Morning alarm clock

This is Aloysius. He is a 17 week old Mystic Onyx rooster. We got him in a group of 5 chicks from Tractor supply August 3, and they said the eggs had hatched a week prior. We didn’t know at the time if we had hens or roosters. Well, we now know as he shows off his most superior “cock-a-doodle-do” each morning. He has 5 toes on his feet and black skin under his spectacular color plumage. Here is is picture at 2 weeks.

He is great at guarding his lady friends, and alerts them to danger. Whether it be a cat, a lizard, or a falling leaf, he is sure to sound his alarm. Unfortunately, our coop doesn’t have enough room to keep him and the girls comfortably, as we got into chickens to have eggs to eat. So we are looking to rehome this magnificent creature. He will surely be a wonderful addition to any farm! Here he is now:

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 95:5-6)

Psalm 95:5-6 The sea and dry land belong to God, who made them, formed them by hand. Enter, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord who made us. 

Yesterday, the verse mentioned that in God’s hands was the depths of the earth and the tops of the mountains. Today, we continue with another aspect of God’s handy work: the sea and the dry land. God made all the oceans, the deep seas, the small lakes. He made up the beaches on the coasts, the land near the watersides. He created every animal in all the water. How beautiful his imagination must be! 

His greatest creation was people. We were all from Adam and Eve, who came from dust and bone, but there is no two people exactly alike. Even identical twins have different fingerprints. Every millimeter of us was planned. God did so many great things when he formed us in our mother’s womb. For that alone we should blown down.  With a heart that begins beating at around 6 weeks old and a brain that begins forming before that, God created us from nothing. Every cell has a specific purpose. Every unit of our body has a reason. God designed us from the beginning for a purpose. Sometimes we may not feel like we understand or like the way he made us, but it isn’t for us to challenge. God has his reasons for creating us each uniquely, just as each of the sea creatures are unique. 

Lord, thank you for every animal on this planet. Thank you for the mountains, for the valleys. Thank you for the sea and the dry land. Thank you for each person you have created. Thank you for my family, my friends, and myself. Praise your glorious name. 

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 95:4)

Psalm 95:4 Whose hand holds the depths of the earth; who owns the tops of the mountains.

We are referencing the Lord, obviously. The Lord holds the depths of the earth. The Lord owns the tops of the mountains. God has created all of the earth. All parts of creation came from his hands. He made everything from the tallest mountains to the deepest pits in the earth, all the way to the core.  He made every valley and mountain on the earth and knows every one in our lives. He is walking with us in our valleys, and is ready to lift us out of our pits. He is there cheering us up our mountains and awaiting us as we shine on the tops. We should his name in every part of our lives. 

God our father created this world for us. Before he knew us, he made a wonderful, beautiful place for us to grow. How great and powerful is he! He wanted to give us this world to travel in while we clean our souls and prepare ourselves for heaven. So if we have places this beautiful on our earth, imagine how much more beautiful our heaven must be!

Lord, on this Thanksgiving day, I praise your name for all the blessings you have given me. Thank you for my life. Thank you for my family. Thank you for this new job for my husband. Thank you for our place in Hattiesburg. Thank you for my friends, for all they have done to support me. Thank you for their love and allowing me in their lives. I pray for my family, that they will hear your word. I pray for my husband's job, that it continues to provide for us. I pray that you keep your hands around our house and protect it from all disasters. I pray for my friends, for their love, and for their petitions. You are the God of all nations, of all the earth, of all creation. Let your will be done in my life. Amen

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 95:3)

Psalm 95:3 For the LORD is the great God, the great king over all gods.

It is easy to say God is great, and go about our day. If we truly stop and understand what this means, we would be in constant awe. We should have an overwhelming feeling of reverence, respect, and fear of the Lord. He is king over all. There are no other kings above him. There is no other person above him. There is no thing above him.  He made the heavens and earth. He made every tree, every branch, every leaf. He made you and me. He made each hair on our head. He probably can count every drop of blood in our bodies. It doesn’t matter what the government officials try to do. No other man (or woman) can take his love away from us. No one can take Jesus’s sacrifice away. 

Lord, you are the great God. There is no one above you. Thank you for all the blessings in my life. Thank you for the ability to give thanks this Thursday for all the provisions we have.

