A new study

I am studying to write a young girl's Bible study.  Not for publication, mind you.  It will be for young girls that live in my area.

My quiet time with God is being spent learning and researching for this study.  I have purposefully asked God to use this study to teach me.

My life has been full of scheduling challenges lately.  These challenges make it difficult for me to stay focused on one thing.  So I have begun praying Psalm 5:1-3 each morning to slow me down and get my quiet time orderly.  

So I prayed Psalm 5 this morning.  Slowed down and then turned to Psalm 15 and used it to guide my prayer for myself this day.  

Fast forward to studying "the belt of truth".  I am looking up all scripture references to truth right now.  Very interesting to learn that the words faithfulness, fear God, honorably, trustworthy, integrity, assurance are all words used in the NIV translation for truth.  I will use that when explaining truth to the young girls.  

Even more interesting to me today:

     The first verse that uses the actual word "truth" in all the translations I am using is Psalm 15:2.
          "The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks
           the truth from their heart

I do believe I will use that Psalm to back up our lesson on putting on the belt of truth.   I think I may put the emphasis (mine) on THE TRUTH from their heart.

Study time.

I love that our God directs all of our steps if we let Him.

"WHICH WERE JUST AS THEY HAD BEEN TOLD"

Merry Christmas Eve!

I just read Luke 2:8-20.  The part of Jesus' birth story about the shepherds and the angels.  There are so many learning opportunities in this passage.  So many lessons from the Holy Spirit.

We could sit and ponder -
     the shepherds keeping watch at night
          the shepherds being terrified by the glory of the LORD
               the shepherds going to see "this thing" the Lord told them about
                    the shepherds spreading the word concerning what they had heard and seen.

What caught my attention and held it were the last words of verse 20:

          WHICH WERE JUST AS THEY HAD BEEN TOLD!

I began thinking of all I have been told through God's word.

God created man in His image.

I know love because God first loved me.

I know the truth and the truth has set me free.

God sent His One and Only Son.

The plans for my life were in place before I was even created in my mother's womb.

Jesus WILL return.

God is my creator, my healer, my banner, my comfort, my peace, my Savior, my teacher, my love, my light, my bridegroom, my strength, my joy. . . . 

Jesus will return when His people proclaim, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD".

God does not want me to be lukewarm.

God's word will never return to Him void, but will accomplish what he desires and achieve the purpose for which He sent it.

God's word is a lamp to guide my steps.

God will guard all that I entrust to Him.

How do you stop of list of all you have learned in God's word?  This list could just go on and on.  

My take away from this morning's quiet time is 

                        God's word proclaimed to me will ALWAYS be 

  

                              JUST AS I'VE BEEN TOLD!

 

                        

QUIET TIME 12-07-2012

I'm no writer but I do want to capture my rambling thoughts this morning.  I am even considering changing the name of this blog and using it to take notes during my quiet time. 

First reading from Matthew Henry's Commentary Job to Song of Solomon pages 560-561 Ps 119

"Who are upright and honest in their religion - undefiled in the way, not only who keep themselves pure from the pollutions of actual sin, unspotted from the world, but who are habitually sincere in their intentions, in whose spirit there is no guile, WHO ARE REALLY AS GOOD AS THEY SEEM TO BE AND ROW THE SAME WAY AS THEY LOOK."  Emphasis mine

Row the same way as they look. . . . Thought about this for quite awhile.  Actually read it for the first time two days ago and have been considering it ever since.

On to verses 7-8
I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.  I will keep thy statutes:  O forsake me not utterly.  (KJV)
I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.  I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.  (NIV)

Thoughts:  So I will be able to praise with an upright heart when I have learned God's judgments/laws?

What does learn(ed) mean in the Hebrew

From The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance page 4374
Hebrew word  4340  lamad (the first A has a line over it)
to learn, train for; to be trained; to teach, instruct, cause to learn; to be trained; with implication that the learning will be put to use: - teach, teaching, train, trained, accept, adopted, cultivated, experienced, imparted, instructors, learn well, teachers, unruly, were trained.

Bold words jumped out at me.  Made me think of my goal to one day write a book entitled:
     P.E.A.R.L. - Purposely Engaging and Actively Responding to Life

Engaging - Learning
Actively -   Putting it to use
Responding - Imparting

My thoughts:
AS I learn your judgments/laws
              I will put them to use by rowing the same way I am looking
                      and impart them to those around me.

This can be applied to all areas of my life, not just my quiet time. 

More to come. . . . . . . .

MISSION OPPORTUNITY

My mother, Maxine Patterson, is sitting between me and my brother in the picture above.  She is one amazing lady.

We are in a Bible study together on Tuesday evenings.  We have 6 small groups studying the book of James.  She is actually part of the welcome team each week.  She surprised me the first night when she asked to be in my small group. 

This week our Mission Opportunity is to minister to someone in need.  We were instructed to ask God to show us the opportunity and then we are to act on it.

