Beautiful autumn day in Birmingham
Happy Friday, Friends! Are you hosting Thanksgiving this year? I am not! I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving Week.
This week's lesson was a breath of fresh air (quite literally). I enjoyed learning about Marie of Magdala, especially the church's handling of her story. Christianity is the only religion that lifts-up women, and Jesus did welcome women into his inner circle. It's noteworthy that the first person Jesus appeared to after his resurrection was Mary, a woman.
I also took Farrell's suggestion for taking a walk. Shelley and I visited the Birmingham Botanical Gardens on Monday and enjoyed the most beautiful autumn day ever! I am so thankful we did it because my week fell apart on Wednesday (more below). The Navajo Walking Meditation is lovely, isn't it!
With beauty before me, may I walk.With beauty behind me, may I walk.With beauty above me, may I walk.With beauty below me, may I walk.With beauty all around me, may I walk.Wandering on the trail of beauty, may I walk.~A Navajo Walking Meditation
Here is this week's scripture:
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Prayer Requests:
- Pray for Rita as she mourns the loss of her sister.
- Kitty's son Mike and his friend are working on a game for a company and need to have it done in three months and have a verbal agreement for another game. Prayers that they can get this done. Also, pray that they will get good news on a proposal (a separate project). UPDATE: Mike is discouraged with his work friend as things are not turning out as planned, and Mike needs to pivot to something else. Ladies, I know we have been praying for Mike and his work situation for a long time. But let's not get discouraged because God hears our prayers, and he WILL answer them.
- Keep Rita's daughter Megan in your prayers as she delves into her 3rd and final year of Nurse Practitioner program. Her anxiety is pretty high with the new schedule of work, school and home life balance.
- Pray for my best friend Barbara who is battling cancer. URGENT UPDATE: I took Barbara to her oncologist Wednesday because she could not get out of bed Tuesday to go to chemotherapy. It took us twenty minutes to get her in the car because she is so weak! She was in bad shape: her blood pressure was 70/40. They had to transport her to the hospital (located in a different building) via ambulance. Her kidneys are failing, and I am trying to remain positive, but it's so hard! She needs a miracle! Please pray for her and her family.
- Carla's prayer request is for all the young people entering the military, the love they feel for the USA to become warriors to fight to keep us free. She is so thankful, as we all are!
- Carla and her husband has decided to stay in their home and not sell it and move. Pray that God will give them peace in their decision.
- Pray for my mother. She is declining rapidly.
- Rita's daughter Megan had rotator cuff surgery a few of weeks ago. Continue to pray for her recovery. UPDATE: Megan will return to work after 6 weeks post surgery (will do some PT), and she is ending this semester successfully in a much calmer state of mind.
- Pray for Jenna Meon's family as they mourn her passing. The celebration of life will be December 13th.
- Please continue to pray for our Westie Finlay as he is recovering from eye surgery.
- Please pray for Kris's MIL because she has been having some heavy health issues, and Kris is currently her full time nurse. Pray that God will help and bless Kris as she cares for her MIL.
- Kitty's younger brother is having health issues. Please lift him up in prayer.
- Travel mercies for Carla as she and her family travel for the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Until next time...
Happy Thanksgiving!
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends! How was your week? I am trying to learn where all my files are on my new computer. Supposedly everything was transferred, but I can't find any of my folders, and that includes all the Bible verse graphics I've made over the years. Maybe I'll have a chance this weekend to get help from Apple support. I do love my new computer, though!
I loved this week's lesson because it featured one of my favorite parables Jesus taught: The Parable of the Sower. I love the imagery in it, and I find it tragic what happens to many who hear the gospel, accept it, only to fall away for whatever reason.
I also thought that the advice Alan York gave the Chesters about planting ground cover at Apricot Lane Farms was interesting because it literally saved their property. I would like to watch the documentary about them because what they did took courage and a whole lot of faith. Farrell shares with us numerous ways we can lay spiritual ground cover, and it's encouraging to think that we can do a little each day and start over if needed.
Here is this week's bible passage:
“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”~Mark 4:3-8
Below is a blessing prayer by Steve Garnass-Holmes. When my Bible study teacher Betty sent it to me this week, I wanted to share it with y'all because I think it is a sweet prayer to start your day.
O PeaceO Peace, be my peace.I breathe you in.O Being, be my earth.I rest in you.O One, be my spirit.I belong to you.O Wisdom, be my mind.Keep me curious.O Grace, be my hope.I trust in you.O Yes, be my living and my dying.Give me courage.O Love, be my heart.Be my loving.O kindness, be my God,that I may be your kindness for this world.Amen.
