90 days until pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training!
“No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.”
Michel de Montaigne, French essayist, 1533-1592 The Quotations Page
The word of the day is zamzawed, “Of food or a meal: spoiled by overcooking; overdone.”
Today, my father would have been 81 years old. In his honor, I will share a song that he loved to sing.
I got my copy of Fallout 76, yesterday, as expected. I didn’t get to play any, though, as it took several hours to download the first update. It’s kind of funny, even when you get a game on its release date, there are still updates to download and install. But it did finish the update, as I left the PS4 on when I went to bed, so I should be able to play a little bit tonight, at least get my character built and see what it looks like.
Congratulations to Blake Snell (AL) and Jacob DeGrom (NL) for winning Cy Young Awards. I will also congratulate Bob Melvin for winning AL manager of the year. I’m not mad about that. He took a team with virtually no payroll (Oakland) and managed them to the playoffs. That’s pretty impressive. Sure, Alex Cora also deserved it, but he had a much bigger payroll and a heck of a team this year. Brian Snitker of the Atlanta Braves won NL manager of the year.
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS
All Scriptures are from the ESV unless otherwise noted
He who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning and darkens the day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the LORD is his name
Amos 5:8
This morning, I’m just going to share a Psalm. Psalm 139 was one of my father’s favorites, and is one of my favorites, as well.
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,”
even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.
Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!
They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.
Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
“Much that passes as idealism is disguised hatred or disguised love of power.” ~ Bertrand Russell, 1872-1970, BrainyQuote
The word for today is looky-loo, “A person who comes or stops to look at something out of curiosity, especially when such attention is unwelcome.” Also, “A person who views something for sale with no genuine intention of making a purchase.”
It was a nice day, yesterday, in which nothing much happened. It rained for a good part of the day, and is supposed to rain more today. The high temperature for today is supposed to be 84 degrees. I’m not fooled, though. Summer is not over. It’s just a welcome break.
The Red Sox won both games of a double-header against Baltimore, yesterday. I did not realize there was a double-header until I received a notification of the results of the second game. But I do seem to remember a rain-out earlier in the season. The scores were 5-0 and 6-4. They are now 84-35 on the season, 49 games over .500. They are 9.5 games up in the AL East. They have another game against Baltimore this afternoon.
The Rangers lost to the Yankees, 5-3, making their record 52-67. The Astros lost, so they remain 21.5 out in the AL West. They are eighteen out in the Wild Card.
The longest current win streak is in the NL, with the St. Louis Cardinals winning four consecutive games.
We are getting ready for our worship gathering, this morning. We worship with The Exchange Church, which meets at the Northpark YMCA, at 9100 N. Beach Street, in Fort Worth. Our worship gathering begins at 10:15.
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS
All Scriptures are from the ESV unless otherwise noted
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,”
even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.
Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!
They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.
Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Psalm 139
I could write for days on this Psalm. I won’t say that it is my favorite, as I won’t pick only one of the Psalms as a favorite. But it is one of my favorite passages in the entire volume of Scripture. I also know that this Psalm was one of my father’s favorites. The words contained in this passage could either be a great comfort or a horrible terror, depending on the spiritual state of the one reading. For me, the words, “O LORD, you have searched me and known me” are a great comfort. I am happy to be known by God, even though it means that He knows the deepest depths of my depravity. It is a great relief to have everything known. There is no need for hiding; for concealment. Everything is on the table. In fact, He knows the thoughts and words even before they hit my brain or my tongue! And, I, along with King David, can say, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.”
To know that there is nowhere I can go where God is not is also a great comfort. It has only been a short while since I finally realized, in the depths of my heart, that God is always with me, no matter where I am! This is marvelous knowledge. I don’t have to go looking for Him. He is “at hand,” according to Philippians 4:5. My hand is at the end of my arm, and cannot get any farther away than that.
I hope that you can take great comfort in the words of King David, this morning, as you read this Psalm, just as I have. It makes for a good start to a day of worshiping with people we love.
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!
