I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26 – NKJV)
As I write this afternoon more than half of our new kitchen cabinets are installed. Fans hum in the background to help the plaster work finish drying. It is so exciting to watch the old kitchen take on new life.
My husband and I moved into our home twenty-two years ago. This is the home both of our daughters came home to from the hospital when they were each two days old. It’s the home where Tom and I plan to grow old together and entertain grandchildren if the Lord so blesses.
My next several blogs will focus on the Armor of God.
I am amazed as I watch the precision with which the carpenters work. The cabinets were built to specification, but the old walls are not plum (straight by the level).
Their skill reminds me of the spiritual makeover God performs in His children. The old heart and spirit have to go. Our Heavenly Father takes the heart of stone away and replaces it with a heart of flesh giving us the capacity to desire Him. Attitudes and actions are ordered to specification, but God skillfully takes the time to fit them into a life that is not plum (straight by the measure of His divine will).
The solder must first be made ready at the Cross before he is fit to wear the Armor.
Heavenly Father: It is a privilege earned through the shedding of blood that allows me to be fitted in holy armor and march to battle under Your banner of Righteousness. Let me never take it lightly. Humbly let me walk worthy thanking You continually for the work You are skillfully crafting in my life.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
The Armor of God
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore . . . (Ephesians 6:13-18, NKJV)
Our local museum use to have an armor room. It was guarded by a full suit of armor standing as if a person had stepped out of the middle ages to occupy it. Walls displayed swords and other weaponry from a time in history when castles were fortresses of protection.
In this passage Paul as our guide into God's armor room describes each item we need to take up and prove.
. . . truth as our girdle or belt
. . . righteousness as our breastplate
. . . the gospel of peace as our foot covering
. . . faith as our shield
. . . salvation as our helmet
. . . The Word of God as our sword
Once the armor is in place it must be tested or proved while we wait for our battle orders. A worthy knight would never dream of going into battle before he had practiced in his armor ahead of time.
The battles we fight are spiritual. Our arch enemy is the devil. They can come as discouragement or full blown frontal attacks. The fighting can take place on our knees when we are all alone or in a courtroom or class room or talking with our neighbor down the street.
Dear sister in Christ are you battle ready?
Heavenly Father: Keep me in Your Word so I know which banner to follow into battle. Keep me meditating on Your goodness so I remember where my strength comes from when I become weary in the fight.
Our local museum use to have an armor room. It was guarded by a full suit of armor standing as if a person had stepped out of the middle ages to occupy it. Walls displayed swords and other weaponry from a time in history when castles were fortresses of protection.
In this passage Paul as our guide into God's armor room describes each item we need to take up and prove.
. . . truth as our girdle or belt
. . . righteousness as our breastplate
. . . the gospel of peace as our foot covering
. . . faith as our shield
. . . salvation as our helmet
. . . The Word of God as our sword
Once the armor is in place it must be tested or proved while we wait for our battle orders. A worthy knight would never dream of going into battle before he had practiced in his armor ahead of time.
The battles we fight are spiritual. Our arch enemy is the devil. They can come as discouragement or full blown frontal attacks. The fighting can take place on our knees when we are all alone or in a courtroom or class room or talking with our neighbor down the street.
Dear sister in Christ are you battle ready?
Heavenly Father: Keep me in Your Word so I know which banner to follow into battle. Keep me meditating on Your goodness so I remember where my strength comes from when I become weary in the fight.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Recipe Magic
My friend Bonnie posted an old family recipe on her blog last week for applesauce cake. This week the warm comforts of our home were increased by the aromas while snow flakes danced outside and closed schools. Bonnie and I have never met face to face, but we have both enjoyed her aunt’s applesauce cake through a shared recipe.
This week my husband’s parents celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. I visited with my mother-in-law over the phone while I was busy in the kitchen mixing the ingredients.
“That’s like a type of spice cake. It makes your whole house smell so nice,” she commented knowingly.
