May

Updated: Thanks Sheryl for pointing out that the 10th and the 11th were the same. I think it's fixed now.

May 1: 2 Samuel 20-21, 23:8-23, 1 Chronicles 20:4-8, 11:10-25

May 2: 2 Samuel 23:24-24:25, 1 Chronicles 11:26-47, 21:1-30

May 3: 1 Chronicles 22-24

May 4: Psalm 30, 1 Chronicles 25-26

May 5: 1 Chronicles 27-29

May 6: Psalms 5-7, 10, 11, 13, 17

May 7: Psalms 23, 26, 28, 31, 35

May 8: Psalms 41, 43, 46, 55, 61, 62, 64

May 9: Psalms 69-71, 77

May 10: Psalms 83, 86, 88, 91, 98

May 11: Psalms 108-109, 120-121, 140, 143-144

May 12: Psalms 1, 14-15, 36-37, 39

May 13: Psalms 40, 49-50, 73

May 14: Psalms 73, 82, 84, 90, 92, 112, 115

May 15: Psalms 8-9, 16, 19, 21, 24-29

May 16: Psalms 33, 65-68

May 17: Psalms 75, 93-94, 97-100

May 18: Psalms 103-104, 113-114, 117

May 19: Psalm 119:1-88

May 20: Psalm 119:89-176

May 21: Psalms 122, 124, 133-136

May 22: Psalms 138-139, 145, 148, 150

May 23: Psalms 4, 12, 20, 25, 32, 38

May 24: Psalms 42, 53, 58, 81, 101, 111, 130-131, 141, 146

May 25: Psalms 2, 22, 27

May 26: Psalms 45, 47-48, 87, 110

May 27: 1 Kings 1:1-2:12, 2 Samuel 23:1-7

May 28: 1 Kings 2:13-3:28, 2 Chronicles 1:1-13

May 29: 1 Kings 5-6, 2 Chronicles 2-3

May 30: 1 Kings 7, 2 Chronicles 4

May 31: 1 Kings 8, 2 Chronicles 5:1-7:10

Prayer requests

One way that we continue to build on our relationship with God is through prayer. I am honored and blessed to have the opportunity to pray for you all. I hope that as you have time, you will continue to pray for one another as well. These are the needs that I am aware of this week. As always, if you have a request that isn't mentioned here, please leave it in the comments or send me an email.

Bev--she has three doctors appointments today (Wednesday) as she begins her battle with cancer. Please continue to pray for healing, strength, comfort, patience, and contentment. She also mentioned a praise that her son proposed to his girlfriend so they have a wedding in their future!

Both Annette and Annette are apparently battling torrential rains in their area of the nation and Annette has some flooding in her house. Oh, Annette's got a wedding in her future as well.

Continue to remember Sheryl and her family as her husband is still looking for work. She has a beautiful post here about being thankful in all things. Ahead of time.

Ang is asking for some peace and comfort from our Father (and maybe a little reassurance as well.)

Yvonne is still in Washington with an abundance of eighth grade girls (and boys.) They should be heading back in the next few days. Pray for safe travel, sanity, and spiritual growth as they finish up their trip.

The Freemans are grieving and making very difficult decisions right now.

The Compassion Bloggers have so much to say. You can see their thoughts and requests here, here, and here.

Stellan is home! Praise Jesus!

My boy is headed to the windy city on Friday for a "field trip." (Does anybody remember when field trips consisted of the zoo or McDonald's? Yes, I really did take a field trip to McDonald's when I was in kindergarten. First hamburger I ever ate. Probably the best tasting hamburger I ever ate as well. But I digress.) Anyhoo, he will be gone about 36 hours and I'm asking for safe travel and just a general good time for him. (I'd ask for memorable but I'm afraid of what might happen. Ask me whose child set off the metal detectors in Washington DC and got pulled out of line by the homeland security people? Not my child. No sirree. Oh, and the metal? It was a dime. Seems he didn't think they really meant it when they told him to empty his pockets.)

I'm praying for each of you this day. Blessings!

true beauty

I am reminded this week of the beauty of chronological reading. There's just something totally cool about putting the pieces of the Word together in the way they were written. I love reading the "story" and then reading the emotion (Psalm) that goes with it. I can feel David's fear in Psalm 57, his longing in Psalm 63, and his love and trust in his God in Psalm 18. Reading this way completes the picture for me. I hope you are finding this to be true for you as well.

