Monday, June 30, 2008

Psalm 16:6

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. Psalm 16:6

Do I spread my inheritance or keep it to tight to my chest?

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Psalm 16:5

Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. Psalm 16:5

Am I grateful?

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Psalm 16:4

The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips. Psalm 16:4

Do I have other Gods?

Friday, June 27, 2008

Psalm 16:3

As for the Saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. Psalm 16:3

How great is it to be God's delight? His light?

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Psalm 16:2

I said to the Lord, "you are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." Psalm 16:2

Is this not the truest statement we can make?

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Keep Me Safe

Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. Psalm 16:1

Back and gone again!! Wedding was beautiful. Any rough spots that were anticipated did not occur. It was truly a blessed occasion.
My sister and I take a "Wally World" trip each summer. As we live in different states this is our one chance to spend quality time with each other. We drive more miles than I want to say to visit family and friends. We are blessed to be able to do this each year. I will be away from the blog until June 14th. I know I will really miss it.
While I am gone, please reread the old postings, click on the hunger site, visit my friends over there on the right who will be around.
Maybe in this away time we could study and pray on Psalm 16. It has 11 verses and that just about covers the days. Tell you what...I'll go ahead and write one for each day, then schedule the postings. Then we can do it together, me on the road and you here. It is a beautiful Psalm with much to pray over and on which to meditate.
God bless you while I am gone and please keep me in your prayers.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Please Click

A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presenceof the great. Proverbs 18:16



June is Survior Month on the Breast Cancer site. Please go over to the right of this blogsite and click on the Hunger button, it will take you to the site where you can click the tab for Breast Cancer. Last I looked they had 54.8% of the clicks they need to get a $10,000 donation for free mammograms. It is all free, so visit the other organizations also. Thank you.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Love Your Neighbor

"Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:18

We will be leaving in the morning to attend the wedding of the daughter of my oldest and dearest friend. (Don't mean she is oldest in age...longest in friendship...she might get upset if she read it wrong!!) So I was thinking what would be good advice for a couple starting out on what I pray will be the long road of marriage. I cannot think of better than Leviticus 19:18.
Andrea and Patrick, if you really consider it, beginning Saturday you will be each others closest neighbor. Closer than those folks next door or the ones across the street. You will be each others "people". So treat each other with love and respect, let those little moments of irritation go. When you look at each other see yourself in their eyes. Treat each other as the thought of our Creator that you are. We were made to love, so love.
Love to both of you and may God bless you and yours forever and ever.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Relax in The Presence

...and made him glad with the joy of your presence. Psalm 21:6

Two days of golf and I am done in. Hot, tired, stiff and very, very happy. The last two days I played with 6 of the nicest ladies I have ever played with. Funny and laid back. When I am in the presence of such nice people it makes my golf better. I was so relaxed and at ease, I couldn't help but play better golf. My swing was easy, I wasn't tense on my putts, it was like a dream. That is not to say my usual group is not fun nor nice, they are both. However, you tend to take that for granted and that is not right. I should never forget to always appreciate the regular weekly play group.
God blessed David and gave him joy in his presence. That's the way we should live every moment, blessed with the joy of being in the presence of our Creator. I tend to take that for granted, also. I forget how relaxed and peaceful it is to really be aware of God's presence. I get too busy, to focused on something else. Then I loose my peace, my calmness. But, you know the best part, God is always there waiting for us to wise up, waiting for us to remember where we are and in whose presence we are. Always there to fill us with peace and love. I will stop and remember that now.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Kepp Us Safe

Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. Paslm 16:1

Headed north in a few hours to play in a golf tournament tomorrow. Happy Father's Day to all you Dads. Dad's remember in your weakness is your strength. When your heart melts over the laughter of your child, your love wells up and bursts through. Use that strength, the strong flowing of love to guide those children. Children, thank your father for all the hours of hard work he has put into raising and caring for you.
For those of us whose fathers have passed on, may their souls be in the refuge of our God.
My last conversation with my Dad was about golf. Yep, believe it or not it was. He was at home and I called to tell him of some feat I had accomplished on the course. He thought it was so funny he called me back in about an hour to make me tell him again. One time he took me out on our home course to a grove of trees on the fourth fairway. He taught me a shot to get out of those trees. He said if I was always going to hit into trees I might as well know how to get out from under them. I still get under trees and I think of him every time I hit a low shot out!

