Our Daily Bread
I love the little game of peek-a-boo we play with small children. You both put your hands over your eyes and pretend that no one can see you because you can't see anyone else! Peek-a-boo!
Christians sometimes try to play that game with others and with God. We "cover our eyes" in one way or another in hopes that other folks and God can't see the things we did. Wow. I know I do it. Having a roommate for a little while helped bring this fact to light again recently. We keep our bedroom doors shut for privacy. God can still see what we do when the other one is not around! ha!
I tell friends this passage (paraphrase): what is done in the darkness will be brought into the light.
We also have the promise of God that if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins!
Lord, thank you for your promises. Please help us confess our sins to you...and sin no more.
Wellness Wednesday
Fear of Success
A friend recently reached his weight loss goal of 80 pounds. I am so proud of him! He has worked so hard and been so disciplined over the past year to accomplish this amazing goal! I want to write briefly about the fear of success.
Sometimes we work so hard to accomplish a goal that we get scared when we come close to accomplishing it! That is just human nature. We have a tendency to start worrying about "what's next" and "how do I maintain this" and on and on. We lose focus and one of two things happens: we never accomplish our goal or it takes us much longer that we originally planned.
I want to encourage you (and me) today to not be afraid of success. Grasp it humbly and with a true sense of accomplishment no matter what the challenge. Pick a goal. Don't be afraid. Accomplish it!
Secret Number 21 of 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People
Don't be overprotective.
Worrying about people too much can be counter-productive to your happiness. Trying to prevent them from doing things that might harm them is a real risk in itself -- to you. Teaching the ones you love well, praying for them, and encouraging them is better than worrying!
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May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Get a grip
Our Daily Bread
My best friend and I like kitchen gadgets. You never know what we will try next. One of the things that I especially like are things that help me open jars. I ain't gettin' any younger! The devices help me get a better grip and get more leverage on the pesky jar tops!
The Bible is our ultimate "life gadget" in my opinion! It helps us get a better grip on life and get more leverage on those pesky life issues! ha! The devotional talks about how Solomon moved away from his God because he was distracted by his foreign wives who wanted to worship the gods of their homelands. Instead of getting a better grip, Solomon caved in and built holy places for these other gods. The one true Almighty God took offense to that and acted on Solomon's disobedience. Yes, our disobedience does have consequences!
Are you staying focused on serving the one true God? Or are things and people drawing you away?
Lord, please help us stay focused on serving only you!
Teaching Tuesday
The lesson was about Abraham, Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah. The story of Abraham is central to the Old Testament as he is considered the original patriarch of Israel. This is my favorite story in the Bible. Until this Bible study, I never realized how God revealed himself to us in the early Old Testament chapters. I always thought Abraham was the first real interaction with mankind (outside of Adam and Eve, of course).
I like the story for a few reasons. First, it shows that God recognizes the folks that are faithful to him. Second, God honors his promises. Third, God cares about us more than anything else on this planet. Lastly, God can use the most imperfect people to accomplish his will. Amazing stuff!
************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
My best friend and I like kitchen gadgets. You never know what we will try next. One of the things that I especially like are things that help me open jars. I ain't gettin' any younger! The devices help me get a better grip and get more leverage on the pesky jar tops!
The Bible is our ultimate "life gadget" in my opinion! It helps us get a better grip on life and get more leverage on those pesky life issues! ha! The devotional talks about how Solomon moved away from his God because he was distracted by his foreign wives who wanted to worship the gods of their homelands. Instead of getting a better grip, Solomon caved in and built holy places for these other gods. The one true Almighty God took offense to that and acted on Solomon's disobedience. Yes, our disobedience does have consequences!
Are you staying focused on serving the one true God? Or are things and people drawing you away?
Lord, please help us stay focused on serving only you!
Teaching Tuesday
The lesson was about Abraham, Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah. The story of Abraham is central to the Old Testament as he is considered the original patriarch of Israel. This is my favorite story in the Bible. Until this Bible study, I never realized how God revealed himself to us in the early Old Testament chapters. I always thought Abraham was the first real interaction with mankind (outside of Adam and Eve, of course).
I like the story for a few reasons. First, it shows that God recognizes the folks that are faithful to him. Second, God honors his promises. Third, God cares about us more than anything else on this planet. Lastly, God can use the most imperfect people to accomplish his will. Amazing stuff!
************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Monday, October 29, 2012
Reach out
Our Daily Bread
I remember singing an old choral piece called "Reach out and touch" The song eventually became a hymn in the Baptist Hymnal. The lyrics go perfectly with the devotional today.
The devotional tells of the gift of a Bible given by a stranger to a crying young lady on a bus. Through that simple gift, the girl read the Bible and found Christ. Amazing? Yes! That is the way our God works when we listen to his leading. It is not always easy. It is not always comfortable. If we do not have the gift of doing such things, then Christ commands us to pray for the weak and those in despair that God will send help. We should all do whatever we can to help whether it is prayers, money, our time, or just giving a Bible to a stranger.
Lord, please help us be sensitive to your leading when ministering to others!
Movie Monday
I had a little extra time last week, so I made the most of it at the movies! I saw three this week since I am catching up on some ones that have been out for a few weeks.
Here comes the Boom
I am embarrassed to say I liked this movie more than I thought I would. I am not a UFC fan at all. I was partnered to a teacher that was very passionate about the kids so I understood where the teaching thing was coming from. In short, a teacher decided to take on the UFC to earn money to save the music program at his school. It was mostly comical, but there were some moving sections that took me by surprise. I am not sure I like Kevin James or not. All his parts seem like they are the same character.
I give this movie two bear paws (for the cool teacher moments). You can rent this one.
Alex Cross
Odd and somewhat disappointing is what I tell people about this movie. I didn't realize until afterwards that this was a continuation of the some other movies like "Kiss the Girl". The Alex Cross character was played by Morgan Freeman in those movies. I thought Tyler Perry did OK in this role though not great AND I thought he looked better with his shirt off than Morgan Freeman! I am just sayin... Oh, and the Matthew Fox character was bizarre. Very bizarre.
I give this one bear paw. Rent it only if you are very bored or just want to see the next movie in the series.
Cloud Atlas
This movie was a big surprise. I wasn't sure I wanted to sit through a 2:40 hour movie that I didn't know that much about. If you have trouble following stories that aren't linear, then don't see this movie. It jumps around A LOT. It is very cool how it all fits together though. Very cool. There are several amazing actors though no amazing performances. Settle in your theater seat with a large drink and lots of snacks.
I give this movie three bear paws. See it at the theater, preferably on Imax. It is amazing.
******************************
u r a bcog u r fawm Now believe it!
I remember singing an old choral piece called "Reach out and touch" The song eventually became a hymn in the Baptist Hymnal. The lyrics go perfectly with the devotional today.
The devotional tells of the gift of a Bible given by a stranger to a crying young lady on a bus. Through that simple gift, the girl read the Bible and found Christ. Amazing? Yes! That is the way our God works when we listen to his leading. It is not always easy. It is not always comfortable. If we do not have the gift of doing such things, then Christ commands us to pray for the weak and those in despair that God will send help. We should all do whatever we can to help whether it is prayers, money, our time, or just giving a Bible to a stranger.
Lord, please help us be sensitive to your leading when ministering to others!
Movie Monday
I had a little extra time last week, so I made the most of it at the movies! I saw three this week since I am catching up on some ones that have been out for a few weeks.
Here comes the Boom
I am embarrassed to say I liked this movie more than I thought I would. I am not a UFC fan at all. I was partnered to a teacher that was very passionate about the kids so I understood where the teaching thing was coming from. In short, a teacher decided to take on the UFC to earn money to save the music program at his school. It was mostly comical, but there were some moving sections that took me by surprise. I am not sure I like Kevin James or not. All his parts seem like they are the same character.
I give this movie two bear paws (for the cool teacher moments). You can rent this one.
Alex Cross
Odd and somewhat disappointing is what I tell people about this movie. I didn't realize until afterwards that this was a continuation of the some other movies like "Kiss the Girl". The Alex Cross character was played by Morgan Freeman in those movies. I thought Tyler Perry did OK in this role though not great AND I thought he looked better with his shirt off than Morgan Freeman! I am just sayin... Oh, and the Matthew Fox character was bizarre. Very bizarre.
I give this one bear paw. Rent it only if you are very bored or just want to see the next movie in the series.
Cloud Atlas
This movie was a big surprise. I wasn't sure I wanted to sit through a 2:40 hour movie that I didn't know that much about. If you have trouble following stories that aren't linear, then don't see this movie. It jumps around A LOT. It is very cool how it all fits together though. Very cool. There are several amazing actors though no amazing performances. Settle in your theater seat with a large drink and lots of snacks.
I give this movie three bear paws. See it at the theater, preferably on Imax. It is amazing.
******************************
u r a bcog u r fawm Now believe it!
Sunday, October 28, 2012
God hasn't moved...
Our Daily Bread
There is a cute story about an older couple riding in the car. The gentleman is driving, as usual. His wife of over fifty years looks over and says "Remember when we used to sit very close together in the car and always have to be touching?" The gentleman looked over and said lovingly "I haven't moved..." Ha!
Isn't that the way we are with God so many times? We complain that God feels so far from us. He doesn't watch our lives "from a distance" like the song mentioned in the devotional. He is with us each and every second of each and every day. Friends tease me sometimes because I talk about my conversations with God like he is a real person. I am like "Uh, he is a real person. Where have you been?" ha!
Talking...and more importantly... and listening to God like he is a "real person" is an important part of getting to know God better! Try it today. It may feel odd at first. Trust God. He is with you.
Lord, thank you for always being near. Please help us always remember that!
Psalm Sunday
Psalm 67 is short and very full of praise! May we all praise God!
I created something special to me this week. I call it a psalm mashup. It is a combination of psalm verses that speak specifically to my needs or feelings for the day. I love the psalms, but I sometimes find the archaic language disturbing instead of inspiring (breaking of enemies' teeth?). Find some of your favorite psalm verses and try your own.
My First Psalm Mashup:
I pray the weight of my sins doth not crush me back to dust from where I came. I pray that God create in me a new, clean heart and place a right spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of my salvation. Praise the Almighty God from whom all blessings flow.
Psalm 67
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
6 The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
7 May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.
************************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
There is a cute story about an older couple riding in the car. The gentleman is driving, as usual. His wife of over fifty years looks over and says "Remember when we used to sit very close together in the car and always have to be touching?" The gentleman looked over and said lovingly "I haven't moved..." Ha!
Isn't that the way we are with God so many times? We complain that God feels so far from us. He doesn't watch our lives "from a distance" like the song mentioned in the devotional. He is with us each and every second of each and every day. Friends tease me sometimes because I talk about my conversations with God like he is a real person. I am like "Uh, he is a real person. Where have you been?" ha!
Talking...and more importantly... and listening to God like he is a "real person" is an important part of getting to know God better! Try it today. It may feel odd at first. Trust God. He is with you.
Lord, thank you for always being near. Please help us always remember that!
Psalm Sunday
Psalm 67 is short and very full of praise! May we all praise God!
I created something special to me this week. I call it a psalm mashup. It is a combination of psalm verses that speak specifically to my needs or feelings for the day. I love the psalms, but I sometimes find the archaic language disturbing instead of inspiring (breaking of enemies' teeth?). Find some of your favorite psalm verses and try your own.
My First Psalm Mashup:
I pray the weight of my sins doth not crush me back to dust from where I came. I pray that God create in me a new, clean heart and place a right spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of my salvation. Praise the Almighty God from whom all blessings flow.
Psalm 67
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
6 The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
7 May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.
************************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Misplaced confidence
Our Daily Bread
I love watching sports (and playing some as well). One of the things I don't like is "trash talking". Men (usually) are so confident in themselves that they have to talk down to the other team or competitor before a game. That confidence can be misplaced sometimes!
Misplaced confidence is the topic of the devotional today. Many of us put too much confidence in things other than God. Things that aren't as reliable like money or fame or good looks. I don't have any of those things, but I am sort of smart. I know I put too much confidence in knowing stuff when in fact I don't know squat about the things that are really important!
Once again, this one hit me like a ton of Biblical bricks! My week of self-reflection and painful realizations continues with the reading this morning as God is performing another round of surgery on this old bear. I praise God and thank God, the master surgeon as he is making me the man he wants me to be. I am sorry that I am not more workable clay.
So where are you? In what or whom do you place your confidence? Trust God today.
Lord, thank you for being the ultimate in reliability! Help us always put our trust and confidence in you alone!
Simply Saturday
Self-justification
I have read a lot about Lance Armstrong the past few years. If you have been living under a rock (which some people accuse me of at times), Lance Armstrong is the famous cyclist who won a record seven Tour de France races in a row. He also had cancer and survived. He started a wonderfully inspiring foundation for cancer support and healthy living called Livestrong. Lance fervently maintained his innocence for many years after each accuser fell to the wayside with a lack of proof.
