God's Creation of Earth... drawings they made while we were reading through the Genesis account:
Monday, February 21, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
February 16, 2011
Science: The Solar System... somewhat to scale (the light is the sun):
Math: Horizons K Book One is finished, so her reward is a tangent into the world of Canadian currency before moving on to Book Two. First lesson, coin identification:
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day!
Happy Valentine's Day!
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds:
What does love mean?
The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.
Love is that first feeling you feel before all the bad stuff gets in the way.
-- Charlie, age 5
When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my
grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.
-- Rebecca, age 8
When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in
their mouth.
-- Billy, age 4
Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each
other.
-- Karl, age 5
Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.
-- Chrissy, age 6
Love is when someone hurts you, and you get so mad but you don't yell at them because you know it
would hurt their feelings.
--Samantha, age 6
Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.
-- Terri, age 4
Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure it tastes OK.
-- Danny, age 7
Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss.
-- Emily, age 8
Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.
-- Bobby, age 5
If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.
-- Nikka, age 6
Love is hugging. Love is kissing. Love is saying no.
-- Patty, age 8
You think when you tell someone something bad about yourself and you're scared, they won't love you
anymore. But then you get surprised because they still love you, but even more.
-- Matthew, age 7
Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.
-- Noelle, age 7
Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so
well.
-- Tommy, age 6
My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.
-- Clare, age 5
Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.
-- Elaine, age 5
Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.
-- Chris, age 8
Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.
--Mary Ann, age 4
I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new
ones.
-- Lauren, age 4
When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.
-- Karen, age 7
You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot.
Because people forget.
--Jessica, age 8
Friday, February 4, 2011
February 4, 2011
Today we started our next science section.... Earth and Space. We started with the Earth, of course... following roughly the order of Creation but also the order of relevance to little brains.
This morning's project:
From the book Made By God: The Solar System
, page five. Kind of a fun little craft... although the inner core was supposed to be red, the outer core yellow, the mantle orange, the crust brown and then the outside blue and green... we didn't have those colors so we just worked with what we had.
Whatever works... :)
This morning's project:
From the book Made By God: The Solar System
, page five. Kind of a fun little craft... although the inner core was supposed to be red, the outer core yellow, the mantle orange, the crust brown and then the outside blue and green... we didn't have those colors so we just worked with what we had.Whatever works... :)
TV and Children
You cannot raise responsible children unless you come to grips with what else is raising them. Television and the Internet are the electronic teachers of your children.
TV - the sobering facts:
What TV teaches your child:
What you can do:
-----------
From Take Back Your Kids: Confident Parenting in Turbulent Times by William J. Doherty, Ph.D.,
copyright (c) 2000. Used by permission of SORIN BOOKS, an imprint of Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, Ind., 1-800-282-1865 ext. 3.
TV - the sobering facts:
- The average child spends 23 hours per week watching TV.
- Children spend more than twice as much time watching TV as they do on homework.
- The average number of TV sets in a household with children is 2.7, and increasing steadily.
- More than half of American children have a TV in their bedrooms. Most adolescents watch TV in their room and almost one-third of preschool-age children have sets in their bedrooms.
- During the 7-8 p.m. time slot (once defined as the family hour), 80 percent of TV shows use four-letter words, and 60 percent refer to sex.
- During prime time, 74 percent of all TV shows contain sexual content, rarely making any reference to personal responsibility risk.
- Children are exposed to an estimated 10,000 food advertisements per year, mostly on TV.
- Less than 25 percent of parents believe their children watch too much TV.
What TV teaches your child:
- Public television in particular strives to teach positive values. At its best, commercial TV can inspire and educate.
- It can expose children to people from different ethnic groups and show different kinds of families.
- TV nourishes a culture of disrespect. People are continually dissing one another and disrespect is the source of most of the humor in comedies, and most of the tensions in dramas.
- TV portrays parents as incompetent and befuddled, and children are wise (and smart-alecky) beyond their years.
