Strong Foundation

I enjoy looking at floor-plans, not that I ever want to be involved in building another house, yet I remember how the foundation of my house was set. It reminded me of the scripture in Luke “…they dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.” 
     At the time I was not much interested in the foundation or the main structure; like insulation and such. It was my husband’s job to take care of that. I was waiting for the interior part – the one where I could start putting things inside. I was thinking about stuff to make it pretty not what would really make it a home. The things unseen but felt should really have been on my mind, first and foremost, in order to create a home with a solid,  unshakable foundation. Things like: 

            Love for family and others  

    Forgiveness toward all  

    Consideration of other's feelings and opinions

    Humility and Humbleness to wipe away the dust of pride 

    Prayer at all times daily

   As I was thinking about what to add to the above I remembered the Fruit of the Spirit. Those all should be in the home:

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control

     These are the things that make a strong foundation, not just in the home but in my life. If I apply the Fruit Of The Spirit, I become stronger; my foundation becomes stronger, and I am better able to stand should my foundation becomes shaky.

                             

  

 

 

 

With Me, In Me, For Me

It can be a wonderful day if I wake up to the following scripture promises.

"For God is working in you..."  
"...I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you..."
"I will not leave you or forsake you." 

I think God for being with me, in me, and for me. 

The Race of Endurance

“Let us (me) run with endurance the race that is set before us (me)…so that you (I) will not grow weary and lose heart.” 

     I have to remind myself daily to run with endurance and not lose heart. I believe we all depend on someone which means someone is depending upon me, as well. Those who teach have children and co-workers who depend upon them. Pastors have a congregation that depends upon him. Those in other professions have co-workers and bosses who depend upon them. I am retired, yet I have others who depend upon me in some way or other. It may just be a Sunday School teacher who needs a good attendance member, missions that need my offering, an elderly person who needs a way to travel, and maybe a child, grandchild, or friend who needs a listening ear.   

     The marathon I choose to run takes endurance because my path is not always clearly marked and, often, I veer off course. However, when I do reach the finish line I hope to receive the reward of “Well done!” 

     To endure and keep on running with endurance, I need God’s Word and His instruction. 

     “Therefore we (I) do not lose heart. (Never give up.)…Inwardly we (I) are being renewed day by day.”  My renewal can only come through God and His Word. 

 

 

Leftovers

I was blessed to have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family. We had, as usual, a table filled with all kinds of delicious food. In fact, there was so much food many piled plates full of left-overs to carry home. 

     I can honestly say that I like left-overs, but I don’t believe God does. He tells me in Nehemiah 10, “We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the first fruits of our crops and of every fruit tree.”  Then in Proverbs 3, I read, “Honour the Lord with thine substance and with the first fruits of all thine increase.” 

     I do not believe God loves me less when He gets my leftovers. I believe He loves me just the same, although, I do believe He provides more blessings to those who choose to give Him their first-fruits. Luke 6:38 reinforces this idea, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”  

     I am so glad I am counted as righteous and given salvation because of my faith not because of my works or my giving, but I do want to please God. God loves a "cheerful giver!"

 

Bearing Gifts

My devotional this morning was titled, “Every Sunday is a Little Easter,” which shared that “Each time we die to self and live for Christ, we experience anew the gift of the resurrection.” 

     This got me to thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas, especially when I read John 12:23-24.“And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” 

     What better gift could I give at Christmas than the gift of bearing fruit. 

My gifts to celebrate and thank Jesus should be: 

The gift of forgiveness

The gift of prayer for others

The gift of sharing 

The gift of releasing pride

The gift of letting go of my selfish ways

The gift of love

The gift of embracing God and His Word

I pray that every day will find me bearing gifts in celebration of what Jesus did on the cross for me. 

 

The Present

Today is what I am given. Yesterday is in the past never to return, and tomorrow is not promised. I must live in the present although making wise plans for the future if it should be provided. Below are some actions I would like in my life today as I attempt to live my best in the present: 

 

P repare

R elax 

E ncourage 

S upport 

E mbrace

T hank

Praise Him!

Psalm 150:1 tells me, “Praise the Lord? Praise God in His sanctuary, Praise Him in His mighty expanse." When I read this I thought of how I praise God sitting on my back porch and walking in the yard – “in His mighty wondrous expanse.” 

     I do not know which version the above scripture was taken from, so I decided to read the NIV version, “Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary, praise him in His mighty heavens.” Then I read it in the KJV, “Praise ye the Lord, Praise God in His sanctuary: praise Him in the firmament of His power.”

     I then praised God for His power both here on earth and in Heaven. I praised Him for sitting on Heaven’s throne and also for His presence here by my side. 

