PSALM SATURDAY-SPIRITUAL SUNDAY

"My sin was a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow."

Psalm 103

Praise the Lord, O my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits--

who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

The Lord works righteousness

and justice for all the oppressed.

He made known his ways to Moses,

his deeds to the people of Israel;

The Lord is compassionate and gracous,

slow to anger, abounding in love.

He will not always accuse,

nor wil he harbor his anger forever;

he does not treat us as our sins deserve

or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his love for those who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west,

so far has he removed our transgressins from us.

As a father has compassion on his children,

so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;

for he knows how we are formed,

he remembers that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like grass,

he flourishes like a flower of the field;

the wind blows over it and it is gone,

and its place remembers it no more.

But from everlasting to everlasting

the Lord's love is with those who fear him,

and his righteousness with their children's children--

with those who keep his covenant

and remember to obey his precepts.

The Lord has established his throne in heaven,

and his kingdom rules over all.

Praise the Lord, you his angels,

you mighty ones who do his bidding,

who obey his word.

Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,

you his servants who do his will.

Praise the Lord, all his works

everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, O my soul.

If you didn't come here from Spiritual Sundays, go here!

Thank you Charlotte and Ginger for this wonderful way to connect with others for encouraging, inspirational posts!

Have a blessed weekend!

Sandy

Family Fridays-FOREVER FAMILY-Part 12-Watching, Praying and Waiting

I posted a Family Fridays entry two weeks ago, but was too late to get it linked up with Amy and Lori, because I had spent the whole day with my family. Last week, I wasn't able to link up an entry, because I was at camp, with most of my immediate family, and with part of my church family.

This morning, I have been alone with my Bible and my thoughts and prayers, while Jase helped Jeff do some manual labor.

I am looking forward to going to our beloved church camp tonight for the last regular youth week service, and looking forward to Kalyn coming home tomorrow night, just for a short time, before she goes to college week at Glorietta, and then back to college.

My Journey devotion was perfect for me this morning, about not working too much for money.

If you read this in time, and would like, I would appreciate your prayers at 10:00 a.m.CDT. I am going to be interviewing for a job as Assistant to a first year pre-k teacher. She has been a pre-k aide for the past 3 years, even though she was already a certified teacher, herself. I began teaching in 1985 and have my Masters, but am sincerely praying to get this job.

I feel a little like Jase might have felt as he was on that tower of a ropes course, blind folded. I am trusting that God has a plan for me. I am blindfolded right now to my future, but will soon take off the blindfold and see what He has for me!


Whatever you do, work at with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3: 23-24

She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her;. . .
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. Proverbs 31: 25-31

Join Amy at Keeping up with the Schultz Family and Lori@Peterson~St. Louis to enjoy more family posts!
I hope you are having a fun-filled, family Friday and have a
great weekend connecting with others in the flesh, and maybe a little time to read some encouraging blogs, too!
Sandy

THANKFUL Thursday for SIMPLE PLEASURES

I had already planned to combine my Thankful Thursday post with a new meme hosted by Dayle @ A Collection of This and That. (her link is at the bottom of this post) Then, Lynn, who has hosted Thankful Thursdays for July, asked us to share a picture of something that inspires awe in our heart. How cool! I think this picture works well for both. It might not look simple, but I think it still fits the subject. Like Lynn, my family and I also appreciate all of God's creation so much! How awesome that God can make a beautiful waterfall in the middle of a small "mountain"! This picture is at a very special place for all of my family and me. I am thankful for the simple pleasure of God's beauty all around us. I am thankful for the simple pleasure of being a sponsor at a youth camp. I am thankful for the little ways God works in our lives daily, for the blessing overflowing, just as He promised!

Yesterday, I was looking for something very important that I needed to find to pass on to another teacher. I looked and looked, and couldn't find it. I sincerely prayed to God to help me find it, and I found it immediately!

I am thankful for friends and acquaintances and blogging buddies.

Of course, I am thankful for my family.

There is so much to be thankful for!

Psalm 106: 1
Hallelujah! Thank you , Lord! How good you are! Your love for us continues on forever. Who can ever list the glorious miracles of God? Who can ever praise him half enough?

