My Beautiful Backyard Companion

My back yard is home to several house wrens.  For some reason we call them 'Jenny Wrens'.  They have the most beautiful songs to share with me.  I learned yesterday that the male wren builds nests in several places and then when he mates, the Momma wren will choose her nest.  That explains why we have a wren nest in EVERY bird house in our yard!  I don't mind, because they keep me company while I am gardening.  I captured him coming out of the house after pushing some sticks inside.  One of God's amazing and beautiful little creatures.

Be sure to check out my new linkup every Wednesday in June called Mommy & Me Photography!

Created For Him

ALL things

created

for HIM.

Don't miss it.  Can you see it?  The detail?  The all knowing Creator, who made the ants, the fleas, the birds, the leaves, the colorful rainbow, the deer, the mosquito, the Elephant, the stars, the mountains, the ONE WHO MADE IT ALL.  

And that same eye and care for detail was taken when He made YOU.  He thought of every freckle, every mannerism, every hair on your head.  He knows you; of your laugh, your fears, your heart, your dreams.  He placed them there for you.

Worship....Worship the ONE who made it all, created it all for Himself, yet invites us to enjoy.  Worship the ONE who knows you, who created you, who LOVES you, every single detail of you!

Created for His Glory - Word Filled Wednesday

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things,

 and by your will they were created and have their being.

Revelation 4:11

As our church began a study in Genesis, I was immediately reminded that everything that God chose to create was for His glory and for His enjoyment.  That includes you!  God created you for his enjoyment.  He adores you, He celebrates you, He dances over you with singing.  Enjoy Him!

Word-Filled Wednesday - Enthralled with Beauty

The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.

Psalm 44:11 

Maybe today you could call that someone in your life who adds beauty to your everyday.  That friend with the beautiful spirit, the giving heart, and reminder her just how special she is to you!!

 

Linking to Fill the Frame Fridays.

As Long As I Live - Word Filled Wednesday

Surrender? How Do I Do That?

 We need to be totally honest with each other.  Are any of us really good at surrender?  I mean, take a look at this definition:

1) to give into the hands of another

2) to give over into (one's) power or use

     a) to deliver to one something to keep, use, take care of, manage

Truth be told, few of us could surrender our cell phones, let alone our lives to Christ.  But yet to be an obedient Christ follower, that is what we are asked to do - open our hands and give our lives to Jesus.  That doesn't just mean saying yes to accept Him, but allowing Him to be in the driver's seat.

God has an intricate plan for our lives and He holds the road map to our destination, HIS destination for us.  My problem is that I want to see the road map!  I want to see where I am going at every turn, every rest stop, every detour.  But surrender costs us deep, abiding faith in God's plan for us.

If you're like me, you've had several detours in your life already.  It's those "how did this happen", "where did this come from", "how could I have missed this" moments that stop you in your tracks.  Life takes an abrupt turn and you end up at an unknown and unfamiliar destination.  For me that was the death of my Dad when I was 20 years old.  That detour sent me to a dead end--a divorce nine years later.

Would I have chosen these destinations on my life's map?  Nope.  But somehow, in God's grace, He has used these twists and turns to bring me back to Him every time.  If I surrender, staying close to my Shepherd, His voice will lead me.  If I don't, sin and disobedience will chase me.

Surrender is blind faith.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

But God sees all, and knows all, and holds me in the palm of His hand.  Truthfully, there is no place else I'd rather be!

Do You Ever Feel "Out of Order"?

Do you ever feel like hanging this sign around your neck and calling it a day?

I mean, I've gotten used to those days that I just don't feel like doing much, and I do have more of those than I would care to admit!  But recently it was something different....something deeper.

Being constantly aware with my ongoing fight against depression, I tend to have a more critical eye when it comes to analyzing what I am feeling.  I've experienced it enough times to be hyper-critical as to not miss the signs of an onset.  That wasn't it.

