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

January 2, 2016 | JustAmy; Meg33, The Mayor; Trisham; St.Louie1, Friends, MamaBear

[JustAmy]

Welcome To....


'Amy's Place' welcomes all poets
and those who enjoy poetry.
'Amy's Place' is more than just about poetry.
Come in, relax, and share with fellow FReepers
your thoughts about any of the things on the *Menu*.

Enjoy! :)









Never Forget!





Bad Penny



Amy's personal guardian ~
the ever charming, lovable, huggable,
LouieWolf




Many thanks for stopping by. : )

[MEG33]

Been voting daily !
The tone of the discussions is deplorable...I only started posting on threads lately...avoiding confrontations and dodging minefields.
;o)

[left that other site]

Have a Blessed Sunday

Keeping You All In My Prayers!

(((HUGS)))

ML/LTOS

[MEG33]

Thank you for the prayers and wonderful scripture, (((ML))).
I wish you a blessed Lord’s Day.

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

He Came for You

January 31, 2016

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

Luke 4:18

In his novels The Trial and The Castle, Franz Kafka (1883-1924) portrays life as a dehumanizing existence that turns people into a sea of empty faces without identity or worth. Kafka said, "The conveyer belt of life carries you on, no one knows where. One is more of an object, a thing, than a living creature."

Early in His ministry, Jesus went to a synagogue in Nazareth, stood up in front of the crowd, and read from Isaiah: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18-19).

The Lord's mercy extends to all people.

Then Christ sat down and declared, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (v. 21). Centuries earlier, the prophet Isaiah had proclaimed these words (Isa. 61:1-2). Now Jesus announced that He was the fulfillment of that promise.

Notice who Jesus came to rescue--the poor, brokenhearted, captive, blind, and oppressed. He came for people dehumanized by sin and suffering, by brokenness and sorrow. He came for us!

For those who sin and those who suffer. For those who suffer because of sin. For those who sin to alleviate suffering. Lord, have mercy on us. Robert Gelinas, The Mercy Prayer

No matter how impersonal the world may seem, Jesus loves each of us as if we were His only child.

Insight:

Luke 4 provides a classic portrait of how a prophet is without honor in his own country (see Matt. 13:53-57; John 4:44). In the synagogue Jesus made His formal announcement of His role as the promised Messiah, quoting Isaiah's great messianic prophecy (Luke 4:16-21; Isa. 61:1-2). The people immediately responded with amazement and "spoke well of Him" (v. 22). But when Jesus responded by challenging the hardness of their hearts, they tried to kill Him (vv. 23-30). In the midst of His challenge to them Jesus pointed to the reality of being rejected by those of His own hometown (v. 24).

[MEG33]

Amen! Beautiful devotional, Rus.
I Am So Grateful To You For Our Daily Bread

[JustAmy]

I keep voting but the fighting makes it difficult.

I usually read the discussion thread but there isn’t much going on there. It stays pretty civil.

[trisham]

“Can we close the door?” LOL!

Marissa sounds like a great kid. :)

[MEG33]

No one changes hearts and minds by insulting and baiting, yet it is a favorite occupation of some on both sides on the other threads.
I’ve been around long enough to expect it. I like having an island of sanity here at Amy’s Place.
;o)

[The Mayor]

Thank you Meg your a special FR friend!

[MEG33]

Likewise, my FRiend.

[trisham]

Beautiful!

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

Always Pray and Don’t Give Up

February 1, 2016

Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Luke 18:1

Are you going through one of those times when it seems every attempt to resolve a problem is met with a new difficulty? You thank the Lord at night that it's taken care of but awake to find that something else has gone wrong and the problem remains.

During an experience like that, I was reading the gospel of Luke and was astounded by the opening words of chapter 18: "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up" (v. 1). I had read the story of the persistent widow many times but never grasped why Jesus told it (vv. 2-8). Now I connected those opening words with the story. The lesson to His followers was very clear: "Always pray and never give up."

Prayer is a process of recognizing God's power and plan for our lives.

Prayer is not a means of coercing God to do what we want. It is a process of recognizing His power and plan for our lives. In prayer we yield our lives and circumstances to the Lord and trust Him to act in His time and in His way.

As we rely on God's grace not only for the outcome of our requests but for the process as well, we can keep coming to the Lord in prayer, trusting His wisdom and care for us.

Our Lord's encouragement to us is clear: Always pray and don't give up!

Lord, in the difficulty I face today, guard my heart, guide my words, and show Your grace. May I always turn to You in prayer.

Prayer changes everything.

Insight:

The parable of the judge and the persistent widow is one of the most challenging parables to interpret. The judge represents God, yet the judge is described as uncaring and unjust. Those terms certainly do not describe our heavenly Father. So how is this to be read? Most parables are intended to communicate one big idea rather than have meaning in every detail. In today's passage the big idea is not the character of the God to whom we pray, but the value of persevering in prayer. When considering a parable, the simple guideline of looking for the one central idea can be helpful.

[MEG33]

Happy Monday To Amy's Place

I have some "Must Dos"that must be done so I'll be scarce today
***
I Wish You A Good Week...Hugs and Blessings To All

[left that other site]

Happy Monday!

It's a Beautiful Day here in Boston!

((((HUGS))))

ML/LTOS

[The Mayor]

Hiya Meg!

[trisham]

In the winter she curls up around a good book
and dreams away the cold.

Ben Aaronovitch

Happy Monday, Everyone!

[luvie]

Have a Mahv'lus Monday! :)

[newb2012]

When God pushes you to the edge, trust Him fully, because only two things can happen. Either He will catch you when you fall, or He will teach you how to fly.
- Unknown

[Kitty Mittens]

Thank you for the Beautiful Sunday and Monday Pings, Dear FRiends.
(((((Love and Blessings to Everyone)))))

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

Leave a Legacy

February 2, 2016

Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.

Mark 10:45

When a road-construction foreman was killed in an accident, the love of this man for his family, co-workers, and community resulted in an overwhelming sense of loss. His country church couldn't accommodate all the mourners, so planners moved the service to a much larger building. Friends and family packed the auditorium! The message was clear: Tim touched many lives in a way uniquely his. So many would miss his kindness, sense of humor, and enthusiasm for life.

As I returned from the funeral, I thought about the life of King Jehoram. What a contrast! His brief reign of terror is traced in 2 Chronicles 21. To solidify his power, Jehoram killed his own brothers and other leaders (v. 4). Then he led Judah into idol worship. The record tells us, "He passed away, to no one's regret" (v. 20). Jehoram thought that brute force would ensure his legacy. It did. He is forever commemorated in Scripture as an evil man and a self-centered leader.

Life isn't just about ourselves. It's about Jesus.

Although Jesus also was a king, He came to Earth to be a servant. As He went about doing good, He endured the hatred of those who grasped for power. In the process, this Servant-King gave His life away.

Today, Jesus lives along with His legacy. That legacy includes those who understand that life isn't just about themselves. It's about Jesus--the One who longs to wrap His strong, forgiving arms around anyone who turns to Him.

Lord, in Your death as well as in Your life, You did the will of Your Father and served others. In some small way, help us to serve others with our lives today.

A life lived for God leaves a lasting legacy.