Should be posted in every home with boys!

“It is easier to Raise boys than to Fix Men!” unknown

phillips-craig-and-dean-how-deep-the-fathers-love-for-us

Pictures of the kiddos

Well it has been awhile again.  Things have been hectic here.  I had a couple of months of stomach sickness and then just as I began to get well, Logan and I both were sick with some sort of flu like bug.  My poor Logan pie has had his share of trama this year but to make matters worse, his sickness turned into pneumonia.  But I am glad to report that we are all feeling much better now, just in time for the Christmas season.

I must admit it so different to do all these holidays alone but God has been so good.  Thanksgiving was great and we had a wonderful family time with just us.  Although, it was really hard when as we sat down to eat, Aaron took a bite of turkey and with tears streaming down his face said, “I wish I was eating this at Grammy’s house.”  So we all had our moment of tears and then the day continued.   We have so much to be thankful for that it is hard to focus on the other things.

Now it is December and we are marching toward Christmas.  I must admit that part of me is enjoying less holiday hullabaloo.  The opportunity to keep the focus where it should be has been a great blessing for me.  I must also say, though, that it has been great to get a new package every couple of days in the mail.  The kid in me will never stop liking that.

I just thought I would put some pictures up for some of you that are not on Facebook.  These are just random shots that I thought you would enjoy.  If you are wondering why I have not been exploring England lately then the answer is… SICKNESS and WEATHER.  It is cold and rainy pretty much every day.  I am going to have to get over it and get out anyway but having to walk everywhere here, is not condusive to exploring in the rain.

Hope you all enjoy the pictures.

Aaron the soccer boy

The boys showing off their Thanksgiving turkeys

Logan at the doctor picking up his glasses

Little Logan Pie and the Great big cataract

On November 3, 2009 after many prayers answered by our Mighty God, Logan had his cataract removed from his right eye.  About the beginning of September he was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes with the right being the most severe.  Finding out that we would have to go through the NHS (National Health System) here in Britain was troubling.  Most Brits wait for a LONG time for appointments here and even longer for surgeries.  I have a neighbor in fact that had a serious gall bladder surgery that was cancelled and rescheduled three times and was finally done 8 weeks after being first diagnosed as needing emergency removal.  By nature, the Brits are not in a hurry for anything.  They are a very laid back and casual group of folks.  The doctors were concerned for Logan’s long term vision if the cataract removal did not happen quickly.  All of my fellow saints hit to their knees as people from across the globe were praying for an appointment.  Prayer warriors in South Louisiana, North Louisiana, Indiana, North Carolina, England, Thailand, and many other places were united in prayer over a tiny little cataract that was impairing the vision of my 3 year old.  But we serve a BIG GOD, that cares for even the littlest thing.  God heard the cries of his people!  An appointment was made and this journey began.  Every time something needed to be done to get to the next stage of the process… God moved each paper into the next hand.  It began happening so fast in fact, that I felt like I could see his hands physically moving things along.

And then the day was here… Surgery day.  Questions loomed in my mind about what the hospital atmosphere would be like with socialized healthcare.  I had been sick with stomach issues for a few weeks prior to the surgery and I had prayed that on surgery day I would be well enough to care for my child.  God showed up again.  I woke up that morning feeling awful and throughout most of the day I was pretty sick, but each time I thought I could not make it, my little blackberry would go off and another person was sending me encouraging words.  Boy does God know what he is doing or what!  He did not make me well.  He did not miraculously heal me but he did get me through each and every minute of that day!  Looking back, I can see that had I been miraculously well, I may not have focused so much on him and trusted so completely in him for every breath I drew that day.  He gets all the Glory for getting me through.  I serve a GREAT BIG GOD!

Ok, so we get to the hospital at 11am as instructed.  We were put in a childrens eye outpatient ward.  Basically like an American ER where there are curtains around beds.  It feels like it is about 100 degrees in there.  Literally… it was hard to breath it was so hot.  Heat was blaring through the vents and it was so stuffy (not great for my upset stomach) (We later found out that they raise the temperature on the kids wards so they do not get cold) There was a TV on a little arm thing (which the kids thought was really neat) and we were informed that television for kids was indeed free.  John and I were a little taken aback by that.. Like what.. why wouldn’t it be.  After a little more research we realized that you are charged by channel you watch. (The healthcare may be free but NOTHING else is)  If someone calls your little cubicle and you answer the phone, you are charged for each time you answer it.  We settled Logan into his bed and he began coloring and Aaron began working on some school work.  A couple of hours went by, and still nothing.  At about 1:30pm, the doctor came and talked to us again about the actual surgery and then informed us that we would be the 3rd afternoon case which should be at 3:ish.  By this time, the kids were starting to get a little restless, especially Logan who was starting to ask about eating and drinking.

