The Aroma

As I stepped out the door yesterday and smelled the lovely fragrance of roses in our front yard, I was again reminded of a post I did a few years ago. I can’t remember if there are any roses in the front yard of the rental house we will be moving into shortly, so I am enjoying the ones we have here while we still have them. I pray this post will be a blessing to you.

 

This is the time of year when I love walking out our front door and unto the porch.  “Why?”  you may wonder.  As soon as I step out the door, I can smell the wonderful fragrance from the roses in our front yard.  It is a sweet and wonderful scent.  Isn’t it funny how smells sometimes trigger memories?  Often when I smell roses, my mind goes back to some little dolls I had as a girl.  These dolls were only about 3 inches tall and came in little heart shaped plastic bottles.  There were several varieties of these dolls called LiddleKiddles and each one smelled like a flower.  They were named after the flower whose fragrance they emitted.  We had Apple Blossom, Rosebud and Honeysuckle, but I remember that my favorite was Rosebud.  There are certain roses that smell exactly as I remember my little Rosebud smelling.

 

The other day as I was standing outside breathing in that fantastic rose scent, a thought came to my mind.  What smells good to God?  I don’t know if God dropped that question in my mind or if I’m just weird.  I’ll let you decide.  Then I thought of the term “sweet savour” that I remember reading before in the Bible.  I decided to look up this term in e-sword, and I found 44 references to it.  In the Old Testament, it’s always mentioned in reference to some kind of offering or sacrifice being given to the Lord.  In the New Testament, this term is only mentioned one time in 2 Corinthians 2:15.

 

2Corinthians 2:15  For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

 

To make it a little easier to understand, here is the verse preceding this one and a few after it in the English Standard Version of the Bible.

 

2Co 2:14  But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

2Co 2:15  For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,

2Co 2:16  to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

2Co 2:17  For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. (bold emphasis mine)

 

 

Under the Old Testament law, the sacrifices that were offered to God according to His specifications were sweet and pleasing to Him.  I believe in The New Testament  church age that we’re living in, that as the born again church, we become living sacrifices (Romans 12:1,2)to God through which He desires to spread “the fragrance of the knowledge of him.”     This fragrance is the very aroma of Christ, and to those that receive the fragrance of this knowledge, I believe it will not only give spiritual life here but eternal life in the ages to come.

 

Maybe God was using those roses to remind me once again of my mission in life.  Dear Lord, please use me to spread your wonderful life giving aroma!

 

Edit:  Here’s a link to some Liddle Kiddles.

 

http://dollreference.com/kiddles_kologne.html

 

Got Milk?

Got milk? Got pasteurized milk? You might want to thank God and Louis Pasteur, who died on this day in 1895. I like the quote of Pasteur at the bottom of this American minute below. I am so thankful to know that there is a loving Creator and that my life is not just a series of mere random events!

American Minute with Bill Federer

September 28

He developed vaccines for rabies and anthrax, revolutionized medicine
with his germ theory of disease, and laid the foundation for the
control of tuberculosis, cholera, diphtheria and tetanus.

While Dean of the Faculty of Sciences at Lille University in France,
he developed the process of “Pasteurization” of milk.

This was Louis Pasteur, who died SEPTEMBER 28, 1895.

President Eisenhower wrote January 8, 1954:

“Pasteurization of milk has prevented countless epidemics and saved
thousands of lives.”

President Johnson stated April 7, 1966:

“Years ago Louis Pasteur said, ‘I hold the unconquerable belief that
science and peace will triumph over ignorance and war; that nations
will come together not to destroy, but to construct; and that the
future belongs to those who accomplish most for humanity.’”

President George H.W. Bush stated February 13, 1989:

“You know, Louis Pasteur once said: ‘Chance favors only the prepared
mind.’…For America to be prepared for the future, our children must
be educated.”

Dr. Louis Pasteur wrote:

“The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the
Creator…

There is something in the depths of our souls which tells us that the
world may be more than a mere combination of events.”

 

The Miracle Of Spring

I love this time of year. Spring just never ceases to amaze me. There is just something special about seeing little buds and blossoms break forth on trees that looked so dead or seeing a little plant sprout up in a spot where it seemed there was nothing but dirt. It makes me realize that there has been activity going on inside the trees or underneath the ground that our human eye cannot see. God has been busy doing a work.

So it is in the spirtual realm too. I love springtime in the Spirit. I love seeing “the buds and blossoms” break forth in a life that was once dead in trespasses and sins, as the person experiences being born of water and the Spirit. (John 3:5, Acts 2:38) There is nothing like it. I love seeing saints of God begin to bud and blossom into new areas of service to the Lord. It could be teaching Bible studies, playing an instrument, singing in church, befriending new converts, ushering, helping people pray at the altar, going doorknocking or even a changed attitude.  Growth is just…………………………..exciting!

As you go through your day, may God open your eyes to behold the miracles of spring around you, and may His wonders make your heart rejoice.

 

Fruition

noun 1.

attainment of anything desired; realization; accomplishment: After years of hard work she finally brought her idea to full fruition.

2.

enjoyment, as of something attained or realized.

3.

state of bearing fruit.

 

Several months ago, our neighbor two doors down came over and gave us a container with 6 individual tiny tomato plants. Paul excitedly told us that these plants would produce hundreds of little yellow tomatoes that were delicious. We did have some tomato plants in our yard a couple of years ago, so I was happy to have the prospect of once again having this wonderful fruit that is so great in salads. We kept these little plants in our sunny kitchen window for about 8 weeks before my husband transplanted them outside. He took care of them for the first week or so, checking them daily to see how they were doing. One of them did end up dying, but the other 5 are still surviving and doing well. My husband asked me one day if there were any flowers blooming on the plants. I checked that day to see if there were any, but there were not. However, the very next day, I saw several flowers starting to bloom on a couple of the plants. That’s a good sign, because the flowering stage comes right before the fruit stage. It was sometime last week that I saw the first little green tomatoes on a couple of the plants. That’s when I took the two pictures above with my cell phone. Since that time I have found tomatoes on all of the plants. The largest of the plants has more than ten tomatoes on it. I am excited to see the growth on these plants and am looking forward soon to partaking of the “fruits” of our labor.

For several weeks now, before our plants were even flowering, this word has been on my mind. Fruition. It’s exciting to see different fruits and vegetables growing in the natural, but how much more thrilling to see it produced in the spiritual.

- Love

-Joy

-Peace

-Longsuffering

-Gentleness

-Goodness

-Faith

-Meekness

-Temperance

This is the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5 and attributes that God would like to see develop in our lives.

It comes through

-prayer(and fasting)

-obedience to God’s Word

-sometimes trials and tribulations

In the natural, fruit is enjoyed by all kinds of people. How many like peaches? How many like bananas? How many like plums? How many like apricots? Probably lots and lots.

How many like to be around someone that expresses love? How many like to be with someone that just seems to have a deep settled peace? How many like to be around someone when they’re down that just is so encouraging because of the faith that they express that you can make it through your dark hour?

If we are filled with the Spirit as the Bible teaches, God wants to see fruit produced in our life. If we’re faithful to do our part to cultivate the soil of our hearts, God will do His part, and we will bear fruit, whereby we can be a blessing to others. This is what I want. How about you?

 

Death To Life

Year after year, the wonder of spring never ceases to amaze me. I can be driving down my street, and all of a sudden I realize that trees which looked so dead just a short time ago are now alive with buds and blossoms. How does that happen? I don’t know, but God does. He’s the designer of the trees, and He is faithful to cause them to bud and bloom when the time is right.

Even more thrilling to me is when God causes things(or should I say people)to bloom and blossom in the spiritual realm. There are people who walk our streets with a look of “deadness”. Looking at them from the outward appearance, you might never be able to guess that something is happening down deep in their hearts. There is a hunger for something more, a hunger for a God that is real. I’ve been blessed to see some of those people who looked so hardened come to life as they began to pour out their hearts to God in true repentance, follow in obedience to the command to be baptized and gloriously receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. The outward appearance of a person is not an indicator of what is going on inside their hearts, and God used the blooming trees in our neighborhood to remind me of this once again. Even after we are born again as the Scripture teaches, we may go through periods of seeming “deadness”. Maybe we can’t feel the presence of God like we once used to or it may seem like we are not growing spiritually. However, just as there are seasons in the natural, so there are in the spiritual, and if we keep holding onto God and seeking Him, He will cause us to bloom when the time is right.  I just want to be in tune with His seasons. Don’t you?

Ecclesiastes 3:1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

 

 

 

Storms

The past couple of weeks we’ve had quite a bit of rainy, stormy weather in our neck of the woods. While I like a little rain sometimes, I find that when it seems to go on and on, it is harder to motivate myself to do things, and I long to see the sun shine again. During this time of inclement weather, I was blessed to see 4 rainbows. I don’t know about you, but I don’t see rainbows very often, so when I do get to see one, I really enjoy it. It’s almost like a little reward for enduring what seems like non stop precipitation. I’m glad that storms do not go on forever, just as I’m glad that stormy trials that God sends our way are not unceasing. God has a purpose for our trials. Each one has a beginning and an ending, and if we will just hold on to God through the storm, we will come out victoriously. As I was musing on this, I wrote this poem.  Thank God that no matter what the storm in our lives, He does have control, and when the time is right, the storm will pass.

