Thanking God for His Goodness

34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Today begins my birthday week.  Every day that I awake, I have a reason to be thankful.  With each breath taken, with or without difficulty, I am grateful.  In the grand scheme of things, God cares about me so much that He touches and wakes me up everyday, for these 50+ years.

Grateful I am to serve in His vineyard, delighted to do as He bids. With joy, I thank God for this hour, this day and this week in which He gave me life!

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

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Havin A Praise Party!!!

Lord Howe (Photo credit: Roberta W.B.)

 

Psalm 150 (NIV)

 

1 Praise the Lord.[a]

Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord!

 

God has been so good all  I can do is have a praise party in His honor!  Glory to God for His goodness!  Everyone is invited and welcome!

Making His praise glorious!!!!

Ree

 

 

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Busy hands and Open Heart

Psalm 3:5 (CEB)

⁵ I lie down, sleep, and wake up  because the Lord helps me.

It seemed that leading up to and including the one year blog anniversary a quiet has dropped like a heavy drape, not only covering this blog but my life.

I post and comment less on Facebook and my tweets are barely rippling enough to qualify as a chirp.

When God is working on and through us there are times when silence is the wisest choice.  As my fingers have been diligently working my heart and mind have also been busy.  During this silence I have been blessed by and with visits from loved ones and felt the Hand of God move repeatedly and steadily in our lives.

Today I released myself from the pressure of creating 200 knitted items. The frenetic pressure to attain that number was born from my desire to help others but help we shall.  December is not here, yet  and I have again turned  the matter to the Lord!   Joyfully, I honestly  have no idea what God has planned and I look forward with less pressure and heightened expectation!  Ultimately, my desire is  for God’s will to be done.

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

P.S. An angel dropped off 20 hats this morning!!   Thank you, Lord!!!

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Singing an Old Song

Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)

Psalm 121

A song of ascents. ¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—    where does my help come from? ² My help comes from the Lord,  the Maker of heaven and earth.

Recently I enjoyed a Facebook conversation with some family members.  We were reminiscing about the blessing and healing of hearing and singing old hymns.   I admit to almost daily spending countless hours basking in the upbeat praise and power of contemporary songs.  But on some days when no other song will do these old hymns are the songs that my soul yearns and hungers to hear.  Songs of climbing, reaching and striving for “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” and wanting to be “In the Upper Room” and understanding in this walk through life that “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” is not merely a song but a plea for God to lead.

There are so many times when only a gut-wrenching fervor will reach that aching part of my heart and remind me that everything is going to be alright.  Days when “I Love to Tell the Story” promises me that Heaven is my goal and I desire to do as God commands!

How I Got Over – Mahalia Jackson – http://youtu.be/PRVzOV5ZaLs

Steal Away to Jesus – Mahalia Jackson/Nat King Cole – http://youtu.be/-O5hz5KnSdc

Precious Lord – Mahalia Jackson – http://youtu.be/-O5hz5KnSdc

 

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

 

I  we love and are blessed and able to praise with the contemporary by the new songs  those songs we sang that we didn’t understand at the time

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Thankful Thursday!

Lord Howe Island snorkeling – Double headed wrasse clown fish and others (Photo credit: Percita)

Psalm 107:1 107 (NIV)¹ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; His love endures forever.

Psalm 118:21(NIV)

²¹ I will give you thanks, for you answered me; You have become my salvation.

 2 Chronicles 20:21 (NIV)

²¹ After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his^[a] holiness  as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

“Give thanks to the Lord,  for His love endures forever.”

Mark 8:7 (NIV)

⁷ They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them.

As I read these words of thanks, I lift my own voice in praise.  Being grateful and thankful for all things.  God’s goodness is always beyond what we ask, dream or hope.   When we share what we have our little thankfully becomes more than enough.  When the hands of Jesus touched those few fish and loaves of bread multiplied and all in attendance were able to eat their fill.   Lord,  thankful am I for your provision, protection and love.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, oh LORD, my strength and my redeemer!  Psalms 19:14 (KJV)

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

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Worship Wednesday

Cover of THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

Psalm 34:9 (MSG)⁹Worship God if you want the best; worship opens doors to all His goodness. Psalm 34:9 (NIV)

⁹ Fear the Lord,  you his holy people,  for those who fear Him lack nothing.

Psalm 34:9 (NKJV)

⁹ Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.

One text, three versions wonderful words.   I worship God out of love and have witnessed the miracle of open doors and windows when least expected.  I worship, not fear because more often than not my heart defines fear as a negative.

