fresh flowers for July 1

Moving – Life and Death?
©2005, Lani Wiens
a fresh flowers original

This week has been a slightly more restful week. The whirl of school is over. The open house was on the weekend. I can see the end of calendar days packed with writing and appointments. My husband and I had a lovely chat the other night and had come to the same conclusion in our own space – that we were still on the right track with the whole house thing even though it’s frustrating and slow and nothing like we thought it would be.

This morning I was commiserating with the Lord and wondering what the big deal was anyway. It’s just a house, not a life and death thing, the fate of the world doesn’t rest on whether or not we move, so why does it feel like such a big deal? The Lord broke into my thoughts right there. It IS a big deal, it IS life and death, the fate of someone’s world DOES rest on this transaction. There is a territorial battle that is going on for the land that we occupy and the land that our friends have occupied. Then He brought to mind the scripture in Acts 17. This is what it says:

Vs 26-28 “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being.”

Then He reminded me of a childhood friend. We went to school together, played in the band together and then my family moved and I didn’t see her again until she showed up one day at a ladies event in my church. We were shocked to see one another. Over time she, her husband and her boys have all crossed over from death to life and are now bringing life to others that they meet. The reason that she came to life is because of the people who live in the house that we are hoping to move in to. God made sure they were living there so that my friend would come to know Him. The reason that any of us lives in any given place is so that the kingdom of God is advanced. We are here to bring life to those we meet in the communities and circles that we live and move in. God will take us from place to place so that His mission is accomplished.

Is the work that God planned for us done in this place? We have no idea. Do we love this community and the people we have met here? Absolutely. Yet we are just as happy to go to this new place if that is where God is asking us to be for the next season of our life. We will continue to learn the lessons that He has for us in this process. And in the end we know that His ‘plans are to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future.’

Happy Canada Day!!!. I’m sure glad that my grandparents made that move!

Lani

My friend and I. What a blessing she is to me! Thanks Nin for taking the picture! 

great quote

I picked up this quote from Intent:

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble."

Helen Keller

fresh flowers for June 27

Not Forgotten
©2005, Lani Wiens
a fresh flowers original

On Father’s Day the kids in our church had a special presentation to make to their dads. One of the older classes came to help out with the younger kids. The fellow assigned to my 2 ½ year old wasn’t familiar with our family and was concerned that he wouldn’t be able to help Samuel find the right guy. As he expressed his concern to the teacher Samuel tugged on his hand and told him, “It’s okay, I know who my daddy is.

Sometimes I forget who my Daddy is. Just in case you’ve forgotten, too, let’s remind ourselves. He’s the guy who can speak and worlds come into order. He’s the guy who can measure the waters of this world in the palm of His hand. (To give yourself an idea of how big God really is, try to see how much water you can hold in your hand!!) In the meantime He tells me to cast my cares on Him, He takes care of flowers and birds and keeps enough oxygen around so we can breathe.

So why do I get so uptight when the little things aren’t going the way I thought they should? Why do I get fearful? Why do I worry? Has my Daddy forgotten about me? I don’t think so. The words to a song a young friend sang to me the other day seem to say all that is in my heart. You and I are not forgotten, even when we sometimes forget who our Daddy is. The song is called, ‘Not Forgotten’ by Jaylene Johnson.

When the branch is brittle, and the roots are dry

Bough breaks, leaves are on the fly,

Need to be reminded, that it’s ok to cry

Need to be reminded, there’s someone bigger than you and I

He sees me and He hears me and He knows my need

And as I wait He pours His healing over me

I am not forgotten

When the day is weary and the road is long

Load is heavy, birds have lost their song

Need to be reminded when I'm too weak to stand

Need to be reminded I'm held by strong and mighty hands, and

He sees me and He hears me and He knows my need

And as I wait He pours His Healing over me

I am not forgotten

When the branch is brittle

I am not forgotten

The roots are dry

I am not forgotten

Bough breaks

I am not forgotten

Birds are on the fly,

He sees me and He hears me and He knows my need

And as I wait He pours His healing over me

I am not forgotten

He remembers me

I am not forgotten

He remembers me

we are wimps

I know that some will disagree with me but I can't believe how wimpy we Canadian people have become! I got to watch a play the other night that depicted the life of settlers to our fair but harsh land. The powers of nature that they had to overcome without benefit of electricity, heat, running water, air conditioning, power tools or pants. I was whining to myself the other day because I had to turn on my oven to cook supper which was going to heat up the kitchen to a nasty temperature. Along with that I needed to run the dishwasher, once again causing heat in my kitchen. Suddenly I stopped and chided myself. If I really don't want to bake bread I can run to the store and get some. If I want to get cool I can go somewhere that is. I can throw my clothing in a machine that takes care of the washing for me - no heating water, scrubbing with harsh soaps and then hanging things out.

We complain about our weather and at the same time have a weird sense of pride on how cold it really can get here, like we have something to do with that. But for the most part we run from our heated houses to our heated garages to get into our heated cars then drive to another heated parking spot and complain to everyone we see how bitterly cold it is! Yeesh

That's my argument, we're wimps, at least I am.

on raising boys to be men

Obviously, to those who know me, my boys are not yet men. The oldest of the four will turn 9 next week. They are pretty boyish boys and for the most part I like it that way, except when I find them on the roof of the garage or playhouse. I'm trying hard to let them be boys but sometimes I wonder if I'm up to the task.

After this morning's worship service in which we commissioned our men to be men (the wild things they were called to be) to be warriors and all that I wondered about how to do that, exactly. We took them to the Gardiner Dam today because the spillway is open for the first time in 10 years. It was fabulous, they loved looking at all that power and wanted to get as close to it as possible. I was reading at Intent tonight and followed her links to two excellent blogs written on raising boys. So, all my friends out there who are raising boys take a look at these and let me know what you think. I know I was challenged!!

Mere Comments - Why I'm Raising Violent Four Year Olds
Wittingshire - Raising Men

If for some reason my links don't work go to Intent
and use hers.

fresh flowers for June 17

Covering and Authority
©2005, Lani Wiens
a fresh flowers original

These days we seem to get hung up on semantics (the meaning of words). Not long ago I read a comment on someone’s blog (web log) about covering, challenging someone to show him where it comes up in the Bible. That got me to pondering because we talk a lot about covering/authority in our church. I asked God to show me what that was all about, I figure He’s got the answers to all the questions and would leave out anyone else’s opinions. This is what He showed me.

The only inferences to ‘covering’ that I could think of were about head coverings and the imagery in Psalm 91 about Jesus’ covering us with his feathers as a hen covers her chicks. This was supported by my concordance. The imagery in Psalm 91 is about protection. When I looked up the word cover in the dictionary it said; protect, shelter, screen. However, there are some other definitions that are a little more forceful such as “supporting force protecting another from attack” and “protect from a commanding position”. Being ‘under cover’ means “to be hidden or protected by, with outward show of friendship.” These definitions alone makes me desire to be under another’s covering. But as was mentioned, the Lord does not command us to come under cover. It does however command us to come under authority!

Here’s where things got very interesting. As I pondered the word cover and the challenge to see that in scripture I heard the Lord whisper to me, “Change the word cover to authority and then take a look.” When I did that the Bible practically exploded with examples of God setting up and taking down authority, commanding us to come under authority, showing authority structures and the benefits of submitting to them. If you look up the word authority in the dictionary you will find this definition; “power or right to enforce obedience; this power as delegated”. Now if someone who is in authority is ‘covering’ you, they are your supporting force protecting you from attack. They have the right to enforce obedience but they are also covering your back, protecting you, shielding you, taking the hit for you. They are the one who will give an account and will take the blame if something goes wrong, they carry the responsibility. That is not a bad place to be at all. The opposite of that would be, no back up, in no man’s land with no one watching out for you, as in, “You’re on your own kid!” I don’t particularly like that picture.

Now let’s take a look at scripture. Right in Genesis God begins setting up authority/leadership/rulers starting with Adam. He was to have dominion, or rule, over all the earth. He was to take care of it. God set up authority throughout the Old Testament: kings, priests and judges. He told the people that they were to submit to these authorities unless they were in direct conflict with him (i.e. Daniel). In Zecheriah 9:10 it shows God deposing authorities and declaring His dominion from sea to sea, Revelation shows the last days and the new rule and reign of Christ. Moving on to the New Testament we are familiar with Jesus commanding his disciples to ‘give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s’. In Colossians 1:16 it says that Christ created and established all rulers and authorities. I looked up ruler and leader as well, their definitions were, respectively; “person exercising government or dominion” and “one who gives guidance by going in front”.

Further to this reference is made to children obeying parents, husbands being the ‘head’ of the wife, Christ being the ‘head’ of the church, master/slave relationships and submitting to one another. There is no question that authority and covering all over the scriptures, you cannot get away from it. But just to make sure that we don’t miss it, I will write out for you Romans 13:1-7, it reads as follows:

“Everyone (this means you and me) must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servant, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honour, then honour.”

Now just in case you think that all this applies only to civil governance, read Hebrews 13:7 and 17, “Remember you leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

There you have it. I am no great theologian, but I like to let God show me what He’s thinking about things. If something in this bit speaks to you and helps to clarify the confusion then it has done some good, it certainly did that for me. Perhaps you will need to go and repent to those God has put in leadership over you. I realize that not every church leader is perfect but God doesn’t actually make much allowance for that, we’re told to respect them anyway (check out David’s respect for Saul and his admonish to his men to respect Saul, even those he was demonized and the spirit of the Lord was no longer with him). Perhaps God will call you to be in leadership, give you authority to rule or lead, do you want people to follow you? You need to provide them with a good example to follow (go back to Hebrews 13:7). Let’s see if we can get this thing right.

Note: I used “The Oxford Dictionary of Current English” and the NIV translation of the Bible.

bouquets for my husband

My husband said the right thing today and deserves recognition for it.

I was getting dressed this morning and he looked at me and said, "You're not fat."

our declaration

Our church, along with MANY others are participating in a consecration fast for our nation. Watchmen for the Nations has been sending out devotionals for kids that we have been using every evening to help ourselves and our children understand what this thing is all about. So far we have contemplated the Levites and their choice to choose to follow God, Shadrach, Meschach and Abednago and their stand for what's right in the midst of opposition and Daniel's desire to separate himself from the 'worldly' standards and do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. The latter two examples both took their stand saying that even if God did not choose to save them from death they would trust him anyway.

We talked about the testing of our faith in our family. We chose to agree together to trust God for the sale of our house before the end of this fasting period and that even if He doesn't we choose to trust Him anyway. This is our declaration.

confessions of a housewife

This is for you Sarah!! I washed my upstairs floors today. I love hardwood, I love that I can wash it and not vacuum. I hate vacuuming. My confession is that I actually washed the floor in MY bedroom. I think the last time it was washed was when we painted it and I'm NOT gonna confess how long ago that was. The rest of the floors get washed (I won't say regularly but it happens) up there cause with dogs and kids it just needs to happen. But not mine. I wonder if there is some psychological thing that happens there. It felt good to do it I must say. So lest you were thinking that I'm some perfect housewife, there ya go. I'm not. This is truly a meaningless post if ever there was one, but it's my life for today, besides doing a field trip with one of my kids, that was fun. I must contemplate a meatless supper????????????????

the start of consecration

Everyone is in bed, sleeping. We have had no vomitting or diarrhea now since Saturday night. Just maybe we are finally on the mend.

