Thursday, July 17, 2008
In God We Trust
I just received an email (which I forwarded to some of you) about the new dollar coins that have come out. The email is urging people not to accept these new coins because they are missing the slogan "In God We Trust" on them. The hopes are that if people don't take them, they will not be circulated anymore. I think that this is just one more sign that we need to desperately pray for our nation. In light of all that our nation is going through and the election coming up it is time the church got back to doing what it was created to do-be the salt and light of the world. We are not called to be social scientists or merely activists, but to show the world how we are to live. I know that this is not my usual pondering about the mundane things I encounter, but I feel strongly that we should be praying for our country. Having said that, I can offer some words of encouragement. Some people think that if we take all references to God out of every situation, that God can no longer exist or influence people. I am so glad that God is not limited to His name being on a coin or displayed in the ten commandments. I am thankful that I serve a God who is everywhere all the time. One only has to look to the heavens to know that no human is capable of ever obliterating God. Psalm 57:5 says "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;let your glory be over all the earth." We are living in perilous times to say the least, but I know that God is still on His throne and He will prevail.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
What's in a Word?
I was telling my mom that I had created a blog page so that she could read it. Being of the generation that really has no use for the computer, she understandably did not know what a "blog" was. I went on to explain to her what I meant by a blog site. Lest you think that I am so techno savvy, I had to look up later what exactly blog stood for. From what I have seen, it simply means "web logging" hence the shorter form of the two words. That got me to thinking about the word and how it could mean something else. (I know, my mind is warped to spend so much time on such a little word-hee-hee). Here's my version:
B-elieve
L-ove
O-bey
G-ive
What do I believe? Do I believe what I see or do I believe what God's word tells me? God tells me in His word to believe what He says despite what I may see. In 2 Corinthians 4:18 it says, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." God also reminds me that I will have my prayers answered if I believe. Matthew 21:22"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Does this mean that I will never doubt? Of course not, but I can tell Him all about my doubts and fears. Does this mean I won't have to wait for an answer? It would be deceptive of me to allude that we won't experience these things, but we can put our faith in God always to see us through difficult times.
L-ove Am I loving others? Do I treat others as I would like to be treated? Do I love God more than anything else? These are crucial questions to meditate on and examine our lives. We are reminded in Deuteronomy 6:5 "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." In Mark 12:33 it says "To love him (God) with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." (emphasis mine).
O-bey Obedience is doing what God says when and how He says it. Enough said. Remember partial obedience is NOT obedience. Jesus, always getting right to the heart of any matter, said in John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command."
G-ive Most people think that when the bible or preachers talk about giving it's all about money. That's an important part, but not the whole enchilada. Give of yourself, your time, your talents, your gifts. Ask God to reveal to you how you can give both financially and otherwise. In this well known passage in Matthew 25:34-40 we are reminded that when we give we give to God. 34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Remember too, that you cannot out give God Read Luke 6:38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Phew!! That's a lot of scripture!! Just start with one area that you think that you need to work on and ask God to help you. Now I am off to take care of some "partial obedience"!!
B-elieve
L-ove
O-bey
G-ive
What do I believe? Do I believe what I see or do I believe what God's word tells me? God tells me in His word to believe what He says despite what I may see. In 2 Corinthians 4:18 it says, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." God also reminds me that I will have my prayers answered if I believe. Matthew 21:22"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Does this mean that I will never doubt? Of course not, but I can tell Him all about my doubts and fears. Does this mean I won't have to wait for an answer? It would be deceptive of me to allude that we won't experience these things, but we can put our faith in God always to see us through difficult times.
L-ove Am I loving others? Do I treat others as I would like to be treated? Do I love God more than anything else? These are crucial questions to meditate on and examine our lives. We are reminded in Deuteronomy 6:5 "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." In Mark 12:33 it says "To love him (God) with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." (emphasis mine).
O-bey Obedience is doing what God says when and how He says it. Enough said. Remember partial obedience is NOT obedience. Jesus, always getting right to the heart of any matter, said in John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command."
G-ive Most people think that when the bible or preachers talk about giving it's all about money. That's an important part, but not the whole enchilada. Give of yourself, your time, your talents, your gifts. Ask God to reveal to you how you can give both financially and otherwise. In this well known passage in Matthew 25:34-40 we are reminded that when we give we give to God. 34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Remember too, that you cannot out give God Read Luke 6:38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Phew!! That's a lot of scripture!! Just start with one area that you think that you need to work on and ask God to help you. Now I am off to take care of some "partial obedience"!!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Cammy the Lonely Giant
I took my kids to the movies today. Before the movie began, they played a cartoon about a revolting giant who lived alone on an island. No one wanted to play with giant and she was very lonely. Her name was Cammy and she referred to herself in the third person. She confessed that she hated referring to herself as Cammy, but if she didn't say it, she would never hear her own name. I thought that this was one of the saddest statements I had heard in quite a while. Maybe I am reading much too much into this cartoon, but I can see the parallels of real life from it. (Just change one letter of her name and it could be me, after all!! Interesting...) Many people struggle with loneliness. It is a fact of life. Obviously, if you spend great periods of time by yourself, eventually you can become lonely. Conversely, you can be around people all the time, yet still be lonely. But there's good news!! God's word has something to say about it. Psalm 139:7-10 says, "Where can I go from you Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there:if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. and 17-18: How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you." I don't know about you, but these are such words of comfort to my heart. When I feel lonely, I know that God is always with me. He never leaves me and He thinks about me!!! It is hard to comprehend with my finite brain that God thinks about me. If that's not good news, then I don't know what is.
Application:
When you feel lonely, meditate on passages that remind you that God is always with you. Here are some to get you started
Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Psalm 25:15-17
My eyes are continually toward the LORD, For He will pluck my feet out of the net. 16Turn to me and be gracious to me, For I am lonely and afflicted.
