God's Word for Today

Thursday, June 25, 2009

When was the last time?????

Regretfully I was doing laundry yesterday afternoon, now this is not an unusual happening as my family insists on wearing clean clothing on a regular basis, however as I was folding cloths these tiny yellow and pink one-sies were poking out of my laundry pile.

I thought to myself that it had been nearly 14 and a years since I had tiny little baby cloths tumbling around in my dryer. I had purchased these at my last trip to Goodwill to have on hand for her next visit, as the DS is not the most efficient when it come to packing a diaper bag.


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As I was folding her tiny little cloths I found myself wondering what she was doing at that very moment, was she sleeping, getting fed, screaming her precious little head off, filling her diaper...



Look at these tiny little hands y'all!


Sleeping like an angel!

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Just showing of again! My granddaughter that is, not my folded laundry.

However the fact that I actually folded the laundry is a post worthy event as doing laundry and especially folding it is one of my lest favorite household task.

I now have photographic evidence that I have in fact actually folded laundry at lest once in June of 2009! I am waiting for my cash prize to show up any day now!!!

Blessings
Robin A.K.A Growing into Grannyhood

Monday, June 22, 2009

Just My Opinion

There are times when I am reading the scriptures when they seem to jump off the page. The old familiar words get placed before me in a new way and I am reading them from a completely different perspective.
Isaiah received these prophesy’s from God thousands of years ago but when I read them over the weekend they seemed so relevant for the times we are in today. I will also say (in my humble opinion) that the observations of how relevant some of the ancient prophesies were to the various things going on in our nation, well it made the hairs on my skin stand on end a bit.
Isaiah received his prophesies from God around 700 BC. At that time the nation of Israel had been divided into two kingdoms. He was primarily speaking to the people of Judah in the south, but both the northern Israel and the southern Judah were headed in a direction away from God, they were seeking help from other countries instead of looking to God for help. They were bowing down to man made idols and not worshiping the one true God.
Even though theses words were written down thousands of years ago when I read them over the weekend they seemed so very relavent for where our nation is right now.
Isaiah 30
ISA 30:1 "Woe to the obstinate children,"
declares the LORD,
"to those who carry out plans that are not mine,
forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit,
heaping sin upon sin;…
(skipped down to verse 8)
8 Go now, write it on a tablet for them,
inscribe it on a scroll,
that for the days to come
it may be an everlasting witness.
9 These are rebellious people, deceitful children,
children unwilling to listen to the LORD's instruction.
10 They say to the seers,
"See no more visions!"
and to the prophets,
"Give us no more visions of what is right!
Tell us pleasant things,
prophesy illusions.
11 Leave this way,
get off this path,
and stop confronting us
with the Holy One of Israel!"
12 Therefore, this is what the Holy One of Israel says:
"Because you have rejected this message,
relied on oppression
and depended on deceit,
13 this sin will become for you
like a high wall, cracked and bulging,
that collapses suddenly, in an instant.
14 It will break in pieces like pottery,
shattered so mercilessly
that among its pieces not a fragment will be found
for taking coals from a hearth
or scooping water out of a cistern."
15 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it….
(skipped down to verse 18)
18 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;
he rises to show you compassion.
For the LORD is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!
19 O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. 20 Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." 22 Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, "Away with you!"
I’m not a professor of theology, but in my humble opinion the relevance of Isaiah’s prophetic pronouncements seems to hit very close to the mark of where our nation is today.
But God is Everlasting and He will always provide a way out and a way through.
Even thought the people of Israel had turned from Him and sinned in the most horrible way possible God did not turn His back on them.
He longed for their return, He longed to be compassionate to them, to be gracious to them.
He patiently waited for their return to the right path.

God does not change.
That is the truth.

For those on the right path, the task at hand is to continue to pray for everyone to have the ears to hear God's voice saying, "This is the way; walk in it."
Blessings
Robin

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Hold Still

Hold still, I said these very words to my DD as I helped her pluck her eyebrows a few days ago.

Hold still…you say these words to your child before you begin the delicate procedure to remove a splinter from a finger or a speck of sand out of their eye.

Hold still…you do this when you are afraid.

Hold still…think of all the things that require stillness?

The title of my blog “Be Still and Know” comes from one of the very first connections I had with God’s Holy Word, it is from my much loved Psalm 46 verse 10,

“ Be still and know that I am God”.