My mother-in-law’s personality is wrapped in the warmth of her kitchen. Many of our daughters’ memories with “Grandma” are mixed with the activity of home cooking. I didn’t grow up learning how to cook. Many of my skills have developed as my daughters showed me things they learned working in her kitchen.
Recipes and especially old family favorites have a magic all there own. Whip up some magic of your own.
(Bonnie Winters posted the recipe for her aunt’s applesauce cake in her blog for February 08, 2008)
This week my husband’s parents celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. I visited with my mother-in-law over the phone while I was busy in the kitchen mixing the ingredients.
“That’s like a type of spice cake. It makes your whole house smell so nice,” she commented knowingly.
My mother-in-law’s personality is wrapped in the warmth of her kitchen. Many of our daughters’ memories with “Grandma” are mixed with the activity of home cooking. I didn’t grow up learning how to cook. Many of my skills have developed as my daughters showed me things they learned working in her kitchen.
Recipes and especially old family favorites have a magic all there own. Whip up some magic of your own.
(Bonnie Winters posted the recipe for her aunt’s applesauce cake in her blog for February 08, 2008)
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Stiff-necked
Then he said, “If now I have found grace in Your sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray, go among us, even though we are a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your inheritance.” (Exodus 34:9 – NKJV)Our moppy-haired terrier has a strong will. Every bone in Gracie’s twenty-four pound body shouts, “Independence!” This attitude is making life much more complicated for all of us right now as she recovers from surgery.
The poor little dear doesn’t understand she has to be quiet for two weeks and leave her incision alone. Her determination to jump up into her favorite window is making a crate or lease necessary at all times. Gracie hates the Elizabethan collar she has to wear coned around her face so she can’t lick her tummy. She turns head away and makes her whole body ridged so it is hard for me to fasten the E-collar around her neck.
“Stiff-necked” was a name God used several times to describe the Children of Israel throughout the Old Testament. In this passage Moses was pleading for God to stay with Israel and keep them as His inheritance even though they were stubborn and independent.
God’s children are still stiff-necked. We want to do things our own way forgetting that our Heavenly Father knows best.
Sometimes independent determination can be a good thing prodding individuals on when they would otherwise be tempted to give up. More often stubbornness just gets us into trouble.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Valentines's Day
Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. (1 Samuel 12:24, NKJV)
a = 1
b = 1, 2
c = 1, 4
Braille is a tactile system of writing consisting of cells with six numbered dot positons. These are the first three letters of the Braille alphabet. The symbol for “b” also means “but” and the symbol for “c” also means “can”. Later this morning I am looking forward to making a special Valentine card. In November I started an online class to learn Braille. I have a way to go but have progressed far enough to Braille out a short verse of poetry for my sweet heart.
More than twenty years ago God turned me head-over-heals for a tall blind gentleman. Tom has never seen my face or the faces of our two daughters, but he knows what we look like in his heart. Taking this class is my gift to him for being a wonderful husband and father all these years.
Over two thousand years ago our Bridegroom gave us the greatest Valentine gift of all when He died on a cross to make His bride fit for Heaven. How do we show our appreciation for such love and devotion? Through obedience and love for the Father.
This Valentine’s Day show your appreciation.
a = 1
b = 1, 2
c = 1, 4
Braille is a tactile system of writing consisting of cells with six numbered dot positons. These are the first three letters of the Braille alphabet. The symbol for “b” also means “but” and the symbol for “c” also means “can”. Later this morning I am looking forward to making a special Valentine card. In November I started an online class to learn Braille. I have a way to go but have progressed far enough to Braille out a short verse of poetry for my sweet heart.
More than twenty years ago God turned me head-over-heals for a tall blind gentleman. Tom has never seen my face or the faces of our two daughters, but he knows what we look like in his heart. Taking this class is my gift to him for being a wonderful husband and father all these years.
Over two thousand years ago our Bridegroom gave us the greatest Valentine gift of all when He died on a cross to make His bride fit for Heaven. How do we show our appreciation for such love and devotion? Through obedience and love for the Father.
