Today's devotion: Sledding and praying

Today's Our Daily Bread devotion story certainly brings back memories of winters gone by. Read the story, Bible passage and insight by clicking here.

The blogger will return on Monday. Until then, enjoy your weekend and may God bless you all.

Today's devotion - Where does your help come from?

Today's Bible reading is the 121st Psalm. Be sure to read it, the story and the insight that are included with most all Our Daily Bread devotional offerings. In my mother's extended absence from blogging you can find this daily devotion by following this link.

God bless all of you today and every day.

Today's devotional - Battling distractions

Today Our Daily Bread's devotion centers on the Gospel according to Luke, chapters 10, verses 38-42. Take time to digest the scripture before you read today's devotion. Reading the Good Book adds so much more to the essay. Read today's edition by following this link.

May God bless all of you today and every day. Amen

Strengthen my hands

Since I am away from my computer for the next few days, I have set up links to the Our Daily Bread devotional page.

Please take the time to read the daily message and be inspired by its relevance to our world.

Here's the link for today's devotional reading. Be sure to read the scripture verses first!

May God bless all of you today and every day.

Share the Good News

Have you had good news you were just itching to share with someone – anyone?

You know the kind - the knock-you-out-of-your-socks kind that really blows you away? Things like your child gets accepted to Harvard; your youngest finally gets math; your daughter gets a fully paid scholarship to the institute of higher learning of her choice; you’re going to be a mom (or a dad); you’re going to be a grandparent; you’re engaged. I could go on and on, but you get the drift I am sure.

Well, I have some good news to share too, but mine comes from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Yes, you guessed it, it is the Good News of eternal life through His grace by believing in Him.

Probably the most famous of all the Bible verses pertaining to belief in Christ being associated with eternal life is John 3:16 (NIV) 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.

It’s the first verse I memorized as a child. Perhaps that is the case for you too.

At the time, I really did not thoroughly understand the significance of such a belief. I did not understand the commitment required of me. I thought it was enough to just believe.

But, I have found that faith requires more of me, even though the apostle Paul said that “not by works so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:9 (NIV))

When I did a Bible study centered on James, I found a question that caused me to consider deeds as a significant part of the Christian, faith-centered life. One verse stood out; James 2:14 (NIV) What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?

Good question, eh?

Jesus talked about advancing His message through helping one another, explaining that by assisting a person in peril, you are actually spreading the love of Christ and His message through your acts of kindness and mercy. In Matthew 25:44-46 (NIV), [Jesus said] 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

For me, helping my fellow man is being true to my “job” as a Christian. Likewise, through this ministry of the written word spreading the Good News of Christ’s birth, death and resurrection is a true follower’s calling that, again, for me, is second to none.

Bottom line, Jesus, through His sacrifice, gave us the Good News to proclaim. It’s part of the Great Commission where Christ directed his followers to spread the Gospel to all the earth. Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV) 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

It's as simple as – you are saved by grace if you believe. BUT, that saving grace requires you to –love one another and proclaim your gift of eternal life through His grace by faith in Him.

Why not start today by spreading the Good News to others you meet, whether it’s at work or at play or in the grocery store, or at the barber shop or even at Bible study or church?

After all, “Good news kept silent is no news at all.”  ---C.P. Hia

Until next week - May God bless you and help you spread the Good News.

Abortion = Murder

Today is the anniversary of a dark day in our nation’s judicial history. On this day in 1973, the United States Supreme Court, by a 7-2 vote, affirmed a woman’s “right” to obtain an abortion for any and all reasons.

Jane Roe, et al. v. Henry Wade, District Attorney of Dallas County, 410 U.S. 113 was decided simultaneously with a similar case, Doe v. Bolton. The ruling affirmed a woman’s right to privacy under the due process clause of the 14th Amendment.

However, the Court stressed that this right must be balanced against the individual state's two legitimate interests in regulating abortions. The interests listed were protecting the unborn child’s life and protecting the woman's health.

