Psalm 91, Shelter of God

Last week in a bible study, we studied Psalm 91. The leader pointed out that Psalm 91:1 is like the original 9-1-1:

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

The place where we can run to for help and comfort in times of trouble, the shelter of God.

Verses 2-4: I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

    my God, in whom I trust.”

Surely he will save you

    from the fowler’s snare

    and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers,

    and under his wings you will find refuge;

    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

Being sheltered under God’s wings is such a picture of comfort to me.

Verses 5-7: 

You will not fear the terror of night,

    nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

    nor the plague that destroys at midday.

A thousand may fall at your side,

    ten thousand at your right hand,

    but it will not come near you.

We discussed in our group that some of these specific promises may not be for all Christians. We all know that many tragedies do fall on believers.

But I wonder if, in a way, maybe we can claim these promises. Even if we are among those who fall, through whatever problem, if we have chosen to find our shelter with God, he is there in the midst of the trouble with us, holding us in his arms, covering us with his wings. Any of us can claim that promise.

Verses 14-15:

 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;

    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call on me, and I will answer him;

    I will be with him in trouble,

    I will deliver him and honor him.

Sweet Scent of Forgiveness, Delia Latham

I’ve found a new (to me,) fun author to share with you.

Delia and her husband Johnny live in East Texas, where their pampered Pomeranian, Kona, kindly allows them to share her home. The author enjoys multiple life roles as wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, but above all, she loves being a princess daughter to the King of kings. She admits to a lifelong, mostly unbattled Dr. Pepper addiction, and loves hearing from her readers.

www.delialatham.net

Sweet Scent of Forgiveness (The Potter's House Books Two) by [Latham, Delia

Kindle

$0.99 to buy

A life-changing message lies within the petals of a rose...

Norah Bradley has a delightful seven-year-old son, owns a thriving nursery business in the Sierra Blanca Mountains of New Mexico, and adores both. She’s past the horrors of earlier years and life is good.

Then Marcus Corman walks into her nursery looking for a couple of special rose bushes. Norah is surprised by her immediate attraction to the handsome customer. She hasn’t experienced this kind of magnetism since the day she met her late husband over eight years ago. Now she has neither time nor inclination for romantic nonsense.

Marcus isn’t looking for love either. His ex-wife abandoned him and their infant daughter years ago. Why bring another possible source of pain into little Juliet’s life?

Despite their reservations, Norah and Marcus find themselves thrust together when their children meet and become fast friends. But as their attraction becomes undeniable, a dark shadow from Norah's past finds her and her son. Will Marcus turn away as all is revealed?

Within the petals of a rose lies a profound message. Will they find it in time to save Norah's life and open the door to love?

Speakeasy: Collection 1 Kindle Edition

by Delia Latham(Author), Jean Pamplin(Author), Janet Ellington(Translator)

$0.99 to buy

Come on in...the atmosphere is cozy and the coffee’s a delight at the Speakeasy Coffeehouse in Quitman, Texas. The authors of this collection love the Speakeasy, and were inspired to write stories based around our favorite coffee venue. The building is old. Sometimes you just gotta wonder...if walls could talk, what fascinating tales might they tell? While we cannot discern the secrets forever sealed within the coffee shop walls, we hope you enjoy our contemporary fictional stories in which the Speakeasy is its own vivid character. Grab your favorite coffee and dive right in!

THE ROYAL GLITCH

The Speakeasy Coffeehouse’s brick walls seep history and the Royal typewriter fits right into the time period. The trouble is, it brings some guests with it.

COURAGEOUS HEARTS

A brief encounter with ‘Mr. Right’—that is, Nelson Wright, a retired international photographer—turns BrookLynn Laird’s heart upside down in the small town of Quitman, Texas. Two years a widow, she backs off, convinced she’s betraying her deceased husband. Will these two hearts, hesitant and haunted, ever find the courage to join as one?

SOMETHING ALMOST HEAVENLY

Business brings Mary Manners to Quitman, Texas. Soon after, in the Speakeasy Coffeehouse, she meets a mysterious new friend with a gentle, calming spirit, and a handsome minister whose kindness and sense of humor steal her heart in a flash. But along with those new relationships come unexpected changes of heart and startling peeks into her family’s history.

