Another Empty Nest

Yesterday morning I noticed that the babies were perching on the side of the nest, so I knew they would be taking off soon. I watched them all day yesterday--they seemed to grow before my eyes. Last evening, the mother was no where to be seen or heard, so I was able to step right up to the tree to get the final picture of the birdies.

This morning, they were gone. It seems very quiet here this morning. . .

Related Tags: American Robin, nest, fledglings

God's Minute

June Thirtieth

Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.--1 Timothy 3:9

WE extol Thee, O Lord, our King, as we present ourselves before Thee, through the merits of Jesus Christ, Who by His cross and precious blood, hath redeemed us from our sin. We humbly beseech Thee, O merciful Father, to pardon our offenses against Thee and Thy Holy Law; to create within us a clean heart and a right spirit; to cause the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts to be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our Rock and Redeemer.

We bless Thy Holy Name, our Father, for Thy manifold and unceasing goodness unto us. We owe to Thee the temporal blessings of our lives, and all the opportunities we have for usefulness and happiness. Enable us, by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may enjoy and use these, and all Thy good gifts, in a worthy and acceptable manner. Be compassionate, O God, toward all suffering, sorrowing, and sinning ones. Be the comforter of the aged, the guide of the young, the wisdom of all who teach, the ruler of all who govern, the light of all who are in darkness--the Saviour of all mankind. Hasten, O Lord, Thy glorious appearing, and number us among those who shall receive at Thy right hand the crown of glory that fadeth not away. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Rev. M. C. MacLean, B.A.,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Related Tags: prayer, morning prayer, Rev. M. C. MacLean

God's Minute

June Twenty-ninth

His faith is counted for righteousness.--Romans 4:5

ALMIGHTY Father, Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, lift upon us the Light of Thy countenance. We thank Thee that it is possible for us to approach the unveiled mercy seat. We come not in our own name, nor do we plead any merit in ourselves. Our hope is in Christ, Thy beloved Son, crucified for us. He bore our sins in His own body on the tree, and by His stripes we are healed. Let Thy benediction rest upon this family circle. Help us to keep the fire of gratitude and devotion burning on Thy altar. Give us grace to overcome evil in the day of temptation. Give us courage in the hour of adversity, and humility in prosperity. Help us to live as in Thy sight; doing Thy will with alacrity and cheerfulness. Give wisdom and integrity of purpose, we pray Thee, to all those in authority over us, that in the administration of public affairs they may "do justice and love mercy." We invoke Thy special blessing upon the household under this roof, that we may not disappoint Thy gracious will concerning us. Bestow Thy heavenly grace upon father, mother, children, so that we may be worthy to have a place in the Great Family of God, which shall, by and by, enter upon their eternal inheritance. Thanks to Thee for victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen, and Amen.

Thomas. F. Dornblaser, D.D.,
Chicago, Illinois

Related Tags: prayer, morning prayer, Thomas. F. Dornblaser, D.D.

God's Minute

June Twenty-eighth

The Lord hath made known His salvation; His righteousness hath He openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. He hath remembered His mercy and His truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.--Psalm 98:2-3

ALMIGHTY GOD AND HEAVENLY FATHER, Who, through Thine only begotten Son didst sanctify the ties of marrieage and home, we heartily thank Thee for Thy loving care and watchful providence over us from the beginning of our lives to this day. We praise Thee for all our happinesses and joys; for the gifts of affection and sympathy toward one another; for any chastening of sorrow or tribulation with which Thou has seen fit to visit us. And we beseech Thee to continue Thy gracious goodness towards us. Give us grace to do our daily duties faithfully, as parents or children, as members of Thy Church, and as citizens of the nation. Pardon all our offenses, and make us sorry for them with the godly sorrow that worketh repentance unto salvation. Comfort the distressed; bless the work of the clergy and all other servants of Thy Kingdom. Bring the nations into Thy fold, and add the heathen to Thy inheritance, so that righteousness and peace, truth and justice, fellowship and good-will may prevail among men, to the honor and glory of Thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Bishop Frederick B. Howden, D.D.,
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Related Tags: prayer, morning prayer, Bishop Frederick B. Howden, D.D.

God's Minute

June Twenty-seventh

I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.--Acts 27:25

THE night has brought us rest and refreshment and renewal of strength and hope, Father. The day opens to us its opportunities, and brings us its manifold tasks and, it may be, its trials and burdens and cares.

We thank Thee, our Father for the restoration of power and courage, while we have slept. We trustingly pray for guidance and enabling for the undertakings and employments of the day.

We seek the direction which shall set us forward along right ways, the wisdom which shall cause us rightly to choose in every issue, the integrity which shall keep us wholly loyal to the truth.

May no burden be laid upon us beyond our strength, and if the trials of the day are to be many, grant unto us great patience, constant self-control, and the power to keep our tempers and our judgment.

