SPARKLE!

I have an affinity for collective nouns! 

Not a "batch" of cookies or a "bunch" of grapes. Not even a swarm of bees, on-slaught or plague of locusts, pack of wolves or pride of lions.

My true affinity is nouns for groups of birds. 

Think gaggle of geese, murder of crows, murmuration of starlings, parliament of owls. Thanks to neighbor, Susan H, who shared the collective noun "poult" for baby turkeys with me yesterday!

Thanks also to ljj who reminded me of the collective name for an insect who flies!

A SPARKLE OF FIREFLIES

What truth stands out among all these collective nouns to me?!

The LORD God made them all! 

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:16-17)

MINDSET MATTERS! #2

"Set my Mind, Lord."

Repetition is important in teaching! So is prayer.

Renewal of one's mind can transform one's mindset! (Romans 12:12)

Did the Preacher learn, if a mindset of wisdom doesn't give God glory it is vanity? 

Wisdom without faith is also vanity of vanities---a striving after the wind. What lies within your mind and heart counts and is visible to others in your actions.

Mindset does matter. But it's not a one-time end all. 

When all has been heard, the end of the matter is, "Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man". (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

TUESDAY TRUTH....

Tuesday truth through a kitchen window.....

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

Last week our family witnessed the dry land Earth in new places  and the gathered waters he called Seas. (Genesis 1:10)

This morning as I sat by the kitchen window, I could gaze on the vegetation and plants yielding seed.....within as stone's throw. 

A place of grace!

God allowed me to "Be Still"----nothing open but my eyes to see what He had for me! "Less of me and MORE of Thee!"

AMEN!!!

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!

Practice makes perfect-----or does it?

Does practice influence your life?

Maybe a better question would be, "Are your practices worthy?" 

Heart motives need to be in a positive realm.

Coach Vince Lombardi said, "Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect."

In other words, some training is superior to mere repetition. If wrong practices are repeated, bad actions can become permanent, but not right or necessarily correct! 

Progress in wrong doing is not in any way perfect!

Does practice influence your life the right way?

How do you know?

Make your request be known unto God. Pray for discernment.

Let Him lead.

"Stand firm in the Lord." (Philippians 4:1) The only One who is perfect!

He will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus..... topping it off with His peace. (Philippians 4:7)

COMPLAINTS BE GONE!

Camping out in the Psalms has been an ongoing pursuit for me. Relative/friend Bonnie, knows of my predilection for that book of the Bible and recently gave me a large print (YES!) devotional of 100 days of worship w/ word search in the Psalms.

Complaining is not a godly characteristic. Yet, God listens to us in our times of trouble just as He listened to David cry out to Him in Psalm 142!

How grateful I am to be able to vent my frustrations to Him knowing He can change my heart.

From grumpiness to gratitude!

Rid me of my upside down thought life as I give my thoughts to you, O Lord!

Thanks for using a simple writing activity to guide me in a new direction.

Without complaint!

ANAGRAM THAT SAYS IT ALL!!

HOW  DOES ONE HEAR FROM THE LORD?

Obviously......learn to listen!

What must one do to listen to the Lord?

Get out your Scrabble Board to find the answer!

Look for the 6 word anagram for listen!!

Do you see it?

Being silent before the Lord is key for one to listen so as to truly hear.

Be still. Silent and still enables one to know that He is LORD! (Psalm 46:10)

BLESSINGS OF WISDOM!

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom! (Proverbs 3:13)

Understanding enhances wisdom and takes it to a whole new level for each new situation.

Praise the Lord for the many words he gives us to meditate/chew on.....which, like His mercies, can be new every morning and lead us to paths of peace. (Proverbs 3:17)

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom! (...with permission to write in her Bible)

Enough said as a summary for this "Teaching Tuesday"!

WISDOM NEGATES WORRY!

Don't worry be happy is a bogus catch-phrase! It gives no counsel or real wisdom to one who has a "worry-bent"----even knowing worry is worthless!

(Wisdom's) Ways are highways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. Proverbs 3:17, AMPC.

May this former teacher, yet often slow learner, remember the wisdom of "praying BIG to worry less" thus clearing the "worry-webs" in her head.

IDIOSYNCRATIC BEHAVIOR!

Idiosyncratic Behavior.

Think quirky! AKA peculiar personality trait.

Mine doesn't seem quirky to me. It's a part of the gal I have always been.

I prefer my pencils extra sharp. My electric pencil sharpener is front and center on my desk. Back in the day, when I traveled, I would pack a round plastic pencil sharpener to catch the cedar shavings.

Some friends tease me about my pencil proclivity. It's somewhat of a natural tendency for me. 

How grateful I am that God loves me as I am, idiosyncrasies and all. 

May I continue to use all my writing with pencils, pens or typing be used to glorify Him. 

Idiosyncratic Behavior. Stay Sharp for His glory!

 

* A big thanks to MJ who sent me a pic of her old crank style sharpener in the basement.

BUT GOD!!!

Once again, I sense that I have been sent to time-out.

But God in His love and mercy has been there with me!

He has given prayer warriors who stand with me! Some lead me with encouragement. Others stand behind me ready to catch me If I fall.

"But God" is in control of every aspect of life's disappointments!

