Purchasing a Title

 Our gift for Mother's Day/Fathers Day...was to become a Lord and a Lady!

Our daughter purchased us property in Glencoe Wood, Highland, Scotland...and even though it is only one square foot each...we now can hold the titles Lord Kevin and Lady Tracey!  You laugh!  We laughed!  How neat!  A very sweet and thoughtful gift...as Kevin's family line traces back to Scotland!

But it got me thinking...

About receiving a title....

📖  But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

We have royal blood if we have accepted Christ as our savior.

📖  Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.  John 1:12

📖  Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.    Romans 8:17

But what did we have to pay or purchase to be able to call ourselves "Child of the one true King",  "heirs of the King"

Our cost....nothing!

The price was already paid for us!

Unlike Rachel, who paid money to the nature concervency that does this very neat project....the price for our "title" was paid with Christ's blood, with His life. 

📖  God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— Romans 3:25

📖 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:12-14

Someday Kevin and I may get to make the trip to see our two square feet of Scotland, maybe.

But I know for sure we will one day walk those streets of gold and enter the mansion prepared especially for us.

📖 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14:1-3

📖 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. Revelation 21:21

We have many names attached to ours once He is our King.

📖  which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords..1 Timothy 6:15

Created

Redeemed

Protected

Precious

Honored

Loved

Witness

Servant

Saved 

But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
    Cush and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
    and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
    nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; Isaiah 43:1-5a

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
    “and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
    and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
    nor will there be one after me.
11 I, even I, am the Lord,
    and apart from me there is no savior.
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
    I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God. Isaiah 43:10-12 

"Lord" and "Lady" are fun...but these are eternal!

🙏I pray today that you have recieved a title....you can claim you are a saved and precious child of the one true King!❤ 🤴 👑 

A side note....our gift from our other daughter: 😉🤣

When You Feel You Can't Pray Enough

Don't worry about how you are praying or how much you are praying.....just cry out...

📖  In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. Romans 8:26-27

Jesus cried out:

📖 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Mark 14:35-36

📖 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”When he had said this, he breathed his last. Luke 23:46

If we haven't the words pray the words Jesus taught;

📖  “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts 

As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Matthew 6:8-13

If we feel we have nothing left...not enough faith..

It can be the tiniest bit that pushes your prayer.

📖  He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

No matter how small you feel it is...how weak...

He will hear..

HE WILL SEE

📖 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you  Matthew 6:6

🎵 Cry Out To Jesus Third Day

❤🙏

Comfort Food

We all have our "go-to-comfort food"

Chocolate,

mac n cheese (or any pasta)

Donuts (or any carb)

Coffee, tea, coco (any warm drink)

Did I say Chocolate?

Etc etc etc

Something we tend to gravitate toward when we are stressed or sad or angry or hurting or all of the above.

Something that when we put it to the lips and tongue something inside just starts to soften....and there is an internal "aahhhh",  sometimes external!

It is not necessarily a bad thing....however if our moments of stress go on for a long period of time...which they sometimes do, and our comfort food of choice isn't overly healthy, which they rarely are...then it can be a bad thing...

and once we consume the food, it is gone and most of the time what ever is making us want the comfort food is still there...a vicious cycle,

BUT what if there was a "comfort food"  that was good for us!?  that was ok to need everyday?! and that can make a difference with the stuff that is bothering us?!

THERE IS!!!

📖  Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. John 6:57-58

Jesus is our comfort "food".  He can quench that insatiable thirst.

📖  Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14

When this "Comfort Food" passes your lips and touches your tongue your soul will sigh "aaahhhh"

📖  John 6

27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”.....32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. ........ 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

Enjoy that piece of cake, chocolate or otherwise.....but let the Lord be that "Comfort Food" and it will be all that we need....we don't NEED anything else to calm our soul, sooth the wound, ease the ache.  

📖  Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”  John 14:8

❤🙏

🎵 Draw Me Close Micheal W. Smith

MEMORIAL DAY

What does Memorial mean? 

