JOURNEYS

Words to count on during life's hardest journeys. His words!

God Never leaves us.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

...for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear;  (Hebrews 13:5-6) 

God Goes before us.

The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, (Deuteronomy 1:30)

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

God is our rear guard.

Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, (Deuteronomy 31:8)

....for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard. (Isaiah 52:12)

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. (Isaiah 58:8)

....and the household of faith wears BooBoo's T-shirt and walks alongside. (Galatians 6:10)

Lucy reads Llama Llama Red Pajama Feb. 2013

Rhythmic Language Demonstrated
Practice for upcoming teacher training to emphasized importance of reading aloud.

R-E-F-R-E-S-H-I-N-G!

God winks or C(Christ) O(Ordainded incidences are so encouraging. Two at once pack a powerful punch.

Two Monday gifts---what a way to start a week! God affirmed me through these gifts, from 2 different members of the household of faith. A card and a book with "refreshing" references. Affirmation that my lesson on rest and refreshment is on target!

He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:25, NIV) Generous people shall be rich, by watering others they water themselves, (Proverbs 11:25, TLB)

Regardless of how you say it, I was refreshed. 

May I, in turn, go forth with R-E-F-R-E-S-H-I-N-G words for those whom I prepare to serve.

"ON HOLD"

FRUSTRATION!!

Please hold!!......Please continue to hold!!!
The phone feels glued to my ear. My shoulder aches from holding it up.
Next option---speaker phone. The "hold" continues! Phone is carried from room to room!

"Your call is very important to us." Yeah---right!!

The worst offenders are Comcast, Insurance and Government Agencies!

3 hrs on this one---just had pic taken at 2 hr point. Multiple calls occurred because so many came in while on hold. With 3 hours "holding", one can expect that.

How grateful I am that the Lord NEVER puts me on hold!
I can "call unto Him and He will answer me."  (anytime night or day)
(2 Samuel 2:24)  (Psalm 17:6) (Psalm 50:15) (Psalm 120:1) (Isaiah 58:9) (Jeremiah 33:3)

Version Preferences

When studying God's Word, I have a variety of Bibles handy. (KJV) King James Version used for recall of childhood memory verses. (NASB) New American Standard Bible used most for individual study. (NIV) New International Version for BSF---Bible Study Fellowship lessons. (ESV) English Standard Version to follow along at church. For easy reading, I sometimes choose (CEV) Contemporary English Version, (NCV) New Century Version or the (NLT) New Living Translation, especially for facilitating understanding in difficult passages or long chapters. 

The same truth or primary meaning, just differing in certain wording or connotations---sometimes invokes ideas or feelings specific to situations, which I might be experiencing at the time ---is helpful to me.

A different "legitimate" version can offer a new or fresh perspective especially when I am preparing to teach a passage or topical lesson.

Studying for an upcoming "rest" lesson, words like refuge and retreat seem to jump off the pages from the (MSG) Message. When accompanied by "renewal," an aspect of that rest, all the better.

Going.....Going........

Going.....Going........Gone---well, not quite.....but in my heart I have decided...."your servant hears Lord." (1 Samuel 3:9) 

Friend Peggy sang the hymn, "Lord, Here Am I," as requested by Mother, per her own funeral plans. 

When I went through her "notes" I could not find her music requests but I knew there was one song that she had really set her heart on, though she did not grow up knowing it. As I was explaining this to Peggy, I began to visualize where Mother and I had that discussion. 

"We were sitting on the end of the bed in the guest bedroom and she played it....on her cassette player." I ran back to the bedroom and the player was still on top of her small desk----with the tape still in it. 

Voilà! Mother would have her hymn. Though many of her friends questioned the selection over more traditional ones, we could honestly say the choice was hers.

This morning, as I was re-typing a lesson to "take" to a foreign place, I remembered that hymn.

"Master, Thou callest, I gladly obey;

Only direct me, and I'll find Thy way.

Teach me the mission appointed for me,

What is my labor and where it shall be.

Master, Thou callest, And this I reply,

"Ready and willing, Lord, here am I."

"Here am I. Send me." (Isaiah 6:8)  

Going.....going.....about to be gone!

Old Rugged Cross

The "Old Rugged Cross"...doesn't seem so far away today. Maybe, because of time spent in His Presence.

"Rugged Cross"---made by N. Bozard, a Kentucky artisan sold in Hopkinsville, my hometown, and given by a good friend---a cherished gift to cling to as I study God's word.

Understanding Equations

 Maybe a better blog title would be misunderstanding equations especially those with variables on both sides. Therefore I simplified.
However, there are some equations of excellence----those number sentences which make sense to Christians. The helpful ones in times of struggle. I came across these in my 10/16/13 journal entry. (H2H source unknown).

In all the variables of life, believers must factor in God's Presence. 

Focusing on His Presence  turns misunderstandings into equations of excellence.

Prayer Warriors---near and far

Morning call, filled with prayers, from way across the pond---think France, coupled with yesterday's email, with Dr. Jeremiah's quote, from Eads, TN---think a stone's throw away, reminded me of how BIG my God is! 
"God's woman in the center of God's will is immortal until God is finished with her!"
God's purposeful peace accomplished.

Different countries. Different type residences. Different denominations. Same God.
Prayer warriors both.

Reflections of ......

Reflections of Psalm 148 from St. Augustine.