Grant that we may suffer not loss of faith in our fellowmen, no lessening in our belief of purity and goodness, no dimming of our vision of the ideal. And bring us at the end of a day of useful labor and helpful living to the joy of an unbroken home.

Amen.

Rev. J. Percival Huget,
Detroit, Michigan

What is missing from this prayer?

Related Tags: prayer, morning prayer, Rev. J. Percival Huget

A Blogging Vacation

I've heard that sometimes bloggers just need to take a break from blogging from time to time. I find I need to take some time away, to take care of real life projects, to spend some time thinking and praying about this whole blogging experience, to do some serious seeking, asking and knocking about whether and/or how to continue blogging. I'll still be posting the morning prayers, but other than that, I'm going to hang the proverbial "out to lunch" sign on Hiraeth until next Monday.

I won't be making my usual rounds, either, so if anything important comes up that I can join with you in prayer, drop me a line. I'll be checking my email every day.

See you on Monday!

God's Minute

June Twenty-sixth

I pray that thy faith fail not.--Luke 22:32

O LORD, our Lord, how excellent in Thy name in all the earth! Who has set Thy glory above the heavents. How glorious art Thou in all Thy attributes; how gracious in all Thy acts! Thou openest Thine hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing. Accept our worship and adoration and thanksgiving. We make confession of our unworthiness and unfaithfulness, and humbly beseech Thy fatherly forgiveness. We bear before Thee in supplication the needs of a lost world, lying in wickedness. Pour out upon all people Thy Holy Spirit, that His gracious influence may deepen the spiritual life, and change the character of those who are without God and without hope in the world, transforming them into the likeness of the Son of God. Remember this faimly in Thy infinite mercy, that it may be a household of faith, and that this may be a home in which Thou wilt delight to dwell; and when Thou makest up Thy jewels, gather them all witout missing one, a whole family in heaven, saved by grace. Hear us in this our supplication, and do for us not according to our merit, but according to Thy mercy, exceedingly abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power what worketh in us, to Whom be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throught all ages, world without end.

Amen.

Samuel L. Morris, D.D.,
Atlanta, Georgia

Related Tags: prayer, morning prayer, Samuel L. Morris, D.D.

Get Real Monday

Randi has asked us to "get real" when it comes to our shoes.

She also says you can tell a lot about a person by their shoes, so I feel a little nervous about what may be learned about me by my shoes; nevertheless, here is a picture of my favorite Bass sandals.

I've had them for about 1o years. I've "replaced" them every year for the last three or four, but I just don't like my new "replacement" sandals, so I always revert to these favorites. As you can tell, they've been through a lot. Someday I'll show you my favorite purse. . . it doesn't look much better.

[UPDATE] Since I can't think of a reason I would ever show you a picture of my old purse, if not today--here it is.

In order to understand my attachment to this purse you must first understand that I am cheap. Cheap, cheap, cheap. And that for years I never carried a purse. Diaper bags sufficed for many years and once I finally put them to rest, I would usually just tuck my ID and the checkbook into the back pocket of my jeans when I went shopping. [Which usually meant shopping for groceries because I hate to shop (my friend, Robin, tells me that she thinks I missed out on the "shopping gene.")]

Long story short, when it became increasingly evident to me that carrying a purse would be a good and maybe even a necessary thing, I started shopping for a purse. Oh, the agony! I just don't like them. None of the ones I looked at seemed to fit. Until I saw this one in a leather store with a price tag of $200.00. Now remember, I am cheap. But I am also one of those people who hangs on to things forever. I was so conflicted. This is the purse I like, but $200??!! My husband reminded me that if I'd have bought a bunch of purses for every season for all the years we'd been married, I would have spent WAAAY more than $200, and he urged me to buy it. And so I did. And I still love it and I still carry it.

God's Minute

For Sunday

June Twenty-fifth

The Lord is worthy to be praised.--2 Samuel 22:23

O THOU Who art the same yesterday, today, and forever, as we think back over life, we think how many revelations we have had of Thee. Some days we were very sure that Thou art infinitely kind; some days we have groaned in bitterness. On some of the bright mornings of life our hearts have sung in spite of us; and on the black midnights our hearts have sunk to despair. Yet, Thou art the same Lord; God over all, blessed forever. "Whose property is always to have mercy," and "Who has never requited us according to our sins, but in wrath "hast remembered mercy." Father, we are daring to say to our hearts that what Jesus was, Thou art; that He unveiled Thee for us. As men, tempted and defeated could trust Him, we may trust Thee. As women scorned, trusted Him, nor were disappointed, women today may trust Thee. As little children held out their arms to Him, with the unerring response of childhood to goodness, so the children of our homes and hearts may hold out their hands to Thee, Who art the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and of us all.

Accept our thanks for the days past and our praises for this day, and our heart-full trust for the days to be. In the Name of Christ.

Amen.