At about 2pm they started putting drops in his eyes.. Ahh.. progress.. We had been there for 3 hours and they were finally at least touching him.  About 2:30 they dressed him into a gown and informed me that I would be escorting him into surgery until he went to sleep.  WHAT??? Ok, calm down.. A little different than the American way of keeping the overprotective mother out of the way but hey.. maybe it would be good to be with him.  We went into this little cubby hole outside of the actual O.R. (theater-as it is called here) and they let me hold his hand.  It felt even hotter in there.. They placed the gas on him and I got to hold his hand and whisper into his ear as he drifted off to sleep.  The smell of the gas was not helping my sickness but God made up for that by allowing me to hold onto Logan through what had to be a very scary time for him.

They gave me a beeper and told me to go and have some lunch and they would page me when he was out of theater.    So reluctantly we went downstairs to eat.  Now eating that was another strange thing.  We have been in England for 8 months now and we have yet to see anything that resembles an American mall.  Most places are more like the old main streets in small towns are compact along the roads like in New York.  They do not really do the whole, multiple stores inside one building.  Until… the hospital.. yep. that’s right.  The closest thing to a mall is in the hospital.  Complete with multiple clothing stores (where people were shopping while lugging around their IV) , home goods stores, gift stores, and much much more.   They even have a food court.  We went into the food court where John and Aaron opted for some good old English food…uhh.. not really.. they got Burger King.  We had a quick bite to eat and then let Aaron buy his brother a balloon and stuffed animal and then went back upstairs as we were told it would only be about 25-35 minutes.  An hour goes by and still no word.  I started feeling poorly again and I was weak and dizzy as well.  Finally they tell us to come back to meet him in recovery.

What??? In recovery???  Ok.  So all three of us go into recovery.  Again it was HOT!  (I am used to freezing in hospitals)  He was not even out of the anesthesia yet.  They rolled him into the little curtain in that area and said ok, let us know if you need anything.. WHAT??? What do I do when he wakes up?? I am used to him going through recovery with trained professionals and then having him brought back to me, awake, alert and calm… Oh but that was not in the cards here.  He looked so very peaceful, I reached down and gently stroked his arm and suddenly.. He jumped up and began yelling at the top of his lungs!  OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH!!! Startled I tried to calm him.  I tried to comfort him and NOTHING would help.  I rubbed his arm, his leg, I prayed over him, I prayed on him.. I could not calm him down.  The dizziness was worsening and he was getting louder.  I kept praying.. God, please do not let me pass out or vomit on my child who just came out of surgery.  I repeated it over and over and then I would pray for him to calm down and settle.  The nurse finally overheard the commotion and decided to offer some assistance.  She offered some pain meds.  YES.. Please!  But she returned with some liquid motrin and he was having NO part of drinking medicine in this state.  By this time, he is out of the bed and stomping on the ground that he hurt.  He wanted to make sure we knew what he was saying.  I picked him up and tried to hold him tightly like a baby and whisper to calm him but no go.. He was flailing around and kicking and I almost dropped him from my own weakness.  John decided to take him (having more strength) and we decided it best to take Aaron out of the situation.  I was beginning to see the fear in his eyes as he watched Logan behave this way.  I was so very sick at this point and was of no use to him anyway.  So Aaron and I left to find a window we could open or some where we could get some air (did I mention it was HOT in there).  I walked out of the room, holding Aaron’s hands, praying quietly as tears rolled down my cheeks.  I felt like I was such a failure.  How could I not be in there with him?  How could I be though?  We found a quaint little garden and we ducked out there and we walked around and found a little bench.  Aaron and I prayed together and I felt the wind filling me up with strength again.  As we headed back upstairs, I felt dizzy again but literally began receiving little notes of encouragement every minute or so.  Aaron and I went back to the original room and waited.  I kept calling John in recovery to check on Logan and they had finally after about 35 minutes decided to give him something in his IV line.  He was finally calmed and resting again.

Aaron and I kept praying.  At about 5:00pm they brought him back from recovery.  He was a little sleeping angel.  I fought the urge to touch him (I was not about to rewake a giant).  He slept until about 5:30 and then finally woke up.  He opened his eyes and smiled as bright as can be… “HIIIII Bubba!”  He was so happy and had no clue about what had happened before.  They came and told us they would bring him a snack and he ate every bit of a sandwich, some crisps (chips), and a blueberry muffin.  They told us they had ordered his meds to take home with us and that he could dress back into his clothes.  So we dressed him and we all sat around waiting for the medicine.  And we waited.. and waited.. and waited.. and waited… and finally at about 7:30 we got the medicine and were free to leave.  It took 2 hours to get 4 bottles of drops from the Chemist (Pharmacy) to us.  We were so ready to go.  I was feeling pretty badly and Logan and Aaron had now endured about 5 hours in that little cubicle waiting.  We headed back to the multi-story car park (parking garage) and drove the 30 minutes home.

God was with us!  From the beginning of the diagnosis to now, he has not wavered!  We serve a BIG God!  Little Logan Pie had a Great Big Cataract and all though a doctor removed it, the GREAT PHYSICIAN was in control of every single detail!  He is Sovereign and His plan will succeed!

Well that is our little story.  I am attaching some pictures of the surgery day.  Surgery on the left eye will not be for another 2-3 months.

Hey Blog world.. Remember me??

