the Word gives life!

"The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent." -2 Peter 3:9

I have been talking with Mom and Tricia about the intensity that we feel regarding the imminent return of Jesus. I personally wonder WHY THE HECK He has not come before now; the earth is in a sad state. But the Church is not purified and spotless. And I feel an urgency that The Church must repent and turn from our wicked ways so that God can do His work in our homes, churches, country, and world.

I think of own family member(s) and loved ones who have not accepted Christ as their Savior. They know about Him in their head, but do not believe and trust in His saving grace. 

His life has not affected their life in a momentous way.

I cringe to think of all the students I have taught, those with whom I did not aggressively witness to of His saving power. "I am 'Jesus with skin on.' People can see Jesus in me!" was my mantra for long long. Too ignorantly long. :-(

When Tricia's friend L died in February, we felt like God was kicking us in the pants to get us moving and to work. His work.

I think of missionaries on the foreign field. With good intentions they go out in the name of the Lord, but they end up living a life of colonization or occupation, neglecting to really reach out to everyone that their lives touch in the name of Christ. And then there are the few who are doing His work in His name, reaching a few or a multitude with the Gospel. The truth.

Desperate times demands desperate measures.

Taking into consideration cultural norms, we MUST see and feel and act on our Great Commission. Otherwise we are neglectful and worthless servants of the Most High God.

But what do we really KNOW about our God?

I challenge myself. And consequently I challenge you, my reader. Find out who God really is through His Word. We perish for lack of instruction. All the instruction that we need is located in one Book. One Book with one Author. And if we neglect it, we end up creating a god in our own image, according to what we think He is or should be. Very small and impotent indeed.

I know that this is aggravating and angering to Him.

"You can't just understand the Bible with your mind alone, your spirit must enter into it, because it is written for your spirit to understand."

"It's Author is the only writer in the universe in the universe who can possibly know the truth about any of of the subjects named (worthy to study)."

"Now if you can bring to this study a belief in the Book that we are to take up, you will be able to enter deeper into the things of which it tells. But if not, you will only see the things which are on the surface. I do not mean an intellectual belief that comes from being convinced that the Book is logically true; I mean a will to accept every statement the Book gives. If you can do that you will have a key that will unlock a great many secret and beautiful treasures of knowing and wisdom that have been placed there for only those who believe. And if you can do that honestly, I can promise you that the proof of its truth will later be shown to you."

~Grace Livingston Hill, in The Prodigal Girl

Have mercy on us, Lord! And teach us to hear and obey you!

i never knew you

"Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down , and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them , I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." -Matthew 7:17-23

I can't understand the spiritual audacity of people who use the name of God to excuse living lives of sin, wickedness, and iniquity. I try to wrap my head around it, and I can't. I want to yell and scream and cry and grieve for the state of the Church. The state of decay of the believers I know is disconcerting. And I know how we got here.

We have not sought the face of God.

We have not practiced "perseverance of the saints."

We have not worked out our faith.

We Christians are supposed to be running a race towards the mark of the HIGH CALLING of Christ. The Olympic trails have been running on tv all week. I see the track and field athletes, and hear their stories of dedication and sacrifice.

We as the Church are going to have to experience so much purification if Jesus is going to come back any time soon!

In the above passage, Jesus was speaking to the multitudes and specifically to His disciples. He was talking to the people who were closest to Him.

I want to be one of those whose ears are open and heart is set to obey.

I don't want my life's works to be burnt up. If "wonderful works" can be counted as naught, that is a serious deal to consider.
Seriously.

"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." -Philippians 2:12

eucharisteo

117. The smell of freshly-cut grass

118. The delighted squeals of the nieces as they enjoy the yard

119. Amber-colored sweet tea, sitting in a glass jug on my kitchen counter

120. Delicious silver king corn, served hot with butter and salt

121. Slender green asparagus

122. Marigolds blooming in this June heat

123. Bags of chocolate brown mulch to cut down on weeding

124. The wet whisper of the sprinkler, watering the garden this evening

125. Citronella candles to ward off unwanted bugs

126. A peaceful Sunday

127. Fresh smell of laundered towels

128. Room in my storage cubicle for bedroom cast-offs

129. Getting my room vacuumed thoroughly today

130. Time to laze on my bed, enjoying the dying embers of the evening's sun rays

131. Finding my sister's secret blog, finally ;-)

132. Grace for the week coming


"Give thanks to the Lord! His Love Endures Forever!"

everlasting arms

“I tread no path in life to Him unknown,

I lift no burden, bear no pain, alone;

My soul a calm, sure hiding place has found:

The everlasting arms my life surround.”

