Friday, November 30, 2007

Thanksgivings

Last week I was too tired to do a blog and this week almost gave in to the same temptation....
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving last Thursday with a good crowd of both family and friends. Yes, the food was decadently too much as usual with it being a potluck. These are 2 of G's photos so some of



you have seen them already. It was hard to get everyone in the picture at once, hence the two angles.
The day was cold, windy and a bit damp by the end of it. It started out at 62' F before breakfast and after breakfast I went out again for something and it felt a lot cooler - looked at the thermometer and already 57'F. Throughout the day it dropped, reaching the 30's by evening.

I keep finding gems in the book, Ministry of Healing, by EGWhite. Here's a section on Help in Daily Living:

The badge of Christianity is not an outward sign, not the wearing of a cross or a crown, but it is that which reveals the union of man with God. By the power of His grace manifested in the transformation of character, the world is to be convinced that God has sent His Son as its Redeemer. No other influence that can surround the human soul has such power as the influence of an unselfish life. The strongest argument in favour of the gospel is a loving and lovable Christian.


The Discipline of Trial

To live such a life, to exert such an influence, costs at every step effort, self-sacrifice, discipline. It is because they do not understand this that many are so easily discouraged in the Christian life. Many who sincerely consecrate their lives to God's service are surprised and disappointed to find themselves, as never before, confronted by obstacles and beset by trials and perplexities. They pray for Christlikeness of character, for a fitness for the Lord's work, and they are placed in circumstances that seem to call forth all the evil of their nature. Faults are revealed of which they did not even suspect the existence. Like Israel of old they question, "If God is leading us, why do all these things come upon us?"

It is because God is leading them that these things come upon them. Trials and obstacles are the Lord's chosen methods of discipline and His appointed conditions of success.....that they may discover in their character the defects which have been concealed from their own knowledge. He gives them opportunity to correct these defects and to fit themselves for His service....

The fact that we are called upon to endure trial shows that the Lord Jesus sees in us something precious which He desires to develop......

Our part is to yield ourselves to be molded by the Master Worker...

He has a song to teach us, and when we have learned it amid the shadows of affliction we can sing it ever afterward.


Well, I could quote more....there is so much in this little book.

Next week I'll talk about some of the school, music and other goings on around here as the holidays approach. Happy Sabbath!

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for coming over to my blog!
    Love your quotes here! you sound like my kind of folk. keep writing

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  2. Thanks for your encouragement! Love your blog too...I'd forgotten I'd switched to moderated comments, hence only found this now. All the best, Maggie.

    ReplyDelete