week twenty-four
Happy Friday! I for one am happy that it's Friday because that means no workmen will be in our home over the weekend except for the electrician tomorrow. Thankfully the bathroom reno has gone much more smoothly than the kitchen one!
How has your week been? Has it been hot in your neighborhood? We've had some hot temps, but not as hot as other areas of the country.
What did you think about this week's lesson? I truly needed the reminder that God is sovereign, and that he is our fortress who equips us with the Sword of the Spirit, which is His Word.
Here is this week's Psalm:
Yes, my soul, find rest in God;my hope comes from him.Truly he is my rock and my salvation;he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.~Psalm 62:5-6
I read this poem by Steve Garnaas-Holmes during the week, and I thought I would share it with you. It really doesn't have much to do with the lesson, but I thought it was sweet. There is a good lesson in it about noticing.
DandelionYou grow in a crack in the sidewalk,neither asking nor receiving hospitality.Spreading your arms outto what the city will give you of the sun,reaching your roots down unseen,patient among slabs and pipes and gravel,you find a way to nourish yourself.You gather yourself into this one simple blossom,not a big one, but yellow in a desert of gray.And what is it worth?A guy comes along, distracted,maybe troubled even, looking down.He stops, sits on a cement block,and stares at you. He tilts his headas if reading something. After a long timegazing at you he makes a single sound,"mm," and something that could bea smile comes to his face.He looks at the sky, takes a breath, gets up,and walks off, somehow different.You never know.
Prayer Requests
- 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.
- Pray for Kris and Terry as they decide where to live when they retire.
- Pray for Kris's son-in-law Tim. UPDATE: Tim was fired for his job after 17 years on at the fire department. Please say a prayer for Tim that he can get another job quickly. He is devastated by all of this.
- 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. Sam had an update for us from his teammates who are currently deployed in the war zone. Please be in prayer, they have been bombed several times. Continue to pray for safety.
- 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 weaning off several other prescriptions. Mike is requesting that we pray for his mental health.
- Kitty would like for you to pray that her daughter sells her barndominium and can find a home closer so that she’s not driving two hours a day.
- Pray for my health as my Mast Cell Activation Syndrome has come back in full force. UPDATE: I've had extensive testing done, but I have not heard any of the results yet.
- PRAISE: My Little Starling is doing well, and so are mom and dad. She's wee (wearing premie clothes), but she is thriving.
- URGENT: Please pray for the Higginbotham family as Weston's wake and funeral will be next week.
- Please pray for Kitty's brother who has not been doing well, and her sister who's been his caregiver.
- Please pray travel mercies for Trip and me as we travel this week to Ann Arbor.
- Kris requests that we pray for her MIL as they navigate what time she has left. She and Terry continue to ask God to take her and have her be at peace. Please read more in the comments below.
- Please pray for Carla's son Sam: He is currently at drill at Fort McCoy and is training young soldiers joining the Wisconsin National Guard. Thank-you, Sam, for your service.
- Rita requests we pray for her brother who had a stroke last June. Pray that he remains strong and stable as he and her SIL navigate changes of selling their home in WV and building a new home near their daughter in TX.
- Pray for Kitty's brother who as at the end of his life, and also pray for her sister who has been his caregiver.
For details about some of these requests, please refer to the comments below.
Trip wants me to learn how to make meringues.
Do any of y'all have experience making them or a recipe you can share?
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends! Y'all...it has stormed EVERY SINGLE DAY this week. We are all mildewing here in Central Alabama. I don't like being on the road when it's stormy, but I've been on the road a lot because I had to take my mom to an ENT doctor's appointment and go to my hometown a couple of times, too.
What did you think about this week's lesson? It has been one of my favorites so far. I love the comparison of the two mountains, and how each day when we approach the trailhead we should choose the mountain that will bring sustained inner joy. I am bookmarking this one!
Below is a quote from Howard Thurman. His thoughts about joy dovetail our lesson well.
There are some who are dependent upon the mood of others for their happiness.... There are some whose joy is dependent upon circumstances.....There are some who must win their joy against high odds, squeeze it out of the arid ground of their living or wrest it from the stubborn sadness ofcircumstance.....There are still others who find their joy deep in the heart of their religious experience. It is not related to, dependent upon, or derived from, any circumstances or conditions in the midst of which they must live. It is a joy independent of all vicissitudes.
Did you try the matcha latte recipe? I did (look at the photo, above), and I enjoyed it. Matcha is a great way to get the benefits of green tea with better taste. I did add cinnamon as a garnish, but not turmeric. Another matcha tip: Add matcha powder to vanilla ice cream for a delicious green tea ice cream. This is one of my favorite flavors of ice cream!
I made the tea from a couple of lessons ago, and I blogged about it, too.
Mr. Happy Prayer Warrior drinks hot tea all day long, but he prefers iced tea with meals. He actually preferred this tea iced. It was lovely both ways!
You can read my post HERE.
Here is our Bible verse from the lesson.
Prayer Requests
- Please continue to pray for Kris's MIL. Pray that she will be amenable to having the in-home healthcare help Terry and Kris found for her come into her home and help out.
- Pray for Kitty's grandson Connor as he trains as a corrections officer.
- PRAISE: Carla is getting a new family member! She's getting a daughter-in-law (Sam proposed to Cate, and she said YES)! Pray for all the pre-wedding planning and counseling for the happy couple.
- Pray for Kitty's son Mike that he can find a job that uses his talents. He is a very talented artist!
- Keep praying for Rita's daughters because they are thriving!
- 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 is in basic training at Fort Jackson, and he is her son Atticus' best friend. What is interesting about this... Carla's son Sam also did his basic at Fort Jackson.
- Please pray for our blog friend Jenna Meon. She is currently in rehabilitation for her walking. UPDATE: I visited with Jenna on Tuesday. She has the best attitude, and I had so much fun laughing and talking. Pray for her physical therapy so she can walk again.
- Pray for Rita's neighbor who has a stage four cancer diagnosis.
- Pray for Carla and family as they decide whether or not God is urging them to move.
- Prayer requests... for all our National Guard and also the Marines deployed in LA.
- Carla's son Sam is at Fort McCoy: please be in prayer as a protest is planned in Milwaukee.
- Pray that our leaders will ask God for direction as they make national security decisions.
- Kris's friend passed away from a massive heart attack. Please be in prayer for his widow, family, and friends as they are all in a state of shock over his unexpected death.
- Please be in prayer for Rita's brother Tommy who had a stroke (Tuesday, June 24th).
Have a wonderful and safe weekend and week!
I love you all!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
This is one of the first things I saw on January 1, 2024.
Hello, Friends! I hope you have had a nice week, and that you also have a very peaceful weekend.
There is a lot to unpack in this week's devotion, and I might need to revisit it once I'm off cold medication. Ann introduces many thoughts concerning God's glory, worship, and beauty. As an artist, one thing I can take away from this lesson is that there definitely is a biblical standard for beauty. Also, as human beings, we strive to be awed by beauty, to
"...seek out something worthy of worship."one thousand gifts, page 85
Moral of the devo: Let's keep our eyes on God.
This week's scripture:
Our prayer request list is very lengthy. Thanks so much for being willing to pray!
Prayer Requests:
- Kitty asks that we pray that her Grandson Connor and his dad will make amends; Son Mike will find a job; and Son in law Eric will be able to manage his cervical dystonia.
- Pray that God will keep a hedge of protection around each of our families, especially concerning our health (physical, mental, and spiritual).
- Thank-you, God, for your constancy in answering our prayers!
- Pray for unity in our country, and that God will show us mercy and continue to bless us.
- Carla has a request for her community as crime is increasing. She also requests that we pray for courage for the citizens of Cameron.
- Sam is back to his monthly Drill schedule with the Wisconsin National Guard. Prayer request is for strength and wisdom. Longer drill periods have been set for 2024. Pray for the 157th!
- A group of Wisconsin National Guard will be deploying to Syria. Please continue to pray for our military and military families.
- Please pray that I get over this cold. Kris has one, too, so pray that we both can get over them quickly!
- Kris also has great news: Her little grandson will be baptized this Sunday. Pray for good weather, health, and blessings on this precious day in the life of her family!
- Kris also asks that you pray for her BIL. They just found out that he has to have bypass surgery at the end of this month. He is Terry's oldest brother, and he's only 68 years old.
- Pray for my friend Jen's mother Janet who's recovering from two back surgeries since Christmas Eve Eve. She's in rehab currently.
- Rita's husband has had a persistent cough for about three weeks. Pray that he will get better. Remember her daughters in your prayers as they head into their spring semester of graduate studies while working full-time. She is particularly concerned about their levels of stress.
Have a lovely weekend.
Stay warm!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Are you having a good Monday, Friends? Today is our last day of vacation, and I have a little cold. No fever, just stuffy nose and a little sinus pressure.
This week's devotion is entitled "beautiful grace," and there aren't many things on earth any more beautiful than roses. I have no idea what the devo is about because my family has been very demanding today. I'm hoping I'll be able to read it tomorrow when everyone is back at work!
Here is this week's scripture:
Prayer Requests:
- Kitty asks that we pray that her Grandson Connor and his dad will make amends; Son Mike will find a job; and Son in law Eric will be able to manage his cervical dystonia.
- Pray that God will keep a hedge of protection around each of our families, especially concerning our health (physical, mental, and spiritual).
- Thank-you, God, for your constancy in answering our prayers!
- Pray for unity in our country, and that God will show us mercy and continue to bless us.
- Carla has a request for her community as crime is increasing. She also requests that we pray for courage for the citizens of Cameron.
- Sam is back to his monthly Drill schedule with the Wisconsin National Guard. Prayer request is for strength and wisdom. Longer drill periods have been set for 2024. Pray for the 157th!
- A group of Wisconsin National Guard will be deploying to Syria. Please continue to pray for our military and military families.
- Please pray that I get over this cold. Kris has one, too, so pray that we both can get over them quickly!
- Kris also has great news: Her little grandson will be baptized this Sunday. Pray for good weather, health, and blessings on this precious day in the life of her family!
