Wednesday SHINE....
Today's Reading: 2 Samuel 16
Good morning, SHINE!
It's Wednesday! Worship Wednesday! Yay!
How's the reading going? It's getting really good, isn't it?
Yesterday morning, Lem and I were reading 2 Samuel together and the chapter ended. He looked over at me and said, "Can we read the next chapter? I want to see what happens!"
I giggled.
Girls, you have NO idea, but to hear my husband say that he cannot wait to read the next chapter of the BIBLE is HUGE! Seriously, it is.
No offense to my sweet Lem, but he's not much of a reader, and certainly has never been much of a Bible reader. (love you, darlin'!)
I remember when we first got married, I got him this really awesome Bible, with TABS, so that he would enjoy reading the Bible more. (and he could easily flip to the right chapter!)
The Bible sat on the shelf, and sat on the shelf, and sat on the shelf. I dusted it quite often. He never opened it.
Finally, I gave up on my subtle (or not-so-subtle) hints for him to read the Bible. He wasn't changing. Ever. So, I had to move on.
As soon as I let go of my persuasions for him to get right with God, the Lord started working on my walk. Oh boy.
God was so busy pruning me and fine tuning this off-key little heart of mine, that I kind of forgot about Lem. I had so much work to do with myself!
I was a mess. One big, fat, blonde mess.
Then something happened.
About a year and a half ago, my friend Erin's husband (Chuck), was starting a men's bible study at their house. I begged Lem to go.
He said, and I quote, "Absolutely, NO WAY. I don't do bible studies."
Alrighty then. That was that.
Well, the night of the Bible study came and I asked (begged) him one more time to please go to the bible study. (I may have used some gentle threats....my memory is fuzzy.)
His famous last words when he decided to walk out the door and go to the bible study were: "I'll go this ONE time, but I will never go again."
(I honestly think he only went so that he could get away from me....i was relentless that night. relentless.)
Almost 3, yes THREE, hours later, he finally came home.
He walked in with a big smile on his face. After scolding him for being gone so long (relentless, I tell ya), I asked him how it went.
"Not bad. Not bad," is all he said. (Yes, he's a man of few words--sometimes.)
He now meets these guys every Friday morning for breakfast to talk about the Lord--and lots of other stuff I'm sure. (like relentless wives, and stuff like that.)
Really, Lord? Is my husband really going to a bible study? And liking it?
After all of these years of trying so hard to make him want a closer walk with You, when I finally let it go, he is suddenly desiring You?
Oh, girls. God never ceases to amaze me. You could knock me over with a feather most days. I live in awe of Him. Truly, I do.
Sometimes the Lord just wants us to focus on Him. We can pray for others around us, but we cannot force them to desire the Lord. Ya know what I mean?
I was so busy focusing on Lem's walk with God that I had completely neglected my own walk.
Good grief. Talk about an Ah-Ha moment.
How was I ever going to hear the Holy Spirit speaking to me, when I was so busy determining what I thought the Holy Spirit was telling others??
Oh, man, the Lord had some serious work to do on my heart.
Here's what He is showing me:
The best way to influence Lem and others around me is to keep straight on my path. If I keep looking around and veering off of the path, I am helping no one. Only delaying the process.
Hello, who knew?
Keep soaking yourselves in His Word, girls. He will show you things that will blow your mind!
" Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2
Also, pay attention to all of your blessings surrounding you moment by moment. They are God's little love letters to you. He gives us these to keep us from getting side-tracked. We just have to notice them though!
Good morning, SHINE!
It's Wednesday! Worship Wednesday! Yay!
How's the reading going? It's getting really good, isn't it?
Yesterday morning, Lem and I were reading 2 Samuel together and the chapter ended. He looked over at me and said, "Can we read the next chapter? I want to see what happens!"
I giggled.
Girls, you have NO idea, but to hear my husband say that he cannot wait to read the next chapter of the BIBLE is HUGE! Seriously, it is.
No offense to my sweet Lem, but he's not much of a reader, and certainly has never been much of a Bible reader. (love you, darlin'!)
 |
| Lem and Me (for us visual learners) |
The Bible sat on the shelf, and sat on the shelf, and sat on the shelf. I dusted it quite often. He never opened it.
Finally, I gave up on my subtle (or not-so-subtle) hints for him to read the Bible. He wasn't changing. Ever. So, I had to move on.
As soon as I let go of my persuasions for him to get right with God, the Lord started working on my walk. Oh boy.
God was so busy pruning me and fine tuning this off-key little heart of mine, that I kind of forgot about Lem. I had so much work to do with myself!
I was a mess. One big, fat, blonde mess.
Then something happened.
About a year and a half ago, my friend Erin's husband (Chuck), was starting a men's bible study at their house. I begged Lem to go.
He said, and I quote, "Absolutely, NO WAY. I don't do bible studies."
Alrighty then. That was that.
Well, the night of the Bible study came and I asked (begged) him one more time to please go to the bible study. (I may have used some gentle threats....my memory is fuzzy.)
His famous last words when he decided to walk out the door and go to the bible study were: "I'll go this ONE time, but I will never go again."
(I honestly think he only went so that he could get away from me....i was relentless that night. relentless.)
Almost 3, yes THREE, hours later, he finally came home.
He walked in with a big smile on his face. After scolding him for being gone so long (relentless, I tell ya), I asked him how it went.
"Not bad. Not bad," is all he said. (Yes, he's a man of few words--sometimes.)
He now meets these guys every Friday morning for breakfast to talk about the Lord--and lots of other stuff I'm sure. (like relentless wives, and stuff like that.)
Really, Lord? Is my husband really going to a bible study? And liking it?
After all of these years of trying so hard to make him want a closer walk with You, when I finally let it go, he is suddenly desiring You?
Oh, girls. God never ceases to amaze me. You could knock me over with a feather most days. I live in awe of Him. Truly, I do.
Sometimes the Lord just wants us to focus on Him. We can pray for others around us, but we cannot force them to desire the Lord. Ya know what I mean?
I was so busy focusing on Lem's walk with God that I had completely neglected my own walk.
Good grief. Talk about an Ah-Ha moment.
How was I ever going to hear the Holy Spirit speaking to me, when I was so busy determining what I thought the Holy Spirit was telling others??
Oh, man, the Lord had some serious work to do on my heart.
Here's what He is showing me:
The best way to influence Lem and others around me is to keep straight on my path. If I keep looking around and veering off of the path, I am helping no one. Only delaying the process.
Hello, who knew?
Keep soaking yourselves in His Word, girls. He will show you things that will blow your mind!
" Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2
Also, pay attention to all of your blessings surrounding you moment by moment. They are God's little love letters to you. He gives us these to keep us from getting side-tracked. We just have to notice them though!
- chirping birds outside of my window
- leaves blowing gently in the wind
- my dogs lying side by side on the back porch (with the cat napping close by)
- my daughter's purple toenails
- my son's raspy little voice
- Lem's bible on the end table, with notes inside! (wow!)
 |
| here's those purple little 7 year old toe nails i have a thing with toes. i cannot help myself. |
| How's your little list going? Are you close to 1000? Me either. (i confess...this picture is not of me.) i wish my hands were that pretty, and skinny. |
eyes on Him,
jill
**Drawing THIS Friday girls!! Go, comment under the weekday give-away post! Awesome, awesome prize! Don't say I didn't warn you! :)
**Drawing THIS Friday girls!! Go, comment under the weekday give-away post! Awesome, awesome prize! Don't say I didn't warn you! :)
