Morning! I just added a new feature on the bottom of my blog page. If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you will see a thought-provoking question with list of multiple choice answers. I hope you take a few minutes to put your two-cents into the mix:). I am looking forward to the responses; and I will be sure to change the question once a month(which gives more folks time to put in their two cents:).
Cup o'joy...
Lynne
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Addendum...
I neglected to mention that I am stuck on the NKJV these days. I took the last verses I posted on the blog from the NKJV(New King James Version).
Joy and fresh bread...
Lynne
Joy and fresh bread...
Lynne
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Rejoice...
Philippians 4:4-9
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God;and the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
This verse goes with the last post. There is so much in it that I could write for a lifetime on all the Spirit stirs up within me as I read it. I pray that He would show you today how to rejoice in Him. In these days of anxiety, I pray that He teaches us anew how to stay in an attitude of prayer. We need His strength to focus on those things that are lovely, true, of good report, and praiseworthy. Let's praise Him and invite His presence in our lives; and may it increase in the days to come.
Have a cup o'joy
and a fresh taste of the bread of heaven...
Lynne
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God;and the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
This verse goes with the last post. There is so much in it that I could write for a lifetime on all the Spirit stirs up within me as I read it. I pray that He would show you today how to rejoice in Him. In these days of anxiety, I pray that He teaches us anew how to stay in an attitude of prayer. We need His strength to focus on those things that are lovely, true, of good report, and praiseworthy. Let's praise Him and invite His presence in our lives; and may it increase in the days to come.
Have a cup o'joy
and a fresh taste of the bread of heaven...
Lynne
Friday, May 2, 2008
Dancing in the Raindrops
"Rejoice" He says...
while the apparent scent of dung
floats up to my nostrils;
burning away any illusion of
easy jubilation...
Still, act of will
and leap of faith
combine to form a tenuous bridge
towards grace and gratitude;
knowing that my eyes are not accustomed
to seeing the rush of angels' wings...
"Rejoice in the Lord always..."
brought a puzzling rampage of inner rebellion;
as my selfish desires pushed themselves to the
forerfront of my consciousness.
Finally...
I looked down and noticed the water slapping playfully
against my dancing feet;
bringing me to the foot of the cross
and arising again with the jubilation of knowing His presence...
Once again, I see His beauty in the water of provision
and rejoice in the promise that the droughts have their endings.
while the apparent scent of dung
floats up to my nostrils;
burning away any illusion of
easy jubilation...
Still, act of will
and leap of faith
combine to form a tenuous bridge
towards grace and gratitude;
knowing that my eyes are not accustomed
to seeing the rush of angels' wings...
"Rejoice in the Lord always..."
brought a puzzling rampage of inner rebellion;
as my selfish desires pushed themselves to the
forerfront of my consciousness.
Finally...
I looked down and noticed the water slapping playfully
against my dancing feet;
bringing me to the foot of the cross
and arising again with the jubilation of knowing His presence...
Once again, I see His beauty in the water of provision
and rejoice in the promise that the droughts have their endings.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Re-Runs and Cold Pizza...
I recall when I was a single gal and in my first apartment that a Saturday night could very well include a good book and a plate containing a couple of pieces of cold pizza. Cold pizza and iced coffee are wonderful bedfellows. Maybe it would be a re-run of an old TV show. I am stepping out of the closet as a Trekkie...
The re-run was not the only thing that repeated in this scenario. I would sometimes have to reach for the tums, an open window, or a combination of both. Freedom is a dangerous thing when it is indulged in to excess. Had I kept more company as a grave-shift hermit, I might have been forced to eschew such behavior in favor of being more sociable.
Human nature tends to seek out the comfortable and familiar places and routines; returning to a previous path has its' allure. Re-runs end the way that we expect them to. Cold pizza tastes like...cold pizza. It may be an aquired taste, but once you have it programmed in your neurons; it is found in the endorphin zone:).
New life has its' way of moving us past our comfort zones towards unexplored country, however. Life has changed and expanded the sights and sounds of daily life for me. Luckily for me, my husband also likes re-runs and cold pizza. What a man. He turns on the tube, and I reach for the pizza and the window...and there is love:)...Heaven alone can surpass such simple joys. I can hardly wait.
Cup o'joy
and a fresh taste of the bread of heaven....
Lynne
The re-run was not the only thing that repeated in this scenario. I would sometimes have to reach for the tums, an open window, or a combination of both. Freedom is a dangerous thing when it is indulged in to excess. Had I kept more company as a grave-shift hermit, I might have been forced to eschew such behavior in favor of being more sociable.
Human nature tends to seek out the comfortable and familiar places and routines; returning to a previous path has its' allure. Re-runs end the way that we expect them to. Cold pizza tastes like...cold pizza. It may be an aquired taste, but once you have it programmed in your neurons; it is found in the endorphin zone:).
New life has its' way of moving us past our comfort zones towards unexplored country, however. Life has changed and expanded the sights and sounds of daily life for me. Luckily for me, my husband also likes re-runs and cold pizza. What a man. He turns on the tube, and I reach for the pizza and the window...and there is love:)...Heaven alone can surpass such simple joys. I can hardly wait.
Cup o'joy
and a fresh taste of the bread of heaven....
Lynne
Friday, April 11, 2008
Joy In The Journey
I may be taking a leap of faith with regards to what I sense as the Lord's leading, but I am thinking that I am being encouraged to remember that there is much joy in the journey with Him(even in the midst of stressful situations). I am not talking about being happy with the situation at hand. No. I am really not saying that...
However, there are moments to be grasped and praises to be sung in the midst of anything. He inhabits our praises and ushers in words of comfort by the Holy Spirit
when we seek Him with our whole heart. Trying to see the situation from His perspective isn't always possible; but just making the effort to remember that His ways are past our understanding can jolt us out of a self-inflicted pity party. If I am "going down", I want to "go down" swinging. You may think of it as a giant raspberry in the face of our adversary. "I still love the Lord, even though I am confused at the moment. So there."
He is worthy of our praise in the valleys as well as the mountains. My prayer is to stay out of the pit as much as possible. I am setting the goal on the prize of being like Him. If I fall on my derriere, I want as much cushion as possible. Praise is like that cushion...bringing the joy of Lord into the darkness of the valleys. He is able to make all things new in His timing. He is that awesome.
Have a cup o'joy and a fresh taste of the bread of heaven...
Lynne
However, there are moments to be grasped and praises to be sung in the midst of anything. He inhabits our praises and ushers in words of comfort by the Holy Spirit
when we seek Him with our whole heart. Trying to see the situation from His perspective isn't always possible; but just making the effort to remember that His ways are past our understanding can jolt us out of a self-inflicted pity party. If I am "going down", I want to "go down" swinging. You may think of it as a giant raspberry in the face of our adversary. "I still love the Lord, even though I am confused at the moment. So there."
He is worthy of our praise in the valleys as well as the mountains. My prayer is to stay out of the pit as much as possible. I am setting the goal on the prize of being like Him. If I fall on my derriere, I want as much cushion as possible. Praise is like that cushion...bringing the joy of Lord into the darkness of the valleys. He is able to make all things new in His timing. He is that awesome.
Have a cup o'joy and a fresh taste of the bread of heaven...
Lynne
Praying for Patience...
I think I must have been praying for patience lately. I am pushing jello up a hill, it seems; and the result is a mess. I am honestly a tad irritated, confused, and would just like to "take my ball and go home." This sounds pretty human, and it is. On days like this, I think I can understand why hermits sign off on the normal bumps and bruises brought on by interpersonal contact. We seem to grow contentious quite easily; brandying about strong emotional responses to comments not intended to inflame either soul or spirit. I am ready to fight.
On the other hand, I am praying with confidence that the events of my days will either blow over or morph into a glorious blessing that I haven't fathomed yet. I am still trying to clean the steam from my lenses brought about by the emissions of my ears. I know it must be either for my good or brought about by my own human failing. I am going to go for a walk or just consider conversation kept on a most superficial level for about a week as a breather. I might look for the bullseye my husband uses to practice his archery skill just to take out some of my aggression. The dross has to go somewhere; and I figure that is a safe outlet.
The only thing left to do is to lay my heart before the Lord and just seek Him with regards to what I am doing wrong. It is not my responsibility to explain myself ad nauseum until the other parties are convinced I am in the right. I am not sure I am right in the first place. He knows what's best. I, for one, don't want to talk to another human being until the Lord and myself have had some time together. He is my hiding place, and I rejoice in knowing that He has an answer. The question is: am I going to listen? I pray that I do.
Joy in the Journey,
Lynne
On the other hand, I am praying with confidence that the events of my days will either blow over or morph into a glorious blessing that I haven't fathomed yet. I am still trying to clean the steam from my lenses brought about by the emissions of my ears. I know it must be either for my good or brought about by my own human failing. I am going to go for a walk or just consider conversation kept on a most superficial level for about a week as a breather. I might look for the bullseye my husband uses to practice his archery skill just to take out some of my aggression. The dross has to go somewhere; and I figure that is a safe outlet.
The only thing left to do is to lay my heart before the Lord and just seek Him with regards to what I am doing wrong. It is not my responsibility to explain myself ad nauseum until the other parties are convinced I am in the right. I am not sure I am right in the first place. He knows what's best. I, for one, don't want to talk to another human being until the Lord and myself have had some time together. He is my hiding place, and I rejoice in knowing that He has an answer. The question is: am I going to listen? I pray that I do.
Joy in the Journey,
Lynne
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