Psalm 3:3-4 But you, God, shield me on all sides; You ground my feet, you lift my head high; With all my might I shout up to God, His answers thunder from the holy mountain.
Five Minute Fridays, Prompt word “LIFT”…
After years of battles with depression and anxiety, I know without a doubt that He lifts my head high. There come days of good feelings and the mind shift it right and true. I’m thankful that he lifts my head. I’m thankful that I don’t stay stuck in fear or sadness forever.
What has He saved you from?
Do you feel God on all sides?
Today, I will shout! He answered my prayers for feeling good…the new moods of my most recent months have been excellent and praise worthy! I know that He has worked through doctors, my counselor, my family, and me to find intentional ways to feel better about the days. I’m getting good sleep, I’m exercising, I’m approaching the days with new found confidence and peace. I’m grateful. I know that there are others struggling today. I want to give you grace. He is still there with you on all sides. He will lift you, but you must also take the steps to lift yourself to new places and spaces. Feeling good takes elements of work. Fall before the throne, and know He can lift your head high!
Giving thanks for these simple blessings today…
541. Jess Ray’s music on Spotify…soft and sweet
542. A morning stretch and hug from my husband
543. Spicy chai tea
544. Sitting criss cross applesauce in the desk chair…grateful I can still sit childlike
545. Bright green foliage outside our windows…rain has watered the land well this week
Psalm 145:8God is all mercy and grace— not quick to anger, is rich in love.
Proverbs 14:29Slowness to anger makes for deep understanding; a quick-tempered person stockpiles stupidity.
In doing a Biblegateway search for “anger” these verses were some that popped up! I couldn’t delete the numbering, so please ignore that. Today’s Five Minute Friday prompt word is “Disagree.”
Go.
When we get angry we are often disagreeing with someone. Recently, I got angry with my children and husband because they spent the day without me present, and the children didn’t eat lunch! I couldn’t believe they waited until day’s end to eat more than candy for breakfast. You see, I go once or twice a week to my parent’s home to help spend time and caregive for my mother. Thus, there are times I’m not at home to supervise our own children. Since they are 15 and 12 years that’s not a big deal. My husband works from home. That day he wasn’t able to break for lunch or check that they’d eaten. He thought that they had.
Back to my anger.
I was fuming that they didn’t make time to take care of their bodies and minds. Our oldest had a headache and didn’t feel like dinner. It was a frustrating moment, and I had trouble cooling my anger. I disagreed with their freedom in choice making, and I reamed out our sons and my husband. It was unfair for me to blame my husband especially. He had work to do. We had a family meeting shortly after dinner, and I tearfully apologized for my anger. There father is due praise not judgement or disagreement. We talked about life skills…showering, brushing teeth, eating meals, and proper bedtimes. The anger cooled.
What things make you angry? Did you have a “moment” this week? If you diagree with how something is handled are you cool or raging?
May we pause to think about our anger, and cool it before speaking harsh words. God willing we will use our words to affirm and correct in a calm manner. Parenting is hard ya’ll. Disagreements will happen. What is your advice for staying calm? I’ll take hints!
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” 4 A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. 5 Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death— they are like the new grass of the morning: 6 In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered.
7 We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. 8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. 9 All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. 10 Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. 11 If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. 12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
13 Relent, Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. 16 May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children.
17 May the favor[a] of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.
526. New cozy linen pants
527. A warm shower with my sweet
528. Two sweet and spicy cups of chai tea with oat milk (never had that before)…it’s not bad, but I prefer vanilla almond milk or coconut milk.
529. French Open Tennis…a good evenly matched men’s match between Djokovic and Musetti. Hard fighting players with excellent skills on the court! Perfect show to watch while it is a cloudy day outdoors.
530. Feeling of fatigue alongside our oldest son…we are battling some sort of infection but winning! Prayers as we await the COVID results from a drive-thru test yesterday. Hoping we don’t have to quarantine in the days ahead!
531. Access to fruits and vegetables along with vitamins to help our bodies heal.
532. A snuggled up dog on the edge of the couch
533. A husband that works from home so that we get to see him between calls. I love the connection it brings to our family. Thankful his “travel based job” has been anything but travel!
535. Coffee table books re-read…photo memory books of our family. Working on some new projects to add more recent vacations/years. It’s hard to keep up with printing digital photographs!
536. Tech talk amidst brothers
537. The messy and clean contrasts of our living spaces.
538. A stack of fiction and non-fiction books for summer reading
539. Blankets and throw pillows to snuggle with when you’re not feeling your best
540. Laptop to make writing cozier too.
Dear Lord, Today’s Psalm teaches us that our days are numbered. You have control over the number of them. Give us grace, peace, and thankful hearts to embrace today. We are blessed. We will be stressed, but You are with us in ALL things and in every day. Amen.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (The Message)God didn’t set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. He died for us, a death that triggered life. Whether we’re awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we’re alive with him! So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it.
Dear Lord, I screwed up last night. I used my words to tear down others at dinner. I regretted the words that spewed. I thank you for your mercy and grace. Please give my family the gift of encouragement from me next time. Begging for forgiveness from others is one thing, but coming to you is quite another. Thank you for not being angry with me, but for saving me. You are our Master and Savior. Help me. Love me. Save me from anger. Amen.
521. Anxious Kids Anxious Parents by Wilson and Lyons
522. Bonnie Gray’s words on her blog…sharing her book with her sons
523. Comments on my blog from yesterday’s Five Minute Friday post
524. Online shopping for drawer pulls to finish a touch on our master bathroom
525. Pinterest images with quotes to send to friends on Facebook for their birthday wishes.
1 Thessalonians 2:1-2 So, friends, it’s obvious that our visit to you was no waste of time. We had just been given rough treatment in Philippi, as you know, but that didn’t slow us down. We were sure of ourselves in God, and went right ahead and said our piece, presenting God’s Message to you, defiant of the opposition.
