A World of Color

Photo credit: Bustle.com

Fantastic Fall!

For some of you, fall has already began to whirl it's color wheel in the trees

Here, in west Texas, things are shades of brown, as usual, although recent rains have began to transform the desert into green mounds of...

Weeds.

How do these things live through three years of drought?

Humans struggle to keep lawns alive, flowers blooming, and crops growing.

But, somehow, these weeds manage to lurk in stasis somewhere, and burst out of nowhere!

But, I digress.

Fall is an explosion of oranges, browns, yellows and golds.

We cuddle in front of the fire, wrapped in comfy blankets and drink a cup of steaming hot cocoa.

This website, Bustle.com, displays beautiful pictures and quotes that surpass anything I can write.

So, I leave the majesty of fall to them.

Praise God for COLOR!

What is your favorite part of Fall?

Many of you know that God's Word is my passion. It's amazing how many times His words in the morning give me guidance during the day. But His words are just letters on the page unless we lift them into our lives. Beginning in October, I'm going to do a series on posts on favorite verses. Sure I have a few - well, more than a few - but I want to hear from you. What are your favorite verses and what to they mean to you? Get out your Bible and bring them on!

Trying to Earn God's Favor?

You don’t need to be perfect to be loved by a perfect God.

 

There it is, the headline on the church page in the Seminole Sentinel

I must really need this lesson because God keeps pounding it into my feeble brain.

I've seen Scripture proclaiming it.

I've read blogs and posts confirming it.

I even wrote a blog on it myself.

Still, here it is again, in big letters on a page of the local newspaper.

I don't need to be perfect to keep God's love.

Am I dense?

Apparently.

Anyone out there as dense as I am?

We rejoice to know that we are saved by grace.

 

"While we were yet enemies..." says Paul in Romans 5:10

 

Salvation is a free gift from God, there for us to open and accept.

 

Can I hear a Hallelujah?

 

We are confident in His love.

 

He promises us He'll never toss us out on our ears.

 

Our eternal life is secure.

 

But...

 

Between salvation and eternal life is this expanse we call life.

This is where we all stumble.

Here's the loaded question:

 

How do we stay in God's favor?

 

Are we afraid we'll lose God's favor?

Favor – a human word:

• To be on one’s good side.
• To be in one's good graces
• To receive kind acts
• To be partial toward us

Does God have a good side?

Does He have good graces to show?

Does He choose on whom to shower kind acts?

Is He partial to some and not to others?

Scripture tells us we are

• Loved unconditionally.
• Never forsaken.
• Sins forgiven - remembered no more. 
• Newborn as God's children

Does any of this sound like we have to work to keep His favor?

Our standing with God is based on His perfect character.

Not on our imperfect lives.

Can I hear a Hallelujah?


Photo credit ribbon: willeecole

 

Wanna Play?

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,

that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Psalm 90:14

 I spent the past two weeks in Pennsylvania playing with my 4-year-old grandson and 2-year-old granddaughter. I read books, worked puzzles, and played out in the back yard,

We flopped on the floor with a box of crayons and some pictures and joyfully colored outside the lines: green sky, purple dogs, yellow houses with red dots.

At the park, I watched them squeal as they slid down the slide and pushed the swing harder when they yelled, “Higher!”

They screamed with delight as they ran in and out of the water jets at the spray park.

We giggled and laughed and played until we were all pooped.

For too short a time, they’ll live with joy and reckless abandon.

Then it will be over.

What happens?

We grow up and, somehow, we forget how to play.

We bury ourselves in responsibilities: marriage, homes, children, finances…the list goes on.

We forget to be carefree.

We give up on reckless abandon because it’s, well, reckless.

Can you remember when laughter filled your days?

When did you swing last?

 

Have a water fight at the pool?

Sure people might look at you funny but, trust me, it’s envy!

Yes, we’re grownup with grown-up responsibilities.

Why should that dampen our joy?

