of Tennessee neighbor, had a giveaway and WOW'ed me when I won and when her box of beautifully wrapped goodies arrived early this week. I've just now, this morning, finished unwrapping the box and am amazed at the bounty!

 ~ a portion of Misha's goodies ~

Yes, photos and stories coming next week but, please, Thank You All! My amazement is overwhelming me and I'm carrying around bits and pieces of various gifts like they were brought to me by the Magi! I have plans for each piece...the mini-quilt will hang on my bedroom wall, the bookmark will have a place of honor in my Bible and the art piece will travel from bedroom to studio to sunroom to living room to kitchen to remind me...again and again... Part of Misha's gift will travel with me, in luggage carry-on, and will hold all those "precious" goodies I cannot be without on a long flight - MP3 to listen to audio books, hand wash, tissues, snacks, pen and pencil, e-book so I can read while listening to music on the MP3 - stuff that's essential to my mental well-being and keeps me from kicking, like the six year old I can sometimes be, the seat in front of me out of sheer desperation from being closely contained.

Have you yet guessed I'm a creature of delayed gratification? I despise just about everything and anything that's "instant" and feel it's a detriment to humankind and our personal souls. There! Is that strong enough? -smile-

~ Canada geese ~

 The Canada geese have returned and are, sometimes, in flocks of forty or fifty. These stragglers are striving to catch up, to unite with the flock. There's safety in numbers, you know. Companionship too.

~ Companionship amongst Friends ~

Even the horses have lain on the sun warmed earth, grateful for the opportunity to seek peace in the moment.

On Monday, I'm having a giveaway to win this beautiful and useful waffle maker. BTW, it's not my photo and shouldn't have my name on it but...but...you know what my computer skills are not so, please forgive me and let me off the hook by accepting...I didn't take the photo. Thanks. -smile-

~ a bee, working the small crocus, harbingers, both, of spring ~

"For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone..." so wrote Solomon in his second chapter, verse eleven. The rains aren't past but snows, hopefully, have ended for this portion of winter.

Be good to yourself; it's only then you'll have anything worth giving to give to someone else. Pax and I say again...pax.

Until next time,

Blessings ~ peace ~ well balanced center ~ sun warmed earth ~ bees ~ pax ~ gifts ~ Canada geese ~ early spring flowers ~

Thanks for visiting Thistle Cove Farm,
Sandra

Sabbath Keeping

 

~ the eastern sky ~

 "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." ~ Matthew 5:16 ~

"For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends."    ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

"A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said, "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.
A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around and wrote some words. He put the sign back so everyone who walked by would see the new words.
Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"
The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." I wrote, "Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it."
Both signs told people the boy was blind but the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people there were so blessed they were not blind. Should we be surprised the second sign was more effective?
Moral of the story:
-Be thankful for what you have.
-Be creative.
-Be innovative.
-Think differently and positively.
-When life gives you 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1,000 reasons to smile.
-Face your past without regret.
-Handle your present with confidence.
-Prepare for the future without fear.
-Keep the faith and drop the fear."     ~ author unknown ~

"I believe in God as I believe in my friends, because I feel the breath of His affection, feelHis invisible and intangible hand drawing me, leading me, grasping me." ~ Miguel De Unamuno ~

"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." ~ II Corinthians 13:14 ~

Until next time,


Blessings ~ a good night's sleep ~ a good meal ~ eyes to see the morning ~ the light of Christ ~ you ~ friends ~

Thanks for visiting Thistle Cove Farm,
Sandra

Sabbath Keeping

 

~ Dry Run ~

"See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it."  ~ Deuteronomy 30:15-16 ~

"Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God." ~ Thomas Jefferson ~

“If once the people become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions.”  ~ Thomas Jefferson ~


"He that strives to draw himself from obedience, withdraws himself from grace." ~ Thomas A Kempis ~

