Do You Know These Hymns?

Participating, once again, in SPIRITUAL SUNDAY.  

I usually post something serious but I just received this in a e-mail and thought it was cute and wanted to share it here this morning to give everyone a SMILE.

After you smile through these I ask you to go to my previous post from Friday which is a review of the book THE CHEMISTRY OF THE BLOOD by M. R. DeHaan, M.D.   This is a wonderful, very moving book especially the Chapter The Chemistry of Tears.  

Do you know these hymns?

Dentist's Hymn.................................... Crown Him with Many Crowns Weatherman's Hymn........................... There Shall Be Showers of Blessings Contractor's Hymn............................... The Church's One Foundation The Tailor's Hymn................................ Holy, Holy, Holy The Golfer's Hymn................................There's a Green Hill Far Away The Politician's Hymn........................... Standing on the Promises! Optometrist's Hymn..............................Open My Eyes That I Might See The IRS Agent's Hymn.......................... I Surrender All The Gossip's Hymn............................... Pass It On The Electrician's Hymn......................... Send The Light The Shopper's Hymn............................ Sweet Bye and Bye The Realtor's Hymn.............................. I've Got a Mansion, Just Over the Hilltop The Massage Therapists Hymn............ He Touched Me The Doctor's Hymn................................ The Great Physician AND for those who speed on the highway - a few hymns: 55 mph .......................... God Will Take Care of You 75 mph .......................... Nearer My God To Thee 85 mph .......................... This World Is Not My Home 95 mph ........................... Lord, I'm Coming home100 mph ......................... Precious Memories

HAPPY SABBATH!!!!!

A SOVEREIGN GOD - Spiritual Sundays #3

Today, for Spiritual Sunday,  I am sharing this quote by F. B. Meyer, which I got from Michelle.  I invite you to go here to read other's Spiritual Sunday posts and be sure an check out Michelle's lovely blog.

This quote, by Meyer, reinforces exactly my thoughts about the Tribulations and Testings of our lives and the Sovereignty of our God.  As our family is coping with all the "firsts" of this "first" year of life without our beloved daughter, Suzette, it speaks to me afresh and anew this Sunday morning.  For all of you dealing with your Testings I pray it will speak to you. 

Let us believe that there is a Divine and deeper meaning in the adversities of our lives. - Joseph might be forgiven for not doing so; but with his history and that of many others before us, we have no excuse for despair in the face of crushing sorrow. Whether it comes from man or devil, all creatures are under the Divine control, holding to our lips cups which the Father's hand has mixed. He has ...no complicity with their evil, but they unconsciously perform His will. Even if you cannot see the Divine meaning, dare to believe that it is there.

Await the disclosures of time. - Even here we sometimes reach an eminence from which we detect the meaning of the path by which we have been conducted. It may have been rough and circuitous, but there was reason in it all. Often God rewards patient trust by allowing us to see and know.

And for the full revelation of eternity. - One day God will call us to His side in the clear light of eternity, and will explain His meanings in life's most sorrowful experiences; and we shall learn that we suffered, not for ourselves only, but for others, and, as part of His great remedial scheme, "to save much people alive."~F.B. Meyer

We serve a Sovereign God who loves us!!! 

TEN WAYS TO LOVE - Spiritual Sundays 2012 - #2

Once again participating in Spiritual Sunday.  Go here to read other entries.

1.  LISTEN without interrupting.  Proverbs 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning: and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.

2.  SPEAK without accusing.  James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.

3.  GIVE without sparing.  Proverbs 21:26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.

4.  PRAY without ceasing.  Colossians 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you.

5.  ANSWER without arguing. Proverbs 17:1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.

6.  SHARE without pretending.  Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth, in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. 

7.  ENJOY without complaint.   Philippians 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings.

8.  TRUST without wavering.  I Corinthians 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

9.  FORGIVE without punishing.  Colossians 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: ever as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.  

