smiled

Sunday, October 4, 2015 (6:47 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Thank You! I smiled yesterday. Long. Hard. Often. It was great. Thank You. Thank You for so many reasons to smile.

(8:50 a.m.)

Even now. More smiles. Phone calls. Internet images of people and places. Blessed God

(Job 29:24)

always awesome

Saturday, October 3, 2015 (5:57 a.m.)

Always Awesome God,

Thank You that You are always awesome. I'm looking to You to change my mindset. It currently is focused on problems and pain and potentially bad or sad outcomes. I confess to liking it much better when I consider the sweeter things of life.

Like You. Your Son. Your love for each of us. Where in Your Word would You have me turn this morning in hopes of gaining clarity. Hope. Encouragement. Tell me Blessed Father, how do I be encouraged that I would be an encourager?

I believe Your Word. I read It. I trust It. I depend on It. How do I fully utilize It in my day to day overwhelming concerns for people?

Holy God, You, the One who is always awesome, You know all that You would have us do and think and say for the benefit of others. I, myself, continue crashing and burning in my well meaning attempts of encouragement.

1 Thessalonians 5:11  

Psalm 91

Friday, October 2, 2015 (5:30 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Thank You. You provided us so much safety yesterday. I don't have the words to adequately express my gratitude. Psalm 91 does it all the better. Thank You Father. Thank You.

Thank You that You ARE our “God Most High... God All-Powerful” (v. 1). Thank You that You teach us to trust in You. Call upon Your holy name. Thank You.

Verse 9 tells us “The LORD Most High is your fortress. Run to Him for safety”. Further on (14-16) “The Lord says, 'If you love me and truly know who I am, I will rescue you and keep you safe. When you are in trouble, call out to me. I will answer and be there to protect and honor you. You will live a long life and see my saving power.'”

Father, You are so very good. Trustworthy. Faithful. Dependable. Kind. Loving. Perfect. Continue empowering us to use all You teach us to Your good and to Your glory. We love You Blessed Father. And we long to live the lives You would have us live.

Show us. Step by step. Your will. Your way. We love You. Thank You. Amen.

(200 words ~ 7:24 a.m.)

  

patience, kindness and a sense of humor

Thursday, October 1, 2015 (6:26 a.m.)

Awesome, Holy God,

Thank You. You have blessed us beyond words. Safe travels. Great food. Important conversations. You provided us patience, kindness and senses of humor. Thank You God. Thank You Father.

Thank You that we got to visit. See. Explore. Experience. So many new and different circumstances. Because of Your incredible love for each of us we were able to look passed a lot of the situations that are most strikingly visible to what often lies just beneath any first impression.

Thank You Father for a flight delay that resulted in a fully boarded plane's ultimate return to a gate. Thank You for professional personnel each doing the job to which they were trained to the very best of their ability. Thank You Father especially for patience, kindness and senses of humor.

Daddy God, we live in an extremely unpredictable world. Unexpected stuff happens often. Keep filling us with Your love and Your grace.

Thank You Father for the opportunity to look again to Your Word. This time in The Voice. Thank You for guiding me in turning to Galatians 5:22. Thank You for the introduction to this section that I found there.

“Paul has been preaching about the call of God to freedom, and so he now spells it out: we are done with the demands of the law; now we are free to live in the Spirit and to be truly right with God. As free people, the Spirit gives us the characteristics of Jesus; we, too, can freely love in joy and peace. We can have patience along with kindness and faithfulness that can only come from the Father. We can reflect the goodness of God while being gentle in operating with self-control. For those who follow Him and live in the Spirit, these characteristics or fruits are a gift from God. As we grow in the faith, we find that we belong to God and can walk daily in the Spirit.”

Done with the law. Free to live in the Spirit. Be truly right with You, God. Given the characteristics of Jesus. Able to love freely in joy and peace. Have patience, kindness and faithfulness that only come from You. Reflect Your goodness. Be gentle. Operate with self-control. Grow in faith. Belong to God. Walk daily in the Spirit.

Amazing the freedom You offer us! Please, how I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to teach me to use it well this day. I love You so incredibly much. Thank You for the blessing and freedom to live life in Your Spirit. Grant me the ability and generosity needed to freely share these spectacular fruits with others.

