Sandcastles

7/28/11 Notes later...........lots of lessons in building your house upon the sand. Lessons that need to be passed on to the next generation!

Majestic Musings

7/26/11 "Oh Lord, Our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth Oh Lord, OurLord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth"----those lyrics keep tumbling through my mind.

From the sunshine of the day bearing down on my shoulders to the dark expanse of night hovering over us as we sought out the sand crabs----I'm seeing His name written in the sands and the heavens. Evidence of His creation. Pin pricks of starlight----named and known by their creator. (Psalm 147:4) Big dipper to the 9 year old who studied constellations at Pine Cove.

The sun the earth the moon the stars you hold in place
The mighty works of your hand and for your grace, we sing
Oh Lord, how majestic is your name

Just glimpses of His majestic grandeur!

"Big Water" Reflections.......

7/25/11 .......our Monday verse for ruminating

Today's verse is the verse I am praying for friends Beth & Bill, who are on a short term mission trip in Panama.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14)

That verse has me considering the "aroma" that I leave with others. Is it filled with His goodness?Does it reflect HIs sweetness?

GONE FISHING!!

7/22/11 ......well not exactly fishing. Crabbing, maybe. More like corralling---with 6 little grandsons plus 1 nine-year-old friend. Factor in a big white sandy beach, "big water" (the Liles definition of ocean) a swimming pool, scooters, bikes, kites, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, Scrabble, Boggle, Bananagrams, stories (You should see our car!) and many mealtimes & snacks and it's obvious there will be lots of time with family and very little time for blogging.
After months of mourning and weeping, this will be a time to laugh, to embrace and maybe even to "dance" a little. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

Hooray! Hooray!! We're on our way.
Our summer vacation begins today.

Relief to Joyful Expectation

7/21/11 Relief----my favorite emotion.

Lament with me awhile but await the hope of relief through God's mercy.

Selected verses from Lamentations 33:

19 I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.
20 I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
21 Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”

32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.
33 For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to anyone.

39 Why should the living complain......

40 Let us examine our ways and test them,
and let us return to the LORD.
41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands
to God in heaven,

56 You heard my plea: “Do not close your ears
to my cry for relief.”
57 You came near when I called you,
and you said, “Do not fear.”

58 You, Lord, took up my case;
you redeemed my life.

I love what Steven Curtis Chapman said, "when our loved ones die they are a greater part of our future than they are of our past!" What a blessing and a relief to know that the grave is not the end of the story.
Trusting the Lord with not only relief but a renewed and joyful expectation knowing that He labors on my behalf to birth a new and greater grace from my grief.

Dotsy Tech Delays & Dilemmas

7/20/11 computer probs---will post as I have access---

There is no trouble so great or grave that it cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea. (Bernard Paul Heroux)

Normally I would agree with Mr. Heroux, whoever he is, but right now it would take the whole pot of tea and a side of Alleve, or some such drug to ease the tension of the in and out, off and on problems of our Comcast connections! It has me tense and that tension is spilling over big time to hubby because account is in his name and I want it FIXED----like yesterday or before.

How spiritual does that sound! Can you tell I have been reading two books and taking copious notes on the the thankful heart and transformation of grace in our lives when we have the right focus----God's viewpoint, specifically. I must have spiritual Alzheimer's. How quickly I'm forgetting these truths.

Here I was thinking that stress would no longer be the word that punctuated my thought life now that I am not working. Yet, this unreliable access to the internet has me stressed. E-mails going unanswered might send the wrong message, some e-mails needing to be written seem EXTREMELY important. Coupons need to be printed before they expire. I need to send the "work day" pics to church for a newsletter. A prayer letter with scripture references for our friends' mission trip had to be typed out because biblegateway.com was inaccessible,etc.

"In His presence is fulness of joy." (Psalm 16:11) Even sitting all knotted up in front of this computer, I need to get a spiritual grip! What gets me to that joy is seeing His goodness---even in the midst of technology snafus. I need a gratitude check right now----grateful I have a computer, grateful that (at this moment) green light (for on-line) is blinking. Grateful hubby had a cell so we could call Comcast when service went down. Grateful hubby was willing to wait on "hold" for a long time. Grateful hubby didn't tell me to "take a hike" when I said, I HAVE TO BLOG!

