HIDDEN HEARTBEATS
–Terri M. Buckley

Knowledge absorbed by the mind is fickle. Sometimes it stays, other times it fades. Knowledge that descends from the mind, down into the heart, remains forever. It takes root and changes lives.

Heart knowledge doesn’t have to be earth shattering to be profound. A simple change in perception – seeing something through the eyes of the heart instead of the eyes of the mind – can alter the way you look at yourself, look at others or look at the world in general.

The grandest and the simplest of my life’s lessons have come from the heart.

My heart taught me that a cemetery is only a scary place until someone you love is laid to rest. It then becomes a place of quiet tasks – grass clippings brushed from a headstone, flowers arranged and rearranged. It becomes a place where you leave the world at the gates and devote time to tender memories.

My heart taught me that the lifeblood of my country isn’t the rights and freedoms I enjoy. It is the heart I see in the weeping eyes of our Veterans on Remembrance Day. It is the cost exacted from their souls for love of the land I am privileged to call home.

My heart taught me that every generation has its heroes. They aren’t found on the television or movie screen, on the radio or in major sports. Heroes are busy, away from the limelight, doing what heroes do best – putting others before themselves. From the major cities and quiet hamlets of the industrialized world, to the most desolate and destitute places on earth, there are heroes to be found. All we have to do – to find them – is stop looking in the wrong places.

My heart taught me that loneliness has nothing to do with being by myself and everything to do with filling a God-shaped hole in the center of my being. Some of my loneliest experiences have been in the presence of other people.

My heart taught me that puppy kisses and hugs from small children can heal a whole lot of hurt.

My heart taught me that I catch on ‘real quick’ and suddenly ‘get it’, when a lesson I’ve refused to learn is repeated in the lives of my children.

My heart taught me to stop hatred, fear, disrespect and prejudice at the front door of my home. I can’t stop all the ugliness in the world, but I can create a safe haven for the hearts and souls of my family by refusing the ugliness entrance into my home.

My heart taught me that trying to change people is best left in God’s hands. They will fall into every pothole they refuse to go around and hit every wall they willingly run toward, regardless of how much I want to save them from suffering through the consequences of their actions. I can help pick up their broken pieces in the aftermath, but God can use their self-inflicted pain to help them make better choices in the future.

My heart taught me that my own personal happiness is my own personal responsibility. Putting that responsibility on someone else’s shoulders is unfair. The burden is heavy. It’s also unrealistic. No one was put on earth for the sole purpose of making me happy.

My heart taught me that compassion isn’t a gift I can give to someone else’s heart. It is a gift of spirit I can only grow in my own heart. I can plant seeds, but I can’t make someone care about the hungry, the lonely or the oppressed people in the world around them. My efforts only make them pretend to care – when I’m around them.

My heart taught me that walking out the church door is the holiest moment of a Sunday morning service. Either I take the message with me and make it part of my life, or I leave it in the sanctuary, tucked away till the following Sunday morning.

My heart taught me that time-worn advice doesn’t always wear out. The old adage to remember the sun when it’s raining and remember the rain when the sun is shining, contains more wisdom than many modern day theories and philosophies.

My heart taught me that missing someone is a very real ache. It comes from a place where another heart has touched my own and left a permanent imprint.

My heart taught me that birth really is a miracle. A new baby, fresh from heaven, is a new chance, for a new heart, to bring new light into this old world.

Hidden heartbeats hold threads of wisdom that forever lie inside of me – and forever lie inside of you.

   
 
 


GOD SAID . . . . “IF” 

If you never felt pain, 
then how would you know that I am a Healer?
  
If you never went through difficulties, 
how would you know that I am a Deliverer?
 
If you never had a trial, 
how could you call yourself an overcomer?
 
If you never felt sadness, 
how would you know that I am a Comforter? 

If you never made a mistake, 
how would you know that I am forgiving?

If you knew all, 
how would you know that I will answer your questions?

If you never were in trouble,
how would you know that I will come to your rescue?
 
If you never were broken, 
then how would know that I can make you whole? 

If you never had a problem, 
how would you know that I can solve them?
 
If you never had any suffering,
then how would you know what Jesus went through? 
 
If you never went through the fire, 
then how would you become pure?
 
If I gave you all things, 
how would you appreciate them?

If I never corrected you, 
how would you know that I love you? 

If you had all power, 
then how would you learn to depend on me?
 
