Bec's Blurb

Green Pastures

2012-01-27T04:33:00.001-08:00

Psalm 23:2 HE MAKES ME LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES!

You know I love to lie down. I love a good nap. BUT. . . . . . . .

WHEN "He makes me lie down" sometimes I just don't want to.

I'm just wondering if sometimes I MISS THE GREEN PASTURES because I don't want to lie down.

My prayer today,
"Help me Father God, to lie down in YOUR GREEN PASTURE willingly.

Something to look forward to. . .

2012-01-07T06:06:00.000-08:00

http://www.riverjordan.us/praying-for-strangers/praying-for-strangers-12-keys-in-12-weeks/

My mother-in-law lent me a book, Praying For Strangers by River Jordan.

I know it made an impact on her just by the way she wouldn't stop looking for the book so she could lend it to me.

I did a little research and found River Jordan's blog and found River Jordan on facebook. Read some and found the 12 keys in 12 weeks.

The week of Feb 20, 2012 I will take a week away from work. Don't know if I will stay home or go away. My desire is to spend the week at the beach in a FREE place. (Don't have the funds to spend on that extravagance so may just have to spend it right in my own home. I have let God know this desire.)

Anyway, I will be finished with all of my teaching/leading responsibilities in Bible study for awhile on February 18th. So, I am going to begin the 12 keys in 12 weeks and just see where God will lead me.

Anybody want to join me?

A DOUBLE CONTEMPLATION

2011-12-23T03:53:00.000-08:00

I am contemplating this statement.

"If you do something on purpose (not by accident), you do it purposely. But if you have a specific purpose in mind, you are acting purposefully."
(Common Errors in English Usage: The Book 2nd Edition, November, 2008)

I enjoy looking up the meanings of words. I wanted to read the definition of PURPOSELY. I found the above statement in my search.

Now I have two words to contemplate.

A DOUBLE CONTEMPLATION!!

BELIEVE

2011-12-22T03:31:00.001-08:00

Yesterday my sister, Lorie, called to tell me that the house where we lived in Darlington has sold. Well, we have a contract, and we are BELIEVING it will close on or before the date on that contract.

She told me a story. I love stories. Her story involved her family, our mother, and the word BELIEVE. It truly is a wonderful story and maybe she will write it on her blog.

I just want to share what I read this morning.

"I do BELIEVE we're all connected. I do BELIEVE in positive energy. I do BELIEVE in the power of prayer. I do BELIEVE in putting good out into the world. And I BELIEVE in taking care of each other" - Harvey Fierstein

Baby Jude Morrison

2011-12-14T19:21:00.000-08:00

About 7 years ago I met the Marchette family in Florence. I worked with one daughter, Rose, and helped in the treatment of another daughter, Rachel, in therapy. Rose and her husband's second child, Jude, was born at MUSC a little over a week ago. Please go to her blog to find out about Jude and please pray for this precious child.

http://babymorrison2.blogspot.com/2011/12/big-blue-eyes.html?showComment=1323919277175#c1870623448394942431

Self Pity

2011-12-09T04:23:00.001-08:00

I've had an especially stressful two weeks. As I was driving home and just thinking to myself I heard something like this on WMXK:

Self pity is self worship.
Self worship is sin.
Sin drags you into a pit.

I actually laughed out loud and said, "Thanks God. I think I heard you!"

"NEVER"

2011-12-05T18:02:00.001-08:00

Received this blog from John Piper's blog today:J. C. Ryle in Be Content —

Stick to that word "never." It is worth its weight in gold. Cling to it as a drowning man clings to a rope. Grasp it firmly, as a soldier attacked on all sides grasps his sword. God has said, and will stand to it, "I will never leave you!"

"Never!" Though your heart often faints, and you are sick of self, and your many failures and infirmities; even then the promise will not fail.

"Never!" Though the devil whispers, 'I shall have you at last! In little while, your faith will fail, and you will be mine!' Even then, God will keep his Word.

"Never!" Though waves of trouble go over your head, and all hope seems taken away. Even then the Word of God will stand.

"Never!" When the cold chill of death is creeping over you, and friends can do no more, and you are starting on that journey from which there is no return. Even then—Christ will not forsake you.

"Never!" When the Day of Judgment comes, and the books are opened, and the dead are rising from their graves, and eternity is beginning. Even then the promise will bear all your weight. Christ will not leave his hold on your soul.

I pray I will NEVER forget!!

Forgiveness

2011-10-24T03:45:00.000-07:00

This morning I read in David Seeking A Heart Like His by Beth Moore:

"Had those who crucified Jesus asked for forgiveness? No. had they admitted their wrong? No. Then why did Christ ask God to forgive them? I believe His purpose was not for His persecutors to be let off the hook but for Christ to disavow bitterness. he chose to continue His painful destiny with the love of the Father in Him. He made no room for unforgiveness".

