Praying, briefly

10/21/11 No words were listed. “So I prayed to the God of heaven.” (Nehemiah 2:4) It’s been noted by scholars as the shortest prayer ever sent to heaven.

We all know such short spontaneous prayers.

Peter prayed, “Lord save me,” when he began sinking as he was walking on the water toward Jesus. Interestingly enough, Peter only began sinking when he took his eyes off of the Lord and looked at his windy circumstances. (Matthew 14:30-32)

“Help me, Lord.”

Praying it scripturally only adds a few words. “Let Thy hand be ready to help me.” (Psalm 119:173) In the psalms we read of many brief accounts of cries unto the Lord. Cried---just another verb for prayed. Poor (afflicted) man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him from all his troubles. (Psalm 34:6)

Edges of His Ways, 10/17 entry summed up such short Bible verses. Those “short” Bible verse prayers are what we want on those days when we are tired or hard-pressed…….. Like the touch of the electric light switch---just a touch and the power comes flowing from the powerhouse---the power that turns to light. (Carmichael, p. 192-193)

Praying tonight, though not briefly, for "Bubba's" family and praising the Lord that all four of her girls were with her when she eased into eternity.

PRAYER BRIEF

10/20/11 Brief 2. using few words; concise; succinct: (Dictionary.com) Edges of His Ways, uses the phrase “little prayers.” (Carmichael, p.192) Friend Margie H. calls them breath prayers. Spontaneous prayers. Hardly prayers at all in the “formal” sense.

Prayers evoked by a mere thought and a touch as the woman in Matthew 9:21 who reached to touch the fringe of Jesus’ cloak. “for she was saying to her self, If I only touch His garment, I shall get well.”

Wordless prayers. “Breathe's,” metaphorical lyrics for that close communication with the Lord ….”This is the air I breathe,
This is the air I breathe, Your holy presence living in me….” (Michael W. Smith) In such close communion that the Lord knows your prayerful thoughts.

I call them necessary. Lately mine have been, “Lord, forgive me.”

SHORT AND SALTY

10/19/11 Passing this sign caught my attention and had my thoughts turn to a Mary Ann Frazier story. Mary Ann, the first and a long time BSF teaching leader in Memphis, names "Miss Fanny" (Mrs. Tom King), her 3rd grade Sunday school teacher, as the saltiest person she ever knew. "She was so salty, she kept us all thirsty."

Saltiness is somewhat akin to Jesus sticking out all over. Some are drawn to the savoriness of our lives as we live out our God-given purpose. Others see and are thirsty. They thirst after what they see in our lives. Using speech full of grace, as seasoned with salt, one can lead them to the One who is the Living Water---water that brings life to the soul. Drink and never thirst again.

I had to ask myself, "How salty am I?" Do others thirst for the Living Water because of my life?

Trying to be short in my entries---but an uncanny similarity of blog entry scripture was posted on this date in '09 as I was awaiting another surgery.

PERSPECTIVES

10/17/11

There’s nothing quite like seeing the world through the eyes of a child. Lately my grandsons have offered me opportunities to see God’s creation in a whole new light---from their perspective. Even allowing one of my grandboys to take pictures with my camera today offered great insight into what they see. Sometimes we could all use a new way of seeing things. If you don’t have young children of your own, join a friend or a relative on an outing with theirs. Or, volunteer in your church nursery. It will refresh your heart---even if you’re as old and as easily fatigued as I am.

Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see— how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him. (The Message, Psalm 34:8)

Meditate on this verse and then allow a child in your life to show you God’s wonderful world from his/her perspective. Allow this viewpoint to bless your heart anew.

My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare. (Psalm 25:15) David’s snare In this psalm is probably different from yours. Is your snare boredom in God’s blessings of creation? Do you need to see life afresh and be thankful?

Guess which pumpkin, photographer, Owen chose?

Sabbath Snapshots in the Delta

10/16/11

Starting the day the Gideon way!

Fields white unto harvest----a great analogy with John 4:35 "Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."

Town churches in Greenwood, MS

413 Grand Ave. --Hilly's house in movie "The Help"

Actual country church---also used in "The Help" as Aibileen & Minny's
By 11:30 the ground was filled with cars.

A bright spot of yellow that grows along the I Canadian RR tracks
just north of town on Money Road

Porch sittin' sparse

Porch sittin' ---crowded

Tallahachie River Bottoms

Praises for a bright sunny weekend in the Delta!

Let's Dance!

10/14/11 This entry is about dancers in my life---two who have helped me to dance. Dancing for me is a life fully lived. A life I live with the Lord. It's an abunDANCE, as it's full of God's purpose for me while on this earth. It gives me eyes to see His hand in my life through good and bad times. Dancing is passionate. It's embracing those whom God sends across my path---every single one, even the irregular ones who annoy, hurt, and try to rob me of my joy. Learning to live the life God has planned for me and living without fear requires dancing in His arms. Surrendering to Him. Following His lead. It requires spiritual maturity and in my case encouragement from others. Especially those who already know the steps.

Meet Doris and Marge. Two such dancers. They have chosen to live the "dance" God has chosen for them. I have learned much by watching. Though their lives are intentional in choice they make it look easy---like an overflow of love from above. They laugh. They garden. They cook. They read. They selflessly see to the needs of others. They seem tireless. In Him, they live and move and have their being. (Acts 17:28) There's a deep assurance of God's presence in their lives that touches all who cross their paths.

