I've been cleaning out my book cabinet today and "Just happened" to find an old poetry book of my mother's. Seeing as I love most poetry, I thought I'd see if I could find something to feed my soul a bit. When the book fell open to a poem called, "Little things" I was intrigued and read it. OH WOW. I'll share it with you now and you can decide for yourself if it's "Little things" of which the author Adam Ochsner writes in his book WESTERN POEMS AND OTHERS. I can certainly tell that Mr. Ochsner is a deep thinker. ENJOY!
LITTLE THINGS
by Adam Ochsner
A little help from many hands
Has fed the starved in many lands;
A little smile from a passing friend
Will help the soul with trouble bent.
A little pride as friends we meet,
Without a smile, too proud to greet;
Tends them to hate and turn away
And make us rue the act some day.
A little work as on we roam,
Through life, ere long, will make a home;
A little turn for crooked ways,
So soon will bring on sorry days.
So little things in life are great,
In making friends or causing hate;
So little turns of right or wrong,
Make life a sad or happy song!
Do you see why I loved it? Do you see why I am eager to stick my nose into this old book some more? I think I know what I'm going to take with to family camp to read in my "Spare" time. Usually I don't have any spare time at camp as there are so many wonderful people to visit with. However, I am in the habit of having a book with me at all times for those, "Just in case" moments!
I have a feeling that you'll all be seeing more poetry here soon!
God bless and hugs and all the rest,
Dawn
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
"My" inheritance
Hi everyone,
I haven't written here in a while seeing as it's Summer and I am VERY busy with the garden; with clients; and with enjoying our new swimming pool! The real problem, though, I think is that since I'm on Facebook, I've gotten lazy. I even slopped through an email the other day and it shook me up. "Whatever happened to "Real" writing," I scolded myself and made the necessary corrections to the letter to make it proper.
No, this isn't meant to be a post about sloppy writing but rather about how the Lord is working in my heart this Summer. You see, as I sat in my dad's attorney's office the day after his funeral, I heard the words that it would be AT LEAST 4 months until we learn the amount that I would inherit.
Do you have any idea how hard it is to wait 4 months to learn if there's anything left after dad's 3 years in the nursing home? My dear husband and 2 of my brothers know how hard it is. Whenever I catch myself getting stressed over this, I talk to one of them. One time my youngest brother actually called me to talk about money. How can this be? Doesn't he recall that money is the biggest taboo subject in our family????????????
All of this waiting has done a good work in my heart and that's why I'm writing. As I ponder the differences between becoming wealthy or just "Plodding along" as we are now, I have somehow become EXTREMELY grateful for all that I have. I have come to see all that was given to me by my parents and long for the chance to thank them for it.
All of this has made me SUPER grateful to Robert for his supporting me so well these past nearly 34 years. I keep thanking him over and over for his hard work and this morning we sat down and talked about how the junk yard paid him in cash instead of a check. I am amazed now that I could have gone through 56 years of life and done all that I could to NEVER talk about money. Money, what a dirty word it was to me--a tool to hurt others with. YUK--who would ever want any????
All of this contemplation has made me realize something else about my parents. I realize that they truly DID give me a pearl of great price when they taught me to love music! I don't know why I couldn't see it before this. I guess growing up in a musical family was something that I thought everyone did but I know now that's not true. Now I see that my mom putting in her will that she wanted me to have her music and her books truly WAS her biggest blessing to me!!! How warm it made my heart to see that dad had that in his will too!!!
WHY? They have 4 children, why didn't they split these between us 4 too? I think it's because they knew that I was the only one who would truly love them!! They both taught me, song by song--practice session by practice session--that there is true joy in serving the Lord by sharing one's musical gifts! How could I ever thank them for this???????????
What I am saying is that, as the 4 months of waiting draw to a close, I have come to see that I already HAVE my parent's greatest gift to me!!! To be able to sing praises to my King with a pure heart of joy IS an unspeakable joy to me and they are the ones who gave it to me!!!!!!!! Thank you, God, for blessing me with musical parents and a musical gift of my own. Please help me to use it in a way that would please YOU always!
