Right There... In My BATHROOM!!!

Psalm 63:1-3 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (2) I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. (3) Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. (NIV)

My husband was just telling me about what a great prayer time he had the other day. He said he didn't ASK God for anything at all - he just thanked him for everything good in his life. I had a similar experience ther other morning, as I was getting ready to go somewhere. I was listening to a CD, made for me by my dear sister-of-faith, Aimee - well, maybe Angie made it and Aimee just passed it along - anywho... It is a wonderful worship CD and as I was getting dressed, I listened. The more it played & the more I listened, I began to worship God... thanking HIM for who HE is and all of the good things in my life... I listened a little longer... worshipped a little more and there HE was.... He met me there.... right there in my bathroom!!!! I love those times where we meet with God, asking for nothing, but just giving HIM the praise, honor and worship HE soooo deserves!! Our pastor has been preaching on "thirsting after God" - the Lord burdened my heart a couple of weeks ago about seeking after HIM (see blog "Seek His Face, ALWAYS"). Then, at the women's camp meeting, the theme was about keeping an appointment with God. I'm seeing a pattern here!! (Or as my daughter would say, "patter-en") God desires our praise. He longs for us to worship HIM, to lift HIS name on high. That is the only thing we can give to God that HE didn't give us first!!!

I have a book by J. Vernon McGee - it is a part of Thru the Bible Commentary Series, this particular one is Psalm Chapters 42-89. It is based from his radio program and is an insightful commentary on the scripture. This is what he says about Psalm 63:1-8:

This is "A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah." This is a special psalm. It is an ointment that is poured out upon all kinds of sores. It is a bandage for bruises. It is a balm to put upon wounds to help them heal. It has been a marvelous psalm for the church. It speaks of the thirst for the Water of Life. Chrysostom said that it was ordained and agreed upon by the primitive fathers that no day should pass without the public singing of this psalm, and in the primitive church this psalm was sung every morning or every time there was a public gathering. They always began the morning service with it. This psalm is the expression of wonderful thoughts. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee int he sanctuary [Ps. 63:1-2]. These two verses were translated by Dr. Gaebelein thus: "O God, thou art my God; early do I seek Thee; my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh pineth for Thee, in a dry, thirsty land without water; as I gazed upon Tee in the Sanctuary, to see Thy power and glory" (The Book of Psalms, p. 251). It is faith, and faith alone, that can speak like this. God, the Eternal One, transcends all human thinking. He is the Creator. He is the REdeemer. He is my Father. It was He whom David sought. He knew what it was to be thirsty. He had hidden in caves down by the Dead Sea, and it is some of the driest land I have ever seen. California, Arizona, and New Mexico haven't anything that can touch that dry land around Engedi. It is a place where you can get thirsty! If you are ever over there, make sure that you have water with you. David's soul thirsted for God. Do you feel that way about Him? Do you have a love for Him, or has He become a burden to you? Oh, that we might thirst for Him! Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips [Ps. 63:4-5]. David is sayinbg that he would rather have fellowship with God than have a gourmet dinner. When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice [Ps. 63:6-7]. David thought about God - meditated upon Him - during the night when he couldn't sleep. My friend, meditating upon God's goodness is a lot better than counting sheep! My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me [Ps. 63:8] Oh, that our souls might follow hard after Him! This is a great psalm. Remember, it is the psalm of the morning and was sung at every service of the early church. Maybe we can't sing it in our day - I don't know. (Thru The Bible Commentary Series, Poetry, Psalms Chapters 42-89, By J. Vernon McGee, p. 104-105)

Psalm 63:1-3 has become my husband's favorite scripture. He keeps it taped up in his work truck on an index card so he can recite it every morning... I think that is a great idea!!!

So, what do you think?? Can we still sing it every morning? Even in our day?? I would venture to say that we shouldn't go a day without it!! ESPECIALLY in our day!! So, sing it people... maybe HE will meet you.... right there in your bathroom!!

On a Personal Note...

