It's been a busy past few weeks - as I'm sure everyone is with Christmas drawing nearer. We're doing Christmas outreaches on the women's side of the ministry, and I've been running with those.
There are two things I'd like to share with you. The first is a poem I got in a booklet someone sent to us. I just really liked it.
There is a new lamb cradled on Thy breast tonight,
A sweet small lamb, so lately mine
I scarce can keep my arms from reaching out
As though to snatch her back from Thine.
These arms of mine are wonted so to her, dear Lord,
They curved about her little form
So sweetly, and from dawn of time my breast want meant
To be her pillow, soft and warm.
What does one do with aching arms and empty hours,
With silent rooms, and dragging days?
The things I knew before will not avail me now-
Teach me new lessons and new ways.
Take Thou, I pray, these idle folded hands of mine
Which can no longer busied be
With dear, familiar tasks for her ...In mercy, Lord,
Fill hands and heart with tasks for Thee!
by Martha Snell Nicholson
The second thing I'd like to share is something I read last week. I did a training time with our interns, and we read an article by A.W. Tozer (EXCELLENT Christian author - I highly recommend him). The article was from the book, The Knowledge Of The Holy. Anyway, we read an excerpt from that book, and I've been thinking about it all week...what do I really believe? So I thought I'd share a few quotes for you to ponder as well :).
The following are direct quotes:
What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.
Were we able to extract from any man a complete answer to the question, "What comes into your mind when you think about God?" we might predict with certainty the spiritual future of that man. Were we able to know exactly what our most influential religious leaders think of God today, we might be able with some precision to foretell where the Church will stand tomorrow.
That our idea of God correspond as nearly as possible to the true being of God is of immense importance to us. Compared with our actual thoughts about Him, our creedal statements are of little consequence. Our real idea of God may lie buried under the rubbish of conventional religious notions and may require an intelligent and vigorous search before it is finally unearthed and exposed for what it is. Only after an ordeal of painful self-probing are we likely to discover what we actually believe about God.
Low views of God destroy the gospel for all who hold them.
Let us beware lest we in our pride accept the erroneous notion that idolatry consists only in kneeling before visible objects of adoration, and that civilized peoples are therefore free from it. The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.
Tozer always makes me think! Hope I didn't bore you :).
7 comments:
That's a beautiful poem. I've been thinking about you lately. Hopefully we can get together again soon around Christmas.
Miss you!!
Jamie
Thanks for the A.W. Tozer quotes. I appreciate your BLOGs.
-R
BORE us? Oh, silly girl. No, once again God uses you to show us a more accurate and high view of Who our God is. Thank you. I still check your blog almost daily. It's a way to see your faces and pray for you two. Thank you for sharing the poem about a mommy whose arms still ache... and whose hands want to bring God glory - they do.
~ joy f
Thanks for sharing with us what the Lord is doing in your lives and how He is challenging you! We continue to pray for you both...
alli
Hey, friends...
It has been awhile since we posted a comment--things have been so busy lately, it seems. Thanks for sharing the sweet poem. We think of you often, and know there are still aches in the midst of healing. Also, we love Tozer too--he really does make you think!
We sold the house last week and have an offer out on one up in the cities that we hope to hear on this afternoon--we will be closing on this place by the end of the month. We are so grateful that the house has sold so we can have more time as a fam...that commute has been so long for Dave each day. We're not yet sure where we're moving too, but we know whichever house works out, it is closer to his work and to my family. James is doing well--growing, though a bit slower than the doctors would like. They continue to watch him closely because he is so little. But, he is active and likes to laugh. We take him to Children's Hospital in the cities next week to have a hemangioma (a type of vascular birthmark) checked...it continues to grow, and it is right on his eyebrow, so they want to keep an eye on that as well. The little goofball should be napping right now, but he's not! :)
Other than that, we are grateful that God is meeting your hearts right now. We will have to stop in to TCX to see people.
Much love to you guys,
Vicki for the Newendorps
That poem makes me cry! Thanks for the "ponderings;" sometimes my brain doesn't take time to think about things like that.
Love you and miss you!
Sara
Thanks for your faithfulness and continued witness. You are preaching the Gospel to this believer. Love you! --Jenn
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