Our Daily Bread
There is a well-known joke in United States culture about how men don't like to stop and ask for directions. I don't know where that came from! ha! The only thing harder than getting a man to ask for directions is to get him to turn around and go back!
Our lives in Christ can be like that whether we are male or female. It can be difficult to ask for direction from God. It can also be very, very difficult to turn around once we get them! This is especially true when it comes to sin. We often confess our sins, but then go right back to doing our "pet" sin(s) over and over.
My pet sin is unbelief. Some would ask "is that really a sin?". I believe it is (you are welcome to your own opinion). Instead of waiting for God to direct me and follow his path, I find my own way towards my goals usually with less than favorable results! The way I want to live my life is: I will trust in the Lord. He is worthy to be praised!
I saw this saying on Facebook the other day and like it:
God's plans are soooo much better than our dreams!
Foodie Friday
My ex used to make something like this. I found this recipe on cooks.com. It is pretty simple. I plan to make it for my church dinner tomorrow night.
CHOCOLATE BOURBON PECAN PIE
Printed from COOKS.COM
1 9-inch unbaked pie shell
1 c. sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
3 eggs
1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp. bourbon
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted
4 tbsp. butter, melted
1 1/2 c. pecans
1. Mix together sugar and cornstarch in large bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, mix. Add sweetened condensed milk, bourbon, chocolate, and butter. Mix well.
2. Pour into pie shell. Add the pecans in a circular design on top of pie. Bake for 45 minutes in 375°F oven. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.
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Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
I'd rather have Jesus...
Our Daily Bread
I like the hymn "I'd rather have Jesus". I remember hearing it sung by George Beverly Shea during a Billy Graham rally. It was so moving! I think about that hymn and what it could mean to my life.
I have a friend who feels called into the ministry after being a highly paid lawyer for the last twenty years. I pray for him and think about this hymn. I pray that the "new normal" for his life will be an easy transition as he moves out of his big house and realizes he can't live like he used to. I hope "I'd rather have Jesus" means more to him now and realize how following Jesus can affect your life.
The devotional is clear -- money is not evil. The love of money is evil when we put it before our relationship with God. Let's ask ourselves today -- would we really rather have Jesus?
Lord, thank you for being more than money can ever buy.
Technology Thursday
I found this article on the Yahoo Technology site -- Are you being monitored at work? Where do you work? Small company? Medium size? Large? The chances are that the larger your company, the more likely your online activity is being monitored. You might even be videotaped, have your badge scans tracked for entries and exits to buildings, and have your emails monitored depending on your role in the company.
Why would a company do this? The most pressing reason is regulatory requirements by the government. Other important reasons include security clearances (for companies like Battelle) and corporate secrets (like in industries with patented forumlas). Think of Coca-Cola and how secret the formula is! I have also seen company resources abused like folks streaming videos during work time or downloading gigs of music to their laptops.
So what should you do? My general rule is Biblically based: what is done in the dark will be brought to light. Hmmmm. That is sort of scary, but it is true. When at work, it is best to focus on work stuff. Only do your personal Internet research and personal business transactions at home or away from work. Always assume that you are being monitored and always follow your company's usage and access policies to be safe!
********************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I like the hymn "I'd rather have Jesus". I remember hearing it sung by George Beverly Shea during a Billy Graham rally. It was so moving! I think about that hymn and what it could mean to my life.
I have a friend who feels called into the ministry after being a highly paid lawyer for the last twenty years. I pray for him and think about this hymn. I pray that the "new normal" for his life will be an easy transition as he moves out of his big house and realizes he can't live like he used to. I hope "I'd rather have Jesus" means more to him now and realize how following Jesus can affect your life.
The devotional is clear -- money is not evil. The love of money is evil when we put it before our relationship with God. Let's ask ourselves today -- would we really rather have Jesus?
Lord, thank you for being more than money can ever buy.
Technology Thursday
I found this article on the Yahoo Technology site -- Are you being monitored at work? Where do you work? Small company? Medium size? Large? The chances are that the larger your company, the more likely your online activity is being monitored. You might even be videotaped, have your badge scans tracked for entries and exits to buildings, and have your emails monitored depending on your role in the company.
Why would a company do this? The most pressing reason is regulatory requirements by the government. Other important reasons include security clearances (for companies like Battelle) and corporate secrets (like in industries with patented forumlas). Think of Coca-Cola and how secret the formula is! I have also seen company resources abused like folks streaming videos during work time or downloading gigs of music to their laptops.
So what should you do? My general rule is Biblically based: what is done in the dark will be brought to light. Hmmmm. That is sort of scary, but it is true. When at work, it is best to focus on work stuff. Only do your personal Internet research and personal business transactions at home or away from work. Always assume that you are being monitored and always follow your company's usage and access policies to be safe!
********************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The Bread of Life
Our Daily Bread
Food is a big deal in my family. We sort of use it to express our love for each other at times. Nothing says loving like a great meal or your favorite treat! We all learned this from my grandmother who worked her fingers to the bone just to put food on the table for her six children while her husband, my grandfather, was in the Navy. It was not an easy life. Love was food. Food was love.
Jesus is another example of how food is love -- the bread of life. While there are many metaphors used to describe Jesus and what he means to humanity, this one really spoke to most people. Hunger was common. People were poor. It wasn't like our lives where we had lots of grocery stores where we can buy what we want or need with our adequate salaries. One days pay for a poor person could barely buy food for their families. And McDonalds? Fah-get-about-it! ha!
Jesus said whoever eats of earthly bread will hunger again. Those who eat of heavenly bread will never hunger again. The bread of life. The bread of heaven.
Lord, thank you for giving us the bread of life when we hunger for God
Workout Wednesday
Keeping it...new
Just keeping it real! I hear that saying a lot. For me, I want to keep things...new. I think this will be the last I write about my workouts. I am running out of things to say, so I will change it up again. If you followed my blog for a while you might remember how I do this periodically. I will decide what to write about next and surprise you next week!
I will use the "keeping it new" theme for this entry. How do you keep your workouts new? They lose their luster after a while as you fall into a workout routine. How do you keep motivated? How do I keep this up the rest of my life? Yikes! As I tease my friends "once you get a body like this, you don't want to lose it!" ha!
Here are a few tips off the top of my head:
I hope this helps. You can do this. If I can do it, then anyone can!
*********************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Food is a big deal in my family. We sort of use it to express our love for each other at times. Nothing says loving like a great meal or your favorite treat! We all learned this from my grandmother who worked her fingers to the bone just to put food on the table for her six children while her husband, my grandfather, was in the Navy. It was not an easy life. Love was food. Food was love.
Jesus is another example of how food is love -- the bread of life. While there are many metaphors used to describe Jesus and what he means to humanity, this one really spoke to most people. Hunger was common. People were poor. It wasn't like our lives where we had lots of grocery stores where we can buy what we want or need with our adequate salaries. One days pay for a poor person could barely buy food for their families. And McDonalds? Fah-get-about-it! ha!
Jesus said whoever eats of earthly bread will hunger again. Those who eat of heavenly bread will never hunger again. The bread of life. The bread of heaven.
Lord, thank you for giving us the bread of life when we hunger for God
Workout Wednesday
Keeping it...new
Just keeping it real! I hear that saying a lot. For me, I want to keep things...new. I think this will be the last I write about my workouts. I am running out of things to say, so I will change it up again. If you followed my blog for a while you might remember how I do this periodically. I will decide what to write about next and surprise you next week!
I will use the "keeping it new" theme for this entry. How do you keep your workouts new? They lose their luster after a while as you fall into a workout routine. How do you keep motivated? How do I keep this up the rest of my life? Yikes! As I tease my friends "once you get a body like this, you don't want to lose it!" ha!
Here are a few tips off the top of my head:
- Try different exercises, a different schedule, a new sport, an old sport, etc. Do different stuff. I find doing the same old workouts make it difficult to get up at 4:50 am each morning. That is the biggest reason I liked doing cross fit routines -- it had variety!
- Find what works for you for the long term. Yes, you can use one approach to lose weight. That may not work for your long-term for maintenance. I have to find balance because I don't want to workout two or three times per day to keep my weight off! Don't have time. Don't want to be a slave to the gym.
- Find a workout partner or some friends to share your workout interest. I am fortunate to have some folks that help motivate and encourage me. I am the motivator and encourager at times. If that doesn't work for you, consider a personal trainer or a group training environment. Find what works for you!
- Appreciate what you have done so far. Every time I put on a shirt or pair of pants that used to be tight on me or not fit at all, it makes me appreciate the hard work I have done. It encourages me to continue on.
- Lastly, I do stuff during my workouts to make good use of the time. I read or pray when I ride my recumbent bike. I often say short sentence prayers during my short breaks in between sets on my Bowflex. I listen to dance mixes of Contemporary Christian music to lift my spirits and keep me revved up during my workouts. Find what works for you!
I hope this helps. You can do this. If I can do it, then anyone can!
*********************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Serve the Lord with gladness
Our Daily Bread
I love it when a plan comes together! When you read the Teaching Tuesday entry below, you will notice the common theme today -- being positive and joyful. It is had to be one without the other! The coolest part is that the two topics came together on God's schedule, not mine! I think we all need to hear this message at times!
I have to admit -- I am not always the upbeat Duane that is reflected on my Facebook page. I usually am, but not always. A close friend reminded me that my upbeat comments and funny remarks mean a lot to him because he knows it is not always easy for me to be upbeat and positive. God speaks to me (and to us all if we listen) through many different avenues. There is his Word. I love Psalm 100. I sang a setting of that in choir last year. He speaks to me through circumstances, like the timing of this devotional and the 100 Secrets book. He speaks to me through nature and other folks. Even when other folks, especially my Christian brothers and sisters, aren't treating me nicely, I will remain positive because it is an opportunity to pray for them and to show them God's love no matter what.
No, it is not always easy. It is not meant to be. Serving the Lord with gladness is a privilege and a joy no matter what the circumstances and what comes my way!
How is God speaking to you? Are you listening?
Lord, thank you for the honor and privilege of serving you. Please help me always do it with joy!
Teaching Tuesday
Secret number15 from the 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People is:
If you're not sure, guess positively.
This is like the "glass half empty" or "glass half full" approach to life in general. When in doubt about a situation, look at the positive side. It is so much healthier and adds to your happiness! I understand that some folks want to be sad and bitter about life after being beaten down. I have felt that way at times. Try looking on the bright side just a little bit a day and keep it going. You can do this!
**************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I love it when a plan comes together! When you read the Teaching Tuesday entry below, you will notice the common theme today -- being positive and joyful. It is had to be one without the other! The coolest part is that the two topics came together on God's schedule, not mine! I think we all need to hear this message at times!
I have to admit -- I am not always the upbeat Duane that is reflected on my Facebook page. I usually am, but not always. A close friend reminded me that my upbeat comments and funny remarks mean a lot to him because he knows it is not always easy for me to be upbeat and positive. God speaks to me (and to us all if we listen) through many different avenues. There is his Word. I love Psalm 100. I sang a setting of that in choir last year. He speaks to me through circumstances, like the timing of this devotional and the 100 Secrets book. He speaks to me through nature and other folks. Even when other folks, especially my Christian brothers and sisters, aren't treating me nicely, I will remain positive because it is an opportunity to pray for them and to show them God's love no matter what.
No, it is not always easy. It is not meant to be. Serving the Lord with gladness is a privilege and a joy no matter what the circumstances and what comes my way!
How is God speaking to you? Are you listening?
Lord, thank you for the honor and privilege of serving you. Please help me always do it with joy!
Teaching Tuesday
Secret number15 from the 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People is:
If you're not sure, guess positively.
This is like the "glass half empty" or "glass half full" approach to life in general. When in doubt about a situation, look at the positive side. It is so much healthier and adds to your happiness! I understand that some folks want to be sad and bitter about life after being beaten down. I have felt that way at times. Try looking on the bright side just a little bit a day and keep it going. You can do this!
**************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Monday, August 27, 2012
He's got your back
Our Daily Bread
I like all kinds of movies, but one of my favorite types is when one character says to another "I got your back". They usually do a quick man hug and walk into the face of danger!
While we probably don't face a lot of danger in our daily lives, Jesus "has our backs". He lived a mortal life. He understands what its like to be tempted. He understands how hard it is to do our Father's will even when it will be devastating to us. He is also our intercessor to God on our behalves. Thank you, Jesus!
Are you going through some changes in your life? What does your new normal look like? Ask God to help you find it today.
Jesus, thank you for being there for us. We know we can always rely on your.
Movie Monday
I am enjoying my last weeks of summer by seeing more movies! I saw three this week: two at the theater and on one Bluray in my home theater. Two of them happened to be about the trials and tribulations of young girls. I didn't think about that until I wrote this posting.
Winter's Bone
This was not exactly the feel good movie of the year, but it was very good. The story line was interesting even though it was very harsh. Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, they did. In short, a 17 year old girl who is taking care of her two siblings and a sick mother faces almost insurmountable odds of finding her father before his court date. He put the family house up for bail money. If he didn't show up for court, the family would lose the house. You will be surprised and shocked and inspired by the story.
I give this three bear paws for the acting and strength of the story. Only available on DVD or Bluray now.
Beasts of the Southern Wild
This is another movie with a young girl, six years old, at the center of the story. She has my vote for an Academy Award at this tender age. She was amazing. The story is about the area outside the levees in New Orleans called the Bathtub. There is a whole subculture there that I never heard about on the news. The girl has some unique qualities and an indomitable spirit. You might be a little bored because it moves a little slow at times. It is eye opening and inspiring and scary all at the same time seeing things through the eyes of this little girl.
I give this one two bear paws. It is leaving the theaters soon. It will be available on DVD shortly afterwards.
Premium Rush
Wow! I really liked this movie. It was very smartly done. Good story line. Amazing camera work. The bike tricks were amazing. The story is about a bicycle messenger in NYC that gets a "premium rush" order to deliver an envelope. He gets caught up in the wicked web of a corrupt police officer who makes his life miserable until the envelope is delivered safely. My only complaint is that the way the movie "shifts time periods" throughout to give you all the parts of the story leading up to the finale.
I give this one three bear paws for the action, acting, story and camera work. See it at the movies or wait for the video.