I am asking God to show me if there is any unforgiveness in my heart. If so, I know He will help me deal with it and move on to peace in Him.

Turn Your Eyes

2011-10-21T06:22:00.000-07:00

I just completed my morning exercise. Only because I have the day off. I do not usually exercise in the morning.

I left the house with a plan.

1. I would walk the first block to warm up.

2. I would run from the first break in the median to the second break in the median.

3. I would walk from the second break in the median to the third break.

4. I would continue to alternate running and walking until I arrived home.

5, My goal: to move at 4 mph.

I was doing well. Cardio trainer on my cellphone was keeping me up to date on my progress. I was warmed up. My breathing had gotten under control. My hamstring was not hurting. My left foot had not gone to sleep. I was marveling at the wonder of God's world. I was moving at 4.1 mph. I was pretty pleased with myself.

My cellphone alerted me to a text message and I slowed down to a walk. I read my message. I responded.I hit the wrong button and my workout program paused. I tapped my phone again and heard:

WORKOUT COMPLETE!!!!!!!!!!!

Nooooooooooooo my workout was not complete. I still had at least 1 mile to go. I had not burned all the calories I wanted to burn. I had not. . . . . . . .

My warm muscles WERE getting cool. I started to run. My excitement WAS gone. I slowed down.My hamstring WAS hurting. I started to walk.My goal. Well, my goal of having a pace of at least 4 mph WAS not achieved.

As I WALKED home I reflected on what had gone wrong. I RESPONDED to a distraction that did not needa response. And I asked myself,

"How often do I TURN MY EYES away from the race God has set before me because of a distraction"?

These lyrics came to my mind:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the Light of his Glory and Grace

Did I commit a sin by answering my text message? NO!! But it did give me a LIFE LESSON for my day.

1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

I pray as I run through this day following God wherever HE is leading me, that I will run to get the prize. Theprize of keeping my eyes on Him so that I will bring glory to His name.

Counting my BLESSINGS

2011-09-13T05:06:00.000-07:00

My friend, Roxie, asked me several weeks ago to join her in a using a devotional book. She asked me to be her accountability partner. I accidentally picked up the wrong book. She is using Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be and I am using Becoming the Woman I Want To Be. They are both by author Donna Partow. Today in the section "Action to take" I read, "Count your blessings. List five things you can be grateful for and choose to focus on them today. Then go a step further and remind your family and friends how blessed they are too". My list:1. HOT shower - It was my very first OUT LOUD thank you to God this morning. I had not read my devotion yet. It just happened to be my first OUT LOUD thank you to God. A local church group has adopted a battalion in Afghanistan. The men and women only shower once a month. Makes me cry. Makes me thankful.2. Friends3. Love of my husband4. Choose what I eat5. LaughterThat's my list, what's yours?And how do you begin a new paragraph? Can you tell I don't blog very often. I want paragraphs!!

Be Restless, Wiggly, Jumpy

2010-06-09T03:53:00.000-07:00

My quiet time is different every morning. It usually starts the same way and sometimes I study the same topic/word/etc for quite awhile. BUT. . . I do really try to allow the Holy Spirit to direct me. If I feel the urge to pray, I will stop what I am doing and go to the spot where I really pray. If I feel led to leave a study and just read a certain passage and meditate on it, I do that.

Today has been different. I have been meditating on some things said at my Bible study last night. The main focus is how we change the meanings of words. I pulled out my copy of C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity last night with the goal of actually reading the whole book this time. He talks about how the definition of the word "gentleman" changed. (Read the intro if you want specifics).

Made me ponder how we update the Word of God. Now before I hear anything from someone about how great this or that translation is - actually I'm not hearing from anyone so before I start telling myself which translation I just love - I know the people who have given us different versions supposedly really searched for the correct words to use in translation. But if I just always take someone else's word without searching out meaning for myself, aren't I just selling God short? (Ramble, ramble)

Back to Restless, Wiggly, Jumpy!!

In Psalm 83:1 the psalmist uses the word NOT three times. "Do not" implies "DO". So I started looking up the opposite of the words I found in my concordance. I looked up a whole bunch of words.

The word I am studying right now is: STILL.

The opposite of STILL is: RESTLESS, WIGGLY, JUMPY

I loved that. Instead of saying to my God "O God, be not still." I can say,

"O God, be RESTLESS!"

"O God, be WIGGLY!"

"O God, be JUMPY!"

I like thinking that my God will be RESTLESS, WIGGLY, AND JUMPY on my behalf.

Pierced Ears

2010-06-04T03:32:00.000-07:00

Friday morning I was reading and praying Psalm 40. If you have never prayed through the Psalms, please do it. You will end up learning so much and just falling in love with our God all over again.

Anyway, I am having this wonderful time with God, praying His word for myself, my family, my friends, and just for people everywhere. I arrived at
verse 6.

