Our Daily Bread
My friends tease me about my gregarious personality, especially when I am on a roll teasing them about anything/everything. After I say something particularly clever or funny, I laugh and say "It's a gift!" hehehe
The devotional today is about a very special gift -- the gift of eternal life. Actually it is sooooo much more than that if you can believe it! That eternal life doesn't start when we die. It starts the instant we give our hearts and lives to Jesus. We begin our journey of bringing God's will to earth (not just in heaven!).
The change. The growth. They are better than those little pellets you place in a glass of water to make little water monkeys! ha! It is more like a tiny mustard seed that can grow to be the center of your life if you just let him.
Lord, thank you for your gift. Help us rely on you instead of our foolish selves...
Technology Thursday
There is a new wireless networking standard emerging as folks need faster and more reliable wireless networking at home. It is called 802.11ac. Here is an article about it on the Netgear site. The speeds for this new standard can match the speeds of a wired gigabit network connection! Wow! That is the good news. The bad news is that you will need a new 802.11ac router and devices that support the new standard to use it! I checked out two of the routers on Amazon.com. They both run in the neighborhood of $200 right now (since the technology is new). I didn't see any adapters for a laptop or desktop available at this time. The Netgear site said "coming soon" for its A6200.
Routers:
Netgear R6300
Buffalo Technology WZR-D1800H AirStation AC1300
The bottom line? The routers are available. If you are in the market for a new router, consider buying one of these. It is more expensive than the current wireless N routers, but it is the latest and greatest and offers the best range and speed even if the devices are not ready to support it yet. If you really don't care about the latest and greatest, there are a LOT of good deals on wireless N routers and adapters out there. Devices such as the iPad, bluray players, etc. currently support that standard.
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Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
The LORD is my strength
Our Daily Bread
I wrote about Psalm 46 a few weeks ago in my Psalm Sunday posting. I love that psalm! It was nice to have get a reminder of it this morning in the devotional.
I really liked the spirit of the person mentioned in the devotional. I am also a person who makes the most of the physical limitations of my body, but I never had the limitations she had(has)! Most of us wallow in our own realities instead of truly seeking to have an extraordinary life. I tease my friends that reality TV is so popular because folks can watch other folks whose lives suck more than their own!
As Christians, we can have an amazing life. A life full of peace and love and direction. Is it an easy life? I never said that. An analogy that use is that life in Christ is like having a cheat sheet to the hardest test of all time. We have a lifeline that we can call as much as we want!
Lord, thank you for being with us. Help us always look for you and rely on you!
Workout Wednesday
Last week I talked about the cross fit gym I use for some of my workouts. I went a few times in the last week. I am doing the least intense workout on the "board", which is fine. I augmented that workout with more reps that what was listed. I also added two more exercises. ;-p The "board" is a huge blackboard where the trainers list the different workouts. Each person picks one based on his/her fitness level. I have some goals for this year. I want to lose more weight and I want to do a hand stand push up before the end of the year. hehehe I can do this!
I also find that I need to vary my exercises so I don't get bored or one-dimensional. I am also walking, staring to run again, playing tennis singles again, doing Bowflex routines and other odds and ends exercises. It is a good thing to have variety. I found that I use a different set of muscles playing tennis than when running, doing my Blowflex routine than when doing a cross fit routine, etc.
I encourage you to get off the couch. Do something! If I can do it, anyone can!
*****************************************************
From today's devotional:
With God behind you and His arms beneath you, you can face whatever lies ahead of you. —Ward
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I wrote about Psalm 46 a few weeks ago in my Psalm Sunday posting. I love that psalm! It was nice to have get a reminder of it this morning in the devotional.
I really liked the spirit of the person mentioned in the devotional. I am also a person who makes the most of the physical limitations of my body, but I never had the limitations she had(has)! Most of us wallow in our own realities instead of truly seeking to have an extraordinary life. I tease my friends that reality TV is so popular because folks can watch other folks whose lives suck more than their own!
As Christians, we can have an amazing life. A life full of peace and love and direction. Is it an easy life? I never said that. An analogy that use is that life in Christ is like having a cheat sheet to the hardest test of all time. We have a lifeline that we can call as much as we want!
Lord, thank you for being with us. Help us always look for you and rely on you!
Workout Wednesday
Last week I talked about the cross fit gym I use for some of my workouts. I went a few times in the last week. I am doing the least intense workout on the "board", which is fine. I augmented that workout with more reps that what was listed. I also added two more exercises. ;-p The "board" is a huge blackboard where the trainers list the different workouts. Each person picks one based on his/her fitness level. I have some goals for this year. I want to lose more weight and I want to do a hand stand push up before the end of the year. hehehe I can do this!
I also find that I need to vary my exercises so I don't get bored or one-dimensional. I am also walking, staring to run again, playing tennis singles again, doing Bowflex routines and other odds and ends exercises. It is a good thing to have variety. I found that I use a different set of muscles playing tennis than when running, doing my Blowflex routine than when doing a cross fit routine, etc.
I encourage you to get off the couch. Do something! If I can do it, anyone can!
*****************************************************
From today's devotional:
With God behind you and His arms beneath you, you can face whatever lies ahead of you. —Ward
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
TEWDAR
Our Daily Bread
Several years ago, I got very bored watching my ex watch reality TV, so I decided to go back to school. I had this one professor for two classes. He taught me one of the most important lessons of my life - TEWDAR. Treat Everyone With Dignity And Respect. That acronym was on our final exam!
Today's devotional talks about this concept in Biblical terms in the Acts 17:22-31 passage. God made each one of us. We all deserve and should give respect. As the song says R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to God! (I changed that last word for dramatic effect...) ;-P
Practice TEWDAR today. I know I need more practice!
Lord, please help me treat all of your creations with dignity and respect
Teaching Tuesday
The second secret of Happy People is this:
Use a strategy for happiness
What does this mean? In short, happy people let themselves be happy. Unhappy people continue doing things that upset them.
Define the things that truly make you happy, then use a strategy to make it happen.
I have a close friend that came into a new business opportunity recently. Instead of diving right and creating a strategy to make it happen, he has been waffling back and forth. The indecision caused many issues all the way around. I encouraged him to "make a decision" (translate to make a strategy) and make it happen. You can do this!
I know I do things over and over in my life that continue to upset me. My worst offense is the apple-orange problem. I think some people in my life should be apples, but they are oranges. As long as I continue to expect them to be apples (something they will never be), then I will continue to be upset with them (and myself).
Create a strategy. Make it happen. You can do this.
********************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Several years ago, I got very bored watching my ex watch reality TV, so I decided to go back to school. I had this one professor for two classes. He taught me one of the most important lessons of my life - TEWDAR. Treat Everyone With Dignity And Respect. That acronym was on our final exam!
Today's devotional talks about this concept in Biblical terms in the Acts 17:22-31 passage. God made each one of us. We all deserve and should give respect. As the song says R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to God! (I changed that last word for dramatic effect...) ;-P
Practice TEWDAR today. I know I need more practice!
Lord, please help me treat all of your creations with dignity and respect
Teaching Tuesday
The second secret of Happy People is this:
Use a strategy for happiness
What does this mean? In short, happy people let themselves be happy. Unhappy people continue doing things that upset them.
Define the things that truly make you happy, then use a strategy to make it happen.
I have a close friend that came into a new business opportunity recently. Instead of diving right and creating a strategy to make it happen, he has been waffling back and forth. The indecision caused many issues all the way around. I encouraged him to "make a decision" (translate to make a strategy) and make it happen. You can do this!
I know I do things over and over in my life that continue to upset me. My worst offense is the apple-orange problem. I think some people in my life should be apples, but they are oranges. As long as I continue to expect them to be apples (something they will never be), then I will continue to be upset with them (and myself).
Create a strategy. Make it happen. You can do this.
********************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Monday, May 28, 2012
A little dense sometimes
Our Daily Bread
I read the devotional this morning. I am a little dense at times. I didn't get it until I finally remembered today is Memorial Day. ;-p
Remembering the folks we lost is important on this day (and every day). We carry a part of them in our minds and hearts wherever we go. I admit that I still think of my Grandmother almost every day. She was my closest friend when I was growing up. We talked and shared so many things. So much of her personality is ingrained into mine. I am thankful she was in my life. I am thankful she is enjoying the afterlife with my grandfather.
That's what it is all about. The circle of life, just a little different than the Broadway show! We begin our life in innocence, grow away from God, then spend the rest of our lives moving back towards God with the promise of spending eternity with him if we give our hearts to him. The circle of life -- getting back to God!
Lord, thank you for the promise of heaven -- both after life and heaven on earth while we live!
Movie Monday (and Memorial Day Monday!)
I took the time to see a movie on Friday since I got off work early. I saw Men in Black 3. While many sequels just don't cut it, I thought this one was very good. It was definitely better then the second MIB. The premise is that the bad guy went back in time and killed K. J also went back in time with the intention of saving K. There was lots of the usual shoot-em-up and slapstick stuff. Josh Brolin playing the younger K was a hoot.
I give this one two bear paws. You will enjoy it if you liked the first one.