Recently, the drug testing and enforcement agency for cycling finally gathered all the evidence to take Lance down. Many, many pages of many, many documents detailed how he was the master mind behind an elaborate doping program that helped him and his teammates win race after race.
I don't blame Lance for being human, for desperately clinging to innocence and self-justification. Maintaining all the things that you are used to and retaining all the things you accomplished is a strong human need or tendency. Mankind has done all kinds of outlandish things over thousands of years in the name of innocence and self-justification. We perform rituals, whether religious or secular. We start wars. We flap our mouths with meaningless words of false piety. We do whatever we can to justify our actions and even our existence.
So it is no surprise that I finally had my self-justification epiphany last Sunday. It has been a very painful week for me as I have been dealing with the implications. My actions have not had the financial or professional implications that Lance had from his actions, but the implications were very personal and painful. I sent emails to those close to me that I hurt from my actions. At this point, I don't even know if they read my emails. Healing can happen because we all serve the great healer. Time and prayer will tell.
Realizing that some of the implications may be life changing or irreparable has been the most difficult thing to deal with. I created what I call my first "psalm mashup" on Monday:
I pray the weight of my sins doth not crush me back to dust from where I came. I pray that God create in me a new, clean heart and place a right spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of my salvation. Praise the Almighty God from whom all blessings flow.
Bottom line: it is better to get these painful things out in the open and let the healing begin. Sticking your head in the sand (or somewhere else) only makes things worse and you may not even know it. Be brave. Trust God. The Great Healer is on call.
Just a reminder to myself this week: I am a beloved child of God. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Now believe it, Duane If you never understood my text message: u r a bcog U r fawm. I just gave you the translation!
***********************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
I love watching sports (and playing some as well). One of the things I don't like is "trash talking". Men (usually) are so confident in themselves that they have to talk down to the other team or competitor before a game. That confidence can be misplaced sometimes!
Misplaced confidence is the topic of the devotional today. Many of us put too much confidence in things other than God. Things that aren't as reliable like money or fame or good looks. I don't have any of those things, but I am sort of smart. I know I put too much confidence in knowing stuff when in fact I don't know squat about the things that are really important!
Once again, this one hit me like a ton of Biblical bricks! My week of self-reflection and painful realizations continues with the reading this morning as God is performing another round of surgery on this old bear. I praise God and thank God, the master surgeon as he is making me the man he wants me to be. I am sorry that I am not more workable clay.
So where are you? In what or whom do you place your confidence? Trust God today.
Lord, thank you for being the ultimate in reliability! Help us always put our trust and confidence in you alone!
Simply Saturday
Self-justification
I have read a lot about Lance Armstrong the past few years. If you have been living under a rock (which some people accuse me of at times), Lance Armstrong is the famous cyclist who won a record seven Tour de France races in a row. He also had cancer and survived. He started a wonderfully inspiring foundation for cancer support and healthy living called Livestrong. Lance fervently maintained his innocence for many years after each accuser fell to the wayside with a lack of proof.
Recently, the drug testing and enforcement agency for cycling finally gathered all the evidence to take Lance down. Many, many pages of many, many documents detailed how he was the master mind behind an elaborate doping program that helped him and his teammates win race after race.
I don't blame Lance for being human, for desperately clinging to innocence and self-justification. Maintaining all the things that you are used to and retaining all the things you accomplished is a strong human need or tendency. Mankind has done all kinds of outlandish things over thousands of years in the name of innocence and self-justification. We perform rituals, whether religious or secular. We start wars. We flap our mouths with meaningless words of false piety. We do whatever we can to justify our actions and even our existence.
So it is no surprise that I finally had my self-justification epiphany last Sunday. It has been a very painful week for me as I have been dealing with the implications. My actions have not had the financial or professional implications that Lance had from his actions, but the implications were very personal and painful. I sent emails to those close to me that I hurt from my actions. At this point, I don't even know if they read my emails. Healing can happen because we all serve the great healer. Time and prayer will tell.
Realizing that some of the implications may be life changing or irreparable has been the most difficult thing to deal with. I created what I call my first "psalm mashup" on Monday:
I pray the weight of my sins doth not crush me back to dust from where I came. I pray that God create in me a new, clean heart and place a right spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of my salvation. Praise the Almighty God from whom all blessings flow.
Bottom line: it is better to get these painful things out in the open and let the healing begin. Sticking your head in the sand (or somewhere else) only makes things worse and you may not even know it. Be brave. Trust God. The Great Healer is on call.
Just a reminder to myself this week: I am a beloved child of God. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Now believe it, Duane If you never understood my text message: u r a bcog U r fawm. I just gave you the translation!
***********************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
Friday, October 26, 2012
Much debt
Our Daily Bread
I am ashamed to say that I am not always proud of my family who came from humble beginnings. Instead of focusing on the positive things like being caring, giving people with the best of intentions, I have a tendency to be too critical. The devotional talks about that today.
The story of Rahab was very interesting to me when I read it again last year. I love reading the Old Testament because God uses all kinds of folks to achieve his purposes. Rahab was a prostitute that hid the spies of Israel from her people because she knew they were from God. She lied about it. She was also the great-great grandmother of King David!
The bottom line of this story and of so many others in the Bible -- "He can take people with a bad reputation, transform their lives, and turn them into examples of His love and forgiveness." Wow! Maybe there is hope for me! Once again, the devotional spoke to me personally this morning as God is reassuring me of his love and grace after my epiphany on Sunday. I have been feeling the weight of my sin like a 747 airplane weighing down my heart. I pray that God will forgive, help me forgive myself and help others forgive me.
Lord, you can use each of us if we will just let you!
Foodie Friday
I have another pot luck at church on Sunday. I haven't thought too much about what I want to make. I thought about the apple pumpkin streusel pie that I made for my last dinner group. I also have a couple packages of snow peas in my freezer. I thought about snow peas and mushrooms. I will figure that out tonight, I guess. I have a very busy day planned for Saturday. Whew...
I made a cheese dip for my Bible study class on Tuesday. I usually fry about a 1/2 pound of chorizo sausage, drain and pat dry, then mix it in a large jar of Frito Lay medium cheese dip. This make a nice tasting dip you can serve with Scoops. This week, I used spicy chicken sausage instead of chorizo. It gave it a different, though pleasing, taste. My joke is "I like my cheese dip like my men -- chunky and spicy!" ha!
Give either one a try this weekend. Be sure to drain and pat dry the sausage after frying. The extra grease is sort of gross if you don't!
******************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I am ashamed to say that I am not always proud of my family who came from humble beginnings. Instead of focusing on the positive things like being caring, giving people with the best of intentions, I have a tendency to be too critical. The devotional talks about that today.
The story of Rahab was very interesting to me when I read it again last year. I love reading the Old Testament because God uses all kinds of folks to achieve his purposes. Rahab was a prostitute that hid the spies of Israel from her people because she knew they were from God. She lied about it. She was also the great-great grandmother of King David!
The bottom line of this story and of so many others in the Bible -- "He can take people with a bad reputation, transform their lives, and turn them into examples of His love and forgiveness." Wow! Maybe there is hope for me! Once again, the devotional spoke to me personally this morning as God is reassuring me of his love and grace after my epiphany on Sunday. I have been feeling the weight of my sin like a 747 airplane weighing down my heart. I pray that God will forgive, help me forgive myself and help others forgive me.
Lord, you can use each of us if we will just let you!
Foodie Friday
I have another pot luck at church on Sunday. I haven't thought too much about what I want to make. I thought about the apple pumpkin streusel pie that I made for my last dinner group. I also have a couple packages of snow peas in my freezer. I thought about snow peas and mushrooms. I will figure that out tonight, I guess. I have a very busy day planned for Saturday. Whew...
I made a cheese dip for my Bible study class on Tuesday. I usually fry about a 1/2 pound of chorizo sausage, drain and pat dry, then mix it in a large jar of Frito Lay medium cheese dip. This make a nice tasting dip you can serve with Scoops. This week, I used spicy chicken sausage instead of chorizo. It gave it a different, though pleasing, taste. My joke is "I like my cheese dip like my men -- chunky and spicy!" ha!
Give either one a try this weekend. Be sure to drain and pat dry the sausage after frying. The extra grease is sort of gross if you don't!
******************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Busyness
Our Daily Bread
I like the term "busyness". I started using it a few years ago. It is not to be confused with the word "business". Busyness describes the human tendency to do too much and not focus on things that are really important! At least that is my definition!
The devotional talks about how we often let our busyness distract us from enjoying the things that God has for us. We don't take time to marvel at the wonders of our God and King. We don't take time to admire his creation. We don't take time to be thankful for the gifts of God. We don't take time to appreciate what we have.
I find that during my times of busyness, I have to schedule the appreciate time like I would any other appointment or meeting. It works! Try that today in your busy life!
Lord, thank you for the many blessings and wonders in our lives. Please help us be truly thankful and meditate on your greatness!
Technology Thursday
Another Apple Announcement
Apple had another product announcement event on Tuesday. Here is a summary of what they are releasing:
iPad Mini
This is the big news. There have been rumors swirling about an iPad Mini for over a year. Apple's main competition, what little there is for the iPad, has been from smaller tablets like the Kindle Fire and the Google Nexus tablet. These tablets are smaller and much cheaper than the iPad. The iPad Mini is 7.9" in size compared to 7" for the competitors. Apple also pushed the envelope with their pricing. The iPad Mini starts at $349 (compared to $170 for the competitors). We will see how consumers react. There are some features available on the iPad Mini that are not available on other tablets. There are some features not available on the iPad Mini that others have.
iMac
All I have to say is WOW! The new iMac looks like a work of art. It has had a smart, modern look for many years, but they out did themselves this time. It is so thin! And so powerful! The latest Intel processors and very powerful graphics processors. Very, very impressive.
Mac Mini
Apple teased a little bit with the Mac Mini before they announced the iPad Mini. Nice. They added some more processor power to this little workhorse for the same price.
iPad with Retina Display
To my chagrin, Apple came out with ANOTHER iPad! They added a retina display and a processor that is twice as fast as the iPad they released in March. AAAaaaarrrggghhhhhh! I can accept updates once a year and being out of date for a year or two, but being out of date only six or seven months after buying a new Apple device. I understand that Apple needed this to compete with the latest Samsung Galaxy devices. Oh well.
MacBook Pro 13 with retina display
As expected, Apple announced a 13" version of the MacBook Pro with retina display. Very cool. This laptop is almost as thin as the latest MacBook Air laptops! Very impressive look, feel and performance.
Check out the Apple site for the availability of their new products.
******************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
I like the term "busyness". I started using it a few years ago. It is not to be confused with the word "business". Busyness describes the human tendency to do too much and not focus on things that are really important! At least that is my definition!
The devotional talks about how we often let our busyness distract us from enjoying the things that God has for us. We don't take time to marvel at the wonders of our God and King. We don't take time to admire his creation. We don't take time to be thankful for the gifts of God. We don't take time to appreciate what we have.
I find that during my times of busyness, I have to schedule the appreciate time like I would any other appointment or meeting. It works! Try that today in your busy life!
Lord, thank you for the many blessings and wonders in our lives. Please help us be truly thankful and meditate on your greatness!
Technology Thursday
Another Apple Announcement
Apple had another product announcement event on Tuesday. Here is a summary of what they are releasing:
iPad Mini
This is the big news. There have been rumors swirling about an iPad Mini for over a year. Apple's main competition, what little there is for the iPad, has been from smaller tablets like the Kindle Fire and the Google Nexus tablet. These tablets are smaller and much cheaper than the iPad. The iPad Mini is 7.9" in size compared to 7" for the competitors. Apple also pushed the envelope with their pricing. The iPad Mini starts at $349 (compared to $170 for the competitors). We will see how consumers react. There are some features available on the iPad Mini that are not available on other tablets. There are some features not available on the iPad Mini that others have.
iMac
All I have to say is WOW! The new iMac looks like a work of art. It has had a smart, modern look for many years, but they out did themselves this time. It is so thin! And so powerful! The latest Intel processors and very powerful graphics processors. Very, very impressive.
Mac Mini
Apple teased a little bit with the Mac Mini before they announced the iPad Mini. Nice. They added some more processor power to this little workhorse for the same price.
iPad with Retina Display
To my chagrin, Apple came out with ANOTHER iPad! They added a retina display and a processor that is twice as fast as the iPad they released in March. AAAaaaarrrggghhhhhh! I can accept updates once a year and being out of date for a year or two, but being out of date only six or seven months after buying a new Apple device. I understand that Apple needed this to compete with the latest Samsung Galaxy devices. Oh well.
MacBook Pro 13 with retina display
As expected, Apple announced a 13" version of the MacBook Pro with retina display. Very cool. This laptop is almost as thin as the latest MacBook Air laptops! Very impressive look, feel and performance.
Check out the Apple site for the availability of their new products.
******************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Know it all
Our Daily Bread
Ever met someone that seems to "know it all"? They usually don't let you forget it! Wait? You talkin' bout me? ha! Yeah, some folks think I am that way. Heavy sigh.
