⁵ I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits,  and in His word I put my hope. Psalm 130:5

The last weather event began with so many warnings, I almost hoped it would amount to another big nothing. Ahhhh but  that was not to be, we got snow! Just enough to be pretty and treacherous. Upon waking this past Monday morning I ran to the window to see the latest masterpiece created by God.  I will also admit to looking for a delayed start to the day.  Texas driving skills and vehicle gave me pause and moments to pray for wisdom.  So, I waited, watched news and waited.

Grateful was I for wisdom of the day’s delay as it permitted a cup of coffee in a house mug rather than the usual travel mug and most importantly, additional time for morning worship.  Waiting slowed me down enough to offer longer prayers, read more verses and give a few extra moments of praise.   Children enjoy snow days as a break from the scholastic schedule, never taking into consideration that delay will be tacked on to the end of the school year, when the sun shines brightest and days for playing in the sun are longer.   Waiting on the Lord is never time wasted, waiting permits His good and perfect work and will do be completed, in His time.

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

Posted from WordPress for Windows Phone

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For the leader. A Psalm of David.
I seek refuge in You, O LORD; may I never be disappointed; as you are righteous to rescue me. Incline Your ear to me; be quick to rescue me; be a rock, a stronghold for me, a citadel, for my deliverance. Psalms 31:1-3 Tanakh (the new JPS translation according to the traditional Hebrew Text)

I absolutely love the beauty of the Psalms as translated in the Tanakh. The words flow gracefully, lyrically and are so musically delightful in their poetic flow that I am left, speechless. As I sit and read the words I feel the ache of my missing harp, the silence of the absent babbling brooks and cheerfully singing birds. My soul and spirit yearn for the presence of the God who inspires such wonderful heart lifting words. LORD, may the words that flow from my heart inspire worship and praise for who you are and all you do.

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

Posted from WordPress for Windows Phone

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I was asked if I had, as a result of having a birthday, considered my 50 years and without hesitation or pause I answered “Nope”!  Thus, began the reluctant, slowly grinding gears of consideration and in truth, probably not for the first time. I was forced to confront my reality and the dawning that an incredible number of discoveries, inventions, technological and sociological changes have occurred. In a brief, lots, no tons of stuff  has happened during my lifetime.  There it has been said, tongue planted firmly in cheek. I remember my glee at receiving a Kodak pocket camera and the sadness upon recently hearing they are no more. I recall my pounding away on manual typewriters in typing class and how my fingers slid between the keys tearing my cuticles and cracking fingernails as I learned to type without watching my fingers.  Fondly I recall the pride when my fingers flew over the keys of the “cutting edge” IBM correcting electric typewriters.  Typing this on my smart phone I marvel at how many things changed over so many years, yet the steadfastness of some very basic fundamentals.

Through the ages, season after season the truth is this, God’s love has never changed.  From 8-tracks, Iphones, Ipads and space shuttles, God’s love and presence remain the same.  I thank God again for the time He has spent working on me during these years and for His continued hand to stay on me.  Though technology, ecology and sociology may change, grateful am I for the unchanging love of God!

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

Posted from WordPress for Windows Phone

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As I stand with my toe poised to dip into the pool of this next chapter of my life, I am beyond excited and elated!  God planned who I was going to be and the journey my life would take long before I was born.  This reality washes over me in waves at different times, that He had a plan just for me gives me a reason to smile and share.

So often as the number of our years creep up, we can become mournful about what was, what didn’t happen, the wrong roads taken,speed bumps, disasters and detours along the way.  I am encouraged to know that those twists, turns and bumps were all part of God’s grand design for my life.  So today, I am thanking God for another year of life, and the opportunities to b at His command. So fortunate and aware am I that He is holding the map!

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

1 Corinthians 13 – The Way of Love  (MSG) 

A  gentle reminder of all the things love is not on this day when we are overflowing with love for all mankind!  Love truly is the most important thing!  

 ¹ If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. ²If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. ^3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

   Love never gives up.
   Love cares more for others than for self.
   Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
   Love doesn’t strut,
   Doesn’t have a swelled head,
   Doesn’t force itself on others,
   Isn’t always “me first,”
   Doesn’t fly off the handle,
   Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
   Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
   Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
   Puts up with anything,
   Trusts God always,
   Always looks for the best,
   Never looks back,
   But keeps going to the end.

 ^8-10Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.

 ¹¹When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.

 ¹²We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

 ¹³But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

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For me her passing is a reminder that all of us are here for a season and regardless of the season, keeping our eyes lifted above and striving to keep my compass and course fixed on Him will insure that my legacy will point others to Christ.

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

Posted from WordPress for Windows Phone

Yesterday evening and not for the first time I got it! I witnessed one of the reasons my husband loves Richmond! Crossing the bridge as the sun was retreating from the sky God painted it with broad strokes of fuisha, pinks and displayed on a generous blue canvas. It took my breath away, my eyes were glued and my heart full of thanks. So vivid the memory, I am still aglow and sorry the camera was not in hand. Some days it is God’s hand-painted brush strokes that remind me to appreciate each and every gift my eyes behold.

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

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² Let us come before him with thanksgiving
   and extol him with music and song. Psalm 95:2 (NIV)

Last night and this morning I worked on the blog post for today.  It was going to be awesome!  On the third editing the Holy Spirit told me to go back to my previous posts, which I did.  Imagine my surprise when I realized that with different words, I had written that blog before.  I hit save, closed my eyes and prayed, “Lord, what is the word YOU have for me for today?” 

Praise, Praise, Praise!!  See, this is why I don’t rely on myself!  I have such an awesome praise report!  My Daddy went home on Monday night!  Before Christmas I flew to be at his side because the doctors did not expect for him to survive.  For months since folks have been praying for his life to be spared and for his healing to continue and God’s hands surely have been all over Dad!  The prayers for his healing are ongoing but he will be able to be able to keep convalescing at home, sleeping in his bed and eating food that he enjoys, ok maybe not all the foods he enjoys!   As I replay the events of the last several months, I stand again in awe of the power of prayer and the faith of so many who repeatedly and faithfully put their trust in the God who has healed us all at one time or another!  To God be the glory great things He has done!

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

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What?!!!  You mean I could have prayed and asked God to keep me from harm so I could have been free from pain?!  Somehow I missed that nugget back when the “Prayer of Jabez” was all the rage a few years back and I was reading/praying it.  I distinctly and clearly recall reading and praying to have my blessings and territory increased.   Yet, blindly glossed right over the last phrase.  Yes, I asked God to keep His hand with me, but feebly figured that since I lived such a b-o-r-i-n-g life the harm and pain portions would wait or lacked merit.  WRONG!!!

Months, than weeks and years filled with one misstep, mistake monumental blunder or error in judgement after another that kept me on the fringes of pain.  Harm not so much, but pain…buckets full.  Oh wait, it was buckets full of tears shed because of the pain.   My nugget mining days had not yet begun and I believed that if God allowed the hurt it must have been for my own good.   I did not stop talking to God, but there were days where the exchanges were less than cordial and my reverent tone was definitely missing.  More than one the utterance of “Come on, God!”  escaped my anguished lips.   The sought after increase of territory, well it did finally appear, but prosperity it seems was not what I truly desired.  God knew that in order for my territory to increase I needed the pain, moments of despair and doubt in order to be ready to serve.   Through those lessons came the willingness and desire to humbly and unconditionally love and help others.   Again, I have arrived at the realization that we are here to mine nuggets that will later enrich and help the lives of others. 

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

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