Happy Easter! He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!

Happy Easter!

Alleluia, He is Risen!

Our Daily Bread
TV commercials range from the ridiculous to the sublime in my opinion.  One that seemed to gross me out was the antacid medicine commercial that had a talking stomach as its spokesperson.  We usually call it heartburn instead of stomach burn.  I am not sure why.

The men walking on the road to Emmaus experienced a burning in their hearts that no medicine could relieve!  They remembered later that the only other time their hearts burned within them like that was when Jesus was speaking to them before his death.  How could they not have recognized him?

We can be like this today.  God can speak.  We keep waling like everything is normal even when we feel the burning of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.  Can we listen today?  Listen and obey?

Lord, your words burn in our hearts.  Please help us worship and obey.

Psalm Sunday
Let's look at Psalm 88 this week.  Talk about a Debbie Downer psalm!  The thing I like about the psalms so much is the total honesty and the ability to express this honesty even when it may not be comfortable for the folks around us.  Would you say the words below out loud when other folks could hear them?  Would you say these words in prayer to God?  We should feel comfortable to express these things, then turn them over to God.  This is an important lesson that God reminded me about this week, also known as Duane's Holy Week of whining...  OH boy.   Read the psalm out loud.  Pray the psalm to God.


Psalm 88

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.

1 Lord, you are the God who saves me;
    day and night I cry out to you.
2 May my prayer come before you;
    turn your ear to my cry.
3 I am overwhelmed with troubles
    and my life draws near to death.
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
    I am like one without strength.
5 I am set apart with the dead,
    like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
    who are cut off from your care.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
    in the darkest depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavily on me;
    you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
8 You have taken from me my closest friends
    and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;
9     my eyes are dim with grief.
I call to you, Lord, every day;
    I spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
    Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
    your faithfulness in Destruction?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
    or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
13 But I cry to you for help, Lord;
    in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, Lord, do you reject me
    and hide your face from me?
15 From my youth I have suffered and been close to death;
    I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
    your terrors have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;
    they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend and neighbor—
    darkness is my closest friend.


**************************************
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” John 11:40

Holy Week - Day 7

Our Daily Bread
Pay it Forward was a movie released a few years ago where a boy started a movement to pass along good deeds to folks.  He did a good deed.  He asked the person to pay it forward and do a good deed to someone else and so one.  It caused a short-lived trend for folks to do this in their daily lives!

Jesus gave us the ultimate "pay if forward" gift.  He died on the cross for our sins.  He didn't have to come to earth in the form of a human.  He didn't have to suffer and die.  He didn't have to give himself for us.  He did so out of love and obedience.  He knew what the experience would be like and did it anyway.  He did that for you and for me.

Lord, please help us always remember the sacrifice you made, especially when our small sacrifices seem so difficult for us.

Simply Saturday
Such a whiner during Holy Week
I didn't make it to rehearsal Monday night.  I whined about being tired, went home and went to bed.

I fulfilled my requirements Tuesday night, a voice lesson and my EFM class.  I sort of whined about the class afterwards.

I planned to attend the Tennebrae service on Wednesday, however I complained about being tired, went home and went to bed.

I attended the Maundy Thursday service at church the other night.  The choir had to be at church about 6:10 or so.  We rehearsed after the service, so I didn't home until about 10:00.  Whew...  Whining again.

I got to see a movie after work Friday, then went to the Good Friday service.  I took a break from my whining as I cried bitter tears during the service.  I could hardly look at the representation of Christ that hung over the altar.  His eyes seemed to say "I have given you so much.  Why the whining?"

I get to play tennis today, do some stuff around the house, then attend the Great Vigil service tonight.  I am practicing about NOT whining about the Great Vigil service being too long or about being at church for about five hours on Easter Sunday.

Giving your life over to Christ means several things to me.  First, God told me that my feelings are important. It is OK to whine.  I need to turn those things over to God.  If I had already done that, regardless of the whining topic of the moment, I wouldn't have anything to whine about, would I?  Second, taking my eyes off myself and looking around at others is so much more important considering that others need me.  God put me right here, right now, for many reasons.  I can rejoice in that!  Lastly, my whining appears to be about my wants, not my needs.  God always provides.  Always.  Regardless of the need, God always provides.  I can testify to that.

This Holy Week has been holy indeed.  Tears shed.  God's presence felt.  Growth occurred.  While I can't guarantee the whining will stop, I am more conscious of it now.  I will trust in the Lord.  I will wait patiently for Him.
****************************
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.

Holy Week - Day 6

Our Daily Bread
A popular and unpopular questions around Good Friday is: Who killed Jesus?  Was it the Jews?  Was it the Romans?  Was it God?  Who exactly?  Who should pay or be blamed for this horrible deed?

I have a different viewpoint, as you might guess.  Yes, Jesus was tortured.  Yes, Jesus was nailed to a cross.  Yes, they mocked him like all the other prophets before him who were killed in Jerusalem.  This man was different.  The Bible says in several accounts that "Jesus gave up his spirit".  Jesus had control of his life and his death.  In my humble opinion, no one killed Jesus.  Jesus died for us. He died for us in his time on his own terms.  He could have come down off that cross and saved himself.  He may have lasted for days if left on the cross to die like most others did.

When  you think of Jesus this weekend, remember that this silly old bear offers a different perspective: Jesus died for us.  No one on this earth has the power to kill the Son of God!

Lord Jesus, thank you for dying for us on the Cross.  Your death is our victory, though at a tremendous cost!

Foodie Friday
Not trying to take any business away from the Girl Scouts, but here is a recipe for homemake Samoas.  Mmmmmm!

Homemade Girl Scout Cookies: Samoas Bars




Homemade Samoas Bars
Cookie Base:
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

First, make the crust.
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan, or line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Working at a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly, like wet sand. The dough does not need to come together. Pour crumbly dough into prepapred pan and press into an even layer.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until base is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before topping.

Topping
3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12-oz good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
10 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

Preheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.
Put dollops of the topping all over the shortbread base. Using the spatula, spread topping into an even layer. Let topping set until cooled.
When cooled, cut into 30 bars with a large knife or a pizza cutter (it’s easy to get it through the topping).
Once bars are cut, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each bar into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment or wax paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle bars with chocolate to finish.
Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes 30 bar cookies.

Note: You can simply drizzle chocolate on top of the bars before slicing them up if you’re looking for yet an easier way to finish these off. You won’t need quite as much chocolate as noted above, and you won’t quite get the Samoas look, but the results will still be tasty.

*************************
TGIF -> Thank God I'm Forgiven

Holy Week - Day 5

Our Daily Bread
Have you ever channel surfed and ran across something that you wish you never saw?  For me, it used to be a surgery channel that had all kinds of gross stuff on the screen!  There were also shows that made people eat gross stuff to win money.  Ewww!

Think of the grossest (Don't think that is a word, but it sounded good) thing you ever saw or felt or heard.  Now multiply that by the highest number  you can think of, like a ten bazillion.  IMHO, that is how God feels about sin.  Can you imagine having that grossest feeling ever as many times as he has it every day with all of our sinning?  Sin is not just a "bad thing".  Our sins separate us from God.  Separation is bad!

Jesus gave himself to mend the sinful rift between God and man.  We can accept that gift or not.  Accepting is good.  ;-)

Lord, thank you for the sacrifice of your only Son.  Please help us accept that gift and try to sin no more!

