downacountryroadblog

Hear the words from the prophet Isaiah, chapter 60, verses 1-3.

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

 

 

We light this candle as a symbol of Christ our Hope.

May the light sent from God shine in the darkness to show us the way of salvation.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.

We can choose to live in darkness, apart from God.

And this is the condemnation, that the light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.     John 3:19

It is hard to fathom but there are those who prefer the darkness over the light. They rebel against God. Some deny His existence. They know that if they accept that there is a God, they also have to accept His judgment. For the wages of sin is death; (John 6;23). It sounds hopeless – but read on to the end of that verse. but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is hope!

We can choose to live in the light of His presence. We can share the good news with the world. God made a way for the relationship broken by sin to be restored by the blood of Jesus Christ. Let your light shine this Advent Season.

Christ is our HOPE!

 

 

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

Today is the first day of the Advent Season.

I have prepared the Advent wreath and it is on our dining room table ready for the first candle to be lit tomorrow.

Advent is a time of waiting and let us be honest, we don’t like to wait, for anything. However, some things are worth waiting for. Hear the words from the prophet Isaiah, chapter 40, verses 1-8.

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: and the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: the grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever.

God never forgets His people. God keeps His promises.

So in these days leading up to the Christmas Season let us STOP*LOOK*LISTEN.

STOP!     Take time to prepare for Christmas. Don’t allow the advertising hype to hurry you through this time of preparation.

LOOK!     Search the scriptures. Read God’s promises. Meditate on His Word. Learn what God did for His people in the past and know that He can do the same today.

LISTEN!     Be still and know. God wants a relationship with you. When was the last time you really listened for God to speak to you? For that to happen you need to get in a quiet place and WAIT.

 

 

 

It is our usual quiet Sunday afternoon. But the quiet today seems even more so because all of our visitors have left. This past week our home was filled with laughter and joy.

Last Saturday morning we picked up our grandson Josh and his friend at the airport in St, Louis and later that afternoon our son Doug arrived with a car full.

We put extra leaves in the dining room table, an air mattress on the living room floor, used our camper as an extra guest room, and took turns taking showers.

 

On Sunday we filled a pew at church and then enjoyed dinner at Heartland.

 

On Monday it was off to Hannibal for a ride on the river and a walk through the cave. Followed by a delicious dinner at the Brick Oven.

Tuesday Olin and Doug did errands gathering the material for a project of Olin’s and Linda, Josh, Tori, Emma, Charlotte, and Emersyn went to the pool for an afternoon swim and a soak in the hot tub.

 

Wednesday morning the guys went fishing – one fish – one turtle!

 

Tori went out with me to take pictures on the dogs’ morning run.

 

In between we filled the days with activity,

We worked in the garden . . .

Emma baked zuchinni-lemon bread. Josh & Tori made “squash cookies ” . . .

 

Charlotte found lots to do . . .

 

Emersyn was kept entertained  . . .

 

and memories were made!

But all good things must come to an end.

 

 

Our visitors have returned home to Delaware.

It is quiet once more on Windmill Farm.

Just Olin & I, three dogs, one house cat, five chickens, one rooster, and lots of barn cats.

God of the continuing journey . . . .

These are the words I wrote in my journal six years ago while traveling across the United State with my parents in our RV.

The journey continues and what a journey it has been.

Lord, You have lead us on some amazing adventures. Our life in Delaware, traveling with my parents, finding a home here in Missouri . . . .

Every day is a new adventure.

Yesterday I experienced the satisfaction of washing our laundry and using our solar-powered clothes dryer – the clothesline that our neighbor, Fred blessed us with. Last night we slept on sheets dried in the sun, smelling of fresh air!

Later Olin and I rode the fence-line, trying to discover where the cattle were escaping the pasture. What a wonder is Your creation, O Lord.

We found no breaks but we did discover two young calves enjoying their moment of freedom!

Ms. Pepper abandoned her perch on the Gator to protect me from these dangerous critters!

 

We ended our day with some front-porch sitting.

We watched as the hummingbirds performed aerial acrobatics for our enjoyment.

Thank You, Lord, for a good day.

And the journey continues . . . .

 

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”  Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.           (John 8:31-36)

 

Today we celebrate the birth of our nation. The United States of America. A nation like no other. A nation that draws people around the world, seeking freedom, to work, to worship, to live as they choose.

With freedom comes responsibility. We are responsible for our words, our actions. We are accountable for how we live out that freedom that is so dear to us.

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.          (Galatians 5:13-15)

I have been praying for my country for many years because I was concerned for the future of America. Long before the current upheaval there were many things that concerned me about this nation and the road we are on.

Lord, I trust You.

You brought this nation into being.

You will preserve it or You will allow it to destroy itself.

Either way – I TRUST YOU. I trust Your plan.

