Quiet Moments: February 2020

Friday, February 7, 2020

UNDISTURBED

UNDISTURBED

Psalm 84:1-4
How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young-- a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Selah

A longing for peace, that's what we so often hear about nowadays. People want it, they search for it, they fight for it, they set aside time in their calendars, planning vacations for it. But can we really find any lasting peace here in this world?
There's a peace that is lasting that we can find. I have discovered this peace and it's truly amazing! It's called the presence of God; no one and absolutely nothing can move me from his peace. In his presence I am undisturbed!
Those who have faith in God's saving grace through the blood of Jesus his Son are welcomed into God's presence; in fact God gives us his Spirit to live IN us!
How wonderful that the writer of this psalm likens our discovery of a place to rest in God's presence like the sparrows and swallows which would nest in the tabernacle. Obviously they were allowed to raise their young there undisturbed because the psalmist writes, "Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young-- a place near your altar, O LORD..." It sounds like this writer was feeling rather envious of the birds that were nesting in the tabernacle; or maybe he realized when watching them that if they were allowed to live there in the place of worship, close to God's presence, then how much more would he who desired to be close to the Lord be welcomed there as well!
Verse four declares that those who live in God's presence are blessed and ever praising him. It's no wonder; this is the place where it dawns on us how good the Lord is, how merciful, how just, how kind, how loving, how accepting.
When we humbly come before God's presence, longing for him, he more than welcomes us, he invites us to make our home there! Like the birds undisturbed, we are not shooed away... We are left undisturbed to enjoy him!
I invite you today along with me to enter God's presence and enjoy him today!Undisturbed

Waste Not, Want Not!

One of my favourite things to do is to make a big pot of homemade soup. It's a tradition from my Dutch heritage. My parents and grandparents always took the time and put their love into their pots of homemade soup. Plus, I get to use some of the leftover foods that might otherwise be tossed into the garbage or compost bin. I begin with the leftover carcass or bones of a roasted turkey, chicken or ham, put it in a pot, cover it with water, add some celery hearts that I stored in the freezer, onions that are getting old, garlic and some savory spices. I bring it to a boil, then turn it down and simmer it all with the lid on for at least 2-4 hours. Then I strain out all of the vegetables and bones/meat, cool down the broth, then make soup out of it the next day....yummmy! :! Pictured here is the turkey soup I made recently. What's better that a bowl of hot soup on a cold winter day?!

Today's Tip

Lemons and Dawn

Try squeezing a lemon by using a strainer. Squeeze the lemon in smaller pieces over a glass measuring cup... it's easier on your hands and the pits won't get in the juice! :) If you've also used a garlic press for your recipe and want to get rid of any lingering garlic odour - throw the leftover lemon rind into a dish with hot water, and soak your garlic press in it for a little while. Last, but not least - you want to get rid of the onion and garlic odour from your cutting board! When you're done soaking the garlic press in the lemon water, rub the cutting board with the lemon rinds, then scrub vigorously with some hot water and Dawn Dish Soap, rinse and whala, you're done! :)