Blogging in the summer

Blogging in the summer, when I have no commitments and activities, is proving to be more difficult than blogging during the rest of the year when I really have to think about a schedule and a routine.

Today I rearranged some books and shelves, hoping to create a writing area--with a view of the neighbor's pink oleander. In the process I discovered some missing jewelry, a lot of Georgette Heyer books and a rebate form for my contacts (two weeks too late to send it in). I also found that my bookshelves are far too convenient. Pottery mugs, nail polish remover and homemade lotion are blocking my access to my books!

I stopped cleaning to look at the cluttered bookshelves. And I realized this is starting to look and feel like home.

food trucks, purple tongues, blessings and questions

This might be another Kleenex-y post. This is out of character for me. I'll post something hilarious next. I promise.

During the summer we discovered food trucks. These restaurants on wheels announce their daily location and menu on Facebook or Twitter, and their food is often unique. I like supporting local artists, and who is more creative than a chef?

Today there were four food trucks in one place: the parking lot of a cancer treatment center. I knew they were planning to be there, and at lunchtime, I suddenly decided to take my children out.

We tried Hawaiian shave ice for the first time. My children thought it was fabulous, and I remembered that I don't really care for foods that are bright pink and blue. We all loved the pulled pork over french fries with barbecue sauce and melted cheese. The kids laughed at the way their tongues all turned purple from the shave ice. It was a beautiful fall day and we all delighted in the spur-of-the-moment lunch.

As we threw away our paper plates, my oldest daughter announced that she had to use the restroom. Now. We were five minutes away from home and I thought she could probably wait. I wasn't sure I wanted to take my sticky purple-faced children into the lobby of the cancer center. “We don't really need to walk in there,” I thought, “we could just drive home.” But Lydia was insistent, and I realized there was really no reason to rush home. So we walked in, through the spotless lobby, under the sparkling glass artwork hanging from the high ceiling, past a display of lovely hats and wigs, and into the bathroom.

And then it hit me. We didn't have to be there. We had come to a cancer center just to get fun food outside. We were only there for fun. We didn't have to be there.

When I was a kid, I walked through quite a few hospital lobbies and doctor's offices, not for fun, but because my mother had to be there. Mom was diagnosed with cancer when I was six months old. For a long time, I had no idea that cancer was a scary thing. It was just part of my mother: she had green eyes, thin brown hair, and cancer. We went to the doctor every month for years. Occasionally she'd get a fabulous report and she'd get three months off from the doctor visits. Most of her doctors were in Seattle, several hours away from home, and my parents would try to plan something fun into the trip too. Because my mom loved plants, this was often a walk through a plant conservatory.

My parents added fun to those trips they had to make. Today my children and I had a fun little lunch--just for fun. As I stood there in the restroom, waiting for Lydia and watching the other girls stick out their purple tongues at each other, I felt overwhelmed with blessings.

And then I thought of my friends who visit places like this because they have to be there. My mind began to ask those “Why?” questions. Why are our paths all so different? Why do some lovely people have to carry such heavy burdens?

I know I won't find answers to those questions. I've asked them often. But I know two things for sure:

None of us have to carry our burdens alone.

May the Lord be praised! Day after day He bears our burdens;
God is our salvation. (Psalm 68:19)

And though we each have our individual path to walk (or race to run), we all need the same focus.

...let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith... (Hebrews 12:1-2)

On the way home, I listened to this old hymn, and I thought of the Joy we all share, and the Living Bread who satisfies a deep hunger of my soul...a hunger that pulled pork will never fill.

Jesus, Thou Joy of loving hearts,
Thou Fount of life, Thou Light of men,
From the best bliss that earth imparts,
We turn unfilled to Thee again.

Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood;
Thou savest those that on Thee call;
To them that seek Thee Thou art good,
To them that find Thee all in all.

We taste Thee, O Thou living Bread,
And long to feast upon Thee still;
We drink of Thee, the Fountainhead,
And thirst our souls from Thee to fill.

Our restless spirits yearn for Thee,
Wherever our changeful lot is cast;
Glad when Thy gracious smile we see,
Blessed when our faith can hold Thee fast.

