Blessed Rest

Just Thinking...

My daddy is home from the hospital, praise the Lord! Tonight, I have spent time with him and other family members. Tomorrow will be a short day at Slidell High because of the parade in New Orleans for the "Saints" (football team...assuming that someone out there may actually not know franchise names.) The activities of this past weekend and today have been encouraging. But, I confess that I am a bit tired.

So, I hope that no one misinterprets the following verses or my intention tonight in sharing them. The scripture speaks of sleep in many ways. For now, I am thankful for the literal meaning and the blessing that the Lord puts upon rest for His people!

Ps 4:8
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.


Ps 127:2
It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.


Prov 3:24
When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

Eccl 5:12
The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

May your sleep be especially blessed, refreshing and restful...
Tonight and always~

Childhood Family Musical Moments Recalled

(Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOJrT5H2zco)

Even though I did not grow up in the Apostolic faith, my family shared a love of gospel music. We spent hours listening to and singing with the old "Mull Singing Convention" on the radio. Even now, I find myself often singing those old songs and gaining personal strength from them. In view of the fact that I would not classify this type of music as my all-time favorite, I find this phenomenon amazing. Maybe the memories of one of those songs ("The Lighthouse") have emerged tonight because my daddy is again in a difficult situation concerning his health. He loves this song:


There's a Lighthouse on the hillside
that overlooks life's sea.
When I'm tossed it sends out a light
that I might see.
And the light that shines in the darkness,
now will safely lead us o'er.
If it wasn't for the lighthouse
that ship would be no more.


Everybody that lives around me says,
tear that lighthouse down,
The big ships don't sail this way anymore,
there's no use of it standing 'round.
Then my mind goes back to that stormy night,
when just in time I saw the light,
Yes, the light from that old lighthouse,
that stands up there on the hill.

And I thank God for the Lighthouse,
I owe my life to Him,
For Jesus is the Lighthouse,
and from the rocks of sin
He has shone a light around me
that I can clearly see,
If it wasn't for the Lighthouse
where would this ship be?

Source: http://www.southern-gospel-music-lyrics.com/the-lighthouse-ronnie-hinson.html


As I help my daddy weather another health storm, I realize once again that life, at best, is short. Some suggest that this reality prompts us to "eat, drink and be merry." Indeed, happiness in this life is a treasure, a beautiful gift from Jesus. When all is said and done, however, this is NOT heaven. You and I are on the SHORT side of eternity now. I pray that Jesus gives me the grace to live "A Beautiful Life" here for Him on my journey toward eternal life.


Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QC6m7FIJn0



Your prayers continue to bless my family and me.
Thank you!

Prayer Request

Prayer Request

Dear Blogging Friends:

Please pray for my dad. He had open-heart surgery some years ago. Since that time, he has experienced the ups and downs of repeated "balloon" surgeries and other lung and heart procedures. Last night after church, we received a call from my mother. My dad was unable to "get around." My mother needed help to move him. One doctor has hope that the problem may be daddy's cholesterol medicine. However, my dad also has a history of congestive heart failure. At this point, only tests will confirm what may be wrong. He is weak, struggling to get up and stammering to walk when he does emerge. His cough is chronic. He is having problems with breathing and his oxygen levels.

Thanks so much!

Blogger Graphics

I found some really Cute Blogger Layouts at Doobix.com

Personal Treasures

Once again, I have found myself in a "busy" season of life. When I cannot find the time to blog, I realize all the more how much I enjoy doing it! Maybe it really is my "therapy," as my husband kids me.

Speaking of family, what a blessing to have our son back in Louisiana! I hope that you enjoy the pictures above of him with his wife and sons. My camera was not set properly for some of the photos, blurring them. By the time Chris corrected the problem for me, the larger photo opportunity had passed.

I wish that I could put the two rainbow pictures side-by-side for you. Friday afternoon when I left work, a beautiful double rainbow covered Slidell High from one end to the other. I had stayed late to try and finish getting some grades onto the computer before the deadline for interim reports. Fatigued, I finally closed the classroom door. In spite of my haste to head toward home, the rainbow arrested my attention. Set against the dark, threatening skies, it was all the more majestic. I found myself wandering down the road in the drizzling rain, trying to capture the whole scene with the camera lens. While many surely saw the spectacular beauty of that moment, it became a personal message of divine hope for me.

So it is in living for Jesus. Set against troublesome and threatening times in our world, our lives in Jesus shine brighter as the darkness around us becomes greater. Trying to capture the experience for others is sometimes as difficult as trying to capture that whole rainbow with the camera lens. Some things MUST be experience to be fully understood.

Rainbows...They have appeared since the day that God first gave one as a promise to never destroy the world by water again. Indeed, He always keeps His word. I am so thankful for those moments in which He captivates my attention and reminds me of that faithfulness. He just always comes through in some simple, clear way--especially when I am feeling weighted with responsibilities and concerns--to remind me that He has EVERYTHING in His hands. No matter how dark the days may be, the clouds will eventually disperse and the sun will shine again.

Whether your week ahead is a busy one or a relaxing one, I pray that you experience personal treasured times of hope in Jesus.

When the Answer Is "No"

2 Sam 12:16-23

David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?


But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he
shall not return to me.

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I found some really Cute Blogger Layouts at Doobix.com

Little Adrianna for whom we have been praying has passed from this life (see link, her name). While I am not aware that I personally know a single soul in this family, I feel the loss. Prayer has connected me to this family. The "no" answer to that prayer request, as so often is the case, has been disappointing. What is the appropriate response to such an answer from Jesus? David (see passage above) gives us a great example to follow. While the child was yet alive, we fasted and prayed. By God's grace, we will now arise, wash, soak in the Lord's holy anointing, change what needs to be changed personally, and go to God's house and worship.

I walked with another friend this week through the valley of the shadow of the death of a relationship. Grief is never easy. However, just as sure as there are days of dark clouds, there are times of refreshing. If you have experienced loss recently, I pray that you can find strength and grace in the name of Jesus to follow David's example in handling your grief. May each of us be there for others who need a friend, someone to just be there and to pray with them.

For the Bensons in Africa...And Others!

Oh, my! I forgot to share the picture of Nana and Pop's new vehicle with the Bensons. Sorry, folks! Here it is...

It's a beauty. Nana and Pops should enjoy it for many years. Come take a ride! (That last sentence is code for, "I miss you.")

Things We Leave Behind

(So much enjoy this gentleman's music because it is typically scripture-rich!)

LYRICS
(Source:http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/m/michaelcard9232/thingsweleavebehind310370.html

There sits Simon

So foolishly wise,

Proudly he's tending his nets.

Then Jesus calls

And the boats drift away,

All that he owns he forgets...

More than the nets

He abandoned that day,

He found that his pride was soon drifting away.

It's hard to imagine the freedom we find

From the things we leave behind.




Matthew was mindful

Of taking the tax,

Pressing the people to pay.

Hearing the call,

He responded in faith

Followed the Light and the Way...

Leaving the people

So puzzled he found,

The greed in his heart

Was no longer around and

It's hard to imagine

The freedom we find

From the things

We leave behind




Every heart needs to be set free,

From possessions

That hold it so tight...

'Cause freedom's not found in the things that we own,

It's the power

to do what is right.

Jesus, our only "possession"--

Giving becomes our delight.

We can't imagine the freedom we find

From the things we leave behind.




We show a love for the world in our lives

By worshiping goods we possess.

Jesus says, "Lay all your treasures aside

And love God above all the rest."

'Cause when we say 'no'

To the things of the world

We open our hearts

To the love of the Lord and

It's hard to imagine

The freedom we find

From the things we leave behind.




Oh, and it's hard to imagine

The freedom we find

From the things

We leave behind.


My husband has asked the congregation, "Do you own your possessions? Or, do they own you?" One sure way to know is to lose them. Some ways of Jesus just do not make sense to the logical mind, especially when those ways involve loss of seemingly "good things." I can speak from personal experience that I have never lost anything that Jesus has not restored to me down the road in a different, more beautiful form.

For instance, when I lost my home to a hurricane and another home to arson shortly thereafter, life was DIFFICULT. The tears erupted from deep within me, as I wondered if life would ever be "normal" again. The home that I have now is in a lovely location, is bigger than either of those homes lost and is much newer. In this area, I have been able to reconnect with childhood friends and to establish new friendships. Being in the right place to encourage others here has blessed me. Given the choice, I would have never chosen loss. But, I can see the good that has come from it. Thinking of scriptures...

