Pollination

The sunflower is bright and cheery. It follows the sun just as we should follow the Son. When we follow the Son, we also become cheerful and joyful. 

The bee plays a vital role in pollination which is needed to produce fruit. God's Word produces even better fruit. God's Word helps us pollinate others with love and joy. God's Word is sweet to the taste and wisdom to our soul!

Psalm 119:103 “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! 

Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

 

Proverbs 24:13-14 “My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.” 

The Sunflower

My husband took this picture of a sunflower 

which came up voluntarily in my garden. 

A sunflower follows the sun. 

When the sun moves, 

 the sunflower moves with it. 

At night, the sunflower is facing 

down since the sun is not there. 

The Lord gives us wonder in nature. 

I will strive to imitate 

this beautiful bright sunflower 

by following 

the Light- the Son! 

I will bow my head at night in prayer.  

Do you follow the Son?

 

A Witness

I have a friend and only he could tell this story to make it really funny, but I will try my best to give it justice. However, you would have to know the guy to understand that these things just kind of things naturally happen to him.
     He had traveled to visit a relative. They lived in a housing addition where all the complexes were built alike. Having spent a few days with them, he decided to venture out on his own to do some shopping. Upon returning, his relative was not home so he went upstairs to take a nap. When he woke, he returned downstairs and immediately noticed a stone fireplace. In his sleepy state he thought, “I don’t believe I remember a fireplace.” It was then he realized he had entered the wrong house, slept in the wrong place, and might get caught in someone’s else house. He charged back upstairs, grabbed his shopping bag, and existed the house as fast as possible. 
     He had a knee jerk reaction. He did not want to be witnessed coming out of a stranger’s house. I believe we all have knee jerk reactions. Most of us have, at some time or other, accidentally taken an unexpected fall and immediately jumped up and looked around to see who might have witnessed the embarrassing incident. 
     When we think of a witness we imagine that they tell what they have heard and what they have seen. This is exactly what Jesus tells us to do. “You will be witnesses, telling people about me everywhere

Follow Me

A ruler once questioned Jesus and asked, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus answered, “Follow Me!” He also gave other specifics. 

     Below is my acronym on “Follow”:  

 

F ollow

O bey 

L ive according to God’s commands

L ove Jesus 

O vercome fleshy desires

W alk with God and not the world

 

     Even though we need to follow Jesus, our flesh nature makes it impossible to do so in every way. Therefore, God has made it easy for us to obtain eternal life. All we have to do is believe in Jesus. Accept Him as our Savior. By doing so, we gain a desire to follow Him. 

Former Days

I hate to admit it, but I am getting old and like to think of the “good ole days.”  I survived spankings from a switch I had to pluck off a peach tree. I survived rusty hot metal slides, toy guns, candy cigarettes, no seatbelts while riding in the back of a pick-up truck, and drinking from the same dipper in a water bucket in which everyone else had already drank. There were no locked house doors most of the time. I survived having no television, and even no phone for a small part of my early years. I even later had the joy of getting angry and being able to slam the receiver down on the phone. I made mud pies and probably ate dirt and went barefoot. I even learned to calculate math in my head. 
     When I think of the good old days, I do not think of crime, angry politicians, and the way people oppose each other, but it existed.  I have often been caught saying that my former days were so much better than they are today. However, I came across a scripture this morning which told me how wrong I have been. 
     “Do not say, ‘Why is it that the former days were better than these?’ For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.” A following verse tells me, “Consider the work of God for who is able to straighten what He has bent?” 
     God created the former days and He is in the present days. One day is just as good as any other day. God uses every day to achieve His purpose. My purpose is to keep my focus on God, not on former days.  

Coffee

 I saw the following on a t-shirt. Now I know why I love my coffee. 

C hrist 

O ffers
F orgiveness
F or 
E veryone
E verywhere 

Releasing the Burden

     I was walking a lonely road. The burden I carried was heavy. A Stranger came along the trail and said, “Let me carry that load for you.”

      Stubbornly, I replied, “It is much too heavy. I’ll just shift it to another shoulder.”

