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

In the Train of the Conqueror

"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ..." 2 Corinthians 2:14

It is a wonderful fact that we have already triumphed over any sin or any circumstance that we "fall into". We can certainly "count it all joy", can't we? Jesus' only interest was to do the will of His Father and to finish the work that He called Him to do. Paul's job, as should be mine and any Christian's, was simply to be a "captive" of the Lord.

I read a quote which said, "The viewpoint to maintain is that we are here for one purpose only, to be captives in the train of Christ's triumphs. We are not in God's 'showroom', we are here to exhibit one thing-the absolute captivity of our lives to Jesus Christ."

How easy it is to fall into a habit of saying, "well, I got victory over THAT one today"...or "it is so difficult to live this Christian life, trying to thwart Satan at every corner", etc. How grieved the Holy Spirit must be when I do that. He has already given me the victory. I just want to be so much His "captive" that I'm there with Him all the time!  I Corinthians 1:30 tells me that Jesus is already made unto me "wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption".

I caught a picture in my mind once of Jesus hanging on the cross with each of my sins, written out- in the form of small signs,  hanging on Him. The picture of Christ is hazy, but my sins stand out as they weigh Him down more and more. What grief the weight of this sin caused Him as the Father's face had to turn away from His Son for the first time, so that I (and you) could be reconciled to this Holy God. What a shame it is to deliberately allow a particular sin to take precedence over this perfect act of ultimate sacrifice! Praise the Lord that Jesus did shed His blood, bearing our sins, and triumphed over sin and death when He rose from the grave. When I accepted this sacrifice He put me on the train of the Conqueror!

Stepping Into A New Day

"Be strong and of good courage...Only be thou strong and very courageous...Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed; for the LORD thy God is with thee wherever thou goest." Joshua 1:6,7,9

My morning Bible study had gotten jumbled up in the last few days and there is a little study tool called "The Feature" that is a blessing to my heart. This morning I read the account of how the Lord told Joshua to take the nation of Israel into the land, "over this Jordan." God's servant, Moses, was dead and it was Joshua's time to lead the people into the promised land.  All the promises of God went with him as he obeyed the LORD God, Jehovah.

It takes courage to step into the new day with God. What a blessing to know that God has not changed. He is still the one who tells His faithful servants of today to "endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ", in II Timothy 2:3 and to "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might." (Eph. 6:10)

Last night I wrestled with the giants, while allowing God to reveal areas where He wants to see change.This morning, though this devotional was read out of sequence, Joshua 1:1-9 was exactly what my heart needed to cement the things that the Lord revealed to me about myself.

Our God is so personal! We have an eternal God who has spoken His Word, which will never pass away. This is the God who lives within my heart and I know lives in the hearts of many of you. I hope that you know Him as Savior too.

I'm so glad you stepped on to Darling Hill today. If you know the Lord, I pray that as you go on, stepping through the day, you will allow God to lead each step of the way. Be strong and of a good courage, knowing that no matter what giant comes in your way today, you can face it and defeat it with the Lord's strength!

In closing, I'm still going through some old pictures and scanning them into the computer. Here are a few Fall ones and some "oldies"...

Up through the trees

those of you who know Mom, here she is at her last home. She had beautiful gardens

Look at those glasses!! this is sometime in the 90s

One of our all-time favorite Autumn shots. Dear, Ranger

"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." Joshua 1:8 

An Autumn Afternoon, Richly Enjoyed

Today was one of those 50 degree days that felt like 70 because of the beautiful sun! Mom and I had lunch then took the dogs for a walk. We sat out in front of our house to enjoy some coffee before heading back up the hill.

Sturm poses in Gram's lap

As we headed up the hill we wanted to take a shot of the BLUE sky against these birches, wow!

I'm using the little camera today, which really takes terrible pics; the sky truly was brilliant though

Just a couple of everyone at the stone wall. Trying to get them all looking in one direction is nearly impossible.

Sometimes I can get the watercolor effect, somewhat here

These Fall days are numbered and I was so happy that we could get out and enjoy one like it!
Three more puppy shots:

Pumpkin-head

resting on the warm rocks

If these sunny, Autumn days hold out, come on up and enjoy a trek up Darling Hill. Thanks for stopping by today!

"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." I Timothy 6:17

Count Your Blessings

It is a blessing to me to still have my mother upon this earth. I am sorry for those of you who do not have yours and I hope this post doesn't make you feel sad as I speak of my wonderful mother.

In a phone conversation the other day, my mom and I were talking about the many blessings the Lord brings us every day and the way that He has always provided for us in the past, as in the present. She said that she had been out on her deck thanking Him for all these blessings and I was telling her how He often has impressed me to write them down, which I have done - and the list just keeps growing! I have many journals, some of them even have excerpts written in them! Others are still blank. One of these would serve as a good vessel in which to write this list, starting from the time I began my Christian life and continuing to the present, leaving plenty of room to list the future ones as well.   If you're like me, you can still think back 30 years or more and remember the things which God brought into your life to shape you into what you are today. I want to start this Blessings Journal soon. What a joy, if the Lord tarries, it will be to read it in my old age. I do pray though that the Lord comes to take us out of this old world soon! don't you?

Mom was hard at work this day, while 'you-know-who' rests at her feet!

Just some thoughts on blessings. I want to count mine daily, like Mom does.

Thanks for stopping by the hill today.