I did not try the chili because I made chili last weekend because Trip wanted hot dogs with chili while watching college football. It was not Farrell's recipe by any stretch, but I'd like to try it because of the sweet potatoes.
Prayer Requests
- Pray for Rita as she mourns the loss of her sister.
- Please keep Rita's neighbor Chris in prayer as she battles cancer. UPDATE: Chris does not need chemo, only scans. What a praise!
- Kitty's son Mike and his friend are working on a game for a company and need to have it done in three months and have a verbal agreement for another game. Prayers that they can get this done. Also, pray that they will get good news on a proposal (a separate project). UPDATE: Mike is discouraged with his work friend as things are not turning out as planned, and Mike needs to pivot to something else. Ladies, I know we have been praying for Mike and his work situation for a long time. But let's not get discouraged because God hears our prayers, and he WILL answer them.
- Keep Rita's daughter Megan in your prayers as she delves into her 3rd and final year of Nurse Practitioner program. Her anxiety is pretty high with the new schedule of work, school and home life balance.
- Pray for my best friend Barbara who is battling cancer.
- Carla's prayer request is for all the young people entering the military, the love they feel for the USA to become warriors to fight to keep us free. She is so thankful, as we all are!
- Carla and her husband has decided to stay in their home and not sell it and move. Pray that God will give them peace in their decision.
- Pray for my mother. She is declining rapidly.
- Rita's daughter Megan had rotator cuff surgery a few of weeks ago. Continue to pray for her recovery. UPDATE: Megan will return to work after 6 weeks post surgery (will do some PT), and she is ending this semester successfully in a much calmer state of mind.
- Pray for Jenna Meon. She was discharged from her SNF, and she is not responding to my calls, emails, and text messages.
- Please pray for our Westie Finlay. He had two procedures on his eye this week, and I think he is finally turning the corner.
- Please pray for Kris's MIL because she has been having some heavy health issues, and Kris is currently her full time nurse. Pray that God will help and bless Kris as she cares for her MIL.
- Kitty's younger brother is having health issues. Please lift him up in prayer!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends! I hope you've had a productive week.
I have great news. I have been having problems with my computer for months. I have been blogging using Trip's laptop, but he uses it for work, so I was having to get up super early to use it before he left for work.
Trip was so sweet because he surprised me with a new desktop computer! It is so nice, and it has plenty of storage unlike my old iMac. Once they complete the process of sending my date from my old computer to the new one, I will be set. I am so excited!
What are your thoughts about this week's lesson? I enjoy studying the Psalms, and I agree that there is no greater resource for an extra dose of bravery. Each year when I read through the Bible and reach the Psalms, I always make a list of the ones that speak to me that year. It's fun for me to compare my favorites from year to year.
One of my very favorite Psalms for bravery is Psalm 91, and it is one of the four that Farrell mentions in her lesson:
Each day we are encouraged to put on the Full Armor of God, and that includes the Sword of the Spirit: The Word of God, which is the only offensive weapon in the armor, used to counter spiritual attacks. Fear is a spiritual attack because according to 2 Timothy 1:7, "God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." The Psalms are a wonderful weapon to help us stand strong.
Do you have a favorite Psalm?
Here is the Bible verse from the beginning of our lesson:
Prayer Requests
- Pray for Rita as she mourns the loss of her sister.
- Please keep Rita's neighbor Chris in prayer as she battles her cancer.
- Kitty's son Mike and his friend are working on a game for a company and need to have it done in three months and have a verbal agreement for another game. Prayers that they can get this done. Also, pray that they will get good news on a proposal (a separate project).
- Keep Rita's daughter Megan in your prayers as she delves into her 3rd and final year of Nurse Practitioner program. Her anxiety is pretty high with the new schedule of work, school and home life balance.
- Pray for my best friend Barbara who is battling cancer.
- Carla's prayer request is for all the young people entering the military, the love they feel for the USA to become warriors to fight to keep us free. She is so thankful, as we all are!
- Carla and her husband has decided to stay in their home and not sell it and move. Pray that God will give them peace in their decision.
- Pray for my mother. I am having a care plan meeting at her nursing home on Monday.
- Rita's daughter Megan had rotator cuff surgery a few of weeks ago. Continue to pray for her recovery.
- Pray for Jenna Meon.
- Please pray for our Westie Finlay. I am taking him back to the vet this afternoon for another follow-up appointment.
"Make it your mission to find the light in the dark."
Soulfull, pg. 214
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
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