Where do you go when your world completely crashes...when no persons are there to be there for you (they say they would, if not in words, in actions)...the silence of the desert is all the experience...
Where do you go when you long for complete friendship...exchange of ones deepest feelings...one seeing the best in one to another...enjoying each other...loyal through life...looking for the next day...to see you...celebrating the day, playing in it together...talking about the day... looking for another memory to keep in your pockets.
I go to the Rock...He never breaks, He is Faithful, He never leaves, He always Loves me, He is Always, Always there beside, behind, beneath, before, inside, me. I love you God because you first loved me. You are my Father and my dearest Friend.
Wendy
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
In Christ Alone
My mind clings to this at the end of the day....
In Christ Alone my heart is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This corner Stone
This solid ground
Firm through the fiercest Storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled and strivings cease
In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and Righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to Save
Till on that Cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I Live
There in the ground His body laid
Light of the World by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in Glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in Victory
Sin"s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Oh for the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in Life
No fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final death
Jesus commands my final destiny
No power of hell no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I stand
No power of hell no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in power of Christ I stand.
In Christ Alone my heart is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This corner Stone
This solid ground
Firm through the fiercest Storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled and strivings cease
In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and Righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to Save
Till on that Cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I Live
There in the ground His body laid
Light of the World by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in Glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in Victory
Sin"s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Oh for the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in Life
No fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final death
Jesus commands my final destiny
No power of hell no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I stand
No power of hell no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in power of Christ I stand.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Remember Eternal Matters
I am pulled in different directions. Work, the future, time restraints, fun, friends,and more.
I now step back to breath...I am preparing for my next evaluation and preparing for my incentive bonus(taking much time). I am thinking about all the additional stuff along with this and I can easily become anxious(not obediant to God-Sin). I have to now grab my heart, my mind, and yield completely and entirely to God and His plan. When I do this or that (be it running, washing my dishes, talking to a friend, doing my yearly evalution projects I must not forget "I do this for God's glory".
I think about how my wonderful friend Becky has often lovingly and firmly in the past grabbed my arm to say, "Wendy, it really doesn't matter". And I shake myself to say, "Yes, Yes, it doesn't matter in this Life...look at Jesus and where you will spend Eternity. This life all my striving is vain. God must be THE ULTIMATE reason.
So I am thrilled to think about my Brother John in the scriptures again...many years later. Sitting on this island (Patmos)by himself...old and I imagine cataracts in his eyes, dry, shriveled-up skin, bony joints, long straggly gray beard, hunched over and then the Bible says he has a vision...
Revelation 4
The Throne in Heaven
"1After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." 2At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. 4Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." 9Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being."
And a relationship with this King is what really matters!
I now step back to breath...I am preparing for my next evaluation and preparing for my incentive bonus(taking much time). I am thinking about all the additional stuff along with this and I can easily become anxious(not obediant to God-Sin). I have to now grab my heart, my mind, and yield completely and entirely to God and His plan. When I do this or that (be it running, washing my dishes, talking to a friend, doing my yearly evalution projects I must not forget "I do this for God's glory".
I think about how my wonderful friend Becky has often lovingly and firmly in the past grabbed my arm to say, "Wendy, it really doesn't matter". And I shake myself to say, "Yes, Yes, it doesn't matter in this Life...look at Jesus and where you will spend Eternity. This life all my striving is vain. God must be THE ULTIMATE reason.
So I am thrilled to think about my Brother John in the scriptures again...many years later. Sitting on this island (Patmos)by himself...old and I imagine cataracts in his eyes, dry, shriveled-up skin, bony joints, long straggly gray beard, hunched over and then the Bible says he has a vision...
Revelation 4
The Throne in Heaven
"1After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." 2At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. 4Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." 9Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being."
And a relationship with this King is what really matters!
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Pride
I come here to journal-it is fun writing on this bubbly wall. I am blessed with the past of knowing a dear friend, Willard Lohnes (I always thought kind of a funny name) and his lovely wife, Maria. His life continues to leave a rich scent of His thirst for God, once again.
Now That’s A Bad Question
“Humble yourself in the sight of God”
James 4:10
'“Am I proud?” Yes. I think that I would feel much more comfortable with, “Are you proud?” Or even, “Are Never mind, I think that we should both get another topic so we can all feel more at ease. I am at home being sick and that always is cause for mind-dwelling. Kona my golden Labrador is lying right next to my bed. She won’t move unless I do. I’ve concluded, she is humble. This is where the topic formulated.
If you are like me, I do not like certain questions and this is probably the worst but it is one that we must ask if we are to be honest in our evaluations of the heart, our hearts.
Life can be a good teacher but it can also be a good hider of truth. We can look at ourselves in the light of the world, people, or circumstances and conclude that because of them, we are a constructive composite for others to consider. We says: position proves person, influence issues integrity, and accomplishments authenticates admiration. But I fear that all of this simply is an acceptable authentic pride.
But more, as I provocatively enter into this abyss on pride, my thoughts move to the evaluation of it. How does one know if he is proud since in the very essence of pride is the false belief of one’s importance or power. It goes like this, of course I am not proud because to be proud is unworthy and I am worthy so I am not proud. The problem with pride is the deception it disperses. Pride will not let me acknowledge itself in me. Also pride will not allow itself to be viewed or violated, but it will push me to vindicate it. So how do I know it in me?
Intermission, Kona just stirred because I moved. This is intriguing, she is totally satisfied to be here, albeit sleeping. When I sit up, she lifts her head to see what I am doing. If I get up, she follows. She wants to be in my presence and nothing else matters. Ah, here is a key. I think that dogs, at least mine, are humble. Her joy is overtly and unashamedly to love me by being with me.
