A Wildflower Morning

  I'm always on the look out for mothering help.  I love my kids, but some days, mothering can be so frustrating.  Kids can have independent minds, and stubborn hearts, and at times need correction more often then I'd like to give. This morning when I read another mother's blog post, the first sentence caught my eye. “. . . I began to speak less to the kids and more to God. It was actually quite relaxing.” A little relaxing sounds appealing.  Maybe you'd like to read her post too . 

I am contemplating this beautiful quote.  Think about what each word and sentence with me, as you read slowly.(Bold words my emphasis)      "We come to God by special invitation, and He waits to welcome us to His audience chamber. . . . We may be admitted into closest intimacy and communion with God .       Pray with humble hearts. Seek the Lord often in prayer. In the secret place , alone, the eye sees Jesus and the ear is opened to Jesus. You come forth from the secret place of prayer to abide under the shadow of the Almighty . Temptations come, but you press closer and still closer to the side of Jesus and place your hand in His hand . Then you gain a rich experience , resting in His love and rejoicing in His mercy . The worries and perplexities and cares are gone, and you rejoice in Jesus Christ. The soul is quick to hear the Father's voice, and you will commune with God. All criticism is banished, all judging of others has b...

Meet Magnificent, our grand Buff Brahman Rooster "Daily annoyances beset the path of young and old.  Those who would live patient, loving, cheerful lives  must pray.  Only by receiving constant help from God can we gain the victory over self." The Ministry of Healing, p. 393 *Photo by Heavenly Light Photography

Enduring Alone.  Aged Juniper tree, Dead Horse State Park, Moab, Utah. March 2011. I found out today that my friend Marci in Texas has a 16 year old son who was just diagnosed with Leukemia.  This news is on the heels of the news that my friend Ann in a different part of Texas has a four year old son who was diagnosed just a few weeks ago with Leukemia.  Would you please pray earnestly, in the name of Jesus, for both of these precious boys, and their families? Dear Ann and Marci, May God give you His strength, peace that goes beyond understanding, enduring love.  May God touch your boys and heal them.  May God take care of your other children, your husband and your marriage.  May God supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. In the name of Jesus, who loves each of us. Amen.

  It seems there are three main kinds of prayer.  Public prayer, small group prayer (Where two or three are gathered together, there I am) and private prayer.  Each kind of prayer is important, but private prayer is the foundation. We need public prayer often, asking for God's presence, and blessing on the occasion, making it clear that we belong to God and not satan. Making it clear that God is our leader and we are under His direction and care.  Living in His presence in all the business of life.  Public prayer is usually short in duration, but reflects our previous and continuing commitment to God. Small group prayer, prayer with two to a few people, binds hearts together with God and and each other.  There is much power is small group prayer.  When we pray together as a family, in our home every day, there is a marked difference in our home.  When I meet with a group of women every week, to share our walk with God intercede for each other...

Some more thoughts about blooming in hard places. Logan Pass, Glacier National Park Jesus prayed about our hard places.  He knew that we would have plenty of them.  He knew that life on this earth would not be easy for His followers.  So when He was praying (interceeding) for us, you and me, just before giving himself to death, he prayed,  "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from evil."  John 17:15 This prayer of Jesus reminds me of what we call "The Lord's Prayer", where Jesus gave us an example of how to pray.  In that prayer he said, "Lead us not into temptation,  but deliver us from evil." John 6:13. "Christians should exercise every ability which God has given them in an effort to answer this prayer.  They are to ask God earnestly and frequently to keep them from the evil in the world.  Christ has charged His followers to pray without ceasing.  Never fail to i...

We helped thumb sized "Croakus", the Pacific Tree Frog, into this colorful hideout. No camouflage is available there, but as soon as he arrived, he felt right at home, on his new throne, prince of the garden. He patiently waited for me to take photographs from all angles, and only when I was finished did he hop away. Paul said, in Philippians 4: 11-13, "... for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Can I like Croakus, be content where ever I am placed? Am I secure in the fact that God has placed me in this family, at this time, to work for Him. Am I content everywhere and in all things, when abounding and when suffering need? I can through the strength of Christ. As I pray He pours out His onipotent po...

6:00 - 7:00 a.m. I'm immersed in God's Word . All is quiet. Every morning I spend personal time alone with God, followed by family worship time with the kids and my husband when he is available. This time is really important to how I face the day and whether or not I will remain in peace when faced with the challenges of the day. I receive cleansing, strength and comfort through my time of prayer and contemplation on God's word. Right now for family worship I'm reading small portions of a book about growing in Jesus to my children. Yesterday it talked about abiding in Jesus. I am so drawn to Jesus' concept that of the vine and the branches in the book of John, and that "He that abideth in me shall bear much fruit." The fruit is the fruit of the Spirit of God. It is like saying that we will have the lovely character of Jesus. Oh how I'd like to abide, to dwell, to stay, to live always in Jesus. The book we were reading suggested that we need to conn...