Can you believe it is only 41 day until Christmas? Can you believe that we only have 47 days left in our reading? I remember looking at the 2009 as we closed 2008 thinking, "Lord, we have a long year a head of us?" It wasn't long at all! This year has flown by!
Today I am meeting deadlines. I have an article, devotion, and teaching description all due today. YIKES!!! All of this was on my to-do list yesterday but my schedule was interrupted by my four month computer-yes I did say four months.
I don't understand how it happened but through my virus protectors (yes -I was running more than one because I thought the more the better-not true) I allowed a update to be downloaded that led to deletion of the files that control my USB ports functions. You can do computer without USB ports.
So, today, I will using said computer ALL DAY.
The weather is finally going to be beautiful. It is set to be a perfect Carolina fall day. I will get to enjoy it from the inside.
I hope someone gets to enjoy some beautiful weather conditions somewhere. What are ya'll doing this weekend?
P.S. With the help of a wonderful volunteer and of friend Teri (P31 Resource Director and one of the most precious people I know) we mailed out over 600 Bibles this week. Whew!!!
Today I am meeting deadlines. I have an article, devotion, and teaching description all due today. YIKES!!! All of this was on my to-do list yesterday but my schedule was interrupted by my four month computer-yes I did say four months.
I don't understand how it happened but through my virus protectors (yes -I was running more than one because I thought the more the better-not true) I allowed a update to be downloaded that led to deletion of the files that control my USB ports functions. You can do computer without USB ports.
So, today, I will using said computer ALL DAY.
The weather is finally going to be beautiful. It is set to be a perfect Carolina fall day. I will get to enjoy it from the inside.
I hope someone gets to enjoy some beautiful weather conditions somewhere. What are ya'll doing this weekend?
P.S. With the help of a wonderful volunteer and of friend Teri (P31 Resource Director and one of the most precious people I know) we mailed out over 600 Bibles this week. Whew!!!
13 Comments:
Praying for your busy day my friend.
What am I doing today? Well, my cousin from British Columbia is arriving today with her new baby, so I'm visiting with them this morning. Then, a friend of mine who is flying home from China today with her adopted little girl Hannah, will be arriving at the airport just after 6:30pm tonight, so I'm going over to clean and then decorate her house and take a "Welcome Home Mommy and Hannah" cake. Somewhere between doing that and heading to the airport, I am attending a 100th birthday party for the sweet lady who taught me piano as a teenager. When I arrive home tonight I need to finish preparation on the lesson I'm going to teach the precious little 3 year olds tomorrow in Sunday School. A fun, but busy day ahead for me too.
Before I close I want to share one of the verses that spoke to me this morning. “Share each other’s burdens…” Galatians 6:2
I know of someone currently who is carrying a very heavy burden. In silence. It is crushing and concerning. Yet, at the same time, when support is needed, they have chosen to withdraw into seclusion. Shame. Embarrassment. Pain. Confusion. Heartache. Pride. Why is it we so often feel we can’t turn to the church for our bandages?
“Restore him gently”, Galatians 6:1. Don’t rejoice and reveal the circumstance to everyone. Don’t ridicule and reject. Restore. The truest test of being a Spirit led Christ-follower is the readiness to restore the wounded. Restore is a word used to describe the work of a surgeon. Reduce pain. Promote healing and rehabilitation. It’s a word of grace, hope and health. Whether the wound has been self-inflicted, or they are carrying scars caused by another, the pain is severe. Often waking up each day is their greatest accomplishment. Beth Moore writes, "Sometimes life is so atrocious that surviving is its own great achievement and a strange proof of sorts that God must exist." Have you ever considered surviving in itself a crowning achievement? Maybe some of you reading this right now are all too familiar with this concept. Maybe you are hanging on by a thread, but at least you're hanging on. You have been dealt a bitter blow - one not expected, that hit you on the blind side. Maybe your loss has been great. Possibly you are walking a living death. A phone call. A letter. A financial setback. A betrayal. A prodigal. A separation. A health concern. Life can change in an instant.
