symptoms

Leap Day Saturday, February 29, 2020 (6:50 a.m.)

Holy, Holy God,

Speak with me this morning about symptoms, won’t You? There are so very many out there.

(7:39 a.m.)

You are SO good to provide hope and inspiration at every turn. Lord, how I truly thank You.

Searching “symptoms” to no avail.

Train of thought interruption -> “availeth” -> availeth much -> James 5:16. King James Version, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Father, You absolutely never cease to amaze me! Thank You Lord.

Thank You for every single time You make me aware of symptoms. Traits. Manifestations. ‘Events, actions, or objects that clearly show or embody something, especially a theory or an abstract idea.’

I take all these side tracks Father. One word, thought or song leads me off in a different direction. Your Word brings me back to Your teaching.

“Traits” took me to 1 Timothy 1:6 and The Goal of Sound Teaching. 

“Manifestation” led me to 2 Corinthians 4:2 and the apostle Paul’s renouncing of “secret and shameful ways.”

The recesses of my mind still have the two songs with which I woke and have yet to explore.

♪Oh, I wanna dance with somebody… With somebody who loves me♪ As well as David Bowie’s ♪Let’s Dance♪

There seems to be a simplistic Truth underlying all these directions my mind is wandering. I’m asking You to lead and guide my thoughts. Words. Wants. And actions.

I believe You to be the Somebody who loves me! Who better for me to dance with than the Creator of the universe?

(8:57 a.m.)

Blessed God, I am asking You to bless us and keep us (Numbers 6:24-26) this day. You know all You have for us. I want to want it!

Make us fully aware of the symptoms of covetousness. “Having or showing a great desire to possess something belonging to someone else.”

Empower and enable us in wanting all You provide.

Thank You Father. We love You. We want You. We need You. And we thank You. Use us. To Your glory and the good of others. Thank You. We love You. Amen.

(376 words ~ 9:25 a.m.)

beautiful blue

Friday, February 28, 2020 (6:21 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. What a beautiful view of blue going on outside. Mm, yes God. Beautiful blue.

Looking to Your Word with these two words my heart is at such peace. Father, how I thank You for this opportunity to learn of the construction of Your tabernacle (Exodus 35-40) and Your glory ultimately filling that space.

Truly I thank You Lord. The simple act of looking out at the beautiful blue sky has such a soothing effect on my being. Inhaling deeply, I experience such peace. Thank You God.

Turning to Ezekiel (1:26; 10:1) and reading about “a throne made of beautiful blue sapphire” my imagination takes hold of the prophet’s vision. Blessed God, how I thank You for this revisiting of Your glory.

Yes Lord, just one look to the sky and I was truly stunned. By Your glory.

Turning to Matthew 24:30 I am directed over to Daniel 7:13 and his vision of “someone who looked like a man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into His presence.”

All this history of others’ visions. From one chance glance out a window. Thank You Lord.

Use me this day. To Your glory and the good of others. I long to look to You. Trusting and believing You to be all Your Word says You are. Lord of all (Philippians 2:11; Colossians 1:15-23).

Mm, thank You Jesus. Should I find myself once again caught in a temptation to sulk, remind me of the calming beautiful blue of Your sky. If I am unable to “just laugh” provide me all that is needed for me to SMILE. Sing. Stand firm on Your Word and stay my mind on You.

All this from Your beautiful blue sky. Thank You Father. I love You. Amen.

(317 words ~ 8:02 a.m.)

"Just laugh"

Thursday, February 27, 2020 (5:59 a.m.)

Holy, Holy God,

Thank You!

Father, You have blessed us so very much. With love. Laughter. Memories. Adventure. Peace. Hope…

The list goes on. With every acknowledged blessing another seems to pop right up. Thank You Lord.

Yes. Thank You indeed.

While thinking yesterday of what to give up for Lent, I recognized sulking as my go to vice. Thank You Father.

Thank You for the opportunity to grow with You these next 40+ days. Without my lifelong habit of attempting to avoid negative words, feelings and their outcomes I will be forced instead to confront all that I normally internalize.

And again I say, “Thank You!” Yes. Thank You for providing me the tools with which to battle my usual morose and sullen temperament.

Leave it to You to be the perfect and preparing God that You are. Yesterday You allowed a chance encounter with our breakfast server to become one of the day's biggest blessings.

“Just laugh” she said. As easily as if it were as natural to her as breathing. Going further in explaining her simplistic way of handling upsets, I found myself wanting more of her positivity.

Once more, You being You, allowed me to find backing for this attitude in Your Word. Psalm 52:6 and Proverbs 1:7. I can barely contain my excitement of yet another opportunity to grow in Your Truth.

