WAY over my head

 Saturday, April 22, 2023 (5:40 a.m.)

♪Well, I was born in the sign of water And it’s there that I feel my best The albatross and the whale They are my brothers♪

I like the way You work Lord. And I’m asking (Matthew 7:7) that I will stay alert to your workings this day.

Looking up the lyrics to ♪Cool Change♪ I learned more about the writing of the song. Words and phrases were used that I didn’t know. A relationship was described “like chalk and cheese.” What?! Extremely unlike one another.

Thank You Lord for keeping me humble. Reminding me of the slew of things I never knew I didn’t know.

(6:41 a.m.)

I thought I was going in one direction with You here. Quickly realizing I was in WAY over my head, I am switching gears. Asking (Matthew 7:7) again that You would take charge of my thinking. My words. My actions.

Lead me. Guide me. Keep me in line with Your will. YOUR way!

I love You Father. I need, trust and want You as my Shepherd (Psalm 23:1). Do all You must with Your rod and Your staff (v. 4) to comfort me. And keep me in line.

Use us as we go out into this day. This day that YOU have made (Psalm 118:24a)! I very much want to “rejoice and be glad in it” (24b). Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(244 words ~ 7:02 a.m.)

Yes Father

Friday, April 21. 2023 (9:47 a.m.)

Thank You again Dear Lord.

Yes Father. Thank You. Better news from a health scare. Let us continue learning to lean into and on You with our every concern.

Thank You for your presence. Your guidance. Your every provision. Even a deliciously received breakfast. The simple things. As well as the huge.

Yes Father. I want to continue depending on You. Thanking and praising You as I go. Keep working in, with, by, through and for us. Exactly as You know is best. Use us. Amen.

(94 words ~ 10:03 a.m.)

 

Matthew 6:33-34

 Friday, April 21, 2023 (5:43 a.m.)

Holy God,

I’m confessing to taking so many things for granted. Forgive me I ask (Matthew 7:7).

In my eagerness yesterday, I walked away from our time together. Phone calls. Reconnects. Projects.

None of them nearly as important as You. And I allowed them all to take precedence over coming back here with You. Forgive me Father.

Thank You for the opportunity

(6:56 a.m.)

… of coming before You with every thing.

Like just now. Another interruption. This time a health scare of a much loved one. Father, I’m asking (Matthew 7:7) Your presence. Your healing. Your will. Your way.

Thank You for reminding me, just before the phone rang, of the importance of seeking first (Matthew 6:33) Your Kingdom.Your righteousness. Teach me Lord.

(7:58 a.m.)

You are good Father. Great. Glorious. Gracious. Loving. Kind. All knowing. All powerful. I trust in You. Do all You must Lord. You know Your will. You know Your way. We seek Your kingdom Lord. And Your righteousness. We love, need, trust and want You. Use us as You alone know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(199 words ~ 8:05 a.m.)

eagerness

Thursday, April 20, 2023 (6:20 a.m.)

Most Dear and Blessed, Awesome, Holy, Father God,

Thank You for the myriad of words that describe You. Thank You for the various songs that sing of Your love for us.

Thank You for the eagerness with which I get to start this day. THIS day that You have made (Psalm 118:24)!

A quiet, sustained eagerness. Practically imperceptible. But eager nonetheless.

♪In my Father’s house There’s a place for me I’m a child of God Yes I am♪ These are the words I woke up singing. Thank You for such an easy find Lord.

Thank You that every time my mind started to wander

(6:55 a.m.)

Those very simple words sent me on an entirely different wild goose chase! To ♪More Today Than Yesterday♪ A song with which I strongly identified exactly 54 years ago today.

Lord God, how I thank You that the object of my affection has since changed through the years. No longer do I relate this song to a specific date, time and mere mortal. No!

♪I don’t remember what day it was [Spring of 1982?] I didn’t notice what time it was All I know is that I fell in love with YOU

inserting Jesus

Wednesday, April 19, 2023 (5:24 a.m.)

Blessed Lord God,

Thank You again. Mm, yes. Thank You always!

A gentle smile is emerging. From deep within. Songs come readily.