If your life was perfect, 
then what would you need Me for? 
~~~~~~~
 
THANK YOU, GOD! 



 ”The Lord’s unfailing love
surrounds those who trust in Him…” 
{ Psalm  32:10 }



Hope you all had a wonderful, blessed weekend!
I’m going to fill you in on mine in the next post …
wanted to first share a bit of God’s love with you here today! 
Have a marvelous Monday!

 Hugs ~ Deborah
  

 

 
“I am come that they might have life,
and that they might have it more abundantly.”
John 10:10 {KJV}



God does not promise abundance.  He promises that we “might have life” and that we
“might have it more abundantly” if we accept His grace, His blessings, and His Son. 
When we commit our hearts and our days to the One who created us,
we experience spiritual abundance through the grace and sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. 
But when we focus our thoughts and energies not upon God’s perfect will for our lives
but instead upon our own unending assortments of earthly needs and desires,
we inevitably forfeit the spiritual abundance that might otherwise be ours. 

Today and every day, seek God’s will for your life and follow hard after it. 
Today, turn your worries and your concerns over to your Heavenly Father. 
Today, seek God’s wisdom, follow His commandments, trust His judgment, and honor His Son. 
When you do, spiritual abundance will be yours, not just for this day but for all eternity.



If we were given all we wanted here, our hearts would settle for this world rather than the next.  
~  Elizabeth Elliot 

Get ready for God to show you not only His pleasure, but His approval.  
~  Joni Earreckson Tada



“And God is able to make all grace abound to you,
so that always having all sufficiency in everything,
you may have an abundance for every good deed.”
II Corinthians 9:8

Dear Lord,
I praise You for the abundant life that is mine through Christ Jesus.
Guide me according to Your will, and help me to be a worthy servant in all that I say and do. 
Give me courage, Lord, to claim the rewards You have promised,
and when I do, let the glory be Yours.
~ Amen



Please bear with me….
this site is under construction….
…aren’t we all!! 
Have a beautiful day! 
Hugs,
 Deborah <><

  

I’VE LEARNED …

“I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today,
life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.”

“I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he, or she,
handles these three things:
… a rainy day
… lost luggage
… and tangled Christmas tree lights

“I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents,
you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.”

“I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as ‘making a life’.”

“I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.”

“I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands;
you need to be able to throw some things back.”

“I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart,
I usually make the right decision.”

“I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.”

“I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone.”

“I’ve learned that people love a warm hug,
or just a friendly pat on the back.”

“I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn!”

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said,
people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Any life lessons learned that you could add?

Well, I talked to Ian tonight, and he’s finally sending the pictures tomorrow!  Yay!!  Soon, now, we’ll get to see what their trip was like, and I’ll post them!  He also explained to me that they will be taking two mission trips between now, and November.  The first one, at the end of July, to Baja, California … both he and Tim will be going together, and my dear friend, Marcia, told me she’s been there many times … (her daughter is in Mongolia for 9 weeks on a mission trip now!)  Also some friends from Texas go on this same mission trip to Baja every year.  They believe they could be going in July as well.  The second trip to Guatemala will be in August, if all goes well.  They will be helping to build houses for pastors in these areas, along with film documentation of the time there.  Definitely exciting times, although times of stretching for Mom here!  I thank you for all of your prayers for them, now and during these trips.  They still need to get passports, shots, and whatever else they will need to go so, if anyone has any helpful hints or tips about a mission trip, they would be so very appreciated!  This is new to all of us,  Hope you all had a marvelous Monday!  Have a tremendous Tuesday, and be blessed!

~ Deborah <><

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him,
who have been called according to His purpose.” { Romans 8:28 }

I didn’t get a chance to post this on Saturday, so that it would show up on Father’s Day, but wouldn’t you all agree … it’s never, ever, too late to honor those special Dads in our lives, right?!  Well, this is a little shout-out to my sweet hubby who’s been the “Bestest Dad” in the whole wide world to our precious son!  I’m so blessed to be married to the one whom God chose to be a father to Ian!  Thank you, darlin’, for guiding him to know who his Heavenly Father is … for leading him on paths of righteousness … for your loving discipline … your never ending tenderness toward him … for always telling him what a precious gift he is from God … for all those hugs, past, present and those to come!  I know he misses you on this special day, and I know you talked to him earlier, but I just wanted to thank you for both of us … for loving him, and for being the Greatest Dad and Godly example that you have been for him these past 22 years … {23 on July 12}! 

Happy Father’s Day, Sweetie, we both love you! 

~ Teeny Tiny ~
{but only for awhile … see last picture!!}

~ Gentle Loving Papa ~

~ Christmas Play … Joseph & Baby Jesus ~

~ First trip to “The Mall” ~ 
