Psalms 9 - 10

The psalms are full of interesting verses and you can hear that there is so much trouble yet so much hope all at the same time. The verse that stood out to me today was Psalm 9:1 "I will thank you, Lord, with all my heart. I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done."

It seems like a pretty simple thing to say thanks, doesn't it? I say thank many times throughout the day to many different people, for many different reasons. When I start my prayers off the first thing I do is thank God for all that he has given me. Yet, I question after reading that verse do I do it with ALL of my heart or is it just something that I do because it's the right thing to do. There's a difference. There's the politeness of saying "Thank You" and then there is how this verse is defining it. Do I thank the Lord with ALL of my heart? Do I tell of all the marvelous things He has done? No, I don't. I want to so why don't I. Honestly, I think it's unfortunately because I get too wrapped up in life and blame it on being busy. This is definitely an area of opportunity.

Dear Lord,

THANK YOU for ALL that you have given me. The good, the bad and the ugly :) I know that each one I should view as a blessing Lord. That I should cherish all that is around me and see the beauty in what you have created and provided to me Lord. Lord I ask that you help me to appreciate the good more, to understand the bad and grow from it and to really see that the ugly is not truly ugly but something that was provided by you to help me grow more into the person that you had planned for me to be.

I ask all of these things in your name.

Amen.

Psalms 7 - 8

I'm tired today and the kids watching TV is an annoyance to me. Why can't I just have some quiet time to reflect and read in the bible. Agh....trying to look past it. Psalms 8: 9 "O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the Earth."

It does, doesn't it. Even in the darkest alley He is there. It's that the people in the alley are refusing Him but He is there. Why is it at our darkest hour that we feel so alone when really God is right there. Holding us and trying to help us through with His love. Is it because Satan is attacking us and taking advantage of the situation? Is it that we are just so down that anything of comfort seems to be impossible? Why is it that can't see that His majesty is filling the Earth?

Dear Lord,

I thank you for all that you have provided. The weather, the world, my family. Lord such precious gifts that you have given to me please help me to remember how short life is and to be grateful for these gifts all of the time and not when it is easy for me. Lord help me to know that you are filling all of the Earth with your majesty. That you are here in my home, with my children, with my husband and that your majesty is all that we need in life. Lord, our Lord, your majesty fills this Earth and how we are thankful for that and love you.

Amen.

Psalms 5 - 6

Finally a quiet time to read the bible. It is 6:55am and all of my children are sleeping or at least being quiet in their rooms. This is an odd event in my house but one that I cherish. In reading this morning the verse that stood out to be was Psalms 5:8. "Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me." How true is this. Amazing that these "simple" words can move my heart so much that I feel like they were written just for me on this day. I know that is not true but that is the way that it feels. I do want to be lead by the Lord down the right path so I am not destroyed or conquered by my enemies. Who are my enemies? Is it the neighbor who gossips too much to please her unhappiness? Is it a coworker who uses foul language? Is it the TV show that displays lust and greed? Is it me? Am I my own enemy who is not listening to the Lord who is trying to guide and lead me down the right path? Honestly, I the enemy is all of these wrapped up together.

After all if the neighbor gossips do I partake in it? If the coworker uses foul language to I respond with foul language? If the TV show is lustful and greedy do I change the channel? Sure, sometimes I make the right choice and go down the right path. At these times I do feel a tug from the Lord help to lead or guide me. But all too often I feel the tug and I ignore it and go down the wrong path. It's hard to make the right choice all of the time. It's hard to listen to the Lord all of the time, in every situation.

Dear Lord,

Today I thank you for the small bit of quietness to be able to reflect and read in your word. I thank you for all that you provide to me and my family. Lord you know my faults, you know my weaknesses. I pray that you can give me the strength not to avoid the tugs and nudges when I am headed down the wrong path. Help me to rise above the urge to do it my way, to go down my own path. Instead give me the clarity that your path, the right path has so much more in store for me Lord. That it will bring me closer to you Lord and help me to serve you better. Be with me Lord in these moments so that I can be a better daughter, wife, mother, friend, employee and every other role that I lead in this beautiful life that you have given me.

Amen.

My middle son is now with me and asking me to workout with him. Thank you Lord for his amazing energy and cute freckles ;)

Psalms 4

Have I mentioned that I am really enjoying Psalms. It's never hard to see or feel the verse that pops out to me. This morning Psalms 4:4 is what struck a cord with me "Don't sin by letting anger gain control over you." Pretty easy and logical when you think about it but probably one of the most difficult things that I have time actually controlling.

As I am trying to read this morning I have a baby being loud upstairs, one boy eating and talking loudly at the table to my side and the older one watching TV and asking me what he should have for breakfast. I'm a little on edge quite honestly. It's 7am and I want some time in peace to read God's word. Their actions are making me angry and I could easily sin at any moment by yelling at them. They don't deserve to be yelled at as one just wants out of his crib and the other two are just being themselves. Why is it so easy to let anger control me?

Dear Lord,

I thank you for these beautiful and noisy children. I do feel truly blessed to have them Lord. Help me when the anger is setting in to take deep breaths and realize the blessings that I have around me. That anger is my enemy and purely Satan trying to get a hold of me to sin. Lord I pray for calmness in life that I can let the anger slip away for it to be replaced with this calmness so that I do not sin against the blessings that you have provided me.

I ask all of this in your name.

Amen.

Pslams 3

I'm really liking Pslams. I'll be honest that I have never read through it before but this chapter really hit home with me today. The verse that stood out to me was "3: But you, O Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts my head high." I need to remember that no matter what is going wrong in my life, who I feel is against me or what faults that I have as a person that the Lord will lift my head high and be the shield or protector from the ones that are not for me.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for this time that you have provided me to dig deeper into your word to grow more in my faith. Lord today I ask that you help me always remember your love for me. When I am getting down on myself to know that you love and protection for me is always there and always providing to me. Give me the strength to not fret about what others think or say but to always know that your love for me is more than enough.

I ask this in your name.

Amen.

Psalms 2

The verse that popped out to me today was verse 11 "Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling." It was just an interesting verse to me as I don't typically think of fearing the Lord, especially not reverently. I think of the Lord with grace, mercy and loving not someone to be fearful of. But in the context of this I think it's meaning is more of to submit everything to the Lord, leaving no secret back and that can be fearful. To live in the way that the Lord wants us to even when it is not comfortable or something that we desire, that again can be fearful. So my prayer today is that I can serve the Lord with reverent fear, to put all of my fears and desires aside in order to serve Him the way that is right. And to rejoice with trembling. This verse comes at an interesting time as I have been contemplating going on a mission trip. I have hesitated many times and now it's which trip should I pick, what does each on do because there are certain things that I would like to do a missions trip. Then I read this verse and think should I really get to pick what I want to do or just sign up and serve the Lord with reverent fear doing what is chosen for me to do.

Dear Lord,

Soften my heart and mind so that I can serve you with a reverent fear. That I can lay my desires aside for the better of you and what you have intended for me. I ask you to give me the strength to do this and to hold steady with it. This is something that I need to practice in my life every day not just for a few decisions. Lord be with me as I struggle through the obstacles in life in order for me to grow closer to you. I ask all of these things in your name.

Amen.