I finally got my cup of pumpkin spice coffee! I enjoyed every drop of it. Something about the smell and flavor just speaks fall with each sip.
I love the changing of the seasons. One of the things I enjoy most about Pennsylvania is that there are four distinct seasons. I like each one, but there is no doubt that fall is my favorite. Fall inspires me, motivates me, energizes me, and yet relaxes me. This week I have been in a flurry of fall decorating, baking, and sewing. Autumn puts me in the mood to be creative, to fill my house with beautiful colors, aromas, and flavors.
Today is my "miscellaneous" day, so I'm just rambling a bit. Instead of a devotional-type thought for the conclusion of the week, I want to share a poem just for fun. It sums up my feelings about each of the seasons God gives us. Thanks for dropping by this week. I hope you'll be back soon!
By the way, feel free to post comments or questions. Also, if you would like to subscribe to an RSS feed of my blog, you can do so at the bottom of the page.
MY COZY WINDOW SEAT
Elbows rest upon my kneecaps,
Cupped hands underneath my chin,
Breathing steam upon the window,
Watching snowflakes dance and spin.
Snuggled up in something fuzzy,
Sipping chocolate warm and sweet,
Curled up like a caterpillar
In my cozy window seat.
Warmer panes against my shoulder,
Spring's sweet scent is in the air,
Bursting buds and baby bunnies
I am seeing everywhere.
Making plans to clean and garden
As I hear the steady beat,
Dreaming dreams and counting raindrops
In my cozy window seat.
Summer days are hot and hazy,
Evenings filled with summer's glow,
Weddings, picnics and vacations
Keep me running to and fro.
But when twilight falls around me,
Seeking refuge from the heat,
I slip in and watch the fireflies
From my cozy window seat.
Fingertips touch glass now chilly,
Glorious days and brisk, cool eves,
Watching as the autumn sunsets
Match the colors of the trees.
Looking for a place to run to
When I need a safe retreat,
Finding all I rest contented
In my cozy window seat.
Copyright 2003 Niki Lott
Showing posts with label aroma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label aroma. Show all posts
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Giving Makes "Scents"
I have a sweet friend who brings me Dunkin Donuts coffee on a regular basis. We both love it, and she often brings me a big cup when she comes to church. It is such a thoughtful and enjoyable gift! I certainly don't expect it, but it means a lot when someone gives you something out of the kindness of their heart.
My husband is also a considerate and wonderful person. He recently brought me a beautiful bouquet of roses! I love it when he surprises with something like that. Think how I might feel, though, if I found out he only did because he felt it was duty, or that he really didn't want to buy me roses at all. Thankfully, that isn't the case. A gift can lose it's value if it is not given sincerely or freely.
I. The Ministry Is Giving
Today, we want to think about the aroma of our ministry. Ministry is giving to the Lord. Often, when we think of giving to God, we only think about money; but God desires that we give of our substance, and more importantly, of our selves. God describes the right kind of offerings and gifts in the Bible as a "sweetsmelling savour." Ephesians 5:2 tells us, "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour." Christ is our example, and He admonishes us to remember, "...freely ye have received, freely give." (Mt. 10:8).
In Philippians 4:18, Paul spoke of the gift he had received from the church, "But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God." As this church was obedient to Christ, and they gave to Paul, they encouraged him and met his needs.
What kind of aroma does my ministry have? As I give of myself to the Lord, and to those around me, is it "sweet smelling"?
II. The Measure of Our Giving
God does not look at the amount of our gifts compared to what others give. He looks at the amount of our gifts compared to what we could give. Think of the story of the widow with two mites. Jesus called the attention of the disciples to those who were giving to the treasury at the Temple. He said that "many that were rich cast in much." However, His praise was for "a certain poor widow" who threw in two mites. He told His disciples, "....this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."
Many times, I think we hesitate to give our talents and our time to God, as well as our treasures, because we think it isn't enough. We get caught up in comparing ourselves with those around us instead of just doing our best for God. God says this is not wise. (II Cor. 10:12). God will hold us accountable for giving out of what He has given us.
He also tells us in Luke 6:38, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." We were talking in Phebe Fellowship last week about giving. I was telling the ladies that I always think of brown sugar when I think of this verse! When you measure brown sugar, you pack it in, and add a little more, and pack it down some more. That's what I think of when I think of "...good measure, pressed down.....". The end of this verse is very important though, because God tells us that He will measure to us the way that we measure to others. If I give to God and others with a "teaspoon", that's how God will give to me. If I give with a "cup", God will fill it up and give it back. What if I give with a bushel basket?