{Look at that face…typical guy when it comes to a trip to the mall!}

~ Back Pack with free back rubs ~
{He taught him young!}




~ Learnin’ to strum ~

~ Smiley Faces and lots of love ~

~ Lean on me … with a smile ~

A gift of “LOVE” to Papa!

Buddies eatin’ lunch at King’s Island.

Lumberjack Lew … and Sidekick Son!

 

~ Sharing Life Lessons Together ~

~ 2006 ~
All grown up & a little older!
I love these guys!

I sure hope these pictures all come through!  Let me know which ones might have that little face that says “Image Not Found!  I could have put up so many more pictures, but this is a start, and we’ll save the others for the next slide show!!  Let’s be honest, we all love those family slide shows, don’t we!!  :0)  And those pictures from their trip should be here soon … I know, I know, I keep saying that, but they really will get here, eventually!  As for our weekend … we went to my SIL’s for a combination Father’s Day, and welcome home party for her daughter.  She came home from Hawaii to stay until mid July.  That is where both her, and her husband are stationed, but he is right now serving over in Iraq … she said he is in a fairly safe place, but you could see the concern in her eyes.  We are praying!  We had a great time together eating BBQ spareribs, chicken, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, brocolli salad, the best cheesy bacon potato casserole ever, lettuce salad, veggies and dip, cold sweet ice tea, brownies, and cherry dump cake {which I brought}.  Everyone wanted to know about Ian, and how he was doing.  We shared videos from Ian and Tim’s work that’s here on Xanga.  Then Lewis headed to the prison ministry for the evening … and I headed home.  When Lew got home, he said the inmates were really on fire and the LORD was moving on their hearts!  A revival behind bars … with singing and praising God! 

As for Sunday … a dear friend stopped by to borrow a book, and we enjoyed talking for awhile!  We had planned to go out to dinner, but after she left, we realized we’d rather just stay home and have a home cooked meal!  We had simple meal of baked lemon herbed fish, wild rice pilaf, and a green veggie … then we just sat around and enjoyed a quiet afternoon.  It was 93* here, and we opted to stay home in the air conditioning!  I guess we are spoiled!  Thank you, LORD, for air conditioning!  How blessed we are!  We will celebrate Father’s Day in real style when the ONE who made him a dad gets back home!  Oh, Lewis loved the 2 shirts he sent him!  He looks quite nice in them, if I do say so myself!   Well, you all have a wonderful Monday!  I’m going to do some visiting on here … catch up, say hi, see how you’re all doing!  

As for me, and my earthly father … I read this devotion on Sunday, and it was as if this person had looked into my heart, then began to write about my life!  So I thought I’d share … { *my notes } …

~ My Father’s Eyes ~

Father’s day brought up some memories for me this year since my father has been deceased for a long time.  {*He died when I was 8 years old.}  I hesitated to speak on this subject because I do not have the fondest recollections of my father. Yet, as a Christian I have forgiven him for his neglect, and have realized how he suffered much torment as a nonbeliever and as an alcoholic. 

I forgave him long, long ago.  He probably did the best he could.  I pray for those who either have lost their father through death, divorce or perhaps some type of abuse or neglect.

I do know today, at this moment, that I have the best Father, one who looks out for my good.  He longs to bless all of us in special ways.  We need to really get to know Him because He wants to guide our lives.

When we learn about His love and goodness, our grief suffered by loss, and all the sorrows of the past will soon fade away.   When I look at others, I try to see them through my heavenly Father’s eyes.  His eyes are so kind and full of compassion.  

As His daughter, I have inherited those same eyes.  I will continue to help people see that He wants to be a father to the fatherless, and even though I haven’t celebrated Fathers Day for so many years, I can celebrate my heavenly Father’s love this year.  Every day, I try to share this message with others who may be without an earthly father or those who do not have many fond memories of their father.

When I look at my son, I see so many of the qualities of a great dad. He plays with his niece and nephew, and dearly loves those children.  When he hands his niece a chocolate pudding (that is almost a given whenever she comes to stay with us) her face lights up.  It’s always the little things that make her smile, and my son loves to give these simple gifts to her.  {*He is really like this too…his Daddy raised him to be a lover and a giver, with much compassion!}

Matthew 7:11 promises,

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (NIV)

Our Father God has gifts and blessings He wants to give us.  Sometimes He gives us what we ask for, and other times He just blesses us with the unexpected.  The Bible tells us that He loads us daily with His benefits.  

Psalm 68:19 says,  

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.” (KJV)

We need to realize that He can make up for anything we lack from our past.  If you have a great dad let him know how much you appreciate him, and never take him for granted.  Let us also remember those great dads who have gone on to heaven.  And for the ones who feel as if their dad may have missed the mark … you are not fatherless, our father God is showering you daily with His love.

Romans 8:16 declares,

“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (NIV)

    

A Package Arrived Today….
From My Sweet Son!!

