A Perfect Rose

A lovely poem had come in the mail written by a friend in memory of my daughter, Darlene. But the thing that really caught my eye was the beautiful rosebud and stem that went the entire length of the paper. As I looked at the rose I felt a healing in my heart and an answer to a prayer made beside Darlene's bed when she was in the hospital.

My mind did a quick replay of several scenes. The first was the day I was talking to my sister-in-law about childhood hurts as we sat on the deck in my back yard. I told her that when Darlene was born it was like God placed a beautiful and perfect rosebud in my hand to care for and watch develop into a full blossoming flower. As the years went by I became over zealous and began to pull at the petals to help form the rose. But rather than being of help I felt I had marred the beauty of the rose as I looked at the falling petals. And realizing too late that only God can make a rose.

The next scene that came to mind was when I was holding Darlene's hand as I sat by her bed in the hospital. I felt such a closeness to her and as I continued to rub and pat her hand, she looked at me and said, "Mother, God told me a couple of days ago that this was for the healing of my childhood hurts." I expressed to her how glad I was and then in silence, I prayed that God would also heal my broken heart of the hurt and guilt in everything where I had been unwise and had brought pain to her.

As I continued to look at the rose, a scripture came into my mind. "Behold I make all things new." There were no missing petals. They had all been restored. The rose that had been entrusted to me was returned to God, perfect and complete.

My beautiful rose, Darlene, was placed in her Father's hand, August 22, 2004.

*****

I would like to add that after the stormy teenage years, some of the wrong choices Darlene made worked later to her advantage in understanding and helping other young people who made unwise choices. She implemented a Young Mother's Program, Clinic and Daycare at a charter high school where she worked as an RN.

Praise Him!

I was visiting with a dear friend as she shared some of the desperation and grief that she was experiencing and said she felt it almost more than she could bear. I listened, feeling so helpless to do anything, although the thought came to my mind, "Praise Him!"

There are times when our lives are overwhelmed with problems, heartache and depression. But I know from experience that to offer God a sacrifice of praise can release His power to work in our lives in a miraculous way. Offer Him a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving even when you don't feel like praising God. . . especially when you don't feel like it!

When my oldest child was about sixteen or seventeen she became rebellious and was living a sinful lifestyle. My heart was breaking. Waves of grief would come in like the tide and I felt I would drown. I would go into my bedroom, get on my knees and open the Bible to the Psalms. I "prayed" Psalms of praise until the awful darkness lifted and I could feel God's peace and hope in my hurting heart.

When my son was killed in a car accident, I was almost numb with shock when I heard the words, "He's gone." I left the hospital waiting room and went outside, lifted my head to the sky, and began to praise God. If anyone had been watching, they would have probably thought I had lost my mind, to be praising God moments after hearing the news about my son. But the scripture says, "In all things give thanks" and that is exactly what I did! I began to praise and thank God. His power was released and a calmness took over my spirit that I can't explain. I was able to give comfort to others. I remember one of the friends of my son was almost hysterical and I put my arms around her and tried to calm her. I was in grief but I had peace, that wonderful peace that God gives in the storm. He is faithful!
But we have to look up. If we look down we will see nothing but darkness and despair. When we look up we see the stars shining in the darkness. These stars, to me, represent the beautiful, unfailing, promises of God. I praise Him for His faithfulness. . . today and every day!

The

Tree

Of Praise

The Precious

Power Of Praise!

Praise = honours God!

Praise = brings deliverance!

Praise = is the voice of faith!

Praise = is the language of Heaven!

Praise = sets the stage for God to move!

Praise = releases God's Angels to minister!

Praise = fuels joy which is our strength!

Praise = knocks down the walls of resistance!

Praise = stills the enemy and the avenger!

Praise = dispels darkness and depression!

Praise = precedes not follows blessings!

Praise = moves God's many blessings down!

Praise = brings God onto the scene!

Praise = is total acceptance of God's word!

Author

Unknown

*

After writing this post, I did not want to leave the wrong impression. There are certainly times that I have depression and the clouds hover over and I just have to wait for the sun to shine again. I was writing primarily about those things that come into our life that just overwhelm us in their severity.

**

Here is a song of praise that I love!

When you're up against a struggle

That shatters all your dreams

And your hope's been cruelly crushed

By Satan's manifested scheme

And you feel the urge within you

To submit to earthly fears

Don't let the faith your standing in seem to disappear

**
Praise the Lord, He can work through those who praise Him

Praise the Lord for our God inhabits praise

Praise the Lord for the chains that seem to bind you

Serve only to remind you that they

Drop powerless behind you when you praise Him

**

Now Satan is a liar and he wants to make us think

That we are paupers when he knows himself we're children

of the King

Lift up the mighty shield of faith for the battle has been won

We know that Jesus Christ is risen so the work's already done

**

Praise the Lord, He can work through those who praise Him

Praise the Lord for our God inhabits praise

Praise the Lord for the chains that seem to bind you

Serve only to remind you that they

Drop powerless behind you when you praise Him

*

author unknown

A MORNING PRAYER

Thank You for New Beginnings!

Thank you for your love that endures forever.

Thank you for making me clean.

May I hear your voice throughout the day and say,

"Yes, Lord, to your will and your way."

As I look to the sky,

I see the beauty of the sun reflecting on the clouds.

A New Day!

Thank You!

This prayer was written at dawn. . the most beautiful time of the day!

The Brush

Life started out like a canvas
And God started painting on me
But I took the paintbrush from Jesus
And painted what I wished to see

The colors I painted kept running
And the objects were all out of size
I had made a mess of my painting
My way now seemed so unwise

So I brought my painting to Jesus
All the colors, the pieces so wrong
In the markets of earth it was worthless
But His blood made my painting belong

He worked with no condemnation
Never mentioned the mess I had made
Then He dipped His brush in the rainbow
And He signed it, the price has been paid.

When I gave the brush back to Jesus,
When I gave the brush back to Him
He started all over life's canvas to fill
When I gave to Jesus the brush of my will.

He worked with no condemnation
Never mentioned the mess I had made
Then He dipped His brush in the rainbow
And He signed it, the price has been paid.
Chuck Milhuff

Perhaps all of us at one time or another have taken the paint brush from God's hand. Or it may be that circumstances beyond our control come into our life and we think the picture is ruined when we see a sweeping brush stroke of black right down the middle. Rather than removing the ugly black stroke, God says, "Be patient my child" as He "dips His brush in the rainbow" and continues to paint. And what seemed so offensive and out of place, now actually enhances the picture and we see that it is more beautiful than before. Only God can do that!

Hope Shines Through

Hope

Hope is a word

that every

hurting heart

understands.

Hope shines

brighter than

the brightest star

on the darkest night.

Faith is bigger than the highest mountain.

And God is greater than any obstacle in your path.

Anything can be accomplished by those who fully

put their hearts into it.

The time to start is now

the place to start is here.

May hope cast its special

light upon your path and God

bless everything you touch in the

hours, days, and moments

still to come.

Author Unknown