I am a person that has the "gift of gab". I can talk to anyone, individuals or groups or even large groups. This is not a common ability, so I get a big head or "know it all" attitude sometimes. Psalm 25:9 gently reminded me that someone who truly seeks God's direction is a humble person, regardless of his or her gifts or abilities. I don't think I have been called humble. I have a tendency to sing the silly old country song "Lord, its hard to be humble"! ha! I am being a silly old bear again. The point is that regardless of who you are and what you can do, God "guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way." How about me? How about you?
Lord, thank you for your patience with us. Please help us seek you with a humble heart.
Wellness Wednesday
Surgery
"Oh, this leg? Just an old football injury!" "The shoulder ain't never been right since the accident." These are some things that a person my age might say! They all refer to the physical body, which we learn to live with as we age. How about our psyche? Don't we also hear things like "I don't think I can love again after the divorce" or "After the death of so and so, she hasn't been the same". I hear these things as well. We all do what we have to do to survive and cope. Should we do something different?
I heard an analogy on the radio a few months back. There are two ways to treat a wounded soldier: give him morphine to dull the pain or perform surgery to enable him to heal. I have seen several examples of doctors giving morphine because surgery was too risky or the patient was too weak. Surgery is not always the right option.
As Christians, we should pray for discernment and for wholeness. There are times in our lives that we just can't handle surgery to our psyche or personality or anything else. From my experience, praying for wholeness eventually requires surgery. Reach out your hand. Touch the hem of his garment. Have faith. These are the types of things that Jesus required for folks to be made whole.
Lastly, I learned from my experiences so far to not constantly push yourself. There are times that we need the ebb and flow of our spiritual life for new habits or beliefs to sink in and "take". We need that time of healing after spiritual surgery to get our minds around what it is like to be healthy and whole. Use that time for more prayer and discernment!
100 Simple Secrets of Happy People
Secret number 20: Develop a household routine.
Whether you live alone or have a family or are empty nesters, it is easy to be overwhelmed with all the things that need to be done around your dwelling (house, apartment, trailer,etc). Studies show that happy people are more like to have a daily chore list that helps them organize all the things they need to do so they don't get overwhelmed. Overwhelmed = unhappy!
***************************
u r a bcog U r fawm Now believe it!
Ever met someone that seems to "know it all"? They usually don't let you forget it! Wait? You talkin' bout me? ha! Yeah, some folks think I am that way. Heavy sigh.
I am a person that has the "gift of gab". I can talk to anyone, individuals or groups or even large groups. This is not a common ability, so I get a big head or "know it all" attitude sometimes. Psalm 25:9 gently reminded me that someone who truly seeks God's direction is a humble person, regardless of his or her gifts or abilities. I don't think I have been called humble. I have a tendency to sing the silly old country song "Lord, its hard to be humble"! ha! I am being a silly old bear again. The point is that regardless of who you are and what you can do, God "guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way." How about me? How about you?
Lord, thank you for your patience with us. Please help us seek you with a humble heart.
Wellness Wednesday
Surgery
"Oh, this leg? Just an old football injury!" "The shoulder ain't never been right since the accident." These are some things that a person my age might say! They all refer to the physical body, which we learn to live with as we age. How about our psyche? Don't we also hear things like "I don't think I can love again after the divorce" or "After the death of so and so, she hasn't been the same". I hear these things as well. We all do what we have to do to survive and cope. Should we do something different?
I heard an analogy on the radio a few months back. There are two ways to treat a wounded soldier: give him morphine to dull the pain or perform surgery to enable him to heal. I have seen several examples of doctors giving morphine because surgery was too risky or the patient was too weak. Surgery is not always the right option.
As Christians, we should pray for discernment and for wholeness. There are times in our lives that we just can't handle surgery to our psyche or personality or anything else. From my experience, praying for wholeness eventually requires surgery. Reach out your hand. Touch the hem of his garment. Have faith. These are the types of things that Jesus required for folks to be made whole.
Lastly, I learned from my experiences so far to not constantly push yourself. There are times that we need the ebb and flow of our spiritual life for new habits or beliefs to sink in and "take". We need that time of healing after spiritual surgery to get our minds around what it is like to be healthy and whole. Use that time for more prayer and discernment!
100 Simple Secrets of Happy People
Secret number 20: Develop a household routine.
Whether you live alone or have a family or are empty nesters, it is easy to be overwhelmed with all the things that need to be done around your dwelling (house, apartment, trailer,etc). Studies show that happy people are more like to have a daily chore list that helps them organize all the things they need to do so they don't get overwhelmed. Overwhelmed = unhappy!
***************************
u r a bcog U r fawm Now believe it!
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Eternal warranty
Our Daily Bread
I like Lands End coats. They are a little more expensive than I usually like to spend on a coat, but they have a great warranty. I had some simple things go wrong with my first one. It was a green windjammer style that had zippers break a two different times. What did LE do? They replaced the coat twice! What a great warranty!
God offers us an even better warranty -- one that never expires! We're talking never! No matter what we go through. No matter what happens to us. God will always be there for us. Even when we sin and sin and sin, God's mercy can lift us up. I am not saying that there aren't consequences for our sins because there are always consequences. God will reestablish relationship with us if we just ask. Wow!
The devotional also spoke to me from Jeremiah's point of view. I have felt exhausted the past week or so. I feel like I have been beating my head against the wall about some things and not really understanding what. I finally realized something very important on Sunday night (see below). I want to assure you (and me) that God is with me. God is uplifting me with his love and mercy. God is more than fulfilling his warranty of love and grace. Praise God!
Lord, thank you for your love. Please refresh when we are down or when we are tired from praising you!
Teaching Tuesday
The lesson this week was on the Tower of Babel. It also talked about early Biblical peoples and where they came from (which sons of Noah). It was very interesting stuff. Here are the most important points to me:
1. The Sumerians were a people that demonstrated the first signs of "civilization" or the organization of people into cities and governments. This was a huge change from the nomadic life of people before that.
2. Since the nomadic lifestyle revolved around the seasons and finding food for their flocks, time was not that big a deal to them. It wasn't until the first cities that time became something that was consciously considered and measured.
3. Cites, like the one where the Tower of Babel was built, were for security. The Tower of Babel was for fame.
4. Man used the same language of "creation" while building the Tower that God did while creating the universe and everything in it. Man was trying to put himself on the same level as God (again).
5. Throughout history, man has struggled with his arrogance, many times reaching for useless self-justification instead of truly seeking and worshiping God.
I learned a lot from this lesson. The last point about self-justification hit me very hard. I finally let God open my eyes to the fact that I also struggle with doing good things for the wrong reasons - for self-justification. It is only human. God calls us to be more than our sinful human selves. We are to be like him -- or at least try our best with his help!.
**********************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
I like Lands End coats. They are a little more expensive than I usually like to spend on a coat, but they have a great warranty. I had some simple things go wrong with my first one. It was a green windjammer style that had zippers break a two different times. What did LE do? They replaced the coat twice! What a great warranty!
God offers us an even better warranty -- one that never expires! We're talking never! No matter what we go through. No matter what happens to us. God will always be there for us. Even when we sin and sin and sin, God's mercy can lift us up. I am not saying that there aren't consequences for our sins because there are always consequences. God will reestablish relationship with us if we just ask. Wow!
The devotional also spoke to me from Jeremiah's point of view. I have felt exhausted the past week or so. I feel like I have been beating my head against the wall about some things and not really understanding what. I finally realized something very important on Sunday night (see below). I want to assure you (and me) that God is with me. God is uplifting me with his love and mercy. God is more than fulfilling his warranty of love and grace. Praise God!
Lord, thank you for your love. Please refresh when we are down or when we are tired from praising you!
Teaching Tuesday
The lesson this week was on the Tower of Babel. It also talked about early Biblical peoples and where they came from (which sons of Noah). It was very interesting stuff. Here are the most important points to me:
1. The Sumerians were a people that demonstrated the first signs of "civilization" or the organization of people into cities and governments. This was a huge change from the nomadic life of people before that.
2. Since the nomadic lifestyle revolved around the seasons and finding food for their flocks, time was not that big a deal to them. It wasn't until the first cities that time became something that was consciously considered and measured.
3. Cites, like the one where the Tower of Babel was built, were for security. The Tower of Babel was for fame.
4. Man used the same language of "creation" while building the Tower that God did while creating the universe and everything in it. Man was trying to put himself on the same level as God (again).
5. Throughout history, man has struggled with his arrogance, many times reaching for useless self-justification instead of truly seeking and worshiping God.
I learned a lot from this lesson. The last point about self-justification hit me very hard. I finally let God open my eyes to the fact that I also struggle with doing good things for the wrong reasons - for self-justification. It is only human. God calls us to be more than our sinful human selves. We are to be like him -- or at least try our best with his help!.
**********************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
Monday, October 22, 2012
Send a thank you note
Our Daily Bread
I don't know about you, but I am not very good at writing thank you notes. I mean to because I am thankful for each and every gift I receive from friends or family. I am not sure if it is lack of discipline or just lazy!
We can be that way as Christians. We can be undisciplined or just lazy when it comes to thanking God for everything in our lives. I mean everything. Both the good and the bad make us what we are. How much we turn things over to God during the bad times make us who we are. Not getting arrogant when things are going well is also important.
Do we have thankful hearts? Do we thank God for each and every thing in our lives?
Lord, thank you for everything in my life. Every thing.
Movie Monday
I got to see two movies last week: End of Watch and Pitch Perfect. They had both been out for a few weeks. I hadn't taken the time to view them.
End of Watch
End of Watch, IMHO, is a contemporary cop movie classic. The action and filming technique make it seem real to the viewer. The story line is about two young patrol officers that stumble on the activity of the drug cartels in South Central LA. It is gruesome and violent. Do not see this movie if this kind of stuff turns you off.
I give this movie two bear paws out of four. You can rent it. There is no pressing reason to see it at the theater.
Pitch Perfect
OK, I am a music geek. I like a Capella music, which is what this movie is about. It is like Sister Act 2 or Joyful Noise mixed in with Bring it on! The story is about a college a Capella competition that is dominated by two groups from the same college. A male group at the top of their game. The ladies group struggles to be competitive in a competition that seems to have left them behind. Fun and hijinx follow as the coming of age of one of the ladies group members makes her mark on the group. There is a little love story thrown in there as well. Some very funny stuff. The music is really good.
I give this two bear paws out of four. Do not see this movie if you don't like a Capella music. You will be bored out of your mind.
***********************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
I don't know about you, but I am not very good at writing thank you notes. I mean to because I am thankful for each and every gift I receive from friends or family. I am not sure if it is lack of discipline or just lazy!
We can be that way as Christians. We can be undisciplined or just lazy when it comes to thanking God for everything in our lives. I mean everything. Both the good and the bad make us what we are. How much we turn things over to God during the bad times make us who we are. Not getting arrogant when things are going well is also important.
Do we have thankful hearts? Do we thank God for each and every thing in our lives?
Lord, thank you for everything in my life. Every thing.
Movie Monday
I got to see two movies last week: End of Watch and Pitch Perfect. They had both been out for a few weeks. I hadn't taken the time to view them.
End of Watch
End of Watch, IMHO, is a contemporary cop movie classic. The action and filming technique make it seem real to the viewer. The story line is about two young patrol officers that stumble on the activity of the drug cartels in South Central LA. It is gruesome and violent. Do not see this movie if this kind of stuff turns you off.
I give this movie two bear paws out of four. You can rent it. There is no pressing reason to see it at the theater.
Pitch Perfect
OK, I am a music geek. I like a Capella music, which is what this movie is about. It is like Sister Act 2 or Joyful Noise mixed in with Bring it on! The story is about a college a Capella competition that is dominated by two groups from the same college. A male group at the top of their game. The ladies group struggles to be competitive in a competition that seems to have left them behind. Fun and hijinx follow as the coming of age of one of the ladies group members makes her mark on the group. There is a little love story thrown in there as well. Some very funny stuff. The music is really good.
I give this two bear paws out of four. Do not see this movie if you don't like a Capella music. You will be bored out of your mind.
***********************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Don't fear the Reaper
Our Daily Bread
There is a song by Blue Oyster Cult called Don't fear the reaper. The lyrics don't make much sense to me. I assume it is talking about death, sometimes called the reaper. I know this is a stretch, but it has something to do with the devotional.
The devotional talks about reaping what you sow. That sounds sort of obvious for those of us who grew up around farms. You sow corn. You reap corn. You sow soybeans. You reap soybeans. It becomes more cloudy when it comes to our lives. What are we sowing? What will we reap from our sowing? Will we reap souls to present to God as we brought folks to him during our time on earth? Or, will we reap hurt feelings and discord as we sowed something very different than the love of God? The passage in Galatians 6:1-10 is a classic one for me.
On a funny/sad note, I was talking to a new friend last night. I found myself saying "I wish I was as religious as I think I am". Wow. I thought about that after we left the restaurant and on the drive home. I really need to look at what I am sowing! How about you?
