As For me . . . I Will

It's 2018! Happy New Year everybody! I'm starting the year off with words to remember. I hope your heart will be encouraged too!

"I asked God for all things so I could enjoy life. He gave me life so I could enjoy all things." Unknown

Recently I began reading from the devotion book "100 Favorite Bible Verses" written by Lisa Guest and illustrated by my friend, Karla Dornacher. It is a favorite book to pick up, refreshing to read through and lovely to look at. It's no longer on Amazon, but I found a few on Ebay.com

I came upon the Scripture verse in Joshua, verses 24:15: "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." And many memories followed for me to ponder over the next several days.

When Jerry and I married 32 years ago, December 1985, it was the end of this verse that was printed inside the wedding bulletin.

And this is what we have tried to do through our years of living together. I've failed miserably often . . . I've lost valuable and treasured relationships . . . made some difficult and upsetting decisions, cried heartbreaking tears, but I've not wavered in my determination to serve the Lord.

Christmas Day I posted on Facebook a picture of the front page of our County newspaper. It was of the Nativity. I didn't post the following two pages that were also in this Christmas Day issue. I'm so thankful for those who take a stand for what is right and true. The Christmas story from Luke, chapter 2, and a prayer by Robert Lewis Stevenson

I once heard if you don't stand for something you will fall for anything. In this case, standing for Christ means you will be hurt and misunderstood. But my heart has believed, and I continue moving one foot in front of the other living what I believe.

I wanted to create two quilt projects before the end of the year. I finished both of them! This is the first one.

There is so much incredible, true evidence that the Bible is without error, and no evidence that it is false. I'm thankful to have the faith to believe. Another saying I've found quite profound is "If I'm wrong and the Bible isn't true, I haven't really lost anything. I've lived my life how I believed. But if you're wrong, and the Bible is true, you have lost everything."

Two mornings after reading "As for me and my house . . .", I found another verse of Scripture which tells you one of the ways  you can be successful in living for God:

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." Philippians 4:8

How true. What we see with our own eyes is what we base everything on. If you think on things that are honorable than you will think honorable thoughts. If you think on things that are trashy you will think trashy thoughts. It's really quite simple.

Liberty Bible Commentary puts it this way: "True: resting on reality and aiming at reality. Honest: honorable, dignified, worthy of reverence, the combination of gravity and dignity. Just: righteous relations between man and man, and man and God. Pure: stainless, chaste, unsullied. Lovely: lovable, endearing, amiable, gracious, charming, pleasing, winsome. Of good report: attractive, fair speaking. If there be any virtue: mental, moral, and physical excellence. If there be any praise: anything praiseworthy, deemed worthy of praise. Think of these things: meditate on them with careful reflection . . . "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7

So, yes, I still stand for Christ. Jerry and I do our best to live faithful lives. We fall. We disappoint. We struggle. But our aim is to do what is right. It isn't easy. We are far from perfect. But it can be done!

This is the second project I wanted to complete.

As this new year begins, these were good words for me to think on. Lisa Guest closed this devotion with the following prayer. I think it is a good one to follow:

"Lord God, I want to choose to serve You. Help me do exactly that--in the simple moments of an ordinary day, as well as in the big issues of life. It truly does make no sense to serve anyone else; yet, too often I choose to serve myself instead of You. Forgive me and, again, help me always choose to serve You."

These are all the quilt projects I completed for myself in 2017, August through December. I look at them and just have to say "Thank you, Lord" for the opportunity to learn something new. It was just the thing I needed to climb out of a stump in this foreign land that we moved too. It has brought me much joy, and I hope in the new year, I'll be able to make many more with the ladies I met in the quilt ministry to bring encouragement to those in need.

"The most important thought I ever had was that of my individual responsibility to God."
 Daniel Webster, 1782-1852

HAPPY NEW YEAR FRIENDS!! I hope you will choose to serve the Lord!