founder/flounder

 Thursday, June 16, 2021 (6:33 a.m.)

Holy God,

We got a lot accomplished yesterday. Lawn mowed. Weeds pulled. Roses trimmed. Windows washed. Car unloaded. Papers sorted. And even a game played.

What was best about the whole thing? The respect with which it was all approached. Caring, helpful, even playful attitudes. Yes Lord. Especially when we realized we’ve been playing a card game wrong for over 40 years!

Thank You God that we get to make mistakes. “Fail better” if You will. Yes. This is exactly where I ask You to guide me this morning. I want to experience first hand the wisdom we can find in foundering.

Take that word right there for instance. Never before now did I know the similarity between founder and flounder. Easily confused by overlapping contexts.

(9:16 a.m.)

Talk about being easily confused! That just happened.

Going full steam ahead in one direction. Prayer time with You. Jumping up. Changing course and doing yard work on the very spur of a moment. Being late for a previously scheduled phone call. All the while praying Your mercy and grace, prepared hearts and forgiveness.

What a true delight it was of being reminded to enJOY the moment at hand (Matthew 6:34) rather than letting my mind wander to a worst case scenario. Thank You God for all You do on our behalf!

(10:35 a.m.)

Now, back to the foundering and floundering description. Founder meaning ‘fail or come to nothing, sink out of sight.’ While flounder specifies ‘struggle, move clumsily, be in a state of confusion.’

What a glorious opportunity to sit here contentedly considering mistakes as gifts from You Dearest God. You have done such a marvelous work in changing me. Freeing me to embrace making them.

“Then I realized how bitter I had become, how pained I had been by all I had seen. I was so foolish and ignorant - I must have seemed like a senseless animal to You. Yet I still belong to You; You are holding my right hand. You will keep on guiding me with Your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny” (Psalm 73:21-24).

You do all this for us. Thank You Father. Use me this day exactly as You know is best. Reminding me every single step of the way that You are indeed great. Glorious. Good. And gracious.

In You alone do I trust. I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(411 words ~ 11:18 a.m.)

grateful beyond belief

 Wednesday, June 16, 2021 (8:33 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

THANK YOU!!! We are home safe. Sound. Happy. Content. You provided us so many opportunities Lord. We are grateful beyond belief.

Father, I ask You right here to speak to me about exactly that. Being grateful beyond belief.

(10:03 a.m.)

Thank You for the opportunity of coming to the very last section of Jude (24-25). “Offer praise to God our Savior because of our Lord Jesus Christ! Only God can keep you from falling and make you pure and joyful in His glorious presence. Before time began and now and forevermore, God is worthy of glory, honor, power, and authority. Amen” (Contemporary English Version).

GLAD!

 Tuesday, June 15, 2021 (6:09 a.m.)

June Lake, CA

Holy God,

Thank You. Praise You. Bless You. Keep You. These words just seem to roll right out of my heart and mind.

♪I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart. I will enter His courts with praise. I will say “This is the day that the Lord hath made.” I will rejoice for He hath made me glad♪ (Psalm 100:4).

Blessed Lord, I didn’t wake up singing this song. Yet it is so perfectly timed. Thank You for changing my course if that is in need what You are doing.

Holy God, I love You so much.Thank You for the blessings You have provided us on this trip. Opportunities to stretch and be stretched by circumstances outside of our control.

Thank You for teaching us the importance of resetting our desires and priorities. And here’s where the verse from just earlier factors in! Psalm 51:10. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

This immediately followed by what I found within The Gideon’s Bible (English Standard Version) found in our room. A reiteration of sorts for the chief purpose of mankind which is to glorify You and enjoy You forever.

Ecclesiastes 12:13. “The end of the matter; all has been heard [my final conclusion]. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man [every person].

Sitting here in the warmth and comfort of our little cabin room, gazing out at the wonder and majesty of ♪all Your hand hath provided♪ I am stunned practically silent. My mind races with all it wants to say. All the while knowing that words are not enough.

I can always begin with thanks and praise. It’s a lesson well taught during our children’s childhoods. Thank You very much, Psalty the Singing Songbook!

(7:32 a.m.)

Taking time to share hearts and thoughts with one of the [now adult] children mentioned above, again I thank You Lord. You’ve worked in, with, by, through and for us all these years. Creating a genuine regard for one another. Brought about only because of Your love for each of us (John 3:16) and ours for You and one another (Mark 12:30-31).

