Blessings

If you've never heard Laura Story's song "Blessings"...I highly recommend it...

Thursday's Prayer

Once in a while, when I have some extra time on my hands, (like last week's sick-week), I play through some of my praise books and make a point of trying songs I've never heard or played before.  Sometimes I fall in love with the arrangements, and sometimes not so much.  Some days this exercise is therapeutic, and sometimes it just leaves me wondering where all the "fluff" came from. Sometimes I find lyrics that have very little scriptural depth but they are accompanied by music that's lovely.  Other times the opposite is true.  And then, sometimes I come across a gem that has both and I just want to share it!

Well, when I saw this song, I was drawn to it after a quick scan of the lyrics.  (I can't honestly say I fell in love with the music....though it is growing on me...)
It's a simple prayer.  Just a few attributes and truths about God are listed.  A tiny glimpse of the vast array of characteristics that attempt to describe God in words we might understand.
Then the song writer asks that those attributes might also be true of him.

It's encouraging to be reminded of how God is faithful and unshakable.  We have an unchangeable, reliable, all-powerful God.  But He's also compassionate, patient, and full of love for those we would call "hopeless".  At first glance, my thought was this:  It is amazing how God cares for people who really are having a hard time...for those who have no where to turn...for the ones that others have perhaps turned their back on or given up on.  The "hopeless ones."

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it's a description of everyone of us.  We're all hopeless until God reaches in and works a miracle in our lives.  And once He's worked that life-changing miracle in us, God continues to work another miracle.
That miracle is expressed in the desire that this songwriter pens in his chorus.  After God makes that heart change in us, He also gives us the longing and desire to have those godly qualities be true of us.  We want to be like Him!

I found that with everything that is going on in my life right now, the simple truths and the honest cry and desire of the heart expressed in these lyrics struck a chord with me.

These Things Are True of You

Tommy Walker

Unshakable, immovable, faithful and true;

Full of wisdom, strength and beauty:

These things are true of You.

Fearless, courageous, righteousness shines thru in all You do;

Yet You're so humble, You laid down Your life:

These things are true of You.

And as I turn my face to You, oh Lord, I ask and pray,

by the power of Your love and grace,

make these things true of me, too.

Make these things true of me, too.

Patient, compassionate, love flows thru You;

You never give up on the hopeless ones:

These things are true of You.

Holy and blameless, You stand up for justice and truth;

Yet You love mercy and forgiveness:

These things are true of You.

And as I turn my face to You, oh Lord, I ask and pray,

by the power of Your love and grace,

make these things true of me, too.

Make these things true of me, too.

Early May Beauties

It has been a cold, wet Spring, but things seem to be changing this week in the weather department.  The sun has been shining and the rains have stayed away.  This is a good thing for those of us who are working in the greenhouse.  Hopefully this week the orders will start pouring in and the flowers will be shipped out!

Tuesdays are my LBS and piano lesson day, so I wasn't at the greenhouse today.  I had some time to catch up on a little laundry, (even hung some outside.....mostly 'cause my dryer is just about dead), and I even spent some time cleaning up the garden.

Tulips are finally showing off their stuff, the buds on the lilac are growing, and the burning bush is greening up.  The hostas are peeking and stretching and some of the early blooming perennials are in their glory stage.

So, here are a few pics of the beauties in my now weed-free garden, as well as a couple of my feathered friends, and one interesting shot of Levi showing off his talents on the sax.  Yes, that is him with the wig, and hat, playing a couple songs during the talent portion of our Kid's Club Parent Night. (His interesting get-up was for the skit that followed.)  He did a great job on his little solo pieces, and I think he loved the sound of the saxophone in the church.  Nothing like playing an instrument in there.......the acoustics are much nicer in church than in our basement!

Enjoy!