- Kris also asks that you pray for her BIL. They just found out that he has to have bypass surgery at the end of this month. He is Terry's oldest brother, and he's only 68 years old.
- Pray for my friend Jen's mother Janet who's recovering from two back surgeries since Christmas Eve Eve. She's in rehab currently.
- Rita's husband has had a persistent cough for about three weeks. Pray that he will get better. Remember her daughters in your prayers as they head into their spring semester of graduate studies while working full-time. She is particularly concerned about their levels of stress.
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I'm off to make myself something hot and caffeinated.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends! How are you? Is your January going well? Today's Friday the Thirteenth. I'm not superstitious about it, are you? The superstition around Friday 13th is thought to have originated from the Last Supper in the Bible. The meal, which took place the night before Jesus was crucified, was attended by 13 people - Jesus Christ and his 12 disciples.
While the number 13 is therefore associated with Judas - the disciple who betrayed Jesus - another potential origin of the superstition can be traced back to 1307, when King Philip IV of France arrested hundreds of Knights Templar on Friday 13 October. (This is the reason I've always heard why Friday the Thirteenth is cursed.)
Some Christian traditions claim that Jesus was crucified on Friday the Thirteenth, but the fact that he gave up His Life for us is the reason it's called Good Friday, which should negate any fear of Fridays and/or the number thirteen.
This week's reflection is about friendships, and how important it is for women to have close friends. Friends come and go, depending on the stage of life we're in. Let's take a look at the scriptural references from the lesson:
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Question of the day: Currently, are you open to new friendships, or are you happy with the number of friends you have?
Another question of the day: When and where did you meet your most recent friend?
I am open to new friendships because I've had a couple of very close friends move out of state. I met my most recent friend at an alumni event for my college sorority.
Below are this week's prayer requests and praises. If you have any others, please list them in comments.
- Continue to pray for Kris's husband Terry and his new job opportunities.
- Pray that Kitty's son Mike will find a permanent job.
- Pray for Carla's son Sam and the soldiers at Camp Lemonnier due to a bout of food poisoning. That can take a few days to recover from, and let's pray that it doesn't happen again. Carla also shared that she was able to talk to Sam for an hour!
- Rita's family is healthier, but her son-in-law tested positive for COVID. Let's pray that he will continue to recover and not catch anything else.
- Let's continue to lift up all of our families in prayer, and that God would place a hedge of protection around us all.
- Please pray for my mother. I took her to the ER Tuesday, and she spent the night with us that night. She will be having diagnostic testing Monday, so please pray for her and her medical team.
- Our state was hit with more tornadoes today, and our neighborhood at Lake Martin was hit. Our neighbors are still without electricity. Please pray for clean-up crews, especially in Selma, Alabama, one of the poorest cities in the US.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Happy Monday, Friends! Sorry I'm late posting this morning. Trip didn't have a case, and we got to sleep in! What a treat!
We're starting a new unit in our Bible Study today: community. Maintaining friendships can be tricky as we navigate different stages of life. I'm looking forward to the lessons in this unit for sure.
Here are a few prayer requests. If you want to add any to the list, please include them in comments.
- We have a praise that Rita's family are all feeling better. Let's continue to pray for all our families' health.
- Kitty's son Mike is looking for a more permanent job. Please pray for him during the process of job hunting and interviewing.
- Kris's husband Terry has a great opportunity that requires a longer commute. Please pray for him as he continues his finding/accepting new employment.
- Continue to pray for Sam and his team in Africa.
- Thank you for your continued prayers as I recover from my treatment. I have a big week this week with a couple of appointments and activities. I hope I haven't overbooked. Please pray that I will continue to gain energy each day.
Have a great week!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends! How's your week been? Mine has been nice so far: I actually took two naps!
Let's review this week's scripture:
Based on this scripture, our writing prompt for the week is:
First Peter 2:17 instructs us to respect everyone, love fellow Christians, fear God, and honor authority. Which of these instructions is most difficult for you, and why?
The instructions outlined in 1 Peter 2:17 aren't easy to maintain all the time, but for me the hardest is honoring authority. Sometimes often times I am guilty of thinking that people who run for office who believe they're capable of leading are grandiose narcissists. I need to work on this, and pray for godly men and women to govern.
We might get snow Sunday! Yikes!
What about you? Do you have any prayer requests? I will receive my second treatment Monday. These three weeks have flown by! I treasure y'all's prayers.
Have a blessed weekend!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Monday, Friends!
I almost posted over the weekend, and I was so busy taking down Christmas and playing around with Valentine's Day and winter vignettes that I forgot. The reason I wanted to post is because I've heard from several of y'all and several of my local friends who have COVID, the flu, and other viruses. Although Omicron doesn't seem to be as deadly as other variants, it's very contagious. I want my friends to feel better, so I've been praying Psalm 103 for everyone. God doesn't want us to be sick: he heals!
Praise the Lord, my soul;all my inmost being, praise his holy name.Praise the Lord, my soul,and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sinsand heals all your diseases...Psalm 103:1-3
Stay healthy, Friends, and either email me or leave a comment for any other prayer requests.
Have a great week! Enjoy your guided journaling this week: it's a tough one for me! Yikes!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
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