Treats

When describing my personal study to our oldest I referred to the "yumminess of God." She laughed with me as I continued to talk about how many times God's goodness and provisions are expressed with terms like taste, sweet, hunger, satisfy. It's pretty telling, especially when words like fruit and harvest are used, that God fully intends to meet, not only our need of him, but also our desires.

Consider these verses:

"How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey." ~ Psalm 119:103

"For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." ~ Psalm 107:9

"Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction." ~ Proverbs 18:20

God, You are good and You give us good things, not only for our health and wholeness but also for our enjoyment and pleasure. Open my eyes to Your Word every day so that I can see that You alone can satisfy my deepest longings and desires, that my greatest need for comfort is found in You. Help me to be faithful in seeking You first to satisfy me and fill me. Forgive me of my sinful craving for things that are temporary and will not last. Even my desire to be physically fit is fleeting and not of eternal value. But desiring Your presence and spending time in deep heartfelt worhip of You, Lord, is forever! Thank You for this revelation!

Glory

Fresh!

Our second girl loves to use mouthwash. Not the kiddies rinse, either. The cringe and swish quickly kind of mouthwash. For years she's called it "fresh." We like her names for things and adopt them into our family vocabulary, sometimes permanently. So today, with the April showers watering flowers (I just had to!) the word "fresh" is swashing over my thoughts.

When I stepped on the bathroom scale, this morning, I saw a number I've been waiting to see for weeks, now. Keeping in mind that I have not gone to great excruciating lengths to shed any weight at this point, what I saw was encouraging and refreshing on a level I haven't felt for more than a year. Like a Spring rain shower, my heart was washed over with a joy and contentment that felt really cleansing and restorative. And this one single truth hasn't left my mind: it's all God! God who strengthens me, sustains me, satisfies me, fills me, and empowers me! And the more I seek after Him the better equipped and more fit I will be for His service and His work!

"Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!" Psalm 34:8

God, thank You! You have truly blessed my heart and flooded me with Your joy! And I will take delight and pleasure in Your Word and Your sweet presence. Thank You for allowing me to experience this little victory and I ask now that You would help me to be faithful to the commitments that Your have directed me to make. Please give me a clear mind and a steadfast heart to know that You are good, that You give me fresh joy and that I can find refuge and safety and comfort in You! I give You praise and adoration for this undeserved blessing to my soul!

Glory

Dear Personal Trainer...

Those 2 miles today sucked. A lot. I understand how important physical health and fitness is. But it didn't feel important today. Or worth it. That's why I had a meltdown. With tears. And ugly words. And even uglier thoughts. And You heard everything.

I don't want to give up. I want to make this happen. 2 miles. Walking. Jogging. Or running. You can help me. I know that. I just want to want Your help. It's hard to need Your help. It's even harder to accept it. Because You will help me. But accepting it is the real challenge.

I am a recipe for failure, alone, without You. By myself I can't do this. Even the encouragement of friends isn't enough. I need You. Because, with You, trusting You, following You, and obeying You, I am a recipe for success. We will succeed, together.

And that makes it worth every tear. And ugly word. And uglier thoughts. Because You will help me do this and every other hard thing that must be done. With You I will not fail. Never.

Glory

Vexed

Truly this cannot be happening! For more than a week my family has been battling an intruder on our calm and order. Every day we have searched for proof that our efforts have been successful. And every day we have found evidence that the end is not close enough. My mood and temper have been traversing the gamut of frustration, embarassment, resolve, self pity, and utter loathing. Yet nothing helps to soothe these frayed emotions like the company of a friend who knows exactly the trouble I'm in. And in knowing that I am not alone in my thoughts and feelings I have already overcome and will continue to do so until the victory is finally ours!

Lord, so many things are outside the realm of my understanding and yet I amaze myself in how I try in futility to know Your purpose and reason for everything. Thank You for these gentle and loving reminders that You are in charge of my life and I must simply follow You and obey You even in things I don't understand or comprehend. show me how to return frtiendship in a more honoring way. I also thank You for the faithful friendships that You've blessed me with and Help me to be even more yielded to You as You guide me through things that vex me, keeping Your will as my constant focus.

Glory