Black Friday

Our Daily Bread

Perceptions are an interesting human thing.  The title of this entry is Black Friday because it will be a very busy day online and in the stores as shoppers fight there way through the crowds in search of bargains.  One perception is really "Black Friday".  Another is "this is a great day to get the stuff I want to buy for my family at a lower price."  Another is "I have to work ALL weekend".  Then there is the weather factor.  I am looking out my condo window at a 63 degree sunny morning while my friends back home are freezing in a 20 degree morning.  Brrrrr! 

The point of the devotional and this blog entry is that our perceptions, including our often hasty first impressions of situations or folks, can lead us astray.  Taking a step back, listening to what God is tellng us, then moving forward with confidence is what Samuel did when picking David as the king of Israel.  David didn't fit the usual profile for the king.  God knew what he was doing.  Samuel trusted him and made the right decision.  We can read about the results of that decision over and over in God's Word!

Lord, we thank you for leadership and wisdom.  Please help us seek you before we make decisions or judge folks!

Foodie Friday

We haven't eaten out very often during our trip to Ft Lauderdale, but we had a couple of interesting meals.  

Louie's Backyard (Key West) www.louiesbackyard.com

My friend Timmy found this place while searching for places to eat lunch.  Louie's is right on the ocean a few blocks from the southern most point marker.  Beautiful view.  Great food.  I had the Bahama Conch Chowder to start my meal.  That was my "I usually don't eat this" selection for the meal!  It was like a spicy vegetable soup with a hint of conch goodness.  I didn't stray too far from normal on the entree.  I had the grilled chicken sandwich with a special sauce and bacon,  Very tasty as well.  Timmy had the apple streudle for dessert.  I had the chocolate brownie creme brulee.  Both were very tasty.  The meal was pricy for lunch, but worth it on a sunny November day overlooking the ocean!

La Bamba III

La Bamba is a "go there to be seen" place on Monday nights in Ft Lauderdale.  We were there pretty early, so we didn't get seen or see a lot of folks.  The service was very friendly and fast.  The food was very tasty.  I had a single hard beef taco that had a homemade taco shell.  I also had the shredded chicken chimachunga with black beans and yellow rice.  Everything was very tasty.  

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

You are a success in God’s kingdom if you are faithful where He has placed you. - Our Daily Bread

Thankful, indeed...

Our Daily Bread

It is during this time of year that I try to make some special effort to be thankful.  Some years I write post it notes on my fridge with the people and things I am thankful for.  Each time I open the fridge, I have to read a note or write something on one of the notes.  It is a constant reminder since I am always in the fridge!  ha!

I have similar feelings to the author mentioned in the devotional.  I often look around my modest home and wonder why I am so blessed while so many others struggle.  It is not my job to question God.  It is my job (and our job) to be grateful and to share generously with others.  What a blessing!  

During this time of year AND all through the year, let us all be truly grateful for the gifts from above!  Lord, we thank you and praise you!

Lord, you know our hearts.  Please let vanity melt away into gratitude and praise!

Technology Thursday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday, oh my!  I mentioned last week about the great deals on electronics on these days (or the weekend).  I found the Dr Dre Beats Audio Studio headphones for $115 at Target.com.  They are usually $179!  Woohoooo!  Here are a few tips for shopping.

If you want a better TV so you can view Bluray DVDs, be sure to get one that is "1080p".  That is a very good resolution that will show all the details that a Bluray disk can display right now.  I prefer either 120mhz or 240mhz refresh rate to get the least amount of blurriness while watching actions scenes or fast moving sports (like when the Buckeys crush Michigan on Saturday!).  There are a lot of 720p TVs out there very cheap.  If you only plan to watch TV or regular DVDs, you can take advantage of those very cheap bargains.

Bluray players are now generally available with wireless networking built in.  They usually have apps that let you stream NetFlix, Hulu Plus or other services through your Blueray player.  If you choose a wireless networking Bluray player, you might want to stay away from the Sony brand.  They seem to have networking issues with most of their models.  I found this out while researching the issues with mine.  ;-(

There are LOTS of phone deals this weekend, so it is a good time to get a new phone if you are in the market.  Best Buy is a great place to get a good deal on your trade in.  They also have deals that the carriers may not have.  As usual, look around before you buy.  I love my iPhone, but there are lots of other options like the latest Andriod phones and some Windows phones.  There is also a cool new phone from BlackBerry called the Z30 that Verizon carries.  

Safe and happy shopping!

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

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

I'll drink to that

Our Daily Bread

There were some old movie characters that had a humorous line after every interaction with another character.  They liked to drink... a lot.  They would end each interaction with "I'll drink to that!" even if the situation had nothing to do with drinking!  ha!  I don't know about you, but I have felt that way at times!

A favorite Bible story of mine is the Samaritan woman at the well.  It is one of the few times that Jesus says exactly who he is.  Why does he tell this cast out that he is the "Living Water"?  IMHO, he knew that many others would come to know God through her and her testimony.  Praise God!  

It also showed that EVERYONE is free to drink the Living Water offered by Jesus Christ.  Everyone is welcome!

Lord, we thank you and praise for satisfying our spiritual thirst.  Please help us lead others to you!

Wellness Wednesday

7 Frugal Habits Everyone Should Develop

by GUEST CONTRIBUTOR 

One of the most direct way to change your life, you need to change your attitude.

No one else is responsible for what happens to you but you, so you can either complain about the things you don’t like in your life or you can set about changing them. Not surprisingly, this directly relates to the state of your finances.

If you’re tired of living paycheck to paycheck, having your phone regularly cut off, or making excuses to skip dinners with your friends, then you can use these seven habits to take control of your money situation and live a happier and more frugal lifestyle.

Habit One: Be Proactive

The first habit to develop is to take responsibility; if you fail, you have no one to blame but yourself. Regardless of how you were raised or how you were treated at school, you can choose your behavior now. Being proactive means understanding that YOU are in control of your day-to-day interactions, and thereby, the direction your life takes. This is in stark comparison to a reactive person, who is often affected by their environment and will find external sources to blame for their behavior. For example, if the weather is good, they’re in a good mood, but if the weather is bad, it affects them and they blame the weather for their bad mood.

What most people forget is that though you can’t control the stimulus, you can control your response. One of your most important choices is your words; the language you use is an effective indication of how you see yourself. If you use proactive language, such as “I can” or “I will,” you’re starting with a more positive attitude than someone who uses language like “I can’t” or “I have to” or “If only.”

How to be proactive for effective frugality:

• Take the first step. You cannot take control of your finances until you make the commitment to do so; the more you ignore the situation, the worse it will get. Instead, take a long hard look at your finances — your budget, debts, income, and expenses, and try to understand where your money is going and where you can budget better. (To help you out, here are 25 ways to pay off your debt more easily.)

• Tell people. Using proactive language to vocalize your hope of being more financially responsible not only helps you crystallize your goal, but it can also help you avoid the peer pressure that makes budgeting and frugality hard. If you explain to your friends and family that you’re trying to live a more frugal lifestyle, they’ll be less likely to pressure you into one more round of drinks or another dinner out.

• Listen. Listen to yourself and to the reasons you give each time you make a purchase outside of your budget or decide not to put spare money into your savings account. Taking the time to stop and listen to the reasons you give yourself for spending more than you earn will give you the opportunity to hear just how shallow many of those reasons are. This can stop you from making purchases that impede your goal of effective frugality.

Habit Two: Begin with the End in Mind

Those who are effective in achieving their goals are able to envisage their desired end result in spite of the obstacles. Effective people adhere to this habit based on the principle that all things are created twice; there is first the mental creation, then the physical creation. The physical creation follows the mental creation the same way that a building follows its blueprints.

If you don’t visualize what you want, then you’re at risk of other people and external circumstances influencing your life – because you’re not influencing it yourself. Instead, begin every day and every task with a clear vision of where you want to go and how you’re going to get there. Make that vision a reality with your proactive skills from habit one.

