In these verses, Paul says 'If God is for us, who can be against us?' (ESV) or 'With God on our side like this, how can we lose?) (The Message)
There is absolutely no doubt that God loves us. It's written all through Scripture. But sometimes we feel unloved because of different circumstances in our lives and we forget that Scripture says that God will never forsake us. (Forsake means to withdraw companionship, protection, or support from somebody-Entourage dictionary) That somebody is God. And when we doubt His love, when we feel He isn't here, it's of our own thinking.
One of the hardest things for me to remember is the fact that God has a purpose and a plan for me. Everything that is going on in my life today is for a reason and as hard as it is for me to go through these events, I have to stay focused on God and believe what Scripture says, not what I feel. And that's a tough struggle for me right now and I know can't do it alone. I need other believers to help keep me focused on God and make sure I don't continue to create my own roadblocks. We believers need each other to remind us of those things.
Verse 38 in The Message says 'I'm absolutely convinced that nothing-nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable, NOTHING can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus, our Master, has embraced us.'
That is so powerful and so clear. And the questions for us are: Do we believe it? Are we keeping God's love away by those awful roadblocks that creep into our lives?
With God on our side, how can we lose?
Saturday, June 30, 2007
The little furry Princess....um, er...Hamster Diaries
Hello friends,
The kids and I are really enjoying having Jub Jubs around. The other day at a yard sale, Kyle and I picked up another cage and tunnels “we just have to buy” for only $5.00. An hour later the parts were completely washed and dried (because I do believe my hamster’s germs are better than other hamsters’ germs) and Kyle was constructing Jubs’ new compound. Luckily the tunnels fit to the other cages. Directly related to the fact that Jubs fits under the bathroom door is the fact that she no longer “needs” the custom tunnel that she originally told me she did so I adiosed it and attached the new ones. She now has 1) sleeping quarters (edible hut and water bottle), 2) living area (lookout tower and tunnel) and 3) private gym/dehoarding spot (silent wheel, water bottle, food) all attached by tunnels. She loves the tunnels, which gave us another idea.
Yesterday we constructed our own maze out of a large cardboard box, attached with a 3 foot cardboard cylinder with another open box on the other end. We put her in the open box and immediately she made her way through the cylinder into the maze. At the end of the maze she found her prize. Her $7.99 metal exercise wheel which she had refused to even acknowledge until now. She got on it and ran her little tail off!!
Now I’m off to make a kid-sized maze and put some vegetables in it. I may be on to something....
Have a great week!
Carol
The kids and I are really enjoying having Jub Jubs around. The other day at a yard sale, Kyle and I picked up another cage and tunnels “we just have to buy” for only $5.00. An hour later the parts were completely washed and dried (because I do believe my hamster’s germs are better than other hamsters’ germs) and Kyle was constructing Jubs’ new compound. Luckily the tunnels fit to the other cages. Directly related to the fact that Jubs fits under the bathroom door is the fact that she no longer “needs” the custom tunnel that she originally told me she did so I adiosed it and attached the new ones. She now has 1) sleeping quarters (edible hut and water bottle), 2) living area (lookout tower and tunnel) and 3) private gym/dehoarding spot (silent wheel, water bottle, food) all attached by tunnels. She loves the tunnels, which gave us another idea.
Yesterday we constructed our own maze out of a large cardboard box, attached with a 3 foot cardboard cylinder with another open box on the other end. We put her in the open box and immediately she made her way through the cylinder into the maze. At the end of the maze she found her prize. Her $7.99 metal exercise wheel which she had refused to even acknowledge until now. She got on it and ran her little tail off!!
Now I’m off to make a kid-sized maze and put some vegetables in it. I may be on to something....
Have a great week!
Carol
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Other "Hamsters" I Have That Are Not of This Fold
I also know God also has a sense of humor. We have trapped 21 chipmunks in the Have A Heart trap over the last two weeks and have taken them about 1 1/2 miles down the road. Some have waved goodbye and others have not been so cheerful and all squealing loudly.
I told Carol that I don't have hamster tales like her, but I have squirrel tails. We thought we finally had everyone moved out and two days ago, David looked out and saw that our 21 chipmunks had morphed into one big chipmunk. We saw, sitting in the backyard, eating our lawn, a woodchuck. We have never seen one here before. I would guess if he digs a hole, it will be bigger than the 42 chippy holes, but at least he won't eat our bird seed.
So, we are trying to enjoy him as well because he might not hang around long. Our vegetation isn't his cup of tea, I don't think.
Nancy West
I told Carol that I don't have hamster tales like her, but I have squirrel tails. We thought we finally had everyone moved out and two days ago, David looked out and saw that our 21 chipmunks had morphed into one big chipmunk. We saw, sitting in the backyard, eating our lawn, a woodchuck. We have never seen one here before. I would guess if he digs a hole, it will be bigger than the 42 chippy holes, but at least he won't eat our bird seed.
So, we are trying to enjoy him as well because he might not hang around long. Our vegetation isn't his cup of tea, I don't think.
Nancy West
John 15:1-7
According to the Entourage dictionary, faith is the belief in, devotion to or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof.
John 15: 1-7 talks about 'The True Vine', which is our unity with Christ. How attaching ourselves with Him produces good fruit. Verse 5 says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from you can do nothing." In other words, with Jesus, we can do all things and without Him, we can do nothing. (ESV)
Like all things in life, we have choices. Do we want to be united with Christ or not? Do we want to be a fruit bearing branch or a dead one? Not praying, not reading the Bible, not letting God be in control pushes us away from Him and we suffer (like a dead branch). But if we obey Him and commit ourselves to Him and have faith, we will be renewed. My devotions say 'it's like sap flowing through a branch to bring new growth'. So if you use your imagination you can watch the leaves/flowers/fruit grow. And they are alive and healthy.
Through trials and hardships, we should depend on God because He is in charge and we should allow Him to work in us so to grow us and mature us to where He wants us (so we can produce great fruits). Our faith should ultimately get stronger during hard times as our faith in God will carry us through our problems and we will be able to stay calm and confident though out it all.
John 15: 1-7 talks about 'The True Vine', which is our unity with Christ. How attaching ourselves with Him produces good fruit. Verse 5 says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from you can do nothing." In other words, with Jesus, we can do all things and without Him, we can do nothing. (ESV)
Like all things in life, we have choices. Do we want to be united with Christ or not? Do we want to be a fruit bearing branch or a dead one? Not praying, not reading the Bible, not letting God be in control pushes us away from Him and we suffer (like a dead branch). But if we obey Him and commit ourselves to Him and have faith, we will be renewed. My devotions say 'it's like sap flowing through a branch to bring new growth'. So if you use your imagination you can watch the leaves/flowers/fruit grow. And they are alive and healthy.
Through trials and hardships, we should depend on God because He is in charge and we should allow Him to work in us so to grow us and mature us to where He wants us (so we can produce great fruits). Our faith should ultimately get stronger during hard times as our faith in God will carry us through our problems and we will be able to stay calm and confident though out it all.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
The Hamster Diaries - At Wits' End
Friends,
You know, you raise a hamster the best way you know. Try to teach her to play fair, to get along with others, to play by the rules, to take responsibility for her actions. And then one day you realize you’ve been talking to a hamster and unless you’re food, she won’t give you the time of day. My hamster is guilty of this tunnel vision. She routinely tries to make a run for it when we grant her limited freedom. She doesn’t pick up her plastic tunnels when she’s done running through them. Why just today two of my darling children got into a predicament because of Jubs’ refusal to follow the rules. Let me explain:
Four hours ago now, I heard the kids laughing in the other room – and then a BIG sound like falling furniture. Parents usually know what sounds they need to follow up on and this was one of them. The wooden filing cabinet and Kyle were on the floor, both in unnatural positions. Summoning my long dormant nursing skills I realized I needed to tend to the one with internal organs first.
Me -“What hurts?”
K- “ Oh….. my foot”
Me – ”Well, take off your sock and let’s see if you broke anything”.
With the sock off I saw a definite crush/scrape on the top of his foot and the baby toe looked like it had been recently orphaned. In the time it took me to get a bag of ice and return it had tripled in size and changed a couple shades of purple.
“Everybody in the car, we’re going to the ER”. On the way there I asked how the injury occurred. In the ER the Doctor asked what happened.
“Mom, you tell him” said Kyle.
“Well Doctor. It seems that Kyle was sitting ON TOP OF the filing cabinet and his sister tried to check his reflexes with the hamster tunnel”.
“And,” Kyle interjects. “Your knee reflexes are not in your stomach so I grabbed the hamster tunnel and….the filing cabinet and I fell”.
