Boojoyful

September 1 Delving into Francis Chan's book, Crazy Love, I was fired up by Publishers Weekly's comment… "Chan writes with infectious exuberance, challenging Christians to take the Bible seriously." That comment alone was life changing. Am I living with infectious exuberance? Ha, we are living with something bizarre. The other night at dinner a woman came up and offered to take a family group shot for us.  Introducing ourselves, we came to realize she and her husband live in our cove.  As we explained where we lived she responded, "Oh,  you are those Bible people." Well, we've been called a lot of things, but Bible People  was a first! This photo of our son and grandson is one of my favorites. It's speaks to the importance of parents guiding their children into the future.  My prayer today is that this next generation will guide their children with an  infectious exuberance  which is pleasing to God. This passage from Paul and Timothy in P

Sorry, I'm late with my Jesus time.  Had to get the barbecue going early! We do appreciate this pig's sacrifice! You will eat the fruit of  your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Psalm 128:2 You will eat the fruit of your  labor ; blessings and prosperity will be yours. August 30-31 Last night I saw a church van from DC with this logo… Everybody can't be right. My first thought was do they mean some people are left winged?   (As the van was from DC, made sense to me.) Then the more I thought about it, which was what they intended people to do,  I realized the hope was that people would come to see that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and no one will come to the Father, except through Christ.  Thank You Jesus for the sacrifice you made for my sins. Enjoy this long Labor Day weekend. We are praying our daughter in law literally goes into labor and delivers a healthy baby boy.

Senior Day at Shiloh  Christian Heritage Academy Class of 2015 The Head Dude (as the Andrews boys call him) August 29 Living in a resort retirement community, Senior Day at Shiloh, would have more of a geriatric ring to it than a bunch of 17-18 year olds running around!  My husband is The Head of a nearby Christian school and we started a tradition of having the seniors to our home for a bonding day, the first week of school.  The temperature was in the 90's, the sun was shining bright and spirits were high! The students arrived and got to listen to my husband and me be a bit nostalgic in our sharing, which always ends up with me teary eyed. Looking at these precious lives, knowing a little bit of the challenges and heart ache they have already faced, as well as all that lies ahead, I can't help but have a heart full of emotion. Watching them walk the scripture trails, I prayed God's Word would penetrate their hearts and stay there forever.

We miss this bunch already.  August 28 My husband wandered in from the pitch black dark this morning.  I had asked him to not do his elliptical machine for a few days, because when he does it at 4:30AM it tends to awaken our house guests.  There was the option of a treadmill on the other side of the house, but instead he opted to go out with a flashlight and hike our half mile driveway each morning…in search of adventure (or a story to be told). While playing down by our beach area a couple days ago, our son notice a LARGE pile of goose feathers…my response…there is  probably a fox in the woods with….a story to be told and a full belly. Everyday while the grands were here there were precious moments of exploration and stories to be told. Yesterday, at a spiritual disciplines study I attend, there was story after story to be told of how God had shown up in AMAZING ways during the previous week.  One member inquired, "Why don't we tell more often of what God is do

August 27 Yesterday morning I was sitting out by the lake rocking this wee one and started reciting  Philippians 4:8 to her: …whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. I must have said it 30 times and she would just smile and smile and smile. She particularly liked… pure, LOVELY, admirable!

August 26 Visiting a dairy farm yesterday it was evident those ladies were utterly  full of milk and anticipating their milking moment as they lined up in the barn.  The two year old grandson in this photo has anticipated each adventure we have gone on. We have a grandson who is due to enter this world September 3rd.  As this date is drawing close I find myself full of anticipation and excitement each time my cell phone dings! I can only imagine the excited anticipation the angels in heaven have as they await the arrival of someone entering heaven! There are polls which tell us how many people are born a minute in the world. I wonder if it has even been chartered how many people come to a saving knowledge of Christ a day! Let's pray for that with a positive expectancy today.  Being all knowing, I wonder if God experiences excited anticipation! But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20 

August 25 How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of  your creatures. Psalm 104:24  We don't just sit and ponder the marvelous works of the Lord enough. Yesterday, we took one of our grandsons to a nearby petting zoo. It was such a delight to just step back and watch the joy unfold as this youngster marveled at all God has made. Take time right now to look at your body and outside and tell God 10 things which He created that you find to be absolutely marvelous!