10.  PROMISE without forgetting.  Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick;  but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. 

Spiritual Sunday - 2012 #1 - CHARLES SPURGEON

"Do as thou hast said."

----2 Samuel 7:25

God's promises were never meant to be thrown aside as waste paper; He intended that they should be used. God's gold is not miser's money, but is minted to be traded with. Nothing pleases our Lord better than to see His promises put in circulation; He loves to see His children bring them up to Him, and say, "Lord, do as Thou hast said." We glorify God when we plead His promises. Do you think that God will be any the poorer for giving you the riches He has promised? Do you dream that He will be any the less holy for giving holiness to you? Do you imagine He will be any the less pure for washing you from your sins? He has said "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Faith lays hold upon the promise of pardon, and it does not delay, saying, "This is a precious promise, I wonder if it be true?" but it goes straight to the throne with it, and pleads, "Lord, here is the promise, 'Do as Thou hast said.'" Our Lord replies, "Be it unto thee even as thou wilt." When a Christian grasps a promise, if he do not take it to God, he dishonours Him; but when he hastens to the throne of grace, and cries, "Lord, I have nothing to recommend me but this, 'Thou hast said it;'" then his desire shall be granted. Our heavenly Banker delights to cash His own notes. Never let the promise rust. Draw the word of promise out of its scabbard, and use it with holy violence. Think not that God will be troubled by your importunately reminding Him of His promises. He loves to hear the loud outcries of needy souls. It is His delight to bestow favours. He is more ready to hear than you are to ask. The sun is not weary of shining, nor the fountain of flowing. It is God's nature to keep His promises; therefore go at once to the throne with "Do as Thou hast said."

I am participating in Spiritual Sunday, sponsored by Charlotte & Ginger, for the first time in this New Year.

Go here to read other Spiritual Sunday posts and be blessed!!

If you would like to enter the drawing for the GIVE-AWAY to celebrate my 5th Bloggoversary go here to read about it and how to participate.

Books 11 - 12 - 13 for 2011

Participating once again in Spiritual Sundhttp://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/ay hosted by Charlotte & Ginger. 

Book #11

This book was an important read, especially after having read "Heaven Is For Real" and "90 Minutes In Heaven".  The reality of Hell needs to be burned into our minds so that we will do everything within our power and influence to show people the way to Heaven.

The pictures for book # 12 & book #13 would not download this morning for me so I cannot show you the covers.

RADICAL

by DAVID PLATT

Book #12

This book goes right along with "not a fan" that was my #11 book.  These books have been shaking me out of my "comfort zone" and that is a very good thing.  I would highly recommend this book if you are serious about following Jesus and not just content to "go to church regularly".

THE BLESSING

by Gary Smalley & John Trent

Book #13

This book is about the importance of speaking words of Blessing over those we love:  our spouse, our children, our extended family, our friends, the people we work with, our church family, literally everyone who is in our lives and we care about.  It stresses the importance of not only our words but our actions an the effect we have on ALL who's lives we touch on any level.  Our words are so important and we literally speak blessings or cursing with those words.

THE VISIBLE CHURCH vs THE BODY OF CHRIST

I am participating in Spiritual Sunday.  Please go here to see many other Spiritual Sunday posts.

Coweta Assembly of God

This is the visible image of the church I attend in Coweta, Oklahoma.

 The visible institution is certainly ONE of the images of the church, but the TRUE image of the church should be ALL Christians.

It should be The Body of Christ, whatever name is on the building.

The Body of Christ has Jesus name in and on the hearts of every member. 

The Body of Christ is being the hands, feet, mouths, eyes, ears, etc. of Jesus in our daily, hourly, moment by moment life.  

  

The Body of Christ is busy ministering to the world around us where ever Jesus has chosen to place us.

So my question to you today is.....

Do you belong to a Church? 

Or do you belong to The Body of Christ?

