Thank You (Pt. 2)

 Tuesday, January 31, 2023 (3:46 p.m.)

(8:00 a.m.)

♪Just Remember I Love You And it’ll be all right Just remember I love you More than I can say Just remember I love you…♪

Yes! You love me! Thank You Father!

(11:53 a.m.)

2nd grade workspace

Anaheim, CA

¡Gracias Dios! Gracias con todo mi corazón. Mucho tiempo spent with dual language learners shifts my brain in many different ways.

Lord, how truly grateful I am to have begun the day with pure and simple thanksgiving. No details of concern at that time. Mind not staying focused. Desire to connect with You limited to my thanks.

Thank You that it was enough at the time. Enough for me to hear what I believe was You singing to me within practically no time. Enough to remind me that You are good. All the time! Great. Glorious. Gracious. Enough to allow me to bring addiction concerns regarding others before You. Unhurriedly. Wholeheartedly. Without answers. Or questions. With complete trust!

Thank You Father. Gracias Dios, mi Padre. ¡Te amo mucho! Amén.

(184 words ~ 12:13 p.m.)

(4:49 p.m.)

Thank You.

 Tuesday, January 31, 2023 (5:15 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Good morning. Thank You. I’m not sure for what yet, but thank You anyway. Yes Lord. Thank You anyway. Thank You always!

Ephesians 5:20

(6:36 a.m.)

Really God. This is all I’ve got for You this morning. “Thank You.” Just, “thank You.” Use me. I love You. Amen.

(61 words ~ 6:46 a.m.)

"Hineni!"

 Monday, January 30, 2023 (5:20 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Thank You that I got to wake up thinking and singing of You.

(5:33 a.m.)

May I just say that I can get completely lost while looking for lyrics to one particular song? Thinking I was seeking ♪All My Hope♪ I quickly found wonderful words written of Your Truth.

Upon attempting to sing them to the tune in my head I soon realize this is “not it!” I’m smiling, now shaking my head, at the various times my thoughts or actions might readily say, “Not it!” to You.

Forgive me Lord. I am not yet the person You created me to be. Thank You that You already know that!

Thinking of the many different games we used to play as kids beginning with, “1, 2, 3, Not It!” I’m asking You to change my approach to

(6:14 a.m.)

And with that simple unformed ask I am learning another new to me word. Hineni. Hebrew for “Here I am.”

Thinking I was looking to find the story of a young Samuel assisting Israel’s high priest Eli (1 Samuel 3:1-10) I am discovering so very much more. Talk about the tip of any ice berg! There is so much more to the depth of Your Word than just the surface with which I am most familiar.

Abraham’s answer of “Hineni!” (Genesis 22:1) when You called him to take his beloved son Isaac to the mountains as a sacrifice. And again when “the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven” (v. 11).

Moses’ reply to Your call to him from the middle of the bush (Exodus 3:4)? “Here I am!” Hineni.

(7:03 a.m.)

Blessed God, as excited as I was to come out here singing about ♪All of my hope [being] inYou♪ I’m even more thrilled with learning to reply “Hineni!” to Your call.

Father God, I love You! I want very much to serve You. Readily. Willingly. Obediently.

♪My Life Is In You, Lord, my strength is in You, Lord My hope is in You… I will praise You with all of my life I will praise You with all of my strength With all of my life, With all of my strength All of my hope is in You♪

It is Your Word to which I turn. On which I stand. Trusting You to provide our every need. Thank You Father. Praise You Lord.

Isaiah 41:10. Easy-to-Read Version. “Don’t worry - I am with you. Don’t be afraid - I am your God. I will make you strong and help you. I will support you with my right hand that brings victory.”

Yes please Lord! Teach me to reply, “Hineni!” every time You call. Thank You. Praise You. I love You. Use me. Amen.

(478 words ~ 7:29 a.m.)

the simple things...

 Sunday, January 29, 2023 (6:46 a.m.)

Thank You God.

You just helped me smile again. Another patterned set of numbers. First at 6:26. Then just now. Thank You Lord. It’s the little things. The simple things…

(7:24 a.m.)

Hmm. Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). “Stop, absorb and enjoy the Lord.” One sister could. And the other could not.

Holy God, I’m reading about associating the simple things with You and smiling even bigger than before. What I’m taking away is the importance of enjoying You. And I do! Every time I relate a smile with You. Thank You God.

This morning I’m asking You to help me practice and learn the art of delighting in You (Psalm 37:4). Being still and knowing that You are God (Psalm 46:10). Becoming more of a Mary [sitting, listening, being taught] than a Martha [distracted, preparing, worried and upset over details].

Yes Lord! Keep reminding me, as only You are able, of the importance of enjoying You. Through knowing, loving, trusting and wanting You as Lord of our lives.

