Wednesday "Treasures"

Good Wednesday morning friends!  I am running behind schedule this week with a lot to do, still trying to get our house back in order and we have a busy week going on at Dixie Cottage as well.

And actually these pictures should be "Tuesday Treasures", because this was yesterday morning. If you are a Facebook friend you've probably already seen these "pink sky photos".

The sky was such a lovely shade of pinkish lavender, so of course I had to take pictures. The sunrises (above) in the east on the front side of our house, but there is usually some reflection of it on the west side over Still Waters Pond from our back side of the house.

Therefore, I went around to see what I could see, and there was this big white bird flying across the pond toward me:

At first I assumed it was one of our usual Great White Egrets, which are more common around here.

But the closer he came, the more I realized this was something different... (excuse the poor focus...it was still kind of dark and this was my cell phone)

He flew in for a landing right up on the shore in front of me, as if to say, "Good Morning!"

And that's when I realized that this was a Wood Stork!  We don't see them here often...maybe once or twice a year! Last year there was a pair of them, so I'm wondering where his/her mate is...

So he stayed a couple of minutes to get a drink and/or fish for his breakfast...

And after he had stayed long enough for me to get a few pictures and tell him how happy I was to see him right at that precise moment when I "just happened" to be there watching (another God-thing, I think!)

He flew away and was on about his day...and so was I.

But don't you just love those pinkish purplish skies? Another blessing and surprise from the Lord to start our day right.

While we are still admiring the morning sun, let's zoom past the day and take a look at another of God's masterpieces in the evening...same place...about 10 hours later:

I just stand in awe and marvel at the beauties of God's creation...never any two the same...

I was in the process of getting ready to go to choir practice at church when I looked outside and saw these skies...

And I wanted to stand there and sing along with this song, which we are currently singing in our Sunday morning worship service as a call to worship:

"You are beautiful beyond description,

Too marvelous for words,

Too wonderful for comprehension,

Like nothing ever seen or heard.

Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom?

Who can fathom the depth of Your love?

You are beautiful beyond description,

Majesty, enthroned above!

Chorus

And I stand, I stand in awe of You!

I stand, I stand in awe of You!

Holy God, to whom all praise is due,

I stand in awe of You!"

Speaking of our church, I usually try to share our Sunday service with you, and I guess I'm running a little behind...so if you would like to listen to our choir sing "He Has Made Me Glad", and then stay for a great sermon from our pastor from 2 Corinthians 8 & 9, entitled "The Grace of Giving". 

And speaking further about our wonderful little church, as you know last week we had quite a storm blow through town, "Hurricane/Tropical Storm Nicole".  Thankfully she didn't do as much damage here as she did along the coasts, but we did get a LOT of Spanish moss blown down from our many Live Oak Trees around the church property. And so on Monday we had a clean up day for those who were willing and able to come and help out.  Hubby and I went and did our share of raking up the moss, but I also took a few pictures of others working so diligently to get the big job done in a record amount of time:

What I was pleased to see was that we had a good group of people, men and women, youngish (not really very young!) and old...

And this little doggy came along to bark out the orders!! He was quite the supervisor!

And here is our Pastor, who ought to have been working on his next Sunday's sermon, but he was out there raking away with everyone else...true leadership...

This man below is 92 years old...and he worked the whole time just as hard as the rest...

And this dear lady is one of our newest members...a recent newcomer to our church and community, and she also pitched right in to help...

These fellas had the truck and wagon ready to haul away to wherever you take a load of spanish moss...

This was truly an example of "many hands make light work"...teamwork and willing servants.

Very thankful to belong to a church who goes beyond the Sunday morning pew to help out in so many areas of our church and community.

Okay, I need to get a move on. Gotta get to Dixie Cottage on time. We are having a big event this Saturday called "Sip and Shop"...refreshments, door prizes, sales...getting everything ready for Christmas! So we are busily getting the store in order for hopefully a very big day!  

Meanwhile, my unpacking of stuff is somewhat on hold until I can get around to it.

