A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Faith

Give Care Well-Deserved

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So Five minute Friday strikes again!  WOOT WOOT!  🙂  Miss Kate has given us the word prompt of Deserve.  When I heard this word I recalled a conversation I had with a rabbit friend over the exchange of a couple of bunnies.  We love our bunnies, but we move them on to other places at times.  Sometimes, we get attached, and then we worry about will they get the home we want for them?   Will they have people who will give care well-deserved? 

Give Care Well Deserved text, image of black holland lop bunny

Give Care Well-Deserved

HEY! I see you have a bunny!
A black one, maybe a fuzzy?

Yes, yes I do.
But only a fuzzy carrier
I think.

Oh, well, let me think
Would you do a trade?

Sure, I know this gal
I’d happily do a trade for
Bunnies such as hers.

So she came
we talked and laughed

Learned a few things
about plants and bunnies
and methods of feeding.

We talked differences in size
and health and temperament.

And so she left
with one bunny but two
And two bunnies stayed.

Her words
I’ve raised and loved them.

And now I can
trust them to a home
that give care well-deserved.

And so I KNOW
Deep within, that

My little ones
Black coated though they be,
Will get care well-deserved too.

Gives me pause to consider
Do we fuss about the care

Other loved ones deserve?
The sad, the hurting, the lonely,
The full-loved, family and friends?

 

These are the parents of one of my new little big ones

Scriptural Thoughts

Proverbs 27:23  Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds,

Psalm 147:9  He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry.

Job 12:7-10  “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.

Luke 14:5  And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?”

Lift Me Up

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As soon as I heard this prompt Lift (provided by Miss Kate) I thought of this song.  And thus I’m sharing it with you today.  It’s a nice song isn’t it?  Even though in the song the phrase Raise me up is the repeated phrase, I often sing as you lift me up.  I don’t know why I do that, and it’s the first song that came up on youtube when I put in the phrase Lift me up.  I wonder why that is?   They have slightly different connotations don’t they?  Yet, are often used interchangeably.    So let’s see what I do with the phrase lift me up.

Lift Me Up

Lift Me Up
Up momma, up!
Comes the demand
Me UP!

Lifting a wee one up
Suddenly they can see
Pointing at the elephant
Far in the distance.

A comfort to see
A joy to point out
Moments to share of
happiness and delight.

Lift Me Up!
Please, someone, notice
I’m struggling
Mom sick, Dad can’t cope

Stopping for a moment
a meal provided,
a listening ear or
an email sent.

Suddenly dad’s
Lack of coping
Mom’s illness bad
Is a burdened shared.

A bunny,
A delivery
Ever so hot
Struggling, not well.

Water on ears
A slight misting
with wet feet
Babes cared for.

Thinking maybe
The doe will be gone
By morning.
But perkiness instead!

Sharing a load
Easing of heat
A lifting of abilities
and suddenly spark returns.

Gah, stupid bumblebees!
You’re supposed to be nice
Calm things
Not easily offended!

But too many
Coming and Going
Not a picture taking spot
Anymore…angry bees. Run!

Night comes
Darkness falls
A nest filled, then lifted
A nest relocated safely.

Morning, bees flying
No more anger
Picture taking spot back
Spirits raised.

So many ways
To lift me up
To protect and comfort
People, animals, burdens

lift me up, bumblebee nest

Further thoughts

Those bumblebees yesterday.  I’ve been nurturing a nest of them in an old rabbit nestbox that momma took over in the spring.  I’ve kept them safe from the weather.  But now… now there are too many bees coming and going.  I suppose it was just a matter of time that my picture-taking spot (for the bunnies) would be compromised.  You can’t keep that many bees happy all the time. 

I fled.  Did you know that bumblebees can sting more than once and if they land on your head it’s with the intent to crawl in and sting you? 

Waited until evening when all bees would be in bed and relocated them 20 feet away.  A spot with less traffic and still very protected from wind, weather and picture-taking people.   Bees protected, nature pollinators survive. And no more bunnies (or people) to annoy accidentally, and get stung. 

Scriptural Insights

Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. – Philippians 2:4

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2

Be hospitable to one another without complaining. – 1 Peter 4:9

And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works. – Hebrews 10:24

Dads Teach Teens Important Skills

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The TOS crew has given us a challenge to do a post about fathers.  I have to admit, this is a tough one for me.  Don’t misunderstand me, I loved my dad, but we didn’t have the easiest relationship.  Therefore when I think of dads, that relational difficulty sometimes gets in the way.   I got to thinking though about how my dad affected me as a teen, and what lessons he taught me in those important years.   Dads are so important in the lives of teens, we mustn’t forget that!  Dads teach teens important skills! 

