Sunday Morning

It's only January, but I'm kind of looking forward to days like these again.  : )  This is a vacation photo from Grand Marais, Minnesota.

My goodness.  It seems like I was just here, but here it is Sunday already!  The weeks fly by at lightening speed.  I think the one word that I can use to describe the past week is praise.  I love uneventful weeks.  I love weeks filled with work and some rest.  I love weeks where there was a little of everything good.  Talks on the phone with family and friends.  E-mailing back and forth with others and getting together with people that mean so much to me.  A bit of creativity in crafting.  A bit of taking care of my family with good food and keeping the house.  A bit of time spent planning and thinking of the upcoming Spring.

I finished the Book of Psalms last week and now I'm into the Book of Proverbs.  The Psalms are so helpful in that they bring comfort and give you words to pray when you can't think of the words yourself because of difficult circumstances.  Proverbs, however, gives you instruction.  They teach.  They tell you how God wants us to act and react and live our lives in accordance to the way He wants us to.  And I definitely NEED that!!!!  : )

As I've said before, when reading the Bible I write notes.  I write notes in order to go back and review what I've read and be reminded of certain things.  

Proverbs is for:

*attaining wisdom and discipline

*understanding words of insight

*acquiring a disciplined and prudent life

*doing what is right and just and fair

*for getting guidance

(All from Chapter 1)

And then after reading and writing, I pray for these things.  Wisdom, discipline, understanding, insight, prudence, righteousness, fairness, guidance.  I pray for these things because I know that I'm a sinner and these things don't come easily.  It is only by God's grace that He would help me and give these characteristics to me - those things that are in His nature, but not mine.

I looked up the word "prudence" - I kind of knew but I wanted the definition - "exercising good judgement or common sense, careful about one's conduct."  So, just that one word alone is worthy of being prayed for.  There are times when I feel like I'm on an emotional roller coaster (all in one day!) I wake up happy, then somebody says or does something and then I'm upset, then something happens and I'm happy again, then I get aggravated by something else later.  Up, down, up, down.  So, I'm sure you can see why I would want to pray that God would provide the above list of attributes.

I'm looking forward to my study of the Proverbs.  I've read them many times, but I'm also in a different place in my life that I was before.  That's the beauty of Scripture.  It meets you where you are and it will speak to you at the moment you need to hear it.  Which is also a praise!!!  : )

May we all experience a week of being guided and taught by our Lord.  May we thank Him when He does and may we confess our disobedience to Him when we don't accept the guidance and teaching and then be sure to get back on track.  He loves us with an everlasting love and is ALWAYS there for us.  Reach out for Him today and feel the difference only He can make.