Dry are my old Eyes

One of my favorite songs is from the late Keith Green, My Eyes are Dry. It reminds me of the trust and faith I must have in the power of the Spirit of love our Messiah has for each and everyone of his sheep.

"My eyes are dry, my faith is old, My heart is hard, my prayers are cold, And I know how I ought to be, Alive to You and dead to me" When I look into the eyes of a child of our Almighty like Sharbat Gula, I realize anything I have felt as a trouble is insignificant, or trivial. The National Geographic Magazine went back to find Sharbat to see if this refugee had survived the forced march across the mountains into Pakistan from Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation. This woman as an orphan child with her grandmother traveled on foot to be released from an occupied country. I wonder about the women, children and families of Afghanistan who are in an American occupied country. I forget a lot about the suffering of others, the suffering of the Messiah and have self-pity during my days. Will I see my child again, will I be alone and will I ever loose this weight.

"Oh what can be done for an old heart like mine, Soften it up with oil and wine." The olive tree bears fruit that is washed, cleaned, beaten, grounded up and centrifuged a heated pulp to extract the largest and best droplets of oil. Oh, have I beaten, washed and cleaned my soul of impurities to help soften my heart. Grapes are harvested, crushed and pressed, fermented, clarified, and aged to be bottled once to provide a unique drink our Messiah used at the dedication of his remembrance supper. Oil and wine to soften my weary heart. We are purified when we obey the Truth, which enables us to grow in our spiritual habitation "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God." 2 Corinthians 7:1.

Keith Green's lyrics from "My Eyes are Dry", National Geography photograph by Steve McCurry, 2008

I love songs, especially when they remind me of Yeshua. He is our everything. "Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD." Psalm 34:11 "But Yeshua called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." Luke 18:16 A friend of mine above the States sent this today and I greatly appreciated the revision of an old favorite.

"Senior version of Jesus Loves Me"
Here is a new version just for us who have white hair or no hair at all. For us over middle age (or even those almost there) and all you others, check out this newest version of Jesus Loves Me.

JESUS LOVES ME
Jesus loves me, this I know,
Though my hair is white as snow
Though my sight is growing dim,
Still He bids me trust in Him.
(CHORUS)

YES, JESUS LOVES ME.. YES, JESUS LOVES ME..
YES, JESUS LOVES ME, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

Though my steps are oh, so slow,
With my hand in His I'll go
On through life, let come what may,
He'll be there to lead the way.
(CHORUS)

When the nights are dark and long,
In my heart He puts a song..
Telling me in words so clear,
"Have no fear, for I am near."
(CHORUS)

When my work on earth is done,
And life's victories have been won.
He will take me home above,
Then I'll understand His love.
(CHORUS)

I love Jesus, does He know?
Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say,
That I love Him every day.

YES, JESUS LOVES ME.. YES, JESUS LOVES ME..
YES, JESUS LOVES ME, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. " John 13:34-35 Oh, that all of us would love the Messiah as Yeshua loves us.

Picture of H.D. Dennis from Rising Blackstar.com

http://rising.blackstar.com/southern-lights-the-old-preacher-man-on-highway-61.html/comment-page-1#comment-20665

Albert Scarestein, A twist on a American icon!

My students created a scarecrow in the most unusual way. They were excited about not letting the other Fourth Grade students and teachers see Albert before unveiling time. Guess who their inspiration was? Thank you's go to Mrs. Voss for organizing and staying the whole two hours of creating! scarecreation

Desert of Judah

Today I feel kind of like King David, except my desert is near to the city where I work. [When he (David) was in the Desert of Judah.] "O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”- Psalms 63:1 I can always tell when I am not immersing myself with God's word, for there appears a void or a large gap of my waking time where I feel myself wandering. So I imagine this happens to everyone at sometime or the other. But I find my self drawn sometimes into a void which I know prayer or reading the word would keep me away from.

