Setting boundaries teaches others how to treat you

Have you ever felt like you needed to get somewhere and be left alone? Not necessarily leave your house, but just be left alone.

Not even left alone meaning total solitude, I mean left alone where maybe the T.V.'s are kept off and the radio isn't glaring and the kids are stilled—playing or doing something quietly.  Husband too.

This is the sort of quietness that my soul longs for today. My depths need to be searched, scanned so that decisions can be made wisely and insightfully.

He has told the heart on many occasions and reiterated it again this morning: set some boundaries.

Boundaries are our life savers.  They are what stops the ocean waves from rushing in carrying us away.

God has drawn lines in the sand.  He's set boundaries 'cause He knows their importance.

Look at the expanse ... the horizon.

Throughout our lives there are things that separate, bound us by various means for various reasons.

Take our homes for instance, in our homes are rooms with their lines, curves and walls.  Those lines, curves and walls are there to prevent one room from engulfing into another, they prevent the elements from outside coming within, the lines are there to say where the doors belong, where the ceilings go, and where the privacy starts and stops.

 Boundaries abound.

Our life is no different ... our personal being and space need boundaries, yet when it comes to setting personal boundaries often times we become timid, fragile and scared.  Why is that?

Could it be that we feel we are unworthy?  So unworthy in fact that we will be left ... abandoned if we don't allow certain people to have their way with us?

It is true you know?  "We do teach people how to treat us."


I'm one guilty of allowing certain people to behave in certain ways out of fear ... 

... fears that I've only now had the courage to admit to myself.

Now I'm at the point where I say if my having boundaries for myself makes you want to leave, "then leave 'cause you were not worth me anyway."


To someone like me that sounds arrogant and mean, but I'm not bothered by it anymore 'cause I know that the last thing I ever mean to be is arrogant and mean.  I say it for sanity.

I've gotten too old to fret over who leaves me and who stays.

During my prayer time God has showed me how if I want what I say I want, I will need to set boundaries. Period.

The other day I was reading Beth Moore's blog, Beth wrote that her daughter Melissa said she no longer had any friends only her family.

Beth asked her why that was so and Melissa said because the only thing she's been doing lately is writing and ministry work.

She had not been able to be as her friends once knew her to be.  She had become unavailable because she'd been busy writing and what have you.

Beth went on to say how she could relate with what her daughter was saying and feeling.  She said that she too had lost some friends for the same reason, but that after 30 years she still had some time-trusted ones.  Ones who understood and respected her boundaries.

She had friends who understood and respected the boundaries that she needed to set due to the calling that God has placed on her life.

My point, I guess is that we all need to set boundaries.  God may not have called you to write, but He has called you to something so if you aren't a person who sets boundaries: start.  If you're a person who sets them, but doesn't adhere to it.  You are a person cheating yourself.

Start today afresh and anew set some healthy boundaries for yourself.  And if you happen to loose a few friends in the process because they couldn't respect your boundaries—then hey, "maybe they weren't worth you anyway."




Today's post was inspired by Dr. Carolyn's radio program "Boundaries: breaking free from the disease to please."  

Favorite Blog Friday! {Beth Moore's blog}

We're looking at one of my hometown girls blog today! Houston's own Beth Moore.  Now y'all must understand something here.  I am not looking at Beth's blog because of popularity or size.  Remember, the blogs featured here are my favorite because of the content of the person's character.

Side note for a minute ... the other thing that I just absolutely love is the "Family Affair" of LPM.  It always makes me want to cry, especially when I think back to the girls pre-adult years and think back to when Beth was teaching Sunday school and aerobics.  I betcha she and Keith are just beside themselves with having such beautiful daughters... daughters who have the content in character that God calls us to have as women, character such as that of their mother. It's a beautiful sight seeing parents and children working side by side, and when it's done for the Lord, well... it's priceless.

I know for my husband and me we have desired quietly for some time now for our kids to come and partner with us in our life's work when they get older. Not just to have a family business/ministry per se, but because they have been given some of the same gifts and talents that God has given to Kennedy and me.

