Sunday's Thoughts on Saturday

"And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:
And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies." II Samuel 22: 1-4 KJV

THE BATTLE CRY OF FREEDOM

Yes, we'll rally round the flag, boys, we'll rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom;
We will rally from the hillside, we'll gather from the plain,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom!

We are springing to the call of our brothers gone before,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom;
And we'll fill the vacant ranks with a million free men more,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom!

CHORUS:
It's Freedom forever, Hurrah boys, Hurrah!
Down with the shackle and up with the star!
While we rally round the flag, boys, we'll rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom!

George Frederick Root (1820-1895)
He composed this song after the outbreak of the Civil War.
A PATRIOT'S HANDBOOK Selected and Introduced by Caroline Kennedy

Have a blessed Lord's Day!
Kim

Sunday's Thoughts

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
Psalm 100 KJV

Doxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heavn'ly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!

Words: Thomas Ken, Music: Genevan Psalter, Segue To "FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH"

Have a blessed Lord's Day,
Kim

Sunday's Thoughts

"Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour." Ephesians 5 1-2 KJV

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." Ephesians 6:10-20 KJV

Have a blessed Lord's Day!

Kim

Sunday's Thoughts

" My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." Hosea 4:6 KJV

"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue ; and to virtue knowledge;" II Peter 1:5 KJV

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.: Psalms 111:10 KJV

Have a blessed Lord's Day!

Kim

Sunday's Thoughts

It has been a while since my last post. I have been dealing with some kind of nasty virus. This weekend I have started to feel better. This one really was a tough one! So, hopefully, I will be blogging happily again:)

I am reading "Teaching the Trivium" by Harvey & Laurie Bluedorn and just thoroughly enjoying it. I am highlighting and making notes. In chapter one the statement is made, "The potential for a true change of our culture lies with those people who renew and transform the family, because the family is God's instrument of choice for transforming a culture. Only through the transformation of the family can a society be restructured to agree with Christian order and the rule of God's law." I started thinking about that statement and so much agree with it. The family is so important in making an impact in our world. Every role within the family is important. What concerns me, is that our world is striving so hard to confuse or totally wipe out the roles that each family member has. Our world promotes a "do your own thing" with no regard to your responsibility to others. When families have that order that God ordains, you find peace, even within busy days and schedules, peace that makes an impact!

I think that we have got to strengthen our families and the only way I know to do that is through God. The study and reading of God's word within the home, praying together as a family, and letting each family member know that their role within the family is important. It is sad to me that there are so many shows that belittle the family or what is usually the case, the show makes the parents look stupid and clueless, while the children are much more savvy and smart. Or, the shows that show rebellion from the children as normal. Being a parent takes courage, time, patience, and most importantly an active prayer life. We have got to take our families back.

One of the ways, I believe, to promote family is to promote traditions within the family. One of our traditions is family movie night. This is normally on Friday nights. We make homemade pizza, have a special dessert, and gather for a family movie. We look forward to these nights. We gather with our quilts and have a great time. In the winter, we will have hot chocolate with marshmallows. Even though my boys are teenagers, this is a night that they look forward to. Sometimes, it can get easy to think these nights don't mean much and to let things slip in the planning for these nights ( I have done that!), but my boys will gently let me know that our movie nights are slipping and we need to plan better. This lets me know that they care about this tradition.

One episode of "Extreme Home Makeover" on ABC, showed a single dad with five sons ranging in age from pre-teen to older teens living in a high crime area. I mean drug deals would take place right down the street from their house. This dad made a huge statement. He said that he knew he needed to do something to keep his boys wanting to be home with him on the weekends when alot of bad things were going on down the street. He started having movie nights with his boys, spending the time with them, when he was really tired from just making ends meet. But, this act, this tradition, was huge within his family. His boys chose to gather with him instead of hanging out where they shouldn't be. The show made the family a special movie room in their new house. I thought it was an awesome statement by this single dad of five boys.

I just want to close these ramblings of mine with some scripture dealing with families.