"The true follower of Christ will not ask, "If I embrace this truth, what will it cost me?" Rather he will say, "This is truth. God help me to walk in it, let come what may!" ~ A. W. Tozer ~

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose" ~ Jim Elliott ~
 
"The cross is laid on every Christian. It begins with the call to abandon the attachments of this world. It is that dying of the old man which is the result of his encounter with Christ. As we embark upon discipleship we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with His death... we give over our lives to death. Since this happens at the beginning of the Christian life, the cross can never be merely a tragic ending to an otherwise happy religious life. When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die. It may be a death like that of the first disciples who had to leave home and work to follow Him, or it may be a death like Luther's, who had to leave the monastery and go out into the world. But it is the same death every time... death in Jesus Christ, the death of the old man at His call. That is why the rich young man was so loath to follow Jesus, for the cost of his following was the death of his will. In fact, every command of Jesus is a call to die, with all our affections and lusts. But we do not want to die, and therefore Jesus Christ and His call are necessarily our death and our life" ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer ~

"If you can't pray a door open, don't pry it open." ~ Lyell Rader ~

~ Dry Run, winter ~

"Here lies the tremendous mystery - that God should be all-powerful, yet refuse to coerce. He summons us to cooperation. We are honoured in being given the opportunity to participate in his good deeds. Remember how He asked for help in performing his miracles : Fill the waterpots, stretch out your hand, distribute the loaves" ~ Elizabeth Elliott ~

"He who governed the world before I was born shall take care of it likewise when I am dead. My part is to improve the present moment" ~ John Wesley ~


 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose." ~ Romans 8:28 ~ 

 Until next time,

Blessings ~ a bright, sunny, warm day! ~ healthy animals and humans ~ water ~ Christianity ~ obedience ~ truth ~ love ~ wisdom ~

Thanks for visiting Thistle Cove Farm,
Sandra

Sabbath Keeping

 

~ Happy Valentine's now and always ~

"the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." ~ Jeremiah 31:3 ~

"I thought once how Theocritus had sung
Of the sweet years, the dear and wished-for years,
Who each one in a gracious hand appears
To bear a gift for mortals, old or young:
And, as I mused it in his antique tongue,
I saw, in gradual vision through my tears,
The sweet, sad years, the melancholy years,
Those of my own life, who by turns had flung
A shadow across me. Straightway I was 'ware,
So sweeping, how a mystic Shape did move
Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair;
And a voice said in mastery, while I strove,-
"Guess now who holds thee?"- "Death," I said. But, there,
The silver answer rang,- "Not Death, but Love."
~ Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning ~

"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but
in deed and in truth." ~ I John 3:18 ~

"Better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all." ~ St. Augustine ~

"I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all."  ~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson ~

"Love at first sight is easy to understand; it's when two people have been looking at each other for a lifetime that it becomes a miracle." ~ Amy Bloom ~

"The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for." ~ Allan K. Chalmers ~

"Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction." ~ Antoine De Saint-Exupery ~

"Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.
It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails."
~ I Corinthians 13:4-8 ~

"I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out." ~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning ~

"Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas." ~ Dale Evans ~

"Love comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." ~ I Timothy 1:5 ~


Until next time


Blessings ~ love ~ the love of God as evidenced through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior ~ work for our hands, love for our spirits ~ 

Thanks for visiting Thistle Cove Farm,
Sandra

Sabbath Keeping

"The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." ~ Numbers 6:24-26 ~

"If I have been of service, if I have glimpsed more of the nature and essence of ultimate good, if I am inspired to reach wider horizons of thought and action, if I am at peace with myself, it has been a successful day."  ~ Alex Noble ~
"Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict -- alternatives to passive or aggressive responses, alternatives to violence." ~ Dorothy Thompson ~

“Peace is not something you wish for; It's something you make, Something you do, Something you are, And something you give away.”    ~ Robert Fulghum ~
"Peace is not about the absence of conflict but the ability to deal with it." ~ author unknown ~

