Boojoyful

December 31 The wind is gusting up to fifty miles an hour... it must be trying to blow 2008 out of here and bring on 2009! The fabulous technology of laptops and wireless has afforded me the comfort of writing from bed under a down comforter...cozy! Piled around me on the bed are 2 Bibles, 3 journals, 3 devotional books, 2 books on Psalms, and 2 study books and Jesus is speaking through them all! The ascension of Christ still lingers in my mind. Just as we close the door, leaving 2008 behind and journeying into 2009, Jesus left his role as God in the flesh and journeyed off to love us from heaven. Yes, Jesus went , but Jesus continues to come into our lives day after day, after day. The word converge is looming. Definition: To tend or move toward one point or one another; come together; unite in a common interest or focus . Occurrences have passed that we cannot change and those results converge with the uncertainties we face as we step into today and tomorrow, but we go with confide...

December 29 Relinquish- to withdraw or retreat from; leave behind; give up; to stop holding physically; release; to give over possession or control of. Webster's explains this is not a word related to strong feeling, yet rather a yielding. Finishing up a study of Luke, Jesus is found ascending into heaven and relinquishing His bodily presence on earth...yielding to God's plan. The disciples are blessed to witness this and the Word says they worshipped Jesus and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, staying continually at the temple, and praising God. With the New Year approaching it affords us a great opportunity to reflect back and ask the Lord to reveal what we might want to relinquish from our lives in order to grow closer to Him! Let's Pray: Father, to be closer to You is the cry of our hearts. If there are habits or situations that are controlling us, help us to relinquish those and cling to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen

December 28 A violent stomach virus has been flying through our family this Christmas. Frustration sets in as a mother when you can do nothing to relieve the symptoms of such an illness. The prayer..."Father give them sustenance to get through this" has floated off my tongue.Sustenance is defined as something that gives support, endurance, or strength; to sustain is to give support or relief to. Finishing up a study of Luke, I am thinking about what was sustaining the apostles after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. They were hanging out together. Can you imagine their conversations? Then Jesus shows up and scares them speechless! They think He is a ghost. He says... Peace be with you! In Beth Moore's "Personal Reflection Series" she asks the reader to consider what their countenance would reveal if a photograph was taken of them. Does our countenance reflect a peace of someone who is walking with Christ who sustains them? A comment I made to one of my...

December 24 On the fireplace mantel in my bedroom sits a beautifully hand carved Mary on a donkey, with Joesph by her side. Oh, the journey they made! My litter (what I like to call my children who were all born so close together and play together like a litter of puppies) has traveled far and overcome airport and traffic hurdles to get home for the holidays. What should have been a five hour trip took one son eleven hours. They are happy to be together and moving around in a pack, making the most of their days together. The four boys left here together at 4AM to drive one girl friend to the airport, then they are heading to a local dive that stays open for 24 hours to have breakfast together! That's fellowship! Yesterday our three week old grandson arrived. This is his firt big family gathering. The festive cheers and belly laughs at the dinner table were a bit much for him, so I took him into the living room and sat by the tree with him. His mother came in to say she hated...

December 22 Angels...Mary heard on high in Bethlehem that starry night. Angels by the tomb of Christ gave some women quite a fright! There are angels watching over us, every step we take. Most of you know of my white birds which sail into the cove early in the morning. Usually it is just the single Holy Spirit, but on occasion the Father and Son join in the sight, which delights me! This morning I think the twelve disciples came along for the ride. One of our children said, it looked like a flock of angels soaring around the dock. When I went to the other side of the house to let Moses(our dog)out, two black crows were stationed at the top of our driveway by the gate. It appeared as if demons were blocking the entrance to our property. I began to pray for the battle encamped around us. As I sat down to write by the Christmas tree, I noticed on the table a small fictional book by Max Lucado called An Angel's Story . I want to share the introduction with you. "Spiritual beings p...