So I find it rather cool that God has opened the door for the Moore's to partner together. Okay, getting back to what I was saying . . .

The people whose blogs I feature here on Fridays are my favorite because in them I see as God saw David.  I see a God centered heart first and foremost.

One of the things that I'm most grateful for is that living right here in the Bayou City I am able to attend lots of things that Living Proof Ministries offer here at home.  I'm even considering volunteering for the ministry, but what always stops me is me feeling as if I'm sure they don't need anymore volunteers.  I bet they probably have a waiting list for volunteers.

The biggest reason I would want to volunteer is to be around like-minded women.  I can see myself being built-up in the Lord, and now I'm at a point in my life where I feel I can do a bit of building up of another as well.  The season of my life has shifted where I can now be the giver.  I can give to other women the way women in the past gave to me. Not only that, but I believe in the message of "Living Proof."

Beth and her ministry are Living Proof what a life given over to God can do.  But not only that, for me, her girls are "Living Proof" of "training our children in the Lord."

Her entire life and ministry, I think, is living proof of what a life looks like when you live it "unto" the Lord. But y'all know what I think she dresses best in?

It's an outfit that she wears often, to date I've never seen her without it.  I don't complain about her wearing it over and over again because it looks rather good on her.  As a matter-of-fact, she's a good advertiser for this piece of wear— so good in fact that when you're around her, you'll want to put it on too.

Doesn't our sister wear joy well?  To me, she's a walking advertisement for "Joy in the Lord!" I don't care how down you are when you step into one of her studies, or engagements—give her a couple of seconds and she will have you wearing joy!  I think I love that about her almost more than anything.  Her spirit is very contagious!

So head on over to Living Proof Ministries Blog and check it out. Today there's a video up of Beth sharing many things, one in particular is how she's thinking about changing her everyday lip wear. You can't help but love and appreciate her authenticity.

A couple of weeks ago, I had a Youtube video up of Beth talking about this gentlemen and how horrible his hair looked and how the Lord instructed her to "brush his hair."  The story is hilarious and told only as Mrs. Moore can tell it.  But in the telling of such a funny story are strong nuggets of spiritual truths.  Would you please listened to the story again?

Scroll down to the bottom of the blog to turn the music off.

How one woman's blog is feeding my soul

I know that I write and speak an awful lot about Ann Voskamp here at Angela talks ... .

What many of you don't realize is what drove me to blogging ... journaling online.  I was dry.  Dry and parched was the state of this soul.  I had once tasted and saw that the Lord was good, but through life experiences I had become solemn and hard within.  My writing in the form of this online journal was just another outlet of my soul's anguish.  The soul that held on for dear life.  The lost soul trying to find the life she had once had.  I was searching for the "me" that I use to be.  The me that I'd once loved.

My heart was clenched and closing down!

As I began to blog I could feel myself coming alive again, but I was still pretty tight.  Thanks to the reading Ann's blog ... reading it as if it were a book, clinging to it night after night, falling asleep with it on screen even.  In this I'm relearning.  Being  retaught and I'm slowly opening up again.  I'm coming alive.

I've bought her recommended prayer books, am praying more now then ever before and am now trying to memorize the book of Ephesians ... living in His Word.

Fears are leaving, hope is returning and I know that God is good!  And I remember that I am loved and that His grace is ever abounding.

I believe Ann Voskamp's writings is to me what Kathleen Norris and others writings have been for her: a life line.

I thank God for the ministry of blogs and I thank God for many people who give of themselves and their talents through blogging.  Please do keep it up!

Anyway, I came across this post of Ann's on The Lord's Supper and wanted to share it with you.

‘Our Father who is in heaven,

Ours… You are all of ours (whether we acknowledge our lineage or not.) You are who we all have in common.

Our Father… we come to You, Abba Daddy, not to an unfeeling Master, but to You with a tender, Father’s heart.