♪He Has Made Me Glad♪ (Psalm 92:4)

♪This Is the Day♪ (Psalm 118:24)

♪Praise Him, Praise Him♪ (Psalm 150)

And here’s another thing I didn’t know. The song I grew up singing as ♪Lovin’ in the morning Lovin’ in the evening…♪ is actually ♪Sugartime♪

Inserting “Jesus” works really well. [Oh yes! It truly does!] ♪Jesus in the morning Jesus in the evening Jesus at suppertime Be my precious Savior And love me all the time♪

Thank You for the call to “Sing a new song to the LORD! Let the whole earth sing to the LORD! Sing to the LORD; praise His name. Each day proclaim the good news that He saves” (Psalm 96:1-2).

As I prepare to go out into this day I am requesting Your presence Lord. I am asking (Matthew 7:7) You to go before, behind, beside, beneath, above and within me. I love You. I want to represent You well.

Do all You must that You will be glorified as I actually live out the lyrics to ♪Praise Him♪ Praising, loving, trusting and serving You until ♪…the sun goes down♪

Thank You for reminding me that we can insert Jesus into every single aspect of our being. He told His disciples, “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b).

Yes! Praise You. Thank You. I love, need, trust and want You. Use me. Amen.

(275 words ~ 6:21 a.m.)

starting over

Tuesday, April 18, 2023 (6:31 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You.

(8:21 a.m.)

Yes Lord, thank You!

(8:41 a.m.)

I confess to being distracted this morning. Thoughts running all over the place. Very few of them about You.

Much earlier, and long through the night, You were often the focus of my thinking. I knew and acknowledged being glad with You. In You. By, through and for You.

And now? I feel disconnected. Unable [unwilling?] to keep my thoughts on You.

Rather than fuss and fight my way to follow my own set routine, I’m turning it all over to You. Asking (Marktthew 7:7)

(9:34 a.m.)

Before even getting the ask completely out, You answered. Ultimately with peace that only comes from You. Again I say thank You.

Not perfunctorily. No. With wholehearted contentment. Knowing that You’ve got even this.

Struggling to catch hold of the gladness with which I awoke, it was in releasing my desire for more of the same that You led me back to You. Your Word. Your Truth. Your promises.

Do I feel glad at this very moment? Yes. A deep seated sense of all things working together for the good of those who love You and are called according to Your purpose for them (Romans 8:28).

As disjointed as my thoughts, there is an internal joy to match. Simple things are helping me smile. I find great joy in watching a young man tend to his street cleaning chore.

YOU do these things for me Blessed God! YOU provide every bit of Truth I need to carry on.

Seeking more about starting over, I came to read of Jesus and Nicodemus (John 3:1-21). Making what I thought a mistake, tapping in Mark instead of Matthew above, I received a greater gift.

Instead of correcting my error and moving on, I looked to it instead. In Mark 7:7 Jesus quoted Isaiah. Turning to 29:13, I see myself!

“And so the LORD says, ‘Theses people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.’”

The Life Recovery Bible footnote adds, “29:13 Greek version reads Their worship is a farce, / for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.” Father, I want my worship of You to be all that YOU want it to be.

Use me this day. Exactly as You alone know is best. I want to love You, others and myself as You have dictated. With all of my heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30-31).

Thank You for being the good, good Father that You are. This IS the day that You have made! I WILL rejoice and be GLAD in it!” (Psalm 118:24). Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(486 words ! 10:05 a.m.)

being GLAD

 Monday, April 17, 2023 (6:02 a.m.)

Thank You Father. I woke with the song ♪He Has Made Me Glad♪ How true. How blessed. You DO make me glad Lord.

Thank You for helping me choose being GLAD. Yes Father. ♪You have made me glad… I WILL rejoice for You have made me glad♪

Your Word directs us to gladness. Just look at the Psalm (100) associated with the hymn. “Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth! Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before Him, singing with joy” (vs. 1-2).

♪This IS the day that You have made! I will rejoice for You have made me glad♪ (Psalm 118:24).

I confess to You Dear Lord, gladness is not always my first choice. Cycling through potential responses and emotions at my disposal, being glad often straggles in toward the very end of my options.

Oh, but when it does! There truly is joy to be found. Almost as a by-product. Unintended. Yet inevitable.

Interesting that in the thinking of all the choices lying ahead of me this day ♪Jesus, Take the Wheel♪ immediately came to mind. Lord, yes! Take the wheel of this day. Make my choices the ones that will honor and glorify You the most.

I love You. I want to serve You in the way You command. Loving You, others and myself. With all my heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30-31).

