The Simple Wife

Monday.

Oh my.

We've had the last two weeks off from school--Thanksgiving and then Emma in NYC (remind me to post some of her pictures--she's her Aunt Kristen's niece and took a ton). So this morning, we're getting back in the swing of it.

Along with laundry. And menu planning. And grocery shopping. And how all that's going to get done well and with a happy attitude, I just don't know.

One day at a time. One thing at a time. Help, Lord, help!

I'm struggling.

With all that feels like it needs to be done. With feeling behind in our schooling. With my attitude. With feeling unprepared for Christmas. With feeling like a friend has tossed me aside. With missing my home. With uncertainty. With PMS. With missing seminary. With not being crafty. With feeling lonely. With feeling whatever it is I'm feeling about the weekend of counseling with Toben starting on Friday. 

With wanting to wallow in it.

And with wanting to tell myself to buck up and get over it and just be happy already. Cheesh!

The head and heart thing gets me every time. What I KNOW versus what I FEEL. Anyone else?

And the thing is, I feel like I know all the right things to tell myself. I know what I'd say to someone else struggling with this. I know what I have said to others struggling with this. And I've said those things to myself over and over again. 

And yet it's just plain HARD.

But I wallowed yesterday and it didn't really get me anywhere. Nothing changed and, in all honesty, it wasn't as fun as I thought it would be. In fact, it was pretty miserable. Not to mention that it had an effect on my whole family.

So what comes suddenly to mind is this (which makes me think it's a totally God thing):

"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him." I can choose to trust God anyway and praise him anyway and let him worry about changing my heart. 

Yet. A little word. (And one that sounds funny if you say it too many times in a row.) But one that sums it up well. It wouldn't be the same if it just said "for I will praise him." That makes it sound easy and nonchalant. A given, a natural.

That "yet" is encouraging to me because it acknowledges the struggle in it, the tension, the overcoming and determination required.

At some point, it comes down to rugged obedience. Doing what I know is right whether I feel like it or not. One step at a time. And letting God work out the rest.

Off to go tie up my running shoes, turn the music up loud, and praise anyway. One step at a time.

 

This week the girls and I are going to start working on Psalm 19 again. Reviewing the first eight verses (since we haven't done that for the past two weeks!) and adding three or four more.

What about you?

"But how I need your help!"

 

Just popping in to say that I'm going to hold on to this verse for another week. I think I've got it down--now that I finally printed out the card. Such a little thing that took too long. I need a verse card--something tangible to hold and take with me and see each day.

Anyway, this is really the cry of my heart right now: "How I need your help!" So I'm going to keep meditating on it.

What about you?

 

 

Memory Monday: Psalm 19:1-8 review and something new

The girls and I are continuing to work on Psalm 19; up to verse 8. But we'll be taking the next two weeks off of school for Thanksgiving. I'm excited about where we are in Psalm 19--talking about all the different words used to describe God's Word and what it does in and for us.

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

In the meantime, I'm going to learn the verse that Lisa shared with me a couple of weeks ago. I'd like to get it tattooed on my forehead, but then it would be backwards when I look in the mirror. Though my friend Ali wants it on her forehead too, so maybe we could just look at each other!

 

Leave your link/verse/comment below!

Memory Monday: More of Psalm 19

We went and saw our friend at Staples the other day to get a whole stack of verse cards laminated. I've not been laminating mine (they have a safe place to live without getting beat up), but the girls get theirs done. That way they'll last. And wouldn't it be cool if they still had their stack someday when they're all grown up? 

(Okay, technically the boy at Staples doesn't know he's our friend but it's always the same guy and I kind of wonder what he thinks of our verse cards. I figure that maybe he'll ask one of these visits.)

This week we're adding more verses to Psalm 19; we got 1-4 down pretty well last week especially considering we didn't do school on Monday. 

One thing we need to work on is reviewing past verses we've learned to keep them fresh. I do that on my own, but it's time for the girls to do it too, for us to do it together.

Which reminds me of Sunday school yesterday. Our virtue this month is cooperation and our memory verse is Ecclesiastes 4:9. "Two people are better than one. They can help each other in everything they do."

In everything they do. 

Memorizing Scripture, cleaning house, making decisions, homework, you name it. Everything. That was a little bit eye-opening for me. Because I'm not so good at asking for help and tend to pride myself on being self-sufficient. God's really been working on that with me and I'll go ahead and tell you it's not much fun. But necessary.

 

Are you memorizing anything this week? If not, why not? Please don't take that as criticism, but as an honest question. What's holding you back from being disciplined about memorization?

Memory Monday: Starting on Psalm 19

The girls and I are going to start learning Psalm 19 this week. We have a couple of weeks to get it down, so this morning we'll be making our verse cards and then heading out to the office supply store to get them laminated. We have quite a stack waiting to be done. And who doesn't love a trip to the office supply store?

I feel like I'm starting to sound like a broken record a little bit, but our discipline is still off. No excuse. 

In fact, I need to confess that my own personal discipline is just off lately. My quiet times have been haphazard, sort of on the fly, and not totally honest. Which is silly, since God knows the truth no matter how I try to spin it or hide it.

Beth's video message on the Living Proof Ministry blog hit me square between the eyes this morning. And it called to mind her talk in Laramie back in May about the need for STRICT TRAINING. I said I was in then. I meant it. And I still mean it. But it's time to act like it again.

I'm in.

Excited and a little scared. But ready because I don't want to lose ground, don't want to coast. I want to be strong, to be mighty, to be honest, to be brave.

In the words of my dear friend Susan: Bring it.

Memory Monday: A week to catch up

The girls and I are in desperate need of a week to catch up and a week to review. We are still out of our routine (for some very good reasons) and I'm hoping that today we'll get going and work hard and set the tone for the first half of the week.

The second half? We're headed to San Diego on Thursday for a long weekend with a couple of extra kiddos so we're going to rock and roll these next three days.

And I'm going to go for a run this morning. No excuses! I'm still not totally well and feeling stuffy in the mornings, but after I get this posted and sit upright for a little while longer I'll be fine. And I'm just done. Three weeks of feeling cold-ish and some days of feeling downright awful are enough. I'm done.

All this makes me realize how much I am a creature of habit. A change in routine is hard for me. At the same time, I'm learning some flexibility--something I need desperately. On my own I am rigid and controlled to a fault. So I'm taking it a day at a time and just doing whatever comes next.

Other things to catch up on? Email, as always. I know I have a message from at least one of you who said you wanted to join in Memory Monday--and I'm afraid I haven't responded personally yet. Know I am thrilled to have you join us!

And to anyone else awaiting a response, I love getting your comments. I'd love to respond to each and every one with a personal note. Sometimes I do, sometimes I just can't. l hate that! 

Do you ever feel like the reason you want more time is not to have it just for yourself or to waste it, but to spend it on other people? There are so many people I want to spend time with, get to know better. Eternity. The Bible says that God has set eternity in our hearts--and this is one of those things that brings it to the forefront for me.

Leave your verse or your link in the comments below. Love you all and so thankful for your faithfulness and encouragement and accountability. It means the world to me.

Memory Monday on Tuesday

Here's what we're learning this week, personalized for us girls:

 

(That's Audrey's verse card.)

(And here's Emma's for the other verses we're learning.)

 

I'm especially excited about learning Proverbs 26:18-19. How often do we say something cutting, something unkind or do something mean, something petty and excuse ourselves with "I was only joking!" or "I didn't really mean it!"?

The girls and I had a great conversation about what this means yesterday and I *think* they got it. Or started to get it at least. 

 

What are you learning this week? Leave a comment or a link below. And if you'd like to join in, click on the Memory Button in the sidebar and you'll find all you need to know!