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (‘psalm 95:2)

Psalm 95:2 Let us come before him with a song of praise, joyfully sing out our psalms.

Most often, why do we turn to God? With pleas, bargains, and prayer. We must also come before God with praise and Thanksgiving. When we do, we should realize that he is our presence, and give him the fair time and consciousness of ourselves. Instead of just mindlessly praying or talking (like you might do with someone you don’t care to be talking to), try to make the conscious effort to be with him. Don’t allow other issues to get in your mind when praying or singing praises. Block off outside things. When going to church, leave all other thoughts at the door. Leave your phone and other distractions in the car. Be present in your praise as God is present with you. 

It’s so easy today to get caught up in things we have accomplished. In our promotion, new house, new baby, new car, etc. How often we fail to give thanks for these things and remember that we alone did not achieve them. It was only through the grace of God. This Thanksgiving, let’s all try our hardest to be present in every opportunity we get. Be present in the blessing. Be present with family. Give thanks to God in every piece of food you enjoy, in every one you see.

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 95:1)

Psalm 95:1 Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD; cry out to the rock of our salvation.

I’ve always been taught that when we sing, we are praying twice. Though I was in band for 8 years, singing was never my blessing. Sure I sing in the shower, I sing in the car, I sing when no one is around. But I don’t usually sing around people. Except in church. There is something about the hymns and prayers at church being sung that just pulls you in. And especially beginning at Easter Sunday Mass of this year, when after nearly a year of not being allowed to sing at church because of COVID we were finally allowed to not wear masks and sing, I sang so joyfully I cried. We read “let US sing,” so signing in a group together makes sense. And a church is the best place for a group to sing praise to God. It doesn’t matter what my voice sounds like to the person in the pew behind me, but it matters that God can hear me sing his praise. (Though I do try to keep myself contained a bit for their sake).

Think of how small children greet their parents when they come home after work or after being away. There is so much joy and enthusiasm in the children. They are so excited to see their parents. The holidays are coming up. How do you act when you see a family member that you haven’t seen in a while? Lots of hugging, laughter, joyful voices. It should be the same each Sunday as we return and are so happy to be with God at church again.

Know what’s even cooler? Well of course God is always with us, so why not sing praise and worship to him more often than just Sunday? Change your radio station to K-Love. I challenge you to listen to K-Love for a whole week. In the car to work, during the day, on the way home, on any errand, etc. Immerse yourself in the love of God and sing out his praise along with the songs on the radio (or app). You might be surprised how it can change your mood, your day, and your life. I love listening to K-Love and I love even more to hear my children cry out praise and worship songs to the rock, God our Father. And then sing them even when we aren’t in the car. If we want our kids to speak praise, the need to hear it. The repeat what they listen to. Shouldn’t we will their heads and hearts with songs of praise and glory?

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 40:5)

Psalm 40:5 You, yes you, O LORD, my God, have done many wondrous deeds! And in your plans for us there is none to equal you. Should I wish to declare or tell them, too many are they to recount. 

Our God has done many wonderful deeds. In just creating the world and all that is in it, there are so many wonderful deeds (or actions) that he has done for us. Deeds are actions that are done intentionally, per my son’s vocabulary sheet this week. God intentionally made every part of the world just for us. And he intentionally made us. He made each of us in very specific ways, with very specific roles in this life. My older daughter sometimes wonders why God made her different (she struggles with ADHD) and I do my best to remind her God made her specifically and she has so many gifts I do not. She needs to learn those gifts and use them to her fullest. 

In my younger daughter’s Daisy Scouts meeting the other day, they talked about how God was the greatest artist of all times. Look around. Every piece of nature was made intentionally by God. The world is his masterpiece. You are his masterpiece. And he may still be working on you and I, molding us to the form he wants. His plan for our design is so much bigger than our own plans. Our plans for ourselves are a speck of dust compared to his own for us. 

I have been subbing in my children’s school in a subject I never thought much of for myself. But after being there two weeks, I have learned a little bit more about myself that God hadn’t exposed yet. I love trusting in his calls and open doors. I love the picture he is painting of me. When we reach the gate of heaven, and God shows you your completed masterpiece, what will it look like?

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 40:4)

Psalm (40:4) Blessed the man who sets his security in the Lord, who turns not to the arrogant or to those who stray after falsehood.

It doesn’t matter the sociable stance of a person, whether poor, hated, ill, if they have a strong faith in God, the will stand in front of the rich and famous before the Lord. As we have read these last few weeks, we need to put our complete trust in God and follow his word. We can not allow ourselves to fall astray in this world’s current trends. Our security cannot lie in this world. We must remain strong in our truths and trust God will continue to light our way. 

Lord, I praise your blessings. I praise you for the light my children bring to my life. I pray for them, that they not fall into the lies of this world. 

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 40:3)

Psalm 40:3 And puts a new song in my mouth, a hymn to our God. Many shall look on in fear and they shall trust the Lord.

There are many times in situations where we don’t know what to say, so we don’t say anything. Instead of standing up when we know what is right, we are fearful of misspeaking. In those times, we should quickly pray that God puts the words in our mouth. When we use His words, we are singing His praise. He is putting a new song in our mouth. 

I don’t trust my emotions in certain situations, as I have gotten myself in trouble because of my short fuse and quick tongue. I am learning to turn to God and pray for his words when I get caught up in issues I usually blunder.  This happens with my kids, with friends, with previous coworkers, with family. I am more likely to actually let the words tumble out with my kids, which is a shame. This is where I REALLY need to ask God for pause and grace.

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 40:2)

Psalm 40:2 Draw me up from the pit of destruction, out of the muddy clay, sets my feet upon rock, steadies my steps.

Even when we feel we are in a hole, with no way out, if we focus ourselves on God, he will pull us out of the hole. He will put us on a much more sturdy path. We have to trust in him and be patient. 

Though I pray I don’t have to get in a rut again, it is in these times that our faith becomes stronger. Usually in the darkness is when we search for the light the most. It is sad that we call out to God more in our times of trouble than in our times of joy. But he is there for us always, waiting in the wings.

Lord, I praise your name. I trust that you know my path better than I do. I trust that when I cry out to you, you will hear me and lift me up out of despair. Thank you for all the holes you have taken me out of and the many more I will find myself in. 

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 40:1)

Psalm 40:1 Surely, I wait for the LORD; who bends down to me and hears my cry.

The first image I see with this verse is a father bending down to hear his upset child. The child did not walk away; instead they waited patiently for the father. Many times in life, when we feel we are not being heard, do we sit and wait patiently? Probably not. More often than not, we take the situation into our own hands. Does it always end up well? Probably not. Instead of bulldozing into a situation we have prayed for without feeling like we were heard, we should continue to pray. It may not be our time to act. God has a better plan set up for us, that he will reveal in his time. 

Now, this is not to say that we should always just sit around doing nothing. God will not drop things into our lap (usually). Pray about it. Go to church. Talk to a priest or pastor about your situation. See how you can serve others who might be in more desperate a situation than you are. Sometimes helping others makes us see how our prayers have truly been answered, just maybe not in form you are thinking of. 

Wait for the Lord. He will bend down to you and hear your cry. He will answer your prayers. Be open to his answers.

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 1:6)

Psalm 1:6 Because the LORD knows the way of the just, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin

Those who follow God’s word have assuring that he knows their path and will protect them. This doesn’t mean the path will be easy. But God is there to walk with you to heaven.

This world is so broken. And it’s only getting worse. When people feel empty, they try to fill their longing with earthly things. Quick relationships, social media, gossip, just to name a few. But they aren’t fulfilled and they keep searching. When in all, God can fill that void.  If we allow God to fill our hearts, our souls, our entire beings, we will be planted by the eternal river. 

Lord, I praise your name for all the blessings I have received. I praise your name in good times and in bad, because I know you will never leave my side. 

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 1:4-5)

Psalm 1:4-5 But not so are the wicked, not so! They are life chaff driven by the wind. Therefore the wicked will not arise at the judgement, nor will sinners in the assembly of the just.

The chaff is the part around a kernel of grain. It is stopped before the grail can be ground into flour. It is light enough that if could separated from the grain just by throwing a handful in the air. The ungodly are similar in that they can easily drop their beliefs as if they were thrown in the wind. Because the ungodly are not weighted with steady roots by the River of God, they will not be able to rise at judgement. 

I have received some news from someone close to me that has really thrown me for a loop. This person is definitely relatable to the chaff. I will be praying hard for this person because I still love them. And that is what God called me to do.

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 1:3)

Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted near streams of water, that yields its fruit in season; Its leaves never wither; whatever he does prospers. 

