Dear Diary, I've been feeding my flesh . . . again.

Beep. Beep. Beep . . . I turn over to a sunshine filled bedroom and realize that, once again, I've slept in. Irritated, I crawl out of bed and go to turn off the alarm clock which has been dutifully alarming since--oh, I'm too ashamed to say. I may as well get dressed and begin my day

Once dressed I look at my schedule. Hmm . . . it reads, "Quiet Time." A quick battle arises in my mind: I'm already behind and don't really feel like spending time with God. Not after the bad attitude I had yesterday. So instead I begin my chores--I love working around the house. But why do I feel so unhappy and restless today? Maybe it's because of the hazy, white sky outside; I'll just turn more lights on and some music. That feels better . . . for a little bit. Lunch time rolls around but I'm not hungry. Let's hope my loss of appetite isn't due to my unruly snacking. I plod about my day riding a roller coaster; some moments I'm up and other moments I'm down. Even Daddy realizes I'm missing my usual joy; I tell him it's just because of my cold.

I am a born-again daughter of the King of Kings; a sinner saved by His grace given an amazing inheritance. But there's one problem: my self life is reigning. It's a bit embarrassing to write something so personal. I'm the Christian girl who loves to be an example; I'm the young woman who has hopes and dreams of marriage and a home of her own . . . the one who thinks she's ready for a dream like that.

 And yet, it's moments like this--moments when I am fully aware that I am living for self--that I realize I have a lot of work to do.

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life shall find it."

A life of self seems to satisfy for the moment but oh the havoc it ends in. When I "let loose" my thought life and my eating habits, when I waste my time in foolish pursuit (and movies), when I begin to slack in my devotion time, when I feed my flesh and all its whims, I begin to lose. Lose my life. My joy. My peace. My quick conscience. My contentment. My vision. My close relationship with Jesus.

I am so thankful that "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I am fully aware that it is not my good works that save me but at the same token I know "that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness."  I hope to learn from what the Holy Spirit graciously revealed to me, repent, and with a teachable spirit move on in Christ.

Written with love,

Frannie

Only a Weed

Greetings of love to you in the name of Jesus! I hope this finds you very well and having a great day. I'm very excited due to the beautiful cloudless sky and swift breeze overlooking my spot in Missouri. God was so good in all that He created!

The Weed's Philosophy

Nay, but tell me, am I not unlucky indeed,

To arise from the earth and be only a weed?

Ever since I came out of my dark little seed,

I have tried to live rightly, but still am a--weed!

To be torn by the roots and destroyed, this is my meed,

And despised by the gardener, for being--a weed.

Ah! but why was I born, when man longs to be freed

Of a thing so obnoxious and bad as a--weed?

Now, the cause of myself and my brothers I plead,

Say, can any good come of my being a--weed?

If a purpose divine is in all things decreed,

then there must be some benefit from me, a--weed!

If of evil and suffering, the world still has need

In its path of development, then I, a weed,

Must form part of that plan which in nature I read,

though I live but to die, just for being a--weed!

-Martha Martin

Just yesterday Daddy bought me some very interesting little booklets by George Washington Carver; you know, the peanut man? The booklets are packed full of amazing bits of information. Did you know weeds and other vegetation could be eaten and deliciously so?
Chicory: This beautiful leafy plant can according to Carver's booklet be "prepared the same as wild lettuce, before it begins to stem. The roots are very often peeled, dried and roasted a coffee brown. Some prefer it to real coffee; others mix it various proportions to suit their tastes." Imagine . . . Just visit this site or this for the proof.

Chicory. Visit here to discover this picture's origin and other helpful information.

Wild Lettuce: This creature, of which I have seen throughout my life, has a lot of useful purposes. Writes Carver, "These several interesting plants are all members of the lettuce family, have milky juice and when young and tender taste very much like our cultivated lettuce to which it bears some slight resemblance in appearance;" The booklet also goes on to read, "Its medicinal virtues are similar to cultivated lettuce and the dandelion. It is excellent when prepared as spinach."
Black Mustard: Our sited author writes, 'originally cultivated, but now in many sections of the United States has become weedy. It is highly prized for its seed and also as a vegetable, eaten raw, or cooked with other greens it is most highly prized."

Black Mustard. Stop by this link for picture credit.

Red or White Clover: the plant which I have loved seeing and running through now has a special use--eating! Mr. Carver states, "The flower heads of these two varieties have held first place in delicate and fancy salads for years. Serve in mixed salads or separately as fancy dictates. They lend themselves admirably to any type of mild dressing."
 Truly, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork."
May the LORD bless your day!

Frannie

A Bit of Time

Greetings! How are you all? I hope very well--I've been finding it sort of hard to fit blogging into the rest of life lately. But it is so good to be back . . . if I haven't ever said it before let me say it now--I love writing and I am so glad to have a place to peck my little thoughts out. 

"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

I’ve been home in the states for nineteen days; nineteen days to settle in again into daily Missouri life. And I am so thankful for this time--time to quietly sit in the morning hours with my Momma and a cup of steaming black coffee, precious moments of counsel with my Daddy, sweet time with my siblings in laughter and play—all these add up to days. I have also been enjoying the day-to-day necessary tasks such as household chores, church activities, grocery shopping . . . J

But I must be careful to not let the days pass as sand through my fingers; I can easily pass my hours and moments in wasted, empty pursuits. Important pursuits like profitable reading, my quiet time, prayer and service for others often go out the window if I do not carefully guard my heart and priorities. Oh, that I could learn to sit at the feet of Jesus and apply my heart to wisdom.

With many blessings,
Frannie

Quest for love

Quest for Love

Elizabeth Elliot

“‘I see that my deepest desire right now is not for Jesus and His Word, and it’s not for mission work.  It’s for R. This is not right. It’s wrong. Why should I want anything more than to do God’s will and serve Him, whether married or single? That’s where I will be most fulfilled and at peace—in His will. I should want to know God most—in His power and in His suffering. My heart should be where His heart is. A marriage that isn’t built with God’s desires at the center would end up to be ruin for me anyway. . . .’”

Simple yet profound truth.