Preparing to go

It's time again for our twice yearly trip to the Chicago area to visit my Mom and Dad. We drive 3/4 of the way to the airport in Winnipeg tonight. Tomorrow morning we will gather with others we can now call friends at the Vineyard in Portage La Prairie to worship and pray. Then we will finish the drive, do a bit of shopping and fly out in the late afternoon.

As Rick worked today I tended to the things that must be done before we go. I drove Faith to the kennel where she will be well taken care of until we return. I have packed, checking and rechecking to be sure we have the essentials we need. Because I always like to come home to a clean, freshly made bed, I stripped the linens this morning and replaced them with crisp fresh sheets. I washed and dried the sheets and then neatly folded, I placed them back in the linen closet.

Keeping busy seems to distract me from the thoughts whirling in my mind. What will Dad be like when we go to the care home to visit? How tired and weak will Mom be as she greets us with a hug and kiss tomorrow night? Will her biopsy scheduled for next week give the doctors any more information than the last (read about that here)?

Okay.. deep breath..pause.. remember that I serve a very big God.

I am jumping into Your arms Father, bringing all my worries with me to surrender to Your care. All I need do is abide in Your love and allow that love to work in me and through me. Have Your way, Lord God in all that I say and all that I do, that I would diminish as You expand. Give me words, Holy Spirit to speak to those dear to me that do not yet know You, that they might taste of the peace that comes from walking hand in hand with Jesus. It is in His name I pray.

Garden mystery

As you approach our yard site there is a spot where the soil was not good for vegetables, so we decided to allow wildflowers and other invasive perennials to take over. It is the "gone wild" garden. Yesterday I noticed these spikey purplish-blue flowers. I have been searching online trying to learn what they might be, yet they still remain a mystery. The closest match I've found so far is wild lupins, but the petals are somewhat different. If anyone reading has a better answer, please share.

This flower is in one of the flower beds that surround the front south side of the house. It is a dianthus (sweet William). The lacey green frills are from a cosmos plant behind it. I love the way the pink and white petals look almost like angel wings.

It is comforting assurance that the Word gives us about angels surrounding us

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:11-12 NIV

His Beloved

Earlier this week I penned the following in a book of encouragement I keep for my husband. I believe the words are true, not just for Rick, but for all of us who name Jesus as our Lord.

Beloved, you are, of the Lord.
His favourite.
His chosen one.

Redeemed, you were, by the Lord.
By His sacrifice.
By His blood.

Sanctified, you are, by the Lord.
By His holiness.
By His purity.

Claimed, you have been, by the Lord.
For His plans.
For His purposes.

Blessed, you are, by the Lord.
To live fruitfully.
For His glory.

But now, this is what the LORD says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
Isaiah 43:1

Flowers or weeds?

"Unless we know the difference between flowers and weeds, we are not fit to take care of a garden. It is not enough to have truth planted in our minds. We must learn and labor to keep the ground clear of thorns and briars, follies and perversities, which have a wicked propensity to choke the word of life."
Clyde Francis Lytle

This quote arrived in my husband's email this morning and I have been pondering it all day. These words are not only true of our gardens but our spiritual lives. We must learn to be obedient to the Word as we clear away the rubbish of the world that clutters our paths. The Holy Spirit reminded me of words spoken by James:

Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.

James 1:22-24 The Message

Word Filled Wednesday for August 5th

Welcome to Word-Filled Wednesday. The purpose of Word filled Wednesday is to share God’s word (no famous quotes or other literature — only the beautiful word of our Father) through photos and a Bible verse.

Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverb 22:6

This week's host is Penny at pennyraine.com

In Other Words - Choices

Kathryn at Expectant Hearts is hosting this weeks In Other Words and chose this quote:

Relying on God has to begin all over again every day

as if nothing had yet been done.
C.S. Lewis

Choices. Every day we are faced with the opportunity and the responsibility to make choices. Every day we can speak blessings or curses over our life and the lives of our loved ones. We can declare hope or we can prophesy disaster.

My marriage wouldn’t thrive if I did not choose every day to love, honour and respect my husband. I can’t store up points from yesterday’s actions. I cannot ignore, neglect or hurt a friend then say, “It doesn’t matter because I was kind to you last week.”

It is surely no different with our God. Each day we must make a deliberate choice to worship and adore Him. Each day we must choose to receive His love for us. Each day we must crawl back upon the altar and offer Him our lives.

The first thing my husband and I do as we wake every morning is pray, agreeing with the Lord that we are dead to our flesh and alive in Him, asking that His Holy Spirit fill us, lead us and that His will would be done in and through us. Yes, we might have died yesterday, but our flesh yearns to rise up again today.

Choices. A fresh start with each new day. Make the choice. Choose life. Choose Jesus!

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!

Deuteronomy 30:19 NLT

Birthday Gifts

Rick and I spent the day with dear friends yesterday to celebrate my birthday. We were treated to a delicious dinner in nearby Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park, followed by a walk about town, and a drive to drool over some of the cottages on the lake. Yes, I know we are not to covet what others possess, it was all in good fun!

As we were turning out of town onto the highway that runs through the park we noticed lots of cars pulled over on the side of the road. This usually means that someone has seen an animal of some sort, and eventhough it was the wrong direction we turned to join the growing crowd.

We immediately sighted the cause of all the commotion. A mama bear and three cubs were browsing along the tree line at the side of the road.

Even with all the cars and noise and people moving about, we were able to sit, watch, wait, drive slowly along and follow them for more than 30 minutes as they nibbled berries, and ripped apart dead branches seeking ants (a favourite food).

It is quite unusual for a bear with cubs to remain visible for that long, a rare treat for all of us that we decided was a birthday gift from my Heavenly Father!

When the mama finally led her family back into the trees we turned to head for home. We stopped yet again at an area on the north shore of the lake and found some loons peacefully swimming about. Another gift.

We continued the drive home and noticed this stunning young buck with velvet on his small antlers. Rare to see, yes? Another gift? Indeed. My Father must have been taking pleasure in delighting me.

I thank You Lord God for the joy You gave to us. A day set apart for fellowship and fun and time to wonder again at the glory of all You have created.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,

and comes down from the Father of lights,

with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning."

James 1:17 NKJV