The defendant in the case argued that the state’s interests became stronger over the course of a pregnancy. To satisfy this challenge, the Court resolved the issue by tying state regulation of abortion to the third trimester of pregnancy.

Later, the Court rejected the landmark decision’s trimester framework, while affirming Roe 's central decision/belief that a person has a right to abortion until the baby’s existence is considered viable.

This case’s decision defined viability of the unborn child as being "potentially able to live outside the mother's womb, albeit with artificial aid.” The justices added that viability "is usually placed at about seven months (28 weeks) but may occur earlier, even at 24 weeks.”

Eventually, the Court asserted that abortion is a fundamental right under the United States Constitution, which effectively limited any and all laws attempting to restrict it to a strict standard of constitutional adherence. In 1938, levels of case decision standards had been adopted by the judicial system. In this case, Roe v. Wade, the Court applied the “strict scrutiny” standard.

What does the Bible have to say about all this? A lot.

Our pastor had a lot to say about this too as Sunday was Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, which occurs every year the week of the aforementioned Supreme Court decision.

Pastor Andrew Manwarren of Newberry First Baptist Church began the message by quoting some unsettling statistics, comparing this tragedy to the Holocaust that ended the lives of 6 million Jews.

Did you know that in this country since the Roe v. Wade decision 42 years ago, 62 million (that’s right MILLION) babies have been slaughtered. That equates to 1.21 million lives lost per year; 3,315 murders per day; 138 tragedies per hour; and more than 2 baby annihilations per minute.

Inconceivable. Disgusting. Unbelievable. Agreed?

God made each and every one of us in His image, a fact that is confirmed in Genesis 1: 26-27 (NIV) where God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."

With those words of Creation ringing in our ears, why would we even consider terminating a life He meticulously put together?

Why? Because we are all “wicked, unrighteous sinners,” according to Manwarren, and he is right.

The apostle Paul nailed it in Romans 3:23 (NIV) “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,. But all is not lost as Paul continues in Verse 24, “and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Another point our pastor made, which everyone should consider, is that the reasons for abortion would never be accepted as a defense for the murder of a person outside the womb.

I ask, why then would any of us accept the planned death of an unborn child? In a God-fearing society this death would be paramount to first-degree murder – murder planned in advance and subsequently executed.

As a forgiven sinner, I must confess that when my 17-year-old honor student daughter confided her pregnancy to me over 15 years ago, my knee-jerk reaction was, you guessed it, abortion. I cannot believe I even uttered the word, much less considered this “solution.”

Fortunately, the thought left my sinner’s brain almost as quickly as it entered, but not before it came out of my mouth, unfortunately.

Today, thanks to God’s common sense intervention of my murderous pondering, I have a wonderful grandson that is the first of five outstanding children born to my amazing daughter.

As I wrote in the beginning of this blog post, God has much to say about His creation of humankind and our life in Him.

You can read more of His guiding prose by turning to the following verses in your Bible – Matthew 22:36-40; Psalm 139:13-16; Leviticus 19:9-18; 1 John 4:19-21; and John 13:34. If you do not own a Bible, you can search the verses, in a translation of your choice by following this link.

When you visit BibleGateway.com, you can also check out the verse of the day and the many devotional offerings. I am taking advantage of the 365-day Devotional. You might want to take a look at it.

I end this blog with two quotes from our pastor's sermon that emphasize my Christian-inspired stand on abortion – “Abortion is a violent, anti-God act.” And, “Abortion is war against loving God.”

Until tomorrow – May God bless each and every one of you every day in every way.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!

Today is my mother’s 85th birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Mom, from #1 daughter and #1 son-in-law. Wish we could be there with you to celebrate, but since we can’t, I am dedicating this blog post to you – the BEST MOM – EVER!

In photograph at right - That's my mom and dad celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.

You know, as I honor my mother with today’s essay, I recall that God was so protective of parents, He included the way we should treat our mothers and fathers as one of the Ten Commandments, which He gave to Moses on Mt. Sinai.