     The Stranger commented, “I am strong and can carry that weight. Trust me!”

     I stumbled under the load saying, “It’s my burden, but I”ll let you carry half.”

     He took the part I allowed. My burden lifted some, but the load I still carried made me stumble once again. 

     The stranger reached out His hand to help me up. As He did, I gave Him the rest of the luggage I carried. I simply didn't think I could manage another step with that cumbersome load, and He seemed to be having no problem with what I had already shared. 

     Continuing to walk along the remaining path, I found I had no burden, I was not tired, I was not worried, I felt uplifted. 

     The Stranger didn’t seem to mind, never grumbled, and never stumbled once. He was not tired from what I given Him.  

      We fellowshipped, we sang, I felt no burdensome pain. I found a skip within my step. I found my tears were gone with laughter immersing from within. There was relieve from not carrying all that weigh. I had cast them all onto the shoulders of the Man who walked with me, I had given them to Jesus.

Jesus tell us, "Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you: He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." Psalm 55:22

The Eviction

As God's children, He is always there for us in our troubles, even the ones we create by allowing Satan's tricks of deception into our lives. As humans with fleshly desires it seems we create a cycle. We call on God and He rescues. We are thankful, yet we turn right around and choose to sin once more. Then once again call on God. 

     He is continually forgiving me. His love is so great my desire is to please Him at all times although I struggle with sin on a daily basis. Remembering the peace of God's love helps me resist the devil and his ways. 

The Eviction 

 

Satan roamed 

Close to my home.

He snuck in when I opened the door,

Bringing treats from his deceitful store.

His bag of tricks

Was meant to prick.

I nibbled at the enticing bait, 

Never considering my fate.

I looked!

I was hooked!

His wares were toxic waste,

Leaving me shame-faced.

I had heard

How he loved to leave people in shambles and groans,

How he liked to create shattered homes, 

How he enjoyed leading the weak to stray,

How he desired to come and stay.

So I was a sap 

To fall into his trap.

To get out of this trouble I had fallen for

I had to open the door,

Destroy Satan’s clout

And kick him out.

But, I needed help with this affliction.

I needed help to perform the eviction.

I didn’t want Satan to stay,

So I began to pray.

I couldn’t do the eviction alone.

I cried out to the Lord with a mighty groan. 

I admitted the fool I’d been, 

 And asked God to come in

And forgive my sin.

In doing so

I felt His love within me flow.

It was God ‘s ways I wanted to know. 

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 7/17/2023 

 

“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation 12:9 KJV 

 

                                           

A Permanent Relationship

Relationship is defined as the state of being connected, or dealings and/or feelings that exist between two or more people. There are all kinds of relationships in life. 

     I’ve had relationships that have come and gone for whatever reason. Some have been good and some bad. Some have been more or less a permanent part of my life. These are relationships I will always value. Whether friend or foe lives are affected in one way or another by our relationships.

     There is one relationship that affected me early in life. A few times I drifted away because I was sure my actions would be frowned upon, but I was always drawn back. I did not want to give up the love and comfort this special relationship gave me. How could I walk away from the One who gave me life? The One who left His royal place of safety in Heaven to come to earth for me? The One who carried my Cross? The One who willingly died so I could live? The One who loves me no matter what? The One who never breaks His promise?  

     Jesus wants a permanent relationship with me. He longs to walk and talk with me daily, and I want to walk and talk with Him, as well.  

     

Scattering in Obedience

We are having a rare month in July this year. The weather which is normally extremely dry is unusually wet. I do not remember ever getting over six inches of rain all at once in July like we did a few nights ago as well as the other July rains in which God has blessed us. The weather may seem strange, but I have no fear of changing seasons because all is in God's mighty hands. He created it all and is in charge of it all. When the world gets ready to end, it will be by God's choice and by His command. 

Scattering in Obedience  

 

The waters of the Red Sea split,

The waves feared and gave way to submit.

In dryness, it left a trail.

Even the wind gave up its gale.

I read, “The Jordan fled”

All because, God’s power dipped its head.

Surly storms dissipated 

Rumbling back and deflated

In fear of God’s mighty word

And the power He stirred.