- TV teaches instant gratification, especially through commercials, where billions of dollars are spent to attract children and adults and to make them buy a product now.
- TV teaches that happiness is having things.
- TV represents sex without commitment or consequences, either emotional or physical.
- TV desensitizes children to the effects of violence on human lives. It portrays aggression as no big deal.
What you can do:
- Don't permit your children to have a TV in their bedrooms. This encourages isolation from the rest of the family and it is more difficult to monitor the programs they watch. If your child has a TV in his or her room, consider setting a date several months away after which it will be removed. Be prepared for a major conflict.
- Decide in advance with your children which TV shows they will watch each week. Make sure the TV is off when one of those shows is not on. Don't let the TV stay on just to provide background sight and sound.
- Utilize reviews and parent guides to learn about the content of TV programs.
- Watch TV shows with your children to see what they are like and how your children are reacting to them. Discuss these shows with your children.
- Turn the TV off during mealtimes.
- Do not use TV programs as a babysitter.
- Experiment with TV-free nights and use the time for family activities.
- Set a good example in your own TV watching, being deliberate about what you watch and don't watch.
-----------
From Take Back Your Kids: Confident Parenting in Turbulent Times by William J. Doherty, Ph.D.,
copyright (c) 2000. Used by permission of SORIN BOOKS, an imprint of Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, Ind., 1-800-282-1865 ext. 3.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Untitled Story
This one is a must-read, if challenging.
Sorry, I do not know the origin of this.
It must have been under the cover of darkness that the little orphaned child was left on my doorstep. I’m not sure who left him, but I figured they must have known me very well to trust me that way. I suppose I was a good candidate since I had grown up watching my parents care for their adopted children. I didn’t have to sign any papers, pay any money, or deal with Social Services. I really don’t remember the exact day he showed up at my door. But I remember that I fell in love at first sight and thought, “This is exactly what I need to be whole.”
He was a chubby little guy. I loved his roly-poly legs and his plump fingers. His cheeks were rosy and round, the kind you want to reach out and pinch. His eyes sparkled and his smile melted my heart. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t give him. And he knew it.
It started out innocently enough. He would ask for something that I knew he shouldn’t have, or he would ask for seconds, (sometimes thirds!) of some special treat. I would say no at first, but he was quite persistent and I would give in to his request soon enough. He had me wrapped around his little finger. Of course, he always shared with me. So at least I was getting something out of it as well.
I nurtured him and cared for him. I fed him when he was hungry, soothed him when he was fussy. I cherished that little one and gave him everything he asked for. It made me feel good. I just knew he was the thing that would make me feel whole. I took care of him like he was my own flesh and blood.
Over the years, I never really noticed how clingy he was. A few people had pointed it out to me, but that just made me defensive. After all, he was MY baby and I could spoil him if I wanted to. I had always carried him on my hip. It was just something I got used to. What were they insinuating? That it was unhealthy? That really offended me.
The years went by and still I carried him. It wasn’t until recently that I noticed how heavy he had become. This was a shock for me when I realized how long I had been carrying him around. Why, one day I looked at the calendar and I realized I had been carrying him for roughly 25 years! Shouldn’t he be grown by now? Moving on? I’ve done everything I could to make him feel loved and comforted. Maybe I was a little too good at loving him. Now he doesn’t want to leave. But doesn’t every child grow up and move away eventually?
Not only did I notice his increasing weight, but I also think he’s been much more demanding lately. I looked at him in the mirror today for the first time in many years. How strange that was! He had not changed a bit…he was still two years old, and he still had the chubby legs and plump fingers, the rosy red cheeks and sparkling eyes. There was a hunger in those eyes though that I hadn’t noticed before. It frightened me.
Strange that he is so heavy now. His outward appearance is as cute as ever. But he is awfully heavy! It’s like carrying a full-grown man, on my hip, everyday! No wonder I’m tired.