Just wanted to add a few personal things today.... I don't have anything "inspired" or "profound" or anything like that for today's blog!! ;-)  I just wanted to add a few pics of my family, including my precious animals!!  Also some pics of a few of my art projects... I'm not exactly an artist, but I love to paint and I've done a few things that turned out pretty cute!!  I've painted every room in my house with exception of the bedrooms, they are all next on the list though!!  So, check out the pics and I hope you enjoy!!

This is the picnic table I painted for the silent auction for Covenant Hospice...

This bench belongs to my niece Savannah.  My sister asked me to paint it for her.  I haven't finished the sides and front of it yet.

 

This is my Sunday School classroom.  They thought I was crazy when I told them I wanted to paint the ceiling blue also!!  LOL

 

 

This is my dining room... my husband thought I was crazy when I told him I wanted to paint STRIPES!!!  We love the way it turned out though!!

This is my dearly departed Penny!! She was a precious addition to our family and we lost her way too soon!!  I love and miss her!!  She was a long-haired Daschund.

   My sweet, precious, yellow Lab, Ranger.  He is the best dog ever!!!  He is such a big baby!!  He rules the yard!!

My Chocolate Lab, Miley.  She's a sweetie!!

 

 

  My other yellow Lab, Scarlet.  She is a sweetie too.  She is named Scarlet because when she was born she had ringworm and it stripped the hair completely from her tail... I wasn't sure it would grow back, I was afraid it would scar.  Thus the name SCARlet.  She is a puppy from Miley and Ranger (1st litter).

 

This is our newest addition, Bobo.  He is a 2 year old Toy Poodle and we have been trusted to give him a little TLC.  He is just precious and, although we got him as a "family dog", he won't leave my side.  ;-)

  Here I am with my sweet god-daughter, Addison Paige Hemming.  She is such a sweetie!!!!!  Check out that HAIR!!!!

 

I have saved the best for last.... In my next post I will be including pictures of my family.... There are a lot of them, so I will do it in a separate post that doesn't have all the side-lines!!!  I pray that you all will have a blessed day... come back soon to see my FAMILY!!!!

Seek His Face ALWAYS!!

Psalm 105:1-5 "Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. 2) Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. 3) Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. 4) Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. 5) Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced."

I get so caught up in day to day living that sometimes I forget to "seek his face...". I go about my day trying to accomplish all that is set before me, without taking the time to see what HE has set before me!! When I stop to listen to His voice, when I stop to seek His face, when I stop - for even just a moment - to say "Good Morning, Lord" it is then that my day seems to run a little smoother. My children seem to obey a little better, my mind seems a little clearer, my heart isn't burdended down with "what if this doesn't get done" or "what if I don't get this accomplished today".... I can move about my day with a little less stress!! Of course, Satan is always there in the background just waiting to attack, but when I seek HIS face, I have the power, not to mention the strength, to fight him off!!

I got an email this morning, actually, I saw it there yesterday, but didn't take the time to open it and read it until this morning. It had this verse from Psalm 105:4... when I read it, I wept!! "Lord, I want to seek your face. Lord, I want to know you more and more. Lord, I pray that I ALWAYS feel your presence inside of me and that others will witness it also!!" God is soooo good to me!! He has blessed me beyond measure and I don't even take the time to thank Him properly!! I want to be more disciplined in doing that... I pray every morning - for my husband, for my children, for my family and friends.... but I don't always just take the time to LISTEN... just to SEEK HIS FACE and find out what He wants to say to me.... I'm usually too busy doing the talking!!

I'm very excited about the Women's Campmeeting this weekend. I look forward to it every year!! It is just a spiritually refreshing time! A time of fun and fellowship with other GODLY women! I feel so blessed to be a part of this each year. I pray that this will be a weekend that I will learn, a little better, to listen to what God has for me!! I know that He has called me to be a witness for HIM (as He has all of you), but I want to seek deeper.... I want that deep, intimate relationship that He wants from me. I thank God every day for saving my soul!! For dying on the cross that I might be free.... GOD IS SOOOOOOOO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!

I'll leave you with one final scripture..... Psalm 106:1 "Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."

Today, I challenge you, pray for your needs.... give thanks to the Lord.... but, in all that, don't forget to SEEK HIS FACE ALWAYS!!!!!!

Don't Forget The Ministers!!!