"I do not want the peace that passeth understanding. I want the understanding which bringeth peace."   ~ Helen Keller ~
 
"If you want to make peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies."
~ Moshe Dayan ~

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world
    gives do I give to you." ~ John 14:27 ~

 Until next time,

Blessings ~ understanding ~ wisdom ~ blessed peace, in our selves and in our homes ~

Sabbath Keeping

 ~ January 2010 Wolf Moon ~

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."
~ Psalm 51:7 ~

"As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool." ~ Proverbs 26:1 ~

 "Every one of our greatest national treasures, our liberty, enterprise, vitality, wealth, military power, global authority, flow from a surprising source: our ability to give thanks."  ~ Tony Snow ~
 
 "So comes snow after fire and even dragons have their ending." ~ J. R. R. Tolkien ~

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,

stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons.

It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags.

And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.

What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
~ Dr. Seuss ~

 "To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold." ~ unknown ~

Sabbath Keeping

~ morning breaks at Thistle Cove Farm ~

"Cast your cares upon Him, for He careth for you." ~ I Peter5:7 ~

"Love begins by taking care of the closest ones, the ones at home." ~ Mother Teresa ~

"A great many people seem to embalm their troubles. I always feel like running away when I see them coming. They bring out their old mummy, and tell you in a sad voice: "You don't know the troubles I have!"

My friends, if you go to the Lord with your troubles, He will take them away. Would you not rather be with the Lord and get rid of your troubles, than be with your troubles and without God? Let trouble come if it will drive us nearer to God.

It is a great thing to have a place of resort in the time of trouble. How people get on without the God of the Bible is a mystery to me. If I didn't have such a refuge, a place to go and pour out my heart to God in such times, I don't know what I would do. It seems as if I would go out of my mind. But to think, when the heart is burdened, we can go and pour it into His ear, and then have the answer come back, "I will be with him," there is comfort in that!

I thank God for the old Book. I thank God for this old promise. It is as sweet and fresh today as it has ever been. Thank God, none of those promises are out of date, or grown stale. They are as fresh and vigorous and young and sweet as ever." ~ D. L. Moody ~

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." ~ Thomas Jefferson ~

"Our principles are the springs of our actions. Our actions, the springs of our happiness or misery. Too much care, therefore, cannot be taken in forming our principles." ~ Red Skelton ~

 Until next time,

Blessings ~ another day above ground ~ good principles ~ the teachings of D. L. Moody ~ sunrise ~ hope ~ charity ~ 

Sabbath Keeping

~ Tower of London ~

 "They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to you." ~ Exodus 16:29 ~

"A world without a Sabbath would be like a man without a smile, like a summer without flowers, and like a homestead without a garden. It is the joyous day of the whole week." ~ Harriot Ward Beecher  ~

"Fresh glides the brook and blows the gale,
  Yet yonder halts the quiet mill;
    The whirring wheel, the rushing sail
      How motionless and still!
        Six days stern Labour shut the poor
          From nature's careless banquet-hall;
            The seventh, an Angel opes the door,
              And, smiling, welcomes all!"
   ~William Henry Lytton Earle Bulwer, Sir Henry Bulwer ~

"This will be a Sabbath day of complete rest for you, and on that day you must deny yourselves."
~ Leviticus 23:32 ~

"The seventh day this; the jubilee of man:
  London! right well thou know'st the day of prayer:
    Then thy spruce citizen, wash'd artisan,
      And smug apprentice gulp their weekly air:
        The coach of hackney, whiskey, one-horse chair,
          And humblest gig, through sundry suburbs whirl;
            To Hampstead, Brentford, Harrow, make repair;
              Till the tired jade the wheel forgets to hurl,
                Provoking envious gibe from each pedestrian churl. ~ Lord Bryon ~

"The Sundaies of man's life,
  Thredded together on time's string,
    Make bracelets to adorn the wife
      Of the eternal, glorious King.
        On Sunday heaven's gates stand ope;
          Blessings are plentiful and rife.
            More plentiful than hope."       ~ George Herbert ~

