Your Own Civil War
"Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experiences to savor, not to endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them." ... Unknown
Hello Fellow Sojourners!
I spent quite a bit of time smelling this gardenia at Monticello on July 4th. I miss having them in the garden as we did in Alabama. The deer ate the bushes we planted after moving to Virginia. It's such a heavenly scent, I suppose they can't resist munching on it.
Speaking of deer and heavenly scents, this year I had decided to grow Heritage Petunias in a large area thinking it would be impossible for the deer to eat all of them. I was correct, but they nibble daily so the plants aren't able to bloom.
We so enjoy the aroma of those luscious petunias that we've been growing for 7 years. Louise, the wife of the man who created the Butterfly Bench, gave us 8 seedlings and they spread and grew so lush even in the Alabama sun. I've grown them on the deck here and that is where they will need to remain to keep the deer from feasting. Since I tempted them in with the petunias, they've also eaten up a large number of other plants.
So, this morning I had the awful task of pulling all of those petunia plants out. It was a task that grieved me, but it was also sad to see them not being able to bloom for the butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. I had enough Hummingbird Salvias to fill in the area, and I knew that it was the right choice. We have a Backyard Wildlife Habitat and our yard is a Monarch Waystation, so I had to do the best thing for all concerned.
In the process I discovered a Box Turtle! That's the second one in the past month. This one was smaller than the first, so I know there are now two in our habitat and the joy of that took away all the sorrow of removing the petunias. I placed him in another area where he could dig under the leaves and when I checked later, that's exactly what he'd done. Box Turtles are becoming less common with all the development and clearing of forests. They can live to be 100 years old.
If you haven't visited Bluebird Cove Blog, the recent posts are on Five-lined Skink and Eastern Gray Tree Frog.
Bunches of Blessings to You!
Donna
Today's Featured Article
Your Own Civil War
by Donna L. Watkins
Ever feel like you want to surrender and just lay down and die? If you have a civil war going on in your mind, at some point you will feel like giving up. Life can be so frustrating, as Paul writes about in Roman 7:15, "For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate."
Sin is a daily battle and it's one that's fought alone, out of view of friends and family and in the shadows of our mind. We play guilt tapes over and over as the devil whispers, "You'll never be good enough. Give up. Stop trying to be so holy. Nobody else is perfect. Everybody sins. Don't worry about it."
The devil knows Scripture and quotes it well having had thousands of years of practice. Don't let his choice of condemning words take you down. Yes, we have all failed, but God still calls us to be holy. Don't give up! Paul says, "Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." We make the choice daily - Spirit or flesh? That's why it's so important to be in the Word early in the day. The devil camps at your pillow and is ready to pounce the moment you lift your head.
One problem is to try to conquer it on your own. We like to keep our sins hidden, but the Bible tells us to "confess our sins, one to another." It brings it out into the Light so the devil can't make you think it's only your dark secret. Find a person with mercy and wisdom and share with them. Ask God to deliver you. You work at keeping your thoughts clear and your actions will follow your direction because no action occurs without a thought preceding it.
Some people memorize a Scripture related to their sin issue and that's a good thing to overcome evil with the Word. Another thing I've noticed that works, and takes less concentrated effort when we've got something that jumps around in our brain like soda droplets hitting the air after we've shaken a bottle and opened the top, is to choose a Word that means a lot to you. I mean one word of the Word. Like Jesus, or glory, or freedom, praise, or hallelujah.
A word that resonates with the deepest parts of your soul. One you can repeat over and over while it washes your mind free of the thoughts that turn into sins. The thought is not the sin ... it's choosing to continue thinking it or acting upon it that turns into sin. Don't let the devil fool you by saying that you will never stop thinking about it so you'll never stop sinning.
You only sin when you act upon the thought. Beg God to get the stuff out of you! When you've had thoughts that have controlled you for a long time, you will need God's help in cleaning that mental house. You can't conquer it alone.
Never give up hope! You are not hopeless! Through God's amazing grace He can take the bad and the ugly experiences of your life and use them to make you so much better than you would've been without them. In the economy of the Kingdom, all in your life is redeemed and nothing is ever lost.
Those bad experiences will all be used to make you better. Love Him and let go of the past, whether it's your childhood or yesterday. He will turn the dung into gold if you will let Him.
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Share "A Healing Moment" With a Friend
On the blog: http://www.theherbsplace.com/AHMblog/ahm.html
On the website: http://www.theherbsplace.com/ahm.html
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Women
Men
Children
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The Herbs Place offers several newsletters with topics such as natural health, essential oils, pets, nature, and frugal living. More about newsletters.
Copyright and Reprint Information
© 2007 Donna L. Watkins
All photos remain the property of Donna L. Watkins. You may forward or use this copyrighted article on a website if you include the following credit and link:
This article originally published in "A Healing Moment" was reprinted with permission. The Herbs Place provides a free email subscription to "A Healing Moment." Visit the author's website for more articles and other free newsletters available. http://www.theherbsplace.com/ahm.html
Hello Fellow Sojourners!