Well I have not posted in a really long time.  Life here in England has been very chaotic.  The enemy has been firing his fiery darts as fast as he can release them.  As soon as one storm has passed the other is just overhead.  But God is so faithful and his love is steadfast and unconditional.  Even in those moments when I do not feel him here, I still know that he is.  I am so thankful to be a child of his!  Moments when there seems to be no clear direction in my life, I still know that I can lean.  “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”  That is my mantra lately.  Just a quick update on things on this side of the ocean.

Logan had his first surgery on Tuesday, November 3.  They removed his cataract from his right eye and replaced it with a clear lens.  He is recovering well and not complaining at all with pain.  We will return to the doctor on Monday for a follow up and will begin doing patching of the left eye in order to strengthen the muscles in the right.

I am still battling some strange stomach illness.  It seems to be on some kind of 3 day cycle.  I am seriously ill for 1 day then the next it is about half a day and then I fill better for 1.5 days then it all starts over again.  I am hoping to go to the doctor sometime soon and pray that I will get a better doctor that will at least run some blood work and try and figure this out.

We are starting to get really home sick.  I am especially.  I have been too sick over the last month to even continue trying churches.  I am praying that maybe this Sunday I will be well enough to try another one.  I am craving a gathering of like minded believers and the Word being preached.  I know how much of a difference it will make in my attitude.

Aaron is doing great with second grade, even though with the illness we are behind schedule.  He is reading really well and he continues to astonish me daily.  One of the many blessings of homeschooling is the ability to learn or relearn alongside of him.  When I see a particular interest in him that we can take 30 minutes or so and research that particular thing and learn more about it.  I am truly blessed to be able to share this learning journey with my kids. Aaron is also a Cub Scout now and he is really enjoying that.  He is playing indoor soccer, taking piano lessons, and he takes an art class with a local British artist.  His schedule sounds full but keep in mind all the rain and darkness and you will realize that we need things to get us out of the house.

Well I guess that it is all for now.  I will try to post some pics another day of the surgery stay and of Aaron in his uniforms.  Until then. Cheers Mate!

 

 

Ely Cathedral Inside Tour

A brief overview of dating…

Work on the present Cathedral began in the 11th century under the leadership of Abbot Simeon, and the monastic church became a cathedral in 1109 with the Diocese of Ely being carved out of the Diocese of Lincoln. The monastery at Ely was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539. Ely suffered less than many other monasteries, but even so, statues were destroyed together with carvings and stained glass. St Etheldreda’s Shrine was destroyed.
The Cathedral was refounded with a Chapter of eight canons in 1541 as was the Kings School.
Robert Steward, the last Prior of the monastery, became the first Dean.

The first major restoration took place in the 18th Century under James Essex. With the arrival of Dean George Peacock in 1839 a second restoration project began. Together with the architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, he restored the building to its former glory.

A third major restoration project, the most extensive to date, was begun in 1986 and was completed in the year 2000.

Hope you enjoy the pics

Aaron walking through door

Ceiling throughout

Strike a pose there

I just liked this sign

Another Bishop striking a pose

These are huge. Hard to tell in picture

Intricate detail in every single thing

Boys stop for a pose

Many people buried here

The view from the seats

These were used to tell the bible.. People could not read

Important people seats

I am in awe at the tiny details

John walking through into another room

The stained glass windows are never ending

This is over the podium

Another beautiful window

More details

Another dead person

Mamaw, Logan, and Aaron out front

Another outside view of the Cathedral

Stained Glass Museum

Sharing some English touring with you all.

We went to the stained glass museum which is located inside of Ely Cathedral.  Of course the kids were oblivious to the beauty and cared more for just running around but John and I had quite a nice time.  The intricacy of these glass pieces is amazing.  I will try to post to you what the picture is and the date.

Logan at the front entrance

George III 1793

Paul preaching at Athens 1820-1830

Christ and his followers

Fathers of the Church 1904

Parable of the Rich Mans Feast 1898

Find of the Savior at the Temple 1910

Ministering to the sick 1907

Temptation 1980

Bust of a King 1210

Go to the Ant

Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!

⁷ It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,

⁸ yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Last Saturday we were invited to take a tour of an old windmill here in England.  It has been restored and is in working order.  It was quite a sight to see.  It was the opening day of wheat harvest and they at the Denver Windmill always celebrate that special day with an educational and fun day for the kids.

First the kids were able to see the horse bring the wheat on the cart to the windmill.  Next they saw them put the wheat into a machine that separates the good wheat from the bad.  The good wheat is placed in a bag for the mill while the bad wheat is used to feed the chickens.  The bag of good wheat was taken to the mill and put into the machine to grind it.  They showed the different varieties of flour that can be developed from the grain.

After that was over, they got to take some flour that had just been milled and make their own bread.  The lady helped guide them as they added each ingredient.  When they were done, they gave the lady the bread and she placed it into her huge bakery ovens.  When all was said and done, the kids actually got to see how the wheat in our backyard becomes the bread on their sandwiches.

