| Wednesday, August 26, 2009 |
| New Beginnings (Gail Matthews) |
School has begun! As a teacher, I always loved the beginning of school. Everything was so “in order”! My supplies were new and fresh and clean. My classroom was straight. My gradebook was in alphabetical order with no whiteouts. It provided quite a contrast to that last day of school at the end of May! But the beginning was (and is!) a time of new beginnings, fresh starts. I feel those emotions and that energy and excitement every September. In fact, I keep buying new pencils and pens in September!
In addition to my supplies being new and fresh, my determination was as well – the determination, the will, to do the best job I possibly could do. The list of my own, personal “I wills” included things such as: “I will” treat each of these young men and women with respect. “I will” stay current on grading papers so I can give timely correction. “I will” praise and commend more often than I critique and correct. Etc. Did I succeed 100%? Of course not! But the awareness, the desire, the “will” was there.
September is here. I still use it as a time to reflect on the “I wills” in my life. What are the things that I determine to focus upon as this time of new beginnings is here - the things that I determine to do, to be? Will you join me? Perhaps your determination, your "I wills" need to be refreshed. I know that mine do quite often. Life has a way of beating us down into survival mode. We have to fight that way of living and continually remember and re-determine.
For a devotional reading today, look to Psalm 63. Read it with your eyes looking for the “I wills” from David. What determination from this man of God. I loved listing his “I wills” from this Psalm. The following things really are a decision of the “will” …
Will you join me in determining to commit to these “I wills”? After all ... September is here!
1. I will seek You
2. I will glorify You
3. I will lift up my hands in Your Name
4. I will be satisfied
5. I will praise You with singing
6. I will remember You on my bed
7. I will think of You
8. I will sing in the shadow of Your wing
9. I will cling to You
10. I will rejoice in my God
The best “Top Ten” list I can imagine …
Labels: Devotional Moments |
posted by gm @ 10:52 AM  |
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| Tuesday, August 11, 2009 |
| Observations from Jeremiah (Ruby Murphy) |
(Note: Ruby's private study has been in the book of Jeremiah and what follows are some of her observations. You may want to read these first four chapters as you contemplate Ruby's thoughts.)
Every time I pick up my bible, I go back and reread these chapters. I'm not sure why, but I feel it's what I need to do. Just a couple of observations from my reading. Based on the imagery here, and the way God talks to the Israelites, He doesn't just feel betrayed, He feels violated, dirty, raped even. By using the husband/wife trust, and also the comparison to a prostitute you can really feel His hurt and anger at what they have done to Him. And He is appalled at the fact that they don't even hang their head in shame, but have the "brazen look of a prostitute" (chapter 3, verse 3).
And yet, when things go wrong who is the 1st one they call on? Isn't that just like us today? Do what we want, and then ask God to rescue us from the problems we tend to create? My prayer lately has been to not be like that.
I want to walk in His light, no matter what the circumstance of the moment is.
And last, in chapter 3, verse 9 God talks about faithless Israel and Juday. He seems to be more upset with Judah because she didn't return to Him in her heart, just in pretense. To me, that shows God is more concerned with my heart (read that as "true motivations") than anything else. This has made me pray for a true heart.
Eventually I will make it past chapter 4, but god is keeping me there for a reason, I am sure!
Prayer: Lord, help me be the kind of woman who listens to Your voice first - then responds. I desire a heart that is true to You ... always.Labels: Devotional Moments |
| posted by gm @ 3:18 PM |
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| Monday, August 10, 2009 |
| "Perfection" (Danielle DeCarlo) |
I prayed for a healthy baby when I was pregnant. Don't we all? I didn't know what the sex of the baby would be, but I wanted him to be healthy. I struggled a bit with how God answered my prayer: Was it yes or no? Really, Justin is amazingly healthy for having DS (Downs Syndrome). Even before heart surgery there was little outward evidence of a problem. And he did not have any ear infections his first year. But is he healthy? I have been learning some of Justin's idiosyncrasies and I think it is a reasonable assumption that nothing in Justin's body works exactly the way it should. But God allows for amazing adaptation and compensation. And we are learning together. I am so thankful that God has surrounded us with many brilliant people who have helped us brainstorm ideas and work through problems.
When I was in college I read a book called A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Van Auken. It is the autobiographical story of Sheldon and his wife, Davy and their friendship with C. S. Lewis. Lewis wrote, "One way or another, the thing (romantic love) had to die. Perpetual springtime is not allowed. You were not cutting the wood of life according to the grain. There are various possible ways in which it could have died though both the parties went on living. You have been treated with a severe mercy. You have been brought to see ... that you were jealous of God." I some ways I consider Justin my severe mercy. Since birth I have been awed by the ways that God works. I allowed myself to be stagnant and satisfied and that was not what God wanted for me. I was blind to his call. I have been amazed by God's character. God reaches out to me through Justin and I want to reach back.
One think that I can definitely say is that I long for heaven in a new way. I have been content on earth. It is familiar and mostly pleasant. But having my world turned over and then experiencing the awesome power and comfort of God has made me much bolder to ask, "Lord, please come quickly!" Knowing God and trusting Him makes heaven so much sweeter and better than the shadows we know on earth. And heaven promised healing. I think that the same way God said, "It is good" when he made me or Travis, He said when He made Justin. He is God's perfect earthly Justin. HE is perfectly formed to be and do the tasks that God has planned for him on this earth. Without DS, it wouldn't be right. But heaven, it's completely different. I wonder what that will look like, but I know without a doubt that it will be even better. And so there is my answer, not yes, not no, but later. That is perfection.Labels: Learning Through Family |
| posted by gm @ 3:23 PM |
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