But God, the greatest short phrase uttered in history!*

God's mercy flows from His own loving heart......

....not from anything I have done to deserve it

Hallelujah!

*uttered by Paul in Ephesians

AMEN TRUTH BEING TAUGHT!

"A picture can be worth a thousand words" is an idiom that suggests actually seeing an object or event is more helpful for learning than hearing descriptive language. 

Think visualization over verbal.

As an "English as a second language instructor" on a short term mission trip learned, a "combo of words and pictures" can speak volumes.Amen!

Visual reminders to help one recall the gospel message. So Be It!

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16, ESV)

DUSTING OT DEUTERONOMY TO FIND NT QUOTES!

As Mark describes Jesus' teaching about the greatest commandment, He includes Deuteronomy 6:5 which Matthew's account omitted---possibly because Matthew's readers would have understood this but Mark's Gentile readers probably would not. (Thomas Constable Mark notes, soniclight.com Mark's words indicate loving God completely.....in every way, with all aspects of one's being....beginning with heart as the control center and with strength including all the one's bodily powers. (Grassmick, p.164)

"Dust off" Deuterononomy 6:5 and find the source of Mark's words. 

I did.              

COVERED IN PRAYER!

Yesterday's mail included a card of prayer from a God Squad prayer warrior. She has been covering me in prayer for many years as different health issues, often rare ones, arise. I saw that most recent card again this morn on my prayer chair. Her inscription let me know she still prays for me. 

That's how she uses God's word to protect me; she covers me in prayer.  (Psalm 91:4)

Jesus, my intercessor, does the same. God, the Lord Almighty, My Maker and Comforter has "covered me" (and those who seek Him and pursue righteousness) with the shadow of His hand as His word reminds me in Isaiah 51:16.

Praises for being covered in prayer by God and His people.

Think being protected & enveloped in His Presence.

Wrapped in prayer like a gift. 

May I reciprocate----whether in health or weakness!

TWEAKING TO TEACH & RECALL!

Yesterday's request was "share your favorite Bible verse. Today I recalled the chapter of Scripture that changed the aim of my life. AIM = Abide In Me!

(John 15)

Abiding makes us RICH in Him. Remain in Christ's Holiness!

All of the truth's of Scripture found in John 15 led me right into John 16's teaching which focuses on the face of trials which require perseverance. Imagine that !?

If one wants to be truly R I C H.....Read above acronym again and again!

 

GRACE-PACE!

There's always much to learn on a "Teaching Tuesday." Today was a time of reflecting on a re-learning that needed to occur based on a recent faux pas.

My hurry-scurry "get it done" pace trampled my grace-pace. Reflection was needed for learning. Reflection takes time. Time adjusted from self-centered, people pleasing accomplishments to God-Centered time. 

I am yours, O Lord. May nothing touch my heart more than your love and acceptance. 

I need a breather from "doing." A lesson in mercy-math requires time.

Recounting God's acts of goodness and mercy, even severe mercy, were my "Teaching Tuesday" focus. 

Re-learning, has me remembering that the Lord loves me the way that I am, and all work is his work. His grace in me and through me fulfills His purpose for me---not self-aggrandizement or personal peace without interruptions. 

Yesterday, as I walked by the practically empty office on our new pastor's first day, "on the job," I peeked in to say, " welcome"....or was it more like barging in to interrupt his time of peace and reflection?  Regardless, he jumped right up with a smile on his face. 

Lesson learned from this brilliant, thoughtful, energetic, kind and courteous young man.

Lessons of grace from Pace to this old lady. 

His Grace-Pace shows how much I have left to learn about responding first to others over self.

WORDSMITH WEDNESDAY!

INTERROBANG!

Did that punctuation term get your attention!?

Thanks to fellow librarian ljj, for introducing me on "Teaching Tuesday"  to this fused question mark and exclamation point. Think simultaneous question, somewhat rhetorical, & exclamation. Interrogative with a bang................

Fusing the emoji !? makes perfect since to me.....my mind often fuses words on its own.

Interrobang is a noun for this non-standard punctuation mark, indicating a question expressed in an exclamatory manner! Mother had a way of using them often when she was aghast at my behavior.

What on earth do you think you are doing, playing with my make-up .........

 

According to my research, the mark has only been in use since 1961.

God's word reminds us to let our words be few. (Ecclesiastes 5:2) He that restrains lips is wise. (Proverbs 10:19b)

Perhaps the interrobang allows us to say much with fewer words.

What do  you think......

TEACHING TUESDAY: A TOUGH LESSON

"Physician heal thyself." A common Adage. What about, "Teacher, teach thyself?" Even the tough lessons. Suffering can be a hard lesson to swallow and to teach.

Benjamin Franklin is the one noted for saying, "nothing in life is certain but death and taxes." 

I would add suffering. I assume the teachable truth here is acceptance and preparation.

Suffering is a "given."

All suffer. Overtly or hidden. 

Everyone I know has suffered in one way or another. 

Yesterday while meditating on Psalm 107: 17-22, notes from a 2017 Taylor Park sermon and a 2014 blog entry fueled my thinking on suffering. 

**Will  finish my pondering and share final thoughts after my time with Owen.