Friday, July 29, 2016

good teaching on prayer



 I don't llke the title of the essay but it is very good teaching on prayer by 
Peter Leithart. This landed in my emails today and just reading it. 


What’s going on when we don’t get what we ask? It may be many things, but Jesus makes it clear that one thing is definitely not going on: This isnot God giving you stones for bread, a snake or scorpion instead of a fish. This is not God giving you the short end of the stick. This is not God keeping the door locked. He doesn’t do that. Ever, ever, ever. He gives good gifts to His children. Always, always, alwaysNothing but good.
God always gives you what you ask, or something even better.
Pray, and then start looking for answers. Faithful prayer leads to expectant living. Pray for the Spirit, and wait to see the Spirit work all around you. Faithful prayer leads to Spiritual living. Pray, and know that whatever God brings is exactly the fish and bread and eggs you need. Prayer in faith leads to thankful living. Pray that your Father would be with you, protect you, guide you, and put away timidity and fear and anxiety. Prayer leads to bold, fearless living.
This is your Father’s world. He has your back, He goes before you, He is the rock beneath you and your heavenly Father above. This is your Father’s world, and He has created this wide world is as a playground for His children.
So: Go pray; and go play.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Stab my spirit broad awake


Sarah Clarkson posted a wonderful list of comfort books and used R. L. Stevenson's line from this poem. She used the line to describe returning to TLOR's trilogy. 



The Celestial Surgeon


IF I have faltered more or less
In my great task of happiness;
If I have moved among my race
And shown no glorious morning face;
If beams from happy human eyes         5
Have moved me not; if morning skies,
Books, and my food, and summer rain
Knocked on my sullen heart in vain:
Lord, thy most pointed pleasure take
And stab my spirit broad awake;  10
Or, Lord, if too obdurate I,
Choose thou, before that spirit die
A piercing pain, a killing sin,
And to my dead heart run them in!



Thursday, July 21, 2016

dog days of summer






What to do in the heat:

- hang out laundry 

- have a seista with a cold drink

- a summer afternoon rain may happen... today it did!

- plan anything

- watch movies... recently saw the second My Big Fat Greek Wedding

- read .... on my bookstand: 








Thursday, July 14, 2016

midweek


- it is really hot this afternoon... and I don't live at the beach.

- college daughter loves to cook so plans some dinners and actually goes to the store
to get what we don't have. She loves this cooking blog: damndelicious

- here is another cooking blog I love: smittenkitchen




- I am reading.

- we talked about the heat neading siestas or reposa but this is my siesta and reposa

- what is Jamie Oliver cooking up? Look here.

here is super quick hummus for these hot days


Monday, July 11, 2016

7th, 8th, and 9th summer books done



You can tell where my mind has been. The first book I got free. The second book is a book discussion at The Rabbit Room. The third book is because of my parent's divorce. I always go to more healing as I get older. Leslie was brave to tell her story. 











Sunday, July 10, 2016

sabbath warmth



- daughter's roommate in NY who is from VA. is here visiting and they are now 
skyping or facetiming another roommate in Malaysia. OH such joy when you miss 
a friend. They are meeting her family too. Quite remarkable this technology... 
except it keeps getting stuck. 

- coffee with one son and hanging out...

- police son was thanked so much today for doing his job and he is not in the best 
part of town.... and one guy at a gas station teared up talking to him about Dallas.

- sermon on justice but didn't go far enough to how the world has changed but focused on the tragedies this past week

-  picked veggies from my neighbor's garden while they are gone on vacation...



Friday, July 8, 2016

friday poem

November 06, 2014


I just read this poem and it makes me think of the news I heard this morning from Dallas. One of my son's is a policeman. On July 4th , he had a "gang alert" while he was working. 



Quiet friend who has come so far,
feel how your breathing makes more space around you.
Let this darkness be a bell tower
and you the bell. As you ring,
what batters you becomes your strength.
Move back and forth into the change.
What is it like, such intensity of pain?
If the drink is bitter, turn yourself to wine.
In this uncontainable night,
be the mystery at the crossroads of your senses,
the meaning discovered there.
And if the world has ceased to hear you,
say to the silent earth: I flow.
To the rushing water, speak: I am.
Sonnets to Orpheus II, 29

Ranier Marie Rilke

 

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Spurgeon and Samuel Rutherford





Reading this sermon preached  here on March 12, 1865. 







Spurgeon didn't use a microphone! Booming voice.
..






 Rutherford had a quaint saying that when he was cast into the cellars of affliction, he remembered that the great king always kept his wine there, and he began to seek at once for the wine bottles, and to drink of the “wines on the lees well refined.” They who dive in the sea of affliction bring up rare pearls. 

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

at the end of the day




Thinking about how my mom would have love texting. She was right on the cusp
of computers (12 years ago) and no cell phone. I can't imagine what kind of joy
she would have had with her kids with texts. Plus all the free long distance phone 
calls would have made her days. She loved to talk. She love to check up on her 
children. It has become so normal to text. I just had texts from my brothers in 
Scotland visiting relatives. This was sort of a trip for my #3 oldest brother who
has a rare blood disease. He is doing well with the chemo and he made it through
the trip well. I am getting use to texts more than emails. How about you?

I am wondering if hard work pays off today. I am wondering how prayer moves 
God. Have you waited and waited for God to rescue and provide? Have you felt 
like David in the Psalms as he pours out his heart for revenge? I am wondering
why there is so much suffering? I need instagram. No suffering there! ( I am 
very glad) Will write on my recent book reads tomorrow. I do believe in new mercies
every morning. May you be looking for them. Plural. Many mercies. 

need one of my son's to smile...

God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,
    his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.
They’re created new every morning.
    How great your faithfulness!
I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).
    He’s all I’ve got left. 

( THE MESSAGE, LAMENTATIONS 3: 22- 24)

glory


Don't you wish to see this happen, you know, seeing the Gospel in person and He saves those you love like Mary & Martha's Lazarus: 

 John 11: 40 Jesus looked her in the eye. “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”


Rembrandt: The Rising of Lazarus



They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, “Father, I’m grateful that you have listened to me. I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here I’ve spoken so that they might believe that you sent me.