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RE: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord! - 11/27/2008 6:31:56 PM
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magdaleine
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Sam, it's natural to grieve and have all sorts of emotions. I think it's a good sign that his death has impacted you so much. The grief will lessen with time. As for the other divorced women, you could just say how sad you are that the munchkin won't have a father.
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I just pray that God has prepares my heart to handle that time with grace and compassion. I think you will. You have a heart of compassion and grace. It will naturally come out as you discuss the things your son wants/needs to know when he's older. {{{{{{{{{{Sam}}}}}}}}}}
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Maggie
Ask me about my book. It's now available online!
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RE: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord! - 11/28/2008 10:18:04 AM
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Focusing
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Thank you Maggie. I am doing much better today.
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Instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend. That would be giving as the angels give.
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RE: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord! - 11/28/2008 2:32:19 PM
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magdaleine
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good!
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Maggie
Ask me about my book. It's now available online!
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RE: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord! - 11/30/2008 1:33:45 AM
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humbleinspirit
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Happy to hear that you are doing better as well Sam!
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RE: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord! - 12/2/2008 2:04:29 PM
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Focusing
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THANKING OUR TROOPS!!!
A friend forwarded this to me, and I wanted to share. Whether or not we agree with the reasons the troops are where they are or that they are doing what they are doing, they are giving their time ... and some have given or will give their lives ... for us ... for our freedom ... for us to live the lives we do here in America.
If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq . You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services.
How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! This is a great site. Please send a card. It is FREE and it only takes a second.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the war, our guys and gals over there need to know we are behind them...
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Instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend. That would be giving as the angels give.
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RE: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord! - 12/7/2008 2:16:18 PM
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humbleinspirit
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Hi Sam, how is your weekend going?
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RE: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord! - 12/8/2008 9:13:30 PM
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makarizo
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! Focusing!!!
hope the day was great
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RE: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord! - 12/8/2008 9:14:17 PM
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iwillfearnoevil
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happy birthday focusing!
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RE: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord! - 12/10/2008 2:32:54 PM
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Focusing
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For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
- Romans 1:21-25
On a regular basis, in reading through various verses in the Bible from so many years ago, I am amazed to find that the issues they were dealing with then are the very same things we are dealing with now.
How timely and timeless the Bible is
truly His Word is as alive today as it was almost two thousand years ago.
Speculation.
How often do we speculate on what God must mean? Do we read His Word and take it to Him and discuss it with Him? Or do we read it and discuss it only amongst ourselves and
speculate as to its meaning?
Do we speculate to try and make His Word fit our lifestyle? Do we try to manipulate it to suit our needs? Or do we read it and take it to Him and ask Him to show us how to apply it to our lives?
Oh Father, thank You for Your Word. Help me to take the time to read Your Word and then take it directly to You
and ask You to show me how to apply it to my life. Amen.
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Instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend. That would be giving as the angels give.
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RE: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord! - 12/11/2008 11:16:35 PM
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Focusing
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The thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Although I have heard this song more times than I can remember, as it played this morning, these words really jumped out at me.
The thrill of hope
my heart skipped a beat
I felt that feeling before
and just hearing the words snapped me out of all that has been going on in my life these last days and weeks
and that feeling of hope and excitement took over
The weary soul rejoices
yes, Lord, my soul is rejoicing!
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
with the days growing shorter, the sun was coming up over the horizon
right there
just a little below where the visor hung
bright and glorious for my eyes to see
Fall on your knees, oh, hear the angel voices
O night divine, the night when Christ was born
As the holiday when we celebrate the coming of our Lord and Saviour draws closer, there is an excitement in my heart, a feeling of the awe and wonder the angels must have felt as they watched His arrival into this world ... the King of the universe come as a fragile and helpless baby. I can just imagine the angel voices singing praises for the miracle.
Father, thank You for the indescribable gift You have given us!
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Instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend. That would be giving as the angels give.
