DEEP WATERS AND GOD'S LOVE...devotional

SCRIPTURE READING: Ephesians 2:1-7

Many waters cannot quench love. Song of Solomon 8:7

Water in large quantities in Scripture always speaks of trouble and judgment. To appreciate this, one has to think only of the flood of Noah's day or of the words of the apostle John, that in the new heaven where all judgment is past, there will then be "no more sea." Revelation 21:1b.

The deep billows of judgment one day swirled ever so angrily at the foot of the cross, but they could not quench our Savior's self -sacrificing and redeeming love. He won the victory over sin's torrent of terror. Now in the light of his life and atonement we walk securely. Nothing can ever separate us from his love in regard to our salvation. Romans 8:31-39.

There is another application that can be made of this scripture as to our pilgrim walk. It is to be noted that no matter how high the waters of distress may rise, His love like the sunrise will ever be present to shed its warming beams of blessing upon the troubled sea.

The touching story is told of a father and his little daughter who had just buried the mother of the home. They were brokenhearted when they returned from that funeral, for things at the old homestead seemed so different. The child was placed in her bed for the night as usual. The father, too, retired, but could not sleep. Presently the little daughter called to him, " Papa, it's so dark." He reassured her in soothing tones saying there was nothing fear and urged her to just try to go to sleep. For awhile the child was quiet, and then she said trustingly, "Papa, you love through the dark, too, don't you?" "Yes, dear," he said with a quivering voice; and with that he looked up into the face of Jesus and prayed silently," Thank you, Lord, for using my little one to remind me that Thou dost love me, Thy child, even though the way is dark."

Friend, are you going through the deep waters? Then let these words cheer you:" I have loved thee with an everlasting love." Jer. 31:3a.

None can be so o'erwhelmed with grief,

But he in Christ may find relief;

All misery, however great,

His comforts can alleviate!

"Darkness cannot put out the lamp: it can only make it shine the brighter."

This was taken from my daily devotional book; OUR DAILY BREAD by M.R. DeHaan, M.D. and H.G. Bosch. I would recommend this book... if still in print.

It's a book that was a gift from a church member in 1988. I love this book. It was first published in 1959 and again in 1988. Thanks to Arminta and Allen Moll, if you are ever on my blog site, for this precious book.

DAYSPRING DEVOTIONALS

I was recently involved with an on-line devotional. If any of you would like to spread some love and have others pray for and with you; I would encourage each of my bloggers to check out Heart to Heart with Holley.

You will find her blog site at: http://holley.dayspring.com/

e-mail her: holleyg@dayspring.com

http://blog.dayspring.com/pray-share/

Check it out...wonderful. You will find an abundance of bloggers that share their blog address...some are so meaningful.

They are Dayspring Devotional e-mails. These were some things we all shared: "Rest of your Story" and "Out of Insecurity." And now we are doing a prayer chain called "P. S." Pray and Share, which will be only on Sundays.

What I learned was; no matter how bad you think your problems are there are others out there that are hurting just as much or more. We were encouraged to pray for one another every time we posted. Thank-you Holley for FINDING me.

I have several blogs, but this one is the one for my inspirational books I am reading. I just started this one because of Holley's devotional emails. I have lots of books and poems that will lift you up, on my other blog that I have not put on here yet.

The bookcase blog is listed below:

http://bjanddobbin.blogspot.com

STORYBOOK MENTORS...Brenda Waggoner

Storybook Mentors...grown-up wisdom from children's classics

This writer introduces you to beloved storybook characters and helps you discover deeper truths in these classic tales. She says, " When you boil all our knowledge down and distill it into simple truths, the lessons we learned as little girls have not been improved upon. Jesus tells us, 'Become like children.' Perhaps it is only through the perception of a child that we understand with the heart and know without question that we are precious to our Father."

Chapters in the book:

1. Anne of Green Gables

2. A Little Princess

3. Heidi

4. Pippi Longstocking

5. Pollyanna

6. Charlotte's Web

7. The Little Engine That Could

8. Black Beauty

9. The Secret Garden

10. The Velveteen Rabbit

11. Mary Poppins

12. Little Women

13. The Giving Tree

14. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

15. Make Way for Ducklings

She quotes Psalm 103:2-5 on her dedication page:

Bless the Lord, O My Soul, and forget not all His benefits:

Who forgives...

Who heals...

Who redeems...

Who crowns...

Who satisfies...

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

I will not take the time to post these stories, even though I have some on my other bookcase blog. This is a wonderful book that was published in 2001. I wrote her and told her about the postings of those stories on my blog...she emailed such a sweet sincere note.

PETER AND JOHN...ELINOR WYLIE

Twelve good friends

Walked under the leaves

Binding the ends

Of the barley sheaves.

Peter and John

Lay down to sleep

Pillowed upon

A haymaker's heap.

John and Peter

Lay down to dream.

The air was sweeter

Than honey and cream.

Peter was bred

In the salty cold.

His hair was red

And his eyes were gold.

John had a mouth

Like a wing bent down.

His brow was smooth

And his eyes were brown.

Peter to slumber

Sank like a stone,

Of all their number

The bravest one.

John more slowly

Composed himself,

Young and holy

Among the twelve.

John as he slept

Cried out in grief,

Turned and wept

On the golden leaf:

"Peter, Peter,

Give me a sign!