*******************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I like all kinds of movies, but one of my favorite types is when one character says to another "I got your back". They usually do a quick man hug and walk into the face of danger!
While we probably don't face a lot of danger in our daily lives, Jesus "has our backs". He lived a mortal life. He understands what its like to be tempted. He understands how hard it is to do our Father's will even when it will be devastating to us. He is also our intercessor to God on our behalves. Thank you, Jesus!
Are you going through some changes in your life? What does your new normal look like? Ask God to help you find it today.
Jesus, thank you for being there for us. We know we can always rely on your.
Movie Monday
I am enjoying my last weeks of summer by seeing more movies! I saw three this week: two at the theater and on one Bluray in my home theater. Two of them happened to be about the trials and tribulations of young girls. I didn't think about that until I wrote this posting.
Winter's Bone
This was not exactly the feel good movie of the year, but it was very good. The story line was interesting even though it was very harsh. Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, they did. In short, a 17 year old girl who is taking care of her two siblings and a sick mother faces almost insurmountable odds of finding her father before his court date. He put the family house up for bail money. If he didn't show up for court, the family would lose the house. You will be surprised and shocked and inspired by the story.
I give this three bear paws for the acting and strength of the story. Only available on DVD or Bluray now.
Beasts of the Southern Wild
This is another movie with a young girl, six years old, at the center of the story. She has my vote for an Academy Award at this tender age. She was amazing. The story is about the area outside the levees in New Orleans called the Bathtub. There is a whole subculture there that I never heard about on the news. The girl has some unique qualities and an indomitable spirit. You might be a little bored because it moves a little slow at times. It is eye opening and inspiring and scary all at the same time seeing things through the eyes of this little girl.
I give this one two bear paws. It is leaving the theaters soon. It will be available on DVD shortly afterwards.
Premium Rush
Wow! I really liked this movie. It was very smartly done. Good story line. Amazing camera work. The bike tricks were amazing. The story is about a bicycle messenger in NYC that gets a "premium rush" order to deliver an envelope. He gets caught up in the wicked web of a corrupt police officer who makes his life miserable until the envelope is delivered safely. My only complaint is that the way the movie "shifts time periods" throughout to give you all the parts of the story leading up to the finale.
I give this one three bear paws for the action, acting, story and camera work. See it at the movies or wait for the video.
*******************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
RSVP
Our Daily Bread
I am not sure I should tell this story because it is sort of embarrassing. I don't remember the patient's name, so that won't be a confidentiality issue. After college, I worked as an orderly in a nursing home for a year or two while saving up money to attend seminary. I had to take care of male and female patients, which was not always comfortable. The nursing home had a rule that incontinent patients can't wear underwear to bed. One of our nightly "tucking in" rituals was to make sure the underwear was off. One night, as I gently asked a stately lady to remove her underwear, she looked at me and said very sincerely: "That is by invitation only!". ha!
Seriously, God sent us an invitation to restore communion with him through the life, death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ. Praise God! Have you accepted him? Why not pray to him now? RSVP today!
Lord, thank you for your heavenly invitation!
Psalm Sunday
We are looking at Psalm 59 this week. A question: who are our enemies? The question was asked of Jesus: Who are our neighbors? This psalm is another "deliver me, I know you are powerful enough to overcome the wicked" one. Be sure to read it out loud!
Psalm 59
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam. When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.
1 Deliver me from my enemies, O God;
be my fortress against those who are attacking me.
2 Deliver me from evildoers
and save me from those who are after my blood.
3 See how they lie in wait for me!
Fierce men conspire against me
for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
Arise to help me; look on my plight!
5 You, Lord God Almighty,
you who are the God of Israel,
rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
show no mercy to wicked traitors.
6 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,
and prowl about the city.
7 See what they spew from their mouths —
the words from their lips are sharp as swords,
and they think, “Who can hear us?”
8 But you laugh at them, Lord;
you scoff at all those nations.
9 You are my strength, I watch for you;
you, God, are my fortress,
10 my God on whom I can rely.
God will go before me
and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
11 But do not kill them, Lord our shield,
or my people will forget.
In your might uproot them
and bring them down.
12 For the sins of their mouths,
for the words of their lips,
let them be caught in their pride.
For the curses and lies they utter,
13 consume them in your wrath,
consume them till they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
that God rules over Jacob.
14 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,
and prowl about the city.
15 They wander about for food
and howl if not satisfied.
16 But I will sing of your strength,
in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.
17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely.
I am not sure I should tell this story because it is sort of embarrassing. I don't remember the patient's name, so that won't be a confidentiality issue. After college, I worked as an orderly in a nursing home for a year or two while saving up money to attend seminary. I had to take care of male and female patients, which was not always comfortable. The nursing home had a rule that incontinent patients can't wear underwear to bed. One of our nightly "tucking in" rituals was to make sure the underwear was off. One night, as I gently asked a stately lady to remove her underwear, she looked at me and said very sincerely: "That is by invitation only!". ha!
Seriously, God sent us an invitation to restore communion with him through the life, death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ. Praise God! Have you accepted him? Why not pray to him now? RSVP today!
Lord, thank you for your heavenly invitation!
Psalm Sunday
We are looking at Psalm 59 this week. A question: who are our enemies? The question was asked of Jesus: Who are our neighbors? This psalm is another "deliver me, I know you are powerful enough to overcome the wicked" one. Be sure to read it out loud!
Psalm 59
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam. When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.
1 Deliver me from my enemies, O God;
be my fortress against those who are attacking me.
2 Deliver me from evildoers
and save me from those who are after my blood.
3 See how they lie in wait for me!
Fierce men conspire against me
for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
Arise to help me; look on my plight!
5 You, Lord God Almighty,
you who are the God of Israel,
rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
show no mercy to wicked traitors.
6 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,
and prowl about the city.
7 See what they spew from their mouths —
the words from their lips are sharp as swords,
and they think, “Who can hear us?”
8 But you laugh at them, Lord;
you scoff at all those nations.
9 You are my strength, I watch for you;
you, God, are my fortress,
10 my God on whom I can rely.
God will go before me
and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
11 But do not kill them, Lord our shield,
or my people will forget.
In your might uproot them
and bring them down.
12 For the sins of their mouths,
for the words of their lips,
let them be caught in their pride.
For the curses and lies they utter,
13 consume them in your wrath,
consume them till they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
that God rules over Jacob.
14 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,
and prowl about the city.
15 They wander about for food
and howl if not satisfied.
16 But I will sing of your strength,
in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.
17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely.
******************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Hello? Did I wake you?
Our Daily Bread
I have a silly quirk (some might say "Just one?") -- I can wake up very quickly. A coworker called me in the middle of the night once to ask for help on a change he was making to a server. Even at 3:00 am, I answered the phone with a very perky, awake voice "Hey, Jerry, how are you? Everything going OK?" He said "Did I wake you?" I said "Yes, but no problem. What can I do for you?" ha! He commented on that at work on Monday. I also learned very quickly in my only long term relationship that I was not allowed to wake my partner up by touching nose to nose and saying "Good morning, honey!" He really hated that! ha!
Well, while I am perky when awakened, God is not! That is because God doesn't slumber nor sleep. He is always there for us no matter what the time of day or night. Who can we call on for 24 hour service at no extra charge? Our God! Praise God! Always remember that we can call on him for our fears, our doubts, our joys and our praise at any time!
Lord, thank you for always being there for us! Always!
Simply Saturday
Learning stuff from God no matter where you are...
It never ceases to amaze how God can speak to us through the ordinary things we do each day if we are just open to him. I went to a movie on Monday. During the previews, I heard this saying from the teenage character in an upcoming movie. He was asked "Why do you let people treat you that way?". He answered "We accept the way we are treated because we don't think we deserve better" WOW! Did I say WOW?!? How deep is that? I have been thinking about it all week as I prayed to understand how this applies to my life.
For me, it mainly applied in the area of my attempted romantic relationships. I sometimes get mixed up with how Christians are supposed to forgive and forgive and forgive and not stand up for myself when feeling mistreated. Granted, the word "mistreated" is very, very subjective. Think about what that word means to you. God told me that I need to pray about this subjectivity and talk to him about it. I may not be perceiving things correctly or have unrealistic expectations. I might also be mistreated and need to do something about it. Let's keep saying to ourselves "I deserve better!"
It also applies to other relationships with my family and friends. If I feel that I am being mistreated, then I need to act the way I act most of the rest of the time in my life (and personality): do something about it! Push back in a gentle and loving way. The push back in a gentle and loving way is what I really suck at. I usually let things build up, get angry and then say stuff I regret long afterwards. ;-( That is not a good thing. Letting things build up causes too much inner heat (as traditional Eastern medicine describes it). It is not good for the body! Let's keep saying to ourselves "I deserve better!"
Think about this. Pray about this.
**********************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
U r a BCOG U r FAWM
I have a silly quirk (some might say "Just one?") -- I can wake up very quickly. A coworker called me in the middle of the night once to ask for help on a change he was making to a server. Even at 3:00 am, I answered the phone with a very perky, awake voice "Hey, Jerry, how are you? Everything going OK?" He said "Did I wake you?" I said "Yes, but no problem. What can I do for you?" ha! He commented on that at work on Monday. I also learned very quickly in my only long term relationship that I was not allowed to wake my partner up by touching nose to nose and saying "Good morning, honey!" He really hated that! ha!
Well, while I am perky when awakened, God is not! That is because God doesn't slumber nor sleep. He is always there for us no matter what the time of day or night. Who can we call on for 24 hour service at no extra charge? Our God! Praise God! Always remember that we can call on him for our fears, our doubts, our joys and our praise at any time!
Lord, thank you for always being there for us! Always!
Simply Saturday
Learning stuff from God no matter where you are...
It never ceases to amaze how God can speak to us through the ordinary things we do each day if we are just open to him. I went to a movie on Monday. During the previews, I heard this saying from the teenage character in an upcoming movie. He was asked "Why do you let people treat you that way?". He answered "We accept the way we are treated because we don't think we deserve better" WOW! Did I say WOW?!? How deep is that? I have been thinking about it all week as I prayed to understand how this applies to my life.
For me, it mainly applied in the area of my attempted romantic relationships. I sometimes get mixed up with how Christians are supposed to forgive and forgive and forgive and not stand up for myself when feeling mistreated. Granted, the word "mistreated" is very, very subjective. Think about what that word means to you. God told me that I need to pray about this subjectivity and talk to him about it. I may not be perceiving things correctly or have unrealistic expectations. I might also be mistreated and need to do something about it. Let's keep saying to ourselves "I deserve better!"
It also applies to other relationships with my family and friends. If I feel that I am being mistreated, then I need to act the way I act most of the rest of the time in my life (and personality): do something about it! Push back in a gentle and loving way. The push back in a gentle and loving way is what I really suck at. I usually let things build up, get angry and then say stuff I regret long afterwards. ;-( That is not a good thing. Letting things build up causes too much inner heat (as traditional Eastern medicine describes it). It is not good for the body! Let's keep saying to ourselves "I deserve better!"
Think about this. Pray about this.
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Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
U r a BCOG U r FAWM
Friday, August 24, 2012
The Truth? Yes we CAN handle the truth!
Our Daily Bread
There is a famous scene in the movie "A Few Good Men" where Jack Nicholson screams at Tom Cruise "The truth? You can't handle the truth!" It is amazing how often that is true!
There is one truth that we all need to handle -- the truth of God! While it is true that, like Jesus' disciples, we have trouble handling the truth of God. Like the disciples, we have a huge advantage -- the Holy Spirit helps open our eyes, minds and hearts to the truth of God. The Holy Spirit also helps us accept God's truth and apply it to our lives. Praise God!
Lord, please help us always be open to your truth!
Foodie Friday
Because of my busy lifestyle, I eat out often. This can be an expensive proposition unless you work the system! Here are a few of my tips.
Special deals
I am on several coupon email lists for different restaurants. One of my favorites is Mimi's Cafe. I use their BOGO coupon to get supper and then use the free meal for lunch or supper the next day! I also do the same thing at places like First Watch or using my Entertainment book coupons for this!
I also use the "get two for $20" deals at places like OCharleys and Applebees. I eat one meal for supper and save the other for lunch or supper the next day
The key is to get and eat what you like while remaining frugal and healthy! It is a fun challenge to me!
Splitting meals
There are a lot of places that server HUGE portions. For example, my favorite Chinese carryout has a cashew chicken meal with brown rice for about $10.50. That may sound a little high for an every day supper unless you split the large portions into two or three meals! I split the last order into three reasonable meals that were still very filling. That only cost me about $3.50 per meal!
I also split the large portions at OCharleys and Cheesecake Factory. MmmMMmm!
Early meals
There are a lot of restaurants that have special pricing for early eaters. I joke with my friends about eating with the blue hairs, but it works! There are also places like Bar Louie that have a $1 hamburger deal on Tuesdays or McCormick and Schmick that have a bar happy hour menu that is much cheaper or Max and Ermas where the happy hour menu is very reasonable. Not bad!
The bottom line is that you can eat out cheap and healthy if you play your cards right!
**********************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
There is a famous scene in the movie "A Few Good Men" where Jack Nicholson screams at Tom Cruise "The truth? You can't handle the truth!" It is amazing how often that is true!
There is one truth that we all need to handle -- the truth of God! While it is true that, like Jesus' disciples, we have trouble handling the truth of God. Like the disciples, we have a huge advantage -- the Holy Spirit helps open our eyes, minds and hearts to the truth of God. The Holy Spirit also helps us accept God's truth and apply it to our lives. Praise God!
Lord, please help us always be open to your truth!
Foodie Friday
Because of my busy lifestyle, I eat out often. This can be an expensive proposition unless you work the system! Here are a few of my tips.
Special deals
I am on several coupon email lists for different restaurants. One of my favorites is Mimi's Cafe. I use their BOGO coupon to get supper and then use the free meal for lunch or supper the next day! I also do the same thing at places like First Watch or using my Entertainment book coupons for this!
I also use the "get two for $20" deals at places like OCharleys and Applebees. I eat one meal for supper and save the other for lunch or supper the next day
The key is to get and eat what you like while remaining frugal and healthy! It is a fun challenge to me!
