Blessed

It is indeed what we were created for. It is what the Lord our god created us for, to love and be loved. By loving Him we exalt him and will make every effort to odey His wishes. 

The introduction to the book that never was.

Introduction           

    Many people walk this world feeling alone, withdrawn within themselves, for lack of  expression of their inner being. We cloak and veil ourselves over to keep others out knowing full well we would be rejected if we permitted our every feeling to be known, however complete or incomplete that expression might be. The Christian is especially prone to holding himself in. The frustrations, put downs, inability to express one's self, quiet wars in private places, extreme love, hurts, joy, sorrow and all other manner of living experiences can be crippling.  They are all here in this book to tell of their universality and also of their lessons and the hope they herald. All parts have been tested by giving bits and pieces to different people. I have been put on a pedestal as well as told I have gone off the deep end for what is written here.   These pages are not a critical analysis but a bit of hope for those who think no one else knows what is inside.  Thank you for those who knew this to be true and encouraged me to give what is inside to you.

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Homeward

 

The eyes of wisdom softly peering,

Crying, sobbing as if to say,

"Hard has been the mountain road

Through thorny rubbled way."

 

Knowledge has somehow filtered through

The crushing weight of bygone years

And, with miracles of unseen hands,

Softened your heart with precious tears.

 

Sparkling windows, gems aglow,

Have seen through sorrows lonely strife,

Past the place of mortal dwelling

To the home of eternal life.

 

Happy now your days forever,

No more need to fight or struggle.

Abba has called you homeward bound.

In loving arms now you cuddle.

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The Manger

 

Hear O' Judah! Listen!

A light shines forth in your midst.

Your day of joy is at hand.

The word now lives as you live.

 

Rejoice Israel! Celebrate!

The covenant of life has come.

The promise of the scriptures

Has been born to you this day.

 

Give thanks house of Benjamin.

Though you are least you are greatest.

The staff of life has come to you

For the salvation of the world.

 

Bend low your knee all Bethlehem.

All heaven sings in praise and glory.

Forgiveness has come quietly upon you

With a baby in straw filled manger.

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All writings are copyrighted

Another image from Moontear. 

The copics used are:

That is it for this week. Have a safe and Happy New Year. May the good Lord bless and keep you safe. Remember to "Always Love The Details."

Change

 

Being part of a prayer chain brings home this week's quote. It doesn't change who I am but it shows me that as I go through life we all go through troubles and hardships. Asking why do you allow this or that to happen seldom brings a forthcoming answer. We are left with that question hanging in the air. Often it is because we are impatient and want the answer now, not later. Many of the "whys" in my life had answers well into the future and some "whys" will never be answered in this lifetime. A good example is the birth of Christ. His coming was foretold centuries before His arrival. Christ himself said that many that had gone before would have loved to witness His coming. (Matthew 13:17, Luke 10:23-24) For us, it is in faith that we live our lives, that we thank Him for hearing us, even though we neither see nor hear him as we hear one another. Our hearts know when He speaks to us. Peace often is the result. 

Have a Merry Christmas. May the peace of the Lord be with you. May He keep you safe and bless you abundantly.  Remember to "Always Love The Details." 

Beware

 

The world is a messed up place right now. Looking at what hate does to the heart and mind makes us sad and fearful. It creates a time of "revelation" seekers. That is not a good place to be. (Matthew 24:4-31) Be alert to be sure but not taken prisoner to fear. History is rife with doomsday prophets and those who would distract us from the lord. 

More from the book that never was.

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 The Prayer

             

Lord of strength and mercy,

You are my shining armor,

The warmth within my soul,

The bright twinkle in my eyes.

Come to me Lord of love

And fill me with your glow.

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New Life

 

Lord Christ! Savior king be praised!

Compassion and suffering were Your lot.

Crucified and buried; You rose again.

Eternal life is Your reward.

 

The temple of God is open to You

And it is Yours by the Word of God.

The world cannot dwell there;

Only those in whom You dwell.

 

Conceived into a world of sin

To suffer the pain of life's beginning

Then to leave the womb to be born

And live in the house of God.

