Boojoyful

  Jesus take the wheel!  We have a beginning driver in the family!   Our oldest granddaughter shakes her head when her Papa starts a story with, "Back in my day..." Well, back in my day you took driver's education at school. The driver's ed cars and your behind the wheel course was taken during the school day.  So, so wrong, but my instructor was from a tiny town called Boones Mill, about a 20 minute drive from the high school. One day he had the two of us in the car (15 year old girls), drive to his house where he fixed us PB and J sandwiches at this kitchen table, read his mail and then had us drive back to school.  I didn't know enough then to know how dangerous this was, but now just shake my head and thank the Lord for protecting us. You have probably had some "Jesus take the wheel" moments this past week. In a 48 hour period I received texts or calls from people in need of prayer. "My mother's caregiver just called. She has had to call a...

The morning I wrote this it was 4:30. I had tossed and turned trying to get comfortable from two broken toes, knee issues, and rotator cuff pain.  I reminded myself what the orthopedic surgeon shared, "These body parts were not meant to last forever." Persistent pain has the ability to eventually wear you down and it can do a number on your mentally making you grumpy, depressed or dwelling on things that are not of eternal value.  The latter is where I went that particular morning. Fifty years ago I graduated from high school a year early.  My grandfather had been murdered and my high school dean, who knew our family well, made the suggestion that I double up taking some senior required classes and graduate a year early. I had a 4.0 and he thought I could handle the load.  Five of us tied as valedictorians that year, so they allowed all of us to hold the title. Here's the rabbit hole I went down in the middle of the night.  Twenty-five years ago and again this p...

When I sent my husband this photo he said, "It looks like she is sprouting carrots!" Being launched into researching more about the knowledge of good and evil ( yesterday's post )  I came across an excellent article on the gotquestions.org website. The insight to the damage that comes from half truths  is an excellent reminder for us to pray for discernment in all situations and conversations. "What the serpent did   not   say was that knowing evil would damage Adam and Eve’s relationship with God. Half-truths can be as deceptive as full-blown lies." Worth the Read...   https://www.gotquestions.org/knowledge-good-evil.html " Genesis 3:22   notes, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the   tree of life   and eat, and live forever.” God is speaking in this verse. The question arises: how, exactly, did knowing good and evil make man like God? Adam and Eve alread...

It's a mystery why our youngest granddaughter's hair grows straight up, but it is cute as can be! Our youngest grandson has the sweetest quote when he can't give an answer to a question. He  says, "It's a mystery."  Who ate that last cookie? "It's a mystery."  Where are your shoes? "It's a mystery."   Life certainly is mysterious, but God does make some things very clear. 1 Timothy 3:16 This Christian life is a great mystery, far exceeding our understanding, but some things are clear enough: He appeared in a human body, was proved right by the invisible Spirit, was seen by angels.  He was proclaimed among all kinds of peoples, believed in all over the world, taken up into heavenly glory. Yes, the mystery of God is Jesus Christ. My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom ...

On this Memorial Day, I look out on the fields of Virginia and imagine all the soldiers, over the years who have returned home, weary from battle, from the various wars where lives have been sacrificed for our freedom.   Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Philippians 4:6 The Song “Still Waters” Leanna Crawford https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1IaQvgPsfA

A neighbor and church friend has been visiting her son in Hawaii! Isn't this photo from her like a dream?   Sitting with one of my favorite teenagers he said, "May I ask you something?"  "Anything," I replied.  The question,  "So, we are to spend eternity in heaven, right? How are we to be happy and content forever? That's a long time." What a great thought process.  At 16 years old, we are always looking forward to something...school being out, getting a driver's license, making a sports team, winning an election, getting a job, meeting the one , moving away, starting a family, etc.  But once you get to heaven, which is supposed to be the ultimate, what do you long for in FOREVER. My response was this.  God created us with desire.   He created us to want, to hope, to long for someone or something. We long for delicious food, comfort, excitement, success, romance, sex, security, a Hawaiian sunset, and many other worldly desires.  But wha...

For the past 18 years we have traveled this country road, around sunrise to visit one of our sons. The scenery never gets old. Time and time again we are amazed at the beauty. Is there a movie or a novel you return to again and again?  I saw the Sound of Music  fourteen times when it first came out!   God's Word never grows old. We can return to it again and again and find meaning and purpose for why God inspired those words to be written.   For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and or marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof,  for correction and for training in righteousness.  2 Timothy 3:16 In my email drafts, which I don't know that I have ever checked, were old sermon notes from 2020 when our church was studying the book of Acts. ...

