Morning Prayer

Grace Gift
Unfailing Love

Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in You.
Show me the way I should go,
for to You I entrust my life.
Psalms 143:8

Every day I have a choice – to choose despair or delight, grumbling or gratitude, pugnaciousness or peace – despite my circumstances.

I love the Lord, because he has heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful.
Psalm 116.1-2, 5

A Day For Honor and Respect

Grace Gift
Special Days Set Aside For Remembering

Revelation 21:4

and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).

The memory of the righteous will be a blessing Proverbs 10:7

Before baseball and barbecues, juicy slices of watermelon and tall glasses of sweet tea -
remember the great sacrifices that were made, with prayers and flowers and sober and somber gratitude.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” Psalm 33:12

 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18).

Psalm 119:114
You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.

Give Honor and respect to all those to whom it is due. Romans 13:7

The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot (Proverbs 10:7).

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones (Psalm 116:15).

GOD BLESS OUR FALLEN SOLDIERS.

GOD BLESS ALL OUR SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES!

 

We remember before our God and Father
your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love,
and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

 

Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask you father and he will tell you, your elders and they will explain to you. Deuteronomy 32:7

 On this Memorial Day weekend, we want to take a moment to remember all of those who have given their lives for our country. Our gratitude, our appreciation, our respect – it pales in light of the sacrifices you have made. To everyone who serves in our military and to everyone who loves someone who serves in our military, thank you. Our hearts are full, thanking God for all of you today.

  Words cannot express the gratitude we owe our military, their families, friends and every life they touch. Thank you for your heroic service both on our soil and abroad.

 To all the brave heroes who serve or have served this great nation, Thank You and God Bless you!

 May we never forget the freedoms that they served, fought and died for…particularly our freedom of religion. I am truly indebted from the bottom of my heart!
Blessings and gratitude to all who are serving and who have served.

This Little Light Of Mine

Grace Gift
Fireflies

"I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows Me

will never walk in darkness,

but will have the light of life."

John 8:12

 Growing up in the midwest, fireflies were a common sight on summer evenings. We called them lightning bugs, and we loved to catch them and put them in a jar, fascinated by their mysterious glow.

Ordinarily, I do not like bugs at all. But I do make exceptions for lightening bugs.

                                                   Eeeeek!
But there is another kind of light that shines everywhere; it is the light that lights the way for life, the Light of Jesus. He is the Light of the world, and as His followers, we reflect the light that shines from Him to the world.

Psalm 104:1-3
1 Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. 2 He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent 3 and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.

Romans 13:12
12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine..."

 2 Samuel 22:29
29 You are my lamp, O LORD; the LORD turns my darkness into light.

 Isaiah 42:16
16 I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

A Moon Dance And A Little Girl

Grace Gift
The Moon And The Little Girl

When I consider Your heavens,
   the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
   which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
   the son of man that you care for him? ~Psalm 8: 4-5

I seriously love looking at the moon- especially a full moon!

 When I was a little girl, I had an early bed time. I had my dollies to keep me company until it got dark when  I peeked through the curtains to say hello to my friend, the moon.

 I remember the nights when the moon would shine by the window, peeking through branches of our backyard  tree- gentle light falling onto the folds of my blanket. It was on these nights I would sit and stare at moon’s face, contemplating the shadows that fell onto its smooth pearl surface, feeling special as the clear, white light washed over me.

 I would imagine myself floating and leaping as I twirled weightlessly in the land of white dust, and leaving nothing but the light footprints of my dancing feet along with a trail of swirling powder behind me.

I think of having gravity leave me, as I soar into the night sky of twinkling stars where the Earth looks perfect, a beautiful, sparkling jewel of life, with patterns of green, clouds, and bright city lights in the dark.

 And when I drifted back down to the planet, back to the bed where I propped myself up, there the moon would be, smiling the soft reflected sun rays into the window, an inch higher in the black velvet of night. I would adjust my view so I could gaze at the full, round face, and wonder more of things, like how moon’s surface hadn’t changed in the longest time, and that footprints had  virtually been stamped on it, staying in the dust where nothing stirred its existence.

 I felt, on those nights, that I could have looked up at the moon forever, soaking up the reassuring glow, cherishing the moments I spent passing each second traveling in the dark midnight with a magical blanket of the calm, full moon wrapped around me.

 And in my dreams, I would fly on in the sleepy yet alive city, carrying me in the late, quiet air with the distant chirping of a cricket symphony until the moon would let me flutter down in my sleep, so high above the tree, wishing me a farewell as its' light reached the edge of my bed, and glazed out the windowsill, leaving me with the still, dusty memories of our dance that night. And yet I would dream on, of the next time moon shall come to greet me, in the tangles of the tree branches.

 While I thank God for the stars that light the night sky, I also thank Him for our imaginations and the gift of windows.

Eternal Pleasures

Grace Gift
Eternal Pleasures

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.  Philippians 4:8 

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.  Psalm 16:11

I will go before you and make the crooked places straight.  Isaiah 45:2

 

Thank You, Lord

 

Floral Designs- by Him

Grace Gift
Floral Designs- by Him

For as the earth brings forth her bud, and as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
--Isa 61:11

aconite

 

 

 I do Word Search puzzles - tonight, I saw so many different names of flowers, I decided to find photos of them all. 
The Lord sure does like flowers, doesn't He?

amsonia

 

 

 

 

 

 

Psalm 104:24 
 O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. 

anchusa

 

 

 Matthew 6:28-29
  And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

anemone

 

 

"Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.  They do not work or spin.  But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them."  (Matthew 6:28-29)

aruncus

"Notice how the flowers grow.  They do not toil or spin.  But I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of them.  If God so clothes the grass in the field that grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?" (Luke 12:27-28)

aster

Isaiah 55:12 For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing...

astilbe

Psalm 89:15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of your countenance.

campion

Psalm 40:1-3  I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined to me, and heard my cry...

clarkia

 

 Hosea 14:5-7 I will be as the dew to Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon...

crocus

Isaiah 35:1,2 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose...

African daisy

Songs 6:2,11 My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies...

 

 

daphne

Psalms 103:15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

gentian

 

 

Song of Solomon 6:2-3 My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies. I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feeds among the lilies.

ixia

Song of Solomon 2:12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

 

 

lily

Hosea 14:5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. 

 

 

linum

Matthew 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

lobelia

 Job 14:2 He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down: he flees also as a shadow, and continues not.

lupine

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.  Philippians 4:8 

lycoris

 "For I know the plans I have for your," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

monarda

 Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again:  rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:4-7

muscari

 And God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:19

peony

 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  Hebrews 11:1

petunia

 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  1 Peter 5:7 

rose

 

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Psalms 37:11

salvia

You have made know to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.  Psalm 16:11

scilla

 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts.  Colossians 3:15

statice

The Lord delights in the way of the man whose steps he has made firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.  Psalms 37:23-24

stokesia

A happy heart makes a face cheerful.  Proverbs 15:13

tulip

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Galatians 5:22

viola

 

 

zinnia

 Be still and know that I am God.  Psalm 46:10

 And these are but a few of His creative floral designs.