Bound for the Promised Land?

"Having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is an heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He hath prepared for them a city." Hebrews 11:13-16

Even though (as the famous hymn suggests) the Promised Land is a picture of Heaven, when we are no longer floundering in the wilderness, praise God, we are IN the promised land! To me it has always seemed that it is more of a picture of the obedient Christian life, one in which I'm allowing God to lead me day by day. Letting God lead daily is certainly "heaven on earth". Does that mean that I never relapse back into the wilderness? Sadly, no. May I never be "mindful of that country" and desire to return to wandering in the wilderness. Reading Numbers 13, even in the promised land there were "giants", briars and troubles. But there, God's people could live, in dependence on their Father day by day. What a privilege to live in the promised land with the promise of Heaven and eternity in the future, where there will never be another giant in the way!

This morning I was blessed by seeing two lone, Tom turkeys, two flocks of girls with their Tom, a blue heron, geese on a pond and even a kingfisher flew in front of my car...all on the way to work. It is a privilege to have these wild creatures living all around us. I'm thankful that the Lord has made us mindful of even just these physical blessings; more importantly the spiritual ones, moment by moment.

Our resident owl sits, waiting, watching closely for an unwary rodent. Syd and watched as he swooped away from our porch the other night with something in his talons. When he reached this perch (I took this picture immediately following the incident) he quickly gulped down his kill. It was amazing to watch how he devoured it, whole! I'm thankful that God has the umbrella of His hand and the living Word over us and has commanded us to keep our hearts with all diligence, to guard ourselves and wait on Him to keep us safe from Satan who seeks, daily, to devour us.

These photos were just cute. It's hard to get the full effect. Sturm was sitting up straight, leaning into Syd and sure looks pleased to be in such a place of honor, safety and security!

resting in his arms

I hope you know the Lord Jesus and are blessed in the promised land of His safety and obedient following day by day. Knowing Jesus as our Savior, we will all be together one day, forever in eternity!

Family and Friends, Near and Far

Yesterday was a special one to me. Though MANY thousands of people share your birthdate, it's friends and family who make it special to you. Thanks to all who made it a special day! I worked at the Post office and had surprises throughout the day. The evening before, Mom and Sarah had a nice dinner for us. My friend, Dottie, brought me these beautiful flowers and the yummy cupcakes (I wish you could have seen the "cupcake tree"). Phone calls came in from people you just don't get to see every day. Sweet Syd remembered my love of white flowers with lily of the valley and a white lilac to plant this Spring. He'd already gotten two white rose bushes. Cards came from special friends, a few are shown here, others hang by my PO desk.

A big surprise came at the end of the day. Our post office almost never gets 1st class mail delivered at the end of the day. Last night I picked up a half-sized letter tray, cut the strap and inside there was only ONE lone letter. I don't know if you can see it, here in the foreground, but it says "Deliver to: Cynthia Veysey..." my address followed. It was such a surprise and joy. A birthday letter from Syd's Mom. She wrote in it that she was sorry that it would be getting to me late. I can't wait to tell her that it wasn't!

"How precious also are thy thoughts unto me O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them they are more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with thee." Psalm 139:17,18

In The Way

Isaiah 30:21 "...This is the way; walk ye in it..."

Having just read the account of Abraham's servant, going out to find a bride for his son, the entire chapter of Genesis 24 reminds us that our wonderful God leads us all  the way. Abraham's servant was given a specific task by his master. As the servant was "in the way" he exercised faith and prayed to God for specific things to come to pass, to know the exact will of the Lord.

I am thankful that I serve a personal God. He leads me daily in the way He wants me to go. He does so for all of His children.
Lord, help me to exercise faith in knowing just where you want  me to set my steps daily, and moment by moment.

"Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath  not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth; I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren." Genesis 24:27

I am sorry that I've been so lax in writing lately. Spring is coming along here on the hill. The snow on the north side is even diminishing quite quickly. I'm looking so forward to digging in the dirt, setting plants and doing some other outdoor projects around the house; as I'm sure you are too!

Aunt Jan has sent me some good ideas for Aunt Jan's Corner, but I have not got them on there yet, sorry to say. Thanks for stopping by the hill today!

Something or Nothing?

I ask myself this early Sunday morning..."Do I want to be something, or nothing for God?"
We would all probably answer the same thing to that question. We want to be "something for God"!

