Who is This?

I danced with the Lord last night.

After a week of wondering and wandering, the answer came...to the question asked umpteen million times the past several days...

Who is this?

The answer came in a Bible verse, a reflection, a poem, and a voice in my heart.

Who is this?

He asked me to dance with Him as we celebrated...my understanding of His plan that was hidden beneath agendas, hopes of acceptance, and desires that I did not understand...

Who is this?

And when He entered Jerusalem, all the city became agitated and [trembling with excitement] said,

Who is This?

Matthew 21:10 AMP

He is not...

Just Someone way out there that comes around on occasion when I call for Him or decide I need Him...

He is not...

Someone that demands prayers with fancy words or descriptions written with eloquent phrases...

Who is this?

He is...

My Redeemer...my Restorer...my Everything....

And in Him I find love and...peace...

Ask any person that is downtrodden and hurting what they need, and the answer will be...

PEACE

Consider the poor soul that is wandering and searching in all the wrong places for answers, not even realizing what they are searching for, and that something is...

PEACE

The book opens to September 28...the opening verse...

In me...peace

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

John 16:33 NIV

In today’s Streams of the Desert...

“Dear tested and tried believer, it is your mission to walk onto the stage of this world in order to reveal to all of heaven and earth that the music of life lies not in your circumstances or external things, but in your soul.”

If peace be in your heart,

The wildest winter storm is full of solemn beauty,

The midnight flash but shows your path of duty,

Each living creature tells some new and joyous story,

The very trees and stones all catch a ray of glory,

If peace be in your heart.

Charles Francis Richardson

Let us all pray that the music that pours out from our soul, reveals the answer when others asks us:

Who is this?

Unredeemed – TSMSS

re⋅deem

• to buy or pay off; clear by payment
• to recover (something pledged ) by payment or other satisfaction
• to discharge or fulfill (a pledge, promise, etc.).
• to make up for; make amends for; offset (some fault, shortcoming, etc.)
• to obtain the release or restoration of, as from captivity, by paying a ransom.
• to deliver from sin and its consequences by means of a sacrifice offered for the sinner.

Amen….thank you Jesus

The cruelest world
The coldest heart
The deepest wound
The endless dark
The lonely ache
The burning tears
The bitter nights
The wasted years

Life breaks and falls apart
But we know these are
Places where grace is soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But when anything that's shattered is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see
It will not be unredeemed

For every choice that led to shame
And all the love that never came
For every vow that someone broke
And every lie that gave up hope
We live in the shadow of the fall

But the cross says these are all
Places where grace is soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But when anything that's shattered is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see
It will not be unredeemed

Places where grace is soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But you never know the miracle the Father has in store
Just watch and see
It will not be
Just watch and see
It will not be unredeemed

To hear more songs that will speak to your heart, visit Signs, Miracles, and Wonders for Then Sings My Soul Saturday.

Friday Funnies

A woman went to a walk-in clinic, where she was seen by a young, new doctor. After about three minutes in the examination room, the doctor told her she was pregnant.

She burst out, screaming as she ran down the hall.
An older doctor stopped her and asked what the problem was, and she told him what had happened.
After listening, he had her sit down and relax in another exam room.

The doctor marched down the hallway back to where the first doctor was and demanded, "What's the matter with you? Mrs. Terry is 59 years old, has four grown children and seven grandchildren, and you told her she was PREGNANT?!"

The young doctor continued to write on his clipboard, and without looking up, asked, "Does she still have the hiccups?"

Courtesy of cybersalt clean laugh

Thankful Thursday – Simplicity…From A - Z

Laurie at Women Taking a Stand has chosen Simplicity as the theme for this Thankful Thursday.

Here is a list of some of the simple things in life that I give thanks for daily...

All the great blogs out there

Butterfly kisses

Cat purrs

Doggie licks

Eager grandkids

Family gatherings

Green grass

Hugs

Ice cream - homemade

Jokes from my dad

Kisses

Laughter

Memories

New books

Old books

Prayers of a child

Quiet moments

Rainbows

Songs of praise

Tender touches

Umbrellas

Vegetable soup

Wild flowers

XLS files

Yankee candles

Zoo trips

From A to Z, God blesses me!

