CHOOSE WONDER

Have you ever been so awed by Him? The wonder of His grace? (Psalm 86:10, Isaiah 25:1)

This morning was such a time for me. A time of affirming.

As I was praying through Psalm 88 (NASB) for a Christian friend who has experienced much darkness and seemingly little resolution, I was struggling for just the right words. 

This is such a sad psalm, seemingly without resolution, much like my friend. A soul full of trouble. If it's not one thing, it's two or more. An anguish of great depth---all exact causes unknown to me. 

But God....in His love and mercy showed me, in my NIV version, a notation made by verses 13-14.

The notation 2/17/07 indicated I had prayed this very verse for myself, at a time when there seemed to be no answer from the Lord. 

Today is 2/7/17. All those 7s in the same month, for the same verse. It was a BIG affirmation. I could continue to pray with hope because I had been where my friend is---in the pit. But God....was there in the midst working even when I "felt" rejection, as if He had hidden His face from me.

Now I could approach His throne of grace with confidence for my friend---as a friend who had been on the "same side of suffering" and had found God had been in the midst of it all along. I understand where she is---though the struggle may be different, the ramifications of being in a dark place are the same. 

May she now see His wonders in the darkness and His hand in the land of forgetfulness. (Psalm 88:12)

There's the wonder of sunset at evening,
The wonder as sunrise I see,
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
is the wonder that God loves me. ("Wonder of it All," Adventist hymn #75) 

Choosing wonder and awe of the Lord for myself and my friend knowing God's love is there in a place of darkness when one cannot "see" it at the moment!
What a wonder!

CHOOSE GREATER JOY

All joy comes from the One who first chose us.

As He chooses to bring others from my family into the fold, that exponentially increases my joy.

Such was the case with Andrew. 

Andrew who week before last kept asking his mommy at bedtime, "How can I believe?" For several nights she would share gospel truth and ask questions to check Andrew's understanding. 

But....he said, "I DO BELIEVE!" 

Nothing more was needed as he prayerfully opened his heart to the Lord.

Sunday, January 29, 2017 Andrew Lawrence Liles had his first communion. A new believer sharing the bread and the cup with other believers at Allen Bible Church.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (3 John 1:4)

CHOOSE JOY AGAIN

CHOOSE JOY AGAIN!
Consider it ALL joy! (James 1:2)

Now isn't that a difficult choice. But a choice it is.

We decide/choose whether to see all events---the good, the bad and the ugly, as part of God's working to bring us unto Himself. Receive with thankfulness "each day the good Lord has given" as Daddy always said. Obstacles and heartaches and heart wrenching tragedies make this seem more difficult.

But God....is the anchor that holds. (Hebrews 6:19)

"The anchor holds. Though the ship is battered, the anchor holds. Though the sails are torn, I have fallen on my knees, As I faced the raging seas. The anchor holds, In spite of the storm." (Ray Bolz)

Often when we can't hold on, He's there doing the holding. (Psalm 139:10; Psalm 63:8)

I know because He brought me up "out of the pit." (Psalm 40:2)

 

READY! MINDSET! GO!
My mind was set on Him and once again, I was ready to "go."
Ready to choose JOY once more!

CHOOSE SCRIPT NOT SILICON

Text. Script. Trusted Hard Copy.

Whatever one wants to call the old tried and true way to research, my recommendation is to hold on to that, especially when doing Bible Study.

Certainly the computer can aid in that study but DO NOT COUNT ON SIRI!
Siri is NOT always the answer. Siri is silicon. (Even she knows that!)

Siri's first response to my "word study"request was, I do NOT eschew theological disquisitions.    

How's that for a mouthful---or screen full---just wish I had gotten a selfie of me sitting with my mouth agape and Siri's response in full view.
I did get a screen shot of the next one, though not nearly as complex!

My policy should be that as well---don't count on Siri to answer life's REAL questions.
So...back to basics---my "good ole Strong's concordance." Works ever time I choose to take the time and not be lazy. 

Strong's Concordance certainly helped me to get to the heart of the matter! (Psalm 43:3, Psalm 119:105, Hebrews 4:12)

CHOOSE HYPERBOLE

Wordsmiths and politicians are known for hyperbole. So are bloggers who want to get a point across to readers!

In 1816 Thomas Jefferson sent the message, "I cannot live without books," to John Adams.
Was that fact or hyperbole? For readers it probably reads as fact but in truth it's a greatly exaggerated quote used to express Jefferson's love for books.

I, as most librarians, have a propensity for the written word as well. 

Librarians lean toward literature. Fact or hyperbole? Probably fact. But these days many are information techies so maybe it's hyperbole for us "old schoolers!"

Readers have chosen genres---mystery, science fiction, biographies, etc. 

I have a predisposition for "quirky" books. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. Keeper of the Bees. Once Upon a Town: The Miracle of the North Platte Canteen.

Many of my quirky choses are books with love and appreciation of books as an underlying theme.

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress. Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore. The Book Thief. 84 Charing Cross Road.

Last month I added a new one to the list.

A warm cuppa and The Reader on the 6.27. 

I had died and gone to heaven! 

Ooops, I hope I chose hyperbole...because I want to finish that book.

CHOOSE RANSACKING

I default to ransacking pretty often....but it's not often a joyful choice. It's usually necessary to "find" lost or misplaced items and requires much "hunting" which leaves a ransacked type trail.

This morning I ransacked my pantry in pursuit of some Werther's Caramel Chews.

No where to be found----I had to settle for the "original" hard candies for my sweet tooth.

Persistance paid as ransacking continued after blogging.
Note two twisty caramel chews between book and Werther's bag.

But God....through John Piper's meditation book on Savoring the Supremacy of God in All Your Life, (#55) I saw that ransacking the Bible for truth does indeed bring joy. Plus, it was such a follow-up for yesterdays "Meditating Monday" blog entry. Piper's points sound like meditation to me. (my THOTS below.)

1. Pray and Read. Read the Word. What a privilege. What an obligation. What a potential for seeing God. (p. 166)
2. Pray and Study. Must pray or we'll not see in the Word, the one thing esp. THE Book, needful---'the glory of God in the Face of Christ.' (2 Corinthians 4:4, 6) On knees and in books, a great combo. (p.167)
3. Pray and Ransack. Ransacking is the way to seek God in the Bible. Think Dotsy and her caramel search. (p.167)
4. Pray and think. (2 Timothy 2:7) Consider what I say for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. (KJV) Reflect on... (NIV) Think about...( NLT) Think over (ESV) Mark well...(WNT) Combine the eye-opening work of the Spirit with the mind-informing work of the Word. (Psalm 119:18) (p, 168)

I should choose ransacking to satisfy my sweet soul rather than  my sweet tooth.

CHOOSE JOY IN MEDITATING

It's "meditating" Monday and there's joy because of a cleared agenda.

No agenda gives space without hurry.

A time not just to" taste and see"  the goodness of the Lord but to savor it. (Psalm 34:8)

A time to interweave prayers from the heart with the scripture that prompted them.

It's not an "either-or" but a both-and" of meditation and prayer. 

When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, (Ephesians 3:4, Paul to the church in Ephesus) 

R + P = M 

Reading and Praying = Meditation.

When you read scripture as you pray it brings revelation and that brings great joy. 

CHOOSE LAUGHTER

Sometimes we just have to laugh at ourselves.

More often than NOT, it seems, my dearest friends and family have a "feast of laughter" (Ecclesiastes 10:19) at my expense. They even give me endearing gifts to remind me.

So.....I choose to laugh at those as well!

CHOOSE SINGING

Choose singing---even if it's a "joyful" noise, as in my case. (Psalm 100:1)

Gift from Ashley Bryan--- Used with his Permission

For me, singing and praying sometimes go hand in hand and I end up wanting to "shout" for joy!

Shout to the Lord all the Earth, let us singPower and majesty, praise to the King (Zschech)

Christianity is one long shout of joy. (John Stott) 

Hmm-m-m-m.....choosing singing could be a precursor for choosing shouting!

CHOOSE SYNONYMS

Wordsmiths use words well. I couldn't get a good or bad word in edge-wise yesterday---at least not for the timely posting of this entry. The day just flew by.

Weeks are flying by---Wordsmith Wednesday has come and gone.....without words for this entry.

Wordsmiths and "wannabe wordsmiths" have an affinity for language and its uses. For me, that entails blogging.

Before "google," wordsmith's used a thesaurus---often using too many words instead of saying the most with the fewest words, which to me is the sign of a true wordsmith.

2017 word choice, "joy"  spoke to me of word choice possibilities because I wanted to regain  my liveliness. To get "my kicks" again wherever God had placed me. So, today I googled joy.
** (Ck below to peruse both synonyms and antonyms.)

Which will you choose to be? A synonym? An antonym?

**

So many choices. Choose to be a "joy" synonym every time!!