Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Been Reading...


...the Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence.Our pastor had recommended it to all of us at church and had a few copies available.We purchased one.I had heard about it for years but had never read it for one reason or another.I have been enjoying it.I read a portion of it today that was a tremendous blessing and encouragement to me and wanted to share it with you.It is the first paragraph of the seventh letter and it says:

Dear friend,
We have a God who is infinitely good and who knows what He is doing.He will come and deliver you from your present trouble in His perfect time and when you may least expect it.Hope in Him more than ever.Thank Him for the strength and patience He is giving you,even in the midst of this trial,for it is an evident mark of His concern for you.Encourage yourself with His love and thank Him for everything.

I found this so very encouraging.We are not really enduring any new storms here which I am grateful for.It is the sameness that I often find so wearisome.The business as usual that creeps about our life.That is what burdens me at times.And I see the parallel between the ever present potential for rain here in Oregon and the ever present sameness in our lives.Now God's constancy is one thing that stays the same and for that I am thankful.But the same issues health and financially speaking are the ones that tend to wear on me at times.And the rainy weather this week did not help.Big grin.I long for physical sunshine which changes the look of the land as much as I long for a change in the overall landscape that is our lives here on earth.To feel the warmth of His smile in the sunshine that warms the earth.To see Him move these ever present mountains that cast shadows over our lives.That is what I long for.Brother Lawrence reminds me that He has a timing for all things in our lives.And perhaps we are still to be in what at times feels like perpetual winter.Spring will arrive just as it does each year.And soon,hopefully,the weather will reflect it.And God will one day remove these shadowy times in our lives.These are not eternal.But He is.His love is.And so are His grace and strength.And so I offer a whispered prayer of thanks and praise to the One who is Himself both sunshine and shadow.Thank You Father for Your constant presence in the lives of Your children.Thank You that with You we have hope.That things will not always be the same.That we will eventually be set free from all that is burdensome to us.And that until then we must come to You regularly,our burden bearer.Thank You that You are good and You are present.Even in the troublesome times.Amen.
Blessings~Sharon


Friday, April 24, 2009

Update on our daughter's job interview(s)


We are rejoicing here and continuing in prayer here.Our daughter had her first interview with T-Mobile yesterday and her phone interview today!Next Wednesday she gets to tour the call center from 4:00-5:30 in the evening.Though no official offer of employment has been made we are continuing to pray and are continuing to be hopeful as she has passed her first two interviews.We can see the potential for God to really bless our daughter with a full time position at T-Mobile.It was His doing that she happened to meet a T-Mobile employee at a recent meeting.She has been trying to get work there for a long time now and later found out that they tend to hire those who know someone who works there!So please continue to lift her before the Father.She's a single parent who really needs this job.We are once again enjoying some lovely spring weather here.Steve and I went for a much needed drive in the country today.Since his health issues forced us to live on his disability checks this has been our occasional"splurge."Spring time in Oregon is a true thing of beauty.Loads of color abounds.Clear blue skies dotted with huge,white,cotton ball clouds preside over the verdant hillsides.An abundance of newly born farm animals greet us from roadsides all over.I commented to my husband today as we drove about that I find it hard to believe there are those who cannot appreciate such artistic beauty.I have known such people over the course of my life time and am still dumbfounded by them.Huge grin.God's creativity and sheer beauty as expressed in the beauty of nature never gets old for me and I love that!Have a blessed weekend wherever you are and whatever you do.
Blessings~Sharon

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

A Couple of Prayer Requests


I am asking for prayer for the following 2 needs:

1.)My older brother Chuck was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer.It is slow growing but he and his wife Faith need prayer.I do not know where they stand spiritually.

2.)Our daughter April may be getting to interview with T-Mobile soon for a full time customer service job.She has been trying to get a job with them for awhile now.Please pray for God's favor and blessing in this way as she needs the full time work.And please pray God blesses her new p/t job as a Mary Kay beauty consultant.

It's another pretty day here in Salem and I feel so blessed by the sun's presence.Though it is to be cooler and a wee bit more cloudy for the next few days it is still going to partly sunny.And that's such a good thing for which I am so very thankful!Once the holidays are past I am ready for spring sunshine and warmer weather!:-)I am hoping to finish up some cleaning projects here today that we began on Monday!I never know what a week will bring and this one was no exception.Which makes me so glad for the Lord's presence and grace in such times.He sees me through all the messes life can bring.The unexpected interruptions and chaos that can throw me off balance somehow always work out when I just simply rely on His grace.:-)
Blessings and Love~Sharon

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Beautiful Spring



The year's at the spring
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hillside's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in His heaven -
All's right with the world!
~Robert Browning

We are enjoying a brief season of absolutely gorgeous weather here in Salem right now.Sunny with highs in the low 80's.The pink,flowering plum outside our bedroom window is in full bloom right now.The birds serenade us with their lovely songs each day from dawn till dusk.Our community is awash in a riot of color right now.Tulips,daffodils,crocus.All displaying their spring glory given to them by God!All is truly right with the world right now.
Blessings all~Sharon

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Happy Resurrection Day!

