Day Eight

June 8, 2016.  What a beautiful day, Lord, You have made.  I went outside to mail some cards as Your playful breeze beckoned me to linger and feel the warmth of the brilliant sun.  I see the tree swaying gently, even as I write this blog, and wish I could just go back out and enjoy the pleasant day provided for me.

For me.  You made this day for me.  "This is the day the Lord has made and I am to rejoice and be glad in it."  And a great part of me is, Father.  I'm watching the tree, hearing the noise from the wind, and that blue sky?  It's just perfect, God.  Perfect!  Like You are.

My mind has lots of things going through it and with such a small amount of space, my thoughts tend to come out of my fingers.  Two songs are going through--no, make that three--my head.  The first is from way back when called "When He Beckons Me Home To Stay."  My friends from Unity Baptist Church, Mike, Becky, Myra, and the precious Alechia used to sing it sometimes and it went through my mind as I was putting the stamps on my cards and felt the calling of the great outdoors.  The next song--which goes with today's Bible Study reading--is the song by Casting Crowns, "East to West" and I love the message it provides for me.  Then lastly, because of the beauty You have made, the children's classic "This Is The Day That The Lord Has Made."  

Rejoice would be the key theme to these songs and to the verses I am about to share with you readers.  Ready?  They come from Psalm 103:8-12 and go like this:

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abiding in steadfast love.He will not always chide, nor will He keep His anger forever.He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love towards those who fear Him;as far as the east is from the west so far does He remove our transgressions from us.

So much here that could be discussed but I think instead that I will just rejoice in the fact that God loves me.  Do I ever get on His nerves?  Surely!  Does He get mad at me?  Mmmn, how could He not?  But just as kids do bad stuff and we reprimand them for it, we don't hold that infraction against them for the rest of the day, much less the rest of their lives (this nugget of wisdom is courtesy of my loving and wise hubby).  God is perfectly just to chide me and honestly, I appreciate when He does.  I know I'm far from perfect and when I do err, He doesn't let me by with it--not because I am so great, but because He is.  And I'm to reflect His Son Jesus and I can't very well do that, now can I, when I am left to my own devices?  

Speaking of leaving, I will close with the link to another song I dearly love by The Mike Whitson Family:  "Jesus, I've Got A Longing."  Hope you will enjoy it!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n77_AQLhUwY

You've got (fe)mail!

August 28, 2015

Good morning!  Tell me something:  how do you start your day?  No, not the details about what you have to do before getting the kids and hubby ready, but your day?  Do you start off with a quick run to the bathroom?  Do you start the coffee pot and read/journal/pray before the others wake up?  Do you check your email and Facebook and such to see what you missed overnight?

If you’re like me, it’s mostly a combination of those things.  Depending on if I wake on my own or by way of the alarm clock, I tend to check my phone for “pertinent information” that I just “need to know” before my day starts.  However, once the hubby is gone and once I have gotten my eyes to better focus, I tend to go a little deeper.  I’d like to say that I immediately start praying and doing a devotion or some other deeply spiritual activity but alas!  I’d be lying if I said I did that. And oh how the devil loves to throw it in my face and try to make my day start off with his dear friend Guilt.  “If you really loved God, you wouldn’t put anything in front of Him!”  Oh Guilt:  why don’t you go on back to where you came from and stop nagging me?

Anyways, back to my original thoughts as to how I start my day.  Generally, I check out Facebook, in particular the messages received.  For you see, I have this great church family and we have a prayer message chain that we update as necessary--and if you know us ladies, there are many things that are constantly being added to this conversation.  And that is what I want to talk to you about this morning.

Psalm 133:1 writes “How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!”  I couldn’t agree more!  Do you know what a comfort it is to wake up and see that others are already lifting up needs and praying on behalf of the requests that have been made known?  Do you know how wonderful it is to know that one sweet soul can add to this list at any time and the responses come almost immediately?  Do you know how my heart smiles as I think of these women who have become so vital to me?  Ahh.  Happy sigh.

The picture I used for today was from a couple of months back when we had a Ladies Tea in order to get to know one another better.  This was our “goofy” pic ‘cause--like the song says--“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!”  And while that is true, girls also want someone to share with.  They want to know that they aren’t alone.  They--I--need to know that when there is a need, there is an able-bodied woman there to provide instant consolation, understanding, and who will pray for that request without hesitation.

So, wonderful gals of Clarks Chapel Baptist Church and my Facebook Friends who respond when I cry out:  thank you.  Thank you for showing me Christ through your actions, through your faith, and through your love for the brethren--and sistren!  May your day be as special, sweet, and sincere as you are.  In the precious name of Jesus I pray this.  Amen!