Today was the beginning of the fast called by Watchmen for our country. Our church is participating in it and as a family, we are participating. We've decided to give up meat, desserts and any type of junk food or candy. Who know it may be the start of something we've been wanting to do for a long time. Watchmen sent out a devotional guide especially for kids for the fast, we went through the first one after supper, it was really good.

In preparation I also discovered a couple of good websites for recipes! For soup, click here, for vegetarian info and recipes (including stuff for kids) click here!

A dear friend just called to encourage us and pray. Mmmmm, God is good. I needed that, better than chips and cookies!

I've been Book Tagged

I've been tagged by Sparrow at Intent
for the latest book meme.

Total books owned, ever ~ oh my goodness, just for fun I figured I'd count just what is in our bedroom in the tiniest bookshelf, there's over 100 there. We've given away tons, and then there's kids books. We are both avid readers and our kids love books, it's gotta number over 1000.

Last book I bought ~ Grace Based Parenting by Tim Kimmel

Last book I read ~ Like all the way through? Hmmm, I think it was a novel I picked up called Secrets of the Heart by A. Lacy (a mail order bride historical novel) It wasn't that thrilling but it was good for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

5 books that mean a lot to me: As Sparrow said, the Bible is a given soooooooooo....

1. The Chronicles of Narnia (the set): I can read those a hundred times and never be bored.
2. Lucy Maud Montgomery's books, particularly the Emily Series - Emily is an aspiring writer, an orphan and an 'unusual' child, her story touched my heart (it was from this series I got the inspiration for 'fresh flowers').
3. Out of Control and Loving It and The True Measure of a Woman by Lisa Bevere - really helped me get a handle on my identity as a woman, a wife and a child of God
4. My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, don't know if this counts since it's a devotional but it always blesses me, I used to have 2 copies, now I have none, I am sad about that.
5. 'fresh flowers - an inspirational journal' written by ME!! That may seem a little self-centered but it was a dream come true to print that book and have my name on it. It means a HUGE amount to me.

So now I have to tag other people to answer the questions above. Then you tag someone else! So I'm gonna tag..........Worship Warrior, CWG, Camille, Sarah and Robyn! Have fun

today...

I wish I had a picture of what was happening in my eldest son's room right now (my camera's out of film). Three of our 4 boys are sitting around together listening to DC Talk and enjoying each other's company waiting for their older cousin to arrive. We've had a pretty good morning. Watering flowers, pulling grass by the fence, playing in the water and quietly, unintentionally enjoying each other. I needed to do that today. I woke up in a funk, feel like crying over nothing, life seems very heavy today. Maybe I should have been washing my floors this morning, which is what I intended to do, but I hung out with my boys instead. I don't do that very often. It was nice. It was nice to think that my little girl is hanging out with her grandma working on the quilt that we started this week.

This afternoon I hope that I can go with my mom to the MCC sale and see the quilt display, they have a bunch of heritage quilts there this year that I'd like to peruse. Usually I go to scrapbooking for the summer but this year just wants to be quilting and more quilting. I'm good with that...I'm getting better with today.

fresh flowers for June 10

Smoke
copyright 2005, Lani Wiens
a fresh flowers original

Smoke. The smell of it permeates and infiltrates like nothing else I know. Last fall my mom and dad had the task of helping my dad’s sister move into a nursing home. They also had to clean out her house, disburse her goods and sell the place. It was a lot of work. My aunt has never been married, has no children and has been a heavy smoker for all of her adult life. She has also lived in that house for as long as I can remember.

The cigarette smoke was so heavy in her house that it absolutely affected every single article in her home. It crept into closed containers, linens, wood, packages wrapped in plastic even the food that was in the freezer. It coated walls and windows and everything else that was in her home. We were the recipients of some of these articles. Being non-smokers we were very sensitive to the odour that adorned these goods. Unfortunately there was very little that we could selvage and find usable because of the smoke infiltration. I was shocked that the pre-packaged freezer food was affected, but it was. I tried bleaching things and cleaning with powerful cleaners, nothing worked to remove the smell. I was disappointed because there were some articles that we were given that would have been very useful to us.