"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced;"

What does any girly girl do when she reads "but my ears you have pierced" when she is taking everything literally?

You guessed it!! I touched my pierced ears! When I realized what I had done I started laughing and then couldn't stop laughing.

Ok, I know God didn't pierce my ears. I got my ears pierced when I was 19 in a jewelry store in Darlington, SC. My dear husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, gave me a present one day. The money to have my ears pierced.

Anyway, when I settled down I thought, I just called myself a "girly girl". Such a change from my younger days.

I had laughed about touching my pierced ears. I had called myself a girly girl.
Then I just sat and thought about how God has changed my life. And I began thanking God for all He has done for me.

When God pierced my ears - opened my ears- to His call, He changed me.
From darkness to light,
from death to life,
from sadness to joy
from chaos to peace
from ok to great
from oppressed to free
from hungry to filled
from . . . . . . .

I am sure there are a gazillion ways he has changed us all. My list is not poetic and probably there is a list similar to this in a book or on the internet that would move a million hearts. This is my list for right this minute, ten minutes from now it might be different depending on where He leads me.

Just made me wonder how did God change you when He pierced your ears?

2010-06-01T03:21:00.000-07:00

Psalm 83:1
O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still,

Learning to be at rest is not easy. To quote a popular saying, "It is a process."

I don't really like to hear things like, "It is a process", "Think outside the box", "We need a paradigm shift", "It will just take time".

I think I will have to "stay put" on the verse for awhile. Does that ever happen to you? You read a short verse of scripture and you just know that this verse is short in words but not short in message.

I've started digging on this one just today. Three words are calling out to me.

1. Silent
2. Quiet
3. Still

SILENT - Hebrew word (d-m-m II) maybe derived from (d-m-m I) (1954)
silence, rest:-rest, silent

QUIET - Hebrew word (hares) (3087)
to be silent, be quiet; to become deaf; to be quiet, say nothing, be silent; to make no moves, keep silent:- silent, quiet, says nothing, deaf, altogether silent, fail to speak, holds tongue, keeps silent, kept quiet, made no move, reduce to silence, remain silent, said no more, say nothing, saying nothing, says nothing, still, stop, turn a deaf ear, without saying a word.

STILL- Hebrew word (saqaf) (9200)
to be at rest, be at peace, remain calm, quietness, unconcerned

My first research into Psalm 83 has been reading the commentary in my study Bible and at this website - http://www.easyenglish.info/psalms/psalm083-taw.htm.

First impression:
Think I have a long way to go on this one. The meanings that have struck a cord with me are in bold above.

I am still focusing on "being still" but I need to understand the three words: silent, quiet, and still in the context of Psalm 83.

Right back to CAUSE AND EFFECT

2010-05-31T05:07:00.000-07:00

Psalm 89:9
You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them.

Hebrew word in this passage - sabah (8656)
to keep still, to cause stillness, keeps, still, stilled

My note from several weeks ago in my quiet time notebook:
"This is showing me again, to be still is active. It is the cause sometimes and it is the effect sometimes."

Today is Memorial Day. I do not have to work on this Monday. How wonderful for me, right? I woke this morning to the sound of my husband working in the yard. I do enjoy yardwork sometimes. What I enjoy is chopping stuff down. I like the cleaning out of the bamboo in the backyard, I like pruning the azaleas in the front yard. Stuff like that. I like it once a blue moon.

Sitting down to begin my quiet time was a definite choice because I really wanted to just put on some shorts and go outside. But if I had done that I would have not had my quiet time this morning.

I have made the choice to never read just one verse during my study. I read the ones before and after the verse I have been led to study. If you haven't read Psalm 89 in a long time, it's a long one. 52 verses long. I decided I would read just the part of Psalm 89 that contained verse 9. All that did was get me curious. So I read the entire Psalm not once but twice.

Made me wonder who had written this and why. So I Googled "Ethan the Ezrahite" and I found a sermon. I didn't look to see who had written the sermon, I just started reading it. You can find the sermon at the web address:
http://www.mppres.org/sermons/1999/121999.htm

Right in the middle of finding out about Ethan's circumstances I find this paragraph:

"Cause and effect. In other words, the Bible makes it clear that nothing has happened to Rehoboam that is outside of God's promise to David. Pharaoh Shishak was God's rod of discipline for Rehoboam."

There is much to learn from the sermon, "Ethan the Ezrahite Takes on God" by Dave Wilkinson. I have made that particular sermon one of my bookmarks for right now so I can go back to it.

Anyway, I am right back to learning CAUSE AND EFFECT in being still.

So glad I chose to meet my God, whom I can call Father (read the sermon and that will mean more to you) this morning first instead of going outside to chop stuff in my yard.

My prayer is to be even more aware of when I need "to cause stillness" in my life.