Technology Thursday
Not much going in the technology world that interests me.  I found a couple of articles that I thought were cool.  I hope you like them, too.

I am a gadget geek, so this one struck home --> What Your Gadgets Really Say About You

The most anticipated tech of 2013

Keep Dreaming: 13 Technologies You Won’t See in 2013

Pheed: The Social Network That's Winning Over Teens from Facebook and Twitter - You knew it had to be coming soon as millions of moms, dads, grandmas and grandpas started crowding Facebook!

***********************
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” John 11:40

Holy Week - Day 4

Our Daily Bread
I changed the famous movie quote a little to go along with the devotional "The truth? We have to hold on to the truth!".  Yes, the truth abounds this Holy Week as we are reminded of the truth of our sin and God's mercy each day.  Personally, I know Satan has been at working overtime this week.  How about you?  Have you had more distractions than normal?  Have you felt like a heavier burden than normal has been on your shoulders? 

Hold on to the truth, my friends!  You CAN handle the truth.  The truth will set you free!

Lord, thank you for sharing the truth with us.  Please help us hold on to your truth!

Wellness Wednesday
Healthy snacks
Please forgive me if I write about eating habits the next few weeks.  I sooooooo need a reminder that I will never accomplish my weight loss and fitness goals until I get my eating habits under consistent control.  I have been lingering in the land of "one good day and six bad days" instead of 6 to 1 or 5 to 2.  Whew...  Here are some tips about snacking.  If you need to snack, and not everyone needs to, consider following these recommendations from an AOL Healthy Living article.

1. Do you really need to snack?  Not everyone needs the extra calories from snacking.  Some folks require regular snacks to maintain their metabolic rate or maintain their blood sugar levels.  
2. Confusing the terms "snack" and "treat".  I eat way too many treats.  The guideline I have read is limit the snack to 100 calories or less and it must have some nutritional value.  100 calories worth of M&Ms is not a good thing!  Snacks should also help you feel full if you are eating to stave off hunger and binging.  Try to eat something with protein if you must have a snack.  It will help you feel fuller, longer.
3. Having "healthy" carbs alone.  Most folks consider a apple or orange by itself as a healthy snack.  You should include some kind of protein with a carby snack.  The protein helps the food gently elevate your blood sugar level instead of a sudden spike.
4. Skipping fruits and veggies.  There are many reasons that nutritionists recommend a combo snack of protein and carbs -- it is the most healthy for you if you have to snack!  Try not to eat a protein only snack.
5. Being mindless.  I like the term "multi-tasking snacking".  Find what you are good at and stick with it!  That's what I say!  Seriously, it is easy to mindlessly eat a whole bag of chips or box of Girl Scout cookies while watching TV or surfing the Internet on your iPad.  I have a tendency to stress eat or mindlessly eat.  Stop it, duanebear!
6. "health halo grazing".  Even if you eat the right stuff in the right combinations (carb and protein), it is too easy to let the portion size and calorie count grow to the size of a meal.  Don't do that, duanebear!  ha! 

The bottom line: If you must snack, eat the right foods in the right portions!
***************************
Let go, my friends!  God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!

Holy Week - Day 3

Our Daily Bread
I saw an article on Yahoo News the other day about "is your neighbor slowly stealing land from you?".  Hmmmm, I thought.  The article said that neighbors can be sneaky and steal land from you by expanding their flower beds and by putting the fence over on your property "accidentally".  I thought about how mankind is being sneaky and stealing land from God! 

What do I mean by that?  As the devotional says, God created all and owns all.  He put mankind in charge of the earth, to use it and to take care of it.  How do you think we are doing at that?  From all appearances, we are raping the earth as fast as we can to meet the "needs" of a few people on the planet.  Are we really being responsible?

Let's pray that Christians and non-Christians can take a more balanced view of our responsibility to manage God's earth!

Lord, thank you for your creation.  Please help us manage it better!

Teaching Tuesday
The lesson this week was about the first section of Isaiah.  I didn't realize until the past few years that Isaiah probably should have been broken up into three books instead of one long one.  We studied the first 39 chapters, the ones most often attributed to Isaiah himself.  The other two sections are usually attributed to other writers, but are included with the first 39 chapters because of the flow of the stories and the accounts. 

Isaiah mostly spoke in the southern kingdom.  He didn't have a lot to do with the northern kingdom of Israel.  Like all the prophets, he spoke what God told him to say.  He was a little different than some of the prophets of that era in that he saw hope for the return of Israel some day.  Other prophets, like Amos, didn't see much hope for restoration.

Check it out sometime.  Very interesting reading!  We are going to cover the other two sections next week.
************************************
Let go, my friends!  God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!

Holy Week - Day 2

Our Daily Bread
I am always amazed by the way God works!  As I drove in to work today, God brought the lyrics of two songs to my conscious -- He will carry you and Carry you.  Somehow, I knew that the devotional this morning was going to be about turning over the heavy burdens of life over to God!  The devotional is called "Too Heavy".  Isn't our God amazing!

Each of us have our burdens to bear.  We all have times when, no matter how God has blessed us, we feel we can't bear our burdens without buckling under the pressure.  It is during these times that God gently reminds us that we don't have to bear our burdens alone -- he is there to give us strength, guidance and comfort.  We do our part by continuing to serve Him with gladness as we live our lives. 

God will carry you, my friends.  I can testify.  I know I need him to carry me this week as my burdens seem too much for me to bear alone. 

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for carrying us when we feel like we can't take another step on our own.

Movie Monday
I saw the movie The Croods on Friday.  It is a cartoon movie about a caveman family that gets displaced from their cave by the changing of the Earth.  There are actually several layers to this seemingly simple movie -- family dynamics, teenage girl scenarios, first boyfriend scenario, drastic change to the status quo, and survival.  The teenage girl's first boyfriend leads the family from the crumbling mountains around them to safety.  Like I said, there are a lot of layers.  I laughed a lot, cried a little (I am a tender-hearted old bear) and enjoyed what I watched.

I give this two bear paws out of four.  No driving need to see it at the theater.  Waiting for downloading or streaming is fine.

****************************************
"Lay down your burdens.  He will carry you.  He will carry you, my child, my child" - From Carry You by Amy Grant

Holy Week - Day 1

Our Daily Bread
I usually have mixed emotions during Holy Week.  There are so many church services and times to sing.  There are so many "down" times while we learn about how Christ was treated by the world and his own disciples.  There are so many "up" times when we talk about the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and ultimately on Easter Sunday.  What a spiritual and emotional roller coaster!

For me, the bottom line of the whole week is summed up in the devotional: what can I give him?  Jesus gave all for us.  Whether he asks us to give up our stuff or give up our money or our time or whatever we need to give up to serve him better, we need to be willing as our example was willing to do for God. Pray.  Listen.  Obey with a cheerful heart for the privilege to serve the Almighty God.

Lord, thank you for your ultimate sacrifice.  Please help us be willing to sacrifice anything for you.

Psalm Sunday
Psalm 87 is a nice praise psalm.  It is a little unusual as the nations other than Israel acknowledge the one true God, YAWH.  Very cool.

Psalm 87

Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.

1 He has founded his city on the holy mountain.
2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion
    more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are said of you,
    city of God:
4 “I will record Rahab and Babylon
    among those who acknowledge me—
Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush—
    and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”
5 Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
    “This one and that one were born in her,
    and the Most High himself will establish her.”
6 The Lord will write in the register of the peoples:
    “This one was born in Zion.”
7 As they make music they will sing,
    “All my fountains are in you.”