George Clarke Peck, D.D.,
Baltimore, Maryland

God's Minute

For Saturday,

June Twenty-fourth

My God, unto Thee will I pray.--Psalm 5:2

HOLY Father, we thank Thee for the privilege of prayer. It is of Thine amazing goodness that we are permitted to pray, and of Thine infinite wisdom that our prayers are answered. Our gratitude goes out to God for life and health, and all the blessings which come to us. Above all other blessings, we are grateful to Thee for the Saviour. In thinking of the blessings so graciously bestowed upon us, our hearts adopt the words of Scripture--"Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable Gift." We lay ourselves at Thy feet, most Holy One; we adore Thy Great and Holy Name. Thou alone art God, and beside Thee there is none else. Do Thou bless our home, and guide us , to make it such a home as Thou wouldst have it. Sanctify our relations to one another, to become all that God has planned for our lives. Bless, we pray Thee, all other families, our neighbors and friends, together with the stranger afar off; though an enemy, hear us for them, most gracious Father, and give to them every good thing we would ask for ourselves. Bless our country. Give the spirit of wisdom and sound judgment to all civil officers and those in authority. So overrule, that peace shall be maintained among all nations. Let Thy Kingdom come. Speed the glad day when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess Him Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Amen.

Rev. F. C. McConnell,
Atlanta, Georgia

Everyday Things: God's Minute

This Friday's Everyday Thing is my God's Minute book. (And that isn't a shameless plug for the daily posts of the daily prayers, either)

Because it truly is an everyday thing with me, I thought it might be the right everyday thing for me choose as my first entry in this weekly meme. The book was given to me by my grandparents when I got married (I've had it almost 30 years!). Nearly every day, something in the prayers of these long-dead men (and the occasional long-dead woman) informs my own prayers, or causes me to think more deeply and more reverently as I pray along.

God's Minute--my Everyday Thing; works for me (oh, wait a minute, that's Wednesday. . .)

God's Minute

June Twenty-third

Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling and to presentyou faultless before the presence of His glory.--Jude 24

ALMIGHTY and merciful God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, under the shadow of Thy wings have we rested through the night sheltered from danger and harm. And as the new day opens and privileges and opportunitites again arise to meet us, we pause to thank Thee and pay Thee homage. And we beseech Thee, be with us also through the day and guard us from harm and especially from falling into sin. We have been baptised into Thy name and have thus been adopted into Thy world-wide family of children. We have been bought with a price--the blood of our Redeemer. O keep us that we may not this day, nor ever, fall away from Thee and these covenant blessings, through sin. May no evil desire this day take possession of our heart, but may our every thought, word and deed be pleasing unto Thee. May Thy Holy Word continue to light our way and sustain us, and may its light fall upon those who sit in the darkness of unbelief, that Thy nbame may be hallowed also among them. Thy kingdom come and Thy will be done. Bless our home and all our dear ones. Bless our church, with missions, schools and charitable institutions. Be nigh especially to those who are sick, in distress, or in peril of death. Prosper all that is good among us and hinder every evil purpose and counsel. And at last, when life's journey is ended, may we inherit life eternal, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Amen.

Rev. O. J. H. Preus,
De Forest, Wisconsin

Casting the 'Net

I've been reading Pyromaniacs since, well, since Pyromaniac became Pyromanics. Phil Johnson drew me in, but I must say that Dan Phillips keeps me coming back. His posts are always thoughtful and challenging and give me a bit of meat to chew on throughout the day.

Today, I want to direct you to a great post of Dan's (Dan the Man, as I've begun to think of him . . .) How We do Christianity and the Reverse.

It's a meaty feast. No tenderizer required, but you may find yourself tenderized. . .

Related Tags: Pyromaniacs, Pyromaniac, Phil Johnson, Dan Phillips

God's Minute

June Twenty-second

My peace I give unto you.--John 14:27

O THOU Who art the giver of every good and perfect gift, in Whose unfailing love we live and move and have our being, and without Whom we should be poor indeed, enable us, we beseech Thee, to discern even more clearly Thine abounding goodness to us, and as Thou hast made us rich in blessings, make us also rich in gratitude. We praise Thee, our Father, for those revelations of Thy love with which we are most familiar, and which we are all too prone to forget; for rising and setting suns, and the stars; for clouds and winds and passing seasons; for the outer light in which we walk serenely and dwell securely; and the light within, the true light which witnesses to our oneness with Thee. Wilt Thou help us reverently to interpret all our blessings in terms of Thy love. We thank Thee for our friends and all that friendship has meant to us, and that we may think of ourselves as friends of Jesus Christ. Wilt Thou help us also to understand what high obligations such friendship lays upon us. We praise Thee for Thy gift of peace--that peace which the world cannot give nor take away, the peace of those who have found their sanctuary in the love and goodness of God. Evermore give us this peace. In His name, who came to bring us peace.

Amen.

G. Glenn Atkins, D.D., LL.B.,
Providence, Rhode Island

Related Tags: prayer, morning prayer, G. Glenn Atkins, D.D., LL.B.