How to visualize effective frugality:

• Define your goal. There are many ways to live a frugal lifestyle, and you need to decide how frugal you want to be. Do you want to be debt free, build a savings account of a certain value, or live on one income in a two-income household?

• Decide how you’re going to get there. This will again draw on your budget, but you need to be aware of the obstacles that are standing in your way. These may be literal obstacles, such as credit card debts, or they may be obstacles you’ve identified in your behavior. An example of a behavioral obstacle would be spending $10 every day on junk food on your way home from work, because you’re starving. Instead, you could be packing an inexpensive granola bar to keep you going until dinner. Or, do you find that when you go shopping with your sister, she always helps you justify a frivolous purchase, when you could leave your credit card at home?

Habit Three: Put First Things First

Knowing WHY you’re doing something is an incredible motivator in helping you transform a mental creation into an actual physical creation of your goal. Ask yourself what the things are that you find most valuable and worthy to you. When you put these things first, you’ll be organizing and managing your time around your personal priorities to make them a reality.

For many people, it’s hard to say no, but this is exactly the skill you have to learn to keep your goals as your first priority. While we are constantly told we can have it all, in reality, having it all is really about prioritizing what is most important to YOU to have, and then focusing on that.

How to put effective frugality first:

• Recognize the effects of your finances. You may not dedicate as much time as you should to managing your finances and practicing frugal principles because you feel there’s always something more important to be doing — whether it’s work, taking the kids to soccer practice, or getting ready for dinner with the girls. If your finances aren’t under control, however, and you’re regularly spending more than you earn, then they’re having a negative impact on every other aspect of your life, from your work to your family and friends. You need to recognize that being frugal is your first priority.

• Just say no. It’s easy to spend more than your budgeted amount each month when you’re worried about missing out on a dinner with friends, feel as though you have to cater a birthday party for your son and 50 of his closest friends, or don’t want to wear the same suit to a work conference two years in a row. If you recognize that you don’t have to take on everything and that it’s okay to say no, then you’ll find you’re more in control of your spending and your budget.

Habit Four: Think Win-Win

Most of us are taught to base our self-worth on comparisons to others and competition against our peers. We think we can only succeed if someone else has failed. We’re also taught that there’s only so much pie to go around, so if you get a big piece, then someone else is missing out. When you think like this, you’re going to feel like nothing is ever fair. As a result, many of us retaliate and take the pie before someone else can take it from us.

Thinking in a win-win mindset allows you to see mutual benefits from all of your interactions. By doing this, you’ll see that the pie tastes even better when it’s shared. If you can approach conflicts and problems with a win-win attitude, you’ll be able to express your ideas and feelings with courage, while still maintaining consideration for the feelings and ideas of others. When you have an abundance mentality, you’re able to see that there is enough for everyone, and that by balancing your confidence with empathy, you can achieve your goals while helping others achieve theirs.

How to create frugal win-win situations:

• Recognize that you don’t always know the full story. As you aim to implement frugal principles and stick to a budget, you may often find yourself thinking “it’s not fair.” It’s not fair that they get to go out to dinner. It’s not fair that they get a new car. It’s not fair that they get to go on vacation, and I don’t. Take the time to realize, however, that you’re only seeing a small part of the finances of your friends and family who seem to “have it all.” And though it’s hard to watch your best friend take a dream European holiday, or your brother buy the car you covet, you’ll get there, too — if you manage your finances frugally. And the best part? There will still be plenty of holiday destinations and fast cars when that time rolls around.
• Understand the difference between possessions and net worth. While your friends and family may seem to have a fuller lifestyle because their house is bigger or their car is newer, you need to consider that it could just be a facade covering their mountains of debt. True wealth is not measured in possessions, but in assets. When the value of your assets is greater than the amount you owe on mortgages, car loans, and credit card debts, then you have a strong net worth and are truly wealthy. By trying to live a more effectively frugal lifestyle, you’ll be able to achieve true wealth, rather than just a life full of stuff.

Habit Five: Communication

At its base, communication is the desire to be heard and understood. Most people will listen with the intention to reply to what you’re saying, rather than to understand what you’ve said. To effectively communicate, you need to first understand. If you communicate with the sole intention of being understood, you may ignore what others are saying and miss their meaning entirely. Don’t just wait for your turn to talk; pay attention to what people are trying to tell you.

How listening can help you be effectively frugal:

• You are not the only person in your life. Chances are you’re married or in a relationship, have friends or children, or all of the above. As a result, you’re not the only person being affected by your decision to live a more frugal lifestyle. To be effective in your goal of frugality, you need to be able to listen to and understand the goals and behaviors of the other people in your life, too. Consider how effective your frugality would be if you were taking packed lunches to work and avoiding the afternoon coffee run, while your partner was going on shopping sprees during their lunch break. Instead of living a more frugal lifestyle, you’d really be saving on one end and spending on the other.

• Understand the goals and needs of others. While it’s important to explain your desire to live more frugally, it’s also important that you understand the goals and needs of those around you. This way, you can find a way to be more frugal without them having to give up all of the things that are most important to them. You can’t know what those things are unless you listen.

Habit Six: Synergize

Interactions and teamwork are some of the most important ways you can learn new skills and more effective behaviors. Synergizing is the habit of creative cooperation — working as a team to find new solutions to existing problems. Synergy is not something that just happens. It’s a process where you bring all of your personal experience and expertise to the table, enabling more effective results than those you would have been able to achieve individually. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

When you have genuine interactions with people, you’re able to gain new insights and see new approaches to your problems — ones you might not have thought of before.

How to synergize for effective frugality:

• Look for new ways. In a society that excels at consumerism, you’ve probably already realized that you need to find new ways of doing just about everything to be frugal. It’s easy to buy your lunch every day, but it’s more frugal to pack it. It’s easy to drive to work, but it’s more frugal to take the train. It’s easy to buy a new cocktail dress, but it’s more frugal to make one.

• Surround yourself with other frugal people. To be successful in your quest for frugality, surround yourself with like-minded people. Find people who are where you want to be by joining online frugal-living forums, striking up a friendship with a fellow coupon-cutter, or starting a sewing club. When you’re around people with the same goals as you, you’ll be able to share ideas and learn from each other.

Habit Seven: Sharpen the Saw

You’re the greatest asset you have on your journey to achieving the lifestyle you want, so you need to look after yourself physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Taking the time to renew yourself in these areas of your life will give you strength to maintain the previous six habits, which are essential for your success.

How to frugally renew yourself:

• Physically. By eating better, you’ll feel better. Take it another step further and start your own vegetable patch, which will save you money at the supermarket and be healthier for you. Exercising keeps you fit and healthy, and it doesn’t cost you anything to go for a walk, ride a bike, or skip rope in the backyard. To rest your body, you don’t need to go to a day spa; you can simply relax in the tub at home.

• Emotionally. Interacting socially with others allows you to make meaningful connections, and it makes you feel good. This can be achieved by chatting with the woman at the coffee shop or by calling your mom once a week.

• Mentally. Exercising and expanding your mind through learning, reading, writing, and teaching can be done frugally. Visit your local library, or volunteer at a school or retirement home to teach others a skill you may be taking for granted.

• Spiritually. Spend time close to nature and expand your spiritual self through meditation, music, art, or prayer. Take a quiet moment to center yourself and empty your mind before going to bed. Or, go for a hike and be grateful for the beauty of nature surrounding you.

Frugality doesn’t mean having to give up all the luxuries and things which make you happy. Don’t get burned out by developing habits one through six without taking the time to renew yourself. Frugality is something you want to develop and maintain for the long-term. Follow these seven habits, and you’ll be on your way to becoming a highly frugal person.

Do you consider yourself a highly frugal person? How did you get there? 

