PRAYFUL SINGING!

DELIGHT THE LORD!

Can't carry a tune in a bucket?! Think broken record in the wrong key.

Out of tune! Singing a song with correct notes missing!

So how does one delight the Lord when singing a favorite hymn with joy, but off key?! 

How can one please the Lord? Whether through music or words alone? 

My answer is..."God pleasing music or prayers comes from the heart."

Anne Graham Lotz suggests His Word tells what pleases Him!

"Don't just get your Bible out but open it up. Read. Apply. Obey.

He will be pleased." 

FIXING MY EYES ON JESUS, (October 22 P.315) 

RECYCLED BLESSINGS1

Blessings in a mailbox, on the front porch, in a FedEx truck, in a text or email, on a doorknob or a voicemail or a hug on a back row pew are but a few ways my spiritual sisters support me! Even a recycled card from a hometown chum.

What a fellowship! What a joy divine!

There is no better way to find mutual Christian support than a shared devotion to the principles of God's word than by spiritual communion through the gifting of prayer and words of encouragement, verse by verse. So grateful for prayers for my brother! 

It's truly a Thankful Thursday!

Acts 2:42: "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."

1 Corinthians 1:9: "God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."

Galatians 6:2: "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ."

Hebrews 10:24-25: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Ephesians 4:3: "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

Philippians 2:1-2: "Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind."

1 John 1:7: "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."

Blessings from fellowship---connected by God's Son, Jesus Christ our LORD!

AWASH IN AWARDS!

 3 years of positive growth in a new place---- town, state & school-----from not talking in pre-school to 2 years in kindergarten to helping his first grade teacher and making friends. 

Blessing upon blessing!

A BIG medal for a special award. The principal's award......

.......Presented with gratitude and respect in recognition of your meaningful efforts, positive attitude and the difference you've made throughout the school year. 

He also received his classroom's ANTONIO award for bravery.

 Jack called today the "best day ever" probably because he was able to leave school after the program!

 He saw that as award number 3----as any first-grader would!

ROCKY PATHS!

ROCKY PATHS.....

........some are worth the struggle. Some seem to lead nowhere.

Possibly learning patience in our struggles strengthens hope along the rocky paths.Hope is a much needed attribute of life. 

Think--- Mindset of hope often strengthened in our struggles comes as we lean into Him for Strength. Remember, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

Set your mind on it!

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)

Mindset #4 Allow struggles of life to remind us to rejoice even in our sufferings along life's rockiest paths.

God's word provides the best mindset on this Thankful Thursday!

GRACE, GRACE, MORE GRACE!

Board game computations vary by significant letter usages. If I were in charge, all the letters in grace would be given higher position, in both Scrabble and Life.

God's grace is key in the believer's life.

Think abundant and unending!

Thinking on grace this "Thankful Thursday" has me humming ......

🎵🎵 "Grace, Grace, God's Grace"!🎵🎵

Grace, Grace, God's Grace (marvelous grace, infinite grace) 

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within

Grace, Grace, God's Grace (marvelous grace, infinite grace)

Grace that is greater than all our sin........

AMEN to God's grace! I am thankful to be a recipient!

🎶MUSIC🎶 OF THE HEART❤️

Who writes the music of your heart?

God has a song for each of us! Some are "hymns we claim as our own!

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing personally comes to my mind.

Who writes the 🎶 music 🎶 of your heart? 

Allow Father God to teach you some melodious sonnet of life, and health and peace regardless of circumstances He has allowed!. (O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing)

Allow His words in His melody (by His design) allow you to learn the tune, and not be dismayed  by the "rests" He has allowed. 

Music from the heart is 🎶Music🎶 to my ears!

DANCE TO THE MUSIC!

Listen to the Music!

Dance to the Music. 

Take a Rest! Repeat!

A musical rest is part of emphasizing the music melody. Even in the melody of life, rests are important.

He (God) brings a sudden pause in the choral hymn of our lives, (L.B. Cowman, p. 44)

God has THE plan for the music of our lives!"Our part is to learn the tune and not be discouraged during the rests." (John Ruskin, paraphrased, https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/1207851-there-is-no-music-in-a-rest-but-there-is)

Don't avoid the rest; it's an important part of making the music!

True for a pianist. True for an orchestra and true for all of life's songs and melodious hymns!

KINDNESS COMMENTS AND BEYOND!

How rewarding to receive a special gift from a dear couple who have been longtime friends! A kind gift---a book I had never read! A book full of kindness woven into life's complexities. The book had me at the humor on the dedication page all the way to the PROLOGUE! 

Did I mention even a gift offering at the end?

Theo of Golden, published in 2023 when I had an occipital lobe stroke & I was unable to read without audio help. This timely 2025 gift became for me a book to savor. 

Often I saw examples of where joy and sorrow could co-exist. It reminded me of 2 Corinthians 6:10 phrases "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing but possessing everything."

"Sadness and joy can co-exist" as seen in the lives of some in Golden. Theo's "friend" Asher believed "for anything to be truly good, there must be love in it. He then asked Theo how does one know if something has love in it? Theo responded ".....That is the question, isn't it? And I'm not sure I know the answer either. But God does. (Theo of Golden, p. 129. Emphasis mine)

Amen. God knows the answers we need!

Throughout the book, I sensed Theo's wisdom was sadness can make one bitter or wise. 

Hmm-- Sadness can make one bitter or wise.

Metaphorically, I'll take that one step further......

The choice is ours! But God knows the best answer. 

WISDOM WALKS! WOW!

As one ages, walking is good medicine, whether one feels like it or not!

Walking can be a path to life with Him. Leaving one's mental checklist behind and focusing on His Presence! 

Last week as Hubby and I walked in much stillness we saw the path anew. Blue skies emphasized the first of the mountain laurel blooms hanging over the creek!

The path itself  was filled with bunches of butterflies.

Blue-spotted purples, a hubby ID.  Tiger Swallowtails. One Monarch that would never land. Even they, seeking moisture and sweet nectar, seemed to dance as if they too could "taste and see" that God's provision is good!

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER!

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAY............................

So grateful for this day designated by US Congress when our country observes  a time for our people to turn to God in prayer and meditation. Memorable times for me have been in the pews at FEC, around the flag pole with students at Houston High School and at a cathedral in Albuquerque, NM with Okie Dokie and CharChar.

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13 NASB)

Above fave verse for focus on this National Day of Prayer!

WAY OF PEACE!

I "know" God is with me. So..........why do unexpected circumstances throw me off course? I "know" the answer. I respond to the wrong stimuli! 

Sight and sound. Those loud thoughts of mine that bombard my mind as I try to live "without fear!" The last two hours of talking with medical folks on the phone and seeking info from recordings & portals......not people, have me desiring to have the "sky-writing" type affirmation from the LORD!

ALERT to self! Today is "Thankful Thursday"!

Though I might have struggle living without fear, a sign on cancer center windowsill, reminded  me to live with "faith over fear!"

A mere 2 days ago, I had "wall writing" at a doc appointment. A great summation of truth!" 

There is always, always, always Something to be Thankful for.

It might not be skywriting & it might end in a preposition....but it's a clear declaration of His way of peace. 

Trust in Him paired with gratitude for His steadfast love, is God's will for us in Christ Jesus! (1Thessalonians 5:18)

A BAZILLION HUES!

A bazillion hues. Well said by my artist friend Anne B. when discussing the hues of color varieties found in creation. God's color spectrum throughout creation seems to be unending.....at least in our vocabulary.

Red can be in the form of burgandy, coral, crimson, mahogany, maroon,  orange red, ruby, scarlet, vermilion......you get the idea.

Compare to our neighborhood trees & red skies entry!

Maybe that's how she uses color so effectively in both her photography and her "threads."