God said, “I will rebuild it’s ruins and restore it…” Acts 15:16. We are those “ruins”. We are Christ’s building project. He rebuilds ruined lives.
Let’s remember we all have the same potential to fail or face difficult situations. He who thinks he stands, beware lest he fall. Wounded soldiers need help. Bearing another’s burden means standing with them in the mess. Let’s join our friends in the trenches. Let’s provide the safety they need of a listening ear and a silent tongue.
And, dear one who is weary in the walk, you don’t have to bear this alone. Allow the family opportunity of ministering to you.
So thankful that God's yoke is easy and His burden is light,
Joy
Hope you enjoy your inside, but sunny weekend! I will be inside too -- at a swim meet with my daughter.
There was a lot in the reading today but I especially liked Gal. 5:16-17 "the Holy Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires." I am praying for "the opposite" today!
Jeannie in Virginia
Today is a very free day for me to do anything I want. My 3 kids are spending the weekend with their cousins and my husband is in the field, so today I can do as I please. I am really being led to spend it in prayer. So many to pray for, to cry out to the Lord for.
I'd better get to it.
In Him.
Morgen - MN
Jeannie
I love that! Opposite...Hmmm?
Wendy, Praying that today you have "extra," minutes!
Today's reading was extra good to me -oh, how i wish we were all around the table sipping coffee and sharing His goodness. He unveiled so many nuggets to me and cleared up so much grey area. I had been seeking to know what He was teaching me and I was so encouraged by His answers. He spoke in such simplicity. My faith has been increased as He has once again answered my questions!
jeannie~Your nugget was opened up to me in new ways this morning! We are all bad inside. Period, there is just know way getting around it. We were born to sin...but, because of the cross and our precious savor, we have been saved by our sin...day after day he forgives us. But, the beauty is that because we are born again, we desire to do the Commands of Christ! It is His indwelling Spirit that is our motivation! We can walk in the Spirit, not in our flesh. And, the evidence of a heart changed by the indwelling Christ is a change in the way we live! James 1:26. The Spirit in us wants to please the Lord. We are not motivated by external rules of conduct that become mere legalism, our source of motivation is the spirit in us, the life of Jesus Christ! Oh, as we walk in the Spirit, as we abide in Christ, God leads us!!! What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. The more we walk in Him, He is sanctifying us and setting us apart, we're His “peculiar generation,” not belonging to the "wicked generation." Intentionally and on purpose I want to pursue holiness! What does Jehova-mekoddishkeem say? "Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine," (Lev. 20:26.) God, so wants us to belong to Him! "And you shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you," (Lev. 20:8). As we seek Him with all of our heart, He will help us to obey His commandments; we will belong to Him, not to this world. The Spirit will encourage us to do this. He naturally will come out of us. And the beauty is we have the list to look at as evidence. When we find ourselves losing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc. we know we are not walking with Him. We can pause, and refocus. Put our thoughts back on Him and all of His goodness. The closer we get to Him, the farther we are from the “wicked.” The more we will be living in peace and loving those around us. It’s not about our needs, but those around us.
Loving Him with all of my heart! Hugs, lori – AZ
PS Shopping with one of my teenager’s for dressy clothes that are required for one of his school activities! I doubt it will be a day of browsing and lunching at the Mall! More like a, “let’s see how quick we can get THIS over with experience!” haha!
Morning All!
My weekend is full, as well...and in keeping with this morning's reading I pray I am fruitful throughout all my activities!
Monday I leave for a week long trip with my sister to visit my Dad in NC (I am looking forward to some of that fine fall weather, Wendy!)...my stepmother passed away in late October,and her family and ours is meeting up for the memorial. In celebrating her life we will be joining from all parts of the country. In particular, my son will be there, so I am richly blessed.
Today I have a meeting, then a four hour shift at work...after which I am shopping to fill a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child...I am so excited, as I have been praying for the spirit to lead me to choose exactly what will delight the child who receives the box I pack.
Then home for household chores and packing...tomorrow I celebrate the Sabbath in worship and rest!