The Doctor looked genuinely interested with our explanation so I think we were the first case like that he’d seen today. So, because of Jubs leaving her tunnels lying around like that, my little sweetheart Rachel got the idea that she could check Kyle’s reflexes. “It was either the tunnel or a jackhammer”, she told me. And nobody leaves jackhammers lying around…
So x-rays and the Doctor told us that Kyle’s got a broken toe and crutches for awhile and Jubs is oblivious to the pain she has caused us ( not to mention the $50 co-pay).You know, you raise a hamster the best
way you know…
Here's hoping you had a better day than I did,
Carol
You know, you raise a hamster the best way you know. Try to teach her to play fair, to get along with others, to play by the rules, to take responsibility for her actions. And then one day you realize you’ve been talking to a hamster and unless you’re food, she won’t give you the time of day. My hamster is guilty of this tunnel vision. She routinely tries to make a run for it when we grant her limited freedom. She doesn’t pick up her plastic tunnels when she’s done running through them. Why just today two of my darling children got into a predicament because of Jubs’ refusal to follow the rules. Let me explain:
Four hours ago now, I heard the kids laughing in the other room – and then a BIG sound like falling furniture. Parents usually know what sounds they need to follow up on and this was one of them. The wooden filing cabinet and Kyle were on the floor, both in unnatural positions. Summoning my long dormant nursing skills I realized I needed to tend to the one with internal organs first.
Me -“What hurts?”
K- “ Oh….. my foot”
Me – ”Well, take off your sock and let’s see if you broke anything”.
With the sock off I saw a definite crush/scrape on the top of his foot and the baby toe looked like it had been recently orphaned. In the time it took me to get a bag of ice and return it had tripled in size and changed a couple shades of purple.
“Everybody in the car, we’re going to the ER”. On the way there I asked how the injury occurred. In the ER the Doctor asked what happened.
“Mom, you tell him” said Kyle.
“Well Doctor. It seems that Kyle was sitting ON TOP OF the filing cabinet and his sister tried to check his reflexes with the hamster tunnel”.
“And,” Kyle interjects. “Your knee reflexes are not in your stomach so I grabbed the hamster tunnel and….the filing cabinet and I fell”.
The Doctor looked genuinely interested with our explanation so I think we were the first case like that he’d seen today. So, because of Jubs leaving her tunnels lying around like that, my little sweetheart Rachel got the idea that she could check Kyle’s reflexes. “It was either the tunnel or a jackhammer”, she told me. And nobody leaves jackhammers lying around…
So x-rays and the Doctor told us that Kyle’s got a broken toe and crutches for awhile and Jubs is oblivious to the pain she has caused us ( not to mention the $50 co-pay).You know, you raise a hamster the best
way you know…
Here's hoping you had a better day than I did,
Carol
1 Samuel 16:1-30
David and Goliath is a story about David's faith and trust in God and how God protected him through his 'giant' situation.
Do we have the same faith David had? Do we recognize God that will see us through and protect us as he did with David and as He did with many others throughout the Bible?
Our 'giants' are life's challenges and overwhelming situations and again I ask, "do we have the same faith David had?" Trusting God will give us the courage to face our 'giants'. God loves us and said 'I will never leave you or forsake you'. He is with us and wants us to lean on Him for everything and He will take care of us and we will conquer our 'Goliaths'.
Do we have the same faith David had? Do we recognize God that will see us through and protect us as he did with David and as He did with many others throughout the Bible?
Our 'giants' are life's challenges and overwhelming situations and again I ask, "do we have the same faith David had?" Trusting God will give us the courage to face our 'giants'. God loves us and said 'I will never leave you or forsake you'. He is with us and wants us to lean on Him for everything and He will take care of us and we will conquer our 'Goliaths'.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Ephesians 4:31-32
Verse 31 says "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with malice". and verse 32 says "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you".
Anger is an emotion and unforgiveness is a sin and a choice. We may feel anger towards someone who hurt us which in turn can make us bitter and it can be a struggle to forgive them. But God tells us that we need to forgive - "as God in Christ forgave us".
When someone hurts us, it's so easy to stay angry and it's easy to want them to hurt like you, but usually they're over it and it's us that isn't. And it can be difficult to let go of those hurt feelings and forgive that person and move on. I know I have struggled with that and it's been hard and it's taken a long time, but with God's grace and some close Christian friends, I've been able to forgive them and I know that pleases God. It was a big heavy load I turned over to Him and He took it. Thank you, Lord God.
If we don't forgive those that have or are hurting us, we should read and reread this Scripture, turn our thoughts over to Him and ask Him to help us and to give us the strength to let go and be forgiving.
Anger is an emotion and unforgiveness is a sin and a choice. We may feel anger towards someone who hurt us which in turn can make us bitter and it can be a struggle to forgive them. But God tells us that we need to forgive - "as God in Christ forgave us".
When someone hurts us, it's so easy to stay angry and it's easy to want them to hurt like you, but usually they're over it and it's us that isn't. And it can be difficult to let go of those hurt feelings and forgive that person and move on. I know I have struggled with that and it's been hard and it's taken a long time, but with God's grace and some close Christian friends, I've been able to forgive them and I know that pleases God. It was a big heavy load I turned over to Him and He took it. Thank you, Lord God.
If we don't forgive those that have or are hurting us, we should read and reread this Scripture, turn our thoughts over to Him and ask Him to help us and to give us the strength to let go and be forgiving.
The Hamster Diaries – she’s not just the spokesperson….she's also a client
While my friend Sue was visiting a couple weeks ago she noticed some fur loss on Jubs’ nose. (I just thought it was a different color than the rest of her fur and really didn’t pay attention to it). That’s why Sue is a nurse; attention to detail.
She suggested we might want to call the vet and just ask him about it because sometimes loss of fur is a precursor to something. Well, yes I would agree, it’s a precursor to being bald, but there’s more? She mentioned something about the possibility of an infestation. (I knew better than to ask “an infestation of what?”)
Well, 45 minutes into my Google search I had turned up precious little information related to hamster hair-loss, animal alopecia, female hamster-pattern baldness or anything even vaguely related to the fact that Jubs is in need of Rogaine.
I casually mentioned to Sonny that I was a little worried about the spot of thinning fur on Jubs’ nose. (You know, I didn’t want to make a big thing of it, like inferring that great fur was the reason I bought Jubs in the first place or that a lack of it made her any less of a hamster……)
His reply, “Carol, it’s probably where her nose rubs when she’s chewing on the bars of the cage all night long.” …… That’s why Sonny is an engineer; attention to detail.
Of course, I’ll have to see it to believe it, so I’ll let you know when I find the answer.
*
*
*
*
Well, I didn’t want to keep you all in suspense so it is a full 2 weeks later, Jubs no longer chews on the bars of the cage and the fur on her nose has completely grown back in. I must say I’m more than a little relieved we’re not dealing with an infestation of any kind.
Have a great week,
Carol
She suggested we might want to call the vet and just ask him about it because sometimes loss of fur is a precursor to something. Well, yes I would agree, it’s a precursor to being bald, but there’s more? She mentioned something about the possibility of an infestation. (I knew better than to ask “an infestation of what?”)
Well, 45 minutes into my Google search I had turned up precious little information related to hamster hair-loss, animal alopecia, female hamster-pattern baldness or anything even vaguely related to the fact that Jubs is in need of Rogaine.
I casually mentioned to Sonny that I was a little worried about the spot of thinning fur on Jubs’ nose. (You know, I didn’t want to make a big thing of it, like inferring that great fur was the reason I bought Jubs in the first place or that a lack of it made her any less of a hamster……)
His reply, “Carol, it’s probably where her nose rubs when she’s chewing on the bars of the cage all night long.” …… That’s why Sonny is an engineer; attention to detail.
Of course, I’ll have to see it to believe it, so I’ll let you know when I find the answer.
*
*
*
*
Well, I didn’t want to keep you all in suspense so it is a full 2 weeks later, Jubs no longer chews on the bars of the cage and the fur on her nose has completely grown back in. I must say I’m more than a little relieved we’re not dealing with an infestation of any kind.
Have a great week,
Carol
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
The Hamster Diaries – That old familiar song
With my home office newly finished in the basement we’ve essentially doubled our living space on the first floor. Now we have 2 rooms, our new tv room – and “the hamster room”. (The hamster room also holds a large couch, the kids’ video games and tv and Sonny’s desk but you barely notice them) The other night after the kids had gone to bed, Sonny and I were enjoying a tv show together when we heard a familiar noise. Not only had Jubs returned to her nightly running, she had “dehoarded” a couple cheeks full of snacks into her wheel to take with her on her journey. This time, however, we are a full ½ house away from her and it’s almost tolerable. So, now I’m happy to have Jubs back in some sort of exercise regime, and yes, she beat me to it, my exercise dvd remains sealed in the original packing ( I hear they keep their value that way…)
Have a lovely day,
Carol
Have a lovely day,
Carol
James 5:1-8
James 1:5-6 says "If any of you lacks wisdom,(what do I do next?) let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind" (ESV)
Boy, this scripture hit home with me because it made me see that I have some doubt in my faith. That is the last thing I want to admit to, but I have to say it and I also have to say, I believe everyone has doubt at times.
My devotions asks this question - How can we look to God with confidence if we don't know He's trustworthy? - That is definitely something to deeply, deeply think about....We, as Christians, say we know we can trust God, He's faithful and He'll lead us and keep us safe and yet our humanness comes through more times than we like. We worry and question God over the plan He has for us or the road He is taking us on. For me, it's that unknown stuff that I struggle with and I think, "Where is my trust in God"? He knows what He is doing with my (yours, ours) life. Be it personal or as in our case, UBC.