Yet, my adoration, praise, respect and worship are seamless because God’s abundance has already been shown in my life.  God is my Father  – my Father provides.  The Lord is my Shepherd – He guides and protects.  My love, praise and thanksgiving are my meager humble gifts for all He has done and continues to do in my life.  Though trials may come – I will continue to praise Him!

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

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God Knits!

Illustrates the definition of a knitting wale, a set of stitches in which each stitch supports the previous one and is itself suspended from the next. This fabric was made using two colors of hand-spun wool from the same sheep, knit using a slip-stitch double-knitting trick; that’s why the alternating red and white wales are half-staggered with respect to one another. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

The New International Version of the Bible contains 12 texts that reference the word “knit”.  Not all pertain to the actual act of knitting, but the care for unclean knitted/woven  materials of linen, wool or leather.  Most of the texts in Leviticus spoke directly to the care of material having mold.  Leviticus 13:49-57.

Though I must admit that my favorite knitting text is Psalm 139:13 (NIV) ¹³ For you created my inmost being;  you knit me together  in my mother’s womb.

As a knitter, I choose materials that feel good to my hands, that slide and glide across my fingers without causing hang-nails or raw skin.  I select colors and weights on a belief that what will be produced will not only be beautiful, but will by extension be a reflection of my love and care.   The psalmist understood that God took that same care with him while in his mother’s womb.  I take comfort in knowing that this very same God to the same care with me!  Today I am rejoicing and thankful to be a one-of-a-kind God original!

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

 

I love the idea that God specially selected every facet of my being, that He carefully and lovingly fashioned me to be an extension of His love to others.

 

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Singing unto the Lord

)”]Psalm 5:11 (CEV)

¹¹ Let all who run to you for protection  always sing  joyful songs.
Provide shelter for those who truly love you  and let them rejoice.

I watched American Idol again the last couple nights, no I’m not addicted.  The young people this year are so remarkably talented.   I am permitted to have a favorite or two each year and my favorites this year are Colton Dixon and Phil Phillips.   Both of these young men are so crazy gifted, they can take a recognizable song tweak it, insert their spin on it and have me sitting foot tapping  and smiling like a proud parent.  As I watch them embrace and enjoy the notes of each song they sing, staying up a little longer to watch this year been worth missing a few minutes of sleep.

There are gifts aplenty on that stage, yet what struck me most painfully this week was the youngest singer, Jessica.  This girl can sing anything, with pipes easily compared to current stars, yet there is no passion, no feeling.   True she is only 16 and has from all accounts been singing most of her life.  Yet, my heart breaks for her because her with professionalism, beautiful voice there is a disconnection.   Being “In it to Win it”, can make sure that things are technically right, but emotionally empty.

Last night, Colton’s “Idol” dream ended, yet when it was time for him to sing the final song, he went to his knees and sang again to the Lord.   There were tears in my eyes at his constant, consistent witness.  God has plans for that young man and as he continues to use his talents to give God glory, the standing ovations he didn’t receive from the judges cannot compare to the hand claps and whistles he received from the angel chorus and smiles of approval from God.

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

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His Beautiful Words

Image via Wikipedia

For the leader. A Psalm of David.
I seek refuge in You, O LORD; may I never be disappointed; as you are righteous to rescue me. Incline Your ear to me; be quick to rescue me; be a rock, a stronghold for me, a citadel, for my deliverance. Psalms 31:1-3 Tanakh (the new JPS translation according to the traditional Hebrew Text)

I absolutely love the beauty of the Psalms as translated in the Tanakh. The words flow gracefully, lyrically and are so musically delightful in their poetic flow that I am left, speechless. As I sit and read the words I feel the ache of my missing harp, the silence of the absent babbling brooks and cheerfully singing birds. My soul and spirit yearn for the presence of the God who inspires such wonderful heart lifting words. LORD, may the words that flow from my heart inspire worship and praise for who you are and all you do.

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

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Silent Praise

Silence is praise to you, Zion-dwelling God, And also obedience.  You hear the prayer in it all.  Psalm 65:1-2 (The Message)
 
Sometimes I am quiet.  Nothing wrong, yet I am struck dumb, wordless, mute but not without racing thoughts and juggling considerations.  There are just some days when I must seal my lips and give offerings of silent praise.  Many times I am silent because I am overwhelmed!  When I think about how incredibly awesome God has been to me, my loved ones and those I call friends, the paths He has led me down, the blessings sent my way and let me not forget the answered prayers… tears of gratitude, trickle then  flow, unchecked.  This praise offering must be silent because I have no adequate of words.  At those times,  I know nothing my simple mind could string together could convey all the feelings that I have for all that God has done, my gratitude and love.  This is one of those days and on this day it is with that spirit that I know God hears and accepts the silent praise offered!!!
 
Make His praise glorious!

Ree

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