Boojoyful

March 31-April1 Three of our children have bought their first homes this year and two others have done major remodeling. A house requires maintenance and attention. A home requires open hearts and loads of love. I cannot recall any place in the Bible where Jesus' house is referenced. He went to Matthew's house, to Peter's Levi's, a Pharisee's, Simon's, Zaccheus', and was taken to the home of the high priest. Mark 2:1 tells us he called Capernaum home, but not necessarily that he had a house. My research the past two days has brought me to the place of one of my favorite quotes: "It is not of eternal value." What is of eternal value is where we will spend eternity and the intriguing expectation that Jesus, being quite the carpenter by trade, has said he is preparing our next abode! My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? John 14:2

March 30 My husband is so observant. Coming home from work the other day he inquired why there was mud on the tires of my car. "Ugh, you caught me! I went off roading with a bunch of cute college guys, " I replied. That probably would have been better than the truth which was that we had parked our cars in the yard under large trees to protect them from a hail storm and when I backed out the ground was so wet, the tires spun and tore up the yard! He also notices every license plate and everything around us when driving. While, I am on the other hand am either praying, singing along to praise songs or checking out the clouds to see if Jesus might be coming back at any moment! As my friend Kaye use to say, "We so good 4 each otha!" The Bible describes to us a very observant heavenly Father. The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them. Psalm 11:4 I the LORD search the heart and examine t...

REJECTED X March 29 But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. 1 Peter 2:9-10 Want to experience rejection with raw (often raunchy) emotion then watch the TV reality show called "The Bachelor." (The Bachelorette isn't quite as emotional.) It begins with 30 women and each week the main character, who is looking for a wife" rejects a woman and sends her packing. This month of March Madness Kroger has an online basketball game. When you miss it says: "Sorry, you are not a winner." The college rejection letter comes this time of year: "We only had 4,000 spots and we are sorry to inform you there were 4,000 people we see as better than you." Putting ourselves out in the world we risk rejection every day. When we...

March 28 A message was left on our answering machine, saying a company never received payment for some materials used in our bathroom renovation. Checking our credit card bill, I called this individual back and confirmed the payment had been made by us to the supplier who contracted this company. The woman said they were denying that we had paid them. She explained it was not our fault, as her contract was with the other company not us. I said, "Could we pray about this?" The reply, "Say what?" Again, "Could we pray about this? I love the Lord and know he is able to work all things out. The gentleman who owes you the money, loves the Lord too and is a great individual." "Why certainly," she answered. "You have made my day. I am going to call him right now." And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:18 Pray ...

March 27 The rains poured down this past weekend and my husband came into the kitchen and sang, "Pick 'em up a paw paw put it in your pocket, save it for a rainy day." Inquisitively, I replied, "What is a paw paw?" He shrugged his shoulders and walked on. The investigation began as I learned that a paw paw is actually a fruit, grown on a tree and is native to the very area in which I live. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWr_Uj31L90 Accidentally, wanting to save the reference "What is a Paw Paw?" the question published on the blog and one of my favorite readers, who is a precious mentor and encourager, replied that a paw paw was a piece of cotton that would be picked up and placed in an apron. She said as a child she sang the song, "Way Down Yonder in the Paw Paw patch." That lead me to look up the lyrics and no where in the song is the refrain, "Save it for a rainy day." Calling to my husband, I felt it important to clear up this fa...

March 26 Maybe it is mid-life that makes me pensive or maybe the monotony of loads of laundry and a stack of ironing. My husband was the recipient of a four year football scholarship at a major university and carries an appreciation for that opportunity and love for his Alma mater deep in his heart. Although, we turned in our tickets years ago, because attend our own children were participating in sporting events we wanted to attend, he remains a sportive fan. I on the other hand have wavered with age and become a "fair weather fan". When the clock is ticking down and the score isn't padded with a positive advantage, I walk out on the viewing escapade exclaiming I don't need that kind of stress in my life. Yesterday, I passed up the last end of a basketball game and took to bed changing. While shaking out sheets and fluffing pillows I thought..."Am I a fair weather follower of Christ?" When the going gets rough, the cruel comments are flung, the Lord...

March 24-25 Reading on Day 244 in Solo, The Message God's word came alive and had me fired up all day. Jesus was preparing his disciples for his departure and they had questions. Jesus said, "You don't get to know the time. Timing is the Father's business." Over and over, I've repeated that comment to myself....stop trying to figure things out...timing is the Father's business. He continued, "What you get is the Holy Spirit....you will then be my witnesses....to the ends of the earth. These were his LAST WORDS." From Acts 1:1-11 Of all the things we could be in life...witnesses for Christ should be our top goal. Now the "Last Word" phrase is one I will be playing out for quite some time (unless He calls me home today). I'm sure I've shared with you about my friend who was singing in the church choir when her Daddy, the minister, died in the pulpit. She ran to his side and he said to those kneeling around him, "Go quick...