Trusting God should be easy. After all, we say we believe in God and we trust Him and know He will provide for us and the Bible has great stories of the men who trusted Him. Why is it so difficult to give our problems to God? We know He will carry us and give us rest. Psalm 68:19 reads: Blessed be the Lord-day after day he carries us along. (The Message)
Pray for God to take away our burdens, trust in Him and have no doubts. Galatians 6:2 says: also reach out to others and bear one another's burdens, pray with them and minister to them.
So when you see a person having doubts (faith or life) show compassion and reach out to them, help ease their burdens with prayer and love. As the Bible says - so to fulfill the law of Christ.
Boy, this scripture hit home with me because it made me see that I have some doubt in my faith. That is the last thing I want to admit to, but I have to say it and I also have to say, I believe everyone has doubt at times.
My devotions asks this question - How can we look to God with confidence if we don't know He's trustworthy? - That is definitely something to deeply, deeply think about....We, as Christians, say we know we can trust God, He's faithful and He'll lead us and keep us safe and yet our humanness comes through more times than we like. We worry and question God over the plan He has for us or the road He is taking us on. For me, it's that unknown stuff that I struggle with and I think, "Where is my trust in God"? He knows what He is doing with my (yours, ours) life. Be it personal or as in our case, UBC.
Trusting God should be easy. After all, we say we believe in God and we trust Him and know He will provide for us and the Bible has great stories of the men who trusted Him. Why is it so difficult to give our problems to God? We know He will carry us and give us rest. Psalm 68:19 reads: Blessed be the Lord-day after day he carries us along. (The Message)
Pray for God to take away our burdens, trust in Him and have no doubts. Galatians 6:2 says: also reach out to others and bear one another's burdens, pray with them and minister to them.
So when you see a person having doubts (faith or life) show compassion and reach out to them, help ease their burdens with prayer and love. As the Bible says - so to fulfill the law of Christ.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Red Shoes
Sue Waddell related this story to me via email and I thought it was so good that I'd put it here for you all. It's also a great example of a good witness!
"As I was saying at the missions meeting, I have a pair of red shoes. They came out with shoes called Crocks some time ago. Rumor is, and you can ask Jill, that nurses started wearing them. Then they caught on. Now they are sold everywhere, even in the L.L. Bean Catalog. You can get them in any color, too. Melissa bought some about a year ago and I tried them on. They are so light, it feels like you are not even wearing shoes. I thought they would be comfortable to wear to work, but I didn't get around to buying any. Then Bob ended up buying a pair for himself last fall. About 2 months ago, he came home with a pair for me, in bright red. Like I said, you can get them in any color. But bright red? Pink would have been cute. I decided I liked them anyway and . . . it was nice of him. (No one has ever bought me shoes before.)
I put them on and went into the girl's bedroom to show Melissa and Julia. I check all my 'fashion statements' with them first. The said, "Mom! You got some! They're cute! They're a little red." (but they passed inspection.)
The next day I wore them to work. I showed everyone my new shoes and of course I let them know that Bob bought them for me. Rhea says, "Oh Suz, those are red." But the ladies thought they were cute anyway.
Pretty much everyone got a kick out of them. Gary walked in, was about to say good morning, and looked instead at my feet (they are eye catching!). First thing he said was, "You've got to be kidding." We laughed. Vinny told me right off they were ugly and he reminded me for weeks after that they were ugly. He would tease me and say, "Suz, don't wear those red shoes." My other boss, Daren, saw them, pointed and said, "Suz, what are those?" Of course, he answered his own question and said "Those are Crocks. They're bright red!" It was funny.
Days later, I got the April newsletter from the Clemmers. I opened it up, started going through the pages and saw the color photo of this man sitting in a chair, wearing bright red. Dr. Clemmer writes, "I found this 'village chief' sitting outside in a chair next to the mud brick hospital building, dressed smartly in red: red cap, red shirt, red pants, and even red sneakers."
I laughed. This is just day later after my shoe experience. The 'chief' wasn't wearing crocks, but they were red shoes. Right away I thought I had to bring this to work. Witnessing is hard, right? You don't want to be pushy. You don't want to bore people with your 'religious stuff.' I thought, what a perfect excuse to show my coworkers something of God's people, doing God's work. Last week I introduced them to Dr. Clemmer (even better, because there was a picture of him too), and I explained to them what he does. I even showed Vinny. I said, "Vinny, I can wear red shoes. Even the village chief wears them."
"As I was saying at the missions meeting, I have a pair of red shoes. They came out with shoes called Crocks some time ago. Rumor is, and you can ask Jill, that nurses started wearing them. Then they caught on. Now they are sold everywhere, even in the L.L. Bean Catalog. You can get them in any color, too. Melissa bought some about a year ago and I tried them on. They are so light, it feels like you are not even wearing shoes. I thought they would be comfortable to wear to work, but I didn't get around to buying any. Then Bob ended up buying a pair for himself last fall. About 2 months ago, he came home with a pair for me, in bright red. Like I said, you can get them in any color. But bright red? Pink would have been cute. I decided I liked them anyway and . . . it was nice of him. (No one has ever bought me shoes before.)
I put them on and went into the girl's bedroom to show Melissa and Julia. I check all my 'fashion statements' with them first. The said, "Mom! You got some! They're cute! They're a little red." (but they passed inspection.)
The next day I wore them to work. I showed everyone my new shoes and of course I let them know that Bob bought them for me. Rhea says, "Oh Suz, those are red." But the ladies thought they were cute anyway.
Pretty much everyone got a kick out of them. Gary walked in, was about to say good morning, and looked instead at my feet (they are eye catching!). First thing he said was, "You've got to be kidding." We laughed. Vinny told me right off they were ugly and he reminded me for weeks after that they were ugly. He would tease me and say, "Suz, don't wear those red shoes." My other boss, Daren, saw them, pointed and said, "Suz, what are those?" Of course, he answered his own question and said "Those are Crocks. They're bright red!" It was funny.
Days later, I got the April newsletter from the Clemmers. I opened it up, started going through the pages and saw the color photo of this man sitting in a chair, wearing bright red. Dr. Clemmer writes, "I found this 'village chief' sitting outside in a chair next to the mud brick hospital building, dressed smartly in red: red cap, red shirt, red pants, and even red sneakers."
I laughed. This is just day later after my shoe experience. The 'chief' wasn't wearing crocks, but they were red shoes. Right away I thought I had to bring this to work. Witnessing is hard, right? You don't want to be pushy. You don't want to bore people with your 'religious stuff.' I thought, what a perfect excuse to show my coworkers something of God's people, doing God's work. Last week I introduced them to Dr. Clemmer (even better, because there was a picture of him too), and I explained to them what he does. I even showed Vinny. I said, "Vinny, I can wear red shoes. Even the village chief wears them."
Matthew 12:22-32
I have to say, I learned a lot about the Pharisees in these verses. They were so caught up in their own beliefs, they couldn't see who this man Jesus really was. Even when they witnessed the healing (the miracle) of the demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute by Jesus himself, they were still totally convinced it was Satan's doing. What they said and how they acted didn't set too well with Jesus and one thing He said to them I really liked was, "If you're slinging devil mud at me, calling me a devil kicking out devils, doesn't the same mud stick to your own exorcists?" (The Message) And Jesus told the Pharisees that they had committed an unforgivable sin by
slandering Him. He said "if you're not on my side, you're the enemy" (The Message).
You would think upon seeing a miracle healing, the Pharisees would see that Jesus was the Son of God, but they didn't. Would we get faith if we saw a miracle or would we be skeptical and try to find another reason it happened? Some people probably would. But to a Christian, it should strengthen our faith. It would mine, no doubt.
Jesus doesn't want us to reject Him and chose to live under our own power, like the Pharisees. If we worry about the sins we have and wonder if they are unforgivable, they're not. One thing is that if we worry about them, our hearts aren't against God, we're on His side and we're not the enemy.
slandering Him. He said "if you're not on my side, you're the enemy" (The Message).
You would think upon seeing a miracle healing, the Pharisees would see that Jesus was the Son of God, but they didn't. Would we get faith if we saw a miracle or would we be skeptical and try to find another reason it happened? Some people probably would. But to a Christian, it should strengthen our faith. It would mine, no doubt.
Jesus doesn't want us to reject Him and chose to live under our own power, like the Pharisees. If we worry about the sins we have and wonder if they are unforgivable, they're not. One thing is that if we worry about them, our hearts aren't against God, we're on His side and we're not the enemy.
The Hamster Diaries - Star of the Week
The Hamster Diaries – That old familiar song.
