Tag Archives: oceans

Heartfelt Inspiration!

21 May

Heartfelt Inspiration!

Hilton Head Island

People may ask me, why do you love to go to the ocean?  I never have just a simple answer.  I usually answer them with another question such as follows: Don’t you just love it when you can see something with your own eyes that inspires you?

The ocean’s great expanse overwhelms me every time I get a chance to go and stand on its wonderful sandy shores.  As I stand there I become awestruck by the ever-changing hues of greens, blues, and grays!  The beauty of the ocean is so breathtaking to me that I can’t help but think about the Lord! Although as a child of God we are to walk by faith and not by our senses, it is my opinion that the Lord created such wonderful things for us to see so that we are without excuse to know that He is! He is the creator of all that is! As I stand there gazing at the wonder of His creation, then I feel that I am even more a Believer in what He has done and will continue do to help me! After all, if He could create all of what my eyes behold, then surely He can create whatever I need Him to create for me!

All of my senses come alive when I stand at the ocean! I feel the gentle breezes as they brush gently across my face, but then more violently as the winds blow my long hair into a tangled mess. As I step down into the oceans warm water barely over my knees I feel the force of the waves as they buffet against me nearly knocking me down with the sheer power of them!  I hear the roaring sounds as the ocean’s waves crash against the shoreline.  I am amazed at the white caps of the waves as they peak from what seems like miles out to sea! My sense of smell is heightened as I breathe in the odor of seaweed, fish and salt. I can almost taste the salt upon my lips.  My mind is charged with creative thoughts and my Spirit is lifted to a new height as I become inspired and moved with emotion! I try to compare the beauty and splendor of what I see with the Great Creator, but in my heart I know that it doesn’t or couldn’t began to compare to His Beauty. I become totally overwhelmed with His presence and feel a tear trickle down my cheek as I just stand in awesome wonder!

I’ve known His power as He has moved swiftly on my behalf to change circumstances to bless me.  However, I stand in pure amazement as I suddenly realize what gentleness He must have toward mankind.  When another wave roars toward me with such force and power, it causes me to have understanding of what restraint that He chooses toward us.  He truly shows us His tenderness and compassion!  He is more powerful than the force of all the waves, but gingerly touches us with His presence!  My heart and soul has been refreshed as I peer out into the great vastness!  I break out into a song of praise as I lift my voice, “How Great thou Art!  How Great thou Art!”

God’s Not Through With Me Yet!

12 Mar

God Is Not Through With Us Yet!

Isaiah 64:8 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.

Baby-Cardinal-in-Hands_iab

Can you guess what kind of bird this is? Below are several hints:

  1.  It is the official bird of at least 7 states.
  2. These birds do not migrate, but have adapted to northern and southern climates.
  3. They frequent birdfeeders
  4. Unlike some birds both female and male birds sing.
  5. The male bird has  a brilliant red color and the female is an attractive brown
  6. A baseball team has been named after them!
  7. They usually have three eggs at a time.
  8. The male often feeds the female especially when she is on the nest.

 

Have you had enough hints to guess the type of bird? If you guessed the Cardinal you are correct.  I wanted to put this little homely looking bird up as a visual lesson, because all too many times we look on the outside of a thing and judge it before we even know what is on the inside. While looking at this little gray mass of feathers with its little pump knot, it is hard to believe how something so unattractive could become something so beautiful! This bird in my opinion is one of the most brilliant and beautiful birds.  When it comes to my birdfeeder or sets in a blooming dogwood tree, my breath catches in my throat for a second because it is so exquisitely gorgeous! When it sings its song, I have to stop and think about the many songs that the Lord gave his creatures to sing his praise!

I know that when people look at me, they may not see beauty, but please don’t judge me yet!  God is not finished with me. Like this little bird, I may not be the most attractive thing, but what the Lord is making me into is breathtakingly beautiful!  You may say, “well that is a very conceited thing to say!”  But I say unto you, I am on the Potter’s wheel, I am being made into his image and his image is indeed perfect and beautiful! You too are on His wheel!

7.Jeremiah (KJV) 18:2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

8.Jeremiah 18:3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

9.Jeremiah 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

6.Isaiah 64:8 (KJV)  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.

