Places To Go, People To See--Or--August This And That

"... those who are rich in this present world should not be arrogant nor put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." --- 1 Timothy 6:17

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1.) Did you see how all the houses in a Nevada neighborhood switched out their porch lights for blue ones so to 'Back The Blue'? What a wonderful thing! (Watch the video here.)

2.) Oh Youtube! Your 'music reaction' videos delight my heart as I watch young people discover the songs we 'of a certain age' grew up tapping our fingers to on our radios.

 

And it sounds weird, but while listening to the 20 and 30-somethings' awe-filled reactions to performers of 50+ years ago I recall this verse:

"A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men."   ---Proverbs 18:16

A majority of these singers no longer walk this Earth, but their gift--which they did not hide--still makes room for them, still creates melody in the hearts of young and old in 2020.

My favorite 'reaction folks' are Twins The New Trend, but I've branched out this week and found others. Videos like this one were great fun: watch their expressions! And here's one for Rainy Days and Mondays, a favorite of Jr. High Debra. Oh my.

(But you must promise not to become addicted to these like I am.)  シ

3.) So remember the 2 original 1930's Nancy Drew books I showed you?

 Well, immediately upon finishing The Clue of The Tapping Heels, I skimmed my updated, 1960's copy and gah! They'd ripped the heart and soul away. Changed some characters, left out the wild adventures, and used words like 'groovy'. 

I sat on the carpet beside my bookshelves and exclaimed, "This is garbage! Garbage!"(Tell us how you really feel, Debra.)  シ

Well, now I'm gonna replace every 1960+ updated version of Nancy Drews that I can. I'll consider each book on a case-by-case basis and will soon march down to the Salvation Army bin with a bag of too-modern-for-me Nancy Drew books.

(In the 90's, Applewood Publishers reissued the first 21 books in their original form and 2 are speeding toward me.)

4.) Speaking of books, I must mention Bookfinder.com again. Just fill in the title and author of book you're searching for and they'll rush you to the cheapest copy in all of Internet Land. 

In fact, in my Ebay cart I had one of those Applewood ND books for $8, but I zipped over to Bookfinder, where they took me back to Ebay, whose search had not shown me the $5 copy available(!) Really, imo, Bookfinder is one awesome place for us penny-pinching bibliophiles. Indeed.

5.) Anyone else ever watch the news lately and recall this verse?

6.) Yay! And also at Ebay, I bought two seasons of The Rockford Files.

Season 2 episodes weren't available to us on tv so Tom and I are happy to watch these at each weekday's end. Some old tv series don't 'hold up' after tons of decades, but this one, to us, certainly does. It 'scratches our take-me-back-to-the-1970's itch'.  シ

7.) Loved this. I'm a huge fan of those who create rather than complain.

(Thanks for sharing that at Facebook, Dolores!)

8.) Now here's a wonderful verse for our Times!

9.) Remember the Oui yogurt jar upon my window sill with the tealight? Well, here are lots more ways to use those adorable jars (and others).

10.)

 

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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

Shall You Shine Or Whine?

 

"If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small."   --- Proverbs 24:10

(Could there be a more convicting verse for these wild days? Hmm?) ッ

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Yikes! Some friends have disappeared from social media. Poof!

I don't even mean they've unfriended or unfollowed me. No, they still exist there by name, but like a shell. Their pages feel like ghost towns and they, the real them, are gone. 

It's creepy. I mean now's our time to shine! 

To warn, to help, to clear-up confusion. 

To share God's Word, to offer what we've been given. 

To shine as bright lights so even the blind will see.

To present peace and strength to the weary rather then, uhm, be the weary ones, ourselves.

Er hem.

God knew these crazy-dark days were coming. He did! So He spent years not just warning, but preparing us.

Oh, that we'd recall--

His surprising provision

His heart-comfort

His divine protection 

His instructions via teachers

His sweetness on bad days

His calming voice

His joy-turned-strength

His gifts of needed boldness

His reminders of words to speak

His truth that set us free

His always-there love

And so much more.