Being still for me is the core truth that defines my relationship with Christ. I have to be willing to hold still before I can know the greatness of God.

I read a poem the other day in my “Streams in the Desert” (if you have a copy of SID the devotional is on June 20 if you would like to read the entirety of the poem, if not you can follow this link) , it was a small verse in the poem that accompanied the devotion for the day.

“God can not clear your path till you are still”

The simplicity of this statement has lingered in my thoughts ever since.

The very simple and short stanza, it seemed so wise as I pondered on it.

When I am in a whirl wind of activity, sadly I seldom stop to consider how God would have me respond to a situation. Over these last few weeks as my DD has been doing you know what, I have had some time to reflect on many different things.

I have had time, or a better definition should be is that I have made spending time in prayer and God’s word a priority in my life again.

Lord forgive me for allowing my daily life to distract me from what is truly important.

What a blessing it has been to begin my day with a good strong dose of God’s word accompanied with some quiet prayer time. Well for me if feels like coming home after a long, hard trip, falling into a soft warm bed, drifting of to sleep and then waking refreshed and renewed. I can see a bit clearer now!

Listen to these words again!

“God can not clear your path till you are still”

Prior to the DD surgery there were many thing that were littering my path, there were man made things or things I placed a higher priority on, but now I have returned to a better way. The necessary stillness I have had to adopt in my life although at times has been a bit overwhelming. It has also given me a very clear perspective at how I allowed too many things get in the way of what I know to be truly important.

God has cleared my path, it was not cleared in a way I would have chosen but it has been cleared non the less. With His might sweeping hand He has brushed away some things in my life and said “You, my sweet child, need to be sitting still at my feet!"

So here is a question.

Is you daily life so littered with other things that you do not have time to meet Him in prayer?

Is your path so full of worldly things that God is hidden beneath the debris?

I am thankful that I have had this intentional time to clear away a lot of very unimportant things from my path.

Thank you Jesus for this time of stillness and for helping me to clear away the unnecessary things that were in my way.

Blessings

Robin

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Outdoor Wednesday #23

Join me over at Southern Daydreamer for this weeks addition of Outdoor Wednesday!

In my humble opinion I think green must be God's favorite color!




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Blessings
Robin

Friday, June 12, 2009

Friday Fav Five #41



Friday Fav Five #41

#5. Getting Back to NORMAL

Well it has been almost one month since the DD Spinal Fusion. She had her Post-Op appointment yesterday. The doctor is very pleased with her recovery and so is mom. We are starting to get back to normal. She no longer requires the prescription pain meds and we have transitioned to over the counter. We are going to gradually begin to add certain levels of activity back into her schedule and all in all I am so happy that the hardest past of her recovery is behind us.

#4. Getting the green light for the DD’s orthopedic surgeon that she now has been cleared to walk the dog!!!!!!!!! We will be going on a trial run in a bit!

#3. Girls Night – Dinner and a Movie

With the hubs out of town I make it a rule to cook as little as possible if at all. I called a close friend and we made plans to meet at a new Mexican restaurant. Two mom’s two DD’s met for dinner and some good conversation and then we took a stroll through the local Blockbuster for a movie. We ended Bride Wars with Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway. It was really cute, a nice PG Chick Flick (although I was a bit disappointed that both the young women were cohabitating with their said boyfriends prior to marriage, but given the tone of today’s society those who choose to wait for marriage are in the minority) All in all it was a good movie! There might have been a Pomegranate Martini involved as well!

#2. Getting to Babysit My Granddaughter

She is three months old and came for a visit, She giggled, and she looked around, cooed, and made sweet baby noises. I got to kiss her chubby cheeks, play with her fingers, feed her, play peek-A-boo and generally have a fine time.

#1. Netflix Watch Instantly

OMGosh, I am not sure if this is a good thing or not but I LOVE it. Havening recently explored this option with my Netflix account it could rapidly become very addicting. You see all I have to do now to watch a movie is point and click. Last night when I retuned home from my accountability meeting, I tucked my DD in bed and I retired to my own room. I cot comfy in my jammies and a bowl of butter pecan ice cream and snuggle up in my bed with my laptop (since the hubs is out of town) and watched “Maid of Honor”. I did not have to go any where, do anything, just point my mouse arrow and click play and in a few minutes I’m watching a movie. It was too good. They have newly released movies as well as all my old favorites. It’s like being in movie heaven!!!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Unctuous

If y’all are regular visitors, you already know that I am a foodie.

I love all things Food Network.

One of my favorite shows on the food network in “Iron Chef America” I will even admit to watching the original series "Iron Chef" with the bad dubbing of the Japanese commentary and the ornate costumes of the chairman.

This past Sunday on an episode of Iron Chef America one of the judges, Andrew Knowlton used the word unctuous to describe one of the dished he tasted. Granted I had heard the word before but in all honesty being the grammatical challenged individual that I am I was not entirely sure I knew exactly what this description meant.

As it was nearly 11:00 PM and I was nearly asleep in front of the television anyway I ignored my desire to do a word search to find the definition and went to bed instead.

The next morning I woke up and completely forgot about the undefined word that had been placed before me on the prior evening.

But wait there’s more…

You see, I woke up at 4:30 AM this morning!

I begrudgingly rose from bed to stumble to the bathroom.

I got back in bed, curled back up in my covers and proceeded to lie in a semi conscious state for the next three hours.

What was I thinking about?

Unctuous, what did this word mean?

I kept invading my consciousness.

I kept seeing Andrew Knowlton's face as he describe this dish as having certain unctuousness about it.

Unctuous…

Unctuousness…

Being of an unctuous nature…

What was it????

unc·tu·ous (ngkch-s)

adj.

1. Characterized by affected, exaggerated, or insincere earnestness: "the unctuous, complacent court composer who is consumed with envy and self-loathing" Rhoda Koenig.

2. Having the quality or characteristics of oil or ointment; slippery.

3. Containing or composed of oil or fat.

4. Abundant in organic materials; soft and rich: unctuous soil.


[Middle English, from Old French unctueus, from Medieval Latin nctusus, from Latin nctum, ointment, from neuter past participle of unguere, to anoint.]


unctu·ous·ly adv.

unctu·ous·ness, unctu·osi·ty (-s-t) n.

Synonyms: unctuous, fulsome, oily, oleaginous, smarmy
These adjectives mean insincerely, self-servingly, or smugly agreeable or earnest: an unctuous toady; gave the dictator a fulsome introduction; oily praise; oleaginous hypocrisy; smarmy self-importance.

OK, OK I get it NOW!

but I really would have rather slept in!

Blessings

Robin A.K.A the blogger who has now added a new word to her vocabulary!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

My New Veggie Patch

In a few weeks I'll have tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, green peppers, green beans and sweet peppers!!!!!

and I can't wait!!!!!

Blessings
Robin

June 9, 2009

In a few weeks I'll have tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, green peppers, green beans and sweet peppers!!!!!

and I can't wait!!!!!

Blessings
Robin

Monday, June 8, 2009

I got sompthin “Stuck in My Craw”

Over the last several weeks I have had this nagging feeling or this constant source of irritation whirling around in my thought life. You see I’m a muller, I’m a dweller, and I have this lovely habit of letting a situation have free reign in my thought life for days, weeks, and months even.

The problem is that I may be temporarily distracted from these thoughts by something with a higher priority, but sadly when the priority is removed the difficult thoughts move back in and set up camp. I have often wondered why I have such a difficult time releasing these problematic thoughts and the feelings associate with them.

Why can’t I simply let them go and move on?

As I woke this morning I was so disappointed to find that the very first thoughts I was able to recognize were of “The Stuck in My Craw” situation I am currently processing. I had a fairly good idea of what this term meant but being the word junkie that I am I did a bit of Internet research and found the following.

stick in your craw

1. (old-fashioned) if a situation or someone's behaviour sticks in your craw, it annoys you, usually because you think it is wrong I do lots of jobs in the house but my brother says I'm lazy, and that really sticks in my craw.

2. (Australian) if someone sticks in your craw, they annoy you She sticks in my craw every time I have to deal with her.

See also: craw, stick

stick in your craw

to be unacceptable and therefore annoying to you She went to prison even though she was innocent - that case has stuck in my craw ever since.

Etymology: like something you cannot swallow, based on the literal meaning of craw ( the throat of a bird)

See also: craw, stick

On a completely different note, I will also say that I rarely remember my dreams, however this morning I awoke with some particularly upsetting and emotional images from a dream that I had.

I was laying in bed thinking about the disturbing images from my dream, feeling the ache in my hip from having laid in one position for to long and then the DD wanders in and asks,

“Mom do we have any newspapers?”

Maybe she wants to check the stock market, or clip coupons or just get caught up on her current events….

“No, why?” I ask as I slightly open one eye and glance up at her.

“The dog peed on the floor.”

I breathe a sigh of what can only be described as dread for yet another episode of “The Dog Whisperer! What not to do!” I give direction to her on how to clean up the lovely little puddle and then decide before anything more catastrophic happens I had best get out of bed.

As I was plodding around in my morning routine, pouring my coffee, making my soy smoothie, (back on program, healthy choices who hoo) and all in all feeling really cranky I began to make my tally.

One, having awoke from a night of disturbing dreams…

Two, having my first thoughts centered on something unpleasant,

Three, doggie pee pee

Three strikes and it isn’t even 8:00 am, well I set foot on the floor to begin my day in a really foul mood.

Yea for me!

I sat for a minute drinking my coffee and then I went in search of a bit of comfort. I found my “Streams in the Desert” and settled in with my coffee and smoothie for a bit of quiet time.

God’s word is truly living and active (HEW 4:12) for it provides the exact solace for each and every situation. I find it no coincidence (more properly defined as God-incidence) that the topic for today devotional would so perfectly fit the situation that was whirling around in my life.

The scripture for today was,

1JN 5:4 …And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

The devotional,

“If a person allows it, he (or me) can find something at every turn of the road that will rob him of his victory and his peace of mind. Satan is far from retiring from his work of attempting to deceive and destroy God’s children. At each milestone in your life, it is wise to check the temperature of your experience in order to be keenly aware of the surrounding conditions.”

“If a person allows it…”

So here is my question: Am I allowing these difficult thoughts to distract me from something?

I truly do feel in my heart of hearts that the situation in which I am having trouble letting go of is a true case of me being personally mistreated. I was not in the wrong and yet I still dwell on the situation.

Am I at a cross roads or approaching a milestone in my life and “you know who” is bent on distracting me?

So as I think about this difficult situation that is stuck in proverbial craw…

This difficult circumstance that I am having trouble swallowing down and digesting…

This bad taste that is permeating my thought life…

I know that I must commit it to prayer.

I confess I did not want to pray about it this morning but I did.

In the concluding chapter of 1 John I read these words,

1JN 5:14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.

I am going to continue to pray over this situation, I am also going to move about my day, cleaning my hardwoods, getting my long overdue veggie garden planted, pruning some saplings in the backyard and trusting that God can work in this situation.

I just have to be obedient and yield it over to him.

Another confession here, what I really want to do is lament over my mistreatment, whine about it, stomp my feet, demand retribution, painful and uncomfortable humiliating retribution that I can be a witness to while I stand by in superior righteous indignation.

What am I going to do?

Continue to pray and breathe through my sinful human nature.

So how do you deal with those “Stuck in My Craw” moments?

Blessings

Robin

Friday, June 5, 2009

Friday Fav Five #40

Joining in with Living to Tell the Story for Friday Fav Five today!!!!!


#5: I will start with something Sweet.


One of my favorite afternoon treats is a nice tall glass of ice coffee.

It gives me just the pick me up I need to get the necessary boost or the rest of the afternoon.



I recently picked this up at the grocery store...





and have been adding a few shots into my afternoon coffee. It is a wonderful chocolaty caramel-isious treat. It hits the spot in a big way

#4: Something Cheap
I love a bargain!!!! My heart leaps with joy when I see this!!!!

Anytime I can save a few pennies I am a happy camper

#3: Friendship

Yesterday I saw the foundations of a blossoming friendship. One of the DD friends from church came over for visit. I made myself as scares as I could as they played cards and munched on popcorn, laughed and chattered away! After a nice long visit, I looked at my DD and said “Now that’s what a friend looks like!”

#2: My Great Blogging Pals

This week for me was a nice return to the blogosphere. After nearly two weeks of busyness with the pre-surgery and post-surgery happenings, I was so totally wrapped up in the DD and all that taking care of her entailed.

This week I have had a bit more time to spend working on a few posts and visiting all my favorite blogs and even coming across a few new ones as well. I even won not one but two blog prizes. Whooo to the Hoooo for me.

Loved Sassy Granny this week with her always insight perspective on things, but especially loved this post as she writes about one of my favorite books in the Old Testament.