Finding REST

2010-05-30T04:52:00.000-07:00

Today I don't have much time to actually type out the scripture for my next Hebrew word so if someone is reading this you will have to look up and read for yourself the following:

Jeremiah 47:6
Psalm 37:7
Joshua 10:13
Joshua 10:12
Exodus 15:16

Actually I will come back later and type it all out because I want it here for me, too.

The Hebrew word in these verses - damam (1957)

to be still, be silent, be quiet, rest, find rest, keeps quiet, rest, silence, stand still, stops, wait, waiting in silence

I have a very dear friend, Carrie. She is in the last stage of a lung disease. BUT she is not in the last stage of life.

She went to a doctor's appointment this past week. One of our friends went with her to support her and to hear what the doctor would say. The friend said after much paper shuffling by the doctor, when he could not really find the words to say, beautiful sweet Carrie leaned forward and said to the doctor, "You need to know that I am not afraid. It is going to be alright."

What a wonderful witness she is to her friends and to her doctor. She is finding rest in her LORD.

She is one of the examples in my life of BEING STILL in the LORD!

A CONTINUING

2010-05-29T07:06:00.000-07:00

Daniel 9:21 - NIV
While I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.

Daniel 9:20-21 - The Message

"While I was pouring out my heart, baring my sins and the sins of my people Israel, praying my life out before my God, interceding for the holy mountain of my God — while I was absorbed in this praying, the humanlike Gabriel, the one I had seen in an earlier vision, approached me, flying in like a bird about the time of evening worship.

I feel the need to go back to school and take a course in Hebrew. Maybe many courses in Hebrew. I have been doing some research online for this next Hebrew word for still. I don't know how to type the symbols/accents for the Hebrew words I am finding, so they really don't look like they are suppose to look. So excuse that error on this blog.

Anyway,from my Strongs I found "still in prayer" or "Absorbed in this praying" is from the Hebrew word "od" (6388)meaning:
this is not an absence of moving - this is continuing; stopped, remain, how long,
kept on, stands

In Aramaeic (10531) "od" meaning: yet still

BUT online in a Hebrew dictionary the word "od" had only one definition: MORE.

This word MORE hit me because I have been hearing the same words over and over this past month. I feel like He has had to say "I am going to tell you this one MORE time. The words, do what I told you".

On May 4th I heard not an audible voice but a "still" small voice during my morning prayer say, "Ok, that's enough asking about that. Start thanking me!" It makes me smile to remember that event. I wish I had a picture of the look on my face. I literally remember opening my eyes and saying out loud, "WOW!

On May 7th I read, "How long shall we pray? De we not come to a place where we may cease from our petitions and rest the matter in God's hands? There is but one answer. Pray until the thing you pray for has actually been granted, or until you have the assurance in your heart that it will be."

On May 14th I read, "Instant obedience is the only kind of obedience there is; delayed obedience is disobedience. Every time God calls us to any duty, He is offering to make a covenant with us; doing the duty is our part, and He will do His part in special blessing." and "Luther says that a 'true believer will crucify the question, 'Why?' He will obey without questioning.' I will not be one of those who, except they see signs and wonders, will in no wise believe. I will obey without questioning."

On May 19th I read, "Every right prayer is answered before the prayer itself is finished - before we have 'done speaking'." and "When we believe for a blessing, we must take the attitude of faith; and begin to act and pray as if we had the blessing."

On May 26th I read, "Our praise will still open fountains in the desert, when murmuring will only bring us judgment, and even prayer may fail to reach the fountains of blessing."

Since that morning of May 4th I have been doing a whole lot of "do what I told you". A whole lot of "thanking". In a way, it has changed my prayer life. For over 20 years I have been praying several very specific prayers. For over 15 years I have been praying for my future daughters-in-law, whoever they may be. For about 2 years I have been praying for guidance in knowing for certain where my husband and I should worship on Sunday mornings. There are other things, too. Anyway, my prayers for the things I have mentioned have turned to thanksgiving. There are now other burdens I pray for when led by the Holy Spirit. I have begun asking my God, "what are the burdens on Your heart for this day."

My BEING STILL in this lesson for me is: (1) Thank God for what He has already done that I just may not be aware of and (2) allow the Holy Spirit to guide me into some MORE new things to lift up in prayer.

I think I really like the Hebrew word "od".

(All quotes are from "Streams In The Desert".

Being Still in the backyard

2010-05-28T03:53:00.001-07:00

This morning I decided to to sit in my backyard with my Bible for my quiet time.

It's amazing what you can learn when you sit still for just a few moments.

On April 27th my family lost a dear friend. He weighed about 80 pounds, had brown hair, brown eyes, and smiled when he looked at you. His name was Otter. Otter was with our family for 13 1/2 years. He was the very first dog my boys ever had. My family has been grieving over his lost for a month now. Some days we just laugh about all the things he use to do and some times we shed some tears and our talk is quiet.

