Hail the Heaven Born Prince of Peace

Say what you will about the commercialism of Christmas, its the only time of year I can hear the GOSPEL preached in a public restaurant:) We were out to eat the other day and Carrie Underwood's version of Hark the Herald Angels Sing came on. There I was in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of Christmas shoppers and these beautiful words were ringing out over the sound system:

Hail the heav'n born Prince of Peace,
Hail the Son of Righteousness,
Light and Life to all He brings,
Ris'n with healing in His wings,
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that men no more may die,
Born to free the sons of Earth,
Born to give them second birth,
Hark the herald angels sing,
GLORY TO THE NEWBORN KING!!!!

Awesome words about the GOOD NEWS of the birth of our savior, AMEN!!



Here is the version I heard...enjoy:-)

Happy Thought for Creaky Bones:)

Photos: some of my favorite trees from the Fairy Glen on Skye, Scotland

Hello again- Im still here!! Getting all caught up and more organized day by day, but still working on finding time to do detailed posts.

I did want to pop in and share this WONDERFUL passage in the Word I discovered a while back when I was feeling a bit old (all this "grandma" talk was starting to affect me, lol):

13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

~Psalm 92:13-14

And I know sometimes the Amplified version is just a wee bit wordy, but this is good too, so I will include it here for your ponderment:)

12The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible].

13Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God.

14[Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment].

15[They are living memorials] to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

~Psalm 92:12-14

That just makes me want to dance for joy!! And reminds me to quit confessing that Im getting old and creaky- now when Im a bit slow to start in the morning, I just remind myself that I am "FRESH & FLOURSHING" and get on with my day with joy in my step:-)!!

Update & A Prayer for You

Hey everyone! Im sorry Ive been away so long- its been a busy summer!! My husband Ian and I are traveling the midwest selling our handmade jewelry at Renaissance Faires on the weekends, Im getting to spend a lot of time with my now 6 month old grandson (yes, this is him, learning to crawl and playing with my window curtains:) when Im home in between AND we are keeping our online business going all at the same time.

Along the way I have been victorious in some health struggles (YAY GOD WE WIN:) and been having a wonderful time drawing near to the Lord whilst making the jewelry we sell- I am so thankful for the wonderful life He has blessed us with, and expect it to just keep getting better every day!!

Right now we are in the middle of a 7 weekend in a row festival stint, once we get a wee break from that I will plan to take a bit of time to write in more detail about the things Ive been pondering from the Lord, but for now here is one of my favorite prayers from the New Testament- a wonderful idea to pray this for ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Christ all around the world!!:

...I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
~Ephesians 3:14-21

You're the Lion of Judah A Praise Song by Robin Mark

One of my favorite praise/worship songs of all time!
This is Robin Mark from the Revival in Belfast CD. (click on either link to get to his website and for ordering information:)

Lion Of Judah
Robin Mark

You're the Lion of Judah The Lamb Who was slain
You ascended to Heaven And evermore will reign
At the end of the age When the earth You reclaim
You will gather the nations before You

And the eyes of all men Will be fixed on the Lamb
Who was crucified
With wisdom and mercy And justice You'll reign
At Your Father's side

And the angels will cry
Hail the Lamb
Who was slain for the world
Rule in power
And the earth will reply
You shall reign
As the King of all kings
And the Lord of all lords

There's a shield in our hand And a sword at our side
There's a fire in our spirits That cannot be denied
Cause the Father has told us For these You have died
For the nations that gather before You

And the ears of all men need to hear Of the Lamb
Who was crucified
Who descended to hell Yet was raised up to reign
at His Father's side

Truly one of the great Psalmists of our day, Robin Mark is a native of Belfast and brings a wonderful Celtic flavor to all his recordings. You can find more of his wonderful lyrics and songs here:

Robin Mark Lyrics from RobinMark.com

Mike Huckabee, Jon Stewart, Bill O'Reilly and a Lesson Learned

James 1:19-20
So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

I was listening to a teaching from Keith Moore recently where he talked about the value of this lesson in James. He pointed out that some folks seem to have a "Mach 2 mouth and a 20 MPH brain" and that we need to often need to stop the mouth to allow time to let our spirit catch up. As is often the case, the Lord was faithful to give me a WONDERFUL example of how this works in my own life yesterday~it requires a bit of a story, but here goes:

With the tragic murder of Dr. Tiller here in Kansas there has come a renewed vehemence in the abortion debate and at times I have been too caught up in the heated discussions in the media (yes Im one of those sillies that yell at the TV on occasion). It has been frustrating to me to hear everyone talk about how awful this killing was- which I agree with- and yet speak of this man as a hero at the same time. Reasonable estimates put the number of human lives lost in his clinic at over 60,000. The phrase that came to me at the time was "One death is indeed a tragedy, but does that make 60,000 babies just a statistic?"

