April Showers for May Flowers

Are you ready to turn the page from April to May? We have had several April showers that should bring May flowers. Typically, I have followed an unwritten "rule" of not planting annuals or vegetables until Mother's Day. Though we have had some very warm days already, there is a chance of frost in some parts of Iowa this week. 

So, maybe the old wives tale is good advice this year. It could have been a word to the wise from the Farmer's Almanac, or better yet, teaching from my mother many years ago. Where do you get your gardening advice? These days it could come from Google.

Things change over time. Some guidance remains wise through the years. Other ideas are replaced by new thinking. When Paul wrote to the church in Corinth he made it clear where our wisdom should come from.

"My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power," (1 Corinthians 2:4-5 NIV).

The Scriptures remain true and good even after hundreds of years. There are few books that remain relevant and wise through the ages of time. Our Holy Bible has never changed its wisdom. It is as true today as it was being written in the time of Moses or Abraham, Jesus or Paul. 

Thank You, God, for the Holy Scriptures that guides my life of faith even today. Help me grow in Your wisdom and grant me the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus promises all believers. Thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross so I can live again with Him eternally, one day. I pray in the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The Growing Season

Have you been listening to the rain? It sounds like we got a lot of rain but it is too dark to see the rain gauge. It is rather delightful to hear the rain after two dry springs. The grass is so green! The leaves are appearing on the trees like a magician's flowers out of a wand. But it is all by God's hands. 

We have lived in Ankeny for 10 years now and during that time we tried to plant rhubarb three or four times. It would do great at first, then die. Last year we tried a different spot and it survived the winter and it is prolific this year. I'm so excited!

"For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations,"(Isaiah 61:11 NIV)

Thank You, my God, for the amazing way seeds and crops grow, even when it seemed too dry to grow. I praise You for the rain that is replenishing the soil with moisture that helps all things grow. Lord, I ask for some dry weather so farmers can plant their fields. Thank You, God for knowing what is best for all of us. I thank You that You make righteousness and praise rise up before us.You have made these blessings available to all of us when we believe in Your Son Jesus Christ. Be with us this day and throughout the week ahead. Guide our steps, our decisions, and our speech. We pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.

God is My Shepherd

Lamb Sorting Day

This time of year always reminds me of lambing season. More specifically, a barn full of baaing lambs. This is about the time the lambs are weaned from their mothers and started on feed. 

"He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young,"             (Isaiah 40:11 NIV). 

The lambs learn to play with the others quickly and are distracted from the loss of their mothers before long. And the mothers, also baaing loudly because their bags are too full for a while, are distracted by the fresh green grass growing in their pastures. 

The lambs in the picture are older. They still baa, but mostly when they see the shepherd and know feed is about to fill their troughs. These lambs are too heavy to carry and they are still wild and crazy when we would try to catch them when sorting. This picture probably brings nightmares to my husband and son who were doing all the catching.

I love the image of God as my Shepherd. I want to be gathered into His arms, and carried close to His heart every day. 

God, my Shepherd, thank You for Your tender care throughout my life. Lead me on Your paths that are straight and narrow. Guide me and protect me from the evil that lies around every turn. I thank You and praise You, Lord! I pray in the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Asking for Joy, Patience and Faith

Near Amana, Friday, April 17

Good Monday morning to you! It is wonderful to have things calm again after last week's stormy weather. We were fortunate to miss the dangerous and damaging winds, though we received four inches of rain. I hope you were safe, also. Along with the storms were beautiful and frightening clouds.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer,"     (Romans 12:12 NIV).

This scripture is speaking to me today. It says to be joyful, patient, and faithful. What a big ask! These qualities are challenging for me at times. 

Being joyful has been challenging for me as I am often draped in chronic depression. I am a hopeful person. I love how some people are filled with joy. Their smiles radiate the love of Jesus! I would like to be like that. 

I have learned to be patient in affliction. Patience is something difficult to develop. After all my years I have learned to be patient. I don't always want to be patient, but I wait in my afflictions.

Faithful in prayer...that takes practice. When I tell someone that I will pray for them, I hope that person can feel confident that I pray. I carry that person in my heart and ask God to be with them in the illness, the sorrow, or the dilemma the person is facing.

God Almighty, as I pray, I ask You to strengthen me with joy in my hope, patience in my affliction, and faith in my prayers. I trust You Lord, to hear my prayers. Help me to grow in these qualities: to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in my prayers. I pray in the Name of Jesus, my Savior, Amen.

Speak With Grace

Good Morning, Friends.