I have begun to read the word twice or three times a day. I have made goals to pray and sing so my spirit does not grow weary. Keeping busy doesn't help, so I just remember to sing the word! "I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." I Corinthians 14:15 Understanding God's voice is speaking to me through the medium of prayer and song appears to help me keep perspective. :)

Picture: Judean Desert, Isreal Wonders, Geographic Regions www.goisreal.com

God's truth through the medium of Love

I went searching for a functional definition of love and found: Love is the commitment to care for others without respect to their response. The wise man of old says:

"Put me like a seal over your heart, Like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, Jealousy is as severe as Sheol (grave); Its flashes are flashes of fire, The very flame of the LORD. Many waters cannot quench love, Nor will rivers overflow it; If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love, It would be utterly despised."(Song of Solomon 8:6-7).

Christianity does not stand on what people say but on what people do - whether they love one another. Love requires us to put the needs of others above ourselves instead of the popular view which equates love in mutual pleasure. Love displays its true power when pleasure is taken away. How does one perpetuate his kindness, care, gentle talk, noble deeds, etc. when the object of his love becomes violent, cold, harsh, unloving and very ungrateful? When a person is conscious and receptive to God's love, they are filled with joy and gratitude. Some, however, wonder what has happened to God's promised love.

God Himself makes constant and gracious provision for His creation. God is the great initiator of love. Because God is love, we see his love enter a sin sick world. We are recipients of God's love. His love creates a loving nature in our lives. We are restored to a an abounding and caring relationship by God our Father. We bring God's love to others. We duplicate what God has done for us by His love. They in turn are able to see God's love more clearly and brought to him. If we want to know love then we need to know God. Love's feelings soon pass under trials and testings, but genuine love from God persists.

Where can we find such explanations and teaching on love? 1 John 4 is a remarkable collection of sayings that reveal how love is connected to God Himself. Two times love is equated with God.

"The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love." 1 John 4:8
"And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." 1 John 4:16.

God too, reveals His truths in the form of rigid commands to keep us well protected. This is why John says in 1 John 5:3,

"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome."

God's love sets us free to extend love to all those around us. All of God's sheep hear his call and with those who need it the most, he is patient to extend his hand and his sheep to minister to each other. So to respect or love someone or something, only requires your willingness to acknowledge, accept and value those around you and you may not agree with your brother. Without a love for God's revealed truths, there is no love for God Himself. These truths are an extension of God's person and wisdom.

I pray to Lord to always reminds me of his truths, his great person and wisdom.

Biblical Foundations for Freedom: by Paul J. Bucknell http://xserve.co.nz/dev/montdw/images/visoverviews/env_vis_1.jpg Capital Montessori School students

Resting in Christ

My great uncle left this life early Wednesday morning. He had lived 88 years married to a wonderful woman and has beautiful grandchildren from his son and daughter-in-law. He was a quiet man who's trust in the Lord was inspiring. Except for the three years he served as a sailor during World War II in the Pacific theatre, Uncle had always lived in our community I was amazed he returned from war with such gentleness. The Lord granted him grace when he began young to apply the qualities God requires in our lives.

In 2 Peter 1: 2-11 it is written, "Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue; whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in that world by lust. Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge; and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control patience; and in your patience godliness; and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he that lack these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble: for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." A.S.V.

My great uncle was not a complainer. His patience and self-control exhibited exceeding faithfulness in our Saviour. Daily nurses heard him reply "I am fine" when his family knew he was truly in much pain and difficulty. He would laugh and joke giving you his best appearance for the day. Could his agricultural background have given him with his faith in God this wonderful attitude that he was just "fine?"

I would say with confidence his experiences being the child of a widow on a farm during the depression with a large Christian community as a background would help attribute to his faith in our Lord and God. A godly wife with the same values and standards attributed to his being able to reflect on God daily. Oh, I would we all had the same standards and remained true to God in all we do. It is wonderful each of his sisters and brother also appear to have the same steadfastness in their lives.

Pictures: US Naval Shield, Aerial Clark Salyer Refuge--Photograph by James P. Blair

Singing Praises to Yeshua

I just spent a week in Abilene at the Singing School at Abilene Christian University. It was the most awesome, spiritual reviving of my soul. The joint purpose of sculpturing your voice to focus in on a true harmony with other singers and praising the Lord is so calming to my spirit. Singing for an hour twice a day and then focusing on the fundamentals of music, sight reading with shape notes, singers workshop and the history of singing/songs in the church wrapped my mind toward God.

Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." KJV

The word of Christ dwelling in me richly in all wisdom is most vital in my daily life. So singing the word links me by spirit to God closely. Singing hymns and psalms with a spiritual purpose continually is a wonderful way to keep a smile on your face and meet the day or work with a God-like attitude.

The grace of God dwelling in my soul appears when I allow my body to sing praises to him and Yeshua.

Hebrews 2:12 "saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee." KJV

I would recommend this Singing School at Abilene Christian University to any man or woman who loves to sing and wants to improve their voice in song to bring praises to God. http://www.singingschool.org/ The Singing School's next years date is July 10th.

I will always have issues with women leading singing in a congregation, however, learning to pitch your voice and blending in with a group of believers to sing praises to the Lord is wonderful.

I looked outside the window this morning listening to the cicada’s noise in the hackberry trees lining the yard. Their noise was peaceful and calming with a light and cool breeze. It didn’t appear to be an early July morning. God was surrounding me with the beautiful sounds of his creation. I looked down and there in the soil was a cicada. He was still as if when he landed it was the last thing he did during the early morning light. I marveled at how perfect he was and the shape of his form. A broad-headed insect with 3 camouflage markings like eyes in the middle of his head. I could see the shimmer of reflecting light and colors of the trees and grass in dark wings. His wings gracefully folded behind him blended in with the black soil. I couldn’t help to leave the house and see him closer. As I positioned the camera to snap his image, he shocked me by taking flight to a safer area of the yard.

We sometimes are so alike this beloved creature who makes our summer days wonderful with his music. We will be loud with our July celebration and forget to be open in our praise to God for the wonderful mercy and grace in allowing the freedom to worship him. We have the blessed privilege of worship to God and would rather celebrate earthly freedoms first and letting them become our worship. I would rather be like the David who left us his songs and writings in the glory he shared with our heavenly Father.

“Let all the earth fear Jehovah: Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake and it was done: He commanded and it stood fast.“ “Blessed is the nation whose God is Jehovah, The people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. Jehovah looketh from heaven.” Psalms 33: 8-9, 12-13 ASV

He is the author of our freedoms, not men. Praise the Lord our God.

A Cowboy’s Prayer
Oh Lord, I’ve never lived where churches grow.
I love creation better as it stood
That day You finished it so long ago
And looked upon Your work and called it good.
I know that others find You in the light
That’s sifted down through the tinted window panes,
And yet I seem to feel You near tonight
In this dim, quiet starlight on the plains.

I thank you, Lord, that I am placed so well,
That You have made my freedom so complete;
That I’m no slave of the whistle, clock or bell,
Nor weak-eyed prisoner of wall and street.
Just let me live my life as I’ve begun
And give me work that’s open to the sky;
Make me a pardner of the wind and sun,
And I won’t ask a life that’s soft or high.

Let me be easy on the man that’s down;
Let me be square and generous with all.
I’m careless sometimes, Lord, when I’m in town,
But never let ‘em say I’m mean or small!
Make me as big and open as the plains,
As honest as the hoss between my knees,
Clean as the wind that blows behind the rain,
Free as the hawk that circles down the breeze!

Forgive me Lord, if sometimes I forget.
You know about the reasons that are hid.
You understand the things that gall and fret;
You know me better than my mother did.
Just keep an eye on all that’s done and said,
And right me, sometimes, when I turn aside,
And guide me on the long, dim, trail ahead
That stretches upward toward the Great Divide.

Badger Clark’s version of a cowboy’s prayer, is one of the best known of this South Dakota poets who wrote in the early part of the 20th century.

Taken from Cowboy Poetry: A Gathering, Editor Hal Cannon, Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith Books,1985.

I take to heart the part in Clark's prayer where he asks Yeshua, "Just keep an eye on all that's done and said, and right me, sometimes, when I turn aside." Yes, check me and point me in his blessed way!

Light or the Light?

Revelation 7:16 states, "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore: neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. KJV

I am always amazed at the connections my students and I see daily as we work in science. We completed a study of the sun being one part of a whole system. If the sun goes out then the system will stop to exist as it has been known. When we believe God, Yeshua (the Messiah), and the Ruach-Ha Kodesh (Holy Spirit), we have no fear of our universe's light not shining. We will not miss the sunlight, halos around the moon, rainbows, green flashes and moon dogs or energy from the sun.