Blessed God, we will be leaving here soon. Heading home to whatever You know is Your best for each of us. This I pray asking You to keep us in Your will. Strong in Your mighty power (Ephesians 6:10). Alert and persistent in our prayers (v. 18b). Faithful (Revelation 2:10) even unto death. Earnest and repentant (3:19).

Father, we love You. We long to glorify and enjoy You. Empower and enable us to Your good end. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(475 words ~ 7:50 a.m.)

WIND!

 Monday, June 14, 2021 (3:54p.m.)

(hammock)

June Lake, CA 

♪Holy Spirit, You Are Welcome Here. Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere. Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for To be overcome by Your presence, Lord♪

About an hour ago I actually noticed the very moment my brain made a certain connection while the dear husband was praying.

The Holy Spirit is often depicted as wind. The very breath of life. I don’t have to keep hating it anymore! I am free to sing ♪Hallelujah♪ and invite You to ♪Come Into My Heart, Lord Jesus♪

Thank You. Praise You. Bless You. Keep You. Amen.

(4:04 p.m.)

Teach me.

 Monday, June 14, 2021 (6:48 a.m.)

June Lake, CA

Most Dear and Blessed Holy God,

I am asking. Straight out. Teach me the things You would have me learn this day. Oh yes Lord. Teach me.

There is so very much to see. Hear. Be. Do. I ask that it all be filtered through You. To Your perfect specifications.

Father God, I’m reading Old Testament covenants right now and am confessing my desire to live and love as You would have me. Forgiving freely any trespasses made by or to me.

Reading in and of Nehemiah regarding “the people of Israel after their return from exile in Babylon” I again ask You to teach me all that You would have me take into my heart. Into this day.

Rebuilding appears to be the focus. Walls. Lives. Cultural relationships. And the proper worship of You. The more the world changes Lord, the more our basic needs stay the same.

Examining RECOVERY THEMES in The Life Recovery Bible much attention is paid to the importance of boundaries. Confrontation. The Danger of Discouragement is discussed. As is The Power of Confession and Worship.

Lord, we are in such dire need of learning to do things Your Way. We’ve had excellent examples through the millennia. Yet our mistakes still abound.

Thank You that Your Word of Truth and promises never wavers. It doesn’t change with the times. ♪It stays the same through the ages Your love never changes…♪

I look to You Blessed Father. Asking. Seeking. Knocking (Matthew 7:7). I want You to teach me to “serve and glorify” You (Illustrated Bible Handbook 1 Corinthians 6:19) by ‘choosing righteousness, not sin’ (Romans 6:18).

Every single thing we need to live as You would have us is right here in Your Word. Teach me Father to live each moment as You would have me.

I love You. I need You. I want You. And I ask You to make it all so Dearest Dad. Break sin’s power over me that I will truly, freely obey You. And live as You so perfectly designed.

Thank You. Praise You. Use me as only You know is best. Amen.

(371 words ~ 8:36 a.m.)

practicing grace and gratitude

 Sunday, June 13, 2021 (12:07 p.m.)

Passing Topaz Lake, NV

Lord God, 

I love You. I am grateful. You have provided us FUN. Laughter. Love. Kindness. Sharing. Forgive me the grumbles I gave You earlier in the week. Weather related disgruntlements.

Thank You that Your love for us is not affected by our attitudes. Thank You for continuing to teach us through every circumstance. Thank You that we get to choose our attitudes. And when we don’t like ourselves because of our choices we are able to ask You to change us.

Being honest, open and willing with You allows us to experience first hand Your mercy and Your grace. Whine? Or worship? You will empower and enable us every single time we ask You. Thank You Lord.

Today I tell You I want Your help in practicing grace and gratitude. You are great. Glorious. Good. And gracious. I want that to be more than enough for me.

Thank You. Praise You. Bless You. Keep You. Amen.

Nearing Bridgeport, CA

(169 words ~ 12:42 p.m.)

Precious in His sight

 Saturday, June 12, 2021 (11:24 a.m.)

Enroute Carson City, NV

Holy God,

♪Jesus Loves the Little Children… they are Precious in His Sight♪

They are! We are. I am. Precious in His Sight.

Father, I am making a request. I want to want what I have. You have blessed us so incredibly. I want to be grateful. Satisfied. Content. Glad.