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RE: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord! - 12/12/2008 9:31:17 AM
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hotsaucygma
Posts: 3097
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Hey Sam. I tried to catch up a bit with threads yesterday but didn't have enough time to read everything and post. I read a couple of your posts about struggling with your Ex's death and really related! This is the second Christmas mine has been gone but it seems to have "hit" me more this year- perhaps last year was too involved in the turmoil the kids were going through but this year they are dealing better and I am having to face those memories, regrets, emotions and left over anger. Tough stuff. Sometimes I wonder if it will ever be over... but there is hope. You are right, those words... The thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices... they speak to us. We all get weary souls at times, how blessed are we that we also have hope, that we have Jesus! Oh fall on your knees... hear the angels voices!! The Good News is here. Not in graven image, but in a baby. Our God loved us enough that he became something we could understand, became "us", so we could understand Him - Wow. What kind of love is this!
Another song I love is-
In the first light of a new day
No one knew He had arrived...
But the heavens wrapped in wonder
Knew the meaning of His birth.
In the weakness of a baby
They knew God had come to earth...
Beautiful. Amazing. Love.
I will keep you and the munchkin in my prayers this Christmas Sam. All things work together for good for those that love the Lord... sometimes we don't see it happening, but we will recognize it someday - that is part of our hope.
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Dear Lord, let my words today be as sweet and delicious as cheesecake... for tomorrow I may have to eat them!
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RE: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord! - 12/12/2008 10:52:02 AM
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Focusing
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Thank you Hot-n-Saucy.
You are in my prayers as well, as you work through your own emotions this year. Difficult stuff ... but the Lord gives us so much hope!!
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Instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend. That would be giving as the angels give.
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RE: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord! - 12/25/2008 11:38:15 AM
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humbleinspirit
Posts: 17805
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From: Just Outside of Boston
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Hi Sam, MERRY CHRISTMAS to you!
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RE: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord! - 12/28/2008 6:51:45 PM
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humbleinspirit
Posts: 17805
Joined: 4/13/2005
From: Just Outside of Boston
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Thats good to hear Sam, I hope you are staying cool!
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RE: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord! - 12/29/2008 9:56:49 AM
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hotsaucygma
Posts: 3097
Joined: 4/12/2005
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Hey Sam. How are you doing? Did you have a good Christmas?
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Dear Lord, let my words today be as sweet and delicious as cheesecake... for tomorrow I may have to eat them!
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RE: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord! - 1/1/2009 7:14:04 PM
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Focusing
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Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.
It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted for Christmas. We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible.
After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read Scriptures. But Pa didn't get the Bible, instead he bundled up again and went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn't worry about it long though, I was too busy wallowing in self-pity. Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard.
"Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out tonight."
I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see. We'd already done all the chores, and I couldn't think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one's feet when he'd told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house. Something was up, but I didn't know what.
Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up this sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn't happy. When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off and I followed.
"I think we'll put on the high sideboards," he said. "Here, help me."
The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high side boards on.
After we had exchanged the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood - the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all Fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing?
Finally I said something. "Pa," I asked, "what are you doing?"
"You been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked.
The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight. Sure, I'd been by, but so what?
"Yeah" I said. "Why?"
"I rode by just today," Pa said. "Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They're out of wood, Matt."
That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him. We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand.
"What's in the little sack?" I asked.
"Shoes, they're out of shoes. Little Jakey just had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little candy."
We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn't have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us; it shouldn't have been our concern.
We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door. We knocked.
The door opened a crack and a timid oice said, "Who is it?"
"Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt, could we come in for a bit?"
Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all. Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp.
"We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children - sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last.
I watched her carefully.
She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn't come out.
"We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said. He turned to me and said, "Matt, go bring in enough to last awhile. Let's get that fire up to size and heat this place up."
I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat and as much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too. In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks with so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak.
My heart swelled within me and a joy that I'd never known before, filled my soul. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people.
I soon had the fire blazing and everyone's spirits soared. The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long time.
She finally turned to us. "God bless you," she said. "I know the Lord has sent you. The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us."
In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again. I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others.
The list seemed endless as I thought on it.
Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes.
Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn't want us to go. I could see that they missed their Pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.
At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We'll be by to get you about eleven. It'll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn't been little for quite a spell."
I was the youngest. My two brothers and two sisters had all married and had moved away.
Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Miles. I don't have to say. May the Lord bless you, I know for certain that He will."
Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, "Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn't have quite enough. Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that, but on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do. Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand."
I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Now the rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look on Widow Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her three children.
For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life.
Don't be too busy today to show a little kindness. 
_____________________________
Instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend. That would be giving as the angels give.
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