Have a blessed and wonderful week dear friends!!!

Go out and make someone smile today...

or stand in awe at God's handiwork in the skies or nature or His beautiful creation of His people.

Love to all of you.

 

Paths that Drip with Abundance

Thinking about my One Word for 2019: Abundance.  Already God is showing me so many beautiful ways that He is filling my life with His abundance.  Again, we are not speaking of material wealth or abundance...no, it is much deeper, much better, much more substantial than that. Why? Because material abundance is short-lived.  It is temporary...like everything else on the earth, it will eventually decay, turn to dust, and disintegrate.  I don't need material abundance. I need the depth of God's overflowing abundance of life, love, and everlasting joy.

Last night God blessed us with His abundant majesty in the heavens.  Here are a few pictures to show you what I mean:

I captured these glorious photos of the sunset just as we were leaving our kids' house after supper to head for choir practice at the church. I know many of you were also viewing this magnificent sunset from your homes as it seemed as though everyone was posting pictures last night on Facebook of this sunset.  No matter where you were standing, it was amazing and marvelous.  

And this is what I sang along with all of creation:

"You are beautiful beyond description
Too marvelous for words
Too wonderful for comprehension
Like nothing ever seen or heard
Who can grasp you infinite wisdom
Who can fathom the depth of your love
You are beautiful beyond description
Majesty enthroned above

And I stand, I stand in awe of you
I stand, I stand in awe of you
Holy God to whom all praise is due
I stand in awe of you"

To further reflect on the ways God is showering His "abundance" on my heart, this morning we read the following scripture in our time of devotions:

Psalm 65:11-13

"You crown the year with Your goodness,

And Your paths drip with ABUNDANCE.

They drop on the pastures of the wilderness,

And the little hills rejoice on every side.

The pastures are clothed with flocks;

The valleys also are covered with grain;

They shout for joy, they also sing."

Today I also started reading a new book, (thanks to one of our friends Cindy Conner of Creations By Cindy, for mentioning that she is beginning a Bible Study based on this book) Wonderstruck, by Margaret Feinberg.  I had some credit coming to me from Amazon.com, and was able to purchase this book for free.  I must say that I am already "Wonderstruck" by the preface and purpose of this book..."Awaken to the nearness of God"...  

Let me quote something from Margaret's introduction that caught my attention...as this is so much in keeping with what I have felt and believed and just didn't know quite how to put it in words:

"God delights for us to cup our hands in prayer and scrunch our faces against the vault of heaven in holy expectation that He will meet us in beautiful, mysterious ways.  The Creator desires to captivate us not just with his handiwork but with himself--displaying facets of his character, igniting us with his fiery love, awakening us to the intensity of his holiness." (Chapter 000. Captured by the Night Sky,  Wonderstruck, Margaret Feinberg, pg. 4)

So today I am even more committed to exploring where God is going to take me this year in His plan for giving me more "abundant living".  We have high expectations for the new year...and so far our plans seem to be dragging along and not getting any real traction.  I'm beginning to think that God wants to show me a more excellent way as we journey along to the way of abundance.  It's not so much about a place as it is about Him.  Perhaps you'd like to come along with me on this journey? I know you each have your own paths to explore and hills to climb.  But just maybe we can all travel together and encourage each other along the way. I think that is a big part of why we are here in "blogland" together.  What do you think?

Blessings to all of you, wherever you are, whatever your goals and passions and dreams...keep your eyes on God and He will lead you into paths that "drip with abundance".

Sermon Notes: "The Look", A Mother's Day Message

Our scripture reference for Mother's Day was...you guessed it...Proverbs 31:10-31...a Portrait of the Virtuous Woman...I wonder how many churches heard a sermon based on these sames verses today? I expect most of them! But to me, it never grows old.  This Proverbs Woman is a role model for women everywhere...not just mothers...not old women, or young women...but all women everywhere...regardless of culture and nationality!

Before I get started on the message, let me say that we do appreciate your continued prayers for our pastor.  He goes by the name, "A.C.", so if you would lift up a prayer for "A.C.", God will know exactly who you mean.  He is still battling a serious illness and stands in need of our prayers...so thank you again.

