WISE WORDS!

WEEKEND WISDOM!

Wise Words.

5 words or FEWER. Here they are....count them.

Look for the BIG meaning! (Citations don't count)

• Be strong and courageous. (Joshua 1:9)
• Seek the Lord's strength; (1 Chronicles 16:11)
• Joy of Lord is strength. (Nehemiah 8:10) 
• God is my heart's strength. (Psalm 73:26)
• Quietness and trust is strength. (Isaiah 30:15)

What's the focus for each set of "5 or FEWER"?

Strength of course!

DST!

Saturday as I reset clocks in anticipation for The "Spring Forward" for DST on my calendar, I accidentally turned on the bedside table alarm!

ARG!--It went off, not only on a "sleep in a bit later day" but an hour earlier.

But God in His love and mercy sets a time for everything and everyone. And today, I needed more sleep.....or so I thought.

Actually, I needed more zeal to do His will. (Romans 12:11) 

More of Thee less of me......regardless of the time of day.

RETRO-FOCUS!

Retrofocus has only been a photography "lens" term that I never quite understood.This past week I have used it as a lens through which I revisited my past times with Sarah Young. 

Looking back has soothed my soul. A much needed balm. 

A signature. A picture. Texts. E-mails. A cuppa together.

Notes in my Jesus Calling journal & other journals as well.

No WOE with her, no matter how many opportunities for woe in her life, her focus was rarely there. Maybe a simple prayer request that I saw as a "biggie." Then a turn  to Words of Encouragement for me. 

She also gave me encouraging words to share with others during tough times, when I had no words.

At the crux of my MAC cancer journey in 2009, an 8:37 pm email offered comfort so I could sleep.

Helping me to hang my guilt away in a locked area of my mind.(Isaiah 61:10)

Modeling God's grace to replace remorse.

Teaching me time with Him is the best R & R! (1 Chronicles 16:11)

Helping me focus. Refocus. And Refocus. (Repeat as often as it takes.)

Today I wished she were here with me, an SOS of sorts. 

I already know that she would remind me of the BEST SOS---when in distress, Seek Our Savior!  

I'll refocus with that sweet reminder from Sarah.

SEEKING

Are you seeking? Busy day ahead? What should one seek first? 

The answer for me was found in the prayer room at church when I was there all alone.

Big! Bold! In plain sight!!

Does that answer your question? It did mine!

DESIRES OR YEARNINGS

For Wordsmith Wednesday, I was drawn to the connotation evoked by similar words.
Desires & yearnings---nouns with similar definitions. Both words can be used as nouns in function but delete the plural and both easily become verbs in their usage.

How does scripture use these terms? As synonyms?

Still musing or mulling it over...going deeper than I ever imagined..........Check out the references listed in the labels.

At this point, I'm seeing yearning, at least in the biblical sense, as going hand in hand with seeking with ones' heart and so far have found it used more often in the Old Testament of the Bible (8) than the New Testament.   (1) Yearning has a depth connotation to me. Deep as stated in Genesis 43:30---Joseph's yearning from his bowels with weeping for his brother and he found sanctuary in his chamber as he wept.

Desire - A heart's desire.
Yearn - A desire that is taken to the depths of one's soul.

Seek the Lord and His strength and yearn for and seek His face and to be in His presence continually. (1 Chronicles 16:11)