The Secret Garden Chronicles - "Here I Am" ~Updated for 2018

I was just reminded by my friend Martha Jane Orlando in her timely post "A Blessed Lent" (Click HERE), that tomorrow is not only Valentine's Day, but it is also Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent...that 40 day season of preparation for the celebration of Easter.  I must admit that I was caught off-guard a bit to realize that we are already approaching this time of fasting, reflection and renewal...I've been too busy doing, and not reflecting.  I haven't spent any time yet this year in the Secret Garden due to weather and other interruption of life, but it is calling to me...and I believe this season of Lent will be a wonderful time to get back to where the Lord and I can walk in the garden together...

So here is a post written last year from the Secret Garden that speaks to my heart today. Perhaps it will speak to you as well as we begin this 40 day journey toward Easter tomorrow.  Let's see where the Lord will take each of us during this time, okay?  Sounds like a good plan.

Lord, help me to use this time to draw the closer to You, to truly seek this "renewal" You've been reminding me of lately...

Here's a few Camellia Blossoms gathered from The Secret Garden yesterday 2/12/18. Yes, the Lord is walking in the garden...I need to meet Him there...

Original Post 3/5/2017:
Okay, I have to admit that I've been struggling with this particular post for several days. I started on it Friday, and here it is Sunday, and it is as though God won't let me walk away from this without giving it another hearing.  It's one thing for me to struggle with a passage in the Bible because I can't quite figure out what the Lord is trying to say to me...and then wouldn't you know, that is the exact same passage that my husband decided to preach about this morning in our Home Bible Fellowship!  I thought, "Okay, Lord.  I got the message! You are NOT going to let me ignore this passage any longer.  You want me to hear what You have to say...and then do something about it!"  I still haven't quite figured that part out yet...but You've got my attention, Lord...so here we go!

So, this is where I was on Friday, sitting in the Secret Garden...and the first thing I wrote down was:

"So Lord, Do You have something to tell me today?  Here I am, waiting to hear Your voice..."

And then I turned to the book of Isaiah, chapter 58.  I've been thinking a lot about Lent...and fasting, and other ways to observe this season prior to Easter.  Isaiah 58 has a lot to say about fasting...and here are some of the highlights that spoke to me...

6.  "Is this not the fast that I have chosen;

To loose the bonds of wickedness,

To undo the heavy burdens;

To let the oppressed go free,

and that you break every yoke?

7.  Is it not the share your bread with the hungry,

And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;

When you see the naked, that you cover him

and not hide yourself from your own flesh?

8.  Then your light shall break forth like the morning;

Your healing shall spring forth speedily,

and your righteousness shall go before you;

The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

9.  Then you shall call,

and the Lord will answer.

You shall cry, and He will say,

"Here I Am."

Okay, Lord, I guess I asked for You to speak...and You did.  Now I need You to show me how to do this...Give me wisdom and direction...for this sounds like a difficult thing to do in my own strength.

But You promised in verses 10-11:

10.  "If you extend your soul to the hungry

and satisfy the afflicted soul,

THEN your light shall dawn in the darkness,

and your darkness shall be as the noonday."

11.  "The Lord will guide you continually,

and satisfy your soul in drought,

and strengthen your bones!

You shall be like a watered garden,

and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail."

Oh Lord!  I want to be this strong, "well-watered garden" person...Help me, Lord, to be what YOU want me to be.

So, here is a song that came to my lips as I sat in the garden praying about these passages and trying to open my heart to the Lord's message to me today...  

"I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go" 
(click on this link for the song)

by Mary A. Brown

1 It may not be on the mountain’s height,

Or over the stormy sea;

It may not be at the battle’s front

My Lord will have need of me.

But if by a still, small voice He calls

To paths I do not know,

I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in Thine,

"I’ll go where You want me to go."

Refrain:

I’ll go where You want me to go, dear Lord,

Over mountain, or plain, or sea.

I’ll say what You want me to say, dear Lord.

I’ll be what You want me to be.

2 Perhaps today there are loving words

Which Jesus would have me speak;

There may be now, in the paths of sin,

Some wand’rer whom I should seek.

O Savior, if Thou wilt be my Guide,

Tho' dark and rugged the way,

My voice shall echo the message sweet,

I’ll say what you want me to say. 

