FRI-YAY

FRI-YAY---a trending word....or wordplay horribly overused these days. 

All our days should be "joy-filled" yay days! But....that's not always the way it is.

If not yay words, there are words to help the seniors keep focused, especially when days have a way of running together---unfocused. 

Yesterday's Thankful Thursday, for me, was one filled with pain. Lots of pain. Physical and emotional. I would have been dismayed had I not seen the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13) My attitude of gratitude was challenged to the nth degree. But God....in His love and mercy, once again used friends in the faith, who knew nothing of my forlornness, to intervene.

First, high school chum, Doola's "long" text, in response to my "long" text with thx for her "winter 💖" card. Doola can lift my spirit with her art and words in an Illinois' second! *

Next a card from "northern" friend, Pat sent some smiles my way.

Then came a call from my 93  yr. old vibrant friend, Janice. Chats with her are always a treat! Her wisdom keeps me grounded.

Today began as  "Frantic Friday until I was intentionally still! (Psalm 46:10).

Then it became Fri-Yay as I took a "hike" with 3 yr. old Jack, dug in the dirt with sticks, and I sang "Jesus Loves Jack" to him.

BTW, the poinsettia, a gift from "Master Gardener" neighbor Lynda, has graced my mornings at my kitchen window since December! 

SWEET WORDS ON MEDITATION MONDAY

What a way to begin Valentine's Day!

Sweet words from scripture served up alongside a "cuppa" with a tad of honey and a splash of milk, yummy heart-shaped cookies (thx Wynellen) and an open Bible.

The Bible has a lot to say about "Sweet" words. Today let's start as we "Taste and See" that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8) as His words encourage us.

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and heart to the body. (Proverbs 16:24, ESV) NIV describes those gracious words as sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. 

Other versions use different adjectives: Good words, (Brenton Septuagint); Kind words, (NLT);  Pleasant words, (Berean); speech of the wise, Aramaic; Well ordered words Douay-Rheims. Pleasant/Pleasantness used in 19 versions & kind used in 3.   

Regardless of the translation it's easy to get the idea. 

Today my focus is own "kind" words---spoken from the heart. Heart-shaped.

Like honey--sweet to the taste and good for your health. (Good News Translation)

May the Lord use my words to others as sweet to the spirit & body. 

Words of love on Valentine's Day and every day.

WORDLE

Even Wordle has my Number. 

(Notice I waited a day to publish it so as not to spoil the surprise.)

When one has not had a "calm brain" in an entire week, God has to really step in to get your attention.

He can even use a  game. I had been "keeping on-keeping on" as well as I could........but my mind kept moving with my circumstances. Yes, I started my day praying for my "daily" people, keeping up somewhat with zoom prayer groups, taking hubby to ER & helped him with virtual doc visit, attending Bible study, taking food to a suffering friend, etc. Busyness is a way I cope....it's always been that way for me. At this time in life it seems worse. I know because I can't keep up. I even have a "come apart" when I put my compression socks on the wrong feet. I mix up my meds or forget  to take them. My hand shakes as I type or lift spoon to mouth with my granola. I can feel shakes even when I don't see them.  As brother Buddy said, "Feet moving. Going nowhere."

What's a gal to do? Take time for the "pause that refreshes"---More time alone with Him!

To pause is difficult. It requires being still---even in my mind!

ASHLEY BRYAN ---BELOVED FRIEND

Ashley Bryan---

July 13, 1923--February 4, 2022

If I had an epitaph One of the Kindest Men I ever Knew.

Oh how it hurt to read the passing of one of my dearest friends!

My friend with a life of infinite hope wrote a book by that name.

My goodness I have such stories to tell of our friendship that endured for almost 35 years.

Click the link above to read just one snippet of it!

Click this Ashley Bryan obit link to read my tribute to him, signed Dotsy Liles, Friend in the Faith.

THOUGHTS TO TALK

60,000 thoughts a day. What is one to do with all those ramblings?

Take every thought captive!  (2 Corinthians 10:5) Prior to those words.... "demolish...arguments against the knowledge of God. Demolish and captive are battlefield jargon. As Christians take thoughts captive they compare each thought to what they know about the character of God through His word.

In each and every moment remember this and "encourage other believers" to do the same--- for things that come out of the mouth come from the heart! (Hebrews 3:13) Our heart......where our mind, soul and spirit reside. As Jesus said it this way a couple of times: For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of" (Matthew 12:34; Luke 6:4) Keep your heart mindful of God's words.

Leave behind the words/thoughts of battlefield jargon; crushing, evil, painful, hurtful opinions and destructive.

Gentle words turn away wrath and anger; give life,....a fountain of life....(Proverbs 15:1, Proverbs 10:11)

Let's think good thoughts & "talk" good words daily. 

