“A holy regard of God” by Charles Spurgeon “Free, full, sovereign pardon is in the hand of the great King. It is His prerogative to forgive, and He delights to exercise it. Because His nature is mercy, and because He has provided a sacrifice for sin, therefore forgiveness is with Him for all that come to Him confessing their sins. The power of pardon is permanently resident with God. He has forgiveness ready to His hand at this instant. ‘But there is forgiveness with Thee that Thou mayest be feared.’ This is the fruitful root of piety. None fear the Lord like those who have experienced His forgiving love. Gratitude for pardon produces far more fear and reverence of God than all the dread which is inspired by punishment. If the Lord were to execute justice upon all, there would be none left to fear Him. If all were under apprehension of His deserved wrath, despair would harden them against fearing Him. It is grace which leads the way to a holy regard of God, and a fear of grieving Him.”

Keep a Quiet Mind

Today, 2 of my favorite people collided...Mary Kassian wrote a blog about keeping a quiet mind and she ended with Amy Carmichael's poem.  It's been an emotional week for me and I needed this encouragement and challenge today.  I thought you would enjoy it today too.

GIVE ME A QUIET MIND


When winds are blowing, waves are rising, falling
And all the air is full of dust and spray;
When voices, like to sea birds’ plaintive calling,
Confuse my day;

Then, then I know Thee, Lord of highest heaven
In newborn need discover Thee, and find
Nought can discomfort him to whom is given
A quiet mind.

When hopes have failed, and heavy sadness crusheth,
And doubt and fear would weave their deadly spell,
Then thought of Thee my troubled spirit husheth;
And all is well.

In midnight hours when weariness ignoreth
Heaven’s starry host, and battle wounds are mine,
Then Thy right hand uplifteth and outpoureth
Love’s oil and wine.

O Blessed Lord, beyond the moment’s sorrow
I see above, beaneath, before, behind–
Eternal Love. Give me today, tomorrow,
A quiet mind.

Fresh Grounded Thoughts

In March of 2010, I went to a conference where I was introduced to Jennifer Rothschild. I believe I have introduced her here before and I still owe you a book review of her book I read earlier this year but I can't tell you how much she has meant to me and how God has used her in my life to encourage and grow me. Each month she writes a blog called "Fresh Grounded Thoughts". I want to share this month's post with you and pray you are encouraged!


Your Rear Guard      

Life really is a journey, isn't it?
 
There are stretches when we march on fearlessly-times we feel indefatigable.  And there are slices of wilderness we wander through that simply wear us out and make us feel like we won't make it.  
 
We often can't see the final destination; we simply march on out of trust.  Because the journey is daily and long, there are many times we can become fatigued.  
 
When the Israelites journeyed through the wilderness for so many years, there were those who wore out.  There were people who couldn't always quite keep up.  It was because they were tired, weak, infirmed or maybe even lazy.  Because they lagged at the rear, they were exceptionally vulnerable to the enemy attack.   
 
For that reason, the tribe of Dan (Exodus 10:25) was tasked with pulling up the rear.  In other words, they were the "rear guard."   They were there to protect the tired stragglers from being such an easy target for the enemy.  
 
We're no different from those Israelites.  We journey.  We get tired.  We can find ourselves straggling and barely making it. Sometimes it's because we're just overwhelmed; sometimes it's fatigue or sickness that drags us down.  Sometimes, we even get there on our own-our inattentiveness or laziness can put us in prime position to become easy prey.
 
Just like the Israelites needed the tribe of Dan to protect the rear while they journeyed, we, too, need protection as we journey through the stretches and slices of our lives.  That is what God does for us.  He becomes our rear guard.  Isaiah 52:12 says," ...For the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard."
 
Just think of it--God Himself is your rear guard.  He protects you from a frontal attack because He shields you, and He covers your back because He is your rear guard.  What a beautiful picture!  
 
If you find yourself in one of those long stretches on your journey where you're struggling or straggling, look behind you.  You will see that you're not alone, but rather, protected and preserved by God Himself.  
 
And, God not only offers protection, but He also gives a promise..."Then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will speedily spring forth; and your righteousness will go before you; the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. (Isaiah 58:8)  I love that!

Happy 38th Birthday Shane

Shaneman had a big birthday this year!  We both took a vacation day on the day and decided that from now on, we will definitely be taking vacation for our birthdays...it was GREAT!  He got to sleep in and then we packed the car and headed to Gadsden to eat at his favorite restaurant, Maters Pizza Emporium...

Shane's Mom, Grandmother, Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Sandy, Uncle Jim, Tyler, Cassie and Isaiah joined us to help us celebrate!  He loved it!  

After that we made our way to Little Rock for the weekend where we had more birthday celebrations...my sister and Dad both had birthdays last week as well.  Shane wanted Whole Hog BBQ and The Flying Fish for dinner.  We got to play games, watch movies and just laugh with the family.  It was such a great weekend.

