Today . . .

. . . today would be a very nice day to stumble into Narnia.

I would love to enjoy a summer day in Narnia. To see the tall emerald trees glistening from the last recent rain, and to run through the green, green grass. Maybe I would meet a fawn, after splashing my feet in a happy brook, who would invite me to tea.



Painting by Pamela Goodman

Of course there would be plenty of tea, and a good amount of toast with butter or honey. Maybe he would bring out sardines and even some cake. But without doubt, plenty of cups full of tea.

I would like to stay in his little cave, he would tell me of how winter is gone from these mountains, rejoicing that the White Witch has been defeated. And we would both talk of how wonderful Aslan is.

I suppose the only thing I can do to make this possible is ignore that little thing some like to call reality, and stick close to my good friend Imagination.

 

 

But, then again, maybe that isn't necessary.


Wouldn't today be a wonderful day to steal away some time and view the creation of our great King with a vision unobstructed from sinful flesh. To stop and be immersed in His glory.


Thank You, Lord, for the glory that can be found in Your Word, in Your creation, and in the sweet fellowship with You and other believers.

Some days, there is no better thing to do then stop and tell yourself,
Life is beautiful.

Sure, life is hard. Sometimes I feel like. . . well, I've got this head cold, and I have no idea why things are going the way they're going or why things aren't going the way I think they should be going. I have no idea which way my life is going, and see that life will only be less and less predictable as I go on (and realize that I can't [and maybe shouldn't] predict any outcome in the first place.)

Having Jesus - no, Jesus having me, having called me before the foundations of the world to Himself, it is beyond comprehension. It is beyond belief. And yet I do believe, I know it is true. And if Jesus has you, you know He can never leave you, never let you go. And having Him (or, rather, Him having you) doesn't mean life will not hurt any less. But it does mean you will have joy so much more!

". . . I [Jesus] am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." -John 10:10b

Just Some Quotes (Work)

If monotony tries me, and I cannot stand drudgery: if people fret me and the little things of life set me on edge; if I make much of the trifles of life, then I know nothing of Calvary's love." ~ Amy Carmichael

 "Proverbs tells us that a virtuous woman "works with her hands with delight" and "does not eat the bread of idleness." A godly woman is one who sees her life as mission of service. What others view as a burden, she views as a blessing and opportunity." -Christine Russell

Keeping the house in order is a beautiful way for women to serve their families. It demonstrates love and respect for our husbands and children in that we think that they are important enough to provide them with a clean, welcoming and beautiful environment. It also enables us to be available to serve others by opening our homes at a moment's notice or being able to temporarily drop the home routines without things falling into chaos in order to go help those who need us."-Kimberly {Raising Olives}

“She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” -Proverbs 31:27

To a Young Lady Sweet stream,
that winds through yonder glade,
Apt emblem of a virtuous maid--
Silent and chaste, she steals along,
Far from the world's gay, busy throng:
With gentle yet prevailing force,
Intent upon her destined course;
Graceful and useful all she does,
Blessing and blest where'er she goes;
Pure-bosom'd as that watery glass,
And Heaven reflected in her face.
 ~ William Cowper

"A good many are kept out of the service of Christ, deprived of the luxury of working for God, because they are trying to do some great thing. Let us be willing to do little things. And let us remember that nothing is small in which God is the source." ~ D. L. Moody

"She... worketh willingly with her hands."-Proverbs 31:13

Have you ever realized that you can give things to God that are of value to Him? Or are you just sitting around daydreaming about the greatness of His redemption, while neglecting all the things you could be doing for Him? I'm not referring to works which could be regarded as divine and miraculous, but ordinary, simple human things - things which would be evidence to God that you are totally surrendered to Him. -Oswald Chambers

Praise Him

Life.
What is the meaning in that word? Life. I think it is something different for every person. What is life?

"As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them. The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all."

Psalm 103:15-19

Our days are like a passing shadow. Life is brevity. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting!

But finish reading the song of David. Let's see the end through.

"Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure. Bless the Lord, all His works, in all places of His dominion.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!"

In contrast to the fleeting nature of our days on this earth is the steadfast love of the Lord. His character is ceaseless. His love endures forever. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. His grace has no end. This is good news for us, who are gripped with the vanity of life. Even the greatest of us. Ecclesiastes 2. Psalm 39:4

At the end of the day, all is vanity if not to praise the Lord, our Creator.
He is eternal. To Him only, belong all good things; all things eternal.

Only Him.

His praise, His glory, is to be our only concern because He willingly gave up His life that we can have the choice to give it all back to Him.

How quickly the moments slip by! How deeply I wish to take them all in. I've been thinking, lately, of just how impossible it is for me to wrap my mind around what God has given me. This life, filled with trials, hard, passing and beautiful. My family, also beautiful, and able to touch me in a way no one else can. What a gift I have in them! His grace, new every morning. His love, calling every day. His blessings engulf and surround me, like oxygen, and I can never take it all in. But how often taken for granted?

