revelation

"...These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Revelation 7:14-17

I am amazed by the God who can wash garments in blood. I am amazed by the God who uses a Lamb to be our shepherd. He baffles me by His kindness in choosing to reveal Himself to a wretch like me.

I have been thoroughly blessed by the reading of His Word this year. I want to urge you, as the year approaches its end, to consider your life without His Word. The Creator of the Universe has chosen to reveal Himself to us. This fact by itself is incredible. The fact that many choose to pay so little attention to it--many "Christians"--is unfathomable. How else should we expect to know the God in whom we believe?

For many, many years, I was an extremely lazy Christian. I believed in Christ as my Savior. However, I am embarrassed to admit that I did not pursue Him as my Lord. I would give him this or that area of my life, but insisted on keeping lordship over other areas. How could I have known He was worthy to be Lord over my whole life when I did not spend time seeking Him through His Word?

He has been so merciful to me.

I am unspeakably thankful that God has given me a new love for His Word. In my understanding, this desire to read and study is not something you can muster up in your flesh. The desire is a gift, nothing else. If you do not have it, beg Him for it. He promises not to turn you away.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

Hope for Today

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;
O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.

If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.

O Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
for with the Lord is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.
Psalm 130

I'm not sure where one is to find strength for today if not in the Lord. All other attempts to satisfy myself come up empty, void of hope. He is the One who satisfies me with His unfailing love.

Just brilliant

Gabe brought home this cute little painted pumpkin from our homeschool co-op yesterday:


He brought it to the breakfast table this morning to admire while eating his cereal.

Erin, showing off her vast knowledge of Halloween/Fall decorations, looks at it thoughtfully and says, "Mom, we oughta carve a jack-ass!"

"Um, I think you mean 'jack-o-lantern', dear."

Dear, Sweet Innocence

Hanging clothes outside today resulted in some ladybugs making their way inside the house along with the dried clothes. The following conversation resulted:

Erin: Are all ladybugs girls? (a fair question, I thought)

Me: No. If they were all girls, how would there ever be any more ladybugs?

Erin: Huh?

Me: It's just like people. You need a mommy and a daddy to make a baby.

Erin: So you mean God takes a rib from the mommy and a rib from the daddy and makes a baby?

Me: (giggling...) Well, not exactly. (...and quickly changing the subject.)

The Beauty of Homeschooling

No one cares if you do your schoolwork in maroon pants, a red shirt, and a pink hat.

Hope in the Valley

How I wish walking with the Lord meant a trouble-free life; a pain-free, easy walk through this world and into His arms!

Instead, He has arranged it that we journey through the valley, crawl through the valley, parched with thirst, and must continually, intentionally, keep holding out our empty cup and begging Him to fill it. This is not a romantic journey. It is a muddy trek through the valley of sweat and tears. The valley is deep and wide and wet and cold...and seems endless. We must rely on Him for the strength to go every inch. How often I beg Him to rescue me. Even though He already has.

You promise, O Lord, "blessed is the one who trusts in You".
Today, I choose again to believe You.

How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest
for herself where she may lay her young at your altars,
O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
As they go through the Valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength;
each one appears before God in Zion.

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob!

Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!
For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Psalm 84

Remember

Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his compassion?

Then I said, "I will appeal to this,
to the years of the right hand of the Most High."

I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
Yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.

Psalm 77:8-14