Avoiding Traps Of hell

I've been up since very early this morning, praising God, remembering that the family is still in bed asleep, I've tried to keep it down. :) Aren't there times that your heart gets so full that you've gotta just offer Him praise?



Joseph has been spending his evenings working on putting that engine into his Jeep. Last night he came home to say he had to make a purchase before he could go further with it. A chum of his is helping him ocassionally, it's been good company for him and gives him someone to bounce off ideas while he's navigating through this project.

Pat phoned last night to say that he'd found a repair manuel for his car on e-bay and wanted me to make the purchase. It's a manuel on a few CD's. I don't know, I just have something about having a BOOK in my hand when I'm learning something. Who wants to be dependent upon having to have a computer with you while making car repairs? LOL Told him I'd take care of the transaction. He's been sent away again this week with his work, as he has been much of this last year. Next month he's putting papers in to see if he can be sent back to the facility where he'd worked for about 15-20 years. The adventure of traveling has long lost it's luster for him. :)

Kept Sarah home last night from work at the library, she's gettin' well and thought that I was over reacting to this, because she "felt alright". Don't know...just seems that I've been Mama long enough to know that a fever is a good indication to take measures. Would you agree? Good Grief!!! :) She has a preferance to Puff tissues with moisturizers in the paper, to be soft for the nose. She came home from the market with one of her siblings to show me that along with the purchase I sent out for, she had two boxes of tissue - her kind of tissue - at the price of $2.40ish a box for her nose. I quietly reminded her that I didn't pay that much for tissue, ever...and would appreciate her remembering that. Just think that $5.00 for two boxes of tissue is a little much, don't you? LOL LOL

Aubrey, Louis and Liam came home last night from their trip to Oklahoma, visiting their family. It's been quiet around here without that little guy. Mary Beth has brought Ethan over the last couple of days for us to watch (enjoy!!!) while she's been helping with the indoor painting of the new local crises pregnancy center. She's enjoyed volunteering there. I believe it to be an unexpected pleasure for her. If she should happen to bring him by again today, Liam will enjoy his company too.

Aubs came home excited about a product she's been interested in for a long time. What is it? Arbonne, I believe. She's glad to find cosmetics that are, if I remember correctly - free of chemicals, they're basically herbal. She was so glad to bring me home some samples to use. Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law are representatives and brought home some fun stuff. Some of it was "anti-aging" products. LOL LOL I'd always figured I'd grow old gracefully, I suppose she thinks this will be a plus in that department. :)

Emily went over to our pastors home to help her yesterday to do some major cleaning. It came about 9:00 last night and she'd not come home, the gals had crashed and Emma was just going to keep Ms. Alma company for the evening and we'll be seeing her today sometime.

When Mary Beth finished painting for the afternoon, she'd brought a sweet movie that I enjoyed. Don't like much of what is produced for consumption these days...and is a shame that it's called "entertainment", but this one is SWEET. I'd recommend it, if you've not already seen it. It's called "Sarah Cane" I believe. An endearing movie, and worth your time to view.

There's another video that we've watched again this week, it was a powerful reminder to my heart. Called "Close Encounter of the God Kind" by Jesse Duplantis. If you don't see another movie all year long, this you need. He recalls the time that he was transported to Heaven and a summery of what transpired there. It's a powerful message and one that we all need to hear. JESUS IS COMING.

Michael wants to go to the pool this morning early to do laps for a while. I really like it when the kids go with a sibling, have just never gotten away from a "buddy system". After all these years. LOL Pat works nights, and he will often go with Michael when he's home. I bought 1/2 a years worth of membership for the family, didn't want to pay for a whole year until I saw how much it would actually be used. Sometimes Joseph and Louis will go down together before they have to be at work in the morning. I want our money's worth out of this thing.

