Psalms 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in greenpastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever

Today this Psalms has been on my mind and I am reminded of My Shepherd. Because of His saving grace extended to me I can call Him Mine.And you can to if you have ever acepted Jesus as your Saviour.

But I also want you to notice how many times that the Lord is mentioned in some for or the other.

In, With, Through Christ

Finally...

This is the week that we all have waited for, for 6 months in the Carr/Carswell home. Although the arrival of Johanna is scheduled for Friday the 23rd we face it with many different emotions.

If you are new to the blog,or would just like an update Johanna in my granddaughter who is scheduled to make her earthly appearance on Friday Oct 23, 2009 weighing in around 5 pounds. Ms. Johanna was created by God with full Trisomy 18.

Psalms 139:14
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Although this diagnosis is not what Nikki and her husband Chad wanted or would have ever desired. Nor is it what we would have wanted for our daughter and her family but it is what pleased God.

Psalms 115:3
But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

There have been emotions for all those close to Johanna, some moments are wonderful knowing she is going to be with Jesus soon and very soon, and that she will miss out on sin, and heartache. Some moments are just okay, and everyone gets by in their own way. And then their are moments that overwhelming sadness full all our hearts.

But God, is still God and He and He alone knows best for Johanna, Nikki, Chad and Clayton, her grandparents, and her aunts,uncles, the doctors, along with anyone else that has forever been touched and changed by her life.

In, With, Through Christ

Good versus Bad

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

I ran across this scripture last night and God broke my heart over something I have been dealing with for sometime. Although this scripture did not pertain to what I was seeking from God, He used this verse to speak to me in a way that I had been praying for months.Thank You God!!!

Amidst difficulty or heartache God does not mean what we go through to hurt or harm us. He means it for peace, hope and only for our good.
Genesis 50:20
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

In, With, Through Christ
Joan

Liquid Prayers

Since Thursday Night I have been reading Psalms 6 and I have been trying to get my mind around this Psalms. I have read it several times a day and pondered on it and have also done some other commentary reading.

This is waht I have discovered thus far. Psalms 6 is one of the first of Davids penitent(repentant) psalms. There are 6 more of these Psalms 32,38,51,102,130,143. Pslams 6 is divided into two parts,veres 1-7 and it is Davids brokenheartedness over his sin, verses 8-10 his mood changes and he has declared God has heard him and delivered him from his troubles.

As I was reading after Charles Speugeon in his "Treasury of David" along in verses 6 & 7 David is weeping, he is so broken that he is weeping and groaning out to God. What I ran across was Spurgeon calling these tears "Liquid Prayers". Oh my, I had not really thought about them as liquid prayers. I know that God takes our groanings and utterance to Him and transposing them into what we need to pray and He knows our heart and what we are seeking better than we do ourselves.

But "Liquid Prayers"!!!I will not forget that one. How many times lately have I went to God with my liquid prayers and not even able to utter words, all I could do was weep. I'm of the opinion that our tears are probablby better than our words.

In, With, Through Christ
Joan

I'm So Ready...

Alan has been in Florida, all week preaching and I am so ready for him to be home. He left Sunday night after church and drove to Macon and spent the night and drove on into the panhandle(Perry Co.) of Florida Monday. I normally go with him, to his out of town meetings.

But I was not able to go this time, I was going to see my granddaughter "Johanna" in an ultrasound today, but it was rescheduled due to the flu in the ultrasound technician's family. Oh Well, maybe Tuesday.

But I am so ready for my husband to be home. The house is to quiet, and to lonely. Sometimes all the noise in the house, is Mattie "the dog", or the tv, or the dishwasher. And Wednesday and tomorrow the noise will be Clayton and Mattie and whatever we can get into. I had so much that I was going to get done this week, and not a fourth of it has gotten done. However, I have been busy all week and the time has passed by fairly well.

I was going to go see my parents, and that did not work out, I was going to clean the house from top to bottom, I got a little of it cleaned, I was going to do some painting, did not attempt that, I was going to clean out the room that my computer is in, I did get some of it done, I was going to catch up on some computer work, and get way ahead. That did not get done. I was going to watch some chick flicks, I have watched 1. I was going to go to the gym every day, I did make it 2 days, I was going to do a lot or reading, I have read some. I was going to spend a lot of time in the bible studying and praying. I have done this. I was going to go to Charlotte and exchange a shirt for my son, because I bought the wrong size, I did get that done. I was going to vacuum my car out, I didn't get that done. however, I have been busy all week. But I am still ready for the hubby to back at home with me, or me with him. Either way would be fine. For you see he is my BFF (Best Friend Forever) and I have missed him a lot this week.

Until Next Time
Joan

Psalms 1-5

I am on a mission to read a psalms a day, or should I say every couple of days. I get to reading and studying them and I tend to stay in a psalms more than 1 day. And since it is my bible studies and time with the Lord I imagine that I can spend as long as I need to or want to in each one.

I have made it to chapter 5, and I must say that I am really enjoying each and every psalms. Each one is packed full of nuggets.

Psalms 1 - Blessed is the man that walks with the Lord, and he will be like a tree panted by the water.(strong & nourished,and not blown away with the first hint or wind - trouble)

Psalms 2 - Kings and Rulers think have it going on, but God is really in control and they will one day know this.

Psalms 3 - Many are against me, and trouble is all around for David and for us also, but God is our shield and He holds us up. David found such peace in God in the midst or turmoil and trouble because God was his shield that he could lay down and go to sleep. What peace, I'm not always there but I'm striving.

Psalms 4 -David was bold, when he told God to listen to him when he prayed. I'm not that bold or brave yet. How about you? But I most definitely do want God to hear me and listen to me. Because of turmoil or distress, David was made larger(enlarged) by God. When God apply's the pressure and we go to God and let him work, and we walk in close communion with Him we become larger and do not even know it. But others can see it in out lives. God has blest me and been better to me than the harvesters when they are harvesting their corn and grain in their best season ever.OH My!!!Again we see that we can lay down and sleep because of the peace God gives.

Go read these 4 psalms for yourself and let me know what you glean from them, I am not through with psalms 5 yet so I am not posting about it today.

In, With, Through Christ
Joan

29 Years Ago Today

29 years ago at the age of 18 and barely out of high school on a Friday afternoon I married the man that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. And 29 years later I am still married to the man that I want to spend the rest of my life with. 2 grown children, and 1 grandson, and 1 granddaughter due at the end of the month where has the time gone. There was not a church wedding, or we did not go to Gaffney as so many people did at that time when you did not have a church wedding, we just went to the courthouse in Marion where we both lived and was married by the magistrate.

The magistrate was setting at one desk in the corner of the room and in the other corner of the room was a highway patrolman booking a gentlemen in hand cuffs that we went to school with. However, they did stop long enough for us to get married, and the guy in the handcuffs congratulated us and shook our hands while still in hand cuffs.(Funny) We are still married and I wonder what has happened to all of them. It is not the ceremony that makes the marriage.

Al, you are more than wonderful to me. You are many things to many people. You are a great Dad, an amazing loving grandfather, my favorite preacher. I know without a shadow of a doubt that you are a good teacher to your students at W. Lenoir. I can see it when the talk of your classes. You are a compassionate, caring pastor that loves his flock that God has given you.

But to me you are my best friend, always there to listen when I need to talk,and even ready to take action on my behalf if it is warranted. You are my husband, and my rock, my constant no matter what. I am so very thankful, that God put us together, I could never imagined the life that we have together. God has truly been good to us and I count it an honor to be your wife.

I look forward to many more years together and beside you to serve HIM!!!
I Love You, Al...
Joan