The wind outside today makes "blustery" look like a breeze in comparison...we are getting Major Gusts! I have Diane's words tucked in my heart "as long as the wind blows, I know I am alive!"
One last Thank You of the day - Joyful has done it again - :) - I am so blessed by these words: "The truest test of being a Spirit led Christ-follower is the readiness to restore the wounded."
Amen, Amen, Amen.
You are all fruit-filled companions and I love you all,
Liz
AK
Unfortunently, I too spent most of the day indoors. I did get to spend a small portion outdoors, but not for very long.
This morning I woke up early and decided to bake a couple loaves of pumpkin bread and got a few things done around the house before leaving a little after 9:30 to pick up my mother-in-law. Today was our "Angel Food Ministries" distrabution day from 10-12 at our church. Then I ran back home and fixed lunch for my family. After clean up and showing my Mom a few things as the guys rested, we went back to the church for quartet practice. Once we finished up there at 4:30, I had to run some errands while Hubs finished working on some more music sound stuff. Went back picked him up, came home around 6. And still got lots to do. Have to finish up my ss lesson for my 2-4 yrs olds tomorrow and get my noon meal for tomorrow started. Then on Sunday is time for fellowship and services along with an afternoon full of play practices and choir practice! Full weekend, that's for sure!
Good evening friends,
It has turned out to be quick day for me. Have you ever had one of those moments where you were going to "lay down for a few minutes?" That is what happened a couple hours ago. Oops, I haven't done that in years and must have needed it.
Anyway, I have been so blessed by what is shared today. Wendy so sorry about the computer stuff. The great news is 600 new bibles are in route to make a difference in 600 lives. Amen! Praising with you sister.
As I was reading what Joy wrote about standing in the trenches with our sisters, it grabbed my heart. I use to be the one who got trapped down there alone. Afraid to talk to those around me for fear they "would know what was going on." But the truth was it was the Lord working through my girlfriends sending their hands to hold to pull me out of the pit.
Sometimes they were simply willing to stand there in silence to face the head winds with me. That is the part of His promise to me "that we will never be alone." He will use any and everything to get our attention and send us aide.
I am glad to see the Angel Food Ministry mentioned. I will be writing about that soon on my blog. What a wonderful ministry for everyone to checkout.I picked up my order today, what a blessing.
Love to all,
Diane
well its beautiful here in texas..today i took my kids to 3 birthday parties and we had fun..i cannot wait for the year to start reading the bible with ya'll...ive been telling other women to start with me also so we can share thoughts and blessings together...i am so pump up, i hope i stay like that all year..God bless each and everyone one of ya'll...
lisa
Tx
It's been a beautifull weekend here in Missouri. Today, I attended the second day (I also attended the Friday evening event) of the Fresh Grounded Faith Conference with Jennifer Rothchild, Stormie O'Martian and Michael O'Brien. It was truly a wonderful time to praise the Savior and grow closer in my walk with Him.
Stormie Omartian has a book, "The Power of Praying Through The Bible" that I think will be great as a companion when reading through the Bible again next year. During the conference I wrote many notes. I have so many things I learned; I need to record them in my journal (I don't want to forget them so I rewrite my notes in my journal).
A quote from Jennifer that I'd like to share..."Leprosy to the skin is like sin to the soul". There's a lot of truth and layers to that.
Diane, glad you got a good nap today. Yes, you probably needed it.
Wendy, sending out 600 Bibles, that is awesome. I know you must be exhausted but how wonderful to know that the lives of many are on the brink of a wonderful change.
Love you girls,
nancy
Wishing I too would have gone out and enjoyed the beautiful day. Alas... a terrible headache confined me to my bed most of the afternoon and early evening hours.
I love you Wendy!!!! I'm up late Sat/early Sun...can't sleep yet again. But that's ok because coming to your blog gave me the nudge to pray for you :)
Love you dearly. Thank you for taking care of me. My prayers have been answered and I didn't even pray them. But I bet you did. So glad to be in your family!
Bitter Knuckles (please pass that on to Blair),
Love,
Melissa
Sunday, what a beautiful day here in Louisiana - God has blessed us again today.....
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