Category: Psalms

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Making Choices

The last few mornings I have had to make a choice that has delayed my blog. I have been getting out earlier for my morning walk because the temperatures in the desert have been increasing.

It was already in the mid-80’s when Dave and I walked out the door at 5:30. Yep. By the time we got back we were both a sweaty mess. Choices.

I know if we didn’t go out then it would be too hot later. There was something about turning 70 a couple weeks ago that told me I MUST be serious about my health for me and my family. It’s never easy but it’s beneficial.

“He will call upon Me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will take him out of trouble and honor him. 16 I will please him with a long life. And I will show him My saving power.” Psalm 91:15-16 NLV

Now, I don’t want you to think that I am some great fitness achiever – I’m not. In fact, I still have another 20+ pounds to lose before I will feel I have accomplished my weight goal but I am working toward it.

“Growing strong in body is all right but growing in God-like living is more important. It will not only help you in this life now but in the next life also. 9 These words are true and they can be trusted.” I Timothy 4:8-9 NLV

There you have it – a strong body and a strong spirit are both important. God has given us His word on it.

I know how hard it is to make good and healthy choices at any stage of life so I want to encourage you and I would appreciate your prayers too.

“This is why I have never stopped praying for you since I heard about you. I ask God that you may know what He wants you to do. I ask God to fill you with the wisdom and understanding the Holy Spirit gives. 10 Then your lives will please the Lord. You will do every kind of good work, and you will know more about God. 11 I pray that God’s great power will make you strong, and that you will have joy as you wait and do not give up.” Colossians 1:9-11 NLV

More words to live by…God’s great power makes us strong, don’t give up. That’s where my failure comes, giving up before reaching my goal. Maybe you experience that too. So, today Scripture becomes very practical to me.

Trust the Lord to lead you and give you His strength to reach your goal. We have victory in Jesus!

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Time to Smile

The little guy in this image made me smile!

Three words went through my mind this morning as I was praying about what to share – rested, refreshed, relaxed. And then I found this little lamb and he was the embodiment of all three.

Have you ever had the opportunity to watch sheep while they are grazing in a field?

I have. In fact, it used to be a regular outing when our oldest was just a year old. I would put her in her stroller and we would go across the road to a fenced field that was being grazed off. She loved watching the ewes and the lambs.

They would make her giggle that little child giggle that seems to come from her toes all the way up her body and bubble out her mouth. I can still hear it.

A lush green field. The lambs, close to their mothers, would eat until their bellies were filled and then they would romp and play. Moments later they would be sprawled out in the grass, just like this one, sleeping soundly.

King David, who had been a shepherd, must have experienced scenes like this thousands of times and drawing from his experience and memories he penned Psalm 23.

“Adonai is my shepherd; I lack nothing.
2 He has me lie down in grassy pastures,
he leads me by quiet water,
3 he restores my inner person.
He guides me in right paths
for the sake of his own name.
4 Even if I pass through death-dark ravines,
I will fear no disaster; for you are with me;
your rod and staff reassure me.

5 You prepare a table for me,
even as my enemies watch;
you anoint my head with oil
from an overflowing cup.

6 Goodness and grace will pursue me
every day of my life;
and I will live in the house of Adonai
for years and years to come.” Psalm 23 CJB

Rested, refreshed, relaxed…even in the presence of our enemies!

Has life had you going in circles? Too many activities/responsibilities and not enough time?

The Lord has a green pasture and a lush patch of grass just waiting for us to come lay down and take our rest. Stretch out and enjoy His presence!

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God Blessed America

What a wonderful day we have to celebrate – Happy Birthday America!

There is no country on earth like this country we live in. It was founded on the hopes and dreams of a few. They had a desire to break free from tyranny and they were willing to give up their lives, if necessary, to see that dream of a new nation of freedom come true.

A blending of national origins, sects and ideals came together to see that this nation was birthed. Blood was shed and prayers were offered.

Today, we don’t celebrate her perfection but we celebrate her determination and resilience.

“Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord. Happy are the people He has chosen for His own.” Psalm 33:12 NLV

Some would like to argue that this country wasn’t founded on godly principles but they are woven all throughout her documents, fiery speeches and correspondence. Even her songs give glory to God.

