Week Eight
Audubon Park
February 7, 2026
Happy Friday, Friends! I hope you have had a happy and productive week. We have had one setback after another with our home renovation in the kitchen. I am trying not to get disheartened, but I am. So many projects have had to be ripped out and started over.
I was happy to read our Peace With the Psalms devotion this week. I would like to spend more time outside in nature looking at the sky because I know that it is good for me in so many different ways. Maybe this weekend I can spend more time outside during breaks in the rain.
This week's meditation is helpful because it reminds us to focus on what's the MOST important. I enjoyed all the scriptural references this week, and I have pulled out old graphics and made a couple of new ones for the lesson. NOTE: When we have several verses, I will always place the main one first, and this week it is from Psalm 19 verses 9-10.
Please read the prayer requests carefully as some things have changed. Also let me know if I've made any mistakes or need to add anything to our list.
Prayer Requests
- Please pray for Kitty’s son, Mike. He needs a comprehensive plan to manage pain from previous back surgeries. UPDATE: Mike is doing so well!
- Pray for Rita's daughter Megan as she finishes her masters program this semester. Pray that she will stay healthy, and that she will manage her time well for work/school/life balance. UPDATE: Say a special birthday prayer for Megan because she turned 38 yesterday!
- Pray for my best friend Barbara who is battling cancer. UPDATE: Barbara's last day for radiation is today! Her last chemotherapy treatment was last week.
- Carla would like for us to pray for the military build up at the door of Iran. Pray for our leaders to seek wisdom. that we pray for our military, our young men and women who are at that door waiting what orders might be coming. May God protect them.
- 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. Pray that other family members will step-up and will be discerning about what's best for her care.
- Kitty's younger brother is having health issues. Please lift him up in prayer.
- Rita's friend Pam needs our prayers because her cancer is stage four. But God heals! Rita was able to visit with Pam on Monday. She walked for the first time in six weeks to the nurses station that day and was able to get herself on the potty chair! UPDATE: Pam had to have yet another surgery for an infected j-tube on Friday. It seemed to go well, but she didn't want visitors this weekend. It must feel so disheartening for her.
- Please pray for my baby great-niece who will have an MRI on Sunday.
- Praise from Carla: Her dad had a good visit at his recent doctor's appointment. He was not feeling well over the holidays, but he is doing much better.
- Pray for Rita's neighbor Chris. A .5-1cm lesion was found on her bladder at her 6mo scan after kidney surgery. She had two small papillary tumors successfully removed via outpatient surgery recently.
- Rita's husband's brother passed Thursday night, but praising that they were able to see him yesterday (an hr away) and speak to him.
- Pray for Kris's son-in-law Tim to find a new job.
- Update from Kitty: Her brother is home from the hospital, and her sister continues to go to his home everyday even though she is working.
- Please pray that the workers can finish our kitchen in a timely manner with all work done correctly.
- Travel mercies for Rita and her sister this weekend. UPDATE: Rita and her sister beat the bad weather home!
- Pray for Carla's friend Alice who had plastic surgery on her nose today. Her nose had several cancerous areas.
- Carla recently had to deal with a very bitter person. She has been very bothered by this, and she does not want this person to steal her JOY.
I'm heading out in a bit to get some coffee and breakfast and to shop at a local library's annual book sale.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
As promised, the above is a photo of daffodils on our street. They are so pretty this year!
Happy Friday, Friends! How has your week been so far? Can you believe that this is the last day of February?
We had the best weekend in New Orleans, and I truly appreciate your travel mercy prayers for us.
I love the title of this week's lesson: "No Mud, No Lotus." The title comes from calligraphy art of Thich Nhat Hahn. You can order some of his art on his site HERE.
The point of this quote is that something beautiful, the lotus flower, emerges out of something not so delightful, mud. We all experience losses, heartbreak, meanness, and brokenness. These experiences allow us to appreciate the mountaintop moments, and they strengthen us.
I was particularly moved by this quote from the lesson:
You will discover an inner courage and an expansiveness of your faith in "the pits." This is rich ground for finding "our people"--those who truly love us and willingly enter the dark and messy to help us resurrect.~Page 44
You, Dear Friends, are "my people."