Splitting meals
There are a lot of places that server HUGE portions. For example, my favorite Chinese carryout has a cashew chicken meal with brown rice for about $10.50. That may sound a little high for an every day supper unless you split the large portions into two or three meals! I split the last order into three reasonable meals that were still very filling. That only cost me about $3.50 per meal!
I also split the large portions at OCharleys and Cheesecake Factory. MmmMMmm!
Early meals
There are a lot of restaurants that have special pricing for early eaters. I joke with my friends about eating with the blue hairs, but it works! There are also places like Bar Louie that have a $1 hamburger deal on Tuesdays or McCormick and Schmick that have a bar happy hour menu that is much cheaper or Max and Ermas where the happy hour menu is very reasonable. Not bad!
The bottom line is that you can eat out cheap and healthy if you play your cards right!
**********************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Thursday, August 23, 2012
This hurts me more than it does you...
Our Daily Bread
I viewed scenes in TV shows, movies and my own life where the parent says to the child as they are disciplining him: "this hurts me more than it will you". From what I understand, a loving parent never wants to hurt a child. Discipline can hurt (and I am not talking about corporal punishment here). Even "grounding" a child or putting your child in "timeout" can be hurtful and draw tears!
Think of those feelings, if you are a parent, and then multiply them by a gazillion! Maybe lots of gazillions! ha! That is how much God loves his children. Like a loving parent, he disciplines us when we stray. He may put us in "timeout" (that seems to be my case). He may "ground" you for a while. Or even worse, he may let you feel the full weight of your sin and its consequences. No matter what you situation or what you experienced from your parents, always know that God loves you and wants the best for you! That is not always easy to see and understand!
Lord, thank you for being a loving parent to your children. Help us to mature and understand your ways!
Technology Thursday
Here are a few interesting stories where technology has just gone too far...
Israeli biblical park outfits donkeys with Wi-Fi
It was nothing like this 3,000 years ago.
Lolz! Oxford Dictionary Adds Ridic New Words
Hey, tweeps. Done any photobombing lately? You know, while you lifecasted your date night with that ripped Wikipedian; he said he was an ethical hacker, but turned out …
You Can Control This Multicolored Light Bulb From Your Smartphone [VIDEO]
A new gadget will let you see your favorite room in a whole new light, literally. Called Bluetooth Bulb, the RGB bulb can replace any traditional light bulb, and can …
Six savvy iPhone apps for an amazing Labor Day weekend
Whether you are hitting the open road or staying near home this Labor Day, we have some eclectic app recommendations to help you make the most of your long weekend. From …
************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I viewed scenes in TV shows, movies and my own life where the parent says to the child as they are disciplining him: "this hurts me more than it will you". From what I understand, a loving parent never wants to hurt a child. Discipline can hurt (and I am not talking about corporal punishment here). Even "grounding" a child or putting your child in "timeout" can be hurtful and draw tears!
Think of those feelings, if you are a parent, and then multiply them by a gazillion! Maybe lots of gazillions! ha! That is how much God loves his children. Like a loving parent, he disciplines us when we stray. He may put us in "timeout" (that seems to be my case). He may "ground" you for a while. Or even worse, he may let you feel the full weight of your sin and its consequences. No matter what you situation or what you experienced from your parents, always know that God loves you and wants the best for you! That is not always easy to see and understand!
Lord, thank you for being a loving parent to your children. Help us to mature and understand your ways!
Technology Thursday
Here are a few interesting stories where technology has just gone too far...
Israeli biblical park outfits donkeys with Wi-Fi
It was nothing like this 3,000 years ago.
Lolz! Oxford Dictionary Adds Ridic New Words
Hey, tweeps. Done any photobombing lately? You know, while you lifecasted your date night with that ripped Wikipedian; he said he was an ethical hacker, but turned out …
You Can Control This Multicolored Light Bulb From Your Smartphone [VIDEO]
A new gadget will let you see your favorite room in a whole new light, literally. Called Bluetooth Bulb, the RGB bulb can replace any traditional light bulb, and can …
Six savvy iPhone apps for an amazing Labor Day weekend
Whether you are hitting the open road or staying near home this Labor Day, we have some eclectic app recommendations to help you make the most of your long weekend. From …
************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Just look around...
Our Daily Bread
I can be a silly old bear at times. Some things just don't register with me right away even though I am a pretty smart guy. For example, I have a large bottle of antacid tablets that I fought with for a few days. I had trouble pulling the cap off. Finally, one of my coworkers said "Hey, doesn't that cap just twist off?" DOH! I looked at the simple instructions on the cap and twisted the cap off with little effort. Did I mention DOH!?!
I think we are that way with God sometimes. We see the myriad of amazing things in nature. We see the myriad of amazing things in our own bodies. We just don't get it sometimes -- God as creator is the only explanation! Twist off the cap today!
Lord, thank you for being the creator of all and still wanting to have a relationship with each of us!
Workout Wednesday
Do something
It happens to everyone who exercises at one time or another -- a dreaded injury! If you have been reading my blog, I started a new approach to eating and exercising in January. Things have been going very well. Two months ago, I twisted my ankle while playing tennis. I took it easy for two weeks and bought some mid height tennis shoes to prevent further injury. The ankle and lower leg haven't been the same since then. After my last tennis match of the season, I went to the podiatrist to have it checked. As I feared, he put me in a brace and told me to limit my activity for three weeks.
We had a discussion about the definition of "limiting my activity". ha! I have been under very strict physical restrictions for the most of the past four years, so I wanted clarification. I am not allowed to do cross fit exercises that stress the lower body (ankle and leg), no running and no walking. whew! My walking buddy was not happy to hear that! I am allowed to ride my recumbent bike, do upper body workouts and use my Bowflex as long as I don't strain the lower leg and ankle. I can do this!
The point of this discussion is: no matter what your restrictions are, do something! Search the Internet for low impact exercises you can do at your desk or in front of the TV. Be fidgety and burn some calories. Do some kind of activity to keep your body burning calories. You can do this!
*******************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I can be a silly old bear at times. Some things just don't register with me right away even though I am a pretty smart guy. For example, I have a large bottle of antacid tablets that I fought with for a few days. I had trouble pulling the cap off. Finally, one of my coworkers said "Hey, doesn't that cap just twist off?" DOH! I looked at the simple instructions on the cap and twisted the cap off with little effort. Did I mention DOH!?!
I think we are that way with God sometimes. We see the myriad of amazing things in nature. We see the myriad of amazing things in our own bodies. We just don't get it sometimes -- God as creator is the only explanation! Twist off the cap today!
Lord, thank you for being the creator of all and still wanting to have a relationship with each of us!
Workout Wednesday
Do something
It happens to everyone who exercises at one time or another -- a dreaded injury! If you have been reading my blog, I started a new approach to eating and exercising in January. Things have been going very well. Two months ago, I twisted my ankle while playing tennis. I took it easy for two weeks and bought some mid height tennis shoes to prevent further injury. The ankle and lower leg haven't been the same since then. After my last tennis match of the season, I went to the podiatrist to have it checked. As I feared, he put me in a brace and told me to limit my activity for three weeks.
We had a discussion about the definition of "limiting my activity". ha! I have been under very strict physical restrictions for the most of the past four years, so I wanted clarification. I am not allowed to do cross fit exercises that stress the lower body (ankle and leg), no running and no walking. whew! My walking buddy was not happy to hear that! I am allowed to ride my recumbent bike, do upper body workouts and use my Bowflex as long as I don't strain the lower leg and ankle. I can do this!
The point of this discussion is: no matter what your restrictions are, do something! Search the Internet for low impact exercises you can do at your desk or in front of the TV. Be fidgety and burn some calories. Do some kind of activity to keep your body burning calories. You can do this!
*******************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Heed the call
Our Daily Bread
"Contemporary Christian music" as we know it today was just starting out when I was in college. It was fun hearing Christian music set to the beat and musical style of popular music. It has grown and grown in popularity over the years. The last statistic I read said the Contemporary Christian songs outsell Jazz music! One of my favorite groups was The Imperials. One of their albums was named and contained the song "Heed the call".
The devotional talks about a call to mentor (or to be mentored). It lists some of the mentor relationships from the Bible. Paul and Timothy. Elijah and Elisha. Jesus and his disciples. There are many more. Can you think of any?
What about your life? Have you mentored someone or been mentored? Think about that experience. Pray for the person or people. Is God calling you into a new mentor or mentee relationship?
Lord, please help us find our calling is it relates to being a mentor or mentee. We want to be closer to you!
Teaching Tuesday
Secret number 14 from the 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People is:
Share with others how important they are to you.
Some friends told me about "gratitude therapy". Songs talk about "have what you want and want what you have". Being grateful is an important part of being happy especially when it comes to relationships. Expressing how important others are to you is not always easy. It can be daunting. It can expose part of you that you may not want others to see. Nonetheless, research shows that happy folks are more likely to share with others how important they are to them!
Is there someone you need to talk to or email or Facebook with today?
*********************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
"Contemporary Christian music" as we know it today was just starting out when I was in college. It was fun hearing Christian music set to the beat and musical style of popular music. It has grown and grown in popularity over the years. The last statistic I read said the Contemporary Christian songs outsell Jazz music! One of my favorite groups was The Imperials. One of their albums was named and contained the song "Heed the call".
The devotional talks about a call to mentor (or to be mentored). It lists some of the mentor relationships from the Bible. Paul and Timothy. Elijah and Elisha. Jesus and his disciples. There are many more. Can you think of any?
What about your life? Have you mentored someone or been mentored? Think about that experience. Pray for the person or people. Is God calling you into a new mentor or mentee relationship?
Lord, please help us find our calling is it relates to being a mentor or mentee. We want to be closer to you!
Teaching Tuesday
Secret number 14 from the 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People is:
Share with others how important they are to you.
Some friends told me about "gratitude therapy". Songs talk about "have what you want and want what you have". Being grateful is an important part of being happy especially when it comes to relationships. Expressing how important others are to you is not always easy. It can be daunting. It can expose part of you that you may not want others to see. Nonetheless, research shows that happy folks are more likely to share with others how important they are to them!
Is there someone you need to talk to or email or Facebook with today?
*********************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Monday, August 20, 2012
Behind the scenes...
Our Daily Bread
I am blessed to have a walking buddy that has become a close friend over the past few years. We talk about everything in our lives. The funniest part is that we keep forgetting her husband doesn't have a clue as to what we are talking about when we joke about stuff! One day, we both realized that I had been holding out on her when it came to my giving. She suggested that I do something more for someone. I gave her a disgusted look and explained all I had done that week. After she apologized and said "I didn't know". I meekly said "I don't tell you all the things I do for other people because I don't need to flaunt it!"
The devotional is about having that kind of attitude -- doing things for others because of our love for God. Jesus changed the way people looked at life in those days. The attitude of the time was the folks who were right with God experienced prosperity and a lofty place in society. Wow! The funny thing is that some folks still think that today! God calls each of us to serve and live in different ways. We are all part of one body and serve in our own special capacity!
I learned something from the devotional. I had some feelings this summer that my actions were not appreciated. The devotional reminded me that I was supposed to be doing all of those things for God. I do not need the accolades of folks. My heavenly Father knows. We are only human. It is nice to be at least acknowledged sometimes even if we don't need accolades!
Lord, thank you for your love. Help us show it to others for all the right reasons.
Movie Monday
I got to see two movies this week -- The Odd Life of Timothy Green and The Expendables 2.
The Odd Life of Timothy Green
I was supposed to see a preview of this movie a few weeks ago, but it didn't work out. I went yesterday afternoon because the preview intrigued the big-heartedness in me! It did not disappoint. The story line was a couple who could not have children made up the ideal characteristics of a child (if they could ever have one). I will leave out a few details here so it doesn't ruin for you. When the boy appears, Timothy, it was an amazing time for them. The movie is a little predictable, but it was very, very touching. I have had few inklings in my life to be a parent, but this sparked something in me! (don't worry, I am not going anywhere with that idea!).
I give this movie three bear paws (out of four). It was a very sweet movie if you go with the premise.
The Expendables 2.
Boom! Bam! Explosion! Gun fire! Stuff and bad guys flying around everywhere! Yeah, that describes the "man flick" The Expendables 2. I liked it MUCH better than the first movie because there were more explosions and stuff. What I didn't expect was more blood and guts from the fighting scenes. Eww! My favorite parts were the humorous ways the script had the actors poke fun at their previous roles. Very funny! The best one was the comment "That airplane belongs in a museum!". One of the actors replied "Don't we all?" ha!
I give this two bear paws (if you like explosions and some blood and guts). The fight scenes were awesome on the big screen.
********************************************************
U R a BCOG. U r FAWM. Now believe it!
I am blessed to have a walking buddy that has become a close friend over the past few years. We talk about everything in our lives. The funniest part is that we keep forgetting her husband doesn't have a clue as to what we are talking about when we joke about stuff! One day, we both realized that I had been holding out on her when it came to my giving. She suggested that I do something more for someone. I gave her a disgusted look and explained all I had done that week. After she apologized and said "I didn't know". I meekly said "I don't tell you all the things I do for other people because I don't need to flaunt it!"
The devotional is about having that kind of attitude -- doing things for others because of our love for God. Jesus changed the way people looked at life in those days. The attitude of the time was the folks who were right with God experienced prosperity and a lofty place in society. Wow! The funny thing is that some folks still think that today! God calls each of us to serve and live in different ways. We are all part of one body and serve in our own special capacity!
I learned something from the devotional. I had some feelings this summer that my actions were not appreciated. The devotional reminded me that I was supposed to be doing all of those things for God. I do not need the accolades of folks. My heavenly Father knows. We are only human. It is nice to be at least acknowledged sometimes even if we don't need accolades!
Lord, thank you for your love. Help us show it to others for all the right reasons.
Movie Monday
I got to see two movies this week -- The Odd Life of Timothy Green and The Expendables 2.
The Odd Life of Timothy Green
I was supposed to see a preview of this movie a few weeks ago, but it didn't work out. I went yesterday afternoon because the preview intrigued the big-heartedness in me! It did not disappoint. The story line was a couple who could not have children made up the ideal characteristics of a child (if they could ever have one). I will leave out a few details here so it doesn't ruin for you. When the boy appears, Timothy, it was an amazing time for them. The movie is a little predictable, but it was very, very touching. I have had few inklings in my life to be a parent, but this sparked something in me! (don't worry, I am not going anywhere with that idea!).