Spirit Song

I have known the melody that goes along with this song for years...but never have I taken the time to focus on the words, until today. They are based on Ephesians 3:17, "that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love..." Awesome words. It is a beautiful song. A lovely melody and words written by John Wimber. There are some beautiful nuggets and jewels in this one.


Oh let the Son of God enfold you with His Spirit and His love,
let Him fill your life and satisfy your soul.
O let Him have the things that hold you,
and His Spirit, like a dove,
will descend upon your life and make you whole.

Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill Your lambs.
Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill Your lambs.

O come and sing this song with gladness
as your hearts are filled with joy,
lift your hands in sweet surrender to His name.
O give Him all your tears and sadness,
give Him all your years of pain,
and you'll enter into life in Jesus' name.

Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill Your lambs.
Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill Your lambs.

We need to give up those things that we hold dear and give up the things that hold us back. Even if we are already His lambs, we are sinful, we still hold on to things that we shouldn't, we still struggle with pain and some of us have held on to pain for years. We need to give Him all our tears, sadness, and years of pain. It's in giving up those things, and leaving them at the foot of the cross, that we receive freedom and make ourselves open to His filling us and His using us.
We have such an awesome God. One who is so full of unending, boundless love, grace and patience. He draws us to Him, saves us, fills us with Himself, and holds on to us so that we make it to the end. He starts the work and He finishes it.
We have an awesome God!

 
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Lullaby in Black and White

Taylor sharing one of her favourite songs...Enjoy!
(Yes, I know it's sideways.  Sorry about that.)

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The "Being" One

I had a blessed Lord's Day this past weekend.  I had the privilege of playing the organ again, and do the people in Trinity ever sing!! Some Sundays their singing just blows me away.  Such power and volume and praise from those lungs.  Not only that, the words of the hymns were beautiful to meditate on.

It was another day of encouragement from God's Word and in the evening Carl spoke about the Majesty of God.  I was drawn to those thoughts earlier Sunday afternoon, when I didn't really even know he was going to speak on that theme.  He is preaching through Habakkuk in the evenings, and this week we looked at chapter 2:20.  "But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him." Our thoughts were directed to focus on the many attributes of God.  His transcendence and omnipotence, His omnipresence and omniscience.  His holiness.  The "I am".  I didn't write down who this particular term came from, but Carl read from someone who spoke about God as the "Being" one.  I like that...the "Being" one.  God always has been and always will be.  He is always the same.  He never changes.  Awesome thoughts.

We thought about how God is completely present wherever He is.  All that He is, is everywhere, where God is.  He is the high and lofty one.  We thought about Jesus being at the right hand of God, in Majesty.  How man makes plans but the Lord directs his steps and our times are in His hands. 

I have to confess that often my thoughts of God are too small.  The more I think about Him, the smaller I feel and the more I realize I don't know much about Him.  There's so much to learn.  The older I get, it seems the less I know...

It was wonderful to think about how certain words in scripture are repeated for emphasis.  Repeated so that we won't miss the point.  Like when Jesus would start something by saying, "Truly, truly I say unto you..."  You know the repeat is there for a very good reason. It should cause us to pay close attention to what comes next.  Or it is like saying it's "Cold, cold" outside.  It means it's really cold out there.

And so we contemplated that and thought about the holiness of God and the references in scripture to those who are before the throne crying out, "Holy."  Not just one holy, but "Holy...Holy...Holy."  God is thrice holy.  So pure, without blemish, absolutely light, no darkness at all.  To think that the Holy, Holy, Holy God loves......me.  To think that this God in fact, lives in me with His Spirit...humbling thoughts.

Some day, we who are His children, will see Him as He is.  We will see Jesus face to face.  It causes me to quietly reflect, but it also fills my heart to want to cry out and sing to Him.  It is cause to rejoice for what He has done, and it is also cause to trust.  To trust Him...our majestic God who keeps His promises...always.