 

Clear is the path once so littered

From a life confused and unsettled

With senseless, stubborn grudges

And unforgiven hurts and pains.

 

Darkness is light now that we are free

To love and care for all mankind.

Through kindness our hearts react

With a gentle word amidst the storm.

 

Beauty as seen through open eyes

Once closed to all things and everyone

Cannot be foretold or expressed in word

But shown in heartfelt love.

 

Long have we waited for the hour

Now unfolding before our tired souls.

Peace and understanding moving,

Growing in our minds and hearts.

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The Seed

 

                          The wheat plant dies

                                And the seed is planted

                                 Before they can bear life

                                  Or strength for growth is granted.

             

                                    New life begins with rain.

                                    Fresh shoots precede roots.

                                  Roots reach for nourishment

                                 As shoots reach for sunlight.

 

Young plants grow steadily

Until strong and tall,

Waving majestically, gracefully,

In the gentle breeze of summer.

 

Mature, full and ripe,

With new fruit in plenty,

The plant must die

To reap a new harvest.

 

The new seed is divided,

Some for new bread,

The rest to die again

For planting into new life.

 

The grace of God is with you

As you die to the world,

As you yield yourself to Him,

As He calls you to him.

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Here is another image from Moontear.

The copics used are:

That does it for this week. May the good Lord  Bless you and keep you safe. Remember to "Always Love The Details."

Moving Forward

 

You never know who is watching and being inspired by how you see life and live it. Paul was the prime example of a life that matters and living it to the end and to the fullest.

More from the book that never was.

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                   I often see others become envious or even

              depressed when someone close to them experiences a

              powerful "revelation" or "touch" from God. It isn't

              the earth shattering religious experience that

              keeps us or makes us whole but the realization

              that every moment we live is an incomprehensible

              touch from God. Life continues but sudden

              experiences fade and become diluted with time.

              Life, on the other hand, renews itself constantly

              and is a constant, living, flowing revelation.

             

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                   I seek in death what my body can answer and

              understand now the answer to what I seek. That

              answer is a question that is short and definite.

              My life will be spent when I finish hearing it.

              My death is my birth and my conception

              was but a thought of my coming to be. I left a

              womb to enter a womb in preparation for death to

              prepare for life. I seek what cannot be found

              until I am still and when I am still I find all

              the answers I seek.

             

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            I am not a Saint nor am I worthy. I cannot be nor

          become  anything but me. The weight of being me is all

          the same cross  to bear as He who bore it first. The

          only difference is I am sinner, He was not. The weight

          of the cross bears down heavily on all who would seek

          Him. He bore my sins at His cross so the one I carry

          would not be beyond my strength. It is not

          removed but shared with my Jesus who loves me.

 

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The Promise

          

            During a storm of rolling thunder, whose power was

released with blinding flashes, a rain fell steadily as if to

cleanse the earth and prepare her for the coming

twilight.  Even as the light failed there came a stillness of

the air and the rain changed to a sparse sprinkle.  An

electric quiet filled the air as all of  heaven and earth

transformed, glowed with golden light.  Houses, trees, air

and sky shown with golden hues.  A great orb of translucent

pink-orange settled on the rim of the earth's shoulder.

Peace abounded and God walked the earth.  His presence

was heralded in the golden light of the promised Jerusalem

as it shown all about.  As He passed by, He touched the sky

with His finger and renewed all His promises with the arch

of a perfect rainbow that reached from earth to heaven to

earth.  Then he breathed a sigh of love and a second

rainbow appeared above the first to gently seal it away

forever within the hearts of all who beheld it.

          

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            ãcopyrighted        

Still another Moontear image.

The Copic colors are:

That is it for this week. May the good Lord bless and keep you safe. Remember to "Always Love The Details."

Blessings

(John 15:16 You did not choose me but I chose you.) How often we forget this simple fact. I find that the above message is very true in the light of this bible verse. More from the book that never was.

You Are

 

You are as the green meadow

With a blanket of new fallen dew

Glistening silver in the dawn.

