The Bathtub

Now that we are fairly settled, I have been pondering
why I, who did not grow up in Weiser, have been more
interested in moving to Weiser, than my spouse who
grew up here. I left home at age 24 and began moving.
Eight moves in four years the last of which brought me
to New York City. I married a medical student who
took me to St Louis for internship and residency, the
birth of both children, six years in all. Then Glen moved
us to Mississippi and the Air Force where we began to
move every two to three years. Most summers we spent
two weeks over July 4th in Weiser with extended family.

The other day I was looking at the bathtub. The bathtub?
I bathed my children here years ago, and now my
daughter bathes her son in that very same bathtub. As I
stood looking down I realized that this lowly tub is a
touchstone of many happy memories. Home is made up
of experiences, shared experiences in a family circle.
These two week segments add up to more than one would
think. Truly, the sum is greater than all the parts!

Thankfulness Corner:
A wonderful mother-in-law who loves me like a daughter

A Snapshot

Last Saturday evening several hundred people
gathered to support an organization called,
Love Inc, which stands for:
"Love in the Name of Christ." The event was held
in a public building owned by the city. Restaurants
provided the food, a photographer snapped individual
pictures, and the teens waited table. A short video gave
us an overview of what 17 churches can accomplish
when working together to reach out to the needy--like
the family who recently lost their house to fire. Each
church takes on one major thing such as furniture,
school bags and contents, coats, rehab classes, food
bank, jobs. The main office is in a rental property that
is rent free! Someone was generous.
Don't you love it?

The Senior Center in town does not take government
money and so they are free to pray in Jesus' Name,
and to Pledge Allegiance to the flag before lunch five
days a week The center has a chef! One Saturday a
month the place is packed for a fundraiser called--
breakfast.

Weiser is known as one of the friendliest towns in
Treasure Valley. (Hmm, treasure valley, what a neat
name!) So, here is a snapshot of a place I call home...

Thankfulness Corner:
long walks with Jake

The Mud Room

What is a mud room? For those who live here no
explanation is needed, but for those in the DC area, I will
go into a little detail. A mud room is the place where
you leave the mud--along with your shoes--before entering
the house. It is an essential room in farming country. And,
since the house has no closets on the ground floor, we also
hang up our coats. This lowly room has no source of heat so
getting ready to go outside has its challenges when the
temperature drops below freezing.

But today, today, the sun is shining and the thermometer
has hit 60 degrees. We didn't have to turn on the heat for
breakfast. I am told that winter can last into April, but I
am content with the gift of a sunny warm day, in February.

Thankfulness Corner:
The Redwing Blackbird in flight

Mysteries

During that night of prayer, Daniel receives what he
needs. King Nebuchadnezzar asks, "Are you able to
tell me what I saw and what it means?" Daniel replies,
"No wise man, enchanter, magician, or diviner can
explain to the king this mystery, but, there is a God 
in heaven who reveals mysteries." Then Daniel begins
to relate the dream and the interpretation which entails
things to come in the near and far future. The king
dreamed of a large statue with a head of gold (Babylon),
a breastplate of silver (Meads and Persians), abdomen
of bronze (Greece), legs of iron (Rome), and toes of a
mixture of clay and iron (today?). As Daniel watches
a rock appears, not made by human hands, that smashes
into the statue and breaks it into smithereens.

I am trying to write a blog not a sermon! Read the book
of Daniel because many of his prophecies are still to
come, perhaps in our time. Scholars have taken the
initiative to link the kingdoms to real kingdoms and
real wars and found the dream historically correct.

Here is the most important thought. "There is a God in
heaven who reveals mysteries." Camp on this thought!
The Apostle Paul says this: "My purpose is that they 
may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that
they may have the full riches of complete understanding,
in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely 
Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of 
wisdom and knowledge." (Colossians 2:2,3)

Dearest reader, I pray this scripture for you. May He
satisfy your deepest hunger!

Thankfulness corner:
Barn looks like an old painting.