This post was originally written by Alban, and a parody of the amazing book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He’s a personal finance writer for Finder.com.au.

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

We can thank the Lord that through His grace and power, our past is forgiven, our present is changed, and our future is bright with hope for all He has prepared for us - Our Daily Bread, 10/13/13

Rainbows and unicorns

Our Daily Bread

We were talking about the Christian life recently.  I made a silly statement that a lot of folks think that it is supposed to be rainbows and unicorns!  They don't understand when life seems hard and they have to trust God even more to get through.  IMHO, God also acts a coach to push us to the edges of our endurance so he can teach us to grow and run the race better than before!

I use the same phrase about love.  Many folks think that love should be all rainbows and unicorns.  Sometimes love can be hard for us.  When we have to be a parent.  When we have to deal with a loved one that is having issues of some kind.  When we insist on being selfish and not thinking of the needs of others.  Love can rein us back in to the correct path.  As the devotion says, the journey is more than worth it!  Love rules! Praise God!

Lord, please teach us to love whether we experience rainbows and unicorns or hurt and disappointment.  Love teaches us to be more like you.

Teaching Tuesday

I thought a lot more about the Gospel of John this week.  I am thankful for this book as it seems to be a culmination of all the Gospels and more.  The stories are very cool.  They seem to fit together to assure us that Jesus is who he is!  Praise Jesus!

Check out John 3:16.  A popular verse with evangelical churches. 

John 10:10 is a verse I memorized when I was a Royal Ambassador.  I still know it today.

There are also lots of other stories and details that we don't have in other Gospels.

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

“The highest pinnacle of the spiritual life is not happy joy in unbroken sunshine, but absolute and undoubting trust in the love of God.” = A. W. Thorold

Knowing God's voice

Our Daily Bread

I am usually pretty good at distinguishing a friends voice on the phone.  He or she calls me and I can usually figure out who it is from the first few words.  This is not as impressive now that we have caller ID!  ha!

Knowing God's voice can be tricky at times.  We know from God's Word that he wants what is best for us.  We sometimes let Satan deceive us into thinking our own selfish ways are from God because we want them soooooo very badly.  Oh wait, enough about me!  ha!  Yes, I admit that I sometimes get confused on what is from God and what is from my own selfish desires.  As the devotional says, God gives us his Word and his Son to help us know him and follow him each and every day!

Lord, please help us know you and your ways.  We love you and want to serve you to the best of our limited abilities!

Movie Monday

I didn't go to the theater this week.  I was busy getting ready for my vacation.  I plan to see the latest Hunger Games movie today since the weather is supposed to be rainy.

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

ur a bcog  U r fawm  Now believe it!

On vacation

On vacation in Ft Laudersale this week. Not writing much. Have a great Thanksgiving!  Duane

Pale by comparison

Our Daily Bread
Have you ever been to Las Vegas?  Times Square in NYC?  Piccadilly Square in London?  Hong Kong?  The rest of our life can seem overshadowed by the sights of these places that have more lights and signs and graphics than the entire state of Ohio where I live!  ha!

If you can imagine all of the lights and neon and LEDs of those places all combined, they could not overshadow the Glory of our Almighty God!  Amazing!  Praise God!  While reading the devotional this morning, I kept thinking about how the glory of our God will overshadow all of the dark places in our lives.  Those times when we don't see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Those times when we can't let our light shine.  I know it is difficult to see, but we have the light of God that overshadows everything else with us at all times!

We thank you and praise you, the Light of the World!  Please help live in and show your light!

Foodie Friday
My roommate made something like this last week.  The recipe below is the closest thing I found to the ingredients he used ( he hasn't written it down for me yet).  It was very tasty!  We used chicken cajun sausage to give it a unique flavor.

puerto rican arroz con guandules (pigeon pea rice)

servings
4 people

ingredients
2 cups of white long grain rice
3 cups of water
1 can of guandules (pigeon peas)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoon minced garlic
4 tablespoons sofrito or recaito (if you dont know what that is, you can use very finely chopped onions, green peppers, and cilantro. i have an exact recipe for sofrito. you should check it out.)
1/3 cup of green pitted olives
2 packets of sazon with annatto (it will say "con culantro y achiote". you can buy this at any store that sells goya products. it is in an orange box. you cant miss it. it would be in the ethnic, hispanic, or mexican food section of your store. if you cant find it you can use a blend of salt, granulated garlic, cumin, coriander, and ground annatto. annatto gives it that orangey color. if you dont have a grinder, get a little pan with olive oil. about a 1/4 of a cup. put 1 tablespoon of whole annatto seeds in the oil and keep on low heat until the oil is really orange. use cheesecloth or a really fine strainer and get out all the seeds out. use this in place of the olive oil in the recipe)
2 tablespoons of adobo (this is also sold with the sazon. it is a blend of salt, garlic powder, oregano, black pepper and tumeric)
1 tablespoon of beef base
1/4 cup of any kind of pork. ham, bacon, pork fat. whatever you want.

preparation
wash your rice. it is easier with a strainer.when your water runs completely clear, put your rice to the side.

heat your pot on medium heat. add olive oil.

in another pot, heat up the 3 cups of water with the sazon, adobo, and beef base.

when the olive oil is hot, add pork, garlic and sofrito. saute it for about 5 minutes. add olives.

in the olive oil pot, add rice and stir once. add in guandules (pigeon peas).
when the water starts to simmer, pour it in with the rice. after you put the water in, you are going to stir the rice only 3 times until it is done cooking.

1st time: right after you put in the water, stir so the rice becomes loose.

2nd time: leave on medium heat and uncovered, until you cant see anymore water. dont wait until it dries out completely. just until there is no more water. stir it again and cover it. put it on very low heat.

3rd time:cook until done. check after 15 minutes. do not stir it. taste if it is done first. if it is not done, cover it up again and check in the next 5 minutes.
continue to do that until it is fully cooked. when it is done, then you can stir it one last time and turn the stove off. enjoy.

at the end, you may have hard rice on the bottom. alot of hispanics eat it. but some people may not like it. so when you stir your rice that last time, dont scrape the bottom because you dont want hard and soft rice mixed together.

***********************************
The only remedy for hearts that “want it all” is the contentment found in the presence of the living God. He is sufficient for our needs and longings, and He alone can bring us the peace and contentment we’ll never find in the pursuits of this life. - Our Daily Bread

Say His name, Say His name

Our Daily Bread
I recently heard a comedy routine based on the Beyonce song Say My Name.   It was very cute as the Indian gentleman tried to get folks to remember his ten syllable Indian name!  It was not easy to say!

The name of Jesus rolls off the tongue very easily!  Praise God!  We call on him in prayer.  We can lift up praises to him.  We can share our deepest thoughts and fears.  We have power in the name of Jesus!  Let us remember this as we use his name and bear his name in this life!  Praise Jesus!  Say His name, say His name!

There is no other name above your name, Lord Christ.  We thank you and praise you!

Technology Thursday
The big news for this week is Black Friday and Cyber Monday are coming!  Woohooooo!  I don't have many technology needs right now, thought I would probably buy a new wireless ac router if they were on sale!  ha!

Check out the sales if you are looking for TVs, tablets, head phones, etc.  There are some amazing deals being previewed at Target.com, Walmart.com, Bestbuy.com, amazon.com, etc.  Check them out.  Some deals are "in store" only on Black Friday.  Some run all weekend.

I have been eyeing the Beats Solo OE headphones for $60 off at Target!

***************************************
The Bible is a like a "tweet" about God.  We don't have enough characters available to tell of His glory! - Fitzpatrick

Mind of Christ

Our Daily Bread
There are lots of TV shows and movies where investigators try to get inside the mind of a killer in order to catch him (its usually a him!).  Understanding how a killer thinks can lead to catching him!

