Grace in the Midst

I was very tempted to leave this Psalm out or at least use a black highlighter over the parts that are uncomfortable.  But, I believe that God is good.  That his word is sharper than a double edged sword...and often things that seem horrible and cruel are for our own good - gifts even.  They draw us to Him.  Nothing is better than being close to Him. 1  My people,  hear  my  teaching ;     listen  to the  words  of my mouth. 2  I will open my mouth with a parable;    I will utter hidden things, things from of old— 3  things we have heard and known,    things our ancestors have told us. 4  We will  not hide  them from their descendants;    we will  tell  the next generation the  praiseworthy deeds  of the LORD,    his  power , and the  wonders  he has done. 5  He  decreed  statutes for...

576. "Catch up" days 577. Family time in the basement (laundry room/play room) 578. Matt getting home just in time for dinner 579. Having a wonderful "mommy's helper" 580. Visiting friends camping on Lake St. George 581. Cole's life - 2 close calls in the water 582. Friends who jump in fully clothed to protect Cole 583. Making plans with friends 584. The cancer project cooking class 585. The amazing women who have been through so much (either have cancer, lost someone to cancer, or   know someone who is battling with it) 586. New incredibly inspirational friends 587. Tears 588. Remembering not to take a moment with Matt for granted 589. Making better choices 590. New recipes and delivering them to Matt 591. Matt actually eating them 592. The kids actually eating them - and asking for more 593. Date night with Matt - and trying a new "healthier" meal 594. Blake - referring to the chiropractor - "is that guy going to pop you?...

  1  I  cried out  to God for  help ;    I  cried out  to God to  hear me . 2  When I was in distress, I  sought  the Lord;    at night I  stretched out untiring hands ,    and I would not be comforted.   3  I  remembered  you, God, and I  groaned ;    I  meditated , and my spirit grew faint. [ b ] 4  You  kept  my eyes from closing;    I was too troubled to speak. 5  I  thought  about the former days,    the years of long ago; 6  I  remembered  my songs in the night.    My heart  meditated  and my spirit  asked :   7  “Will the Lord reject forever?    Will he never show his favor again? 8  Has his  unfailing love  vanished forever?    Has his  promise  failed for all time...

1 God is renowned in Judah; in Israel his name is great . 2 His tent is in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion. 3 There he broke the flashing arrows, the shields and the swords, the weapons of war. [ b ] 4 You are radiant with light, more majestic than mountains rich with game. 5 The valiant lie plundered, they sleep their last sleep; not one of the warriors can lift his hands. 6 At your rebuke, God of Jacob, both horse and chariot lie still. 7 It is you alone who are to be feared . Who can stand before you when you are angry? 8 From heaven you pronounced judgment, and the land feared and was quiet— 9 when you, God, rose up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land. 10 Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise , and the survivors of your wrath are restrained. [ c ] 11 Make vows to the LORD your God and fulfill them; let all the neighboring lands bring gifts to the One to be feared. 12 He breaks the spirit of rule...

559. New clothes 560. Mindy "adjusting my wardrobe" so I could nurse :) 561. Nursery helpers 562. Singing 563. Visiting with friends after church 564. Pizza hut's salad bar 565. Getting the new jockey catalog 566. Meeting new sisters in Christ while celebrating new babies 567. Ugly/Beautiful - struggling with my morning attitude/remembering that my boys are blessings even when I don't get time in the morning before they wake up 568. Maddie, J.D. and Anna-Jane 569. Cole hugging Anna - Jane 570. The incredible collage of pictures Matt surprised me with 571. Kids standing on the couch oohing and awe-ing over matt's collage 572. Late night meeting with a dear friend 573. Morning exercises helping my back and neck 575. Enjoying my first webinar experience

1  We praise you, God,    we praise you, for your Name is near ;    people tell of your wonderful deeds .   2  You say, “I choose the appointed time;    it is I who judge with equity . 3  When the earth and all its people quake,    it is I who hold its pillars firm. [ b ] 4  To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’    and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns. [ c ] 5  Do not lift your horns against heaven;    do not speak so defiantly.’”   6  No one from the east or the west    or from the desert can exalt themselves. 7  It is God who judges:    He brings one down , he exalts another. 8  In the hand of the LORD is a cup    full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth    drink it down to its very dregs.   9  A...

545. Asking if the chiropractic sandals I ordered had come in...being told no - then, them getting there during my 15 minute appointment. 546. A VERY NICE free fridge (that is working perfectly) that we found on the side of the road (found it a few days after discussing what we were going to do about our fridge need) 547. Walking around Camden with Tara, Amy, Ben and "the big boys" (bubba & blake) 548. Playing castle with Blake 549. Testing out and being tempted to buy a home carbonator (made yummy sparkling juice) 550. The farmers market in Belfast 551. "The big boys" faces when they realized we were in the Chucky Cheese parking lot - and that we were actually going to go inside. 552. Samples at Sam's club 553. New upholstery fabrics at Mardens - including pink camo (which we've been on the lookout for) 554. Linda B's sweet and encouraging responses to my blog 555. Ugly/Beautiful - an incredibly dirty house/all the wonderful memories made ...

1  O God, why have you rejected us forever?    Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture? 2  Remember the nation you purchased long ago,    the people of your inheritance, whom you  redeemed —    Mount Zion, where you  dwelt . 3  Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,    all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.   4  Your foes roared in the place where you  met  with us;    they set up their standards as signs. 5  They behaved like men wielding axes    to cut through a thicket of trees. 6  They smashed all the carved paneling    with their axes and hatchets. 7  They burned your sanctuary to the ground;    they defiled the dwelling place of your Name. 8  They said in their hearts, “We will crush them completely!”    They burned e...

August 1, 2011 "Morning & Evening" Charles Spurgeon pg. 431 "Thou crownest the year with thy goodness"Psalm 65:11  God blesses us richly every hour of every day. When we sleep and when we wake, His mercy waits upon us. The sun may leave us  a legacy of darkness, but God never ceases to shine upon His children withbeams of love. Like a river, His lovingkindness always flows with a fullness that is as inexhoustible as His own nature. Like the atmosphere which surrounds the earth and supports the life of man, the benevolence ofGod surrounds all His creatures. Rivers are swollen at certain seasons by the rain, and the atmosphere itself is sometimes filled with more fresh, more bracing, or more balmy influences than usual. It is the same with the mercy of God. It has its golden hours and its days of overflowing joy, whenthe Lord magnifies His grace before the sons of men. The psalmist tells us that the harvest is the crownig of the year. Surely these crowning merci...

August 1 31) Thinking of Autumn, I thank you ahead of time for the beauty stored in the leaves hanging on the trees. 32) Pumpkins 33) Apple pie 34) Cool nights, AHHHH 35) Hot apple cider 36) The fact that God waits for me 37) God shines on us. I feel it even now. 38) Thank you for Charles Spurgeon 40) Model airplanes (Ed just brougt one home to build with Nathan) July 29, 2011 31) Jumbo straws for big juice! 32) A fish jumping out of the water just as we drove by and we saw it! 33) The many colors of green over the lakes and streams. How many do I see? 3-5-10? Wow. 34) The oldest catholic church in New England. Had lunch in the parking lot today. Looked at the old tomb stones. Ancient believers. 35) Just picked a fresh bunch of flowers from the garden. The smell! 36) The trumpet vine blooming 37) Elizabeth finding monarch catapillars on our milkweed today. 38) Her joy in finding them. 39) Fresh Bread! 40) The clouds today. July 26, 2011 21) Elizabeth sitting on the floo...