This Valentine’s Day show your appreciation.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Kitchen Sorting
Just how many “things” can one family accumulate in two decades and squeeze into seven feet of cabinet space? The answer may surprise you. It is surprising me!
A friend once described our home as “pleasantly quaint.” Small rooms make it comfortable for my blind husband to navigate. Large windows and open archways between the main rooms make it inviting. To keep the comforts of an aging home appealing we have decided to remodel the kitchen.
What a job!
Even with hiring out the heavy work to installers there is still a lot left for me to do. Everything has to be removed before the old cabinets come out. Who wants to move all this accumulation twice? Not me!
Time to start sorting . . .
The inner pot of my old crock-pot was stuck back in a lower cabinet. I must have thought it would be a good replacement if the pot to the new crock-pot ever broke. Our new crock-pot isn’t even the same shape. (After a few years "new" becomes a relative term.)
What is the expiration date on that can of pie filling? You’ve got to be kidding!
As I thin through the items and move what is left to our older daughter’s empty bedroom, until the new cabinets are up, I ponder the contents of my spiritual kitchen. What am I accumulating there?
The shelves should be lined with cans of patience, jars of faith, and ready-to-use packets of contentment. The counters should be decorated with canisters of joy and kindness out in the open for frequent use. Boxes full of gentle thoughts should peak out from every cabinet. A teapot of friendship should whistle frequently from the stove.
Time for some early spring cleaning.
A friend once described our home as “pleasantly quaint.” Small rooms make it comfortable for my blind husband to navigate. Large windows and open archways between the main rooms make it inviting. To keep the comforts of an aging home appealing we have decided to remodel the kitchen.
What a job!
Even with hiring out the heavy work to installers there is still a lot left for me to do. Everything has to be removed before the old cabinets come out. Who wants to move all this accumulation twice? Not me!
Time to start sorting . . .
The inner pot of my old crock-pot was stuck back in a lower cabinet. I must have thought it would be a good replacement if the pot to the new crock-pot ever broke. Our new crock-pot isn’t even the same shape. (After a few years "new" becomes a relative term.)
What is the expiration date on that can of pie filling? You’ve got to be kidding!
As I thin through the items and move what is left to our older daughter’s empty bedroom, until the new cabinets are up, I ponder the contents of my spiritual kitchen. What am I accumulating there?
The shelves should be lined with cans of patience, jars of faith, and ready-to-use packets of contentment. The counters should be decorated with canisters of joy and kindness out in the open for frequent use. Boxes full of gentle thoughts should peak out from every cabinet. A teapot of friendship should whistle frequently from the stove.
Time for some early spring cleaning.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Tea for Three
For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20, NKJV)
A small bread basket complete with a cross stitched bread cloth was lovingly placed in the center of the kitchen table. Instead of bread though the basket was filled with various flavors of tea bags with a few packets of apple cider incase someone didn’t like tea.
Because the thermostat had dropped into single digits, we decided large coffee mugs were more inviting than delicate tea cups. There was also a tray of shortbread and ginger snaps to pass around.
For the last couple of years three to four of us have been endeavoring to gather around a kitchen table to study our Bible together one morning a week and spend time in prayer. We encourage each other to grow into more godly women and cherish each others’ friendships.
Sometimes we linger around and share our noon meal. This week we shared a spot of tea.
Is there an individual or even two or three you could encourage by meeting together regularly for Bible study and prayer?
A small bread basket complete with a cross stitched bread cloth was lovingly placed in the center of the kitchen table. Instead of bread though the basket was filled with various flavors of tea bags with a few packets of apple cider incase someone didn’t like tea.
Because the thermostat had dropped into single digits, we decided large coffee mugs were more inviting than delicate tea cups. There was also a tray of shortbread and ginger snaps to pass around.
For the last couple of years three to four of us have been endeavoring to gather around a kitchen table to study our Bible together one morning a week and spend time in prayer. We encourage each other to grow into more godly women and cherish each others’ friendships.
Sometimes we linger around and share our noon meal. This week we shared a spot of tea.
Is there an individual or even two or three you could encourage by meeting together regularly for Bible study and prayer?
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