The Lord willing, John and I will roll out of town early in the morning (as in, while it's still dark in hopes of beating Atlanta traffic to the other side of town) on our way to Colorado and a visit with the daughter and our favorite son-in-law, not to mention the noble hound. John has packed the back of the Jeep so tightly -- he's even done practice packing with our empty suitcases so he can be sure of getting the maximum load. Luckily, he has left room in the front for me! We're hoping to get out there sometime Saturday evening and we'll fly back when we get done (temporarily) sightseeing and AirTran has room for us!
Can you tell I'm looking forward to this? :) (It takes something really momentous to get me up and going while it's still dark!) Now, I've got to run -- still have a few errands and some laundry to do, not to mention a Bible lesson for tonight! See you later!
Once again, I'm borrowing for my post -- this was printed in Daily Guideposts, 2006, and was written by Carol Knapp. Hope you find it as uplifting as I did and do.
"Today I am helped by Jesus' 'Be of good cheer' words. Just before His crucifixion, Jesus said, "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.' (John 16:3). When He healed a paralytic man, He reassured him: 'Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee' (Matt.9:2). Jesus calmed His terrified disciples by saying, 'Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid' (Mark 6:50). And the risen Jesus stood beside Paul in prison and encouraged, 'Be of good cheer, Paul, for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome' (Acts 23:11).
These accounts give me four reasons to 'be of good cheer.' First, Jesus has power that transcends every heart-wrenching situation. Second, nothing is beyond His forgiveness when I put my trust in Him. Third, because He is near, I do not have to succumb to fear in any crisis. Fourth, even when I fear most cornered, I can dare to hope, knowing He has redeemed my future."
My Canon is a PowerShot A80, my first digital, which we bought each other for our anniversary in 2004. It has made me into a fair photographer, but a much better one than I was with the 35mm. It's nice to be able to edit (I find it easier to delete an unprinted picture than to throw away one already printed of someone I love!), take out the red eye (our oldest son is the worst for that), crop and lighten, etc.
I'm sure I've mentioned this before but to reiterate, Sweet Are the Ways is BY FAR my favorite of Essie's books!!! I just reread it the last couple of days, and I just love it. :) (No Orchids by Request is also one of her best.) Just had to share that with someone else who would know and appreciate :) *HUG* Miss you!
I wish I could claim credit for the following article, but it was written by David Maxson, one of the evangelists at Embry Hills, and he has given me permission to post it on my blog. I felt it was very well written and extremely timely.
My Thoughts in an Election Year - Meditations on the book of Acts
McCain. Obama. Palin. Biden.
Many questions are being asked about these individuals. What do they believe? Where do they stand? Will they help the helpless? Will they aid the poor? Will they protect the innocent? Will they defend the unborn?
Who can you trust? Who really knows?
It is not our purpose to answer these questions, or, much less, to recommend whom you should vote for in November. Rather, our aim is simply to give you peace of mind.
Reading through Acts this week, it was impressive to me what an important role government (both Jewish and Roman) played in the book. It is found in over half the chapters (16 of 28). There are ten trials, seven arrests and imprisonments, and two executions recorded for us. Most of these events are at the heart of the action in Luke's narrative.
While we tend to think of government in a negative light, it's not all bad in Acts. The first Gentile convert is a government official (a centurion, Acts 10), as is the first convert on Paul's first journey (a governor, Acts 13:4-12), and one of the first converts in Macedonia (a Philippian jailor, Acts 16:25-34). Paul uses his Roman citizenship to his advantage on a few occasions (Aacts 16:38-39; 22:29; 25:11-12) nad Roman officials protect the saints no less than six times (Acts 17:6-9; 18:12-15; 19:35-41; 21:31-32; 23:23-24; 27:42-43).
But even when the authorities are hostile towards believers, it always seems to lead to a positive end. First of all, the authorities never can seem to keep God's people in prison. Christians escape from prison (with Divine assistance) three times (Acts 5:19-20; 12:6-11; 16:25-26). The third of those jail breaks leads directly to the conversion of the Philippian jailor.
Second, even when the authorities are successful in restraining or even executing Christians, it still seems to work in God's favor. The most notable example of this is the martyrdom of Stephen. The persecution that arises after his death leads to the gospel being spread throughout Judea and Samaria (Acts 8). But perhaps just as significant as this is the arrest, imprisonment, and trials of Paul in Jerusalem, which ultimately lead him to Rome where he is allowed to preach the gospel "without hindrance" while under house arrest (Acts 28:31).
More could be said, but it seems that Luke is teaching us two important lessons in Acts pertaining to governments.
The first is that God can use government leaders to achieve His ends whether the leaders are good or evil. The Lord uses good men like Cornelius and Sergius Paulus and the Philippian jailor. Perhaps even the recipient of this letter, Theophilus, is a good man in government whom God uses to spread the gospel (he is addressed as 'most excellent' which is used for Roman governors, Luke 1:3, Acts 23:26).