This persistent invasion of the smoke got me to thinking about my relationship with Jesus. My desire is to make a difference while I’m here. I also desire that my life would OBVIOUSLY reflect the life of the Spirit in me. I want the scent of Jesus to permeate my life and my family like that smoke did.

So maybe I should follow my aunt’s example:

1. Stay in one place for a long time – sit at Jesus’ feet, let His presence coat the ceilings and walls of my spiritual house.
2. Take in Jesus every day, breathe out His thoughts so that they get into every aspect of my being, even the hidden things, the closed things, the things that are packed away that I never use, all of it saturated with Him..
3. Be persistent – so that no matter how hard anyone tries to remove the scent of Jesus from me, they won’t be able, too.

Maybe if I do these things people will know that when I walk by, or stop to talk to them that they will smell the scent of Jesus on me, hear Him speaking through my voice. Maybe they’ll see the evidence of years of being near Him on my fingers and on my face. I think that is how I’d like to be.

an update on the day

Well, got the poop cleaned up. That was really yucky. The house is tidied up but now we don't have to show it because the potential buyers didn't want a two-storey. Oh well, it's clean. The laundry pile diminshed to a reasonable size. That was a LOT of bedding, etc.!! Since I didn't have to go so crazy on the cleaning, getting ready to show thing I could take time to work on a project for our pre-school teacher and start a little quilt project with my girlie. That was fun. Read the same book to Sam about 15 times. Nobody's thrown up so far today, though they still aren't eating and have fevers.

Found out another friend has a blog! Visit my friend Camille at Mad and Restless

Found a great site for soup recipes!! click here.

I hope you can see the links! Anyway, the grace came through as needed. Thanks for praying, I might need some more before the day is over!

grace needed

Need a little extra grace today. Up last night with puking kids and noisy puppies. Have cranky, whiny children at home today. Need to get the house into 'show' condition for tonight. Meeting with real estate agents. Have to decide who we're going to go with because we have to list the house on MLS tomorrow if it hasn't sold by then. Daughter just yells that there are poop stains all over her rug. How has this happened? She has it on the bottom of her shoe and she's making more mess as she goes. Heavy sigh. The laundry mountain isn't getting smaller due to the puke and night-time peeing accidents. I need help...I'm tired...discouraged.....

Just one of my many blessings! 

counting my blessings

I am trying to practice what I preach to my kids. Don't look at what you don't have, look at what you DO have. I must confess that I have been looking very much at what I DON'T have...namely a buyer for our house and some finances to get through summer camp, an upcoming wedding and a few other things. So, here are some of the many blessings that I have......

1. A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord, a wonderful Saviour to me........
2. I am blessed to be able to worship with my godly husband in harmony this morning
3. I am blessed with gifts and abilities that allow me to express creativity in many forms.
4. I have five children that are a joy to my heart.
5. I am blessed to be at home being a keeper of the hearth.
6. I am blessed with a warm supporting family, both blood relatives and spiritual family.
7. I have a wonderful, warm, comfortable home that should we have been completely delusional and God doesn't really want us to move I will continue to be completely content in.
8. I have running water, electricity and heat.
9. I planted a garden with my mother-in-law on Monday and actually enjoyed it!!
10. We have all the big repairs on the house done, including the kitchen roof, which we got done BEFORE the rain started!
11. I have friends who teach me how to do HTML stuff on my blog and find me pretty flowers!
12. Did I mention that I have a wonderful saviour.

