**Siesta Celebration is January 20-21, 2012**
Hey, Sweet Things!
Finally, August 1st! I’m always so glad to see it come so that it can GO. But it’s not just the end of a long, hot summer for everybody. It’s also the last couple of weeks of summer vacation. Those of you with school-age children will soon find yourself back in carpool lines and going over spelling words. In just a couple of weeks, Jackson will start kindergarten and will catch our whole family by surprise even though we’ve known it was coming for five and a half years. We just cannot fathom it. We have a picture framed in our bedroom that I see everyday with Keith and I cuddling him between us when he was just a few hours old, and we brand-spanking-new grandparents are kissing over his head. Something was reborn in that couple of 25+ years that day. Our interests have always tended to be different and were getting increasingly so, but, that cold February afternoon in Dallas, Texas, we somersaulted right back into one another and tumbled into a well of love with a seven pound man-child.
Keith and I got to have Jackson and Annabeth Friday night while Curtis and Amanda went to dinner and a movie. They’d been gone for 10 days to Wyoming and, even though we’d seen them at a Mexican food restaurant the day they got home, we’d not had them to ourselves yet. We made a date right away. They delight us to no end and cause us to laugh until our sides split. Don’t get the idea there’s no work involved but investments don’t get better than this one. We have real, live conversation over dinner these days and, when you’re grandparents, not a single word gets wasted on you. All of it’s solid gold. Jackson told us at the dinner table Friday night while stuffing a piece of warm French bread into his mouth that butter is his “temptutation.” And, sure enough, it was dripping off of his chin and looked so good that we all shared that same temptutation and gave right on in to it.
We have an empty room in our house right now because we wanted Melissa and Colin to have her bedroom furniture and it’s turned into the perfect playroom. Nothing like an empty room to fire up the imagination. Jackson and I built an obstacle course Friday night that ended with a dizzying spin in my swiveling desk chair. It was so much fun. Amanda and Curtis walked through the door at 10:15 and we were all four still up in the kitchen, Paw Paw popping popcorn on the stove. It’s so good to have the Jones’s home. Melissa and Colin have been out of town for a week, too, and I can hardly wait to get my hands on them. They’re flying home from California this very moment. Most of the time they were out of cell phone range so we’ll have plenty to catch up on.
On to the business at hand! Our year is flying by! It’s time to check in with our fifteenth verses for our Siesta Scripture Memory Team. For some reason I’ve seen the word “gentleness” turn up a number of times in my Scripture reading lately so I’ve decided to choose a memory verse that makes especially important use of it. Here goes:
Beth, Houston. “Brothers and sisters, if a person is discovered in some sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. Pay close attention to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too.” Galatians 6:1 The NET Bible
Restoration is one of the most powerful, intentional works of the Cross of Christ. Let’s never refuse anyone his or her right to be restored. Here’s to a little gentleness in a harsh world. Everyone could use some.
Stay in the Word, Siestas! You are so loved here!
Vicki, Midlothian, VA
Ps. 103:17, 18 NIV
But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness witih their children’s children – with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
Diane, Missoula, MT: “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” [2 Corinthians 7:1]
Rachel, Rochester, NY: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Joy – Asheboro, NC
“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8, NIV
Vicki – Wilmington NC
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
James 1:4 NKJV
Margo, Burlington On
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. forgive as the Lord forgave you. Col 3:13 (NIV)
Bird – Cypress, TX
You are my hiding place and my shield; I wait for Your word. Psalm 119:114, NASB
Laura, Littleton
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:7
Psalm 18 vs 28 NIV
“You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.”
Cathleen, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Katie, Roswell, GA: “I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” Psalm 118:13-14 NIV
Bridget ~
Bloomington, IL
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those that hear.
Ephesians 4:29
Karla, Sheboygan. “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 3:14-15 (NIV)
Andrea, Saskatchewan Canada
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. Luke 1:46,49 NIV
Kat- Latham, NY
“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
~1 Peter 1:8-9
Wendy, Cody, Wyoming NAS 1John 4:9 “By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.”
Ann from Abilene
“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
Psalm 103:11 & 12 NIV
Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.
(2 Timothy 23 NLT)
Edna
O’Fallon, MO
“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 15:5-6
ESV
Bridget, Portland, TX
“Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”
Colossians 4:6, NKJV
Dawn
Dallas,GA
“And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteous,’ and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to spied and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”
James 2:23-26 NIV
Janice- “Yet he [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He promised.” Ro 4:20-21 NIV
Rebecca, New Kensington, PA: Romans 8:6 (New International Version)
6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
Joan, Portage,MI
“The LORD their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. How attractive & beautiful they will be!” Zechariah 9:16-17a NIV
Sarah~Bremen, Ohio
“Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.”
Luke 1:45 NIV
Tricia, Tucson, AZ. Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (NIV)
Alison, Norman,OK
We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we never thought we would live through it.
In fact, we expected to die.
But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely on God, who raises the dead.
And He DID rescue us from mortal danger, and He WILL rescue us again. II Cor 1:8b-10
Stephanie
Knoxville, TN
“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6, ESV)
Jan, Loveland, CO
Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
1Peter 5:7 NIV
Vickie, Louisville. But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 NIV
Hannah, Perry, MI
We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God.
Hebrews 6:18-19, The Message
Jane, Normal IL
Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us -NIV
Cheryl, Redlands, CA:
Isaiah 25:9 (NIV)
In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”
Galatians 3:3 (NIV): “are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?”
I had to be a little sneaky for Q week
Do not be Quickly provoked in your spirit,
for anger resides in the lap of fools.
Ecc 7:9 -NIV
Nancy -Versailles, Ky
Psalm 3:30 esv
But you, O Lord are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.
Psalm 138:8 (Amp.)
The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy & loving-kindness, O Lord, endure forever; forsake not the works of Your own hands.
Erika, San Antonio, TX:
Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.
(1 Corinthians 7:17 ESV)
Terri, Papua New Guinea. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18, NIV.
Amber, Warsaw, IN
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
Psalm 19:14 NIV
Janice, Bakersfield, CA
“True wisdom and real power belong to God;
from him we learn how to live,
and also what to live for.
Job 12:13 The Message
Heather – Shokan,NY
For with God nothing will be impossible
Luke 1:37 NKJV
Krystle, Central Point OR
The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17.
Heather
McDonough, GA
“Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”
Psalm 100:3 (NIV 84)
Donna, Sarnia, Ontario
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation.”
2 Sam 22:2-3 NIV
Sheila, Carthage
Joshua 1:8 ESV
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have good success.
Three Rivers, MI. “He has showed 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.” Micah 6:8
Kit, Central Islip, NY
“But You know me, O Lord; You see me; and You examine my heart’s attitude toward You.”
Jeremiah 12:3
Brenda (Sue Sue)
Bainbridge, Ga.
Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 🙂
Matthew 10:16b NIV
Karen Smith, Denver. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:7 NIV
Jill H. – Aurora, IL – Romans 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, (NIV)(the next verse will be on the 15th.