Starting by sharing today’s e-devotional since it “relates” even more than usual today…

Suggested Bible Reading
      
    -Joshua 1:1-9


Today’s Scripture

Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.

    -Psalm 119:104 (NRSV)


    DOG tired, I stumbled off a cross-country bus and into a cheap hotel long after midnight. I was 18 years old, and all that I owned was in my backpack. When dawn broke, I gazed out the window at the Rocky Mountains for the first time. I was sure I had found my Promised Land, so different from the home I had fled. I was desperate for a new beginning, away from the brokenness of my youth.

    Instead, I found the same perils I had left behind — broken relationships, drug abuse, and alcoholism. In my misery, I cried out to the Lord. I was led to work for a godly woman who prayed for me and taught me to love the Bible. When I accepted Christ as my Savior 30 years ago, he began to heal me and gave me hope. In reading the Bible, I learned to live in new ways that brought honor to God and health to my soul.

    Sometimes walking away from our problems seems like the answer, but my problems followed me until I learned how to listen to God. I noted how God instructed the wandering Israelites to be strong and courageous, to meditate on the Law and to live by its guidance. When I too learned how to obey God by reading the Bible and praying, God gave me the courage to seek help for my addictions and the strength to recover day by day.

    God’s promises are true.

    Rachel Ophoff (Colorado, USA)

Prayer
    Dear Lord, thank you for the healing that comes when we seek you, trust you, and do our best to follow you. Amen.

Thought for the Day

    Those who meditate on God’s Word find the right path.

Prayer Focus

    Those making a new beginning

One of my longtime friends calls these attempts to put as much real estate as possible between the consequences of our choices or any particularly difficult circumstances we might experience, “the geographical cure.” I took one of these “cures” at age 17 when I went to live with my father 1500 miles away from the town where I grew up, made memories, had friends and family. My life was not really that terrible at the time, but I was just aching to see how the rest of the world lived, hoping that it would be an improvement over my present circumstances and was grateful for the chance to get to find out without having to be completely on my own. It wasn’t too long after I arrived in my new state of residence that I realized I really WAS on my own and I needed to develop confidence in my ability to meet life’s challenges. Thankfully, I have had many more positive than negative experiences over the years to help me see that I really could take care of myself and that my personal “Promised Land” had more to do with what was going on inside of me than where I lived and/or with whom I was living…
I think any time we try to separate ourselves from our difficulties before we have learned the lesson they were designed to teach, we suffer even more than we would if we would just deal with our troubles in the first place. Not only do we suffer, but all of those who hold us dear will suffer, too.
How stout the heart of God must be to be able to withstand all of our attempts to exempt ourselves from learning Life’s lessons! Our culture urging us to go buy a bigger, better house, TV, car or truck, have surgery or pop this pill to make things better must be so painful for God to endure. (Image of forehead-smacking God making me smile a bit here) We have so much to learn…

Found out today that it is going to cost over $400 to fix our 8 year old fridge.

Initially, when the repair guy said it would be more like $250 to fix and I thought that it would be fixed before he left today, I did not even consider replacing it, because I really have enjoyed the bottom freezer with an icemaker and a new one with those features no doubt cost a good bit more than the more expensive estimate, even if I went back to the scratch & dent place where I found this one. If it were any older, I’d say we needed a new one and any younger I would say just fix it, but this seems to be a “gray area” where I am having trouble making up my mind…

The parts need to be ordered and will not be here for about a week. Then we need to schedule another appointment to actually get it repaired. Our little drink fridge in the utility room is already overflowing, even after removing several cases of drinks and pitching a lot of stuff from the ailing fridge that I am not willing to eat since we really do not know how long it has not been doing its job properly. But then if we get a new one, we will be taking time to find what we need and then still needing to wait for delivery anyway…

If we locate a suitable replacement soon, cooking would be a bit more “user friendly” since we would not be going into the laundry room for cold stuff and laundry will be a lot less bother not having to work around the cases of drinks on the floor, too. But how much cooking do we actually do during in a week’s time and maybe we just need to not have all those drinks stored in the laundry room fridge anyway? We eat a lot less actual meals with just the two of us and usually just drink water so do we really need all those drinks unless we are having a lot of folks over for the holidays, pot lucks and that sort of thing…

We could get a fridge that matched our built in appliances (except for the harvest gold cooktop which I am hoping to replace someday–hopefully very SOON) instead of sticking with this white one that was such a great deal I could not pass it up at the time. But then, white doesn’t look all that bad in here with the white stained oak cabinetry and the money we save could bring us even closer to the day the 1970′s cooktop gets replaced. The savings by fixing up the old one would also help reduce the impact of the big pile of cash we just parted with to get each of our cars roadworthy again, too…

Decisions….decisions…..

