Woke this morning with words from the hymn we're learning for school running through my mind and a knowing that it applies to my life.  "'Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still,' In all of life's ebb and flow."  I don't know when our storm will abate, or how bad it will get before it does, but I know that Jesus is in the boat with me, and He can still it with a word.  I've been watching the storm and wearying, wondering how long I can hang on, but then, the thought that HE IS WITH ME....  Wonderful comfort, don't know if I could walk on water, but I think I can sit quietly in the boat a bit longer....

We have a loving God who heals the pain and keeps us going!

This came to me this morning from my sweet daughter-in-law Traci and touched my heart deeply.  Just what I needed today.  

 

Grandma'd prayed and prayed and prayed.
No answer was in sight.
Her hope was dim, she couldn't see
The way through the black night.


Grandpa seemed no closer now
Than when she'd first begun
To bend her knee and make her plea.
What good had pleading done?
  
     "Don't give up," the pastor said,
     "Now's the time to pray.
     When Satan tempts you to turn 
          back
     You know you're nearing day."


How she'd longed for his salvation
Pled with God for light;
She asked for grace, to seek His face
Prayed faith would become sight.


Two more weeks she cried and prayed
She braved the bitter fight
The conflict grew, her prayers got through;
Then Grandpa saw the light
    
     "Don't give up," the pastor'd said,
     "Now's the time to pray.
     When Satan tempts you to turn back
     You know you're nearing day."


My heart is heavy, weighed right down.
Incessant darkness drums.
I've prayed so long, hope's almost gone;
That's when God's Spirit comes.


Reminding me of Grandma's prayer
And how things came out right.
When she withstood, His promise could,
Turn her faith to sight.


     "Don't give up," the Spirit says,
     "Now's the time to pray.
      When Satan tempts you to turn back,
      You know you're nearing day."    
   
     "Don't give up," the Spirit says,
     "Now's the time to pray.
      When Satan tempts you to turn back,
      You know you're nearing day."   

Grandbabies!!!

Our sweet Destiny Grace

Oh, I love my grandbabies!!  Time with them is treasured time!  Here are a few pictures from our recent stay with our daughter-in-law and David and the new twins.

Gabe and Destiny sleep best when they are cuddled together....











Gabe has a sweet and placid personality.  He likes to sleep and seems relaxed and easy going.

David reading The Very Busy Spider by himself....

Rachael holding Gabe and Destiny

David loved watching his new fish with their bright orange bodies
and black and white tails.

David's new goldfish

Sarah was comfortable with both babies

So, there you have it, the proud grandma's portfolio.

Gold Refined

The date is penned in beside the Psalm, the date I asked the LORD to refine me that I might be pure gold.

I'm not sure I could have asked had I understood the refining process.  I've since learned what it takes to refine gold.






Often gold is found in solid rock.  The rock has to be broken up into movable chunks. "Removing the gold-bearing rock from the ground is just the first step.  To isolate pure gold, mining companies use a complex extraction process.  The first step in this process is breaking down large chunks of rock into smaller pieces.  At a mill, large machines known as crushers reduce the ore to pieces no larger than road gravel.  The gravel-like material then enters rotating drums filled with steel balls.  In these drums, the ore is ground to a fine slurry or powder."  (This quote is from the article listed below).  Have you ever felt that life was pulverizing you?


The slurry then goes through a chemical process where water is added followed by the addition of the chemical solvent cyanide.  Next the dissolved gold is removed using an electric current and positive and negative terminals.  Stripping circumstances often reveal what is really in our hearts and cause us to let go of those things which are temporal and cling to the eternal.


The final stage of the process is the actual refining where the gold is heated to 1,600 degrees Celsius (water boils at 100).  It is now poured into a mold and is ready to be formed for whatever use the master chooses.  Are you "going through the fire"?


The almost violent intensity of this process brings forth the beautiful and valuable gold.  I've been thinking that sometimes life brings experiences our way that seem to crush us, to strip us, to be an almost unbearable fire.  God must think that transforming a human heart into the valuable and beautiful soul He desires to fellowship with and to use for His Kingdom is also worth the intense and often painful circumstances required to bring about that purity.  When we go through trying circumstances our values are changed, our ways of thinking and seeing life are refined, Heaven becomes more precious, our motivations are purified, we are softened and our countenances are made clear and radiant.

When I want to run from the pain, hide from life, stop this awful process I need to remember that God is doing a purifying work in my heart that cannot be done with any less force.  May we yield and be pliable and beautiful in His hands - refined gold.

You may enjoy the following article, Extracting Gold and video The Process of Excavating and Refining Gold.

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go....

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,

That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O light that followest all my way,

I yield my flickering torch to thee;

My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;

I trace the rainbow through the rain,

And feel the promise is not vain,

That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,

And from the ground there blossoms red

Life that shall endless be.

The Battle For Souls.... "My God, You Light Up My Darkness"

The battle for the souls of my children rages fierce!  My heart quakes and I reel with horror at the things some of them do and the things they say.  Where in the world did they pick these things up?  We purposely sheltered them. Chose not to have television in our home, Sought to keep them away from evil influences, taught them the truth of the Bible and modeled for them a love for Jesus and His word.  Yet here from within our own home and their own hearts sin bubbles up and overflows. I point to the kingdom of God, to the joy of a clear relationship with Jesus, trying desperately to convince them of the beauty of a life lived in the LIGHT, but in their mad dash after the world and it's glitz they are not listening. They spiral out of control ruining relationships around them. I am helpless to change their hearts and they are unwilling to let Him. "I've hit the bottom" one son says, and I ask, "What are you waiting for?"  "I don't know..." he answers as he continues his downward spiral. I've prayed for these children daily for years, their spiritual welfare has been my whole life focus. We search our own hearts for where we've gone wrong - confessing anything brought to mind. In my pain and despair I beg the LORD for comfort from His Word and He gives me Psalm 18.  I have read it and reread it finding strength and sustenance in His protection and victory!  Following are some excerpts from the New Living Translation:  


 I love you, LORD; you are my strength.  The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.  He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold.  I will call on the LORD, who is worthy of praise,...the floods of destruction swept over me.  ...But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help.  He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears.  ...The brilliance of his presence broke through the clouds... He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. He delivered me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me.  They attacked me at a moment when I was weakest, but the LORD upheld me.  He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me.  The LORD rewarded me for doing right; he compensated me because of my innocence.  For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not turned from my God to follow evil.  For all his laws are constantly before me; I have never abandoned his principles.  ...To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity.  To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile.  You rescue those who are humble , but you humiliate the proud.  Lord you have brought light to my life; my God, you light up my darkness.  In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.  As for God, his way is perfect.  All the LORD's promises prove true.  He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.  ...You have given me the shield of your salvation.  Your right hand supports me; your gentleness has made me great.  You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping.  ...The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock!  May the God of my salvation be exalted!