WORD PLAY!

The Ripley Tomato Lady at the Agri-Center's shirt says it all. 

7 Days 

without PRAYER

 makes us 

WEAK

She (Blessed Girl) was proud to show it off!

In other words, to find strength in today's crazy world, "pray without ceasing." 

(1 Thessalonians 5:17)

AUGUST 9, 1969

Mr. and Mrs.

....or maybe you've just been together 

long enough to pick up

 each other's weird habits!

TRAVELING TREATS!

Traveling treats will resume when I get my computer back from Apple Store.

Last pic taken @ Welcome to I-30 AR travel center.

CAMPGROUND COUSINS!

Memories from Deep Creek campground week with 4 cousins... my paraphrase from Ecclesiastes...

There is a time for everything,

    and a season for every activity under the heavens: including telling "Star in the Middle" story 

2     a time to be born

and a time to die, (& bury the cicada)

    a time to plant (with all the needed accoutrements)

and a time to uproot,
3  ....... a time to heal, 

(Uncle Josh showed PopPop exercises, Jack held the equipment & offered to take his temperature while Goldie supervised.) 

    a time to tear down and a time to build,
4     a time to weep and a time to laugh,

    a time to mourn (because 5 of our cousins could not join us),and a time to dance, (even singing and dancing in the rain with Shug)

5     a time to scatter stones

 and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace

and a time to refrain from embracing,

6     a time to search

and a time to give up,

    a time to keep

and a time to throw away,

7     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent

 and a time to speak,

8     a time to love...............

   ............. and a time for peace.

He has made everything beautiful in its time.

He has set eternity in the human heart;.........I know there is nothing better for people that to be happy.....

...and to do good while they live that each of them may eat (birthday cupcakes)

and drink, and find satisfaction in their toil---this is the gift of God. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-13)

LANGUAGE FLUENCY

We all have a language strength. Some are bilingual. Others have a long repertoire of spoken languages. Many linguists understand a foreign language even if they can't speak it. Some speak their language with signing. I speak southern English with a hint of Kentucky drawl.

Teenagers speak a language of their own, at least my grands do. A language laced with words I don't even understand! 

Whatever our language, it should be grace-laced....full of forgiveness, filled with the true grace of God, overflowing with encouragement.

Even on the rocky roads of life, speak grace.

Speak grace in your actions because fluency in the language of grace comes with practice.*

*Click here to see how I began 2022 "grappling with grace." 

I must be a slow learner!

SEEKING

Are you seeking? Busy day ahead? What should one seek first? 

The answer for me was found in the prayer room at church when I was there all alone.

Big! Bold! In plain sight!!

Does that answer your question? It did mine!

FLOURISHING AND FADING

Flowers have many meanings in scripture. They show us God's care and comfort.

"Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?”  Luke 12:27-28)

Phlox blooms are worth waiting for in the heat of summer.

God's creatures (zebra swallowtail) are nourished by the floral gooseneck.

Evening primrose blossoms as we watch. Ah the joy of that moment each night. Then it fades away & we see it anew the next night.

Phantom hydrangeas in white purity.

Lamb's Ear in side bed reminds us to, "Behold the Lamb of God." (John !:36)

Solomon's Seal and Lenten Roses faded after the spring season. Tthe praying hands hostas died during the Feb. ice storm, the Curly Fries are awaiting transplanting as the summer heat" is roasting them....but the Cross still stands! 

"It (Rose of Sharon) shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon."(Song of Songs 2:1)

We grow inside and out and bloom with God's care. "God is like dew to His people helping them blossom like flowers, keeping them firmly rooted and fragrant..." (Hosea 14:5-6)

Flowers are given as gifts of love---from the Father above and earthly friends.

Flowers  emphasize the fragility of life.

The grass withers, the flowers fades but the word of our God stands forever. (Isaiah 40:8)

Enjoy every God given moment filled with His creations. (Jeremiah 15:16)

"SONSHINE"

A good beginning to my day starts with a "cuppa."

Today's tea was a much needed black tea with caffeine!

It came came with a message. Its own moniker. "A SIP OF SUNSHINE."

Just what I needed----or thought I needed.

As I picked up my Bible, I knew I needed more. More of Jesus. 

"More of Thee less of me" as a "notation" reminded me.

"I am not enough, but Jesus is." (Cole, 5/8/22)

I'll have a second cuppa and sweeten it with gra-TEA-tude!

SONSHINE! The true sunshine I need in my life comes from Him. 

May God's Son shine through  me today.( Micah 6:8)

GOSPELICIOUS!

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him." (Psalm 34:8)

But.....it's important to go beyond that. Let others see the truth of God in you in your actions of taking refuge in Him. 

The gospel being lived out is gospelicious! (my marginalia, Cole '20 ?)

It allows others to see the gospel message in action.

A gospelicious life style draws others to "taste and see".

HA!.....ha....haaah

Hope you are able to make a "right' turn onto this road until I return from Mississippi to finish writing this entry. I know.....it's so me! I keep forgetting to make the "right" turn myself!

For dear friends, Aubrey and Gayle, its' just a right turn and a left turn to the right turn onto Laughter! (Though in MS the word rhymes with slaughter---but not for me!) 

Laughter is contagious. Unlike many COVID19 strains and Omicron BA.5 variants and subvariants that are floating around these days, laughter is worth "catching."

I wish joy and laughter were as easy as a drive down a road. Folks dealing with chronic pain would have this address in their GPS. More often than not....they wear "guilt" over their inability to choose joy as they live with said pain, day in and day out. Pain is no laughing matter!

Old wives tales say it takes more muscles (53) to frown than to smile (12) David H. Song, Chicago plastic surgeon, gives the numbers smile (12)  frown (11). Regardless of the core numbers it takes more effort to frown.

Most folks in ongoing physical pain are not worried about numbers of wrinkles at this chronic stage. Sufferers are grateful for every laugh line that appears!

Relief is at the top of the list. Plus, for Christians, acceptance is key.

Choose joy. We're trying.

Learn life lessons. Okay will try today & ask my prayer warriors to pray. (Psalm 30:2)

Trust God. We're still trusting. (Psalm 62:8)

Share what you are learning as a way to encourage others. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Today for my suffering friends I prayed that "joy came with your morning"....despite the pain. (Psalm 30:5) and your "mourning was turned to dancing as our Lord clothed you with gladness for your day." (Psalm 30: