FABULOUS FINDS FRIDAY

Trin.ket [tring-kit] - a small showy ornament, usually of little monetary value, but of great sentimental value. Known to cause tremendous excitement and enjoyment for us girly girls!

One of my favorite things to do is shop for little trinkets. I pick them up everywhere. I'd like to use Fridays, here on the blog, to share my weekly "find" with all of you. Also, at the end of this post (using Mr. Linky) enter your name followed by a link to your very own Fabulous Finds Friday post.

This week's Fabulous Find is a beautiful line of bookmarks (Family Christian Stores). The vibrant colors and scripture inscriptions add quite a flair to Bible Study time!

JOS 24:15, MAKE YOUR CHOICE

We have several things on our dance card this weekend and as it draws near, we have begun to discuss which of those things we might actually attend. A couple of our options involved travel and were easy to eliminate because they could cause C to miss a much anticipated field trip on Monday.

Even though our travel options could bring about a "near miss," at best, for an event that C has long looked forward to, he had a little trouble understanding why we couldn't just do everything. His confusion led to a rather long discussion and a fun exercise on making choices. Pretty quickly, he was up to speed and was even able to give Dad a simple definition of "choice," at dinner this evening - "you just pick one thing."

As I marveled at how quickly he "got it," I thought about the life filled with choices awaiting both C and B. For sure, it won't always be as easy as it was tonight. I would say it's never too early to start practicing and never to early to pray. I'm thankful we had the chance to start tonight. This is my prayer:

Dear Lord, thank you for the gifts you have given us in C and B. Help us to train them in your WORD, so when they are older - and must make choices independent of our input - they will not depart from it. Give us strength as we live out your teachings before them. Help us guide them not just "with word or tounge; but in deed and truth." Mold C and B in your image. Lord. When they find themselves at the crossroads of life (right versus wrong, good versus evil, moral versus immoral) I pray that the Holy Spirit bring back to their remembrance all that they have been taught, and they make the choice that represents YOU!

Afterwards, I gave myself a refresher course on CHOICES. I felt the need to review scripture and reaffirm the importance of HIS word when we reach that frequent point of "DECIDE." Here are few of my favorites:

Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good but the good of others (1 Corinthians 10:23-24, NIV)

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you, do not turn from it right or left, that you may be successful wherever you go. (Joshua 1:7, NIV)

Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil (Proverbs 4:26-27, NIV)

But you man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness (1 Timothy 6:11, NIV)

...Then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve .... But as for me and my house we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:15, NIV)

DREAMS FROM MY FATHER

Today marks the inauguration of our 44th president, Barack Obama. It was a time of reflection for me. Not on the man or the inaugural ceremonies, but on the Body of Christ. I will share, however, that only a few short months ago, while visiting the pumpkin patch with C, we ran across this: rows of cotton growing in the fields.


At that time, I reflected for a brief moment on slavery and racism, on the hurts and the ugly scars they have left on our country. Then, my thoughts turned towards thanksgiving that so many Americans have united and moved forward together. President Obama symbolizes that progress. BUT today, President Obama is not my foucs. With my thoughts towards Heaven, it is my earnest prayer that these historic events turn hearts, ALL hearts - that includes Obama, his supporters, his opponents and the whole-world-over - NOT towards man and his past accomplishments or future intentions, but towards God.

I was reminded in my meditation this morning that God is in all things, that government stands on HIS shoulders ¹ and that while Obama may put his best foot forward to do what he thinks is right...many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that will prevail ². I pray the enthusiasm that surrounds Obama today will surround our Lord and Savior who has already done and will continue to do immeasurably more than all that we could ask or imagine. ³

Obama faces huge challenges and though confidence in him is high (69%) it is yet to be determined whether or not he will rise to the occasion and successfully meet those challenges. On the other hand, God’s track record is spotless; there has never been anything too big for him. With the sheer power of HIS Word, HE spoke all things into existence. ⁴ HE owns the cattle on a thousand hills ⁵ and has never been in a recession, a mortgage crisis or a melt-down of any sort, in fact, HE is able to make all grace abound and provide all needs at all times for every good work ⁶. I find myself in the midst of all the excitement, wanting to defend and campaign and to use political speak, re-ignite the base of the body of Christ so that we experience this same exhilaration, hope and faith in our precious Lord and Savior. How I pray that no matter what the Obama administration carries forth God will gain glory and HIS Kingdom will reap a mighty harvest!

It is likely that the book by Barack Obama, - "Dreams from my Father - will fly off the shelves. I pray the same happens for the book that God Almighty provided -The Holy Bible - and today I, for one, have a renewed passion for it. A a passion to immerse myself in scripture, looking closely at the Dreams From My Heavenly Father and pleading his promises:

"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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.⁷"


I want to live the dream he had for me in Deuteronomy 11:18-21, NIV:

“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.”

I am in prayer today for our world, our nation, our leaders and the church. I pray that we will experience a renewed and unprecedented motivation to do for God what MILLIONS are doing today for our new President elect. I pray that we will elect God and him alone as the Lord of our lives and that upon HIS call we will travel from far and near to spread HIS message of hope; That we will put our faith, expectation and confidence wholeheartedly in HIM, that we will get excited and motivated, that we will excite and motivate others and finally write the Dreams From our Heavenly Father on our hearts and hold fast to his many, many promises!

WILL YOU JOIN ME?

Scripture references:
¹ Isaiah 9:6
² Proverbs 19:21
³ Ephesians 3:20
⁴ Genesis 1
⁵ Psalm 50:10
⁶ 2 Corinthians 9:8
⁷ 2 Chronicles 7:14-15