When you are grateful
fear disappears
and abundance appears.
Anthony Robbins
421. hot chocolate
422. a day with husband
423. a phone call from daughter visiting D. C.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Gratitude List continues ...
421. hot chocolate
422. a day with husband
423. a phone call from daughter visiting D. C.
"We have this hope as
an anchor for the soul,
firm and secure..."
an anchor for the soul,
firm and secure..."
Hebrews 6:19
Hope is one of the three theological virtues in Christian tradition. Hope being a combination of the desire for something and expectation of receiving it, the virtue is hoping for Divine union and so eternal happiness. Like all virtues, it arises from the will, not the passions.
Hope is opposed to the sins of despair and presumption; refraining from them is adhering to the negative precept of hope. The positive precept is required when exercising some duties, as in prayer or penance.
In the Christian tradition, hope in Christ and faith in Christ are closely linked, with hope having a connotation that means the one with hope has a firm assurance, through the witness of the Holy Spirit, that Christ has promised a better world to those who are His. Hope can thus sustain one through trials of faith, human tragedies or difficulties that may otherwise seem overwhelming. Hope is seen as "an anchor of the soul" as referenced in the Epistle to the Hebrews of the New Testament. Hebrews 7:19 also describes the "better hope" of the New Covenant in Christ rather than the old covenant of the Jewish law. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Hope is opposed to the sins of despair and presumption; refraining from them is adhering to the negative precept of hope. The positive precept is required when exercising some duties, as in prayer or penance.
In the Christian tradition, hope in Christ and faith in Christ are closely linked, with hope having a connotation that means the one with hope has a firm assurance, through the witness of the Holy Spirit, that Christ has promised a better world to those who are His. Hope can thus sustain one through trials of faith, human tragedies or difficulties that may otherwise seem overwhelming. Hope is seen as "an anchor of the soul" as referenced in the Epistle to the Hebrews of the New Testament. Hebrews 7:19 also describes the "better hope" of the New Covenant in Christ rather than the old covenant of the Jewish law. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Friday, January 9, 2009
Taking the Good I Find
No longer forward nor behind
I look in hope or fear;
But, grateful,
take the good I find,
The best of now and here.
I look in hope or fear;
But, grateful,
take the good I find,
The best of now and here.
-John Greenleaf Whittier
413. a juicy tangerine
414. winter evenings with everyone home
415. laughter in the kitchen
416. homemade meals
417. walking daily
418. hugs from four-year olds
419. feeding Malli carrots
420. cold water to drink
Thursday, January 8, 2009
It's been a week now that I resolved to give in and give up to my Lord. (again)
I am putting my hope and my trust in Him alone. (again)
I can't do it alone, I confess. (again)
I admit I am lost without Him, my Shepherd.
Even when my heart is "right" I fail though. I trip up. And I wonder if He still loves me.
I wonder if He will just cast me aside this time and give up on me.
I am weak.
Will He welcome me still?
Will He look for me, search me out when I wander?
The answer is YES! He never gives up one me.
What blessed assurance. What peace I find in that today.
I praise You, Lord for you are my Salvation.
“There shall be more wonder at the going to heaven of the weak believers than at the stronger ones. Mr. Greatheart, when he comes there, will owe his victories to his Master and lay his laurels at his feet; but fainting Feeblemind and limping Ready-to-Halt with his crutches, and trembling Little-Faith—when they enter into rest, will make heaven ring with notes of even greater admiration that such poor creeping worms of the earth should win the day by mighty grace.
Suppose that one of them should be missing at the last? Stop the harps! Silence the songs! No beginning to be merry while one child is shut out! I am quite certain if, as a family, we were going to sing our evening hymn of joy and thankfulness, if mother said, ‘Where is the little mite? Where is the last one of the family?’ there would be a pause. If we had to say, ‘She is lost,’ there would be no singing and no resting till she was found.
It is the glory of Jesus that as a shepherd he has lost none of His flock, as the Captain of salvation, he has brought many sons to glory and has lost none.”
—Charles Spurgeon, “Jesus Admired in Them That Believe”
I am putting my hope and my trust in Him alone. (again)
I can't do it alone, I confess. (again)
I admit I am lost without Him, my Shepherd.
