Rich Gifts

God Cares About the Littlest Things

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

I dropped the needle. Ugh. I'm already feeling stressed and frustrated. I don't have time to search for a needle. I have no choice. If I don't find it, someone, or one of the dogs, will get stuck by it.

I don't move. I look at the top of the coat on my lap and search for the needle. Maybe it fell to the floor and into the carpet. No! My eyes scan the carpet underneath me hoping to see the glisten of the needle. Where is it LORD? Maybe it got caught in the coat as it fell to the floor. I slowly flip back the section that I was sewing and search some more. I push on the floor with my feet to roll the chair back a little. Please show me where it is LORD. I carefully lift the coat off of my lap watching to see if anything falls. More frustration. I wonder how long I will have to search.

My eyes happen to look at the spool of thread sitting on the desk. There is the needle laying on the desk right next to the spool. I had watched it fall off the desk. Oh LORD thank you so much! Tears.

Without a doubt God picked up that needle and placed it on the desk. This is not the first time He has done that for me. That He would stoop to pick up a needle that I had dropped, and lay it in a place where no one would get stuck by it, and where I would see it, is a most profound statement of His Love and His Care for me. He knew how badly I needed to see that right now. If He is so concerned about and involved in this little problem, why would He not also be concerned about and involved in the big one that looms over me? That was what He was saying. I love the way He speaks.

Thank you so much my LORD. Thank you.

Casting all your care on him; for he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knows them that trust in him. Nahum 1:7

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. Psalm 55:22

Preparing to Come Back to Blogging

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 18:05:00 +0000

I think God is leading me to come back to blogging so I'm gearing up. It will still be a bit slow because time is still a major factor but He will make a way. It will be nice to see you all again.

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

When Friends Attack

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:57:00 +0000

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of Shaddai (the Almighty).

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”

Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

You will not fear the terror of night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

You will only observe with your eyes

and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you make the Most High your dwelling—

even the Lord, who is my refuge—

then no harm will befall you,

no disaster will come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways;

they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;

you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;

I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call upon me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble,

I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life will I satisfy him

and show him my salvation.”

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

Just a Thought

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Wed, 11 May 2011 04:38:00 +0000

I found this on the internet and thought I would share it here. I miss you all and think of you. One day God will create an opportunity for me to return to blogging regularly. (...and maybe get a new blog design too. Mine is awful! LOL!)

Mary had a little lamb,
His fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
The Lamb was sure to go.
He followed her to school each day,
Twasnt even in the rule.
He made the children laugh and play.
To have a Lamb at school.
And then the rules all changed one day,
illegal it became;
To bring the Lamb of God to school,
Or even speak his Name.
Everyday got worse and worse,
And days turned into years.
Instead of hearing children laugh,
We heard gun shot and tears.
What must we do to stop the crime,
That's in our schools today?
Let's let the Lamb come back to school,
And teach our children to pray!

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

Just Popping In

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 05:31:00 +0000

Hi all! I know it has been forever since I have popped my head into the bloggy world, written a post, or visited my dear bloggy friends. You are all still very dear to me and I miss you and blogging so much!

Many of you know that I have been working my outside job by day and my graphics by night and God has blessed me with much work (and very patient clients) lately so that doesn't leave much room for much else. *sigh* I am so thankful for the way God provides and works in our circumstances!

I wanted to let you all know that Sherry at Lamp Unto My Feet is beginning a "Keeping Christ in CHRISTmas" series complete with guest writers and giveaways. If you haven't met Sherry you should. She is a wonderful lady!

And while you're over there, pick up her Celebrate Christ button for the occasion.

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

I've Been Adopted

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 21:10:00 +0000

Look what (who) adopted me over the weekend. She showed up on Saturday morning as I was getting setup for a garage sale with my friend Angela and she did not want to leave my side. The man across the street said he had been feeding her for a couple of days.

I took her to the vet on Monday to scan her for a chip and she had one and she did so I contacted the owner. She lives down the street from me. She came to pick up this puppy and in the course of our conversation she gave her to me.

I named the puppy Sheena. She is a smooth collie and may have some shepherd in her. She sure acts like a herding dog. Sadly she isn't house broken even though she is 5 months old. *sigh* But we are making some progress. She is a very sweet dog. Tobi doesn't much think so but she hasn't even tried to eat her yet and that's a very good sign. LOL.