If I want to be something (only FOR Him) I'd better get ahold of the things that Jesus Himself said are the most important. He boiled all the law and the prophets down to two things: to love the Lord our God with ALL, and to love our neighbor as ourself.

This morning the Lord has lead me, again, to I Corinthians 13. This has been the third week now that He has been teaching me from this amazing chapter. I want to get ahold of what real love is. He obviously wants me to start "getting it" too! I pray for His grace to do just that.

I'm so glad that God does not give up on us. He truly ENDURES ALL THINGS when it comes to people. I pray that you have a blessed Lord's Day. Sorry so short, but have to get ready for church.

Rambling Along a Spring Lane

I picked through muddy tire tracks

  as I drove along the way;

And chanced to meet a couple

  rambling through their day.

They walked along together

  aside the moisty road;

My eye was drawn to-ward them,

  while my car I slowed.

And as I passed beside them

  they simply hopped atop

a handy, nearby snowbank;

  their gait they did not stop.

A picture-perfect moment;

  the two waddling along.

His beard swayed, as her tail-feathers;

Miss Henny and her Tom.

from this...

...to this, in a short period!  Springtime!

sorry I didn't have a winter turkey picture. I didn't have my camera when I chanced upon Henny & Tom the other day.

Speaking to Ourselves

Psalm 103

"Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name..."

This Scripture was truly a blessing to me this day! Do not let the pressures from people or circumstances of this old world get you sidetracked. When God blesses you with something and He makes it clear that He wants us to share it, do so.

Two great quotes that I heard in a chapel hour sermon this morning:

A grateful heart can be just as contagious as a bitter heart. Therefore, cultivate a heart of thanksgiving.

We should spend more time speaking to ourselves and less time listening to ourselves.

Most all of Psalm 103 involves David speaking to Himself about the things of God. In hearing this, I realized that this is what my blogging does the most for me. These 'musings' are probably much more for my benefit than for the blessing of any of you readers. We keep ourselves in  remembrance of these things as we write them down. Though many of the excerpts sound "preachy", they serve as wonderful reminders of daily blessings from my heavenly Father. Spurgeon wrote that many people do not ever get to know themselves enough to speak to themselves. We should remind ourselves daily of the blessings and gifts that God has blessed us with!

This morning I'm reminded that, just as Godly thoughts can strengthen our actions; daily work, committed to the Lord, will establish our thoughts. I have a small hand-written plaque on my desk at work that reads, 

"Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established". Proverbs 16:3

It is a snowy, Spring day on the hill. How deep the mud has gotten! The sap will flow once the days warm up. All the buckets are hung and ready. This transition time is one of prose and poetry. Already there is one forming in my mind, but just no time to develop it yet. One of these quiet mornings the words will come. Recent photos are waiting to be posted too. It is a prayer request of mine that perhaps the Lord will allow work to slack up a bit so that I'm not running in quite so many directions. What is wonderful is that, whether pressures come or go, He is the One who establishes our thoughts. Our job is to commit our works to Him on a moment by moment basis. 

I'm so glad you stopped by Darling Hill today. Whether on foot, or vehicle, keep in the middle of the road and your tires on the high spots, or you'll find yourself stuck in the mire. Leave a note to say you've come by. I love reading your notes.

The Still Small Voice

The mountains are covered in a new dusting of snow this morning. How beautiful to come to the mountain top. These weeks we've been at the mountain top with our God also. One doesn't always have to leave their house to go to a revival with the Lord. While God has reminded me and taught me things about myself through the Word, my heart keeps saying, "Lord, don't let these things filter out and leave. Please teach me and let me meditate on them that they will stay forever settled there." 

As Elijah, after his mountain-top experience, we all find ourselves back down in the dull, everyday experiences of life. This is where we live, after all. Out of I Kings 19 this morning I read about God coming to a discouraged Elijah, "what doest thou here, Elijah".  He told him to go up to the mountaintop and showed him that great wind, the mighty earthquake and the consuming fire. He was not in those, this time. God was in the 'still small voice', where he asked the question of Elijah again. As Elijah arose and listened, God told him what to do next and that He had a remnant who had not bowed the knee to idols.

I'm so glad that the Lord knows just what I need at every moment. I want to listen to His still small voice today and every day, don't you? depending on His settled Word, which is quick and powerful and sharper than a two-edged sword. It is His words that are there for us to listen to and to live by, moment by moment.

"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." Col. 3:16