I give this movie three bear paws (out of four). It was a very sweet movie if you go with the premise.
The Expendables 2.
Boom! Bam! Explosion! Gun fire! Stuff and bad guys flying around everywhere! Yeah, that describes the "man flick" The Expendables 2. I liked it MUCH better than the first movie because there were more explosions and stuff. What I didn't expect was more blood and guts from the fighting scenes. Eww! My favorite parts were the humorous ways the script had the actors poke fun at their previous roles. Very funny! The best one was the comment "That airplane belongs in a museum!". One of the actors replied "Don't we all?" ha!
I give this two bear paws (if you like explosions and some blood and guts). The fight scenes were awesome on the big screen.
********************************************************
U R a BCOG. U r FAWM. Now believe it!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Stubborn for a reason
Our Daily Bread
I had a friend that was about as stubborn as I am. We laughed about it at times. I tried to teach him how to use his stubbornness to the glory of God. I don't think he ever got it! I am praying for him about that. Until he gets it, I am afraid he will use his stubbornness to do his will and not the will of his Father.
I learned something from the devotional today. I had never heard the actual name of a psalm writer (other than David) until I read the devotional. Heman wrote at least Psalm 88, a psalm that was a perfect example of how to use your stubbornness for God. To be clear, being sooooooo stubborn about our faith, about believing what God promised us and about doing the things he wants us to do. We are talking stubborn!
I have been working on this. Most of my friends know I can be very stubborn about good things -- helping fiends no matter what, sticking up for the things I believe in and speaking out when I feel God leading me. I am praying about being less stubborn about having my own way and doing things I want to do (rather than what God wants). I also want to be more stubborn about being patient and waiting on the Lord. Yes, I will wait on the Lord!
How about you?
Lord, thank you for making me stubborn. Please help me to use that gift for you!
Psalm Sunday
Psalm 58 is the psalm for this week. This one is troublesome to me. This writer is mad! I remembered how I have felt at times when "someone did me wrong". I may not have prayed for their teeth to be knocked out, but I know I asked for some other unpleasant things to happen to them! While this is an extreme example to me, use it as inspiration to open up your conversations with God. Trust him to listen and understand even when you are angry and hurt. Tell it like it is!
Psalm 58
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.
1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly?
Do you judge people with equity?
2 No, in your heart you devise injustice,
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.
3 Even from birth the wicked go astray;
from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
5 that will not heed the tune of the charmer,
however skillful the enchanter may be.
6 Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;
Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!
7 Let them vanish like water that flows away;
when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.
8 May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,
like a stillborn child that never sees the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns —
whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.
10 The righteous will be glad when they are avenged,
when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Then people will say,
“Surely the righteous still are rewarded;
surely there is a God who judges the earth.”
******************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I had a friend that was about as stubborn as I am. We laughed about it at times. I tried to teach him how to use his stubbornness to the glory of God. I don't think he ever got it! I am praying for him about that. Until he gets it, I am afraid he will use his stubbornness to do his will and not the will of his Father.
I learned something from the devotional today. I had never heard the actual name of a psalm writer (other than David) until I read the devotional. Heman wrote at least Psalm 88, a psalm that was a perfect example of how to use your stubbornness for God. To be clear, being sooooooo stubborn about our faith, about believing what God promised us and about doing the things he wants us to do. We are talking stubborn!
I have been working on this. Most of my friends know I can be very stubborn about good things -- helping fiends no matter what, sticking up for the things I believe in and speaking out when I feel God leading me. I am praying about being less stubborn about having my own way and doing things I want to do (rather than what God wants). I also want to be more stubborn about being patient and waiting on the Lord. Yes, I will wait on the Lord!
How about you?
Lord, thank you for making me stubborn. Please help me to use that gift for you!
Psalm Sunday
Psalm 58 is the psalm for this week. This one is troublesome to me. This writer is mad! I remembered how I have felt at times when "someone did me wrong". I may not have prayed for their teeth to be knocked out, but I know I asked for some other unpleasant things to happen to them! While this is an extreme example to me, use it as inspiration to open up your conversations with God. Trust him to listen and understand even when you are angry and hurt. Tell it like it is!
Psalm 58
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.
1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly?
Do you judge people with equity?
2 No, in your heart you devise injustice,
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.
3 Even from birth the wicked go astray;
from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
5 that will not heed the tune of the charmer,
however skillful the enchanter may be.
6 Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;
Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!
7 Let them vanish like water that flows away;
when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.
8 May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,
like a stillborn child that never sees the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns —
whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.
10 The righteous will be glad when they are avenged,
when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Then people will say,
“Surely the righteous still are rewarded;
surely there is a God who judges the earth.”
******************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Playing well with others...
Our Daily Bread
In 2004, Robert Fulghum released the fifteenth anniversary version of a book called "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten". It seemed so simple and unnecessary at the time! Do you remember two of the most important lessons you learned in Kindergarten? Sharing and playing well with others of course!
The devotional is about sharing of ourselves and playing well with others. The title is Living in Community. In my opinion, living in community is the most important facet of being involved in a church. Yes, we can have a personal relationship with God and serve God outside of a church. God intended for believers to be in community and share our lives in him. It is amazing how much power there is in community!
It is not always easy. I had some hurtful experiences over the summer at church. That didn't keep me from finding a new church home and moving on with serving God in a place that is better for me. What about you and your community life?
Lord, you intended for us to share our lives with other believers. Please help us find where we belong.
Simply Saturday
Discovery
Life can be full of adventures if we let it. If we keep our minds and hearts open to the possibilities before us. Don't see any possibilities for adventure in your life? Open you eyes, heart and mind. I know it is difficult when the roller coaster of life has battered you more than twenty rides on the Beast at Kings Island! ha!
So how do we really do this? As usual, these suggestions are all my opinion. There is no set formula for life. You have to find your own! First, pray about it. I have had the feeling like the latest Coke Zero commercial since I was a child "And....?". Always questioning, always looking for more. I knew my life would be different than the folks around me (and not just because I am gay). Ask God to show you the opportunities before you. Be brave. Be sensitive to the call of the Spirit. Understand that you will get an answer!
Second, set your expectations. If you expect to be an astronaut on the first manned spaceship to Mars, I can guarantee you that you will be disappointed! Few of us will be astronauts or Olympic athletes or tremendously wealthy. You don't have to be these things to have an extraordinary life! Expect to be amazed at what God can do in your life! That is realistic!
Finally, as the Nike ad says "Just do it". What does it matter where the road goes as long as God is leading? We get so caught up in the minute details of the destination, that we often forget to enjoy the trip along the way! That is the way it is when you are traveling down God's road. We already know the destination -- our heavenly home. It is the adventures along the way with the people we meet that make our lives worth living.
What will you do next? And...?
****************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
In 2004, Robert Fulghum released the fifteenth anniversary version of a book called "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten". It seemed so simple and unnecessary at the time! Do you remember two of the most important lessons you learned in Kindergarten? Sharing and playing well with others of course!
The devotional is about sharing of ourselves and playing well with others. The title is Living in Community. In my opinion, living in community is the most important facet of being involved in a church. Yes, we can have a personal relationship with God and serve God outside of a church. God intended for believers to be in community and share our lives in him. It is amazing how much power there is in community!
It is not always easy. I had some hurtful experiences over the summer at church. That didn't keep me from finding a new church home and moving on with serving God in a place that is better for me. What about you and your community life?
Lord, you intended for us to share our lives with other believers. Please help us find where we belong.
Simply Saturday
Discovery
Life can be full of adventures if we let it. If we keep our minds and hearts open to the possibilities before us. Don't see any possibilities for adventure in your life? Open you eyes, heart and mind. I know it is difficult when the roller coaster of life has battered you more than twenty rides on the Beast at Kings Island! ha!
So how do we really do this? As usual, these suggestions are all my opinion. There is no set formula for life. You have to find your own! First, pray about it. I have had the feeling like the latest Coke Zero commercial since I was a child "And....?". Always questioning, always looking for more. I knew my life would be different than the folks around me (and not just because I am gay). Ask God to show you the opportunities before you. Be brave. Be sensitive to the call of the Spirit. Understand that you will get an answer!
Second, set your expectations. If you expect to be an astronaut on the first manned spaceship to Mars, I can guarantee you that you will be disappointed! Few of us will be astronauts or Olympic athletes or tremendously wealthy. You don't have to be these things to have an extraordinary life! Expect to be amazed at what God can do in your life! That is realistic!
Finally, as the Nike ad says "Just do it". What does it matter where the road goes as long as God is leading? We get so caught up in the minute details of the destination, that we often forget to enjoy the trip along the way! That is the way it is when you are traveling down God's road. We already know the destination -- our heavenly home. It is the adventures along the way with the people we meet that make our lives worth living.
What will you do next? And...?
****************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Up in lights...
Our Daily Bread
Every young actor dreams about having their name up in lights! There is something about having your name on a marquee that screams "You have arrived! You are a star!". The devotional today is about being a light instead of having our name up in lights.
Most folks don't realize that they are constantly being watched by someone, somehow. It always amazes me. An example is something I experienced on one of my vacations. I left the hotel to grab a snack. When I got back to my room, I started chatting with someone online. He happened to be nearby and asked me if I was enjoying my snack! He saw me walking back to the hotel from the 7-Eleven! OMG! Yes, it is scary.
Being watched is also two more things: a huge responsibility as a Christian and an opportunity to show our faith. Like the football player in the devotional, most of us usually try to do our best when someone we care about is watching us. God is watching us all the time! Shouldn't we try to do the best we can for him? Being watched is also an opportunity to show our faith to others when we least expect it. A smile. A kind word. Helping someone in need. There are so many ways we can show our faith to others.
Let us all agree to be a light today!
Lord, thank you for being the unending power source for our lights to the world!
Foodie Friday
If you read my Foodie Friday entries for the past two weeks, you saw my recipe for the Summer Farro salad. I loved the taste of that grain! I found a BUNCH of other recipes for it (since I bought three pounds of it!). Here is the link to the multitude of recipes from 101cookbooks.com. Here are a few of the highlights for me.
Pierce Street Vegetarian Chili - May 13, 2009
The best pot of chili I've made in years. A vegetarian chili recipe Inspired by a bunch of those little bags of remnant grains and pulses that collect in my cupboards - bulgur, farro, and lentils, join chile peppers, crushed tomatoes, some chickpeas, and a secret ingredient.
Pounded Walnut Strozzapreti - December 20, 2009
Inspired by Mona Talbott's recipe in the new Coco cookbook, a pounded walnut pesto with marjoram and parsley, tossedwith farro pasta and Pecorino cheese. NOTE: I will probably try this with farro grain instead of the farro pasta.
Heather's Farro - May 22, 2008
A farro recipe I did for my sister's baby shower. Farro, a citrus dressing, roasted spring onions, yellow split peas, fresh peas, a bit of mixed salad greens, and a touch of goat cheese and chives.
*************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Every young actor dreams about having their name up in lights! There is something about having your name on a marquee that screams "You have arrived! You are a star!". The devotional today is about being a light instead of having our name up in lights.
Most folks don't realize that they are constantly being watched by someone, somehow. It always amazes me. An example is something I experienced on one of my vacations. I left the hotel to grab a snack. When I got back to my room, I started chatting with someone online. He happened to be nearby and asked me if I was enjoying my snack! He saw me walking back to the hotel from the 7-Eleven! OMG! Yes, it is scary.
Being watched is also two more things: a huge responsibility as a Christian and an opportunity to show our faith. Like the football player in the devotional, most of us usually try to do our best when someone we care about is watching us. God is watching us all the time! Shouldn't we try to do the best we can for him? Being watched is also an opportunity to show our faith to others when we least expect it. A smile. A kind word. Helping someone in need. There are so many ways we can show our faith to others.
Let us all agree to be a light today!
Lord, thank you for being the unending power source for our lights to the world!
Foodie Friday
If you read my Foodie Friday entries for the past two weeks, you saw my recipe for the Summer Farro salad. I loved the taste of that grain! I found a BUNCH of other recipes for it (since I bought three pounds of it!). Here is the link to the multitude of recipes from 101cookbooks.com. Here are a few of the highlights for me.
Pierce Street Vegetarian Chili - May 13, 2009
The best pot of chili I've made in years. A vegetarian chili recipe Inspired by a bunch of those little bags of remnant grains and pulses that collect in my cupboards - bulgur, farro, and lentils, join chile peppers, crushed tomatoes, some chickpeas, and a secret ingredient.
Pounded Walnut Strozzapreti - December 20, 2009
Inspired by Mona Talbott's recipe in the new Coco cookbook, a pounded walnut pesto with marjoram and parsley, tossedwith farro pasta and Pecorino cheese. NOTE: I will probably try this with farro grain instead of the farro pasta.
Heather's Farro - May 22, 2008
A farro recipe I did for my sister's baby shower. Farro, a citrus dressing, roasted spring onions, yellow split peas, fresh peas, a bit of mixed salad greens, and a touch of goat cheese and chives.
*************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Watch out, AEP...
Our Daily Bread
Several of my friends experienced long power outages during the storms in Columbus last month. It was not a pleasant thing. Lots of trees down and damage done, including lost food from freezers being off for days on end. It was awful! Why can't we have a safe, uninterrupted power source! What would happen to AEP if God were in the electric power business? ha!
While it would be great to have consistent electric power during any crisis, we know we do have a constant source of power and strength in our God! Like the devotional said, the problem is that we are often "plugged into ourselves" instead of our Lord. We try to be spiritual Energizer bunnies, but quickly run out of power. We can't keep going and going without a recharge!
Thank you, Lord, for being our consistent source of power, strength and love.
Technology Thursday
There are a few things going on in the technology world this week. Still sort of boring to me.
Speculation about the iPhone 5
I think I see a new article about the new iPhone 5 every day. It is funny how folks have to speculate about it. Why can't we just wait and see? ;-p Some of the things they are talking about are: larger screen, smaller dock adapter, 4G LTE, and better battery life. We will see what the final version looks like.