A couple of days after he died and we buried him in the backyard near a dogwood tree, I went to a local nursery to buy a plant or two to mark his grave. I told the lady at the nursery that the spot never received any sunlight. She looked at me kinda funny and asked if I was sure. I was very sure.

This morning during my time with God watching his sunlight begin to creep in my yard I was amazed to see just a little light fall right on the plants. As I have continued to watch the sun shine brighter and brighter on the plants that should receive no sunlight, I've thought of how God pours His blessings on me and on others when we never know it is happening because we are not being still enough to see it.

I guess I will go back to the nursery and tell the lady that my plants are receiving full sunlight every morning. I will ask her if she has another plant that I can plant that will thrive in that spot.

This has been just another ramble but what a lesson for me to Be Still and not just know He is God but to look for God.

Difference between "being still" and "standing still"

2010-05-26T03:47:00.000-07:00

What is the difference between "being still" and "standing still"?

Can a human being really be still? We are alive - we are active even when not moving - we blink, we think, our heart beats, blood is flowing. . . . .

Don't have the answer to that question just pondering it? Actually I do know we can "BE STILL" because I do not believe God would instruct us to do something that we could not do.

And in scripture we are told to "BE STILL".

Just pondering -

Habakkuk 3:11
Sun and moon stood still in the heavens at the glint of your flying arrows, at the lighting of your flashing spear.
(My note: the effect is first mentioned and then the cause)

Ezekiel 10:17
When the cherubim stood still, they (4 wheels) also stood still; and when the cherubim rose, they rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in them.
(My note: cause then effect)

Ezekiel 1:24
When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
(My note: The sounds of the first sentence are excited. The sounds of the second sentence are quiet)

Ezekiel 1:21
When the creatures moved, they (wheels) also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
(My note: cause first then effect)

The Hebrew word "amad" (6641) leads to 522, 5096, 5097, 6642, 6643, 6644, 6647

Alot of meanings, I will bold the ones that stood out to me:
to cause to stand, present (be there), be caused to stand, stopped, appointed, stationed, stay, stop, assigned, endure, put in place, set, stayed, remains, stand firm, came to a halt, propped up, protect, resist, stayed behind, take stand, unchanged, wait, emerge, enduring, gives stability, gives way, halt, joined together, keep on, leave alone, linger, making strong, on duty, occupied, pillar, post, put in charge, rebuilding, repair, resist, resisted, rise up, serve, stand the strain, stared with a fixed gaze, stood waiting, surviving, to feet, uphold.

Sometimes in life we have "to cause" ourselves "to stand" for God.
Sometimes we just have to be "present" with God.
Sometimes we are "appointed" to a task by God.
Sometimes we are "assigned" to a job by God. (Like being appointed but appointed has a happier sound to me than being assigned.)
Sometimes we need to "linger" where God has placed us.
Sometimes we are "on duty" because it is our turn for whatever.
Sometimes we are the "pillar" in a situation for our Lord and Savior.
Sometimes we are in a "rebuilding" period with God.
Sometimes we just have to "stand the strain" with God by our sides.
Sometimes we are just "surviving" by waiting on the LORD.

Still just pondering the difference between "being still" and "standing still".

Have a wonderful day pondering along with the Holy Spirit.

Cause to be still - A Choice

2010-05-25T03:40:00.000-07:00

Zechariah 2:13 - Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from His holy dwelling.

Nehemiah 8:11 - The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve."

Just a note - When you read a verse, please make sure you stop long enough to read the verses before and after the verse you are targeting. If you don't, you just wind up taking the verse out of context and then you will miss what the Holy Spirit is trying to teach you. My lesson for the day with a particular passage of scripture may not be your lesson. Read passages allowing the Holy Spirit to direct your thinking/pondering.

The Hebrew word in the two verses above is "has" (2187) which leads to "hasa" (2188).

The meanings - Silence! Quiet! Hush! be silent, be still, hush, quiet, silence; to silence, cause to be still: - silenced.

I noticed that the first three definitions were capitalized and had an exclamation point following them. I have a friend who teaches high school English. Whenever she is at Sunday School I hit her up for grammar lessons. Those first three words are not just telling someone to do something, they are COMMANDS.

I think if Zechariah was standing beside me and told me to be still because the LORD had roused himself from His holy dwelling I would BE STILL. I mean, HELLO, the LORD is moving and His man tells me to BE STILL. I'm going to BE STILL. I wonder how many times I miss hearing God telling me, "be still child, hush child, quiet now child". And because I miss those words I get to hear, "Silence! Quiet! Hush!".

I said this would ramble and this is my study so the next verse just really touches my heart. Ezra had opened the book - the word of the LORD - and then the Levites had been instructing the people in the LAW, "making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read". The people had been weeping as they listened to the Word. Isnt' that just like us, sometimes when we read the Word of God we just weep. Sometimes because we are rejoicing and sometimes because we are grieving because of sin. But here all of their leaders are telling them, stop that crying, be still, and they went on to tell them to celebrate. In the midst of their grief they were to be happy.

