From the Inside Out

 For with You is the fountain of life;
in Your light we see light.

Psalm 36:9

We sang this song on Sunday, and it is my prayer as I focus on growing closer to Jesus. (If you would like to hear this song, scroll to the bottom to play my playlist.)

From the Inside Out

(by Hillsong)

A thousand times I've failed

Still your mercy remains

And should I stumble again

Still I'm caught in your grace

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades

Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame

my heart and my soul, Lord I give you control

Consume me from the inside out Lord

Let justice and praise become my embrace

To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else, my purpose remains

The art of losing myself in bringing you praise

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades

Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame

In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control

Consume me from the inside out Lord

Let justice and praise become my embrace

To love You from the inside out

Chorus 2x

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades

Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame

And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise

From the inside out Lord, my soul cries out

I visited the blog of a dear sister in Christ, Lisa Shaw, this morning, and her post today was perfect timing with this song, and I hope you will visit her blog, Sharing Life with Lisa, and take in what God has to say through her.

Mosaic Monday ~ Looking for a Glimpse of Spring

Enjoying a little glimpse of spring inside while I wait for the burst of spring outside...

Join Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Just Because

Yesterday, my sweet husband ran a few errands after work, and this is something he brought back for me...

When he was paying for them, the clerk asked what the occasion was, and he replied, "Just because."

Sigh. I love that. I love him. He is, as I write, finishing installing the tile around the upstairs bathtub...and he has a terrible cold. I think I'll go bake him a cake. And when he asks me why I baked a cake, I'll say, "Just because."

Flowers are love's truest language.

- Park Benjamin

Thankful Thursday ~ Happy Birthday, Eli!

Our precious grandson, Eli, turned 2 years old on March 22! Eli is the second child of our daughter Erin and her husband John, and he has a big brother named Jack. They live in Minneapolis, and my husband flew to MN to help celebrate Eli's birthday. I am usually the one that goes by myself, so it was a gift to Lauren to have him go this time, and he had a wonderful visit with them all.

Here are some pictures of Eli celebrating his big day. He was coming down with a cold and so he isn't very smiley in them and you can see it in his eyes, but Lauren said he loved it all.

Eli with birthday cupcakes with Elmo on them and his new scooter

Eli on his "birth" day, March 22, 2008

Eli last year at age 1

 Those of you who have grandchildren living far away as we do know that you ache to see them! Eli and I have many phone calls together and we do webcams with the 4 of them whenever possible. Lauren came home with lots of great "Jack and Eli" stories, but I know I will want to see them in person soon. Until then, I am so thankful that they are each in God's very capable hands.

Thank you to Laurie at Women Taking a Stand for hosting Thankful Thursday this month.

Praise and Prayer in Haiti

I received this video from Vision Beyond Borders in an email today. Along with the video was this:

"Praise the Lord for the reports coming from Haiti. Many people are coming to Jesus as a result of the prayers for this country and as a result of the earthquake. Please continue to pray for Haiti, that truth will continue to be revealed and hearts will be open to receive it. Please watch this video to see over a million people gathered in Haiti for 3 days of fasting and prayer. This is sanctioned by their government to replace the Mardi Gras party, drinking, and voodoo festival! We don't see this video footage on secular TV, but please watch and you will be encouraged!"



The video speaks for itself of God's mighty work going on in Haiti. Please continue to pray for the people of Haiti and for its leaders who have called on the Lord, to worship and praise Him and to ask for His intervention in their sufferings.
VBB is a Christian organization that "provides the necessary tools and training for the local people to fulfill Christ’s “Great Commission” in their own countries." If you are interested in reading more about VBB, click on the link in my right column under Non-profit Sites to Visit, or click here.

Little Red House Giveaway!

Mary at Little Red House is having a "thank you" giveaway, and you will not want to miss it! Mary's blog is a wonderful place to visit; she is an amazing photographer and she hosts "Mosaic Monday." When I grow up, I want to be like her. So hop on over, cause it ends on March 31!

Word-Filled Wednesday ~ Cast Your Cares

(photo by WisDoc on Flickr)

Cast your cares on the Lord

and He will sustain you;

He will never let the righteous fall.

Psalm 55:22

For a rainbow to appear in the sky, there must first be a rainstorm. I needed His Word today in the midst of a storm, and He brought me to a place where I could see the rainbow. Some storms are ongoing, and yet, so is His Word. I am forever grateful to my Lord.

Word Filled Wednesday is hosted this week by Susan at Forever His.

Spring is in the Air! ~ Robin's Egg Blue Mosaic

My favorite color this spring is robin's egg blue. It is such a cheery color, and I find myself slipping it in to our home here and there. I found these photos on Flickr and I love the colors as well as the subjects.  My favorites are #5 & 13. What are yours?

This is the day that the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

I hope you have a warm and happy first day of spring!

P.S. I am not joining Mosaic Monday this time since these are not my photos, but do go to Little Red House for Mosaic Monday and see the wonderful mosaics this week!