I saw the 3D version. Not really worth the extra money.
****************************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I read the devotional this morning. I am a little dense at times. I didn't get it until I finally remembered today is Memorial Day. ;-p
Remembering the folks we lost is important on this day (and every day). We carry a part of them in our minds and hearts wherever we go. I admit that I still think of my Grandmother almost every day. She was my closest friend when I was growing up. We talked and shared so many things. So much of her personality is ingrained into mine. I am thankful she was in my life. I am thankful she is enjoying the afterlife with my grandfather.
That's what it is all about. The circle of life, just a little different than the Broadway show! We begin our life in innocence, grow away from God, then spend the rest of our lives moving back towards God with the promise of spending eternity with him if we give our hearts to him. The circle of life -- getting back to God!
Lord, thank you for the promise of heaven -- both after life and heaven on earth while we live!
Movie Monday (and Memorial Day Monday!)
I took the time to see a movie on Friday since I got off work early. I saw Men in Black 3. While many sequels just don't cut it, I thought this one was very good. It was definitely better then the second MIB. The premise is that the bad guy went back in time and killed K. J also went back in time with the intention of saving K. There was lots of the usual shoot-em-up and slapstick stuff. Josh Brolin playing the younger K was a hoot.
I give this one two bear paws. You will enjoy it if you liked the first one.
I saw the 3D version. Not really worth the extra money.
****************************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Sometimes I hate this devotional site....
Our Daily Bread
Sometimes I really really hate the Our Daily Bread devotional site! Once again, they were writing today's devotional especially for me. How do they do that? How does God do that?
I have had an up and down friendship with a guy at church. It is a very long and boring story so I won't go into details. After each time we fight, there is a period where we don't talk or acknowledge each other if we happen to see each other (which is mostly at church now). I usually read a devotional such as this one and then apologize first. I didn't realize for a long time that he doesn't apologize for his part in the disagreement. What's up with that? I am hoping and praying that he will initiate the apology this time. I have to admit that I am still angry about what happened. I am praying about forgiving him (and those he mislead). It has been terribly hurtful for me.
But I digress... The most important thing I got out of the devotional is this:
Christians at war with each other cannot be at peace with their heavenly Father.
Lord, help me forgive, if nothing else so I can be at peace with you.
Psalm Sunday
Another beautiful psalm for today -- Psalm 47. Clap and shout I say! Don't forget to read it outloud! With feeling!
Psalm 47
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
2 For the Lord Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.
3 He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.
8 God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.
********************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Sometimes I really really hate the Our Daily Bread devotional site! Once again, they were writing today's devotional especially for me. How do they do that? How does God do that?
I have had an up and down friendship with a guy at church. It is a very long and boring story so I won't go into details. After each time we fight, there is a period where we don't talk or acknowledge each other if we happen to see each other (which is mostly at church now). I usually read a devotional such as this one and then apologize first. I didn't realize for a long time that he doesn't apologize for his part in the disagreement. What's up with that? I am hoping and praying that he will initiate the apology this time. I have to admit that I am still angry about what happened. I am praying about forgiving him (and those he mislead). It has been terribly hurtful for me.
But I digress... The most important thing I got out of the devotional is this:
Christians at war with each other cannot be at peace with their heavenly Father.
Lord, help me forgive, if nothing else so I can be at peace with you.
Psalm Sunday
Another beautiful psalm for today -- Psalm 47. Clap and shout I say! Don't forget to read it outloud! With feeling!
Psalm 47
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
2 For the Lord Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.
3 He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.
8 God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.
********************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Stand still
Our Daily Bread
I have a busy weekend planned, so standing still is not really an option at this point! I have to admit once again that the devotional hit the nail on the head today! I am always amazed by that little miracle!
Have you ever had times in your life when you think "OMG! Where are you, God?" A situation comes up in your life that seems worse than an army of Egyptian chariots chasing you through the desert! I hate it when that happens! I was in the Egyptian desert earlier in my life. It is not a happy place, whether you are being chased or not! In today's language, the situations are very different of course, however, we still need to trust the Lord to get us through the good times and the bad times. I am proof texting a little bit here, but I love the first part of Exodus 14:13:
Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.
I had three thoughts about this section.
1. Do not be afraid: it is easy to be afraid when you face challenges.
2. Stand firm: When you know the Lord is behind you, don't give in!
3. You will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you: You will see it. Have faith!
So regardless of your situation(s), trust in the Lord!
Lord, help us to always stand firm, to not be afraid, and to look for your deliverance!
Simply Saturday
I had an interesting week. I have been praying about "what's next" for me. I have been slowly figuring some things out. I am very excited about it as I see an opportunity to bring together so many of my skills and talents into one huge effort that it scares me a little (whoops, do NOT be afraid! hehehe). I started working on it this week. I will keep plugging away at it. I will post more information as it becomes available.
I am also working on the "stand firm" proposition from the devotional this morning. I think it is difficult to really know and understand what God is telling you at times, especially when others tell you otherwise. "You are wrong" "You need to get over this". Where is that line between following God in the wake of uncertainty and disbelief by fellow believers and "moving on"? Like the people of Israel, I sometimes feel like I am between an army and a large body of water! I want to thank God for helping me deal with my fears. Helping me stand firm when it is not easy. Now, where is that deliverance we were talking about?
I don't expect a parting of the Olentangy River (pronounced "old and tangy" in Columbus ha!) or a pillar of fire. When I think of my situation, I am not sure I even need an apology or a "yeah, you were right, we were wrong" kind of conversation. I want God's will to be done in my life and the lives of others. I have a lot to learn and a long way to go on my journey to Godliness. I will keep moving a long.
I praise God for my "no ordinary life". I pray that you will trust God for one, too. Do not be afraid. Stand firm. You will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you.
Guide my feet, dear Lord. Running this race in vain is NOT an option.
I have a busy weekend planned, so standing still is not really an option at this point! I have to admit once again that the devotional hit the nail on the head today! I am always amazed by that little miracle!
Have you ever had times in your life when you think "OMG! Where are you, God?" A situation comes up in your life that seems worse than an army of Egyptian chariots chasing you through the desert! I hate it when that happens! I was in the Egyptian desert earlier in my life. It is not a happy place, whether you are being chased or not! In today's language, the situations are very different of course, however, we still need to trust the Lord to get us through the good times and the bad times. I am proof texting a little bit here, but I love the first part of Exodus 14:13:
Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.
I had three thoughts about this section.
1. Do not be afraid: it is easy to be afraid when you face challenges.
2. Stand firm: When you know the Lord is behind you, don't give in!
3. You will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you: You will see it. Have faith!
So regardless of your situation(s), trust in the Lord!
Lord, help us to always stand firm, to not be afraid, and to look for your deliverance!
Simply Saturday
I had an interesting week. I have been praying about "what's next" for me. I have been slowly figuring some things out. I am very excited about it as I see an opportunity to bring together so many of my skills and talents into one huge effort that it scares me a little (whoops, do NOT be afraid! hehehe). I started working on it this week. I will keep plugging away at it. I will post more information as it becomes available.
I am also working on the "stand firm" proposition from the devotional this morning. I think it is difficult to really know and understand what God is telling you at times, especially when others tell you otherwise. "You are wrong" "You need to get over this". Where is that line between following God in the wake of uncertainty and disbelief by fellow believers and "moving on"? Like the people of Israel, I sometimes feel like I am between an army and a large body of water! I want to thank God for helping me deal with my fears. Helping me stand firm when it is not easy. Now, where is that deliverance we were talking about?
I don't expect a parting of the Olentangy River (pronounced "old and tangy" in Columbus ha!) or a pillar of fire. When I think of my situation, I am not sure I even need an apology or a "yeah, you were right, we were wrong" kind of conversation. I want God's will to be done in my life and the lives of others. I have a lot to learn and a long way to go on my journey to Godliness. I will keep moving a long.
I praise God for my "no ordinary life". I pray that you will trust God for one, too. Do not be afraid. Stand firm. You will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you.
Guide my feet, dear Lord. Running this race in vain is NOT an option.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Exchange
Our Daily Bread
I am a computer guy by trade that specializes in a product called IBM Lotus Domino. It is a multi-purpose type of software, however, it is known primarily as an email system. The product is being smashed in the market place by the Microsoft product called Exchange. The devotional today has nothing to do about this. I wanted to explain why it was so hard for me to title this entry "Exchange". Yikes! DOH! hehehe
The devotional talks about two types of exchanges: currency exchange and exchanging our lives after our transformation through Christ. The first is usually a quick transaction that lasts only a few minutes as money changes hands. The second type can last a lifetime! The transformation of our mind and heart is an amazing and terrifying thing! hehehe It was best described to me in Psalm 51 where the write asked "create in me a pure heart." A pure heart. What does that look like? Read the rest of that psalm for more info!
Lord, please create in ME a pure heart. Renew a right spirit in ME. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, please have mercy on me a sinner...
Foodie Friday
I decided to re-post some of my favorite holiday weekend recipes for your cook outs and get togethers. Enjoy!
