a perfectly glorious morning!

 

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Psalm 90:14

**********************************

How perfectly wonderful that the first Lord's Day of Fall would turn out to be a beautiful day! 

I woke up this morning with all of my covers clenched tightly in my fists and bunched up around my chin.  It was freezing!  The fact that the ceiling fan directly over my bed was running on high wasn't helping matters any. 

Laying there, huddled under the quilts and afghans, I began to survey the situation.  My slippers were buried somewhere beneath the mountain of shoes in the cabinet and my heavy house coat was, unfortunately, in the sewing room (which has also become a closet).  It took me about 10 minutes to muster the will power to do what had to be done.  

I bolted.  

You know it has to be cold for me to move that fast!

Of course, I was moving at such a speed that by the time I moved the mountain of shoes from the cabinet into the floor in search of my slippers and made it to my house coat, I really wasn't all that cold  anymore.

When I arrived downstairs, I found out why I was cold.  It was 49 degrees outside!  It never gets this cold until late October!

I knew that it wouldn't last all day, but the first thing that popped into my head when I saw those numbers was, "I'm wearing tights today!"

 I even pulled out a sweater.  A light one, since I knew that by the time church let out the weather wouldn't be quite as accommodating.  I was right.

Sarah was almost as excited about it as I was.  I live for cold weather!  I absolutely love it!

  

Showing off our cold (ish) weather leg wear.

(Please pardon the dirty mirror!)



detoxing your soul

I recently ran across a site called She Reads Truth.  Several blogs that I follow were mentioning it, so I decided to check it out.  Now, I wish I had found out about it sooner!

Basically, it's an online community Bible study for women.  They are currently kicking off a new study called "Living the Surrendered Life", but I opted to save that one for a later date and begin the study they just finished called "The Soul Detox".  I was intrigued by the title and I also felt that it would be best to start at the beginning even if it meant that I wasn't on the same page as everyone else.  I weird that way, I guess...

I am only on the second day of this study and it has already affected me deeply.  We all have "toxic thoughts" that enter our minds as well as our souls.  These can be very dangerous because the way you think and the thoughts that you allow to enter your mind dictate who and what you are.  This study is designed to help you recognize these toxic thoughts in your life - what they are, where they come from, and how they affect your life - and teach you how to reject them and replace them with God's truth.

If you've been looking for a new daily study, please check this out and join the community!  It's never too late to start!

Hope you all have a wonderful Monday. :)

a bit of encouragement

 They who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
  they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
 they shall run and not be weary;
  they shall walk and not faint.

(Isaiah 40:31 ESV)

fresh beginnings

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

a living hope

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

(1 Peter 1:3-9 ESV)

Blessed Sabbath

May my teaching drop as the rain,

my speech distill as the dew,

like gentle rain upon the tender grass,

and like showers upon the herb.

Deuteronomy 32:2 (ESV)

*******

“Shower, O heavens, from above,

and let the clouds rain down righteousness;

let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit;

let the earth cause them both to sprout;

I the Lord have created it.

Isaiah 45:8 (ESV)

Blessed Advent

   But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
  who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
 from you shall come forth for me
  one who is to be ruler in Israel,
 whose coming forth is from of old,
  from ancient days.
 Therefore he shall give them up until the time
  when she who is in labor has given birth;
 then the rest of his brothers shall return
  to the people of Israel.
 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD,
  in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
 And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
  to the ends of the earth.
 And he shall be their peace.
 When the Assyrian comes into our land
  and treads in our palaces,
 then we will raise against him seven shepherds
  and eight princes of men;
  (Micah 5:2-5 ESV)

******

 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
 
 And Mary said,
  “My soul magnifies the Lord,
  and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
  For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
  and holy is his name.
 And his mercy is for those who fear him
  from generation to generation.
 He has shown strength with his arm;
  he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
  and exalted those of humble estate;
 he has filled the hungry with good things,
  and the rich he has sent away empty.
 He has helped his servant Israel,
  in remembrance of his mercy,
 as he spoke to our fathers,
  to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

(Luke 1:39-55 ESV)

******

 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
  “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
  but a body have you prepared for me;
 in burnt offerings and sin offerings
  you have taken no pleasure.
 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
  as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”
  When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
  (Hebrews 10:5-10 ESV)

******

A blessed fourth Advent Sabbath to you all!

Blessed Advent

 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.
 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

(1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 ESV)

(Emphasis mine.)

******

 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
 
(John 1:6-8, 19-28 ESV)

******

A blessed Advent Sabbath to you all!

"I will give you rest..."

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Matthew 11:28-30

(ESV)

Blessed Advent

 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning

 Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

  Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;
  for the LORD has spoken:
 “Children have I reared and brought up,
  but they have rebelled against me.
 The ox knows its owner,
  and the donkey its master's crib,
 but Israel does not know,
  my people do not understand.”

  Ah, sinful nation,
  a people laden with iniquity,
 offspring of evildoers,
  children who deal corruptly!
 They have forsaken the LORD,
  they have despised the Holy One of Israel,
  they are utterly estranged.

  Why will you still be struck down?
  Why will you continue to rebel?
 The whole head is sick,
  and the whole heart faint.
 From the sole of the foot even to the head,
  there is no soundness in it,
 but bruises and sores
  and raw wounds;
 they are not pressed out or bound up
  or softened with oil.

  Your country lies desolate;
  your cities are burned with fire;
 in your very presence
  foreigners devour your land;
  it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.
 And the daughter of Zion is left
  like a booth in a vineyard,
 like a lodge in a cucumber field,
  like a besieged city.

  If the LORD of hosts
  had not left us a few survivors,
 we should have been like Sodom,
  and become like Gomorrah.

  Hear the word of the LORD,
  you rulers of Sodom!
 Give ear to the teaching of our God,
  you people of Gomorrah!
 “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
  says the LORD;
 I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
  and the fat of well-fed beasts;
 I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
  or of lambs, or of goats.

(Isaiah 1:1-11 ESV)

I pray that you all have a blessed second Sabbath of Advent!

blessed sabbath

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole aromor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the the heavenly places.  Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

Ephesians 6:10-18

Bible reading challenge

This challenge comes from Grace and Sarah Mally at Grace Notes.  Speed reading the Bible between now and December 31st.  15 chapters a day.  Yeah, it's a lot to process, but it's doable.  Sarah suggests reading 9 chapters in the morning starting in Genesis, 2 at lunch starting in Psalms and Proverbs, and 4 before bed starting in Matthew. 

It seems a bit crazy, but it's a really good idea.  Reading the Bible slowly throughout the entire years makes it difficult to really see the big picture.  It also is such a slow process that people that suffer from ADD (like me!) rarely make it to April or May without slipping way off schedule, if we don't just stop reading all together.  So, when I saw this challenge today I got really excited.  It seemed like the perfect thing for me. 

I plan on starting tomorrow morning.  Anyone want to join me?

peaceful sabbaths

They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount of with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

~Isaiah 40:31~

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the Will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

~Romans 12:1-2~

Have a wonderful Sabbath!