GOD'S FAITHFULNESS

Isaiah 25:1

[Praise to the LORD] LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.


http://www.inspiks.com/

Do you have the mind of an engineer, an economist, an accountant, a head of State, a scientist, a doctor, a lawyer and all the other branches of studies, all in one?  Which field would be the most emphasized?  Would their be peace, when all at once, everything you have stored in your brain, is being called to surface, in an emergency, or thinking about a divine structure, or the opening of a bud, the intricate layers of an onion, and so on and so forth?


That is why, I just sit here in my window seat, soaking in God's grand creation.  Am I not so blessed, all I need to do is enjoy it?

Thank you, dear God, that you still hold everything in  its appointed place, its designed purpose, the laws it is set to follow, and could still listen to my woes.  Even when I stare at the dawning of the day, Your faithfulness, Oh God is manifested.

Word:  Faithfulness

RAIN, RAIN, RAIN

There is something about rain that sends me off to Joy Land.  It never fails to tip my lips a perfect curve up.  Not only does it brings coolness to my day, but it gives me enough list to thank God for.

When I was little, there was this moment that never got archived to the remotest area of my brain.  I was in my first grade of school and the weather in June here in the Philippines is wet.  It is the start of school year and happy feet of children on their first day of school, don't get dampened by the downpour.  It gives us extra supply to choose to bring to school.  Like, maybe a pink umbrella to match a pair of pink rain coat and sweaters.  We would compare our goodies with one another and we would have fun closing and opening our umbrellas.

One day, I was the envy of my classmates.  When the day ended and we were ready to go home, the rain poured heavily.  We were forced to stay inside our classrooms because it was a stormy kind of rain.  Not just a little drizzle which my tiny umbrella couldn't take.  I might be blown away with it if I tried to walk home under it.

Then, my ever thoughtful Mother came, with her big umbrella.  She came to pick me up armed with my sweater too.  I happily skipped in the rain to walk along side her.  We went home hand in hand under her big umbrella.

The next morning, a couple of classmates told me that I was so lucky to have a Mother like mine.  They longed for their own Mothers to come pick them from school during that downpour of the previous day.  That made me smile all day long wishing it would be raining again by the time we go home.  Nothing could ever dampen my spirits that day.  The sunshine in my smile made the gloomy weather brighter.

PHOTO SOURCE

Thank you, God, for giving us mothers and for giving them big hearts to carry a good amount of love to extend to their children.

"Rain, rain, rain..... do not go away!  
I like you, any other day.
Umbrellas go up, and up the town,
When you come pouring down, and down.

by Lolita 3.14.2012

 

Do you like rain?  If not, what experience makes you associate it with hurtful memories?

You may choose to think of it as blessings, pouring down from heaven above, for farmers, for our gardens, for coolness and for thirst.

It would be reassuring to think about why God made that band of lovely colors across the sky when it rains.

It is God's covenant to His people not to flood the earth again like the time of Noah.

So should our troubles and cares be, we are able to get through any of them, because He promised that He will not give us any, larger than we are capable of surpassing.

PHOTO SOURCE

I have entered this story at TELL ME A STORY, for blog hopping and I am linking PRECEPT GIRL blog.  A profound site to get encouragement from.  Go on, click her blog and be blessed. 

PRECEPT GIRL

TELL ME A STORY

THIS IS LINKED TO 

 

 

 

MAMA SHTICKS AND
HER RED UMBRELLA

THE WORD

http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,2256639,00.html

I am reading the Book of John, and today I got another glimpse into the life of John, the Baptist.

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome^[a] it. 

 ⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 

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REFLECTIONS:

I  am in awe of the greatness of our God and I am so grateful of the books comprising the Bible. It is not easy to read into the gospels of those He had chosen to chronicle His wonders and deeds, without the Holy Spirit's guidance. Therefore, one must read and meditate.

Reading back again the book of John, desirous of new insights into Who God is and What He has done for us, makes me more in awe of God.  How lovingly He has laid down everything for us because He first loved us.

The apostle John was called “the beloved.” 

He had a close mentoring with Jesus Christ himself. 

He was always at Jesus' side.  

His gospel places emphasis on the deity of Christ, he invites us to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and due to His death and resurrection (which the Apostle John describes as His Glory), we might pass from death to life.

This is where I've gotten my salvation:  Because of God's grace.