I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Acts 27:25 August 23-24 Picking up Streams in the Desert  on August 17th, I marveled at a story on those pages about a journey George Mueller was taking aboard a ship.  He went to the sea captain and explained it was necessary he reach port by a specific time. The sea captain replied there was no possible way because of the dense  fog.  At that point, in the captain's presence, George Mueller stated: "My eye is not on the dense fog, but on the living God who controls all circumstances of my life." Next he prayed a simple prayer and told the sea captain to go outside and check the weather. The fog was GONE! Do we pray BELIEVING…it (God's will) will happen! If our love were just more simple. we would take Him at His word; and our lives would be all sunshine, in the sweetness of our Lord.  (Not sure who wrote this.) What can you pray right now in the name of Jesus and believe by fai

Dear friends, when you extend hospitality to Christian brothers and sisters,  even when they are strangers, you make the faith visible.     3 John: 5 (The MSG) August 22 The summer season is winding down and the pace of hospitality offered at Shiloh will most likely slow down. (Most people prefer to come when dipping in the water is good.)  For my husband, who is head of school at a nearby Christian school, the pace of offering hospitality picked up immensely yesterday morning as the students reported for the first day of school!  Thirty-six new faces stepped onto campus and this sweet man was there to welcome them with an assuring smile and encouraging words. Today my prayer is for Christian teachers across our nation to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit and make their faith known!  It could change a life for eternity!

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12  August 21 A small community in Alleghany County, VA has had a ruckus of their own going on.  Lewis Gale hospital system removed all the Bibles from hospital rooms saying they can carry infectious diseases. Me oh my.  I'd like to think that Scripture is contagious. A pastor from the tiny town of Iron Gate, wrote a letter to the editor of the local paper and the hospital has been scurrying to clear up any misunderstanding.  They have moved the Bibles to the nurses stations and a patient can ask for one and then take it home.  They have even added that they will place a laminate card (which can be cleaned and not spread germs) relaying this information  in the drawer where Bibles previously were located.  My guess is this infectious  angle will fuel th

August 21 There are so many Bible translations available to us.  I saw a reference to The Voice translation. That was a new one to me, but this particular verse in that translation really sank in well.  It is the 3rd time this week (and it's only Wednesday) that the command Listen  has jumped up and grabbed me.  Guess I better put my ears on, as I used to tell our children. “Listen, open your ears, harness your desire to speak,  and don’t get worked up into a rage so easily,  my brothers and sisters”  (James 1:19, The Voice). What an excellent self-check verse. 1) Listen, open your ears.  (Shut your mouth). 2) Harness your desire to speak. (Ha, bite your tongue.) 3) Don't get worked up into a rage so easily.  (Cool your jets.) Whew, sisters loved by God, my guess is we are going to face each of these temptations in the next week.  I wish as a twelve year old, I had been given these three tips on a business card to carry with me at all times as

August 19 A friend from PA sent this fabulous photo, which speaks volumes to Psalm 61:4 Aren't our senses amazing.  This photograph exudes love, concern, provision and protection. All characteristics of our Lord Jesus Christ.   I  long to dwell in your tent forever and  take refuge in the  shelter of your wings. Now scurry off to your prayer closet or go sit by the water or under a tree and dwell with the Lord today!

Our newest granddaughter!  10 weeks old. August 17 A happy heart makes the face cheerful. Proverbs 15:13 Laughter is good for the soul and my husband is always making me laugh.  Yesterday was a double hitter.  Right back at cha.  We were driving home from a romantic family wedding weekend in Charlottesville, VA.  Looking at him I began showering him with accolades.  I love just being with you. I love how comfortable I am with you.  I love the way you protect me.   I love the way you make me laugh. Then I said, "I love the way you love me…most of the time."  Well, that last phrase cracked him up.  M.O.T.T. (most of the time) is going to be added to his famous list of acronyms.  It works best in a low whisper after your compliment. I love the way you cook…shhhh…most of the time. I love being with you…most of the time. We were both laughing so hard!  He added,  "The only time M.O.T.T. won't work is when it comes to Jesus' love, fo

August 16-17 They arrived in the rain on Friday and the sun didn't come out until Tuesday afternoon. On Saturday we had houseguests with an 18 m onto old and finally filled up the baby pool under the deck with buckets of warm water from inside and let the children splash.  By Sunday my husband was trying to stay positive and singing the lyric from a country song…."Rain makes corn, corn makes whiskey, whiskey makes my girlfriend, a little frisky."  Not this girlfriend.  It would put her flat to sleep.  Monday afternoon, I need some fresh air, so we grabbed our boots, slickers and umbrellas and headed out for a couple hours of rainy day fun.  Before the fun ended the two year old was in the lake in his diaper and jammy shirt! . The news of Robin Williams death this week was so sad.  I've been there more than once, begging the Lord to take me home. Biblegateway has some excellent articles related to depression and how we as the church can help others.

