Week Forty-Three
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
Happy Halloween, Friends!
I hope you have had a peaceful week.
Do you get a lot of trick-or-treaters? We do, and I'm hurriedly writing this post before the doorbell starts ringing.
I truly enjoyed this week's lesson because it focuses on what's truly important to a Christian. I like the visual of Notre Damn to remind us that we were also designed to prevail.
Our soul is our cornerstone, and I loved how Farrell broke everything down (into four main points) explaining how we should build-up our faith in a fallen world. In this post I will focus on the second one: We were created to endure.
Here's a quote from Richard Rohr about gratitude, and I think that gratitude helps us build endurance to face the day (whatever it may bring).
Each and every morning offers us a chance to start anew, fresh, and to begin again. Each morning when we awake--- should we choose to listen--- is a message from our Creator to remember the privilege we were given of waking up. It's a reminder to get up and prepare our self, to honor our self, to go out into the world, to connect with Mother Earth, and the hearts of other beings, and encourage those who cross our paths, and most importantly, to enjoy life.
Here is a Bible verse that reminds us that not only were we made to endure, but that God's plan is an abundant life for us:
Here are the Bible verses from the 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. She is recovering from a 2nd surgery to remove what is believed to be another cancer on her lung.
- 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. She is declining rapidly, and is not waking to eat.
- 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. He had to have a second eye ablation today.
Happy Halloween!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends! How has your week been? I've been spending most of my time this week cooking and putting up vegetables for winter. I'm turning into my grandmother!
This week's devotion is entitled "endless grace." I thought it was such a sweet lesson. Ann chooses to put aside the chores focus on holding her sleeping child and committing to memory her daughter's precious features. I can remember when Shanley Belle was a newborn, and I'd get up in the wee hours for the early, early feedings. I can remember watching Elizabeth Vargas on the (very early) news, and hoping and praying that God would bless me by helping me to remember those precious moments. And in His Goodness, He did!
Here is this week's scripture:
.png)
Also mentioned in the lesson:
Perfect love casts out all fear.
That quote was taken from:
.png)
Prayer Requests:
- Rita asks for us to pray for her younger daughter's relationship struggles, and that she will listen to God's spirit within to make the right decisions.
- Pray for Kitty's son Mike to get a job. AI has taken away many jobs in his industry. Mike might have the opportunity to redo a game with a friends. Let's pray that this works out for him, and it will lead to more opportunities.
- Please continue to pray for our military and military families.
- Continue to pray for Carla's son Sam and the 157th! Sam is in Louisiana training. It's hot there, y'all! Pray that he will stay hydrated.
- Please continue to pray for Shanley Belle and Christopher. Also, pray for Trip and our daughter Shelley as they will have their genetic testing soon.
- Pray for Nana Diana's husband, John. He is being admitted into Mayo Clinic, and we need to pray for discernment and guidance for his medical team.
- Praise to God for allowing us to live during this time in the greatest Republic the world has ever known.
- Kitty asks for us to pray for travel mercies for her and her whole family before and during their vacation to Cancun on June 9th-13th (they are leaving Sunday).
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Monday, Friends! I hope you're having a lovely start to your week. Last week was a wee bit challenging with Memorial Day on Monday, plus we were also busy with activities during the rest of the week. I couldn't seem to get caught-up!
Can you believe it's already June? This year is flying by, isn't it! I am so happy to report that this is the first month in years I haven't had a doctor's appointment. Alleluia!
This week's lesson is entitled "endless grace." I'm hoping to read it this afternoon because my morning will be filled with errands.
Here is this week's scripture:
.png)
Prayer Requests
- Rita asks for us to pray for her younger daughter's relationship struggles, and that she will listen to God's spirit within to make the right decisions.
- Pray for Kitty's son Mike to get a job. AI has taken away many jobs in his industry. Mike might have the opportunity to redo a game with a friends. Let's pray that this works out for him, and it will lead to more opportunities.
