Our Daily Bread
If you have read this blog at all, you have figured out that I am a silly old bear at times. One example is when I tease people. They usually laugh and/or roll their eyes. "I am a giver. What can I say?" is my closing comment! ha!
The story of the widow giving two small coins in the temple is one of my favorite Bible stories. The devotional gave me a new perspective on this story -- one that helped me understand some folks in my life. I never understood the importance of letting those less fortunate give to me. I always thought I was inconveniencing them or being selfish. It made me feel odd considering that I have so much in this life. Then I thought of how God might feel. He needs nothing from us. He does not require our gifts or praise, yet he accepts each heartfelt gift as though it was the best thing he ever saw (this is my own theory!). Giving is important for everyone, even those we think can't afford it.
Lord, thank you for your example of giving and loving. Please help give with a loving and grateful heart.
Foodie Friday
With the weather getting cooler, it is comfort food time again! Woohoooo! I made my first pot of chili last weekend. It turned out great. Here is a recipe that I want to try this winter. I think this would cool using a mixture of Yukon Gold and red potatoes (unpeeled).
CHEESY SMOKED SAUSAGE & POTATO CASSEROLE RECIPE
Ingredients:
3 Cups Potatoes, peeled, boiled and cubed (approx. 1 lb)
1 lb Skinless Smoked Sausage
4 tbsp Butter
4 tbsp Flour
2 cups Milk
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/8 tsp Paprika
1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, diced
1/2 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Directions:
Cut skinless smoked sausage in half, lengthwise, and then chop into 1/2" pieces. Cook in a frying pan for about 15 minutes, turning frequently to slightly brown.
Preheat oven to 350°F
Place potatoes in 2 quart casserole. Add cooked meat and give it a gentle toss.
Mix all remaining ingredients (except for shredded cheese & the paprika) in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, melted and smooth. (stir constantly.)
Pour cheese sauce over potatoes and meat. Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top, and then sprinkle paprika evenly over the top.
Bake for 35-45 minutes (watch, until golden brown on top).
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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
Friday, November 8, 2013
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Consulting request
Our Daily Bread
My title at work is "consultant". I am a full-time employee, but I am considered an internal consultant about different electronic collaboration needs and technologies. When someone needs our help, they submit a "consulting request" to have us research a possible solution for their need. The needs or problems can vary a lot!
Our lives are sort of like that. Our needs and problems vary a lot. Realizing, like the devotional said, that different strategies are needed at different times is important. We need to submit a "consulting request" to God each day (or multiple times per day if needed!) to determine the best strategy! Sometimes God will work in mysterious and marvelous ways. Sometimes it takes doing stuff for God to be victorious.
I had the latter when I had my eye issues. God told me he would heal me, but I had to be more responsible taking care of my diabetes. The combination of learning self-discipline, taking care of my diabetes and God leading me to an excellent doctor resulted in the saving of my eye sight. Praise God!
Consult God early and often!
Lord, we thank you for your strength, power and wisdom. Please help us ask you for help and guidance and then do what we need to do!
Technology Thursday
iPad Air
OK, My name is Duane and I am a gadget geek. I did not plan to buy a new iPad. It just sort of happened. By Friday evening of last week, I bought a 64 gig iPad Air and sold my third generation iPad! What do I think of it?
I couldn't believe how much lighter and smaller the iPad Air is compared to the previous generations of iPads! I thought I would buy an iPad Mini if I bought one at all because of the size. The iPad Air has the same screen size in a smaller profile. It is at least 1/2" narrower and 25% lighter. I was so excited when I received my cover for it last night. It has a hand strap inside so I can easily hold my iPad Air for reading like I did with my old Kindle! This will work for me! The speed of the device if very nice. The camera is better. I am still testing the battery life. It looks good, too. I have been very impressed with it.
Should you buy one? It depends. The iPad Air costs about $100 more than the iPad Mini, which will be available in the next few weeks. The new Mini has the same processor and display resolution (called retina display), but in a smaller screen size (about 7.9" compared to 9.7"). Check them out. Very nice devices.
Did I have any issues? I think I had an iTunes issue because it happened on my iPad Air and my iPhone 5. I have been using the latter for over a year. I got some weird messages about purchases on my iPhone (and my iPad) had not been copied over to iTunes. Very very odd to me. Oh well. Not sure what that was about. I think it is fixed now.
FYI, some of the big box department stores have gift cards deals on Black Friday where they give you a store gift card if you buy an iPad. You might check that out if you want a deal.