********************************
What can I give him, poor as I am?  Give him my heart -- adapted from What Can I Give Him

I hope so

Our Daily Bread
I perform a lot, so it is always interesting to me how performers talk to each other.  "Bread a leg".  "Relax, it will all go great!".  A common response is "I hope so!".  To me, hope doesn't have much to do with it.  Practice and preparation do.  How do I get to Carnegie Hall?  Practice! the old joke says!

Living a life for God can be similar, we need practice and preparation to learn to live it better.  There is also the hope element that I usually dismiss in things like performances or actually winning the lottery if I buy a ticket.  The hope of things to come.  The hope of the promises that God made to us personally. The hope of bringing others to God by living our lives for him.  The hope of having the creator of everything with us each and every millisecond.  That's a lot of hope!

Lord, we know our hope is in you.  Please help us to live that way!

Simply Saturday
Listening and Peace
I have been dealing with a situation in my life for a few years now.  Each time I try to deny my feelings and the things I feel that God promised me, God gently draws me back.  As I poured my heart out to God Thursday night for the umpteenth time about this situation, I felt him saying to me "It's OK.  I know you are weary.  I got this.  Hold on a while longer.  It is not the right time."  His Holy Spirit filled me a peace that truly passes understanding.

Like so many believers before me, I started having doubts on Friday night.  One problem with expecting great things from God is understanding his timing is best regardless of how we feel.  I was whining yet again, then said something like "OK, I am officially giving up hope on this situation unless you smack me in the face and tell me something different".  I guess I that was a pitiful way of asking for a sign.  I forgot the peace that I felt the night before.

When I got up this morning and read the devotional, I started crying.  I cried a little more.  I cried because God gave me the sign and my reminder -- my hope is in Him.  It always has been.  It always will be.  I will rest in his Word.  I will believe in his promises.  I will trust in the Lord.  I will wait patiently on him.

What situation are you facing?  Is the timing not what you thought it would be?  I write these things to let you know this -- God is faithful.  Trust in the Lord.

**********************************

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. - 2 Thessalonians 3:16

A race with no winner

Our Daily Bread
Have you ever watched children playing T-Ball?  The emphasis is on participating and doing your best.  Wouldn't it be nice if our churches were the same way?  Put the emphasis on participating in worship and the life of the church and doing your best to live for God!

The devotional talks about Paul's metaphor for our life in Christ being like a race.  I like this metaphor as long as we keep it in perspective.  I like the idea of pushing ourselves to finish as best we can and training to run the race as best we can.  I don't think the concept of "winning the race" applies here.  Many recreational runners only worry about competing against themselves by improving their times.  I think we should concentrate on being our personal best in our efforts to server the Lord!

Lord, thank you for giving us strength and perseverance to run life's race for you!

Foodie Friday
A friend on Facebook has been posting some great recipes.  I would like to share some with you.  I haven't tried them yet, but they sound great!

Low Fat Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients
1 box lemon cake mix (any kind, I will probably use chocolate)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups Cool Whip, thawed (8 ounce container)
½ to 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, egg, and Cool Whip. The batter will be sticky!

Form dough into tablespoonfuls and roll in powdered sugar.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are golden. Allow to cool 1 minute on baking sheet; then remove to wire rack to cool completely.


Snickers Cake

1 box devils food cake mix, plus ingredients to make the cake
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 jar Smucker's hot caramel ice cream topping
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 snickers candy bars, chopped
1/3 cup peanuts, chopped
caramel sauce
chocolate sauce

Bake cake in a 9x13-inch pan according to direction on the package.

While cake is baking, mix condensed milk and hot caramel topping until well blended. When the cake is done and while it's still hot, poke holes in it with a fork or straw. Pour milk mixture over the cake. Allow cake to cool completely. Sprinkle chocolate chips over cake.

In a chilled bowl, whip together heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip on high speed of an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes. Stir in chopped snickers. Spread over cake. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over cake. Drizzle caramel and chocolate sauce on top. Chill.

*****************************
Let go, my friends!  God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!

Give it up

Our Daily Bread
Have you ever heard the term "my guilty pleasure"?  My friends and family are usually referring to a TV show or food item that they like, but feel like they shouldn't!  I am that way with Snyders BBQ chips and cream horns from Buehlers! 

Most of us feel we are entitled to at least one guilty pleasure in our life.  It helps us "relax".  The devotional seems to disagree with that thought.  It quotes I Peter 4:1-2 that encourages us to put aside all sinful passions and obey the will of God.  Yes, it is not easy.  We are human.  We want to keep some things for ourselves whether it be food or a TV show or porn or whatever fleeting pleasure that can interrupt our communication with God. 

I know I suck at this.  Let's pray for each other to put aside the fleeting pleasures that distract us from serving God.

Lord, thank you for your love and guidance.  We ask for wisdom and focus on your will and the eternal implications of our actions!

Technology Thursday
Samsung Galaxy S4
Samsung announced their next generation iPhone killer in the Galaxy S4 last week.  I didn't see any amazing new features.  They offered a few new things for the iPhone to catch up to and some Android features to catch up to the iPhone iOS. Check it out.  It might be the new phone for you!

Here are some interesting links:
Where iPhone beats the Galaxy S4
Cnet review of the S4
Full technical specs


**********************************
u r a bcog  u r fawm  Now believe it!

Bring the rain

Our Daily Bread
As I mentioned many times, songs speak to me when words alone can't through this silly head of mine.  While mindlessly listening to my iPod, I focused on the words to Bring the Rain by MercyMe.  Wow!  I try to live my life by the message in those lyrics, but sometimes I cry "no mas!" (no more!). 

Today is the first day of Spring, so the devotional is timely.  Rain is a necessary part of Spring as the plants and trees come alive again.  It is not always pleasant for us as we try to til the land or manage our landscaping.  Rain is necessary all the same.  It is also necessary at times in our spiritual life.  Like the weather, the rain in our spiritual life helps us grow roots in our Lord and Savior.  Like we can praise God for the rain that enables the plants to grow, we can praise God for the rain in our spiritual lives that enables us to grow!

Lord, Rain or pain or sun, bring whatever it takes to help us praise you and give you glory.

Wellness Wednesday
Meditation
The most common response I get when I ask someone if they have tried meditation is "Who has time for that?".  From what I read, Jesus made time to pray and meditate!  I guess I can find time in my busy schedule!  So what does it mean to meditate?  I found a decent article on it this week that I wanted to share.  As the article says, you can use these five tips whether the meditation is for spiritual reasons or just for relaxation.

Learn to calm your mind by following these five simple steps:

1. Set an an alarm clock to help keep track of the time. Begin with three minutes, and work up to five.

2. Find a comfortable, seated position (feel free to sit in a chair if you're not comfortable on the floor).

3. Sit up tall, rest your hands in your lap and close your eyes. Your palms can face up or down. Simply choose the one that feels the best.

4. Take a few moments to relax and settle in. If any part of your body feels uncomfortable, mindfully shift to a new position.

5. Once you feel relatively comfortable, redirect your mind to your breath and begin counting your exhales. Set an initial goal of counting a total of 21 and build up to 108 with practice. When your mind wanders, refocus by drawing awareness back to your breath, and begin the count again.

When I try this, I usually keep an LED candle in front of me, open my eyes, focus on it for a few seconds, then close my eyes again.  I also use some phrases like "Jesus is Lord" or "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner" or "I am a beloved child of God" to focus my thoughts on God.