Our Father who is… Someone sits upon the throne, directs this cosmic play. The universe does not haplessly careen. You are.

Our Father who is in heaven… And the heavens are not a far-flung corner of the extreme atmosphere where time clips eternity. The heavens are the sky that falls around, the air that touches our skin, the medium in which we breathe, fill our lungs with. That is where Our Father is… You are close.

Hallowed be Your name.

Hallowed is Your name, holy. Keep me from profaning, belittling, treating as common, all that is holy, because of Your name. May I live without shoes, for all this — everywhere You are– is holy.

Your kingdom come … not mine, not our plans, only Your kingdom come.
Your will be done… not my will, not our plans, only Your will be done. For this is the crux of living at Your feast table, of taking the cup, of following Christ.

On earth as it is in heaven… and in heaven the whole host of angels bow down and worship, give praise and thanks, crying Holy, Holy, Holy. Do I do that which is done in heaven?

Give us this day our daily bread… I trust that in this day, You’ll give me what is nourishing, what I need. Keep me from chewing at tomorrow’s worry, gnawing at yesterday’s regrets. Today, I will simply collect the manna You’ve given for this day, and know that what You rain down in this day is what is best. My daily bread. Cause me to give thanks and eat what You give.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors… We are indebted to You beyond accounting. For arteries that faithfully pump, blood that endlessly courses, neurons and synapses that perfectly fire. For sun orb that rises and warms, for a Cross beam that supports the universe, for this waterfall of mercy that washes away our stubborn pride stains. There is no end to our debts. And yet You, with a Father’s heart, graciously forgive the incomprehensible. How could we not forgive today? 

And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil… When we follow Your leading, we are delivered from the clutches of the dark and into the wide open spaces of light.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’ … always, only, utterly Yours. Amen. So be it.

Link to the original post

*****

Participating at Courtney's today

A mother tries to teach her daughter to see through new lenses

She's upset.  On her way to work she sits on the passenger side, quiet.  I almost didn't spy her sadness ... her needing comfort as I was on the cell phone comforting a friend. "But God spoke to my heart." The first thing He showed me was that I was on the phone while driving—something I try to never make a habit of doing.  Then I heard her awkward silence.

"Let me call you back."  I say to my troubled friend.

"What's wrong?"  I ask my daughter as I glance down to be sure I'm clicking on the right button to end my phone call.

"Nothing."

I suspect she's upset 'cause I made her assist with the cleaning of the living room before going to work, but that's not the only reason.

I scolded her hard in front of everyone when I saw the "ugly" in her heart.  I scolded in front of all because she displayed "ugly"in front of all ... made her stance very obvious.  I did it, too, so that the others would see their fate if they decided to attempt to walk down this path.

"Look you better change your attitude right now!" I said with a stern tone and look that screamed volumes to all who gazed.

If I'm honest with myself I will freely admit that my feelings had been hurt by her countenance too.

You see, she didn't know at the time my reasons for allowing her to sleep later than the other children: I realize she's on her feet at least six hours a day sometimes.  Therefore, she's tired and needs more rest physically and mentally so she's allowed to sleep more and take it easy a bit more now.

She didn't know that when it is her week to do dishes all of us had been keeping the kitchen clean, meaning she has only been washing the dinner dishes—she hadn't even noticed.

She had not realized that I let her sit outside after she gets home from work so that she can socialize and unwind a bit.

She didn't notice that the time that I gave her by taking her to work was time that she took from her father, her siblings and me.  Her job cost all of us.  It put a strain on all of our schedules.  We've had to constantly change our plans this summer due to her work schedule... we've turned down many family invitations.    Nor had she calculated the money that her Dad was spending to just fill the SUV with gas so that she could get to and from work and all of the places she wanted to go in between.

I tell my child, "I know you didn't mess up in the living room, but we needed your help.  A help that we should not have had to solicit.  


We are a family.  When we need your help, you should willingly come, period.  


Do you know that as your mother, there isn't a "law" of man's or God's that says, 'I must take you to work?'


Everyday nearly, your Dad or I get up early or stay up late so that we can take you to and fro.  Your only responsibility is to give a 10 percent offering in church, and put 10 percent in savings and be happy.  Have fun.  Enjoy this season—this new experience in your life, and help with the house work... help not "do all by yourself."


Why do we do this? Why do your siblings pitch in to take up your slack?  Why ... Why do we want you to have this job?  Simple.  We love you."


Love is patient and kind ...

Both are very hard for me, particularly in the areas of marriage and parenting.  The appreciation of God allowing me this opportunity of motherhood still flows strong tides of gratitude in me.  I still remember thinking, "I would never have children."
I remember those words coming from those who thought they knew better than He ... the doctors.  But God loved me and completed me by giving me the desires of my heart.  He gave me not one or two children.  He gave me SEVEN.
That girl who sat beside me displaying selfishness was lamented for.  She was prayed for.  So my thought was, "I dare you do this thing not only to us, but to God!  You are what you are and you have what you have by the GRACE of a GRACIOUS, LOVING God!
And this isn't the way you will thank Him while living under this roof."  
God's kind of love is directed towards others, it isn't directed inward toward ourselves.  His love is unselfish.  It's hard to display at times as it goes against all of our natural tendencies—inclinations.
God through the Fruit of His Spirit has made it possible for all of His children to take hold of His kind of love.  A love where we do because we want the highest good for another.  We do because we're looking out for what is best for someone else.
We must teach God's love to our children in word and deed.

"The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns oblivious of the rose." ~ Kahlil Gibran


Free printable picture frame

This post is linked to Raising Homemakers , Women Living Well ,  A Holy Experience and Happy Little Homemaker.

Serving my family is my public worship to Him

I have come to believe that true mystics of the quotidian {the ordinary or common place} are not those who contemplate holiness in isolation, reaching godlike illumination in serene silence, but those who manage to find God in a life filled with noise, the demands of other people and relentless daily duties that can consume self.  If they are wise they treasure the rare moments of solitude and silence that come their way, and use them not to escape, not to distract themselves with television and the like. Instead they listen for a sign of God’s presence.~ Kathleen Norris, “The Quotidian Mysteries, Laundry, Liturgy, and Women’s Work”

There are a few things that I ask of the Lord daily, one being that I will serve Him and show Him how much I love and care for Him by the way I serve my family.  My service to my family  day in and day out is nothing more, but a public worship of ritual—a liturgy to Him who has blessed me with family.

I believe that how I care for my family and our home is a direct link to my relationship with God. It is only through the  strength of the Lord that I am able to get up and perform the daily ritual of my calling to them, the ones that I love, but often feel takes me for granted.

"Who in their right mind," I often wonder, would want to serve people who bicker and complain when asked to participate in such a public worship of ritual.  Sure they may not "outwardly" verbalize their dislike for being asked to help, but their countenance displays the heart condition of the soul.

Though I love my family and my service to them is to better them, my service and worship must be first and ultimately to Him... 'cause it is only the service that I do unto Him that sustains me... giving me what is needed to continue.

In the silence, I am listening, Lord.  Not escaping. Not distracting.  Say it again: not escaping, not distracting.
Letting the daily, deafening noise, “a life filled with noise“, framed by thin moments of silence, tune me to You.
I am listening for You, daily.  A mystic of the quotidian.
Lord, in my quotidian liturgy of cleaning…and mothering…and being… let a hallowed silence seep into this cracked, parched life of noise….quenching me with the water of You. In the daily, let me find the Divine. ~ Ann Voskamp

What is your public worship of service to Him? 

This post is linked to Raising Homemakers , Women Living Well,  Time Warp Wife, and Hearts 4 Home

Writing...

Before drifting away in sleep last night, my mind scanned a flurry of topics I wanted to write about: home school.  mothering.  marriage, life, God ...

I couldn't decide so I quickly prayed, "Lord, what am I really thankful for right now?"

