HOPE REMAINS!

Hope hovers. Hope floats. Hope remains.

 

Hope hovers over my good days.

Hope floats around in my thinking even on my bad days.

Hope remains steadfast and sure when I remember "whose" I am.

A living hope has life in it and therefore can give life to us. Because it has life, it grows and becomes greater and more beautiful as time goes on. Time destroys most hopes; they fade and then die. But the passing of time only makes a Christian's hope that much more glorious. (Warren Wiersbe)

Teaching yesterday on Anchored in Spirit-Filled Living, from 1 Peter 4:1-3, my hope was renewed in Him, my anchor. The only anchor that holds.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.             (Hebrews 6:19)

Praises for an enduring hope!

WORDSMITH WEDNESDAY

Wordsmith's find joy in words. Some words are stored in their memory banks. Some catapult the mind to another time and place. Catapult is such a word for me.

Catapult can be a "fun" word for mouth exercises. I know because I had to exercise my mouth after my cancer surgeries. Catapult: A word to retrain me to pucker and blow. 

Catapult can be a spiritual ACTION---as when God's word "jumps or springs" into my mind at just the right moment.

The Holy Spirit will give you the words to say, the moment that you need them. (Luke 12:12)

My knowledge of physics is very limited. But spiritually as I examine this catapult, I see the spring as the Holy Spirit who releases the payload. The payload is the transmitted data from God's word to my mind---a message intended for me during my hour of need. Spiritual warfare showcases one's need for God's truth.

As Robert Morgan states, when his heart is downcast, "Even the most familiar passage of Scripture can take on new life as we read them day by day. Sometimes a verse or word will leap off the page as if catapulted by the Holy Spirit."

Today may God's prefect words "catapult" into your mind for your edification on this Wordsmith Wednesday.

READING IS FUNDAMENTAL!

GREAT AMERICAN READ TONIGHT ON PBS/WKNO----7PM CST!!! 

Reading is so-o-o important---but for me, it's also important what I read!

More later---after the broadcast. 

MONDAY's MURKY MUSINGS

Murky musings result as another sleepless night made my Monday's musings and meditation a little foggy. I'm sure that the Lord must have life lessons for me during these l-o-n-g nights but I spend so much time trying to sleep, I think I'm missing them..

Insomniacs unite---or at least share remedies for those who panic at the very thought of how little sleep they are getting.

I've tried many---trying to leave drug remedies on the shelf where they belong.

No digital 2 hours prior to bedtime. Same time every night. Be alert to your "window" of sleepy signs. Keep bed room cool. White noise. No noise. Back rubs from hubby. Relaxing breathing---deeply through the nose, hold & then exhale slowly to count of 7. Listen to the semi-boring book for the umpteenth time. Recite scripture. (Psalm 3:4-5, Psalm 4:8, Psalm 121:1-4, Proverbs 3:24, Matthew 6:34, Matthew 1:28-29, Philippians 4:6-7) Honestly, I love God's word & it excites me more than it calms me.

Recently I resorted to a "treat". insomnia cookies! It might be a little out of the box but warm cookies are "delivered" until 3 AM daily. Desperation ruled. My "moral failure & fear calculation" time is usually between 2 AM & 4 AM so those warm cookies would be timely.

I know God gives to His beloved, even as she sleeps. (Psalm 127:2) 

I just wish He would give her sleep. 

To be honest, the warm cookies & milk didn't work on my head---but at least my tummy felt better!

GOD'S BEAUTIFUL WORLD

The earth is the Lord and the fullness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein. (Psalm 24:1)

This past summer, Hubby and I experienced such fulness as we trekked from Long Island to Maine, in and out of coastal towns through park paths and hidden walkways.

We experienced nature as God's beautiful creation---through which, He was able to teach us, speak to us and provide for us.

1. For the beauty of the earth,
   For the beauty of the skies,
   For the love which from our birth
   Over and around us lies,
2. (Chorus)
   Lord of all, to thee we raise
   This our hymn of grateful praise.
3. 2. For the beauty of each hour
   Of the day and of the night,
   Hill and vale, and tree and flow'r,
   Sun and moon, and stars of light
4. Chorus)
   Lord of all, to thee we raise
   This our hymn of grateful praise.

A-men and A-men! 

Today I saw it again---in the ordinary aftermath of a fall rain. Right on my doorstep. Raindrops from Him on a single pumpkin created for such a season as this.

God's creation is beautiful no matter the location.

EXPERIENCE THE GLORY! : INTERNATIONALLY

I love Ukraine! I love Ukrainians! I pray for Ukraine. Anyone who knows me, knows that.
Therefore, the chance to meet more Ukrainians was a no-brainer for me. But....to be so thoroughly entertained by their music was a BIG blessing for me.
America the Beautiful started the performance and it was a glorious rendition! "This Little Light of Mine" and it's familiar tune was a delight to hear in their language as was the praise chorus, "Bless the Lord,  Oh My Soul."
They shared fun, frolicking folk songs so easily understood even though we (at least I) didn't know the language.

