I have posted here many time about how much music ministers to me. Yesterday as I was driving home from a baby shower I heard this song by Point of Grace on the radio that I had never heard before. It made me think "do I actually thank God for my scars?" The physical scars on my body remind me of some painful times. There is the scar on my wrist from when I tried to get my brother to let me in the house by banging on the window and my hand went through the window. There is a scar on my big toe from when I was a child and jumped in the wading pool where there was a coffee can and the rim was off of it and it cut my foot (yes they used to make coffee cans out of metal:)) There is the scar on my left leg where I broke it and had a rod in it in 1985. There are the scars from my gall bladder surgery and hysterectomy. And then there are the many scars from my car accident and that journey. Each one constantly reminds me of the incident that caused them. But what about the emotional scars? The times I walked away from God and made decisions that were against His holiness?? Do I really want to remember those times? I am so thankful that God has forgiven me as far as the east is from the west and He remembers those sins no more. But I remember them, and this song helped me stop once again and thank Him for His mercy and His grace. Perhaps those scars on my heart will keep me praising Him for who He is and what He has done for me.
I used to wish that I could rewrite history
I used to dream that each mistake could be erased
Then I could just pretend I never knew the me back then
I used to pray that You would take this shame away
Hide all the evidence of who I've been
But it's the memory of the place You brought me from
That keeps me on my knees
And even though I'm free
Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar
I have not lived a life that boasts of anything
I don't take pride in what I bring
But I'll build an altar with rubble that You've found me in
And every stone will sing of what You can redeem
Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar
Don't let me forget
Everything You've done for me
Don't let me forget the beauty in the suffering
Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Sunday Snippets
Steve and I attended Watermark Community Church today and were blessed by the worship and sermon. There were a couple of songs I wanted to post about, but I have googled some of the lyrics and cannot find them. One in particular referred to Salvation living inside of me. I stand amazed that almighty God loves me and inhabits me. I think if I dwelt on that more often it would motivate me to be a better temple for Him to dwell in. The sermon was the final installment of a series on the Lord's prayer. I thought Todd made an interesting point in that Jesus never said that prayer for us to use it as a prayer to recite. In fact He tells them not to recite words over and over in Matthew 6:7. Prayer is where we line ourselves up with God's purposes. Because we know that God is always good and always provides we can be full of joy. Joy is not dependent on circumstances it is dependent on knowing God is good. God does not bless us in order to increase our standard of living but He blesses us to increase our standard of giving.
He then spent quite a bit of time talking about forgiveness. I have posted here before that the thing that makes forgiveness easier is the realization of how much God has forgiven me. Because God has shed His grace on me, I am to be a grace extender to others. Todd did bring up something new for me to contemplate. Forgiveness is not an emotional decision. If we waited until we feel like forgiving, we might never forgive. He gave this definition of forgiveness "A decision to continually and purposefully commit to be driven by love towards the people who abused you." Forgiveness is intentional. I am motivated by the love of God to love others with the love of God. It is easy for me to rationalize and say that someone doesn't deserve to be forgiven because they have not said they are sorry. Their confession is not what motivates my forgiveness, it motivates reconciliation. So it is possible to forgive but not be reconciled.
I live in thankfulness for the amazing ways that my God has forgiven me and I look forward to the times in my life that I will be able to extend that forgiveness to others.
He then spent quite a bit of time talking about forgiveness. I have posted here before that the thing that makes forgiveness easier is the realization of how much God has forgiven me. Because God has shed His grace on me, I am to be a grace extender to others. Todd did bring up something new for me to contemplate. Forgiveness is not an emotional decision. If we waited until we feel like forgiving, we might never forgive. He gave this definition of forgiveness "A decision to continually and purposefully commit to be driven by love towards the people who abused you." Forgiveness is intentional. I am motivated by the love of God to love others with the love of God. It is easy for me to rationalize and say that someone doesn't deserve to be forgiven because they have not said they are sorry. Their confession is not what motivates my forgiveness, it motivates reconciliation. So it is possible to forgive but not be reconciled.
I live in thankfulness for the amazing ways that my God has forgiven me and I look forward to the times in my life that I will be able to extend that forgiveness to others.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
If Only....
I don't know about you, but I often wonder why we make things so hard? God has made things pretty clear in His Word, and if we would just follow what He says, life could be so much better. But our flesh gets in the way and instead of seeing how closely to His Word we can walk, we tend to see how far away we can get but still be okay?? There is nothing that God has asked us to do that is not for our own good. His ways have a reason, and whether we agree with them or not is not the issue. He knows what is best for us. So when the Bible says "God hates divorce", it is because He knows the consequences for His children. I found this recent article on Citizenlink.com interesting. Who knew a Supreme Court could actually take a biblical stand?
"A dozen billboards around the state of Georgia urge citizens of the Peach State to “Get Married, Stay Married.”
The sponsor of the billboards is not a pro-family organization, a church, or even a coalition of churches.
The sponsor? The Georgia Supreme Court.
The billboards, 48 feet wide and 14 feet tall, add the slogans “Children do better with parents together” or “For Children’s Sake.”
The cost of $50,000 was picked up by the Georgia State Bar, and an outdoor advertising association donated the billboard space.
The billboards were posted in connection with a two-day conference, sponsored by the high court, designed to explore ways of strengthening marriage.
Georgia’s chief justice correctly observed that, “If we can’t do something about family dysfunction, we can’t do much about crime,” and added that the state faces a “crisis with families, divorce and crime.”
And Georgia’s governor reinforced the idea that strengthening the institution of marriage is not just a private matter but has enormous public policy implications as well. He noted that cases involving broken families “clog the courts of our state,” and the breakdown of the nuclear family is adding enormously to the state’s overburdened penal system.
An astonishing 72% of Georgia’s incarcerated juveniles are from fragmented families, and 65% of trial cases now concern families and children. Sixty percent of poor families are led by single mothers and 25,000 Georgia youths a year – 25,000!! – are admitted to detention centers.
“Children of divorced families,” said the governor, “are 12 times more likely to wind up in prison.”
The chief justice agrees, arguing that marriage is the best crime and poverty prevention program that exists, and laments the fact that “we are growing up in a culture where there is no shame or expectation or understanding” of the problems of divorce and absentee fathers."
"A dozen billboards around the state of Georgia urge citizens of the Peach State to “Get Married, Stay Married.”
The sponsor of the billboards is not a pro-family organization, a church, or even a coalition of churches.
The sponsor? The Georgia Supreme Court.
The billboards, 48 feet wide and 14 feet tall, add the slogans “Children do better with parents together” or “For Children’s Sake.”
The cost of $50,000 was picked up by the Georgia State Bar, and an outdoor advertising association donated the billboard space.
The billboards were posted in connection with a two-day conference, sponsored by the high court, designed to explore ways of strengthening marriage.
Georgia’s chief justice correctly observed that, “If we can’t do something about family dysfunction, we can’t do much about crime,” and added that the state faces a “crisis with families, divorce and crime.”
And Georgia’s governor reinforced the idea that strengthening the institution of marriage is not just a private matter but has enormous public policy implications as well. He noted that cases involving broken families “clog the courts of our state,” and the breakdown of the nuclear family is adding enormously to the state’s overburdened penal system.
An astonishing 72% of Georgia’s incarcerated juveniles are from fragmented families, and 65% of trial cases now concern families and children. Sixty percent of poor families are led by single mothers and 25,000 Georgia youths a year – 25,000!! – are admitted to detention centers.
“Children of divorced families,” said the governor, “are 12 times more likely to wind up in prison.”
The chief justice agrees, arguing that marriage is the best crime and poverty prevention program that exists, and laments the fact that “we are growing up in a culture where there is no shame or expectation or understanding” of the problems of divorce and absentee fathers."
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Spur One Another On
I thought this was a good post by Mike Cope the other day. I thought it would be neat to ask the same question and hope that some of you will reply.
"Paul established the church in Thessalonica on his 2nd missionary journey (Acts 17). He left under the pressure of persecution. As he reflected on his ministry there, he described it as that of an encouraging father.
Before long, Paul found himself in Athens but couldn’t stand not knowing how the young group of believers in Macedonia was, so he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to encourage them.
Now, as he writes 1 Thessalonians from Corinth, he told them to encourage each other (4:18; 5:11).
What would happen to a church if the people there devoted themselves to encouragement? What if we learned in the assemblies how to spur one another on to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24f)? What if we found ways through notes, emails, text messages, calls, etc., to build each other up through the week? "
Who is it that encourages you and spurs you on to good works?
I think the two people in my life that spur me on to good works with their words of encouragement would be my husband Steve and my mother.
"Paul established the church in Thessalonica on his 2nd missionary journey (Acts 17). He left under the pressure of persecution. As he reflected on his ministry there, he described it as that of an encouraging father.
Before long, Paul found himself in Athens but couldn’t stand not knowing how the young group of believers in Macedonia was, so he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to encourage them.
Now, as he writes 1 Thessalonians from Corinth, he told them to encourage each other (4:18; 5:11).
What would happen to a church if the people there devoted themselves to encouragement? What if we learned in the assemblies how to spur one another on to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24f)? What if we found ways through notes, emails, text messages, calls, etc., to build each other up through the week? "
Who is it that encourages you and spurs you on to good works?
I think the two people in my life that spur me on to good works with their words of encouragement would be my husband Steve and my mother.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Slum Dog Millionaire
So watching the Academy Awards Sunday night who would not be touched by the sweet faces and voices that accepted award after award for Slum Dog Millionaire? Those sweet little children and knowing they were having an experience of a lifetime. So I told my mother yesterday afternoon "why don't we go see Slum Dog tomorrow afternoon". Then last night I searched movie times and discovered the movie was rated "R". No......I then went and researched why it was rated "R" and this is what I found.
"Slumdog Millionaire is, quite simply, one of the best films of 2008. It is a fable, and if you try to apply the strict rules of reality, you will come away disappointed. Instead, surrender to the contrived magic of a film that dares to use dialogue like this …
"Come away with me." "And live on what?""Love."
Director Danny Boyle on the 'Slumdog' set… with not only a straight face, but an unabashed, unrepentant, irrepressible idealism. Slumdog Millionaire pulsates with life and should be celebrated loudly and lustfully. You won't find a better romantic crowd-pleaser all year. Although there is sadness and tragedy in a film that examines poverty with a Dickensian forensic lens, there is also something greater—humanity and humor, dignity and majesty that never ceases to shine through."
Oh yeah...my kind of movie then I kept on reading.
Much of Jamal's life has been spent searching for Latika, his childhood friend and adulthood love. Jamal loses her several times but always finds her again—a loving pursuit that has a spiritual echo. Theirs is a chaste affair, and he's the very model of chivalry: When she needs a towel after a shower, he gives her one with his eyes squinched shut. And after Latika's face is disfigured by a knife, Jamal gently kisses the scars.
The film's most religious person is, improbably, Salim. When he hears from his brother as an adult (after the pair has been separated for a long time), his first words are "God is great." He may be a killer by vocation, but he still wakes up early in the morning to bow toward Mecca, praying for the forgiveness of his sins.
So I keep on reading trying to find out why it is rated "R".