I hope you’ve all had a blessed week!  God continues to grow me up in Him!  The time of more stretching has arrived!  I’m a bit guilty of “grumbling”, but I’m working through that…*see devotion below.  First of all, I’m still waiting patiently (but it’s gettin’ thin here) on the DVD of pictures from the journey out west, which you may recall, that my son, his best friend, and my husband took last month!  We did get a package from Ian, but, sadly, among all the other goodies, that was nowhere to be found!  He said that it was soon to follow!  In the package, however, we did find some sweet gifts … two shirts for his dad, for Father’s Day!  One is a linen Hawaiian print, and one a plain white linen, a ”dolphin coffee mug”, (just can’t see DH drinking out of that dolphin mug!) … a picture frame with 3 otters on it … (one for each one of us!) … and also there was an Hawaiian Ti Plant.  I’ve never grown one of those, but I’ll keep you posted on it’s progress with pictures! (if it survives my “not so green” thumb!)  All of it came nicely packed in peanuts and bubble wrap!  He is too SWEET!!  He knows how much I love to pop bubble wrap!!  Moosh loves to play in the peanuts! We’re going to get a “goodie box” ready to send to him, too!  How would you pack homemade pumpkin bread??  I did take pictures but they didn’t turn out very good. I’ve got a couple here though.  I’m learning to work the new camera, but this one was our smaller digital that seems to give everything a brownish red overtone. Probably some setting I need to change on it! 

This is a picture of ….”the dolphin mug”!!
P.S. My husband just informed me that this was my mug! 
He had bought it while out in Monterey with the boys, and had
forgotten to bring it home when he came!  So Ian sent it with the
other things. 
Oh, how I love him!!!! 






















This is a little stuffed otter that Ian brough back to me
from his first 2 week trip to California! 
I love it!  So does “the Moosh”!






















It’s been over a month now since I’ve seen my son, and I’m thankful that it has passed quickly!  Ian and Tim have been very busy, and if you haven’t seen the videos they’ve edited, you can check them out on Tim’s site. They were also working on another African Mission Children’s Choir film, and some testimonials for the church.  There is talk of a mission trip for them both, with groups from the church.  Ian would be going to Baja, California, and Tim would be traveling to Guatemala.  Not sure of the details yet, but again, I’ll keep you posted … you know I’m going to ask for prayer for those two very special guys!!  Prayer is still appreciated for them … they are working long hours, and I don’t think they’re getting enough sleep! 

They also had worked on a movie called The Broken Road this last summer with a local Christian production company here in Indiana.  You can see some of that work at the website above, where it also shows them at work in some of the pictures, and you can see the trailer to the movie.  The screening is showing locally, tonight through the 21st of this month, here in Indy at a dinner theatre.  We’ll be going, and hopefully, with Tim’s family. 

 

As I said above, I’m enduring some spiritual stretching, and when that happens, sometimes I … grumble!  Here’s a devotion I read today on that very subject … He knows just when to get our attention! … Thought I’d share! 

GRUMBLING…..
Evidently God sees grumbling as a lot more serious sin than I do.  Did you know that He put it in the same category as idolatry and sexual immorality {1 Corinthians 10}?  That certainly gets my attention!!

We don’t even use the word “grumbling” much anymore—though we do plenty of it. 

Out of curiosity I looked it up in the dictionary:
“to mutter in discontent.” 

But look at the synonyms I found in the thesaurus:
“beef, bellyache, brawl, crab, fuss, gripe, hollar, squawk, whine, groan, moan, complain, kick”. 
Now, those I can identify with!

The circumstances mentioned in 1 Corinthians were this:  The children of Israel were on their way from Egypt to the land God had promised them.  Along the way things did not go like they had expected—and they didn’t hesitate to make sure Moses, their leader, knew exactly how they felt about things!  They clearly had an “attitude”, and as a result, most of them died in the wilderness because they did not believe and obey God.  The writer, Paul, says, “Now these things occurred as examples, to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.”  What were those “evil things”? 

Paul mentions four:
*Idolatry
*Sexual immorality
*Testing the LORD
*Grumbling!!

Grumbling? 
I would not have put it in the same category as the other three on the list. 
But God does!

Among other things, God’s people griped about:
*Lack of water  {Exodus 17:2-3}
*The difficulty of what God asked them to do  {Numbers 14:27-30}
*The leaders God gave them  {Numbers 16}

Paul says:

“And do not grumble, as some of them did–and were killed by the destroying angel.
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us,
on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.  So if you think you are standing firm,
be careful that you don’t fall!”  {1 Corinthians 10:10-12}

Well, that’s plain enough for me—-an example and a warning not to gripe!  I’m glad the next verse after that is one of reassurance.  God will help me the next time I’m tempted to complain, for He says:

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 
And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. 
But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” {vs. 13}.

Thank you, LORD.  I’m sure I’ll need that promise!! 





You all have a wonderful weekend …
and a Happy Father’s Day!!

A Dad is a person who is loving and kind,
And often he knows what you have on your mind.
He’s someone who listens, suggests, and defends.
A dad can be one of your very best friends!
He’s proud of your triumphs,
but when things go wrong,
A dad can be patient and helpful and strong.
In all that you do, a dad’s love plays a part.
There’s always a place for him deep in your heart.
And each year that passes, you’re even more glad,
More grateful and proud just to call him your dad!
Thank you, Dad…
for listening and caring, for giving and sharing,
but, especially, for just being you!
Happy Father’s Day. 
- Author Unknown

Blessings!  
            Deborah <><

   


  Because of God’s Wings

“The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel,
under whose wings you have come for refuge.”
{Ruth 2:12

God uses the term “wings” to help us understand more fully what it means to have His presence throughout our day,
and His covering over us moment by moment.  The Bible speaks about the wings of a mother hen, the wings of an eagle, and the wings (or fringes) of a garment, and applies them to the ways God is working in our lives and watching over us.  God’s wings apply to His care, His protection, His health for us, His safety, and His strength.

 As your covering:
God’s wings shield you and cast a shadow over you.
His shadow is like the welcomed relief provided by a shade tree on a hot summer’s day.
God’s wings shade you from the damaging rays of adversity and from the heat of every trial and calamity.

 As an expression of His care:
God’s wings draw you close to His heart.
In his care He knows your every movement,
senses your every need,
hears your every cry,
and feels your everyheartbeat.

 As an expression of His protection:
God’s wings shield you from the searching eye of every prey
that seeks to devour or destroy you.
He is your protector against every scheme of the enemy,
against every life and deception, against every luring temptation,
and against every enticement that would try to move you away from His heart.

 As an expression of His health:
God’s wings are an extension of His tender compassion.
His purpose is to keep you healthy and strong, well fed and nurtured,vibrant and full of life.
When you are weak or ill, He wraps his wings around you as a mother would wrap her child in a blanket.
He assures you of His love, draws you close, keeps you warm, feeds you with the food of His faithfulness,
renews your vitality, and causes you to grow strong.
“But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings,” says Malachi 4:2

 As an expression of His strength:
God’s wings carry you to new heights, to new adventures of faith, to new discoveries of His majesty,
and to new vistas of grace that your heart can explore and delight in.

Today you are under God’s extreme watch-care.
He you to draw near and trust fully in the covering of His wings. 
You are the LORD’s delight and the apple of His eye.
Today is your best day because you life couldn’t be in better hands or under better care!
We need to trust in the shadow of His wings! 

Dear LORD,
I thank you that I am under your ever watchful care.
Thank you for hiding me under the shadow of Your wings. 
For it is there, under Your covering, that I find … 
Your care,
Your protection,
Your health for me … both physical and spiritual,
and Your strength! 
I praise You, and I recognize that every good thing I have
has been given to my by You as a sign of Your goodness,
mercy, and love. { James 1:17}  
Thank you for being my Provider, my Protector, and above all my Father!
 
“…they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.” 
{Psalm 34:10 KJV}

The Psalms

~ 91 ~

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, [He is] my refuge and my fortress:
my God; in him will I trust.

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler,
[and] from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers,
and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth [shall be thy] shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night;
[nor] for the arrow [that] flieth by day;

[Nor] for the pestilence [that] walketh in darkness;
[nor] for the destruction [that] wasteth at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand;
[but] it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold
and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the LORD, [which is] my refuge,
[even] the most High, thy habitation;

There shall no evil befall thee,
neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For he shall give his angels charge over thee,
to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee up in [their] hands,
lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder:
the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon me,
therefore will I deliver him:
I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him:
I [will be] with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

With long life will I satisfy him,
and shew him my salvation.

   

… BECAUSE OF LOVE

“….God has poured out His love to fill our hearts. 
God gave us His love through the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to us.” 
{Romans 5:5}

“If you believe in Me, come and drink! 
For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within.”
{John 7:38}

 God is love and His love is the best kind of love you can have in your heart.
 The beautiful thing about God’s love is that it is a giving love —
 A love that flows in abundance with kindness, generosity, and goodness. 
 It is a love that embraces and does not push away. 
 It is a love that restores, mends, and heals.
 It is a love of compassion, good will, and tender care.

The love that God has poured into you is also the love that He wants to pour out through you.  Today is your best day because you have the awesome priviledge and opportunity to give His love away to other people.  The love that you are able to give to others is not something that you make up or pretend to have.  You are not the souce of the love you can give away; God is the source.  God’s love is not received into your life through study or good works.  His love is yours because the Holy Spirit has come to live in your heart.

