Sunday, March 17, 2024

Sunday Scripture

 


Here's another in our new series for Sunday Scripture!  Back in 2018, I did a simple study from Rachel Wojo called Everything Beautiful.  You can read about it here: Everything Beautiful Bible reading plan. My answers and input on this series are a combination of what I learned back then, and what I found in looking over the Scriptures now, six years later.  I'm attempting to SOAP the passages too, though some of them are longer. 

S= "Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come unto thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
"Shake thyself from the dust, arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
"For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nothing, and ye shall be redeemed without money.
"For thus saith the Lord GOD: My people went down at the first into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.
"Now, therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that My people are taken away for nothing?  They that rule over them make them to wail, saith the LORD, and My name continually every day is blasphemed.
"Therefore, My people shall know My name; therefore, they shall know in that day that I am He who doth speak; Lo, it is I.
"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!"  (Isaiah 52:1-7)

O= This chapter is titled by C.I. Scofield in the Scofield Study Bible: "Vision of Jerusalem in the Kingdom Age".

My observations:

Through Isaiah, God says:

Awake, awake!
Put on your strength, O Zion
Put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city

FOR

The uncircumcised and unclean will no more enter your gates.

Jerusalem is directed to shake herself from the dust, to arise, and sit down. 
The daughter of Zion is directed to loose herself from the bands of her neck.

FOR

Thus says the LORD: You have sold yourself for nothing, and you will be redeemed without money.

FURTHER:

Thus says the LORD: My people went down to Egypt at the first to sojourn there.  The Assyrian oppressed them without cause.

THEREFORE:

What have I here, asks the Lord.
My people are taken away for nothing;
Those who rule over them make them to wail.
My name is blasphemed continually every day.

THEREFORE:

My people shall know My name;
They shall know that I am speaking.
Good tidings are coming to Zion: the beautiful message of salvation and sovereignty: 

Thy God reigns!

Cross-reference for "without money" (v. 3) -- "I have raised Him up in righteousness, and I will direct all His ways; He shall build My city, and He shall let go My captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts."  (Isaiah 45:13)

For "redeemed" (v. 3) -- "For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall He be called."  (Isaiah 54:5)

"Break forth into joy; sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem, for the LORD hath comforted His people; He hath redeemed Jerusalem."  (Isaiah 52:9)

For "Egypt" (v. 4) -- "And they took their cattle and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him."  (Genesis 46:6)

For "wail" or "howl" (v. 5) -- "Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall wail for vexation of spirit." (Isaiah 65:13)

For "feet" (v. 7) -- "Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace!  O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows; for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off."  (Nahum 1:15)

"And how shall they preach, except they be sent?  As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"  (Romans 10:15)

For "tidings" (v. 7) -- "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound."  (Isaiah 61:1)

A= For this Scripture, there were a number of ways to apply it as prompted in the journal.  

"A devoted messenger who spreads good news reveals beauty beyond the mirror." -- Rachel Wojo

The question was asked: What season or circumstance in life challenges me to see God's gift of beauty?

My response in 2018: This recent injury has really sidelined me.  I had a very rough night and so am pretty much useless today.   And yet outside the window is the glory of the snow!

Answering this same question in 2024

My response: I am going to say Mud Season, which is a season unique to New England, especially New Hampshire and Vermont.  Another thing that can challenge me to see God's gift of beauty is when we see seasons of discontent in a church, a family, a school, or a workplace.  I've come to believe that, although discontentment can arise for many reasons, it seems to occur seasonally as well.  Keeping our eyes on God and the beauty of our salvation could really help our perspective.

This prompt was given, along with a list: Today I will keep my eyes open for God's beauty in one or more of these places.

These are the places I circled: The words I read; the music I hear; the air I breathe; the people I encounter; the weather I experience; the rest I receive.