Ok, I take it for granted that I am proud, there I said it, I fear that I have been too long, too much, and too foolish in it. But this admission has brought me to a conclusion. Love is the evaluator of pride. If I can love, I tend to be humble. To love is to place myself at the disposal of someone else, not myself. Therefore, our question is, “How am I doing in loving? Take some time to answer.
Next, how do I fix it? Be humble! Great! How do I do that? Humility is a virtue that cannot be directly obtained. It is the result of another action. James says in his book of clear and often condemning considerations, “Humble yourself in the sight of God”. He assumes that everyone is proud in some way. This is true. Remedy? Place yourself in God’s presence. Ask, “Do I want, love, and desire to be with God?” Do I wait on Him? How is my prayer life? Do I love talking with him? This is tough going. I fight constantly with my prayer times. I tend to be too work-heavy to stop and pray. Not a good attribute and one that needs to change.
So why is Kona important? Kona is still lying next to the bed, just waiting, sleeping. Her day is caught up in mine. She is enjoying just being with me. That is life for her and it ought to be ours with God. Just wanting to be with Him. Just loving to be with Him. Just knowing that He is my life. You only can love what you know. So get into His presence and learn. “I am His and He is mine”, a song we sang Sunday and a song of humble answers.
Pride is being satisfied with myself not needing others.
Humility is also being satisfied but by or with Another’s self.
“Almighty God, in this quiet hour I seek communion with thee. From the fret and fever of the day’s business, from the world’s discordant noises, from the praise and blame of men, from the confused thoughts and vain imaginations of my own heart, I would now turn aside and seek the quietness of thy presence.” John Baillie
I would add, “And so become like Christ by enjoying Him as You do.
Will'
So I bring my friend's words to thought. Christ was The Example of humility-He truly loved. He came to us selflessly (in comparison to heaven, there was nothing this earth would give back to Him). A tip of the iceburg: He loved the blind man; He loved the women at the well; Heloved betrayers; He loved when He was alone, and He loved in His final breaths..."not my will but Yours be done".
Now That’s A Bad Question
“Humble yourself in the sight of God”
James 4:10
'“Am I proud?” Yes. I think that I would feel much more comfortable with, “Are you proud?” Or even, “Are Never mind, I think that we should both get another topic so we can all feel more at ease. I am at home being sick and that always is cause for mind-dwelling. Kona my golden Labrador is lying right next to my bed. She won’t move unless I do. I’ve concluded, she is humble. This is where the topic formulated.
If you are like me, I do not like certain questions and this is probably the worst but it is one that we must ask if we are to be honest in our evaluations of the heart, our hearts.
Life can be a good teacher but it can also be a good hider of truth. We can look at ourselves in the light of the world, people, or circumstances and conclude that because of them, we are a constructive composite for others to consider. We says: position proves person, influence issues integrity, and accomplishments authenticates admiration. But I fear that all of this simply is an acceptable authentic pride.
But more, as I provocatively enter into this abyss on pride, my thoughts move to the evaluation of it. How does one know if he is proud since in the very essence of pride is the false belief of one’s importance or power. It goes like this, of course I am not proud because to be proud is unworthy and I am worthy so I am not proud. The problem with pride is the deception it disperses. Pride will not let me acknowledge itself in me. Also pride will not allow itself to be viewed or violated, but it will push me to vindicate it. So how do I know it in me?
Intermission, Kona just stirred because I moved. This is intriguing, she is totally satisfied to be here, albeit sleeping. When I sit up, she lifts her head to see what I am doing. If I get up, she follows. She wants to be in my presence and nothing else matters. Ah, here is a key. I think that dogs, at least mine, are humble. Her joy is overtly and unashamedly to love me by being with me.
Ok, I take it for granted that I am proud, there I said it, I fear that I have been too long, too much, and too foolish in it. But this admission has brought me to a conclusion. Love is the evaluator of pride. If I can love, I tend to be humble. To love is to place myself at the disposal of someone else, not myself. Therefore, our question is, “How am I doing in loving? Take some time to answer.
Next, how do I fix it? Be humble! Great! How do I do that? Humility is a virtue that cannot be directly obtained. It is the result of another action. James says in his book of clear and often condemning considerations, “Humble yourself in the sight of God”. He assumes that everyone is proud in some way. This is true. Remedy? Place yourself in God’s presence. Ask, “Do I want, love, and desire to be with God?” Do I wait on Him? How is my prayer life? Do I love talking with him? This is tough going. I fight constantly with my prayer times. I tend to be too work-heavy to stop and pray. Not a good attribute and one that needs to change.
So why is Kona important? Kona is still lying next to the bed, just waiting, sleeping. Her day is caught up in mine. She is enjoying just being with me. That is life for her and it ought to be ours with God. Just wanting to be with Him. Just loving to be with Him. Just knowing that He is my life. You only can love what you know. So get into His presence and learn. “I am His and He is mine”, a song we sang Sunday and a song of humble answers.
Pride is being satisfied with myself not needing others.
Humility is also being satisfied but by or with Another’s self.
“Almighty God, in this quiet hour I seek communion with thee. From the fret and fever of the day’s business, from the world’s discordant noises, from the praise and blame of men, from the confused thoughts and vain imaginations of my own heart, I would now turn aside and seek the quietness of thy presence.” John Baillie
I would add, “And so become like Christ by enjoying Him as You do.
Will'
So I bring my friend's words to thought. Christ was The Example of humility-He truly loved. He came to us selflessly (in comparison to heaven, there was nothing this earth would give back to Him). A tip of the iceburg: He loved the blind man; He loved the women at the well; Heloved betrayers; He loved when He was alone, and He loved in His final breaths..."not my will but Yours be done".
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