Well, yesterday I was allowed the opportunity to witness my mother taking an opportunity to minister to someone and at the same time live the scripture from Matthew when Jesus responds with the question, "Who is my mother? and who are my brothers?

I went with my mother to her annual physical checkup.  I wanted to meet her doctor (again) and hear what he had to say about a couple of concerns I, along with my siblings, had.  After her checkup (which went very well) we got to go out for lunch.  We had some delicious food and some great conversation.

When we returned to her home, she looked out her front window and saw a lady who had been her neighbor until just a week or so ago coming out of the apartment next to hers.  She wondered out loud if Mrs. Blackman needed a ride back to the resident's hall.  I told her to go find out if she wanted to do that.  She did.  She came back inside, looked at me and said, "I'm not trying to run you off but she needs a ride."  She got her keys and didn't wait for me to leave first; she headed out the backdoor.

I could have had my feelings hurt a little.  I did just take the whole day off work to spend it with her.  I am her daughter, family.  I could have just said I would wait on her but she really didn't give me that option.  She didn't have to look at me and say, "Who is my daughter? and who is my sister?"  She demonstrated it.

I heard the Holy Spirit whispering to me - Look at this Child of God responding to a need without thinking.
What a lesson.  What a blessing.  I am one of the luckiest daughters in the world.

I do love Maxine Elaine Voss Patterson.

55 THINGS ON MY 55TH BIRTHDAY

I really don't know if I can accomplish this goal but I am going to try it.  AND I'm not making a list to check off.  Just going to see what I do today.

1.  Checked email - what a way to start the day.  I woke up at 3am and could not go back to sleep.  So at 4am I got out of bed and checked my email.
2.  Brewed hot tea - awesome.  Enough said.
3.  Ran/walked 3.1 miles in 47 minutes, a new record for me.  Then finished up by walking the rest of the way home for total of 3.4 miles in 54 minutes, burned 342 calories.
4.  Quiet time - Read Streams in the Desert, and then studied the readings for this coming Sunday.  What a lesson I learned.  I can't wait to hear how Pastor Shealy preaches on Sunday.
5.  Got ready - yes I am counting that because it takes time and energy to do all that stuff to be ready to walk out of the door and go shopping in a little while.  (Rereading this - I should have counted each step!)
6.  Purposely put on the ring my husband gave me on September 6, 1976.  The first piece of jewelry he gave me. 
7.  Ate breakfast.
8.  Clorax clean uped my kitchen counters so Jeb wouldn't have to do that later.
9.  Made my bed.  I know it just has to be done.
10.  Moved three cases of Coors upstairs.  Yep we drink beer occasionally and it was on a big sale so we bought it.  I just was ready for it to be out of the living room.  I live in a little house and our living room is more like a den.  But I still call it the living room. 
11.  Finally threw away the roses Jeb gave me 1 1/2 weeks ago.  They were done.
12.  Washed a load of clothes
13.  Fed Lucky - the dog!  She was very happy I did that.
14.  Opened birthday card from my mother.  Beautiful card with a check!!!
15.  Looked for a new hair dryer at Kohl's.  Didn't find one.
16.  Bought my best friend part of her birthday present.  Her birthday is next week. 
17.  Bought two - yes two - commentaries on James.  (I left them in my mother's trunk.  So sad.)
18.  Went to lunch with my mama.  55 years ago around 10:30am I was born.  60 years ago at 2:00pm my parents were married in Freeport, Illinois.  (I was child #3.  3 children in 5 years!!)
19.  Answered an email from a friend.
20.  Laughed hard when my mama told me about arriving at the motel on their wedding night.
21.  Went to Dress Barn.
22.  Bought the cutest vest that looks like a scarf.  It is great.
23.  Folded the load of clothes that had been left in the dryer by my husband.  (What a shock, he really doesn't ever do this.  He's a put everything in its place right away person.  Thank you Lord.  Because I am not that person.)
24.  Opened two birthday cards I received in the mail.
25.  Puts the clothes in the dryer.
26.  Drove to Freeman's Bakery. 
27.  Bought a birthday present for my best friend.  Debbie if you're reading this, it will make you wonder for 7 days.
28.  Bought a loaf of bread for someone that has been on my heart and mind all day.
29.  Bought a cranberry white chocolate chip cookie for myself - it was delicious.
30.  Went by someone's house to deliver bread. 
31.  Answered my phone while parked in front of someone's house.  Talked so long that a neighbor came outside to  look at the crazy person parked in front of her neighbor's house.
32.  Rang the doorbell of someone's house.  They were not at home.  The neighbor told me that they were at the beach.
34.  Talked to the neighbor.
35.  Drove to Lisa's house and gave her the loaf of bread.
36.  Talked to Lisa about so much stuff that it would take an hour to repeat it all.  That was so much fun.
37.  Came home/folded another load of laundry.
38.  Answered a call from Jackson.  Happy Birthday to me!!!
39.  Went to Stefano's for birthday dinner.
40.  Said yes when asked by "the management" to sample a glass of a new bottle of wine.  It was delicious.  Don't know what it was.  Just can't remember.  How sad!!
41.  Ordered not 1 but 2 pieces of "million dollar pound cake" and "tiarmisu".  Brought home half of it.
42.  Opened presents - Large Yves Delorme "provence" soap - I love this soap; Tyler candle - English Ivy; and a new bag by Rowallan.  THANK YOU PORTER'S FOR HAVING ALL OF THIS FOR MY HUSBAND TO GIVE ME!!!
43.  Read lots of birthday wishes on facebook
44.  Oh my, I still have 11 things to do before bed.  #44 typing up the list.
45.  Sat and just talked with Jeb.  How fun!  It really is fun to just sit and talk with him.
46.  Wrote two thank you notes.
47.  Answered the phone and talked with my friend Joann.  We just can't seem to get our schedules fixed to celebrate my birthday.
48.  Put on pjs
49.  Brushed my teeth.  I'm really pushing it here.
50.  Said thank you to God for such a wonderful 55th birthday.

