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)

CHOOSE: TO DIG FOR GEMS

Avid readers sometimes forget to deeply enjoy a book a long the way and tend to scan over long descriptive narratives. Often, they seem to be just fillers but sometimes one needs to remember to search for the treasures. I found such a treasure as I finished reading To Be Where You Are this week. 

For one thing, I found the title reference mid-stream and then as I was finishing up, I found a gem. 

Author, Jan Karon, uses Father Tim, her protagonist (a retired Episcopal priest) to pass along wisdom to his adopted son, who has wisely decided to take a little time off work to be with family just as Father Tim has done with "his" Cynthia.

So glad I chose to read deeply and not skip over this gem.

Karon says it well---sometimes we need to let go of all the cares and concerns which tie us down to time consuming routines which bind us to work rather than others. A light heart, that comes from trusting God and giving thanks, allows one to "regroup"  and gather in for herself and in turn pour out to others.

Thrust of Trust

This summer has been a time of transition, concerns and difficult decisions for many of my dear ones, both friends and family: Farming friends rushing to get hay in before the rains; Special needs births, both here and in Mexico; A distressing cancer diagnosis for a young mom; Joblessness; A child's poor decision resulting in life altering consequences; Housing needs/renting/ selling/buying; Impending surgeries; School needs for children when money is lacking; Marital disappointment/discord, here and abroad; Ministry decisions; End of life approach for one's sibling. 

Today's Jesus Calling (7/15) once again speaks to me right where I am in my concern as I seek to pray for these difficulties. Sarah Young writes" "Throw off this oppressive burden with one quick thrust of trust,"

Do you, too, need a thrust of trust? If so, here's a trove of my favorite "trust" verses to help you in your thrusting.

• Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9, NIV)
• But I trust in your unfailing love; (Psalm 13:5a) 
• Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. (Psalm 20:7)
• But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God."(Psalm 31:14)
• O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you. (Psalm 84:12)
• Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Keep on thrusting; It increases trusting.

Gra-TEA-tude---how BIG is your cuppa?

 Give thanks to Lord Jehovah, because he is good, and his grace is for eternity. (Psalms 107:1, Aramaic Bible in Plain English)

I don't think any devotional book speaks more to my heart about trust and thankfulness than Sarah Young's, Jesus Calling.

It is a rare person who, when his cup frequently runs over, can thank God instead of complaining about the limited size of his mug! —Bob Russell, retired pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY.

I am grateful to brother Buddy and Charlotte for introducing me to Bob Cherry, who inspires me to add lots of sweet gra-TEA-tude to my BIGGEST cuppa.

"futili-TEA"

It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. (Psalm 127:2, ESV)

I should have been spewing my cuppa futili-TEA all over the patio table these last few mornings---because I know better! I need to be sipping mugs of trust in Him.

But...these last few days I have been spinning---trying to get everything done. Up early, trouble even going to sleep and sometimes anxious thoughts begin again when I awaken for my nightly urine trek. 

I've been sipping from my very own cuppa futili-TEA as I've struggled in my own strength. 

Seeking the unattainable "perfection" of packing and preparation for our upcoming trip.

Goal oriented not God oriented.

But God....took me to task thru His word. He reminded me---once again, that He is in control.

Then, he sent help from hubby, goodies for the trip from one friend, and prayers from another that came via a 3:07 am email -- I'm awake praying that you are asleep. 

Tonight, no more working by the moonlight, I'm going to bed---packed or not because H gives to His beloved even in their sleep.

SABBATH SNAPSHOT : gra-TEA-tude

Grateful to have my own copy of this book, Ruthless Trust the Ragamuffin's Path to God by Brennan Manning---thanks to Wynellen, whose book I first borrowed.

Though I read it sometime ago, I needed to  re-read some parts.

Plus, I couldn't highlight or underline in her copy. My decision, not her requirement.....she probably wouldn't have minded.....that's just the way she is. Gra-TEA-tude abounds for friendship with someone so accepting and giving.

In this sequel to The Ragamuffin Gospel, which I have not read, Manning deals with grace and gratitude with an honest, authentic approach. Tho the story in Chapter 1 about the parents and their child with Down's syndrome is beautifully etched in my mind, this time around, I've been taking small bites and spending lots of time in Chapter 2. "To walk in gratitude is a way of living that is inclusive, attentive, contagious, and theocentric." (p. 30) In this chapter, he talks about how being grateful for our lives actually releases us to inner freedom.

Two good quotes from the book are actually from Henri Nouwen:

" Stop wandering around....trust that God will bring you what you need." "For as long as you can remember, you have been a pleaser, depending on others to give you an identity.....trust that God is enough for you." The root choice is to trust at all times......" (p. 23)

"To be grateful for the good things that happen in our lives is easy, but to be grateful for all of our lives- the good as well as the bad, the moments of joy as well as the moments of sorrow, the successes as well as the failures, the rewards as well as the rejections- that requires hard spiritual work. Still we are only grateful people when we can say thank you to all that has brought us to the present moment. As long as we keep dividing our lives between events and people we would like to remember and those we would rather forget, we cannot claim the fullness of our beings as a gift of God to be grateful for. Let's not be afraid to look at everything that has brought us to where we are now and trust that we will soon see in it the guiding hand of a loving God."(p. 31)

One of the most arduous spiritual tasks is that of giving up control and allowing the Spirit of God to lead our lives." (p. 115)

For someone who grew up in a works oriented church and still has a tendency toward self-condemnation, grace is a hard concept for me to grasp. I need reminders and am grateful for the ones this book gives.

"Live free or die is the ragamuffin's motto." (xv)

When the Lord makes us free, we are free indeed (John 8:36)----what a sense of gra-TEA-tude for that truth.

D-Day

10/24/13  Fortified with chocolate and tea, I go forth in my day. 

Is any of that spiritual? NO! 

Is it healthy? NO! 

Does it make me feel better? Yes, at least a little bit around the edges. Sometimes a girl just has to do what a girl has to do.....tea & chocolate!

But God.....I have also prayed Proverbs 3: 5-6 as I seek God's direction for some important decisions.

Even Dove Chocolate gave me a reminder....
"Happiness is in the heart, not in our circumstances."

Armed with verses, from "astute" Aggie in France, I head out the door.....for D-Day, my day of reckoning.

Psa. 27:1 Isa. 26:3. Psa. 112:7-8 Psa. 56:3. Psa. 27:5,6 I Pet. 5:10-11.

3 Ws

10/2/13  3 Ws  were blog thoughts that wandered away after I headed to bed last night. Regrettably, I think the first one was worry----thus the headache that had me to "take to the bed." Possibly the second W was wait. Certainly waiting is a more spiritual activity than worry. Worry is a lack of trust. Worry is sin.
Waiting on God for direction can sometimes be difficult, especially for "doers"......for those who prefer answers sooner rather than later. Yet, today as I tried to recapture the Ws from the recesses of my memory, I realized that God was waiting on me. Waiting for me to give up the worry and trust Him in the situation that loomed with unknowns.

Once that happened, wisdom arrived all the way from France. Words of wisdom via God's child. So timely....but then His timing would be, wouldn't it?

An email arrived from Aggie to ask about the absence of the 3 Ws blog text, AND to share truths she gleaned from from her Lydia prayer cell's meditation of Psalm 67, especially the first 2 verses. To her it was just a way of sharing today's meeting, which is similar to our prayer for revival group. To me it was God-speak. (Even the cross ref to the Numbers verse was one used by me in  9/16 & 9/18 blog entry)

1 May God have pity on us and bless us!

 May he smile on us. Selah  (Numbers 6:24-26)

2 Then your ways will be known on earth,

your salvation throughout all nations.

She added: What stood out to me was the fact that when we are in trouble or testing, we - I - tend to ask God for the way out, "O God, help me!  Send your light and blessing and grace."  But vs 2 makes it clear that the purpose of God's intervention and blessing is (also) for the purpose of making Him and his ways known to those around us, and to the ends of the earth.

Aggie didn't have a clue what I was facing but God knew.

When I replied to her with my situation concern, she sent more wisdom gleaned from others along her life path.

"WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES; it takes away today's PEACE."

She also wrote:  I wish that a lesson learned once is permanently acquired.  Not necessarily.  One time I said to a retired pastor, "I get discouraged because I get the impression that I'm always going through the same things, same lessons and spinning my wheels.  He replied, "No, Agnes.  It's a spiral and each time we go through a lesson we move on, and upward.  If we come to what seems like the same thing again, it is on a different level, because we are moving on in the Lord, growing in grace." That was SUCH an encouragement to me!  God is good, He is faithful. 

