The Secret Garden Chronicles-Anointing Jesus' Feet

Today our "Lovely Ladies of the Lord" met at the lake for a time of prayer, fellowship and encouragement from God's Word.  The Lord could not have chosen a more beautiful and peaceful setting than this...

And thanks to a kind fellow on a motorcycle, who just happened to drive up as we were trying to take some pictures of our group...he immediately offered to take our picture so that we could all be included.

After a time of prayer and then feasting on our bagged lunches (and "Twinkies", thanks to one of the ladies...a first for me! I kid you not! Pretty good...), we opened our Bibles to the Story of Mary of Bethany anointing the feet of Jesus, in John's Gospel, 12:1-11.  We talked about what a loving and tender moment this was... 

3.  "Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped  His feet with her hair.  

And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil."

and then how Jesus defended Mary's actions when criticized by Judas...

John 12:7

"But Jesus said, "Let her alone; 

she has kept this for the day of My burial."

We wondered how Mary knew that Jesus was about to be crucified and buried, when the others seemed to be still so oblivious to this...and we were reminded of how back in the book of Luke 10:38-42, we were told the story of Martha and her sister Mary when Jesus came to visit them in their home...and remembered how Martha complained to Jesus that she had to do all the work while Mary 

in verse 39

"sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word."

And remember how Jesus kindly rebuked Martha in verses 41-42:

"Martha, Martha, you are worried and 

troubled about many things.

But one thing is needed, 

and Mary has chosen that good part,

which will not be taken away from her."

I wonder if Mary was learning even back then what Jesus' purpose on earth was...to "seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10).  

Maybe Mary had paid better attention to everything Jesus was teaching them...and she understood that in order for Him to save us from our sins, He would have to be the only perfect sacrifice...

I also noticed in John 12:2 that when Jesus came back to visit them in Bethany, "they made Him a supper; and Martha served..."

So here again, Martha was busily working to make sure everything was served just right, and Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet again...this time she was anointing His feet with her most prized possession, and was wiping His feet with her hair.

Mary knew that Jesus was going to die, because she had sat at His feet and listened.  She paid attention to everything He was telling them, and the Lord impressed it on her heart to do this loving deed for her Master, Whom she loved.

We asked ourselves today, "What would WE have done?"  Would we be like Mary, giving the Lord our richest treasure; lavishing fragrant oil upon His feet and wiping them with our hair...or would we still be like Martha, quietly serving, which is not a bad thing in itself, but missing out on the greater blessing because of our constant busy-ness...or would we be like Judas...critical and condemning...calling Mary wasteful and too extravagant? (see John 12:5-6)

How often do we hold back our BEST gifts, and keep them for ourselves rather than give them to Jesus, lay them at His feet for His glory and honor...our talents, gifts, praise, worship and adoration...

Do we offer these gifts up freely to the Lord, or do we hold back, criticize those who do, or stay so busy we have no time for such "nonsense.'

As we approach Good Friday and Easter Sunday, it is a good time to reflect on our attitude about serving and worshiping our Lord.  

• What is my BEST gift that I can give Him? 
• What am I holding back?  
• How can I change my critical spirit and open my heart to lavish my costly oil upon the beautiful feet of Jesus, Who gave EVERYTHING for me???

Lord, help me to no longer hold back the precious gifts You've entrusted to me.  Help me to open my heart, home, and hoarded treasures to give to You as I honor and glorify You and lift You up in praise.

Thank You for this beautiful picture of Mary anointing Your feet today.

And thank You, Lord, for the amazing sign in the sky that we noticed as we sat there together thinking about how to better worship You.  It was a blessing upon our little group as we sat in awe of You and felt Your Presence as You wrote Your love message to us in the sky.

These pictures may not look like much to you, dear readers, but to us today it was a glorious sign in the sky of God's Presence and pleasure over our little group.  At the very tip of this cloud/vapor was a beautiful teal color, and a little bit of other hues following in its trail.  The photograph does not do it justice at all...but to us it was so lovely...right when we were talking about the anointing of Jesus' feet for His burial...it just appeared in the sky and we noticed it and were in awe.

There was no sign of rain or other vapor, but the color in this was so striking we could not miss it.  We all acknowledged that it was a gift from the Lord to us at that moment, showing us His glory.

Thank You, Jesus...You are my King, My Lord and Savior...

"You Are My All in All..."

"You Are My All In All"

Na na na…holy

You are my strength when I am weak
You are the treasure that I seek
You are my all in all
Seeking You as a precious jewel
Lord, to give up I'd be a fool
You are my all in all

Taking my sin, my cross, my shame
Rising again I bless Your name
You are my all in all
When I fall down You pick me up
When I am dry You fill my cup
You are my all in all

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name

You are my strength when I am weak
You are the treasure that I seek
You are my all in all
Seeking You as a precious jewel
Lord, to give up I'd be a fool
You are my all in all

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Worthy is Your name
Worthy is Your name

What precious gift can I lavish on my Lord at this time of His passion...He poured out His very life for me...what can I do to show Him my love?  Something to ponder...for all of us.

Be blessed, my friends.   Jesus is worthy of our praise....

Our Fixer Upper-Fence Project Continued

If you have followed the recent saga of the Steiner house  "Sequel to Demo Day at Our Fixer Upper fence project, you know that we replaced just the front section and gate of our dilapidated privacy fence that surrounds the back courtyard of our home in the forest.  We had a lot of fun as a family with the original Demo Day, and the subsequent installation.  Our original plan was to wait and complete the rest of the fence a little at a time, as we could afford it.  Well, thanks to Uncle Sam and our unexpected income tax refund, we decided to go ahead and finish this project before the rest of the fence totally collapsed.  So, without further ado, let me show you what the Steiner family has been up to this past weekend:

 It started on Thursday afternoon, when the Lowes' delivery truck brought our remaining 13 sections of fence and deposited them in our yard!  When the delivery man called to tell us he was on his way, and that he was driving a semi-tractor trailer, and he asked if our road was a through street or a dead end, I had to stop and think. We are the first house on the road, and then there isn't another house on this particular road for about 2 miles, after traveling through a very winding, narrow, dirt, tree-lined forest road, which then ends up on what is known as a "key" into the lake...there are other homes there at the lake point, but no, there is no place to turn around such a big truck.  So he said he would figure it out...and a while later I could hear him coming down the road...backwards all the way to our house from the highway, which is about a third of a mile.  He had to be a pretty good driver to do that...

 Then, when I saw his truck, I understood why he brought such a big truck! Duh!!! He needed a forklift to get our fence panels off the truck and into our yard...I was afraid we were going to have to help him carry them from the truck...shows you how much I know about this...

So here they are, including one extra lattice piece to add to the Secret Garden area...(later)

So, here is the fence that needed to be removed and replaced...many slats were falling off, and those that remained were so thin, cracking and fragile, barely hanging on...some have been damaged by wandering bears who tried their best to get inside the courtyard to check out the bird feeders or just to look around...that's why we HAVE this fence in the first place...to give us a little buffer zone in the back yard  that is relatively "bear-free".

Also, all of these vines...wisteria, confederate jasmine, and honeysuckle, beautiful as the flowers may be, were getting extremely overgrown and especially intertwined and embedded in the fence slats, causing the slats to break.

Yes...VERY overgrown...

This is our back entrance to our house and courtyard...with the Secret Garden to the right under the huge magnolia tree.  Again...time, weather, and critters have pretty well worn this old fence out...

Not a very inviting or attractive entrance for our back yard neighbors...

 To begin our demolition of this part of the fence, we had to decide what to do with all the vines...

 So, our son Scott got the electric hedge trimmers and went to work...

Yes...he really went to work...bye bye vines...but they will grow back.  We didn't pull them up from the roots...(except in a few places where they were growing into the fence and we had no other choice)

And then the fence sections could come down.  We left up the inside lattice sections for now to hold the remaining vines up, but they will have to come down eventually because they are all quite fragile and falling apart as well.

This is the view of the Memorial Garden area without the privacy fence behind it. I kind of like it, but I still prefer the privacy and shade that the fence provides in that area. And I don't want the bears to come in there...just the one on the tree.... Ha Ha

More of the demolition of the old fence...only the lattice remaining holding up the vines for now

And here's the Secret Garden, without the benefit of the privacy fence behind it....not too secret anymore...and much too sunny for the ferns under the tree.  I fear they would all die without the fence to shade them from the hot southern exposure.

So now begins the replacing of the old with the new. Our wonderful two sons worked VERY hard two days in a row to complete this job.  We are SO thankful for them.