1 Chronicles 16:10-11
Father, I praise You that I am “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Sometimes I sit and look at my fingers while I move them, and am in awe of the wonder of our bodies. You are magnificent. Your thoughts are beyond measure. You are always with me! I cannot go anywhere You are not, and that is great comfort to me! You are our Protector and Provider. You are our Strength. And You are Love. Show me Your love today; show me Your holiness, and teach me to love others the way You have loved me. As we gather together, this morning, may You work in our lives; walk in our midst; show Your holy face to us, this morning. Shake us to our cores.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:22
Today is Tuesday, June 19, 2018. Day 22,013. Juneteenth.
Fifteen days until July 4!
148 days until Fallout 76!
“I loathe the expression ‘What makes him tick.’ It is the American mind, looking for simple and singular solution, that uses the foolish expression. A person not only ticks, he also chimes and strikes the hour, falls and breaks and has to be put together again, and sometimes stops like an electric clock in a thunderstorm.” ~ James Thurber, 1894-1961, The Quotations Page
The word for today is turophile, “a connoisseur or lover of cheese.” I would think I qualify. I’m no connoisseur, but I certainly love cheese.
Not really a whole lot to write about on a personal level, this morning. The Rangers beat the Royals by the score of 6-3, and are on a three-game winning streak. Their record is 30-44, and they remain 19 games out in the AL West. The Red Sox did not play last night.
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS
All Scriptures are from the ESV unless otherwise noted
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
Be not silent, O God of my praise!
For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues.
They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause.
In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer.
So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
Appoint a wicked man against him; let an accuser stand at his right hand.
When he is tried, let him come forth guilty; let his prayer be counted as sin!
May his days be few; may another take his office!
May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow!
May his children wander about and beg, seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!
May the creditor seize all that he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!
Let there be none to extend kindness to him, nor any to pity his fatherless children!
May his posterity be cut off; may his name be blotted out in the second generation!
May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out!
Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth!
For he did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and the brokenhearted, to put them to death.
He loved to curse; let curses come upon him! He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him!
He clothed himself with cursing as his coat; may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones!
May it be like a garment that he wraps around him, like a belt that he puts on every day!
May this be the reward of my accusers from the LORD, of those who speak evil against my life!
Psalm 109:1-20
So this is in the Bible. And, while it must be here for a reason, I’m pretty sure I could never bring myself to pray this kind of thing against someone, no matter how badly I had been treated. But I think it is okay for us to vent to God. Tell him how you feel about things. He can handle it.
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,”
even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.
Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!
They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.
Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Psalm 139
This Psalm was in my Bible reading plan for the day. This plan bounces around in the Psalms, depending on what the other portions for the day are. It has long been one of my favorites, as it speaks of the absolute, infinite knowledge that God has about us. It also speaks of his presence. Since he is everywhere, there is nowhere I can go that he is not. For some, this creates awkwardness, uncomfortableness, or even terror. For me, it is comfort.
Father, I do, indeed, praise you, for I am “fearfully and wonderfully made.” When I think about the human body, and the way it works, I am amazed. When I think about the fact that you are everywhere, all the time, my mind cannot take it in. “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.” Remind me of these things as I navigate the day ahead of me. There will be challenges; there will be pleasures; there will be joys. May they all reflect your presence in my life.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:22
“Not doing more than the average is what keeps the average down.~~William Lyon Phelps (Eduro)
Today’s word of the day, from the Oxford English Dictionary, is pseudepigrapha, “Books or writings that are falsely titled or attributed; spurious or pseudonymous writings.”
Today is Games Day, created in 1975 by a British game production company when another games convention got cancelled. So play your favorite game today.
Yesterday was pretty grand! I arrived at the First Presbyterian Church in Grapevine right at 10:00 (I was supposed to be there between 9:45 and 10:00, but the highway department people had other ideas and shut down part of Loop 820 in North Richland Hills). It was all very casual, though, as you might expect from a group of trombone players. There were probably a dozen of us, roughly three people per part, and five of us were from the Southlake Community Band! There were three high school students, as well, which, to me, makes it even more special. We practiced for about an hour and a half, then broke for lunch.
I met up with Rachel, Justin, Christi, and Stephanie, at Willhoite’s on Main Street for a buffet lunch. We had a very nice time at lunch, and the food was pretty good. Especially their Ranch Dressing. Delicious! After lunch, I walked back to the car and got my gear, which included a stand from the church, and walked back up to the Main Street Gazebo, where we set up and had our Yuleslide performance. It was great fun, and we sounded pretty good, especially for only having rehearsed once! Our set list was “Angels, We Have Heard on High,” “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” “I Saw Three Ships,” “Let It Snow,” “Lo, How A Rose,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “Ding Dong! Merrily On High,” “Up On the Housetop,” “The First Noel,” “Jingle Bells,” “The Holly and the Ivy,” and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” That’s a lot of music!
