asking

Saturday, June 30, 2018 (6:45 a.m.)

Most Holy God,

I love You. I spent the day on the couch yesterday. Resting. Watching program after program. Waiting to feel better.

Somewhere during the night a slight fever broke. My eyeballs stopped feeling hot. I had the most detailed dreams. And I woke up wondering what today holds.

Baby steps. Awareness. Yes, yes. Father, steep me in awareness this day.

I love You Father. I get to sit here reading Your Word (Hebrews 10:1-10; Psalm 40:6-8). Hoping. Asking. Yes Father I am here asking You for strength. And energy. Protection from the sun. Guidance. Direction. Clarity. Your will.

There are times I think I know which way You would have me go. This morning I am absolutely willing to put one foot in front of the other. Asking that You would lead me so I would follow.

I confess to still feeling strange. My head seems heavy on my neck. Yet inside it feels light. I am asking You Father for the energy needed to follow through with today’s schedule.

You know what is best. Make me able to follow Your lead. I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(202 words ~ 7:49 a.m.)

overall

Friday, June 29, 2018 (7:58 a.m.)

Holy God,

I’m not gonna lie, I’m looking forward to feeling better. It’s been over a week. First it was cold symptoms. And now? The overall sense of just not feeling “right”.

Thank You Father. Thank You that we get to come before You exactly as we are (John 6:37).

And with that said, I get to turn to Ephesians 1:11-12. “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone.”

the big smile

Thursday. June 28, 2018 (6:24 a.m.)

Blessed Holy God,

Good morning. The thanks and praise appear stalled.

And here comes the big smile! Thank You Father. Praise You Jesus. Again, You do not disappoint.

It’s when I turn to You in honest, open, willingness that I have chances of being delightfully surprised. Searching translations of Your Word using “stalled” I came across Proverbs 15:17 in the American Standard Version.

“Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, Than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.” What? I know this verse. With different words.

Oh… I get it! Stalled. As in “a fattened ox”. One that’s been kept in a stall. NOT one that isn’t moving. Another big smile as I consider how often during the day You give me reasons to be amused. Thank You Father.

I get to sit here reading and agreeing with the various ways of saying this same Truth:

“Better a meal of greens with love than a plump calf with hate” (Common English Bible).

“A simple meal with love is better than a feast where there is hatred” (Contemporary English Version).

“It is better to eat a little where there is love than to eat a lot where there is hate” (Easy-to-Read Version).

“A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate” (New Living Translation).

Mm, and this one from The Passion Translation. “It’s much better to have a kind, loving family, even with little, than to have great wealth with nothing but hatred and strife all around you.”

Thank You Father for the reminders You give us of what is truly important. Yes. I am blessed to be able to consider Your Word as Truth. The more I read, the bigger my smile.

“A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit” (v. 13).

And look how much the same sentiment is reworded in verse 30. “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.”

Your Scriptures even tell us how to change our ways of thinking. Our minds are to feed on Your Truth. Psalm 119:72 tells us, “Your law is more valuable than millions in gold and silver.” We are to love and study Your Word.

Thank You for providing us with the opportunities to come together to learn more. Philippians 4:8 commands us to “think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

Therein lies the reason for my aforementioned stall. My thoughts throughout the night interrupted my sleep. Waking not feeling rested I had nothing to offer You but the truth. Thank You for accepting that and sending me more deeply into Your Word.

I love You Father. I look to You to provide the Truth I need. And therein the big smile that leads to a glad heart.

Thank You. Praise You. Use this tired, too-much-time-in-the-sun body to Your good and to Your glory. Guide and direct me exactly as You know is best. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(530 words ~ 7:29 a.m.)

"willing to communicate"

Wednesday, June 27, 2018 (6:39 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. We had a couple of very good days. Communication happened. Trust. Respect. Love. Thank You.

We had time to watch little ones growing bigger. All of us learning to communicate. Yes. Such a very key word. Communicate.

Father, I confess I failed miserably the other night at listening compassionately. What I heard as mere complaining was actually a genuine cry for help. I made it so much worse with my own angry words of frustration.

Thank You for the grace You are teaching us to share with one another. Forgiveness and grace led to opening much needed lines of communication. Thank You God.

Now I am in tears. Why? Your Word. It never ceases to show me where I have fallen short. Thank You that I am never left alone in my own poor opinion of myself. Your Word speaks Truth! Thank You Father.

Many translations use the words “willing to communicate” (1 Timothy 6:18) in sharing Paul’s letter to Timothy. Oh how I ask You Father to continue Your work in teaching us the importance of being willing to communicate.

