Category Archives: Scripture Memory

“Gate Guides” for Father’s Day

my Father’s Day gift to Mike:

Ever since I memorized John 10:9, every time I see this crushed gate sitting by the barn, it makes me think of Jesus in this passage.  I love turning something that seems worthless or is a reminder of a past mistake into a new creation – a “remade remnant”, just like me!:)

The boys helped me move the gate for these pics, I added the words, and a friend printed them for me as 5×7’s.

And to get more of the “depth look” I wanted in this frame, another friend had some dried grass/seeds I glued onto the matting.

This framed project inspired “Part B” of Mike’s gift…Gate Guides.

Just some favorite Scripture and hymn/song refrains I know Mike likes, printed on 11×17 paper, attached to old file folders for a little more stability, covered in contact paper, and tied to gates…  (Note:  I used a better tool to poke holes through on this project – an old gutter nail, lol!)

My original plan was to have one attached to every gate – until the boys and I counted them all… We have 27 gates!!! Wow, doesn’t seem like we have that many – but once you start counting them, they all add up! 🙂

I ran out of contact paper, so I put the 8 up I finished, & will get the rest up as time goes on. The boys kept Mike occupied with a John Wayne western movie Saturday evening so I could get them hung.  It was fun walking with Mike as he saw them afterwards… 🙂

Lord, I pray these gate guides will help Mike stay focused on You while he’s out working in Your Creation.  If he’s having a rough day, may they be an aid to guide him back to You.  Rid his mind of the doubts satan likes to plant, and replace them with Your Words from 2Timothy 1:7 – that God does not give us a spirit of fear, but one of power, of love, and of self-control. If he’s having a good day, may he use them to sing Your Praises as he walks – perhaps guiding him to a familiar tune to hum.  May we always remember to encourage one another and build each other up, as You tell us to in 1Thessalonians 5:11. Amen

Search me, O God

I woke up the other morning reciting “Search me, O God, and know my heart…” This has long been a passage I wanted to memorize, so I thought perhaps that was the day to write it out on a notecard to begin that process. After my devotion, I began my hunt for where this verse is in Scripture. I knew it was in a Psalm, and a quick concordance check brought me to Psalm 139:23-24.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Too funny – I just finished memorizing verses 13-16 of this same Psalm with a baby blanket I just crocheted…I wonder if I should just plan on memorizing the whole Psalm, lol!? 🙂

About an hour later, I was working in the milkhouse & had about 15 minutes to listen to Moody Radio. Just so happened to be a short program by Joni Eareckson-Tada on. Imagine my delight when she began her program with this same Psalm passage as a song!!

After milking, I went online & printed Joni’s program – click here to hear/read it. Then I went to one of my favorite sites – and downloaded the background music for the song. Click here to go to that site.

As I weeded a raised bed that day, I just kept playing this song & practiced memorizing/praying the first verse.  Search me, O God, and know my heart today. Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray.  See if there be some wicked way in me.  Cleanse me from all my sins and set me free.  It was such a comfort for that day – especially since the devil seemed to be working overtime here: cows went through a fence, so Mike had to spend WAY more time than he wanted to getting them back in – boys came home from a sleepover at a friend’s house, so they were SUPER tired & cranky – paid $85 for washing machine repair man to fix an overflow valve only to have the washer still leak after he left… 😦

But somehow, my spirits weren’t dampened that day – hmmmm – wonder why?? 🙂

And the blessings out of those “issues” that day? Well, Mike got the cows back in + all the roundbales moved so they wouldn’t get ruined if they broke through again; the boys rested & were more pleasant after that; Mike was able to re-attach a tube to the washer so we didn’t have to bring the repair man back! Praise God for leading me to LIVING WORDS that helped me to not dwell on our circumstances, but delight IN HIM! 🙂

One final note – I love that the first line of the song ends with “today”. After I’ve had a “high” day with the Lord, I often find myself “coasting” along the next day – perhaps forgetting/neglecting to pursue Him like I did the day before. I like the thought of communicating this request with Him EACH DAY. May I remember Matthew 6:34: Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Help me to remember that You provide the perfect amount of grace that I need EACH DAY. But also, that I still need to seek You each day – not because You won’t still help me or You aren’t there, but because I NEED to remember that it IS NOT ME winning the battles, it is You, working through me. AMEN

Celery + Cabbage + Broccoli = Colossians

Since it’s been so dry here, we’ve been faithfully watering our little plants twice a day. It was kinda funny to see the little green halo of weeds starting to grow around the plants…

Thought I should work the ground up around each plant & pull out the weeds while they were still tiny.

As I pondered how to keep my mind occupied with Godly thoughts as I worked, I decided on listening to the book of Colossians on my phone. There is this cool Bible app, called YouVersion, which was FREE to download to my phone. Here’s the link: http://www.youversion.com/mobile

I like to listen to the audio Bible – NIV 1984. It is read by Max McLean. 🙂

It was a WONDERFUL way to pass the time as I weeded. Such a great Book!! 🙂 I got through the whole Book four times before I was done. I think I’ll keep that as my habit this season: Celery+Cabbage+Broccoli=Colossians.

Any suggestions for the other veggies?? 🙂

Thank You, Lord, for sending some rain!

10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

ISAIAH 55:10-11