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. “

My first word is:  Grace

Ephesians 2:8, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." (NIV)

Characteristics of Grace

Grace is a free will gift, not something that is coerced (Matt 10:8).

Grace always remains within the parameters of God’s law.

God’s grace always expresses love (John 3:16, Heb 2:9).

God’s Grace demonstrates His truth (John 1:17).

God’s grace encourages and empowers a true Christian to do righteous works of grace (2Cor 9:8).

God’s grace promotes abundant living (John 10:10).

Thanks and praise, whether given to God or man, is a form of grace (Heb 13:15).

Sometimes the blessings of grace are obvious, at other times they are extremely hard to comprehend.

Sometimes the blessings of grace are received immediately; at other times they are a long time in coming.

God’s grace establishes His righteous character in true Christians.

Gods and Christ’s grace provide for all aspects of salvation (Eph 2:8–10).

with thanks to:  http://www.servantsnews.com/sn0211/grace.htm 

I was picked up from the mire, clothed with His salvation because of His love, I wasn't even a bit worthy to receive it.  How could I not pass this grace on to others?

"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers."(Eph 4:29).

 

Summer Family Fun

When I went to visit Diane today, she has this beautiful picture of a place in the sun, so perfect to get away from the hassles of everyday life, a routine of home-office-home, all year long.  How beautiful would it be to go to an island like the one I posted here.  It is called Grand Cayman, which is part of the Caribbean Islands.  It looks like a perfect hide-away, where my family could enjoy the sun, the miles of white beaches, the blue sea, the wind and the palms.  There will be times that I could bury my nose in a book, then look out to sea and dream of the golden roads and pearly gates.  Wouldn't it be all fun?

I live in a small island off Cebu Province in central Philippines.  It is called Mactan Island.  We used to go to the beaches which used to be uncultured.  There were no hotels and you did not have anything to pay.  One has just to find a shady spot, enjoy the views, swim, eat your packed meals, enjoy the company of family and friends until sundown.

Nowadays, one has to pay for entrance and the shacks where you find shade and a place to stack your effects.  Some resorts doesn't allow you to bring food from outside or else you are charged corkage dues.

Our family had so much memories growing up along beaches, extended to the time I had my own kids.  At present, we seldom go, but it is still something to look forward to with our grand kids.

Thank you, dear God, for how you have made a haven for us on earth to enjoy and put a very concrete image of your splendor as a Grand Designer.  All those classy resorts and hotels pales in comparison to your Majesty.  How I dream of walking along the beach with you like the famous song. Even your greatness, oh God, I could comprehend, all at how you have created this world, including us, your children, according to your image and likeness.  Help us see your goodness and mercy, Father, just by sitting and looking out the sceneries you provided us. With which also, in the midst of all we have to undergo, in celebration or in sorrow, we can hope in what is to come, far greater than what we can see now. Amen!

• For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
  Romans 1:19-21 

"All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen."   -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

LINK BUTTON

The Link Button:  Link Me?


I edited my own banner by resizing it to make a link button.  The above is what I produced, which I am just happy to share.  No, not because I want everyone to add my button to your blogs, but because I happened to stumble upon this lovely free editing site.  It has the basic features for photo editing, adding overlays and underlays, etc. and it is so easy to use....." Voila, a button, all in a jiffy."  Well, I posted this because I was busy studying how to make an HTML, for the button so that it will link to my site, once clicked.  My good friend was also challenging me to make my button.  So I searched for a free on-line photo editor, with which a grandma-become-digital geek, could easily navigate.

So there it is.  And for the free photo editor web-site that I used, here it is, introducing,   pixlr

http://pixlr.com/express/?gclid=CMvp-uyV1q4CFQF66wodqXYEeQ

Hope you will enjoy it.  Wahoo!!!1

To Diane, thanks for the challenge.  Your flag is flying in my blog ready to be "clicked,"  and in just a wink, one will be at your doorstep.  Wahoo back to you.  Grannies learning HTMLs, making LINK BUTTONS, changing the face of our blogs, making rooms for improvement, especially in digital and on-line world.  Isn't that amazing?

As my wise-hearted-friend, Martha, aptly said in her blog

 "Being Wise With the Timeline"....

 

we too, as most people, like to keep in step with cyber developments, for all purposes as well as to keep our hands busy with wise things to do.  Plenty a room to improve, anyone!

AMAZING!