Joseph and I have talked over this last year about building a small aviary for Emily's little Abigail. For those of you who don't know who she is, Emma's kept company, for about 8 years, with a colorful, obnoxious cockatiel. Emma dotes over this little critter so, and Abby knows that Emily is REALLY the ONLY one in this house that LOVES her. LOL

Emily has a "summer house" for Abby so she can take her outside enjoy nice warm days. Her home is a LARGE cage that she occupies in our family room. We've spoken of making a small area, probably over one of our small evergreen bushes, enclosed so Abigail would have a bit of freedom that she's never known before. It would mean keeping the bush trimmed back, but the gal has lived indoors all her life and would enjoy a bit of room outdoors where she could interact with the locals, and even gather some of her own food, you think? LOL Joseph was speaking again with me yesterday about wanting to pull that together for Emma. Her birthday is in June, but it'd be nice if it could be realized during the Spring time. He's got a project of putting his Jeep back together right now, so it's not something that will be tackled any time soon.

Emily has long been the bird enthusiast in our home. She enjoys feeding what population she can, but that will often draw those NASTY grackels. Don't you HATE them. Well, I don't use that word often, but they do discribe how I feel about those destructive creatures. I know God created them, but I believe they are possessed. I've found a bird feeder that will not allow squirrels or grackels to pilfer the stash. Where DO folks come up with such ideas? LOL Well, the weight of the larger creatures will not allow the food to be dispensed, and it works on some kind of spring mechanism. A friend of mine in Texas makes use of one, and while I was doing some research, saw that they were not too costly. There is even a "heated" bird bath for the serious bird watcher, but I don't think I'll provide a spa in our yard just yet. LOL

I like this new graphic I found, just below. Have decided that I will use it as a bar just before I share some of God's Word in each of my posts.



While I was reading this morning in a devotional there was a "Thought for Today" at the end of the page. It says: Jesus is interceeding for us to keep us right, holy, ready, mighty, and filled with Himself so that we might bring the fragrance of heaven to the world's needs.

This devotional is comprised of sermons taken from Smith Wigglesworth. I believe he's probably my favorite patriarch...along with John G. Lake. I always enjoy reading about these men. They walked in great faith, in the power of God's Word and unashamed of whatEVER Jesus called them to do. They were DEAD to themselves, and the Lord was able to work mighty things through their lives.

There is MUCH that pulls at our lives to influence us ouside of God's Word, and the paths that He has for us. We've all been "baited" to take paths that are not intended for us, or to neglect fellowship with the Lord, and His Word, and to make it an integral part of our lives. It is refreshing to know that even Jesus is interceeding for us while we are here....so we are kept right, holy, ready and mightily filled with His Spirit to be His hands, feet, mouth, ears and eyes on this planet.

Father, Thank You that Jesus is not finished minstering to us, even now. Thank YOU that You help us to walk in the paths of holiness where there is great protection for us all. Help us not to fritter away our days and nights and that our lives be spent for YOUR plans. Help us to illude the traps of the devil to distract us from Your purposes in our lives. God, the only safe place in this planet is in Your Secret Place, and under Your Shadow. Help us to dwell there, Lord, knowing that not only is there SAFETY, but sweet communtion with YOU. Help us to be hungry and thirsty for this. In the Name of Jesus.

The Son Dial

I have some dear family who has recently been going through some trying times. This fall, I asked the Lord what I could do beside pray. The thought came to me to bring some things to the mail box, they needed something to smile about. I giggled, sounded like FUN....and asked Him to show me what it was I needed to gather.

This picture, and yes, Renna, you'll have to "see" it....is what caught my eye for one purchase. Renna has a sweet blog, and her post today was about God's ability to navigate us through fog just as easily as He does when "we see clearly".

Some of our family are pilots, they had to learn how to navigate with instruments because there may come a time that it will save their lives.

This instrument is both a sundial and a compass. When I saw it for sale I knew this was one thing I must get, it wasn't just any sundial, but THIS is a SONdial. If we keep our eyes on the SON He will certainly point us in the right direction!!! LOL LOL

Don't you LOVE it? LOL God has such a sense of humor!!!! I think we all need a SONdial, don't you?

The Old Paths-The Good Way

It's been a good day. The family is getting well. Emily came home from Texas tonight. Patrick comes home tonight for the weekend. This week was our 37th anniversary and he spent it away with work.

It warmed up enough to put a window or two open to air out the house for part of the day.

I treated myself with new rugs, curtains for the shower and window for the upstairs bathroom. Didn't buy any when we first moved in last year, and there has been no color or warmth to the room. One half the room is carpeted, and the other half has linolium. With the new purchase, it reminds me that the old linolium needs to be replaced. All it would take is a scrap, it's a small area.