As I worked through my thoughts and feelings, I discovered I had a tape playing in my head, and it was on constant repeat:  "You're not good enough."  "You're doing it all wrong." "You're not doing enough."  I was under a constant barrage all day long.  No matter what task I was working on, the voice kept badgering me.

I finally identified the feeling that was different.  It was failure.

The voice was right.  I'm lousy at housekeeping, my husband is doing all the laundry, I couldn't put two thoughts together to write an interesting blog post, my kids need more spiritual guidance, I am not praying enough, God wants more from me, my kids need more discipline and structure, our finances are a mess and I'm never going to be able to change, my husband wants more intimacy, I need to volunteer more at church, the dog needs more attention
......................press repeat...........................

OUT OF ORDER!

Have you been there?  Has there been a voice inside your head grow louder and louder until you can no longer hear the true voice of God?  Because God doesn't cast shame or guilt upon us.  Do you need to read that last sentence again?  God's voice whispers words of love, acceptance and encouragement.  Perhaps today we need to sit still in the quiet for just a few moments and ask God to push STOP on that tape of lies that is running through our heads.

All of those character flaws written above that I struggle with may still be there, and through God's strength I will continue to work to conquer them, but they DO NOT define me as a failure.  As the tape continued to play through my mind, the lies got bolder and louder.  But as I take time to analyze the recording, I see that through the grace of God, each and every day, the blessings around me abound.  My husband loves serving me, my girls are beautiful and healthy, we all love the Lord, and the dog is fine.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. I Peter 5:10

Guide Me Lord

Send forth your light and your truth, 

let them guide me;

let them bring me to your holy mountain,

to the place where you dwell.

Psalm 43:3

Love NEVER Fails

How appropriate that this year Easter was welcomed by the Bleeding Heart in my garden.  A perfect reminder of the love of Christ, displayed for all to see, on a cross at Calvalry.

God's love, perfect in every way, never fails me.




Linking up with Sweet Shot Tuesday.

Finding Encouragement in the Light

"Blessed are those...who walk in the light of Your presence."

Psalm 89:15

I've always had a great affinity for the word "light" throughout the Bible.  I've searched the scriptures to find every mention of the word during some of the darkest times in my life.  As one who battles frequent bouts of depression, the word can take on significant meaning.  Depression is often described as a deep dark pit, so those who have suffered through it know that "light" is a lifeline to help.

Jesus is that lifeline.  And not just for depression, but for whatever situation you might find yourself in that feels dark, frustrating, or overwhelming.  Jesus is always waiting with his hand outstretched to pull you to safety.  The Bible promises hardship for all of us, but nowhere does it say that we must endure it alone.  In the first several verses of the book of John, Jesus is described as The Light, and again in 8:12 Jesus proclaims it himself saying,

"I am the light of the world.  

Whoever follows me 

will never walk in darkness, 

but will have the light of life."

What a gift!  We are surrounded by darkness on every side in our society, but Jesus provides our hope.

If you are struggling, would you go to the concordance in your Bible and do a word search for the word "light" and read through those scriptures?  I hope that you will be as encouraged as I am each time I do it.  Then pray and ask God to infuse you with the light of Christ, let it permeate your soul.  Soak Him in, and rest in his assurances.

I love that each day as I walk past my fireplace, I am reminded of the Light of His Presence by this beautiful vase and candle holder.  It is one of my favorite pieces from Blessings Unlimited.

Have a blessed day walking in HIS light!

God's Perfect Gifts

See more daisy shots today at my photography blog, Capturing Beautiful.

Trust in His Holy Name

"We wait in hope for the Lord; 

he is our help and our shield. 

In him our hearts rejoice, 

for we trust in his holy name. 

May your unfailing love rest upon us, 

O Lord, 

even as we put our hope in you."

Psalm 33:20-22

The God Given Winter is Here

 

"You made both summer and winter."  

