Time Began in a Garden

"Now the Lord God planted a garden in the east, in Eden." Genesis 2:8

Thursday, January 31, 2008

FAITH is...

confidence that God
is acting for my highest good
when He answers, "No" to my prayers.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

FAITH is...

..dependence on God
to work miracles
in my disposition.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

FAITH is...

...confidence in God's faithfulness to me
in an uncertain world,
on an uncharted course,
through an unknown future.

Monday, January 28, 2008

FAITH is...

...something God will prove
genuine by testing.

Friday, January 25, 2008

FAITH is...

Doing the right thing
regardless of the consequences,
knowing God will turn the ultimate effect to good.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

FAITH IS...

...The handle
by which I take God's promises
and apply them to my life.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

FAITH IS...

Not a leap in the dark
nor
a mystical experience
nor
an indefinable
encounter
with someone--



--but



it is...
trust in One who has
explained Himself



in a Person -
Christ,
in an historical
record -

the Bible.

From a small little book entitled, Faith is...
found among Grandmother Holmes' things.
There is a handwritten inscription on the inside cover.
To: Hazel Balcom, a lady who inspired me with her great faith...
Pat Steinhaus
Blood Bank
The Jewish Hospital



Hazel Balcom was my mother' s sister. We called her by her second name, Golda.
Aunt Golda was two year's younger than mother, and the two of them were the only children of Grandmother and Granddaddy Holmes.
In her late fifties, Aunt Golda was diagnosed with cancer. She was ill for a long time, and suffered greatly for several years. As her body grew weaker, her faith grew stronger. Her suffering and death were terribly hard on Grandmother, and there are many notes, poems, and remembrances that speak of her in Grandmother's papers.
I will probably be sharing some of them in the days ahead.
But for now we are going to focus on Faith.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

"In His image" II

The Greek New Testament word for love means "to esteem" or "to value."


Human beings have great value because they are created in the image of God (Genesis 2:7) and are offered redemption through the priceless sacrifice of Christ's shed blood (Ephesians 1:7)


From Daily Bread "Insight" for January 20, 2008

Monday, January 21, 2008

"In His image..."

May I live my life appreciating that my capacity to
feel
think
choose
communicate
achieve
create
commune with God
comes from His making me like Himself.



Pamela Reeve

Friday, January 18, 2008

READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

A suggestion from Grandmother Holmes:


The Bible


It should fill the memory
rule the heart
and guide the feet.



Read it slowly, frequently,
and prayerfully.








Thursday, January 17, 2008

MORE FROM GRANDMOTHER HOLMES' NOTEBOOK

I could wish you wealth
I could wish you health
Or that good fortune find you.


But wealth may bring you sorrow
And health be gone tomorrow,
So I'll just say, "God Bless You"

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

GOOD ADVICE FROM GRANDMOTHER

Let us remember
that when we win
we win with humility.
But when we lose
we lose with courage.



Author Unknown

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

UPON CONTEMPLATING THOSE "misty flats"

I've spent my fair share of 'drifting to and fro' in this life, and do believe that there is a "higher way". Here are some thoughts from the Blog of Amy and Frog Orr-Ewing entitled Notes from the Lilypad.http://notes-from-the-lilypad.blogspot.com/2007/09/leaving-misty-flats.html

Monday, January 14, 2008

WHICH ROAD?

To every man there openeth
A way and ways and a way.
And the high Soul climbs the high way,
And the low Soul gropes the low.
And in between on the misty flats
The rest drift to and fro.
But to every man there openeth
A high way and a low.
And every man decideth
Which way his Soul shall go.

John Oxenham

Friday, January 11, 2008

Re: YESTERDAY'S POST

It put me to thinking about what I would write if asked to to put down in just a few words what I would wish for whose who knew me best to say of me.

I'm still pondering it; and think I shall for some time to come.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

A DESIRED LEGACY

"Die when I may, I want it said of me by those who knew me best, that I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow." Abraham Lincoln

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Re: WHERE YOU ARE GOING (see yesterday's post)

May our last travel be to the Celestial City;
dooway to another world,
where He said, "Behold, I make all things new."



This was written in G. Holmes's hand
on the same little piece of note paper as yesterday's thought.

I don't think she ever lost sight of where she was going.
















Tuesday, January 08, 2008

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

In our travels,
let's don't run so hard
to catch the train,
we forget where we are going.














Monday, January 07, 2008

A PRAYER

O God,

Help my poor soul to see
I cannot always be
The master of my fate.


And let these hands of mine
Take up some task of thine
Before it is too late.


Then may Christ's love fulfill
The emptiness that still
Is in my soul.


