Happy Love Day (aka Valentine’s Day)!

 

1 Corinthians 13 – The Way of Love  (MSG) 

A  gentle reminder of all the things love is not on this day when we are overflowing with love for all mankind!  Love truly is the most important thing!  

 ¹ If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. ²If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. ^3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

   Love never gives up.
   Love cares more for others than for self.
   Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
   Love doesn’t strut,
   Doesn’t have a swelled head,
   Doesn’t force itself on others,
   Isn’t always “me first,”
   Doesn’t fly off the handle,
   Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
   Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
   Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
   Puts up with anything,
   Trusts God always,
   Always looks for the best,
   Never looks back,
   But keeps going to the end.

 ^8-10Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.

 ¹¹When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.

 ¹²We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

 ¹³But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

 

 

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

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From Empty to Overflowing

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²Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”    “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.” 2 Kings 4:2

    I lift it up Lord, come and quench this thirsting of my soul….
 
Oh wow, it is finally Friday and I don’t know about you, but the energy tank has needed more than a shot or two of gogo juice several times this week.   The widow, cried out to Elisha that she had nothing, husband gone, creditors hounding and cupboards bare, zilch, zero, nada!  But she had faith and went to a true man of faith and did as she was told.  This week, while there may have been moments silence and seeming emptiness, I had the understanding that because of God, my love tank was very well maintained.  Many times this week I was reminded how much God loves me and how I am to share that Love.  What I have felt at the moments most needed was an overflowing of His love.  That love surrounded, infused and washed over and through me.  This total covering has been so amazing that it was just too good to keep to myself, it had to be shared!  God’s amazing grace, goodness and love are far too good to keep to myself. 
 
Just as God filled my tank every minute of every day in this week, I pray that the overflow drips, dribbles and spreads, adding to the tanks of others leaving their tanks not only filled to the brim, but miraculously overflowing and spilling out and over and over to others!  

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

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He Leadeth Me Beside Still Waters

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. Psalms 23:2

The last week has been filled with incredibly emotional ups and downs. The peaks and valleys from one moment to the next have been exhausting. Yet, through these times God has truly led and provided still waters. He has sent angels to minister to us by bringing food, spending time and offering to open their homes so that we could recharge close to the hospital. He placed others around for whom we were able to pray, comfort and encourage.

Because of His love we have been blessed and able to be a blessing to others. The road is long but we, as a family, know Jesus and that God designed the map!

Making His praise glorious!
Ree

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Going Outside

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

I must confess, lately I have limited my travel comfort zone since landing in Texas on Sunday night. While I did go to Walmart, more than once, a trip requiring freeway or further travel wasn’t happening. There was a self-attatched tether holding me close to the hospital. It was important to stay close, just in case my rudamentary first aid skills were needed. You know, in case God needed my assistance.

Newsflash, as I repeatedly professed that God is in charge my wobbly, little girl emotions alternated between fear and faith. It is critical that I stay plugged into the source of life and healing. So I accepted an angel’s kind offer of a shower and recharge on a soft sofa. Those brief hours renewed within me the knowledge that in all things, at all times God is taking care of us.

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

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Imperfect Pieces – Perfect Peace

Genesis 1:27  So God created human beings, making them to be like himself. He created them male and female,

Knitting, weaving, sewing, following a pattern or idea and creating. With each row and seam deepening the commitment toward completion. Some pieces finish quickly, their purposes simple, uncomplicated, yet quite serviceable.

Other pieces, like a skirt, sweater  or blanket done by hand can seemingly to take forever. The stitches and patterns repeated in precise order a rhythm, flow and cadence that can be picked up and laid aside, at creator’s will.  When the process begins we see the pattern and want that for our lives or to give as a gift to another. There is no thought, quibble or question regarding the commitment of time, resources and effort.  I am again humbled that God instilled that measure of time, care and more into each us. Each twist and turn in the fabric of who we are matter to Him. No stitch is unimportant and each has its own duty, we were created as complete and whole, a realization that dawns clearer with each day in The Master’s Hands.

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

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Giving Gifts with Open Hands and Heart

Psalm 112:9  (NIV) They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor.

The needles have been flying through projects lately as if there is some unforeseen deadline, other than Christmas, that must be made!  There has been a profound sense of peace, precision and purpose with each stitch of every project started and finished. Will I keep it or gift it? The plans change as each ball of yarn takes on a new and recognizable shape.  The more I give the more I receive, so the choice is transparently clear.  Though I had no clear idea what I was doing releasing my selfish ideas and choosing to follow where God leads me it is imperative that I open my hands and release those pieces to bring God glory.

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

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Allowing God to Open New Vistas

James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Change is never easy but it is necessary in order to grow!  I have been foot dragging, door post grabbing reluctant to stretch into the realm of blogging.  I could attribute it to fear, a lack of confidence  or some other failing I just can’t explain.  Yet in order to grow…here I am, because what is most important is not doing what I want, but what God has purposed me to do.   Lord, I am praying  that as I enter this new frontier, as I seek to bring honor and glory to You let your love shine through and Your words reach hearts and resonate with minds.

Making His praise glorious

Ree