[Refrain]

3 There’s surely somewhere a lowly place

In earth’s harvest fields so wide

Where I may labor thro' life’s short day

For Jesus, the Crucified;

So, trusting my all to Thy tender care,

And knowing Thou lovest me,

I’ll do Thy will with a heart sincere,

I’ll be what You want me to be. 

[Refrain]

I'm sure most of you have heard and sung these words at some time in your Christian life.  I know I have many times...and many times in response to this very song, the Lord took me at my word, and soon off we would go into some new ministry.  

One thing I've learned in this life...if you truly don't want to go anywhere for the Lord or do anything for Him, then don't sing these songs or pray these kinds of prayers...because God will hear you...and He will take you at your word...and you may find yourself on a foreign mission field...or praying with a neighbor who has just had some bad news...or who needs to know the Lord...or you may be taking food to the hungry or sick or lonely...or leading a Bible study, or teaching a Sunday School class...or helping the elderly or sick or lonely...or inviting people into your home from the neighborhood for a bar-b-que or tea party or luncheon...or just to visit and be a friend.  But I can assure you, if you are sincere in your desire to serve the Lord, He will never take you anywhere that He will not go with you...He will lead you every step of the way, and even go before you and prepare the way...and you need not fear where He will lead.  He will never leave you alone or on your own.

Back to the prophet Isaiah...and early in the book, chapter six, verse 8:

"Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying:

"Whom shall I send,

and who will go for Us?"

Then I said, 

"Here am I! 

Send me!"

Okay, Lord, I think You've gotten Your message through to me today.  I know I tried to wiggle out of this and not put it out here for the world to read...but now that we've gone this far...Here I am...send me...wherever You please...and to do whatever You ask.  I know You will go with me, so there is nothing to fear. Thank you, Lord, for not giving up on me. Amen.

Meanwhile, back in the Secret Garden...the Chickadees are busy preparing their nest in the birdhouse.  Here's mama (or daddy?), with a mouth full of nesting material, sitting patiently on the branch of the tree overhead, waiting for me to leave so she can safely go about the business of building the nest. Daddy bird showed up after a while to ask why she was still waiting there. She sat there the whole time I was writing this, and finally when I got up for a minute she flew into the birdhouse to deposit her nesting twigs. I guess I need to be more considerate of their building schedule and try not to interfere...

The End...for today.  Stay tuned for further developments.

(Click HERE for a link to a previous post from Isaiah 58)

Advent Day 10....With a Surprise (again!)

I know if you followed my Advent Calendar last year, (and the year before) you may see that I have repeated a few here and there (more than a few).  But...sometimes it is good to repeat things year after year...because we humans tend to forget and need to be reminded!  So, here is last year's open Advent Window for the 10th day of Advent (and THIS year, 2016, today is the 19th day of Advent!) .  I love this particular window because it has a special surprise tucked into the scripture readings...so be sure to click on the verses when you come to them.  I find as I read from God's Word these particular verses I always break out into singing them the way I've heard them sung so many wonderful times before. I wish I could say that I sound as good as these musicians...but it is the melody in the heart that matters, not the quality of the vocalist.  So, as you read along, please feel free to sing along with me! Might as well practice! Someday we will be in the heavenly choir where we will ALL have voices like the angels! Won't that be grand????

Okay, Open this window and enjoy...
Due to busily preparing for Christmas, (I've been shopping non stop for the past three days...) I've been too busy to write about the preparation!  Oftentimes that is how it goes with us humans...we get so caught up in our whirl of activities that we forget the whole purpose and meaning of the activity we are pursuing.

This Christmas card says it all...This is what Christmas is all about...

I pause in the middle of my hectic pace to remember the true meaning of Christmas...and to reflect on ways that I can be more like the Christ of Christmas...

• More willing to give than to receive...
• To be a cheerful servant rather than expecting to be served...
• Never doing things just to please myself...but to give of myself so that others might have a pleasant life.

Today's scripture readings reinforce these thoughts: (Click on each section of verses for an Advent Surprise:)

"O Zion,

You who bring good tidings,

Get up into the high mountain;

O Jerusalem,

You who bring good tidings,

Lift up your voice with strength,

Lift it up, be not afraid;

Say to the cities of Judah,

"Behold your God!"

"He will feed His flock like a shepherd;

He will gather the lambs with His arm,

and carry them in His bosom.

And gently lead those who are with young."

Isaiah 40: 9, 11

(The above links are compliments of George Frederic Handel and the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus)

I hope you enjoyed this little mini-concert.  For the complete concert, click HERE

May this help set the tone for your Advent mid-season.  Only 17  10 days until Christmas!  Take some time to relax and enjoy...and pass on the blessing to someone else.

Moments of Grace: The Privilege of Serving with Gladness...

"Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!

Serve the Lord with Gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the Lord, He is God;

It is He who has made us,

and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

and His truth endures to all generations."

Psalm 100

Yesterday was a special treat for me.  I had the privilege of hosting our monthly area Ladies' Prayer Fellowship in my home.  One dear lady called me this morning to thank me for hosting, and we both decided that our group should be called "Lovely Ladies of the Lord".  I like that...for that is what we are.  Not necessarily in the physical sense of the word "lovely", although everyone truly is lovely in that way, but more so in the spiritual sense.  Lovely in spirit, lovely in heart, lovely in GRACE.  These women come together from different parts of the county to pray for one another, to encourage our sisters in the faith, and share the loveliness of our beautiful Savior. And when we come together in one accord, it is something truly lovely to behold.  

Yes, it was a joyful privilege to clean my home, prepare the food, (and others brought in tasty dishes to share as well) set the table with my best dishes instead of paper plates and cups...even though they needed to be carefully hand washed before and after...(and my wonderful "lovely ladies of the Lord" helped with that also)...and to truly "SERVE  the Lord with gladness".  

What a joy and privilege to "come before His presence with singing".  We sang the old hymn I told you about previously this week...http://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2016/01/moments-of-grace-who-do-you-see-in.html  "O To Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer".  As our voices blended together we made this song our prayer.  Then one of our ladies spontaneously blessed us with her lovely voice as she sang "Amazing Grace"...and what a thrill that was, especially as I watched my 92+ year old mother in law harmonize along with her. 

The beautiful miracle of the morning was that about an hour prior to our time of gathering together there was a powerful storm galloping through our area with gale force winds and pounding rain. As I watched the trees bending to and fro in turbulence outside my window, I feared that the phone calls would start coming in from ladies cancelling out due to being afraid to drive in the storm. I wouldn't have blamed them, but it would have been such a disappointment after so much anticipation and preparation for the day. So I started praying...for the storm to pass through quickly, and for the ladies to not be afraid or harmed in any way.  Almost as quickly as the storm started it stopped.  The winds died down and the pounding rain gave way to sprinkles.  No one called. At the appointed time the cars started arriving in the yard.  I ran outside with my umbrella and welcomed them in and the "Lovely Ladies of the Lord" (even more than I had originally expected!)~~~

"entered into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise."

And then we all were 

"thankful to Him..."

and blessed His name...

"For the Lord is good;

His mercy IS everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations."

Amen

God even provided these lovely flowers for our centerpiece...picked fresh from my yard before the storm could
knock off the blossoms from the plants!
What a surprise to find these in the middle of January!

Remember this bookmark?  (click on the link for the story)

My ONE WORD - GRACE, for 2016, is getting quite a work out already...and it's only the middle of January! But that's okay. I love these little Moments of Grace, don't you?

What are some of the "Moments of Grace" in your life today?  Think about it. There may be more than you realize.  

RJD: Milestones and Prayers

Well, here it is again friends: Random Journal Day!  The day when several of us bloggers and journalists "bare all" and let you peek into our innermost thoughts and ramblings from the past...hopefully for your edification and/or laugh or cry for the day.  Our hostess with the mostest is "my friend Dawn over at "Enthusiastically Dawn".  When you are finished here, pop on over to her site and check out what all our friends have to say today.

So, here I am, with open journal and staring at Dawn's blog site for inspiration (and instructions, since she just moved her blog to this new address a very short time ago, and this is our first Random Journal Day linkup at the new site).   

As I was perusing through my old journals, looking for something appropriate to share with you, I came across this clipping, which I believe my mother sent to me since we had a 14-year-old boy at the time. (1991).  I find this intriguing today, because I now have a 14-year-old grandson, who will be coming for a visit in just about a week!  I read through this, looking for pearls of wisdom to share with him when he comes, and although this is all good stuff, I'm not sure how he will relate to it.  But I found something that I thought was pertinent and interesting enough to share here today.  I don't know who Bruce Barton was, and I notice that the copyright of this particular column is 1954, so I doubt that he is still around, judging by the looks of his picture, but I like what he said in the last column, last paragraph:

After he stated in the previous paragraph that he tends "to be a little old-fashioned in respect to education,"  he went on to say:  "And especially I favor concentration on the effective use of English.  For it, as my gifted friend has emphasized, is the tool by which we make our friends, conduct our business and influence the minds of others.  Good talkers and good writers have, through the ages, sat in the seats of the mighty."

