Mom’s kitchen table. It always brought out an abundance of conversation, laughter, and bonded us each in ways that, as I look back on it now; realize it was part of mother’s skill in building a solid foundation of love between us, and at the same time helping us to find our place in the world.

​​She would put on some good music, gather all the material we would need for whatever we were building, and if there were any detailed instructions, we would read them through, and sometimes “alter” them to suit our personal tastes, or abilities. Her motto was “Nothing is set in concrete, we can change things if need be.” Sometimes this proved to be not such a good idea, but perfection was not what was important. I learned as I grew to be a young woman that Mother’s whole intent had nothing to do with attaining perfection; it had everything to do with cultivating love, and just being together.

Many times we would spend an entire day at her table; articles, and supplies scattered and layered in a hodge-podge. Lunch time would be upon us, and we would simply push everything to the center of the table, make a bare spot in front of us, and make sandwiches and a cup of coffee, tea, or whatever was handy. We’d eat and talk, laugh, and argue; sometimes there’d be several conversations going at the same time; they were times of joy.

Years marched on, we all grew up and moved on in life, had our own families, and those crafting sessions became a cherished memory. Mother still could be found sometimes when I’d go to visit her in her senior years, sitting alone at her kitchen table doodling with her watercolors, and watching the birds outside her window at her feeder. A sadness pierced my heart at times when I’d see her there, frail, pure white hair, remembering those happy times of my childhood. I’d sit and we’d visit, and sometimes I’d join her. That foundation of love remained. The picture above is one of Mother’s watercolors that she gave me, shortly before she passed away. How precious those memories are to me now.

In the years I worked with seniors, these craft sessions took place at times, midmorning or during the afternoons, and some of them enjoyed it. It brought back fond memories that they would share, helped give them something to be occupied, and a source of socializing.

If your caring for someone elderly, who seems to have lost the joy of living, perhaps a time of sharing and crafting around the kitchen table would cultivate a new sense of purpose, but mostly of just the enjoyment of doing something simply for the fun of it. And who knows; maybe the one thing we all need more of in these days of stress; love.
Lorna Couillard

​Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 
Php 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 
Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 

Christ In You
I behold the Christ in you,
Here the life of God I see;
I  can see great peace too,
I can see you whole and free.

I behold the Christ in you.
I can see this as you walk;
I see this in all you do,
I can see this as you talk.

I behold God's love expressed,
I can see you filled with power;
I can see you ever blessed,
See Christ in you hour by hour.

I behold the Christ in you,
I can see the perfect one;
Led by God in all you do,
I can see God's work is done

By Frank B. Whitney (1924)

​Joh 4:5  Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 
Joh 4:6  Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 
Joh 4:7  There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 
Joh 4:8  (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 
Joh 4:9  Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 
Joh 4:10  Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 
Joh 4:11  The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 
Joh 4:12  Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 
Joh 4:13  Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 
Joh 4:14  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 
Joh 4:15  The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. 
Joh 4:16  Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. 
Joh 4:17  The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 
Joh 4:18  For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. 

If proof were needed of a strange abnormal disturbance in the history of the human race, it would be found in the treatment woman has received at the hands of society. Throughout the animal world the female sex is treated with consideration. Among birds and beasts the female is never systematically maltreated. This occurs only among men.
​The Saviour, however, in the unsullied purity of His manhood, brushed aside as cobwebs all social regulations which tended to degrade or oppress women. But He could not do it without exciting the wonderment even of those who knew Him best. Notwithstanding her life of illicit indulgence, the Saviour enters into earnest holy conversation with her, telling her to go and get her husband.

​Joh 4:17  The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

These words were an honest and truthful confession, so far as they went. The way in which our Lord received her declaration makes it probable that she did not profess to be a widow, and very likely her dress showed that she was not. In this point of view the honesty of her confession is noteworthy. There is always more hope of one who honestly and bluntly confesses sin, than of a smooth-tongued hypocrite.

