Celebration of Marriage

Today would be my parents 39th wedding anniversary,but they divorced when I was five or six. Although it hurts they are not together I see it for what it is, a lesson. My parents both remarried within a couple of years to people they thought were better and more suited. They both divorced again, another lesson. My mom has never remarried but she had several lengthy relationships that were just another reminder of bad choices. My dad remarried a third time and he is still married to Alice, which I find is a Godsend. She has taught my Dad to smarten up and may be just the best choice for him. They have moments when he comes knocking on my door, moments were things seem to go really wrong , and he threatens divorce again.

The lesson I, my sister and brother have learned is divorce is just not option for us. Everyone laughs when I say it, but I totally mean it. Its death before divorce in our house and in our marriage. If I could share advice I would say 1. choose to work things out, it may take time but work it out, compromise, find common ground 2. give 100%. 3. Date always 4.Love always 5. Always forgive, even if it hurts. 6. Do not allow outside interferace no matter how well intentioned it is unless its a pastor or a godly counseller. 7. hold on to God no matter what and meditate on his promises.

I asked the ladies to think on

1 Corinthians 13

Love

¹If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. ¹¹When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. ¹²Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
¹³And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Come and show us your take on the challenge leave us a link , here is ours

Stacy
Hazel

Hidden journalling:

Kim



Julie

Ruth


Lythan

Pauline

A Cure for Grumbling?

I'm late for my in between post - oops!   Summer is winding down, school is just around the corner and my children cannot wait!  As we head into a new year of homeschooling I am wondering how things will work this year.  I will have 3 in school this year (kindergarten and grades 1 & 3) and 2 younger ones who will have to be occupied while we are having school.  The first day of school is always so exciting yet I know that after a couple weeks the newness will wear off and the grumbling will begin!  I am considering having a theme verse for school this year -

Phil 2:14  "Do all things without complaining and disputing."

The trick is, how do you translate the memory verse into a living verse?  That is, how do the children learn to live the verse, not just remember it?  I suppose one very important way is for me to live it before them!  I confess that I am often guilty of grumbling when things are not going according to my plan.  I need to realize in that moment that God may have other plans and I should not be complaining!

"Do it, and do not find fault with it. Mind your work, and do not quarrel with it.’’ God’s commands were given to be obeyed, not to be disputed. This greatly adorns our profession, and shows we serve a good Master, whose service is freedom and whose work is its own reward."  Henry, Matthew. "Commentary on Philippians 2." . Blue Letter Bible. 1 Mar 1996. 2010. 13 Aug 2010

I'd love to hear some of your ideas to ward off grumbling, leave a comment with your thoughts!

TRINITY - Three in one

This week Salt it three years old. Praise God for the way he has blessed and sustained our Salt team. We've known answers to prayer in times of need and various sorrows and joys. We pray that we will continue to be Salt and Light and that you will be blessed and challenged with the artwork the Lord allows us to create.

Although the word 'Trinity' does not occur in the Bible, it is never the less an important word to those who believe in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and the way they are revealed in the Scriptures.
Their inter-relationship is unique and to fully understand is impossible. However when we read about the way they interact, work together and yet are one we get a glimpse of just how amazing God is.

As a Christian there are times where I relate to the different persons of God, and yet I know they are all one. The Trinity is a witness that the shared love of God stretches back to eternity past. What a privilege that we can be brought into that family. It also reminds us that God has been a communicating God because of the fellowship shown between Father, Son and Spirit.
Please contemplate your relationship with God and his uniqueness, how do you relate to the different persons of God? Remember to let us know if you create any artwork so we can come and see!

Hazel


Kim

Stacy

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever

One of my favourite Bible verses is found in one of my favourite books of the bible - Hebrews 13:8:

'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.'

Whatever our circumstances, He remains the same - our constant Saviour and friend, one on whom we can depend, come what may. He is far more reliable and dependable than any human friend, however good that friend is.

He was there at the beginning of creation, He took on human form, born of a virgin, He died, rose again and ascended to be at the right hand of the Father.

