Since I've taken this whole month to celebrate my birthday I've been terrible about reading my Bible. Today I was supposed to do a post about the book of Deuteronomy. This morning I flipped through the pages and this verse caught my attention:

"Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them." (Deuteronomy 4:9)

The main reason I write this blog is because I don't ever want to forget what God does in my life and I want to get it down on paper. Among the many health issues our family seems to have, Alzheimers is among them. (You think about these things when you are my age.) I'm very worried (I know, you are thinking I need to trust God, which is true). If I do get it though, I hope someone will pick up my blog books and read them to me. I guess it really doesn't matter if I forget the little things, but I don't want to forget what God and I have been through together. Whenever anything good happens I ALWAYS want to give God the credit He deserves.

I want more than anything for my children to give Him the glory too and it's my responsibility to help them remember. (I had to remind my daughter just this morning!) Lord, forgive me for the times I fail miserably in this area. I thank You that You are always with us through the good days and the not-so-good days. Thank you for showing me so many miracles. You alone give me Peace.

This week I don't want to forget the memory of my precious niece worshiping God from her knees with her hands held high through tears. She was totally surrendering and she inspired me more than she will ever know. It was priceless.



I know I've posted this song before, but it's worth hearing again. Let it give you Peace and help you remember what He has done and continues to do in your life.

You Deserve The Glory by Terry MacAlmon

What a week it's been! I can't even begin to tell you what I'm thankful for this week. I think I'll just let the pictures do the talking... :)

Ash Wednesday: Purify my heart.

I was brought up Catholic but have not been attending the Catholic church for some years now. I have nothing against it, but I just seem to learn more at other Bible-believing churches. I had almost forgotten what Lent was all about until it was explained by "Sister Lynn" today. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I shared how she answered the question someone asked:

"What is Lent?"

SisterLynn: "Lent is the 40 days preceding Easter. It begins today. It is a way to enter into Jesus' 40 days in the desert as we prepare to accompany him to the cross and Resurrection at Easter. We often "give things up" in order to purify our hearts and minds. It is a good time to assess and see what unhealthy habits have crept in and try to amend them. It can also be a time to forego something we enjoy in order to help us learn to overcome our own willfulness and to curb our desires. Our "sufferings" in these small ways will enhance and add to our celebration of Easter when all is made new and we can enjoy those things we have given up. For Lent I am not eating between meals and I trying to practice more meekness."

I will be back before the night ends to tell you what I am giving up. I hadn't thought about it until I read her answer. Thank you, Holy Spirit for touching me through her comment.

Have you considered giving something up?

I loved helping Maggie set up her new blog. Her first post reminded me of this verse. Please stop over at her blog and welcome my beautiful niece. Kindly click on here name. :)



Thanks and Happy Friday!
xoxo

My Year of Jubilee

I'm not going to lie. Reading Leviticus was not warm and fuzzy for me. It is about Holiness and the very clear instructions were spelled out as to how the people were to handle sin of any kind in that time. The laws reminded me how seriously God takes our sin.

As hard as it was to read, here are some of the verses that stood out to me this week:

"You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water, and the priest is to bring all of them and burn them on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the LORD." (Lev 1:13)

I read where "an aroma pleasing to the LORD" is a way of saying that God accepted the sacrifice because of the people's attitude. God knows our attitude when we ask forgiveness. Do you remember being a child and being told by your parents to say you were sorry? Sometimes I wasn't really sorry. God knows our heart and he knows when we are sincere or when we aren't.

“‘In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to their own property." (Lev 25:13) The Year of Jubilee was meant to be celebrated every 50 years. You can read all about it here.

I've noticed that many people from Michigan love to retire in Florida or someplace warm. At the end of their life though, they usually return to the place they were born. I've seen it happen in my own family. I never realized it was Biblical. It just seems natural.

I can relate to the Year of Jubilee since I will be celebrating my 50th birthday next week. Actually I will be celebrating this birthday many times (grin)! But there is something about it that has made me reflect deeply and ask myself (with the help of The Holy Spirit) how I want to live differently in the next 50 years. Am I loving God with all my heart, soul and mind? Am I really trusting Him with my life and with every decision? Am I going to Him first? Am I loving His children like He does? Am I dying to myself or living selfishly? Am I honest and trustworthy? Do I gossip? Do I forgive easily? Am I compassionate, generous and genuine? Do I "get it"? Am I pointing people to Jesus? Am I giving Him all of the credit for anything good that comes my way? Am I taking care of my body/His temple? Am I a faithful servant? Am I Martha or Mary? Am I respecting my husband? Am I making anything other than Him my idol? Do I make it a habit of being grateful in all circumstances? For me it is so much more than a celebration. God has been SO good to me in these 50 years!

"The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy." (Lev 19:1-2)

In His Love and with Gratitude for a wonderful 50 years,
Angie

even a quick Thankful Thursday helps! :)

61- my job and the fact that I still love it
62- music in my car at a loud volume
63- coffee
64- a nice house to entertain people
65- a brand new day; Joy comes in the morning!

Are you sure?

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Gal 5:22-23). 


It's impossible to have any of these if I don't believe in the depths of my soul that I am really, really, really loved by God first. Why would he choose to love me when I fail in these areas so often? Do I really believe? It's something to think about and I sure know I can't love the way He loves on my own. I need more of Him and less of me. 


I love the words to this song by David Phelps:

Dear Lord, I'm on my knees again
I come to you because you understand
I've tried so hard, but I just can't change myself
That's why I know I need your help

So here I am, this in my plea
My only hope is your love for me
I'm reaching out so desperately
Come take my hand, take all of me
Just as I am

Oh Lord, you make what's broken new
Why can't I just learn to follow you
I want, I want to know you to feel you in my soul
I surrender all control

So here I am, this in my plea
My only hope is your love for me
I'm reaching out so desperately
Come take my hand and take all of me

Just I am not afraid to follow you where you lead me
I can leave the past behind me
I'm forgiven and I'm free

So here I am, this in my plea
My only hope is your love for me
I'm reaching out so desperately
Come take my hand and take all of me
Just as I am

Oh, your love for me
I'm reaching out so desperately
Come take my hand and take all of me
Just as I am

Do you really believe God loves you?