"I Believe"

Source: titusonetwo.blogspot.com via Ann on Pinterest

1 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.

  2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.

3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

and the son of man that you care for him?

5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings^b and crowned him with glory and honor.

  6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,

  7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,

  8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

9 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

 Psalm 8

How can anyone ever deny there is a God!? 

As for me, "I believe!"

Today, I am just worshiping the Lord for all He is, all He has created for our enjoyment, and His love for us, which is more than we could ever comprehend!!!

. . .since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Enjoy this Youtube music video I came across today! 

If possible, put it on 'full screen' and turn up the sound!

Giving God praise and glory, today.

Sharing all the gifts He has shown and provided in my life! I am so VERY grateful!

1,258 - A heat wave for the Midwest in March!(68 degrees)

1,259 - Moving our son out

1,260 - Just a few drops of rain.

1,261 - Getting a nice hotel room at a discount.

1,262 - Trying out a sleep number bed in our room. (Very comfortable!)

1,263  -  My regular time with a friend, a cup of tea, and a cinnamon roll.

1,264 - A day without pain in my knee.

1,265 - Seeing an old friend, past co-worker, mentor, and counselor!

Also linking over to these blog hops:
Multitude on Mondays (A Holy Experience)  
 Soli Deo Gloria Party (Finding Heaven)  
 Sharing His Beauty (Beauty In His Grip)
Titus2sdays (Time-Warp Wife)
Gratituesday (Heavenly Homemakers)
Winsome Wednesday(My Daily Walk in His Grace) 
Wednesday's Word (He Cares for Us)
UNITE (Rich Faith Rising) 

Ten Ways to Love: #9 & 10: Forgive and Promise

This is the fifth post in a series I'm writing, called Ten Ways to Love. To read the other parts of the series go HERE.

 Here we are, on the last two ways to love others.
 I haven't posted in several days because, as it has been much of the time, it is quite busy around here. (So forgive me, as this will be a bit of  a longer post.)
We had been preparing for several weeks to help our 20 year-old son move out on his own to a town 4 hours away from ours. It's not been easy. This isn't only because of the long drive down or the process of house and job hunting. There's much more at stake here. 
Our son is a decent and caring young man. That is how we raised him. But, as all of us have in our lives, he's made many unwise choices already. Some are due to inexperience in life, while others are because of selfishness and the many temptations of this life that we are all bombarded with. It truly is a big, mean world out there! Some of his choices have cut us deeply, as parents.

For most parents who have teen or young adult children, you know what I'm talking about.
I was having coffee with a friend the other day whose children are now in their 30s and 40s. I asked her if the worry and hurt we feel when our children make bad choices in their lives ever goes away or changes. Her answer was, "It doesn't go away, but it does change. When you aren't right there to see every choice they make or every action in their lives, it isn't as difficult."  
In one sense, I look forward to that change. 
In another sense, I am sad, as a phase of my life as a parent is soon to be over.

I look back over the list of "Ten Ways to Love" and realize that, as a parent, I am already struggling with many of them.  When your child has lied to you, how do you learn to trust again? When they try to convince you of something by arguing, how do you answer without arguing back? When you've given everything you have to make their life better, how do you keep giving, in hopes that they will make good choices with what they've been given? Then there is praying, without ceasing! Oh, my! That is one area that has been an ongoing battle for me. I've prayed so much! And yet, much of the time I've felt alone in my prayers for my son. 
 Now, as I read the verses listed by the last two "Ways to Love", my heart shrivels with guilt. 

 #9 - Forgive without punishing
 "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."  Colossians 3:13

We probably all have heard the saying, "I can forgive, but I'll never forget." I've said that many times before, myself. But what does that really mean? When I think of forgiveness in the Bible, I think that forgiveness not only involves a choice of the mind, but also a choice of the heart.
Psalm 103:12 says,
" as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us."
Isaiah 43:25 says,
 "I--yes, I alone--will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.

If we say we forgive, but still keep in the back of our minds how that person hurt us, how can either one be healed? We need to do as Christ did, forgive, remove the transgression, and NEVER think of it again! Wow, this isn't easy!



#10- Promise without forgetting
  "Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."
Proverbs 13:12 (New Internation Version)
or
"The delay of what is anxiously hoped for, is very painful to the mind; obtaining it is very pleasant. But spiritual blessings are chiefly intended." 
  Proverbs 13:12 (Common English Bible)

We've all made promises before, promises to our spouses and promises to the Lord. We've made promises about raising our children in a godly home, at baby dedications at church. But, what about when they are grown and on their own? What kind of promises do we make then? And when we do make promises, do we put requirements on those promises. Like, "I promise to be there to support you emotionally and if needed, financially, as long as you make good choices in your life." It's so difficult, as a parent to let our kids mess up, especially if we know it will most likely affect the rest of thier lives (and ours). 
That is when trusting that God has our children's and our best interest in mind is vital, as He allows everything to happen in our lives. We may not be happy with many of the choices our children make, but we can be assured that:
 "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
(Romans 8:28)

Continuing to add to my list of  'gifts', as I continue in the Joy Dare.

