Political Science 101 and What's Happening In Our Yard Today

Iam not an expert in politics--in fact, very far from it.  However, I don't think it takes an elite intellectual to know that our country is veering further and further from what we were founded on--namely the principles of God.

God has blessed us so tremendously and now we are leaving Him out--

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.  2 Chronicles 7:14

This verse seems to tell us that the state of our land depends upon the condition of the heart of the people of God.

What we need to do

humble oursleves
pray
seek His face
turn from our wicked ways


What God says He will do

hear from heaven
forgive our sin
and heal our land


This has to begin at the grass roots level--right in our own backyard, or front yard, our very own turf wherever that may be.

We must earnestly pray.

We must seek His face.  What do you think it means to seek God's face.

Deut. 4:29

Psalm 14:2

Psalm 63:1

and my favorite

Jeremiah 29:13

We, the people of God, must ask God to show us what our wicked ways are--

Then we must be willing to turn from them

And then to actually turn from them--

Collectively if we all did this, can you even begin to imagine what an incredible revival we would experience.

In fact, it would be more than a revival, it would be another great awakening I think.

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I have a lot on my heart concerning all of this so I'm thinking this will be all for today and we will take this subject up again next week.  I am still not through being "too preachy!"

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My husband and his friend since childhood, David, are building a decorative fence outside our office window.  I am on the inside taking this picture and had a pretty good photo going until my husband raised the hammer.

Aw, this is better!

The first tinges of fall on our Pixie ____________.  My mind just went blank--can't remember the name of these.  I remind myself of Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail when she is sitting in front of the computer typing to her NY152 friend--she explains that every time she needs a good retort her mind just goes _____________.     B     L     A     N     K

Russian Sage

and the beautiful little button mums--

In the flag picture, you can see some of my hand-lettering on this address sign--

It's amazing how acrylic paints hold up to the weather--this has been up there

about 8 years I think--

Hope your weekend is blessed!

© ALL ART, PHOTOGRAPHS AND TEXT PROPERTY OF ELIZABETH DIANNE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, 2008-2015


I love hearing from you. Email address can be accessed at top left of this page.

Too Preachy? and Late Random Acts of Poetry Day

It's a beautiful sunshiny day here in Arkansas but a wee bit hot--we are supposed to get to almost 90 today and I am wishing for a nip in the air.

In a couple of weeks we should be having some cooler days--will look forward to those.

I hope your day and your weather are wonderful wherever you are.  When we are in the presence of God all of that is really just superficial however.

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Yesterday I mentioned "too preachy"--and I wanted to explain my position on this.

Some years ago when I first started my blog and was wanting to help disciple those who would read it, I started doing research about writing magazine articles for Christian mags.

You must remember I am old and from the "old school" so to speak but I was somewhat disappointed when I kept coming upon information that stated we shouldn't be "too preachy" in our writings.

I kept going back in my mind to those early days of marriage when I had just changed denominations. I had a wonderful upbringing in church even though it did place its thrust many times on "dos and don'ts."

Because of its emphasis on

don't smoke, don't chew

don't go with boys that do

(get my drift?)

somehow I could justify my behavior that I was a "pretty good Christian."

When I started the new denomination, its emphasis was more on the inner workings of Christianity--thought life, bitterness, anger, envy, impatience, lack of love, resentment, and the list goes on.

We had a wonderful preacher who was like steel velvet.  He could be so very hard and so very gentle and loving.

In my old denomination, we did not have "altar calls" every service--only when "the Spirit was moving."

In my new denomination, we had an altar call every service and because I had so much gunk in my heart (that I really hadn't realized before), it seemed I made a steady stream to the altar almost every service.

Month after month and year after year for several years, I was like an onion being peeled back--one layer at a time.  There were probably some who wondered, "What's wrong with that woman that she feels she must walk the aisle every service?"

Ever since then I have cherished "those hard sermons preached with such passion."  They led me to a freedom in Christ I had never experienced before.

TIME OUT for the record:  Yes, I still struggle at times with those same sins BUT I know God's way and want to follow it and I know the steps to take to get my life back in line with following in His footsteps.

So I am thankful for the "too preachy" sermons.

I am concerned that we are becoming a body of Christians who too often wants only to hear things that make us feel good about ourselves.  

Actually, the Bible has this to say about that--

2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

2 Timothy 4:1-4 

Let this be clear--I am talking about teaching and preaching the truth in love.

One day we will all be judged by God but none of us wants to be judged by our fellow man.  However, I believe the Bible teaches that leading someone (in love) to a hard truth that will enhance their walk with Christ is a an act of obedience.

SERMON OVER!

HALLELUJAH!

Love all of you!

© ALL ART, PHOTOGRAPHS AND TEXT PROPERTY OF ELIZABETH DIANNE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, 2008-2015

And here is my Random Acts of Poetry Day poem that I penned about 20 years ago as I was jogging around a park close to my house--Now let's hope I can remember it--

At the Park

When meeting those walking on a dark and dreary day--

It's easy to tell the pessimistic from the optimistic fella--

One has his sunglasses--

The other--his umbrella!

This actually happened to me one day and it got downright amusing--almost no one had both--

I love hearing from you. Email address can be accessed at top left of this page.