Memory Monday: Romans 8:38-39

Oh my goodness, our school schedule is all off! So we're going to keep working on Romans 8:38-39 and get back on track next week.

And I never posted last week since I was up in the mountains. I'm all discombobulated! 

But life should be back to normal next week. (knocking on wood!)

Memory Monday: Lamentations 3:21-24

Yet this I call to mind 
    and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness. 
I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion,
    therefore I will wait for him." Lamentations 3:21-24

This next week we'll (me and the girls--you can pick your own verse!) be learning Romans 8:38-39. When I typed it out on our verse cards, I formatted it like this:

I'm a visual learner and making it look this way will help me to remember it better!

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Leave your link and come join us! Click on the button in the sidebar for the scoop about Memory Monday.

Memory Monday: All of Psalm 103!

Whew! As of this week, the girls and I have memorized ALL of Psalm 103. The last little bit is still a bit rough, though, so we'll continue to review it along with learning our new passage for this week:

Yet this I call to mind 
and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."

Lamentations 3:21-24

If you promise not to tell the girls, I'll go ahead and tell you that we weren't supposed to memorize verse 21 according to our Bible curriculum. 

But I need the reminder that I need to call things to mind to remind myself of some truth. And the fact that what I'm reminding myself of gives me hope? Well, that's important to know.

I also love that these verses encourage me to talk to myself--something I'm pretty good at! But this tells me exactly what to say to myself. Again, another reminder I need.

And I love that in the midst of talking about the LORD, the writer just can't help but interject a personal aside to Yahweh: "Great is YOUR faithfulness!"

It has helped me so much to be learning verses with my girls--up close, face to face, and out loud. Just a suggestion: If you're needed a bit more encouragement/accountability, is there someone you see daily who could learn the same verse with you? Your kids, boyfriend, husband, coworker. 

What are you learning this week? How's it going? 

It seems like so many of us were gung-ho at the beginning, experienced a slump, and have recently said we wanted--we NEEDED--to get back in this discipline of writing God's Word on our hearts. A quick reminder--to myself too--let's pray that God will write his Word on our hearts, that the Holy Spirit will remind us of what we have learned, even as we buckle down and just do it.

Leave a your verse or a link in the comments below. And, as always, we'd love to have you join in! Click on the button in the sidebar for all you need to know to join in!

Memory Monday: Even more Psalm 103

This week the girls and I will be finishing up Psalm 103 by adding verses 20-22 to what we know already. Have to say that we've all been surprised at how easily we've learned this. Here's what's helped...

We do a small chunk each week. 

We each make our own verse card. (I type it into the computer and then they change fonts, colors, and so on to make it theirs.)

We keep the cards handy.

We each recite what we know so far and then read the new verses two times each day. So we're listening to it a lot, saying it a lot, and reading it a lot. The more senses we get involved, the easier it is to remember.

We read the new verses a lot before we try to say them from memory. When we try to remember them and say them wrong, somehow the wrong way gets stuck in our heads. So we really read it carefully for three or four days until we know we know it.

We mix up some extra attention on the new verses. We go around in a circle, alternating words or phrases, mixing it up so we each have a different word or phrase each time. Somehow remembering a small portion of what comes next is easier than remembering the whole thing from scratch.

I also need to work on the next verse in Psalm 138 for Bible study on Wednesday night. I'm so glad to have added verse 3 last week: "As soon as I pray you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength." Love that. AS SOON AS. Those are good words!

Leave a link in the comments to your post, or type it out right there. And feel free to join in any time. Click on the button in the sidebar for all the information you need!

Good morning...

I'm out here on the patio this morning, sitting on my new loveseat, sipping coffee and enjoying the hint of coolness in the air. (It smells like cows this morning in Gilbert, Arizona, but I'm ignoring that part.) 

I've been studying the Feast of Trumpets/Rosh Hashana this morning some. It's this weekend and I'd really like for us to celebrate it as a family. We're headed to San Diego on Friday morning, so I'm not quite sure how that'll happen, so we'll see. Maybe we'll do our feast on Thursday--a day early, but oh well. (Note to self, get out the bread starter to bake bread in all the fun shapes required!)

(If the feasts sound interesting to you, be sure to check out these two books in my Amazon shop. I'd recommend them both in a heart beat.)

What's really on my mind is this: Psalm 103 (what the girls and I are memorizing right now as part of our Bible curriculum) says this:

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, 
 slow to anger, abounding in love.

All too often, I am slow to love and abounding in anger. I hate that.

More than anything, I want to be like Jesus. To follow his example--especially at home as I love my family. But my natural inclination is to get this one completely upside down and backwards.

O Abba Father, 

Please change me to be like you. To be what I cannot be on my own and in my own power. Make me slow to anger and abounding in love today. As I teach the girls. As we work together. As I parent and discipline and hang out with them. Stop me in my tracks when I get off track. Fill me with your Spirit and your mighty power to be and do what you desire.

Whatever it takes, make me like you.

Memory Monday: More of Psalm 103

Oh my goodness, where is my brain? I just walked in the door from a meeting at church and on the way home it hit me that I completely spaced out on Memory Monday today. I think it's that I stayed up so late last night and have been playing catch up all day today.

Anyway, I do know Psalm 103:1-15 and will be learning 16-19 this next week, along with cementing the first three verses of Psalm 138.

I'm tired and my contacts are sticking to my eyeballs, so I'm headed to bed. But wanted to get this up first!

You know the drill. And if you don't, click on the button in the sidebar.

P.S. Our party last night was so much fun. I loved seeing couples of all ages and stages laughing and talking and eating lots of chicken tacos. Though to be perfectly honest, they could've eaten more. We'll be eating that again. And again. 

Pictures coming soon. Love you all SO MUCH!

Memory Monday: Psalm 138

I think I mentioned last week that all the Esther gals are memorizing Psalm 138 this fall. And while I'd planned to memorize verses 1-2, I only got verse 1 down this past week. Confession: It was total laziness on my part. I didn't make it a priority or give it the time every day needed to memorize.

I give you thanks, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will sing your praises before the gods.

Memorizing with the girls (Psalm 103) has been so easy that I sort thought that this would be too. But it's been easy to learn with the girls because we've made it a priority and given it time each day. As we've read our verses out loud, said them to each other, gone around the circle with each one of us saying a word or a line, it's been written in our memories.

A here and there approach to memory just doesn't work.

We'll be getting back into the swing of school this week after our break for Audrey's trip and Mom's visit. So we'll be adding onto Psalm 103, and I'll be adding on to Psalm 138. 

By the way, Karen sent me this link for a way to keep those verses we've learned fresh. So many of us have mentioned that we've learned verses by heart for a week or two, only to have them fade later on. I'm definitely going to try this--as soon as I get to the store to get a box!

Leave your link for your Memory Monday post in the comments, or feel free to type your verse straight into the comments if you'd prefer. Want to join in? Click on the Memory Monday button in the sidebar. We'd love to have you join us!

Memory Monday

I've been reviewing Psalm 103:1-11 as I've stood at the sink doing dishes this week, waiting for Audrey to come home (not till Wednesday) so we can add the next section to this psalm.

In the meantime, I need to get busy on Psalm 138. It's what everyone doing Esther at church is memorizing together as part of our study. 

And for the first time, I'll be memorizing out of the NLT. My preference is to memorize out of the NIV since that's the Bible translation I use everyday. And the rebellious part of me wants to use the NIV even though I was told not to!

(Do have a contrary part in you like that? I sure do. I can so relate to Paul who talked about how the law shows us what sin is and looks like. The law tells us not to do something, and we find sin in ourselves in our perverse desire to do it, not necessarily because we want to, but because we were told not to. Don't you love that section of Romans?)