We were blessed to have our Mother's Day message given by our church chaplain's wife, who is also our music and worship leader. Her message was very personal and from the heart, and God was truly glorified in the words that were spoken to us.

Being the child of a father who was an alcoholic, and a mother who worked very hard to balance home, parenting, a full time job as a chef, being a Christian role model for her daughter...and Girl Scout leader on her only day off...our speaker today could share from personal experience about walking a fine line between living in fear (of her father) and feeling loved and protected.  Her mother had to be the tough disciplinarian as well as a tender and compassionate parent.  She often only had to give her child "The Look"...and we have all experienced that "look" from our parents, haven't we?..."The Look" that says, "you'd better straighten up right away or you know what could happen!"

In reading about the Proverbs 31 woman, we can imagine that she was a woman of no nonsense, and that she probably knew very well how to give "The Look" to her children when necessary.

In the early church, there were some excellent examples of women who could demonstrate very well the attributes of the Proverbs 31 woman.

In Acts 16:13-15 we find Lydia, a 

"seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God." (vs. 14) And the scriptures say that "The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul...and when she and her household were baptized; she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay."  And so she persuaded us." (vs. 15)  

Lydia was a businesswoman, possibly the head of her household...and it took great courage in that day to step forth and have her whole household baptized into faith in Jesus Christ...and then to actually follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and the disciples.  But she was not afraid...and I have a feeling that Lydia was a role model for many women in her region and possibly led many others to Christ.  

Another marvelous example of a strong Christian "Proverbs 31" woman was Dorcas, also known as Tabitha.  We read in Acts 9:36, that Dorcas was a woman "full of good works and charitable deeds".  But Dorcas became very sick and died...and when Peter and the disciples came to Joppa, the people pleaded with him to come to see her.  (verses 37-43)  Peter did come and prayed for her, and literally raised her from the dead. Verse 42 says that "it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord."    What a powerful story! Here again is a woman who was well known for her good deeds, and God restored her life so that many were saved as a result.  I am certain that Dorcas went right back to doing her charitable deeds even more so after being touched by God in this miraculous way.

In Romans 16:1-2 we learn of another godly "Proverbs 31 Woman", Phoebe. Paul states the following: 

1. "I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea,

2. that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; 

for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also."

Oh! to have such high recommendations given by the leaders of the Church...

Even Timothy's mother and grandmother received high marks from Paul...

II Timothy 1:4-5

"Greatly desiring to see you, (Timothy), being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy,

when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also."

(Yes, even grandmothers have a powerful influence in the growth of faith of our grandchildren...)

But now we move to perhaps the finest example of a Proverbs 31 woman ever found...Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

Jesus, The very Word of God (John 1:1-14), Who became flesh and dwelt among us...

Mary knew from the beginning how special her son Jesus was to the world...and yet, He was her son...and Mary was a very human mother.  We know she experienced fear...especially when she didn't know where Jesus was...read Luke 2:46-52, when 12 year old Jesus was nowhere among the travelers headed home from Jerusalem...and Mary and Joseph searched for him for three days...and we can imagine that they were getting pretty frantic.  When they finally found Jesus, He was sitting in the Temple, in the midst of the teachers (verse 46-47), both listening to them and asking them questions.  "And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers."

But His parents "were amazed; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously." Can you imagine that Mary probably gave her Son "The Look"... I mean, Mary was a normal mother, filled with fear and anxiety for the safety of her Son, and then to find Him sitting there with the teachers in the Temple for three days while they had been searching so diligently for Him...and He was rather nonchalant about why they were so concerned..."Why did you seek Me? did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"  I can imagine  that "Look" Mary would have given Him would have been a look of exasperation mixed with relief and wonder...

Nevertheless,  the Bible says in verse 51-52:

"Then He (Jesus) went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."

