Sunday Scripture

 

Beautiful graphic by Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

Time for another Sunday Scripture lesson from Fix Your Focus!

This week's lesson was actually done by me the week of February 2.  Here goes ...

🌿 WEEK-AT-A-GLANCE CHECKLIST is further on in each week's section. But since I am working on Fix Your Focus all week long, I find it works best for me to do this checklist first. This checklist offers us four points:  

* To make a plan for reading our Bibles and praying.

* To add any upcoming events to our calendars.

* To jot down a to-do list of tasks that must be completed this week.

* To make a note of our top three priorities for this week.

This last point is one that I need to pay special attention to every week.  I've been finding it so helpful.  (The other three points are things that I'm consistently doing.) 

For this week, my top three priorities are:

1) Ministry --  phone calls, correspondence,  blogging, Sunday School lesson preparation; teatime with friends on Wednesday.

2)  Planning  -- Preparation for our family's visit in March: planning, decluttering, cleaning, and freezer cooking.

3) Creativity  -- finish the felt s'mores; work on other craft projects and Etsy listings. 

[If you are following along with our study, this is the place to make a Week-at-a-Glance checklist and/or priority list for yourself!]

🌿 The first actual prompt for each week is JOURNAL.  We are encouraged to take a few minutes to our fears, joys, worries, desires and stressors concerning the week ahead.  [If you are following along with us, take a moment in a journal or notebook to do just that.]. Here's what I wrote on Monday, breaking it down into the suggested categories:

Fears: No real fears going into this week.   

Joys: Creating is joyful for me, and I get to do it so seldom.  Anticipating a family visit is a joy.  Friends for tea will be a joy.  Blogging is a joy for me.

Worries: No real worries going into this week.  A few concerns that I'm praying about.

Desires: To glorify God in all that is said and done this week.  To accomplish some crafting and some serious decluttering and to get some good solid work done to prepare for our family's visit.  To be an encouragement to those I am mentoring.

Stressors:  Mostly just the usual time limitations of age, time, and energy.  Frustrations with my hubby's hearing issues.

🌿 The next prompt is PRAYER. It was suggested that we use several prayer prompts to have a conversation with God about the week ahead.  [You can do the same.  Use the very same prompts for your own prayer.]

* Lord, You are ... in full control of this week and all that it will hold.  You are able to help me accomplish all that needs to be done.  You are aware of all the stressors and can help me manage my limitations.  You are so good to  give me (and my hubby) so many opportunities to minister to others.

* Lord, I feel ...  tired and a little overwhelmed this week.  I feel blessed to be used in the lives of younger women.  I feel a little sad that I haven't been needed as much at my volunteer job this winter, but realistically if I was there more, there would be things left undone here at home.  I also feel a little discouraged at the end of each day that I haven't accomplished as much as I hoped to.

* Lord, help me with ... all that needs to happen this week.  Help me have the necessary energy to do a lot of cooking and cleaning this week.  Help me find the time and the appropriate words to write some overdue thank-you notes and a get-well card.  Help me with wise management of time.

* Lord, forgive me for ... anytime when I act in my own strength or wisdom.  Anytime when I am unwise in my use of time.  Anytime when I fail to trust You as I should and fail to listen for Your prompting and guidance.

* Make a note of 4 or 5 people you are specifically praying for.  I listed friends dealing with a cancer diagnosis; a granddaughter with physical issues; a young mom and her daughters dealing with a complicated family situation.

🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION.  I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, Psalm 94:19, using the SOAP method, and then answered several suggested questions.   [You can use your own preferred method to meditate on this verse, and answer the questions below for yourself.]

S= "In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my soul."  (Psalm 94:19)

O=   In the ESV this verse reads, "When the cares of my heart are many, Your consolations cheer my soul."

The ESV Bible titles Psalm 94 this way: "The LORD will not forsake His people."

It's a blessing to consider verse 19 in its context:

Verse 14-18: "For the LORD will not cast off His people, neither will He forsake His inheritance.
"But judgment shall return unto righteousness, and all the upright in heart shall follow it.
"Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?  Or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
"Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
"When I said, My foot slippeth, Thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.
Verse 19: "In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my soul.
Verse 22: "But the LORD is my defense, and my God is the rock of my refuge."

The thoughts that filled the psalmist's mind were many.  Thee were a multitude of them, and it seems they were anxious thoughts concerning his enemies ... maybe even life-or-death concerns. 

In the midst of these many anxious thoughts that filled his mind, the psalmist says that God's comforts delight his soul.

Surely some of these comforting thoughts are found in the surrounding verses:

🌿 God will not cast off His people.
🌿 God will not forsake His inheritance.
🌿 God was his help in the past
🌿 God's mercy held him up when his foot slipped.
🌿 The LORD was his defense.
🌿 God was the rock of his refuge.

A= To help with my application of this verse, I answered the three questions from Fix your Focus:

* Reflect on what this verse tells you about who God is.

God has comforts that will delight the souls of His anxious children in the midst of their difficulties.

* Think about what this verse tells you about who you are.

I'm a person prone to anxious thoughts.  The cares of my heart are many.  Yet in the midst of those cares I have a heavenly Father who desires for His comforts to delight my soul.

* Throughout the week, consider how this verse should affect the way you live.

 In the midst of difficulties and anxious thoughts, I should focus not on these things, but instead on the comfort that comes with being God's child, having Him as my Helper, knowing that His mercy will hold me up.  He will be my defense and the rock of my refuge.

"What a treasure we have knowing in the midst of our anxieties, our soul can delight in the comforts God gives." -- Abby Hickey

Charles Bradley wrote in 1845, "A text of this kind shows us forcibly the power of divine grace in the human heart: how much it can do to sustain and cheer the heart.  The world may afflict a believer, and pain him; but if the grace which God has given him is in active exercise in his soul, the world cannot make  him unhappy."

"When I am tossed to and fro with various reasonings, distractions, questionings, and forebodings, I will fly to my true rest, for 'Thy comforts delight my soul'.  From my sinful thoughts, my vain thoughts, my sorrowful thoughts, my griefs, my cares, my conflicts, I will hasten to the Lord; He has divine comforts, and these will not only console but actually delight me.  How sweet are the comforts of the Spirit!  Who can muse upon eternal love, immutable purposes, covenant promises, finished redemption, the risen Saviour, His union with His people, the coming glory, and such like themes, without feeling his heart leaping with joy?" -- Charles Spurgeon

P= "Lord, how I thank and praise You that even in the midst of scary and worrisome situations, Your comforts can delight my soul.  What a blessing it is to remember that You are my Helper.  Your mercy has held me up in the past and I can count on it doing the same in the future.  I praise You that You will be my defense and the rock of my refuge.

    "I pray that You will help me to always look to You and what I know to be true about You, rather than at my distressing circumstances or anxious thoughts.  You are the God of all comfort who comforts me in all of life's troubling situations, and I am incredibly thankful for this.  I thank You in Jesus' name, Amen."

🌿 GRATITUDE is the next prompt.  We were to reflect on the way God has shown His faithfulness to you over the past week and list five things we are thankful for.  [If you are following along with us, be sure to make your own list of five things!]. Here is my list:

1) Tea with friends on the Wednesday.

2) God's protection on a one-year-old who crept up our stairs unnoticed and into a bedroom closet, where she proceeded to invade my yarn stash!  God kept her safe from several much more potentially dangerous areas, but there is a gate in place for her visits now!

3) Being able to host our Ladies of Grace meeting on the Saturday.

4) The fact that our Ladies of Grace group even exists!  God put this on the hearts of two younger women who immediately followed through on what He was showing them.  And what a blessing it has been.

5) Enjoying a challenging devotional about quietness, and an encouraging discussion about new year goals and edifying book recommendations.

🌿 SPIRITUAL GROWTH is the next prompt, and this week there's an emphasis on SERVING.  We were to think about our available resources and how we could serve those in need this week.    [And again, if you are following along, please think about this for yourself.]

My plan for serving: I will spend a lot of time in intercessory prayer for those with serious needs.  I plan to send cards or notes to those who need encouragement.  I will expend the time, energy, and thoughtfulness it takes to open my home to others for teatime and to make an encouraging phone call to a faraway friend.

🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION: 

Even when I am overcome with concerns, I find joy in the nearness of God.

This is surely a comforting, uplifting thought for the week ahead.  Even in the darkness of our world today and the many concerns we have, our souls can be comforted and delighted by the truths of God's Word and His reassuring presence.

And there's the Sunday Scripture for this week!

Sunday Scripture

 

Lovely graphic from Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

Time for another Sunday Scripture lesson from Fix Your Focus!

This week's lesson was actually done by me the week of January 26.  Here goes ...

🌿 WEEK-AT-A-GLANCE CHECKLIST is further on in each week's section. But since I am working on Fix Your Focus all week long, I find it works best for me to do this checklist first. This checklist offers us four points:  

* To make a plan for reading our Bibles and praying.

* To add any upcoming events to our calendars.

* To jot down a to-do list of tasks that must be completed this week.

* To make a note of our top three priorities for this week.