"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward." Psalm 127:3KJV

"As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." Psalm 127:4,5KJV

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Ephesians 6: 1-4 KJV

"The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." Titus 2:3-5 KJV

Have a blessed Lord's Day!
Kim

Sunday's Thoughts

"But the Lord is in His holy temple

Let all the earth keep silence before Him." Habakkuk 2:20 NKJ

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you." John 15:7 NKJ

Have a blessed Lord's Day!

Kim

Sunday's Thoughts

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Mark 10:45 NKJ

"Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?' Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:28-31 NKJ

"And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Acts 22:16 NKJ

Wishing you a blessed Lord's Day!

Kim

Sunday's Thoughts

"Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed. Or the golden bowl is broken, Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, Or the wheel broken at the well.
Then the dust will return to the earth as it was. And the spirit will return to God who gave it.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man's all.
For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil." Ecclesiastes 12:6-7, 13-14 NKJ

The Peacock

The Peacock cries,
he doesn't quack,
or coo,
twitter,
chirp,
or say, "Tu-whit, tu-whoo!"
He cries--
a loud sorrow--so desolate,
the air shrinks back
to make space for it.

But if,
as he unfolds his emerald fan,
his feathers turned
as common as a wren's,
would he be free of his
parading strut,
and maybe--
make a
soft,
contented,
cluck?
DEBORAH CHANDRA
Heart to Heart

Sunday's Thoughts

" Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then he said to me, "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God." Revelation 22:8-9 NKJ

A PRAYER IN SPRING
Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night,
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill.
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfill.

Robert Frost
Read at the Dedication of John F. Kennedy Park, May 29, 1987

Have a blessed Lord's Day!
Kim

Sunday's Thoughts

"Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles" doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." Acts 2:41-47 NKJ

"...whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own." John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address January 20, 1961 A PATRIOT'S HANDBOOK -Caroline Kennedy

Have a blessed Sunday!

Kim

Sunday's Thoughts

Happy Mother's Day!

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward,Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,So are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them: They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate." Psalm 127:3-5

THE SWING

How do you like to go up in a swing, Up in the air so blue? "Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing Ever a child can do!"

"Up in the air and over the wall, Till I can see so wide, Rivers and trees and cattle and all Over the countryside-

"Till I look down on the garden green Down on the roof so brown- Up in the air I go flying again, Up in the air and down!"

Robert Louis Stevenson

Have a blessed Lord's Day!

Kim

Sunday's Thoughts

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles." II Timothy 1:7-11

AN UNHISTORIC SPOT

Ah passionate is rest when to the earth I yield in full length contact of sweet pain! Here just within the bars in the chill grass, And the great shadow of a fruitless tree, I at once sleep and am awake in joy. And when I sit half-conscious on the slope, And lean upon one grass-wrought hand and gaze, The lone thrush gurgles nectar in his throat, On some green spire, adjusting his furled wings, The local cricket quavers to the wind, And every one that passes look at me.

Robert Frost

Sunday's Thoughts

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things." Philippians 4:7-8

A PRAYER IN SPRING

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today; And give us not to think so far away As the uncertain harvest; keep us here All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white, Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night; And make us happy in the happy bees, The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird That suddenly above the bees is heard, The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill, And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love, The which it is reserved for God above To sanctify to what far ends He will, But which it only needs that we fulfill.

Robert Frost

Read at the Dedication of John F. Kennedy Park, May 29, 1987

The Best-Loved Poems of JACQUELINE KENNEDY ONASSIS

Have a blessed Sunday!

Kim

Sunday's Thoughts

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7

Poets To Come

Poets to come! orators, singers, musicians to come!
Not to-day is to justify me and answer what I am for
But you, a new brood, native, athletic, continental,greater than before known,
Arouse! for you must justify me.
I myself but write one or two indicative words for the future,
I but advance a moment only to wheel and hurry back in the darkness.

I am a man who, sauntering along without fully stopping, turns a casual look
upon you and then averts his face,
Leaving it to you to prove and define it,
Expecting the main things from you.

Walt Whitman
The Best Poems Ever
Edited by Edric S. Mesmer