MURMURATIONS MONDAY!

Hubby and I sat by the open window listening to the birds this morning* ---woodpeckers, a tufted tit mouse and Carolina wrens. Yesterday in the Nantahala National Forest we saw signs and info on many birds. 

We also heard what we thought was a ruckus of blue jays.

Together we have been reading Considering Sparrows by Kevin Burrell which offers analogies of timeless truths from our feathered friends to the book of Philippians. 

Chapter 5 dealt with murmuration of starlings. What a unified group!(Burrell. p.46-47, 50-51) Burrell compares the importance of their collective consciousness to that of the body of Christ. 

Believers whose hearts are bound in Christian love!

"Blest be the tie that binds" (John Fawcett)......birds or believers....all a part of God's creation.

"The flock of God is a murmuration, dancing in the sky like grace." (Burrell. p.56)

*listening to the birds between the cacophony of Great Smoky Mountain Railroad clacking on the tracks or blaring horns down ridge from us.

TUESDAY TRIADS!

Few pastors are as succinct as Scotty Smith! He says the most with the fewest words!

Think crisp with clarity!

A BIG thanks to Doris, one of his faithful followers, and Quad Squad member for sharing a recent Scotty NT Gospel Triad with me.

1. Who are believers? "Called, loved and kept" (Jude 1:1)
2. What are believers given? "Grace, mercy, and peace" (2 John 1:3)
3. What will last in a believers life? "Faith, hope, and love" (1 Corinthians 13:13)

How do I know this triad was for me? 

I needed it after a week's worth of being "off the grid" to focus on & care for Hubby after his serious reverse shoulder replacement surgery. 

He needs it as well. Think "right-hander" living with only left hand usage and pain.

For us, tonight's Allen Bible Church selection from the  ABC 2026 Reading Plan is 1 Corinthians 13 (A favorite Scripture of his)

Romans 12:12, a fave Bible verse for me from dear friend Dixie, is on my side of the bed to see as I get up to aid Hubby during the middle of the night! Controls to access his recliner are on the right side and unable to be reached by his left hand. One more affliction he faces. Grateful so many friends are faithful in prayer for us as Hubby heals. 

 

These triads are God's truth for all believers.

Today I see them as "God winks" for me, a needy believer who is so-so grateful!

MORE BELL RINGING!

MIND AWAKENING---LOUDER than an alarm clock!

* "Bell Ringer" turns 95 tomorrow....November 4, 2025

Thoughts from others still reverberate in my mind!

My own personal bell ringers.

Allow your mouth to be a "NO WHINE" zone. (K-Love Radio, 2010)

Don't tell God you have a Big Problem, tell your Problem you have a Big God. (ESV Bible, Marginalia)

Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil... it has no point. (Dotsy Details, 9/27/2023)

G OD

R EACHING

A CROSS

C IRCUMSTANCES

E NABLING            (Nancy Binkley's SS teacher)

REVIVAL is God's arrival! (FEC Monday's Prayer for Revival Warriors) 

C oncentrate 

O n

G od   A "look unto" cog/phrase in life! (DAL. ESV Bible marginalia, p. 780)

C onfess

O nly

G od      One's most important cog in life! (DAL. ESV Bible marginalia, p. 780)  

Look to me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:22, NKJV)

Keep ringing those bells for me, God's people!

ACCESS BY GRACE

Grace, Grace --God's Grace!

God's grace costs us nothing! It cost our Savior everything!

A glorious gift of His life on our behalf. 

Unearned and undeserved. Wrapped in His blood.

A gift with access, not only to the righteousness of Jesus, but "access to the unlimited power of the Holy Spirit" as well. (Stacy Tyson, The Best Times, March 2025, p.8)

Other descriptors for God's grace gift are free, through faith, favor, lavished, poured out, precious, redemptive, riches, 

Grace, Grace--Glorious Grace with access in abundance!

EMBRACE GRACE!

EMBRACE

GRACE

IN THIS 

PLACE

TODAY!

JOURNEYING ON!

God is with us. His Presence within envelops us and gives us rest.

"I need Thee, O I need Thee! Every hour, I need Thee, Bless me now my Savior,"

Today, I once again feel the impotence of my strength and self-serving planning. 

v.3    I need Thee ev-‘ry hour in joy or pain; Come quickly and abide or life is vain

Fellowship with God is needed.....not the pathetic pretentiousness of my pitiful pride. Why the hollow emptiness, compounded by fear? My soul is impoverished without Him! I needed His grip of grace.

