Eradicating the Weeds

        On my morning walk yesterday, I saw a neatly kept

lawn. It had beautiful flowers and the grass was cut. It

made me pause to reflect on our lives. Just as a person

is diligent about spraying their grass to keep the weeds

out and pulling weeds out of their flower garden so we

also must be diligent to pull the weeds out of our hearts.

        We know if we let weeds keep growing they just

seem to take over and the roots grow deeper. It is the

same in our lives. Those weeds (sin) can take over when

we go from day to day without making time to reflect on

our lives and without praying for God’s guidance and help

to see the weeds (sin) and ask His help and forgiveness.

        In our daily prayer how many times do we ask God’s

forgiveness and repent (turn away from our sins). Most

of the time if you are like I am, I ask God for help for

other’s health or my own needs. I forget to look deeply at

my heart and my life to see where sin is either creeping in

or has a deep root. 

        I have decided to watch more diligently for those weeds

in my life; to pray more for God’s help to remove them from

my heart so I can be more like Jesus. I challenge you to also

watch for the weeds.

A Lesson Learned From My Granddaughter

Hope spent the night with me and it was
bedtime.Like most children she didn’t 
want to go to sleep.She said, “Ma Judy, 
I’m hungry.”  I got some crackers for her.
Then, of course, she was thirsty. She
finally said she didn’t need to go to sleep
and she wasn’t sleepy.

By this time I was half asleep. I muttered
“everyone else is asleep and it’s time for 
us to go to sleep.”

Then Hope looked at the wall behind the 
bed and saw a scary shadow. She said:
”What’s that, Ma Judy?”“It’s a shadow”. 
I then picked up a big red Clifford

stuffed dog and showed her that even 
Clifford made a shadow.

Hope then laid down her head, grabbed
 my hand, and went to sleep holding it.

If only I would remember to go to my
Father whenever I’m scared; to hold on
tight and cling to Him. To realize I can 
sleep in peace knowing He is watching
over me. I can put my trust in Him.

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His Nail-Pierced Hand

There’s a hand reaching out to the weary and the sad

A hand which comforts and consoles

It’s our loving Savior’s hand

His nail pierced hand’s reaching out.

Chorus: There’s a hand……there’s a hand….reaching out…reaching out.  There’s a hand …there’s a hand…reaching out….reaching out… There’s a nail pierced hand reaching out.

There’s a hand reaching out to the guilty sin sick soul

A hand that was nailed to the cross.

He frees from the shame of sin

His nailed pierced hand’s reaching out. (Chorus)

There’s a hand reaching out to the lonely and the scared

A hand which gives them strength and peace

Their name’s written on His palm

His nail pierced hand’s reaching out. (Chorus)

There’s a hand reaching out to the hearts filled with despair

A hand that imparts hope and joy

Since our Savior bled and died

His nail pierced hand’s reaching out. (Chorus)

According to His Plan

Beyond the rippled tides which roar

There is upon a distant shore

A loving face I long to see

Who’s waiting patiently for me

Oh, what a crimson price He paid

An awesome sacrifice He made

This glorious gift of God’s grace

Each day I’ll treasure and embrace

In my Savior I’ll put my trust

I, the one He produced from dust

I’ll step out of my comfort zone

Leaping into the vast unknown

I will trust Him when life is sweet

As if all is an easy street

But even more my faith will grow

When life deals me an awful blow

Whether my life is rain or shine

I’ll stay connected to the vine

From whom all blessings daily flow

He keeps me safe from any foe

I’ll live according to His plan,

With His guidance I know I can

My faith in Him grows day by day

Walking along the narrow way

Judy Wood

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He Loves Me, He Loves Me

Making Him the joy of my life
Naming all the ways He loves me
Opening each one of His gifts
Perceiving I'm His precious child
Gratefully choosing to see His presence

Judy Wood

God, You Are the One

You put the sparkles in children’s eyes,

give  birds their melodious song,

number all the stars in the skies

and make the elephants so strong.

You are the one who makes each cloud

and allows rain on us to fall.

You make the storms with thunder loud

and give the sun its wake-up call.

You give sunset breathtaking hue

and make leaves which dance in the wind.

You give us a heavenly view

of a love which never will end.

You are God of the universe,

Almighty God, the One Most High;

Love and grace to all you disperse

You are the one I’ll magnify.

Joy for the Journey

My God's abundant love and grace
inspires joy on my journey,
allowing me to run through rivers of rain,
sing in raging storms,
to dance in dry desert seasons of life.

Day After Day

God blesses me day after day

He holds my hand all the way

When pain and grief fill my heart

His comfort and love He imparts

God blesses me day after day.

God blesses me day after day

While down on my knees I pray.

Though lonely and dark be the night

Still He is my guiding light

God blesses me day after day.

God blesses me day after day.

He’s the Potter and I am the clay.

He’s gently molding me

And one day His plan I’ll see

God blesses me day after day.

God blesses me day after day

With hope, smiles and sun’s golden ray.

Because of His love I will sing

A song of praise to my King

God blesses me day after day.