The storms arise, the storms pass by.

Sometimes we stop and wonder why,

and of their purpose, we surmise.

The storms pass by, the storms arise.

Our trials come just like the storms

into our lives in different forms.

Things may look dark and rather glum.

Just like the storms, our trials come.

Hold onto God. You’ll come out fine.

After the squall, the sun will shine.

On dry ground you’ll once again trod.

You’ll come out fine. Hold onto God.

Psalm 107:29  

 

He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

 1Peter 4:12   

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

 2Corinthians 4:17   

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

    1Peter 5:10

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

 

Beautiful Sky!

Shortly before dusk, I was sitting at the computer enjoying the great indoors when my husband came home and told me how beautiful the sky looked tonight. I decided to venture out the front door and see if it was true. It was. I took a few pictures. Although it doesn’t really do it justice, I will share them. Even more awesome than the lovely sunset is knowing that I have a relationship with the God that created such beauty! For that, I am so very thankful.

                                                                                                                                                                            

 

 

Because The Roses Smell So Good Today….

I thought I would do a reprint of a post I did last year.

 

This is the time of year when I love walking out our front door and unto the porch.  “Why?”  you may wonder.  As soon as I step out the door, I can smell the wonderful fragrance from the roses in our front yard.  It is a sweet and wonderful scent.  Isn’t it funny how smells sometimes trigger memories?  Often when I smell roses, my mind goes back to some little dolls I had as a girl.  These dolls were only about 3 inches tall and came in little heart shaped plastic bottles.  There were several varieties of these dolls called LiddleKiddles and each one smelled like a flower.  They were named after the flower whose fragrance they emitted.  We had Apple Blossom, Rosebud and Honeysuckle, but I remember that my favorite was Rosebud.  There are certain roses that smell exactly as I remember my little Rosebud smelling.

 

The other day as I was standing outside breathing in that fantastic rose scent, a thought came to my mind.  What smells good to God?  I don’t know if God dropped that question in my mind or if I’m just weird.  I’ll let you decide.  Then I thought of the term “sweet savour” that I remember reading before in the Bible.  I decided to look up this term in e-sword, and I found 44 references to it.  In the Old Testament, it’s always mentioned in reference to some kind of offering or sacrifice being given to the Lord.  In the New Testament, this term is only mentioned one time in 2 Corinthians 2:15.

 

2Corinthians 2:15  For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

 

To make it a little easier to understand, here is the verse preceding this one and a few after it in the English Standard Version of the Bible.

 

2Co 2:14  But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

2Co 2:15  For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,

2Co 2:16  to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

2Co 2:17  For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. (bold emphasis mine)

 

 

Under the Old Testament law, the sacrifices that were offered to God according to His specifications were sweet and pleasing to Him.  I believe in The New Testament  church age that we’re living in, that as the born again church, we become living sacrifices (Romans 12:1,2)to God through which He desires to spread “the fragrance of the knowledge of him.”     This fragrance is the very aroma of Christ, and to those that receive the fragrance of this knowledge, I believe it will not only give spiritual life here but eternal life in the ages to come.

 

Maybe God was using those roses to remind me once again of my mission in life.  Dear Lord, please use me to spread your wonderful life giving aroma!

 

Edit:  Here’s a link to some Liddle Kiddles.

 

http://dollreference.com/kiddles_kologne.html

 

Spring In Our Yard

I love this time of year!

Big fatty ol’ rose in the front yard.

I think this is jasmine. It smells fabulous.

Up in the left corner is our family of mourning doves. I was wondering if they were going to come back this year. I first spotted one in the nest on January 19. They came early.

Section of the front yard with some rose bushes.

 

PBJ Getaway

Did you ever have one of those days where you just felt like you were going to go nuts if you didn’t get out of the house? Today was one of those days. Actually, yesterday was one of those days too, but getting out didn’t work yesterday.  Since there isn’t a lot of spare cash floating around right now, I knew we would have to go somewhere not too far away.  After going to put some gas in the car and buy some bottled water, I came home and quickly filled our little cooler with 3 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, some apples and some lemon bars. We then headed out to Round Valley National Preserve to have a picnic and do a little hiking.  Even though we’ve lived in Oakley for 6 years now, we had never been to this particular park.  It was a little cold, but sunny, and the 3 of us enjoyed our time there. Sometimes I think about how swiftly the kids are growing up. I want to be able to do special little things like this with them while they’re still at home, so I’m thankful for the time we were able to spend together today just enjoying nature and goofing off.