Reading verses 17-19 in the J.B. Phillips New Testament, Paul has “a word for the rich”. He urges Timothy to, “Tell those who are rich in this present world not to be contemptuous [which I was!] of others, and not to rest the weight of their confidence on the transitory power of wealth, but on the living God [YES! Please Father!] who generously gives us everything for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in kindly actions [which I was not], to be ready to give to others and to sympathize with those in distress [of which You made me fully aware]. Their security should be invested in the life to come so that they may be sure of holding a share in the life which is permanent.”

Father, You truly got me out of my own way that night. You enabled me to see the mistakes I was making. And to rectify them. 

We turned to Your Word. We read of family. And forgiveness. Mistakes. And Your love. Oh how we thank You for Your love.

It is that love on which I depend. Your love, more than anything, I long to share this day. Use me exactly as You wish.

It’s supposed to be a day filled with many different families. Empower me in my willingness to communicate as You would have me. I love You so very much dearest Father. Use me. I love You. Amen.

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

a smile

Sunday, June 24, 2018 (7:15 a.m.)

Argh. Grumble. Deep Breath. Thank You.

Yes. Thank You. 

And “ARGH” again!

Always Revere God’s Holiness. Always Revere God’s Holiness. Always Revere God’s Holiness…

Deeper breath. An even deeper breath. And now a smile. Thank You God. Oh yes Father.

The ants are back. They are indeed an annoyance. An inconvenience. Nothing more than that. We are truly blessed. Thank You for reminding us to turn to You. Come to You with all our “stuff”.

Oh yes. Thank You Father! Matthew 11:28-30 Submission and Rest. Illustrated Bible Handbook, “Jesus turns in praise to the Father. The nation will reject its king, but weary and burdened individuals will turn to the Lord. They will find rest in His gentle care (25-30).”

thanking and praising

Saturday, June 23, 2018 (6:32 a.m.)

Blessed Holy God,

Oh how I thank and praise You. Yes Father. Thanking and praising. Hmm. Such a smile.

Yes Blessed Father. How I thank and praise You for the many ways You speak to us each and everyday.

Somewhere in the very early hours there was a Psalty song I couldn’t quite put my mind on. And just now as I was considering “thanking and praising” I knew again Psalty was somehow related here too.

This time it was an easy find. Fannie Crosby’s ♪Blessed Assurance♪. In adding her own flavor to this favored hymn, gospel singer Shirley Caesar thanks You for her song of praising her Savior all the day long. Mm, yes Father.

So here I sit reading of Daniel’s experience in the Lion’s Den (Daniel 6). Thinking that if anyone had cause to sing of being blessedly assured, it was him.

Blessed Holy God, thank You for Daniel’s example of obedience. Even unto death. And that brings to mind Revelation 2:10. “Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison and put you to the test. You will be persecuted for ‘ten days.’ Remain faithful even when facing death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

You amaze me Lord. As I sit thinking on one thing [thanking and praising] I shift to singing of Your ♪Blessed Assurance♪. Back to Daniel’s example of thanking and praising (6:10). And now over to Hebrews 10:22, reading of hearts full of assurances of faith.

Indeed! How I thank and praise You Dearest God. Work in, with, by, through and for me this day exactly as You know is best. I long to represent You well. Loving You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12 :30) and others as myself (v. 31).

Thank You Father. Praise You. I love You. Amen.

(326 words ~ 8:16 a.m.)

getting better

Friday, June 22, 2018 (7:00 p.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. I’m fighting a cold. After days of unrecognized symptoms, I realized it at noon yesterday. Thank You Father.

Thank You for time to rest. Recuperate. Convalesce. Yes. Grow strong. Be well. Get better. I look forward to that.

Thank You for a completely unscheduled day. A day to take care. Recover. Be still. Do little. Sit. Rest. Heal.

I leave it to You Blessed God. I can be such a baby. Thank You for the opportunity to truly take time to feel better.

Thank You for the loving husband’s homemade chicken soup. Thank You even for the fuzziness in my head.

I’m just about ready to go lie down again. Before I do, I’m reviewing Paul’s words of Holy Living to the believers of Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 4:1-12). Thank You Father that Your Word still speaks volumes.

“Regarding life together and getting along with each other, you don’t need me to tell you what to do. You’re God-taught in these matters. Just love one another! You’re already good at it; your friends all over the province of Macedonia are the evidence. Keep it up; get better and better at it” (vs. 9-10, The Message).

As I consider my desire of getting better physically, Father how much more I ask Your help in getting better and better at loving others. Mm, yes. Oh how I do love You. Teach me to love others as You know is best.

Thank You Father. I love You. Amen.

(255 words ~ 9:01 a.m.)