There was a nice little group of people that hung around and listened for the entire performance, and our kids seemed to really enjoy it. Stephanie told me several times how great we sounded. I’m already looking forward to next year!
Today, we have church at 10:15, and, since yesterday was taken up by Yuleslide, we’ll have to get our groceries this afternoon. Then we will get some rest, this evening, in preparation for a short work week leading up to Christmas Eve and Christmas.
On this date in:
1606–The Virginia Company loaded three ships with settlers and set sail to establish Jamestown, Virginia 1803–The Louisiana Purchase was completed 1860–South Carolina became the first state to secede from the United States 1987–The passenger ferry Dona Paz sank after colliding with an oil tanker in the Tablas Strait in the Phillipines, killing somewhere between 1700 and 4000 people. 2007–Elizabeth II became the oldest ever monarch of the UK, outliving Queen Victoria, who lived 81 years, 7 months, and 29 days.
Today’s birthdays include: 1868–Harvey Firestone, American automobile pioneer 1881–Branch Rickey, baseball executive 1917–Audrey Totter, American actress 1944–Bobby Colomby, American musician, Blood, Sweat & Tears 1945–Peter Criss, American musician, KISS 1948–Alan Parsons, British music producer and artist 1949–Cecil Cooper, American baseball player 1952–Jenny Agutter, English actress 1970–Nicole De Boer, Canadian actress, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 1976–Aubrey Huff, American baseball player 1981–James Shields, American baseball player 1982–David Cook, American singer, American Idol winner
Branch Rickey was the baseball executive who made the ground-breaking decision to bring Jackie Robinson into Major League Baseball in 1945. Born on this date in 1881, he died in 1965, at the age of 83. Here’s a short video of him talking about baseball.
Sacagawea, Annie Armstrong, John Steinbeck, Roy Disney, Bobby Darin, Richard Daley, Arthur Rubinstein, Carl Sagan, Hank Snow, Foster Brooks, and Brittany Murphy are among notable deaths on this date.
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL
(From Heart Aflame)
One more bit of John Calvin’s commentary on Psalm 139, concluding with verses 17-24.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
How often do we look at our hands and feet, and consider “the elegance of our shape?” How often do we consider our physical bodies and think of our life as coming from God? Calvin says, “Or if any recognise their life as coming from God, there is none at least who rises to the great truth that he who formed the ear, and the eye, and the understanding heart, himself hears, and sees and knows everything.”
David desires that others possess the same character as himself, being a “genuine worshipper of God.” He did not, and neither should we, think himself without sin, “for he groaned under the felt burden of his transgressions.” We depend fully upon the free grace of God and nothing else. Even so, David felt free to draw a distinction between himself and “the wicked,” and I think that this is a fair distinction. “While he denies that his heart was double or insincere, he does not profess exemption from all sin, but only that he was not devoted to wickedness.”
Father, it takes great courage to say, as David, “Search me, O God, and know my heart!” Of course, you don’t have to search me, because you already know my heart. You know its deepest, darkest places, and you know the places where you have free reign and control. I would that my entire heart would be fully devoted to you, free from darkness, deceit, and despair. Reign in my heart, my Father!
“The time is always right to do what is right.”~~Martin Luther King, Jr. (BrainyQuote)
Today’s word of the day, from the Oxford English Dictionary, fits me perfectly. It is philobiblian. The noun means, “a book-lover,” and the adjective form means, “fond of books; devoted to literature.”
Today is Look For An Evergreen Day. I guess this is a sort of last chance day for people who like to go out and get real trees for their Christmas tree.
Last night was one of those late ones. We were down two people, as some are trying to use up their PTO before the end of the year, and one of our people is on a real vacation . . . in Australia. CEVA doesn’t allow vacation rollover, so we have to use it up before the year ends. To make matters worse, one of our web tools that is a necessary component of our process was down almost all day. We were able to work around it, but it slowed us down, considerably. The result was that I didn’t leave work until 6:30 last night. And I was the first one to leave! I decided 10 hours was enough, and there wasn’t a lot left, at that point.