I've been looking for some wallpaper and something of a splash to put into the small area of the kitchen and little dining room we have. The last time I purchased wallpaper, I did so online after having found what I wanted in some books. Was able to save about 1/2 with the purchase. Have spent far too much time looking through samples. Want something made of vinyl so it can wash easily.

Twice a year we, at our fellowship, host a ladies meeting over a long weekend, in October and in February. The first weekend of February is when it's scheduled. It's always a time of refreshing. It's not a "girly" time, actually, as with other ladies meetings I've attended over the years. We have speakers come from in and out of state, and the Spirit of God always meets us in great anointing and presence. Well, I should say that He does that every time we meet each time in our fellowship, but it does seem that we're especially blessed during these meetings. I do not take that for granted.

There is something that I've jotted down in my Bible that goes:
Speak to Him, thou, for He hears, and Spirit with spirit can meet. Closer is He than breathing and nearer than hands and feet. (Alfred Lord Tennyson)

Nearer than hands and feet....hummmmm. Mr. Tennyson must have had sweet communion with the Lord.

We need the same awareness of God's presence with and in us. I've heard the phrase "God inside minded" used over the years. I suppose that is what Mr. Tennyson was making reference to. It would do us well to remember that we really are hooked up with God. It would make a difference what we set our hands, eyes, ears and mouth to...and where we set our feet.

There's a place over in Proverbs 4 that tells us:
20 My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.

It speaks of our words, eyes, flesh, ears, our feet.
He speaks of us keeping His Word first place in our hearts, that it's our life even our good health.

He's telling us that we're to guard our hearts, because when we do, we will be speaking life and not death over ourselves and those about us.

Perverse lips is not just foul language, swearing....It's speaking those things that bring death and destruction to us.

We're admonished to look straight ahead. There is a path that we belong on. Over in Isaiah 35 we're told about the highway of holiness. We're not to choose our own path, or let even our eyelids look at another. Instruction to ponder the path of our feet, not to turn to the right or left, and remove our feet from evil.

Remember the Word telling us in Jeremiah 6:16
Thus says the Lord:
"Stand in the ways and see,
And ask for the old paths, where the good way is,
And walk in it;
Then you will find rest for your souls.
But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'

We've got to ASK for the "old paths" where the good way is.

We've been hearing for some years about a "NEW way", that the old way people got saved, delivered, worship, praise isn't going to cut it for us now. Strange.

He told us that we'd find REST FOR OUR SOULS on the old paths. My goodness, which of us do not need REST for our souls?

Father, I ask You to help us to put Your Word first, remember that YOU really are as close as our hands and feet....to be mindful of your presence. I ASK YOU for the old paths, and that You help me from stepping out of them. Thank You for bringing rest to my soul while I walk in Your paths. Thank You for helping me not even to look to the right or the left, and to ponder the Paths Of Your Choosing. I choose Your Way, Your Life and health, Your safekeeping, in Jesus' Name.

Perfection

Isn't this fellow just the sweetest thing? Just perfect. I have nine others just like him, 10 perfect grandchildren. His name is Liam.

I've raised eight children, and to this day they are all, the best they know how, walking with the Lord. Sometimes they think they know more than they do, but that's alright, they're still growing up, eh? LOL Most importantly, they are still gaining ground in their walk with the Lord....that is a work that takes a lifetime.

While visiting with one of our daughters late last night, we prayed and agreed on God's Word and tore down strongholds in her life/home and took great pleasure in letting the devil know that he has lost, and all he has to look forward to is the Lake of Fire. I was reminded about how perfect she is, how perfect all of our children are....they just don't know it. :)

God was reminding me that we are perfect. I want to look through His eyes. He gets to help us make smooth the rough edges in our lives, but He has not Created anything or anyone in vain, knows JUST what He had in mind for us from the foundation of the Earth, and wants us to GET THE BIG PICTURE with Him so we can get along with the plans He has for us.

I have a friend in Texas, that enjoys knitting and she made a post on her blog about a piece she was knitting and it did not turn out to her liking. She was advised to take it apart and redo it, and then she remembered her mothers words that if there is anything worth doing it's worth doing right. :) Have been chewing on that post.

