The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness.
“The LORD is my portion,
therefore I will hope in Him.“,
says my soul.
Lamentations 3:22-24

This morning’s study with SheReadsTruth was about the song, My Hope is Built on Nothing Less, by Edward Mote.

My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils his lovely face,
I rest on his unchanging grace;
in every high and stormy gale,
my anchor holds within the veil.

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.

His oath, his covenant, his blood
support me in the whelming flood;
when all around my soul gives way,
he then is all my hope and stay.

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.

When he shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in him be found,
dressed in his righteousness alone,
faultless to stand before the throne.

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.*

What does Lamentations tell us?

The LORD’s love NEVER ceases, NEVER comes to an end, and is new every morning. What a promise! Lamentations says I can hope in Him. You can hope in Him. He is faithful.

What does the song tell us?

“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.”

Christ is my solid Rock.
Christ is your solid Rock.
Everything else is sinking sand.

He promised, He made an oath, a covenant – with His blood.

• He will always support me, even when my soul is weary. He will always support you, even when your soul is weary. He will always support us, even when our souls are weary.
• I have an anchor. You have an anchor. We have an anchor.
• I have hope. You have hope. We have hope.
• When I am found in Him. When you are found in Him. When we are found in Him.

Can you even imagine?

• My hope – your hope – our hope has NOTHING to do with us.
• My hope is based on Jesus’ blood & righteousness. Your hope is based on Jesus’ blood & righteousness. Our hope is based on Jesus’ blood & righteousness.
• Why would I do anything other than lean on Jesus’ name – totally and completely?
  Why would you do anything other than lean on Jesus’ name – totally and completely? Why would we do anything other than lean on Jesus’ name – totally and completely lean on Him?

*Song lyrics copied from http://www.hymnary.org/text/my_hope_is_built_on_nothing_less

(you can expect some changes to the way the website looks…I don’t know why photos are uploading so dark)

The post 31 Days | Steadfast Love appeared first on Flowers&Rust Co..

I have felt overwhelm the last several weeks – honestly, I can’t separate the days over the last three weeks. I’ve spent too much time trying to figure out what needs to be done, how to do it all, what I need to let go of. A very real & “normal” reality of single moms. of working moms. I say “normal” because it isn’t supposed to be normal to be so busy we can’t focus.

Your heavenly Father knows what you need.
Seek first the kingdom of God & His righteousness.
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
You are of more value than the birds of the air.
Yet, He takes care of them. Not one is lacking.
Don’t be anxious about tomorrow.
Live one day at a time.
Matthew 6:26-34

I find the directives in this verse incredibly refreshing and so very simple. and hard.

• Seek first the kingdom of God & His righteousness.
• Don’t be anxious about tomorrow.
• Live one day at a time.

There is explanation too:

• Your heavenly Father knows what you need.
• Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
• You are of more value than the birds of the air.
• Yet, He takes care of them. Not one is lacking.

He knows what I need. I can’t add anything to my life. He cares for the birds of the air. Not one is lacking.

Why do we make it hard to “not be anxious about tomorrow”? Live one day at a time? Don’t I need to plan & stack everything to eek the absolute most out of each day? … No, I don’t.

The post 31 Days | Overwhelm appeared first on Flowers&Rust Co..

Yesterday, the verse was to not worry about tomorrow. to seek His kingdom & righteousness.

to live one day at a time.

When I went to bed last night I forgot to take this to heart and had my alarms set as normal. I set a minimum of two alarms each night – one for medicine and a pre-wakeup, then again to actually get up. I got up & took my medicine with the first alarm as usual (I even remember doing this)…. 30 min later when the 2nd alarm went off – I heard nothing. I was totally unaware of anything. I woke up at 10:42! (My daughter was even shocked – she said she didn’t ever remember sleeping that late unless I was sick…) I was so frustrated, there were so many things I wanted to get done today. … ya, I’m a slow learner.

Anyway, I woke up way later than I’d planned, but I chose to thank the Lord my body waited until today to decide to demand sleep – when I didn’t have to be anywhere. As I said yesterday, the last several weeks have been a bit nuts. I’ve been going on too little sleep for too many weeks. My body rebelled. I know better.