"Brethren, pray for us." --1 Thessalonians 5:25
This one morning in the year we reserved to refresh the reader's memory upon the subject of prayer for ministers, and we do most earnestly implore every Christian household to grant the fervent request of the text first uttered by an apostle and now repeated by us. Brethren, our work is Solemnly momentous, involving weal or woe to thousands; we treat with souls for God on eternal business, and our word is either a savour of life unto life, or of death unto death. A very heavy responsibility rests upon us, and it will be no small mercy if at the last we be found clear of the blood of all men. As officers in Christ's army, we are the especial mark of the enmity of men and devils; they watch for our halting, and labour to take us by the heels. Our sacred calling involves us in temptations from which you are exempt, above all it too often draws us away from our personal enjoyment of truth into a ministerial and official consideration of it. We meet with many knotty cases, and our wits are at a non plus; we observe very sad backslidings, and our hearts are wounded; we see millions perishing, and our spirits sink. We wish to profit you by our preaching; we desire to be blest to your children; we long to be useful both to saints and sinners; therefore, dear friends, intercede for us with our God. Miserable men are we if we miss the aid of your prayers, but happy are we if we live in your supplications. You do not look to us but to our Master for spiritual blessings, and yet how many times has He given those blessings through His ministers; ask then, again and again, that we may be the earthen vessels into which the Lord may put the treasure of the gospel. We, the whole company of missionaries, ministers, city missionaries, and students, do in the name of Jesus beseech you -->
"BRETHREN, PRAY FOR US."

This is today's devotion from my PC Study Bible. Let us all remember to pray for our pastors, missionaries, ministers.... active or in-active!! We must also remember to pray for the leaders of our country (remember, we have just celebrated our INDEPENDANCE). We don't have to agree with them, we don't even have to like them... but we DO have to pray for them!!! The Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - 2) for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." So, today, I challenge you to make your prayers be, not only for your families and friends, but pray for our ministry leaders as well as for the leaders of our country!!

I pray a special blessing on all of you, right now, in the name of Jesus!!

Are You Still Singing??

Psalm 33:21 "Our heart shall rejoice in HIM"

We have a program on our computer, the PC Study Bible, with lots of great features. One of those features is a daily devotion. When you pull it up it automatically gives you a devotion for that day. So, I was looking at it this morning and read the one for today's date... it was pretty good. But, for some reason, I continued to read... it was tomorrow's devotion. But, I guess that one was meant for me today!! It made me ask myself.... "Am I still singing??"

"Blessed is the fact that Christians can rejoice even in the deepest distress; although trouble may surround them, they still sing; and, like many birds, they sing best in their cages." This is just an excerpt from today's PC Study Bible devotion.

Trouble surrounds us ALL!!!! We are not exempt from the testing and trials of life. Whether it be a HUGE, HOT, FIREY trial or just a tiny, itey-bitey, warm trial.... we all walk through it!! There are trials that range anywhere from: financial stress, depression, family issues, marital issues, stress at work, rebellious children.... etc, etc, etc!!! The list goes on and on and is not the same for every person!! We each walk through them individually, as a married couple and as a family. But The Word says in Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not; I am with you; be not dismayed; I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my Righteous hand" WHOA!!!!!! GOD, himself, will uphold ME with HIS RIGHTEOUS HAND!! What????? Can you imagine, the God of the universe willing to do that for YOU when you are feeling down??!! HE will pick you up and carry you through!! Therefore, as Christians.... we have NO reason NOT to sing!!! Just think of the testimony you will have when you come through this!! WOW!!! What an amazing word from God Almighty!!!

As I was pondering the thought "Am I still singing??" He brought to my mind the ever-popular song by Simon and Garfunkel (what?? God listens to Simon and Garfunkel?? Yes, apparently he does....) "Bridge Over Troubled Water"...

When you're weary, feeling small
When tears are in your eyes
I will dry them all
I'm on your side when times get rough
And friends just can't be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

When you're down and out
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you
I'll take your part
When darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

That's exactly what HE did for us!! Like a bridge over troubled water.... HE laid down HIS life!! HE died... so we can keep singing!!!!!!