A sheep in the care of my Shepherd

Sheep have a reputation for being among the least intelligent of animals. Now, perhaps they're not as unintelligent as they seem (check out this article), but they're certainly not bright. They definitely aren't anywhere near as smart as humans.
Sheep stick together in a herd, and what one sheep does, the others generally do. They do have a tendency to wander off alone, and aren't always good at recognizing danger. However, they can remember fellow sheep and a few human faces (see the article linked above). When a sheep has one shepherd for its whole life, it learns to recognize the voice of that shepherd (see this for a bit more on that).

Photo Credit

The Bible often compares God to a shepherd, and his people to sheep. This was a familiar image to people living in both Old and New Testament times. King David himself was a shepherd as a boy (1 Samuel 16:11).
When Jesus was born, some of the first people to see him were shepherds (Luke 2:15-16).

Israel (Jacob) called God his shepherd. In blessing his son Joseph, he said "May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the Angel who has delivered me from all harm--may he bless these boys." (Genesis 28:15-16)
Moses compared God's people to sheep: "Moses said to the Lord, 'May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd'" (Numbers 27:15-17). (Joshua became that shepherd for God's people.)

The Psalms have many references to God as our shepherd, which makes sense since David wrote many of them.
Psalm 100:3 says, "Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture."
In Psalm 119:176 the psalmist confesses, "I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands."
And of course, the entirety of Psalm 23 is a metaphor for our life as sheep, being led by God, our shepherd. He provides everything we need, he protects us from harm, he corrects us when we stray, he is by our side through the darkest parts of life, and he will bless us to our life's end and beyond.

Several other passages in the Old Testament reference sheep and shepherds. See, for example, Isaiah 40:11 and 53:6-7 and Jeremiah 50:6.

In the New Testament, the best-known passage about sheep and shepherds is found in John 10. Not only does Jesus call himself the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for his sheep, but he is the gate to the sheep pen--the only way into that place of safety and rest. Anyone who tries to get into the pen any way other than the gate "is a thief and a robber." (See verses 1-2, 11, 14-15 especially.)
(For other New Testament references to God as our shepherd and us as his sheep, see Matthew 2:6, 9:36, Hebrews 13:20, 1 Peter 2:25, 5:2-4, Revelation 7:17.)

Perhaps being compared to sheep isn't the most flattering comparison. But if you think about it from a spiritual standpoint, it makes sense. Without God's direction (especially through the words of Scripture) we wouldn't know where to go and what we should and shouldn't do. Without his voice calling us to follow him, we would easily be led astray by other distractions around us. (We often are distracted as it is!) God provides everything we need, protects us from harm and evil, and loves us as his children. We might not even know when we're in danger because as our shepherd, God keeps those evil things away from us.

He calls us by name, just as shepherds call their sheep. He knows all our faults and still loves us and cares for us. And when faced with the ultimate adversary--Satan--he gladly laid down his life so that we could live.

When I consider all that, being a sheep isn't so bad after all. I'll readily admit that I'm not always very bright. I make some really stupid decisions, and I often get distracted away from my Shepherd's voice. But he's always there to bring me back to the fold, to heal my wounds, and to remind me how much he loves me.

Now, on a rather humorous note... check out this video!

"Take Every Song Captive": "Hallelujah"

Marvin Olasky wrote an article in the December 29 issue of WORLD magazine about Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah."  You know, the familiar song with the haunting, beautiful melody--but terrible words--made popular in the movie Shrek?

Olasky decided to write his own version of the song.  I think it's fantastic, and he recommended a beautiful instrumental version of the song that you can listen to while you read Olasky's lyrics.

