Author: Susan Condry

Five doctors in four days! Plus new glasses, a bone density test, and new orthotics! But the time spent in waiting rooms has been productive. I completed the book AND the study guides for the next study at work that BEGINS next week. I also finished the book for a second study with life group ladies. A friend gave me JESUS CALLING this week for my 62nd birthday and it is already significantly impacting my life. Also for my birthday, James gave me RED LETTERS, a book with the words of Jesus from the “red letter editions” of the Bible. He did not know I had recently decided to go through the Bible simply reading the “red letters.” I feel like God is honoring this choice by prompting James to give me this book. And at 9 one evening I should not have picked up one of Francine Rivers’ books, A LINEAGE OF GRACE. Her style is so captivating that it is difficult for me to put the book down! This is a great book for my “treadmill reading” activity. Also, my book and 2 DVD’s arrived this week. The title is WINDOWS 8 FOR DUMMIES AND OFFICE 2013 FOR DUMMIES. The 2 Windows 8 dummies at our house are now tackling this challenge. So far I have completed two DIG-U courses and hope to finish several more next week. So, there has been a lot of “mind and body” emphasis this past week.

Some of the above also related to “soul” since we can’t compartmentalize precisely, but additional “soul food” has been served up through delivering Meals on Wheels. I served others through this needed organization three times this week and plan to serve five times next week. I am also scheduled for a shift for the AYSA volleyball tourney. Additionally, it has been great reconnecting with friends by having lunch together, and with family from three states! Besides the DIG-Gig and a life group get together, I counted 15 friends and family member connections. I am getting caught up with all the news in the lives of friends and family. The Lord has also repeated some things He had spoken to me in the past. Specifically, “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10) and “Cease striving” which is another way of saying “Be still and know God.” “Relax” and “Let go” are additional paraphrases. I have had some sweet times of quiet with the Lord. I have let go of anxiety and worry and turned those negative emotions into prayers and the choice to trust God and speak His Word over each situation that stirs up strife. I am thankful that I do not have to lean on my own understanding because God will direct my paths as I trust in Him (Prov. 3:5-6).

Thank you, Kris, and FDLIC for this wonderful opportunity. It has been BUSY but BLESSED!

Sitting on the couch on the official first day of my mini-Sabbatical, I was excited as I thought about getting done all the things I have planned and to get to mark them off my always long to-do list. It was just like my loving Father to show me right off that He’d love to meet with “Mary” instead of chasing “Martha” around town. It was no accident that I unthinkingly selected a book that had been gathering dust on the shelf alongside the many other “wanta-read-sometime” books and was taking some time to start the day with words of wisdom. The title is HAVING A MARY SPIRIT and is written by the author of HAVING A MARY HEART IN A MARTHA WORLD. Here are things I heard God saying through this book:
1. leave duties and devote time with Jesus
2. rather than striving, learn what abiding means–don’t be continually striving and never arriving
3. through the author of the book, God reiterated R. T. Kendall’s message from Sunday – “God never withholds good except when He has something better to give. Whether it’s refusing more help in the kitchen or the miraculous healing of your brother, you can be sure Jesus knows what He’s doing when He says no to our earthly requests in order to say yes to His heavenly plan.”
4. learn the balance between “a soul at rest and a body in motion, between working hard for Christ and sitting at His feet”
5. “It is in You and through You that we find our life and have our being. You take what we are and make us what we were meant to be. Partakers of Your divine nature. Reflections of Your glory.”

So, in the midst of life, I seek LIFE.

I am eager for more abiding time to balance the being helpers of people time and exercising time and study times.

As I take time to first abide, I think that Jesus will ride by my side as I am going and doing. Sweet!

One of the greatest blessings of a sabbatical, a time set apart, is the time set apart for reading the Bible and hearing from God. He is always faithful in giving me new insights when I am faithful to take the time to listen! This is what He said today as I was reading Ps. 92:

We hear the slogan, “Go Green” which encourages care for our environment. Ps. 92 tells me how to stay fresh and green along with bearing fruit even in old age (got another birthday in 2 weeks!). “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree…planted in the house of the Lord.” Can you even imagine the type of loving attention and care a palm tree in the Master Gardner’s house would receive?! Isn’t it amazing that HE gives US HIS righteousness when we receive HIS gift of salvation? AND THEN HE rewards our lives as we walk in that righteousness! We stay fresh and green as we proclaim, “The Lord is upright; He is my Rock.” May we flourish, flower and bear fruit as we faithfully follow and hallow our Father!