In 2024 I can note that the words I read include those from Stand Firm, a Bible study on the armor of God from the Daily Grace Co.  I believe it is currently on sale for $5, though that could change at any time.   This quote, from the chapter on being shod with the readiness of the gospel of peace, encouraged me so much:

"A solid foundation in our understanding of the gospel of peace brings hope to any circumstance we may face in this lifetime and enables us to share our hope with others ... Our foundation -- our footing -- is found in the perfect peace offered through the hope of the gospel.  That foundation allows us to ... move toward others in light of that hope.
 
"For those around us, our lives and words serve as a testimony to the peace we have found in Christ.  We can point them to the only One who offers us true comfort and rest.  The gospel message is a message of peace that speaks into every broken part of this world.  In seasons of hardship or suffering, brokenness or doubt, the gospel serves as an anchor for our souls, keeping us firmly planted in the peace of Jesus."

 For the people I encounter, I noted this: Here at TWNE, it's a blessing to know people who are using every gift, talent, and skill they possess to the utmost.  All to the glory of God!  It's so good to spend time at meals with other believers sharing and encouraging one another.

For the weather I experience, I noted: It's been rainy this week, but yesterday God provided a dry day to complete an outdoor project.

And for the rest I receive, I saw that even though we were working hard, we were sleeping well.  So thankful for a comfortable room to stay in as we serve here.

A journaling prompt was this: List one or more ideas to remind myself to intentionally look for God's beauty throughout the day.

My response in 2018: Look out the window frequently to see the beautiful snow-covered trees and landscape.  Go out and walk on the screened porch periodically to take in the snowy fresh air.

My response in 2024: We were at our volunteer jobs at The Wilds of New England as I worked through this again.  It was raining the day that I wrote this, but I noted, "This campsite is beautiful in any weather, and I look out the windows often."


(Photos above from last winter.  The snow is all gone now.)

P= "Lord, in 2018 I was choosing to be thankful for the physical difficulty You had allowed, reminding myself that Your Word says, 'In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.'  The injury was uncomfortable and even outright painful at times    Yet I could thank You for it and could trust You to use it for good in my life.

"Now, in 2024, it's exciting to look back and see how far You have brought me physically since then, and to see how You have given me strength, stamina, and energy to serve You at the Wilds of New England and elsewhere.   

 "I thank and praise You in  Jesus' name, Amen."

And there is the Sunday Scripture for this week!  I'd love some input on this series so far.  Wouldn't you like to share your thoughts with me?

Monday, March 11, 2024

Happy Homemaker Monday for March 11

 


As usual, there's no time for a long post, but I'm taking a few minutes to join Sandra for this link party over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

The Weather:::

 It's 32º and cloudy, with fine snow flurries in the air, at 11 am. 20 mph wind so it feels like 20º. 

As I look outside my window:::

We got snow on Saturday night so there is now more snow on the ground in the woods and a messy driveway that's a combination of frozen snow and mud.  (My hubby just scraped it down but it would make too much of a mess to actually plow it.)  Snow flurries in a cloudy sky. 

Right now I am:::

 Working on a blog post. 
 
Thinking and pondering:::

 About my Sunday Scripture series.  I'm still not sure how well it's working with this new study, but I hope that it's edifying to someone.

And also continuing to ponder on how crucial it is to have our spiritual armor firmly in place.   How easily Satan can delude us if we don't pay attention. 

On my bedside table::: 

 A lamp, 2 books a mint, and a pen

Listening to::: 

Literally, silence.  The furnace blower.  And the occasional gust of heavy wind.

On the Breakfast plate::: 

I do intermittent fasting so don't have breakfast. Lunch will be a salad of leaf lettuce, cubed turkey,  Swiss cheese, avocado and maybe some grape tomatoes.

On the dinner plate::: 

Egg bake, bacon, and maybe some broccoli.

On the menu for this week::: 

 A few meals on my menu plan:

Hamburgers, roasted Brussels sprouts
Chicken divan
Taco pie, green beans
 
On my reading pile:::
 
 Every Ocean Has a Shore, by Jamie Langston Turner, a Christmas gift I'm really enjoying.
Adorned by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, by John Cross.