This is just one of the many reasons I'm not around much these days. I miss you all!

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

Do You Want to Pay for Mosques Worldwide?

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 03:38:00 +0000

PLEASE TAKE ACTION TO STOP THIS SPENDING OF TAXPAYER MONEY FOR SUPPORT OF ISLAMIC RELIGION.

CHRISTIANS ARISE...

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

A Giveaway Announcement

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 20:34:00 +0000

My friend Sherry at Lamp Unto My Feet is celebrating her 2 year Blogoversary and hosting some great giveaways to celebrate!

Today she is offering as a giveaway a custom Blog Logo Button designed by me, Rich Gifts Graphics and Blog Design! If the winner already has a blog button I will be glad to create another kind of button or sidebar graphic, or you can gift-away your win.

Best wishes to you!

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

Impeach Judge Vaughn Walker

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:39:00 +0000

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Edmond Burke

The People of California VOTED in favor of Proposition 8 that clarifies that marriage is between one man and one woman. ONE man, Judge Vaughn Walker, overturned the PEOPLE's VOTE and made marriage between homosexuals legal.

His decision to even hear this case and to overturn the people's vote is pure dictatorship and unconstitutional. In addition, the subject matter is MORALLY WRONG. That alone should make Christians want to do something.

"...and do not give the devil a foothold." Ephesians 4:27 NIV

The New American Standard Bible translation reads:

^"...and do not give the devil an opportunity." Ephesians 4:27 NASB

The American Family Association has an action alert asking the PEOPLE to take steps to impeach Judge Vaughn Walker. It begins by urging your State Representative to Impeach this judge.

After you click on the link, all you have to do is enter your zip code. The AFA website has made it as fast and easy as it could possibly be. Please take action. Please send this to everyone you know.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

CHRISTmas in July

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:55:00 +0000

I ran across this video on You Tube and thought this might be a good time to participate in the CHRISTmas in July thing that is so popular these days. Only with an adjustment to the focus.

This is being sung by a 14 year old girl, Nichole Johnson. She has an incredible voice!

Sorry I'm not around much these days my friends. I love and miss you and will pop in now and again but God has redirected me for the time being. I am still working my graphics business if you need anything.

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

Call To Commit To Prayer For Our Nation with Charles Stanley

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 04:42:00 +0000

Dr Charles Stanley with InTouch Ministries is asking God's People to commit to 140 days of prayer for our Nation and the direction we are headed. Please join me in this and sign up on his website and please help spread the word.

http://intouch.org/resources/140-days-of-prayer

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

God's Plans, Not Mine

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:00:00 +0000

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

What do your prayers sound like? So often mine tend to focus on what I want. Even when I ask God what He wants, I hardly neglect to let Him know what I want. Now there's nothing wrong with asking God for what we want or what we think we need but are we truly willing to accept what He wants for us?

Please join me at Titus 2 in action today...

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

Volunteer Opportunities

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 10:00:00 +0000

This is my grandaughter Word Girl. In this picture she is pouring drinks, not for herself, but for those that we came to serve. Word Girl has expressed an interest in wanting to help others in need since she was very small. I could see that this was something that God had put on her heart so I began to pray for an opportunity.

...To find out how God answered please join me at Titus 2 in Action today.

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

K Graduate

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 16:45:00 +0000

The stage pictures are not very good quality but the little one in the pics is.

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

Pre K Graduate

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 13:16:00 +0000

Somehow the settings on my camera got switched to low quality so these are not as good as I would have liked for them to be. Even still, she's still CUTE!

Singing "This Little Light of Mine", and at a public school.

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

Where Would I Go?

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Wed, 26 May 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Did you ever want to run away from home when you were a child? Maybe even as an adult. I think most of us can remember at least one time in our life when we wanted to. When I was about eight years old I had gotten in trouble for something, I don't remember what, but I do remember that it made me angry enough to decide I was going to run away. I packed up as much of my belongings as I could and then I realized that I had no place to go so I unpacked everything and put it all away.

...To read the rest, please join me at Titus 2 in Action today.

