Boojoyful

I asked a friend last week, "Don't you wish we had the wisdom from the Lord at twenty years old that He has given us now?"  It was there for the taking, we were just living life at such a fast pace, we weren't soaking it in. Another friend called this week and asked how my husband was doing and I replied, "He's busy."  This fellow responded, "Now Boo, you are the one who taught me what busy  means.  'Buried under Satan's yoke.'"  I don't remember that one, but it is food for thought. What life has taught me is that what God is up to is usually taking place on the peripheral.  It's not what we see as the spotlighted focus. We need to ask for wisdom to have eyes to see where God is at work and ask if He wants us to join him in the process. (Wisdom from Henry Blackaby) Do you remember Jesus' conversation with His heavenly Father at Lazarus' tomb?  Jesus was aware of the people standing around Lazaraus' tom

My mother in law stopped by to visit one evening and the children dressed her up. Our daughter was infamous for dressing her little brothers, sometimes in her dance leotards. I met with a young woman at church one evening last week. This gal has such a sweet heart and serves the Lord behind the scenes at our church.  Being a bit weary from the passing of my mother in law, I asked her to forgive me, for I had a bit of a foggy brain.  She said she was a pastor's daughter and she knew what the job entailed that Deke had accepted.  She said, "I can't believe the two of you are doing this when you could just be enjoying life at your age. Thank you." Waking up in the middle of the night, after that meeting, her words "You could just be enjoying life" rang in my ears. Serving the Lord, should be enjoyable.  It should be our heart tug.  Aaron and Moses' plea to pharaoh to let them go, was so they could serve the Lord their God.  Plugging in the word

We are a football loving family. My father in law coached little league for years and then coached with my husband for 20 years at the middle school level.  My husband went on a full ride to UNC and has fabulous memories of his college football years and all of our boys played at the middle school and high school level at some point. Now our son coaches his ten year old son's team. I received and email from a football player I'm currently encouraging. He wrote: "I have to think that hard times mold us and make us stronger. Funny how we remember the picks and fumbles in games and they still cause pain- and the TDS seem to fade." When you sleep with a coach you know the mental anguish of "what ifs."  You feel him tossing and turning in bed and know he is playing things over and over in his minds and it is the same for the players.   I wrote this young man and said,  Oh, sweet one. Struggles do mold us.  There is so much wisdom in recognizing tha

Waiting for the ice cream boat was our "normal" all summer. Our new normal will be sans ice cream and sans these sweet faces. Years ago I read a book by Carol Kent called A New Kind of Normal " Carol Kent has lived every parent's nightmare. After her only son was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, Carol's life took a permanent detour. She and her husband, Gene, have been adjusting ever since, moving to Florida to be near the prison, starting a new ministry for prison inmates and their families, and sharing the faithfulness of God with anyone who will listen. A New Kind of Normal  begins with the story of that horrible night when Carol and Gene learned their son had been arrested, but it doesn't end there. In fact, Carol knows what it means to live with an unthinkable circumstance that will never change-and to still make hope-filled choices. Through the eight chapters in this book, Carol will use their own story, the sto

This photo of one of our granddaughters sums up how I've felt the past couple days. Weary- "reluctant to see or experience any more of; showing tiredness."  Whew, do y'all grow weary of all life dishes out sometimes.  I told my husband the past three days seemed like 10 days.   My father in law is definitely weary and heart broken. He has no desire to "experience anymore of" life without his wife beside him. We have grandchildren's visits lined up through the month to give him something to look forward to, but today when a cousin told him her husband was out of town, but would be there to visit next week his reply was "Tell him not to bother."  He sincerely hopes he will not be here. As we awakened him Sunday night, to tell him his wife had died, his daughter spoke to him as the marine he is..."Be brave soldier. Show us how it is done."  And he did. " Keep on being brave!  It will bring you great rewards. Lea