Mohawk -- the new geek chic
The mark of a geek used to be a pocket protector. Apparently, one of the engineers on the NASA Mars project is a young geek with a Mohawk. I think my Mohawk days are behind me... I am just saying...
Mars
Speaking of Mars, the pictures are amazing if you haven't seen any of them yet. I also love all the comics that folks are posting about the Martians responses to our landing! What a hoot!
Google layoffs
Google bought Motorola Mobile recently. They announced that 4,000 folks would be laid off in cost cutting moves and in removing duplicate jobs. I feel bad for the folks losing their jobs.
***********************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Several of my friends experienced long power outages during the storms in Columbus last month. It was not a pleasant thing. Lots of trees down and damage done, including lost food from freezers being off for days on end. It was awful! Why can't we have a safe, uninterrupted power source! What would happen to AEP if God were in the electric power business? ha!
While it would be great to have consistent electric power during any crisis, we know we do have a constant source of power and strength in our God! Like the devotional said, the problem is that we are often "plugged into ourselves" instead of our Lord. We try to be spiritual Energizer bunnies, but quickly run out of power. We can't keep going and going without a recharge!
Thank you, Lord, for being our consistent source of power, strength and love.
Technology Thursday
There are a few things going on in the technology world this week. Still sort of boring to me.
Speculation about the iPhone 5
I think I see a new article about the new iPhone 5 every day. It is funny how folks have to speculate about it. Why can't we just wait and see? ;-p Some of the things they are talking about are: larger screen, smaller dock adapter, 4G LTE, and better battery life. We will see what the final version looks like.
Mohawk -- the new geek chic
The mark of a geek used to be a pocket protector. Apparently, one of the engineers on the NASA Mars project is a young geek with a Mohawk. I think my Mohawk days are behind me... I am just saying...
Mars
Speaking of Mars, the pictures are amazing if you haven't seen any of them yet. I also love all the comics that folks are posting about the Martians responses to our landing! What a hoot!
Google layoffs
Google bought Motorola Mobile recently. They announced that 4,000 folks would be laid off in cost cutting moves and in removing duplicate jobs. I feel bad for the folks losing their jobs.
***********************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Life comes at you fast
Our Daily Bread
Nationwide Insurance had a cool series of commercials where odd things happened very quickly to folks, like a weird car accident because of GPS, squirrels causing boats to fly in the air, and other situations that seemed unlikely, but they can happen. Life does come at your fast, often with life changing consequences!
Think about the life of Paul. He was Saul, an up and coming Jew that persecuted the Christians until life came at him fast! God called Saul to change his life so completely, he gave him a new name! I don't think God will do that with us, but it is an amazing story!
Like I wrote in my blog yesterday "be open to new ideas". Be open to the new ideas that God has for your life!
Lord, thank you for being willing and able to help us change our lives for the better.
Workout Wednesday
Metabolism
I have been at a weight loss plateau for a few months now. Part of the issue is that I have been pushing myself physically at the gym to firm up my body and build my upper body. I have had strong legs for the better part of my life, but never worked on my upper body strength that much. I was teasing a friend last night that I can now do the "pec pops of love" like Wayne Johnson did in the The Lost Island movie. ha!
After talking with another friend who has lost weight, we did some research about weight loss and metabolism. We found articles about your metabolism changing after you lose 10% of your body weight. Your body is always in survival mode. If it detects that you are losing what it feels is too much weight or not eating enough, it will slow down so you can live longer in tough times (like when the cave men couldn't find game or other food to eat). It is a natural thing.
The problem is what do you do when you lose about 10% of your body weight, which is where I am at right now? The articles say that you have to be even more disciplined about eating a balanced diet with a consistent and appropriate calorie intake to continue to lose weight. This is made more difficult by the fact that your appetite increases to counter the loss in weight and calorie intake! Yikes!
In short, keep disciplined about your eating. Don't rely on working out to offset a poor diet. Good eating habits feed the workouts and maintaining a healthy weight. And always remember: YOU CAN DO THIS!
****************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Nationwide Insurance had a cool series of commercials where odd things happened very quickly to folks, like a weird car accident because of GPS, squirrels causing boats to fly in the air, and other situations that seemed unlikely, but they can happen. Life does come at your fast, often with life changing consequences!
Think about the life of Paul. He was Saul, an up and coming Jew that persecuted the Christians until life came at him fast! God called Saul to change his life so completely, he gave him a new name! I don't think God will do that with us, but it is an amazing story!
Like I wrote in my blog yesterday "be open to new ideas". Be open to the new ideas that God has for your life!
Lord, thank you for being willing and able to help us change our lives for the better.
Workout Wednesday
Metabolism
I have been at a weight loss plateau for a few months now. Part of the issue is that I have been pushing myself physically at the gym to firm up my body and build my upper body. I have had strong legs for the better part of my life, but never worked on my upper body strength that much. I was teasing a friend last night that I can now do the "pec pops of love" like Wayne Johnson did in the The Lost Island movie. ha!
After talking with another friend who has lost weight, we did some research about weight loss and metabolism. We found articles about your metabolism changing after you lose 10% of your body weight. Your body is always in survival mode. If it detects that you are losing what it feels is too much weight or not eating enough, it will slow down so you can live longer in tough times (like when the cave men couldn't find game or other food to eat). It is a natural thing.
The problem is what do you do when you lose about 10% of your body weight, which is where I am at right now? The articles say that you have to be even more disciplined about eating a balanced diet with a consistent and appropriate calorie intake to continue to lose weight. This is made more difficult by the fact that your appetite increases to counter the loss in weight and calorie intake! Yikes!
In short, keep disciplined about your eating. Don't rely on working out to offset a poor diet. Good eating habits feed the workouts and maintaining a healthy weight. And always remember: YOU CAN DO THIS!
****************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Til we see Christ
Our Daily Bread
I went to college in a small Central Kentucky town about eight hours from my family. There were many trips where I jumped in the car after finishing final exams or a large research paper. I was tired and frayed. It was worth all the trouble of my drive when I saw the look on my grandmother's face when I walked in the door!
Our lives are sort of like that. Some of us have difficult lives. Some have just ordinary lives. Some have lives that are not ordinary at all! Regardless of your journey, it will all be worth it when we see the face of Jesus in our heavenly home!
Lord, thank you for the promise of eternal life with you. Help us to always remember that we know the ending to this story!
Teaching Tuesday
Secret 13 from the 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People is:
Be open to new ideas.
There is nothing worse than being too set in your ways! One of the things I learned from my grandmother is to always keep learning and growing. I always admired her for that! Studies show that happy people have a good foundation to their lives, but are not rigid. Try new foods. Try new places. Evaluate new ideas. Look at topic from someone else's perspective.
Are you too rigid? Are you open to new ideas? Don't be afraid to try!
****************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I went to college in a small Central Kentucky town about eight hours from my family. There were many trips where I jumped in the car after finishing final exams or a large research paper. I was tired and frayed. It was worth all the trouble of my drive when I saw the look on my grandmother's face when I walked in the door!
Our lives are sort of like that. Some of us have difficult lives. Some have just ordinary lives. Some have lives that are not ordinary at all! Regardless of your journey, it will all be worth it when we see the face of Jesus in our heavenly home!
Lord, thank you for the promise of eternal life with you. Help us to always remember that we know the ending to this story!
Teaching Tuesday
Secret 13 from the 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People is:
Be open to new ideas.
There is nothing worse than being too set in your ways! One of the things I learned from my grandmother is to always keep learning and growing. I always admired her for that! Studies show that happy people have a good foundation to their lives, but are not rigid. Try new foods. Try new places. Evaluate new ideas. Look at topic from someone else's perspective.
Are you too rigid? Are you open to new ideas? Don't be afraid to try!
****************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Just another sin in the wall
Our Daily Bread
Pink Floyd recorded one of the classic rock albums of all time called The Wall. It spoke against all the evils of modern day culture, which infuriated many folks in the "establishment". The album was even banned from a lot of schools and libraries!
The devotional talks about another wall -- the wall of sin that separates us from God. Man built the wall. God didn't. God sees our needs through and over the wall and sent his Son to tear down the wall, much like the wall between the German countries was torn down in 1989. Amazing!
Are you still building the wall that separates you from God? Ask Jesus to break down that wall so you can commune with God!
Lord, thank you for sending your Son, the Mansion builder, that can tear down and build up.
Movie Monday
I saw the movie The Bourne Legacy over the weekend. I loved the first three movies. The fourth installment had a new star with the same story line. Mr. Renner was in movies such as The Hurt Locker, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and The Avengers. He was convincing in his role as the latest specimen in the "program". The ads say "there was never only one"!
The story picks up where the last movie left off (and includes a little of the last movie plot). Renner's character escapes the clean up effort and tries to save the last living scientist he interacted with (who also survived a clean up effort at the lab). There were some great action and chase scenes!
I give this movie two bear paws. The story was a little repetitive and lame. The characters were OK. The action scenes made the movie. Not necessary to see this one on the big screen.
******************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Pink Floyd recorded one of the classic rock albums of all time called The Wall. It spoke against all the evils of modern day culture, which infuriated many folks in the "establishment". The album was even banned from a lot of schools and libraries!
The devotional talks about another wall -- the wall of sin that separates us from God. Man built the wall. God didn't. God sees our needs through and over the wall and sent his Son to tear down the wall, much like the wall between the German countries was torn down in 1989. Amazing!
Are you still building the wall that separates you from God? Ask Jesus to break down that wall so you can commune with God!
Lord, thank you for sending your Son, the Mansion builder, that can tear down and build up.
Movie Monday
I saw the movie The Bourne Legacy over the weekend. I loved the first three movies. The fourth installment had a new star with the same story line. Mr. Renner was in movies such as The Hurt Locker, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and The Avengers. He was convincing in his role as the latest specimen in the "program". The ads say "there was never only one"!
The story picks up where the last movie left off (and includes a little of the last movie plot). Renner's character escapes the clean up effort and tries to save the last living scientist he interacted with (who also survived a clean up effort at the lab). There were some great action and chase scenes!
I give this movie two bear paws. The story was a little repetitive and lame. The characters were OK. The action scenes made the movie. Not necessary to see this one on the big screen.
******************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Help my unbelief
Our Daily Bread
A silly movie that I like to watch occasionally is the remake of Peter Pan with Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman and Julia Roberts. I have two favorite lines from that movie. The first is "Peter Pan gots kids?" ha! The second is when Robin Williams is trying to find his happy place again so he can fly. Each one of the boys (and Julia Roberts) look at him with wide eyes and say "I believe in you, Peter Pan!" Wow! It must be incredible to have that kind of encouragement! I don't think my Facebook friends really understand when I post "I believe in you" on their timeline!
Thomas had doubts. We often refer to him as Doubting Thomas! What kind of nicknames do you have? "Doubting Thomas" is right up there with "Stinky" or "Big boy" or whatever somewhat embarrassing, descriptive nickname that you might have! The amazing thing is that Thomas got over his doubts and moved on! Praise God! Some of the churches he might have helped establish in India are still active today!
I learned something in the past few years (believe it or not!). God made me a very stubborn man. That can be good or bad. He calls me to be stubborn about my faith. To doubt my doubts. To trust and believe no matter what the situation. How about you?
Lord, thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to say to us "I believe in you, my blessed child!"
Psalm Sunday
Psalm 57 is one of the psalms with the pattern of "pleading for mercy and deliverance", then "praising God for his power to deliver". I really enjoy these psalms because they express such deep emotions and a truly personal relationship with God.
Think about reading the devotional for today about doubting and then read Psalm 57. As a friend of mine says "now believe it!"
Psalm 57
For the director of music.
1 Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God, who vindicates me.
3 He sends from heaven and saves me,
rebuking those who hotly pursue me—
God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.
4 I am in the midst of lions;
I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
6 They spread a net for my feet —
I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
but they have fallen into it themselves.
7 My heart, O God, is steadfast,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.
8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
**************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
A silly movie that I like to watch occasionally is the remake of Peter Pan with Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman and Julia Roberts. I have two favorite lines from that movie. The first is "Peter Pan gots kids?" ha! The second is when Robin Williams is trying to find his happy place again so he can fly. Each one of the boys (and Julia Roberts) look at him with wide eyes and say "I believe in you, Peter Pan!" Wow! It must be incredible to have that kind of encouragement! I don't think my Facebook friends really understand when I post "I believe in you" on their timeline!
Thomas had doubts. We often refer to him as Doubting Thomas! What kind of nicknames do you have? "Doubting Thomas" is right up there with "Stinky" or "Big boy" or whatever somewhat embarrassing, descriptive nickname that you might have! The amazing thing is that Thomas got over his doubts and moved on! Praise God! Some of the churches he might have helped establish in India are still active today!
I learned something in the past few years (believe it or not!). God made me a very stubborn man. That can be good or bad. He calls me to be stubborn about my faith. To doubt my doubts. To trust and believe no matter what the situation. How about you?
Lord, thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to say to us "I believe in you, my blessed child!"
Psalm Sunday
Psalm 57 is one of the psalms with the pattern of "pleading for mercy and deliverance", then "praising God for his power to deliver". I really enjoy these psalms because they express such deep emotions and a truly personal relationship with God.
Think about reading the devotional for today about doubting and then read Psalm 57. As a friend of mine says "now believe it!"
Psalm 57
For the director of music.
1 Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God, who vindicates me.
3 He sends from heaven and saves me,
rebuking those who hotly pursue me—
God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.
4 I am in the midst of lions;
I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
6 They spread a net for my feet —
I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
but they have fallen into it themselves.
7 My heart, O God, is steadfast,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.
8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
**************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Saturday, August 11, 2012
What did I just see...
Our Daily Bread
I have a joke with some of my movie-loving friends. I sometimes describe scenes in movies as "What did I just see and why did I just see it?". ha! I also use that sentence to describe some shows I have seen as well, like Le Reve, Ka, etc.
We can ask that question about life sometimes! "God, what did I just see and why did I just see it?" is a question I seem to ask a lot! A lot of times it is a matter of perspective, like the devotional mentioned. After wandering (and wondering) in the desert for 40 years, the oasis at the promised land looked amazing! To the writer, it was not so much! ha!