Did you know the “Star-Spangled Banner” has four verses? Let me share with you the fourth:

“Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust”:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

That line “Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation” says it all. Many feared America would be able to maintain her independence and survive as a nation when the British attacked our shores again in 1812. The fighting was fierce!

“The anthem’s history began the morning of September 14, 1814, when an attorney and amateur poet named Francis Scott Key watched U.S. soldiers—who were under bombardment from British naval forces during the War of 1812—raise a large American flag over Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland…On September 13, U.S. soldiers at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry withstood some 25 hours of British bombardment. Early the next morning, they hoisted a gigantic U.S. flag over the fort, marking a crucial victory and a turning point in what would be considered a second war of American independence.” excerpts taken from History.com.

Inspired by that tattered flag Francis Scott Key penned the words to what would later be accepted as our National Anthem.

“When justice rules a nation, everyone is glad; when injustice rules, everyone groans.” Proverbs 29:2 CEV

May we all take time to pray for our nation today. We are fractured and need the Lord’s healing. May we be a nation where justice rules!

“Father God, we pray for our nation and its leaders. May Your grace impact the hearts all our citizens. May our cause be just and our trust be in You in Jesus name, Amen.”

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Joy, Joy, Joy

When I was a little girl we sang a song in Sunday School. “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart…down in my heart to stay”.

And when I was a teenager we sang, “Jeremiah was a bullfrog. Was a good friend of mine…Joy to the world, all the boys and girls”.

At Christmas time we sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord has come”.

Each day I wake with a joyful heart, not because life is perfect but because the Lord promises to never leave or abandon me. His grace is sufficient to carry me through my storms and disappointments. He heals my broken heart , restores my soul and gives me joy!

Today my joy is just a little more exuberant! Had a wonderful time yesterday with Dave, Kim, Austin, Kaci, Stephen and Kaci’s littles. We missed Koy and Kym. (I hate that they live so far away.)

It was a day of giggles and hugs, love and laughter. Kisses and tickles. It was a day of family.

When I put the word joy into the search engine of my Bible app this morning it came up with 444 references on joy. Oh my, yes, our heavenly Father wants our life here on earth to be joy-filled.

“ But the fruit that the Spirit produces in a person’s life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these kinds of things.” Galatians 5:22-23 ERV

Just like fruit grows in an orchard or vegetables sprout in a garden, the Lord plants seeds that will produce fruit in our lives and the Holy Spirit is the gardener Who is always there to see that they grow.

In the hard times, and there will be hard times, the Lord is there to sustain us.

“Lord, hear my prayer, and be kind to me. Lord, help me!” 11 You have changed my sorrow into dancing. You have taken away my sackcloth and clothed me with joy. 12 You wanted me to praise you and not be silent.  Lord my God, I will praise you forever.” Psalm 30:10-12 ERV

Jesus knows what it’s like to face life’s worst circumstances. The night of His arrest He spent time with His apostles talking to them about the anxiety they would feel. Speaking peace into their hearts and telling them to ask the Father for what they needed and then they would be filled with joy.

“Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive. Then your joy will be full.” John 16:24 NLV

Joy is an emotion but it’s also a decision. It’s the act of letting God’s goodness always reign in our hearts. When we are weak His joy gives us strength.

“You have not seen Christ, but still you love him. You can’t see him now, but you believe in him. You are filled with a wonderful and heavenly joy that cannot be explained.” I Peter 1:8 ERV

“…Today is a special day to our Lord. Don’t be sad, because the joy of the Lord will make you strong.” Nehemiah 8:10 ERV

I hear the birds outside and each morning they wake singing praise to the Lord. Their joy is contagious. Yes, this morning I will sing, “I have the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Down in my heart to stay.

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A Strong Heart

So many advertisements and commercials encourage us to be “heart smart”. I agree we should, but it won’t come from eating a certain cereal, taking a low grain aspirin every day, or any other thing that man can advertise.

To truly have a strong heart we must take a good dose of Scripture every day.

“Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.” I Kings 8:61

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

We should be trusting the Lord always and letting him direct our paths. He will keep us from accidentally running off course and colliding with discouragement, depression, anger and bitterness.

