MONDAY: A DAY OF MISTY MORNING MAGIC & FOGGY FUN

Text to follow----have to use wifi when I have it  But weather did not put a damper on this "magical" day!!!

SUNDAY FROM START TO FINISH

Congdon's Doughnuts---what a great way to start the day.......

 ....Followed by a meandering birding walk to help cut all those previously ingested calories.

This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! (Psalm 118:24)

READ, READ, READ....REPEAT

Morning, noon, and night reading is a BIG part of Lucy's day.

 READ, READ, READ....REPEAT

Read, eat, read, beach, eat, library trip, read, cook dinner, read bedtime stories from Tuck-Me-In Tales. Repeat Daily: Read. Eat. Beach. Read. Eat. read. Sleep.

 

"Thank you, God" prayers and a goodnight kiss. AND--- Yes, Lucy we will read another chapter in Gooney Bird Greene tomorrow. That is "absolutely true."

“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you O Lord make me dwell in safety.”(Psalm 4:8)

TEMPERING OUR TASTE BUDS

Taste buds number 4 if you just count sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Nowadays, others add a 5th tastebud--umami. Umami, discovered by a Japanese soup lover, it has a characteristic savory flavor of soy, mushrooms, parmesan cheese and Marmite.

My first experience with that Brit loving spread, convinced me I'll never  use Marmite to explore the 5th taste bud.

Researchers say there are 10,000 hairs on our tongue which make up our tastebuds. A hairy mouth seems a YUKY thought, even if they are microscopic. TMI, right?

All this to say, sweet and salty are my fave buds. Just like in my spiritual life, I'm one who prefers the sweetness of God's word as well as wanting to be salt and light in the world. Sour moments in life and the bitterness of hope deferred (Proverbs 13:12) can make me "sick" at my stomach.

On this "pondering my palate day" I realize that bitterness is distasteful and sometimes I try to "stuff it" or just leave it simmering on a back burner. But bitterness can spill over and ruin the taste of everything if one doesn't deal with it. (Hebrews 12:15) A good reminder for those seeking to deal with bitterness---"taste your words before you spit them out!"

Disappointment or discouragement from pity, unfulfilled expectations and self-imposed comparisons with others can lead to bitterness. Bitterness that alters the sweet taste of today's relationships and fellowship. All bitterness...... must be put away from you. (Ephesians 4:31)


Even the literary world from the Bible to O'Connor and Shakespeare are aware of this.

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him. (Psalm 62:5)

To expect too much is to have a sentimental view of life and this is a softness that ends in bitterness. (Flannery O'Connor)

But O' how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man's eyes. (Shakespeare, William. Much Ado About Nothing Act 5 scene 2) 

Chew on these literary quotes. May the understanding they give be your "Pepto" today for overeating those thoughts and words bitter to your taste.
Worry. Comparison. Why Me?
Even Marmite tastes better than those!

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!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

JULY 4th! To begin such a day with family and to end it with the Temptations performing at our nation's capitol is a GOOD day for this gal.

Part of  the celebration was the singing of Russian immigrant, Irving Berlin's, GOD BLESS AMERICA'---now 100 years old. Berlin wrote it while serving in World War I.

The lyrics would be a worthy prayer for this day for all Americans.

God bless America Land that I love Stand beside her And guide her (emphasis mine) 

Through the night with the light from above From the mountains To the prairies To the oceans White with foam

God bless America My home sweet home

Guide us O Lord. (Isaiah 58:11) Guide us into all truth. (John 16:13) Guide our feet into paths of peace. (Luke 1:79) May we be humble before you Lord, that you will guide us in what is right and teach us your way. (Psalm 25:9)

I can't think of a better birthday present for, our country, America, than for this prayer to be fervently prayed by all of God's children.

FRIDAY FUNERAL

Funerals can be a celebration of a life well-lived. 

Such was today's funeral of 88 year old Lilly Laughlin!

Lilly, a woman whom I have called friend for 50 years, showed me throughout all those years that God was her refuge. Nearness "to her Lord" was evident to all who knew her as she told of His works and lived a life of faith and fun! 

"Her flesh and her heart may have failed but God was the strength of her heart and portion" up until she took her final breath and God received her in to glory. (Psalm 73:24, 26, 28) 

Lilly holding hydrangeas, from my daughter Molly's yard, is one of my favorite pictures. Plus, it's in a "Dotsy" frame.

Lilly did not hide her love of the Lord from her descendants; she told her girls and grands and most of us in attendance, many of whom have told their next generation (grands and great grands) of the "praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done," as it says in Psalm 78:4.

This "Friday Funeral" for one of God's faithful was indeed a celebration!

Our loss of sweet Lilly is heaven's gain! Glory be to God.

Bitty Baby = BIG BLESSING!!

The good news we hoped for was "exceedingly abundantly above all we could ask or even imagine!"(Ephesians 3:20)
We came. We saw. We fell in love.....with all 4 pounds of him.

Owen's Baby Brother

"...To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever, A-men." (Ephesians 3:21)

MOUNTAINTOP WEDDING!

Today began with prayers for the bride and groom and their families!

Having prayed for this beautiful young woman for many years, as her Godmother, I'm looking forward to all that the Lord is going to do in their lives.
As Meg walked to the altar in this magnificent mountain sanctuary, I lifted up mine eyes unto the hills and prayed from Psalm 121. "May the Lord be their keeper---keeping them throughout life and being their keeper as they go out and come in from this time forth and even forever more." 

As the bride's father said in His toast, "May God lead them in their new life together."

A new life of hope begins as the sun sets in the mountains on this special day. (2 Timothy 1:12b)
May God bless Meg and Tim today and always!

6/22/2018–O WHAT A DAY!

HAPPY "48" BIRTHDAY, BUDDY.
News came from home via speakerphone while we were atop Grandfather ‘s Mountain in  North Carolina that will be a blessing to us forever!