YOU have to become my go-to response. No longer sullen, sulky pouting. No! Your Word. Your Truth. Fighting the father of lies (John 8:44) with You, the “one God and Father of us all” (Ephesians 4:6).

Oh, most dear and loving God, how I do truly thank You...

(10:56 a.m.)

Yes Lord.

You provide us with loving interruptions. With people who help us learn even more about loving You. And each other.

As I prepare to continue in this day. Straightening. Cleaning. Sorting. And putting away. I am asking Your presence in even the time management of these seemingly mundane tasks.

Yes Lord. Even here. In the most ordinary of ordinaries. You reign supreme. Thank You that I get to ask the God of the Universe, the Lord of All, to help me with my housework. 

Just as I was prepared to think that this is a first, I realized that I have asked You in many times before. Never have You failed. Nor disappointed.

So here I ask You once again, join me won’t You Dad? Leading. Guiding. Directing. And supervising my every thought, word and action. Make them pleasing to You (Psalm19:14).

I love You Father. And I look forward to You teaching me what YOU would have me know about learning to “Just laugh” when things are not to my liking.

My habits and tendencies are deeply rooted Dear Lord. And just like everything else in our lives ♪Nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing Nothing is too difficult for Thee♪ (“Ah, Lord God”).

Thank You Father. Here’s another smile to keep us going. Thank You. I love You. Use me exactly as You know is best this day. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(528 words ~ 11:12 a.m.)

"very unifying and positive"

Wednesday, February 26, 2020 (6:40 a.m.)

Blessed God,

How we thank You Lord. Oh yes! How we give You all the praise and glory.

43 years of marriage. Waking up singing. ♪We Are the Champions♪ of all things.

Lord, it is all because of You! Your presence in our every day. Our coming ins and going outs (Deuteronomy 28:6; Psalm 121:8). You have overseen it all.

Father God, how we truly and absolutely thank You. It is because of Who and all You are that we have been able to grow together in Your love each day. Thank and praise You Lord!

Reading about the history of the song above, I smile as I learn it was released the same year we were wed. Singing about paying dues, making bad mistakes, and the determination to ♪keep on fighting ’til the end♪

It is only in You Lord. By, through, for and with You that we have not only survived, but thrived in our relationship.

As we may very well be tempted to sing of us being champions in our marriage, we both realize that it is only due to You being the Head of our union. Oh Blessed Father, how we thank You!

Continuing in the web article of this morning's song, I’m making another stretch. A member of the band stated, “We wanted to get the crowds waving and singing. It’s very unifying and positive.”

With today also being Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Lenten Season, I fast forward my thoughts to the upcoming Palm Sunday. A day when crowds waved palm branches and sang ♪Hosanna♪s of Christ’s triumphal entry (Matthew 21: 1-11). Talk about the Champion of the World!

Thank You Father. Thank You for ever reminding me of Who and all You are. Our Champion!

Continue unifying us in Your positivity. We love You. We need You. We want You. And we ask You to continue working in this marriage that we genuinely celebrate this day.

Thank You Father. All praise and glory belongs to You! Use us as a unified and positive example of what Your love truly looks like. Thank You Lord. We love You. Amen.

(366 words ~ 7:55 a.m.)

Truth!

Tuesday, February 25, 2020 (6:19 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. You are good. We are loved by You. Created in Your image. Truth! Yes Father. Your Truth.

My thoughts swirl. They could easily spiral downward as I rethink my own thoughts and actions. That’s why I practice reciting the Truth of Your goodness.

Thank You that we get to come to You. Exactly as we are. Sinful. Sullied. And You restore us. With Your Truth.

It has been over two decades since I first recognized the importance of knowing Your Truth. And the added benefit of it setting us free (John 8:32). Thank You God.

The more I read, the stronger Your conviction. “The truth Jesus gives us releases us from the bondage of our past, the bondage of our sins, and the bondage of religion. Jesus is speaking these words to those who were not fully free from man’s traditions. Truth must be embraced and worked out through the divine process of spiritual maturity” (The Passion Translation Footnote).

You keep speaking Your Truth to me. Whether I want to hear and obey it or not.

“The Greek word for “truth” is reality. To embrace the reality of Christ brings more freedom into your life.” Truth! Yes Father. Your Truth. Your incredible, freeing Truth.

Father, I am asking You to use Your Truth to bring freedom to our hearts. Our souls. Our minds and our strength. Every single aspect of our being can be brought into Your marvelous, cleansing, freeing Light.

And right there music begins. ♪Into marvelous light I’m running Out of darkness, out of shame By the cross You are the Truth Your are the life, You are the way My deep heart now is beating My deepest stains now clean Your breath fills up my lungs. Now I’m free, now I’m free!♪

Free! Yes Father. We WILL know the Truth and it will set us free!

