Lord's Day

"'Yes, every act of obedience is an act of worship,' he said.

'But why don't we learn that sooner? Why do we waste our lives before we learn how to live?'

'I am not sure,' he returned, 'that we do not learn as fast as we are willing to learn. God does not force instruction upon us, but when we say, as Luther did, "More light, Lord, more light," the light comes.'

I questioned myself after he had gone as to whether this could be true of me. Is there not in my heart some secret reluctance to know the truth, lest that knowledge should call to a higher and a holier life than I have yet lived?"

~From Stepping Heavenward by Mrs. E. Prentiss

posted by Lydia

God is {{Not}} my Valentine

I serve a God of love,

I am His and He is mine,

He loves me extravagantly, this is true,

But He is not my Valentine.

I serve an awesome God,

He inspires awe and fear,

The mountains smoke, the earth shakes,

And men tremble when He is near.

My God's very nature demands reverence,

No half-hearted lip service will do,

Yet though He is so staggeringly holy,

He condescends to love me and you.

He showed this love at a powerful cost,

But how flippantly we take the sign;

And with what sort of ridiculous irreverence

Do I call this God my "Valentine"?

The fact that this mighty, awesome God

Is the Lover of my soul

Is beyond my finite comprehension;

Why should any other "love" be my goal?

I take this God at His mind-boggling word

Though I simply cannot understand

"I love you with a love that you don't deserve

And no one can snatch you from My hand."

This is what I choose to celebrate

On this day of romantic love;

The fact that I have this incredible Savior

Who's powerful love is more than enough.

So steal my heart, my soul's Desirer,

Make Yourself my only Love;

Cause me to be pure and blameless,

A holy handmaiden of the One above.

You know my desires inside and out;
Take over my mind anew.
Conquer my every affection,
Help me give them all to You.

You're not my "Valentine", this I know,

But my heart belongs to no other,

So satisfy the longings deep in my soul,

Never let me look to another.

written and posted by Lydia

This Old House - Painting

Oh colors, colors! So many to choose from!

This old house has been smelling a great deal like paint over the last week. There is something so fulfilling about choosing a beautiful color and covering up the old, dingy walls.

Remember this? This was my room when we first moved it. The fish were removed as soon as I had the free time. I do not miss those ugly, cold fish eyes staring at me.

Unfortunately, as the story generally goes in these old houses, there was a nasty messed up wall of lath and plaster underneath the paper. I have come to loath lath and plaster with a passion. So, for Christmas I asked for sheet rock to cover up that lath and plaster. I got my wish. I love, LOVE, my dad!

So I now had a lovely new wall to work with and this week it was finally painted.

I love my green room. It is such a soft, soothing color. And it is reminiscent of Spring (wonderful to look at when all the world outside my windows is white and gray)

These are my inspiration paintings. I have always like Claude Monet, ever since we first studied his paintings when I was about seven. When visiting any major museum, my first thought is, "Are there any paintings by Monet?"

The Skiff

The Japanese Bridge and The Garden at Vetheuil

I hope to continue adding to my collection as the years go on (hoping for another trip to the National Art Gallery someday).

The color pallet that Monet uses for his paintings are some of my favorite hues. I could paint a entire house using his blues, greens, yellows, and creams.

So, another room down.....on to the next! More pictures to follow!

Carissa

I do not ask to see the way

My feet will have to tread;
But only that my soul may feed
Upon the living Bread.
'Tis better far that I should walk
By faith close to His side;
I may not know the way I go,
But oh, I know my Guide.


And if my feet would go astray,
They cannot, for I know
That Jesus guides my falt'ring steps,
As joyfully I go.
And tho' I may not see His face,
My faith is strong and clear,
That in each hour of sore distress
My Savior will be near.

I will not fear, tho' darkness come

Abroad o'er all the land,

If I may only feel the touch

Of His own loving hand.

And tho' I tremble when I think

How weak I am, and frail,

My soul is satisfied to know

His love can never fail.

His love can never fail,

His love can never fail,

My soul is satisfied to know

His love can never fail.

posted by: Caroline