Happy Friday, Friends! Today's repeat lesson is a favorite of Carla's, and it can be found in our book on page 73. This is a wonderful lesson to revisit. Let's look at the verse from Psalm 143 first.
I love the visual of the "teach me" and "lead me" as bookends to "For You are my God." I have been thinking a lot about this visual during the week. I'm planning to make a notecard and stick it to my menu desk in my kitchen because it's such a comforting and a good lesson.
I hope you are encouraged by Psalm 143. The lesson also includes Psalm 25:4-5:
The psalmist is requesting three things from God in these verses: show, teach, and guide. These requests of God should be my constant prayer throughout the day!
What are your thoughts?
Prayer Requests
- Pray for Kris's husband Terry to find something here in Illinois full or part time so they can stay there for a few more years. UPDATE: Terry is up hopefully for a good job in Illinois. I believe he has three interviews coming up.
- 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 now off all other meds. Mike can obviously do very hard things, but let's continue to pray for his health, especially his mental wellbeing. PRAISE: Mike is appreciative of our prayers, and he feels like his mental acuity is returning
- Please lift up Rita in your prayers! She is getting PT for her wrist.
- Pray for Rita's brother's companion Betty who was diagnosed with squamous cell from her lung biopsy. Betty has started radiation. Also pray for Rita's brother Joe. UPDATE: Joe's results came back, and he does have cancer. The cancer is in his lymph nodes but not his bones. Rita will go with him on Monday to discuss options, most likely radiation and androgen therapy. Please lift them both up in prayer.
- Kitty's brother is home from the skilled nursing care. Please pray that he can manage.
- Praise! Kris's SIL Tim is working at his new position as a paramedic and is doing well.
- Pray for our male Westie Finlay. His vet found a large mass near his bladder. He will need further testing to determine the type of tumor and how to proceed. UPDATE: Finlay had further testing this week, and his tests have been sent to Auburn University. All the results are back but one, and no definitive cancer yet. His vet thinks that the last test will be positive, unfortunately. He will beginning steroids, Prilosec, and chemo as soon as we receive them.
- Kris made it through surgery like a trooper! Honestly, she is a rockstar. She will begin outpatient PT in a week or so, and her doctor is amazed at her recovery. Let's pray that she will continue to recover quickly and not overdo activities and have a setback.
- Please pray for Trip. He is still recovering from knee surgery, and pray that he will fully recover full motion in his foot. UPDATE: His recover is so slow, and he is getting a little discouraged.
- Please pray that I can get better sleep and rest.
- Pray for Kitty's grandson Connor (the one that was a Marine and was in Afghanistan when the thirteen Marines were killed). He has cluster migraines, and he needs to get an appointment at the VA to get referred to a neurologist.
- Rita has an urgent, unspoken prayer request.
- Please pray for our friend Eddy who will be having surgery for colon cancer on November 10th (this Tuesday). Please pray that his recovery will be quick without any complications.
- Kitty asks that we pray for her youngest son and family. They are pursuing a move to Durango, CO, which would take her two youngest granddaughters from her. Kitty asks that we pray to surrender this decision to God for He knows what’s best for them. God's will be done!
- Praise: I went to the eye doctor on Monday because my glasses were no longer working very well. I now have 20/20 vision, and do not need glasses! I don't even need readers. I am so very thankful!
- Pray for Rita's brother and SIL who relocated to Texas last year after his stroke. The closing on their home in West Virginia is scheduled for early November. The buyers have been very contentious in negotiations, and she is praying the closing goes smoothly.
- Pray for Maureen's baby granddaughter who is only ten months old and had two open heart surgeries. the last one at the end of October. She writes the blog Red Cottage Chronicles.
- Travel mercies for Carla and her husband as they will be traveling to Caldwell, Texas. It will take them a couple of days to get there (they're sightseeing on the way), and they plan to stay in Texas for four days. They will be leaving today (Friday, November 6th).
I'm off to get my hair cut, then I'm heading to Starbucks because their holiday launch was yesterday. :D
Have a wonderful weekend!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
It's Halloween Eve, Friends! I must confess that Halloween bothers my spirit. I'm always happy when November 1st rolls around.