And we stay out of the way when one of them is holding a hatchet....

Hubby had the right idea...

Just so you know, I was helping them quite a bit. So was hubby. But we all had to take breaks now and then...

 Look at that mound of discarded vines!  Boo hoo...but they will grow back...

 Aren't these guys great?

 Finally calling it quits for the night.  Most of the work is done, except for the clean up of all the old fence and the vine/debris.  But that's for another day...

We still have a little work to do to finish the back entrance.  I want to put a sign above the gate...something to welcome our neighbors.  Trying to decide what to say.  Our son the sign maker will create something special.

This lamp post has never worked since we've been here. It's supposed to be electric, but we can't find any light switch that goes to it, and we've never been able to get it to light up.  So hubby suggested we put one of those little solar lights in it...and what do you know?  We have light!!  Now, why didn't I think of that???

So that is all for tonight!  Y'all come!  We'll leave a light on for you!!

On a further note...speaking of back yard neighbors...one of our very sweet neighbors brought over a delicious dessert for us this evening. We were totally surprised!  And it was VERY GOOD:

 She said I could share the recipe with you...also...she added some raspberries with the blueberries, making it extra delicious!  She brought it ready to put in the oven so we could enjoy it  hot after supper with some ice cream!!

That's exactly what we did...a great treat after all the hard work of the last couple of days...not to mention all the other normal activities of the weekend...church here at our house this morning, Palm Sunday...including communion...a beautiful time with the Lord today...seeing some answers to prayer in our little church family...so much to praise God for!

Now I am really ready to say good night!....Oh wait, if you are on my facebook, you may have already seen this, but I have to show you what we created for the Secret Garden today...(yes, in between putting up fences, etc.)

Now, before you say, "What's THAT?"...let me tell you....

 This lovely 1970's gold glass base was a lamp...which I found in the shed here when we moved to this house 5 years ago.  The electrical part no longer worked due to critters chewing through the cord, etc., and besides, who has lamps like this in their homes anymore? No offense if you do...so I've been trying to think about what to do with it for some time...and decided it would make a lovely bird bath for the Secret Garden...

So after painting all of the metal parts with a copper colored rustoleum, and reconfiguring the lamp base with a little plant stand to hold it, adding a terra cotta planter base and another turquoise flower pot for color...it became the latest addition to the Secret Garden.  I hope the birds will decide they love it!  If not, it can always be reconverted back to a lamp...

Pardon my clothes...I'm wearing my work shirt with paint on it...but that's from another story for another day...Good Night!!!

I Come By It Honestly...Updated for Friday Foto Friends

Today Friday Foto Friends day...and I don't have any new pictures to share, so thought I would pull something from the archives to share with you today.  This was originally posted on 6/14/2011, right after my father passed away and we had settled my parents' estate and sold their home of over 50 years.  (My mother had passed away five years earlier). These pictures are of some of the things that I was able to take home with me.  When I posted this, I was living in a different house than where I am now...so many of these items are in different places in my current house...but still in special spots.  I hope you will enjoy this walk through memory lane with me.  Then click on the Friday Foto Friends link to see what others are sharing today!  Happy Friday!


Original Post 6/14/2011:

Thought I would share some of my "treasures" found in my parents' home...and now have found their way to my home to begin a new chapter in their "lives"...

My Great Grandmother Mary Vogt Mursch,  (1861-1896)  My father's

Grandmother, but she died quite young and my Great-
Grandfather married again, so my dad never got to meet
his "real" grandmother.  She lived in Utica, NY,  was married to Fredrick Wilhelm Mursch on November 24, 1886. and was the
birth mother of my Grandfather, William H. Mursch, and his siblings:
Louise Mursch Callahan, Jacob Fredrick Mursch,  and John (Jack) Mursch. She also bore two other children who died in infancy: Gustav Mursch, 8/11/1892~6/5/1893, and Carl Mursch, 10/27/1895~2/3/1896.  I do not know the specific cause of her death, but apparently it must have had something to do with the birth of the baby Carl, since they died in the same year.

Anne of Green Gables Doll, with the book, Chronicles of Avonlea, which is all about 
Anne of Green Gables.
My mother loved these stories of "Anne of Avonlea", and because Anne was a redhead, my mother decided to give me her name as my middle name since I was also a redhead! Hence, Pamela Anne Mursch..."Anne with an E".  
Anne is all dressed and ready for tea...won't you come join us?
The china tea cups belonged to my Grandmother, Flora Tedlie, and the Buster Brown Tea Set originally belonged to my Aunt Margie Moss, but was given to my mother, as she remembered playing with it as a child.

