Our Daily Bread
Nah, we don't need no stinkin' old nasty heart! We need a new heart! hehehe
I found the message in the devotional to be pretty basic in my understanding of being a child of God -- he gives us a new heart when we turn our old one over to him! The thing that surprised me is the scripture passage used to illustrate the point. It comes from the Old Testament! I thought a scripture passage quoting Jesus would have been the scripture passage. Check out Ezekiel 36:26-31
Do you see what happens as a result of God giving us a new heart? We change! We change from the inside out! How cool is that? We become his people when we allow him to give us a new heart and a new focus in life. A life of the beloved!
Lord, thank you for giving us a new heart if we will only ask!
Witness Wednesday
I started a new book last night called The Life of the Beloved. I will write more about it as I read it. It is short, so I will have it done next week. I love the premise of each child of God being "beloved" and that we should all claim that status each day. We have a saying at church for ourselves and for others when they are being difficult "Duane, you are God's beloved child in whom he is well pleased". It is hard to be mad at yourself or at another person when you frame things in that manner!
Other than that, I have thinking a lot about overcoming fear this week. I realized my fears were stifling some things in my life. I am working on releasing my fears over to God as I recognize them. My strategy is to pray about what my fears, then release them to God. The following saying is a big reason for me to do this:
"Have confidence in your relationships, and avoid suffocating people out of fear."
Wow! I am a confident, trusting person, almost to a fault. I have to be careful to not let fear keep me from being the person I need/want to be. I am praying about that...
Other Stuff
My best friend and I texted several times about the Apple announcement scheduled for next week. The news conference is supposed to be the announcement for the iPad3 tablet. We will see. My joke with him is: "I don't want rumors. I want hardware!". hehehe I plan to buy one. He will inherit my original iPad (keeping it in the family).
I ran an errand after work, then spent the evening at home. I had come nice conversations with mi tigre. Talked to my mother. I am going to visit her and my aunt on Saturday. I also returned some emails and did a few things around the house.
I think I worked out a little too hard yesterday. I am only doing my Bowflex routine today. Whew... I can tell a different in my body in less than two weeks on the Bowflex. I am excited about that.
I plan to read after work and before D1 class tonight. I might be able to finish the latest book. I have another one on my Kindle to read next. ;-p
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
How will I be remembered?
Our Daily Bread
I liked the homage paid to a loved and respected man in the devotional today. It reminded me of a conversation I had with some friends recently about how each of us might be remembered after we pass through this life. We each had our thoughts and hopes of what others would say about us. In the end, all that matters is what God says about us! I hope I hear "you are my beloved child in whom I am well-pleased"!
How do we need to live our lives to get the desired result? The scripture passage from Proverbs 15:21-33 gives us some great insight. Check it out and make some notes about how we should live.
Lord, thank you for giving me direction to find my way to you!
Teaching Tuesday
The Disciple 1 lesson this week is the book of Luke. We studied Luke extensively in D2 last year. I enjoyed it. Take a quick read through it this week to see what you think. I am enjoying the comparisons between the different books and how some of the details are different and the same.
Other Stuff
I saw the movie Act of Valor last night after work. It was interesting. I will review on Monday. I had a salad for supper when I got home. I found a salad dressing I really like that only has one gram of fat per two tablespoon serving. Woohoooo! I did a few things around the house and had a conversation with mi tigre before hitting the sack. I am up and at it this morning for my aerobic workout. I will probably walk at lunch as well.
Not sure what is on the agenda for tonight. I need to make some care calls. I will probably take care of those. I might watch some TV or do some reading.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I liked the homage paid to a loved and respected man in the devotional today. It reminded me of a conversation I had with some friends recently about how each of us might be remembered after we pass through this life. We each had our thoughts and hopes of what others would say about us. In the end, all that matters is what God says about us! I hope I hear "you are my beloved child in whom I am well-pleased"!
How do we need to live our lives to get the desired result? The scripture passage from Proverbs 15:21-33 gives us some great insight. Check it out and make some notes about how we should live.
Lord, thank you for giving me direction to find my way to you!
Teaching Tuesday
The Disciple 1 lesson this week is the book of Luke. We studied Luke extensively in D2 last year. I enjoyed it. Take a quick read through it this week to see what you think. I am enjoying the comparisons between the different books and how some of the details are different and the same.
Other Stuff
I saw the movie Act of Valor last night after work. It was interesting. I will review on Monday. I had a salad for supper when I got home. I found a salad dressing I really like that only has one gram of fat per two tablespoon serving. Woohoooo! I did a few things around the house and had a conversation with mi tigre before hitting the sack. I am up and at it this morning for my aerobic workout. I will probably walk at lunch as well.
Not sure what is on the agenda for tonight. I need to make some care calls. I will probably take care of those. I might watch some TV or do some reading.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Yer not from 'round here, are ya?
Our Daily Bread
How cool is this? A reference to Star Wars in the devotional! I love Star Wars! hehehe The scene the author talked about reminded me of some churches too! The way the creatures looked at the strangers was sooooo typical! ha!
So why is it so difficult for us to get to know and accept folks that are different than us? I an not sure. I have always looked for new friends from many different places and backgrounds. I think I realized at a young age that my life til that point was very sheltered. I remember the first time I announced to my family I had an African-American friend. Oh nooooooo! They have worked through their prejudice issues over the years.
I find it amusing now that two of my cousin's children are married to Latino men. I am also attracted to Latino men. ha!
Lord,help us realize that different is not bad, just different!
Movie Monday
I got to see two movies last week: Haywire and Pina 3D.
Haywire
This movie has been on my list since it came out because I like strong chick movies (and TV shows). The main character is (a female UFC fighter in real life) double crossed by her ex-boyfriend/employer. The rest of the movie is her trying to survive and kicking lots of butt along the way. The fight scenes are pretty wild as she takes a lot of hits. I was surprised by that. I liked the movie because there were lots of well-known actors in it. There wasn't a lot for them to "act" in the script. Also, the lead was not an actor at all. God love her!
I give this movie one bear paw. See it on video if at all.
Pina 3D
This movie is a homage to late choreographer Pina Bausch (1940-2009), a leading influence in the development of the Tanztheater style of dance. If the movie had been all dancing, it would have been pretty cool. I was not familiar with this style, so it intrigued me. It was more "homage" than dancing. I almost fell asleep! The 3D effects were just OK. I teased my walking buddy that her husband would have lasted about 30 seconds before he excused himself! Only see this movie if you LOVE dance and you are very interested in learning more about this artist.
I give it one bear paw. See it at a artsy theater.
Other Stuff
We had some nice services at church yesterday. I enjoyed them both, as usual. I like hearing the sermon twice. I get something different out of it each time!
I had a conversation with mi tigre after church. I enjoy talking to him very much.
I did a few things around the house and took a nap. I made some black beans, but they turned out more like black beans and brown rice instead of black bean soup. They had a nice spicy kick that I liked a lot. They were great with a little reduced fat sour cream.
I went to an Oscars party at my mentor's house. We had a nice time and I met some new folks.
I came home and went to bed shortly after. I am up and at it this morning with my morning workout. Whew! I hope I get used to this soon! hehehe
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
How cool is this? A reference to Star Wars in the devotional! I love Star Wars! hehehe The scene the author talked about reminded me of some churches too! The way the creatures looked at the strangers was sooooo typical! ha!
So why is it so difficult for us to get to know and accept folks that are different than us? I an not sure. I have always looked for new friends from many different places and backgrounds. I think I realized at a young age that my life til that point was very sheltered. I remember the first time I announced to my family I had an African-American friend. Oh nooooooo! They have worked through their prejudice issues over the years.
I find it amusing now that two of my cousin's children are married to Latino men. I am also attracted to Latino men. ha!
Lord,help us realize that different is not bad, just different!
Movie Monday
I got to see two movies last week: Haywire and Pina 3D.
Haywire
This movie has been on my list since it came out because I like strong chick movies (and TV shows). The main character is (a female UFC fighter in real life) double crossed by her ex-boyfriend/employer. The rest of the movie is her trying to survive and kicking lots of butt along the way. The fight scenes are pretty wild as she takes a lot of hits. I was surprised by that. I liked the movie because there were lots of well-known actors in it. There wasn't a lot for them to "act" in the script. Also, the lead was not an actor at all. God love her!
I give this movie one bear paw. See it on video if at all.
Pina 3D
This movie is a homage to late choreographer Pina Bausch (1940-2009), a leading influence in the development of the Tanztheater style of dance. If the movie had been all dancing, it would have been pretty cool. I was not familiar with this style, so it intrigued me. It was more "homage" than dancing. I almost fell asleep! The 3D effects were just OK. I teased my walking buddy that her husband would have lasted about 30 seconds before he excused himself! Only see this movie if you LOVE dance and you are very interested in learning more about this artist.
I give it one bear paw. See it at a artsy theater.
Other Stuff
We had some nice services at church yesterday. I enjoyed them both, as usual. I like hearing the sermon twice. I get something different out of it each time!
I had a conversation with mi tigre after church. I enjoy talking to him very much.
I did a few things around the house and took a nap. I made some black beans, but they turned out more like black beans and brown rice instead of black bean soup. They had a nice spicy kick that I liked a lot. They were great with a little reduced fat sour cream.
I went to an Oscars party at my mentor's house. We had a nice time and I met some new folks.
I came home and went to bed shortly after. I am up and at it this morning with my morning workout. Whew! I hope I get used to this soon! hehehe
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
New wardrobe
Our Daily Bread
I have to admit -- I like clothes! I also like shoes and writing pens, but that is another posting! hehehe I promised myself this year that I would finally lose weight so I can wear all the clothes in my closet! I am on my way, but very slowly.
Clothes are what I thought about while reading the devotional. Do you remember how exciting it was to get new school clothes when you were a kid? Think about your life and your sins like clothes for a minute. The scripture talks about how the new robes of Joshua represented his forgiveness of sin and the cleansing that can only come from God. Oh, that it was only that easy! Go to Macy's and pick out a new outfit so we can be righteous! Isn't that what the Sadducees and Pharisees tried to do? Look good on the outside, but were rotten to the core?
How do we become righteous? Only through the grace of God. We can love God first in our lives and love others as ourselves to show our conversion!
Lord, please help us put on new robes after our cleansing so we can walk in you!
Psalm Sunday
Psalm 37 is the one for this week. It is sort of long, but it gets the message across! Trusting in God is the only way to live!
Psalm 37
Of David.
1 Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity.
12 The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.
14 The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
16 Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.
18 The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care,
and their inheritance will endure forever.
19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
20 But the wicked will perish:
Though the LORD’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.
21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;
22 those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be destroyed.
23 The LORD makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
25 I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be a blessing.
27 Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.
28 For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.
Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed;
the offspring of the wicked will perish.
29 The righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it forever.
30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,
and their tongues speak what is just.
31 The law of their God is in their hearts;
their feet do not slip.
32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
intent on putting them to death;
33 but the LORD will not leave them in the power of the wicked
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
34 Hope in the LORD
and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.
35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,
36 but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.
37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
a future awaits those who seek peace.
38 But all sinners will be destroyed;
there will be no future[e] for the wicked.
39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
40 The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
Other Stuff
My Saturday was busier than planned, but it was OK. I did some things around the house in the morning, then ran a few errands before the memorial service at church. I got to talk to mi tigre a couple times before church. I hoped we could talk early because we were both busy in the afternoon and evening.
The memorial service was nice. I stopped by the Dollar Tree to look for some cards and other treasures. I was killing time before meeting my walking buddy for a movie at Gateway. The movie was both exciting and boring as heck all wrapped up into one! I will review it tomorrow.
I helped my walking buddy with a few things she needed help with and then made my way home. I finished my D1 reading before bed. Only then did I realize I hadn't made my bed! OH well. I grabbed a blanket and just slept on the mattress. I will rotate the mattress and make the bed Sunday afternoon. No worries!
I have church today and a pre-Oscar show party tonight. I promised my mentor I would stop by for a while.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I have to admit -- I like clothes! I also like shoes and writing pens, but that is another posting! hehehe I promised myself this year that I would finally lose weight so I can wear all the clothes in my closet! I am on my way, but very slowly.
Clothes are what I thought about while reading the devotional. Do you remember how exciting it was to get new school clothes when you were a kid? Think about your life and your sins like clothes for a minute. The scripture talks about how the new robes of Joshua represented his forgiveness of sin and the cleansing that can only come from God. Oh, that it was only that easy! Go to Macy's and pick out a new outfit so we can be righteous! Isn't that what the Sadducees and Pharisees tried to do? Look good on the outside, but were rotten to the core?
How do we become righteous? Only through the grace of God. We can love God first in our lives and love others as ourselves to show our conversion!
Lord, please help us put on new robes after our cleansing so we can walk in you!
Psalm Sunday
Psalm 37 is the one for this week. It is sort of long, but it gets the message across! Trusting in God is the only way to live!
Psalm 37
Of David.
1 Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity.
12 The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.
14 The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
16 Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.
18 The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care,
and their inheritance will endure forever.
19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
20 But the wicked will perish:
Though the LORD’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.
21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;
22 those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be destroyed.
23 The LORD makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
25 I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be a blessing.
27 Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.
28 For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.
Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed;
the offspring of the wicked will perish.
29 The righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it forever.
30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,
and their tongues speak what is just.
31 The law of their God is in their hearts;
their feet do not slip.
32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
intent on putting them to death;
33 but the LORD will not leave them in the power of the wicked
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
34 Hope in the LORD
and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.
35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,
36 but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.
37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
a future awaits those who seek peace.
38 But all sinners will be destroyed;
there will be no future[e] for the wicked.
39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
40 The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
Other Stuff
My Saturday was busier than planned, but it was OK. I did some things around the house in the morning, then ran a few errands before the memorial service at church. I got to talk to mi tigre a couple times before church. I hoped we could talk early because we were both busy in the afternoon and evening.
The memorial service was nice. I stopped by the Dollar Tree to look for some cards and other treasures. I was killing time before meeting my walking buddy for a movie at Gateway. The movie was both exciting and boring as heck all wrapped up into one! I will review it tomorrow.
I helped my walking buddy with a few things she needed help with and then made my way home. I finished my D1 reading before bed. Only then did I realize I hadn't made my bed! OH well. I grabbed a blanket and just slept on the mattress. I will rotate the mattress and make the bed Sunday afternoon. No worries!
I have church today and a pre-Oscar show party tonight. I promised my mentor I would stop by for a while.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Saturday, February 25, 2012
What hair?
