Journal Question - Prayer

What kind of prayer did you say before you went to sleep? Who taught you how to pray it?

I remember praying "Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. And if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take." Not a very nice prayer for a child to think about now that I look back on it. What do you mean, if I die before I wake!! I don't remember who taught that to me.

I then remember having to pray every night before I slept that God would forgive any sins I had committed that day, whether I had done them on purpose or not. I think chuch religion taught me that.

Then I read in Hebrews that we should not have a sin consciousness but a righteous consciousness. I'm not practicing sin because I'm not a sinner. If I sin, the Holy Spirit is there to immediately tell me about it and (if I'm thinking straight!) I immediately confess it and get back into right standing with God.

I'm probably gonna shock someone, but there are days that go by that I don't sin. AAAHHHHRRGGG! how can you say that!? Because I'm practicing love just like Jesus did. No, I'm not perfect and, yes there are days that I do miss the love mark. However, for the most part I'm thinking about how to please God and that keeps me righteous. I know some will say there is none righteous, but they are stuck in the Old Testament because in the New Testament it says that Jesus became sin with my sin so that I could become righteous with His righteousness. So now because of the great exchange that Jesus made I have a righteousness conscious.

Now I pray before sleeping that God will teach me in the night and sing to me. It's very peaceful.

Gratitude

I received a card in the mail from a satisfied customer today and it blessed me so much that I had to share it here. I have received thanks before by phone calls or emails but never by a card with an extra tip included!  It made me cry.  I have been feeling such a heaviness in my spirit lately and this lifted me way up. 

“What’s the big deal?  It’s just a card.”  You might say that.  But it IS a big deal today because 99% of the people I know never say thank you for anything.  If people aren’t able to express thanks to humans, how can they express it to a loving heavenly Father?  Is it really that hard to appreciate what other people do for us?  Or do we just expect it as due to us?  Two little words that are so hard for people to say…“thank you”.

This card immediately caused me to want to do something else for this customer.  I wonder if that’s how God feels?  When we are grateful and express it to Him, does it make Him feel like doing more for us?  I think so. 

I’m saying here on my blogs “thank you” for being my friends, for reading my thoughts and not criticizing me, to customers – again thank you for allowing me to help you redecorate your home or for purchasing a gift from me.  I do pray for each of you that God’s light will shine through the items you’ve purchase and you’ll know His love today.

Thank you!

Sing Psalms Silas

I’ve had a very rough week emotionally.  I’m sure some of you have been feeling a little emotional as well.  Maybe not bawling like me, but still feeling sad.  Chris encouraged me to sing, Silas, sing and reminded me of the tape I recently found of Mom singing the Psalms.  So here it is, about 20 minutes of Psalms by Mom.  Just click on the text below and it should load.  It is about 17Mb.  I’m not sure where it will play.  Depends on what mp3 player you have on your computer…media player, quick time?

Mom Sings Psalms