But the Lord also uses evil men in government. It's doubtful any true disciple of Christ would vote for Herod or Pilate in any election (no matter who they were running against) and yet we hear the early Christians praying, "truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Poltius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place" (Acts 4:27-28).
The second lesson is that no matter what the governments of this world may do to thwart the purposes of God, in the end they fail. This is why Gamaliel, a teacher highly esteemed among the Jews, advises caution to his Jewish brethren when they discuss what to do with those stubborn apostles. He says, "keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found to be opposing God!" (Acts 5:38-39)
There is a certain amount of concern we should have about who occupies the White House next year, but if "the wrong man" is elected in November this should not cause despair in us. In the final analysis, all that really matters is that we are serving the "King of kings and Lord of lords." So long as God is on the throne, we can rest assured that His purposes will be accomplished in this world, no matter who may rule in the kingdoms of men.
appreciate your entry. Thak you. +++ Drain the cup, dear. Health is important also. And then smile, for I leave half in because I know it has to stretch. (and often must close my mind to lurking germs...)
One of the things we love about our home is that we have a thickly wooded area behind our house. We often see wildlife through the trees and even up in our yard. Right now we have a flock of wild turkeys -- two adults and four babies. We've had deer stroll calmly through the yard -- stags, does and even fawns. I've seen what I think may have been a bobcat slinking along the edge of the wood and John has even seen a coyote trotting down the street. But my mom and dad experienced our wildlife up close and personal last Thursday night. They'd been at our house for a Bible study and on the way home, about 3 blocks from our house, a deer crashed into their car. Thankfully no one was hurt but the car is in the shop because Dad can't open the driver's door. The excitement never ends!
You are indeed a sweetie willing to go to the airport and visit/help laid-over passengers. I know some of mine were so long I would have gladly passed the time with a visit from you. Ah, but the times have indeed changed. +++ So glad your parents came out in one piece! We had a very large Kudu bull try a leaping flight over our car - and missed. Spun us around on the spot, ended out journey - but that stinker just got up off his knees and leapt over the high fence and was gone! The police were not happy. They had heard the crash and thought to have fresh meat for dinner. +++ I would love to have a back garden like you descrbed.
but it was special. It was handmade by my daughter several years ago -- she had clay, molded the teapot and baked it in our oven, then painted it and gave it to me. It was about an inch high and about 2 inches long. I had some tiny flowers in it and also used it as a "hideout" for a very special necklace when I wasn't wearing it. It sat on a shelf on my bedroom wall and each time I saw it, I was reminded of the pride and joy with which it was presented. Alas -- I was taking it down to put the necklace in it and it slipped out of my hands -- broke into two large pieces and lots of little chips. Even my fix-it genius of a husband is doubtful that it can be re-glued.
You're probably thinking -- I can't BELIEVE she's blogging about something this trivial when so many people have lost so much more! You're right -- this little teapot was VERY insignificant in light of the recent storm -- but the sorrow I feel over my little teapot makes me ache for the thousands of people who have lost treasures of their own. And not just things -- some of them have lost people who were dear to them as well, some in the storm and some by natural causes. If I am sorry over my teapot, how much compassion should I feel for these others?
But one more comforting thought -- if God cares for even the sparrow and for the grass of the field, how much more does He care for the sorrow and grief of His children?
So to you who are grieving for the great losses....
"Oh, yes, He cares. I KNOW He cares!
His heart is touched with my grief.
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I KNOW my Savior cares!"
So sorry about the loss of the teapot! I have those treasures, too, from our boys, and have kept them on what I call My Mother's Day shelf. One of my favorites is a hand-drawn, paper blue ribbon inscribed with the words "Frist Place Mom."
It IS the same guy! My father told me he became a pilot. What a lovely surprise after all these years. I'm glad he is so well loved. He was surely kind to two young sisters. I smiled about your book arranging. I worked several years (part time to pay for college) being a "stacks girl" and I still find myself correcting the non-fiction when I'm perusing... ha! especially here in South African libraries. And I was totally amazed to return to our present town after 25 years and find the SAME books on the shelves with very few newcomers. New government, different values. The public library is virtually used as a studyhall and one can hear a pin drop, even with some 100 people sitting around at the tables. Nice, that. About your dear little teapot. It was the loss of physical memory of precious memories that tore through you. I know. Many years ago, my mother decided I was "ready" to have my great-grandmother's glass fruit bowl. One day my elbow knocked it from the counter when I was reaching for something else...I RAN from the house moaning and crying it hurt so much, like I had lost a part of me. No, the loss was insignificant in the scheme of things, but hurt all the same. So, mend the teapot with what you have dear friend and make another precious memomory.
Speaking of books ;)...I just finished The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, about the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Have you read it? It is absolutely fascinating, and probably one of the best written history books I've ever read.
OH YEAH! I had thought about that the other day but totally forgot it since. I can see my dad enjoying it well enough, since he does enjoy tea (unlike Mom, although she's more open to that kind of thing as something fun to do :). Thanks!