Friday, June 13, 2008

Prayer Friday

I thank my God every time I remember you. Philippians 1:3

Most Gracious and Loving Creator, thank you for the bounty of your love, for the blessings you have showered on us this week and for the blessings that are already waiting for today and the week to come. We are in awe that all our needs are taken care of already, we want not when we are in your care.
Please help us learn to live in your kingdom, in eternity, in Your All. We forget so easily and try to live in the past or the future, not in the present. Help us shed our egos and listen to your will for us.
Please help us listen, also, for the cry of our bothers and sisters who are hurt, scared, worried and lost so we can be your light to shine on them. We are your creation, yet we separate ourselves from each other. Help us see each other as yours. Guide us back to you and teach us to truly love one another.
As one we ask these things in the spirit, through Christ our Lord, AMEN


Thursday, June 12, 2008

Treasures Here or There

Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Matthew 6:19

There was a fire today. A house on the golf course went up as we played past. I mean on one hole workman were on the roof, on the next hole it was burning, by the next it was obvious it was not to be saved. So sad to think that this family lost their home so quickly. I cannot get over how fast it was.
No other reminder is so clear as a house fire. Our treasures here in this world can go in a heart beat. Treasure love and family and friends. Treasure your walk with the Lord. Treasure the gift of the Holy Spirit. My heart goes out to these people, I pray that their real treasure was already planted in the kingdom of heaven not the kingdom of earth.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Seek The Kingdom

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

OK, so how do you seek the kingdom at the golf course? How do you see the kingdom at the golf course? Can you find the kingdom at the golf course? Is the kingdom at the golf course?
You drive through the gate, use the big parking lot of asphalt to park the car. Pass through the entrance hall, go down the steps next to the dining room, then around the corner into the locker room, get your golf shoes on and then proceed to the pro shop. Now, get the cart with your clubs, go to the hill where the practice range is, loosen up by hitting some shots with your seven iron. Back in the cart, ride to the first tee, play your round of golf. Finish round, back to the pro shop to record your score, locker room, shoes off, dining room, lunch, parking lot, car, home.
So where is this kingdom in all of this? How do I see it, find it?
You could substitute grocery store, school, office, church, movies, restaurant, anything you want for golf course. So how do you see it? I can only tell you how I have started trying. The key to me is in the next chapter of Matthew, 7:3-4. I have to get the plank out of my eye so I can see. My plank is my ego. The kingdom is where God rules, not my self will or big ego. God's rule is love. I need to start seeing all the places I go, situations I am in, people I am around, through eyes that are clear. Eyes that see with love. All acts I perform need to be done in loving kindness. The more I see with eyes of love, the more I do with loving kindness, the closer I get to perceiving the world around me as the Kingdom of God. God's rule without the interference of me, me, me and my will.
It is slow work, but with the help of the Holy Spirit who is always there, it can be done. It will be done.

Monday, June 9, 2008

Kiva

Let nothing be wasted. John 6:12



When Jesus feed the 5,000 Andrew worried "...how far will they go among so many?". Jesus showed how a little can go so far to help. In my reading I came across an opportunity for giving that can start with as little as $25, yet does so much when joined with others. http://www.kiva.org/. You will notice the new link over to the right. If you feel so inclined please look over their site. Kiva works with carefully vetted third-party field agents. As with any charity, read it all before you decide to give. I just thought this site looked promising.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Dancing Carts

...hide me in the shadow of your wings... Psalm 17:8

When you live in the desert of the southwest you get used to sunny skies. As I look around me on this hilltop this morning there are maybe three or four puffy little clouds in the whole sky. It is funny on the golf course to watch the dance of the golf carts. That's what I call the scurry and maneuvering of the the cart drivers to find shade. Going from shot to shot, carts pull into the closest shade they can find. Sometimes it is just a pee wee suggestion of a shadow. Hard to find places of comfort and relief.
We are blessed that our Creator has big wide wings under which we can find peace and relief. Whether we are looking for a place to hide from "the wicked who assail me", or a loving embrace, it is always there. However, you need to look for it. You must seek it out and then put your attention and intention on the presence in which you find yourself. Give your mind, body and spirit over to the safety of the shadow.
If you have trouble finding this shadow of peace and comfort, start with centering prayer. Go to the site over under Links called Contemplative Outreach and click on the information it gives you on centering prayer.
Let's spend this day walking under the shadow of God's wings, always mindful of being in the apple of our Creator's eye.