Christ is obviously not a killer, but he is someone that we need to understand to live our lives for God.  Having the "mind of Christ" is something I have difficulty understanding.  It is not like Jesus is alive and we can get to know him!  I figured out that we can apply some of the methods that the investigators use in the TV shows and movies.  We can learn as much as we can about him from the writings about him.  We can learn from what others say about him.  We can read the things he does in the Gospels.  We can analyze his motives.  This sounds exciting, doesn't it?  ;-)

Lord, please help us get inside the mind of Christ, so we can have the mind of Christ in us!

Wellness Wednesday
I found this interesting article.  It caught my attention because the BMI is used so prevalent today.

Is BMI Best? 8 Steps to Your Healthiest Weight

By: Katherine Tallmadge
Published: 08/16/2013 11:41 AM EDT on LiveScience

Katherine Tallmadge, M.A., R.D., is a registered dietitian, author of "Diet Simple: 195 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations" (LifeLine Press, 2011) and a frequent national commentator on nutrition topics. Tallmadge contributed this article to LiveScience's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

My clients regularly ask me: Could the height/weight charts in doctors' offices be correct? Really? My answer: It depends . . .

Don't use height/weight charts alone to determine your ideal body weight. Researchers designed the latest body mass index (BMI) charts for use in combination with additional personal information. A group of scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) who specialize in how weight affects health crafted the guidelines after reviewing hundreds of studies conducted over the past several decades — only then did the experts make their recommendations to health professionals.

The guidelines help physicians, and registered dietitians like me, evaluate and make recommendations for clients. But you can also use the BMI charts, along with your doctor's advice, to help you decide what your appropriate weight should be.

Eight steps to reaching your healthy weight

1. Determine your BMI, or the relationship between weight and height that researchers have associated with body fat and health risk. Calculate BMI by dividing your weight (in kilograms) by your height squared (in meters) (kg/m2). NIH has a calculator, so you don't have to do the calculation yourself!

2. If your BMI indicates you are overweight, it is ideal for you to lose weight . That said, weight-loss treatment is particularly important — and recommended — when you have two or more health risk-factors. These include being a smoker, being inactive (I would define "inactivity" as fewer than 10,000 pedometer steps daily, averaged over a week), or having any of the following: high blood pressure, low HDL (good) cholesterol, high LDL (bad) cholesterol, high triglyceride (blood fat) levels, impaired fasting-glucose, a family history of premature heart disease, or a high waist-circumference (measured at the belly button). Here, "high" means greater than 35 inches for women or 40 inches for men. This is important because the presence of abdominal fat is correlated with disease risk. Health professionals used to think body fat was inert, but it isn't — it's toxic! Fat tissue produces hormones and pro-inflammatory chemicals that regulate metabolism, the immune system, inflammation, the progression of artery hardening, and the development of cancers. So, when you have less body fat, you get many biological benefits.

3. If you fit into the obese category, health professionals recommend you undergo weight-loss treatment.

4. Your initial weight-loss goal should be to reduce body weight by about 10 percent from your starting weight. This should take about six months, depending on how much weight you have to lose. You can safely lose one-half to three pounds per week. Assuming your calorie intake is appropriate, the more cardiovascular exercise you do, the faster you can lose weight.

5. If you need to lose more weight, make another attempt at weight reduction.

6. After you reach your desired weight-loss goal, start a weight-maintenance program consisting of dietary therapy , physical activity and behavior therapy. You should continue this program indefinitely.

7. You will need to follow lifestyle therapy for at least six months, according to the NIH guidelines, before your doctor prescribes drug therapy or surgery. However, the safety of drug therapy has not been established, and 50 percent of surgery patients regain lost weight.

8. For the very obese — with a BMI over 40, or a BMI over 35 with significant adverse health conditions — obesity surgery may be an appropriate option.

Note: Highly muscular people, usually professional athletes or body builders, may register as overweight using the BMI scale, but this may be because of high muscle mass instead of fat. More muscle is not generally thought of as unhealthy, so weight loss would not be necessary in these cases.

****************************************
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

On the road again

Our Daily Bread
I have mixed emotions about next week.  A close friend and I are driving from Ohio to Ft Lauderdale, Florida for a well-earned vacation.  Woooohoooo!  Warmer weather!  While I am looking forward to the destination, I am not looking forward to the long drive to get there.  Whew!  I am thankful that my close buddy will help make the journey more enjoyable!

Christians can have the same attitude towards life at times.  We have a tendency to dwell on our eternal destination and not think about the journey to get there. IMHO, the most important part of being involved with a faith community is having folks to share the journey.  Yes, the destination will be mind blowing!  We often forget that the journey can be amazing as well.

After reading this, I sent my roommate a message thanking him for helping make my way lighter.  I am very thankful for friends like him!

Lord, we know you are with us every step of the way.  I chuckle when I think you may have to drag us part of the way!  

Teaching Tuesday
Gospel of John
Since I am going to be out of town next week, I read the Gospel of John and the chapter in the text book.  What an amazing read!  Several of the verses I know from my youth are from John.  It has pages and pages of Jesus declaring who he is, unlike most of the other gospels.

The Gospel of John was written later than the other gospels.  Many theologians attribute its clear theology and style to that fact.  It is considered by many one of the most well-written pieces of literature of that period (late first century).  It is seen as having access to the various sources that were available.  There are indications that some of the story were told from a first-hand or second-hand point of view.  We do not know for sure.  The most common belief is that a group of believers that followed John compiled the book.  Whoever wrote it did a great job!  There are also many stories in John that aren't in the other Gospels.

My favorite reading was about the question: Who killed Jesus?  When asked this question in a Bible study class several years ago, I said "No one killed Jesus.  Jesus gave his life for us".  The class looked at me like I had three heads on my shoulders!  Well, the text book said basically the same thing!  Jesus had it all under control.  He gave his life for us.  No one took it!

Read through the Gospel of John deliberately and dwell on each story!

*************************************************
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Eph. 3:20-21 niv).

7Eleven

Our Daily Bread
There are several commercials out there that intend to let the customer know "we are always there for you" or "we welcome you".  One example is the 7Eleven motto of "Always open".  One of my favorites is the one for Motel6 - "we'll leave a light on for you".

We are incredibly blessed that our God is always there for us with open arms.  He leaves his Heavenly Light on for us!  ha!  Praise God!  This doesn't mean that we can live our lives the way we want and then run to him when things go bad.  No!  It means that even when we try our best to live for him, he will be there for us when we falter due to our human condition.  Strength in weakness.  Pushing us to grow and be more for him.  Pulling us closer to him as we recreate heaven on earth!

Lord, we thank you for all your incredible mysteries.  We will never understand, but we can trust you and have faith!

Movie Monday
I visited my mother on Saturday and we decided to see a movie. We saw Free Birds, an animated film about two turkeys that go back in time to get turkeys off the menu for Thanksgiving dinner.  Yeah, it sounds silly and funny and it was!  The voicings were very good with the characters looking like the sound of the voices.  Very cool!  It was cute and fun and we both laughed a lot

I give this two bear paws.  It would be a nice rental on Thanksgiving!

****************************************
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Prov. 3:5-6).

Sin no more

Our Daily Bread
I have had many discussions about sinning during my life.  I am fortunate to have Christian friends that I can discuss these things with.  We all have our different opinions about what things are sins, with some of us being farther along in some areas of our lives, others farther along in other areas of our lives.  We all agree on one thing -- sin is bad!  ha!

I wish I could sin no more.  I really do.  I know it hurts God when I sin.  It hurts him because sin hurts me, one of his children.  As I wrote about "deep cleaning" yesterday, I realized I didn't have as high standards as I thought about sinning and what things are really "sin".  There are some behaviors that just seem part of my personality that some folks think are sinful.  I acknowledge some of those things.  Some I do not.  "I yam what I yam" is the famous Popeye quote I use many times.  As a Christian, I can't say that.  I yam who God wants me to be!  Yes!