We're reading this one in the car and it is excellent.  A dramatic and refreshing change from The Real Anthony Fauci, by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. which we finally finished.

 
On my to do list today:::
 
 Spend time cross stitching
Write some thank-you notes
Possibly go grocery shopping 
Call a couple of friends to see how they are doing
Go for a walk downtown
Do some planning for later in the week
Type up some info for my hubby to email out to folks √
Work on a couple of blog posts
Work on my Sunday School lesson
Crochet a square for my temperature blanket

Plans for this week:::

Etsy listings, especially some children's books with spring themes
Ironing
Take a bag to the thrift store
Work on Sunday School lesson 22
Blogging
Get started with an exercise regimen
Begin some serious decluttering
Start a pillow quilt
Do some cleaning at my volunteer job
Go out to breakfast with our friend Terry

What I am creating:::
 
⛄  January cross-stitch sampler, plus another wintry cross-stitch intended for a gift
⛄  Some "condensation catchers" out of old towels to place behind toilets that sweat in the humidity -- no, I still haven't finished started those! 😕  And I need to do so, because the old towels are just sitting around waiting to be used!   And also because we keep getting sporadic warmer weather and I half expect the toilets to start sweating again.
⛄  An older unfinished dishcloth in a more challenging pattern
  Need to start a pillow quilt
⛄  A granny square temperature blanket

Bible verse, Devotional, Quote:::
 
I've been making my way through Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth's wonderful and challenging book, Adorned.  It's one of those books where I could easily underline nearly every word.  I have believed and shared for many years that there is no dividing line in our lives between the secular and the sacred.  Every bit of life is to be lived to the glory of God and as a service to Him, whether it's teaching Sunday School or cleaning a toilet.  I will just share this snippet from Nancy that encouraged me:
 
"Wherever we are at this moment is a sacred place, and whatever He has given us to do is sacred service ... There is simply no hard dividing line between the sacred and the secular in our lives, no special compartment for those pieces and parts of life that pertain to our faith, with everything else in another, separate compartment.
"We each possess a holy calling, a high calling, one worthy of our awe-inspired devotion to God and His will.  And we flesh out this calling each day by honoring Him with lives that reflect His character and exemplify our grateful, loving surrender to Him." -- Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth, Adorned, page 96.

On my prayer list:::
 
Friends & family
Church family
Missionaries
Our country
 
And there's the Happy Homemaker Monday  for this week!
 
 

 

 

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Sunday Scripture

 


 Here's another in our new series for Sunday Scripture!  Back in 2018, I did a simple study from Rachel Wojo called Everything Beautiful.  You can read about it here: Everything Beautiful Bible reading plan. My answers and input on this series are a combination of what I learned back then, and what I found in looking over the Scriptures now, six years later.  I'm going to attempt to SOAP the passages too, though some of them are longer.

S= "O sing unto the LORD a new song; for He hath done marvellous things: His right hand, and His holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory.
"The LORD hath made known His salvation: His righteousness hath He openly showed in the sight of the heathen.
"He hath remembered His mercy and His truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
"Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.
"With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.
"Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
"Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together
"Before the LORD; for He cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall He judge the world, and the people with equity."  (Psalm 98)

 O= Psalm 98 is titled by Scofield "Praise to the LORD".  The Bible titles it simply "A Psalm".

"Why should we praise the Lord?  Because of His redemption (v. 1), the revelation of His righteousness (v. 2), and the remembrance of His mercy (v. 3)." -- Warren Wiersbe, With the Word

A few cross-references:

For "Sing unto the LORD" (v. 1) --

"Sing unto Him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise."  (Psalm 33:3)

"Oh, sing unto the LORD a new song; sing unto the LORD , all the earth." (Psalm 96:1)

"Sing unto the LORD a new song, and His praise from the end of the earth; ye that go down to the sea, and all that is in it; the coasts, and their inhabitants."