I read this commentary: "A tree by a river has a continual source of water. It will never wither away, because it is always getting what it needs. If we are constantly needy, it may be worth examining if we are planted by the rivers of water or not."

I thought this was a great explanation. If we are constantly looking for something to fill us, it is because we are not planting ourselves by God's water. If we want to be strong and steady, we need to be planted next to water that provides eternal nourishment. In John 4:14 Jesus tells us "but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Lord, I pray that I always feel the waters quench my thirst. I pray I don't begin to long for or search for things away from your love. I am blessed by your love. 

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 1:2)

 Psalm 1:2 Rather, the law of the LORD is his joy; and on his law he meditates day and night. 

In verse 1, we read blessed it the man who doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked. Here, we see that person finds joy in the law of the Lord instead. What brings you joy? My children, my husband, my family all bring me joy. But they also bring heartache sometimes. So it is not always joy. And it leaves me empty sometimes. The Lord will always only bring us joy when we follow his law, and his law can fill us completely. 

That same blessed person prays on God's law day and night. So this person thinks on it all the time. We get to fill our minds with God's word and let it fill our hearts. This person thinks on God's law before they pick up a cell phone or get on social media. They think on God's law before they watch the news. They think on God's law before they prepare for the day, and before they put their heads to bed. 

A way to meditate on God's word from the Bible is to read it, read it again, then close your eyes and see yourself there are you think on it again. What do you see? What do you smell? What do you hear? These questions can bring you closer to the words in a more intimate way. See yourself lying in the green pastures. Hear the water nearby. See yourself walking away from the wicked. 

Instead of trying to find joy in earthly things, we need to find joy in God's word. Light a candle, play soft music, whatever you need to truly release yourself from the world before you begin to read the Bible. Then let God's word consume you. 

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 1:1)

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers. 

It should be encouraging that this verse starts off with "Blessed is the man." Not blessed is the king, blessed is the rich man, etc. So, blessed is the man could be any of us. We don't have to in the spotlight. This is written for those who think they are forgotten. Those who are in the shadows. Those who do the work of Jesus behind the scenes. Blessed are they who do not walk in the counsel of the wicked. 

We need to be careful in life whom we seek advice from. Or who we take advice from. Is their advice godly? Does their words point back to God in the way that is truth? We must be aware that the devil likes to hide in sheeps clothing and will work to slowly pull us away from God by hiding half-truths in advice from others. Before we confide in someone, we must really work to know if they are someone we should walk with or not. 

Who in my life do I trust most for advice? Do I always ask God for help first? When I give advice, do I turn to God first, asking him for his words to come forth? 

Lord, I thank you for the godly people you have placed in my life. I pray for those who seek your truth but still haven't found it, and those who have been pulled from your truth by the wicked. Thank you for your blessing, Lord. 

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 23:6)

 Psalm 23:6 Only goodness and love will pursue me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come.

Our salvation depends on God. We can not obtain our own salvation. It is not just through praying, or just through works. It takes our faith, depending on God, fully entrusting in God to strengthen our hearts and soul. So why should we spend our life struggling, trying to be better on our own? We need to rely on God and find rest in him. He will guide us down the right path. He is our shepherd, and will bring us to green grass and safe waters. If we can allow ourselves to become dependent on God, as this verse says, goodness and love will find us. 

We need to let ourselves delight in our Lord. We need to let ourselves draw near to him. We need to open ourselves to his true desires for us. We need to let ourselves rest in him. We need to understand that he is truly in control. As this crazy year draws to an end, we should look back and see how we tried to use these last few weeks to become closer to God as a message. Did I put down the phone? Did I turn off the TV? Did I allow peace into my home? If you can’t answer yes, there is still hope! What comes next? Advent! As we begin to prepare for the celebration of Jesus’s birth, I challenge you to download a prayer app. And move it on your front screen, rearrange your icons for it to be where FaceBook was. That way, when you are trying to check your FB updates, you will hit the prayer app instead. Or you will have to willingly avoid the prayer app to purposefully open FB (or whatever other social media site). Give it a try. Open your heart to hearing more of God’s word throughout the day. Dwell in the house of the Lord. 

