"Dawn Chorus"

One of our favorite sayings is to "Take time to smell the roses."

A thought occured to me as I was reading the Psalms this morning.

"where morning dawns and evening fades you call forth songs of joy."

"the hills are clothed with gladness."

"the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing."

When we really take time to enjoy the wonders of nature, to watch the beauty of the sunrise and sunset, the peacefulness of the hills and valleys, we are entering into the presence of the Lord who bestows songs of joy and gladness into our lives.

Take time to smell the Roses today.

Antique Rose

The antique rose looks good growing in masses as a hedge or alone as an accent to the garden. It is very fragrant.

Lately I have been reading my daughter's blog and blogs of her friends. I laugh at the antics of preschoolers and the uninhibited things they say and remember the stress of raising children. The constant awareness that as a mother you need to continually be teaching proper etiquette, appropriate behavior, skills of all kinds always looking for a teaching moment. I have found that instead of offering unsolicited advice or reminding them of the things they said and did, that I can be more encouraging to these young mothers by reminding them that the same promises God made to Mary at the birth of Jesus are true today.

God had a plan for His Son, Emmanual, Jesus to be the Savior of the World. This is the Gift that we celebrate at Christmas. He is our Savior. He is our Joy. He is our Peace. He is our Hope. He is truly the Gift of Life. All prophecies of the birth and death of Jesus were fulfilled. God is faithful. God also has a plan for each one of our children. They are a gift to us. To love. To enjoy. Just as Mary was in awe of how to raise this child and seeking God's direction to fulfill the plan He had for Jesus' life so we must also seek the Lord for direction on how to teach our children. He has a plan for each child that is born and He is faithful to fulfill his plan.

Being an "antique rose" I can now see how God's plan unfolded, I can see answered prayers and I can encourage these young mothers there is a plan for each of their children. His plan for your children will be accomplished.

Fragrant Delight

This rose is bushy, uneven and irregular. It blooms in profuse clusters and has a strong fragrance. Ironically, the parentage is Chanelle and Wiskey Mac.

On this Thanksgiving Day, I give thanks for all my Fragrant Friends. They are a delight to me. I enjoy shopping, lunches, coffee, e-mailing, blogging, telephone calls, visiting, chatting, trips, notes, praying, Bible studies, etc.

You are cherished as a friend and I delight in the relationship I have with you. I thank God for all my Chanelle friends and all my Wiskey friends. The fragrance of your life encourages me.

I pray that I am a fragrant friend to you and that we delight the Lord with our testimonies of His Goodness.

"Knock Out" Rose

The "Knock Out" rose is a shrub with many generous clusters of pointed buds. The fragrance is mild but this bush has an abundance of flowers and brilliant blooms. I have added several "knock out" rose bushes to my yard. They bloom continually and it seems even as the seasons change there is always at least one bloom appearing. In the winter months the orange red rose hips keep alive the color. A border of shrubs is absolutely gorgeous but a single rose bush is just as beautiful. Much like our own lives.

Recently I was made aware of how easily I fall into sin. It seems I just get carried away with the moment, the crowds, the multitudes, the excitment of the season and everyone doing it and all of a sudden I am one with the world. Then I become aware that my heart doesn't feel right. I began to feel like I am not qualified to speak into women's lives. I feel like I am a "knock off". Not the real thing. Last week I had a dream that the waters were sucking me in and trying to drown me. (Revelation 17:15) The sin that entangles us. How easily we get side-tracked and do not keep our "eyes fixed on Jesus." (Hebrews 12:1) Because of Adam and Eve we live in a fallen world. (Genesis) When your heart hurts, you can ask the Lord how you can make your heart right. Ask Him to reveal the sin and then tell Him you are sorry. How easily we can let the enemy make us feel guilty. His Word says to "Feed my sheep". (John 21:17) I am again restored and reconciled to my Lord able to serve Him wholeheartedly

When we are in God's Word we have food. Food for ourselves. Food to feed and encourage others. For He says "I am the bread of life." (John 6:35)

Sometimes we bloom profusely. Sometimes we don't. Sometimes our appearance is a little different but still reflecting God's beauty. Remember, even if you are not in full bloom, and you only have shades of God's beauty, you are still called to be a "knock off" of Jesus Christ and to feed his sheep by sharing what God has done for you.

