Hey, Everybody!
I am writing to you on Sunday afternoon since this post needs to go up first thing Monday morning and I am typing away on my laptop from Jackson and Annabeth’s room in our home. It’s the room where Keith and I get the best internet hookup. I like it anyway because it is filled with expressions of the only two kids on the earth I love as much as the two that I birthed. From Annabeth’s twin bed where I’m sitting, I can see a pink and green doll house, a blue and yellow race track, a dark green, fairly-convincing rubber lizard, a kids’ brightly colored exercise bike, a cardboard playhouse and a cardboard castle. It’s full on here in this room and, boy, has it had a work out in the last week.
Keith and I are blessed out of our minds to do lots of life with our grandkids because they only live about 20 minutes from our front door. Delightfully, their voices often reverberate off of these walls and their sweet feet are slap-happy on these wooden floors on a regular basis. We get to have sleepovers on occasions through out the year but once every summer Keith and I have them for the better part of a week and let their darling parents get some time together all by themselves. This last week was that segment of time – Camp Bibby we call it – for the summer of 2013. We kissed them goodbye on Friday night after a good, solid 5-day dose of them. I hate to admit to a small lump in my throat when they drove off with Amanda and Curtis, although I needed a nap in the worst way. Grin. It may be of some encouragement to you mothers of young children that, on Day 1, I did not shower until 3:00 PM. Yes, I do indeed remember what it was like to be a busy young mom whose life is not her own and when I forget, my two sweeties help me remember. Good grief, I would not trade them for anything in this world.
We do not have the time or space here for all the new quotes that have been added to my repertoire in the last week. Jackson and Annabeth are each hilarious, even when they don’t mean to be, so I try to have a pen nearby at all times. Annabeth announced to me on Friday afternoon that, when she grows up, she most definitely does NOT want to have a baby. “Why not?” I asked. “Because you have to go to the hospital,” she replied. And I thought to myself, whoa baby, that’s not all you have to do. As my mama always said, you also have to walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Translation: you think you’re going to die but, ordinarily, you do not, although at times your husband could be in considerable harm’s way if he spouts another word. Of course, I kept these thoughts to myself.
Annabeth paused for just a moment then spoke back up. “I just want a chihuahua and a cat.”
And that was that.
Jackson asked me how old I was while he was here because I recently had a birthday. He’s asked me that kind of thing before and it always ends up following the trail of whether or not I will still be his Bibby when he is in college. Curtis’s grandmother died a couple of years ago and I think he’s got it in his seven year-old head that grandmothers are tenuous creatures, here today, gone tomorrow. So, I said to him, “You know, Jackson, both your grandmothers are actually pretty young to have a grandkid as old as you. Because we all started so early, I think you can probably assume we’ll be around a while and see you grow up.” He sat on that a few moments then said, “Bibby, that makes you a rookie grandma. Do you know what a rookie is, Bibby?” Ah, yes, I do, Mister. I was a rookie mom with your mommy and a rookie grandma with you and I cannot think of two people on the planet through whom I’d rather be cast into those auspicious, busy, and often humbling roles.
I guess you’re wondering what all of this has to do with our Scripture memory. Well, I am getting to that right now. We have a daily verse at Camp Bibby and Psalm 32:9 out of the New Century Bible was our verse for Day 3 and the immediate favorite and clear winner for the fastest memorization. I taught the whole verse to Annabeth and Jackson but we only memorized part of it. Perhaps you will see why Jackson all but claimed it as his life verse. Kids totally love this kind of thing:
“Don’t be like a…donkey.” Psalm 32:9a
It made them almost as happy as talking about bathroom sounds. If I heard this verse once out of their mouths since Wednesday, I heard it 50 times. They could tell you what it means, too. I’ll stick the phrase back in the wider Scripture segment so that you’ll know what it means, too:
8      The LORD says, “I will make you wise and show you where to go. I will guide you and watch over you.
9      So don’t be like a horse or donkey, that doesn’t understand. They must be led with bits and reins,
or they will not come near you.”
Jackson would tell you that it means that God doesn’t want to have to tie us all up, or sit on us, or be all hard on us to get us to come to Him and to walk in His gracious and good will for our lives. He doesn’t want to have to make us obey Him so He can bless us. His deep desire is that we’d want to go with Him because we know that He is always for us, always leading us to triumph, always trustworthy, always right, and forever wanting to crown us with love and compassion and lead us away from bondage and such unnecessary harm.
I know it’s basic. But my mind’s been on the basics this last week with a seven year-old and a four year-old either one foot from me or on my person. I guess the question I’m throwing out on the table this week is this: Why do we continue to fight God and lash about in His grasp like He’s a big Taker instead of a Giver? What is it we think He’s trying to rob us of? To whom have we compared Him so that we’ve assumed we cannot trust Him?