Can you hear the birds chirping outside your windows? I love this about spring. It is still dark out but the birds are waking up and they sound so happy! Why are they so happy, I wonder? It is a new day.  We woke up. God has blessed us with another day of life. So, how will we use it?

After writing this blog, I go to the gym for aqua fitness. There is room for 40 or so in the pool, if everyone spreads out perfectly. It is much more comfortable with just 25 or 30 participants. You don't have to worry about kicking someone.

Judging by the noise level, people love to talk. Friends catch up on what happened over the weekend, what they are doing this week, or how they are feeling. Quite often, these friends only see each other in the pool. This creates a problem for the instructors. Their time of preparation for the class, setting up the music, and displaying the exercises seems disrespectful when the talking overshadows the teaching.

Paul wrote the book of Colossians to teach that Christ gave us a pattern for living and the power to grow spiritually. Paul taught that everything a believer needs is in Christ Jesus who is supreme in power and authority because Christ is God.

Colossians is filled with teaching the ways of following Christ. 

"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone," (Colossians 4:6 NIV).

God, we lift our praise to You this morning and we thank You for the teachers of Your Word, like Paul. Your Word shows us how we should live and act and speak. Lord, speak to us through the Holy Spirit, to remind us how You want us to follow Jesus. We thank You for sending Jesus to make a way for us to communicate with You. We pray in Jesus' Name, Amen.

Take My Life, Lord

During this time after the celebration of Jesus' Resurrection, I often find myself examining my life a little closer. I so want to be worthy of this great gift, though I know I never can be. So how must I proceed? Music always speaks to my heart and a contemporary Christian artist, Lauren Daigle, wrote the song, "Let It Be A Hallelujah", that expresses what I'd like to live out. The lyrics follow:

"Let It Be A Hallelujah"

VERSE 1:
Take my life and let it be
My soul devoted Lord to Thee Take my moments and all my days Make them endless praise
Take my heart and let it move
In spirit and in truth
For the glory of Your name
CHORUS:
With every breath that’s in me With every song and melody Let it be a hallelujah
In every breaking moment
In every blessing that You give Let it be a hallelujah
Oh Lord, let it be a hallelujah
VERSE 2:
All my hopes and all my fears Every trial, every tear
In the chaos, You remain Faithful all the way
Through the victories Through the scars
Let me echo who You are For the glory of Your name
BRIDGE:
Oh, let it be a hallelujah
Let it be a hallelujah
Nothing, but a hallelujah to you, God Oh, let it be a hallelujah
All my life a hallelujah
Let it be a hallelujah to You, God

By Lauren Daigle

But, as I reread the words of Lauren's song, another older hymn, written by Henri A. Cesar Malan in 1827 and Frances R. Havergal in 1874, came to mind: 

"Take My Life and Let It Be" 

"Take my life and let it be Consecrated, Lord to Thee; 

Take my hands and let them move At the impulse of Thy love. 

Take my feet and let them be Swift and beautiful for Thee; 

Take my voice and let me sing Always only, for my King, Always, only, for my King. 

Take my lips and let them be Filled with messages for Thee; 

Take my silver and my gold, Not a mite would I withhold, Not a mite would I withhold. 

Take my love, my God, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store; 

Take myself and I will be Ever, only, all for Thee, Ever, only, all for Thee."

These writers have so eloquently expressed my thoughts and feelings for today, this week, this tine. I hope they speak to you today also. Paul wrote in the Scriptures, another reminder for us to focus on.

"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord," (Romans 6:22-23 NIV). 

Oh, Lord God, we remember the miracle of Christ's Resurrection, that only You could make possible. We thank You for the blessed gift of eternal life, available to every believer in Jesus Christ. Thank You for the talented musicians who bless us with music that speaks to our hearts. Use us today to touch someone in our paths with the love You have given us. Thank You, God. We pray in Jesus' Name, Amen.

#1190 gds  Glory to God Forever!

After Three Days

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time," (1 Peter 1:3-5 NIV).

How wonderful! After the torture of Good Friday, our sorrows were lifted when our Savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead! We celebrate on Resurrection Day, as we rejoice that death cannot hold our Savior!

Something like 60 years later Peter wrote this book to continue his preaching of the Good News. Jewish Christians were being scattered away from Jerusalem throughout the Mediterranean world. Christians were being persecuted for their faith. Their lives were in danger. Peter encouraged them to stay focused on their faith.

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed," (1 Peter 1:6-7).

Heavenly Father, we come to You in gratefulness for the gift of Your Son, who hung on the cross but was raised from death for our salvation. Guide us today to please You in all we do. Work in us, correcting our missteps and failures, so we can live our faith genuinely. We praise You, God! We give You all honor and glory in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Praise be to God!