What are you thankful for today? Join us in sharing our thankfulness this week by visiting and linking up with our hostess for the month of July-Lynn at "Spiritually Unequal Marriage" and our host, Greg at Greg's General Store and Dayle @ A Collection of This and That. Go here http://alittleofthisandthat2.blogspot.com/2010/07/simple-pleasures-reading.html to link up with her.

You'll be glad you did!

It will bless your day to stop and be thankful for all of those simple pleasures in your life!

What does LOVE look like in your home?

Love at my home this week is Jeff sporting trimmed up facial hair from not using a razor last week, when he spent his vacation at church youth camp, loving on the youth that were there. He took them to the Ropes Courses and on a tour of spots at the camp that they had not seen. He was there to counsel them and encourage.
This week, he is going to work to support our family, and still loves me, even when I don't have a job.

Love at our home this week, also means looking at the precious pictures on our frig. a lot, since it's been a week and half since we have seen our granddaughter, and her Daddy and Mommy, and longer since we've seen our nieces and nephews.

At our home, like Denise's, Angel's and Loren's and others, it also means friendships with others. This week, I had lunch with 2 friends yesterday, and another one today!

At our home, it also means bringing home leftovers to share with others.

It also means seeing us praying and reading God's Love letter to each of us!

I am joining Joanne and showing what Love looks like here in our home!

Why I Count It All JOY Wednesday

I am filled with JOY because I am home to do my JOY post this week.

I missed out on Count It All JOY Wednesday blogging last week, because I was at church youth camp, but I was Counting It All JOY there! Actually, I just got home from that same camp late tonight from just going for the evening service. My body is aching, but I am Counting It All JOY that we were able to attend tonight.

I am full of JOY because

Jesus loves me!

He forgave my sins.

He died for my sins.

He arose and is alive in my heart.

He has a purpose for me.

I'm going to have to keep reminding myself of that last one! I came home to read an email from a principal, apologizing for writing me to inform me that they have filled all of their interview slots for a 3rd grade position that I was praying God had for me. I am counting it all JOY, God has something else for me.

I am filled with JOY that I will be serving as a discipleship leader for teenage girls. I will have to give up working with the children on Wednesday nights. Even though the two ministries are on different nights, we have to learn to not spread ourselves too thin, so that we can give our best to what we do. I am counting it all JOY that God gives us places to serve Him.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: REJOICE! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do NOT be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 4-7

It is a true JOY to read other joyful posts,
so go here to share in the JOY!!! Thank you, Angel!

SPIRITUAL SUNDAY-Sent into the World-Our Scent in the World

The theme for youth camp that I attended last week was SENT, with the scripture verse John 17:18"As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world."

Our church's theme was SCENT-"When the world gets a whiff of us, that's what they think of our Jesus.", with lots of scripture, focusing on these Character Traits:

Love, Integrity, Self-Control and Perseverance

I will be striving to have those character traits.

If you didn't come here from Spiritual Sundays, go here! Thank you Charlotte and Ginger for this wonderful way to connect with others for encouraging, inspirational posts!

This Week

This week, . . .
(Monday's Mama Moments)
I am going to be a sponsor at youth camp.
One of my own son's and my daughter will be there.
I will be the best "Mama" I can be to my family group of girls.
I have to leave camp Tuesday to go to a funeral of a 21 year old young man, who was just diagnosed with cancer 7 months ago. I can not imagine that feeling of parents!
(Proverbs 3:5-6--I can not lean on my own understanding. Also, see Kelly Minter's song, I Lay Down, http://www.livingroomseries.com/)

(Tuesday Bible Study)
Amanda, Shelli and anyone else who would like to, please leave your answers to Beth's questions as comments here. Thank you!!!

(Why I Count It All Joy Wednesday)
It fills me full of JOY to be a sponsor at youth camp.
It fills me full of JOY to see people come to Christ.

(Thankful Thursday)
I am very thankful for youth camps.
I am very thankful for my church family.

(Family Friday)
I love being with my family and my church family at camp!

Have a blessed week!
Sandy