It was an awesome day with lots of fun for everyone.  (Including me who went to a nearby Antique shop on the way home..LOL)

God is so good!  Here are some pics of that day.  I hope you can enjoy them.  Be patient, it may take some time for them to load.  There were too many to upload so you will have to click on the camera below to see them.  I will try to post some to Facebook as well.

what not to wear

Colossians 3:9-10 (New International Version)⁹Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices ¹⁰and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

As I have been studying a lot this past week on taking off the old self and putting on the new, I was drawn to the idea of dressing.  I guess as a woman it is a natural train of thought for us.  But what does that mean exactly?  What does it truly mean to take off the old and put on the new?

I was thinking about our clothes.  When we come to Christ we stand there  dressed in our dirty, filthy garments of sin.  Look at Ephesians 4:22 “Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life…”  What does this throwing off mean?  A friend of mine likened this to being sprayed by a skunk.  If we are sprayed by a skunk we are quick to rip and tear those clothes off of us.  In the same way, we as sinful creatures have been sprayed with the stinch of the enemy.  Once we are drawn to Christ, we should be ripping off those stinky rags in order to stand before God. But do we have the right thinking…. Do we really see how stinky we are and how Holy he is?

But if we take that that one step farther, Christ, in his death has already stripped us of those clothes.  Why do we want to keep wearing them?

It has been taught for so long that salvation requires only the “sincere” praying of a prayer.  And then we are to try to live a better life.  In essence we are saying, bring your clothes to God let him wash them and then you can put them back on.

The one thing I have learned this week is that we have the concept all Wrong!  When we stand before God in our filthy sinful clothes, the death of Christ is the stripping away of the old clothes but we must stand there in a naked shamefulness of our filth before a most Holy and Just God.  It is in seeing ourselves as we are without clothes at all (dead to the old way) that he clothes us in Robes of Righteousness (the new self)

You see, we do not stand before our closet of life and choose what to wear, if you are alive in Christ, God has already clothed you.  We do not have the same selection in our closet that he has in his.  Why would we want to clothe ourselves? Why would we settle for our cheap knock off clothes of God (us TRYING to be good enough) when he has already clothed us in Royal Robes (through Grace).

Those old clothes are gone…. They no longer exist why should we wear them?  I reckon it to a woman who has lost a large amount of weight.. Let’s say 100lbs or more.  Would you walk around in “fat girl” clothes.   No, you would want to dress in a way that would complement your new body.  You would want to project the image of the New you by what you wore.

That is exactly what the taking off the old and putting on the new is.  God has already clothed us in his heavenly clothes (Colossians 3:10 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God).  He has already equipped us with everything we need.  Namely the Spirit.

I love this quote ” If we “Live by the Spirit (salvation- new life wrought by the Spirit),

Let us then “Walk in the Spirit (sanctification- allowing the Spirit to command and control our lives)” unknown

Are we settling for our own clothes or are we allowing God through the Spirit to clothe us out of his heavenly closest.

In our own clothes we are weighted down with the deeds of flesh -  jealousy, anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife,envying, drunkenness, and carousing.

In the Robes of Righteousness we are now dressed with the Fruit of the Spirit -kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self, control, love, joy, peace, patience.

It is not a choice.  Do you see that you have already had a Heavenly make-over.  Praise God that I no longer have to choose what to wear.  I stood ashamed and naked before a Just and Righteous God.  Through the death of his son my debt was paid and I have now been Made Over in Christ. What a Price was paid for my clothing!  They are priceless!  Why would I desire anything else?

Thought for the day… Do you LOVE to converse with God?

I am currently doing a bible study by Priscilla Shirer entitled Can we Talk?: Soul stirring conversations with God. I really am enjoying this study.  Mainly because it is not a fill in the blank, make my heart feel good, socializing type of study.  It is just what the title implies.. Conversations with you and God.  She has scripture passages laid out and then you use her method of studying God’s word on each passage.  It is centered around her approach of the 5 P’s.  First you Pore over the Passage (meditate), then you paraphrase it (write it in your own words), then you PULL out (key ideas, key commands, details of importance), then you POSE the questions (take your pull out and pose them as questions to yourself.. ex. Do I need to repent of ________and turn from it?), and lastly you Plan and Pin down (Pin down a date of obedience to the pose.. example, If through the passage I am convicted of sinning against someone, I would pin down a date to resolve the matter).  That was a very brief overview of the method anyway.

I was sharing with someone yesterday that I was enjoying the study and how something not even related to the work had really changed my life.  As I was placing the DVD back into the box, the back side of the cover stared at me.  It is a black cover and written in bold yellow are the words…”DO YOU LOVE TO CONVERSE WITH GOD?”  I sat there and looked at it for a moment and then as I put it away those words hung over me.

Do I LOVE to converse with God?  I enjoy my time alone with him and I need it to make it through the day but do I really LOVE it.  I thought about how I love my husband.  I thought about the lengths  I will go to in order to spend time with him alone.  I will pick a nice quiet place to go, I will make plans,  I will pick the perfect outfit, I will hire a babysitter ahead of time.  I take great pains in planning time alone with my husband.

Do we really LOVE to converse with God?  Think about it.  I think about many times throughout the day when a job is finished or a break is taken and how it is so much easier to pick up a book or to turn on the TV and veg.  If we really LOVED to converse with God would that not be our first choice.