So wilt Thou take my life;
Remove from it all strife
And make it whole.
Amen


William G. Rasche*


*A cousin of my father.
G. Holmes had several of his
prayers and poems among her papers.





Friday, January 04, 2008

I GIVE THEE HUMBLE THANKS

For all the gifts that Thou dost send,
For every kind and loyal friend
For prompt supply of all my need,
For all that's good in word or deed,
For gift of health along life's way,
For strength to work from day to day,
I give Thee humble thanks.


For ready hands to help and cheer,
For listening ears Thy voice to hear,
For yielded tongue Thy love to talk,
For willing feet Thy paths to walk,
For open eyes Thy Word to read,
For loving heart Thy will to heed,
I give The humble thanks.


For Christ who came from Heaven above,
For the Cross and His redeeming love,
For His mighty power to seek and save,
For His glorious triumph o'er the grave,
For the lovely mansion in the sky,
For His blessed coming by-and-by,
I give Thee humble thanks.


Clifford Lewis


Have a wonderful weekend

Thursday, January 03, 2008

TWELVE THINGS TO LEARN:

The value of time
The need of perseverence
The pleasure of serving
The dignity of simplicity
The true worth of character
The power of kindness
The influence of example
The obligation of duty
The wisdom of economy
The virtue of patience
The nobility of labor
The teachings of Him who said, "Learn of Me."

Author Unknown

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

A GOOD BEGINNING

The New Year

A.B. Simpson



What shall I ask for the coming year?
What shall my watchword be?
What would'st Thou do for me, dear Lord?
What shall I do for Thee?


Lord, I would ask for a holy year,
Spent in Thy perfect will;
Help me to walk in Thy very steps,
Help me to please Thee still.


Lord, I would ask for a trustful year;
Humble, and yet so high;
Help me to sink at Thy Blessed feet,
And on Thy bosom lie.


Lord, I would ask for a year of faith;
Give me Thy faith divine.
Taking my full inheritance,
Making Thy fulness mine.


Lord, I would ask for a year of love
Oh, let me love Thee best!
Give me the love that faileth not
Under the hardest test.


Lord, I would ask for for a busy year,
Fill me with service true;
Doing with all Thy Spirit's might
All that I find to do.


Lord, I would ask for a year of prayer,
Teach me to walk with Thee;
Breathe in my heart Thy Spirits breath;
Pray Thou Thy prayer in me.


Lord, I would ask for a dying world;
Stretch forth Thy mighty hand;
Scatter Thy Word, - Thy power display
This year in every land.


Lord, I would ask for a year of joy,
Thy peace, Thy joy divine,
Springing undimmed through all the days,
Whether of shade or shine.


Lord, I would ask for a year of hope,
Looking for Thee to come,
And hastening on that year of years,
That brings us Christ and Home.







Tuesday, January 01, 2008

2008

As the wonderful Christmas Season is ending, and a new year arrives, my life slows down to a pace that reflects the sleeping garden and the cold days and nights when I am just so content to stay in my little home and read, reflect, study and nap.







The only problem here is the lack of exciting things to share on my blog, and the absence of pictures to post.







But never you mind...I have been thinking on this since last fall; and I went to the basement, sought out and opened a wonderful box of papers. Some tattered, some torn. Many are browned and brittle with age; but they hold much to be shared on these cold winter mornings.







They are the papers that were found in the desk drawer of my Grandmother Holmes.







What a wonderful lady she was. Fun-loving, independent with a discerning heart that knew wisdom when she came across it, whether in verse, song or just the thougts of those who were kind enough to write things down for others to benefit from over the years.







She was my maternal grandmother. I don't know how far she went in school. Was the baby in a very large family, and from what I gathered over the years, was probably a bit spoiled. But she was loving and giving, faithful and kind. Appreciative of life with all it's joys and heartaches, she lived it to the fullest and left this life at the age of 93 with the calm assurance of a better place awaiting her.







She wanted always to keep her mind alert, and would copy poems, essays etc. and tuck them away in her desk.







My intention is to share some of these with you in the coming months. Some will need a bit of explanation, which I will try to add when necessary. But mostly I will simply share with you; and I hope they will add something to your life.







"I am the New Year, and I come to you pure and unstained,



Fresh from the hand of God.



Each day a precious pearl to you is given



That you must string upon the silver thread of Life.



Once strung, can never be unthreaded, but stays



An undying record of your faith and skill.



Each golden minute link you then must weld into the chain of hours



That is no stronger than its weakest link.



Into your hands is given all the wealth and power



To make your life just what you will.



I give to you, free and unstinted, twelve glorious months



Of soothing rain and sunshine golden:



The days for work and rest, the nights for peaceful slumber.



All that I have I give with love unspoken. All that I ask--you keep the faith unbroken!"







J.D. Templeton