Our Daily Bread
Yes, I am hairless on the top of my head. It seems I can grow hair everywhere else on my body except for my head! Oh well. I accepted my baldness many, many years ago. I enjoy the current fashion trend of baldness and very short hair. I am in style! That is so important to me! NOT! hehehe
But I digress. The devotional uses the analogy of "letting your hair down" to lead into the story of Mary. She was the woman who anointed Jesus with expensive oil/perfume and wiped it off with her hair. I never realized that the women of that time didn't let their hair down in public. That was an interesting tidbit to add even more meaning to the story! She risked her most valuable treasure and her reputation in one act of love!
That begs the question: what are we willing to risk to be a servant for Jesus? Are we willing to "let our hair down" so we can serve others? Will we risk looking silly or exposing our faults so we can better serve God?
Lord, help us let our hair down and be willing to do whatever it takes to serve others in your name!
Simply Saturday
This was an interesting week of ups and downs. I did a decent job of staying on an even keel. There were some challenges at work. Even keel. There were some relationship challenges with friends. Even keel. There were some serious conversations with God. Even keel. There was a breakthrough in a situation I have been praying about. Even keel. Saw the Buckeyes beat Illinois at the Schott. Yeah, I got a little excited. hehehe
The even keel thing is important for me since I can be an up and down kind of guy at times. I started a new workout routine that starts at 5:00 am each morning. I am happy to say it is working already. The problem is that I get tired right after lunch. I can be cranky when I am tired! I can get very tired when doing stuff in the evenings. Whew. I will get used to it. I am excited that I am already seeing results the first week of this routine and from using the Bowflex machine. I will keep it up.
Yesterday was mi tigre's birthday. I sent his present a few weeks ago as it was for both Valentines Day and his birthday. He should have gotten his card in the mail by Friday at the latest. I will ask him about it today. I hope he had a good time with friends and family last night.
I worked on my D1 reading and laundry last night. I have a busy afternoon today as I am singing with the church choir at a memorial service, and then attending a movie with my walking buddy. I found a Groupon for the theater that is playing a movie she wants to see. Her husband owes me one as it is not a movie he would see with her! We will both enjoy it. It is called Pina (in 3D).
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Yes, I am hairless on the top of my head. It seems I can grow hair everywhere else on my body except for my head! Oh well. I accepted my baldness many, many years ago. I enjoy the current fashion trend of baldness and very short hair. I am in style! That is so important to me! NOT! hehehe
But I digress. The devotional uses the analogy of "letting your hair down" to lead into the story of Mary. She was the woman who anointed Jesus with expensive oil/perfume and wiped it off with her hair. I never realized that the women of that time didn't let their hair down in public. That was an interesting tidbit to add even more meaning to the story! She risked her most valuable treasure and her reputation in one act of love!
That begs the question: what are we willing to risk to be a servant for Jesus? Are we willing to "let our hair down" so we can serve others? Will we risk looking silly or exposing our faults so we can better serve God?
Lord, help us let our hair down and be willing to do whatever it takes to serve others in your name!
Simply Saturday
This was an interesting week of ups and downs. I did a decent job of staying on an even keel. There were some challenges at work. Even keel. There were some relationship challenges with friends. Even keel. There were some serious conversations with God. Even keel. There was a breakthrough in a situation I have been praying about. Even keel. Saw the Buckeyes beat Illinois at the Schott. Yeah, I got a little excited. hehehe
The even keel thing is important for me since I can be an up and down kind of guy at times. I started a new workout routine that starts at 5:00 am each morning. I am happy to say it is working already. The problem is that I get tired right after lunch. I can be cranky when I am tired! I can get very tired when doing stuff in the evenings. Whew. I will get used to it. I am excited that I am already seeing results the first week of this routine and from using the Bowflex machine. I will keep it up.
Yesterday was mi tigre's birthday. I sent his present a few weeks ago as it was for both Valentines Day and his birthday. He should have gotten his card in the mail by Friday at the latest. I will ask him about it today. I hope he had a good time with friends and family last night.
I worked on my D1 reading and laundry last night. I have a busy afternoon today as I am singing with the church choir at a memorial service, and then attending a movie with my walking buddy. I found a Groupon for the theater that is playing a movie she wants to see. Her husband owes me one as it is not a movie he would see with her! We will both enjoy it. It is called Pina (in 3D).
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Friday, February 24, 2012
The Faithfulness of God
Our Daily Bread
I love the vivid references used in the Old Testament at times. I don't always understand them because our culture and climate is very different in Central Ohio than in Israel! We don't see a lot of palm or cedar trees here! ;-)
The devotional talks about how a child of God will appear to others if we are "well rooted" in his Word and his love. We will be beautiful like a mature palm tree, never fading in the desert sun. We will be unbending in our faith and works like the unbending cedars of Lebanon. I remember Solomon used a heck of a lot of cedars in the temple! Wow!
Would you describe your life as "well rooted"? Ask God how today!
Lord, thank you for making our hearts fertile to your Word and your love if we will just turn ourselves over to you.
Foodie Friday
I tried a green sauce at El Vaquero on Tuesday night. I thought it was going to be the green sauce I used to get at Tumbleweed many years ago. It was different! This was a hot sauce instead of a milder, chicken broth based sauce. Here is the recipe for the green sauce I had on Tuesday. It was hot and tasty!
Mexican Green Sauce
Ingredients
1 lb tomatillos, husked and washed
2 -3 fresh jalapenos, seeded
5 sprigs fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 small onions, chopped
1 garlic cloves, chopped
6 -7 fresh mint leaves (optional)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon salt
Directions
Boil the tomatillos and jalapenos in salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes, then drain.
Place in blender or food processor with cilantro, onion and garlic (mint, if desired) and blend until smooth.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Pour sauce in and stir for 5 minutes.
Add broth and salt, return to a boil, then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until thickened.
Other Stuff
I went to see the movie Haywire after work last night. I missed it when it first came out. I guess I should say I really didn't miss much! I will review on Monday.
I had some nice conversations with mi tigre. I miss him so much. He is becoming more special to me each day. I also had some phone and text conversations with other friends after the movie.
I had choir practice at church, and then went home.
I have a few things to do this weekend. Nothing too major. It will be nice.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I love the vivid references used in the Old Testament at times. I don't always understand them because our culture and climate is very different in Central Ohio than in Israel! We don't see a lot of palm or cedar trees here! ;-)
The devotional talks about how a child of God will appear to others if we are "well rooted" in his Word and his love. We will be beautiful like a mature palm tree, never fading in the desert sun. We will be unbending in our faith and works like the unbending cedars of Lebanon. I remember Solomon used a heck of a lot of cedars in the temple! Wow!
Would you describe your life as "well rooted"? Ask God how today!
Lord, thank you for making our hearts fertile to your Word and your love if we will just turn ourselves over to you.
Foodie Friday
I tried a green sauce at El Vaquero on Tuesday night. I thought it was going to be the green sauce I used to get at Tumbleweed many years ago. It was different! This was a hot sauce instead of a milder, chicken broth based sauce. Here is the recipe for the green sauce I had on Tuesday. It was hot and tasty!
Mexican Green Sauce
Ingredients
1 lb tomatillos, husked and washed
2 -3 fresh jalapenos, seeded
5 sprigs fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 small onions, chopped
1 garlic cloves, chopped
6 -7 fresh mint leaves (optional)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon salt
Directions
Boil the tomatillos and jalapenos in salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes, then drain.
Place in blender or food processor with cilantro, onion and garlic (mint, if desired) and blend until smooth.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Pour sauce in and stir for 5 minutes.
Add broth and salt, return to a boil, then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until thickened.
Other Stuff
I went to see the movie Haywire after work last night. I missed it when it first came out. I guess I should say I really didn't miss much! I will review on Monday.
I had some nice conversations with mi tigre. I miss him so much. He is becoming more special to me each day. I also had some phone and text conversations with other friends after the movie.
I had choir practice at church, and then went home.
I have a few things to do this weekend. Nothing too major. It will be nice.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Insurance
Our Daily Bread
I work in the insurance industry. I don't know that much about it really, but I understand the general concept -- you have someone to rely on when things go bad. Unfortunately, many folks view their relationship with God the same way. They only pray or pay attention to him when things go bad!
The scripture passage covers several major topics in my opinion. Here are the ones I liked the most:
1. We should be full of God's works if we are his children
2. The Word of God should be alive and active in our lives
3. We can approach the throne of grace with confidence if we are his children
Wow! How amazing! It is like a little daily checklist for "Am I being a good Christian today?" hehehe For those of us who like checklists, it works! hehehe
Lord, help us to read and live the passage from Hebrews. We want to serve you.
Technology Thursday
So the rumors are flying about the iPad3, if that is what Apple is going to call it. A friend shared an internal work memo talking about how his company was going to offer the 4G iPad3 at the first part of March. We will see about that. There is still a lot of discussion about what the other features will be. Apple will tell us in due time. I told my friend "I want hardware!". hehehe
I have also been watching an amazing industry trend -- instead of desktop/laptop OS design driving mobile devices, it is now the other way around! Apple and Microsoft are adding features from their mobile OS's to their desktop/laptop OS's. That is pretty amazing in my opinion. We will see how Microsoft does with Windows 8.
The other things to check out sometime are the new port standards: Thunderbolt and USB 3.0. MUCH faster interfaces for all kinds of devices that can hook up to your computers. We will see if one standard wins out or if we will still have multiple standards. They both have their advantages.
Other Stuff
I didn't go to church last night. I wasn't raised with an Ash Wednesday tradition, so it wasn't a big deal to me. I got my oil changed and tires rotated, went to Costco and went to Target. I made a deposit at the bank. I was very happy with my self-discipline -- I didn't put any charges on my credit cards last night. I paid cash for everything. I am working on keeping my monthly credit card balances down or zero and paying off the remaining card with a balance. I can do this. I have plan for the next year that will leave me in very good shape financially after I can carry it out. ;-) Confidence. It is a good thing! I have a similar "fitness" plan for my big ol' bear body. I will reduce it as well. Finally.
I will probably read after work tonight, then go to choir practice. Not sure I will drive home. I will figure that out later.
I have a couple of Groupons that I need to use up. I will check those out as well this weekend.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I work in the insurance industry. I don't know that much about it really, but I understand the general concept -- you have someone to rely on when things go bad. Unfortunately, many folks view their relationship with God the same way. They only pray or pay attention to him when things go bad!
The scripture passage covers several major topics in my opinion. Here are the ones I liked the most:
1. We should be full of God's works if we are his children
2. The Word of God should be alive and active in our lives
3. We can approach the throne of grace with confidence if we are his children
Wow! How amazing! It is like a little daily checklist for "Am I being a good Christian today?" hehehe For those of us who like checklists, it works! hehehe
Lord, help us to read and live the passage from Hebrews. We want to serve you.
Technology Thursday
So the rumors are flying about the iPad3, if that is what Apple is going to call it. A friend shared an internal work memo talking about how his company was going to offer the 4G iPad3 at the first part of March. We will see about that. There is still a lot of discussion about what the other features will be. Apple will tell us in due time. I told my friend "I want hardware!". hehehe
I have also been watching an amazing industry trend -- instead of desktop/laptop OS design driving mobile devices, it is now the other way around! Apple and Microsoft are adding features from their mobile OS's to their desktop/laptop OS's. That is pretty amazing in my opinion. We will see how Microsoft does with Windows 8.
The other things to check out sometime are the new port standards: Thunderbolt and USB 3.0. MUCH faster interfaces for all kinds of devices that can hook up to your computers. We will see if one standard wins out or if we will still have multiple standards. They both have their advantages.
Other Stuff
I didn't go to church last night. I wasn't raised with an Ash Wednesday tradition, so it wasn't a big deal to me. I got my oil changed and tires rotated, went to Costco and went to Target. I made a deposit at the bank. I was very happy with my self-discipline -- I didn't put any charges on my credit cards last night. I paid cash for everything. I am working on keeping my monthly credit card balances down or zero and paying off the remaining card with a balance. I can do this. I have plan for the next year that will leave me in very good shape financially after I can carry it out. ;-) Confidence. It is a good thing! I have a similar "fitness" plan for my big ol' bear body. I will reduce it as well. Finally.
I will probably read after work tonight, then go to choir practice. Not sure I will drive home. I will figure that out later.
I have a couple of Groupons that I need to use up. I will check those out as well this weekend.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Legacy
Our Daily Bread
I had a discussion with some friends recently about legacy -- how will people remember you after you are gone? I thought of that discussion when reading today's devotional. Folks looked back on the life of John and remembered not only what he didn't do, but what he did!
I think we have all known folks like that in our lives. The "behind the scenes" kind of person that you never really notice until the stuff they do is not getting done any longer! Let's all make an effort to notice and thank those folks the next time we see them!
Lord, help us all do our part. Help us all seek only your kingdom.
Witness Wednesday
After the devotional on Monday, I have been thinking and praying a lot about fear. What am I really afraid of? How is that fear affecting me in my health, my relationships and my walk with God?
I have also been praying a lot about "releasing" things to God. There are some things I may never be able to release to God completely. I am trying to overcome those things. To let go is a wonderful thing. To let go of the pride of "I can do this on my own" is a huge deal for me. God is healing me and making me whole and helping me to love better as I let these things go. Not being driven by fear is a wonderful thing!
Read the devotional again. Think and pray about it I know I will. Here is my last thought about fear (from an old devotional):
"Have confidence in your relationships, and avoid suffocating people out of fear."
Other Stuff
I had a great evening with my hero last night! We had dinner at El Vaqueo and then attended the Ohio State - Illinois boys basketball game! Woohoooo! We had a blast. The guys played well. They won by 17 points. We were hoping that Michigan would lose to Northwestern, but they pulled out the game in overtime. The other result that disappointed me was Missouri's loss to K-State. Mi tigre will be disappointed with that!
Going to run some errands tonight and take it easy.
If you notice the time on the posting, I got up early this morning to work out. ;-p Mi tigre and I are trying this approach for a while. The only downside I see so far is that taking the pre-workoiut stuff needs to get into my system at least 30 minutes before the workout. I will try writing my blog and doing an chore or two before I workout to allow that to happen. I will let you know how it works out. I want to get through this plateau. NEED to get through this plateau!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I had a discussion with some friends recently about legacy -- how will people remember you after you are gone? I thought of that discussion when reading today's devotional. Folks looked back on the life of John and remembered not only what he didn't do, but what he did!
I think we have all known folks like that in our lives. The "behind the scenes" kind of person that you never really notice until the stuff they do is not getting done any longer! Let's all make an effort to notice and thank those folks the next time we see them!
Lord, help us all do our part. Help us all seek only your kingdom.
Witness Wednesday
After the devotional on Monday, I have been thinking and praying a lot about fear. What am I really afraid of? How is that fear affecting me in my health, my relationships and my walk with God?