December 20-21 Indulge :to give free rein to; to take unrestrained pleasure in; gratify; to yield to the desire of; to treat with excessive leniency, generosity, or consideration. There will be a variety of indulgences this Christmas/New Year's season. For many the financial atmosphere may bring a change to the gift indulgences of previous years. I had a 2:30AM wake up call from the Lord and went and hung out by our tree with a couple devotionals and a journal. It was a sweet time. One devotional, from God Calling had the title "Smile Indulgently." It read, "When things do not fall out according to your plan, then smile at Me indulgently, a smile of Love, and say, as you would to a human loved one, 'Have Your way then' knowing that My loving response will be to make that way as easy for your feet as it can be." We choose what we indulge in. May we take unrestrained pleasure in and indulgently love on Jesus in this week ahead. Let's give praise for t...

December 19 For the past three days the fog has settled into our valley and on the top of the mountain where we live. Our son's flight this morning was cancelled and I will have to drive him to Greensboro. A few other disappointments/frustrations are being juggled in my life, (tis the season) so the Lord and I were chatting this morning. He sent me to just the right devotional which related this idea...In times of discouragement and disappointment, failure and fear, indecision and indecisiveness, grimness and grief we can call out to God to give us courage to hold out until our morning star rises in our heart. (2 Peter 1:19) Revelation 22:16 says I am...the Bright and Morning Star! May the fog and darkness be lifted from your day and the Bright and Morning Star light your path and give you peace. Love, Boo

December 18 To invite someone is to request their presence or ask them to participate in an activity or event. Living in my hometown in the same neighborhood for forty-seven years made for some party hopping at Christmas time. There were times there were multiple parties to attend on the same night. Then moving to a resort/retirement area the only party we attended the first year was our own where I invited total strangers! Whether you like to go out or not, it makes you feel good to have your presence requested by others! Studying the Word this morning there is one reference after another where people invited others to their home. Revelation makes an exciting note of the ultimate invitation! Revelation 19:9 Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " Making the guest list for a wedding is tough. The limitations come in several forms from space to financial to personal desires. Matthew 22:14 makes this m...

December 17 The word on my heart this morning was reign . Great word! I began to sing "And He will reign for ever and ever!" (Coming right from Ex. 15:18) Do you ever analyze where your dreams have come from? Sometimes I do that with the words God gives me. Last night my husband was watching Fox News and listening to the latest of the Chicago mess and I kept hearing the phrase "President Elect." Maybe that had me thinking about the reign of Christ and the hope in 2 Tim. 2:12 If we endure, we will also reign with him. Then I laughed and thought, maybe it was "rain" for all day yesterday and last night I was coming in and out of the rain. By my bed are several devotionals I enjoy, but rarely get to read these days. Selecting one called "God Calling" my faith was increased and the reality of God being so very personal confirmed. Check out what I read for Dec. 17th. "Conditions of Blessings" "Rejoice in the fact that you are Mine. The ...

December 16 The word today is adoration . The definitions allow it to cover a broad spectrum: to worship or honor as a deity or as divine; 2:to regard with loving admiration and devotion; 3:to be very fond of . I awakened singing "O Come Let Us Adore Him" and thought to myself that is what this season is to be...a time for us to reflect on our adoration for and appreciation of the Lord. When we gather these next few weeks will we share the likes of Psalm 22:22 with others. Check out The Message below: Here's the story I'll tell my friends when they come to worship, and punctuate it with Hallelujahs: Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers; give glory, you sons of Jacob; adore him, you daughters of Israel. He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there, listening. True confession here. With adoration on my mind and reading the third definition to be very fo...

December 15 Preparation: the action or process of making something ready for use or service or of getting ready for some occasion, test, or duty. It's ten days before Christmas and one day before our first Christmas program at SMLCA, so no wonder that I would awaken with the word preparation on my mind. Today the middle schoolers are coming here to make sugar cookies and study the Christmas works of Helen Steiner Rice and the Christmas art work of Norman Rockwell...the dough is made, but I am really not prepared! Refreshment came the moment I began looking up the word prepare in my Bible concordance! Then when I went online to www.biblegateway.com today's verse was: “But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign...

