In the Word Wednesday #12: Time

My beloved hubby has amassed quite the watch collection over the last 2 years. It all started with the smallest watch, next to last in line. It belonged to his father (Pops!) and he received it when he retired. Hubby has had it for years, but due to his very hands-on jobs, he rarely wore it. Now he rotates between all of these and the latest one that arrived yesterday (G-Shock Rangeman, in case you are wondering).

Time. We are obsessed with time; we live in less than 700 square feet and between our watches (yes, I have a few, too), phones, clocks and other appliances, we have TWENTY time telling pieces.

I spend a lot of my time creating cards…and I finally got around to mailing a few out! 😉If I don’t take some time to write out a card, why make them, right? We spend time in church; do we take the time to serve in church? To show God’s love to others? I spend time cooking; do I take time to make extra to bless someone?

There’s a lot in Scripture about time, and how we choose to spend it. Time, for us, passes quickly and seems so short. It was only yesterday that I was 20…30…you get the idea. I can’t believe I can say, “I remember in 1975…” and it was decades ago! My oldest would have just turned 40 a few weeks ago, and my oldest grandkid is almost 17. What?

I mentioned above that my oldest would have been 40 years old…I never imagined that I would celebrate that day without her. We don’t know how much time we have with our loved ones. It is precisely the nature of our fleeting time that Jesus is concerned with. In many places in Scripture we’re told TODAY is the day of salvation. Take the time to listen to Him today. 💛

Blessings, my friends,

Barbara

In the Word Wednesday #10 Names of God by Ann Spangler

Good morning friends!

I know last week I said I was going to go back to a different devotional, but…this one popped off my bookshelf instead. I started it a while back, and didn’t finish (well, I selectively went through it, haha).

This features 26 weeks of study of names of God in the Bible. There’s an introduction, then 4 days of further questions and prayer. I might go through it twice or, maybe take 2 weeks to really soak in the text.

Do you have some devotionals on your bookshelf that you haven’t finished or maybe used years ago? Revisit your own books! They want to be read 😀

I did start reading Proverbs again. I’m reading it in the King James Version, the version I used when I first began my journey. I’m very glad that I have this classic foundation. The KJV is so beautiful with the poetic books (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon). It took some years for me to switch over to another version for regular reading and study, but I like to go back to the KJV for these books. What’s your go-to Bible version? Let me know, and please keep it polite. I know it can be a controversial topic, and that’s not what we’re about here.

Whatever you choose, I pray that it brings you refreshment and joy as you grow closer to God this year!

Till next week, be blessed!

Barbara

In the Word Wednesday #8: When You're Tired

There are times in this life when you are just plain tired.

The holiday season, a group of family birthdays, work responsibilities, care giving stressors, the list can go on and on. Maybe you’re facing a health issue, loss of income, family tensions. Let’s face it, life isn’t always kittens and rainbows.

But, here is where a perspective check may be in order; were we promised “easy”? Have you read through the book of Psalms? Lamentations? Ecclesiastes?

Those are perhaps my favorite portions of Scripture. The authors are real, raw and oh, so very in need…

~ in need of God’s comfort

~ in need of God’s hand to move on their behalf

~ in need of GOD

And, you know? GOD always shows up.

I won’t lie; I was tired today. I woke up later than I usually do. I had plans to do XYZ, and those went by the wayside. We had to get to the grocery store. Hubby isn’t feeling great. And, I had blog posts to catch up on, I still need to practice with my tripod to start making video tutorials, dishes were in the sink, you get the point. All I wanted to do was go back to bed.

But…I put on worship music.

But…I took out my prayer journals.

But…I took a breath, opened my Bible and read His word.

Yes. I am still a bit tired; but I filled my tank and moved on.

I encourage you, right now, to put the phone down, get off the devices, put on some praise music and open your Bible. You don’t need to carve out 2 hours. If you can only read 2 verses, DO. God is waiting for you. He meets you where you are, and will lift your spirit.

I think this is especially important when you feel tired, when you feel like life is not being fair. Spend some time in the Word. God does not disappoint. 💛

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

The word of the Lord. Blessed be His Name.

I hope you all have fabulous holidays. I will be taking a break next week, and will be back on December 27 for In the Word Wednesday.

Blessings, Barb

Image from YouVersion Bible App

In the Word Wednesday, Thanksgiving Eve

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

I am so grateful that you spend some of your precious time here reading my posts.

Every few days, I incorporate Martin Luther’s prayer “formula,” for lack of a better phrase. His barber, Peter, asked Luther how he should pray, and after prayer and thought, he came back with a 40 page document on personal prayer! Whoa!

Don’t be alarmed! I am only giving you the highlights!

The acronym is ITCP: Instruction, Thanksgiving, Confession, Praise. It has been a good way of keeping my mind focused on what I am doing. If you’re anything like me, your mind can wander even at the most sacred of times. I cannot numerate the amount of times, in church, my brain begins to think about what I’m making for dinner rather than what the pastor is speaking about. Sad, but true.

So, as you prepare for the holiday, no matter if you are hosting, traveling, going out to dinner or staying home quiet, spend some of your time in prayer, asking Gid what He is showing you (Instruction), thanking Him for insights (Thanksgiving), repenting and keeping a short account with God and seek what He is showing you (Confession), and praise Him for everything, even the stuff that’s not so much fun (Praise).

I hope everyone who reads this has a wonderful and blessed holiday weekend.

Doxology

Give Thanks, by Don Moen