Use me this day. Exactly as You know is best. Singing. Smiling. Standing firm and staying my mind on You. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(209 words ~ 8:14 a.m.)

playful adulting

 Saturday, January 28, 2023 (6:02 a.m.)

Thank You God!

Waking up with a song reminding me of my dad’s laugh. What a smile I have. Thank You!

So many reasons to sing. And smile. You are so good Lord. Thank You.

(6:23 a.m.)

Lead and guide me this day Dear God. In the way You would have me go (Psalm 32:8).

(6:32 a.m.)

Isn’t this fun?!

One minute I’m singing of a ♪little water boy bring[in’] that buck-buck-bucket around♪ and the next? Reading in Your Word of the importance of not being like “a senseless horse or mule” (Psalm 32:9).

Yes Blessed God. I’m asking You to use me this day. Depending on Your teachings. Forever changed by Your goodness and Your grace. Absolutely secure in the fact that while I do NOT know what tomorrow holds, I know [trust, believe] that YOU hold it.

Yesterday, I heard myself say out loud that I want to spend this year “playing more and ‘adulting’ less.” I mean no disrespect here Dearest Dad. There is an imbalance of responsibility I took on in my younger years that no longer serves me well. In many ways, it never did.

I am looking to You Dear God! Asking (Matthew 7:7) You to provide the balance I need to live each day responsibly (Titus 2:3-5). And playfully! As Your child (1 John 2:28-3:10). Truly Lord, I don’t know what that balance will look like, but I trust You to bring it about. 

An e-article written by a twentysomething writer from eastern Canada (Jaquelle Crowe) sums it up quite nicely. “Before God calls us to be adults, he invites us to be His children.” I realize I skipped a lot of steps there, Lord! I look to You in recovering the balance I’ve been missing.

One more playing of, singing with, hearing my dad laugh and smiling to ♪Mule Skinner Blues♪ All the while looking to You with gratefulness. Use me this day dearest God. EXACTLY as You know is best. Perfectly balanced between playfulness and adulthood.

Thank You. Praise You. I love, need, trust and want You as Dad of my life. Amen.

(375 words ~ 7:39 a.m.)

taking joy

 Friday, January 27, 2023 (5:12 a.m.)

Awesome, Holy God,

Great sleep. Another song. A new to me word. Thank You God. You provide our needs. And I am grateful.

Looking up the word concave, I find its opposite. Convex. From there? Adjectives and verbs for what I have always known as a noun. Goggle.

Here came an unexpected smile. Reminding me to take joy. Thank You Father. You are so good.

This morning as I sit with You, taking in all You provide, I ask You to lead and guide us. Teaching us Your will. Your way.

“Look ahead with joy. Anticipate what I’m creating: I’ll create Jerusalem as sheer joy, create my people as pure delight. I’ll take joy in Jerusalem, take delight in my people” (Isaiah 65:18-19a).

Cue the music from earlier. ♪On and On He just keeps on trying And He smiles when He feels like crying On and on, on and on, on and on♪

Oh! But wait. There IS more! ♪When the first time is the last time Can make you feel so bad But if you know it, show it Hold on tight♪ Yes! We are supposed to hold on tight. To You. Your teachings.

Joshua 23:8. “Just hold tightly to the Eternal One, your True God,” The Voice. Oh yes Father!

Thank You God. I am asking (Matthew 7:7) You to order our day here. Beginning back at my interest with the words with which I began.

Concave - depressed, hollow, indented, sunken

Convex - jutting or projecting outward, raised, goggle

Goggle? What? Yes. Goggle!

To stare (at something) with wide eyes, to be filled with wonder or astonishment

Thank You Lord. Let me goggle You many times today. With wide eyes. Filled with wonder.

You are good. Great. Glorious. Gracious. And so worthy of our praise. Thank You for continuing Your work. Use us to Your good and to Your glory.

We love, need, trust and want to take our joy in You. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(340 words ~ 6:39 a.m.)

"delighted and excited!"

Thursday, January 26, 2023 (6:17 a.m.)

(6:30 a.m.)

I just described myself as delighted and excited! Thank You God. You work

Just like that [SNAP!] the song in my mind switched from ♪I’m So Exciting♪ (Psalm 37:4) to ♪God Will Make A Way♪ (Isaiah 43:19).

Father God, how I thank You for the ways You do make for us. Like the little shifts You bring about in my thinking. And the habits I have acquired over the years.

Blessed Lord, You are so incredibly good. I truly cannot ever thank You enough for all You’ve already done in, with, by, through and for us. And here we are, ready for You to do more.

Thank You for reminding me yesterday to focus more on the things that I can do, rather than the multitude that I can’t. By giving me gentle pushes each day, big changes are taking place. Thank You Father!

(7:45 a.m.)

