F.R.O.G. FOCUS WITH FEELING!

I was going to save this "focus" entry for a Friday but God has me meditating on the these 4 words this morning!

F ully

R ely

O n

G od

Maybe it's because as I've been sharing this declarative statement with others, I realized how much I also need the reminder. "With God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)

Reliance requires Trust!

F.R.O.G. 

Fully rely on God. Full stop. Period. 

Nothing else needed forever.

Hmmmm----

F orever

R ely

O n

G od

Maybe it's an IMPERATIVE! Completely necessary.

Hmmmmm---or exclamatory because it certainly reflects my feelings as I meditate this Monday.

FULLY RELYING ON GOD FOREVER IS CERTAINLY COMPLETELY NECESSARY IN A CHRISTIAN'S LIFE! 

I know it; I can feel it in my heart!

JUMBLED FOCUS!

Is "jumbled focus" an oxymoron? Or am I just the moron? 

Wordsmiths know all about such contradictory terms. 

For this moron, whose brain is in a state of "organized chaos" these days, some oxymorons seem to make sense.

But God, in His mercy and great love, (Ephesians 2:4) patiently reminds me to "keep on keeping on" in the focus realm.

Setting (and resetting as needed) my "mind on things above not on things that are on earth." (Colossians 3:2)

God has been cutting me some slack lately as I have been in such a "fluctuating" state of focus. 

Maybe I, as well, need to "cut myself some slack" in the midst of this  "jumbled focus" time---knowing "in quietness and trust is my strength!"

LOST VOICE!

This morning I awakened with NO voice?

Sometimes in a group I might sense I have "no voice" in certain discussions. 

This new voice omission is not social; it's physical.

Today, long-time friends had "lunch and love" at Beth's. I couldn't even squeak out much that was discernible, so I laughed and  "listened."

 

LISTENING! Understanding dawned! 

Listening was the answer, literally.

Be still....listen to God and others had been a heart prayer of mine recently.

Quietude.

Faith strengthening increases as one seeks to listen the Lord in order to know him better. (Romans 10:17) Evidence of the strengthening in that relationship is seen as one chooses to listen! To God first and then to others.....looking not only to his/her own interest, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:4)

A "lost voice" was the perfect answer to my prayer! A blessing for me!

DANCE IS STILL A CHOICE!

Dance can be a divisive topic. Physically. Socially. Spiritually  

Dance has certainly changed physically and socially through the years. 

Some folks can be dismissive of dance as one ages and choose to sit out.

When people think you're too old to learn new tricks (steps)....take a "tap" class or Zumba Gold and show 'em! ) or not!

What about spiritual? Again, choices vary.

Certain congregation participants refuse to clap or raise hands within their sanctuary, regardless of the music that plays---hymns or praise songs. Others dance in the aisles. Not wrong, just different. 

Dancing is mentioned in the Bible and used in the OT as a means of worship. 

Read a few Bible verses and decide for yourself.

In 2 Samuel 6:14, "David dances before the Lord with all his might," an example of surrender to his Maker

"Let them praise his name with dancing..."(Psalm 149:3)

Psalm 150 includes ways of praising the Lord with trumpet, harp, lyre and dance, along with other instruments.

"...there is a time to dance." (Ecclesiastes 3:4)

Lamentations 5:15 illustrates, joy leaving our hearts when dancing has turned to mourning.

When you get the choice to sit it out or dance....DANCE! 

That would be my choice. What's yours?

 

Dance is still a choice....no answer is right or wrong, just different. 

5 WORDS MEDITATION

"Monday Meditation".........."through love serve one another."*

Only 5 words from Galatians 5:13.

Few words to bring many thoughts.

"Self-indulgent" words" omitted.

How will I/you respond to those words today.

FOND FAREWELLS!

Bye, Bye, Beach!

Bye, Bye, "BIG WATER," as the older cousins first called it!

Whether by jet to NY, truck to NC or SUV to TX---all arrived safe and sound to sleep in their own homes. 

"NIte, I love you." as our family always says!

BIRTHDAYS @ BEACH

Celebrating with a cousin is always more fun!

Gogo is almost 4!!!! Jack just turned 5!!!!!

A headband made by sister, Lucy under Aunt Molly's tutelage!

A headband Yay---water guns.....

...and Donut Chalk!

What a glorious mess!

For Uncle Corey to clean up.

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers. (Proverbs 17:6)

So grateful to "see my children's children!" (Psalm 128:6)

My grandchildren are always in my heart, on my mind and in my prayers!

PLAY BY THE SEA!

PLAY DOUGH, THAT IS!

The single digit year cousins helped make play dough.

Those double digit year cousins ......used "helping the younger ones" as justification to join the "play."

DONUT HOLE

YUM!

What a way to start a Big Water day.