5 Days Old

This picture is for Sue's grandson. I took this picture this afternoon. The babies are 5 days old today. The Mama is away from the nest a lot more with these babies than with the first clutch.

I didn't get a very good snap this time because she was swooping and squawking and I started giggling.

Sue's grandson: if you double click the picture, you can see the feathers beginning to show. See how red they are? For a long time this afternoon, she was away from the nest and a sunbeam was shining right down on the nest. I wonder if they have a sunburn.

Related Tags: American Robin, nestlings, photos, bird photos

Works For Me Wednesday: Gardening

In my last post I promised to show you another part of my "garage garden." This is an area that receives very little sun but still manages to produce quite a few weeds, so this year I decided to plant it in ivy. After a few years, I can pretty much forget about it, other than keeping it from overtaking the rest of the space.

There is a trick to establishing a bed of ground cover--whether that be ivy, myrtle, pachysandra, or any other vining, trailing ground cover. (and I do love to mix and match ground covers!) Here's what you do:

Select a healthy length of ivy, in this case; preferably with roots or air roots, trimmed to about 8 inches in length.


Preparing the ground is easy. You need to do little more than scrape out a shallow hole and loosen the dirt.


Next, take a length of ivy and twist it into a loose knot. (you can double click for a closer view) By twisting it, you'll get a start that is well grounded. If you try to plant a long, trailing piece, when the leaves come down in the fall, you'll end up pulling most of the ivy out of the ground before it has a chance to really dig in. (voice of experience). Planted this way, you'll have healthy, thick starts and each will branch out in different directions and fill in. With ivy, the first year, you'll just want to water it and keep it from dying. The second year, it won't look like much is happening, but it will look healthy and grow a little. In the third year it will take off like a rocket!


Plant in the shallow hole--ivy isn't real fussy, it doesn't need to be covered too much. Make sure some of the leaves are still showing above the mulch, though.


It took about 15 minutes for me to plant six ivy starts in this part of my bed. Works for Me!
Related Tags: gardening, ground covers, establishing ground covers, establishing an ivy bed, ivy, myrtle, pachysandra, planting ivy, Works For Me Wednesday

Garden in mid-June

I promised Rebecca that I would post up some pictures of my "garden" when I had time. This morning seems a good time to do it since it is raining here and I am unable to get outside.

My "garden" is really simply beds scattered around my yard. For the most part, our yard is very shady, so I have had to be creative and find a way to tuck a few sun loving plants into the sunny nooks and crannies of the yard.

Today I will post pictures of my vegetables. I have a small strip of ground beside my garage that gets sun late in the day--well, part of it does anyway. . .

Here is my small veggie garden. I have two cherry tomatoes and one grape tomato planted here. I have found that since the sunny times are limited, cherry and grape tomatoes have a better chance to ripen fully and as they are prolific bearers, we still have an abundance of tomatoes to be used in salad, on sandwiches and in fresh sauce. At the end of the row are two peppers, an poblano and a serrano.

Opposite the fence, against the garage, and presently between the yard waste that is waiting to be taken to the curb on Friday, are three volunteer tomato plants from last year. They receive even less sun in this position, however, they will continue to grow at a slower pace and then begin bearing later in the summer and then into the fall until a killing frost, so we do not despise their small beginnings! And yes, they are planted quite close together, but they grow so slowly in this spot that it really doesn't matter--they just fill in.

There is another section of my garage garden, but you'll have to wait for my next post for that!


There is one other small plot tucked into this "sunny spot." This is my small cutting garden. Planted here are perennials that supply my dining room and the table in my sunroom with flower arrangements throughout the summer. Shasta daisies, cone flowers (purple and a new wine colored one this year), black eyed Susan, babies breath, two varieties of lavender, painted daisies, and capanula.

Here is my newest veggie bed. This is in a sunny spot in my front yard. Yes, my front yard. Here I have planted two more pepper plants; a super cayenne and a thai pepper. Both will become quite bushy with glossy leaves bearing colorful peppers. Last year I noticed how ornamental these pepper bushes looked, all tucked back there beside the garage and decided I'd try them out front, where we do get more sun. I wonder what my neighbors will think. . .

Related Tags: gardening, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, volunteer tomatoes, poblano pepper, serrano pepper, thai pepper, super cayenne pepper, cone flowers, lavender, campanula, shasta daisy, painted daisy, black-eyed Susan, baby's breath

Thursday Photo Challenge: Wet

Thursday Photo Challenge
for
June 22nd

Related Tags: Thursday Photo Challenge, wet, wet grass

God's Minute

June Twenty-first

That you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.--Colossians 1:10

OUR FATHER, we praise Thee for the mercies that are new every morning. Give us what we need today, and shut our minds to the cares of tomorrow, for we know that Thou wilt provide; teach us only to do our part. Let us true our conscience each day by Thy word, and direct our actions by Thy will;--teach us to know both better. Lead us not into temptaion, deliver us from selfishness, prejudice, and worldly wisdom, keep our minds open to truth, and forgive us our sins. As Thou dost deal with us in patience and kindness, so may we not be wanting today in patience and kindness toward all men. Most heartily we ask Thee to bless and preserve all whom we love; comfort and aid all in trouble and distress.