O Jesus, ever with us stay,
Make all our moments calm and bright;
Chase the dark night of sin away,
Shed over the world Thy holy light.

thoughts about the Princess

Tomorrow Kate Middleton will marry Prince William and become a princess. I am going to honor the occasion by wearing a fascinator (a little bit like this one, but assembled at home at a much lower price) and drinking tea. Yesterday I showed my daughters pictures of Kate and they were fascinated. I discovered a royal hat blog and I look forward to the updates tomorrow! On a shopping trip, we were tempted by "princess" cupcakes. A sample convinced us to purchase them to enjoy with our afternoon tea.

Princesses are popular at our house. I tried to explain the details of the royal wedding but my youngest daughter got a little confused and in her bedtime prayer she thanked God that "that guy is going to marry the princess."

Kate Middleton's story is not exactly a fairytale. She and her groom have not waited til their wedding day to live together. The royal family has had its share of disfunction lately (actually if you know your history, royal families have never been known for healthy family relationships). But tomorrow, Kate will wear a gorgeous dress and she will walk down a long aisle in a historic cathedral, and I will "ooh" and "ahhh" because she is becoming a princess. She has no royal heritage herself, but she is joining a royal family because the Prince loves her.

Who loves you?

The Lord your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will bring quietness with His love.
He will delight in you with shouts of joy." (Zephaniah 3:17)

The Lord your God--the High King of heaven--loves and delights in you.
And that's more precious than a diamond tiara.

Thought Provoking Thursday is hosted here.

I should give credit to the website from which I borrowed the photo.

All and Everything

Just two thought-provoking words:"all" and "everything." Look for them in the verses below.

Casting all your care upon Him, because He cares about you. (I Peter 5:7)

I don't say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret [of being content]—whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. (Philippians 4:11-12)

I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)

For His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. (2 Peter 1:3)

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

Thought Provoking Thursday is hosted here.

Breakfast on the Beach

After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to His disciples several times. My favorite is His appearance on the beach to cook breakfast for His friends. (John 21:1-14) The disciples went fishing and Jesus met them on the shore, with bread and fish cooked over a fire.

The resurrected Son of God spent a morning enjoying His creation with His disciples; He could have brought them anything for that breakfast, but He used the fish that were available right there in the lake. He spent the morning fellowshipping with them in their everyday environment. And He wants to do that with us. That's what prayer is all about...fellowshipping with Him!

I read that story in John several years ago when we were about to make a long car trip to the Northwest for my father's memorial service. I thought about the disciples and Jesus and their special time of simple food and good fellowship, and I asked the Lord that I would find that kind of simple joy on our trip and that I would be aware of His presence.

He answered. The trip was full of joy! There were so many friends to visit, so many memories to remember and the Northwest Spring was beautiful.

As you read the Gospels, as you watch Jesus interact with His disciples, talk to the Lord about the fellowship you crave....fellowship with other Christ followers and fellowship with the Lord Himself.

Gratitude

I am grateful for Jesus' humble birth. Thinking of the Holy God coming to earth in this way fills me with praise.

I am extremely grateful for Jesus' death--and the salvation He gave me.

And I am grateful for His life.

None of His earthly life was lived in splendor. His neighbors still knew him as “the carpenter's son” when He began His ministry at age thirty. He traveled around Israel, teaching and healing, and He certainly didn't have luxury accommodations.

As I read the gospel accounts of Jesus' life, I see His power and His gentleness. I see Him holding children, comforting grieving families, and reaching out to sinners. Yet when confronted with hypocrisy and pride, He didn't mince words. Far from weak, when He saw God's temple filled with people who were only there to make money, He sternly drove them out!

How wonderful to serve a Savior who lived His earthly life with kindness, perfectly balanced with power. I am grateful for that.

The last week of Jesus' ministry began in triumph, though Jesus still appeared lowly and unassuming as He approached Jerusalem:

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9 NKJV)

But soon the crowds turned against Him and He faced an unjust trial. Still, the Son of God kept His power under control and responded in a meek manner:

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, He did not open His mouth. (Isaiah 53:7)

On the way to the cross, the Son of God was so weak that He stumbled and fell, and the soldiers forced someone from the crowd to carry His cross. Think about that for a moment: the Son of God—a captive.