Think about all the things we LOVE.  Things we LOVE to do and such.  That love requires time and effort.  It requires action on our parts.  Now, lets be clear, I am not talking about skimming through an “Open Windows.”  I am talking about quality time with the Lord.  Time in prayer and Time in his Word.

John 1:1 ¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God

Do we look to our private time in the Word as meeting with GOD?  Is not his Holy Spirit bringing his truths alive into the  deepest parts of our souls as we read?

Oh Lord give me the desire to LOVE conversing with you.

I was thinking about how the Psalmist described the importance of the word of God.  In Psalm 119 he speaks clearly of its importance in our lives.

Psalm 119

‘ Aleph

^{1 [a]} Blessed are they whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the LORD.

² Blessed are they who keep his statutes
and seek him with all their heart.

³ They do nothing wrong;
they walk in his ways.

⁴ You have laid down precepts
that are to be fully obeyed.

⁵ Oh, that my ways were steadfast
in obeying your decrees!

⁶ Then I would not be put to shame
when I consider all your commands.

⁷ I will praise you with an upright heart
as I learn your righteous laws.

⁸ I will obey your decrees;
do not utterly forsake me.

b Beth

⁹ How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.

¹⁰ I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.

¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.

¹² Praise be to you, O LORD;
teach me your decrees.

¹³ With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.

¹⁴ I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.

¹⁵ I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.

¹⁶ I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.

g Gimel

¹⁷ Do good to your servant, and I will live;
I will obey your word.

¹⁸ Open my eyes that I may see
wonderful things in your law.

¹⁹ I am a stranger on earth;
do not hide your commands from me.

²⁰ My soul is consumed with longing
for your laws at all times.

²¹ You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed
and who stray from your commands.

²² Remove from me scorn and contempt,
for I keep your statutes.

²³ Though rulers sit together and slander me,
your servant will meditate on your decrees.

²⁴ Your statutes are my delight;
they are my counselors.

d Daleth

²⁵ I am laid low in the dust;
preserve my life according to your word.

²⁶ I recounted my ways and you answered me;
teach me your decrees.

²⁷ Let me understand the teaching of your precepts;
then I will meditate on your wonders.

²⁸ My soul is weary with sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word.

²⁹ Keep me from deceitful ways;
be gracious to me through your law.

³⁰ I have chosen the way of truth;
I have set my heart on your laws.

³¹ I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD;
do not let me be put to shame.

³² I run in the path of your commands,
for you have set my heart free.

h He

³³ Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees;
then I will keep them to the end.

³⁴ Give me understanding, and I will keep your law
and obey it with all my heart.

³⁵ Direct me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight.

³⁶ Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.

³⁷ Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word. ^[b]

³⁸ Fulfill your promise to your servant,
so that you may be feared.

³⁹ Take away the disgrace I dread,
for your laws are good.

⁴⁰ How I long for your precepts!
Preserve my life in your righteousness.

w Waw

⁴¹ May your unfailing love come to me, O LORD,
your salvation according to your promise;

⁴² then I will answer the one who taunts me,
for I trust in your word.

⁴³ Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth,
for I have put my hope in your laws.

⁴⁴ I will always obey your law,
for ever and ever.

⁴⁵ I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out your precepts.

⁴⁶ I will speak of your statutes before kings
and will not be put to shame,

⁴⁷ for I delight in your commands
because I love them.

⁴⁸ I lift up my hands to ^[c] your commands, which I love,
and I meditate on your decrees.

z Zayin

⁴⁹ Remember your word to your servant,
for you have given me hope.

⁵⁰ My comfort in my suffering is this:
Your promise preserves my life.

⁵¹ The arrogant mock me without restraint,
but I do not turn from your law.

⁵² I remember your ancient laws, O LORD,
and I find comfort in them.

⁵³ Indignation grips me because of the wicked,
who have forsaken your law.

⁵⁴ Your decrees are the theme of my song
wherever I lodge.

⁵⁵ In the night I remember your name, O LORD,
and I will keep your law.

⁵⁶ This has been my practice:
I obey your precepts.

x Heth

⁵⁷ You are my portion, O LORD;
I have promised to obey your words.

⁵⁸ I have sought your face with all my heart;
be gracious to me according to your promise.

⁵⁹ I have considered my ways
and have turned my steps to your statutes.

⁶⁰ I will hasten and not delay
to obey your commands.

⁶¹ Though the wicked bind me with ropes,
I will not forget your law.

⁶² At midnight I rise to give you thanks
for your righteous laws.

⁶³ I am a friend to all who fear you,
to all who follow your precepts.

⁶⁴ The earth is filled with your love, O LORD;
teach me your decrees.

X Teth

⁶⁵ Do good to your servant
according to your word, O LORD.

⁶⁶ Teach me knowledge and good judgment,
for I believe in your commands.

⁶⁷ Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I obey your word.

⁶⁸ You are good, and what you do is good;
teach me your decrees.

⁶⁹ Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies,
I keep your precepts with all my heart.