Don’t be so stubborn, the psalmist is saying. Cooperate and go with God some place beautiful. Some place almost magical.
Revel in the two preceding verses in the same psalm (32), this time from the NIV:
6Â Therefore let all the faithful pray to You
while You may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
7Â You are my hiding place;
You will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Surround sound. Oh, if our spiritual ears could only be opened for a few glorious minutes, what a musical score we’d hear all around us. To go with Jesus is to go the way of deliverance. The way of music. The way of symphonies. The way of ascent amid mighty rising waters. So, I’m going with Jackson in my memory work this round:
Beth, Houston. So don’t be like a horse or donkey, that doesn’t understand. They must be led with bits and reins, or they will not come near you. Psalm 32:9 NCV
So, what’s yours?
You are loved around here, Sister. We are honored to serve you.
Tags: Scripture Memory 2013
Trae Kendrick, Crawford, Texas: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Psalm 20:7 NIV84
Kelly, Starr,SC
2 Tim 2:24-26 NKJV
And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
Shelley, Fort Walton Beach, Florida
“One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4 (NKJV)
Andrea Nicholson, McKinney, TX
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.
Exodus 14:14, NIV
Dawn in Monett, MO
Psalm 32:7
You are my hiding place;
You will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Sue, Texarkana, TX Psalm 78:28 NET “But as for me, God’s presence is all I need. I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter, as I declare all You have done.”
Cory Anna, Atlanta
“God wanted his people throughout the world to know the glorious riches of this mystery—which is Christ living in you, giving you the hope of glory.”
-Colossians 1:27 (GWT)
Monica
Cheyenne, WY
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in him!”
Lamentations 3:24 NKJV
Cheryl, Concord, NC
“They are planted in the house of Lord;
They flourish in the courts of our God.”
Psalm 92.13 ESV
Cindy,
Virginia Beach, VA
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”
Romans 8:26
Debbie, Corpus Christi:
“and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:32 NAB
Sarah P. -Martinsburg, WV ” humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. 1 Peter 5: 6-8 (NIV)
Lori, Flower Mound, TX
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
Hebrews 13:2. NIV
Pat Tayes, TN
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7
Psalms 48:9 NASB We have thought on your lovingkindness, O God.
Cheryl, Houston. “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” NIV Deut. 31:8.
Susan, Wynne
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 NIV
Amy, Miamisburg, OH
“You are my hiding place, You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance”
Psalm 32:7 NIV
Tracy from Kentucky
Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,
Psalm 119:2 ESV
Shelley, Birmingham, AL– “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!” (Psalms 139:17 NKJV)
Davida, Athens, The Lord says, “I will make you wise and show you where to go. I will guide you and watch over you. Psalms 32:8 NCV
Ryan – Moore, OK
Hebrews 13:8, ESV
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”
The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ ” Judges 7:2 ESV
Kristi from Lee’s Summit, MO
Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 ESV
God is the rock of my heart, my portion forever.
Psalm 73:26. NAB
Shea, Birmingham, AL.
“You are my hiding place;
You will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.”
Psalm 32:7 (NIV)
Lesley, Clinton, MS
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance.
Psalms 32:7 NASB
Darcy, Pittsburgh
“The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace.” Psalm 29:11 (NLT)
Eva in Wichita, KS
Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
Proverbs 20:22 NIV
Christina, Winter Haven
“Against you, you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.”
Psalm 51:4 ESV
Becca, Camp Pendleton, CA
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” ~ Luke 12:34 NIV
Sally Reed, Bellaire, Philemon 1:4-5,NIV. I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus
Jennifer Robinson, Dallas “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 14:27 NASB
Ellen
TN
For He Himself knows what we are made of.
He is mindful that we are but dust.
Psalms 103:14 NASB
I Peter 4:9 “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.” NKJV
From Stafford Texas
Nancy from Evansville, IN
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. Isaiah 40:8 NIV
Laura, Jefferson, ME
Psalm 25:8-10 ESV
Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,  for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
Beth – Wynnewood, OK
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30 NIV
Janice Victoria BC
But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 NAS
Nancy D.
Round Rock, TX
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
(Romans 12:2, NASB)
Julie, Gresham, OR
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22 (ESV)
Kyndra, Houston, TX
James 3:8a “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” NIV
emi, white house: “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” Psalm 138:8 ESV
Lisa from Sussex, Wi
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 1 Cor 13:2 (NIV)
Patty from fairfax, VA…I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13 NIV
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! I John 3:1 NIV
Courtney, Dallas, Tx
“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV
Is. 60:13 Names of God Bible
Lebanon’s glory will come to you. Cedar, fir and Cypress
trees will come to beautify my holy place, and I will
honor the place where my feet rest.
Kerry
Wyoming
Psalm 56:3(KJV)
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
Barb from Carlsbad, NM “May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your purpose.” Ps. 20:4 NKJV