Now I want to share a song with you that the Lord just shared with me. I can see in it, how He is indeed preparing me for a time when I have more money than I have now. How could I ever be happy to have more money while others all around me are hurting if I don't use it to help them? Yes, I want a bigger house but I want it to be a house where anyone feels welcome--where everyone can come to seek refuge from the storms of life.
I pray that this will open your heart to see the people all around you who are needing YOU to bless them! God blesses us so that, through all that God has given to us, we can bless others. Amen? This is NOT meant to be a condemnation for past opportunities missed but, as it says towards the end of the song, an awareness of the 22nd time he sends someone into our life with needs that we have the answers to.
It COULD be money that they are needing but maybe it could be someone to babysit to give a new mom a break. It could be someone to read to an older person. Someone may need their lawn mowed or the snow pushed or groceries picked up OR it's just entirely possible that someone is needing to hear a special song sung just for them. As I wrote that last part, I wondered where this is leading me to. I've joked for years that I should cut a CD but maybe He wants me to cut out the kidding and start the blessing????????????
In the meantime, I share this incredible song to bless all of us with the knowledge that God's people are here to bless others. It is my greatest prayer that this post will bless someone out there who is feeling all alone right now. May my words and the words of this song bless your heart with peace, dear friends!!!
God bless,
Dawn
I haven't written here in a while seeing as it's Summer and I am VERY busy with the garden; with clients; and with enjoying our new swimming pool! The real problem, though, I think is that since I'm on Facebook, I've gotten lazy. I even slopped through an email the other day and it shook me up. "Whatever happened to "Real" writing," I scolded myself and made the necessary corrections to the letter to make it proper.
No, this isn't meant to be a post about sloppy writing but rather about how the Lord is working in my heart this Summer. You see, as I sat in my dad's attorney's office the day after his funeral, I heard the words that it would be AT LEAST 4 months until we learn the amount that I would inherit.
Do you have any idea how hard it is to wait 4 months to learn if there's anything left after dad's 3 years in the nursing home? My dear husband and 2 of my brothers know how hard it is. Whenever I catch myself getting stressed over this, I talk to one of them. One time my youngest brother actually called me to talk about money. How can this be? Doesn't he recall that money is the biggest taboo subject in our family????????????
All of this waiting has done a good work in my heart and that's why I'm writing. As I ponder the differences between becoming wealthy or just "Plodding along" as we are now, I have somehow become EXTREMELY grateful for all that I have. I have come to see all that was given to me by my parents and long for the chance to thank them for it.
All of this has made me SUPER grateful to Robert for his supporting me so well these past nearly 34 years. I keep thanking him over and over for his hard work and this morning we sat down and talked about how the junk yard paid him in cash instead of a check. I am amazed now that I could have gone through 56 years of life and done all that I could to NEVER talk about money. Money, what a dirty word it was to me--a tool to hurt others with. YUK--who would ever want any????
All of this contemplation has made me realize something else about my parents. I realize that they truly DID give me a pearl of great price when they taught me to love music! I don't know why I couldn't see it before this. I guess growing up in a musical family was something that I thought everyone did but I know now that's not true. Now I see that my mom putting in her will that she wanted me to have her music and her books truly WAS her biggest blessing to me!!! How warm it made my heart to see that dad had that in his will too!!!
WHY? They have 4 children, why didn't they split these between us 4 too? I think it's because they knew that I was the only one who would truly love them!! They both taught me, song by song--practice session by practice session--that there is true joy in serving the Lord by sharing one's musical gifts! How could I ever thank them for this???????????
What I am saying is that, as the 4 months of waiting draw to a close, I have come to see that I already HAVE my parent's greatest gift to me!!! To be able to sing praises to my King with a pure heart of joy IS an unspeakable joy to me and they are the ones who gave it to me!!!!!!!! Thank you, God, for blessing me with musical parents and a musical gift of my own. Please help me to use it in a way that would please YOU always!
Now I want to share a song with you that the Lord just shared with me. I can see in it, how He is indeed preparing me for a time when I have more money than I have now. How could I ever be happy to have more money while others all around me are hurting if I don't use it to help them? Yes, I want a bigger house but I want it to be a house where anyone feels welcome--where everyone can come to seek refuge from the storms of life.
