IN THE DESERT

It is beautiful in our desert this time of year. There was a time when I wondered why in the world would anyone want to live in the desert. Now I get it. We've lived in the desert for over 22 years now and we love it. Growing up in southern California I always loved the ocean and the beach. I also like the mountains and trees. I still do but I have come to appreciate the desert now.

Do you know how many times the desert is referred to in the Bible? Neither do I but I know it is many many times. The Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years immediately comes to my mind and Jesus spending 40 days in the desert being tempted by Satan also comes to mind.

I hadn't thought about the word desert as in "desertion" meaning being deserted. It is pronounced a little differently but spelled the same. Actually it is pronounced like dessert, a word I love. My favorite part of the meal is the dessert. Many people have been deserted by those they have loved and depended on. There are a lot of people in this world who may leave you and may desert you but how comforting it is to know that God never will.

There are many scriptures indicating that God will never leave us nor forsake us. I chose the following one in Hebrews as an example. With so many people out of work and the economy getting weaker, I think this is a good one to think about. We may not have as much money or things as we would like to have, but God says to be content with what we have. If we have the peace of God and the love of Christ in our lives, we are rich. How much better can it get than to be a child of the King of the universe? Wow!

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:4-6 (in Context) 

Be sure to check out our Spiritual Sundays blog. You will be blessed by reading the wonderful posts that are shared there by many different bloggers. Just click HERE to go there.

Treasure of Love

Probably not many will remember Clyde McPhatter's song called "The Treasure of Love". It was popular back in the 50s. OK. I'm telling my age here although it really isn't a secret, LOL. Anyway, back to the song, I hadn't thought about it in many years and then one day I heard it again and I remembered that it was one of my very favorite songs way back when.

The Treasure of Love is not a religious song but I think it can be adapted to spirituality. After all, where did "love" originate? Certainly God is love and He has put love in all our hearts.

Who could begin to count all the poems, songs, and books written about the love of God? One of God's first commandments was to love Him.

Deuteronomy 6:5
New International Version (NIV)

⁵ Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Leviticus 19:18

“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. 

I always think of the "Love your neighbor as yourself" as a New Testament command, but it goes back to the beginning. Did you know it was commanded way back in Leviticus? 

And who is my neighbor? The story of the Good Samaritan answers that question. (Luke chapter 10).

I Corinthians chapter 13 is one of my favorites. It describes love perfectly. 

LOVE IS PATIENT,

LOVE IS KIND,

IT DOES NOT ENVY;

LOVE DOES NOT BOAST,

IT IS NOT ARROGANT,

IT DOES NOT BEHAVE RUDELY;

IT DOES NOT SEEK ITS OWN,

IT IS NOT PROVOKED,

IT KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS;

IT DOES NOT REJOICE IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH;

IT BEARS ALL THINGS,

BELIEVES ALL THINGS,

HOPES ALL THINGS,

ENDURES ALL THINGS.

LOVE NEVER FAILS.

Knowing that most of you have probably never heard Clyde McPhatter's song and might be a little curious about it, I decided to include it in this post. The quality is not good. It's like listening to an old 78 rpm record. I love the words that say it's stronger than diamonds, worth more than gold. This is the treasure that never grows old. So true.

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

I hope you will go to the Spiritual Sundays blog and visit as many of the links there as you can. Trust me, there is a lot of great "stuff" shared there. You may want to share something on your blog as well. Linking info is available there. Click HERE to go to that blog.

PINK SATURDAY

It has been awhile since I've participated in Pink Saturday. I do love and appreciate Beverly for her faithfulness to that meme. She makes lots of people happy with all that pinkness that is shared. Click HERE to go to How Sweet the Sound for links to lots of pink posts.

I wanted to share this very very short video (8 seconds long) today. I love pink and I love pink flowers.