Give this a try in your busy life.  It helps me when I make time to do it!


**************************
u r a bcog  u r fawm  Now believe it!

Hard to get

Our Daily Bread
Have you ever had a romantic interest that played "hard to get"?  I think we all have at one time or another.  It is part of the game of romance that I am not very good at.  I don't like these types of games!

We don't have to worry about that with God.  God is not "hard to know".  People make it so difficult to know God.  I guess I don't understand sometimes.  Yes, He is the God that made all things and is way beyond our understanding.  He is also the God that wants a personal relationship with each of us.  Like any relationship, we need to spend time to get to know him.  "Prepare our hearts" to open up to the Almighty God.  I love this sentence from the devotional: "And the first thing in all of life is to know God and enjoy Him."  Wow!  Did you ever think about "and enjoy him"?  I never thought of it that way!

Lord, please help us to know and enjoy you!

Teaching Tuesday
We read about the first two major prophets this week - Amos and Hosea.  Wow! What stories!

Amos, like many other great characters in the Bible, was thought to be of lowly stature.  It is hard to tell from his writings since he seemed to know more than a person of his background should know about international affairs.  Or, it could be that his words were directly from YAWH who knows all!  His dark, dramatic story was truly amazing.  I speak out many times when others won't, but this guy was unbelievable.  Read the short book of Amos to see.  Remember that many of the statements, especially in the first few chapters, are independent statements.  They don't really tell a story.

Hosea was more positive than Amos, but not much.  He felt that there was a chance of redemption for the people of Israel, although unlikely considering how far they had fallen from God's ways.  As his story goes, God told Hosea to marry a prostitute to symbolize the relationship between God and Israel.  Many scholars believe that there was reconciliation between Hosea and his wife.  The funniest thing to me is that Hosea named his children after the relationship between Israel and God.  That was wild!

Read over these lesser read books sometime.  Amazing stories!

****************************
We too can know this God and be assured of His presence. He has revealed Himself in His creation and in His Word. As we ask Him to make Himself known to us, we’ll learn that He is even more than the owner and creator of everything! - Our Daily Bread web site

Be all you can be

Our Daily Bread
I used to pay a lot of attention to advertising after working for the IT department of a large advertising agency.  I liked a campaign for the Army with the tagline "Be all you can be".  Isn't that a great call out to young men and women with hopes and dreams!

God has a similar call to us.  Be all you can be in the Lord! God does not expect us to do everything.  He expects us to do the things he commands us to do each day to the best of our abilities.  We are not in competition with others.  We are serving God.  As we read over and over in the Bible, God takes ordinary; people like us and makes their lives extraordinary!  As I call it, my "no ordinary life"!  God gives us the strength and motivation if we rely on Him!

Lord, please help us do our part in your master plan!

Movie Monday
I saw The Great and Powerful Oz last week.  I had my doubts about whether I wanted to see it or not after several friends panned it.  Several other friends thought it was OK.  The plot is how the character known as Oz got to Oz and how he came to be the Wizard.  The story line was OK.  There were some good parts and some odd parts.  Overall, I liked it.  It was worth seeing for the special effects if nothing else.  If you are a die-hard Wizard of Oz, Fred Baum fan, you will recognize the material from his books.

I give this two stars for the special effects and decent story.  See it on the big screen.

*****************************
We too can know this God and be assured of His presence. He has revealed Himself in His creation and in His Word. As we ask Him to make Himself known to us, we’ll learn that He is even more than the owner and creator of everything! - Our Daily Bread web site

Puttin' on the lips

Our Daily Bread
I was active with the Louisville Jaycees for a few years when I was younger.  I really enjoyed serving the community with the different project we did to raise money for different charities.  We also learned a lot about running a business and about project management.  One of the annual events was a lip syncing "competition" that was a lot of fun for everyone involved.  I participated one year.  It is my understanding that the video was lost and it shall never be spoken of again!  ha!

The devotional asks the question: "who owns your lips?".  I thought about the Puttin' on the lips event like it could be a daily event -- who lips are you putting on?  God's or your own?  Putting on God's lips means speaking softly, kindly and lovingly.  Putting on God's lips means timely words intended to lift people up.  Putting on your own lips can lead to words of strife and a life of stress from saying the wrong things.

Whose lips will you put on today?

Lord, thank you for giving us the freedom of choice.  Please help us choose to put on your lips today.

Psalm Sunday
Let's look at Psalm 86 today.  It is a lovely prayer of dedication and supplication.  God, please be with your faithful servants!


Psalm 86
A prayer of David.

1 Hear me, Lord, and answer me,
    for I am poor and needy.
2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
    save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God;
3 have mercy on me, Lord,
    for I call to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
    for I put my trust in you.
5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
    abounding in love to all who call to you.
6 Hear my prayer, Lord;
    listen to my cry for mercy.
7 When I am in distress, I call to you,
    because you answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
    no deeds can compare with yours.
9 All the nations you have made
    will come and worship before you, Lord;
    they will bring glory to your name.
10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
    you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
    that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
    I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
    you have delivered me from the depths,
    from the realm of the dead.
14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
    ruthless people are trying to kill me—
    they have no regard for you.
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
    slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and have mercy on me;
    show your strength in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
    just as my mother did.
17 Give me a sign of your goodness,
    that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
    for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted 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

Some day you will understand

Our Daily Bread
I was not a rebellious child or teenager, but I have always been a handful to handle for friends and family.  OK, enough "AMEN!"s from the peanut gallery!  I remember one time my grandmother told me "Some day you will understand".  She was right.  I am 53 now and I think I finally understood some things this week!  ha!

When we look at the story of David and Bathsheba, we can see how God works.  The same God that gives us freedom of choice also lets us make bad decisions.  We may not pay the consequences of those bad decisions immediately, but we act like that little child that accidentally broke his grandmother's favorite dish "Oh, boy, am I in trouble when God finds out".  Here's a little clue: HE KNOWS!  ha!  Talk to him about it. Ask for forgiveness.  Ask for mercy when facing the consequences for your sin.  I know I do.

Lord, you work in mysterious ways.  Help us to trust and obey.  Some day we will understand.

Simply Saturday
Someday
Once again, it never amazes me how God leads me in writing this blog.  I thought of this topic while getting dressed this morning, then I read the devotional.  Praise God!

As we grow in the Lord and find and develop our spiritual gifts and our talents, we make human mistakes at times.  I know you are shocked to hear that I actually make mistakes!  ha!  I thought I was wrong once, but was mistaken!  hahaha!  But I digress...  We make mistakes in exercising our newly developed spiritual muscles.  We do a lot of things right.  It is part of learning and growing and leaning on the Lord for leadership.

I made some mistakes in the way I said some things last year while developing a more loving way of saying my prophetic words from God.  I have been an outspoken person since high school.  I say the things that most people won't say because it is important for folks to hear.  I think that is the main reason that God made me the way he did -- I will speak out.  I am paying the consequences for my mistakes.  I pray for God's mercy and for mercy from the person I offended.

Last week, I had another profound experience with speaking out.  I did better.  Not perfect, but better.  Because I followed the leadership of the Holy Spirit, other folks followed that leadership as well.  Some very good things happened.  Praise God!  I even had a prophetic dream that God showed me to calm me down because I was scared of how things would work out!  I came home after it all unfolded and told my roommate about what happened.  We laughed and cried and praised God together!