Just like that [snapping again]. Up. Dressed. A load of laundry. A bit of sorting. And back here. All the while still singing.

♪I’m so excited And I just can’t hide it… And I know, I know, I know, I know I want You♪ Thank You God. It is YOU I am excited about. And all the changes You are making with us.

Father I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to continue Your work. Leading. Guiding. Directing. Providing.

(8:10 a.m.)

Up again. Moving. More laundry. And singing.

This time? Further into the chorus! ♪I’m so excited And I just can’t hide it I’m about to lose control And I think I like it♪ Yes Father! I like losing my control to You. Knowing I can trust You to do all You must. Thank You Lord.

Oh Your goodness God! Look at these words from Isaiah! It IS what You are doing here.

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”

You ARE making a pathway here! I DO see it!!! Thank You so very much.

(9:38 a.m.)

Sharing more of my excited delight with another just now, Father I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to continue Your work.

I want very much to: “Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust Him, and He will help you” (Psalm 37:4-5).

Here’s a smile of quiet contentment as I stay my mind in, standing firmly on Your Word. And just like that [another snap!] ♪You Make My Dreams come true (Ooh You You ooh ooh) Well well well You (ooh ooh ooh ooh) Oh yeah, You make my dreams come true♪ is singing itself loudly within.

Because You do! YOU make my dreams come true! Thank You God.

Illustrated Bible Handbook tells us, “Psalm 37. David exhorts patience and trust when pressures come. The theme ‘wait for the Lord’ is repeated, with warnings 

(11:23 a.m.)

Another phone call. More blessings. Thank You God!

Back to: “The theme ‘wait for the Lord’ is repeated, with warnings against hasty action. This is an important psalm for anyone wronged by others.”

Thank You God that Your way is so much better than ours!

I am truly delighted and excited at this very moment from reading Isaiah 43:18. “But forget all that - it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.” I want to move forward with You Father God. Godward!

“… forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead…” (Philippians 3:13-14).

Here’s The Message for Isaiah 43:18-19. “Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? There it is! I’m making a road in the desert, rivers in the badlands.”

We ARE new in You! “The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Because of Your love working in us we are able to “get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words

(12:35 p.m.)

Right there! Right in the middle of quoting Ephesians 4:31 and 32 another song took over. “Hearing” it note by note. Without knowing it at all. Working hard to piece it all together.

One phrase [♪And so do I♪]. A musical app. Then a title! Thank You God. It’s perfect!

♪It’s gonna take a Lotta Love To change the ways things are It’s gonna take a lotta love Or we won’t get too far So if you look in MY direction And we don’t see eye to My heart needs protection And so do I♪

Thank You God for the Truth and love You sing into my soul enabling us to “get rid of… slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead be[ing] kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).

Oh yes Dearest God! I have some serious forgiving to do. Work in me please.

Thank You so much for the blessings of this day. Continue using them for Your good and Your glory.

I desperately want to be the woman You created me to be. The one who “is clothed with strength and dignity, and laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: ‘There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!’” (Proverbs 31:25-31).

Yes please Blessed God. This is my prayer. Thank You for teaching us to love as You would have us. You, with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength and our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31).

Use me. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(1,017 words ~ 1:20 p.m.)

irrespectively

 Wednesday, January 25, 2023 (5:33 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy, Lord God,

Thank You for Your love. Your provisions. Your plan.

(6:33 a.m.)

An entire hour of reading in and of Your Word. Thank You God. Again. For Your love. Your provisions. Your plan. 

The more I read the more there is for which to be grateful. Thank You for Your presence Dearest God.

(6:59 a.m.)

There’s such a peace that comes over me while reading Your Truth. “Warm fuzzies” if You will. Along with Your warnings are promises.

Old Testament. New Testament. Psalms. Proverbs. Disobedience. Repentance. Forgiveness. Your love. The overriding theme of it all. Your love. Thanks Dad!

Another new to me word. Irrespectively - without regard to conditions; not taking circumstances into consideration. Fairly; justly; objectively.

(7:17 a.m.)

Honestly Lord, the more I read the more I want to know. Right now? Oneness and Peace in Christ and A Temple for the Lord (Ephesians 2:11-22).

“God is building a home. He’s using us all - irrespective of how we got here - in what He is building” (v. 20). 

(8:17 a.m.)

I want You to use me in what You are building Lord! A Temple for You. Yes! Irrespective of how I got here.

As we prepare to go out into this day I’m asking Your presence. Your power. Leading. Guiding. Directing. Conforming me to Your will. Your plan. Do all You must in making me obedient to You.

The song from much earlier has repeated itself again. ♪On and On I just keep on trying And I smile when I feel like dying/crying On and on…♪

Keep me singing. Smiling. Staying my mind and standing firm in and on Your Word. I love, need, trust and want You. Use me as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(307 words ~ 8:32 a.m.)