⁷⁰ Their hearts are callous and unfeeling,
but I delight in your law.

⁷¹ It was good for me to be afflicted
so that I might learn your decrees.

⁷² The law from your mouth is more precious to me
than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

y Yodh

⁷³ Your hands made me and formed me;
give me understanding to learn your commands.

⁷⁴ May those who fear you rejoice when they see me,
for I have put my hope in your word.

⁷⁵ I know, O LORD, that your laws are righteous,
and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

⁷⁶ May your unfailing love be my comfort,
according to your promise to your servant.

⁷⁷ Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.

⁷⁸ May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause;
but I will meditate on your precepts.

⁷⁹ May those who fear you turn to me,
those who understand your statutes.

⁸⁰ May my heart be blameless toward your decrees,
that I may not be put to shame.

k Kaph

⁸¹ My soul faints with longing for your salvation,
but I have put my hope in your word.

⁸² My eyes fail, looking for your promise;
I say, “When will you comfort me?”

⁸³ Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,
I do not forget your decrees.

⁸⁴ How long must your servant wait?
When will you punish my persecutors?

⁸⁵ The arrogant dig pitfalls for me,
contrary to your law.

⁸⁶ All your commands are trustworthy;
help me, for men persecute me without cause.

⁸⁷ They almost wiped me from the earth,
but I have not forsaken your precepts.

⁸⁸ Preserve my life according to your love,
and I will obey the statutes of your mouth.

l Lamedh

⁸⁹ Your word, O LORD, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens.

⁹⁰ Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures.

⁹¹ Your laws endure to this day,
for all things serve you.

⁹² If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.

⁹³ I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have preserved my life.

⁹⁴ Save me, for I am yours;
I have sought out your precepts.

⁹⁵ The wicked are waiting to destroy me,
but I will ponder your statutes.

⁹⁶ To all perfection I see a limit;
but your commands are boundless.

m Mem

⁹⁷ Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long.

⁹⁸ Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
for they are ever with me.

⁹⁹ I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.

¹⁰⁰ I have more understanding than the elders,
for I obey your precepts.

¹⁰¹ I have kept my feet from every evil path
so that I might obey your word.

¹⁰² I have not departed from your laws,
for you yourself have taught me.

¹⁰³ How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!

¹⁰⁴ I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.

n Nun

¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path.

¹⁰⁶ I have taken an oath and confirmed it,
that I will follow your righteous laws.

¹⁰⁷ I have suffered much;
preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word.

¹⁰⁸ Accept, O LORD, the willing praise of my mouth,
and teach me your laws.

¹⁰⁹ Though I constantly take my life in my hands,
I will not forget your law.

¹¹⁰ The wicked have set a snare for me,
but I have not strayed from your precepts.

¹¹¹ Your statutes are my heritage forever;
they are the joy of my heart.

¹¹² My heart is set on keeping your decrees
to the very end.

s Samekh

¹¹³ I hate double-minded men,
but I love your law.

¹¹⁴ You are my refuge and my shield;
I have put my hope in your word.

¹¹⁵ Away from me, you evildoers,
that I may keep the commands of my God!

¹¹⁶ Sustain me according to your promise, and I will live;
do not let my hopes be dashed.

¹¹⁷ Uphold me, and I will be delivered;
I will always have regard for your decrees.

¹¹⁸ You reject all who stray from your decrees,
for their deceitfulness is in vain.

¹¹⁹ All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross;
therefore I love your statutes.

¹²⁰ My flesh trembles in fear of you;
I stand in awe of your laws.

v Ayin

¹²¹ I have done what is righteous and just;
do not leave me to my oppressors.

¹²² Ensure your servant’s well-being;
let not the arrogant oppress me.

¹²³ My eyes fail, looking for your salvation,
looking for your righteous promise.

¹²⁴ Deal with your servant according to your love
and teach me your decrees.

¹²⁵ I am your servant; give me discernment
that I may understand your statutes.

¹²⁶ It is time for you to act, O LORD;
your law is being broken.

¹²⁷ Because I love your commands
more than gold, more than pure gold,

¹²⁸ and because I consider all your precepts right,
I hate every wrong path.

p Pe

¹²⁹ Your statutes are wonderful;
therefore I obey them.

¹³⁰ The unfolding of your words gives light;
it gives understanding to the simple.

¹³¹ I open my mouth and pant,
longing for your commands.

¹³² Turn to me and have mercy on me,
as you always do to those who love your name.

¹³³ Direct my footsteps according to your word;
let no sin rule over me.

¹³⁴ Redeem me from the oppression of men,
that I may obey your precepts.

¹³⁵ Make your face shine upon your servant
and teach me your decrees.

¹³⁶ Streams of tears flow from my eyes,
for your law is not obeyed.

c Tsadhe

¹³⁷ Righteous are you, O LORD,
and your laws are right.

¹³⁸ The statutes you have laid down are righteous;
they are fully trustworthy.

¹³⁹ My zeal wears me out,
for my enemies ignore your words.

¹⁴⁰ Your promises have been thoroughly tested,
and your servant loves them.

¹⁴¹ Though I am lowly and despised,
I do not forget your precepts.

