Hey MJ’s Morning Medications

Philippians 4:11 “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances.”

Really? What we have is enough? The food on our food plan, the pay coming into our household, time… We are a greedy people. God knows. He’s always known…. I’m not saying we are bad people for wanting more, it’s the way we are wired for the most part, and a lot of want we want is very good! We want health and well-being in our families, relationships, homes, among our friends and in our finances. It’s sort of a paradox, our being a wanting people and a people who trust God for enough instead of what we want. It’s a mind-twister for sure.

My friend Deb reminded me how Momma Helen loves the scripture I used today. I also remember long ago, my friend Matt in my beauty shop chair while I was cutting his hair, told me he was trying to be content in all things and gave me that scripture. It came back to me today, to share with you, my friends. It came back, so to strengthen me and you.

Only in God will our souls find rest. Only in God do we have enough…

I’m learning, Lord. Help me learn… Enough is enough.

11 Timothy 1:1 Paul to Timothy; “Grace, mercy and peace to you in Jesus…”

“Wherever you go, that’s where you are.” I’ve no idea where that quote came from, just found it jotted on a piece of paper in my notebook and it got me to thinking how often my mind takes me off road into the woods of stinkin’ thinkin’ and suddenly I come up short, realizing I’d allowed my MMM (Magic Magnifying Mind ) to fly me into a place I do not want to be. The good thing; I can just turn back into Jesus, my safe harbor.

I know what I want; to go to sunny places where my bare feet are in the warm sand of grace, peace and mercy. Out in the SonShine, it’s simple to trade anger for love, illusions for enlightenment, resentments for serenity, fear for trust, doubt for faith, despair for hope, a grunge for forgiveness. It’s simple but not easy. It takes a decision, a choice that needs sticking to.

My challenge, my calling, my ideal: pray for grace, be merciful, turn to peace, make serenity a priority and do not harbor disturbing thoughts.

Poppy, I believe all that you are. My face lifts to your SON. Why do I still stumble into the darkness? I live that question. I know to turn into your safe harbor. I am grateful.

Matthew 25:35 “I was hungry and you gave me food…”

Our church here in St. Joseph is dedicated to service. It’s a big church and has quite a few small groups that go in different directions of service. We got involved with F.R.O.G., Fully Relying On God. Last Thursday evening, our group took a meal to The Haven, a wonderful place that feeds and shelters homeless men along with helping them find jobs, begin to make child-support payments, kick an addiction; basically open a door for a chance to return to a happy, productive life. That night, our group put our food together, making a meal fit for any holiday family get-together. Mingling with the fellas and bringing delicious nutritious food was a blessing. Like my mom and gramma, I love to see people enjoy a good meal.

Most of the people in F.R.O.G. are either retired or do not work at paying jobs, doing volunteer work either full or part time. They are awesome to me and teach me much about service. They accept happily mine and Jon’s meager gifts of time and offerings; where two people cooked turkey’s and were at the shelter several hours, I brought green beans for 50 that could be prepared quickly after work, arriving minutes before meal time.

The thing I’ve learned is that everyone can do something and your something adds up when put in with other’s. The nice surprise is the welcomed gift of acceptance and friendship that’s come back to us, much needed after our move from home six years ago.

Jesus our servant, our best teacher, shows us how to wash feet, write in the dirt, spit and make mud packs for others we happen to meet in a day. Plus Jesus knows that I too, need washed, protected, healed and fed. These gifts come back to me through service; all in a day of walking down the road with Jesus…

What’s for dinner today, Poppy?

Psalm 119:105 “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

There’s a story about a man, Arthur Sulzberger, back in the midst of one of the World Wars, a time so horrific and uncertain. Arthur could not sleep, from fear and not knowing what was coming, until he took this line from the hymn Lead, Kindly Light; One Step, Enough For Me. It became his lamp.

We used to have a camping lamp I liked so much. It gave me plenty of light in a wide circle around me and I could plunder around in the dark with it just fine, seeing where my feet were and feeling safe. What was out beyond, I could not tell, but it did not matter so much if I could see my feet and the step in front of me.

Our friends went through Joplin Missouri not long after disaster hit in last year’s tornado. How could they put the pieces back together? They are doing just that, one day, one step at a time.

God works with me fairly consistently with this whole concept of one day, one step at a time. I wonder about many things like what we’ll do, where we will go or if we will stay, when we’ll be able to retire. I don’t know those kinds of things. My lamp does not give me light that far out. What helps is that I’m beginning to accept, over time, the concept of one day at a time. Like Arthur, one step is enough for me.

I see today, Poppy. Thank you. Help each one of us trust for light enough for tomorrow, where you are leading, far out.   Photo courtesy of the Meserveys; site of a full gospel church in Joplin MO, post tornado

Psalm 119:36 “Turn my heart toward you and not toward selfish gain.”

As usual, Jon was at the table reading, but today Roxy was laying at his feet, seeming to be listening. Max Lucado’s short meditation was on the cure for selfishness. Jon joked that “it still seems to be all about her”, Roxy being like any normal 2 year old kid that the world circles around. Jon mused that we can be much the same. I’m thinking especially as the day wears on and we tire…

The cure? Max says to just keep focusing on Jesus, the fellowship of the Spirit and the affection and compassion of Heaven.

So I reckon we just keep on doing the next right thing in Jesus’ name, one day at a time, forgive ourselves and others, love well and we’ll do alright. It’s a process.

Good morning, Poppy. I turn my heart toward you in the new day. You know that I sometimes feel like a 2 year old, and just need to be read to and feel your affection.