Wordless Wednesday

A toast ...

What makes an engagement toast memorable? Long after the toast is shared, we remember with fondness the person who shared their best wishes for the couple. The father of the bride to be gave a touching toast. His heartfelt words were a highlight of the evening.  Now we look forward with eager anticipation to the day when this couple will exchange their wedding vows.  

Monday Musings

Are you enjoying the remaining days of June? Have you taken time to watch fireflies at night, drink freshly squeezed lemonade, savor long summer nights, and enjoy conversation with family and friends?

 For our family, it has been a month of  sharp differences. Joyous celebrations have been mingled together with grief. We have joined others as we shared a toast at a wedding and an engagement party. We have enjoyed parties, picnics, and a movie night. It has been an amazing month full so many ups and downs.  

Suffering has also been a part of this month. We are praying that God would comfort a church family who are grief stricken at the recent passing of a young wife and mother. We are offering words of comfort to a family friend whose oldest brother has entered hospice.  One friend is enduring the sudden passing of a 10-year-old cousin. A drunk driver killed her this weekend.

Then we enter a collective space of national grief as we endure another mass shooting. People across our nation are saddened by this tragic loss of life.

Life is a glorious mixture of laughter, tears, celebrations, and memorials. When everything in our life may tumble and shake, when we trust God, we may experience peace in the midst of pain.  

Friendship Friday

My friends from one book club.

We discuss books, laugh over meals, share recipes, make fleece blankets for children who are ill, provide Christmas gifts for a single mother and her children, most importantly we pray.

This evening, we met at a local restaurant to discuss our most recent book. At the end of the meal, we selected books for the next six months.

We understand each other... who enjoys coffee with her dessert, who usually comes late, the sensitive one, the funny one, who likes audio books, and who will skip to the end of a book.

Dinner at Fridays 

Exercise benefits...

 The Scientific American states the following,  “The longer, harder, and more often you exercise, the greater the health benefits, including reducing the risk of diseases such as cancer and diabetes according to the recommendations based on a decade of scientific research.”

The research demonstrated that exercise is good for the heart, blood vessels, reduces the risks of some cancers, wards off diabetes, increases cognitive skills, and may help individuals lose weight.

On a personal note, I know that I have discovered new strengths as a result of exercising.   From inaction to action, I love my weekly exercise classes.  From instructors to fellow classmates, I adore the people I see every week. 

We receive the benefits when we workout.  

I wish Christians had the same idea about spiritual fitness. I find myself along with others who rarely stretch or exercise our faith.  We are overweight spiritually. We attend weekly church services, enroll in Bible Study classes, enjoy small group fellowship; yet, many of us fail to put our faith into practice. 

I am challenged every week to put into practice the words of Jesus.  

“For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life now is and of that which is to come.”

I Timothy 4:8

There are eternal benefits from exercising our Christian faith.

Wordless Wednesday

Monday Musings ... summer

“Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened in porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the treehouse; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape; but most of all, summer was Dill.”

Harper Lee

The father

"The father of a righteous man has 
great joy;
he who has a wise son delights in
him.
May your father and mother be glad;
may she who gave you birth
rejoice!
My son, give me your heart
and let your eyes keep to my 
ways,
Proverbs 23:24 - 26 a

Pet of the week... Bay*

Bay* is this week's pet. Bay is in training to become a service dog. I am confident this gentle dog will be an amazing service animal. I met Bay (I'm not for sure if I remember his name correctly) at an  community event at neighborhood park

Service dogs must learn to behave appropriately with many distractions. Their focus will be to assist their owner. Over the next few weeks I am sure that Bay will grow into his responsibilities.
Bay will help a young boy who is experiencing medical issues. Bay will be a wonderful companion and aide to  him.

Friendship Friday

"I cannot image where I would be if it were not for the handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun."
Chuck R. Swindoll 

Book Club Friends

Superman

Faster than a speeding bullet!
More powerful than a locomotive!
Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!
Look!
Up in the sky!
It's a bird!
It's a plane!
It's Superman!

This was the opening  for the 1950's television series, Superman. Today, Superman t-shirts and jewelry are trending for individuals of all ages. Let me introduce you to one Superman of today.


Who is it? Well today, it is "L" our Church Administrator  where my husband and I attend church. Our church is blessed to have this gifted man serve our congregation. In addition to serving at the church, he also writes a column regarding employment issues  for our local newspaper, Lexington Herald Leader.

In April, "L" came to the hospital at 6:00 a.m. to  pray for my for my husband before his hip surgery. Then, he offered to prepare dinner before Jerry returned to work. He blessed us with a wonderful Sunday dinner. What did he prepare? He prepared the most delicious lamb chops, salmon, grilled vegetables and  even grilled fruit.  Our dinner was absolutely fantastic! 

Wordless Wednesday

Monday Musings... Big Questions

A big question exploded in the middle of Bible Study... Can you trust the Bible? Does the Bible really represent the truth? Over the next several minutes a few members of the Bible study  took an opportunity to address the big question. Can we really trust the Bible? 

I love that we serve a God who is able to handle the honest questions of individuals who  seek to ask big questions of God. 

I wonder,  are Christians able to adequately defend the  faith? Have we thought deeply, studied diligently, and prepared ourselves to share the hope that we have in Christ. Do we offer trite answers to BIG questions?

There are several sites that offer answers to those who have honest questions about the faith.
Check on this link to discover one site that offers a unique perspective... Where Science and Faith Converge

This site RTB or Reasons to Believe is a site I will be exploring. 

What do you believe? 

Hear my cry,

"Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I call to
you,
when my heart is faint.

Lead me to the rock,
that is higher than I;
for you are my refuge,
a strong tower against the enemy.

Let me abide in your tent forever,
find refuge under the shelter of
your wings.       Selah
For you, O God, have heard my
vows;
you have given me the heritage
of those who fear your name.

Psalm 61: 1 - 5 (New Revised Standard Version)

Pet of the week, Basil

I love shopping at the Bluegrass Farmer's Market.I enjoy the variety of homegrown produce that is available during the summer. In addition, I usually see pets walking with their owners.

This week's pet is Basil a gorgeous Weimaraner puppy. This sporting breed has been described as friendly, fearless, and obedient.

Sometimes even puppies have to take a break and rest. 

Friendship Friday

Were you aware that National Best Friend Day was June 8^th?  I discovered this unofficial holiday when I was searching for quotes about friendship. The day was created to provide an opportunity for friends to take time and let their friends know how much they mean to them.

So while  National Best Friend day is history, you might want to take a moment to let your friends know that you love them. Call, text, or email your friends.

Lisa and Lisa
It is my hope that you have a friendship that is as dear and sweet as the
one that is shared by these two friends.
Be prayerful,  kind, and available.