Wiersbe explains concerning "a new song": "The word translated 'new' means 'fresh, new in quality'.  The song may be an old one, but our growth in the Lord and our new experiences of His grace enable us to sing an old song with fresh new meaning and blessing.  This explains why the Lord allows us to go through trials. He is tuning us up to praise Him in a new way!"

Cross-references for "done marvelous things" (v. 1) -- 

"Remember His marvelous works that He hath done; His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth." (Psalm 105:5)

"Thou art the God who doest wonders; Thou hast declared Thy strength among the peoples."  (Psalm 77:14)

"Who is like unto Thee, O LORD, among the gods?  Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"  (Exodus 15:11)

For "known His salvation" (v.2) --

"The LORD hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God."  (Isaiah 52:10)

"To give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins."  (Luke 1:77)

"For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people."  (Luke 2:30-31)

For "all the ends of the earth" (v. 3) -- 

"And He said, It is a light thing that Thou shouldest be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give Thee for a light to the nations, that Thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth."  (Isaiah 49:6)

"Be it known, therefore, unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it."  (Acts 28:28)

For "cometh to judge the earth" (v. 9) --

"Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth.  The world also shall be established that it shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously ... He cometh to judge the earth; He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth."  (Psalm 96:10, 13)

A=  Warren Wiersbe asks,

* How should we praise the Lord?  "With a joyful shout and song (v. 4) and with musical instruments skillfully played to please Him (v. 5-6). Let voices and instruments join in praising the Lord!  Not religious entertainment, but the joyful expression of praise to God."
* Who should praise the Lord?  "Everybody in the world -- and all the world of nature (v. 7-9).  The anticipation of His coming excites creation, and you should be a part of their excitement.  Joy to the world -- the Lord has come!" 

The One Chapter a Day Psalms study from Good Morning Girls states: "Not only do we see instruments, such as trumpets and horns praising God in this psalm, but we also see nature personified as the seas and rivers and hills clap their hands to the Lord.  Our praise to the Lord must not be silent."

 For this Scripture, there were a number of ways to apply it as prompted in the journal.  

"Salvation can always be listed in the search for beauty." -- Rachel Wojo

The question was asked: How can I realign the eyes of my heart to see the Father's present of everyday elegance?

My response in 2018: I can keep my eyes open to see what He has done and is doing.  I can always be ready to praise Him for what I see.  I can make it a habit to look at God and not at my circumstances.

Answering this same question in 2024

My response: It can be possible, I think, especially through the difficulties of our culture and world today, to focus almost completely on the big picture -- that God has a plan, and He is working all things after the counsel of His own will to achieve His purposes.  And this is an important focus.  But I never want to look at the big picture so intently that I can't see God in the beauty of every day.  He is doing marvelous things every day, and I want to have eyes that will take note of that beauty and share it with others.

This prompt was given, along with a list: Today I will keep my eyes open for God's beauty in one or more of these places.

These are the places I circled: The words I read; the food I eat; the air I breathe; the weather I experience; the rest I receive; the grace I give.

In 2024 I can note that the words I read include not only God's Word (which is incomparable in its beauty in addition to being living, powerful, and so much more!) but words from Christian novelists, devotional writers, Bible commentators and teachers and even bloggers and Instagrammers.  Many of them write beautifully to encourage and strengthen believers.

A journaling prompt was this: Everything God made is beautiful.  Where have I noticed God's beauty in the last 24 hours?

2018: In the incredible beauty of the snow.  Like most people, I'm ready for spring.  But this is New Hampshire.  We get snow in March -- sometimes a great deal of snow.  The snow is beautiful and richly symbolic of salvation.

2024: Yesterday we went downtown to walk, as is our habit.  Along Main Street are planted a number of small trees which I believe to be mountain ash trees.  We noticed that one of them was full of birds -- cedar waxwings.  How beautiful!  Later in the day, my husband glanced at our bird feeder and spotted a lovely female cardinal.  We have only had cardinals visiting in the past couple of years, so we don't take their presence for granted.