Christi made chili while I was on my way home, and we watched Thursday night’s recording of the PBA World Championship. It was great fun to see five bowlers I had never seen before vie for the title of World Champion. The winner was Gary Faulkner, Jr., who not only became the 34th bowler in history to have his first tournament win be a major tournament, he was also only the second African-American to ever win a major tournament. He was on fire! He was left-handed, which normally gives bowlers an advantage, but in this championship bout, four of the five bowlers were lefties, which made it more of a challenge. Faulkner, however, had a track to the pocket that wouldn’t quit, while all of the other bowlers struggled greatly with consistency. He bowled in three of the games, as he was third seed, and bowled 262, 247, and 216. The only reason the last game was that low was that, by the tenth frame, he had already won the championship, and he missed a single pin spare, because it really didn’t matter any more.
Today is Yuleslide, in Grapevine. I’ll be leaving in just under an hour to go to Grapevine. We will rehearse for a couple of hours, then break for lunch. The performance will be at the Main Street Gazebo, at 2:00 PM.
On this date in:
1907–239 coal miners died in an explosion in Jacobs Creek, Pennsylvania 1924–The last Rolls Royce Silver Ghost was sold in London 1941–Adolf Hitler became Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the German Army
Today’s birthdays include:
1894–Ford C. Frick, American baseball commissioner 1899–Martin Luther King, Sr., American Baptist minister, father of Martin Luther King, Jr. 1906–Leonid Brezhnev, leader of the Soviet Union 1909–W. A. Criswell, American Baptist preacher 1918–Professor Longhair, American blues musician 1920–David Susskind, American TV talk show host 1920–Little Jimmy Dickens, American country singer 1925–Robert B. Sherman, American songwriter 1933–Cicely Tyson, American actress 1934–Al Kaline, American baseball player 1935–Joanne Weaver, American baseball player, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League 1941–Maurice White, American singer/songwriter, Earth, Wind & Fire 1944–Zal Yanovsky, Canadian guitarist, The Lovin’ Spoonful 1944–Tim Reid, American actor, WKRP in Cincinnati 1944–Alvin Lee, English singer/guitarist, Ten Years After 1946–Robert Urich, American actor 1963–Jennifer Beals, American actress 1969–Kristy Swanson, American actress, Buffy, the Vampire Slayer 1972–Alyssa Milano, American actress 1980–Jake Gyllenhaal, American actor
Robert B. Sherman was a songwriter who wrote songs with his brother, Richard Morton Sherman. You may not be familiar with his name, but I bet you know some of his songs. This list includes “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Step In Time,” “The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers,” and this one:
Emily Bronte, V.C. Andrews, Jimmy Rogers, Hope Lange, and Dock Ellis are among notable deaths on this date.
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL
(From Heart Aflame)
More from John Calvin’s commentary on Psalm 139, today, verses 11-16.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
We mistakenly think that we can hide from God, under cover of darkness. “In words we all grant that God is omniscient; meanwhile what none would ever think of controverting we secretly make no account of whatsoever, in so far as we make no scruple of mocking God, and lack even that reverence of him which we extend to one of our fellow-creatures.” What on earth does that mean? I think it is more fully explained in the next sentence. “We are ashamed to let men know and witness our delinquincies [sic]; but we are as indifferent to what God may think of us, as if our sins were covered and veiled from his inspection.”
The more comforting words come in verses 13ff, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” For this reason, all the “windings and recesses of our hearts are known to him who, when we were inclosed [sic] in our mother’s womb, saw us as clearly and perfectly as if we had stood before him in the light of midday.”
It is no wonder that God, who miraculously created us, knitting us together in our mothers’ wombs, has such deep and exact knowledge of the internal workings of our hearts.
Father, I take great comfort in your perfect knowledge of me. I pray that you would remind me of this, from day to day, also reminding me that I cannot hide from you, nor should I try. I am fully open to you, as a book that you, yourself have written!
Today’s Word of the Day, fittingly, is omnipotent. “Having virtually unlimited authority or influence.” Our God is omnipotent. We also define this word as “all-powerful.”