Word Filled Wednesday

Please visit Forever His for more Word Filled Wednesdays.

The Proverbial Sunrise – From the Heart

Where is the heart of your home?

Is it in the kitchen around the family table or in stools pulled towards a bar or counter?

Is it in the family room or den, relaxing on couches, chairs , or stretched out on the floor?

Maybe it’s in a bedroom, where tranquility reigns and easy conversation flows effortlessly while stretched across a familiar quilt?

Wherever this heart may be in your home, it is the place where people can come together and feel love, hope, and security. It is where joy can be shared, problems solved, and heartaches comforted. It is HOME...

The heart of our physical bodies is the place where we feel love, hope and security, but it can also harbor feelings of distrust, bitterness, and hate. It can bring forth good things or it can release bad things.

When Jesus told the parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18, he ended the story with a very important point.

“Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

Matthew 18:32-35 NIV

Sometimes we tend to forgive with our head and our lips...but not from our heart. That center of our life blood...where love grows and hate hides...the heart of our very being...

When forgiveness only comes from the head, our earthly reasoning sets in and starts analyzing the person or situation to death, and it becomes impossible to truly forgive. We try to “fix” people and convince ourselves we have the answer for everything. Our heart hardens...

Forgiveness from the heart comes from a place that runs deep...a place that has been broken into pieces so that unconditional love flows freely...a place where the Saviour has placed His healing hands and covered with His precious blood.

The heart is the place where Jesus wants our forgiveness to come from...just as our Heavenly Father gifts us with divine grace and forgiveness, after all we have done...so should we extend forgiveness to others.

Heavenly Father, In your Son’s name, we thank you for forgiveness. Your unconditional love that runs so wide and so deep...let it flow into our broken hearts and fill all the cracks...soften the hard edges until it seeps into the very center of our hearts...so we can be vessels of Your love that spill over onto everyone we meet...let that overflowing love show true mercy so our hearts will be filled with forgiveness for others.

Please visit Amanda at The Proverbial Sunrise to be inspired and touched by reading more about forgiveness.

Growing UP! Monday – According to His Perfect Plan

I am linking with Joanne at Blessed… this Monday to share what the Lord has impressed on me this past week...

God’s plan – not mine

His timing – not my agenda

My scripture verse for last week was Isaiah 25:1

O LORD, you are my God;
I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
you have done marvelous things,
things planned long ago.

Isaiah 25:1 NIV

The pastor’s message yesterday was from the first chapter of Joshua. He told the familiar story about the children of Israel finally entering the Promised Land after wandering for 40 years...trying every way but God’s way to get there...

God’s plan...His timing...

In an email, a blogging sister wrote about the Lord always making a way for His plans to be fulfilled...

“He will find another way to make the plans for your life happen in other ways. “

God’s plan...His timing...

So I patiently wait for God’s plan to unfold...I can almost see it on the horizon...down this road of life....

Part the Waters/I Need Thee Every Hour - TSMSS

During the past week, this hymn has played over and over in my mind. Inspiration for the lyrics came in 1872 to Annie Hawks who wrote:

“One day as a young wife and mo­ther of 37 years of age, I was bu­sy with my reg­u­lar house­hold tasks. Sud­den­ly, I be­came so filled with the sense of near­ness to the Mast­er that, won­der­ing how one could live with­out Him, ei­ther in joy or pain, these words, “I Need Thee Ev­e­ry Hour,” were ush­ered in­to my mind, the thought at once tak­ing full pos­sess­ion of me.”

After writ­ing the lyr­ics, Hawks gave them to her pas­tor, Ro­bert Low­ry, who add­ed the tune and re­frain. The hymn was first pub­lished at the Na­tion­al Bap­tist Sun­day School Con­ven­tion in Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio, in No­vem­ber 1872. Some years lat­er, af­ter the death of her hus­band, Hawks wrote:

“I did not un­der­stand at first why this hymn had touched the great throb­bing heart of hu­man­i­ty. It was not un­til long af­ter, when the sha­dow fell over my way, the sha­dow of a great loss, that I un­der­stood some­thing of the com­fort­ing pow­er in the words which I had been per­mit­ted to give out to others in my hour of sweet se­ren­i­ty and peace.”

