Muscle Up

Flex that muscle!

July 21

Our son blushed as his 90 year old grandmother asked to feel his muscles. It was her thrill for the month I believe!  The grandson pictured here is loving strutting his stuff! He's a great little athlete and knows hard work pays off.

My muscles certainly aren't what they used to be and there are days my emotional strength is pitiful on my own.  Fortunately, there's help!

"He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power."  Isaiah 40:29

"Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might."  Ephesians 6:10

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."  Philippians 4:13

"Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
Isaiah 41:10

Pinball at 90

Grands and great grands enjoy a game of pinball with my 90 year old mother in law!

July 20
"Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children."
Proverbs 17:6

"Youth may be admired for vigor, but gray hair gives prestige to old age."  Proverbs 20:29

"Even to your old age and gray hairs I Am He, I Am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you."  Isaiah 46:4

Our grands have enjoyed visiting my husband's parents this summer. His mother is 90 and his father 93.  There is such a hope looking into the eyes of younger generations.  You wish you could save them from trials, but we all know there are life lessons to be learned from walking in hard places.

Insatiable Appetite for Sunsets

July 19

"The Mighty One, God, the Lord has spoken, and summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting."  Psalm 50:1

Walking with my husband at sunrise one morning this week he exclaimed, "Here comes the big ball!"

One of our favorite activities here at Shiloh is a sunset boat ride to watch "the big ball" say good-night. The other evening we ooed and ahhed over God's amazing brush strokes in the sky. I wonder if that will be one of the jobs in heaven...painting sunsets and sunrises.

Sunrises and sunsets are two easy excuses to praise the Lord daily!
"From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised."  Psalm 113:3

A Wild Ride

These kiddos young and old were having a rip roaring good time racing around Shiloh.

July 18

Life is a wild ride. There are unexpected twists and turns at every corner. Riding with someone you trust makes all the difference.  The Psalms are filled with exhalations of how David trusted in His Lord!

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him."  Psalm 28:7

"I wil say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, My God in whom I trust!"  Psalm 91:2

What area of your life have you yet to totally trust to God?

Compatibility

July 17
The word wouldn't leave my mind...compatibility.  It was no where to be found in Biblegateway, so I looked up the definition and likemindedness was part of that.  Entering that word into Biblegateway this beautiful translation of Philippians 2:2-4 came forth.

"If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care-then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.  Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand."

What awesome advice for the body of Christ!

Acclaim

July 14

Acclaim is defined as "to praise enthusiastically and publicly."

In Jesus Always on July 5th Sarah Young wrote: "Walk in the Light of My Presence.  This delightful way to live involves acclaiming Me, rejoicing in My name, and exulting in My righteousness.  To acclaim Me is to praise Me in a very strong and enthusiastic way, sometimes with shouts and applause."

Joyfully you’ll pull up buckets of water from the wells of salvation. And as you do it, you’ll say, “Give thanks to God. Call out his name. Ask him anything! 
Shout to the nations, tell them what he’s done, spread the news of his great reputation! 
Isaiah 12:4 MSG

Jesus returned to Galilee powerful in the Spirit. 

News that he was back spread through the countryside. 

He taught in their meeting places to everyone’s acclaim and pleasure. 

Luke 4:14-15

Today let's be intentional to acclaim the worth of Jesus in our lives.  Tell of the value He has in our day to day living!

"He's my best friend."  That tag line is from a TV show jingle or song from my childhood. Can't remember it.

A Hunting We Will Go

This gang is heading into the woods to go on a monkey hunt!  It was a blast!

July 13
What was the last thing you hunted for? Chances are your phone, sunglasses or car keys may make the top five list.  The grands and I had fun hiding stuffed monkeys in the woods for each other to hunt!  We misplaced a small pair of flip flops that same week out in the yard and it took days to find them. We didn't give up hope!  We persevered knowing they were out there somewhere, unless a deer ate them or a beaver was swimming with them on.

Psalm 40 is a familiar passage where David exclaims he is waiting patiently on the Lord and tell us he trusts in the Lord.  As the Psalm goes on David writes of "all who are hunting for God" and elaborates on his real life testimony as to who God is. Love how The Message translation says God has what it takes and challenges us to tell the world God is great!

"But all who are hunting for you-oh, let them sing and be happy. Let those who know what you're all about tell the world you're great and not quitting. And me?  I'm a mess. I'm nothing and have  nothing; make something of me. You can do it; you've got what it takes-but God, don't put it off."
Psalm 40:16-17