I have also been praying a lot about "releasing" things to God. There are some things I may never be able to release to God completely. I am trying to overcome those things. To let go is a wonderful thing. To let go of the pride of "I can do this on my own" is a huge deal for me. God is healing me and making me whole and helping me to love better as I let these things go. Not being driven by fear is a wonderful thing!
Read the devotional again. Think and pray about it I know I will. Here is my last thought about fear (from an old devotional):
"Have confidence in your relationships, and avoid suffocating people out of fear."
Other Stuff
I had a great evening with my hero last night! We had dinner at El Vaqueo and then attended the Ohio State - Illinois boys basketball game! Woohoooo! We had a blast. The guys played well. They won by 17 points. We were hoping that Michigan would lose to Northwestern, but they pulled out the game in overtime. The other result that disappointed me was Missouri's loss to K-State. Mi tigre will be disappointed with that!
Going to run some errands tonight and take it easy.
If you notice the time on the posting, I got up early this morning to work out. ;-p Mi tigre and I are trying this approach for a while. The only downside I see so far is that taking the pre-workoiut stuff needs to get into my system at least 30 minutes before the workout. I will try writing my blog and doing an chore or two before I workout to allow that to happen. I will let you know how it works out. I want to get through this plateau. NEED to get through this plateau!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Sluggard = Slacker
Our Daily Bread
Today's devotional reminded me that Biblical language can be overlooked because the language can seem outdated. The author did a great job of "translating" the old word "sluggard" into today's language -- "slacker". We all know slackers! hehehe
I liked the way the devotional talked about each of us having specific areas of our life that we are each slackers! I never thought of it that way. I have been an overachiever for most of my life. Slacking is not common for me in general, but I see how I sometimes slack off with specific areas of my life. I am not always loving enough to the unlovable. I don't always pray enough. I don't always have enough faith. I am not always trusting enough of God's love and deliverance.
In what areas of your life are you slacking today?
Lord, I don't want my life to be a reality TV show called "Slackers"! Help me discipline myself with your help!
Teaching Tuesday
One of the most common areas of "slacking" is in the area of Bible study. "Oh, the Bible is so hard to understand". "Oh, I just can't connect to what is being said". "I don't understand". For me, if I really want to read something, I work through those issues. I remember the first time I tried to read the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I was lost after the first few pages! I was only able to read it after seeing the first movie where I could get a framework for the characters, the scenery and the basic story.
The point is that we should find whatever way we can to start our understanding and build our understanding of God through God's Word. I know it is confusing and contradictory at times. God's Word teaches us about the nature of God. It cannot possibly hold every detail about God or every detail about human history. One passages says that even the skies above cannot hold all the things that could be written about our Almighty God! Wow!
Whatever it takes for you to start -- start today!
Other Stuff
I had a busy evening. I had a conversation with mi tigre after I got off work. I rested a few minutes before driving to Easton to run an errand for my hero. I also stopped by Target to pick up a few things. My last small group class was enjoyable. We will see where we want to go from here.
I fell into bed when I got home.
I didn't make it up to work out this morning. Heavy sigh.... I will try harder. I used to do this almost every day. I will do some exercise during the day and do some upper body exercises when I get home tonight.
I am going to the OSU-Illinois game with my hero tonight I haven't been to a basketball game yet. I am very excited!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Today's devotional reminded me that Biblical language can be overlooked because the language can seem outdated. The author did a great job of "translating" the old word "sluggard" into today's language -- "slacker". We all know slackers! hehehe
I liked the way the devotional talked about each of us having specific areas of our life that we are each slackers! I never thought of it that way. I have been an overachiever for most of my life. Slacking is not common for me in general, but I see how I sometimes slack off with specific areas of my life. I am not always loving enough to the unlovable. I don't always pray enough. I don't always have enough faith. I am not always trusting enough of God's love and deliverance.
In what areas of your life are you slacking today?
Lord, I don't want my life to be a reality TV show called "Slackers"! Help me discipline myself with your help!
Teaching Tuesday
One of the most common areas of "slacking" is in the area of Bible study. "Oh, the Bible is so hard to understand". "Oh, I just can't connect to what is being said". "I don't understand". For me, if I really want to read something, I work through those issues. I remember the first time I tried to read the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I was lost after the first few pages! I was only able to read it after seeing the first movie where I could get a framework for the characters, the scenery and the basic story.
The point is that we should find whatever way we can to start our understanding and build our understanding of God through God's Word. I know it is confusing and contradictory at times. God's Word teaches us about the nature of God. It cannot possibly hold every detail about God or every detail about human history. One passages says that even the skies above cannot hold all the things that could be written about our Almighty God! Wow!
Whatever it takes for you to start -- start today!
Other Stuff
I had a busy evening. I had a conversation with mi tigre after I got off work. I rested a few minutes before driving to Easton to run an errand for my hero. I also stopped by Target to pick up a few things. My last small group class was enjoyable. We will see where we want to go from here.
I fell into bed when I got home.
I didn't make it up to work out this morning. Heavy sigh.... I will try harder. I used to do this almost every day. I will do some exercise during the day and do some upper body exercises when I get home tonight.
I am going to the OSU-Illinois game with my hero tonight I haven't been to a basketball game yet. I am very excited!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Monday, February 20, 2012
Fearless?
Our Daily Bread
I often describe myself as "fearless". I have to admit that it is not always true in every part of my life. Am I fearless when talking in front of people? Usually. Am I fearless when being myself? Usually. Am I fearless in my relationships? Uhhh, let me get back to you on that one! hehehe
God brought this devotional into my life today for a good reason. I am struggling with fear in two relationships right now. The first is my relationship with mi tigre. If I am honest with myself, I am afraid of making the wrong choice, afraid of looking like an idiot because I made the wrong choice, and afraid that I will get hurt by a man again. Hmmm.... The second relationship is with Yang. Yes, he is still around, but in a much different role in my life. I even told him that I didn't want to be friends any more. I am not sure why this relationship has been so odd for me. God is using today's devotional to open up the secret to that mystery. I have no idea what the fear is here. I have already been rejected and looked like an idiot! hehehe Oh well. I think I am afraid that I haven't done everything I am supposed to do with this relationship. I have no idea what that means at this point. I am afraid I am letting God down by letting go of this friendship and moving on to focus on ones that are healthier for me. Every friend I told about this decision supported me and asked why I didn't do it years ago! God only knows.
So what do we do to overcome fear? Whew... I know the words to say here, but I don't always do them. The secret is trusting in God completely. What does "completely" mean? A professor in seminary said "trust God for every breath"! His wife and I didn't really understand that at the time. It wasn't until I trusted an oxygen mask for my next breath that I started to understand the concept. "Releasing" things to God is a concept I learned a few months ago. It seems to help me make a conscious effort to truly release things to God on a daily basis. I say things like "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, please help me release Yang over to you". Releasing is not a "cop out"mechanism. It is a way to acknowledge and turn things over to God to trust him more and drive out fear! Try it today.
Lord, thank you for being there for us. Please help us to release our cares upon you because you care for us!
Movie Monday
I rented a movie on Amazon Instant Video yesterday. I never saw the latest Twilight movie in the theaters. ;-P Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1 was OK. I like vampire and werewolf movies. I am not interested in either of the mail lead actors, thought I would stalk the chubby, furry older brother of Taylor Lautner if he existed! hehehe Just being a silly bear here. Just kidding!
The movie is about the spectacular wedding of Bela and Edward. And it was spectacular! There was lots of drama and angst. Lots of plot twists. It was interesting, but not riveting. Part 2 will be interesting when it comes out this year.
I give this movie one bear paw. It was OK.
Other Stuff
I worked out before church, but misjudged the time. I missed early church! Yikes! I made it in time for the choir rehearsal. I had a good workout on my recumbent bike and my Bowflex. I plan to take today off and workout again tomorrow. I plan to get up early and workout before work (since I can just walk down to my basement now!).
Sunday afternoon was exciting -- I shredded old financial records! woohoooo! This big gay lifestyle just wears me out sometimes! ha! I have a few more years to go and some other boxes to go through. I am trying to clean up the junk I have in my basement. I have too much stuff on the shelves. I am making room for my ideal exercise area and will make it happen! ;-)
I watched a little TV and finished my Sunday chores. The interesting thing on TV was the show Sanctuary. I used to watch it two years ago and DVRd it when I got cable again recently. The episode ended with a big ol' Lesbian kiss! Who knew? hehehe I thought I would like the show Being Human, but it was disappointing. Oh well.
I had some nice conversations with mi tigre. We celebrated our three month anniversary yesterday. We are both sappy about stuff like that. I care about him very much. We will see where this relationship will go. We were able to talk about fun stuff and serious stuff. Doing the workout stuff together is a lot of fun for both of us!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I often describe myself as "fearless". I have to admit that it is not always true in every part of my life. Am I fearless when talking in front of people? Usually. Am I fearless when being myself? Usually. Am I fearless in my relationships? Uhhh, let me get back to you on that one! hehehe
God brought this devotional into my life today for a good reason. I am struggling with fear in two relationships right now. The first is my relationship with mi tigre. If I am honest with myself, I am afraid of making the wrong choice, afraid of looking like an idiot because I made the wrong choice, and afraid that I will get hurt by a man again. Hmmm.... The second relationship is with Yang. Yes, he is still around, but in a much different role in my life. I even told him that I didn't want to be friends any more. I am not sure why this relationship has been so odd for me. God is using today's devotional to open up the secret to that mystery. I have no idea what the fear is here. I have already been rejected and looked like an idiot! hehehe Oh well. I think I am afraid that I haven't done everything I am supposed to do with this relationship. I have no idea what that means at this point. I am afraid I am letting God down by letting go of this friendship and moving on to focus on ones that are healthier for me. Every friend I told about this decision supported me and asked why I didn't do it years ago! God only knows.
So what do we do to overcome fear? Whew... I know the words to say here, but I don't always do them. The secret is trusting in God completely. What does "completely" mean? A professor in seminary said "trust God for every breath"! His wife and I didn't really understand that at the time. It wasn't until I trusted an oxygen mask for my next breath that I started to understand the concept. "Releasing" things to God is a concept I learned a few months ago. It seems to help me make a conscious effort to truly release things to God on a daily basis. I say things like "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, please help me release Yang over to you". Releasing is not a "cop out"mechanism. It is a way to acknowledge and turn things over to God to trust him more and drive out fear! Try it today.
Lord, thank you for being there for us. Please help us to release our cares upon you because you care for us!
Movie Monday
I rented a movie on Amazon Instant Video yesterday. I never saw the latest Twilight movie in the theaters. ;-P Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1 was OK. I like vampire and werewolf movies. I am not interested in either of the mail lead actors, thought I would stalk the chubby, furry older brother of Taylor Lautner if he existed! hehehe Just being a silly bear here. Just kidding!
The movie is about the spectacular wedding of Bela and Edward. And it was spectacular! There was lots of drama and angst. Lots of plot twists. It was interesting, but not riveting. Part 2 will be interesting when it comes out this year.
I give this movie one bear paw. It was OK.
Other Stuff
I worked out before church, but misjudged the time. I missed early church! Yikes! I made it in time for the choir rehearsal. I had a good workout on my recumbent bike and my Bowflex. I plan to take today off and workout again tomorrow. I plan to get up early and workout before work (since I can just walk down to my basement now!).
Sunday afternoon was exciting -- I shredded old financial records! woohoooo! This big gay lifestyle just wears me out sometimes! ha! I have a few more years to go and some other boxes to go through. I am trying to clean up the junk I have in my basement. I have too much stuff on the shelves. I am making room for my ideal exercise area and will make it happen! ;-)
I watched a little TV and finished my Sunday chores. The interesting thing on TV was the show Sanctuary. I used to watch it two years ago and DVRd it when I got cable again recently. The episode ended with a big ol' Lesbian kiss! Who knew? hehehe I thought I would like the show Being Human, but it was disappointing. Oh well.
I had some nice conversations with mi tigre. We celebrated our three month anniversary yesterday. We are both sappy about stuff like that. I care about him very much. We will see where this relationship will go. We were able to talk about fun stuff and serious stuff. Doing the workout stuff together is a lot of fun for both of us!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Sunday, February 19, 2012
I am listening!
Our Daily Bread
We recently had a sermon on today's scripture passage. A few folks acted out the passage which was very cool! I was imagining was it was like for a young boy to be called by God!
How are we responding today? Are we listening for God's voice at every turn? Do we seek his will and to do the things that will bring his kingdom to earth? I liked the the suggestion at the end of the devotional where it says we should read God's Word often and start each study session with something like Samuel's response "Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening". Wow!
Lord, there are so many voices and images forced into our minds each day. Please help us identity yours and listen as your servants!
Psalm Sunday
Psalm 36 is the psalm for this week. I think it is a typical one of this type: talk about the fate of the wicked, talk about the faithfulness of the Lord, talk about the confidence in his love and care. Very cool!
Psalm 36
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD.
1 I have a message from God in my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
before their eyes.
2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves
too much to detect or hate their sin.
3 The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful;
they fail to act wisely or do good.
4 Even on their beds they plot evil;
they commit themselves to a sinful course
and do not reject what is wrong.
5 Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
You, LORD, preserve both people and animals.
7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
10 Continue your love to those who know you,
your righteousness to the upright in heart.
11 May the foot of the proud not come against me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 See how the evildoers lie fallen—
thrown down, not able to rise!
Other Stuff
I had a nice day on Saturday. I ran some errands early in the morning (spent too much money at Walmart). I came home and used my new-to-me workout equipment. I will enjoy this for years to come! I ate a healthy lunch. I tried to take a nap, but I was still hyper from the workout. ;-p I rented a movie on Amazon Instant Video. The service seems to work great on my Bluray player! I will review the movie tomorrow. hehehe I took some cardboard to the recycling center on my way to my walking buddy's house for dinner. We had a great time at dinner. They made my favorite: pot roast! Woohooo! Her husband felt well enough to come downstairs for a little while. I didn't want to overstay my welcome so I left about 8:00. I came home and finished making my phone calls for the day. I had a couple of nice conversations with mi tigre during the day. I really like him. ;-)
Not sure what today will bring besides church. I got up early to workout before church. I might work on clearing crap out of my basement to make a better space for my workout equipment. I realized I had about 15 years worth of financial records stored. I need to dispose of some of that stuff. I also have some other stuff down there I don't need/use.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
We recently had a sermon on today's scripture passage. A few folks acted out the passage which was very cool! I was imagining was it was like for a young boy to be called by God!
How are we responding today? Are we listening for God's voice at every turn? Do we seek his will and to do the things that will bring his kingdom to earth? I liked the the suggestion at the end of the devotional where it says we should read God's Word often and start each study session with something like Samuel's response "Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening". Wow!