"I need Thee, O I need Thee." Enough said.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.....almost!

Hoping I make it to 2024--- if I do, I'll probably start with this...

My One Word:Hope

Hope in God is sure Hope! A sure hope! (New Morning Mercies, August 1)

One who is glorious in grace and abounding in love.

Already considering my G.I.G. for 2024!

Grow

In

Grace

Make my GIG visible for your glory!!!

That's my GIG; what's yours?

SALVATION: A SATURDAY SHORT!

A Saturday Short that is long in meaning.......

Salvation is from the LORD. His work. His grace. His gift for His glory.

Accordino to Scotty Smith, Ephesians 2:8, is a glorious reminder for we who suffer with Gospel-amnesia, grace allergies, freedom dementia, and chronic unbelief. 

A salvation heads-up!

SOVEREIGNTY!

How did you start your day today?

If you started with a cuppa self-sovereign-TEA, I hope you spit it out!

Paul David Tripp's New Morning Mercies ON Wednesday (3/22) reminded me that too often our behavior can replicate that of our toddlers. Me first. Mine. 

We can be our own worst enemy. We need to be rescued from ourselves!

More of Thee ........less of me!

We need to appropriate more of God's grace.

• Grace gives us hope.
• Grace decimates our delusions of self-sufficiency.
• Grace works on our behalf.
• Grace helps us submit to the true Sovereign God of all grace. (1 Peter 5:10)

Grace rescues us from us.(Tripp, New Morning Mercies, 3/22)

3 Rs OF OUR HEARRRT!

Renewed. Revived. Refreshed.

Great inner man descriptors both physical and or spiritual.

Even as one ages Lord, allow us to daily depend on you for strength, grace and courage to endure until we meet you face to face as Betsy so beautifully writes!

Renew. Revive. Refresh............our hearts until the end. 

AGOG....AGAIN!

Agog--is defined as very curious or eager to hear or see something---or maybe for others to see something in you!

This coming week I desire to see A Grip Of Grace in my life, not just day-by-day but moment-by-moment.

I want others to see God's grace in my life so clearly that it grips them---they too become joyful expectant for such a grip in their lives.

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

(2 Corinthians 9:8)

God is able in all things at all times to bless us! 

We all need to stand AGOG as we "glimpse" &  "grip" this grace-filled" truth!

MORE GRACE AND MERCY!

Thanks to Allen Bible Church for the reminder during this time of need for so many, me included!

GRACE & MERCY!

Grace and mercy. Two road signs I choose to follow! How about you?

God's grace through Jesus is greater than all our sins! His mercies are new every morning! I know because I prayed thru the characteristics of God this morning as I exercised.

Anyway you say it, with whichever term you use, mercy and grace are both attributes of love. God's love! 

I want to stay on their paths, especially when those street signs are so obviously needed in my life.

For my "Wednesday Wordsmiths"............

Recently, I read that mercy and grace are 2 sides of the same coin!

Mercy withholds (intentional or unintentional) deserved punishment; grace endows unmerited favor. Greek word for mercy is eleos (pity and compassion); the Greek word for grace is charis (favor)

Mercy is compassionate love to the weak, and grace is generous love to the

unworthy. Humans are weak and unworthy - we all need God's mercy and grace. Mercy takes us to the path of forgiveness while grace leads us to reconcilliation.

(https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/what-is-the-difference-between-grace-and-mercy.html)

SERENE SABBATH

Grace and Peace. Blessings from God’s hand. 

From Thessalonica, Philippi and Corinth of old to those in present - day Memphis, it’s available. 

So grateful to be a benefactor during this latest struggle 

“My” Molly’s pre-surgery (8/31/2020) pillow says it all for believers whose anxious thoughts multiply that within them.......

give it to God and go to sleep

.....allowing God’s Grace and Peace to envelop them

WHO'S GOT YOUR BACK

When hubby spoke at his dear friend Charlie Mazzone's funeral yesterday, he commented that Charlie always told him, "I've got your back." Everyone knew those words came out of their deep, trusting friendship which spanned 40 + years. They both knew they had each others back because they knew each other so well.

I thought about that today as the tree climbers in the tall tree in the backyard had me fearful. I was so tense when I watched the climber going higher and higher and higher. I was more fearful than he. He "knew" who was holding his rope and trusted him. Implicit trust. A trust based on confidence in the one whom he knows.

Christians have faith in the One whom they know. The One who always has their back. An assurance that grows the more we spend time with the Lord in His word and get to know Him better.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace,  that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)...

