A Prayer of True Worship

It is such a privilege to have a relationship with the God of this universe! Because Jesus reconciled me by His blood, shed on the cross, I was talking with Him this morning and spending time in His very WORD!

"...the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship Him." John 4:23

Oh, that I might worship the Lord with honesty in my spirit, complete openness with Him and with others, always in truth, never lying (even to myself) about my sins!

The word, truth, brings thoughts of God's Word and 'honesty'; it also reminds me of "reality". As a new Christian I used to think that the Lord just shields all believers from extreme sadness and tragedy. How untrue that is. Believers go through tragedy, heartbreak, trials and everyday temptations just like anyone. It actually sounds ridiculous to think otherwise now, but I suppose it was just child-like ignorance that bred that thought in my early Christian life. There is a 'rugged reality' that a Christian is taken through, to mold and to shape each lump of clay into a beautiful vessel that He can really use. What a blessing, to be able to go through any circumstance truthfully, with open face before God and man! If I do not let God have His way in these everyday "way"s, I will be a hinderance and a clog to His work and I won't be a "true worshipper" in experience.

We are often reminded by our Pastor to 'live what you ARE'.  I am a true worshipper, now BE a true worshipper!

Sunday morning sunrise; wish I'd been at Mom's THAT morning!

One other thing that it seemed the Lord was reminding me of this morning was; let others Christians be led of the Spirit into this reality of being a true worshipper. If I can help them along in any way, wait for the Lord to humbly take and use me and don't run ahead to "serve" Him...those thoughts as I mused on being a 'hinderance and a clog' to the Lord's work.

I hope you have a wonderful walk today; Christians, as you walk along in the way the Lord is leading you. Thanks for stopping by Darling Hill today!

To Be Used of God!

"To be used of God; to sing, to speak, to pray. To be used of God to show someone the Way. I long so much to feel the touch of His consuming fire; To be used of God is my desire."
- writer, unknown to me; a spiritual song learned many years ago.

This is a post of serious thoughts and even not-so-serious rambles.

The property taxes are paid and this is such a relief! It is amazing how many things you can find to sell or do without when it gets into September and October, hee, hee!! The Lord is so good and provides in amazing ways. Syd is still waiting to hear from a job prospect where he has had three interviews. We are praying that he gets this job. At the same time though, I am praising God for a new headboard and bedside tables that he has been working on for the past few days and I have just LOVED having him home, being able to have lunch together and even to see him in one or another of my little post offices throughout the week. Last week an arm reached in through the window, holding a steaming cup of coffee! It's the little things that bring us such pleasure, you know?

Last night I was experimenting with gluten-free bread recipes! how hilarious! Maybe before this post is through I will have decided to show you pictures, though I doubt it! The white bread came out of the oven all nicely puffed up and beautiful but (as with the pumpkin loaf which rose nicely also), as it cooled it almost fell flat,or lopsided at least. I don't know if the barometric pressure added to this failure, or what. Eating the pumpkin bread is like eating a piece of pumpkin pie in loaf form. It is extremely DENSE, to say the least. Obviously I can only serve it to Syd, not company. I toasted a piece of each bread this morning and both are very tasty. Perhaps when (if ever) I perfect these gluten-free loaves I will share some secrets!

okay, I decided to show you the funny photos:

what was a beautiful, puffy bread while hot...settled!

this pumpkin bread looked promising; rose high and nice. Cooling took all the air out of it!
As you can see, I have no secrets to share yet. Will keep experimenting with gluten-free.

"Be kindly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another." Romans 12:10

"Look not every man on his own things. but every man also on the things of others." Phil 2:4

This morning, these two verses came to my heart as I prayed for the needs of others. I prayed that the Lord would use me to meet someone else's need today. My heart especially goes out to those who have lost a most important person in their life, whether it be a child, dear friend or spouse. We are here to glorify God as we give out the Gospel of the Lord Jesus, "do good" and to "relieve the fatherless and widows in their affliction". While I sorted mail into little post boxes this morning the Lord was reminding me that every single person who I encounter is worthy of the same care as she who would be considered my very best friend. What have I got to lose in making every person who crosses my path feel special and cared for? Yesterday I meditated on the thought, "what have I to gain by thinking evil of another person?" I Corinthians 13 tells me that charity (love) thinks no evil and does not rejoice in iniquity. It "beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things". What a love to strive for; to ask God to make real in my heart and to make come out, daily, through my mouth and hands!

This is a special kind of Godly love, that truly believes and expects the best of others and situations! wow! Please don't quote me on knowing and trying to teach you what to think on these verses. I meditate out loud when I blog; daily musings. Putting things down in this form is such a blessing to my heart and thanks to all of you who comment, when they are a blessing to yours also.

We gave our friend, Sarah, her birthday gift early. As you can see, she wastes no time unwrapping!

 We three girls, at lunch today...

Ruger knows he can usually talk Grammy into giving him a bite. He also knows this isn't allowed!

Thanks for stopping by the Hill today. It may be rainy outside, but it should be sunny in the Christian's heart!

Gearing Up for a Storm

It is 3:00 a.m. and I am doing something that I have never done before. I read in bed for over a hour (which is typical if I cannot sleep) but this is the thing that's different...I did not fall back to sleep, so came downstairs --in the middle of the night! In thirty two years of marriage I cannot count on one hand doing it (unless I was really sick, for peppermint tea, etc). Now I'm checking out my friend's blogs: unheard of!

While spending time in the car with Syd, Mom and Sarah yesterday we began talking about getting strength from the Lord. Not having a Bible in hand, we were trying to remember what Colossians chapter 3 was teaching. After arriving home I was reading through it. What a blessed chapter!  "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly" ~ verse 16. That is certainly the answer to receiving spiritual strength from the Lord. Obedience to God's Word is all we need. This chapter seems to cover every area of life, including home and family. It speaks of "the greatest of these", which is charity. "And above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness." What a complete picture of the obedient Christian life is portrayed in this chapter.

In gearing up for a "nor'easter" that is to be hitting the East within the next few days, what better  picture can we get than applying God's Word, by His grace, to gear us up for any spiritual storms that may come in the future? I'm praising God, this early morning, for preserving His perfect Word and for having a copy of it to carry with me and to gain nourishment from daily.

If you are in the track of the storm, I am praying for you and for God's physical protection. I'm praying also for fellow Christians, as we face the battering storms that come in from day to day. Aren't you glad that, armed with the sword of the Spirit and "praying always", we have everything we need to withstand in the evil day?

"And above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him." Col. 3:14-17

Early morning ponderings

Our big doe and her fawn

praying that this storm does not bring ice

may we all care for one another even more than Ruger cared for this little fawn and attempted to meet its needs