Anyway, I'm going to work on the first two verses this week--from the NLT!

I give you thanks, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will sing your praises before the gods.

I bow before your holy Temple as I worship.
I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name. (Psalm 138:1-2)

Have to say that the thing that immediately stands out to me is that God's promises are backed by ALL the honor of his name. A promise from God is one we can count on. One I can count on. That's something I need to know. Need to hear. Need to be reminded of and need to remember.

Go ahead a type your verse into the comments, or link to your Memory Monday post if you're joining us today. And if you want more information, click on the Memory Monday button in the sidebar for everything you need to know!

I heard a woman's testimony this weekend that was full of Scripture she'd memorized over the years and it sparked such a desire in me to know Scripture like that. I was struck by the fact that when I've learned a verse or a couple of verses that I need to be always reviewing them. Something I've not been very good at. Maybe I need to make some duplicate verse cards--for my purse, for the car, for the bathroom mirror.

I so want God's Word to be written on my heart so I can recall it at a moment's notice. And while I pray for God to write his Word on my heart, for the Spirit to aid my memory, I think it's also true that it's going to take time and work on my part.

Have a great Monday, everyone. I'm going to read some (more on the book I'm reading later) and then get ready to play tennis with a friend. I can't wait. I love this friend and I love tennis. So it'll be a good morning for sure!

Wednesday? Really?

How did it get to be Wednesday morning already? I didn't mean to be away quite so long! But we've been up to all kinds of things...

On Sunday afternoon we headed to the airport to get my mom. I loved watching the girls stand at the end of the terminal walkway, stretching tall to watch for their Gran. Craning their necks to see past and around all the people for their first glimpse of her. Jumping up and down as they caught sight of her and wiggling to run past the "Do not enter" sign. I wanted to jump up and down and run right alongside them, but I was having too much fun watching them.

I LOVE that my girls have such a close relationship with my mom!

We grabbed Mom's bag and headed out to dinner to celebrate Toben's birthday and catch up. Toben loves this place--one he's eaten at many times during his many trips to Phoenix over the past couple of years and was so happy to see a location near our house. He was pretty happy to get his free birthday dessert too!

(That would be a half-baked white chocolate macadamia nut cookie, covered in three scoops of vanilla ice cream and chocolate chips and cinnamon and sugar!)

We got Mom all settled in Emma's room, Emma all settled in a sleeping bag on the floor, then Emma all settled in my bed, then Toben all settled on the couch since he had to get up early and go to L.A. on Monday for meetings, and all went to bed.

On Monday, Emma was up and in her swimsuit, ready to go to the pool at 7:30. So we went. After breakfast, and after the rest of us got ready!

The girls swam, Mom and I sat on lounge chairs and chatted, we all swam, we built drippy castles in the sand, we talked, we practiced water ballet and made up a routine, we laughed, Audrey lounged in the water. Nowhere to hurry off to. Nothing to do but enjoy being together.

After showers and lunch, we showed Mom around Gilbert--the library, the church, Target. Which pretty much covers where we go in a usual week. I'm sure we'll hit the Walmart at the other end of her visit!

We went through Audrey's suitcase and carry-on one more time, and I left them painting their toenails together while I headed off to a meeting at church.

We got up yesterday morning and went back to the airport early for Mom and Audrey to catch their flight to NYC.

(Yep, that's her American Girl Jess sticking out of her bag. They just called a minute ago from Fifth Avenue, walking toward the American Girl store where they're having lunch today and shopping before heading out to explore the city some more.)

Emma and I came home and sat on the couch ALL DAY--me on a reading binge, Emma on an Addams Family binge. It's been so long since we've had a lazy day like that!

Today, Emma and I are going to work on a tote bag for her to haul to the library. I think we'll put a book on tape on to listen to while we sew. And maybe we'll hang out at the pool for a bit. (After I hang out with Jillian who I'm sure is mad at me for not exercising for the past four days. I know I'm going to pay!)

Tonight is Bible study. I'm excited to get to know the women in my group a bit more and to hear about what stood out to them from the past week's lessons.

Oh! I did learn my verses for Memory Monday--and knew them on Monday even though I didn't post them. Since the girls are taking a school break, we're continuing to review Psalm 103:1-11 until we start again and add the next section.

More soon--I promise!

Memory Monday: Psalm 103:1-7

I didn't mean to be away so long! I have lots swirling around in my head that I want to share and just need to sit down and get it out. Not just to share with you, but to clarify some of it for myself. Does that make sense? 

Part of the reason I love blogging is the chance to sort things out in my own mind!

Okay, Memory Monday:

Psalm 103:1-7

Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits--
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
 who satisfies your desires with good things
  so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
 The LORD works righteous
    and justice for all the oppressed.
 He made known his ways to Moses, 
  his deeds to the people of Israel:

I'm not so sure about punctuation on this since we've really been working on learning verses and reciting them. We've talked so much about expression and tone of voice and gestures that it's been really fun.

For next week, we'll be learning through verse 11.

Leave your verse or link below. And if you've thought about joining us, there's no time like the present! Click on the Memory Monday button on the right-hand sidebar for all the information you'll need.

And just a quick shout out and "WELL DONE!" to all of you who are so faithful with this each week. I know that hiding God's Word in your heart is making a difference. I'm sure that God is using it in your daily life and I'd love to hear how. There's nothing like a little accountability to keep me motivated! And nothing like God bringing a verse to mind in the midst of a need--whether for wisdom or encouragement.

I've been so reminded these past couple of weeks to FORGET NOT all his benefits as Psalm 103 says. I've been struggling with my focus lately--wanting to keep my eyes on what's wrong rather than what's right. And God has been gently reminding me of where my focus should be through this passage.

Love you all and praying for a great start to your week!

Joanne

Memory Monday: Psalm 103:1-3

I've decided to memorize along with the girls for whatever they're learning for their Bible curriculum. It started with memorizing Psalm 103 over the next few weeks. So this past week was verses 1-3.

On Monday, we made verse cards. I typed the verse into the computer, then they customized their card with colors and typefaces. Then each day, we each read it twice. 

For the first couple of days, we focused on reading it correctly--not adding words, or leaving any out. The girls both wanted to try to do it from memory right away, but knowing they wouldn't say it correctly without learning it first, I said no. I wanted them to focus on seeing it and hearing it and saying it correctly.

Once that was coming along well, we talked about what makes a good recitation. Tone of voice, facial expression, hand gestures, body language. What would it be like to say "Praise the Lord, O my soul" with a glum face, a bored voice, and looking at our toes?

It sure wouldn't be believable that we meant it! And it wouldn't really make anyone want to praise with us!

By Thursday, the girls were standing and reciting with minimal help and with great--even overdone!--expression. But we talked about overdoing it and toning it back, rather than underdoing it.

So, without further ado...Psalm 103:1-3!

So their expression is a little lacking in the video--I think they're distracted by seeing themselves on the screen while it records!

Memory Monday: James 1:25

Here we go:

But the woman
who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom
and continues to do this,
not forgetting what she has heard,
but does doing it--
she will be blessed in what she does. (James 1:25)

I love this for so many reasons:

• looking intently  
• the perfect law that gives freedom
• continuing
• not forgetting, but doing
• the promise of blessing

I'm not sure what's up next, but I think I'll be memorizing with the girls. When I peeked at our lesson plans, it looks like they'll be working on Scripture memory and recitation each week as part of our homeschool curriculum. So I think we'll all learn together--I'll keep you posted.

For now, I need to go spend some time with Jillian (I've been working out on the back patio. It's almost 7 a.m. and it's already 88 degrees outside. So it's kind of like that hot yoga--sauna and workout all in one.) and get myself ready for our big first day of school at home!

