Happy Saturday and August, Friends! Wow, I can't believe it's August already, and I can't believe that our house renovation is still going on! I'm hopeful that they will finish Monday, but who knows? I've been told that story before. Once the bathtub panel is installed and the mirrors hung, it should be done. The only thing outstanding will be a replacement window, but that will be installed from the outside, and then our pretty window shade can be hung.
It's my plan to clean out our bathroom today (it is one filthy mess) and move everything back in.
I also want to apologize again about posting a day late. A tree in our backyard was struck by lightning Monday morning. It took out all our exterior lighting, stereo equipment, and TV. It also took out our interior stereo and internet modem and routers. Our internet equipment was replaced on Monday, but the tech had to come back to make sure that we had the highest speed available from our provider and do another check on our cables. That and Shelley's birthday celebration prevented me from posting yesterday.
I really felt for Shelley because she took her paid vacation time for Independence Day and her birthday. When I went into the hospital, all of our plans and most of hers (except those with her friends) were cancelled. I told her we would have a do-over at the end of the month, and we did! I took her to the grand opening of LoveShackFancy and we had the best time! We also went to a couple other shops Shelley likes, and then went out for lunch.
Now on to our lesson...
I think it is timely that our lesson this week is about God's plan for our lives. Many of us and several of our family members in this group are facing tough decisions and difficult situations. But God has a plan, and it is up to us to pray to him for guidance. I really enjoyed the prayer this week, too.
Speaking of prayer, lately I've been reading about how we need to be very specific when we pray. Be bold in your prayers, Friends, because we don't want God to say to us one day that he didn't give something to us because we never asked for it! We know that God knows our needs better than we do, but if we are bold, specific, and include "thy will be done," God will answer us!
Here is the scripture from the lesson, and I included another graphic from Psalm 90.
Prayer Requests
- Carla requests that we pray for the Wisconsin Guard troops that are stationed in Kuwait that are slowly returning home. All should be back on Wisconsin soil by August. Prayers for safety as they come home and transition back into civilian life.
- Pray for Kris and Terry as they decide where to live when they retire. Pray for Terry because he was mistreated by the union and sent on his way before the end of August.
- Continue praying for Kitty's son Mike as he continues on his journey of no pain meds. Mike is off of pain meds for several weeks and is weaning off several other prescriptions. Mike is requesting that we pray for his mental health.
- Kitty would like for you to pray that her daughter sells her barndominium and can find a home closer so that she’s not driving two hours a day.
- Rita requests we pray for her brother who had a stroke last June. Pray that he remains strong and stable as he and her SIL navigate changes of selling their home in WV and building a new home near their daughter in TX.
- Pray for Kitty's brother because he has been very ill. He's out of the hospital and currently in a skilled nursing facility. Let's pray that he will continue to improve.
- Travel mercies for Kitty and her family as they travel the next couple of weeks.
- Pray for Rita's daughter Megan. Also continue to pray as Rita recovers from clorospora. Pray that God will continue to heal her and strengthen her as her system acclimates to food again.
- Let's pray for all of our health, and for the health of our families.
- Praise! Little Starling is two months old now, and is thriving! She is blessed with two very devoted parents, and grandparents who are totally in love with her!
- Please pray that these workers will be out of our home this week. It has been very stressful for all of us, and I think it has stressed our our Westies the most!
- Pray for Kris and Terry as they help settle Terry's mother's estate. It's hard work, and having to deal with so many people can be difficult. (It took me months to settle my mom's estate.)
As I work this weekend putting our house back together, I will take breaks, drink coffee, and pray for us all.
Have a peaceful weekend!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends! How was your week? Mine was busy because the house renovation is winding down. This week they have been finishing up our bathroom and painting all the trim and woodwork in our home. I also have been substitute teaching for my art teacher while she's traveling, and I will also teach next week. I'm hoping that our carpeting for our bedrooms will be installed on Monday, and then we get to move back in! Next week will be a wee bit hard for me, but I am so, so thankful that I can get up out of bed, walk without assistance, and do hard things! God has been so good to me. What a difference three short weeks can make!
Didn't y'all just love this week's reflection! I would love to sit by a campfire and make s'mores with Jesus. (Our lesson didn't mention s'mores...that's my add-on). ;P I love the guided imagery, and all the biblical references were wonderful. I hope you take the time to go back and read them, and maybe even read the quoted Psalms in their entireties.
I did not have time to make graphics for all of them, but I already had a few, and I made the graphic for the Psalm of the Week.
Prayer Requests
- Carla requests that we pray for the Wisconsin Guard troops that are stationed in Kuwait that are slowly returning home. All should be back on Wisconsin soil by August. Prayers for safety as they come home and transition back into civilian life.
- Pray for Kris and Terry as they decide where to live when they retire. Pray for Terry as he will be done next month and not be allowed to hit his fifty year mark in December with the fire service.
- Continue praying for Kitty's son Mike as he continues on his journey of no pain meds. Mike is off of pain meds for several weeks and is weaning off several other prescriptions. Mike is requesting that we pray for his mental health.
- Kitty would like for you to pray that her daughter sells her barndominium and can find a home closer so that she’s not driving two hours a day.
