The Gardens

Assisted Living Community

Tuning Up

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I play a little guitar, or perhaps I should say, I play a little bit on the guitar for personal and private enjoyment. (I don’t actually have a little guitar) It seems that every time I pick up my guitar it is a little out of tune. I sometimes work the tuning keys and tune the guitar by ear. It, however, is always best if I use an electric tuner to bring each string to a more perfect tone.

I find a life lesson here. My life gets out of tune easily and I find I need frequent tuning. Prayer is the tuning key. The longer I go without spending time in prayer the more out of tune with God I become. Daily prayer is absolutely necessary to keep in tune. I am most in tune if I include Bible reading with my prayer time. The Bible is like that electric tuner. Instead of relying only on my spiritual ear, I listen to God’s Word to give more perfect correction.

If your life feels out of tune, don’t continue to ignore the discord. Don’t keep on living life with noise and disharmony. Stop accepting as normal sour notes and harsh tones. Get your life in tune. Bring your life before the Lord in prayer and Bible reading.

A Crazy World

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gold-crown-png-22On the Sunday before election day, for our morning devotion at breakfast, I read Psalm 24. “Who is the King of Glory?  The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates. And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in!”

So important is it to remember that no matter how crazy our world may seem sometimes, our God is mighty and He controls our today and tomorrow. Our lives do not rest in the hands of mortal men or imperfect presidents, but in the strong hands of the King of glory. We vote for presidents who make great promises, but only God is always able to back up His promises with faithful promise keeping.

Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom power and love
Our god is an awesome God

O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home.
Before the hills in order stood, or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God, to endless years the same.

The God who sent His only son into the world to pay our debts and make all things new, is the same God who is with us now and to the end of this age. It is He who one day will receive us into glory. Praise God, Amen.

HAVE PATIENCE!!!

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“The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it” (Arnold H. Glasgow). I so agree. Patience is an indispensable ingredient of a peaceful, happy life. Imagine the mistakes which would not have happened had you been more patient. Think of the unnecessary anguish you have suffered because you lacked patience. How many friends or family members have you driven crazy or driven away because you had too little patience? What better life and more intense joy could you have gained had you been more patient?

One day I will have more patience. I can’t wait! Patience is essential to the character of every believer in Jesus.

Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit (Ecclesiastes 7:8).

It is how we wait for the Lord (Psalm 40:1).

It is what love is (1 Corinthians 13:4).

It is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5).

It is how we walk in a worthy manner (Ephesians 4:2).

It is a goal of the power we receive for holy living (Colossians 1:11).

It is how we should be to everyone (1 Thessalonians 5:14).

It is the key to endurance (1 Peter 2:20).

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” If we pay close attention to nature, we see amazing illustrations of this virtue. It is as if God ordered all of his creation in a way to teach us one simple lesson, “Good things come to those who wait.”

Did you ever sing this children’s song?

Have patience, have patience.
Don’t be in such a hurry.
When you get impatient, you only start to worry.
Remember, remember that God is patient, too
And think of all the times when others have to wait for you.

“Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary” (Isaiah 40:31).

Norman Drummond, Chaplain