Two pieces shared were composted by members of the group. An instrumental by the pianist's daughter and a hymn of prayer by one of the female vocalists. (to left in picture)

This group could sing the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's "Messiah" in three languages. English. Russian. Ukrainian. GLORY!

As my heart was moved by the music, my soul was moved by the ministry of this group who go into war-torn areas in their own country and take food, medical supplies, music and the gospel message to widows, orphans and families of veterans. (James 1:27)

Acts. 6:4 was cited by the director, Wes Janzen, who clearly stated that all of their ministry is pre-ceded by prayer.  A great reminder to me---an answered prayer as I have been trying to discern the ministry the Lord would have me to do as I've felt so scattered and overwhelmed lately.

"but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word."

Prayer comes first! GLORY!!!
The entire night was glorious and I was blessed!

OUTSIDE ART---AVAILABLE IN NEIGHBORHOODS

12 Memphis neighborhoods are "showing" 21 different installations of characters "plucked" from our own Memphis Brooks Museum of Art collections by French artist, Julien de Casabianca.

Art scattered all over Memphis--from Orange Mound & The Edge Medical District to Cooper Young, Overton Square and Beyond! What fun! 

Here are five of my favorites of the 13 I saw before the rain came. 

"Slaying of Medusa" (LucaGiordano)  3177 Summer Ave.-on west side of the building

"Reading by the Brook" (Winslow Homer) 959 S. Cooper on east side wall of Cafe Ole

"Windy Corner in Vera Cruz" (Carroll Cloar) 2571 Broad Avenue on west side wall

 "Historic Encounter Between EH Crump & WC Handy on Beale Street" (Carroll Cloar)

1709 Lamar at Gloco Iron

"Gladys" (Abbott H. Thayer) 600 S Perkins on front wall facing west toward Theater Memphis 

"Neighboring" has been on my church's radar lately and I so agree with that truth! 

God has made from one blood, every nation of men to dwell on the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, (Acts 17:28)

God has placed me in Shelby County---the boundary of my dwellings for 50+ years has been Memphis.  

I want to be positive about the city where he has placed me. Venturing "out and about" neighbor hoods in my own town has been a blessing for me as I have met others on these "ventures." From the lady in Cooper-Young, with whom I shared my info (when she saw me taking my favorite picture of the girl reading by the brook) became a time of gratitude and blessing to the 4 ladies and 1 little girl in the University of Memphis area, as hubby offered to take their picture, we all had a "POSITIVE" experience in the city where the Lord has placed us as we all had a blessed day!

SCATTERED, SMOTHERED, COVERED & _______________!

Sometimes it seems so difficult to live a spirit-filled life in a "Waffle House World."

Waffle House defines its hashbrowns as scattered, smothered and covered.
Lately that describes my life. Scattered. Smothered. Covered.
Scattered thinking is putting it lightly for  my ADD--"Always Distracted Dotsy"!
Smothered with an unrelenting schedule. My calendar is a jumble with crossed out appointments, rescheduled doc visits and interrupted plans, think "shingles". "Tyranny of the urgent" seems to reign while I try so hard to get a handle on it.
Covered in doubts and fears and a lethargy that has a way of zapping my zeal. Yet, I believe. (Mark 9:24)
Sadly, I could add "out of focus or overwhelmed" to my blank. Yet, that's not the desire of my heart.

So....I pray---whether I feel like it or not.

A.W. Tozer quoted Dr. Moody Stuart, who said, "Pray until you pray."

That's my plan for the day---barring no interruptions.

Sa-TEA-sfaction of Answered Prayers

A cuppa served in Tyler's Georgia Tech gift mug was a satisfying way to begin my day! It spoke of kindness and generosity of a young adult, who has been the focus of my Saturday prayers for many years. 

Watching him hug his "Grammy" recently at The Varsity evoked all these memories!

It also stirred my heart to pray for all my Saturday "Kingdom Kids," especially those in college, that they not grab at the "things" the word offers. May they empty themselves today and fill themselves with "all the fulness of God" as they grasp the deep love of Christ, which is the only true and lasting satisfaction! (Ephesians 3:14-19)

Memories from a mug of sa-TEA-sfaction and God's Word satisfied me this morning with a reminder of "God's steadfast love." (Psalm 90:14) 

BROTHERLY LOVE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BROTHER BUDDY!

If one's birth order places her in the "middle" it can be a BIG blessing if she is the opposite gender---such was my placement. Born between two brothers who are caring and who carefully continue to follow Mother's final days instruction to "take care of Dotsy," I am doubly blessed. (Proverbs 6:20)

Beloved, let us love one another".......(1 John 4:7)

As my older brother reminded me two years ago, he has always been "beside" me. How right he is. He sent me the proof in the pix below. 

Even as we aged and "little" brother, Bobby, out grew us all at 6'5", there was always room for me in the middle----right between them.

Of all the folks left on this earth, brother Buddy has known me the longest, stood beside me the longest and loved me the longest. How grateful I am! 

On his birthday, I lift birthday prayers of praise and thanksgiving for him in my life----yet I know I'm the one who has received the gift of an "always beside me brother."