Stop & Stare

"God....richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy!"
1 Timothy 6:17

It seems that when you're in a hurry and running late you hit nothing but red lights.  Although they are annoying when we're racing to an appointment, stop lights are there or our protection.

We need stop lights throughout our day too.  Overwork and busy schedules need to be "interrupted" with time for leisure and reflection. Without it we can become seriously sick with stress-induced illnesses.  Time set aside for recreation or relaxation can rejuvenate our spirits.  This poem by W. .H Davies tells us to take time to "stop and stare!"

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

Lord, I Pray.......

"If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
2 Chronicles 7:14

Lord God, you, who makes all things possible, hear our cry. It may not be all of our nation, Lord calling out to you in prayer to change our ways, but father it is "many" of us. Lord, there are so many of us who love you, who are doing your will and want to make a better America.........grant us, oh Lord, victory on this day.

We pray for those who do not yet know you, Father. We humbly pray that "YOU" will be made first and foremost important in our great Nation once again and that the words "ONE NATION.....UNDER GOD" will once again mean something!

Father God, you know what is ahead for this country. We ask you to make all of us here and in America be obedient to Your will, Your ways, and Your moral values so that we may see this economy turn around, jobs be created and protected, and that we are safe from terrorism and attacks of any kind.

We praise YOU Father, Jesus Christ, King of Kings, LORD of lords, Prince of Peace, and we give YOU all honor and glory. And we ask this in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ.......... Amen!

I LOVE YOU BECAUSE. . . .

Dear Jesus,

I am sitting here writing this letter with a heart full of thanksgiving, and praise for You, and a desire to tell You and the rest of the world, just how much I LOVE YOU!!!

I LOVE YOU because You have been with me my entire life, through good times and bad.

I LOVE YOU because You have comforted me in times of great sorrow when I thought I would never be happy again.

I LOVE YOU because You have encouraged me in times when I have been down and felt that things couldn't possibly get any worse.

I LOVE YOU because You have filled my heart with joy by blessing me with a wonderful family.

I LOVE YOU because You have made me smile by sending me CRAZY friends into my life!

I LOVE YOU because You have given me a Godly husband who loves You, and his family with all of himself.

I LOVE YOU because You have shown Your trust in me by loaning us three beautiful angel babies.

I LOVE YOU because You loved me UNCONDITIONALLY even when I didn't love myself.

I LOVE YOU because You are a merciful and forgiving God and even though we may stray from our walk with You, You patiently wait for us to return. And when we do, You are there with Your loving arms outstretched, waiting to embrace us and welcome us back.

I LOVE YOU because YOU LOVED US so much, that you willingly gave your precious life on the cross for us!

Thank you, FATHER, for all that You have done for me!!

I LOVE YOU

Your Daughter,

A New Day

"And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying,"Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen."
Revelation 7:11-12

My Sunday school class just started a new Bible Study by Beth Moore...."STEPPING UP, A journey through the Psalms of Ascent." I am only on day 2 and I am LOVING IT! She is challenging us to spend a moment everyday on our faces before God. We can physically go no lower before God than on our faces. One of the things that true worship demands is humble submission.

I want to make it a priority in my life, to press to a higher place, to have a deeper relationship with Him. If we humble ourselves before God and come to Him with humility, God can and will lift us up.

During the introduction, she included a prayer that she prayed one morning while face-down on her back porch, in personal reverence and surrender to our Heavenly Father......

"Lord, I thank You again this morning that You are still God upon the throne of all creation. You are holy. Mighty beyond comprehension. So worthy of my praise and the outpouring of my life's energies. Today, I gladly give myself to You. I am convinced that You are always for me. Obedience to You will always mean Your very best for me. I'm so grateful that I can come boldly and without shame before Your throne because I pray all these things in Jesus' name!"

I accept Beth's challenge.....will you?