Well, I certainly would love to share that with my very astute grandson when he comes. He is already a gifted talker...started talking around age one and hasn't stopped yet...and very eloquently, I might add. And if he could master the art of the "effective use of English", both in the spoken and written word, I do expect he would have opportunities to sit "in the seats of the mighty."

Now, back to my journal from March 23, 1991, at 10:26 p.m., where I found this clipping enclosed.  I was apparently very concerned about our own 14 year old son at the time.  He was having difficulties in school both academically and emotionally.  After listing some of the difficulties that I won't share here I went on to say,

"Well, Lord, we commit ____ into your hands.  He desires to be baptized next Sunday on Easter.  We pray this step will be a milestone in his life that will bring confidence and encouragement to him."  

I had previously written that our whole family seemed to be struggling "under a load of stress and anxiety that can't really be described." I said, "I keep trying to understand it myself, but it's more of an invisible thing that keeps us down.  Tiredness, depression, illness, anxiety, all keep batting away at our family.  We pray the Lord will rebuke Satan and place a tall hedge around us that will protect us from these onslaughts."  I wrote,

"GOD IS ABLE TO DELIVER THEE"!

Yes, our 14 yr. old son DID get baptized that Easter Sunday, which was a time of rejoicing for us. And then

my next entries about a month later told the story of our 18-yr-old son being diagnosed with a brain tumor, and having to have major surgery. Our family was definitely going through a lot of testing at that time. But I am here to say today that God was there with us every day... He did guide us and protect us, even in the midst of the sorrows, trials, and difficulties. It was a time of growing and strengthening, and learning to trust in God completely.  There were amazing miracles that happened through all of that...which I will share with you at another time.

By the way, our 14 year old grandson, who is coming to visit next week (with his parents),  is the son of our son who had the brain tumor...and even though that son is going through another physical trial at this present time (cancer), God is still with us...and He is still able to deliver us!

Daniel 3:17 says:  "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and He will deliver us from your Majesty's hand."

It is good to look back at our journals from the past and remember where we were and what we were going through at the time...and then to review those days through the eyes of present knowledge and KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that the GOD WE SERVE NOT ONLY IS ABLE TO DELIVER US, BUT HE HAS ALREADY DELIVERED US FROM MANY "FIERY FURNACES" IN THIS LIFE...AND HE DOES NOT CHANGE. HE IS STILL ABLE TO DELIVER YOU FROM WHATEVER TRIAL COMES YOUR WAY AS WELL.  SO DON'T EVER LOSE HEART!

As For Me and My House...

Some things to think about today...not sure just why my spirit has been suddenly so stirred up,
but I think it may have something to do with the 
"signs of the times"...

"And if it seems evil to you

to serve the Lord,

choose for yourselves this day 

whom you will serve,

whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River,

or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.

But as for me and my house,

we will 

serve 

the 

LORD."

Joshua 24:15


With all of the current turmoil in our country, men and women of faith need to stand strong and firm in our beliefs and commitment to  our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.


"But concerning the times and the seasons,
brethren, you have no need that I should
write to you.

For you yourselves know perfectly that the 
day of the Lord 
so comes as a thief in the night.

For when they say, 'Peace and safety!'
then sudden destruction comes
upon them,
as labor pains upon a pregnant woman.
And they shall NOT escape."
I Thessalonians 5:1-3

"But you, brethren, 
are not in darkness,
so that this Day
should overtake you as a thief.
You are all sons of light and sons of the day.
We are not of the night nor of darkness.

Therefore, let us not sleep,
as others do,
but let us watch 
and be sober."
I Thessalonians 5:4-6

"But let us who are of the day be sober,
putting on the breastplate of 
faith and love,
and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

For God did not appoint us to wrath,
but to obtain salvation
through our 
Lord Jesus Christ,
Who died for us,
that whether we 
wake or sleep,
we should live together with Him."

I Thessalonians 5:8-10

"Now may the God of peace
Himself
sanctify you completely;
and may your
whole spirit, soul, and body
be preserved blameless
at the 
coming of our 
Lord Jesus Christ.

He who calls you is faithful,
who also will do it."

I Thessalonians 5:23-24

Amen.

on the Ocklawaha River, Eureka, Florida