With the sound of His voice,

The winds calmed; they had no choice.

Mountain walls and flowing waterfalls 

Gave up their charm  

When God reached out His powerful arm.

The simmering sun in all its glory, 

Throughout the territory 

Escapes behind a canopy of gloomy clouds.

There is obedience as the presence of God enshrouds.

Crumbled are the mighty iron-linked chains

As Jesus reigns.

At the sound of His voice there will be no choice;

The graves will give up their dead,

And fear will spread.

At His command, a dying heartbeat will come to life;

No more will be feuds and strife, 

No matter which-

The poor or the rich, 

The minority or those in superiority- 

All will come to know God’s authority.

Let us all repeat,

“Praise the Lord !”

And fall at Jesus’ feet. 

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 7/12/2023 

 

"The sea saw it, and fled; Jordan was given back. The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs…Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.“ Psalm 114: 3-4, 7 KJV 

^“But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” Matthew 8:27 KJV

Going Viral

I suppose news reporters have always been a source of bad news, but these days it seems bad news is all that is being reported. I find myself not turning on the television  because I just do not want to hear it. I am simply attempting to dial back the bad and reset my world to zero. In any case I am trying to not fret the threat. 

 Going Viral

 When my world is in a downward spiral

And troubles seemingly going viral,

I need an uplifting reset-

A dial back to zero and forget;

Let God take care of the threat 

So I don’t fret.

When the world goes crazy

And ideals seem hazy;

When all appears unrightfully strange, 

I need a thoughtful change;

It’s clear I must be of good cheer, 

Dwell on the positive

Instead of the negative,

Seek gratitude

Over an ungrateful attitude, 

Develop thankfulness 

In exchange for selfishness.

Yet, these are hard in my sinful state,

Weighing heavily upon my plate.

They’re not my natural human trait.

So much I don’t understand

Across this land.

So, as in anguish, I stand,

I ask for a hug from God’s own hand.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 6/9/2023 

 

“But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33 KJV

 

What I Need To Know

As much as I wish I knew what to expect today and tomorrow, I know there is a reason I am not given full details on what could surprisingly occur at any time, even into the future. One thing I do know is that my purpose is to love Jesus everyday. I carry with me daily the knowledge that Jesus came to save me. He died and rose again in order to give me a permanent home in heaven. "For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."   John 3:16

In The Garden

Yesterday, I attended an old-time gospel singing at our church and requested a song, “In the Garden.” Asked why, I replied, “Because God walks with me every day.” No truer words could have been spoken. 

     Actually, I went to my garden this morning early, before coffee and a talk with my Lord, to pick a few tomatoes. It ended up being a bucket full. Returning I thought, “Lord, what am I going to do with all these today.” He spoke, “Forget them for now. Let’s talk.” At that, I grabbed my coffee and returned to my “quiet place” to find as the song states, “He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I am His own.” Oh my, how I love that song! It speaks to my heart just as God speaks to me. 

     In fact, I cannot be forgotten for as Isaiah 49:15b-16 (NLT) says, “I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.” That tells me my name is engraved in the scars from the cross.  

     I would be remiss by not telling how we followed the song with another of my great favorites and one which was requested by my husband, "Love Lifted Me." That is exactly how I feel. Love from Jesus lifts me up when I take the time to let Him walk and talk with me. 

Grace

 The In Touch devotional today listed four things we receive through God's grace. They are: 

"1. Forgiveness
 2. Peace
 3. The Holy Spirit living within
 4. Accèss to God through prayer"

     I thank God for forgiveness of my sin. By coming to the Father and asking for forgiveness, I am able to be restored and refreshed daily. It helps to take away my guilt. 

     I treasure the uplifting peace God bestows in my heart; His peace calms my soul. 

     How could I ever live and make righteous decisions without the Holy Spirit guiding me every day! He intercedes on my behalf. 

     Access to God is what keeps me going; God is my strength, my assurance, and my hope. I strive to start and end each day with prayer while keeping it on-going throughout the day. Prayer is the way to the renewal of my heart; it is the way to set my eyes toward Jesus.