Lord, thank you for forgiving us of our sins if we just ask and turn away from them. Please help us to live for you so fully that we don't have time to sin!

Psalm Sunday
Let's read Psalm 120 today!  I think I am still exhausted from reading all of Psalm 119 last week!  ha!  What is a "song of ascents".  Here is a good explanation.

Psalm 120
A song of ascents.

1 I call on the Lord in my distress,
    and he answers me.
2 Save me, Lord,
    from lying lips
    and from deceitful tongues.
3 What will he do to you,
    and what more besides,
    you deceitful tongue?
4 He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,
    with burning coals of the broom bush.
5 Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek,
    that I live among the tents of Kedar!
6 Too long have I lived
    among those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace;
    but when I speak, they are for war.

***************************************
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Eph. 3:20-21 niv).

IOU

Our Daily Bread
I didn't understand what the letters IOU meant when I first saw them. I said them out loud trying to figure out what they stood for, then it hit me.  OoooHHHHHhhhhh!  I owe you!  As I joke with some of my friends "I hope I never lose my looks!"  ha!

If we wrote IOUs to God for everything he did for us, I don't think the sky could hold them all!  I love the tag line at the end of this entry -- out God is so MUCH more than just the owner and creator of everything!
We can never repay him for all he has done.  What we can do is give him our lives and serve him to the best of our ability.  I call it a "win-win", not for God, but for us!  God doesn't need our praise, but he deserves all of it!  We get to serve the Almighty God and have an amazing life!

Lord, we love you, we trust you, we thank you, we praise you!

Simply Saturday
Deep Cleaning
I have been on a roller coaster a little bit lately with several areas of my life -- or at least it feels that way.  In some ways I am just bored a little.  In some ways, I am tired.  In some ways, I feel disappointed and alone.  What do all of these have in common other than being normal human feelings?  They can be a symptom of an untidy spiritual house.  Yes, I am using a dirty house as a metaphor!

I think my spiritual house looks like my real house -- it looks clean and neat to the casual observer.  You can usually stop by my house about any time and it looks like it is ready for guests.  I am not a clean freak, I just find it as efficient to be tidy and to be untidy!  ha!  So what is the problem with this?  I hate it when I take a closer look!

I could give several examples of deep cleaning needs around my house from the past few months, but I don't want you to think less of me!  Let's just say I started making deep cleaning more of a priority!  Yikes!

During this roller coaster period, I realized I needed, or should I say God needed, to do some deep cleaning in my spiritual life.  Deeeeeepppp cleaning...  Lord have mercy.  I keep saying one of my mantras as I go through this phase: "I love you.  I trust you. I thank you. I praise you"  God has a way of pushing humans to the edge of their endurance to bring them closer to him.  We have to be willing to push ourselves.  To love God to give ourselves to him.  To trust God to let him work in us.  To thank God for the honor and privilege of serving him.  To praise God for all things in our lives, good and bad!

So put away the Swiffer and get out those deep cleaning tools!  Praise God!

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

Fearless

Our Daily Bread
"We have nothing to fear but fear itself."  "Fear is for sissies."  "I ain't afraid of nothin'"  "Why do you fear?"  These are some statements and quotes about fear that I am sure we have all heard at one time or another during our lives.  Fear is a very real emotion that can immobilize a person or disrupt their normal thinking processes!

The last phrase "Why do you fear?" is from our Lord and Savior.  My answer would be "Because I am human and I don't have all the answers!"  One of the assuring things about being a child of God is that we have God watching over us and giving us strength and comfort at all times -- even in fearful times.  There are so many things to fear in this world with all the hateful things going on around us.  We know beyond a shadow of doubt that fear has no power over us if we trust our Heavenly Father.

Lord, thank you for understanding our fears and comforting us.  Please help us to rely on you so fear doesn't conquer us!

Foodie Friday
I found some sugar snap peas in my freezer and forgot what I bought them for.  I remembered I wanted to try a stir fry recipe with them!  I found the recipe below.  I may add a few things like mushrooms or peas.  I like peas.  ;-)  I have some brown rice to serve it over!

Spring Stir Fried Chicken with Sugar Snap Peas and Carrots

Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 4 • Size: just under 1 cup • Old Points: 4 • Weight Watcher Points+: 5 pt
Calories: 179 • Fat: 5.6 g • Carb: 7 g • Fiber: 2 g • Protein: 27 g • Sugar: 1.5 g
Sodium: 238 mg • Cholest: 0 mg

Ingredients:

For the sauce:
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or Braggs Liquid Aminos or Tamari for GF)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp water
1 tsp cornstarch

For the Stir Fry:
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, sliced thin
salt, to taste
1 tbsp rice bran oil, or canola
2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 cup carrots, sliced diagonally
scallions for garnish

Directions:
Combine soy sauce, lime juice, water and cornstarch in a small bowl, mix together and set aside.

Season chicken lightly with salt. Heat a large wok over high heat. When the wok is very hot, add half of the oil, then add the chicken. Stir fry, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through and browned, about 3-4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set aside. Reduce heat to medium.

Add the remaining oil to the wok; add the garlic and ginger, stir for 20 seconds. Add the sugar snap peas and carrots, stirring over medium high heat until tender crisp, about 3-4 minutes.

Return the chicken to the wok, add the soy sauce-lime mixture, mix well and cook another 30 seconds to one minute. Serve immediately and top with fresh scallions.

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

Are you being served?

Our Daily Bread
"Are you being served?" is the name of a British comedy on BBC set in a department store.  The sales folks approach each customer with the phrase.  The characters and interactions between them are hilarious!

A better question to ask Christians is: Are you serving?  Yes, we are called to serve if we truly love Christ!  Many folks think that serving has to be some big, obvious action that lots of people will see you doing.  NOT!  I have been blessed over the years by seeing so many folks serve others to the best of their abilities and resources.  One of my fondest memories from college is a lady from my home church that would speak with me every time I visited home.  She would encourage me, tell me she was praying for me and slip me a $5 bill.  I had a hard time accepting the money because I knew she was on a fixed income, but it meant a lot to her.  God used her as an example for this silly old bear.  I still tear up a bit when I think about her!

Lord, please help us find our place or places to serve to show our love to you through others!

Technology Thursday
iPad Mini with Retina Display
Yes, I am a gadget geek.  I bought a 16 gig iPad Mini with Retina display on Tuesday when they became available.  For now, you have to order the devices online.  You have the option to have it shipped to you or to pick it up in a local store if they are in stock.

I opened the smallish package and found a cute little tablet. I just wanted to hug it because it was so cute!  ha!  I turned it on and activated it.  Setting it up as a new iPad was easy and fast.  I took some time to pick which apps I wanted on the device (since I only have 16 on it).  Arranging the icons and setting up my Kindle app was very snappy.  I felt like the interface was "snappier" than the iPad Air, but that may just be me.

I read my Bible study chapter on it last night.  I had to increase the size of the font and still had to use my reading glasses to read it.  The screen is crisp and clear.  The text was very nice.  I haven't look at pictures or movies or anything like on it yet.

Good things (in my opinion):  snappy interface, nice screen, nice form factor, easy iOS7 OS to play with
Not so good things: The price.  Yikes!  The form factor might be too small for me after using my iPad Air.  The Air is not much heavier (about four ounces) and has a much larger screen.

I will decide if I will keep it or not after this weekend.

**************************************************
Living out of love for God and pleasing Him should be our heart’s desire. - Our Daily Bread

Parts is parts

Our Daily Bread
There was a Wendy's commercial many years ago promoting their chicken nuggets, which were made from all white chicken meat. The commercial had customers ask Wendy's competitors "are your chicken nuggets made with all white meat?"  The answer was "Parts is parts!". Yikes!

