The Love of Christ

Tweet

From Charles H. Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotional:

Morning, October 21

"The love of Christ constraineth us." -2 Corinthians 5:14

How much owest thou unto my Lord? Has He ever done anything for thee? Has He forgiven thy sins? Has He covered thee with a robe of righteousness? Has He set thy feet upon a rock? Has He established thy goings? Has He prepared heaven for thee? Has He prepared thee for heaven? Has He written thy name in His book of life? Has He given thee countless blessings? Has He laid up for thee a store of mercies, which eye hath not seen not ear heard? The do something for Jesus worthy of His love. Give not a mere wordy offering to a dying Redeemer. How will you feel when your Master comes, if you have to confess that you did nothing for Him, but kept your love shut up, like a stagnant pool, neither flowing forth to His poor or to His work. Out on such love as that! What do men think of a love which never shows itself in action? Why, they say, "Open rebuke is better than secret love." Who will accept a love so weak that it does not actuate you to a single deed of self-denial, of generosity, of heroism, or zeal! Think how He has loved you, and given Himself for you! Do you know the power of that love? Then let it be like a rushing mighty wind to your soul to sweep out the clouds of your worldliness, and clear away the mists of sin. ... Love should give wings to the feet of service, and strength to the arms of labour. Fixed on God with a constancy that is not to be shaken, resolute to honour Him with a determination that is not to be turned aside, and pressing on with an ardour never to be wearied, let us manifest the constrains of love to Jesus....

Response of my Little Princess

Tweet

Amazing... I go all that way to give my niece her scarf and realize that I completely forgot my camera. Ah, well. At least I can tell you she was excited --- even more excited than I expected her to be!

Lulu was downstairs watching The Jungle Book when I came over with Lilly. (Lil was having her piano lesson for the week.) Dear little Lulu was just sitting downstairs on the sofa, completely absorbed in the movie, giggling gleefully at every other movement each character made.

I sat down on the sofa beside her. When I had her attention I declared with secrecy, "Lulu, I have something for you..."

Her little face lit up, and her jaw dropped with excitement.

"Do you remember what I was making you?"

"What?"


"Can you guess?"


Lulu sat there thinking hard when suddenly her eyes sparkled as I drew out the scarf rolled up and tied with a ribbon. "A scarf!" she cried delightedly. I gave it to her, and she studied it for a moment before untying the ribbon and beginning to unroll the gift. I pointed out the tassels to her, which I was grateful to find that she liked very much, then watched her wrap it delicately around her tiny neck.

I joined her as she finished up her movie, which I found had so many things I had loved and forgotten from my seemingly far-away childhood. I am more and more delighted every day, seeing how Lulu is living out the same imagination-oriented life I had when I was a little girl. (Er, well... littler.) She's the same princess/fairy wannabe that I was at her age. Except she's a blonde. ;)


I so love the simple pleasures of life --- God is so good!

Any-day Gift to my Little Princess...

Tweet

I made my niece a scarf this week. She saw me knitting a small pillowcase and asked if I would make her something, too. I asked her if she would like her doll (a Snow White Barbie) to have her own scarf, and another to match for my niece herself. The darling little girl agreed excitedly.

And so, I completed the doll's scarf (which was very, very small) within minutes. Just today --- less than an hour ago, in fact --- her own scarf was also finished at last. The tassels have been added, and all of it is rolled-up neatly and tied with a bright blue bow, so that I might present it to her tomorrow. And if I know her at all, she'll open it up, whip the scarf around her neck, and ask me to tie the ribbon in her hair so that she looks like the princess she is in her dreams. ;)

(I shall try to remember to take a picture of her reaction and post it before long....)

God bless you, my dear readers and followers!

