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!