P= "Lord, I praise You today  for the beauty of Your creation, particularly the snow that covers and freshens the landscape and trees with a beautiful coating of white.  It brings to mind Isaiah 1:18 where we're told that though our sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.  Snow is such a lovely picture of salvation, and I thank You for giving it to us.

    "I praise You too for the amazingly beautiful birds You have created, and for the opportunity to enjoy these on a daily basis.  The birds have so many object lessons to teach us, as we read in Your Word.

"And I pray that You will help me not to be so focused on the big picture of what You are doing in our world that I fail to notice Your everyday elegance.  I pray in  Jesus' name, Amen."

And there is the Sunday Scripture for this week!  I'd love some input on this series so far.  Wouldn't you like to share your thoughts with me?

Wednesday, March 06, 2024

How my word for 2024 -- Continue -- will look in my life this year

 


Even though I decided on my word for 2024 fairly quickly, it took me awhile to write about it.  Now, though admittedly still behind, I thought I'd jot down some thoughts about how that word -- continue -- will hopefully play out in my life on an everyday basis.

Recall, here is the definition:

As I mentioned, in choosing the word continue for this year, I was mostly thinking about continuing on faithfully with a number of things, most (but not all) of them related to my spiritual life. Let's look at the various parts of the definition and how they might look in everyday life.

First, "persist in an activity or process".  I'd relate this to Bible study and blogging.   I intend to persist in both of these. 

 Bible study is a given.  There is so much more I want (and need) to learn about God's Word!

Blogging might be considered much more of an option, a personal choice.  But is it really?  I don't think so, at least not for me.  Blogging, I've come to believe, is an integral part of living out God's purposes for me.  It's a way to use the talents, skills, and even some of the spiritual gifts God has given me, to bless others.  So for sure, this is an activity I'll be persisting in.

Then, "carry on with something that one has begun".  I am hoping we can get back to getting together regularly with a younger couple we had been informally mentoring.  I do chat with the wife weekly by phone, and that's wonderful, but in-person time is important as well. 

I'm hoping and planning, too, to get back more faithfully to decluttering and downsizing.  I've started that; have done some closets and dressers and have begun going through our many bookshelves, but oh, there is so much more to do!

In another instance in carrying on with something I've begun -- I had gifted six of my teen grandchildren the Stand Firm Bible study from The Daily Grace Co.  I'm not sure how they are doing with it.  I'm keeping up with my own study of the book, and finding it very much of a blessing.  My intent had been to have a group chat with them weekly via email, but so far that's only happened once. 🙄.   So obviously I want to carry on with this important activity.


Another thing to carry on with (unless or until God shows me differently) is listing and selling small vintage items from my childhood home on Etsy.  There is so much more to go!  I have shelves, a half dozen boxes, and even an entire dresser full of these small treasures.  It could take me years just to list all the paper items, so I'm thinking I may need to zero in on the children's books and see if I can get some of those out of the way.

(Looking for a vintage Little Golden or Junior Elf book?  I might well have it.)

And then, "remain in a specified position or state".  I'll continue teaching Sunday School to ladies, at least for the foreseeable future.  That may change once we've completed this study, but that's months away.

  I'll also continue with writing Sunday Scripture blog posts.  And with other things like writing notes and doing other things to encourage friends and family.

And "carry on traveling in the same direction".  To me this zeroes in on spiritual growth.  I've said before how our former pastor who retired after decades often reminded us that there is no standing still in the Christian life.  If you're not moving forward you're moving backward.  Period.  So very obviously, I am purposing to carry on with traveling forward in my pursuit of spiritual growth.

Finally, "extend farther in the same direction".  For me, this speaks to my prayer life. I hope to update some of my prayer journal pages to make it even more of an effective tool.

This also applies to my memorization of the book of James, which my younger friend Jennifer and I are working on together.  We finished chapter 1 during the last quarter of 2023, and hope to get through chapter 2 by the end of March.  That should give us the remaining three quarters of 2024 to finish memorizing the final 3 chapters (which are shorter than the first two).  We will see!


