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
Lisa Lucas Indianapolis, IN
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things
~ Galatians 5:22, NLT
Kristi, from Rowlett, TX
John 1:12 ESV
“But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
Lauren, San Marcos, Tx. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Proverbs 2:7-8 NIV
Esther of Mtn Home, AR
“Adonay Yahweh, you have only begun to show me how great and powerful you are. What kind of god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and the mighty acts you have done?”
Deuteronomy 3:24 – Names of God Bible
Crystal in Warren, PA
Titus 3:5 (NLT)
He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.
– These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 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 6:6, 7 NIV)
April, Diboll.
Cast all your anxiety on Him
because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7(NIV)
Penny G
Coweta, OK
The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. Is 50:4 (NIV)
A little late on my verse
Chandel, Thailand to America.
Rev. 9. After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10. and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
……oh what a day it will be…… guarnating what is to come.
Lisa S. in Montgomery, TX
Proverbs 3:5-6 The Message
Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Do not be anxious about anything, but it every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6 NIV
Stacy Detroit MI
“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies”
Proverbs 31:10 (NIV)
Better late than never….
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 1:6 NIV)
Isaiah 58:11(NIV)
The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
Caitlin, Gray Court, SC
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Ps 19:14, NIV
Melisa, Waco, Texas
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)
Judy, Hoover, AL
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 (NIV)
Gina, Waynesville, NC
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.
Psalm 34:10 (NLT)
Amanda Benson, Eagle Butte, SD
Titus 2:13-14, NIV
While we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
Allison from Midland, TX
“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” Philippians 4:5 NIV
Paula, Okc, OK: “You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3 NIV
Ceffie Bridgeport WV The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you…and I will give you rest everything will be fine for you.” Exodus 33:14
Heather Smith
Visalia, CA
“Consider it pure joy my brothers when you face trials of many kinds because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance”
James 1:2-3
Pathology report said no cancer detected in breast, chemo cleared the 8 cm tumor….Radiologist called it a miracle…yes, God is a God of miracles!!
Joyce, Wahpeton ND
Romans 8:39 ESV
nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. (Proverbs 16:20 NIV)
Susan Dixson, Charlotte NC
Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. (Proverbs 16:20 NIV)
Keri
Little Rock, AR
“I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”
Psalm 34:4, ESV
Kim from Trenton, TX
Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.
James 1:9-10 NKJV
Rome, GA
Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
(Psalms 51:8 NASB)
Melisse, Slippery Rock, PA
I am filled with power — with the Spirit of The Lord. Micah 3:8
Sarah, Oklahoma City, OK, The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that. (Proverbs 29:25 MSG)
Brooke;Princeton,ME:
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Phillipians 1:6 ESV
James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. NIV
Psalm 32:7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. NIV
Kristy from Cedar Park, Texas: The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.
Exodus 14:14 NIV
Stephanie, Austin, TX, “The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 1:14, NIV
“Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.”
Psalm 32:9 (NIV84)
Tammie From Ferris, TX
The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.
Zephaniah 3:17 ESV
Donna, Fort Wayne, IN
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, (Romans 5:3 ESV)
Luke 10:19
“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”
Can I get a “hallelujah!!!”?
Cheya, Houston. “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,” Ephesians 3:20 ESV
We who have believed are able to enter and have God’s rest.
Hebrews 4:3A. NCV
pamela t., Fairmont, NC
1 Peter 2:9 (AMP)
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Andrea Woodstock GA
“The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” Proverbs 27:12 NIV
Kathy; Hazlehurst, Ms
Psalms 73:28 NET
But as for me, God’s presence is all I need.
I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, as I
declare all the things you have done.
Elena, Elma NY
Ezekiel 36:26 GWT
“I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit in you. I will remove your stubborn hearts and give you obedient hearts.”
Micki from Prairie Village,KS
We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul-not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength that God gives, It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy…Col. 1:11 MSG
From Sandy
Long Beach, CA.
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV
Tajuana ~ Texas
The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Exodus 33:14 (NIV)
Amy Coxhead, Fort Collins, CO
Ephesians 5:21 (AMP)
Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).