Yes, I think it is time for him to move on. But I’ve decided that before. I would take one look at that sweet face and he’d give me that disarming smile. Then he’d say, “Oh please…just one more meal together? For old time’s sake.” Or he’d say, “Don’t you remember, today is a day to celebrate! Let’s feast together now and we’ll talk about me moving out tomorrow.” I couldn’t resist his words. It did feel good to be needed like that.
But today I am troubled. His eyes are hungry. He scares me with the insistence in his voice. He is clinging to me and although it used to feel so right, now it is increasingly uncomfortable. His arms, once lovingly wrapped around my neck feel as if they are choking me, making it difficult to breathe. His legs wrapped around my body make it difficult to move.
Does he know that I want him to leave? Of course he does. I’ve told him many times. I’ve even been firm and resolutely set him down and walked away from him before. But we always seemed to find each other again. Well, truth be told, I went looking for him. Even though I wanted to leave him behind, I always turned back and searched for him. It was a strange mix of guilt, shame, and relief when I found him again. Then it was harder and harder to get him off of me, until one day I finally quit trying.
Here I am again though. Wanting him to leave. He hasn’t said anything to me. But I know what he is thinking. I can hear it in my head, like it is my own thought.
“You’re going to try and leave me again, aren’t you? But I know things you don’t know. You can’t let me go. I’m a part of you now. What would your life be without me? Where would you get your needs met? You have needs too you know.
You meet my needs and I meet yours. We have such a good thing going here. Why would you want to give that up?”
It seems like he gets very vocal like that whenever I try to pray. I’ve come to know Jesus in the past few years and it is interesting that whenever I begin to speak to Jesus, the little boy on my hip wants to talk to me. He is such a pest! Always interrupting.
Actually, it was Jesus who held up the mirror for me today. It’s also Jesus that suggested I abandon this little guy. (who is getting heavier every day!)
Abandon him? Well, I’ve tried that before.
Renounce him? Refuse to feed him? Isn’t that rather heartless?
“Jesus…I hear what you are asking me to do. I want to run away with You, Lord. I want to be free and follow You. But this little one depends on me. And I depend on him.”
Jesus replied, “I know. But you have been deceived. Take a look at what you are truly carrying.”
Again, Jesus held up the mirror. I looked and almost fainted. The “toddler” I was carrying was actually the most horrendous being I’d ever seen. It was bloated and sickly; it’s skin the color of spoiled food. It had actually grown into my skin and turned my body into a big pillow to sit on.
Those chubby legs wrapped around me were covered with lesions. The rosy cheeks now sunken and hollow. The eyes had the same sparkle, but the sparkle looked evil, filled with pure greed. The malevolent look in its eyes made me afraid for my very life.
Its teeth were long, sharp fangs and its throat…well that was the most shocking thing of all. Its throat was connected to my stomach!
I gasped in horror as I saw the truth. I cried out to Jesus, “Please! Help me! I didn’t know!”
He asked me, “Are you willing now to abandon it? Will you forsake it and quit feeding it? You must leave it to die. Are you willing to let me operate on you and separate the two of you?”
“Yes, Yes!” I cried, “I want to be rid of this thing. You know I have tried many times to get away, but I always went back. Now it has become me! Please Jesus. Help me!”
“Daughter, it is going to take radical surgery to remove it. In fact, you will die. But don’t be afraid. I am the resurrection and the life. In me you will be a new creation. Even though it may call your name, it will never be attached to you again. Is this what you wish?” Jesus said gently.
“Yes Lord. I trust You. You showed me the truth and opened my eyes. No one else has ever done that for me. I’ll follow you into death. Just promise me that this thing will never come back and live in me.” I said.
“I promise. It will no longer have power over you. I will strip it of its power.”
Being so tired from carrying the monster around, and the shock of seeing what it really looked like, I began to drift off to sleep. The Lord picked me up in His arms and the last thing I heard as I fell asleep was a high-pitched, shrieking sound.