This last point is one that I need to pay special attention to every week.  I've been finding it so helpful.  (The other three points are things that I'm consistently doing.) 

For this week, my top three priorities are:

1) Hospitality/ministry  -- call Rebekah, prepare Sunday School lesson, blogging, host Wednesday tea with friends; host Ladies of Grace meeting on Saturday.

2)  Etsy, crafting and planning -- try and finish a craft project, do some Etsy listings, plan for a March visit from family..

3) Correspondence--  send several thank-you notes and encouragement cards.

[If you are following along with our study, this is the place to make a Week-at-a-Glance checklist and/or priority list for yourself!]

🌿 The first actual prompt for each week is JOURNAL.  We are encouraged to take a few minutes to our fears, joys, worries, desires and stressors concerning the week ahead.  [If you are following along with us, take a moment in a journal or notebook to do just that.]. Here's what I wrote on Monday, breaking it down into the suggested categories:

Fears: No real fears going into this week.   

Joys: Hospitality and ministry are joys.  Our Ladies of Grace meeting will be a joy.  I take joy in working on my Etsy listings, in simple craft projects, and in encouraging others with handwritten notes, when I can find the time to do these things..

Worries: Not really worries, but just concerns that I won't be able to accomplish all that I'd like to.

Desires:  That God will be glorified in the happenings of this week.  That other ladies will be encouraged through Sunday School, blogging, tea times, and the LOG meeting.

Stressors: Housework that won't stay done.  Cobwebs that crop up everywhere, often overnight.  The limitations of aging bodies, plus time and energy constraints.  The feeling that my remaining years on earth won't possibly be enough to accomplish all that I'd like to.

🌿 The next prompt is PRAYER. It was suggested that we use several prayer prompts to have a conversation with God about the week ahead.  [You can do the same.  Use the very same prompts for your own prayer.]

* Lord, You are ... in full control of all that this week will hold.  You are aware of all that needs doing and my limited energy to do it.  You are sovereign over the events of this week.  You are all knowing and all wise and can show me what my priorities need to be.  You are even more concerned than I am about the needs of my friends, Sunday School students, and blog readers and can show me how I can be used by You most effectively to help meet those needs,

* Lord, I feel ...completely inadequate to do any of this in my own strength.  I feel way behind with my Etsy listings, and a bit stressed due to that. I feel sad about the difficulties our nation is in the midst of right now.  Yet there are also many areas of life in which I feel encouraged and strengthened.

* Lord, help me with ... everything that's on my plate this week.  Help me with planning and with carrying out everything that needs to be done.  Help me to have the necessary wisdom to teach and to counsel my young friends appropriately.  Help me with applying Your Word to my life this week.

* Lord, forgive me for ... times when I try to act in my own strength or wisdom.  For ever wasting time or energy on things that don't move me toward one of Your purposes for my life.  For times when I'm so quickly irritated.  Times when I speak before thinking.

* Make a note of 4 or 5 people you are specifically praying for.  I listed friends dealing with a cancer diagnosis; a young mom and her girls in a hard situation; several friends who are widows.

🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION.  I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, Psalm 121:2, using the SOAP method, and then answered several suggested questions.  I added in verse 1 to help with understanding and application.   [You can use your own preferred method to meditate on this verse, and answer the questions below for yourself.]

S= "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the Word of our God shall stand forever."  (Isaiah 40:8)

O= C.I. Scofield titles this section (Isaiah 40:6-31) as "The greatness of God and man's insignificance."

ESV says:  "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever."

This seems to be a simple statement contrasting natural, created things with God's eternal, unchanging Word.

* The grass withers

* The flower fades 

BUT

in contrast to these

* God's Word will stand forever.

This verse is quoted by Peter in 1 Peter 1:24-25 -- "For all flesh is like grass, and all the glory of men 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."

Cross-references for "the grass withereth" --  "As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth."  (Psalm 103:15)

"Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.  He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not."  (Job 14:1-2)

 "My days are like a shadow that decliners, and I am withered like grass.  But Thou, O LORD, shalt endure forever, and Thy remembrance unto all generations."  (Psalm 102:11-12)

A= To help with my application of this verse, I answered the three questions from Fix your Focus:

* Reflect on what this verse tells you about who God is.

He is our God.  He is eternal and His Word is also eternal -- it will stand forever.

* Think about what this verse tells you about who you are.

Like the grass that withers and the flower that fades, my earthly life has an expiration date.

* Throughout the week, consider how this verse should affect the way you live.

 I should live life according to the principles of God's eternal, unchanging Word.

P= "Lord,  I thank and praise You so much that Your Word stands forever.  Grass, flowers, and every created thing will eventually fade and wither away.  But Your Word is unchanging and eternal.  Because of this, I can safely stand on its promises and precepts.