Matt 16:24-26
(Also see Mark 8:34-37 and Luke 9:23-25)

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?


Luke 17:32-33

Remember Lot's wife. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.


Rom 8:27-28


And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Scriptures that are easy to read are not always so very easy to live. Other people may not always understand. Sometimes humans are quick to judge and wonder what terrible deed another has done to cause loss and tragedy. (Ask Job--Bible!) However, when their rough road of life takes a turn for the worse, they crave mercy and compassion. We must try to give mercy and compassion even then. Once, I worked in an office where a young woman lost a very young child to death, suddenly. A young man in the office boldly (pridefully?) proclaimed to coworkers that had he been there, that baby would not have died. He said that he would have prayed over that baby until it revived. Now, I certainly admired the young man's faith. However, I happened to know that this young man lived with a condition that caused some type of seizures from time to time. His words seemed so harsh and arrogant to me concerning the child's death. He had been completely unable to "pray away" his own seizures. Yet, he had seemed to hold these parents forth as failures because of their inability to pray their child back from death. As my husband has so often said, if I make a mistake, let me make it on the side of mercy!

The Lord is truly working ALL things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Nothing surprises Jesus. We're the ones who get caught off guard. We have to sometimes walk through the "valley of the shadow of death," as David wrote. What dies is not necessarily a person. Sometimes, it is the death of a dream, a relationship or some other intangible. Just know that Jesus continues to write the poems of our lives, so long as we remain completely connected to Him above all these "things." Our Father will bring restoration that soothes the grief of loss and brings healing. Through it all, we will have become spiritually and emotionally stronger, better equipped to help others. We will likely have learned some valuable personal lessons along the way.


Matt 6:33-34

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.



The Poem of Your Life
by Michael Card

Life is a song we must sing with our days
A poem with meaning more than words can say
A painting with colors no rainbow can tell
A lyric that rhymes either heaven or hell

We are living letters that doubt desecrates
We're the notes of the song of the chorus of faith
God shapes every second of our little lives
And minds every minute as the universe waits by

The pain and the longing
The joy and the moments of light
Are the rhythm and rhyme
The free verse of the poem of life

So look in the mirror and pray for the grace
To tear off the mask, see the art of your face
Open your ear lids to hear the sweet song
Of each moment that passes and pray to prolong

Your time in the ball of the dance of your days
Your canvas of colors of moments ablaze
With all that is holy
With the joy and the strife
With the rhythm and rhyme of the poem of your life
With the rhythm and rhyme of the poem of your life

The pain and the longing
The joy and the moments of light
Are the rhythm and rhyme
The free verse of the poem of life

Lyrics Source:
http://charmandgracecottage.blogspot.com/2008/06/poem-of-your-life.html


NOTE: This particular post would normally have gone on my other blogspot (Dee's Deeper Days) and would NOT have imported into Facebook. However, I have distinctly felt that I should post these "deeper thoughts" here on my casual "diary" spot. I have noticed lately that several friends on Facebook have seemed to take offense to notes and updates not in agreement with their belief systems. If you find that is the case today when this one imports, my friend, please realize that you can remove me from your news feed. Also, in a worst case scenario, you can break the link as friend. I love and appreciate each of my friends and would NEVER want you to live in misery, even if that meant your removing my opinions from YOUR view.

Louisiana

Some of My Recent Photos
(I love to just snap pictures of Louisiana settings. My daughters also love to notice them. We sometimes have simple impromptu talks about the beauty of the skyline.)

I am a Southern gal all the way. When I realize the possibility that the Lord COULD lead us some day elsewhere--even though I love to travel--I wonder what in the world I would do outside Louisiana for any extended period of time. Louisiana is just my kind of place to live! Though I have moved to other cities within the State, I have never permanently lived outside Louisiana. However, I find that true Southerners tend to adapt fairly quickly to what life brings...