We began this week with the ending of Saul's life. While Saul is not a particular favorite of mine, I find myself mourning the loss of who he might have been. I think there's a powerful lesson in his life. He allowed his weaknesses to keep him from reaching his full potential as God's chosen king. He relied on himself and others rather than relying on the Lord. And maybe most telling, he knew how and what he should be doing. He just seemed to prefer his way over God's. (1 Samuel 15) Perhaps one reason that Saul is not one of my favorites is that I see myself reflected in his actions. A consistent prayer of mine recently has been that I will become who He intends me to be, not who I think I would like to be.

Then I find myself envious of David. He is a man who certainly seems to have it all together. He seems (at this time in his life) to never take a misstep. Even when he has been marked for death and hunted down, he makes right choices (1 Samuel 24,26) and has complete and utter faith that God will rescue him. Again and again I saw the words, "David inquired of the Lord." I find myself longing for that relationship with God and I try to make it so complicated. I think, "well, David was obviously God's favorite." I justify why God might prefer him over me and how wonderful David must of been. However, you know what? I am the obstacle in way of a "David-like" relationship with God. Do I inquire with the belief that He will show me the way? Do I praise Him at every opportunity? Do I pour my heart out to Him? Do I expect Him to be there?

The real, honest answer is that while I am better at these things than I used to be, I am still a far cry from where I ought to be. I think, though, that I am finally at a point in my life where I will be satisfied with nothing less. And maybe that's the beginning after all. At the end of the day, I want it said that "she found strength in the Lord her God" (1 Sam. 30:6) , that "in her distress she called to the LORD; She called out to her God. From His temple He heard her voice; her cry came to His ears" (2 Sam. 22:7), that "the Lord was her support. He brought her out into a spacious place; He rescued her because He delighted in her" (Psalm 18:18,19) that "He turned her darkness into light." (Psalm 18:28)

How about you?

It's Wednesday

I've pondered the idea of having a regular day for prayer requests on this blog. Since I normally work late on Wednesdays, it seems like it might be the best day for something like this. If you have any additional requests, please feel free to put them in the comments or send me an email.

Here are the things that I am aware of at this very moment:

Yvonne will be herding a group of eighth graders to Washington DC on the school's annual pilgrimage. Please pray for patience and safety for them as they leave on the 25th.

Bev had a PET scan last week to determine where the cancer is and so forth. I'm not sure what results she's had but I know that she needs the healing and comforting touch of our Heavenly Father.

Sheryl and her family as her husband continues to look for work.

The Compassion Bloggers will be headed to India on Friday.

Stellan had his heart surgery yesterday. The surgeon put it like this: "a good play with an awful hand." The hope is that the surgery was successful enough to last until Stellan is big enough to have some better options. Either way, it went well and he is recovering. (and so is his mama.)

Kayleigh and her family have a desperate need right now.

Today is Junior Ring Ceremony. I have known most of these kids since they were itty bitty and it boggles my mind to think that they are now one short year away from graduation.

We will be consulting with Jessi's back surgeon in the next few weeks as we try to determine what the best course of action is for Jonathan. Pray that we might have the wisdom to make the best decision for him. (that involves the least amount of pain.)

I also encourage you to pray for one another, that we will stay the course with our readings and that our hearts would be sensitive to whatever God would have us see.

Enjoy the week!

Monday part 2

Sorry about the delay in posting. For more details about that, you can check it out here. Last year, when we read through this section, I came across a verse that became one of Jonathan's favorites. Seeing it again brought a smile and a laugh. It's from 1 Samuel 21 as David is pretending to be insane so that he might be able to stay with Achish. Achish responds by saying, "Do I have such a shortage of crazy people that you brought this one to act crazy around me? Is this one going to come into my house?" (1 Samuel 21:15)

Life has been a bit crazy for us lately. I found a great deal of comfort in Psalm 34 this week. As you go about your week, remember to Whom you belong. (in God I trust, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 56:11)

I will praise the Lord at all times.

I will constantly speak his praises.

I will boast only in the Lord;

let all who are helpless take heart.

Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;

let us exalt his name together.
I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.

He freed me from all my fears.

Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;

no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;

he saved me from all my troubles.

For the angel of the Lord is a guard;

he surrounds and defends all who fear him.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

Fear the Lord, you his godly people,

for those who fear him will have all they need.

Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,

but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right;

his ears are open to their cries for help.

The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.

He rescues them from all their troubles.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;

he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

The righteous person faces many troubles,

but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

Psalm 34:1-10,15,17-19

LPM Verse 8

While I have things to say about this past week's readings, I feel compelled to take this post in a different direction today. My heart has been burdened for several of ya'll recently and I just wanted to take a moment to ask that you pray for one another. Because we are family. So, if you have an extra moment or two, please lift these sisters up in prayer.

This past week, Bev received news that she has breast cancer. While this would be a struggle in and of itself, Bev and her husband moved to a new city last fall. I think to some degree they are still settling in and figuring out who, what and where. She is asking that we pray for the right team of doctors and that she would be able to rest at night.

Sheryl mentioned recently that her husband lost his job. As far as I know, he is still looking for work. Would you lift Sheryl and her family up as they wait upon the Lord?

I know that Yvonne is finishing up a school year (with students who want to be anywhere but in school!), Annette has been dealing with family illness and injury, Annette has taken on the role of encourager in some difficult situations, Mary Jane will soon be taking a much anticipated vacation, and I'm sure that there are many other situations that I am not aware of or forgot to mention. (Please feel free to email me if you have a prayer request. And if you don't want it broadcast to the entire Internet, let me know that as well.) Anyway, I know nothing brings me more comfort in difficult times than knowing that I am being covered in prayer so please lift these sisters up as you have time.

You are a blessing!

this gift of love...

Blessed Easter!

words fail me...

were you there?

Joshua 20 - Judges 16

I'm going to go about this backwards this week because it's what I found in the beginning of the week that continues to stick in my heart. (Plus I'm just goofy like that.)

Judges is full of fascinating people. Some I liked, some I wanted to know more about and some I did not care for at all. (I am not a big Samson fan.) My heart ached for Jephthah as his little daughter ran out to greet him (Judges 11:34). And yet, they were both faithful to his promise to the Lord. I wonder if God became frustrated with Gideon as he continued to request proof of His Will. (and I might have seen myself a time or two asking, "are you sure? really sure?") One other thing that caught my eye was the story of Gideon's ephod and how "it became a snare to Gideon and his family." (Judges 8:27) I'm not entirely sure why Gideon had the ephod made. Maybe as a remembrance for what he'd accomplished? Regardless, something that he intended as harmless became a stumbling block. Huh. Makes me want to examine some of the things in my life a little more closely. I wonder if he knew it was a snare, and yet like I often do, rationalized hanging on to it. (This old thing? It's harmless.)

I found Barak's refusal to go to war without Deborah interesting. He said, "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go." (Judges 4:8) How many times do I put my faith in a leader rather than my God?

I was continually amazed that the Israelites made such poor, harmful choices. "They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways." (Judges 2:19) "another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what He had done for Israel." (Judges 2:10) I found myself wondering how they could be...to put it bluntly...so stupid. Ray Stedman in Adventuring through the Bible has an answer of sorts for me. He says, "We read this story and we think, How foolish these Israelites were not to obey the commandment of God? But don't we do exactly the same? Don't we settle for less than complete victory over our sins and bad habits? don't we say, "well, yes, I do have a problem with anger (or gossip , or swearing, or impure thoughts, or alcohol, or tobacco), but it's just one little bad habit! I mean, we all need one small vise, don't we? No! God says that it is these little things that we accommodate ourselves to and compromise with that eventually defeat us and destroy us! We cannot afford to settle for anything less than complete victory!" (p144) Huh. It reminds me of the illustration about yeast. A small amount of yeast added in the mix will permeate (or taint) the entire batch of dough, so much so that you can no longer tell what part started out "yeast-less."

All of which brings me back to the beginning of the week. I saw these words repeated twice and they spoke to my heart. Checking back, the same phrase is used four times in Deuteronomy. The phrase? Hold fast to Him. Kind of sums it all up doesn't it? If we hold fast to Him, we will have complete victory. It's hard to hold fast to Him while dragging our ephods (and sins) along with us. The phrase "hold fast" conjures up a picture in my mind of a child's hands clinging so tightly to a parent that there is no doubt that they won't be separated. That's what I need to remember in the days ahead. Whether my day is calm and peaceful or harried and hurtful. May you "love the LORD your God, walk in all His ways, obey His commands, hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul" this upcoming Easter week. (Joshua 22:5)