Rejoice and Be Glad Kick-off to a New Week

The passage below can't help but kindle holy hope and joy in our hearts!

Ps.130:1-5

Out of the depths I cry to You, O LORD!

2O Lord, hear my voice;

let Your ears be attentive to my plea for mercy.

3If You, O LORD, kept track of iniquities,

then who, O Lord, could stand?

4But with You there is forgiveness,

so that You may be feared.

5I wait for the LORD; my soul does wait,

and in His word I put my hope.

***

This month's Sunday School Verse

for grades 1-6 is pretty awesome too!

(Picturing this scene is rather beyond thought's comprehension, isn't it?!!)

Every living thing shouting God's praise!

Rev.5:13

Then I heard every creature in heaven 

and on earth

 and under the earth 

and on the sea, 

and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne 

and to the Lamb

be praise and honor 

and glory and power,

for ever and ever!”

The above verse, and

 Saturday night's sunset...

...and a lot of unexpected beauty and joy

 in the middle of love's/duty's muddle...

helped to inspire this poem💝🙏

This is the day the Lord has made

Let joy and gladness brim

As we pick up our tools of trade

To humbly honor Him

Because no matter what we do

However great or small

It is enough when offered to

Our gracious Lord of all

Today unfurls love’s living rooms

Let’s make them fit for kings

Where each season profusely blooms

With joy in simple things

And life’s secret to happiness

Is not for favored few

But for each heart when thankfulness

Runs every corner through

Behold, goodness and mercy’s fount

Its measure, who can trace?

Where none could stand if God would count

Our sins without His grace

But He forgives all who repent

His pardon never fails

Thus, joy and gladness cease lament

As thankfulness prevails

This is the day the Lord has made

By His sovereign command

Majesty's grandeur is displayed

On sky and sea and land

And only a fool dares to boast

In what God grants to we

Who are at best, need’s uttermost

Subjects of love’s decree

Then, in light of God’s faithful love

That, through good times and bad

Replenishes Reason Enough

To rejoice and be glad

Surely hope’s undeterred reply

Is to fill all our days

Not with the bitterness of ‘why’

But with joy’s thankful praise

© Janet Martin

today's tools of trade at my house include

empty jars and apples,

paring knife, peeler, bowls and pots etc.!

The goal?!

Canned apple pie-filling😋😊

Our apple tree receives no extra TLC besides

what the Good Lord grants in sun and rain.

 So whatever I preserve with apples are usually apples I have purchased.

This year (due to lots of rain?)

 our tree has a bumper crop of mostly un-wormy,

what I have dubbed 'play-apples'.

Last week I dried some ...(google how to oven-dry apples)

...and also did my first ever batch of pie-filling!

It is delicious! 

I hope to share the recipe on a future post!