Sisterhood

7/19/11 Just what determines sisterhood. I’m not one to answer that---for I am sister-less----at least birth-wise.

Birth, for sure, is a determinant. Mother always said “blood is thicker than water.” I understand her thinking because Mother was always big on strong family relationships, which always included obligations to blood kin. Maybe that’s why I have such caring brothers----Mother “threatened” them. As she began to face her imminent death she did instruct them to “take care of me.” Since they were both already retired at the time, I joked that since I was the only one gainfully employed, the caretaking role might actually fall to me. Not so, they continue to watch over me and I am so-o-o grateful! I actually rather like my “only girl” position!

However, friends who have sisters seem to have a closeness and a connection, different from the relationship they have with their brothers. Some have told me that there’s no relationship quite like that of “sisters.” Yet, one friend with two sisters has that kind of relationship with only one of her sisters---the other sister not so much. A recent e-mail from a blog reader stated that she is not close to her “blood” sister at all but has a very close friend who is more like a sister to her----a solidarity in their relationship based on past experiences and unconditional acceptance. Though separated by miles, she says they can always pick up right where they left off----either face to face, or chat to chat on their computers or cells.

Two of my good friends, Jan and Ann, grew up with sisters. (Mary & Polly) Sisters who were special to them. Yet each has had to stand at the grave of her sister and now with deep understanding, they somewhat fill the void of that loss for each other. The shared remembrances and the shared losses have bonded them in a special way.

For those of us without sisters, Annette B. defined sisterhood well, “….there are sisters that God puts in our path....they become friends and then sisters. Those are the best kind because you get to "choose" them. These kind of sisters know your mind ...” Certainly there are those sisters in the faith who have a special bond.

How blessed are those who have both---by physical birth and by spiritual birth. Such is the “sisterhood” of JoLynn and Aleese. (often just Jo & Al to each other) They share everything---the good and the not so good, they’ve loved each other through it all. A past filled with childhood antics and grieving their parents deaths to almost daily phone calls filled with family updates & recipes to praying & sharing God’s goodness in their lives----are all important components of their “sisterhood.”

Sister-less by birth is certainly easier to bear when one finds that sister or sisters in the faith--- ones who accept you warts and all. One or ones who know all about you, but love you anyway. Sisterhood, it’s worth the risk.

At-TEA-tude adjustment

7/18/11 Friend Pam has a remedy for folks needing an attitude adjustment. She calls it a whirly and it involves a toilet and the head of the offender.

How does one recognize his/her own need for such an adjustment? Scripture is a good measuring stick.

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 2:5)

The 2 verses preceding this describe such a mindset as humility; doing nothing out of selfishness or conceit, regarding others more important than self & putting others interests before your own.

Mull this over with a good cup of brisk tea. Use Philippians 2:5 today for your self examination. Follow-up with a self-imposed adjustment. It might be less painful than those suggested by others.

Sunday Synopsis

7/17/11 "Fellowship---the oneness of spirit enjoyed by friends on the same side of the struggle." Quote written in my NAS Bible & attributed to dear friend, Ellen C.
No where was this more evident than when entering church this morning. The smiles were wide. The groans were "felt" but the complaints in jest lightened our pains. We all knew what it was like to have bodies "crunked up" from the previous work day! What fellowship of joy we shared in our quips of suffering!

• Sermon morsel for mulling---1 John 5:1-5, esp. verse 2--- faith problems not always about assurance but often about allegiance and affection.
  

• allegiance + affection = abiding
  

• Baptism of 7 folks---not as a way of salvation but out of obedience. As Kathy T. reminded me those folks are just "going public."

• Prayerfully singing Isaac Watts, "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" stirred my soul.

Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

"Being His Hands and Feet"

7/16/11 Young and old alike at the Bethesda Word of Life Christian Center carrying out the chorus of Lincoln Brewster's, "The Power of your
Name" & going way beyond religion/religiosity. Enjoy the "work day" in pix!