4th OF JULY

Independence! (Allen Bible Church, RightNow Media)

I needed this reminder, today. How about you?

He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

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!

CAPTIVI-TEA

A cuppa captivi-TEA is often needed to calm one's soul---or at least one's anxious thoughts.

Topsy-Turvy times call for a cuppa to soothe.....and to take captive those overwhelming thoughts of fear, and questioning thoughts of why?
Thoughts are just words in our heads. 

Proverbs 25:11-13 reminds that words fitly spoken are worthy---valuable to an obedient ear and refreshing to the soul. 

Encouraging thoughts give birth to encouraging words. Maybe the truth of that counts even when one is talking to herself. I know it counts when I'm talking to God.

Pouring over Gods word in Psalm 62, I'm reminded that when I pray I pour out my heart to God. His thoughts become my thoughts.

Tea is to be sipped but these days I seem to need to pour out a big cup and take a BIG gulp of captive-TEA, sweetened with acceptance......to soothe both my soul and my anxious thoughts. 

50 YEARS AGO TODAY

Time has moved so-so-soooo quickly, it almost qualifies for a time warp in my mind. 

It seems like just yesterday when I awakened Larry in the wee hours because my water had broken. He was so befuddled he slipped his billfold in his undies before he slipped on his pants. We quickly headed down Union Avenue toward Baptist Memorial in downtown Memphis as the sun was just coming up---3 weeks ahead of my scheduled due date!

Our first child. Our first son---though gender was not identified until 12:26pm. A beginning of the blessings of motherhood.

Today our Buddy is 50 & I continue to pray from Proverbs 22 for him---praising the Lord for many answers to those prayers!

50 years of blessings began 6/22/1970. How grateful I am!

AROMATIC MEMORIES

9 years ago today Daddy died. I feel sad all over! I still miss this gentle giant in my life.

A punctual man. His kids could pretty much set their watches by him.

Early to rise with his 1/2 grapefruit for breakfast to always be on time at Hopkinsville Livestock Company on 1st street. Sick day was not a term in his vocabulary.

Daddy always worked. In earlier years he workd in Clarksville on Wednesday & Russellville on Sat.

His Post Office run would be followed M, T, R, & F by lunch at Roundies, with jello as his dessert. 

As I said in a 2018 blog entry: Remembering Daddy........

His character is etched on my heart. My hope is that the next generations, his grandchildren  and "great grands" will consider the character of their Grandaddy Brud and emulate it as they remember him.

Of course, the greatgrands will ony remember as they have been told be cause the few who were born before he died were youngsters. 

It's important to tell those of next generations of the goodness of the Lord as we share the memories and stories of ones in our family who followed Him. (PSALM 78:4)

SERENE SABBATH READINGS

Serene Sabbath Readings

My QUARANTINE COLLECTION had me finishing a wild west audio book about the Navajo Indians, and an eBook by Greg Gilbert's Where is the Gospel?, which our pastor referred to a few weeks ago.

After scanning the Commercial Appeal Comics, I finished a hardcover of Nancy E. Turner's, Light Changes Everything (2019) a loaner from avid reader friend, Beth. 

The story began in 1907 and took me back to the Prine family in the Arizona Territory, then to Wheaton College and back again. With the regional voice of the time, in which Turner excels, I was drawn in to this poignant and emotional story! A worthy read.

Then I picked up my current read, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer---my Mother's Day gift from son Buddy. We are reading portions of the book at a time. We will discuss the first part on June 15 and the last portion when we're together in Florida in July. 

As I moved the CA cartoons and my "finished" book aside, I noticed Mason Cooley's quote from Patrick McDonald's "Mutts".

Reading gives us
someplace to go
When we have to stay
where we are.

So perfect for these times----- of quarantine.

GRADUATION DAY 2020

Hooray! Hooray! 

It's his day..............

NATHAN ZACHARY LILES

.........graduated from Allen High today.

Only 5 tickets were given per family so they all posed after the ceremony.

The rest of us, proud as punch, watched AHS's livestream!

I puddled---of course, I did!

PANDEMIC PICNIC

Pandemic Picnic. Alliterative for sure but not necessarily with a nice "ring" to it!

Echoes of "social distancing" fill the space. But----

I don't know any grandmother who would not cherish the time to "see" a grandchild or two---even if it's from 6 feet!

As I recall. three came early, two came late, one came by adoption but all 9 came in Gods perfect timing!

How grateful I am that the Lord has allowed me to see my children's children. (Psalm 128.6)

PONDERING PREPOSITIONS

An entry for wordsmiths to ponder---prepositions for a pandemic.
Prepositions for a life with Jesus!
Prepositions are important.  Prepositions Connect. Connection is relational as are prepositions.

"Journal Jottings" show a bit of info I gleaned from pondering, Handley Moule's words in A Morning of Faith and Devotion.....though he never even used the word preposition.

I believe on the name of the Son of God, ....I am in HIM, having redemption through HIS blood and life by HIS Spirit....HE is in ME, and all fullness is in HIM.......To HIM I belong by purchase.....to me, HE belongs, for all my hourly need. (deletion/compilation & emphasis mine)

My jumbled jottings are a way to help my pondering as I seek to know Him in all His fullness today!

For wordsmith grammar nerds wanting to pass on info to kids or grands.........

try Elizabeth O'Brien' s "Preposition song".

MOTHER'S DAY MEMORIES

Thanks for the walk down memory lane from IKDS, Beverly H. ,and other friends who saw the Commercial Appeal's Mid-South Memories  photo, 5/10/2020.

I can't wait to share the "rest of the story."