 

Memory Monday: Not quite stuck in my memory

I didn't really pick my verse until the middle of last week, and I haven't quite got it down yet. But even as I type that, I think to myself, You could have learned it anyway! True. Let's be honest, with some work, I could learn a verse a day if I really made it a priority. I've become a little bit lazy about this and want to get cracking again!

Here's what I'm learning:

But the woman
who looks intently
into the perfect law that gives freedom,
and continues to do this,
not forgetting what she has heard,
but doing it--
she will be blessed in what she does. (James 1:25)

Yes, the lines are broken funny--on purpose. I realize that I'm a visual learner and it helps me to put things in bold, to divide the lines up into specific chunks. That way I can "see" it in my head.

So I will be "looking intently" at my verse over the next few days to cement it in my brain.

And then...I'm feeling like what I've learned isn't sticking with me the way I'd like. That I need to take some time to review all I've learned since we began doing Memory Monday.

How about you? Are you retaining what you learn? What's working for you? Not working?

For more information on Memory Monday, click on the button in the sidebar on the right.

Memory Monday: Micah 6:8

I set the prayer book aside last week and have been studying Micah 6:8. It's a verse I've known for a while, but I've been meditating on it this week.

He has shown you, O man, what is good. 

And what does the LORD require of you? 

To act justly 

and to love mercy 

and to walk humbly with your God. 

This is the key verse for our new church here in Gilbert. Everything they do centers around this verse, and it's been the subject of all the sermons we've heard so far.

As I've sat in church and thought about how to pass on what I'm learning to the girls, I decided to delve a little deeper, starting with looking up the original Hebrew words and seeing what they mean and where they led. I've been asking questions and making pages and pages of notes.

In fact, I think it would make a great 12-week Bible study to do together. 

The other morning, I read a sermon by Charles Spurgeon on Micah 6:8 and this stood out to me, so I thought I'd share it with you.

True humility is thinking rightly of thyself, not meanly. When you have found out what you really are, you will be humble, for you are nothing to boast of. To be humble will make you safe. To be humble will make you happy. To be humble will make music in your heart when you go to bed. To be humble here will make you wake up in the likeness of your Master by-and-by.

Here's the link for the whole sermon--it's worth a read. And just as soon as I can get my computer talking to my printer, I'm going to print the whole thing out so I can underline to my heart's content!

***

Did you learn a verse this week? Leave a comment or a link below! And if you want to join in, click on the button on the right for everything you need to know. We'd love to have you join us!

Memory Monday: Playing catch up from last Monday

Oops...almost forgot!

I did learn a verse the week before last, even though I didn't post last Monday.

Say to my soul, "I am your salvation." Psalm 35:3b

All too often I struggle with being entirely too self-sufficient. It's hard for me to ask for help, to accept help, to admit I can't do something on my own. It's all too easy for me to think I'm my own salvation.

I need God to remind me that whatever I'm facing, HE is my salvation. For eternity, for today, for this moment.

Memory Monday: Psalm 46:1-2a

So I know I already did my memory verse for this week a few days ago here, but it's Monday and I missed y'all last week since I was internet-less.

Here's what I learned for today:

God is my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore I will not fear, though... (Psalm 46:1-2a)

Yes, I know that the NIV really says "our" refuge and "we" will not fear, but I wanted to memorize this in a first-person, personal way, so I did.

I also stopped where I did on purpose with the dot-dot-dot (or ellipses, for the editor in me!) because it seems like there's always something different to end it with:

• though...Toben's out of town and I heard a weird noise in the night
• though...the plane is shaking and I'm sure we're going to die in a fiery crash
• though...my children aren't home
• though...the world seems like such a scary place some days
• though...I don't see God working like I want him to in a certain situation
• though...a friend is facing heartbreak

I will not fear. It sounds so certain, so sure, so strong, doesn't it. It sounds like a decision has been made, a choice set, feet dug in. I will not fear.

All because of Jesus. Immanuel. God with us. God with me. An ever-present help. Not just arriving on the scene, needing to be filled in. Not coming soon, leaving me wondering if he'll be too late. 

Ever present. And just that right there is a help. To know I'm not alone. I'm never alone. God is here. He's standing in front of me, offering me refuge, giving me his own strength to face whatever it is.

Did you learn a verse this week? Leave it in the comments, or leave a link to your post. Want to join in? Click on the button on the right. We'd love to have you join in!

Memory Monday: Psalm 46:5

(Oops, had to flip back a couple of pages in my journal to check the reference. I know the verse, but often can't remember references. Anyone have any great tips for remembering the "address" of the verse you're learning?)

Psalm 46:5

God is within her, she will not fall;

God will help her at break of day.

I've really hung on to this during the past week. Because to be honest, it's been a rough one. More on that in another post.

I'm not sure what I'll be memorizing for this next week yet, but I'll let you know!

Did you memorize a verse this week? Leave it in the comments, or link your post to the comments below.

For now, I'm off to have my quiet time. It's been since Friday, I think...the longest stretch I've had without one in a loooong time. 

Hmm...maybe that's part of why things have been so rough. Ya think? I've always said that about two days is the longest I can go. Maybe I'd better modify that to can't skip a single day without disastrous results.

(Makes me think, Well, DUH, Joanne!)

Want to join in Memory Monday? Click on the button in the sidebar for all the information you'll need!

Memory Monday: Psalm 8:1

I never really picked a verse for last week, just kept waiting for one to pick me. 

The prayer book had me in Psalm 8 last week, and I've been keeping my NIV/Message parallel Bible handy. So I was struck by verse 1 in The Message:

GOD, brilliant Lord,

yours is a household name.

As I've been packing up and feeling really sad about leaving my home (and all of our furniture and treasures) behind, I've been chewing on this verse. 

As I pray for wisdom about what to pack and what to store and what to leave out for the family who'll be living here next year, I've been thinking that what's most important about our home--here and the house we'll be living in in Phoenix--is that it is ultimately God who makes it into a home.

That he is what defines our household. He is what binds it all together. Everything else is just stuff.

All the same, I've been struggling a bit these past few days. Especially at night when I'm tired--and I'm tired. (Walking all the way upstairs from the basement a million times a day--usually hefting a box or two--is taking it out of me.)

Audrey and I were snuggling last night and talking about when our heads and hearts don't match. When we know one thing, but feel something else. 

"Which one do we follow?" she asked. Good question. 

We talked about how God gave us both--head and heart--for a purpose. And that being wise means learning to balance the two--even when they don't match. And that above all, having them in conflict points out our desperate need to ask God to help us make wise decisions.

In my head I know that this move is something God planned. And therefore will be good. In my head, I know that having our friends live here is also God planned--an incredible display of his perfect timing.

In my heart, I've been sad and tired and discouraged.

And the PMS isn't helping.

For next week, I'm thinking I'm going to learn what Michelle sent me the other day. (Michelle, I can't tell you how much your comment encouraged me. Thanks for taking the time to pass on to me how God has encouraged you.)

(Just as an aside, re-gifting encouragement is always a good idea!)

Psalm 46:5

God is within her, she will not fall:

God will help her at break of day.

Having taken hermeneutics this past semester, I know that taking this and applying it to me is taking it out of context. The psalm is talking about Jerusalem, God's holy city. But when we search the rest of Scripture, we can see that it applies to us as individuals as well.

Through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, God is within me. And because of that, I will not fall. And when I get up at the break of day to meet with the Father, he is always there to meet me and help me with whatever I'm facing.

Oops. This has gotten a little long. Thanks for listening. I would dearly covet your prayers--for my heart to match my head! 

And if you did Memory Monday this week, leave a link. If you want to join in, click on the button on the right--it'll tell you everything you need to know.

Memory Monday: Psalm 84:12

Here goes:

O LORD Almighty,

blessed is the woman who trusts in you.

Last week, I shared a little bit about what "blessed" means in this verse. You can see that here.

Here's what I learned about the word "trust." (I love dictionaries and definitions--there's so much to learn from what words mean!)

The Hebrew word for "trust" is "batach." 

to trust, to trust in
to have confidence, be confident
to be bold
to be secure
to feel safe, be care-less

It means "to confide in anyone, to set one's hope and confidence upon anyone, to be secure, to fear nothing for oneself."

As I've memorized this verse in the past week, I've thought a lot about trust. In what do I put my trust? In whom do I confide? What makes me bold? Where is my security?

Because I want to be a confident, bold woman. I want to be secure, to feel safe. I don't want to live in fear. I want to be blessed, to be happy.

Yes, my trust is in God for the big picture. But I'm thinking a lot about the little things that make up my day and what it would look like to trust God in the minutes and hours that make up the big picture of my life. It's in the small things and the smaller chunks of life that the rubber meets the road, that we live this out. And that's where it gets hard.

Funny how this all ties in with what Beth Moore talked about in Laramie. It's going to take some strict training to walk this thing out. Some daily training. But sign me up. Because it's going to be worth it.

I'm not sure what I'll memorize for next week. Nothing's just jumped off the page at me yet. But I'll keep you posted.

Want to join in? Click on the button in the sidebar on the right. Want to link to your Memory Monday post? Leave a comment!

Memory Monday on Tuesday morning

Better late than never, right?

After another week, I've got my passage from Ephesians down! And I'm ready to move onto a short one for this next week.

O LORD Almighty,

blessed is the [wo]man who trusts in you. 

Psalm 84:12

Here's what I love. Blessed here means "happy." Want to be happy? Trust God. That's the secret. With trust in God, we lose fear, we gain courage, we're free to obey, we find happiness.

A lot of truth packed into a little verse!

Memory Monday: Ephesians 3:14-21

I printed out my verse cards last week and tucked one into the mirror in the bathroom--blow drying and curling and memory work go well together. I put the other in the console of the car. Having a little card to hold and look at made me buckle down and get this passage memorized.

(Where do you keep your verse cards? Kitchen, bathroom, laundry room? Do share!)

Anyway, here goes Ephesians 3:14-21:

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love which surpasses all understanding--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations for ever and ever! Amen.

Okay, let's see how I did--I haven't really studied this today so far so it'll be a good test of how well I really know it...

I left out some of the best parts. I think I'll keep working on this--again--because I really want to know this one word perfect and be able to recall it.

Leave a link if you did yours! (And for more information on Memory Monday, click on the box in the sidebar.)

(And now Audrey and I are headed out to hit some balls back and forth on the tennis courts.)

Memory Monday: Time for some strict training

Confession: I haven't worked on my verses at all this past week. Why? Because I never took the time to print them out on a card and put that card where I can see it. Seems like such a small thing, but not doing that small thing has totally set me up for failure.

I'm going to run upstairs and print out my verses just as soon as I post this. In fact, maybe I'll print two cards--one for the bathroom mirror and one for the kitchen sink or the center console in the car.

Beth talked about strict training this past weekend in Laramie and here's the deal: If I want to be a woman who knows the Word like the back of my hand, I'm going to have to step up and do the work.

I'll be posting notes and pictures from the weekend here in a bit--it's one of the things on my list for today, along with cleaning out the linen closet and washing the blankets I took off the beds last week.

Leave your link below if you took part this week. And if you want more information on Memory Monday, click the button on the sidebar on the right. Happy Monday!

Memory Monday: Working on Ephesians 3

I've not made it more than a verse or two in the passage I'm memorizing. But I'm slowly getting there and will continue to work on it.

For this reason, I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to know how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

            Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21)

I've been struck by the very beginning: "For this reason I kneel before the Father..." We can pray anywhere, anytime, in any posture, but Paul knelt before God to pray this prayer for his friends.

And so as I've been praying this passage for some dear friends this week, I've been on my knees. Which, once I'm down on the floor, is my favorite prayer posture. I find I don't get as distracted and my mind doesn't wander as much.

Do you have a favorite prayer posture?

Leave a link in the comments (or type your verse out there if you want) if you joined in this week. If you want to know more about Memory Monday, click on the button over there in the right-hand sidebar.

Memory Monday: Psalm 34:3 and a peek at the week ahead

Psalm 34:3

Glorify the LORD with me;

let us exalt his name together!

You know the cool thing about this verse? It's who is being invited to glorify God with me. Verse two tells us it's the afflicted. That when we boast in the Lord, the afflicted hear and rejoice and then are invited to exalt God's name with us. Pretty cool, huh?

For next week? I think I'll start learning Ephesians 3:14-21. It's a long one, so it'll take a few weeks, but this is one of those that I sorta, kinda know and would like to really know by heart.

(Leave a link or a comment with your verse if you learned one this week. And click on the button in the sidebar if you'd like to join in!)

Today is the beginning of the last week of my semester at seminary. I'm handing in a big paper this afternoon and doing an oral presentation to go along with it. Then I'll get up tomorrow and start studying for my OT Prophets final on Friday. It's going to be a doozy.

Audrey's in the school play this week, so she has rehearsal everyday after school with a performance on Thursday night. (That means Emma and I will get some good after school reading time together--we're loving the Cam Jansen mysteries. We take turns reading a chapter out loud.) 

Then Friday is field day. And next week is the girls' last week of school, but they're going to end up missing most of the week since we're going to Phoenix. We all need to be there and this was the only week that worked.

Gotta go get lunches packed. (Can I just say that one reason I'm excited about homeschooling is not having to pack lunches?! We're in a baloney rut.)

Wow, wow, wow!

I miss you all! And I have so much to share with you. But I was at a parent association at the girls' school this morning, and am about ready to run to chapel at the seminary. Mondays are NUTS!

So, an update is coming.

But first I just have to say this: GOD ANSWERS PRAYER. Never doubt it for a second. Your prayers for me this weekend made all the difference in the world. So not kidding. Thank you.

More coming...I promise!

P.S. And it is Memory Monday! Feel free to go ahead and leave your link if you'd like!

Part of what I have to tell you is just how God used the verse I've been camping on (1 Corinthians 1:5) this past weekend. I felt so totally enriched! And it was all him!

So here's my verse for this next week:

"Glorify the LORD with me;

let us exalt his name together!" (Psalm 34:3)

(And, yes, I know that it really ends with a period rather than an exclamation point, but I'm taking a little license with it to make a point!)

Phoenix is starting to sound good

I was freezing last night and had a hard time falling asleep because I was so cold. Yes, I could have got up and out of bed for some socks and a sweatshirt, but I never do. Crazy, but true. Somehow I always end up thinking I'll fall asleep in the next three seconds and if I get up it'll just keep me awake longer. Never works, but I don't think rationally when it's dark.

And no wonder I was cold. There SNOW out there. And it's SNOWING! Brr... I really thought we were done after the blizzard last weekend and then 80-degree weather this past week. 

But it's beautiful. See? Here's a peek out the window next to my desk.

I really did rotate the photo in iPhoto before I inserted it here, but sometimes it's persnickety. And instead of going back and redoing it, you can just tilt your head. Or your computer screen.

Today's going to be full. ::deep breath:: 

Chapel at the seminary. Class until 3, then a field trip with the Brownies to the recycling center. I am excited to go learn more about recycling, but it's a long drive to get there, and to get back to school in after-work traffic. Emma and I probably won't be home until sometime around 6. (Note to self: Don't forget to put a roast in the crockpot!)

I'm still hanging on to my verse about being enriched in ALL my knowledge and in ALL my speaking. 

And wow! Every morning during my quiet time, God just pops ideas into my brain--I have little notes scribbled everywhere! (Though I did get them all organized nice and neat yesterday--until this morning when he gave me a great illustration and I had to add a post-it onto my notes!)

IT IS ALL HIM--just like the verse says. On my own? Got nothin'. What does it really matter what I think unless it's coming from the truth of his Word and the truth of his character? My opinion is just that--an opinion. He is TRUTH. He so gets all the glory.

Did you memorize a verse this week? Leave a link as usual. And as always, if you want to join in, click the button in the sidebar on the right for everything you need to know.

Love you all like crazy. Your comments never cease to make me smile, your notes and encouragement (here and on Facebook) bless me like you wouldn't believe. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Have a terrific day!

J.

Memory Monday

Even though 1 Corinthians 1:5 was my verse last week--and I learned it by heart--I've not been able to move past it this past week. This could be a weensy bit of laziness on my part, but also just feeling like I need this verse.

For in him
you have been enriched in EVERY way--
in ALL your speaking and 
in ALL your knowledge--

I'm facing papers and finals and a women's retreat--and I NEED THIS VERSE!

Truth be told, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by it all. Especially when I look at the calendar for the next few weeks. I'm still working hard to take it one day at a time, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have absolute panic, freak-out moments.

I'm still completely amazed that anyone would want to listen to me, and I feel so much weight when I go talk to a group--to speak God's Word clearly and boldly, to say things that actually make sense! It's a huge privilege and responsibility and one that weighs heavily.

Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to go, but also scared to death. Not to get up in front of people--that doesn't phase me at all, but to do a good job.

(And now if anyone who's coming on this retreat is reading this, I'm a little nervous about all that I just said there, but it's the truth!)

So. Long way of saying I'm stickin' with this verse!

Leave a link for yours. And if you want to join, as always, you're welcome! Click on the link in the sidebar and say hello.

I'm just going to go ahead and say great job to all of you, because I know I won't be able to visit everyone. Blog reading is one of those things that must go by the wayside for a while.

Memory Monday: 1 Corinthians 1:5

First, here's my memorized verse:

For in him
you have been enriched in EVERY way--
in ALL your speaking and
in ALL your knowledge--

(1 Corinthians 1:5)

I've been hanging on to that--not just as I prepare for this women's retreat, go to school, think about the last few papers/projects of the semester to be done, but also as I talk to my kids, my friends, and go through the day.

I've been enriched in EVERY way. So why do I sometimes live like I'm poor?

Hmm...

What did you memorize this week? Leave a link to your specific post in the comments so everyone can visit you and cheer you on.

And if you'd like to join us, click on the Memory Monday button over in the sidebar on the right. It'll give you all the details.

Second,

Thank a jillion to those of you who've already left comments on my last post. You are helping me so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

And if you've not left a comment... Please, please go leave a comment on my last post here. I know that some of you have read and didn't leave a comment. Because I can see how many people have visited and see how many comments there are--and see the difference. 

C'mon! Leave a comment. Please! I really do need your help and you have something to contribute.

Third,

I hope your Easter was incredible. It rained all day here and was cold. But it RAINED! No, it wasn't sunny and warm, but the thing is that we need cloudy and rainy days to grow gorgeous flowers later. (How's that for a metaphor of the spiritual life?!)

Living in Colorado means putting a turtleneck under your Easter dress, or being resigned to being cold. We resigned ourselves to being cold and looking good with goosebumps!

Audrey woke up with a cough and a fever, so she and Toben stayed home while Emma and I went to church with my parents and then to their house for brunch. (Our church does church outside on Easter morning. And, given the weather and little girls who want to wear Easter dresses rather than Easter jeans and heavy coats and maybe a hat and mittens, we go to Mom and Dad's church every year for Easter.)

Toben searched and searched for a church service to watch on TV, but there wasn't one--not from channel 2 to 99. Really? How is that even possible on Easter Sunday? I don't get that at all.

Audrey's staying home today (fever yesterday automatically means no school today). I'm off to a big day--chapel at the seminary, class until 3, Brownies with Emma's troop until 4:30, home by 5. A loooong day.

Okay, three things is enough for now, I think.

Have a great day, a terrific start to your week, and remember that YOU ARE RICH IN CHRIST! So how're you gonna spend some of those riches today?

Memory Monday: Psalm 56:3

In my little video post last week, I don't think I mentioned what I'd be memorizing for today. I learned Psalm 56:3:

When I am afraid, I will trust in you.

Short and sweet and such a necessary reminder. I don't feel like I live in fear nearly as much as I used to, but when I am afraid, I want my first response to be trust rather than grabbing for control or giving into fear by imagining all the horrible things that could happen.

With small fears, my tendency is to worry them--to keep returning to them and turning them over and over in my mind. Trust in that looks like handing it to God and letting go. And then reminding myself that it's not mine anymore; I gave it to him and he's taking care of it.

For next week, I'm going to learn 1 Corinthians 1:5:

For in him you have been enriched in EVERY way--

in ALL your speaking and in ALL your knowledge

There's no period at the end of that on purpose--because the sentence continues with more I'd like to learn. (And the caps are mine!) But I'll stick with this verse for now.

Did you learn a verse this week? Leave a comment below. And want to join us? As always, we'd love to have you! Just click on the Memory Monday button there in the sidebar and you'll find all you need to know about it.

I'm back!

Excuse the pjs and no makeup! Couldn't wait until after my shower...

Memory Monday: I blew it!

Remember how I said I was going to gather all the verses I'd learned so far and get them printed on the same sized cards and all organized and beautiful and reviewed and everything?

It didn't happen.

I'd love to give you a long list of excuses and reasons and whys and wherefores, but the simple truth is that I just didn't do it.

This is why accountability is so good for me--it's uncomfortable to admit I didn't do what I said I'd do, and makes me resolve to do better next time.

Not that we're grading each other or keeping score. Not at all! 

But knowing I'm going to check in with all of you makes me that much more resolved to do what I said I'd do. To choose to work on my verse before I sit down to do something else that doesn't really matter.

So, for all of you thinking of joining, come join us. We aspire to memorize, but sometimes it doesn't happen, sometimes it's hard and we need an extra week. But we always encourage one another and cheer each other on!

Leave a comment with your Memory Monday post; if you don't have a blog, you can type out your verses here in the comments. And if you'd like to join, click on the button over there in the sidebar and you'll get all the information you need.

***

On another note, remember how I decided to pray my birthday wish verse every day? I have. And God is answering left and right. When it comes to the girls and communicating with them about being care-full with each other, about the kinds of words we speak, about why our words matter, God has been so good!

He's given me patience, the right words to speak, word pictures that Audrey and Emma seem to understand and grasp.

Hallelujah!

Memory Monday: Birthday wish

I did finally pick a verse to memorize this past week. Though I suppose it would be more accurate to say that it chose me. 

The psalm for last week was Psalm 27 and each morning I was struck by verse 4. Well, by the beginning of it.

Here's what it says (from memory!):

One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:

And then the verse goes on to say what the psalmist's one thing is.

But I stopped each morning to wonder and write down in my journal, "What's my one thing?"

I had a hard time answering, because I wasn't sure I could pick just one thing to be my one thing for the rest of my life. Yes, I could go with the obvious answer to love God more, to be more like Jesus. But I came up with a whole list of really specific answers! And I couldn't pick just one.

As it got closer and closer to my birthday, and more and more people asked what I wanted, I had a little a-ha! moment. I don't ask for the same thing every year. So maybe this could be my birthday wish verse.

What is the one thing I ask of God, the one thing I seek for this next year? What's my birthday wish?

That made it much easier to pick. Because I can ask for this one thing this next year, and then something else next year. (Which will be 38, not 40!)

So for the next year, I'm going to pray this verse each day.

One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
to be a wise mother.

Here's a peek from my journal yesterday morning:

For this next year, my prayer is to be a wise mother--to teach Audrey and Emma well, to communicate God's truth clearly, to know what to say and when to say it. Please grant me insight into each one of them, I pray. Fill me with love for them and prompt me to action. Help me love them the way you do.

For next week, I think I need to do some review. So my goal is to make sure I have all my verses printed on cards and know where they all are! (Some are on pretty paper, some are scribbled in my prayer journal, some are on index cards. They're all over the house and on all different sized paper. It's driving me crazy!) I'm going to review what I've learned so far and keep them fresh in my mind.

This is not a great picture of me. But I did not catch my hair on fire and I did blow out all the candles at once--3 on the top row and 7 on the bottom--37 candles!

We went to Mom and Dad's for lunch after church and sat around the the table just visiting. Mom made a huge and delicious Sunday dinner, the girls created gorgeous place cards, the table was set with china and crystal. And that's a chocolate/raspberry cake. Mmm...!

One of my birthday cards talks--Wonder Woman. I can't tell you how many times Emma opened and closed it. (Okay, I did too!) And thank you for all the birthday wishes on yesterday's post--each one made me smile.

***

Leave your Memory Monday link below!

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Memory Monday: Psalm 119:45

Good morning! Here's the verse I learned this week:

Psalm 119:45
I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out your precepts.

Can't remember if I shared why I chose this one. If so, just ignore me for a minute. If not, here's why.

We experience freedom within healthy boundaries. Freedom is not the absence of boundaries, a life without structure, order, and rules. Freedom comes within the safety of limits. And I believe that best place to discover the best boundaries for us is in God's Word. 

Psalm 119 is a wisdom psalm--all about the wisdom of God's Word. It's full of words like precepts, laws, decrees, statutes, word, truth. In fact, the psalmist uses eight different terms like these in the original Hebrew and almost all of them are used in each section of the psalm.

If we want freedom in our lives, we need to live within the healthy and appropriate boundaries of God's laws. Some of those are pretty obvious--the big picture kinds of boundaries. Others we must seek out, as this verse says.

This goes hand in hand with another one of my favorite verses about daily living. Psalm 90:12 says, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." God cares about the details of our days--the things we do and don't do, the way we schedule our time. And here's the good news. We don't have to figure out it on our own and hope we're getting it right. He's willing to teach us!

***

Don't forget to leave a comment with a link to your Memory Monday post today. That way we can visit you and you can go visit everyone else too. 

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Memory Monday: Psalm 116:12-14

Psalm 116:12-14

How can I repay the LORD

for all his goodness to me?

I will lift up the cup of salvation

and call upon the name of the LORD.

I will fulfill my vows to the LORD 

in the presence of all his people.

Isn't it interesting that one of the ways we repay God for his goodness to us is to continue to call upon his name for more help?

For next week, I'm going to learn Psalm 119:45: 

I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.

I have some thoughts on that, but need to get my Monday morning going here. I didn't open my computer at all yesterday and the little email envelope is staring me in the face. And I need to print out our calendars for the week so I know what's going on around here and what to take out of the freezer for dinner.

Don't forget to leave a link to your post! (If you want to join in, click on the Memory Monday button in the sidebar and you'll find all the information you need. We'd love to have you!)

Memory Monday: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

 

2 Corinthians 1:3-4:

Praise be to
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion and
the God of all comfort,
who comforts us in ALL our troubles,
so that
we can comfort those in ANY trouble
with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

For next week? I'm thinking I'll learn Psalm 116:12-14.

How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.
I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.

Most of you know that Toben and I started a blog this past week to share more about our crazy marriage, our continuing journey of dealing with mental illness. It's been good, but hard. 

It's not really a question of bravery to share our story so openly; it's more a question of obedience. Of fulfilling our vow to God to live out our marriage and all we've been through and still go through in the presence of all his people. 

In the midst of the worst of it, I prayed Psalm 40:1-3. A lot. 

I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth, 
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.

And part of God's redeeming this ugly, hard thing is to tell others about it. To "lift up the cup of salvation" as Psalm 116 says, to sing the "new song" he's given us, to point the way to God's mercy and goodness and grace in the midst of something broken and ugly and painful. It's how he continues to redeem it.

***

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Memory Monday: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 and some thoughts on comfort

Praise be to
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion and 
the God of ALL comfort,
who comforts us in ALL our troubles
so that
we can comfort those in ANY trouble
with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

I've got it down pretty well, though I must say I reviewed it immediately before typing. I think I could use another week on this verse. So I'm going to stick with this one for the next week too.

You'll notice that I broke up the verse kind of funny and added caps and underlining and such--it helps me learn.

As I've started school again, I've realized that I am a visual learner. I close my eyes and picture where things are on the page, the color they're written in. I notice things like alphabetical order, repeated words, and sentence structure. I draw lines and arrows and stars and pictures on my class notes.

(See how the verse above says God, Father, Father, God? And how there's a SO THAT in there?)

I'm going to keep on this verse for another week too because it's so applicable. I don't know about you, but comfort is needed everywhere I go these days. I've mentioned a time or two or ten how much bad news there is out there--and closer to home too--these days.

But this verse assures us that we CAN comfort others. We don't need a special method or a fancy degree or our name on an office door. All we need to do is offer the same comfort we've received.

Whether someone's trouble is the same as ours or not. It doesn't matter if you've never faced their particular sorrow or trouble--you CAN offer comfort and it will comfort.

The kind of comfort I've received that I can pass on?

• Praying and TELLING someone I'm praying; we need to let others know when we're praying for them
• Handwritten notes in the mail (email is nice too, but a handwritten card means the world to me)
• Verse cards tucked in the note--specific verses I've found comforting
• Meals or treats--just because I'm thinking of you

What about you? How have you received comfort from God and through others? Who can you pass it on to this week? Let's stop worrying that it's not enough or the right kind of comfort. Let's just do it!

***

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Memory Monday: Deuteronomy 30:14

Here we go...

"No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so that you may obey it."

I love this verse.

I love that it starts with "no." The Word of God is not some pie in the sky, abstract thing, a nice thought for the day. It is not complicated, not far beyond our understanding. "No, the word is very near you."

Love that it's not just near, but VERY near.

Why in our mouth first? I was thinking maybe it would be in our hearts, then mouths because that would put it in alphabetical order which is one of those things I notice when I have to learn or memorize something. 

(Just ask some of the other students in my class in January. We had to memorize some maps and there were all kinds of alphabetical ways to remember what town was where!)

Here's my two cents on why the mouth comes first. Sometimes we have to say things out loud to believe them. At least it's true for me. I pray out loud, I sing out loud, I recite my verses out loud. Because the more I say it, hear it, and see it, the deeper it penetrates into my heart.

Finally, I love this verse because it has one of my favorite things to find in Scripture in it--SO. We all ask the "so what" question and this verse answers it for us. WHY is the Word near us? WHY is it in our mouths and in our hearts? SO we may obey it. That's why!

(The New Testament epistles--especially those written by Paul--do this a lot. Just keep an eye out for phrases like so, so that, in order that. They show up a lot.)

We're not just memorizing Scripture for the heck of it. Not to check it off our lists, to pat ourselves on the back for being "good" Christians. We're writing it on our hearts so we can actually do what it says!

With that in mind, I'm going to learn 2 Corinthians 1:3-4:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Why this one? We've been faced with so much sad, bad, discouraging news lately. But God is the God of ALL comfort. He comforts us SO THAT we can comfort others. And that's something that's desperately needed.

I wrote more about this idea here if you want to go take a peek.

***

Added later...

Oops! I keep forgetting to add that you can leave a comment with the link to your post if you joined in this week. And if you want more information about joining us, click the Memory Monday button over there on the right and get the whole scoop!

First, a list. Then Memory Monday.

First, thanks for all the sweet b-day wishes for my mom. Some of you know her in person and can attest to the fact that she's pretty much the greatest ever. And yes, I know how blessed I am to have her. For those of you not so blessed, I've learned to share!

Second, thanks for all the Saturday morning video comments. I have just one question--WHAT ACCENT? I don't have an accent! That's something that people in Boston or Minnesota or Alabama have. 

(And I'm not making fun, I kinda wish I had an accent. Maybe a French one, or a British one. For the 10 months I lived in Alabama in the fifth grade I totally had a southern accent. It made moving to England interesting.) 

Anyway, I have NO IDEA what you're talking about!  :)

Third, V05 hairdressing is the best hair product ever. I can't live without it. Check it out here. 

Now...Memory Monday!

And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that
in all things,
at all times,
having all you need,
you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

There. The trick for me this week is seeing it on the page like that. (More about diagramming Scripture coming up soon.) And it may just be me, but I think there should be a comma there. But there's not.

For next week? Deuteronomy 30:14:

No, the word is very near you, it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

Love you all like crazy!

Memory Monday: 2 Corinthians 9:8

Thanks for all your birthday wishes for Emma; I read each one to her and know she was amazed all the love and prayers you sent her way.

And I've loved reading about your Miss America talents. You know, no one played a musical instrument at the pageant. I especially loved the crafting talents you all mentioned, as well as stretching a food budget and creative uses for ground beef. Not sure what the judges would think. And I loved Janine's fantasy talent, complete with flaming batons and red boots. Makes me think of "Miss Congeniality"!

I still haven't come up with anything I could do that would count...but I'm not gonna let it get me down!

So, Memory Monday...

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all you need, you will be equipped for abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Oh dear, I didn't review this morning and flubbed it! 

I'd like to pick a new verse and move on, but I think this is one I need to really know. So I'm going to give it another try this week.

Did you do yours? Leave a comment and link to your specific post. Want to join in? Everything you need to know is here.

***

My spring semester starts today. I'll be taking two classes and going to school Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I have chapel today and my first Effective Biblical Interpretation class. 

Class is over at 2:50; Emma's Brownie meeting starts at 3. Luckily I have an awesome co-leader who is okay with me coming a few minutes late each meeting.

I'm off to the Girl Scout store this morning to get the badges they'll be earning, so I'd better go get cleaned up and dressed and get this day rolling.

Happy Monday everyone!

Memory Monday: CONFESSION!

I didn't memorize a verse this week. All because I didn't pick one right away. That's so key for me.

But I could tell you all about Greek and Hebrew manuscripts in the Septuagint and Masoretic text traditions  for the Old Testament--complete with dates and contributions. Or about how healing is used in the Old Testament--complete with exact verse references to back it up. Or I could tell you all about the Hebrew sacrificial system and the practice and significance of the different types of sacrifice. Or I could exegete the Decalogue. Or I could give you examples of the major covenants in the Old Testament--again with exact verse references and lots of details. Or about documentary hypothesis and the source texts it claims. 

Or ... well, you get the picture and Toben would tell me to stop here because that's just showing off.

This is a big week. A test tomorrow, two on Wednesday, one on Thursday, and my final on Friday. I'm going to be doing some reading ahead today so that I can have plenty of time to study as the week progresses.

Despite that, I will be memorizing this week for Memory Monday. I just don't know what. But learning from last week, I'm going to stop typing right now and go find something. Back in a bit...

I'm back!

I'll be memorizing 2 Corinthians 9:8:

And God is able to make ALL grace abound to you, so that in ALL things at ALL times, having ALL you need, you will about in EVERY good work.

Emphasis mine! And boy am I going to claim that for this week!

Memory Monday: Psalm 89:15-18

Good morning! I don't know about your Monday morning, but mine is blustery, snowy, and freezing. The sun is not up yet, but the snow makes it possible to see pretty well outside how dark, cloudy, and windy it is. 

Makes me think of that verse in the Psalms that says something about "the winds that do his will"--I just love those kinds of phrases in Scripture. In my Bible, most have little smiley faces next to them. (Yes, I write ALL OVER my Bible--notes, prayer requests, underlining, drawings--that's part of what makes it God's Word to ME!)

I may have to rethink that outfit I planned for today. It wasn't supposed to be quite this snowy! And my back is STILL hurting. It's been much better in the past week, hurting only in the morning and loosening up by midmorning. I've still been very careful about twisting, lifting, and moving in general, but the Advil I took more than an hour ago isn't helping so far this morning. Don't know if it's the cold or what, but I'd appreciate your prayers!

Okay, Memory Monday! Here's what I've been working on this past week:

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD.

They rejoice in your name all day long;
they exult in your righteousness.

For you are their glory and strength
and by your power favor you exalt our horn.

Indeed, our shield belongs to the LORD,
our king to the Holy One of Israel. (Psalm 89:15-18)

A few thoughts:

• "Blessed" here is asher--that means happy. Want to be happy? Learn to acclaim the Lord.
• We can learn to acclaim him!
• Rejoicing doesn't have ANYTHING to do with circumstance. We rejoice in God's name (Need a few? Try Ann Spangler's Praying the Names of God.)
• Our glory and strength has nothing to do with our own glory and strength--it's all about him.
• We don't need to exalt ourselves--God will be the one to do that.
• A shield is only good if we take our stand behind it--our safety is in him alone.
• And our king? Another way this is translated is "our king IS the Holy One of Israel."

Gotta run and get in the shower. I have a feeling my drive might require some extra time this morning and I don't want to be late for school!

Memory Monday: 2 Corinthians 5:16-17

I decided to add the next verse to the short one I chose for this week:

So from now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view... Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:16-17)

I think that verse 17 is key to applying verse 16. In order to not look at those around me--especially my family--from a worldly point of view, I have to keep in mind that they are new in Christ!

For next week, I'm going to memorize Psalm 89:15-18:

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, 
who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD.
They rejoice in your name all day long;
they exult in your righteousness.
For you are their glory and strength,
and by your favor you exalt our horn.
Indeed, our shield belongs to the LORD,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Did you memorize a verse for this week? Leave a comment with a link to your specific post if you have a blog, or type it from memory into the comments. Don't forget to note what you'll be learning for next week.

Want to join us? Click on the Memory Monday button in the sidebar for all the information.

Memory Monday: ALL of the Christmas story...finally!

Okay, here we go. I think I know the WHOLE thing. Though the punctuation is a little tricky since I don't say "comma" when I'm reciting it out loud to remind myself where they go!

Luke 2:1-20

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find the a baby wrapped in cloths and laying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning all that what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. the angel had told them. 

Phew. Not perfect, but pretty close.

Next week? I'm going for something short (in fact, it's really half a verse!), something that stood out to me from my quiet time last week:

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. (2 Corinthians 5:16)

Seems to me there's a good lesson in that. One I need to learn as I look at my family, at others around me. Especially those who are believers. Too often I focus on what I see, rather than the fact that they are new creatures in Christ. 

Toben and I had a conversation with our friend John Lynch about this one weekend in Seattle. About how our parenting might change is we nurtured the new creation in Audrey and Emma. It's an intriguing idea. And I think he should totally write a book about it. Hint, hint, John!

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