IDOK DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2009

Day 2 of Stay-Cation

Actually, as I type, day 1 is nearly complete and it has been a wonderful day! Hope you all enjoyed the pictures and following those projects, we went on to other things and then to the first Marvelous Monday in August at Satsuma First and it was just that – Marvelous! Supper with friends was a hoot; and now I am here, offering you an IDOK from August 22, 2006.

Pineapple Bowls and Driving Tips

Yesterday was Monday, all day long it was Monday. And so about 5:15 as I was in the midst of preparing supper, I opened the frig, and right there on the third shelf was a three-fourths empty bowl of pineapple with no lid, just plastic wrap and not the plastic wrap that seals either. A ‘quiet voice inside’ said: ‘the pineapple is now too old to enjoy and besides you don’t have a lid on it — take it out now before it spills’. Did I listen? NO! I closed the door and went on to other supper details which in moments brought me back to the frig. And you guessed it — Reaching in for something else, I bumped the pineapple bowl and sticky, sticky, pineapple juice made its way down the refrigerator shelf onto the floor, and chunks of pineapple dotted the rug. Yucky!

That ‘Quiet Voice’ didn’t say a word. He didn’t have to (and besides He’s too much of a Gentleman to chide) — I was thinking plenty!
You may ask, why do you say He? You don’t really believe that ‘Quiet Voice’ was the Holy Spirit of God, do you?
Yes, I do.
I believe He loves me so much and that He is so much into walking this life with me that He sometimes even gives notice that bowls of pineapple are going to tip over.
But let’s move on with a more serious ‘Quiet Voice’ moment.
Our oldest red-haired daughter and our 4-year-old Princess were traveling I-65 yesterday and it was raining.
As Andria looked to her right she saw another vehicle right beside her and in that moment that same ‘Quiet Voice’ cautioned: ‘that vehicle is going to come over in your lane without looking’. I am relieved to tell you that Andria instantly reduced her speed and when the driver changed to Andria’s lane, without looking, Andria began praising aloud our Great and Awesome God. I am so glad she heeded that ‘Quiet Voice’. Because she did, she and our little Princess made it home safe and sound.

By now it is obvious why I am sharing these moments, isn’t it?
Yes, there is no doubt in my mind, that Quiet Voice is Our God. He speaks to us daily about little things and big things, and we do well when we listen. Now I would be the first to say that He does not always give pineapple bowl warnings and He may not always give driving directions on rainy days but whatever He speaks, if we will listen we just may avoid a little mess, or a big hurt and maybe even death.

John 14 (KJV): 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Obtained from Biblegateway.com

Father, three years ago I prayed: And as we think about our daily ins and outs, thank You that You do walk with us in the little and the big, the important and the mega important stuff, and thank You that You speak and we pray that You will tune our hearts to listening more and more and that we learn to be less and less disobedient to Your Voice. For our IDOK Family, we bring them now, each and every one and those still quiet on our hearts and we entrust all their needs to You for You to grant and lavish as You know is best for each individual.
It’s still a good prayer and we renew it today. Our IDOK Troops have increased in three years and You have been faithful day after day and year after year. Thank You. And we pray again today for their protection and safety in spirit, soul, and body; still asking that You bring them all home safe and sound and more in love with You when they arrive home than when they deployed. Thank You for this day that Jerry and I have enjoyed; guide us and help us make the most of these days for Your glory, our good and holy fun. And Father, help our IDOKs do the same. Amen and amen

As I post this it is 97°F and clear in Kuwait, KW (Airport), and the time there is 7:09 AM AST on August 4, 2009.

IDOK DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 2009
This is an unusual week for me; Jerry is taking a stay home vacation this week and we have all kinds of plans that are not usually associated with vacation – taking care of home business that usually goes undone in work weeks and we may even throw in some fun stuff.
Today was Homecoming at Satsuma First and we enjoyed the day; there were no PM services so we grabbed a burger at Mcdonald’s and sat on the pier at Steele Creek to watch the sunset.
I’m liking this stay-at-home vacation already. On this ‘staycation,’ as my beloved has coined it, he and I have no intention of setting our quiet times aside but I think my ‘writing’ may be — well not much; we’ll see. And for today, Monday, I have pulled up an IDOK from 2006 to re-share with you today – for many of you, it will be new. Actually, when I read it, it felt new to me. I hope it will bless you as it has me.