How was your week? Mine was busy, like most weeks in October. We have family birthdays, and for some reason I tend to have lots of activities during the month, too. Historically, it's usually the busiest month for our family. Just this week, I had an MRI (yes, I'm still cancer-free THANK GOD!), and doctors' appointments at the cancer center. Wednesday Night we had Trunk or Treat at church, and we had the final walk-through for our renovation. There is only one more job left (painting the window frames in the library) which was overlooked.
This week's lesson is a repeat of Psalm 27, and you can reread it on page 37. It was chosen by Rita, and I wanted to let you know that I flagged the favorites, and I'm working my way through the book in order. So if I haven't gotten to any of your favorites it's because they're at the end of the book.
I want to look ahead to 2027, and I'd appreciate your picks for next year's devotional book. I would like to post nominees on November 13th. :D
Now on to the lesson....
Psalm 27 is another Psalm that David wrote while hiding out in a cave because King Saul wanted to kill him. Saul would not accept that David was God's chosen one to succeed him. One thing that I noticed while reading through this lesson is the focus on the beauty of God. We acknowledge that God's creation is beautiful, but I rarely think about the beauty of God.
I also love the prayer with this lesson. I need to make a copy and keep it on my fridge!
What are your thoughts about this lesson?
Below is the graphic for the verse.
Before I get to the prayer requests, please forgive me if I've forgotten an update! Just zip me an email and I'll update it. Remember to check back throughout the weekend and next week because I try to update requests as I get them. Sometimes if I'm out I can't do it right away.
Prayer Requests
- Pray for Kris's husband Terry to find something here in Illinois full or part time so they can stay there for a few more years. UPDATE: Terry is up hopefully for a good job in Illinois. I believe he has three interviews coming up.
- 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 now off all other meds. Mike can obviously do very hard things, but let's continue to pray for his health, especially his mental wellbeing. PRAISE: Mike is appreciative of our prayers, and he feels like his mental acuity is returning
- Please lift up Rita in your prayers! She is getting PT for her wrist.
- Pray for Rita's brother's companion Betty who was diagnosed with squamous cell from her lung biopsy. Betty has started radiation. Also pray for Rita's brother Joe. UPDATE: Joe's results came back, and he does have cancer. The cancer is in his lymph nodes but not his bones. Rita will go with him on Monday to discuss options, most likely radiation and androgen therapy. Please lift them both up in prayer.
- Kitty's brother is home from the skilled nursing care. Please pray that he can manage.
- Praise! Kris's SIL Tim is working at his new position as a paramedic and is doing well.
- Pray for our male Westie Finlay. His vet found a large mass near his bladder. He will need further testing to determine the type of tumor and how to proceed. UPDATE: Finlay had further testing this week, and his tests have been sent to Auburn University. All the results are back but one, and no definitive cancer yet. His vet thinks that the last test will be positive, unfortunately. He will beginning steroids, Prilosec, and chemo next week.
- Kris made it through surgery like a trooper! Honestly, she is a rockstar. She will begin outpatient PT in a week or so, and her doctor is amazed at her recovery. Let's pray that she will continue to recover quickly and not overdo activities and have a setback.
- Please pray for Trip. He is still recovering from knee surgery, and pray that he will fully recover full motion in his foot. UPDATE: His recover is so slow, and he is getting a little discouraged.
- Please pray that I can get better sleep and rest.
- Pray for Kitty's grandson Connor (the one that was a Marine and was in Afghanistan when the thirteen Marines were killed). He has cluster migraines, and he needs to get an appointment at the VA to get referred to a neurologist.
- Rita has an urgent, unspoken prayer request.
- Please pray for our friend Eddy who will be having surgery for colon cancer on November 10th. Please pray that his recovery will be quick without any complications.
- Kitty asks that we pray for her youngest son and family. They are pursuing a move to Durango, CO, which would take her two youngest granddaughters from her. Kitty asks that we pray to surrender this decision to God for He knows what’s best for them. God's will be done!
- Congratulations to Carla for the Brew Crew's win at the World Series! This has been a lifetime wait for Brewers' fans.
- I had a fantastic MRI, and I am still cancer-free. I am so thankful! Praise God for his healing grace.
- Pray for Rita's brother and SIL who relocated to Texas last year after his stroke. The closing on their home in West Virginia is scheduled for early November. The buyers have been very contentious in negotiations, and she is praying the closing goes smoothly.
- Pray for Maureen's baby granddaughter who is only ten months old and had two open heart surgeries. the last one at the end of October. She writes the blog Red Cottage Chronicles.
