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
Elizabeth M., Greenbrier, Ark.
“A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.” ~ Prov. 15:1 (NKJV)
“In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” Proverbs 16;9
“Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, until He comes and showers His righteousness on you.” Hosea 10:12 (NIV)
Rachel in Thousand Oaks, CA
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10, NIV
Keaton Lovell. McCurtain OK
Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. (Proverbs 15:4 NLT)
Jane, Gulfport, MS – “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.” John 15:18 (NASB)
Sue, Wellington.
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 NIV
Vanessa from Calgary, Canada
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 NIV
Charlene, Waterloo, ON
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)
Allison Dalke from Edmond, Oklahoma
Psalm 138:2 (NET)
When I cried out for help, you answered me. You made me bold and energized me.
Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down. Luke 21:34(NASB) I also liked Beth’s verse so I am memorizing it also. 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) Twyla McAmis, Cleveland,Tennessee.
Karen Edlund
Rochester, MN
Psalm 100:1 NIV84
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.”
Barb, Wisconsin
Ps. 34:13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. ESV
Stephanie, La Habra, CA “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” Isaiah 65:24
Beth R Liberty Lake,WA
James 1:13 NIV
When tempted no one should say, “God is tempting me.” God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he temp anyone;
Julie Bauguess, Chesterland, OH
The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
Jeremiah 17:9 ESV
Sarah, Lincoln, NE, “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers.” James 1:16 (NIV)
Sherie
The Woodlands,TX
As soon as I pray you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.
Psalm 138:3 NLT
Joy, Clyde, Ohio
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
Psalm 150:1 NASB
Regina, Salado,TX
I am filled with power – with the Spirit of The Lord. Micah 3:8a (NIV)
Gail, McDonough Ga
and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life,
Deuteronomy 30:20 (NIV)
Tangila, Pearland TX
Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me. (John 12:26 NLT)
Avis, Lone Star, Texas
“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
For let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord.”
James 1:5-7
“Do everything without complaining or arguing,” Philippians 2:14 NIV
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God.
Natalie, Houston
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God. NET
Debbie ~ Alice, TX
O PRAISE the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.
Psalm 117 1-2 KJV
Noreen
Calgary, AB
“Look to The Lord and his strength. Seek His face always.”
1 Chronicles 16:11 (NIV)
Allison Crook
Albuquerque, NM
“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:3-6 NIV)
Eugene, OR
“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”
Philippians 2:13 (NIV)
Paula from Denver, Co
James 1:17 N.I.V.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down
from the Father of the heavenly lights,who does not change like shifting shadows.
Lydia E. Warman, Canada
Isaiah 40:31 NIV But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Marilyn Brown, Albuquerque
Some trust in chariots, some in horses, but we trust in the Name of the Lord our God.
Ps.20:7
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10 NIV
Deborah from Calgary Canada.
1 Corinthians 13:1-10 (NIV1984)
“13 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.”
Jane, Bakersfield, CA:
“…make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”
I Thessalonians 4:11-12 NIV
Shawna Kent, WA
Hebrews 12:14 ” Make every effort to live in peace with all women & to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (NIV)
Melanie – Decatur,AL
James 1:2-3 NIV
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
Nancy, North Little Rock, Ar
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:7 NIV
Paula, Houston, Tx
Cast your cares on The Lord and he will sustain you; he will never letnthebrighteous be shaken.
Psalms 55:22 (NIV)
“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 that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
– Eph 3:17b-19
Kaylin from Searcy, AR
Julie Payne, Muskogee, OK. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)
Rachel – Nashville, TN
The Lord says, “I will make you wise and show you where to go. I will guide you and watch over you. 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.” Psalms 32:8-9 (NCV)
Beth, London, U.K. “But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. ‘Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!’ ” (Numbers 13:30, NLT)
Stacy – Hinckley, England
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
Philippians 1v6
Amberley – Pasco, WA
“For we live by faith, not sight.”
~ 2 Corinthians 5:7 NET
Heather, Tallahassee The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.” Judges 6:12 NASB
You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
Psalm 32:7-8 NIV
May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 2 Peter 1:2 (ESV).
Jean from Palm Bay, Fl
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:37 NIV)