A Psalm That Blesses

I have been pondering over lots and lots of things recently, some I can share, some I can not and some I will share in later posts. As I told you in an earlier post, I am in a Beth Moore Bible study on Wednesday nights about the fruits of the spirit. So far I have learned that I have not been taking advantage of these fruits in my life - rather, I have not been allowing the Holy Spirit to work through me to use the gifts that the Father has given me - love, patience, joy, peace, kindness,etc. Well, I am working on that, but this morning I was reading in Psalms as I do each morning and I wanted to share with you Psalm 103 out of the Message which is the Bible in contemporary language. I know - some think that reading a version written in our everyday language is cheating, but I found this morning that the words I read were very uplifting and easy to apply to my every day life. Let David's words minister to you.

A David Psalm

O my soul, bless God,

From head to toe I'll bless his holy name!

O my soul, bless God,

don't forget a single blessing!

He forgives your sins - every one.

He heals your diseases - every one.

He redeems you from hell - saves your life!

He crowns you with love and mercy - a paradise crown.

He wraps you in goodness - beauty eternal.

He renews your youth - you're always young in his presence.

God makes everything come out right;

he puts victims back on their feet.

He showed Moses how he went about his work,

opened up his plans to all Israel.

God is sheer mercy and grace;

not easily angered, he's rich in love.

He doesn't endlessly nag and scold,

nor hold grudges forever.

He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve,

nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.

As high as heaven is over the earth,

so strong is his love to those who fear him.

And as far as sunrise is from sunset,

he has separated us from our sins.

As parents feel for their children,

God feels for those who fear him.

He know us inside and out,

keeps in mind that we are made of mud.

Men and women don't live very long;

like wildflowers they spring up and blossom,

But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly,

leaving nothing to show they were here.

God's love, though, is ever and always,

eternally present to all who fear him.

Making everything right for them and their children

as they follow his Covenant ways

and remember to do whatever he said.

God has set his throne in heaven;

he rules over us all. He's the King!

So bless God, you angels,

ready and able to fly at his bidding,

quick to hear and do what he says.

Bless God, all you armies of angels

alert to respond to whatever he wills.

Bless God, all creatures, wherever you are-

everything and everyone made by God.

And you, O my soul, bless God!

Promises Are Made To Be Broken?

When I began this blog I promised myself that I would not neglect to post on it or I would not begin. Well, guess I have already blown that promise! This week has been one that I can not account for my time - other than the fact it has flown by in a hurry. I have been praying that the Lord would give me a hunger for His Word. I have found myself spending more and more time on the screened porch with coffee and His Word and with Him. I don't want to get going and do anything else. Each day I do my Beth Moore Bible study that I am doing on Wednesday nights and one scripture leads to another and before I know it, it's 11:00. Seeing how I was on the porch between 7:30 and 8:00, that is a pretty long time to put off other chores. So this afternoon I, patting myself on the back, did yard work with hubby and boy do I feel it now! I, because of my bicycle accident and the dizziness, had let some parts of the yard go. My job is to keep weeds pulled, spread mulch, feed birds (including hummingbirds), and hubbys job is to mow and weed eat. He has kept up his part, but mine has gone astray. Since it's fall and time for fall decorating, it's also time for weed cutting, hosta cutting back, pulling up and throwing away old flowers, spreading new mulch, fall flag hanging, and the planting of mums and pansies. Today was mulch and cutting back flowers and weed pulling day. I CAN'T MOVE! Unfortunately, I have to cook supper, but I wish I didn't! A little popcorn would do fine.

As most of you know, after my accident I had much dizziness. I had prayed about the healing of this most aggravating problem, but thinking back to what the Dr had told me, it was not uncommon that it may never be completely over. One day at church, a friend who works with these types of problems told bethanne that she thought she might be able to help me. Come to find out after testing I have Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo - BPPV for short. The most common cause of BPPV in people under 50 is head injury (like bicycle wreck, hit the grill with your head injury). After my friend had me do some physical maneuvers and determined that I did indeed have BPPV, she had me do some exercises. She told me a few things to do for the next 48 hours and I did everything I could to follow her instructions - not look up, sleep on two pillows or in a recliner, try to keep my head vertical and try to do no exercise that requires head movement. IT WORKED at least for now. I have had no dizziness for the past week. That is not to say that it won't come back, but for now I'm encouraged. When I hit my head, it sent debris into my ear canal - thus the vertigo. God is sooooooooo good. I have known this friend for several years, but God knew that she would be able to help me with my dizziness before the beginning of time. Wow!

Next time I post maybe I'll have more interesting info. Mean time, I'm going to limp on in the kitchen and put supper on the table.

It's Time...............

Herman & June Henson at Herman's Retirement Party On September 10. 2008.

I know! It's time I settled down and blogged a little. Last week I had a good excuse - working at the park. This week - no excuse except that catching up is hard to get done! We did not come home from the campground until Monday afternoon. It is very relaxing to sleep late after getting up early for seven days and sitting in your pj's and drink coffee. Last week was the most peaceful week we have spent this summer so far. The days were warm and the nights crisp. We had to run our heater almost every night (in the high 40's) b1ut it warmed up to the mid 70's during the day. Fall is definately in the air! My time of year!



On Wednesday of this week we went back to the park for a retirement lunch for Herman Henson. Hermon retired after 26 years of faithful service to the State of Tennessee. His main job was to collect the garbage in each campsite, at the picnic shelters, at the conference center, at the office, and anywhere along the way. Over the past four years working in the campground office, I have learned alot about dedication and responsibility from Hermon. I also learned that a conversation between friends did not necessarily have to be said with alot of words or any words at all. Herman does not get in a hurry nor does he waste words. In fact, Herman is a man of few words, but when he does talk, what he says means something. One morning when he came by the office, I told him good morning and asked him how he was. Maybe, two minutes passed and he told me he was just tickled to death to be here. Then two more minutes passed and he told me that when he stepped out on his porch that morning, he looked up in the sky and it looked like a morning that the Lord might come back and that he was ready! He finished that statement with a big smile. Herman witnessed that morning to me and anyone else that was standing or sitting on the office porch. I've had many conversations with Herman like that. Short and sweet - very sweet. Any time we can testify for the Lord it is sweet and the Lord honors that. I believe that Herman honored the Lord every day in his work and because of his dedication, the Lord has honored Herman. Never have I seen Herman that he did not take pride in his job. He never broke the speed limit, never missed a trash can, never failed to tie a knot in the trash bag, never failed to fit the lid on the can securely, and always took pride in what he did - to the point of cleaning up trash when people missed the can or the racoons had gotten in the cans at night. Herman does not have a Phd, is not wealthy, does not drive a BMW, doesn't know how to blog and probably is not known outside of Roan Mountain, Tennessee, but he is a man of honor and conviction and most importantly he knows the Lord and is waiting for His return. I am going to miss Herman. One day last week he came back and sat on the porch with me. He didn't say much and neither did I. We just hung out and rocked awhile. He didn't stay long - but long enough to let me know that old habits are hard to break and coming to the park was a part of his life for 26 years.