¹⁴² Your righteousness is everlasting
and your law is true.

¹⁴³ Trouble and distress have come upon me,
but your commands are my delight.

¹⁴⁴ Your statutes are forever right;
give me understanding that I may live.

q Qoph

¹⁴⁵ I call with all my heart; answer me, O LORD,
and I will obey your decrees.

¹⁴⁶ I call out to you; save me
and I will keep your statutes.

¹⁴⁷ I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I have put my hope in your word.

¹⁴⁸ My eyes stay open through the watches of the night,
that I may meditate on your promises.

¹⁴⁹ Hear my voice in accordance with your love;
preserve my life, O LORD, according to your laws.

¹⁵⁰ Those who devise wicked schemes are near,
but they are far from your law.

¹⁵¹ Yet you are near, O LORD,
and all your commands are true.

¹⁵² Long ago I learned from your statutes
that you established them to last forever.

r Resh

¹⁵³ Look upon my suffering and deliver me,
for I have not forgotten your law.

¹⁵⁴ Defend my cause and redeem me;
preserve my life according to your promise.

¹⁵⁵ Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek out your decrees.

¹⁵⁶ Your compassion is great, O LORD;
preserve my life according to your laws.

¹⁵⁷ Many are the foes who persecute me,
but I have not turned from your statutes.

¹⁵⁸ I look on the faithless with loathing,
for they do not obey your word.

¹⁵⁹ See how I love your precepts;
preserve my life, O LORD, according to your love.

¹⁶⁰ All your words are true;
all your righteous laws are eternal.

S Sin and Shin

¹⁶¹ Rulers persecute me without cause,
but my heart trembles at your word.

¹⁶² I rejoice in your promise
like one who finds great spoil.

¹⁶³ I hate and abhor falsehood
but I love your law.

¹⁶⁴ Seven times a day I praise you
for your righteous laws.

¹⁶⁵ Great peace have they who love your law,
and nothing can make them stumble.

¹⁶⁶ I wait for your salvation, O LORD,
and I follow your commands.

¹⁶⁷ I obey your statutes,
for I love them greatly.

¹⁶⁸ I obey your precepts and your statutes,
for all my ways are known to you.

t Taw

¹⁶⁹ May my cry come before you, O LORD;
give me understanding according to your word.

¹⁷⁰ May my supplication come before you;
deliver me according to your promise.

¹⁷¹ May my lips overflow with praise,
for you teach me your decrees.

¹⁷² May my tongue sing of your word,
for all your commands are righteous.

¹⁷³ May your hand be ready to help me,
for I have chosen your precepts.

¹⁷⁴ I long for your salvation, O LORD,
and your law is my delight.

¹⁷⁵ Let me live that I may praise you,
and may your laws sustain me.

¹⁷⁶ I have strayed like a lost sheep.
Seek your servant,
for I have not forgotten your commands.

Look at some of these verses…

In verse 20, My soul is consumed with longing… Wow

In verse 72 It is more precious than silver or gold

In verse 98 Oh How I LOVE your law.. I meditate on it all day

In verses 46-48  I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, for I delight in your commands because I love them. I lift up my hands to  your commands, which I love,
and I meditate on your decrees.

In 97-103…  Oh How I Love you r Law.. It makes me wiser than my enemies, Gives me more insight than all my teachers, more understanding than the elders, HOW SWEET are your words to my taste.. Sweeter than HONEY.

In Verse 111… Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.

In verse 127 … Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold,

In verse 131..I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands.

How powerful is that!  Now that is LOVING the word of the Lord!  The Psalmist has laid out over several verses the importance of the precepts of God but also the longing for it.

So do we LOVE or LONG to meet with him in his Word?  Not for blessings that you will gain from it but just for the simple meeting.  Sitting in his presence… Feeling him breath renewing life into us.  Oh that I would long to long for him.

You see, the church for far too long has told us that all we need to do in order to have God is to pray this prayer and then go to church and do a “devotion.”  Let’s look at the some of the definitions of that word.  Devotion: : the act of devoting <devotion of time and energy> b: the fact or state of being ardently dedicated and loyal.  Yeah we kind of miss that don’t we.  It is not just a quick glance over a scripture with a cute little story at the end.  It is dedicating time and energy to the one we LOVE.

So Do I LOVE to converse with God?  Do you?  Are we simply ticking a box in our little Phariseeical idea of Christianity?  Are we consumed with a fire that can not be quenched except by time with our Father?

Oh Holy God, you have called me by name.  You formed me in my mother’s womb.  You are my Redeemer and you are my God.  I am unworthy of coming to your throne.  Today God, I ask you to breathe a new spirit into our hearts.  Fill us with a burning passion to be with YOU!  Fill me with an insatiable desire that only YOU can fill.  Father, may we have the heart of the Psalmist and may we PANT for your word.  Father, woo us and seek us that we may search hard after you.  Change our hearts O God!

I need to plan some dates with the Lover of my Soul!  How about you?

