Enter Into His Gates with Thanksgiving...

In my personal devotions I have been shown the phrase "Praise the Lord always!" Time and time again.  This means I should give Him due credit for everything that happens in life.
Don't wait till Thanksgiving to share the blessings God has given you- even if they are small, they are a gift that was freely given you.:)

To start out, why don't you just name off five things daily that you are thankful about?  Breathing can always be at the top of the list:):)  But think of other things, did your quiet time with God really speak to your heart? Did He answer a prayer request? Did a specific person encourage you with either a word or a look?

My top five for Sunday would be:

1. This glorious snow, the paw prints left in it, the sun reflecting off its glittering surface

(This is the river that run's down next to our driveway)

2. The comfort of our extended family members:) In particular the two "Princess's" that I've raised.  One from a bottle at 3 months of age and the other I raised from the day of birth.

(The mother, Junebug, is on the right, and Faith, her daughter is on the left. And no, these aren't llamas, these are alpacas:)

3. The freedom to worship my God.

4. To have the fellowship with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ 

5. To be raised in a Godly family, 

Yes, its that easy! Just praise God from your heart! He is the author of your heart, of your entire being!:)
Psalm 34:1
"I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips."
Psalm 100:4
"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name."

Lord, I Need You

In our church we sometimes have an evening service that we call "Singspiration night".
It is a time when the majority of the service is dedicated to singing hymns and glorifying God. In fact, tonight is one of those nights!
  The songs are chosen out of the Majesty hymnbook by the congregation and the song leader chooses people at random for us to sing their favorite hymn.

I admit, I love the songs written by Ron and Shelly Hamilton:) I grew up with Patch the Pirate playing in the car, in my room at night, in the CD player while I worked out in the barn on summer days...So when the Singspiration Night comes around I love it! Over the years God has been teaching me many different lessons, and His hymns always seem to give me an answer.  One of my favorites is "Lord I Need You."

"Sometimes when life seems gentle and blessings flood my way,

I turn my gaze away from you,

And soon forget to pray.

But when the sky grows darker and courage turns to fear,

My anxious voice cries upward with words you long to hear.

Chorus:

Lord I need you,

When the sea of life is calm,

O Lord I need you

When the wind is blowing strong.

Whether trials come or cease,

Keep me always on my knees

Lord I need you,

Lord I need you.

Lord help me to remember,

I'm weak but you are strong,

I cannot turn away from you,

For Lord you are my song.

Although I'm prone to wander and boast in all I do,

Lord keep my eyes turned upward,

So I depend on you.

Chorus reprise:

Lord I need you

When the sea of life is calm

O Lord I need you,

When the wind is blowing strong.

Whether trials come or cease,

Keep me always on my knees,

Lord I need you,

Lord I need you.

This song is a constant tune in my head. I find that when I'm in a safe zone in life I place myself on God's alter willingly and offer up my heart.  But then as the heat begins to sting and burn at areas of my life I begin to crawl off the alter.  Staying on the alter is the best choice we could ever make!
In one area of my life I had to stay on the alter- there was no crawling off, and it is the most defined and Godly enhanced gifts He has ever given me.
In staying on the alter it is inevitable you will have to sacrifice something, but this something is holding you back, keeping you away from God's work in your life.  Stay on the alter, don't waver and begin to falter.  Christ is holding your hand! He has promised He will never fail us! Everything He allows to happen is planned.

I heard a saying once that went like this:

"Why do you worry about tomorrow?

Why are you fretting about letting go of things?

God has already walked through tomorrow,

He may have to carry you, He may hold your hand,

But He is always there, and there is always a reason for everything."

So what are your favorite hymns? 

Apply the words to your life.  My favorite hymns have strengthened me in the darkest times.  When our house caught on fire, and when the firemen left I stood in our kitchen stunned and feeling completely insecure.  Everything could have been gone, in the blink of an eye!  But Christ was watching over us as He snuffed the fire out and allowed only minimal damage to our ceiling. However, the fireplace was completely destroyed.  I couldn't think of anything else but then a song entered my thoughts, Lord I Need You. After the first verse my heart was already secure back in my Savior's hands.

