Wednesdays Far to Go

We all could use a quick resource for the times of our lives. My mother kept a similar list of verses in her Bible and I have one, too. Thought I'd share it here in case someone needs to print it off and stick it in your Bible. We get by with a little help from our friends, but God is there 24/7 for you every day of your life and beyond. 

Wednesdays Far to Go: Prayer

You know, I never understood what St. Paul and what Billy Graham meant when they said, "Pray without ceasing." How could anyone do that? Pray, pray, pray--and how do we continue to do that? It wasn't until I was much older that this became more of a state of being. It is how I approach every moment of life and what comes to mind . 

We could literally pray every waking moment because there are so many things in our lives that need God. Isn't that what we need--God? Not just for needs, but for praise and just talking to Him as a friend. As I age, I find a desire to be with the LORD throughout my waking moments. I could understand, at last, why some folks want to enter a monastery in order to devote to prayer. His Holiness Benedict XVI, the Emeritus Pope, vowed that he would devote his waking moments to prayer and I feel a great relief and yes, an admiration that he said he would do this. 

I still feel I'm at a stage where I am like the disciples with Jesus in Gethsemane--I'm failing when He has asked me to stay with Him to pray to the Father throughout the night. I get tired, discouraged and I often don't understand what or why something happens. Many times I have fallen to the floor asking God why, and asking Him to please understand my pain and to please just hold me. To understand that which I couldn't sort out and to take my tears and groans and make sense of them. 

I don't know what you are going through, but if you ask me to pray, I can present you to our LORD. A very wise woman whom mentored me when I was a young woman discussion leader in a very large Bible study once told me to pray for the women in my charge until they left. She said I needed to let them go if they wished and unless God specifically put that person on my heart, to pray one last time and then put them into God's hands. It's a good place to be and I needed to trust Him with that. After all, God loves that person much more than I ever could. I can't take God's place--I can only pray that God would see that person's heart and need. 

Anyway, I will be learning about prayer for the rest of my life. People have written whole books about prayer and the spiritual life, and there will always be something new to understand about it. We just need to keep the faith, no matter what comes across our paths and to "consider it joy." 

What are your thoughts when you go to prayer?

Wednesdays: Far to Go

When I was a little girl, I read the entire Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie books. I loved them. That doesn't mean I wanted to live Laura's life--far from it! I didn't like camping as a little girl and I still don't like it much. Her life was worse than camping in my opinion (ha.) Still, having a house in an area where I can view wildlife and am off the beaten path--as long as that house stays warm and I can come back in for a cuppa hot coffee--well, that gives me the best of both worlds. 

One of Mrs. Wilder's books was called The Long Winter. While I didn't have to live through a winter as Laura did on the prairie, it did seem to me that winter hung on a might bit longer than it was welcome this year. By Palm Sunday when spring was still illusive and we had a snowstorm, I was thinking, "Hey! Don't I still live in Indiana? We didn't pull a Dorothy and suddenly find ourselves in Nome, Alaska, right??" (And I'm not so sure if I didn't answer myself, because I was getting spring fever in the worst way.)

I went to bed seeing this on Palm Sunday eve....

And woke up to this! 

Psalm 143:7-8Answer me quickly, Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.

Last fall I had planted about 300 tulip bulbs. It was cold when I planted them and I had get my son Bryce to help me out. I did it all in anticipation of seeing a glorious spring display like the one I found in downtown St. Louis last spring. 

St. Louis Downtown Tulips 2012

The snowstorm this year pretty much killed that idea. The few daffodils I had did come up, but were frostbitten-looking and I was beginning to feel down and like winter might never end. I was nearly ready to give up. And when you feel like that with no escape in sight, it begins to mess with your whole general outlook. Not good. 

I became angrier and angrier and felt like complaining. I ached and wanted to just cover my head with blankets. Not only that, but I had the flu twice over the winter, sciatica acted up, and a series of headaches and migraines showed up. As the Bible says, I felt sick clear down into my bones with a heavy heart. 

Then...

...Spring is coming...softly...gently...in her own time, bringing cheer to this girl who was nearly ready to give up. 

I had forgotten my Crystal's Rule #4 to Live By....Never Give Up. 

When it looks dark and cold and as if life will never change, the change that God planned out so many years ago serves as an encouragement to us. Spring is coming! 

I'll post those tulip photos later as a few are coming up now. And if this spring doesn't show out like my expectations, I can always remember the Spring of 2012 in St. Louis to hold me over until my own Spring Tulip Festival shows up. 

Never Give Up! Stay Committed to Jesus. He hasn't forgotten you and gives a promise of Spring. He IS coming back. 

"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him." 2 Chronicles 16:9 NIV

What verses do you turn to when your winter seems to go on forever? Share with us.