As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.  Ez. 1:28

And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.  Rev 4:3

I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire;
 Rev 10:1                  

Tuesday Morning

Well, I did it again.  This morning I really wasn't wanting to get up and exercise but knowing I had someone expecting me to helped nudge me out of bed!  So glad I did.  Once I got home I had to turn the AC on.  It was more hot inside than outside!  We had a lot of rain yesterday and it looks like more today.  I like the rain just not the humidity and snakes it brings. 
I taught my first English class last night and it went really well.  I think they pick up English better than I am picking up Thai.  Not fair!  I have class today and have several things I want to go over with my teacher just from last night. 
I wanted to share a website I discovered and have really enjoyed reading it. So full of good stuff.  Doorposts 

I made cookies yesterday for my class and hope to share the recipe today sometime.  They were so good, easy and made a ton!  The family even got to enjoy them.

Happenings

Last week I decided to see how much more I could do if I did not get onto Facebook one time throughout the week.  I read two books and half of another, went to a lady's retreat, had team retreat, had a guest over for dinner, went to lunch with my hubby one day, and spent a day at the waterfalls, had a BBQ at a friends house and finished the week long fast with Little Man having two friends over for a sleepover. No wonder I took a two hour nap yesterday!  I did have to get on Facebook book once to email a friend.  I didn't have her email and only knew how to get in touch with her through Facebook.  You know I really didn't miss a whole lot either!  Life seemed more rich!  I am not giving up Facebook but want to really limit my time on it to once or twice a week.

Tonight I start teaching a group of ladies English.  I am really looking forward to meeting and hopefully building some friendships among the nationals.  I am suppose to be teaching them English but hope to be able to practice my Thai too.

Only three more weeks until school starts for us!  We are so enjoying our time off though!

I have started walking with a new friend who moved into our neighborhood a month or so ago.  I am a social exerciser.  If I have someone to chat with then I don't realize I am exercising.  It has been great.  We have been walking for almost an hour each morning.  We go at 5am and that really gets my day started. (except when the guards have a live python that is about 15 feet long and they are trying to sell it to you. They found it in our neighborhood in someone's home. They even told me it was delicious!)  I have plenty of time with the Father and can even have breakfast made for the kids when they wake up.  I hope to use some of this time for blogging too. 

One of the Best Blog Posts I Have Ever Read

I have no idea how I found this blog...The Macs. It is a story, a true story, of a couple who only last January lost their little girl, only 8 months old, to cancer. I check back about once a week to see how our heavenly Father is carrying them through this. The author, a fellow mother, wrote this week about what defines her. It really made me think about my life, the life of my children and made me wonder what really defines me. Please visit her blog. I know the Father will bless your visit.

Mephibosheth Part 2

Back to Mephibosheth....

The next time Mephibosheth is mentioned is in II Samuel 9:1-13.

Then David said, "Is there yet anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?"
Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" And he said, "I am your servant."
The king said, "Is there not yet anyone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?" And Ziba said to the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan who is crippled in both feet."
So the king said to him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-debar."
Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.
Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and prostrated himself. And David said, "Mephibosheth." And he said, "Here is your servant!"
David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan, and will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul; and you shall eat at my table regularly."
Again he prostrated himself and said, "What is your servant, that you should regard a dead dog like me?"
Then the king called Saul's servant Ziba and said to him, "All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson.
"You and your sons and your servants shall cultivate the land for him, and you shall bring in the produce so that your master's grandson may have food; nevertheless Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall eat at my table regularly." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Then Ziba said to the king, "According to all that my lord the king commands his servant so your servant will do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table as one of the king's sons.
Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. And all who lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.
So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate at the king's table regularly Now he was lame in both feet.

I absolutely love this story because of the kindness David showed to Mephibosheth. David expected nothing in return. Mephibosheth did nothing to deserve this wonderful treatment from the king, yet he received it. A perfect picture of GRACE. Grace is when someone receives kindness that they don't deserve.

One day we will feast with the King of Kings, and share the table with all of his adopted sons and daughters. We can do this even though we don't deserve it all because of the sacrifice of God's son, Jesus Christ!

Methibosheth Part 1

I am at a point in my life where I know the Father wants more and deeper things from me. Both of my children are in school at this point and so I usually have at least an hour in the morning to spend with my King. It is such a sweet and precious time.

These last few weeks I have been studying a series called Portraits of Kingdom Living. It has been amazing. I am studying different hereos of the faith. By far one of my favorites has been Esther! This week I learned about man in the Bible that I had never heard of. He is one of those names we usually just skim over and never really pay much attention to. He is Mephibosheth. Come on and tell me...you know all about him, right??? We have much to learn from this man. He is here to teach us much about grace!

I began my study in II Samuel chapter 1. This is the time that David is told of Saul and Jonathan's death. Chapter 1:17-27 is where David laments over these deaths. Remember that David just spent a large amount of time hiding from Saul, as Saul was trying to kill him. We can understand David grieving for Jonathan, but Saul? David was called a "Man after God's own Heart." What does his grieving tell you about the heart of David? I dont' believe he held a grudge against Saul. In fact there was love and forgiveness in the heart of David. If someone had spent so much time and energy in trying to kill me would I have the heart of David for them? I should!

This is where Methibosheth comes in. Jonathan had a son named Methibosheth. He is first mentioned in II Samuel 4:4.

Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son crippled in his feet He was five years old when the report of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled And it happened that in her hurry to flee, he fell and became lame And his name was Mephibosheth.
(2Sa 4:4)

I will finish what the story of Methibosheth taught me in the next post....