Hospitality

Hospitality as defined by Dictionary.com is: the friendly reception and treatment of strangers or guests. 

When I think of hospitality, my thoughts drift to a home and food looking like a photo from Pinterest or Instagram. Everything on the table is perfect and the sun's rays capture the orange tulips on the table just so. The tablecloths are perfect without messy little fingerprints making their marks on them. The food looks so good that you want to stick your hand through the screen and grab a drumstick or two. And maybe the cookie. ;)

But God's idea is different from my idea. Who doesn't want a clean house when someone comes over? Oh, the shame if they see a crooked place mat or dishes in the sink or mouth prints on the stainless steel appliances that let people know children live here. 

I love God's idea better. If you look at 1 Peter, he was telling the fellow believer to show love to strangers or be hospitable to those they didn't know. This is so easy to do when we know the people and invite them into our home. It can be hard when they are strangers or neighbors we don't know well, they go to a different church, or they look and smell different from us.

Those things shouldn't matter. The Lord placed a neighbor on my heart a few days ago. And I do think she is having some problems. I wrote her a note to say that the Lord has put her on my heart and that I am praying for her. She sent me a text telling me thanks for the note. She finally opened up a little that she is having a tough time right now. 

Ladies, the clean house (which is good since I'm sort of a semi neat freak) isn't that important, the perfect house isn't that important or the size isn't that important. What is important, what will always be important is to show the love of Christ to those in the faith, and to those you aren't saved. 

Let those who fear the Lord and those who don't fear Him know what He has done for your soul. It is about encouraging the body of Christ and it is about pointing those who don't know the Lord to the only one that can save. 

When someone comes to your home they should feel loved. When someone is sharing with you, put the phone down and look them straight in the eye. When someone is sad, put your arm around them and let them know you care. We rejoice with those who rejoice and we weep with those who weep. 

By praying, encouraging, and serving the body of Christ and family or friends who don't know Christ, we are showing hospitality. We are showing them the Saviour. 

May those around you see that joy that is in you. May you remember it isn't about you but it is about Christ. May you remind others that He is your joy and your God. And may you remember to show hospitality without grumbling or complaining. Others may not see your heart but God does.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends and family.

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9

Anniversary

Budapest Summer 2014

Today marks fourteen years that I've been married to this wonderful man. He is my best friend and takes such good care of our family. He is a hard worker, loves me, loves his kids, and loves Christ.

I'm thankful for him and our sweet family. Even though today is a special day, my husband is working out of town. This year we won't spend our anniversary together or celebrate my birthday together in two days. It breaks my heart because I do miss him. But his job takes him away for weeks or months at a time.

But God.

The Lord is so good. I could wallow in a bag of gummy bears and cry but I choose to be thankful. I choose to rejoice. I choose to fix my eyes and heart on the Lord. He has taught me over the years that He is faithful and will always be faithful. He has taught me to rest in Christ. He has taught me that He is in control of all things. He has taught me to cling to Him. He has shown me His kindness, mercy, and love which I don't deserve. He has taught me that He is better than anything this world has to offer. I am joyful because my hope is in my Saviour.

Am I sad? Of course. Something would be wrong with me if I wasn't. But I am full of joy and that only comes from the Lord and abiding in His precious word. I love and adore my husband but I love and adore my Saviour more.

He is my joy and praise. I desire to please Him in everything.  Do I do it perfectly? Uh, no, but I'm pressing on to be more and more like my Saviour.

May my life be a sweet aroma to those around me so they ask about the hope that is in me.

So to my husband. I love you and thanks for being my best friend.  To my Saviour, continue to teach me to walk in a manner worthy so I never forget that you are my first love.

Show Me Your Glory

Creation declares the glory of the Lord. 

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:20

His handiwork is on display daily. From the menacing storm clouds that consume the sky to drops of rain that water the earth. From the sun in the sky to the stars that twinkle in the night. 

We don't need to visit the Louvre in Paris to see beautiful art. We can step outside and see the Master artist show us the beauty of a sunrise and sunset. The awesomeness of lightening bolts striking the ground. 

His creation is beautiful but there is something even better. We can see His glory as we leaf through the pages of His holy word. We see the beauty of Christ from the Old Testament all the way to the New Testament. When we ask God to show us His glory, we only need to open His book. 

We need to plant our faces in His word. Our feet need to stand firm on the Rock. Our hands needsto dig deeper into the depths of the scriptures. 

But this isn't always easy. There are seasons of plenty and seasons of droughts in the time we spend with Him.  Life can and will get busy. But we need our Saviour. We need to cling to Him because He is our joy and praise. 

It takes the discipline of an athlete, the patience of a farmer, and the courage of a soldier. 

Friends, reading blogs and books about God are good. We are encouraged when we know someone understands. We are strengthened by others words to continue to press on. But the best thing is spending time with Him.