Today is Kindergarten Day, commemorating the birthday of Friedrich Froebe, who is credited with starting the first kindergarten in Germany in 1837.
It is with great sadness that I report that my father, Kenneth Ray Bickley, was ushered into the arms of Jesus at 9:15 last night. Yesterday afternoon, around 5:20, the nursing home found him non-responsive with no pulse. This came as a bit of a surprise to us, as we had thought he was improving. However, Mom said that he wasn’t very responsive during the day, yesterday, while she was there. Mom and I had just had a great conversation as I was driving home. I was getting ready for my shower when I saw that I had a missed call from a number I didn’t recognize. The message was from the nursing home, trying to get hold of one of us. They had taken Dad to the hospital (which is right across the driveway from the nursing home). I called them, and that was when they told me that they had discovered him non-responsive with no pulse. EMTs had regained the pulse and taken him to the ER.
I called the ER, and was told by the doctor that he had had no pulse and was not breathing when he arrived at the ER. They revived him, yet again, and had him on a respirator. I called Mom, because the nursing home had not been able to reach her. She got a friend to take her to the hospital while Christi, Stephanie, and I hurried to Mineral Wells. When we arrived, they had just taken him to ICU, but things were not good. He was not breathing at all on his own. When we went back to the room, I think we all knew that he was already gone from us. The blood pressure was 50-something over 30-something, and that was with the maximum dose of meds. The respirator showed that the machine was breathing 12 times a minute for him, and he was doing nothing at all on his own.
A handful of church friends showed up to watch with us. After about an hour, they decided (with Mom’s approval) to turn off the blood pressure meds. The heart rate began declining slowly, but regularly. Finally, around 9PM, Mom decided (after checking with me) that it was time to turn off the respirator and let him go. The church friends left us alone in the room as the techs turned everything off. It only took about fifteen minutes. He never breathed on his own; the heart continued to beat for roughly fifteen minutes, and finally stopped. As I said, we felt sure that he was probably really gone, even as far back as the nursing home.
Rachel and Justin were with us, so the whole family was together. I am so very happy that it worked out that way. One of my fears was that there would come that phone all from my mother. But that didn’t happen. We got to be together! That was such a blessing.
Christi, Stephanie, and I spent the night in Mineral Wells, after Christi bravely drove back home to get some clothes and stuff for us. She didn’t get back here until almost 2AM! Today, we will go to the funeral home at 4PM. In a little bit, we are going to go up to the nursing home to get what little stuff Mom had taken up there for him.
It is hard, yes. But Mom is doing very well. She had already worked through most of this, as she knew it was inevitable. With the muscular disease that my dad was suffering from, he was getting weaker and weaker all the time. We all knew there was going to come a day when he would literally not be able to do anything for himself at all. It seems that God, in his ultimate plan, has spared us from all of this. It is apparent to me that the fall, on April 8, exacerbated the condition rapidly. Even though we were hopeful, we all held the silent thought that he was never going to bounce back from this. Mom has been an amazing inspiration through this!
His passing was peaceful, and, as far as we knew, there had not been any pain.
R.I.P. Kenneth Ray Bickley November 15, 1937-April 20, 2015
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL
Today’s devotion will consist of one of my Dad’s favorite Psalms.
O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,”
even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.
Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!
They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.
Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Psalm 139
Father, our hearts are grieving, this morning, but we also rejoice in the confident knowledge that our husband, father, and grandfather is safe in your arms today. Take care of my Daddy, Lord. We love him and we love you. Give us strength for this day, to do what needs to be done. Help us to remember all the details. Thank you for the amazing inspiration that my mother has been through all of this. Your grace is truly sufficient. We know this, today, more than ever.
I’ll probably be missing from WordPress for a few days. Thank you for all your prayers and positive thoughts.
Good morning. Today is Wednesday, November 7, 2012. Today is “Hug A Bear Day.” I vaguely resemble a bear. And I give free hugs. It is also “International Tongue Twister Day.” Everyone should read “Fox in Socks,” by Dr. Suess. Out loud.
On this date in 1665, the London Gazette was first published.
The Stoughton Musical Society was formed on this date in 1786. It is the oldest musical organization in the U.S.
On this date in 1872, the ship Mary Celeste set sail from New York. It was eventually found, totally deserted.