I write these things not to put myself down or to lift myself up.  I write these things to encourage you to carry on.  Find God's leadership in your life.  Determine your gifts and talents.  Develop them like an elite athlete trains for the Olympics.  The fruits of our labors are far more precious than any gold medal.

Some day, you will understand...

*************************

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” John 11:40

Our Father's Eyes

Our Daily Bread
I have been listening to "contemporary Christian music" for a long time now.  I remember some of my favorites from my college days, including Amy Grant's Father's Eyes.  It always reminded me to look at situations and especially people through God's eyes instead of my own jaded vision!

Have you ever had situations where you looked at things the wrong way?  l know I have.  I have judged a person by just looking at his clothes or cleanliness.  I assumed things about someone because of what church they attended or the political party they support.  It is often difficult to differentiate between acknowledging differences and pigeon-holing people in stereotypes.  I know how I feel when someone does that to me (Oh, you are gay.  Do you like to dress up in womens' clothes?  NOT!).  Let's all make an effort to do a better job of looking at others through the eyes of Jesus, who was our example.

Lord, thank you for enabling us to look at others through your eyes -- if we will just look past ourselves.

Foodie Friday
A friend posted a recipe like this on Facebook this week.  I will try it soon.  It is a taco pie.  I will probably substitute ground turkey for the ground beef.  i am not sure I will use the refried beans, Doritos or guacamole the recipe calls for either.  ;-p

Taco Pie in pie crust

Ingredients
1 refrigerated pie crust
1 lb ground beef
1 (16 ounce) cans refried beans
1 (7 ounce) cans diced green chilies
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (1 1/4 ounce) packets taco seasoning
1 (13 ounce) bags Doritos

Topping
2 cups guacamole
1 (16 ounce) jars salsa
1 cup sour cream
1 (2 1/4 ounce) cans black olives
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cup lettuce, shredded

Directions

1. Brown meat > drain fat and season.
2. Unroll crust, put into 9 or 10 inch pie plate.
3. Bake crust for about 10 minutes until just starting to bubble.
4. Spread beans on pie crust.
5. Layer half of meat, chilis and cheese.
6. Layer other half of meat, chilis and cheese.
7. Top with crumbled corn chips.
8. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes.
9. Serve with guacamole, olives, tomatoes, lettuce, salsa and sour cream.

*********************************
Trusting God’s faithfulness dispels our fearfulness. - Our Daily Bread web site

Danger, Will Robinson!

Our Daily Bread
I may have used this reference before since it is a favorite from my childhood.  The TV show Lost in Space had a robot that had one very famous line "Danger, Will Robinson, Danger!".  You always knew something bad could happen if the robot started flailing his robot arms and chanted those words!

The Old Testament can be like that for us today.  We can see the journey of a people with God.  The devotional talks about how the stories of faithfulness and unfaithfulness affect the lives of these folks and their relationship with God.  Sin and disobedience means separation from the perfect God who created us.

I have studied the Old Testament a lot the past few years.  I am always amazed and encouraged at how God can use ordinary folks who make themselves available to God.  There is story after story that should encourage us today to be who we can be for God.

Lord, thank you for the history that we can learn from today. Please help us always seek you and follow your ways instead of our own!

Technology Thursday
BlackBerry Z10
BlackBerry, formerly known as Research in Motion (RIM), released their new BBOS10 devices this week in the US.  They released it in the UK and Canada several weeks ago to mixed reviews.  The new touch screen device runs the QNX based BlackBerry Operating System (BBOS) 10.  This OS is light years ahead of the old BlackBerry operating systems!  It is very advanced for a smartphone with many features that aren't available on an iPhone or Android device.  There are some differences in how the new interface works, such as swiping from the black area around the screen and getting different behavior if you pause your touch before swiping.  ATT is takig pre-orders now for $199 with a new two year contract.  Check out the cool new features here.

If you prefer the BlackBerry with a physical keyboard, the Q10 will be out in the next month or two.
************************************
Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God - William Carey

Not just lip service

Our Daily Bread
There was a HUGE controversy in the music world when two singing stars were found to be lip syncing ALL of their songs!  They were just the front men for some other guys who actually did the singing.  Milli Vanilli is still a joke today because of their antics.  Their actions didn't match up with what their lips were saying!

I thought that was a very cool introduction to the devotional about living for Jesus, not just talking about him.  Yes, we need to talk about him to others and share our faith.  It is just as important to live our faith in him as an exclamation point to the words that come out of our mouths.  Seriously!  What are the words that are coming out of our lives?  Our actions speak volumes that our minds can't imagine!

Lord, please help us talk and walk your love and life.  We don't want to lip sync being a child of God!

Wellness Wednesday
Being yourself
You might remember the song that Kermit the Frog used to sing "It's not easy being green".  Click on the link and read the lyrics.  Now substitute whatever words you want for "green".  I substituted the word "me".  lalala, its not easy being me, when I could be somebody else..  Those are the lyrics I substituted for the way I have been feeling the past week.  Not feeling sorry for myself -- rather feeling some growing pains as God worked out some things in my life.  Here are a few things to think about when you just aren't feeling like you want to be you:

1. You were put here for a reason, though it can sometimes be hard to see that.  There have been several TV shows over the years that gave folks a look at the world if they hadn't been born. Wow!  What about you?  What would the world be like it you hadn't been born?  
2. You are the best qualified candidate to be you!  No one else has the qualifications to be the person you are and the person you are becoming in the Lord.  We might joke about having Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolee playing us in a movie, but they could never take our place in real life!
3. Be the man or woman that God made you to be.  We can sometimes lose sight of who we are in the Lord.  I told a friend last night "People count on you and you don't always realize it.".  Being you is the best way to serve the Lord, even when other people may not get it!
4. u r a bcog.  u r fawm.  I write that gibberish for my tag line sometimes.  It is a text message that I used to send a close friend. It means you are a beloved child of God.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made.  God made you to be you.

In the words from another song you may or may not have heard from, I gotta be me (either by Sammy Davis, Jr or the cast of Glee).

Whether I'm right or whether I'm wrong
Whether I find a place in this world or never belong
I gotta be me, I've gotta be me
What else can I be but what I am


Please be you.  People count on you and you don't always realize it!

*******************************
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

Discontentment

Our Daily Bread
The phrase "season of discontent" has been used mostly to describe the bad season of a sport team.  I know Buckeye fans had one of those year before last when we finished with a losing record after a loss to Florida in a bowl game.  Discontent, I say!

The devotional talks about some of the causes of discontent.  I gave one example above - someone or something not meeting up to our expectations.  The example given by the author is deceit.  Deceit causes anxiety which leads to discontent.  Ever known anyone that never seems content with anything?  Their life is always in a uproar about something.  I know some folks and it is exhausting to be around them!  Proverbs 30 talks about these things.

Lord, as the write of Proverbs said "Remove falsehood and lies far from me".  The truth shall make us free...and content!

Teaching Tuesday
The very long lesson this week was about Elijah and Elisha.  Even though I was familiar with the references to Elijah in the Old and New Testaments, it never registered with me how prominent that Elijah was in the Hebrew culture.  He was second only to Moses!  I thought he would have been less prominent, at least lower than David and Solomon.

The story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal is a Biblical classic.  How powerful is the only true God, YAWH!  Elijah did die according to the scriptures.  He was swept away into heaven by a chariot of fire!  Wow!

There were great stories of Elisha and how he picked up the mantle of Elijah and carried on his work.  Cool stuff!