1,250 - So many reminders that the Lord has shown me that He cares and love me and those I love, too!

1,251 - As I go through different stages of my life I realize that He truly has been there all along.

1,252 - A son, who desires to do good and make wise choices in life.

1,253 - The love of a family.

1,254 - Time together, enjoying each other's company!

1,255 - Knowing in my heart that the Lord loves and continually watches over our children at every stage of life.

 (source)

1,256 - Anticipating the adventures to come, as God lays out His blessings in our lives.

 The apartment building our son will be staying in.

1,257 -  The many changes in weather.(As I relate it to the many changes life brings.) We are having, yet, another snowstorm this week. 

Also linking over to these blog hops:
Multitude on Mondays (A Holy Experience)  
 Soli Deo Gloria Party (Finding Heaven)

  Sharing His Beauty (Beauty In His Grip)
Titus2sdays (Time-Warp Wife)

Gratituesday (Heavenly Homemakers)
Winsome Wednesday(My Daily Walk in His Grace) 
UNITE (Rich Faith Rising) 

Ten Ways to Love: #7 & 8: Enjoy and Trust

This is the forth post in a series I'm writing, called Ten Ways to Love. To read the other parts of the series go HERE.

#7 - Enjoy:

"Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life." (Philippians 2:14-15)

God spoke here about enjoying a loving, godly relationhip with those He places in our lives. It would only seem right to do this without complaining. But, who of us hasn't complained about the people we relate with on different occasions, in one way or another? I really like the phrase, "then you will shine among the stars." When we build others up, instead of grumbling, those around us can see God's light shining through us!

#8 - Trust: 
^"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (1 Corinthians 13:7)

Wow! Trusting, without wavering, isn't an easy task! But the Lord calls us to trust with an everlasting hope and perseverance. We show our love and commitment to those we care about by consistently trusting, not only in God's great love for us, but also that He loves and wants a relationship with them, as well, and through Christ alone, all relationships can thrive!

 

Continuing to add to my list of  'gifts', as I continue in the Joy Dare.

Ways I feel the love of God:

1,232 - Receiving hugs and loving words from my son and hubby.

 

1,233 - Just finding joy in the little things in life.

 

1,234 - Singing praises in church or to a song on the radio!

A gift in losing, finding, making something:

1,235 - losing: "I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul." (Here's a song that I love the lyrics, even though I'm not a big fan of rap songs, this one I do like).

 TobyMac - Lose My Soul (Lyrics)

1,236 -finding: Watched a good and decent movie called, "Finding Forrester." A movie about honesty, integrity, friendship, and the possibilities of determination in the midst of hardship.

1,237 - making: Making the best of every day, no matter whether it's a good or bad day. It's still the day "the Lord has made."

This is the day that the Lord has made;
    let us rejoice and be glad in it!

(Psalm 118:24)

3 gifts in giving/helping:
1,238 - Helping families in Honduras, by donating a "Family 2 Family" box of food and other needed items through World Compassion Network.

1,239 - Helping a co-worker, by changing my schedule this week and switching days with her. This simple act was a gift to me, as well, since it ended up helping me have a less hectic week.

1,240 - So thankful I am able to give praise and worship to my Lord and King!

3 gifts on paper:
1,241 - Reading  through old "Cottage" and "Garden" magazines and books...dreaming about planting new  flowers this spring.

 

1,242 - Reading through descriptions of houses we want to look at for our son to move into this coming weekend. Praying for one that will be just right for him.

1,243 -  Books I have to read, written by Christian authors. Some are fiction and some help with how to grow closer to God.

3 gifts in animals :
1,244 - Seeing my little Sophie, soaking up the sunshine that came through our window.

1,245 - A bluejay, stopping by for some corn.

1,246 - Spending the afternoon with my sweet little canine friends.

 3 gifts that changed today:
1,247 - The sun shining most of the day - after several days of overcast skies.

 

1,248 - Ice storm (that will be turning into a snowstorm) coming.

(This is Indiana weather for ya! Sunny and pretty on Monday; Icy and cold on Tuesday!)

 

Ice pellets freezing to the living room windows.

1,249 - Spending the evening with my two favorite guys!

 

To end today's post I want to share a Youtube video that a friend of mine shared on her Facebook page. It's a little long, but it's a great reminder of true gratitude and what it can do for one's soul!

Also linking over to these blog hops:
Multitude on Mondays (A Holy Experience)  
 Soli Deo Gloria Party (Finding Heaven)

  Sharing His Beauty (Beauty In His Grip)
Titus2sdays (Time-Warp Wife)

Gratituesday (Heavenly Homemakers)
Winsome Wednesday(My Daily Walk in His Grace) 
UNITE (Rich Faith Rising)