The Holy Spirit has come to live in you like a river, not like a lake.  A river flows and moves freely.  A lake sits and goes nowhere.  A river reaches out to new places and nourishes new ground.  A lake is self-contained and can become stagnant.  The love of God in you first comes to bless and enrich your life, but its course is to flow out from within you to touch and enrich other hearts. 

Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading of love in your life today.  Count upon His love, lean upon His love, and draw upon His love to be the source of God’s love through you. It may be expressed through a prayer you offer, a word you speak, a kindness you show to someone, or even through a hug or a smile that you give today!  Share God’s love today!

 I hope you’ve all had a wonderful, blessed weekend, walking in, and sharing the gift of love that God has so freely given us!  We ran some errands and had dinner out Saturday, then yesterday, we went to see my in-laws, and we are very concerned for them, so we are asking for prayer on their behalf … 

Lewis’ sister drove up as we were leaving Mom and Dad around 7:00PM yesterday.  She asked me to do some research on assisted living apartments for them, and find out where they were located on our side of town.  That way they would be close to us, their other daughter and husband, and also Rebecca said she would move to this side of town in order to be near them, as well.  We are concerned for them both, as Dad doesn’t eat, unless reminded, and Mom has so many medications that she needs to take on a regular basis.  They seem so frail in both mind and body.  An assisted living complex would enable a nurse to check in on them every day, make sure they are well cared for, and getting what they need, yet it is like being in their own home, they would still have their privacy … and it would be nothing like a nursing home! 

Lewis and both of his sisters have discussed this before, and Dad knows that they are only trying to help them.  They have a beautiful condominium now, with all of their furniture, etc., and we aren’t sure what they would have to do with everything in the event they would go to an assisted living apartment.  Another small problem … their church is up farther north from where they live now, and they all love them both, and have been there and reached out to them since they started attending a couple of years ago.  We used to attend the church as well, before we moved south, and we love everyone there, so we are expecting that Mom and Dad probably would not want to leave their church family!   

This is so very hard, and we would so appreciate your prayers for wisdom, and that God will work all things out for them to be safe, secure and happy.  If anyone has been through this, or has any words to encourage us, or give us wisdom on handling these things gently, we would so welcome them! 

 Ian and Tim are still working very hard at their internship out in California!  They are filming a lot of testimonies then editing them to play at the church.  My brother-in-law referred a couple to them to see if they would be able to film their wedding near the end of July…well, Ian will be here filming his cousin’s wedding on July 7th, and I’m not sure if he would be able to come back again from California so soon after just having been here.  They’ll be staying for a week after his cousin’s wedding, to rest, and celebrate Ian’s birthday!  They’ve had about 3 people ask for their services since they’ve been away, so when they finally get home in November, they will probably have a busy filming schedule!  God is blessing, and I’m looking forward to having him home again … that will be wonderful!  Well, you all have a wonderful blesed Monday, and let the river flow today through your life, and into the hearts of others! 

 & Hugs,
~  Deborah <><

 

    

Heat or Drought?
–Encouraging Words For Women

Are you in the middle of a battle zone right now with the bullets flying everywhere? 
Or is this a dry period in your life when absolutely nothing seems to be happening? 
In life we experience both kinds of situations.

The Bible says God is sufficient for both –
for intense problems and for total barrenness.

 ”Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in Him. 
He will be like a tree planted by the water …
It does not fear when heat comes …
It has no worries in a year of drought.”
{Jeremiah 17:7-8}

There it is — two different types of circumstances: heat and drought.
Heat speaks of intense trials.  During those times you struggle as you are attacked with problems that come at you, one after another.  You wonder if life will ever settle down again.  No sooner do you catch your breath from one crisis than another hits you.  On the other hand, drought symbolizes those dry times when you feel like nothing—not anything, zero, nil, zilch—is taking place in your life.  And no one seems to care.  Either way, if the roots of your confidence go deep into God, you will find that He is sufficient.

Where is your confidence and trust?  Be honest.  Is it in yourself?  In fate?  Or in God?  Do your roots go down deep enough to draw from the River of Life?  Or are you just hoping for a few sprinkles from Heaven?  Jesus said,
“To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.”  {Revelation 21:6} 

Right now, whether you are experiencing severe heat or the barrenness of drought, drink deeply of the water of life that really satisfies.  Don’t live in a state of spiritual dehydration.  Let your roots go down into the resources of God.  Paul summed it up by urging,

 ”So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as LORD,
continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him,
strengthened in the faith.”   {Colossians 2:6-7}

So, don’t give up.  The Water of Life still flows to refresh you and strengthen you.  Remember that God says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.  He will be like a tree planted by the water …”  Rooted in Him, we have all that we need to withstand both heat and drought!

Please take a moment and visit this link to a video that will give you peace