The Promise Rose

"But Mom You said...", How many times I heard my children say "But Mom You Said," when they were younger. I had not thought about it until the other day when my granddaughter said "But Gran You Said...", and emphasied again when my grandson said the same phrase - "But Gran You said...". As I thought about this phrase and what I had said to my grandchildren, I was beginning to feel a little guilty. They were right. I had said I would take them somewhere. So what happened to cause them to say, "But Gran You Said" in such a way that they thought I was not keeping my promise to do what I said I would do. How do you make them understand that you intend to keep your promise to them but it was not a good time to go. They were tired. I was tired. It was close to dinner time and bed time. I did intend to keep my promise but Another time would be better to go. A time when everyone was not tired or hungry. Another perspective is that I needed them to be thankful and obedient, not unappreciative and disobedient. But then again, I want to teach them unconditional love not conditional on the way they behave or their response in receiving. And then again, I have learned that what they want today they may not want tomorrow. It becomes unimportant. So I have learned that if I only wait a little while, things will change.


As a mother, my role was to teach and train, I wanted to be loved not to be considered the meanest mother in the world. So now is my chance to be loved as a grandmother and wanting to give them everything they want. So I find myself thinking about these different perspectives. All of this pondering over four little words...But Gran You Said....

Aren't we glad that when God said it, it happened. Aren't we glad that God knows the perfect time to give us what we ask. Maybe sometimes another time would be better. God knows our yesterdays, our todays and our tomorrows. He is growing us in grace and truth and He knows exactly what we need when we need it. All things come through Him. Aren't we glad we don't have to figure it out. He has already done that for us. All promises are Yes in Him. Aren't we glad God keeps His Promises.

God said...and it was so.

My God is an Awesome God

My God is an awesome God!
He turns darkness into light,
Death into life,
Time into eternity.
He makes mud into men,
Wimps into warriors,
Sinners into saints.
My God is an awesome God!

He turns failure into victory,
Enemies become friends,
Strangers become brothers.

He changes poverty into abundance,
Chains into stepping stones,
And scarlet into purest white.

He makes ugly into beautiful,
He turns grief into joy.
Fear into faith,
Defeat into victory.
My God is an awesome God.

He turns mistakes into building blocks,
War into peace,
Weeds into trees,
Wilderness into gardens…

My God is an awesome God…

And what He has done for me He can do for you!
by Dr. Waylon O. Ward see http://mercymatters.org/ or http://waylonward.blogspot.com/

The Prince's Trust

This rose is a medium red and grows in clusters. The scent is very mild. This reminds me of all the issues, conflicts, controversies and tribulations of life that are all clumped together as a bouquet. Who do you trust with your most precious thoughts, your opinions and your trials? Who would you share this bouquet with?

The Lord has been speaking to me about Trust. To have a relationship with someone we must trust them. We must trust them to not ridicule us when we share our thoughts, we must trust them to comfort us when we need comfort, we must trust that we will be valued as a person. We must trust that we will not be shamed, made to feel guilty, or feel unworthy. To trust you must feel safe in what you say, what you feel, what you see, what you hear, what you do in each dimension of your life. This includes trusting your words and feelings regarding spiritual issues, financial issues, your friends, your education, your emotions. We are very lucky to find a friend or spouse that we can trust. Are you a trustworthy person?


The Prince of Peace is One who you can trust when you have no other. Have you ever had nagging questions and doubts? Or asked yourself why you are in the marriage you are in? Why your children have made bad choices? Why you have financial problems? Why life is not fair? Why the evil seem to flourish? Why is there so much pain and suffering? Why has your life not turned out the way you wanted it to? Our children ask many "whys" everyday. I think most of us as adults ask, if not aloud, then to ourselves, "Why God did this happen to me?" But we know "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him." (Nahum 1:7)

The Lord is Good. All the time the Lord is Good. If we look through the lens of "God is Good all the time" we know that since God is good and He loves us He would never allow anything to happen to us that would not be for our good. We should "live by faith" trusting in God for He is Good ALL the time.

Trust in the Lord and He will direct your path. Do you trust God with your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, your heartbreaks, with your trials and temptations. Can you trust the Prince of Peace (Is 9:6) Begin by trusting Him who wants to have a relationship with you. Trust Him and tell Him what you are not happy about. Ask Him "Why?" And then wait for Him to pour out His love and His peace and his goodness on you. He is faithful and He will do it. Trust the Prince of Peace.