just joy...

Teaching sewing to four lovely ladies... joy...
Baking cookies... because He says so... joy...
Sitting around a table sharing His Word with sisters... joy...
Working in a shop where the whole point is opportunity for ministry... joy...
Seeing Him work in ways I wouldn't have guessed... joy...

You make known to me the path of life;

in your presence there is fullness of joy;

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11 ESV

What brought you joy this week...?
Thank Him for His presence...

wait on Him...

I will thank you forever, because you have done it.

I will wait for your name, for it is good,

in the presence of the godly.

Psalm 52:9 ESV

On an evening when I'm waiting for Him to make a new way...

I thank Him in advance... based on all He's done before...

Because He has done it... so many times before...

His faithfulness... unfailing...

I thank Him forever... and wait on Him...

His character is good...

and He will do it...!

Hallelujah...!

He has done it...!

Amen...!!!

a sacrifice of thanks...

Thank You... Lord... for...
vertigo...
lost diamonds...
fender benders...
weariness...

Thank You... for...
increased taxes...
things forgotten...
things undone...
endings...
letting go...

Thank You...
for the good You will bring out of each one of these things...
as only You can do...

O Lord, I am your servant;

I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.

You have loosed my bonds.

I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving

and call on the name of the Lord.

Psalm 116:15 ESV

be careful what you ask for...

Recently... I've noticed lots of complaining around me... enough to make me ask... Lord... teach me not to complain...

Well... the last couple of days I find myself with lots of opportunities NOT to complain...

Recognizing all the opportunities... I find myself smiling... and offering a prayer... Thanks...

So... yes... be careful what you ask for... and be thankful when He answers... He will give you a workout...

All of you take up My yoke...

Matthew 11:29 HCSB

giving thanks...

Giving thanks...
at the end of a very diverse day...

Began ahead of the game...
praising Him as God...
then angered by lies...

A lunch with loved ones...
brought laughter...

An afternoon filled with teaching...
brought joy...
and an unexpected place to hear His voice...

The evening...
frustrated by feeling behind...
wondering how I got here...

But in all...
I give thanks...
a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise...

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress.

He sent forth his word and healed them;

he rescued them from the grave.

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deed for men.

Let them sacrifice thank offerings

and tell of his works with songs of joy.

Psalm 107:19-21

the foundation of the ordinary... [republished (and edited) from April 26, 2013...]

What holds up the everyday...? the sunrise... and set... the moon in all its phases... the gradual change of the perpetual seasons... slowly... slowly... ever-changing... each day... the ordinary...?

Behind it all... and underneath... is hesed... the Hebrew word translated often as... steadfast love... God's hesed...

His loving kindness... endures... daily... keeps life going... and is often hard to see... easy to forget... or neglect... because it is so common...

It's not the stuff of the well-planned and prepared... not cultivated... it just appears... without any work on our behalf...

wildflowers... springing up...

new green... sprouting...

wisps... on blue skies...

His hesed... it's all around... holding all things... together...

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

for his steadfast love endures forever...

Psalm 136:1-3 ESV

(my emphasis)

Have you seen it today... His steadfast love...?

I'd love to know what ordinary blessings you are thankful for... consider leaving a comment at the bottom of this post... [email subscribers click the post title and it will take you to Jeremiah's Menu where you can comment...]

reminded... i am redeemed...

A welcome reminder... on the drive home...

I am redeemed... You set me free...

So I'll shake off these heavy chains...

and wipe away every stain...

Now I'm not who I used to be...

I am redeemed ... 

I'm redeemed...

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Reminded... of His love...

Reminded... to praise Him... 

Reminded... I am redeemed...

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever!

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,

whom he has redeemed from trouble... 

Psalm 107:1-2 ESV

bountifully...

Return,O my soul, to your rest;

for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

Psalm 116:7

Lord... You have dealt bountifully with me today...!

From waking refreshed...

to a call to intercede...

to Bible study with lovely ladies...

to a full day of work...

and a return to evening offering...