Lord, show me my part in Your plan.

I still pray. I pray that people will recognize what a gift our freedom is.

I pray that people will come to know the “Source” of our freedom – for to be free in Christ is to be free indeed.

 

Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.          (I Peter 2:16)

The things that make God dear to us are not so much His great big blessings as the tiny things, because they show His amazing intimacy with us; He knows every detail of our individual lives.       

 These words from Oswald Chambers were a part of my devotional reading yesterday and they reminded me of a time when God whispered to me “I’m here.”

Because we lived in the RV for eighteen months after selling our home in Delaware, I left behind many plants in my garden that had special memories for me. Hostas from Doug and Linda, a rose bush from Carrie, and flowers that Olin’s mother had given me from her garden.

One was especially dear to me, a Spiderwort that I had nurtured over the years. From that one plant she had given me I had divided and replanted until I had them all around the house.

How wonderful to discover our first spring in Missouri a Spiderwort plant tucked under the rose bush. And it was the same color as the ones I left behind in Delaware.

 

Thank You, Lord, for that tiny blessing. A welcome to our new home. Thank You, Lord, that You know me. You know my heart. That little flower is not so important in the grand scheme of life, but it is important to me. The discovery of that flower brought me JOY!

I find in my walk with You, Lord, many things, tiny things, that bring me joy –

a sunrise

a sunset

watching the birds in the yard, watching the dogs play, watching a seed planted in the earth break through the soil and unfurl its first leaf, tasting a sun-ripened tomato fresh from the garden

 

most of all

knowing that You are with me

I am Yours

You are my JOY!

 

 

^{Isaiah 2:2-4} 

 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

 

In a garden at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York City there is a sculpture of a man “beating a sword into a plowshare,” a symbol of the hope of the world that if people would come together to discuss their differences, they could put an end to war and use those resources for peaceful purposes. The United Nations was born out of the desire for peace. After two devastating world wars people wanted to believe that reasonable people could resolve their differences without destroying one another.

But they did not take into account the sinful nature of man.

Peace – true peace – will only come in God’s time and by God’s plan.

Until that time there will be wars and rumors of wars as people try to gain power over others. Until that time good people will die in the battle to protect the innocent victims of the power struggle.

And we will continue to honor those who die in that struggle.

As long as there are those who are willing to kill for what they want, there will be others willing to die to defend the rights of all people. It is those  we honor this day. Men and women who chose to defend the cause of freedom and the pursuit of peace even at the cost of their own lives.

 

 

^{Micah 4:1-5} 

But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.

 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.

 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.

 

 

 

Lord, I long for the day when there will be no more war.

Shalom

Shalvah

 

 

 

I woke up at three o’clock this morning with Willie Nelson in my head singing

“You Were Always On My Mind”

(you can check it out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDGiSoLIG8I.)

Maybe I didn’t love you
Quite as often as I could have
Maybe I didn’t treat you
Quite as good as I should have
If I made you feel second best
Girl I’m sorry I was blind

You were always on my mind
You were always on my mind

And maybe I didn’t hold you
All those lonely, lonely times
I guess I never told you
I’m so happy that you’re mine

Little things I should have said and done
I just never took the time
But you were always on my mind
You were always on my mind

Tell me, tell me that your sweet love hasn’t died
Give me, give me one more chance
To keep you satisfied
I’ll keep you satisfied

Little things I should have said and done
I just never took the time
But you were always on my mind
You were always on my mind
You were always on my mind
You were always on my mind

 

Willie is singing of a woman that he loves.

I am thinking of the child that I never held.

We are the parents of two amazing sons who are now in their forties.

Which is amazing since I don’t feel that much older myself!

 

In between their births there was a child that never was – according to those who believe in abortion.

They say a child isn’t really a child until it is born.

But I for me – I was a mother at the moment of conception.

I talked to my baby within me and waited impatiently to meet my child face to face,

 to count the fingers

 

 and the toes

to smell that “new baby smell.”

 

 

 

 

 

I wore maternity clothes at the first swelling of that “baby bump.”

 

 

That is how it was for my first pregnancy and for my second and for my third.

The first birth was a baby boy who looked so much like his Daddy I couldn’t quite wrap my mind around it.

And then much to my amazement the third birth was another baby boy who looked exactly like the first. It is difficult to tell who is who in their first year baby pictures.

 

 

The middle pregnancy was different.

I had just begun to wear maternity clothes and sharing the news that we were expecting.

And then one day things were just not right and so there was a visit  to the OBGYN

where I was examined and then told to come out when I had dressed.

I went out into the hallway

and the doctor met me there and told me that there was no heartbeat,

that my body would “spontaneously abort.”

He assured me that it would be no problem

and that I should go on about my normal routine.

So I went back to the office wearing my maternity clothes.

