Archives for April 2011

Hanging on His Words

April 27, 2011 by 5 Comments

“…all the people hung on his words.” Luke 19:48b

Last week, in remembrance of what Jesus did for us through His death and resurrection, I read through several chapters of Luke’s account of those holy events, starting with Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Luke tells us that every day Jesus taught at the temple and then concludes that particular paragraph with “all the people hung on his words.”

I already had that phrased underlined in my Bible, but I’ve got to tell you, those words captured my attention again. I could picture the people listening intently, straining to hear every word, hungry for the life-giving words and wisdom of Jesus.

So let me simply ask today, what about us? Are we hanging on His words? Are we listening intently, straining to hear everything He says to us? Are we hungry for the life-giving words and wisdom of Jesus, for the truth, instruction, and comfort of the Word of God?

In other words, who or what is our lifeline? To whom are we listening? May we be found hanging on His words!

*Flickr photo by [derekmswanson], Creative Commons License

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter/ezine will come out next week. If you’re not already receiving Life Notes, sign-up is free and to the right!

*Be sure to enter the “Feather Your Nest” Giveaway!

Filed Under: Word of God

Feather Your Nest Giveaway!

April 24, 2011 by 18 Comments

In honor of all things spring and beautiful, how about a “Feather Your Nest” Giveaway to help spruce up your home? One lucky person will — get ready for this — win a $20 gift card to Pier 1! Fun stuff, huh? :)

Everyone who leaves a comment on this post by noon (CST) May 8 will be included in the drawing. If I don’t know you personally or can’t contact you via your own blog, you must include your email address in your comment to be eligible for the giveaway.

For fun, tell me what you’re looking for right now to spruce up your home. Do you need some spring or summer placemats or some fun new dishes? Or maybe you have major items or projects on your mind. Whatever it is, tell me what you’d like to do to feather your nest sometime soon.

Me? I could use some new drinking glasses, but we are also in need of new living room furniture — a couch and two chairs, to be exact. Our couch has seen better days (and lots of them!) so it’s just time for an update. Luckily, Don and I want some of the same features in a couch, but finding the time to shop for one will be the trick (always an out of town trip for us). Since we tried last fall and didn’t get the job done, I’m trying not to worry about it now and, instead, trust the Lord to lead us to what will be best for us.

Do you have some needs that are weighing on your mind? Remember, God is concerned about the everyday matters in our lives as well as the bigger issues we face. Yes, that’s right — we can even take our home and clothing needs to Him in prayer!

So go ahead, tell the Father what you need. He stands ready to provide!

“…’do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear… Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

… And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” Matthew 6:25a, 26, 28-30

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter/ezine will come out next week. If you’re not already receiving Life Notes, sign-up is free and to the right!

*Flickr photo by AnnCam

Filed Under: fun, giveaway, home, provision, spring

Our Savior’s Prayers

April 20, 2011 by 4 Comments

As we meditate on our beautiful Savior for the next few days and on all that He did for us through His death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave, let’s consider some prayers He prayed during the last hours before His crucifixion. While you read these prayers of Jesus, ask the Holy Spirit to help you apply them to your own personal life.

“After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: ‘Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.'” John 17:1

“‘My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one…Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth… May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.'” John 17:15, 17, 23b

“‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'” Matthew 26:39b

“Jesus said, ‘Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.'” Luke 23:34a

“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice…’My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'” Mark 15:34

“Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.'” Luke 23:46a

Won’t you join me this Easter in committing our lives into the Father’s hands? A blessed Easter to all!

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter/ezine will come out the first week in May. If you’re not already receiving Life Notes, sign-up is free and to the right!

*Flickr photo by Kimber Photography, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: holidays, prayer, Word of God

Absent Without Leave

April 17, 2011 by 5 Comments

My voice went AWOL on me this past week. Blame it on seasonal allergies (which I usually don’t have) or just a nasty spring cold, but I spent the better part of the week trying to communicate with anything from a hoarse whisper to a croaking, cough-infused version of my former speaking voice. And forget the singing voice. It’s still AWOL.

What a difference one little part of our bodies can make. Having next to no voice made it difficult and at times impossible to do certain tasks and carry on with life as normal. Maybe because life is not normal when a part of our bodies is missing or not functioning the way it should, huh?

The staff at the pharmacy probably thought they were dealing with some weirdo prank caller on my first voiceless morning when I called to ask advice from the pharmacist. I pretty much gave up on phone calls after that, though I did talk to Kelli when she called one day. Poor thing had to listen to me cough and hack my way through that conversation.

Choir was definitely out, and when my voice started to return, I had to apologize for how it sounded every time I spoke to someone new. I also couldn’t make myself heard if I was more than a few feet away, and I’m still trying to figure out why Don thought I could answer him when he yelled at me from another room :)

I’m living proof this week that our lives are definitely hampered when a part of the body goes AWOL. And you know that’s true not only for our physical bodies, but for the body of Christ — the church– as well. Scripture likens the church to a physical body, and the comparison is an apt one.

Since as believers, we are each part of the body and each have a role to fulfill or a function to perform, what do you suppose happens when one or more members of the body goes AWOL? Yes, the rest of the body finds it difficult and even impossible at times to carry on its normal tasks. They may have to give up a vital service or ministry or, at the very least, apologize for a role being inadequately or half-heartedly filled.

So let’s ask ourselves today what kind of body part we are. Let’s not be the ones to make life difficult for our churches. Let’s not go AWOL on the body of Christ.

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter/ezine will come out the first week in May. If you’re not already receiving Life Notes, sign-up is free and to the right!

Flickr photo by Michael Cory, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: body, church, frustration

Confessions of a Chocoholic

April 13, 2011 by 4 Comments

This piece first appeared in a special humor issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter/ezine. The next issue will come out the first week in May. If you’re not already receiving Life Notes, sign-up is free and to the right!

I might as well be honest about it. I’ve loved chocolate longer than I’ve loved my husband. And that’s a pretty long time now, given the fact that we’ve been married for 35 years. I guess you could say chocolate was my first love. Sorry, honey.

Since chocolate and I go back such a long time together, I think it’s about time I acknowledge my favorite chocolaty treats. I’d say it’s time they got their due, wouldn’t you? So in no particular order—because I don’t think I could make a choice where some of them are concerned—here are My Top Ten Chocolate Loves:

1. Harry & David Dark Chocolate Truffles. If these don’t turn you from light to dark, nothing will.

2. Brownies with Chocolate Chips. Hot, cold, hour-old, day-old, week-old. Any will do.

3. Chocolate Sheet Cake. Best with homemade ice cream, but I can handle it all on its own.

4. Peanut M&Ms. Yes, I can be healthy and have protein with my chocolate.

5. Chocolate Cream Pie. I’ve never met one I didn’t like.

6. Fudge. It’s not just for Christmas anymore. Well, at least not in my dreams.

7. Molten Lava Cake. If Chili’s ever quits serving this, someone just slit my wrists.

8. Chocolate Shakes. I wonder if Braum’s would consider instituting IV drips??

9. Fudge Brownie Ice Cream. I’ll take mine in a dish. After all, a girl’s gotta watch her calories.

10. Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies. Too much of a good thing? Never!

And we lived happily ever after…

“God…richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” 1 Timothy 6:17b

*Are you a chocoholic? If so, what’s your favorite chocolate indulgence? If not, what kind of “oholic” are you? C’mon and fess up — it will be fun! :)

*Flickr photo by shimelle, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: cheer, chocolate, fun
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