I am married to an introvert, who puts up with my extrovert activities. The theme for this day with our older grands was chickens!   Yup, opposites are good for one another.  If it's my husband's night to pick a movie, he will literally take 30 minutes reading, searching and pondering the best choice.  Me, on the other hand, will just click on the first romcom or PureFlix's film that pops up and give it a 10 minute try. This particular night I clicked on the first PureFlix movie that came up. The titled 5000 Blankets.  Based on a true story, it was about a husband with a mental illness and the homeless community in Houston, Texas. There was very little cheerful about the movie, but it left us both deep in thought. The very next morning at 7:33 I received five voice messages and three texts from a very troubled woman whom we have had contact with for six years.  My husband had to finally tell me we could no longer take her calls, because of her unstable behavior....

  In my early morning time with Jesus, he gave me a fun picture.  Out in front of the portico of our  church there was a huge gas pump and  off to the side an outlet for electric cars (got to love all people right?). The pump stood as a reminder that we come each Sunday to get filled up/charged up with wisdom and knowledge to face what is coming in the week ahead and equipped to make the necessary decisions that are ahead. Just like God sent manna daily so the people would rely on Him daily, we are to come to church weekly to worship, encourage one another and get filled up in our faith.  God will give us just what we need for that time, but we must return each week for God knows what we need next. For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. Isaiah 44:3 . Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people s...

  One of our sons is married to a Minnesota girl and she sent my husband this shirt. I told him when he wears it, that has to be his response to any of my requests!😀😂 A friend texted on Mother's Day with a heart wrenching prayer request for the marriage of one of her sons.  After praying I sent her this text and then realized that often when God gives us wisdom to pray over someone else, the application is excellent for our own life. We may not have asked for it or seen a need for it, but it's a clever way for God to get it into our own hearts. I wrote: "Get behind them Satan in the mighty name of Jesus. May their hearts turn to You, Lord, allow You to be over their marriage. Bring peace that passes understanding, let no words proceed from their mouths except that which is beneficial for building up their marriage." The following morning I wrote to this mother; "God's mercies are new every morning. I know your mama's heart has to be tossing in a barrage...

Include your cousins in life's celebrations.   "People are looking for mentors, but there are few who are qualified to be good mentors. In Mary’s visit with Elizabeth, she found opportunity to be comforted, validated and strengthened by a friend who understood her situation as nobody else could.  Elizabeth was a great mentor because she had been taught to walk with the Lord. Elizabeth is quick to advise Mary, to encourage her, to strengthen her faith , and to help her through this difficult time in her life. She has the experience that Mary lacks. Mentoring a person has eternal consequences way greater than we can ever imagine.  Elizabeth lived through the sorrowful loss of her son, John. It is possible she was able to show Mary what enduring a son’s murder looked like." These last two sentences were a show stopper for me.  I had never thought about this similarity before. It took me back to walking alongside a college student, whose mother had murdered her fiv...

  Boy cousins at Shiloh's Cammo Camp I never expected to see jealousy between our grandchildren, but unfortunately, just as with siblings, cousin jealous definitely exists. Once I even realized there was one child who would visit and turn around the picture frames having photographs of certain other grandchildren.😳 While I enjoy sharing with them what their cousins are up to the truth is they really don't want to hear it. They like life to be all about them. Continued thoughts about cousins, Elizabeth and Mary. "Have you ever had something really great happen to you, maybe the best thing in your life, and then have someone near to you has something even bigger happen? How hard would that be to not let it overshadow your own joy. I think it is remarkable that these two godly women mutually rejoiced with one another in God’s goodness, not competing or comparing with one another but in true joy.    Elizabeth also had the incredible privilege to mentor someone who would be g...

  All of our grandchildren have at least 13 cousins.  I pray often that they will always love one another well and be there for support for one another the rest of their lives. My favorite cousin story in the Bible is that of Elizabeth and Mary and I want to dwell on their relationship a few days. Somehow I came across an article that laid out the importance of mentioning for me.  I copied the article and noted that it was from a ministry called "What Then Why."  Now I can't find that site anywhere and I don't think the article notes the author, so I apologize, but it's just too good not to share over the next couple days. So, here we go... “ Elizabeth’s young cousin, Mary, also became pregnant through miraculous means. This young woman, who pondered much in her heart, made the journey to see her older relative. Why did Mary go to Elizabeth? Was it solely because she knew she was experiencing a miracle pregnancy too? In her time of uncertainty and turmoil , there...