    "I pray that You will help me to live my life wisely and to consider its brevity.  Help me to stand on the truth of Your Word. I pray in Jesus' unchanging name, Amen."

🌿 GRATITUDE is the next prompt.  We were to reflect on the way God has shown His faithfulness to you over the past week and list five things we are thankful for.  [If you are following along with us, be sure to make your own list of five things!]. Here is my list:

1) A lovely, lovely time with friends on the Monday.  A fun lunch out and then browsing the shops in a classic New England ski town.

2) Our teatime discipleship on Wednesday.  Always a joy!

3) Safety traveling to visit friends on a very cold Saturday.  A nice brunch at their home.

4) The practice of praying for others when hunger pangs come while fasting.  Such a good prayer prompt!

5) Strength and wisdom to begin planning for our NV family's visit in March.

🌿 SPIRITUAL GROWTH is the next prompt, and this week there's an emphasis on FELLOWSHIP.  We were to plan a time to fellowship with friends this week.  [And again, if you are following along, please think about this for yourself.]

Our plan for fellowship this week included our usual teatime with friends and hosting our Ladies of Grace meeting on Saturday.

🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION: 

God never changes.

How encouraging!  Because God never changes and His Word is equally unchanging, we can rest on His character and promises regardless of life's circumstances.

And there's the Sunday Scripture for this week!

Hodgepodge with syrup on top

 

Today I'm answering just one question from Joyce's Wednesday Hodgepodge, in which she asks the questions and bloggers answer on their own blogs.  Many weeks I only have time to answer a couple of questions, and often not in a timely way at that.  Here's the easy question I selected for this week:

2. Pancakes...are you a fan? Syrup or no syrup? Plain, blueberries, chocolate chips, bananas, or some other add in? Are pancakes on your menu this week? 

Oh yes, definitely a fan of pancakes.  We like them homemade, and especially we like eating pancakes out.  Pure maple syrup, not that fake stuff as in the vintage ad above.  If you'd like to read my memories of growing up with maple sugaring, read here: Maple memories.

In recent years, our homemade pancakes often take the form of sheet pan pancakes, and this post: Two pancake recipes that must be shared includes our favorites.  The pumpkin one is almost life-changing ... it's that good!

We have three favorite eateries that feature pancakes.  Polly's Pancake Parlor is an iconic location that we love, and the pancakes are fabulous.  Read all about it here: A pancake breakfast in the mountains.  If you visit the White Mountains, you owe it to yourself to visit Polly's.  We go there several times a year with friends.  You can choose pancake batters and add-ins.  My favorite here is gingerbread pancakes with coconut.  Polly's hours vary with the season.  It's a very popular place and there's often a wait -- but it's usually not too long.

Intervale Farm Pancake House is another nice place for pancakes an hour or so southwest of our home.   Here, my favorite is cranberry pancakes, with real cranberries added in.  This one has many maple touches to the decor (leaf-shaped wall sconces, for one) and an attached sugar house where you can watch the process in season.

And finally, our favorite local breakfast spot: Benton's Sugar Shack.  This one also has an attached sugar house.  Benton's has an amazing array of pancake platters and I would be hard-pressed to choose a favorite, but one that I really like is the banana coconut pancakes with real whipped cream.  Benton's omelets are also amazing.  This restaurant is open only Thursday-Friday 7 am -noon, and Saturday-Sunday 7 am-2 pm.  Below is a screenshot from their website.

We aren't planning on pancakes at home this week, but we did have pancakes at Benton's last week.  My hubby picked the design your own pancake platter, and I had a taste.  (I chose an omelet myself -- and yes, he had a taste of that too.

It's worth noting that none of these places charge extra for real maple syrup.  And at Benton's, the maple syrup arrives at your table warm, and in a squeeze bottle.  (But greedy folks who use it all up will have to pay for the next bottle.)

There are many other sugarhouse restaurants in New Hampshire and Vermont; these are just a few that we have been to numerous times and enjoy.

And there you have it -- Hodgepodge with a side of syrup. 

Sunday Scripture

 

Time for another Sunday Scripture lesson from Fix Your Focus!

This week's lesson was actually done by me the week of January 19.  Here goes ...

🌿 WEEK-AT-A-GLANCE CHECKLIST is further on in each week's section. But since I am working on Fix Your Focus all week long, I find it works best for me to do this checklist first. This checklist offers us four points:  

* To make a plan for reading our Bibles and praying.

* To add any upcoming events to our calendars.

* To jot down a to-do list of tasks that must be completed this week.

* To make a note of our top three priorities for this week.

This last point is one that I need to pay special attention to every week.  I've been finding it so helpful.  (The other three points are things that I'm consistently doing.) 

For this week, my top three priorities are:

1) Ministry /friends--  phone calls, cards, and emails, blogging, Sunday School lesson preparation; time with friends on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday..

2)  Planning  -- Planning and freezer cooking for family visit in March.

3) Etsy  -- prepare and send orders; try to prepare 5 new listings, especially vintage date books and Valentines.  [If you are following along with our study, this is the place to make a Week-at-a-Glance checklist and/or priority list for yourself!]

🌿 The first actual prompt for each week is JOURNAL.  We are encouraged to take a few minutes to our fears, joys, worries, desires and stressors concerning the week ahead.  [If you are following along with us, take a moment in a journal or notebook to do just that.]. Here's what I wrote on Monday, breaking it down into the suggested categories:

Fears: No real fears going into this week, but a few concerns.   

Joys: Spending time with friends is a true joy (and how good God is to bless us with such friendships!).  It's a joy to plan and prepare for our family's visit in March.  Even housework and Etsy  listings are a joy when I'm not crunched for time.

Worries: My intent is always not to worry, as Jesus instructed us not to and reminded us that worry achieves nothing.  I do have some concerns, but I can trust Him to take care of them.

Desires: That God would be glorified in the events of this week.  That the women I minister to would be encouraged and strengthened in their faith.  That our time with friends on Monday and Saturday would refresh all of our spirits.  To get some Etsy listings, freezer cooking, and simple craft projects done.

Stressors: The usual limitations of age and energy, as well as time constraints.  My hubby's health and hearing issues.  Loud and active children and the mess that goes with them (but they are worth it!).  The unpredictable winter weather.

🌿 The next prompt is PRAYER. It was suggested that we use several prayer prompts to have a conversation with God about the week ahead.  [You can do the same.  Use the very same prompts for your own prayer.]

* Lord, You are ... in full control of this week and all of its events.  You are in control of the weather and You know what it will actually be.  You are able to give us wisdom for traveling and for everything else that we will be doing this week -- You promise to give wisdom when we ask.  You are so good to give us precious times of fellowship with like-minded friends.

* Lord, I feel ... really tired this week for whatever reason.  I feel so thankful for friends to fellowship with, and for so many opportunities for ministry.  Yet on the busy ministry days I often feel slightly overwhelmed.  I also feel, many days, as if life is somewhat out of balance.

* Lord, help me with ... my energy levels, with staying strong on the sugar fast.  Help me get more done in my Etsy shop, and with planning for a March visit from family.  Help me with decluttering and organizing, and with preparing well for our weekly "tea party" with friends.

* Lord, forgive me for ... any time when my thoughts, motives, words, or actions are not pleasing to You.

* Make a note of 4 or 5 people you are specifically praying for.  I listed friends dealing with a cancer diagnosis; a granddaughter taking some challenging college classes; a grandson taking a class in a neighboring state.

🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION.  I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, 1 Corinthians 16:13, using the SOAP method, and then answered several suggested questions.   [You can use your own preferred method to meditate on this verse, and answer the questions below for yourself.]

S= "Watch, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."  (1 Corinthians 16:13)

O= ESV reads: "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong."

NKJV reads: "Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong."

 This verse, near the end of the first letter to the Corinthians, is from a section titled in the Scofield study Bible as "Conclusion: Instructions and Personal Greetings."

Verse 13 surely falls into the "Instructions" category.  It contains four simple yet challenging directives:

🌿 Watch; be watchful
🌿 Stand fast, or firm, in the faith
🌿 Act like brave men
🌿 Be strong.

Cross-references for "watch" -- "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, like a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."  (1 Peter 5:8)

"Watch, therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."  (Matthew 24:42)

Cross-references for "stand fast in the faith" -- ""Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."  (Galatians 5:1)

"Only let your conduct be as it becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the sake of the gospel."  (Philippians 1:27) 

"Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved."  (Philippians 4:1) 

"Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and  distress by your faith; for now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord."  (1 Thessalonians 3:7-8)

"Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word or our epistle."  (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

Cross-references for "quit you like men" -- ""Be strong, and acquit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: acquit yourselves like men, and fight."  (1 Samuel 4:9)

"Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people; and for the cities of our God; and the LORD do that which seemeth to Him good."  (2 Samuel 10:12)

"Remember this, and show yourselves men; bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors."  (Isaiah 46:8)

Cross-references for "be strong" -- "That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man." (Ephesians 3:16)

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might."  (Ephesians 6:10) 

"Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness."  (Colossians 1:11)

A= To help with my application of this verse, I answered the three questions from Fix your Focus:

* Reflect on what this verse tells you about who God is.