The Passion Translation tells us, “For if you embrace the truth, it will release more freedom into your lives.” Here again, we get to choose. Embrace Truth? Or lies? Jesus? Or satan.

Take a look at this. The Life Recovery Bible. “Honesty …(John 8:30-36, 43-44) The spiritual forces that sway our life have roots in either truth or deceit. Truth leads to freedom; deceit leads to bondage and death. Denial is a lie that keeps us in slavery…”

We are to speak Truth. Your Truth. In love (Ephesians 4:15). And we get to grow and benefit in the process.

Worldwide English. “We must say what is true and say it with love. In that way we will grow up in all things to be like Christ, who is head of this body.”

All this Truth because I began by acknowledging Your goodness and love. Thank You Father. Use me I pray. Exactly as You know is best. I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(486 words ~ 8:46 a.m.)

tightly

Monday, February 24, 2020 (7:24 a.m.)

Holy God,

I behaved badly. Again! Mistakes were made. Feelings were hurt. Grudges were held. Tightly.

Forgive me Father. I intentionally chose to hold tightly to the bitterness. Adding insult to injury as it grew into something unrecognizable.

It wasn’t that I didn’t have a choice. I was well aware of my options. I actually felt the rigidity in my body. And I saw the effect my bad attitude had on those around me. Especially the young ones.

Again I ask Your forgiveness Lord. Even though I knew better, I definitely didn’t do better.

Taking matters into my own hands, I recited Bible verses and sections of the Serenity Prayer. To no avail. My heart was hardened. My mind set. People needed to pay for hurting my feelings. I was out for revenge. “Let’s just see how they like this treatment!”

Blessed God, You know far better than I that this attitude never serves me well. Holding tightly to vengefulness has not ever turned the tide in my favor. Hostility only makes the hole I dig for myself that much deeper.

Thank You Father that You allow us to know the Truth that will set us free (John 8:32). And You let us struggle and wrestle with that Truth until we are willing to accept and embrace it.

When I finally come back to my senses, realizing and accepting that apart from You I can do nothing of value; I feel embraced, supported, encouraged. Thank You Lord.

Thank You for the opportunity and privilege of reading of the miracles documented in Your Word of Truth. This morning especially of a Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4: 8-37).

Her treasured son had died and she had hurried to get Elisha. “But when she reached the Holy Man at the mountain, she threw herself at his feet and held tightly to him” (27).

Elisha’s servant “Gehazi came up to pull her away, but the Holy Man said, ‘Leave her alone - can’t you see that she’s in distress? But GOD hasn’t let me in on why; I’m completely in the dark” (28).

Father I find comfort in the fact that even Your chosen people didn’t always know what was going on. They were not always perfect. Yet every time they turned back to You, they were forgiven.

Thank You Father. Praise You. Again I say, “Forgive me for my mistakes.” The ones I have already made and the ones that are sure to come.

I love You Lord. I thank You. Use me. Amen.

(429 words ~ 8:49 a.m.)

music

Friday, February 21, 2020 (6:44 a.m.)

♪You’re a Good, Good Father It’s who You are… And I’m loved by You It’s who I am…♪

Thank You God!

There was sleep. And wakefulness. Tossing. Turning. Thinking. Doubting. Fearing. Praying. Resting. Then music. Yes. Thank You Father that You so often provide me with music.

Hmm, yes. Music to soothe my soul. Music to help me hope. Music that gets me moving. Music…

Even here I smile Lord. Reading a link entitled, “God’s Purpose for Music”.

(7:25 a.m.)

And now? An even bigger, “Thank You God!”

Quoting the webpage article, Your purpose for music’s use is “to praise, express joy, teach, celebrate, relax or even express love, music is always [to be] used in a positive way.” Blessed God, thank You that I get to experience music in so very many different ways.

You ARE a Good, Good Father. And I AM loved by You. It is who I am. Thank You Dear Lord.

Use me this day, exactly as You know is best. I love You so much and I long to think, say, believe and behave in ways that are glorifying to Your holy name.

I love You. I thank You. And I ask You to lead, guide, direct and provide in all the ways that only You can. I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(227 words ~ 7:43 a.m.)

02/20/2020

Thursday, February 20, 2020 (5:53 a.m.)

Thanks for that Dad,

It doesn’t take much to make me smile. 02/20/2020. Waking up at 02:20 would have been cool. Thank You that it’s the simplest things I find myself smiling about.

Yes Father. You give me such joy. Here’s a perfect example.

I recognized the song I was singing as soon as I was waking up. It was Aaron Lines again. And I was only one word off. Thank You God that I am blessed even when I’m mistaken.