- Rita requests we pray for her brother who had a stroke last June. Pray that he remains strong and stable as he and her SIL navigate changes of selling their home in WV and building a new home near their daughter in TX.
- Pray for Kitty's brother because he has been very ill. He's out of the hospital and currently in a skilled nursing facility. Let's pray that he will continue to improve.
- Travel mercies for Kitty and her family as they travel the next couple of weeks.
- Please pray that Kris will recover quickly from a throat infection.
- Praise for a personal situation for Carla, and also a praise for Sam and his team at Fort McCoy. They earned a patch!
- Praise that Rita is recovering from an infection after a round of antibiotics.
- Let's pray for all of our health, and for the health of our families.
Have a lovely weekend!
We will be moving everything except the heaviest furniture out of our bedrooms and closets in preparation for the carpet installers.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends!
Wow, what a difference a week or two can make! I can't tell you how appreciative I am of all your thoughts, prayers, cards, calls, texts, emails....allllll the things....
I have to giggle at God's sense of humor and his timing. This lesson entitled "No Fear in Falling" certainly expresses what's been going on in my world. I could barely stand-up, and now I'm doing very well, and driving again. God is good. He is faithful. He listens to and answers prayers.
Speaking of prayers, I have bookmarked this week's prayer because of the "reminders." Yes, remind us Lord daily of not only who you are, but what YOU can do! I have been reading it and praying it on repeat the past couple of weeks.
What about you? What are your thoughts?
Below is the verse from Psalm 94 from our lesson.
Below is a little thought from Kate Bowler. I'm including it to brighten your day like it did mine! :D
Blessed are we who need help waking up tothe music, the movement,and the color of living,who need help trying on joy for a change.Blessed are we who say, "Wake me too, God.Put me where beauty and love can reach me."
Prayer Requests
- Carla requests that we pray for the Wisconsin Guard troops that are stationed in Kuwait that are slowly returning home. All should be back on Wisconsin soil by August. Prayers for safety as they come home and transition back into civilian life.
- Pray for Kris and Terry as they decide where to live when they retire.
- Continue praying for Kitty's son Mike as he continues on his journey of no pain meds. Mike is off of pain meds for several weeks and is weaning off several other prescriptions. Mike is requesting that we pray for his mental health.
- Kitty would like for you to pray that her daughter sells her barndominium and can find a home closer so that she’s not driving two hours a day.
- Rita requests we pray for her brother who had a stroke last June. Pray that he remains strong and stable as he and her SIL navigate changes of selling their home in WV and building a new home near their daughter in TX.
- Pray for Kitty's brother because he has been very ill. He's out of the hospital and currently in a skilled nursing facility. Let's pray that he will continue to improve.
- PRAISE! I am home, and feeling so much better. I have treasured your prayers, and I'd like to ask that you continue to pray that I will have a full recovery with no lingering dizziness.
- Today is Trip's birthday. Please say a little prayer for him today!
I hope you have a restful and lovely weekend, Friends.
Thank-you for your fellowship.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Independence Day: America 250, Friends! So what are your plans? We're at Lake Martin celebrating, and our plans are to grill, cook, watch soccer and baseball, and maybe do a little boating in the morning.
This is not my favorite time to visit the lake. There are usually so many people, and the water on the lake is rough due to all the boats. I kept thinking about this while reading this week's lesson because the rough waters really make me unsettled.
In addition to the lesson's Psalm, there were two other verses mentioned but not referenced, and I thought they were pertinent to the lesson (Romans 8:28 and Mark 4:39). I have included graphics of both verses below along with the verse from Psalm 107.
I am determined to continue my journey of trust in God. He will never fail us. This week's prayer says:
Help me to look for you and only you for strength and shelter.~Peace With the Psalms, page 107
Prayer Requests
- Carla requests that we pray for the Wisconsin Guard troops that are stationed in Kuwait that are slowly returning home. All should be back on Wisconsin soil by August. Prayers for safety as they come home and transition back into civilian life.
- Pray for Kris and Terry as they decide where to live when they retire.
- Pray for Kris's son-in-law Tim. UPDATE: Tim was fired for his job after 17 years on at the fire department. Please say a prayer for Tim that he can get another job quickly. He is devastated by all of this.
- Continue praying for Kitty's son Mike as he continues on his journey of no pain meds. Mike is off of pain meds for several weeks and is weaning off several other prescriptions. Mike is requesting that we pray for his mental health.
- Kitty would like for you to pray that her daughter sells her barndominium and can find a home closer so that she’s not driving two hours a day.
- Kris requests that we pray for her MIL, that God will bring her home to heaven soon as she is ready to go.
- Rita requests we pray for her brother who had a stroke last June. Pray that he remains strong and stable as he and her SIL navigate changes of selling their home in WV and building a new home near their daughter in TX.
- Pray for Kitty's brother because he has been very ill and is in the hospital. Many tests have been run, but unfortunately he doesn't have any medical directives which complicates things.
- Pray for our Independence Day celebrations across our country, and that God will keep Americans safe.
- Thanks be to God for this amazing American experiment! We love our God and Country!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
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