TRUE REST!

Ever sense you need this reminder within daily eyesight!

More than permission for a Saturday nap !?

All "busy-ness" and no Sabbath rest makes this blogger wiped-out, irritable, discouraged. Take your pick! Even all three!

Look to Him! Accept His gift. Do the math! Even if you're not very got at it....your body can tell you when to slow down your moronic pace

. 

So....today I took a Saturday nap. The Lord was good to me and gave rest to my soul as well as my body. (Psalm 116:7)

The One who is my rest replenished my strength allowing me to spend time with Him.

True REST from the One who is REST!

"C" WORDS!

As Scotty Smith, founding and Pastor Emeritus of Christ Community Church in Franklin, Tn shared "C" Words today, my mind went into overdrive. 

Jesus, when there's more hours left in our day than kindness in our hearts, help us. Breathe your calm, care and compassion into us, and through us.

Great "C" Words for me to focus on this Friday. Calm, care, and compassion certainly trump comparison, complaint and criticism any day.

May joyful "C" Words enter your day as you "cast all our cares on Christ---the ultimate "C" in a believer's life!

*Thx Doris for sharing!

THURSDAY THOUGHTS!

How does one know the true prize in living? Money? Career? Family? Health?

What about our eternal prize?

Jesus is the true prize! Keep your eyes on Him!

Where does one find Him?

In God's Word.

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, 

you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

(1 Peter 1:4)

An unfading "Crown of Glory"....the real, true, eternal prize! 

Let's all keep all our eyes on that prize!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY 2024!

Happy Mother's Day to Many;

The BEST Mother in TEXAS, DDL,

 The BEST Mother in NEW YORK, MBL,

The BEST Mother in NORTH CAROLINA, MLK.

How do I chose from so many one might ask?

The answer is simple......they love and care for my grands!

SATURDAY SURPRISES!

Coming "sorta soon."

JOURNEY OF LIFE!

FRIDAY. MAY 10, 2024---momentous day for our oldest grand & soon to come, a kindergarten “participation” diploma for our youngest grandson!

Whether shaking hands and whooping or smiling in delight, may both choose joy in the next steps of their journey as both continue in academics!

THANKFUL THURSDAY!

H.A.S,

W WORDS FOR WEDNESDAY!

My latest knee malady is preventing me from a sorely needed "worship walk."

"But God" in His love and mercy reminded me, through the word rambling of a 5 year-old's alternative,

 "Hush your trout." I got it. Do you? 

He was trying to tell his dog to be still and be quiet. 

For me, the phrase "holy-hush" came to mind. 

Taking that phrase and putting it into practice---quiet & alone in my prayer chair with Bible open and "W" words leading me to truth.

BUT GOD.................

BUT GOD--a phrase that stays,--- in my mind that is!*

A prepositional phrase that speaks to my heart time and time again. "45 times" in the Bible according to Desiring God. 

At yesterday's UM Commencement I was enthralled by the mortarboard designs! Such variations! Guess which one caught my attention!

 

"But God Moments" follow a time of despair or crisis, signifying a pivotal change brought about by divine intervention. They reveal God's ultimate authority and transformative power in seemingly hopeless situations. "BUT GOD" moments signify God's mercy, deliverance and strength in adversity. (Dr. Chris Caster, Christ Church)

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26)

I'm "being still" but you, dear reader, may shout, "AMEN!"

*It was also a fave phrase of church friend, Martha R.

SCATTERED!

May I set my mind---center my scattered mind.

It's the first thought I had this morning looking out the window as I headed to my prayer chair. All week, I have watched the pile of scatterings increase both in the yard and in my distracted mine.

"Why the impact of scattered petals?" one might ask. These heritage snowball bushes were from the family home of my most influential spiritual mentor, Mama Davenport, Margaret Louise Hooper of Hampton Station, Ky.

The force that drives and scatters my mind in many directions is NOT the force Mama Davenport taught me. She taught me to trust the "force" of Christ in my heart. She knew that as I matured there would still be times when I would be "prone to wander" & need to "bind my wandering heart to Thee" as my old favorite hymn said. ("Come Thou Fount")

Today I chose to follow through...........

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it

Prone to leave the God I love

Here's my heart, oh take and seal it

Seal it for Thy courts above.

....set my heart, aong with my mind & my voice, on things above. AMEN!

Center & settle me again today O Lord,----in honor of my grandmother and to the glory of your son, so that our sweet Jesus, the only true force, may once again spring forth!

FRIDAY FODDER!

God's grace is always present!

I have "seen" it recently. 