"Writing."  The forming of letters.  phrases.  sentences.

Ah, this is true.  My soul is soothed by words.  The words that proceed forth ... that are created from within.  The process of thoughts right before the writing takes place.  In this I find great peace, a soulful rest.

I am "a bearer of speech."  I bring speech forward through the penning of words.  Writing is the way that I process.  think.  heal.  It is the way that I express love.  grieve.  live.  It is in this very basic act of forming letters, phrases and sentences . . . curves, that I give of myself.  I give away my thoughts, my emotions, my heart.  It is how I share my soul... the very essence of myself.

When I think about God, the Creator, I see that words are important to Him too.  For it is in His spoken Word that the heavens and earth were created.

And isn't Jesus "The Word of Life?"  

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God?" This Word became flesh.


God's Word encourages us.  It reproves us.  It gives us light and life.

Likewise, when we are children of His, our words— written or spoken can take on His very breath and give the same light and life to the hearer and reader because His Word tells us that His Words will not come back void.  

We can inspire hope with our words, remembering that the first hope of inspiration always begins with the writer.  The speaker. When I write, I write to first understand ... make sense of it all.  Thus the understanding births a change within, and I become able to write and speak out of my experiences.

Isn't the only way Jesus relates to our experiences is because He left heaven, came to earth and He who knew no sin became sin so that He could experience what we experience?


Is it not our ability to express and be understood through the written and spoken words that make us truly come alive?

"For I am full of words ..." Job 32:18

What I am grateful for:

~ words and the forming of them
~ words spoken to heart
~ The Word
~ my thoughts
~ solitude
~ solace
~ husband roaming the World Wide Web with me. . . the reading of blogs
~ watching movies with all SEVEN kids in the bed with their dad and me
~ love
~ forgiveness
~ grace
~ laundry
~ taking care of my family
~ homeschooling

This post is linked to Multitude Mondays ... a community of bloggers giving thanks.

Ann Voskamp & Renee Swope: conversations

I loooove these women and am soooo thankful for their writing ministries.  I've been so blessed by their writings and I hope you are blessed by these conversations!

These are real women, with real concerns.

Enjoy ladies {and my men followers too!}

Renee Swope website: Reneeswope.com

Ann Voskamp blog:  Aholyexperience.com

Finding God in tragedy, Ann Voskamp

{Please scroll down to the bottom of the blog to pause the music}

Yesterday I listened to Nick Vujici and Ann Voskamp's interviews on CBN Interactive.

Both interviews hold valuable nuggets. I highly encourage you to listen.

Today I'm sharing the words of Ann Voskamp with you, not only via the video, but through the summation of this post.  I decided to use her words, and her voice because if you've read this blog for any length of time, you know that her words and voice is one that God uses to speak to me. Angela talks participates weekly in the interaction of community with Ann, blogging about gratitude and spiritual disciplines, not to mention that A Holy Experience is a daily staple of bread for me.

In this interview, via Skype, Ann shares three points in Finding God in tragedy. Tragedy comes in various forms, shapes, and sizes.  When it comes we usually don't care the form, shape or size— we only care about finding relief.  We want relief from the discomfort and pain that is associated with tragedy.  In sharing this video and Ann's words with you, I hope you find soothing for your soul.  I hope you apply these words to your current situation, or remember them for when tragedy strikes your life.

"How do we live with our hands wide open to whatever God gives, when what God gives doesn't feel like grace?"


Ann contends that there are three things to working through tragedy:

1.  Get real about your pain and lament.  Lamenting is the belief in the goodness of God.  It's being real and honest about pain with God, but trusting that God is still good in it.

2.  Hold on to the fact that when it's darkest God is indeed the closes.  Believe in God's unwavering goodness.

"And while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.  Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back..." ~ Exo. 33:22-33


When it gets dark it's only because God has hidden you in the cleft of the rock.  It's in the dark that God is covering you, so later ... sometimes much later, you will see His back.  You will indeed see that God was with you in the dark.

