Smile!

 Tuesday, August 4, 2026 (3:41 a.m.)

Holy God,

Good morning. I love You. Smile!

Mm, yes. Thank You for this early morning ‘pleased facial expression.’ Seemingly out of nowhere. And for no other reason than “I love You.”

Thank You for time to sit. Ponder. Wonder. Explore Your Word. And wonder some more.

Waking this morning was different than usual. It was slower. With opportunity to stay still. Move muscles. Rotate joints. Flex and straighten. Tighten and relax.

Father, I went to sleep last night aware that today would be different than I had planned. Now that it is, I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to: 

♪Have Thine Own Way, Lord! 

Have Thine own way!

Thou art the Potter; I am the clay.

Mold me and make me after Thy will,

While I am waiting, yielded and still♪

(4:31 a.m.)

Lord, how I thank You for this extended time to sit and ramble with You. Turning to and looking through Your Word (Proverbs 15:13; 17:22; Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 18:1-6). Smiling with hope as I go.

I truly do not know what today is going to bring. “Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease” (Lamentations 3:22).

Thank You that ‘Great is Your faithfulness; Your mercies begin afresh each morning’ (v. 23). Truly “I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my inheritance; therefore I will hope in Him!’” (24).

These are very big thoughts for so early in the day. For this day that You have made (Psalm 118:24a). The one in which we are to “rejoice and be glad” (24b).

Hmmm… all this because I smiled. And remembered how truly good, glorious, great and gracious (Psalm 145:5-8) You are.

I love, need, trust and want You Lord. Use me as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You.

♪This is my story, this is my song

Praising my Savior all the day long♪

(Blessed Assurance)

Mm. Yes! Thank You. Amen.

(345 words ~ 5:10 a.m.)

travel blessings

 Monday, August 3, 2026 (5:03 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You! Safe automobile travels have been involved. For friends. Offspring. And myself. Thank You Lord. I ask they continue without incident.

Joshua 1:9

Psalm 91:11; 121:8

(5:18 a.m.)

Father, thank You that You are teaching me to take none of this for granted. And to turn to You with all requests and thanksgiving.

You are so good. Generous. Loving. Kind. Merciful. Providing. 

Mm, yes. Looking into You as our Provider, I find the name Jehovah Jireh. Supplier of our daily needs. Giver of peace. Guide of our next steps.

Thank You that You offer us guidance and rest. Spiritual and emotional strength. As well as taking care of our physical needs.

Thank You for Your unending power. The only limits being Your inability to lie. Sin. And change. How grateful we are to have You as our God and Father.

Use me today as only You know is best. Being truly grateful. Sharing Your love and kindness. Glorifying and enJOYing You as You would have me.

I love, need, trust and want You in control of every aspect of my being. Do all You must for our good and Your glory (Romans 8:28). Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(195 words ~ 5:45 a.m.)

"Paid in full"

 Sunday, August 2, 2026 (5:14 a.m.)

Monrovia, CA

Most Blessed and Awesome God,

Thank You for the ways you provide for us. Pencil and paper just now that I hadn’t even considered.

Love. Laughter. Friendships. Fellowship. People bonding and banding together for a common cause. 

Thank You for the work You’ve been doing in teaching me about debts that have been “Paid in full” by Jesus’ blood.

grateful heart

 ♪Give Thanks (With A Grateful Heart)♪

(1 Chronicles 16:34)

Saturday, August 1, 2026 (4:08 a.m.)

Good morning Lord,

Today I am thanking You for gratitude. This grateful heart that allows me to smile. Hope. Seek and find (Matthew 7:7b) joy.

Father, You are ever teaching me. Many times I am becoming more willing than before. Thank You that I am learning, and experiencing, the joy that is found in simply letting You be the mighty, awesome God You are.

Isaiah 30:18. “So the LORD must wait for you to come to Him so He can show you His love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for His help.”

“This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence [trust] is your strength. But you will have none of it’” (v. 15).

Here I am in the very first verse! “‘What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,’ says the LORD. ‘You make plans that are contrary to mine. You make alliances not directed by my Spirit, thus piling up your sins.’”

Yet again in verses 29 and 30 Your promises prevail. “But the people of God will sing a song of joy… And the LORD will make His majestic voice heard…”

Why? Because "perfect love casts out all fear” (1 John 4:18b New Matthew Bible).

(4:38 a.m.)

Most Dear and Blessed God,

Thank You for the ways You work in our hearts. Our souls. Our minds. And our strength. Thank You for calling us to love You, others and ourselves completely. No holds barred. Without added conditions (Mark 12:30-31).

Thank You that with every passing day I discover more things I never knew. Experiencing new to me ways of looking and seeing all it is You have to offer us.

Thank You for teaching me to drop my preconceived notions. Leaving room for You to fill me with Your best.

(4:56 a.m.)

Father, You do provide Your best.

♪Jesus Paid It All

All to Him I owe

Sin had left a crimson stain

You washed it white as snow♪

(Isaiah 1:18; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

How deeply I thank You for the Truth You sing to my soul. Changing my heart and my thoughts.

Where fear and doubt once reigned supreme, little by little, in Your perfect time You have been reminding me that You’ve indeed “got this!” Thank You that You do Dear Lord. Thank You that You do.

I love, need, trust and want You. Use me as You know is best. Continue Your work in bringing out the best that is yet to come. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(312 words ~ 5:03 a.m.

