Laced With Grace

Psalm 98:4
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;

Do you know that God longs for our attention? He fights through the distractions and noise of our world reminding us to give him a word of acknowledgement.

One way God continually tries to claim our attention is through music. Music is God’s creation made for our enjoyment as well as for His. Music is worship at its pinnacle. Words expressed in poetry, with sounds arranged in order to create a stirring in our soul and in the heart of God. Music is God’s love language spoken to us.

Listen for the love songs of God. We can hear His melodies in the soft laughter of a child. In Christmas carols playing softly on the stereo. He will serenade us through nature, the singing of the birds or the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze. Let God’s heart-poetry steal you away from the busyness of the Holiday Season.

As the Christmas season approaches, share moments with God through music. Dust off the CD cases; pull the Christmas music from the bins in the attic. Fill your soul with songs of home and hearth, heaven and birth.

Dear Lord, Everyday you speak to us in melodies of love. Thank you for the beauty of your lyrical language. Let it draw us from our busy lives to sit at your feet and sing along. In Jesus name, Amen

A few years back my kids were in AWANAS. We don’t go to that church anymore so now they attend our current church’s “Kid’s Club”.
For AWANAS every week the children, even 2 year old Issac, each had a verse to learn each week and it was up to me, the Mommy, to make sure they had it. Each child had a different verse because of their age differences and I always managed to forget about their verse until the last minute, meaning that we spent Wednesday afternoon rushing around the house trying to find all their AWANAS things shouting out their verses to one another. I never got that completely sorted out but we did finally solve the verse issue.

Every Wednesday night at dinner we would make up song that contained all three of their verses. Usually it worked out to be a catchy little song that they would run around singing until we got to AWANAS where they would promptly refuse to have anything to do with it. But that isn’t the point.

I remember one particular week, probably near Thanksgiving, when we couldn’t find Issac’s book so it was just the two girls and their verses. We made up a cute little song which we remember till this day, and which seemed very suitable for this week.

We are “giving thanks always for all things,” for “all things were made by Him”

Which we made up of their combined verses, Ephesians 5:20 & John 1:3. Somehow, that little song stuck around and always seems to pop up around Thanksgiving, fo obvious reasons.

See, we are called to give thanks always for ALL things and it is partly because ALL things were made by Him. Sure things fall apart, including our bodies as we get older, but that is a result of sin in the world. Yet all things, even in this fallen world, were made by Him and we are to give thanks for everything, always. And of course

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

There is that “all things” again. So even in this fallen world, all things work together for good. So doesn’t it stand to reason that we should give thanks for all things, since all things were made by Him, and all things work together for the good of those of us who love Him.

So, this Thanksgiving when you are thanking Him for all the good, comfortable stuff, don’t forget to thank Him for the challenging things, the uncomfortable, hurting things. They too are to be used for your good because He loves you.

And don’t mind me if you hear me humming our little diddy. It’s rather tuneless but somehow it sticks in your head, and is a wonderful reminder to give thanks always for all things for all things were made by Him.

What tune are you humming today? Are you singing your praises? Are you singing a dirge? Are you shouting from the mountain tops or gasping for breath as you climb out of a valley? Wherever you are, whatever your mood, let us join our voices together to sing His praises today.

Lord, regardless of where we stand today we praise You for Your blessings, all of them, even the ones that seem more like curses. Lord, you have promised to use all things for our good and we trust you to do so. Lord, we lift our voices in joyful chorus to sing a song of praise and thanksgiving this day. We worship You and bow down before You. Your’s are the cattle of a thousand hills, the sheep of every valley, Your’s are seas and rivers. It all belongs to You and we praise you this day with all creation.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and firmament shows His handiwork:

Psalm 19:1

I am a simple woman when it comes to my faith and religion. I cannot retell the stories from the bible with great detail or intimate knowledge. I cannot recite scripture at the drop of a hat or tell you where to locate one verse or another.

But I have the basic principles of faith down and I have an intense desire and drive to learn more and grow closer to God. I have begun my journey with simplicity in mind. I have begun by being amazed by the odd glory found in the most ordinary things.

I have made a list of my most basic resolutions and I visit them daily.

1. Whether indoor or out, I glance up (or out) at the sky and delight in its huge beauty and endless wonder.

2. I remember that each day I am given is a gift with the opportunity to learn and grow spiritually and morally.

3. I sit still and take in the beauty of the world around me, beginning within my own heart and extending through my home and into the vast world around me.

4. I try to look at the world through the awesomely innocent eyes of my children.

5. I look at my mission in life and I take steps, no matter how small, to bring hope, love and peace into my family and community. I attempt to fill any need the Lord sees fit to show me.

“I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me.”

Psalm 16:7-8

I am but a simple woman. I sit still and listen to the works of God all around me. He leads and I follow.

Lord,

Remind us to take the time to see You in our daily lives. Help us create our own personal rituals to help us praise You and keep You at the forefront of our minds and hearts. Aid us in reaching our goals so we may grow closer to you.

This we ask in Jesus’ name.

What do you do, each day, to remain close to God? What more could you (or should you) do?