Psalm 119:113-120, Samekh

ס Samekh

I hate double-minded people,

    but I love your law.

You are my refuge and my shield;

    I have put my hope in your word.

Away from me, you evildoers,

    that I may keep the commands of my God!

Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live;

    do not let my hopes be dashed.

Uphold me, and I will be delivered;

    I will always have regard for your decrees.

You reject all who stray from your decrees,

    for their delusions come to nothing.

All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross;

    therefore I love your statutes.

My flesh trembles in fear of you;

    I stand in awe of your laws.

Father God, your word is clear about your love and grace, your patience and forgiveness and mercy. I believe this.

But your word is also definite about your hate for evil and unfair treatment of people.

Let me hate the evil and unfairness you hate, and teach me to offer your mercy and grace to those around me.

Flash's Story

My husband Murray and I are now teaching a braille transcribing class at a women’s correction facility.

This is not for people who are visually impaired, but to train students to produce braille books and other documents for those who do need to read braille.

Braille transcribing is much harder to learn than braille reading. I found this out when I took the transcribing class, after I’d been a braille reader for nearly forty years.

Transcribing has many rules about how to use and not use the different braille symbols, formatting the documents, much more. It is a tough course, and Murray and I appreciate how hard the women in our class are working to accomplish this difficult skill.

Part of what I do is come up with lessons to practice transcribing skills, as well as actual braille documents for the students to read, in order to practice proofreading.

Brailling out these reading practices is a challenge for me. The braille writer I use is similar to a manual typewriter. If I make a mistake toward the end of the page, I have to do the whole page over. I am so tempted to scratch out the mistake and explain it to them, but I want to encourage them to make their documents as perfect as possible.

So, yes, I have started many pages over. I also have to make sure not to use symbols which they haven’t learned yet. All this helps me appreciate the effort the women are putting into their work.

This week my reading practice lesson ended up being a story about my Mom’s dog, Flash. Next time I see Flash, I need to thank him for giving me material for a lesson.

Flash is the name of my mother’s dog.

His favorite day is Sunday because my brother Rodney brings treats.

When Mom leaves the house she says, “Flash, stay here; you’re in charge.”

The cats know now that Flash is old, he won’t eat their food.

When he was younger, he used to jump on everyone who came near.

Sometimes he ran so fast to jump on Mom, she feared he might knock her down.

He still takes his work seriously and barks every time we drive up.

My brother Jim gave Flash to my father as a puppy, and he brought Daddy joy for many days.

Those are some sweet memories I have, thinking of Daddy with his dog.

Mom never has been a real pet lover. “Dogs and cats need to stay out of the house,” she said. But I know she likes going out on the front porch to talk to old Flash.

Grace and Truth: John 8:1-11

The gospel of John is my favorite book of the bible, and here in chapter 8 is one of my favorite passages.

The Jewish leaders brought a woman caught in adultery to where Jesus was in the temple and asked if he thought they should stone her, as Moses said.

They didn’t care about the woman breaking the law. What they wanted was to trap Jesus, so they would have a reason to accuse him.

He was not threatened.

He said whoever had never sinned could throw the first stone, then he quietly went back to what he was doing.

They didn’t like Jesus, but his words convicted them. Every one of them left.

Jesus was left alone with the woman, the only one who rightfully could have stoned her.

But he said, “Then neither do I condemn you.”

Jesus was so calm during this interaction. The men must have been shouting; the woman was probably crying.

But Jesus, steady and unruffled, offered her hope for a new life. Uncondemned. And with confidence, he told her she could lead a life without sin.

She had probably given up on herself and her ability to lead a clean life.

And it wouldn’t be easy. Jesus knew that. He knows that for us too. But he is confident we can do it with his help.

Verses 9-11: At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Matthew 11:28-30:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

A Few Good Authors

Over the last year, I’ve written down names for some authors which have been new to me. I recommend these for an enjoyable time of reading. Faith, humor, suspense, mystery, romance—a great mixture.

