Category Archives: faith

Wisdom and Knowledge illuminations

18 Monday Jun 2012

Posted by in Christianity, faith, Fun stuff for kids, sandcastles, wisdom and understanding

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“How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!”  Proverbs 16:16

A Tower of Knowledge  Where do you look for knowledge?  What are the blocks you’ve used to build your tower of knowledge?  Where do you look for wisdom?  If I am working on my computer and ask a question of either my son or husband, I usually receive the  answer, “Just Google it.”   So that’s what I do and what a wealth of information I have discovered on Google! 

I am also a terrible speller and how I love the fact that my misspelled words now have a red squiggly line under them that is not marked by some disgruntled teacher who lowers the grade on my paper. No, my computer wizard marks my mistakes and with a right click on my mouse gives me suggestions for the correct spelling, never criticizing my errors.  We’ve come a long way from looking up words in the dictionary and using white out to cover our mistakes.

You are probably familiar with the G.P.S. global positioning system.  Our grandson  named ours Grace and use to ask the question, “But how does Grace know exactly where we are and where we are going?”  He always wanted to trick her when my husband picked him up from school.  They frequently took different routes home, but she always “recalculated” and gave the correct directions to reach their destination.

And have you heard about Siri?  She is a voice-activated “Personal assistant” on the iPhone 4S.  My son has one and we all had a fun time thinking up questions to ask  her at our last family get together.   Her answers about marriage and her likes and dislikes had us in stitches.  She is always very polite and has knowledge about all sorts of subjects or will provide a Google search list if needed.  Recently I read that Apple is providing her with new databases of knowledge which will include being able to make dinner reservations and retrieve sports scores.  Several automakers are planing to integrate  their new cars with a steering wheel mounted button that will enable the driver to use Siri to make hands free and eyes free calls, play music, compose text messages and get map direction.  Sounds like a very smart thing to have.  I’m all for anything safety related!

But accumulated facts are not wisdom.  And what man calls wisdom is not always  safe to follow.  Several times we have followed our G.P.S. directions and ended up on some country road far from our destination.  Worldly advice may be a trap that leads you to take unsafe risks.  Most of the time man’s advice is colored by his own greed and limited knowledge and is not in our best interest.  The only word we can continually trust is God’s Word.  “For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”  Proverbs 2:6

The Tower of Babel

The eleventh chapter of Genesis describes how the people became so pride filled  that they wanted to make a name for themselves by building a city with a tower in it that would reach up to heaven.  They wanted to glorify themselves and refused to recognize that only by the grace of God did they have the ability to build a city and tower. “This is the one I esteem:  he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.”   Isaiah 66:2b      At that time all the people in the world   had one language, but God hates pride   and scattered them from there over all the earth  and they stopped building the city.  “That is why it was called Babel – because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world.”   Genesis 11:9

Fun Stuff For Kids:   Building a Tower of Babel  after explaining the Bible story.

Technology today seems to have no limits and is constantly changing.  I love being able to stay in touch with friends and family and even meet new friends around the  world by blogging.  Men have come up with some fantastic devices to enable us to communicate with each other and to almost never get lost, but God has given us something even more amazing.  We do not have to dial a number or hook up to the internet or wait for a menu.  He has enabled  us to have instant communication with Him, our Awesome God never makes us wait. God has promised that when we call to him he will answer us and His wisdom is omniscient, omnipresent and  omnipotent.  “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and  unsearchable things you do not know.”  Jeremiah 33:3

God gave each believer the Holy Spirit to guide him and keep him from losing the way.  “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.”  Psalm 32:8 

God not only gives the best way to reach our destination, but he has also designed the best way that personally fits each individual.  His system enables us to follow the only way that will bring us lasting joy and fulfill his purpose for our lives.  Whenever you have a problem or decision to make, the best thing you can do is first pray about it and then look in the Bible for answers.  Don’t make a hasty decision based on what men say or your own knowledge.  Only God can guide you to make the best choices for your life. “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.” Isaiah 64:4   “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.”  Proverbs 2:2-5

Mustard Seed Faith part II

28 Monday May 2012

Posted by in crafts, faith, fun stuff for grandparents, Fun stuff for kids, Hearts Filled With Joy, mustard seed faith, wisdom and understanding, worry

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“Because  you have so little faith.  I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you.”    Matthew 17:20  

The Power of Prayer

Over a year ago we were informed that if we didn’t sign papers allowing Marathon Oil to cross our land taking a 100 foot right away for a pipeline, they would seize the land any way.  I began receiving certified letters from Marathon’s attorneys  saying that if we didn’t sign the papers, they were going to take us to court. So I began to pray.  What bothered me most was that the spot they had chosen to take was our favorite spot for picnics and cookouts at the creek.  The contract basically said that they could bulldoze down the beautiful trees there and we would no longer be allowed to use that area without their permission!  I posted in Mustard Seed Faith illuminations last week some pictures of the fun times we have had there.  I had been praying for days and the deadline for signing the papers was in less than a week.  My husband sent an email to these attorneys explaining that the direction Marathon intended to go was unacceptable to us and so was the contract.  He requested a meeting down at the sight with Marathon’s right away acquisitions manager.  The meeting was set and three men showed up including their engineer.  I decided not to attend the meeting so that I could pray while they met.  I prayed that the Holy Spirit would speak to and soften the hearts of these men and give my husband wise words to say.  “For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.”  Luke 21:15  

A second meeting was set and this one was for the actual signing of the papers.  At the first meeting the engineer had told my husband that it would be possible for them to drill under the road and then take a turn to the left avoiding most of our trees and going down our field almost to the end before they crossed the creek.  We were also told that they would change the parts of the contract we were unhappy with and bring a map to this meeting showing the revised direction they would be taking.  For the next few days I praised God for His unfailing love and waited in joyful expectation to see how my awesome God would answer my prayers.We sat around my kitchen table and I was relieved to see that their map appeared  to follow the path we had hoped they would take.  I had printed out a large picture of our grandchildren playing down at the creek and showed it to them thanking them for not taking the part of the land we most enjoyed.The papers were signed and I praised God again for being so good. 