Seems like there is quite a bit of violence that I won't write about so not to ruin the plot for others of you. Then I read this next:
"Deeply accented English makes a precise profanity count difficult: There are at least three f-words, close to 10 s-words and a handful of uses of "b--ch," "d--n," "h---" and "bloody." God's name is misused four or five times. Vulgar words sporadically stand in for the names of sexual body parts."
A lengthy scene takes place around shack-like, open-bottomed latrines. It includes frank talk about bodily functions and culminates with Jamal diving into raw sewage to escape a locked outhouse. The boys make rude sexual gestures....
An 8-year-old Salim is seen naked from the side and rear: He runs to the showers after Latika mischievously crunches up hot chilies and places them on his genitals (hidden from moviegoers by a blanket) while he's sleeping. The scene is played for laughs, with Latika and the rest of the orphanage chortling over his reaction."
Well bummer, now I can't go see the movie. I can't in good conscience go see a movie where I know there is going to be vulgarity and taking the Lord's name in vain. It is just the line I draw for myself in trying to apply Philippians 4:8 to my life. "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."
"Slumdog Millionaire is, quite simply, one of the best films of 2008. It is a fable, and if you try to apply the strict rules of reality, you will come away disappointed. Instead, surrender to the contrived magic of a film that dares to use dialogue like this …
"Come away with me." "And live on what?""Love."
Director Danny Boyle on the 'Slumdog' set… with not only a straight face, but an unabashed, unrepentant, irrepressible idealism. Slumdog Millionaire pulsates with life and should be celebrated loudly and lustfully. You won't find a better romantic crowd-pleaser all year. Although there is sadness and tragedy in a film that examines poverty with a Dickensian forensic lens, there is also something greater—humanity and humor, dignity and majesty that never ceases to shine through."
Oh yeah...my kind of movie then I kept on reading.
Much of Jamal's life has been spent searching for Latika, his childhood friend and adulthood love. Jamal loses her several times but always finds her again—a loving pursuit that has a spiritual echo. Theirs is a chaste affair, and he's the very model of chivalry: When she needs a towel after a shower, he gives her one with his eyes squinched shut. And after Latika's face is disfigured by a knife, Jamal gently kisses the scars.
The film's most religious person is, improbably, Salim. When he hears from his brother as an adult (after the pair has been separated for a long time), his first words are "God is great." He may be a killer by vocation, but he still wakes up early in the morning to bow toward Mecca, praying for the forgiveness of his sins.
So I keep on reading trying to find out why it is rated "R".
Seems like there is quite a bit of violence that I won't write about so not to ruin the plot for others of you. Then I read this next:
"Deeply accented English makes a precise profanity count difficult: There are at least three f-words, close to 10 s-words and a handful of uses of "b--ch," "d--n," "h---" and "bloody." God's name is misused four or five times. Vulgar words sporadically stand in for the names of sexual body parts."
A lengthy scene takes place around shack-like, open-bottomed latrines. It includes frank talk about bodily functions and culminates with Jamal diving into raw sewage to escape a locked outhouse. The boys make rude sexual gestures....
An 8-year-old Salim is seen naked from the side and rear: He runs to the showers after Latika mischievously crunches up hot chilies and places them on his genitals (hidden from moviegoers by a blanket) while he's sleeping. The scene is played for laughs, with Latika and the rest of the orphanage chortling over his reaction."
Well bummer, now I can't go see the movie. I can't in good conscience go see a movie where I know there is going to be vulgarity and taking the Lord's name in vain. It is just the line I draw for myself in trying to apply Philippians 4:8 to my life. "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."
Monday, February 23, 2009
Ladies Retreat
I was the chairman of our Ladies Retreat committee again this year and am thankful that all the many details that we planned for months and months were blessed by our great God and we had a wonderful weekend. 58 ladies were able to enjoy our time together.
Our theme was "Quilted By The Master: Pieced Together For His Kingdom".
We had found a book entitled "Quilts from Heaven: Parables from the Patchwork of Life" by Lucinda Secrest McDowell. We decided the quilt has basically four parts: the scraps, the batting, the lining and the binding. So we designed 4 sessions around those four parts. The scraps were each of us as individuals and what God is doing in our lives. We entitled our first session, "Patterns of His Faithfulness". We were blessed to hear from Angie Akeman and her story of God's faithfulness in her life of helping she and her husband survive a difficult time with his depression, how he helped them survive over fiver years of infertility and how He remains faithful as they now have a medically challenged 3 1/2 year old, who has spent 369 days of her life in the hospital. Angie reminded us to hang on to God's truths. A few that are important to her are:
God is good
God never leaves us to walk the journey alone
He is not surprised by anything
He is sovereign
He is working, even if we can't see it.
We are created the way He wants us to be. Her quilt pattern was "Broken Dishes" and we emphasized that God can take all of our pieces if we give them to Him and make a masterpiece.
Our second session was entitled the "Stitches of His Love" and our Speaker was Lajuana Bryan (who will be 80 in two months) she did a wonderful job of speaking to us about how God takes us as individuals and places us into community and the things we can do to either build that community up or tear it down. She also told us several stories about her dear husband Alan who died several years ago but was passionate about evangelism while He was alive. It was so obvious she misses him dearly, but is committed to carrying on his legacy as she wants to tell others about her Lord. Her quilt pattern was called "Sunbonnet Sue" Our third session was entitled "Lining of His Grace" and our speaker was Carla Holland, the mother of our missionaries Chad and Amy Carter. Her quilt pattern was "Trip Around The World" and she helped us realize how God desires us to reach out to the world with His good news.
Our final session on Sunday morning was entitled "Binding Our Lives to God's Direction". Our speaker was Angela Tooley. Her quilt pattern was the Mariner's Compass and she did a great job of helping us see how God is the one to direct our lives. My favorite quote from Angela was "God does not give us an itinerary, He just points us in the right direction?" Angela also paraphrased I Corinthians 12.
"Now the quilt is not made of one piece but many. If the lining should say because I am not the top I do not belong to the quilt, it would not for that reason because to be part of the quilt. And if the batting should say, because I am not the beautiful stitch work, I do not belong to the quilt, it would not case to be part of the quilt. If the whole quilt was just the batting where would the beautiful pattern design be? But in fact God has arranged the parts and pieces of the quilt, every one of them. Just as He wanted them to be." It was a perfect paraphrase for our retreat and just pulled the whole weekend together.
A really neat activity we did was to make 4 prayer quilts. A prayer quilt is a quilt that has ties on it and you say a prayer and tie and knot and the reciever of the quilt is then covered in prayers. We made one for our missionary Amy, two for sweet ladies at R.E. who have been battling illnesses and one for Pam Cope of Touch A Life Foundation.
The blessing of being on the planning committee is watching God just do His thing and bring all the pieces His together. We give Him the praise and the glory for a wonderful weekend.
Our theme was "Quilted By The Master: Pieced Together For His Kingdom".
We had found a book entitled "Quilts from Heaven: Parables from the Patchwork of Life" by Lucinda Secrest McDowell. We decided the quilt has basically four parts: the scraps, the batting, the lining and the binding. So we designed 4 sessions around those four parts. The scraps were each of us as individuals and what God is doing in our lives. We entitled our first session, "Patterns of His Faithfulness". We were blessed to hear from Angie Akeman and her story of God's faithfulness in her life of helping she and her husband survive a difficult time with his depression, how he helped them survive over fiver years of infertility and how He remains faithful as they now have a medically challenged 3 1/2 year old, who has spent 369 days of her life in the hospital. Angie reminded us to hang on to God's truths. A few that are important to her are:
God is good
God never leaves us to walk the journey alone
He is not surprised by anything
He is sovereign
He is working, even if we can't see it.
We are created the way He wants us to be. Her quilt pattern was "Broken Dishes" and we emphasized that God can take all of our pieces if we give them to Him and make a masterpiece.
Our second session was entitled the "Stitches of His Love" and our Speaker was Lajuana Bryan (who will be 80 in two months) she did a wonderful job of speaking to us about how God takes us as individuals and places us into community and the things we can do to either build that community up or tear it down. She also told us several stories about her dear husband Alan who died several years ago but was passionate about evangelism while He was alive. It was so obvious she misses him dearly, but is committed to carrying on his legacy as she wants to tell others about her Lord. Her quilt pattern was called "Sunbonnet Sue" Our third session was entitled "Lining of His Grace" and our speaker was Carla Holland, the mother of our missionaries Chad and Amy Carter. Her quilt pattern was "Trip Around The World" and she helped us realize how God desires us to reach out to the world with His good news.
Our final session on Sunday morning was entitled "Binding Our Lives to God's Direction". Our speaker was Angela Tooley. Her quilt pattern was the Mariner's Compass and she did a great job of helping us see how God is the one to direct our lives. My favorite quote from Angela was "God does not give us an itinerary, He just points us in the right direction?" Angela also paraphrased I Corinthians 12.
"Now the quilt is not made of one piece but many. If the lining should say because I am not the top I do not belong to the quilt, it would not for that reason because to be part of the quilt. And if the batting should say, because I am not the beautiful stitch work, I do not belong to the quilt, it would not case to be part of the quilt. If the whole quilt was just the batting where would the beautiful pattern design be? But in fact God has arranged the parts and pieces of the quilt, every one of them. Just as He wanted them to be." It was a perfect paraphrase for our retreat and just pulled the whole weekend together.
A really neat activity we did was to make 4 prayer quilts. A prayer quilt is a quilt that has ties on it and you say a prayer and tie and knot and the reciever of the quilt is then covered in prayers. We made one for our missionary Amy, two for sweet ladies at R.E. who have been battling illnesses and one for Pam Cope of Touch A Life Foundation.
The blessing of being on the planning committee is watching God just do His thing and bring all the pieces His together. We give Him the praise and the glory for a wonderful weekend.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The Fun Of Aging
I won't be blogging for the next few days as I am going on our Ladies Retreat. Hopefully, I will have some things to share on Monday after I return.
A friend sent this email today and I just thought it was fun. Some of us are closer to realizing some of these than others :) I put my favorite two at the top.
I feel like my body has gotten totally out of shape,
So I got my doctor's permission to
Join a fitness club and start exercising.
I decided to take an aerobics class for seniors.
I bent, twisted, gyrated, jumped up and down, and perspired for an hour. But,
By the time I got my leotards on,
The class was over.
THE SENILITY PRAYER :
Grant me the senility to forget the people
I never liked anyway,
The good fortune to run into the ones I do, and
The eyesight to tell the difference.
Reporters interviewing a 104-year-old woman:
'And what do you think is the best thing
About being 104?' the reporter asked.
She simply replied, 'No peer pressure.'
The nice thing about being senile is
You can hide your own Easter eggs.
I've sure gotten old!
I've had two bypass surgeries, a hip replacement,
New knees, fought prostate cancer and diabetes
I'm half blind,
Can't hear anything quieter than a jet engine,
Take 40 different medications that
Make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts.
Have bouts with dementia
Have poor circulation;
Hardly feel my hands and feet anymore.
Can't remember if I'm 85 or 92.
Have lost all my friends. But, thank God,
I still have my driver's license.
Just before the funeral services, the undertaker came up to the very elderly widow and asked,
'How old was your husband?' '98,' she replied.