With only a few close friends who knew what was happening it was a long lonely week.

What do you say to a woman who is obviously pregnant but knows it is not to be?

 

When I awoke that morning the cramping started and my husband went off to work.

He dropped our oldest son off at the babysitters.

Remember the doctor said it was no big deal.

But it turns out that it was a very big deal.

 

When it was over I crawled into a hot bath to relax my aching body and soothe my hurting spirit.

I then proceeded to hemorrhage.

My parents came and after an argument with the doctors office

called an ambulance to take me to the hospital.

I was in shock from the loss of blood and had to have a blood transfusion.

After a few days I returned home with empty arms.

 

A year later my arms were filled with my second son who also looked just like his Daddy!

We have many memories of those growing up years and now they are men with families of their own and we have grandchildren and great-grandchildren!

 

But I have never forgotten the child I have yet to meet.

One Sunday our pastor preached from the Book of Job.

In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job.

This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.

He had seven sons and three daughters,

and he owned seven thousand sheep,

three thousand camels,

five hundred yoke of oxen

and five hundred donkeys,

and had a large number of servants.            Job 1:1-3

 

Job suffered a calamity.

He lost everything, sheep, camels, oxen, donkeys, servants, and his children.

But . . .

The Lord blessed the later part of Job’s life more than the first.

            He had fourteen thousand sheep,

                        six thousand camels,

                        a thousand yoke of oxen

                        and a thousand donkeys.

            And he also had seven sons and three daughters.      Job 42:12-13

 

When God restored Job

He gave back twice the camels,

twice the oxen,

and twice the donkeys.

 

Job received double of everything but his children

because he never really lost his children.

 

I was in tears at the end of that sermon

because it reminded me that I hadn’t really “lost” my child.

I just hadn’t met him or her yet.

 

The older I get the more this child is “always on my mind.”

 

When we were expecting a visit from our granddaughter and great-granddaughter last summer I was in a state of great anticipation.

And the closer it got to their arrival date the more excited I got.

The closer I get to my “going home” date the more excited I am about meeting my middle child.

 

You are always on my mind

            You are always on my mind

           

             I didn’t get to tell you

            How much you meant to me

            I didn’t get to kiss you

            Or hug you or bounce you on my knee

 

            But you are always on my mind . . .

 

 

 

When March came in this year with wind and rain, ice and snow, and cold . . . well, I thought it meant we would have beautiful spring weather for Easter Sunday. But, no, our weather forcast calls for snow tomorrow!

 

As I walked the dogs this morning the sky was dark and some would say gloomy. But I know that beyond those dark clouds the sun is still shining. If you look close you can see glimpses of blue beyond the gray.

I can imagine how it must have been for those who had placed their hope in Jesus, only to watch Him die a horrible, painful, humiliating death on a cross. This what not what they had expected. Where was the conquering hero in this picture? And now what?

They were lost and discouraged, with no one to lead them. They huddled together in fear of what was to come. They forgot the lessons He had taught them. They were in shock. Regardless of what the weather was outside, they were enveloped in darkness. They could see no way out.

 

Sometimes we feel the same – troubles assail – sickness – relationships – finances – you name it – and we see no way out . . .

Hold on, dear friends,

Morning is coming!

Then came the morning

Night turned into day

The stone was rolled away

Hope rose with the dawn

Then came the morning

Shadows vanished before the sun

Death had lost and life had won

For morning had come

Listen to the words Bill Gaither wrote and you will understand the hope that is ours as followers of Jesus Christ.

Today is the Fourth Sunday in Lent and also the day we “spring forward” losing an hour of sleep. And it is snowing!

Church service was canceled this morning. Having a church in the middle of farm country, where most folks must travel some distance on back roads to attend has its disadvantages. But we like our little country church.

And so I am sitting watching the snow fall, listening to the Gospel Train on the radio, and having my own worship service.

 

Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22

O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good: His mercy endureth forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.And gathered them out of the lands, from the east , and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul  abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and He saveth them out of their distresses. He sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing.

Numbers 21:4-9

And they journeyed from the Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that He take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Ephesians 2:1-10

And hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace are ye saved; and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 

John 3:14-21

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather then the light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

This is the Word of God for the people of God.  Thanks be to God!

What kind of God do we serve?

An Awesome God.

A Holy God.

A Loving God.

A God of Mercy And Grace.

A God Who Cares About Every Detail Of Our Life.

A God Who Desires A Relationship With Us.

A God Who Wants To Use Us To Bring Light To Those Living In Darkness.

 

Do you trust God enough to answer His call on your life?

Whatever it may be?

Or are you trying to play “Let’s Make A Deal” with God.

God knows you better than you know yourself.

God has a task prepared especially for you.

Will you trust Him and accept it?

 

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.