Cathy Gohlke, Saving Amelie; Until we find home;

Stories of history, suspense and romance in World War II Europe.

Virginia Smith, Dr. Horatio vs. the Six-Toed Cat;

One of a series of family and community stories in Goose Creek Kentucky.

Jen Turano, After a Fashion;

1880s New York City. A story which takes you from rat-infested slums to a high society ball. The journey is fast and hysterical.

Dani Pettrey, Blind Spot;

Fast-paced romantic suspense.

Brandilyn Collins, Brink of Death;

Mystery and suspense.

Lisa Hauser and Dale Smith, Father-daughter writing team, Turn Back Time; Sunshine and shadow;

Story of a coal mining community in Kentucky during the Depression. Mystery, crises in the mines, family and community struggles and joys.

Sweet Memories: They still give me Butterflies in My Stomach

March 17, 1994: Yesterday, Caleb told us that when he grew up, he wanted to buy a ship. "I will tell the sailors to take it out into the deep ocean where there are sharks, so the people can see the sharks and tell me what they look like."

Right after midnight this morning, Rebecca knocked on our door. "Mommy, Sarah wants you to come in and lay down with her." Murray, figuring that Rebecca wanted something also, asked, "And what do you want?" "I want her to stop crying so I can go back to sleep," Rebecca replied.

Some friends were playing over today, and the little boy was playing with the girls' jewelry. Sarah didn't want him to, so his mother told him, "That's their private business." Sarah said assuredly, "No it isn't, it's just jewelry.”

Tonight, Rebecca and Ping-Hwei were playing Scrabble. Rebecca said, "I'll go first." Ping-Hwei said, "No, me." Rebecca answered him, "No, Ping-Hwei, I'm the little one."

March 25, 1997: The other day Sarah was asking me questions about Jerusalem, and then she said, "Is that where our God died?"

March 25, 1997: Tonight Rebecca and Caleb sat with Murray during a church service. The lesson was on forgiveness and the preacher, making the point that we all have difficulties in our pasts, asked the rhetorical question, "Who has perfect parents?" Rebecca and Caleb raised their hands.

March 26, 1997: Before the church service tonight, Murray wandered away to talk to someone. When he came back to the kids, Sarah was sitting on the lap of our friend Brenda, who had her hands around Sarah's waist. Brenda said, "She climbed up here by herself. Then she took my hands, put them around her, and said, 'My mommy puts her hands like this.' "Brenda, who doesn't have little girls anymore, looked pretty pleased.

March 28, 1997: Rebecca looked at the shopping list tonight, and said, "You put an 'e' on the end of tomato, and that's not good, so I'm circling it."

March 30, 1997: Sarah wanted to sit on Kathy's lap the other evening because, she said, "My forehead hurts." "I'm sorry," Kathy responded, "when did your forehead start hurting?" Sarah answered, "A few days ago."

April 6, 1997: On the way to church this morning, the kids were discussing heaven. "You can eat all you want there, and it won't give you a stomach ache," said Caleb. Rebecca responded, "Yes, you do get stomach aches, but you laugh at them."

We had dinner tonight at a restaurant with many people from our church. Murray wanted Sarah to come 3 or 4 seats over to sit next to him and told her, "Sarah, there's a chair right next to me." She said, "Well, I'm already in a chair."

Caleb told Kathy today, "When I shake my hands (and arms), I can hear something shaking in there."

Tonight, Ping-Hwei looked at the return address portion of a letter Murray wrote (Murray just uses street address and zip code), and said with concern, "No Murray McKinsey."

April 9, 1997: Yesterday Sarah was playing with the Mr. Potato Head game, and she got out the sheet of paper from the game which shows which accessories to put into which heads. She told me that when she was making the potato heads, "I obeyed the recipe."

Caleb had a program at school last night, and they were supposed to dress nicely. He told me, talking about a girl in his class, "Mercedes said she was going to go home and change herself into a dress."

April 11, 1997: Last night Sarah told Murray, "You can't take your seat belt off till the car stops rumbling."