Beverly has reminded us that October is breast cancer awareness month. October is also my birthday month. To celebrate my birthday on the 5th we drove up to beautiful Sedona, AZ to spend the day. I wore my pink hat because I needed to keep the sun off my face. I've started a round of Carac cream to get rid of skin cancer cells. My face is getting redder every day. It doesn't really show up in this picture. A pink top seemed appropriate for the occasion so I wore that too. Here's a picture. I also wore a pink cross. For those of you who follow Spiritual Sundays this picture was taken outside the chapel in the header picture for that blog. Such a beautiful place. When we visited the chapel this time we bought a cross made from the red rock. I'm planning to share a picture of it on Spiritual Sundays.

Happy Pink Saturday to everyone who shares there. No no - Happy Pink Saturday to everyone, not just those who share. 

Now you can click "like" to like this post on Facebook. How about that. 

BULLY CACTUS

I never thought a cactus could be a "bully" but the thought came to my mind recently when one of our barrel cactuses bit the dust (or actually it was rocks). A dear friend, a cactus grower and cactus expert gave us several cacti when we first moved here 22 years ago. She and her husband planted them for us. They grew a lot, the ones that survived. Some didn't make it beyond a few years, but the saguaro and two barrel cactus plants plus a couple of others have been growing all these years.

See the one laying on the ground? The one like it was leaning into it and evidently it put too much pressure on the other one and it fell. I kind of expected the leaning one to fall but I thought maybe the other one would hold it up and keep it from falling. Instead of holding the other one up, it fell. It seems I'm always trying to draw spiritual applications for events like this. The following scripture came to my mind. I looked it up in Bible Gateway.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

So what is the message? Don't discourage each other. Don't be a bully and push someone down. Of course the cactus didn't do this maliciously. It was just doing what a cactus does. We have a choice. We don't have to drag or knock someone down. We have the choice to help them and build them up. One more reason I'm glad I'm not a cactus. lol

If you did not come here from Spiritual Sundays, I hope you will click HERE, go there and check out that blog. Many wonderful inspirational posts are shared there each week. 

PENNIES FROM HEAVEN?

A Facebook friend shared this story on his fb page. I thought it was good. Gave me something to think about and I thought it would also be of interest to those who read my blog. So here's the story― and I'm sharing it for Spiritual Sundays. 

You always hear the usual stories of pennies on the sidewalk being good luck, gifts from angels, etc. This is the first time I've ever heard this twist on the story. Gives you something to think about..... 
Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house.

The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely.
As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment.

Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts. Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny.He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up?

Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She casually mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value. A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see.. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this? 'Look at it,' he said. 'Read what it says.' She read the words ' United States of America .' 'No, not that; read further.' 'One cent?' 'No, keep reading..''In God we Trust?' 'Yes!' 'And... ?' 

He explained, 'And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him. Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as my response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful! '

When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, 'In God We Trust,' and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message.

It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful! And, God is patient..

Thank you, Dave, for sharing this story. Just a thought from Charlotte:  I wonder if dimes would 'work'. Yes, I think so. Maybe 10 times as much. I think I find more dimes than pennies. I hope I remember this story next time I see a coin and I stop to pick it up.

Now you can click "like" to like this post on Facebook. How about that. 

FACEBOOK CHANGES

I don't remember when anything caused as much controversy as the recent facebook changes. Seems like everybody is talking about it and many facebook users are threatening to quit facebook altogether. Does facebook care? It doesn't seem like it. They're going full steam ahead making lots of changes. And then there are the rumors. Like facebook is going to start charging for being a member. People are assured that facebook is not going to start charging but they are still a little worried about that.

And facebook is really going to change big time in a day or two when the new look is available to everybody. Two of my fb friends are not worried about it. In fact, they're ready to jump in and embrace the new look. With all the angst about the changes, I can't help but wonder how many would want to go back to the original format when facebook first started. I really doubt if anybody would.

