How Sweet Is the Song of His Name!

How sweet is the song of His name!  The name of Jesus is our song.  The person and Spirit of Jesus comes to us as a song on a rainy, gray day as His melody flows to our soul and lifts us up, refreshes and renews.

I feel that wherever I stand is a sanctuary, a holy place where I can sing to the Lord.  N.K.J.V. Psalm 6 : I will sing to the Lord for He has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 104: 33,34:  I will sing to the Lord as long as I live.  I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.  May my meditation be sweet to Him.                                                                    

He is my song and He takes joy when I sing to Him...                                           
Prayer:
Thank you, Lord for the joy of Thy salvation.  Thank you for welcoming me into Your presence and for hearing my heart's whisper.  Thank You for Your joy in me, Your child.  It is with a grateful heart that I come to adore You.  Help me to walk in Your path of life-giving sustenance with the blessed assurance that Yours is the only way to live life and to reach eternity's shore.  Thank You for Your constant abiding in me.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, oh Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer.   Psalm 19:14

In Jesus' name, Amen

THE WORK OF OUR HANDS

Our little great-grandson!

   THE WORK OF OUR HANDS...

The Lord has established the work of our hands.  Perhaps, planting or arranging flowers is your forte.
Aside from his work as a tool and die maker, my Dad loved  masonry.  I recall the stone walls, fireplaces and sidewalks that he created with care.  Mom loved to prepare meals for a holiday.  The family members were the cheerful recipients of her tasty little morsels.  I love words and notes so writing and piano music are both favorites of mine.  The Lord has blessed me with the ability to write and to create original piano music.  Every morning, I thank Him for 'establishing the work of my hands'.  Whatever work that I did as a psychiatric R.N. is praise-worthy to my Lord and King, for allowing me to have done it.

We are "enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you."  I Corinthians 1: 5 and 6.  The Lord has enriched us and He will sustain us through His Holy Spirit.  "Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God."  Corinthians 2:12 ...How He loves us!  Can we take it in?  May we breathe in the gifts, "the testimony of Christ" that the Lord has bestowed upon us and bring honor to His name!

Whatever we say or write or sing or grow or sketch or paint or sculpt -and  on and on, is for His glory.  May we be worthy of the calling.  In Ephesians 4: 1  Paul writes "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called."

PRAYER:
Lord, we come before you with grateful hearts, thanking you for  the our calling.  We pray that you continue to bless and speak through us as we endeavor to live as your servants.  Touch the hearts of those who need a word of encouragement.  Help each one of us to live as you would have us live, in your strength and in your love and in your care.  In Jesus' name,   Amen.




Post note:  Please forgive the late entry this week.  I like to send an entry to each of you on Mondays.  I have been working on a completing a book of poetry, A Kiss from God and a non-fiction biography, Think Piece.  This morning, as I was washing the dishes and talking to God, the thought came to me that I could ask the people who read my blog to pray for me...and.that these books will soon be published and will bless many people.  I will use my pen name.  I will keep you informed.  Thank you for your prayers.  God bless each one of you.

PRAISE AND WORSHIP POEMS

PRAISE AND WORSHIP POEMS

'MORNING-SONG PRAISE'

This morning, I saw tree branches

With lush leaves

Sweep skyward

‘Till it seemed as though

All in unison had been lifted

By the wind

In praise to Thee

Thank you, Lord

For the peace and quiet

Of your gentle Spirit

For the enormity of Your love

And for the joy of Your sweet presence

Thank You for Your voice that whispers, “Come unto Me.”

                                               © 2/2012 Carol Castagna

'WINTER STATEMENT'

                            

Ice-covered branches 
Drenched in frost
 Dripping in daybreak
  Presiding against a backdrop
 Of  Tchaikovsky's Waltz

I marvel at your Winter Statement, Lord

At Your Winter Statement
 Of Sight and of Sound 

And of the Great I Am!
             This morning, in humble gratitude             
              I Praise You! 

                                           Carol Castagna  © October, 2012

                                        

'NIGHT IN SPRING'

I'm here Lord, with You this starry night

Listening to the ocean roar

Watching white waves emerge, mammoth

Then quiet....

Flowing, as it were, toward the sand, to sleep

I'm surrounded by Your greatness, Lord

This vast sea before me

The moon wanting only to remain in this moment

The wind caressing me gently...

In awe, I stand before you

Creator of heaven and earth!

                                                                                    Carol Castagna © 2/2012

'LISTEN TO THE QUIET'

A poem of peace and God’s quiet assurance

Listen to the Quiet

I love this moment in time

Weeping willows dancing in sweet abandon

Against an azure sky

Tomorrow will wait

An oriole walks on the grass to my porch and chirps a song

Written just for me - This moment knows no sorrow

Raindrops glide down my face and

Hush speaks sleep to the pond

Listen to the sweet, sweet sound of silence –

  

No cares -  No Strife

Not here

During this moment of quiet splendor...

Only Jesus - only sunshine - only cool, cool water

 Sunshine and dew drops and peace....

At this moment in time...

Listen to the Quiet

He is everywhere.

                             Carol Castagna  ©2/2012

     'i asked, he answered'

                      Song lyrics of thanksgiving and praise            

.

I asked, He answered

I sought, I found

I knocked and the door

Opened wide for me

I asked, He answered

I sought, I found

His mercy is limitless

His faithfulness ever abounds

                                                  Carol Castagna  ©2/2012

John 4:14

…but whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst again; this water shall be a well of water springing up into everlasting life.