'Two years older than me'
'So you're 96,' the undertaker commented.
She responded, 'Hardly worth going home, is it?
My memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
Also, my memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
Know how to prevent sagging?
Just eat till the wrinkles fill out.
It's scary when you start making the same noises
As your coffee maker.
These days about half the stuff
In my shopping cart says,
' For fast relief.'
A friend sent this email today and I just thought it was fun. Some of us are closer to realizing some of these than others :) I put my favorite two at the top.
I feel like my body has gotten totally out of shape,
So I got my doctor's permission to
Join a fitness club and start exercising.
I decided to take an aerobics class for seniors.
I bent, twisted, gyrated, jumped up and down, and perspired for an hour. But,
By the time I got my leotards on,
The class was over.
THE SENILITY PRAYER :
Grant me the senility to forget the people
I never liked anyway,
The good fortune to run into the ones I do, and
The eyesight to tell the difference.
Reporters interviewing a 104-year-old woman:
'And what do you think is the best thing
About being 104?' the reporter asked.
She simply replied, 'No peer pressure.'
The nice thing about being senile is
You can hide your own Easter eggs.
I've sure gotten old!
I've had two bypass surgeries, a hip replacement,
New knees, fought prostate cancer and diabetes
I'm half blind,
Can't hear anything quieter than a jet engine,
Take 40 different medications that
Make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts.
Have bouts with dementia
Have poor circulation;
Hardly feel my hands and feet anymore.
Can't remember if I'm 85 or 92.
Have lost all my friends. But, thank God,
I still have my driver's license.
Just before the funeral services, the undertaker came up to the very elderly widow and asked,
'How old was your husband?' '98,' she replied.
'Two years older than me'
'So you're 96,' the undertaker commented.
She responded, 'Hardly worth going home, is it?
My memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
Also, my memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
Know how to prevent sagging?
Just eat till the wrinkles fill out.
It's scary when you start making the same noises
As your coffee maker.
These days about half the stuff
In my shopping cart says,
' For fast relief.'
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Wants vs. Needs
I saw this quote the other day and it caused me to think, do I really trust God when I say "give me this day my daily bread."?
Day by day we are given not what we want but what we need. Sometimes it is a feast and sometimes.....swept crumbs, but by faith we believe it is enough. Barbara Brown Taylor
Day by day we are given not what we want but what we need. Sometimes it is a feast and sometimes.....swept crumbs, but by faith we believe it is enough. Barbara Brown Taylor
Monday, February 16, 2009
Is Nothing Sacred
One of my husband Steve's favorite singers is Meatloaf. The highlight of Stars On Ice for him was that one of the skaters skated to Meatloaf's "Is Nothing Sacred". I don't know that I had ever heard it before, but the words were powerful. In this day and age where divorce is running rampant and more the norm than not, it is a thoughtful reminder that our God's plan was for marriage to last forever.
If a love as strong as ours, couldn't make it all the way.
Can anything make sense at all?
If a love so deep and true, couldn't stand the test of
time.
Then Mount Everest could slide and Jerusalem could fall.
Is nothing sacred anymore? Is forever just another word?
Is a promise something people use to keep when love was
worth fighting for?
If we can say goodbye, if we can say goodbye.
Is nothing sacred anymore?
If we can say goodbye.
Is nothing sacred anymore?
I can hear the final words, every sentence that was said.
Don't know what turned our lives around.
It doesn't matter who was right.
There's no justice in a dream.
Never thought a heart could break without making a sound.
Is nothing sacred anymore? Is forever just another word?
Is a promise something people use to keep when love was
worth fighting for?
If we can say goodbye, if we can say goodbye.
Is nothing sacred anymore?
If we can say goodbye.
Is nothing sacred anymore?
Our love was as certain as the dawn.
As solid and safe as any love can be.
Our love was a star to wish upon.
And you thought that I'd saved you.
Could've sworn that you saved me.
....
If a love as strong as ours, couldn't make it all the way.
Can anything make sense at all?
If a love so deep and true, couldn't stand the test of
time.
Then Mount Everest could slide and Jerusalem could fall.
Is nothing sacred anymore? Is forever just another word?
Is a promise something people use to keep when love was
worth fighting for?
If we can say goodbye, if we can say goodbye.
Is nothing sacred anymore?
If we can say goodbye.
Is nothing sacred anymore?
I can hear the final words, every sentence that was said.
Don't know what turned our lives around.
It doesn't matter who was right.
There's no justice in a dream.
Never thought a heart could break without making a sound.
Is nothing sacred anymore? Is forever just another word?
Is a promise something people use to keep when love was
worth fighting for?
If we can say goodbye, if we can say goodbye.
Is nothing sacred anymore?
If we can say goodbye.
Is nothing sacred anymore?
Our love was as certain as the dawn.
As solid and safe as any love can be.
Our love was a star to wish upon.
And you thought that I'd saved you.
Could've sworn that you saved me.
....
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Looking Back
John's sermon text was from Isaiah 43 today.
This is what the LORD says—
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,
who drew out the chariots and horses,
the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
"Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.
I realized that I am spending way to much time living in the past. Thinking about how life was before my accident. It will have been 4 years in about 8 weeks. I am stuck there. Grieving for the way the things were. Wanting them back. Wanting my life back. In being stuck there I realized today that I have not given God an opening or opportunity to do a new thing. He can do something new with me and it may even be better than what it was. So I am going to do my best to let go of the past and let God reveal my future. I am going to trust Him to make all things new. Maybe somewhere down the road I can tell you what He did, or perhaps if you know me well enough it will be obvious.
This is what the LORD says—
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,
who drew out the chariots and horses,
the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
"Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.
I realized that I am spending way to much time living in the past. Thinking about how life was before my accident. It will have been 4 years in about 8 weeks. I am stuck there. Grieving for the way the things were. Wanting them back. Wanting my life back. In being stuck there I realized today that I have not given God an opening or opportunity to do a new thing. He can do something new with me and it may even be better than what it was. So I am going to do my best to let go of the past and let God reveal my future. I am going to trust Him to make all things new. Maybe somewhere down the road I can tell you what He did, or perhaps if you know me well enough it will be obvious.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Loving My Valentine
So Steve and I had a lovely Valentine's Day. The day began with some morning cuddling and Steve saying "you are my Texas squeeze, if we lived in Maine you could be my main squeeze." I cooked us breakfast, we cleaned up and then headed out for Stars on Ice. It was a good show, not as good as some I have seen in the past. Several skaters I had never heard of, but some champions as well. One of my favorites is Michael Weiss and he did not disappoint.
I don't think I have ever watched Sasha Cohen in a competition where she did not fall, and today she fell twice! That must be so embarrassing. I was disappointed that neither of the pairs skaters did a death spiral. I think those always take my breath away. One thing neither Steve or I thought of, was since it was ice skating the arena might be cold. Fortunately, I did have a jacket in the car and that just gave us reason to snuggle. One of the blessings (I guess you would call it that) of not being able to climb stairs is that we get handicapped tickets now, and the seats are just so much roomier. We then had dinner at Saltgrass, only a 45 minute wait, which we didn't think was bad on this night. All in all it was a sweet day :) I am thankful for my Valentine and so blessed to be able to share life with him. I love you Steve. Thank you for being the best husband any woman could ask for. I am thankful you call me your love and blessed to call you my love.
Friday, February 13, 2009
He Said What??
I found this article from Chuck Colson's Breakpoint interesting. I wrote President Obama and asked him to explain his inconsistency in belief and politics, but have not heard anything .
"At the national prayer breakfast last week, President Obama seemed to signal that he has seen the light and is abandoning his radically pro-abortion agenda.
At least, that's the only reasonable conclusion one could make after hearing the President, who says he's a Christian, also say: "There is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human being. This much we know."
So I could only surmise that the President now concludes that "no God" would condone the 1.6 million abortions performed each year in America: 1.6 million innocent lives destroyed.
But I've checked the White House website, and it's very clear that God's disapproval hasn't changed the administration's agenda one bit. Here's what the White House website says: "President Obama understands that abortion is a divisive issue, and respects those who disagree with him. However, he has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority in his Administration."
Well, in one way I'm glad I wasn't at the breakfast this year - I was speaking instead at Moody - because I'm not sure I would have been able to stay in my seat.
How can a president of the United States say that "there is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human being," when he himself favors a woman's right to have an abortion under virtually every circumstance? How can he say that when, as an Illinois state senator, he voted against the Illinois Induced Infant Liability Act, which would have protected the lives of babies who survived late-term abortions? When he even had the audacity to describe the act as "One more burden on a woman . . . I can't support."
President Obama is a highly intelligent man with a huge job on his hands. I know what the White House is like, and I pray for him fervently every day. But how does such an intelligent man make a statement like this without understanding its implications for his own pro-abortion policies?
The only way to explain it is to understand the intellectual environment, called postmodernism, in which President Obama and his peers have been raised. Generations of Americans have now been taught that truth is subjective. You have your truth, I have mine. And, even worse, I can't "inflict" my version of truth on you. The law of non-contradiction has been suspended.
So politicians can tell us over and over that they can't allow their personal faith to affect their views on public policy. Or they can take two completely opposing positions at the same time: like believing that no God condones the taking of innocent life and at the same time, condoning-even promoting-the taking of an innocent life.
The problem isn't simply President Obama and his views on life; the problem is a postmodern culture which believes that truth is merely a matter of opinion, and that therefore the sanctity of innocent human life is simply an expression of one viewpoint among many.
I have argued for the last 20 years that postmodernism would lead to the unraveling or our society. The fact that so few noticed the contradiction in what the President said and the policies he pursues tells me that we're far along in the unraveling process. "
"At the national prayer breakfast last week, President Obama seemed to signal that he has seen the light and is abandoning his radically pro-abortion agenda.
At least, that's the only reasonable conclusion one could make after hearing the President, who says he's a Christian, also say: "There is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human being. This much we know."
So I could only surmise that the President now concludes that "no God" would condone the 1.6 million abortions performed each year in America: 1.6 million innocent lives destroyed.
But I've checked the White House website, and it's very clear that God's disapproval hasn't changed the administration's agenda one bit. Here's what the White House website says: "President Obama understands that abortion is a divisive issue, and respects those who disagree with him. However, he has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority in his Administration."
Well, in one way I'm glad I wasn't at the breakfast this year - I was speaking instead at Moody - because I'm not sure I would have been able to stay in my seat.
How can a president of the United States say that "there is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human being," when he himself favors a woman's right to have an abortion under virtually every circumstance? How can he say that when, as an Illinois state senator, he voted against the Illinois Induced Infant Liability Act, which would have protected the lives of babies who survived late-term abortions? When he even had the audacity to describe the act as "One more burden on a woman . . . I can't support."
President Obama is a highly intelligent man with a huge job on his hands. I know what the White House is like, and I pray for him fervently every day. But how does such an intelligent man make a statement like this without understanding its implications for his own pro-abortion policies?
The only way to explain it is to understand the intellectual environment, called postmodernism, in which President Obama and his peers have been raised. Generations of Americans have now been taught that truth is subjective. You have your truth, I have mine. And, even worse, I can't "inflict" my version of truth on you. The law of non-contradiction has been suspended.