Lord... You have dealt bountifully with me today...

Thank You...

full...

You know life is full... when you wish you could start tomorrow... today...

Yes... there's still things to accomplish today... this day not yet over... but I find myself pressed... wondering how I could fit more in today... to make tomorrow... less...

Yes... life is full...

Still working in new...

Wondering how it's all held together to this point...

But really... I know...

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Colossians 1:17

Including... me... my life... and very full days...

I praise You Lord... that it is You who holds things together... and it is not up to me... Thank You for Your guidance... strength... energy... to continue... working out... all You want to work in...

full of thanks...

Full of thanks... for His faithfulness... and grace...

For from his fullness we have all received,

grace upon grace.

John 1:14 ESV

preparing...

Preparing... whether it is the process of prudently preparing for bad news... or for a couple of days away... takes time... and intention...

Preparing... is the way we are to approach each day with Him...

He has prepared a way for us... into His presence...

...we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place

by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us

through the curtain, that is, his body...

Hebrews 10:19-20

He prepares a table for us... in the presence of the enemy...

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Psalm 23:5

Our appropriate response... prepare for the day... the journey... whatever may lie ahead...  with a sacrifice of thanks...

He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me,

and he prepares the way so that I may show him

the salvation of God...

Psalm 50:23

Through a preparation of thanksgiving... we prepare the way... so we may see the salvation of God... today...

How will you offer a sacrifice of thanks today...? how will I...?

thanking Him...

Thanking Him... in all things...

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

Psalm 107:1

No ifs... ands... or... buts...


This week's reading list for The Journey...
Monday                    Job 36
Tuesday                    Job 37
Wednesday              Job 38:1 - 40:2
Thursday                  Job 40:3 - 41:34
Friday                       Job 42

humbled... by His wonders...

There are times... all I do... feels foolish...
and it seems... time to quit...

Struggling for words...
feeling inept after interceding...
straining to hear Him...
wondering if it's all just me...

Then... He reminds... it's not me...

Encouragement comes...
thanks for a remembered prayer... offered years earlier...
thanks for words written... that spoke... in the midst of a storm...
a comment... naming me a blessing...?

Each humbles... to... tears...

And I wonder... how on earth... He finds uses for me...
and give thanks that He does...
and I resolve... to feel foolish no longer...
because really... I'm just disrespecting Him... and His call...

So today... Lord... help me remember...
Your wonders...
and put aside doubts...
help me stop looking at me...
and be glad I'm a fool...
Your fool...
Who beyond wonder of wonders...
finds uses for me...

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;

I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

I will be glad and exult in you;

I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Psalm 9:1-2 ESV

memorialized...

Saturday... a gathering of family... to honor the memory of the elder-in-law...

No formal service... for the one who saw the celebration of his 90th as a eulogy...

Children... grandchildren... great-grands... together to visit... remember... eat... and share hearts...

And that was the most beautiful part... the hearts shared... many transparent to me... for the first time...

Laughter... tears... hugs... thanks... all shared honestly... openly...

Blessed by the time... to get to know better... the family I've been a part of for over 27 years...

Grateful for the man... who made possible my husband... and kids...

Thankful for an opportunity... to share my experience with the elder-in-law... and the Word...

Prayerfully hopeful... for the future... of his children... grands... and greats...

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Romans 15:13 ESV

advent... fourth sunday...

Three days till Christmas... and the word for Advent's fourth Sunday...

Peace

Depending on your organizational skills... and your level of expectation... peace... may be the last thing you are feeling... and seem like an impossibility... 

Yet... that's why He came... to make the way for... peace... 

For everyone has sinned; 

we all fall short of God's glorious standard.

Romans 3:23 NLT

To fall short... of God's glorious standard... makes us God's enemies... there is no peace... between enemies...

en-e-my... noun... one that is antagonistic to another especially: one seeking to injure, overthrow, or confound an opponent

--- Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th Edition)

Yet God, with undeserved kindness, 

declares that we are righteous. 

He did this through Christ Jesus 

when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 

For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. 

People are made right with God when they believe

that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. 

This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back 

and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 

for he was looking ahead and including them 

in what he would do in this present time. 

God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, 

for he himself is fair and just,

and he declares sinners to be right in his sight 

when they believe in Jesus.

Romans 3:24-26 NLT

This is the Good News... the Gospel...

Think about the best news you could receive...

healing... of disease...

reconciliation... of relationship...

acceptance... of an application...

resurrection... of life...

What would be your first response...? if what you most desired... was delivered... as good news...?

Mine... joy... immediately followed by... peace...

Bad news... destroys peace... 

Good news... restores peace...

The arrival of the Babe in the manger... here is where the Good News of Christ begins... prepares the Way for...

healing...

reconciliation...

acceptance...

resurrection...

PEACE...

For in [the Son] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

and through him to reconcile to himself all things,

whether on earth or in heaven,

making peace by the blood of his cross.

Colossians 1:19-20 ESV

Receive the Good News of the Babe... 

Who grew to be the Lamb...

Who came... to take away the sins of the world...

to make the Way... for peace...

Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!

...

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,

by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,

present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4, 5

Go now... to the altar of the manger... 

Rejoice... at the Good News He brings...

Lay down... your anxieties... expectations...

Rest... in His work... and in His strength...

Present your requests... with thanksgiving... 

And receive... His peace... which transcends understanding...

full...

A full day...
finding His grace in so many ways...
filled with joy... and thanks...

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.

My heart leaps for joy

and I will give thanks to him in song.

Psalm 28:5

continued thanks...

Thank-full for...
those who pray...
hearts prepared...
words and grace...
in the face of hard...

We now have this light shining in our hearts,

but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars

containing this great treasure. This makes it clear

that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

2 Corinthians 4:7

gathered up... joy...

The joy... of family... gathered up... in faith...

Thank-full for that which is seen...

And those things unseen...
love...
joy...
faith...
Him...

Every good and perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights...

James 1:17

a prayer... for thanks giving...

For those who face difficulties... of wide and varying degrees... hard places from which to give thanks... on this thanks-giving eve...

Father God... You are Most High...
Good and Loving toward all You have made...

I pray for those who need to know Your presence... Lord...
Your love for them... this moment...

A blessing of grace... the ability to sense... 
in some way... Your love for them...

You are the One who intends all things for good...
and the saving of many lives...

I pray for those waiting in the face of death...
show Yourself as Life...

For those who need healing... 
physical... 
emotional...
spiritual... 
relational...
show Yourself as as the One who heals...

For those who are lost... wandering...
reveal Yourself as the Way...

I pray for those trapped in darkness...
emotional...
spiritual...
literal and metaphorical...
show Yourself as Light...

I pray for those in deep despair...
show Yourself as Hope...

For those who need You... those for whom You've come...
the sick... the lost... the sinner...
bring healing... hope... forgiveness...

May each recognize Your presence....
Your righteousness... O Most High...

Bless each with the gift of faith...
to offer a sacrifice of thanks... 
and know Your peace...
no matter what they face...

The Lord is righteous in all his ways

and loving toward all he has made.

The Lord is near to all who call on him,

to all who call on him in truth.

He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;

he hears their cry and saves them.

Psalm 145:17-19

thanks... giving...

Thank-full... overflowing with thanks... even though many things still unfinished... much unchanged... from yesterday's unsteady...

So it really is odd... to feel so full... of thanks...

Thank-full... for Fall...

and trees in transition...

Thank-full for the 93 years... and his son...

both who have birthdays this week...

Thank-full for His faithfulness... in trials... and tribulations...

Thank-full for friends... to love...

Thank-full for sixth graders to teach...

Thank-full for much to do...
and confidence that He will complete it...

Ridiculously thank-full... as this month has flown by...
the end of the year fast approaching...

But mostly... just thank-full... for Him...

That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

Psalm 30:12 NASB

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