So find a song that encourages your heart!

Tell me what it is! Why did you choose it?

And I know, its impossible to choose just one song out of all the great music that is out there, but find one that applies to your life right now, it is well worth it!:) 

Royal Legacy

We are our parents legacy.
What an honor to be chosen and singled out for my family!  Every hour, and every moment of every day is deciding my place in eternity as I live up to the standards my parents have set for me.
I know I catch myself often looking in the mirror deciding which parent I look more like, my physical traits certainly prove I'm in the right family!:) My behavior, however, is not bound to my family.  What I chose to fill my time and mind with is a personal choice.

When I accepted Christ as my Savior at 4 years of age I was ushered into another family.  The Royal Family.  With this new ancestry came a divine and royal legacy. I was now an heir to my King!
 I became a princess, not one that held a sparkly scepter, or wore a glittering crown, or even wore the most elegant dress.  Rather, when I became Christ's princess I had to begin slowly at collecting my treasures.  The rare and precious jewels that define a princess do not only come with 14 carats or out of ruby mines.  My treasures changed my life for eternity, and the treasure hunt never stops.  You may have already guessed that I am speaking of attributes such as grace, love, acceptance, joy, and a humble spirit. Such treasures take a lifetime to obtain.  But they are well worth the adventure of seeking out and conquering!
I want to leave behind a heritage on earth of grace, assurance, and thankfulness that reflects the love of God in all I do.  To achieve this, however takes a lot of time- especially if you are me.

To reach the goal of conquering these attributes there must always come a trial that forces us to learn that lesson. I always seem to choose the long way to learn a lesson!

Some people I know seem to be born with a meek, gentle, and ladylike spirit.  They are courteous, gentle, and caring. I love being around them!!
But my own personality traits are far from being this way!  My love for excitement and fun can be healthy- but I struggle with being meek and quiet.  These are lessons that I am still learning. God is so patient with me!!
Although these lessons I am learning do not blend with my normal attitudes or expressions it does not mean that I should not go out and seek to achieve them.  I know several girls who have joyful, vibrant  personalities, they are like rays of sunshine on cloudy days to everyone they meet, but when it comes to being submissive and gentle its almost like trying to get a leopard to change her spots!!:)
These lessons are not meant to change your core personality, God gave me a spirit that loves being joyful and free . But having a quieter spirit in some situations may not necessarily change me, but it might influence someone watching me.  You never know how God is going to use your obedience to Him in the future.
No goal is unachievable when you are a part of the Royal family! For we are never alone at any time! God walks beside us every step of the way. He watches over his Princess's with extra care, He knows each of us so well that no matter what the situation He's already a step ahead of us. We simply need to take that step and hold His hand.

What Makes a House a Home

"It isn't curtains starched and fine,

Nor windows shining clean,

Expensive paintings on the walls 

That catch the sunlight's gleam,

Nor furniture so new and grand,

The many things you own-

For not a single one of these

Can make a house a home.

It matters not a speck of dust;

To real folks this won't count,

Nor that you have the worldly things 

In any large amount.

A house can never be a home

However hard you'd try,

Unless the welcome's friendly there-

A twinkle in your eye.

It takes a handshake firm and true,

A greeting warm and gay, 

An air of love and happiness

As we would go our way;

'Tis these that make a house a home

Though worldly things are few,

And folks will always come again-

But just because of you.

A house can never be a home,

However long we live,

Unless it's filled with friendliness,

With laughter we can give.

Whatever else we chance to have,

How much we gain or own,

'Tis only people, real and true,

That make a house a home.

By Garnett Ann Shultz

I chose this poem as the first post in my blog to show that even if we have the right house, the right outward appearance. Nothing can compare to the inward glow of a young woman who has a genuine desire to make her parents home a place of joy, warmth, excitement, and love. Its a gift God gave us, so lets use it!