With my home office newly finished in the basement we’ve essentially doubled our living space on the first floor. Now we have 2 rooms, our new tv room – and “the hamster room”. (The hamster room also holds a large couch, the kids’ video games and tv and Sonny’s desk but you barely notice them) The other night after the kids had gone to bed, Sonny and I were enjoying a tv show together when we heard a familiar noise. Not only had Jubs returned to her nightly running, she had “dehoarded” a couple cheeks full of snacks into her wheel to take with her on her journey. This time, however, we are a full ½ house away from her and it’s almost tolerable. So, now I’m happy to have Jubs back in some sort of exercise regime, and yes, she beat me to it, my exercise dvd remains sealed in the original packing ( I hear they keep their value that way…)
Have a lovely day,
Carol
With my home office newly finished in the basement we’ve essentially doubled our living space on the first floor. Now we have 2 rooms, our new tv room – and “the hamster room”. (The hamster room also holds a large couch, the kids’ video games and tv and Sonny’s desk but you barely notice them) The other night after the kids had gone to bed, Sonny and I were enjoying a tv show together when we heard a familiar noise. Not only had Jubs returned to her nightly running, she had “dehoarded” a couple cheeks full of snacks into her wheel to take with her on her journey. This time, however, we are a full ½ house away from her and it’s almost tolerable. So, now I’m happy to have Jubs back in some sort of exercise regime, and yes, she beat me to it, my exercise dvd remains sealed in the original packing ( I hear they keep their value that way…)
Have a lovely day,
Carol
A Glimpse at St. Jerome
I have been reading up on some historical figures who had dedicated their lives to Christ and found them interesting. I find St. Jerome interesting, as an example, because of his love and desire to serve Christ. He used his gifts and talents his entire life to spread God's word in his time. He was an encouragement to other Christians, which can be seen by the letters he wrote to them. I wont ever translate the bible or work for the pope, but he inspires me to devote my life to being more Christ like.
Sue Waddell
A glimpse at St. Jerome.....
St. Jerome was born about 345 AD and lived until 420 AD. He was an early Christian biblical scholar who translated the Hebrew and Greek bible into the official Latin Bible of the Roman Catholic Church, called the vulgate. He was born in Stridonius which is in what is now northwest Yugoslavia. He was raised by christian parents and his real name was Eusebius Hieronymous Sophronius.
He studied in Rome and could have gone into law, but he did not pursue it. He traveled to Germany, Italy, Syria (where he studied Hebrew) and Constantinople. For 3 years, starting in 382, Jerome was secretary in Rome to Pope Damasus. When in Rome he took the opportunity to commend the life of ascetic renunciation (renouncing earthly pleasures) particularly among wealthy and aristocratic ladies.
He settled in Bethlehem for the last 34 years of his life where he presided over a monastery and accomplished his translation of the Old Testament from the original Hebrew into Latin. He is recognized by the Roman Catholic Church as a canonized Saint.
St. Jerome wrote many letters which are published in 3 volumes and are said to be one of the best sources of knowledge of the times. Here are parts of two letters which shows what encouragement and instruction he gave to other christians:
Letter XXII To Eustochium:
Hear Jesus saying to the Apostles: "Take no thought what ye shall eat; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on." Let the words be ever on your lips "We brought nothing into this world and we can carry nothing out" Yet today you see many women packing wardrobes with dresses, changing their tunics every day, and even so unable to keep ahead of the moth. The more scrupulous wear one dress until it is threadbare, but yet have their boxes full of clothes. Their parchments are dyed purple, gold is melted for the lettering, their books are decorated with jewels, and Christ lies naked and dying at their door. When they stretch out their hands to give anything, they blow a trumpet. Only lately I saw the greatest lady in Rome-I will not tell her name, for this is not a satire-in the church of the Blessed Peter with her eunuchs in front of her, dispensing money to the poor with her own hands so as to be thought the more pious. To each one she gave a penny, and then, as you might easily know by experience would happen, an old woman full of years and rags, ran forward suddenly to get a second penny, but when her turn came, she got not a penny, but a blow from the lady's fist and for her terrible crime paid with her blood...
.....For our salvation the Son of God became the Son of Man...He held the world in his little hand, but he was contained in a narrow manger. I say nothing of the thirty years He lived obscure and content with his parents poverty. He is scourged and says not a word. He is crucified and prays for his crucifiers...But we are annoyed if our food lacks flavor and imagine we are doing God service when we drink water with our wine..
Letter CVII To Laeta
Let this be said, dear Laeta, most dutiful daughter in Christ so that you may not despair of your father's salvation. I hope that the same faith which has gained you a daughter as its reward may also win your father and that you may rejoice over blessings bestowed upon your whole household knowing God's promise: "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God". It is never too late to be converted. The robber passed from the cross to Paradise....
A Response to 2 Kings 6:15-17
This morning I looked out of my kitchen window and noticed the deer was back. She was alone, grazing in the grass and bushes. She has been coming into the backyard every morning for the past few days.
My family and I have been living in Bow for ten years and every year, all year round, deer have come up from the woods into our backyard, sometimes as many as 10 or 12. It used to be an exciting event; for kids and parents. The first one in the family to see a deer (or several) would call out "Guys! There's deer in the backyard!" or one of us would go searching the house to get the others. Everyone would drop what they were doing and rush to the window. We used to marvel at how cute they were and how such beautiful animals would come so close to our house.
Well, this morning the girls were the only ones home, and I casually let them know a deer was in the yard. There was no excitement, as there used to be. Eventually Julia got up and looked out.
Yup, there was a deer in the yard. We enjoy them, but it's not really a big deal anymore. We are starting to take it for granted.
I started thinking about some of the comments Nancy made on 2 Kings 6:15-17. As she reflects "God is always with us". I agree. We can see proof of Him in what he has created. But how much of God's creation; or God's blessings are we taking for granted?
As Nancy urges us "So let's look around and be more aware of how God is helping us", I'm reminded that I'm guilty of taking God's blessings for granted. Sometimes I get angry that God isn't answering my prayers because I have family members who are not saved. I don't see big changes and so I get impatient. Nancy points out "I bet we can see it in places we never thought of" When I really "look" I can see subtle changes for the better.
How many of us would take the time to sit and watch a flower open in the morning. I wouldn't. I takes too long, but I think watching something like that in time lapse photography is beautiful. Things take time and it takes time for people to grow. I know I have to be patient and wait for God. If I count my blessings, I can see he is working.
As Nancy writes "If we open our eyes and really see, we would see that God is answering our prayers."
Sue
My family and I have been living in Bow for ten years and every year, all year round, deer have come up from the woods into our backyard, sometimes as many as 10 or 12. It used to be an exciting event; for kids and parents. The first one in the family to see a deer (or several) would call out "Guys! There's deer in the backyard!" or one of us would go searching the house to get the others. Everyone would drop what they were doing and rush to the window. We used to marvel at how cute they were and how such beautiful animals would come so close to our house.
Well, this morning the girls were the only ones home, and I casually let them know a deer was in the yard. There was no excitement, as there used to be. Eventually Julia got up and looked out.
Yup, there was a deer in the yard. We enjoy them, but it's not really a big deal anymore. We are starting to take it for granted.
I started thinking about some of the comments Nancy made on 2 Kings 6:15-17. As she reflects "God is always with us". I agree. We can see proof of Him in what he has created. But how much of God's creation; or God's blessings are we taking for granted?
As Nancy urges us "So let's look around and be more aware of how God is helping us", I'm reminded that I'm guilty of taking God's blessings for granted. Sometimes I get angry that God isn't answering my prayers because I have family members who are not saved. I don't see big changes and so I get impatient. Nancy points out "I bet we can see it in places we never thought of" When I really "look" I can see subtle changes for the better.
How many of us would take the time to sit and watch a flower open in the morning. I wouldn't. I takes too long, but I think watching something like that in time lapse photography is beautiful. Things take time and it takes time for people to grow. I know I have to be patient and wait for God. If I count my blessings, I can see he is working.
As Nancy writes "If we open our eyes and really see, we would see that God is answering our prayers."
Sue
Friday, June 15, 2007
The Hamster Diaries - Star of the Week
Hello friends,
Jubs received an invitation to the Rachel’s 3rd grade class for “Sharing Time” – not to be confused with “Show and Tell” which is for much younger children. Today was The Day – wonderful timing as it got Rachel out of bed on time, without any fuss because as great as the kids have been the past 2 weeks I’ve been going it alone, I’m exhausted.
The preparation was fairly simple – clean Jubs’ small cage, put a carrot in a bag to take with us, readjust the pictures on the walls since Rachel’s been BOUNCING OFF THEM. Man, is she excited. I guess when the crossing guard stopped us in the middle of the school lot and gathered all the kids within yelling distance to come and see the cute hamster I finally realized it. Bringing a real, live animal to school is a big thing.
We were stopped by about 6 people on the way to Rachel’s classroom, and we entered the room to the chorus of “Hamster!”
One little boy needed some hard facts fast. “What’s the best place in your opinion to buy a hamster, Petco or Petsmart? Do they need care 24/7? Would you recommend a hamster as a good pet to have?”
The kids were instructed to sit on the carpet and one by one they raised their hands to ask.
“What’s the difference between a hamster and a gerbil?”
R – “Gerbils have longer tails and run faster” (and I did commend her on her ability to answer a question on her feet like that)
“How did you decide on a name”
R– “My brothers did.”
“Kyle or Gavin?” ( this question from a boy who has siblings in Kyle’s and Gavin’s grades)
R – “Both of them”
“Are we even allowed to have hamsters at school?” (someone who plays by the rules even if it goes against popular opinion, you gotta love that!). We let the teacher take this one..