1 : serving to preserve remembrance : commemorative. 2 : of or relating to memory. (Merriam-Webster.com)

Today,  in the United States, we celebrate Memorial Day...a day that was set aside to honor those who gave their lives in service to our Country.  Wreaths are placed on memorial stones, flags lowered, poems read, Taps played and gun salutes fired.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for honoring and mourning the military personnel who have died in the performance of their military duties while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The holiday is observed on the last Monday of May. Wikipedia

I have blogged about the day in past Coffeetime With a Dear Friend posts; Bucket Full of Grace (2020), Lord Bless (A Reminder) 2019, Lord Bless (2018, 2017)

Today, as we celebrate and honor those who have sacrificed on Memorial Day...I am going to go in another direction with the word "memorial"; "Of or relating to memory"  

As we read scripture, there are many who gave their lives in the "battle" to advance the word of Christ.  His followers, disciples, were martyred.  Stephen, Andrew, Peter and other names down through out the ages.

📖While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 7:59-60

Of course the One that comes to mind most prevalent is Jesus Himself.  He died so that we could have eternal life, so that our sins would be forgiven, and so the Holy Spirit could come for each one of us.  

📖  “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:25-26

 When Christ walked the earth He was able to talk to crowds but there were limitations of what His earthly body could accomplish.  it wasn't until He gave His life that there were no limitation, no boundaries, (short of our refusal).  Once His death and ressurection were completed the gift of the Holy Spirit was able to happen and every individual  believer was able to have that indwelling.

We as believers can never forget what was done for us.  To memorialize what He has done we need to tell our story; what Christ has done for us, to pass on the words of Christ. MEMORIZE His word, it is another way that we can remember what He has done for us. 

Giving our lives as living sacrifices allows us to be living memorials as well.

📖 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship Romans 12:1

However there is a BIG distinction; Memorial Day we honor the dead ....and I have talked about the martyred for Christ...Christ died.. BUT He LIVES!  Because Jesus conquered death itself ...and we have the victory!  THAT is our story and what we want people to know!!

📖 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.  If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 1 Peter 4:13-16

His Day

 In my prayer time many...most days I ask God to "take this day...".  One day it struck me that I am giving to God what is already His!

What I am really doing or need to do is surrendering myself to His day.  

📖 This is the day the Lord has made;

Surrendering my plans to His.

📖 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Trusting that His day is better than any one I could conger up....if I actually could make a day!!

He gives each day to be used for His purpose and will. And we have the privilege to be a part of it!

📖 This is the day the Lord has made;

We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 (NKJV)

We trust that He will show up and take care of our needs. We just need to ask, just like Jesus did!

📖    Give us today our daily bread. Matthew 6:11

Even on our worst day....God in it is better than any day...any moment with out Him.

❤Amen

Are We An Eeyore?

Do we drag our cloud around with us?

Sometimes we may feel that pesky rain cloud is following us....attached to us ...raining sadness and gloom constantly. 

We all have seasons where we feel we don’t catch a glimpse of sun.

But sometimes are we the ones dragging that cloud with us?

Oh, I am not saying we are the cause of all the drearyness raining down...

But somewhere beyond that rain cloud is the Son!

Are we allowing the cloud to completely block Him out?  If we look we can see beyond the edges of that darkness to see His brightness?

He is there and the rain cloud will move on and you will be standing in glorious Sonlight!

A couple of things;

💧That rain cloud is going to move...and when it it does it will be raining on someone else..

📖 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.  2 Corinthians 1:3-5

💧There will be another one...we need rain as well as sun. 

📖 In all 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 the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7

💧We can not appreciate goodness without strife.

And it draws us closer to God.

📖 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12

💧When it comes...even in the rain we can find small amounts of joy...

📖 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your produces perseverance.  James 1:2-3

So if you have that grey cloud over you right now...and the rain is pouring down....know God has got you...the "Son"shine is right there behind it...even though you just may not feel you can see it...brighter days are coming...🌞

Go ahead...dance in the rain!!

📖 He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Matthew 5:45b

🎵 Let It Rain (Is There Anybody) Crowder (feat. Mandisa)

Mothers Plant the Seeds Of Love

I found this while going through folders on my computer.  It was something I wrote and shared at a Mothers luncheon over 10 years ago! 

As I/we are surrounded by so many growing plants and it was just Mother's Day, I thought i would dust it off and share it with you!🌱🌻

Photo by Rachel Ramsdell

 We plant seeds in our children with our words and actions. And tend them with love and comfort.