Even when my heart is "right" I fail though. I trip up. And I wonder if He still loves me.
I wonder if He will just cast me aside this time and give up on me.
I am weak.
Will He welcome me still?
Will He look for me, search me out when I wander?
The answer is YES! He never gives up one me.
What blessed assurance. What peace I find in that today.
I praise You, Lord for you are my Salvation.
“There shall be more wonder at the going to heaven of the weak believers than at the stronger ones. Mr. Greatheart, when he comes there, will owe his victories to his Master and lay his laurels at his feet; but fainting Feeblemind and limping Ready-to-Halt with his crutches, and trembling Little-Faith—when they enter into rest, will make heaven ring with notes of even greater admiration that such poor creeping worms of the earth should win the day by mighty grace.
Suppose that one of them should be missing at the last? Stop the harps! Silence the songs! No beginning to be merry while one child is shut out! I am quite certain if, as a family, we were going to sing our evening hymn of joy and thankfulness, if mother said, ‘Where is the little mite? Where is the last one of the family?’ there would be a pause. If we had to say, ‘She is lost,’ there would be no singing and no resting till she was found.
It is the glory of Jesus that as a shepherd he has lost none of His flock, as the Captain of salvation, he has brought many sons to glory and has lost none.”
—Charles Spurgeon, “Jesus Admired in Them That Believe”
Friday, January 2, 2009
Resolution
Be of good courage,
and he shall strengthen your heart,
all ye that hope in the LORD.
Psalm 31:24
According to my dictionary, resolution means the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc. Many a resolutions are made and broken each year. All with good intentions.
Every year I make at least one resolution. Usually it is one that involves a commitment to lose weight, exercise daily, trim and tone this forty-something body, etc. You get the point.
Being temporarily sane, I have decided to forgo making any grandiose resolutions this year. That's right. Call it learning from my mistakes, or just being realistic, but I have come to grips with my condition. I am hopeless. I have the willpower of a starved great white shark when it comes to resisting sweets and I can create any excuse not to to exercise. And anyway my history reveals that by February 1st I have usually fallen off the wagon. So what to do?
Do I give in and give up? Yes. I give in and give up my desires to my Lord. I am putting my hope and my trust in Him alone. He is the One who died for all my sins. He knows my shortcomings, my weaknesses. The only way to change, to get better is to realize that If I am a believer then "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
I will fail him, fall short but He won't give up on me because He promised to complete the good work he began in me (Philippians 1:.6). As I yield to Him, the Holy Spirit will produce the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control in my life.(Galatians 5:22)
So I resolve, I will put my hope in Him, and not myself...or those devilish miniature Butterfingers.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
All Things New
“There are children of God who need this text, ‘Behold, I make all things new,’ whose sigh is that they so soon grow dull and weary in the ways of God, and therefore they need daily renewing. After a few months a vigorous young Christian will begin to cool down; and those who have been long in the ways of God find that final perseverance must be a miracle if ever it is to be accomplished, for naturally they tire and faint.
Well, now, dear friends, why do you and I ever get stale and flat? Why, it is because we get away from him who says, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ The straight way to a perpetual newness and freshness of holy youth is to go to Christ again, just as we did at the first. A better thing still is never to leave him, but to stand for ever at the cross-foot delighting yourself in his all-sufficient sacrifice.
They that are full of the joy of the Lord never find life grow weary. Getting near to Christ, you will partake in his joy, and that joy shall be your strength, your freshness, the newness of your life. God grant us to drink of the eternal founts, that we may for ever overflow.”
—Charles Spurgeon, “Sermon for New Year’s Day”
Well, now, dear friends, why do you and I ever get stale and flat? Why, it is because we get away from him who says, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ The straight way to a perpetual newness and freshness of holy youth is to go to Christ again, just as we did at the first. A better thing still is never to leave him, but to stand for ever at the cross-foot delighting yourself in his all-sufficient sacrifice.
They that are full of the joy of the Lord never find life grow weary. Getting near to Christ, you will partake in his joy, and that joy shall be your strength, your freshness, the newness of your life. God grant us to drink of the eternal founts, that we may for ever overflow.”
—Charles Spurgeon, “Sermon for New Year’s Day”
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