Our Lord and Father, Thou hast made this world so beautiful, and life at its fullest so fair a thing, take pity, we pray Thee, and stay the madness of men that talk and teach strife. Awaken the people to a sense of their responsibility for the leadership of ignorace, hatred, and greed that they too often accept, give us men of good will, and enable us to follow the right way to the end that Thy kindgdom may come, and Thy will be done on earth. We ask it for Jesus' sake,

Amen.

Paul N. Crusius,
Elmhurst, Illinios

Related Tags: prayer, morning prayer, Paul N. Crusius

Tuesday Treasure: Framed Leaves

I collected these leaves and framed them while we lived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We only lived there two short years, but I loved living there.

The leaves in the two larger frames came from the trees that grew in the front of our house. They were framed fresh, without pressing, so they started out a brilliant green color. The leaves in the smaller frame, which were framed in the same manner, are from the row of ginkgo trees that grow outside Lancaster's Central Market. Ginkgos are my most favorite trees and the Central Market is one of my favorite places, so I have really enjoyed having this little piece of Lancaster hanging in my house.

As you can tell, over the years the color has gone from green to brown and now to a more faded hue. I think they get prettier every year. Someday I will probably have to change to a darker background, but for now, I enjoy the subtle changes the years have brought.

Don't forget to visit the rest of the Tuesday Treasures at Faithful Mommy.

Related Tags: leaves, framed leaves, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Lancaster's Central Market, ginkgo

God's Minute

June Twentieth

The Lord loveth the righteous.--Psalm 146:8

O LORD, our God! We present ourselves to Thee in the Name of Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Saviour. Give us a joyous sense of our acceptance with Thee in Him. May the Spirit of Thy Son in us now cry "Abba: Father."

We would know Thee more and more. Reveal Thyself to us increasingly in Thy Word, and in the Spirit of Jesus, our Lord. We would love Thee; show us Thy love. We will then trust Thee always, and we will serve Thee in all we think and say and do. Accept and seal us in all this, our Heavenly Father. Loving and serving Thee, we will love and serve all Thy creatures, and especially our fellow men as members of the great family of God on earth. We will regard none of our powers or possessions as our own. We will see every one the other's good, and "thus fulfil the law of Christ." Every day fulfil Thy Will and accomplish Thy purpose in and through us, and thus prepare us to meet Thee, and be with Thee, and be filled with Thee, and made Thy instruments in ever higher, richer, and more blessed service, through eternity.

We ask this not for ourselves alone, but for all Thy people and finally for all mankind, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

Rev. J.R. Johnston,
Preston, Ontario, Canada

Related Tags: prayer, morning prayer, Rev. J.R. Johnston

Oh, the bitter loss

Yesterday afternoon, my computer had a major crash. When I finally got it booted back up, I found that I had lost all my Firefox bookmarks and tabs in the toolbar folder. Sigh. I spent way too much time trying to find the hidden file that holds my bookmarks, but to no avail. So now I begin the impossible task of trying to reconstruct my bookmarks.

Why am I telling you this? Well, I could wait until another Works for Me Wednesday to share this little nugget, but I would feel so bad if this happened to another Firefox user and I hadn't brought it to your attention in time. There is a Crash Recovery add-on available for Firefox. You can download it here.

If I were you, I'd go download it now. Takes just a second or two, but it will save hours if you ever have a crash that corrupts your browser.

[UPDATE] Mz. Ellen has provided a link to help anyone who, like me, is faced with the daunting task of reconstructing one's bookmarks. For myself, once I saw my bookmarks in document form, I decided that since I hadn't really lost my bookmarks, I actually prefered keeping a leaner bookmark file in the future. Therefore, I copied my most recent old bookmarks backup file and pasted it into a Word document, which I then copied onto a CD. Now I can choose what I want to keep and still have an archived copy for "just in case."

Hopefully, with the Crash Recovery Add-on I downloaded, this will not be a problem in the future. An ounce of prevention IS worth a pound of cure!

Related Tags: computer crash, Firefox browser, Firefox crash, Mozilla Crash Recovery Add-on

Quote of the Day

"There is a great deal of difference between an eager man who wants to read a book and the tired man who wants a book to read."--G.K. Chesterton

On any given day, I am both of these "men"--the eager and the tired reader. . .which probably explains why I have so many books going at the same time


Related Tags: quotes,
G. K. Chesterton,
books, reading

God's Minute

June Nineteenth

The Lord knoweth them that trust Him.--Nahum 1:7

OUR Heavenly Father, we lift up our hearts to Thee in adoring praise for Thy love and grace made known unto us in Jesus Christ, our Saviour, Who died for our sins.