Dad taught me

  • Devotion to God doesn’t have to be perfect.  My dad had a firm faith in the Lord but it wasn’t a perfect faith and he let his children know that.  He served the Lord faithfully, but admittedly was short-tempered, lacking in patience, and more.  YET through that… he served the Lord and taught us how to pray. 
  • To parent better than you were parented.  My dad did not have a good upbringing.  Some would call it abusive.  He made a CHOICE that he would not raise his children the way he was.  The older I got the more understand the choices he made. As I have parented my son I have shown him more grace and patience than I was shown as a child growing up.  In turn, I hope that my son will meld discipline and grace better than I did, with I hope, my eventual grandchildren.  This is a biblical principle as well as seen in Deuteronomy 5. 
  • Work hard!  At whatever it is that you do … do it well and work hard to accomplish the tasks set before you.   It doesn’t matter the job you do as long as you do it well. 
  • Be kind to the critters under your care.  Try to not be impatient with them, be careful with pregnant animals, be mindful of bulls as they can do serious damage, feed the best food you can, and don’t make your animals into soft pets or they will be useless as working animals. 
Dads teach teens important skills

You see, I saw my dad doing all this as a child, but as a teen is when it really started to impact me.  As I starting putting all the pieces together and seeing the choices he made, it made an impact.  Did it make our relationship easier?  No.  In fact we went through tough years, but in the end we came out okay. 

But you know what? 

Teens do this.  They look at their parents critically during their teens years.  They analyze how they were parented, they learn to ask questions, and formulate ideas for their future.  Teens examine, it seems, everything as they push toward being adults.  Dads help in this process as they answer their sons questions and show they how to be stand-up people.  How to live out their faith and how to care for those that surround you.  Even those men of few words!  🙂 

It got me to thinking, what things are there for dads teach their teens? 

Additional Dad taught Skills

  • How to fix things, or to jury-rig a solution, or simply how to use tools. 
  • Confidence in one’s abilities
  • Being fiscally responsible.
  • The importance of a firm handshake
  • Make plans, double-check them, follow through.  Be prepared for glitches along the way.
  • Have a reputation worth having.  If you say you’ll do something, follow through.  Be honest in your dealings. 
  • Learn the basics of taking care of your automobile.  Changing the oil, driving a stick shift and learning what different noises a car makes and what they mean.
  • Learn the fundamentals of math, it’ll serve you well in every aspect of life. 
  • Be willing to change your mind if the situation warrants it. 
June 2021 Social Media Challenge Graphic

NOW… Lest anyone take offense!  Moms have a big role in raising their teens as well and can teach all these skill sets as well… but dads do it in their own way don’t they?  And sometimes, we need each other to reinforce the behaviours needed right?  Two examples are better than one eh?  🙂   Besides… we don’t all have the same set of skills, so having help, broadens the horizons of these pre-adults and that’s not a bad thing right? 

Can you think of anything that I missed? Dads teach teens important skills… but I couldn’t possibly have thought of them all.  What skills did you learn from your Father?   What skills do you see your spouse teaching your teenagers? 

Christ will be my Hideaway

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We were listening to Grace Toronto Church this morning and one of the songs they did was Christ will be hideaway. 

I don’t know how old this song is so I’ll just link to the lyrics as I don’t want to violate copyright.  🙂 

Basically, I liked it and thought I’d share it with you.  🙂 

This lovely song is based on Psalm 91.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes
    and see the recompense of the wicked.

Christ will be my hideaway

What do you think of Christ will be My Hideaway?   Are you, like the author, called to remember that our trust needs to be in the Lord?  Remembering that he is our safety in a time of storm or uncertainty? 

I love that, through Christ, I can claim victory even when things are looking tough. There’s always a brighter side you know? 

By the Sea of Crystal

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You know what?  It has been a VERY long time since I’ve sung By the Sea of Crystal.  When I found it in my hymnal I starting humming it immediately.  Hubster, whose sitting within humming distance, quirked an eyebrow and named it!  So it’s good to know that he’s familiar with it enough to hear it through my humming!  🙂 

by the sea of crystal

Lyrics to By the Sea of Crystal

By the sea of crystal, saints in glory stand,
Myriads in number, drawn from every land,
Robed in white apparel, washed in Jesus’ blood,
They now reign in heaven with the Lamb of God.

Out of tribulation, death and Satan’s hand,
They have been translated at the Lord’s command.
In their hands they’re holding palms of victory;
Hark! the jubilant chorus shouts triumphantly:

“Unto God Almighty, sitting on the throne,
And the Lamb, victorious, be the praise alone,
God has wrought salvation, He did wondrous things,
Who shall not extol Thee, holy King of Kings?”