December 13-14 Yesterday I was blown away when after writing the devo I went to get on the treadmill and picked up a book I had started last month. Opening to the next chapter the word anointing stared at me again. (Just the word the Lord gave me yesterday.) Studying in two different books today, both happened to be on knowing God has Abba Father, Daddy! Beth Moore says, "Abba acquired the warm, familiar ring which we may feel in such an expression as 'dear father.' When Christ fell on His face and cried out to God to 'take this cup (of crucifixion) from Him, he cried, 'Abba, Father.'" It is our Abba, Father, who gave us the 23rd Psalm, which speaks of His adoring love for us...a love that lasts forever. With that love in mind we finish up studying this Psalm with these final verses turned into prayer.... Abba, Daddy, we love You! Thank You for your love letter to us and the assurance which tells us....surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the day...

December 12 Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Have you ever been anointed with oil? Years ago I was very ill from an infection following back surgery. The doctors could not get the cultures to grow to help them identify what IV antibiotic would be most effective, so it looked like they were going to have to open me back up. A friend asked if she could bring her minister and have him anoint me with oil and pray for me. I was open to anything at this point. I put on a pair of loose fitting overalls and a bikini undies, thinking he would need to anoint the incision on my back and this would be the most modest way for this to happen. Boy was I surprised when he anointed my forehead! The amazing thing is the next day I went to UVA for what we thought would be more surgery and thesurgeon said, "I think your body is trying to heal itself and you will be much better off if this happens and we don't have to do surgery and antibiotics! Praise the Lord the healing did...

December 11 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. There is some table preparation going on these days! My dining room table has a long garland of pine and pine cones running down the center of it and crystal candle sticks with candles waiting to be lit. The food prep will begin in about ten days when my crew starts arriving! It is always a joy to prepare a table for friends and family and God feels the same way! Oh, what a banquet we will share together one day dear friends! In Keller's book for children on the 23rd Psalm he explains: "Some of the finest sheep country in the world lies on high "table" lands...A good shepherd will take time to go ahead of his flock to make sure the mountain pastures are safe." I've had three wonderful days caring for my new grandson and his parents. I've prepared meals, laundry, Christmas gifts for their friends and the house. Today I leave knowing God has prepared my way home and He has prepar...

December 10 Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Say what? Comfort from a rod or the hook of a staff around our necks????? The rod actually was a wooden club that the shepherd carried and was very skilled with. He could throw that rod and kill a snake in a split second. There have probably been times in all of our lives he should have tossed that club at us and knocked some sense into us! God gives us a rod to toss out there and use for our defense...His Word. We need to memorize it and have it ready to pull out at any moment. I wish God had used the hook of his staff more often in my life and drawn me back from situations I did not need to wander into. Keller has two excellent "sheep" analogies: "Sheering sheep is hard, dirty, smelly work, but it helps the sheep before they go to the summer range. The shepherd does this miserable job for the welfare of his flock. Sometimes when we get proud or sassy, our Master has to shear us down to size with His Words. 'I...

December 9 Yea, though I walk through the shadow of death. That would be "yea" as in woe, not "rah, rah." We do walk through some tough times and sheep do too. Sheep get caught on cliffs and stuck in thickets and there is a tiny insect which can inflame their skin and be very irritating (like sin in our lives). Poisonous weeds can be a hazard so the shepherd pulls those up to avoid the sheep eat them. Rams fight for the right to mate cracking their heads together; sometimes even killing each other. That sounds dumb, but no more so than some of the stubborn quarrels we get ourselves into. Shepherds grease the heads of their rams to prevent this. We need the gracious healing oil of the Holy Spirit to help us slide through some rough situations. Keller writes this about conditions for sheep: "The weather is usually good, but fierce storms can blow up suddenly and the shepherd shelters his sheep under trees and talks to them quietly until the storm is over. For us ...