Even in the doldrums this past week, the Lord has provided "pick-me-ups."

A perk of pansies and a kind thank-you......

......Plus, "Ss of God's Grace" reminders from Pastor Scotty Smith.

• Saving Grace--united me with Christ.
• Sustaining Grace--supplies my needs.
• Sufficient Grace--for my sluggish slump.
• Sane-ing Grace--to renew my mind and keep it sane again & again.
• Sweetening Grace--in abundance.

From His fulness we have all received grace upon grace. (John 1:16) 

THANKFUL THURSDAY!

THANKFUL THURSDAY !

Let the morning bring me word 

of your unfailing love, 

for I have put my trust in you. 

Show me the way I should go 

for to you I entrust my life. (Psalm 143:8)

Enough said!

FLOURISHING NOT FLOUNDERING!

God's Word says the righteous flourish like a palm tree....and continue to bear fruit in old age. (Psalm 92:12-14) 

Flourishing has not been front and center in my vocabulary recently. So convicting when the Psalm speaks of the righteous as full of sap and green and I have little.

 

I am anything but full of sap and green......Apathetic. Blah.Fatigued. HoHum. Lethargic. Useless.

 

Think ENNU!! 

I need to "snap-out-of-it."

My" response has been to "try" and get moving.

But God, in His word says," He gives power to the faint and strength to the weary!" (Isaiah 48:29)

And so.....I wait trying not to feel guilty.  

At least I'm in my prayer chair."

Lord, allow my heart to be still and trust you more this Wednesday!

FLOUNDERING FORTITUDE!

STRENGTH diminishing! Why? What's the Source.....other than age or too much "me"?

Is it discouragement? Disappointment? Depression? Disease? Irritable-heart 

syndrome? 

Acceptance is the key.

This morning, the mirror on my chest clearly reminded me. "In my Face!"

Then, Scotty Smith's words for today re-emphasized the truth God already had  for me.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Two “I Am’s” + Three “I Will’s” = Deep Peace

GOSPEL LENS!

Physically, I seem to be getting weaker. Thus, service to others seems more difficult at times. Even my practice of prayer has too easily become self-centered, i.e. "Help, I need strength." 

Pastor Emeritus, Scotty Smith, reminds us to daily  "Pray the Scriptures."

Nothing has been of greater importance to my growth in grace than learning to pray the Scriptures while wearing the lens of the gospel. 

As Martin Luther said, we need the gospel every day because we forget the gospel every day.

Is heartfelt-engagement possible with a tired body? Even my eyes aren't what they once word after new glasses. I need clarity along with strength.

I need to begin each day with an open Bible read through gospel-lens. (James 5:16c)

BREAD AND WATER DIET

In the past, a prisoner's diet often included a "bread and water diet" as  a physical disciplinary measure. Result was often malnourishment.

In Scripture, Christ is described in bread and water terms. With Him we will never be malnourished. "Bread of Life" & "Living Water." Not to discipline but to encourage. Truth which believers can depend on ....a spiritual gift from above, received in our innermost being. A spiritual nourishment of daily bread and living water which which one must seek daily.

A spiritual diet of sorts to be passed along i.e. shared with others! 

Think of an artesian well spilling over.

Today may we allow the flow of the Spirit deep in our hearts, to bubble up & gush forth to others to comfort and encourage them. 

*in web view of this entry, click on living water label to see other entries.

SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD!

GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY *is His authority and control. His control means that everything happens according to His plan and purposes. 

Our triune God's sovereign control is the loving and gracious oversight of the king of creation and redemption. Many see it as a pathway to peace, especially in the midst of grief and life-threatening struggles.

I appreciate Soup Campbell's succinct sharing with a local pastor recovering in ICU as the sole survivor of an airplane crash on a trip which he had planned.

"He is or He ain't!" (Soup Campbell)

The pastor, overcome with sadness and guilt, weeps!

Soup repeats. "He is or He ain't!"

It's not the end of the story but the "pathway to peace" began!

*https://www.crossway.org/articles/series/key-bible-verses/

FELLOWSHIP-LACED FRIENDSHIP!

Fellowship + friendship = perfect duo!

The longer it goes, the better it gets.....especially when you can still make each other laugh during the hard times.

On our most recent visit, I shared some verses I recently prayed for someone dear. She got her Bible and asked me to read them to her. It became a "reminder moment" of the ease of getting to the Psalms by opening the Bible to the middle.

Voilà! She did it.

She then found Psalm 71.

Next, she took my picture as I read her Bible....

saying she wanted to remember me reading to her. 