When I awoke I was clothed in white linen. I was in my room. Sleeping in my bed. Then I remembered what had happened right before I fell asleep. I gasped and ran to the mirror.
Shaking, I looked tentatively in the mirror. I saw myself. I was whole. I was different. The same on the outside, but that thing was no longer attached to me. My garment glowed and was spotless. I realized that I felt absolutely clean, inside and out. I twirled in front of the mirror, amazed at how I could move and how light I felt! It was wonderful to be so free!
I have been free for some time now. The Lord walks with me and watches over me, guarding me from the evil one, who still looks for ways to trap me in his snares.
Occasionally I hear that monster calling me, trying to lure me to return to him, using his sweet voice. It evokes memories that are bittersweet. I remind it that I died. I’m a new creation and it can’t live with me any longer. I remind myself that I abandoned it and will no longer feed it. Then I go on my way, secure in the love and protection of my Lord.
I asked Jesus once if He would tell me the name of that “little one” that I had cared for all those years. It was strange to me that after all those years together I didn’t know its name. “Yes daughter, I will tell you it’s name…. its name is INDULGENCE and when it attached itself to you, it became SELF INDULGENCE. As you walk with Me daily, taking up your cross and denying yourself, you remind the enemy that he is defeated. He is angry and desires to leave other monsters on your doorstep. But don’t fear my daughter. You no longer live alone. I own your house, I’ve moved in and your house has become My very temple. I have cleansed you from within and set everything its right place. I am teaching you so that you don’t let anything that isn’t of Me in the house again. So do not fear. I will never leave you alone or turn away from you.”
Praise to You Lord Jesus, for exposing the enemy. Praise to You Lord Jesus for defeating every foe. I look forward to the day, King Jesus, when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that You are Lord. You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I am a new creation in You. You are my very life. Keep me and guide me in Your ways. Teach me and lead me. I will follow You until the very end. I will never turn back; never look back, and never answer the taunting calls from the shadows of my past. You have set me free, You have given me life; You have made all things new. Thank you Lord Jesus!
Sorry, I do not know the origin of this.
It must have been under the cover of darkness that the little orphaned child was left on my doorstep. I’m not sure who left him, but I figured they must have known me very well to trust me that way. I suppose I was a good candidate since I had grown up watching my parents care for their adopted children. I didn’t have to sign any papers, pay any money, or deal with Social Services. I really don’t remember the exact day he showed up at my door. But I remember that I fell in love at first sight and thought, “This is exactly what I need to be whole.”
He was a chubby little guy. I loved his roly-poly legs and his plump fingers. His cheeks were rosy and round, the kind you want to reach out and pinch. His eyes sparkled and his smile melted my heart. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t give him. And he knew it.
It started out innocently enough. He would ask for something that I knew he shouldn’t have, or he would ask for seconds, (sometimes thirds!) of some special treat. I would say no at first, but he was quite persistent and I would give in to his request soon enough. He had me wrapped around his little finger. Of course, he always shared with me. So at least I was getting something out of it as well.
I nurtured him and cared for him. I fed him when he was hungry, soothed him when he was fussy. I cherished that little one and gave him everything he asked for. It made me feel good. I just knew he was the thing that would make me feel whole. I took care of him like he was my own flesh and blood.
Over the years, I never really noticed how clingy he was. A few people had pointed it out to me, but that just made me defensive. After all, he was MY baby and I could spoil him if I wanted to. I had always carried him on my hip. It was just something I got used to. What were they insinuating? That it was unhealthy? That really offended me.
The years went by and still I carried him. It wasn’t until recently that I noticed how heavy he had become. This was a shock for me when I realized how long I had been carrying him around. Why, one day I looked at the calendar and I realized I had been carrying him for roughly 25 years! Shouldn’t he be grown by now? Moving on? I’ve done everything I could to make him feel loved and comforted. Maybe I was a little too good at loving him. Now he doesn’t want to leave. But doesn’t every child grow up and move away eventually?