We thank Thee for Thy blessed Book, which is able to make us wise unto salvation. Help us to read and inwardly digest it. We thank Thee for the Holy Spirit, Who takes of the things of Christ and shows them unto us, and Who is promised to guide us into all truth, and to comfort us all the days of our life. Help us to recognize Him in all we think, or say, or do, and never vex, grieve, nor sin against Him. But help us to follow Him and to realize His presence with us.

We need Thee for the little things of life as well as the big things. Help us to control our tongues, so that we may not speak unadvisedly with our lips,. Help us to live daily in expectation of our Lord's coming and be ready when He comes. Bless all the families of the earth, and graciously give success to all ministers, missionaries, and Christian workers who are humbly seeking to glorify Jesus, and to win the nations to Him.

We ask it in His Name.

Amen.

Rev. Lewis Powell, D.D.,
Hopkinsville, Kentucky

Related Tags: prayer, morning prayer, Rev. Lewis Powell, D.D.

God's Minute

June Eighteenth

Men ought always to pray and not to faint.--Luke 18:1

OUR Heavenly Father, we come to Thee in humble worship this morning. We thank Thee for Thy loving care while we slept, and for the sleep and rest of the night. We thank Thee that, refreshed in body and mind, Thou hast brought us to see the beginning of a new day. Lord abide with us still.

We ever need Thee. Protect us from harm, and guide us in all the duties of this day. Deliver us from evil, and make us strong to do Thy will.

Be pleased to remember with Thy blessing all our loved ones. Some of them are far distant from us, but Thou art everywhere present. Be pleased to bless Thine own work. Let great grace be given to ministers of the Gospel, and all Christian workers everywhere, that Thy Name may be glorified through their efforts.

And now, blessed Lord, we commit our loved ones and ourselves to Thy care. Pardon our sins, and guide us by Thy Spirit in the way pleasing to Thyself this day, and all we ask in the Name of Jesus, our Savior.

Amen.

Rev. Douglas Laing
Kingston, Ontario, Canada

New Hatchlings

This morning I heard that same thin, lifeless sound coming from Mama Robin that I had heard the last time the eggs hatched. Not really a chirp, it's more of a mournful, high pitched lisping sound.

Just now I was out bringing the dogs indoors and I noticed that Mama Bird, who has been very unhappy with us for the past several days, was no where to be seen or heard. I took the opportunity to step under the tree and hold the camera over the nest and snap a picture. The nest is above my head, so I couldn't really see them until I downloaded the picture. Poor little naked birdies. It 90 degrees and sunny here today, but I'm still worried about them.

I thought there were 4 eggs, but it looks like there are only three babies. Hard to tell what's what at this stage, though, isn't it?

I wonder where the egg shells went. More than that I wonder where the Mama Robin went. . .

Related Tags: nest, hatchlings, American Robin

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt: Father

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code. Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

Faith in the Gospel of Christ

For the past week or so, the Gospel has been the topic of conversation at Everyday Mommy. I meant to post this yesterday, but a full day of landscaping in the hot sun drove it out of my mind.

From the PCA Church of Book Order, Chapter 57

1. Do you acknowledge yourselves to be sinners in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in His sovereign mercy?

2. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He is offered in the Gospel?

The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter XIV
Of Saving Faith

I. The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls,[1] is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts,[2] and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word,[3] by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened.[4]

1. Titus 1:1; Heb. 10:39
2. I Cor. 12:3; John 3:5; 6:44-45, 65; Titus 3:5; Eph. 2:8; Phil. 1:29; II Peter 1:1; see I Peter 1:2
3. Matt. 28:19-20; Rom. 10:14, 17; I Cor. 1:21
4. I Peter 2:2; Acts 20:32; Rom. 1:16-17; Matt. 28:19; see Acts 2:38; I Cor. 10:16; 11:23-29; Luke 17:5; Phil. 4:6-7

II. By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God himself speaking therein;[5] and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands,[6] trembling at the threatenings,[7] and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to come.[8] But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.[9]

5. II Peter 1:20-21; John 4:42; I Thess. 2:13; I John 5:9-10; Acts 24:14
6. Psa. 119:10-11, 48, 97-98, 167-168; John 14:15
7. Ezra 9:4; Isa. 66:2; Heb. 4:1
8. Heb. 11:13; I Tim. 4:8
9. John 1:12; Acts 15:11, 16:31; Gal. 2:20; II Tim. 1:9-10

III. This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong;[10] may be often and many ways assailed, and weakened, but gets the victory:[11] growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance, through Christ,[12] who is both the author and finisher of our faith.[13]

10. Heb. 5:13-14; Rom. 4:19-20; 14:1-2; Matt. 6:30; 8:10
11. Luke 22:31-32; Eph. 6:16; I John 5:4-5
12. Heb. 6:11-12; 10:22; Col. 2:2
13. Heb. 12:2


Related Tags: Gospel, salvation, faith, Presbyterian Church in America, Book of Church Order, Westminster Confession of Faith

God's Minute

June Seventeenth

I prayed unto the Lord, my God, and made my confessions.--Daniel 9:4

EVERLIVING, everloving God, our Heavenly Father, we bless and praise Thee, that Thou didst set the human race in families for its higher development and its greater influence. This morning we bless Thy holy name that we have been called into this family now before Thee in prayer.