If there is anything I have to learn over and over again , is the matter of perspective. I try to look at my perspective. I try to look at the perspective of others. Doing so helps make me more compassionate and empathetic. I still have a very long way to go!
Lord, thank you for your promises. Please help us to always have faith in them. Help my unbelief!
Simply Saturday
Finding Balance
I am a man that "goes for things in life". I have been thinking more and more about what means for me as I enter the last few decades of life. I am a smart guy and sometimes get confused about balance. Here are some examples.
Workouts
For a few months, I worked out sort of hard almost every day. I was tired all the time. Went to bed early. I realized I was doing too much. I have backed down on the hard workouts to a few times per week. I try to have some kind of activity the other days. This is working much better.
Work
Yes, I know we all have to work very, very hard sometimes with lots of overtime and stress. That is a constant in today's economy. Finding balance for me is minimizing the stress, more importantly how I react to things at work. I have a choice as to how I react to the stressors. No one or nothing can "make" me stressed. I have a choice. I also have another choice -- what to do with my career. Should I stay where I am or look for another position. Another company? I plan to stay at my current job as long as they will have me because I have work-life balance now. I am thrilled with that!
Relationships
I struggle with this a lot. I was always taught to be self-less and loving. That is the Christian way to be. Preachers teach us to be loving. I had a situation recently where my loving attitude towards someone was misconstrued as being codependent! How did that happen? Finding balance, as I am learning, is knowing when you are giving too much for the wrong reasons. Yes, Christ gave all for us. Are we supposed to give all for the folks we love? As with God's love, it is a two-way street. We can choose to accept or not to accept God's love. God still loves us either way. Yes, we can continue to love someone even though they don't accept our love. We can still love them, but move on to someone who will accept it. Finding balance is important for those of us who are usually the ones who love more...
Are there examples in your life? Have you lost balance in some areas? Let's pray for each other about balance!
***************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I have a joke with some of my movie-loving friends. I sometimes describe scenes in movies as "What did I just see and why did I just see it?". ha! I also use that sentence to describe some shows I have seen as well, like Le Reve, Ka, etc.
We can ask that question about life sometimes! "God, what did I just see and why did I just see it?" is a question I seem to ask a lot! A lot of times it is a matter of perspective, like the devotional mentioned. After wandering (and wondering) in the desert for 40 years, the oasis at the promised land looked amazing! To the writer, it was not so much! ha!
If there is anything I have to learn over and over again , is the matter of perspective. I try to look at my perspective. I try to look at the perspective of others. Doing so helps make me more compassionate and empathetic. I still have a very long way to go!
Lord, thank you for your promises. Please help us to always have faith in them. Help my unbelief!
Simply Saturday
Finding Balance
I am a man that "goes for things in life". I have been thinking more and more about what means for me as I enter the last few decades of life. I am a smart guy and sometimes get confused about balance. Here are some examples.
Workouts
For a few months, I worked out sort of hard almost every day. I was tired all the time. Went to bed early. I realized I was doing too much. I have backed down on the hard workouts to a few times per week. I try to have some kind of activity the other days. This is working much better.
Work
Yes, I know we all have to work very, very hard sometimes with lots of overtime and stress. That is a constant in today's economy. Finding balance for me is minimizing the stress, more importantly how I react to things at work. I have a choice as to how I react to the stressors. No one or nothing can "make" me stressed. I have a choice. I also have another choice -- what to do with my career. Should I stay where I am or look for another position. Another company? I plan to stay at my current job as long as they will have me because I have work-life balance now. I am thrilled with that!
Relationships
I struggle with this a lot. I was always taught to be self-less and loving. That is the Christian way to be. Preachers teach us to be loving. I had a situation recently where my loving attitude towards someone was misconstrued as being codependent! How did that happen? Finding balance, as I am learning, is knowing when you are giving too much for the wrong reasons. Yes, Christ gave all for us. Are we supposed to give all for the folks we love? As with God's love, it is a two-way street. We can choose to accept or not to accept God's love. God still loves us either way. Yes, we can continue to love someone even though they don't accept our love. We can still love them, but move on to someone who will accept it. Finding balance is important for those of us who are usually the ones who love more...
Are there examples in your life? Have you lost balance in some areas? Let's pray for each other about balance!
***************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Friday, August 10, 2012
Outcast
Our Daily Bread
You have seen them in church. You know those people. The ones who don't "belong" in our church. Isn't it funny how we judge folks by how they look. It is even worse when we know more about them. Here is a song that I ran across a few years ago called "If we are the body":
"If We Are The Body"
It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in trying to fade into the faces
The girl's teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way
A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat and quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgemental glances
Tells him that his chances are better out on the road
Jesus payed much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the body of Christ
Jesus is the way
Yes, Jesus is the way. It is our responsibility as part of the body of Christ that we welcome all and have compassion for all. Yes, even "those people"!
Lord, thank you for showing us compassion. Help us show it to others.
Foodie Friday
A friend asked me how difficult it was for me to cook for one when I am trying to change my eating habits. I told him that in most ways it is easier because I only have to worry about myself liking what I make! ha! Whether you are cooking for one or for twenty, I feel like I need to plan my meals better than I ever have before. It makes it easier to buy groceries, not buy junk food, use all of what I buy to avoid waste, and eating healthier than ever before.
I think the hardest thing about cooking for one or two is portion control. It can be difficult to scale back recipes to two or three reasonable portions. As I have time to cook, I usually make something that will last a few days. After cooking, I immediately portion out the different meals before I start eating so I don't overeat. This really seems to work for me.
You might ask: why is this topic in the Foodie Friday entry instead of Workout Wednesday? I am writing this entry so everyone can have tasty, wholesome meals without spending a fortune and without overeating. I understand that some folks don't like leftovers. That is understandable. My joke is that I eat what I like and I eat a lot of it! If I make a large pot roast (my favorite), I portion it out to last several days.
You can be a foodie by planning and being flexible with your tastes and habits. It has worked for me!
*****************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
You have seen them in church. You know those people. The ones who don't "belong" in our church. Isn't it funny how we judge folks by how they look. It is even worse when we know more about them. Here is a song that I ran across a few years ago called "If we are the body":
"If We Are The Body"
It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in trying to fade into the faces
The girl's teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way
A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat and quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgemental glances
Tells him that his chances are better out on the road
Jesus payed much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the body of Christ
Jesus is the way
Yes, Jesus is the way. It is our responsibility as part of the body of Christ that we welcome all and have compassion for all. Yes, even "those people"!
Lord, thank you for showing us compassion. Help us show it to others.
Foodie Friday
A friend asked me how difficult it was for me to cook for one when I am trying to change my eating habits. I told him that in most ways it is easier because I only have to worry about myself liking what I make! ha! Whether you are cooking for one or for twenty, I feel like I need to plan my meals better than I ever have before. It makes it easier to buy groceries, not buy junk food, use all of what I buy to avoid waste, and eating healthier than ever before.
I think the hardest thing about cooking for one or two is portion control. It can be difficult to scale back recipes to two or three reasonable portions. As I have time to cook, I usually make something that will last a few days. After cooking, I immediately portion out the different meals before I start eating so I don't overeat. This really seems to work for me.
You might ask: why is this topic in the Foodie Friday entry instead of Workout Wednesday? I am writing this entry so everyone can have tasty, wholesome meals without spending a fortune and without overeating. I understand that some folks don't like leftovers. That is understandable. My joke is that I eat what I like and I eat a lot of it! If I make a large pot roast (my favorite), I portion it out to last several days.
You can be a foodie by planning and being flexible with your tastes and habits. It has worked for me!
*****************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Thy Word is a...
Our Daily Bread
A simple, but powerful, Amy Grant song spoke to me the first time I heard it: "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path". So simple, but something we don't think about every day! I am actually working on a tattoo design for my right arm with this concept! hehehe
The devotional today is about God's Word providing comfort as well as guidance. We can find scriptures all through the Bible, New and Old Testaments, that provide us with strength and comfort. Praise God!
Another amazing coincidence is this devotional corresponds with a book suggested to me by an acquaintance on Facebook called Praying God's Word. While I don't agree with the opinion in Chapter 13 of the book, the rest of it is very cool. It gives many scriptures that we can use in prayer to release us from "strongholds" or things that Satan has dug into our lives. What strongholds does Satan have in your life? I will write about this some more on Saturday.
Lord, thank you for your Word and for the strength and comfort we can find within it!
Technology Thursday
Space....the final frontier... There is a lot of news about space this week since NASA successfully landed the new rover on Mars. Very cool! The pictures are fascinating. There have also been some very funny comics about the adventure as well like two Martians standing still and saying "Smile, its taking pictures again". ha! While some folks don't understand why we spend so much money on stuff like this, I find it fascinating! Reaching out and learning more about our universe is priceless! To me, it just proves over and over how great our God is!
The other space-related topic is about the Shuttle Enterprise on display in New York City at the Sea, Air and Space Museum's Space Shuttle Pavilion. It opened at the end of July, but hasn't been promoted very much so far. Check out the cool pictures about this.
Lastly, there is a LOT of technology going on in the background at the Olympics! I find it amazing how things change each time the Olympics are held. For example, Twitter was not that big during the 2008 games! Now folks have their careers and dreams encouraged or dashed based on tweets!
**************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
A simple, but powerful, Amy Grant song spoke to me the first time I heard it: "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path". So simple, but something we don't think about every day! I am actually working on a tattoo design for my right arm with this concept! hehehe
The devotional today is about God's Word providing comfort as well as guidance. We can find scriptures all through the Bible, New and Old Testaments, that provide us with strength and comfort. Praise God!
Another amazing coincidence is this devotional corresponds with a book suggested to me by an acquaintance on Facebook called Praying God's Word. While I don't agree with the opinion in Chapter 13 of the book, the rest of it is very cool. It gives many scriptures that we can use in prayer to release us from "strongholds" or things that Satan has dug into our lives. What strongholds does Satan have in your life? I will write about this some more on Saturday.
Lord, thank you for your Word and for the strength and comfort we can find within it!
Technology Thursday
Space....the final frontier... There is a lot of news about space this week since NASA successfully landed the new rover on Mars. Very cool! The pictures are fascinating. There have also been some very funny comics about the adventure as well like two Martians standing still and saying "Smile, its taking pictures again". ha! While some folks don't understand why we spend so much money on stuff like this, I find it fascinating! Reaching out and learning more about our universe is priceless! To me, it just proves over and over how great our God is!
The other space-related topic is about the Shuttle Enterprise on display in New York City at the Sea, Air and Space Museum's Space Shuttle Pavilion. It opened at the end of July, but hasn't been promoted very much so far. Check out the cool pictures about this.
Lastly, there is a LOT of technology going on in the background at the Olympics! I find it amazing how things change each time the Olympics are held. For example, Twitter was not that big during the 2008 games! Now folks have their careers and dreams encouraged or dashed based on tweets!
**************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
What about the losers?
Our Daily Bread
Have you been watching the Olympics? Even if you haven't, you have probably heard about the gold medal winners. The womens gymnastics team. Gabby Douglas. Ursain Bolt. I don't know about you, but I haven't thought about the losers too much. How about you? We tell ourselves that they had a wonderful journey just getting to the Olympics, at least what we hear from the personal bio stories, but they still went home without a medal.
The devotional was inspired by a little girl that was touched by the sadness of a losing football team. These huge hunks of men must of looked very sad for a little girl to notice! What insight for us to look around us! We need to be more sensitive to the hurting and needy people around us so we can show them God's love. Sometimes we are the only link they may have to love or to God! I loved a song I used to sing in college "You're the only Jesus" (that some may ever see). What a thought!
Lord, thank you for your love. Please help me show it to others through your compassion.
Workout Wednesday
Eating habits...
Those of you that know me have probably heard my joke about my eating habits: "I hold onto my bad eating habits tighter than a box of Hohos on a Saturday night!". OMG! I know. I am bad. My own mother says so, too! ha!
Seriously, adjusting your eating habits doesn't have to be a OCD, militant thing. Doing better and better is the goal. No one is perfect. No one can really eat the most healthy meal every single day. Here are some tips that I am using. Think of your own.
Like every other challenge that we face in life, God's power will help us overcome!
**************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Have you been watching the Olympics? Even if you haven't, you have probably heard about the gold medal winners. The womens gymnastics team. Gabby Douglas. Ursain Bolt. I don't know about you, but I haven't thought about the losers too much. How about you? We tell ourselves that they had a wonderful journey just getting to the Olympics, at least what we hear from the personal bio stories, but they still went home without a medal.
The devotional was inspired by a little girl that was touched by the sadness of a losing football team. These huge hunks of men must of looked very sad for a little girl to notice! What insight for us to look around us! We need to be more sensitive to the hurting and needy people around us so we can show them God's love. Sometimes we are the only link they may have to love or to God! I loved a song I used to sing in college "You're the only Jesus" (that some may ever see). What a thought!
Lord, thank you for your love. Please help me show it to others through your compassion.
Workout Wednesday
Eating habits...
Those of you that know me have probably heard my joke about my eating habits: "I hold onto my bad eating habits tighter than a box of Hohos on a Saturday night!". OMG! I know. I am bad. My own mother says so, too! ha!
Seriously, adjusting your eating habits doesn't have to be a OCD, militant thing. Doing better and better is the goal. No one is perfect. No one can really eat the most healthy meal every single day. Here are some tips that I am using. Think of your own.
- When I want a treat (something that is not particularly healthy like Hohos or Doritos), I first ask myself if I really want them. Do I really want to eat the calories? Do I want to put that stuff in my body? Some days the answers to all those questions are all yes! ;-( When I do, I allow myself to have them guilt-free, but I eat very small portions. One or two Hohos instead of a whole box (Yikes, the old days are gone). A small snack bag of Doritos instead of a large Grab bag (or a large bag if I am watching a movie!).
- When I want a snack (something that is healthy and under 100 calories like walnuts, almonds, a protein bar, fruit, veggies, etc), I try to eat those two or three times per day to keep my metabolism going and avoid hunger. I keep stuff in my cabinet at work and the fridge to facilitate this.
- When I go out to eat, the portions are usually huge. I still forget how much less I eat now. I usually order way too much. I usually ask for a To-Go box right away and divide my meal out so I am not tempted to eat the whole meal. I try to focus on the healthier parts of the meal like the salad. If I allow myself dessert, I go back to tip number 1. I share a dessert or get a small version of a dessert.
