Sandy’s blog

I loved this song and the video until the very last of it played and it said something about a life she is willing to leave. Oh, well... the rest of it was fabulous and I'll just pretend the other isn't there. Smiles...

Lord Jesus, we come to Thee now as little children. Dress us again in clean pinafores; make us tidy once more with the tidiness of true remorse and confession. Oh, wash our hearts, that they may be clean again. Make us to know the strengthening joys of the Spirit, and the newness of life which only Thou can give.
Amen.
Peter Marshall

     I took a late night shower and used lavender scented wash cloth and towel when I did. This was wonderful!
It was nothing amazing --- I just dropped a couple drops of lavender essential oil on each and used them as usual but the fragrance changed routine to lovely. I kept the towel wrapped around my head as long as I could:)

     My hair is soft from a fresh washing and conditioning and my skin smells and feels so clean from my favorite soap: Kirk's Castile Bar.

     I am tired and haven't had time on here for much writing but it is quiet all through the house so I dug this typing up as one would dig sand with a scoop shaped seashell. Softly and sifting. . .

     The tiny writing I shared at the top of this reminds me to make sure my inner woman is washed clean. Free of the debris of sin and shame. The Shower of the Spirit is sacred and sanctifies from the inside out.

     We are blessed!

Here it is, CWTR Ladies and all!

When the schooner came into sight, the nerves in my fingertips tingled. What I was about to attempt was a daring feat. I knew the dangers, but this was my only chance to get back to who I used to be. . . and merge that girl with who I  wanted to become.

I dove in.

The water was cold and I felt excitement shoot through my entire body as I furiously swam away from one world, towards another.

It hadn’t been easy to plan.

When the idea first started forming, I had little knowledge of boats and their place in the water other than the ability they had to float.

I started researching until I settled on something with sails after reading an info sheet on yachts. There were guided rides and one headed back inward after midnight. I needed it to be dark.

Pushing myself as hard as I ever had, I furiously swam and prayed to stay on course. It would take a miracle to get to the little hut on the hill before being discovered.

I was scared … to the point of being terrified but I fought panic. I used the fear to fuel the magnificent adrenaline racing through me.

My biggest scare had been what was living, swimming, and lurking in the depths of endless waves. Mainly, sharks and the life long fear of them. It was the hardest hurdle I had come up against and I had known all along it would taunt me most when the time came.

I fought down the feeling that one of the fearsome creatures was stealthily swimming behind, under, or anywhere near me. I grappled to stay composed, purposing and trying to keep my strokes smooth.

Using the breast stroke, my arms and legs finally stopped burning and seemed to follow my sight and sense of direction.  Thoughts of right before I made my break entered my solitary swim away. . .

The person I portrayed on the 75-foot sailing vessel blended into the crowd. I made her that way to not be noticed. It was amazing how easy it was to be invisible, especially after so long of it not being found where ever I went. .

I swam through thoughts of the past and took huge breaths of air every time my head rose above the water. There would be time for reflecting once I was on the plane to Montana.

I kept swimming and wondered how long I had been in the water. My destination had to be coming soon because I was getting tired. The practice swims had grown closer and closer to the distance I strove for and  the last one… I made it the whole way without stopping.

Something brushed against my thigh and swooshed down my leg. I drove myself on and out of a scream and didn’t look back. Whatever it was would either keep moving away or it would come my way but I could not stop to find out.

I felt the surge of a wave behind me and let it wash me closer. It was only a matter of minutes now. Wave after wave came and seemed to take a turn helping me out of the sea and I felt sand. When the water was down to my knees, I gave a good look around and ran. I ran as fast as I could in water and did okay on the wet sand. When I hit the dry sand before the hill, my entire body struggled to keep moving ahead. Reaching the bottom of the hill was like finding home after being lost in a storm. I scrambled up it and symmetrically grabbed the sturdy roots and twisted branches until I was in the sloped yard holding up a small and fixed up “shanty”.

