PASSIONATE CREATIVE CHRISTIAN

Good Morning!

 Our grand-daughter made me a Birthday Cake.  It was delicious and obviously made with ‘love’.  It was appreciated very much.  Memories of the time will be treasured always.

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     Before the outbreak of the French Revolution the French Queen Marie Antionette is famously quoted as saying to starving peasants ….If the children have no bread……then let them eat cake.    (she had NO comprehension of the suffering of the people).

In a strange reversal in a ‘spiritual’ sense our 2019 world hungers for success being acknowledged. noticed and believing that only CAKE.….the Good Life….the materialistic glitter and glamour are the MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO LIVE FOR.

Jesus who came to die for all suffering humanity and give those who will an eternal future …..

said:   I AM…THE BREAD OF LIFE.    Follow ME!   John 10:v10 I have come that they may have LIFE in all its FULLNESS. 

It’s a FREE choice.   Either follow HIM and choose the BREAD OF LIFE and live by His Standards and still have cake and all of life’s higher blessings and treasures or just have CAKE  without the BREAD of LIFE who came to save our souls for ETERNITY.

        Bread and Cake WOW!    or just…..CAKE.

A thought for today.   Blessings! Peace! and Love!

AH!  IT’S ALL JUST  WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE NOW 

A flippant brushing way of events in life both the PAINFUL,  and the TRIUMPHANT is not the way to positive forward living.

Water flowing under the bridge will continue to whisper in the night, and the ripples will disturb the day.

Whispers in the night…’So much has been ‘lost’. So much so many people g o n e!.

Ripples in the day.    Oh…..it…..was…..’better’ back there. when I was younger …back there when…..it was and I was……..

SURRENDER.   Let God use ALL THINGS FROM THE PAST…and ALL THINGS in the NOW. Allow HIM to make and mould them into His Image for His Purposes.

It will take.

Confession of sins.

Repentance

Release to the Saviour of ALL aspects of our Life NOW.

S U R R E N D E R

Move forward with GRATITUDE for where we have been in life and living.

and Pick up GREAT JOY in the Hope of where we will still journey.

Today, let’s stand on this bridge of Christ-Life farewelling with love the past and embracing with Joy the Grace of His Presence with us on our future on-going journey!

DIVINE LOVE IS A POWERFUL RIVER, FLOWING FROM THE THRONE ROOM OF HEAVEN ABOVE.

May we all live in the fullness of it this day and this week.

In Jesus Name and for His Sake.

a-men.

Yesterday, I started a new creative project.

The purchase of templates and sheets of beautiful illustrations inspired me to make my first Gift Bag.

I’m not sure if I misread the instructions,or I simply became entangled in the two-sided adhesive tape.

The finished bag vaguely resembled what was illustrated –

 BUT

  The inside had very sticky patches, one of the outer sides was not only sticky but had imprints from my gluey fingers.   It also twisted the bag with a decided lean to the left.

My  first instinct was…..

Oh its a mistake.   I’ll throw it away and start a new one.

My second thought was better – What can I do to improve it?

I had a container of tiny glittery shapes, rarely used.   (Maybe occasionally on a Christmas display.)

I poured the whole container into the bag and shook it vigorously.

When I emptied the excess back into it container, the inside of the bag shone now with a gentle glow.   Tiny red hearts had separated themselves from the heavier shapes and now clung tenaciously to all the sticky ridges.

The inside was now smooth to touch and was beautiful.

I laughed as I glued two pieces of lace to each side and deliberately attached a row of bright red hearts.

With ribbon handles attached this bag looks lovely.   It is unlike the illustrations but even with its kinda wonky tilt, is UNIQUE.

One day, with an appropriate gift inside it will be a blessing to ‘someone’.

Isn’t   this an accidental reminder of God’s redeeming love towards us?  

Our mistakes, even deliberate sins are covered with  Divine Love as His Grace blots them out of His Sight.

Beauty for Ashes’ is God’s Heart refrain.  

    In His Kingdom it’s called FORGIVENESS. 

    Repenting and accepting His Gift.

Another thought emerged in this day of creative mistakes.

    If we make a ‘mistake’ in our personal life choices, do we have the right to discard or should LOVE be given every opportunity to redeem? 

Blessings, Dear Ones.

Good Morning!

Gentle early morning sunlight filters through the trees.  A New Day.

Don’t just count your blessings,

Seek them, 

                                       Earn them.

                                       Treasure them.

                 They are the jewels to light your pathway of LIFE 

May God’s richest Blessings of Grace and Peace flow though your life today and as a new week unfolds.     a-men.

 Good Morning!

   Young or old or in between this is life’s richest lesson when we follow the Saviour.

  Therefore we do not lose heart.   Even though our outward person is perishing yet our inward person is being renewed day by day.   2  COR. 4 v16.