              

You are as billowing clouds,

Cotton against blue, soft and pleasant,

Mirrored in a crystal lake.

            

You are as the delicate butterfly

Gliding gracefully in the still air

With a beauty all its own.

 

You are as the highest mountain

With awesome heights and capped peaks,

Set on stone foundations.

 

You are as the stars on moonless nights,

Gleaming gems on black velvet cloth,

Sparkling through a summer night.

 

You are as the noon day sun,

Golden light all warm and good,

Giving life to all it touches.

              

You are as the turtle doves,

Nestled close, softly cooing,

On a quiet summer's eve.

              

You are as the singing brook,

Flowing, growing into a river,

Filling the oceans of the world.

              

You are as the endless universe,

Going into eternity

With no beginning and no end.

               

You are my Lord Jesus,

Whom I love so dearly.

Who loves and cares for me.

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I See, I Feel

 

I see the word of God issuing forth

to change all it touches everywhere.

I feel the word of God entering in

To fill all the long empty places.

 

I see the spirit of God blazing,

Burning truth and love into reality.

I feel the warmth of His nearness

When it seems there is no place to go.

 

I see the risen Son of God, Jesus,

In the breaking of the bread of life.

I feel the breath of His presence

In the loving touch of caring friends.

 

I see the triune glory of the Father

Covering all things in perfect love.

I feel Him in all that is His creation

With every sense and His spirit within.

 

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Sharing

          

                        It was once asked of a simple man of no great education how it was that he  believed life was love. His reply was simple. "If you were to go out into the field and see a wild flower that was beautiful in your eyes, would you find peace and pleasure? The flower did  what it was created for by using its beauty to love you, since it was created in love. Since it could love you, it was created for you and you alone. You in turn know peace and will share the love you were given." He was then asked, "Why not pick the flower and preserve it?" In reply he said, "If you were loved by a flower and caressed by its fragrance, would you pick it and cause its beauty to wither before its time or would you permit it to live as long as  possible to preserve its beauty and fragrance for others to enjoy also? Would it not be better that it were where you could return and enjoy its natural setting and also allow it to seed for future pleasure?"  The questioner, after  pondering this, thanked the man and left. As he walked away, the simple man saw him pause, walk into the field and reach down as if to pick one of the wild flowers. He smiled  instead, breathed in deeply as he turned to  stand erect. Still smiling, he  nodded in  agreement and went on his way. The man of no great education and simple means stood in the roadway with peace in his heart sharing the  fragrant love the breezes were bringing in from the fields.

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I don't know if you are tired of the images from Moontear yet but here is another one.

The Copic colors are;

After being sick for more than a week, losing most of my hearing and just feeling out of it I am feeling much better. My hearing is mostly back but not quite back to normal. 

Until next week, may the good Lord Bless and Keep you safe. Remember to "Always Love The Details."

No Post This week

 

Due to the holiday and both Jill and I being under the weather there will be no post this week. God Bless and keep you safe and Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it. Remember to "Always Love The Details."

Listening

 

Psalm 131:1-3 Song of Ascents

Yahweh, my heart is not haughty, I do not set my sights too high. I have taken no part in great affairs, in wonders beyond my scope. No, I hold myself in quiet and silence, like a little child in its mother’s arms, like a little child, so I keep myself.

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Wisdom of Solomon 1:1-7

¹ Love uprightness you who are rulers on earth, be properly disposed towards the Lord and seek him in simplicity of heart; ² for he will be found by those who do not put him to the test, revealing himself to those who do not mistrust him. ³ Perverse thoughts, however, separate people from God, and power, when put to the test, confounds the stupid. ⁴ Wisdom will never enter the soul of a wrong-doer, nor dwell in a body enslaved to sin; ⁵ for the holy spirit of instruction flees deceitfulness, recoils from unintelligent thoughts, is thwarted by the onset of vice. ⁶ Wisdom is a spirit friendly to humanity, though she will not let a blasphemer’s words go unpunished; since God observes the very soul and accurately surveys the heart, listening to every word. ⁷ For the spirit of the Lord fills the world, and that which holds everything together knows every word said. 