Of course, you know the rest of the story. You know that Jesus was crucified and buried but then He rose from the dead. And suddenly His power was obvious to His believers. Yet He did not appear to them in a spectacular glory, but with gentleness and approachability.

Praise Him!

Praise: Part Four

Yesterday I posted a few thoughts on remembering the Savior. Today, let's praise Him.

...The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
(I John 4:14 KJV)

When my daughter Martina was three, she began asking questions about Jesus and heaven and the big cross outside our church. She never stayed focused on the answers for long, but she kept asking. One day at church while Mark was practicing with the band and I was watching the kids, Martina asked me to read her a book. Its topic was gratitude, and each page had a little rhyme about a girl and her thankfulness for her dog, her grandma's pie and her curly hair. At the end of the book I asked Martina what she would like to thank Jesus for today. She said, “I'd like to thank Jesus for dying on the cross to take away all my wrong choices and give me a home in heaven some day.”

I stared at her for a moment, shocked that she had put such a long and detailed sentence together. I asked her if she would like to thank Jesus right now. “No,” she answered, “I want to crawl under the bench.” Off she went, crawling across the floor in her church dress to play with a toy under the bench. Soon she reappeared, and I asked her again if she'd like to thank Jesus, and this time she said “Yes.” I felt blessed to be present at this moment, and I thought it was beautiful that her first declaration of faith was expressed as gratitude. The more I think about this, the more obvious it seems—when we realize that Jesus is our Savior, of course we respond with thanksgiving and praise!

Jesus' name proclaimed His mission on earth: “Jesus” is our English translation of the Hebrew “Yeshua,” a common Jewish name in Mary's time, meaning “Yahweh is salvation.”Yahweh was the name God used to identify Himself when He promised Abraham that his descendants would bring blessing to the whole earth. The Savior brings salvation.

Most of us probably know these verses very well, but I hope we never lose the wonder of these truths:

For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us! (Romans 5:8)

Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Also through Him, we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)

As soon as sin entered the world, God promised a Savior. The Old Testament books are full of further details on that promise. Here are three of my favorite promises:

On that day it will be said, “Look, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” (Isaiah 25:9)
Surely, falsehood comes from the hills, commotion from the mountains, but the salvation of Israel is only in the Lord our God. (Jeremiah 3:23)
...I will dwell among you, and you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent Me to you. (Zechariah 2:11)

Your Savior dwells with you. Whatever commotion is surrounding you today, rejoice and be glad in that salvation.

The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom should I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)
The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, their refuge in a time of distress.
(Psalm 37:39)
May the Lord be praised! Day after day He bears our burdens; God is our salvation. Selah. (Psalm 68:19)
Come, let us shout joyfully to the Lord, shout triumphantly to the rock of our salvation! (Psalm 95:1)

Praise: Part Three...the Lord's Table

From our perspective, “The God Who Sees” is invisible. But He understands our need to have something we can see and touch, so before Jesus gave His life for us, He gave us two very visible symbols that we can see, taste, touch, smell...depending on how crunchy the bread is, you can even hear it. We use those symbols at the Lord's Table to remember this event and to remember His sacrifice.

And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, "This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me." (Luke 22:19)

Notice this little phrase: in English, it's simply “gave thanks.” Jesus gave thanks. I looked up this phrase and I learned something fascinating. It's one word in the original Greek: eucharisteō (in Greek: Εὐχαριστέω)

It means “to give thanks.”

But when you look at this word, it contains its root word: charis, which means grace. When we give thanks, we are noticing...remembering...grace. Grace is a free and undeserved gift of God, and when we hold the juice or the bread, we have a visible touchable reminder of the sacrifice He made to give us the free gift of eternal life and a relationship with Him.

Now, if we look again at this word, charis--grace--there is a verb that came from this word, and it is chairo which means rejoicing, especially rejoicing for the redemption that God gave us through Jesus Christ.

