The evening was the fourteenth of December. The year was 1873. It was bitterly cold outside, yet I sat comfortable inside, warmed by a fire, and content and happy. But I could have been outside, chilled by the frosty fingers of the wind, and been just as content and happy. How could anyone not be who was in my place? God had blessed me, immensely. I was not yet twenty-three years of age and I had more than I could ask for.
We should never complain to God about the hard times we are experiencing but instead we should turn it into an opportunity to praise Him and thank Him.
Whom He loves He chastens. It's a refining fire. The dross is consumed and we are cleansed. So thank God for the fires and trials that He puts you through.
Do not attempt to quench the spirit.
2 Thessalonians 5:19 "Quench not the Spirit."
Indulging in the lust of the flesh and the lust of this world is a way to quench the spirit.
1 John 2:15-17
We take happiness for granted. It's like we think we deserve it. But we don't. Ultimately we deserve hell. Christ changed that by suffering the wrath of God in our place so that we can experience the joy of eternal life.
Happiness is temporal but joy is found in the eternal.
So we should be joyful...when? Only when we remember what lies ahead (in heaven)? Or how about when things are going our way? Rejoice in the Lord every-once-in-a-while? No. "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, rejoice." (Phil. 4:4)
The bells are tolling,
but I do not hear their sound.
I am caught up in something
so much more profound.
I see women weeping
with men of solemn face,
but I do not feel as they do,
wrapped in arms of grace.
A whispered silence falls,
like the heads of those that bow,
but oh, if they could only see
the rejoicing around me now!
They would hear a mighty chorus
and the dazzling colors see.
Then they too would rejoice,
for death is only the beginning of eternity.
Galatians 5:22,23 kjv
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
(I was inspired by a video I watched, titled 'Long Distance Relationship'. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Hope you like it!)
Crooked teeth shy eyes
What love can do to a boy
They met in Marseilles
She said, "Hi my name is Joy."
He's her chéri, but
Time and planes are similar
They fly by quickly
Ending in a sepulchre
Old crumpled tickets
Memories of a tough love
In his chest pocket
She's all he ever thought of
I have missed posting on apricotpie these past two months. My summer has been really busy and I have had sooo many ideas that I simply can't seem write it down on paper...yet. It's frustrating. But anyways, this is the story on how I became a Christian. I hope you'll be encouraged. :) ******* When I was five or six, my family and I went to listen to Billy Graham when he came to preach in New York.
Jesus Knew Redux
(Psalm 22 on the right, response on the left. Style inspired by many poems of Kestrel.)
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
Of course You knew
You still begged
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest
Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel
Is it enough that Your Father knows?
In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them
Here's a little poem I wrote that I hope ya'll enjoy! Also, for those of you who didn't know, I wrote a second part to Amira.
JOYFUL MORNING
How long the night has been, Mother,
When will it be day?
Sorrow fills my mind;
Is the darkness here to stay?
Nay, my child, the night must end,
The sun shall rise once more;
There shall be a joyful morning
Of this I am sure.
Mother, the moon is clouded,
The stars I cannot see;
How can you trust the sunrise
Well, I began this soon after finishing Amira, but sort of got stalled on it. I just couldn't seem to get back into the story. However, I tried again today, and it seemed to flow easily. Here it is, and I hope ya'll enjoy it! Also, I thought I had made the name Amira up, but I looked it up and found that it's some sort of Arabic name (I think). But it's pronounced differently. Instead of Uh-my-ruh (my pronunciation), the Arabic one is pronounced AH-meer-uh.
Amira
Part 2