Teacher - “Yes I checked with Mrs. Gibbons and as long as Mrs. Strickland takes him home it’s o.k.to have a hamster at the school”
Rachel held Jubs as everyone took turns petting, we heard stories of 2 guinea pigs named Oreo a red-eyed white hamster named Crystal and a brown hamster named Harold. There were “oohs” and “she’s so cute”s all over the place and Rachel was beaming. She was so proud of her pet. I think if I don’t accomplish anything else today it’s still a great day.
Here’s wishing you one too.
Carol
P.S.Thanks for your good thoughts and prayers earlier this week when Jubs escaped. Now that she's had a fairly sweet taste of freedom ( well, up until the 8 foot fall anyways..) we think she may devise more ways to distract us from checking the cage doors every night. We are aware of her intentions and will try to remain on guard but unfortunately with her outing today, she did get a sniff of the outdoors, which may further her resolve. We shall see.
Jubs received an invitation to the Rachel’s 3rd grade class for “Sharing Time” – not to be confused with “Show and Tell” which is for much younger children. Today was The Day – wonderful timing as it got Rachel out of bed on time, without any fuss because as great as the kids have been the past 2 weeks I’ve been going it alone, I’m exhausted.
The preparation was fairly simple – clean Jubs’ small cage, put a carrot in a bag to take with us, readjust the pictures on the walls since Rachel’s been BOUNCING OFF THEM. Man, is she excited. I guess when the crossing guard stopped us in the middle of the school lot and gathered all the kids within yelling distance to come and see the cute hamster I finally realized it. Bringing a real, live animal to school is a big thing.
We were stopped by about 6 people on the way to Rachel’s classroom, and we entered the room to the chorus of “Hamster!”
One little boy needed some hard facts fast. “What’s the best place in your opinion to buy a hamster, Petco or Petsmart? Do they need care 24/7? Would you recommend a hamster as a good pet to have?”
The kids were instructed to sit on the carpet and one by one they raised their hands to ask.
“What’s the difference between a hamster and a gerbil?”
R – “Gerbils have longer tails and run faster” (and I did commend her on her ability to answer a question on her feet like that)
“How did you decide on a name”
R– “My brothers did.”
“Kyle or Gavin?” ( this question from a boy who has siblings in Kyle’s and Gavin’s grades)
R – “Both of them”
“Are we even allowed to have hamsters at school?” (someone who plays by the rules even if it goes against popular opinion, you gotta love that!). We let the teacher take this one..
Teacher - “Yes I checked with Mrs. Gibbons and as long as Mrs. Strickland takes him home it’s o.k.to have a hamster at the school”
Rachel held Jubs as everyone took turns petting, we heard stories of 2 guinea pigs named Oreo a red-eyed white hamster named Crystal and a brown hamster named Harold. There were “oohs” and “she’s so cute”s all over the place and Rachel was beaming. She was so proud of her pet. I think if I don’t accomplish anything else today it’s still a great day.
Here’s wishing you one too.
Carol
P.S.Thanks for your good thoughts and prayers earlier this week when Jubs escaped. Now that she's had a fairly sweet taste of freedom ( well, up until the 8 foot fall anyways..) we think she may devise more ways to distract us from checking the cage doors every night. We are aware of her intentions and will try to remain on guard but unfortunately with her outing today, she did get a sniff of the outdoors, which may further her resolve. We shall see.
1 Corithians 6:9-11
CAN WE BE FORGIVEN?
In this Scripture is Paul talking to the Corinthians and telling them that bringing lawsuits (moral issues) between Christians to a secular court instead of the church is not right. The Christian community should settle its own dispute rather than use Roman law. He says believers are better suited to settle moral issues than pagans. And in 9-11, Paul says ' Don't you realize that this is not the way to live?' Wouldn't it be better to just take it, to let yourselves be wronged and forget it? People who use and abuse others don't care about God, and will not join His kingdom. (The Message)
Are any of us guilty of using and abusing others? Have we ever been wronged ourselves? Yes, probably at some time, we have all been there. Can we be forgiven for wronging others? Yes, yes and yes.....The question is: How? The question is: Why?
HOW? Every morning get up, confess your sins and ask for forgiveness. WHY? Because we want the kingdom of God, we want to be forgiven and not carry around the guilt that sin places on us. By following the how and the why, we can have peace inside and be able to go on.
The more I know God, the more I'm aware of my own sins. I have sins I need to tell God over and over and ask for forgiveness over and over. Some sins are heavy and weigh me down, but because I want to live in God's kingdom, I have to confess, I have to cry to God and ask for forgiveness every new day. It's hard and I don't always want to, but I believe it's what God wants from me, so I keep trying.
Paul ends by saying, 'You have been cleaned up and given a fresh start by Jesus, our Master, our Messiah, and by our God present in us, the Spirit.'
(The Message)
In this Scripture is Paul talking to the Corinthians and telling them that bringing lawsuits (moral issues) between Christians to a secular court instead of the church is not right. The Christian community should settle its own dispute rather than use Roman law. He says believers are better suited to settle moral issues than pagans. And in 9-11, Paul says ' Don't you realize that this is not the way to live?' Wouldn't it be better to just take it, to let yourselves be wronged and forget it? People who use and abuse others don't care about God, and will not join His kingdom. (The Message)
Are any of us guilty of using and abusing others? Have we ever been wronged ourselves? Yes, probably at some time, we have all been there. Can we be forgiven for wronging others? Yes, yes and yes.....The question is: How? The question is: Why?
HOW? Every morning get up, confess your sins and ask for forgiveness. WHY? Because we want the kingdom of God, we want to be forgiven and not carry around the guilt that sin places on us. By following the how and the why, we can have peace inside and be able to go on.
The more I know God, the more I'm aware of my own sins. I have sins I need to tell God over and over and ask for forgiveness over and over. Some sins are heavy and weigh me down, but because I want to live in God's kingdom, I have to confess, I have to cry to God and ask for forgiveness every new day. It's hard and I don't always want to, but I believe it's what God wants from me, so I keep trying.
Paul ends by saying, 'You have been cleaned up and given a fresh start by Jesus, our Master, our Messiah, and by our God present in us, the Spirit.'
(The Message)
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Hebrews 11:8
This Scripture talks about 'a step of faith'. It says Abraham obeyed God when he was called to live in a foreign land, in tents with his son and grandson. Abraham didn't question God, he took 'a step of faith' and did what God commanded. He gave up a lot to go somewhere he didn't know or even why. He just knew that God had a better plan.
We often question ourselves when we have decisions to make and ask the -should or shouldn't we- type of questions. Some decisions require a step of faith, just in the matter of living life at home and at work. Big faith steps sometimes.- new jobs, new moves, new relationships.
God also wants us to have 'a step of faith' in the way He leads us. Faith means 'belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof.' (Entourage dictionary) Faith in God means stepping into the unknown when He calls us into something. God has goals for us and He knows the outcomes. All we need to do is believe in Him and follow Him, even when we are scared of the unknown. And that is not an easy task.
I want to know where God is taking me and why. I question Him with the whys and I struggle with letting God do His thing. I need to work on 'a step of faith' every day and keep reminding myself that God has a better plan for me and even if I don't know where I'm going or why, He is in charge of where He is taking me. I need to go in belief, in faith.
We often question ourselves when we have decisions to make and ask the -should or shouldn't we- type of questions. Some decisions require a step of faith, just in the matter of living life at home and at work. Big faith steps sometimes.- new jobs, new moves, new relationships.
God also wants us to have 'a step of faith' in the way He leads us. Faith means 'belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof.' (Entourage dictionary) Faith in God means stepping into the unknown when He calls us into something. God has goals for us and He knows the outcomes. All we need to do is believe in Him and follow Him, even when we are scared of the unknown. And that is not an easy task.
I want to know where God is taking me and why. I question Him with the whys and I struggle with letting God do His thing. I need to work on 'a step of faith' every day and keep reminding myself that God has a better plan for me and even if I don't know where I'm going or why, He is in charge of where He is taking me. I need to go in belief, in faith.
The Hamster Diaries - Continued, Thankfully!
Good morning Friends,
After I wrote the Diaries last night I shut down my office computer and went back upstairs. Rachel had finally sobbed herself to sleep. I made the rounds on the first floor and looking up to the second floor I thought, sure, conceivably she could climb the stairs, she’s a good-sized hamster and the rug would make for a good grip but for what?
Dirty socks??? No, all the action, I was sure, would be on the first floor. I had a sudden urge to go back to the basement and make sure my computer shut down the way it should have so impulsive me went. Of course, I had forgotten to back out of some programs so I got the Not Responding, End Task prompt. I was Ending the Task when I heard something fall in my inventory room.
I got up to look and first thing I saw was piece of insulation hanging from the ceiling. My eyes went to the floor underneath it, covered with Avery office supplies. I had to step right up close to peer into the dark space between the assorted Self-Adhesive Index Tabs and the 5960 laser labels when I saw a familiar brown lump.
As I reached down to her, she started to scurry away, luckily what is scurrying to Jubs is a casual meander for the rest of us so I was able to get her quite easily. She was frantic and shaking as I picked her up, or maybe that was me.