(and if you can't click on the video, here's the link to the video on YouTube)

I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, it pleased the Lord.
But You don't love us for our music, do You?
Sin goes like this: The fourth, the fifth,
Adam's fall, the major rift,
The baffled king neglecting Hallelujah.
Chorus: Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

Nathan said, "I see your lust.
You violate a solider's trust.
Your pride, your pomp, at night they over threw you.
You steal, you will, you get your way,
But God has said, your child will pay,
And from your lips He'll draw the Hallelujah."
Chorus: 4X Hallelujah

David prayed, "Have mercy, Lord,
You saved me from Goliath's sword.
Yes, I lived for self before I knew you.
Now, more evil in your sight,
So I give up, I cannot fight.
Mine's a cold and broken Hallelujah."
Chorus

"Blood your hyssop, I'll be clean.
Wash me so my sin's not seen.
Give me of your Holy Spirit, will you?
Create in me a new, clean heart.
Give me now a strong, fresh start,
So every breath I draw is Hallelujah."
Chorus

"You don't delight in sacrifice.
You don't excuse our secret vice.
You want from us a broken spirit, do you?
You've shown me what I did was wrong.
I'll stand before You, Lord of song,
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah."
Chorus


I really love the tune to this song, and I'm thrilled that now there's a God-praising version I can get stuck in my head!  Olasky wrote in his article, "Great tunes should not be wasted.  Second Corinthians 10:5 says, 'We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.'  My corollary: Take every song captive."

Let's take our thoughts, words, actions, and songs captive for Christ!

God Gets Me {and speaks to my heart in so many ways}

"I get you," my husband told me last night.  "I understand how you're feeling."

This was after I'd started crying again, that time because of the wise and grace-filled words of a friend (the first time yesterday was in the car listening to Laura Story's Blessings).

It was one of those days.  Those days when worry and doubt seemed to overwhelm me.  When I felt full of guilt for not being in the Word or in prayer nearly as much as I know I should be.

So, knowing my heart, and my doubts, God spoke to me in a few ways.  Convicted my heart...and then encouraged and comforted it.

"We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
as if every promise from Your Word is not enough..."

Those were the words from Blessings that convicted me.  Yep.  That's exactly what I was doing...forgetting all of God's promises from his Word, that he would provide, that he would bless me beyond anything I deserve, that he would not forsake me.

Then, my friend wrote these words to me on Facebook:
"I've noticed that when I run into some funks [I had said that I felt like I was in a "spiritual funk"] I tend to feel guilty for not feeling repentant or loving or whatever the case may be.  But I don't want to force the feeling either.  I mean, God knows as well as I that it wouldn't be genuine.  And I'm coming to realize more what Jesus meant when he said that where a man's treasure is, there his heart will be also.  Like, my heart may not be feeling those things, but I can't change my heart's mind by willpower.  Instead, I think feelings follow actions in most cases, and that where I invest my "treasure" - time, effort, energy, talents, materials - that then my heart is going to be invested over time as well...and the more I practice that, the more I am certain it is true.
And so when it comes to those funks, all I can do is be intentional about investment in the Word, etc...and then everything falls into place.
Of course, the lovely Holy Spirit is behind all of that."

"Lead your heart," Joshua told me after I read the above message from my friend.

Then later, when I was sitting on his lap and trying to explain why I'd been feeling the way I had all day, he said to me, "I get you."  I realized that I hadn't been giving him enough credit...of course my husband understands me.  He might not all the time, but he knows me better than anyone.  I was glad to be woken up to the fact that he really did understand how I was feeling...and then it hit me.

I had, perhaps unintentionally, been assuming the same things of God--that he didn't understand what I was going through, that I had to try to carry the burden by myself, that worrying and fretting was the only way to accomplish anything... that talking to him wouldn't do any good.

It was as if God, in his immeasurable grace, said to me, "I get you.  Do you think I don't understand, child?  I understand exactly what you're feeling in your heart...I know what you're doing and why.  And I'm still in control.  You don't have to worry.  You don't have to do it on your own.  That's why you have friends, family and a husband who all love you.  That's what I'm for.  I'm taking care of you.  That's not your job."
That's the message I got from everything yesterday.

And God has the same message for you.  Even when it might not feel like it, God understands you.  He gets you.  He knows your heart even better than you know yourself!