Duane's Five Bean Casserole
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pound andouille sausage, sliced and quartered
1/2 cups dried chopped onion
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup yellow mustard
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
1 (15 ounce) can butter beans
1 (15 ounce) can lima beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans,
drained
1 (28 ounce) can baked beans
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). (or get out a large crock pot).
2. Slice sausage and then cut the slices into quarters.
3. Combine the sausage, dried onions, brown sugar, tabasco, mustard, garlic powder, salt, vinegar and beans in a large bowl.
4. Either pour into a four quart baking dish and bake covered for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and bake 30 to 45 minutes longer. OR cook them on high for about 3.5 hours in a crock pot. They stay juicer that way and are easier to reheat.
Here is the link to the original recipe if you want it:
TWICE BAKED POTATO SALAD
INGREDIENTS
5 lb. bag of red potatoes
1 lb. pack of maple flavored bacon (fried)
1/2 bag of shredded cheddar cheese
heaping serving spoon of mayonaise
Ranch dressingto desired consistency
Optional: 1/2 Cup Sour cream and/or some chives
DIRECTIONS
1. Wash and cut potatoes in bite sized cubes. Boil the potatoes until they are
soft. Drain and put in large bowl to mix the rest of the ingredients. Chill them before mixing.
2. While the potatoes are boiling, fry the bacon slices, let cool then cut up in little pieces.
3. After potatoes and bacon are cool, add the shredded cheese, mayonaise, and Ranch dressing. Stir until completed coated.
4. Serve chilled or warm in a casserole dish for hot version. Add dollops of the sour cream on top to garnish. You can also garnish with chives.
NOTE: this makes a huge batch. You may want to cut it half. Also, I didn't add salt because of the bacon. You can add salt and pepper to taste.
***********************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I am a computer guy by trade that specializes in a product called IBM Lotus Domino. It is a multi-purpose type of software, however, it is known primarily as an email system. The product is being smashed in the market place by the Microsoft product called Exchange. The devotional today has nothing to do about this. I wanted to explain why it was so hard for me to title this entry "Exchange". Yikes! DOH! hehehe
The devotional talks about two types of exchanges: currency exchange and exchanging our lives after our transformation through Christ. The first is usually a quick transaction that lasts only a few minutes as money changes hands. The second type can last a lifetime! The transformation of our mind and heart is an amazing and terrifying thing! hehehe It was best described to me in Psalm 51 where the write asked "create in me a pure heart." A pure heart. What does that look like? Read the rest of that psalm for more info!
Lord, please create in ME a pure heart. Renew a right spirit in ME. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, please have mercy on me a sinner...
Foodie Friday
I decided to re-post some of my favorite holiday weekend recipes for your cook outs and get togethers. Enjoy!
Duane's Five Bean Casserole
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pound andouille sausage, sliced and quartered
1/2 cups dried chopped onion
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup yellow mustard
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
1 (15 ounce) can butter beans
1 (15 ounce) can lima beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans,
drained
1 (28 ounce) can baked beans
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). (or get out a large crock pot).
2. Slice sausage and then cut the slices into quarters.
3. Combine the sausage, dried onions, brown sugar, tabasco, mustard, garlic powder, salt, vinegar and beans in a large bowl.
4. Either pour into a four quart baking dish and bake covered for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and bake 30 to 45 minutes longer. OR cook them on high for about 3.5 hours in a crock pot. They stay juicer that way and are easier to reheat.
Here is the link to the original recipe if you want it:
TWICE BAKED POTATO SALAD
INGREDIENTS
5 lb. bag of red potatoes
1 lb. pack of maple flavored bacon (fried)
1/2 bag of shredded cheddar cheese
heaping serving spoon of mayonaise
Ranch dressingto desired consistency
Optional: 1/2 Cup Sour cream and/or some chives
DIRECTIONS
1. Wash and cut potatoes in bite sized cubes. Boil the potatoes until they are
soft. Drain and put in large bowl to mix the rest of the ingredients. Chill them before mixing.
2. While the potatoes are boiling, fry the bacon slices, let cool then cut up in little pieces.
3. After potatoes and bacon are cool, add the shredded cheese, mayonaise, and Ranch dressing. Stir until completed coated.
4. Serve chilled or warm in a casserole dish for hot version. Add dollops of the sour cream on top to garnish. You can also garnish with chives.
NOTE: this makes a huge batch. You may want to cut it half. Also, I didn't add salt because of the bacon. You can add salt and pepper to taste.
***********************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Heavy, heavy...
Our Daily Bread
In the movie version of Dream Girls, they added a song called "Heavy". The lyrics don't make a LOT of sense in the context of the devotional, but concept of God's heavy hand on me when I am not right with him is way too familiar!
Take a look at Psalm 32:1-5. Read it out loud (like you should all the psalms). Have you ever felt this way? Sin and disobedience wears us out! After we decide to be a child of God, to truly follow him and live for him in our daily lives, nothing else feels right. We all have our favorite sins and things that we don't want to give up. We have bad habits or pet sins that can't be that bad, could they? It is also hard when we see others around us enjoying the things that God told us not to do!
Here are some words I have lived by for decades (and decades and decades). I heard them from a friend in his first sermon. "If we spend all of our time doing the do's of the Bible, we will be do busy doing the do's to have time to do or worry about the don'ts!"
Lord, help me to keep a right relationship with you. To confess and turn away from my sins so I can truly know the joy of your salvation!
Technology Thursday
Finally, something cool to write about!!! I found an article on Yahoo Tech about a new product coming to market this year that will let you operate your computer much like Tom Cruise did in the move Minority Report. Here is a link to the Leap Motion web site. Look at the cool video! This device will let you do it!
In the movie version of Dream Girls, they added a song called "Heavy". The lyrics don't make a LOT of sense in the context of the devotional, but concept of God's heavy hand on me when I am not right with him is way too familiar!
Take a look at Psalm 32:1-5. Read it out loud (like you should all the psalms). Have you ever felt this way? Sin and disobedience wears us out! After we decide to be a child of God, to truly follow him and live for him in our daily lives, nothing else feels right. We all have our favorite sins and things that we don't want to give up. We have bad habits or pet sins that can't be that bad, could they? It is also hard when we see others around us enjoying the things that God told us not to do!
Here are some words I have lived by for decades (and decades and decades). I heard them from a friend in his first sermon. "If we spend all of our time doing the do's of the Bible, we will be do busy doing the do's to have time to do or worry about the don'ts!"
Lord, help me to keep a right relationship with you. To confess and turn away from my sins so I can truly know the joy of your salvation!
Technology Thursday
Finally, something cool to write about!!! I found an article on Yahoo Tech about a new product coming to market this year that will let you operate your computer much like Tom Cruise did in the move Minority Report. Here is a link to the Leap Motion web site. Look at the cool video! This device will let you do it!
It sort of works like the sensor on a Wii gaming system or the Microsoft Kinect on an XBox. It detects your motions and controls the stuff on the computer screen.
Being the geek that I am, I had to preorder one. They are supposed to be available this Fall. Woohooo!
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Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Guide me feet, dear Lord. Running this race in vain is NOT an option!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Speak out
Our Daily Bread
Anyone that knows me realizes I don't have any trouble talking to folks. Shy, schmy! God has been working on me to apply that ability to his glory instead of just meeting cute guys! DOH!
Seriously, we can all do a better job of "speaking" for God. It may not be the extroverted way that I would do it. It may be the quiet way you live your life. The kind word you speak to a stranger. The way you help the helpless. Doing these things and sharing your faith are important!
I also learned another meaning of this concept recently. There are times when we need to speak out for God when the other people of God don't really want to hear it. It takes just as much courage to speak out in these circumstances. Be brave!
Lord, help us to always be brave when speaking out for you.
Teaching Tuesday (whatever...)
So I got my days messed up and wrote about my workout stuff on Tuesday instead of today. So I will introduce my new topic for a while. My hero gave me a book called The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People. I will share a secret each week for a while. Please know that one of the reasons I write this blog is to keep my disciplined about reading my devotionals and other stuff that I need to do each day/week. ;-) I plan to add a spiritual aspect to each secret. I hope it helps you as well.
Secret number one: Your life has purpose and meaning.
Do you know what your purpose in life is? What gives your life meaning?
For me, it is serving God and serving others. It has taken me a while to get to this place. I think it is one of the reasons that I have been single again for so long. I loved my ex-partner, but I spent most of my time and resources on him (like we are expected to). I find myself getting more out of life as I learn more about serving God and serving others each and every day. I don't do it for accolades or glory. Most folks don't know all the stuff I do. That is fine with me. I know God knows.
Pray: Ask God for your purpose and meaning, then do it...
********************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Anyone that knows me realizes I don't have any trouble talking to folks. Shy, schmy! God has been working on me to apply that ability to his glory instead of just meeting cute guys! DOH!
Seriously, we can all do a better job of "speaking" for God. It may not be the extroverted way that I would do it. It may be the quiet way you live your life. The kind word you speak to a stranger. The way you help the helpless. Doing these things and sharing your faith are important!
I also learned another meaning of this concept recently. There are times when we need to speak out for God when the other people of God don't really want to hear it. It takes just as much courage to speak out in these circumstances. Be brave!
Lord, help us to always be brave when speaking out for you.
Teaching Tuesday (whatever...)
So I got my days messed up and wrote about my workout stuff on Tuesday instead of today. So I will introduce my new topic for a while. My hero gave me a book called The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People. I will share a secret each week for a while. Please know that one of the reasons I write this blog is to keep my disciplined about reading my devotionals and other stuff that I need to do each day/week. ;-) I plan to add a spiritual aspect to each secret. I hope it helps you as well.
Secret number one: Your life has purpose and meaning.
Do you know what your purpose in life is? What gives your life meaning?
For me, it is serving God and serving others. It has taken me a while to get to this place. I think it is one of the reasons that I have been single again for so long. I loved my ex-partner, but I spent most of my time and resources on him (like we are expected to). I find myself getting more out of life as I learn more about serving God and serving others each and every day. I don't do it for accolades or glory. Most folks don't know all the stuff I do. That is fine with me. I know God knows.
Pray: Ask God for your purpose and meaning, then do it...
********************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Our Daily Bread
I have some conversations with friends and fellow church members about how valuable it really is to read the Old Testament. I believe it is a good thing even though there is a lot of junk to plow through compared to the standards of today's society. It is passages like Isaiah 43:1-4 that reinforce my feelings!
Yes, God really is with us ALL the time. We have a tendency to forget that when we are having good times! We have a tendency to only remember or call on him when things are going bad! Yikes! Praises and lifting up his name should be done all the time!
I also loved the closing comment by the author of the devotional:
Never forget in the darkness, what you know to be true in the light.
Lord, help us always to seek your face and to always know you are near.
Workout Wednesday
I hit a new low in my weight loss journey this morning! I have lost 31 pounds so far. Woohooo! I will keep pushing on the best I can. It is not always easy.
I decided to go back to the cross fit gym I tried last month. I liked the people. I liked the workouts. My buddy, mi tigre, is also doing this type of workout. It has taken me a while to work my way up to even the basic cross fit routines. I will keep working on it. I am not trying to be a professional athlete. I just want to be in good shape and be healthy.
Here is an article about cross fit [article] And yes, I thought the guy in the picture was hot... That is not why I chose that article... ;-p
You may also know this type of workouts from the latest Reebok shoe commercials. I don't plan to do handstand push ups any time soon, but I will work hard on other stuff to facilitate my weight loss and overall fitness.
What works for you? Are you doing it? ;-)
*****************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Guide my feet, dear Lord! Running this race in vain is NOT an option!
I have some conversations with friends and fellow church members about how valuable it really is to read the Old Testament. I believe it is a good thing even though there is a lot of junk to plow through compared to the standards of today's society. It is passages like Isaiah 43:1-4 that reinforce my feelings!
Yes, God really is with us ALL the time. We have a tendency to forget that when we are having good times! We have a tendency to only remember or call on him when things are going bad! Yikes! Praises and lifting up his name should be done all the time!
I also loved the closing comment by the author of the devotional:
Never forget in the darkness, what you know to be true in the light.
Lord, help us always to seek your face and to always know you are near.
Workout Wednesday
I hit a new low in my weight loss journey this morning! I have lost 31 pounds so far. Woohooo! I will keep pushing on the best I can. It is not always easy.
I decided to go back to the cross fit gym I tried last month. I liked the people. I liked the workouts. My buddy, mi tigre, is also doing this type of workout. It has taken me a while to work my way up to even the basic cross fit routines. I will keep working on it. I am not trying to be a professional athlete. I just want to be in good shape and be healthy.
Here is an article about cross fit [article] And yes, I thought the guy in the picture was hot... That is not why I chose that article... ;-p
You may also know this type of workouts from the latest Reebok shoe commercials. I don't plan to do handstand push ups any time soon, but I will work hard on other stuff to facilitate my weight loss and overall fitness.
What works for you? Are you doing it? ;-)
*****************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Guide my feet, dear Lord! Running this race in vain is NOT an option!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Mixed bag...
Our Daily Bread
The devotional today spoke to me in several ways. I didn't like it... hehehe Well, there was one tidbit that I loved to read. Here is my take on the whole thing.
First, the idea of always doing your best come natural for me. I was reared that way. I usually do it, but not always. It is not always easy to do your best at work or wherever when others around you aren't really trying that hard (or at least it seems that way). We are not always objective about these things, so I try not to judge. I remember my own "deal" with the company and don't worry about other folks.
Second, I have always disliked James 4:17. I guess I have different standards in a lot of ways. It is hard for me to know what God expects from me at times and what I create in my own head. For example, I feel God wants me to be truly celibate at this point in my life so I can learn discipline and serve Him better. Yikes! Do you know what that word really means? To say it gently, it means no "relieving yourself" in addition to not having sex with another person. Yikes! God is calling me to do that while others don't think a second thing about it. Heavy sigh... A song I started a long time ago starts: "To those he's given much, much will be required of them."
Finally, I liked what I read as "assurance" in Colossians 3:25. I have a strong sense of "faireness" built into my silly head. Reading this verse reminds me that it is not up to me to always make fairness and justice happen when others sin against me. God will handle that even though I may not see it.
What is God saying to you in this devotional? Take some time and pray about it.
Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you, Lord, for making me whole.
Movie Monday
I got to see two movies this week: Battleship and Dark Shadows.
Battleship
I described this movie as such: the lame parts were very lame and the cool parts were very cool. I am not sure there were more cool parts than lame parts. The movie was over two hours long, which I think is a little too long for this type of movie (IMHO). Some of the special effects were WAY cool. Some of the story line and editing were very lame! It was worth seeing on the big screen.
I give this movie two bear paws.
Dark Shadows
Speaking of LAME! I saw this movie in hopes of getting a few laughs out of it. They were few and far between in my opinion. The "been in a coffin for two hundred years and is now in the 1970's" thing wore thin quickly. I would have rather it been either very, very funny or like the original show. It was neither. Oh well.
I give this movie 1/2 bear paw. Yes, it was that painful.
***************************************************
NOTE: I am back on Facebook. Find me and friend me if you want. I am also on Twitter @duanebear
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
The devotional today spoke to me in several ways. I didn't like it... hehehe Well, there was one tidbit that I loved to read. Here is my take on the whole thing.
First, the idea of always doing your best come natural for me. I was reared that way. I usually do it, but not always. It is not always easy to do your best at work or wherever when others around you aren't really trying that hard (or at least it seems that way). We are not always objective about these things, so I try not to judge. I remember my own "deal" with the company and don't worry about other folks.
Second, I have always disliked James 4:17. I guess I have different standards in a lot of ways. It is hard for me to know what God expects from me at times and what I create in my own head. For example, I feel God wants me to be truly celibate at this point in my life so I can learn discipline and serve Him better. Yikes! Do you know what that word really means? To say it gently, it means no "relieving yourself" in addition to not having sex with another person. Yikes! God is calling me to do that while others don't think a second thing about it. Heavy sigh... A song I started a long time ago starts: "To those he's given much, much will be required of them."
Finally, I liked what I read as "assurance" in Colossians 3:25. I have a strong sense of "faireness" built into my silly head. Reading this verse reminds me that it is not up to me to always make fairness and justice happen when others sin against me. God will handle that even though I may not see it.
What is God saying to you in this devotional? Take some time and pray about it.
Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you, Lord, for making me whole.
Movie Monday
I got to see two movies this week: Battleship and Dark Shadows.
Battleship
I described this movie as such: the lame parts were very lame and the cool parts were very cool. I am not sure there were more cool parts than lame parts. The movie was over two hours long, which I think is a little too long for this type of movie (IMHO). Some of the special effects were WAY cool. Some of the story line and editing were very lame! It was worth seeing on the big screen.
I give this movie two bear paws.
Dark Shadows
Speaking of LAME! I saw this movie in hopes of getting a few laughs out of it. They were few and far between in my opinion. The "been in a coffin for two hundred years and is now in the 1970's" thing wore thin quickly. I would have rather it been either very, very funny or like the original show. It was neither. Oh well.
I give this movie 1/2 bear paw. Yes, it was that painful.
***************************************************
NOTE: I am back on Facebook. Find me and friend me if you want. I am also on Twitter @duanebear
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Could it be today?
Our Daily Bread
The end is near! Jesus is coming! Whether these messages come from Mayan writings or radio preachers, they usually make headlines. It is funny how the media responds when the predictions are incorrect!
I have to admit that I don't think about the return of Jesus nearly enough. I think part of my excuse is Paul's verse that says something like "for me to live is Christ, for me to die is gain". I like living because it is "in Christ" even though there are challenges each and every day!
I like the idea of Christ being an important visitor. You work hard before the person arrives to make sure everything is as good as it can be. Isn't that what we are supposed to do before Christ's coming?
Lord, help us to always watch and pray for your coming. Come, Lord Jesus, come!
Psalm Sunday
Psalm 46 is the psalm for this week. I like this one because I have used it for encouragement several times! It is strong and beautiful and confident. Just like me! hehehe Verse 10 is my favorite.