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem

While driving through a neighborhood the other day, I did a double take when I saw these gorgeous flowers spilling over a mailbox and out into the street.

Even though I love this photo, it doesn't begin to do the flowers justice.

What is it they say about Autumn?--the year's last most beautiful smile--something like that--anyway these made me smile and made me drive in a loop to come back so I could stop and take a picture.

Speaking of seasons--I am in a season of transition in my life and I wish I was dealing with it better.  For those of you who don't know--I am 71--albeit in many ways a very young 71 as far as thinking etc.-- and have just come through my second total knee replacement.

That part of my body is healing pretty nicely although total recovery can take up to a year and I am never unaware that I have a big piece of metal and plastic in my leg.

My other adjustments include a bad back and joints trying to deal with advancing arthritis.  To put it mildly, I am just not moving like I used to--life as I've always known it is no more--so now comes the transition and the adjustments and I pray that I grow in God's grace during this time and learn how to deal with "a new normal."

One thing I love and can still do is write although I have let that slide as the motivation and inspiration have taken a back seat to everything else going on.  I am working on that and trying very hard to discipline myself in that area.

Another thing I can do is pray--I can be more faithful than I have ever been to pray for the generations, the nations, the neighbors, my family, my blog readers.  I am also working on disciplining myself in that area also.

The enemy does not like prayer and will do most anything to disrupt our days and our minds to keep us from "our greatest resource."

A couple of weeks ago I made the statement to my sister-in-law that prayer is our greatest resource and she immediately responded with-- "Prayer is our only resource." And yes, she is so right. That may initiate some thought on your part but when it's all said and done,  we have only prayer to rely upon.  Think about it.  When death's dew is on your brow, or the brow of a loved one, what else do you have? When unwelcome change comes to your life, oh yes, there are friends and loved ones whose words can soothe BUT what do you have that will really make a difference? And when I speak of prayer I am speaking about praying to God through Jesus Christ.  The Bible teaches that that is the only way we can approach God. This may not sound inclusive to some but it really is because Jesus says, "Whosoever will may come."

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. 

No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:6

Do I sound "too preachy" today?

God willing, I will have some thoughts on that tomorrow.  

In the meantime---

Please join me in praying for Jerusalem and all of Israel as well as my blog readers in Bangladesh.  One of the sweetest students I ever taught was from Bangladesh and I am thinking especially of him and his family today--

Heavenly Father, 

Our hearts are filled with thoughts and prayers for our brothers and sisters in Israel and Bangladesh--also for those who do not know you and are not members of this great family of God by trusting in your only Son, Jesus Christ. 

Lord, I pray today that You will make Yourself known to them--show Yourself mighty and strong and the answer to every one of their needs. May Your Holy Spirit move upon those nations and cause people in great numbers to turn to you. 

You are the Only Peace any of us will ever truly know.  We pray now for Your Peace.
In Jesus' Name--Amen

© ALL ART, PHOTOGRAPHS AND TEXT PROPERTY OF ELIZABETH DIANNE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, 2008-2015

I love hearing from you. Email address can be accessed at top left of this page.

Praying for the Generations

Wow! It has been almost two months since my surgery. I never dreamed it would take me this long to get back to posting regularly but I hope that is what will happen very, very soon.

 I am especially thinking about the victims' families of the college shooting in Oregon this past week. My heart bleeds for those who lost family members and those who were severely injured whose lives will never be the same.

None of us have the promise of tomorrow.  And so it is with heavy heart that I am drawn back to "praying for the generations."

We know only that we have today to pray for them.

For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you,   and in the day of salvation I helped you."  I tell you, now is the time of God's favor,  now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2

And so it is Father, that we come to you today, while we still have the opportunity, while the generations behind us still have the opportunity to choose YOU and we ask that you would start even TODAY, even this moment, to woo them to You through Your precious Holy Spirit. 

We pray that each one will KNOW that it is your will that ALL come to repentance.  There is room for all at the foot of Your cross. 

And for the ones who have already chosen You, we pray a special blessing.  We pray that they will always stand strong, that their faith in You will be the guiding force of their lives, that they will be ready if they are called upon to be a martyr for you as so many were last week. 

Oh God, may we NEVER be ashamed of the Cross of Jesus Christ.  We know that we cannot do this without You, Father.   We know that our strength comes from You.

We always ask in Jesus' Name--Amen 

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© ALL ART, PHOTOGRAPHS AND TEXT PROPERTY OF ELIZABETH DIANNE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, 2008-2015

I love hearing from you. Email address can be accessed at top left of this page.
The picture above is our granddaughter, Caroline. Caroline is in her first year of college on basketball scholarship. She is 6 feet tall--!

My Hiding Place

Surely He is our only Hiding Place. In these days of uncertainty, global unrest, and crimes against God and humanity that some seem to be turning a deaf ear to--God is our only Hope.

You are my hiding place  You protect me from trouble  and surround me with songs of deliverance Psalm 32:7

© ALL ART, PHOTOGRAPHS AND TEXT PROPERTY OF ELIZABETH DIANNE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, 2008-2015

I love hearing from you. Email address can be accessed at top left of this page.