I know that the Lord's Supper is usually a solemn time. And yes, it is a quiet moment of reflection, and it's something we take very seriously. But, when you are giving Him thanks for His gift of grace...how can you not be joyful? How can you keep from bubbling over with His exceeding joy? We are celebrating!

I love the way God chose to give us edible symbols. As humans we naturally celebrate everything with food, don't we? At the Lord's Table we use food to celebrate Him. To remember...to see with our spiritual vision The God Who Sees Us.

We give thanks--eucharisteo--
for His grace--charis--
and we rejoice--chairo.

Give thanks for grace, and rejoice today!

This is my post for Thought Provoking Thursday, which is hosted here.
I learned about these words in One Thousand Gifts, and researched them in my Bible dictionary and at blueletterbible.org.
One Thousand Gifts is a thought-provoking book that I will review on my blog one of these days.

Praise: Part Two

This is the second in a series of posts praising God, specifically focusing on three Names of God. Today we praise the God Who Sees.

An Old Testament woman named Hagar was the first to call God “The God Who Sees.” Hagar was a slave to Abraham's wife Sarah. Sarah ruled over her staff. She knew that God had promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, but they'd been married for decades and they were still childless. Sarah decided it was time for this promise to be fulfilled, so she suggested that Abraham could have a child by Hagar. This was not at all shocking in their culture, but it shows us Hagar's lowly position in the household: even her body belonged to her owner.

Sarah, struggling with the grief of infertility, didn't foresee the emotions that would consume her when her slave was carrying Abraham's child. Jealousy and anger overruled any feeling of joy, and it didn't help that Hagar developed a bit of an attitude. So Sarah irrationally sputtered at Abraham, “You are responsible for my suffering!” (Genesis 16:5), and he told her to handle the matter herself. So Sarah made Hagar's life miserable and Hagar ran away to the desert. There she met the Angel of the Lord, and He told her,

“You must go back to your mistress and submit to her mistreatment.” The Angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring, and they will be too many to count.” Then the Angel of the Lord said to her: “You have conceived and will have a son. You will name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your cry of affliction. This man will be like a wild donkey. His hand will be against everyone, and everyone's hand will be against him; he will live at odds with all his brothers.” So she named the Lord who spoke to her “The God Who Sees,” (Genesis 16:11-13)

This does not sound like a very comforting message, but Hagar seemed to focus on the one detail that was incredibly encouraging: God saw her. God knew every detail of her situation, and cared enough to speak to her.

Many Bible scholars believe that the Angel of the Lord mentioned in the Old Testament is actually Jesus. This is a mind-boggling thought! God Himself talked to a runaway slave girl, a girl of extremely small worth in her culture, a girl with no rights or privileges. God saw. God knew. God cared. And He sees you and cares about you. Praise Him!

The Lord looks down from heaven; He observes everyone. He gazes on all the inhabitants of the earth from His dwelling place. (Psalm 33:13-14)
The Lord looks down from heaven on the human race to see if there is one who is wise, one who seeks God. (Psalm 14:2)
Now the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him— those who depend on His faithful love. (Psalm 33:18)
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God—God remains in him and he in God. And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. (I John 4:14-15)

Tomorrow, we'll look at three Greek words that express thankfulness and praise.

Walk with Him Wednesdays focuses on spiritual practices, such as praising. This post is adapted from my book Praise Patterns, and is part of a message I shared at Shiloh Bible Camp.

St. Patrick's Prayer

Christ as a light, illumine and guide me
Christ as a shield, overshadow me
Christ under me
Christ over me
Christ beside me on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me
Lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the hearts of each to whom I speak
In the mouths of each who speak unto me.



You can find this version at Itunes by John Michael Talbot.
A more modern (and longer) recording is "St. Patrick's Breastplate" by Stefan Van Voorst. I also like the version of "St. Patrick's Breastplate" by an artist named Mr. Jag.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Learn a little about this hero of our faith here.

This is my post for Thought-Provoking Thursday, hosted at Some Girl's Website. I find this prayer very thought-provoking. It shows prayer as a desire for Christ to permeate my whole life.