458 words ~ 5:30 a.m.)

Life!

 ♪It's a narrow road

That leads to ___

And I wanna be on it♪

(Take You At Your Word)

Friday, July 31, 2026 (4:41 a.m.)

Good morning Lord,

It’s been the song of the morning for hours now.

Thank You that I would wake up singing again.

Where does the road lead? I’m thinking to You. Let’s find out…

(4:45 a.m.)

Life! It leads to life. Talk with me more about this please.

(4:56 a.m.)

Oh how awesome is this?

I bring my curiosity back to Your Word. And find myself blessed again. Thank You God.

It’s the simple things really. Like appreciation for the smallest hope of something more.

Lord God, You never disappoint! While people and circumstances might, You don’t. Thank You for the Truth and promises we find in Your Word.

Take the narrow road for instance…

Looking for the origin of its reference, I’m taken straight over to Matthew 7:13-14. Section titled The Narrow Gate. Just one verse (12) above? The Golden Rule.

Immediately recognizing these as subjects of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. How blessed we truly are to have ready access to how He called His followers [of which I am one] to live. And behave.

These are marching orders (Matthew 28:19-20) I could never muster on my own. Thank You that that was never Your intent.

Thank You for Jesus’ promise (John 14:16) and Your overwhelming provision (v. 17) of “the Holy Spirit, who leads into all Truth.”

It’s never our job to muscle our way through any part of life on our own. No! We are to live by the Spirit’s power” (Ephesians 5:15-20).

Thank You Father that none of us are lost causes. We each are called to “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10).

Do all You must Blessed Lord to keep me on Your narrow road. Leading me straight to the life You would have me live. In, with, by, through and for You.

I love, need, trust and want You. Use me in representing You well. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(355 words ~ 5:29 a.m.)

positive change

 Thursday, July 30, 2026 (5:27 a.m.)

Holy God,

Again I thank You Lord. I said it repeatedly upon waking.

Thank You that giving You thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18) comes far more naturally now. As does the apostle Paul’s urging to “Always be joyful” (v. 16).

Thank You for working in, with, by, through and for me all these years in providing me “the grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, the courage to change the things that should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other” (Reinhold Niebuhr).

Oh yes, Blessed God. It is YOU who is the Master behind every positive change that has come my way through the years. Thank You that You are.

Hmm… It is You that is currently equipping me with what is necessary to let go and part with things that no longer serve a purpose in this household. How genuinely grateful I am for You and all the power You offer us.

Yes! It is YOU who causes my heart to sing.

♪I wanna be Different 

I wanna be changed♪

Yes Father, truly I thank You. Do all You must that I readily glorify and enJOY You. I love, need, trust and want You. Use me EXACTLY as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(229 words ~ 6:09 a.m.)

ultimate one-liners

 Wednesday, July 29, 2026 (4:50 a.m.)

Yowza. Wow. And so many other exclamations.

Father, thank You for waking [which meant I DID go back to sleep!] with a willing spirit. Coinciding with a dream dealing with confrontation. Explanation. And a beginning toward reconciliation.

The fact that it was only a dream allows me to examine its whole without getting lost in attempting to make sense of any of the details. Thank You God that I truly want Your willing spirit (Psalm 51:12).

Yes! That life force within that has me smiling. Often. Seemingly for no reason.

The one that was able to remind me yesterday of the origin of my love for inspirational one-liners. A weekly wall calendar hanging in my parents’ kitchen throughout their lives. A new to me motivation each week.

Thank You for the memory Lord. And thank You for the desire to want it.

Yes. That is exactly the saying that started the whole thought process yesterday!

“Happiness is not having what you want, it’s wanting what You have.” 

♪Let us become more aware of Your Presence 

Let us experience the Glory of Your Goodness♪

(Holy Spirit)

Father, You are the One behind every Truth and promise in Your Word. The ultimate one-liners that teach us to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). “Always be joyful” (v.16). Forgive as we have been forgiven (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13).

Tall orders to be sure. But not ones we are left to muscle through on our own. Jesus paid every single debt we could ever owe (Colossians 2:13-14). He even announced "It is finished!" from the cross on which He hung (John 19:30).

Blessed God, thank You for His promise of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17, 26). The One who will never leave us. And leads us to all truth.

It’s Your Truth that helps me remember that I always have a choice. I can choose to “be bitter or be better.” I get to remember to “take what I get and like it” [thank you, Mom!]. 

Thank You for teaching me the value of choosing wisely! Carry with me the weight and burden of grudge holding hurts from the past? Or cast all my cares upon You (1 Peter 5:7; Psalm 55:22).

You allow me to be hurtful and hateful or helpful and kind. Father, how I thank You for all You have provided that helps me want to choose the latter.

As You use me today, I ask (Matthew 7:7) that You keep making me aware of the smiles that are available. The songs yet to be sung. The power found in standing firmly and staying my mind on the ultimate one-liners found in Your Word.

Your perfect love drives out all fear (1 John 4:18). Thank You that it does.

Do all You must that I would love as You would have me love (Mark 12:30). You. Others. Myself (v.31). Reminding me at every turn that “unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”

I want to live Dear Lord! Truly. Freely. Abundantly. Joyfully. Lovingly. Yours! Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(522 words ~ 6:15 a.m.)