These are a few of the treasures we found in my Dad's garage...my brother called it the "Easter Basket"~ a tin bucket full of antique china doorknobs.  My son Benton just had to pick those up with some creative ideas running through his brain for some special projects...yes...the gene runs deeply in our veins...thank you, Daddy!

Quilt Square made by my Dad's Great Grandmother Benner...His mother's (Elva Hill Mursch)
adoptive Mother (Grandma Hill)'s mother. Circa 1900.

Sorry it isn't more clear...My Grandma Tedlie by the Garden Gate at Aunt Dode's House in 
West Lafayette, Ohio.
The Ceramic Tiles are from the fireplace (?) in Aunt Dode's House. My mother lived in that house all during her high school years, so it was pretty special...



"Baby Elva" is wearing one of my original
baby dresses! It looks like it was made for her!
The baby buggy also came from my parents' attic.



"The Gossips"...Two Dear Little Old Ladies having a nice visit on the porch...One of my favorite pictures that used to
belong to my Grandma Tedlie.  Someday that will be me and my sister Doris...or me and any "old friend"...

My new reading nook...come sit a spell and grab an old fashioned
book to read...I have lots of wonderful choices waiting for you
to dive in and relish the adventures and romances of yesteryear...





 

"Welcome Guest!"

"Hello, Guest, and howdeedo! this small room belongs to you. And our house and all that's in it~Make yourself at home each minute. If the temperature displeases, Take a couple of our breezes; And if that should chill you later, Sit upon our radiator.  If a hungry pang is twitchin', Make a raid upon our kitchen; Help yourself to book or blotter, Easy chair or teeter~totter; All is yours that you like best, You're at home now! Welcome, Guest!"  From the writings of J.P. McEvoy, copyrite 1927.

This wonderful little plaque was hanging in the guest room of my parent's home for as long as I can remember! I believe it may have originally come from my Grandma Tedlie's Home...but no matter where, it has always been one of my most favorite things.  I have always said that someday I would hang that picture in my guest room and "Welcome Guest, and howdeedo!" to YOU Too!!   Come on over and enjoy my new guest room with all of it's old fashioned treasures.

Yes as you can see the genes do run deeply in my veins. I treasure all things old and precious..and here are a couple more:

My Mom and Dad on their wedding day,

May 16, 1942.

They started all this...and I sure do miss them.

Love you Mom and Dad

Your Loving Daughter,
Pamela "Anne" with an "e". 

The Secret Garden Chronicles: The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving

Psalm 116:17-19

17.  "I will offer to You the sacrifice of  thanksgiving,

and I will call upon the name of the Lord.

18.  I will pay my vows to the Lord

now in the presence of all His people,

19.  In the courts of the Lord's house,

in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord!"

Today is known as "Thankful Thursday"...and I want to take a few moments to offer up my own "sacrifice of thanksgiving" to the Lord.

• So thankful for my husband's good report at the doctor this week. They had been running a series of tests to determine what caused an "episode" that took him to the emergency room several weeks ago.  All tests have come back negative, and there is no apparent major concern at this time.  So we praise the Lord for this good news.

• We finally had some wonderful rain this week, after several weeks of extreme drought and heat.  So very thankful...the flowers and trees clap their hands along with me in praise to the Lord.  And the Birds are singing their praises from the Secret Garden...  (Be sure to click on this video straight from the Secret Garden right now to hear the birds singing their praise to the Lord)

• 
  

• Some answers to prayer regarding work for our son...God has supplied abundantly, and we are glad!
• Thankful that my mother in law continues to thrive at the nursing home. She is enjoying doing new crafts and the fellowship of many new friends.  God is blessing her there...and that is such a comfort to us.

In addition to these personal praises for my loved ones and our home, I just want to give thanks and praise to our Lord, for His marvelous love and kindness to us, His children.  Praise God for sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us so that we can look forward to an eternity of joy and praise in heaven with Him.  

Psalm 118:1

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, 

for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever!"

Even this Ruby Throated Hummingbird is showing forth his praise!  I was shocked to see that I captured this picture of him in flight...I thought he was still sitting when I snapped the picture!