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 23:5)

Psalm 23:5 You set a table before me in front of my enemies…

David makes an image of a table in front of his enemies. He is imagining God preparing a banquet in David’s honor and God is doing this while the enemies watch. So the enemy knows that David is chosen by God and God will protect him even if the enemies surround him. 

We are God‘s chosen to. Even as we walk in our struggles, God is setting our success before us. He will provide a banquet for us amid the evil. We need to keep faith that he is always with us. Even among the changes in our lives, when we feel alone and abandoned, God is with us. 

Even though I felt lost and alone when I moved here, God did not leave me empty. He has surrounded me with a beautiful church and people who have reached out to help me. He had prepared my banquet table before I even got to this new place. My enemy, fear, anxiety, doubt, they still surround me, but I know I am protected from them. God‘s goodness overcomes my fears. His provisions calm my anxiety. His love casts light in my darkness of doubt. I will enjoy this banquet. What does your table look like?

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 23:4)

Psalm 23:4 Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm for you or at my side; your rod and staff give me courage.

We will all have darkness at one time or another in our lives. The verse says “when I walk through.” Meaning that is not our ending.  We are never alone. He never intended for us to be alone. Those dark days can be anything from lots of friends as a child, failing a test in college, losing a job as an adult, having a loved one die, your safety net moving away, finding out something has been kept a secret from you, or any evil that the devil has let loose in our path.  These dark periods occur in what are called valleys of our life. There are hills where the sun shines bright, and we feel joy and happiness. And then there are valleys where the sun doesn’t quite reach, as it is blocked by the hills that seems so high up and unattainable. The good news is that God is the God of both the hills and the valleys. Our faith helps us to know that even in those periods of directness, God is always with us. 

Lord, I thank you for bringing us out of the darkness time and time again. I praise your name for calling me. You are my shepherd, Lord, and I know you will continue to guide me. You will hold my hand. You will comfort me. 

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalm 23:3)

 Psalm 23:3 you restore my strength. You guide me alone the right path for the sake of your name.

This past year has definitely tried my strength. We knew we would be moving to Hattiesburg, MS, in the summer 2021 for over a year. But January 2021 is when it really started to kick into high gear. I worked diligently to get the house ready for the market. I continued to push forward when we had to get things fixed. And this was at the same time we were looking for a house to buy. Then the packing began. And realizing we had WAY too many things. I kept praying that if this was the path God wanted us to follow, to lead me through open doors. There were a few hiccups along the way, but I feel those were trials of faith. And they did not shake me. He kept me strong, physically, mentally, and spiritually. 

For his sake, he guided me on this path. Not for mine. The right path is the path of righteousness. Not just for my good, but for my holiness did He set this path out for me. To help me in my continued spiritual growth, he has given me new friends in Hattiesburg. It took me out of my comfort zone, but I followed where he lead me. 

Lord, thank you for the path you have chosen for us. Though I did doubt at first, I trusted in you and you continue to provide for me. You guided me for your sake, and I will praise your name. 

Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth (Psalms 23:1-2)

We are doing a study this month, called Making Your Home A Haven. The theme this year is Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth. If you have never done one of these, I highly encourage it. Here is the link:

https://womenlivingwell.org/2021/10/slowing-down-for-spiritual-growth-bible-study-resources/

This week we are slowing down with silence and gratitude. 

“Silence and solitude open the door to communion with God.  If we want to grow spiritually we have to love a life of prayer and reading God’s Word. We have to go in deeper with God and commune with him.

Challenge for the Week: Start a daily gratitude list AND go buy an extra-large candle and light a candle everyday in your home.  Each time the glimmer of the candle catches your eye, stop, pray and give thanks.”

S: Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.

O: God is our shepherd, he will guide his flock to the safe places. We had nothing to fear when we let him lead us.

A: This chapter has such beautiful imagery. Imagine walking with God in green pastures, besides still waters. It’s like I can hear the breeze going through the grass. It is very comforting feeling. He has so much love and concern for us, that he will always try to find us. We NEED a shepherd, someone to bring us back in when we stray too far. I know I do not lack anything because of God. I will not desire to want anything above what he gives me. He has put me in the pasture I belong, and he will make that place benefit me as long as I continue to trust in him.

God is always leading me. I should fear no evil. I should not hesitate with him near me. 

K: Lord, thank you for guiding me daily through the trials on earth. You have provided me with blessings beyond measure, and I am so grateful. I will follow you. Amen.