*******************************
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13
My title at work is "consultant". I am a full-time employee, but I am considered an internal consultant about different electronic collaboration needs and technologies. When someone needs our help, they submit a "consulting request" to have us research a possible solution for their need. The needs or problems can vary a lot!
Our lives are sort of like that. Our needs and problems vary a lot. Realizing, like the devotional said, that different strategies are needed at different times is important. We need to submit a "consulting request" to God each day (or multiple times per day if needed!) to determine the best strategy! Sometimes God will work in mysterious and marvelous ways. Sometimes it takes doing stuff for God to be victorious.
I had the latter when I had my eye issues. God told me he would heal me, but I had to be more responsible taking care of my diabetes. The combination of learning self-discipline, taking care of my diabetes and God leading me to an excellent doctor resulted in the saving of my eye sight. Praise God!
Consult God early and often!
Lord, we thank you for your strength, power and wisdom. Please help us ask you for help and guidance and then do what we need to do!
Technology Thursday
iPad Air
OK, My name is Duane and I am a gadget geek. I did not plan to buy a new iPad. It just sort of happened. By Friday evening of last week, I bought a 64 gig iPad Air and sold my third generation iPad! What do I think of it?
I couldn't believe how much lighter and smaller the iPad Air is compared to the previous generations of iPads! I thought I would buy an iPad Mini if I bought one at all because of the size. The iPad Air has the same screen size in a smaller profile. It is at least 1/2" narrower and 25% lighter. I was so excited when I received my cover for it last night. It has a hand strap inside so I can easily hold my iPad Air for reading like I did with my old Kindle! This will work for me! The speed of the device if very nice. The camera is better. I am still testing the battery life. It looks good, too. I have been very impressed with it.
Should you buy one? It depends. The iPad Air costs about $100 more than the iPad Mini, which will be available in the next few weeks. The new Mini has the same processor and display resolution (called retina display), but in a smaller screen size (about 7.9" compared to 9.7"). Check them out. Very nice devices.
Did I have any issues? I think I had an iTunes issue because it happened on my iPad Air and my iPhone 5. I have been using the latter for over a year. I got some weird messages about purchases on my iPhone (and my iPad) had not been copied over to iTunes. Very very odd to me. Oh well. Not sure what that was about. I think it is fixed now.
FYI, some of the big box department stores have gift cards deals on Black Friday where they give you a store gift card if you buy an iPad. You might check that out if you want a deal.
*******************************
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
He never changes
Our Daily Bread
I visited the city of Louisville, Kentucky a few years ago after moving away about ten years before. It was nice seeing old friends and meeting some new ones. A comment I loved to hear was "You haven't changed a bit!" Awwww, garsh....
When talking about the concept of God never changing, folks can get confused. If God never changes, why does it seem like he is scary and ominous in the Old Testament and loving and caring in the New Testament? I think it goes back to the concept of trying to understand an incomprehensible God! Check out one of my favorite tag lines at the end of this blog entry. I think it says it all when it comes to God -- at least all we can comprehend! It is not God who changed, but us as we grew in our limited understanding.
Lord, we thank you for helping us learn more about you and your ways. Please help us always trust and love you!
Wellness Wednesday
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.
*****************************************
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 visited the city of Louisville, Kentucky a few years ago after moving away about ten years before. It was nice seeing old friends and meeting some new ones. A comment I loved to hear was "You haven't changed a bit!" Awwww, garsh....
When talking about the concept of God never changing, folks can get confused. If God never changes, why does it seem like he is scary and ominous in the Old Testament and loving and caring in the New Testament? I think it goes back to the concept of trying to understand an incomprehensible God! Check out one of my favorite tag lines at the end of this blog entry. I think it says it all when it comes to God -- at least all we can comprehend! It is not God who changed, but us as we grew in our limited understanding.
Lord, we thank you for helping us learn more about you and your ways. Please help us always trust and love you!
Wellness Wednesday
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.
*****************************************
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
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Our heart's desire
Our Daily Bread
I am enrolled in several "rewards" programs with different stores and credit cards. Every time I shop at the store or use the credit card, I get points towards gift cards, gas discounts, etc. I use it as a way to save money and be more frugal.
Some folks look at serving God as a "rewards program" where we think we think we get points for doing things for God like going to church, giving money, serving the homeless, etc. All those points add up to secure a special place in heaven. Yes, there is confusion about works vs faith. Is it works that gets us to heaven? Is it faith that gets us to heaven? The devotional expresses what I say to friends, though more eloquently: Living out of love for God and pleasing Him should be our heart’s desire. Yes!