We came back on Sunday and finished our fun at the Blues City Cafe in Memphis.  Apparently Tom Cruise eats there in the movie, The Firm.  It was good food and a different atmosphere.  

It was such a fun birthday celebration and I totally enjoyed the time with my husband.  I'm so thankful for him and the 38 years God has given him.  I pray for many, many more and that he would be used greatly by the Lord.  I love you Shaneman!!!  

Bob Riley

No, not that Bob Riley, but my grandfather, Robert E Riley.  He just happens to share a name with a former Alabama governor...small world huh?  My Pawpaw Riley is now in the presence of the Lord, rejoicing and complete.  He died on July 19th in Garner, NC.  Pawpaw was a brilliant man, my Dad described him as one of the smartest men he ever knew.  He was married to my sweet grandmother, Sybil until she lost her battle to cancer about 14 years ago.  I have numerous memories of visiting with them when I was little...I remember him always wanting to cook us big breakfasts on Saturday mornings.  I remember him being so proud of his garden and the produce it produced and even more proud of his compost pile.  :-)  I remember going to his company, APC, and the smells of coffee and cigarettes.  Although I don't really know all of his accomplishments I do know he had several patents in his name, he helped to engineer the Indiana Jones Show at Disneyland and he invented something about a computer chip.  He loved us and he loved the Lord.  He would take us to church with him when we came to visit.  They had a gold VW bug in his garage for many, many years.

My dad along with my aunt and uncle were able to be with him in his final hours.  Dad said that they sang some hymns before he breathed his last breath.  They had a memorial service on Friday in NC and then we all congregated in Clinton, MS to bury him beside my grandmother.  I'm thankful for this man in my life.  I am confident I am who I am because of this man and his influence in my life.  He will be missed but I will one day see him again.  Praise the Lord!  

Rain and God's Mercy

Tonight it is raining and we have lost power. I read this as a friend's status: today was a fresh reminder of God's mercy, "for It rains on the just and the unjust alike.". God, who is rich in mercy, has seen fit to give us some rain tonight and for that I am thankful! So since it's raining and no power, I decided to blog from my iPhone blogger app...so forgive any typos! :-) It's been an interesting spring for us. Tornados came through our area at the end of April, although we were unhurt, my heart was definitely hurt for the people in my area! Rubble has been hauled off but there is still a lot of broken people! Another change has occurred for me! About 5 weeks ago I knew I needed to make a change in my physical life and by God's grace I have! I decided to take advantage of my flexible work schedule and started going into work between 6 and 6:30. My friend Jennifer was enlisted and I joined the gym that she has belonged to and we started meeting 3-4 times a week to exercise together (praise God that she used to be a trainer And has some awesome skills in the gym). She has been a Godsend and a GREAT friend! We have worked hard and there have been tears...ok lots of tears on my part but this week I saw some results to this lifestyle change...I've lost 18 lbs!! I'm thankful that God has allowed me to see some quick results and it has brought great encouragement to me. PLUS...I feel a whole lot better!! I also have been eating much better and its still yummy! :-) Pray for me in this new adventure! And be thankful for the rain tonight too!! 

Saturday

So it's been a gorgeous day here in the Ham and we were busy! The great news is I sat with 2 of my favorite ladies this morning and discussed being anxious and frustrated...anyone guess what book I'm reading? :-) I then went to Aldi for our weekly groceries. Shane sent me a text that he was getting off early so that was great news for our Saturday! :-). I made calzones for Shane and he is enjoying them now! I love that man! He has been great this week for me!

So I'm posting this from a blogger app...we will see how this posts!! Off to properly prepare for tomorrow! Talk to you later!

Pawpaw

Last Sunday I got a phone call while we were getting ready for church...It was my dad telling me that my grandfather had died.  My mom's dad had died about 10 minutes earlier from complication from Alzheimer's.  Shane called our pastor and a few close friends to let them know.  I cried and then sat and remembered what a special man he was.  I'd like to share a few with you. 

My Pawpaw was a church usher at their church.  I remember he would always leave before us and when we got to the church he was standing there with a bulletin for us and we got Certs out of his pocket.  He was very dedicated to this service. 

When my family lived in New York we got several shipments a month from Granny and Pawpaw...they were boxes filled with food staples/supplies (I remember ketchup).  What I didn't realize when I was little was that was God's way of providing for our family.  It helped keep my mom's grocery budget down and food on the table.  My grandfather was a food broker and so he was able to get these items for us...it was awesome. 

I also remember watching the newest granddaughter, Sarah-Kate, through the baby window at the hospital with him and him tearing up.  He loved us all so much...all 10 of us. 

I remember him singing Christmas carols with us very loudly.  He also was Santa and passed out the Christmas presents every year but always asked for a helper. 