Our Lord’s commendation of the woman’s honest confession deserves notice. It teaches us that we should make the best of an ignorant sinner’s words. An unskilful physician of souls would probably have rebuked the woman sharply for her wickedness, if her words led him to suspect it. Our Lord, on the contrary, says, “Thou hast well said.” (Bp. Ryle.)

​There is no salvation till you confess your sin. There was a man in India who, one evening having nothing else to do, went to play at religion with the parson—as some of you have come here this afternoon. “Religion is all verywell,” began the officer, “but you must admit that there are difficulties—about the miracles, for instance.” The chaplain knew his man, and quietly answered him, “Yes, there are some things in the Bible not very plain, I admit; but the seventh commandment is very plain.” The man’s temper rose, and he swung himself out of the tent; but a little later he came back, no longer to raise false difficulties, but to ask how a poor adulterous British officer might be saved. There are men and women here kept from salvation by what kept back this Samaritan woman. Give up that man, give up that woman, if you would be saved. The pitcher must be emptied before it can be filled. (John McNeill.)

Now, after this discourse, and revealing of her heart and conscience, and bringing her to honest confession, Jesus answers her next remark, and unveils one of the greatest truths ever spoken, and, that he who spoke with her was her Messiah:

Joh 4:19  The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 
Joh 4:20  Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 
Joh 4:21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 
Joh 4:22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 
Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 
Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 
Joh 4:25  The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 
Joh 4:26  Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. 

There could be volumes written, on what these verses teach us. I'll only point out a few here.

The Lord never spoke in such direct terms concerning himself to his own countrymen; nor even to his own disciples, till a little before his death. The reason given by Bishop Pearce is the following: The woman being alone when Jesus said it, and being a Samaritan, he had no reason to apprehend that the Samaritans, if they knew his claim, would disturb his ministry before the time of his suffering came; which seems to have been the reason why he concealed it so long from his own countrymen. Adam Clarke

The great point to bring out in this conversation between them is-Jesus reveals Himself to her, a sinner, while she was still in her sin. Her heart was changed, and salvation came to her, by her reception of Jesus, and confessing her sin to him, in simple honesty. There was no form of religion in it, it came from the heart.

In my personal life, and testimony, I can relate to this story completely. On a cold Monday in March of 1978, I had finished reading a Christian book given to me by a family member, it was late morning, and becoming weary,  and fell asleep. I woke in the afternoon, near 3:00 p.m., and felt the strong sense that someone was in the house with me-this Presence permeated the house, as I remained in the chair I had awoke in. A strong sense to speak came up from my stomach-and I began to utter my first prayer "Lord, if this is You, and what I've read in this book is true, would you forgive me, I've done so much wrong. But, if you will forgive me, please come into my life, and help me to live for you. I'm ready to leave this world now, but, if there is a reason for me to be here, please let me know." As soon as I opened my eyes, I looked ahead, out the window to the front yard, and saw my daughter walking up the driveway, coming home from school. As soon as I'd opened my eyes, that first prayer had been answered.

As soon as I prayed that prayer of salvation-the Lord gave me a hunger for the Word of God, that is like a starving child, I couldn't get enough of it, that's never changed in all these years. The story of the Samaritan woman was one of the first ones I was led to read-and I knew it was the Lord speaking to me, that her story was a reflection of my own. I've learned much from it, that would take too long to share here, but, a few truths are:

I've learned from first hand experience, that Jesus Christ saves sinners, that He is no respecter of persons, and that once he's forgiven our sins, and covered us with His blood, nothing anyone may do, or say will change that fact. There is no sin that He won't forgive, except the one you refuse to confess, and keep hanging onto. Even when you are sorely tried, He will not leave you-He will keep working with you, and will deliver you, and every time we turn to Him for forgiveness, and ask for strength to walk in righteousness, He is faithful, and just to forgive us, and give us all we need to get up, and walk on with Him.