- Travel mercies for Carla and her husband as they will be traveling to Caldwell, Texas. It will take them a couple of days to get there (they're sightseeing on the way), and they plan to stay in Texas for four days. They will be leaving on Friday, November 6th.
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Until next time...
Happy Halloween and All Souls' Day!
Ricki Jill
This is a planter outside one of the entrances to our church. A few ladies were planting them when I went to book club yesterday.
Happy Friday, Friends! How was your week?
Mine was fairly busy. I substituted for my art teacher while she's been in Spain. I'm trying to stay busy because I have my annual MRI this morning at 10:30 CDT.
This week's repeat lesson is from Kitty: Psalm 34, and it's located on page 21 in our book.
This lesson is also one of my favorites, too, because it's about how God is near to the brokenhearted, even when we don't call out to him nor recognize that he's near us. God is always faithful, and I think that reality is so hard for us mere mortals to comprehend because we usually have stipulations with our faithfulness and love.
So far, this year has been challenging for all of us, and yet we can see how God is with us, how he has been moving in our lives. We are truly blessed that we have each other for friendship and prayer. We are also fortunate to have each other for encouragement, too.
Here are the scriptures for this lesson.
If you want to reread the lesson from earlier this year, go to the homepage and scroll to the bottom and read The Favorite post!
Speaking of brokenness, here's a little reflection from Matt Haig's The Comfort Book.
It's okayIt's okay to be broken.It's okay to wear the scars of experience.It's okay to be a mess.It's okay to be the teacup with a chip in it. That's the one with a story.It's okay to be sentimental and whimsical and cry bittersweet tears at songs and movies you aren't supposed to love.It's okay to like what you like.It's okay to like things for literally no other reason than because you like them and not because they are cool or clever or popular.It's okay to let people find you. You don't have to spread yourself so thin you become invisible. You don't have to be the person always reaching out. You can sometimes allow yourself to be reached. As the great writer Anne Lamott puts it: "Lighthouses don't go running all over an island for boats to save; they just stand there shining."It's okay not to make the most of every chunk of time.It's okay to be who you are.it's okay.
Prayer Requests
- Pray for Kris's husband Terry to find something here in Illinois full or part time so they can stay there for a few more years. UPDATE: Terry is up hopefully for a good job in Illinois. Prayers he gets an interview.
- 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 now off all other meds. Mike can obviously do very hard things, but let's continue to pray for his health, especially his mental wellbeing. PRAISE: Mike is appreciative of our prayers, and he feels like his mental acuity is returning
- Please lift up Rita in your prayers! She is getting PT for her wrist.
- Pray for Rita's brother's companion Betty who was diagnosed with squamous cell from her lung biopsy. Betty has started radiation. Also pray for Rita's brother Joe. UPDATE: Joe's results came back, and he does have cancer. Please pray that his scheduled 10/23 pet scan will result in localized cancer. Please lift them both up in prayer.
- Kitty's brother is home from the skilled nursing care. Please pray that he can manage.
- Pray for Kris's SIL Tim who still needs a job. He has to test into another hospital system and they do not have an opening until the middle of this month.
- Pray for our male Westie Finlay. His vet found a large mass on his bladder. He will need further testing to determine the type of tumor and how to proceed. UPDATE: Finlay had further testing this week, and his tests have been sent to Auburn University.
- Kris made it through surgery like a trooper! She is already starting PT. Let's pray for her test results to come back benign, and that she will recover quickly. PRAISE! Kris is home and receiving PT at home.
- Please pray for Trip. He is still recovering from knee surgery, and pray that he will fully recover full motion in his foot.
- Please pray that I can get better sleep and rest.
- Pray for Kitty's grandson Connor (the one that was a Marine and was in Afghanistan when the thirteen Marines were killed). He has cluster migraines, and he needs to get an appointment at the VA to get referred to a neurologist.
- Rita has an urgent, unspoken prayer request.
- Please pray for our friend Eddy who will be having surgery for colon cancer soon. Pray that he will choose the best surgeon for him.
- Kitty's daughter Molly is moving soon. Pray that she will have stamina, and get the job done!
- Kitty asks that we pray for her youngest son and family. They are pursuing a move to Durango, CO, which would take her two youngest granddaughters from her. Kitty asks that we pray to surrender this decision to God for He knows what’s best for them. God's will be done!