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Psalm 27:14

The Lord will strengthen our hearts when we feel emotionally drained and unable to go on. He came to heal the broken-hearted.

“ The Spirit of the Lord is on Me. He has put His hand on Me to preach the Good News to poor people. He has sent Me to heal those with a sad heart. He has sent Me to tell those who are being held that they can go free. He has sent Me to make the blind to see and to free those who are held because of trouble. 19 He sent Me to tell of the time when men can receive favor with the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19 NLV

What we believe can either cause our hearts to fail or to be encouraged.

“If you openly say, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from death, you will be saved. 10 Yes, we believe in Jesus deep in our hearts, and so we are made right with God. And we openly say that we believe in him, and so we are saved. 11 Yes, the Scriptures say, ‘Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed.'” Romans 10:9-11 ERV

Never disappointed – now that’s an amazing promise! I can honestly say I have not attained that, yet. I deal with disappointments some are just temporary, but others remain for a while and really increase my dependency on Jesus.

“ I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace as you trust in him. Then you will have more and more hope, and it will flow out of you by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 ERV

Our Father desires to fill us with hope, joy and peace. He will as we trust Him, keep your heart strong.

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Needing Water?

Living in the desert I have learned to be observant of the cacti. They stress when they go too long without rain. Prickly Pear start to droop. Even the giant saguaros become thinner.

Heat! Dry heat!

Everything now is waiting for the summer monsoons to come so that they are refreshed. It’s amazing what a little water does to restore life in the desert.

Those of you in the mid-West and the East might have high temperatures but it is also accompanied with high humidity. I’ve been in Iowa when it was 95 degrees with 95% humidity. WOW! That will take your breath away but it’s great for growing corn and soy beans.

Growth requires both warmth and moisture.

We are a lot like that. Have you felt like you were going through a “desert summer” season in life? Everything around you seems to be drying up – scorched, dry, cracked. Is there any relief in sight?

There is!

“I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born. Israel, don’t be terrified. You are my chosen servant, my very favorite. 3 I will bless the thirsty land by sending streams of water; I will bless your descendants by giving them my Spirit. 4 They will spring up like grass or like willow trees near flowing streams. 5 They will worship me and become my people. They will write my name on the back of their hands. 6 I am the Lord All-Powerful, the first and the last, the one and only God. Israel, I have rescued you! I am your King.” Isaiah 44:2-6 CEV

Jesus made this comment:

“Those who are hungry and thirsty to be right with God are happy, because they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6 NLV

When we are thirsty for the Father and all of His goodness, we will be filled, just like the desert landscape that drinks in the moisture after a rain. We are refreshed and we blossom.

“Happy is the man who does not walk in the way sinful men tell him to, or stand in the path of sinners, or sit with those who laugh at the truth. 2 But he finds joy in the Law of the Lord and thinks about His Law day and night. 3 This man is like a tree planted by rivers of water, which gives its fruit at the right time and its leaf never dries up. Whatever he does will work out well for him.” Psalm 1:1-3 NLV

It’s amazing how often we can find references to dryness and be refreshed in Scripture if we look for it.

“He lets me rest in fields of green grass. He leads me beside the quiet waters.” Psalm 23:2 NLV

If you’re feeling dry and thirsty today ask the Lord to refresh you with the Living Water that only He can give!

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Lather Up!

It’s important that we have the proper covering in life. I was thinking about that the other day when the grandkids were here.

They were dressed in their swimsuits, and we were ready to head out the door but first things first. Time to lather up – they needed to be covered with sunscreen and they also needed to have their hats on.

The Arizona sun is so hot!

We don’t always think about being covered because the water is cool and inviting but it’s important that we keep from getting sunburned. As excited as they were about getting up to the pool they waited, not so patiently, until each one had been sprayed and had their hats in hand.

It made me think, I should never start the day without being covered.

“How happy he is whose wrong-doing is forgiven, and whose sin is covered! 2 How happy is the man whose sin the Lord does not hold against him, and in whose spirit there is nothing false.” Psalm 32:1-2 NLV

Because of God’s great love for us we are forgiven, we have our sins covered. That was the example of the Old Testament. The blood sacrifices that were made covered their sin. However, in the New Testament, the blood of Jesus not only covers but completely blots out our sins.