...and give thanks to the One who has our back, especially during times of struggle.

CHOOSE: A REREAD FOR REMINISCING

Folks who know me well, know that I rarely reread a book. I'm more of the "So many Books, So Little Time," philosophy. However, since college days I have read Anne Morrow Lindberg's book, Gift From the Sea multiple times.

This past week I dug it out for another reread, partly because July 6 was the birthday of my dear, dear, friend, college chum and sorority sister, Maureen Kinney. 7/6/1946-1/29/2005. She gave me the book in 1968, almost 50 years ago.

"The shape of one's life is determined by many things, but I want first of all to be at peace with myself.
I want...to "live in grace" as much ...as possible....an inner harmony, essentially spiritual." (p.23)
"I would like to achieve a state of inner spiritual grace from which I could function and give as I was meant to in the eye of God." (p. 24) 

Lindberg goes on to expound on the simplification of life, away from a whole caravan of complications." (p.25) As she wrote of daily demands and balancing acts, her words rang true for me. This is not the life of simplicity* but  rather it is the life of multiplicity which the wise men warn us of.....leading us to fragmentation, which does not bring grace but destroys the soul. (p.26-27) Since Lindberg avers that distraction is inherent in a woman's life, (p.28) this condition runs counter to a creative or contemplative life. She decries the dilemma of "remaining whole in the midst of the distractions of life but continues to seek a balance between solitude and communion and between retreat and return."

All of that wisdom in just the first chapter along with an endearing inscription which reads, One of my favorite books, for one of my "most" favorite people. Love, Maureen.   What a treasure!

BTW, personally, I found that 2 Corinthians 11:3, helps me sip from a cuppa simplici-TEA as I reread this book. The verse helps me not be beguiled by the subtleties of the world so that nothing will lead me astray from the simplicity and devotion to Christ.

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.

"Fideli-TEA" in Worship

Thou shalt have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3, KJV)

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me" is the first of the 10 commandments---with good reason. All the other commandments are predicated on this one's call to fideli-TEA. Without this one, there's no "standard" for the others. It is the starting point because relationship with the LORD God is where true faith starts.

These commandments from Mount Sinai, accompanied by smoke, earthquakes and the blast of a trumpet emphasized the importance of the words of the law from God which Moses recorded in Exodus 20. Important enough to remember.

1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make idols.
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet.

Though under the law of grace, one still needs to heed God's Word and be faithful to Him. 

Brewing a cuppa fideli-TEA today to sip as I savor words from my faithful Heavenly Father, who commands that I have no other gods before me. For good reason---

Waiting on God

11/30/13  

How does one die gracefully? If I’ve learned anything these last 2 1/2 weeks, I've learned that one who lives a grace-filled life, is able to approach death in the same manner.

Sweet friend, Claudia, had been “terminal” for over two years while defying all the medical odds and passing two life-expectancy time-lines. But, since November 13, many of us watched her live a graceful life within her most recent given time-line----two weeks to two months. 

A life full of grace. A life full of blessings to others. A life full of encouragement. A prayerful life. A thankful life.

Her heart and her mind full of grace and gratitude---living spiritually to the fullest while waiting for God.

Her wait may be over.....but not the impact of her life. 

11/20/13 Photo courtesy of Ellen of Jones Clinic

"Grace, Grace, God's Grace"

5/31/09 GRACE THOTS

• Grace precedes peace in scriptures.

• Resistance to accepting God’s grace is pride.

• Not much grace evident if we don’t let go, and instead keep trying to control.

• If more “doing” than “being” in our faith walk, we could be missing grace.

• Self-sufficiency can detour/sidetrack us from the benefits of grace.

• Pain avoidance can slam the door on grace---blocking God’s provision.

• His grace in the midst of pain and suffering can allow us to discover more of Him---result = life with meaning and purpose---it’s a deep level of intimacy.

• By God’s grace, potential problems can be avenues for blessings and the result = growth.

• His grace empowers my weaknesses. It is amazing!

“My grace is sufficient for you, My power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Today’s entry in My Utmost for His Highest said, “ Put God first in trust. If I trust in human beings first, I will end in despairing of everyone, I will become bitter because I have insisted on man being what no man can ever be----(perfect) Never trust anything but the grace of God in yourself or in anyone else.

BTW, tomorrow’s Monday. Find a grace verse and meditate on it. Let me know what you find---and learn.

Grace and peace to each of you. I will probably be off-line for next 10 days due to both planned and possibly unplanned events---will write when I can, but posting could be difficult.