This was either on Facebook or Pinterest.  :-) August 15 Channel surfing, my husband lingered on a local church program.  A panel discussion was taking place and the topic was teenagers leaving the church.  One woman deduced the problem was that we teach our children Bible stories (Noah and the Ark, Moses in a Basket, David and Goliath, Daniel and the Lions' Den), but we fail to teach them who God is and the promises he has for them.  I went Internet surfing and before God's promises popped up, these 49 General Commands of Christ appeared and caught my interest. A dilemma followed.  While the content was excellent, I recognized the author of the article and knew he had recently been accused of stumbling in the area of sexual inappropriateness.   The accusation was not for anything physical, but some other sort of conduct.  So my dilemma…Do I post something from a minister accused of sin?  I opted, "Yes" for these reasons. 1) What he has to say is purely

August 14 While walking the other morning,  the phrase sincere faith  popped into my mind.  "Is that from the Bible?" I inquired of my walking partner.  The reply, "I assume if anyone has faith it is sincere." The conversation ended, but arriving back home the words were still with me. Searching the Bible I was encouraged by the words I found and then led to a powerful lesson by John Piper on Faith in God's Grace. I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in your also.   2 Timothy 1:5 First deduction…A sincere faith can be passed on to future generations. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a  good conscience and a sincere faith. 1 Timothy 1:5 (NIV) The whole point of what we're urging is simply love-love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. 1 Timothy 1:5 (MSG) Second deduction… A

August 13 First of all, I originally wrote "hay day".  That comes from the influence of living in a rural community with so many farmers cutting hay about now.  Looking at the phrase and realizing it wasn't correct I went to Merriam Webster for the definition of heyday.  "…used to express elation or wonder. Then, checking out The Message the word heyday  was there. First off, you need to know that in the last days, mockers are going to have a heyday. Reducing everything to the level of their puny feelings, they'll mock,  "So what's happened to the promise of his Coming? Our ancestors are dead and buried, and everything's going on just as it has fro the first day of creation. Nothing's changed." 2 Peter 3:3-4  Here's where the whole heyday  hunt started.  My husband had arrived home early from work in hopes of relaxing on his last afternoon before his faculty reported back for a new school year.  Vertigo had been rais

August 12 Reading Sex and the Soul of a Woman , I was challenged to do a fast from solid foods for a day.  Around 3:30 hunger set in and I convinced myself that a yummy Halifax cantaloup, once chewed up thoroughly, would go down like liquid!  Reaching for the melon the Spirit said, "Why are you doing that?"  My reply, "Because it is there and it is good." God spoke, "I am here and I am good too!" I spit the piece of melon out in the trash. How quick we are to substitute what is good for who is truly GREAT! I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.  Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom… Psalm 145:1-3

August 11 One Monday morning, my husband and I acquired permission to walk the golf cart path at a nearby golf course. I about collapsed in the heat and hilly terrain, but loved the adventure.  At one, high point , I told my husband I felt like I was getting turf toe, banging my toes into the ends of my shoes going down the hills.  He said, "Then walk backwards."  Brilliant idea, I just needed him to hold my hand as the incline was quite steep. Ha!  When we are walking backward we certainly need Jesus to direct us to the correct path! Reaching the bottom of this route and hole number 17, there was a pond and sign.  Maybe from the picture above you can see there is quite a drop and a pond before the green.  The sign said, "Drop area."  Not being a golfer, but a Jesus lover, I dropped right in that area and prayed thanking God for keeping my alive on this trek! Today's verse on Biblegateway took me back to thinking about the signs and arrows we saw a

