Monday was a SNOW DAY!

Monday was a snow day. The girls went out to play in the snow and I watched them from the window. I am sure it was the Spirit of God who said to my heart " They are only young once! Get out there and play with them in the snow!"

So, I did.

We had a snowball fight and there isn't one of us who has a "good" aim! LOL!

Words that have caused me to stop and ponder this week

The following may or may not have anything to do with each other.

“We are able to have as much of God as we want” Alexander MacLaren

Song 523, verse 3

SA songbook

“Give me more power, that sinners around
May feel that thou in me dost live;
Let my light shine that souls who are bound
May say: To thee Lord now myself I give.”

Chorus:
Lord with my all I part
Closer to thee I’ll cling
All earthly things that bind my heart
Dear Lord to thy feet I bring

John 10:40-42
“Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true.” And in that place many believed in Jesus.”

How awesome is this?! John the Baptist never performed a miraculous sign. Yet, the testimony about him was that all he had said about Jesus was true and the result??? Many believed in Jesus!! May I always speak the truth about Jesus. If I can do nothing else, may it be said about me that I have done this!

Matt. 17:20 “ Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Thomas Merton “New Seeds of Contemplation”
Pg. 123 “Hell is where no one has anything in common with anybody else except the fact that they all hate one another and cannot get away from another and from themselves.”

Pg. 112
“ It is not only our hatred of others that is dangerous but also and above all our hatred of ourselves: particularly that hatred of ourselves which is too deep and too powerful to be consciously faced for it is this which makes us see our own evil in others and unable to see it in ourselves.”

Poem - found it in my old Bible this week. I have no idea when I wrote it.

Sacred moments

Nothing is by chance
Every life has a dance
There is a rhythm
There is a rhyme
People come
People go
All of them
precious souls
God desires everyone
Are we open to the call?
Take his hand
Let Him lead
Dance with me
Dance with me
Your Providential God.

-cjb

God is always speaking. How do you hear him?

an angry head cold

I have had a head cold
It’s been ‘bout seven days
It ruined my disposition
Taken all my energy away

The things I like to do
I struggled even to care
Coughing and sneezing
I resembled a grizzly bear

“Approach with caution!”
That’s what my family said
I guess I need a bit more work
On holiness while sick in bed!

cjb

Romance in the Scriptures from the King Of Kings

“Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.
Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot wash it away.
If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love,
it would be utterly scorned.”
Song of Solomon 8:6-7 (NIV)

“Hang my locket around your neck,
wear my ring on your finger.
Love is invincible facing danger and death.
Passion laughs at the terrors of hell.
The fire of love stops at nothing—
it sweeps everything before it.
Flood waters can't drown love,
torrents of rain can't put it out.
Love can't be bought, love can't be sold—
it's not to be found in the marketplace.”
Song of Solomon 8:6-7 (MSG)

“Wear me as a signet ring on your heart,
as a ring on your hand.
Love is as overpowering as death.
Devotion is as unyielding as the grave.
Love's flames are flames of fire,
flames that come from the Lord.
Raging water cannot extinguish love,
and rivers will never wash it away.
If a man exchanged all his family's wealth for love,
people would utterly despise him.”
Song of Solomon 8:6-7 (GW)

________________________________________

"I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse,
whose rider is called Faithful and True.
With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire,
and on his head are many crowns.
He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood,
and his name is the Word of God.
The armies of heaven were following him,
riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.
"He will rule them with an iron scepter."
He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."
Revelation 19 :11-16 (NIV)

There is only ONE in scripture who is atributed with everlasting love. Our acts of love and devotion to Him and to others are but a poor reflection. His love can never be quenched. He is called Faithful and True. Are you in love with the One who has eyes "like a blazing fire"? His passion and love for you is "as strong as death"....even death on a cross.

Gone Skiing!

Corps Ski Trip 2007

Heather's poem

Photo by Caryn Scheibner

My oldest daughter Heather wrote a poem in her creative writing class.

She gave me permission to put it up on my site.

I think it is wonderful....but hey I'm her Mom! :)

The Yellow Rose

I am a yellow rose in a red poppy field
for I do not feel I fit in.
I can not talk to other people
unless they have accepted me as one of their own.

I am a little caterpillar compared to a beautiful butterfly.
I will bloom someday but when that day comes will I be accepted?

You cannot change me though because I am happy with who I am.
So do you see me as a friend or do you see me as that
yellow rose in that red poppy field.

by Heather Bate
2/2007- age 14

I guess the Bate women are thinking about poppy fields recently!

My husband is WAY smarter than the cable guy!

We had a visit from Les the cable guy. I had very little to do with his visit. Alastair was home so he met Les at the door and stayed next to him during the whole visit. Les started getting on Alastair’s good side by walking across our cream colored carpet with muddy wet boots. Les was promptly sent out to his van to find shoe coverings before he could enter again. From that point on I imagined as I was cooking that everything was going well. However, when I heard the cable guy getting ready to leave I went to the door. I had one question to ask the man who was meant to have the intellect to fix our phones, internet and television.
As I approached the two men at the door, I missed the warning look from my husband’s eyes. Later, I realized Al was actually yelling at me frantically through his eyes to warn me. I asked my little question and Les…..well, Les couldn’t have given less of an answer. A lot of hand motions, rolling of eyes, thoughts of what it could be, all within a matter of seconds and all from Les. Alastair looked at me with eyes that said, “Curse you woman! You have prolonged his visit!” When the door shut behind Les….I laughed. I thought, he annoyed me and I could tell he had no idea what he was doing within seconds of our meeting. Then it dawned on me…..poor Alastair! It was once said about Alastair that all he had to do was walk by something electronic and it would immediately begin working! So, not only is Alastair very good with all electronic things but he just spent at least 45 minutes with this guy!!
Lucky for Al, Les comes back for one more visit but unfortunately, it will be scheduled on a day when Alastair won’t be around.

Exalted Opinions

Exalted Opinions
Our personal views
Our own estimations
Of how I see you.

A general assessment
A judgment or two
All drawn together
By our “expert” view

A second opinion
If you dare disagree
But most of the body
Agrees with me.

Look for yourself
Add up the facts!
Our opinions matters
Try denying that!

Exalted opinions
Have they become gods?
Is it all about me?
Our thoughts the cogs?

Wonder what God thinks?
Does He have a thought?
What is His will?
Is it all for naught?

Our world and our culture
Exalt many things.
But lately our opinions
Are Rulers and Kings.


cjb

Transparency

Transparency seems to be a hot topic lately. Check out Larry Ashcraft’s blog and Doug Burr.
The peom below, I wrote and posted awhile ago but thought I would stick it up again.
I understand transparency when it comes to how I choose to live. I have always seen God honor transparency in my life and in the lives of others.
What does corporate transparency look like?? A body of believers who together are intentional about being transparent?
Transparency to me is just letting TRUTH out in all I do and say. (Easier said than done sometimes.)

There are risk but no one whose hope is in God will be put to shame!
Just some thoughts…. cjb

He sees right through me,

I’m transparent.

There is nothingI can hide.

Do not mistake

My transparency,

For lack of substance.

Or lack of depth.

Emptiness …

Gives us space

To be filled.

Clarity …

Gives us confidence

And vision.

Look on through!

There is nothing

To hide.

This is His plan

For me,and

For you,

Transparency.

To be transparent

In all we say

And all we do.

To see though

Or look past,

To catch a glimpse

Of something…

Something other

Than me.

To catch a glimpse

Of Him.

He sees right,

He sees right through.

Transparency.

cjb