Week Thirteen
Happy Friday, Friends! Tell me about your week. Mine has been wonderful! I had my last Lenten class at church yesterday: It lasted for six weeks. I'm having a blast in art class. Last week I went to my old class for a make-up, and it was fun to see my art friends in Thursday's class, But this week it was nice to be in my regular class, and it's been nice to have a week without workmen in our home.
YAY!!!!!!
I enjoyed this week's lesson, especially the roller coaster metaphor. Why do we constantly try to navigate this world alone when we have a God who loves us lavishly? I know I can be a complete idiot in this regard.
Here's a quote from the lesson I've repeated to myself this week:
Being self-aware --- aware of when you are taking on the fight alone --- is key.~page 50
Here is this week's scripture:
I admit I cheated a little with this graphic. Joshua 1:6 is quoted in our lesson, but Joshua 1:9 is actually a repetition of it.
How do you get back on track and let go (not white knuckle) and let God? Constantly staying in God's word certainly helps.
Prayer Requests
- 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.
- Pray for my best friend Barbara who is battling cancer. UPDATE: Her scans were better than expected. She will have about a month's break before her surgery.
- Carla would like for us to pray for the military build up at the door of Iran. Pray for our leaders to seek wisdom. Continue to 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.
- Rita's friend Pam needs our prayers because her cancer is stage four. Her care team found another 2" tumor beneath her chin and a spot on her lung. Original surgery was 1/5 and only 3/30 will she have her first radiation and chemo.
- Please pray for my baby great-niece, Lundy.
- 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. UPDATE: Chris is particularly frozen in her fears of cancer. Pray that the Holy Spirit will allay her fears. She started chemo infusion 3/20 and will have 6 total. Her brother was just diagnosed with esophageal cancer and she is about to start her own chemo treatment. UPDATE: He is finished with his radiation and chemo already, but very weak.
- Pray for Kris's son-in-law Tim because he is starting back to work tomorrow (Saturday, March 21st). UPDATE: Things are going better at work. Tim and Jen are putting their home up for sale this week. Pray for them as they prepare for this big move.
- Pray for Carla's friend Alice who had plastic surgery on her nose due to skin cancer. UPDATE: Alice did not have a good outcome with the reconstructive surgery. They will be looking at doing another.
- 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.
- Praise God I'm still cancer-free!
- Carla has an extended family member stationed in Kuwait named Haley. She is her cousin Steve's daughter. Please pray for her safety!
- Carla's Sam has several Wisconsin Guard friends stationed in Kuwait and Iraq. As this war continues, we pray for our troops and for the troops preparing to deploy.
- Continue praying for Kitty's son Mike as he continues on his journey of no pain meds. Praise: He has been successful for over nine weeks!
- URGENT: Pray for Rachel who has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
- Pray for Kitty's granddaughter Harper’s mountain biking race this weekend. Pray for Harper's safety.
Palm Sunday is the day after tomorrow. What are your plans for Holy Week? I will definitely go to Palm Sunday services (We will enjoy "Donkeys and Donuts" at my church...yes, real donkeys!), and I might go to the luncheon and lecture series on Wednesday.
I might also bake an Easter treat or two, but I haven't decided. I need some inspiration, so please share if you have any ideas!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Blossoms in Turckheim, Alsace, France
Everyday of our trip was this beautiful with the exception of a foggy morning in Heidelberg.
Happy Friday, Friends! Thank-you for the travel mercy prayers. We had the most wonderful vacation until my mother called us in distress at the end of our trip. The day after we got home we went to her home and decided that it was probably a good idea to get her medical attention. I don't know how long she will be hospitalized; I am asking for you to continue to pray for her.
What did you think about the lesson? I loved it. Silence seems like a luxury to me. What about you? I know some people always appreciate "white noise" in the background. I usually find it distracting unless I'm listening to a favorite Pandora station. Our younger daughter can sit in silence better than almost anyone I know, but there is a LOT of noise at her job.
Were you able to give yourself fifteen minutes of silence this week? If not, I hope you can make the time this weekend.
Here is this week's scripture:
Prayer Requests
- Pray for our military securing and protecting our southern border.
- Kris's MIL took a horrible fall on Friday night. She broke a lot of bones in her face and had to have many stitches. She has been in a lot of pain. (Is she home from the hospital?)
- Pray for Kitty's grandson Connor as he trains as a corrections officer.
- Pray for Carla that she will be able to effect real and meaningful change 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.
- Please keep Rita's sister who moved to West Virginia in November in prayer as she's healing from knee replacement surgery.
- Please pray for Carla's friend C.M.H who has joined the United States Army. Carla and her family are so proud of him. He will be 23 in June, and he is a dear friend of her boys. He was in their homeschool group. He will leave for basic training in May.
