HAIKU & A PRAYER of Blessing and Hope - The Little Bundle

 "I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of Your wonderful deeds" (Psalm 9:1 ESV).

We can observe the psalmist's thanksgiving for all the Lord has done and how it swelled his heart and lips with praise. He seems to be declaring and recounting His wonderful deeds.  And they are indeed, good deeds.

It is very good and one of the most wonderful recent things our LORD has given to us to tell about, it is a baby boy grandson.  Our first of many, I hope ... haha.

Praise You Father and Lord of my heart for the safe arrival of little boy S____.  May he grow up before You as a tender plant that is well nurtured in every way.  May he grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with both You and all mankind.

Give the Grandparents the wisdom and understanding to have good influence in his life and to pass on the love of Jesus, so His will and ways will be instilled.

May he live under Your Lordship in every relationship and let him be willingly taught by You, walking with a meek and humble heart, yet with Your courage and peace guiding him.

I ask this in Jesus name, amen.

That is the prayer of blessing and hope.  Now here's the Haiku...

HAIKU - The Little Bundle

The Grandparents did

not know they were old enough

for that title.  Joy.

 

The Little Bundle

of joy slept soundly.  Snuggled

in swaddling blankets

Then, in their arms, he

slept on, unaware of the

moments of rapture.

Sleep well, Little One,

Jesus loves you, and wraps you

in His tender care.

        ~  ERC  September 2026  ~

Based on Psalm 9:1 ESV.

Sing, Because He Lives, along with the Gaither Vocal Band Music.

NOTE:

This song was chosen because of the line, "How sweet to hold a newborn baby."

Soon, But Not Specifically Soon

 Jesus is coming soon, He's coming to get us.  "Us" as in His followers, made children of God through Him.  But, "soon"?  Well, no specific date is stated.  But the hope of us hearing that trumpet of God is out there, ready or not.

What kind of a trumpet?  I don't know.  A shofar?  I don't know but it matters not.  I believe I'll know it when I hear it, just like knowing my Good Shepherd, Jesus' voice.  A sheep who follows the Good Shepherd, will KNOW it instinctively, I believe.  And up we'll go to meet Him in the air and be with Him forever and ever.

Isn't this encouraging?!

Thank You, Jesus.

Jesus come!

Bye for now ...

                                               ~  ERC  August  2026  ~

Based on 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 ESV.

Sing, Soon and Very Soon, along with Andrae Crouch and Emmanuel Church Eastleigh.

Lord's Day Devotion - Boast in Jesus

 

Lord, You are just and righteous, Your love is steadfast and unmoveable.  You've done so much for us, Your followers, through Your death and resurrection.  In You may we only boast.  To boast of Your goodness and love and especially of the salvation You earned for us.

Help me to have the humility needed so that no matter my achievements, my boasts will always, ever, be in You.

I ask in Your name Lord Jesus even this Lord's Day that through all this blest assurance we will know and understand Your love and wish to be surrounded by Your presence in our lives.  We take of the broken bread and drink of the cup of wine, symbols of what you went through for us.  In this may we always boast.  Amen.

                                                    ~  ERC  September 2026  ~

Based on Philippians 3:8 and Proverbs 27:2 ESV.

Sing, All My Boast is in Jesus, along with Keith and Kristyn Getty.

Self-Control Needed

 More self-control is needed, so I'm glad that self-control is one of the characteristics of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23).

Why?

Because it is often difficult to impliment.  Therefore, followers of Jesus Christ have this advantage - if we so employ this potential.

How so?

It is a benefit of humility.  It stops us from having to have the last word; it helps us to give soft answers; from over or under eating and from becoming proud - obviously - along with a whole list of other things.

We can ask the Lord Jesus to teach us these in greater measure as we walk in step with Him, enabling us to walk in greater humility - just like He did when He walked this earth.

Let's honor God by humbly exercising Holy Spirit-led self - control.  In Him is our strength.

Bye for now...

                                             ~  ERC  August 2026  ~

Based on Galatians 5:22-23ESV.

Sing, Give Me Self-Control, along with Soverign Grace Music.

Cycle of Grace and Humility

 It's tricky talking about being humble.  The very moment I do, I feel prickles in my mind that say, "Uh-oh, are you sure you're humble?  Sounds like some tinge of pridefulness."

