We bonded so quickly, her and I. I’m a very early riser. Up with the chickens, so to speak. She would be waiting by the door. I would let her in and feed her. When she was done, she would come back to my sitting room and jump up on my lap. Nudging my hand for scratches, rubbing my face with hers and purring with satisfaction.  When she was done, she would hop down and go to her favorite chair and sleep the day away.

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be His name.

If we belong to this giver of gifts, then the affairs of our life are in His loving hands. We must accept the bad as well as the good.

I came across this prayer written by a missionary to Iraq, India and China in the 1800’s. I would like to share it with you.

“O how easy it is to kiss our dear and loving Father’s hand when He turns bright providences toward us! How easy then, it is to praise! But, I feel my dearest Teacher is teaching me the hardest lesson, to kiss the hand that wounds, to bless the hand that pours out sorrow and to submit with all my soul, though I see not a ray of light…Through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom, therefore, blessed Lord, prepare me for Thy service. I am a poor, inexperienced soldier. Clothe me with the whole armor of God, that my soul may praise Thee in the darkest day.”

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In the early spring, he puts on fertilizer and of course there is spraying for any disease or bug that might attack the young shoots.

During the winter months he must be on guard against the geese that love to feast on the tiny blades of grain. Many a trip is made on the 4-track, shooing them away.

Soil has to be properly prepared. There is rotation of crops to keep the soil productive, and sometimes, it needs extra nutrients added to keep it healthy.

There are always seeds that scatter along the edge of the field which brings to mind the parable of the four soils.

What kind of soil are we? Like the first? Where the birds come and devour the seeds. Or, the second, where the ground is rocky and there is not much earth. The seeds come up quickly, but soon die from the heat of the sun.

Thorns are the enemy of the third soil, choking out the life of the seed before there is any chance of real growth.

The fourth soil is rich and well cared for. The yielded crop, some a hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty. (Matt 13:1-8)

Its a little disconcerting, that only one out of four had the proper soil to grow a good crop.

It takes work to prepare soil to receive the seeds. Not only on a farm, but in our hearts as well.

We need the living water of the word. We need repentance, we need times of quiet and rest. Time for study. Time for prayer. Time spent getting to know the sower of the seed. He will not only show us whats needed, He will do it. For it is God who works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Phil 2:13

Are we willing to allow His plough to cut through the hard dry soil of our hearts, and remove all the rocks and thorns that have accumulated over time?

Will there be pain involved? Perhaps. But oh the rich reward when we see the results. A bountiful harvest.

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One of my favorite bible teachers has made the remark quite often, if the barn needs painting, paint it. Its ok to wear makeup and to put on jewelry and care about ones appearance.  Its only when these things become obsessions and get in the way of our love for God that they can become sinful.

Inner beauty is enduring. Outer beauty, on the other hand, can fade very quickly. Some hang on to this outer beauty with a vengeance and the world is all too ready to feed this hunger.

Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and should reflect the beauty of God’s holiness. Too often we are much more concerned with the out side then we are with the inside.

1Cor 6:19-20  Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1Peter 3:3-4  Do not let your adornment be merely outward–arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel–

rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

So you see, I was painting the barn. Hum, it seems to take longer these days.

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Hyssop was used by the Jews in ceremonial cleansing rites. There were many varieties. This one had an aromatic smell and strong pungent taste. When a leper wanted to be declared healed, the priest would form a brush from the hyssop plant, and scrub the sore to see if there was any further infection. (It was also used at the cross. John 19:29)

In the above Psalm, David likens his own sinful heart to leprosy. He pleads for cleansing. To be washed and made whiter than snow.

I woke up this morning to a beautiful blanket of snow. There was a humming bird at its feeder, poking its long beak through all that bothersome white stuff, to get to the nectar.

Its melting now. Big chunks falling from the branches. Soon it will be gone, but right now, I can look out my window at one of the many wonders of creation and praise the One who gave us snow.

Whiter than snow. That is our condition when we are washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Isaiah l:18  “Come now, and let us reason together.” says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be white as snow;…

Psalm 5l:10-11 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence: And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Yup, that Jeff Bethke, the one who attended our church while attending university. 3 million hits in two days on YouTube. Crazy. Love you, Jeff, Way to be used by Jesus!

If you found us on Google, I’d love for you to comment on Jeff’s video here. There is so much misunderstanding on what Jeff is saying. If you want to talk about, I’d love to talk.

~Corby

• A greater incarnation means a greater subjection. 2:6-9
• A greater incarnation means a greater identification. 2:10-13
• A greater incarnation means a greater propitiation. 2:14-18

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We had a cat we just called mama kitty. Her and I were in competition I think, to see who could have the most babies. Just kidding of course.

Dan had a cat named “Damit.” Pardon my language, but that was his name. He was black as midnight. Michael had a cat named “Pooper.” He was as wide as he was long. The original “Fat Cat.” There were too many others too numerous to name.

Having a large family, we had lots of table scraps and most every evening, one of the kids would grab the pail and head out side calling, “all the kitties in the neighborhood”..  and cats would come scrambling from all corners of the farm, tails in the air, big ones, small ones, male and female.

As the kids left, so did the cats and soon we had none.

Our last dog was named Lucy. She was a black Lab, the runt of the litter. From the time she came to us, her heart belonged to “daddy.”

He put a basket on the back of the 4-track and Lucy would hop in and together, they would explore all four corners of the farm. In her old age she got quite jealous of her place on that machine and would get very upset if I or any of the grandkids dared to sit on her spot. She was good with the kids, but she adored my husband. You could see it in her eyes when she looked at him. She died this year of old age. Alas, no dogs, no cats.

You might wonder, why all this about the ghosts of animals past?

Well, about a month or so ago, we started getting fleeting glimpse of this beautiful calico cat. We found her babies, but they soon died. She was so wild, we could not get near her. We didn’t even try.

One day she showed up on our back deck. We started putting food out for her. Now she comes in the house and sits on my lap. Thats a first for me. Animals belong outside, don’t you know? Am I getting soft in my old age?

I call her Josephine, for she has a coat of many colors. I don’t know if we will ever have “kitties in the neighborhood” again, but for now, we have Josephine.

In the beginning God made the animals for mans companionship and pleasure. He gave Adam the responsibility of naming each one. We know God cares for the animals. Remember the sparrows? Two sold for a copper coin and not one of them falls to the ground apart from the Fathers will. He also knows the number of hairs on our head.(Mat 10:31)

I also remember these beautiful words from an old hymn.

All things bright and beautiful. All creatures great and small. All things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.

I’m sure He smiles when He sees Josephine curled up on my lap. Who would have thought!