Whispers in Pleasure and Shouts of Pain

Faith rather than panic, is the proper response, King Solomon, one of the wisest men whoeer lived, once said that wisdom is found by being cautious and by correctly understanding all the facts.  When we make decisions in a calm, prudent, and biblical manner, we know we are acting wisely.                      

When I tell people this they respond, "It's easy enough to say we shouldn't panic, but I can't help panicking in the circumstances.

I know exactly how they feel, we are facing events and decisions that tempt us to panic.  Yet the Bible teaches us we can maintain a positive, prudent attitude in the midst of crisis.   - Dr. D. James Kennedy Your Prodical Child

It's been quite a little while since I have indulged in big bin diving at our local Goodwill Outlet (you rummage through huge bins - pull your treasures and pay by the pound. Books - 59cents and other stuff $1.39/ pound).  What a deal, if you actually would by the stuff otherwise.  I often get this feeling that something good is there, I believe it to be God whisper.  It is silly, I know, but God is so good that he...."whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." and C.S.  Lewis so poignantly stated. I am thankful for the whispers of pleasure I find in a good rummage.  I wanted a pool for Caiden, and fully intended to get one of those cheap little round K-Mart dealies.  Surprise, I found the fold up kind -a more expensive version not to mention being space friendly, in the bins.- I also found Dr. D. James Kennedy's book, the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, and a few other little treasures. Set me back nine bucks and change and I smiled at the blessing. 

I had a sneaking suspicion Prodical would be a good read, but bristled at the title.  It's a great read and with larger print for old, night eyes - I easily skimmed and read through most of the book in the early hours of this morning. The Mc D's ice tea before heading to bed no doubt helped.

The natural disaster contributed to the son's repentance. - Dr. James Kennedy

All the miseries we endure are a profitable invitation to repentance.  - John Calvin

I found myself, once again, dealing with that nasty old heart issue - panic.  When crisis comes my temptation is shock and discombobulation.  God desires our response to be one of trust and belief. How many seconds of unfettered emotion is disobedience when I receive the initial jolt of coming tumult?  After all, delayed obedience is disobedience.

An Apt response of heart...

I was feeling a little tug about my prior post.  It was harshly stated, and maybe appropriately so; however, I found an apt response in a familiar place... my books.

Books, good books - are good catalyst for the 180*'s that are ever necessary in us, as poor fallen creatures.  Highlighted or underlined passages, or old journal jottings are often just what God uses to call my heart to repentance.

I had to chuckle as I looked at the title this quote came from - as we are called to change not rant against the happening world. Albeit, changing is often labeled as ranting - but there again, I often need to check my motives. As in, how much of my rant is injustice and how much of it is a prideful gripe.

From - "On the Duty of Christianizing" - Thomas Chalmers

Eloquence may dazzle -and argument may compel  the homage of its intellectual admirers - and fashion may even, when these are wanting, sustain through its little hour of sunshine a complacent attendance on the reigning idol of the neighborhood--but it is only if armed with a panoply of scriptural truth, that there will gather and adhere to him a people who hunger for the bread of life, and who make a business of their eternity.

It is the church who stands against the rising tide of cultural folly.  Rise Up O, Men of God, for you the church doth wait, Rise Up, O, Men of God, and make Her great.  Grant it Lord Jesus.

Thinking of the word...

We acquire our vocabulary largely form our reading and our personal associates.  The words we use are an unmistakable indication of our thought habits, tastes, ideals, and interests in life.  In like manner, the habitual language of a people is a barometer of their intellectual, civil, moral, and spiritual ideals. - Kleiser  Fifteen Thousand Useful Phrases

I underlined this statement a few weeks ago. Saturday, as I sat through six hours of state required training,(I work at a private christian program?)- on Cultural and Diversity Training  for Early Childhood - culture, diversity, respect, abilities, gender, and families were topics du jour.  You can imagine leftist laden discussion that ensued.  Upon departing, I felt like a gak bucket had just dropped over my head and oozed on down.

I found myself mulling over these words and the use of them; and how, now, they are commonly divorced from God, our creator, in this "unfettered" society (free and easy ain't no compliment when the freedom digs one deeper into a muck hole of self-centeredness and irresponsibility). 

Ownership of garbage, by another name, still stinks...especially if it is in your home - and yet it is considered rude to say, "Excuse me, but those words come with a particular aroma, maybe it's worth discussion."

Maybe the word that best describes this post for me... rant or is it rancid.