"The Sabbath is not a day to feast our bodies, but to feed our souls." ~ Marie Josephine ~

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." ~ Exodus 20:8 ~

"Sunday, that day so tedious to the triflers of earth, so full of beautiful reposes of calmness and strength for the earnest and heavenly minded." ~ Maria Jane McIntosh ~

"He that remembers not to keep the Christian Sabbath at the beginning of the week will be in danger to forget before the end of the week that he is a Christian." ~ Sir Edmund Turner ~

"O what a blessing is Sunday, interposed between the waves of worldly business like the divine path of the Israelites through Jordan! There is nothing in which I would advise you to be more strictly conscientious than in keeping the Sabbath day holy. I can truly declare that to me the Sabbath has been  invaluable." ~ Dr. Samuel Wilberforce ~

Sabbath Keeping

 ~ Maiden Spring, the Cove, Tazewell County, VA ~

"How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he mediates day and night.

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers."       ~ Psalms 1:1-3 ~

"I frequently tramped eight or ten miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beech-tree, or a yellow birch, or an old acquaintance among the pines."   
~ Henry David Thoreau ~

 "Do not be afraid of going out on a limb...that's where the fruit may be found." ~ proverb ~

"A tree falls the way it leans." ~ Bulgarian proverb ~

"Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit." ~ Matthew 12:33 ~

"He that planteth a tree is a servant of God, he provideth a kindness for many generations, and faces that he hath not seen shall bless him." ~ Henry van Dyke ~

until next time, 


Blessings ~ trees ~ travel ~ fruit ~ servant hood ~ seasons ~  

Sabbath Keeping

  "...and your strength will equal your days." ~ Deuteronomy 33:25 ~

"He that hath so many causes of joy, and so great, is very much in love with sorrow and peevishness, who loses all these pleasures, and chooses to sit down upon his little handful of thorns. Enjoy the blessings of this day, if God sends them, and the evils of it bear patiently and sweetly, for this day is only ours, we are dead to yesterday, and we are not yet born to the morrow. But if we look abroad, and bring into one day's thoughts the evil of many, certain and uncertain, what will be and what will never be, our load will be as intolerable as it is unreasonable."  ~ Jeremy Taylor ~

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
~ II Timothy 1:7 ~

"Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sin. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength."  ~ August Wilson ~

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." ~ Deuteronomy 31:6 ~

"Fear is a darkroom where negatives develop."  ~ unknown ~


"Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves - regret for the past and fear of the future."
~ unknown ~



"LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." ~ Psalm 16:5-8 ~

Until next time,


Blessings ~ faith ~ heat ~ nourishing food ~ a sunny day ~ joy ~ our allotment of days ~

Sabbath Keeping

~ Morris Knob ~

"I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly."  ~ Jesus Christ, KJV John 10:10 ~

Merry Christmas, until next time,

Blessings ~ life, abundant and full ~ Jesus Christ ~ Christmas ~ salvation ~ eternity ~

 

Christmas Eve

 ~ Nativity in Winston-Salem, NC ~

For more than fifty years, every Christmas eve, we've read the second chapter of Luke. Mom started this tradition when we were small children and I've continued it as an adult. It's just not Christmas without reading about Luke's account of the birth of Christ on Christmas eve.

Recently I read someone's account of the story and she wondered at the "non-essentials" of the story. That just goes to show how different we, all of us, including Christians, are one from another. For me, there are no "non-essentials", rather bits and pieces of the story not told but just as important, perhaps even more important.

Mary would have been a young girl; a young, pregnant girl not formally married to Joseph. Frankly, I don't think it was much different then as now. Ah, you know...the sly looks, the glances, the whispers at Mary and, probably and unfortunately, from the church ladies. The men would have been nudging Joseph, giving him "attaboy" pats on the back, proud looks that suggested coupling outside of marriage was something he should be proud of as opposed to something any beast of the field did. But probably not Mary's menfolk; they would have been angry their sister and daughter was in the family way prior to the wedding vows being spoken. Mary's mother would have, possibly, been heartbroken.