So there you have it, a little late.  

Jennifer left a sweet comment on my March goals post and noted that these were wise and purposeful goals.  I can't tell you how much that encourages me.  It made me look at my goals with fresh eyes, and I was struck by how many of them involved continuing.   I've been continuing with these things throughout January and February and, Lord willing, will continue on with them through the remaining ten months of 2024.

What about you, friends? If you chose a word for 2024, how is that playing out for you?

Sunday, March 03, 2024

Sunday Scripture

 

Pretty graphic by Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

 Here's the third in our new series for Sunday Scripture!  Back in 2018, I did a simple study from Rachel Wojo called Everything Beautiful.  You can read about it here: Everything Beautiful Bible reading plan. My answers and input on this series will be a combination of what I learned back then, and what I found in looking over the Scriptures now, six years later.  I'm going to attempt to SOAP the passages too, though some of them are longer. 

S= "Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God.
"Speak comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received of the LORD's hand double for all her sins.
"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
"Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain;
"And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
"The voice said, Cry.  And he said, What shall I cry?  All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the Spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand forever."  (Isaiah 40:1-8)

O= C.I. Scofield tells us that Isaiah chapters 40-48 deal with "The Greatness and Transcendence of God".  Isaiah 40:1-2 are titled by Scofield "The prophet's new message".  Verses 3-5 deal with "The mission of John the Baptist".  The remainder of chapter 40 presents "The greatness of God and man's insignificance."

The Daily Walk Bible shares some interesting information:

"Beginning with chapter 40, Isaiah changes the focus of his message.  For 39 chapters his major message has been the condemnation resulting from the waywardness and wickedness of God's people.  But now comes a heartwarming message of hope and comfort.  The next 27 chapters declare the coming salvation of the Lord.  He is sovereign over creation; He is sovereign in the protection and selection of His nation Israel.  And thus there can be certainty that He will comfort and deliver His people."

Warren Wiersbe notes, "Though Isaiah wrote a century before the fall of Judah, his words greatly encouraged the exiles when they read them in Babylon."

Some cross-references include:

For "voice of him that crieth in the wilderness" (v. 3) --

 "He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah."  (John 1:23)

"As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah, the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.  Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God."  (Luke 3:4-6)

For "glory of the Lord" (v. 5) --

"[The desert] shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon; they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God."  (Isaiah 35:1)

For "grass" (v. 6) -- 

"For all flesh is like grass, and all the glory of man like the flower of grass.  The grass withereth, and its flower falleth away.  But the word of the Lord endureth forever.  And this is the word by which the gospel is preached unto you."  (1 Peter 1:24-25)

A= Warren Wiersbe notes that this passage speaks with 

*The voice of comfort -- (verses 1-5) --  "tells you that God knows how to measure your chastening and that He forgives and gives you a new beginning."
* The voice of confidence -- (verses 6-8) -- "assures you that His Word stands in spite of the frailty of man."

 For this Scripture, there were a number of ways to apply it as prompted in the journal.  

"No scenery can match the beauty of God's Word." -- Rachel Wojo

The question was asked: Which of my own thoughts have blocked the beauty of God's Word?

My response in 2018: I really can't think of any.  God's Word is incredibly beautiful and completely trustworthy.

Answering this same question in 2024

My response: I do think, though, that we can block the beauty of God's Word by not believing it, or by making statements like "I can't" when His Word clearly tells us we can.

This prompt was given, along with a list: Today I will keep my eyes open for God's beauty in one or more of these places.

These are the places I circled: The words I read; the places I go; the music I hear; the weather I experience; the rest I receive; the grace I give.

In 2024 I jotted down a few details regarding these things. Concerning the places I go, I noted that Lord willing, we would be spending that night at our camp, a beautiful provision by God that wasn't even a dream on the horizon in 2018.  For the weather I experience, I noted the warm temperature -- in the fifties.  And, though it fit none of these categories as such, I also noticed the simple but beautiful artist's rendering of a winter scene on a mug I was sipping coffee from. 

