What I've been up too

You can take a wee peak over here: www.smitfamilynz.blogspot.com if you want to have a nosy at the preserving I've been up too ... so far we have plum chutney, plum jam, apricot jam (should have done more of that) and plain pears done.  Now i'm all out of jars, so need an op-shop trawl to find some more ...

Sunday thoughts

Well, this morning has dawned.  Not sure how much typing time I will get, but I did want to share with you something my  husband shared with me last night, and some thoughts about it. .... take the time (if you have it) to read the beginning of Genesis 26 in your bible, or you can read it below.  I've taken it from the NLT translation, it's one I'm looking into at the moment for a personal bible.  Red highlights are from me, so take note of those  words and phrases ....

Genesis 26

New Living Translation (NLT)

Genesis 26

Isaac Deceives Abimelech

 ¹ A severe famine now struck the land, as had happened before in Abraham’s time. So Isaac moved to Gerar, where Abimelech, king of the Philistines, lived.  ² The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. ³ Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants,^[a] just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. ⁴ I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. ⁵ I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions.” ⁶ So Isaac stayed in Gerar.
 ⁷ When the men who lived there asked Isaac about his wife, Rebekah, he said, “She is my sister.” He was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “They will kill me to get her, because she is so beautiful.” ⁸ But some time later, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out his window and saw Isaac caressing Rebekah.
 ⁹ Immediately, Abimelech called for Isaac and exclaimed, “She is obviously your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?”
   “Because I was afraid someone would kill me to get her from me,” Isaac replied.
 ¹⁰ “How could you do this to us?” Abimelech exclaimed. “One of my people might easily have taken your wife and slept with her, and you would have made us guilty of great sin.”
 ¹¹ Then Abimelech issued a public proclamation: “Anyone who touches this man or his wife will be put to death!”

Conflict over Water Rights

 ¹² When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the LORD blessed him. ¹³ He became a very rich man, and his wealth continued to grow. ¹⁴ He acquired so many flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and servants that the Philistines became jealous of him. ¹⁵ So the Philistines filled up all of Isaac’s wells with dirt. These were the wells that had been dug by the servants of his father, Abraham.  ¹⁶ Finally, Abimelech ordered Isaac to leave the country. “Go somewhere else,” he said, “for you have become too powerful for us.”


Thoughts ....

There was a famine in the land where Isaac was.  In our lives we can go through periods of famine.  It might be a famine literally - where we are struggling to make ends meet, struggling to feed our families.  It might be a famine emotionally - a struggle to feel anything, love, hurt, anger, forgiveness.  It might be a personal struggle, a drought in feeling like God isn't talking to you.  A drought when you read His word - as though it isn't for you personally.  The drought may come in the form of having no family around who understand you, or literally and physically having no family around.  Drought's can some in all shapes, forms and sizes, and at various times in our lives they will come.

Next step ... fast forward till after Isaac has had to admit, actually Rebekah is his wife (oops, caught in a public display of affection).  He PLANTED HIS GRAIN IN THAT YEAR.  What year?  The year of the famine.  In all likelihood, he was planting seed in dusty, dry, parched ground.  His servants probably looked at each other and went, ok, this boss of ours is a few fries short of a happy meal.  Yet, Isaac showed his trust in the LORD and planted out his usual amount of grain.  The famine continued that year.  And yet, what do we read? That he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted for the LORD blessed him.  What an amazing God we see here.  In a year of famine, the grain produced a hundredfold, he was blest of the LORD - and that despite his shortcomings.  

We see in this passage both sides of Isaac - his human frailty (not trusting God to keep him and his family safe, so therefore lying about his relationship with Rebekah) and on the opposite side, his trust in God, that even during a famine year, the planted grain would sprout, grow and bring forth fruit.  And how did God bless that faith!  A hundred fold.  We too, can often swing from side to side, our human frailty reminding us just how much we are 'under the law', that we have sinned, that we don't deserve any blessing.  YET let us remember to sow in faith and know confidently that the LORD will bless our faith.  So we may not have family around BUT the LORD will (and does) provide firm friends who are closer than a brother.  We may feel emotionally cleaned out, but the LORD can provide a word in season via a book, DVD, friend or other means.  We may be struggling with a certain issue but He will give us first the faith to sow, and then will bless that sowing to us.

Mark 10: 29,30
²⁹ “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, ³⁰ will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. 


Isaac's blessing didn't come without a cost - first all his well's were filled up with dirt and then he was ordered to leave the land where he lived.  We too may find that struggles come along our way.  Others may not understand us, may accuse us of all sorts of things, put obstacles in our way, BUT we know who we have on our side.  He is strong to hold us, to give us His strength, to empower us with the faith and knowledge that the accuser (Satan) is crushed, that Jesus has died for us so that we may nevermore die!!  He is there is strengthen our faith, he is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrew 2:2)

He is faithful to bless us in this life and the next!!  AMEN - blessed be His holy name!  Let us rejoice then in what seems to be a year of famine and rejoice that He will open our eyes to behold HIS glory in those circumstances.  This is when we will see the LORD at work, see His strength and behold His beauty.

Sunday

Just taking it nice and slowly today.  Bread buns have been made and baked for a shared dinner after church, the baby has had a nice long sleep and the kids are playing ...

Blessed Sunday everyone.