God doesn't measure the way that we do. If we want to see the blessings of God on our homes, our families, and our ministries, we need to give everything we have to Him. Hasn't He given everything to us?
III. The Motives of Our Giving
God not only measures differently than we do, He sees the motives behind our giving. God is less concerned with the amount of our gift than He is with the attitude in which we give it. Consider II Corinthians 9:7, where God says, "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." Just as I would not want my husband to give me a gift because he felt he "had to", so God does want us to give to Him in that way. Am I doing my service for the Lord "grudgingly", dragging my feet, wishing I could do something else? Or, am I giving "of necessity", because it's my "duty" to do? God isn't pleased with either one. God loves cheerful givers. He wants us to give to Him because we love Him and desire to please Him.
When we give to the Lord cheerfully, we can be assured that it is a sweet smelling sacrifice to Him. How precious it is to receive a gift that is given out of love. How wonderful that God desires our gifts! Let's determine to "serve the Lord with gladness" and give our all to Him.
These are the lyrics to a song I wrote last year (the music is not yet in print....sorry!). I pray that I can do what this song says.
I Must Give All
Christ left His throne in glory, and dwelt with sinful men,
His perfect blood was offered in payment for my sin.
He gave salvation freely; not one part did I earn,
What can I give Him in return?
I must give all! I must give all!
How can I dare to bring Him less when at His feet I fall?
He paid the highest price to be my sacrifice,
A portion of myself will not suffice,
I must give all!
He asks that I would love Him with all my heart and soul,
My mind, and strength, and body placed in His full control,
And when I look into His face, and at His nail-scarred hands,
How can I question His demands?
I must give all! I must give all!
How can I dare to bring Him less when at His feet I fall?
He paid the highest price to be my sacrifice,
A portion of myself will not suffice,
I must give all!
Copyright 2007 Niki Lott
Tomorrow's Topic: "Note"-able Scents
My husband is also a considerate and wonderful person. He recently brought me a beautiful bouquet of roses! I love it when he surprises with something like that. Think how I might feel, though, if I found out he only did because he felt it was duty, or that he really didn't want to buy me roses at all. Thankfully, that isn't the case. A gift can lose it's value if it is not given sincerely or freely.
I. The Ministry Is Giving
Today, we want to think about the aroma of our ministry. Ministry is giving to the Lord. Often, when we think of giving to God, we only think about money; but God desires that we give of our substance, and more importantly, of our selves. God describes the right kind of offerings and gifts in the Bible as a "sweetsmelling savour." Ephesians 5:2 tells us, "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour." Christ is our example, and He admonishes us to remember, "...freely ye have received, freely give." (Mt. 10:8).
In Philippians 4:18, Paul spoke of the gift he had received from the church, "But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God." As this church was obedient to Christ, and they gave to Paul, they encouraged him and met his needs.
What kind of aroma does my ministry have? As I give of myself to the Lord, and to those around me, is it "sweet smelling"?
II. The Measure of Our Giving
God does not look at the amount of our gifts compared to what others give. He looks at the amount of our gifts compared to what we could give. Think of the story of the widow with two mites. Jesus called the attention of the disciples to those who were giving to the treasury at the Temple. He said that "many that were rich cast in much." However, His praise was for "a certain poor widow" who threw in two mites. He told His disciples, "....this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."
Many times, I think we hesitate to give our talents and our time to God, as well as our treasures, because we think it isn't enough. We get caught up in comparing ourselves with those around us instead of just doing our best for God. God says this is not wise. (II Cor. 10:12). God will hold us accountable for giving out of what He has given us.
He also tells us in Luke 6:38, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." We were talking in Phebe Fellowship last week about giving. I was telling the ladies that I always think of brown sugar when I think of this verse! When you measure brown sugar, you pack it in, and add a little more, and pack it down some more. That's what I think of when I think of "...good measure, pressed down.....". The end of this verse is very important though, because God tells us that He will measure to us the way that we measure to others. If I give to God and others with a "teaspoon", that's how God will give to me. If I give with a "cup", God will fill it up and give it back. What if I give with a bushel basket?
God doesn't measure the way that we do. If we want to see the blessings of God on our homes, our families, and our ministries, we need to give everything we have to Him. Hasn't He given everything to us?