I spent quite a bit of time smelling this gardenia at Monticello on July 4th. I miss having them in the garden as we did in Alabama. The deer ate the bushes we planted after moving to Virginia. It's such a heavenly scent, I suppose they can't resist munching on it.Speaking of deer and heavenly scents, this year I had decided to grow Heritage Petunias in a large area thinking it would be impossible for the deer to eat all of them. I was correct, but they nibble daily so the plants aren't able to bloom.
We so enjoy the aroma of those luscious petunias that we've been growing for 7 years. Louise, the wife of the man who created the Butterfly Bench, gave us 8 seedlings and they spread and grew so lush even in the Alabama sun. I've grown them on the deck here and that is where they will need to remain to keep the deer from feasting. Since I tempted them in with the petunias, they've also eaten up a large number of other plants.
So, this morning I had the awful task of pulling all of those petunia plants out. It was a task that grieved me, but it was also sad to see them not being able to bloom for the butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. I had enough Hummingbird Salvias to fill in the area, and I knew that it was the right choice. We have a Backyard Wildlife Habitat and our yard is a Monarch Waystation, so I had to do the best thing for all concerned.
In the process I discovered a Box Turtle! That's the second one in the past month. This one was smaller than the first, so I know there are now two in our habitat and the joy of that took away all the sorrow of removing the petunias. I placed him in another area where he could dig under the leaves and when I checked later, that's exactly what he'd done. Box Turtles are becoming less common with all the development and clearing of forests. They can live to be 100 years old.
If you haven't visited Bluebird Cove Blog, the recent posts are on Five-lined Skink and Eastern Gray Tree Frog.
Bunches of Blessings to You!
Donna
Today's Featured Article
Your Own Civil War by Donna L. Watkins
Ever feel like you want to surrender and just lay down and die? If you have a civil war going on in your mind, at some point you will feel like giving up. Life can be so frustrating, as Paul writes about in Roman 7:15, "For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate."
Sin is a daily battle and it's one that's fought alone, out of view of friends and family and in the shadows of our mind. We play guilt tapes over and over as the devil whispers, "You'll never be good enough. Give up. Stop trying to be so holy. Nobody else is perfect. Everybody sins. Don't worry about it."
The devil knows Scripture and quotes it well having had thousands of years of practice. Don't let his choice of condemning words take you down. Yes, we have all failed, but God still calls us to be holy. Don't give up! Paul says, "Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." We make the choice daily - Spirit or flesh? That's why it's so important to be in the Word early in the day. The devil camps at your pillow and is ready to pounce the moment you lift your head.
One problem is to try to conquer it on your own. We like to keep our sins hidden, but the Bible tells us to "confess our sins, one to another." It brings it out into the Light so the devil can't make you think it's only your dark secret. Find a person with mercy and wisdom and share with them. Ask God to deliver you. You work at keeping your thoughts clear and your actions will follow your direction because no action occurs without a thought preceding it.
Some people memorize a Scripture related to their sin issue and that's a good thing to overcome evil with the Word. Another thing I've noticed that works, and takes less concentrated effort when we've got something that jumps around in our brain like soda droplets hitting the air after we've shaken a bottle and opened the top, is to choose a Word that means a lot to you. I mean one word of the Word. Like Jesus, or glory, or freedom, praise, or hallelujah.
A word that resonates with the deepest parts of your soul. One you can repeat over and over while it washes your mind free of the thoughts that turn into sins. The thought is not the sin ... it's choosing to continue thinking it or acting upon it that turns into sin. Don't let the devil fool you by saying that you will never stop thinking about it so you'll never stop sinning.
You only sin when you act upon the thought. Beg God to get the stuff out of you! When you've had thoughts that have controlled you for a long time, you will need God's help in cleaning that mental house. You can't conquer it alone.
Never give up hope! You are not hopeless! Through God's amazing grace He can take the bad and the ugly experiences of your life and use them to make you so much better than you would've been without them. In the economy of the Kingdom, all in your life is redeemed and nothing is ever lost.
Those bad experiences will all be used to make you better. Love Him and let go of the past, whether it's your childhood or yesterday. He will turn the dung into gold if you will let Him.
Archived Articles Here
Share "A Healing Moment" With a Friend
On the blog: http://www.theherbsplace.com/AHMblog/ahm.html
On the website: http://www.theherbsplace.com/ahm.html
Quick Links to The Herbs Place
Current Specials
Online Catalog
Products A-Z
Home Business
Women
Men
Children
Pet Health Topics
Essential Oils
Natria Beauty Products
Non-toxic Laundry and Cleaning
More Complimentary Email Newsletters
The Herbs Place offers several newsletters with topics such as natural health, essential oils, pets, nature, and frugal living. More about newsletters.
Copyright and Reprint Information
© 2007 Donna L. Watkins
All photos remain the property of Donna L. Watkins. You may forward or use this copyrighted article on a website if you include the following credit and link:
This article originally published in "A Healing Moment" was reprinted with permission. The Herbs Place provides a free email subscription to "A Healing Moment." Visit the author's website for more articles and other free newsletters available. http://www.theherbsplace.com/ahm.html
posted by Donna at 1:24 PM
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