Psalm 46
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
**********************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms.
The end is near! Jesus is coming! Whether these messages come from Mayan writings or radio preachers, they usually make headlines. It is funny how the media responds when the predictions are incorrect!
I have to admit that I don't think about the return of Jesus nearly enough. I think part of my excuse is Paul's verse that says something like "for me to live is Christ, for me to die is gain". I like living because it is "in Christ" even though there are challenges each and every day!
I like the idea of Christ being an important visitor. You work hard before the person arrives to make sure everything is as good as it can be. Isn't that what we are supposed to do before Christ's coming?
Lord, help us to always watch and pray for your coming. Come, Lord Jesus, come!
Psalm Sunday
Psalm 46 is the psalm for this week. I like this one because I have used it for encouragement several times! It is strong and beautiful and confident. Just like me! hehehe Verse 10 is my favorite.
Psalm 46
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
**********************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
History
Our Daily Bread
Yes, I am one of those guys that never really understood why we had to study history in school. It sort of follows that I didn't understand why we had to study the Old Testament in college! Oh what I learned during these studies!
Yes, viewing the history of the world and of the USA was interesting when I started applying myself to the learning. I agree it is important to remember the past so we don't repeat the bad things in the present!
The same can be said for studying the Old Testament. I can't tell you how much I learned about myself and how to live my life (and how NOT to live my life) from reading the OT. It is so amazing to me. Yes, I admit that there is a LOT of stuff to plow through to get the messages for my life. It is almost like searching for a needle in a hay stack at times. However, when I see how God made and kept his promises over and over in the OT and how the people of God handled their relationship with Him, I have to relate those things to my daily life. Yes, I said my daily life! Every day. Daily! hehehe
What history are you doomed to repeat? What history have you learned from? What history will you overcome to move forward in your life instead of living it paralyzed in fear and hopelessness?
Lord, thank you for being there for your people throughout history and forever!
Simply Saturday
Stuck
Well, the devotional hit the nail on the head again... I have been stuck. Stuck, stuck, stuck... hehehe
I don't want to go into details. I have been trying not to talk about myself as much in my entries. I want to focus on the topics and on God. Like everyday life, it is easy for "self" to creep in.
I will say this much: when you life looks too much like the movies Groundhog Days or 50 First Dates, you need to take a closer look at your life! ;-/ I have been trying to grieve over the loss of a relationship I thought God wanted me to have. Finally realizing and accepting that the man is not who you thought he was is difficult. In the grieving processing, I kept getting stuck in the denial and anger phases. I couldn't figure out why I was so sad this week. After talking about it and praying about it, I finally figured out I am in the depression or sadness stage, the last stage before acceptance. I am not a sad kind of person, so letting myself work through this is not easy for me. I am giving myself some time and space. I am doing my best to not slip back into anger or denial (which is normal, but not necessarily healthy).
God is so good to us all when we give him our lives. I also realized I have been holding on to some things because I honestly thought God asked me to. I used the example of Hosea in the Old Testament. That poor prophet had it rough at times, especially when it came to relationships! I think God knows I am sincere about my desire to follow him. I pray that my mind and heart follow through with my promises like he has with his promises to me.
******************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Guide my feet, dear Lord. Running this race in vain is NOT an option!
Yes, I am one of those guys that never really understood why we had to study history in school. It sort of follows that I didn't understand why we had to study the Old Testament in college! Oh what I learned during these studies!
Yes, viewing the history of the world and of the USA was interesting when I started applying myself to the learning. I agree it is important to remember the past so we don't repeat the bad things in the present!
The same can be said for studying the Old Testament. I can't tell you how much I learned about myself and how to live my life (and how NOT to live my life) from reading the OT. It is so amazing to me. Yes, I admit that there is a LOT of stuff to plow through to get the messages for my life. It is almost like searching for a needle in a hay stack at times. However, when I see how God made and kept his promises over and over in the OT and how the people of God handled their relationship with Him, I have to relate those things to my daily life. Yes, I said my daily life! Every day. Daily! hehehe
What history are you doomed to repeat? What history have you learned from? What history will you overcome to move forward in your life instead of living it paralyzed in fear and hopelessness?
Lord, thank you for being there for your people throughout history and forever!
Simply Saturday
Stuck
Well, the devotional hit the nail on the head again... I have been stuck. Stuck, stuck, stuck... hehehe
I don't want to go into details. I have been trying not to talk about myself as much in my entries. I want to focus on the topics and on God. Like everyday life, it is easy for "self" to creep in.
I will say this much: when you life looks too much like the movies Groundhog Days or 50 First Dates, you need to take a closer look at your life! ;-/ I have been trying to grieve over the loss of a relationship I thought God wanted me to have. Finally realizing and accepting that the man is not who you thought he was is difficult. In the grieving processing, I kept getting stuck in the denial and anger phases. I couldn't figure out why I was so sad this week. After talking about it and praying about it, I finally figured out I am in the depression or sadness stage, the last stage before acceptance. I am not a sad kind of person, so letting myself work through this is not easy for me. I am giving myself some time and space. I am doing my best to not slip back into anger or denial (which is normal, but not necessarily healthy).
God is so good to us all when we give him our lives. I also realized I have been holding on to some things because I honestly thought God asked me to. I used the example of Hosea in the Old Testament. That poor prophet had it rough at times, especially when it came to relationships! I think God knows I am sincere about my desire to follow him. I pray that my mind and heart follow through with my promises like he has with his promises to me.
******************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Guide my feet, dear Lord. Running this race in vain is NOT an option!
Friday, May 18, 2012
Guide my feet
Our Daily Bread
I don't know how many times I said this over the past two years since starting this blog -- the devotional was written for ME today! Yikes!
I loved the verse at the end of the devotional:
A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. —Proverbs 16:9
For those of you that don't know, I sang a solo recently called "Guide my Feet"! What a coincidence! No, it is not a coincidence. God works in mysterious ways. To be frank (and I usually am), I have been a little down this week as some plans my heart made are never going to happen. I sort of knew that you have to go through a grieving process when dealing with things like this, but sort of didn't. I decided that I will take it easy on myself and let myself go through this process (though being a little sad is soooo not my style). The most important things are what the devotional talked about: committing my way to the Lord and trusting God in all things.
Lord, please guide my feet regardless of where my heart might want to go. Running this race in vain is NOT an option.
Foodie Friday
My dinner group is having our first summer cookout on Sunday night. I told them I would bring the baked beans. Well, I can't take just any baked bean recipe. I found this one that I will modify somehow. Take a look.
Five bean casserole
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pound bacon
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 (15 ounce) can butter beans
1 (15 ounce) can lima beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans,
drained
1 (28 ounce) can baked beans
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
3. Saute onion in bacon fat; add the brown sugar, mustard, garlic powder, salt and vinegar. Cook covered on low heat 20 minutes.
4. In a four quart baking dish, combine the bacon, onion mixture, butter beans, lima beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans and baked beans. Mix well, and bake covered for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and bake 30 to 45 minutes longer.
I think I will substitute some kind of sausage for the bacon, maybe andouille or chorizo. I will probably use fresh garlic instead of powder. I will let you know how it turns out!
****************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Guide my feet, dear Lord. Running this race in vain is NOT an option!
I don't know how many times I said this over the past two years since starting this blog -- the devotional was written for ME today! Yikes!
I loved the verse at the end of the devotional:
A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. —Proverbs 16:9
For those of you that don't know, I sang a solo recently called "Guide my Feet"! What a coincidence! No, it is not a coincidence. God works in mysterious ways. To be frank (and I usually am), I have been a little down this week as some plans my heart made are never going to happen. I sort of knew that you have to go through a grieving process when dealing with things like this, but sort of didn't. I decided that I will take it easy on myself and let myself go through this process (though being a little sad is soooo not my style). The most important things are what the devotional talked about: committing my way to the Lord and trusting God in all things.
Lord, please guide my feet regardless of where my heart might want to go. Running this race in vain is NOT an option.
Foodie Friday
My dinner group is having our first summer cookout on Sunday night. I told them I would bring the baked beans. Well, I can't take just any baked bean recipe. I found this one that I will modify somehow. Take a look.
Five bean casserole
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pound bacon
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 (15 ounce) can butter beans
1 (15 ounce) can lima beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans,
drained
1 (28 ounce) can baked beans
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
3. Saute onion in bacon fat; add the brown sugar, mustard, garlic powder, salt and vinegar. Cook covered on low heat 20 minutes.
4. In a four quart baking dish, combine the bacon, onion mixture, butter beans, lima beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans and baked beans. Mix well, and bake covered for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and bake 30 to 45 minutes longer.
I think I will substitute some kind of sausage for the bacon, maybe andouille or chorizo. I will probably use fresh garlic instead of powder. I will let you know how it turns out!
****************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Guide my feet, dear Lord. Running this race in vain is NOT an option!
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Home where I belong
Our Daily Bread
Contemporary Christian music started its rise to popularity when I was in college. Yes, I am sort of old (but I digress...). It is hard to think of Amy Grant being in her 50's! BJ Thomas of "Randrops keep fallin on my head" fame recorded a song called "Home where I belong". It talked about his desire and longing for heaven, his final home.
The devotion today gives the passage from John 13:36 - 14:4 where Jesus explains to his disciples about his death and the life ever after in heaven with him. It is a beautiful passage. Very comforting and very true! If it wasn't, he would have told us so!
The promise of heaven is not the only promise God gave us. What promises has he made to you? Are you living in that promise believing it will happen when the time is right?
Lord, help us to always rest in your blessed promises!
Technology Thursday
Not much going on with the technology front. Smart phones, blah, blah, blah. Tablets, blah, blah, blah. iPhone 5 rumors, blah, blah, blah! hehehe
One big announcement is the IPO of Facebook. They estimate the company will be worth 16 billion dollars!
I have to admit that my family talked me into getting back on Facebook after a 2.5 year absence. It is OK. I tried locking down my account yesterday. Security and privacy concerns were my two biggest problems with the site. Plus, who has time for all that stuff?
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Contemporary Christian music started its rise to popularity when I was in college. Yes, I am sort of old (but I digress...). It is hard to think of Amy Grant being in her 50's! BJ Thomas of "Randrops keep fallin on my head" fame recorded a song called "Home where I belong". It talked about his desire and longing for heaven, his final home.
The devotion today gives the passage from John 13:36 - 14:4 where Jesus explains to his disciples about his death and the life ever after in heaven with him. It is a beautiful passage. Very comforting and very true! If it wasn't, he would have told us so!
The promise of heaven is not the only promise God gave us. What promises has he made to you? Are you living in that promise believing it will happen when the time is right?
Lord, help us to always rest in your blessed promises!
Technology Thursday
Not much going on with the technology front. Smart phones, blah, blah, blah. Tablets, blah, blah, blah. iPhone 5 rumors, blah, blah, blah! hehehe
One big announcement is the IPO of Facebook. They estimate the company will be worth 16 billion dollars!
I have to admit that my family talked me into getting back on Facebook after a 2.5 year absence. It is OK. I tried locking down my account yesterday. Security and privacy concerns were my two biggest problems with the site. Plus, who has time for all that stuff?
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Be ourselves
Our Daily Bread
Do you remember, like me, times when you acted one way when around one group of folks, but acted another way around a different group of folks? Peer pressure maybe? Always being yourself and doing the right thing is not easy.
Even Peter (Cephas) had a problem with this! The Rock on which the Church was built had this problem? How am I supposed to be faithful all the time? The key is relying on the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength. It is amazing how well this works! Who knew! ha! Just kidding!
I have been very conscious of being careful of the words coming out of my mouth and the thoughts in my silly head the past few weeks. I made some mistakes about how I said some things and they were not well received (if received at all). I spoke the truth. I did not speak the words in love. I was not being my true self, the self that God called me to.
Have you had that issue? What are you doing about it?
Lord, help me always listen to your Spirit to guide my feet and speak in love.
Workout Wednesday
I decided to change my Wednesday topic to Workout Wednesday. I was tired of writing about me almost every day of the week in addition to longer entries about this silly bear on Wednesday and Saturday. Heavy sigh... I decided to write about working out and eating healthier. I am not an expert. I want to share some of the things I learned the past six months. I need to thank mi tigre for his inspiration for some of this!
I mentioned in my blog entries the past few months that I am allowed to work out again after almost four years of having many physical limitations (not lifting more than 15 pounds, not bending over, sleeping at a 45 degree angle, etc.).
What am I doing now? I am trying to vary my exercise. That is my important point for this week. Find several things that you like to do so you don't get burnt out with your workouts. For me, I walk, run, Bowflex, boot camp sessions, regular gym workouts occasionally, tennis, recumbent bike and some crossfit routines. That is some variety! I will have trouble keeping myself motivated at times. I have lost around 30 pounds and about four inches around the waist so far. I want to keep it going so I can meet my health goals. Most importantly, I want to establish a lifestyle that I can maintain the weight loss when I reach my goals. Whew! I can do this! You can, too! ;-)
I will write more about each workout and eating habits next week, starting with pre-workout supplements.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Do you remember, like me, times when you acted one way when around one group of folks, but acted another way around a different group of folks? Peer pressure maybe? Always being yourself and doing the right thing is not easy.
Even Peter (Cephas) had a problem with this! The Rock on which the Church was built had this problem? How am I supposed to be faithful all the time? The key is relying on the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength. It is amazing how well this works! Who knew! ha! Just kidding!
I have been very conscious of being careful of the words coming out of my mouth and the thoughts in my silly head the past few weeks. I made some mistakes about how I said some things and they were not well received (if received at all). I spoke the truth. I did not speak the words in love. I was not being my true self, the self that God called me to.
Have you had that issue? What are you doing about it?
Lord, help me always listen to your Spirit to guide my feet and speak in love.
Workout Wednesday
I decided to change my Wednesday topic to Workout Wednesday. I was tired of writing about me almost every day of the week in addition to longer entries about this silly bear on Wednesday and Saturday. Heavy sigh... I decided to write about working out and eating healthier. I am not an expert. I want to share some of the things I learned the past six months. I need to thank mi tigre for his inspiration for some of this!
I mentioned in my blog entries the past few months that I am allowed to work out again after almost four years of having many physical limitations (not lifting more than 15 pounds, not bending over, sleeping at a 45 degree angle, etc.).
What am I doing now? I am trying to vary my exercise. That is my important point for this week. Find several things that you like to do so you don't get burnt out with your workouts. For me, I walk, run, Bowflex, boot camp sessions, regular gym workouts occasionally, tennis, recumbent bike and some crossfit routines. That is some variety! I will have trouble keeping myself motivated at times. I have lost around 30 pounds and about four inches around the waist so far. I want to keep it going so I can meet my health goals. Most importantly, I want to establish a lifestyle that I can maintain the weight loss when I reach my goals. Whew! I can do this! You can, too! ;-)
I will write more about each workout and eating habits next week, starting with pre-workout supplements.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Unbelievable....
Our Daily Bread
Most folks that know me know that I have been through a lot with my eyes the past four years. The devotional this morning talked about the challenges the writer went through with his! Needless to say, I could relate!
Whether you see God as far off or see God as close to you and involved in your daily life, it is important that you see God in some way! For me, there have been times when God seems far away. It is important to remember who moved! It wasn't God! hehehe Most days, it seems that God is close to me and very involved in my daily life. I am so thankful and amazed that the God of the universe can take time to think about me and talk to me. Wow! Praise God!
Lord, help us to always see you and to know you love us!
Teaching Tuesday
The last week of our D1 class is aimed at getting us involved with our church by using our gifts. Very cool! We have a pot luck dinner (at my house this year), our lesson and communion. It should be a great night.
My prayer for you is that you will study God's Word in some way, shape or form so you can find your spiritual gifts and use them for God's glory!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Most folks that know me know that I have been through a lot with my eyes the past four years. The devotional this morning talked about the challenges the writer went through with his! Needless to say, I could relate!
Whether you see God as far off or see God as close to you and involved in your daily life, it is important that you see God in some way! For me, there have been times when God seems far away. It is important to remember who moved! It wasn't God! hehehe Most days, it seems that God is close to me and very involved in my daily life. I am so thankful and amazed that the God of the universe can take time to think about me and talk to me. Wow! Praise God!
Lord, help us to always see you and to know you love us!
Teaching Tuesday
The last week of our D1 class is aimed at getting us involved with our church by using our gifts. Very cool! We have a pot luck dinner (at my house this year), our lesson and communion. It should be a great night.
My prayer for you is that you will study God's Word in some way, shape or form so you can find your spiritual gifts and use them for God's glory!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Monday, May 14, 2012
Reposition...
Our Daily Bread
I played a lot of sports in my younger days. As I get healthier now in my 50's, I am playing sports again! Woohooo! One of the first things I learned about any sport is being in the correct position, whether it is the correct position for your body, like blocking out in basketball, or the correct position on the court, like in tennis. Being successful at any sport depends on re-positioning your body as the situation changes!
Our Christian lives are very similar. We need to keep this mind as our lives change and as we change. We need to keep re-positioning ourselves so we can keep our focus on God. Think of it like looking at the sky with a telescope. You have to keep moving the telescope if you want to look at the same star for more than one night due to the rotation of the earth. Keep your mind and heart's telescope moving so you can keep them focused on God as your life moves!
Lord, thank you for being in the same place, for being the stable influence in my life. Help me always keep my mind and heart focused on you!
Movie Monday
I didn't get to see a movie this week. I was pretty busy. I watched 1 1/2 seasons of Eureka (from the Scify Channel) at my sister's house over the weekend. That was pretty cool. It was also the most television I have watched in a long time!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I played a lot of sports in my younger days. As I get healthier now in my 50's, I am playing sports again! Woohooo! One of the first things I learned about any sport is being in the correct position, whether it is the correct position for your body, like blocking out in basketball, or the correct position on the court, like in tennis. Being successful at any sport depends on re-positioning your body as the situation changes!