In the Body of Christ, parts ain't just parts if you know what I mean!  We all have a function.  We are all important to the body.  I know we all sometimes feel like an appendix or tonsils or something else that the body can live without!  Nope.  That is not the way it works for us!  We are ALL important!  Find your place in the body and be who you are supposed to be!  Praise God!

Lord, we know you made us to fit together as one body.  Please help us find our place and do what we are gifted to do!

Wellness Wednesday
9 Ways To Become The Master Of Your Own Mind
The Huffington Post  |  By Carolyn Gregoire

Many of us spend an exorbitant amount of time and energy -- not to mention money -- taking care of our bodies, and trying to keep ourselves looking and feeling our best. But when it comes to the mind, less attention (literally) is paid. Taking care of the mind can come as an afterthought, and often we think of the mind as something outside of our own control.

"Our life is the creation of our mind," according to Buddhist scripture. Buddhist philosophy developed an entire science of training the unruly mind to help anyone overcome its constant fluctuations to achieve stillness, and eventually, enlightenment.

But even if it's not enlightenment you're after, developing a good relationship with your mind is critical to building a life that is successful on your own terms. Here are eight habits of mind to start cultivating right now for less stress, more creativity, less distraction and more enjoyment in life.

Make time for stillness.

Meditation has been around for thousands of years, and it's perhaps the single most powerful tool out there for gaining mastery over your mind. The mental health benefits of meditation are virtually endless, from addiction recovery to reduced anxiety and depression to enhanced creativity and improved cognitive function. Meditation can actually increase neuroplasticity, making it possible to literally rewire the brain.

"Meditation research, particularly in the last 10 years or so, has shown to be very promising because it points to an ability of the brain to change and optimize in a way we didn't know previously was possible," neuroscience researcher Zoran Josipovic, who has conducted brain-imaging studies on Buddhist monks, told the BBC in 2011.

Pursue meaning over pleasure.

Not all happiness is created equal, and in your own pursuit of joy and bliss, keep in mind that the type of happiness you're after can make all the difference. A recent UCLA study found that eudaimonic happiness -- that which was linked to having a larger purpose or sense of meaning in life -- was linked with healthy gene activity, whereas hedonic, or pleasure-seeking, happiness was not. Those who were happy because they had a sense of purpose in life had lower inflammatory gene expression and higher antiviral and antibody gene expression than others.

"Eudaimonic happiness is something you build up over a lifetime," Shimon Edelman, cognitive psychologist and author of "The Happiness Of Pursuit," told The Huffington Post. "In a sense, it's a great consolation for older people -- it's nice to know that on that component, people can get more and more happy as they age if they led good lives."

Read, read, read.

Consider reading your mind's daily greens. Simply reading a book can lower stress levels, help you sleep better, keep your brain sharp, and also stave off Alzheimer's.

But before you turn to your Kindle, take note: Reading on screens may drain more mental resources and make it harder to remember what we've read after we're done, as compared to reading on paper, according to Scientific American.

"Whether they realize it or not, people often approach computers and tablets with a state of mind less conducive to learning than the one they bring to paper," according to the article.

Let it be.

Sweating the small stuff is one of the most toxic things you can do to your mind -- not only can it take over your thoughts, but dwelling on what's beyond your control has been shown to be a contributing factor in the development of depression.

You know that unfinished project that's been nagging at you? Try just letting it go. According to Arianna Huffington, a great way to complete a project is by dropping it. Huffington recently explained at a Women in Business event in Toronto:

"One of my favorite sayings is '100 per cent is a breeze, 99 per cent is a bitch'... That doesn’t mean ignoring my other needs, but it means when I’m in it, I’m really in it. And that means often saying no to good things, to things that you might want to do, but get in the way of sleep, or get in the way of being with your children, or whatever it is that’s also very important to you. Just have a conversation with yourself and say these projects are done, over, and then you have energy for the things you’re really going to commit yourself to."
Flex your memory muscle.

Thanks to technology, we're taking in more information than ever before, but we're also losing our ability to retain that information. A recent poll found that millennials are even more forgetful than seniors, due, at least in part, to their reliance on technology.

Keeping your memory sharp requires some time and attention -- but your brain will thank you for it. Certain cognitive tricks and exercises can significantly boost your powers of memory, and make sure that you hold on to those things you never want to forget.

Unplug and recharge.

Constant digital distractions can take a toll on the mind -- over-reliance on technology has been linked with increased stress levels, reduced focus and productivity, stunted creativity and poor sleep quality. And Internet addiction is increasingly being recognized as a very real psychological problem.

Many of us never take a break from our devices, even when we're supposed to be relaxing (nearly 60 percent of Americans stay plugged in to work while they're on vacation). But allotting yourself some tech-free time could make you more focused, less stressed, and happier.

“[A digital detox] is almost like a reboot for your brain and your soul,” Cisco executive Padmasree Warrior told the New York Times. “It makes me so much calmer when I’m responding to e-mails later.”

Let your mind wander.

In addition to boosting creativity (and being a generally enjoyable activity), daydreaming can actually make you smarter.

According to NYU psychologist Scott Kaufman's theory of personal intelligence, mind-wandering is an adaptive trait that helps us to achieve personally meaningful goals, and it helps us to access spontaneous forms of cognition like insight, intuition and the triggering of memories and stored information.

Kaufman recently wrote in Scientific American that mind-wandering can offer significant personal rewards:

These rewards include self- awareness, creative incubation, improvisation and evaluation, memory consolidation, autobiographical planning, goal driven thought, future planning, retrieval of deeply personal memories, reflective consideration of the meaning of events and experiences, simulating the perspective of another person, evaluating the implications of self and others’ emotional reactions, moral reasoning, and reflective compassion... From this personal perspective, it is much easier to understand why people are drawn to mind wandering and willing to invest nearly 50 percent of their waking hours engaged in it.

Linger on the positive.

Want to wire your brain for happiness? You can start by savoring those tiny moments of joy in your day, whether it's the smell of fresh coffee or a smile from a loved one. Lingering on these positive moments can help to overcome the brain's "negativity bias," which causes us to store negative memories in our brains more easily (and strongly) than positive memories.

“[Lingering on the positive] improves the encoding of passing mental states into lasting neural traits," "Hardwiring Happiness" author Rick Hanson recently told the Huffington Post. "That’s the key here: we’re trying to get the good stuff into us. And that means turning our passing positive experiences into lasting emotional memories."

Build daily rituals.

Habit is one of the most effective ways to make any positive change in your life. By developing habits, good behaviors that may have once required a feat of willpower to put into action become automatic -- which is why they can also be so difficult to break.

"For the things that you decide matter… the only way to ensure that things that aren’t urgent but are important happen is to build rituals," The Energy Project CEO Tony Schwartz told the Huffington Post. "Build highly specific behaviors that you do at precise times over and over again until you don’t have to use energy to get yourself to do it anymore -- until it becomes as automatic as brushing your teeth at night."

*******************************************
Tolstoy once said; “Where there is faith, there is love;
Where there is love, there is peace;
Where there is peace, there is God;
And where there is God; there is no need.”  Can your faith in God move you beyond your own needs and seek a way to live in this broken world and serve the children of God?  - J. Perez

Silly bear

Our Daily Bread
As recently as this morning, my roommate and I were teasing each other.  I teased him about taking him out for his birthday tonight and said other silly, funny things.  He gave his usual response "Silly bear".  I gave my usual response back "We have already established that"!  hehehe

I feel like I have the same conversation with God at times.  God doesn't tease me like my roommate does, but he does remind me how silly I am at times (in his loving way).  I pray that my sins and shortcomings won't be displayed on some jumbo-tron, like the one in the Arena District in Columbus.  Whew...  I am bad enough about showing my sins and shortcomings in the way I act!  Yikes!  Lord help me!

We can find mercy and forgiveness from our Heavenly Father.  He can also help us forgive ourselves.  If we ask and sincerely believe, the Holy Spirit will give us strength to resist temptation.  We are not perfect, however, we can give ourselves to God as much as we humanly can!  Praise God!