III. The Motives of Our Giving
God not only measures differently than we do, He sees the motives behind our giving. God is less concerned with the amount of our gift than He is with the attitude in which we give it. Consider II Corinthians 9:7, where God says, "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." Just as I would not want my husband to give me a gift because he felt he "had to", so God does want us to give to Him in that way. Am I doing my service for the Lord "grudgingly", dragging my feet, wishing I could do something else? Or, am I giving "of necessity", because it's my "duty" to do? God isn't pleased with either one. God loves cheerful givers. He wants us to give to Him because we love Him and desire to please Him.
When we give to the Lord cheerfully, we can be assured that it is a sweet smelling sacrifice to Him. How precious it is to receive a gift that is given out of love. How wonderful that God desires our gifts! Let's determine to "serve the Lord with gladness" and give our all to Him.
These are the lyrics to a song I wrote last year (the music is not yet in print....sorry!). I pray that I can do what this song says.
I Must Give All
Christ left His throne in glory, and dwelt with sinful men,
His perfect blood was offered in payment for my sin.
He gave salvation freely; not one part did I earn,
What can I give Him in return?
I must give all! I must give all!
How can I dare to bring Him less when at His feet I fall?
He paid the highest price to be my sacrifice,
A portion of myself will not suffice,
I must give all!
He asks that I would love Him with all my heart and soul,
My mind, and strength, and body placed in His full control,
And when I look into His face, and at His nail-scarred hands,
How can I question His demands?
I must give all! I must give all!
How can I dare to bring Him less when at His feet I fall?
He paid the highest price to be my sacrifice,
A portion of myself will not suffice,
I must give all!
Copyright 2007 Niki Lott
Tomorrow's Topic: "Note"-able Scents
Monday, September 22, 2008
Wake Up and Smell the Coffee!
There is nothing like waking up to the aroma of coffee brewing. Many days I get to do that, because my husband usually gets up before me and turns on the coffee pot! Long before I liked the taste of coffee, I loved the smell of coffee.
One of my favorite movies is "Facing the Giants", and one of my favorite lines in the movie is where the coach tells his team, "Attitude is the aroma of your heart." (That may not be an exact quote!) How thought-provoking! If our attitude is the aroma of our heart, then I wonder, what kind of aroma do I have? Is it even an aroma, or more of an odor?
There are many interesting things about smell. One thing is that it often helps us to identify something before we can see it (think coffee in the morning!). It can whet our appetites (think coffee again), or ruin our appetites (think sour milk) without our ever tasting anything.
This week, I think we should "wake up and smell the coffee" of our hearts and lives. Let's examine our attitudes, and find out what they "smell" like.
This morning, I want us to think about the attitude of our hearts. What is my attitude toward God? How does God perceive my attitude? Is it a "sweet smelling savor" to the Lord, or more of an obnoxious odor? Let's consider......is my aroma:
Grateful or Griping?
Faith Full or Fearful?
Prayerful or Pouty?
Content or Covetous?
Agreeable or Argumentative?
Compassionate or Calloused?
Giving or Greedy?
Submitted or Stubborn?
Sweet or Sour?
This list could go on and on. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you if your aroma needs sweetening. The Word of God is a "discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart". Let's determine to have an aroma that is pleasing to God.
Monday's Topic: The Aroma of My Marriage
One of my favorite movies is "Facing the Giants", and one of my favorite lines in the movie is where the coach tells his team, "Attitude is the aroma of your heart." (That may not be an exact quote!) How thought-provoking! If our attitude is the aroma of our heart, then I wonder, what kind of aroma do I have? Is it even an aroma, or more of an odor?
There are many interesting things about smell. One thing is that it often helps us to identify something before we can see it (think coffee in the morning!). It can whet our appetites (think coffee again), or ruin our appetites (think sour milk) without our ever tasting anything.
This week, I think we should "wake up and smell the coffee" of our hearts and lives. Let's examine our attitudes, and find out what they "smell" like.
This morning, I want us to think about the attitude of our hearts. What is my attitude toward God? How does God perceive my attitude? Is it a "sweet smelling savor" to the Lord, or more of an obnoxious odor? Let's consider......is my aroma:
Grateful or Griping?
Faith Full or Fearful?
Prayerful or Pouty?
Content or Covetous?
Agreeable or Argumentative?
Compassionate or Calloused?
Giving or Greedy?
Submitted or Stubborn?
Sweet or Sour?
This list could go on and on. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you if your aroma needs sweetening. The Word of God is a "discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart". Let's determine to have an aroma that is pleasing to God.
Monday's Topic: The Aroma of My Marriage
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