And oh, that we'd shine like the beacons He created us to be for such a hairy time as this.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house."   --- Matthew 5:14, 15

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Nah, this Erma Bombeck quote isn't convicting or anything...   ツ

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Still unsure whether you should stock-up on food? For a new uh-oh! reason to prep you can watch this video or read this article. 

This information has suddenly popped up everywhere and makes me extra-grateful that I've prepared ahead of time and can remain calm. 

(But this info.---yikes! "Control the food supply and you'll control the people.")

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"You become DANGEROUS to the enemy when you are FULLY AWAKE to God.: ---Lisa Bevere

 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

Fight With Joy, Ok?

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope... Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer...And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”   ---Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 12:12, Nehemiah 8:10

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Yikes! This morning I listened to a favorite 'freedom fighter' and well, she was kinda 'losing it'. Our Country's foolishness (not to mention sin) threatens to push her over into a persistent anger, frustration.

Oh dear.

I reached out my finger tips to her forehead on the screen and prayed that she'd receive what God longed to give her: the peace of obedience and an assurance of faith that if she does her part, God will do His. And that her part is enough. God expects no more than that from us.

I love freedom fighters. 

While folks sleep nearby, they watch out the window and see approaching armies, invisible to others. They try to awaken those in the dark room's beds, but when they can't? They don their armor, climb down the stairs, then step outside to fight and protect the sleeping.

Afterward, weary, they step back inside to slumberers who roll over and ask, "Did you sleep well?" to which they reply simply, "Not really," then they lie down and rest while the others go out into the day, the battlefield cleared for now, clueless.

Yet for the fighters I would say:

Never forget the joy of the Lord is your strength. Not anger. Not frustration. Not fear of, "But what if--?"

Consistent faith in a good, loving God will bring hope.

And hope brings anticipation.

With anticipation there's assurance that God's side wins.

And that all shall be well--in time.

And one last thing:

Those who expose evil rather than live beside it peaceably? They shall be blessed, now, and in the world to come. 

But they must remember this: for all battle moments spent, spend an equal (or more-than) time sitting with God receiving His compassion from a job well done--

---and allow Him to touch, to heal, every wound so you can return to the battle again with obedience's joy and the memory of the soothing touch from such a glorious, loving Father.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up....Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts...and be thankful. "   ---Galations 6:9, Colossians 3:15

Or as Sean Feucht said it--

This moment right here is a summation of my 36th year of life.

In Cal Anderson Park (formerly CHOP) singing songs to Jesus while people behind me lob curses/obscenities at me/my family while satanist roam throughout the crowd and antifa trashes our gear.

Pressing through all that craziness though, God brings us an unexpected gift in the form of a Muslim dude (or at least he’s wearing Muslim garb) who spontaneously dances with outrageous joy and song next to me on the last song.

All I can do in response is laugh uncontrollably.

My life is yours Jesus. You’re the Good Shepherd. I’ll do whatever you want me to do and go wherever you want me to go.

I’m sure it will all be insanely wild, spontaneous, full of resistance and yet full of unexpected joy.

My 37th year is yours starting today.

Love and thanks to those rolling with us in this season. Love to all the haters too.

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On Thursday, Naomi brought us jars of Oui yogurt. Have you seen their adorable jars?

I placed a tealight inside one on our kitchen windowsill. Made my heart extra happy.

Tom and I watched the quirkiest movie yesterday! We saw it via Hulu and it's called, Where'd You Go, Bernadette? Highly recommended. (It had less than 5 'naughty words', and was otherwise fine, fun and thought-provoking. Not a chick-flick: Tom liked it even more than I did.) ツ

“All tyranny needs to gain a foothold, is for people of good conscience to remain silent.”
Thomas Jefferson

How is God asking you to bring His light into the world at this time?

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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15