When I was a child, my grandparents had a plaque hanging above their back door in the kitchen which said:

'Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday - and all is well'

If we acknowledge Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, He takes care of each day and what happens within it - unless, of course, we choose to go our own way and ignore His prompting. Why would we willfully want to go our own way when we have such a caring friend who has our best interests at heart?

Our challenge 'A trouble-free life?' is still open - you can read it here - if you are prompted to create something for this we would love you to leave us a comment and a link so we can come and have a look at your crafting.

Heather has joined our challenge with this beautifully crafted card - you can read what she wrote here:

A trouble-free life?

Hi, it's Pauline with this week's challenge. I asked the SALT team to think about the story of Jesus calming the storm in Luke 8:22-25,

"One day Jesus said to his disciples, 'let's go over to the other side of the lake'. So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him saying 'master, master, we're going to drown'. He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided and all was calm. 'Where is your faith?' he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, 'who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him'."

There are so many aspects to this story, but what I've been reflecting on recently is not the miracle of the walking on water but rather the issue of difficulties, or troubles, in life. For Luke and the other disciples, Jesus was their Saviour and they trusted in him to save them when there were any difficulties, however when faced with a storm while they were in the middle of the lake they were still worried and upset.

Jesus does not, however, promise a trouble-free life. In fact we read in the Bible that trouble will come (Acts 14:22). The journey across the lake wasn't stress free for the disciples, but as Christians we must trust that we can overcome difficulties. God can bring good out of evil. There are many situations that I'm sure we can all think of where this seems impossible, but as the Body of Christ we can share with others that while the Christian life is not free of troubles, the power to cope comes from God,

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

We hope you enjoy thinking over this week's theme and if you feel inspired to create something as a response then please link back to us in the comments.

Pauline

Hazel


Kim

Julie

Ruth

Stacy

A Common Life

One of my favourite inspirational authors is Max Lucado. A couple of years ago, I read and worked through his book "Cure for the Common Life - Living in Your Sweet Spot".

I loved it so much, I recently picked up a used copy so I can read it again.

The theme of the book - "Use your uniqueness to make a big deal of God every day of your life" - and the concept of "finding your sweet spot" in life (that place that uses your strengths to glorify Him) are worth revisiting again and again.

"Each person is given something to do that shows who God is". 1 Corinthians 12:7 (msg). No matter where we are, what our position is in life, what we do everyday - God has given every person gifts that we are to use for His glory - to make Him known to the people in our lives.



I'm looking forward to spending some time studying this book again. God has made me for a purpose. I want this to be true for me - that I would "live so that "he'll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything - encores to the end of time...." (1 Peter 4:11 msg). Exhibit God with your uniqueness. When you magnify your Maker with your strengths, when your contribution enriches God's reputation, your days grow suddenly sweet. And to really dulcify your world, use your uniqueness to make a big deal about God...every day of your life."


(all quotes take from Max's book "Cure for the Common Life")

Clothe yourself in Christ

July already! How time goes by. Some of us have already entered into holiday time. But there is always time to reflect on God's word! This time round I (Lythan) have chosen a Bible passage to think about
Galatians 3:23-29 - Clothe yourself in Christ
23 But before the time for faith came, the Law kept us all locked up as prisoners until this coming faith should be revealed. 24 And so the Law was in charge of us until Christ came, in order that we might then be put right with God through faith. 25 Now that the time for faith is here, the Law is no longer in charge of us. 26 It is through faith that all of you are God's children in union with Christ Jesus. 27 You were baptized into union with Christ, and now you are clothed, so to speak, with the life of Christ himself. 28 So there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free people, between men and women; you are all one in union with Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are the descendants of Abraham and will receive what God has promised.

I think this is a great passage to reflect on - it moves quite well from the obedience not sacrifice and talks about how following the about the letter of the law is not enough - faith brings freedom which brings responsibilities. The difference in life is to be clothed in Christ which means there is no difference when we are in union in Christ. There are all sorts of themes to take here - those of you who have just celebrated Independence Day may want to think about what Freedom means; there is also a lot about equality as well as the wonderful phrase about being clothed in Christ. We look forward to seeing your creative reflections.

Hazel


Lythan


Julie