Lord, there are so many voices and images forced into our minds each day. Please help us identity yours and listen as your servants!
Psalm Sunday
Psalm 36 is the psalm for this week. I think it is a typical one of this type: talk about the fate of the wicked, talk about the faithfulness of the Lord, talk about the confidence in his love and care. Very cool!
Psalm 36
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD.
1 I have a message from God in my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
before their eyes.
2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves
too much to detect or hate their sin.
3 The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful;
they fail to act wisely or do good.
4 Even on their beds they plot evil;
they commit themselves to a sinful course
and do not reject what is wrong.
5 Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
You, LORD, preserve both people and animals.
7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
10 Continue your love to those who know you,
your righteousness to the upright in heart.
11 May the foot of the proud not come against me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 See how the evildoers lie fallen—
thrown down, not able to rise!
Other Stuff
I had a nice day on Saturday. I ran some errands early in the morning (spent too much money at Walmart). I came home and used my new-to-me workout equipment. I will enjoy this for years to come! I ate a healthy lunch. I tried to take a nap, but I was still hyper from the workout. ;-p I rented a movie on Amazon Instant Video. The service seems to work great on my Bluray player! I will review the movie tomorrow. hehehe I took some cardboard to the recycling center on my way to my walking buddy's house for dinner. We had a great time at dinner. They made my favorite: pot roast! Woohooo! Her husband felt well enough to come downstairs for a little while. I didn't want to overstay my welcome so I left about 8:00. I came home and finished making my phone calls for the day. I had a couple of nice conversations with mi tigre during the day. I really like him. ;-)
Not sure what today will bring besides church. I got up early to workout before church. I might work on clearing crap out of my basement to make a better space for my workout equipment. I realized I had about 15 years worth of financial records stored. I need to dispose of some of that stuff. I also have some other stuff down there I don't need/use.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Teaching and learning...
Our Daily Bread
I had an unusual thought while reading the devotional this morning. It was about how students should ask questions and how teachers should be open to answering questions with the patience only God can give. It said that experts agree that students learn more as the result of answered questions than from imparted knowledge!
My thought was this: does this mean we learn more from God when we question him? For me, if I care enough to ask a question, I usually care enough to remember the answer! I know how God has taught me so much in the past few years because I was brave enough to ask questions. I tried to do it in a respective "He-is-my-God" kind of way, but I often questioned God and his methods! Yikes! I think it is healthy. Even Jesus asked God to let this cup pass from him. Wasn't he our example? The difference is that we usually keep passing the cup when we should be drinking!
I love this prayer from the devotional:
Lord, may I be approachable and open to listening
to others’ questions. May I not feel threatened but
instead have confidence that You will give me wisdom
to know how to reply or where to find an answer. Amen.
Lord, I want to answer and love the way you want me to!
Simply Saturday
Whew, I had an eventful week. I wrote about stuff each day, so I won't go into it this morning. I finally decided to make time for my fitness. This is the biggest commitment I have made to myself in many years. It is nice to have someone to do it with! I will see how it goes. I found a used Reebok step last night at Play it Again Sports for $30. Woohoo! I think my home gym is complete now. ;-p I need to use it several times per week! I will let you know how I am doing. I am stuck at the 20 pounds lost mark, but I have been firming up and losing inches since I started exercising again. That is a good start. The weight will drop off as well.
I am going to my walking buddy's house for supper tonight. That should be fun.
I had a nice dinner and talk with Yin last night. Please pray for him to take care of himself as much or more than he does others. He is not looking good.
Going to work out now! ;-)
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I had an unusual thought while reading the devotional this morning. It was about how students should ask questions and how teachers should be open to answering questions with the patience only God can give. It said that experts agree that students learn more as the result of answered questions than from imparted knowledge!
My thought was this: does this mean we learn more from God when we question him? For me, if I care enough to ask a question, I usually care enough to remember the answer! I know how God has taught me so much in the past few years because I was brave enough to ask questions. I tried to do it in a respective "He-is-my-God" kind of way, but I often questioned God and his methods! Yikes! I think it is healthy. Even Jesus asked God to let this cup pass from him. Wasn't he our example? The difference is that we usually keep passing the cup when we should be drinking!
I love this prayer from the devotional:
Lord, may I be approachable and open to listening
to others’ questions. May I not feel threatened but
instead have confidence that You will give me wisdom
to know how to reply or where to find an answer. Amen.
Lord, I want to answer and love the way you want me to!
Simply Saturday
Whew, I had an eventful week. I wrote about stuff each day, so I won't go into it this morning. I finally decided to make time for my fitness. This is the biggest commitment I have made to myself in many years. It is nice to have someone to do it with! I will see how it goes. I found a used Reebok step last night at Play it Again Sports for $30. Woohoo! I think my home gym is complete now. ;-p I need to use it several times per week! I will let you know how I am doing. I am stuck at the 20 pounds lost mark, but I have been firming up and losing inches since I started exercising again. That is a good start. The weight will drop off as well.
I am going to my walking buddy's house for supper tonight. That should be fun.
I had a nice dinner and talk with Yin last night. Please pray for him to take care of himself as much or more than he does others. He is not looking good.
Going to work out now! ;-)
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Friday, February 17, 2012
I don't know nothin'
Our Daily Bread
The emphasis of today's devotional is about learning how to be an example of God's love to your children. My first thought was a silly quote from Gone with the Wind "I don't know nothin' bout birthin' no babies!" ;-p
I then thought about how the scripture passage in Deuteronomy applied to me. One of my favorite verses, a "KISS" principle verse for me and my friends, is Deut. 6:5. Even when you don't understand much of the Bible, so this one thing first! It is the key to the rest of your life!
The other thing I thought about was how we should know God's love so we can show it to all people, not just children! Being an example to each other of how God loves is a perfect way to be a friend or significant other. Wow! I learned about that the last few years, but sort of forgot about it. ;-/
Lord, help us know your love so we can share it with each other!
Foodie Friday
Here is the recipe for Bran Cereal muffins that are great for breakfast. Very healthy...
Six Week Bran Cereal Muffins
Author: Rebecca Lindamood
Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Serves: 32
Muffin batter that throws together in minutes and is usable for six weeks?!? You bet! Have fresh muffins whenever the urge strikes when you have this on hand!
Ingredients
5 1/3 cups all-natural bran cereal (I recommend Nature’s Path Organic Smart Bran)
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup wheat germ
2 1/4 cups raw sugar (can substitute white granulated sugar if necessary)
5 teaspoons baking soda
1 pinch salt
4 cups buttermilk (You’re culturing your own right? No? Try this dead-simple method.)
1 cup neutral oil (like canola or vegetable oil)
4 large eggs, beaten
Optional additional ingredients for baking:
frozen berries, small pieces of frozen stone fruits such as peaches or plums, or small diced apples or pears
chocolate chips
raw sugar for the muffin tops (You can use granulated white sugar if necessary.)
Instructions
To prepare muffin mix:
In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until evenly moist. Scrape the muffin mix into a large container (of about 1 gallon capacity or larger) with a tight fitting lid. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours before using. Label the container with the date the batter was mixed. You can store and use the batter for up to 6 weeks.
To bake Plain Bran Muffins:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line muffin tins with paper sleeves or spray the muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray. Fill the prepared muffin wells 2/3 full. If desired, sprinkle lightly with raw sugar.
Bake for 15-20 minutes for standard sized muffins or 10-12 minutes for mini-muffins. Muffins are done when a straw, skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow muffins to rest in the tins for 5 minutes then gently turn out onto a cooling rack.
To bake Bran and Fruit Muffins or Chocolate Chip Bran Muffins:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line muffin tins with paper sleeves or spray the muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray.
Scoop the desired amount of muffin batter into a bowl and gently fold in your chosen fruit or chocolate chips.
Fill the prepared muffin wells 2/3 full. If desired, sprinkle lightly with raw sugar.
Bake for 15-20 minutes for standard sized muffins or 10-12 minutes for mini-muffins. Muffins are done when a straw, skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. There may be some fruit juice on the skewer, but there shouldn’t be any sticky batter.
Allow muffins to rest in the tins for 5 minutes then gently turn out onto a cooling rack.
Other Stuff
I wasn't feeling well last night. I skipped my workout and choir practice to rest. Whew! I feel better today, though I need to rest this weekend.
My used Bowflex machine was delivered yesterday. Woohooo! I will workout with it this weekend. Very cool.
My walking buddy's husband came home from the hospital last night. His emergency gall bladder surgery went very well. He is recovering nicely. I am going to their house for supper tomorrow night.a
I am supposed to meet Yin for supper tonight. We haven't talked much for a while due to our busy schedules. We will catch up.
I found an Oreck vacuum cleaner in the garbage the other day. My buddy fixed it up for $20. I got some bags for it off Amazon.com. I am not sure if I will use it or sell it.
The friendship that I ended last week had a turn this week. The person needed my helped for something and reached out to a mutual friend. It is funny how he didn't seem to care until he needed my help for something. Nice. I know I made the right decision here, though I would visit the man in the hospital or listen to him if he needed to talk.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
The emphasis of today's devotional is about learning how to be an example of God's love to your children. My first thought was a silly quote from Gone with the Wind "I don't know nothin' bout birthin' no babies!" ;-p
I then thought about how the scripture passage in Deuteronomy applied to me. One of my favorite verses, a "KISS" principle verse for me and my friends, is Deut. 6:5. Even when you don't understand much of the Bible, so this one thing first! It is the key to the rest of your life!
The other thing I thought about was how we should know God's love so we can show it to all people, not just children! Being an example to each other of how God loves is a perfect way to be a friend or significant other. Wow! I learned about that the last few years, but sort of forgot about it. ;-/
Lord, help us know your love so we can share it with each other!
Foodie Friday
Here is the recipe for Bran Cereal muffins that are great for breakfast. Very healthy...
Six Week Bran Cereal Muffins
Author: Rebecca Lindamood
Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Serves: 32
Muffin batter that throws together in minutes and is usable for six weeks?!? You bet! Have fresh muffins whenever the urge strikes when you have this on hand!
Ingredients
5 1/3 cups all-natural bran cereal (I recommend Nature’s Path Organic Smart Bran)
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup wheat germ
2 1/4 cups raw sugar (can substitute white granulated sugar if necessary)
5 teaspoons baking soda
1 pinch salt
4 cups buttermilk (You’re culturing your own right? No? Try this dead-simple method.)
1 cup neutral oil (like canola or vegetable oil)
4 large eggs, beaten
Optional additional ingredients for baking:
frozen berries, small pieces of frozen stone fruits such as peaches or plums, or small diced apples or pears
chocolate chips
raw sugar for the muffin tops (You can use granulated white sugar if necessary.)
Instructions
To prepare muffin mix:
In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until evenly moist. Scrape the muffin mix into a large container (of about 1 gallon capacity or larger) with a tight fitting lid. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours before using. Label the container with the date the batter was mixed. You can store and use the batter for up to 6 weeks.
To bake Plain Bran Muffins:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line muffin tins with paper sleeves or spray the muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray. Fill the prepared muffin wells 2/3 full. If desired, sprinkle lightly with raw sugar.
Bake for 15-20 minutes for standard sized muffins or 10-12 minutes for mini-muffins. Muffins are done when a straw, skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow muffins to rest in the tins for 5 minutes then gently turn out onto a cooling rack.
To bake Bran and Fruit Muffins or Chocolate Chip Bran Muffins:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line muffin tins with paper sleeves or spray the muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray.
Scoop the desired amount of muffin batter into a bowl and gently fold in your chosen fruit or chocolate chips.
Fill the prepared muffin wells 2/3 full. If desired, sprinkle lightly with raw sugar.
Bake for 15-20 minutes for standard sized muffins or 10-12 minutes for mini-muffins. Muffins are done when a straw, skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. There may be some fruit juice on the skewer, but there shouldn’t be any sticky batter.
Allow muffins to rest in the tins for 5 minutes then gently turn out onto a cooling rack.
Other Stuff
I wasn't feeling well last night. I skipped my workout and choir practice to rest. Whew! I feel better today, though I need to rest this weekend.
My used Bowflex machine was delivered yesterday. Woohooo! I will workout with it this weekend. Very cool.
My walking buddy's husband came home from the hospital last night. His emergency gall bladder surgery went very well. He is recovering nicely. I am going to their house for supper tomorrow night.a
I am supposed to meet Yin for supper tonight. We haven't talked much for a while due to our busy schedules. We will catch up.
I found an Oreck vacuum cleaner in the garbage the other day. My buddy fixed it up for $20. I got some bags for it off Amazon.com. I am not sure if I will use it or sell it.
The friendship that I ended last week had a turn this week. The person needed my helped for something and reached out to a mutual friend. It is funny how he didn't seem to care until he needed my help for something. Nice. I know I made the right decision here, though I would visit the man in the hospital or listen to him if he needed to talk.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
It's never too late
Our Daily Bread
The devotional was interesting this morning. It referenced, like I do a lot, a song! The song is Understand by Jeremy Camp. I also thought about a song by Toby Mac called Get back up.
To me, the point of the devotional is that no matter what has you down, bad circumstances or a death in the family or just plain old sin, God understands and wants to help us. I loved the last statement in the devotional:
"There is no place where earth’s sorrows
are felt more than in heaven."
Wow! I never thought of it that way before! As I wondered about all the miracles of Jesus, I wonder if part of the miracle of healing and making people whole was for him to feel their pain? Hmmmm. Something to think about!
Sooooooo, GET BACK UP AGAIN! ;-)
Lord, thank you for understanding all my joys and sorrows. I can share them all with you!
Technology Thursday
I almost bought a new phone this week. I was one click away from owning it! It is the Motorola Razr Maxx from Verizon. If you have read my blog at all, you know that I am not easily impressed by a lot of the technology available today. This phone seems to have it all (at least the best of what is available now!). It is a little thicker than a Motorola Razr because the battery is more than twice the capacity of the original Razr! Wow! A 4G Android phone with battery life! It also has the new Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) version of Android. Wow! If you could see my face, it would be my "OMG! I am mpressed!" face! hehehe Check it out at the link above. It is still sort of pricey. The price and the "snowball" effect of learning new stuff in a short period of time and getting new accessories finalized my decision to stay with my iPhone 4S. Oh, and the phone is still thinner than an iPhone!
Other Stuff
I had a busy evening. I came home to make some snacks for D1 class. I made some smokies in chili/cranberry sauce and a cinnamon coffee cake. I also took cashews and a veggie tray. It went over well!
Class was good, but I probably talked too much. I feel like I need to back off some. I will do better after we start back in two weeks.