 

The HOLY ALPHABET

I've been participating in ALPHABET in AUGUST over at Cliot's Run this month so I thought I might as well participate in SPIRITUAL SUNDAY this week, using the Alphabet!!

SO HERE GOES:  

The Holy Alphabet

A-lthough things are not perfect

B-ecause of trial or pain

C-ontinue in thanksgiving
D-o not begin to blame.

E-ven when the times are hard
F-ierce winds are bound to blow
G-od is forever
H-old on to what you know.

I-magine life without His love
J-oy would cease to be,
K-eep thanking Him for all the things
L-ove imparts to thee.

M-ove out of "Camp Complaining"
N-o weapon that is known
O-n earth can yield the power
P-raise can do alone.

Q-uit looking at the future
R-edeem the time at hand
S-tart every day with worship
T-o "thank" is a command.

U-ntil we see Him coming
V-ictorious in the sky
W-e'll run the race with gratitude
X-alting God most high.
Y-es, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...
Z-ion waits in glory...where none are ever sad!

HAVE A WONDERFUL, BLESSED SABBATH and remember, WE WIN with JESUS!!

CHARLES SPURGEON Writing

I love Charles Spurgeon and wanted to share this here on Spiritual Sunday with you today. 

"And the evening and the morning were the first day."
— Genesis 1:5

The evening was "darkness" and the morning was "light," and yet the two together are called by the name that is given to the light alone! This is somewhat remarkable, but it has an exact analogy in spiritual experience. In every believer there is darkness and light, and yet he is not to be named a sinner because there is sin in him, but he is to be named a saint because he possesses some degree of holiness. This will be a most comforting thought to those who are mourning their infirmities, and who ask, "Can I be a child of God while there is so much darkness in me?" Yes; for you, like the day, take not your name from the evening, but from the morning; and you are spoken of in the word of God as if you were even now perfectly holy as you will be soon. You are called the child of light, though there is darkness in you still. You are named after what is the predominating quality in the sight of God, which will one day be the only principle remaining. Observe that the evening comes first. Naturally we are darkness first in order of time, and the gloom is often first in our mournful apprehension, driving us to cry out in deep humiliation, "God be merciful to me, a sinner." The place of the morning is second, it dawns when grace overcomes nature. It is a blessed aphorism of John Bunyan, "That which is last, lasts for ever." That which is first, yields in due season to the last; but nothing comes after the last. So that though you are naturally darkness, when once you become light in the Lord, there is no evening to follow; "thy sun shall no more go down." The first day in this life is an evening and a morning; but the second day, when we shall be with God, for ever, shall be a day with no evening, but one, sacred, high, eternal noon.

Locate where you are currently at and keep pressing unto that mark of high calling until you come to the "last" which lasts forever and there is no evening!!  That is what I strive to do each and every day.

HIS TAPESTRY - GOD'S WAYS AND PLANS and not our own

Joining in once again with Spiritual Sundays.  Go here to read other inspiring and spiritual posts or to participate.
As most of you know our beloved, beautiful, vivacious, wonderful daughter, Suzette, lost her 7 1/2 month l-o-n-g battle with cancer on May 19th at 11:30 p.m. and went to Heaven to be with her Lord & Savior. 

We read the quote below on Sunday morning, May 22nd, two days before her memorial service on May 24th.  It spoke so to our hearts but it has taken me until now to be able to blog this.  

"If you are going through a time of isolation, seemingly all alone, read John 17. It will explain exactly why you are where you are - because Jesus has prayed that you "may be one" with the Father as He is. ... God is not concerned about our plans; He doesn't ask, "Do you want to go through this loss of a loved one, this difficulty, or this defeat?" No, He allows these things for His own purpose. The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, and nobler men and women, or they are making us more critical and fault-finding, and more insistent on our own way." My Utmost for His Highest ~ Oswald Chambers - May 22, 2011.

Above everything or anything in life I trust my Lord & Savior and my wonderful Triune God.  I am glad He gave me this reminder in the midst of the worst 5 days of our lives. 