I love this version by Selah…

When I think I’m going under,

Part the waters, Lord;

When I feel the waves around me,

Calm the sea;

When I cry for help, oh hear me Lord,

And hold out your hand;

Touch my life,

Still the raging storm in me…

I need Thee every hour,

Most gracious Lord.

No tender voice like Thine,

Can peace afford.

I need Thee,

Oh, I need Thee,

Every hour I need Thee,

Oh, bless me now my Saviour,

I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour,

In joy or pain;

Come quickly and abide,

Or life is vain.

Please visit Signs, Miracles, and Wonders for Then Sings My Soul Saturday. You may hear a song you have never heard before and you most assuredly will be blessed!

Friday Funnies – 2 Bros and a Fillet

Aren’t family memories wonderful? Treasures stored in our hearts to share with future generations...pictures imprinted in our minds to remember of days long ago...

My sons are all grown now, but once upon a time they were little...and as brothers are prone to do, they liked to terrorize bother each other constantly occasionally.

One such incident took place outside a popular fish restaurant. The youngest brother ordered fish like his big brothers, but to his dismay, did not enjoy it as much as his usual chicken nuggets.

Having tender feelings towards the unwanted fillet, and also not wanting a reprimand by his dad, my youngest quietly placed the rejected fish in his pants pocket.

While leaving the restaurant, he made the unfortunate decision to share this secret with his older brother who promptly proceeded to practice his newest boxing moves on the pocket of his younger brothers pants...

Needless to say, flakes of fish and crumbs of breading are NOT easy things to clean out of a pocket...

The moral of this story is...

Feelings of remorse for dead seafood are best not shared...

Thankful Thursday – His Masterpiece

For this Thankful Thursday, Laurie at Women Taking a Stand chose the theme of "God's Masterpiece" .

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Ephesians 2:10 NLT

She shared some beautiful thoughts about this and used comparisons with great works of art and fine instruments.

In applying this idea to my life...well, unfortunately I was at the end of the line when the paint brushes were passed out and my musical prowess is confined to turning on my CD player.

But I can bake...

I don’t do it too often anymore, but at holidays and special occasions, my cakes and desserts usually turn out well.

When these “masterpieces” are created, certain steps are always followed...

Only use the best ingredients...

Carefully measure and proportion each item...

Combine each in the correct order...

Blend at the perfect speed...

Bake at the correct temperature and for the appropriate time...

Allow to cool for a specific time...

Assemble carefully and lovingly...

At that point, I can step back and take pride in my masterpiece and enjoy the fruits of my labor...

Now when the Master creates...

He uses only the finest ingredients of love, hope, peace, and joy...

He carefully measures and proportions each one of these items for the specific creation...

He combines each of these in the perfect order...

He blends the parts at the specific time and season...

He bakes at the best temperature of adversity and testing and for as long as required...

He allows the creation to cool for a specific time under the shadow of His wings...

He assembles it carefully and lovingly while wiping away tears and mending a broken heart...

The He steps back and proclaims...

This is my daughter...My masterpiece...I love you and you are Mine....

The LORD your God wins victory after victory and is always with you. He celebrates and sings because of you, and he will refresh your life with his love.

Zephaniah 3:17 CEV

Wordless Wednesday – A Link and a Cutie

Who doesn’t enjoy a giveaway? Visit Joanne at Blessed... for a special one....

Who doesn’t love a cutie? 'Nuff said...

The Proverbial Sunrise – Forgiveness in Jesus’ Name

Amanda has chosen the theme of forgiveness for September’s Proverbial Sunrise. Please listen to this song about sweet forgiveness and then visit Sweet Blessings at her website here...

If you're lost, no where to go,
If you're sure somewhere you've lost your soul;
If you're hurt or you've caused pain,
There's a way to become whole again.

In Jesus’ name you'll find sweet forgiveness;
In Jesus’ name there's peace and love and rest;
And in His hands that healed the sick and wounded,
You can finally leave behind your grief and shame in Jesus’ name.