So many Donut Hole locations but we went to the original one. 

Jack took his giraffe which has now become a goat. 

He ordered s donut with sprinkles to eat his way---1 sprinkle at a time with a side of bananas and blueberries. 

When his "BIG PANCAKE" arrive his eye opened

 wide and his excited hands flew up!

Hooray! Hooray!!

Hooray1 Hooray!!    We 're on our way.....our "BIG WATER" vacation begins today!

"The sea is His, for He made it; 

And His hands formed the dry land." (Psalm 95:5, NKJV)

"Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our God our Maker." .(Psalm 95:6, NKJV)

PREPOSITIONS!

Prepositions are very small, common words. We're all familiar with them as they point to or show direction.Think....by, for, to, through, in and of. My 4th grade teacher Mrs. Munday taught us not to end our sentences with a preposition but that rule seems to have vanished these days.

What hasn't changed: Prepositions all have an object. Prepositions precede said object. Objects of prepositions are nouns or pronouns, NEVER a verb. That's the "golden rule" of prepositions.

Yesterday's New Morning Mercies (July 11) was filled with prepositions pointing to the ONE who is always the answer!

For to us a child is born, (Isaiah 9:6)

For from him and through him, and to him were all things. (Romans 11:36)

For by him, all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, (Colossians 1:16)

And he is before all things and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:17)

...by your will (all things) existed and were created. (Revelation 4:11)

BTW, regardless of the preceding preposition....The answer is JESUS! 

D.A.N.C.E.

D.A.N.C.E.

Having a struggle....choose to "D.A.N.C.E.

• D iscover what God's word says about your situation
• A ccept the circumstances as for your good
• N otice God's hand in the midst
• C elebrate your moments
• E xtend lessons learned to others to encourage them

THX Doris for sharing this reminder to dance----It is a choice!

MORNING TO EVENING!

PRAISE THE LORD!

"For the beauty of the earth," hymn says it well in verse 2.

"For the wonder 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;

Lord of all to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise!"

From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same the name of the LORD is to be praised. (Psalm 113:3)

May I begin and end each day with praise!

CELEBRATIONS!

Many days are for celebration....birthdays that end in 0 being one!

Aubrey planned months ago to honor his Gayle, with family, friends, food, fun and lots of stories and laughter. 

Did I mention carrot cake with an icing I could have eaten by the spoonfuls.

"Let's Celebrate and be glad today." as God's Word says in Psalm 118:24, CEV.

  

We did just that! We celebrated with a side of singing served to sweet Gayle, our honoree!

FAMILY TIES!

Family Ties!

What ties a family together? Special memories. Snafus, Nicknames.

Recently, hubby's nickname had me photographing a license plate of a said nickname. The owner of the car hollered from across the parking lot, "WHAT do you think you are doing?"

My response, "Is this your car?"

His, "It most certainly is!"

So....I tried to explain the family tie. His face softened and he gave me carte blanche permission. He could because He owned the company that bore those initials. PHEW!!!

Our Family Tie story!

Caller ID identifies callers on everyone's cell phones. Scam might appear if caller is not in your contacts.

So...we put all our grands in our contacts list. That way when one calls my hubby, he always knows to answer repeating the letters P P INC. Im sure they are smiling on the other end knowing it's PopPop who is answering the call. Following PPINC, he sometimes adds, "How can I help you." The conversation easily leads into laughter /giggles and ways he can help!

I was thankful for the gentleman's response on Thankful Thursday as I shared with grands.

Finest "Family Ties" might not make sense to others! (Psalm 133:1)

WALKABOUT WEDNESDAY!

Nothing quite like 3 generations of a family walking the golf course of Audubon Park together! 

They all love golf! Plus, All three have Lawrence in their name! 

Going for his first par!

It's in!!!

Three great  connections on this Walkabout Wednesday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

How grateful I am to live in a nation whose motto is, "In God we Trust!" Blessed is the nation whose God is Lord. (Psalm 33:12)

How blessed I am today to share it with grandson, Andrew.

FULLNESS IN CHRIST!

IN CHRIST!

How does one receive fullness in Christ?

The answer is through salvation in Christ Jesus.

How do others know that answer is true?

They see it in your life.

When JoLynn changed the page on the desk calendar at church today---I saw the answer!

JOY! In the life of a believer.

The above wrapped up an earlier meditation from a Puritan's prayer, "Fullness in Christ" in Valley of Vision.

"Christ has all fulness"....."to give me fullness" 

"It is my duty, out of a sense of emptiness, to go to Christ, possess, enjoy his fullness as mine, as if I had it in myself, because it is for me in him; that when I do this I am full of the Spirit,"

FULLNESS IN CHRIST!!!!!

How about "going to school of meditation" on that---it is Meditation Monday after all!