2nd ADVENT SUNDAY

Why does one  Light the Candle of Peace during this time of "waiting" known as Advent?

 

Amen to the One who is the "Perfect" answer to the Advent of Peace!

MEET THE SHEEP--HOPE

Hope is the sheep that sits above the youngest grand's stocking.

Hope is holding on to unopened gifts of possibilities. After all that's what hope is.

Is peace a possibility in our world today? I hope so!

Does the power of love reign in our own families? I hope so!

Are our prayers laced with hope and love? I hope so.

He                       Harness                    Hold

Offers                  Omnipotent              Onto  

Peace                   Power of                  Prayers

Eternal                Emmanuel                Everyday

I hope we all unwrap these gifts* from the heart to share with one another this Christmas!

*At Allen bible Church the Advent candle of hope was lit.

MEET THE SHEEP........

Meet the sheep.........the ovines that bedeck my mantle once a year. 

(Fresh magnolia leaves will be added soon.) 

This intro is to hold my place and my thoughts until my energy returns and I can complete entry.

Pic with magnolia still in process.

Would love for "Santa" to bring me Jake for one of my "J" boys!

MEDITATING MONDAYS' MOMENTS

When a Monday begins with a continuation of Saturday and Sunday sickness one, at least this one, can lose her focus. My body was out of steam. There was no zip or zest, just weariness. But God....brought a verse into focus.

"Don't burn out; keep yourself fueled and aflame." (Romans 12:11, MSG)

How does one do that when she is physically spent? Start where you are. 

Look for God's hand.

Be fully present in the present so God can present His perfect present. (Taylor Park)

God's grace is our best present.

Remind me daily that even the smallest of moments do matter.

NOVEMBER FROST MOON

A picture for the ages (11/19/2021 5;34 am CST).....because the next Frost Moon/ partial lunar eclipse won't be seen in North America won't be until 2100! It was the longest partial lunar eclipse since 1440, and the longest until 2669.

Glory....to the one who made the moon for the seasons. (Psalm 104:19) 

COMING and GOING

Some days I feel as if I "meet myself coming and going!" (an idiom from my Hoptown hometown days)

On a recent road trip to visit family, a food replenishment stop, gave a positive meaning to that saying, 

Location: THE BURGER JOINT, New Boston, Texas

As we were coming in we were greeted with God's Word! What an auspicious beginning for one who was having trouble holding her head up because of pain. (Philippians 4:6-7)

As we had our rr break and waited for our food another "timely" message helped endure the wait. (Colossians 3:15)

More relevant scripture was visible upon our exit---a great "going out" reminder. (Exodus 14:14

Did I mention that whether we were just coming in for refreshment or going out to return to our car, every employee was smiling and helpful!!

As we drove off, my mind was flooded with scripture that would sustain me the rest of this somewhat arduous trip. 

The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. (Psalm 121:8, emphasis mine)

LINGO of the LAND, TIME & NEED

Language, lingo, vernacular, slang, southern speak. Jargon of the people. In other words.....WORDS. 

To the unfamiliar ear, words and phrases can seem to be mumbo jumbo,

Many terms/phrases are regional. As I never understand half of the words my teenage grands use, I'd say age is a demographic factor.

Today I feel knackered! (a Brit term for tired or worn out)  

Some words, toot berries comes to mind, are family specific.

New words/phrases are added yearly. One add to the OED in 2020, which I like, is adj. awesomesauce, for extremely good, excellent. (Siri doesn't know it yet and chooses to underline it or respell as she does often with my southern dialect when I talk my text.) Certainly the pandemic has added terms; anti-vaxxer, & pandemic brain, which often refers to fogginess when trying to focus, concentrate or make decisions along with 

But I digress as I often do. Think excursus....a digression in a written text. (Latin-"excurrere") 

I often think of it as allowing my mind or mouth to go on an excursion away from a main idea. 

But God....in His word simply reminds me---let my yes be yes and my no be no as no other oath is needed. (James 5:12) I mean what I say and say what I mean when sharing God's truth. 

Ecclesiastes 5:2 reminds us to let our words be few.

No fancy words or lingo needed just simple truth. (Proverbs 17:27)

Walk the talk of gospel truth.

Monday Meditation

Mondays are for meditation at my house. All who know me know that.....so why am I muddling in my maladies today? Distraction reigns. Disillusionment is trying to creep in. I need to return to meditation afresh.

Jack, a budding paleontologist, calls this one Tri-Larrytops!

God is not a God of chaos, confusion and disorder.....but of peace! (1 Corinthians 14:33)

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day!  (Psalm 119:27)

Therefore.........I'm heading to church for a time of meditation with some prayer warriors.

May we all be revived by the Lord of peace.

GUESS-S-S-S WHAT DAY IT IS?

The pictures should be your best clue!

Treats from Memphis, New York and Texas!

ALL......SAYS..........IT..........ALL!

All says it all. The dictionary defines "all" as an indefinite adjective. In Scripture, I see all often used as complete, definite. In English, all has several functions---as an adverb, noun or pronoun. Most often I think of "all" as completely.

"That's all she wrote." That could mean something is finished and that is all there is to be said. For me,  it could mean, if I were the "she" that tonight I'm finished typing. Nite. Nite.

It was all I could do not to get up in the night to finish this because thoughts were whirring.

As thoughts are still whirring about current circumstances, I went back to Robert Morgan's All to Jesus Day 297, whose thoughts were not whirring but were clear and concise.

With all prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and...be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18, NASB)

All kinds of prayers---arrow prayers (Margie Hornor) "HELP, THANKS, WOW prayers, (Anne Lamott) silent prayers, spoken prayers, travel mercies prayers, walking prayers (JoLynn)

All hours of the day---morning, noon and night.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16, KJV)

With all perseverance.....Keep on keeping on....(I Thessalonians 5:17)...for all the saints as many as possible specifically and by name. (Morgan, Day 297) 

All to Jesus I Surrender!

All says it all! That's all I have to say---today.