People will try to slow The Message down. Most of the world we live in would like to talk about other topics rather than Christ. What topics do we choose to talk about?
Today’s Five Minute Friday post is the word SLOW.
Looking at The Message Bible this morning, this passage above in Thessalonians stuck out to me. I liked the use of slow here. It made me pause and think about what slows me down. I’m not persecuted for The Message, but there are plenty of things to distract me from it or from sharing it.
Evangelism gets a rough or bad rap. It is looked at as a bad thing by many. The people who yell that you’re going to hell on a street corner, or the passionate person on Facebook talking harshly about a group of people facing judgement by the Lord. I think we can take evangelism and spin it into a positive though.
I think when people try to slow down our words about Christ or a our testimony, we need to press on past opposition as these Biblical characters have done. They carried the gospel with them quite literally in thought, word, and deed. Do we do the same? Don’t slow down in sharing the Good News!
Dear Lord, You are the gift. Forgive us when we are hesistant to share it/You with others. Give us persistence and confidence. Thank you for loving us, and help us to share that love with others. Amen.
“If you struggle with clutter in your home and life, the frst step I recommend is removing some of the possessions from your life. When you do, you will permanently free up space, help others, and create an opportunity for incredible self-refection and life change. Your view of your home and possessions will change, and organizing will become easier because there will be fewer items to store.“ . . . Joshua Becker is the founder of Becoming Minimalist and Simplify Magazine. He is the bestselling author of Te More of Less and Te Minimalist Home. His newest book, Tings Tat Matter, will be released in spring 2022. He is also the founder of Te Hope Effect, a nonproft organization changing the way the world cares for orphans.
I read Joshua’s digital magazine quarterly. This month’s issue is a 92 page pdf, so that will take me awhile! Simplifying or minimalism is trending. I have found it helpful for years. I told my mom long ago that I don’t want to collect anything. She has a collection of angels. She wanted to have me collect something so that she could gift me items and have a treasures. I prefer to have one of things. I consider each item special. If I have more than one I often give said item(s) away. I find joy in giving, and I have donated or given away many items in my lifetime.
Do you enjoy getting or giving?
Don’t get me wrong…I love receiving gifts also. BUT, I like them to be useful. I don’t really like fluff. I like something that will be used for years. In getting those things, I feel like money is better spent. Our kids are different. They prefer consumable items it seems…fireworks and science experiments. My husband and our sons definitely love tech too. Much more than I do. They spend hundreds of dollars on devices. But, they do use them for a long while, and they keep them to rediscover at times too. Those crazy cords often do find a re-use!
God is into purpose. I believe he would be shaking his head at all the “STUFF” we seem to amass. I hope that as this summer unfolds I will continue to go through things here and at my parent’s home so that I can give some more items away or re-purpose items that have been stored away and forgotten. My parents have been in their home since the 1970s so I always discover something there when we are cleaning and organizing that brings a smile to their face and mine. Each item does have a purpose. Finding that purpose is OUR purpose.
Buying less and using items more is a key to minimalism.
I’m working on that sentence. It’s so easy to get excited about online or in person purchases. I love gift giving at holidays and birthdays, but in reality we don’t NEED too much. Join me in praying…
Dear God, You are the overseer of our lives. Forgive us when we become self-absorbed and focus on our STUFF versus You. Give us open hands and hearts to see where we live and what we live with as gifts. Help us to honor you with our homes and our purchases. Amen.
516. Simplify Magazine by J. Becker
517. Pukka tea from England
518. Donut trip happening this morning to surprise our kids
519. Summer days and nights
520. Tennis time with friends last night
Joshua 7:22-23 Joshua sent off messengers. They ran to the tent. And there it was, buried in the tent with the silver at the bottom. They took the stuff from the tent and brought it to Joshua and to all the People of Israel and spread it out before God.
Revelation 21: 2-4 (The Message)I saw Holy Jerusalem, new-created, descending resplendent out of Heaven, as ready for God as a bride for her husband. I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: “Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They’re his people, he’s their God. He’ll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good—tears gone, crying gone, pain gone—all the first order of things gone.” The Enthroned continued, “Look! I’m making everything new. Write it all down—each word dependable and accurate.”
This is a glorious message. God’s in the neighborhood with us, His men and women! I cannot imagine God as my nextdoor neighbor…maybe down the street…just kidding. It would be weird to think that God had a residence in my neighborhood, but in reality He does. He has a home everywhere with everyone. He takes up “residence” in the hearts of many, and He is floating all around our earth to show us his “presence.” We are learning from Him and about Him.
Dear Lord, You are my neighbor. Forgive me when I do not see You. Give me grace to accept the people around me as a visions of You and Your love. My real neighbors are gifts, and they represent the people that have the potential to love so very well…myself included. Give me the heart to open our home and backyard to others with a willing heart. It is easy to stay with just our own family, and sometimes it is calmer that way. Give me the hospitality to open the door and give my time to watching kiddos play outside. Summer days are here, and You are too Lord. Amen.
506. Black tea
507. VRBO…dreaming of future vacations and places to venture off to
508. A messy desk…papers strewn…evidence of my husband who is hard at work weekly.
509. A draft of my book for edits this summer
510. A sweet Memorial Day with family and friends
511. The Grand Tour show watched with the family…it is such an entertaining (all be it crude at times) show with adventures, comedy, and interesting vehicles!
512. Comfy cotton jammies
513. Loads of laundry completed yesterday so that I don’t really have to do any today…well maybe one
514. An easy to clean up gmail inbox
515. Legomasters returns tonight on FOX…also an entertaining TV show!