Read the stories:

http://www.hisvictoriousindwelling.com/stories.html

The Rolling Glove

The wind was blowing as I stepped out of the house
with Jake. Soon I was juggling dog, sucking mud,
and the last bites of a snack before climbing up to the
road. We were on our way back home before I
discovered the missing glove, to a favorite pair of
gloves. We backtracked the whole walk, and then
backtracked again. Suddenly I noticed a bit of brown
something rolling towards me in the ditch. It was
tumbling fast and I watched fascinated as the object
drew near. It was my glove!  Wow! God blew that
glove to my feet. Yes He did! But if I wasn't paying
attention to the possibility that God wants to bless me,
I would have missed His part all together. That glove
will now become a reminder that God is crazy about
me and that He loves to show off!

Thankfulness Corner:
Melting snow; sucking mud

stories:
http://www.hisvictoriousindwelling.com/stories.html

Compassionate God

Well, the king of Babylon gave Daniel some slack
by giving him a little time before taking his head.
Daniel went to his house to gather his friends for a
night of prayer. They wanted God to show His
compassion by revealing the mystery to them that
they might live. Compassion? I would have asked
for deliverance, wisdom, power, understanding,
revelation, but compassion? What a wonderful
faithfilled request to the One they knew intimately as
the God of compassion. God heard the cry of their
hearts and gave both the dream and the interpretation
to Daniel. God and the heavenly host rejoiced that
day as these four men trusted in a good God.

Ah, dear reader, that is where I get stuck. When
things go badly I am running scared and I forget
that God is both compassionate and good.

Thankfulness Corner:
Snow sprinkled tops of mountains

Stories:
http://www.hisvictoriousindwelling.com/stories.html

The King's Dream

Yesterday's blog ends with Daniel riding high!

He and his friends had the favor of the king,

had responsibilities and things were going well.

Today: "Knock, Knock." The door bursts open

and four stunned man look up from breakfast in

amazement. Arioch, the captain of the king's

bodyguard, stands before them with his armed

men and announces that he has come on the king's 

orders to kill them immediately. Daniel recovers and 

"replies with discretion and with discernment,"

"'Why is the king's decree so urgent?'" Arioch, 

his face glistening with sweat and fear, tells

Daniel how the king was terrified in the night by 

a dream he could not now remember, how his 

fury had grown to epic proportions because not

one of his magicians, conjurers, sorcerers, or 

Chaldeans could tell the king his dream or the 

interpretation. Daniel calmly asks to be taken to

the king. 

One minute Daniel is firmly planted in the palace

and the next minute he is facing immediate death.

No time to call a prayer meeting or to e-mail his 

friends! The Holy Spirit came to the rescue! My 

sense is that the peace of God swept over Daniel

and he was as calm as a poached egg!

Dear reader, life is uncertain. It appears that we 

are safe, and will continue to dwell in safety but
there are undercurrents indicating all is not well.
A certain Chinese man woke up everyday with a 

question on his lips, "Lord is this the day I die?"

Moses prays out of Psalm 90 verse 12:

"Teach us to number our days that we may get

a heart of wisdom." Yes, time is so short…

Thankfulness corner:
Visible snow covered peaks in the distance

Read the stories:

http://www.hisvictoriousindwelling.com/stories.html

The Results are In!

This is what happened after the men no longer
ate the king's food:

"And as for these four youths, God gave them
knowledge and intelligence in every branch of
literature and wisdom. Daniel understood all
kinds of visions and dreams...and the king talked
to them, and out of all of them (all the nobility 
captured), not one was found like Daniel, 
Hannaniah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered
into the king's personal service...the king found 
them ten times better than all the magicians and 
conjurers who were in all his realm." 
(Daniel 1:17-20)

What a testimony to the power of God! So, why
did Daniel and his friends far excel in all they
undertook? Because they decided to take a stand
against the defilement of Babylon. The pleasure
of the food served at the king's table was the
doorway into much compromise. The other Jewish
lads never lost their position as Jews, but they lost
their vision. They had a slave mentality. Daniel
and his friends ended up as leaders in the whole
realm.