- Lastly, if you "fall off the wagon" for a day or a few days, get right back on! I have been stalled at about 33 pounds in my weight loss journey. I keep gaining and losing, gaining and losing, even though my fitness level is getting better and better. Keep plugging away at it. We can do this!
Like every other challenge that we face in life, God's power will help us overcome!
**************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Unlimited
Our Daily Bread
I am sort of a phone geek. I like looking at new mobile phones and researching the best voice and data plans. Yes, I know I need to get a life! ha! I was "grandfathered" in so I could keep my "unlimited" data plan on my iPhone. AT&T and most of the other wireless carriers don't offer unlimited plans any more. Even those of us that have them can get slowed down if we use too much data in a month!
God is not like that. Our God is truly unlimited in power and glory! Praise God! Friends look at me strange (OK, stranger than normal) when I tell them that the Bible is just the Cliff Notes about God. The blue sky above, as unbelievably large as it is, cannot hold all the things that could be written about our God! Unlimited!
My favorite part of this conversation is the part when I remind them that this amazing God wants a personal relationship with him! That completely blows my mind! Talk about knowing someone very, very important! Talk to God today. Seek him out. He is there.
Lord, we thank you and praise you for all our little minds can understand about you!
Teaching Tuesday
We will look at secret number 12 from the 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People
Have realistic expectations.
Wow! This one really struck home to me. There were several angles to it, not all of which I took issue with. First, happy folks usually like what they have and usually want only what is in their grasp. For example, if you make $25,000 per year and have a goal to buy a new Ferrari, you will probably not be happy. If you have a goal to own a new Chevy Cruze, you could achieve your goal and be happy with a nice car!
Second, having unrealistic expectations of the people around you can lead to unhappiness. If you family is not the ideal family. If your relationship is not the ideal relationship. If your coworkers are not the deal coworkers, get over it. The chances are you are not ideal either!
Lastly, having unrealistic expectations for yourself can lead to unhappiness. There is a pattern for happy people to have goals aligned with their available resources. I have a big ol' teddy bear body. I will never be an Olympic gymnast. If I set a goal to be an Olympic gymnast, I will always be disappointed with myself! Set realistic, achievable goals for yourself. There is a fine line between pushing yourself and putting yourself down!
Be happy!
****************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I am sort of a phone geek. I like looking at new mobile phones and researching the best voice and data plans. Yes, I know I need to get a life! ha! I was "grandfathered" in so I could keep my "unlimited" data plan on my iPhone. AT&T and most of the other wireless carriers don't offer unlimited plans any more. Even those of us that have them can get slowed down if we use too much data in a month!
God is not like that. Our God is truly unlimited in power and glory! Praise God! Friends look at me strange (OK, stranger than normal) when I tell them that the Bible is just the Cliff Notes about God. The blue sky above, as unbelievably large as it is, cannot hold all the things that could be written about our God! Unlimited!
My favorite part of this conversation is the part when I remind them that this amazing God wants a personal relationship with him! That completely blows my mind! Talk about knowing someone very, very important! Talk to God today. Seek him out. He is there.
Lord, we thank you and praise you for all our little minds can understand about you!
Teaching Tuesday
We will look at secret number 12 from the 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People
Have realistic expectations.
Wow! This one really struck home to me. There were several angles to it, not all of which I took issue with. First, happy folks usually like what they have and usually want only what is in their grasp. For example, if you make $25,000 per year and have a goal to buy a new Ferrari, you will probably not be happy. If you have a goal to own a new Chevy Cruze, you could achieve your goal and be happy with a nice car!
Second, having unrealistic expectations of the people around you can lead to unhappiness. If you family is not the ideal family. If your relationship is not the ideal relationship. If your coworkers are not the deal coworkers, get over it. The chances are you are not ideal either!
Lastly, having unrealistic expectations for yourself can lead to unhappiness. There is a pattern for happy people to have goals aligned with their available resources. I have a big ol' teddy bear body. I will never be an Olympic gymnast. If I set a goal to be an Olympic gymnast, I will always be disappointed with myself! Set realistic, achievable goals for yourself. There is a fine line between pushing yourself and putting yourself down!
Be happy!
****************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Monday, August 6, 2012
Confidence in God's presence
Our Daily Bread
I saw the movie trailer for the new James Bond movie yesterday. It looks as exciting as usual! I used to love the titles of those movies. My favorite is "Never say never again". ha!
The devotional is about the words "always" and "never". I love the assurance that God is always with us and he will never leave us! wow! We can truly never say never again! ;-) When going through the good times and the bad times in life, it is comforting to know that we can take refuge in him. We also have the responsibility to encourage others with this gift!
Lord, thank you for always being with us. We thank you and praise you!
Movie Monday
I saw two movies last week: Ted and Total Recall.
Ted
I am a little embarrassed to admit I saw this movie. It is R rated for the dirty talk and sexual references. It is from the creators of the Family Guy TV show, which should have been my first clue it would not be appropriate for me. It was like a train wreck that I couldn't take my eyes off of. When I wasn't totally offended by the sophomoric humor, I usually laughed. Some of the scenes were "pee-in-my-pants" funny. If you decide to see this movie (if you are a Family Guy fan), then wait for the DVD (or Netflix).
I give this movie one bear paw. Lots of dirty language and sexual references.
Total Recall
This movie was a pleasant surprise. I wasn't thrilled to see another remade of another Arnold movie, but it was good. They changed the story to make it very different, but very much the same. Colin Farrell was very hot in this movie. Seeing him was worth the price of the ticket! hehehe The story line changes, the stuff the kept the same, the special effects and the story twists were great! It is definitely worth seeing on the big screen.
I give this movie two bear paws. See it on the big screen.
NOTE: I scored some free passes to see a preview of The Odd Life of Timothy Green tomorrow night. woohooo!
**************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
u r a BCOG. U r FAWM. Now believe it!
I saw the movie trailer for the new James Bond movie yesterday. It looks as exciting as usual! I used to love the titles of those movies. My favorite is "Never say never again". ha!
The devotional is about the words "always" and "never". I love the assurance that God is always with us and he will never leave us! wow! We can truly never say never again! ;-) When going through the good times and the bad times in life, it is comforting to know that we can take refuge in him. We also have the responsibility to encourage others with this gift!
Lord, thank you for always being with us. We thank you and praise you!
Movie Monday
I saw two movies last week: Ted and Total Recall.
Ted
I am a little embarrassed to admit I saw this movie. It is R rated for the dirty talk and sexual references. It is from the creators of the Family Guy TV show, which should have been my first clue it would not be appropriate for me. It was like a train wreck that I couldn't take my eyes off of. When I wasn't totally offended by the sophomoric humor, I usually laughed. Some of the scenes were "pee-in-my-pants" funny. If you decide to see this movie (if you are a Family Guy fan), then wait for the DVD (or Netflix).
I give this movie one bear paw. Lots of dirty language and sexual references.
Total Recall
This movie was a pleasant surprise. I wasn't thrilled to see another remade of another Arnold movie, but it was good. They changed the story to make it very different, but very much the same. Colin Farrell was very hot in this movie. Seeing him was worth the price of the ticket! hehehe The story line changes, the stuff the kept the same, the special effects and the story twists were great! It is definitely worth seeing on the big screen.
I give this movie two bear paws. See it on the big screen.
NOTE: I scored some free passes to see a preview of The Odd Life of Timothy Green tomorrow night. woohooo!
**************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
u r a BCOG. U r FAWM. Now believe it!
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Light of life or life of light
Our Daily Bread
I am a klutz. If there is a way to spill something on myself or stain a new piece of clothing or whatever, I will usually find that way. Fortunately, there are laundry products available to help me "Shout it out!" ha!
When it comes to our hearts, God offers us something new and exciting -- a clean heart. The coolest part is that we don't have to "shout it out!"! We just ask God for forgiveness and do our best to not sin again. The latter is the difference between someone that is just trying to cover up sins and someone that is truly repentant. Yes, we are all human. It is very difficult to avoid our pet sins. We all have them!
If we confess our sins, he is willing and able to forgive our sins. He is also willing and able to help us walk in his light!
Lord, thank you for offering us a life in your light! Please help us to never walk in darkness again!
Psalm Sunday
Psalm 56 is the psalm today. It never ceases to amaze me how God works. I read this psalm after writing the devotional stuff above. Look at verse 13! Doesn't that sound like the stuff I wrote above! Doesn't that sound like God is speaking to us to walk in his life of light (or light of life)! Amen!
Psalm 56
For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam. When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.
1 Be merciful to me, my God,
for my enemies are in hot pursuit;
all day long they press their attack.
2 My adversaries pursue me all day long;
in their pride many are attacking me.
3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
5 All day long they twist my words;
all their schemes are for my ruin.
6 They conspire, they lurk,
they watch my steps,
hoping to take my life.
7 Because of their wickedness do not let them escape;
in your anger, God, bring the nations down.
8 Record my misery;
list my tears on your scroll —
are they not in your record?
9 Then my enemies will turn back
when I call for help.
By this I will know that God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise—
11 in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 I am under vows to you, my God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.
13 For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.
************************************************
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!
I am a klutz. If there is a way to spill something on myself or stain a new piece of clothing or whatever, I will usually find that way. Fortunately, there are laundry products available to help me "Shout it out!" ha!
When it comes to our hearts, God offers us something new and exciting -- a clean heart. The coolest part is that we don't have to "shout it out!"! We just ask God for forgiveness and do our best to not sin again. The latter is the difference between someone that is just trying to cover up sins and someone that is truly repentant. Yes, we are all human. It is very difficult to avoid our pet sins. We all have them!
If we confess our sins, he is willing and able to forgive our sins. He is also willing and able to help us walk in his light!
Lord, thank you for offering us a life in your light! Please help us to never walk in darkness again!
Psalm Sunday
Psalm 56 is the psalm today. It never ceases to amaze me how God works. I read this psalm after writing the devotional stuff above. Look at verse 13! Doesn't that sound like the stuff I wrote above! Doesn't that sound like God is speaking to us to walk in his life of light (or light of life)! Amen!
Psalm 56
For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam. When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.
1 Be merciful to me, my God,
for my enemies are in hot pursuit;
all day long they press their attack.
2 My adversaries pursue me all day long;
in their pride many are attacking me.
3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
5 All day long they twist my words;
all their schemes are for my ruin.
6 They conspire, they lurk,
they watch my steps,
hoping to take my life.
7 Because of their wickedness do not let them escape;
in your anger, God, bring the nations down.
8 Record my misery;
list my tears on your scroll —
are they not in your record?
9 Then my enemies will turn back
when I call for help.
By this I will know that God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise—
11 in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 I am under vows to you, my God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.
13 For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.
************************************************
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!
Saturday, August 4, 2012
One more step
Our Daily Bread
Watching the Summer Olympics reminded me of several sports images that were burned in my mind. Athletes, struggling to make their exhausted bodies continue on, made it to the finish line unassisted. There are other images where competitors or folks from the crowd rushed out to assist. Crossing the finish line, attaining the prize, whatever you want to call it. They gave everything they could to accomplish their goal.
I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel like these athletes in my Christian life. I feel exhausted and powerless to go on. I feel like I don't have an ounce of spiritual strength to say one more prayer, to step one more step of faith even though I know the prize that is awaiting me -- our blessed Savior. In my mind and heart, I hear the footsteps of Jesus coming near. "Trying to go it alone again, huh, Duane? We talked about this..." ha! Yes, we did. I know I need him near me every second, for every breath. Yes, we talked about that, too.
“Fear not for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God; I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isa. 41:10).
Simply Saturday
Refuge
I have been thinking about this post all week. I hope it comes out the way I imagined! I had lunch with a close friend recently who was complaining that his boyfriend of seven years was not that involved in his life with family and friends. He rarely attended events and hasn't met most of his friends. Being sort of a smart aleck (OK, I know I am a smart a$$), I quoted an Eagles song "every form of refuge has its price". That simple quote in passing got me thinking. Where am I taking refuge? Where are you taking refuge?
We can take refuge in many, many different things, some good and some not so good. My personal theory is that the things that take up most of our time are the things we take refuge in. Think about that one. For me, I take refuge in doing stuff around the house; in computer stuff, especially gadgets; in movies; and, in my faith. What about you?
If I am truly honest with myself, I also take refuge in some things that aren't very healthy for me. I started to write more about this, but decided I wanted this entry to be thought provoking rather than an expose on my life! We all have these. It could be sports or TV or a relationship that is not meant to be or. Fill in the blank!
Every form off refuge does have its price except for one -- taking refuge in the Lord.
2 Samuel 22:3 -- New International Version (NIV)
3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent people you save me.
Psalm 5:11
But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
What does "taking refuge in the Lord" mean to me? It means that we have a trust confidant, a true friend, a source of strength, someone to chide us when we are in the wrong, someone to share a no so ordinary life, someone to guide us, someone to motivate us to reach out to others. Wow! It does not mean to lock ourselves up at home or behind the computer or in church so we can't be exposed to the cruelties of the world. Jesus calls us to be his light to the world! We know we have hims as our refuge when we need to "recharge" and remind ourselves from where our strength comes!
So while all the other forms of refuge have a price, I will take refuge in the One True God. He is my rock. He is my stronghold.
He can be yours, too. Talk to him about it today.
***************************************************
Let go, my friends (that means you, Duane)! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Watching the Summer Olympics reminded me of several sports images that were burned in my mind. Athletes, struggling to make their exhausted bodies continue on, made it to the finish line unassisted. There are other images where competitors or folks from the crowd rushed out to assist. Crossing the finish line, attaining the prize, whatever you want to call it. They gave everything they could to accomplish their goal.
I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel like these athletes in my Christian life. I feel exhausted and powerless to go on. I feel like I don't have an ounce of spiritual strength to say one more prayer, to step one more step of faith even though I know the prize that is awaiting me -- our blessed Savior. In my mind and heart, I hear the footsteps of Jesus coming near. "Trying to go it alone again, huh, Duane? We talked about this..." ha! Yes, we did. I know I need him near me every second, for every breath. Yes, we talked about that, too.