I was still so wet my long hair was sticking to my face and had to be hurriedly pushed away from my eyes. My shaking hand found the key between a window’s glass and white wood.

A light switch by the door almost got flipped on but my hand stopped and I tore my clothes off in a mad rush. . .

www.christianwomentakeroot.com

Beach trip 2009 054

I was going over some ABC cards wit my three-year-old granddaughter

, Emily. We were doing the basics along with some ABC Scripture cards and I would say the letter and accompanying verse.

We got to the R and I read: "R... Remember the sabbath day," . . .

and Emily did as she had been doing since A. She repeated R and then said:

"amember thde savath day,"

I carried along the next part out loud:

"to keep it holy."

She continued on with hers:

 "to keep it holy-roley-POLEY!"

Everytime I read it again to help her say it "right" ... she said it the same way. I was smiling as I thought of how God heard her right. He knew her heart and the sound surely reached His heavenly ears. A child taking the time and making the effort to say and speak His Holy Word. Even with an extra roley-poley!

Love,

Sandy

I will cry to God Most High,

To God Who accomplishes

all things for me.

Psalms 57:2

That verse reached me today. This morning, I was reading my Bible and struggling through some feelings and thoughts when I saw those words in the midst of reading from a Daily Bible Reading Plan.

I am not at my desk bec my computer isn't working (still) so I don't have my usual note pads, index cards, or a ready stack of paper to grab. Instead, I found an envelope and scribbled this verse on both sides.

Many years ago, I read about memorizing Scripture and something stuck with me from one of the "how to's" I saw:

Write down the verse in black and use all capitals.

I am a color girl and I love using all sizes of pens from the finest available to thick, dramatic lines. I love ink... blue, purple, bright red, orange, pink and on it goes. I scribble all of these all over and on my journals, notecards, and whatever it is I'm writing on with the exception of memorizing Scripture.

I find myself writing clearly and in a Sharpie shade of black from the Sharpie extra fine to the regular Sharpie marker. I don't always cap... just depends on the day.

Anyway... I wanted to keep going back to this verse. It spoke to me so much.

Everything I need, want, or long to accomplish . . . I pray to be the Lord's Will. He knows best for me and reading this showed me that He also accomplishes all things for me. What an amazing truth!

A beloved friend commented today and it has run through my head all through the day. She said that God has provided all I need. I don't recall the exact wording but the message I got was that no matter what things appear to be. . . every need I have is met by the Savior. Any other message is not of the Lord.

Isn't this simple knowledge such a mighty truth? I carry it in my heart.

I hope anyone reading this will think on Psalm 57:2 and what a shining thing it holds in the wings of hope. It isn't about what you can, will or should accomplish. He will accomplish all things for you.  

I will cry to God Most High,

To God Who accomplishes

all things for me.

Psalms 57:2

That verse reached me today. This morning, I was reading my Bible and struggling through some feelings and thoughts when I saw those words in the midst of reading from a Daily Bible Reading Plan.

I am not at my desk bec my computer isn't working (still) so I don't have my usual note pads, index cards, or a ready stack of paper to grab. Instead, I found an envelope and scribbled this verse on both sides.

Many years ago, I read about memorizing Scripture and something stuck with me from one of the "how to's" I saw:

Write down the verse in black and use all capitals.

I am a color girl and I love using all sizes of pens from the finest available to thick, dramatic lines. I love ink... blue, purple, bright red, orange, pink and on it goes. I scribble all of these all over and on my journals, notecards, and whatever it is I'm writing on with the exception of memorizing Scripture.

I find myself writing clearly and in a Sharpie shade of black from the Sharpie extra fine to the regular Sharpie marker. I don't always cap... just depends on the day.

Anyway... I wanted to keep going back to this verse. It spoke to me so much.

