Plenty

He who tills his land will have plenty of food, But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty. ~Proverbs 28:19


This is my great grandmother. She passed away when I was very young, but I do remember her. When we would go to visit her, she was nearly always either working in the garden or her flowers. What a blessing it is to have a heritage of love for the land and for the plants God blessed us with!

The Depths of the Sea

I grew up listening to this song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcbc0lb2QE0&feature=related and knew it was derived from scripture.

During a Bible study I attended there was discussion about how we will give an account for all our sins. I asked how that jives with the verse that says our sins will be lost in the sea of God's forgetfulness. The leader acted as though I were adding to scripture. I didn't know the reference, so I let it drop, but it's weighed heavily on my mind ever since. I don't believe God's Word contradicts Itself, so I'm a little confused about this one...

Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

The Word

I've REALLY been craving God's Word lately. These verses have embedded themselves in my heart:

Titus 2:4-5 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.


Proverbs 12:10-11 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.


Jeremiah 29:5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

Trust Needs

Last night I had a dream. In it, my husband informed me that he was taking his things and moving out. I understood it meant he was leaving me and divorcing me. In the dream I cried and begged him to stay. I begged him to go to counseling with me. I told him I would do anything to make him stay. That I would change in whatever way I had to to please him. I woke myself up crying. The dream was so real and so vivid. I was very disturbed this morning when I awakened. I told my husband about the dream. I wanted and expected him to gather me into his arms and tell me that he would never do that and it was just a dream. He did nothing. I had tears in my eyes. The dream still felt real to me. I don't remember what I said, but it was something along the lines of "Would you do that?" and he squeezed my big toe and said, "I'm not leaving you." with a chuckle. Kind of blew it off. (He deflects serious situations with humor a lot.) I was really upset. I got out of bed and hugged and kissed him and told him I loved him. Then I went about my morning duties of getting ready for work. While we were in our 45 minute commute, I told him that when I told him about the dream, I had needed him to gather me into his arms and tell me that he would never leave me. He didn't get it. I let it go.

Hours later, I still feel disturbed by this dream. I was pondering it, and it occurred to me that perhaps God was trying to teach me a lesson. I know there are things I need to change. There is a lot of baggage from the past that I harbor bitterness and anger over. My husband is a changed man! I need to embrace that with passion and not let go!!! I need to work on myself. I am not nearly the helpmeet I want to be. I will be praying, meditating, and working toward this. I will be dusting off my copy of Created to Be His Help Meet to study it again. This book sends me to the Word more than anything I've ever read! It's been a few years, and I was at a very different place back then. I know there is a lot of new material I can glean from it now, that I couldn't begin to grasp at that time.

But there is a deeper lesson. I still feel disturbed about this dream. Part of me wants to go to Wayne (again) and make my needs known. I need to be reassured. I believe God spoke to me when I was having these thoughts. I should not be looking to any human being to have my emotional needs met. No man, no matter how wonderful he may be, can do that. God is my provider. Period. He is Who I am supposed to look for fulfillment of my heart's every longing. I was working on my lesson plans for next week. Our Bible lessons for next week are centered around this verse: "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." ~Deuteronomy 31:6 That sealed it! I KNEW He was speaking to me.

Matthew 10:16

"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."

I've been contemplating this passage of scripture a lot lately. I find I am much more jaded than I wish I were. Some translations use the word "shrewd" to describe the serpent, and "innocent" to describe the doves. How, exactly, does one maintain innocence and harmlessness in a world that seems to assault at every turn? I see in my friends an openness and warmth that I have lost somewhere along the way. In the name of protecting myself, I've become cold and emotionless. I don't wish to be that way. I don't want to wear my feelings on my sleeve, but I don't want to appear uncaring to others, either. I am seeking to find the appropriate balance.

Galatians 5: 22-23 says "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

How does being shrewd align with gentleness and meekness?

Titus 3: 2 shows me that this gentleness and meekness are necessary to my witness of our Lord and Savior: "To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. "

James 3:17-18 "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

I pray the God would cultivate in me a meek, gentle, and humble spirit, so that I may bring honor to Him in my words and deeds.