- Please continue to pray for our military and military families.
- Continue to pray for Carla's son Sam and the 157th! Sam is in Louisiana training.
- Please continue to pray for Shanley Belle and Christopher.
- Pray for Nana Diana's husband, John. He is being admitted into Mayo Clinic, and we need to pray for discernment and guidance for his medical team.
- Praise to God for allowing us to live during this time in the greatest Republic the world has ever known.
- Kitty asks for us to pray for travel mercies for her and her whole family before and during their vacation to Cancun on June 9th-13th.
I hope I can get my errands run this morning and get them out of the way!
Have a productive week, and let your little light shine!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, My Lovelies! Are you traveling for the long holiday weekend? I hope you have a few fun outdoor activities, and that the weather cooperates for you.
This week's lesson truly hit home. I was reading a post on a social media platform about a man who posted this on Facebook:
Jesus died so you could live.
Facebook notified the poster that: "No one else can see your post. Your speech goes against our Community Standards on hate speech."
Do you think that this would've happened had it been representative of another religion?
If you haven't read the lifeline for this week's reflection, I encourage you to do so and take some time to think about it.
Prayer Requests:
- Continue to pray for our military that are helping with the situation in Sudan and Africa. Also, pray for Sam and the 157th.
- Let's continue to pray for Kitty's son Mike to find a job, and for God to turn her daughter in law's heart to want to spend time with the family.
- We are being invaded from the south, and we no longer have national sovereignty. Please pray for God's intervention. Pray for our republic before it's lost forever.
- Pray for travel mercies for my sister-in-law and niece. They're driving up on Friday. Also, please pray for my eldest daughter. Her work environment is so toxic I don't know how she stands it.
- Please pray for Rita's brother-in-law who will have a colonospcopy this week to determine surgical plan for colostomy reversal.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Monday Morning, Friends! In one week, it will be Memorial Day. Do you have any plans? My sister-in-law and niece will be visiting us at Lake Martin. I'm looking forward to spending some time with them!
This week's reflection is entitled "The Fragrance of Faith." Here is a little preview:
Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.~Matthew 5:13 (MSG)
It's tea for me today!
Prayer Requests:
- Continue to pray for our military that are helping with the situation in Sudan and Africa. Also, pray for Sam and the 157th.
- Let's continue to pray for Kitty's son Mike to find a job, and for God to turn her daughter in law's heart to want to spend time with the family.
- We are being invaded from the south, and we no longer have national sovereignty. Please pray for God's intervention. Pray for our republic before it's lost forever.
- Pray for travel mercies for my sister-in-law and niece. They're driving up on Friday. Also, please pray for my eldest daughter. Her work environment is so toxic I don't know how she stands it.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends! How has your week been going so far? Keep you chins up, friends. Remember that God loves us, and he has already won the war.
This week's lesson certainly comforted me: Jesus knew what was coming, and new how his disciples would behave. And yet...
Here is this week's guided journaling writing prompt:
Imagine you were one of the disciples in the Upper Room that night. How would you feel if Jesus washed your feet? What would your reaction be? What would you ay to him, if anything?
I probably would've protested and missed Jesus's sweet intent. I think the real lesson for the disciples was looking back at that scene after the cross.
What do you think?
Prayer requests? I have one...Sunday I fell off brick steps and hit a brick wall. I have a slight concussion, and I'm moving slowly. Unfortunately, my doctor has cut my screen time among other things! :( The back of my head is fairly scratched up, but I didn't bleed, thank God!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Monday, Friends! As I type this post, I'm listening to the moderately falling rain. We have had little to no rain this month, and it is a welcome sight and sound.
I love this week's lesson from Happy Today. It's about Jesus washing his disciples feet, his loving act of forgiveness BEFORE the fact. Amazing.
I hope you have a lovely week. Do you have any prayer requests? I only have three more treatments left! :D
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
