Baby Cacti

These were started as seeds last summer! 15 started and now we're looking at 9. For a while I thought all had died. Not sure if I'm doing something wrong, but they sure grow slow!

Only One Life by C.T. Studd

Only One Life
C.T. Studd

Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgment seat;
Only one life,’ twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its days I must fulfill, living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore, When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, “twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, “Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call, I know I’ll say ’twas worth it all”;
Only one life,’ twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

The Sting of Death and Remembering

Technology is such a blessing and a curse. I'm torn at the moment on which it is. I've just finished reading an email exchange between my dear old friend and myself from Aug 2015. My friend has been with the Lord for 8 years now, so this was not terribly long before the end of her life. The end was so unexpected and tragic. Out of it was born another wonderful friendship for me between her mom and me. That sweet friendship lasted until 2024 when she, at 93, said her final farewell. Two great losses from the same family. Both caring listeners with comforting advice. Reading my friend's words just makes me cry. I hear her voice in those words and am flooded with memories on what a comfort she was during some lonely years. The narrow road of raising conservative Christian children was often one where I wished for friends. I had this one friend who understood my concerns and why we just didn't fit with most people. 

God knows what we need when we need it. He knows who we need when we need them. 

I'm not sure how I went from being 41 to 51 so fast. How I went from having a very close friend to being someone who tragically lost my closest friend. We all live with loss and we move forward. God shows us blessings and those do ease the pain of loss. I'd never want to trade the friendship with my friend's mom for anything. She was such a dear lady to me. My first widowed friend as a matter of fact. How I loved that English girl!

It is amazing how we can be so sure we need something only to look back and see that we don't need it presently at all. God is so faithful. He has carried me along and now so many things I recall struggling with, are barely a thing in my world. There's still hints here and there at times, but He has filled gaps, given purpose, and given friends to walk this road of life. I don't have the same needs now as I had as a younger woman. 

He gives a greater grace, and He gives it when we need it. My church family has become so important to me. Moreso than I would have ever thought possible. And God has used the tragedy of my friend's loss to always keep the flame burning of truth in mental health issues and how many of the struggles in that category are not dealt with rightly by the world. My faith in psychology couldn't be lower. My faith in mental hospitals couldn't be lower. My belief that mind altering drugs help people is nearly zero, and when they do, it is a needle in a haystack situation. People struggle with real problems and respect for human life and dignity demands real answers, which come from God and His word and those who know how to use it to help. Hormonal changes from cancer and surgery need a very careful handling. Mind altering drugs are not the answer. We have to have a solution to the crisis a woman's body goes through before we remove all her hormones. 

God's timing is perfect, always. And He knows the end from the beginning, yet somewhere in there is human responsibility and consequences to actions. A lot of things do not add up, and I'm thankful I can take comfort that my friend is with the Lord. That is the only way I can relax and leave it in His hands to have the final justice. 

Signing off tonight, remembering Terri and Rita, with love. ♥

Productive Days

Some people make lists and work off them for weeks and weeks, sometimes even months. I've certainly made lists when there are specific tasks I'm knocking out and need to prioritize, but often there are long tasks in my mind that only I can do, and which only really matter to me. They are the hard things that aren't going to happen incidentally or bit by bit. Multiple rooms in the house will be impacted simultaneously while I clean out, organize and restructure spaces. 

Today was such a day of productivity. 

Epic things have happened in this house since May with kitchen cleaning out and reorganization, armoires being reorganized and items consolidated or tossed, and we're using one desk in the living room that finally has all my stuff in or near it, organized. I've done a major culling of my clothing and have seriously tackled my husband's clothes, piling up categories for him to go through when he gets the mind to do it. 

The impetus was packing up my daughter's items from college and then packing all of her items for moving out. Suddenly the volume of what one person can have hit me hard, and I needed to take a solid look at my own clothes hoarding. No longer do my drawers have clothes crammed in them, and I've taken lots out that I simply never wore. It is so freeing. Shoes that didn't work are gone. Why hold on to them? 

This is just the start, and I hope to free up more space in this house before 2026, but at least we're off to a good start. 

The garage needs work yet again, but that can't happen until the desk we removed from the house sells and my daughter's stuff is in her apartment. Meanwhile, I've got more than a few old computers to deal with. That is a project I can't wait to be done with! ♥

Critical Issues in Biblical Counseling

Here are some trustworthy resources if you want to learn more about this important topic. 🌺

https://www.shepherdpress.com/store/critical-issues/

Child Rearing Tip

I was reminded of something today. 

If a child is old enough to defy a parent in a certain way, they are able to understand enough why you are correcting them. Waiting until they have the understanding you have is a recipe for a very sinful, rebellious child. Don't be deceived by resources that tell you kids need to understand before you discipline them. The rod of correction drives sin far from a child. When sin is committed, it is the parent's job to correct it as God instructs. As with the Israelites in the time of the Judges, partial obedience will bring God's hand of correction and consequences that are serious. The Lord has called parents to train up their children in the way they should go. Doesn't mean they will go that way, but we have to do the hard work of driving sin far from them while they are still young and under our control. First time obedience with a good attitude is critical. No talking back, no defiantly questioning before obeying, and it should be very rare that there's questioning at all before obeying, unless you somehow were not clear in your instructions. Kids can bring a biblical appeal if they think you've forgotten something, but if they question you and your authority in their lives, it is rebellion against God and needs to be treated seriously, right away. It isn't a matter of offending you, making you angry, or inconveniencing you as their parent. Are they obeying the authority God has put over them? If they aren't responding as they should to the Lord, then you need to step in and make sure they do not do it that same way again. 

Remember with firstborns, the younger are watching and the stakes are high. Satan wants your firstborn because he knows the others are more likely to follow and it will cause marital strife. It is like bowling pins. Knock down the one in front, chances of it hitting the rest are great.