December 5-7 He leads me beside still waters , Ah refreshment. He restores my soul. Ah, healing. He leads me in paths of righteousness. Ah, guidance! The commercial says, "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there." Well, as I am studying about shepherds and the care they give their sheep I see an analogy to a good mama! Twenty-four hour, versatile care! Offering refreshment and convincing us to take a break, healing our hurts and showing us the right way! My heart goes out to moms during the holiday season. In addition to the all consuming daily family roles, holiday baking, gift buying and wrapping, decorating, school programs and get togethers are added to their busy schedules. I don't think the shepherds got caught up in all of this. Try as I may, I cannot undo it at my house. I think I will set up a sheep station and copies of the Twenty-third Psalm to remind us to take time out to be with our Shepherd. (And our mamas!) Let's Pray : Lord, yesterday I read a sto...

December 4 He makes me to lie down in green pastures. Can you remember back to your preschool days and rest time...a break in the day when we were made to lie down and rest. My guess is the Lord has had to stop everyone of us in our tracks at some point in our adult lives to insist we rest. Often that resting provides a frame of mind where we can reflect and know that He is God! Rest...another timely message for this time of year. This weekend I have the opportunity to go love on our brand new grandson and give our son and his wife some rest. Whether it is a grandchild, a hurting teen, a struggling college student, heart broken young adult or maybe a very elderly parent, one of the greatest gifts we can give to another is to snuggle up to them encouraging them to sit and rest! How precious those moments must have been for Mary when she sat and held Jesus! Who do we know that might simply need to be held? Let's Pray: Father, as the Good Shepherd you have lifted us up out of d...

December 3 "I shall not want." Now there is a verse for this time of year! Every mall in America has a Santa, who is asking "What do you want?" I think I will go sit on his lap and say..."I want everyone to fall in love with Jesus!" In Keller's children's book on Psalm 23 he says: "Picture a fat, frisky, happy sheep never complaining or grumbling. We can be like that if we let the Good Shepherd care for us. We may still have troubles and learn hard lessons growing up, but we don't have to be afraid or uneasy because we know and trust Jesus." Sheep are happy in the countryside with their shepherd. May the Lord teach us contentment today. May he use the hook of his staff so we don't stray. May we learn there is peace when we walk in His way. Baaaaautiful thoughts!

December 2 The Lord is My Shepherd-Keller writes: "Not every shepherd is kind. Some are cruel, lazy, and unloving. A bad shepherd doesn't give his sheep fresh water, green grass, shade from heat or protection from harmful insects and animals. Their life is miserable and they wish they could be free to follow a good shepherd. Some of us are like that too. We never come into the good generous care of God. We do not really know and follow Christ. We have never been set free from our old owner. Quite often that old owner is our selfish nature. We are being the boss of our lives. A smart move is to let Christ take over our lives by inviting Jesus into our hearts. Sheep are special to the shepherd because he has paid a lot of money for them and put a lot of hard work into caring for them. It is the same for Jesus. He paid for wrong doing (sins) by dying on the cross for us. Even when we go astray, He comes looking for us. A shepherd searches all over for his lost sheep.! Let's P...

December There is no way to slow time down. It is on a roll and rolling faster the older we get! What we do with that time is to be evaluated. A splash of being still and knowing He is God must fit in with the time spent investing in the Kingdom's work, while the human side of us has many desires we are trying to satisfy! Oh and the essentials of dirty laundry and housework. Being the holiday season and our focus being on Christ, I thought we could be like children and wander with Phillip Keller through his book A Child's Look at the Twenty-Third Psalm and glance at who Jesus is as our Shepherd! The Lord is my Shepherd "The Lord" is a favorite name for God, who made all people. We are His children and his calls us His sheep, because we behave like sheep wandering off and getting into trouble sometimes. "Jesus is always ready to help us. He does not become moody or mean like some people. He understands us. He gives us His life, energy, and guidance to help us su...