So politicians can tell us over and over that they can't allow their personal faith to affect their views on public policy. Or they can take two completely opposing positions at the same time: like believing that no God condones the taking of innocent life and at the same time, condoning-even promoting-the taking of an innocent life.
The problem isn't simply President Obama and his views on life; the problem is a postmodern culture which believes that truth is merely a matter of opinion, and that therefore the sanctity of innocent human life is simply an expression of one viewpoint among many.
I have argued for the last 20 years that postmodernism would lead to the unraveling or our society. The fact that so few noticed the contradiction in what the President said and the policies he pursues tells me that we're far along in the unraveling process. "
Thursday, February 12, 2009
19 1/2 years
The first thing I heard this morning was "happy 19 1/2 year anniversary". I had got up at 6:00 a.m. to use the restroom. Ever since we were married Steve gives me a card, book, or some little something on the 12th of every month, the day we got married in August 1989. Today, he gave me the new "Mama Mia" video. But the most special gift He gave me this morning was praying over me before he left for work. For the first years of our marriage I would get up and fix Steve breakfast and we would pray before he went to work. Then when I went to work, I didn't fix breakfast anymore because I couldn't go back to bed afterwards (as Steve gets up at 4:30 a.m.), so he would wake me up and pray over me before he left. Since my accident, he no longer wakes me up in the morning and thinks I need my sleep. I sleep so hard that most mornings I don't even hear him getting ready for work and when I do wake up, at 6:30 or so (not that I get up then :)) he has already left. So he doesn't pray over me anymore. I was reminded this morning what a special time that is and I need to tell him to start waking me up again :) What a blessing it is to have a husband to pray with and who prays over you! And who thinks the 12th of every month is a special day, even after 19 1/2 years.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
I Have Decided
Driving to a meeting today I heard the old Amy Grant song "I Have Decided". It brought back some really good memories. I used to sing this song all the time in an effort to change the way I was living. I have always had a fairly low self esteem and have had trouble believing I am who God says I am. I am better at believing that some days than others. I just know that Satan likes to have me self loathe and when I do, I usually turn to food to make me feel better (which it really doesn't) but I buy into that lie. So just listening to that song makes me do a U-turn. Perhaps I just need to start each day listening to it? Do you have a song that makes you do a U-turn? I would love to know what it is.
I have decided,
I'm gonna live like a believer,
Turn my back on the deceiver,
I'm gonna live what I believe.
I have decided,
Being good is just a fable,
I just can't cause I'm not able.
I'm gonna leave it to the Lord.
There's a wealth of things that I profess,
I said that I believed,
But deep inside I never changed;
I guess I'd been deceived.
cause a voice inside kept telling me,
That I'd change by and by,
But the spirit made it clear to me,
That kind of life's a lie.
I have decided,
I'm gonna live like a believer,
Turn my back on the deciver,
I'm gonna live what I believe.
I have decided,
Being good is just a fable,
I just can't cause I'm not able.
I'm gonna leave it to the Lord.
So forget the game of being good,
And your self-righteous pain.
cause the only good inside your heart
Is the good that Jesus brings.
And when the world begins to see you change,
Don't expect them to applaud.
Just keep your eyes on him and tell yourself,
I've become the work of God
I have decided,
I'm gonna live like a believer,
Turn my back on the deceiver,
I'm gonna live what I believe.
I have decided,
Being good is just a fable,
I just can't cause I'm not able.
I'm gonna leave it to the Lord.
There's a wealth of things that I profess,
I said that I believed,
But deep inside I never changed;
I guess I'd been deceived.
cause a voice inside kept telling me,
That I'd change by and by,
But the spirit made it clear to me,
That kind of life's a lie.
I have decided,
I'm gonna live like a believer,
Turn my back on the deciver,
I'm gonna live what I believe.
I have decided,
Being good is just a fable,
I just can't cause I'm not able.
I'm gonna leave it to the Lord.
So forget the game of being good,
And your self-righteous pain.
cause the only good inside your heart
Is the good that Jesus brings.
And when the world begins to see you change,
Don't expect them to applaud.
Just keep your eyes on him and tell yourself,
I've become the work of God
Monday, February 09, 2009
God-likeness
I read this quote today from Oswald Chambers:
"The expression of Christian character is not in good doing, but God-likeness.
God's life in us expresses itself as God's life, not as human life trying to be Godly."
Wow. My head knows that I need to empty myself to be filled with God, but there are more days than not when I just flat get in the way. I wonder at what point it will happen, when others look at me and say "look at God" instead of "look at the good things Lynn is doing". Perhaps when I say "thank you God for working through me" instead of "look at what I am doing for you God". I am so thankful for the spiritual leaders that have gone before us like Oswald Chambers that rock my theology to the bone.
"The expression of Christian character is not in good doing, but God-likeness.
God's life in us expresses itself as God's life, not as human life trying to be Godly."
Wow. My head knows that I need to empty myself to be filled with God, but there are more days than not when I just flat get in the way. I wonder at what point it will happen, when others look at me and say "look at God" instead of "look at the good things Lynn is doing". Perhaps when I say "thank you God for working through me" instead of "look at what I am doing for you God". I am so thankful for the spiritual leaders that have gone before us like Oswald Chambers that rock my theology to the bone.
Sunday, February 08, 2009
You Just Never Know
For those of you that know Hal Pruessner, don't you think this was him Penn (of Penn and Teller) is talking about?
If you don't know Hal, he passes out Bibles whereever he goes and to whomever he meets. He has passed out countless cases. I need to be more bold like Hal, and then God does His work. You just never know what your seed planting will produce.
If you don't know Hal, he passes out Bibles whereever he goes and to whomever he meets. He has passed out countless cases. I need to be more bold like Hal, and then God does His work. You just never know what your seed planting will produce.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Signs of Aging
Another funny from You Make Me Laugh.
You know you're getting older if:
1. You and your teeth don't sleep together.
2. You try to straighten out the wrinkles in your socks and discover you aren't wearing any.
3. At the breakfast table you hear snap, crackle, pop and you're not eating cereal.
4. Your back goes out but you stay home.
5. When you wake up looking like your driver's license picture.
6. It takes two tries to get up from the couch.
7. When your idea of a night out is sitting on the patio.
8. When happy hour is a nap.
9. When you're on vacation and your energy runs out before your money does.
10. When you say something to your kids that your mother said to you and you always hated it.
Hey you can't fight it right?? So we might as well laugh about it and enjoy it :)
You know you're getting older if:
1. You and your teeth don't sleep together.
2. You try to straighten out the wrinkles in your socks and discover you aren't wearing any.
3. At the breakfast table you hear snap, crackle, pop and you're not eating cereal.
4. Your back goes out but you stay home.
5. When you wake up looking like your driver's license picture.
6. It takes two tries to get up from the couch.
7. When your idea of a night out is sitting on the patio.
8. When happy hour is a nap.
9. When you're on vacation and your energy runs out before your money does.
10. When you say something to your kids that your mother said to you and you always hated it.
Hey you can't fight it right?? So we might as well laugh about it and enjoy it :)
Friday, February 06, 2009
My Kind of Diet
Saw this in my Laugh For A Day:
"According to a recent article I just read on nutrition, they said eating right doesn't have to be complicated. Nutritionists say there is a simple way to tell if you're eating right. Colors. Fill your plates with bright colors. Greens, reds, yellows.
In fact, I did that this morning. I had an entire bowl of M&M's. It was delicious! I never knew eating right could be so easy.
I now have a whole new outlook on life."
"According to a recent article I just read on nutrition, they said eating right doesn't have to be complicated. Nutritionists say there is a simple way to tell if you're eating right. Colors. Fill your plates with bright colors. Greens, reds, yellows.
In fact, I did that this morning. I had an entire bowl of M&M's. It was delicious! I never knew eating right could be so easy.
I now have a whole new outlook on life."
Thursday, February 05, 2009
I Stand Amazed
Remember the lyrics of that old hymn?
"I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus, the Nazerene,
and wonder how he could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean"
I frequently stop and ask myself that question. How could Jesus love me? Why would He leave the heavenly realms to come to earth for me? It is amazing to think about, that Christ who had it all, left it all for me? "Christ himself was like God in every-thing.... But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born to be a man and became like a servant" (Phil. 2:6--7 NCV).
I recently read this quote by Max Lucado:
"I was asking myself that question when I spotted the squirrels outside my window. A family of black-tailed squirrels has made its home amid the roots of the tree north of my office. We've been neighbors for three years now. They watch me peck the keyboard. I watch them store their nuts and climb the trunk. We're mutually amused. I could watch them all day. Sometimes I do.
But I've never considered becoming one of them. The squirrel world holds no appeal to me. Who wants to sleep next to a hairy rodent with beady eyes? (No comments from you wives who feel you already do.) Give up the Rocky Mountains, bass fishing, weddings, and laughter for a hole in the ground and a diet of dirty nuts? Count me out.
But count Jesus in. What a world he left. Our classiest mansion would be a tree trunk to him. Earth's finest cuisine would be walnuts on heaven's table. And the idea of becoming a squirrel with claws and tiny teeth and a furry tail? It's nothing compared to God becoming a one-celled embryo and entering the womb of Mary.
But he did. The God of the universe kicked against the wall of a womb, was born into the poverty of a peasant, and spent his first night in the feed trough of a cow. "The Word became flesh and lived among us" (John 1:14 NRSV). The God of the universe left the glory of heaven and moved into the neighborhood. Our neighborhood! Who could have imagined he would do such a thing."
So thanks to Max and God's Word, again I just sit and think about that and I stand amazed. Thank you God for loving a sinner like me.
"I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus, the Nazerene,
and wonder how he could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean"
I frequently stop and ask myself that question. How could Jesus love me? Why would He leave the heavenly realms to come to earth for me? It is amazing to think about, that Christ who had it all, left it all for me? "Christ himself was like God in every-thing.... But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born to be a man and became like a servant" (Phil. 2:6--7 NCV).
I recently read this quote by Max Lucado:
"I was asking myself that question when I spotted the squirrels outside my window. A family of black-tailed squirrels has made its home amid the roots of the tree north of my office. We've been neighbors for three years now. They watch me peck the keyboard. I watch them store their nuts and climb the trunk. We're mutually amused. I could watch them all day. Sometimes I do.
But I've never considered becoming one of them. The squirrel world holds no appeal to me. Who wants to sleep next to a hairy rodent with beady eyes? (No comments from you wives who feel you already do.) Give up the Rocky Mountains, bass fishing, weddings, and laughter for a hole in the ground and a diet of dirty nuts? Count me out.
But count Jesus in. What a world he left. Our classiest mansion would be a tree trunk to him. Earth's finest cuisine would be walnuts on heaven's table. And the idea of becoming a squirrel with claws and tiny teeth and a furry tail? It's nothing compared to God becoming a one-celled embryo and entering the womb of Mary.
But he did. The God of the universe kicked against the wall of a womb, was born into the poverty of a peasant, and spent his first night in the feed trough of a cow. "The Word became flesh and lived among us" (John 1:14 NRSV). The God of the universe left the glory of heaven and moved into the neighborhood. Our neighborhood! Who could have imagined he would do such a thing."