Many times when I'm reading a post on somebody else's blog, usually one that linked to Spiritual Sundays, I think I would like to click "like" and then I realize I'm not on facebook, I'm on someone's blog and there is no "like" to click. I just found out today that now facebook is changing that too. There is a code you can put in a post that puts facebook "like" button on your blog. Look at the bottom of this post. I'm putting the like button on this post. I wonder - will anybody "like" it? I know one person who will like it. Me.

OPEN MY EYES

A FAVORITE PRAYER OF HELEN STEINER RICE

God, open my eyes so I may see
And feel Your presence close to me.
Give me strength for my stumbling feet
As I battle the crowd on life's busy street.
And widen the vision of my unseeing eyes,
So in passing faces I'll recognize
Not just a stranger, unloved and unknown.
But a friend with a heart that is much like my own.
Give me perception to make me aware
That scattered profusely on life's thoroughfare
Are the best gifts of God that we daily pass by
As we look at the world with an unseeing eye.

I pray God will open the eyes of my heart to see others as He sees them. Even more important is to have eyes that see Him. This is also my prayer and I think the video expresses it very well.


To everyone who came here from Spiritual Sundays you have my heartfelt thanks. If not, I hope you will visit Spiritual Sundays. I promise you that you will be blessed.

IN HIS FOOTSTEPS

Following In His Footsteps

When someone does a kindness

it always seems to me

That's the way God up in heaven

would like us all to be.

For when we bring some pleasure

to another human heart

We have followed in His footsteps

and we've had a little part

In serving Him who loves us . . .

for I'm very sure it's true

That in serving those around us

we serve and please Him too.

- Helen Steiner Rice

The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer up somebody else.

- Mark Twain

Matthew 25:40
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 
Matthew 25:39-41 (in Context) Matthew 25 (Whole Chapter)

Today is the first time I've hosted Spiritual Sundays by myself. I'll have to admit it feels a little lonely. But all the encouraging comments from so many has really helped. I know Ginger appreciates all the encouragement she has received also. You have blessed both of our lives so much.

TRANSITIONS

Life consists of many transitions. I'll be 75 years old next month so I have witnessed many many transitions. Some have been good. Some have been not so good, but transition is just a certainty of life. Words from an old hymn just came to my mind. I'm not sure of the exact wording, but it is something like this. "Time is filled with swift transition. Naught of earth unmoved can stand. Build your hopes on things eternal. Hold to God's unchanging hand." I haven't sung that song in many years but I think it has a great message. That is the key. Hold to God's unchanging hand. What a blessed assurance―God doesn't change.

If you read Ginger's introduction to Spiritual Sundays for this week you know that she will not be co-hosting that blog with me. At least not for now. I have mixed emotions about it. I totally understand her situation and I think she made the right decision. But I almost feel like I've lost a good friend. Of course I have not lost Ginger. She is still my niece and she is still my friend. But it will just not be the same with her not sharing the hosting on that blog.

We who share on Spiritual Sundays owe so much to Ginger. If not for her influence I doubt I would even be blogging today. Clif had been blogging for a couple of years and had encouraged me to at least write a post on his blog once in a while. I really wasn't at all interested until one day Ginger was at our house and she showed me her blog on my computer. She was so enthusiastic about it and seemed to enjoy it so much that I thought I would give it a try. Until then I had thought that blogging was more of a guy thing. So I started a blog and that led to another one, and another one, and . . . . Then one day Ginger suggested we start a blog that others could link there and share spiritual posts. So we worked on it together, and came up with Spiritual Sundays. That was over three years ago. In that time it has grown from about 20 links to between 70 and 80 each week and sometimes more. When we started it I had no idea what a great blessing it would be for me. I thank each one of you who share there for that.

Thinking of "friends", I decided to look the word up in Bible Gateways. There were 423 references in The Message. I want to share some of them with you here.