I've learned that Jesus is instant in answering prayer at times, and at other's it may take years. These lessons have been learned by walking out my faith, day by day, when trials and adversity comes.

I've also learned, from personal experience, Jesus will speak to me about things that most people would never believe. I've shared a small portion at times, of the things He's revealed to me, but not much, because I know it would be unwise. It's better to pray much-before ever sharing the deeper things of God, with this world. But, what he spoke to the Samaritan woman is a good example of how Jesus chooses those who are the most unlikely, and reveals deep things to-if we have a heart to hear Him.

Trials, temptations, persecutions, and attacks from many directions will come-but through it all, Jesus will be with us, and be all that we need, to endure, and overcome.
​
He has proved this to me, over, and over again. There is victory in Jesus.
Lorna Couillard

Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. Psalm 34:14

Over the years, when finding myself in misunderstandings with people, that the best route to take is to let each of us go our way in peace. This is especially true when we really do not know each other. It is very dangerous to try to diagnose someone, label them, and think I have the right to scrutinize their health or mental status; simply because they disagree with me. In caregiving over the years, I've found that I've been wrong many times, and learned the wisdom of keeping my mouth shut until I truly know the entire scope of the person's situation. Even then, it is best to do more praying than talking.

Several years ago, a pastor did this to me; and labeled me as being mentally challenged, because I sat in the back of his church, and did not attend every social gathering they had. I had recently lost my husband, my mother, my oldest brother and oldest sister within a short time. I had to sell our farm, and end our businesses. I had taken care of multiple people for many years, including my mother and husband. I could care less about going to church functions. Shallow people cannot be reasoned with.

So, I asked for and was given a written evaluation, and highly recommended by my former supervisor, whom I had worked under for many years. I sent a copy of this, and a short note of the losses I'd faced in recent years to the pastor, and several people in the church, who I associated with, who had told me what the pastor had said. This settled the issue. But, the damage was already done. The relationships were beyond repair.

In the years since this incident, there's been many other battles like this, and I've learned many difficult lessons from them, but, they were needed; it's taught me that whatever I've faced-Jesus has suffered the same in His life. As I read the gospels, the persecution, wicked assaults, and evil accusations came at him from every direction, his enemies were the religious self-righteous crowd, and they were merciless. Jesus understands, when no one else does.

In these kinds of situations; I have come to live with this conviction; If the misunderstanding cannot be reconciled, part in peace, and leave one another alone. 

If someone is making false accusations, or diagnosing you when they have no right to, stay above it, rise above it, stay in your integrity, and then leave them, do not allow the poison of their tongues to defeat you.
Lorna Couillard

The gist of this exhortation is quoted by Peter in his first Epistle. We need not fret to defend ourselves or to answer false accusations. Let us refrain our lips, hold our peace, as Jesus did, and go on doing what is right and good. God will see to it that our needs are supplied, that our enemies are silenced, and that our soul is redeemed.

1Pe 3:10  For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 

Do you feel unable to claim the designation of righteous? Remember that Paul was glad to reject his own, that he might be clad in Another’s righteousness. That still avails for us.

Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 

We are not kept from trouble, but delivered out of it.

Psa 34:17  The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

You do not recognize Him, but the Great Gardener passes by the plants that have braved the wind and storm to bend over you who are beaten to the earth. 

Psa 34:20  He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

Observe the present tenses in which the psalmist records God’s redeeming love. It never grows old.

Psa 34:22  The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. 
F.B. Meyer devotional

  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. ​
​Mat 16:18

Most of us have seen various images of huge iron gates framed in flames and topped with evil-looking gargoyles — the Gates of Hell as Hollywood imagines them to be. While it makes for good theater, it is poor theology.

First of all, there is no fence around Hell, so there can be no Gate. In fact, Jesus is not talking about a physical gate at all. Rather, He is talking about the counsels, judgments, plans, purposes, schemes, tricks, and wiles of the kingdom of darkness. That is the actual meaning of the term – Gates of Hell.