Praying with Psalm 39-41

You, indeed, have made my days short in length,
and my life span as nothing in Your sight.
Yes, every mortal man is only a vapor. Selah.

I waited patiently for the Lord,
and He turned to me and heard my cry for help.
He brought me up from a desolate pit,
out of the muddy clay,
and set my feet on a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.

I delight to do Your will, my God;
Your instruction resides within me.

Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
let those who love Your salvation continually say,
"The Lord is great!"

May the Lord, the God of Israel, be praised
from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and amen.

(Psa. 39:5, 40:1-3, 8,16, 41:13)

My life is so very short
compared to eternity,
and I am so very weak
compared to omnipotence --
yet You care for me
encourage me
and instruct me.

Thought-provoking Thursday is hosted at Some Girl's Website.

Promises of Safety and Guidance

Yesterday I prayed for the Lord's guidance. Today as I read my Bible and studied Catherine Martin's A Heart that Hopes in God, I read God's promises of His watchful care, His sustaining power and His direction.

...The Lord watches over the way of the righteous...(Psalm 1:6)

...You, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head. (Psalm 3:3)

I lie down and sleep: I wake again because the Lord sustains me. (Psalm 3:5)

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. (Psalm 37:23-24 NLT)

The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever. (Psalm 121:8)

Under the aegis of such a promise [the promise of Psalm 121:8] we may go on pilgrimage without trembling, and venture into battle without dread. None are so safe as those whom God keeps; none so much in danger as the self-secure. -- Charles Haddon Spurgeon in The Treasury of David, quoted in A Heart that Hopes in God

Times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord...(Acts 3:19)

I ask, gracious Lord, that You keep me watchful and alert, so that at any moment I may discern the movement of Your hand and detect Your will and guidance in the providence of little things. -- F.B.Meyer in Daily Prayers, quoted in A Heart that Hopes in God

Lord, thank You for answering my prayer and reassuring me that You will continually guide and protect and energize me. Keep me aware of You!

This is my post for "Multitudes on Mondays" hosted at the link below.

Friday Fun: A Wall of Calm

I bought these fun Keep Calm prints from various sellers at Etsy.com. I hung them all up on the stairway wall. Our livingroom has an Irish theme with photos from Ireland all over the place, and I wanted a separate place to hang this fun London sign and the London photo from Starry Blue Sky. The Keep Calm signs seemed like just the thing to fill the wall. I'm not a fan of blank walls.

And one fun link today: an easy recipe for yummy mini pizzas.

Fun on Friday

My kids have had a lot of fun this week watching short videos at Jelly Telly. Here's one with a song about Second Samuel. Several of the character voices are familiar--one of the Veggie Tales guys created Jelly Telly.

Five on Friday

Five blessings from cyberspace

1. This blogpost about wrestling and waiting from a woman at Imago Dei church in Portland, Oregon

2. This delightful food blog: Chocolate and Zucchini

3. These fun scarves from Etsy seller Johnny Vegas

4. These cute hair accessories and earrings from Etsy seller Dandy Apple

5. and this Peanuts strip:

Giving Grace

I'm studying Catherine Martin's A Woman's Walk in Grace, and participating in an online study of this book at Ministry for Women. Last week's chapter was titled "The Fine Art of Gracing Another." I am still pondering that chapter and praying about how I can give grace to others. Today I read an interview with Bono, and these words caught my eye:

I don't let my religious world get too complicated. I just kind of go: Well, I think I know what God is. God is love, and as much as I respond [sighs] in allowing myself to be transformed by that love and acting in that love, that's my religion. Where things get complicated for me, is when I try to live this love. Now that's not so easy. --Bono, in an interview quoted at The Poached Egg

I like the idea that my faith should be reflected by loving actions. He went on to talk about grace:

... along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that "as you reap, so you will sow" stuff. Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I've done a lot of stupid stuff.

Amen. Praise God for His grace!

So, back to the idea of gracing others: does that mean I need to give grace to those who do stupid stuff? To my daughter who lost a school book? Again? I'm not talking about not giving consequences, but acting with a graceful attitude. I am praying for a graceful tone of voice and a gentle response. Even to stupid stuff.