I pray that this will open your heart to see the people all around you who are needing YOU to bless them! God blesses us so that, through all that God has given to us, we can bless others. Amen? This is NOT meant to be a condemnation for past opportunities missed but, as it says towards the end of the song, an awareness of the 22nd time he sends someone into our life with needs that we have the answers to.
It COULD be money that they are needing but maybe it could be someone to babysit to give a new mom a break. It could be someone to read to an older person. Someone may need their lawn mowed or the snow pushed or groceries picked up OR it's just entirely possible that someone is needing to hear a special song sung just for them. As I wrote that last part, I wondered where this is leading me to. I've joked for years that I should cut a CD but maybe He wants me to cut out the kidding and start the blessing????????????
In the meantime, I share this incredible song to bless all of us with the knowledge that God's people are here to bless others. It is my greatest prayer that this post will bless someone out there who is feeling all alone right now. May my words and the words of this song bless your heart with peace, dear friends!!!
God bless,
Dawn
Friday, August 15, 2014
Fight From Victory, Not For Victory
I LOVE this devotional this morning as I deal with one of the most wretched healing crisises I have ever had! It's been an immensely tough week so I REALLY needed this reminder today! I covet your prayers as I discard all of the negative thinking that I have believed in my whole lifetime! WOW--was I EVER wrong!!!
I pray that this blesses all you who are struggling to gain victory in your lives today. Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew) already WON ALL the battles that we face when he died on the cross for us. We just have to believe it!
God bless all who are searching for truth as the deer panteth for water,
Dawn
 |
God
does not need you to defeat the devil today. Jesus has already done it and given
you the victory. (Colossians 2:15, Romans 8:37) Your part is to enforce the
victory by simply standing your ground, which is victory ground. In other words,
you “fight” from victory ground by standing. You don’t fight
for victory.
|
In
Ephesians 6:10–18, the passage on spiritual warfare, the word “wrestle” appears
only once (verse 12), while the word “stand” appears four
times—“stand against the wiles of the devil”,
“withstand in the evil day”, “having done all, to
stand”, “Stand therefore”. (Verses 11, 13–14) Four
times the Holy Spirit tells us to stand. Yet, many Christians are focusing on
wrestling their way to victory!
|
My
friend, you are already on victory ground. You already have everything in
Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:21, 23) You are already blessed with every spiritual
blessing in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3). The devil knows this. And that is why his
tactic is to deceive you and make you think that you don’t have the
victory.
|
So
when he attacks you by saying, “Look at that small sum in your bank account! How
are you going to pay the bills?” stand your ground. Declare, “I am not trying to
be rich. I am already blessed in Christ!” It doesn’t matter how much you have in
the bank. You are richly supplied because you are in Christ. And as the need
arises, the supply will be there if you believe it.
|
It
is the same with healing. The devil will try to attack you with symptoms in your
body. He will try to put pain in your body, and make you feel weak here and
there, so that you think that you are still sick. He is trying to make you
believe that you don’t have your healing. That is the time to be conscious of
Jesus’ finished work and declare, “I am not trying to get healed, I am healed! I
am standing on the victory ground which Jesus has given me!”
|
Beloved,
it makes a world of difference when you fight from victory and
not for victory!
|
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Are YOU the tallest tree in your world?
I know that I've shared this powerfully encouraging song before but I share it again for all of those who serve God who are discouraged today. This song has comforted me at times when nothing else could.
As I asked, "Why, God, why would you put me through something this terrible?" Now I understand WHY. I pray that this helps you to understand the testing that you're going through at this time.
Keep looking, reaching, and stretching UP to HIM no matter what the world throws at you. By being who you are, you can lift others to HIM who has all of the answers for each and every one of us!
God bless,
Dawn
As I asked, "Why, God, why would you put me through something this terrible?" Now I understand WHY. I pray that this helps you to understand the testing that you're going through at this time.
Keep looking, reaching, and stretching UP to HIM no matter what the world throws at you. By being who you are, you can lift others to HIM who has all of the answers for each and every one of us!
God bless,
Dawn
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