That quiet time when it is just you and the Saviour. Your tears may bleed into the pages from joy or sorrow but He is wiping them away. That quiet time where you can here the gentle whisper of the Lord saying, "Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10a


Thank you to all the brave men and women in Canada and the USA who served and continue to serve. 

The Liebster Award

I was nominated by Sarah at Life With The Casterlines for the Liebster Award.I have to admit I'm not good at these things but it was sweet that Sarah thought of me. Thanks, Sarah. I hope I do this right. 

The Liebster Award is for smaller blogs only (less than 200 followers) and is just a way for readers to discover up-and-coming blogs. Here are the rules:

1. Post 11 random facts about yourself
2. Answer 11 questions asked by the person who nominated you
3. Nominate bloggers (with less than 200 followers) to do the same
4. Let the bloggers you have nominated know they have been nominated

Part One:

1. I love bacon
2. I've learned to love California. Canadian girl for life. :)
3. I ran in two Olympics
4. I've been in a hot air balloon
5. I didn't know what smores were until I came to the States
6. I'm in my schools Hall of Fame
7. I could wear PJ's all day
8. I used to do air bands with my friends in high school. Oh, the shame
9. I would love to go to a U2 concert
10. I want to line dance but I might lose my black card with that tidbit. :)
11. I'm a bit clumsy. 

Part Two:

1. What is your favorite book? Jane Eyre
2. What inspired you to start blogging? The Lord and I wanted to be encouraged and encourage other saints
3. If you could do anything right now, what would it be? See my husband. He works out of town.
4. What is your favorite song? Wonderful, Merciful, Saviour
5. What are you reading right now? The Knowledge of the Holy
6. What career are you in, and do you like it?I serve my family.
7. What is your favorite TV show? House Hunters
8. What is one goal you hope to accomplish within the next year? Finish this YA book I'm working on.
9. What is the best movie you’ve seen lately? I love the Christmas movies.
10. What is one item on your Christmas wish-list? To eat Christmas dinner after gall bladder surgery. Gallstones suck!!
11. What do you love most about fall? If I were home in Canada, they red, yellow and orange leaves. The cooler weather and soft scarves. In California, it is harder since it was 89 yesterday. But their our moments of fall here and I thank the Lord for it.

Part three- For the bloggers I am nominating, here are your questions:

1. What is one thing God is teaching you during this season? 
2. If you could travel any where tomorrow, where would you go and why?
3. What is your favorite Christmas movie?
4. Team Edward or Team Jacob?
5. What are you currently reading?
6. What is your favorite time of year?
7. What is one goal you hope to accomplish this next year?
8. Where and who will you be spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with?
9. What inspired you to start blogging?
10. Who inspires you the most in life right now?
11. Who is your favorite author? 

I now nominate the following bloggers for the Liebster Award:

Victoria at Through*For* By
Martha Kate at Seasons with the Strattons

If you choose to accept the award,  please come back and comment with your post link so we can all
get to know you better!

He Knows Us Well

O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. Psalm 139:1-2

When we leaf through the many psalms David wrote, we see how personal and intimate they are. He knew his God and God knew him. It is no different here. David understood as he penned these words that the Lord knew him.

The Lord had searched him and search here references searching the earth by boring or digging for water or metal. God isn’t looking for something. He examines the thoughts and feelings of our hearts. He knows us better than any family, friend, or acquaintance as they can’t see our heart.

But God can.

Our soul is transparent to His piercing glance and He sees the sin that dwells in our hearts. We can hide it from others but not God.  Psalm 44:21 Would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart?

The Puritan A.W Pink says this. “The natural man cannot endure the thought of being thoroughly searched by God. The last thing he desires is to pass beneath the all-seeing eye of His maker and Judge, so that his every thought and desire, his most secret imagination and motives stands exposed before Him.”

We our observed by God whether we sit down or rise up. Our simple tasks, our most needful movements are noted. When we cling to pride, the Lord sees it. When anger or bitterness gets comfortable in our heart, He sees it. When we are sad and lonely, our great God sees it all.  This is a truth to remember, if we are sitting down to think or rising up to act, we are still seen, known, and read by our Lord.

So, because of this He understands our thoughts from afar, and He understands our thoughts of Him. He won’t misjudge or wrongly interpret us; our inner thoughts our perfectly understood by His impartial mind.

On one hand, it should restrain us from sin and when we do sin, we should repent. Our soul is transparent before the living God every minute and hour of the day. Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord see the heart. On the other hand, God sees us, puny us, and knows us. We need to mediate on the truths that come our way. This is a beautiful contrast between the observer and the observed. The Lord and us. This is an intimate connection that exists, and therein lies our hope.

The Lord isn’t far away from us. We can boldly go the throne of grace with confidence. He hears our prayers, cries, joys, and sorrows. He is the one that will comfort our soul and hold our hand. 

Because He is faithful.