Are we, any of us, including Christians, any different today?

God forgive me, I am guilty.

These tales would have followed Jesus as he grew into manhood. People have long memories, especially when it comes to "bad news" and there would have still been whispers and sly looks. How did Jesus handle those whispers and looks? Did he become angry or was it then he learned to hold his tongue and bide his time? Was it then He learned how to forgive? How much it cost to forgive?

When Mary delivered her Son, who assisted as mid-wife? Who helped birth the baby? Who caught Jesus when he slipped from the birth canal?  It certainly wasn't Mary's mother; the woman who would have been there, holding her daughter's hand, wiping her brow, whispering words of endearment and encouragement. Was it Joseph? There's another stigma to overcome during the years ahead. Traditionally, men were kept from the birthing tent or room; that was the work of women alone and considered by the Jewish to be Very Unclean.

I've heard during the time of Christ, when poor people traveled, they wore their death shrouds under their robes. If misfortune befell them and they died, their robes would be sold for the money that would help bury them. So, they would be buried in their death shrouds thus preventing the corpse and family  from bearing the shame of a nude burial.

When Jesus was born, Mary wrapped him in swaddling clothes. It's been said those swaddling clothes was her death shroud, the first portent of the bitter end He came to fulfill some thirty plus years later. The Magi brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh and I've always thought Joseph used the gold to provide for his small family when they fled to Egypt to escape Herod's slaughter of the innocents. The frankincense and myrrh were used for both embalming and burnt as incense in religious worship but, as importantly, used to anoint newborns and infants.

When Mary pondered these things in her heart, do you think she made the associations? Do you think she was weeping as she wrapped her baby, the Christ child, in her death shroud and, now, His swaddling clothes? When the wise men brought their precious, expensive gifts, did Mary wonder at the association between life and death? Did she make that leap? And then, did she make that leap of faith, again, as when she had said, "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."

Mary, did you know?
 

¹And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
 ²(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
 ³And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
 ⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
 ⁵To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
 ⁶And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
 ⁷And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
 ⁸And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
 ⁹And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
 ¹⁰And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
 ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
 ¹²And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
 ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
 ¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
 ¹⁵And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
 ¹⁶And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
 ¹⁷And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
 ¹⁸And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
 ¹⁹But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
 ²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
 ²¹And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb."

Merry Christmas, until next time,

Blessings ~ Mary ~ Joseph ~ Jesus Christ ~ magi ~ angels ~ shepherds ~ room in a manger ~

Sabbath Keeping

~ olive wood creche, Mother brought from Israel thirty years ago ~

 " WHAT SHALL I GIVE AT CHRISTMAS?


Give Ear to those who cry for crumbs, fill their homely larders high, for Lo! the Joyful son's here-and Christmas comes!
Give Hands to those who need a guide, nor cast a thought of race or creed, sine Brotherhood is all worth while at Christmastide.
Give Steps to those who cannot plod on their own errands to and fro above the crisp December sod as others go.
Give Thought to what you best can do to cheer the heart and soothe the mind and make the world seem good and kind to those less fortunate than you.
Give Smiles to all whose weary load brings gloom and ain and gray despair, and bends them low o'er life's steep road; for smiles with them are rare.
Give Knowledge to the dull, untaught, for some there are who do not know with what our Christmastide is fraught; and speak of Him, the Manger born, beneath the Eastern Star's pale glow.
Give Courage to the fearing band that needs the clasp of friendly hand, and cheering smile and all good will; give courage, then, to such as they this day.
Give Heed to others and their need. They know, they feel, the have desire; nor is it what you think is best, but rather what they most require, that you should give and do and say on Christmas Day.
Give Laughter--not the scornful sort, but laughter that abounds with happy, wholesome, merrry sounds, and so infectious as to bring a like retort.
Give Heart--the heart that beats for all upon this day; the heart that greets the lowly and the high; the heart that glows with sympathy and knows but love for those who pass you by.
Give Joy to all--it may be bread for one, or just a smile, or yet a simple toy, or words of praise or even gold--but give them all and you will give but joy. --Selected

"For
God so loved the world, that He gave His
Only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not
Perish, but have
Everlasting
Life."--John 3:16.