Lord, please help me to know what I am sowing. I want to reap with joy!
Psalm Sunday
We will look at Psalm 66 today. This is what I call "a good one"! It is a praise psalm. It is one that we should read regularly to keep in mind the awesomeness of our God!
Psalm 66
For the director of music. A song. A psalm.
1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
2 Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing the praises of your name.”
5 Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds for mankind!
6 He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him.
7 He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him.
8 Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
9 he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
10 For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
11 You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.
13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you—
14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you
and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
19 but God has surely listened
and has heard my prayer.
20 Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!
********************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
There is a song by Blue Oyster Cult called Don't fear the reaper. The lyrics don't make much sense to me. I assume it is talking about death, sometimes called the reaper. I know this is a stretch, but it has something to do with the devotional.
The devotional talks about reaping what you sow. That sounds sort of obvious for those of us who grew up around farms. You sow corn. You reap corn. You sow soybeans. You reap soybeans. It becomes more cloudy when it comes to our lives. What are we sowing? What will we reap from our sowing? Will we reap souls to present to God as we brought folks to him during our time on earth? Or, will we reap hurt feelings and discord as we sowed something very different than the love of God? The passage in Galatians 6:1-10 is a classic one for me.
On a funny/sad note, I was talking to a new friend last night. I found myself saying "I wish I was as religious as I think I am". Wow. I thought about that after we left the restaurant and on the drive home. I really need to look at what I am sowing! How about you?
Lord, please help me to know what I am sowing. I want to reap with joy!
Psalm Sunday
We will look at Psalm 66 today. This is what I call "a good one"! It is a praise psalm. It is one that we should read regularly to keep in mind the awesomeness of our God!
Psalm 66
For the director of music. A song. A psalm.
1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
2 Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing the praises of your name.”
5 Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds for mankind!
6 He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him.
7 He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him.
8 Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
9 he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
10 For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
11 You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.
13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you—
14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you
and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
19 but God has surely listened
and has heard my prayer.
20 Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!
********************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Never been good at waiting
Our Daily Bread
I have never been very good at waiting. My joke is "I am tapping my foot patiently", which everyone knows is impossible! I know I don't always understand God's timing. I have a tendency to try to make things happen on my own, often with disastrous results! Yikes!
The devotional talks about God's timing. About waiting for God's timing even when it seems God is not with you. Stubborn faith (see next section) knows without a shadow of a doubt that God is near and that he has our best interests at heart. If God is saying wait, then he has a darn good reason!
Here is my recent favorite song called While I'm waiting by John Waller:
I'm waiting, I'm waiting on You Lord
And I am hopeful, I'm waiting on You Lord
Though it is painful, but patiently I will wait
And I will move ahead bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting I will serve You
While I'm waiting I will worship
While I'm waiting I will not faint
I'll be running the race even while I wait
I'm waiting, I'm waiting on You Lord
And I am peaceful, I'm waiting on You Lord
Though it's not easy no, but faithfully I will wait
Yes, I will wait
And I will move ahead bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/john_waller/while_im_waiting.html ]
While I'm waiting I will serve You
While I'm waiting I will worship
While I'm waiting I will not faint
I'll be running the race even while I wait
I will move ahead bold and confident
I'll be taking every step in obedience, yeah
While I'm waiting I will serve You
While I'm waiting I will worship
While I'm waiting I will not faint
And I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You Lord
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/john_waller/#share
Lord, thank you for knowing what is best for us. Please help us be patient and wait on your timing!
Simply Saturday
Stubbornness
Yes, I am a stubborn old bear. I have always been stubborn. I think I get it from my grandparents. They were both that way! I have learned over the years to apply the stubbornness in more appropriate ways.
My beliefs
There are some things that I firmly believe are true and I will not be moved.
Fairness
I am very stubborn about issues regarding fairness for all people.
My faith
I am very, very stubborn when it comes to my faith in God.
Stubbornness, like money, is not bad in itself. It is how the stubbornness is applied in your life. Apply it towards the things of God today.
******************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
I have never been very good at waiting. My joke is "I am tapping my foot patiently", which everyone knows is impossible! I know I don't always understand God's timing. I have a tendency to try to make things happen on my own, often with disastrous results! Yikes!
The devotional talks about God's timing. About waiting for God's timing even when it seems God is not with you. Stubborn faith (see next section) knows without a shadow of a doubt that God is near and that he has our best interests at heart. If God is saying wait, then he has a darn good reason!
Here is my recent favorite song called While I'm waiting by John Waller:
I'm waiting, I'm waiting on You Lord
And I am hopeful, I'm waiting on You Lord
Though it is painful, but patiently I will wait
And I will move ahead bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting I will serve You
While I'm waiting I will worship
While I'm waiting I will not faint
I'll be running the race even while I wait
I'm waiting, I'm waiting on You Lord
And I am peaceful, I'm waiting on You Lord
Though it's not easy no, but faithfully I will wait
Yes, I will wait
And I will move ahead bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/john_waller/while_im_waiting.html ]
While I'm waiting I will serve You
While I'm waiting I will worship
While I'm waiting I will not faint
I'll be running the race even while I wait
I will move ahead bold and confident
I'll be taking every step in obedience, yeah
While I'm waiting I will serve You
While I'm waiting I will worship
While I'm waiting I will not faint
And I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You Lord
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/john_waller/#share
Lord, thank you for knowing what is best for us. Please help us be patient and wait on your timing!
Simply Saturday
Stubbornness
Yes, I am a stubborn old bear. I have always been stubborn. I think I get it from my grandparents. They were both that way! I have learned over the years to apply the stubbornness in more appropriate ways.
My beliefs
There are some things that I firmly believe are true and I will not be moved.
Fairness
I am very stubborn about issues regarding fairness for all people.
My faith
I am very, very stubborn when it comes to my faith in God.
Stubbornness, like money, is not bad in itself. It is how the stubbornness is applied in your life. Apply it towards the things of God today.
******************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
Friday, October 19, 2012
Keep ready
Our Daily Bread
Did you see the sports story the other night when a little used baseball player came into the game unexpectedly and won it for his team? That real life story applies to the devotional today!
The devotional talks about always being ready to serve with the talents and gifts that God gave you and that you developed. I liked the ending prayer a lot:
Heavenly Father, I need to remember that
what I do is up to You, but how I do it is up
to me. Whether I am busy or still, may I be
peaceable, gentle, humble, kind, and loving.
Be ready, my friends! God help us be peaceable, gentle, humble, kind and loving!
Lord, thank you for your amazing love and for letting me be on your "team". Please help me always be ready to play my part!
Foodie Friday
Big Batch
I am making chili for my church's Sunday at a local food pantry. If you have read my blog for a while, you may remember that I posted my famous chili recipe a few times (reposts by request). The one time I made a big batch of my chili, I made it waaaaayyyyy too hot! I think some friends of mine were scarred for life at the New Years Eve party when we ate it! I didn't want to make that mistake again for the food pantry. I asked my contact what she usually does. She gave me this recipe:
For each pound of hamburger, use:
1 can of beans
1 can of condensed tomato soup (plus one can of water)
1 tablespoon of chili powder.
If you use more than a few pounds of meat, then put in one can of chopped tomatoes as well. We are supposed to make six pounds of ground beef, so here is what I want to do:
six pounds of lean ground beef
3 cans of light red kidney beans
3 cans of black beans
5 large jars of medium salsa
6 tablespoons of chili powder
1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes
touch of salt and pepper
This recipe should be chunky and a little spicy (just the way I like my men!). ha!
*********************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Did you see the sports story the other night when a little used baseball player came into the game unexpectedly and won it for his team? That real life story applies to the devotional today!
The devotional talks about always being ready to serve with the talents and gifts that God gave you and that you developed. I liked the ending prayer a lot:
Heavenly Father, I need to remember that
what I do is up to You, but how I do it is up
to me. Whether I am busy or still, may I be
peaceable, gentle, humble, kind, and loving.
Be ready, my friends! God help us be peaceable, gentle, humble, kind and loving!
Lord, thank you for your amazing love and for letting me be on your "team". Please help me always be ready to play my part!
Foodie Friday
Big Batch
I am making chili for my church's Sunday at a local food pantry. If you have read my blog for a while, you may remember that I posted my famous chili recipe a few times (reposts by request). The one time I made a big batch of my chili, I made it waaaaayyyyy too hot! I think some friends of mine were scarred for life at the New Years Eve party when we ate it! I didn't want to make that mistake again for the food pantry. I asked my contact what she usually does. She gave me this recipe:
For each pound of hamburger, use:
1 can of beans
1 can of condensed tomato soup (plus one can of water)
1 tablespoon of chili powder.
If you use more than a few pounds of meat, then put in one can of chopped tomatoes as well. We are supposed to make six pounds of ground beef, so here is what I want to do:
six pounds of lean ground beef
3 cans of light red kidney beans
3 cans of black beans
5 large jars of medium salsa
6 tablespoons of chili powder
1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes
touch of salt and pepper
This recipe should be chunky and a little spicy (just the way I like my men!). ha!
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Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Short-term memory
Our Daily Bread
I have a joke with some friends about memory. While I usually have an accurate memory that is almost scary at times, I often forget simple things. My joke is "I don't remember what I had for breakfast this morning, much less what happened a few weeks ago!" ha!
Unfortunately, Christians can be that way when we think of God. We often forget all the times he brought us through bad times and good times. We often forget to be thankful through all things as God makes us whole and brings us closer to him. We often forget how our lives could be if we lived according to our own selfish designs.
Remember, my friends. Remember.
Lord, thank you for all your many gifts and for your grace. Please help us all to be thankful each and every moment of each and every day!
Technology Thursday
Softbank-Sprint
The big story this week is the purchase of Sprint by Softbank. Softbank is a Japanese company that wanted to make inroads in the US market. Purchasing over 70% of Sprint will give them a large US presence and a larger global presence. The cash influx will help Sprint build out its LTE network at a much faster pace, replacing its current WiMax and 3G environments. We will see how this goes.
Apple announcement
Apple sent out media invitations for next Tuesday for another official announcement. There is a lot of speculation about what will be announced, such as an iPad Mini and 13" MackBook Pro with Retina display. They may also be updates to the iMac line as well.
*******************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I have a joke with some friends about memory. While I usually have an accurate memory that is almost scary at times, I often forget simple things. My joke is "I don't remember what I had for breakfast this morning, much less what happened a few weeks ago!" ha!
Unfortunately, Christians can be that way when we think of God. We often forget all the times he brought us through bad times and good times. We often forget to be thankful through all things as God makes us whole and brings us closer to him. We often forget how our lives could be if we lived according to our own selfish designs.
Remember, my friends. Remember.
Lord, thank you for all your many gifts and for your grace. Please help us all to be thankful each and every moment of each and every day!
Technology Thursday
Softbank-Sprint
The big story this week is the purchase of Sprint by Softbank. Softbank is a Japanese company that wanted to make inroads in the US market. Purchasing over 70% of Sprint will give them a large US presence and a larger global presence. The cash influx will help Sprint build out its LTE network at a much faster pace, replacing its current WiMax and 3G environments. We will see how this goes.
Apple announcement
Apple sent out media invitations for next Tuesday for another official announcement. There is a lot of speculation about what will be announced, such as an iPad Mini and 13" MackBook Pro with Retina display. They may also be updates to the iMac line as well.
*******************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Awesome!
Our Daily Bread
Catch phrases come and go in our culture. I am old, so I remember catch phrases like "cool!" or "Dyn-o-mite!" or "What you talkin' bout, Willis?" Today, I hear the catch phrase "At the end of the day" and "skin in the game" a lot in business and on TV. These phrases get old after a while!
One catch phrase that never gets old is when we describe our God as "awesome"! I love the Rich Mullins song "Awesome God" I have been reading through the book of Genesis again. I see this theme over and over as I read the different accounts of creation and the mix of stories about God's early creation and human history. I guess God will have me read this over and over until I finally "get it"! ha!
In your meditation and prayers today, think about how awesome our God is.
Lord, you are our awesome God! There is no one like you!
Wellness Wednesday
Focus
I have been working on my weight loss and body rebuild for about a year now. I have been doing very well overall, but have been stuck at a plateau for quite a while. I have been in denial about why I am at the plateau. Let's talk about focus today.
I called this entry focus because it is human nature to lose focus when things are going well. You lose a few pounds or achieve a specific goal or have smooth sailing in life for a while and often forget why. For me, I work hard at eating better and exercising, trying to make them part of my healthy lifestyle, only to lose focus and "reward" myself with treats and poor eating for a few days after hitting a new weight loss low. I usually gain a few pounds and then have to lose it all over again. Two steps forward. One step back. Heavy sigh...
I committed to keep focus this time. I hit a new weight loss low this morning -- 251.4. I vowed that I would not go overboard with the treats and rewards, but keep focused on my goals. Keep focused to break through this plateau.
How about you? How is your focus? Are you focused on your wellness goals or just sort of playing at them? Finding balance and focus are an important part of wellness. I pray you find yours!