On this date in 1874, a carton by Thomas Nast features the first recorded usage of the elephant to symbolize the Republican Party.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were reportedly killed in San Vicente, Bolivia, on this date in 1908.
On this date in 1916, Jeannette Rankin became the first woman to be elected to the U.S. Congress.
On this date in 1940, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsed during a windstorm, due to the suspension cables being improperly “tuned.” It was pretty epic.
Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected for a record fourth term on this date in 1944.
On this date in 1967, Carl B. Stokes was elected mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, become the first African-American mayor of a major U.S. city.
On this date in 1980, the “King of Cool,” Steve McQueen, passed away from cancer, at the age of 50.
On this date in 1989, David Dinkins became the first African-American mayor of New York City.
Also in 1989, Douglas Wilder became the first elected African-American governor, winning the state of Virginia. Well…he didn’t win the state. He won the election for the state.
On this date in 1990, Mary Robinson became the first woman President of Ireland.
On this date in 2000, Hillary Clinton became the first First Lady to win a public office.
Today’s birthdays include Leon Trotsky, 1879, Billy Graham, 1918, Al Hirt, 1922, Jim Kaat (baseball player), 1938, Johnny Rivers, 1942, Joni Mitchell, 1943, Joe Niekro (baseball player), 1944.
We went to work out again last night. Well, Stephanie and I did. Christi didn’t feel like going last night. That’s three days in a row for Steph and me. My glucose level was 90 this morning. So maybe there really is something to the idea that exercise contributes to lowering that glucose level, because up until this week, it had been averaging a little over 100. The good news is that my A1C level (I had that checked on Saturday) was 5.6! I think that’s really good.
Father, I pray for a vision of you this morning. Teach me your ways that I may walk in your truth. Unite my heart to fear your name.
Today, I’m reading Psalm 139. Ah, yes. This is possibly my very favorite psalm of all. The extent of the omniscience of God is declared in this one.
1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
I think if we all truly thought about the truth of these verses before we did anything, it would drastically change the way we act and the things we do. God knows everything about me. Everything! And the thought that there can exist a Being who knows this much about 7,000,000,000 people? I can’t even wrap my brain around that. As David says, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.”
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
There is nowhere that I can go where God is not. Most of the time that’s a comfort. Unless I’m trying to hide from him, which is quite ridiculous, because it’s impossible. That time when God asked, “Adam, where are you?” Rhetorical question. He knew where Adam was. And if we truly believed the truth of these verses, we might not go some places, right? I’ve been in some pretty bad places in my life, and when I stop to think that God was right there with me, it shames me. But then it comforts me, because it means that, even when I was in the worst places, God did not abandon his child.
13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
More staggering truth. God knew me before I was born. Of course, I’ve been a “Calvinist” for many years, now, so I believe that God chose me to be saved, even before time began. The psalmist takes time to celebrate the wonderful works of the Lord, beginning with his own creation. Even before we are born, God looks on us and knows us. That, alone, should give us all a feeling of worth. You see, I can balance very well my feelings of unworthiness (due to my sin) and worthiness (due to the fact that God loves me and places value on me).
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.
Oh, to try to discern the thoughts of God! Impossible, as they are “more than the sand.” Some have tried to twist verse 17 to make it sound like God’s thoughts about me are precious. They try to say that the word “to” should be “toward.” I don’t buy that. Never have. The psalmist is reveling in the depth and preciousness of God’s thoughts. Period. He marvels at the fact that, after sleeping, he can wake up and God is still with him. God is ever-present. He never leaves us.
19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!
20 They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.
This segment almost seems out of place to me. I started to skip it completely, but I decided that it wouldn’t be fair. The psalmist is simply so close to God that he wants to distance himself from the wicked. Later, of course, we know that Jesus told us to love our enemies. Does that make these verses of scripture invalid? I don’t think so. I think we have to take into consideration David’s unique position as he writes this. He is king (more than likely this was written while he was king). So, as king, anyone who rises up against the Lord is also rising up against him.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
What a humble prayer! Of course, God already knows my thoughts. But to humbly invite him to look into my mind and heart, to test my heart and my thoughts…that requires some humility, and a true desire to change, should there be something found there that is not correct. “Lead me in the way…”
Today’s reading from My Utmost For His Highest is called “The Undetected Sacredness of Circumstances.” The scripture reading is from Romans 8:28, which says, And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. A lot of people love to quote this verse, or at least part of it. I like the way the English Standard Version (that’s what I always read and quote here) puts it. It is impossible to quote Romans 8:28 in the ESV and leave out the part about loving God. Most other versions make it possible by saying, “All things work together for good…” And most people stop right there when quoting this verse. But we can’t leave out the part about “for those who love God,” nor can we leave out the part that says, “for those who are called according to his purpose.” Anyway…enough of my rambling, let’s see what Chambers says.
