One day at a time

One day at a time  by Bill MacDonald

"Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many
things; But one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen
that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
Luke 10:41-42.

Mary sat quietly at Jesus' feet and heard His word. Martha
was flustered and upset in her service, and resented the
fact that Mary didn't pitch in to help. The Lord Jesus
didn't correct Martha for her service but for the spirit in
which she was doing it. Also there is a suggestion that
Martha' priorities were wrong; she shouldn't have put
service above worship.

Many of us are like Martha. We are achievers, who would
rather be doing than sitting. We pride ourselves on being
organized, efficient, able to accomplish. We are so
preoccupied with our work that our morning Bible reading is
often interrupted by the memory of sixty things that have to
be done. Our prayers tend to be helter-skelter because our
mind wanders from Dan to Beersheba, planning out the day. It
is easy for us to resent it when others don't grab a towel
and help. We feel that everyone should be doing what we are
doing.

Then there are those who are like Mary. They are lovers.
Their lives exude affection for others. To them people are
more important than pots and pans. One Person in particular
is the Object of their affection. They are not lazy, though
it might seem that way to us Martha's. It's just that they
have different priorities.

We ourselves appreciate a person who is warm and loving more
than one who is coldly capable and efficient. Our hearts are
captured by a child who showers us with hugs and kisses more
than by one who is too busy with his toys to pay much
attention to us.

Someone has well said that God is more interested in our
worship than in our service; the heavenly Bridegroom is
wooing a bride, not hiring a servant.

Christ never asks of us such busy labor

As leaves no time for sitting at His feet

The patient attitude of expectation

He often counts a service most complete.

Mary chose that good part, which shall not be taken away
from her. May we all do the same!

From ONE DAY AT A TIME daily devotional by Bill MacDonald.

Happenings in my home...

(July 2011)

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
~Psalms 127:3-5 


“The same Jesus Who turned water into wine can transform your home, your life, your family, and your future. He is still in the miracle-working business, and His business is the business of transformation.”  
~ Adrian Rogers


“A man ought to live so that everybody knows he is a Christian… and most of all, his family ought to know.” 
 ~ D. L. Moody



                      Mum and Jonathan found  this turtle on the road a few days ago and rescued it from the path of oncoming vehicles. 

 

                               
                                                        British and American flags.
                              The blue and white flag is the Israeli flag to remind us to pray for Israel.

 
              I just started reading "The God Who is There" by Francis Schaeffer. It is an excellent book.

                                  This cat has been hanging out by our back door, and we have been feeding her.
                                  Last week we found that she had 3 kittens in our back yard!

Two of the adorable kittens.

To everything there is a season

To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:

 A time to be born,
    And a time to die;
A time to plant,
    And a time to pluck what is planted;
 A time to kill,
    And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
    And a time to build up;
 A time to weep,
    And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
    And a time to dance;
 A time to cast away stones,
    And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
    And a time to refrain from embracing;
 A time to gain,
    And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
    And a time to throw away;
 A time to tear,
    And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
    And a time to speak;
 A time to love,
    And a time to hate;
A time of war,
    And a time of peace.

The God-Given Task

 What profit has the worker from that in which he labors?  I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

 I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.

 I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.
 That which is has already been,
And what is to be has already been;
And God requires an account of what is past.

~Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 

Wildflowers

These beautiful flowers are growing right now in profusion. We drive by them whenever we go out to orchestra and band practice, if we are going to work at the Lifehouse, or just running errands. I have been meaning to get some pictures of them for a few weeks now, and a few nights ago, I finally got my chance! The lighting was a little low as it was late afternoon, so the pictures turned out soft and muted, but I rather like the effect.


I have been reading in James lately and a few verses talk about the rich man being as the flower that fades. (James 1:9-11) There is also a passage in James 4:14-15 that talks about how we plan our lives and we don't even know what will happen tomorrow. What folly! Instead we should say, Lord Willing, I will do this or that. It was a good reminder to me, that I can't and don't need to try to control circumstances. The Lord has everything in His perfect control. 


^"Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 


~James 4:13-15 

 ^"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."