Lord, thank you for your love and mercy.  Please help us accept and live this love and mercy!

Teaching Tuesday
Luke
We read the chapter in our book about Luke this week.  IMHO, the text book is very well written.  I read the chapter in what seemed like ten minutes.  "Is that it?" I thought to myself!  I reviewed some of the study materials from the web site that accompanies the book.  That was interesting.  The exercises and review questions helped me focus on the important points from the gospel.

The text book says some of the same things that I wrote about last week, but obviously added a lot more.  Luke is probably the most well-written book in the Bible.  He "cleans up" a lot of the rough sentences and grammar in the Markan sources.  He seems to have had access to the Q source or other sources since he writes about things that aren't in the other gospels.

Luke focuses on who Jesus is and how he is relevant to the our lives today.  This approach was meaningful to the folks of his time and to us today.  He acknowledges that Jesus may not be coming back any day soon like the writings of Paul.  He writes about the stories of Christ that help us live in faith every day.  Praise God!

Read the Gospel of Luke sometime.  Write down your favorite stories and parables.  Notice which ones are unique to Luke!

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

New day...New hope

Our Daily Bread
How many nights have you laid your head on your pillow thinking "Well, tomorrow's another day"  I realize that we are not guaranteed another day, but we still think that after having a hard day or a day where things didn't go the way we wanted.  We think of the promise of a new day to give us hope for things to be better.

I like the way the devotional reminded us that the mercies of God give us new hope each new day.  We don't need no stinkin' old hope from yesterday!  ha!  We have new hope in God each day because each new day reminds us of God's faithfulness.  We remember he has been with us each and every day, even when we don't always "feel" it.  If I have learned nothing else from my Bible study classes the past four years, it is that God is faithful!

Lord, we thank you for your faithfulness until us.  Please help us be faithful to you!

Movie Monday
I saw Thor: The Dark World on Friday.  I had been looking forward to it for a few months.  I was't disappointed.  I saw it in 3D, which added to the experience.  The story line was sort of predictable, but acceptable.  The special effects were awesome.  The chemistry between the two main characters was very cool.

I give it two bear paws.  See it in the theater, preferably 3D to get the full effect!

I watched a few movies on Amazon Prime on Saturday when I was "veggin'".  I watched Reservoir Dogs, eCupid, and Equilibrium.  Reservoir Dogs is a Quentin Tarantino cult classic about some gangsters.  It was OK.  eCupid was a LGBT love story.  It was OK.  Equilibrium was a Matrix-like futuristic film starring Christian Bale.  When it was good, it was very good.  It was sort of odd the rest of the time.

*******************************************
Living out of love for God and pleasing Him should be our heart’s desire. - Our Daily Bread

Fancy words

Our Daily Bread
I am usually a down to earth kind of guy, but every once in a while I like fancy words.  My breezeway is a portico.  I want quiche for breakfast.  I fell in a crevasse.  I know.  I am a silly old bear at times!

I have sort of been in a spiritual crevasse the past few weeks.  Much like the devotional says, I did my best to remember my Father's words from his Holy Bible.  I have been listening to the words of my contemporary Christian songs.  I have been remembering times past when God shined brightly in my life and through me.  My roommate and I have been talking and praying about this.  I thank God for having him in my life.  I thank God for my EFM group that I am getting closer to each week.  Thankfulness begets memories of God's faithfulness over and over.  I guess I need to focus more on my faithfulness, which is the one in question!

Whatever situation(s) you are going through, always remember that God is there.  He speaks to us in ways we don't always realize.  For example, I have been posting a psalm each Sunday.  In God's wisdom, the devotional and my psalm of the week were both Psalm 119!  God does work in mysterious ways!

Lord, we thank you and praise you for your loving kindness and mercy.  Please help us always hide your Word in our hearts and minds at all times!

Psalm Sunday
What a coincidence (NOT!)!  The Bible passage for the devotional is ALSO from Psalm 119!  The devotional looks specifically at verses 89-93.  This is by far the longest psalm at 176 verses. It says so much.  Try to read it in one sitting.  Focus on verses 89-93 if you can't read all of it.

Verse 83 had a phrase I don't remember reading before:  like a wineskin in the smoke.  A wine skin will lose its soft, malleable, water tight properties if left in the smoke of a fire, much like meat gets hard during the smoking process.  The verse means "even though I may not do what I am created to do", I will remember your decrees.  Very interesting metaphor!

Psalm 119

א Aleph

1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
    who walk according to the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes
    and seek him with all their heart—
3 they do no wrong
    but follow his ways.
4 You have laid down precepts
    that are to be fully obeyed.
5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast
    in obeying your decrees!
6 Then I would not be put to shame
    when I consider all your commands.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart
    as I learn your righteous laws.
8 I will obey your decrees;
    do not utterly forsake me.
ב Beth

9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
    By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
    do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
    that I might not sin against you.
12 Praise be to you, Lord;
    teach me your decrees.
13 With my lips I recount
    all the laws that come from your mouth.
14 I rejoice in following your statutes
    as one rejoices in great riches.
15 I meditate on your precepts
    and consider your ways.
16 I delight in your decrees;
    I will not neglect your word.
ג Gimel

17 Be good to your servant while I live,
    that I may obey your word.
18 Open my eyes that I may see
    wonderful things in your law.
19 I am a stranger on earth;
    do not hide your commands from me.
20 My soul is consumed with longing
    for your laws at all times.
21 You rebuke the arrogant, who are accursed,
    those who stray from your commands.
22 Remove from me their scorn and contempt,
    for I keep your statutes.
23 Though rulers sit together and slander me,
    your servant will meditate on your decrees.
24 Your statutes are my delight;
    they are my counselors.
ד Daleth

25 I am laid low in the dust;
    preserve my life according to your word.
26 I gave an account of my ways and you answered me;
    teach me your decrees.
27 Cause me to understand the way of your precepts,
    that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds.
28 My soul is weary with sorrow;
    strengthen me according to your word.
29 Keep me from deceitful ways;
    be gracious to me and teach me your law.
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
    I have set my heart on your laws.
31 I hold fast to your statutes, Lord;
    do not let me be put to shame.
32 I run in the path of your commands,
    for you have broadened my understanding.
ה He

33 Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees,
    that I may follow it to the end.[b]
34 Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law
    and obey it with all my heart.
35 Direct me in the path of your commands,
    for there I find delight.
36 Turn my heart toward your statutes
    and not toward selfish gain.
37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
    preserve my life according to your word.[c]
38 Fulfill your promise to your servant,
    so that you may be feared.
39 Take away the disgrace I dread,
    for your laws are good.
40 How I long for your precepts!
    In your righteousness preserve my life.
ו Waw

41 May your unfailing love come to me, Lord,
    your salvation, according to your promise;
42 then I can answer anyone who taunts me,
    for I trust in your word.
43 Never take your word of truth from my mouth,
    for I have put my hope in your laws.
44 I will always obey your law,
    for ever and ever.
45 I will walk about in freedom,
    for I have sought out your precepts.
46 I will speak of your statutes before kings
    and will not be put to shame,
47 for I delight in your commands
    because I love them.
48 I reach out for your commands, which I love,
    that I may meditate on your decrees.
ז Zayin

49 Remember your word to your servant,
    for you have given me hope.
50 My comfort in my suffering is this:
    Your promise preserves my life.
51 The arrogant mock me unmercifully,
    but I do not turn from your law.
52 I remember, Lord, your ancient laws,
    and I find comfort in them.
53 Indignation grips me because of the wicked,
    who have forsaken your law.
54 Your decrees are the theme of my song
    wherever I lodge.
55 In the night, Lord, I remember your name,
    that I may keep your law.
56 This has been my practice:
    I obey your precepts.
ח Heth