We have all experienced disappointment in fair-weather friends, those who weren't there for us when we needed them most. Instead of wasting our energy dwelling on them, we should focus on those who were there, who lifted us up. They are the balcony people in our lives.
Farrell also walks us through a meditation lesson based on her favorite verse for meditation, Psalm 46:10. Did you try the breathing/meditation?
I think my biggest obstacle to hearing God is being still. What about you?
Below is the other scripture from our lesson.
Please share your thoughts about the lesson and any prayer requests you may have in the Comments Section.
Prayer Requests
- Pray for our military securing and protecting our southern border.
- Pray for Kitty's son Mike to get a job that uses his talents.
- Pray for the Americans displaced by the derailment (East Palestine, OH), fires (Maui and California) and Hurricane Helene (East Tennessee and Western North Carolina). Pray that they will receive the help they need to rebuild.
- Pray for Kitty's grandson Connor, that he will find a path to follow and good relationships.
- Pray for our daughter Shanley Belle as her post doc is coming to an end. She is in the midst of a job search. Please pray for God's guidance in her next step.
- Carla is running for Trustee for her local Village Board. The election is April 1st. Let's be in prayer that Carla can continue to be the change she wants to see in her village.
- Rita's daughters need our prayers. One is finishing up her masters this semester, and the other is having an especially hard time balancing work/school/home life. Pray for God's strength, patience and guidance as they each navigate their own course.
I had the last of my doctors' appointments this week. I am hoping to rest a little and cook produce from our local farmer's market this weekend. What are your plans?
This is a latte I enjoyed in New Orleans.
Today I'm going on a field trip to a super cool vintage shop and the new Ballard Designs shop in downtown Birmingham with my bestie.
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
More flowers from Susan's gorgeous wedding
Happy Black Friday, Friends! Do you participate in all the Black Friday crazy? We did when the girls were younger (high school and college) because they enjoyed it. I usually try to avoid shopping and crowds unless it's a bookstore.
How was your Thanksgiving yesterday? I hope you had a blessed day, and enjoyed delicious food with family and/or friends.
What did you think about this week's readings? I loved them all, and the one about trusting Jesus and relaxing in his sovereignty was my very favorite. How about you?
Here are some of the Bible verses from this week's lesson.
Prayer Requests
Thank-you for your travel mercy prayers for Trip and me when we went to Dallas last weekend. Everything went so smoothly, and even the hotel lent us a 120K Lexus to use for free! We drove it to Fort Worth to visit an art museum. Also, our gates were the most convenient, and we were upgraded as well!
I also want to thank y'all for your prayers for our California family member who was interviewing for the job in Boston, Y'all, he got the job! I am so happy for him and his sweet family. God is so good to answer our prayers!
This weekend, please be in prayer for:
- Pray for our military and military families, and the Wisconsin National Guard deployed in Iraq.
- Pray for Kitty's son Mike to get a job that uses his talents.
- Be in prayer for Carla's Florida friends still recovering from two hurricanes.
- Kitty asks if you could pray for Cissy’s emotional and mental well being, please. You may recall that she was in a car accident a few of weeks ago. She also requests that we pray for Eric also because he's miserable with his job. Pray that he can find something suitable for him with insurance.
- Pray for a peaceful and smooth transition of power between now and January 20, 2025.
- Rita has a praise: "I want to express my gratitude for all the prayers whispered for me in my monumental project of moving my sister. There were so many Godsends along the way, and we acknowledged each and every one of them as they occurred."
- From Kris: "Please say a prayer for my oldest daughter Jen and family. They lost their Yellow Lab Frank today. He was the sweetest guy and he will be so missed. He had liver cancer and just could not hold on anymore. He is hopefully over the rainbow bridge and pain free."
- Please pray travel mercies for Trip and me again this weekend as we're driving to New Orleans for our friend's daughter's debutante party. We're leaving this morning.
It starting getting cold yesterday afternoon, and it's very cold this morning. I will be taking some warm drinks in a couple of thermoses for our roadtrip!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Some of the beautiful flowers at my friend's wedding
Happy Monday, Friends! Thanksgiving is Thursday, and Advent begins in earnest this Sunday, December 1st. My hope is that I can truly take time, be still, and enjoy all of our Advent lessons from now until Christmas.
We had such a lovely time in Dallas! My friend Susan was a gorgeous bride, and it was a real blessing to spend time with her, Gary her groom, and her family. Thank-you for your travel mercies prayers. They worked like you wouldn't believe! I will email y'all with the details later. You will all smile and giggle when you read it!
To get us started on the week, here are two of the Bible verses from the first lesson.
Prayer Requests
- Pray for our military and military families, and the Wisconsin National Guard deployed in Iraq.
- Pray for Kitty's son Mike to get a job that uses his talents.
- Be in prayer for Carla's Florida friends still recovering from two hurricanes.
- Kitty asks if you could pray for Cissy’s emotional and mental well being, please. You may recall that she was in a car accident a few of weeks ago. She also requests that we pray for Eric also because he's miserable with his job. Pray that he can find something suitable for him with insurance.
- Rita asks that you pray for her daughter as she has a significant case of pneumonia, and she asks for your fervent prayers for her complete recovery. She is the mother of her granddaughter.
- Pray for a peaceful and smooth transition of power between now and January 20, 2025.
We got home last night at midnight.
I'm off to make a large French press of coffee, read a lesson in Jesus Listens For Advent & Christmas, and do copious amounts of laundry!
Have a Blessed Thanksgiving, and I'll be back with a post on Black Friday!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends! Wow, what a week! I think that our Constitution Week programs went well, and I attended a Memorial Service for a dear friend. Plus, one of my closest childhood friends is visiting this weekend: What an unexpected blessing! :D
This week's devotion is entitled "urgent grace." If you were unclear about Ann Voskamp's writing ability up to this point, then you should acknowledge that the woman can write: This is a very beautifully written devotion!
Sometimes I just have to giggle at God's timing. This devotion is just what I needed to give myself permission to take some things out of my schedule for the week and focus on the unexpected blessings God had planned for me without my knowledge. :D
Do you have any thoughts about the lesson?
Here's the scripture for this week:
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We have a lengthy prayer list, and I hope that you will grab a large cup of coffee (or tea) and pray this morning with us. Our needs are great, but God is faithful and good!
Prayer Requests
- Pray for the people suffering in Maui. Let God shed light on the truth of what happened there.
- Pray for Kris's daughter Kim as she only has about three more weeks until she gives birth to her first child. Let's pray for an easy labor and delivery, and a healthy, happy mom and baby!
- Please, God, send us strong leaders who will put you first and then the citizens of our country. Pray that the division in our country ends, and that we can truly be one nation under God, and indivisible.
- Let's continue to pray for our gold star families and our active military.
- Please pray for Kitty's DIL, Julie, that her heart will change; for SIL, Eric, that he will see some relief for his cervical dystonia; and for her son, Mike, that he will get a job.
- As a group, let's commit to the constant adoration of Christ and praise of God!
- Carla reminds us that it's not too early to pray for an honest election for all sides running, and that everyone that wants to run can have a fair go at it.
- Please pray for travel mercies for our daughter Shanley Belle and our son-in-law Christopher as they are taking the red eye to London tonight. They will be traveling in Great Britain for several days and will be returning home on September 27th.
- Please pray for my best friend's husband. His cancer has recurred.
- Carla and her family are traveling. They left yesterday and will return Monday. Please pray for safe travels and travel mercies in all situations.
- Travel mercies for my friend Susan and her boyfriend as they travel here to Alabama and back home to Texas.
- Pray for Kris's husband Terry's mom. She has been taking her to doctors and she has not been doing well health wise. Prayers she can find strength to know God is not ready for her yet and he still has some things for her to do here on earth. Please pray she can find ways to cope with her loneliness.
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Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Constitution Week, Patriots!
Yesterday was Constitution Day, and the beginning of Constitution Week. We have been busy sharing the Constitution, it's meaning, and what it means to be an American in libraries and elementary schools across our area. Last week was a busy week indeed!
This morning, it was SO NICE weather-wise while we did the morning walkies with the Westies: It was 58 degrees! Life is so, so good! It's also nice seeing people flying Old Glory outside their homes, too.