If you ship has not come in,
There's a way that you can sail again.
If you doubt you can be saved,
Talk to One who gave His life away.

If your time is almost up,
He is asking you to take his cup;
If your heart is breaking down,
Come to Jesus, do it now!

Lean Hard

Did you have a busy weekend? Is the sky blue? Did you just roll your eyes?

During the busyness of this past weekend, my heart was grabbed by the Spirit as I read a devotional in “Streams in the Desert”. I read the words through several times and as each recitation spoke, a picture formed in my mind of the Lord...as He personally shaped each of my burdens...and knew what weights I could bear...and waited for me to draw near to lay them on Him...to lean hard...

"Child of My love, lean hard,

And let Me feel the pressure of thy care;

I know thy burden, child. I shaped it;

Poised it in Mine Own hand; made no proportion

In its weight to thine unaided strength,

For even as I laid it on, I said,

'I shall be near, and while she leans on Me,

This burden shall be Mine, not hers;

So shall I keep My child within the circling arms

Of My Own love.' Here lay it down, nor fear

To impose it on a shoulder which upholds

the government of worlds. Yet closer come:

Thou art not near enough. I would embrace thy care;

So I might feel My child reposing on My breast.

Thou lovest Me? I knew it. Doubt not then;

But Loving Me, lean hard."

He knows your every care and no burden is too heavy for Him...have you leaned on Him...there is strength in His arms...as He raises you on His shoulders....

Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail).

Psalm 55:22 AMP

For the Glory of It All - TSMSS

Do you remember how everything changed when you met the Lord?

How you felt?

How you looked?

How you saw others?

Why you did things?

Why you were happy?

Why you were sad?

What you desired?

What you anticipated?

My youngest posted this video on FB this week. I love the ending lines that repeat...

We will never be the same
Oh, everything will change
Things will never be the same
We will never be the same

At the start
He was there
He was there
In the end
He’ll be there
He’ll be there
And after all
Our hands have wrought
He forgives
Oh, the glory of it all
Is He came here
For the rescue of us all
That we may live
For the glory of it all
Oh, the glory of it all
All is lost
Find Him there
Find Him there
After night
Dawn is there
Dawn is there
And after all
Falls apart
He repairs
He repairs
Oh, He is here
With redemption from the fall
That we may live
For the glory of it all
Oh, the glory of it all
After night
Comes a light
Dawn is here
Dawn is here
It’s a new day, a new day
Oh, everything will change
Things will never be the same
We will never be the same
Oh, everything will change
Things will never be the same
We will never be the same

Thank you, Amy, for hosting Then Sings My Soul Saturday!

Friday of Remembrance

Those who live in the shelter

of the Most High

will find rest in the

shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1 NLT

A Time for Everything

For this wonderful Wednesday, I am sharing a link to a beautiful video sent to me by my Daddy. This presentation was made by the Canadian Bible Society.

Click here and be blessed....

There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for

everything on the earth:

(Ecclesiastes 3:1, The Message)

The Proverbial Sunrise – Forgiveness…and Weeds

Do you despise weeds as much as I do?

Nasty little things...popping up overnight in a nicely trimmed Bermuda lawn...standing tall and drawing attention to themselves...the beauty of the grass is often overlooked because of the aggravating weeds...

When I am slow to forgive someone, those nasty little weeds of unforgiveness spring up out of seemingly nowhere...my unforgiving nature draws attention away from the Christian light that is supposed to be shining...the beauty of Christ in me is overlooked because of the weeds of unforgiveness....

As I attack the weeds in my yard, I make sure as the weed is pulled out of the ground, the root is taken as well...so no more weeds (from that spot at least) will grow again....

Heavenly Father, in Jesus’ name, I ask that you weed the garden of my heart...please pull out any weeds of unforgiveness...roots and all...so my heart may be pure and shine forth the love of my Saviour to others...remind me of Your most divine forgiveness You have given me...so many times...so I will be quicker about forgiving others...

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop.

Mark 11:25 AMP

Please visit Amanda at The Proverbial Sunrise to read more about this month’s topic of Forgiveness.