Ode of Remembrance

(Monument - Friendship Cemetery)

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them

~ Excerpt from For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon - 1914~

Our God, the Creator of the universe, is also God of the little details.
He grows the mighty oak tree . . . but the tiniest blooms are His handiwork, too.
It's just that our eyes don't always see the almost-hidden beauty all around us.

I'm thankful His eyes and ears and big heart never miss any detail in our lives.
He's concerned about the big, overwhelming problems,
but the little things matter to Him, too.

And He never fails to see the "little things" we do . . . those acts of kindness that no one else knows about . . . the prayers we pray . . . the behind-the-scenes
service to others. In fact, I think these are the very things He sees as most beautiful in our lives.

I agree with the songwriter: Little is much if God is in it!
And if God is in it, He'll make something beautiful of it!
That's the way His amazing one-size-fits-all Love works!

Refreshing!!

If you've ever stepped into the cold, clear water of a creek like the one above, you know just how refreshing it feels. If you haven't . . . you've missed a simple country pleasure!

If you've ever felt the Living Water seep into your dry soul and wash over your weary body and mind, you know how refreshing it feels. If you haven't . . . you've missed a free, life-changing gift! A gift that ANYONE can accept!

In shady green pastures so rich and so sweet,
God leads His dear children along.
Where the water's cool flow bathes the weary one's feet,
God leads His dear children along.
~Lyrics by G.A. Young~

Life Songs

(Three generations)

In our daily living, we sing our own songs of kindness and faith.
Then, touched by those songs, others will whistle kindness and faith
in their own lives. If that's the case, then all our remembering
is not about aging or nostalgia. Instead, it's about being part of a great procession
stretched across the years.
~Michael - via Holiness Today Facebook~

New Heights

We have to be braver than we think we can be,
because God is constantly calling us
to be more than we are.
~Madeline L'Engle~

I don't like heights!
Especially heights over water!
And especially a looonnnnggg, high cable-stayed bridge like this one in Georgia!

But to reach our destination, it was our only route.
So, trusting that the cables would hold - and that the architects and engineers knew what they were doing - we drove onto the arching span, going higher and higher before beginning the descent. It surely was comforting to see land on the other side!

I think our journey as Christians is like that. God is always calling us to greater heights . . . in our relationship with Him and others. He calls us to new heights in our commitment . . . in trusting Him . . . in sacrificial service . . . in growing more like Him.

And it's often scary because the heights take us out of our comfort zones. But He never calls us anywhere that He doesn't go with us. We just forget that in the midst of the climb sometimes. And then He reminds us to be strong and courageous and to trust Him, the Architect and Engineer of our lives. Bravery isn't the absence of fear; it's obeying and moving on in spite of it. It's trusting that the cables will hold!

Growing . . . reaching new heights . . . it's the only route to victorious living. Staying on course with our focus on our Guide will eventually lead us to a place that's out of this world!

And it'll surely be comforting to see the other side!

Lord, lift me up and let me stand
By faith on Heaven's table land.
A higher plane than I have found -
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
~Johnson Oatman, Jr.~

Added note: The quote is by Art Urban . . . thought I had that on the pic!

Shaken but Not Moved

Storm descends.
Thunder rumbles.
Lightning explodes.
Rain floods.
Wind topples.
Shelter shakes.
Fear grips.
Faith clings.

Anchor holds!

(Note: From earlier posts you know that this big oak tree, among others, was splintered and blown down on a storage shed. The next morning it was amazing to find these two bird feeders firmly in place amidst all the storm damage.)