Weekend Wrap-Up

This week on the journey, I want to try a little shift in my format and posting schedule. I am introducing Weekend Wrap-Up posts.

PRAISES

First, I would like to continue the practice of listing at least 5 highlights of my week. I feel growing in gratitude is a very needful discipline. 

• Birthdays - We had two this week. The twins turned 8 and our youngest daughter had a birthday 3 days later.  So thankful to have children and grandchildren to celebrate! Once, we thought that was an impossible dream.
• Great weather - Monday's ball games were rained out but it has been perfect temps the rest of the week. In my neck of the woods, any weather that is not too hot or sticky is a blessing!
• Confirmation - One often wonders if their words matter. This week, I received confirmation God is using my humble attempts at encouragement in a way I never expected. One of my pastor acquaintances is using some of my material from my Living Intentional series in a series he is doing.
• New ideas - I don't always get to tune in to the Hopewriter's Tuesday Teaching. In fact, this week I tuned in a couple days later. But their guest Makoto Fujimura was so inspiring. My takeaway from his talk about slowing down and observing the world around you was to do like he does: focus on one Psalm per month. This is not to necessarily do anything creative with the ideas that come from this practice, but to learn the discipline of approaching things slowly. I'm excited to try this. I'm planning to ease in with dwelling on one Psalm per week.
• Anticipation: We've two trips planned this summer. We will be visiting my mom and sister - and my brother will come too - and a trip to the beach!

PRACTICING THE PRESENCE

Recently, I wrote on the dangers of self-satisfied in the post, It is Dangerous to Get Complacent. My premise is that you need to be growing spiritually or else you are growing cold.

It’s kind of a rule: if you are not advancing, you’re retreating. There’s no neutral ground.

I remembered I had written about complacency here on the Journey. I felt believers were living at the same level because they didn't know what was available to them which motivated me to write a whole series on the promises to believers.

Did you miss any of this series? You can click on the following links:
Claiming Your Promised Land, Part 1

Comfort and Claiming Your Promised Land, Part 2

Are the Promises for Me? Part 3

Encounter or Experience, Part 4

Applying the Promises, Part 5

PONDERING THE WORD

Set your gaze on the path before you.
    With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead,
    ignore life’s distractions. Prov. 4:25 TPT

I love this gem of instruction so much, especially the last phrase, “ignore life’s distractions.” You can only ignore them if your focus is fixed on what He has for you.

PRAYING THE PRESENCE

Father,

You have been so good to us and I thank you for your care and presence. May we decide right now to fix our eyes on You. Help us to not get distracted with all that life has to offer;  but to remember our purpose and the goal of doing life with You.

In the mighty name of Jesus, so be it!

~~

Check out my latest post - Making Life Easier: Adapting & Rethinking

I'm linking this post with the community at Living to Tell the Story. Susanne hosts a lovely linkup of writers who find 5 blessings in each week.

I'm also linking up at Grace & Truth