3.  Pray for eyes to see.  For eyes to see the slightest goodness of His grace, and His glory in the dark.  Then begin to make a list of His graces.


Even if you can only write down one a day . . .  write down one grace that God has given you.  As you begin to make your one list a day God is also making a list too.

"You have kept count of my tossings, put my tears in your bottle.  Are they not in your book?" Ps. 56:8, ESV


So even in the midst of tragedy and difficulty write down one thing you can be thankful for.


"When joy and prayer married their first born is gratitude." C. Spurgeon

A nice pool side accessory!

I'm not one who likes a lot of gadgets and "stuff" so I was some what leery to review this product.


Being summer, though, I can't stand going to the pool, sitting on the side and having my swimsuit snagged by the concrete or rocks.  And I really dislike sitting on the side of the pool when it's HOT!

So when I was contacted and asked if I wanted to review this product I said, "yes."

For the past week I've tried the Kooli and am happy to say that I'm very pleased with my results.  No snagged swimsuit and no hot bottoms!

The Kooli is a 16-inch disk made of Neoprene designed to protect one's bottom half from getting uncomfortably hot and it helps bathing suits remain snag-free. It’s the perfect accessory for the pool.


Here are a few great ways to use your Kooli:

n       Musical Koolis! Who needs chairs?

n       An “artist’s stool” for sidewalk-chalk masterpieces

n       Markers for kid games, such as Duck, Duck, Goose and relay races

n       Bases for an impromptu game of baseball, softball or kickball

n      Twister

The Kooli is easy to roll up, easy to carry, easy to take anywhere. The elastic band which secures a rolled Kooli doubles as a handle to carry the Kooli hands-free. Wash and go, take the Kooli anywhere.  The possibilities are endless.

Kooli is washable, waterproof, slip proof, resistant to chlorine, sand and other similar abrasive surfaces. Available in four fashionable colors: black, blue, red and green.


To purchase a Kooli for your family please visit Kooli.com.

{Special Announcement} I've been chosen to blog at a Women of Faith Conference

I can't imagine!  I'm shocked that I've been chosen as one of the bloggers to blog at a Women of Faith Conference event.  Stilled and honored, I am, by such an amazing opportunity.  To share with you my most favorite people amazing stories of ordinary women with extraordinary, electrifying life stories.

To see God's work touch ... touch lives through the Internet, through blogging, through Social Media is all pure joy.  Joy mixed with lots of anticipation.

It will be the purest of delights for me to see all of us grow and be touched in this new and unique way that God is using to bring His people together.

Thank you kindly friends.  Thank you for all your support your continued encouragement and prayers.  Thank you for caring enough to read the words that I tap out here daily. May God truly bless you.





Women of Faith is a faith-based women's organization that encourages women of all ages and stages in their life to grow in spiritual maturity and faith through relationships with Jesus Christ and an understanding of God's love and grace.

Their message is my message.  It's God's message to not just Christians, but to mankind . . . that message is simple: regardless of where you are in life, God loves you and God wants to have a personal relationship with you.


Their approach to getting women to see and believe their message is to allow real women ... women like you and me to share our stories.  Stories of how God deals with real life issues in our lives.  Those stories are sometimes told through humor, but they are always told with sincerity and honesty of heart.

Their objective is to see women "set free" to a lifestyle of God's grace by offering events, books, resources, and publications. ~ taken from the Women of Faith website, with a few of my own emphasis

A morning dedication prayer for you

It's here finally,  My Valley of Visions prayer book.  The book is a collection of Puritan Prayers.

My goal with these prayers is to incorporate them into my daily prayer routine.

Since reading Ann Voskamp's book, "One Thousand Gifts: A DARE TO LIVE FULLY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE". I've started setting the alarm on my cell phone to go off in hourly intervals throughout the day.  Whenever the phone chimes, I stop what I'm doing and take on the posture of kneeling{When I'm home} . Of course, you don't have to kneel, I'm purposefully kneeling 'cause I started noticing a pattern with me of not kneeling, as I would always tell myself that I was too busy.