My family lost a precious man last September. My father passed away. Yep I still grieve, I still cry, I truly miss him. I miss him answering the telephone and saying, "Hello daughter" or "Hello middle girl" or "Hi Rebecca". The last one was fun because my name is NOT Rebecca. He named me "Beckie" with an "ie" or so my momma tells me.

Anyway, I can still my grief when I remember that my father is with THE FATHER, my father is whole, my father may just be fishing or gardening or sewing a beautiful cross stitch piece, or he may just be singing with the heavenly choir praising our Lord. I can smile when I think of that.

So I will cause myself to hush my grief for a moment and be still and thank my LORD for His mercies being new every morning. And I will go forward this day with my eyes wide open to see where HE is working since He has roused himself from His Holy Dwelling.

Rambling about BEing STILL

2010-05-24T03:40:00.001-07:00

For quite awhile I have been doing a word study on "still". I pulled out my "Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance" and chose 23 verses to study. Out of the 23 verses I found 1 Greek word and 12 Hebrew words for "still". Twenty-seven definitions struck a cord with me and one verse just stuck with me.

I am just following the lead of the Holy Spirit completely on this one and just needed some place besides my notebook to jot down/write down what I am learning. I will do it here. I would love to hear what anyone thinks of what I write down. I need to hear if I am going off on a wrong path, I want to know if you hear the Holy Spirit saying something new to you about being "still", and I just want to learn how to be truly "still" and know He is God.

Mark 4:39
He (Jesus) got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

The word rebuked (epitimao) means to warn, gave orders, said sternly, strictly warned.
That word jumped out at me. Jesus rebuked the wind. Jesus said to the waves. I saw a difference here.

I don't know what words Jesus used to rebuke the waves but he warned, he gave orders, he said sternly, he strictly warned.

Jesus said (I didn't look up this word - might need to do that) to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!". STILL here is the Greek word phimoo (5821). It means to muzzle; to silence; to be quiet: -quiet; muzzle; silence talk, silenced, speechless,still.

As I studied my thoughts turned to Cause and Effect. The wind being the cause and the waves being the effect. It was the first time I thought about having to think about the cause of needing to be still. Hope that makes sense. What is causing me to be in a situation that the Holy Spirit needs to tell me to BE STILL? It made the word, STILL, active to me. Being still has always been a stopping, a ceasing of something. I know it is that but to "Be Still" I have to make a choice.

CAUSE AND EFFECT.

The two words that jumped out at me from the definition of phimoo were: muzzle and silence talk. Silence talk has played in my head over the past month or two. Last week I read in Psalm 39:2-3

But when I was silent and still,
not even saying anything good,
my anguish increased.
My heart grew hot within me,
and as I meditated, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:

What spoke to me was that David did not SILENCE TALK. He didn't speak out loud but he did continue to speak in his heart. He meditated on whatever was going on in his life at that time and when meditated long enough he spoke with HIS tongue. He didn't speak God's word at that time, he spoke HIS word.

How many times do I silence my actual speech but I do not silence my heart? I've been chewing on that. When I start meditating on a situation and getting all hot and bothered I have been trying to turn to God recalling Psalm 46:10 and Psalm 39:2-3.

That's all the time I have. Hope to hear from someone.

God is Holding my Heart

2010-02-24T03:54:00.001-08:00

When life pulls your heartstrings, remember who is holding your heart! -bp

God's burdens

2010-02-13T03:50:00.000-08:00

"Difficulty is sent to reveal to us what God can do in answer to the faith that prays and works." Bible Devotional Commentary

I read the above quote during my quiet time this morning. It made me think about what I took away from a book I recently read.

Do I just pray the burdens that are on my heart or do I ask God to reveal to me the burdens of His heart?

I now ask God to place on my heart His burdens. Maybe I will experience some added difficulty but I can't wait to see the revelation of the prays and works that God will accomplish.

Bible Study Workshop

2010-02-07T04:18:00.000-08:00

This is the 4th Sunday of a class I have been leading for the women at St. Luke. I have learned so much preparing for them that I just might put the info I've found here. I almost don't want it to end - the study to get ready, the writing, then just giving it out. I have been so blessed.

Today we will use Psalm 138 as a devotion right in the middle of class. So excited to change things up on the last day.

The last verse (8) is so awesome:

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever
do not abandon the works of your hands.

Can't wait to meet with the ladies

Clouds to Sunshine

2009-11-29T04:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I woke up at 2:30 am. Yep, 2:30 AM.

Woke up knowing I was in a cloud and didn't really want to be there. I told my husband (when he finally got up) that I was struggling and asked him to watch me and help me because I didn't want to take my cloud out on anyone. During my quiet time I just asked God to help me to run to him in the cloud. I wanted to remember as long as I was in the cloud to cling to Him.