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

Part The Waters LORD

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Sat, 15 May 2010 04:04:00 +0000

"LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless ... Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you..." 2 Chronicles 14:11

I Need Thee Every Hour - Selah

Greatest Hymns CD

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

Applying Understanding

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Wed, 12 May 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Somehow I saved this as a draft instead of scheduling it so it didn't post when it was supposed to. Ooops.

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. - Matthew 5:44

This was one of my granddaughters' memory verses. As we were practicing it one morning, I realized from the look on Miss Personality's face, that she didn't know what an enemy was so I asked her and she said "no". I explained that an enemy was someone who was mean to you. Then I told her that God wants us to love and be nice to people even when they are mean to us and He wants us to pray for them.

She looked a bit surprised and said "Why!?".

Join me at Titus 2 in Action today...

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

Searching For A Job

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Mon, 10 May 2010 04:44:00 +0000

Need one real soon.
Would appreciate your prayers.
Thank you!

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

I Will Lift My Eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Thu, 06 May 2010 16:36:00 +0000

Praying this day, the National Day of Prayer, to the LORD of Hosts for...
our nation...
the end of abortion...
godly leaders throughout this nation...

that His People would...
humble ourselves...
pray...
seek His Face...
turn from our wicked ways...
healing in our land...

I Will Lift My Eyes, Accompaniment CD

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

If You Want Me To

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Tue, 04 May 2010 18:07:00 +0000

"...We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you." 2 Chronicles 20:12

This scripture has been on my heart for a little while now. It is sometimes all I know to say and I know several others who are leaning on this one too.

The other day as I was making lunch for the girls, I had the cheese out and was slicing it and noticed that Tobi was laying down near the doorway to the kitchen. I could see her in my peripheral vision. She lay there looking perfectly relaxed but I noticed that her eyes were on me the whole time. Watching my every move wide-eyed and with great anticipation.

She could be relaxed because every time I get the cheese out I give her some. Because she knows that, she was able to sit close and wait patiently, but her eyes, and stretching of her neck said she was wondering if this time would be different. Would I forget her this time? Would I ignore her this time? Do I still love her? Will I provide as I have in the past or just walk away this time?

That cheese was not a need for Tobi, but I planned all along to give her some just because I love her. It was as though God was showing me how I look from His perspective at times.

What would Tobi have done if I had not given her any? She would have stayed loyal to me anyway.

If You Want Me To - Ginny Owens

The pathway is broken
And The signs are unclear
And I don't know the reasons why You brought me here
But just because You love me the way that You do
I'm gonna walk through the valley
If You want me to

No I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise You're not through with me yet
so if all of these trials bring me closer to you
Then I will walk through the fire
If You want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my home
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I'd never go alone

So when the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear You answer my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering that Your love put You through
And I will walk through the darkness
If You want me to

Cause when I cross over Jordan
Gonna sing, gonna shout,
Gonna look into Your eyes and see You never let me down
So take me on the pathway that leads me home to You
And I will walk though the valley
If You want me to

Yes, I will walk through the valley
If You want me to

If You Want Me To: The Best of Ginny Owens, Compact Disc [CD]

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

Facebook, RFID Chips, National Database

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 22:54:00 +0000

I don't know why this guy laughs all the way through this but it is very thought provoking. It isn't over when it first appears to be. Listen to what Obama says at the end.

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

Accepting Disappointment

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Disappointment is a hard thing for me to accept. I tend to like getting what I want. But the hard truth is that I don't always get what I want. As a matter of fact, I often don't get what I want. It's part of life. From the time we're born until our last days we will meet with disappointment.

Join me at Titus 2 in Action today...

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

Jehovah-Tsidkenu, Yahweh-Tsidqenu, The LORD Our Righteousness

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:51:00 +0000

Joining Yolanda at Joy Comes in the Morning in a study of the Names of God from Kay Arthur's book LORD I Want To Know You. I am also studying from the book Praying the Names of God by Ann Spangler and sharing what I learn from both studies. I am still a week behind. I hope to get caught up this week but we shall see. :)

“ Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “ That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Jeremiah 23:5-6 (NKJV)

The Name Jehovah-Tsidkenu is first used in Jeremiah 23:6. On our own we are not capable of being right with God. This is the verse where God reveals that He will be our Righteousness. Being born into sin, man is not able to live in complete obedience to God's law. We are slaves of sin, our hearts are evil, focused only on getting and doing things our own way.

