PRIORITIZING: 1, 2, 3 OR P, P, P……..

8/14/12 A friend has been praying for me about this somewhat frustrating area of my life. Keeping focus on what’s most important. Setting my priorities and matching my actions to them. So…..maybe I need to try to “do something” about it. That was my first “wrong” thought. I’ve been trying for years. Making lists. Checking twice.

I have learned to say “No” more often.

Actually, I’m no better since I retired at getting “it” all done. Grocery list is in order by areas I transverse, if transverse can be a verb. I know I try to keep from back tracking and re-crossing all those aisles. Even coupons are compiled ahead of time. Errands are listed in order of proximity to said route as well. All of this to save my time in order to have more time for the priorities in my life----and yet the planning tends to wear me out. Priorities take a back seat to the “required” or the urgencies.

Second wrong thought was my new alliterative method so I could be sure to choose the best out of all options that daily present themselves. I, at least, have come to the conclusion that I can’t do it all. I might even have to give up my crossword puzzles. OUCH!

Pick out most important areas to cover.   (Might need to give up good stuff in order to have time for the best.)

Ponder all the options.  (There are so-o-o many options mixed with the daily urgencies/requirements.)

Pitch those that don’t make the cut. (Does that mean giving up what gives me pleasure??)

This pithy list looked like the answer.

But God…..showed me that the best “P” was omitted---PRAYER!

How can I ponder anything apart from that basic????

So, I’ll “pitch” one more list/method and get back to the basic. I’ll email my friend, Betty Ferrell, and thank her for prayers, hoping she’ll keep praying and not give up on this slow “prioritizing” learner.

3 Letter Word

8/13/12 We all get so hung up on 4 letter words. PROFANITY! It “rings” in school hallways. It’s on TV----sometimes just to get laughs. Too often, profanity blasphemes the name of the Lord. It’s all too easily accepted---freedom of speech is the claim. To me, it’s sin. That’s the 3 letter word that causes the most harm. 

Result of sin---separation from God.

Even Dictionary.com defines sin as willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle. Where are the moral principles? Nowadays, many sins seem acceptable. World “thinking” condones it. It’s celebrated on front pages of newspapers and even “above the fold”, which all journalists know gives it credence, of sorts. No matter how we try to water it down, or blast its acceptance on airways and through cyberspace, sin is still sin. Sin’s acceptance is man’s viewpoint and has become a way of life. Don’t be fooled. It’s not God’s way. It’s still that 3 letter word that can have a negative impact on one’s life.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: INSIDE AND OUT

8/12/12 Sanctuary—a sacred place, a quiet place, inside or outside where one can meet with God. The natural beauty of God’s creation can often draw us into His Presence. Though awed, we can be still and worship regardless of all that is going on around us.

That’s my definition---this week’s pictures reveal clearly where my words fail.

Church of Abraham Lincoln, Springfield, IL. In the sanctuary stands the pew of the family.

A welcoming sanctuary

Trinity Episcopal (1637) where I knelt & prayed for bereaved friends.

Established by Jesuit missionaries in 1670 on Mackinac Island, MI.

Little Stone Church near the Grand hotel where I read aloud Psalm 51. "Create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me.

Mission Church

Cedarburg, WI

Sunday morning parking on an island that allows NO motorized vehicles

Spire proclaiming the cross is a harbor welcome to Mackinac Island.

Reminders of my "Me and Thee" chairs---the purple one must belong to Him. After all, a King is royalty.

Great sanctuary to behold a sunrise

???Wedding Questions???

8/11/12

The answer to ALL their questions …..“I do” or “I will”.

Is there anything sweeter than couples standing at the altar declaring their love and lifelong commitment? 
From....

the flowers...

to the awaiting groom...

the smiling bride....

the attentive nephews...

the solemn vows.....

the mother of the bride

the luscious cake

the dance....

the kiss.....

the toasts.......

the laughs.....

....and the keepsakes,

Wesley and Michael had it all!!!

Two are better than one,
 because they have a good return for their labor:

If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
 But how can one keep warm alone? 

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

How blessed this young couple is to have Christ as the center strand of their cord.

CONGRATULATIONS WESLEY & MICHAEL

Home Again, Home Again

8/10/12….The  minute I typed the title, this entry took a different turn. Echoes of the “olde”nursery rhyme filled my head.

To market, to market, to buy a fat pig,

Home again, home again, jiggety-jig.

Not counting my 2 early summer glorious trips to North Carolina and 10 days in Ukraine, I have trekked with hubby through 11 states since July 28. The latest trek was 2,468.7 miles. So…. home felt good. But…..the trip was also good----did I mention not one single bad meal along the way! From fancy to hearty. Even the Wisconsin cheddar cheese curds and Beechwood Cheese Co.’s Moraine Muenster on wonderful crispy crackers hit the spot for our “car” lunch. Of course we topped off all that salty with a little chocolate cheese fudge.

There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil (Ecclesiastes 2:24)

Work became toil, and life offered drudgery and frustration after the fall, but to those who please God, He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy (2:26). for God’s glory brings joyful satisfaction and fulfillment.

In my rationalization, those verses in Ecclesiastes came to mind. But God……reminded me that indeed He does provide good things for us to enjoy. I not only had gastronomic feasts on this trip, I had visual feast from God’s creation as well.

Now I have the “fat pig” syndrome of 5 extra pounds. (That would be on top of other recently acquired poundage.) So....... now that I’m home again I’m going to have to dance a few jigs to slow down all that “jiggety flesh” that was a result of a GREAT trip!

ANNIVERSARY ANGST, once again

8/9/12 Married for 43 years! An event worth celebrating. Certainly a time for a "worthy" gift.  Something he would like. Not extravagant. Bought earlier this summer. From a pragmatic point of view, that was a biggie because I knew we would be "on the road" a lot, even on our anniversary day. But God......had me take the gift to Ukraine for one of our missionaries----at hubby's insistence, I might add.
But Dotsy....forgot to replace it. I even forgot I had given it away. Failing to find it prior to anniversary dinner, a smiling hubby reminded me of what I had done. Acceptance. That was the best gift he could have given me. Plus, tonight he will read Matthew 16 to me as part of Allen Bible Church's NT2012 reading.
Happy anniversary, dear! Thank you for loving and accepting me as I am.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, (Ephesians 5:25-26)

Wednesday 8/8/12---GO TEAM GO!

8/8/12 Busch Stadium. Home of the St. Louis Cardinals. A sea of red! There’s nothing quite like rooting for the home team. It’s easy to get caught up in the hoopla as strains of "Take me out to the ballgame" fill the air. Opening pitches from “adorable bald children who are battling cancer, trivia prompts and even Kiss Cam. (not to mention the hot dogs, peanuts, nachos & $$ cokes) and lower temps all added to the fervor.

We weren’t FANS as such. Fans, certainly, but such fervor was incredible even for hubby, who has followed Cards since childhood and keeps up with stats and such. We were there hoping that Matt Cain (former HHS baseball player) would pitch for the SF Giants or at least friends Michael and Lane’s son-in-law, Jason Motte would pitch for the Cards. Neither happened so we were disappointed. Yet game experience was fun anyway. I just tend to get more caught up in the people aspect rather than in the score. Which is a good thing because the Cards lost 15-0.

Isn’t it great that one can enjoy life even without a check in the “win” column?

HEART REFRESHMENT

8/7/12

"God-Speak"

8/6/12 Are you knackered? That was the question Al Roker posed this morning on “The Today Show.” It was another of his examples of “British-speak” which the 2012 Olympic attendees are encountering throughout London. He also asked about a loud hailer. (megaphone)

It gave me pause as I thought of God’s loud hailer. His Word hails me everytime I open my Bible with an open heart. It’s as if He is loudly declaring what I need to hear.

Is His word calling out loudly to you?

Having spent time these last few days basking in the glory of His handiwork, I heard “loud and clear”, as nature became His megaphone. The grandeur and diversity of creation shouted of the splendor of the Creator Himself.

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. (Psalm 134:2)

Are your hands lifted?

Mine were. His “God-speak “ from His word and His creative genius surrounded me.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: MACKINAC MOMENTS

8/5/12 Not enough oomph to load pix....but so worth it for my memory bank. Will load when I return to Memphis. So fun to see the "parking lots at the church this morn....all bicycles. There are absolutely NO motorized vehicles here. Horses and bikes. That's it. BTW---horses ALWAYS have the right of way.