Monday Musings - They won't miss me...

They won't miss me, said the mother as she repeatedly left her children for rounds of teas and parties. The devil did not "miss" the children either.

They won't miss me, said the soldier as he went A.W.O.L. but he spent thirty days in the guard house after that.

They won't miss me, said the sentry as he slipped away from duty. But the enemy surprised and massacred his comrades that very night.

They won't miss me, said the man on the assembly line, as he slipped away without permission. but the airplane crashed and killed his brother or the lack of a single part.

They won't miss me, said the Christian worker as he shed his responsibilities in a day of crisis, and then he wondered why his country gave way to softness and demoralization.

They won't miss me, said the church member as he omitted worship one Sunday, and then another, for trivial reasons, and then wondered why he no longer enjoyed a victorious Christian life.

~The Baptist Outlook

Monday Musings - The Board of Absentees

"We are the Board of Absentees;
We attend our church about as we please;
We judge it will run of itself, you know,
And, Sundays, we're just too tired to go!

We are the Board of Absentees;
At business meetings our chance we seize
to tell exactly how things should be run, but we fit not a finger to get them one.

We are the Board of Absentees;
we like our drive in the morning breeze;
Of course the budget should all be paid,
"But privately now, I'm in the red."

We are the Board of Absentees;
Men and women of all degrees;
"Shall we give up the church, O never, never!"
"Shall we go today?" Well, scarcely ever!

We look for a world far better than this,
A world of peace and of moderate bliss,
A day of right through the Seven Seas-
Just now we're the Board of Absentees!"

~The Christian Register

Tea Leaves - Calling In

God,

Your daughter calling again,

ringing in on II Timothy 1:7,

Take away the spirit fear,

fear of our unknown future-

where? when? what from here?

fear of people not liking me,

fear of rejection,

of disappointments,

of smashed dreams.

And replace it with Your power;

power to keep the victory.

power to be a Proverbs 31 woman,

a pleasing wife,

and a patient mother-today.

power to maintain a cheerful spirit

to all door callers

(as of it were Jesus at my door).

power to show kindness to children

who call or come to play.

-and Your love:

love for Your Word

and You.

love for Your precious gift to me-my husband.

love for Your blessings to us-our children.

love for myself-(instead of condemnation)

for I was Your idea.

love for the unlovely.

love for my brothers and sisters in Christ.

love for the souls of all men.

-and a sound mind:

a sound mind wen I feel frazzled

and worn every whit;

a sound mind when my emotions are screaming

at the seams for release;

a sound mind when I’ve had “too much”-

too much of exposure,

too much of people,

too much of demand,

too much of pressure.

God, I need You today:

with all of my weary being,

I lift my tired hands

and reach out to accept,

not fear,

but power

and love

and a sound mind.

Compiled by Nancy Stutzman

Welcome! Liberty!

Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
‘Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
~Francis Scott Key

Happy 4th of July!!!

Tea Leaves - Delighted

"Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast." 

-Psalm 36:5

"Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." 

-Psalm 37:4

"But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." 

-Psalm 37:11

"I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart." 

-Psalm 40:8

"Delight thyself also in the Lord..."

Lord, I will delight my self in You,

I am delighted with Your boundless supply of love.

I am trilled with Your patience.

I am glad for the privilege of being Your daughter.

Your faithfulness reaches the clouds (so high!).

Your righteousness is like the great mountains.

Your judgements are a mighty deep.

I am delighted, Lord, for the privilege of knowing you personally.

I am delighted 
with the abundance of peace.
Peace - release from friction between me and another.
Release from tension, from burdens, from physical illness.
Peace with myself (who and what I am is good because God made me that way).
Peace with my brothers and sisters in the church.
Peace with You through the blood of Jesus.
I am delighted, Lord, with the abundance of peace You've given me.

I am delighted with doing Your will.
Your will - 
a request fro help with sewing a dress, 
a drink for a traveler passing by, 
and enforced rest through illness,
a stubborn vehicle or one out of gas or one with a weak battery or no vehicle.
I am delighted with doing Your will, Lord. 
(I'll have to confess, Lord, I haven't always been delighted. But I am willing to be.)

I will delight in Your commandments, Lord.
You ask me to love, to forgive, to preserver, to grow, to be kind, to give, to rejoice, 
Lord, I am delighted with Your commandments. 
Aid me, Lord, in doing them.

"...and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart."

My desire: to love Thee more deeply and to love my fellowmen generously, without prerequisites.
My desire: a pure heart, untarnished attitudes, sincere and upright motives.
My desire, Lord: a closer, more intimate walk with You.
This, I know, You have promised. 
And I am delighted!

~Rose Mary Jason

Morning and Evening - With the King

"These were potters, and those that dwelt among plants and hedges: there they dwelt with the king for his work." 1 Chronicles 4:23

Potters were not the very highest grade of workers, but "the king" needed potters, and therefore they were in royal service, although the material upon which they worked was nothing but clay. 

We, too, may be engaged in the most menial part of the Lord's work, but it is a great privilege to do anything for "the king;" and therefore we will abide in our calling, hoping that, "although we have lien among the pots, yet shall we be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold." 

The text tells us of those who dwelt among plants and hedges, having rough, rustic, hedging and ditching work to do. They may have desired to live in the city, amid its life, society, and refinement, but they kept their appointed places, for they also were doing the king's work. 

The place of our habitation is fixed, and we are not to remove from it out of whim and caprice, but seek to serve the Lord in it, by being a blessing to those among whom we reside. These potters and gardeners had royal company, for they dwelt "with the king" and although among hedges and plants, they dwelt with the king there.

No lawful place, or gracious occupation, however mean, can debar us from communion with our divine lord. In visiting hovels, swarming lodging-houses, workhouses, or goals, we may go with the king. In all works of faith we may count upon Jesus' fellowship. It is when we are in His work that we may reckon upon His smile. 

Ye unknown workers who are occupied for your Lord amid the dirt and wretchedness of the lowest of the low, be of good cheer, for jewels have been found upon dunghills ere now, earthen pots have been filled with heavenly treasure, and ill  weeds have been transformed into precious flowers. 

Dwell ye with the King for His work, and when He writes His chronicles your name shall be recorded.

~ Charles Spurgeon

Morning and Evening - Fight on!

"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh." Galatians 5:17

Are you fighting with the adversary to-day?
Are Satan, the world, and the flesh, all against you?

Be not discouraged nor dismayed.

Fight on! For God Himself is with you;
Jehovah Nissi is your banner, and Jehovah Rophi is the healer of your wounds.

Fear not, you shall overcome, for who can defeat Omnipotence?

Fight on, "looking unto Jesus;" and though long and stern be the conflict, sweet will be the victory, and glorious the promised reward.

~Charles Spurgeon