Hello my friends! It's been a nice day today being off twin duty. Love them, but it's nice to be home too, got a good nap in, we went to our Favorite Restaurant, the Cafe Renaisance here in town, the manager became a good friend of ours, and we had a nice visit with him and showed the twin pictures. He always gives us a free drink or dessert at the end of the meal, this time we chose Expresso and that was good. Enjoy your weekend, everyone! We are! God's peace be yours!!
Keep your feet firmly planted in your faith and your eyes raised to the heavens.
Lord, You are my strength, my encouragement and my source of all that is good.
S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y
"To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; do not let me
be put to shame." ~Psalm 25:1-2
M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y
I can link up my frail nature with God's limitless power. I can link my
life with God's force for good in the world. It is not the passionate
appeal that gains God's attention as much as the quiet placing of our
difficulties and worries in God's hands. So I can trust God like a child
who places its tangled skein of wool in the hands of a loving mother to
unravel. We can please God more by our unquestioning confidence than by
imploring God for help.
P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y
I pray that I may put all my difficulties in God's hands and leave them
there. I pray that I may fully trust God to take care of them.
LISTEN TO ME
Author Unknown
Effective immediately, please be aware that there are changes YOU need
to make in YOUR life. These changes need to be completed in order that
I may fulfill My promises to you to grant you peace, joy and happiness
in this life. I apologize for any inconvenience, but after all that I
am doing, this seems very little to ask of you. I know, I already gave
you the 10 Commandments. Keep them. But follow these guidelines,
also:
1. QUIT WORRYING
Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit and worry. Have you
forgotten that I am here to take all your burdens and carry them for
you? Or do you just enjoy fretting over every little thing that comes
your way?
2. PUT IT ON THE LIST
Something needs to be done or taken care of. Put it on the list. No,
not YOUR list. Put it on MY to-do-list. Let ME be the one to take care
of the problem. I can't help you until you turn it over to Me. And
although My to-do-list is long, I am after all... God. I can take care
of anything you
put into My hands. In fact, if the truth were ever really known, I
take care of a lot of things for you that you never even realize.
3. TRUST ME
Once you've given your burdens to Me, quit trying to take them back.
Trust in Me. Have the faith that I will take care of all your needs.
YOUR problems and your trials. Problems with the kids? Put them on My
list. Problem with finances? Put it on My list. Problems with your
emotional roller coaster? For My sake, put it on My list. I want to
help you. All you have to do is ask.
4. LEAVE IT ALONE
Don't wake up one morning and say, "Well, I'm feeling much stronger
now, I think I can handle it from here." Why do you think you are
feeling stronger now? It's simple. You gave Me your burdens and I'm
taking care of them. I also renew your strength and cover you in my
peace. Don't you know that if I give you these problems back, you will
be right back where you started?
Leave them with Me and forget about them. Just let Me do my job.
5. TALK TO ME
I want you to forget a lot of things. Forget what was making you
crazy. Forget the worry and the fretting because you know I'm in
control. But there's one thing I pray you never forget. Please, don't
forget to talk to Me - OFTEN! I love YOU! I want to hear your voice. I
want you to include Me
in on the things going on in your life. I want to hear you talk about
your friends and family. Prayer is simply you having a conversation
with Me. I want to be your dearest friend.
6. HAVE FAITH
I see a lot of things from up here that you can't see from where you
are. Have faith in Me that I know what I'm doing. Trust Me; you
wouldn't want the view from My eyes. I will continue to care for you,
watch over you, and meet your needs. You only have to trust Me.
Although I have a much bigger task than you, it seems as if you have
so much trouble just doing your simple part. How hard can trust be?
7. SHARE
You were taught to share when you were only two years old. When did
you forget? That rule still applies. Share with those who are less
fortunate than you. Share your joy with those who need encouragement.
Share your laughter with those who haven't heard any in such a long
time. Share your tears with those who have forgotten how to cry. Share
your faith with those who have none.
8. BE PATIENT
I managed to fix it so in just one lifetime you could have so many
diverse experiences. You grow from a child to an adult, have children,
change jobs many times, learn many trades, travel to so many places,
meet thousands of people, and experience so much. How can you be so
impatient then when it takes Me a little longer than you expect to
handle something on My to-do-list? Trust in My timing, for My timing
is perfect. Just because I created the entire universe in only six
days, everyone thinks I should always rush, rush, rush.
9. BE KIND
Be kind to others, for I love them just as much as I love you. They
may not dress like you, or talk like you, or live the same way you do,
but I still love you all. Please try to get along, for My sake. I
created each of you different in some way. It would be too boring if
you were all identical.
Please, know I love each of your differences.
10. LOVE YOURSELF
As much as I love you, how can you not love yourself? You were created
by me for one reason only -- to be loved, and to love in return. I am
a God of Love. Love Me. Love your neighbors. But also love yourself.
It makes My heart ache when I see you so angry with yourself when
things go wrong. You are very precious to Me. Don't ever forget that!
With all my heart, I love YOU!
Touch of The Master's Hand
Well it was battered and scarred, and the auctioneer felt It was hardly worth his while, to waste much time on the old violin But he held it up with a smile..."It sure ain't much but it's all we got left, I guess we ought to sell it too...Now who'll start the bid on this old violin, just one more and we'll be through."
And then he cried, "One! Give me one dollar! Who'll make it two? Only two dollars! Who'll make it three? Three dollars twice! Now that's a good price...now who's got a bid for me. Raise up your hand and don't wait any longer. The auction's about to end Who's got four? Just one dollar more... to bid on this old violin."
Well the air was hot and the people stood around As the sun was setting low. From the back of the crowd a gray-haired man Came forward, picked up the bow. He wiped the dust from the old violin, and tightened up the strings... Then he played out a melody pure and sweet...sweeter than the angels sing.
And then the music stopped... and the auctioneer with a voice that was quiet and low, He said, "What am I to bid for this old violin? " Then he held it up with a bow.
And then he cried, "One! Give me one thousand! Who'll make it two? Only two thousand! Who'll make it three? Three thousand twice! Now that's a good price... but who's got a bid for me. The people cried out, "What made the change? We don't understand" Then the auctioneer stopped and He said with a smile, "It was the Touch of A Master's Hand"
Now you know many a man with a life out of tune is battered and scarred with sin And he's auctioned cheap to a thankless world, much like that old violin. Then the Master comes, and the foolish crowd. They never understand The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought, Just by one touch of THE MASTER'S HAND.
God is able to change any heart and make any life worth living to those that feel worthless and unworthy. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, Ephesians 3:20. If you sometimes feel like that violin, then I encourage you to seek a touch of The Master's Hand and He is faithful to do for you all that you ask of God.
There is a legend about a German nobleman who had a castle in the hills along the Rhine. Being a music lover, he stretched some wires between the towers of his castle with the hope that the winds might vibrate them and make music. But the gentle Rhineland breezes produced no sounds.
Then one night a great thunderstorm swept up the valley. Furious winds beat against the castle. Even the mountains roundabout seemed to shake.
The baron opened a sheltered window to watch the progress of the storm and, to his astonishment, he heard the strains of beautiful music. Now those wires were humming like guitar strings. It had required a windstorm to bring out the music!
Is it not often so with us? In the day of calm prosperity, little spiritual beauty is seen in us. But when God sends the tempest, he can make music out of it which we never expected to come out of a storm of trouble.
PRAYER FOR THE FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION - 6TH OF AUGUST
O God, who on the holy mount revealed to chosen witnesses your well-beloved Son, wonderfully transfigured, in raiment white and glistening: Mercifully grant that we, being delivered from the disquietude of this world, may by faith behold the King in his beauty; who with you, O Father, and you, O Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever.
August 6 - Jesus Calling
When things seem to be going all wrong, stop and affirm your trust in Me. Calmly bring these matters to Me, and leave them in My capable hands. Then, simply do the next thing. Stay in touch with Me through thankful, trusting prayers, resting in My sovereign control. Rejoice in Me—exult in the God of your salvation! As you trust in Me, I make your feet like the feet of a deer. I enable you to walk and make progress upon your high places of trouble, suffering, or responsibility.
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
—Job 13:15 nkjv
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.
—Psalm 18:33
Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation! The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!
—Habakkuk 3:17–19 amp
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