Spring: The Grass is Greening up!

Buckles

Shouts of Joy with Spring in the Air!

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Isaiah 55:12

“For you will go out with joy

And be led forth with peace;

The mountains and the hills will 

break forth into shouts of joy before you,

And all the trees of the field 

will clap their hands!"

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Why are not sinners, Lord, consumed?

Why are not sinners, Lord, consumed
By Thy avenging rod?
’Tis Lord, because Thou art the good,
And the long suffering God.

Tho’ men provoke Thee to Thy face,
And Thy rich grace despise,
Yet still Thy bounty feeds Thy foes,
Thy thunder sleeping lies.

On swiftest wing Thy mercy flies,
Thy wrath advances slow;
Long dost Thou whet Thy glittering sword
Before it gives the blow.

Long didst Thou bear a guilty world
With rapine filled and blood;
Thy patience wished to have restrained
The wide destroying flood.

Could even Sodom the impure
Have named ten righteous men,
Thy flaming sword in sulfur dipped
Would have been sheathed again.

How often did Thy anger burn
Against Thy chosen seed?
But still Thy heart within Thee turned
For them Thy bowels plead.

How shall I give My Ephraim up?
My wrath on Israel vent?
How shall I Admah’s plagues inflict?
I pity and repent.

So great are Thy compassions, Lord,
Our songs they far exceed;
O may such goodness melt our hearts
And to repentance lead!
-Needham

Romans 2:4
"Or do you think lightly of 
the riches of His kindness 
and tolerance and patience, 
not knowing that 
the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
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Looking forward to Spring Flowers!

This is certainly a different year. I think my desire for Spring to emerge has been earlier and more pronounced this year for many reasons. Just to see healthy growth of plants would be a joy right now.

I have had window flower boxes for over three decades in three different homes. My first window boxes were a surprise anniversary gift. We went on our family camping trip for two weeks and as we arrived home - there they were to surprise me - beautiful new window boxes made and attached while we were gone! 

Each of our home's window boxes were lovely and I enjoyed filling them up every year.  We had many very hot midwest summers in a row for a while and so I began to just grow different colors of petunias each year because they can tolerate the heat well.

This great longing as I wait for Spring has had me in such anticipation that I have been contemplating something new and different - anything but petunias!  I am getting excited even though I must still wait.

Ecclesiastes 3
There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—

A time to give birth and a time to die;

A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

A time to kill and a time to heal;

A time to tear down and a time to build up.

A time to weep and a time to laugh;

A time to mourn and a time to dance.

A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;

A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.

A time to keep and a time to throw away.

A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;

A time to be silent and a time to speak.

A time to love and a time to hate;

A time for war and a time for peace.

What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils? I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.

He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him. That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.


Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. 

I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there. 

I said to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts.” 

For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust. Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth? I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?

Isaiah 40:27-31
Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God”?

Do you not know? 

Have you not heard?

The Everlasting God, 
the Lord, 
the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired.

His understanding is inscrutable.

He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.

Though youths grow weary and tired, 
and vigorous young men stumble badly,
yet those who wait for the Lord 
will gain new strength;

They will mount up with wings like eagles,

They will run and not get tired,


They will walk and not become weary.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
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Mary Engelbreit window drawing

Children of the Heavenly Father

Children of the heavenly Father
Safely in His bosom gather
Nestling bird nor star in Heaven
Such a refuge ever was given

God, His own doth tend and nourish
In His holy courts they flourish
From all evil things He spares them
In His mighty arms He bears them

Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord, His children sever
Unto them His grace He showeth
And their sorrows all He knoweth

Though He giveth or He taketh
God His children never forsaketh
His, the loving purpose solely
To preserve them, pure and holy

Lo, their very hairs He numbers
And no daily care encumbers
Them that share His every blessing
And His help in woes distressing

Praise the Lord in joyful numbers
Your Protector never slumbers
At the will of your Defender
Every foeman must surrender

Children of the heavenly Father
Safely in His bosom gather
Nestling bird nor star in Heaven
Such a refuge ever was given
-C. Sandell

Lap Ambassadors

ROSE is ROSE

The LORD God is our Everlasting Rock

From the net: David Steel Photography

Isaiah 26:1-4

In that day 

this song will be sung 

in the land of Judah:

“We have a strong city;


He sets up walls 

and ramparts for security.

“Open the gates, 

that the righteous nation 

may enter,


The one that remains 

faithful.

“The steadfast of mind 

You will keep in perfect peace,


Because he trusts in You.

“Trust 

in the Lord 

forever,


For in God the Lord, 

we have an everlasting Rock.

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Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow!

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;


There is no shadow 
of turning with Thee; 

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; 

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
 Great is Thy faithfulness!


Morning by morning
 new mercies I see: 

all I have needed Thy hand hath provided— 

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! 

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest, 

Sun, moon, and stars 
in their courses above, 

join with all nature in manifold witness


to Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love. 

Great is Thy faithfulness!
 Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning
 new mercies I see: 

all I have needed Thy hand hath provided— 

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! 

Pardon for sin and 
a peace that endureth,


Thine own dear presence
 to cheer and to guide,


Strength for today 
and bright hope for tomorrow, 

Blessings all mine,
with ten thousand beside! 

Great is Thy faithfulness! 
Great is Thy faithfulness!


Morning by morning 
new mercies I see: 

all I have needed Thy hand hath provided— 

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! 

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Psalm 131

O Lord, 

my heart is not proud, 

nor my eyes haughty;

Nor do I involve myself 

in great matters,

Or in things too difficult for me.

Surely I have composed

and quieted my soul;

Like a weaned child 

rests against his mother,

My soul is like a weaned child 

within me.

O Israel, hope in the Lord

From this time forth and forever.

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It's always good to have a chuckle with Snoopy!

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Get in His Word and Trust the LORD!

The chaos that began and seemingly reigns has affected everyone.

We can remain calm, think sensibly, and bring some sense of peace to those we encounter.

"There's nothing we can do, but trust the LORD," is what I have said to fellow Christians.

After I have just said this I have changed my mind.

Certainly, the chaos has a mind of its own - but WE CAN do something.

If we flesh out trusting in the LORD and it becomes: 

Get in His Word and Trust in the LORD!

*That IS really something!

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Last week a dear friend of mine shared with me a precious story from a friend of his. 

His friend has a special needs teen son. One of their favorite things to do together as father and son is record special football games and then rewatch them together.

The friend related that they had just rewatched an important collage football game from  years ago. It was a special one with two famous teams and the playing was incredibly intense right up to the very end of the game. Both father and son were cheering and yelling as the excitement mounted!

Then the son stopped and said to the father, 

"Isn't it great, Dad?! we already knows who wins!"

We who are saved by God's grace because Jesus' sacrifice on the cross - He died and rose from the grave for our sins - we know who wins in the end! Because of this we can rest in His safety no matter what happens in this world.

Hebrews 9, Psalm 49, Psalm 56...

Get in His Word and Trust in Him!
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Happy First Day of Spring!

MUTTS

Let us Keep Refueling in the LORD

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“God Moves in a Mysterious Way”

God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform: 

He plants His footsteps in the sea,  And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines of never-failing skill, 

He treasures up His bright designs, and works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; 

The clouds ye so much dread are big with mercy, 

and shall break in blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace;

 behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour: 

the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan His work in vain; 

God is His own Interpreter, and He will make it plain.

-William Cowper

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Isaiah 55

"...6Seek the Lord while He may be found;

Call upon Him while He is near.

7Let the wicked forsake his way

And the unrighteous man his thoughts;

And let him return to the Lord,

And He will have compassion on him,

And to our God,

For He will abundantly pardon.

“8For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” 

declares the Lord.

“9For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways

And My thoughts than your thoughts..."

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All Sweetness

-Mary Engelbreit

Let your gentleness be evident to all

In my experience I have found it interesting that you can discern gentle people from rough and unkind people by how they treat animals. 

If they do not take care of their own animal's health, for example, and/or they are rough with their own or other people's animals, they are probably not gentle and kind to people.

The Lesson for today is:  

Be careful with whom you associate.

Philippians 4:4-9
"Rejoice in the Lord always. 

I will say it again: Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be evident to all. 

The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious about anything, 
but in every situation, by prayer and petition, 
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, 
which transcends all understanding, 
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, 
whatever is true, 
whatever is noble, 
whatever is right, 
whatever is pure, 
whatever is lovely, 
whatever is admirable
—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy
—think about such things.

Whatever you have learned or received 
or heard from me, or seen in me
—put it into practice. 

And the God of peace will be with you."
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Reread the "Whatevers" 
and you will find these are all 
attributes of the LORD.  

:o)

1 Peter 1:13-16
Therefore, prepare your minds for action, 
keep sober in spirit, 
fix your hope completely on the grace 
to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

As obedient children, do not be conformed 
to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,
but like the Holy One who called you, 
be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;
because it is written, 

“You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
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