August 9-10 Taking a challenge from my Spiritual Formation group I was to read a chapter from the Bible a night, so I picked 1 John and it's 5 chapters.  The NIV Bible headlined the book Making God's Love Complete The key verse selected in the introduction: No one has ever seen God:  but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:12 That same week this song came on godtube.   http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=W6L667NX&utm_source=GodTube%20Today&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=08/06/2014 How are we living out…1 John 3:18? Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

August 8 Some friends stopped by with a delicious strawberry pie to share on the dock the other night.  While serving the pieces, my girlfriend shared this story. They had hired a man to do a wallpaper job in their home.  On installation day, he brought his 5 year old son along on the job.  Admiring the finished product, my friend exclaimed, "I love it!"  The little boy looked up at her and said, "You LOVE Jesus. You REALLY LIKE the wallpaper!" What a great self-checkin process. The next time we think we "Love" something, let's replace the thought process with "I like it very much, but I LOVE Jesus." Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Matthew 22:37 We love because he first loved us.   1 John 4:19

Cherished role models from Florida August 7 First of all, please don't take offense that I am inferring that any of you reading this devotional site are old!  :-)  I'm sending it because I think it is one of the most insightful teachings I have received this summer and I like to share GOOD things with people I love!   Especially those of you who love God and what he is up to!  A mentor of mine says,  "God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good!" A mentor of mine and her man dancing at one of our son's weddings. Because I am   older   I couldn't sleep the other night and was up reading emails at 2AM.  There is a gentleman in his 90's, who lives in Minneapolis, whom I befriended several years ago in an Apple store in MN.  Reading an email from him, which explained he may have to leave his condo and move to a nursing home, I could hear the disappointment over leaving his home in the words he typed. He wrote,  "The space

Addition to August 6 You know when you feel like God is preparing you for something?  Well, I don't know what is ahead, but God has used godtube clips from the past two days to remind me to look on the inside of people, not the outside.  Please don't miss this one! http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=W6KKZPNX&utm_source=GodTube%20Must-See%20Video&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=08/06/2014

August 6 http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=W6K76WNX&utm_source=GodTube%20Must-See%20Video&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=08/05/2014 Watch this video and see where the Lord takes you.  There are so many lessons within this clip. In addition it is a fabulous Jamie Grace song.  If you can't pull it up by this link, go to godtube.com and type in Christopher Duffy Hold Me. Inclusion - And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.   Matthew 18:5 Courage - Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13 Love-   A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.   John 13:34 Value - Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?   Matthew 6:26 Joy- Be joyful always .  1 Thessalonians 5:16 Gifts- There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distr

August 5 This is God's Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting,  known everywhere as God:  "Call to me and I will answer you.  I'll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.   Jeremiah 33:2-3  I want to know marvelous and wondrous things! I'm totally comfortable with the fact I'm not capable of figuring out God! Are you able to figure out this isn't a real dear in my kitchen? If we quiet ourselves and call to God, he will answer us.

August 4 Being that our family is in baby making mode these days,  I hear all the latest terminology.   Push presents , if given, were not called such 30 years ago.   Baby brain , wasn't a pregnancy symptom I recall having the privilege of using for excusing my mental lapses.  I do recall having a brain freeze and being unable to think through the following comment from the hospital representative, who was gathering birth record information:  "Is your husband the father of your baby?" Repeating the phrase back to the woman, I was stumped for a minute.  Was this like the tricky phrasing of questions on the driver's license test?  Is my husband the father of my baby?  Ah, yes.  Seeing that she'd thrown me for a loop, she apologized and informed me that I'd be surprised how often that isn't that case. Can I claim to have grandmother brain ?  The kids have been here for five days and now I can't remember where I wrote this quote down from.  I'

August 2-3 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. James 1:22  The above verse was on Biblegateway today.  It made me remember we have been given the Holy Spirit, not only as a friend and comforter, but for the purpose of equipping us "to do" what God has preplanned for us to accomplish to bring him glory. This week we've been enjoying a couple of our "grands" and watching all their accomplishments.  One wanted roller skates.  Before the purchase we discussed the discipline of "never, never, never give up." I have a song that goes with that phrase that we've sung with a long strand of obstacles from potty training to trying to get basketballs in hoops! Our three year old princess wanted to paint.  The particular piece you are viewing here is of God's creation! She has the sun, flowers, water, grass and a few more objects I missed in translation!  She was so proud of her a