THINK ON THESE THINGS!

A step beyond thinking..........to glean understanding!

Consider. Contemplate. Muse. Ponder. Reflect. Ruminate.

Ah-h-h, MEDITATE! Keep your mind full of God's Word!

Yesterday's March 4 Experiencing God devotional had me in a meditative mode...

• Words you speak can be a good gauge of what's in your heart.
• Mind needs exercise just as your physical body does.
• To keep thoughts pure, contemplate noble truths that stretch your  mind.
• Expose mind to truths of God's Word.
• Choose to concentrate on the truths of God.

....A convicting mode

"The things you allow your mind to dwell on will be revealed in the way you live."(p.64)

CHOOSE SLOWING

Choose slowing. Sometimes age chooses slowing for us.

Then we have new choices. Attitudinal ones.

Will we "slow" because we have to, thus wearing a burden or agitation on our shoulder?

Will we choose to "slow" with acceptance, by His grace.

Slowing allows time for pondering.

Pondering can lead to praying with folded hands.

Praying can be encouraging for self...

...and others as one "pays it forward" with a smile on his face.

Note last letters in encouraging. Do something to encourage someone else---maybe someone a little older, and allow the Lord to take the aging process out of your self-focus to focus on others!

Pondering, as a verb, is to think carefully (Philippians 4:8) about something. Chew on. Contemplate. Consider.  Dwell on.
But.....pondering requires slowing. Slow down today so that your ponderings (noun) might be "God-focused"

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2019!!

RE-CONSIDER-ING 2018: A blog retrospective. Lessons encountered. Some learned. Some better than others.

Love the Hymn Front and Center for All to See

But first---starting my year with the Rose Bowl Parade. A trip to Pasadena on New Year's Day to "smell" the flowers has always been on my bucket list!

HOPE NOTES

Hope fulfilled shows in one's countenance. (Psalm 15:13)

Hope deferred makes the heart sick. (Proverbs 13:12)

Who is your hope? What do you hope? Why do you hope? 

Therefore, consider what you hope for and put your trust in the One who is your eternal hope, regardless of the current outcome!

CONSIDER SHARING GOOD NEWS

Allen Bible Church in Texas encourages it's members to consider taking the "good news" of God's  love and ultimate sacrifice for all of us, to their neighbors, to the nations and to the next generation. 

A goal I consider as very worthy.

Psalm 107, a psalm of praise, also shares the "good news" well---no matter what our struggles or our distresses are, the Lord is good and meets us right where we are. Even in our rebellion, weaknesses, depression or other afflictions, He is there. He hears us when we cry out.......and out of His love, He delivers us. 

It is a long psalm with 43 verses. It's a psalm for both the hurting and the "wise" among us.

The last verse sums it up well.

Whoever is wise let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord. (107:43)

A worthy read!
A read which might have you considering sharing the "good news" of what God has done in your life.

REAL POWER RECONSIDERED

A popular myth is that you can do or have whatever you desire if you work hard enough to achieve that goal.  REALLY!

All who espouse that theory haven't burned our yet or run out of steam yet or hit the wall yet in order to learn that "empowering beliefs and one's own strength are no always enough. NOT to be a naysayer.....but be positive with encouraging words and call that myth what it is----malarkey.

Life happens along the way. sometimes, no matter how how you try things don't work out regardless of all you positive thinking and mantras. 

Don't fritter your life away trying "to do it all" in your own strength.

A Christian's "point of power" is centered around the Lord in an abiding relationship. (John 15)

Note to self---quit striving and allow Him to exert His great power on my behalf, even in my greatest weaknesses.
It's time to reconsider Who is the source of real power and stay plugged in to Him.

CONSIDER OTHERS & LET THE SUNSHINE IN

On a soggy day when one's heart feels as gray as the clouds outside, it's hard to have a "sunny" attitude. But God....reminds me in His word, that He is the lifter up of one's head. (Psalm 3:3)

So, I looked up and there was a recent gift from a sweet friend. A perfect gift for me. It had even been given in a "Dotsy" bag....and "dots" ran along the border of the tea towel.

It was all I needed. A gift with a "spiritual" history to take my eyes off my self and begin considering others. The fair trade company tag said, "Let Hope Arise!" My tea towel was hand-made in India by "Daughters of Hope, a social enterprise which supplies "a link in the chain of freedom in southern India." Sale of their products provide, poor and often forgotten, women from the slums of Bangalore with a chance to better themselves. What a treasure of a gift! A gift to open my eyes.

Lesson learned. Allow what you already have to bring the "Sonshine" in to your heart. I only had to have eyes to see that which was right in front of me.

A ROYAL CONSIDERATION

Most folks, especially female anglophiles, love a wedding. So....the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from America had a "hands across the ocean" effect. A true media event! Which, in a post-ceremony CNN interview, the Archbishop of Canterbury said, "This wedding just blew up the chapel of St. George's chapel with the "good news" of Jesus Christ!"

However, there were elements to "consider" for all who are "children of the one true  King." Considerations to hold prayerfully in their hearts. The "royals" all arrived at the Galilee Porch entrance to Windsor castle. (An entry which sounds both biblical and southern to me----as Cana in Galilee, where the Lord Jesus celebrated a wedding turning water into wine and "porch," a entry of many southern homes.)

The opening prayer was offered to a God of love through Jesus Christ our Lord. To that, I and many others, said AMEN!

With my cuppa English Breakfast tea, I enjoyed the music---from classical with cello and "Stand by ME" to the hymn "Guide Thee O My Great Redeemer, "God Save the Queen," gospel "Amen" and "This Little Light of Mine." 

Old Testament reading from Song of Solomon and New Testament, 1 John 4:16, along with references to the triune God, as rings were exchanged, immediately got my attention. Then both "The Blessing," the Anthem from Numbers 6:24-26, the Lord's Prayer, recited by all in attendance, and aired to millions warmed my heart and evoked prayers. Mya all listening, whether at Windsor with the bride and groom, or anywhere the wedding was broadcast, have "ears to hear."

BTW, just before the vows, my ears heard "Be Thou My Vision" tune which I, and my friend, Pat Y., have heard a lot lately because of its special meaning to her. But...it was not on the program. So.... I did research and found the Irish melody (Slane an old Irish folk tune) for "The Lord of all Hopefulness,"which was on the program, was indeed the same melody! 

Congrats to Harry & Meghan, aka Duke of Sussex and HRH Duchess of Sussex

In consideration of the significance of today's royal wedding, a USA /UK alliance of sorts, consider praying for all the royals.

*For the complete program, w/ one error as Meghan's father did not walk her down the aisle but Harry's Father, Prince Charles was her escort," click here.

https://drive.google.com/viewerng/viewer?url=https://www.royal.uk/sites/default/files/media/order_of_service.pdf

WOWS FOR WEDNESDAY!

WOWS = Week of Word Study. So....I had to share it today.

Jesus Always entry for wordsmith Doris' birthday (5/9) really had me considering parts of speech, in particular prepositions.

Prepositions express a relation to another word (usually a noun or pronoun)  For me, the noun/pronoun subject relation was Jesus Christ, by whose blood I am redeemed. 

• With Him, I can be honest. (Proverbs 30:5)
• I can be confident in Him. (2 Corinthians 3:4)
• I can lean on Him. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
• I can connect with Him through prayer anytime, anyplace. (Joshua 1:9)
• I can always trust in Him. (Psalm 9:10, 20:7)

For all of  His blessings, I say WOW! You are my God. (Psalm 31:14)

TUESDAY'S TO DOn't LIST

Consider the consequences of the negative "TO-Don'ts" on your list if they become your "DOs."

Switch your thinking. Realize that ultimately you control very few of the circumstances/happenings which life throws your way and you have no control over the responses of others. 

Re-consider those negatives......1) excessive planning, 2) fretting & complaining 3) comparing         4) excessive talking, self-promoting.

.......with a positive focus accepting that the "best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry." (R. Burns, to A Mouse")

To end on a more positive note...here are some "DOs" to counteract those DOnt's."

1. Allow the Lord to direct your steps. (Proverbs 3:6) 
2. Give thanks in everything. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) 
3. Accept self as God created you. (Psalm 139:14) 
4. Be quick to listen, listen, listen. (James 1:19)
5. In humility consider others more important than yourself. (Philippians 2:3)

DO remember that you are not in control! The most positive result is remembering Who is ultimately in control of all of life.

PRIVILEGE OF PRAYER!

Do you consider prayer a privilege? Or are you a sceptic? Do you take advantage of going before the "throne of grace" with your petitions? Or are you the cynic who criticizes those who do?

What a privilege it was to meet together today to pray with others who are burdened for out nation and approached the One who is the Answer with our requests. Prayer warriors standing together in one accord.