This was a bitter

Dream of mine,...

"Bitter as aloes

It parched my tongue.

Upon the gallows

My life was hung.

"Sharp it seemed

As a bloody sword.

Peter, I dreamed

I was Christ the Lord!"

Peter turned

To holy Saint John:

His body burned

In the falling sun.

In the falling sun

He burned like flame:

"John, Saint John,

I have dreamed the same!

"My bones were hung

On an elder tree;

Bells were rung

Over Galilee.

"A silver penny

Sealed each of my eyes.

Many and many

A cock crew thrice."

When Peter's word

Was spoken and done,

"Were you Christ the Lord

In your dream? said John.

"No," said the other,

"That I was not.

I was your brother

Iscariot."

Isn't that a wonderful poem by Elinor Wylie? This came from one of my favorite poetry books MODERN AMERICAN POETRY. It was first published in 1919. My book is from 1930. A woman by the name of Ruth Young, from the University of Minnesota, has her name in the front of the book and has many notes and markings in it. Wouldn't it be wonderful if today we could use the word of our Lord in books in our schools again?

I'm thinking of the lyrics we sing in church: Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus. My daughter in March of 2004 gave to me, for my birthday, the book of songs with their history... entitled THEN SINGS MY SOUL...Robert J. Morgon.

Please post a comment about the poem above or any comments about this post.

WHEN THE FATHER HOLDS YOU CLOSE...Cynthia Heald

My youngest daughter who is very devout in her faith bought this book for me as a gift for my birthday March 2, 2001; after my dad passed away a few days before, with the following message:

"My prayer for you, mom, is that as you celebrate your first birthday without your earthly father...God will draw you near to Him and comfort you in the way that only our Heavenly Father can..."

This book has been used many times since then to search for words of wisdom from our Savior. I would highly recommend this book. The back cover leaves you wanting to search inside for all His wisdom. Below are her words about this book:

" Do you long to feel close to God but don't know why? Do you ever wonder if intimacy is reserved for those who work harder or try to please Him more?"

"A close relationship with the Lord is far simpler than you may imagine, because He desires intimacy with you, as well. In fact, He offers it to you as a precious gift...you need only to receive it. Intimacy isn't a reward for our behavior, but simply a gift...undeserved and straight from the Father's heart. The key to intimacy with God is knowing that He longs to be with us far more than we long to be with Him. Imagine the Father God holding you as close as a daddy holds his precious daughter...and unlike an earthly parent, the Lord's love is perfect in every way."

Makes you want to run out and buy the book, huh?

I would also like to share an assignment from one of my creative writing classes, about my dad. Below is that paper I turned in:

Assignment: Get a copy of the local paper and outline a fictional or non- fictional article and then write a story about it.

I found an article by Mitch Albom; author of several wonderful little books. The one in the paper was an excerpt from his latest, For One More Day. In it he asks, "If you had one more day to spend with someone who is gone, who would it be and what would you do?"

This was my story:

The construction crew seemed to have many excuses for not having the new house finished: weather, supplies, carpenters, etc. The house was an unsafe place to be. A wooden plank led from the yard into the house. Rain had left many areas in the yard unsafe for walking. Would they ever finish?

One day on the way to see how the construction was coming along, I dropped in to visit my dad at the rest home, where he had been for almost a year.

"How's the house coming along?" asked my dad.

"They will be finished soon," I said.

"I want to see it!"

"It's not safe to go yet. It won't be long."

"You've been saying that for months now, why can't I see it?"

"Papa, the moving company should have everything moved by the first part of June; that will be a good time to see it... only a few months away."

June never came for Papa. He died unexpectedly. We buried him March 1, 2001.

Mitch Albom asks, "If you had one more day to spend with someone who is gone, who would it be and what would you do?"

If I had one more day to spend with my dad, we would pick up his favorite meal of catfish and have a picnic in my backyard...just the 2 of us.

A statue of St. Francis, the Saint of small animals, stands in my flower garden...a gift from my dad. I am not catholic but, in my garden I feel dad's presence and cherish memories of him. I have lost my best friend.

I had several comments from several of the students in the class. Here are some of those comments:

1. I like this, it touched me and made me think about my dad. I knew immediately what I would do with him...he was an avid golfer and I also love the game. He and I would find a beautiful course and play until dark.

2. How often we long to go back and do things with those who have departed from our lives. We seem to say 'tomorrow.'

3. Tissue warning needed on this story. Touching and full of truths we should pay attention to.

4.This made me cry. I think it's impossible to read without thinking of people we'd like to see again.

5. This is powerful! My old beagle died last week, and I thought , if only we could have gone hunting one more time. A friend told me one time that you can tell you really love someone if you'd want to spend not only their last day with them, but yours as well.

6. Instructor: You've written a warm and touching story. The dialogue brought it all to life. What a good reminder to cherish each day with the people we love.

Luke 12:15:.. A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

The secret of happiness is not what we possess; but of what we have in Christ.

...in closing, I am thankful that He gave me my earthly father as my best friend.

It will help your disposition,

It will brighten up your face;

If you stop to count your blessings

And appreciate God's grace.

By I. Honey

Would you care to comment on the story above or on any of Mitch Albom's books?

What about this wonderful book, When the Father Holds you Close?