Yesterday, in my Bible study I asked God for more strength to “get it all done”. I sought Him, I worked hard, I fought with technical website stuff all day. I believe my seeking was the same as knocking – I was feeling desperate for more strength.

He answered. 

Not the way I would have chosen – but He answered. I didn’t hear the alarms, I didn’t have to be anywhere (I just selfishly wanted as much of the Saturday as I could get today), and His answer: my body got several extra hours of much needed sleep. Sleep I was depriving my body of in order to get more done each day.

Then in His goodness, He allowed soooo much to get done today too!

While the to-do list is not as drivingly important as it used to be, I really wanted some things done before starting a new week. It actually all got done!

The post 31 Days | Ask appeared first on Flowers&Rust Co..

Where is your treasure?

It’s so easy to believe I don’t treasure things on earth…but it isn’t true.

I treasure my children.

I treasure time.

I treasure quiet.

I treasure the upcoming Thanksgiving & Christmas sounds, sights & smells.

I treasure flowers.

None of these are inherently bad, but ALL of them are subject to moths, rust, being destroyed, and being stolen.

NONE of these can help me get to an eternal life with Christ.

But – they are all blessings from Him.

(As you can tell, there are still problems with the photos – but I’ve running low on time. I chose to be present with my daughter and we when photo chasing)

The post 31 Days | Treasure appeared first on Flowers&Rust Co..

What struck me about this passage? Jesus is not annoyed by the delay, Jesus is not bothered by the interruption. He doesn’t say ‘what do you want?’ in an exasperated tone.

Jesus asks: What do you want me to do for you? (Mark 10:51)

This amazed me when I saw it. As many times as I’ve heard this story, I’ve always missed Jesus’ hearing, stoping, and asking. I didn’t understand the value of those actions and words, I don’t know why. Because my mind & heart weren’t ready to hear it? I don’t know, but I do know I am understanding something on a new level and it’s exciting.

Today in my reading: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7. Of course I’ve heard this verse numerous times, I’m pretty sure I’ve posted here about this verse before – if not, I’ve often thought about it. Anyway today, this is what I read.

Guess what part jumped out at me? Not the command to not be anxious, not about praying in every situation –  present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7.

It’s okay for me to ask my Heavenly Father for my desires.

He won’t necessarily answer the way I expect him to – but as Holley says in her book, You’re Going to be Okay (pg. 86)

But the more we love him, the more our desires align with his, and we finally find the satisfaction we’ve been so desperately seeking in so many other places.

Which brings us to Matt. 6:33, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness…” I’m starting to get it a bit more.

When I am seeking Him first:

• I can present my requests to God.
• He will hear.
• He will answer (may not be my answer choice, but He does answer).
• He will give me peace regardless of my circumstances.

He wants me to ask Him. Just like I want my children to ask me for what they want. I can’t always give it to them – that might be due to my lack, or because I know it’s not best in the long run – but I still like to hear their desire. For the first time I’m understanding this. Yes, I’ve heard it my whole life. Yes, I have heard it always in my first language, English. But it is just starting to make sense.

In my mind, I’ve always been able to dismiss anything I didn’t understand about God with, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. (Isaiah 55:8) I was fine with knowing I wouldn’t always understand. But, oh, it’s so much fun when I feel as if the light has been turned up a bit.

My word for this year has been Trust. While I haven’t written often, I have thought a lot. As I’ve said before, I’m a slow and verbal processor. My problem has been what I have been trying to process, I can’t verbalize – this makes me even slower. My trusting has helped me to hear with new ears.

Day 9 of 31 Days

The post What do you want? appeared first on Flowers&Rust Co..

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)

No matter what you have done – good or bad.

No matter what you might do – good or bad.

No matter what you might think about doing – good or bad.

He has a plan. You can do the good things He planned for you long ago.

No matter what your weekend has looked like.

No matter what the week ahead holds in store.

You are God’s masterpiece, His creation, made for one purpose – to bring Him glory.

I encourage you to not get caught up, or tripped up, in doing today. He made you new in Christ Jesus. He loves you – no matter what.

 Day 12 of 31 Days

The post Long Ago appeared first on Flowers&Rust Co..