Isn't it wonderful that while we go through the ups and downs of life, we have a majestic God who is the "Being" one.  He is steadfast and doesn't change.  He has given us a Bible full of promises and He has promised to keep us to the end, to never leave us or forsake us, to never give us more than we can handle, and to be there with us when we go through this "vale of tears."  Some day...no more tears. 

We have an awesome God!

Well, on Sunday afternoon I put some of my pictures to the music of one of Chris Tomlin's beautiful praise songs, "Majesty of Heaven."  I hope you enjoy the video and glorify God for what He has done for us.  I pray the words will touch your heart.  He's given us these things to enjoy...so give Him the glory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QWBR5ti1Gk

Anniversary Weekend at TBC

Trinity Baptist Church celebrated 38 years of God's goodness this weekend.  We had a lovely time together as church family, enjoying fellowship and worship, amazing singing and edifying lessons from the Word of God.

Our visiting pastor from Coconut Creek in Florida, Pastor Bill Hughes, gave us some wonderful messages.  We were challenged to be the salt and light God wants us to be and to have GREAT faith.  The focus on our Heavenly Father and the home He has for us in heaven gives us perspective while we go through difficulties here on earth. 

At times, the "tough times" seem to be everything and all-encompassing in our lives, but as we were reminded again, these are just "light afflictions" and they pale in comparison to what God has prepared for us in glory.  We were reminded to keep eternity in perspective and heaven before our eyes..."to have heaven in us now, before we are in heaven."  Deep things to meditate on and put into practice. 

I'm so thankful for men like this who have such God-given gifts to open up God's words and "thoughts" in a way that our feeble minds can understand and our hearts can be encouraged and built up. It was awesome to sit under the Word again.  Isn't it amazing how our Father in heaven always gives us what we need to hear, when we need to hear it!?!  We came to church hungry and we went away fed.  I believe this weekend was another foretaste of heaven.  God is so Good!

We learned a new hymn this weekend and I suppose it was our "theme" song:

O God beyond all praising, we worship you today

and sing the love amazing that songs cannot repay;

for we can only wonder at every gift you send,

at blessings without number and mercies without end;

we lift our hearts before you and wait upon your word,

we honour and adore you, our great and mighty Lord.

Then hear, O gracious Saviour, accept the love we bring,

that we who know your favour may serve you as our king;

and whether our tomorrows be filled with good or ill,

we'll triumph through our sorrows and rise to bless you still;

to marvel at your beauty and glory in your ways,

and make a joyful duty our sacrifice of praise.

Michael Perry 1942-96

Duet Practice

Amber and Taylor are playing a duet today for the senior's tea, so we thought it'd be fun to make a little video to share. Keep in mind this is rehearsal. They are hoping the real gig will be flawless...and if it's not, no one will care. We told them to just have fun with it and if you mess up just smile and keep going.

Eye Spy a Blue Jay

Our little man David is very much into the Eye Spy books right now.  We are enjoying the bed-time "let's do a page or two together" time.  I started it with David when he was sick last weekend, but it seems to have carried on and even Dad is getting in on the action. 

On another note, it was grandparents day at Trinity Christian School yesterday, and both sets of grandparents were there to visit the kids.  Mom and Dad came over after grandparents day and when dad had a nap I went to the Christian Book store and Dutch store with mom.  After dinner, we ventured out to King's Christian Collegiate to enjoy the musical, "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown".  The cast and crew did such a great job.  I had tears running down my face at more than one part...not b/c it was so sad, but so very funny.  It's so great to laugh, isn't it!?  Humour is a wonderful part of life.

Our bird feeders were cleaned and filled last weekend, and the finches were quick to come around, but the larger birds have been hogging the food and keeping the finches at bay.  Oh well, we enjoy watching them all and I love trying to catch some pictures of them. 

As I type, Rick is out shopping with the gang.  It's Mother's Day tomorrow, so I did lots of yawning this morning and pretended I didn't want to go out on this particular shopping trip.  I wonder what they are doing?  Hmmmmmmmmmmm...