A Blessing on My Treasures

 Come in, dear friend, and welcome to The Hollyhock Cottage.

Thanksgiving Day will be upon us soon. I hope your preparations are going well, no matter how small or large will be your celebration. A sweet friend gave me a Thanksgiving mug a couple of years ago, and I love it, for it says, “There is always something to be thankful for.” Because that is true throughout the year, I use the mug in all seasons. In His Word, YHWH adjures us to be a thankful people, not given to grumbling over our shoulda-coulda-wouldas. “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice”! Doesn’t even that imply thankfulness?

When I think about Thanksgiving, my thoughts take wing and soar to the other side of the planet, where my younger daughter and her family live and minister. I miss them always and most especially at the holydays of Thanksgiving, CHRISTmas, and Resurrection Sunday, so, of course, they have been on my heart and in my prayers day and night.

Isn’t it interesting that one can read the Bible ever so many times and continue to learn new truths each time? We understand that’s part of the Holy Spirit’s office—to give us counsel. As I read Colossians 1 in my Amplified Bible this morning, one section leapt from the page. It touched me at a deep level because it is a prayer of blessing. I am marking that section, and I will keep it handy to pray over my beloved treasures—my children and grandchildren. The amplified translation reveals the full meaning of the words of the text. I’m sharing it with you, dear friend, just in case you have some treasured kith and kin who could use such a wonderful blessing.

Adapted from Colossians 1:9-14
(Amplified Translation)

⁹Since the day I first heard about your coming birth, I have not stopped praying for you, asking specifically that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [with insight into His purposes], and in understanding [of spiritual things], ¹⁰ so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord [displaying admirable character, moral courage, and personal integrity], to [fully] please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing in the knowledge of God [with deeper faith, clearer insight and fervent love for His precepts]; ¹¹ [I pray that you may be] strengthened and invigorated with all power, according to His glorious might, to attain every kind of endurance and patience with joy; ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints (God’s people) in the Light.

¹³ For He has rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption [because of His sacrifice, resulting in] the forgiveness of our sins [and the cancellation of sins’ penalty].

ab

A Cup of Winter Tea

Welcome to Hollyhock Cottage, and enter in peace! I'm so pleased you've stopped by and hope you will do so often.

I keep a large stash of teas and likely have your favorite. What would you like? Earl Grey? Lady Grey? Oolong? Lemon Spice? What?

This chilly day is perfect for sitting by the fire, sipping a cup of "Winter Solstice" tea, and dreaming of the time when the hollyhocks will bloom once again. A thoughtful friend gifted me with a tin of the spicy tea for Christmas.

Do you make new year's resolutions?

I'm not one to make long lists with which to burden the new year, but am doing something different this time--something that is no burden at all. I keep my list of friends on social media fairly concise, culling it periodically to include only those I actually have interaction with through likes or laughs or comments.

This year, Father nudged me to pray for my social media friends in a more intentional way. Of course, if I know of specific prayer needs at any time, I pray for them, but I decided to put one name on each day of what I call my "Prayer Calendar." No prayer is ever wasted. Whether or not I know exactly what to pray for, God knows the details. He can fill those in according to His sovereign plan for each friend. I leave that to Him. Meanwhile, it blesses me to think about my friend, visit his or her site to catch up on what's going on, and pray for that person on at least one designated day.

I think I'll have another cup of tea. How about you?

"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."  Galatians 6:2, KJV