Thought So!

What Day is it Again?

Have you ever looked back over an old calendar?  Some of them are like diaries.  Beneath the breathtaking picture of the lighthouse are the boxes--your life in word-sized chunks.  You see them--"Howard's birthday", "Mom & Dad's anniv.", "dentist- Dr. Chew- 11:00", "parent-teacher mtgs.- 4:15", "church picnic- hotdish", "Bible study", "Sherry's shower", "Dr. Dim- test results", "Last day of school!", a sticker to remind you to feed the dog her flea meds, a long squiggly line showing vacation plans, or, a visit from... the in-laws.

Each box is the same size, holding the same number of hours.  Some boxes--could you have written it all down--would not have held the garbage-sized bag of duties that were yours that day.  A word in one box makes you smile at the worry you collected weeks before.  One box has a word you want to forget, but can't.  Some of the blank days are, well...a blank (what did I do on that day?).

What will be penciled in on next year's calendar?  How many boxes do you have left?  Thankfully, that is not our worry.  But in each box--whether full or empty--should be the unwritten words,

                              Sing unto the Lord,

                                   bless His name;

                                        show forth His salvation

                                             from day to day."      Psalm 96:2

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What Song Are You Learning?

Teach me Thy song, O Lord--

That song which graced creation's dawn

And bid the firmament unfurl;

That bathed the newborn world in uncreated light-

That song so bright!

Teach me Thy song, O Lord.

Teach me Thy song, O Lord--

That song which burst Thy Servant's heart

To beat of blows upon the cross;

His pain, and bitterest loss,

And death that should be mine;

His song was Thine--

Teach me Thy song, O Lord.

Teach me Thy song, O Lord--

That song which swirls to wreathe Thy throne,

And bears the prayers of all Thine own;

To Thee, and Thee alone

By saints and angels raised,

Thy Name to praise--

Teach me Thy song, O Lord.

by Joel Nagy

"I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving."  Psalm 69:30

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First, the Bad News...

Just hung up the phone...bad news.

Just opened the letter...bad news.

Just closed the office door...bad news.

Just realized you're dead... bad news.

Wait-- because you are dead, your life is hidden with Christ in God...Good News!

He is your life...Good News!

How much more secure can you be?

Well, when He returns, you will be right there with Him...forever...Good News!

"For ye are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory."  Colossians 3:3,4

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Be a Card

No...I don't mean a cut-up (as in "haha").  I mean as in a Valentine--but this one doesn't have to cost you a cent (and no cutting and pasting necessary).

It's great fun to give cards to people who love and appreciate us, and even better to receive cards from people who love and appreciate us.  But, what about being a card this year to someone who may not be on your list, and who may not love and appreciate you in return?

-someone whom you've just never taken the time to meet

-someone who has scratched and dented your feelings

-someone who is just not in your...well, group

-someone whose hard shell makes them a bit unapproachable

Maybe a heart-y word of encouragement, a kind comment, or some interest shown by you is just what they need! (But don't wait till the 14th).

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself."         Luke 10:27

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Add-a-verse-ity

At the beginning of her first year in university, my daughter was challenged to find a verse to apply to each of her classes. She was to memorize it and wear it out.  For one class (an all-girl) she chose Rom. 14:19 (the idea being that, when there is more than one girl in the room, the speech may not always be edifying--sometimes referred to as gossip).

You may no longer be sitting at a desk, but you're still in class, and it may seem like a loooong semester!  So, how does your schedule shape up for this new year?  Are you registered for any of these? 

-Family- Toddlers, Teens, Grandchildren, In-laws (weekend class)

-Marriage (graduate course not offered; advanced class only)

-Homebound

-Emotions (repeat courses offered)- Worry (night course), Patience , Anger

-Abilities/Responsibilities

-Prayer/Bible Reading

-Time Management, Others

-Communication

What would help you to get through your particular classes?  As you read your Bible, ask the Lord for a verse for each one, then sticky-note them to your fridge, your mirrors, your kids' foreheads. Make them part of your daily life.  Use them daily--you never know when there will be a pop-quiz!

I Cor. 15:58- "Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

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Bet You Didn't Know This...

Quick--grab your paring knife!  It's the year of the potato, or so my newspaper said.  (Though there are legion, I will try to abstain from using half-baked puns--too many could fry the brain).

Such a simple, economical, versatile veggie--certainly nothing to look at-- but one that has saved hundreds from starvation.  It's found on the most elegant of restaurant plates and on the humblest of tables.

Too often, looking in the mirror, we tend to see only an unused potato looking back--plain and bumpy and with too many eyes.

"I can't even use my hands and legs anymore-- what can I do for the Lord?"

"I'm home-schooling kids all day--what do I have time to do for the Lord?"

"I'm afraid to speak in public.  How can the Lord use me?"

"I'm chronically ill--I don't even have the strength to do anything for Him."

If you have a desire to bring glory to the Lord and Him alone, then He has a recipe for you!

"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:  That no flesh should glory in His presence."      1 Cor. 1:26-29

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Eyes Forward!

Have you ever tried to get a child's attention in the middle of a busy, noisy room (or even in a quiet, empty room)?  You call their name.  You try "Look at me...look at my face...eyes forward...". You wave your hand to see if their peripheral radar picks you up.  Finally, you cup their chin and turn their head in your direction.  Even then, their little eyeballs swivel away for one more glimpse--their face toward you, their thoughts on something else.

Marilyn, look at Me.

"But Lord, I have family here now..."

Marilyn, look at My face.

"But Lord, I'm in the middle of solving a really difficult problem..."

Fix your thoughts on me, Marilyn.

"But Lord, just let me finish this project..."

What will it take for us to consider Him, to give Him our complete attention, to stop everything and diligently observe that He is superior to all else?

Hebrews 3:1  "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus:"

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"Colorless Green Ideas Sleep Furiously"

Try saying that to someone in the grocery line.  Suddenly, you'll have plenty of elbow room.

Have you ever played the word game where you make up grammatically correct but absolutely meaningless sentences like this one (alas, I cannot take credit for it)?  Obviously, these word-strings are not intended for every-day conversations. 

But sometimes our loquaciousness can be just as meaningless, stuffed into embarrassing silences and enveloping tense situations (words up having breakfast before brain is out of bed).  Sometimes our words come charging out, elbows flailing--lining up into sentences on which we would never act (words in the car and halfway down the street while action is still looking for the keys).

The Lord promises us true Words-- no deception or trickery, no nonsense or malapropisms, no space-fillers or thoughtless verbiage; and everything He says is grammatically correct.

  "The words of the Lord are pure words:  as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times."  Psalm 12:6 (but read the whole Psalm)

How fewer words would we speak if our speech were tried like that?

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Field Stories  - misisonary stories for Sunday School, VBS, Christian School...

God, Please don't come before camp!

Christmas is over.  There are no more sleeps to count.  Your goose has been cooked, eaten, and saved for left-overs.  Presents have been torn open, wrapping thrown away (remember, they tell us it can't be recycled), and you have, no doubt, started your save, return, and re-gift piles.

Celebrators of this first Advent only (loving this present-filled world) may be depressed and deflated...left with bills and a bottle of Tums. (2 Tim. 4:10)

But, those of us looking ahead to the second Advent still count our sleeps with hope (unless you are a child really wanting to go to camp but are fearful that the Lord will pre-empt your plans). 

Do you desire/long for the Savior and welcome His coming in the clouds?  Do you love His appearing?  This is a test of our faith-- but if we keep our focus there even in the midst of this world's "stuff", the Lord is safely keeping our reward until He sees us.

Salvation, seeing our Savior,  being rewarded for longing for His coming -- our Lord knows how to give us good gifts! 

"Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift."   2 Cor. 9:15

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Field Stories  - misisonary stories for Sunday School, VBS, Christian School...

 

So, He Got Up

Did you ever wonder if Joseph began to dread going to sleep at night?  With my Bible open, spanning Matthew 1:17 to 2:23, I can see the phrase, "a dream" mentioned 5 times-- four of those pertaining to Joseph.  Did he ever ponder, as he closed his eyes, if this would be a night of disturbed sleep?

All of Joseph's recorded utterances could be placed on the head of a pin, which would be zero.  (In how many Christmas plays have you actually heard a speaking Joseph?).  The rest of the participants at the time of Christ's birth--Mary, shepherds, angels, wise men, even Simeon later on--all had something to say.  Joseph's silence keeps us focused on the heavenly Father. 

No account is made of Joseph, thrashing around on his mat after a dream, grumbling about moving yet again.  Though what father today would relish hopping up, shaking his slumbering wife and saying, "OK, honey, we're outta here!  Grab the rocker, crib, baby monitor, stroller, swing-o-matic, jolly jumper, baby bathtub, food grinder, earplugs, 10 tons of toys, 20 tons of clothes, 30 tons of disposable diapers, and meet me at the minivan in 40 minutes--oh, and don't forget the baby!"?  Yet having a simpler life-style, say... needing only to back a donkey out of a stall and throw a few things on its back did not, I am sure, diminish the angst of the moment.

What we do read about Joseph is his faithfulness:          

-"Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him..." (Matt. 1:24)

-"And when he arose, he took...and departed..." (2:14)

-"And he arose,and took...and came..." (2:21)

-"Being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside..." (2:22)

Like any earthly father should desire to do, he simply followed his Lord's instructions, and took care of his family. 

So, he got up....

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Field Stories  - misisonary stories for Sunday School, VBS, Christian School...