Yes, Jesus prayer is that we "may be one" with the Father and God IS going to see that prayer fulfilled.  And NO, He does not ask, or even want, our opinion but He will and does allow things for HIS plans & purposes. 

I have, for a lot of years, viewed my life as a tapestry that The Lord is weaving.  When I look at it from my view point (the earthly side) I often see nothings but a big mess of knots, threads running askew with no rhyme or reason, and certainly nothing beautiful or very desirous to see. 

My earthly view

 But I trust Him because He is the master weaver and weaves only beautiful tapestries and it is He who is weaving my story (and yours too, if are His).

His Heavenly View

I deliberately picked a very simple design because I know He has much to add before He is finished with me!!

Yes, the things I go through are making me sweeter, better and more noble IF I will but remain in His pliable hands and not rebel against the potters wheel or the burning fire, which ever means He chooses to use in creating my tapestry.

The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, and nobler men and women, or they are making us more critical and fault-finding, and more insistent on our own way."

I have, do and will continue to trust you - God - Jesus - Holy Spirit!

Lead on Oh King Eternal.

  

Participating in Spiritural Sunday. Go here to follow others and learn all about it.

WOMAN AND A FORK

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and been given 3 months to live. As she was getting her things "in order," she contacted her Pastor to come to her house to discuss aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when she suddenly remembered something very important to her. "There's one more thing!" she said excitedly. "What's that?" came the Pastor's reply. "This is very important," the young woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand." The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say. "That surprises you doesn't it?" the young woman asked. "Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the Pastor. The young woman explained. "My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, "Keep your fork." It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!" So, I just want people to see me with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder, "What's with the fork?". Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork........The best is yet to come." The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew that the young woman had a better grasp on heaven than he did. She had a better grasp on what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW something better was coming.


At the funeral the Pastor heard over and over the question, "What's with the fork?" Over and over he smiled. During his message, the Pastor told of his conversation with the young woman about the fork and what it symbolized to her. He told them he could not stop thinking about the fork and that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either. He was right.

So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, the

BEST IS YET TO COME.

This was an e-mail I received and wanted to share here.

THROUGH THE FIRE!!!!

Participating in Spiritual Sunday once again. Please go here to read other Spiritual Sunday posts.


A dear church friend of mine, Danny, shared this in our Prayer Room at our last church Sunday morning. It so spoke to my heart and I wanted to share it with my friends here, too.


Just as Meshach, Shadrach, Abendago were not spared from the fact and reality of the burning furnace, so often in life we find that God is allowing us to go through our own particular burning furnace. That is where our family currently finds itself as we walk through this burning furnace of Suzette's illness of lung cancer.



BUT......BUT, (oh what a wonderful word) just as these three were brought through that fire; unharmed, not burned, not so much as the smell of smoke upon them.....so shall we walk through in complete victory. This victory is and will be based totally on the WORD OF GOD and HIS promises to us. "He will never leave us, or forsake us!"



The other important feature of this story of the 3 Hebrew children in the burning furnace was THE FOURTH MAN (Jesus) was also in that furnace with them. Yes, we KNOW that we are not walking out this burning furnace experience alone. JESUS is with us every step of the way.


I also so this quote last week: "God will not permit any troubles to come upon us, unless he has a specific plan by which great blessing can come out of the difficulty." Peter Marshall

We rest secure in God specific and perfect plan for our lives.

MUST OUR ILLNESS BE OUR THORN?

Please visit the other post which are part of Spiritual Sundays.

As our family struggles with the recent diagnosis of our oldest daughter, Suzette, suffering from lung cancer I was moved to read the following post on my dear blog friend, Bob of An Eye For Redemption post.

This is taken from How to Suffer As a Christian - Must Our Illness Be Our Thorn? from the folks at Rest Ministries.