Why should that squelch our enjoyment of life to the fullest?

Go ahead, have fun at the park.

Color with crazy colors and dare to go outside the lines.

Laughter is the best medicine – make a habit out of it.

 

Personally, there’s nothing like the soaring through the air on a swing.

Maybe I’ll go to the park today!

 

Is fun and silliness a part of your life?

What would you love to do that you haven’t done in a long time?

 

 

 

I Will Rejoice!

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord.
He has blessed me beyond all I can imagine.

• A loving husband.
• A beautiful home.
• A great sister.
• Two wonderful daughters.
• A friend closer than a sister.

My soul will be joyful.
He has filled me with His presence .

• Hope.
• Peace.
• Strength.
• Wisdom.

He has clothed me in salvation.
Adopted me as His very own.

• Cleansed me white as snow.
• Removed my sin as far as the east is to the west.
• Made me a new creation.

Covered me with His righteousness.
Promised me a forever life with Him.

• Written my name in the palm of His hand.
• Given me an inheritance that cannot rust or be eaten away.
• Called me to be His pure, spotless bride.

Praise the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise His holy name!

Why do you praise the Lord? 

It’s Free!

 

For it is by grace you have been saved,

through faith--and this not

from yourselves,

it is the gift of God--

not by works, so that no

one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

 

You young’uns might not remember this song.

 

Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin.

 

From way back in 1971

 

I thought of this song when I saw these stairs in Grand Central Station in Washington D.C.

  

"There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold

 And she’s buying a stairway to heaven."

 

What a scary idea!

 

Can we ever buy our way to heaven?

 

What can we use to pay the price?

• Doing good things?
• Helping others?
• Going to church?
• Believing that God is real?

Can we ever pile up enough good works that we can buy our way to heaven?

 

Salvation and the hope of heaven are wonderful gifts given to us by God through the love and sacrifice of His Son Jesus.

 

He gives it to us because He loves us beyond what we can imagine.

 

When we stumble, we know that God won’t throw us out.

 

When we have bad days, we know God won’t reject us.

 

What precious confidence we have that we don’t have to buy God’s love.

 

 

We don’t have to earn His grace.

 

We don’t have to pay at the gate of heaven so He will let us in.

 

God’s love and grace are free because Jesus paid the price on the cross. We only have to accept it.

 

Heaven is free because Jesus was resurrected from the dead.

• We can't do anything to buy it.
• We can’t do anything to earn it.
• We can’t do anything to lose it.

God does everything!

 

 

 It is free!

 

What joy and confidence does it give you that your stairway to heaven is free?

 

Photo credit gold coins: yuiyizhuravov 

Can Your Temple Survive an Earthquake?

by +SherryCarter
 

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and

that God's Spirit lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16

The National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Breathtaking.

Majestic.

Then this strange sight:

A tower, surrounded by scaffolding.

Several years ago, the cathedral was weakened by an earthquake and the scaffolding supports it so men can repair and strengthen it.

Scaffolding.

Support.

Repair.

Strengthen.

I looked at it and thought of my body.

The temple of the Holy Spirit.

Earthquakes come into my life and weaken my faith.

Circumstances shake my foundation.

• The death of a loved one.
• Divorce.
• Financial worries.
• Sorrow.

How am I going to stand?

Then the tower reminds me.

 He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress,

I will not be shaken. Psalm 62:6

He is my fortress.

He supports my life with His grace and love.

He tenderly repairs the weak places.

He strengthens my faith through His faithfulness.


I might be shaking - He is my sure foundation.

I might stumble - He upholds me with His grace.

I might be hurting - He repairs my heart with His love.

He alone is my Rock.

He alone is my salvation.

He alone is my fortress.

I am learning to trust Him so I will not be shaken.

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God. John 14:9

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. Psalm 13:5

 

 

How has God been your strong fortress during an earthquake?

 

Photo credit: Fortress