57 You are my portion, Lord;
    I have promised to obey your words.
58 I have sought your face with all my heart;
    be gracious to me according to your promise.
59 I have considered my ways
    and have turned my steps to your statutes.
60 I will hasten and not delay
    to obey your commands.
61 Though the wicked bind me with ropes,
    I will not forget your law.
62 At midnight I rise to give you thanks
    for your righteous laws.
63 I am a friend to all who fear you,
    to all who follow your precepts.
64 The earth is filled with your love, Lord;
    teach me your decrees.
ט Teth

65 Do good to your servant
    according to your word, Lord.
66 Teach me knowledge and good judgment,
    for I trust your commands.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray,
    but now I obey your word.
68 You are good, and what you do is good;
    teach me your decrees.
69 Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies,
    I keep your precepts with all my heart.
70 Their hearts are callous and unfeeling,
    but I delight in your law.
71 It was good for me to be afflicted
    so that I might learn your decrees.
72 The law from your mouth is more precious to me
    than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.
י Yodh

73 Your hands made me and formed me;
    give me understanding to learn your commands.
74 May those who fear you rejoice when they see me,
    for I have put my hope in your word.
75 I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous,
    and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
76 May your unfailing love be my comfort,
    according to your promise to your servant.
77 Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
    for your law is my delight.
78 May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause;
    but I will meditate on your precepts.
79 May those who fear you turn to me,
    those who understand your statutes.
80 May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees,
    that I may not be put to shame.
כ Kaph

81 My soul faints with longing for your salvation,
    but I have put my hope in your word.
82 My eyes fail, looking for your promise;
    I say, “When will you comfort me?”
83 Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,
    I do not forget your decrees.
84 How long must your servant wait?
    When will you punish my persecutors?
85 The arrogant dig pits to trap me,
    contrary to your law.
86 All your commands are trustworthy;
    help me, for I am being persecuted without cause.
87 They almost wiped me from the earth,
    but I have not forsaken your precepts.
88 In your unfailing love preserve my life,
    that I may obey the statutes of your mouth.
ל Lamedh

89 Your word, Lord, is eternal;
    it stands firm in the heavens.
90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
    you established the earth, and it endures.
91 Your laws endure to this day,
    for all things serve you.
92 If your law had not been my delight,
    I would have perished in my affliction.
93 I will never forget your precepts,
    for by them you have preserved my life.
94 Save me, for I am yours;
    I have sought out your precepts.
95 The wicked are waiting to destroy me,
    but I will ponder your statutes.
96 To all perfection I see a limit,
    but your commands are boundless.
מ Mem

97 Oh, how I love your law!
    I meditate on it all day long.
98 Your commands are always with me
    and make me wiser than my enemies.
99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
    for I meditate on your statutes.
100 I have more understanding than the elders,
    for I obey your precepts.
101 I have kept my feet from every evil path
    so that I might obey your word.
102 I have not departed from your laws,
    for you yourself have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
    sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 I gain understanding from your precepts;
    therefore I hate every wrong path.
נ Nun

105 Your word is a lamp for my feet,
    a light on my path.
106 I have taken an oath and confirmed it,
    that I will follow your righteous laws.
107 I have suffered much;
    preserve my life, Lord, according to your word.
108 Accept, Lord, the willing praise of my mouth,
    and teach me your laws.
109 Though I constantly take my life in my hands,
    I will not forget your law.
110 The wicked have set a snare for me,
    but I have not strayed from your precepts.
111 Your statutes are my heritage forever;
    they are the joy of my heart.
112 My heart is set on keeping your decrees
    to the very end.[d]
ס Samekh

113 I hate double-minded people,
    but I love your law.
114 You are my refuge and my shield;
    I have put my hope in your word.
115 Away from me, you evildoers,
    that I may keep the commands of my God!
116 Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live;
    do not let my hopes be dashed.
117 Uphold me, and I will be delivered;
    I will always have regard for your decrees.
118 You reject all who stray from your decrees,
    for their delusions come to nothing.
119 All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross;
    therefore I love your statutes.
120 My flesh trembles in fear of you;
    I stand in awe of your laws.
ע Ayin

121 I have done what is righteous and just;
    do not leave me to my oppressors.
122 Ensure your servant’s well-being;
    do not let the arrogant oppress me.
123 My eyes fail, looking for your salvation,
    looking for your righteous promise.
124 Deal with your servant according to your love
    and teach me your decrees.
125 I am your servant; give me discernment
    that I may understand your statutes.
126 It is time for you to act, Lord;
    your law is being broken.
127 Because I love your commands
    more than gold, more than pure gold,
128 and because I consider all your precepts right,
    I hate every wrong path.
פ Pe

129 Your statutes are wonderful;
    therefore I obey them.
130 The unfolding of your words gives light;
    it gives understanding to the simple.
131 I open my mouth and pant,
    longing for your commands.
132 Turn to me and have mercy on me,
    as you always do to those who love your name.
133 Direct my footsteps according to your word;
    let no sin rule over me.
134 Redeem me from human oppression,
    that I may obey your precepts.
135 Make your face shine on your servant
    and teach me your decrees.
136 Streams of tears flow from my eyes,
    for your law is not obeyed.
צ Tsadhe

137 You are righteous, Lord,
    and your laws are right.
138 The statutes you have laid down are righteous;
    they are fully trustworthy.
139 My zeal wears me out,
    for my enemies ignore your words.
140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested,
    and your servant loves them.
141 Though I am lowly and despised,
    I do not forget your precepts.
142 Your righteousness is everlasting
    and your law is true.
143 Trouble and distress have come upon me,
    but your commands give me delight.
144 Your statutes are always righteous;
    give me understanding that I may live.
ק Qoph

145 I call with all my heart; answer me, Lord,
    and I will obey your decrees.
146 I call out to you; save me
    and I will keep your statutes.
147 I rise before dawn and cry for help;
    I have put my hope in your word.
148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night,
    that I may meditate on your promises.
149 Hear my voice in accordance with your love;
    preserve my life, Lord, according to your laws.
150 Those who devise wicked schemes are near,
    but they are far from your law.
151 Yet you are near, Lord,
    and all your commands are true.
152 Long ago I learned from your statutes
    that you established them to last forever.
ר Resh

153 Look on my suffering and deliver me,
    for I have not forgotten your law.
154 Defend my cause and redeem me;
    preserve my life according to your promise.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked,
    for they do not seek out your decrees.
156 Your compassion, Lord, is great;
    preserve my life according to your laws.
157 Many are the foes who persecute me,
    but I have not turned from your statutes.
158 I look on the faithless with loathing,
    for they do not obey your word.
159 See how I love your precepts;
    preserve my life, Lord, in accordance with your love.
160 All your words are true;
    all your righteous laws are eternal.
ש Sin and Shin

161 Rulers persecute me without cause,
    but my heart trembles at your word.
162 I rejoice in your promise
    like one who finds great spoil.
163 I hate and detest falsehood
    but I love your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise you
    for your righteous laws.
165 Great peace have those who love your law,
    and nothing can make them stumble.
166 I wait for your salvation, Lord,
    and I follow your commands.
167 I obey your statutes,
    for I love them greatly.
168 I obey your precepts and your statutes,
    for all my ways are known to you.
ת Taw

169 May my cry come before you, Lord;
    give me understanding according to your word.
170 May my supplication come before you;
    deliver me according to your promise.
171 May my lips overflow with praise,
    for you teach me your decrees.
172 May my tongue sing of your word,
    for all your commands are righteous.
173 May your hand be ready to help me,
    for I have chosen your precepts.
174 I long for your salvation, Lord,
    and your law gives me delight.
175 Let me live that I may praise you,
    and may your laws sustain me.
176 I have strayed like a lost sheep.
    Seek your servant,
    for I have not forgotten your commands.

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