I took her upstairs, and woke up Rachel. She was as ecstatic as she could be for having been awakened at midnight thirty. Rachel and I exchanged sighs and hugs as we put Jubs back in her cage, clucked over her like mother hens and rechecked all of the cage doors.
This morning we shared the good news with the boys and showed them the 8 foot drop that Jubs took. I instantly received 2 requests for a trip to the veterinarian “just to check her out” but believe I got out of it because Jubs rose to the occasion, got up and stretched and yawned and showed them she was o.k.
So for today, tragedy and a hefty vet bill have been averted.
Hope your day is as good or better.
Carol
After I wrote the Diaries last night I shut down my office computer and went back upstairs. Rachel had finally sobbed herself to sleep. I made the rounds on the first floor and looking up to the second floor I thought, sure, conceivably she could climb the stairs, she’s a good-sized hamster and the rug would make for a good grip but for what?
Dirty socks??? No, all the action, I was sure, would be on the first floor. I had a sudden urge to go back to the basement and make sure my computer shut down the way it should have so impulsive me went. Of course, I had forgotten to back out of some programs so I got the Not Responding, End Task prompt. I was Ending the Task when I heard something fall in my inventory room.
I got up to look and first thing I saw was piece of insulation hanging from the ceiling. My eyes went to the floor underneath it, covered with Avery office supplies. I had to step right up close to peer into the dark space between the assorted Self-Adhesive Index Tabs and the 5960 laser labels when I saw a familiar brown lump.
As I reached down to her, she started to scurry away, luckily what is scurrying to Jubs is a casual meander for the rest of us so I was able to get her quite easily. She was frantic and shaking as I picked her up, or maybe that was me.
I took her upstairs, and woke up Rachel. She was as ecstatic as she could be for having been awakened at midnight thirty. Rachel and I exchanged sighs and hugs as we put Jubs back in her cage, clucked over her like mother hens and rechecked all of the cage doors.
This morning we shared the good news with the boys and showed them the 8 foot drop that Jubs took. I instantly received 2 requests for a trip to the veterinarian “just to check her out” but believe I got out of it because Jubs rose to the occasion, got up and stretched and yawned and showed them she was o.k.
So for today, tragedy and a hefty vet bill have been averted.
Hope your day is as good or better.
Carol
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Pastoral Fantasies - Part 3
My third fantasy is that people come prepared to church. For many this is an unexpected request because church "just happens." But not really. Each time we gather, be it for Bible Study or for Corporate Worship we gather around the text of Scripture. If you have read that text and meditated on that text you will be able to enter into the worship as a participant. If you haven't read it you are more probably going to remain a spectator. Besides, the more folks participating the better the event will be. So, here is part 3 of my fantasy covenant.
3. Preparation and Personal Spiritual Growth – Each participant is expect to do a daily devotional reading (the entire community reading the same texts in preparation for the corporate worship and study time). I envision that the material the Body deals with in it’s weekly (?) meeting will be the basis for our individual quiet times so that our all-together time will be more fruitful. I’m hoping two things with this requirement – first is that each member will be doing daily readings so as to deepen their personal walk with Christ and that this deepens the sense of “sharedness” when we gather. (How often in the Psalms do you see the word “daily”, or “every morning” or something like that? How often did Jesus pray?” It’s a pretty standard Biblical assumption that God’s people go to God daily.)
3. Preparation and Personal Spiritual Growth – Each participant is expect to do a daily devotional reading (the entire community reading the same texts in preparation for the corporate worship and study time). I envision that the material the Body deals with in it’s weekly (?) meeting will be the basis for our individual quiet times so that our all-together time will be more fruitful. I’m hoping two things with this requirement – first is that each member will be doing daily readings so as to deepen their personal walk with Christ and that this deepens the sense of “sharedness” when we gather. (How often in the Psalms do you see the word “daily”, or “every morning” or something like that? How often did Jesus pray?” It’s a pretty standard Biblical assumption that God’s people go to God daily.)
The Hamster Diaries - To be Continued . . . Hopefully
Friends, The kids and I went to a meeting at the church tonight. I left before the motions and voting because as important as it all was, it was past the kids’ bedtime and tomorrow’s a school day. Turns out, Gavin was in dire need of his inhaler so the timing was good. As it turned out though, regarding Jubs, not good enough.
The kids have been fantastic letting me drag them around while Sonny’s been gone over the past 2 weeks to meetings and such so I granted Kyle a request – “ Mom, can’t we just stay up a little later tonight to play with Jubs?”
“Sure Kyle, that’ll be o.k.”. I said Earlier in the evening we had made Jubs a very cool maze and tunnel out of cardboard and had been very entertained as she explored it.
As soon as we got in the door Rachel made a beeline for the cage.
“She’s not in her cage” she gasped.
My directions instantly were “look at the floor when you walk”.
All 4 of us spent ½ hour looking for her, the boys, exhausted finally had to go to bed. Rachel, inconsolable, came to me. I conceded to let her sleep on the couch in the t.v. room and said I would sleep on the couch in the other room. I did have the boys help me put her cage down on the floor with the doors open, since she wouldn’t be able to get back up on the table she apparently got down off of. I sprinkled Rice Krispies all over my kitchen floor to lure her and then plunked down on the couch so I could watch the kitchen, hall and tv room from where I was. After watching Super Nanny I cleaned up the Rice Krispies because I realized that I was in charge, not Jubs and if she wanted a treat she could darn well find her way back to her cage. Now I am in my basement office because I promised Rachel I will look for Jubs all night and I’m making the rounds. I’ve got a hamster to find, so I’ve got to go and I am hopeful there will be more Hamster Diaries in the future.
C
The kids have been fantastic letting me drag them around while Sonny’s been gone over the past 2 weeks to meetings and such so I granted Kyle a request – “ Mom, can’t we just stay up a little later tonight to play with Jubs?”
“Sure Kyle, that’ll be o.k.”. I said Earlier in the evening we had made Jubs a very cool maze and tunnel out of cardboard and had been very entertained as she explored it.
As soon as we got in the door Rachel made a beeline for the cage.
“She’s not in her cage” she gasped.
My directions instantly were “look at the floor when you walk”.
All 4 of us spent ½ hour looking for her, the boys, exhausted finally had to go to bed. Rachel, inconsolable, came to me. I conceded to let her sleep on the couch in the t.v. room and said I would sleep on the couch in the other room. I did have the boys help me put her cage down on the floor with the doors open, since she wouldn’t be able to get back up on the table she apparently got down off of. I sprinkled Rice Krispies all over my kitchen floor to lure her and then plunked down on the couch so I could watch the kitchen, hall and tv room from where I was. After watching Super Nanny I cleaned up the Rice Krispies because I realized that I was in charge, not Jubs and if she wanted a treat she could darn well find her way back to her cage. Now I am in my basement office because I promised Rachel I will look for Jubs all night and I’m making the rounds. I’ve got a hamster to find, so I’ve got to go and I am hopeful there will be more Hamster Diaries in the future.
C
2 Kings 6:15-17
These 3 verses speak about Elisha, who was praying that his servant not be afraid and open his eyes so he may see. God opened his eyes and the servant saw. We need to open our eyes and not be afraid.
But we do get afraid and often it's not even a conscious thing. It's just there. And when we go through the hard times, we get afraid, we tell God (like David in the Psalms) all the woe is me stuff and then ask Him to fix us. We wonder if He has left us alone because when we get in messes, we pray and pray and pray and we don't think we're getting an answer, we don't understand why God isn't helping us. We think we are doing all the right things. My devotional said maybe not, maybe in our praying, we may only be talking to ourselves and not to the Father and are aware of only ourselves and wishing for the ability to handle stuff on our own. No waiting for God to do it.
Sometimes God puts people in our lives to help keep us focused on Him. Sort of helpers from heaven. God has put these people into my life. They constantly remind me that God loves me, He hasn't left me, He won't leave me and He will fix me, but it will be in His way and in His time. I know these people have been sent to me from God and I am so very thankful because I'm blind and can't see things with open eyes and, like Elisha with his servant, they pray for me to see. I praise God every day for their willingness to help me see and to let God help me.
God is always with us and we need to trust in Him at all times. If we open our eyes and really see, we would see that God is answering our prayers. So let's look around and be more aware of how God may be helping us. I bet we can see it in places we never thought of.
But we do get afraid and often it's not even a conscious thing. It's just there. And when we go through the hard times, we get afraid, we tell God (like David in the Psalms) all the woe is me stuff and then ask Him to fix us. We wonder if He has left us alone because when we get in messes, we pray and pray and pray and we don't think we're getting an answer, we don't understand why God isn't helping us. We think we are doing all the right things. My devotional said maybe not, maybe in our praying, we may only be talking to ourselves and not to the Father and are aware of only ourselves and wishing for the ability to handle stuff on our own. No waiting for God to do it.
Sometimes God puts people in our lives to help keep us focused on Him. Sort of helpers from heaven. God has put these people into my life. They constantly remind me that God loves me, He hasn't left me, He won't leave me and He will fix me, but it will be in His way and in His time. I know these people have been sent to me from God and I am so very thankful because I'm blind and can't see things with open eyes and, like Elisha with his servant, they pray for me to see. I praise God every day for their willingness to help me see and to let God help me.