In ancient times the gates of the city were the place where public concourse and matters of court would be considered and decided upon.

Also, it was customary for the elders of the city to sit in the gates, signifying that wisdom and understanding were available for all the people of the city. On some occasions, even kings would place their thrones in the Gates, signifying their rule over all who came in and out of the City.

Those listening to Jesus talk about the gates of hell would understand all this; after all, they didn’t have movies in those days.

When Jesus said that the gates of hell will not prevail against the Community of the Called Out (i.e., His Church), He means that none of the attacks which the devil unleashes from his seat of authority will in any manner gain supremacy over the people of God. Even if the full arsenal of Satan’s dark empire was launched in a single, massive, all-out frontal assault against the Church, the cumulative effect would be like a fly smacking into the Rock of Gibraltar!
Uh, the Rock wins.

Friend, no scheme the devil devises will succeed, no counsel he offers will prosper, no plan he comes up with will work. “Greater is He who is in you, than he that is in the world” (1Jn_4:4). And, “no weapon formed against you shall prosper” (Isa_54:17).

Of course, this doesn’t mean that he won’t try. In fact, it all but guarantees that the one thing the devil will do is attack the Church with relentless intensity. And why? Because the Church is the only thing on the planet that holds the unique distinction of being the Bride of Christ. And the devil so hates the Lord Jesus that he will try to trash whatever is dear to the Lord’s heart. And that’s us.

What else can you expect from a sulking bum sitting defeated in the crumbling gates of hell?
​Lorna Couillard

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper,.... All weapons of war, as the Targum, which are made with a design to hurt and destroy the people of God, shall be rendered useless; not one of them shall prosper to the advantage of their enemies, or so as to answer their design; nor to the hurt and prejudice, ruin and destruction, of the saints:

and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment; that shall raise any calumny upon thee, or bring any charge against thee, or enter into a lawsuit with thee, litigate a point with thee in any court of judicature, or claim, in right and law, a power, authority, and dominion over thee, as the pope of Rome does over the consciences of men:

thou shalt condemn; disprove and roll off the calumny, refute the charge and accusation, put to silence the clamours and pretences of wicked men, carry the cause against them, and shake off the yoke of bondage they would bring them under; and, instead of being condemned by them, condemn them. By "weapon" may be meant all the attempts made by force to ruin the interest and church of Christ in the world, such as the bloody persecutions of the Roman emperors, who, though they made sad havoc of the professors of Christianity, and designed hereby to have rooted it out of the world, and thought they should have accomplished it, yet could not do it; so far from it, that the Christians yet more and more increased, insomuch that it became a common saying, that the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church; also the wars of the Papists with the Albigenses and Waldenses, and all the cruel methods they have taken by fire and faggot, and the bloody inquisition, to hinder the growth of what they call heresy; yet all have been in vain, a reformation has taken place, and many nations have embraced the truth, and shook off the yoke of Popery; together with all their efforts since to crush the Protestant interest; and though the kings of the earth will be stirred up, and gather together to the battle of the Lord God Almighty, they will not succeed, but be overcome and slain, and the beast and false prophet at the head of them will be taken and cast alive into the lake of fire: and by the "tongue" may be designed the edicts of the Pagan emperors, forbidding the exercise of the Christian religion, and threatening the preachers and professors of it with imprisonment, confiscation of goods, and death itself; and the anathemas, bulls, and interdicts of the popes of Rome, as well as the reproaches, scandals, and calumnies uttered by the emissaries of that church against all that depart from it; together with the errors and heresies of false teachers of all sorts in all ages of the world, which, though levelled against the faith and doctrine of the church of Christ, have not been able to subvert it, nor ever will:

this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord; this, with all that is said in this chapter, is the part, portion, and privilege, that such shall enjoy who serve the Lord Christ, and not antichrist; they shall be treated rather as sons than as servants, and have an inheritance assigned them; not only protection from all enemies, and absolution from all charges, but they shall receive the reward of the inheritance in heaven, that which is incorruptible and undefiled, and reserved there, since they serve the Lord Christ:

and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord; the vindication of their righteousness, of their cause, and of their character; or the reward of their righteous works in a way of grace; even all that righteousness and true holiness that is in them, and that righteousness which is imputed to them, and by which they are justified, are from the Lord; by which they are secured from all the charges of law and justice, and, from all the accusations of men and devils, and which will answer for them in a time to come, and acquit them at the bar of God before men and angels; see Rom_8:33.  (John Gill)