************

“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.” (1 Peter 4:1)

In his book “Surprised By Suffering“, R.C. Sproul says:

“. . . suffering is a vocation, a calling from God.”

I’m not sure how I feel about that. Being called upon to suffer is not something to get excited about, not if we look at suffering within the limited vision of pain and misery. Suffering only becomes something to be valued and useful to us in the light of Christ’s suffering.

Years ago I sensed the Lord trying to get the message of suffering across to me. I did not want to hear that I would have to suffer, but the fact is, if you belong to Christ, you will suffer, one way or another. To pick up our cross is to follow in His footsteps, and the path He walked was rough and rocky, pain-filled, and laden with suffering.

One thing suffering does fairly quickly is to get our eyes off of this world, to lessen our love for this world and begin to look forward to heaven. If we were given “heaven on earth” we’d have no desire to ever leave this place. Suffering lifts our eyes heavenward, to desire something better than this present world.

I don’t know what you might be suffering right now. You may be enduring one of the worst periods of suffering in your life. I encourage you to look toward Jesus, consider how much He endured, and place your suffering in the light of what our Lord endured for us.

It would be nice (we think), to never have to suffer, to never know pain and hardship, but whether we want to admit it or not, suffering changes us, it enables us to set our priorities correctly, and it causes us to look to, and call upon God for help.

Call upon God to help you through your times of suffering, and know that He is with you no matter what you are going through.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to stand strong in Your Spirit no matter what suffering comes our way. Amen

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As we walk our way through this testing one of the truths that keeps coming repeatedly to my mind and Spirit is:

On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

It is on THAT solid rock we do stand, and we do walk day by day, and moment by moment.

What is truth? And, what is THE TRUTH?

I posted this on September 1st, but am re-posting on Spiritual Sundays because I am asking for you to join us in prayer. Addendum following.

********************************

This will be one of the hardest posts I have ever had to write....and one I NEVER thought I would have to do.

Our oldest daughter, Suzette, has just been diagnosed with lung cancer. This nightmare, and that is what this is, began on a routine Primary Care Dr appointment on Wednesday, the 22nd. She was put in the hospital on Thursday & Friday and 3 new Dr. were called in. On Thursday they informed us she had a mass in her lung area. On Friday they drained about a quart of fluid off the right lung in the morning and that afternoon they did a biopsy of an area between her breasts. They did let her go home Friday evening around 9 p.m. Tuesday at 2 p.m. she and her husband meet with the Oncologist and were given the result.

Yesterday she had an MRI. This morning she is having a Pep Scan and this afternoon at 1:45 they will begin radiation.

Now these are the human "facts" but what is THE TRUTH? The truth is "By His stripes Suzette is healed"

THE TRUTH is Psalm 112:6-8 'speaking of the righteous...He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear, in the end he will triumph on his foes."

THE TRUTH is the evil, slimy, nothing devil is going to be sorry he ever tried to attack THIS FAMILY in this way. Suzette is a Child of the Living God. Suzette is our heritage. "By His stripes Suzette is healed". "With LONG life will He bless Suzette".

I could go on and on and we will be declaring THE TRUTH constantly from all the many promises our wonderful, Almighty God, Our Father has given us in His blessed Word.

We have been given an evil report.....BUT we will believe the Word of the Lord !!!

The purpose of this post today, is not for sympathy but to ask the many Christians who read Penless Writer to stand with us in PRAYER and in AGREEMENT with GOD'S WORD for the complete healing of our precious Suzette. And, to declare to anyone who might happen by this blog.....THE TRUTH.

***********************

ADDENDUM: Since the above post just 2 days ago Suzette has had the pepscan which showed no cancer in any of the other organs. Her Dr. is saying he still believes it is in the liver, even though the scan is not showing it. What he doesn't know is that SUZETTE'S healing is already beginning and THAT is why it didn't show up in the scan. We KNOW it and so will he before this is over!!!!