In fact, Honor your father and your mother (Exodus 20:12a (NIV)) is so important to the Man above, he positioned this law as the first commandment that did not focus on our relationship with Him. In my humble opinion, that puts family as a close second to our relationship with
God. Agreed?

I know that I have been guilty of dishonor where my parents are concerned. You probably have too. My teenage years were a good example of sinning against the Creator by taking my parents’ direction with a grain of salt. Sure, I obeyed their rules for the most part, but there were times when the rules seemed foolish and restrictive. When that was the case, well…

Anyway, I love my mother. She is a rock. She is kind. She is loving. She is ever-thoughtful. She is a great mom. She made sure we had opportunities for advancement. She demanded good grades. She supported our ambitions.

Mom even meted out punishment as necessary, but it was always done with the attitude that, “This is going to hurt me more than it does you.” Of course I never understood how a whack with “the paddle” could hurt mom more than me – at least I did not understand until I became an adult.

Besides, as a God-fearing household, mom had the Bible to back her up on the punishment thing – Proverbs 13:24 (NIV) says, Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

When you consider that she raised four children, working full time in the process, you understand that our SUPER MOM had our backs. We never lacked for anything from our mother.

Not only, through our parents’ considerable sacrifice, did we get our education in one of the top public school systems in the nation, they also saw to it that we had a foundation in faith from Patterson Park Brethren Church.

Each and every Sunday, Mom corralled all of us, making sure we were dressed and ready for Sunday school (dad drove the church bus). We also attended Sunday morning and evening worship services as well as Wednesday night prayer meeting. We all went to vacation Bible school and I had the opportunity to go to church camp too. Still have fond memories of all of these excursions in the faith.

Proverbs 22:6 (KJV) reads, Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. My mom and dad believed, and practiced, this proverb. Far be it from me to argue with its success. Not counting a few bumps in the road, we all turned out pretty good.

My mom and dad are proud of all of their children, as well they should be. They raised us to honor God and family, which is the way all parents should bring up their children. Thank God mine did it the right way. Without God in my life, I really do not know how I could have handled some of the trials I have experienced on this earth.

Thank you, mom and dad for setting your children on the right path early on.

But this is primarily about my mom, so I will end today's post with…

My mom is the best. I love her with all my heart. She is everything to me. She is in my heart. She is in my thoughts. She is in my prayers. She is…well…MY MOM!

I love you, mom.

An Irish blessing

From this Irish/Scot to all of you...

May God grant you always...
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel
So nothing can harm you.
Laughter to cheer you.
Faithful friends near you.
And whenever you pray,
Heaven to hear you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Terry Webb - A heartfelt tribute to a true friend

 

Today I write with a heavy heart because I have lost a friend and a long-time confidant.

Terry Webb was a man of integrity, a man of foresight, a man with a plan – for his life and for this village. I cannot begin to share with you the number of hours we spent discussing life in general as well as village business, hashing out solutions to problems, addressing village needs and considering the long-term impact of decisions made by him, as village president, along with the members of Newberry Village Council.

When the idea of selling the former 41 Lumber property came up, we talked at length about the consequences of taking the property off the tax rolls. We discussed the planned move of village offices to that location. We talked about our dogs, Terry and Vicky’s Newfoundlands and our German shepherd and Chihuahua, sharing their maladies and foolish adventures. We had conversations about the garbage service provided by the village and how the administration had been instructed to save money for future needs for that enterprise operation. We talked about Terry’s school years in Newberry.

We talked about his service to all of us as a member of the United States Air Force. We discussed his job in the service as a communications specialist. As a former telephone person myself, I could speak Terry’s language, making the conversations all the more meaningful. We talked about eliminating parking on Newberry Avenue during the annual July 4 parade. We talked national politics. We talked religion.

We talked about raising rabbits. We talked about gardening. When it was learned funding was not in place for all elements of the Tahquamenon Outdoor Recreation Park project, we talked about ways to pursue grant monies to get the park built to the perception drawings that were presented to village council members as a, presumably funded, done deal.