Thank You Father. I love You. Amen.

(441 words ~ 7:11 a.m.)

with grateful hearts ~ 9/29/15

Tuesday, September 29, 2015 (8:07 a.m. EDT)

North Miami, FL

Holy God,

I just relocated to the balcony. It's beautiful. So much different than just one hour ago. Then it was all about the sunrise. And the color. The people. And water. Now the air seems cooler. People are working, not watching. Yet it is still strikingly beautiful.

Father, how do we possibly thank You for the many blessings of this trip? Time to spend with our firstborn. The foods we've enjoyed. The places. The people.

With grateful hearts. Of course!

Mm, yes. Blessed Father, we come before You this morning with such incredibly grateful hearts. It is YOU that has afforded us this visit. You to Whom all blessings and glory and honor belong. Oh yes, Most Dear and Precious One! ♫Let there be glory and honor and praises; Glory and honor to Jesus. Glory. Honor. Glory and honor to Him♫

Most Holy God, how I ask You that we would use this, our last full day in Florida to do exactly that. Glorify, honor and praise You through all Jesus did on our behalves.

Father we love You. Purely. Simply. And when we sit here watching Your beauty unfold that is easy to remember. It's when we get out in the push and shove of traffic and daily life that we far too often forget the very basics of Your love and sacrifice.

I sit here with such a very grateful heart. Longing to represent You well. Whatever twists and turns today may take how I ask (Matthew 7:7) that it is to You we turn in all things. Make it so that we will truly ♫Give thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks to the Holy One. Give thanks because You've given Jesus Christ, Your Son♫

Yes, most holy God. We give thanks. With grateful hearts. Use us well this day. To Your glory. And honor. We love You. And we thank You. Use us we pray. Thank You. We love You. Amen.

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

therein ~ 9/28/15

Monday, September 28, 2015 (3:47 p.m. EDT)

North Miami, FL

Awesome God,

It's starting again. Another upcoming end to another trip and ALL the emotions involved therein. Blessed Father, how I THANK You for allowing [encouraging?] me to come before You with all these feelings.

I've sat for much of the day. Watching. People. Water. Waves. Colors. Sun. Shade. It's all so exciting. Just to watch. To see. To think. Rest. Regroup. Prepare.

In so doing, do I prepare for the sadness that is sure to come? Or attempt to hold it at bay? No. Again this time I am offering it to You. Come what may. I turn to You with my all. All the pieces of my heart. The tiny little shards of hurt as we prepare to leave a MUCH loved one for many months.

New adventures to be sure. New opportunities. Potential. And for me? Such bittersweetness. Mm, yes. There is much flavor to be found in the dark chocolates of life.

So here I am. Sitting. Looking. Watching. Waiting. Asking (Matthew 7:7). Asking You to bless and keep. Smile and be gracious. Show Your favor and give Your peace (Numbers 6:24-26).

Yes Daddy God. Do everything You must to teach us to rely on and trust solely in You. Thank You that in turning to Your Word for direction and guidance, I came to Isaiah 41:9 in The Voice which took me directly to the very next verse.

“Don't be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

Count and depend only on You? I believe I shall! Thank You Father. Praise You. Bless You. I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(294 words ~ 4:34 p.m.)

Oh, my! ~ 9/28/15

Monday, September 28, 2015 (9:07 a.m. EDT)

North Miami, FL

Holiest Father God,

Thank You. There's beauty. Laughter. And fun. As well as mosquitos, iguanas and jelly fish. Oh my!

Mm. Oh, my indeed.

“Oh, my children, I am with you such a short time!” (John 13:33a). Blessed Jesus, thank You that You came to teach us about love. Thank You for giving us Your new commandment – to love one another (v. 34). Here I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to teach us to do exactly that.

We are Yours. We long to live as You would have us live. Lovingly. Honestly. Openly. Willingly. “Out of the overflow of God's love” (The Life Recovery Bible's comment 13:34-35).

Mm, yes. Blessed Father, teach us to love as You would have us love, out of Your overflow of love for each of us. We do love You Daddy God. Make it evident in our thoughts, words, actions and attitudes (Mark 12:30).

Thank You for Your many blessings. Empower and enable us to use them well. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(187 words ~ 10:37 a.m.)