May we gratefully recognize our duty and our responsibility to Thee, and to one another, and to this community.

Keep us this day from sin, as we do the tasks of the day. Watch Thou over us and guard us from danger. Teach us how to live unselfishly, each for the other, in all the little things of the home.

May we, as father and mother, as brothers and sisters, fulfill our tasks to each and to all, with the blessed example of our Elder Brother always before our minds.

Prosper the work of each one of us, and the labors and business of all our neighbors. Grant, above all, to our family the real and abiding prosperity of a rich and helpful faith in our Lord and Master, to Whom be praise, and glory, now and forever.

Amen.

L. B. Wolf, D.D.,
Baltimore, Maryland

Related Tags: prayer, morning prayer, L. B. Wolf, D.D.

God's Minute

June Sixteenth

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.--Romans 8:17

Our Heavenly Father, we gratefully acknowledge Thy providential love and care. We thank Thee for the joys of the morning, the fresh outlook, the new opportunity, the unspent strength, the hunger for conquest. For life and health and work we praise Thee. May we live and move and have our being consciously in Thee. May every hour bring thoughts of Thee, and a sweet sense of Thy favor resting upon us. Give us to go cheerfully on our business, and to do our duty in our appointed place, not as hirelings, but as sons and heirs in their Father's house. Mercifully defend us from all harm. Teach us to take our joys as they come, and to make friends with our trials; to know that life is good, whatever skies it may please Thee to bring over us.

Give us the ready word of cheer and comfort for those who may cross our path this day. We ask not for lighter burdens, but for greater strength; nor for easier discipline, but for more grace. Bless our homes, bless our country. Hasten the day when Thy Spirit shall pervade all the affairs of men, and all governments and rulerships shall acknowledge Thy most gracious sovereignty.

And now, dear Father, we go forth unto our work and to our labor until evening. At the end of the day, may we enter into the peace and rest of those who have walked and worked with God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

M.O. Evans, Ph.D., D.D.,
Cincinnati, Ohio

Photo Theme: Nest

Thursday Challenge Entry
for
June 15th, 2006

Related Tags: Thursday Photo Challenge, nest, empty nest

God's Minute

June Fifteenth

He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.--Psalm 91:15

LOVING Father, may we realize what a great privilege it is for us to come directly into Thy very presence, in the name, and by the close relationship of Thy Son as our Saviour and Elder Brother, and to really be Thy children. Help us today to be able to call Thee "our Father." Help us to realize that Thy great loving heart turns toward us as the heart of a loving parent turns toward his child. Each day may this relationship mean more and more, and become very precious to us.

As we take up the duties of the day, may we take shelter under the wonderful promises of the Ninety-first Psalm, and may they be fulfilled to us and our loved ones. May we in some way be a help and a blessing to someone who may need us this day. Help us to be careful about our example before others. May we "walk, stand, and sit" in such places as my be pleasing in Thy sight, and be safe for others to follow us in.

May we, by our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, be clothed with His righteousness, and have a part in His resurrection. Guide us and help us as the days pass, we ask in His name.

Amen.

E.K. Warren
Three Oaks, Michigan

From the link:

E.K. Warren and Son, Inc. (Three Oaks, Michigan)

Manufacturers of buggy whips and corset stays, the company was founded by Edward K. Warren, who also invested in Southwestern Land and Cattle through the influence of his son, Charles K. Warren.

Italian White Bean Soup

Italian White Bean Soup with Sausage & Spinach

12 oz. Italian sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/4 C. water
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 T. olive oil
2 15 oz. cans white kidney (cannelloni) beans, rinsed and drained
2 14 oz. cans reduced sodium chicken broth
1 14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes with basil, oregano & garlic, undrained
4 cups coarsely chopped kale or spinach
Ground pepper

Combine sliced sausage and water in a large skillet. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered about 10 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink. Uncover and cook about 5 minutes more or until sausage is browned, stirring frequently. Remove sausage and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook onion and garlic over medium heat in a large saucepan about 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in beans, broth and undrained tomatoes. Cover and bring to boil, reduce heat. Simmer covered for 5 minutes.

Stir in cooked sausage and spinach. Simmer, uncovered about 3 minutes more or until spinach is tender. Season to taste with pepper. Serve with crusty bread and butter.