That's it---the 3rd W---came to mind.

WORSHIP---He is worthy.

He, who is good and faithful and waits patiently on me to give my burden of worry to Him, is worthy of worship. 

"FLOURISH!"

9/23/13 Yesterday's sermon given by a young (40-ish) preacher from Houston, TX, who grew up in our church, inspired me to "flourish" during this season of life----not to languish as I age. 

Notes: 

• Flourishing is all about God. 
• Abundant life receives its vitality from union with Him. 
• We can't do life on our own. 
• Strength and energy from the Lord are there for the "long haul." (My words, not his) 
• Flourishing benefits and blesses others. 

So-o-o-o this Monday's theme for meditation is "flourish." Along with Psalm 1:3 and Psalm 92:12-14, Jeremiah 17:7-8 shows us what flourishing looks like---bearing fruit would benefit and bless others. 

"Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

For my Ukrainian girls---

7 Благословенний той муж, що покладається на Господа, що Господь то надія його!

8 І він буде, як дерево те, над водою посаджене, що над потоком пускає коріння своє, і не боїться, як прийде спекота, і його листя зелене, і в році посухи не буде журитись, і не перестане приносити плоду!

Let's flourish together.

A Feast of Encouragement

7/23/12  Just as I’m considering Psalm 34: 8 for meditation this week, Judy D., the Texans “Ya Ya” shared Sarah Young’s “40 Days  with Jesus, Celebrating His Presence", with me. Her marker for day 23 gave Jeremiah 29:11 as a promise that offered a “feast of encouragement.” It spoke of Christ’s eternal encouragement for believers........

........Which brought me right back to the verse I had been considering. We, who have a voracious appetite for fixing our future, trust our own plans----hedging our bets economically and in aging----all to pad our future security. We too often take refuge in ourselves---trusting in our own abilities.

But as Psalm 34:8 reminded me, my security (and feasting) is in Him, the One in whom I seek refuge moment by moment. Young continually teaches the importance of being in His Presence----in the present moment. She sees that “tasting” as a feast of the richest fare and encourages all to come to His table of delights, bringing  a fork of trust and a spoon of thankfulness. (Young, p.24) To me that sounds like “tasting and seeing that the Lord is good.” 

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. 

What encouragement---to be blessed for taking refuge in Him.

Maskil--מַשְׂכִּיל NOT a “light and easy” blog

6/1/12 NOT a “light and easy” blog….but needful for heeding.

Started the day early in the Psalms---not too unusual, But God….showed me an unusual word in the subscript of Psalm 55. A maskil of David. (After maskil was a lower-case v) After a refresher in cross-referencing, I found the bold print in the margin , 55:1-23, indicating chapter and verses where I would find “v”. A quick scan showed “v” in verse 11

Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets

Hm-m-m that sounds like our world, doesn’t it? Just as in David’s time, destructive forces of sin and wickedness are all around us and, like David, we need to be aware of what we’re up against. That verse (11) had a cross-reference to Psalm 5:9 and I pretty much “camped out” in Psalm 5---which is a blog waiting to happen.

Continuing in Psalm 55 long enough to gain insight, I began to understand that this psalm of David was written as he was in great anguish over rebellion and rejection by his son, Absalom. But…not only was his own flesh and blood against him, he also encountered treachery from a close friend, one with whom David had worshipped and had sweet fellowship in the house of the Lord. David was caught off guard by such reproach from another who seemed a “saint”. But God, the “searcher of our hearts" knows the difference, so He is the one David cried out to for relief. David lays his heart open before the Lord needing to “vent” his grief before Him. We too have that same privilege which is a great reminder when we began to understand (maskil) that in this world there will be tribulation (John 16:33) and it might even come from within the house of the Lord. But also knowing that “greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

A clearer defining of “maskil” comes in as David recounts the moral teachings that are part of this psalm. Yes, wickedness may abound and David may long to “fly away” from it all and be at rest. (v.6) (Ever felt that way?) Yet, David in his distress continues to call out to the Lord morning, noon and night. (v. 16 & 17) Not sticking his head in the sand thinking wickedness ends up in someone else’s yard, but taking heed and learning from the circumstances and consequences that surround him. That’s being circumspect and that’s saka. Saka the root word for maskil.

That’s the maskil (wise teaching/understanding) in it for us---learn from this. Be aware but continue to seek God knowing, as David did, that if one “casts his cares on the Lord, the Lord will sustain him.” (v.22) Take heed of David’s last words, “But as for me, I trust in You.” (v.23)

Pause that refreshes.....

3/22/12 Loved those little 6oz. bottled cokes Mother kept in the back room refrigerator. Even after they were no longer “available”, Daddy was able to get them from an old grocery store down in Guthrie, KY. Not sure where the grocer acquired his stash. As Daddy said, “the pause that refreshes” was better ice cold and straight out of the bottle. Sitting with Daddy on our back porch step with those cold Cokes in hand were certainly refreshing times for me.

Note blank space under cross on left page & 3/8 date in bottom right corner.

These past weeks I have been given “spiritual pause"

Bonhoffer’s book*, 2012 has been my designated “Praying the Psalms” year. March 8, in Texas, using Day’s grandmother’s old Revised Standard Version Bible, I spent time meditating and journaling on Psalm 62. Notations included, “a song of trust” which had me questioning my life songs. My God songs? My trust? 

Sunday, (3/18) I read the Bible verse entry for the Upper Room (once again) Psalm 62:5, 8. “For God alone my soul waits in silence,….. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” (NRSV) More time needed to pour out my heart in song and prayer before Him.

 

Yesterday morning 3/21 Jesus Calling’s first line, “Trust Me and don’t be afraid for I am your Strength and Song,” and concluding with …join Me in singing My Song.” All of that meditation on Psalm 62, a psalm /song of trust, flooded my mind. What was God trying to tell me? I “paused” for more time with Him. A time of spiritual refreshment.

Last night at Heart to Heart Bible study, Crickett, our teaching leader, taught “5 Reasons to Cling to the Rock,” from Psalm 62: 5-8, a part of our Day 3 (3/17) lesson.

5 For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. 7 On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. 8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. [Selah]

Since my purple journal was in my book bag, I just opened to my notes and there on the left hand page was the perfect space** to incorporate her lecture notes summarizing David’s view of God as His ROCK. It was David’s song of trust. Once again God was helping me learn it.

All of this is probably only significant to me……but God…….continues to meet me at my point of need on trust issues. He’s putting a new song in my mouth and He’s doing it through Psalm 62. He’s doing it as I spend time with Him. He’s giving me a “refresher” course in trust.

“For God alone, My soul waits in silence”(RSV)…………the pause that truly refreshes.

*Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

**Grateful I had taken picture of journal before lecture---an affirmation of "but God"…..meeting my needs ahead of time.

"Lean on Me"

9/12/11 Son Buddy would often sit at our piano and play (by ear) songs that we requested. Elnora always asked for "Lean on Me." Then she'd lean over and whisper, "I want him to play that at my funeral one day." It's not a spiritual song but often as Buddy's audience of one, she felt like it was just for her.

"Lean on me, when you're not strong, and I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on."

We all need someone to lean on at certain times in our lives.
Today's (9/12) Streams in the Desert's entry speaks of a leaning side. Those sides of weakness when we especially need to trust the Lord "to extend His mighty arm" and steady us on our leaning (weak) side.
My leaning side is often in my understanding of how to discern His will/path for me in the "dailies" without "self" getting in the way. So....I need to be reminded to "lean" on HIm and not on self.

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)

Verse 6 follows with the affirmation that if I do this, He will direct my paths. He does the hard part, I just have to "lean."

Simply Trust

7/13/11 "Simply trust Him"----that's all I have to do according to today's Streams in the Desert entry. Not always so simple for me. I have too many "ifs and buts." Questions of distrust too often flood my head. Trust. Not always so simple, is it?
Simple faith enables me to simply trust Him. I need to simply take God at His word for His "right hand sustains me." (Psa. 18:35, NIV) It's heresy for me to think that He doesn't have the strength to sustain my poor, pitiful helpless soul when I just read in His word that He not only has the strength but it's mine for the taking. I need to take Him at His word and simply trust.
Today I plan to do just that!