He is a God who cares about how His people live, and who has given us instruction in His Word as to how we should live.  He is a God of detail.  He is a wise and loving Father who wants to equip His people to live lives that will bring honor and glory to Him.

* Think about what this verse tells you about who you are.

I'm a person of limited understanding and finite wisdom, so I'm in need of God's instruction.  I'm a child of God who must listen to and heed His instruction and His Fatherly guidance.

* Throughout the week, consider how this verse should affect the way you live.

 I should be watchful for ways in which Satan would seek to influence me and trip me up.  I should be brave and courageous as I seek to live to God's glory and to walk out my faith before a lost and often hostile world.  I should stand fast in my faith.

Someone has said that these four instructions -- be watchful; stand fast in the faith; act like brave men; and be strong -- are a Christian "tetrad" for all of God's people.  (A tetrad is a group or set of four things.)

W.E. Vine says: "these four exhortations have a military tone; the believers must be as sentinels on guard, must maintain their position, must manifest courage, and must become strong. And the exhortations were evidently needed, against insensibility to spiritual dangers, against desertion from the truth, against moral weakening.."

"These four commands have a definite order and lead up to the last one – “Be strong.” The fulfilling of these four commands was, no doubt, the secret of Paul's strength." -- Stephen Olford

 Chuck Swindoll explains that these commands of Paul's "were not merely to be memorized or written down—they were meant to be put into practice immediately and lived out continually.”

 The phrase "quit ye like men" or "act like men" essentially means, "Grow up!"

Swindoll says, "They needed to set aside their fussiness, whining, and complaining and instead progress toward maturity in Christ, but they had failed to shed their dependence on the blankies, bottles, and binkies that had soothed them in their baby Christian days. These 'props' of comfort were closely connected to the secular world around them. How easy it was for them to slip back into the secular crib of their infancy rather than learn to walk on their own two feet by the grace of God and through the power of the Spirit!"

P= "Lord, I pray that You will help me to put this important verse into practice on a daily basis.  Help me to be watchful for Satan's wiles and stratagems and to actively fight against them.  Help me to be brave and courageous in an increasingly hostile world.  Help me to stand fast in my faith as the world around me becomes more and more unstable.

    "I thank You for the mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health You will give me as I seek to live out this verse -- and  I pray in Jesus' name, Amen."

🌿 GRATITUDE is the next prompt.  We were to reflect on the way God has shown His faithfulness to you over the past week and list five things we are thankful for.  [If you are following along with us, be sure to make your own list of five things!]. Here is my list:

1) I had asked God to help me nurture creativity in my life.  Over the past couple weeks the ideas have been flowing thick and fast!

2) Strength to continue our sugar fast, and the spiritual growth I'm noting as a result.

3) I wanted to make a set of Scripture verse cards as an encouragement to friends.  I planned to design them and then cut them out of card stock, but God had a better plan.  At the thrift store He provided an unused pack of perforated card stock intended for recipes or postcards, with online help, templates and designs that was exactly what I needed, and for only $1.  We stopped in at this thrift store in the late afternoon, on impulse because we were walking downtown, and I had no intention of looking for a product like this as I didn't even know it existed.  What astounding attention to detail on God's part!

4) Being able to get out and walk nearly every day.  That is no small blessing in the winter.

5) God prompting me to send encouragement cards to a couple of young friends -- which turned out to be exactly what they needed at the time.

🌿 SPIRITUAL GROWTH is the next prompt, and this week there's an emphasis on FASTING.  We were to think about what we could fast from, and to make a plan to replace our fasted item with the pursuit of God and His Word.    [And again, if you are following along, please think about this for yourself.]

My plan for fasting: I'm currently in the middle of a 40-day sugar fast.  One suggestion was that we let hunger pangs be like "church bells calling us to prayer".  I've found this idea so helpful.  When I feel hunger pangs, I will either pray for someone, or pick up my Fix Your Focus study, and work in that.

🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION: 

I will stand strong in the truth of Scripture rather than being swept away by every whim.

This is surely a challenging but very uplifting thought for the week ahead.  There is so much out there in our world and culture that Satan could use to sweep us away with.  We want to be sure we are standing firm in all that we know of God and in the truths of His Word.

And there's the Sunday Scripture for this week!