"Day and night they serve him in his Temple: and the One who sits on the throne will put his Sh'Khinah(the glorious manifest presence of God) upon them. They will never again be hungry, they will never again be thirsty, the sun will not beat down on them, nor will any burning heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will shepherd them, will lead them to springs of living water: and God will wipe every tear from their eyes. Isaiah 49:10, Revelation 7:15-17 (Jewish New Testment translation)

No more fear of the sun's distruction, the Earth not turning or wondering about the moonlight halo.

(Picture: Nainital Green Flash from setting sun taken from a mountain in India. Source: Amiteshomar, Wikipedia, 13 January, 2010.)

New Cover of Reading: Art and Science of Teaching

I went to the middle school in our district to pick up my summer reading. I picked up the book I had signed up for as a book study and also picked up Robert Marzano's "The Art and Science of Teaching". I went back to sign up online for the Marzano session, however the class registration was not listed anymore. I went ahead and began reading the Marzano book because it is not the one I signed up for. Are you following me yet? I am going to ignore the Social and Emotion book and make sure I know how to teach since I have just been at it for 18+ years.

Ok! Introduction: Pedagogy of Effective Classrooms: 1) Use effective instructional strategies, 2) Use effective management strategies and 3) Use effective classroom curriculum design strategies.

What is effective? Lets see if I can wade through the next 10 chapters. Non-fiction reading so I can start anywhere I want. That's what I tell the students, so lets see if it works for the teacher. I'm going to the section on Establishing or Maintaining classroom rules and procedures since it is the second bullet in the introduction, I'm the second child in my family and this is the second book I should be reading.

Yes, I am going to ignore the other book. The cover is appealing and the Social and Emotional book is appealing. I only chose books with appealing covers. I need to work on finding an unappealing cover later. :) Going to read!

Prepare myself with a question: What will I do to establish and maintain classroom rules and procedures?

How Firm a Foundation?

I have been listening to YouTube for a while and I heard Dr. Robert Sala quote the following poem/hymn written by Robert Keen in Europe around 1787. I am greatly touched by its message.

1. How firm a foundation ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word;
What more can he say than to you he hath said?
You, who unto Jesus, for refuge have fled.

2. In ev'ry condition - in sickness in health,
In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth,
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.

3. “Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed!
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

4. “When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o'erflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

5. “When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace all-sufficient shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design,
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

6. “E'en down to old age, all my people shall prove
My sov'reign eternal, unchangeable love;
And then, when grey hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.

7. “The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes:
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never - no, never, no, never forsake!”

In the Jewish New Testment, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Sh'aul writes, verse 58) "So, my dear brothers, stand firm and unmovable, always doing the Lord's work as vigourously as you can knowing that united with the Lord your efforts are not in vain."

Also in 2 Timothy 4:5, "But you, remain steady in every situation, enduring suffering, do the work that a proclaimer of the Good News should and do everything your service to God requires."

Looking Beyond the Cover, a beginning!

As I viewed the environment around me, I continue to believe God provided us with the most appealing environment which gives witness to the blessings in believing his son, in his word and his promises. I wonder how we can look at nature, our friends and neighbors and view their covers and think we know everything just from our first view. I am convinced we only know someone when we listen, discuss and share their experiences, feelings, joys and heartaches.

I love sheep. Black faced sheep, white faced sheep, ewes, rams, lambs, sheep whose fleece shed and sheep whose fleece must be sheared. Sheep from domesticated flocks to sheep who climb mountain trails. The sheep of the southwestern deserts of the U.S. of America to the flocks of the Middle East, African sheep and Scottish Highland flocks. I don't discriminate, I love them all.

Shepherds know their flocks well. Each animal in his care will hear his call and come because they trust his voice. When a wolf or someone unknown to them call, they look and head in the other direction if they don't like what they hear, see or perceive. Sometimes we just look and head in the other direction and never know if the one we met was friend or foe.

Sometimes we must introduce ourselves to the pictures, headings, first 5 pages or more if we want find unique stories to take in and hear what the author intends. Most of the time we have to look beyond the outside of a person to discover the best. We might just find a lovely friend with a boring cover!

I'm on a journey looking for a sheep whom doesn't run at the first hint of the unusual!