Both men issued in a new era in Jewish history - the age of the prophets.  More prophet stories to come!

********************************
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.

May I have a volunteer?

Our Daily Bread
I think we all have seen a movie or cartoon where the leader asks for a volunteer to step forward for a difficult mission.  One poor sucker get stuck with the task because everyone else stepped back one step!

No matter how we get into a difficult situation, there is always one attitude that we should have -- thankfulness!  What?  What you talking bout, Willis???  Are you crazy?  Why?  We should be thankful because the God of the Universe counts us worthy to be tried and tested and purified for his glory!  Wow!  I know it is hard to think of this and even harder to be thankful, but God gives us strength if we call upon his name.  The God of the Universe cares and will help us through.  Praise God!

Lord, please help us to count it all joy when you allow us to be tested because we know all things work to the good of those who love you!

Movie Monday
I saw the last of the Best Picture nominees last week - Amour.  It is in French with English subtitles.  The plot is about a couple that has been married a long time.  The woman has a series of strokes.  The husband does most of the caregiving afterwards.  The depicts the struggles they both have with the health situation and the caregiving.  I kept wondering why this movie was nominated. There were some things at the end that reminded me the movies that formerly were nominated -- you know the ones that no one went to see because only the critics loved them?

I have no idea how to fairly rate this movie because I didn't like it at all.  I guess I give it one bear paw for that reason.  I am not sure who would like this movie except the critics.  Oh well.  I just don't get things some times (like Life of Pi).

********************************

We are far from perfect, but despite our mistakes and our sins, we will never abandon the Lord and he will never abandon us - adapted from a statement about Abraham from the EfM Training Guide

A stove

Our Daily Bread
The story in the devotional reminded me of a story from my life.  My dear grandmother didn't have a lot of money and made things last way beyond their useful life.  One example was her gas stove.  The handles broke off from age.  She sometimes used pliers to turn on the burners.  The automatic pilot stopped working on the burners, so she lit them with a match.  The oven didn't work very well, but she worked around it.  When my ex partner and I moved to new home that didn't have gas in the kitchen, we gave her our very, very nice GE gas stove.  I will never forget the look on her face after we removed the old stove and installed the new one.  She was soooooo happy!  I don't know that she ever figured out how to use it, but she loved it as much as any gift she ever got!

The story of the widow's mite is sort of like this as well.  God liked the gift she gave as much as any gift he ever received!  She gave all instead of from her abundance like most of us do.  We tend to think of this story only in the context of giving money.  God wants the same from our lives -- give him all!

Lord, thank you for the many blessings.  Please help us give our all in your service.  It is easier said than doe!

Psalm Sunday
This is what I call a typical "call upon the Lord" psalm where the psalmist recounts the past interactions with God and asks for love, forgiveness and favor in the future.  Restoration is the theme.


Psalm 85

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1 You, Lord, showed favor to your land;
    you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people
    and covered all their sins.
3 You set aside all your wrath
    and turned from your fierce anger.
4 Restore us again, God our Savior,
    and put away your displeasure toward us.
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
    Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
    that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love, Lord,
    and grant us your salvation.
8 I will listen to what God the Lord says;
    he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—
    but let them not turn to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
    that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Love and faithfulness meet together;
    righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
    and righteousness looks down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,
    and our land will yield its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before him
    and prepares the way for his steps.


***********************************
We too can know this God and be assured of His presence. He has revealed Himself in His creation and in His Word. As we ask Him to make Himself known to us, we’ll learn that He is even more than the owner and creator of everything! - Our Daily Bread web site

Diversions wanted

Our Daily Bread
Do you remember the Volkswagon advertising campaign called "Drivers wanted"?  I was fortunate to visit the ad agency that created that campaign shortly after they picked up that business.  It was very exciting.  The new business made a huge impact on their company.  There were a lot of changes going on!

I entitled this entry "Diversions wanted".  Have you ever had your plans diverted by God?  How did you react?  I know I don't always act with the right attitude.  I often feel cheated and put out by changes in my plans, whether it is by God or anyone else!  On the occasions I have listened, God worked wonders and used me in a special way.  I say "special way" because it happens so seldomly, that it is special when it happens!  ha!  Just kidding.  I mean "special" in that God used me in a way that I didn't expect.  It doesn't take much.  A kind word.  A smile.  A friendly gesture.  A funny quip.  Whatever it is, be open to it.  Diversions wanted.

Lord, thank you for diversions and the special way you can use us if we are willing!

Simply Saturday
Not always popular
Many times we think of Jesus Christ as one of the most popular men of his time.  He was followed by crowds everywhere.  He had trouble getting time alone to meditate and pray.  He was given a huge parade when he entered Jerusalem.  Crowds were cheering his name.  As Paul Harvey would say, what was the "rest of the story"?

Except for the crucifixion story, we usually skim over the stories about how unpopular Jesus was for many of the things he said.  Many of his teachings were against the social norm for the period.  They are against the social norm for today, too!  There were plans to kill him before he got to Jerusalem.  The folks of one town seriously considered throwing him off a cliff.  Another town wanted to stone him.  Others asked him to detour around their town.  Not exactly a triumphal entry there!

I am writing about this because we may not always have the popular voice when we speak out for Jesus.  His message is still revolutionary today.  Love God.  Love others.  These words are not popular in a world that lives by loving self and taking care of number one.

The most important thing that God has been trying to teach this stiff-necked old bear is to say things as Jesus would have said them.  He delivered his message with God's love about God's love.  Shouldn't we do that same?


**********************************
I am far from perfect, but despite my mistakes and my sins, I will never abandon the Lord and he will never abandon me - adapted from a statement about Abraham from the EfM Training Guide

When is weakness good?

Our Daily Bread
I read the story of David and Goliath for my EFM class a few weeks ago.  The ruddy, young David was going to fight the seasoned killer Goliath for the supremacy of the region.  No pressure!  David had absolute faith that YAWH was going to use him to win the battle.  In his weakness, God used him in a mighty way to show His power!

The devotional talks about how Jesus chose the unlike for his earthly ministry.  He didn't handpick the brightest and best from the religious leaders at the time -- priests, Sadducees and Pharisees.  Instead, Jesus chose the unlikely, some fisherman, a tax collector, a zealot and others.  Why?  There have been volumes and volumes of commentaries on this topic.  IMHO, Jesus did this because his ministry was for ALL people, regardless of who they were in society or the religious culture at that time.  ALL people!  Praise God! 

This is no surprise to the folks that know me or have read my blog for a while -- I am a silly old bear.  I can be a curmudgeon at times and can be hard to deal with.  Mixing this tendency with my natural calling and ability to speak out when others won't causes me a great deal of problems in my life.  I confess these things with the hope that it will encourage you to allow yourself to be used by God.  If God can use someone like me, even in a small way, then how much more could he use someone like you?  Give yourself to him. 

Lord, please help us to let go so you can make us strong in our weakness!

Foodie Friday
I started making my pot roast a different way in the crock pot a few months ago. Yes, I love how the veggies taste after cooking with the roast all day, so I didn't change that! 

I started using a can of Campbells French onion soup as the "onion" flavor instead of dried onion soup.  This change adds a LOT more flavor! 

I also started rubbing down the roast with this spice/salt mixture that my mother gave me.  I will post what this is.  I can't remember the name of it off the top of my head.  It is like a Chicago steak spice rub that adds a lot of flavor. 

