PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING

11/15/13 Standing at foot of dear friend, Claudia's, bed last night and surrounded by her family, I heard her prayers of thanksgiving for her day. To an outside viewer such an observation would not have matched hers. But God ....continues to use Claudia to show His sufficiency to others, even in the midst of HARD circumstances.

When I arrived this morning, the doc had just left and her start to the day had not been exactly auspicious----BUT as I was kneeling down to untangle IV cords for a bathroom trek, she began....."Dotsy, since you're already kneeling let's start the day thanking God for this day before us----before we do anything. Let's focus on Him."

He is the God of the impossible---so I, too, thank Him for all that He will do this day----for without HIm, it could certainly loom as impossible. 

Taken at Vesta Home Show '13 which I had shown to CP last night

Beginning one's day and ending one's day with prayers of Thanksgiving......shows the faith of a believer in relationship with the One who is always faithful. What a testimony to behold.

GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY

11/14/13 Okay, so I'm a PROUD mama but I've seen Molly's incredible lifestyle shots. Especially those with children and even pets. Two groups that are hard to corral.

Brooks Museum of Art is featuring her in a workshop this Saturday. Great info on their newsletter.

Just click here for info! 

http://rebrooksblog.com/2013/11/12/four-people-who-should-take-the-slr-workshop/#more-6340

By golly, it's gonna be GOOD!

ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

11/12/13 Though fall was recognized officially on our calendars seven weeks ago, recent temps felt like summer was still holding its breath, not completely giving over to those cooler temps of autumn. But...oh my goodness, this morning it felt as if both summer and fall joined in a collective inhalation of any warmth that was left in our atmosphere. A resulting exhalation of cold, gusty breath took our portion of the mid-South right into winter temps.

United States Army, est. 1775. Daddy served under that flag in WWII.

I noticed because I was trying to take a picture outside* on this gusty day. A day that moved from  a"freeze watch" to "hard freeze warning" in a matter of hours. Uncomfortable? Somewhat.
Earlier on my errand runs,  I noticed I was sliding into the "complaint" mode, along with many folks around me. I even like the fact that I live in an area that actually has seasonal changes, so what would be my complaint? Is complaint contagious?

But God....reminded me of I Thessalonians 5:18, "in everything give thanks..." How dare me (or anyone) to take umbrage at a drop in temps, seeing it as unjust if it inconveniences us and our comfort. Imagine how such carping would be viewed in the Philippines. 

A thankful heart. A grateful spirit. A change of attitude.

Would gratitude be equally contagious? Why can't it start with me?

War and Peace

11/11/13

11th hour of 11th day of 11th month---Armistice Day in 1918

I didn't remember that....but I do remember Veterans Day. How grateful I am for those who have served our country well while protecting our freedom, which I, for one, don't ever want to take for granted.

I desire peace among nations but have also seen, at times, the necessity of war during such times to afford Americans that peace. 

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—A time for war and a time for peace (Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 8)

Remembering and thankful, for the vets throughout my life.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: "Pick-me-ups"

11/10/13 Words of encouragement. Prayers. Flowers.  Food. E-mails. Slug mail. Phone calls. Doorstep delights. Pleasant, gentle stories. All positives during a somewhat difficult week. Aren't friends and family the best for keeping us "lifted" and on-track!!!

But encourage one another daily...(Hebrews 3:13)

Ashley Bryan's newest book arrived at my doorstep---enough to share. Thanks, Ashley!

Flowers w/berries and I love berries! Plus, a basket of books---"Be still my heart!"

Katherine's bran muffins, all the way from Atlanta, with a cuppa! Doesn't get any better than that!

Card from my caring & loving HHS lunch bunch!

2 evenings of experiencing the gentle "warmth of homespun tales" spun by the BEST  in the business,  Donald Davis.

SATURDAY SNIPPETS #5

11/9/13 

A Snippet---similar to a text--pithy. Hopefully, pithy with a punch!

To experience God’s sufficiency, we must realize our own insufficiency.

Trust the All Sufficient One for "sufficiency" for all of life's needs.

Abundant life of vitality comes from union with Him. "Blessed are the men whose strength is in thee;" Psalm 73:26

When we walk with the Lord, there comes a new vitality, a superabundance of life. ... because he lives within them, they have the riches of the superabundant life. (John 10:10)

Do you have life?

It is only when one lives with the Lord that life becomes really worth living and one begins to "live" in the real sense of the word.

A.P.B.

11/8/13 A.P.B. If there are any teenagers reading this blog or hip grannies, then the assumption might be that this is an xBox 360 game. Or, if you're of the medicare card-holding generation, you might hear the Dragnet theme in your head as you recall an All Points Bulletin that came thru their black and white squad car radios. "An APB for a white male, 5' 10, with brown hair and black glasses."

None of those are my acronym of choice.

Yesterday was out-patient surgery day for me. Not exactly an event one look's forward to---at least not this one who never relishes being put to sleep. Such an out of my control type event. Plus, it usually makes me "fro-up" as Andrew used to say.
But God....in His love and mercy sent prayers....in particular, prayers about the nurses and doc who would attend me. Prayers prayed aloud over the phone, around breakfast table, in hubby's hug and in JoLynn's car-----all preceded by a (11/4) prayer from "across the pond" (Aggie in France) that read....I pray He leaves you His calling cards all over the place to make it exaggeratingly obvious!! :-)

So....when a masked nurse, comes down the hallway saying my name and removes said mask to reveal Barbara Cook, a long time church friend, who has even been in my small group at Heart to Heart Bible Study throughout the years, I knew those prayers for me had been answered.

Just to see her there brought comfort. But when she announced that she would be my "attending" nurse......well, that was my APB.
An exaggeratingly obvious calling card from the Lord................an Answered Prayer Bulletin!

The "REST" of the story.....

11//6/13  The Disciplines of Rest....Solitude. Silence. Listening. Meditation, Simplicity.

A lesson taught by me 11/5/13.

Posting those notes, as planned, without everyone's individual email addresses, is beyond me technically-----at the moment.

But.....until I figure it out, this recording of the teaching is a clic away and I actually read the outline, definitions, etc. At least that way you can stop and write and rewind. Just click the link below....

http://firstevan.org/media#!/swx/pp/media_archives/127169/episode/44441?play=1

until I figure out my tech glitch----called my mind---and then I'll provide the "rest of the story" of God's Gift of Rest.

FEEDING ON GOD'S WORD

11/4/13 To be fully healthy and live a life of abundant vitality, physical ingestion is only one part of our feeding. Spiritual nourishment is also necessary. Feeding on Gods's Word.

Photo by son-in-law, Corey whose Quiet Time allowed for feeding His soul.

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)

The original Hebrew translation from Deuteronomy 8:3 reads (I hope)

וּדְבָֽשׁ׃ אֶ֤רֶץ חִטָּה֙ וּשְׂעֹרָ֔ה וְגֶ֥פֶן וּתְאֵנָ֖ה וְרִמֹּ֑ון אֶֽרֶץ־זֵ֥ית שֶׁ֖מֶן

That's for dear friends Michelle and Brenda to think on this week.

"Blue skies.....

11/3/13....nothing but blue skies." Even if there are dark and gray storms going on in your life, blue skies can be chosen as the "color" of your heart. Color your heart with hope. I know that it's easier to walk with the Lord and trust in His goodness without understanding all the "goings on" than to go it alone and try to figure things out for myself. This week just look up and enjoy the blueness that the Creator has used. Blue Skies.

"Indigo" evening

Morning Time of "Light Sky Blue"

"Deep Sky Blue" at Church Time 

"Cornflower Blue" of Noon Time 

If a camera doesn't reveal those "Alice Blue" skies, then focus on the radiance of God's "leaf" handiwork, as son-in-law, Corey captured.