I had a couple of nice talks with mi tigre. I adore that man. ;-)
Another busy day. I would like to visit a friend in the hospital, but I am not sure I will have time. Whew...
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
The devotional was interesting this morning. It referenced, like I do a lot, a song! The song is Understand by Jeremy Camp. I also thought about a song by Toby Mac called Get back up.
To me, the point of the devotional is that no matter what has you down, bad circumstances or a death in the family or just plain old sin, God understands and wants to help us. I loved the last statement in the devotional:
"There is no place where earth’s sorrows
are felt more than in heaven."
Wow! I never thought of it that way before! As I wondered about all the miracles of Jesus, I wonder if part of the miracle of healing and making people whole was for him to feel their pain? Hmmmm. Something to think about!
Sooooooo, GET BACK UP AGAIN! ;-)
Lord, thank you for understanding all my joys and sorrows. I can share them all with you!
Technology Thursday
I almost bought a new phone this week. I was one click away from owning it! It is the Motorola Razr Maxx from Verizon. If you have read my blog at all, you know that I am not easily impressed by a lot of the technology available today. This phone seems to have it all (at least the best of what is available now!). It is a little thicker than a Motorola Razr because the battery is more than twice the capacity of the original Razr! Wow! A 4G Android phone with battery life! It also has the new Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) version of Android. Wow! If you could see my face, it would be my "OMG! I am mpressed!" face! hehehe Check it out at the link above. It is still sort of pricey. The price and the "snowball" effect of learning new stuff in a short period of time and getting new accessories finalized my decision to stay with my iPhone 4S. Oh, and the phone is still thinner than an iPhone!
Other Stuff
I had a busy evening. I came home to make some snacks for D1 class. I made some smokies in chili/cranberry sauce and a cinnamon coffee cake. I also took cashews and a veggie tray. It went over well!
Class was good, but I probably talked too much. I feel like I need to back off some. I will do better after we start back in two weeks.
I had a couple of nice talks with mi tigre. I adore that man. ;-)
Another busy day. I would like to visit a friend in the hospital, but I am not sure I will have time. Whew...
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
How much is enough?
Our Daily Bread
If you go to the movies or watch TV, you have heard and seen the concept of "keeping up with the Jones'"! You have also heard sayings like "greed is good". How does that really fit with our life in Christ?
The devotional today talks about "how much is enough". Should we always be asking for more? A recent ad campaign by Coke Zero always asked the question "And?". The young man was always wanting more until he found Coke Zero!
Here is a silly question for you? What is the Coke Zero in your life? When will we stop asking "And?" or "More?". Think about that this week. Personally, I have struggled with this issue recently. I usually come into a little extra money this time of year from tax refunds, bonus, credit card cash back, etc. I am ashamed to admit that I usually run up my credit cards before the money arrives and then pay them off. I spend the money before I get it, then poof! it is gone! That is not a good thing. I committed to myself that I would not be as wasteful this year. For example, I paid for most of my Chicago trip with cash. I didn't run up my credit card with extra purchases. I was very happy with myself for that!
What do you need to look at in your life?
Lord, thank you for opening my eyes to see that the only "more" I want and need is more of you in my life!
Witness Wednesday
Been thinking a lot this week about what is important to me and what I want to spend my time and energy on. I felt like I had to make some tough choices. I felt like I had to clean up some things that weren't that enjoyable for me and were taking too much energy. I ended a friendship last week. I quit the mens chorus this week. I wasn't enjoying the experience any more. It was taking too much energy that I could be spending on more important things like exercising and learning Spanish. I sing in two other groups, so that will cover my singing time each week!
These decisions are not easy. It can be painful. It can be awkward. It can make you look bad to people that don't understand. Life is too short to not make these decisions. Be brave. Be true to yourself.
Other Stuff
I enjoyed my first Valentines Day with mi tigre. I played with the ape he sent me over and over to hear all the things he would say when I held up his arm or pressed the button on his foot. I am a sappy guy when it comes to that kind of stuff. I also read his cards several times throughout the day. He is a very special man. We will see where this relationship goes.
I had a boot camp workout, then went home to finish my reading and put away my laundry. I need to make snacks for tonight's D1 class after work. I think I know what I am going to do.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
If you go to the movies or watch TV, you have heard and seen the concept of "keeping up with the Jones'"! You have also heard sayings like "greed is good". How does that really fit with our life in Christ?
The devotional today talks about "how much is enough". Should we always be asking for more? A recent ad campaign by Coke Zero always asked the question "And?". The young man was always wanting more until he found Coke Zero!
Here is a silly question for you? What is the Coke Zero in your life? When will we stop asking "And?" or "More?". Think about that this week. Personally, I have struggled with this issue recently. I usually come into a little extra money this time of year from tax refunds, bonus, credit card cash back, etc. I am ashamed to admit that I usually run up my credit cards before the money arrives and then pay them off. I spend the money before I get it, then poof! it is gone! That is not a good thing. I committed to myself that I would not be as wasteful this year. For example, I paid for most of my Chicago trip with cash. I didn't run up my credit card with extra purchases. I was very happy with myself for that!
What do you need to look at in your life?
Lord, thank you for opening my eyes to see that the only "more" I want and need is more of you in my life!
Witness Wednesday
Been thinking a lot this week about what is important to me and what I want to spend my time and energy on. I felt like I had to make some tough choices. I felt like I had to clean up some things that weren't that enjoyable for me and were taking too much energy. I ended a friendship last week. I quit the mens chorus this week. I wasn't enjoying the experience any more. It was taking too much energy that I could be spending on more important things like exercising and learning Spanish. I sing in two other groups, so that will cover my singing time each week!
These decisions are not easy. It can be painful. It can be awkward. It can make you look bad to people that don't understand. Life is too short to not make these decisions. Be brave. Be true to yourself.
Other Stuff
I enjoyed my first Valentines Day with mi tigre. I played with the ape he sent me over and over to hear all the things he would say when I held up his arm or pressed the button on his foot. I am a sappy guy when it comes to that kind of stuff. I also read his cards several times throughout the day. He is a very special man. We will see where this relationship goes.
I had a boot camp workout, then went home to finish my reading and put away my laundry. I need to make snacks for tonight's D1 class after work. I think I know what I am going to do.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Friends are friends forever
Our Daily Bread
I was a little surprised that the devotional wasn't about love today! Instead, it is about a form of love called "friendship". What a blessing to have wonderful friends! It made me think of the Michael W Smith song "Friends". Check out the lyrics.
So what is a true friend? That is a difficult one. It is almost like the chicken and the egg paradox. Which came first? Getting a close friend or being a close friend? My friendships have spanned the gamut from the ridiculous to the sublime. There have been folks that I have been friends with most of my life. There are some folks who want to be friends, but just can't do it. I had to end one "friendship" last week. It was so one-sided that I felt abused and taken advantage of. God does not expect us to be in unhealthy relationships just for his sake. The key is to remain open and loving without hard feelings. I don't want anything or anyone to come between me and my relationship with God.
Lord, thank you for my beloved friends! I praise you and thank you each day!
Teaching Tuesday
This week's lesson is about the book of Mark. Apparently, it is the earliest of the New Testament books even though it doesn't come first in the order of the books. Mark focuses on the immediacy of Jesus and his actions. It is a short book with short chapters. Give it a read today. It is sort of like the Cliff Notes of the life of Jesus!
Other Stuff
I came home to do a few things, then went to church for week four of my small group. It was an interesting class. We are thinking about some things that are sort of deep right now. It is good to know that we have people that we can talk to about these things.
I got to talk to mi tigre for a while before nodding off to sleep. He saw the movie Safe House yesterday afternoon. He felt the same way I did about it -- it could have been 30 minutes shorter!
I have a boot camp session tonight, then will finish my reading for D1 for this week.
I decided this week to drop out of mens chorus. I have not been happy with the group since I went back last Fall. I finally figured out that I didn't want to spend my time and energy on it. I sing in two other groups that I enjoy more and don't take as much time. I wish them the best.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I was a little surprised that the devotional wasn't about love today! Instead, it is about a form of love called "friendship". What a blessing to have wonderful friends! It made me think of the Michael W Smith song "Friends". Check out the lyrics.
So what is a true friend? That is a difficult one. It is almost like the chicken and the egg paradox. Which came first? Getting a close friend or being a close friend? My friendships have spanned the gamut from the ridiculous to the sublime. There have been folks that I have been friends with most of my life. There are some folks who want to be friends, but just can't do it. I had to end one "friendship" last week. It was so one-sided that I felt abused and taken advantage of. God does not expect us to be in unhealthy relationships just for his sake. The key is to remain open and loving without hard feelings. I don't want anything or anyone to come between me and my relationship with God.
Lord, thank you for my beloved friends! I praise you and thank you each day!
Teaching Tuesday
This week's lesson is about the book of Mark. Apparently, it is the earliest of the New Testament books even though it doesn't come first in the order of the books. Mark focuses on the immediacy of Jesus and his actions. It is a short book with short chapters. Give it a read today. It is sort of like the Cliff Notes of the life of Jesus!
Other Stuff
I came home to do a few things, then went to church for week four of my small group. It was an interesting class. We are thinking about some things that are sort of deep right now. It is good to know that we have people that we can talk to about these things.
I got to talk to mi tigre for a while before nodding off to sleep. He saw the movie Safe House yesterday afternoon. He felt the same way I did about it -- it could have been 30 minutes shorter!
I have a boot camp session tonight, then will finish my reading for D1 for this week.
I decided this week to drop out of mens chorus. I have not been happy with the group since I went back last Fall. I finally figured out that I didn't want to spend my time and energy on it. I sing in two other groups that I enjoy more and don't take as much time. I wish them the best.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Let go...
Our Daily Bread
As might have noticed, I changed the last line of each blog entry a few months ago. Today's devotional reminded me why. Our God is a loving, caring God to whom you can cast you cares.
We don't have to "hang in there". From the scripture passage in Psalms, we can see that the righteous can lean on God. Instead of hanging in there, we need to let go of all of our cares so God can strengthen us each and every day, each and every breath!
What are you holding on to today?
Thank you, Lord, for caring for us! Help us hand over our praise and cares to you!
Movie Monday
It was very cold in Chicago on Saturday, so I spent the day at the movies! I had a good time even though the movie theater was very busy. It looked like everyone else had the same idea! I saw three films.
Safe House
The "safe house" was anything but safe! This was a film about a rogue CIA agent (Denzel Washington) that turned himself in to the US Government. The safe house was compromised and the character played by Ryan Reynolds was charged to keep him safe out in the wild. There were lots of twists and turns in the movie, but I felt it was about 20 minutes too long. I found myself not caring if either of main characters made it out alive. I wanted to go to the next movie!
I give this movie two bear paws. You can rent this one. No reason you must see it at the theaters
Underworld: Awakening
I forget if this is the third or fourth entry into this series, but I still like it! This time the main character has been frozen for twelve years while the humans purged the vampires and lycans off the face of the earth. There are some major plot twists that I don't want to give away, so go see it! The main character is rescued and battles some of the remaining lycans to an exciting close. If you liked the first few movies, you will probably like this one as well.
I give this movie two bear paws. This one was in 3D. The effects were not that great.
Chronicle
This was a last minute choice after reading the reviews of the people who saw the movie. It started very, very slow, like a normal teenage angst movie. When the action started, it was slow then careened way off course! In short, the plot is about three teenage boys who find an object underground that gives them superhuman powers. They "chronicle" their development and progress.
I give this movie two bear paws. See it at the theater for the special effects!
Other Stuff
I had a good trip home yesterday. I worked on laundry and rested before heading to my dinner group last night. We had a great time and the food was wonderful! I also brought some Chicago mix from Garretts for my hero!
I have the fourth installment of my small group tonight. One more week to go! We have had a nice time.
I have most of my reading done for Wednesday night. I need to read the manual tonight or tomorrow.
I talked with mi tigre yesterday about some decisions I need to make. He was very sweet as usual and gave me his input. I appreciated that.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
As might have noticed, I changed the last line of each blog entry a few months ago. Today's devotional reminded me why. Our God is a loving, caring God to whom you can cast you cares.
We don't have to "hang in there". From the scripture passage in Psalms, we can see that the righteous can lean on God. Instead of hanging in there, we need to let go of all of our cares so God can strengthen us each and every day, each and every breath!
What are you holding on to today?
Thank you, Lord, for caring for us! Help us hand over our praise and cares to you!
Movie Monday
It was very cold in Chicago on Saturday, so I spent the day at the movies! I had a good time even though the movie theater was very busy. It looked like everyone else had the same idea! I saw three films.
Safe House
The "safe house" was anything but safe! This was a film about a rogue CIA agent (Denzel Washington) that turned himself in to the US Government. The safe house was compromised and the character played by Ryan Reynolds was charged to keep him safe out in the wild. There were lots of twists and turns in the movie, but I felt it was about 20 minutes too long. I found myself not caring if either of main characters made it out alive. I wanted to go to the next movie!
I give this movie two bear paws. You can rent this one. No reason you must see it at the theaters
Underworld: Awakening
I forget if this is the third or fourth entry into this series, but I still like it! This time the main character has been frozen for twelve years while the humans purged the vampires and lycans off the face of the earth. There are some major plot twists that I don't want to give away, so go see it! The main character is rescued and battles some of the remaining lycans to an exciting close. If you liked the first few movies, you will probably like this one as well.
I give this movie two bear paws. This one was in 3D. The effects were not that great.
Chronicle
This was a last minute choice after reading the reviews of the people who saw the movie. It started very, very slow, like a normal teenage angst movie. When the action started, it was slow then careened way off course! In short, the plot is about three teenage boys who find an object underground that gives them superhuman powers. They "chronicle" their development and progress.
I give this movie two bear paws. See it at the theater for the special effects!
Other Stuff
I had a good trip home yesterday. I worked on laundry and rested before heading to my dinner group last night. We had a great time and the food was wonderful! I also brought some Chicago mix from Garretts for my hero!
I have the fourth installment of my small group tonight. One more week to go! We have had a nice time.
I have most of my reading done for Wednesday night. I need to read the manual tonight or tomorrow.
I talked with mi tigre yesterday about some decisions I need to make. He was very sweet as usual and gave me his input. I appreciated that.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
On Location: Chicago -- the trip home
Our Daily Bread
Today's devotional is a follow up from the Wednesday entry -- having faith when you pray. The devotional reminded me of a Garth Brooks song that was in the back of my memory. I read the words and thought about them this morning before I left Chicago. Have you ever had a time in your life when you looked back and thanked God for NOT answering your prayers? hehehe
I had a situation like this come to mind. I have been clearing out the garbage and crap from my mind and heart the past few months so I can be a better man and better husband. Is mi tigre the man I am supposed to be with? We are getting to know each other to figure that out. How about the other two men I have written about so much in the blog? Well, the GB song reminded me to thank God for answering the many, many prayers about making one of those men my life partner. Whew! I knew they were both wrong for me, but I hung on with my stubborn mind and fragile heart for way too long. I have tried being friends with both of them. I can be friends with one. The other friendship is too unhealthy for me to continue. The saddest thing he doesn't have a clue why. It is always the other person's problem (and there have been many...).