God believes that about us also. He has great confidence in what He's put inside each of us, and even if He needs to bring correction to undo what we've done or allowed in our lives - no matter how it comes - He knows the worth of the building He invested in us - He's planted seeds of GREATNESS in each of us. I WANT to see what HE ALREADY SEES.

In His Word, He's called us the planting of the Lord. He knows how to weed His garden and prune our lives. I'm convinced that none of us know how much God loves us, or the quality of Love that He's extended towards us, quite often we've not had a good example. If we did, we'd readily hop into His Word and onto His lap, love on HIm.... get down and jump for JOY, and stay in that JOY for the rest of our lives.

God is looking for fellowship, looking for friends, and it's not until we understand His heart and Love that we will come into that Fellowship and Friendship with Him.

I have eight wonderful children and ten wonderful Grandchildren and they are all the planting of the Lord. They have seeds of Greatness that God is growing inside each of them. He wants them to see how perfect they are.

I thank You Father that we ARE YOUR PLANTING. Thank you that You know how to bring us into Your likeness. Thank You that Your Son Jesus brought us the power to live an overcoming life. Thank You that You are PERFECTING us, that everything You designed for us to be, we walk right into it through the finished Work of Jesus, by Listening and Doing all You've declared to us in Your Word. I receive Your Love towards me. I receive Your Plans and Purposes for me. I receive Your power through me to get done all Your Good Pleasure. You are the Potter and I am the clay. I submit to, and receive the design that You have ordained in my life, in Jesus' Name.

Tree Planted By The Water

I found a picture that resembles the title of this blog. Thought I'd shed some light as to why it's named the way it is.

Over in Psalm 1:1-3 we're told:
1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

This passage is not speaking of arrogance. It's about right standing, decisions, a way of life.

In Matthew 6:33 we're told:
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.

For people who are really intent on pleasing the Lord this is a pivitol passage. Seeking first. When we are focused on seeking Him first, our A1 time will not be spent with people that are outside of the Kingdom of God. It's not that we won't have dealings with them, but they are not our primary companions.

Verse 1 tells us....
---Not to take advice from ungodly people. Well, they don't have God's wisdom, and that is what we need.

---Not to be in a standing attitude, or become a servant to in the ways that ungodly people live, or to remain in the paths of the ungodly. According to the Hebrew translation.

---Not to sit in the seat of the scornful. Not to dwell there. The only place we're suppose to dwell is in the Secret Place of the Most High.

While our DELIGHT is in the Lord and His Word and Ways He has for us THEN

We shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water.
Our part of the country is quite arid, and we don't have the moisture it takes to be kind to what grows. I know of a man in the southern part of Texas that as he planted trees, right next to it he also "planted" some PCV pipe so he could get water to the roots of the tree, and it would flourish, and he had the most beautiful trees in that part of the country. We've all seen how foilage flourishes when they are growing near a resource of water.

That brings forth its fruit in its season,
It's disappointing when we've planted something that is suppose to bless us with what it produces, and it does not. That's how our lives need to be.

Whose leaf also shall not wither
If the leaf does not show up, the fruit of that tree will not either.

And whatever he does shall prosper
Over in III John 2 we're told.....
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

This is always the Lords intention for us...He said above all things that's what He wants.

When we take this entire passage into consideration, I WANT WHAT GOD WANTS.
The wisdom that His Word offers us, when we make use of it, will yield a great fruit in our lives....and I take great comfort in knowing that I really am the planting of the Lord, and He's planted me by the Water, and as a result, I do and will bear a lot of fruit. My life has meaning, I'm doing what I'm created to do, bear the fruit that God intended, and making a difference in not only my own life, but those around me.

This is what I decree over myself, my husband, my children, my grandchildren and my church family.

Father, I thank YOU that we are disciples taught of You, obedient to Your will, and GREAT is our peace and undisturbed composure. I thank You, that we put You first in our lives, living to please You, and as we do we are Trees Planted by the Water, and we bear Your fruit, and whatever we do shall prosper. We have Your peace that surpasses even our own understanding, and our hearts are satisfied. When our hearts are not satisfied, we will always reach for the bitter thing and call it sweet. Thank You Lord, for not leaving us an unfinished work, and working in and through us to will and to do of Your good pleasure. In the Name of Your Son Jesus.