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I found this in my saved documents. It spells out how I see God and Jesus working in my life. The credits are at the bottom.

Something more about his ways

He comes where He commands us to leave.

When Jesus had made an end of commanding His disciples, He departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. Matthew 11:1.

If when God said ‘Go,’ you stayed, because you were so concerned about your people at home, you robbed them of the teaching and preaching of Jesus Christ Himself. When you obeyed and left all consequences to God, the Lord went into your city to teach; as long as you would not obey, you were in the way. Watch where you begin to debate and to put what you call duty in competition with your Lord’s commands. ‘I know God told me to go, but then my duty was here’; that means you do not believe that Jesus means what he says.

He teaches where He instructs us not to.

“Master, … let us make three tabernacles.”

Are we playing the spiritual amateur providence in other lives? Are we so noisy in our instruction of others that God cannot get anywhere near them? We have to keep our mouths shut and our spirits alert. God wants to instruct us in regard to His Son, He wants to turn our times of prayer into mounts of transfiguration, and we will not let Him. When we are certain of the way God is going to work, He will never work in that way any more.

He works where He sends us to wait.

“Tarry ye … until …” Wait on God and He will work, but don’t wait in spiritual sulks because you cannot see an inch in front of you! Are we detached enough from our own spiritual hysterics to wait on God? To wait is not to sit with folded hands, but to learn to do what we are told.

These are phases of His ways we rarely recognize.^[1]

^[1] Chambers, O. (1986). My utmost for his highest: Selections for the year. Grand Rapids, MI: Oswald Chambers Publications; Marshall Pickering.

Another of the Moontear images.

The Copic colors used;

This image colored very soft. The details were a challenge but worth it.
 

That is it for this week. May the good Lord bless and Keep you safe. Remember to "Always Love The Details."

Courage

 

(Philippians 4:12-13 I know what it is to be in need, and know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.)

Lord! My God.

 

Lord! My God.

Healer of the broken,

Mender of hearts,

Counselor of angels,

Great are You in the

Hearts of Your people.

Worthy of all worthies

Are You in all of time.

 

Lord! My God.

Strength of the weak,

Keeper of our dreams,

Miracle of miracles.

Dazzling and glorious

Are the wonders of Your

Creation in all of its

Simple complexities.

 

Lord! My God.

Keeper of the Lamb,

Watchtower of the assembly,

Guardian of the eternal gate,

Come Lord! Come talk

To me. Teach me

Your wisdom and love.

 

Lord! My God.

Healer! Surgeon of life!

Generous giver of peace

And builder of life!

Come life giving God

And raise the lost

To new life in Your light.

Lead them from the darkness.

 

Lord! My God.

Music of the universe!

Symphony of time!

Sonnet of the spirit!

Make the song in my heart

Reach the depths

Of the living spirit of life

To well up in a finale of praise.

Lord! My God.

If only I could have the eyes

Of the angels to look at the

Beauty of eternity on high.

How puny and insignificant

All of our limited

World's beauty is when

Viewed with spirit and soul within.

 

Lord! My God.

Open my soul that

It may flow out and

Clear my clouded eyes.

Spirit of God, purest of love,

Cleanse and purify me

Before all of the people

Of God that they may know you.

 

Lord! My God.

Word of eternity!

Word of life everlasting!

Word of creation!

I am Yours my God.

I am fragile and delicate.

Take care of me Lord

Lest I fall and break.

 

Lord! My God.

Lord of life, Holiest of Holies,

Gentlest of the gentle,

Blessed are You of the blessed.

Make me an instrument

Of Your will that You might

Be pleased and glorified

In the eyes of Your servants.

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Another Moontear image. This image is a favorite. The arm tattoos are not something I like but could not find a way to hide them effectively. It does, however, seem to be the thing today.  

The Copic colors used are:

The pes along the right side are:

Micron Pink, Marvy Gold, Multiliner Wine & Cobalt & Olive. That is it for this week. May the good Lord Bless and keep you safe. Remember to "Always Love The Details."