~Robert Browning, from “God, Thou Art Love“

thanks

96. A good movie to watch at the theater, with no bad language or explicit scenes

97. Reasonable tickets for an evening of worship with John Mark McMillan

98. Laughter over dinner with old friends

99. Energy and health (when I need it) to clean the house

100. Two grumpy and stubborn little girls to train and teach

101. Bright marigolds blooming in this heat

102. Fist-sized tomatoes on the vine, right in my own backyard!

103. A crystal-clear pool to cool off in at the end of the day

104. Finally fitting back into a fav pair of denim shorts

105. Summertime...to enjoy reading without the stress of hurrying

106. Lemon-pepper seasoning

107. The best-friendship of a dear sister

108. The pleasant smell of Swiffer mopping solution that lingers in a cleaned room

109. Sciatic relief after an acupressure appointment with Dr. Hendricks

110. A delicious Cobb salad at Panera with Mom, on the road back from Ft. Walton Beach

111. A peaceful trip with pleasant conversation

112. Finding a beautiful nautilus shell at Seashell City in Navarre on our way home

113. The delight that cowrie shell turtles and wedding bubbles bring to two adorable toddlers

114. A relaxing and much-needed massage this afternoon

115. Rain, that ruins my beach plans but saves me garden water

116. For Mr. Ziel's delivery of heaps of free dirt to fill the old fish pond hole, a HUGE answer to prayer!



"Give thanks to the Lord! His Love Endures Forever!"

summertime, and the livin' is easy

It is the first week of my blessed summer!!!
I have not worked a bit, no siree! ;-P
Just cleaned the main part of the house from top to bottom- laundry room, playroom, family room, ad my bedroom. And all my paper clutter and piles of files, mail, bills, finances, and what-not are G-O-N-E.

The month of May was a blur for sure! So many days, packed to the brim with activity and busy-ness. Graduation for CIAS's fifteenth graduating class went off with precision and little-to-no drama. We chose to "go smaller" with the after-reception, and that worked out very well. Twenty-one seniors this year...time flies on. This year's end-of-school activity was a trip to Adventure Island in Orange Beach. We all had amped-up fun with arcades, laser tag, go carts, and bumper boats. The kids had a blast, judging from their numerous FB posts!

All this spring, I have been gardening and getting more active. And in the meantime, I have lost 15 pounds!!! I have great energy and stamina, and am sleeping well and keeping up with household activities with renewed vigor. And I had my hair trimmed almost five inches, but it is still pretty long comparatively. I like the feel of the shorter length, thickness, and bounce. :-D

I finished my education degree in May; that was a looooong road that I was glad to see finish...since 2007 it was! Summa Cum Laude, Phi Theta Kappa, Kappa Delta Pi, & two Scholastic Achievement Awards later, I am exhausted. I was accepted at Regent U in March (YAY!!!), and all my registration and paperwork is completed. All that is left is the final stages of student loans and promissory notes. I am taking some Bible classes right off the bat. I think that I am out of my mind as well.

Sarah and I are busy beavers in regards to weekends and bakery wedding cakes. We did two wedding cakes last weekend, have two to do this coming weekend, and one next week. It's a blur of beauty that never slows or stops. I will be glad once July heat hits, and we will get a reprieve from the pellmell of cakes. :-)

Marie Brunner is getting married tomorrow to her Amos, and I am missing it due to previous cake obligations. :-( I have known her for over 20 years now, it's hard to believe. So many of my former students are getting married this year...I just received an invitation for Graeson's wedding for later this month!


MOVIES
Last Saturday, after our workday was done, we went to see my first theatre movie of the year, "Snow White and the Huntsman." It was a ethereal and sinister take on the story, with brilliant digital and blue suit work...kind of a cross between Peter Jackson's work in "Lord of the Rings" and a medieval "Robinhood." Really enjoyed it! Besides, the "man candy" was nice! ;-)

Now that all our favorite tv shows are on hiatus (Castles, The Mentalist, NCIS, NCIS: LA), I have been rifling through our movie stash and watching one every night. Last night it was "Tuck Everlasting" and tonight the modern version of "Pride and Prejudice."


And BOOKS!!!
Now that it is summer, and I am not in college classes, I have been reading in earnest. First was Todd Burpo's Heaven is for Real, about his son's experiences in heaven during a short surgery interval. I am finishing Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts this weekend. SUCH a good and challenging book!!! I have been doing her 1000 Gifts challenge on this blog this year, in a haphazard fashion.

Next up is Annie Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Francis Chan's trilogy of Crazy Love/Forgotten God/Erasing Hell, and to finish Randy Alcorn's Heaven.

love

“There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable.

Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken.

If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket – safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell…

We shall draw nearer to God, not by trying to avoid the sufferings inherent in all loves, but by accepting them and offering them to Him; throwing away all defensive armor. If our hearts need to be broken, and if He chooses this as the way in which they should break, so be it.”

 ~C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves