Jeremiah 33:2-3

Jeremiah 33:2-3 This is God's Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as GOD: 'Call to me and I will answer you. I'll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own. (The Message)

Chapter 33 concludes a section called 'The Book of Consolation', which depicts the ultimate restoration of both Israel and Judah and also introduces the New Covenant. The New Covenant promised believers inner transformation. It says we would get to know God in a personal way, our sins would be forgiven and we would be able respond to God from the heart, not just with the law. When Jeremiah was in jail, God sent a second messenger to him strongly urging him to ask God for answers to the things that only God could know. And Jeremiah was a person that if anything could go wrong, it
would, but he stuck it out and never gave up. Jeremiah lived what he wrote about and wrote about what he lived, he was the same person.

The Message asks the question: 'What happens when everything you believe in and live by is smashed to bits by circumstances? Does it lead to abandonment of God? --- We know it can happen. Some will push Him away totally and others crave Him.

When we are struggling and aren't strong and can't figure things out, we look for people who have been through what we're going through, we ask how they did it and how they survived. We ask them for support with our mess' and ask for help to stay focused on God and not ourselves.

God wants us to do that with Him. Turn to Him. So slow down, tell God you are struggling, ask how to handle it and how to survive and then listen. God will have answers and in the process, you will learn more about Him.

Nancy

2 Corinthians 5:17

2 Corinthians 5:17 says: Now we look inside and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons. (The Message)

Are we afraid to let God work through us? Do we block Him because of fear of who we used to be or who we are now? I'm afraid of many things. One is I don't feel good enough for God because of my faults and I know I'm not the only person to feel that way. I think most of us are, some more, some less.

Think of your past as an old house, full of imperfections - our frame rotted, our roof leaked or holes in our walls. Does that mean we can't repair the frame or fix the roof or patch the holes? Can't we give our home (ourselves) a fresh start? God says we can. We all have pasts, good and bad, but when we accept Christ, we don't need to be afraid of those past issues anymore. They are what it says - past.

And so what can happen when we let go and let God? We walk in God's light, no more darkness and no more fear of the past. God has forgiven us and wants us to become new on the inside. Like The Msg says 'the old life is gone, a new life burgeons' (flourishes or begins).

Verse 5 ends with - Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you. How, you say? In Christ. God put on him the wrong who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.

Let's give ourselves a fresh start today.

Nancy

The Hamster Diaries - Or Not

“Look at her cheek Mom, you can see the Cheerio in there." I looked and sure enough I could. The other day Rachel and I made a trail of individual Rice Krispies and watched her follow the path and store them in her cheeks one by one. I got the idea from Youtube that had the hamster’s owner dubbing the sound of a vacuum cleaner over the clip.
It’s a fact that rodents tend to bite off more than they can chew. Whole baby carrots find their way into both sides of her cheeks for safe passage to her silent wheel for snacks at a later time; not a bad system at all when you have to walk on your hands.

The other day driving along 3A I saw a billboard that read: “Bite off more than you can chew. And just chew it!!”

It is often suggested to me that I might bite off more than I can chew. I think it’s ok to do that. I think it’s how I get to know my strengths and weaknesses, and helps me discover God’s plan for my life. It’s scary but at the same time thrilling to reach beyond my comfort zone. I came across this saying a year or so ago, (author unknown) “How do you expect to amaze the world if you don’t first surprise yourself ?”. Sometimes the challenges are exhausting and frustrating but it’s always worth it
to try something new and come out a bit more self-aware every time – and of course remember how it tasted for next time. Oh yeah, this about Jubs isn’t it….

Have a great week,
Carol

James 1:22

James 1:22 Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. (The Message)

Hot air, what is hot air? The Entourage Dictionary says: Impressive or boastful talk about achievements or intentions that has no substance.

Do we know people who talk hot air about their walk with God? Do they try to impress us with their words? Maybe they use all sorts of Scripture in their language or go to church just so people will see them. They want us to think they have faith. But do they or is it only a façade?

We don't know what is in their hearts and they may sincerely think just talking is sufficient for God. But only talking about God every day isn't enough, it's not real faith, no matter what we think. God wants us to not only listen to His Word, but live it every day.

Let's not deceive ourselves with our words. Let's put those words into practice and be committed to 'doing' His Word.

Nancy

Ecclesiastes 4:10

Ecclesiastes 4:10 - And if one falls down, the other helps, but if there's no one to help, tough! (The Message)

That is a loaded statement, no doubt about it..

How empty do we feel without God? Without Him, life is meaningless. The trials some of us face everyday make it difficult to be independent and to face life alone. I can't do it myself, I need God and I need my close friends to the umpteenth degree. I have learned that God has created us for fellowship with Him and with people.

A couple of things to think about when you yourself are struggling:

1. Allow God into your life. Let Him give you His rope, grab it and hold on tight. Know He won't let go of you.

2. Allow your friends to know about your struggles so they can help you. Talk with them and if you can, ask them to pray with you, not just for you.

3. Be sure to thank God for those close friends as well as thanking your friends for being there for you.

If you are ok, please think about being a friend to someone who needs your support in their struggle. Your encouragement and your being there for them can literally save them from harm.

Think what it would be like to fall down and not have anyone to pick you up.

Nancy

Worship

I was reading about worship in Foundations of the Christian Faith by Boice. My 'worship habits' during Sunday service bothers me at times. While we are singing praises to God, I have a hard time staying focused on God. I have to remind myself I am supposed to be in an attitude of worship, singing praises to our Savior, recognizing how awesome He is. It just seems I am easily distracted. I start watching one of the toddlers, I notice someone walking by, I remember I have to get milk on the way home, I notice a cat wandering in and out of church......Yes, that really happened, for those of you who weren't in church last Sunday.
I'm singing, but my mind is wandering. When I start concentrating on the words of the hymns and connecting with the fact that others around me are adoring Jesus, in my heart my attitude starts changing and I can be thankful of who God is and what He's done.
On page 591 Boice writes: True worship occurs only when that part of human beings, their spirit, which is akin to the divine nature (God is spirit), actually meets with God and finds itself praising him for his love, wisdom, beauty, truth, holiness, compassion, mercy, grace, power and other attributes. On this point, William Barclay wrote: "The true, the genuine worship is when man, through his spirit, attains to friendship and intimacy with God. True and genuine worship in not to come to a certain place; it is not to go through a certain ritual or liturgy; it is not even to bring certain gifts. True worship is when the spirit, the immortal and invisible part of man, speaks to and meets with God, who is immortal and invisible.
Boice also quotes C.S.Lewis who wrote: "As long as you notice, and have to count, the steps, you are not yet dancing but only learning to dance. A good shoe is a shoe you don't notice. Good reading becomes possible when you need not consciously think about eyes, or light, or print, or spelling. The perfect church service would be one we were almost unaware of; our attention would have been on God.

I enjoy thanking God when I go for a walk, noticing His wonderful creation, listening to the birds, or praising Him for bringing my kids home safely. Giving Him praise and thanks during the day for all things gives me a sense of peace.
As Boice writes: To glorify God is to acknowledge his worth-ship. We worship God, just as we glorify God, when we acknowledge his perfections.

Sue

A Moving Story

When Jeff mentioned the Trustees’ “business proposition” for me to sell the pews, one of my first thoughts was, ‘I’ll need more bubblewrap’. Really, it only lasted for a second. I agreed to do some research via my normal contacts to see what the market was like for church pews. My research showed a very unpredictable market so I said I’d give it my best shot but couldn’t make any guarantees. They were grateful for anything I could do. I called around locally but no one was willing to take them on consignment. I went the usual eBay route, sure that my impeccable feedback would count for something. Alas, no. 7 days later I had one person wanting 1 pew. Great! Only 28 left to go.
I had heard about craigslist.org but had never used it. I was acutely aware that there was a truckload of chairs with UBC’s name on it somewhere in the midwest and heading our way so I decided to give craigslist a try. This was immeasurably more successful.
Within 24 hours, Janice arranged by phone to meet me at the church to check out the pews. She returned that Friday with husband Phil, and friend Ed and gladly bought 5 of the 10 foot pews. She wanted more and said she’d call in the morning. Emailing back and forth over the next few hours I learned that Phil’s back went out and Ed wouldn’t be available for the next day delivery either so she’d have to cancel her trip. Knowing that she only had the UHaul trailer until 2:00 Saturday I offered Sonny’s help (luckily he agreed after the fact) and she and Phil made the trip the next morning. They were able to fit 3 pews into the trailer in 8 foot sections and really wanted to take 2 more pews in the back of the pickup but it started to rain. I offered to go to Lowe’s to buy a tarp and she agreed. All together, 10 pews to Janice of Dover for resale in her antique store.
Erin and Mike from Milford agreed to buy one next and arranged for pick-up. We had originally talked about them meeting me August 4 but opted for a week earlier since August 4 was Erin’s due date. The caveat being as long as Erin didn’t decide to go into labor that day. Jeff was able to help disassemble and move the pew with Mike although I did suggest Erin lifting a pew might move the whole labor thing along nicely. Erin and Mike will use their pew in the kitchen, perhaps mitering it to make for nice seating in a corner. Update: Catriona Grace arrived weighing 7 lbs.and 19” long at 3:44 a.m. on August 4!! Mother, Father, Brother and Baby Sister are doing well.
Ron from Hampton arrived a couple days later for 2 pews. Ron has a French Cooking School on the seacoast and will use the pews in the waiting room of the restaurant that adjoins the school. Ron arrived at 10:00 a.m. He had a really small truck which could only fit 2, 8 foot sections at a time so I arranged to meet him again at 2:00 that afternoon. When he came the second time he brought his 12 year old son Trevor. Trevor is autistic. Trevor found great joy in the 4 little pencils that rolled out of the pew when we turned it on it’s side and didn’t let go of them the entire time he was there. Ron and Trevor went to get some ice-cream at Friendly’s after and left me with a “Come check out the school sometime, Carol”.
Louise and Don and I had a lovely email relationship for about 2 weeks. Louise and Don live in Littleton and Don works in Concord. They agreed to buy 3 of the pews to incorporate into their deck. We arranged for pick up on a Monday. The Trustees had the pews apart and waiting for him and Sonny met me at UBC after work to help out. Don had a lovely little covered trailer that he purchased because when he moved out here from Iowa and it was almost as much to rent a UHaul. He handed me the money with “an extra $20 for the church”. We got to talking and somehow the fact that the kids were at Sentinel for the week came up in conversation.
“That’s on Dan Hole Pond, isn’t it?, he asked. As it turns out his 2 brothers attended Sentinel when they were young. Don left and took with him my regards to Louise.
Helen called me from her work at Concord Hospital, while I was painting up on Manchester Street. She really wanted to see the pews before committing to buy so I said if she and I were to leave immediately we would meet at the church at about the same time. She pulled in right after I opened the front doors. She admired the pews, and thought they would be perfect for her porch. As we sat in the new chairs and chatted she said, “The church is beautiful, I love churches”. She remarked on the richness of the woodwork at the front of the church and I told her what made the church even more appealing to our community was the richness of fellowship we share. She thanked me and called later that night to arrange for pickup of 2 pews on Wednesday.
Chip, a real estate agent from Manchester arrived with his brother to pick up a pew. He was going to have “his carpenter” incorporate it into his new kitchen . I didn’t know people could own a carpenter…Nate arrived a few minutes later. I showed him the pews and he immediately decided he’d get 2 instead of 1. In the discussion that followed I found out that he had bought a “crack house” in Keene and was gutting and remodeling it. I told him the church pew was probably the best choice he could make for seating in his newly redeemed home.
Cathy bought a pew for her mother. Since she was storing it at her brother’s house (and he was present) he said he only had room for the two-sided 8 foot section and I told them they could leave the other half of the pew at the church and I’d look after it for them.
Maria emailed me a few times asking about the pews. In our phone conversation I learned she was from Milford. “Oh, I sold a pew to a nice couple from Milford, Erin and Mike, do you know them?”.
“Yes,” she politely said
I said . “She had a baby girl.”
“Yes, I’ve seen her.” She (still politely) said. Well, anyways I don’t know how long it took me to realize that Erin and Mike were good friends with Maria and that’s why she got in touch with me in the FIRST PLACE - anyways… Maria’s husband Carl and Mike arrived on a Saturday to pick up Maria and Carl’s pew. They had been to Mike and Erin’s house and had seen their pew already firmly established in place in their kitchen and asked them where they got it, (hence the emails to me from Maria). In adherence to the Official Rules and Regulations of my Refer-A-Friend Bonus Pew Incentive – Mike was eligible to take home the 8 foot section that the previous pew purchaser (Cathy) left behind at no charge. Not only had he brought a friend to buy a pew he ALSO brought pictures of his newborn daughter Catriona which fulfilled all requirements of the RAFBPI– that plus he’s a really nice guy and I thought he might be able to use it.
Bill and Nancy took the last two pews. When Nancy used to live in Concord she would frequent UBC’s Snowflake Bazaar every year. The pews they took will become have a new home in the South Tamworth Community School.
And so ends, or perhaps begins anew, the story of the pews.

Carol

Hebrews 6:1

Hebrews 6:1 - So come on, let's leave the the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. (The Message)

Nick is starting kindergarten this fall. No more preschool for him. The things he learned last year was a foundation for what he is to learn this year. And every year after that, he will continue to build on that foundation. He won't be staying at the same academic or social level each year. That is called growth and that growth will show on him as he gets older.

We must look at our prayer life in that same fashion. Look back to the time when you were just building your prayer foundation. Can you see the different levels built on that? Is there growth? How about Bible study? Are you learning more than you did in the beginning? Is there growth there as well?

It is very easy to become complacent in many areas of our lives. But studying Christ shouldn't be one of those areas. Scripture says to start with the foundation (preschool level) and build up from there. And it doesn't matter how old you are when you start at the beginning, what matters is that you continue to grow. I'm trying to do that by writing these devotions, trying to learn how to apply the Scripture to my everyday life and I'm finding I'm learning and the more I study Scripture, the more I will learn. I will continue to build from my beginning foundation all the way to the penthouse level.

Nancy

Psalm 112:5

'Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.'

The word generous means a willingness to give money, help or time freely and usually in practical ways. But being generous doesn't mean it has to be all these things to everyone. You may only be able to do one, so make it the one that comes from your heart and the one that isn't selfish.

My parents had a deck on their home and it had gotten to the point of being dangerous, literally. The boards were rotting and the stairs were way too steep. (especially for my parents taking the dog out on a short leash)

David decided to take on the project of rebuilding it. He looked at it, measured it and tried to figure out the how best to do it, but it was in such bad shape, he needed expertise help and he reached out to the church family. The first Saturday, we had 8 or 9 helpers, plus one experienced carpenter. The second Saturday, we had 4 or 5 helpers, plus one experienced carpenter. And on this second Saturday, the deck was finished, minus a few odds and ends.

None of these people had to give up their day off, but they did just for my parents. These men lent their time freely and it was such a blessing to have these men do this with joy.

Of course, part of their joy came from the ice cream truck that went around the park playing loud music for all to hear and it was a stitch to watch these men run out to the truck when it stopped and buy ice cream.

Nancy

Fellowship

I was going back through a book which Dave used when he taught a theology class in the fall of 2005 called Foundations of the Christian Faith, written by James M. Boice.
I have really enjoyed the information and understanding this book gives me on who God is, His character, His love for us, what prayer and worship should be and so on.
I recently read a few paragraphs on pages 534 and 535 on fellowship. It reminded me of what Nancy wrote for the blog, posted on July 23. Her comments were on Mark 3:35 "The person who obeys God's will is my brother and sister and mother" (The Message) Nancy shared how thankful she is to have brothers and sisters in Christ who share her faith and support her and how important her Christian family is to her.
I feel the following paragraphs emphasize so well what Nancy wrote in July. These following paragraphs speak so loudly to me because in my past, I had tried night clubs and different social clubs that had no meaning because God was not at the center. I didn't find any real meaning to anything I tried that didn't put God first in my life. I have found so much more fulfillment and purpose in life by being involved with other Christians in our church who desire to do God's work.

James M. Boice writes: Lacking the true and fulfilling fellowship that God means for them to have, many people go about establishing an empty kind of "fellowship" based more on proximity than on true relationships. The camaraderie of the social club is one example. So is the frenzied interaction of the discotheque. These groupings of people have been popular because they substitute proximity for true community and thereby help people to forget the fundamental and tragic loss of personal identity that drives them there.
Four kinds of loss of identity are common today: loss of family identity, national identity, religious identity and personal identity. Each is supplied in the church, even though the other supportive institutions which we should ideally enjoy-an understanding and stable family and a country of which one can be proud-may be lacking.
The church was established on earth for several purposes: worship, service, organized dissemination of the gospel. In addition to these obvious purposes, another chief end of the church is the union of Christ's followers into one visible fellowship and the substitution of a social for a "privatized" Christianity. Nothing that rightly pertains to the relationship of an individual to God is set aside by that fact. On the contrary, one's relationship to God is actually to be developed and expanded by relationships with other believers.
James Bannerman, who wrote a study of the church as an outgrowth of his lectures to theological students in Scotland in the nineteenth century, declared,
There is something in the very nature of man that makes union and fellowship with other men essentially necessary to develop the whole faculties and powers of his being; and this characteristic of man's nature has been taken advantage of in the economy of grace; so that, under the power of association, believers are not merely or only units in the dispensation of God, but brethren also in the enjoyment of communion with each other collectively, as well as in the enjoyment of communion individually, each one with his Savior. According to the arrangement of God, the Christian is more of a Christian in society than alone, and more in the enjoyment of privileges of a spiritual kind when he shares them with others, than when he possesses them apart....Such, for example, is the blessing promised to "two or three" when "gathered together in the name of Christ," over and above what is promised to the solitary worshipper; to prayer, when men, even a few, "shall agree together to ask anything of God," rather than when they ask separately and alone...
The Christian Church was established in the world, to realize the superior advantages of a social over an individual Christianity, and to set up and maintain the communion of saints. In his union to Christ the Head, the individual believer becomes ingrafted into the same body, and partakes of the same privileges with other believers. He is one with them in the same Spirit, in the same faith, in the same baptism, in the same hopes, in the same grace, in the same salvation. The bonds of that spiritual union go to strengthen his own individual Christianity, the sympathy of it to call forth his own individual affections, and the incitement of it to enlarge his own personal faith and hope; so that, in the fellowship of the Church, and within the magic circle of its influence, the believer is in a more eminent sense a believer, than apart from them.

Sue W.

Psalm 91:16

'With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation' (NIV)

The introduction of Psalm 91 says it is a glowing testimony to the security of those who trust in God, probably written by a priest or Levite as a word of assurance to godly worshipers.

I have been been watching a family of thrushes up at Sentinel this summer. The bird builds it's nest on the ground, under bushes well hidden by brush. The first time I saw it, there were 3 blue eggs centered in it. The second time, 3 babies with big open wide mouths were taking up the nest and they were all about eating. Then on week three, I looked and there was nothing, the nest was mussed up and the birds gone. Knowing they were not old enough to leave, it was evident some critter ate them. Their lives were cut short and they had no time to accomplish anything.

Now think of what we can accomplish in our long lives and how much time we have to glorify God and share Him with everyone we meet. Of course, we also have to remember that even though we can have a long life, we never know when our time will be cut short and so, we must, as they say, 'make hay while the sun shines'.

I would like my life to be productive and one God would be proud of and I pray God shows me what my ministry is so I can do it all for His glory.

Nancy

The Hamster Diaries - Why I Rearranged the Furniture

Well, yesterday I saw the inside of my couch. I didn’t wake up wanting to. In fact, with my brother, his wife and kids arriving from Canada for dinner, See the Inside of My Couch didn’t even make the top 10 of my “To Do” list.

Gavin’s friend was visiting for the day. Kyle came down to my office, “Mom, Jubs is _in_ the couch. Eric was holding her and she escaped.” I was in the middle of writing a letter to friends and family, to let them know about Kyle’s newly diagnosed allergies, so I put that on hold to assess the situation.

My first statement upon reaching her last known location was, “O.K. you do realize this is her sleeping time right?” No real response to that but then a “she’s over here, I saw it move”. I instructed everyone to stand by a side of the couch and keep their eyes on the floor. With a pair of scissors I proceeded to carefully slice the fabric down the back of the couch - near the side but not on the seam knowing from past experience that one has to pretty much disassemble a couch if one wants to keep it neat and pretty – and I didn’t have that much time. “Flashlight”, I demanded in much the same way a surgeon demands his instruments. Kyle returned with the flashlight which found Jubs inside the couch quickly scurrying away from it to the farthest corner.

“No, Jubs, go towards the light, towards the light”, I said laughing. No-one else saw the humor. I could see that the dustcover on the bottom of the couch was intact – so it was essentially a one way in, no way out deal since she had fallen from above. Knowing she was safe I had the luxury time to figure things out now. Even before I started slicing up the back of the couch Eric apologized. He was so sorry. I let him know that we weren’t a care-about-the-couch family we were a care-about-the-friends-and-pets family which seemed to lighten his heart.

“The arm of the couch is moving, why is it moving? Is she in there?” I went around to the front corner and started going in through the top seam, peeled back some padding and soon saw a familiar little fur-ball. Rachel reached in and grabbed her but couldn’t pull her out of the opening I had made. We granted Jubs a few more minutes in the Pennies and Popcorn Playground as I went back to my seam-ripping. The boys with the flashlight in the back of the couch provided a play-by-play on her travels inside.

“Oh, Mom, she’s right here. Come here Jubbies…oh I almost got her, nope she’s headed back the other way.” The whole operation took about 12 minutes or so but I finally had a large enough hole opened so Rachel could lure her with treats and grab her. After a thorough vacuuming I put the couch cushions back on and will have to put Sew Couch Back Together on my list for another day. The important stuff (like friendships and Jubs) remained intact.

Have a great day.
Carol

Psalm 97:1

The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad, let the distant shores rejoice.
(NIV)

I woke up a couple of days ago listening to the rain. It was a steady rain and it was strong and in the distance I heard a clap of thunder. And it was 5:20 AM, so no going back to sleep, it was tea time.

As I got up, my brain started thinking about another kind of reign. The one where God reigns over his creation. As the Psalm in verse 4 goes on to say, 'His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles.' And in 6, 'the heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory.'

Now I know that rain and reign are different, but when I see one, I think of the other. God reigns over us - He is in control and He has sovereign power over us. The rain is coming down over us and enveloping us completely. As I see and hear the rain this morning, I can feel the reign of God.

Read the entire Psalm 97, it's powerful. In 5, it says, 'the mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.' Read the Psalm with expression and visualize the earth trembling, the mountains melting, people seeing God's glory, fire going before Him. You will then know that the Lord reigns.

Nancy

Genesis 18:14

Genesis 18:14 reads: Is anything too hard for God? I'll be back about this time next year and Sarah will have a baby." (The Message)

Three angels came to Abraham to confirm God's promise that Sarah would have a son. When these three men appeared, Abraham rushed from his tent, greeted them and bowed low to the ground. He fed them, gave them water to wash their feet and let them rest. They talked to Abraham about Sarah giving birth to a son and, Sarah, who was listening, started to laugh because she and Abraham were very old. And how could she have a baby at her age?

Sometimes we have long roads to travel or heavy loads to carry and we want to quit or give up and put a stop to everything. But whatever it is we are going through, we MUST NOT quit, no matter how hard it is. God will step in for us as He knows when the right time is.

So, is anything too hard for God? No. Did Sarah have a son like God promised? She did. This story teaches me that if I give up, I just might miss the answer to my prayer of healing.

Nancy

The Hamster Diaries - Hamster, Hamster, Hamster

Friends and Family,

HAMSTER, HAMSTER, HAMSTER. For the next week this is the most important word in my vocabulary. With all 3 kids away at Camp Sentinel for the week I am in charge of Jub Jubs. I am hopeful that my need to ‘mother something’ reminds me on a daily basis that there is a small one depending on my care for its’ survival. The situation is even more desperate (yes, there is something more desperate than a hamster dying) because Rachel is in love. I made the statement the other night that she loves this hamster more than she’ll love her first boyfriend. (Sonny vows he will use that in the future as necessary, “She loved her hamster more, Creep!”). She is as comfortable with this hamster as I am with any baby, she pushes the boundaries of hamster/human interaction with holding and nuzzling and just plain expects that this rodent will not respond with the normal animal instincts of biting anything that goes against its’ nature. She wakes Jubs out of a sound sleep mid-day, brings her out to visit for 2 or 3 minutes, puts her back in the cage to potty and brings her back out to play, or carries her around in her shirt.

Nothing I could have taught her, just a connection she has with this animal. Her commitment to this relationship is paying off, and I best not mess up /_our_/ relationship by giving her back Jubs in any state less then she was given to me. (and believe me when I say that probably includes a trip for Jubs to the postal scale to check her weight upon Rachel’s return) Really, I’ve already thought of a cover story if anything untoward happens to happen to Jubs this week. Sure, it might keep Rachel looking for months for her “lost hamster” but it should keep our relationship basically intact. So, do me a favor, if you talk to or email me this week just slip the word “ hamster” into the sentence somewhere. I’ll need all the reminders I can get.

Have a great week,
Carol

Psalm 142

In Psalm 142, David is crying out for mercy (the easing of his pain), he is faint and alone and yet, he knows he can cry out to God and is sure that God will set him free. I like how The Message puts it in plain every day talk.

In verses 1-4: I cry out loudly to God, loudly I plead with God for mercy. I spill out all my complaints before him, and spell out my troubles in detail: As I sink in despair, my spirit ebbing away, you know how I'm feeling. Know the danger I'm in, the traps hidden in my path. Look right, look left - there's not a soul who cares what happens! I'm up against it, with no exit - bereft (filled with a sense of loss), left alone.

In verses 5-7, David cries out 'You're my last chance, my only hope for life!' Oh listen, please listen; I've never been this low. Rescue me from those who are hunting me down; I'm no match for them. Get me out of this dungeon so I can thank you in public. Your people will form a circle around me and you'll bring me showers of blessing!'

Nancy

The Hamster Diaries - Family Time

Hello family and friends,

Last night we had a family movie night. The only room we all (kind of) fit in is the tv room. Even so, Sonny had to pay bills at the kitchen table which works well because it would have been a tough sell to get Kyle to give up the loveseat, Rachel and I cuddled on one couch and Gavin had the rocker (we are working on getting a Strickland-friendly sectional that will have us all actually seated in one room at one time) and in the middle of it all was Jubs. Kyle and Rachel had detached one of her cages from the tunnels and brought her in from the hamster room so she could spend the evening with us – it was a family night after all. During the course of the evening she could be found on the coffee table, (and BTW she is aware of the “table/edge of table/drop into nothingness reality”) on top of Gavin’s or Rachel’s head, burrowing into somebody's armpit or in her cage running in her wheel and even
stopping now and then to “watch” the movie along with us. Kyle got up at one point for a snack and reserving his seat proclaims, “Nobody take my seat, it’s my seat, nobody take it!” He wasn’t gone 10 seconds when Rachel, promptly put Jubs on Kyle’s seat, yelling, “Kyle, Jubbie’s took your seat!!” What ensued was a 5 minute “scolding” of Jubs by Kyle for not adhering to the house rules of seat saving – (We do not live by “move your feet, lose your seat” here) – I can't remember what movie we were watching but it was good family time at any rate.
Have a great week,
Carol