God is always with us and we need to trust in Him at all times. If we open our eyes and really see, we would see that God is answering our prayers. So let's look around and be more aware of how God may be helping us. I bet we can see it in places we never thought of.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Romans 12:9-18
The first sentence in "The Message" is - Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Another says - Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. Those words caught my eye right off and I thought, we need friends like that and we need to be that kind of friend to others. What a difference it would make everywhere we went and everything we
did.
God commands us to love one another all throughout Scripture, it's not just something He wants us to do once in a while, it's something He wants as a way of life.
Face it, it's not easy to always love each other. Who wants to love a person who treats us badly or says nasty things? Well, we might not want to, but God does. He commands that. And loving those people isn't easy because we often like to love only our happy close friends. And again that isn't what God says.
He says it's ok to share in our friends happiness, but also to cry with them when they cry. Be a good listener and pay attention to who and where they are. And don't be haughty when we love because we aren't any better, we're all equal in God's eyes.
And lastly, we can't forget to ask God to help us through these things. We just can't do without Him. With Him inside us and beside us, we can learn to love each other as He loves us.
did.
God commands us to love one another all throughout Scripture, it's not just something He wants us to do once in a while, it's something He wants as a way of life.
Face it, it's not easy to always love each other. Who wants to love a person who treats us badly or says nasty things? Well, we might not want to, but God does. He commands that. And loving those people isn't easy because we often like to love only our happy close friends. And again that isn't what God says.
He says it's ok to share in our friends happiness, but also to cry with them when they cry. Be a good listener and pay attention to who and where they are. And don't be haughty when we love because we aren't any better, we're all equal in God's eyes.
And lastly, we can't forget to ask God to help us through these things. We just can't do without Him. With Him inside us and beside us, we can learn to love each other as He loves us.
The Hamster Diaries - Dog Days
Hello friends !
Last weekend we poodlesat for a friend. Polly is a poodle who is (to the month) the same age as Gavin and they were closest friends for the first 2 years of his life so she’s more than just “ a friend’s dog” to us. She’s truly a lovely little animal. I had read early on in my hamster self-education that more than a few pet rodents had been done in by the family canine or feline so I was very cautious. Polly didn’t discover Jubs until Saturday evening. At that time Polly began to make a very plaintive, worried sound and start to paw at the hamster cage. I translated that sound to mean, “Snack….mine”. That night, just to be
sure Jubs was safe, I put her cage in the bathroom and locked it. Polly whined and pawed at the bathroom door a few times. I explained to the kids that dogs just naturally want to protect their people from rodents and there would be no way that Polly would know that Jubs is the friendly little thing that she is.
I went to bed early leaving Sonny to look after Polly and take her out for her last nightly visit to that sweet spot in my flower garden she favors.
First thing in the morning Sonny says,” I was sitting on the couch last night and out of the corner of my eye I saw some movement in the kitchen. At first I thought it was a mouse…”
“Jubs??? “ I interjected.
“Yep, one of her cage portals got loose she got out of the cage and under the bathroom door and was near the sliding glass door in the kitchen.”
“Is she ……?” I asked
Knowing what I meant he said, “Polly was asleep, she didn’t even see her”
Phew, I was so relieved. Not only would we have lost a pet, our relationship with Polly would have been ruined too. Close one, I thought.
When our friend Sue came to pick up Polly the next day I explained the harrowing near-death experience to her. Her reply, “Oh no, Carol. She would have just licked her. She LOVES our guinea pig. She’s even hopped into the box with her. She just likes to mother them.”
Now Sue is one of the smartest people I know so to test her theory I opened the bathroom door. Polly could not get to the cage fast enough. The worried, plaintive sounds started again, I took Jubs out and held her cautiously as Polly sniffed and licked her. We didn’t let it last long but it was a relief to know there was no malicious thought process going on in the little dog’s head.
So, I guess I have to add dog/rodent relationships to the list of stuff that I know squat about.
The education continues…Have a great weekend!
Carol
P.S. - O.k., I just measured the door under which Jubs escaped. It measures just slightly over 1.25” high. The “custom” tunnel that she made me think she needed is 2.5 “ in diameter. I think she was trying to put one over on me but I’m on to her now.
Last weekend we poodlesat for a friend. Polly is a poodle who is (to the month) the same age as Gavin and they were closest friends for the first 2 years of his life so she’s more than just “ a friend’s dog” to us. She’s truly a lovely little animal. I had read early on in my hamster self-education that more than a few pet rodents had been done in by the family canine or feline so I was very cautious. Polly didn’t discover Jubs until Saturday evening. At that time Polly began to make a very plaintive, worried sound and start to paw at the hamster cage. I translated that sound to mean, “Snack….mine”. That night, just to be
sure Jubs was safe, I put her cage in the bathroom and locked it. Polly whined and pawed at the bathroom door a few times. I explained to the kids that dogs just naturally want to protect their people from rodents and there would be no way that Polly would know that Jubs is the friendly little thing that she is.
I went to bed early leaving Sonny to look after Polly and take her out for her last nightly visit to that sweet spot in my flower garden she favors.
First thing in the morning Sonny says,” I was sitting on the couch last night and out of the corner of my eye I saw some movement in the kitchen. At first I thought it was a mouse…”
“Jubs??? “ I interjected.
“Yep, one of her cage portals got loose she got out of the cage and under the bathroom door and was near the sliding glass door in the kitchen.”
“Is she ……?” I asked
Knowing what I meant he said, “Polly was asleep, she didn’t even see her”
Phew, I was so relieved. Not only would we have lost a pet, our relationship with Polly would have been ruined too. Close one, I thought.
When our friend Sue came to pick up Polly the next day I explained the harrowing near-death experience to her. Her reply, “Oh no, Carol. She would have just licked her. She LOVES our guinea pig. She’s even hopped into the box with her. She just likes to mother them.”
Now Sue is one of the smartest people I know so to test her theory I opened the bathroom door. Polly could not get to the cage fast enough. The worried, plaintive sounds started again, I took Jubs out and held her cautiously as Polly sniffed and licked her. We didn’t let it last long but it was a relief to know there was no malicious thought process going on in the little dog’s head.
So, I guess I have to add dog/rodent relationships to the list of stuff that I know squat about.
The education continues…Have a great weekend!
Carol
P.S. - O.k., I just measured the door under which Jubs escaped. It measures just slightly over 1.25” high. The “custom” tunnel that she made me think she needed is 2.5 “ in diameter. I think she was trying to put one over on me but I’m on to her now.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Luke 6:46-49
I think of this parable whenever I hear about flooding or mud slides and how thankful I am that I don't have to experience this physically as my house is built on granite rock. And if Christ isn't our foundation for living, can you imagine what it must be like when the rains come? No granite, just mud and that would be an emotional experience. Not good..
------------
Build Your House on the Rock -
Sounds like a smart move, doesn't it? Think of the houses in California built on the hillsides and when the rains come, they're washed away. What kind of foundations did they have? Maybe little or maybe none. Then think of us sturdy New Englanders. We build holes deep into the ground and put our houses on the foundations that go 12 - 15 ft deep or so. Solid ground.
Christ says for us to do the same thing with our lives - build a strong foundation in Him and when 'the rains' come, we will be able to stand firm in those difficult times. The easy way is, exactly what it says and it is tempting, but it also means a harder time weathering through any difficulties of life. Just knowing what Jesus wants doesn't count, what counts is us living the way He wants. We need to love Jesus every day of the week and to listen and do what He says every day of the week and not just on Sundays.
For me, I have to make a conscious effort every morning to give my life to Him and many, many days I want the easy way out in dealing with things. And doing it Jesus' way can be hard and sometimes I don't think I can do it, but I keep trying because I want to have the strong foundation that Christ wants for me, because He is God and He knows.
------------
Build Your House on the Rock -
Sounds like a smart move, doesn't it? Think of the houses in California built on the hillsides and when the rains come, they're washed away. What kind of foundations did they have? Maybe little or maybe none. Then think of us sturdy New Englanders. We build holes deep into the ground and put our houses on the foundations that go 12 - 15 ft deep or so. Solid ground.
Christ says for us to do the same thing with our lives - build a strong foundation in Him and when 'the rains' come, we will be able to stand firm in those difficult times. The easy way is, exactly what it says and it is tempting, but it also means a harder time weathering through any difficulties of life. Just knowing what Jesus wants doesn't count, what counts is us living the way He wants. We need to love Jesus every day of the week and to listen and do what He says every day of the week and not just on Sundays.
For me, I have to make a conscious effort every morning to give my life to Him and many, many days I want the easy way out in dealing with things. And doing it Jesus' way can be hard and sometimes I don't think I can do it, but I keep trying because I want to have the strong foundation that Christ wants for me, because He is God and He knows.
The Hamster Diaries - The Issue
Hi Friends,
Today I heard a new noise in the house. I quickly narrowed it down to the hamster (because no-one else was home). I couldn’t see her so the noise was coming from inside her edible hut (and truly it does resemble something on the beach at a tropical resort.). So, just forget that MENSA candidate remark I made about Jubs last time. It has taken this hamster over 2 months to figure out her hut is also food!!
I reached in and picked up the hut. What I saw was little teeth marks all around the door and a very guilty looking hamster. Oh, great I thought now I’ve transferred my food issues to my pet. And then she said “ Well, if you didn’t want me to eat it, why did you buy it?” No, I’m kidding, she doesn’t talk- that’s just what I heard as I apologized for disturbing her and lowered her hut back down.
Closet eater, hut eater, little difference I suppose.
I know if my house was edible (anything besides lima beans and anchovies) it would be short a couple walls and a roof by now. If it was chocolate, the Strickland family would be homeless. I’m sure that personally I’ve eaten over 2000 sq. ft of chocolate so far in my life, what’s another 2 story colonial?
All of a sudden I have a craving, gotta go!
Have a great week!
Carol
Today I heard a new noise in the house. I quickly narrowed it down to the hamster (because no-one else was home). I couldn’t see her so the noise was coming from inside her edible hut (and truly it does resemble something on the beach at a tropical resort.). So, just forget that MENSA candidate remark I made about Jubs last time. It has taken this hamster over 2 months to figure out her hut is also food!!
I reached in and picked up the hut. What I saw was little teeth marks all around the door and a very guilty looking hamster. Oh, great I thought now I’ve transferred my food issues to my pet. And then she said “ Well, if you didn’t want me to eat it, why did you buy it?” No, I’m kidding, she doesn’t talk- that’s just what I heard as I apologized for disturbing her and lowered her hut back down.
Closet eater, hut eater, little difference I suppose.
I know if my house was edible (anything besides lima beans and anchovies) it would be short a couple walls and a roof by now. If it was chocolate, the Strickland family would be homeless. I’m sure that personally I’ve eaten over 2000 sq. ft of chocolate so far in my life, what’s another 2 story colonial?
All of a sudden I have a craving, gotta go!
Have a great week!
Carol
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Pastoral Fantasies, cont.
My second pastoral fantasy had to do with tithing. I'd make it a requirement, and the reasons have nothing to do with raising money.
First, tithing is a faith issue; it's not a money issue. When the Christian tithes she is saying, "I'm giving to God first because I believe God will meet my needs. I don't have to horde, I don't have to be stingy. I can give and live life in a giving manner." This is the essence of tithing.
Second, tithing shows commitment. You've all heard the saying "Put your money where you mouth is." That's tithing. Are you "invested" in the Kingdom of God - your checkbook will show it.
Then we, as God's Kingdom, get to discern His will as to where the money will be spent. Let's lavish it on Kingdom priorities!
First, tithing is a faith issue; it's not a money issue. When the Christian tithes she is saying, "I'm giving to God first because I believe God will meet my needs. I don't have to horde, I don't have to be stingy. I can give and live life in a giving manner." This is the essence of tithing.
Second, tithing shows commitment. You've all heard the saying "Put your money where you mouth is." That's tithing. Are you "invested" in the Kingdom of God - your checkbook will show it.
Then we, as God's Kingdom, get to discern His will as to where the money will be spent. Let's lavish it on Kingdom priorities!
Acts 22:15
You are to be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.-Acts 22:15
In this chapter, Paul told the story (in Hebrew) of when he was in Damascus. In the beginning, he was authorized to hunt down Christians and arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem for sentencing. While he was there, a bright light shown down on him and he fell to the ground. That light was Jesus. Jesus told Paul to go into town and be a witness to the people of
what he had just seen and heard.
Imagine...A blinding light...What a powerful and scary way to get the message. As we go about our business everyday, we have to be a witness of Christ, because once we say we are "Christian", how we live our life, how we treat people etc will be watched by everyone. Maybe they will ask 'why' you act or think the way you do and that will open the door to your telling them about Christ. That is called evangelism and we don't want to miss that opportunity to respond. That is what Christ mandates.
I keep a small outline in my Bible of seven simple reasons why God should be in our lives and I have to read them frequently because often I need to be reminded. But in the end, we can all witness in little ways and, who knows, those little ways can mean big things happening in someone's life. Them just knowing that God loves them may be enough to open even more doors.
Amen.
In this chapter, Paul told the story (in Hebrew) of when he was in Damascus. In the beginning, he was authorized to hunt down Christians and arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem for sentencing. While he was there, a bright light shown down on him and he fell to the ground. That light was Jesus. Jesus told Paul to go into town and be a witness to the people of
what he had just seen and heard.
Imagine...A blinding light...What a powerful and scary way to get the message. As we go about our business everyday, we have to be a witness of Christ, because once we say we are "Christian", how we live our life, how we treat people etc will be watched by everyone. Maybe they will ask 'why' you act or think the way you do and that will open the door to your telling them about Christ. That is called evangelism and we don't want to miss that opportunity to respond. That is what Christ mandates.
I keep a small outline in my Bible of seven simple reasons why God should be in our lives and I have to read them frequently because often I need to be reminded. But in the end, we can all witness in little ways and, who knows, those little ways can mean big things happening in someone's life. Them just knowing that God loves them may be enough to open even more doors.
Amen.
Hammy Anniversary
Hello friends,
Happy to report that today is Jub-Jub's 2 month anniversary with us, which makes her the second longest living pet we've had. (Indoor plants usually don't last too long either). I attribute her longevity to the fact that she sleeps during the day thus is not dependent on me to keep her fed and watered and Rachel looks after her otherwise. Plants on the other hand, put forth no effort to assure their survival in my house, so they get what's coming to them.
We've discovered that Jubs likes peppers, lettuce, spinach, grapes and apples. She will politely nibble on a bit of any of these if you hold it, while standing on her hind legs and resting one of her little paws on your hand as she eats, provoking the words, "cute and sweet" from you even if you swore you'd never call a rodent cute or sweet. If given the chance she will grab it out of your hand and stick it back in her cheek which strangely enough seems to stretch to about 1/2 her body size. What
an interesting concept! (O.k., admit it, who’s thinking all-you-can-eat buffet right now?....).
I'm still having issues with her new, exercise wheel and her total disinterest in using it for its intended purpose - but until I crack open the exercise dvd that I purchased a month ago I don't feel I can harp on her for it. Replacing the seedbearing noisy "silent wheel" afforded Sonny and I two exquisite nights of tv viewing at the normal volume level which was just like old times….until Jubs found a new exercise.
She now chews on the metal bars of the cage, for up to 20 minutes at a time. It’s really loud (and always during our favorite shows). Interestingly enough it’s the bars that are also the door to her cage. Now I’m not claiming to own the first MENSA hamster but that’s pretty darn smart for a hamster, I think. And since there’s no way to explain “metal” (or anything else, I guess) to a hamster ( even mine), our options are limited. I’ve tried brushing my finger down the cage to dissuade her but I get tired of it before she does, so we turn the volume up again while our little prisoner rattles her cell bars.
Occasionally I take her out but (a combination of motherhood with toddlers still fresh enough in my mind and the fact that I have a very intelligent hamster) I won’t take her out while she’s actively chewing on the bars because she might learn that’s what’ll get her sprung.
Just got to be one step ahead of the hamster, is what it comes down to.
Have a great week,
Carol
Happy to report that today is Jub-Jub's 2 month anniversary with us, which makes her the second longest living pet we've had. (Indoor plants usually don't last too long either). I attribute her longevity to the fact that she sleeps during the day thus is not dependent on me to keep her fed and watered and Rachel looks after her otherwise. Plants on the other hand, put forth no effort to assure their survival in my house, so they get what's coming to them.
We've discovered that Jubs likes peppers, lettuce, spinach, grapes and apples. She will politely nibble on a bit of any of these if you hold it, while standing on her hind legs and resting one of her little paws on your hand as she eats, provoking the words, "cute and sweet" from you even if you swore you'd never call a rodent cute or sweet. If given the chance she will grab it out of your hand and stick it back in her cheek which strangely enough seems to stretch to about 1/2 her body size. What
an interesting concept! (O.k., admit it, who’s thinking all-you-can-eat buffet right now?....).
I'm still having issues with her new, exercise wheel and her total disinterest in using it for its intended purpose - but until I crack open the exercise dvd that I purchased a month ago I don't feel I can harp on her for it. Replacing the seedbearing noisy "silent wheel" afforded Sonny and I two exquisite nights of tv viewing at the normal volume level which was just like old times….until Jubs found a new exercise.
She now chews on the metal bars of the cage, for up to 20 minutes at a time. It’s really loud (and always during our favorite shows). Interestingly enough it’s the bars that are also the door to her cage. Now I’m not claiming to own the first MENSA hamster but that’s pretty darn smart for a hamster, I think. And since there’s no way to explain “metal” (or anything else, I guess) to a hamster ( even mine), our options are limited. I’ve tried brushing my finger down the cage to dissuade her but I get tired of it before she does, so we turn the volume up again while our little prisoner rattles her cell bars.
Occasionally I take her out but (a combination of motherhood with toddlers still fresh enough in my mind and the fact that I have a very intelligent hamster) I won’t take her out while she’s actively chewing on the bars because she might learn that’s what’ll get her sprung.
Just got to be one step ahead of the hamster, is what it comes down to.
Have a great week,
Carol
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