This is my post for Thought-Provoking Thursday, hosted at SomeGirl's Website.

(Note: For an interesting look at the faith of several members of U2, check your library for We Get to Carry Each Other: The Gospel According to U2.)

Roses

Today my husband gave me roses.

Not the long-stemmed variety. No matter where I put fresh flowers, the cats find them. And eat them. And leave little surprises of vomit all over the house.

No, my husband gave me tree roses. Long bare branches in black plastic bags.

And I put them in the backyard, in the sunshine, against the brick wall, where I can admire them from the kitchen window.

Yes, I am admiring the bare branches...because I know their potential! I know the Queen Elizabeth rose will be covered with pink blossoms, and the Mr. Lincoln rose will have wonderfully fragranced red blooms. I read the labels, and I know what the future holds.

Do you feel like a bare branch today? Rejoice, my friend, for God sees your potential. He knows the blooms you will someday wear. He knows just where to plant you, just how to feed you and trim you. He is faithful. The blooms He has in mind for you may be quite different than what you are picturing, but you will bloom. Trust Him.



As I count my blessings with the Multitudes on Mondays bloggers, I am grateful for

my nine year old and her artsiness,
my six year old and her take-life-as-it-comes attitude,
my five year old and her ability to make us all laugh,
my husband--everyone calls him "Amazing" and I just call him "Mine"-- (thanks, Martina McBride for that very quotable song),
my best friend and her phone calls while we clean house (note to self: find Bluetooth attachment so you don't get a sore neck next time you're cleaning and talking on the phone...),
my friends who visited last night and the fun we had discussing life as creative Christians,
my friends who wanted to come last night but were ill (note to self: more vitamins today....),
and the Light of the World who speaks to me through His Word, His sunrises, and all the people mentioned above.

Rise up, women of the truth

I was exhausted. Dishes filled the sink and a heap of laundry overflowed a living room chair. I ignored it all and went shopping for music online. A song by Robin Mark caught my attention and suddenly my exhaustion disappeared as I worshiped. “Shout to the North” called me to sing to and depend on my glorious King. It reminded me that when there are differences within the Christian faith, Jesus is Savior of all. The second verse described “women of the truth” singing to broken hearts, and I praised God for those women of truth who have taught and encouraged me.
Here are the first two verses and the chorus, with the scriptures they brought to my mind.

Men of faith rise up and sing
Of the great and glorious King
You are strong when you feel weak
In your brokenness complete
But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Shout to the North and the South
Sing to the East and the West
Jesus is Savior to all
Lord of heaven and earth
For there is one God and one mediator between God and man,
a man, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself—a ransom for all,
a testimony at the proper time. (Timothy 2:4-6)

Rise up women of the truth
Stand and sing to broken hearts
Who can know the healing power
Of our awesome King of love?
He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:4)

Oh Lord, you have called me to be a woman of Your truth. Give me Your songs to sing to broken hearts. Remind me that my weaknesses allow You to show Your strength through me. You are the mighty Lord of heaven and earth, yet You are my personal Savior and Friend. Speak Your love through me today.

Everyday Adventures

Last night we watched Inspector Lewis on PBS. I enjoy the characters on this mystery program, but I especially like the scenery. Lewis lives at Oxford. Those ancient English locations fascinate me, and I long to visit them. "That's beautiful," I said to my husband as we watched a scene in a walled courtyard. "Why can't we live somewhere exciting like that?"

And then I laughed at myself.

I live in Las Vegas.

Dear Lord, remind me that I live exactly where You placed me. Open my eyes to the everyday adventures around me. Show me Your plan for me right here. Thank You for our modern technology that allows us to view other locations so easily.

Exulting

Isaiah 61:10: I greatly rejoice in the Lord, I exult in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation...

A few days ago I looked up the meaning of "exult," and I saw that one of the definitions (now outdated) is "to leap with joy." Isn't that a great description of praise? I thought of my children and how sometimes they enjoy the singing at church so much that they actually jump up and down. (I try to settle them down before they crash into each other.) This is how excited Isaiah was about God's salvation.

What has God done in your life lately that made you want to jump up and down with delight?