A partial Valentine's Hodgepodge

 

Well, again today I can only take time to answer a few questions from the Wednesday Hodgepodge with Joyce and the gang.   It seems that even though parts of my life have slowed down (perhaps only temporarily), my body is also slowing down despite my best efforts to do the healthy things that make for energy.  It just seems as if once I take care of my spiritual life and do a few ministry things, some meal prep and some housework, and try to fit in a little crafting time,  there's not much left for blogging (other than Sunday Scripture, which is a non-negotiable for me).  Of course, it may just be that this is winter.

So, forthwith, the three questions I think I can manage to answer:

3. What makes you feel loved and appreciated? 

I'm going to divide this into two questions, because the same answer will not do for both.  

What makes me feel loved?

Feeling cared for, taken care of.

What makes me feel appreciated?

When someone takes the time to say thank you or express appreciation in some other way.

It was interesting to me in considering these questions that just hearing the words "I love you" does not necessarily make me feel loved.  But when someone says "I appreciate you because ..." or "thank you for taking the time to ..." now that does make me feel appreciated.

4. A box of chocolates or a bouquet of fresh flowers-what's your pleasure? Any special plans for Valentine's Day? 

A box of chocolates, no contest.  If I ration them, they will last longer than the flowers. 

No special plans for Valentine's Day as of yet, but we may decide to go out or have a special treat at home.

These felt chocolates will last forever!

5. Share a favorite quote, scripture, or song lyric relating to love. 

"But God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:8)

and, for good measure ...

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."  (1 John 4:10)

 

 Half a hodgepodge is better than none, wouldn't you agree?

Sunday Scripture

 

Time for another Sunday Scripture lesson from Fix Your Focus!

This week's lesson was actually done by me the week of January 5.  Here goes ...

🌿 WEEK-AT-A-GLANCE CHECKLIST is further on in each week's section. But since I am working on Fix Your Focus all week long, I find it works best for me to do this checklist first. This checklist offers us four points:  

* To make a plan for reading our Bibles and praying.

* To add any upcoming events to our calendars.

* To jot down a to-do list of tasks that must be completed this week.

* To make a note of our top three priorities for this week.

This last point is one that I need to pay special attention to every week.  I've been finding it so helpful.  (The other three points are things that I'm consistently doing.) 

For this week, my top three priorities are:

1) Health  -- start sugar fast, get back to walking and exercise daily; nurture creativity.

2)  Etsy and homemaking -- prepare and send orders; prepare some new listings, especially vintage date books, catch up on dusting/vacuuming.

3) Ministry --  Blogging, Sunday School lesson preparation, phone calls/emails/messages to encourage, make Scripture verse cards for friends.

[If you are following along with our study, this is the place to make a Week-at-a-Glance checklist and/or priority list for yourself!]

🌿 The first actual prompt for each week is JOURNAL.  We are encouraged to take a few minutes to our fears, joys, worries, desires and stressors concerning the week ahead.  [If you are following along with us, take a moment in a journal or notebook to do just that.]. Here's what I wrote on Monday, breaking it down into the suggested categories:

Fears: No real fears going into this week.   

Joys: Getting back to walking will be a joy, as is nurturing creativity.  Ministry is a joy.  I find joy in homemaking tasks when I am not rushed.

Worries: No real worries -- and my intent truly is not to worry.

Desires:  To glorify God in all that is said and done in this week.  To be an encouragement to others.  To steward my health wisely.  To accomplish some homemaking tasks and Etsy listings.  To nurture my creativity with some small craft projects.

Stressors: Limitations of time, energy, and aging.  A few stressful circumstances of life.

🌿 The next prompt is PRAYER. It was suggested that we use several prayer prompts to have a conversation with God about the week ahead.  [You can do the same.  Use the very same prompts for your own prayer.]

* Lord, You are ... omnisicent and know all that needs to happen in this week.  You know exactly how the week will unfold.  You are able to provide all that I need for this week, including health and energy and wise management of time.

* Lord, I feel ... encouraged that I've been able to get back to walking and to begin another sugar fast.  I feel optimistic about the week ahead, though it has moved maybe more quickly than I'd like.

* Lord, help me with ... everything that's on my plate this week,  Help me especially with using my time wisely each day.

* Lord, forgive me for ... wasting time in any way.  Getting frustrated with my husband's hearing loss, or really with any situation that I find trying.

* Make a note of 4 or 5 people you are specifically praying for.  I listed friends dealing with a cancer diagnosis; a young mom and her girls in a hard situation; a friend afflicted with shingles.

🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION.  I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, Psalm 121:2, using the SOAP method, and then answered several suggested questions.  I added in verse 1 to help with understanding and application.   [You can use your own preferred method to meditate on this verse, and answer the questions below for yourself.]

S= "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.  My help cometh from the LORD, who made heaven and earth."  (Psalm 121:2)

O= Verse 1 may also be read:  "Shall I lift up mine eyes to the hills?  whence should my help come?"

