24 | July | 2018 | This Year's Bible Reading Guide

I lost my box of summer decorations!

I split them into patriotic and summer – seashells, flowers, etc. I remember there wasn’t room on the shelves with my other seasonal decorations. I thought I put it in a safe place. I’m afraid it went to Goodwill with our other donations.

I was at a loss – what do I decorate with now? It’s too early for fall decorations. The answer came when we went shopping last weekend.

“Goin’ to the Chapel”

I had my eye on a chapel birdhouse at Kohl’s I wanted it last spring but waited until I could get it at 80% off. I had a coupon and it was on clearance. I hung it in the window between the kitchen and living room. Every time I walk by, the tune “Goin’ to the Chapel” goes through my head. I’m going to use the paraphernalia from my wedding to decorate. The “Bride and Groom” glasses will look adorable in my china cabinet!

In less than 2 months, our second son will tie the knot. Two months before my wedding, I was furiously sewing the bridesmaid’s dresses. It’s good to look back and remember.

Jeremiah 2:2, “…I remember your youthful loyalty, our love as newlyweds…” The Message

The year between our engagement and the wedding seemed to last forever. It was a busy year but I couldn’t wait for the wedding!

“Rest assured that if God waits longer than we desire, it is simply to make the blessings doubly precious.” Andrew Murray in “Streams in the Desert”

Young girls dream of their wedding. They chose their favorite colors or colors that have special meaning. I chose pink because that was the color my mother chose. And blue – the color of my husband’s eyes.

Dreaming about your wedding is a good fantasy. I am studying Proverbs 12 where they define a bad fantasy.

“Chasing fantasies – scheme for making easy money.” New International Version Study Bible Notes

We had very little when we married. We faithfully saved and planted seeds throughout our marriage. We are comfortable now as the seeds produced for us. Sadly, many use credit instead of waiting for the seeds to produce. They end up with grass instead of a garden.

“…Stop laying sod where He’s planting seed…” “Becoming Love” Bob Goff in Proverbs 31 Ministries

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“Everything you do or think or feel has to do with God. Every person you meet has to do with God.” The Message Introduction to Zephaniah

An exhausting Sunday – playing for 2 services made me miss my nap. The chaos left from the tornadoes in Iowa weighs on me.

Zephaniah 1:2-3, ” ‘I’m going to make a clean sweep of the earth, a thorough housecleaning.’ God’s Decree. ‘Men and women and animals, including birds and fish – anything and everything that causes sin – will go, but especially people.’ ” The Message

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“What happens when everything you believe in and live by is smashed to bits by circumstances? Sometimes the reversals of what we expect from God come to us as individuals, other times as entire communities. When it happens, does catastrophe work to reform our lives to conform to who God actually is and not the way we imagined or wished Him to be? Does it lead to an abandonment of God? Or, worse, does it trigger a stubborn grasping to the old collapsed system of belief holding on for dear life to an illusion?” The Message Introduction to Jeremiah

During the storm, I started reading a new book. It was a great distraction from what was going on overhead and what it had left behind.

“Your method is correct, just make sure the basics are right at every step.” “A Refuge Assured,” Jocelyn Green

Basics. I have all the basics. I set the book aside to make dinner. Then I watched a movie. It was the second movie this month that mentioned the “Rule of 3.”

Wilderness Survival Rule of 3

“You can survive 3 minutes without air; 3 hours without shelter (unless in icy water); 3 days without water (if sheltered); 3 weeks without food (if you have water and shelter).”

God meets my needs. He protected us during the storm. He is our source.

Zephaniah 2:3, “Seek God, all you quietly disciplined people who live by God’s justice. Seek God’s right ways. Seek a quiet and disciplined life. Perhaps you’ll be hidden on the Day of God’s anger.” The Message

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