What a blessing from the Lord!!

"Obedience or Sacrifice~Which Will it Be?" Recycled

Good Morning Friends...I've been a little out of sync here lately when it comes to writing and posting...it's been too hot and dry to sit in the Secret Garden...mostly I've been watering flowers and trying to keep them living...and I've neglected my own thirst for the Living Water that only time spent  alone with Christ can quench.  So here it is Sunday morning, and I'm feeling dry and empty.  So I went back to the "well"...prayed the Lord would refill my cup to overflowing and help me to be able to focus my thoughts and heart on Him and Him alone.  Easter is coming in a couple of weeks, and my heart needs to be prepared for all of the sorrow mixed with joy of these events, as we walk through the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus, and up onto the cross on Calvary...as we remember His death and sacrifice for our sins...MY sins...and then as we rejoice with Mary and the Disciples at the Empty Tomb...yes...my heart needs to be prepared.

I was searching back through some of my old posts and came across this one that was originally posted here in 2012, for what was then called "Random Journal Day"...a day when we open up our old journals and post something randomly chosen...so that is what this is, and it was from my journal back in 2002.  As I re-read what was written here, I was reminded that "obedience is better than sacrifice"...and perhaps that is where I need to return...back to "obedience".






From My Journal, Written on Tuesday, January 22, 2002
"It would appear that I am home "sick" a lot, because that seems to be the only time I can find the time to write!  I am home from work today with a bad cold or sinus infection.  It is a gray, cloudy day, but doesn't seem to be too cold.  (We live in Florida, so I'm sure it wasn't too cold, even in January)

I have been thinking about yesterday's devotional reading from I Samuel 15:22-23 ~

"Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?   Behold, to obey  is better than sacrifce, and to heed than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king."

Although this was directed to King Saul, it has application for us today.  I know that I must obey the voice of the Lord in all things~in every area of my life~regardless of what sacrifices may have to be made. 

Sometimes it is easier to say, "But Lord, look at all I've done for you~And look at the sacrifices I've already made to serve You."   And God says, "Yes, child, I know you have been faithful in many things~but you must continue to obey Me and trust Me in ALL ways.  Don't give in to the "martyr" syndrome.  Keep your eyes fixed on ME, Jesus, the Author and finisher of your faith...

"Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."  Hebrews 12:2

A song I am listening to while I write is "Where There is Faith": 

"Where There is Faith" by 4Him (click on this link for a video of this song)

"I believe in faithfulness

I believe in giving up myself

for someone else;

I believe in peace and love,

I believe in honesty and trust;

But it's not enough~

For all that I believe

may never change the

way it is,

Unless I believe that

Jesus lives~

Where there is faith

there is a voice calling

'Keep walking,

You're not alone in this world~

Where there is faith~

There is a peace like a

child sleeping~

Hope everlasting

in Him Who is able to

bear every burden,

to heal every hurt

in my heart~

It's a wonderful, powerful place,

Where there is faith."

Christ's bequest of peace:

"Peace I leave with you~My peace I give to you~ Not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  John 14:27

Isaiah 26:3-4 says:

"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because He trusts in You.  Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength."

Back to the present:  I guess that message must have helped, because I didn't write for quite a while after that...life became very busy.  God opened a new window of opportunity, and we were soon called to obey  and move to another place to serve the Lord after a time of rest and recuperation from some difficult things we were going through during that time.  God restored my sense of peace and gave me the faith to keep going in the face of some very hard obstacles.  That doesn't mean that life became perfect and I never had any more struggles with obedience or trust...no, that seems to continue in cycles...but thankfully God continues to meet me in those hard places and carries me through.  He keeps calling to me to

"Keep walking...you're not alone in this world...where there is faith..."  (4Him)

 
So what about you?  Have you found that it is better to obey than to sacrifice?  

Postscript:  In writing a response to one of my blogger friend's comments (see Modern Day Disciple below) I added these thoughts that I felt needed to be added to the body of this post:

Yes, it is during those times of trial and testing that I discovered the riches of God's grace, mercy, and love. I also found out that it IS truly better to obey than to sacrifice...oftentimes our "sacrifices" make us feel self-righteous and holier than thou. But when we humble ourselves and OBEY God's word and His leading in our lives, our sacrifices seem very small compared to the joy and glory of following our Master and Lord in His steps.