Abundant Blessings

Summer is such a special time of year isn't it?

The good Lord has seen fit to bless us with boxes of apricots- about 10 boxes like the one above. And there are still more to pick on the trees! Aren't they beautiful?

 Now my days are quite busy with cooking, canning, freezing, drying, and generally cutting up fruit! Oh, and eating too!

Have you ever had dried apricots? They are so good!

 Everybody likes to get in on the action of helping- especially in the eating department! Tonight my husband and I cut up half of a box to dry while our two oldest boys spaced them on the trays. Our littlest guy wanted to help too! Isn't he cute?

 He was so proud that he got one all by himself! (And I am such a proud mommy of such a cute little boy! So I have to post lots of pictures of him!)

 Our shelling peas and sugar snap peas are also producing wonderful fresh produce for us as well. After all of the apricot cutting, we went down to the garden. While the boys caught lizards and frogs, I picked these lovely peas to have for dinner tomorrow night! The shelling peas (the ones that actually made it into this picture and escaped hungry little mouths) taste so sweet and wonderful.

All of these lovely abundance has me pondering the rich blessings of God that are just overflowing in our lives. I am just so grateful for His goodness to me and to our family.

How has the Lord blessed you in this summer season?

    "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
        the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
    what is man that you are mindful of him,
        and the son of man that you care for him?
    Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
        and crowned him with glory and honor.
    You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
        you have put all things under his feet,
    all sheep and oxen,
        and also the beasts of the field,
    the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
        whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
    O LORD, our Lord,
        how majestic is your name in all the earth!"
(Psalm 8:3-9 ESV)

Sufficient

"But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me!" 2 Corinthians 12:9

God's strength is made perfect in our weakness. This means that the Divine power is most conspicuous--when our weakness is the most thoroughly felt. We have got first to be emptied of all self-conceit and self-confidence. A bucket cannot hold air and water at the same time. As the water comes in--the air must go out. The reason of some hard trials--is to get the accursed spirit of SELF out of our hearts! When we have been emptied of self-trust--we are in the condition to be filled with might in the inner man, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

A Christian must not only realize his own utter feebleness--but he must give up what worldlings rely on, and admit that "vain is the help of man." That poor woman who had tried all the doctors in her neighborhood, and had only grown worse in body, and poorer in purse--is a touching illustration of our invalid souls. She, having despaired of human help--came crouching to the feet of the Son of God. One touch of His garments sent a new tide of health through her veins. Just so, contact with Christ brings currents of the Divine power into our souls--so that we can do all things through Christ who strengths us!

This is the real office of faith. It is simply the linking of our utter weakness--to the omnipotence of Christ! We furnish the weakness--and He furnishes the strength--and that makes the partnership! The baby furnishes a hungry little mouth--and the mother furnishes the nourishing milk. The mother is happy that she can give the full supply--and the rosy darling is happy as it draws in the sweet contentment. What a beautiful picture of my poor, weak, hungry soul--resting on the bosom of the Infinite Love! There is no danger that the supply will ever give out, for my Lord, my Feeder, my Supporter--is constantly saying unto me, "My grace is sufficient for you." In this way we are strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power.

- Theodore Kuyler, "God's Light in Dark Clouds" (You can read the book for free here).

This is such a perfect picture isn't it? Babies have such perfect peace and rest when they are with their mommy. I long to be like that with the Lord- perfectly trusting, perfectly at peace because I know that He is in control. I love this quote so much because lately I have been constantly reminded of my own weakness. Like the sick woman, I have crouched before the Lord asking for strength and He has so amply supplied it to me this week. What a gracious Lord we serve! He alone is worthy to be praised! He is altogether good and altogether lovely!

This Momentary Marriage

"The most foundational things to see from the Bible about marriage is that is is God's doing. And the ultimate thing to see from the Bible about marriage is that it is for God's glory. Those are the two points I have to make. Most foundationally, marriage is the doing of God. And, ultimately, marriage is the display of God..."

-John Piper, This Momentary Marriage, pg. 21

Have you seen this wonderful video from Desiring God? If you haven't yet, you should hurry over there and watch it right now. You are in for a special treat! Right now I said!