Dear reader, what is God saying to you? Is there
an area that weakens your relationship to God
and compromises your service in His kingdom?
This section speaks to me! I will never lose my
salvation, but what is my mentality in any given
moment--that of one who is enslaved by lies, or
that of one who knows she is a King's daughter
with all the privileges of His realm?

Stories:
http://www.hisvictoriousindwelling.com/stories.html

A Line in the Sand

Yesterday we left Daniel and his three friends
wondering how they could safely draw a line in the
sand. The four of them had an idea and sent Daniel
to the chief eunuch, Ashpenaz, so he could request
a change of food, so they would not be defiled.
Boy, that sounds pretty bold! God, the One true
God, who loves Daniel, gave Ashpenaz favor
and  compassion toward the request. The eunuch
only expressed concern that such a change might
endanger his own head if Daniel and his friends
showed signs of weakness. Daniel was given
wisdom on the spot: "Test your servants for ten
days on vegetables to eat and water to drink, and
then see how we compare to the youths who are
eating the king's food."
Wonder of wonders, Ashpenaz agreed!

So what was that all about? It was a standoff
between the God of Israel and the gods of
Babylon, who wanted the Jews to be defiled
before their God. The enemy knows how to sully
us, bring us down and make us ineffective. Daniel
stood firm in this test. He did not blink. So early
on these four men experienced sweet victory which
would hold them steady when the going would
really get tough!

What was the outcome? Well, dear reader, you
can either read the first chapter of Daniel or
check out the next blog!

Thankfulness corner:
New friendships forming. How I love my girl friends!

Read the stories:

http://www.hisvictoriousindwelling.com/stories.html

Identity Switch

In Daniel 1:3, King Nebuchadnezzar commanded his Chief
eunuch, Ashpenaz, to bring him all the people from the
royal family who were of nobility. What was the plan? The
king wanted them to become Babylonians. He ordered
that they be immersed in the language and the literature
which probably included a good dose of astrology and the
occult. At some point in the process at least four of the group
were given new names. They went from a name connection
with the one true God, to a name connection with the
Babylonian gods, Bel, Aku, and Nego. New name, new
culture, a sex change. How could they maintain their real
identity in such a sea of slime? You know I read about
individuals, especially in the Old Testament, and I forget
that they were just as human as I am. Daniel was not
Superman!

Dear reader, it is easy for us to become immersed into the
surrounding culture. Everyday we are bombarded by
messages of what we need in order to be happy--as if that
is the end all, be all--and what we should do to stay young
and beautiful. Our real worth, that we are the image bearers
of the living God, is never mentioned. The world out there
renames us and gives us a new identity. Frances Schaeffer
once asked the question, "How shall we then live?"
Perhaps we shall find answers to this question as we dig
into the book of Daniel.

Thankfulness Corner:
A beloved dog curled up at my feet

Not Law Keepers

Yesterday we looked at Daniel and his friends and
touched upon their resolve to live a life pleasing to
God whom they loved passionately. How do I know
they were passionate? Because as the story unfolds
it is obvious that their resolve alone is not enough to
carry them through. God was real to them; He held
them when things got tough. These men were not
just "law keepers," they were "love finders." They
were connected to the heart of God; they knew that
He loved them.

Have you, dear reader, ever resolved not to do
"that thing" again? What about a resolve to do
something like reading the Bible daily? I remember
standing at a large meeting to indicate a "yes" to
a vow to read the Bible for fifteen minutes every
day. I did not want to stand, but everyone around
us stood and the pressure to conform was too much.
It felt like a straight jacket was binding me to a
promise I knew I could never keep. Freedom has
come with the revelation that God loves Jane--me--
and He has promised to keep me in Him forever!