Align Center
The Resurrection of Jesus

I want to wish each of you a blessed Resurrection Day!It is my hope that you will enjoy time with family and friends and that you will be filled with the hope of His resurrection in your heart!Because He lives we can have His hope and His life!
Blessings all~Sharon

Friday, April 10, 2009

How Could You Say No?

Thorns on His head, Spear in His side
Yet it was a heartache that made Him cry
He gave His life, so you would understand
Is there any way you could say no to this Man

If Christ Himself were standing here
Face full of glory, and eyes full of tears
And He held out His arms and His nail-printed hands
Is there any way you could say no to this Man

How could you look in His tear stained eyes
Knowing it's you He's thinking of
Could you tell Him you're not ready to give Him your life
Could you say you don't think you need His love

Jesus is here, with His arms open wide
You can see Him with your heart if you'll stop looking with your eyes
He's left it up to you, He's done all that He can
Is there any way you could say no to this Man

How could you look in His tear stained eyes
Knowing it's you He's thinking of
Could you tell Him you're not ready to give Him your life
Could you say you don't think you need His love

Thorns on His head, your life in His hand
Is there any way you could say no to this Man
Is there any way you could say no to this Man

As I pondered what exactly to post today,Good Friday,the lyrics to this song from years ago came flooding back into my mind.They say it all.He paid the ultimate price for us.Dying a horrendous death upon the Cross to purchase our pardon for sin.His love held Him there.Love for His often rebellious and wayward children.His ultimate creation,created in His image.That great love held Him to the cross.He could have left that cross at any time.But He did not.He stayed and suffered and died.For you.For me.How can we say no to such love?
Blessings~Sharon

PS~Does anyone remember or know who wrote and sang this song from the late 1980's or early 1990's?I am thinking it was Billy Sprague but could not find out for sure.I want to give proper credit here so as not to have any problems.Thanks so much dear readers.

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

A Fish Tale

When they got out on land(the beach)they saw a fire of coals there and fish lying on it(cooking),and bread.
John 21:9
The Amplified Bible

I have a culinary confession to make today.Though I am a fairly good cook I cannot cook fish.My husband and I love to eat fish but it has been the one food that has challenged my cooking skills the most over the years.It seldom turns out well when I attempt to cook it.At least until last night that is.As I said we love fish here in our home.Back before my husband's heart trouble which caused a dramatic financial change we used to even go catch our own freshwater fish.Trout were always great fun and we enjoyed eating them later on that day.Halibut was and still is a favorite saltwater fish.But their hefty price now prevents us from buying either them or even fishing licenses to fish for trout.So,when a local grocery store had Dover Sole on sale for $1.28 a pound in 10 pound packages we bought some(had to buy it in that amount to get that great price;thankfully it freezes well.).We thawed some out yesterday and come dinner time I was getting just a little nervous.I wanted to make a tasty meal for husband Steve and I but those prior fish fiascoes kept coming to mind.So,I did what any woman would do.I asked for divine help.I prayed to God and asked for His help in cooking the fish.I figured He and the disciples ate it a lot when alive on this earth so I could not go wrong asking the One who created fish to help me cook the critters.And you know what,He did.I listened to the Lord's still,small voice as I prepared the fish.He even graciously gave me step by step instructions.The fish turned out great!Fried to golden perfection and we feasted on fish and bread last night.Now please do not think I am a crazy woman.I am not .But I am a woman who believes in and loves God.I am also a woman who believes that God is intimately connected to the lives of His beloved children and that nothing is too small and insignificant to Him.Nothing.And I believe He still speaks to His children in countless ways each and every day.And I,I am learning to listen.
Blessings abundant~Sharon
Dover Sole image courtesy of All Posters

Monday, April 06, 2009

So Good!


It's been a good week here.A happy week.A blessed week.We've finally gotten some sunny and warm weather here.We've seen God answering some prayers.Our van was making a weird noise last Sunday and as we sat there after church with our granddaughter eating lunch we thanked God for the food and we prayed for our van.This was outside a local Mc Donald's as we sat eating grilled chicken sandwiches and such.God blessed our food and healed our van of it's most strange noise!He's a great mechanic too!Then just this past Saturday night He healed my body.I had awakened in the night to my husband having one of his very physical dreams.He has these"fighting"type dreams from time to time.He accidentally kicked me in the back of my right leg as he slept.It threw my right hip and low back out of whack.I discovered this at about 4 AM yesterday as I attempted to get out of bed and head to the bathroom.I did not want to miss church again as I love where we now attend.So Steve got me a glass of milk,a small banana and an Ibupfofen 800 and I consumed them and we prayed.I awoke about 7 completely pain free and able to move.We were able to make it to church as a family and that was a huge blessing!Our granddaughter loves church and was missing it a lot due to illness and her mom's work schedule.Our daughter has now changed her schedule so we can go to church both Sundays as well as Wednesdays too.God is good all the time and he is always present but occasionally He really shines and His presence and care for us is seen in abundant and dramatic ways.And for that I am thankful!I hope all of you are well this Monday morning.
Blessings all~Sharon