Lord, thank you for letting have the opportunity to have a relationship with the Almighty God! Please let us love and serve you as our only heart's desire!
Teaching Tuesday
We read the Gospel of Luke last week. We will read the text book chapter about Luke this week. The second year folks in my class all agreed that reading the Gospel of Luke in its entirety was different than just reading pieces and parts.
We all agreed that the book seemed to be aimed at the believers that were still alive after Rome crushed the Israeli revolt. Luke emphasizes the presence of Christ in our daily lives and assuring the believers of his deity. We agreed that we liked it better from a literary point of view than Matthew and Mark. It was written more like a novella than a historical account.
Sit down and read the Gospel of Luke this week. May the Lord be with you!
********************************************
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 am enrolled in several "rewards" programs with different stores and credit cards. Every time I shop at the store or use the credit card, I get points towards gift cards, gas discounts, etc. I use it as a way to save money and be more frugal.
Some folks look at serving God as a "rewards program" where we think we think we get points for doing things for God like going to church, giving money, serving the homeless, etc. All those points add up to secure a special place in heaven. Yes, there is confusion about works vs faith. Is it works that gets us to heaven? Is it faith that gets us to heaven? The devotional expresses what I say to friends, though more eloquently: Living out of love for God and pleasing Him should be our heart’s desire. Yes!
Lord, thank you for letting have the opportunity to have a relationship with the Almighty God! Please let us love and serve you as our only heart's desire!
Teaching Tuesday
We read the Gospel of Luke last week. We will read the text book chapter about Luke this week. The second year folks in my class all agreed that reading the Gospel of Luke in its entirety was different than just reading pieces and parts.
We all agreed that the book seemed to be aimed at the believers that were still alive after Rome crushed the Israeli revolt. Luke emphasizes the presence of Christ in our daily lives and assuring the believers of his deity. We agreed that we liked it better from a literary point of view than Matthew and Mark. It was written more like a novella than a historical account.
Sit down and read the Gospel of Luke this week. May the Lord be with you!
********************************************
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
Monday, November 4, 2013
The other side of the fence
Our Daily Bread
A friend was talking about looking for another job that would soooo much better than the one he had. I reminded him that "the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence"! The example in the devotional was clear about that!
The devotional talks about a soldier than left the safety of the fort to help the wounded soldiers of the opposition! How many of us would do that? I would have a very difficult time! How many of us would help those less fortunate even if we felt completely safe? I have a difficult time with that way too often! God calls us to step out of our comfort zones to serve him and minister to others. It is often awkward when we first start. We can learn new skills. We can learn new boldness inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit. We can stir new compassion from our Savior Jesus!
Lord, thank you for our call to serve you and serve others. Please help us rely on the Holy Spirit to move us out of our comfort zones!
Movie Monday
I saw two movies at the theater this week. I had a great Groupon deal for Gateway Film Center on campus. Woohoooo! I saw Ender's Game and Captain Phillips.
Ender's Game
Based on a popular young adult book, this movie is about a boy named Ender that is chosen to lead Earth's battle against alien invaders. He and the other children are trained for months to learn the stuff that adults used to learn about space wars. I am not sure I liked the story very much, but I liked the special effects. Some friends that read the book thought the movie was true to the book.
I give this movie two bear paws. See it in the theater if you want to see the special effects on the big screen or if you are a huge fan of the book.
Captain Phillips
This movie, starring Tom Hanks, is based on a true story about the captain of a large cargo ship that was hijacked off the African coast. It is an interesting story told in a very long and drawn out movie that lost my interest several times. Knowing it was based on a true story made up for the movie's shortcomings in most cases, but I still think it was too long. It took too long for the story to develop. Tom Hanks was great. Not sure about the other actors.
I give this one two bear paws, too. It would be a decent rental on a cold winter night.
*************************************
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. - Hebrews 13:8
A friend was talking about looking for another job that would soooo much better than the one he had. I reminded him that "the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence"! The example in the devotional was clear about that!
The devotional talks about a soldier than left the safety of the fort to help the wounded soldiers of the opposition! How many of us would do that? I would have a very difficult time! How many of us would help those less fortunate even if we felt completely safe? I have a difficult time with that way too often! God calls us to step out of our comfort zones to serve him and minister to others. It is often awkward when we first start. We can learn new skills. We can learn new boldness inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit. We can stir new compassion from our Savior Jesus!
Lord, thank you for our call to serve you and serve others. Please help us rely on the Holy Spirit to move us out of our comfort zones!