Some books

It is always heartbreaking, wrenching, gut-busting to hear or read about any sort of abuse.  However, child abuse, whether physical, verbal, emotional or sexual is extra heinous in my opinion. 

We have had come into our path these couple of books: http://www.yellandtellbooks.com/ by Debi Pearl.  On a personal note, I think the boys one is better written (and covers more ground) than the girls one, but I think they are a good starting point, even if it is just amongst  parents to start with, for talking with, about and empowering our children against sexual abuse - whether this abuse be physical, verbal or emotional.

I haven't had a good look around as to what else is available in this market, as something you could read/discuss with younger (2yrs up) children - but I will.  I think it is important to be able to put these resources out there and share then openly without any shame.  Thanks to the person who shared them with us!  It is really important to remember that this horrid, heinous thing does happen, and it can happen in ANY circles, not just in the world 'out there'. 

image source: google images

Sunday Thoughts

^{Matthew 28}

²⁸Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

 Ok, so this verse has been running about in my head for the last 24hrs, which I'm going to take as the Holy Spirit leading me to it.  I've been involved in some discussions about faith and assurance and fear - and it's gotten me thinking ... what does our LORD Himself say about coming to Him and being with Him ...

First he says COME - this is an action word, along with TAKE and LEARN.  There is no reason given here for us not to fully embrace the Savior with both hands.  If I tell my kids to take a jelly bean - they are not going to look at me twice and ask me if I'm serious, do you really mean I can have a jelly bean?  They are going to trust I really want them to have a jelly bean and if they can get away with it, and I haven't specified just one, they're going to grab a whole handful.   God is so full of amazing grace and love that we can take from Him.  Jesus Christ died on the cross, meaning all His righteousness became ours for the taking ... AMAZING GRACE!!!   

The next word that struck me is the word ALL YOU.   Not you who have read your Bible this morning, not you who have been sitting in the pew for at least X number of years, not you who pray or you who fast.  No, all you who are weary and heavy laden.  We often put so many conditions on ourselves that just wear us plain out.  I can't be a true Christian because I don't feel my sin enough.  Christ mustn't be in my heart properly because I haven't read my bible in the last day/week/month.  No, that isn't for me, I don't know Jesus well enough.  My friend - stop looking at the law and keeping rules to make you holy enough for Christ.  He died on the cross fulfilling the entire law for you.  Be encouraged and thankful if you feel you are failing because then you can embrace and appreciate His AMAZING GRACE all the more.

The word REST appears also.  What does rest mean to you?  Does it mean running about trying to get things done, or is it a quiet, peaceful space where you can be calm in your body and soul?  For me, rest in Jesus is knowing His supply of grace is abundant (Romans 5:17b they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. ) and when I am given grace to live in that supply and know of that free gift I am enabled to reign in life.  Habits, issues, giants, depressions, people and fears no longer have a strangle hold on me.  I am free through JESUS CHRIST - AMEN!!!

FOR MY YOKE IS EASY AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT -   Christ didn't promise that no troubles would ever come our way but he did promise that his yoke is easy and the burden is light.  He didn't design His wondrous salvation for us to be bowed down under worries about assurance or worries about whether we are holy enough or good enough.  He didn't design the law to pull us under in a blanket of shame at how much we fall short of His glory.  He GAVE His only begotten Son, perfect man, understanding us completely and yet perfectly God to die on the cross so that all His righteousness became ours.  In our own frailty we may not feel the courage or assurance to say yes Christ is mine - but let us not rest on our own frailty but instead claim the promise in Matthew 18:10 that Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

You may be little or feel yourself lacking in any or much faith, but remember and know there are people that are praying for you as a little one! 

Gaints

We all have giants in our lives ... whether it's the washing pile, the grocery bill, the misbehaving kids, or other life issues (could make a huge list here :giggle:) BUT here's an interesting thought for you ...

The hebrew word for gaint is "rapha'im"
The hebrew word for healing is "RAPHA"
 both with a similar root word

Numbers 14:9 - Caleb says ⁶And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
 ⁷And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
 ⁸If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
 ⁹Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people (giants) of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

Conclusion - the giants in our lives will become healing for us, or through the giants in our lives we will be fed and gain from them, even if it's just a simple life lesson.   I do need to do a bit more study on this - since I'm not exactly a hebrew scholar - but I like the drawn connection (even if i might be not 100% certain).  even if you ignore the root words and the hebrew ... lets find confidence in our LORD because when he is with us, we don't need to fear ... let us rise up as Caleb and Joshua and face the giants in our lives - and refuse to be cowered like the other ten spies.  With God for us who can be against us!! 

Sunday Thoughts

It's early morning here again.  The three boys have been awake since 5am (not sure what got into them) although the bubba was only fed a bit later.  The light is slowly starting to filter through the windows.  Not sure who the big boys are managing to play with their duplo since they have no light in their room (in theory meant to stop Mr.3 turning it on at 3am and waking up everyone) and it isn't that light outside. Never mind - they sound happy for the most part. 

I haven't got a particular scripture in mind for today (unless it has to do with extra rest :-) ) ... we have be doing reading in the evenings about Hannah and her prayers - and I have been struck by the fact Hannah prayed specifically (for a man-child), she prayed in her heart and with her mouth, and she also BELIEVED it would be done as she prayed (she went away, ate and her mood/countenance lifted).  A lesson for me!!