So thanks to Max and God's Word, again I just sit and think about that and I stand amazed. Thank you God for loving a sinner like me.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Grace and Racism
I have been attending Ladies Bible Class for about nine years. One thing you cannot say about our LBC is it is a shallow study. All the studies cause us to dig deep and are thought provoking. So today in our lesson on grace was dealing with racism. Not a topic that we discuss very often. Not a topic I like to talk about or admit to. I actually don't think I am a racist, but I am prejudiced. Not so much toward skin color but towards people that are covered with tattoos and with homosexuals. Today in talking about the good Samaritan story, the author posted these comments that I had never thought of before.
A Collection of Attitudes (taken from The Life Application Bible)
-To the expert in the law, the wounded man was a subject to discuss.
-To the robbers, the wounded man was someone to use and exploit
-To the religious men, the wounded was a problem to be avoided.
-To the innkeeper, the wounded man was a customer to serve for a fee.
-To the Samaritan, the wounded man was a human being worth being cared for and loved.
-To Jesus, all of them and all of us were worth dying for.
We were then challenged to look at our own attitudes and how we treat people we have trouble accepting. What is my approach? Discussion, exploitation,avoidance, financial gain, love, sacrificial giving? Then the question was posed "what does it take to get to the place of love and sacrificial giving?" For me? It is realizing that is what God wants me to do. After all He loves someone like me...and constantly reminding myself of that fact.
A Collection of Attitudes (taken from The Life Application Bible)
-To the expert in the law, the wounded man was a subject to discuss.
-To the robbers, the wounded man was someone to use and exploit
-To the religious men, the wounded was a problem to be avoided.
-To the innkeeper, the wounded man was a customer to serve for a fee.
-To the Samaritan, the wounded man was a human being worth being cared for and loved.
-To Jesus, all of them and all of us were worth dying for.
We were then challenged to look at our own attitudes and how we treat people we have trouble accepting. What is my approach? Discussion, exploitation,avoidance, financial gain, love, sacrificial giving? Then the question was posed "what does it take to get to the place of love and sacrificial giving?" For me? It is realizing that is what God wants me to do. After all He loves someone like me...and constantly reminding myself of that fact.
Monday, February 02, 2009
Cleanliness
This is a follow up to my post the other day about Jesus washing us whiter than snow. I was told that last Wednesday night, at Wednesday service, people spent time contemplating if they were faced with Jesus as the blind man was in Mark 10:51 and Jesus said "What do you want me to do for you?", what would I say? It is important that when we are reading the Word we realize that the people were just like us. So putting myself in the picture will often give me a different perspective, a transforming perspective. Such is the case of Jesus and the lepers in Luke 5. Here, Jesus takes time for the outcasts of society, He stops and gives them His undivided attention. He touches the untouchable, loves the unlovely and unloveable. I am that leper disfigured by my own sin, not very desirable, definitely not loveable. I look in Jesus' eyes and wonder why would He love me, why would he want to touch me? Yet the truth is if I am willing to be cleansed, Jesus is willing to cleanse me, to heal me, to make me whole! Pretty amazing that He is willing to take me from being a leper to being His daughter, a princess in His kingdom. Amazing that
He does not touch me out of pity, but out of an overwhelming compassion for me. He touches me not out of ignorance but out of a deep knowing of who I truly am. He doesn't wait till I am clean to embrace me, He embraces me and makes me clean. But He doesn't just do this once, He does it over and over, because I sin and feel ugly and unclean over and over but thankfully His blood, according to 1 John 1:7, continually cleanses me from all my sin. So the other part of the leper encounter that I can personalize, is am I the leper that remembers to thank my Lord? Or do I take my cleansing for granted? As I typing all of this the Sonic Flood Song comes to mind:
Holiness, holiness is what I long for
Holiness is what I need
Holiness, holiness is what You
want from me
So, take my heart and form it
Take my mind and transform it
Take my will and conform it
To Yours, to Yours, oh, Lord
Faithfulness, faithfulness is what I
long for
Faithfulness is what I need
Faithfulness, faithfulness is what
You want from me
He does not touch me out of pity, but out of an overwhelming compassion for me. He touches me not out of ignorance but out of a deep knowing of who I truly am. He doesn't wait till I am clean to embrace me, He embraces me and makes me clean. But He doesn't just do this once, He does it over and over, because I sin and feel ugly and unclean over and over but thankfully His blood, according to 1 John 1:7, continually cleanses me from all my sin. So the other part of the leper encounter that I can personalize, is am I the leper that remembers to thank my Lord? Or do I take my cleansing for granted? As I typing all of this the Sonic Flood Song comes to mind:
Holiness, holiness is what I long for
Holiness is what I need
Holiness, holiness is what You
want from me
So, take my heart and form it
Take my mind and transform it
Take my will and conform it
To Yours, to Yours, oh, Lord
Faithfulness, faithfulness is what I
long for
Faithfulness is what I need
Faithfulness, faithfulness is what
You want from me
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Inaugural Prayer
Chuck Norris had this fascinating perspective on Rick Warren's Inaugural Invocation.
You can read it by cutting and pasting this address in your browser (don't know why blogger isn't letting me do a link ?)
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=87094
You can read it by cutting and pasting this address in your browser (don't know why blogger isn't letting me do a link ?)
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=87094
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Whiter Than Snow
Anyway. I was looking on my neice's facebook and saw this beautiful picture of Aly and Alyssa in the snow in Olympia, WA and I could not help but think of Psalms 51.
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts [a] ;
you teach [b] me wisdom in the inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
I am so thankful that my Lord Jesus died so that my sins can be made white as snow. I am thankful to my God for the washing. I would be so utterly lost without it.
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts [a] ;
you teach [b] me wisdom in the inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
I am so thankful that my Lord Jesus died so that my sins can be made white as snow. I am thankful to my God for the washing. I would be so utterly lost without it.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Amazing Grace Take Two
Yesterday I was in Lowe's and heard a song playing that caught my attention. Then I said "that is Neil Diamond". Kind of surprised me to hear Neil Diamond singing a song about amazing grace, don't know why? But had to come home and look the song up. I don't know how I missed hearing him sing this on American Idol, since I am a fan, but according to this Youtube, he sang it last May. Maybe you haven't heard it either and will be blessed by it like I was. I like to think He is singing about God here.
Pretty amazing grace is what you showed me
Pretty amazing grace is who you are
I was an empty vessel
You filled me up inside
And with amazing grace
Restored my pride.
Pretty amazing grace is how you saved me
And with amazing grace, reclaimed my heart
Love in the midst of chaos
Calm in the heat of war
Showed with amazing grace
What love was for.
You forgave my insensitivity
And my attempt to then mislead you
You stood beside a wretch like me
And pretty amazing grace was all I needed.
Stumbled inside the doorway of your chapel
Humbled and awed by everything I found
Beauty and love surround me
Freed me from what I feared
Asked for amazing grace
And you appeared.
You overcame my loss of hope and faith
Gave me a truth I could believe in
You led me to a higher place
Showed your amazing grace
When grace was what I needed.
Look in a mirror I see your refection
Open a book you live on every page
I fall and you’re there to lift me
You share every road I climb
And with amazing grace
You ease my mind.
I came to you with empty pockets first
When I returned I was a rich man
Didn’t believe love could quench my thirst
But with amazing grace, you showed me that it can.
In your amazing grace I had a vision
From that amazing place, I came to be
Into the night I wandered, wandering aimlessly
Found your amazing grace to comfort me.
Pretty amazing
Pretty amazing
Pretty amazing
Pretty amazing
Pretty amazing
Pretty amazing
Pretty amazing
Pretty amazing
You overcame my loss of hope and faith
Gave me a truth I could believe in
You led me to that higher place
Showed me that love, and truth, and hope, and grace
Were all I needed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pretty amazing grace is what you showed me
Pretty amazing grace is who you are
I was an empty vessel
You filled me up inside
And with amazing grace
Restored my pride.
Pretty amazing grace is how you saved me
And with amazing grace, reclaimed my heart
Love in the midst of chaos
Calm in the heat of war
Showed with amazing grace
What love was for.
You forgave my insensitivity
And my attempt to then mislead you
You stood beside a wretch like me
And pretty amazing grace was all I needed.
Stumbled inside the doorway of your chapel
Humbled and awed by everything I found
Beauty and love surround me
Freed me from what I feared
Asked for amazing grace
And you appeared.
You overcame my loss of hope and faith
Gave me a truth I could believe in
You led me to a higher place
Showed your amazing grace
When grace was what I needed.
Look in a mirror I see your refection
Open a book you live on every page
I fall and you’re there to lift me
You share every road I climb
And with amazing grace
You ease my mind.
I came to you with empty pockets first
When I returned I was a rich man
Didn’t believe love could quench my thirst
But with amazing grace, you showed me that it can.
In your amazing grace I had a vision
From that amazing place, I came to be
Into the night I wandered, wandering aimlessly
Found your amazing grace to comfort me.
Pretty amazing
Pretty amazing
Pretty amazing
Pretty amazing
Pretty amazing
Pretty amazing
Pretty amazing
Pretty amazing
You overcame my loss of hope and faith
Gave me a truth I could believe in
You led me to that higher place
Showed me that love, and truth, and hope, and grace
Were all I needed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
This Is The Day
As promised here is one thing I think I need to incorporate into my life from yesterday's list. #3 "When you wake up in the morning, complete the following statement: 'My purpose is to...... today.'" I think that is why day after day goes by without me accomplishing much..I don't have a plan for the day. Most days I just get out of bed and sit on the computer for way too much of the day watching way too much T.V. I read something the other day that got me to thinking that I need to be more purposeful about my days. Perhaps if I woke up and said my purpose is to lay up treasures in heaven today, it would make a difference in how I lived my day. Jesus told us if we were wise, we would "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:20--21). This means as Christians we will one day receive rewards for our faithful service to the Lord. What am I doing for Christ? Am I using the gifts He has given me? Am I serving Him? Perhaps the best way to live the greatest life in this world is to be more concerned with the next one. C. S. Lewis said, "Aim for heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you will get neither." So tomorrow I will awake and say "My purpose today is to lay up some treasure in heaven today."
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
30 Things To Make Life More Beautiful
I recieved an email today with a slide show entitled 30 Things to Make Life More Beautiful. You can watch the video here, or just read them below. After you read through them, share with me which one struck you as something you should incorporate into your life and then tomorrow I will share which ones I need to incorporate into my life.
1. Take a 10-30 minute walk everyday and while you walk, smile.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. When you wake up in the morning, complete the following statement: "My purpose is to...... today."
4. Live with the 3 E's... Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy... and the 3 F's... Faith, Family, Friends.
5. Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
6. Dream more while you are awake.
7. Try to make at least 3 people smile each day.
8. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn and pass all your tests. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
9. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.
10. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
11. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
12. Don't take yourself too seriously. No one else does.
13. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagreements.
14. Make peace with your past so it won't mess up with your present.
15. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is about.
16. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today IS special.
17. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
18. Forgive everyone for everything.
19. What other people think of you is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.
20. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
21. However good or bad the situation is, it will change.
22. Your job won't take care of you when you're sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
23. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful, and joyful.