What connects me to them? Certainly we are connected spiritually. Our paths crossed through introductions years ago from other dear friends. A friendship that has grown through the years. We are all family oriented, wives of the husbands of our "youth." (Proverbs 5:18) We share interests: travel, good food, and good literature. Strangely, we all love "Keeper of the Bees" a somewhat obscure classic from the 20s. I know both and yet they still have never met. Maybe I need to make introductions.

What connects them to others? Their lives----every facet of it. They seem to feel and trust the rhythm of God's music for their own lives. They have His ear. They hear His love song.
During their own fearful times, their courage is infectious. Cheer, strength, and peace seem to flow, as one "whose mind is stayed on Thee." (Isaiah 26:3) They know from whom their hope and trust rests and their thoughts are fixed on Him.

"Given to hospitality," has these two dancers opening their homes and hearts to others. "Hospitable to all strangers, but especially to those who were of the household of faith," is the way Romans 12:13 states it. Financially, they have given and given and given, even during times when there might have been little for family, much less others----they gave anyway. Nowadays they both have acquired homes just to share with others. As God blessess, they bless whether out of their lack, or out of their abundance.

The countenance of Doris and Marge is glowing. Smiling. Always smiling. Roman 12:12 describes these dancers as "never flagging in zeal, aglow with the Spirit, serving the Lord." They live above their circumstances because they are always looking up! Pretty much each and every Sunday you will find them pew side at a local UMC, where "Lord of the Dance" is on page 261 of the Methodist hymnal.

How blessed I am to know them. May you, reader, be blessed as well by using their lives as a model. A model to follow as you become a "dancer," not a critic, for those in your life.

Consistently Doris and Marge respond to His grace. They dance. Their lives say to others, "Join us. Let's dance!" Won't you dance too?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

10/13/11 SO-O-O thankful for uninterrupted quiet times. Add to that a cuppa, some digestives from England and a smooth jazz worship CD and I'm in heaven. In a way, I really am, as I sit in the Presence of the One who sits at the right hand of the Father. A "tea with Thee" experience. PRAISES!

Wednesday Walkabout

10/12/11 Merriam-Webster defines the term walkabout as “a short period of wandering bush life engaged in by an Australian aborigine as an occasional interruption of regular work.” For Ellen and me it was a running together of words as we estimated the number years we’d been walking. “Let’s see, we’ve “walk’dabout”---well it was the year John and Josh turned 15 so that’s 1990---Wow, we’ve been “walkin’about” 21 years and mostly on Wednesday. I remember that because she would drive to my house and then have to get back in time to work in Christ Methodist’s church library. Most of those years we both worked full time so it was a great interruption for both of us---a time to move our feet and our mouths. Wednesday is always the day I pray for Ellen too so that evens it all out nicely.

John15:15b….I have called you friend, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

This fall I’ve been going to her house to walk. Her “hood” has more trees and manicured lawns than my “hood” so our walks have been a vibrant visual feast. Do you have a friend like that? One with whom you share faith, friendship, the ups and downs of life, lots of stories and lots of years? If so how ‘bout starting a walkabout with them? Certainly burns more calories that “doing lunch.”

Enjoy today’s pictorial stroll---we don’t exactly burn up the pavement but we’re still “walkin’about”--- ‘cause that’s what our Wednesdays are all about.

The Last Dance

10/11/11 ….at least for awhile. It’s just my final “dance” THOTS based on Timothy Keller's book, The Reason for God; Belief in an Age of Skepticism. Believe me, I’m just scratching the surface. According to Keller, we were made to join in the dance. (Naturally, I agree with that!) “If we will center our lives on (H)im, serving (H)im not out of self-interest, but just for the sake of who (H)e is, for the sake of (H)is beauty and glory, we will enter the dance and share in the joy and love (H)e lives in.….we were designed then, not just for belief in God in some general way…..We were made…..to make the purpose and passion of our lives knowing, serving, delighting, and resembling (H)im. Our world was made in joy and therefore is good, in and of itself. The universe is understood as a dance of beings united by energies binding, yet distinct, like orbiting planets, tides and seasons, tones in a chord, like a mother with a baby stirring in her body. ”(Keller p. 219) Rev. Keller says, ,”Creation is a Dance!” I couldn’t agree more.

Yet, somewhere along the way our self-centered world has left many without real relationships. Alienation sets in. There’s no one to join in the dance. Self absorption. Many are concerned with their own needs and building their resume with accomplishments to bolster a sense of pride.

Many need to return to the dance.

I know what it’s like to dance with the Lord---to follow His leading and to share in the joy of a relationship with Him that spills over to others. It’s about Him and His glory but oh how it benefits me. In the first step one can move out of self-centeredness into relationship. The first turn can move you from fear to trust. Just stay close enough that He can whisper His directions in your ear.

Thanks Rev. Keller for the reminder.

Word of God--- كلمة الله

Word of God كلمة الله

10/10/11 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (II Timothy 3:16-17)

Meditate on these verses. Think about the purpose of God’s word----whether it’s read right to left because it is written in Arabic like Rina’s, who comes from Sudan, or it’s written in English, the purpose is evident….to equip us all for God’s work.

BTW, she was reading in II Kings with chapter 10 on the right hand page and chapter 11 on the left.

Apply the كلمة الله to your heart.