*************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Catch phrases come and go in our culture. I am old, so I remember catch phrases like "cool!" or "Dyn-o-mite!" or "What you talkin' bout, Willis?" Today, I hear the catch phrase "At the end of the day" and "skin in the game" a lot in business and on TV. These phrases get old after a while!
One catch phrase that never gets old is when we describe our God as "awesome"! I love the Rich Mullins song "Awesome God" I have been reading through the book of Genesis again. I see this theme over and over as I read the different accounts of creation and the mix of stories about God's early creation and human history. I guess God will have me read this over and over until I finally "get it"! ha!
In your meditation and prayers today, think about how awesome our God is.
Lord, you are our awesome God! There is no one like you!
Wellness Wednesday
Focus
I have been working on my weight loss and body rebuild for about a year now. I have been doing very well overall, but have been stuck at a plateau for quite a while. I have been in denial about why I am at the plateau. Let's talk about focus today.
I called this entry focus because it is human nature to lose focus when things are going well. You lose a few pounds or achieve a specific goal or have smooth sailing in life for a while and often forget why. For me, I work hard at eating better and exercising, trying to make them part of my healthy lifestyle, only to lose focus and "reward" myself with treats and poor eating for a few days after hitting a new weight loss low. I usually gain a few pounds and then have to lose it all over again. Two steps forward. One step back. Heavy sigh...
I committed to keep focus this time. I hit a new weight loss low this morning -- 251.4. I vowed that I would not go overboard with the treats and rewards, but keep focused on my goals. Keep focused to break through this plateau.
How about you? How is your focus? Are you focused on your wellness goals or just sort of playing at them? Finding balance and focus are an important part of wellness. I pray you find yours!
*************************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Handle with care
Our Daily Bread
I have a silly joke with some friends. I am a big strapping butch bear. They are smallish, skinny men. On occasion, one of them will accidentally bump into me in the kitchen or walking around the mall. I will look at them with hurt in my eyes and say "Ow!" The small bump could not have hurt me if they tried. It is just another one of my silly jokes!
As it often the case, the devotional spoke to me where I live this week! I have been thinking and praying a lot about the Bible study readings for my class. There are a lot of details that are not clear. There are a lot of seemingly contradictions in the different sources of the same stories. The study materials finally spelled it out for me -- there is no concrete answer. The writings are to tell us about the times of Noah or the times of Cain and Abel. There are some specific themes thrown in that are so subtle at times that they escape us because we come from a different culture than the writers and editors.
So what are the overriding themes? See the Teaching Tuesday entry below! hehehe
Lord, thank you for your Word. Please help us handle with care as we read and study and share it with others.
Teaching Tuesday
I had two weeks of study to catch up on during and after vacation. The first week was the story of Cain and Abel. The second week was the Noah/Flood story.
Cain and Abel
There are a LOT of questions about this story. There are a lot of assumptions that people make from just a cursory read of the story. From what I understand, God did not like the sacrifice of Cain because of his attitude (not because it wasn't an animal sacrifice). The other things I got out of the story are: yes, there is punishment for our sins and yes, God's grace is with us even during these times. God cast Cain away from his tribe, but in his grace, marked him as a protected man. There is a lot of history there that needs to be explained. Try reading some more about it on your own!
Noah/Flood story
The entire point of the Flood story is that sin had become so rampant on earth that God could not have a relationship with man any longer (that's how I understand it). Then God noticed Noah. God's grace shone through again to mankind. I felt sad when I understood that God had to go to "plan B" with the human race after the flood. It made me think of my own life and how often God has to go to Plan B or C or D or AA or BB whatever because of my stupid actions. God's grace does abound if we seek him!
I hope this helps a little bit. My point is to look at the overall themes of the stories and the sources from which they came. There details are too confusing!
**********************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I have a silly joke with some friends. I am a big strapping butch bear. They are smallish, skinny men. On occasion, one of them will accidentally bump into me in the kitchen or walking around the mall. I will look at them with hurt in my eyes and say "Ow!" The small bump could not have hurt me if they tried. It is just another one of my silly jokes!
As it often the case, the devotional spoke to me where I live this week! I have been thinking and praying a lot about the Bible study readings for my class. There are a lot of details that are not clear. There are a lot of seemingly contradictions in the different sources of the same stories. The study materials finally spelled it out for me -- there is no concrete answer. The writings are to tell us about the times of Noah or the times of Cain and Abel. There are some specific themes thrown in that are so subtle at times that they escape us because we come from a different culture than the writers and editors.
So what are the overriding themes? See the Teaching Tuesday entry below! hehehe
Lord, thank you for your Word. Please help us handle with care as we read and study and share it with others.
Teaching Tuesday
I had two weeks of study to catch up on during and after vacation. The first week was the story of Cain and Abel. The second week was the Noah/Flood story.
Cain and Abel
There are a LOT of questions about this story. There are a lot of assumptions that people make from just a cursory read of the story. From what I understand, God did not like the sacrifice of Cain because of his attitude (not because it wasn't an animal sacrifice). The other things I got out of the story are: yes, there is punishment for our sins and yes, God's grace is with us even during these times. God cast Cain away from his tribe, but in his grace, marked him as a protected man. There is a lot of history there that needs to be explained. Try reading some more about it on your own!
Noah/Flood story
The entire point of the Flood story is that sin had become so rampant on earth that God could not have a relationship with man any longer (that's how I understand it). Then God noticed Noah. God's grace shone through again to mankind. I felt sad when I understood that God had to go to "plan B" with the human race after the flood. It made me think of my own life and how often God has to go to Plan B or C or D or AA or BB whatever because of my stupid actions. God's grace does abound if we seek him!
I hope this helps a little bit. My point is to look at the overall themes of the stories and the sources from which they came. There details are too confusing!
**********************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Monday, October 15, 2012
Victory over death
Our Daily Bread
I think a lot about victory over death. I have been fortunate to spend time with several friends and family before their last breaths. It is a humbling experience to say the least. I was so moved to see the peace in their faces before meeting their Maker! What confidence!
I agree with the statement in the devotional: “I’m not afraid of death because I’m confident that I’m going to heaven; it’s the dying process that scares me!” I admit that I am afraid of the dying process. I have always been a sickly person, so I have no idea what new or existing condition will finally take me home! ;-p Regardless of what happens, I know I will not be alone in my last struggles and I know I where I will be going after death! How about you?
Lord, thank you for peace and confidence in this life...and in the passing to the next!
Movie Monday
Since I was on vacation, I got to see two movies last week! Woohooo! I saw Frankenweenie and Argo.
Frankenweenie
This Tim Burton film is very typical for him -- spooky and cool! It is the story of a boy who uses Frankenstein-type methods to bring his beloved dog back to life. There are lots of funny things that come out of this, especially when his friends think he will use the project to win the school science fair! The characters are cool and spooky, too.
I give this two bear paws. You can rent it. No need to see it in the theater.
Argo
Argo is based on the true story of the rescue of six Americans after the invasion of the American embassy in Iran. I found the story line to be fascinating. I found the presentation in the movie even more fascinating. I knew what was going to happen, but still got caught up in it all. Great acting. Great story. What else can you ask for.
I give this movie three bear paws. You can rent it unless you have to see it today!
********************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I think a lot about victory over death. I have been fortunate to spend time with several friends and family before their last breaths. It is a humbling experience to say the least. I was so moved to see the peace in their faces before meeting their Maker! What confidence!
I agree with the statement in the devotional: “I’m not afraid of death because I’m confident that I’m going to heaven; it’s the dying process that scares me!” I admit that I am afraid of the dying process. I have always been a sickly person, so I have no idea what new or existing condition will finally take me home! ;-p Regardless of what happens, I know I will not be alone in my last struggles and I know I where I will be going after death! How about you?
Lord, thank you for peace and confidence in this life...and in the passing to the next!
Movie Monday
Since I was on vacation, I got to see two movies last week! Woohooo! I saw Frankenweenie and Argo.
Frankenweenie
This Tim Burton film is very typical for him -- spooky and cool! It is the story of a boy who uses Frankenstein-type methods to bring his beloved dog back to life. There are lots of funny things that come out of this, especially when his friends think he will use the project to win the school science fair! The characters are cool and spooky, too.
I give this two bear paws. You can rent it. No need to see it in the theater.
Argo
Argo is based on the true story of the rescue of six Americans after the invasion of the American embassy in Iran. I found the story line to be fascinating. I found the presentation in the movie even more fascinating. I knew what was going to happen, but still got caught up in it all. Great acting. Great story. What else can you ask for.
I give this movie three bear paws. You can rent it unless you have to see it today!
********************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Sunday, October 14, 2012
A firm foundation
Our Daily Bread
I have a friend that is a general contractor. While visiting his home a few months ago, his wife and I noticed a weird hissing sound coming from the area around the dishwasher. At first we thought the dishwasher was having an issue, but then discovered the hot water line had severed. It was spraying hot water in the cabinet under the sink! Fortunately, a small bucket caught most of the water. I jokingly asked "Who built this place, anyway?" He sheepishly looked at me and said "I did!". Yikes!
The devotional talks about how we build our "houses" or lives. We are the builders in this story. We can build our lives on the firm foundation of God's Word and the life he has for us. Or, we can choose a life built on sand, a life without God. Which would you choose?
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!
Lord, thank you for giving us the freedom to choose. We ask for faith to believe and follow you!
Psalm Sunday
We are looking at Psalm 65 this week. I think the praise psalms are my favorites. This is a great praise psalm! I have to admit that the lamenting type of psalms also speak to me many times. How does this psalm speak to you?
Psalm 65
For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.
1 Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion;
to you our vows will be fulfilled.
2 You who answer prayer,
to you all people will come.
3 When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave our transgressions.
4 Blessed are those you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple.
5 You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,
God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas,
6 who formed the mountains by your power,
having armed yourself with strength,
7 who stilled the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.
8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
where morning dawns, where evening fades,
you call forth songs of joy.
9 You care for the land and water it;
you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained it.
10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your bounty,
and your carts overflow with abundance.
12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;
the hills are clothed with gladness.
13 The meadows are covered with flocks
and the valleys are mantled with grain;
they shout for joy and sing.
********************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
I have a friend that is a general contractor. While visiting his home a few months ago, his wife and I noticed a weird hissing sound coming from the area around the dishwasher. At first we thought the dishwasher was having an issue, but then discovered the hot water line had severed. It was spraying hot water in the cabinet under the sink! Fortunately, a small bucket caught most of the water. I jokingly asked "Who built this place, anyway?" He sheepishly looked at me and said "I did!". Yikes!
The devotional talks about how we build our "houses" or lives. We are the builders in this story. We can build our lives on the firm foundation of God's Word and the life he has for us. Or, we can choose a life built on sand, a life without God. Which would you choose?
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!
Lord, thank you for giving us the freedom to choose. We ask for faith to believe and follow you!
Psalm Sunday
We are looking at Psalm 65 this week. I think the praise psalms are my favorites. This is a great praise psalm! I have to admit that the lamenting type of psalms also speak to me many times. How does this psalm speak to you?
Psalm 65
For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.
1 Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion;
to you our vows will be fulfilled.
2 You who answer prayer,
to you all people will come.
3 When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave our transgressions.
4 Blessed are those you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple.
5 You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,
God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas,
6 who formed the mountains by your power,
having armed yourself with strength,
7 who stilled the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.
8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
where morning dawns, where evening fades,
you call forth songs of joy.
9 You care for the land and water it;
you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained it.
10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your bounty,
and your carts overflow with abundance.
12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;
the hills are clothed with gladness.
13 The meadows are covered with flocks
and the valleys are mantled with grain;
they shout for joy and sing.
********************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Gobbled
Our Daily Bread
I had one of the funniest experiences with a friend the other night. As we were driving along, he SWORE that he saw some large birds that looked like turkeys around the lake. I was like "Uh, there are no turkey birds in this area. Are you sure that is what you saw?" The rest of the evening and the following days were full of teasing about the turkey bird gangs that had taken over the lake. Yikes! ha!
As silly as that story sounds, Jesus told a parable with birds. When the sower throws out seed for the fields, some can be left exposed and easily eaten by the birds in the area. I don't think they were turkey birds. Jesus wasn't specific! hahaha! Whatever kind of bird, the seeds that represent the Gospel are stolen from the ground before the Gospel can take root and grow. As sowers, we need to be faithful in sowing the seeds of the Gospel, watering them and bringing the harvest for our Lord!
Thank you, Lord, for the gift of the Gospel of Christ. Please help us sow and harvest!
Simply Saturday
Who can you count on?
I had a great week of vacation with my best friend at my new time share in Orlando. Leaving this morning made me think "who can I really count on?". I have a handful of friends that I think I can really count on, with my best friend being the first in line. When thinking of these people, remember a few things:
1. Be thankful for them.
2. Reassure them you will always be there for them.
3. Never have regrets for the folks that you wish were there for you and aren't. That is easy to do and difficult to get over.
Think about who you can count on. Think about the people that know they can count on you.