I did do some other stuff.  It is amazing how much "stuff" we do every day.

FALL IS IN THE AIR

I went to Columbia today to spend the day with my younger sister, Lorie.  .  We talked briefly and emailed a couple of times over the weekend and decided that we would make fall wreaths for our homes. So this morning we met at Michael's on Two Notch Road and picked out all of our materials. 

When we arrived at Lorie's we set up on her breakfast table and got to work.  We painted out frames and our letters.

Next we made a quick lunch and went to eat lunch with our sister, Cynthia.  Here we are!!

Then Lorie and I headed back to her house to wrap the frames with leaf garlands.

Almost done.

Here's Lorie's on her front door.

And the one we made for Cynthia!  It was a surprise for her!!

Here is the one I made. . .

And now it is on my front door!!

We are ready for fall!  And I am ready for some CLEMSON FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HOURS CUT AGAIN!

I have the day off unexpectedly because all "non-essential" staff has been "asked" to work only 32 hours a week through the end of August. 

I usually love a day off.  But I'm not excited about this day off for two reasons.

1.  I didn't "ask" for this day off.

2.  It doesn't feel very good to be viewed as "non-essential".

 

I am having a hard time writing about this.  I feel like a big whiner.  I've written several statements and deleted them.  I keep asking myself if I really want someone to know how this makes me feel.

Well, as I was reheating my tea a few seconds ago, I decided since no one reads this blog but me, that I would use this as the beginning of my quiet time with God.

Father, I can never come to you without first just recognizing who You are.  I thank You for Your majesty, Your love, Your holiness, Your love, Your consistency, Your omnipresence, Your glory.  I thank You for loving this world so much that You sent Your Son, Jesus.  And Jesus I truly thank You for being obedient.  Your obedience leads me each day to surrender.  Thank You for teaching Your disciples so we could be taught.  Thank You for showing me how to pray in all situations and at all times.  Thank You for returning to Your Father so that the Holy Spirit could come.  Oh, and thank You Holy Spirit for being my teacher, my constant companion, my comforter, my director, my friend, my correcter (is that a word), the words in my soul.   Thank you for already blessing me with peace for this day, for a smile on my face when a few minutes ago I was frowning and oh so negative.  Thank you, just thank you for always allowing me to enter your presence.

As we begin this day, help me to be a good steward of all that you have given/blessed me.  You have always provided for me and my family.  The money will be cut, seems like that always happens right around my birthday.  What is that all about?  But I know me and when money is tight, that is when it seems like I get an itch to do more for others.  So help me to be discerning and know when it's time to scratch that itch and when it's time to leave it alone.

I always over plan a day off, Lord, and today is no exception.  I have so many things crowding my mind.  Exercise, mow the grass, complete my presentation for Saturday, balance the checkbook, buy new flowers for the pots in the front yard, vacuum the house, wash clothes/linens, quiet time (how did that get in the middle since we always do that first), call ~50 people for Betty's fundraiser, call all the teachers for the fall Bible study, send handwritten notes to all the teachers for the fall Bible study, plan menus for the rest of this month and September, call my mom, check on my siblings, call Carrie, etc, etc, etc. . . . . take a nap!!!

So Father, please slow me down.  I truly pray to have eyes that see today, see Your glory.  I pray to have ears that hear Your voice while I study and then as I work at home, I pray for a mind that not only takes in what I see and hear but understands what I am seeing and hearing.  And then Oh Father, help me to hide it all in my heart that I might not sin against You and that I might take it with me wherever we go today and proclaim it.

This blog began one way for me and now it is ending another way. 

So what if I didn't "ask" for this day off?  I will remember that:

     THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HATH MADE, I WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!
                         PSALM 118:24

So what if I am considered "non-essential" by the world?  I will remember that:

     FOR WE ARE GOD'S WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS TO DO GOOD
     WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED IN ADVANCE FOR US TO DO.
                         EPHESIANS 2:10

I am going to rejoice in this day and be glad doing the works which God prepared for me in advance!!