Our Father is just wonderful.  When we sin, he not only helps us realize what we're doing wrong, but he immediately reminds us that we're forgiven, and he's taking care of everything.  He speaks to us through music, through the words of others, through the love of those around us.  His words to us might even be audible, a "little voice" in our heads (although that's not how it was for me yesterday).  But God still speaks to us.  He knows what we need to hear.

He gets us.

(and just as a little reminder and encouragement for you today...the song that spoke to me yesterday and many times before...)

Linking up today:
The Better Mom; What Joy is Mine; lowercase letters; Raising Arrows; The Alabaster Jar; To Love, Honor and Vacuum

the lies Satan tells {and then there's the Truth}

You can never get anything right.


You will never be good enough.


You are a failure...as a wife, a homemaker, a daughter, a sister, a friend.


You are miserable.  You are pathetic.  You are weak.


You don't deserve any good thing.  You don't deserve to be loved.


These are the lies Satan tells me.
These are the words that sometimes fill my head.
This is how Satan gets past the truth.
This is how he twists reality.

Yes, I am a sinner...
but I am also a child of God, saved by the grace of Jesus Christ.


No, I will never be good enough--on my own--
but that's why Jesus was good enough--PERFECT--in my place.
So that I wouldn't have to be.


No, I can't do everything right--by myself--
but that's why the Holy Spirit lives in my heart.
So He can help me live a life that honors God.


Yes, I will mess up.  A lot.
But I am forgiven because of Jesus Christ, who lived, died, and rose again
so that I could have eternal life.


No one is perfect.  No one can, on their own power, live a life that pleases God.
That's why we need Jesus.
That's why God sent Jesus, his only Son, into our sinful world--
to save us from Satan, from sin, from death, and from our own sinful natures.
Now, because of Christ, we are new creations.  We are pure, holy, redeemed.
And we have the promise of eternal life.


Jesus said to the people who did not believe in him,

"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire.  He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.  When he lied, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."  -John 8:44

Jesus said to those who did believe in him,

"If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  -John 8:31-32

Later, Jesus said to his disciples,

"I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me." -John 14:6

Satan is the father of lies.  Jesus is the Truth.

Who shall I believe?
Who will you believe? 

 (Growing up, I had an old portable tape player on which I listened to cassette tapes--I'm just old enough to have not heard of CD's when I was really little.  My favorite tape was an old "Best of Amy Grant," and this was my favorite song on it.  That tape is so worn-out now that it hardly plays properly--but the song is as great now as it was then.  Also of note is the pianist in this video.  Do you recognize him?  It's a very young Michael W. Smith!)

What is Truth?

"What is truth?"

It is the question Pilate asked Jesus, just hours before Jesus' crucifixion (John 18:38).

Jesus had just said to him, "In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

"Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."


Well, but what is truth?  Who defines it?

Is truth what we make of it?  Is it whatever we choose?  You have your truth, and I have mine, and we'll all get along.

Well, but maybe my truth is different from yours.  Maybe my truth says that nothing you say is true.
But what if your truth says that nothing I say is true?  What then?

We need something that defines truth.  Something that's not any of us, because we'll never come down to a solid answer on our own.

Jesus told his followers, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31).

Now we're getting somewhere.  If we hold to Jesus' teaching...we will know the truth.  What did Jesus teach?

The most important thing he said was this:

"God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but will have eternal life."

-Jesus (John 3:16)

Jesus also said this:

"I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6)

There is the answer to Pilate's question.  What is truth?  Jesus is truth.  His teachings are truth.

But wait, there's one thing more.
Jesus=God.  (John 1:1-3)
God's teachings=Jesus' teachings.
God's teachings=Scripture ("God's Word").
Scripture=Jesus' teachings.
Jesus' teachings=truth.
Scripture=truth.

What is truth?
Truth is every word found in God's Word: in the Bible.

Then this, too, is truth:

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:8-10).