You Say...

 Tuesday, January 24, 2023 (6:08 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You. Praise You. Another song. A lot of smiles. Thinking of Your Word as Truth and treasures. Yes, Lord! I treasure Your Truth. Thank You.

Thank You that at every waking the music in my mind was the same. Easily identifiable. And lulled me back to sleep each time.

♪…You Say I am strong when I think I am weak♪ Thank You Father. Praise You Lord.

These are words that come far more easily than they used to. Why? Practice! Wanting to learn to “give thanks in all things” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) I now find myself thanking and praising You without realizing. Thank You God!

(7:01 a.m.)

Father, You are so good. Here’s another example of the intentionality of practicing speaking Your Truth.

Practice - “to train so as to cause to be accustomed to, or ready for, something; to improve an existing but rusty or underdeveloped skill; to act in preparation for something; to closely follow, observe, or represent; to put into action; to participate or engage in a given activity; to put into effect; to do something repeatedly so as to become skilled.”

Yes! Thanking and praising You so as to be ready “to give an answer when someone asks” about the hope I have in You (1 Peter 3:15b). Thank You Jesus for Your teachings. Thank You Father for Your Word of Truth and treasures. Thank You Holy Spirit for Your presence within us.

♪I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I’m not enough Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up. Am I more than just the sum of every high and low? Remind me once again just who I am, because I need to know… You say… And I believe♪

Thank You Father for teaching me the importance of knowing, believing, trusting You to me good. Kind. Merciful. Gracious. Glorious. Great. Compassionate. Forgiving. All the things we can never be on our own, we find in You.

Use me this day. Exactly as You know is best. According to Your will and to Your way. I love, need, trust and want You as Lord of every moment of my life.

Even in this, I wind my way over to Romans 15:13. Paul’s encouraging words to the church at Rome. “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because You trust Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Yes! Confident hope through Your power. All from the treasure that is Your Word. Thank You God. Praise You Lord. Amen.

(449 words ~ 7:47 a.m.)

Godward

 Monday, January 23, 2023 (7:04 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You for the many ways things connect in my mind. Like today being the 23rd of 2023. It’s simple things like that that help me smile. For seemingly no reason at all.

Take this new to me word for instance. Godward. Toward God. I like it. And I’m smiling. Hugely.

Thank You God. Thank You for helping me realize just now that every single time I smile there’s a degree of delight involved. I like delighting myself in You (Psalm 37:4). With You. By You. Through You. For You.

Fussing for hours over the song with which I first woke, thank You that I eventually gave it over to You. As is often the case, once I stop fighting You blessings appear. This morning is clearly no different in that regard.

♪Here’s looking at you kid Missing all the things we did We can find it once again, I know Just like they did in Key Largo♪ Not the most worship filled song I’ve sung to You. Until I look beneath the surface of it.

Just like everything else in the course of any day, we have the choice of which direction to take. Forward. Sideways. Backward. And now? Godward. Yes. I want to look and proceed Godward!

♪Here’s looking at you kid…♪ Is that You looking at and calling me “kid”? Or maybe me changing the phrase to ♪Here’s looking at You God♪?

Regardless, one of the things I’m smiling most about now is the title of the album on which this track is found. ♪Just Another Day in Paradise♪ Yes. I want to greet this new day as another day in the paradise You have provided us.

Father, thank You for the ways You teach us to capture our thoughts (2 Corinthians 10:5). My tendency is to complicate things. Build mountains out of molehills. Thank You that Your ways are so much better than ours!

(8:13 a.m.)

Another smile!

Illustrated Bible Handbook. 2 Corinthians. “Chapter 10. Appeal, Not Command Meekness and Gentleness; 10:1-6… Paul is engaged in a spiritual warfare, so he can never rely on worldly methods. It requires divine power to demolish the inner strongholds and bring hearts and minds into an obedient relationship with the Lord.”

Divine power. Facing Godward. Depending on You to lead and guide us in every single endeavor. Like ordering our home for instance!

Father God, we turn to You. Asking. Seeking. Knocking (Matthew 7:7). Knowing. Trusting. Believing You to be the ♪Good, Good Father♪ that You are.

Continue Your work in reminding us that it is in You we trust. There are so many things we will never fully understand. Yet we can choose to call out Your name in dependence on the strength of Your mighty power (Ephesians 6:10).

Do in, with, by, through and for us all it is that we cannot possibly do on our own. Singing. Smiling. Staying our minds and standing firm on Your inerrant [incapable of being wrong] Word.

♪Here’s looking at You, God!♪ Thank You for all the ways You work on our behalves. We love, need, trust and want You to prevail in all things. Use us to Your good and to Your glory. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(5:48 words ~ 8:29 a.m.)