"If you love what He has made, love still more Him who has made it all. If the creation is beautiful, God who is reflected in it is infinitely more beautiful." (Drinking From the Hidden Fountain, 270)

Read Psalm 148 yourself. Then take a "praise" walk outside and reflect on what you have read.

BOY COUSINS' DAY

Cousins' Day is really July 24th but tonight all the boy cousins were together at dinner to give a "wave out" to cousin Lucy, the only female in this cousins' camp.

So to our sweet Lucy in Brooklyn these "waves" are for you!!! 

We miss you and will see you in Texas at Thanksgiving! 

Love from Nathan, Noah, Caleb, John Parker, Andrew and Owen.

A "GRANDS" Day

Pancakes! Pancakes!, from the childhood library of Buddy Liles, according to the bookplate, had been read to 4 or the 6 "grands" last night to prepare them for their "squiggle pancake" morning---a fun way to start a day with kids---at least our kids liked it when they were young.

Andrew finishes flipping his "A" pancake!

Breakfast was followed by John Parker's baseball game, followed by a quick lunch and a drive into Dallas.
Fourth grader Caleb,  joined his football team, the "Texans" to play in the SMU "mustangs" stadium. What a "big league" setting for those youngsters.

3 hits for John Parker!

Caleb---#13 on the 50yrd. line bottom right

Traffic slowed the return trip home.....but we made it for the 6-8 pm "Neighborhood Night Out" with food trucks, games and a fishing rodeo. Whe-e-e-e!!

 YUM Sliders! Worth waiting in line for---so were the beignets at a different truck.

No winners from our family but that didn't dampen the spirit.

A beautiful ending to a tiring, glorious day.

Proverbs 17:6  “Children’s children are a crown to the aged,..." is a true proverb, but how grateful we were for our "adult children" who drove us around today.

ANSWERED PRAYER!

What a privilege to be a part of God's answer to an 8 yr. old's fervent, consistent prayers. Prayers that "time would fly by" so that he could see his Texas cousins. Thanksgiving plans have been made since August but that's a l-o-n-g time away for a youngster.

Sitting in my prayer chair Saturday morning, I could hear rumblings from upstairs where daughter, her hubby & 2nd grade son, Owen, are residing until their "new" to them house is ready for their family to occupy. 

"Mommy," said Owen. " I was just thanking God that "time is flying by" for me to get to see my cousins" at Thanksgiving. (1 Thessalonians  5:18)

Then he paused and I had to struggle to hear over water running. 

Owen continued, "I have an idea. If you pray with me then "time will fly by" twice as fast.

Unbeknownst to Owen, a Fall Break trip to Texas has been planned for us for weeks, and Owen is going to go too! We will pick him up from school today and "announce" our travel plans! His mom is so excited to see his reaction that she will be there as well to "video" his reaction. Of course she will. She's a photographer who is all about "family moments" and she so-o-o wants to capture this one.

Photo of Owen as he heads to Texas, after the big reveal with help from cousin Noah's phone call. 

I'm so happy I feel like I could "explode hearts all over the place."

How precious for me to eavesdrop on his precious prayer----knowing God had answered it months ago. What a privilege to be a part of an answered prayer.

Preceding Phrases take Precedence

Word order is important,  especially in Scripture. 

In my recent Fervent blog entry, I typed from memory Romans 12:12. I know that verse. I use it often in prayer for others. So........why did I transpose the phrases???

Was I so emotionally caught up in the affliction of my friend that my emotions superseded understanding! Feelings can so easily do that to me----often robbing me of my joy.

Yesterday morning I "saw" it.

"Joyful in hope" precedes patient in affliction. Hope MUST have it's rightful place in order for true patience to be available. In the Pauline epistles, the apostle Paul often writes "Grace and Peace to you from God our Father (Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, Colossians 1:2) Grace precedes peace.
Grace always comes first! It has........to because without God's grace there is no true peace.

Preceding Phrases take Precedence----priority in importance or order.

Order for a reason---clarity from the Lord about what comes first!

Warmth Provided

Nothing like a cuppa PG Tipps, in a Sedona mug, no less, and Jan Karon's latest book to knock the chill off a cool October morn. A glorious morn. 
With book in hand, it was like going home to "heartwarming" Mitford with Father Tim & Cynthia and Dooley& Lacey all there----that was just on the first 65 pages. And a new name has me wondering, "who is Jack Tyler?"

Just opening Come Rain or Come Shine had a Ray Charles tune playing in my head.

"I'm gonna love you like nobody's loved you, come rain or come shine" used to blare forth from the HiFi at 2211 So. Virginia St.

It also had me remembering Mama Davenport throwing her little head back and having her short frame stand tall as she said, "We will get these flowers picked TODAY for Mrs. ? (a sick neighbor) come rain or come shine.

In other areas of life, that "come rain or come shine" idiom seems to speak to folks needing a little "secure" encouragement. 

No matter the weather, rain or shine---in any of life's situations, I'm there for you. 

".....for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Those words provide warmth for the hearer. 

Grace for the Cure

This morning's paper was pin! I love it when the world recognizes the need for a cure for cancer, especially breast cancer.

Race for the Cure is what man is doing to meet the financial needs for research in that endeavor.

As I read the ad, the script R, glanced in part, looked like a G to me. 

Grace for the Cure---what an eyeopener.

While man "races" for the cure, God provides grace for the journey.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness...."

 (2 Corinthians 12:9)

God's grace and power---so needed to those walking and even stumbling in this hard place today, while waiting for their own "cure" protocol.