“ David tells of this. He spoke of how happy the man is who puts his trust in God without working to be saved from the punishment of sin. 7 ‘Those people are happy whose sinful acts are forgiven and whose sins are covered. 8 Those people are happy whose sins the Lord will not remember.’…25 Jesus died for our sins. He was raised from the dead to make us right with God.” Romans 4:6-8, 25 NLV

Over exposure to the sun’s harmful rays can cause skin cancer. Over exposure to the world’s way of thinking and living can cause a cancer of the soul.

“He will cover you with His wings. And under His wings you will be safe. He is faithful like a safe-covering and a strong wall…14 Because he has loved Me, I will bring him out of trouble. I will set him in a safe place on high, because he has known My name. 15 He will call upon Me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will take him out of trouble and honor him. 16 I will please him with a long life. And I will show him My saving power.” Psalm 91:4,14-16 NLV

Oh, I didn’t forget about the hats. God has taken care of covering our heads too.

“17 The covering for your head is that you have been saved from the punishment of sin. ” Ephesians 6:17 NLV

I’ll say it again. We need to be well covered before we face the harsh elements of the day. Let’s make sure that we are aware that we are completely covered with the Father’s love.

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I Like Your House

I hope you all forgive me for not getting a blog posted this morning. It was a day that life got in the way!

Friday noon our three youngest grandchildren came for a visit. They are 7,5, and 3. Our afternoon was filled with coloring, games, swimming, dinner and smores. Housing three littles in an RV is a delightful challenge. We have a big bed that drops down from the ceiling in the toy-hauler garage that made the perfect bed for the three of them when they were smaller but in the last year, all three of them have really grown.

The drop-down bed was perfect size for the two girls, and we had a surprise for Sam, the 7-year-old. There’s a sleeping loft between the kitchen and the garage. Just the right size for one growing boy. We weren’t sure how well he would do with going up and down the ladder but after a few timid encounters, he finally climbed to the top, crawled in and announced, “I really like my new bed”. Wonderful!

More games, prayer time and then off to bed.

Saturday morning I was up by 4, followed shortly by Sam, who was peeking over the edge of the loft at 4:15. Kristine woke by 4:30. I told her she had to go back to sleep. She rolled over and did. Sam was given permission to come down but needed to lay on the couch so I could finish my writing. “You have to be quiet. You can’t wake the girls or Pappy”. He heeded my words.

Once the others were up, we all went outside in our jammies before it got too hot and put out fresh water for the birds, seed in the feeder, water the plants and made sidewalk chalk drawings. It warms up fast in the desert so we were back inside just before breakfast.

More games to play and drawings to make for their parents.

Before we knew it, their parents were here and we were grilling hamburgers. The perfect lunch and then off to the swimming pool again. The three-year-old had fallen asleep at lunch and so she and Pappy stayed at the RV to make homemade ice cream for when we returned.

While we were at the pool Kristine whispered to me, “I really like coming to your trailer, Besta”, followed by a tight squeeze.

“For a day in Your house is better than a thousand outside. I would rather be the one who opens the door of the house of my God, than to live in the tents of the sinful. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and a safe-covering. The Lord gives favor and honor. He holds back nothing good from those who walk in the way that is right.” Psalm 84:10-11 NLV

“Better is one day in Your house than a thousand elsewhere, oh yes Father, that’s how I feel about You.”

All too soon it was time for them to go home. As Sam was getting into the car he hugged me and this time he whispered in my ear, “Besta, when can we come back”? With a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye I said, “soon, very soon”.

“ There are many rooms in My Father’s house. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going away to make a place for you. 3 After I go and make a place for you, I will come back and take you with Me. Then you may be where I am.” John 14:2-3 NLV

In case you’re asking, I want you to know that the Lord said He’s coming back, soon, very soon and we can go home with Him.

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Sack Lunch vs Banquet

Several years ago Dave and I had an interesting experience at a local Mexican restaurant.

Just after we arrived a family came in and sat at the next table. As they sat their waiting for the waitress to bring their drinks I noticed the one little girl had brought in a sack from Wendy’s. As her parents ordered and enjoyed their chips and salsa, the little girl reached into the sack and took out her Frosty, fries and burger. I thought, how cute!

But now the life lesson.

