Have Mercy!

Have mercy from above,
please save the ones we love!
And save our enemies
(not just the ones we please).

Lord, hear our cries today,
pour out your saving grace!
On this, your favor day,
have mercy, Lord we pray.

Use us to reach the lost,
help us to count the cost.
To redeem our every day;
and the truth boldly proclaim.

Fill us, O Spirit of God,
help us forsake our pride.
Not our will, but yours be done,
please let your kingdom come.

What a wonder, what a grace~
to be filled and used each day.
Glorify your Name, we pray
til we see you face to face.

Glory, glory to Your Name;
please increase your holy fame
in all nations, tribes and tongues~
in all those you died to love.

Come, Lord Jesus, come, we say
hasten to redeem this day.
You're our high exalted king
and the ruler of all things.

Glory, glory to the Lamb,
to the One slain for man.
We celebrate your saving grace
and are blessed to run this race.

Growing Up

Growing up
Happens before our eyes,
One day in the cradle
The next, junior high.

When it happens to your own
It is strange indeed,
How could this boy who
I nursed, cuddled and reared
Grow into a man with a beard?!

Will he remember his appointments without my reminders?
Will he feel happy and loved without my every day hugs?
How hard it is to let go and let God take control
(as if He didn’t have it before?!)

My son’s a young man, yet still my child to me,
Lord, help me to know how to relate and to see
What will serve and what won’t; when to call, when refrain
I don’t want to let go, but I'm comforted to know

YOU will never let him go, not a moment, oh no,
You will hold him and keep him and love him each day
You’ll correct and protect and reveal your love and truth all the way.
How grateful I am to know this is true
That my young man is Your man and Your plan is good and perfect too.

Thank you for letting me mother him for so long,
Teach me to mother in new ways while that he’s gone.
Keep him safe, grant success and bless his college years
With growing wisdom, godly friends and a faith that endures.

I got tagged and it's fun!

Lisa tagged me!

Here’s how this tag goes:

1) Grab the book closest to you
2) Open to page 123, go down to the fourth sentence
3) Post the text of the following 3 sentences
4) Name the author and book title
5) Tag three people to do the same

My Bible says on pg. 123, fourth line down:

"You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."

The author is my Best Friend, Jesus.

I tag Briana, Daniel, and Enza!

Friends

Being in Maryland this past weekend has me pretty nostalgic. It was so nice to see dear, old friends. The beauty of friendship is being able to pick up right where you left off, no matter how much time has passed. The wonder of godly friendship is the grace to overlook the many imperfections one has brought to the table and enjoy the many graces God bestows instead. I’m so thankful for this grace that my friends give me time and time again!!!

It is always hard to have limited time for our visits ‘down’, and sad to miss out on real visits with so many we love. This makes me look forward to heaven where we’ll be together with our extended family in Christ and have all the time in the world, I mean, in heaven to enjoy!!!

This reminds me of an oldie but goodie song:


Words: Deborah D. Smith
Music: Michael W. Smith

Packing up the dreams God planted
In the fertile soil of you
Can’t believe the hopes He’s granted
Means a chapter in your life is through
But we’ll keep you close as always
It wont even seem you’ve gone
cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

Chorus:
And friends are friends forever
If the Lord’s the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
cause the welcome will not end
Though its hard to let you go
In the Father’s hands we know
That a lifetimes not too long to live as friends.

With the faith and love God’s given
Springing from the hope we know
We will pray the joy you’ll live in
Is the strength that now you show

But well keep you close as always
It wont even seem you’ve gone
cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

sweet contentment

Here's a poem by William Cowper called 'Contentment' that's wonderful! May your year be filled with the sweet and satisfying fruit of contentment in our dear Lord Jesus!

Contentment--Philippians 4 (From The Olney Hymns)

Fierce passions discompose the mind,
As tempests vex the sea:
But calm content and peace we find,
When, Lord, we turn to thee.

In vain by reason and by rule
We try to bend the will;
For none but in the Saviour’s school
Can learn the heavenly skill.

Since at his feet my soul has sat,
His gracious words to hear,
Contented with my present state,
I cast on him my care.

“Art thou a sinner, soul?” he said,
“Then how canst thou complain?
How light thy troubles here, if weigh’d
With everlasting pain!

“If thou of murmuring wouldst be cured,
Compare thy griefs with mine;
Think what my love for thee endured,
And thou wilt not repine.

“‘Tis I appoint thy daily lot,
And I do all things well;
Thou soon shalt leave this wretched spot,
And rise with me to dwell.

“In life my grace shall strength supply,
Proportion’d to thy day;
At death thou still shalt find me nigh,
To wipe thy tears away.

Thus I, who once my wretched days
In vain repinings spent,
Taught in my Saviour’s school of grace,
Have learnt to be content.