A song from my youth:

"I know whom I have believed and am persuaded
that He is able to keep that which I have committed
unto Him against that day!"  2 Timothy 1:12

Thankfulness Corner:
Chocolate melting on my tongue

Stories:
http://www.hisvictoriousindwelling.com/stories.html

Resolve and Passion

Last night as we were watching The Olympics, I was
struck by both the passion and resolve of the athletes.
They obviously loved the sport, the competition and
they were going for the gold! Many have had physical
challenges along the way, but they gave it their all.

Daniel and his friends were men of both resolve and
passion. They grew up together in Jerusalem while
the city was under siege. Each of them must have
considered how the situation was playing out and what
could be the consequences for them. Captivity or death,
or maybe both. Did they talk and pray into the night
over dry crusts of bread and left over jam? Was it in this
tight knit community that they resolved  not to defile
themselves by the Babylonian spirit, no matter what?
We don't know whether or not the long journey was the
means God used to give clarity of the situation. We do
know that by the time they arrived in pagan Babylon,
they were united in vision and purpose: they would not
defile themselves! They refused to eat pork and drink
strong wine at the table of the King. They passed the
first test, together.

Dear reader, we need each other! We need to share,
pray, cry, laugh. In this day, now, while it is still light,
we must get real with others of like mind. For what are
we willing to die; for whom or what are we living.
What is our purpose and goal?

Thankfulness corner:
For a daughter who took hours of her time today so
that I can do both the blog and e-mail. What a mess
it has been the past few months!

Chosen

King Nebuchadnezzar commanded his chief
eunuch to bring to him young men, of nobility, who
were without physical abnormalities, handsome,
brilliant of mind, who had great wisdom, knowledge,
and understanding. Twenty year old Daniel, of the
tribe of Judah and its royal line, had the qualities the
king was looking for.

Daniel and his three friends were chosen to live in
the palace which meant they became eunuchs. Daniel
had his whole life before him and he knew there was
small chance he would ever return to his beloved city
of Jerusalem, no chance he would ever marry. If I had
been Daniel with my whole life shattered and lying at
my feet, I would have hidden in a hole to keep out of
sight of this King who lived up to his terrible reputation.
But Daniel was not just chosen by this earthly king, he
was chosen by a Heavenly King--for a purpose. This
young man did not begin to cultivate a relationship with
God when the crises came, he arrived in Babylon with
his spiritual house in order.

Dear reader, you are precious to me for you are the
wonderful incentive I need to dig deeply, and, in so
doing, I learn so very much!

Thankfulness Corner:
For the giver of my gorgeous Amaryllis blooming
double and triple blossoms.

Stories:
http://www.hisvictoriousindwelling.com/stories.html

A Snowy Trip

Last night 11 of us bundled ourselves into the church van
and headed 75 miles to Boise and a meeting where
Dave Ramsey was speaking about Financial Peace. There
was the promise of snow, but not until late evening. After
an informative and entertaining program we headed out
of the parking lot for home. It was 10:30PM. The roads
were clear and we were soon out of the city and into--
heavy snow...on the highway... far from home. It was not
a white out but visibility was greatly reduced. As time
passed and the visibility lessoned and the snow deepened,
things got quiet. It was white knuckle time for the driver;
he needed prayer. Unlike the North East where an inch of
snow is a call for the plows, we never saw a plow. We got
off the highway early to deliver some to waiting cars, and
it was eerie to watch the snow fall on untraveled roads. I
began thinking about the dog. "If we got stuck, who would
take care of him?" Then, "What if we rolled and I was really
hurt? How long before help would get there?" The
temperature had dropped into the low teens. Well, we finally
pulled into the church parking lot. The drive home was not bad--
it has stopped snowing by this time. We were home by 12:30
none the worse for wear and extremely grateful to God for
the eleven angels riding with us!

You know, it  is not just financial peace that is needed in our
lives, it is just plain peace. God's peace.

Have wonderful weekend, for God has made all our days...