“Jesus said to him, ‘A man gave a big dinner. He invited many people. 17 When it was time to eat, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come. The food is ready.’ 18 But all the guests said they could not come. Each one made an excuse…’

21 “So the servant returned and told his master what happened. The master was angry. He said, ‘Hurry! Go into the streets and alleys of the town. Bring me the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’

22 “Later, the servant said to him, ‘Master, I did what you told me to do, but we still have places for more people.’ 23 The master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and country roads. Tell the people there to come. I want my house to be full!” Luke 14:16-23 ERV

The Father wants to lavish on us the things He has prepared for us.

So many times we come to the Father’s table with our own provision – Abraham and Sarah had God’s promise for a son but they made their own provision and Ishmael was born. Not a good thing…

We have allowed the tradition of religion to tell us that we can’t or shouldn’t expect God to bless us or to provide – excuses – we aren’t worthy or “God helps those who help themselves” and the focus gets placed on us and not on Him. We begin thinking like the prodigal son who said “the servants in my father’s house are eating well, I’ll just go be a servant”. But our Father doesn’t want servants, He wants sons!

He wants us to experience the joy of our salvation – the great and precious promises that He has provided for us through the death of His son!

“Praise the Lord, O my soul. And all that is within me, praise His holy name. 2 Praise the Lord, O my soul. And forget none of His acts of kindness. 3 He forgives all my sins. He heals all my diseases. 4 He saves my life from the grave. He crowns me with loving-kindness and pity. 5 He fills my years with good things and I am made young again like the eagle… 8 The Lord is full of loving-pity and kindness. He is slow to anger and has much loving-kindness.” Psalm 103:1-8 NLV

Maybe this life lesson was just for me. Maybe you’ve never come to the Father’s table with provisions of your own making but if you have, let me encourage you to drop your sack lunch in the receptacle at the door and come eat freely at the table the Father has prepared for you.

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Light in the Darkness

What do you do on an Arizona afternoon when it’s too hot to go outside and work on anything?

Well, if you’re retired, like Dave and I, you have a nice lunch and watch a movie. Yesterday’s movie is titled, Unbroken. It’s based on the true story of a young man who excelled in long distance running, qualified for the Olympics, enlisted in the Army in WWII, was a bombardier, spent over a month in a life raft in the Pacific, was rescued by Japanese and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner.

It wasn’t a light-hearted Hallmark movie.

At one point, he was imprisoned in a cell that had no light. I don’t know how many days he was there, but the movie showed him screaming out in the darkness. It was almost more than he could handle. This is what I was thinking about this morning when I woke up.

The darkness. Fighting the darkness.

“You save those who are suffering, but You bring low those who have pride in their eyes. 28 You make my lamp bright. The Lord my God lights my darkness.” Psalm 18:27-28 NLV

“The Lord is my light and the One Who saves me. Whom should I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom should I be afraid? 2 When sinful men, and all who hated me, came against me to destroy my flesh, they tripped and fell. 3 Even if an army gathers against me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if war rises against me, I will be sure of You.” Psalm 27:1-3 NLV

I don’t believe I will ever experience that type of darkness but, in life, we all face circumstantial darkness. For some its prejudice while others face the death of a loved one. Some face the relational darkness of loneliness and depression, many fall into the dark place of long-term illness and pain. And then there is the dark prison cell of financial destruction.

No matter the darkness, each one of us has the promise of God that He will be our light in the darkness! Amen and amen.

Going over all this I heard the words of a song I sang as a child: I Know Who Holds Tomorrow.

1 I don’t know about tomorrow,
I just live from day to day.
I don’t borrow from its sunshine,
For its skies may turn to gray.
I don’t worry o’er the future,
For I know what Jesus said,
And today I’ll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.

Refrain:
Many things about tomorrow,
I don’t seem to understand;
But I know who holds tomorrow,
And I know who holds my hand.

3 I don’t know about tomorrow,
It may bring me poverty;
But the one who feeds the sparrow,
Is the one who stands by me.
And the path that be my portion,
May be through the flame or flood,
But His presence goes before me,
And I’m covered with His blood. [Refrain]

I pray these words bring light to your dark places. Remember Jesus said, “I AM the light of the world”.

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