Boojoyful

  When studying the Psalms for a year you are going to learn about a lot of "crying out". A whole lot of people are crying out for Boo right now and her family greatly appreciates it. This devotional and several others were in her box waiting to be posted.  We are thankful she had these verses implanted in her heart before experiencing this stroke. I cried to the Lord and he answered me from his holy hill.   Psalm 3:4 These Psalms are called laments.  Google defines  lament  as "a passionate expression of grief or sorrow." God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Psalm 46:1 Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you.    Psalm 50:15 I pray to you, Lord,  I beg for mercy. I tell you all my worries and my troubles, and whenever I feel low, you are there to guide me.   Psalm 142:1-3 It has taken me a long time to learn to go to the Lord before I dump my problems on my husband, family, friends,...

  This is a friend typing for Boo: She wants you to know that she had a stroke on 2/13/2026 and has left-hand deficit, severe headaches, and is unable to type or text, so she will be unable to write Boojoyful.  From Boo: PT will begin this week and prayers are appreciated for the brain to heal quickly. We know God is in control. The verse the Lord gave me the night before the stroke was "Peace be with you" (John 20:19). Jesus goes on to say to the disciples, "Do not be afraid" (John 14:27).  As I laid in the CT machine, these words washed over me.  Pray for my daughter and my husband as they walk through this with me.  Love,  Boo 

More 3D printer magic from one of our grandsons. He turns on the machine, keys in a "plan" and awakens to a creation like this vase! Our daughter in law made one for me that included flowers! While stuck at Shiloh I’ve did some cleaning out, which included through years of journals, Bible studies, notes, etc. I just started reading a journal from 2012 .  I had titled it “Starting Fresh.” On January 10th of that year this is what I wrote: “Lord, I feel disconnected from being an active part of a church right now.  I’ve been in a book called   31 Days if Praise . It is exhilarating.  The word “campus” came vividly to mind, so I prayed for discernment and openness to how you might have us serve on a   campus   be it a church or school/college. Working with younger people/families the rest of our days sounds exciting to me. Whatever it is you are training us for…find us faithful.” We had no idea a new church campus was going to be planted in our community and ...

At the time of this writing it was day 13 of being iced in.  Every step  taken was being made with caution to avoid slip sliding away. The few times I'd ventured out I prayed "Jesus, please go before me."  One long time friend fell this past weekend on the ice and suffered a severe concussion and knee injury. She returned home to a cold house, because due to the ice on the road to her mountain side home the propane truck cannot get there and their tank is empty.   Our granddaughter's horse made its way out of state to the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show!  It is the world's largest Arabian horse event and held every February.  Thousands of horses are making their way there. May God guide their travels and the riders at the competition this week. We need direction everyday; whether on which way rein to pull, which choice of activities to participate in on a chosen day or job decision to make, or simply whether or not to step outside. Think of the 2,900 Ol...

 I have a friend who loves flamingos, so I just had to send her this photo to cheer her as she is walking through a tough season. It brought out a chuckle and a little joy. Life is a lot, but God is with us through it all. We are friends with Mark Maye, father of NFL Patriots QB, Drake Maye. Our hearts ached for this 23 year old as he tasted defeat before the world, but choking back tears in an interview he reminded himself he's more than just a football player and very blessed to have so many people who love him beyond his performance on a field. This young man has a strong, outspoken faith and knows in whom his joy can be found. One of our grandsons (and his mother) are excelling in 3D printing. Look what they created for my birthday! On Instagram, a mother posted a video of her son singing these lyrics in his bedroom. "The enemy can try to kill, rob and destroy, but one thing he cannot take is my joy, Uhuh! I woke up with a good thing laying by my side. I woke up to some bi...

  The Praying Harpist and her husband. Season 2 Episode 6 Philippians 2:19-30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPL-6c_dMvk Season 2 Episode 5 Philippians 2:12-18 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlWU_-VTgAg Season 2 Episode 4 Philippians 2:1-11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrJOEZDcozE Season 2 Episode 3 Philippians 1:18B- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Fy6HUs63mw          Season 2 Episode 2 Philippians 1:12-18 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-WR3TzW8Q4&t=14s Season 2 Episode 1 Philippians 1:11-18 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5-RL9u_ZBo&t=44s

The Valentine decorations are out, but no one has been able to get here to enjoy them. Our private road and driveway are still a challenge, but I continue to learn to be content with the stillness and thankful there is no yard work for my husband.  Spring will be here before we know it, so for now we will embrace where God has us. I awakened this particular morning and thought…”What day is it?  What is on my calendar?  It took a moment for my  spiritual  brain to catch up and over take the  worldly  part and ask…”What is it YOU have for me this weekend Lord?” Last week in Community Bible Study we were meditating on the Psalms of ascent.  Some of the questions about the 12 tribes’ ascent up Mt Zion stuck with me and I went to Got Questions.org  Consider these three points: 1) “The journey UP Mt. Zion reminds worshippers that meeting God involves  leaving ordinary routines  and moving toward His Presence. (Isaiah 2:3)" Being inte...