We all have our flaws and according to the scripture we are made to be marred in the Potter’s hand!  Why? I think we all have flaws so that we will not be judged by others! This truth puts us all in the same boat if you will!  We all have need of the Perfect One Jesus! If we find out whom we are in Him and that we are made in His image and began walking in that calling or purpose, we are just like these gorgeous Cardinals.  Our life becomes a song of praise to the Master!  So don’t judge me yet!  God’s not through with me! I am spinning on the wheel being made into another vessel that will hold His glory!

I hope that the next time you see a beautiful Cardinal or hear its song of praise to the Master that you will realize that you are a precious vessel of clay in the Potter’s hand and that regardless of what you are going through, that you are valuable.  You’re his greatest creation created in His image!  You are being changed from faith to faith and from glory to glory!

Ms. Suzy HomeMaker

5 Mar

Ms. Suzy HomeMaker.

Ms. Suzy HomeMaker

5 Mar

I am so glad that I turned into Suzy HomeMaker!  Still loving this recipe for Homemade Detergent, read my update at the bottom of the original post!

The Father’s Good Pleasure!

5 Mar

 

via The Father’s Good Pleasure!.

The Father’s Good Pleasure!

5 Mar

The Father’s Good Pleasure!

Little Lamb Luke

Luke 12:32  (KJV) Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

As I write this, I was thinking about the past few weeks and how the Lord has just blessed my family beyond anything that we really asked him to.   I also thought about people who are still waiting for their promise to come.   Sometimes when it seems the Lord is passing out to everyone but to them, something just sort of rises up in them and mumbles, “Wait a minute, why am I not getting blessed? They are asking the Lord, “When is my season going to come?”  I know about those questions because I’ve been there, and I have asked them myself.  The one thing I’ve really learned, however, is that it is all available to me and has always been available.  I don’t want to get upset because others are getting theirs and totally miss mine because I’m off pouting somewhere. My Pastor calls a pouting mentality an orphan spirit.  If I am a child of God then all that He has is mine!   I’ve learned to rejoice with others, because I know that the same blessings are available to me!

When the prodigal son left the Father’s house to go and “live it up and waste what his Daddy gave him” He had to come to a place of realization.  He had to realize that regardless of what he did or didn’t do the Father’s love was enough and that he could go home to the blessing. His older brother, however, was upset that the Father would just welcome the prodigal son back home and throw him a party, kill the fatted calf, put a ring on his finger, give him His best robe…Why? The older brother didn’t realize that all of it had been available to him all along.  The eldest brother could have lived in a perpetual party, but he let envy and bitterness rob him from receiving the blessing of the Father. How sad it will be that many Christians will get to heaven and only then find out what was made available to them while they lived upon the earth, but they never received it because of envy and jealously.  

When Jesus bled and died, He said “It is finished!” So everything is available to us, but not all things are entrusted to us right away.  Like the prodigal son had to go through some character building lessons, so do we.  My son would love to have a mustang car, he is only 13.  Do you think I will give him a mustang car now?  NO WAY….Why?  Because he is a child and he is not mature enough to handle a mustang…Many Christians are still childish and they are not mature enough to handle all that they want from the Lord.   As the above scripture states, Luke 12:32 (KJV) Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  The Father is not withholding from you, but maybe he is protecting you long enough for you to build up a strong character, that whatever you want from him will not destroy you, but will benefit you!

 

Please check out my weekly post at www.lakeviewtimes.com

Love the Ocean!

22 Oct

Love the Ocean!.

Love the Ocean!

22 Oct

160px-Tybee-island-sunrise-ga1Secret Getaway 019 Secret Getaway 020 Secret Getaway 021 Secret Getaway 022 Secret Getaway 024 Secret Getaway 025 Secret Getaway 026 Secret Getaway 027 Secret Getaway 029 Secret Getaway 030 Secret Getaway 031 Secret Getaway 032 Secret Getaway 034 Secret Getaway 035 Secret Getaway 036 Secret Getaway 037 Secret Getaway 039 Secret Getaway 040 Secret Getaway 041 Secret Getaway 042

%d bloggers like this: