May your Sunday be blessed with green pastures, still waters, and the peace your soul requires. Happy Sunday.
Tag Archives: scripture
So You Want to Know What God is Like
Well, he is just like us…or rather we are like him…in the following ways:
He experienced sadness: Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death…” Matthew 26:38 NIV
He experienced anger: Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them…Exodus 32:10
He experienced frustration: Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things?” John 3:10 NLT
He experienced disappointment: Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. Matthew 26:40 NIV
He experienced jealousy: for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God…Deuteronomy 5:9 NIV
He experienced love: “…As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34 NIV
Now, here is Genesis 1:26: Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…” which takes us back to the opening sentence.
But like I said in Friday’s blog, we humans began to mess up on earth and God was sorry he had made us…just look at this statement:
The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. Genesis 6:6 NIV
But the Good News is this: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
Happy Sunday.
Wow! What a Day!
You know how some days can have that extra special zip? Well, my Sunday was like that. It started out in church even before the service began. Three people came down the aisle to the front row; a mother in her wheelchair wheeled by her son, followed by her daughter-in-law. The man and wife were in their very early mid years; the mother probably in her late eighties. It was touching to see how, with great care, the young man eased his mother out of the wheel chair.. she trembling with the effort to stand…and guided her to the pew where his wife waited to put her arm around her mother-in-law. The whole scene was one of gentleness, love and dedication. Wow!
The second “wow” came in the sermon, “How Small is Small?” This included the parable of the mustard seed (Matthew 13:31-35). I’m not about to print the sermon or try to preach one, but I can tell you I know of five scriptures written about the mustard seed. My favorite is Matthew 17:20 from which stems my own faith. People who know me know that I once had a store which I named, “The Mustard Seed Gift Shop”. My car licence plate is MSTD SD. So, yes, the sermon was another “wow”.
See this dot . ? It represents the mustard seed.
The third “WOW” came in the form of my ninth great-grandchild; a beautiful, perfectly healthy baby girl, Violet Madison. She was born into my world on Sunday also. How wonderful to have the opportunity to say with great conviction and heartfelt love, “Wow! What a Day!” TYG
(You can read more about the mustard seed in Mark 4:30-32, Luke 13:18-19, and Luke 17:5-6. “).
A Few Days With Charlie Brown – Friday
Charlie may be a cartoon character but over the years he has displayed the emotions which make us all human. Charlie is beloved because he loves love as much as anyone else, as seen in this final clip. I hope you have enjoyed these few days with Charlie Brown.
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18
A Few Days With Charlie Brown – Thursday
At one time or another we have all been where Charlie is in this clip; feeling lost and alone and wondering what life is all about. But though we feel lost, we are never alone and whether we know it or not, there is a plan for our life.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”Jeremiah 29:11
A Few Days With Charlie Brown – Wednesday
Many times it’s not only the people who have left the planet we miss, but the ones we don’t see who are still here. It’s okay to hug them in our dreams but a real life hug would be so much more satisfying.
…“May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other”. Genesis 31:49
A Few Days With Charlie Brown – Tuesday
Everything is hunky-dory isn’t always what is meant by a smiling face, but those who offer up a smile and choose to be happy are those who help bring happiness to others.
Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.” Genesis 21:6
A Few Days With Charlie Brown – Monday
Who doesn’t like Charlie Brown? Well, okay, some people may not, but I think he and his pals have kept us nicely entertained over the years since his birth in 1947; and good grief, he has certainly given us lots of quotable quotes to dwell on. A friend (a real friend) sent me a series of Charlie Brown clips and I want to share some of them with you over the next few days.
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13 NIV
(Scripture added by pab)
The Journey to Being a Better Person
Media columnist, John Snobelen spends some of his time every day addressing this constant human challenge, the journey to being a better person, by his own admission. This information was recently sent to me by a friend who likes to share good copy.
The statement intrigues me. How many of us consider this kind of journey on a daily basis and how many even think of it at all?
The Snobelen article was about leadership with grace and I quote: “Some time ago I began to notice there are a few people able to cause change and challenge norms without becoming arrogant. They are those rare leaders who seem capable of valuing people they disagree with, taking responsibility instead of taking bows and making people around them better.”
In what way are we facing our challenge of being a better person? Are we doing all we can to value the people we disagree with or to make people feel better when we know they need uplifting? Are we as helpful as we can be or as thoughtful?
It’s people like John Snobelen who sometimes jolt us awake to the fact that there is always room for improvement.
I have honestly never given any real thought to this aspect of a human challenge and now I can’t wait to begin my new journey to being a better person.
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48 NIV
Now how is that for a challenge?
This Moment in Time
Stop! Right now, stop what you are doing and be still if only for just a few seconds…give in to the stillness.
In spite of any chaos around you or in you, give in to being still for this moment in time. Try to make this a habit, and eventually, at any time of the day or night while in the moment, a thought will occur about your life, the world, a problem; anything that has been robbing you of peace and serenity, and the brief respite will infuse you with hope, insight, and a new perspective.
Whenever possible, be silent and listen. Notice how these two words use the exact same letters to fulfill each other…be silent and listen.
In this moment in time hear what God says in Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God.
For now, carry on…the rest of your day is waiting to be lived.
My Precious Life 