Proclaim the Mystery of Christ

Pray that I may proclaim [the mystery of Christ] clearly, as I should. — Colossians 4:4

One of my coworkers has a friend who is going through chemo.

Hers is much worse and more frequently than mine was.

She is getting nauseous and weak from the first few treatments.

She has a pick line so they won't have to find a vein each time.

I'm praying that she will be comforted and healed.

I pray that I may proclaim the mystery of Christ clearly to my coworker and to her friend.

And to those I meet each day.

 

Proclaim the Mystery of Christ

And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ. — Colossians 4:3

Pray for me and for my family.

That God will use us to proclaim His message.

That He will give us the words to share the gospel of Jesus.

And the mystery that is His mercy and grace.

Paving the way for us to live with Him in heaven one day.

Yesterday, Abby and I went over to the Y to swim after church.

This was the first week we didn't need reservations to swim.

And even though there were lots of families, there were 3 lap lanes free when we arrived.

So we each had our own lane.

The water was warm and refreshing.

The sun was shining.

God gave us a beautiful afternoon together.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. — Colossians 4:1

I am usually thankful.

Overwhelmed by God's goodness and His blessings to me and my family.

But I find it difficult to devote myself to prayer.

I do pray throughout the day.

But my sister devotes herself to an hour of prayer in the morning.

I feel humbled and inadequate to that task.

Lord, help me to devote myself to prayer.

To be watchful and to be careful with the things I say. 

Help me to glorify You.

  

Serving the Lord Jesus

You know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving. — Colossians 3:24

Today we are attending church together.

Then Abby and I are going to head over to the La Jolla Y to see if we can get a lane to swim.

The weekend has been gorgeous.

Even the evenings have been about 80 degrees.

But with a calm breeze.

Thank you, Lord, for your creation.

Working for the Lord

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. — Colossians 3:23

Today we are getting ready to host about 50 of Kirk's colleagues and fellow teachers.

Our friend Ann is retiring this year along with many others.

So we are celebrating with food and drink this evening.

Kirk is blowing leaves off the patio and setting up tables to get ready.

I went for a hike along Mission Trails this morning with my friend CeCe.

She mentioned how thoughtful Kirk was when she and a few others came over last month.

He fixed lemon drop drinks and served us all.

Again, making the place look spotless for our little group of five.

Even when teaching, he was working for the Lord and not for humans.

We are blessed.

May the Lord Direct Your Hearts

 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. — 2 Thessalonians 3:5

God wants to direct our hearts.

I have a hard time letting Him have control of my heart.

Kirk is planning to travel with Ernie back to Akron, Ohio to help him move.

They will have a fun road trip through Nebraska and Iowa on the way.

Kirk will get to see his Uncle Bob, Aunt Doris, and cousin Cindy.

This is Cindy's previous dog, Olive.

Ernie will get to see a bit of Spencer, Iowa.

Sounds like a really fun trip!

When Kirk checked to see which restaurants would be open for dinner in Dayton on Sunday, he discovered that of the top 10, none are open on Sundays.

Reminds me of my time living in Lousiana with blue laws.

I suggested they leave a day earlier so they can try one of the top 10 restaurants on Saturday,  instead.

Whatever they decide, they will have a great time.

God is good.

The Lord Will Strengthen You

But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. — 2 Thessalonians 3:3

God is faithful.

I am not.

Even when I try, I fail.

Tuesday I got new compression sleeves for my arms.

When I went to pick them up, the cashier commented on all the supplies I was getting.

My insurance covers them all, which is amazing to me.

I got two new pairs of knee-high compression stockings plus a new pair of gloves.

If I'm eligible for a surgical procedure on the veins in my legs, I'll need to get one more set of thigh-high compression stockings.

That I'll have to pay for myself.

Even so, how blessed am I that every 6 months I get new compression garments.

On Mother's Day I forgot I was wearing a sleeve when I posted my picture.

One of Kirk's teacher friends noticed and invited me to join a lymphedema group.

God protects me from cancer, from injury, and from the evil one.