SPIRITUAL SUNDAY 2010 #11 - Blessing Basket

I had blogged earlier about receiving one of these blessing baskets that one of the young woman in our church had started and given to me. Then I blogged about passing it on to a young single mom in our church.

Well, I just thought this was such a wonderful idea that I got a basket and made up another one to start around.

Here is my little filled basket with the tag that reads:

A blessing basket

filled just for you,

with cheerful thoughts

and prayers, too!

Enjoy your gift

but when you're done

please fill it up

and pass it to

another one :o)

The reverse side of the tag reads: If you are unable to fill it up that's OK! Enjoy your gift and return the basket to Cowetqa Assembly of God. 486-3110 Have a blessed day!
The person I choose to present my blessing basket to, and start this chain, is Thelma. Thelma attends the Monday morning Bible Study we go to and she and I worked together in the Klothes Kloset at the church up until I quit to help Mickey with The King's Kitchen. She is a wonderful, jewell of a person.

Here she is with the basket. Betty, her co-worker is looking on. I presented it to her on Thursday when the two of them were busy sorting and going through bags of donated clothing at the Klothes Kloset.

I am posting this here on Spiritual Sundays, even though I had already posted about it on my blog the other two times regarding the first basket. I just think this is such a wonderful idea and wanted to share it here and hopefully many of you who read Spiritual Sundays will pick up the idea and get it going in your Church.

Please let me know if you do!!!

SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS 2010 #10 - A Poem

Thank you Charlotte & Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sundays. Go here to read other great Sunday posts.

WHO?

Who can stand in evil's face

And help mankind run its race?

His name is GRACE.

Who reigns in majesty

Yet stoops to hear the human plea?

His name is HUMILITY.

Who helps the struggling soul to cope

Holds the anchor, steadies the rope?

His name if HOPE.

Who gives us daily breath

Leads us through chilling death?

His name is FAITH.

Who reigns supreme above?

Who has power we know not of?

EMMANUEL! His name is LOVE.

This poem was written by my husbands neice by marriage -- Beverly A. Joyce in 1999

SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS 2010 #9 - The Vine

This beautiful vase of roses from our yard were so lovely and fragrant.

A shot showing the various stages of beauty; from the bud, just opening, and into full bloom.

A few days later, this is the sad state of affair that these lovely blooms are in. Ugly, drying up and dying. I wish I'd taken another picture of them as they were totally falling apart and disintegrating.

Once again, as God so often does, He spoke to me that this is just a physical example that we can see with our eyes of the spiritual example of what happens to us when we become disconnected with our God, no longer connected to our Lord and Savior. Cut off from the Holy Spirit.

" Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is dead wood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is -- when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples." John 15:4-8 The Message

I know it always makes me sad to see someone begin to break away from their close walk with God. It is usually a gradual thing but you can see it happening and slowly, little by little you'll see the drying up and then the dying of their joy, their hope, their faith. Soon they have no life whatsoever in them. Oh that we all realize we are nothing.....He is everything.....and we MUST maintain that connection with HIM.

Thank you Charlotte for this wonderful place to share here at Spiritual Sundays.

SPIRITUAL SUNDAY 2010 #8 - Prayer Shawl #3 & Book

Is this the absolutely fastest year in history? It is certainly being so in my life!! The last time I posted on Spiritual Sunday was 2 1/2 months ago on May 15th. Seems like I just did!!

At that time I talked about a new Prayer Shawl Ministry my friend had started and showed you the first shawl I had made for my second daughter. Then I completed my second shawl, a red one for my older daughter. Today I am showing my 3rd completed shawl for my oldest son, David.

TThis pretty blue one. It has not been prayed over by my Tuesday night Bible Study group yet but I assure you it will be. It took me 4 weeks & 2 days to complete this one. I'm getting faster!!



Yesterday I started on my 4th: a variegated green for my younger son. Is any one else out there in blogland making the prayer shawls?