One particularly disturbing accusation from the pro-choice camp was that Bill O'Reilly incited Dr Tiller's killer to commit the murder...something which begins to hint at things that could encroach on freedom of speech for Christians everywhere. Last night in his Talking Points Memo, Mr O'Reilly eloquently defended himself and that can be seen here: O'Reilly on Human Rights and the Liberal Media

Last night I was VERY tempted to post this on Facebook- there are a lot of people out there in the world who believe that everything on Fox News is a lie and from time to time I would just like to prove them wrong- BUT- I had a check in my spirit about it and decided not to post.

Then, this morning I came across this WONDERFUL interview with Mike Huckabee (one of my heroes, BTW) on the Jon Stewart show.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Mike Huckabee Exclusive Interview Pt. 1
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Jason Jones in Iran

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Mike Huckabee Exclusive Interview Pt. 2
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Jason Jones in Iran

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Mike Huckabee Exclusive Interview Pt. 3
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Jason Jones in Iran

Can I just mention again that I love Mike Huckabee? :) This is one of the most rational and fair discussions about both sides of the abortion issue I have ever heard in the media.. . kudos to Jon Stewart for hosting it!!

As I watched this piece I saw Truth, wisdom, grace, love and patience displayed as Mike discussed this volatile topic with Jon Stewart. This really was a chance to see James 3:17 in action:

James 3:17
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

This is also an example of what Paul talked about in Colossians:

Colossians 4:5-6
5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

SO, after deciding not to post the O'Reilly clip, I DID post the Huckabee interview on my Facebook wall. While Bill O'Reilly made some very valid points and defended his position with the media fairly, at its core that particular clip was much more about "right versus left" than it was about getting to the heart of the matter about the tragedy that is abortion. If I had posted that on Facebook, I feel like I would have been just sort of sticking my tongue out at those who disagreed with me...making what might have been a valid point, but one that would do more to stir up strife that it would to enlighten.

On the other hand, I believe Mike Huckabee's interview was anointed and powerful-he spoke the Truth in love-and with Jon Stewart's courteous but firm debate, both sides of the issue were allowed to be aired. What this interview did was leave the hearers with the right to make their own decision.

Ultimately, that is what our beloved Father God does when he speaks to our hearts about the Gospel. He will speak the Truth in love, presents us with a choice- even points out the BEST choice to make- and yet leaves the choice itself in our hands:

Deuteronomy 30:19-20
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you,
that I have set before you life and death,
blessing and cursing;
therefore choose life,
that both you and your descendants may live;
that you may love the LORD your God,
that you may obey His voice,
and that you may cling to Him,
for He is your life and the length of your days...

The lesson I learned? If I had impetuously posted the O'Reilly video last night, I feel like I would have pushed people away. At that time I didnt know why it was so important not to do that, but when I saw the Huckabee interview this morning I realised THAT was why. THAT was the message that needed to be shared at this time, THAT was what God was telling me to share. By waiting and not posting last night, I shut my "mouth" and waited- then the Holy Spirit was able to "fill it" with what He wanted to say:)

With Joy!

Why Yes, I have been extremely busy for the past 6 weeks, how did you guess?
:-)
I have one more week of lots of busy, and then I hope to catch up here and on my jewelry blog...I have been contemplating the joys of being a tree planted in the courts of the Lord (from Psalm 92) and will update on that soon..in the meantime, Join with me in rejoicing in the mercies of our GREAT GOD:



Isaiah 12
Songs of Praise

1 In that day you will say:
"I will praise you, O LORD.
Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away
and you have comforted me.

2 Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation."

3 With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.

4 In that day you will say:
"Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done,
and proclaim that his name is exalted.

5 Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things;
let this be known to all the world.

6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,
for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."

A Heavenly Prescription for Swine Flu

Photo: Glen Coe Scotland 2005
What is the BEST medicine for the Swine Flu and the fear it has sent around the country and around the world? The living active breath of God-His Word-and in this case, especially Psalm 91.

Why do I call it medicine? God's Word calls itself medicine in Proverbs:

My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.Do not let them depart from your eyes;Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them,And health to all their flesh. Proverbs 4:20-22


...and again in Psalms:

He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.
Psalm 107:20

In addition to forgiveness of sins, healing for our physical bodies is part of the atonement that Jesus accomplished for us:

But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalm 103:1-5

Now Im not saying that you shouldnt go to the Doctor, or take "earthly" medicine...but that can only help so much. In the case of the Swine Flu, the FEAR is potentially as much a problem as the flu itself and God's Medicine has healing for both problems.

Psalm 91 has so many incredible promises...I encourage you to read this out loud any time you are feeling concerned or afraid:

Psalm 91


1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”


3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler[a]
And from the perilous pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.


7 A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
8 Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.


9 Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10 No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12 In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

AMEN!!:)

NOTE: If you would like more teaching about God's will for our healing and/or freedom from fear there are some great free teaching resources available online:

God's Will to Heal by Keith Moore
Free From All Fears by Keith Moore

God Wants You Well by Andrew Wommack
Eternal Life by Andrew Wommack
Christian Survival Kit by Andrew Wommack

Here are some of my favorite books by Andrew Wommack: