Scripture standout: My personal alltime fave:
Ps 25: "4 Show me your ways, LORD,
teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long."
Mark 1: "35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
Morning thoughts: This was something awesome to read this morning after 30 minutes of brooding. It's the devotional from today's Forward Day by Day:
His Deed/The Day: Comforted a boy who is achingly sad. So sad that his tears literally spilt on the tile. I think I heard one of them. Drew him a bath. Sighed.
Today, I decided that sometimes I feel like a beautiful, colorful piece of construction paper. I rip one side down until it's almost just to the bottom. That's my work. Then I rip another strip, again almost down to the bottom, and that's me enjoying summer. Then I rip another strip, and it's called taking care of Ashraf's foot issues. The next strip? That's tending to Qudrat and his smothering affection. Another strip yields the care of newly sick Ben. Weeee! Rip another, and that's me being a wife and tending to the house. Weeeee some more! I'm career girl taking on a few new projects! Rip! Yes! I'm a friend and attentive family member! Rip! Rip! Rip! And what's left sometimes? A colorful, droopy mess of shredded paper.
Morning thoughts: This was something awesome to read this morning after 30 minutes of brooding. It's the devotional from today's Forward Day by Day:
I attended a seminar about retaining and sharpening our brains. Perhaps we thought that avoiding stress would be the answer, but the presenters’ research reached a different conclusion: the pattern of stress and recovery leads to brain development.
In addition to expanding our minds, recovery from stress involves spiritual growth. When confronted with obstacles or stuck amid fear, we call upon the Lord to intervene. With spiritual eyes, we see God at work in our challenges and in us.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu lived in very stressful times in South Africa. Apartheid segregated the races, resulting in lives of privation for those with darker skin. In the name of Christ, Tutu preached against these abuses, urging their termination, and called for reconciliation. Apartheid died.
As we look back at tough times, we can track God’s presence in a way we could not at the time. Only because of stress and recovery are there “marvelous works” for which we give thanks to the Lord.
His Deed/The Day: Comforted a boy who is achingly sad. So sad that his tears literally spilt on the tile. I think I heard one of them. Drew him a bath. Sighed.
Today, I decided that sometimes I feel like a beautiful, colorful piece of construction paper. I rip one side down until it's almost just to the bottom. That's my work. Then I rip another strip, again almost down to the bottom, and that's me enjoying summer. Then I rip another strip, and it's called taking care of Ashraf's foot issues. The next strip? That's tending to Qudrat and his smothering affection. Another strip yields the care of newly sick Ben. Weeee! Rip another, and that's me being a wife and tending to the house. Weeeee some more! I'm career girl taking on a few new projects! Rip! Yes! I'm a friend and attentive family member! Rip! Rip! Rip! And what's left sometimes? A colorful, droopy mess of shredded paper.
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