The Hiding Place

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I've heard it said:

when you pray to God, expect big things to happen!

The thing is, they NEVER happen the way I think they might, so they come at me . . .  unexpectedly!

I've been praying this year about LOVE. About learning to LOVE on a much higher plane.

 On God's plane.

And then he sends me this book.   THE HIDING PLACE,   by Corrie ten Boom.

I didn't go looking for a book on love, though I have read many. I didn't even know this was a book about love.

It was the book of the month for my online bookclub. It just came to me, there on my computer screen.

As some may have noticed, I even quoted from it, here on my blog. The tab "Thanks for the Fleas" is from the book, but I requoted it from another author who I was reading at the time.

I've heard about the book for as long as I can remember, and always meant to get around to reading it. But God dropped it in my lap and said,

 NOW.

And NOW is when I most needed and could most appreciate the true story of

 Corrie and Betsie ten Boom.

Agape love practiced on the highest level.

I recommend this book to you.

the law of kindness

It says of the worthy woman in Proverbs 31 that "on her tongue is the law of kindness."

Since love expresses itself, among other ways, through kindness, I can assume she was a loving woman.
Most of the description of the worthy woman refers to her industry and resourcefulness, her skills and benevolence. I heard a young mother comment once that her mother-in-law must be a worthy woman because she was very hard-working, resourceful, a good cook, a good seamstress-- she even canned!

But my heart cried out, "NO! She is not a worthy woman!"

 And it was for one simple reason.

 She was unkind.

 That one little statement amongst 21 verses says volumes about the woman.

But why the law of kindness?

It seems that she has bound her tongue to a law:  That nothing unkind comes off of it.
 And if a law, I assume, by her character, that she strives to keep it. She is a law abider, even in the realm of self-imposed restrictions.

In 2012 I will bind my tongue to the law of kindness as well. It will be difficult because it is often unruly-i.e.without law. But I will try, and since "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"

 I know I can succeed!