A Family Picnic on a Midsummer's Night

Last weekend we had the joy of watching our daughter play Thisbe in Aquainas College's  picnic rendition of "The Most Lamentable Comedy of Pyramus and Thisby: A Midsummer Night's Dream"

 Evening Highlights:

She's our stoic - Can you believe it?



The play was very fun and relaxed, we, the audience, were camped out on blankets, with picnics and all the kidlets buzzing about dressed as faeries (they were invited at the end of the evening to sing "the fairy's lullaby" and got a star wand. Oh my!) It song worked; by the time we arrived home our little boy was crashed out.

Most of the Mechanic players were in K's group of friends - so it was fun to watch! Whoops! We didn't get pix of the wedding party that is worth sharing.

 

C. and I getting ready to watch
Aunt K. in the play.



Robin Starveling and Flute  joking around.

I




So, where is the hole in the wall?

 



Enjoying the theatrewith Uncle.



Thisby dies with gusto!





My Little Gardener

My, grandone, C.  has been waiting to plant our little porch box,  last night he chose pink inpatients and one other little flower and today was perfect for planting.  The box and our front flower gardens are now groomed and planted with annuals.  The azalea bushes and coreopsis were already budding.  After a good weeding, the planting of our live Easter basket, putting our flowers in place in the hanging box and garden, setting up pots for next week's vegetable plant and digging half the hole for our pink dogwood tree - we called it a day.  Tomorrow  C. and Uncle will finish planting our tree. It was a good day.  I just love the ugly fingernails full of dirt and the tired that rests between the shoulders after a day of yard play...sweet tokens of clearing the mind and filling the soul. And what a blessing to have a little gardener who finds joy in the digging, too.  We were laughing and started chanting, "Pull the weeds and smell the flowers" -- but isn't that life -- It really is about pulling weeds and enjoying the flowers.

College Blessing

Whoo-hoo, two in college and one headed for Auntie's preschool!!!

New year...and another girlie looking to get into college.  Our niece was accepted in Lipscomb this last Thursday and recieved her certificate of acceptence today - we were all excited at the news.
 
I keep remembering a conversation, K and  I had last year about college.  I was the one who was a little concerned last year.  This year it was her, R.  We had a conversation out on our porch in early January; she turned in her common application a few days late and thought she would never have a chance at getting into Lipscomb or any other quality college this coming fall.  I assured her it is part of life to fail, miss a deadline, and even our sin - it is no surprise to God. He is so very gracious to us.  Isn't it wonderful that we don't get what we derserve. We prayed and I told her that God could do the unexpected - even though she hadn't met the deadline. God is so good, so gracious! 

She has worked on finding scholarships and scheduling and it's a go.  Lipscomb is a stone's throw from my work which is a real blessing, has a good medical program, a lovely campus, and an amazing library.
We give thanks our God, yet again, has done the unexpected.  It is good to give Him thanks, He deserves so much more than we can even think of.  He absolutely holds all things together - it is amazing to think that He loves us each as if we were an only child.  How does He do that?

Continual Repentance

O God of Grace,

You have imputed my sin to my substitute,
and have imputed his righteousness to my soul,
clothing me with a bridegroom's robe, decking me with jewels of holiness.
But in my Christian walk I am still in rags;
my best prayers are stained with sin; my penitential tears are so much impurity;
my confessions of wrong are so many aggravations of sin;
my receiving the Spirit is tinctured with selfishness.

I need to repent of my repentance;
I need my tears to be washed;
I have no robe to bring to cover my sins,
no loom to weave my own righteousness;
I am always standing clothed in filthy garments,
and by grace am always receiving change of raiment,
for you always justify the ungodly; I am always going into the far country,
and always returning home as a prodigal,
always saying, "Father, forgive me,"
and you are always bringing forth the best robe.

Every morning let me wear it,
every evening return in it,
go out to the day's work in it,
be married in it,
be wound in death in it,
stand before the great white throne in it,
enter heaven in it shining as the sun.

Grant me never to lose sight of the exceeding sinfulness of sin,
the exceeding righteousness of salvation,
the exceeding glory of Christ,
the exceeding beauty of holiness,
the exceeding wonder of grace.

- The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions

I don't ever remember reading this prayer before today, although I think maybe some sermons I have heard make reference to it... I love the balance of our "filthy garments" and His "best robe" imputed to us.  It is truly right thinking.  What an appropriate way to begin not only a prayer, but every day - "O God of Grace".