But this April, a year later when the bulldozers were getting ready to cross over to our land, the surveyor stakes had not been changed and it appeared that they were still going to bulldoze our trees down and cross the creek at our favorite spot.  Worry reared his ugly head again, but this time I quickly began to pray and covered him with a mountain of prayer and promises each time he appeared.  My husband made a phone call regarding this matter and we were met once again by the acquisitions manager and together we walked down by the creek.  I pointed out the favorite places our grandchildren play and all the trees I did not want the bulldozers to destroy.  His heart had already been touched by the Lord and he couldn’t have been nicer, promising to come back and tape off those trees.  In the above two pictures you can see the beautiful red tape he used to protect our trees and creek.  The next picture was taken May 24,2012, and they still have a lot more work to do.  But they have been very careful and not damaged our trees.

“Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.”   Psalm 115:1

The amazing thing is that I thought I would be really bothered by the noise.  But it has been going on now for about three weeks with drilling through rocks, dynamite blasts that vibrate our house and the constant beeping, clanging, banging noises of huge machinery and I have been completely at peace.

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you”   Isaiah 26:3  

Shepherd our grandson loves all the noise and construction and never gets tired of watching from his director’s chair.  Perhaps I have learned to look at it from the eyes of a little child.  But mostly I believe that I am just so thankful knowing that God changed the hearts of these men and their plans.  The acquisition manager had seen us watching the construction with Shepherd and called us from his cell phone one day saying he envied us as grandparents.  He let us know that there would be a big dynamite blast in less than an hour if we would like to bring our grandson down to watch.  I am looking forward to the time when they are completely finished and I know the sweet sound of birds singing and crickets chirping and the quiet of peace will be so welcomed.  But best of all will be the sound of laughing, splashing children as they play down by the creek.  Thank you Father, thank you, thank you, thank you.

“Ah Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too hard for you.”   Jeremiah 32:17

 

Mustard Seed Gift

In my kitchen window I have a little bottle filled with mustard seeds and tied with the verse from Matthew 17:20 that my daughter made for me years ago.  If you feel you could use a little faith boost or perhaps you have a friend who is having a difficult time, this would make a lovely gift to give yourself or your friend.

Craft for Kids:  Mustard Seed Jewelry or Key Chain  

  • silver beading wire (24 gauge) or thinner
  • crystal or silver beads
  • hot glue gun

Cut about a yard length of wire and bend in half.  Place  the center of the wire at the bend on a cutting board and drop a bit of hot glue on it.  Place a tiny mustard seed on the cutting board next to it and drop some glue over the mustard seed making a pearl like pendant that contains the mustard seed and includes the wire.  Let cool and then carefully peel it off the cutting board (do not pull it off by the wire).  You may need to lift the edges of the pendant with a knife.  Finish necklace  by adding crystal beads to the wire and twisting the ends together.  Measure the necklace to be sure that it is large enough to place over the head of your child before you twist the ends together.  Place the necklace on your cutting board and seal the twisted part of the wire especially the ends with a bead of hot glue so it will not come undone or prick clothing or skin.  Boys might enjoy making a key chain.

Mustard Seed Faith illuminations

21 Monday May 2012

Posted by in cookout by the creek, faith, fun stuff for grandparents, Fun stuff for kids, health, Hearts Filled With Joy, mustard seed faith, shingles, spring flowers, wisdom and understanding, worry

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“Because you have so little faith.  I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you.”    Matthew 17:20  Faith Failure:

Have you ever had a faith failure?  About a year ago I found out that Marathon Oil was going to put in a pipeline across our land and I became so upset, it made me sick.  A week later I came down with a terrible case of shingles that lasted for weeks.  I called it the worry disease because every time I would start to worry, it became worse and hurt more.

We were informed that we had no choice but to sign the papers agreeing for them to take a 100 foot right away because if we didn’t sign them, the land would be seized anyway.  They said they were willing to pay us for the value of the land.  But how could they know what the value of the land was worth to me?  To them it  was farm land and not worth very much. But what is the value of a tree that is more than 5 feet in diameter and probably more than 100 years old?  And how do you count the cost of wildflowers and daffodils that bloom in the woods every spring?

They were planning to go straight across our woods and creek  and their bulldozers would plow down all the beautiful shade trees as they went.

This was the place where our children had loved playing each summer.  They had floated in boats and inner-tubes, played imagination games on the rocks at pirate’s cove, made trails through the woods and swung on vines hanging from the trees.  Under the big tree we had held Sunday School cookouts by the creek and in the meadow we played games and kickball with the children. 

In the field the kids were also treated to hayrides.  After we finished eating as the sun was setting, we made a big camp fire and roasted marshmallows making s’mores for dessert. 

Then someone played the guitar and we sat around the fire singing songs until after dark.  We always ended with a prayer followed by singing one of my favorite songs, “Cum Ba Ya, My Lord,” and I know He was there because I could feel His Very Presence.

But even though we were informed we had no choice about allowing them to cross our land, what they didn’t figure on was the power of prayer!  When my mind finally quieted and I stopped asking “why Lord,” I began to pray.  I asked God to not let them cut down our trees and cross our land at our favorite spot for picnics and fun.  And each time I prayed I could almost audibly here my Lord say, “Just trust me, just trust me.”  “But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.”    Psalm 33:18

to be continued…….