Though I've prayed for years, I've always felt that I wasn't as in tuned in prayer as I know God deserves me to be.  Lately I've been feeling like something is missing, like I'm not giving Him total devotion in this area...even though I'm doing it.  It seems that I'm always feeling rushed when it comes time to pray...like I need to hurry up and finish, and I just feel uneasy from not taking the time that I know He is telling me to take: "Slow down," He's saying. So when I read Ann's blog and discovered this book, I instantly knew it was my solution.  I felt like the scripted prayers and the reading of them will help me slow down due to the reading, and my mind will go to that focal place... and I will be able to concentrate, meditate and simply surrender ... time ... thoughts ....

I pray during my morning quiet time, and I still pray before falling asleep, but I'm convicted to still do more in the arena of prayer.

I long to experience what it's like to enter into the presence of God several times a day with prayer and the specific purpose of only intimacy with Him.

To give those of you who don't have the book or are unfamiliar with the prayer book I want to share one of the prayers with you.

The Morning prayer—

Almighty God,
As I cross the threshold of this day I commit myself, soul, body, affairs, friends, to thy care.
Watch over, keep, guide, direct, sanctify, bless me.
Incline my heart to thy ways;
Mould me wholly into the image of Jesus,
as a potter forms clay;
May my lips be a well-tuned harp
to sound thy praise;
Let those around see me living by thy Spirit,
trampling the world underfoot,
unconformed to lying vanities,
transformed by a renewed mind,
clad in the entire armour of God,
shining as a never-dimmed light,
showing holiness in all my doings.
Let no evil this day soil my thoughts, words, hands.
May I travel miry paths with a life pure from spot or stain.
In needful transactions let my affection be in heaven,
and my love soar upwards in flames of fire,
my gaze fixed on unseen things,
my eyes open to the emptiness, fragility, mockery of earth and its vanities.
May I view all things in the mirror of eternity,
waiting for the coming of my Lord,
listening for the last trumpet call,
hastening unto the new heaven and earth.
Order this day all my communications
according to thy wisdom,
and to the gain of mutual good.
Forbid that I should not be profited
or made profitable.
May I speak each word as if my last word,
and walk each step as my final one.
If my life should end today,
let this be my best day.

"The more praying the more rejoicing.  Prayer gives us a channel to pent up sorrows of the soul—they flow away, and in their stead streams of sacred delight pour in the heart.


At the same time the more rejoicing the more praying; when the heart is in quiet condition, and full of joy in the Lord, then also will it be sure to draw near unto the Lord in worship.


Holy joy and prayer act and react upon each other." ~ C. Spurgeon

Pray without ceasing. ~ 1 Thess. 5:17

This post is linked to Like A Bubbling Brook

The story of two brothers: a grace moment

This is where my heart is today... pondering on grace.

I've been engrossed in reading a families tale—the story that I'm reading starts in Genesis 27 and ends in  Genesis 33:20.

My favorite parts:


"But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept." Genesis 33:1


And when Jacob says to Esau, "... for I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God..." ~ Genesis 33:10


Grace is the benevolent one isn't she, always giving to those of us who are undeserving.

Can you think of some undeserving person in need of your grace today? Perhaps today is the day for you to consider ... maybe even act on it.

"But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace." ~ Romans 1:16


Special note to we parents:  Lets try not to show favoritism.  There may be a child who you relate to more, one who reminds us of ourselves, or one whose temperament is easier to deal with then another.  But let's always strive to be united in the love that we give our children and in how they view our dealings with them and their siblings.


Today I'm at Ann's, participating in the community of gratitude.

My Gratitude list:  {my apologies, I lost track of the numbers.  I'll count them up and add it here}

~ God's grace
~ those who extend grace to me
~ an opportunity to extend grace to others
~ another day to make the wrongs right
~ another day so that I can try again
~ God's answered prayer