Honoring the Spouse

 This was posted nearly eight years ago.  BBBH has put up with me, stood by me, cared for me during the intervening years and she still sings!  So in her honor here is a repost.

Several years before I met her, BBBH published a book of poems and songs she had written. I submit here lyrics to one of the songs. I particularly enjoy hearing her sing this.

Take a Look It's All in the Book

The Bible says we can be free

From all our sins and misery

That the Lord's the only way

Not many paths, like people say

Says we can claim His every word

Of His promises be assured

That we can know He loves us so

And that He just wants us to know

Says in the word that we can find

In the book He left behind

That He shed His blood for me

Took my stripes at Calvary

In His kingdom we can share

Because He'll always be there

He came to set us free from sin

So open your heart and let Him in

So take a look, take a look,

It's all in the book

So take a look, take a look

It's all in the book

John 3:16

Copyright Grace JoAnn Harrison 1995. Used by permission.

Zaphenath-paneah and Asenath

We are told that the Pharaoh gave Joseph his signet ring and power over all Egypt; a new name, Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath to wife.  (Genesis 41)

The name, we might assume, was an honorific and one which carried with it power and hence the respect of the Pharaoh's subjects.  Such a gift portends a bright future.  The other gift, a woman,  promises that that future will be filled with not only the honor and glory of power but also the humility and tenderness required to live at peace with a woman.  And children, for Asenath was fertile and provided for Joseph Ephraim and Manasseh.

It is unwise, though, for a man to reject gifts from the King.  And this is so when dealing with mortal kings, but how much more must one avoid the rejection of gifts from the Heavenly King.

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.  --Revelation 2:17b (KJV)

Fits Like a Glove

Every night when I begin to pray

I ask the Lord to help me say

How sorry I am, for mistakes I made

As I went about my busy day.

I ask for the will to forgive

Other people with whom I live

When others hurt me thoughtlessly

That I won't repay revengefully.

To help me do my best in every way

And look to God, He will repay

So many times I need some love

And His love always fits like a glove.

1 Peter 4:8: And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.  (KJV)

Gifts From God, Grace JoAnn Harrison Lacy, copyright 1995, 2014.  By permission of the author.

Wasps, Faith, Joy and Peace

May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace through your faith in him. Then you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  --Romans 15:13 (GNT)

How we desire to be filled with joy and peace!  Yet how often it seems we are unable to receive the blessing.  Early last week, I was prepping the motor home for our excursion into a quiet place.  One of the many tasks is the filling of the water tank.  Many RVers drive with empty water tanks, believing they save money by increasing their gas mileage.  That may well be the case, but I prefer drinking my water from home to taking the pot-luck, so to speak, which is to fill at the campground. My experience suggests that the difference between 8.09 mpg and 8.17 mpg on a short trip is not going to break the exchequer   When that is the case, I will quit RVing.


So I placed the hose in the filler pipe and had it running at a good volume. I know it takes several minutes to complete the fill. I stepped around the rig to tend to another item; but presently I heard water splashing on the ground.  I went to the hose, and the tank was not taking the water, but allowing it to spill to the earth.  I removed the hose and the tank burped.  I replaced the hose, and in a matter of a few seconds, overflow again.  Remove hose, tank burps.  I now know that the vent tube is plugged, but cannot imagine why.  I try again, same result.  After say the fifth burp, when I reinsert the hose, a brilliant metallic-blue mud dauber crawls out of the vent tube!  Aha!  She has plugged me up.
I set the nozzle to fine-stream, top power and shoot the water down the vent tube.  Voila! as Pierre might say.  The pipe, she is clear and the filling process proceeds in a normal fashion.



Now as I completed this task, I was thinking that in spite of our desire for the joy and peace that the filling of the Holy Spirit brings, it is too often the case that our inner being, our tank, in a manner of speaking, is filled with air, trivial and meaningless matters, that must be vented to allow room for the infilling of the Spirit.  Yet we have somehow allowed the wasps of worldly cares to plug the vent, we hold onto what must be expelled, and thus fail to receive the joy and peace that should be ours.

How to correct the problem?  Our faith is the jet-stream that will clear the vent-tube of the soul.

My Bike, A Special Toy

BBBH, as guest blogger for this Lord’s Day, has chosen to give you one of her poems.

My Bike, a Special Toy

Though riding my bike is easy to do

It helps my soul with-in renew
With a healing breeze refreshing my face

I ride along at a nice even pace

Hearing the Whippoorwill sing his song

For memories of childhood, sometimes I long

Or riding alone, at morning’s first light

I see flocks of geese, in perfect flight

Sometimes riding, just before dusk,

Hearing the locust croaking in lust

Reminds me of a lazier time

When bread could be bought for just a dime

Feeling the sunrays hot on my back

It’s already warm at dawn’s first crack,

Soothing my soul with soft inner peace

Riding my bike is like a fabulous feast

Feeling the breeze rumple my hair

Out by a lake, in imagination, I am there

At such times, I yearn for an earlier day

As I watch little children laugh and play

Sharing the ride with another or riding alone

The joy of my inner-child, is ever strong.

I’ve even been caught out in the rain

Stopped at a corner by a slow moving train

But I’m so thankful for these special rides

They help my heart deal with changing tides

As I ride beside a little stream

Life goes on like a changing dream

Pearls of life, like beads are strung

But in my Spirit, I am ever young

I thank the Lord for this simple joy

Even grown-ups, can enjoy this special toy

Psalm 103:5

Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagles’. 

© Grace JoAnn Harrison Lacy, Gifts from God, p.98, 1995, 2013