Praise!

...Let all that I am praise the LORD... Psalm 104:1 and 35

"All that I am"...everything about me...my thoughts, my words, my actions, my dress, my everything! When I praise Him with my everything, it's easy to realize that He is so much bigger than any earthly issue. He loves us with an everlasting love..."The LORD takes pleasure in all He has made." Psalm 104:31.

Words

Words...they can edify or crucify. What are my words doing?

Proverbs 18:21 says..." Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit—you choose. (The Message)

"Do not add to his words..." Proverbs 30:6

How often do I speak before I think? I need to carefully measure my words just like ingredients to a recipe before I dump them on anyone. Just what I'm pondering on this today....as I see my friends hurt by what someone else said. Did that someone realize that gossip hurts...my friend is hurting..I wish I could take it away for her.

Another example:

Recently, I was in one of our local restraunts having lunch with a friend. At the table next to us, four women were seated and talking rather loudly. Soon after we sat down it became apparent they were talking negatively about their pastor....in this very public restraunt! I couldn't sit still and asked my friend if we could leave. This wasn't my pastor, but he still didn't deserve this.

Small talk can come from small minds and hearts. May I always keep my own words in check.

You're Just Like Me"

Florida tells her friend Jodi..."know what your problem is, Jodi Baxter? You don't want to accept that you're just like me. I didn't deserve God's love when I was strung out on drugs, now did I? But the thing that turned me around? I discovered He loved me anyway. Jesus died on that bloody cross to save me- - and look how far He's brought me! With all your blessings, all your middle-class-white American privileges, you don't deserve God's love, either. But you seem to forget that He loves you anyway, that He saved you, and ain't nothin' yo can do gonna change that."

This book has really made me wonder,...do I ...have I forgotten what it's like ... that I am really no better than anyone else? Do I treat others as if they are just as important as the next person? Read Psalm 139 ...put the name of your friends...those who are not your friends...and your own name in the place of "I". Let it speak to your soul.

2 Kings 6:16

Don't be afraid! Elisha told him. "For there are more on our side than on theirs!" then Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!" The LORD opened the young man's eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.

There is more than we can see....trusting God is essential to our inner peace. Jermiah 29:11 'For I know the plans I have for you' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.'

Knowing and believing all this, why do we experience fear? I suppose the flesh speaks out. Yet, the lesson I seem to be learning...let my faith outweigh my fear....let faith win!

Friends

Friends...they come in all shapes and sizes. There are various levels of friends from close to aquaintances which last for a duration of time...only a true friend will last a lifetime.

What is the importance of friendship? I like to think of friends as someone who will help us continue on the right track, someone to share the good times as well as the bad, someone who helps to make you a better person.

Before one can truely have a friend, they must be a friend. That takes risk...risking that your loyality and gestures of friendship will be taken and appreciated.

Hungry But Can't Find Anything!

This week has been busy and draining! Each morning, I still get up for my morning "quiet time" to focus on what God has to share with me. Yet, each day I have not quite "got-it". Talking with my mom on Mother's Day, I told her that reading through the Psalms has not really spoken to me...she suggested that I just skip it and move on. I guess that isn't something I want to do...I want to say I've read them...(does that really mean anything, I don't know). Yet, still thirsting for more I have started reading one of my summer book choices. The yadayada Prayer Group is a story that begins with a couple of friends attending a Christian Women's Conference. So far (and I haven't gotten very far...too many interuptions) it's fun along with my own anticipation for this summer's Women of Faith Conference.

At the same time, still sticking with my morning tradition (and New Years Resolution) I came once again to the Psalms. Yet this morning, I changed the routine and read from Wendy's Blog first. There it was...the inspiration I needed...
Psalm 124:1 What if the LORD had not been on our side?...
Psalm 124:7...The trap is broken, and we free!

Noah The Musical

What a wonderful time we had on our anniversary. It was rather unexpected, actually. We weren't really going to do anything special; my husband needed to work cattle.

Alas, the rain came! It not only canceled the big day of working cattle, but it also canceled my son's baseball practice. Whew Hooo! The rain opened new opportunities (never curse the rain...it makes the hay grow...our cows need hay). I've been wanting to see "Noah, the Musical", my husband found the time and desire to go. Even though it was an anniversary outing, we took our youngest son (the only one living at home) with us!

"Noah the Musical" is a wonderful production! So many truths brought out...
* We all have the time to do what's right...yet do we?
* The time is coming when our Saviour will return, are we mocking
Him by doing our own thing...are we ready?

"As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in
the days of the Son of man, They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they
were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the
flood came, and destroyed them all (Luke 17:26-27)."