He has set hope before us. (If He hadn’t, He wouldn’t have told us to hold fast to it.)

The last several days the flu has been more present than not in my body. I’ve felt awful. I’ve slept lots. I’m ready for bed now and it’s only  9:30pm… and I and a 3 hour nap!

I start to stress at times like this, I feel the pressure to be doing something to earn an income.

I am choosing to trust. He has a perfect plan. (Jer. 29:11)

He knows my plans, and I constantly pray He guides my daily activities, even when that means “messing” with my plans. I did get the desk and shelf put together and my living room all put together. and I love it! We have living room space again. 🙂 Pictures will be coming, but I started to feel too icky to continue, then I slept thru church, then my 2 came home from their retreat and now? –  it’s not as clean as it was for the hours they were gone & I was sick :-D.

Day 13 of 31 Days

The post Hold Fast appeared first on Flowers&Rust Co..

Choosing joy.

First, in my reading this morning during my coffee time with God each morning, I am reading through You’re Going to Be Okay: Encouraging Truth Your Heart Needs to Hear, Especially on the Hard Days* by Holley Gerth, and what I was reveling as I went to watch my online class today…

• Happiness does not just happen. It’s not something we can sit around and wait to receive. It’s not automatic – we have to work for it.
• Joy requires my openness and being willing to receive. We have to make a choice – everyday.

God wants me to be joyful, I have definitely been one who got stuck thinking life was to be endured. Holley talks about the myths we believe and what hold us back from experiencing joy & happiness. You definitely should get the book and read it.

Second, when reading emails later in the day… Bonnie Gray [Faith Barista, author of Finding Spiritual Whitespace*], posted about not being a brand, but being beloved. She started her post with a  quote from Henri Nouwen – it was almost the same as what I’d read in Holley’s book, except it used the word ‘joy’.

I am thinking about this verse differently now:

• Consider it all joy when facing trials of many kinds. – He expects it to be a deliberate choice. I am not failing Him by having to choose daily.
• His grace is enough, it is all you need. – His grace truly does makes everything look different!
• His power is stronger in your weakness. – I have the privilege of leaning on His power, NOT mine. My weakness shows Him off even more. I fulfill my purpose of bringing Him glory by my weakness and His power being revealed.

Oh, I am so thankful I am forgiven as often as I am. By Jesus’ blood, my joy has already been paid for. It is a gift. Like His gift of grace. From my Father, by the blood of Jesus, to cover me.

*affiliate links

Day 14 of 31 Days

(I can’t believe we’re almost half way through the month!)

The post Joy appeared first on Flowers&Rust Co..

Did you know Jesus loves you?

 All the time. No matter what.

He cherishes you. (He doesn’t ever not cherish you. No one means more to Him than you.)

Two years ago – this month – a couple days from now – the last time I wrote in the 31 Days Challenge – I wrote 31 Days {Trusting}. I just saw this again today, I didn’t remember it until reading it today.

What I find really interesting: 1. I was evidently wrestling with something; 2. I knew all I could do was Trust Him. Lean on Him. Pray to Him.; and 3. I was making a conscience effort to not lean on my own understanding.

Now. Two years later, I don’t remember what was bothering me then.

But today:

• Now I know that for the next two years I’d be unemployed.
• Now I know I’d make it through two very dark winters – financially, emotionally & physically – but by His grace, spiritually strengthening.
• Now, I know some things I wish I didn’t.
• Also, at the time it was just a seed of a thought, within 6 months the kids and I were half way thru our two months of living in the Philippines! (What a crazy, awesome God  we serve – in my brokenness, He provided the experience of a lifetime!!!)

As a result of the hardships yet to come (2 years ago) … Now, I am wiser. I understand His love for me better. I am able to say I am thankful for the life lessons from the last two years. I pray two years from now I will be able to say this even more so.

I am loved, all the time.

I am cherished, by my Father who created me.

Love is patient, love is kind.

[Love] does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

[Love] does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

[Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. (I Corinthians 13:4-8)

Do you notice how much fun the ‘love is’ part is:

• Love is patient. (least fun, opportunity for most practice.)
• Love is kind.
• Love rejoices with the truth.
• Love always protects.
• Love always trusts.
• Love always hops.
• Love always perseveres. (you’re right, it may not always feel fun)

{sigh} Isn’t this is the love we are always seeking. There is no substitute.

