Friday, September 25, 2009

His Mercies Are New...Every Morning

We've been experiencing some unseasonably hot weather here in Southern California. Triple digits for over a week. I'm not a hot-weather gal. I prefer the coolness of autumn or the fresh breezes of spring. Triple digits make me want to find the coolest place and just veg.

Autumn is coming, though. The mornings have been cool (yea!), and I've awakened feeling more refreshed. I love it!

The coolness of recent mornings remind me of God's promise in Lamentations. His mercies keep me from being "consumed" (as the New King James Version puts it), and His "compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." (3:23-24)

What an amazing blessing that is! No matter what happened yesterday, His mercies and compassions are new. They don't fail. He is faithful.

Every morning. He never fails! Never.

So the days may be hot, but the mornings will always bring new mercies from my faithful God.

Amen. And amen.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Staying in Bed

You know those days when you wake up and wish you could just pull the covers over your head and just stay in bed?

I've had quite a few of those days lately. I've been feeling pretty lousy the last four weeks (a severe flare up), and I've pretty much wanted to crawl into bed and hibernate . . . for a really long time.

Of course, this isn't possible. Life continues even when I don't want it to.

I've been learning a lot about trusting God over the last few months, and He continues to use my chronic health issues to keep me focused on Him. I don't always like it--right now, in fact, I've been praying that I'll just learn the lesson so I don't have to have this daily pain.

But there's a purpose in everything. I have to believe that.

Anyway, back to the wanting to stay in bed. I was going over one of the talks I'm giving at a retreat in October, and I read a verse that kind of gives me permission to do just that.

Psalm 4:4b tells me to "Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still."

Hey! I can do that!

Seriously, even in the midst of any pain or crises, I need to make sure I'm meditating on God's word. And the being still part? Physically, it's almost a given. I'm pretty still these days. But I know it means more than just being prone on my bed. It's being still in God's presence, something I need to do more of.

But, I do love it that I can meditate on God's word and be still in His presence. All without even leaving my bed.

In fact, I think I may just head upstairs early tonight and spend some time with God--before I pull those covers over my head.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

You Just Have to Love 'em!

I usually write about what God's doing in my life and heart, but today, I just have to say that dogs are some of God's greatest creations!!

You just have to love 'em!

Now I know there are some of you that don't like dogs, and frankly, I wonder about the health of your mind (just kidding . . . sort of).

I've always loved dogs, but we really didn't have them when I was growing up. My sister had two chihuahuas, but they weren't MINE.

I had my first very-own dog when Russ and I adopted an adorable blond Cocker Spaniel in 1993. Todd was the sweetest thing, and he loved me unconditionally. A few years later, we adopted another Cocker (Gidget) to keep the first company (it didn't really work--Todd barely tolerated Gidget).

Then tragedy--one that only true dog-lovers understand--struck. We lost both Cockers within 8 weeks of each other in early 2004. It was heartbreaking.

Time passed, grieving abated, and in January 2005, we adopted our Labradors that you may have seen on my Facebook page. They're sweet and loving, and coming home to them at the end of the day brings such joy. You dog-lovers know what I mean!

I'm sitting here on a quiet Saturday morning (Russ is out of town), and I'm so grateful I have these precious four-legged "kids" to keep me company. Annie, the older black Lab, is dreaming, and boy, what a dream she must be having! Woofs. Grrs. Quickly moving feet. It's quite entertaining! Then Luke, the younger yellow Lab, sidles up beside me and rests his head on my lap. "Just love me," his eyes tell me.

And I do. God has created so many wonderful things, just for our enjoyment, just to bring us pleasure. And my two sweet Labs do just that.

And you just have to love 'em!!

Friday, September 04, 2009

An Everlasting Love

I journal every day, and the journal I'm writing in right now has verses of encouragement at the bottom of every page. Today, the first page I wrote on has Jeremiah 31:3 . . . "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." (NIV)

That's God speaking to me . . . and to you.

Do you sometimes forget how much God really loves you? Do you get so caught up with His sovereignty and His power that you forget He's your loving Father? Your Abba? Your Daddy?

I have to admit, I do sometimes. Then He brings reminders through His servants--ancient and modern. How grateful I am that He loves me with that everlasting love. I love how the Message puts it:

"I've never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love!"

Bask in those words. Let them flow over you like a gentle rain. No matter what you do--what I do--He'll never stop loving you! He'll never stop loving me! We can "expect love, love, and more love!"

Enjoy!