Our Christian lives are very similar. We need to keep this mind as our lives change and as we change. We need to keep re-positioning ourselves so we can keep our focus on God. Think of it like looking at the sky with a telescope. You have to keep moving the telescope if you want to look at the same star for more than one night due to the rotation of the earth. Keep your mind and heart's telescope moving so you can keep them focused on God as your life moves!
Lord, thank you for being in the same place, for being the stable influence in my life. Help me always keep my mind and heart focused on you!
Movie Monday
I didn't get to see a movie this week. I was pretty busy. I watched 1 1/2 seasons of Eureka (from the Scify Channel) at my sister's house over the weekend. That was pretty cool. It was also the most television I have watched in a long time!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
road trip
I am on a road trip to Kentucky with my mother. We are visiting a sister and my brother. Having a good time so far.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Seriously? Apologize?
Our Daily Bread
I have to admit that I am usually the first to apologize when I am in a conflict with a friend. I can't stand being out of relationship with someone I care about. This is hard for me many times because I am not always the one at fault (no really, I am not...). hehehe I will be the first to admit that I have strong opinions and feelings about things. I usually express them. ;-p The biggest thing I learned the past few weeks is that I must speak things in love at all times.
From what I read in the Bible, God can't stand the fact that folks sinned and got out of relationship with him. He wants to have a relationship with us. That is why he made us. He does not require a relationship with us, but for some reason that I don't really understand it is important to him. In my silly mind, I think God has so much love to share and wants good things to happen, that he wants to share all of that with us. I like that thought!
Lord, help us to recognize when we need to apologize. Let us always be sincere!
Technology Thursday
I found some interesting articles about technology stuff this week. The first one is about gadgets -- the top gadgets to have this summer. I guess I am out of touch because I hadn't heard of most of them!
They are:
1. Eton Rukus Solar
2. Jawbone Jambox
3. Pebble Watch
4. WowWee Cinemin Slice Pico Projector
5. Canon PowerShot G1 X
6. Eco Terra Rugged and Waterproof Boombox
The article from Yahoo:
Here are a few other interesting things:
Google self driving car Approved in Nevada...
Portable object duplicator You can do this from your iPad now...
ATT Family data plans I was a little surprised by this since they sort of rape us on the data plans!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I have to admit that I am usually the first to apologize when I am in a conflict with a friend. I can't stand being out of relationship with someone I care about. This is hard for me many times because I am not always the one at fault (no really, I am not...). hehehe I will be the first to admit that I have strong opinions and feelings about things. I usually express them. ;-p The biggest thing I learned the past few weeks is that I must speak things in love at all times.
From what I read in the Bible, God can't stand the fact that folks sinned and got out of relationship with him. He wants to have a relationship with us. That is why he made us. He does not require a relationship with us, but for some reason that I don't really understand it is important to him. In my silly mind, I think God has so much love to share and wants good things to happen, that he wants to share all of that with us. I like that thought!
Lord, help us to recognize when we need to apologize. Let us always be sincere!
Technology Thursday
I found some interesting articles about technology stuff this week. The first one is about gadgets -- the top gadgets to have this summer. I guess I am out of touch because I hadn't heard of most of them!
They are:
1. Eton Rukus Solar
2. Jawbone Jambox
3. Pebble Watch
4. WowWee Cinemin Slice Pico Projector
5. Canon PowerShot G1 X
6. Eco Terra Rugged and Waterproof Boombox
The article from Yahoo:
Here are a few other interesting things:
Google self driving car Approved in Nevada...
Portable object duplicator You can do this from your iPad now...
ATT Family data plans I was a little surprised by this since they sort of rape us on the data plans!
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
What is your foundation?
Our Daily Bread
The devotional talked about how the writer's grandchildren loved Lego building blocks. I used to love them too when I was a child! I remember building stuff over and over again. I have also enjoyed buying them for nephews over the years and watching them enjoy them as well!
Regardless of what type of Lego kit or the basic building blocks used, it is crucial to have a firm foundation for the structure you are building. Is your life built on a firm foundation?
I also liked the "building blocks for life" that the author listed from several different passages. Let's look at this list more closely. Are we building our lives using these blocks?
Lord, help us build our lives on the firm foundation of you using the blocks given to us by the Holy Spirit!
Witness Wednesday
I know who I am
You might have noticed that I didn't write in this blog last week. God has been working on me in several ways the past few weeks. It has been wonderful and terribly draining all at the same time. I usually refer to the metaphor of the refining of silver meaning God is removing the dross from my life by turning up the heat! Yikes!
I learned some very important things. First, I know who I am. I know what I am not. I know that I am a beloved child of God. I know that he called me to be a prophet and a catalyst in all the things that I do, whether it be at church, at home or at work. I know I need to be a voice that speaks when others dare not. I know what he has given me the talents and gifts to accomplish the things he has told me to do. The coolest part is that I had this epiphany on Thursday. While reading my D1 lesson on Sunday, God reinforced the epiphany through the lesson! Wow! I will see where this direction takes me.
Second, I need to temper everything I say with love. Everything. In a conversation with a friend last night, I learned that I could possibly be saying things at times just to make myself feel better. Yes, truth is truth. It does not necessarily need to be proclaimed if it does not edify or build up others. Saying truth to make yourself feel better or to hurt someone else is not being a prophet who is speaking out of love. DOH!
Figuring this stuff out is not always easy. I am talking and praying about this role of prophet. Reading some of the stuff in the Old Testament scares me a little (and I am pretty fearless). I will just have to take it day by day and with each passing moment.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
The devotional talked about how the writer's grandchildren loved Lego building blocks. I used to love them too when I was a child! I remember building stuff over and over again. I have also enjoyed buying them for nephews over the years and watching them enjoy them as well!
Regardless of what type of Lego kit or the basic building blocks used, it is crucial to have a firm foundation for the structure you are building. Is your life built on a firm foundation?
I also liked the "building blocks for life" that the author listed from several different passages. Let's look at this list more closely. Are we building our lives using these blocks?
Value others above yourself by humbly serving them (Phil. 2:3-4)
Give generously of your resources to those in need (James 2:14-17)
Respond with love to those who have wronged you (Rom. 12:14-21)
Build a life that is worthy of being His temple (1 Cor. 3:16).
Lord, help us build our lives on the firm foundation of you using the blocks given to us by the Holy Spirit!
Witness Wednesday
I know who I am
You might have noticed that I didn't write in this blog last week. God has been working on me in several ways the past few weeks. It has been wonderful and terribly draining all at the same time. I usually refer to the metaphor of the refining of silver meaning God is removing the dross from my life by turning up the heat! Yikes!
I learned some very important things. First, I know who I am. I know what I am not. I know that I am a beloved child of God. I know that he called me to be a prophet and a catalyst in all the things that I do, whether it be at church, at home or at work. I know I need to be a voice that speaks when others dare not. I know what he has given me the talents and gifts to accomplish the things he has told me to do. The coolest part is that I had this epiphany on Thursday. While reading my D1 lesson on Sunday, God reinforced the epiphany through the lesson! Wow! I will see where this direction takes me.
Second, I need to temper everything I say with love. Everything. In a conversation with a friend last night, I learned that I could possibly be saying things at times just to make myself feel better. Yes, truth is truth. It does not necessarily need to be proclaimed if it does not edify or build up others. Saying truth to make yourself feel better or to hurt someone else is not being a prophet who is speaking out of love. DOH!
Figuring this stuff out is not always easy. I am talking and praying about this role of prophet. Reading some of the stuff in the Old Testament scares me a little (and I am pretty fearless). I will just have to take it day by day and with each passing moment.
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Helper
Our Daily Bread
How many times have you seen someone who could use your help? How many times have you felt like God was leading you to help them? How many times did you listen to God and at least try to help? I have been thinking about that a lot since I read the devotional this morning.
"Helping" doesn't have to be a big deal. Sometimes a kind word or deed can be a big help (rather than some big gesture of money or other things). God asks us to use the talents and gifts he gave us to serve and help others. What an honor!
Lord, help us help others!
Teaching Tuesday
The second to last Disciple 1 lesson was a great one! It focused on spiritual gifts or gifts of the Spirit. The coolest part for me is how it clarified the difference between talents, spiritual gifts and the fruits of the Spirit. Sometimes this Bible study stuff just swirls around in my pretty little head! ;-p Here is what I got from the lesson these three things:
talents: these are the things that you can do based on your genes and predisposition, such as sports, singing, art, etc.
spiritual gifts: these are the roles that the Holy Spirit will use us in based on our willingness to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, such as being an apostle (preacher or pastor), administrator, healer, helper, miracle worker, prophet, and some others. The book did a great job of spelling out what each of these spiritual gifts means in today's world. Very cool!
Fruits of the Spirit: the fruits of the Spirit are the qualities a person demonstrates when they are leading a Spirit-filled life. They are from Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
What are your talents? What are your spiritual gifts? Are you demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit?