     God, Your presence is everywhere, and I praise Your Holiness, Your Kingship, Your power, Your love, and Your open arms. 

Dust Yourself Off-Try Again

When I was growing up, I was often told, “If you fall, get back up, dust yourself off, and try it again.”  I was also told, “Can’t never could do anything.”  I believe my parents were teaching determination as well as courage and defeat of fear.   

     Proverbs 24:16 supports the idea of getting back up. “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again…”   The GNT version states it as, “No matter how often honest people fall, they always get up again.” 

     Although I do not like failure, it is a teaching experience. There are many good quotes on getting back up after failure in order to achieve success, but below are just a few encouraging ones I found: 

 

“If you fall off a horse, get back in the saddle.” 

“The one who falls and gets up is stronger than the one who never tried.”

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”

“One who fears failure limits his activities.”

“Giving up is the only sure way to fail.”

“Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.”

Finally, Here are my thoughts on  "getting back up to try again."

The Fall 

I had a great fall and wanted to bawl

But I stood instead of taking a crawl.

This was no defeat.

Success was just down the street,

And it would be sweet.

I’d try again.

The effort wouldn’t be in vain.

I had too much to gain.

The fall was just small;

I had determination to scale that wall.

This was a temporary setback 

To staying on track.

Different but the Same

 Different Morning! Different Day! Same God!

He's never too busy and  never too tired. 

He's here! He listens! He Hears! He Watches! He Protects! He loves!

I praise His name.

The Inheritance

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” It is hard to imagine having a friend who would do this for me. That is certainly going “above and beyond.” Yet, it happened! Not only did Jesus lay down his life for me, but He took every sin I ever committed upon Himself. He made them all disappear, and then He left me an inheritance in His will. 

     Doesn’t everyone desire to be left in someone’s will? I have often dreamed about that “surprise inheritance”; the one that would make me rich, often forgetting that I am already rich in God’s will. In Galatians His will is read and my riches are revealed. “And since you are His child, God has made you His heir.”  

Many Faces

It doesn’t take the reflection of a mirror to let me know I have many different faces. There is: 

The indecisive face

The perfectionist face

The clinging face 

The loving face

The unloving face

The confident face

The woeful, sad face

The happy, joyful face 

The tearful face

The wrinkled face

The glowing face

The successful face

The face of failure

I have an imperfect face, but my favorite face is the hopeful face, because I have hope in Jesus and eternal life. 

Discouraged

We all get discouraged. I often do, but there are certain scriptures which I need to remember when this happens. These are only excerpts:

 

D - “I ask you not to be discouraged.”

I –  “In the world you will have trouble but take heart.”

S – “Fix our eyes on what is unseen. What is seen is temporary. 

C – “Consider it all joy when you encounter trials.” 

O – “Our momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory.” 

U – “Come to me, all you who are weary.” 

R – “In due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.”

A – “Do not be anxious, but in everything by prayer and petition.”

G – “All things work for good to those who love God.”

E – “Let endurance have its perfect result.” 

 

The Mirror

It is hard getting old. Some would say the option is not desirable. As for me, I can't wait to see my Lord, but I am here on earth until God desires to call me home. For that reason I am like everyone else. I do not  like the signs of aging-thinning hair, weight problems, health issues, aches and pains - and I could go on and on. I look in the mirror and no longer see youth. I desire that the mirror reflect more, like: my heart, kindness, and love - not the thinning gray hair, wrinkles, and droopy jaws. 

The Mirror

Mirror! Mirror!

You couldn’t reflect me clearer.

This aging lady, I hardly recognize. 

Where are the brows above my eyes? 

Where did my lashes go?

They have forgotten to grow.

Mirror! Mirror!

You reflect it as it is-

All my flaws and frizz.

My hair is getting thin.

There are creases around my grin.

And what’s that hair growing on my chin?

Mirror, I hate to nag,

But you show my jaws ae beginning to sag.

Mirror! Mirror!

You leave me in dismay,

As you reflect my hair of gray.

Looking back at you

I stew on what to do.

Mirror! Mirror!

You couldn’t reflect me clearer.

Aging is no happy breeze.

Show me better, please!

I pray the world not judge the appearance of this old fart

But looks upon the heart.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 11/9/2023

 

“The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.” Proverbs 20:29 NIV

 

 

 

Preparing For Christmas

I have been preparing for Thanksgiving with my Thankfulness and will strive to continue being thankful daily. Yet, I am like everyone else at this time of the year. I am beginning to think a lot about Christmas. Some are already putting up their Christmas trees. I strive to be more traditional and save that until after Thanksgiving, but this morning I found myself decorating my own tree with thoughts of  "Love." 