 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;  but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,  but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." 

~1 Corinthians 1:18-25

We are called to be salt and light in this world of turmoil and pain. A great CD that I have enjoyed listening to is called "Salt and Light" by the Bontrager Family Singers. 

 Christianity today is being attacked in all corners of the globe. Christians in North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, The Maldives, Uzbekistan, Africa, and China are being persecuted for their faith in Christ. These are only a few countries. Go here for a complete list of countries hostile to Christianity. 

So my final thoughts are these:

As Christians we should be salt and light.

we should share the Gospel through words and our lives.

 We don't know what will happen tomorrow.

We shouldn't try to plan our lives without asking the Lord's guidance.

There are many "wise" in earthly things, in this age of technology, 

but not many wise in the things of eternal matters.

Our souls will live forever, do we as Christians live in light of eternity? 

Do we care enough for the lost to tell them about the Savior, who loves them and died for them?

I encourage you to be bold, courageous and faithful in proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ. (I am speaking to myself also here.) 

 ^"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

"The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.”

~Isaiah 40:8

new life- a poem

a fresh, spring leaf,
unfurling on the branch.
symbol of life,
symbol of hope,
a heart, symbol of love.

points to a love above,
a love, greater than all love on earth,
a love sacrificial,
forever,
never diminishing or fading,

a Savior who gave His all,
so that we could have life,
fresh life,
new life,
life eternal and,
experience life in its fullest.

Praise be to Him who died for us and rose again! 

Friends

 beautiful strawberries from my sister's garden.

precious baby

                           Some friends of ours came by and we got to see their new baby. Such a treat!

                           

cute little feet. :-) 

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.

Psalm 127:3 

self portrait

Whom having not seen we love....

Lord's Day, April 15, 2012 DAILY READINGS: Leviticus 23:1-22; Psalms 132-134; Mark 8:27 to 9:13 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb… and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. Matthew 27:59-60 A linen cloth! A new tomb! A great stone! These few words tell the story of our Lord’s burial. His last garment was a clean linen cloth. Man’s last gift to Him was a new rock-hewn tomb. There was a last glimpse of Him before the great stone closed the door of the sepulchre. Those who love Him now wait for their first glimpse of Him, whom, having not seen, we love. —Jim Flanigan Face to face shall I behold Him, Far beyond the starry sky; Face to face in all His glory, I shall see Him by and by. —C. E. Breck (from the Choice Gleanings daily calendar.) Choice Gleanings

Thoughts....

This morning, I mowed some grass, and pulled some sticky weeds from among the daylilies. The weather was perfect for gardening work. Blue skies. A nice breeze with just enough sun shining from behind the clouds to warm my blond hair.

After weeding, I played piano for an hour or so. So much fun! Selections included, "Hava Nagila," "Sonatina in C" by Muzio Clementi (1752-1832), "Theme from 2nd Movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5" (This is not a typical Beethoven piece, it is nice and peaceful, not so loud and gloomy like his normal works are.)z I have recently started studying from Hanon's "The Virtuoso Pianist" as well. (Not that I am a virtuoso!) :-) The exercises in that book are actually nice to play and relaxing. :-) Then I played some old fashioned hymns from "Hymns of Truth and Praise." I am currently practicing #212 "Blessed Quietness", #380"Leaning on the Everlasting Arms", and #416 "I've Found a Friend."  The hymns, "Blessed Quietness" and "I've Found a Friend" have fast become new favorites of mine! I am also enjoying "Before the Throne of God Above" and "The Power of the Cross"("Oh, to See the Dawn). I really like just sitting down and playing songs that I have heard a few times and playing them by ear. I can play a few of The Josties' songs, and The Booher Brothers as well. The Lord has truly blessed me with musical talent. I only hope I am using His talent for His Glory!

Okay enough about piano. Sorry, all you non-piano players out there who possibly read my blog. :-)

After I played piano I got the mail and sat outside in the sun (getting my Vitamin D!) and read the latest issue of WORLD magazine. Today has been a thoroughly nice day. :-)

What did you do today? :-)