Movie Monday
I saw two movies at the theater this week. I had a great Groupon deal for Gateway Film Center on campus. Woohoooo! I saw Ender's Game and Captain Phillips.
Ender's Game
Based on a popular young adult book, this movie is about a boy named Ender that is chosen to lead Earth's battle against alien invaders. He and the other children are trained for months to learn the stuff that adults used to learn about space wars. I am not sure I liked the story very much, but I liked the special effects. Some friends that read the book thought the movie was true to the book.
I give this movie two bear paws. See it in the theater if you want to see the special effects on the big screen or if you are a huge fan of the book.
Captain Phillips
This movie, starring Tom Hanks, is based on a true story about the captain of a large cargo ship that was hijacked off the African coast. It is an interesting story told in a very long and drawn out movie that lost my interest several times. Knowing it was based on a true story made up for the movie's shortcomings in most cases, but I still think it was too long. It took too long for the story to develop. Tom Hanks was great. Not sure about the other actors.
I give this one two bear paws, too. It would be a decent rental on a cold winter night.
*************************************
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. - Hebrews 13:8
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Be still...
Our Daily Bread
Yes, I know it drives some of my friends (and my ex-partner) crazy at times. I can't sit still. I always seem to have some kind of nervous movement in my silly bear body. Rubbing my elbow. Moving my legs. Something is always moving. ha!
God tells us to "be still and know that I am God". Yes, I know you are God, but do I really have to be still? ha! Yes, we do. It is in stillness that we can focus. We can listen to God. We can listen to ourselves as we listen to God. We can figure things out. Check out this old song by the Imperials: Be Still my Soul.
It says it all! The coolest part is that it incorporates scriptures from Psalm 46 from the devotional and Psalm 118 that is our psalm for today. God works in mysterious ways!
Lord, we thank you and praise you for being the one and only Almighty God. Please help us be still and know you better!
Psalm Sunday
Let's look at Psalm 118 today. It fits together perfectly with the devotional, Psalm 46 and the song Be Still my Soul! I am not sure what you are going through today, this week or this month or this year, but know that God is with us. His love endures forever!
Psalm 118
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
2 Let Israel say:
“His love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say:
“His love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord say:
“His love endures forever.”
5 When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord;
he brought me into a spacious place.
6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper.
I look in triumph on my enemies.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in humans.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
10 All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
11 They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
12 They swarmed around me like bees,
but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.
15 Shouts of joy and victory
resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!
16 The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”
17 I will not die but live,
and will proclaim what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord has chastened me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open for me the gates of the righteous;
I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous may enter.
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.
22 The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
23 the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.
25 Lord, save us!
Lord, grant us success!
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.
27 The Lord is God,
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
*****************************************
Trusting God’s faithfulness dispels our fearfulness. - Our Daily Bread web site
Yes, I know it drives some of my friends (and my ex-partner) crazy at times. I can't sit still. I always seem to have some kind of nervous movement in my silly bear body. Rubbing my elbow. Moving my legs. Something is always moving. ha!
God tells us to "be still and know that I am God". Yes, I know you are God, but do I really have to be still? ha! Yes, we do. It is in stillness that we can focus. We can listen to God. We can listen to ourselves as we listen to God. We can figure things out. Check out this old song by the Imperials: Be Still my Soul.
It says it all! The coolest part is that it incorporates scriptures from Psalm 46 from the devotional and Psalm 118 that is our psalm for today. God works in mysterious ways!
Lord, we thank you and praise you for being the one and only Almighty God. Please help us be still and know you better!
Psalm Sunday
Let's look at Psalm 118 today. It fits together perfectly with the devotional, Psalm 46 and the song Be Still my Soul! I am not sure what you are going through today, this week or this month or this year, but know that God is with us. His love endures forever!
Psalm 118
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
2 Let Israel say:
“His love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say:
“His love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord say:
“His love endures forever.”
5 When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord;
he brought me into a spacious place.
6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper.
I look in triumph on my enemies.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in humans.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
10 All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
11 They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
12 They swarmed around me like bees,
but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.
15 Shouts of joy and victory
resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!
16 The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”
17 I will not die but live,
and will proclaim what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord has chastened me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open for me the gates of the righteous;
I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous may enter.
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.
22 The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
23 the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.
25 Lord, save us!
Lord, grant us success!
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.
27 The Lord is God,
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
*****************************************
Trusting God’s faithfulness dispels our fearfulness. - Our Daily Bread web site
Saturday, November 2, 2013
The Truth and so much more
Our Daily Bread
I used to watch police shows where folks were sworn in during a trial with the famous line "the whole truth and nothing but the truth". It all sounds so official that you MUST tell the truth!