(Leaving you with something to perhaps make you smile.  Brad Stein is one of my favorite Christian speakers and comedians.  He has a lot of good things to say...including about truth.)

Linking with:

a few favorite things

A friend shared this on facebook in the midst of a ferocious thunderstorm last night.  I haven't seen such rain, lightning, and hail in a while.  And there was SO much rain that our window leaked...poured rain in like it hasn't yet.  Luckily, most of the water is contained in a small area...in nearly-full buckets and sopping towels and rags.  Not looking forward to cleaning that up.


Joshua played this song this morning, and I realized something: our favorite things are also our favorite blessings.  When I think of all that God has given me, "then I don't feel so bad!"

So, a few favorite things on this Friday...

cuddling with my husband while we watch a movie


taking turns reading a book aloud in bed before we go to sleep ("The Silmarillion," by J. R. R. Tolkien)

talks on the phone with my mom and with my best friend


quietly reading and writing in the cool, dim house in the mornings

lunch with Joshua on the sunny deck outside the campus center at school


the excitement of a new project taking root in mind and words

waking up knowing that tonight starts the weekend


These are a few of my favorite things...

Holy Night

So often I am weighed down by thoughts, worries, ordinary things.  Money.  Grocery shopping.  Homework.  Housework.  Jobs.  School.  Those are the things that fill my mind the most.

Sometime, just for a while, I want to be completely filled with thoughts of God, of his acts in history and in my life, of the future he has in store.  I know, I could just spend time in meditation, contemplation.  I've been out of my habit of regular Bible reading for a while now.  All those earthly things I listed have crowded that out of my schedule.  That needs to change, and I know it.

But I wonder, what Mary and Joseph experienced on that night that Jesus was born.  Did any earthly cares fill their minds?  Joseph's, perhaps, unless that's just my opinion of men.  He was probably thinking angry thoughts directed toward a variety of innkeepers, worry about his wife having a baby in a barn, of all places, and, I hope, wonder at the thought that the baby she was bearing was the Son of God.

And maybe he wasn't.  Maybe all his thoughts had to do with the extraordinary, world-changing event that was taking place before his very eyes.

As a woman, I can almost guarantee that Mary wasn't distracted by much of anything, except her pain.  I have yet to give birth, but as far as I've been told it's not a comfortable experience.  I wonder if the fact that Mary was giving birth to God made any difference in that.  Probably not: Jesus is just as much human as he is God.  But holding that baby in her arms, when it was all over...the only thoughts in my head would be those of awe, wonder, delight, and joy.  Not only was she a mother, holding her firstborn in her arms, but she had just given birth to the Savior of the world.

I don't think that the full meaning of that would have occurred to her all at once.  Not on that night.  What was to come was probably not what Mary would have ever imagined.

But for that one night...that precious, holy night...she held her baby in her arms and rejoiced, her thoughts only those of God.

May I be as Mary.

late nights and Advent wonder

This last week or so I've had more of them than usual.  Oddly enough, it's twelve thirty and I'm not remotely sleepy.  I'm also in denial about the fact that I have to be up at seven for work.  Eh, six and a half hours, no problem.  I'll get to sleep in on Friday. :)

The main reasons I've been up so late are homework, and...oh.  Homework.  Yeah, that's it.  Mostly it's self-inflicted (coughprocrastinationcough) but I'm pretty okay with that.  Honestly, if I didn't have to get up as early as I do tomorrow I'd just stay up and write my very last paper and be done with it.  I might have been able to anyway if I hadn't spent so much time playing dumb games on facebook  chatting with my husband who was playing a computer game  procrastinating.  Ugh.

Anyway, being up this late tonight makes me wonder...it's Advent.  Eleven days before the birth of Jesus, was Mary sitting up, looking out her window, wondering what the future held?  A young, very pregnant girl, probably about to set out on the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  What was she feeling?  Fear?  Excitement?  Anticipation?  Nervousness?  All of the above?

Was she feeling hope?  She knew that the baby in her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

She was carrying, inside her body, God made Man.

Did she feel wonder?  Awe?  Amazement?

Hope?

Some days I fret, not knowing what the future will hold.  I mean, yes, tomorrow I'm getting up and going to work and coming home and going back to work.  We'll celebrate Christmas soon, the next semester will start, in a year and a half we'll finish college.

But will we?  We have no idea what will happen between now and then.  I don't even know what's going to occur in the next hour, the next minute.

But I have hope.  Because although my future might not be certain to me, it's certain to God--that God-made-flesh who was born from Mary, born in a stable, born into a sinful, dark world.

It's still a sinful world.  But Christ, the Light, was born into it, and now a Light shines in the darkness.

There is hope for the future, because that Light has already been there.  God knows what will happen tomorrow, next week, next year.  Nothing will happen in my life without his knowing about it.

And everything that happens to me, God will work for good.

Did Mary know that?  Did she know how eternity-changing her Son's birth would be?  Did she know, anticipating the pains of childbirth, that her baby would experience hell-- for her?  For the world?

I do.  I know what that baby experienced when he became a man.

He did it for me.

Thankful Thursday

Today is my busiest day of the week: class, chapel, babysitting, lunch, class, class, homework, work, work, homework.  Bed.  Right now I'm in the last homework stage.  And yes, I'm doing a blog post instead of homework at the moment.  Priorities, you know. :)

Anyway, there is much to be thankful for on this busiest of days!!

~Beautiful fall weather
~A furnace that heats our home, blankets and a hand-crocheted afghan on the bed, and a husband to snuggle against
~Writing like mad in class this morning
~Funny and awkward and sweet poetry
~Running after two little girls
~Seeing people I know and like and talking with them
~Warm, cozy, fuzzy sweaters
~Coworkers I like, who make me smile
~Chicken salad crossaints with swiss cheese (!!!)
~Relaxing hour of work at the library
~Homework with my hubby
~The promise of going to see CELTIC THUNDER tomorrow!!!!!!!

linking up to the lovely Julia at black tag diaries. :)

How my husband loves me, and, more of what I've learned about marriage.

My husband played this for me this morning:

He does such a good job of making me feel special and loved. Like last night, for example. He suggested that we watch "Tangled" when I got home from work, so we did and had tea and brownies. Then I took a long, warm shower, and he lit candles in our room and gave me a massage with my favorite lotion. It was AMAZING, and I just felt so treasured and loved.

I'm constantly learning more about how to love my husband and how to make our marriage a great one. I just posted a comment on the Modern Mrs. Darcy, one of my favorite blogs. And I thought I'd share what I said on there, plus adding to it a bit. (Also, the five tips that Anne shares from John Gottman are excellent!)


So, more of what I've learned about marriage:

Don't sweat the little things. His leaving clothes on the floor or spatters on the toilet seat does NOT mean he doesn't love you and is trying to make things frustrating for you.  t just means that he was a little careless. (You are too, sometimes!) And he is a man. Unless he is the cleaner one of the two of you, those things will happen. You can deal with them. (Now, if there's something you've reminded him about time and time again, he needs to honor that request!)

Avoid criticism, unless it's for a VERY good reason and is constructive and spoken with love.  'm preaching to myself here because I tend to be very critical. If he makes the bed, does the dishes, picks up the living room, does the grocery shopping, or anything else, praise and thank him for it!! Don't focus on what he didn't do the way you would have done. If he got 2% and you normally get skim, ignore that.  See above.)

Pray. A lot. For and with each other. Coming to the Lord in prayer together is a more unifying act than anything else in marriage. Connected with this is worshipping together. Whatever faith you claim, attend your place of worship together regularly!

Eat meals together as much as possible, and try not to eat in front of the TV very often. This is an opportunity to sit down together without any distractions and spend a few minutes talking, laughing and catching up.