************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
I had one of the funniest experiences with a friend the other night. As we were driving along, he SWORE that he saw some large birds that looked like turkeys around the lake. I was like "Uh, there are no turkey birds in this area. Are you sure that is what you saw?" The rest of the evening and the following days were full of teasing about the turkey bird gangs that had taken over the lake. Yikes! ha!
As silly as that story sounds, Jesus told a parable with birds. When the sower throws out seed for the fields, some can be left exposed and easily eaten by the birds in the area. I don't think they were turkey birds. Jesus wasn't specific! hahaha! Whatever kind of bird, the seeds that represent the Gospel are stolen from the ground before the Gospel can take root and grow. As sowers, we need to be faithful in sowing the seeds of the Gospel, watering them and bringing the harvest for our Lord!
Thank you, Lord, for the gift of the Gospel of Christ. Please help us sow and harvest!
Simply Saturday
Who can you count on?
I had a great week of vacation with my best friend at my new time share in Orlando. Leaving this morning made me think "who can I really count on?". I have a handful of friends that I think I can really count on, with my best friend being the first in line. When thinking of these people, remember a few things:
1. Be thankful for them.
2. Reassure them you will always be there for them.
3. Never have regrets for the folks that you wish were there for you and aren't. That is easy to do and difficult to get over.
Think about who you can count on. Think about the people that know they can count on you.
************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
Friday, October 12, 2012
A working church
Our Daily Bread
I was asked to give a testimony at my new church next week. I am supposed to talk briefly about why I chose St Johns and why I give to St Johns. I have a joke or two about why I picked St Johns, but the main reason I stayed is that it is a working church like the devotional mentions today.
A working church is one that worships and serves The Lord. It seems so simple to define, but difficult to find. Many churches just go through the motions. At best, they give morphine sermons to people to help them deal with their pain, but never help them truly heal from the wounds. That is what my old church was like.
As one friend told me long ago: don't try to find the perfect church. As soon as you attend it, it won't be perfect any more! ha!
Lord, please help us find and contribute to a working church -- for your glory!
Foodie Friday
International Food and Wine Festival
I was in foodie heaven yesterday -- the International Food and Wine Festival at Epcot! The festival runs for about six weeks in the Fall. There are booths for most of the countries and a few extra booths as well for countries or areas that don't have a village at Epcot. The food and wine samples range from about $3.00 to about 7.50 or so. They recommend a wine to accompany each food sample, too. Very cool!
I didn't eat a whole lot, but I tried a few countries. Canada had a filet sample with mushrooms and truffle sauce. Japan had a hand rolle with spicy chicken that was great. Germany had a potato, ham and cheese dish that was wonderful. We also tried some treats from France and Italy like gelato and chocolate mousse. Yum! If you ever get a chance to experience this festival, I highly recommend. AND, do not eat lunch before you go! ha!
**************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I was asked to give a testimony at my new church next week. I am supposed to talk briefly about why I chose St Johns and why I give to St Johns. I have a joke or two about why I picked St Johns, but the main reason I stayed is that it is a working church like the devotional mentions today.
A working church is one that worships and serves The Lord. It seems so simple to define, but difficult to find. Many churches just go through the motions. At best, they give morphine sermons to people to help them deal with their pain, but never help them truly heal from the wounds. That is what my old church was like.
As one friend told me long ago: don't try to find the perfect church. As soon as you attend it, it won't be perfect any more! ha!
Lord, please help us find and contribute to a working church -- for your glory!
Foodie Friday
International Food and Wine Festival
I was in foodie heaven yesterday -- the International Food and Wine Festival at Epcot! The festival runs for about six weeks in the Fall. There are booths for most of the countries and a few extra booths as well for countries or areas that don't have a village at Epcot. The food and wine samples range from about $3.00 to about 7.50 or so. They recommend a wine to accompany each food sample, too. Very cool!
I didn't eat a whole lot, but I tried a few countries. Canada had a filet sample with mushrooms and truffle sauce. Japan had a hand rolle with spicy chicken that was great. Germany had a potato, ham and cheese dish that was wonderful. We also tried some treats from France and Italy like gelato and chocolate mousse. Yum! If you ever get a chance to experience this festival, I highly recommend. AND, do not eat lunch before you go! ha!
**************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Mere mortals
Our Daily Bread
The sign on the glass said "Break glass in case of emergency". There was a red phone inside that had a direct line to help. We've all seen those, haven't we?
The devotional this morning is about our own personal emergency phone -- our prayers to God! There was the story of the older lady trapped in an elevator. There was also the story of Asa from the Old Testament. I loved his prayer in 2 Chronicles 14:11. One line says "Lord, you are our God. Do not let mere mortals prevail against you." Wow! How many times do we need to have that much faith in our lives!
Are there mere mortals trying to prevail against you and God today? Trust God. Trust God in both good times and bad times!
Lord, thank you for prevailing over everything, including mere mortals!
Technology Thursday
Managing battery life
While on vacation this week, I noticed my best friend doing something on his iPhone that I had never done -- manage open apps. He explained to me that he is able to extend his battery life much longer if he manages the open apps running in the background. It is like a PC where parts of each app stay in memory after you open them. That way they open faster when you touch the icons again, but at a price. Having lots of apps open in memory can also suck battery life! Who knew?
I started closing out apps a few times per day. I couldn't believe how much longer my battery lasted! For example, I kept the apps cleaned up yesterday. After running my iPhohe with normal usage, I still had 40% battery left this morning! That was over 24 hours and I still had lots of battery life left!
Check this out on your smart phone. It is my understanding that Android and Windows phones have the same concept.
*****************************
u r a bcog. u r fawm Now believe it!
The sign on the glass said "Break glass in case of emergency". There was a red phone inside that had a direct line to help. We've all seen those, haven't we?
The devotional this morning is about our own personal emergency phone -- our prayers to God! There was the story of the older lady trapped in an elevator. There was also the story of Asa from the Old Testament. I loved his prayer in 2 Chronicles 14:11. One line says "Lord, you are our God. Do not let mere mortals prevail against you." Wow! How many times do we need to have that much faith in our lives!
Are there mere mortals trying to prevail against you and God today? Trust God. Trust God in both good times and bad times!
Lord, thank you for prevailing over everything, including mere mortals!
Technology Thursday
Managing battery life
While on vacation this week, I noticed my best friend doing something on his iPhone that I had never done -- manage open apps. He explained to me that he is able to extend his battery life much longer if he manages the open apps running in the background. It is like a PC where parts of each app stay in memory after you open them. That way they open faster when you touch the icons again, but at a price. Having lots of apps open in memory can also suck battery life! Who knew?
I started closing out apps a few times per day. I couldn't believe how much longer my battery lasted! For example, I kept the apps cleaned up yesterday. After running my iPhohe with normal usage, I still had 40% battery left this morning! That was over 24 hours and I still had lots of battery life left!
Check this out on your smart phone. It is my understanding that Android and Windows phones have the same concept.
*****************************
u r a bcog. u r fawm Now believe it!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Finding God
Our Daily Bread
I love the stories in the Old Testament even though many of my friends discount the value of the Old Testament today. "It is so hard to read". "The New Testament means so much more". I respect their opinion, but the stories in the devotional today are two of my reasons for liking the OT so much!
Jacob and Samuel had some things in common. Their parents instilled in them a love for the God of Israel. They taught them that God was always with them. They listened to God and obeyed (most of the time). They continued on the traditions of "God being with them" to their friends and families. Very cool!
How could this possibly speak to us today? I believe in the same ways that God spoke to them thousands of years ago. We can help instill a love for God in our friends and families. We can trust that God is always with us. We can listen to God and obey. We can continue on these traditions for future generations!
Lord, thank you for showing us some of history you have with the human race you created through the Old Testament. Please help us to live that relationship with you today!
Wellness Wednesday
Vacation wellness tips
You may have heard me talk about being on vacation this week. I know I talked about it enough and have been posting pictures on Facebook! Here are some wellness tips I learned (and am learning) for vacations.
1. Try to eat and drink responsibly. Yes, you are on vacation from work, but you are not on vacation from wellness. Have fun, eat some good food, and drink some fun drinks. Remember "if I eat like crap, I feel like crap". You don't want to feel like crap on your vacation! I find I can eat crazy for a few days or maybe on meal a day, but I need to stay focused on eating well so I can feel good.
2. Exercise. You don't have to go to the gym every day while on vacation, but be sure to exercise in one way or another. Sitting by the pool drinking Maitais will not help you attain your wellness goals! Mixing a healthy balance of relaxing for mental wellness and staying active to maintain physical wellness is important.
3. Don't worry about the little stuff. Like real life back at home, try not to worry about the little stuff while on vacation. It can be stressful trying to have a good time! Doing too much can be stressful and negatively affect your wellness.
4. Make the most of it. I am making the most of my vacation this week! Am I doing all the things I think I want to do? No. I am finding balance between activity and rest and relaxation. Finding balance on vacation is just as important as finding it in real life!Have a great time on your vacation!
***************************
Let go, my friends! God will catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I love the stories in the Old Testament even though many of my friends discount the value of the Old Testament today. "It is so hard to read". "The New Testament means so much more". I respect their opinion, but the stories in the devotional today are two of my reasons for liking the OT so much!
Jacob and Samuel had some things in common. Their parents instilled in them a love for the God of Israel. They taught them that God was always with them. They listened to God and obeyed (most of the time). They continued on the traditions of "God being with them" to their friends and families. Very cool!
How could this possibly speak to us today? I believe in the same ways that God spoke to them thousands of years ago. We can help instill a love for God in our friends and families. We can trust that God is always with us. We can listen to God and obey. We can continue on these traditions for future generations!
Lord, thank you for showing us some of history you have with the human race you created through the Old Testament. Please help us to live that relationship with you today!
Wellness Wednesday
Vacation wellness tips
You may have heard me talk about being on vacation this week. I know I talked about it enough and have been posting pictures on Facebook! Here are some wellness tips I learned (and am learning) for vacations.
1. Try to eat and drink responsibly. Yes, you are on vacation from work, but you are not on vacation from wellness. Have fun, eat some good food, and drink some fun drinks. Remember "if I eat like crap, I feel like crap". You don't want to feel like crap on your vacation! I find I can eat crazy for a few days or maybe on meal a day, but I need to stay focused on eating well so I can feel good.
2. Exercise. You don't have to go to the gym every day while on vacation, but be sure to exercise in one way or another. Sitting by the pool drinking Maitais will not help you attain your wellness goals! Mixing a healthy balance of relaxing for mental wellness and staying active to maintain physical wellness is important.
3. Don't worry about the little stuff. Like real life back at home, try not to worry about the little stuff while on vacation. It can be stressful trying to have a good time! Doing too much can be stressful and negatively affect your wellness.
4. Make the most of it. I am making the most of my vacation this week! Am I doing all the things I think I want to do? No. I am finding balance between activity and rest and relaxation. Finding balance on vacation is just as important as finding it in real life!Have a great time on your vacation!
***************************
Let go, my friends! God will catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Unshaken and not stirred
Our Daily Bread
My favorite movie series of all time is the James Bond series. Yes, there is debate on who is the best Bond (DUH! Connery!). There is no debate on the many sayings that are common in every movie. The one I "adjusted" today is "Shaken, not stirred" when he orders his drink!
I loved the examples in the devotional today. Job and a friend of the writer did not let circumstances affect their faith in God. Everything was in God's hands. They were "unshaken, and not stirred"! Unwavering faith should be the goal of every Christian. There is a human tendency to forget about God when things are going well, then we cry out to God and doubt him when they are not. God can teach us his unwavering heavenly way of living if we continue to pray and study his word. Praise God!
Lord, thank you for your love and patience. Please help us always trust in you and put thihgs in your hands!
Teaching Tuesday
Didn't get a chance to do my readings yet. I am studying Genesis and how the four sources influenced the approved version of the Pentatuech (first five books of the Old Testament). Some things are making more sense after understanding the different points of view.
Have you ever played the game where you whisper a simple sentence in the ear of one person, then have them pass it on, person to person, around the room? The original text can get blurred, intepreted, or completely changed. In my opinion, the Bible was not blurred or changed by the different sources. It was only interepreted from their point of view.
*********************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
My favorite movie series of all time is the James Bond series. Yes, there is debate on who is the best Bond (DUH! Connery!). There is no debate on the many sayings that are common in every movie. The one I "adjusted" today is "Shaken, not stirred" when he orders his drink!
I loved the examples in the devotional today. Job and a friend of the writer did not let circumstances affect their faith in God. Everything was in God's hands. They were "unshaken, and not stirred"! Unwavering faith should be the goal of every Christian. There is a human tendency to forget about God when things are going well, then we cry out to God and doubt him when they are not. God can teach us his unwavering heavenly way of living if we continue to pray and study his word. Praise God!
Lord, thank you for your love and patience. Please help us always trust in you and put thihgs in your hands!
Teaching Tuesday
Didn't get a chance to do my readings yet. I am studying Genesis and how the four sources influenced the approved version of the Pentatuech (first five books of the Old Testament). Some things are making more sense after understanding the different points of view.