Love 

Love is not
about song
but more of
doing no wrong.
It’s not about talk
but about the walk.
Love makes things right
with no smite or backbite.
When it comes from the heart,
it’s an easy path to row and show.
Give
Love
 

 

Trust vs Fear

Life can be overwhelming, but is it too overwhelming to have faith in God, as well? I have to ask myself, “Do I want to be like Thomas, who said, ‘Unless I see in His hand the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe?’”

     Over and over we are told in scripture, “Do not fear.” God does not want us to fear which leads to worry. He wants us to release our cares to Him with complete trust. He wants us to let Him do the job so we can live a truly carefree life in our walk with Him.  I admit that "seeing is believing", but I want to believe without seeing first.

    

The Simpleness of Thankfulness

Being thankful should occur daily. It never comes to completion whether is it just a smile from a stranger or even one who stands and holds open a door for you, as happened to me today. We just have to look for it. My goal is to be that one person who does the simple things to make someone else thankful also.

November 4 Thankfulness

November 1...Thankful for Church support group and helpful friendly neighbors.

November 2...Thankful I am never alone. I have with me at all times the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

November 3...Thankful for warm bed, fresh-brewed coffee and conversation with the Father.

November 4...Day 4 of my thankfulness finds me thinking about a 4-letter word, Hope, which is a feeling of expectation. I believe Romans 8 explains it best. "waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it." I am so blessed and thankful to have hope.

Thankful...continued

 November 1...Thankful for Church support group and helpful friendly neighbors.

November 2...Thankful I am never alone. I have with me at all times the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

November 3...Psalm 69: 30 tells us, "I will praise the name of God with song and magnify Him with thanksgiving." God wants us to be thankful over everything in our lives from the smaller to the biggest. This morning with the change of weather from summer heat to cool, chilly days. I am thankful I woke up in a warm bed with hot coffee brewing and a Heavenly Father to talk with, the Holy Spirit to lead and comfort, and Jesus who holds my hand and intercedes. 

Thankful...continued

Today is a continuation of my thanksgiving...

November 1...Thankful for Church support group and helpful, friendly neighbors 

November 2...When Jesus was captured, his disciples were scattered, but Jesus was not left alone. In John 16: 32 we read, "Behold the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me."  The same applies to Christians today. Jesus told His disciples that when he was taken up into heaven He would send a help mate. a Comforter- the Holy Spirit. We find this truth also in John 16. 
     I am thankful today that I am never alone. I have the Holy Spirit living within me. I am blessed to know that Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God are Three in One.  

Thankfulness

We live in a broken world and life is hard, yet, there is always something in which to be thankful. Today, November 1 is a good start to the count-down for Thanksgiving. Gratitude does not mean we will not have trouble but gratefulness goes a long way toward a contented mindset and joyful attitude.

Day 1 -November 1:  I woke up grateful for the fellowship I had yesterday with members of my Bible Study. I am grateful for a friendly neighbor who dropped in for a brief visit. I am grateful for the two little adorable Trick r Treaters who came by last night. One was Princess Aurora and the younger was Snow White. They had just left their house to make their visits, and Snow White was already eating her apple. 
     Having a Christian church support group who will pray with and for you as well as friends and neighbors who can be called upon when needed is truly a blessing. 

Confessions

Yesterday, I posted Stories of Old from the Bible. They were stories about men living bold for God. Today, I am going to take a different approach. The characters from Bible stories all had flaws but God used them in a mighty way and was ready to forgive them when they admitted their wrong doings although there were consequences.                                                                                                                                                  

Confession

Lord!

I have confessions to make

And seek forgiveness in my mistake.

I’ve made many a bad decision 

And had to live with your division.

I’m like Eve who had to grieve. 

She chose to eat the apple; 

It was sweet and a lovely-looking treat,

But a forbidden fruit.

Her life was changed, and it was acute.

I see myself as Esau who had a flaw.

He chose to give up his birthright;

His hunger pains were too much to fight.

A single appetizing meal came to steal.

Then, there’s Samson in whom I am much alike.

He used no wisdom to foresee what’s down the pike.

You gave him strength,

But he held you at arm’s length;

 Lacking proper choices,

And not listening to right voices.

I relate to Peter, burdened over denial;

Regretful in my trial.

You gave so many Biblical stories

In which to consider life’s inventories;

The potential effects upon my actions-my attractions;

They invade my senses and lead to unblessed consequences.

Woo to the wrongs within me,

For You, Lord, readily see!

Through all my lack of insight,

I shout with joy and delight,

Knowing you see my obsessions

And accept my confessions.

Glory to God!

You hear 

While forgivingly staying near.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 10/31/2023 

 

"...because it is by faith you stand firm." 2 Corinthians 1:24b