 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall
I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid? Psa 27:1
​The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psa 18:2

For each adult who lives in this fallen world, strength is demanded just to deal with every day responsibilities and challenges. When you add the calling and desire that believers have to please and honor God, much strength is needed day by day. David confessed the Lord as his strength for living. "The LORD is the strength of my life." How wonderful to know that the Lord is with us to impart His strength in us for every aspect of our lives, whether home, or work, or ministry, or whatever.
​
In our earthly pilgrimage, we need strength to stay on course. The world, the flesh, and the devil want to prevent us from progressing down the Lord's perfect path. David found in the Lord the strength for this need as well. "It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect". Psa 18:32  

​At times, when walking along our designated path of life, we get trapped in circumstantial nets, laid by the enemy of our souls. When David experienced these traps, he cried out to God for the necessary strength. "Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, For You are my strength" ​Psa 31:4  

​At other times along our path, the problem is not a trap, but an all-out battle. Once again, David found the strength he needed in His Lord. "For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me" ​Psa 18:39  

​Sometimes, the need for strength pertains to what is going on within (or flowing forth from within). The thoughts we are thinking, and the words we are expressing might need to be anchored again in the will of the Lord. David also knew how to turn to God for this essential strength as well. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer" Psa 19:14

​When he weakened within and stumbled in failure, David still knew where to turn for the only help that will ever prove sufficient. "My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (Psa_73:26). Source: Day by Day by Grace

Treasury of David
Charles H. Spurgeon
Psalm 18:2

​“The Lord is my rock and my fortress.” Dwelling among the crags and mountain fastnesses of Judea, David had escaped the malice of Saul, and here he compares his God to such a place of concealment and security. Believers are often hidden in their God from the strife of tongues and the fury of the storm of trouble. The clefts of the Rock of Ages are safe abodes. “My deliverer,” interposing in my hour of peril. When almost captured the Lord's people are rescued from the hand of the mighty by him who is mightier still. This title of “deliverer” has many sermons in it, and is well worthy of the study of all experienced saints. “My God;” this is all good things in one. There is a boundless wealth in this expression; it means, my perpetual, unchanging, infinite, eternal good. He who can say truly “my God,” may well add, “my heaven, my all.” “My strength;” this word is really “my rock,” in the sense of strength and immobility. My sure, unchanging, eternal confidence and support. Thus the word rock occurs twice, but it is no tautology, for the first time it is a rock for concealment, but here a rock for firmness and immutability. “In whom I will trust.” Faith must be exercised, or the preciousness of God is not truly known; and God must be the object of faith, or faith is mere presumption. “My buckler, warding off the blows of my enemy, shielding me from arrow or sword. The Lord furnishes his warriors with weapons both offensive and defensive. Our armoury is completely stored so that none need go to battle unarmed. “The horn of my salvation,” enabling me to push down my foes, and to triumph over them with holy exultation. “My high tower,” a citadel high planted on a rocky eminence beyond the reach of my enemies, from the heights of which I look down upon their fury without alarm, and survey a wide landscape of mercy reaching even unto the goodly land beyond Jordan. Here are many words, but none too many; we might profitably examine each one of them had we leisure, but summing up the whole, we may conclude with Calvin, that David here equips the faithful from head to foot."
​
Note: I am not a Calvanist-but will give credit, where credit is due; Calvin said some things that deserve to be quoted.