A journaling prompt was this: List one or more ideas to remind myself to intentionally look for God's beauty throughout the day.

2018:We are expecting a large winter storm here today, with many inches of snow.  I know that watching the falling snow outside our windows will show me God's beauty.  I also think I will play some music CDs and look for God's beauty in that way, also.

2024: We set a timer each morning to remind us to catch the dawn light which is so beneficial to us in so many ways -- not the least of which is its beauty.

P= "Lord, I praise You for the beauty of Your Word.  It is not only more beautiful than any scenery or music (which, after all, are created by You), but it will stand forever.  It is unchanging, unfailing.  I can count on it every day.

"In today's  Scripture passage, I was so blessed to be reminded that You desire to comfort Your people and to make the rough places of life plain to us.  I thank You for all this, in Jesus' name, Amen."

And there is the Sunday Scripture for this week!  I'd love some input on this series so far.  How do you think it is working?

Friday, March 01, 2024

A few goals for March



Once again, it's a new month and so I need to set some goals.

* Keep up with Flylady's homemaking zones of the week
* Get back to working through the "Make Room Challenge" from Make Room for What You Love
* Spend time with our friends who are younger believers
* Enjoy our church ladies' gathering
* Post in this blog as often as possible
* Post in my Christmas blog as often as possible
* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and crafting any handmade ones
* Celebrate March birthdays
* Use Charles Swindoll's devotional Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life for my quiet time daily
* Continue studying and preparing for my Sunday School lessons
* Continue with Stand Firm, a Bible study on the armor of God
* Continue stocking my Etsy shop and continue selling vintage items
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family
* Spend extended time at our volunteer jobs
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating
* Continue to work on memorizing the book of James
* Continue to help a widowed friend with the challenges of life in general
* Get to bed by 8:30 each night we are at home
* Drink enough water each day
* Walk and/or exercise at least 4 times each week

HEALTHY HABITS FOR MARCH:  Drink more water/get more sleep/get more exercise/intermittent fasting/limit carbs

WORD FOR 2024: Continue

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Leaping into the hodgepodge

 


 It's Wednesday again, and that means it's time for the Hodgepodge -- the linkup where Joyce, at  From This Side of the Pond, asks the questions and bloggers provide the answers on their own blogs.   After many weeks of neglecting this linkup, I'm attempting to jump back in.  Here goes!

1. February is coming to a close. Give us a two-word phrase that tells us something about how yours went.

Pleasantly fast. 

2. If you had to describe how you're feeling right now as an amusement park ride, what ride are you on? Explain. 

I guess I would say a ferris wheel.   At the moment life goes round and round at a fairly moderate pace.  There's a good view and great perspective from the top.  Sometimes there's an unexpected pause that leaves one hanging, so to speak, but those are infrequent. 

3. What's something on your desk or a nearby wall that cheers you up when you see it or walk past? 

Hmmm ...  maybe this little tag I made years ago.  


Not on a wall, but in a living room corner pictured above.

4.  Are you a salad eater? How many salads do you typically eat in a week? Your favorite kind of salad? 

Definitely a salad eater.  I eat salad pretty much every day. Usually at lunchtime, I will have a salad of nice fresh leaf lettuce with cubes of meat and cheese.  

My favorite salad may be one with berries, feta cheese and nuts in addition to greens, with a fruity dressing, or maybe this one with black olives, tomato wedges,  shredded Parmesan, and quartered artichoke hearts in addition to greens, with a lemony Caesar vinaigrette.

5. Without telling us the category give us your top five ______________. 

Counted cross stitch, embroidery, stamped cross stitch, crochet, sewing.

Progress on my granny square temperature blanket.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Wish you could sniff the air in our house right now.  Mr. T is baking Secret Spice Cookies to take to The Wilds of New England next week to share with volunteers and staff.  They're a favorite of certain folks so he is making them and freezing them to take next week.


And there's the Hodgepodge for this week!