There is, in this one verse, the Gsopel; [sic] both materially and spiritually. One can gain sufficient knowledge from this

                               GOSPEL-IN-ONE-VERSE
                                           for eternal salvation"

~ recently found in a torn section of 1929 newsprint, author not credited ~

"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you." ~ Isaiah 60:1~

Merry Christmas and until next time,

Blessings ~ excellent poetry ~ Christmas ~ yet more rain for a thirsty Earth ~ warmer weather ~ low winds ~ a God who loves us, each and every one! ~

Sabbath Keeping

~ Maple tree, side yard ~ 

 
"Blessed be the Child who today delights Bethlehem,
Blessed be the Newborn who today made humanity young again.
Blessed be the Fruit who bowed Himself down for our hunger.
Blessed be the Gracious One who suddenly enriched all of our poverty and filled our need.
Blessed be He whose mercy inclined Him to heal our sickness.
Blessed is He whom freedom crucified, when He permitted it.
Blessed is He whom also the wood bore, when He allowed it.
Blessed is He whom even the grave enclosed, when He set limits to Himself.
Blessed is He whose will brought Him to the womb and to birth and to the bosom and to growth.
Blessed is He whose changes revived our humanity.
Blessed is He who engraved our soul and adorned and bethrothed her to Him.
Blessed is He who made our body a Tabernacle for His hiddenness.
Blessed is He who with our tongue interpreted His secrets."

~ St. Ephraem the Syrian ~

"He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all He created." ~ James 1:18 ~

"Grace strikes us when we are in great pain and restlesness...Sometimes at that moment a wave of light breaks intou our darkness, and it is as though a voice were saying: "You are accepted."

~ Paul Tillich ~

"I walked a mile with Pleasure,
  She chattered all the way,
But left me none the wiser
  For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorryw
  And ne'er a word said she,
But oh, the thyings I learned from her
  When Sorrow walked with me!"

~ Robert Browning Hamilton ~

 "Devotion is really neither more nor less than a general inclination and readiness to do that which we know to be acceptable to God. ... To be truly devout, we must not only do God's will, but we must do it cheerfully.

~ Francis De Sales ~

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." ~ Colossians 3:2 ~

Until next time,

Blessings ~ Christmas Season ~ God's Holy Word ~ wise men and women ~ poetry ~ choices ~
 

Sabbath Keeping

~ His sheep know His voice, John 10:1-10 ~

"The joy of the Lord is your strength." ~ Nehemiah 8:9 ~

 

"A happy life must be to a great extent a quiet life, for it is only in an atmosphere of quiet that true joy can live." ~ Bertrand Russell ~

 

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."  ~ Galations 5:22 ~

"For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~


"Learn to enjoy what you do; rather than do what you enjoy. It is not always possible to do things that one enjoys. But if you learn the art of joyful living, even seemingly boring chores can bring you joy."   ~ Author Unknown ~



"We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world." ~ Helen Keller ~



"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?" ~ Kahil Gibran ~


"Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of joy you must have somebody to divide it with." ~ Mark Twain ~

"Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning."  ~ Psalms 30:5 ~

Until next time,

Blessings ~ joy ~ a full life ~ friends ~ sunshine ~ everyday miracles ~ quiet ~

Sabbath Keeping

 

 ~ Live Within Your Harvest, church sign ~

 

"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
~ I Timothy 6:9-10 ~

"Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time."
~ John Rohn ~
  ~

"Make money your god and it will plague you like the devil." -~ Henry Fielding ~

" But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth." 
~Deuteronomy 8:18 ~

