Abuelo Rigo

Greetings,

Yesterday my husband's grandfather, Abuelo Rigo, passed away; he was 96-years-old. It was sudden; it was sacred.  He stopped eating Tuesday after having a robust appetite all day Monday and every day before then.  Wednesday morning he woke up, and his breathing was slowing down.  One of his grandchildren, David, read to him the 23rd Psalm, and 10 minutes later he exhaled for the last time and saw our Lord. He had been bedridden for seven years, and my mother-in-law devoted herself to his care at her home in a dedicated room set up just for him.  What love and sacrifice.  He went to glory with the prettiest, healthiest skin you have ever seen and smelling like cologne!

I will forever remember him for his great love of dogs.  He had three little yappy Chihuahuas that loved him so much.  He always gave them whole wheat bread and butter for breakfast, and they were his constant companions, laying in bed with him for hours.  I learned yesterday for the first time that he was a groundskeeper at the Doral Golf Resort back in the 70s and immediately wished I would have asked more questions when I had the chance.

But what I do know is that he loved his wife very much  -  they were married for 74 years  -  and that because of his commitment to family, three daughters produced nine grandchildren who brought 20 great-grandchildren into this world. One grandson is a pastor, two granddaughters married pastors, a few great grandkids are musicians in church, others serve in different ministries like baby care and small groups, and everyone of us knows Jesus. What a beautiful legacy!     

In memory of him today we shall pray the very words that accompanied him on his journey home.

Psalm 23

Dear Lord, You are my shepherd; I have all that I need.  You let me rest in green meadows; You lead me beside peaceful streams.  You renew my strength and guide me along right paths. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I am not afraid, for You are close beside me. You protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. My cup overflows with blessings.  Surely Your goodness and unfailing love pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. Amen.

God Keeps Up The Chase~

Psalm 23:6 “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.”

When I was an elementary school student in Georgia, I used to walk up a little hill to the bus stop every morning.  Sometimes, if there was enough time, some of us kids who had saved our quarters from doing odd jobs for the neighbors would walk around the back of a Waffle House that was on the corner by the bus stop because it was a short cut to the Tenneco, a gas station/mini mart where we could buy candy before school.  (Sugar Babies were my favorite!) One fine day I found myself taking the shortcut to the Tenneco alone because none of the others wanted to go.

Midway to my destination a huge German shepherd appeared, and it immediately growled at me.  I did the only thing I could, which was run away.  It is a horrible feeling knowing there’s an angry animal with big teeth right behind you, but thank God it didn’t come after me.  Poor scared Yenisita.

What a difference to be pursued by God’s goodness and unfailing love.  By His kindness and forgiveness – His friendliness and tenderness.  And unlike that raggedy old dog, God is persistent.  He never gives up.  Each and every single day of your life God is pursuing you.  Even when you run away, when you don’t feel like praying, when you are too tired, bored, disinterested, faithless, hopeless, and mean, God keeps up the chase.  He knows we need Him to live a life of joy, peace, protection, provision, health, hope, and faith.

PRAYER:  Dear Lord, Thank You for never giving up on us.  Help us to embrace this truth: WE CAN NOT LIVE LIFE WITHOUT YOU!  This is why You pursue us; You know we need You every moment of every day!  Thank You for Your amazing love.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN!

Nightingale~

TGIF greetings,

Psalm 23:3 “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

Someone once said: “The 23^rd Psalm is the nightingale of the Psalms.  It sings the sweetest when the night is darkest.”

That is exactly what this Psalm has meant to me over the years.  

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* I originally shared this DEVO on January 31, 2012. 

Almost three years ago my precious and darling girl Rayray was t-boned by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel.  The car flipped four times and landed upside down against a tree.  Rachel fractured her collarbone, and sustained injuries requiring stitches after she had to crawl through glass to get out the window on the passenger's side. 

She called her dad, as she always does, and with a shaking voice explained what happened.  In one split second I felt the life leave my body and then come back to me when the paramedic said everything was OK.  Jorge and Hormone went to the hospital because I had just had surgery a few days earlier and was still convalescing. 

I had to wait over an hour for Jorge to get to the hospital, see Rachel, and indeed confirm she was alright.  And I remember making him swear that he wasn't lying to me – Rachel really was OK.  But it wasn't until she finally came home and that I could see her with my own eyes that I could exhale with relief and joy.  The car was a total loss.  Who cares?  Someone at the accident scene stole her phone and called their family in Guatemala to the tune of $700.  Who cares?  Rachel's favorite shoes were beyond repair.  Who cares? 

None of that matters.  It didn't even matter when we found out the other driver was uninsured.  And several months later when Rachel had to go to court because the state of Florida was prosecuting him for driving without insurance and running a red light, I was incredibly proud of her when she said she was overwhelmed with compassion for him because he was old and frail.  She forgave him.  Did I mention that all four passengers also walked away, and the three in the back were not even wearing seat belts? Lord, help us! 

But what I want you all to know is that I began that day unaware of how much I would need God's restoration.  Immediately after Rachel’s call I started crying, not some quiet dignified sniffle, but an all out boogery wailing fest and begged God to take care of my baby.  As the day wore on the peace of the Lord settled on me, and by the time the day was over I truly learned that (1) God cares for all the people I care about, and (2) He does a better job than I could ever do at protecting them.  That experience changed the way I pray, made me infinitely more grateful, and I knew that my soul – my very life had been restored.

One Bible version of this verse says, "He lets me catch my breath."

I can relate.  Maybe you are out of breath and tired about something right now.  Then let's go to the One Who is in the restoration business. 

 PRAYER: If Your Word says You restore souls it's because our souls need restoring.  Let us catch our breath today and reinvigorate our lives with Your goodness.  Everything truly will be alright because we have You on our side. AMEN~ 

I Shall Not Want~

Greetings dear brothers and sisters J

I love Psalm 23, and it’s a powerful reminder of Who is taking care of us.   Sometimes, just by looking at my reactions and behavior, you would think I have forgotten that God is busy in my life.

Verse 1: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”

This little nine-word phrase means big and beautiful things for us, and all we have to do is look at a shepherd’s job to know what God does for us.

God leads us to rest and safety. He knows in which direction we should head, and where the best pastures are for provision. He knows where the “wolves” are, so He watches over us.  If we stray from the flock, He stretches forth His hook and gently brings us back, and when the heat is on, He finds shelter for us.

Other versions of the Bible say, “I am never in need,” “I lack nothing,” and “I don’t need a thing.”  It’s never a question about whether God is doing His thing or not, but whether we want to take Him at His word and yield to His goodness.

If any of us feel as though we are in need of something, then it’s time to pray.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You are our Shepherd.  You put the responsibility on Yourself to care for us.  We yield to Your goodness and provision.  With You as our Shepherd, we are never in need.  Thank You that You are providing ___________ for ___________ right now.  In Jesus‘ name, AMEN~