Last year she began cross-stitching my "One Word, Hope" as a 'bye-bye" gift! Amazing that she got out her "instruments" from the past, things like hoops, needles, fabrics, threads, patterns and knots I have never heard of....and created for me the perfect farewell gift, catching my eye on this Thankful Thursday!!

A gift filled with hope!. 

Not only was "HOPE" my 2024 Word of the year, it carried through to 2025 with medical maladies incurred as 2024 ended. 

Hope much needed and freely given by a dear friend who certainly knows how to keep on giving "hope" in a bazillion ways.....all wrapped up in hues of love! 

PRAYERFUL WISDOM!

Words of Wisdom. 

A big thanks to friend, Doris, who shared these. 

Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. (Psalm 25:4)

Use prayer to....."Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them." (Proverbs 4:5)
May we be directed to the right path as our "discerning heart acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out." (Proverbs 18:15, paraphrase mine)

THANK YOU IN ANY LANGUAGE!

TRUE GRATITUDE FLOWS FROM A GRATEFUL HEART!

Hungarian

SIGN LANGUAGE

SPANISH

TURKISH

UKRAINIAN

YIDDISH

GREEK

Eternal thank you to the "Alpha and Omega....the One who was and is and is to come!" (Revelation 1:8)

WORTH REPEATING...............TRUE GRATITUDE FLOWS FROM A GRATEFUL HEART!

REGARDLESS OF THE LANGUAGE!

JOY! JOY!! JOY!!!

From Hurting Heart to Healing Head!

"My" Molly continues to remind me to find joy at every turn by making sure the joy of life is always in view, even when I'm weary. She has even researched ways for the brain to stay "healthier" longer!

Medical Day has worn me out. But God has given me more to share.....soon!

abunDANCE STEPS!

Lively steps........are they needed to dance?

Are lively steps possible if an aging one falters at every positional change?

abunDANCE steps are enjoyed moment by moment, bit by bit, even as one watches the joy in another's face! The face of one who is actually physically moving to the music of life, the Lord has given them.

Maybe it's time to clean the "dance shoes" out of the closet and give to someone who still has the "Tap" moves. 

Learn to "go forth in the dance of the merrymakers," metaphorically and physically.....even from a sitting position as you celebrate their joy.

"Tap your toes" in delight for them. May that please the Lord.

HOPE-RENEWING STRENGTH

Essentials of life are faith, hope and love. My focus this year has been on hope!

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/scotty-smith/a-prayer-for-drawing-strength-from-our-tireless-hope-renewing-god

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isa. 40:28-31

Gracious Father, thank you for providing your timely Word and prayers of others this week,  As Scotty S. once said, Our God who speaks truth through his word, does not stutter. I often speak in circles, but not the Lord. I grow tired and weary, but not my Father God. 

How grateful I am to be your child, O Lord and I'm thanking you today for renewing my heart, replenishing my strength and refreshing my hope.

My hope is in you, loving Father, who grants unending mercy through your son Jesus. 

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!

ABOUNDING ADORATION!

ADORE HIM! Revere. Cherish. Esteem. Exalt. Glorify. Honor.

Thanks to Lynn T, our Colorful Day assistant, for sharing these aspects of the many Names of God....all of which honor His hallowed name,

Such an appropriate week to share, a prayer which overflows with His many names, especially with those who attended the "Names of God" workshop at Colorful Day. Adoration Galore in '24.

THANKFUL THURSDAY!

 calm YOUR ANXIETY!

 How does one do that!

 Give all your worries and cares to God....for He cares about you.  (1Peter 5:7, NLT) 

 How many ways can one say it??

Robert Morgan shares in calm YOUR ANXIETY, God's Word offers a "divine inoculation against the paralyzing disease of worry." (Day 29, P.58)

Eugene Peterson's biblical  paraphrase, The Message, says, "Don't fret or worry. Instead of worry, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns."

Ending today with a cuppa gra-TEA-tude and evening prayers of thanksgiving. 

After all.....it's "Thankful Thursday."