Here's the Preamble to the United States Constitution:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
I have not read this week's devotional, but here is the theme:
And here is the scriptural reference:
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Prayer Requests
- Pray for the people suffering in Maui. Let God shed light on the truth of what happened there.
- Pray for Kris's daughter Kim as she only has about three more weeks until she gives birth to her first child. Let's pray for an easy labor and delivery, and a healthy, happy mom and baby!
- Please, God, send us strong leaders who will put you first and then the citizens of our country. Pray that the division in our country ends, and that we can truly be one nation under God, and indivisible.
- Let's continue to pray for our gold star families and our active military.
- Please pray for Kitty's DIL, Julie, that her heart will change; for SIL, Eric, that he will see some relief for his cervical dystonia; and for her son, Mike, that he will get a job.
- As a group, let's commit to the constant adoration of Christ and praise of God!
- Carla reminds us that it's not too early to pray for an honest election for all sides running, and that everyone that wants to run can have a fair go at it.
- Please pray for travel mercies for our daughter Shanley Belle and our son-in-law Christopher as they are taking the red eye to London tonight. They will be traveling in Great Britain for several days and will be returning home on September 27th.
- Please pray for my best friend's husband. His cancer has recurred.
- Pray that our nation's school children will learn about the Constitution this week in school.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Fall, y'all! Today is the first full day of fall, and I am so happy about it. :D
Let's jump into today's lesson: The Promise of Peace In the Midst of Pain.
It's a heavy lesson, and it's interesting that God allows satan to cause us pain (just look at the example of Job and Paul), but we know that in Job's case, the devil had to ask permission from God to terrorize Job.
Below is the main scripture for our lesson:
There are three Points of Connection for this week, but I want to focus on the third one. Its focus is on how to find "a place for hope in your daily experience" after experiencing disappointments. How do you find peace and maintain hope after difficult seasons?
For me, I have to stay focused on God and his love for me. The Holy Spirit will comfort you if you let Him!
Here are the scriptural references:
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.~1 Corinthians 13:13Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.~Romans 5:3-5Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.~Romans 12:12
Here are a few prayer requests, and if you have anything to add, please do so in comments:
- Kitty requests we pray for her son Mike to find a job, and continued prayers for one of her granddaughters.
- Kris's husband Terry is in the hospital. Please pray for his medical team, that they will be wise in how they treat Terry for his intestinal blockage.
- Rita has a praise in that her dental work went well and she is feeling much better!
Have a blessed weekend!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy New Week, Friends! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I did because I had my family all together with me! I appreciate y'all praying for travel mercies for us.
This week's lesson is about the promise of peace, even in the midst of a painful season.
Do you have any prayer requests?
Type them in the comments section, and we'll check back mid-week to read them.
Rita has a praise. One of her Panoply sisters, a breast cancer survivor, had a pacemaker put in, and Rita is thankful for her sister getting it before a serious event. She also asks that we pray for her tolerating it with no further issues.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends! Today is a big day for the people of Arizona, and possibly the nation. Please keep the Arizona legislature in your prayers today. Also, please pray for travel mercies for the ladies traveling tomorrow to attend the bridal tea Shelley and I are hosting.
This week's writing prompt is based on the following scripture:
And the prompt is:
Consider how Jesus encouraged Peter. Write down words of encouragement you need to hear from Jesus today.
This is really a tough question, actually. Today I need to hear from Jesus that he is hearing my prayers, and that he is working things out in the natural world that has already been done in the spiritual according to his will. That's it!
What about you?
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
White roses fit for a bride
Happy Monday, Friends!
This week's focus is on how Jesus encouraged Peter. I enjoy reading about Peter because he is very spontaneous and unrestrained. I will most definitely enjoy this week's guided journaling!
I also have a prayer request:
Our daughter Shelley's best friend Amelia is getting married next month, and we are hosting a Bridal Afternoon Tea for her on Saturday. Please pray that she will be blessed, and that everything will go well. We had a vendor who was supplying the party favors plus an activity, and with very little notice the company canceled on us Thursday. It has been a scramble, but I think we have a solution.
Do y'all have any prayer requests?
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
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