Blessed Is The Man August 2009 "O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted. I am about to set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of rubies, and your gates of jewels. All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the prosperity (peace and undisturbed composure) of your children." Isaiah 55:11-13 Psalm 1:1-6 1. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord. And in His law does he meditate day and night. 3. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. 4. The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand In the judgment. Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish. (NKJV) While in 3rd grade I attended Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in Kalamazoo, MI. My teacher, Mrs. Menninga was very instrumental in challenging me to stretch my confidence.  I was always a very shy girl.  As the year progressed she allowed me to assist her in many ways and I really loved school.  She helped me to open up and instilled an element of confidence in me that has stayed with me. When it came time to prepare for our annual school play she asked me to be the one to open the assembly by reciting the 1st Psalm.  I was to know the 6 verses of this chapter inside and out.  With her help, studying all the time and Mama's help, I learned it by heart. The auditorium was filled with the students, teachers and families of all the students and it all came off without a hitch.  I had to hold the Bible in my hand but I knew if I looked at it I would get lost and not be able to finish correctly.  Talk about butterflies, I was so scared. The whole play came out extremely well.  This was when we could still pray in school and did everyday and read the Bible, too, after saying the pledge of allegiance.  That was in 1963, the same year President John F. Kennedy was shot and Daddy served in and came home from Viet Nam.  It was a very impressionable time for me.  We lived near my Mom's parents, Grandma & Grandpa Bodi. As time progressed Psalm 1 lived in me, actually in the recesses of my mind and heart. The times I was in places that I shouldn't be I would begin to hear this scripture out loud. Often I would look around to see if I was the only one hearing it.  I just knew everyone else heard it, too.  But, no, it was just me hearing it and I was hearing it loud and clear. I am a testament to the scripture that says, "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it." Pr. 22:6 My prayer for you today is that you will not keep from encouraging your children or those children you may teach to put the Word of God in no matter how you go about doing it.  I worked hard to learn these verses and have never forgotten them.  Often I go back and reread a story I wrote several years ago about this experience.  Be sure to read the Word to those you have an opportunity to influence.  Don't just read it but challenge them to read and learn it as well.  I trust you will see God's reward in your lifetime as you put the Word first place in your life and teach your family and friends to do the same.  May the Lord richly bless you as you go along your day. I pray that God will bring heavenly insight to your heart just the moment you need it and use that insight for each situation that comes along. © 2009 ©