Yes Lord. Do all You must that ♪I will enter Your gates with thanksgiving in my heart; I will enter Your courts with praise. I will say, “This is the day that the Lord has made!” I will rejoice for You have made me glad♪

I want to continue Your lesson in being GLAD. Grateful. Loved. Alert/Aware. Dependent. Do all You must Dear Lord. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

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

CHOICES

 Saturday, April 15, 2023 (7:50 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. You teach us to stay our minds on Your Word of Truth and promises. Psalm 25; 119:105. Philippians 4:8.

(9:58 a.m.)

A phone call. A bit of disappointment. Lots of wonders. And back to choosing. You, Lord. I choose You. Thank You.

The song with which I awoke is singing to me again. Thank You! With the change of just one letter I can sing it wholeheartedly to You. And smile as I do.

♪All I wanna do when I wake up in the morning is see Your eyes RHosanna, RHosanna Never thought that a God like You could ever care for me, RHosanna All I wanna do in the middle of the evening is hold You tight RHosanna, RHosanna…♪

(10:12 a.m.)

Leaving now to go out into the day. Asking (Matthew 7:7) that You go before, beside, beneath, above and within me. I love You Lord. Embolden and empower me in choices that will glorify and honor You. Use me exactly as You alone know is best. Thank You Father. Praise You. Amen.

(197 words ~ 10:16 a.m.)

G.L.A.D.

Friday, April 14, 2023 (6:53 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You. I’m looking to You. Regarding this as the day which You have made. Preparing to rejoice and be glad (Psalm 118:24).

(7:44 a.m.)

Looking to You Lord. What a joyous opportunity. You provide our every need. I am truly amazed. Agog. Appreciative.

Hearing myself answer the regularly asked “How are you?” query, I realize how automatically I respond. So many times without any pause or hesitation.

“Great” is my most often reply. Thank You Father that this is an absolutely true statement. Deep in my soul I am fully aware of the blessings You provide us everyday.

Even as I look to You, I turn in Your Word. Referencing Your Truth. Psalm 32. The book of Colossians. That letter the apostle Paul wrote to the believers at Colosse. “Show[ing] us that Christ is the only real source of power in our life (The Life Recovery Bible PURPOSE). And Lamentations 3. The prophet Jeremiah’s honest words of his own heartbrokenness.

Father, thank You for the privilege of being honest with You. I want to come to the place that my overall response to how I am is “G.L.A.D.” Because I am!

I am Grateful (Philippians 4:6). I am Loved (John 3:16). I am Alert (1 Corinthians 16:13). I am Delighted (Psalm 37:4).

(9:20 a.m.)

G.L.A.D. I tell You! Because of Who and ALL You are, I get to choose to truly “rejoice and be glad!” Thank You Father. Praise You Lord. Use me this day. Exactly as You know is best. I love, need, trust and want You. Thank You. Amen.

(285 words ~ 9:22 a.m.)

choose differently

 Wednesday, April 12, 2023 (6:20 a.m.)

Stairwell

Newport Beach, CA

Again I thank You for choices Father. Feeling slighted. Take offense? Choose differently. Yes please. Continue Your work in helping me learn to choose differently.

Brains wired. Habits ingrained. Options open.

Father, You have blessed us repeatedly this past week. Bike riding. Pier fishing (and catching!). Shoreline strolling. Joke sharing. Game playing. Memories blurring. Acceptance. Choosing.

Lead me in Your Word this morning Lord. CHOICES (see also Freedom).

Thank You Father! Our choices can very well lead us to freedom. OR… bondage!

Thank You that yesterday You reminded me again of all the choices at my disposal. Hurt? Smile. Dwell on the fine, good things You provide (Philippians 4:8).

This morning Dear Lord I ask You to empower me in being “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry (James 1:19). What about when nothing is being said? Listen harder to what is NOT being said! Expect the best, not the worse. Focus on the good, not the bad.

“Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. Stop criticizing others, or it will all come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37). This is where so much of my own self-doubt and insecurities lay/lie.

Thank You that even in this I get to bring it all together to You. Knowing that I can do none of the work that is necessary on my own.

In You. With You. By You. Through You. And for You I get to know, trust and believe You to be the good, good God that You are. Your Spirit’s leading and guiding, empowering and enabling is what I need to love You, others and myself as You have commanded. With all of my heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30-31).

Do all You must Father that I will truly choose differently than my nature dictates. I love, need, trust and want You as Lord of my life. And this day that You have made (Psalm 118:24).