Boojoyful

November 30 Yesterday I had the privilege of joining my daughter for her ultrasound to see if she is having a boy or a girl. Having five younger brothers I think a part of her was thinking a girl might be nice. Not this time. It's a boy! Today is St Andrew's Day. Lloyd John Ogilvie writes: "Lord Christ as Andrew the fisherman left his nets to become Your disciple, so too today I recommit my life to answer Your call. 'Come, follow me!' He took took You seriously when You promised him and the other disciples, 'I will make you fishers of men.'" My precious daughter came and crawled in my bed this morning for us to do our quiet times together. She has been involved with a ministry called Young Life since her high school days. She has been a student participant, summer camp volunteer and paid summer staff, a volunteer leader as a college student, and now as an adult is still a leader and also the administrative assistant in the city where she lives. As...

November 29 The word rang loud and clear when I awakened..."resources." Was I dreaming about my MAC computer appointment today and all the resources available to on this machine? Searching and seeking, I began by reflecting on the prefix "re" which means again . Hmm, ok, sometimes we have to go to our resources again and again. Continuing I looked up the definition of resource and saw God there....A source of supply; an available means; a natural source of wealth (smile, ok that may be in heaven); a natural feature or phenomenon that enhances the quality of human life; a source of information or expertise (you've got to love those when thinking of God as our greatest resource). Then I was led to break away the prefix and look up the word "source". Therein I found what God wanted me to remember about him today. Source: A point of origin. It all goes back to God, who is and has been and will always be. No matter what is tossed at us today His lov...

November 27-28 Hallelujah! You can't say that word and be sad. Our youngest, an Auburn graduate and current grad student, watched last night's football game against rival Alabama from his fiance's home in Florida. I believe we heard his "hallelujah" after the game, all the way up here in Virginia. Shrek has a "Hallelujah" song and I found an amazing version performed by 4 male vocalists on Youtube . www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2NEU6Xf7lM There is a wonderful Amy Grant song called Better than a Hallelujah with these lyrics: We pour out our miseries God just hears a melody Beautiful, the mess we are The honest cries of breaking hearts Are better than a Hallelujah Interestingly, there is no reference of the word "hallelujah" in the King James version of the Bible. Searching the NIV translation, it is not until Revelation that this word, which is an expression of praise, joy or thanks, appears. Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, l...

November 26 Snacking on a bag of fruit/nut mix I told my husband life certainly did work well for us as a couple. The sunflower seeds, cranberries and raisins were most appealing to me, while he only wanted the big almonds in the bag. Together we weren't wasting a thing, but complimented one another with our differences. He said, "We are a nutty mix!" God created each of us with various gifts, personalities, likes and dislikes. Like everything He does, he has a purpose in His plan. The Message translation of the Bible has a great message for us concerning our uniqueness and the responsibility we have to handle our gifts with care! Romans 12:4-8 In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't...

November 24-25 Rough night. We just realized we've been victims of credit card fraud, our mailbox was smashed in, our republican primary candidate for our state senate seat lost and I have overslept two hours on the day before Thanksgiving. Yaaaaah...Put on the praise music fast! When you pass through the waters I will be with you. Isaiah 43:2a The "to do" list was toppling yesterday, yet I took time out to go hear the testimony of a widow, whom I have just met in a spiritual accountability group, as she shared on the first year anniversary of her husband's death. Then our group met and shared for two hours. When I got to the grocery store there was Thanksgiving madness! I was so calm though, because I had taken the time to be still before the Lord. Be still, and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10) L.B. Cowman wrote: "For the hearts that will cease focusing on themselves, there is the peace of God which transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7); quietnes...

November 23 Walking the grocery aisles of Target I looked at a packaged item called gnocchi. I had no clue what it was. The directions said to put it in boiling water, but that was all. Being clueless, I decided to Google it when I got home and found out it is an Italian product similar to a soft dumpling. What did we do before Google? We mostly relied on the encyclopedia. Often we are either too lazy or too embarrassed to ask when we don't know something. Do we avoid asking Biblical questions? I recently came across a Christian web site called: www.gotquestions.org It is filled with random questions concerning Christianity. Yesterday's topic, related to what the Christian's focus should be on Thanksgiving, was excellent. Sleeping with a man involved with ministry, who has a head and heart full of Biblical knowledge, I thought about pastors, Christian educators and other ministry leaders. While they have their time to shine and spread God's Word in the pulpit or wh...

November 22 JOY! Yup, plain and simple that is what I feel when I am around our grandson. This picture kind of says it all. We had not seen each other in two weeks and were both shivering with excitement when we ran into each other's arms! Whew! What a high! You can see more pics on our daughter in law's blog...www.thoseandrews.blogspot.com. She is much more creative than I when it comes to web design! That initial encounter Saturday morning between Parks and myself, as thrilling as it was, will probably pale in comparison to what it will be like when we see Jesus face to face. The wonderful thing about being with someone you love, who loves you back so unconditionally, is that it is not just the initial meeting that fills up your soul. Whether it was getting him out of his crib at 6AM, wiping peanut butter and jelly from his face, or bathing his little body, the love abounded. Don't you just imagine eternity in heaven will be filled with the same extravagant love no ...