( Mosaic made on Picasa.  Photos on Flickr: 1. tikaro; 2,5,6,& 15. Bluebird Becca; 3. tchatchke; 4. MossyOwls;
7. kmevans; 8. lepiaf.geo; 9.  simple hue;10.  p vision; 11. lalalaurie; 12. Posh Living, LLC; 13. babybeanportraits )

Word-Filled Wednesday ~ God's Wings

I have always turned to these verses when I needed God's comfort and to know the security of trusting Him with my life:

I will say to the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust."

Surely He will save you from the fowler's snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with His feathers,

and under His wings you will find refuge;

His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

Psalm 91:2-5

It is such a beautiful word picture to view God as covering me with His feathers, and finding safety under his wings.  And I trust Him to do so for my family, also. This doesn't mean that everything will be perfect in our lives, and we will and do have times of strugggle, be it health, death of a loved one or the loss of a job,  but God promises to "never leave us or forsake us", and I take Him at His word.

 

Please visit Christy at Critty Joy for more Word Filled Wednesday.

Location, Location, Location

We've all heard the quote, "Location, location, location". We are a diverse people, and we live in diverse locations. I live in a small town in an old neighborhood in a century-old house. It is a two-story house that has some nice but not fancy architecture. It fits our family well; we raised our 2 daughters here and it is a good place to gather together now that they have their own families. This is an older picture of our dining room and it looks about the same now.

 I'd love to vacation at an English cottage, complete with an English country garden.

Perhaps you live in a back country log cabin, with a picturesque view of a mountain stream...

...or maybe high above the cityscape in a loft apartment, close to the downtown coffee shops.

I'd love to roam the rooms of this stately Queen Anne Victorian...

...and I have a soft spot in my heart for the craftsman-style bungalow.

As I get older, I want to be home more and more. I love the comforts of home and I love being at home with my family. But I know that this is not my permanent home, and I look forward to the ultimate location, my forever home being prepared for me even now. Talk about location!

In My Father's house, there are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.

I am going there to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back

and take you to be with Me that you may also be where I am.

You know the place where I am going."

John 14:2-4

picture credits: 1. mine 2.Chris Lofty 3.Flickr 4.BHG 5. A Crane 5. public domain

Come and Sit a Spell

When the days warm up, I like to sit out on our front porch and listen to the songs of the birds outside. It is a small, enclosed porch and it still has the original windows with screens on some of them so that I can slide them open and feel the breezes. As I relax, I often feel the presence of the Lord, and I can imagine what it would be like to have Him sitting nearby.

It is easier to forget about the tasks I need to do, such as laundry, dishes or cleaning, because I am removed from them as I sit on the porch, and it becomes a refuge. I am encouraged to rest in Christ, as if leaning against Him, and hearing His heart beat. It is a wonderful place to have my Quiet Time with Him, reading His word and pouring my heart out to Him.

The porch is also a pleasant place to sit with friends and share a cup of tea or glasses of lemonade and iced tea, and to get caught up on what is going on in our lives. It is a favorite place for our grandchildren as they bring out toys to play with and as they stand at the screen door to watch the happenings of our neighborhood. In warm weather, there are several pots of flowers and herbs growing on the porch; their scents fill the space and their textures call out to be touched.

Porches have a way of saying "Come and sit a spell," causing us to relax and reflect. I look forward to the warm days when the front door is open to the porch announcing the coming of Spring!

The eternal God is your refuge,

and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Deuteronomy 33:27

 (all photos from personal files, Country Living, BHG, or public domain)

Fiona and Twig Giveaway!

My blog friend Anne at Fiona and Twig is having a Paris Flea Market give away! Click on this button to see what she has in mind,  and check out her blog and Etsy shop.

Mosaic Monday - A New Spring Look

Maya came to play today and I was able to snap a few quick photos ~ it is like trying to capture the wind! 

Join Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Dreaming

This photo shows one of our flowerbeds at it's peak last year. I know I must be patient, but I needed to have a glimpse of things to come.

My Dedicated Man

(Lauren and grandson Eli)

My dear husband Lauren has had a very big anniversary this year - he has worked at the same place for 30 years! He has a degree in social work, and he has worked for a treatment program for youth all of these years, quite a feat considering that burn out is quite high in this field. He works with families that need help with their children, and he really enjoys what he does. His job has changed over the years with more paperwork to do and long hours, but he gets satisfaction from serving God in this way. He is a patient, steadfast and loyal man, not only at work but in his relationships with his family and friends. I am so blessed to have been married to him for 34 years, and he is my best friend.

His coworkers surprised him last week with a gift to honor his years of service...


...a little cabin they made to represent the gift of staying at a cabin for a couple of nights, a kind of retreat to relax and spend time with family away from the busyness of everyday life. What a blessing this gift was, not only for the actual gift of staying at the cabin, but also the gift of kind words they showered him with, acknowledging his dedication to his work and his friendships with those he works with each day. All too often we forget to say words of confirmation for a job well done, but I think these words to him meant more than anything else that was given to him for his 30 years of work.

For many years. I have prayed for my husband these verses from Colossians:

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Colossians 1:9-12

In Like a Lamb!

Can you see it?

Yep! It's true!
60 degrees on March 1st!

I'd say March came in like a lamb!
So I opened up the front door...

...and let some fresh air in!