NO POWER!!

Without Power

No Power; No such thing!

No electricity. Yes! 

Day 3 of that COLD reality in  Memphis.

But God......in His love granted mercy in the midst of 21º temps and limbs blocking our garage and driveway but not hitting our house!. 

A gas fireplace. A gas stovetop. Gracious neighbors.  

Our house knows the One who is our power. That's His greatest mercy.

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. (Isaiah 40:29, NLT)

WHOLE-HEARTED

Synonym Survey of wholehearted on this Wordsmith Wednesday!

(wholehearted (Allen Bible Church graphic)

• abiding.
• ardent.
• authentic.
• bona fide.
• candid.
• committed.
• complete.
• dedicated.

My focus verses this year deal with the love of one's heart. 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul with all your mind and with all all your strength. The second is  this: 'Love your neighbor as yoursel'. There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31)

I like the Weymouth New Testament version that uses "whole" as the descriptor....and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, thy whole soul, thy whole mind, thy whole strength and thy fellow man as much as thyself). (Luke 10:27 WNT, emphasis mine)

It keeps wholehearted ringing in my ears with the whole of its synonyms.

GOD'S GRACE

Grace notes continue......

God's grace saves.....stays......and transforms. (Buddy Liles, Allen Bible Church 1/23/22)

Grace is God's mercy with blessings. (Jen Pierce, Heart to Heart 1/26/22)

May my life reflect grace-driven living. (OB HOG prayer card #6)

Pithy with a punch to help us remember God's Grace.....and share it with others. (1 Peter 4:10)

.....Author Unknown--Source, Brother Buddy

GRAPPLING WITH GRACE

Do you grapple with grace? Not the refinement of movement grace but the acceptance of unmerited goodwill grace. God given grace. Grace one doesn't have to work for or earn but......accept. Susan D. my discipler/mentor saw in me a works-centered struggle, like in no other of her acquaintances. Why do I work so hard for approval from others or God's approval? From God, it's a free gift. 

Sarah Young's words describe Jesus' garment of grace as a robe of His righteousness with which He covers us from head to toe.  (Jesus Listens, January 24, p. 25) The robe's color is blood red. The ultimate free gift of salvation for those who accept it.

Is that kind of grace in your vocabulary? What is your native tongue? More importantly what is your spiritual language?

GRACE

Be fluent in the language of grace. In today's culture grace is somewhat of a foreign language. Grace is the antithesis of our self-centered expressions.....whether communicating through words, gestures or actions. Allow others to see and hear your language of grace! (2 Corinthians 8:7)

BRACE FOR GRACE as you wait expectantly to see God's hand at work in those hard places life sends.

EMBRACE GRACE.....at every place.

Draw near with confidence at His THRONE OF GRACE! (Hebrews 4:16)

GET GRACE TO EXTEND GRACE!

GRAB GRACE.....don't let it pass you by because of guilt. 

PROPEL GRACE to others. (Jim Fleming, 1/23/22)

EXCEL IN GRACE & GRAPPLE NO MORE!

SURPRISE!

What a surprise!

Story to follow.............thanks to Jamie S. reminder that I had yet to tell the story,

When I first met these two sisters they were in junior high (not called middle school in those days).

I came to know them because I worked with their mom, Lilly, in 1967 at the Memphis State Pre-School/Kindergarten. I don't think it was called Children's School at that point. She took me right under her wing as did her husband, Fred. I spent a lot of time at their house on Quince. They shared their church home, First Evan, with me in later years and shared money with me by signing for  my first $50 loan to buy a mattress for my new apartment. After approving my prospective husband, Lilly and Fred showered us with a "couples" wedding shower.....and shared their daughters, Melody and Rachel, to be rice girls at our 1969 wedding.......driving all the way to Kentucky to be there for us. After telling us about Deep Creek in Bryson City, NC, they shared their inner tubes so we shouldn't have to pay for them. We used them for years as that "frugal" tubing vacation was the favorite of our children thru the years---even winning out over Disney. So far it's been a loved trip of 8 of our 9 grands. # 9 gets to go this year. 

We worked together each fall for years at the Orgill show slapping together sandwiches and laughing over Mr. Pacho Rabbane and other shared adventures.

Both daughters became nurses and made their parents proud.We've kept up with these girls ever since. Most recently we shared Melody's 65th birthday, "pulled off without a hitch by sister Rachel. What an accomplishment that was! What a fun surprise with Mexican food, Melody's favorite, and lots of quilting stories, reminiscing & laughter!!

How very special is this family to me and hubby too.

 It's no surprise to anyone who knew the  Laughlins that they showed Christ to us in every way. 

We'll be forever grateful!