WFW # 16 New Life...

The Spirit of God has made me;

the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Job 33:4

The miracle of birth still amazes me...

the blessing of offspring...

the joy of family...

Blessed beyond measure...

Welcome...

to TUESDAYS TOGETHER (in the WORD). I am so glad that you have joined us.

Remember our goal/purpose is that we are reading God's Word and we are sharing with each other a "nugget" of what we are learning.




I am preparing this blog on Sunday night - the Grandbaby is coming
on Monday... (note - been changed to Tuesday morning)

I wanted to get Mister Linky ready for you all - Not sure when I will be able to post.

So, share together and I will try to join you later in the week. You all are blessings to me.

I probably will need to read what you all have to share... so thanks in advance.

You know the drill... leave a comment... share your thoughts... and if you blog - link with us.

Baby Barrett

***UPDATE***

The baby has turned - and they are going to have to do a c-section. But not today... Jen's Doctor is sick. They are scheduling it for tomorrow morning.
Thanks for your prayers

*****And I will update tomorrow******

Our Grandson - Barrett McMillian Stewart - is on the way!! We are on the way to the hospital. I will post again soon with pictures.

Thanks for your prayers for our Jenifer (MOM) and for baby Barrett. Pray for Andy (our Wonderful Son-in-love) and for Little Aubrey (the big sister).

Children truly are an heritage from the Lord - and grandchildren... well ...

Proverbs 17:6 says, "Children's children are a crown to the aged..."

Precious crowns...

And we are about to meet #2...

Blessed beyond measure!

Emotional Roller Coaster

The appointed RIDE for next week...

Extreme Joy - Julia is coming home on Sunday (Ronnie will be here Thursday).

Extreme Excitement- Jenifer will be induced on Monday (Baby Barrett will be here before the day is over)

Extreme Concern - Mom is having a second biopsy on Friday.

Extreme Sadness mixed with Extreme Pride - Jonathan leaves for a 3-week training for deployment on Saturday.


EMOTIONAL . ROLLER . COASTER .

I think I remember a post about MULTI-emoting... Here I go again.

Thank you in advance for your prayers.

WFW # 15 Sunrise in the Mountains

Psalm 113:3
"From the rising of the sun to its setting,

the name of the LORD is to be praised! "

This picture was taken at the Couples Retreat last month - in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee...

I plan to blog about the trip soon...

(for more WFW's visit with 160AcreWoods)

Welcome...

to TUESDAYS TOGETHER (in the WORD). I am so glad that you have joined us.


Remember our goal/purpose is that we are reading God's Word and we are sharing with each other a "nugget" of what we are learning.



Each week is seems to get harder to decide which passage I want to discuss here. I am loving reading through the Acts again. Wonderful stories of the early church....

But my passage this week is coming from Psalms 19:14...

Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Years ago - this was a passage that I decided to meditate on and memorize. I printed it on a 3X5 index card and put it over the kitchen sink. I had to look at it many times during my day.

And even now - many years later - I find myself still dealing with the same issue. Most of the time I can handle "the words of my mouth". I am not one to speak quickly. (ok Hal... I said most of the time.) But the meditations of my heart - that can be an entirely different scene.

For instance - with just ONE of the issues that I am currently dealing with - our son's coming deployment...The words of my mouth can easily say that I know that God is in control. My words can say that God is not surprised by this. My words can say that I know Jonathan will be in God's hands through it all.

But the meditations of my heart -that is a different story. Just to be honest - I don't WANT to deal with this again. I don't want for him to go. I don't want to have that heavy feeling all day every day and all night every night knowing that my son is at war. I don't want to have to force myself to stay out of the land of "what if". I just don't want to. The meditation of my heart is a battlefield. A battlefield to MAKE myself believe what I say I believe.

But I desire for the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart to be acceptable... I really desire...

So, I close with the words of a song that seems fitting -

Change my heart Oh God
Make it every true
Change my heart Oh God
May I be like You

You are the potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This is what I pray

Change my heart Oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart Oh God
May I be like You.

Let the words of my mouth AND THE MEDITATIONS OF MY HEART be acceptable in thy sight...

What about you this week? I am looking forward to hearing from you. You know the drill... leave a comment... share your thoughts... and if you blog - link with us.

2009 Scripture Memory # 4

Psalms 91:2
I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, my
God, in whom I trust."

-- refuge -- Protection or shelter, as from danger or hardship.
A place providing protection or shelter.

-- fortress -- a fortified defensive structure.

God is my protection and my shelter from danger and from hardship. God is my fortified defensive structure.

I trust Him. Even when I can't see. I still trust Him.

Somedays we just have to crawl up in His lap and let Him hold us. There is safety, security, peace and comfort there.

I am there today.

Verse two of my chapter... and more applicable than I knew when I picked it. But there has been more added to my plate... And My God, My Fortress, My Refuge is not surprised...

Welcome...

to TUESDAYS TOGETHER (in the WORD). I am so glad that you have joined us.


Remember our goal/purpose is that we are reading God's Word and we are sharing with each other a "nugget" of what we are learning.





I start today with Acts 1. Can we even allow our imaginations to take us there? These men have been with Jesus. They have walked with him, they have talked with him, they have seen him crucified, they were there when he was buried, they went to the empty tomb, and now they have seen the risen Lord. It tells us here in this first chapter (verse 3) that "He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God."

And then he tells them not to leave - but to wait for the promise of the Father which he said, "you heard from me, for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

Then...look at this passage:

(8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

(9) And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

(10) And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,

(11) and said,"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

Jesus is there ... talking to them. Telling them that they will receive power. They will be His witnesses. And he ascends into heaven...while they are watching...

Gazing... could you do anything else? Gazing... I imagine with their mouths wide open... Gazing.

And now- here are two men in white robes - asking them - why are you just standing here gazing? This Jesus - will come back in the same way as you saw him go.

This passages lets us know that the Son of God - took on human form - in order to be our Savior - and that human form is what ascended to heaven. And it will be that human form that comes back again.

A foot note from the ESV says it this way: "The amazing miracle of the incarnation is not only that the eternal Son of God took human nature on himself and became a person who is simultaneously God and man, but also that he will remain both fully God and fully man forever.

Have you ever thought about that?

I think I am gazing...

This takes me to Revelation 22:20: He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon, " Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Gazing...

What about you this week? I am looking forward to hearing from you. You know the drill... leave a comment... share your thoughts... and if you blog - link with us.

2009 Scripture Memory # 3

#3 Psalms 91:1

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty."

This is the first verse of the entire chapter that I plan to memorize over the next months. Last year - when my soldier was at war in Iraq/Kuwait - this was the passage that we claimed and prayed for him over and over and over.



You would think that I would have it memorized from those nine months. And parts of it, I do. But I am committed to memorizing all of it ... who knew I would need it again so soon? I think I am still in shock. Or maybe I am just not ready. Or maybe I just do not want to go through it again from our side. I can't even imagine what it is like for him or our precious daughter-in-love.



So... my next 15 verses are already picked out...unless I double up on some or God gives me another one to go along with our journey.



Thank you in advance for your prayers and support along the way. Just thinking about it makes my heart hurt.

Welcome...

to TUESDAYS TOGETHER (in the WORD). I am so glad that you have joined us.

Remember our goal/purpose is that we are reading God's Word and we are sharing with each other a "nugget" of what we are learning.



Oh Ladies, I must tell you that I am loving this time together each week. It is the push of accountability to keep me on track with my reading. And it also has helped me to avoid just reading through quickly with no purpose other than just doing my "daily bible reading". Thank you for joining me - and if there are others who are thinking about joining - jump right in! We would love to read your perspective and your comments.

The passage that I want to discuss is from Luke 22:31-32: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."

Have you ever really stopped to think about what this is saying? Jesus is telling Simon (Peter) that Satan is asking permission to sift him as wheat. The ESV note here says, "Satan is seeking to shake you violently, as one does wheat, to cause you to fail." Does this let you know where some of our attacks come from? Our enemy wants to tempt us and trap us and then stick his ugly finger in our face to tell us how awful we are. (condemn us) But what he means for evil, God means for good. Hence, God allows it.

Oh, but look at the next phrase. Jesus says, "but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail." (completely fail) Now, that is a precious statement to me. Jesus says that He has prayed for Peter that his faith would not completely fail. And He prays for us. Jesus prays for us. WOW!

And what follows? "When you have turned again..." In other words, you will stumble, Peter. You will fall flat on your face. You will mess up. Royally. Oh, but when you have come back, when you have returned... Peter, this is not fatal. As a matter of fact, since God allowed it - it will make you stronger and be used in your life for your particular ministry.

You are now, to "strengthen your brothers." Get up, turn around, and help others in a similar situation.

Since we have "the rest of the story," we know how greatly Peter was used by God. Kingdom Work. I am sure that it had to have been "more than he could have ever asked or thought." Oh, he failed. He was sifted. But he got up, turned around, and strenghtened his brothers. Good stuff!

Will you let this be encouragement to you? Many times when we mess up - sometimes royally - we think that we cannot be used by God. We listen to the lies that tell us it is over. Not true. Jesus is praying. We are to get up. Turn around. Strenghten others. God wants to use us.

Good stuff!

I am looking forward to hearing from you. You know the drill... leave a comment... and if you blog... link with us.