This is the version I am familiar with

Author and History

New Yorker William Kuipers penned the words to By the Sea of Crystal sometime in the early 1900’s.  He served as a pastor within the Christian Reformed Church.  Rev. Kuipers served in three churches in Michigan as well as one in New Jersey.  He was the author of several poems, hymns, and psalm versifications.

I don’t know this version

Final Thoughts

This song is based on Revelation 4-5.  In Revelation 4:5-6 we read “From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.”

Brings it home you know?  All those saints, from all over the world, gathered before the throne of God.  Can you hear the reverberation bouncing off the cyrstal?                                         

Close Communion Recovered

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It’s that day of the week again when Miss Kate gives us the word prompt of the week.  This week we are working with the word Recover.  Recover… to cover to have something placed over or around you, or to blanket an area (such as a ground cover).   To recover is to regain something, or to go back to normal, or even to retrieve a product for another use.  So knowing all this, what will I come up?  And so it mostly wrote itself.  Close Communion Recovered

Close Communion Recovered
Wooden blocks connected together on blue background. Teamwork, network and community concept.

Close Communion Recovered

A bridge broken
A deceiver came
and took a truth
and twisted it.

Just a bit
Just enough to sow
Doubt and confusion,
A turning to look at self.

A heart broke
Close communion lost
Yet still sought
And looking found.

Consequences spelled out
Pain and hardship
In working and childbirth
A head would be crushed.

Over the years
A great heart
Would continue to be
Broken but healing sought.

Always
Over and over again
Consequences laid out
End results promised.

Would people ever listen
Could a bridge to
Close communication
Again be built.

Then one day
A Son.
Born of a young girl
Who trusted God.

Out of a line
of people who
trusted God
Sought close communion.

This girl
and Her hubby
Learned to listen
To ponder God’s actions.

And so a boy
became a man
Growing in wisdom
Knowledge.

At age 12 he
astounded the teachers.
At age 30 he
frightened rulers.

He drew people in
Proclaiming
Son of man
Son of God

A bridge
close communion
with God
could be recovered.

Listen to him
Follow him
Chose the way
Of death.

Of death?
Really, was that the answer?
Death?
A Death chosen.

Death on a tree
burial
but listen
Recovery comes.

When Living
he ROSE!!!
That’s the way.
Death defeated!

This is how
a heel is bruised.
But
A head is crushed.

That head
Pride, selfish,
Green, Deception
Defeated by Life.

This life
One given sacrificially
the only way
To recovery.

A crushed head
leads to
close communion
recovered, with God.

Close Communion Recovered
Bread, Red Wine and book, top view, copy space.

Scripture Speaks

Genesis 3:1-5

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.

He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You[a] shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Psalm 2:7

7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
    today I have begotten you.

Mark 16:5-6

 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 

Soon and Very Soon

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Until today I did not know that Soon and Very Soon had actual verses to it!  How could I not have known that?   I suppose that like many, I simply have never sung them.   A call to action though… to see God’s action in our lives.  To realize that one day soon he will be returning to earth and all our sorrows will be finished with. 

soon and very soon

Lyrics to Soon and Very Soon

Soon and very soon we are going to see the king
Hallelujah, hallelujah, we’re going to see the king X3
 
No more crying there, we are going to see the king
Hallelujah, hallelujah, we’re going to see the king X3
 
Should there be any rivers we must cross
Should there be any mountains we must climb
God will supply all the strength that we need
Give us strength till we reach the other side.
 
We have come from every nation,
God has already signed our name.
Jesus took his blood and he washed my sins, he washed them all away.
Yet there are those of us who have laid down our lives
But we all shall meet again on the other side.
 
Back to the chorus
 
Should there be any rivers we must cross
Should there be any mountains we must climb
God will supply all the strength that we need
Give us strength till we reach the other side.
 
Back to the chorus

Author and History

Andraé Crouch is sometimes referred to as the “Father of modern gospel music”.  He recently passed away in 2015.  This American gospel writer was born in California and wrote his first piece of gospel music at age 14.   He helped to bring the gap between black and white music, bringing contemporary music into the church at large. 

He played with various bands throughout his life as well as having a solo career.  Friends with Michael Jackson he and his singers played a role in some of Mr. Jackson’s albums and performances. 

Complications from diabetes and cancer took his life. 

Pondering the Words

Having done Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending, I suppose this fits nicely into the order the hymnal (affiliate link) I am using doesn’t it?   Another glimpse of glory we see in this song by Andraé Crouch.

God will bring us through to glory is written throughout this song don’t you find?   

I found it interesting how many versions of Soon and Very Soon on youtube only featured the chorus being sung multiple times.  And I have to admit, the chorus is lively and compelling. I think the verses add to the overall song though, don’t you?