FRIDAY FOCUS: LESSONS FROM A GRANDSON!

What can bless a grandmother's heart?

A return text to answer me, even when I later noticed his phone had been on silent mode.

The picture said it all.

His Friday focus began with the Lord! 

His way of starting a "Serene Sabbath" weekend!

A Faith Focus is the best way to start everyday!

A great lesson from the young to remind the "old" (with emphasis)--- each day starts with the Lord! (Psalm 118:24)

REWARDING RAMBLE IN THE WOODS

Rambling can be good when one is trying to refocus!

Not rambling in speech but in a quiet time. Today hubby did the directing to the place and then allowed me to traipse among the woods. Soothing came as flowers appeared and he helped me to change position in order to get close-up views.

A trillium evoked memories of my childhood wild flower garden and took my mind off unnecessary worries. 

Springtime with its abundance of flowers. White. 

Foamflower

Vibrant colors.

Hooked buttercups

Dwarf Crested Iris

Red Columbines were also in my childhood garden.

Hubby took the pix and when we returned home I could use his iphone which gave horticultural info and lengthened my on-going quiet time!

REJOICING IN GOD'S WORD!

God's word blesses my heart! Whether with words of praise/mercy or correction/conviction with severe mercy, I devoured, drank in, swallowed whole as a feast for my hungry soul from Yahweh Elohim TseBaooth. 

Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became a joy to me and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by your name, O Lord God of Hosts. (Jeremiah15:16, NASB1995)

A "fave verse." It jumped off the page of my devotional book, Experiencing God.

Dubbed Morbid Mom, by my kids, this is a head's up to make sure this verse is on the cover of my funeral bulletin. A legacy for my kids and grands.

LOST VOICE!

This morning I awakened with NO voice?

Sometimes in a group I might sense I have "no voice" in certain discussions. 

This new voice omission is not social; it's physical.

Today, long-time friends had "lunch and love" at Beth's. I couldn't even squeak out much that was discernible, so I laughed and  "listened."

 

LISTENING! Understanding dawned! 

Listening was the answer, literally.

Be still....listen to God and others had been a heart prayer of mine recently.

Quietude.

Faith strengthening increases as one seeks to listen the Lord in order to know him better. (Romans 10:17) Evidence of the strengthening in that relationship is seen as one chooses to listen! To God first and then to others.....looking not only to his/her own interest, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:4)

A "lost voice" was the perfect answer to my prayer! A blessing for me!

SOUL FOOD 2020

My March 20, 2020 entry, Attack-a Stack, explained the "creative" way I was extending my quiet times. Today the devotional book at the top of the stack was so timely! Streams in the Desert (L.B. Cowman)

It could have been written TODAY---for such a time as this! A Covid 19 Pandemic times. Copyright laws prevent me from printing it all here.* 

The entry began with scripture, as always. Today's was from 2 Kings 4:4.

Go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons.

My musings---

A widow with her two sons were to be alone with God. God only. Removed from their circumstances. Totally isolated. A time to get in touch with God alone---to depend on Him. God, the Source of miracles.

Analogy given was that of Christians on the treadmill of life, ordinary, predictable. A time was needed to enter a secret chamber of isolation in prayer and faith. A time for God to show us something new. Something Divine. A new pattern for life with Him.

Like the widow, "detached from outward things and attached inwardly to the Lord alone in order to see His wonders." --from Soul Food. 

In my life, God isolated me during my cancer journey.(2009) God clearly spoke to me from the MAC diagnosis to a year of surgeries and treatments. I was fed by others, with a syringe through a pencil sized hole in my mouth. Hands of others liquified my food for intake. 

But God.....He, Himself, fed me daily. Soul food straight from His Word. 

My pattern was a D.A.N.C.E.. It's when God taught me "our" DANCE--a dance He had just for me. He became my dance partner and led me in every step. A unique dance. He was there for evey twist and turn. I kept focus---always looking up into His face and not down at my feet. (circumstances) If I did stumble, He was always there to keep me from falling headlong.(Psalm 37:24, NIV)

It became the first big step of fruit bearing for me....as I stepped out & shared my story. 

I will be forever grateful for soul food from His hand and others who became HIs hands and feet on my behalf. (Psalm 27:13, NKJV)

* For the complete God's Pattern-Streams in the Desert, click the highlight.

LEAP DAY LOVE NOTE

Some things "bother me".  Having no devotional on February 29 is one of those.

Don't misunderstand me, I had my morning quiet time BUT the first devotional book I chose did NOT have a 2/29 entry. As I checked the copy right date I noticed it was not published in a leap year, so maybe that was the reason for the omission.  

As a somewhat OCD female, I like order and structure. So...... the absence of a day's devotional in my "2nd choice book" labeled, A Year of Devotionals had me a little off-kilter. Plus, it was published during 2012, a leap year, no less. In another of that author's books, he had stated, "There's Nothing wrong with devotional books, ---Ive written some myself---but they are to be supplements to our spiritual diet, NOT the main course." (Morgan p.60) I sense his absence of a 2/29 entry emphasizes that.

But God, who knows me well....had me look up and right on the table in front of me was my old favorite, Jesus Calling DayBrightener. As I flipped the card to today's devotional, there was February 29. How special for an OCD soul.

Plus, I was affirmed as Sarah Young's entry spoke right to my heart because earlier this morning, I had prayed for others to find the right pathway to love......and "My One Word" for the year is LISTEN. "Listen more to Me" leapt right off the page and into my heart. 

My today's love note reminder from the Lord.

CHOOSE: TO ACKNOWLEDGE BANDWIDTH

This entry would have been perfect for Wordsmith Wednesday as even "wannabe" wordsmiths love to discover new word meanings. Even though it's Thursday, for me, today's word is BANDWIDTH.

So, I got out my hard copy of American Heritage Dictionary, college edition.  Maybe some wordsmiths are familiar with the first listing of a definition on the list but not so much with a #2 rank or a more esoteric definition. Or as I discovered......the "sense" of the word use determines the most meaningful order in the entry list. From a lot of mumble/ jumble, on "Order of Definitions," I learned definitions are listed in what the editors assume will be the most useful order for the general reader.  (hint---general readers know more about transmitting signals of bandwidth than the mental and energy bandwidth capacity in one's own life.)

A morning email from my son's church used the word bandwidth and I was intrigued as my only experience with it had been with electronics---think, radio signals or internet.

My limited  knowledge of bandwidth did not sync contextually with the letter's use. So...I looked it up!

I have continued to ponder it in my own situation as well as share it with prayer partners.

What became obvious throughout my FULLY-scheduled day was that I had just about reached my own bandwidth.  My mental and physical capacity had reached a personal limit.

But God....was gracious as I acknowledged my own limitations and sought His strength. I was alert for luncheon  #2 and hubby had covered my housekeeping necessities so that I could finish a GG Project and the last of my Bible Study lesson for tonight.

Yet, I think this has been the third heads up in 2 days.
My first one came yesterday from friend Shelia Groshart during a lunch conversation, a 5am letter this morning was #2 & then a prayer from Betsy Martin, stressing the importance of slowing and seeking times of solitude with the Lord---just to know Him better capped off the 3.
My rule is....3x and then I'd really better start to "listen."
"Be still and KNOW that I am GOD!" (Psalms 46:10)

I need to listen up and choose to know that I don't have the bandwidth to "do it all"----because God doesn't require that of me, or anyone.

CHOOSE: MAGNOLIA MONDAY

Magnolia Monday aka Quiet Time on the Patio sweetened with the scent of magnolia.

It's overcast. It's breezy. It's delightfully perfect for morning meditation.

Streams In the Desert (5/22) entry also spoke to my heart. Expounding on Psalm 37:5, with the Young's translation, "He worketh it" jumps out. In those words, "when we truly commit, or roll out of our hands into His; the burden of whatever kind it may be; a way of sorrow, of difficulty, of physical need or of anxiety for the conversion os some dear one." 

Once I have put it into His hands, even when I can't see results, I can trust that "He worketh."

Those words are a sweet aroma to my spirit as this magnolia is to my senses. 

So grateful I was able to choose this spot for my Monday morning meditation. 

DISCOVERING DIVINE DESIGNS

Compulsive. Idiosyncratic. Strange. Weird. That's me.
But God.....tends to honor my uniqueness.
Today's quiet time was a real "heads up" as I saw my W "caricature creation" in My Utmost for His Highest devotional journal. From today's entry I could tell that I had been embellishing Ws in both my Bible and MUHH at least since 2009.
WOW--I noticed the entry title, "Discovering Divine Designs." Oh my, that's exactly what I've been doing all these years with Ws!
My own "unusual way of "highlighting" worship as I read---and sometimes with an "eye" for worship reminders in my surroundings.

This week's "Walk of Worship" (WOW walks) on the beach was not to intentionally see Ws everywhere but to see God's perfect design in creation and to praise & thank Him for the privilege of "seeing" it!
But God....showed me a W in the wings of a bird in flight as well as webbed footprints in the sand!

Even as we returned to the condo last night from Cafe Thirty-A, I saw an arrow pointing to a glowing W. It was for a road warning....but I saw it as one more reminder to thank the Lord for the day's blessings.

Ws are everywhere---when one starts looking! Little "God Winks" to remind one of His Presence and to "worship the King!".

Palatable RX

Some medical diagnoses and prescriptions are easier to "swallow" than others. This is certainly true in the physical realm. 

Last week's diagnosis of a frozen shoulder didn't sound so bad when the RX was coupled with physical therapy and NOT a cortisone shot or surgery. Hard work. Exercise. I'm willing to do that to accomplish healing and restoration of the weak/atrophied area. 

But....the question is, how did I get to this point? 

Was the gradual physical decline so gradual that I overlooked it? 

Was my loss of effectiveness due to underuse or neglect? (Romans 12:11)

The same questions could be asked about weaknesses in my spiritual life?
Does something major have to occur to get my attention?
Am I allowing neglect in my spiritual life to give way to greater "threats."

Time in God's word. Intimate time with the Lord. Both are a palatable RX for refreshment and restoration.

"TEA-rrific" Day

Choose this day whom you will serve.....as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15, NASB)

Some days are terrific from the get-go. Others, not so much.

Like happiness, terrific days are a choice.

Verse 15 of Joshua 24 shows us that God's call for "choice" is for all of us. 

A public choice.

It is a choice for each of us. A personal choice. 
It is a choice for parents to make for all in their households. A parental choice. (B. Liles, 5/11/14)

Choosing to serve Him. A right choice. 

There's a bottom line for choice. Choosing to serve God is choosing to have a "TEA-rrific day, regardless of one's circumstances.

tea-rrific! product now available at Kroger.
(Carolyn F.,---Batesville, MS)

Starting each day with Him is a choice. A right one. Starting it with a cuppa is also a choice. A TEA-riffic one for me!