Today's National Day of Prayer theme was unity. Christians stood together as one, regardless of ethnicity or race, to call out to a holy God for peace in our land, security for Americans serving our nation and extra measures of God's mercy on our the United States of America.

Uni-TEA a great cuppa to serve today to believers in for our great nation which was founded on biblical principals. I consider it a privilege. A unifying one at that.

A GRAMMATICAL CONSIDERATION FOR WORDSMITH WEDNESDAY

All the musings I did on consider---vt (verb transitive w/ direct object) and vi (verb intransitive w/o direct object) got bogged down with the relating of consider as a verb to considerate as an adjective and consideration as a noun.

So---I'm only posting what has been the most helpful to me as I'm considering "consider." But those desiring more info on conjugating the verb "consider," click here and have fun!

I decide to just "focus" on synonyms, which I cannot even cite because in all my examining, I have forgotten where I found it..

My consideration has lead to lots of mind mulling (gerund)---of the turning over/tossing around variety! 

CONSIDER ASPECTS OF AGING

There seems to be a Walgreen's at every corner. You know, the corner of "happy and healthy. "

So....why is it the queue at the Walgreen's checkout seems to have many unsmiling folks with walkers, canes and sad eyes and an assistant who holds their arm! Many of these seniors, "keenagers" as FUMC in Hoptown calls them, seem to frequent the corner of sad/lonely & unhealthy, because of the life curves aging sends their way.

They get their red noses and red eyes from some of life's struggles, not from frequenting Walgreen's. (Although I do like Walgreen's premise of "Red Nose" Day to feed the hungry!)


Ministering to widows has given me a front row seat to aging. Unhealthy seems to show no partiality---not gender, not race, not religion and sometimes not even age. But when aging is one of the components of the affliction, one can use extra measures of grace---God's grace that is!

Many must make hard choices and changes in their latter years. So the key seems to be attitudinal.
God does not forsake us as we age and some of them cling to that truth!
Even when I'm old and gray (or glow in the dark white, DAL) as Psalm 73:23-24 reminds us.

Aging does bring many changes---some physical, some mental and many emotional, BUT GOD is in control and can aid us as we accept and then adapt. I know because I've seen it up close and personal in the lives of many of "my" widow friends.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26)

Their lives have brought scriptural truth alive for me as I consider their lives.

CONSIDER HERITAGE-SHARING

Of all the influential women in my early years, several stand out. Mother, enough said. Gena, a grandmother who nurtured my love for reading at every turn. Mrs. Munday, my 4th grade teacher who helped me, a crying 10 yr. old, with "complicated" division. Christine, my across the street neighbor, who was like a grandmother to me.

But...it was my maternal grandmother, Mama Davenport, who was my spiritual mentor, before I even knew what that was. With her gnarled arthritic hands clasped in prayer and her humming in the kitchen as she stirred up stewed tomatoes in her white enamel saucepan with the red rim, her quiet gentle spirit spoke volumes. Her willingness to "walk" up that 2nd street hill to church every Sunday because she didn't drive and Dang-Dang would not take her. 

I've not known many women I could label as "never complaining," but Mama was a the top of that list. (1Timothy 6:6)

Her well worn Bible is one of my treasures and her underlined verses have offered much insight in to her suffering and her trust in the Lord. My other treasure is my heritage snowball bush.....

...which had its beginnings from her childhood home in Hampton Station, Kentucky. From there to Clarksville, TN, to my parents' home in Hopkinsville, Ky to my home in Memphis, TN, the bush is a living legacy of a small graceful woman who was and still is in many ways, my spiritual mentor.

A snowball  bush that has been propagated and cultivated throughout Memphis and to our son's home in Texas and most recently to our daughter's home in Richland Estates.

Not only do I love that this bush will be cultivated with love and spiritual memories, I love it that Molly and Corey's dog who is checking it out is named Millie. Millie was Daddy's pet name for mother. If he was getting really sassy he would call her Millie Lou.

What a legacy of love came to my mind as I typed. What a great heritage I have been given.
My "heritage snowball bush" is but a reminder to open her Bible and consider the best underlined passages to  share---not only with my children but also with my "grands," (Proverbs 13:22) as the heritage of the upright will abide forever.(Psalm 37:18, AMP)

CONSIDER VOTING

Consider voting----YES!
Yet......I was mainly considering avoiding crowds by voting early. I don't like to "waste time" standing in line. As always I had a book in tow.
I walked right in----there was no line. I should have been happy but it actually saddened me. 
It was also a comeuppance for me! How self-serving was I---worried about waiting instead of celebrating the privilege of living in a democracy which can freely elect its officials. Voting is not wasting time!
Know the character of the candidates and vote wisely. Such wisdom has Biblical roots.

Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders (Exodus 20:21)

Choose wise and discerning and experienced people from your tribes, (Deuteronomy 1:13)

Consider voting for the greater good of our country---that's my new mantra!

CONSIDER PRAYER

Dad is in Israel. Mom is juggling his four brothers' schedules with him (Nathan) assisting when possible.

A bad fall at practice. A break occurs. Pain ensues. Doctor visit factored into all the schedules. 

Break in collar bone is evident. VERY evident. Surgery is needed soon.

Prayer should be the first consideration. But....anxiety reigns until Philippians 4:6-7 kicks in....in everything let your request be made known unto God.

Consider prayer. Intercessory prayer that is.

When one is 1,267 miles away it's the only consideration that makes sense. (1 Timothy 2:1)

An intercessor is a mediator.  One who pleads another's case. One who cries out to the Lord on their behalf---for healing, peace, protection 

Our example is Jesus Christ who lives to make intercession for us. (Hebrews 7:25) In the same way, my Christian friends/prayer warriors continue steadfastly in prayer for Nathan. (Colossians 4:2)

It's the way intercessory prayer works. Others are there for you regardless of the distance and consider such prayers a privilege!

CONSIDER THE HANDIWORK OF GOD!

The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork. ((Psalm 19:1)

What great glimpses we've had of the work of His hands as we have traveled the eastern coast of Florida!

From banyan trees and palm trees .....

to bald eagles perching & soaring at May Port......

.............to a sand crane family on the golf course....

and the deep rich blues of the Atlantic Ocean,

God's creative hand has done a great work!

Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord, (Psalm 150.6) let all rejoice
as they consider the handiwork of God.

CONSIDER: FIVE 4 FRIDAY

Happy "Fri-Yay," as toddlers' often dub the day, as you consider this list!
Five journal jottings this week concern Bible Study reminders. Tips, of sorts, for searching the scripture.

Most found in the margins of my "well worn" New American Standard Version" Bible. Mama Davenport used to say, "A well-worn Bible is a sign of a well-fed soul." (Not one of the five but one dear to my heart because it came from her.)

1. Text without context is just pretext. (Ronnie Stevens) Text - Context = pretext.
2. All Scripture is equally true but not all scripture is equally clear. (Cathy Crowe, BSF)
3. Always let the Bible interpret the Bible and let lucid text interpret obscure text. (C. Crowe)
4. Bible is "the" text for relational guidance. (Larry Crabb)
5. Encouragement is like verbal sunshine! (K-Love in the "Sunshine State.")

Consider jotting notes in the margin of your Bible on this "Fri-Yay!"

CONSIDER THE BACK ROADS

For a goal oriented traveler sometimes the backroads get left behind in favor of highways and expressways. 

What a travesty! Had we not veered off the beaten  path yesterday, we might never have encountered the legacy of a kind and caring man----well displayed in the rooms of his former high school. A godly man!

As a child he both painted and attended the Baptist Church in Plains, GA.

These days, at 93, he teaches Sunday School at Maranatha Church just down the road, surrounded by pecan trees! (Don't pick them.)

A man who went from peanut farmer....

.....to President of the United States                    ....to Nobel Peace Prize winner......

from small town to DC & back home again!

to become a humanitarian extraordinare--

always with his beloved wife by his side!

ROALYNN & JIMMY CARTER....71 years 9 mos. of marriage,so far.

....Considered by me a "Storybook Romance " discovered on the backroads of GA.

CONSIDER BIBLE USAGE

So much to consider! Considering "consider" verses that is.

According to online King James Bible Dictionary, the transitive verb consider is used 67 times. 

Impressive for "My One Word" for 2018.  

The first time consider is used in God's word is in Exodus (after Israelites left Egypt) and the last time is in Hebrews (after Jesus' resurrection). 

Now therefore, I pray you, if I have found grace in your sight, show me now your way, that I may know you, that I may find grace in your sight: and consider that this nation (Israel) is your people. (Exodus 33:13, KJV)

For consider Him that endured such contradiction (hostility & opposition)of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. (Heb. 12:3)

Those two verses alone are enough to have me change to the noun form with an er suffix and become a "considerer" of these 2 verses today.