"What difference does it make how much you have? What you do not have amounts to much more." - ~ Seneca ~

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." ~ Luke 12:34 ~


"Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like."  ~ Will Smith ~

  "The art of living easily as to money is to pitch your scale of living one degree below your means."
~ Sir Henry Taylor ~

Until next time,

Blessings ~ harvest ~ time ~ money as a tool ~ church signs ~ what you already have ~
 

Sabbath Keeping

"And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."  ~ Psalms 73:25-26 ~

"No coward soul is mine,

No trembler in the world's storm-troubled sphere:

I see heaven's glories shine,

And faith shines equal, arming me from fear.

O God within my breast,

Almighty, ever-present Deity!

Life-that in me has rest,

As I-undying Life-have power in Thee!"

~ Emily Bronte ~

"I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praises to the name of the Lord Most High." ~ Psalms 7:17 ~

Still creating, still inspiring,

Never of thy creatures tiring;

Artist of thy solar spaces;

And thy humblehuman face;

Mighty glooms and splendors voicing;

In thy plastic work rejoicing;

Through benignant law connecting

Best with best-and all perfecting,

Though all human races claim to thee,

Thought and language fail to name thee,

Mortal lips be dumb before thee,

Silence only may adore thee!

~ Christopher Pearse Cranch ~

"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him..."  ~ Psalms 37:7 ~

"To get alone - to dare to be alone  - with God, this, I am persuaded, is one of the best ways of doing anything in the world...If we are ever to be or to do anything, if we are ever to be full of deep, permanent, rational enthusiasm, we must know God. ...If we are ever to know each other, we must know Him first. ...I believe that we do most for those whom God as begun to teach us to love, not by constantly thinking of their goodness, their grace, their simplicity, but by never thinking of them apart from God, by always connecting their beauty and purity with a higher Beauty and a higher Purity, by seeing God in them. Let us learn to make every thought of admiration and love a kind of prayer of intercession and thanksgiving. Thus human love will correct itself with, and find its root in, divine love. But this we can do only if we are willing to be alone with Him."  ~ Forbes Robinson ~

"O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago."  ~ Isaiah 25:1 ~

Until next time,


Blessings - another beautiful day ~ perfection in His love ~ O Lord, you are my God ~ Autumn ~ perfect faithfulness ~ perfect will ~ divine love ~

Sabbath Keeping

~ walnut tree in back pasture ~

"Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him, my savior and my God."

~ Psalms 42:11 ~

"I praise Thee while my days go on,
I have Thee while my days go on:
Through dark and dearth, through fire and frost,
With emptied arms and treasure lost,
I thank Thee while my days go on."

~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning ~

"O Jesus

Be the canoe that holds me in the sea of life.

Be the steer that keeps me straight.

Be the outrigger that supports me in times of great temptation,

Let thy spirit be my sail that carries me through each day.

Keep my body strong,

so that I may paddle steadfastly on,

in the long voyage of life."

~ A New Hebridean Prayer ~

"Though this patient, meek resignation is to be exercised with regard to all outward things and occurrences of life, yet it chiefly respects our own inward state, the troubles, perplexities, weaknesses, and disorders of our own souls. And to stand turned to a patient, meek, humble resignation to God, when your own impatience, wrath, pride, and irresignation attack yourself, is a higher and more beneficial performance of this duty, than when you stand turned to meekness and patience, when attacked by the pride, or wrath, or disorderly passions of other people."

~ William Law ~

"When none but God is near,

I love to think on mercies past,

And future good implore,

And all my cares and sorrows cast

On him whom I adore."

~ Anonymous ~

"Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you." I Peter 5:7

~ the view from our back yard ~

Until next time,

Blessings ~ Christ ~ another day to praise His name ~ hope in God alone ~ light for the way ~ prayer ~ past mercies ~ the gift of today ~