Thankfulness Corner:
 Sunlight resting on a snowy mountain peak.

The Book of...

Daniel. Well, I am digging into the Book of Daniel
everyday as I meet with other women once a week
for a Beth Moore Study. I invite you, dear reader,
to come with me on this rather extensive journey.
I promise that I will not go verse by verse!

First some background:

"In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah,
Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon came to Jerusalem 
and besieged it." Daniel 1:1

The King of Babylon arrived in the third year and
departed with King Jehoiakim, his family, his officials,
all the mighty men of valor, and all the treasures of
Jerusalem including those in Solomon's Temple, in
the 11th year of the kings reign. It was a nine month
journey!

Babylon--some background
Babylon was built by Nimrod who was the power
behind the tower of Babel, where God intervened
by confusing the language and scattering the people.
(You remember the story of how a tower was being
built in order to reach into heaven so the people
could remain together.) The city of Babel was birthed
in rebellion. The fulfillment of this rebellion can be
found in the 17th chapter of Revelation. Babylon was
a seductive city and that is where God dropped His
people for 70 years.

I have given you very little background information.
Very little. The events concerning the time before,
during and after the Babylonian Captivity are recorded
in the following books:  2 Chronicles, 2 Kings, Ezra,
Nehemiah, Esther, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel,
Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. Wow!

I hope to see you on this journey. You do know
that I pray for my readers, do you not?

Thankfulness Corner:
Long walk on a winter's morning with my
little Aussie, Jake.

Stories:

http://www.hisvictoriousindwelling.com/stories.html

The Card

Yesterday afternoon I was once more trying to bring
order out of chaos and I came across a card that
Glen gave me years ago. I opened it to find the words:

"This is the day that the Lord has made, let us 
rejoice and be glad together." Psalm 118:24

I had to laugh for I had been in a hurry yesterday,
and had not been able to find the address of the verse
but published the blog anyway. (Strongs Concordance
has two pages of listings for the word, "day.") So
here I was on my knees looking through a pile of
paper and found a long forgotten card... Was that a
coincidence? I don't think so. My Papa God does
things like this daily, but much of it goes without my
noticing. This was much more in my face!

Thankfulness corner
A card, a verse, a smile

stories:

http://www.hisvictoriousindwelling.com/stories.html

This is the Day!

I am in a Daniel study by Beth Moore with
18 women who meet together every Saturday
morning. Many of you have had the
opportunity to do one of her studies but this
is my first one. In the video Beth shared that
she greets her children and husband each
morning with:

"This is the day that the Lord has made, let us
rejoice and be glad in it!"

This verse bubbled up in my heart three days
ago and has continued to sing to me when
I wake up. It is a verse for sharing for it is
an "us," not just an "I." As I speak it to Glen,
the corners of my mouth turn up into a smile.
How can I frown while declaring the truth
of Who made this day including all that is
in it?

So, dear readers, try it and see if it does
not set your eyes upward on these cold icy
mornings. Perhaps you will discover joy
in hidden places.

Thankful Corner:
My faithful readers!!!!!

stories:

http://www.hisvictoriousindwelling.com/stories.html

Himself

God Himself has put us into Christ and made
Christ our wisdom: righteousness,
sanctification, and redemption. Of all the gifts
He gives us, none is greater than His Son.
Christ is the gift; Christ is also all the other gifts.
We cannot earn our Christian walk. We have
to learn: to know Christ as our wisdom: Christ
as our righteousness, Christ as our sanctification,
Christ as our redemption.

The bottom line? All we have is just Christ!

My prayer today: That God would give me a
spirit of wisdom and revelation that I may
know Him. Pray this when you get up, drive
to work, sit down at a meal. Pray it for your
family, friends and pastor. Such a simple
prayer. A prayer that will change you--
and your world.

Thankful corner:
A sunrise and a sunset--on the same day!
(After weeks of fog and cloudy days.)

Stories:

http://www.hisvictoriousindwelling.com/stories.html