Do you feel the sand slipping through the hour glass, feel time all around you moving and snatching the years so quickly by? I dare you to feel your age and each year that has passed, and notice how quickly it all has gone by. At the end of your life, say, fifty years from now, will you wake and
think, "God?
"how did I get here? Where did my life go?"
Or will you wake and
thank God,
for a life poured out, spent in the best way possible.

We who believe in His word are born again to an imperishable hope. Therefore we will not die. We will go on living with Him for all eternity.

John 11:25-26; “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’”
Corinthians 15:51-57; “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”


Wishing you a day filled with praise for our wonderful Savior,
Ashlin

Remember

I was thinking of the passage in Psalm 106. I read it this morning and these are the parts that really stuck out to me:
"Praise the Lord!
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can declare all His praise? . . . Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; they did not remember the multitude of Your mercies, but rebelled . . . Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake, That He might make His mighty power known. . . Then they believed His words. They sang His praise. They soon forgot His works: They did not wait for His counsel, but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul. . . Who had done great things in Egypt, Wondrous works in the land of Ham, Awesome things by the Red Sea. . . Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His word, but complained in their tents, And did not heed the voice of the Lord. . . Thus they were defiled by their own works, And played the harlot by their own deeds. Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against His people . . .Many times He delivered them; but they rebelled in their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. Nevertheless He regarded their affliction, when He heard their cry; and for their sake He remembered His covenant, and relented according to the multitude of His mercies. . . Blessed be the Lord God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, 'Amen!'
Praise the Lord!"
And then I also read this today.
 Just little reminders,
to remember.
How many times are we commanded to just remember?  In the King James Version bible, the word "remember" appears 148 times. So, we're reminder to remember a lot.

I'm reminded of ten big, daily reminders.

I don't know if you've seen the video, The Gospel, but chances are you have. I would recommend you watch it again.

It's too easy for us to go through each day with out taking the time to think on, to remember, Who God says He is, what He has done for us and the blessings we have been given just this very day.




Psalm 77:11 "I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old."

~Ashlin

Just Some Quotes (Words)

I love to write out some special quotes like these and put them on a pretty little paper and set them somewhere for some one special to see. I can't give them to you this way, but just imagine I've written them with curly letters on a curly paper that has floated your way, okay? Great!

I'm thinking of doing several of these "Just Some Quotes" posts each one on different subjects. So let me know what you think, and if there is a certain subject you would like me to post quotes on. Thank you!

Oh, how many minutes in the day are filled with dialogue and conversation! How often do we give careful thought to what we say and how we say it? Our words can be used to encourage, edify, strengthen, build-up or they can be used to hurt, destroy and put others down." A gentle and quiet spirit is not only imperishable; it is precious in the sight of God. It's also one of the hardest qualities to cultivate. Far from a sign of weakness, a gentle and quiet spirit is the sign of a woman who is strong in faith, mind and character." --Anna Sofia & Elizabeth Botkin

 

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." -Proverbs 31:26

 

"There is no restraining men's tongues or pens when charged with a little vanity." - George Washington

 

"All men will be Peters in their bragging tongue, and most men will be Peters in their base denial; but few men will be Peters in their quick repentance." -Owen Feltham

 

"Lord, make my words as sweet as honey, for tomorrow I may have to eat them!" -Anonymous

 

Help me guard my lips, O Saviour,
Keep me sweet when sorely tried,
Answers soft to others giving,
Meekly swallowing my pride. -Basch

"No man has a prosperity so high or firm, but that two or three words can dishearten it; and there is no calamity which right words will not begin to redress." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

"The cure of an evil tongue must be done at the heart. The weights and wheels are there, and the clock strikes according to their motion. A guileful heart makes a guileful tongue and lips. It is the work-house where is the forge of deceits and slanders; and the tongue is only the outer shop where they are vended, and the door of it. Such ware as is made within, such, and no other, can come out." - Robert Leighton

 

The true test of a man's spirituality is not his ability to speak, as we are apt to think, but rather his ability to bridle his tongue. - R. Kent Hughes

 

If God takes our idle words seriously, how much more seriously does He take those words spoken with forethought? And if He takes our normal statements seriously, how much more seriously does He take our promises, especially when those promises are raised to the level of the formal vow? - R.C. Sproul

 

For all sad words of tongue and pen,

The saddest are these,

'It might have been'.

-John Greanleaf Whittier

 

When you have spoken the word, it reigns over you. When it is unspoken you reign over it. -Arabian Proverb

Memorial Day

Make sure you take the time to thank a Veteran or military family for all they sacrifice in order to keep us safe.

Verse of the Week

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." - 2 Corinthians 3:18

 As John Piper says, "Beholding is becoming."