Don’t be confused with “love” as we too often experience it. Don’t forget to notice the list of what love is NOT…

• When someone says they’re jealous because they love you so much;
• when someone is constantly boasting about what they’ve done;
• when someone’s pride is the third party in your friendship/relationship;
• when someone dishonors you;
• when someone is self-seeking in what they plan/suggest;
• when someone is easily (or often) angered;
• when someone is tracking what wrong things you do/have done;
• when someone enjoys evil – whatever form it may be –

they don’t love you. They might think they do, they may try to say they do, but they don’t. Don’t settle.

Seek your Father, He loves you. (He promises to be found by you). Always.

There is only one Love. (Love from people will always fail, we are human.)

Oh, how the Father loves me. Oh, how slow I’ve been to understand this and receive His gifts of grace, love, and mercy. Oh how thankful I am for His forgiveness. Daily.

Day 17 of 31 Days

The post Love. Time. Cherish. appeared first on Flowers&Rust Co..

There are a number of things that immediately come to mind when I am presented with the idea of a “break”:

• read – I usually have no less than 3 or 4 books to choose from, a magazine or two, and a whole list of blog posts sitting open on my computer waiting to be read.
• music – I love music on. Music I can understand the words to: Praise|Instrumental|Country|Disney music, all kinds depending on what else is going on in the day determines if I can handle the extra words or not.
• quiet – I relish quietness anytime. for hours on end.
• view – I love the idea of sitting inside with huge windows and a marvelous view; a book, hot drink, fireplace & cozy place to sit, with a blanket. alone or with one or two friends. I love the outdoors – from inside :-D.
• sew – I haven’t done this as much in the last couple years because my set up tends to make my neck hurt and requires too much moving piles before/after I sew. Need to fix this. I have so much material, but not a ton of ideas right now.
• paint something (wall, dresser, some kind of project that has been waiting) – I was giddy about getting to help my brothers paint the inside walls of the one brother’s hangar between Christmas & New Years – to the point I had a hard time sleeping the night before.
• clean my house – do not be mistaken, my house is not overly clean. More like I enjoy having a clean(er) house and the deep clean/organization of a project finished. Due to size, it really only takes about 20-40 min to do “normal” surface/bathroom cleaning. I am a pile person, so those are ALWAYS there. However, when I have 6+ hours and nothing else pressing (hahaha – I crack myself up!) I need to clean the above mentioned sewing/bedroom/office areas….when I do, I know I will relish the organized clean for as long as it lasts. 😀
• I want to learn how to doodle/paint canvases/art journaling. I’m working on just starting. I have a hard time “doing nothing” to practice and just be. This is part of my learning to receive this year.

But what really fills my soul?  The short answer: ‘just’ being a mom. (please read all the way through – I don’t want you to misunderstand any of what I say)

Being a mom is what feeds my soul. I ache everyday to be “just” a mom to my children. I want to be with them. See them learn, help them, guide them – but not smother them. I struggle to not resent having to earn an income. I absolutely love to do all things design – (but I don’t like it at all when I have to determine the value to be paid. <– this paralyzes me mentally, yet it’s a necessity.)

I have never had a desire to have a career, never had the desire to make money. As a young child, as a high school student, in my one year of college, in the three years of singleness – all I ever wanted was to be a stay-at-home mom with lots of children and homeschool. (I grew up with the assumption that being a mom=being a wife)

My desire to be a mom the way I dreamed has always been “out there”, just out of reach. The last 14 years of being mom (a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom) were not how I expected life to be. But, with God’s ultimate provision, I’ve mostly stayed home. I’ve only spent 2 months working outside of the home, both times were incredibly hard. My Heavenly Father has blessed my earthly father so he could make it a reality for me to stay home because he believed in the importance of a stay-at-home mom and of homeschooling, and I am so thankful!