CHOSEN RACE, ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, PECULIAR PEOPLE

This morning as I was doing my bible study I was meditating on these verses…

1 Peter 2:9  But you are a CHOSEN PEOPLE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE BELONGING TO GOD, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

John 15:15-16 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶YOU DID NOT CHOOSE ME, BUT I CHOSE YOU and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

I often wonder what it is about God “choosing” us that is so scary to some people.  What is that makes men back away from the idea that they played no part in their conversion.  Is it the need to make ourselves greater than God?  These verses are a huge humbling experience for me.  The idea that I played no part in his calling me means that I am indebted to him all the more.  If I could say that I chose to come to him then it would only make ME look good. not him.  In fact, it would in essence seem almost “works based.”   I love this quote by RC Sproul.

Accept Jesus? How arrogant! “Yes, Jesus, I accept you.” Ha! Who are you to accept the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Kings?…The problem is that none of us thinks as critically as we should about who God is when we say things like that. We have unintentionally adopted the ‘little God” view of our age. When going home to the Father, t is time to get rid of thought patterns born of rebellion. You are doing Jesus no favors by finding him acceptable. Anyone who accepts Jesus in the sense of, “Oh yeah, I’ll take Jesus. I’ll tolerate him,” has not received Jesus. That person is still in the pigpen, spiritually and morally dead. David got past the biggest of all lies, the lie that God owes us a better life, or that God owes us a rescue. Don’t ever ask God for what he owes you; you might get it. If he deals with you according to merit, you’re finished.
-R.C. Sproul

The only way that God can be Glorified in the transforming work in my life is if he did it and not me.  Isn’t that our purpose, to bring HIM Glory?

Oh the peace and freedom in knowing that I was chosen to be a child of God.  I was chosen to be a part of his chosen race, royal priesthood, and peculiar people.

I was so unworthy of the call of Christ!  I still am!  There are many days when my sin seem to outnumber my pursuits of Holiness and I wonder Why Me?  Why did he choose me?  What have I to offer to him the King?

I think that when we remove “ourselves” from the equation then we can truly see the purpose God has for our lives.  Against popular culture and against what the majority of churches are teaching, it is not about you or me.  It is only about him, the one who died to allow me to stand before the great High Priest.  How will my life bring him the most Glory?  When I seek to align myself to his word and people see that HE has brought me from darkness to light.  When people can see that HE has appointed me to go and produce lasting fruit.

I challenge anyone who reads this today to really ponder what it means to be CHOSEN by him.  Forget doctrine and theology for a minute and where you stand on certain issues and just chew on the idea of him CHOOSING YOU! Ephesians 1 says”… before he made the world, he loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.”

Oh Lord, I am so unworthy of your calling.  May I today and and everyday remember who I am in You!  May I seek only to bring Glory to YOU and not to myself.  May I rest in the knowing that you loved me and chose me before you created this world.  Father, help me to not “try” to work for your favor.  Thank you for the Cross and for giving me right standing in your presence.   Remind me of my calling as a Royal Priesthood that I may live as a King and Priest for YOU.   Remove from me any false idols of tradition or deception that cloud my view of you.  Please Father, give me the eyes to see you as “I AM.”  Help me to place these sacred words into my heart, burn your WORD into my heart that I may not only have a knowledge of you but that I may instead “KNOW YOU.”

I would I could post of picture of security

I know that many of my few readers are waiting anxiously for pictures but today I have none to share.  If I could place a picture of all my Savior has done for me then I would, but there is no greater picture than that of the cross which could ever describe my indebtedness to the Lord.

Isaiah 33:5-6 (Contemporary English Version)

⁵You, LORD, are above all others,

and you live in the heavens.

You have brought justice

and fairness to Jerusalem;

⁶you are the foundation

on which we stand today.

You always save us and give

true wisdom and knowledge.

Nothing means more to us ^[a] than obeying you.

This is not the typical version of scripture that I read or use but in this verse its wording was so appropriate.  There is no way that my feeble mind could ever explain to you how the Lord has sustained me.  Moving my family overseas has been a difficult journey.  Moments of insecurity and moments of adversity.  BUT GOD!  I have been blessed with such a peaceful spirit!

There are many days in which I begin to doubt and just as quickly as the thoughts arise, they are washed away with the promise of his faithfulness.  He has indeed been my Strong tower!  He is my Refuge and my Strength.  I deserve nothing from him.  Through him I was created and through him I draw each and every breath.  I do not dare presume he owe me his protection, his wisdom, his comfort, or his strength and yet he provides it.  All to God be the Glory!  In myself, I would have fallen.  In myself I would have given up.  In myself I would have crumbled and been broken over the loss of friends and family.  In Christ, I am abundantly and exceedingly happy in the opportunity given me.

God is doing a new thing!  And I am only along for the ride.  I seek only to grow in Holiness and likeness to him.  He has not only placed me here, but also has provided me with all that I need to continue my life in pursuit of bringing Glory unto him.  Why do I ever doubt his faithfulness?  Why do I ever doubt his power?

I stand Amazed in the Presence!  How Awesome and Mighty you are Lord!  I am so unworthy of the your Grace and Mercy!  I humbly seek to serve you and I adoringly thank you for all you are to me!