Try to do chores together, unless he's at work and you're at home or vice versa. Not only does this get things done quicker, but it's more fun, especially if you put on a CD you both like and blast it loud enough to hear over the vaccuum. Plus, it's easier to make a bed with two people.

Don’t talk about money or anything else that gets you stressed, in bed, especially not right before you go to sleep. The bed and bedroom should be a sanctuary, a place of relaxation, refreshment and peace. Keep your bedroom clean and tidy for the same reason.

Flirt! With each other only, of course, but keep at it like you’re still dating, to keep your love life fresh and fun.

The most important aspect of any marriage is FORGIVENESS. You’ll both mess up, a lot. But I figure, considering how much God forgives me, the least I can do is forgive my husband.

Marriage is such a blessing in so many ways.  I'm thankful for all that God is teaching us about each other, ourselves, and Him.  I'm so thankful that I get to live my life with the amazing man that's my husband!

God's Lessons for Me Lately

I always need to be taught something.  I might not always know what, but God does!

The last few weeks, one of the biggest lessons has been patience.  Things don't always go the way I want them to, or as quickly as I want them to.  Delays happen.  It's incredibly frustrating.  I've been impatient to the point of angry tears a few times recently.  But our times are not His, our ways are not His, our thoughts are not His.  God.  Knows.  Best.  HIS timing is perfect--not mine.  I just have to go along with His plans and wait and see the wonderful things He has in store for me.  Sometimes that's really hard.  But I know God works everything out for good (Romans 8:28)!!

The other thing God has been teaching me is that HE knows best, not me.  I want things to go my way because I think my way is the best way!  I think that if everything would go according to my plans, it would all work out great.  But that's because I'm forgetting that God is God and I am not.  That I am extremely short-sighted when it comes to the future.  That God is all-knowing (omniscient), all-powerful (omnipotent) and everywhere all the time (omnipresent).  And I am none of those things.  :)  Not to mention He is all loving and all good.  And He loves me more than I can fathom.  He has a plan for me, a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).  He knows what I need to learn in life, and He knows how to work out my circumstances so I learn them.

Almost every time I've been in the car lately, I hear the same song.  I'd get tired of it if not for the fact that God has used it to speak to me in every moment that I've heard it.  I always need it.  And it's been getting stuck in my head, which is good too!!  The song is "Blessings" by Laura Story.  Here is an excerpt of the lyrics:

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

(Chorus)
Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

(Chorus)

The Couple that Laughs Together

Hubby has introduced me to a lot of fun things that I never would have gotten into otherwise.  Smallville, for one thing.  I've never been into any TV series, but this one is addicting and I love it.  This year ended the 10th and final season, so now we're starting with season 1 online so I can watch them all.  :)

Another thing we both enjoy is watching DVD's of Thou Shalt Laugh, a Christian comedy presentation.  One of the comedians is Thor Ramsey, who happens to share our last name and I'm proud of it: he's hilarious.  My favorite is Taylor Mason, the ventriloquist.  He's hysterical, and his puppets are even more so.  We just watched my favorite video of Paquito, the little piggy puppet.  So there's the video.  Paquito is too cute for words: you'll understand.

And if you want more, here's Paco, the bigger piggy puppet:

This is Home.

Some photos of our new home!

In Christ Alone

This is one of my favorite contemporary hymns, and a beautiful video to go with it!

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTic5anwNA8zIt6x82x9NYZJ4Z8NeX2o7JDtg4LBC_iDmgZ_jZQ

Sometimes someone else has already put my feelings into words.

Psalm 103:8-13:
The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve or relay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.

Once again I have experienced God's incredible love, mercy, and most of all his forgiveness.
Every day, every hour, every minute he gives me a fresh start, another chance to live my life to his glory.

And as Rebecca St. James sings in the song above, "My child, let me remind you, it is I who'll lead and guide you as you go."  God doesn't force us to get it right on our own.  HE gives us the strength and willpower to obey him!!

a song to go with today's post

Not all the lyrics of this song apply to me, but I can relate to the refrain especially.  Each day is a gift!!