Matthew 28:20b
and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Cammy the giant had to say her own name so that she could hear it. Fortunately, we have a Savior who is calling our name. Do you hear it?
Application:
When you feel lonely, meditate on passages that remind you that God is always with you. Here are some to get you started
Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Psalm 25:15-17
My eyes are continually toward the LORD, For He will pluck my feet out of the net. 16Turn to me and be gracious to me, For I am lonely and afflicted.
Matthew 28:20b
and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Cammy the giant had to say her own name so that she could hear it. Fortunately, we have a Savior who is calling our name. Do you hear it?
Monday, July 14, 2008
Roasted Cream of Tomato Soup
This recipe can be used with either fresh or canned tomatoes. Fresh is best but if you use canned, drain the juice and reserve the liquid for the soup and roast the tomatoes just as you would the fresh. We used to live in Bluefield, WV and we went to Pipestem State Park to a restaurant and had the most delicious roasted tomato soup. This is my version of it.
Ingredients:
Tomatoes, about 2 lbs.
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper
1/3 cup heavy cream or half and half
2 cups chicken or beef stock (canned ok)
1 tsp. fresh thyme (may substitute dried, use 1/2 tsp.)
Cut tomatoes in half and place on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Mix with hands to coat evenly. Roast in a 375 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until browned. Meanwhile, saute onion and garlic in olive oil in dutch oven or soup pot until translucent. Remove tomatoes from oven when done and allow to cool slightly. Remove skins and add tomatoes to pot. Add broth and thyme. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Using immersion blender, puree until smooth. Add cream and season with salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy
Ingredients:
Tomatoes, about 2 lbs.
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper
1/3 cup heavy cream or half and half
2 cups chicken or beef stock (canned ok)
1 tsp. fresh thyme (may substitute dried, use 1/2 tsp.)
Cut tomatoes in half and place on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Mix with hands to coat evenly. Roast in a 375 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until browned. Meanwhile, saute onion and garlic in olive oil in dutch oven or soup pot until translucent. Remove tomatoes from oven when done and allow to cool slightly. Remove skins and add tomatoes to pot. Add broth and thyme. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Using immersion blender, puree until smooth. Add cream and season with salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy
Permanent Hair Color
July 14, 2008
When I was younger, I had naturally blonde hair. I never knew what it was like to highlight or dye my hair. Alas, as I have, shall we say, matured, I have to rely on products to keep that “natural” blonde coif. My problem is that highlighting one’s hair is a high maintenance and costly endeavor. It seems that I need my roots done about every two weeks or I get that telltale line of demarcation. On top of that, I am now seeing those rebellious grey hairs poking through. Trying to save myself some money, not to mention time, I thought that I would look at the at home products in the store. I go and there is a veritable smorgasbord of which to choose. I started reading the labels and became increasingly frustrated and confused. There was medium blonde, light ash blonde, permanent, semi-permanent…the list goes on and on. I asked myself what was the difference between semi-permanent and permanent in regards to hair color. I knew that even if you used the “permanent” one, that eventually the color would fade and that I would need to color again. And frankly, what is the point of using a “semi-permanent” which seems like an oxymoron to me. It got me to thinking about how the things of this world are just like that hair color. It promises so much but really delivers so little. No matter what I gain in this world, eventually it will fade away. The world also makes promises it can’t keep. Nothing here is permanent and is at best semi-permanent. But thankfully, there is something that is permanent and does deliver what it says. It is the word of God and my eternal future. 1 Peter 1:3-5 (New International Version) says
3”Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade (emphasis mine) kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” Those are such words of comfort in the sea of decisions and temptations available to all of us.
The next time I am overwhelmed by the choices and decisions I must make, I will remember that only God’s word is forever and I maybe I won’t let the “semi-permanent” have such a high place of honor in my life. Off to call my hairdresser!!
Application:
When you are faced with the problems and choices that seem so crucial, turn to God’s word for guidance. Remember that God’s word is eternal and so is your future with Him.
When I was younger, I had naturally blonde hair. I never knew what it was like to highlight or dye my hair. Alas, as I have, shall we say, matured, I have to rely on products to keep that “natural” blonde coif. My problem is that highlighting one’s hair is a high maintenance and costly endeavor. It seems that I need my roots done about every two weeks or I get that telltale line of demarcation. On top of that, I am now seeing those rebellious grey hairs poking through. Trying to save myself some money, not to mention time, I thought that I would look at the at home products in the store. I go and there is a veritable smorgasbord of which to choose. I started reading the labels and became increasingly frustrated and confused. There was medium blonde, light ash blonde, permanent, semi-permanent…the list goes on and on. I asked myself what was the difference between semi-permanent and permanent in regards to hair color. I knew that even if you used the “permanent” one, that eventually the color would fade and that I would need to color again. And frankly, what is the point of using a “semi-permanent” which seems like an oxymoron to me. It got me to thinking about how the things of this world are just like that hair color. It promises so much but really delivers so little. No matter what I gain in this world, eventually it will fade away. The world also makes promises it can’t keep. Nothing here is permanent and is at best semi-permanent. But thankfully, there is something that is permanent and does deliver what it says. It is the word of God and my eternal future. 1 Peter 1:3-5 (New International Version) says
3”Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade (emphasis mine) kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” Those are such words of comfort in the sea of decisions and temptations available to all of us.
The next time I am overwhelmed by the choices and decisions I must make, I will remember that only God’s word is forever and I maybe I won’t let the “semi-permanent” have such a high place of honor in my life. Off to call my hairdresser!!
Application:
When you are faced with the problems and choices that seem so crucial, turn to God’s word for guidance. Remember that God’s word is eternal and so is your future with Him.
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