HALLELUJAH!

"For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth" ~ HALLELUJAH!

"And He shall reign for ever and ever, King of kings, and Lord of lords" ~ HALLELUJAH!

He is still in control!  What a relief!  What a great and mighty God we serve!

Who can find a virtuous woman? - part one

The Proverbs 31 woman is at the forefront of my mind today.  Am I that woman?  I am disappointed to say that I'm sure I have failed in many aspects.  That is why I am meditating on this passage, to learn what the Lord would have me be, to my husband, my family, and those around me.  Am I up to the challenge?  I certainly hope so...  (Lord, I need Your help desperately!)

"Who can find a virtuous woman?  for her price is far above rubies."  This woman is strong, dignified, multi-talented, caring, loving, educated, business-minded, compassionate, organized, efficient, trustworthy, etc.; that is why she is so precious, her price far above rubies.  Wow!  Am I still up to the challenge?  

How does she do all of this?  God's will is her primary goal in life.  She looks to Him for guidance in every task, in every job, in every responsibility.

"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil."

I want my husband to safely trust in me, knowing that I will always do what's best for him and my son, knowing that I am trustworthy, knowing that I love him with all my heart.  I believe that it is as much my responsibility to take care of him as it is his to take care of me.  May God be able to use me in my home to take care of my husband, child, and my various responsibilities.

"She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life."  Praying that I will have that steadiness in character to do my husband good 'till death do us part'.  Why is it that, some days, it is just sooooo much easier to do evil?  I think that is a very important tool in Satan's toolbox, and a well-used one at that!  If he can sneak in a home, even a Christian home, and turn husband and wife against each other, or children against parents or vice versa, then he can distract us from serving the Lord as a family.  Is it a surprise then, that the US has a 50% divorce rate?  Our "Christian nation" has a much higher divorce rate than most other countries around the world.  Our Pastor was preaching on this last week and mentioned the statistics.  Our country is at 50%, while Japan and India, what we might call "heathen nations" hover around 1 to 2%.  Stark differences there are in these numbers.  Maybe it's because we have left our first love...  Dear God, help our nation!  May the Christians turn back to You with their whole hearts.  May we see revival in our homes, in our churches, and in our land once again.  Revival must first start in our hearts which will bring a change in our homes.  Then our churches will be different, serving God instead of being served.  And God could use us to turn our country around!  Think of what a difference we can make!  If not for us, then for our children...

Well, that's all the time I have for today.  (I guess I chased that rabbit far enough...)  I will continue reading and meditating on Proverbs 31.  Maybe tomorrow I will continue this post with my challenge.  

I hope and pray that this finds everyone well and having a good day.  Even if you are not having a good day, ponder the many blessings that you do have in your life.  God never said it would be easy, but He does promise that he will be with us no matter what the circumstance!

Love you!

~Denise

Wisdom

Just remembering Senior Bible class ~ Proverbs with Mr. Thomas

What wisdom was in that class about wisdom!  (No pun intended...)

Proverbs 4 (select verses):

5~Get wisdom, get understanding:  forget it not;

6~Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee:  love her, and she shall keep thee.

13~Take fast hold of instruction;  let her not go:  keep her;  for she is thy life.

14-15~Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.  Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

20~My son, attend to my words;  incline thine ear unto my sayings.

21~Let them not depart from thine eyes;  keep them in the midst of thine heart.

STAY IN THE WORD!!

22~For they are LIFE unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

23~Keep thy HEART with all DILIGENCE;  for out of it are the issues of life.

GUARD MY HEART, LORD!!

24~Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

GUARD MY MOUTH, LORD!!

25~Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

HELP ME KEEP MY EYES ON THEE!!

Thank you, Lord, for my salvation, for my family, for my Godly friends, for my possessions, for my health, for my needs, for my church, for my freedom in Christ to serve Thee, for my country, for my freedom...

"Happiness is to know the Saviour, living a life within His favour.

Real Joy is mine, no matter if the teardrops fall!"

Guard My Heart, Dear Lord!

This weekend has been very busy!  But enjoyable.  Here is the run-down of the past couple of days:

Friday ~ Grocery, errands, laundry, Indians baseball game (It rained, so we didn't stay for the fireworks.)

Saturday ~ Rob had to work ALL DAY.  Booooo!  Ran some errands with my mom (She helped with Levi so I could get shopping done.)  After naptime, mom and dad took Levi to the Fair again.  This gave Rob and me some time in the evening to get some things done, like going to get me a new cell phone because mine decided to give up the ghost!  Bath for church, packing up stuff for a whole day at church.  BUSY!