What am I going to do next? Pray for discernment. Pray for wisdom. Pray for the things that I know God wants me to have. The most important is "wholeness". I wrote about that some here and there. I will gather some more research into this topic.
I think the most important thing to learn from this lesson is: pray! Even if you "don't know how" or "feel uncomfortable". Talk to God like a friend. Listen for him to speak back. Be open.
Lord, thank you for answered and unanswered prayers! Praise God!
Wrapping it all up
I flew back to Columbus this morning and are my arms tired! hehehe Seriously, the flight home was painless. The security at the airport was easy this time. Whew! I got up and took a shower. I finished packing then headed to train station just outside my hotel. I said goodbye to the cute cub working at the front desk. He was very nice the entire weekend.
I saw movies yesterday afternoon. It was too cold to walk around very much. I saw museums and other stuff the last two trips. I snuggled up to some iced tea and some chicken strips and enjoyed three movies. I will write about them tomorrow. I watched a little of the Ohio State - Michigan State debacle and the beginning of the Kentucky - Vanderbilt game. I had a quick talk with mi tigre and went fast asleep!
Here are a few pics from the car show. I had a blast!
Today's devotional is a follow up from the Wednesday entry -- having faith when you pray. The devotional reminded me of a Garth Brooks song that was in the back of my memory. I read the words and thought about them this morning before I left Chicago. Have you ever had a time in your life when you looked back and thanked God for NOT answering your prayers? hehehe
I had a situation like this come to mind. I have been clearing out the garbage and crap from my mind and heart the past few months so I can be a better man and better husband. Is mi tigre the man I am supposed to be with? We are getting to know each other to figure that out. How about the other two men I have written about so much in the blog? Well, the GB song reminded me to thank God for answering the many, many prayers about making one of those men my life partner. Whew! I knew they were both wrong for me, but I hung on with my stubborn mind and fragile heart for way too long. I have tried being friends with both of them. I can be friends with one. The other friendship is too unhealthy for me to continue. The saddest thing he doesn't have a clue why. It is always the other person's problem (and there have been many...).
What am I going to do next? Pray for discernment. Pray for wisdom. Pray for the things that I know God wants me to have. The most important is "wholeness". I wrote about that some here and there. I will gather some more research into this topic.
I think the most important thing to learn from this lesson is: pray! Even if you "don't know how" or "feel uncomfortable". Talk to God like a friend. Listen for him to speak back. Be open.
Lord, thank you for answered and unanswered prayers! Praise God!
Wrapping it all up
I flew back to Columbus this morning and are my arms tired! hehehe Seriously, the flight home was painless. The security at the airport was easy this time. Whew! I got up and took a shower. I finished packing then headed to train station just outside my hotel. I said goodbye to the cute cub working at the front desk. He was very nice the entire weekend.
I saw movies yesterday afternoon. It was too cold to walk around very much. I saw museums and other stuff the last two trips. I snuggled up to some iced tea and some chicken strips and enjoyed three movies. I will write about them tomorrow. I watched a little of the Ohio State - Michigan State debacle and the beginning of the Kentucky - Vanderbilt game. I had a quick talk with mi tigre and went fast asleep!
Here are a few pics from the car show. I had a blast!
Saturday, February 11, 2012
On location: Chicago Day 2
Our Daily Bread
I have a silly joke with some friends when looking at a man that I find attractive "I am licking him with my eyes". ha! It is my silly way of saying "I am lusting after him". The devotion today talks about lust and sexual purity.
God convicted me of this many years ago, but I didn't do anything about it until about two years ago. I trashed the few videos and porn magazines I owned. I felt pretty good about myself until I realized that God wanted me to remove all the porn and hookup sites from my web browser. I reluctantly did that next. Finally God said I had to get rid of the thousands of pictures I had on my computer. Whew! I did that as well. I ran across some computer backups and removed the temptation from there as well. These simple steps helped me be more sexually pure. It is not an easy thing,...that is without God's help! After meeting mi tigre, my attitudes on some other sexual related things have changed as well. I needed that!
Lord, help us all be willing to submit all parts of our lives to you, even the nauthy parts!
Chicago Stuff
I had a great first day in Chicago! I was soooo tired by the time I finally got to my hotel room! I arrived at Midway at 6:30 am CST. I found the train and took it downtown. I found my hotel so I could drop off my luggage. I walked to Michigan Avenue where I took a bus to McCormick Place for the car show. I was very, very early so I hung out for a while and talked to folks while I was waiting. The car show finally opened about 10:00 am. Wow! I forgot how big it was and how many lights! hehehe Since the crowd was light first thing in the morning, I got through my favorite exhibits quickly.
I got some pictures for mi tigre. That was very cool. He wanted Silverado and F150 truck pics. He also wanted a pic of the new Camaro if they had one there. They did! He was very excited to see those! We have a couple of jokes about those pics, but I won't share them here! hehehe
I found my way back to Michigan Avenue. I stopped by Garretts to pick up my caramel popcorn and my cheese corn. Mmmmm! I ordered a small pizza from Giordanos and walked the few blocks to pick it up. I walked back to the hotel with my treasures and stayed in the rest of the evening.
It snowed like heck yesterday afternoon, which was interesting! I was covered in snow when I arrived in the hotel.
I talked with mi tigre a few times and then passed out for the night. Whew!
I am exercising this morning, then going to the movies. It is like 10 degrees here. Don't want to walk around too much!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I have a silly joke with some friends when looking at a man that I find attractive "I am licking him with my eyes". ha! It is my silly way of saying "I am lusting after him". The devotion today talks about lust and sexual purity.
God convicted me of this many years ago, but I didn't do anything about it until about two years ago. I trashed the few videos and porn magazines I owned. I felt pretty good about myself until I realized that God wanted me to remove all the porn and hookup sites from my web browser. I reluctantly did that next. Finally God said I had to get rid of the thousands of pictures I had on my computer. Whew! I did that as well. I ran across some computer backups and removed the temptation from there as well. These simple steps helped me be more sexually pure. It is not an easy thing,...that is without God's help! After meeting mi tigre, my attitudes on some other sexual related things have changed as well. I needed that!
Lord, help us all be willing to submit all parts of our lives to you, even the nauthy parts!
Chicago Stuff
I had a great first day in Chicago! I was soooo tired by the time I finally got to my hotel room! I arrived at Midway at 6:30 am CST. I found the train and took it downtown. I found my hotel so I could drop off my luggage. I walked to Michigan Avenue where I took a bus to McCormick Place for the car show. I was very, very early so I hung out for a while and talked to folks while I was waiting. The car show finally opened about 10:00 am. Wow! I forgot how big it was and how many lights! hehehe Since the crowd was light first thing in the morning, I got through my favorite exhibits quickly.
I got some pictures for mi tigre. That was very cool. He wanted Silverado and F150 truck pics. He also wanted a pic of the new Camaro if they had one there. They did! He was very excited to see those! We have a couple of jokes about those pics, but I won't share them here! hehehe
I found my way back to Michigan Avenue. I stopped by Garretts to pick up my caramel popcorn and my cheese corn. Mmmmm! I ordered a small pizza from Giordanos and walked the few blocks to pick it up. I walked back to the hotel with my treasures and stayed in the rest of the evening.
It snowed like heck yesterday afternoon, which was interesting! I was covered in snow when I arrived in the hotel.
I talked with mi tigre a few times and then passed out for the night. Whew!
I am exercising this morning, then going to the movies. It is like 10 degrees here. Don't want to walk around too much!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Friday, February 10, 2012
on location: Chicago
Flying to Chicago this morning for a weekend of cars, pizza and popcorn. I wish this show was in Spring! It will be cold ! Will post as I have a chance.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
I will follow him...
Our Daily Bread
In the movie and Broadway musical of Sister Act, they rearrange the secular song "I will follow him" to a sacred purpose. I wonder if Simon Peter would have sung that to Jesus if he knew the tune! hehehe I wonder if we will sing that song today in our lives!
Yes, we have different types of choices at different times in our lives. Jesus told Simon Peter that there would come a time when he would not have a choice about where he was lead like when he was younger. Most of us will have that challenge!
The question for us today is: will we follow Jesus? What is your answer?
Lord, help us to follow you, to feed your lambs and take care of your sheep.
Technology Thursday
Have you ever heard of USBCell batteries? Here is the web site. These amazing batteries, available only in AA size right now, have a USB jack at one end. You plug it into a computer or USB charger to recharge the battery. How cool is that ! I have been using them for a while now. They seem to hold up very well.
Pros:
They seem to hold a charge better than most rechargeable batteries I have used.
They are easy to plug into your USB 2.0 ports on your computer to recharge.
They don't require a special charger
Cons
The cap that covers the USB plug feels a little flimsy. I am afraid that I am going to break it off (it is held on by rubber band thingys).
They are much more expensive than regular rechargeable batteries (get them on special!).
Check out the site. They have a buy one get one free deal if you use the code LOVE1FREE until February 15.
Other Stuff
I had a busy evening. I went to a QVR session at the gym, then rushed down to church for my Disciple 1 class. I was not happy that I rushed to be on time since I had the devotional and found the class starting ten minutes late! Oh well. My devotional went OK. I spoke about the Witness Wednesday topic from yesterday (about the faith the size of a mustard seed passage).
I had a nice talk with mi tigre after class. He is so funny. We love teasing each other. I look forward to seeing him again when it works out for both of us.
I have a Boot camp session tonight and then choir practice. I fly to Chicago tomorrow for a long weekend. Should be fun!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
In the movie and Broadway musical of Sister Act, they rearrange the secular song "I will follow him" to a sacred purpose. I wonder if Simon Peter would have sung that to Jesus if he knew the tune! hehehe I wonder if we will sing that song today in our lives!
Yes, we have different types of choices at different times in our lives. Jesus told Simon Peter that there would come a time when he would not have a choice about where he was lead like when he was younger. Most of us will have that challenge!
The question for us today is: will we follow Jesus? What is your answer?
Lord, help us to follow you, to feed your lambs and take care of your sheep.
Technology Thursday
Have you ever heard of USBCell batteries? Here is the web site. These amazing batteries, available only in AA size right now, have a USB jack at one end. You plug it into a computer or USB charger to recharge the battery. How cool is that ! I have been using them for a while now. They seem to hold up very well.
Pros:
They seem to hold a charge better than most rechargeable batteries I have used.
They are easy to plug into your USB 2.0 ports on your computer to recharge.
They don't require a special charger
Cons
The cap that covers the USB plug feels a little flimsy. I am afraid that I am going to break it off (it is held on by rubber band thingys).
They are much more expensive than regular rechargeable batteries (get them on special!).
Check out the site. They have a buy one get one free deal if you use the code LOVE1FREE until February 15.
Other Stuff
I had a busy evening. I went to a QVR session at the gym, then rushed down to church for my Disciple 1 class. I was not happy that I rushed to be on time since I had the devotional and found the class starting ten minutes late! Oh well. My devotional went OK. I spoke about the Witness Wednesday topic from yesterday (about the faith the size of a mustard seed passage).
I had a nice talk with mi tigre after class. He is so funny. We love teasing each other. I look forward to seeing him again when it works out for both of us.
I have a Boot camp session tonight and then choir practice. I fly to Chicago tomorrow for a long weekend. Should be fun!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
What a reminder!
Our Daily Bread
Coincidence or divine plan? Chance meeting or all part of the master scheme of things? It is difficult to know sometimes. I don't believe in one "master plan" like in the movie The Adjustment Bureau. I do believe in what I call "divine coincidence". ;-)
Have you ever had anything happen like the story in the devotional? What a divine coincidence! What are the chances of that happening completely at random? To me, that is the beauty of being a child of God. Not only having these happen in your life, but also recognizing them and being thankful for them!
What divine coincidence will happen to you today?
Lord thank you for the mysteries and wonder of divine coincidence!
Witness Wednesday
I am giving the devotion tonight in my D1 class. I have thought a lot about it in the past few days. I have to admit that I forgot about volunteering for this week until I received the email reminder from my minister. Yikes! So what am I going to talk about? I decided to talk about Matthew 17:20. My classmates may be surprised since I am usually "Mr. I-believe-it-all" when it comes to the Bible. I struggle with the mustard seed and other faith stories.
What is the struggle? From what I have studied and learned, I think it is the lack of discernment. What? hehehe I struggle with knowing exactly what situations to have faith in God to take care of. To know what situations that are right for me to believe in without a doubt. Here are some examples:
Illness: I had cancer when I was 26 years old. I felt God told me to have faith because he was going to completely heal me even though things may seem bleak at times. I believed with little doubt it would happen. It eventually did happen about 8 months later. Wow! Faith works!
How does this faith apply to others in my life? I am having faith that my great-nephew will be completely healed from his heart defect after the surgery he had last week. How will things work out? I don't know. I will trust God to know that the best thing for everyone involved with happen. That the result will be to make everyone involved more "whole". Isn't that what Jesus wanted for each person who touched him?
Relationship: I had a relationship that I believed was from God. I prayed and believed, had faith, that God would work things out between us in his time. We both had some baggage that we needed to deal with. I was willing to be patient if he was patient with me. Even thought we got to know each other and prayed together and spent time together, he didn't feel lead to be in a romantic relationship with me. That is my discernment issue. I have trouble discerning exactly what to have faith in at different times in my life.
What is your faith like? What do you have faith in? I believe in God and the way he works in my life. Do you believe he really works in yours? I realized after I met mi tigre that I had serious doubts about meeting my someone special even though God promised that to me. I have trouble trusting myself because I made mistakes before. I pray that I can let these things go so I can be closer to God and closer to mi tigre!
Other Stuff
I had a short mens chorus gig last night at the Boys and Girls Club building on Cleveland Avenue. There were a lot of kids. They were very attentive and polite. I hoped they enjoyed the music.
I had a couple of phone calls and got some things done around the house after I got home. I went to bed on time. I needed the rest!
I have a workout tonight, then the D1 class. Busy night! I will fit a phone call or two with mi tigre in there as well!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Coincidence or divine plan? Chance meeting or all part of the master scheme of things? It is difficult to know sometimes. I don't believe in one "master plan" like in the movie The Adjustment Bureau. I do believe in what I call "divine coincidence". ;-)
Have you ever had anything happen like the story in the devotional? What a divine coincidence! What are the chances of that happening completely at random? To me, that is the beauty of being a child of God. Not only having these happen in your life, but also recognizing them and being thankful for them!