As I searched “Making old things new” various song were suggested. Adding the artist’s name took me immediately to “Old Days New”. Thanks Dad.

I wasn’t sure why it would be this song. Not until I got to the very last verse.

♪Well I’ve got a thousand reasons to smile these days I’ve got a thousand great memories that I can’t replace But when there’s weight on my shoulders and tears on my face Even years from now I know I’ll say…♪

Holy God, how I thank You for all the reasons You give us to smile. Things as simple as an ordered combination of numbers. Oh Lord God how I relish the uncomplicated things!

Ending with the chorus of the song above, I find I don’t agree with the very last line.

♪I ain’t complaining About the way things are Not too long ago life was oh so easy Now when that innocence seems so far What I wouldn’t do to make the old days new♪

I wouldn’t want to make the old days new Lord. I want instead to see what You have for us!

(7:00 a.m.)

Oh, how cool is this?

Taking my thoughts to an internet search I find scores of articles written about You making all things new. Thank You Father. You take such very good care of us.

Verse after verse of Your promises to make all things new. Yes!

♪What I wouldn’t do to see You make all things new♪ Yes Lord. Yes. A thousand times yes. Make us new Lord.

Thank You. I love You. Use me. Exactly as You know is best. Amen.

(367 words ~ 7:13 a.m.)

power

Wednesday, February 19, 2020 (9:41 a.m.)

♪All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name!♪

Yes, Lord!

♪Let angels prostrate fall; Bring forth the royal diadem [crown] And crown Him Lord of all♪

Oh yes most Blessed Jesus. How I thank You for the hope and the power that comes from depending on Your Word.

Thank You too for the forward thinking all those years ago that had me list this powerful hymn in the back of The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration as “…Crown Him Lord of All.” Thank You that You know me so well.

And thank You that right here with You is where I want to be right now. Sure, there are plenty of things I could get busy with. Acknowledging the power we have in You is most important to me. Thank You for that Lord.

Thank You that there is power in Your name (John 14:14; Acts 3:16) as well as in Your blood (Revelation 12:11). I confess to the many times I need reminding of Your Truth. And Your promises.

Thank You that You are loving. Forgiving. Patient. Kind. All the things You call us to be.

Thank You that You give us the power to become all You desire for us.

I love You. And I ask that I would use this day exactly as You know is best. In, with, by, through and for Your power.

Thank You Jesus. It is in Your mighty and powerful name I pray. Amen.

(251 words ~ 10:07 a.m.)

"words of Truth"

Wednesday, February 19, 2020 (6:46 a.m.)

Holy God,

I have a friend who is hurt by things I’ve said. Truly Lord I don’t know what to do.

And just like that I remember “when you don’t know what to do, don’t do anything.” And the other answer? “Pray.”

It seems as though that’s all I’ve been doing. But is it really?

Hmm… talk with me Lord.

I love You. I doubt myself so often. My abilities. My intentions. My words. My heart. My actions.

So I’m bringing it all back to You. You’re so good. You teach us so much. You want the very best for each of us.

And I thank You. Oh, how I thank You Lord!

Turning to Your Word once again.

John 8:31-32

John 17:17

Psalm 119:142

And once more, thank You God!

Every single time I start reading in Your Word, I am aware of the smile on my face. It reminds me of Your presence. In my heart. My soul. My mind. And my strength. Lord, how truly grateful I am for Your existence.

I am made aware again and again of Your love for us. Your provision. The hope we have in trusting You to be the genuine, loving God that You are.

Thank You Lord. Thank You that I get to choose to trust You.

Jesus prayed to You on our behalves. “Make them pure and holy by teaching them Your words of truth” (John 17:17).

Mm, yes. Your Word IS Truth! Thank You Father. Praise You!

I get to read and be reminded of just how powerful Your words of Truth actually are. It is in the power of Your Truth that I pray Dearest Lord.

You know the plans You have for us. They are plans for good and not for evil. To give us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). It is in You I place my trust.

In turning to Your Word, I get to read more about Your Truth. The freedom that comes from trusting You to be the good, good Father You claim to be.

With that freedom comes the strength that stems from relying on Your mighty power (Ephesians 6:10). The call for us to be alert against the prowlings of satan, seeking who he would devour (1 Peter 5:8).

We are to be faithful, even when facing death (Revelation 2:10). And to be earnest and repent of our sins (Revelation 3:19).

Oh most dear and blessed God, how I truly I thank You for once again righting my thinking. Thank You for Your presence in my despair. And thank You especially for the power of Your words of Truth.

I love You and I ask You to teach me to use Your Words wisely. With care. And the absolute best for others.

I love You. I thank You. And I ask this all in Your Son’s most Blessed name. Thank You God. I love You. Amen.

(504 words ~ 8:09 a.m.)