James 2:23
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.
James 2:22-24 (in Context) James 2 (Whole Chapter)

James 4:4
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
James 4:3-5 (in Context) James 4 (Whole Chapter)

1 John 4:7
[ God’s Love and Ours ] Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:6-8 (in Context) 1 John 4 (Whole Chapter)

1 John 4:11
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4:10-12 (in Context) 1 John 4 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 34:15

God keeps an eye on his friends, his ears pick up every moan and groan,

Psalm 34:14-16 (in Context) Psalm 34 (Whole Chapter)

We see that friendship is very important to God. I thank Him so much for all of my friends, but most of all I want to be counted among God's friends. 

BLOG CHANGES

I've decided to change the name of this blog to Charlotte's Weblog. I hope it won't be too confusing. Right now I'm planning to primarily post here instead of the WordPress Charlotte's Weblog. I think jumping back and forth in posting on the two blogs is also confusing. I may do it differently at some time in the future, but for now this is my plan. I appreciate all my blogging friends who are so loyal to visit and comment on all my blogs.

I hope everyone is having a good holiday weekend.

LOVING AND CARING

Are you familiar with the little book entitled A Touch of Wonder by Arthur Gordon? It contains a collection of heart warming experiences. It is a little paper back book that we have had at our house for years but I just recently discovered it. 

In Arthur Gordon's book he recalls an occasion when he and his siblings were going through the attic of the home where his family had lived for generations. They were to clean it out and get rid of a lot of stuff that had collected there through the years. He thought there might be some treasures there that were very valuable but it turned out to be a lot of junk. He did, however, find value in some old letters he found there. That value was value of the heart which is the best kind. He describes so much better than I ever could, so I'll use his words here.

Speaking of value, he says, "I found it in the letters, a whole trunkful of them. Most of them were written in faded ink and grimy with the dust of decades. . . .  It was like listening to voices, faint and far away, echoing down the corridor of time. The letters were never about great historical events. They weren't passionate love letters either. They simply chronicled the lives of ordinary people. . . . The people of those generations cared about one another, enormously and intimately. . . . In a hundred different ways they spoke of their love and admiration for one another, and you could feel their sincerity warm on the brittle paper:

You don't know how much your visit meant to each of us! When you left I felt as if the sun had stopped shining.

The courage with which you are facing your difficulties is an inspiration to all of us. We haven't the slightest doubt that in the end you will triumph over all of them.

Have I told you lately what a wonderful person you are? Never forget how much your friends and family admire you.

 I'm afraid that in our hurry up, hustle bustle, TV, internet, etc. etc. etc. world today that we have lost some of the "caring" that former generations demonstrated. I'm happy to find that a lot of that warmth and caring is demonstrated here in blogland. This was especially evident in the interest that was shown in Charlie and the Miracle Makeover blog party. I was really touched by all the wonderful comments that were made.
We know how important love is to God. These are just a few of the scriptures pointing out that fact.

1. John 13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
   John 13:33-35 (in Context) John 13 (Whole Chapter)
2. John 13:35
   By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
   John 13:34-36 (in Context) John 13 (Whole Chapter)
3. Romans 12:10
   Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
   Romans 12:9-11 (in Context) Romans 12 (Whole Chapter)
4. Romans 13:8
   [ Love Fulfills the Law ] Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
   Romans 13:7-9 (in Context) Romans 13 (Whole Chapter)

Please click HERE to go to the Spiritual Sundays blog. It continues to be a blessing to many. I'm happy that so many are sharing there.

BLOG ENHANCEMENT

I'm sure some if not most of you know about Shabby Blogs where you can go to get cool backgrounds for your blogs. Did you know you can also find tutorials there for how to customize your headers, add page dividers, and more. I customize my headers a different way, but if I didn't, I'd definitely do it the way she suggests. I did follow her instructions for adding my post dividers which I've been trying to figure out for months.

When I figure out how to make my blogs better, I like to share it with my friends, so that's why I'm posting this info. I hope it will be helpful to someone. (You can click on the Tutorials graphic to go there.)

Happy Blogging.