November 26 Snacking on a bag of fruit/nut mix I told my husband life certainly did work well for us as a couple. The sunflower seeds, cranberries and raisins were most appealing to me, while he only wanted the big almonds in the bag. Together we weren't wasting a thing, but complimented one another with our differences. He said, "We are a nutty mix!" God created each of us with various gifts, personalities, likes and dislikes. Like everything He does, he has a purpose in His plan. The Message translation of the Bible has a great message for us concerning our uniqueness and the responsibility we have to handle our gifts with care! Romans 12:4-8 In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn'...

November 20-21 Do you need a reason to rejoice today? You could rent your favorite movie or open up the book of Exodus to chapter 14 and read the Red Sea story! Ah, what a victory! Pharaoh had let the Israelites go from Egypt. Moses, who by this time in his life was used to listening to the Lord and obeying, was comprehending the latest instructions to have the people (Israelites) camp by the sea. Then the Lord throws in a kicker..."And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them." Say WHAT? Give these people a break Lord! Here is where we have to keep listening to the Lord and thus be able to trust the madness in some of His methods. He continues: "But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord ." If you don't know the rest of the story, you must read it and thrill in the climaxes like Moses saying to the people: "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deli...

November 19 Jesus Calling has a devotional which reads: “Do not let any set of circumstances intimidate you. The more challenging your day, the more of My Power I place at your disposal. You seem to think that I empower you equally each day, but this is not so. Your tendency upon awakening is to assess the difficulties ahead of you, measuring them against your average strength. This is an exercise in unreality. I know what each of your days will contain, and I empower you accordingly. The degree to which I strengthen you on a given day is based mainly on two variables: the difficulty of your circumstances,and your willingness to depend on Me for help. Try to view challenging days as opportunities to receive more of My power than usual. Look to Me for all that you need, and watch to see what I will do. As your day, so shall your strength be." Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always . Psalm 105:4 (Great Psalm which has us look back into history at God's faithful...

November 18 Unable to get back to sleep, after a 3AM hot flash I decided to pray my way back to sleep. Choosing the "A.C.T.S." technique of prayer I began silently (as not to awaken my bed buddy) singing a praise song to "A"-acknowledge who God is. Come into His presence with thanksgiving in your heart And give Him praise, and give Him praise Come into His presence with thanksgiving in your heart Your voices raise, your voices raise Give glory and honor and power unto Him Jesus, the name above all names There was a second song, but I can't remember it now. Moving on to "C"-confession, I asked the Lord to gently scrub me with a soft sponge, removing any filth. (PTL-I can't remember all those things right now either and the beauty of God's forgiveness is that he has forgotten them as well.) "T"-thanksgiving began by snuggling up next to the hot (in more ways than one) body next to me and thanking God for a husband who fears God, stand...

November 17 Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23-24 Conceal : to prevent disclosure or recognition of; to place out of sight Reconcile : to restore to friendship or harmony; settle, resolve. Coming out of a time of prayer this morning I turned to the passage of scripture above, which revealed I'd missed some spots in my confession time. As I read Matthew 5:23-24 and took in the word "reconcile" the word "conceal" came immediately to mind. We are slow to reconcile our hurts/differences with others because it is much easier to conceal (to place out of sight) that there is a problem and just move on. In the ways of the world that is fine and dandy. Just move on to the next relationship and see how long it lasts. For Christians the problem isn...

November 16 Driving into the city yesterday, my eyes were drawn to the broken yellow lines signaling an appropriate passing lane. My morning had been a bit rushed and I was heading in to do some baby gift and Christmas shopping before meeting some friends. I had quieted myself in the Word but there had been several interruptions during that time and I felt a disconnect from the Lord. Those broken lines represented what I felt...too much space between the Lord and me. Immediately following the broken lines were the two parallel solid lines! What a great reminder that Jesus is walking shoulder to shoulder with us. Picking up one of my girlfriends, she explained she was feeling a "disconnect" from God. "I'm not mad at Him, " she explained, "just not connected like I would like to be." I felt the closeness return as I picked up the Jesus Calling devotional this morning and read this verse: Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.You guid...

November 15 The wet fall leaves gathered on our upper deck and were staining the wood. Grabbing my trusty, lightweight, electric blower I tried to blow them out from behind the deck furniture. A couple pots of mums caused a blockade, so I tried to pick them up and move them. With the blower in one hand, I proceeded to try to lift the pot with the other hand. Halfway up, it slipped and I cracked the pot and spilled dirt on the deck. For some unknown, ignorant, reason, I attempted to move the other pot the same way and endured the same consequences. The Lord whispered..."So often my children attempt things in their own strength, which I never intended them to do. I will provide the power, if only my people will plug in." Let's go to God's Word for a PowerWOW. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but wi...