So, it would be fair to say I dreamed often of the day I might get to answer the “what do you do?” question with “I’m just a mom”. As in being a mom only. not that being mom was in the “just” category of importance, but as in singular activity. While I have had to give up that dream (I’ve been a single parent for 14 years. I am not dating, no prospects of dating, and I’m over 40. I think it’s pretty safe to say it is time to give up that dream.) But…Isaiah 43:18 & 19 says:

Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history.

Be alert. Be present.

I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?

I’ve chosen to “give up a dream”, but He chose to give me a secondary taste of my dream in that I get to have a “job” right now, of “playing mom” to my two nieces. Don’t get me wrong – they have both a very loving & involved dad and mom (my brother & sister-in-law) – I am not the girls’ mom at all and would never want it seem as if I was trying to be, but I get to watch them one day a week – and I’m auntie (which almost equates to grandma in fun times :-D). I don’t enjoy babysitting, never have, but we have similar enough parenting styles to make this an easy transition and it’s so much fun! The girls are so well behaved and I get to be the “something different & fun”, not the normal every day for them :-).

[This is the picture my brother sent me this morning as I was writing about my excitement of the girls coming. (I don’t think it’s gotten over 10° today) It’s so nice to know the excitement is a two-way street. :-D]

–>I get to “play house” one day a week: I feed the girls lunch, take the oldest to pre-school, youngest gets her nap, then we go pick up the oldest and do after-school snack. Without thinking about having to work. <– BLISSFUL to me.

Both of my children are teenagers and being mom looks so very different. I have learned in the last six months how to better embrace their getting older, which brought more out-of-the-house classes (part of our homeschool still, but in classes with other homeschoolers). This last fall we were gone every day for multiple hours while they were in a class or two I was forever trying to work at the coffee shop or sitting in the car waiting. It was frustrating, I forever couldn’t access the files I needed. I really resented needing to work, but tried to focus on being thankful I had work. My resentment of working has lessened in the last couple months because I’m not keeping their schedule & working. As of mid-November my son drives, this means he can take them to their classes/youth group/Young Life & this spring his daily track practice, while I stay home and work. It looks different, but I’m still here. I’m still mom. always will be their mom. The best moments are still when they come in the door, whether their eyes are bright, with a big smile, and so excited to share something with me; or their eyes are clouded, heart heavy, and bit more reluctant to share after a bit of quietness. I was afraid I’d lose this connection not being right there when they were done – but God, in His graciousness, has magnified these times of communication when they get home. I believe it has strengthened their bond as siblings and Vince’s in protection of Christine too.

I have learned so much from being mom to teenagers about my relationship with my Heavenly Father. He just wants to spend time with me – it’s not about what I do, how I do it, or if I messed up. It’s about communicating with Him, being His child.

What feeds my soul?

Being mom to my two children + Being a daughter to the King of Kings = Soul-full: rest-full & full-filled

please, please, please read this:

• If are not a mom yet (or repeatedly) & your heart is aching to be, I’m so very sorry for your pain. I don’t have anything to say other than cling to your Heavenly Father. He is the only one who can truly comfort you. Your husband isn’t meant to fill that hole, don’t look for him to, it’s an unfair burden to thrust on him.
• If you are a mom and feel blindsided by the bad-tired-endless days, that is okay! (They will subside, I promise. Someday the littles will sleep more, in the meantime – lean on His strength for each day)
• If you are a mom & want a career/to work from home – that is okay!
• If you are a mom & want a career/to work out of the house – that is okay!

We all have good days/seasons of life and I’m in no way implying life can’t be hard – We will ALL have bad days, no matter what we do, it doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong. There is no guilt or condemnation for what feeds your soul – it is how He made you. Because He made me so this is what feeds MY soul – doesn’t mean it is what feeds YOUR soul.

You are an individual child of the King, uniquely His, and He has His own good purpose for you.

Psalm 139:14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

As I went to sleep last night I was “writing” this post in my head, in response to the Beloved Brews prompt – then this is today’s post. I love her heart. Finding Spiritual Whitespace: Awakening Your Soul to Rest was a key factor in my learning to put these thoughts/feelings into writing. I so appreciate Bonnie & her vulnerability to start this journey and allow others of us to join her.

The post Soul-full: rest-full & full-filled appeared first on Flowers&Rust Co..