Amy's Place ... Poetry and Potpourri ... January, February and March, 2016

Hi Amy. I voted.

I plan to vote on the tomorrow’s thread at 9:00am PST.

We get to vote once a day on that thread.

Isn’t he posting a new thread each day? This thread is dated 1-20-2016. Guess we will find out in a couple of hours.

The new Caucus Thread is up.

I will vote tomorrow.

Thank you for the Wednesday Pics and Pings, Dear FRiends.
(((((Love to Everyone, and God Bless)))))

Winter solitude

Winter solitude--
in a world of one color
the sound of wind.

Matsuo Basho

Have a wonderful thankful Thursday, everyone!

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Welcome Home!

January 21, 2016

While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him.

Luke 15:20

When we were going through a particularly challenging time with our son, a friend pulled me aside after a church meeting. "I want you to know that I pray for you and your son every day," he said. Then he added: "I feel so guilty."

"Why?" I asked. "Because I've never had to deal with prodigal children," he said. "My kids pretty much played by the rules. But it wasn't because of anything I did or didn't do. Kids," he shrugged, "make their own choices."

I wanted to hug him. His compassion was a reminder, a gift from God, communicating to me the Father's understanding for my struggle with my son.

No one understands the struggle with prodigals better than our heavenly Father. The story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 is our story and God's. Jesus told it on behalf of all sinners who so desperately need to come home to their Creator and discover the warmth of a loving relationship with Him.

Jesus is God in the flesh seeing us in the distance and looking on us with compassion. He is God running to us and throwing His arms around us. He is heaven's kiss welcoming the repentant sinner home (v. 20).

God hasn't just left the porch light on for us. He's out on the front porch watching, waiting, calling us home.

We ask again today, Lord, that our prodigals would come home.

James Banks is author of Prayers for Prodigals by Discovery House.

Our loved ones may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons--but they are helpless against our prayers. J. Sidlow Baxter

Amen.

You too, Trisham.

Thanks, Stephen John.

Good Morning Everyone

I Wish You All A Wonderful, Thankful Thursday
Stay Safe In The Storms

So glad to see you, Amy and so happy California has had rain!
Thanks for the caucus link.

Hello, Dear FRiends.
Wishing you a Thankful Thursday.

I'm thankful that we've been getting some rain and more is forecast for tomorrow and Saturday.
Thank you, Father.

Thank you, Meg.

Seems that I never have enough time to come by and say Hello and Thank You.

I do hit and miss with online surfing.
Keeping up with Marissa's activities is taking more of my time, BUT ...
I also seem to need a nap every afternoon.

Thank you for being here everyday with wonderful graphics and messages.
I appreciate you and Rus.

Enjoyed the Winter Solitude poem.
Lovely!

Thank you, TCP!

We hold down the fort! And it’s a pleasure posting everyday.
Life does have a habit of being in the way sometimes.
Completely understandable.

Thank you to Everyone for the GratiTuesday Pings & Posts.
(((((Love, Hugs, and Blessings!)))))

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A Prisoner No More

January 22, 2016

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.

Romans 7:15

A middle-aged man approached me after I led a workshop at his place of employment and asked this question: "I've been a Christian nearly my whole life, but I'm constantly disappointed in myself. Why is it that I always seem to keep doing the things I wish I didn't do and never seem to do the things I know I should? Isn't God getting tired of me?" Two men standing next to me also seemed eager to hear the response.

That's a common struggle that even the apostle Paul experienced. "I do not understand what I do," he said, "For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do" (Rom. 7:15). But here's some good news: We don't have to stay in that trap of discouragement. To paraphrase Paul as he writes in Romans 8, the key is to stop focusing on the law and start focusing on Jesus. We can't do anything about our sinfulness in our own strength. The answer is not "try harder to be good at keeping the rules." Instead, we must focus on the One who shows us mercy and cooperate with the Spirit who changes us.

When we focus on the law, we are constantly reminded that we'll never be good enough to deserve God's grace. But when we focus on Jesus, we become more like Him.

I sometimes get caught in the cycle of trying harder to be good, failing, getting discouraged, and giving up. Help me, Lord, to depend on Your grace and to draw near to You so that You can change my heart.

Focus on Jesus.

Insight:

There is an interesting element in this passage from the apostle Paul. We often focus on the difference between law and grace. But Paul highlights two different laws in this passage. It is not that the Mosaic law is bad and grace is good. Instead, Paul says that he delights in God's law but is held captive by the law of sin. God's law is something to delight in; the sin that is revealed through that law is something to be set free from.