What divine coincidence will happen to you today?
Lord thank you for the mysteries and wonder of divine coincidence!
Witness Wednesday
I am giving the devotion tonight in my D1 class. I have thought a lot about it in the past few days. I have to admit that I forgot about volunteering for this week until I received the email reminder from my minister. Yikes! So what am I going to talk about? I decided to talk about Matthew 17:20. My classmates may be surprised since I am usually "Mr. I-believe-it-all" when it comes to the Bible. I struggle with the mustard seed and other faith stories.
What is the struggle? From what I have studied and learned, I think it is the lack of discernment. What? hehehe I struggle with knowing exactly what situations to have faith in God to take care of. To know what situations that are right for me to believe in without a doubt. Here are some examples:
Illness: I had cancer when I was 26 years old. I felt God told me to have faith because he was going to completely heal me even though things may seem bleak at times. I believed with little doubt it would happen. It eventually did happen about 8 months later. Wow! Faith works!
How does this faith apply to others in my life? I am having faith that my great-nephew will be completely healed from his heart defect after the surgery he had last week. How will things work out? I don't know. I will trust God to know that the best thing for everyone involved with happen. That the result will be to make everyone involved more "whole". Isn't that what Jesus wanted for each person who touched him?
Relationship: I had a relationship that I believed was from God. I prayed and believed, had faith, that God would work things out between us in his time. We both had some baggage that we needed to deal with. I was willing to be patient if he was patient with me. Even thought we got to know each other and prayed together and spent time together, he didn't feel lead to be in a romantic relationship with me. That is my discernment issue. I have trouble discerning exactly what to have faith in at different times in my life.
What is your faith like? What do you have faith in? I believe in God and the way he works in my life. Do you believe he really works in yours? I realized after I met mi tigre that I had serious doubts about meeting my someone special even though God promised that to me. I have trouble trusting myself because I made mistakes before. I pray that I can let these things go so I can be closer to God and closer to mi tigre!
Other Stuff
I had a short mens chorus gig last night at the Boys and Girls Club building on Cleveland Avenue. There were a lot of kids. They were very attentive and polite. I hoped they enjoyed the music.
I had a couple of phone calls and got some things done around the house after I got home. I went to bed on time. I needed the rest!
I have a workout tonight, then the D1 class. Busy night! I will fit a phone call or two with mi tigre in there as well!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The ledger of my life
Our Daily Bread
When I took an accounting class during my MBA program, I learned about the double entry accounting system where each debit had to have a credit. They off set each other so the books would be balanced. The devotional made me think what the ledger of my life would look like!
I hope there would be many credits for "helping the less fortunate" to offset the debits for the many times others helped me. I hope there would be credits for "having faith" to offset the debits for the times I doubted. I hope there would be "offered grace and mercy to others" to offset the debits for the times that God offered me grace and mercy.
I then realized that my lifetime accounting system is a sham. No, not that pillow thingy on your couch or bed. hehehe Sham also means false or bogus. I realized that I have to throw the Quicken Accounting software in the trash because I could never keep up with the credits that God gives me each and every minute of my life!
Lord, help us to be thankful for your grace and mercy. Help us to show others what you showed us.
Teaching Tuesday
The D1 class lessons for this week and last were all based on the book of Matthew. We read the entire book in these sessions, with each week focusing on some different aspects of the writings. The book is mainly known for a comprehensive list of the parables of Jesus. While it lists some of his many miracles, it focuses on his teachings. I am going to talk about the parable of the mustard seed for the devotional this week.
Other Stuff
I ran a few errands after work, then chillaxed at Starbucks to finish my D1 reading for the week. I made it over to church in time to set up for my group meeting. We had a nice time talking and getting to know each other. Only two more weeks of the group left!
I had a nice talk with mi tigre. We teased each other as usual! I really like this guy!
I have a mens chorus gig tonight. I plan to work on my music before and after the gig.
I had some uncomfortable business to take care of last night. I had some messages with someone that has been a problem for me the past few years. My stubbornness kept me in the friendship because I felt it was my Christian duty. I finally opened my eyes to see that no friendship is worth this. It takes two to be friends. I was one man short! I ended the friendship and let him know why. He is so deep in denial about himself that he didn't understand. I am not the one to explain it to him. Only God can help him if his "stiff-necked attitude" will allow him to see how he treats people. Not many folks who know him on more than a casual basis want much to do with him. It is sad. It is painful for me, but I will get over it. I am sure he won't miss my friendship at all.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
When I took an accounting class during my MBA program, I learned about the double entry accounting system where each debit had to have a credit. They off set each other so the books would be balanced. The devotional made me think what the ledger of my life would look like!
I hope there would be many credits for "helping the less fortunate" to offset the debits for the many times others helped me. I hope there would be credits for "having faith" to offset the debits for the times I doubted. I hope there would be "offered grace and mercy to others" to offset the debits for the times that God offered me grace and mercy.
I then realized that my lifetime accounting system is a sham. No, not that pillow thingy on your couch or bed. hehehe Sham also means false or bogus. I realized that I have to throw the Quicken Accounting software in the trash because I could never keep up with the credits that God gives me each and every minute of my life!
Lord, help us to be thankful for your grace and mercy. Help us to show others what you showed us.
Teaching Tuesday
The D1 class lessons for this week and last were all based on the book of Matthew. We read the entire book in these sessions, with each week focusing on some different aspects of the writings. The book is mainly known for a comprehensive list of the parables of Jesus. While it lists some of his many miracles, it focuses on his teachings. I am going to talk about the parable of the mustard seed for the devotional this week.
Other Stuff
I ran a few errands after work, then chillaxed at Starbucks to finish my D1 reading for the week. I made it over to church in time to set up for my group meeting. We had a nice time talking and getting to know each other. Only two more weeks of the group left!
I had a nice talk with mi tigre. We teased each other as usual! I really like this guy!
I have a mens chorus gig tonight. I plan to work on my music before and after the gig.
I had some uncomfortable business to take care of last night. I had some messages with someone that has been a problem for me the past few years. My stubbornness kept me in the friendship because I felt it was my Christian duty. I finally opened my eyes to see that no friendship is worth this. It takes two to be friends. I was one man short! I ended the friendship and let him know why. He is so deep in denial about himself that he didn't understand. I am not the one to explain it to him. Only God can help him if his "stiff-necked attitude" will allow him to see how he treats people. Not many folks who know him on more than a casual basis want much to do with him. It is sad. It is painful for me, but I will get over it. I am sure he won't miss my friendship at all.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Monday, February 6, 2012
All good gifts...
Our Daily Bread
Do you have any items that are precious to you because they came from someone special? I have a small book case that my grandmother made me when I was in college. She couldn't afford to buy me one, so she made me one with her own two hands! Remember how precious those items seem to you and how you protect them and are thankful for them?
The devotional today reminds me to think of all good gifts (the song from the Broadway show Godspell) as being from God and to be grateful for them each and every day! Wow! I forget that sooooooo often! It is so easy to do when you aren't focused on God and being grateful!
Make a list of at least ten things you are grateful for each day. Post the list on your fridge where you will see it frequently. Be grateful!
Lord, I thank you for my many gifts. Please help me never forget the source!
Movie Monday
I didn't make it to the movie theaters this week, however I watched two movies on the Amazon Instant Video service. Mi tigre and I watched the Swedish version (with dubbed English) of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. There were some differences between that version and the American version. We liked parts of both versions. I watched the other two movies in the series: The Girl who played with Fire and The Girl who kicked the Hornets' nest.
All I can say is WOW! The movies fit together like episodes in a TV series. They are one big story of Lizbeth and her unbelievable life. Each movie has twists and turns in it that keep your interest. They all have OMG! moments! ha! Like the first movie, they can be a little slow in places. They more than make up for it in the last hour or so of each movie.
While the first movie focuses on finding a killer, the second and third movies focus on Lizbeth's life. You will not believe the story line!
I highly recommend seeing them. Very cool movies especially when seen close together.
I give these movies three bear paws!
Other Stuff
I took it easy on Sunday. I guess I did more over the weekend than I thought. I fixed some lunch after I got home from church and then took a nap. I had some nice conversations with mi tigre during the course of the day. He is so very sweet to me. I am so grateful for having met him (see the devotional above, hehehe).
Mens chorus rehearsal went well. I am in better shape with learning music than what I thought. I will work on that this week.
I have a busy week. Lots to do before my Chicago trip. I am already packed, so that helps. ;-)
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Do you have any items that are precious to you because they came from someone special? I have a small book case that my grandmother made me when I was in college. She couldn't afford to buy me one, so she made me one with her own two hands! Remember how precious those items seem to you and how you protect them and are thankful for them?
The devotional today reminds me to think of all good gifts (the song from the Broadway show Godspell) as being from God and to be grateful for them each and every day! Wow! I forget that sooooooo often! It is so easy to do when you aren't focused on God and being grateful!
Make a list of at least ten things you are grateful for each day. Post the list on your fridge where you will see it frequently. Be grateful!
Lord, I thank you for my many gifts. Please help me never forget the source!
Movie Monday
I didn't make it to the movie theaters this week, however I watched two movies on the Amazon Instant Video service. Mi tigre and I watched the Swedish version (with dubbed English) of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. There were some differences between that version and the American version. We liked parts of both versions. I watched the other two movies in the series: The Girl who played with Fire and The Girl who kicked the Hornets' nest.
All I can say is WOW! The movies fit together like episodes in a TV series. They are one big story of Lizbeth and her unbelievable life. Each movie has twists and turns in it that keep your interest. They all have OMG! moments! ha! Like the first movie, they can be a little slow in places. They more than make up for it in the last hour or so of each movie.
While the first movie focuses on finding a killer, the second and third movies focus on Lizbeth's life. You will not believe the story line!
I highly recommend seeing them. Very cool movies especially when seen close together.
I give these movies three bear paws!
Other Stuff
I took it easy on Sunday. I guess I did more over the weekend than I thought. I fixed some lunch after I got home from church and then took a nap. I had some nice conversations with mi tigre during the course of the day. He is so very sweet to me. I am so grateful for having met him (see the devotional above, hehehe).
Mens chorus rehearsal went well. I am in better shape with learning music than what I thought. I will work on that this week.
I have a busy week. Lots to do before my Chicago trip. I am already packed, so that helps. ;-)
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Does it really matter?
Our Daily Bread
Have you every listened to a singing group or a band play and thought "That just doesn't sound right"? You can't put your finger on it, but it just doesn't sound right. Things in the church can work that way as well. Whenever there are people involved, there will be some kind of issue!
The devotional talks about a problem in the early Christian church where folks claimed to follow different religious leaders. That caused a schism in the church and between the leaders. Paul wrote to them encouraging them to follow Jesus and not the individual leaders. What a concept!
When a music group or band needs help, they call in an experienced and knowledgeable leader. That was Paul in the story above. The leader helps the group fix the problem much like Paul encouraged the church to fix the leader problem!
Lord, help us to always follow you, regardless of who is leading us at church!
Psalm Sunday
The psalm for today is number 35. It is a typical style for this kind of psalm. The psalmist is begging God to fight against his enemies. In his mind, his enemies are God's enemies, so God should take care of them. He expresses his concern that God isn't listening to his prayers. I love the way that the psalm ends in a praise. The psalmist gives praise even though he feels like his prayers are not being heard!
Psalm 35
Of David.
1 Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me.
2 Take up shield and armor;
arise and come to my aid.
3 Brandish spear and javelin[a]
against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
“I am your salvation.”
4 May those who seek my life
be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plot my ruin
be turned back in dismay.
5 May they be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the LORD driving them away;
6 may their path be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.
7 Since they hid their net for me without cause
and without cause dug a pit for me,
8 may ruin overtake them by surprise—
may the net they hid entangle them,
may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD
and delight in his salvation.
10 My whole being will exclaim,
“Who is like you, LORD?
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
the poor and needy from those who rob them.”
11 Ruthless witnesses come forward;
they question me on things I know nothing about.
12 They repay me evil for good
and leave me like one bereaved.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
and humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
14 I went about mourning
as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
as though weeping for my mother.
15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
They slandered me without ceasing.
16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;[b]
they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 How long, Lord, will you look on?
Rescue me from their ravages,
my precious life from these lions.
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
among the throngs I will praise you.
19 Do not let those gloat over me
who are my enemies without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason
maliciously wink the eye.
20 They do not speak peaceably,
but devise false accusations
against those who live quietly in the land.
21 They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha!
With our own eyes we have seen it.”
22 LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent.
Do not be far from me, Lord.
23 Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend for me, my God and Lord.
24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, LORD my God;
do not let them gloat over me.
25 Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!”
or say, “We have swallowed him up.”
26 May all who gloat over my distress
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me
be clothed with shame and disgrace.
27 May those who delight in my vindication
shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, “The LORD be exalted,
who delights in the well-being of his servant.”
28 My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
your praises all day long.
Other Stuff
I didn't do as much as I planned yesterday, but I still got a lot done. I am having trouble motivating myself to exercise. I walked on Friday, but didn't make it to the gym yesterday. I have two sessions planned this week before my trip to Chicago next weekend. I will walk or something as well.
I watched the third installment of the "Girl" series yesterday afternoon. I will review the second and third installments on Monday. ;-)
I started my reading for the D1 class. I need to finish the book of Matthew before Wednesday. I will see how that goes.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Have you every listened to a singing group or a band play and thought "That just doesn't sound right"? You can't put your finger on it, but it just doesn't sound right. Things in the church can work that way as well. Whenever there are people involved, there will be some kind of issue!
The devotional talks about a problem in the early Christian church where folks claimed to follow different religious leaders. That caused a schism in the church and between the leaders. Paul wrote to them encouraging them to follow Jesus and not the individual leaders. What a concept!
When a music group or band needs help, they call in an experienced and knowledgeable leader. That was Paul in the story above. The leader helps the group fix the problem much like Paul encouraged the church to fix the leader problem!
Lord, help us to always follow you, regardless of who is leading us at church!
Psalm Sunday
The psalm for today is number 35. It is a typical style for this kind of psalm. The psalmist is begging God to fight against his enemies. In his mind, his enemies are God's enemies, so God should take care of them. He expresses his concern that God isn't listening to his prayers. I love the way that the psalm ends in a praise. The psalmist gives praise even though he feels like his prayers are not being heard!
Psalm 35
Of David.
1 Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me.
2 Take up shield and armor;
arise and come to my aid.
3 Brandish spear and javelin[a]
against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
“I am your salvation.”
4 May those who seek my life
be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plot my ruin
be turned back in dismay.
5 May they be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the LORD driving them away;
6 may their path be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.
7 Since they hid their net for me without cause
and without cause dug a pit for me,
8 may ruin overtake them by surprise—
may the net they hid entangle them,
may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD
and delight in his salvation.
10 My whole being will exclaim,
“Who is like you, LORD?
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
the poor and needy from those who rob them.”
11 Ruthless witnesses come forward;
they question me on things I know nothing about.
12 They repay me evil for good
and leave me like one bereaved.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
and humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
14 I went about mourning
as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
as though weeping for my mother.
15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
They slandered me without ceasing.
16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;[b]
they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 How long, Lord, will you look on?
Rescue me from their ravages,
my precious life from these lions.
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
among the throngs I will praise you.
19 Do not let those gloat over me
who are my enemies without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason
maliciously wink the eye.
20 They do not speak peaceably,
but devise false accusations
against those who live quietly in the land.
21 They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha!
With our own eyes we have seen it.”
22 LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent.
Do not be far from me, Lord.
23 Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend for me, my God and Lord.
24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, LORD my God;
do not let them gloat over me.
25 Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!”
or say, “We have swallowed him up.”
26 May all who gloat over my distress
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me
be clothed with shame and disgrace.
27 May those who delight in my vindication
shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, “The LORD be exalted,
who delights in the well-being of his servant.”
28 My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
your praises all day long.
Other Stuff
I didn't do as much as I planned yesterday, but I still got a lot done. I am having trouble motivating myself to exercise. I walked on Friday, but didn't make it to the gym yesterday. I have two sessions planned this week before my trip to Chicago next weekend. I will walk or something as well.
I watched the third installment of the "Girl" series yesterday afternoon. I will review the second and third installments on Monday. ;-)
I started my reading for the D1 class. I need to finish the book of Matthew before Wednesday. I will see how that goes.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Planting seeds...
Our Daily Bread
I used to love watching the "whirlybirds" when I was growing up. They were one-sided propeller looking things that dropped off trees. I learned much later they were seeds that the trees were dispersing to grow more trees just like it.
I loved two of the lines in today's devotional:
"Should we not then fill ourselves with God’s Word and pass it on to others with the prayer that God will use it for His intended purposes?
It may be that a simple word offered in love, guided by the wisdom of God, and borne aloft on the wings of the Spirit will have eternal consequences in someone’s life."
I entitled this entry "planting seeds". The seeds are planted in two places. First, we plant God's Word in us and grow strong just like the first quote says. Won't God use us if we learn and grow and be open to his purposes?
While we are in that process, because it is a life-long process, we should be like the trees I talked above and disperse the "whirlybirds" of God's love so they can take hold and grow in others! The Spirit guides us along the way!
Lord, thank you for your Word and your love. Help us disperse it as often as we can!
Simply Saturday
Wow, what a week or two I had! Work has gotten busier for me, but is not too bad. I am a little behind with learning my mens chorus music for the concerts at the end of this month. I have a fun trip to Chicago coming up next weekend to visit the car show. I love going to the car show! I haven't been in a few years.
I had a great visit with mi tigre. My life may have changed. We will see where this relationship goes. I really miss having him around the house. He was a lot of fun to hang out with and live with. Yes, we have our differences like any couple. We are figuring those things out and working through them. The relationship is moving forward. I joked with my friends "He lived with me for a week and is still talking to me! That is a good thing!" ha! I thank God for meeting this special man.
This relationship is new territory for me. I am trying to be easy on myself for admitting that. A 52 year old man that really hasn't been through the process of falling in love. Some people never really experience it, I guess. That is sad. I fell in love at first sight with my ex. Yikes! Even if this relationship doesn't work, I have a better idea of what to do the next time I meet someone. I hope I don't ever have to do that! I really like mi tigre!
The part that amazes me the most is that I had no clue about some of the things I have been doing and thinking while in a relationship. I had some hints about these things when I dated Yin and Yang. I am digging much deeper now that I ever have before. You know what happens when you dig deep -- you find things you didn't expect or necessarily want to see! hehehe I haven't found Jimmy Hoffa yet. That is encouraging! The key to any relationship or friendship is accepting each other regardless. There are times you have to agree to disagree. Some of the differences may irritate you at times, but you work through it together.
I mentioned an issue I finally admitted to myself the other day. I describe it this way:
not really listening or adding my own filters leads to...
making invalid assumptions that lead to...
setting unrealistic or false expectations that lead to...
disappointment or hard feelings or anger.
Yikes! Yin tried talking to me about that, but I couldn't see it and wouldn't listen. I understand now. I will work on it. The part that hurt me most is that I caused mi tigre some discomfort with the relationship., I never want to hurt him in any way.
Enough serious talk for now. I realize I am too intense at times. I also established some new jokes and nicknames for mi tigre as well, none of which I will be writing about here! hehehe We laugh about them in our phone calls. We love to laugh together. ;-)
I have some errands to run today. I finished most of my laundry last night. I also watched a movie on Amazon Prime. I will review that on Monday. I may watch another one tonight.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I used to love watching the "whirlybirds" when I was growing up. They were one-sided propeller looking things that dropped off trees. I learned much later they were seeds that the trees were dispersing to grow more trees just like it.
I loved two of the lines in today's devotional:
"Should we not then fill ourselves with God’s Word and pass it on to others with the prayer that God will use it for His intended purposes?
It may be that a simple word offered in love, guided by the wisdom of God, and borne aloft on the wings of the Spirit will have eternal consequences in someone’s life."
I entitled this entry "planting seeds". The seeds are planted in two places. First, we plant God's Word in us and grow strong just like the first quote says. Won't God use us if we learn and grow and be open to his purposes?
While we are in that process, because it is a life-long process, we should be like the trees I talked above and disperse the "whirlybirds" of God's love so they can take hold and grow in others! The Spirit guides us along the way!
Lord, thank you for your Word and your love. Help us disperse it as often as we can!
Simply Saturday
Wow, what a week or two I had! Work has gotten busier for me, but is not too bad. I am a little behind with learning my mens chorus music for the concerts at the end of this month. I have a fun trip to Chicago coming up next weekend to visit the car show. I love going to the car show! I haven't been in a few years.
I had a great visit with mi tigre. My life may have changed. We will see where this relationship goes. I really miss having him around the house. He was a lot of fun to hang out with and live with. Yes, we have our differences like any couple. We are figuring those things out and working through them. The relationship is moving forward. I joked with my friends "He lived with me for a week and is still talking to me! That is a good thing!" ha! I thank God for meeting this special man.
This relationship is new territory for me. I am trying to be easy on myself for admitting that. A 52 year old man that really hasn't been through the process of falling in love. Some people never really experience it, I guess. That is sad. I fell in love at first sight with my ex. Yikes! Even if this relationship doesn't work, I have a better idea of what to do the next time I meet someone. I hope I don't ever have to do that! I really like mi tigre!
The part that amazes me the most is that I had no clue about some of the things I have been doing and thinking while in a relationship. I had some hints about these things when I dated Yin and Yang. I am digging much deeper now that I ever have before. You know what happens when you dig deep -- you find things you didn't expect or necessarily want to see! hehehe I haven't found Jimmy Hoffa yet. That is encouraging! The key to any relationship or friendship is accepting each other regardless. There are times you have to agree to disagree. Some of the differences may irritate you at times, but you work through it together.
I mentioned an issue I finally admitted to myself the other day. I describe it this way:
not really listening or adding my own filters leads to...
making invalid assumptions that lead to...
setting unrealistic or false expectations that lead to...
disappointment or hard feelings or anger.
Yikes! Yin tried talking to me about that, but I couldn't see it and wouldn't listen. I understand now. I will work on it. The part that hurt me most is that I caused mi tigre some discomfort with the relationship., I never want to hurt him in any way.
Enough serious talk for now. I realize I am too intense at times. I also established some new jokes and nicknames for mi tigre as well, none of which I will be writing about here! hehehe We laugh about them in our phone calls. We love to laugh together. ;-)
I have some errands to run today. I finished most of my laundry last night. I also watched a movie on Amazon Prime. I will review that on Monday. I may watch another one tonight.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Not just for lawyers...
Our Daily Bread
The devotional talked about a lawyer that, after accepting Christ as his Savior, decided to give up his practice to "plead the case of the Lord" to everyone that would listen. Wow! I have a lawyer friend that is considering the same option! I emailed him a link to the devotional to encourage him and to let him know he wasn't the only one!
The other thing I thought about while reading the devotional is the calling of the disciples in Matthew. Jesus calmly and confidently told them "I will make you fishers of men". They gave up their way of life, all that they knew, to follow Christ.
What is Christ asking us to do? What are we supposed to give up? Are those things really more important than our Lord?
Lord, help us to take up our nets and follow you!
Foodie Friday
Mi tigre and I cooked a lot last week during his visit. Here is one of the breakfast muffin recipes we made. Very tasty and very healthy!
Turkey Bacon Bran Muffins
Ingredients
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 1/2 cups wheat bran
1/2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup chopped crispy turkey bacon
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried fruit (cherries, blueberries, cranberries , dates etc)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
Mix together wheat bran and buttermilk/applesauce mixture
Beat togetherl, egg, sugar and vanilla and add to buttermilk, applesauce n /bran /flaxmixture. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into buttermilk mixture, until just blended. Fold in fruit/ bacon and spoon batter into prepared muffin tins.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean
Other Stuff
I was supposed to work out last night and was too tired. I rested before running and errand or two and driving to choir practice. I slept like a rock last night! I feel much better this morning.
I have several things to do this week to catch up on stuff I didn't take the time to do during mi tigre's visit. I will get that stuff done in the next week or so. I will also have some time during my Chicago trip to read and learn music. I want to submit my taxes this weekend. I have a refund coming this year. Woohooo!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
The devotional talked about a lawyer that, after accepting Christ as his Savior, decided to give up his practice to "plead the case of the Lord" to everyone that would listen. Wow! I have a lawyer friend that is considering the same option! I emailed him a link to the devotional to encourage him and to let him know he wasn't the only one!
The other thing I thought about while reading the devotional is the calling of the disciples in Matthew. Jesus calmly and confidently told them "I will make you fishers of men". They gave up their way of life, all that they knew, to follow Christ.
What is Christ asking us to do? What are we supposed to give up? Are those things really more important than our Lord?
Lord, help us to take up our nets and follow you!
Foodie Friday
Mi tigre and I cooked a lot last week during his visit. Here is one of the breakfast muffin recipes we made. Very tasty and very healthy!
Turkey Bacon Bran Muffins
Ingredients
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 1/2 cups wheat bran
1/2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup chopped crispy turkey bacon
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried fruit (cherries, blueberries, cranberries , dates etc)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
Mix together wheat bran and buttermilk/applesauce mixture
Beat togetherl, egg, sugar and vanilla and add to buttermilk, applesauce n /bran /flaxmixture. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into buttermilk mixture, until just blended. Fold in fruit/ bacon and spoon batter into prepared muffin tins.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean
Other Stuff
I was supposed to work out last night and was too tired. I rested before running and errand or two and driving to choir practice. I slept like a rock last night! I feel much better this morning.
I have several things to do this week to catch up on stuff I didn't take the time to do during mi tigre's visit. I will get that stuff done in the next week or so. I will also have some time during my Chicago trip to read and learn music. I want to submit my taxes this weekend. I have a refund coming this year. Woohooo!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Resources
Our Daily Bread
I found the devotional interesting today. One sentence caught my attention:
"No matter our resources, we will fail unless we use them according to God’s plan."
Wow! I never thought about it that way! Imagine having all the money in the world and not being able to influence something the way we want because it is not God's plan!
So what is God's plan? Yikes! What a question! We talked about this in my Disciple class a few weeks ago. We decided that God's plan is in two parts: what he wants for us and what we do with our free will. God wants each one of us to be whole. Being whole is different for each one of us. I will try to write more about that sometime. I am in the process of learning more about how this works. The second part is how we use our free will. Do we use it pursuing God's kingdom on earth like we should or doing other things?
Lord, please help us always pursue your kingdom in our hearts and on this earth.
Technology Thursday
I want to write about two portable power supplies that I use with my iPhone and BlackBerry devices. They are both reasonably priced and seem to be reliable. Here they are:
BYD Mobile Power Supply 2200Mah For IPHONE 4,IPHONE 3GS
I found this for $22 on amazon.com. Here is the link. It is not that big, but seems to charge my iPhone 4S twice with each recharge.
Just Mobile Gum Pro 4400mAh External Battery for Portable Devices
This is a GREAT charger. It is very powerful. It easily recharges my iPhone three times with each recharge. It is not very big. I highly recommend this charger. Here is the link on Amazon.com where I paid about $51 for it.
Other Stuff
I had some Pad Thai for supper last night and then worked on my Disciple 1 reading before class. Class was great this week!
I have to admit that I was a little reluctant going home since mi tigre wasn't going to be there when I walked in the door! I miss him a lot, but look forward to seeing him again in the next month or two.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I found the devotional interesting today. One sentence caught my attention:
"No matter our resources, we will fail unless we use them according to God’s plan."
Wow! I never thought about it that way! Imagine having all the money in the world and not being able to influence something the way we want because it is not God's plan!
So what is God's plan? Yikes! What a question! We talked about this in my Disciple class a few weeks ago. We decided that God's plan is in two parts: what he wants for us and what we do with our free will. God wants each one of us to be whole. Being whole is different for each one of us. I will try to write more about that sometime. I am in the process of learning more about how this works. The second part is how we use our free will. Do we use it pursuing God's kingdom on earth like we should or doing other things?
Lord, please help us always pursue your kingdom in our hearts and on this earth.
Technology Thursday
I want to write about two portable power supplies that I use with my iPhone and BlackBerry devices. They are both reasonably priced and seem to be reliable. Here they are:
BYD Mobile Power Supply 2200Mah For IPHONE 4,IPHONE 3GS
I found this for $22 on amazon.com. Here is the link. It is not that big, but seems to charge my iPhone 4S twice with each recharge.
Just Mobile Gum Pro 4400mAh External Battery for Portable Devices
This is a GREAT charger. It is very powerful. It easily recharges my iPhone three times with each recharge. It is not very big. I highly recommend this charger. Here is the link on Amazon.com where I paid about $51 for it.
Other Stuff
I had some Pad Thai for supper last night and then worked on my Disciple 1 reading before class. Class was great this week!
I have to admit that I was a little reluctant going home since mi tigre wasn't going to be there when I walked in the door! I miss him a lot, but look forward to seeing him again in the next month or two.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
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