From August 16, 2006

Little Ones and Bad Dreams

Well, it’s Wednesday and Little One is still with us … sleeping just a few feet across the room here. She called out early this morning — Jerry heard her cry and I quickly came to find her sitting up in bed saying she had had a bad dream. I noticed she was holding my fuzzy blanket that had been in the den when we retired for the evening. That told me her bad dream had sent her searching. She was quiet in her search, we did not hear her tiny steps up or down the hall. I snuggled in with her gently stroking her hair and she was soon fast asleep again.

You know what? We were once little girls (boys too) having bad dreams and we too went searching for comfort maybe for a while no family or friend heard our tiny steps, but God did. He was aware of every tear we cried, every wayward step we took, and at just the right time, when we were fully ready when we had cried out with a cry ready to be Comforted by HIM, He scooped us up, snuggled in with us and stroked our hearts with His Almighty Comfort.

Jerry and I heard our Little One’s cry and we were there to soothe away her fears — wonder if some of us may meet a ‘little one’ today living a bad dream, searching for comfort in all the wrong places? Maybe we can scoop them up and comfort them with the comfort wherein we have been comforted?

Just for the comfort of it read this: You may know the story, of how Joseph’s brothers were a ‘bad dream’ to him, they sent him on a journey into ‘dreams’ but Father God had a plan and He Comforted Joseph and read what Joseph did — Genesis 50 (KJV):

20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

Life brings bad dreams to all of us BUT GOD has a plan — to save much people alive. Our bad dreams and discomforts and hard struggles and hand-to-hand combat with the enemy of our souls, IF we will seek our COMFORT from ALL these things in God our Father, He WILL allow us to be His Instruments to save much people alive. That is so GOOD!!

And one more passage, this one surely fits us all whether we are NOW in need of comfort or have been comforted — 2 Corinthians 1 (Amplified Bible):

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of sympathy (pity and mercy) and the God [Who is the Source] of every comfort (consolation and encouragement),

4 Who comforts (consoles and encourages) us in every trouble (calamity and affliction), so that we may also be able to comfort (console and encourage) those who are in any kind of trouble or distress, with the comfort (consolation and encouragement) with which we ourselves are comforted (consoled and encouraged) by God.

5 For just as Christ’s [own] sufferings fall to our lot [as they overflow upon His disciples, and we share and experience them] abundantly, so through Christ comfort (consolation and encouragement) is also [shared and experienced] abundantly by us.
Obtained from Biblegateway.com

Father, these passages of Scripture are so full, so full of Your Heart for us, You have said so much more in these verses than I have even thought to elaborate upon so I am asking You Holy Spirit as our IDOKs read Your Word that You will turn LIGHTS on for them and they will see YOU and see and hear Your MESSAGE to them today and that they will gain strength and courage and they will feel and know You have spoken to them today. Thank You, Father. And as many mornings before we have our IDOK Troops on our hearts and their families, those wives and sons and daughters and moms and dads left here on these shores have needs too for comfort and strength and maybe wives and children need grass cut or a power bill paid so we are asking that we Your people be sensitive to You and if You speak we will move to be Your Instrument of Provision. And for our Troops, we ask as we ask each day that You Protect them, keep them safe, and bring them home to us more in love with You than when they deployed. And not just our Troops but others we are bringing to Your Throne. These too have needs. Some are yet in rebellion against You and we ask for Your Mercy and Grace and Space for them to repent. Holy Spirit we ask You to woo them to repentance, however, You see fit. And for others we desire to see them healed and restored and still, others need jobs and we ask You to put them in the right place at the right time to get those jobs, then some just need to have holy fun today and we ask that to be so and some need all kinds of wisdom and helps today and Father, no doubt there are many needs I have not touched but we know You will and we thank You in Jesus Name.
And Father to this today nearly three years since these words were prayed, I can only add Amen and amen. The list has changed some since then, some have experienced healing and restoration and some are now with You, and no doubt You have done many, many wonderful things that we have already forgotten what they were. Today we say thank You. I ask that You bless this re-sharing today to make it fresh and new to encourage and empower our IDOKs to greater service in Your Name. We love You, Lord. Amen and amen.

As I post this it is 81°F and haze in Balad, IQ (Airport), and the time there is 5:49 AM AST on August 3, 2009.