Sunday ~ We stayed at church all day since we live about 35 minutes away and had nursing home ministry from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.  (Not enough time to go home)  Left the house at 8:15 a.m. and returned home at 9:45 p.m.  BUSY!

Monday ~ Levi and I attended Jonathan Byrd's funeral this morning.  It was a nice memorial service celebrating the fact that he is "Finally Home".  (I like that song; it just came to mind.)  Among the speakers were Dr. Dixon, Pastor Dixon, Dr. Lampe, and David Byrd.  Several hymns were sung, too.  I was able to see Jon and Ginny as we arrived and gave them each a hug, telling them that we were praying for them through this difficult time.  They looked very strong and comforted, a testament to the Lord for His mercy and strength in time of need.  What a blessing!  Just a reminder to me to be thankful for my family that I still have with me and for my Lord who is ever gracious and loving!

I was reading in Psalms this weekend and thought I would write a few thought down here.

Psalm 139

vs. 1 ~ O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

*There is NOTHING hidden from God!  Reassuring and yet sobering at the same time...

vs. 4 ~ For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

*Guard my lips today, Lord!

vs. 7 ~ Whither shall I go from thy spirit?

*You are with me ALWAYS!  Help me to follow Your lead in my life.

vs. 23 ~ Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

*Clean my heart, Lord.

Thank you, Lord, for your forgiveness!

Have a blessed day!

"Precious in the sight of the LORD [is] the death of his saints." ~ Ps. 116:15

Just being reminded of those in my life that have gone on to be with the Lord.  Praise the Lord, I haven't experienced the loss of anyone in my immediate family (like a parent or sibling), yet.  So, I can't say that I know what someone is experiencing when that happens.  Even with the knowledge of them being in Heaven, I'm sure it is still very difficult!

Why has this subject come to mind?  A friend of mine just lost his daddy yesterday.  Yes, he was sick.  Yes, he was suffering.  But it's never easy to say goodbye.  Praise God, it isn't goodbye forever!  We will see him again!  No more suffering, no more pain.  Thank you, Lord, for your mercy, strength, and comfort that only You can give!

I am reminded of my other dear friends who have lost a dear close loved one.  All of whom were like family to me, also.

Shellee - Your dear, sweet, irreplaceable mamma!  Pam was like a second mom to me.  We spent so much time together growing up that our two families became like one.  I had the privilege of knowing your mom, even more than pretty much everyone else.  My life was touched by her in many ways.  I will never forget her sense of humor, her creativity, her love for life even in adversity and pain, and, most importantly, her love for her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Ashley - Your sister!  Although she didn't live long and I didn't really know her, I know that her heart lives on through you and your family.  What a moment you will have when you get to see her again on the other side and be reunited in the presence of Jesus!

Bekah - Your wonderful and loving mom!  Your mom, Mrs. Pollard (Yes, I know her name was Fran, but I NEVER would have called her that.  She was "Mrs. Pollard" to me.),  was a very sweet and loving lady; what a tremendous example she was to us young ladies at church and school!  I always enjoyed spending time with you all.  She was very funny, kind, orderly, and loving.  It was nice to watch the video from senior trip at the reunion, seeing and hearing your mom again!  I remember what strength she had all the while she was suffering...  What a testimony!  What wonderful memories I have of her!

As I said earlier, I haven't lost any immediate family members.  I have lost both sets of grandparents, but I will see them when I enter Heaven's glory!  I look forward to seeing them and holding them all again!  Thank you, Lord!!

"What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see!"

And to think that all of our saved loved ones who have passed on are already there experiencing His glory!

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

~ I Thes. 4:13 - 18

Isaiah 26:3

Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee.

For those of you who are wondering where I came up with my Blog title, it is a verse that has become very special to me through the years.  Growing up under the piano teaching of Mrs. Shingleton, this verse was very important.  It was "our special verse".  I don't even remember when I first learned the verse, it just seems like I've always known it.  She taught us this verse for helping to calm our nerves for recitals.  But it sure has stayed with me!  Whenever I hear this verse, oh, the memories that come to mind!  In my hallway, I have the verse hanging up on the wall, the plague that Mrs. S. gave to "her girls".  

I love you, Mrs. Shingleton!  You have been a very Godly influence on my life!  Thank you for all that you have done for me.