WISDOM

Life in the mountains continues to require strength......

often more than I have. When legs are weak, I need to focus on His strength! When the weather is too hot, I need to sit in the cool breeze and be still. Take heart....(Psalm 31:2)! Take heart....(John 16:33)

Allow boundaries to be blessings.

Simple wisdom. 

God's Word = valuable source of wisdom...a treasure trove of inspiration. 

Wise Words to Wise Actions.

Be a Wisdom Walker. 

Share intentionally. 

Maybe Miss Ruth on the Deep Creek trail heard my heart as I heard hers.

FROM A CLINIC BED TO A CHURCH YARD!

An encouraging quote reverberates regardless of its location!

Thanks to the clout of high school chum, Joyce Ann, my God Wink quote from an EKG room, is now on the lawn of a church in Owensboro, KY. 

There is nothing more encouraging than the prayers and actions of friends in the faith......whether in a clinic bed or a church yard! (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

COOKING UP NEW WORDS

There are so many new words that even the Oxford English Dictionary and Webster add new words annually. Lately most of them are concerning our digital age or are words I have never even heard before. Of course, even we elderly know "fake news," selfie (a 2013 word), baby bump and brexit.

Here are a few new ones to me......

blamestorming---the word coinage might be new & very political but it sounds like the blame game siblings play in their early years of "not me."

"ping me"---Not sure of that---does that mean text or just any digital communication whose notification involves a "ping" sound?  I can't distinguish my phone pings from hubby's phone pings.

worstest---that just sounds like bad grammar to me

Friendsgiving---I like the sound of that if one includes inviting international friends or friends w/o family to their Thanksgiving table, but if the focus is more on alcohol with friends (OED) than giving thanks, then count me out.

fitspiration---I'm too old for that word to be in my vocabulary---it describes people or photos of fit folks that are inspiring. At my age, old people who are still sane and mobile inspire me.

word salad---sounds like the way I talk when I'm talking in circles and hubby and others don't have a clue to what I'm saying. 

But God introduced a "new word"  for our family this past week via Pastor Cole, who's really good at word creation! A fitting one as we "wait," with our daughter and her family, for adoption news.

Pop Pop's Hands

Hopetimist----I like the sound of it.
Not just an optimist, or an immature cock-eyed optimist---who thinks that thinking good thoughts alone, or working hard will make all things "perfect," because that's not always true.

HOPEtimist. (emphasis mine) One who is hopeful and on their knees trusting the outcomes to the Lord. (Zephaniah 3:17)

Be strong and take heart all  you who hope in the Lord. (Psalm 31:24)
That's Bible-speak for a hopetimist!

CHOOSE: ACTION

CHOOSE: Action Verbs might have been a better title choice.

Trust is a noun. Trust is also an action verb when one chooses to "trust" God.

Trust God whether you "feel" like it or not. It's an action of the will.

Like choosing to be faithful, choosing to trust, especially in the hard places of suffering is an internal action. It's a first step. A step that starts in the mind.

When one is hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not despairing, not feeling abandoned in the midst of persecution, or  struck down, but still upright and functioning, those folks have chosen to take action and choose to trust. (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

That first step can lead to courage in action. A heart strengthening. Hope. (Psalm 31:24) As The Message states, "Expect God to get there soon."

Courage, strength, hope---all results of one action verb----trust. 

Choose to trust Him, knowing "soon" is the adverb of His timing.

STRENGTH FOR THE WEARY

3/28/11 GLUED TO THE BED. That’s what my body has felt like these last few days. I’ve reset my alarm from 4:14 to 4:24 and now tomorrow it might well be 4:34. (I know the numbers are odd. Remember, I’m time compulsive.)

I’ve slept a lot in the car while sweet hubby drives Miss Dotsy. Friday night I tried to stretch out on the hospital bed in room 2019B. No rest there, I set off an “escape” alarm that was set for Daddy. Saturday I even slept on the workout platform in the therapy gym on the 2^nd floor at the Vandy Rehab Hospital. I just can’t seem to get my “energy” legs back.

God had answered my Job 4:4 prayer for Daddy that the Lord might “help(ed) the tottering to stand, And….strengthen(ed) feeble knees.” I’ve even prayed for His strength and might and praised Him to others for His provision. Yet, here I was battling fatigue again this morning. So………..more strength verses (KJV) for meditation. Hope you join me whether you need emotional or physical strength or you are praising Him for the strength He has already provided.

Psalm 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

Psalm 59:16 But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress.

Psalm 71:9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

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

Isaiah 57:10 "You were tired out by the length of your road, Yet you did not say, ' It is hopeless.' You found renewed strength, Therefore you did not faint.