Look back a moment to Luke 1:38...right after the angel had explained to Mary that she would conceive and bring forth a Son...and that He would be the Son of God...and even though Mary questioned how this could be, in verse 38 Mary said,

"Behold the maidservant of the Lord!

Let it be to me according to your word."

In Luke 1:50, in Mary's beautiful prophetic prayer she says, 

"And His (God's) mercy is on those who fear Him, from generation to generation."

Proverbs 31:30 says:

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,

but a woman who FEARS the Lord, she shall be praised."

Proverbs 9:10

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"

There are also some unhealthy fears in life...our speaker had great fear of her alcoholic father. She could not respect him because of his outbursts of anger and rage, and she lived in fear of him. (However she did share that later in life she was able to forgive and love him).  However, with her mom, she did respect her, and because she knew her mother loved her, all she had to do was give her "the Look" when she had been disobedient, and she knew that "the Look" also said,

"I don't want you to do wrong. I love you so much...I want you to be safe...I would take all your pain if I could...but some things you need to learn the hard way in life...there are consequences to disobedience..."

This is the type of "fear" we should have for God...Jesus has given us these commandments in Matthew 22:37-39:

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

This is the first and great commandment.

And the second is like it:

You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

God is watching us, and if we do wrong we do have to face the consequences for our sin, but when we ask forgiveness, He is faithful to forgive us ...and He is saying to us, "I love you so much that I gave the ultimate sacrifice for your sins...John 3:16 tells us 

"God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life..."

If our Mom said to do this, we'd better do it.

God gave us these commandments, and we should do them.

Those who don't know the Lord had better fear Him, because we will all have to face Him.

But when we know the amazing love of God, we have a desire to please Him and to pray for as many as possible to go to heaven....

So the question today is what kind of woman am I? Am I a woman who fears the Lord with a reverential fear....do I serve Him with all my heart?  I don't want God to have to give me "The Look" when I step out of line...but I am glad that He loves me enough, like my own mother did, to give me that LOOK of warning with love...because He does love me so much that He wants me to have everlasting life with Him...

During our closing communion time, the choir sang the following song, and as I knelt at the altar for a moment to pray, these words really gripped my heart:

VERSE 1 
You are beautiful beyond description 
Too marvelous for words 
Too wonderful for comprehension 
Like nothing ever seen or heard 
Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom? 
Who can fathom the depth of Your love? 
You are beautiful beyond description 
Majesty, enthroned above 

CHORUS 
And I stand, I stand in awe of You 
I stand, I stand in awe of You 
Holy God, to whom all praise is due 
I stand in awe of You 

VERSE 2 
You are beautiful beyond description 
Yet God crushed You for my sin 
In agony and deep affliction 
Cut off that I might enter in 
Who can grasp such tender compassion? 
Who can fathom this mercy so free? 
You are beautiful beyond description 
Lamb of God who died for me 

CHORUS 
And I stand, I stand in awe of You 
I stand, I stand in awe of You 
Holy God, to whom all praise is due 
I stand in awe of You 

I want to be a woman who stands in awe of our marvelous of God...I want to be that woman "who fears the Lord..." and to know that when God gives me "The Look", it is a look of extreme, divine Love... a love that will never let me go no matter where I wander or even if I should forget His marvelous grace...just one look will bring me back into His open arms.  How about you?

Please Note : I want to repeat this disclaimer here...the notes, outline, and content included here are based upon my own personal understanding of the message that was being given.  I am not attempting to completely quote or reproduce this message or any other message I've shared previously.  Just as each person reading these notes may glean insights and thoughts that seem to directly apply to one's own situation and interpretation, my own delivery of these messages is skewed by my hearing and translation of what is being said.  Some may read my notes here and wonder if they were hearing the same message as I...and I say, God speaks to each of us as He wills...there are things He is trying to get across to each individual that may be entirely different than what the person sitting next to you in the pew is needing to hear...  That is how the Holy Spirit works! He knows what we need to hear and how to apply it to our hearts.  So it is with that understanding that I present these sermon notes to you.

Sermon Notes from FUMC, Interlachen, FL, 5/13/2018 - Mother's Day