Quest of Words

Tweet

~♥~

Words are flowing as pouring falls

as whispering whirlwinds their spirit calls

whipping through past ladies' shawls

On a quest to speak again

{all images via. weheartit.com }

Words are flying on pigeon's wings

deliv'ring life to forgotten things

hope again-to-keep it brings

On a quest to be heard again

Words are waking hidden souls

setting flame to chill grey coals

filling up long-empty holes

On a quest to serve again

Words are walking though the lane

singing out to hush the rain

hoping to dislodge the pain

On a quest to inspire again

Words are striving to believe

that soon their work with be relieved

as strength returns, purpose acheived

On this quest to be loved again

Words have found their resting place

stored in a mind, behind a face

purpose now found, no more a lost case

On that quest to be home again
~♥~

Thanks to Binoculars...

Tweet

I haven't edited photos in way too long! I just started going through the pictures on my camera's memory card and discovered hundreds of photos with great potential. I also found a new style of editing that suits me as well as the season.

This is kind of cool. While at my grandparents' house, I discovered a few different uses for their binoculars. One of those was taking photos.

The binoculars can be looked through from both directions, front and back. What some might consider the 'wrong way' of looking through them is what you see in the photo above. It was a neat discovery.

The other direction, or 'the right way' to look through them, allows me to capture things at a distance, and automatically adds this shadowed border.

And so, you see, I was able to capture this photo of a bird, which would have been otherwise impossible for my simple-old-digital-camera. So, here's my photography hint for the day: if you can't yet afford or simply do not have a fancy-pants camera at your disposal, go out and buy yourself a pair of binoculars!

The Blessing of Suffering

Tweet

I was always inspired by an interesting quote from the movie 'the Dark Knight': Rachel tells Harvey Dent with a half-encouraging, half-teasing smile, "If you're not getting shot at, you're not doing your job right."

A funny place and a funny quote from which to reap spiritual encouragement. But I believe God really was showing me something through this: 'If you are not being persecuted for your faith in Christ, you're not doing your job right.' In more detail, if I am not reflecting Christ as I ought, and if the world is willing to tolerate my presence (which it would never do if I was really at all like Christ), then I'm not doing my job right.

Just a few days ago, I was encouraged while reading Philippians 1:27, which says, "Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ,..." and Philippians 1:29, "For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake," Both of these and many other verses from God's wonderful Word have been causing me to desire 'getting shot at' by the world for the sake of my precious Savior. When it is such a blessing to suffer for Christ, and brings Him so much glory, how can any Christian not want that?...

Missing Blog... Shilah

Tweet

There was once a blog that I read all of the time. Suddenly, just recently, this blog disappeared. A friend of mine had told me about it, and I fell in love with the writing right away. But now, it's gone. The blog was called 'Shilah', and I can't find that dear writer's new blog she promised anywhere! If anyone knows where she went, please let me know, for it would be a sorry loss for me to never find her again.

Dream a little dream...

Tweet

The alarm clock blared and my eyes opened wide. I sat up in an instant and tried to push the 'snooze' button. Satisfied when it stopped beeping at me, I fell back onto my pillow. What a dream! Pirates, mystery, action, a super-hero wanna-be and his minion in a Musketeer hat.... I slept-in an entire hour just to finish it off, leaving the alarm on to stop me from actually falling asleep again. I let the dream unfold further. I edited it and unfolded it again as if it was all brand new. It was intriguing, and I just couldn't get enough of it.

Dreams are unlike anything else. God has used them to show or tell His people important things (concordance link). They can give us pleasure, make us think more deeply. Some people sleep so heavily, they don't actually remember their dreams at all! But they are there. Some of them are so odd. Some of them are so real, you awake and wonder how you ended up in bed all of a sudden.

Dreams are beautiful. They are inspiring. They are magical. They are the happy little things that make us excited to go to bed at night. (Well, sleeping in and of itself is desirable after a long day, I'll admit.) But who has had a dream and doesn't want to have another one, again and again and again? NOT ME!

And don't get me started on daydreams. I'm sure I have more of those than the rest of my family put together! Oh, having the mind of a writer makes every detail, every possibility, every beginning of an idea or thought such a delight!

The tiniest little things --- everything God blesses us with --- is never too small to be treasured, and dreams are no exception. Thanks be to God for dreams!

"My mouth is filled with Your praise
And with Your glory all day long."

-Psalm 71:8