Optimistically, I believe that even the reputation of our past shady political processes is steadily improving. If not, please allow me to humor myself and believe that it is while I continue to work for REAL and MEANINGFUL change through my vote in elections. As one Southern lady told me recently, "I've got a big mouth. And, I will use it." She was speaking of having told a worker at her home that she could be the difference between his having an abundance of work and his having to search diligently for work in his future. Further, she was proud to have been able to announce to me that he had indeed been staying very busy. We may be inclined toward unique ways of "making a difference" here!

For those who are Southern or are interested in Southern living, here is a link: All Things Southern with Shellie Tomlinson. I found Shellie's site today while searching for quotes on "The Simple Life" and "Southern living."

On Shellie's site, I found these quotes:

• "In the South, the breeze blows softer...neighbors are friendlier, nosier, and more talkative. (By contrast with the Yankee, the Southerner never uses one word when ten or twenty will do)...This is a different place. Our way of thinking is different, as are our ways of seeing, laughing, singing, eating, meeting and parting. Our walk is different, as the old song goes, our talk and our names. Nothing about us is quite the same as in the country to the north and west. What we carry in our memories is different too, and that may explain everything else."

--Charles Kuralt in "Southerners: Portrait of a People"

• "Even if they've moved away, most people who grew up in the South still consider themselves Southern."

----Lillian Hellman

• "My theory is that people enjoy hurricanes whether they say so or not. Because in hurricanes, terrible things are happening, people are getting killed, you're liable to get killed, there is a certain exhilaration... yeah...Louisianans enjoy their hurricanes if they're not too bad."

----The late Mississippi writer Walker Percy

This is Shellie again. I'm not trying to make light of people's problems, but I think the man has a point. We do tend to feel a strange pride about our storms. It's almost paternal. Watch the news the next time a hurricane is closing in. Evacuation is hit and miss for the most part and you can see the locals practically swell with pride as they recount the storms they've seen come and go. It reminds you somehow of a family reunion where everyone is invited, the good, the bad and the ugly. Move? ...No! Rebuild? Okay. Come to think of it, maybe they should give these hurricanes double names...like Isadora Ann and Lili Belle. ~Shellie

I'm not sure that I completely agree with the hurricane comments. However, I do confess that until Katrina, I also spoke in terms of storms I remembered from my childhood (such as Camille and Betsy). In those days, we did not evacuate; we prepared and hunkered down. I recall being without fresh water in our home for long periods of time. I can still sense the sultry heat after a hurricane as though feeling it. I think that Louisianans may appreciate the power and beauty of storms, so long as the storms are not too bad and no one and no property is harmed.

As I have noted before, destruction of my home by Hurricane Katrina (nearly 5 years ago) sent me back to the rural property on which I was raised. Overall, I am enjoying rural life again. I love to hear the birds sing. Recently, a buck ran across the street in front of our vehicle and into the field by our home. He just stopped and looked at us! Country living offers sites and sounds available nowhere else! Wind whistling through pines relaxes my mind. Sometimes, I just go out on the front porch and listen to hear nature's music surround me. The stars, which really can be SEEN most nights, dazzle. Those long drives to "Anywhere, USA" (work, church, etc) are even sometimes positive times of introspection, prayer, or listening to the radio and gaining insight into outside events and perspectives.

Tomorrow is back-to-work for me. Today, I have enjoyed the slow pace of traditional Southern living. I hope that my "doodlings" here have let you experience a bit of that lifestyle with me. As for my future here...You'll definitely know that the Lord has spoken if you hear that I have left Louisiana!

Of course, I was not alive in 1927. But, I thought that I would leave you a taste of Louisiana culture. While I am closing with thoughts of past natural disasters, I ask that we all continue to pray for those in Haiti.

Restful Weekend

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"The mark of a successful man is one that has spent an entire day on the bank of a river without feeling guilty about it."
~Author Unknown~

Activities of daily life and work are necessary. They literally help to "make the world go 'round." Likewise, times of refreshing can bring restoration and increase inner peace. Jesus stressed the value of time alone:

Mark 6:31-32


And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.


I recall Sister Mickey Mangun's interpretation of the song, "I Miss My Time with You." May Jesus never have to miss His time with us. May you enjoy a weekend with some leisure, apart from the sometimes maddening pace of life. May you experience rest in your body and in your spirit, especially in your "sabbath" worship.