November 13 I so related to President Bush Thursday night as I heard parts of his interview with Bill O'Reilly. Mr. O'Reilly was stating how many people in the media hated Bush when he was in office and how he wished the President had fought back. President Bush replied that he wasn't a hater, so he really couldn't understand people who hate others. He said what he did know was that he is comfortable in his own skin, because he can look back and know he made decisions reflecting his character and strong morals. Call me a nut, but I don't care. I am going to give testimony to what happened in my life yesterday. This is the quote which was on my calendar. "Trusting God is believing that He is good and wise even when we cannot explain all that is going on." Leith Anderson My morning quiet time had taken me to the story in Matthew 8 of the leper who Jesus healed. Max Lucado writes a riveting saga of what life for a leper meant in Old Testament days. T...

November 12 I may have mentioned before that I have a hard time believing how old I am. I still think of myself as a young mother, not a grandmother. When I am with these young gals I feel like one of them. Chatting with some fellow teachers about an upcoming "Grandparents' Day" event and skit, I suggested some of us dress like grandparents. One of the 30 something teachers said, "And just how would that be Boo, since you are a grandparent?" I was shocked. I'd never thought of myself as a grandparent. Years ago, the Lord placed an elegant woman in my path at church to mentor me. For 25 years I've said, "If I ever grow up, I want to be like her." While I am all for being young at heart, when it comes to spiritual maturity I can't wait to be ancient! Discussing a troublesome situation with a young woman just this week, my response was that I saw the situation at hand as an issue of disobedience and I wouldn't want to be consciously messin...

November 11 A good writer would take time to do research on her writing topic, but I am not! I cannot tell you why November 11th was selected as Veteran's Day . In Canada today is called Remembrance Day (Not sure of the history behind that one either. Strike two towards any journalistic endeavors.) This morning I read this Andrew Jackson quote: Every good citizen makes his country's honor his own and cherishes it not only as precious but as sacred. He is willing to risk his life in its defense and is conscious that he gains protection while he gives it. He gains protection. Reading this statement is where I was drawn to the number "11" and the date which was selected for Veteran's Day. Those two number ones, standing side by side, reminded me that we do not stand alone. Whether on the battle field of war and fighting for our nation's freedom; whether on the battle field of illness fighting for our health; whether in the battlefield of our hearts and m...

November 10 What a fun morning. Before I opened my eyes the hymn Rise Up Oh Men of God was on my brain. www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh576.sht Then the number 55 came to mind, which I thought was strange until I rolled over and looked at the clock and it was 5:55AM. What came next was a hilarious prompting from the Holy Spirit. The song... Do You Know the Muffin Man ? It made perfect sense to me. I had forgotten to pack my husband's lunch last night and I had baked some wonderful muffins to go in his lunch. Also, I needed to "rise up" out of bed to make pancakes for his breakfast. I was in great spirits to preform this act due to God's sense of humor! Quieting myself for my time with the Lord, my heart thrilled as I read a suggested scripture verse from the devotional, Jesus Calling. Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, LORD. They rejoice in your name all day long; they celebrate your righteousness . Psalm 89:15...

November 9 We are entering a season of preparedness. Is the turkey prepared; are the football teams prepared to get to a bowl game; are the preparations for the holiday decorating and baking complete; are the children prepared to possibly not receive every gift on their list? We do our best to prepare for tests, office presentations, interviews, marriages, new babies, grueling medical treatments, retirement,the list goes on and on. How often do we reflect on our preparedness to defend the cause of Christ and share our story of why we consider Him Lord of our lives? But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15 Be prepare d. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet....

I am trying to simplify the blog by putting some new elements in a tool bar under the main picture. Home is where the daily devotional will be. Recipes will keep a list of posted recipes. Current Book studies will be listed as well. I thought it would be nice to study the names of God, so those will come up each week. I hope this isn't confusing. Just remember to click the little word "home" if you feel lost!

November 8 Today's title came to me Saturday after I had allowed a wedge to wiggle in between my husband and myself the night before. We don't even know what led me to vacuuming at 8:30PM and him to going to bed without saying good night, but that was all it took for division to set in. The next morning we were both quick to apologize for allowing the enemy any ground. Our hearts were distraught at the thought of what if the Lord had called us home during those moments, as well as an aching for any moments missed together. Time on this earth is short and we should make the most of precious moments. There is dual meaning in the word madness in today's title, yet both can rob us of the life God intended for us to live. One way to equate it is with anger and Proverbs 22:24 warns us about anger. Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered for you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared. Another option to avoid is madness as it ...