Christ, our Ultimate Strength and Resource

While taking my walk out in the cool brisk air of the afternoon

I knew when I got home that it was time to write this post.

The psalmist wrote that

"the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord" (Psalm 37:23).

God not only lovingly orders our steps but also our stops.

The apostle Paul experienced successive divine "stops"

while on his missionary journey within Asia Minor.

The Holy Spirit prevented him and his missionary team

from going to the western and northern reaches,

but instead led them to the northwest, to Troas.

God met him there with unmistakable instructions.

You can read about it in (Acts 16:5-10)

The New Year brings with it many changes, doesn't it?

For many years now I have enjoyed bringing in the New Year

quietly sitting at the feet of Jesus near the fire

and listening to my Savior speak through His Holy Word.

This year we had the joy of spending New Years Eve

with Stephanie and her family.

Instead of sitting at the feet of Jesus,

Stephanie brought in the New Year playing hymns on her piano,

and oh... it was divine.

Before the clock struck midnight, Stephanie and I sat in

her craft room and talked while the men were playing crokinole.

Our fellowship was bittersweet, as we talked about my blogging.

My plan was to e-mail some of you and just share with you

where I am at right now, but felt I owed it to you all

to share a post.

I have met so many precious woman through this blog

and each one of you have become my dear, dear friends.

You have been gracious in following along with me

even when I have not been as faithful ~ thank you!

My steps are being ordered by the Lord,

and the Spirit is not permitting me to continue with blogging

at least for a little while.

When you're a child of God, you know when the Spirit is speaking, don't you?

We hear Him speaking, but often times it is the yielding part

that can be so difficult. 
As much as I do not want to, I know I need to stop for awhile.

It was in May of 2013 while working with Hospice and Home Care

that I found myself dealing with an inner ear/balance disorder caused by a bacterial infection.

After much therapy I was diagnosed with Vestibular-Labynthitis
which has left me with some challenges.

One of the things I was told to be careful of, was the computer

or any technical device such as my phone,

which I tend to use a lot as my computer. 

My dear Stephanie is always having to remind

me that when I begin to feel over loaded while on the computer

I'm to quit. Left to myself...I forget what the therapist 

has told me as this condition also brought with it some memory loss. ha!

I have had to learn to make many adjustments

over the past couple of years

and when you are the type of person who is a goer (like myself)

those adjustments can be hard to swallow. 

  

Stephanie said it best while we sat and shared our hearts,

"mom, you need to reboot".

In her wisdom...she was conformation as to what the Lord had already

pressed upon my heart some weeks ago, 
and I knew it was time to rest awhile. 
As well as needing some rest from my blogging

my husband and I have a situation that requires

a great deal of our time and I need to set myself aside for that,

and so... this seems to be the "stop" that God has for me.

"I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord"

God's plans are far better than my own.

 "God's thoughts are not my thoughts,

neither are His ways my ways".

Therefore, I will "wait upon the Lord and trust Him completely".

It's all about trusting Christ, Who is our strength and resource.

I will trust in the Almighty God,

who cares about every little detail of my life

and know that He is looking after my own good.

My blog will remain open and as the Lord leads

I will return with a rested and "rebooted" soul

full of God's glorious energy that comes from heaven above.

I may come knocking at your door periodically 

so as to soak in your grace and loveliness.
And please~feel free to contact me.

Paul's joy could not be snuffed out by his circumstances,

but it came from his trust in God's provision;

he could be happy in abundance or in scarcity, 

for he knew that Christ was his ultimate strength and resource.

(Philippians 4:10-13)

******

Gracious Heavenly Father,
thank you for Your love and care for us.
We know that we can find rest in You
no matter what may come into our lives.
 Cause us to be so sensitive to Your Spirit,
that we hear the whisper of Your voice
as You speak tenderly to our hearts,
and may we yield completely
and wholeheartedly trusting
that You desire only our best. 
Amen.

Be Gracious!
~ Debbie ~

The scenery in these photos are where we are blessed to live.
The photos of the road is where I walk daily with the Lord.
God bless you!

