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.

FAREWELL TO A FRIEND.....

Farewell.....for now. Too many tears to type at the moment....but I will return when I can fully honor her!! 

I feel as If I have lost a part of myself. 

Tuesday Truths. 24 hours since I heard the news. A roller coaster of emotions. A "walking in fog" of sorts. "Sadness and joy all mixed together" as one of her sons recounted. 

May I not forget truth and become overwhelmed by my sorrow. Sorrow is not the only reality there is. 

God's word in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 reminds us that there is a time and a season for everything. Grief is one of those seasons. This time yesterday I began such a season when I learned of Ann's passing.

"A time to keep silent." (Ecclesiastes 3:7) I knew my inner spring would come from solitude. Time with the Lord and in His word. Time to drink it in. 

Joy is hidden in sorrow. (Henri Nouwen, my Bible marginalia) I need to remember truth and not be overwhelmed by my own sorrow. May my sadness be fertile ground for truth of God's ever presence. His strength. His consolation. 

May I not lose sight of the joy of the Lord because I have lost her. God Himself used Ann so many times in my own life to see His goodness. (Psalm 27:13) Today may the LORD loose my sackcloth and clothe me with gladness. Turn my mourning into dancing once again. (Psalm 30:11, paraphrased) 

There is a time to dance. (Ecclesiastes 3:4) This is such a time. 

Lord, I ask You to be my choreographer once again as this unique dance of loss has me stumbling. (Psalm 37:24) I know you hold me because you now hold Ann. She has been a friend who has loved me well at all times. So....I must sing your praise (even if off key) and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever (Psalm 30:12).........for my deep and abiding friendship with Ann.

Annabelle, Mamaw, Mommabelle, Mrs. Martin. 

Ann----my mentor, my Proffitt's shopping guide for funeral attire, my grandson's school supporter, my water aerobics pal, my scrabble hero, my New Year's Eve game winner, my favorite cook, my tea brewer, my sidekick, my travel chum and my dear, dear dog-loving friend for 20+ years!

Thx Ethel, an angel of a caregiver, for this pic!

Oct. 2,  I was with Ann as she had her lunch. (It would be the last "real" conversation I had with her as COVID complications sent her to the hospital in the wee hours the next morning.) 

As she ate her dessert, her fave part of any meal, I told her it was "her" Dotsy behind the mask and when I pulled it back for her peek, she said, "No it's not! It's an angel." I'll take that. 

We all need to be angels for each other. She certainly has been there for me.

A fond farewell to Ann today. Farewell filled with sweet memories knowing she is with the LORD!

R - WORDS STILL RUMBLING

Monday's Prayer for Revival group's passage was Titus 3:1-8.

The very first word was Remind----that started those "R"s rumbling in my head again. Part of the reminder from Titus was "be ready!" God had my attention first with remind and I was rapt when a few words later, ready appeared. Rapt. (Was my rapt fascination about to "rapture" me.) BTW, Webster has rapture as an "archaic" term.....he must not have ever gone to my church. But I digress.

More R words that readily jumped off the page, into my heart and out through my praying mouth were righteousness, regeneration and renewal. Repentance was in my marginalia. I think my most comforting "r" word was an adverb, (v.6), referring to God's  richly pouring out on us the Holy Spirit...richly (ESV) ie. abundantly, (NKJV) freely, (NIrV) generously (NLT)

After listing readiness ways in the first 7 verses, verse 8 states, "The saying is trustworthy..." Of course it is, it's God's word. Let's all REST in that truth! 

Thanks to Lisa Dufur who shared her "R" appreciation for the original R word entry, RRRRRRRRRR with some useful "u" words. Would love for others to share as well. (underlines are mine)

I read it and I loved it.  Love the U words too. Where do you get these cool ideas to worship and remind us of his Unfailing love for us? It helps Us Understand his Unlimited power which is so Uplifting. 

NEWNESS OF LIFE

NEWNESS...lots of synonyms for this noun. Freshness. Originality. Uniqueness. Newfangledness. (an old school word) For me, newness can connote brightness/shininess. Something can be "brand spanking new" or "bright as a newly minted penny." In scripture, how is newness expressed? Anyone in Christ has a newness to his life. (2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV) A new way of  living has come into existence. (GW translation)

I like Robert Morgan's spiritual list from his All to Jesus, Day 291.

A few "new" insights on Morgan's list with my inferences;

• A New Name---Saul became Paul (Acts 13:9) Believers are called Christians.
• A New Nature---created according to God's likeness. (Ephesians 4:24)
• A New Motto---to live is Christ, to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)
• A New Lifestyle---we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4b, ESV)
• A New Future---eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21)

A shining bright witness. Aglow with the Spirit! (Romans 12:11)

Newness---New every  morning!