We talked about hunting. My husband and I visited the Webb camp, enjoying a day of exploring and storytelling and good food and drink. I will never forget that day. It was fantastic. We talked about the content of Terry’s newspaper column – Village Viewpoints. We talked about the Alice in Wonderland-themed wedding of his son and how Terry made the PERFECT white rabbit – clock and all!

It seems hard to believe that I just talked to Terry a little over a week ago. This time our conversation was about the good things of life, with Terry recounting the trip he made with Vicky to Kentucky to visit with Waylon and Tabby, their son and daughter-in-law. I recall his description of their apartment and its convenient location. “You could see the roof of Sam’s Club from their front door,” Terry said.

We talked about how their blind puppy was progressing and how the puppy had visited with them recently. We talked about one puppy that was coming home because the owner could no longer care for her (she returned to Newberry last week). We talked about the upcoming gardening season, praying together for warmer weather to create a better harvest. We talked about my daughter and her children. We talked about Christmas. We wished one another a happy and prosperous new year and said we would talk soon. Much to my chagrin, we never did.

And now this.

Even though I know it is part of His plan, I sometimes just want to shake my fist at God and ask, “WHY?”

I loved Terry. I love Vicky. I will miss him terribly. I will miss his wit. I will miss his level headedness. I will miss our long-winded conversations. I will miss his gentle and caring nature. I will miss Terry Webb. God rest his soul.

Today I end with the King James Version of the 23rd Psalm, as I know Terry made that walk yesterday, and I am confident that he resides in a better place now.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Amen

Don't hide your light

As the song says, "Hide it under a bushel? NO! I'm gonna let it shine!"

Does your light shine? Or do you hide it from others because you find it difficult to share your faith? 

In Luke 8:16 (NIV) [Jesus said] “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.”

As a sinner, it has at times been difficult to shine His light, although I like to think I always try.

God has been good to my family and me. He has always been there no matter what. He has heard my pleas for help. He has guided me in the right path. He has been my rock.

Why shouldn’t I share His message with everyone? What better message is there than His saving grace?

As most know, Jesus left heaven, became man and lived among us. He ministered on this earth for three years, preaching the message of love.  Christ’s message of grace through faith in Him so threatened the religious and political figures of the day that they sentenced Him to death on a cross.

Think about it – death on a cross. Have you ever read a description of death by crucifixion? I will not share its gruesomeness here. Suffice it to say that there are very few forms of death that compare to this ghastly demise.

Bottom line – Jesus knew this was his fate. He knew he would be betrayed. He knew he would face death on a cross. Knowing the upcoming suffering that faced Him, Jesus even prayed that his Father would release him from it.

He knew. But Jesus came to earth anyway.

Jesus came as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. But, he knew he would rise, defeating death, ensuring eternal life for those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Paul verifies this path to eternal life in his letter to the Romans, Chapter 4, Verse 25 (NIV), He [Jesus] was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Now consider this – If Jesus could preach and share, knowing the outcome of the cross, why can’t we do the same?

As Americans, we are not likely to be physically crucified for our beliefs, although we may face verbal abuse. Should that stop us from sharing the Light that is Jesus Christ?

No! Absolutely not!

As the old saying goes, “Sticks and stones my break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

Maybe we should all remember that axiom, sharing the Light that is Jesus Christ with everyone we meet. That is my purpose in authoring this blog, sharing His message. Hopefully, my posts will strike a chord in your psyche, spurring you on to pass your God-given light to the world around you.

Pay it forward, so to speak.

This blog post brings to mind the ending of a recent Our Daily Bread devotion, where author Dennis Fisher wrote, “Light up your world by reflecting the light of Jesus.”

How about you, are you ready to "light up your world?”

Share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and see how its impact on your friends and relatives will light up their world. I can’t think of any better accomplishment than securing eternal life for those we love.

Can you?

My prayer today – May God guide and direct you in sharing His message with one and all. Amen