- Pray for my mother. She is still in the hospital and undergoing testing. Also pray for me as I have to drive over two counties including through downtown Birmingham to get to her.
- URGENT: Please pray for our blog friend Jenna Meon. She is currently in the hospital.
- This is Carla's prayer after the Wisconsin elections: We know that God has not left his throne nor abandoned his people. But we are called to suffer as Christ did for our sakes. Let us pray that we will be faithful no matter what comes our way (and the left is going to use this opportunity for whatever destruction they can cram in.)
I hope y'all have a wonderful weekend and week.
Please give me grace if I don't get back to you immediately this week.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Good morning, my Beautiful Friends!
Didn't you love this week's devotion? I know I did! :D
About thirteen years ago, a graffiti artist here in Birmingham wrote "You Are Beautiful" at several spots around the city. One of them was painted on the overpass on the Red Mountain Expressway. People commuting to downtown Birmingham from the southern and eastern suburbs could see it every morning. It always makes me smile when I see it, and I love that the city did not remove it because most people love it! You can read more about this story HERE.
I must admit that I really like Ann Voskamp's voice. I know Ive mentioned it before, but this week's lesson was written exceptionally beautifully!
Here is this week's scripture:
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This is from the ESV tranaslation.
We have a PRAISE this week, Prayer Warriors!
Congress elected Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House of Representatives. We have been praying that God would send us godly leaders, and I think that Mike is just that. I think it's a miracle, honestly. I know he's not perfect, and he will make mistakes, but he is a devout Evangelical Christian and a Constitutional attorney. Let's thank God for not only listening to but answering prayers this weekend.
I will continue our prayer requests on Monday, but please drop any that you may have in the comments section.
GOD IS SO GOOD!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Happy Monday Morning, Friends!
I hope you had a blessed weekend. We had some gorgeous weather, and I spent as much time outside as I could!
This is the title of this week's devotion:
I have not read it yet, but it sounds interesting! I will probably read it later on this afternoon. If you've read it already, no spoilers, please. I am very intrigued by the title, and I'm looking forward to being surprised by the lesson.
Here's this week's scripture:
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Prayer Requests
- 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.
- 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 keep Rita's daughters in your prayers. They are both in graduate school and working full time (one being a full time momma), and are feeling a lot of stress currently.
- Pray for our country as we're experiencing an invasion on our Southern border. We don't know who these fighting age men; they have not been vetted.
- Pray for peace.
- Pray that God will place hedges of protection around all family members of every reader of this blog.
After devo time, I hope you can get out and enjoy fun fall festivities!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
God will do it!
Hello, Friends!
I enjoyed this week's lesson! I was late completing it, though. ;P
Here is my favorite quote from Reflection 13:
"Calling is not about accomplishments, status, and titles but about remaining in relationship with the one we serve." This Life We Share, page 64
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Prayer Requests:
- Rita: praises for this past week's intentions for her granddaughter and brother in law.
- Carla request are: to continue to build a special relationship with Catie (Sam's girlfriend). And for Catie and Sam's relationship to grow stronger during this deployment. Praise report: the 157th have made it to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti Africa.
- Please continue to pray for our Troops.
- Kitty's son Mike was hired!!!! It’s in Dallas, but he will be working from home. Her granddaughter continues to be doing better emotionally.
- Week two of radiation is in the books for me! Woot, woot!
- Kris's daughter's wedding was a wonderful event, and everything went so well! The photos she's posted on her blog are so lovely. Y'all go over there and snoop, I mean, see!!! Here is a LINK.
Place any new requests in comments!
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Monday, Friends!
This week we will spend time thinking about our calling. Is God calling you to a specific ministry? I haven't read ahead, but I am looking forward to reading this week's lesson.
Halloween is one week from today. Do you have any plans?
Prayer requests? Let us know how God has been answering your prayers in comments, and also include any requests you may have.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends! Do you have plans for Halloween? I don't like it much, but I do enjoy the young trick-or-treaters in our neighborhood. I still haven't bought any Halloween candy yet: That's errand number one on today's list!
Here is this week's journaling prompt:
Write about a time when someone got on your nerves. What did this person do to annoy you, and how did it make you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally?
I've actually had a pretty good week in that I haven't had to endure poor behavior from others. I have experienced at least one rude person this week. Friends, Trump Derangement Syndrome is real! Why can't some people move on? Why inject Trump hatred in a situation where it's completely inappropriate? He has been out of office for almost ten months. These people have no impact on me other than emotionally: I feel pity for them because they are so miserable. Bless their hearts!
What about you? Please share because I don't want to be the only one. ;p
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Monday, Friends! How was your weekend? Mine was full of blessings: We went to a beautiful wedding, and I was able to spend some time with my mom.
The introduction to this section of of Happy Today had me giggling (and cringing!) for some reason, especially the writing prompt for this week. It should be cathartic!
Prayer requests?
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
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