and encourage your FAITH as you watch it! 

You all have a blessed weekend! 
Dig down deep, get rooted, and drink from the River of Life!

Hugs,
~ Deborah <><

BetsaflyGallery

 The Perfect Picture of Contentment  
“For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am,
therewith to be content.”
Philippians 4:11

Wow! … thank you all for stopping in here and saying hi … and for your sweet comments!   Connie put me on the “new friend of the day” list yesterday, and thank you to all the new visitors that I’ve had as a result!  I feel the love!  I just wish I had updated first … but alas, I’ve had one busy weekend, along with other things going on this week!  I had said I’d get around to everyone before Monday … well, things happened, and I’m running behind schedule, but I am here now!  I hope you’ve all had a wonderful weekend, and a great week so far!

Here’s the update on my weekend show… the weather here was fairly nice, so that kept the attendance down a bit, but all in all, in wasn’t too bad.  I sold out of my Lilac soap … that is such a yummy bar!  Anyway, we had a very eventful weekend!   

Friday ~
The day started at 5:30AM…we finished packing the car, and van, then got there early morning to set up … took us most of the afternoon, but it was opened until 8:00PM, which made for a long day!  Customer flow was slow due to the beautiful weather.  Came home and plopped into bed for an early start Saturday … the show starts at 8:00AM!

 Saturday ~
The day started for us at 5:00AM … the volume of customers picked up some … more bubbles floated off the table … and along with so many interesting people I met, and the conversations I had with them … that’s what makes this backbreaking job so worth it!  Yep, as I said in my last post, soap is a heavy load!  Good thing I have a wonderfully skilled chiropractor to make it all better!!  The show went until 6:00PM, at which time Lewis and I parted ways!  I went on home to soak my feet, get some dinner, and turn in early, and Lewis went onto his prison ministry meeting.  It had been nice both Friday, and most of today, but the sky was now looking pretty ominous.  I had a couple of stops to make on the way, and by the time I got home around 7:30PM the storms were well on their way.  I wanted to check in to see my messages, and no sooner had I turned on the computer, grabbed my cup of tea, and put my feet up, it happened!!  Lightening hit a transformer and…boom, there went everything…lights, air, computer, clocks!  My heart sunk!  I knew that sound from before … and I knew it would be awhile, quite awhile, before I’d “see the light” again!  {No hot dinner tonight! … I opted for Ritz Crackers, peanut butter, and a banana … I didn’t dare open that refridgerator!}  I then proceeded to light our “25 million hour candles” and set them around so I wouldn’t be totally in the dark.  Those things burn forever!

Well, with Lewis at the meeting, and no cell phone service there, and my sister tucked in for the evening, it was pretty much just me, and the Moosh!  Oh, it didn’t bother him a bit … he got his dinner!  I did call my sister, just to let her know that I might need her and her hubby’s help with getting water out of the sump pump hole in the basement, in the event it filled up fast.  It was raining pretty hard, so I kept going up and down the stairs checking that out, and thankfully it wasn’t filling up at all!  A miracle!  Got some much needed exercise in the deal, too!  So now I had time to relax, read by candlelight, pray, and snooze, until Lewis got home.  He called around 11:30PM, and I told him the wonderful news … so just before he got home, he drove around the block and didn’t see any trucks working on anything … uh, oh!   Well, we tried sleeping amidst the putt-puttering sound of the generators in the neighborhood behind us!  Boy, have you noticed that sometimes the quiet can be noisy?!!  And little did we know we were about to experience a rude “awakening”!  We finally drifted off to sleep … with ear plugs firmly in place, only to be startled awake by the 5, count ‘em, 5 brand new smoke alarms that were just recently installed, all going off in unison … a regular Fire Alarm Choir!!!  Oh, my word … those earplugs couldn’t even touch that!  Thank God, there was no fire, but my heart was pounding and we were groping around in the dark, bumping into things, trying to figure out where we put the instruction manual that tells us how to turn them off.  It took about 15 minutes before we finally got them off, and we could hear again … it was about 2:30AM, and still no lights, or air … by then it was getting pretty warm, too!  We were also concerned about the food in the fridge, so Lewis went out to get ice at that time … he drove around the block to see if there were any IPL trucks working on the problems, nope!  Not yet!  Uh, oh!!!  That isn’t a good sign!  He got home, put the ice in the fridge … and, could you imagine living with the ice boxes from days of old?  We tried sleeping again, hoping and praying they would get a truck out soon to repair it!  I think we finally slept!

Sunday ~
Then at 5:30AM we woke up, from what little sleep we had, to a stuffy, warm house, and still no power!  We couldn’t take showers without electricity, so I got things together for us to take to my sisters to get ready for the show … thankfully she lives only 10 minutes away!  I was a bit concerned about leaving the house because of the sump pump, but we prayed and went on to get ready, and then to the show.  I called back to the house around 9:30AM and still no electricity … our answering machine answers when the electricity is on … I waited and called again around noon, and PTL, I heard my recorded voice and I knew it was on!  I was then trying to think what I might have left on when all the lights went out!  Whatever it was, would be on when we got home!  When the show ended at 4:00PM, we packed as quick as we could to go check on things…then to dinner.  I walked in the door to a very lighted house, and I kid you not … the radio was playing the song, Praise You in this Storm!!  And we did!  Our food was fine, the sump pump didn’t fill up, and I knew all would be well!  We had a wonderful dinner out, and we slept peacefully that night!  I know others have had it so very much worse than we have, and I’m ever so thankful even in the midst of having no power!  I am learning to be content … whatever the situation or circumstance!  As Paul has said … “For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”  -Philippians 4:11.

