Harrington House

Counting Blessings

"When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,
  When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost...

  Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
  Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?...

  When you look at others with their lands and gold,
  Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold...

  Count your blessings, name them one by one;
  Count your many blessings,
  See what God hath done."

Last summer, my aunt Sue went to Africa to visit her daughter (my cousin Becky), who was there for several months, offering her ministry at one of the schools.  Becky would send frequent emails about what all she was doing and seeing.   They have such beautiful stories of their experiences there and the wonderful people they met.  When Aunt Sue came home, she told us the people at the church had recently learned this hymn and loved it and would sing it all the time. 

I found this sign in an antique store (though, it's not old), and it made me think of a little congregation in Africa singing of their many blessings.

      

I hung it in the dining room and flanked it with this pair of black wrought iron silhouettes.  (Um, please disregard the glaring nailheads...my black Sharpie is MIA!)

"Love in Any Language..."

...fluently spoken here." 

That song reminds me of one of my favorite things in my home.  It's an old embroidery of a beautiful Bible scripture.

"Nun aber bleibet Glaube, Hoffnung, Liebe, diese drei; aber die Liebe ist die größte unter ihnen."

"And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three;  but the greatest of these is love."  - I Corinthians 13:13

Now, I have never known a single word of the German language.  However, when I saw this in an antique store, I immediately knew what it said.  That means to me that love in any language is always the same!  And that God's Word in all the world never changes!  I love y'all!  Have a wonderful day!    

Praying for Children

"Don't nobody pray over you like your Mama!"

I have often heard this, and I am sure many of you have as well.  So, in honor of Mother's Day, I wanted to post this list that guides us in praying for our children.  I hope you find it as helpful as I do.  (Unfortunately, I do not know where this originates, so if you know, please let me know, too!)

I pray...

...that they will know Christ as Savior early in life  (Psalm 63:1, 2 Timothy 3:15).

...that they will fear the Lord and serve Him (Deuteronomy 6:13).

...that they will have a responsibile attitude and excellent spirit in all their ways and relationships (Daniel 6:3).

...that their lives will bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

...that they will honor their parents so all will go well with them (Ephesians 6:1-3).

...that they will live by the Spirit and not gratify the flesh (Galatians 5:16).

...that they will respect those in authority over them (Romans 13:1, Exodus 20:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, Ephesians 6:1-3, 5-7).

...that they will accept responsibility for their sins (Psalm 51:1-4, 9, 10).

...that they will have quick, repentant hearts (Psalm 51:1-3).

...that they will be teachable and able to take correction (Isaiah 54:13, Proverbs 13:1).

...that they will have a hatred for sin (Psalm 97:10).

...that they will be caught when guilty and gratefully receive discipline (Psalm 119:71).

...that they will desire the right kind of friends and be protected from the wrong friends and those who would corrupt them (Proverbs 10, 11, 19).

...that they will be kept from the wrong mate and saved for the right one (2 Corinthians 6:14-17).

...that they, as well as those they marry, will be kept pure until marriage (1 Corinthans 6:18-20).

...that they will learn to totally submit to god and actively resist Satan in all circumstances (James 4:7).

...that they wil trust in the Lord for direction in their lives (Proverbs 3:5-6).

...that they will be hedged by God so that they cannot find their way to wrong people or wrong places and that the wrong people cannot find their way to them (Hosea 2:6).

...that they will be single-heartedly and wholly committed to the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 12:1-2).

Happy Mother's Day to all y'all!  To those who are mothers now, it's time to pray up and train up, for we have been handed the calling to raise new disciples of Christ! To those who are patiently waiting, your blessings await you.  God bless each and every one of you this day!