Tuesday Thoughts - October 6, 2015

Welcome once again to Tuesday Thoughts!  So glad you came by!  :-)

What a difference a week makes!  Last week was warm and sunny while this week is cold and rainy. We definitely need the rain and our front yard is looking happier already!  Even though we are into the first week of October, the green leaves don't seem to want to change into their vibrant fall colors yet.  Kind of like me not wanting to give up my flip-flops yet for boots.  ;-)

It is definitely getting darker earlier, the cloud cover this week making it seem even earlier...  I admit that although I don't like when the sun starts setting earlier, tonight, as I was shutting the shades for the evening, I thought to myself, "I AM looking forward to Fall and all the coziness it brings."

What have I lingered over this week?

• Waking up to the heavy showers and winds blowing outside, feeling cozy and warm in my bed...

• Hearing a familiar sound outside and realizing it was the song of a bird that I usually only hear in the springtime and summer; the unseasonably warm weather possibly wooing the bird to sing his summer song again...

• Admiring the beautiful flowers of my daughter's plant, another returning gift from the unseasonably warm weather...

• Sitting in our small group Bible study, soaking up the fellowship and the Biblical wisdom of my brothers and sisters in the Lord...

• Decorating my living room and kitchen with fall decor, a tradition that marks the beginning of the holiday season and all the promise it brings...

• Me and my husband babysitting our granddaughter, watching Peppa Pig for the first time, loving the British accents, seeing the animated look on Lexi's six month old face as she watched along, laughing as my husband seemed to quite like Peppa Pig  :-)

• Staring at the baby monitor as my granddaughter slept, marveling at how much the image reminded me of her 3D ultrasound picture taken at 18 weeks gestation...

• Reading to my baby granddaughter, looking at her precious little hands holding the book, wondering what her favorite books will be when she is old enough to pick out the same book over and over again because it is her favorite...  :-)

• Watching the lunar eclipse...

• Spending a lovely afternoon visit with a dear sister-in-the-Lord who will be moving far away to follow the Lord's leading in this next chapter of her and her family's life, cherishing the time together before saying not goodbye, but see you later...

What have I pondered this week?

• Would I claim the name Christian if a gunmen threatened to shoot me if I answered yes?

Yesterday, when the news first broke of a shooting at yet another college campus, my heart felt sick as I thought to myself, "not again..."  It wasn't until later in the evening that I found out that the shooter had targeted Christians...  Asking each student, one by one, whether they were a Christian and telling them they would be shot if they answered yes.  Those nine children of God, answered yes, martyred for their faith, now in the presence of their Lord and Savior in their Heavenly home.

As a new believer, I had read stories of missionaries martyred for their faith.  Stories of saints singing hymns as they were burned at the stake.  It was hard for me to comprehend their joy and bravery amidst such horrifying circumstances...   Thinking to myself, I wouldn't have to worry about facing this in the United States.

More recently, with the images of those brave men dressed in orange, on their knees on a beach in Libya,  joyfully claiming the name of Jesus as they were beheaded, it was hard for me to comprehend their courage... My thoughts turning from, "this would never happen in the United States" to "This could happen in the United States"...

And then with the horrific shooting in Oregon this past week, I realized that day had come, Christians in America martyred for their faith...

It really gave me pause to think and to examine myself, asking how I would respond if I were to be in the place of those men dressed in orange or the students lined up in the Oregon college classroom...

The Holy Spirit brought these Scripture verses to mind...

but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 10:33

I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.  "But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!

Luke 12:5

"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Matthew 16:25

When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained;

Revelation 6:9

And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

Revelation 6:11

It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

Deuteronomy 31:8

So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Hebrews 13:6

I am a Christian, saved by the blood of the Lamb...  I will boldly proclaim the name of Christ, even if it means I will be martyred.  

 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

Psalm 116:15

What am I waiting on God for?

• Complete healing of my chronically abscessed tooth
• Symptoms to stop of the tooth next to the abscessed tooth that is behaving the same way the abscessed tooth did a year ago when I first began having trouble with it
• Answer to prayer in a loved one's life
• News of a good blood work report

What am I relying on God for?

• Writing this week's blog post
• Direction and discernment in a family member's life

I offer these thoughts to my God and Savior in praise of His creation, moments enjoyed, and His great promises, and to the Holy Spirit who helps me to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ...

"May the mind of Christ my Savior,

Live in me from day to day,

By His love and pow'r controlling

All I do and say."

Kate B. Wilkinson

You might find me on these link-ups:

Grace & Truth Link-up, Woman to Woman Ministries,  Growing in Grace Link-up, 3DLessonsLif4e, Livefree Thursday,Everyday Jesus, SDG Gathering, Inspire Me Monday Titus 2 Tuesday, A Wise Women Builds Her Home, A Look at the Book,  Sunday Stillness, The Weekend Brew, Spiritual Sundays, Soul Survival,  Give Me Grace, A Little R&R, Testimony Tuesday, Women with Intention Wednesdays, Still Saturday, Good Morning Mondays, Tell His Story, Faith & Fellowship Blog Hop, Motivate and Rejuvenate Mondays, Be Salty, Monday's Musings, The Art of Home-Making Monday, Tuesday Talk, Waiting on Wednesday,Dance with Jesus,Looking Up Link-Up, Reflect His Love and Glory Friend Sharpens Friend Link-Up, Words of Comfort Link-up, Wholehearted Wednesdays. Tell it to Me Tuesday, Faithful at Home Fridays, So Much At Home Link-Up, Faith 'N Friends,