“Fear not for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God; I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isa. 41:10).
Lord, thank you for gently reminding me that I need to let go. You would think I would know that since I write at the bottom of my blog entries!
Simply Saturday
Refuge
I have been thinking about this post all week. I hope it comes out the way I imagined! I had lunch with a close friend recently who was complaining that his boyfriend of seven years was not that involved in his life with family and friends. He rarely attended events and hasn't met most of his friends. Being sort of a smart aleck (OK, I know I am a smart a$$), I quoted an Eagles song "every form of refuge has its price". That simple quote in passing got me thinking. Where am I taking refuge? Where are you taking refuge?
We can take refuge in many, many different things, some good and some not so good. My personal theory is that the things that take up most of our time are the things we take refuge in. Think about that one. For me, I take refuge in doing stuff around the house; in computer stuff, especially gadgets; in movies; and, in my faith. What about you?
If I am truly honest with myself, I also take refuge in some things that aren't very healthy for me. I started to write more about this, but decided I wanted this entry to be thought provoking rather than an expose on my life! We all have these. It could be sports or TV or a relationship that is not meant to be or
Every form off refuge does have its price except for one -- taking refuge in the Lord.
2 Samuel 22:3 -- New International Version (NIV)
3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent people you save me.
Psalm 5:11
But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
What does "taking refuge in the Lord" mean to me? It means that we have a trust confidant, a true friend, a source of strength, someone to chide us when we are in the wrong, someone to share a no so ordinary life, someone to guide us, someone to motivate us to reach out to others. Wow! It does not mean to lock ourselves up at home or behind the computer or in church so we can't be exposed to the cruelties of the world. Jesus calls us to be his light to the world! We know we have hims as our refuge when we need to "recharge" and remind ourselves from where our strength comes!
So while all the other forms of refuge have a price, I will take refuge in the One True God. He is my rock. He is my stronghold.
He can be yours, too. Talk to him about it today.
***************************************************
Let go, my friends (that means you, Duane)! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Friday, August 3, 2012
Faith or deeds?
Our Daily Bread
I remember a cute children's song called "If you are happy and you know it..." The premise of the song is, if you are happy and you know it, then do things like clap your hand or stomp your feet or other outward gestures. Faith is like that. If you have faith, then you can't help showing your faith by outward gestures!
The devotional discusses one of the most controversial topics in the Bible -- faith vs works (or deeds). It is still much debated today. I remember how much we discussed it in my last Bible study class! I am convinced that there are some things in the Bible that we will not all understand until God explains them to us in heaven!
In short, faith without works is dead. Works without faith is dead. If you have faith, then you can't help showing your faith by outward gestures!
Lord, please help us have faith...and show our faith through our deeds!
Foodie Friday
I looked at the Summer Farro Salad recipe again. Here is the version I plan to take to the church dinner tomorrow night.
Duane's Summer Farro Salad
Serves 8 to 12, as a side or main course
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups uncooked farro (or substitute barley)
1 medium red onion, cut in half
1 clove garlic
handful of fresh parsley plus 1 tablespoon finely chopped
1 cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, then thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
two cups vegetable stock
FOR THE DRESSING
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons blue agave syrup (or honey)
1. Add the farro, vegetable stock, one onion half, garlic, handful of parsley and salt along with 3/4 cups water to a 2 quart pot. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off burner and let sit, covered, for 5 more minutes. Discard the onion, garlic and large pieces of parsley. Spread out on a rimmed sheet pan and let cool completely.
2. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegars and blue agave syrup to prepare the dressing. Chop the remaining onion half finely. Thinly slice the cucumber. Add onion, cooled farro, tomatoes, cucumbers, remaining tablespoon of parsley and basil to a deep bowl. Pour the dressing over the ingredients and stir well to combine, using a long wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Season with salt and pepper. The salad is ready to serve, but can also be made and stored in the fridge, covered, one day ahead.
***************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I remember a cute children's song called "If you are happy and you know it..." The premise of the song is, if you are happy and you know it, then do things like clap your hand or stomp your feet or other outward gestures. Faith is like that. If you have faith, then you can't help showing your faith by outward gestures!
The devotional discusses one of the most controversial topics in the Bible -- faith vs works (or deeds). It is still much debated today. I remember how much we discussed it in my last Bible study class! I am convinced that there are some things in the Bible that we will not all understand until God explains them to us in heaven!
In short, faith without works is dead. Works without faith is dead. If you have faith, then you can't help showing your faith by outward gestures!
Lord, please help us have faith...and show our faith through our deeds!
Foodie Friday
I looked at the Summer Farro Salad recipe again. Here is the version I plan to take to the church dinner tomorrow night.
Duane's Summer Farro Salad
Serves 8 to 12, as a side or main course
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups uncooked farro (or substitute barley)
1 medium red onion, cut in half
1 clove garlic
handful of fresh parsley plus 1 tablespoon finely chopped
1 cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, then thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
two cups vegetable stock
FOR THE DRESSING
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons blue agave syrup (or honey)
1. Add the farro, vegetable stock, one onion half, garlic, handful of parsley and salt along with 3/4 cups water to a 2 quart pot. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off burner and let sit, covered, for 5 more minutes. Discard the onion, garlic and large pieces of parsley. Spread out on a rimmed sheet pan and let cool completely.
2. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegars and blue agave syrup to prepare the dressing. Chop the remaining onion half finely. Thinly slice the cucumber. Add onion, cooled farro, tomatoes, cucumbers, remaining tablespoon of parsley and basil to a deep bowl. Pour the dressing over the ingredients and stir well to combine, using a long wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Season with salt and pepper. The salad is ready to serve, but can also be made and stored in the fridge, covered, one day ahead.
***************************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Love stories -- yuck!
Our Daily Bread
If you have ever read one of my Movie Monday posts, you can tell that I love movies. I don't like all movies -- I don't usually like love stories (also known as chick flicks). I joked with a straight friend of mine many years ago about the movie "When a man loves a woman". I told him "I don't get the premise of this flick!". hehehe Yes, I know, I am a silly old bear.
The devotional is about one of my favorite Bible stories -- Ruth, Naomi and Boaz. Many think of this as a love story. I like the way the devotional took it another direction. It talked about how sensitive Boaz was to the the extreme needs of Ruth. She was working in the fields, following the harvesters Boaz hired to harvest his grain. This approach usually resulted in very little grain gathered for the follower, but it could be enough to live on one more day.
The concern shown and the action taken by Boaz is an example of the way we should be as children of God. Watch for opportunities to help the weak and needy. Act on those opportunities. Look around today!
Lord, please help us be sensitive to those around us!
Technology Thursday
Lots of the same crap in the technology world this week. Patent lawsuits, iPhone5 rumors, iPad mini rumors, and very little interesting news. Heavy sign... I decided to write a little bit about laptops.
This time of year is when a lot of folks look to the Apple store, Microcenter, Best Buy, amazon.com, etc for a new or refurbished laptop for the upcoming school year. Frankly, you can choose cheap or good. There are tons of inexpensive laptops out there. Some under $300. Some decent ones in the $400 - 500 range. What should you look for? Here are my suggestions.
A decent processor. The i7 processor from Intel is the current top of the line. You probably don't need that unless you are a real geek and require the processing power. You will probably be delighted with an i3 or i5 processor. Go with the i5 if you can find a deal on one (like the Lenovo G570 laptop at Microcenter).
Hard drive. I prefer SSDs (solid state drives) or 7200 RPM hard drives in laptops. Those usually drive up the price of the laptop, so you may want to settle for a 5400 RPM hard drive. The advantage there is you will get a larger hard drive (since they are cheaper). Most laptops come with at least a 300 gig 5400 RPM hard drive now.
Memory. Get at least 4 gig of memory. Laptops can handle up to 16 gig now, but that is not necessary for most users.
Windows 7 64 bit: I prefer Windows 7 64bit because it uses all the available memory. Most folks may not notice a difference.
Video. Unless you are a gamer, you will probably be fine with a standard integrated video card. The higher end laptops have a separate, dedicated video card.
Removable disk. You may or may not need one of these. Figure out if you will be burning or playing CDs or DVDs on your laptop. Many new laptops, especially ultrabooks, do not come with a removable drive.
USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt ports. USB 3.0 is the latest standard for USB ports. It is backward compatible with older printers and USB drives. You will not believe how much faster it is! Thunderbolt ports are usually only available on Apple laptops. Most inexpensive laptops have the USB 2.0 ports, which are fine for most folks.
Weight. Ultrabooks can weigh less than many paper notebooks! While they are much lighter, you will sacrifice some power to conserve battery life. Know what you are buying.
There it is! Good luck with your purchase!
***********************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
If you have ever read one of my Movie Monday posts, you can tell that I love movies. I don't like all movies -- I don't usually like love stories (also known as chick flicks). I joked with a straight friend of mine many years ago about the movie "When a man loves a woman". I told him "I don't get the premise of this flick!". hehehe Yes, I know, I am a silly old bear.
The devotional is about one of my favorite Bible stories -- Ruth, Naomi and Boaz. Many think of this as a love story. I like the way the devotional took it another direction. It talked about how sensitive Boaz was to the the extreme needs of Ruth. She was working in the fields, following the harvesters Boaz hired to harvest his grain. This approach usually resulted in very little grain gathered for the follower, but it could be enough to live on one more day.
The concern shown and the action taken by Boaz is an example of the way we should be as children of God. Watch for opportunities to help the weak and needy. Act on those opportunities. Look around today!
Lord, please help us be sensitive to those around us!
Technology Thursday
Lots of the same crap in the technology world this week. Patent lawsuits, iPhone5 rumors, iPad mini rumors, and very little interesting news. Heavy sign... I decided to write a little bit about laptops.
This time of year is when a lot of folks look to the Apple store, Microcenter, Best Buy, amazon.com, etc for a new or refurbished laptop for the upcoming school year. Frankly, you can choose cheap or good. There are tons of inexpensive laptops out there. Some under $300. Some decent ones in the $400 - 500 range. What should you look for? Here are my suggestions.
A decent processor. The i7 processor from Intel is the current top of the line. You probably don't need that unless you are a real geek and require the processing power. You will probably be delighted with an i3 or i5 processor. Go with the i5 if you can find a deal on one (like the Lenovo G570 laptop at Microcenter).
Hard drive. I prefer SSDs (solid state drives) or 7200 RPM hard drives in laptops. Those usually drive up the price of the laptop, so you may want to settle for a 5400 RPM hard drive. The advantage there is you will get a larger hard drive (since they are cheaper). Most laptops come with at least a 300 gig 5400 RPM hard drive now.
Memory. Get at least 4 gig of memory. Laptops can handle up to 16 gig now, but that is not necessary for most users.
Windows 7 64 bit: I prefer Windows 7 64bit because it uses all the available memory. Most folks may not notice a difference.
Video. Unless you are a gamer, you will probably be fine with a standard integrated video card. The higher end laptops have a separate, dedicated video card.
Removable disk. You may or may not need one of these. Figure out if you will be burning or playing CDs or DVDs on your laptop. Many new laptops, especially ultrabooks, do not come with a removable drive.
USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt ports. USB 3.0 is the latest standard for USB ports. It is backward compatible with older printers and USB drives. You will not believe how much faster it is! Thunderbolt ports are usually only available on Apple laptops. Most inexpensive laptops have the USB 2.0 ports, which are fine for most folks.
Weight. Ultrabooks can weigh less than many paper notebooks! While they are much lighter, you will sacrifice some power to conserve battery life. Know what you are buying.
There it is! Good luck with your purchase!
***********************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
But...but, but, but.....
Our Daily Bread
Have you ever been in an argument or "discussion" that you knew you weren't going to win? You try to explain and can't get anything in the conversation except for "but.... but, but, but". Ding, ding, ding! Fight over and you only got one word in! Well, the devotional doesn't have anything to do with "discussions" -- it has everything to do with God's presence and promises!
The devotional writer tells of his favorite sermon that included "But God" verses. There was no argument going on. These verses use the words "but God" to start a phrase that tells what God is going to do or what he promises or what he has already done! I never really thought about it before until I read the examples in the devotional. Click on the "Our Daily Bread heading if you want to link over to the devotional. It is pretty cool.
Duane tries to do stuff on his own...But God speaks to him gently through the Holy Spirit to guide him in the ways of righteousness.
Workout Wednesday
I mentioned this briefly on Facebook the other day, but I wanted to write a little bit about it in today's entry. Want to know a quick and easy way to get your metabolism started first thing in the morning? Try doing five to ten minutes of calisthenics before you jump in the shower in the morning! Here is what I do when I don't have time (or just sleep in late) to work out in the morning:
20 push ups (or as many as I can do)
20 squats
20 lunges (10 each side)
20 jumping jacks
60 second plank (or as long as you can go).
OR
30 burpees
60 second plank
This is a nice wake up your metabolism routine you can do in your bedroom. Try it tomorrow!
******************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Have you ever been in an argument or "discussion" that you knew you weren't going to win? You try to explain and can't get anything in the conversation except for "but.... but, but, but". Ding, ding, ding! Fight over and you only got one word in! Well, the devotional doesn't have anything to do with "discussions" -- it has everything to do with God's presence and promises!
The devotional writer tells of his favorite sermon that included "But God" verses. There was no argument going on. These verses use the words "but God" to start a phrase that tells what God is going to do or what he promises or what he has already done! I never really thought about it before until I read the examples in the devotional. Click on the "Our Daily Bread heading if you want to link over to the devotional. It is pretty cool.
Duane tries to do stuff on his own...But God speaks to him gently through the Holy Spirit to guide him in the ways of righteousness.
Workout Wednesday
I mentioned this briefly on Facebook the other day, but I wanted to write a little bit about it in today's entry. Want to know a quick and easy way to get your metabolism started first thing in the morning? Try doing five to ten minutes of calisthenics before you jump in the shower in the morning! Here is what I do when I don't have time (or just sleep in late) to work out in the morning:
20 push ups (or as many as I can do)
20 squats
20 lunges (10 each side)
20 jumping jacks
60 second plank (or as long as you can go).
OR
30 burpees
60 second plank
This is a nice wake up your metabolism routine you can do in your bedroom. Try it tomorrow!
******************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
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