Sunday, November 30, 2008

Growing Stronger

Growing Stronger by James Hollihan

When I stop and look around me
and see how far I've come.
The road ahead gets to lookin' long
and I've only just begun.
A voice inside reminds me
I haven't come alone.
You wouldn't bring me this far
Just to leave me on my own.
Through the word I have the Power
to conquer anything.
I can overcome any situation
That tries to hinder me.
Chorus:
Growing Stronger
With every step I take
I'm learning to depend on you
And how to use my faith.
Growing Stronger
With every battle that I win.
It's plain to see
You're teaching me
Everything I need to know
To be strong enough for anything.

When my dreaming turns to wandering
and my feet give in to go.
It doesn't take me long to see
That there are things I still don't know.
In your gentle way
You teach me how to walk with you.
Prepare me for the open door
You want to take me through.
Even Though it seems sometimes
Things aren't working as they should.
I can stand and say
That everything is working to the good.

I first hear this song over 30 years ago and it come back to me every once in awhile when I have trials I don't understand and situations I can't control.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

A PROCLAMATION
The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.
In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battlefield; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the U.S., and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.
And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and union.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the U.S. to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, this 3d day of October, A.D. 1863, and of the Independence of the U.S. the eighty-eighth.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Be Still

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

4 A river brings joy to the city of our God,
the sacred home of the Most High.
5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
From the very break of day, God will protect it.
6 The nations are in chaos,
and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
and the earth melts!
7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.

8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”

11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress. NLT

I don't know why, but I was hanging out my wash today and the verse,"Be still and know that I am God," flooded my brain.. I went to my computer, quickly looked it up on www.BibleGateway.com. Mainly, I was trying to find the book, chapter, verse. I read the first verses of Psalms 46, and thought of all the troubles the world faces today. Listening to the news you hear of mountains and towns collapsing under earthquakes and floods, destructive fires, the stronghold of our world economy weak and feckless, murders, riots, etc.
Be still and know I am God.
I thought of the many ways we collectively use to solve the problems. We rush in to Fight, we stand powerless in Fear, we Foolishly try to Fix it, or Feel we can resolve everything through Finances. But we Fail. We get a Grade "F."
But when we Acknowledge that God is Almighty and All powerful, when we Accept his Lordship, when we Await on Him and Allow Him to work, well, we get the "A."

Friday, November 14, 2008

Trust and Obey

Yesterday on my "walk"-when I ponder all things great and small-I started to think about the concept of "Trust and Obey." Yup, just like the title of the familiar hymn. I had been reading about training mules, now there is one named "Bud" or Bannack" grazing in our yard. A trainer stated a mule needs to trust you before he will obey you. He needs the confidence that you have a clear vision of what you want him to do, are able to communicate that vision, and have a relationship with him in which, you've only had the best for him in mind. The Trust comes before the Obey. It's not obey the commands we want to obey or think we should obey, then "trust the outcomes", it's "Trust and then obey." Just like the song says, "There's no other way." That's the way it is with our relationship to
God. God has established a relationship with us through His Son, Jesus, communicates His will through His Word, His voice, His Spirit, and has promised all things work for our good!
The mule came to mind, since my first post my husband was using him to pack out the elk. It's Friday afternoon, and the elk is still up in the mountain. His mule didn't understand what Graeme really wanted. So, it's drudge up and down hill tomorrow with the elk strapped on our backs.