I came up with a "the Bible says" and "the world says" chart for the fruits of the Spirit:
What the Spirit says: What the world says:
love Love is just a four-letter word
joy Happiness is more important than joy.
peace Peace is only achieved through nuclear deterrents
forbearance (patience) You are codependent. You let people walk all over you.
kindness You will never get ahead in business or life being kind.
goodness Good girls go to heaven. Bad girls go everywhere.
faithfulness If it feels good, do it, regardless of your commitments to others.
gentleness This signifies weakness. You have to be rough and tough.
self-control You are a prude or stick in the mud or out of touch.
How many times have you seen someone who could use your help? How many times have you felt like God was leading you to help them? How many times did you listen to God and at least try to help? I have been thinking about that a lot since I read the devotional this morning.
"Helping" doesn't have to be a big deal. Sometimes a kind word or deed can be a big help (rather than some big gesture of money or other things). God asks us to use the talents and gifts he gave us to serve and help others. What an honor!
Lord, help us help others!
Teaching Tuesday
The second to last Disciple 1 lesson was a great one! It focused on spiritual gifts or gifts of the Spirit. The coolest part for me is how it clarified the difference between talents, spiritual gifts and the fruits of the Spirit. Sometimes this Bible study stuff just swirls around in my pretty little head! ;-p Here is what I got from the lesson these three things:
talents: these are the things that you can do based on your genes and predisposition, such as sports, singing, art, etc.
spiritual gifts: these are the roles that the Holy Spirit will use us in based on our willingness to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, such as being an apostle (preacher or pastor), administrator, healer, helper, miracle worker, prophet, and some others. The book did a great job of spelling out what each of these spiritual gifts means in today's world. Very cool!
Fruits of the Spirit: the fruits of the Spirit are the qualities a person demonstrates when they are leading a Spirit-filled life. They are from Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
What are your talents? What are your spiritual gifts? Are you demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit?
I came up with a "the Bible says" and "the world says" chart for the fruits of the Spirit:
What the Spirit says: What the world says:
love Love is just a four-letter word
joy Happiness is more important than joy.
peace Peace is only achieved through nuclear deterrents
forbearance (patience) You are codependent. You let people walk all over you.
kindness You will never get ahead in business or life being kind.
goodness Good girls go to heaven. Bad girls go everywhere.
faithfulness If it feels good, do it, regardless of your commitments to others.
gentleness This signifies weakness. You have to be rough and tough.
self-control You are a prude or stick in the mud or out of touch.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Timing, it is all in the timing...
Our Daily Bread
Sometimes I feel like I am a rabbit living in a turtle world! Other times, I feel like a turtle living in a rabbit world. The pace of the timing of events never seems to suit me. I remember as a child that it seemed like years before Christmas would arrive on December 25. Now, each Christmas comes and goes so quickly I can't keep track sometimes! I actually found an app for that! hehehe
Timing, it is all about timing. In God's time, not our time. Yes, I fully admit that I want things when I want them. I want God to act when I want him to act. I want to act slowly with others unless he is punishing them! hehehe God is so good and loving and forgiving and patient. Patience is so important that God made it of the seven fruits of the Holy Spirit when we let it govern our personalities! Galatians 5:22-23 What is God asking you to be patient for?
Lord, thank you for the fruits of the Spirit. Please let me show them in my life!
Movie Monday
I saw The Avengers on Saturday! Wow! I saw the 3D IMAX version. I don't care what version you see, you gotta see it! I read this morning that it took in over $200 million over the weekend. Wow!
The basic story is that Thor's brother, Loki, comes to earth to conquer it. Captain Fury calls upon the earth's super heroes to come together as a team to defeat the threat. The first part of the movie belabors the "storming and forming" part of the new team building (gosh, I may have gone to grad school...). There are a lot of cool sub plots throughout as well.
The 3D effects are OK. There are some cool parts, but they could have done so much more. It was definitely not as cool as Transformers last year. The IMAX filming was very cool.
I give this movie 3 1/2 bear paws. I loved the interaction of the characters and the belly laugh humor at times. See it in the theater on the big screen!
Sometimes I feel like I am a rabbit living in a turtle world! Other times, I feel like a turtle living in a rabbit world. The pace of the timing of events never seems to suit me. I remember as a child that it seemed like years before Christmas would arrive on December 25. Now, each Christmas comes and goes so quickly I can't keep track sometimes! I actually found an app for that! hehehe
Timing, it is all about timing. In God's time, not our time. Yes, I fully admit that I want things when I want them. I want God to act when I want him to act. I want to act slowly with others unless he is punishing them! hehehe God is so good and loving and forgiving and patient. Patience is so important that God made it of the seven fruits of the Holy Spirit when we let it govern our personalities! Galatians 5:22-23 What is God asking you to be patient for?
Lord, thank you for the fruits of the Spirit. Please let me show them in my life!
Movie Monday
I saw The Avengers on Saturday! Wow! I saw the 3D IMAX version. I don't care what version you see, you gotta see it! I read this morning that it took in over $200 million over the weekend. Wow!
The basic story is that Thor's brother, Loki, comes to earth to conquer it. Captain Fury calls upon the earth's super heroes to come together as a team to defeat the threat. The first part of the movie belabors the "storming and forming" part of the new team building (gosh, I may have gone to grad school...). There are a lot of cool sub plots throughout as well.
The 3D effects are OK. There are some cool parts, but they could have done so much more. It was definitely not as cool as Transformers last year. The IMAX filming was very cool.
I give this movie 3 1/2 bear paws. I loved the interaction of the characters and the belly laugh humor at times. See it in the theater on the big screen!
Sunday, May 6, 2012
I'm not dead...
Yes, I like silly comedies and movies like Monty Python. The title of this entry is a line from The Holy Grail! I am alive and kicking. I am going to start writing again. My struggle was putting too much personal status in my entries. This isn't that silly Facebook site, for goodness sake! hehehe I will focus on the daily devotional and topics. I plan interject personal experiences with the daily devotional material. No more "Other Stuff" sections. I think that works for me. I want the focus on each entry to be the content, not me. I know my life is horribly interesting and you might be living vicariously through me, so stop! hehehe
Our Daily Bread
The devotional is about Ezekiel, one of the prophets of the Old Testament. If you think your job sucks, then look at what the prophets had to do! While the benefits package was heavenly, the day to day work and public speaking were heck! ;-p Imagine being the voice of God to an entire nation that isn't following God's direction? Nobody wants to hear that they are wrong!
I love the points of the scripture passage: let God forgive you for your past sins and ask for a new heart and a new spirit so you can faithfully serve the living God!
Lord, help me make my ways, your ways. Please give me a new heart and a new spirit!
Psalm Sunday
The psalm for this week is Psalm 45. So many visual and other sensual references that the passage invites your whole being to join in!
Psalm 45
For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil. A wedding song.
1 My heart is stirred by a noble theme
as I recite my verses for the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
2 You are the most excellent of men
and your lips have been anointed with grace,
since God has blessed you forever.
3 Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one;
clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
4 In your majesty ride forth victoriously
in the cause of truth, humility and justice;
let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.
5 Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;
let the nations fall beneath your feet.
6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.
8 All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
from palaces adorned with ivory
the music of the strings makes you glad.
9 Daughters of kings are among your honored women;
at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.
10 Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:
Forget your people and your father’s house.
11 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord.
12 The city of Tyre will come with a gift,
people of wealth will seek your favor.
13 All glorious is the princess within her chamber;
her gown is interwoven with gold.
14 In embroidered garments she is led to the king;
her virgin companions follow her—
those brought to be with her.
15 Led in with joy and gladness,
they enter the palace of the king.
16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
you will make them princes throughout the land.
17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;
therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.
Our Daily Bread
The devotional is about Ezekiel, one of the prophets of the Old Testament. If you think your job sucks, then look at what the prophets had to do! While the benefits package was heavenly, the day to day work and public speaking were heck! ;-p Imagine being the voice of God to an entire nation that isn't following God's direction? Nobody wants to hear that they are wrong!
I love the points of the scripture passage: let God forgive you for your past sins and ask for a new heart and a new spirit so you can faithfully serve the living God!
Lord, help me make my ways, your ways. Please give me a new heart and a new spirit!
Psalm Sunday
The psalm for this week is Psalm 45. So many visual and other sensual references that the passage invites your whole being to join in!
Psalm 45
For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil. A wedding song.
1 My heart is stirred by a noble theme
as I recite my verses for the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
2 You are the most excellent of men
and your lips have been anointed with grace,
since God has blessed you forever.
3 Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one;
clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
4 In your majesty ride forth victoriously
in the cause of truth, humility and justice;
let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.
5 Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;
let the nations fall beneath your feet.
6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.
8 All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
from palaces adorned with ivory
the music of the strings makes you glad.
9 Daughters of kings are among your honored women;
at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.
10 Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:
Forget your people and your father’s house.
11 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord.
12 The city of Tyre will come with a gift,
people of wealth will seek your favor.
13 All glorious is the princess within her chamber;
her gown is interwoven with gold.
14 In embroidered garments she is led to the king;
her virgin companions follow her—
those brought to be with her.
15 Led in with joy and gladness,
they enter the palace of the king.
16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
you will make them princes throughout the land.
17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;
therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.
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