This reading is such a good reminder that our help does not come from the hills or the mountains, but from the One who created them.

Cross-reference for "the hills" --  "His foundation is in the holy mountains."  (Psalm 87:1)

Cross-references for "my help" -- "Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth."  (Psalm 124:8)

"[The LORD ...] send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion."  (Psalm 20:2)

"May He send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion."  (Psalm 20:2 ESV)

Cross-reference for "cometh from the LORD" -- "Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains; truly in the LORD, our God, is the salvation of Israel."  (Jeremiah 3:23)

Cross-reference for "made heaven and earth" -- "Ye are blessed by the LORD who made heaven and earth."  (Psalm 115:15)

Our help comes from the LORD, the self-existent One, who made heaven and earth.

So ... unlimited wisdom, unlimited power, unlimited creativity -- all of that and much, much more resides in this One from whom our help comes!

A= To help with my application of this verse, I answered the three questions from Fix your Focus:

* Reflect on what this verse tells you about who God is.

He is the Helper of His people.  He is the Maker of heaven and earth -- and there is so much bound up in that statement!  .

* Think about what this verse tells you about who you are.

I'm a person in need of God's help in every possible way.  I'm blessed to have the God who made heaven and earth as my Helper.

* Throughout the week, consider how this verse should affect the way you live.

 I should live like one who has the Maker of heaven and earth, the God of the universe, as my Helper.  If I really laid hold of the truths in this verse, I would be less fearful, worry less, and trust more.  I would be more ready to ask for His help.  I should constantly be reminding myself of these truths.

Thomas Constable wrote: "The psalmist lifted up his eyes to the hills around Mt. Zion as he traveled to a feast there from some flatter part of Canaan. As he did so, he reflected on the source of his help. He also reminded himself that his help was the God who had made those hills along with the whole heaven and earth."

Many of us may have been advised over the years to give our eyes a break by gazing into the far distance at intervals rather than constantly looking at a computer screen, or bending over a sewing project, etc.  I once subscribed to a magazine for counted cross-stitchers that gave that very advice.  Looking up is healthy for our eyes!

Henry G. Bosch wrote in Our Daily Bread,

"What is true in the physical realm is true in the spiritual realm. The eyes of the soul are often tired and weary from focusing on our problems and difficulties. The upward look—the far look—will restore our spiritual perspective.  At times we feel overwhelmed by life’s troubles. If we look to the Lord in His Word and in prayer, however, He will put our problems in perspective and renew our strength."

"Where does your help come from? The psalmist lifted his eyes to the hills. The most stable, secure thing the Jews knew were the mountains around Jerusalem. Then the psalmist lifted his eyes higher and said, "No, I don't get my help from the hills. I get my help from the heavens. God is my Helper." Whatever your need or task is today, your help will come from the Lord, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. A God big enough to make this world and keep it going is big enough to help you with your problems today." -- Warren Wiersbe

P= "Lord, how I praise You for the profound truths in the simple verse from a traveler's psalm.  You, the Maker of heaven and earth, are my Helper.  All-wise, all-powerful, endlessly creative, able to speak worlds into existence and heal with a word -- this is who my Helper is!

    "I cannot even begin to thank You for being my Helper.  Please help me to live each day in light of who You are!  I pray in Jesus' name, Amen."

🌿 GRATITUDE is the next prompt.  We were to reflect on the way God has shown His faithfulness to you over the past week and list five things we are thankful for.  [If you are following along with us, be sure to make your own list of five things!]. Here is my list:

1) Being able to get back to exercising regularly.

2) The provision of a weekly planner sheet that is helping me track my daily habits more effectively than ever before.

3) Good phone conversations with Jennifer and Rebekah.

4) A coastal getaway in mid-December that I don't want to forget about or forget to thank God for.  It was wonderful in every way!

5) Strength and ideas to keep posting in both blogs regularly throughout December.

🌿 SPIRITUAL GROWTH is the next prompt, and this week there's an emphasis on REST.  We were to think about what observing a Sabbath rest looks like to us and to make a plan to intentionally rest this week.  [And again, if you are following along, please think about this for yourself.]

Our plan for resting this week included a night at our little cottage, which is not always possible in winter.  Carefully watching weather forecasts, we were able to plan this for a warmer night.  It was so restful to be there overnight as rain pattered on the metal roof.

🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION: 

The Creator of the whole world is the One who helps me.

What a blessing this thought is!  How thankful and trusting we can be as we contemplate the mighty Creator as the One who is our helper.

And there's the Sunday Scripture for this week!