What a moment! 

A grace-laced moment I'll never forget! 

CHOICES!

The Christian life is all about choices.

Daily one faces choosing how to face the day.

I once read that many folks try to dull  the pain of all the "what if " and "if only" worries of life in unhealthy ways.

Retail therapy is about as helpful as a sugar rush.

AT our house, hubby grabs his COSTCO card and I grab a handful of jelly beans.

What we both need to grab is our faith.

Choose this day whom you will serve;...as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24;15)

A faith that loves God and serves others for his glory.

That's why this gift has hung above an outside door since the seventies.....

a daily reminder to make the right choice!

HOPE /LOVE/FAITH

TRIAD OF VIRTUES IN ST. AUGUSTINE'S WORDS

Love gives us hope that one day we will see face to face the One who is love.

FAITH, HOPE, & LOVE ARE INTERTWINED!

It's His love we rely on. It's the core of our faith! (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Paul instructed his followers to be defined by love (John 13:34-35). 

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

God is love. In Him we put our faith and receive hope.

MONDAY = PRAYERS FOR REVIVAL

Revival begins in the prayer room.

Prayer is a transformative divine privilege of the saints!  (Pace McKee)

Revival is truly when God's people return to God and humble themselves and pray allowing others to see Jesus in daily life.....yours. (2 Chronicles 7:14) May the Lord continue to revive saints again and again! (Psalm 71:20)

This week may others see Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27) ... in the family of Christ at First Evan and throughout the world!

SATURDAY SAMPLER!

Smoky taste. Sweet taste. Literary taste. Artsy taste. Spiritual taste. 

SMOKY 

SWEET

LITERARY 

ARTSY

Spiritual

Oh taste and see that the Lord is good! (Psalm 34:8)

REFLECTIONS!

REFLECTIONS............

Poolside ponderings.....

• As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person. (Proverbs 27:19)
• There is no I in team!
• God has my heart and I have His.
• Gratitude turns what we have into enough. We lose the need to want more or different. (Taylor Park)
• Prayer is a reflection of our dependence on God. (Rad Andrews)

FROM.......

WONDER OF EACH HOUR!

For the wonder of each hour, of the day and of the night, Hill and vale and tree and flowers, and moon and stars of light,

Refrain: Christ our Lord, to you we raise this, our hymn of grateful praise.

Remember the wonder of the words of Scripture....."The earth is the Lord's and the fulness there of, the world and those who dwell therein." (Psalm 24:1)

RED FLAG DAYS!

All of us seem to have Red Flag Days in our lives!....often without warning!

At least, at some beaches warnings are given so prep is a possibility.

This morning ours were strong currents and rip tides. The wind warnings were listed on weather bulletins. Those were experienced immediately as one walked into a recalcitrant wind tunnel. Turbulence in the weather category! Think stormy hat dislodging, uncontrolable blast.

Sometimes life comes at us fast and furious and totally out of our control

How grateful believers are to know the One who is in control---our sovereign God.

God who can still the storms.(Mark 4:39)

 Even when the tumultuous times continue, approaching a 2 red flag day, one can lean into Him and His guidance as He supports the faithful in their struggles as they seek the things above with Him. (Colossians 3:2)

GOD'S HANDIWORK!

SOLAR ECLIPSE APRIL 8, 2024.

All across America,.....

 ......from young to old, from beginning to end.......

....enjoyed God's handiwork!

SANCTURY BY THE SEA!

For the beauty of the earth, for the glories of the skies for the love which from our birth over and around us lies. 

Refrain:Christ our Lord, to you we raise this, our hymn of grateful praise.

SATURDAY SUNSHINE!

What a way to start the day!

Quiet time with the Lord, sun in the blue, blue sky, breeze in the air......

....and time with JLK!

VERBS OF VERACITY = VICTORY!

Verbs of veracity can give victory    

Veracity---a 17th C word that is derived from truth or true..... as the quality of being true.

Many adjectives and nouns are synonymous with truth but are there verbs that are somewhat synonymous with veracity? Scripture in Psalm 119 speaks of soul-clinging, life-giving words.Words of truth that "strengthen." "Choose" the way of faithfulness that leads to truth. "Cling" to God's testimonies. "Speak" of them. "Allow" God to "incline" your heart toward Him; "Enlarge" your heart and let it "lead" you to run the way of His commandments."Dread not."

"Long" for God's precepts in His righteousness.

Trusting the Veracity of God's Word results in a life lived in Christ, for Christ and with Christ.....aka Victory in Jesus!

 Verbs of Veracity = Victory in Jesus