Jesus did not have to take an oath to tell the truth. What was he supposed to say "I swear to ME that I will tell the whole truth?" ha! Truth is all he knew how to say and be! It is hard for me to understand Christ being Truth incarnate. That is another one of those holy mysteries that we will not understand until we reach our eternal home. I also find it amazing that Christ told the truth lovingly. He was not like us who sometimes tell part of the truth or tell while lies in the face of intense scrutiny, even leading to his death! Thank you, Lord Christ, for being our supreme example!
Lord, thank you for being and living Truth. Please help us follow your example!
Simply Saturday
Funk
Ever had one of those weeks where you seemed to be in an endless "funk"? I have been trying to recover from one of those. It has been a challenge. I have been busy. I have been a little sick. The antibiotic the doctor gave me for my sinus infection has been worse than the infection!
I praise God for this time. He has been trying to purge some things from the head and heart of this silly old bear. Purification and refining can be hard and painful. As I joked with my roommate the other day "No pain, no gain!" ha! The growing pains I experience are MUCH less than the pains I cause myself if I continue in my sinful and selfish ways. Yes, I am being hard on myself. We have a high standard to attain. God has also been teaching me to love and forgive myself when I fall short of the glory of God, which is every day! DOH!!
One example is my experience yesterday. I went to the parking office to change garages. The office person was late, of course, so I started getting impatient and upset. I stopped and prayed that I would be nice to the person when he or she finally showed up. A few minutes later I looked up and saw a friend of mine from my old church walking around the corner. He had a bad morning and was running late. He was so excited to see me. He was also embarrassed to be late when someone he knew was waiting! Yes, we all need to focus on others instead of ourselves. We never know what the other person has been through!
Please take few minutes today to figure out ways you can be better, be more Christlike. I made a commitment to stop and say a prayer when I started seeing the "symptoms" of impatience or unkindness arising. What will you do?
*********************************
If we’re gonna pray about it
There’s no use in worrying
If we’re gonna worry about it
Why are we praying
Just leave it in the hands of the Father
Leave it in the hands of the Healer
Leave it in the hands of Jesus
And walk away
Walk away -- Brandon Heath & Thad Cockrell
I used to watch police shows where folks were sworn in during a trial with the famous line "the whole truth and nothing but the truth". It all sounds so official that you MUST tell the truth!
Jesus did not have to take an oath to tell the truth. What was he supposed to say "I swear to ME that I will tell the whole truth?" ha! Truth is all he knew how to say and be! It is hard for me to understand Christ being Truth incarnate. That is another one of those holy mysteries that we will not understand until we reach our eternal home. I also find it amazing that Christ told the truth lovingly. He was not like us who sometimes tell part of the truth or tell while lies in the face of intense scrutiny, even leading to his death! Thank you, Lord Christ, for being our supreme example!
Lord, thank you for being and living Truth. Please help us follow your example!
Simply Saturday
Funk
Ever had one of those weeks where you seemed to be in an endless "funk"? I have been trying to recover from one of those. It has been a challenge. I have been busy. I have been a little sick. The antibiotic the doctor gave me for my sinus infection has been worse than the infection!
I praise God for this time. He has been trying to purge some things from the head and heart of this silly old bear. Purification and refining can be hard and painful. As I joked with my roommate the other day "No pain, no gain!" ha! The growing pains I experience are MUCH less than the pains I cause myself if I continue in my sinful and selfish ways. Yes, I am being hard on myself. We have a high standard to attain. God has also been teaching me to love and forgive myself when I fall short of the glory of God, which is every day! DOH!!
One example is my experience yesterday. I went to the parking office to change garages. The office person was late, of course, so I started getting impatient and upset. I stopped and prayed that I would be nice to the person when he or she finally showed up. A few minutes later I looked up and saw a friend of mine from my old church walking around the corner. He had a bad morning and was running late. He was so excited to see me. He was also embarrassed to be late when someone he knew was waiting! Yes, we all need to focus on others instead of ourselves. We never know what the other person has been through!
Please take few minutes today to figure out ways you can be better, be more Christlike. I made a commitment to stop and say a prayer when I started seeing the "symptoms" of impatience or unkindness arising. What will you do?
*********************************
If we’re gonna pray about it
There’s no use in worrying
If we’re gonna worry about it
Why are we praying
Just leave it in the hands of the Father
Leave it in the hands of the Healer
Leave it in the hands of Jesus
And walk away
Walk away -- Brandon Heath & Thad Cockrell
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