Life Is Fragile

Life is fragile ~ these were the words of my

dear husband one morning

as we sat talking about life ~ life as

it now is after loosing  my dad.

"When you're young you know life is fragile,

you just don't know how fragile it really is

until you get older to appreciate it."

For some time now I have been pondering life,

but since my dad was called home to be with 

the Lord, my thoughts have run deep.

I shared from Ecclesiastes 3

in my last post
"To everything there is a season,
and each season (or time of life) will soon pass.
There really is a time limit
on everything in this life,
and time belongs to God.

~****~

I am reminded of Ephesians 5:15-17
"See that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools,
but as wise, redeeming the time,
because the days are evil.
Wherefore, be ye not unwise, but understanding
what the will of the Lord is."

God has numbered each person's days.
"So teach us to number our days,
that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."
(Psalm 90:12)
~ You may want to read verses 7 through 12 of Psalm 90 ~
Events can take place in our lives
which can cause us to seriously reflect on our life.
God's Word teaches us to take inventory regarding
how we are spending our days.
There's no going back.
Because our lifetimes are limited,
we should view each day as a precious gift
to be lived wisely and according to the will of God.
Time on this earth is short,
and as God's people we are to invest
our days so they will count for eternity
and to the glory of God.

"Lord make me to know my end,
and what is the measure of my days,
that I may know how frail I am.
Indeed You have made my days as handbreadths,
and my age is as nothing before You;
Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor."
(Psalm 39:4&5)
I researched  "handbreadths" and it is
the measure from the thumb to the little finger.
WOW! How descriptive in showing us how short
our lives really are!

~****~

James 4:14 is so clear ~
For what is your life?
We do not know what will happen tomorrow.
We are as a vapor that appears for a little while
and then vanishes away.
We have no certainty of tomorrow.
"As for man, his days are like grass;
as a flower of the field,
so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it,
and it is gone."
(Psalm 103:15&16)
Life is fragile ~ the Psalmist David in Psalm 39
knew how frail he was.
One day we're "flourishing" and the next we're "gone"

Are we living our lives redeeming the time
and understanding what the will of the Lord is?
Are we making every moment count for God?
Is there sweetness on our lips as we speak to others,
for they could be our last words spoken?
~
"Lord make me to know my end."
If we only knew what the next moment held for us in our lives,
would we do things differently?
I'm sure we could all say we would.
Oh Lord, help us to live as if this moment was our last,
and all to Your glory ~ Because there is no going back.

On the night before my dad's open heart surgery
all things were as usual.
Dad went and prepared himself for bed,
except, this night he wasn't feeling well.
He was weak and slow moving, quite tired
by the time his head reached his pillow.
I stood at his bedside and spoke words of comfort trying to encourage him
and reassuring him that due to his heart condition
that was likely why he was so tired.
Mom was next to use the bathroom, and then myself.
Their bathroom was off their bedroom
in their cute and cozy little winter getaway
where I stayed when visiting.
After getting ready for bed myself ~ I walked
through their bedroom, stopped and said my
good-night words of love ~ gave good-night kisses and hugs,
then turned out the lights believing my dad
was going to be a "new man"
with a new heart after his successful surgery the following day.

James tells us that we "know not what shall be on the morrow."
I'm thankful mom and dad didn't go to bed that evening
without my good-night love for them.
But had I known what the future held,
and that my dad would not wake up from the surgery,
would I have said more? Would I have taken extra time with him?
God doesn't allow us a glimpse into the future ~
But He does command us to live our lives
to His glory.
"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink,
or whatsoever ye do,
do all to the glory of God."
(1Corinthians 10:31)
Therefore ~ make every moment count for all eternity.

"But our God is in the heavens;
he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased."
We praise Your Holy Name,
Precious Heavenly Father.
Teach us to number our days
and grant us understanding of what
Your will is for our lives
so that we may bring honor and glory to Your name.
We know that life is short, therefore,
may our hearts be tender to this life You have blessed us with
and those around us.
Amen.

Joy!
~ Debbie ~ 


I'm joining the party with Stephanie at
Roses of Inspiration