I wanted to share the 12th book I've read so far this year with you. Most of the information, and views that Grant Jeffrey shared are ones I am very familiar with. If you have not read a book on heaven, in my opinion this one would be worth your time and effort.


To view other Spiritual Sunday posts or to join in with one of your own please visit Charlotte's website here. Thanks again Charlotte for this lovely venue.

Spiritual Sunday 2010 #6 - FRUIT TREE FAITH

I actually posted this on Thursday, April 29th, but wanted to re-post it here for Spiritual Sunday. Hope it blesses someone and strengthens your faith as you wait for your seeds of faith to bring forth fruit in HIS timing.

Go here to view other Spiritual Sunday posts each Sunday. It's a wonderful place for inspiration.

**************************************************************************This is a story about a seed. It is also a story about faith.

Mickey & I were privileged to travel our great United States and Canada after his retirement. I'm not exactly sure of the year, but I know it was in the early 2000's we purchased some fresh fruit - apricots & preaches. After eating them we decided it would be fun to plant one seed of each. We got two coffee cans and planted the two seeds. We carried these coffee cans with us until we returned to our home in Coweta and placed them on the side of the house. Truthfully, we pretty much forgot about them.

About 5 years ago we noticed that one of the seeds had grown into a small plant and Mickey decided to plant it in the center of our backyard. Had I known , ( I wasn't blogging back then!!!) what I know now I would have taken a picture of this wee little tree that was about 10-12 inches tall. Over the next few years it began to grow, with the branches very low to the ground. Two years ago, when it was about 4 feet tall Mickey spoke to one of the professionals at a garden center about it and how to prune it. The lower branches were then pruned. Last year for the very first time the tree actually had blossoms in the spring!!

We got very excited and thought, "Maybe we are going to have fruit!" The blossoms turned into leaves and we enjoyed this pretty little tree in the middle of our back yard but no fruit.

This spring we once again had blossoms and we have been watching it each and every week.

The picture is dark, and not the best, but if you enlarge it you can see it is loaded with little fruits!!!!

Here is a close up of one of the fruits taking shape. Now, all this time, we had no idea whether it was a peach tree or an apricot tree. We really didn't care we were just excited that one of the seeds had made it!!!!! Now that the fruit is taking shape I "think" it is an apricot. I'll let you know when we are sure!!!

These two seeds planted so many years ago have an important lesson to teach.

FIRST, only one of them "made" it. Why? Only God knows. They were planted in the same size containers, in the same dirt and made the identical journal back to our home in Coweta. They both set in their cans by the side of the same house, with the same sun, moon, rain, snow, ice, etc. effecting them. For some reason the one did not grow. Was it the seed itself, since they were from different trees? Or was it that one just didn't want to put forth the effort?

SECOND, Mickey took the time and effort to plant both these seeds, and then to replant the one that showed it was alive and growing. He has nursed this little green shoot along these 5 years as God has brought it forth first into a full grown tree, then into bearing blossoms and now this year to it's original intended use....bearing fruit.

This seed, tree, fruit, also speaks to me on a personal spiritual level. I have seeds that I have planted, some of which have died. Why? Only God knows. But, I also have seeds that I am watering, pruning, tending and most importantly, watching and waiting patiently for God to bring forth those seeds into the full grown tree, blossoms and then His original intended purpose.....bearing fruit.

Two lessons here also: We must tend to the seeds we have planted and we must rely on God for the results which He has known from the beginning.

Seed time and harvest.......it's true in the natural and it's true in the spiritual.

I still have some seeds that are at various stages of death, new growth, growing, blossoming and bearing fruit. I'm not giving up on mine....even the ones that "appear" dead because my God can restore all things.

How about you?

Plant those seeds believing for a harvest and then be faithful in your words, your prayers, your time, your efforts to supply your end of the "works" so that God can bring forth the end He has known from the beginning.

I LOVE GOD: Father, Son & Holy Ghost!!!!

Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.