His Way is Perfect

Have you ever exerted a lot of time and effort into a project to surprise someone special? I usually find much enjoyment in crocheting afghans and baby blankets for gift-giving; however, one afghan in particular came to a point - well over halfway through - where the enjoyment was mixed with obstacles. I was following a mile-a-minute pattern (which means you make multiple strips and then join them together to create a full-size blanket). I had progressed quite smoothly up until I got to the joining rows. I began crocheting the first two strips together, but they wouldn't lie flat like they should have. Instead, much to my dismay, they were very rippled. I pulled out all the joining stitches, then tried joining them more loosely. They still rippled. So I tried a different stitch to join them instead of what the pattern suggests. Yet, when I laid it out, flat is something it was not. I tried another way and another way - those didn't work either. For hours, I tried every joining stitch I could possibly think of. Between attempts I would go back and look at the pattern to see if there was something I missed; I studied the pictures, too. I couldn't find anything. I called my aunt who had taught me most of my crocheting skills; maybe she would have an idea. She, too, suggested different stitches. Sadly, I had already tried them all. Alas! No avail! Nothing seemed to be working. Rather than use the yarn for something else or give up entirely, I decided to set it aside until I felt I could come back and take a fresh look at the pattern and the problem.

I had quite expected months to go by before I would tackle it, so I actually looked at the pattern book much sooner than I thought I would - only a few weeks had passed. I had been organizing and figured it wouldn't hurt to take one last quick glance before filing it with other patterns that aren't currently in use. Anyway, I decided to study the pictures again, then took a even closer second look at the not-so-close "close-up" picture. Indeed, this time something in the picture caught my eye. So I re-read the segment of the instructions which was in question. Sure enough! There was some wordage that could be interpreted two ways (and, apparently, I picked the wrong way). Yet I needed set the afghan aside until I would have the time to undo and redo all of those strips right now to the center section. Almost 6 months later, I finally was able to pick it back up and complete it. While I had it all apart, I decided to also increase the length. I really like how it turned out - and finished with just enough time for it to make the perfect gift for my brother's 19^th birthday.

All the while as I sat there trying to figure out what was wrong, I also thought of God's will for His children. His will for our lives is much different than the crochet pattern I was following, yet I noticed similarities as well. While anyone who uses that pattern will have an afghan much like the one I made, God has a specific plan for each individual. Your life will not be like that of others because He has made you to be special and unique. My crochet pattern came with start-to-finish directions, but God gives us guidance as we go. You see, as long as we follow Him, there is no way for us to mess up because He won't steer us wrong. The Lord doesn't bombard us with things that can be easily misinterpreted, neither will He ever give us more than we can handle at a single moment - He promises that. Better than having beginning-to-end instructions, we have the Bible (the inspired Word of God) to show us the way. Even better than having a picture of a finished afghan for an example, all we need to know is that our lives will look more like Jesus in the end. So one more thing: Just as I liked how the afghan turned out and thought the work of my hands to be beautiful, He will be pleased with us and our lives will be beautiful in His sight when we are obedient to Him and His Word.

But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. (Isaiah 64:8)

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. (Psalm 37:5)

The Perfect Valentine

Have you ever noticed there is an acrostic in John 3:16? I didn't until someone showed it to me. And so I would also like to share it with you.

His love for you is even so much more than a just a simple valentine. Why? Because it was a complete offering of Himself when He gave His life for you. There can never and will never be a love that equals His love for us.

"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

~I John 4:9-10

Hearing someone say "I love you" is nice, but how much better it is when someone shows you they love you by their actions - it shows they really mean it. The Lord didn't just say "I love you", He showed us by laying down His life for us on the cross. Now that's true love.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Divine Love

During this time of year when "love" is in the forefront, I would like to encourage you all to think on the greatest love-gift of all time.  God offers everyone salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.  It took His death on the cross to pay the price for our sin and His resurrection from the grave to conquer death.  He willingly did this for you, and He willing did this for me.

Several weeks ago I had the honor of singing a couple of songs at a dear lady's funeral who passed away at the age of 90.  Her countenance had been so bright and joyful, even when her health was far from its best.  Yet as joyful as she was on a daily basis, you could always tell when she was thinking or speaking of her loved ones and her (our) loving Lord because her countenance glowed.  When she asked me over a year ago to sing on the day of her funeral, she spoke of how she wanted the songs to reflect her happiness in going home to be with Jesus, of all that He did for her, and what He can do for anyone who accepts Him as their Lord.  And, truly, the joy she had in her daily life came from Jesus Christ her Lord.  The following is one of the songs she chose.  It's a song that clearly speaks of God's love for all of mankind.

 

 

              He the Pearly Gates Will Open

Love divine, so great and wondrous,

Deep and mighty, pure, sublime!

Coming from the heart of Jesus,

Just the same through tests of time.

He the pearly gates will open,

So that I may enter in;

For He purchased my redemption

And forgave me all my sin.

Like a dove when hunted, frightened,

As a wounded fawn was I;

Brokenhearted, yet He healed me,

He will heed the sinner’s cry.

He the pearly gates will open,

So that I may enter in;

For He purchased my redemption

And forgave me all my sin.

Love divine, so great and wondrous,

All my sins He then forgave!

I will sing His praise forever,

For His blood, His power to save.

He the pearly gates will open,

So that I may enter in;

For He purchased my redemption

And forgave me all my sin.

In life’s eventide, at twilight,

At His door I’ll knock and wait;

By the precious love of Jesus

I shall enter Heaven’s gate.

He the pearly gates will open,

So that I may enter in;

For He purchased my redemption

And forgave me all my sin.

 

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

~Romans 6:23

Satiated?

Several years ago, while I was observing the world around me, I decided to write my observations down in a poetic style. Though time has passed since then, and though the world has changed, there are some things that stay the same. One thing that remains is the search for something that will satisfy your life - and that is something each and every individual seeks. And with that, there is one Answer that will truly satiate (fully satisfy) that desire for one and all!

The poem:

Satiated?

Upon this earth, I have noticed,
But one common thing among man.
People are always taking.
Taking.
Always trying to get more for themselves.
Enough to satiate their desires.
But when it comes to the one thing
That will truly satisfy their very being
They reject it.
They won’t accept it.
It is cast aside like a worn-out rag.
But it is the only thing
That can satisfy to overflowing
Their wants, desires, and all else they could ever ask for.
It cannot be found in ads or magazines -
It is a gift!
Free.
And yet they refuse
This gift from the one true Giver -
The Giver of all, even life itself.
A gift of love.
Given far beyond what anyone ever has.
A gift so great it could never be matched.
He gave His only Son.
A Son that was born on earth,
Lived a perfect life,
Then gave His life for me.
He paid the penalty for my sin
Through His death.
And gave me life everlasting
Through His resurrection.
This gift is for all.
Yet so many will not receive it.
They reject it -
Even despise it.
But this gift of love still remains.
And the Giver awaits with open arms.
For anyone that will accept His priceless gift.

People search for all sorts of things trying to find something to give them an inner happiness. Is your hope in something temporary? If so, all pleasure is sure to fade and soon enough the search will continue. Or are you trusting in the One that can satiate your soul now and throughout eternity - Jesus Christ? Have you accepted this matchless gift? It's yours if you but ask Him.