Everything I need, want, or long to accomplish . . . I pray to be the Lord's Will. He knows best for me and reading this showed me that He also accomplishes all things for me. What an amazing truth!

A beloved friend commented today and it has run through my head all through the day. She said that God has provided all I need. I don't recall the exact wording but the message I got was that no matter what things appear to be. . . every need I have is met by the Savior. Any other message is not of the Lord.

Isn't this simple knowledge such a mighty truth? I carry it in my heart.

I hope anyone reading this will think on Psalm 57:2 and what a shining thing it holds in the wings of hope. It isn't about what you can, will or should accomplish. He will accomplish all things for you.  

He heals the brokenhearted,

And binds up their wounds.

Great is our Lord, and abundant in

strength;

His understanding is infinite.

Psalm 147:3 & 5

He is our Healer.

He binds up our wounds.

Great, great. . . great is our Lord.

He is abundant in strength. . .

His understanding is infinite.

This post has been stopped twice for some reason. Strange! First, it just clicked off and saved itself and then the laptop made one quick sound and it went black. It easily restarted so I don't know what that was about.

Anyway, the morning's reading in my Bible was Psalm 51-53 and these verses are some that have ministered to me over and over. This morning... they fed my spirit.

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness;

According to the greatness of Thy compassion blot out my trasngressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

And cleanse me from my sin.

Behold, Thou dost desire truth in the innermost being,

And in the hidden part Thou wilt make me know Thy wisdom.

Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from Thy presence,

And do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation,

And sustain me with a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways,

And sinners will be converted to Thee.

O Lord, open my lips,

That my mouth may declare Thy praise.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

A broken and contrite heart, O God,

Thou wilt not despise.

Psalm 51:1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, & 17 

No computer again.

This time, it is the mother board and processor and the thing isn't very old. It is still under warranty (it is 1 1/2 years old but the warranty is good for 3 years) but we haven't heard back from the company yet. I hope it is fixed soon because all my info, some passwords, and much more are all there.

Meanwhile, I am using my husband's old laptop and trying to be less whiny about it and to replace my complaining spirit with gratitude. I have my Bibles and am free to read all day and night long if I want to. That has nothing to do with computers, I know. It just came to me as I dwelled on all there is to be thanking the Lord for and I recalled Corrie Ten Boom's story of having to hide a small Bible to get it into a concentration camp with her.

My sister (waving;) told me yesterday of Scripture "for us" and I finally got some quiet time to read it this morning. Previously, I had highlighted, underlined and written notes all through some of the verses. I thought it was neat to realize how many times the Word of God can minister to us and in how many ways. As endless as His love for us. The scriptures were Isaiah 41-43. Here were some I had marked before this reading:

"Do not fear for I am with you;

Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, surely I will help you.

Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

Isaiah 41:10

"For I am the LORD your God, Who upholds your right hand,

Who says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you.' "

Isaiah 41:13

What beautiful words and reassurances. Finances tight? These truths sweep them up and take the worry of them away. Fears and "what if's" scraping at the door? These Words show where to turn. Problems, events, plans, challenges, trials and heartaches . . . cannot water down the beauty of a God Who takes the time to tell us .... He will help and He will uphold.

"Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold;

My chosen one in whom My soul delights.

I have put My Spirit upon Him;

He will bring forth justice to the nations.

He will not cry out or raise His voice,
Nor make His voice heard on the street.

A bruised reed He will not break,

And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish;

He will faithfully bring forth justice."

Isaiah 42:1-3

Takes care of any "not fair" feelings.

"I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness,

I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you,

And I will appoint you as a covenant to the people."

Isaiah 42:6

The last sections with lines drawn under each sentence and the verse numbers circled in pen were:

Isaiah 43:1-5 and vs. 18-21 along with verses 25-26 and these are some of my favorites.

Over some, I wrote my son Brandon's name over them for coming out of his time in Afghanistan.

These words are strengthening and full of strong hope. Things we need today and everyday. . .