So all y’all give yourself big hand because you are all my favorites this week.

#1:God’s Word...
and "Streams in the Desert" and my journal and my favorite blue pen.


Here is what I read today from God’s Word!

Isaiah 7:9
…If you do not stand firm in your faith,
You will not stand at all.

and in today’s devotional from streams it asks some very interesting questions:

“Can’t the same great wonders be done today that were done many years ago?

Where is the God of Elijah?

He is waiting for today’s Elijah to call on him.

The greatest Old or New Testament saints who ever lived were on a level that is quite within our reach. The same spiritual force that was available to them, and energy that enabled them to become spiritual heroes, are available to us. If we exhibit the same faith, hope and love they exhibited, we will achieve miracles as great as theirs.”

Isaiah 7:11

ISA 7:11 "Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights."

This gives me pause to think.

Am I today's Elijah???? or maybe is it you?????

What do y'all think????

Well that's my Friday Fav Five for this week, actually I think this is my first ever Friday Fav Five.

Blessings
Robin

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Thankful Thursday #29

Thankful Thursday’s #29

Thankful Thursday at Truth 4 the Journey

Just a littel something to pass the time while the DD takes a nap!


I am thankful for the rain we had last night. Falling asleep to the sound of the pelting rain and rumbling thunder was such a comfort.

I am thankful for everyone who has care for us as we faced the DD’s surgery and recovery.

We had delicious meal provided.

Our mantel is overflowing with cards.

The friends have been a welcome break in the boredom of recovery.

The DD and I have had a rare opportunity to spend a lot of time together in a unique way.

I am thankful for my new laptop battery, I can now work on my computer for almost 5 hours without having to hook back up to the docking station to charge it.

I am thankful it is Thursday and my accountability sisters will be arriving soon for our weekly meeting. We talk, share about our week and most importantly we come before the Lord and lift up all our concerns and praises before the Lord. Thursday evenings are one of my favorite times during the week.

I am thankful for all my wonderful bloggy friends. I have had a bit more time of later to check back in with all of you. I have enjoyed getting caught back up and even visiting a few new bloggy friends as well. I even won a prize in Patrice @ Blessings Amid Chaos Dominican Republic raffle. Yea for me. Oh and since this is my blog I can make an unsolicited plug and say that she still needs to reach her fundraising goals so please go over and check out her site and make a donation.

Blessings

Robin

Buster 101

Sometimes it's a lizard, sometimes a small bird, sometimes I think there are small invisible fairies inhabiting our back yard, but whatever "IT" is in my backyard you can be sure it will be detected with his mighty sniffer.


I will be applying for a job as a videographer at National Geographic in the very near future, in case y'all were wondering!

Blessings
Robin

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Outdoor Wednesday #21

A Southern Daydreamer is hosting Outdoor Wednesday #21 so here is my small contribution to the show!

My Day Lily's


Cana Lilly's...the Hummingbirds love these...



Blessings
Robin

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Hostage situation in progress

Under normal circumstances I am totally one to avoid ironing anything.

However, over the last two weeks I have found myself with a dilemma.

The trusty old iron, which in fact was a relatively “new” trusty old iron, bit the dust.

Now with you know who DD and you know what her recovery from major surgery. I haven’t had time to make the trip to the trusty Wal-Mart to replace said broken iron.

If I was a diligent, good homemaker I would heed the buzzer on the dryer and immediately make hast to place all said clothing on hangers so as not to be wrinkled.

However, who ever said that I was a good homemaker, not me.

This morning as I was kicking through the pile of worn jeans on the floor of my closet and searching for a shirt to wear in my closet I realized that alas I was going to have to go in search of a clean one.

Tragically I have been forced to endure another day of captivity due to a malfunctioning or poorly engendered electrical appliance. Its failure to work properly has now imprisoned me in my home yet again. You see I am too embarrassed to venture out into the light of day looking like I slept in my cloths.

I obviously am not too embarrassed to share the disgraceful state of my laundry pile with all of you.

Blessings

Robin A.K.A embarrassed and being held hostage by my broken iron!


A bit late but every little bit helps!

Patrice over at Blessing Amid Chaos is having a raffle to help raise funds for her Mission trip to the Dominican Republic. She has got some great prizes in the works so go over and check it out.

Monday, June 1, 2009

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