SONGS OF MY HEART - I WILL SING HALLELUJAH

For all of my life I will praise the Lord, I will sing Hallelujah for He has supplied my every need. As I look around at the mountains and all the beauty that surround Bellingham, Wa I can't help but praise Him. As I kneel in prayer and thank Him for my family, of keeping them through the years, even through my idocy-I thank Him. As I review the past year, and see how He has kept me, provided for me, and comforted me through some VERY hard times, I can't help but praise Him. Even as I realize the joy He has put in my heart on a daily basis, it's a wondrous thought of His goodness. As I think about how He has made provisions in my life, even this past month,  I can't help but sing Hallelujah!

At this age I'm beginning to realize that what I don't have is maybe not quite the time, or I didn't need it as bad as I thought I did. Hindsight is profitable when its paid attention to and thought about. There are some things I asked the Lord for, and instead of giving me what I asked for, He gave me solutions. Solutions that involved other people, so they could see His working, and God gets the glory. There are things I asked the Lord for, that in the passage of time, I had to SHOUT "Thank YOU JESUS,"  You didn't give me that, or take me there. His faithfulness does not fail, and He knows just what we can and cannot bear.

Hills and valley's, level plains (same-o, same-o, the mundane, quiet times), we all will experience in our lifetimes. What will we do with them, through them? Food, clothing and shelter, He has given us. I will Thank Him for today, and thank Him for the name of Jesus, I will thank Him for the cross, and the blood He shed for me. Jesus, the source and supply of my life. I will praise and lift Him High.

Songs Of My Heart - GIVE ME A CLEAN HEART

Give me a clean heart so I may serve thee.
Lord, fix my heart so that I may be used by thee,
For I’m not worthy of all your blessings.
Give me a clean heart, and I’ll follow thee.

I’m not asking for the riches of this land,
And I’m not asking for men in high places to know my name.
Please-- give me, Lord, a clean heart that I may follow thee.
Give me a clean heart, and I’ll follow thee.

As I was having my meditation and prayer this morning, I was reminded that it is not about clean clothes or clean hands, it's not about the car I drive or about the degrees I have; but my walk/our walk with the Lord is about having a clean heart.

In the past few months my meditation has taken me to scriptures that have to do with the heart of the leadership of the church. Being that I is one, and am also a part of the the crowd of 'Older Women' whose responsibility it is to teach the younger, it is of great concern that I look at what we are giving the people, the sheep and lambs of Christ. Are they being fed? Is our Sunday meal giving the little ones in Christ the nurishment they need to grow? Are we offering food throughout the week, to hold them through the struggles of their weekly life outside the four walls of the sanctuary? Is it in our hearts as shepherds to go into the highways and byways where the people are? Are we offering 'feel good stuff' that will only last awhile, or teaching them as babies who will one day grow into wise leaders? Are we living as though the Holy Spirit of God lives in us, and teaching that we are not our own, but brought with the high price of the blood of Jesus? Are we teaching that His love is so strong, that nothing can draw us away - do we as leaders really live like that, and is that what the unsaved world sees in us/me/we as leaders?

Jesus said to ask of the Father what we will in His name, and it shall be done. This song, 'Give Me A Clean Heart' has always been one of my favorites, but today this is what I ask, it is my prayer.