The seeds need to be tended and grow roots that are strong.
 Jesus said that the seed is the word of God

📖 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God." Luke 8:11

How are we, as mom’s, or grandma's or anyone who has influence over young ones....to plant the word of God in our children?  Not planting a kiss … or even those days when you just want to PLANT them, but I am talking about what we are instilling in their little hearts!
Now, I say "little"…anyone who has young ones……teach now…while you still know everything...to quote Beth Moore (and just about every teenager from times past through eternity) "before you become stupid!"  

If you are at the stage where your children insist you don’t know anything or understand anything….or even if you are at the stage you say you don’t know anything or understand anything!
Take heart!...................if you remain constant...consistent….rooted…..they see those seeds are planted and some day you may know something again. 

Before we can plant seeds (the word of God) in our children we MUST be rooted and strong ourselves.
Barbara Johnson said “anybody can plant sweet  P‘s in a straight row, for instance: Prayer, Patience, Peace,. Passion But it’s not enough for a gardener to love flowers.  A gardener also must hate weeds.  As good plants grow you pinch off bitter ones  like Panic, Paranoia, and Passivity.  And by the way while gardening, do squash PRIDE.”   

We need to be prepared to do our “gardening”, to plant our seeds
First and foremost; are we rooted in Christ?  Are we connected to Christ?  Have we accepted Him for who He is?   That without Him we can do nothing, especially plant seeds.   In John chapter15: Jesus said 
📖 “I am the vine and you are the branches if a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart for me you can do nothing.” 
That doesn’t mean that we just acknowledge him, but that we plant ourselves in Him….graft ourselves to Him…..we are a part of Him…..He said HE is the vine and we the branches……we don’t make him a part of us....we become a part of Him…..which implies that the larger more dominate part is Christ!  Not ourselves.  The fruit or flower that we see is not ourselves.   The aroma that is smelled is Christ
📖 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing  2 Corinthians 2:25
We need to spend time learning what it means to be connected to the vine, understanding and cultivating that bond that we have by reading the word.   We need to communicate with God and the way we have been given to do that is prayer. 
If we tend ourselves we can mature in Christ, grow….produce the fruits of the Spirit;
Love joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. 
 
We love the prints on the windows, the flowers in the pocket (after the washer and dryer), and the milk left on the counter
We are joyful at 3 am when the nightmare has woken the whole house
We feel peace when the tooth is almost through and when the pots and pan band is marching to their own tune
We are patient while they tell their stories, ask “why did God make bugs?” and they try to “do it by myself”!
We are kind when they storm out of the room screaming “I HATE YOU”
We are good when they push our buttons and we just smile and walk into the other room
We are faithful when the illness is serious, when they question God
We are gentle when that boy breaks their heart, or the others have called them names
We are self controlled when there is a dent in the bumper and a scrape that runs from hood to trunk and they “Have no idea…..I didn’t go near any other cars!”
We Pray without ceasing for our children, their decisions, their actions, their safety and their future spouses
We are passionate about raising them in the wisdom and Knowledge of Jesus Christ
 
As we grow we are then able to plant in others….today specifically we talk about our children….but as mom’s we know that that extends to so many more….Billy next door,  Sally who comes to play, Mrs. Jones the teacher,
Mr. Smith the coach, and all the other parents we come in contact with.
 When we are planted and strong in the Lord  we trust and have confidence in  Him…we will weather the storms….and we know that as a mom there will be storms!!
But when we tend to the "garden" we call our children, we desire that their roots are strong…that they too can weather the storms.
That they are grafted in the VINE.
 
Here is a prayer that I wrote a couple years ago…based on Jeremiah 17:7-8 actually it is a part of my bio for this blog! It is in a frame by my front door.

Strong Roots 

I pray my children have strong roots, strong roots that only grow in rich soil. Lord I pray that this home provide the climate in which my children can bury themselves in the rich soil of Your love and mercy. May the Word be alive in this home to provide nourishment. May all be watered with gentleness of tongue, kindness of deed, sweetness of spirit and above all, love for one another. May the fruits of the spirit blossom here, so that all who enter feel refreshed and all who leave feel loved. And Lord I pray that when my children leave this home they will not fear; they will not worry, They will trust the One in Whom their roots are planted.

©Tracey Thompson

📖  So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7