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And Intelligent Expressions Give Away

Read more about it here: Select Two Posts Details

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Do you find that often - in the midst of tragedy or misfortune, we turn to God on our knees and beg for His healing or intervention, for His peace. Then, as soon as the turbulence is gone, we forget and move on with our lives.

When my dad was dying back in 1995, I remember my mom questioning God. She wasn't doubting Him, she just could not fathom why a man who tried so hard to serve God, then had to deal with the excruciating illness and disease that he battled for 7 years.

My mom developed cancer as well. Before she died - she left me with the thoughts that it is often during and thru the pain, in the midst of the ordeals that we must journey through, that our eyes are kept focused on God. He is our ever present rock in times of trouble. When we suffer we have a tiny glimpse of how He suffered. We share in that and are able then to walk closer to Him because of it.

I want to walk closer to Him all the time, not just during the hard times.

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When I look at this picture - the song that kept running thru my head was Chris Tomlin's "Mighty is the Power of the Cross"

I know this is a photo of the clouds, but I just keep thinking of how He will return, whenever I see clouds like this. And although I used to have a bit of trouble with this song - seemingly glorifying the cross - but actually we are glorifying the God who allowed the act to take place on the cross that will make our eternity a reality one day.

Here are the words to the whole song. You can hear it in a video on YouTube as well .

What can take a dying man and raise him up to life again?
What can heal a wounded soul?
What can make us white as snow?
What can fill the emptiness?
What can mend our brokenness?
Brokenness

[Chorus:]
Mighty, awesome, wonderful
Is the holy cross
Where the Lamb laid down His life
To lift us from the fall
Mighty is the power of the cross

What restores our faith in God?
What reveals the Father's love?
What can lead the wayward home?
What can melt a heart of stone?
What can free the guilty ones
What can save and overcome?
Overcome

[Chorus]

It's a miracle to me [2x]
And It's still a mystery [2x]
It's a miracle to me
The power of God
For those who believe

Mighty, awesome, wonderful
Is the holy cross
Where the Lamb laid down His life
To lift us from the fall
Mighty is .......
Mighty is.......
Mighty is the power of the cross

Thank You for the cross [2x]
Love the cross [2x]
So Powerful...... ohhhhh yeahhh
What can take a dying man?
And raise him up to life again?

Worship You Jesus
By your wounds we are healed
By your wounds we are saved
Mighty is the power of the cross [2x]
Thank You Jesus for the Holy cross

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I find that this is becoming another re-occurring theme, I see running thru these 365 posts. I have too many faults to start listing them, but among the greatest are my overwhelming sense to always be right, to make sure everyone knows I am right, and to complain about those who think I am wrong. In many ways I am anything but gentle. I realize that it is quite the opposite attitude than the one I should have.

I guess I have some serious attitude adjusting to do, and I surely do know that it is only going to happen with God's help.

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I don't normally post here - but today feel the need. I started blogging a year ago, so that I could write my thoughts down and perhaps grow thru them. Often times it is a real help. So here goes on the thoughts that are running thru my mind this morning.

Lately many of these posts are similar. I am not choosing them on purpose. They just come about that way. Sometimes I like to think that God is directing what is chosen, because perhaps someone needs that for today.

For example, today I chose the peony flower above. As I opened the photo, my first thought was wow, those leaves are paper thin. So I added the photo to my iRemember palate, and went out on the internet to find a quote on "paper thin." The first one I read was the Brendan Francis one above, and I felt a connection.

The next step was to do a search (I love Bible Gateway!) on the word fear in the scriptures. Isaiah struck a chord with me and so I put them together.

The result is what you see. I am not sure why fear keeps coming up. If I look deep inside myself, (past the 260 report cards I am procrastinating about ... that are due Monday) I guess there are some things that I am afraid of.

Old One (my 18 year old son) - driving on his own, in a band, seemingly moving further and further away from God.

Tall One (my 17 year old son) - completing his junior year of high school this week, taking drivers ed this summer, dropping out of youth group and separating himself from Godly people, going thru some emotionally rough teen age times right now, defiant, trying to break free, deciding on college and where to go from here.

Young One (my 13 year old son) - told me he is afraid to commit to Christ, because he doesn't want to walk away from Him like his brothers seem to have, very active in sports and always taking physical risks.

And there are many more, now that I stop and think about it. I still ache so deeply inside from leaving a congregation that has been my family for years and years. And there are so many fears I am too embarrassed to write about, but are real and consume me.

As I read thru the quote and scripture above - my single courageous step - needs to be - grabbing hold of God and putting my trust in Him, to count on Him. I know not one second of my worry time - can do anything about my fears. But practicing grabbing ahold of the One who created us all, and loves my children more than I ever could, and gave them free choice to live their lives as they choose, even if it means walking away from Him. He loved them that much. Clinging to Him is what keeps me going.

The song Twila Paris sang a while ago is running thru my mind:

Do I Trust You

Sometimes my little heart can't understand

What's in Your will, What's in Your plan

So many times I'm tempted to ask You why

But I can never forget it for long

Lord what You do, could not be wrong

So I believe You, Even why I must cry

Do I trust You Lord, Does the river flow

Do I trust You Lord, Does the north wind blow

You can see my heart, You can read my mind

And you've got to know, That I would rather die

Than to lose my faith, In the One I love

Do I trust You, Lord

Probably all of my rambling, has not been an encouragement to you today. But writing it down has reminded me of Who I am clinging to, and His remarkable strength that I can call on as my own.

Please pray for these folks who are heavy on my heart today as they face huge challenges that could cause great fear in their lives:

Melina's Family (13 year old died of cancer on June 3)

Adrienne and her family (her husband with terminal cancer)

Dorothy's son Joe (severely burned)

I am sure there as many, many more -

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It is funny - how some of these take me up towards and hour to put together, just the right words and others (like today) the words are right on the tip of my tongue. Perhaps someone needs this particular bit of inspiration at the time of your reading. I know, only God knows that.

Thank you so much for your visits. You inspire me to keep creating.

I am praying for you today - that you will be abundantly blessed!

Valerie

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Can't believe I posted on the wrong site today. It has been a rough one -

A former student (I actually only taught her for part of a year) who is the same age as my Young One (they were in the same classes at the Middle School when she was able to be in school) went home to be with the Lord this morning. She fought for 6 years with Neuroblastoma - a devastating cancer with no cure. Please pray for her family and friends. it's going to be a tough road ahead for them.

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