24. The best is yet to come.
25. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
26. Do the right thing.
27. Call your family often.
28. Each night before you go to bed, complete the following statements: "I am thankful for...." and "Today I have accomplished....."
29. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
30. Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. Make the most of it and simply enjoy the journey.
1. Take a 10-30 minute walk everyday and while you walk, smile.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. When you wake up in the morning, complete the following statement: "My purpose is to...... today."
4. Live with the 3 E's... Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy... and the 3 F's... Faith, Family, Friends.
5. Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
6. Dream more while you are awake.
7. Try to make at least 3 people smile each day.
8. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn and pass all your tests. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
9. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.
10. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
11. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
12. Don't take yourself too seriously. No one else does.
13. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagreements.
14. Make peace with your past so it won't mess up with your present.
15. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is about.
16. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today IS special.
17. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
18. Forgive everyone for everything.
19. What other people think of you is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.
20. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
21. However good or bad the situation is, it will change.
22. Your job won't take care of you when you're sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
23. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful, and joyful.
24. The best is yet to come.
25. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
26. Do the right thing.
27. Call your family often.
28. Each night before you go to bed, complete the following statements: "I am thankful for...." and "Today I have accomplished....."
29. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
30. Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. Make the most of it and simply enjoy the journey.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Indwelling of the Holy Spirit
I recieved this email from a friend today. "I learned from last nights sermon, that the Holy Spirit does not really live in us, it just influences us using Gods word(the Bible)." She attends a small congregation in Newcomerstown, Ohio. Now she was just being facetious when she wrote me that, because I know her really well and know she doesn't believe that. She and her husband had been attending worship at a another church further away and have just recently been attending this one because it is so much closer to their house and her husband grew up going to this church.
Anyway...for most of us my age, this is not a foreign teaching. We were raised being told the same thing that the Holy Spirit lives in God's Word and only speaks to us through the Word. Makes me wonder if you could sit down and ask the proponents of that thinking to explain these scriptures what would they say?
Ezekiel 36:26-27
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.
2 Timothy 1:14
Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
I assume they have read them, so they must have an explanation. But then I am thinking "if the Holy Spirit only speaks through the Word, why isn't He explaining these scriptures to them?" It wouldn't be the first time that me and another believer did not see eye to eye on scripture, so can the Holy Spirit lead us to different truths? Don't have any answers. All I can do is trust that I am seeking His presence in my life He will help me walk in the truth for my life.
Anyway...for most of us my age, this is not a foreign teaching. We were raised being told the same thing that the Holy Spirit lives in God's Word and only speaks to us through the Word. Makes me wonder if you could sit down and ask the proponents of that thinking to explain these scriptures what would they say?
Ezekiel 36:26-27
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.
2 Timothy 1:14
Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
I assume they have read them, so they must have an explanation. But then I am thinking "if the Holy Spirit only speaks through the Word, why isn't He explaining these scriptures to them?" It wouldn't be the first time that me and another believer did not see eye to eye on scripture, so can the Holy Spirit lead us to different truths? Don't have any answers. All I can do is trust that I am seeking His presence in my life He will help me walk in the truth for my life.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Amazing Story
In preparing for my lesson to the 5th graders in the morning about Paul and Barnabas being persecuted I cam across this video by the Open Doors ministry. It is a fascinating story. Oh how I would love to believe my prayers make that kind of difference.
Friday, January 23, 2009
The All Seeing Eye
Have you seen the Nationwide commercial where the guy runs into a van,knocking the bumper off and a nun gets out of the van walks to his car and points a ruler and gently taps his car, smiles, then walks off? He thinks he is in the clear when all the sudden he is struck by a bolt of lightening. Just made me think of how I grew up thinking that exact thing about God. That He was this all seeing eye waiting to catch me in a sin and strike me dead. Well...slight exaggeration, but none the less I still was in fear that I would die with any unconfessed sin and be damned. I remember a Bible class teacher teaching us in a girl's class that we didn't want to be in a compromising position with a boy when the Lord returns. It made me fear that He might come when I was in the shower. Seriously, I was a sophomore in college before I ever heard of grace. I remember how freeing it was and yet it took many years for me to grasp it to the extent it would change my life. A book that really helped was Classic Christianity by Bob George. I remember him explaining Romans 6:14-"For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!" He said it was like finding someone eating out of a trash can and inviting them in to a feast and they say "No thank you, I would rather just keep eating this trash." The more and more I understand God's grace the more and more I want to embrace I Peter 1:15-16-But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." There is still so much in my life that could be holier, but instead of living in fear about those areas that still need to be transformed, I live in thankfulness for God's amazing grace that is going to cover my sins. "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered." Romans 4:7
Thursday, January 22, 2009
9-1-1 Calls
Don't you know 9-1-1 operators have some interesting tales to tell? I found this list of calls to be interesting.
Dispatcher: 9-1-1 What is your emergency?
Caller: I heard what sounded like gunshots coming from the brown house on the corner.
Dispatcher: Do you have an address?
Caller: No, I'm wearing a blouse and slacks, why?
Dispatcher: 9-1-1 What is your emergency?
Caller: Someone broke into my house and took a bite out of my ham and cheese sandwich.
Dispatcher: Excuse me?
Caller: I made a ham and cheese sandwich and left it on the kitchen table and when I came back from the bathroom, someone had taken a bite out of it.
Dispatcher: Was anything else taken?
Caller: No, but this has happened to me before and I'm sick and tired of it.
Dispatcher: 9-1-1 What is your emergency?
Caller: Hi, is this the Police?
Dispatcher: This is 9-1-1. Do you need police assistance?
Caller: Well, I don't know who to call. Can you tell me how to cook a turkey? I've never cooked one before.
Dispatcher: 9-1-1 Fire or emergency?
Caller: Fire, I guess.
Dispatcher: How can I help you sir?
Caller: I was wondering.....does the fire department put snow chains on their trucks?
Dispatcher: Yes sir, do you have an emergency?
Caller: Well, I've spent the last 4 hours trying to put these chains on my tires and... well.. do you think the fire department could come over and help me?
Dispatcher: Help you what?
Caller: Help me get these chains on my car!
Dispatcher: 9-1-1 What is the nature of your emergency?
Caller: I'm trying to reach nine eleven but my phone doesn't have an eleven on it.
Dispatcher: This is nine eleven.
Caller: I thought you just said it was nine-one-one
Dispatcher: Yes, ma'am nine-one-one and nine-eleven are the same thing.
Caller: Honey, I may be old, but I'm not stupid.
Dispatcher: 9-1-1 What's the nature of your emergency?
Caller: My wife is pregnant and her contractions are only two minutes apart.
Dispatcher: Is this her first child?
Caller: No, you idiot! This is her husband!
And the winner is..........
Dispatcher: 9-1-1 Caller: Yeah, I'm having trouble breathing. I'm all out of breath. I think I'm going to pass out.
Dispatcher: Sir, where are you calling from?
Caller: I'm at a pay phone. North and Foster.
Dispatcher: Sir, an ambulance is on the way. Are you an asthmatic?
Caller: No
Dispatcher: What were you doing before you started having trouble breathing?
Caller: Running from the Police.
Dispatcher: 9-1-1 What is your emergency?
Caller: I heard what sounded like gunshots coming from the brown house on the corner.
Dispatcher: Do you have an address?
Caller: No, I'm wearing a blouse and slacks, why?
Dispatcher: 9-1-1 What is your emergency?
Caller: Someone broke into my house and took a bite out of my ham and cheese sandwich.
Dispatcher: Excuse me?
Caller: I made a ham and cheese sandwich and left it on the kitchen table and when I came back from the bathroom, someone had taken a bite out of it.
Dispatcher: Was anything else taken?
Caller: No, but this has happened to me before and I'm sick and tired of it.
Dispatcher: 9-1-1 What is your emergency?
Caller: Hi, is this the Police?
Dispatcher: This is 9-1-1. Do you need police assistance?
Caller: Well, I don't know who to call. Can you tell me how to cook a turkey? I've never cooked one before.
Dispatcher: 9-1-1 Fire or emergency?
Caller: Fire, I guess.
Dispatcher: How can I help you sir?
Caller: I was wondering.....does the fire department put snow chains on their trucks?
Dispatcher: Yes sir, do you have an emergency?
Caller: Well, I've spent the last 4 hours trying to put these chains on my tires and... well.. do you think the fire department could come over and help me?
Dispatcher: Help you what?
Caller: Help me get these chains on my car!
Dispatcher: 9-1-1 What is the nature of your emergency?
Caller: I'm trying to reach nine eleven but my phone doesn't have an eleven on it.
Dispatcher: This is nine eleven.
Caller: I thought you just said it was nine-one-one
Dispatcher: Yes, ma'am nine-one-one and nine-eleven are the same thing.
Caller: Honey, I may be old, but I'm not stupid.
Dispatcher: 9-1-1 What's the nature of your emergency?
Caller: My wife is pregnant and her contractions are only two minutes apart.
Dispatcher: Is this her first child?
Caller: No, you idiot! This is her husband!
And the winner is..........
Dispatcher: 9-1-1 Caller: Yeah, I'm having trouble breathing. I'm all out of breath. I think I'm going to pass out.
Dispatcher: Sir, where are you calling from?
Caller: I'm at a pay phone. North and Foster.
Dispatcher: Sir, an ambulance is on the way. Are you an asthmatic?
Caller: No
Dispatcher: What were you doing before you started having trouble breathing?
Caller: Running from the Police.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Amazing Grace
In our Ladies Bible Class right now we are studying Phillip Yancey's book "What's So Amazing About Grace". We have just finished the third lesson. Today's lesson was on our extending grace to others and why we find it difficult to forgive. My heart was once again convicted that if I had any idea exactly what it means that I have been forgiven, I would forgive others and extend grace much more easily. If I really understood what God wants to do through me I would find it easier to forgive and extend grace. I find it amazing that God forgave me in order to use me to reach others. How amazing it that??
Ephesians 2:4-9
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:4-9
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Same As Everyone Else
I spent the day watching the Inaugaration, like most of the rest of the world. It was pretty amazing seeing the sea of people on the mall. I couldn't help but think about handicap access??? What about the people that could not stand all that time?? I set on pins and needles praying against a terrorist attack and thankful that there was none. I understand the importance of today for African Americans and for us as Americans. While I want to see it as a hopeful time, we definitely still haven't overcome our racial barriers in this country. First of all, it is like no one wants to recognize that President Obama is half black, half white. If his skin had been lighter but he was still from the same mother and father would it have been such a "historical event" today?? So if anything, he represents a merging of two races, yet the focus all day was on his blackness. I personally did not find that very unifying but still promoting a "us and them" mentality. I could not help but notice during the parade that there were very few integrated bands, they mostly were either all black or all white. Seems we still have a ways to go before we are an integrated America. But I do realize that today was a step. It will be interesting to see in the days, weeks, months and years ahead if Obama can do all that he is promising to do. I do appreciate his focus on service and that we can all be involved in serving one another. I do wish that he was going to be an advocate for our unborn children. His inclusion of Muslims in his speech today scares me...I understand the idealism but think we are living in the reality. Anyway...I could probably go on and on about my views and no one would find them all that enlightening and many will differ. So, I will close by saying can you imagine what goes through your mind the first night you lay your head down on your pillow in the White House as President of the United States?
Monday, January 19, 2009
Take Up My Cross
There are certain passages in the Bible that cause me to think more than others. One of those would be Matthew 16:24-"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" I somewhat understand denying self but not so much how to take up my cross. In my life exactly what is my cross? In today's devotional thought by Greg Laurie said:
"Taking up the cross of Christ means that I come to the Lord and say, "God, I realize you know more about life than I do. You know my future and what is best for me. And Lord, I want what You want for me more than what I want for myself. I am willing to put Your will above my own. If that means letting go of something that would hold me back or hurt me spiritually, I'm willing. If that means cutting loose something that is dragging me down, I'm willing. Because I know that You love me and have my best interest in mind."
That is why the apostle Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20).
The greatest life is the life that has been exchanged--the life that has been given to God."
This still sounds more to me about denying self and still didn't explain for me "take up your cross". So how about you? What does "take up your cross" mean to you??
"Taking up the cross of Christ means that I come to the Lord and say, "God, I realize you know more about life than I do. You know my future and what is best for me. And Lord, I want what You want for me more than what I want for myself. I am willing to put Your will above my own. If that means letting go of something that would hold me back or hurt me spiritually, I'm willing. If that means cutting loose something that is dragging me down, I'm willing. Because I know that You love me and have my best interest in mind."
That is why the apostle Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20).
The greatest life is the life that has been exchanged--the life that has been given to God."
This still sounds more to me about denying self and still didn't explain for me "take up your cross". So how about you? What does "take up your cross" mean to you??
Sunday, January 18, 2009
What To Do
Today Steve and I met with a church in the metroplex that is looking for a children's minister. They had called me several months ago and asked if I would be interested in applying. I told them I didn't think so, that all the reasons I stepped down from Richardson East were the same reasons that would make it hard to be in full time ministry again. Well, God did not give me peace and I called them back after several weeks and told them while I still wasn't feeling called to full time ministry that what I thought I could do was mentor a younger candidate. They had said they had several candidates right out of college, but could not see hiring someone with no experience. There are more and more Children's Ministers coming out of our Christian colleges, the problem is that they are finding it difficult to find positions. I personally know of 3 who have all gone into teaching because they did not find ministry positions. The problem is that very few churches are big enough to have two children's ministers where one can mentor another. If a church has never had a full time children's minister and hires an inexperienced one where do they get their training? None of the other ministers can help very much because they are not involved with children's curriculum and don't know the nuts and bolts of ministering to children. So I just thought perhaps by offering myself as a mentor this congregation might just give one of the younger applicants a try. I am not sure how it will work out, or even if is what God wants, but it is interesting to think about. It was a blessing to meet with the six couples today and to feel that I was contributing and that I was helping them vision even further how important children's ministry is to the life of a church. So if you don't mind saying a prayer for this situation in the next few days I would appreciate the help. I honestly want to hear God's call and know for sure what He would have me to do.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
What Would I Do?
Can't help but wonder what I would do if one of these guys walked into worship services in the morning? Would I extend the love of Jesus? Or would I just stare?
Friday, January 16, 2009
God's Good Gift
One of my favorite chapters of the Bible is Luke 11. Prayer is something I want to be the fabric of my life but is something I waver back and forth with. Sometimes I am really strong in my prayer life, but many times I am pretty weak. Luke 11 helps me keep my focus. Today I was contemplating verses 9-11 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
My head knows that God is the giver of good gifts, but sometimes life does not feel all that good. But today God reminded me that He really cannot do more for me than He has already done? I have been purchased by the blood of His Son. Can there be anything greater than this? He chose me before the beginning of the world, He left the glory of heaven and became man for me. He gave His life for me. Is there anything He wouldn't do for me? And if He did something this great will He not do less?
Cannot the all knowing, all present, all sufficient God do anything for me? So once again I am brought to my knees realizing that if I surrender and just let God be God that will indeed be enough. I may want a life where I walk better and am relieved of pain, but in the scheme of eternity, what better gift could I have than the gift of salvation? Yes, God has already given me enough.
My head knows that God is the giver of good gifts, but sometimes life does not feel all that good. But today God reminded me that He really cannot do more for me than He has already done? I have been purchased by the blood of His Son. Can there be anything greater than this? He chose me before the beginning of the world, He left the glory of heaven and became man for me. He gave His life for me. Is there anything He wouldn't do for me? And if He did something this great will He not do less?
Cannot the all knowing, all present, all sufficient God do anything for me? So once again I am brought to my knees realizing that if I surrender and just let God be God that will indeed be enough. I may want a life where I walk better and am relieved of pain, but in the scheme of eternity, what better gift could I have than the gift of salvation? Yes, God has already given me enough.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Contemplating
So today after the crash of US Airways Flight 1549 I was just wondering would I get right back on a plane and fly home? I know after my accident, it was awhile before I wanted to be in a car, much less drive a car and then once I did drive, I didn't want to be on 75 and still avoid it at night. So how about you would you get on the next plane home?
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Another Ha-Ha
As much as my goal is to try to post encouraging spiritual posts, every now and then I just like to post something frivolous like this. Hope it brings a smile to your face.
A guy is driving around Wadsworth, Ohio and he sees a sign in front of a house: "Talking Dog For Sale." He rings the bell and the owner tells him the dog is in the backyard.
The guy goes into the backyard and sees a Labrador retriever sitting there. "You talk?" he asks.
"Yep," the Lab replies.
"So, what's your story?"
The Lab looks up and says, "Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young. I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA about my gift, and in no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. I was one of their most valuable spies for eight years running."
"But the jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn't getting any younger so I decided to settle down. I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security wandering near suspicious characters and listening in. I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals. I got married, had a mess of puppies, and now I'm just retired."
The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog.
"Ten dollars," the guy says.
"Ten dollars? This dog is amazing. Why on earth are you selling him so cheaply?"
"Because he's lying, he never did any of that stuff."
A guy is driving around Wadsworth, Ohio and he sees a sign in front of a house: "Talking Dog For Sale." He rings the bell and the owner tells him the dog is in the backyard.
The guy goes into the backyard and sees a Labrador retriever sitting there. "You talk?" he asks.
"Yep," the Lab replies.
"So, what's your story?"
The Lab looks up and says, "Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young. I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA about my gift, and in no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. I was one of their most valuable spies for eight years running."
"But the jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn't getting any younger so I decided to settle down. I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security wandering near suspicious characters and listening in. I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals. I got married, had a mess of puppies, and now I'm just retired."
The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog.
"Ten dollars," the guy says.
"Ten dollars? This dog is amazing. Why on earth are you selling him so cheaply?"
"Because he's lying, he never did any of that stuff."
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Bunco
The 2nd Tuesday of each month I play Bunco with a group of 11 other ladies. It is always a fun evening with a lot of laughs and a great outlet for me. Tonight we had a pajama night. Last month I called a sub with only an hours notice and she said she would come if she could come in her pajamas. We said "no problem". Then when she came, the hostess for this month, Linda Matthews, thought it would be a fun night for us all to wear our pajamas and have breakfast foods for our dinner. So here we are. In December I found some dice earrings at craft fair and thought "Oh those will bring me luck", but they didn't. I came home with nothing tonight, but smiles for a fun time.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Weekend of Fun
We thoroughly enjoyed the weekend with my brothers Brent and Brad. They had coordinated their flights so that even though they were coming in at the DFW Airport and Love Field, we could pick up one and then just drive over and pick up the other and today dropping them up was much of the same. Saturday we visited, played Wii and a card game called Golf that my brother Brent taught us. My mother made a breakfast casserole and then our childhood favorite meal, chicken sopa (which my brother Brad chose). We then tricked my brothers and told them we were going to hear a really good speaker when all the time we had tickets to the Freestyle Motorcross. They were so surprised and we all really enjoyed the daredevil motorcycle stunts. Who in their right mind jumps off a ramp 15-20 feet in the air and take their hands off their motorcycle while kicking their legs in the air???
The blessing of the night was that my father was able to go and enjoy the time with us as well after not being out in public for over a year.
Sunday we went to worship at Highland Oaks and heard a great lesson from Terry Rush. He taught on what it means for us to have been purchased by Christ blood and for God to put His signature on our hearts. I was hit again with the amazing truth in 2 Corinthians 5:21 "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God". Why Jesus would become sin for me is beyond my comprehension and how can I be the righteousness of God. Too amazing!
Sunday lunch was a little disappointing as my brothers wanted some good Mexican food and both like Chili Rellenos. I have heard good things about the new restuarant in Plano, Chuy's, but it was a 75 minute wait. So we went to La Posada, which Steve and I enjoy but unfortunately their rellenos were made with poblano peppers. They had both said they prefer some other kind of chili (that I can't remember the name) over poblano's. So....they didn't even order the rellenos. They asked the waiter "how is the queso" and the waiter said "amazing". How could I interrupt and say it is not their forte??? Anyway the meal was passable but nothing they are going to go home and rave about. Our friend Tim took this picture of all of us after services.
Even though the Broncos and Seahawks (like the Cowboys) are out of the playoffs the boys were still interested in watching the games Sunday afternoon. We then played Buzzword and Celebrity Taboo and then visited some more.
This morning they helped my mother move her bed out of the house and replace it with some beds from my house and then it was off to the airport and they returned home. Much too short of a visit. I wish we could be like other families and all live in the same place where we could get together more often. But thankful for the times we do get such as these.
The blessing of the night was that my father was able to go and enjoy the time with us as well after not being out in public for over a year.
Sunday we went to worship at Highland Oaks and heard a great lesson from Terry Rush. He taught on what it means for us to have been purchased by Christ blood and for God to put His signature on our hearts. I was hit again with the amazing truth in 2 Corinthians 5:21 "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God". Why Jesus would become sin for me is beyond my comprehension and how can I be the righteousness of God. Too amazing!
Sunday lunch was a little disappointing as my brothers wanted some good Mexican food and both like Chili Rellenos. I have heard good things about the new restuarant in Plano, Chuy's, but it was a 75 minute wait. So we went to La Posada, which Steve and I enjoy but unfortunately their rellenos were made with poblano peppers. They had both said they prefer some other kind of chili (that I can't remember the name) over poblano's. So....they didn't even order the rellenos. They asked the waiter "how is the queso" and the waiter said "amazing". How could I interrupt and say it is not their forte??? Anyway the meal was passable but nothing they are going to go home and rave about. Our friend Tim took this picture of all of us after services.
Even though the Broncos and Seahawks (like the Cowboys) are out of the playoffs the boys were still interested in watching the games Sunday afternoon. We then played Buzzword and Celebrity Taboo and then visited some more.
This morning they helped my mother move her bed out of the house and replace it with some beds from my house and then it was off to the airport and they returned home. Much too short of a visit. I wish we could be like other families and all live in the same place where we could get together more often. But thankful for the times we do get such as these.
Friday, January 09, 2009
Weekend Blog Break
My brothers Brent (from Denver) and Brad (from Olympia, WA) will be coming into night and here for the weekend before returning home on Monday. We are looking forward to their visit and they and my parents will be staying at my house, so I won't be blogging again until Monday.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Another I Am
Like God often does with me, I will be thinking of something and a song will come on the radio to remind me what I was thinking of. Yesterday I wrote about several "I am" statements that remind me of who my identity is in God. Today on the radio I heard this song and thought it was another one I need to add to my list.
This "I am" totally blows me away. Me, God's friend? That is amazing. "You are my friends if you do what I command." John 15:14
This "I am" totally blows me away. Me, God's friend? That is amazing. "You are my friends if you do what I command." John 15:14
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
I Yam What I Yam
Yes, I was starting this post I couldn't help but think of Popeye. I don't know about you but I am contstantly having to remind myself of who I am, because it is all too easy for me to focus on who I am not or what I am not. As I have mentioned here before it seems it is just easier for me to be negative than postive, so I have to remind myself of the positives often. Here are some "I am's" that I remind myself of that I got from an Ed Young post.
10 I am created
For we are God's workmanship. Ephesians 2:10
9 I am chosen
For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you...1 Timothy 1:4
8 I am protected
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7
7 I am complete
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3
6 I am victorious
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37
5 I am called
[God] has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace...2 Timothy 1:9
4 I am forgiven
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1
3 I am free
Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. John 8:32
2 I am loved
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. Jeremiah 31:3
1 I am God's heir!
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.
Romans 8:17
10 I am created
For we are God's workmanship. Ephesians 2:10
9 I am chosen
For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you...1 Timothy 1:4
8 I am protected
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7
7 I am complete
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3
6 I am victorious
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37
5 I am called
[God] has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace...2 Timothy 1:9
4 I am forgiven
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1
3 I am free
Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. John 8:32
2 I am loved
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. Jeremiah 31:3
1 I am God's heir!
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.
Romans 8:17
Monday, January 05, 2009
Faith Challenged
I read so many stories that challenge me and make me realize that if there was a scale that measured faith mine would be surpassed by so many others. I am glad we are told we only have to have a mustard seed amount. But I read this story today in a devotional thought by Chuck Colson and hoped that I would have this kind of faith if I was put in the same situation (but let me say...I am not wishing to be tested)
"I came across an amazing story not long ago that reminded me just how much being a follower of Jesus can shape the way you face what you hope you never have to face: a thief at gunpoint. Maybe you saw the story, too.
Ninety-two-year-old Pauline Jacobi had just finished loading her groceries into her car at a local Wal-Mart in Dyer County, Tennessee. She got in her car, and a moment later, a man climbed into the passenger side. He said he had a gun and that he would shoot her if she did not hand over her money. What she did next did not involve pepper-spray or martial arts, but it did save her life and may have saved his.
Pauline calmly refused her would-be robber three times. Then she said, "You know, as quick as you kill me, I'll go to heaven and you'll go to hell." Then she told him that he needed to ask God for forgiveness. "Jesus is in this car," she said, "and He goes with me everywhere I go." Jacobi said that the man looked around, and then tears began to come to his eyes.
For 10 more minutes, Jacobi shared with the man. Finally, he said, "I think I will go home tonight and pray." But Jacobi told him that he did not need to wait to pray; he could pray now.
Then Jacobi, voluntarily, offered the man all the money she had on her, 10 bucks, on one condition-that he not spend the money on whiskey. After that, the man kissed her on the cheek, got out of the car, and walked away.
You know what really impresses me about this story is how this woman's faith informed her in this moment of crisis. She was not using her faith to save her skin. It was simply a faith that was so close to the surface, she could not help but respond from it. Her audacity could have very well led to her death. But the beauty of it was that even if it had, she knew her Maker and had a secure future hope."
"I came across an amazing story not long ago that reminded me just how much being a follower of Jesus can shape the way you face what you hope you never have to face: a thief at gunpoint. Maybe you saw the story, too.
Ninety-two-year-old Pauline Jacobi had just finished loading her groceries into her car at a local Wal-Mart in Dyer County, Tennessee. She got in her car, and a moment later, a man climbed into the passenger side. He said he had a gun and that he would shoot her if she did not hand over her money. What she did next did not involve pepper-spray or martial arts, but it did save her life and may have saved his.
Pauline calmly refused her would-be robber three times. Then she said, "You know, as quick as you kill me, I'll go to heaven and you'll go to hell." Then she told him that he needed to ask God for forgiveness. "Jesus is in this car," she said, "and He goes with me everywhere I go." Jacobi said that the man looked around, and then tears began to come to his eyes.
For 10 more minutes, Jacobi shared with the man. Finally, he said, "I think I will go home tonight and pray." But Jacobi told him that he did not need to wait to pray; he could pray now.
Then Jacobi, voluntarily, offered the man all the money she had on her, 10 bucks, on one condition-that he not spend the money on whiskey. After that, the man kissed her on the cheek, got out of the car, and walked away.
You know what really impresses me about this story is how this woman's faith informed her in this moment of crisis. She was not using her faith to save her skin. It was simply a faith that was so close to the surface, she could not help but respond from it. Her audacity could have very well led to her death. But the beauty of it was that even if it had, she knew her Maker and had a secure future hope."
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Christ In You
Recently, a friend shared the following video that builds off the Colossians 1:27, Christ in you, the hope of glory.
What’s so powerful to me is that I’m sure something like Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” must be sung by Heaven’s angels when we come to Christ and are born into God’s family. So the real question for us today is pretty simple: if someone could really hear your spiritual heart, what would they be able to hear?
Is He in you? Is He in me?
What’s so powerful to me is that I’m sure something like Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” must be sung by Heaven’s angels when we come to Christ and are born into God’s family. So the real question for us today is pretty simple: if someone could really hear your spiritual heart, what would they be able to hear?
Is He in you? Is He in me?
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Collectibles
As I am putting the house back together after decorating I am thinking I probably have not blogged about my collections. Someone may say "what do you collect?" and my answer would have to be "what don't I collect?". No, there are really lots of things I don't collect but over the years here are a few I have collected: music boxes, clowns, Cherished Teddies, Precious Moments, Sandra Kuck plates, angels, snowmen, Christmas ornaments and Prayers and Promises figurines. Most of them have been gifts throughout the years. But Prayers and Promises is probably my favorite because the artist Bill Stross wrote thoughts to accompany each piece and I liked what they said.
Three of my favorites are: When Life Hands You Lemons
"Sometimes our plans work out, sometimes they don't. I have wanted thing sin my life so desperately that in my shortsightedness I've forgotten there is a plan greater than my own. Life is far different than I had planned, but if it hadn't been for a few lemons I would have missed out on some of the greatest blessings in my life. Life can seem full of lemons, but sometimes it is hard to b eat an ice-cold glass of lemonade."
Winds of Change
"I liken the wind to God's will for our lives. We can sail against it, but the journey is long and exhausting. Or we can simply submit, put the wind to our back and sail almost effortlessly in a new direction. Perhaps not where we were going, but rather in the direction we should be going."
Perseverance and a Little Faith
"Perseverance is defined as a stead persistence in the face of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement. But perseverance and faith are so interdependent that it would be difficult at best to have one without the other. Faith equips us for perseverance and perseverance is the barometer of our faith. Our job is to do all that we can...that's perseverance, and trust in God to do all that we can't...that's faith."
Three of my favorites are: When Life Hands You Lemons
"Sometimes our plans work out, sometimes they don't. I have wanted thing sin my life so desperately that in my shortsightedness I've forgotten there is a plan greater than my own. Life is far different than I had planned, but if it hadn't been for a few lemons I would have missed out on some of the greatest blessings in my life. Life can seem full of lemons, but sometimes it is hard to b eat an ice-cold glass of lemonade."
Winds of Change
"I liken the wind to God's will for our lives. We can sail against it, but the journey is long and exhausting. Or we can simply submit, put the wind to our back and sail almost effortlessly in a new direction. Perhaps not where we were going, but rather in the direction we should be going."
Perseverance and a Little Faith
"Perseverance is defined as a stead persistence in the face of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement. But perseverance and faith are so interdependent that it would be difficult at best to have one without the other. Faith equips us for perseverance and perseverance is the barometer of our faith. Our job is to do all that we can...that's perseverance, and trust in God to do all that we can't...that's faith."
Friday, January 02, 2009
New Year's Resolve
I don't usually make New Year's Resolutions because I am not self disciplined enough to keep them. But in my Bible reading in the past week there were several verses that hit me anew that I would like to pray that the Spirit help me to live better than I have in the past. Here are a few of them.
Colossians 3:17-And whatever I do, whether in word or deed, I will do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:23-Whatever I do, I will work at it with all my heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,since I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ I am serving.
Ephesians 4:29-I will not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Philippians 2:3-5- I will do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility I will consider others better than myself. I will not look not only to my own interests, but also to the interests of others. My attitude will be the same as that of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:8-9-Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—I will think about such things.
Hebrews 12:1-3-Therefore, since I am surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, I will throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and I will run with perseverance the race marked out for me. I will fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith
Colossians 3:17-And whatever I do, whether in word or deed, I will do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:23-Whatever I do, I will work at it with all my heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,since I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ I am serving.
Ephesians 4:29-I will not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Philippians 2:3-5- I will do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility I will consider others better than myself. I will not look not only to my own interests, but also to the interests of others. My attitude will be the same as that of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:8-9-Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—I will think about such things.
Hebrews 12:1-3-Therefore, since I am surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, I will throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and I will run with perseverance the race marked out for me. I will fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Report Card
So I finished reading through the Bible today. Not in 365 days, but 366...still it feels like an accomplishment. Steve bought us Charles Stanley's Life Principles Daily Bible to go through this year. It will be different because the Narrated Bible we just used was in chronological order and that was interesting because numerous books were out of the order I was used to and it flowed so much better. The Life Principles Bible has an Old Testament reading, New Testament Reading and then a Psalm or Proverb as well as commentary. So it will be mixing things up.
Since I was trying to catch up and finish the reading for 2008, in the past four days I read from 1 Corinthians to Revelation. Tomorrow I will blog about some verses that touched my heart anew. Today I want to just take a look at what Paul said to some of the churches. It caused me to think, if Paul was to write a letter to Richardson East (where I attend) what would he say? What would be different about our churches if we were held accountable? Not that we aren't accountable to God, but if someone was going to put into writings their thoughts about us would it change what we did? Would any of this be said of us?
We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ...You became a model to all the believers...your faith in God became known everywhere.
Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.
We always thank God, The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love you have for all the saints and the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about the word of truth, the gospel has come to you.
I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.
I thank God everytime I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
It gave me great joy to have some brothers come tell me about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in truth.
Since I was trying to catch up and finish the reading for 2008, in the past four days I read from 1 Corinthians to Revelation. Tomorrow I will blog about some verses that touched my heart anew. Today I want to just take a look at what Paul said to some of the churches. It caused me to think, if Paul was to write a letter to Richardson East (where I attend) what would he say? What would be different about our churches if we were held accountable? Not that we aren't accountable to God, but if someone was going to put into writings their thoughts about us would it change what we did? Would any of this be said of us?
We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ...You became a model to all the believers...your faith in God became known everywhere.
Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.
We always thank God, The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love you have for all the saints and the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about the word of truth, the gospel has come to you.
I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.
I thank God everytime I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
It gave me great joy to have some brothers come tell me about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in truth.
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