A Vacuumed Carpet!

It has been a couple of weeks since I have had the chance to vacuum the carpet, downstairs, in our home. The last few days every time I walked into the house it just felt so dirty and cluttered. This afternoon I finally had a few minutes to straighten up and vacuum. Now the house seems so much cleaner. It is amazing how just a simple act like that can change the feeling of messiness in our home, to freshness.


It seems to me, that this is the same with our hearts. We get so busy, life beats up on us and we get to feeling dirty, cluttered and overwhelmed. We have troubles feeling good about ourselves and doubt our worth here on this earth.

We just need to find a place of refuge, a place of wholeness. This is when this passage in Psalms comes to me....


Psalm 57:1-2

New International Version (NIV)


1 Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.

2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God, who vindicates me.



I get so mad at myself, sometimes, because I forget to turn to the one who will always be there for me when things are going well but most certainly when times are tough. I need this reminder.....

Ephesians 6:18

The Message (MSG)

13-18 Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long.

There really is no reason that any of us have to get to feeling being beat up and filthy before we ask God for help and peace. If we would keep in mind we have the scriptures and the gift of prayer everyday, all day, in every day of our lives, we would never feel unprotected and unsafe.


He wants to be there for all of us, always! Hold tight to the promise of this verse.....



Psalm 144:2

New International Version (NIV)

2 He is my loving God and my fortress,

my stronghold and my deliverer,

my shield, in whom I take refuge,


My hope for all of you is that you feel the cleansing, loving, safe, protecting, power of our God, there is nothing better.

Blessings!

First Snow!

Our very first snow of the season fell early this morning. Not tons, but enough to remind us that winter is almost here.

The snow reminded me of how lucky my family is. For one thing we are lucky to be able to live here in the parsonage. You ask how snow and this goes together? I will tell you. 

There is a wonderful gentleman who always takes care of the snow removal for us. It is his way of giving back to the church. He never lets us down on this. It is like magic, we wake up and the side walks are clean. 

Now this reminds me of the Israelite nation and the time of their travels through the desert. Moses was leading them to the promised land and as they went they began to get hungry. So God took care of them with manna. Every morning they would wake up and it would be on the ground to be picked up, like magic.  

The book of Numbers tell us what this was all about.....

Numbers 11:7

The Message (MSG)

7-9 Manna was a seed like substance with a shiny appearance like resin. The people went around collecting it and ground it between stones or pounded it fine in a mortar. Then they boiled it in a pot and shaped it into cakes. It tasted like a delicacy cooked in olive oil. When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna was right there with it.

God did not let them down on this. There were many times when they let Him down but He fed them like this and with birds for meat, as well, clear until the Israelite people got into the promised land and ate from their first harvest. 

Our God is so faithful. Even when we let Him down, He is always there for us. Supplying all of our needs.

I love how Philippians puts it....

Philippians 4:19

Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

19 My God will use his glorious riches to give you everything you need. He will do this through Christ Jesus.

Not only does He make sure our physical needs are met, He has made sure that our spiritual needs are met as well. He sent us Jesus, as a sacrifice for our wrong deeds and then the Holy Spirit to keep us from feeling alone. He has also given us the Scriptures to help us find answers as we question our life here on this earth. What a comfort our God is. He never fails, no matter what.

So, yes, the snow was a great reminder today of how lucky we all truly are.

My hope for you is that you feel lucky too!

Blessings!!