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| Blessed Rain |
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It has finally rained here in Ohio. We have been without a really, good, soaking rain for so long now I can't remember when the last one was. I have been having to water all my flowers by hand, and that involves carrying buckets a pretty long ways for some, and I have a lot of flowers! I could hear all of them and my vegetables saying "aaahhhh" today, as the rains fell.
Still, I know that in other parts of this country, and of the world, there has been too much rain, where lives have ended or been forever altered because of the flooding. We have had flooding here in the past, but none so bad as what others are experiencing. I can't imagine having homes swept away in a river of water.
It really makes me think about the verse in the bible that says to not lay up treasures on earth... 6:19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, 6:20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.
All the people who have their homes and lives destroyed by flood, fire, tornado, hurricane, earthquake, etc., had better have their treasures laid on the one foundation that will help us all survive this life...God.
Last summer, our home was broken into. I didn't realize it when I first got home from church. I was by myself because I had sung on the praise team that day, and my husband,who drove separately, was out running some errands. So when I got home, the only thing unusual I noticed was that my cats were not coming out to see me. Then, a little while later I noticed a screen was missing from a window. Something odd, but then who knows what happens when I am not around? But then I noticed our telescope was missing, and I also noticed some coins laying on the floor...putting it all together, I then went to the safe and noticed some things missing there. Long story short, I made the realization that we had been robbed, and thankfully my husband came home at that time, or I think I would have really freaked out!
He went through the whole house to make sure no one was still there, and then we called the sheriff. The thief was eventually caught, and is in jail now. I can only feel sorry for him, because he is a drug addict and he needed money to get his next fix.
Nothing that was taken was anything that I could not live without. I was so very thankful that he didn't destroy my house, kill my cats or leave a window open so they could get out. There was some money sitting in plain sight that he didn't take, and I am so thankful that it wasn't as bad as it could have been...but even more reason to be thankful, I am so glad that he wasn't still in the house when I got there!!!
I lived in fear for a while after that, because my husband travels a lot. I was terrified to be alone. Our preacher came out along with our shepherd, and prayed for protection over our home. After that I was filled with peace, and have been fine ever since.
But my point is this...what if he had taken more? What if the house had been destroyed? What if he had still been here when I came home? What if he had killed my cats? My treasure cannot be in this earth...or anything here...it has to be laid up in heaven, where thieves cannot break in and steal. If everything I had was taken away from me, I would be sad, I would be heartbroken, but I would not be alone. God is there with me, and He has a treasure waiting for me in Heaven that I cannot even conceive of.
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| SO true thanks for your story |
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Julia |
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July 05, 2007 at 1:17pm |
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Deb, We really do have to keep reminding ourselves that we have nothing... not even a body. Even our bodies belong to God. Everything we think we have is really just stuff that God is letting us borrow. When you borrow something it is for a limited time, and you take very good care of it while it is in your possession. If we look at everything in that truest of light, everything feels different and we don't feel like our possessions make us who we are. The worth of a person is not in what material things they have around them. I am so glad I realized that before it was too late.
You have written a great blog. I'm glad you are safe. |
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Thanks for the reminder! Mary |
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Kathy |
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July 05, 2007 at 2:56pm |
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| Good post, Deb! |
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Deb;
Excellent post. I fully agree regarding where our true treasures need to be. I remember when my husband and I were newlyweds we had this five year plan - we were going to have our perfect house, with a boat, picket fence etc., We were all about storing up material possessions. We did not reach that goal, instead we had two beautiful sons, I had post-partum depression with the second born, we lost our condominium because I couldn't care for the boys and we needed to pay for childcare and my husband had to work... God had other plans for us and I am so thankful that we did not achieve our materialistic goals within the first five years. It would have went to our heads and then we would have been all "puffed up" with our material possessions and probably would not have the relationships we have with our Lord. By enduring hardships God speaks to us through His comfort and peace and we grow so that we can serve Him and not the world.
Yes, our home means something to us because God has made it our home, but this is not where our treasures lay.
Thanks for posting this Deb! It is always good to get a reality check and remember what is most important, God and our relationship with Him.
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| God is good all the time. I have God insurance first and others secondary. By God insurance I meen If something comes up missing, stolen, Destroyed, ect. I thank God and pray that perhaps someone needed it more than I did and if I need it God will help me replace it. It has worked for a very long time I no longer stress over things. |
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Deb |
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July 05, 2007 at 6:37pm |
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Diana, Thank you!
Julia, you are so right in everything that you said. The most important thing to a person's worth is what lies inside.
Preacher's wife, we all need reminding, and I wrote it to remind myself too! lol
Kathy, thank you!
Kelly, I think we all had those "plans" for our lives, at least I know I did. Nothing ever works out the way you figure it. Remember when you get asked the question "where will you be in ten years?" It is never where you think it will be. Thanks for sharing your comments.
Valerie, God insurance is the best kind to have! |
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Linda |
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July 05, 2007 at 7:37pm |
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Dear Deb,
He's my comfort when I'm weary, He's my shelter from the storm, He's my armor when in battle, when I'm cold...He keeps me warm. When we have "THE TREASURE' of the Holy Spirit within these 'earthen vessels' every need will be supplied. I get great comfort from these words in this scripture -
3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 3:21 unto him `be' the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.
He is a great God and thanks for sharing your heart with us in this post. Jesus be the Lord of ALL the kingdoms of our hearts! |
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| Like Julia said, it is something we have to remind ouselves continually. We tend to like to have things. In some cases God gives us things. Yet we can't get too attached to them. Treat them well - yes, but understand they are all temporary. It is a hard balance. |
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nancy |
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July 06, 2007 at 4:56am |
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| yes you are so right. |
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Deb |
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July 06, 2007 at 7:02am |
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Linda, great scripture and great words of wisdom.
DC, It is a hard balance, because "things" are tangible, and what is to come is not. It is so easy to get caught up in "having", and forgetting what is to come, and that we need to think more about that than the stuff we have now. |
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Even if we were stripped of everything and everyone...we would have the Lord and He would STILL have a purpose for our lives. GREAT BLOG!!!! |
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Deb |
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July 07, 2007 at 6:10am |
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| Angie, so very true...God will still be there when everything else is gone. What a source of peace! If only as Christians, we would lean on that and trust in Him completely. |
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