 Finally … this week we’ve been catching up around here from the weekend, and resting … doing laundry, Lew’s back at work, and I’ve got a couple of cabinets to purge and straighten.  But I’ll be around to see you all once we get back from our dental appointments in the morning … I must think contentment here~in whatsoever state I’m in!  In the meantime, you all have a wonderful evening, and a blessed tomorrow!  I hope you don’t mind, but I’ll leave you with some words I read that might encouage you in your walk of contentment.  I’m not all the way there yet, but I want to be able to say that………

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances….
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation….
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”  Philippians 4:11-13

Continuing to work on life’s lessons ~
Hugs,
~Deborah <>< 

Friendly Neighbor
Leaning on his fence one day, a devoit Quaker was watching a new neighbor move in next door.  After all kinds of modern appliances, electronic gadgets, plush furniture, and costly wall hangings had been carried in, the onlooker called over, “If you find you’re lacking anything, neighbor, let me know and I’ll show you how to live without it.” 
~ Source unknown

Enjoy the Scenery
A contented man is one who enjoys the scenery along the detours. 
~ Source unknown

 Contentment  ~  Article by T. Pierce Brown
As I was visiting with a friend who was almost killed and paralyzed from the chest down when struck by a drunken driver, but who, with great courage, faith and determination continued to study, write and go to school, she mentioned to me that an elder had said something to her about being content when she was in the nursing home recovering.

Since she was continuing her studies in Abilene Christian University in Greek and Bible (having received her degree from a Junior College after she suffered the injury, and now a Master’s in Ministry, a Doctorate in Ministry, a Doctor of Theology and studying for a Ph.D., she looked in her Greek Testament at 1 Timothy 6:6 and read, “But Godliness with contentment is great gain.” She pointed out to me what I had never noticed before. The Greek word translated “contentment” is “autarkeia” which Thayer defines as “a perfect condition of life in which no aid or support is needed.” She was checking Thayer, Vine’s and Young’s Concordance for the various related meanings, and I suggested that she write an article about it. Since she is so busy with school work, attending to her own physical, mental and spiritual needs (she is in a wheel chair in her own apartment now) she may not get around to it for some time, so I decided to write one, which she can probably improve on when she does get to it.

We usually think of contentment merely as a passive state of willingness to “put up with” whatever state we are in, assuming that when Paul said, “I have learned in whatever state I am therewith to be content” (Phil.4:11) that he meant that he did not gripe and complain too much about it. Her short conversation about it suggested that we should consider its primary meaning as being more significant. That is, contentment comes, not because of a passive acceptance of whatever our condition may be, but because there is a “perfect condition of life in which no aid or support is needed” inasmuch as God has granted one whatever he needs to face life and conquer it! Can you imagine one who has suffered through years of privation and rejection, and months of physical and mental agony coming to a conclusion that she may be able to be content, not just because she will not complain of her lot, but because she has in herself, by God’s grace and power, sufficiency to carry on “independently of external circumstances” as Thayer puts it!

I think she is beginning to see what Paul meant about his thorn in the flesh, and “My grace is sufficient for thee” (2 Cor. 12:9). For this word “sufficient” is the same root word, “arkeo.”

Because one has contentment — “sufficient strength, ability, power to do whatever needs to be done” — one may be content — “satisfied with his condition.” It is perhaps worthy of note that the same word is used in 2 Cor. 9:8 where Paul indicates that when one does what God wants of him, “God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye always having all sufficiency (autarkeian) in all things, may abound to every good work.”

One conclusion to which I have come is that “contentment,” from the Bible viewpoint, is not merely a passive willingness to bear whatever comes, but a vital, living, active power to overcome and conquer through the strength and grace of God!  Indeed, “Godliness with contentment is great gain,” for then “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil.4:13). It is noteworthy that he said this only three verses after he had said, “I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content (autarkes).” 

 Lord, grant us true contentment…

Acceptance of what each day brings,

Joy in you and not in things,

Tranquility in storm or strife,

Serenity in all of life;

That when you whisper, ‘Peace, be still,’

We’ll wait upon your perfect will,

Knowing we will soon be blessed

By love that only wants our best.

Help us see that we are meant

To rest in you… and be content.

                                             ~ B.J. Hoff