Amazing Grace for Sacrifice and Pressing the Battle til Won

We watched a borrowed DVD last night after church "Amazing Grace", the story of William Willberforce and his stand against slavery in England. He labored along with help and encouragement from a very few supporters. His desire for his life was to work for God in some other capacity but it was pointed out to him how needy it was to free the slaves from the conditions they were put through on the slave ships and how that was a work for God. He presented his bill to be passed many times but it was always voted down because the majority was concerned how it would affect the country and slave owners financially. But he would not let it go. His health suffered, sometimes he would be doubled over in pain because he was so stressed about the whole situation, not being able to convince the legislative body of how wrong they were. He had nightmares about it. He was thought of as a trouble maker. Yet he would not let it go. Oh! the terrible things that were committed in the name of right by proud people who thought they were in need of nothing!

Number 1, it gave me hope that we may be able to overturn Roe vs Wade and the murder of babies. I have kind of laid back thinking that there is no way we are going to cause the world to change their minds. But we need to keep trying. There are many other causes that are wrong in this world that we must not give up on changing.

Number 2, it encouraged me in the battles we face. Yes, sometimes it has affected our health. Yes, sometimes we are called trouble makers for the stands we take. Yes, we have been told we should let it go. Yes, it takes our sleep. And yes, we have spent many times down on our knees asking God to search us and direct us. And, yes, Praise God, he has come to us many times to enourage and take the fears away and restore us. I cannot speak too much of God, my Father, and Jesus, my brother. I lift them up.

Little Girl Dish Set

Yes, I was once a little girl. What is the saying? "Grandmas are just antique little girls."

Sharing my dishes for show and tell at kelli's house is something I've wanted to do for some time now. Tonight being wide awake after trying to go to bed early, the idea to jump up and unpack them drew me to my feet and to the box on my closet shelf.

I have quite a few things from my childhood but just no place to display them. But after all the real treasures are in Christ Jesus and my goal is to have those on display every day.



Some of you great photographers are wishing for better pictures, but that is just not an accomplishment right now.



The little lamps were a yard sale find many years ago. They match the design on the dishes.



Here are the utensils. The pans originally were a larger set.



When growing up, my parents rented this big two story house for many years. One of its' features on the second floor, was a huge walk in attic. As my siblings and I became adults, many of our childhood toys were still stored there. I don't have time to start telling you all that was there from six children.

After living there for around 29 years, the house was being sold by the owner. So my mother decided that many of those toys were going to be sold before they moved. We were all allowed to pick what we wanted to keep. Afterwards, I wrote down some thoughts about that old attic and its objects of affection. For some reason, I looked up definitions of the word attic. I found out that years ago in some cultures the attic was a special place in the top of the house that was considered an elegant place to sit and maybe display fine things. When I thought of all the fond memories of our toys in that dusty place, it really was an elegant place.

Delight Yourself In The Lord by Taking Christ to People

Tonight, Julie, Lori and I took our hymn books and instruments to the rest home. Sometimes we just go and share a couple of songs in rooms up and down the hall way. We love talking with the residents there and sharing the Lord. Some of them follow us around. One lady ask if we were coming to sing for her. She loved it and told us she had children the same age as my daughters. It is good not always requiring them to come to the day room and listen to a service. Going to their rooms lets us talk with them individually, taking Christ to them.

Natasa at Slavim Isusa has some good posts, especially the last 2. See her link on the side. One of them is a quote about how people want to take Christ's bricks and build their own castle. The other is about defining church.

Show and Tell Friday

Although I am a little late because of working so many hours, I wanted to join in on sharing some valentine items. I appreciate my daughters, Directed Paths and The Call of Freedom aka Julie and Lori sharing their memories and tea party.

I stayed up way too late last night looking at everyone's Show and Tell at Kelli's
I was determined to look at them all. You all have so many good ideas.

Here are a few of my things: Since I haven't had much time at home lately I kept placing things on the dining table during the week. I know I am not as much of an interior designer as the rest of you.



I got the heart stones at Pottery Barn last weekend and put them in the small vase. There is a Thomas Kinkade heart tin with a candle inside and and "I Love Mom" plate from my children. The flowers I bought for our snack day at work and then brought them home. The heart candy box was one of the gifts from my secret pal.

In the Garden

Yesterday, I woke up with this old hymn on my mind. Today there is a good devotion from TGIF about taking time to hear Him and seeking Him with our whole heart and with obedience so that there is no static preventing us from hearing Him clearly.

I heard a story of a elderly gentlemen that loved to spend time in the woods all his life and this song was sung at his funeral replacing the word garden with "woods".

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear
Falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses

And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share
As we tarry there
None other has ever known

He speaks and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing
And the melody
That He gives to me
Within my heart is ringing

And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share
As we tarry there
None other has ever known

I'd stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling
But He bids me go
Through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling

And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share
As we tarry there
None other has ever known

Black Out

Today I am posting a devotional from TFIF (Today God Is First) I have an insert at the bottom of my blog. Mr. Hillman has many good devotionals and he speaks from experiences he has had.

The Black Hole
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Friday, February 06 2009

..."My grace is sufficient for you...." - 2 Corinthians 12:9
If you are older than 35, you may recall the early days of the space program. I remember the early spacecraft launch with John Glenn. One of the most exciting and tense moments of his return to earth was his reentry to the earth's atmosphere. I recall the diagram on television of the heat shield on the capsule that had to withstand incredible temperatures to avoid complete destruction. There was a blackout period for several minutes in which mission control had no radio contact. He was in the "black hole." It was a tense time. Either he would make it through, or the spacecraft would burn up in the atmosphere. There were several minutes of silence that seemed like an eternity. Then, mission control shouted with joy when they reestablished contact with the spacecraft. It was a time of rejoicing.

Have you ever had a time when you were in a spiritual black hole in your life? I have. The pressure was unbearable. No sense of God's presence. No sense of anything going on around me. God was about as far away as the man in the moon - at least from my perspective. I think every Christian who is called to make a significant difference in his world experiences times like these. These are the times when we question the reality of God, the love of God, the personal care of God. And He demonstrates to us that He was there all the time. These are "faith experiences" that God does in every person who is called to a higher level of relationship with Him. These times are needful in order to know that we have the "heat shield" that can withstand the incredible heat that comes when we follow Him with a whole heart - a heart that is radical in a commitment to fully follow His ways. Elisha had that spirit. He slaughtered his 12 oxen and burned his plowing equipment so that he would not have the opportunity to return to anything if God didn't come through (see 1 Kings 19:21).

The apostle Paul asked God to remove the heat from his own life one time. God's answer was not what he wanted to hear.

But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! (2 Corinthians 12:9 AMP)

How's your heat shield today? Can it withstand the heat that would want to burn up everything in your life not based in Him? Christ said, "My grace is sufficient." Is that really true in your life? Let His grace be your shield today.

Assembly

(photo by xsquared)

Today I would just like to direct you to a blog link I have listed at the right: Gospel Outreach. These are believers I know personally and there are many great thoughts there. Becky Laywell brought a lesson on Feb 1, 2009 that was really great on assembling. To check it out go to: Gospel Outreach, click on reports, look under 2009 Gospel Outreach Meetings, Feb 1, 2009, "No Assembly Required". It is not what it sounds like but very beautifully outlined. You may click to read or print her outline. I am looking forward to more details in the near future. For a hint, did you ever buy a bike for your child and have to put it together? Oh, it was all there in the box when you bought it. But it wasn't assembled. Wasn't any good to anybody until it was. Couldn't resist that tidbit of information. Pray for Becky, she is having surgery today which may be over but she will be recovering.