I started using different potatoes.  Instead of the traditional Idaho or white potatoes, I used the two-bite size gold potatoes from Kroger.  Kroger had them on sale for $1.00 for a 1.5 pound bag.  What a bargain!

I am looking forward to a quiet supper, reading and laundry tonight.  Been a bizarre week.  Time to recharge!

******************************
Let  go, my friends!  God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!

Inside looking out

Our Daily Bread
How many different metaphors have you seen for the saying "the grass always appears greener on the other side"?  A picture of two horses looking over a fence.  A little boy longing to run through the grass on the other side of the fence.  A adult looking at a new job posting that has to be better than the job she currently has!  ha!

While it can be normal human nature to look for greener pastures, it is also a major distraction.  We can look for things that may not really be better!  So often we associate "different" with "better" without thinking through the implications to our lives.  An example is a job posting I looked at recently.  It required 60% travel.  I thought to myself "I love to travel.  That would be cool".  THEN, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the things that I would not be able to do in Columbus during the week if I was traveling for work!  Church activities, singing groups, tennis, etc.  My activities would be limited if I was out of town that much.

The grass isn't always greener.  It just looks that way because we don't really appreciate what we have!

Lord, thank you for the beautiful green grass where you put us.  Please help us always appreciate it and never let other things distract us from serving you!

Technology Thursday
The tech world is really, really boring right now.  I managed to find something interesting for today's entry.  It is called the MindWave Mobile: MyndPlay Bundle.  It is a wireless headset that interacts with your iPhone or Android to pass your brain wave activity to your device.  You can also use the wired version with your home computer.

Why use something like this?  I ran across in conjunction with an iPhone app for managing your mind during meditation.  Ever have difficulty staying focused during meditation?  This headset along with the app help you focus.  I am not sure how it works, but it sounds very cool!

Here is the web site.  Check it out.  At $129, it is relatively inexpensive compared with many of the geeky things I like to play with!

****************************
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” John 11:40

I'm forgiven

Our Daily Bread
As you have read, I love music.  Songs speak to me.  A nice song I remember from my college days is "I'm Forgiven" by the Imperials.  It is a bouncy song with lyrics that beautifully express what the forgiveness of God is like.

Wouldn't it be nice if folks could sing songs like that about us?  "You are a Duane that forgives and forgets" is not something I hear often.  How about you?  No, I mean with you name inserted!   ha!  Forgiveness is a gift from God that is supposed to be shared.  We can forgive because we have been forgiven.  Forgiveness -- pass it on.

Lord, thank you for forgiveness.  It is one of the easiest things to get, we just ask you, but can be one of the hardest things to give to someone else.

Wellness Wednesday
Spiritual wellness
Much like taking my quarterly blood tests to monitor my diabetes, I like to do a spiritual checkup on a regular basis.  We sometimes think we are doing everything we are supposed to be doing, but then the Holy Spirit speaks to me when I read things like "forgive us for sins, known and unknown" and "forgive us for things left undone".  You know what I mean, right?

If you set goals to read and study your Bible, pray regularly, attend church, participate in some kind of ministry, etc, are you doing everything you promised?  Are we as faithful to God with our promises as he is with his promises towards us?

Here is my checklist:

• Bible study: I am reading my EFM lesson faithfully each week, which is good.  I need to do more studying instead of just reading.
• Prayer: I am not spending as much time alone with God as I planned.  I have been doing a better job of staying in a attitude of prayer throughout the day and trying to listen more to God's leading.
• Movies: I have been doing a good job of keeping my promise of spending more time in prayer and Bible study than I am at the movies.  
• Lent: I have kept my Lenten promise so far.  I gave up popcorn.  That may seem trivial to some folks, but it is like cocaine to me....  ;-p
• The way I treat people: Doing better in general, but still need a lot of work.  I run across what Hebrews calls "roots of bitterness" that I didn't know I had (known and unknown, right?).  These things can sprout and grow into ugly behavior if not rooted out by the Holy Spirit.

How about you?  What is your list?  How u doin?  ;-O

**********************************
We too can know this God and be assured of His presence. He has revealed Himself in His creation and in His Word. As we ask Him to make Himself known to us, we’ll learn that He is even more than the owner and creator of everything! - Our Daily Bread web site

Root of the problem

Our Daily Bread
It is amazing how people change.  I remember how much I enjoyed dandelions when I was a kid.  They were sooooooo pretty in bloom.  They were so much fun when I picked one and blew off the seeds.  As an adult, I use a special tool to dig out the roots and chemicals to keep them in check!

I learned as an adult that if you don't get the root of a dandelion, it will continue to grow back.  It is the same of what Hebrews 12:15 calls "the root of bitterness".  We have to ask God to use his special tool called the Holy Spirit to get out those roots so we can treat others they way we are supposed to and love God the way we are supposed to!  It is only through removing the roots of bitterness that we can truly be free and forgive others.

This is the second or third lesson on this topic I have read in the past couple of months.  As I thought about it this morning, I can see more roots that I didn't notice or didn't want to notice.  They come out when you least expect them to, like during a phone conversation with someone last night.  Roots will grow if we don't get rid of them!

Lord, please help us let you dig deep and remove all roots of bitterness from our lives!

Teaching Tuesday
The lesson this week was about Solomon.  There were a lot of interesting insights into how he became king and how he ran his kingdom.  While he is known for his wisdom, he was too often influenced by this foreign wives when it came to cultic worship.  Instead of remaining faithful to YAWH, he allowed temples and high places to be built to foreign gods of his wives.  Not good!  You would think he would have learned from the mistakes of his forefathers!

What did I learn from the lesson?  I learned that even very wise people can make mistakes.  People who know better can be influenced by others and do stupid stuff at times.  Wise people can push others too hard.

That reminds me that we need to rely on God more and more!

***************************
I am far from perfect, but despite my mistakes and my sins, I will never abandon the Lord and he will never abandon me - adapted from a statement about Abraham from the EfM Training Guide

Men at Work

Our Daily Bread
"It always feels like, somebody's watching me..." started the chorus to a pop song in the 80's by a group called Men at Work.  The funniest thing about the video was the lead singer's eyes.  Look it up on Youtube and you will see what I mean!

The devotional is about being watched, but not in a creepy, paranoid kind of way.  It is the reality of other people watching those who profess to be followers of Christ.  Please know that the standards are higher for us.  People expect more.  Know what the biggest complaint about churches is?  All the hypocrites!  I explained to an acquaintance on Facebook the other day "Folks that go to church aren't perfect, but they are trying to be better by going to church!".

I had an experience the other day downtown.  I was in a hurry to get somewhere and I was sort of rude to someone trying to get me to sign a petition.  When I got to my location, I realized I left my phone at Startbucks.  I retrieved my phone and had to pass by the same guy again.  This time I stopped, took a few minutes to apologize and listen.  I already supported the cause he was supporting.  I got a second chance.  We don't usually get that!

Lord, help us to be aware that our lives are on display.  Please help us realize "someone's watch-ing meeeeee..."!

Movie Monday
I got to watch the Die Hard movie last week -- A Good Day to Die Hard  What to say?  I can say that it met my expectations.  I was looking for cool action hero and lots of boom boom.  Was it realistic?  Was it an Oscar winner in any category?  It was a Die Hard movie, not Lord of the Rings!

This time McClean travels to Russia to find and help is grown son.  The elder McClean doesn't realize that his son is a CIA agent on a top secret mission.  Of course, he blows up half of Moscow before he finds this out!  Unlike some other actors, Bruce Willis seems to know his limitations.  Even the tender father moment was well within his acting skills!