He kept a box cutter with him at all times due to the work that he did...we joked after the funeral that we should have buried him with one.  :-)

One of the best memories I have is that he and Granny were at my house when my dad's mom died.  She also died on a Sunday morning and he was there to grieve with us.  It was such a special, special time to have them there. 

He loved my Granny so much.  For years she never had to pump gas b/c he made sure her car was always full of gas.  It was so sweet. 

The week has actually been a good week.  We left for Clinton on Tuesday for the visitation and then the funeral on Wednesday.  It was good to cry and laugh with family and friends that remembered him.  My uncle started out the service on Wednesday morning and talked about how Bill Turner was a simple man and how he was so joyful b/c of his simple faith in Christ.  He did a great job.  Their pastor, Dr. Belser, then spoke to us from 1 Peter and how we have hope even in death.  We walked into the service singing "To God be the Glory" and then a lady sang "Great is Thy Faithfulness" and then closed the service with "The Lord's Prayer".  We watched the casket get loaded into the hearse and then headed to the cemetery.  My dad did the small service there and again reiterated the hope we have in death and the need for salvation.  A funny thing is my grandfather is buried under a pine tree.  He spent a lot of his spare time at their home picking up pine cones and sticker balls off his property from the pine trees that he had...so now, they will cover his grave throughout the year.  Not that he is there to know this but it was comical to us. 

I know this is a scattered post but I wanted to be able to remember it in the future.  Thank you for your prayers this week, they have definitely carried us through. 

Looking forward to the day where "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4

Weekend in Review

I'm going to start a new goal for me...posting about my weekends.  We'll see how long I keep it!  :-)  Hopefully I can get into taking more pictures with my Iphone and then can post pictures too!  :-) 

This weekend was a real treat!  I only worked for 2.5 hours on Friday and took the rest of the day off...it was GREAT!  My Dad, Mom, Beth (sister) and Paul (bro-in-law/awesome mechanic) came to visit.  It's a long trip for less than 48 hours together but it was such a joy to be with them. We had dinner in on Friday night and they brought a birthday cake for me (more on that later).  We played a game of Mexican Train and laughed a lot!  Saturday the girls went to Aldi (mom has to go there every time she comes to visit)  and the guys checked out the car and installed my new cabinet drawers...yay for organization!  We went to Firebirds for dinner and then went back to their hotel to watch Secretariat.  That movie was so good and I was reminded again how important it is to finish what you start.  And it was a BEAUTIFUL day...did I say gorgeous b/c it was!  It was perfect treat for the last Saturday in January!  Sunday morning we met for breakfast and said our goodbyes...always sad to leave but I was thankful to be going to see my other family at church.  We sang Great is Thy Faithfulness today and I cried.  I mean who can read these words and not? 

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

We went to lunch with friends and topped off our evening buying Keurig...from Amazon...with my Swagbucks and my steal from DailyDeals!  WOOHOO!  Now to finish off the night with my book.  Great weekend with great family and friends!  Hope you had the same!  Bring it on Monday! 

Happy Birthday Granny

Today my Granny is 77.  She might not have wanted me to post that age, but I love it.  She is the classiest lady I have ever known!  She has had jet black hair ever since I have known her...and she never dyed it! She was with me when I was told that my other grandmother had died from cancer.  She brought me soup and grapes when I was sick in college.  She has been married to my grandfather for almost 60 years and is now going through a separation with him that is oh so hard, not a desired separation but b/c of his dimentia and need for constant care, it is necessary.  She loves the Lord and knows the importance of prayer.  She loves to play games with us when we are all together.  She still walks at least a mile (I think it's more) every Mon thru Fri with one of her best friends...unless it's too cold!  She is amazing and I am so glad that she is still with us!  I love her dearly and pray for her often!  Happy Birthday Granny!  I love you SO much and am so thankful for the blessing you have been in my life! 

New Year, New Goals

See, I told you I'd be back...it's the 1st, I'd say I'm doing pretty good on the promise! Haha! Anyway...I don't really make New Years Resolutions but this year I want to share with you a goal of mine...reading. Yes, I can read, but have not made it a practice, a discipline to read often. My husband is a true bookworm and you will find a book in his hand (or ear) whenever he is on down time...he loves to read...anything and everything. I on the other hand tend to read my Bible in the morning and sometimes another book that I am going through with a friend. This year I want to read more. So I want to read and then post about them...I won't give endings away but will share what I learned in them or enjoyed in them. If I can read a book a month, in addition to what I'm already reading, I think my goal will be met...so that's my goal...12+ books by 2012. Here is what is currently on my list...

Lessons I Learned in the Dark by Jennifter Rothschild

Safely Home by Randy Alcorn

Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley

Do you have any suggestions for me? Feel free to share and I might pick a few.

Happy New Year to all!

Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days --you would not believe if you were told! - Habbakuk 1:5...I pray that God is doing something amazing in our nations this year! I can't wait to see what He has in store!