PRACTICING THY PRESENCE TO PRACTICE THE PAUSE!

A "pause" that refreshes my soul and pleases the Lord.

His pace becomes my pace.

Put

All

Under

Savior's

Ebullience

If actions don't please God, keep pausing until they delight Him! 

Practice Thy Presence to Practice the Pause.....or Practice the Pause to Practice Thy Presence!

WORDLE

Even Wordle has my Number. 

(Notice I waited a day to publish it so as not to spoil the surprise.)

When one has not had a "calm brain" in an entire week, God has to really step in to get your attention.

He can even use a  game. I had been "keeping on-keeping on" as well as I could........but my mind kept moving with my circumstances. Yes, I started my day praying for my "daily" people, keeping up somewhat with zoom prayer groups, taking hubby to ER & helped him with virtual doc visit, attending Bible study, taking food to a suffering friend, etc. Busyness is a way I cope....it's always been that way for me. At this time in life it seems worse. I know because I can't keep up. I even have a "come apart" when I put my compression socks on the wrong feet. I mix up my meds or forget  to take them. My hand shakes as I type or lift spoon to mouth with my granola. I can feel shakes even when I don't see them.  As brother Buddy said, "Feet moving. Going nowhere."

What's a gal to do? Take time for the "pause that refreshes"---More time alone with Him!

To pause is difficult. It requires being still---even in my mind!

P.A.U.S.E.

This entry has been in process since July 1. That was just 2 days ago and I'm still trying to untangle all the sudden changes that have brought planning to a screeching halt.

I noticed in yesterday's journal entry that "pause" was ending as "my word" and I was picking up seek as my focus. What had I learned during my "pause" time of reflection?

I added a Practice Thy Presence ("PTP") addendum....... Practice the Pause to enhance Practicing Thy Presence---at least it does for me.

Angry---PAUSE!

In doubt---PAUSE!

Tired---PAUSE!

Stressed---PAUSE!

When you pause---PRAY!!!

Put

Aside

Unnecessary

Stuff

Everyday

Unraveling requires lots of "pause" time to ponder!

CHOOSE SLOWING

Choose slowing. Sometimes age chooses slowing for us.

Then we have new choices. Attitudinal ones.

Will we "slow" because we have to, thus wearing a burden or agitation on our shoulder?

Will we choose to "slow" with acceptance, by His grace.

Slowing allows time for pondering.

Pondering can lead to praying with folded hands.

Praying can be encouraging for self...

...and others as one "pays it forward" with a smile on his face.

Note last letters in encouraging. Do something to encourage someone else---maybe someone a little older, and allow the Lord to take the aging process out of your self-focus to focus on others!

Pondering, as a verb, is to think carefully (Philippians 4:8) about something. Chew on. Contemplate. Consider.  Dwell on.
But.....pondering requires slowing. Slow down today so that your ponderings (noun) might be "God-focused"

SIGNAGE---THAT GAVE PAUSE

I didn't stop dead in my tracks as it wasn't sudden or fearful....

but I did pause to ponder the sign as men of the cloth scurried past.
Do we more often take the path of working toward financial gain than the path of living for heaven?

Wonder if the finance committee has a meeting?

It seems seems that lately I have done more pondering as I've been "thinking carefully" (as Webster defines pondering) about heaven. I recently attended 3 funerals within 8 days. Factor in a heart catheterization requiring a stent for hubby and two recent hospital visitations, with one pending, and you'll understand my concern for self as well as others. 

I've prayed for all and actually prayed in person with two. My heart desires a heavenly trajectory for each.

But God......in my morning reading from Randy Alcorn's book, Heaven, reminded me.....It is God who "set eternity in the hearts of men" (Ecclesiastes 3:11).....That's God's idea, not ours. (p. 114)

Salvation is God's work. (Psalm 3:8, 1 Timothy 2:4)

PAUSE IN PROCESS

Last September (2018), I considered "pause" as a being verb in my  s l o w i n g entry. 

I needed to progress in  my pausing process, which sounds oxymoronic, at best.
But.....pausing is a prerequisite for "restoration 101"!

So......in December I found a book, The Art of Rest, to read all about it and now I can't remember any profound truths I gleaned from the book---nor can I find the book. But,.....in January, I went ahead and chose "pause" as my 2019 word anyway.

I'm scribbling synonyms and antonyms on any surface (mainly journal, scratch paper and napkins)and i'm still struggling to hit the "pause" button......because my world never stops!

How grateful I am for my "beckoning Lord, who says "Come" (Matthew 11:28) and  my Shepherd who leads me beside still waters---those solitary places of quiet repose where I can pause and be refreshed as I allow Him to restore my soul. (Psalm 23:1-3)

NEED A BREAK.....or at LEAST A PAUSE?!

Our culture is always telling us we do....need a break, that is. We even deserve it. Just ask McDonalds. My favorite breaks include reading and crossword puzzles, especially USA Today ones. (

Today my "break" is to be a time of pondering, a PAUSE,
A focus on meditation with my marginalia quotes from previous weeks.

Putting
Aside
Unnecessary
Sidelines to
Embrace meditation

• God is always doing more than I know. (Romans)
• God is builder of all things. (Hebrews 3:4)
• Gospel, a victory announcement, is our fuel and motivation. (Romans 1-3)
• Unrighteous and self-righteousness are both sins,
• Gospel is a spoken message. (Romans 10:13)
• If I abide, He will reside. (John 15)
• It's never too dark for God's light to penetrate. (No one is ever beyond His reach.)
• Jesus changes everything. (Hebrews)
• Mercy matters! (Luke 6:36)
• Worship follows belief. (John 9:38)

MEIDTATION, combined with scripture, MATTERS---it's a refreshing pause!

THE PAUSE THAT REFRESHES!

While I'm pausing to ponder this entry, you can click the link back to Thankful Thursday- Serene Sunday, 12/20/18 entry as I finally added pix.
Vintage signs take me back to "gentler times"---times at Dang-Dang's grocery in downtown Clarksville. The colorful metal bread sign that hung on the Commerce St. screen door entry---not sure if it was Colonial, Little Miss Sunshine, or Tastee Bread??? But.....as the door slammed, Dang-Dang could look up from the back meat counter and greet each customer, most by name.

More memorable than the bread sign was the Coke one that hung above the red metal coke chest where we could put our nickel in and retrieve our 6 oz, bottle of coke by dragging it to the end of the the "rails" and opening it with the bottle opener on the front. 

I would have to stand on tiptoes unless the stool was handy. Ice Cold Coca-Cola---always the "pause that refreshes." 

More later---I have to keep pausing for "life."

MY ONE WORD #3

Choose. (2017) Consider (2018) ????? (2019)

I have been mulling over my 2019 choice for My One Word since last June's "Summer Refreshment" book study. I was pretty sure "seek" was going to be the right "choice." A word of focus. A right focus. An action word. The right action. A transitive verb. A "doing" word for a "do-er".

A word for prioritizing my life. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God..." (Matthew 6:33) A word with 100 individual Bible references in multiple verses in both the Old and New Testaments.

"But God in his love and mercy".....brought another word to my attention---more than once. I gave pause to his leading. Gentle nudges. A son's sermon. Being vs Doing debate. Not one or the other but intertwined. Hubby's suggestion about my "packed" schedule. An intransitive verb---now that would be a first.
I did an acrostic on both words---many similarities found.
Put                   Set aside superfluous
Aside                Enjoy moments God gives
Unnecessary     Embrace eternal truth
Selections         Keep on keeping on
Everyday

I think I was looking for a skywriter to show me the right word. Instead God gave me 3 words to reflect on---in stone. At least painted on concrete. That seemed to seal the deal.
When one takes time to "pause" the 3 Rs come forth. one can linger long enough to relax, which brings about refreshing of both mind and soul so that she is able to refuel with God's truth and then take action. "Seeking" is a doing word. (Think transitive.)
"Pausing" is a being word for one who needs to practice "being" a be-er. Are you confused yet.

 

76 times in 3 versions of the Bible was "pause" found---all but 5 of those were in Psalms as Selah--reminds one to pause and calmly think of that. Hmmm....only 6 different verses.
I am joyful expectant to see how ow God will use this word in my life.
Decision made. Break out of the mold. Go outside the box. "Pause" for the first 1/2 of the year or until the Lord guides to transition to "seek".
Wow that's a biggie for me, a rule follower! I'm considering ('18) choosing ('17) 2 words for My One Word! YIKES!

**Remembering 2009---10 years ago today, Heard the word biopsy, as it pertained to me, for the very first time. 

s l o w i n g VERBS NEEDED

Wordsmith Wednesdays seem to frequently have me exploring verbs. I have spent several years focusing on dance in both the verb and noun parts of speech. However, the last 2 years I have focused on a single "action" verb each year. I know because in 2017 I logged over 200 "choose" blog entries. Sunday, I reread a "choose" entry on nearness of God as I was praying for others through Psalm 73. 2018's verb focus has been "consider" and I've learned in all my actions, it's important to "consider" Him first! (Hebrews 12:3) 

I might need to focus more on Him today as I seem to be  growing weary and losing heart, as the rest of the verse states. Lysa Terkeurst's Embraced, stated, "We run at a breakneck pace to try and achieve what God wants us to slow down enough to receive. (p.19)

Maybe I need to focus more on "to be" verbs ----verbs of being, not action.

Maybe for me, a compromise is needed---action verbs indicating a slower speed.

Amble. Linger. Relax. Soak. Be still. Bask. Be refreshed.

Pause before speaking.

Pause before seeking.


Slowing verbs might be just what I need. How about you?
.

Selah

10/26/09 Meditation started early this Monday morning in Psalm 3, a psalm of David. I was using my New American Standard translation but my heart was remembering the good ole King James version from my grandmother’s Bible. Psalms and KJV equal comfort for me. I was in need of a little old fashioned comfort this past weekend. Though my grandmother’s Bible is too fragile to travel, I’m staying in a preacher’s house where Bibles abound and the internet is at my finger tips. http://www.biblegateway.com/ (a great source for different translations)
Psalm 3, according to my Bible notes, is a morning prayer of trust in God. Perfect! The first 2 verses deal with the problem but in verse 3, the focus shifts from the problem to the problem solver.

But Thou, O LORD, art a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. (Psalm 3:3)

THOTS: As a shield, He is my protector. A biopsy report looms. Time is a critical factor today in scheduling both an infectious disease regimen and hopefully keeping my pending surgery on the docket. Of course, if diagnosis is cancer all recent plans go by the wayside. Regardless, He is my shield! My marginalia says, "to adorn" beside the word glory. Glory is perhaps the hardest word for me to wrap my finite mind around, so I am Trusting Him On This Subject today. Does He adorn me? Does my trust in Him adorn Him?? As the lifter up of my head, He is my encourager. No “happy pills” needed. (Yet!)

I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill. (Selah) I laid down and slept: I awakened; for the Lord sustained me. (Psalm 3:4-5)

Those verses pretty much describe last night and my “new beginnings” this morning.

THOTS: Selah. Bible dictionary says there are different interpretations of this word---silence or pause is given.

I think I’ll pause to think on these verses. Won’t you join me!