Not only did I notice his increasing weight, but I also think he’s been much more demanding lately. I looked at him in the mirror today for the first time in many years. How strange that was! He had not changed a bit…he was still two years old, and he still had the chubby legs and plump fingers, the rosy red cheeks and sparkling eyes. There was a hunger in those eyes though that I hadn’t noticed before. It frightened me.
Strange that he is so heavy now. His outward appearance is as cute as ever. But he is awfully heavy! It’s like carrying a full-grown man, on my hip, everyday! No wonder I’m tired.
Yes, I think it is time for him to move on. But I’ve decided that before. I would take one look at that sweet face and he’d give me that disarming smile. Then he’d say, “Oh please…just one more meal together? For old time’s sake.” Or he’d say, “Don’t you remember, today is a day to celebrate! Let’s feast together now and we’ll talk about me moving out tomorrow.” I couldn’t resist his words. It did feel good to be needed like that.
But today I am troubled. His eyes are hungry. He scares me with the insistence in his voice. He is clinging to me and although it used to feel so right, now it is increasingly uncomfortable. His arms, once lovingly wrapped around my neck feel as if they are choking me, making it difficult to breathe. His legs wrapped around my body make it difficult to move.
Does he know that I want him to leave? Of course he does. I’ve told him many times. I’ve even been firm and resolutely set him down and walked away from him before. But we always seemed to find each other again. Well, truth be told, I went looking for him. Even though I wanted to leave him behind, I always turned back and searched for him. It was a strange mix of guilt, shame, and relief when I found him again. Then it was harder and harder to get him off of me, until one day I finally quit trying.
Here I am again though. Wanting him to leave. He hasn’t said anything to me. But I know what he is thinking. I can hear it in my head, like it is my own thought.
“You’re going to try and leave me again, aren’t you? But I know things you don’t know. You can’t let me go. I’m a part of you now. What would your life be without me? Where would you get your needs met? You have needs too you know.
You meet my needs and I meet yours. We have such a good thing going here. Why would you want to give that up?”
It seems like he gets very vocal like that whenever I try to pray. I’ve come to know Jesus in the past few years and it is interesting that whenever I begin to speak to Jesus, the little boy on my hip wants to talk to me. He is such a pest! Always interrupting.
Actually, it was Jesus who held up the mirror for me today. It’s also Jesus that suggested I abandon this little guy. (who is getting heavier every day!)
Abandon him? Well, I’ve tried that before.
Renounce him? Refuse to feed him? Isn’t that rather heartless?
“Jesus…I hear what you are asking me to do. I want to run away with You, Lord. I want to be free and follow You. But this little one depends on me. And I depend on him.”
Jesus replied, “I know. But you have been deceived. Take a look at what you are truly carrying.”
Again, Jesus held up the mirror. I looked and almost fainted. The “toddler” I was carrying was actually the most horrendous being I’d ever seen. It was bloated and sickly; it’s skin the color of spoiled food. It had actually grown into my skin and turned my body into a big pillow to sit on.
Those chubby legs wrapped around me were covered with lesions. The rosy cheeks now sunken and hollow. The eyes had the same sparkle, but the sparkle looked evil, filled with pure greed. The malevolent look in its eyes made me afraid for my very life.
Its teeth were long, sharp fangs and its throat…well that was the most shocking thing of all. Its throat was connected to my stomach!
I gasped in horror as I saw the truth. I cried out to Jesus, “Please! Help me! I didn’t know!”
He asked me, “Are you willing now to abandon it? Will you forsake it and quit feeding it? You must leave it to die. Are you willing to let me operate on you and separate the two of you?”
“Yes, Yes!” I cried, “I want to be rid of this thing. You know I have tried many times to get away, but I always went back. Now it has become me! Please Jesus. Help me!”