Psalm 74:17

Winter has officially arrived, complete with snow and 24 degree days.  not my favorite season 

Comfort was found in the words of Charles Spurgeon:

"How we prize the fire just now!  How pleasant its cheerful glow is! Let's in the same manner prize our Lord, who is the constant source of warmth and comfort in every time of trouble.  Let's approach Him, and in Him find joy and peace in believing.  Let's wrap ourselves in the warm garments of His promises."

We don't have a fireplace, but I still like to create a place that brings warmth and that cozy glow into our home during the cold winter months.

For those living in climates that bring freezing temperatures and wind driven snow,  each time you wrap up in a warm cozy blanket this winter may you be reminded of God's warmth and protection.

God is Bigger than our Wildest Dreams

Do you ever gaze at the sky looking for God? 

Do you ever wonder just how big He is? 

The Whirlpool Galaxy, 31 million light years away from earth, contains 300 billion stars. 

"When I consider your heavens, 

the work of your fingers, 

the moon and the stars, 

which you have set in place,  

what is man that you are mindful of him,

the son of man that you care for him?" 

Psalm 8:3,4

God is bigger than we could ever possibly imagine.  His creation AND creativity is more than we can fathom.  And yet He hears my every thought, my every prayer, my every word....and He cares for me, for you.

The Hubble telescope captured the black hole in the center of the Whirlpool Galaxy.    What do you see?

I think it looks something like this..................

Chance?

Hardly.

"He who appoints the sun to shine by day, 

who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, 

who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar-- 

the LORD Almighty is his name."

Jeremiah 31:35

"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rules or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
Colossians 1:16-17

His creation is not haphazard nor accidental.  Scripture shows His power through just His breath and thought.

"By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, 

their starry host by the breath of his mouth."

Psalm 33:6

Does this power not just blow your mind?  He spoke EVERYTHING into existence, created from NOTHING...except one thing...you and I.  Genesis 2:7 states "God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."   and verse 21, "he took one of the man's ribs and close up the place with flesh.  Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man."

Beloved, you were created by the very hand of God, touched by His hand.  The same God who made the universe as pictured above made you.  He is HUGE, yet he knows everything about you.  He is BEYOND our imagination, yet He longs to have a relationship with each of us!

The next time you admire the moon, the stars or a constellation, join them in praising your God in heaven.

"Praise him, 

sun and moon, 

praise him, 

all you shining stars". 

Psalm 148:3

Word Filled Wednesday

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.  Matthew 5:8

Word Filled Wednesday

The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.  Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity.  The seas have lifted up, O LORD, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.  Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea-- the LORD on high is mighty.  Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days, O LORD. 

This Is The Way

I have always loved this verse, as it is a constant reminder that I am not in this life alone.  I have a Holy Navigator who sees all that is in front of me, and will guide my each and every step.  God did not create me and then abandon me to blindly find my way through this life.  We were each created with a purpose.  A holy purpose for God's glory.  When we have a mission like that, why do we think that the Captain has abandoned ship?

Friends, He is at the helm!  He knows all that is before us, and if we will listen, He is gently guiding us through each and every step of our lives.  But if we are not listening, if we are not stopping long enough to commune with him in a quiet hour, we will miss that direction.  We will go wayward off the path of his direction.

If you are not having a consistent quiet time with the Lord, can I challenge you today to make that happen?  He so desires to talk with you.  As you awake each morning, He eagerly awaits a smile from you, a good morning, a tender thought turned His way.  Don't make Your Living God wait for that quiet moment He so desires with you.

Lord Jesus, I pray for  every reader who stops by here today, that they will find a quiet few moments to spend with you each and every day.  Will you help them to make that happen?  Will you provide the power of your Holy Spirit to create a way? I know you so desire that time with each of your dearly loved children.  May you bless any time your children yield in this earthly life to experience a piece of heaven with you.  In Jesus Name, Amen.