PRAISE GOD!

“Take My Hand, I will lead you on through this Pilgrim Land”

Abba My Father,

  Saviour Lord and King.

I will FOLLOW YOU. a-men.

Words of a gospel song to bless you in this day.

Good Morning!

An extra touch of love and care can make all the difference.

This bouquet was stunning when it was given to me more than a month ago.

Through the natural progression of heat and stress many blooms died as expected but some continued to be there in the middle of it all.

Yesterday. I once again changed the water but drastically cut back many of the stems  and only replaced that which still showed faint signs of life.   Some actually looked beyond restoration.    It seemed hopeless there was so much death and little ‘life’ but for many I could not let them go.   I washed their faces and repositioned them in the vase.  A little pinch of sugar and a dash of vinegar and a vase near the window.

This morning it is possible to see clearly the vibrant life evident although around there is still signs of natural decay.

How true this is of our lives and our dealing with folks around us.     Never give up the nurture, never give up the HOPE of  restoration.

We, who believe in the Saviour have His Promise that in the midst of death there is always His Life.    And, in His Life is the Promise of Eternity for all made in the image of God.    All who will choose to follow the Great Shepherd.

A couple of thoughts for us to think about this mid-week.

Blessings and Peace.

Good Morning!

        Be still and K N O W that I am God.   Ps. 46:10

    This past week I read a story and I share it here with the hope that it will be an encouragement and blessing to you as well.

A young woman Karen (not her real name) was on a canoeing expedition riding the rapids in Canada when she fell overboard right as they reached the flat river area immediately near the weir.

She remembered as she plunged into the cold river’s depths the words of her instructor.

         In the unlikely event that you fall into the river you must be absolutely still. The stiller you can be the more chance you have that the weir water will not suck you through.

Karen knew stark terror as the waters washed over her and she felt the powerful current surging to take her to certain death.   How can I ever be still?  Every instinct is to struggle to swim.

In her heart, spirit and mind the words of  Psalm 46 resonated.

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD. 

BE  S T I L L

God’s Gift of Holy Peace absolutely washed over Karen and with a stillness that was supernatural she was drawn towards the weir.

Right at the gate the water tossed her back.  Like a log, jettisoned, she was flung far from danger and a rescue boat was able to pick her up.

Karen later shared with everyone that this profound STILLNESS defied anything she had ever known in her life before.

Praise God!

May we all learn to have this Peace in our lives and circumstances.   I think there was a book of Brother Lawrence written many, years ago, called.

PRACTISE THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

In 2019 where such noise pervades our senses, practice and KNOWING the Presence of God is more vital than ever before in ordinary daily living.

Blessing! Love! and Joy on the journey to you all!.

Good Morning!

In the Old Testament God’s presence was with people of that time.   When they had specific tasks to fulfill.  He was with them.

Under the NEW COVENANT,  CHRIST has won for us a

New Eternal Relationship.

He will never leave us or forsake us.    ‘I will be with you until the end of time.’

Our COURAGE to live and STAND for Him and His Holiness comes because His Presence is IN us.

Through all the trials and tribulations.  All the Valleys and Hills.

Seek the Lord and His Strength, Seek His Presence continually.  Remember the wonderful works He has done, His Miracles.   1 chronicles 16-11-12/

Good Morning!

Are you no longer working in a paid job?   No longer identified by your career or your JOB?    Have you ever felt no longer ‘relevant’?   Past your prime?

In many lives this has been allowed to become a REALITY.  I have  walked this path.

It really is an untruth.

When you come to this place – don’t surrender to the ‘old age or retired’ mentality but REJOICE.    Surrender completely to the real you. For the Christian Believer surrender now to the GOD Who is the author and finisher of all things.

It is time for a new mindset’,

You can become the reaper and the sower of BEAUTY and HOPE in your world which needs it so much.   This is a life-long occupation and can be expressed in many, different ways. Find something worthy, something lovely and HOPEFUL.

The harvesting of all the forest trees near our property has been hard to watch in recent months.  It was necessary for the timber industry.   I mourned for the loss of birds and other native creatures but most of all the loss of native flora.    The picture illustrated burst into my view as I walked one afternoon recently.   It was after rain and the clear defiant regrowth of a native species.

With sight of it came the clear thought.

Now is the time in your life to seek out and find  BEAUTY in the harsh places and share a touch with others.    

Today on this Sunday let our hearts soar with thankfulness for what we HAVE and not what we have ever lost.   Let us look Above the world and harsh circumstance and find the Hope and Beauty of the abundant Life found in Christ for all who concentrate on what is ABOVE.  In the sky itself sometimes  but often unexpected in the least likely places  all around.

Blessings , Love and Peace to you.