Learn of Me, Child

“It is through the tender austerity of our troubles that the Son of Man comes knocking.  In every event he seeks

an entrance to my heart, yes, even in my most helpless, futile, fruitless moments. The very cracks and empty crannies of my life, my perplexities and hurts and botched-up jobs, He wants to fill with Himself, His joy, His life...He urges me to learn of Him: 'I am gentle and humble in heart.” 

Elisabeth Elliot, Keep A Quiet Heart

28Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.           

30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

Photo: Last Thursday, Yay!! I found another heart shaped reminder of God's very personal care and love for me!! 

Just one day before this discovery, I'd expessed my anticipation of the first day of September to mark the beginning of the Fall season. 

God is faithful to love me, and all of us, the way He knows the way we need to be loved!! 

Thank you, Lord!! 

The Only Gospel

My grandson can preach the gospel better than I can;
but he cannot preach a better gospel.
Reverend James Spurgeon, 1856

When our extended family gets together, we make a crowd.
My parents would tell you they're the proudest parents and grandparents of six families God has blessed and multiplied, and we would not all be here today were it not for His merciful, gracious, loving, and purposeful hand to fit us together for His glory. 

When I think of our family, I don't think we're perfect, because we're not!!  We're far from that!  However, I do think we are perfectly fit together as God desires us to be, and He is still in the process of perfecting and shaping us, piecing us together as He has ordained for us to be.  
He has orchestrated a plan to showcase His wise and providential steadfast mercy from one generation to another. 

We believe and accept His plan for our family by faith.  We cannot know what He holds for our future, but we trust it is altogether for our good and for His glory. 

Let it be so, Lord! Let it be so! 

Psalm 78-

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! 

2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, 

3 things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. 

4We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. 

5 He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, 

6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, 

7 so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; 

8 and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God. 

Let's Pray

This is the mark of a really admirable man: steadfastness in the face of trouble. 

Ludwig van Beethoven

James 5

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 

14Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 

15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 

16Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 

18Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. 

19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 

20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

He Can

"I persuade myself if ye could prize Christ, nothing could be bitter to you."

Samuel Rutherford:

The Loveliness of Christ

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 

16For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

18And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 

19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 

20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

21And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 

22he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 

23if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Colossians 1:15-23

    

A Deep Sea of Calm

“Humility is perfect quietness of heart. 

It is to expect nothing, 

to wonder at nothing that is done to me, 

to feel nothing done against me. 

It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, 

and when I am blamed or despised. 

It is to have a blessed home in the Lord, 

where I can go in and shut the door, 

and kneel to my Father in secret, 

and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, 

when all around and above is trouble.” 

Andrew Murray

"And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 

24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 

25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 

26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 

27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

Matthew 8:23-27

"When peace like a river attendeth my way, 

when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say, 

it is well, it is well with my soul."

Horatio G. Spafford, 1873

A Treat for the Feet

Today I searched and found a very enjoyable treat for my sore and tired feet. After standing for several hours while preparing food for our family reunion tomorrow, it seemed the perfect time to pamper myself while home alone.  Pandora's Pride and Prejudice Radio was playing, so I sat and relaxed, and enjoyed every moment until the water cooled.  

It was an easy recipe to put together, and appears to be enough for quite a few more soaks... Already, I can't wait!!

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/05/homemade-foot-soak-and-detox.html

Instead of adding Lavender Oil, I used Tea tree Oil because I've been battling some mild fungus.  The fragrance was very soothing, a relaxing addition and known remedy for fungal skin issues as well. Yay!!  And yes, I added the only 5 marbles I could find to the warm water and alternated rolling my feet around on them for the very soothing 'massage' effect.  I look forward to adding more next time.  

Soo, put together a foot bath for yourself, and get cozy with a book while you treat your feet! <Smile!>.  

I could definitely get used to doing this more often!! 

Buy Truth, and Do Not Sell It

When the boys were tots, we helped them memorize Scripture on a daily basis.  It was common for our early morning devotions to include reading and reciting Scripture together.  I cherish the memory of that sweet season we grew together.  

When I saw this picture, it reminded me of one of the very first verses our boys learned...  

Proverbs 28:1- "The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion." They loved to end the verse with a loud "Rrrroar". 

The Lord grew within our sons this boldness as they faced unsuspecting foes, their friends, which drove them to their knees in prayer and the habit of reading Scripture. I, too, have learned to thank the Lord for those trials. 

Our aim continues to be reading God's word together. Our children better understand how vital that discipline all these years has been. God has been faithful when we were not.  He's moved on their hearts and minds because we couldn't, and He's given them academic maturity for what He's called them to for this season.  When we started home educating our first child, I could not fathom or measure the impact such a simple daily practice would have for them, but today, the Lord has satisfied my heart's desires for them!  I'm thankful the Lord is telling their life stories! 

Praise the Lord!  

Tomorrow we will begin a new school year.  We'll return to a more disciplined schedule and habits with our younger children after a fun and relaxing, yet productive summer.  I can only trust and pray the Lord will continue a good work in their hearts and lives as we recommit our home to another year of prioritizing time in His Word.  

Lord, I love this time of year for the pleasure it brings me to not only home educate our children, but for anticipating more joy for what You can only do! 

Thank you for the privilege of watching You at work!! 

♥️

My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad.

My inmost being will exult when your lips speak what is right. 

Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day.

Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.

Be not among drunkards,

or among gluttonous eaters of meat,

for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, 

and slumber will clothe them with rags.

Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. 

The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him. 

Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice.

Proverbs 23:15-25

Farewell For Now: We'll See You on the Other Side

Photo credit: MSG, Jr, working in the house next to the Palmers' home this week. US flag flying at half mast on Mr. Palmer's dock, St. Johns River. 

When stormy winds against us break

Stablish and reinforce our will;

O hear us for Thine own Name's sake,

Hold us in strength, and hold us still. 

Still as the faithful mountains stand,

Through the long, silent years of stress;

So would we wait at Thy right hand

In quietness and steadfastness.

But not of us this strength, O Lord,

And not of us this constancy.

Our trust is Thine eternal Word,

Thy presence our security."

Amy Carmichael

Our Dear Mr. Palmer passed away Tuesday afternoon. My heart continues to  be heavy for Pam, my SIL, and her family. Meme and Poppy took food that evening;  Poppy has lost a dear, close friend.  

Meme and Aunt Faye, Mary, Joanna, and I took food yesterday, while Mark (my brother) and Pam, her brothers and spouses met with Mr. Jack Cummings who will perform the service.  Poppy told me Wednesday, "Jack and I are the only ones left from the dinner club."  That told me the weight of grief he bears for having lost some of his dearest friends in recent years.

 

Tonight, family and friends will gather at the funeral home, and then the service will be tomorrow. It'll be a long day, but I trust a good one.  I pray each family member will hear and feel the love and support those who gather will bring, but most of all, I pray they will know they're girded with strength for knowing Our Father.  He knows their grief and bears their sorrow. 

I'm thankful for the special years we've shared and gathered as family, including Mr. and Mrs. Palmer.  They were a part of of us, and for every reason we could think of, we always enjoyed being together.  

I'll miss him. 

http://m.legacy.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Ernest-Palmer&lc=2342&pid=181024626&uuid=700a0886-6559-4359-a75c-4d956dc7d1fd#.V6yE4GmDkn4.facebook

To Be and Have

The willingness to be and to have just what God wants us to be and have, 
nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else,
would set our hearts at rest, 
and we would discover the simpler life, 
the greater peace.  

Elisabeth Elliot

❤️