“The circumstances of a saint’s life are ordained of God. In the life of a saint there is no such thing as chance.” BAM! We all need to make sure we understand that. “In the life of a saint there is no such thing as chance.” There are times that God brings us into circumstances that we simply do not understand. But we have to trust the hand of God in those situations. Chambers relates this to intercession, saying that, “Your part in intercessory prayer is not to enter into the agony of intercession, but to utilize the…circumstances God puts you in, and the…people He puts you amongst by His providence, to bring them before God’s throne and give the Spirit in you a chance to intercede for them.” I can vouch for this from experience. I can’t tell you the number of times I have opened the Facebook app on my iPhone at just the right time to see that a brother or sister has just posted a status of great need! That immediately allows me to begin to bring them before the throne of God. It was no accident, it was God’s providence!
I must not try to do the Holy Spirit’s work for him. I don’t believe it is wrong to have a “prayer list.” I have one, myself. I use it ever day, usually praying for these things on my morning drive to work. But I cannot quench the Spirit by saying that that’s it for the day. “I’ve said my prayers. Don’t try to confuse me by giving me something else to pray about during the day. I’ve done my duty.” No. My “duty” is to be praying “without ceasing.” My duty is to always be ready, at a moment’s notice to life up a need that suddenly comes to my attention. I must be sensitive to the circumstances. I must be sensitive to the Spirit.
Father, I praise you this morning for your wondrous works in my life. As I read Psalm 139, I am, once again, staggered by the depth with which you know me. I am humbled by the fact that you know everything about me.
Every thought (yes even the shameful ones)
Every word (even the ones that don’t honor you or please you)
Every emotion
And even every action before I’m going to do it.
I agree with the psalmist when he says that this is knowledge is too high for me; “I cannot attain it.” But I don’t need to “attain it.” I just simply need to rest in the knowledge that you have found worth in me and it was your pleasure to choose me and use me. I pray that I may meditate on your thoughts, Lord. Center my mind on the beauty of your words and the simplicity of your meditations. May I rest in the center of your holiness.
I pray that I will be sensitive to circumstances today, as I go about the everyday “stuff” of my life. I pray again today that I may make the “drudgery” of everyday life become worship to you. Give me opportunity to life someone up to you in intercession today. Make me sensitive to everything around me that I might “pray without ceasing.” I thank you for times in the past when things that were seemingly coincidental brought forth prayers for another saint’s need. You are sovereign, Lord! You are omniscient and omnipresent! I have to understand this and acknowledge your presence and power in my life.
I pray for this day. I pray for Christi, that she would feel better today, and that her pain will continue to be relieved. Give her a good work day today, and enable her to handle any stress that might come her way by looking to you for strength. I pray for Stephanie today. She was complaining of ears and head hurting last night (but she went to the gym anyway!), and had a very slight fever. I pray that she would feel better after a good night’s rest. And I pray that I will have a good work day, today, as well, staying focused on you and looking to you for strength, regardless of what circumstances arise.
I lift up an additional prayer today for the nation. I pray for all of my brothers and sisters who are convinced that the nation is doomed because President Obama was re-elected. I pray that you would instill upon them your sovereignty and the knowledge that you are not shocked or surprised. In fact, if scripture is true (and I believe it is) the election turned out just the way you planned it. I commit to praying for the President and other elected officials every day. I confess that I have been lax in doing so (not a total absence of prayers, but not every day), and pledge to rectify that. May you give our President and all other leaders your wisdom as they lead our nation.
Be aware of your circumstances today. How might they lead you to pray? Nothing happens by chance; it is all designed by our Sovereign Lord.
Spaces of Beauty, Grace, Prayer, and Mercy 