"Reflect upon your present blessings-of which every man has many- not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." Charles Dickens Contemplate- "think profoundly and at length, meditate." We did  it!  (Well, at least I did. I think my husband took some phone peeks during the day.)  Last week we unplugged for eleven hours and it was fabulous!!!!  I remember years ago a woman at a little country church here in our county telling me the computer was the devil! I think I chuckled then, but now I can testify that I (seen as an old lady to many) believe cell phones are a distractive tool of the devil! While in my contemplative state last week, my heart tug was the damage unkind words bring about. Oh, that people could see the value of building one another up and not tearing down.  James chapter three addresses the destructive heart condition the Spirit was impressing upon me. " Are any of you wise or sensible?  Then show it by l

Going on two hours of sleep here. My mother in law, 92 years old,  went to be with Jesus last night. She was so ready. Last Sunday her caregiver called us to say she didn't think Chick would make it through the night. We rushed in and when she saw my husband she said, "I feel fine. I feel like dancing!" She's dancing now. My husband and I celebrate 41 years of marriage today. Life is filled with mixed emotions, but Jesus is our steady.  Our place of joy, our place of rest, our All in All. We have seen his footprints all around us this past week.  We are thankful Chick is at rest. " Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope."     Romans 5:3-4  

The marriage commitment before God is a beautiful union. Covenant -an agreement that brings about a relationship of commitment between God and his people. A resent morning devotional sent me on a covenant topic chase that brought some beautiful insight and conviction as to where our treasures lie. When we take communion we may hear Luke 22:20 referenced: " This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you." The new covenant God created allows us to go directly to God through Christ. Jesus became our sacrifice; the ransom that sets us free from the sins we commit.  He establishes the right relationship between us and God.  He is our greatest Treasure, but do we see Him as that. May we all take time to treasure the relationship we have with the Lord today.

Our  granddaughter as a recent flower girl. Delightful! I like happy words!  Joy!  Jubilation! Hallelujah!  Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious ! Elated!  If we are Facebook friends check out the latest chuckle of a word the above granddaughter created yesterday.   Psalm 1:1-2 holds the happy word " delight " within its boundaries. " Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners,  nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in  the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." Here is how The Message translation puts it: "How well God must like you- you don't hang out at Sin Saloon, you don't slink along Dead-End Road, you don't go to Smart-Mouth College.  Instead you thrill to God's Word, you chew on Scripture day and night. You're a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, never dropping a leaf, always in blossom." This makes me

These boys are expecting these milkshakes to be delicious. Oh, sweet readers, expectations get us in a heap of trouble in numerous categories.  Numero uno has to be in relationships! Day 78 lesson in Awaken  by Priscilla Shirer took me back to a recent Bible Study discussion on  needs vs wants .   God knows what we need, we fluctuate to pouring out to Him what we want. “ Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit.”   Romans 8:5 It takes intentionality to set aside time alone with God,  to takes time to study God’s Word, to find time to be in prayer and it takes a surrendering vulnerability to seek godly guidance to live according to the Spirit. Priscilla  Shire takes us to the expectations of the Jews on Palm Sunday.  They wanted to be done with this Roman rule and were looking for the Overcomer!  She wrote: “As long as He was

The beauty of this moon shining in our bedroom window is unstoppable! Y'all  know I love words!  Hallelujah is probably my favorite, but the first week of Bible Study Fellowship brought about some great ones.  The study is on Acts and the Letters of the Apostles this year. You can now sign up and participate in BSF online if your schedule or location does not allow you the privilege of attending a study in person.  The children's materials are out of this world and can be accessed, even the music, when you register online.  Check it out... www.mybsf.org The key verse for our first day was Acts 1:8 " But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." There are some strong statements there.  Not maybe , not if you are good enough , not if you are in the mood ...the words there are you will.   There is a specified gift available to us and a specif

Bunny Pegasus flying to the left, see the mane flying about the head. Dolphin The grinch marching to the right playing a snare drum. "Your love is faithful, Lord, and even the clouds in the sky can depend on you. " Psalm 36:5 " Your love reaches higher than the heavens, and your loyalty extends beyond the clouds." Psalm 108:4   Continued thoughts from yesterday... The steroids I've been asked to take have me unable to sleep, so I was looking at the clouds trying to relax. One of our sons said, "Did they legalize weed in Moneta?"  No!  But God can paint some amazing pictures in the clouds. What a day Sunday was. In our pastor's sermon on asking God the big question "Why?" he challenged us as a congregation to sit in silence and ask God to speak.  The first phrase he gave me was "Take me."  I thought, "Like home to heaven Lord, knowing I hadn't been feeling well."  Then t