Have you ever played the game where you whisper a simple sentence in the ear of one person, then have them pass it on, person to person, around the room? The original text can get blurred, intepreted, or completely changed. In my opinion, the Bible was not blurred or changed by the different sources. It was only interepreted from their point of view.
*********************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Monday, October 8, 2012
Brimstone
Our Daily Bread
Many years ago, my grandmother fell and broke her hip. After getting it repaired, she had to get physical therapy to help her walk again. I visited her during one of the sessions. I sat on one side of the room and gently encouraged her "Come on, Teen, walk to Duaney". ha! It was the same kind of encouragement she gave me when I learned to walk!
The devotional hit me hard this morning. I have a tendency to be more the "hellfire and brimstone" prophet kind of person way too often. I am a kind encourager to most folks, but there are some folks that I am very hard on. I think it is those folks that don't seem to respond to the kind encourager role. I guess I get impatient with them for not learning and growing fast enough so I try to make them learn or grow. Not a good thing!
How about you? Are you encourager? Are you a hellfire and brimstone kind of person? How is God calling you to be after reading this devotional?
Lord, thank you for opening eyes and changing minds. Please help us be the encouragers to help friends and family overcome hurdles.
Movie Monday
I went to see Looper last week. I fit the movie in between work and class last Tuesday night. I am not sure it was worth it!
A looper is a paid executioner that kills folks sent back from the future. When the crime bosses from the future want someone "erased", they send them back in time to have a looper execute them as soon as they arrive. Loopers are usually young and very well paid. They have one cardinal rule: don't be late. The crux of this movie is when a looper has to kill his future self, which is called "closing the loop". There are lots of ripples in time warnings in this movie, but not all of them make sense. You will figure it out quickly if you rent this movie. Don't waste your money on seeing it at the theater. I give it one bear paw.
*****************************
U r a bcog. U r fawm. Now believe it.
Many years ago, my grandmother fell and broke her hip. After getting it repaired, she had to get physical therapy to help her walk again. I visited her during one of the sessions. I sat on one side of the room and gently encouraged her "Come on, Teen, walk to Duaney". ha! It was the same kind of encouragement she gave me when I learned to walk!
The devotional hit me hard this morning. I have a tendency to be more the "hellfire and brimstone" prophet kind of person way too often. I am a kind encourager to most folks, but there are some folks that I am very hard on. I think it is those folks that don't seem to respond to the kind encourager role. I guess I get impatient with them for not learning and growing fast enough so I try to make them learn or grow. Not a good thing!
How about you? Are you encourager? Are you a hellfire and brimstone kind of person? How is God calling you to be after reading this devotional?
Lord, thank you for opening eyes and changing minds. Please help us be the encouragers to help friends and family overcome hurdles.
Movie Monday
I went to see Looper last week. I fit the movie in between work and class last Tuesday night. I am not sure it was worth it!
A looper is a paid executioner that kills folks sent back from the future. When the crime bosses from the future want someone "erased", they send them back in time to have a looper execute them as soon as they arrive. Loopers are usually young and very well paid. They have one cardinal rule: don't be late. The crux of this movie is when a looper has to kill his future self, which is called "closing the loop". There are lots of ripples in time warnings in this movie, but not all of them make sense. You will figure it out quickly if you rent this movie. Don't waste your money on seeing it at the theater. I give it one bear paw.
*****************************
U r a bcog. U r fawm. Now believe it.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Legacy
Our Daily Bread
I lead a small group at church last year for gay men over 50 years of age. One of the topics we discussed was our legacy or what we wanted to leave behind in this world after we died. Some said "being thought of as a Godly man" and some wanted themselves to be thought of as loving and supportive.
I had to think a lot about this question again this morning. I put it in a different context this time -- howI live my life each and every day to make the legacy I want come true. I don't want to write my own eulogy and have everyone laugh at it as fiction!
I know I speak my mind too much and don't temper my words. I thought a lot about this over the weekend during my travels and reflective times. An unbridled tongue and too much pride will be my downfall if I don't finally get them in check. Please with me and for me about that!
What will your legacy be? How are you living your life for God to make that happen?
Lord, thank you for showing us the right way to live. Please help us all live that way and leave a legacy of your love!
Psalm Sunday
Psalm 65 is the psalm for this week! Great psalm. Please read it out loud to get the full effect!
Psalm 65[a]
10You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your bounty,
and your carts overflow with abundance.
12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;
the hills are clothed with gladness.
13 The meadows are covered with flocks
and the valleys are mantled with grain;
they shout for joy and sing.
*****************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
I lead a small group at church last year for gay men over 50 years of age. One of the topics we discussed was our legacy or what we wanted to leave behind in this world after we died. Some said "being thought of as a Godly man" and some wanted themselves to be thought of as loving and supportive.
I had to think a lot about this question again this morning. I put it in a different context this time -- howI live my life each and every day to make the legacy I want come true. I don't want to write my own eulogy and have everyone laugh at it as fiction!
I know I speak my mind too much and don't temper my words. I thought a lot about this over the weekend during my travels and reflective times. An unbridled tongue and too much pride will be my downfall if I don't finally get them in check. Please with me and for me about that!
What will your legacy be? How are you living your life for God to make that happen?
Lord, thank you for showing us the right way to live. Please help us all live that way and leave a legacy of your love!
Psalm Sunday
Psalm 65 is the psalm for this week! Great psalm. Please read it out loud to get the full effect!
Psalm 65[a]
For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.
1 Praise awaits[b] you, our God, in Zion;
to you our vows will be fulfilled.
2 You who answer prayer,
to you all people will come.
3 When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave[c] our transgressions.
4 Blessed are those you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple.
to you our vows will be fulfilled.
2 You who answer prayer,
to you all people will come.
3 When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave[c] our transgressions.
4 Blessed are those you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple.
5 You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,
God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas,
6 who formed the mountains by your power,
having armed yourself with strength,
7 who stilled the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.
8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
where morning dawns, where evening fades,
you call forth songs of joy.
God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas,
6 who formed the mountains by your power,
having armed yourself with strength,
7 who stilled the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.
8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
where morning dawns, where evening fades,
you call forth songs of joy.
9 You care for the land and water it;
you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained
you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained
you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your bounty,
and your carts overflow with abundance.
12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;
the hills are clothed with gladness.
13 The meadows are covered with flocks
and the valleys are mantled with grain;
they shout for joy and sing.
*****************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Drop 'em!
Our Daily Bread
Have you ever met someone that can't talk without using their hands? ha! I tease them that I have to tie their hands down to shut them up!
There are times as Christians that we need to drop our hands. Dropping our hands means that we can't talk. Can't do much. Ever try to eat without your hands? Dropping our hands makes us defenseless, vulnerable and almost powerless (for those of us used to having both hands). That is where God works best in us -- when we turn ourselves over to him. I like this saying:
When we put our problems in God’s hands,
He puts His peace in our hearts.
I am going through something right now that I need to put in God's hands and stop struggling. God told me to stop struggling with this. I am a "doer" and have trouble putting my hands down (away from my phone or computer keyboard!).
What are you supposed to let go of today? And I mean today!
Lord, thank you for working on the behalf of those who love you. Please help us put down our hands and let you do your work!
Simply Saturday
We can choose
As I thought about what to write this week, I drew another blank until I remembered a Facebook conversation with a close friend. He mentioned how some rude emails from coworkers were going to ruin his entire day and it wasn't even 8:00 am yet!
I gently responded that they didn't have to. ;-) Circumstances cannot rob our joy as Christians unless we let them. That goes for any circumstance whether it be some rude emails or illness or loneliness or financial worries or. Life is not just about the things that happen to us. The biggest blessing of living life in Christ is that life is also about "reacting". We can move beyond the human nature way of reacting to things and move on to a Godly way of reacting to things. Human nature slaps back. Godly nature turns the other cheek. Human nature holds a grudge. Godly nature forgives and loves.
Yes, there are times in our lives when we feel everything is falling in on us. It is during those times I recommend talking to God in the most honest and sincere way possible. It is almost child-like in nature. Remember how children are brutally honest and open. Be that way with God in your prayers. He knows anyway, right? I feel like a six year old again (if I can remember back that far!) when I pour my heart out to God that so and so did this or what's his name did that and hurt me. Be honest.
I won't leave you with scriptures or sayings or other words that can seem patronizing during a difficult time. I will leave you with this -- God loves you. He wants to love you and support you as you follow his will. Make it so!
********************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
Have you ever met someone that can't talk without using their hands? ha! I tease them that I have to tie their hands down to shut them up!
There are times as Christians that we need to drop our hands. Dropping our hands means that we can't talk. Can't do much. Ever try to eat without your hands? Dropping our hands makes us defenseless, vulnerable and almost powerless (for those of us used to having both hands). That is where God works best in us -- when we turn ourselves over to him. I like this saying:
When we put our problems in God’s hands,
He puts His peace in our hearts.
I am going through something right now that I need to put in God's hands and stop struggling. God told me to stop struggling with this. I am a "doer" and have trouble putting my hands down (away from my phone or computer keyboard!).
What are you supposed to let go of today? And I mean today!
Lord, thank you for working on the behalf of those who love you. Please help us put down our hands and let you do your work!
Simply Saturday
We can choose
As I thought about what to write this week, I drew another blank until I remembered a Facebook conversation with a close friend. He mentioned how some rude emails from coworkers were going to ruin his entire day and it wasn't even 8:00 am yet!
I gently responded that they didn't have to. ;-) Circumstances cannot rob our joy as Christians unless we let them. That goes for any circumstance whether it be some rude emails or illness or loneliness or financial worries or
Yes, there are times in our lives when we feel everything is falling in on us. It is during those times I recommend talking to God in the most honest and sincere way possible. It is almost child-like in nature. Remember how children are brutally honest and open. Be that way with God in your prayers. He knows anyway, right? I feel like a six year old again (if I can remember back that far!) when I pour my heart out to God that so and so did this or what's his name did that and hurt me. Be honest.
I won't leave you with scriptures or sayings or other words that can seem patronizing during a difficult time. I will leave you with this -- God loves you. He wants to love you and support you as you follow his will. Make it so!
********************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
Friday, October 5, 2012
Run, Christian, Run!
Our Daily Bread
Sorry for the Forrest Gump reference, but it seemed appropriate today! You remember that movie about a simple man that had an extraordinary life? Christians have two things in common with him: we can also have an extraordinary life in Christ and we need to run-- to God!
The devotional talks about tempting it is in the world today. We are constantly bombarded with the enemies' attempts to doubt our faith or stray from God. Run, Christian! Run to God! ;-) Yes, we can run to him to avoid the snares of the tempter. To overcome evil and walk in the way of Christ! Run today!
Lord, thank you for being our source of strength in our times of temptation and trial. Please help us run to you!
Foodie Friday
So I leave for vacation in Orlando tomorrow. Is there anything for a foodie to eat in Orlando, especially in the wonderful world of Disney? Frankly, Disney is known for being the land of chicken nuggets, burger, hot dogs, etc for children. Adults can have a hard time finding anything else unless you look. Here is what noticed during my trips:
Downtown Disney
This is a open air shopping and eating area on a beautiful lake. Lots to eat and do. There are also a lot of adult eating places Raglan Road Irish Pub (great beef stew) and Bongos Cuban Cafe (owned by Gloria Estefan and family). There are lots of other places, too!
Hotels
I think all of the Disney hotels have some kind of restaurant in them. They vary a lot! I like the restaurants in the Swan and the Dolphin hotels. Very nice places. Very nice restaurants for adults.
Universal Studios
The City Walk at Universal Studios had a nice selection of restaurants as well, though most are "bar food" kind of places. There is an Emeril's, Hard Rock Cafe and Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville.
We will see what kind of places we go to. We will also do some cooking in our condo, but probably breakfast the most.
***********************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Sorry for the Forrest Gump reference, but it seemed appropriate today! You remember that movie about a simple man that had an extraordinary life? Christians have two things in common with him: we can also have an extraordinary life in Christ and we need to run-- to God!
The devotional talks about tempting it is in the world today. We are constantly bombarded with the enemies' attempts to doubt our faith or stray from God. Run, Christian! Run to God! ;-) Yes, we can run to him to avoid the snares of the tempter. To overcome evil and walk in the way of Christ! Run today!
Lord, thank you for being our source of strength in our times of temptation and trial. Please help us run to you!
Foodie Friday
So I leave for vacation in Orlando tomorrow. Is there anything for a foodie to eat in Orlando, especially in the wonderful world of Disney? Frankly, Disney is known for being the land of chicken nuggets, burger, hot dogs, etc for children. Adults can have a hard time finding anything else unless you look. Here is what noticed during my trips:
Downtown Disney
This is a open air shopping and eating area on a beautiful lake. Lots to eat and do. There are also a lot of adult eating places Raglan Road Irish Pub (great beef stew) and Bongos Cuban Cafe (owned by Gloria Estefan and family). There are lots of other places, too!
