May you rest today in His shadow and trust in his provision.
Resting in Grace,
Teresa
Click image for all the Prompted to write posts.
God
Prompted By A Sunday Song
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Today’s post is Part of a 31 Day writing series where I choose moments from my life and let them be my writing prompt for the day. Today this song was threading through my mind. I chose the third verse as it seems to speak to our weary spirits as we live in a world riddled with strife. It is comforting to remember that ‘God is the ruler yet’ and ‘Jesus Christ will be satisfied.’
The window in the background of the image is from the church that my family began attending when I was a teenager. My grandfather was the pastor for some of those years. A few years ago when they did replacement windows they offered the old windows to the members of the congregation. My parents brought this one to me. It is a treasure and brings back happy memories of a great time in my life. A time that was full of singing.
Singing in Grace,
Teresa
God Speaks In The Flowers
Linking up today for Sacro Speco with All Manner of Inspiration
What I Learned While June Sped By
What I’ve learned in June. A reflective list of realizations, some new, some rediscovered. Join the party hosted by Emily over at Chatting at the Sky and see what others are sharing about June lessons.
1. I like cool spring days better than hot, humid summer days and we were blessed with several of those early in the month.
2. Hydrangeas need lots, lots, lots of water. They wilt at the first sign of too much heat. But they are beautiful and worth the extra maintenance. I hope the one I planted this month survives. And I hope it retains the beautiful blue color. There is much I don’t know about Hydrangeas yet.
Source Raul654
3. Speaking of high maintenance, my brother would rather I call him once with a list of all things going on, instead of calling him randomly. Then he can get back to me. Whatever! Today’s list for him (a list within a list if you will): I love you. How is your foot? Have you seen Dad’s new building yet? Aunt C is in the hospital. Aunt K is in the nursing home. B is going back to Texas for a week and then she’ll be back here for a while. Come see us sometime. Tell T and the kids we love them. If you need me I’m only a phone call away! Come to church with us sometime. So, when I called him, he actually answered. Turns out I’m supposed to mail the list every Friday. I just might do that. I know he loves me and I think he was just joking about the list. Bottom line – he doesn’t like to talk on the phone. I don’t either, but I do like to keep in touch with my brother once in a while. So, I call him sometimes. He’ll get over it. If I didn’t call he’d think I didn’t love him anymore. And, a list is very efficient, the call lasted less than five minutes.
4. I did not learn this in June (I’ve always known), but was once again reminded that I love my sister and I love having her home from Texas, she fills in some gaps that are missing when she is not here. I think I’ll lasso her, tie her up and keep her here. Can you tell I’ve been catching up with McLeod’s daughters on Netflix? Sisters are a gift to be treasured.
5. They killed Claire McLeod off on McLeod’s daughters. I know this is old news to most people who remember this show. I just discovered this last night and I’m still in shock. She was the pivotal character. I hope I did not spoil this for anyone, I realize I may not be the only one ten years behind. (it was just as depressing as Matthew dying on Downton Abbey – oops, hopefully you already knew that).
6. I should remember that if you attend church business meetings, you will be elected to be the clerk or something like that.
7. I’m discovering that as much as I love people, I really need a lot of quiet time to reflect and regroup.
8. I like the idea of owning a first edition book over the idea of selling it for big bucks. That is a true book lover. I also have too many books, but I did not learn this in June.
9. I read lots of blogs in June rather than doing a lot of writing on my blog. I came to some conclusions that I’m formulating into a post. I’ll share my thoughts once they are in line.
10. I’ve been seeing that depression is a topic that we need to speak out about. I have some thoughts brewing about this too that I want to write about on my blog.
11. I’m so over all this equality stuff. I will not share my thoughts on my blog. There are already too many voices out there espousing opinions. OK, I will say one thing: God knows the truth of everything and he knows his designs and plans. I need to trust him and follow his lead. OK, two things: words have meanings and those meanings should not be changed. It is what it is. That is all I will say. You have to choose your own opinion about all this stuff. Hopefully you will do that prayerfully.
12. Prayer, even in the little everyday things is vitally important. It builds our faith. Praying daily helps prepare us for the bigger issues. It makes us more grounded when they come. And come they will.
13. After 29 years I love my husband more than ever. We celebrated our marriage this month – not a new thing I learned, but a good reminder of where we’ve been on the journey to where we’re going.
So, what have you learned or re-learned in June? You can link-up here to share , or if you want to read what others have learned, just pop on over and read some of the other blogs.
Learning in Grace, Sadie
If We Live
“Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality. ” Emily Dickinson
We live our lives in fragmented pieces and unfinished sentences. We struggle to be what we think we are supposed to be – what we think others expect of us. We listen to the cacophony of voices around us clamoring to be heard and forget to stop and listen for the one, still voice that matters.
Some die too young while they’re right in the middle of the clamor, and they leave other’s to figure out the pieces of their lives. I believe if they could come back they would tell us to forget the pieces, forget the chaos, forget expectations of others. Instead, they would tell us to slow down, let the sentences be finished. Listen to the one who knows us best.
Soul living begins with listening to the still voice in the quiet of our heart. It requires a down slowing and an attitude of waiting, of clinging to the good and settling into peace. Making room for love and living. Realizing that living your faith, making time for others, savoring the everyday is far better than existing to chase a dream that you can’t take with you.
Since the first of the year, it seems that we have had one funeral home visitation upon another. A couple of these were men who died too young. Both my age, one in a car accident and one in his sleep. Both Christian men who loved their families. Seeing them in pictures with their families and hearing others speak about them was a testimony of lives well lived. Lives that made room for love and living.
Death is no respecter of age, and it will come to all. When my time comes, I want those left behind to be able to say that I listened to the Still Voice, that I settled into the Peace that only he can give. I want them to see the finished sentences. I want them to know they were loved by my living.
Living in Grace,
Sadie
Teresa L Hardymon 
