A new year! Sometimes it's happy. Sometimes it's not. Life is full of twists and turns. Some days are joyful and others are devastating while most days are somewhere in between as if on cruise control. How do we hold onto joy in this new year? Or find it if there is none? Is there such a thing as being able to thrive in this world with so much sorrow all around us? And what about hope? Do we dare hope? Where is joy, anyway? Does it all come down to resolutions and striving for better this, better that? I don't think so. I don't know about you but I can't seem to muster up anything that great over here. I wonder, where is the joy I had in days gone past when I was excited about so much? What went wrong? I think it's this cruise control thing. Just getting by, day by day, without much thought. And then life throws a few curve balls and, Bam, ON THE FLOOR! Are some days just plain hard to get out of bed? For some, I know it's impossible. I'm so sorry for your sorrow and heartache. No matter where life finds us, we CAN find JOY again! It's not going to be easy. There will continue to be sorrow. A new day dawns. A new day of grace. A NEW DAY OF GRACE! New! Grace! Joy! Hope! Believe! It is given to us daily! New strength. New joy. New hope. Give us eyes to see it, Dear Lord! Wake us from our slumber! Show us your joy in each new day, each new year!
If sorrows bring us closer to you, Dear Lord, may you give us strength to lean on you more in this new year! Thank you from the bottom of our weary hearts! "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD." Psalms 31:24 "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." Romans 15:13 May the Lord bless you and keep you always!
I am an American. I will exercise my right to vote. Election day is today. There seems to be so much at stake in America these days. I am a mother. What kind of future awaits our children and generations to come? It can all be downright scary. Do I need to be afraid? I am a child of God. God will never leave us nor forsake us. He carries us, tucks us under His wings. He holds us by the hand! I am not afraid. There is no need to fear. God is in control of everything! "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done." He has the whole world in His hands! I believe in God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost! I believe in the promises of God. I believe in Emmanuel~God is with us! And if God is with us, who can be against us? I am not afraid! Our peace, joy, hope, strength and encouragement for today and everyday is always in the promises of God. His Holy and precious word! His most precious gift! Jesus. What a friend we have in Jesus. "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:10 "For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." Isaiah 41:13 " These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33 "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31 "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the world." 1 John 4:4 Enjoy listening to these hymns with peace in your heart!
There is a beautiful garden. The most beautiful garden in all the world. The sun never stops shining and love and joy will forever grow. The tears have been shed, The bloody sweat poured out. The work is finished. It is ready for all to enter. The price is free. All are welcome into this garden. It is a place where all hearts find True Love and Joy! Forever! Happiness forever! Joy forever! And it's for YOU! All sins have been washed away by the Gardener~ Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
"The hour in Gethsemane I never shall forget, When Christ alone the battle fought, In grief and bloody sweat. Gethsemane, Gethsemane, I must remember thee, Where God's eternal Son I saw In pray'r on bended knee." "When I among the solemn trees, In spirit gazed around; I saw the burden of my sin On him with judgment bound. Gethsemane, Gethsemane, I must remember thee, Where God's eternal son I saw In pray'r on bended knee."
"I saw Him tempted to despair, By anguish, grief, bent low; The depth of pain He suffered there No man can fully know. Gethsemane, Gethsemane, I must remember thee, Where God's eternal Son I saw In pray'r on bended knee." "If ever. Lord, my love to Thee Should cold and fruitless be, O show me in Gethsemane Thy suff'ring there for me. Gethsemane, Gethsemane, I must remember thee.
Where God's eternal Son I saw In pray'r on bended knee." Author unknown
The story of our Lord's agony in the garden can be found in Luke 23:41-44. Be happy! There is no need to fear! The agony turns to Joy on Easter morning where the angel at the empty tomb proclaims: "He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." Luke 24:6, 7 Grief turned to JOY! The promise of that Beautiful Garden!
May all Hearts be filled with Neverending Love, Joy, Praise and Thanksgiving this Easter! You are all So Loved! *All drawings done by my children
It wasn't that many years ago that I found true love. I was a little ball of despair huddled into the corner of the bathroom pleading to God to help me. I was an emotional wreck! I wonder if being 44 years old and pregnant had anything to do with it-I don't know, but there I was-a complete basket case-feeling hopeless! I am not making light of this. It was true! I really felt hopeless even though I had a beautiful life. I thought I was going to die in that corner. No one could help me. Oh, I wanted so badly for my loved ones to come in and save me. Surely my darling husband would. After all, he would know my needs more than anyone. In my mind it would have been so easy for him to swoop in and give me all the things I felt I needed from him. Shouldn't he know exactly what I need to be comforted, to get me through this needy time in my life? Or what about family and friends? Where is everyone when you truly need them? Honestly, do I have to DIE in this corner? Couldn't my loved ones see how to help me, how to love me like I needed them to? I prayed my little heart out! Surely God would intercede for me and let my loved ones know how to truly help me! SHOW THESE PEOPLE HOW TO LOVE ME!! I heard a soft voice deep within me. "It's Me. It's Me. There is no one who can love you like I can. Come to Me, My darling child." It struck me right in my heart and soul! In my mind, I formed ideals of how I should be loved by the people in my life. My husband would be my knight in shining armor, coming in with full armor and a sword, swooping me up in his arms and carrying me to love and safety. My family and friends would come to my aid just at the right time. What was I thinking? The little girl in me couldn't let go of the romantic notion of being so loved that surely everyone would know when to do the swooping and saving! And I was CRUSHED when it didn't happen! The Voice of my TRUE LOVE came to me that day. It was and is my Saving Grace! Jesus is my True Love! I no longer look at people to be my saving grace. How could anyone on this Earth be my savior? Could I be someone's savior-always doing the right thing? Of course not! This simple revelation has completely change my life. I no longer put expectations on my loved ones. I am so faulty myself, how can I expect others to perform to my expectations. I have so many people in my life that love me so dearly. I don't doubt their love. And I love so deeply, too, those that God put into my life. But my Truest, most Perfect Love is my True Savior. My Jesus. I sobbed and accepted again His love into my heart that day (I have known it my whole life but still thought others could do the true swooping, saving and chivalry-type of love!) and immediately felt true healing. I am loved! I am LOVED! And so are you! So deeply-to the core-everlasting-perfectly LOVED! There is no greater love than that of our True Savior! "...I have loved thee with an everlasting love.." Jeremiah 31:3
I know it's been awhile since I've written. For a while I thought maybe it's already been written somewhere else. Do I have anything worth sharing that hasn't already been said? Deep in my heart I feel a tug to continue writing on this bit of space. Maybe some tiny word will bring a bit of light to someone's heart! Maybe. I am willing, though slow I am. (tiny sigh) But my heart feels happy! Easter is here! Such a beautiful story God has written with the blood of His precious Son!
Our little home school had each child read aloud an Easter poem. Michael Hague's Family Easter Treasury is a beautiful book with beautiful illustrations and wonderful stories and poems of Easter. Here are a few we read: An Easter Wish Anonymous May the glad dawn of Easter morn Bring joy to thee. May the calm eve Of Easter leave A peace divine with thee. May Easter night On thine heart write, O Christ, I live for thee. Easter's Coming Aileen Fisher Through the sunshine, through the shadow, down the hillside, down the meadow. little streams run bright and merry, bursting with the news they carry, singing, shouting, laughing, humming, "Easter's coming, Easter's coming!"
The Gospel According to St. Matthew 28:1-6: In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
May your hearts be filled with hope and happiness this Easter!