“Daughter, it is going to take radical surgery to remove it. In fact, you will die. But don’t be afraid. I am the resurrection and the life. In me you will be a new creation. Even though it may call your name, it will never be attached to you again. Is this what you wish?” Jesus said gently.
“Yes Lord. I trust You. You showed me the truth and opened my eyes. No one else has ever done that for me. I’ll follow you into death. Just promise me that this thing will never come back and live in me.” I said.
“I promise. It will no longer have power over you. I will strip it of its power.”
Being so tired from carrying the monster around, and the shock of seeing what it really looked like, I began to drift off to sleep. The Lord picked me up in His arms and the last thing I heard as I fell asleep was a high-pitched, shrieking sound.
When I awoke I was clothed in white linen. I was in my room. Sleeping in my bed. Then I remembered what had happened right before I fell asleep. I gasped and ran to the mirror.
Shaking, I looked tentatively in the mirror. I saw myself. I was whole. I was different. The same on the outside, but that thing was no longer attached to me. My garment glowed and was spotless. I realized that I felt absolutely clean, inside and out. I twirled in front of the mirror, amazed at how I could move and how light I felt! It was wonderful to be so free!
I have been free for some time now. The Lord walks with me and watches over me, guarding me from the evil one, who still looks for ways to trap me in his snares.
Occasionally I hear that monster calling me, trying to lure me to return to him, using his sweet voice. It evokes memories that are bittersweet. I remind it that I died. I’m a new creation and it can’t live with me any longer. I remind myself that I abandoned it and will no longer feed it. Then I go on my way, secure in the love and protection of my Lord.
I asked Jesus once if He would tell me the name of that “little one” that I had cared for all those years. It was strange to me that after all those years together I didn’t know its name. “Yes daughter, I will tell you it’s name…. its name is INDULGENCE and when it attached itself to you, it became SELF INDULGENCE. As you walk with Me daily, taking up your cross and denying yourself, you remind the enemy that he is defeated. He is angry and desires to leave other monsters on your doorstep. But don’t fear my daughter. You no longer live alone. I own your house, I’ve moved in and your house has become My very temple. I have cleansed you from within and set everything its right place. I am teaching you so that you don’t let anything that isn’t of Me in the house again. So do not fear. I will never leave you alone or turn away from you.”
Praise to You Lord Jesus, for exposing the enemy. Praise to You Lord Jesus for defeating every foe. I look forward to the day, King Jesus, when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that You are Lord. You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I am a new creation in You. You are my very life. Keep me and guide me in Your ways. Teach me and lead me. I will follow You until the very end. I will never turn back; never look back, and never answer the taunting calls from the shadows of my past. You have set me free, You have given me life; You have made all things new. Thank you Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The Refiner of Silver
Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy - when I see my image in it."
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you, but not a moment too long.
Pass this on to everyone you know. Right now, this very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them.
=====
The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down. Psalm 145:14
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy - when I see my image in it."
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you, but not a moment too long.
Pass this on to everyone you know. Right now, this very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them.
=====
The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down. Psalm 145:14
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
I met God in the morning
I met God in the morning
When the day was at its best,
and His presence came like sunrise
Like glory within my breast
All day long the presence lingered
All day long He stayed with me;
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O'er a very troubled sea.
Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed;
But the wind that seemed to drive them
Brought to us a peace and rest.
Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind,
When I, too, had loosed the moorings,
With His presence left behind.
So I think I know the secret
Learned from many a troubled way;
You must seek God in the morning
If you want Him through the day.
Ralph S Cushman
Spiritual Hilltops
When the day was at its best,
and His presence came like sunrise
Like glory within my breast
All day long the presence lingered
All day long He stayed with me;
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O'er a very troubled sea.
Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed;
But the wind that seemed to drive them
Brought to us a peace and rest.
Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind,
When I, too, had loosed the moorings,
With His presence left behind.
So I think I know the secret
Learned from many a troubled way;
You must seek God in the morning
If you want Him through the day.
Ralph S Cushman
Spiritual Hilltops
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