I give this movie two bear paws.  If you liked the first few Die Hard movies, you will probably like this one.

****************************

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

The truth? Really?

Our Daily Bread

I was talking to the lady that runs our small cafeteria at work the other day.  Somehow the word "truth" came up.  I laughed and said the famous movie line "The truth?  You can't handle the truth!".  We both laughed and said how much we admired Nicholson as an actor!

The same can be true for real life.  The truth?  We can't handle the truth!  Personally, I know there have been many times over the past five years where I could see the slow maturation process.  First, work on item 1, because I can't handle working on item 1, 2, 3, 4, etc...  There are so many times we can't "process" the truth in our tiny little minds (at least mine is!).  Our minds and hearts can be opened by a gentle, patient Holy Spirit that leads us to a new understanding.

An example for me was the EFM (my Bible study group) lesson talking about Jacob.  It said that when Jacob gave up his own plans and schemes to make God's promises happen that he became Israel, man of God.  Wow!  Great story!  THEN, the Holy Spirit told me to fill in my name...  What?  When Duane gives up his own plans and schemes to make God's promises happen he will become Phillip, man of God.  I use Phillip because it is my little used first name.  

What truth is God trying to teach you?  Let us pray for each other to have open minds and hearts to the truth of God.  

Lord, thank you for the platinum standard for truth.  Please help us always be open to learning and changing.

Psalm Sunday

I sang a musical setting of Psalm 84 in college.  It was beautiful set to music!  Take a look at the eloquent words used to describe the glory of God.

Psalm 84

For the director of music. According to gittith. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1 How lovely is your dwelling place,

    Lord Almighty!

2 My soul yearns, even faints,

    for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and my flesh cry out

    for the living God.

3 Even the sparrow has found a home,

    and the swallow a nest for herself,

    where she may have her young—

a place near your altar,

    Lord Almighty, my King and my God.

4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;

    they are ever praising you.

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.

6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,

    they make it a place of springs;

    the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

7 They go from strength to strength,

    till each appears before God in Zion.

8 Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty;

    listen to me, God of Jacob.

9 Look on our shield, O God;

    look with favor on your anointed one.

10 Better is one day in your courts

    than a thousand elsewhere;

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

    the Lord bestows favor and honor;

no good thing does he withhold

    from those whose walk is blameless.

12 Lord Almighty,

    blessed is the one who trusts in you.

***********************************

Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God - William Carey

Good enough

Our Daily Bread

My silly sense of humor can get me into trouble sometimes.  While helping out with some stuff at a friend's house, I made a silly comment after we finished our task "Good enough for government work".  I implied that government work didn't require the best quality or craftsmanship.  I got a weak laugh from my friend, who later shared that he worked for a local government.  He didn't think the joke was very funny!  Yikes!

People can often think this about their good works "Good enough to get into heaven".  They look at what they have done.  They compare themselves to others.  They live a good life by most moral standards.  The problem is that they haven't accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Jesus is the key.  There is nothing we can do on this earth to earn our salvation except give our lives to him!

Lord, we can never be good enough to get into heaven.  We need to accept your Son!

Simply Saturday

Timing...is everything

I have thought a lot about timing the past few months.  Timing is something that we don't always understand nor can we always control it.  I liken it to a well tuned comedy routine!  Yes, I know.  I am a silly old bear at times!  Here are a couple of examples.

"Timing.... is everything".  Good comedians know how to time what they say.  Pausing between phrases.  Giving you time to think about what they said and react.  Giving you a funny look during a pause to increase the impact of the punch line.  These are all timing techniques.  God does that, too.  I swear that some of the punchlines are the best ever!  Since God created time, don't you think he has the best sense of it for us?  That thought just came out while I was writing.  I never thought of it that way before.  How about you?

"The look".  I used to love the Carol Burnett Show.  The ensemble cast had the best sense of comedic timing ever.  A great timing effect is "the look".  Harvey would give Tim some impossible task or order, then Tim would give him the helpless look while he hopelessly attempted it in a hilarious sight gag.  It was all Harvey could do not to laugh out loud (which he did at times!).  While we obviously can't get "the look" from God, I know I often give "the look" to God when I am hopelessly attempting to accomplish what I think is an impossible task or order.  Anything come to mind? 

My favorite is "wait for it, wait for it".  Well, I mean it is my favorite in a comedy sense -- not in real life!  You know how this works.  There is a sight gag starting to develop that is going to be hilarious.  It may take a few seconds or minutes for it to develop.  Ding!  It happens and you laugh and laugh!  

There is usually a very good reason that God asks us to wait for something he promised us.  I liken it to baking a turkey.  "What?" you might say.  If you have ever baked a turkey in the oven or cooked a pork loin on a grill, the outside of the piece of meat often looks "done".  We know from experience that we must continue cooking it until it is cooked all the way through to a desirable temperature.  It has been my experience that many times I think that I am "done" or ready to receive God's promise.  If I am honest with myself, I am not.  For example, I recently thought about the effects a supplication that I made to God would have on my life if he actually granted it.  Whew...  I hadn't really thought about it.  It is amazing how God will teach us stuff about ourselves if we open up to him!

Remember.  God's time is not always our time.  His timing is always better for us.  Trust him.  Be patient.

********************************

Trusting God’s faithfulness dispels our fearfulness. - Our Daily Bread web site

I believe

Our Daily Bread
Simple child-like faith can be moving, especially when the adults catch on!  I know this is a silly example, but here it goes.  In the Robin Williams version of Hook (the Peter Pan story), Williams finds out he is really Peter Pan.  There is one problem.  He can't fly because he can't find his happy thought.  He tries and tries to no avail.  One by one, the lost boys say to him "I believe in you, Peter Pan".  He finally believes in himself, remembers his happy thought and flies again!  Oh, the power of faith!

Like I said, I know that is a silly example.  I mean the Bible doesn't say anything about us flying if we have faith.  We can only do simple things like moving mountains!  ha!  Please look at the tag line for today.  I am going to use the quote from William Carey regularly.  I also loved the scripture passage quote.  Take a look at this:
“who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong” (Hebrews 11:33-34)

Wow!  Don't we have an amazing God?!?  My favorite parts are "obtained promises" and "out of weakness were made strong".  God is faithful if we believe!  I believe in you, God!  I believe!

Lord, oh for the faith of a mustard seed.  Please let faith grow so we can show the glory of God!

Foodie Friday
I had a nice treat Sunday night.  I had the Bucket Hot Brown at the Rusty Bucket restaurant.  It is the Sunday night special.  Frankly, it was so good, I would eat it every Sunday if I had the chance!  The Hot Brown was created at The Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.  It niciknamed the Kentucky Hot Brown.  It is lots of sliced turkey on top of Texas toast, topped with tomato, a thick Parmesan Alfredo-type sauce and two slices of bacon.  The Rusty Bucket version was as good as I have had.  Great job!

We have our church dinner tomorrow night.  Wearing green and fewer desserts than normal are the orders of the month (Lenten season and St Patricks Day).  I think I am taking either my Italian scalloped potatoes or the panko veggie casserole recipe.  Should be a good time.

I might be hosting my tennis team for a small social after our match on Sunday night.  The match is at a club about a mile from my house.  I will find out tomorrow what the story is.  I will just have wings or pizza or something easy like that.

******************************

Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God - William Carey