Today is the “longest day of the year” since we will have more daylight minutes than any other day. Following today, the number of daylight minutes diminish until December’s next solstice. Then the daylight minutes will increase until June of next year, the subsequent solstice.

But the days will keep being 86,400 seconds long – they’re just a bit darker.

God exhorts us to make the most of each day especially as we seek to be “salt and light” in dealing with another kind of darkness in our world.

Hope MacDonald’s comments on Psalm 91 from my devotional Bible address this and give us encouragement. Her 6 year old grandson slept with his grandfather’s well-worn Bible under his pillow, declaring it was almost like sleeping with Jesus. Ms. MacDonald asked herself if she were also resting in the shadow of the Almighty. She challenged us to daily read Psalm 91 for 30 days because this triumphant song of faith reminds us that God is our dwelling place and refuge in the midst of the universal evil surrounding us and the dangers and heartaches we face in this lost and fallen world. However, Psalm 91 also reminds us we are not left alone, that God’s faithfulness is our constant shield, and that He is so close that we are covered by His shadow. She states, “We are given a fresh glimpse into all that is ours through Jesus Christ our Lord. We come away from this psalm with an overwhelming sense of awe and wonder at God’s continual provision for us.”

What will we do with our 86,400 seconds today??? Since I am on Sabbatical, I will again deliver Meals on Wheels, have a doctor’s appointment, do laundry for missionary friends moving their daughter to NY today, exercise, and hopefully encourage YOU! Also, I have begun my daily reading of Psalm 91 for 30 days in hopes that the light shed on life by the Light of the World will give me encouragement, courage and blessings to pass on in hopes of lighting the way for others.

Shine long and brightly!

Since I am thinking about not accomplishing all the grandiose plans I had in mind for these two weeks, I needed this reminder from a devotion I read this morning:

“Take each day one day at a time.
If things did not work out yesterday, it does not really matter.
If they don’t work out tomorrow, it does not matter either.
What does matter is today.

Too often we get caught up thinking about all the things we haven’t done or dreaming of all the things we ought to do, and we have no time to actually do the things we have set before us right now.

God’s people live in the present. They learn from the past and hope for the future, but they make the most of every single moment of every day.

Live for today and see the miracles and success!”

I heard last week about a book called MY HAIR AND GOD’S MERCIES – NEW EVERY MORNING. True dat!!! May we recognize and enjoy His fresh mercies each new day! May we enjoy the journey! I plan to rejoice and be glad today – good idea!

In a devotional reading in my Bible entitled “Wise Use of Rest,” the author, Glen Karssen, states that a person needs 3 attitudes to use a time of rest profitably: gratitude for previous blessings, a desire to correct past mistakes and prevent them in the future, and a willingness to occupy himself constructively.
1. Attitude of gratitude — I am blessed, blessed, blessed! And I am taking time to express this to the Lord and to FDLIC for this provision. THANK YOU!!!
2. Correction and prevention – I am taking time for people with lunch dates, going out of town to visit friends who moved a few years ago, and extra hubby time. Also correction and prevention is happening with check ups, eye exam, dentist, etc. (I have FIVE appointments!).
3. Constructive occupation – I am serving a number of times as a substitute route volunteer for Meals on Wheels, cleaning up with deep house cleaning work that has accumulated, cleaning out and giving away other accumulations and organizing what remains, hoping to learn and use our I-Pad and Pinterest and DIG-U, wanting to complete the Living Family Journal, planning to spend some time going through my current 492 messages in my email box and reading and filing or tossing them, scheduling exercise time and reading my Bible and book study material — these are a few of my favorite things that I want to wisely use this time off to do.
When I get rid of clutter, whether it is in my mind with negative thinking, or in my house with STUFF, or on my computer with unread/unfiled material, I gain a sense of accomplishment and freedom and a special kind of peace, and yes, rest and renewal. I am really looking forward to this profitable use of rest and I am very thankful for it!