Go on, I dare you to count your blessings with me today. Let's change our hearts and our attitudes and be thankful, in spite of the cool, rainy weather. Which I think calls for roasting a chicken and making an apple pie. Anyone want to come for supper? First one in can come on over!

new look

My buddy at In Search of Truth made me a new and different look! Flowers, I finally have flowers! I'm excited, it doesn't take much. Now he and Sparrow at Intent
have shown me how to do the linky thing! Look I learned something new today!! I also sat down and played the piano today. Not bad for a cold and rainy day. Made bread, sewed, napped. Not a bad day at all.

Be Still My Soul

These are the words to a hymn that my husband came across this morning during his time with the Lord...

Be Still, My Soul

Be still, my soul! the Lord is on thy side;

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain

Leave to thy God to order and provide

In every change He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul!

thy best, they heavenly Friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end

Be still, my soul! thy God doth undertake

To guide the future as He has the past

Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul!

The waves and winds still know

His Voice who ruled them while He dwelt below

Be still my soul! the hour is hastening on

When we shall be forever with the Lord,

When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot,

love's purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul! when change and tears are past

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

things and stuff

Some of my friends have begun their own blogs and you might want to check them out...

Liven forgiven - ninmoore.blogspot.com
Care Bear - carebearsunshine.blogspot.com
Living by Faith 2 - hearherwalk.blogspot.com

Where am I today, hmmmmmm. I started working through a bible study book that I was supposed to have worked through last year (little procrastination happenin here). I'm on a chapter about repentance. Seems to be a theme. It sobers me to think that my sin, no matter how small causes a rift between God and I. If I want my prayers to be heard then I must have a clean heart, keep accounts short. Just realizing how much I need a Saviour once again...

fresh flowers for June 3

REST
copyright 2005, Lani Wiens
a fresh flowers original

Rest. Quiet, quietness, ease, tranquility, slumber, calm, calmness, peace, peacefulness, relaxation, recreation, state of inactivity, interval, hush, stillness, stop, stay, to be supported, upheld, cease from exertion, to refresh oneself or recover strength, not agitated or troubled, relieve or reassure. These are a few of the words in the dictionary and thesaurus that define rest, both as a verb and as a noun. Don’t they sound nice? They make you want to find a spot in which to repose and have a cup of tea.

I’ve been contemplating rest this week and have had a few interesting thoughts along the way. On Saturday, as I was driving Abby to ballet, I passed by a garage sale. I saw a chair. Not just any chair but a chair that Kelly and I have been looking/waiting/praying in for almost a year now. Kelly has not had a ‘chair’ in our home for a number of years. We ditched the one he came with after it collapsed. After we refinished our floors last summer we set out on a quest to find him a chair that he could sit in as we drink our tea late at night when the house is quiet. We’ve left a spot in the living room for it. We researched the on-line catalogues to find what he wanted. It was expensive. A few weeks ago we found a similar chair that was less expensive but the wrong colour. I really wanted to get him his own chair. Then I passed by this garage sale. The chair was sitting in the driveway, it was extremely inexpensive and very much what we’d been looking for. He was very excited when I brought it in. He’d been paying bills while I was away and getting a little uptight. He had just fought his way back to a place of rest in his spirit when I showed up with a place of rest for his backside. It was very fun.

On Monday a friend called to offer us another place of rest. A bed. At first I thought we didn’t really need another bed but when she described it to me I thought we should probably take a look at it. We haven’t seen it yet but it seems to be fitting a pattern for me.

As we anticipate the opportunity to move we’ve had to think a lot about where our kids will rest at night. What are the best possible combinations so that everyone will get the sleep they need and have a place of rest during the day?

I have been working hard at trying to be at rest about the house situation. As I’m writing this our house is not yet sold. I really want this whole transaction to be done but I have no control over it, I must rest, as in ‘not agitated or troubled’. So today I thought I’d take some time to research the word in the dictionary, thesaurus and in the scriptures. I already shared what I found in the first two. I’ll share what I found in the scripture and let you draw your own conclusions about the rest that you need today.