Today, I woke up at 5:30 am. A much better time.

My quiet time - Nevertheless afterward. Hebrews 12:11

YESTERDAY - full of grief for Daddy's death, Jack's car axle broken, and the Tigers lost to Carolina. (The last one was just the topper to huge emotions.)

TODAY - rejoicing that Daddy is in heaven, we can afford to pay for Jack's car repairs, and all of my really close friends are happy!

Yesterday I awoke to darkness - literally. Today I awoke to sunrise.

Digging on Priscilla and Aquilla

2009-04-10T05:11:00.000-07:00

I have just completed two bible studies, "A Woman's Heart" at my church, and a study of Acts that began last September through Just for Women's Ministry. This is the hardest time for me in my quiet time. In the past I've had some really great personal bible studies and then I've had some times when I just bounced around looking for something. I can't just read a short devotion in the morning and be ready for my day. Just like I love a big breakfast, and really, I would eat bacon and eggs with toast and jelly every morning if I could; I just need a big douse of God before I get going or I never really get going.

I use to teach Sunday School(recently stepped down from that). Last year we used a daily devotion book on women of the bible. One Sunday I taught a lesson on Priscilla and since that time, I have been intrigued by her. So. . . .

On this past Monday morning I began digging on Priscilla and Aquilla. Don't know where it will lead me but I have already had a couple of big aha moments. So for now when I blog I'll be chewing on this. Oh yeah, I'm using the inductive study method to try to dig - the who, what, when, where, why, and how - questions. If anyone does read this and you discover I am misunderstanding something, feel free to call me on it. We all need to be accountable.

Romans 16:3-5

These three verses found at the end of Romans contain alot of tidbits that add up to a really full meal.

Paul is closing this letter and asks for GREETINGS to be given to:
1 - Prisca and Aquila
2 - All the churches of the Gentiles
3 - The church in Prisca and Aquila's home
4 - Epaenetus

My "WHY" question that day was: Why is Paul GREETING them?
1 - Prisca and Aquila are fellow workers in Christ, they risked their necks for Paul, he wanted to say thank you, they had a church in their home
2 - Paul was thanking all the churches of the Gentiles, fellow believers
3 - Paul was greeting fellow believers
4 - Paul was greeting fellow believer, even 1st believer in Asia

It took me about 40 minutes to get through to my "HOW" questions for the day. I asked God, so HOW does this apply to me? I came up with four questions I needed to ask myself.

1. Do I GREET my fellow workers in Christ?
I thought about church and asked my self, "Do I just greet those people at church that I know well?" Probably yes. I speak to alot of people but I don't know that I always greet everyone.

The word GREET in Greek is aspazomai. It means to welcome, greet. Ok I could just stop right there. I know I don't always welcome everyone. Gotta work on that one.

2. Do I stand up for my fellow workers in Christ?
Ok gotta work on that one, too. There are times when I just don't speak up and I know I should. Prisca (I just love that nickname) and Aquila not only stood up but risked their necks for Paul and for Christ.

3. Do I thank my fellow workers in Christ for what they do?
I do pretty good on this one. I can always improve but I try to make it a point of thanking people wherever I am for what they do for me. I, also, in the past couple of years have tried very hard to look people in the eye when they thank me for something and say "You are welcome". Did you notice, there's that word, aspazomai. To acknowledge thanks is greeting, too!!!

4. Do I reach out beyond the believers I know or do I stay in my little circle?
Gotta really work on this one. I get as tongue tied as Moses when I am around people I don't know or in an unfamiliar situation. Need me an Aaron or need to trust God more.

Ok, so at work on Tuesday morning, a new patient came in. I GREETED her, said the usual, then told one of my fellow workers that I just couldn't key her in. That means I didn't want to register her. This new patient smelled horrible. I don't just mean a little bit bad I mean she smelled like she had smoked 20 packs of cigarettes in a small room and then walked in our door. I didn't register her, one of my co-workers took care of that.

I left to go marketing and while I was driving to my second stop, it hit me so hard, tears filled my eyes. I did not GREET this person. I did not WELCOME her. I did everything but run from her. God and I had a conversation about that right then and there. When I got back to work I went to "the child" and told her about this. My question to her was, "What opportunity did I just pass up by not GREETING this person?"

I pray God will help me to keep my eyes wide open so that I won't fail to GREET his children.

Romans 16:3-5 Three little verses that I have read many, many times and never paid close attention to until now.

GREETINGS

UNimportant to Important

2009-03-07T06:48:00.000-08:00

I've been feeling a little UNimportant the past couple of days. That is a very UNcomfortable feeling. It leads to UNcontrollable anxious thoughts. It causes me to be UNable to remain focused on a task. It leaves me with many UNanswered questions. It may even lead me to make UNbecoming comments.

Why am I sharing such negative feelings? Because I really want to share how those feelings were changed.

My husband has set up our computers at home so that when we log on, a bible verse from BibleGateway.com is on our homepage. I read the verse first thing this morning and really didn't pay that much attention to it. Psalm 139:23-24. I spent some time on the computer, took a shower, and then got ready for my quiet time with the LORD. As I began, I started by telling God how I've been feeling. I didn't quite know what scripture to turn to for relief. So I turned to the back of Psalms in my study Bible where I can find a little help: "When you feel. . ."

There are all kind of feelings listed: afraid, cheated, depressed,. . . .

Then I came upon UNIMPORTANT. It hit a chord in my soul!! The Psalms listed were
5; 90; 139

Bingo!

I did read and pray Psalm 5 which actually contains my favorite bible verse:
3. In the morning O LORD, you will hear my voice,
In the morning I will order my prayer to You, and eagerly watch.

I did read and pray Psalm 90.

And then I began reading and praying Psalm 139. Our God is so glorious and so faithful. His word is sharper than any 2-edged sword. (Heb 4:12) It is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. (2 Tim 3:16).

How can I feel Unimportant when my God:
searches me continually,
knows everything I am doing,
understands all my thoughts,
is scrutinizing my path,
knows what I will say before the words leave my tongue,
encloses me behind and before,
has laid HIS hand on me,
is always present,
leads me wherever I go,
is in the dark,
formed my inward parts,
knows all my days,
shares HIS thoughts with me,
knows my heart,
tries me,
knows my anxious thoughts,
leads me in the everlasting way!!!!!!

To the world I may just be another person, BUT to my LORD I am important. I'll just keep reminding myself of that!

I love Saturday's!!

2009-02-14T08:54:00.000-08:00

I love Saturday's. I really love this Saturday because it is Valentine's Day.

Jeb beat me saying, "Happy Valentine's Day" this year. I was walking over to give him a good morning kiss and he smiled and said it very fast. It sounded like "happyvalentinesday"! He made me a card and I took a picture of it. (if I can figure out how to post pictures I will post it)

I cooked breakfast for us and we just hung out for awhile.

What a wonderful sweet man of my life. We will go out to eat this evening.

DATE NIGHT!!!!

I just love Saturday's especially when it's Valentine's Day!

Genius and Laughter

2009-02-13T03:58:00.000-08:00

"Anytime we spend time in the Word of God, and search for Him with a Sincere heart, God will reveal Himself and it will effect every aspect of our life."
- The Child

Yesterday the Child and I were talking as we worked and she said the above statement. It stopped me in my tracks and I told her she had to say it again because I wanted to write it down. She wrote it down for me, handed it to me, and we went back to work. Here is our brief conversation before I laughed so hard I cried:

Me: That is really deep. I'm going to have to think about that.

Child: Every once in a while I come up with genius.

Brief pause

Child: Did I tell you I put two contacts in one eye?

Genius and laughter all from the Child in my life. What a wonderful gift I have been given.

Lesson From a Child

2009-02-09T17:12:00.000-08:00

Everyone should have a child in their life like the one I have in my life. This child does not belong to me and to many she would not be considered a child. She has been given a very large measure of faith from our heavenly Father and she shares this faith without hesitation. Many days we talk about the book we will write together and I have said my half of the book would be titled "Lessons From A Child". She takes everyday happenings and turns them into practical lessons. The lesson she taught me awhile back and that I have shared with several people is on my mind tonight. She taught me to ask myself, "Is it my turn?"

I asked the child one day, "how come you never seem to be in a bad mood?" The child is a country girl and sometimes proper English will go right over her head. So I ask her "how come" alot. Anyway she told me that she found out right after she got married that she and her husband couldn't be in a bad mood at the same time because it just didn't work. So she decided that whenever her husband seemed to be in a bad mood that she would tell herself that it wasn't her turn to be in a bad mood. She could have a bad mood later. By putting off her bad mood, she found that she didn't have very many bad moods. So in life, wherever she is, if her day isn't going just right she checks first to see if someone else has claimed being in a bad mood. If they have by their words or actions then it just isn't her turn. What can I tell you? Makes perfect sense to me. If more us, including me, would just check out to see if it really is our turn to be in a bad mood I bet there would be alot less bad moods out there.

So that's it. The first "Lesson From a Child". By the way, the child, came up to me as I was leaving work today and said, "I just love you. I get excited coming to work because I get to see Beckie (that's me)." Everyone should be so lucky to have the child I have in my life.

I love you, too, Katherine!

Did I really want to do this?

2009-01-30T19:23:00.000-08:00

You know it's very interesting what you will do when you are very tired and listening to your little sister. I am now a blogger. woop de doo!!! What you don't know is that it is now 10:25 pm and I have been awake since 3:30 am. Later you will see photos and read about the trip to Columbia but for now. . . good night!