A grandson's hands coming together to make a heart. It's okay to say, "Lord, I need You."  We were created to cry out to God. In my distress, I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help.  From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. Psalm 18:6 Recently, I've been going through years of journals and there is a common theme...being ready to go whenever a child calls. Whether it was a simple task like being picked up from school when they got sick or at a sporting event/practice; taking them to the ER or an orthopedic because of an injury; or putting adult vacations on hold to take the children somewhere that was exciting for them, there was no hesitation.  As the years passed the needs changed to visiting colleges, planning weddings, and helping to care for their children. When they call we try our best to go, because we love them. God has an even greater love than a mother's love. Like loving parents, He wants us to call upon hi...

  A friend sent these backyard, winter, birds' eye views from Damascus, MD! Quite different from the Osprey hanging out in their nest in Fort Myers, FL at another friend's home. God is taking care of them all!   Visiting with a young widowed friend, I thanked her for the encouraging way she  shares her faith though good days and trials.  Love how she replied, "Anything that  makes us seek the Lord is good. And the deepest learning doesn't usually come like  bubble baths and bon bons. " Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the test of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4 The Song "Testify" Need to Breathe "Give me your heart, give me your soul. Sing with all your might. Come to the Fountain and you can be satisfied....There is a peace, there is a love, you can get lost inside." https:/...

Some family members loved me enough to brave the journey and bring me a delicious birthday cake. Our driveway. Moonriver Drive has had a majestic full moon shining on it, lighting up the snow! The Journal I referenced yesterday actually had no entries until May 27th of that year.    Jeremiah 29:11 was at the top of the first page. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.   My entry: “It’s the Friday before Memorial Day. I’m exhausted from all the work trying to get Shiloh ready for the summer season.    I still see effects from the stroke, but am so thankful for how far I’ve come and that we have this beautiful place for our family to enjoy this summer. It’s a scorcher today, I’ve been working on the beach and now the boathouse and I’m too tired to hike the hill, so I’ve come away to a shady spot to rest in your magnificent love Father and listen to you.    M...

The journal which I'm devouring now was given to me by three long time friends on November 23, 2015, two months after my stroke. The cover of this hot pink journal has this verse:  From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.  John 1:16   On the inside cover I wrote    Ephesians 3:14-21 (MSG) My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father, who parcels out all heaven and earth, and I ask Him that with both feet planted on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love.    Reach out and experience the breadth!    Test its length!    Plumb the depths!    Rise to the heights!    Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.    God can do anything you know and more than you ever could imagine or guess, or request in your wildest dreams!    He does it not by pushing us aroun...

Season 2 Episode 5 Philippians 2:12-18 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlWU_-VTgAg Season 2 Episode 4 Philippians 2:1-11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrJOEZDcozE Season 2 Episode 3 Philippians 1:18B- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Fy6HUs63mw          Season 2 Episode 2 Philippians 1:12-18 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-WR3TzW8Q4&t=14s Season 2 Episode 1 Philippians 1:11-18 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5-RL9u_ZBo&t=44s

On the first attempt up our half mile long road, when he was almost to the top, my husband slowed down at one point, then began to slide and had to back all the way down . The next day I sent him the song "Got to Keep on Moving" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGtQMT-QLgc God's Word is better than a Christmas Hallmark! You know it's going to have a great ending. Lingering in Psalm 19, the names David calls God at the end of the psalm are "My Rock and My Redeemer."  I journaled, "God is steadfast and He is for us!  He is an immovable, loving Protector .  That feels so good!" Psalm 19:14 was suggested for memorization. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and My Redeemer. HA! There's not much that has been immovable  on the ice coating much of the US. Our local hospitals are reporting high records of sledding accidents, because people are sliding into trees. Even if you fall off you...

Hmm. Looks like that will be April or May for me! While in a major clean out project, due to having to empty two rooms for new carpet, I unearthed over 40 journals and calendar books which go back to the 1990's.  My hope is to read through all of them before tossing them to aid our children in the clean out process someday. Opening the 2012 one, I'd chosen the title "Starting Fresh." On the first page I'd written John 13:7. " Jesus replied, ' You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.' " The first thought recorded referenced we had gather for dinner at the home of one of our pastors. His wife was a close friend and all of our children enjoyed one another.  That friend went to be with the Lord four years ago, way before I wanted to say farewell to her. Little did we know that 2012 night of sweet fellowship that two other wives in the group would pass away at only 55 years old.     Each New Year offers feelings of wonde...

The tarp trick is a lot easier than shoveling 20 front steps. As Fancy Nancy says in her delightful books, “Ooo la la!” That’s how I felt about CBS Lesson 16.  It covered Psalms 67, 98 and 117.  While we feel special to be extravagantly loved by God...Praise the Lord and remember, salvation is for EVERYONE! Psalm 67:1-2 starts us off with a reminder of the most generous gift we have received, “God’s only Son.”  Out of all the ways we can show generosity to others, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and that God’s plan is for ALL mankind is at the top of the list. People should be greatly offended if a Christian doesn't share their faith. O God, mercifully bless us; let your face beam with joy as you look down at us.  Send us around the world with the news of your saving power and your eternal plan for all mankind.  Psalm 67:1-2 God's purpose in blessing us is for us to bless others. Let's keep singing His praises and share how we have personally see...