I was filled with hope after hearing Obama’s speech last night, where using humor, contrition and passionate words from the heart he pleaded with everyone to try to think, act and feel like one nation working toward common goals instead of business as usual, with our warring factions. Alas, those hopes were dashed as I read everyone’s reactions afterwards on various social media. Those who have previously opposed him and his ideas thought him long-winded and arrogant, finding nothing he said to be of any value or comfort. They would not even allow themselves to laugh at his attempts to inject a little levity into his speech. Those who have supported him all along could not see that he had said or done anything wrong, even using some of his words to promote some of their own pet projects and/or try to make the other side look less than deserving of any attention.
It looks to me as if no one really “got” it. I think Obama was trying to bring us together to strengthen our nation for the unpleasant realities we still need to face, no matter who we have as a leader. Individually and collectively, we have made some unwise choices in the past (no blame here, just fact–each of us are where we are right now because of the choices we have made earlier in our lives) and now we must deal with those consequences. I am saddened by the fact that Obama’s political future may be sacrificed because he decided to do what he believed to be the right thing and we may still go down in flames, bickering to the bitter end.
The only thing that gives me any comfort here is that if you read the Bible, you can see that no matter who was running things, be it King David with his “heart for God” or Caesar of Rome and Herod who did not seem to have a clue, God has been in the midst of us and promisies to continue to do just that…  

Today’s e-devotional really “spoke” to me. Even if it doesn’t do a whole lot for you, at least you will have a better idea of what makes sense to me…

Letting Go

Suggested Bible Reading

-John 20:11-18 (NRSV)

Today’s Scripture

Jesus said to [Mary Magdalene], “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father.”

-John 20:17 (NRSV)

WHEN my daughter got her driver’s license, I had a difficult time accepting this transition. Suddenly I was faced with the awesome realization that with more independence, she could go to places and do things outside of my supervision. But I had to let her go. It was time.

Soon after, I read again in the gospel of John the interesting conversation between Mary Magdalene and Jesus. Jesus tells Mary, “Don’t hold on to me!” This is deeply significant. Often, we try to hold on to God in various ways — through our theologies or our positions on issues. We continue to imagine that we are in charge, that we can keep God near by holding our position. But this limits God.

Resurrection faith relinquishes the desire to control God. Instead of trying to hold on to God, define God, keep God in a box, we are asked to let go and allow God to hold on to us. Doing this is a huge step of faith. But Jesus reminds us that the life we seek is found in a life of surrender to God.

Todd Outcalt (Indiana, USA)

Prayer

O God, help us let go of our desire to control our lives and to define who you are and limit what you can do. Please hold on to us, especially in our uncertainty. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Thought for the Day

True faith lets God be God.

Prayer Focus

Teen drivers

The scripture quotation is from the NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION of the Bible, copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

PLEASE SHARE THIS MINISTRY with a friend. Invite them to sign up for the free E-Mail Devotional by visiting this site.

A bit of irony about this entry: neither of our two offspring were all that eager to learn to drive and nearly a decade later, both still usually prefer to be a passenger rather than the driver…

Another winner from one of my email buddies! Hope you giggle at least half as much as I did:

Japanese Eye Test

Have any of you read the novel The Shack by William P. Young? It is a quick and easy read, though according to several folks in our little book group, not that well written. Since Donkey was loaned a copy by his boss, I decided to check it out. Here is a little taste:

The main character (Mack) asks, So why do I have so much fear in my life?

One of the 3 characters (obviously part of the holy trinity) that represent God replies, Because you don’t believe. You don’t know that we love you. The person who lives by his fears will not find freedom in my love. I am not talking about rational fears regarding legitimate dangers, but imagined fears, and especially the projection of those into the future. To the degree that those fears have a place in your life, you neither believe that I am good nor know deep in your heart that I love you. you sing about it, you talk about it, but you don’t know it. 

The story is quite compelling and there were many things like what I just shared that “resonated” with me immediately. I would be glad to know what others who have read it have thought of this book, too…

With our daughter’s wedding only days away, wrapping up long-awaited home repair projects, things going looney tunes at work for Donkey, getting ready for another surgery next week and being in the retail biz this time of year, things are getting a bit crazy-busy around here, I must continue to rely on my email buddies for material to post. This one arrived today and it was too good not to share:

I try to start each day with an Upper Room e-devotional to help me keep on track. This morning’s was just too good to keep to myself:

Today’s Worries

Suggested Bible Reading

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you–you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

-Matthew 6:25-34 (NRSV)

Today’s Scripture

Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.

-Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

IN my backyard are several bird feeders that I try to keep full of seeds. Sometimes when I return from traveling or run out of feed, I notice that no birds come to check the feeders. Sometimes I worry and feel guilty that I have let the food run out. But as soon as I fill the feeders, within hours the usual assortment of birds finds its way back. I wonder who takes care of the birds when I cannot.

In a similar way, when my son’s Boy Scout troop collects canned food for the hungry, I worry that as much as we give, it never seems to be enough. When I think about how many people go hungry or need to hear God’s word each day, the challenge seems overwhelming. There will always be more than we alone can do. What is the answer?

Christ tells us to put our faith in God. To be concerned is a call to action, but that does not mean a call to worry. Instead, we do what we can with what God puts at our disposal, and we trust God to take care of the rest. (See 1 Cor. 3:6-8.) We do our best and trust God for the rest.

Mark H. Anderson (Pennsylvania, USA)

Prayer

Dear God, remind us to share what you give us with those in need and then to be still, waiting for your will to be done. Amen.

Thought for the Day

Long after we’ve done all we can, God will still be working.

Prayer Focus

Community food programs

The good news: Healing from last month’s surgery seems to have gone very well. I have been instructed that I may resume “normal activities” whatever they may be…

The bad news: After spending more than two and a half HOURS in the office, I learned that the surgery was not as effective as they hoped it would be, so I need to have another procedure done…

The good news: The additional procedure is another “day surgery” so I will not need to stay at the hospital with all those sick people, there are NO post-op restrictions on this one and I was able to schedule it for after daughter’s wedding but before the end of the year when who knows what the insurance company will dream up to keep from having to pay for it…

The bad news: The surgery is on a Thursday, so it looks like I will be missing another Mary Kay studio night, possibly even the Christmas celebration, which is always even more fun than usual…

The good news: After I FINALLY finished at the doctor’s office, I decided I needed some “shopping therapy” and found what looks to be the perfect mother of the bride dress. It actually fits and looks quite nice on me, with the added bonus of being very close to the exact shade of the trim on daughter’s wedding dress…

The bad news: Home repair contractor has not yet contacted me about the work that still needs to be done.

The good news: We have been given the perfect opportunity to sort through all the stuff that was in that bookcase and cupboard and clear out unwanted and unneeded stuff for others to enjoy. All the while I have been waiting for contractor, I also have been working on refinishing the cupboard doors and they are now ready to hang. I have even gotten a start on the shelves that go in the bookcase, too…

The bad news: The piles of boxes full of stuff that came out of the bookcase and cupboards are in everyone’s way and I hate having anyone over right now…

The good news: Daughter has offered to host Thanksgiving at her home and possibly even Christmas so no one will have to navigate the piles of boxes full of stuff. She also has a bunch of time off right at Christmas time so I know her house will look even more lovely than it usually does for Christmas…

The bad news: I know that Donkey’s Mom would be happier if she did not have to travel the extra 10 or 15 miles to Daughter’s home…

The good news: Thanksgiving will be here next week and Christmas is coming, too…

Tail end of sermon on Mark 10:46-52 (where Bartimaeus asks Jesus to restore his sight)

The book called Space and Sight, is a fascinating account about the first people who underwent successful cataract surgery.  All blind from birth, these people suddenly received sight.  It was a wonderful gift, but it wasn’t easy for them.  Unable to judge distances, they often fell as they tried to reach things that were too far away. Or they cracked their shins on pieces of furniture they perceived only as patches of color.  One young woman wrote that she was tempted to keep her eyes closed, because it took such courage and hard work to adjust to her new life.  She admitted that it was easier to go on pretending that she was still blind.  Gregory of Nyssa, a fourth-century Christian Bishop, taught that the basic human sin is the refusal to grow—the decision to remain as safe as possible and to hide in our familiar cloaks of blindness.  How tempting it is for all of us to cling to the familiar.  We’d rather linger in shadows with which we are acquainted than to move toward the light that is unknown to us.

But take heart. Christ calls each one of us just as we are. Remember that Bartimaeus came to Jesus before he could clearly see him.  Bartimaeus believed in Jesus even though he had not yet seen him.  It must be the same for us. Our spiritual vision is not yet 20/20.  None of us fully understands the mystery of the cross or the promise of the resurrection.  We know only in part and we see in a mirror dimly.   But that didn’t stop Bartimaeus, and it need not stop us.

If you are willing—despite all reservations and doubts—to believe and trust in that which you have not seen…if you are willing to follow Jesus even though the way leads to a cross and beyond…if you are willing to trust that God will be where we thought God could not be—turning our places of death into places of life…if you are willing to hear the cries of those people who plead for mercy, compassion and justice…if you are willing to leave behind everything except your desire to know and follow Jesus, then take heart, get up, go with Bartimaeus.  Your faith has made you well!