But I'm glad God gives more grace ...

"But He gives more grace.  Therefore, it says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6 ESV).

So, I suppose cultivating God's grace will help me become more humble.  The humble are given more grace. A cycle of grace and humility then can become intertwined in ever-increasing measures.

This cycle can then help me towards humble repentance.  And God hears and answers those who pray.  We can then humbly listen for His voice and answers.

Let's all grow humility in our hearts and cultivate God's grace in our lives.  That's not too tricky, I don't think.

Bye for now ...

                                                  ~  ERC  August 2026  ~

Based on James 4:6 ESV.

Sing, God of Every Grace, along with Keith and Kristyn Getty.

Book Review - After the Betrayal (Duty and Betrayal Series Book 3) - By Roberta Kagan - Publication Date: 16 September 2026

 Manifold are the stories that have been untold, but do unfold in historical works of fiction such as Roberta Kagan can create.  This After the Betrayal is a prime example.  It is timeset in Hitler's Germany during WWII.  Atrocities and cruelty abound even among members of an SS Officer's family against whom the 'weaker' members suffer.  Despite that, we are told of kind and caring Germans who stuck their necks out to hide, protect and care for Jewish people.  Both ends of this spectrum are seen in this book.

Although this book can be a stand alone, it would be helpful to read Books 1 and 2 in this Duty and Betrayal Series to draw and weave the ends together in greater pleasure and enjoyment.  Either way, we meet good folks like Greta, Ziggy, Hermann, Lily, Ruth, Rebecca and others; and the not so good, like Ludwig and Alex.  Each expose their true characters.

We learn of the dangers of those who hid folks in their homes, of the Partisans and other groups of resistance people, with their varying successes and devastating consequences.  We learn of Hitler's sadistic project against those with disabilites: anything NOT Aryan and 'whole'.

As Kagan masterfully weaves her story, I often felt maximun emotional impact.  I believe potential readers would come to 'feel' some of what those characters portraying the strife of those days revealed, even down into their souls.  The author keeps the kettle boiling with the pathos the whole way through, adding a well executed ending.

5-Star rating, from me.

                                              ~  Eunice C.   Reviewer/Blogger  ~

                                                              September 2026

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent to me by NetGalley and the publisher.

Read reviewo on Goodreads.

Encouragers Needed

 

More encouragers are needed.

Just think of this case scenario...

You drive along mountainous terrain having torrential rains come in unprecedented deluges.

The mountainsides begin to tremble, shake and slide.  Then there's an avalanche of earth, trees, and boulders.  They thunder and tumble down the slopes, landing in your path as if someone had purposefully upended a cornucopia of malice and shook it out, blocking your road and escape.

There's no way around, under, over or through.  You are stunned and stuck!  What are you thinking?  How are you feeling?

Time has stopped.

Numbness of brain and thought paralyze.  You feel hopeless and helpless.

What's to be done!?

How about this case #2 scenario ...

There is a river wide and wild that eventually slims down to rocky banks, of meandering twists and turns.  But then there's a great big granite rock in the middle of the flowing river.  But look, the river has found a way around and continues to rush onwards.  It smoothes and polishes that rock as it streams by.

In both cases, there are obstacles.  In the first scenario, one cannot help oneself.  Dependance upon others is needed to remove the debris so you can continue the journey.

In the second instance, you paddle your own canoe around the obstacles, finding a pathway as does the river.  Or, you portage.  You've been able to 'move on'.

Life is so much like both of these sequence of events.  There are times we need help from others.  There are times we take a deep breath and carry on.

For believers, no doubt , we pray and show our dependance upon the Lord, our strength and helper.

We never know the depth of another person's life's struggles and situation.  If we can humble ourselves and offer some form of encouragment to them, whether in word or deed or both, be sure you may well be the one helping to remove the debris, from soneone's life - if not physically perhaps mentally, emotionally and/or spiritually.

Whatever, let's be sensitive to the people in our paths who need encouragement.  Let's be the one to give another brother or sister-in-Christ the lift gift!

It is very often needed ...

Bye for now ...

                                              ~  ERC  August 2026  ~

Based on James 4:10 and Acts 4:36.

Sing, Encourage One Another - 1 Thessalonians 5:11, along with Steve Green.