The week ahead... While Im still battling health issues, we received a call around 6:00 from my 90 year old mother in law's caregiver that her breathing was labored. We left church and rushed to Roanoke. Her doctor came by the house and she said just seeing my husband and her doctor made her want to get up and dance.  Instead we called in hospice to get her some oxygen and morphine started.  No idea how long she has, but God knows the moment he will call her home. My plan was to unplug a bit myself this week hoping I'll feel better.  All that to say, if Im not on here for a day or two you know why. Last Saturday's Biblegateway verse was: "Christ encourages you, and his love comforts you. God's Spirit unites you, and you are concerned for others. Now make me completely happy! Live in harmony by showing love for each other. Be united in what you think, as if you are only one person."  (CEV) "So if there is any encouragement in Christ, a

There was a lot of watching going on this summer. " Stay here and watch with Me ."  Matthew 26:38 We watch for Jesus to show up to answer our prayers, to comfort our sorrow, to reveal our purpose, but this verse says..."Watch with   Me".  So, in the middle of the unanswered prayers, in the pain that comes from sorrow, and the frustration that can occur when we are wondering why are we here on earth, who are we with? Just the other day following a hurtful phone call, I immediately dialed up my husband.  I tried twice getting no answer.  Then I remembered who was with me and cried out to him in my despair. Oswald Chambers poses a question we often hear: " How can we possible watch with Someone who is so incomprehensible ?" He goes on to say, "How are we going to understand Jesus sufficiently to watch with Him in His Gethsemane, when we don't even know why He is suffering!  We don't know how to watch with Him-we are only

"Blessed are all who wait for him !"   Isaiah 30:18 What is it you hate to wait for? Do you remember dial up computers?  I can here that sound now.  We were totally content with the time it took, because we didn't know any different. It was flat out amazing what we could do on a computer. Our daughter called the other day and was trying to book a family trip using free miles. I quote... "It's taking FOREVER. How on earth did you do this for eight of us traveling without a computer? I can remember you looking through travel books and calling places to see about reservations." Yup. Even Disney multiple times! Waiting for answered prayer can be a struggle. L.B.Cowman wrote in Streams in the Desert , "Some people say, and many more believe, that as soon as we meet all His conditions, God will answer our prayer...God works out His purposes over time.  A petition presented to God is like a seed dropped into the ground. Forces above

A friend appeared at the door saying, "I brought you a love basket." Inside were individual warm apple pies.  Oh, so good! "The Lord is near to the broken hearted and saves the crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18 A couple years ago I read the book The Guernsey Potato Pie Literary Society .  Last night I watched the impactful movie on Netflicks.  Set in post war 1946, the depiction of loss, cruelty, and emotional devastation that World War II brought is graciously engulfed by the love and community that poured forth as individuals allowed themselves to be known and loved by one another. Where do you turn when your heart is hurting... When your guard is down and you allow your spirit to be crushed? When you are growing weary and don't know what to pray. As difficult as it is for us to comprehend at times we are known by God and He is near to us always. Here's a jewel for today.   I played and sang along with Tauren Well's song,

Our youngest son, keeping his balance while wake boarding. Try as anyone may, I will never be convinced there isn't a holy God who knows every detail of our lives. The physical problems I've been having recently are greatly affecting my balance.  I know weariness is not from the Lord, so I'm trying to trust and not grow weary and dig into His word. When I opened  Jesus Calling   September 8th I was once again blown away by the faithfulness of God.  Check out how perfect this message is!!  I pray it speaks to you in someway as well. "ACCEPT EACH DAY  exactly as it comes to you. By that, I mean not only the circumstances of your day but also the condition of your body. Your assignment is to trust Me absolutely, resting in My sovereignty and faithfulness. On some days, your circumstances and your physical condition feel out of balance: The demands on you seem far greater than your strength. Days like that present a choice between two alternatives—giving u