- Praise: Carla did an amazing job with her speech at the women's retreat. :D
- Please pray for good test results from my MRI this morning. This is my annual breast cancer follow-up MRI.
I will be having coffee with a couple of HS friends this afternoon. I can't wait!
Also, if you haven't had your annual mammogram yet this year, schedule it before the end of the year!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
It's Pinktober.
Please remember to schedule your mammogram if you haven't had one yet this year.
Happy Friday, Friends!
FINALLY we are going to get relief from the October heat here in Central Alabama. All week we've had record highs, but today a cold front is coming through, and our overnight lows should be in the upper forties to mid-fifties. YAY!
This weekend I will have my first hot PSL rather than iced. I can't wait!
For the remainder of the year we will revisit our favorite Psalms and lessons. The first one is from Rita, and it's Psalm 13. Y'all can go back and reread the lesson this weekend or next week if you like. It starts on page 17.
What I will probably do is reshare the graphics. This should be fun because I sometimes include seasonal photos or graphics. But that's okay!
This Psalm was written by King David when he was hiding out in a cave with his trusted allies. He was so stressed out, and yet....he remembers God's unfailing love for him:
But I trust in your unfailing love;my heart rejoices in your salvation.I will sing the LORD's praise,for he has been good to me.
Friends, we have also all had to wait for various things this year:
- medical test results
- healing
- financial transactions
- time spent with family
- travel
just to name a few.
Sometimes we are waiting for the other shoe to drop, the worst-case scenario. We need to stop! Friends, let's remember to put our faith and trust in the LORD during our times of waiting.
"We can trust that he is good, and always acts for our good. And in that knowledge our waiting becomes our strength."~page 19
Here is another Bible verse from the lesson:
With the winter and early spring graphics in this post, I want to share an autumn thought with you. This one is from Macrina Wiederkehr from Seasons of Your Heart.
The autumn cameand I was drunk with mystery all day longAmen, Amen, Amen, I saidAmen to autumnto mystery treesand falling leavesand color everywhere.
Prayer Requests
- Pray for Kris's husband Terry to find something here in Illinois full or part time so they can stay there for a few more years. UPDATE: Terry is up hopefully for a good job in Illinois. Prayers he gets an interview.
- 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 now off all other meds. Mike can obviously do very hard things, but let's continue to pray for his health, especially his mental wellbeing.
- Please lift up Rita in your prayers! She is getting PT for her wrist.
- Pray for Rita's brother's companion Betty who was diagnosed with squamous cell from her lung biopsy. Betty has started radiation. Also pray for Rita's brother Joe. UPDATE: Joe's results came back, and he does have cancer. Please pray that his scheduled 10/23 pet scan will result in localized cancer. Please lift them both up in prayer.
- Kitty's brother is home from the skilled nursing care. Please pray that he can manage.
- Pray for Kris's SIL Tim who still needs a job. He has to test into another hospital system and they do not have an opening until the middle of this month.
- Pray for our male Westie Finlay. His vet found a large mass on his bladder. He will need further testing to determine the type of tumor and how to proceed. UPDATE: Finlay had further testing this week, and his tests have been sent to Auburn University.
- Kris made it through surgery like a trooper! She is already starting PT. Let's pray for her test results to come back benign, and that she will recover quickly. PRAISE! Kris is home and receiving PT at home.
- Please pray for Trip. He is still recovering from knee surgery, and pray that he will fully recover full motion in his foot.
- Please pray that I can get better sleep and rest.
- Pray for Kitty's grandson Connor (the one that was a Marine and was in Afghanistan when the thirteen Marines were killed). He has cluster migraines, and he needs to get an appointment at the VA to get referred to a neurologist.
- Rita has an urgent, unspoken prayer request.
- Please pray for our friend Eddy who will be having surgery for colon cancer soon. Pray that he will choose the best surgeon for him.
- Kitty's daughter Molly is closing on her house today, and she will be moving in soon.
- Kitty asks that we pray for her youngest son and family. They are pursuing a move to Durango, CO, which would take her two youngest granddaughters from her. Kitty asks that we pray to surrender this decision to God for He knows what’s best for them. God's will be done!
- Praise: Carla did an amazing job with her speech at the women's retreat. :D
Please let me know if there are any additional prayer requests or updates!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
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