What can rest ON us:

*unfailing love (Psalm 33:22)
*favor of the Lord (Psalm 90:17)
*Spirit of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2)
*Christ’s power (2 Corinthians 12:9)

What can we rest FROM?

*labour (think Sabbath rest)
*life – the scripture comments about those who have gone to be with the Lord being at rest
*war
*weariness
*heavy burdens

Where can we find rest?

*at the end of life – rest from our labour on this earth (Job 3:17, Deuteronomy 31:16)
*in knowledge of God’s care (Psalm 16:9)
*in God alone (Psalm 62:1, 5)
*if we dwell with Him we find rest in the shadow of His wings (Psalm 91:1)
*in choosing and walking in the ancient paths (Jeremiah 6:16)
*in Jesus (Matthew 11:28)
*after obedience (Joshuah 21:44)

In repentance and rest we find salvation! (Isaiah 30:15)

Rest came after:

*obedience
*war
*working
*life was over
*on the 7^th day

Random Thoughts:

*The sea cannot find rest because there is never a cessation of motion. (Isaiah 57:20)
*Hebrew 4 exhorts us to do all we can to enter into God’s rest.
*Matthew 11:28 beckons us to come to Jesus with our weariness and heavy burdens so that He can give us rest.
*Rest is a gift and yet is something we must look for.

*It can be withheld if we choose to be rebellious against the Lord. (Exodus 17 is the example and then Psalm 95:11 says how God felt about the Israelite rebellion)

*David was a man of war and the Lord would not let him build a house for His name, it was his son Solomon, a man of ‘peace and rest’ (see 1 Chronicles 22:9) that was given that privilege. (afterthought – being of the Anabaptist heritage in which peace-keeping/no arms is a foundational element makes me wonder if those who have chosen to NOT bear arms, all those, not just Mennonites, will have a special commission from the Lord in the rebuilding of the Davidic tabernacle – just a thought)

That’s all I have, happy pondering…

Lani
The flowerlady

House Update, etc.

Here's the current bit.

1. Our financing has gone through! Yeah!
2. We placed an offer on Sam and Vi's house and it has been accepted!
3. Still gotta sell our house.
4. I realized I needed to repent...

My head knows one thing and my flesh says another. This ought not to be. James would say I am being double-minded and therefore I should not expect the Lord to answer my prayers. My head knows, through God's word and through MANY past experiences that God will do what He says. He has repeatedly told us to rest, that HE would sell our house and this would all happen. My heart and flesh have steadfastly refused to believe that even though I have declared with my mouth that this was true. I have been harbouring unbelief in my heart and should not expect that God would hear my prayers and answer them. Many of you are watching, waiting and believing with us that all of this would come to pass. Today, I have repented of my unbelief and will turn my heart to the Lord who know the times and places in which He wants us to live.

The other thing I realized this morning is that this isn't all about ME!! Surprise, surprise. Kelly pointed out to me the other day that Sam and Vi have way more at stake here than we do. They have a set moving date, they are going, house sold or not. They will be the ones left with the burden should our house not sell (not that God couldn't sell it to someone else). They are firmly convinced that the deal will go through, and are standing with us to give us the blessing of their home. I have been very selfish in my prayers, thinking only of myself and the effect that this has on my family. So I had to repent of that, too.

So there you have it. the house update!

Here's a cool little aside. Our friends were just approved for a Habitat house. Their future home will only be a few blocks away from us. They are worship leaders. We are worship leaders. We have friends who are worship leaders that already live a block away from our new house. We have other friends a couple blocks away that are worshippers. And I just found out another couple who recently started attending our church live in the area and are worship people, too. HMMMMM think God may be up to something here? Maybe a little transformation of Pleasant Hill to become what its name says it is, a pleasant hill (for those of you who aren't familiar with our fair city, Pleasant Hill is probably the poorest, economic zone of our city).