“ The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9 (NKJV)

If we are to be right with God, we need a new heart.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NIV)

Jesus is the Branch of Righteousness referred to in Jeremiah 23:5. Jesus is Jehovah-Tsidkenu. He died to take the punishment for our sins but that is not where it ended. The forgiveness of sin was accomplished with every animal sacrifice prescribed by the law. It was not the Perfect sacrifice because it only accomplished forgiveness until the next sin was committed and then another sacrifice was necessary. What that sacrifice did not accomplish was to make us righteous. It did not change the heart.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)

On our own we cannot become righteous. That could only be accomplished at the Cross for those who place their faith in Jesus Christ (Jehovah-Tsidkenu) and His power to save. When we place our faith in Christ, we are exchanging our bondage of slavery to sin for a willing slavery of obedience to Christ. This willing exchange is a result of the new heart we are given to be obedient to the Holy Spirit that now lives inside of us.

Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 6:16-18 (NIV)

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou

Jehovah-Raah, Yahweh-Roi, The LORD My Shepherd

noreply@blogger.com (Edie) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 20:38:00 +0000

I'm a full week behind in posting my study of the Names of God. When my back went out on me I was down for about 3 weeks and I have been working hard to catch up on my Blog Design work. I have a very hard time switching back and forth between writing mode and designing mode as the two are a completly different mindset, so even though I am doing the study, posting has been pushed aside just a bit. Thank you for your patience.

Yolanda at Joy Comes in the Morning is facilitating a study of the Names of God from Kay Arthur's book LORD I Want To Know You. I am also studying from the book Praying the Names of God by Ann Spangler and sharing what I learn from both studies.

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." Even non-believers recognize these words from Psalm 23:1. In this study we looked at Jehovah-Raah, The LORD My Shepherd. Throughout the bible God (Jesus) is referred to as a Shepherd, and His people are referred to as sheep. We're going to take a closer look at sheep too.

Kay referred to Phillip Keller's book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. This is a book I have wanted to read for some time but have yet to do so. Psalm 23:2 begins "He makes me to lie down in green pastures." According to Kay, Keller says that it is impossible for sheep to lay down unless four things are in place.

1. They are free from hunger.
2. They are free from fear.
3. They are free from friction or tension.
4. They are free from pests.

Sheep are easily aggravated and tormented by flies, parasites and other pests. This makes me think of the spiritual battle that we are in, and how we Christians often believe the lies of the enemy that lead us into paths of death. The enemy is a continuous irritant to us trying to discourage us, tempting us to do what is harmful, and attacking us in an attempt to overpower us.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10

Sheep:

Not very smart.
Timid
Helpless
Easily frightened.
Defenseless
Good at getting lost.
Easy prey.
Know and trust their shepherd.
Recognize their shepherd's voice.
When their wool is thick they can fall over and not be able to get up. (They need help.)
When their wool gets wet it can get so heavy that it can pull them down under the water and drown them. (Heavy burdens)
Good at getting into trouble.
Stubborn
Sheep will follow other sheep into danger or death (even knowingly) without thinking about how their actions will affect them. Ask a sheep "if your friend jumps off a cliff would you do it too?" The answer is "Yes!"

Shepherd:

Cares for his sheep.
Watches over his sheep day and night.
Feeds his sheep.
Leads his sheep.
Protects his sheep from danger, and predators.
A shepherd will sleep laying across the gate's entryway so that anyone wanting to enter the pasture where his sheep are, will have to go through him first.
Accounts for every sheep in his care.
Picks them up when they fall down.
Is gentle.
Loves his sheep.
Searches for his wandering sheep and brings them back.
Talks to his sheep.
Provides for his sheep.
Lays down his life for his sheep.

Jesus, The Good Shepherd, became one of the flock, the sacrificial Lamb of God, in order to save us from our sins and lead us in paths of righteousness.

One thing that is amazing to me is that God entrusted the spreading of the Gospel throughout the whole world to mere sheep (us), and even the most powerful predator (Satan) of these not so bright, defenseless, fearful, stubborn sheep is unable to prevent it, and is unable to snatch even one of these sheep out of the Hand of the Good Shepherd.

I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. John 10:14

I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice. Ezekiel 34:15-16

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Revelation 7:17

I so recommend both of these books if you plan to do this study.

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou