LORD BLESS

         

                                   Lord Bless

Lord Bless the memories

of those who have given their lives in service to our country

Lord Bless the soldier

at their post, where ever that may be

Lord Bless the families

who are left behind to continue on with their  lives

Lord bless the ones

who carry the scars as a reminder of their sacrifice

Lord Bless those

who have been and are prisoners to an enemy

Lord Bless the children

who hold a picture of the man they call their Daddy

Lord bless the wives

who sleep alone,

Lord Bless the parents

who wait at home

Lord Bless them,

the men and women

who have dedicated their lives

to protecting what we know as our country,

our freedom, our home;

the United States of America

Tracey J. Thompson

©5/27/06

Photos by RachelRamsdellPhotography

Echoes

Children love it when their voices echo.  They seem to know when the acoustics change ...and they hoot and make loud noises to hear the echo! My grandchildren love their echo!
There are places around the globe where echoes are long and seem to go on forever...they say!
Got me thinking....about our "echoes"..what do they sound like...when things come out of our mouth do we want it to go on and on?..to echo for generations?
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5:16

Most of us have a lot to say, and some of us say it louder than others.  But does what we say have a lasting impact.  Is it words that can encourage, even over time?
 Not just our words, but our attitudes and actions....will their "echoes" be remembered in a positive way?  Will they continue to influence generations to come?
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Matthew 17:16-17
We have that kind of power ....to have our echoes carry the message of Christ's love and forgiveness over the years to come, even beyond our life time.
Commit your life to Christ.
Continue to learn and grow your relationship with Him!
Serve Him with all your heart, soul, mind and stength!
Love Lord your God with
 all your heart and with 
all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’    Mark 12:30 

Live your life for Christ and your echoes will reverberate loud and clear for generations to come!!!

May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to You,Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14 (HCSB)

A Moms Reflection

A little while ago I was taking a picture out the window.. 2 of my kids were heading out the drive way and as always I wave and ask God to protect them.
When I looked at the photo I noticed in the glass...a reflection ...me!
It just made me think (go figure)
How Mom always there...maybe not actually with you but "seeing" over you with her love and covering you with her prayers.  She isn't with you, but you can be fairly certain she is thinking about you!
The times comes when Mom has to step back....but she is reflected anyway. In your actions, attitudes and behaviors. Some of us may even say growing up...."I am not going to do ______  like my mother!"  and low-and-behold we are shaking that finger or making that statement....JUST LIKE YOUR MOTHER!
I ALWAYS said I wanted to grow up and be like my mother! I know, now, that my mom isn't perfect, but it wasn't perfection I was wanting to attain. It was the inner beauty, grace and strength she embodied!  (Still working on it by the way!)
I hope I am a reflection of my mother in those things.
I hope that people associate me with her....and some have called me "little Barbara!"  I take it as a compliment!

As water reflects the face,

so one’s life reflects the heart. Proverbs 27:19

Those of us who are followers of Christ...people can't SEE Him with us...but our association is known by our behavior, our words, our actions.
Are we imitators of Christ?  Can someone call you a "little Christ!"? What a compliment!

Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. Ephesians 5:1-2

BUT what if you didn't have a mother who had anything worth reflecting, for that I am truly sorry.  BUT there might have been someone in your life; a grandmother, aunt, sister, friend, who was able to exemplify things you could strive to reflect.

IF we had someone worth reflecting in our life.....I pray that the person had those characteristics because SHE was reflecting CHRIST! 

AND if  you didn't have anyone....YOU HAVE CHRIST!

He is the one we ALL should be desiring to reflect, whether we had a shining example or not!

I pray you had an amazing Mother's Day with your mother...or anyone who has reflected on you!

And that everyday is an amazing day in Christ!

But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Spring Planting

Tis the season isn't it?  Spring!  Spring cleaning... I wrote about last week!
and spring planting!  I do not get excited, me and green not so much! I do NOT have a green thumb!  I truly enjoy sitting in my yard and enjoying all the plants that extend their beauty to me, but I have had nothing to do with their beauty...or even their growth or placement!  If they keep coming back every year and I haven't had to care for them they do great!
We (meaning my husband) transplanted some of my purple iris from our old home.  And they grow like mad!  again with no help from me! I love them...purple beauty springs up and floods my flower bed, year after year...with NO help from me! And I thank God each time!

Thank the Lord that planting spiritual seeds does NOT require a green thumb!
To witness to others just requires a willing heart that knows the love of Christ.

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

See! It is God who takes care of the seed.  We are only a small part in someone's story....BUT realize ...an important part.  Without a seed being planted, there is nothing to grow.  Without the seed being watered it will shrivel up and turn to dust in the soil.  So we all play an integral part of a persons salvation.  BUT we must remember Who makes that soul conversion...the One who makes it grow!
Isn't that wonderful!  We do not...should not take on the burden of whether or not someone accepts Christ...that is not out part of the process...it is God's!  Doesn't that make things much less stressful!?  Our "job" is to introduce the Christ we know...share what He has done in our lives...live out our lives with the love of Christ spilling out onto everyone we meet!  The responsibility of what they do with that is in God's hands!  JUST LIKE MY FLOWERS!!!
AMEN!
Jesus told a parable about planting seed.

 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.  Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.  Whoever has ears, let them hear.”  Matthew 13:4-9
We can not be responsible for the type of soil that our seeds fall on...BUT we ARE responsible for our soil.  Jesus goes on to explain His parable;
 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:  When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.  But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:18-22

So you "cleaned house" last week, this week "tend your soil" so your roots go deep and your crop overflows! Then you can sow seeds....or look for opportunities to water and then

keep your eyes open for what beautifulness God will spring up!!!!

Cleaning House

I don't always intend to post my blog late.  Monday morning is my goal, and occasionally I have posted a day or 2 late because the date has some significance OR I start on Monday (as is most weeks)....only to have it take longer than intended.
But this week I didn't post on Monday because I was cleaning my house!  It was in desperate need, as I had been without a vacuum for a couple weeks.  I made a conscious choice....clean or blog?! So when vacuuming was done and I realized I hadn't anymore time that morning a thought went through my head.... "What a terrible excuse for not getting the blog out!"
BUT THEN...
"That is a perfect reason for not getting my blog out!"  Cleaning "house"! ... But spiritual cleaning!
Just as we all need to vacuum, dust and keep our homes in order....so must we spiritually!
Our bodies are a temple...for the Holy Spirit to have residence.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
We must be aware that dirt, dust, filth can build up if not taken care of daily!

  I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.  And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.  As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.  For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. Romans 7:15-20

 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. James 4:17

Just as cob webs start out not being seen....if left untended will continue to grow until they are big enough to almost trip us up!

Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:9-10

...the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.  If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1John 7-9

We need to vacuum those corners, sweep out the cob webs that can entangle.
...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Hebrews 12:1

We must dust....remove that layer of grime that causes a dull surface,
those attitudes that cause us to not behave in a Christian manner.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Ephesians 4:30-31

We need to mop because some dirt needs water to get it clean...down on your knees with some tough scrubbing.
to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,  Ephesians 5:26
... let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22

So making sure my spiritual house is clean and in order...I am able to begin ...I can see God and His word more clearly...see what Christ has for me today....and then share that with you!


Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

Have you cleaned house today?!  The great thing about this "house"  cleaning is you need no bucket, mop, rags or cleaning products...
you may have to get on your knees...
and you need a humble, repentant heart that cries out to your Savior...

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7

And then you should be spic and span....washed as white as snow!!

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

There has never been a better time than RIGHT NOW to start that spring cleaning!