Friday, June 6, 2008

Prayer Friday

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 2Peter 1:2

Gracious and loving Creator, we thank you for all of the blessings and graces you have poured out on us this week. We know that every breath we take we take because you give it to us. You are our ground and our air. Thank you for forgiving us when we stray away from that knowledge. Help us stay in the awareness of you all the time, we seem to have a problem doing that.
Lord, don't let us be a stumbling block to those you put in our path. Let us recognize them as a gift from you. Remind us that we are all the same, made of the same, body, mind and spirit.
Let us be generous with the gifts you have given us. Let our every thought be one of love and kindness.
Help us forgive as we are forgiven.
We are yours and you are ours, we are blessed in that.
Holy Spirit please take our prayers through Christ, Amen
Please feel free to add your prayers in the comments. If you have requests, I will be happy to add your prayers to mine and take them to my prayer group.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Cleaning Out The Never Ending Dust

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! Psalm 133:1

No golf today. The group is scattered and it is too windy anyway. Windy, windy, windy. That translates to dust, dust, dust.
Yeasterday I cleaned with a vengences. I mean I got into places that had been ignored for weeks... OK, months. I cleaned, threw out, put back what was left and then cleaned some more. Now you have to think of something while you clean, so I did some attitude cleaning. I took out some relationships, looked at the dirt that had accumalated around them, cleaned them up and then looked at them as new and shiny.
I don't find it easy to live in unity with my friends and family when there are rough edges or little dirty spots adhering to the surfaces. I know the relationships are good and clean and pure under the fuzzy stuff I let get in the way. So periodically I need to clear off the dirt and dust that has gotten in the way. Maybe dirt is too harsh a word, but I cannot think of another right now. Anyway, yesterday I sorted out a lot of thoughts in my mind that were getting in the way of love. Fortunately none of them were huge, just little spots that were not needed nor useful. As I did that I of course found that a lot of those spots were imaginary, of my own making.
Now today there is more wind and I can see a fine line of dust on some surfaces. But, as you get older and see the dust build up, you realize that it is a lot easier to clean when you first see it. Don't let that dust build, on your shelves or your relationships. Clean it all up. Then you can function in unity. In clean, pure love.

Monday, June 2, 2008

The Way Is Love

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." Isaiah 30:21

This is to be a busy week. Today I help a dear one set up for a member/guest golf tournament. Tomorrow is the tournament. I think this weekend we are having a visit from an old friend. I say "think" because he is on the road and said he might swing by our town. So, as I was sitting here doing my devotion and prayer I was a little preoccupied with the week's work. My devotion was primarily concerned with walking closer to Jesus, in the hands of the Holy Spirit. How do I let go of tension and worry and busy stuff... put the devotion to work?
As I put the dishes in the dish washer, pondering this question it became clear...I do it Jesus's way, and we know Jesus's Way is love. I realized I need to help make this tournament an opportunity for these lady golfers to have fun, fellowship, laughter. So every task I undertake needs to be done in love to shine love on the situation. Change the word task to gift.
I need to prepare the house and guest room for our friend so it will be filled with a feeling of welcome and love. So all tasks must be done in love and gratitude that we are available for our friend, who needs some unconditional love right now.
Let's walk this week, our hand in the hand of the Holy Spirit. Each task done in Jesus's love for the objective of shining love on the whole situation. Bet we will have a better week than last!

Sunday, June 1, 2008

I Knew IT Would Be Beautiful

Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. Psalm 57:8



I knew it would be a beautiful day! The dogs started playing at 5:30 this morning. Waking me up as all three of them chased each other through the house. Barking and running as if they could just not keep the energy in. They were so joyful I couldn't get angry over the interrupted sleep. I just felt as if the day was starting out with fun, love and energy. Then the computer brought me an "I love You" message from the spouse far away in Florida.

THEN...I went to a site I love, but has been silent for oh, so long, and hallelujah there it was...a new posting. And it was about letting your soul sing out LOUD! Visit it at http://www.anewlifeemerging.blogspot.com.%20my/My day is just getting better and better by the moment.

I cannot wait to see what the Merciful one has put in front of me today. I know it will be joyous and probably noisy.