Thank you, Lord!

Hope in the Lord

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary. — Isaiah 40:31 

We hope in the Lord.

He renews our strength.

He guides me through each day.

And He upholds me with His strong right arm.

Here's the pork dinner Kirk cooked on his new Traeger smoker.

It turned out delicious.

He cooked it to perfection.

Quite the grill master.

You Have Clothed Me With Joy

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy. — Psalm 30:11 New Living Translation

God has taken our mourning for the lives of our loved ones, and turned it into praise that they are now with him.

Our friend Melanie lost her mom.

Our friend Ken lost his dad.

Our neighbors lost his mom, Jackie.

In 2019 we lost Kirk's dad, Gary. 

In 2011 Rita passed away.

My mom died in 2002.

And my dad died 3 months before our wedding in 1984.

And others we know are grieving.

It's so hard to lose a parent.

At the same time, we praise God that these people are no longer in pain.

And best of all, they are now with their Lord and Savior Jesus.

And we rejoice that we, too, will live with Jesus in heaven some day.

I Thank God for You

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. — Romans 1:8

Yesterday we celebrated Father's Day.

After church, Kirk smoked two tenderloins.

He thought it may have been overcooked, but it was really moist.

And it tasted delicious.

We ate outside — the day was gorgeous.

So thankful for my family.

Grace and Peace to You

To all who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. — Romans 1:7

Today is Father's Day, and we started the day at church together.

Then I taught the preschoolers while Kirk and Abby went to a class led by our friend Yong, who lived in China for 15 years.

He is a medical doctor who takes the opportunity to share the love of Jesus with others.

While in China, he saw how the church is persecuted there.

After lunch, Kirk watched the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.

Here he is golfing there last year.

Tomorrow he'll be up early to golf at Admiral Baker with some friends.

Happy Father's Day!

All Things Have Been Created By Him

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. — Colossians 1:16

All things were created.

And what an amazing creation it is.

Just beautiful.

Kirk has been feedting our plants, and they look very healthy.

They're bursting with happiness.

All things have been creaed by God.

Created for our enjoyment.

Thank you, Lord!

Be Content With What You Have

 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." — Hebrews 13:5 

It's not always easy to be content with what we have.

God has blessed us immensely more than we could ask or imagine.

Today Kirk played one of his best golf games yet.

He played at Admiral Baker North this morning.

It's hard to believe just two weeks ago he was in the hospital.

God has blessed us with healing. 

Here he is at Torrey Pines golf course

Today was just as beautiful.

Show Hospitality

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. — Hebrews 13:1-2

Today our sermon series continued on Genesis 2 and God's creation.

Then Dr. Lee shared about people who have been persecuted for sharing their faith in China.

We had a couple of visitors from Texas who had walked over from their hotel in time to join us for Sunday school.

Afterward, I gave them a ride back.

They had originally come from Ethiopia and still have relatives there.

They were in San Diego for a conference and found our church online.

Then we had the girls over for Bible study and painted mini canvas bags.

One of the girls lost her grandpa this morning.

Two others lost their dog a few weeks ago.

We were able to pray for all of the concerns.

Very grateful to live in a free country like America where we can worship as we choose.

Thanks be to God!

God Made Heaven and Earth

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, who will build a house for the Lord and a royal palace for himself. — 2 Corinthians 1:12

  

The Lord is the God of Israel, and we bless him.

He made heaven and earth.

He has given David a wise son in Solomon.

Solomon in turn was given discretion and understanding.

We have given our kids the Holy Spirit so they can be given wisdom and understanding.

They will also worship the Lord.

Bless the Lord

All the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers, and bowed down and paid homage to the Lord and the king.  — 1 Chronicles  29:10

David blessed the Lord at all times.

I need his reminder to bless God.

He is the God of my fathers.

He is worthy of my praise.

I bow down and worship him.

I want my life to pay homage to the Lord.

Thankful for a fun weekend celebrating Abby's master's degree graduation.

Thankful to God for His goodness and majesty.

I worship Him,

And praise the King continually.

 

Direct My Heart to You

Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the intentions of the hearts of Your people, and direct their hearts to You. — 1 Corinthians 29:18

Lord, help me to keep Your Word in my heart.

To understand and practice it in my life.

To keep it forever in my mind and heart.

So that I may direct my heart to You.

And dedicate my life to Your will.

I pray for those who are undergoing cancer treatments.

Or who are about to begin chemo.

Cover them with your healing touch.

Give them your strength.

Uphold them when they feel weak.

Help them direct their hearts to you.

In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

We Are Temporary Residents

For we are strangers before You, and temporary residents, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. — 1 Chronicles 29:15

We are strangers before God.

Our days on earth are as a fleeting shadow.

God's plans for us are much greater than we could ever imagine.

Here's the brisket Kirk smoked with Oak.

It was delicious.

But it is simply a brief part of our even briefer life here on earth.

We are temporary residents here.

Just as our forefathers were.

And we are thankful that God has prepared an even better place for us in heaven.

All glory to our Father God.

 

All Things Come From You

 For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given to You. — 1 Chronicles 29:14

All things come from God.

And we are blessed that He bestows His blessings on us.

This weekend I made bread, which we've been enjoying for several days.

Kirk worked outside to prune our roses and water our plants.

The house looks amazing.

We are blessed.

Praise Your Glorious Name

Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name. — 1 Chronicles 29:13

Tonight after work, I went for a swim at the YMCA over in Santee.

The sun peeked out from the clouds and the water was cool.

It was a wonderful evening for a relaxing swim. 

I was praising God for the beautiful sun, the clouds, and the water around me.

There, God, I thank you.

I praise Your glorious name. 

Blessed Are You, Lord

 David said, “Blessed are You, Lord God of Israel our father, forever and ever. — 1 Chronicles 29:10

Yesterday we had our first Sunday school class in over a year.

Yong Lee spoke about his ministry in China.

It was very thought-provoking.

After church we went to our friend's graduation party.

Then four of my hiking friends came over for the evening.

Kirk made us lemon drop drinks.

Everyone brought some food to share.

Everything was delicious

I made soup, parmesan red pepper bread, and pound cake with strawberries.

God has blessed us with good friends.

God Rules Over All

Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone.  — 1 Chronicles 29:12

God has the power to strengthen me.

He can lift me up when I feel like falling.

He gave me the ability to go for a two hour walk after my chemo treatments.

And he helped me recover from cancer.

His hand is power and might.

He created the world and put us in it to do His will.

Riches and honor come from Him.

He rules over all.

I Exalt the Lord

 Yours is the dominion, Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. — 1 Corinthians 29:11b

Today the sun is shining and the birds are singing.

God's creation is bursting with color and life.

Yesterday I saw my oncologist, and everything looks good.

I still have occasional swelling in my ankles

Plus a condition called stasis dermatitis.

So she's referring me to another doctor just to see if there's any treatment

Other than the compression socks and massages the physical therapist recommended.

But I don't need to see my oncologist again for another year.

Praise the Lord!

His is the dominion.

We exalt Him as head over all.

And as our great Physician.

Yours, Lord, Is the Greatness

Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and on the earth. — 1 Chronicles 29:11

Today is our niece Victoria's birthday!

We thank God for our wonderful family.

Here we are on Memorial Day several years ago.

This year we celebrated with a smaller group of immediate family.

God has blessed us with our family.

The Lord is greatness and the power. 

He deserves all the glory and the majesty.

Everything that is in the heavens and on the earth.belong to him

 

God Himself Will Be Among Us

God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. — Revelation 21:3-4

It's the first day of June!

Almost summer.

God is among us.

He will dwell among us.

We are His people, and God Himself will be among us.

He will wipe every tear from our eyes.

There will no longer be any death.

There will no longer be any mourning or crying or pain.

Last week my friend's nephew died of an overdose.

He was just 17.

One day we will no longer have to mourn for those who are dying.

The old things will pass away.

All things will become new.