A New Year of Priorities

Happy Thursday! Sorry for the late start today.

For me, September, with back to school, is always a time of starting fresh. It's my "New Year" more than New Year's is.
So this year, when I started reflecting on this fact, that life would be changing again and there is a shift in the balance of the every day experiences, one word kept coming to me.
Priority.
What will be my priorities this year? How can I make sure my own priorities are God's priorities for me? How will I make those big (and even those small!) decisions - in prayer and trusting Him to provide clear direction....or on my own and for my own selfish reasons?
It all comes down to being in constant conversation with my Creator. And making THAT my first priority. All else will fall into place if I'm communicating with Him and trusting Him daily.

So that's my challenge word and my focus for you this time!

And I've got a little "bonus" for you! If you complete the challenge and link your creation up in the comment section on this post, I will send you this digital stamp set (just click the image to see the details).....

Just my way of saying THANKS for joining our challenge!

ON with the projects!! Check out how the Salt DT used this digital set in their creations!

Tanis

Pauline

Hazel

Ruth

Julie

It's hip to be square

Over the summer my family was hooked on a tv show called Amish: World's Squarest Teenagers in which 5 Amish young people - two of whom were on rumspringa, visited various forms of youth culture in the UK and experienced life with different families. At the same time we learned a lot about life for the Amish. It was fascinating. I had wondered if the programme would end up making fun of these naive young people in their long sleeved clothes and funny hats. But it didn't. Instead there was as deep an exploration of Christian faith as I have seen on UK television.

What intrigued me most was how the Amish were not laughed at by the other teenagers, rather were listened to and treated with respect, even if their views were not agreed with. And talking with them helped the UK youngsters reflect on their own lives. This was a big surprise. I confess that I assumed that devout Christians would be treated with derision or simply ignored. That is the message we get about secular Britain today. But instead what I saw was a hunger for something more expressed by many of the teenagers and an appreciation of the integrity of the Amish.

Now, I do not think the answer to Britain being a less faith filled place is to retreat into little communities. But I found this programme both an inspiration and a reminder that people are more receptive to hearing about faith than we can expect. I think the key is integrity - be true to who you are and people will watch and listen. That also tells us that we should watch how we behave as others will take notice. but above all, take to heart the teachings of Jesus about being salt and light. I do love the way that Peterson expresses this in the Message

"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

Something new

As an ex-teacher who retired quite a few years ago, I (Hazel) still tend to think of September as a time of 'new beginnings'. It was a time for getting to know another class of children and issuing new exercise books - and I well remember my own schooldays when I received those unspoiled books.

So, when I was thinking of today's challenge, my mind went to 'something new'.

With our Heavenly Father there is always an air of expectancy - Lamentations 3:22-23: 'Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.'

This is echoed in that much-loved hymn 'Great is Thy faithfulness', one of my mum's favourites and was dad's too - it brought tears to my eyes at his funeral thanksgiving service.

Great is Thy Faithfulnesss, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy Faithfulnesss!
Great is Thy Faithfulnesss!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy Faithfulnesss, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great Faithfulnesss, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

It is our prayer that those reading this will experience these blessings for themselves.

'New beginnings' can be scary at times, for instance, for children going into a new class, a new school, young people going off to college or uni for the first time - there is an air of excitement mixed with a certain trepidation at stepping out into the unknown.

With Jesus as our Saviour and friend we have no need to be afraid of the 'new beginnings' that He has in store for us, for we have the confidence of knowing that 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever' (Hebrews 13:8).

Perhaps you are going through a dark patch where life is difficult and troublesome. Be comforted by the words of Isaiah, who assures us in chapter 43 of God's presence with us in troubled times and going on to say 'Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43:18-19)

So my challenge to you for this fortnight is to create 'something new' - it might be a LO that reflects on a 'new beginning', an event of special significance like a wedding, a new job, etc or a card for a new event, such as 'new home', 'new job', 'new baby' etc - or something that rejoices in God's faithfulness in His provision of 'new mercies' every day.

My own LO is based on those verses from Lamentations 3, reflecting on 'new mercies' even amid suffering. As usual, each member of the DT has her own unique response to the challenge. Please visit their own blogs to read and see more about their creations and thoughts.

If you are prompted to join in our challenge, please leave us a comment so that we can come and share in your creation. We would love to see you joining in with 'something new'.

Hazel





Lythan
Pauline

Kim

Ruth

God's Covenant

"He hath commanded His covenant forever..." -Psalm 111:9

Forgive my lateness in getting this posted...I completely forgot and was lovingly reminded by one of our dear DT members. :-) Thank you!!

I'd like to share a devotion I read a few days ago from Spurgeon's Morning & Evening, based on the Scripture text above, and I pray that it's a blessing and encouragement as you consider the sureness of God's promises!

The Lord's people delight in the covenant itself. It is an unfailing source of consolation to them so often as the Holy Spirit leads them into its banqueting house and waves its banner of love. They delight to contemplate the antiquity of that covenant, remembering that before the daystar knew its place, or planets ran their round, the interests of the saints were made secure in Christ Jesus. It is peculiarly pleasing to them to remember the sureness of the covenant, while meditating upon 'the sure mercies of David'. They delight to celebrate it as 'signed, and sealed, and ratified, in all things ordered well'. It often makes their hearts dilate with joy to think of its immutability, as a covenant which neither time or eternity, life nor deal, shall ever be able to violate - a covenant as old as eternity and as everlasing as the Rock of ages. They rejoice also to feast upon the fullness of this covenant, for they see in it all things provided for them. God is their portion, Christ their companion, the Spirit their Comforter, earth their lodge, and heaven their home. They see in it an inheritance reserved and entailed to every soul possessing an interest in its ancient and eternal deed of gift. Their eyes sparkled when they saw it as a treasure trove in the Bible; but oh! how their souls were gladdened when they saw in the last will and testament of their divine kinsman, that it was bequeathed to them! More especially it is the pleasure of God's people to contemplate the graciousness of this covenant. They see that the law was made void because it was a covenant of works and depended upon merit, but this they perceive to be enduring because grace is the basis, grace the condition, grace the strain, grace the bulwark, grace the foundation, grace the topstone. The covenant is a treasure of wealth, a granary of food, a fountain of life, a storehouse of salvation, a charter of people, and a haven of joy.

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