Hotels
I think all of the Disney hotels have some kind of restaurant in them. They vary a lot! I like the restaurants in the Swan and the Dolphin hotels. Very nice places. Very nice restaurants for adults.
Universal Studios
The City Walk at Universal Studios had a nice selection of restaurants as well, though most are "bar food" kind of places. There is an Emeril's, Hard Rock Cafe and Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville.
We will see what kind of places we go to. We will also do some cooking in our condo, but probably breakfast the most.
***********************************
Let go, my friends! God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Timing...........is everything
Our Daily Bread
I confess I have a funny habit of making people laugh just when they take a bite of food or a drink of their favorite beverage. Lots of laughs follow as they try not to spit out their food or spray us with liquid from stemming their laugh. Good times!
The devotional this morning taught me another lesson about God's timing. It was a reminder. God told me in my prayers the other day "Wait. Things are still baking..." I understood that expression from my mother and aunt's cake baking as a child and my ex's cake baking in my adult life. Taking the cake out of the oven too soon causes it to fall! Trying to make something happen before God's timing can cause it to fail! Be patient (and I am saying this to myself). God does keep his promises.
Lord, thank you for the gentle reminders that you are faithful to your promises. Please forgive my unbelief!
Technology Thursday
Here are a few stories floating around the technology world:
Samsung releases the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the U.S. - they had been barred from selling it here due to a lawsuit with Apple. Check it out. It is pretty cool if you aren't an Apple fan.
Netzero 4G data plan -- I bought one of Netzero's 4G wireless Internet devices last week. Buy the device for $50 plus shipping and get 200 meg of data downloads per month free for a year. The other data plans are reasonably priced as well. You have a choice of a laptop USB device or a hotspot device.
Apple announcement? There are rumors that Apple will announce an iPad mini next week. I haven't seen any official invitations yet. We will see. I don't want rumors! I want hardware!
New stat: more than 50% of adults in the US own some kind of smart phone or tablet device. Wow...
************************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
I confess I have a funny habit of making people laugh just when they take a bite of food or a drink of their favorite beverage. Lots of laughs follow as they try not to spit out their food or spray us with liquid from stemming their laugh. Good times!
The devotional this morning taught me another lesson about God's timing. It was a reminder. God told me in my prayers the other day "Wait. Things are still baking..." I understood that expression from my mother and aunt's cake baking as a child and my ex's cake baking in my adult life. Taking the cake out of the oven too soon causes it to fall! Trying to make something happen before God's timing can cause it to fail! Be patient (and I am saying this to myself). God does keep his promises.
Lord, thank you for the gentle reminders that you are faithful to your promises. Please forgive my unbelief!
Technology Thursday
Here are a few stories floating around the technology world:
Samsung releases the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the U.S. - they had been barred from selling it here due to a lawsuit with Apple. Check it out. It is pretty cool if you aren't an Apple fan.
Netzero 4G data plan -- I bought one of Netzero's 4G wireless Internet devices last week. Buy the device for $50 plus shipping and get 200 meg of data downloads per month free for a year. The other data plans are reasonably priced as well. You have a choice of a laptop USB device or a hotspot device.
Apple announcement? There are rumors that Apple will announce an iPad mini next week. I haven't seen any official invitations yet. We will see. I don't want rumors! I want hardware!
New stat: more than 50% of adults in the US own some kind of smart phone or tablet device. Wow...
************************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Not a burden
Our Daily Bread
I worked a year after high school before going off to college. I paid rent. I kept my own hours. The first break I visited home, my father initiated a curfew of 11:00 pm (which I never had when I lived at home). I looked at my mother and said "Please take me back to school or I will hitchhike!". We get used to our freedom! He was only trying to protect me from myself (even though I really didn't need it!).
A lot of people think that God is like my father -- giving us unreasonable rules and boundaries. I have thought about this a lot in my Bible studies and my life. Even though reading some of the Old Testament rules and laws is almost painful at times, they were necessary for folks to live the way they needed to in God. Here is a simple equation:
Living in God = peace and harmony
NOT living in God = chaos!
Like our parents, God loves us and gives us rules to help us live the right way and to protect us. Praise God!
Lord, thank you for the rules and directives. We praise you!
Wellness Wednesday
Have you set your goals yet? Why not? ;-/ Get to it!
So this week I want to talk a little bit about eating. Yikes, like I know anything about this! ha! If you have read my blog for a while, you know my pet saying: "I hold onto my bad eating habits tighter than a box of Hohos on a Saturday night!" ha!
Seriously, try these simple things that I do to be healthier:
These things helped me start my weight loss and have developed into habits. If I can do it, anyone can!
100 Simple Secrets of Happy People -- Secret number 20: Develop a household routine.
I am a planner. I have a household routine that I try to follow as my schedule allows. I feel like I am not overwhelmed with all the things a single homeowner needs to do! That is important for our happiness! I also find that NOT being hard on myself when things don't look the way I want is also important for my happiness.
*******************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
I worked a year after high school before going off to college. I paid rent. I kept my own hours. The first break I visited home, my father initiated a curfew of 11:00 pm (which I never had when I lived at home). I looked at my mother and said "Please take me back to school or I will hitchhike!". We get used to our freedom! He was only trying to protect me from myself (even though I really didn't need it!).
A lot of people think that God is like my father -- giving us unreasonable rules and boundaries. I have thought about this a lot in my Bible studies and my life. Even though reading some of the Old Testament rules and laws is almost painful at times, they were necessary for folks to live the way they needed to in God. Here is a simple equation:
Living in God = peace and harmony
NOT living in God = chaos!
Like our parents, God loves us and gives us rules to help us live the right way and to protect us. Praise God!
Lord, thank you for the rules and directives. We praise you!
Wellness Wednesday
Have you set your goals yet? Why not? ;-/ Get to it!
So this week I want to talk a little bit about eating. Yikes, like I know anything about this! ha! If you have read my blog for a while, you know my pet saying: "I hold onto my bad eating habits tighter than a box of Hohos on a Saturday night!" ha!
Seriously, try these simple things that I do to be healthier:
- Reduce portions.
- Eat healthy snacks (100 calories or less with some nutritional value) instead of treats.
- Don't salt stuff so much.
- Cut down on processed foods (and I LOVE ham, sausage and bacon!)
- Do a rough plan of your meals for the week (but don't be rigid because it can reduce your happiness).
These things helped me start my weight loss and have developed into habits. If I can do it, anyone can!
100 Simple Secrets of Happy People -- Secret number 20: Develop a household routine.
I am a planner. I have a household routine that I try to follow as my schedule allows. I feel like I am not overwhelmed with all the things a single homeowner needs to do! That is important for our happiness! I also find that NOT being hard on myself when things don't look the way I want is also important for my happiness.
*******************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Contentment
Our Daily Bread
I have to admit that I have been whining a little the past few days. My faith has been tested with some things that happened the past few weeks. I am doing my best to be the man that God wants me to be. I fall short way too often. One area that I need to work on is contentment. The devotional strikes home once again!
I loved the tag line of the devotional:
"Contentment is not possessing everything but giving thanks for everything you possess."
This is part of the "gratitude therapy" I mentioned in several posts. Being truly thankful for what you have is the first step towards contentment. My joke with my friends is what I call the second step -- being thankful for what you don't have! ha! There are always trade offs. Yes, you could be in some kind of relationship, but being alone is much better than being in a bad one! Having an expensive house could be nice, but there are the responsibilities of upkeep, taxes and large house payments. There are always trade offs.
Appreciate what you have. Appreciate what you don't have. Love God. Serve others. It is not rocket science! ;-p
Lord, thank you for all the things in my life --what I have and what I don't have!
Teaching Tuesday
I had to finish two lessons this week since I got behind last week when I missed class. I finished the reading I wrote about last week -- the first chapter or so of Genesis containing the P creation story. The second reading was the second chapter of Genesis - the JE version of the creation story.
After reading these very different stories again, I can understand why folks question and doubt the Bible. My faith tells me that the explanations in our book make sense. Like any historical event, the perspective of the writer dictates how they write about it. This is the case of the two creation stories. The P writer again takes the priestly and more historical writer role. The stories were probably passed down through the priestly ranks. The JE writer sounds more like the traditional stories passed down through other oral traditions that have the perspective of popular culture. The JE writer tries to explain why some things are the way they are in their time period by shaping the creation story. It is interesting, but confusing at times!
Please remember it is by faith that we believe. We may never know all the answers until we can ask God!
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Bonus entry! hehehe
A friend posted this on Facebook:
God's three answers to prayers:
1. yes
2. not yet
3. I have something better in mind
Let's all remember this when we pray and when we receive God's answers!
*************************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
I have to admit that I have been whining a little the past few days. My faith has been tested with some things that happened the past few weeks. I am doing my best to be the man that God wants me to be. I fall short way too often. One area that I need to work on is contentment. The devotional strikes home once again!
I loved the tag line of the devotional:
"Contentment is not possessing everything but giving thanks for everything you possess."
This is part of the "gratitude therapy" I mentioned in several posts. Being truly thankful for what you have is the first step towards contentment. My joke with my friends is what I call the second step -- being thankful for what you don't have! ha! There are always trade offs. Yes, you could be in some kind of relationship, but being alone is much better than being in a bad one! Having an expensive house could be nice, but there are the responsibilities of upkeep, taxes and large house payments. There are always trade offs.
Appreciate what you have. Appreciate what you don't have. Love God. Serve others. It is not rocket science! ;-p
Lord, thank you for all the things in my life --what I have and what I don't have!
Teaching Tuesday
I had to finish two lessons this week since I got behind last week when I missed class. I finished the reading I wrote about last week -- the first chapter or so of Genesis containing the P creation story. The second reading was the second chapter of Genesis - the JE version of the creation story.
After reading these very different stories again, I can understand why folks question and doubt the Bible. My faith tells me that the explanations in our book make sense. Like any historical event, the perspective of the writer dictates how they write about it. This is the case of the two creation stories. The P writer again takes the priestly and more historical writer role. The stories were probably passed down through the priestly ranks. The JE writer sounds more like the traditional stories passed down through other oral traditions that have the perspective of popular culture. The JE writer tries to explain why some things are the way they are in their time period by shaping the creation story. It is interesting, but confusing at times!
Please remember it is by faith that we believe. We may never know all the answers until we can ask God!
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Bonus entry! hehehe
A friend posted this on Facebook:
God's three answers to prayers:
1. yes
2. not yet
3. I have something better in mind
Let's all remember this when we pray and when we receive God's answers!
*************************************
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13
Monday, October 1, 2012
Swirled peas
Our Daily Bread
There are thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, of bumper stickers in the world today. Some are upsetting. Some are confusing. Some are humorous. One of the silly ones that I like is 'Visualize swirled peas". It is supposed to be about "world peace", but somehow the original message got lost in the translation!
Our lives can work that way, too. God tells us about the peace he offers -- the peace that passes all understanding! That peace is not always felt as we move through our busy and stressful lives! It becomes swirled peas at times! Let us pray for each other to always remember who the Prince of Peace is. He is there for us if we remember to call upon his name!
Lord, thank you for the peace only you can give. Please help us always remember that!
Movie Monday
I had another week with priorities higher than seeing a movie. ;-( I am going to write about two DVDs that are out now: Avengers and The Cabin in the Woods.
Avengers
Even if you aren't a sci fi or comic book geek, there is a very good chance you will like this movie! It came out on DVD, Bluray and digital copy last week. Check it out and enjoy!
The Cabin in the Woods
Directed by Josh Whedon, one of my favorite directors, The Cabin in the Woods is not your typical horror flick. At the beginning you think it is a typical "college kids go to the cabin in the woods and get killed" movie. It is far from that! Be patient. Wait for it. You will be surprised!
******************************************
u r a bcog. u r fawm. Now believe it!
There are thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, of bumper stickers in the world today. Some are upsetting. Some are confusing. Some are humorous. One of the silly ones that I like is 'Visualize swirled peas". It is supposed to be about "world peace", but somehow the original message got lost in the translation!
Our lives can work that way, too. God tells us about the peace he offers -- the peace that passes all understanding! That peace is not always felt as we move through our busy and stressful lives! It becomes swirled peas at times! Let us pray for each other to always remember who the Prince of Peace is. He is there for us if we remember to call upon his name!
Lord, thank you for the peace only you can give. Please help us always remember that!
Movie Monday
I had another week with priorities higher than seeing a movie. ;-( I am going to write about two DVDs that are out now: Avengers and The Cabin in the Woods.
Avengers
Even if you aren't a sci fi or comic book geek, there is a very good chance you will like this movie! It came out on DVD, Bluray and digital copy last week. Check it out and enjoy!
The Cabin in the Woods
Directed by Josh Whedon, one of my favorite directors, The Cabin in the Woods is not your typical horror flick. At the beginning you think it is a typical "college kids go to the cabin in the woods and get killed" movie. It is far from that! Be patient. Wait for it. You will be surprised!
******************************************
u r a bcog. u r fawm. Now believe it!
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