Serves 5

Related Tags: recipe, soup

Works for Me Wednesday

This week's tip is one I think you'll all like, especially if you are finding some really good WFMW tips each week, but there just seem to be so many that you can't remember them all.

I'd like to introduce you to one of my favorite, free programs, Evernote. Evernote is a notetaking program that is amazingly easy to use. When I turn on my computer in the morning, I launch my Outlook and then Evernote.

Evernote sits there in my task bar, waiting to serve me as soon as I come across a great quote, or an idea for a post, or a scripture passage I want to check out, or anything else I want to remember. The really best thing about it is that if you copy and paste something from the internet, it embeds a hyperlink (go to source) so if you want to go back and tell someone that you tried their Italian White Bean, Sausage, and Spinach soup and it was delicious, you can "remember" where you found the recipe. (I used this as an example because I copied that recipe without using Evernote and I don't remember who to thank.)

Evernote. Works for Me!
Related Tags: Works for Me Wednesday, Evernote

God's Minute

June Fourteenth

The living shall praise Thee.--Isaiah 38:19

HEAVENLY Father, we thank Thee for the refreshing sleep of the last night, for sparing us to see another day, for our loved ones, and for this family altar, for the gift of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, and for His love and self-sacrifice.

We sincerely repent of all wrongdoing. Pardon all our sins, and give to us a forgiving spirit. Help us to trust in Thy Word, and may we find in it medicine for the mind, and food for the soul.

We pray for our beloved country, and for all in authority, in our own and other nations. Bless the poor and needy, the sick and dying, the bereaved and all who are in distress. We plead with Thee for any who are wrongfully treated, until "justice roll on like water, and righteousness as a perennial stream."

Abundantly reward the preaching of the Gospel everywhere, and bless our church and minister with an outpouring of Thy Holy Spirit, until one shall not have to say to another--, "Know the Lord,--for all shall know Him from the least even unto the greatest."

And to Thee will we give the glory forever and ever.

Amen.

Capt. (Rev.) H. S. Mullowney, M.A., B.D.,
Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada

Related Tags: prayer, morning prayer, Capt. (Rev.) H. S. Mullowney

Two New Edwards Links

For those of you who, like me, love the writings of Jonathan Edwards, I want to direct your attention to two new links in my sidebar:

Jonathan Edwards Online

From the Mission Statement of Jonathan Edwards Online:

The mission of the Jonathan Edwards Center and The Works of Jonathan Edwards Online is to produce a comprehensive online archive of Edwards’s writings and publications that will serve the needs of researchers and readers of Edwards, to support inquiry into his life, writings, and legacy by providing resources and assistance, and to encourage critical appraisal of the historical importance and contemporary relevance of America’s premier theologian.

What's not to love about that?

The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University

I'll bet you didn't know that JE has a blog! Well, I guess if David Brainerd can have a blog, so can Jonathan Edwards. All kidding aside, this blog is a companion to the Jonathan Edwards Online website and is full of stimulating things to read and ponder, and I hope to discuss with other fans of Jonathan Edwards.

Speaking of all that stimulation, this has served to remind me to pick up with my devotional posts on Edwards' Resolutions.

Related Tags: Jonathan Edwards, Jonathan Edwards Online, The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University, David Brainerd

God's Minute

June Thirteenth

They that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee.--Psalm 9:10

O GOD, Thou art our Father and our Mother too, and under no circumstances can we get beyond the tireless search of Thy love. Ever since we were born Thou hast cared for us as though Thou hadst no other children, and still Thou dost follow us with ten thousand loving persuasions and infinite solicitude.

Grant, we beseech Thee, that Thy goodness may lead us to deeper consecration and to more heroic endeavor to extend Thy Kingdom. May we prove our love for God, Whom we have not seen, by self denying service in behalf of our brother who is ever before our eyes. Save us from selfishness, from pharisaism and bigotry, from pride and vain glory, and all narrow-mindedness and uncharitableness.

May we make our Master visible to some who have not yet beheld Him, and may we help our neighbors and associates to think of Him Who came not to be ministerd unto but to minister; Who would not save Himself, but saved others, and gave His blessed life that we might live a life of Christ-like courage and sacrifice. Hear us, Father, for all sorts and conditions of men. Make wars throughout the world to cease, and bring this poor little sin-cursed planet back into Thy bosom!

Amen.

Dillon Bronson, D.D.,
Boston, Massachusetts

Related Tags: prayer, morning prayer, Dillon Bronson, D.D.

Vanna, show them what they've won!

Last month I asked my readers if they could help me identify a mystery plant that had made its way under the fence from my neighbor's yard. Eventually, I was able to identify the plant, but in the meantime, my friend, missmellifluous, suggested a "name that plant" contest.
I chose two winners, the Divine MissM herself, and Carol, from She Lives and I promised them a prize involving calligraphy would be forthcoming. So here it is, ladies. . .

. . .your major prize!

Related Tags: contest, calligraphy, Actaea, bugbane