Amy's Place ... Poetry and Potpourri ... October, November and December, 2017

October 1, 2017 | Meg33, The Mayor, Trisham, JustAmy

[The Mayor]

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The Last Will Be First

December 1, 2017

Those who humble themselves will be exalted. Matthew 23:12

Recently I was among the last in line to board a large passenger jet with unassigned seating. I located a middle seat beside the wing, but the only spot for my bag was the overhead compartment by the very last row. This meant I had to wait for everyone to leave before I could go back and retrieve it.

I laughed as I settled into my seat and a thought occurred to me that seemed to be from the Lord: “It really won’t hurt you to wait. It will actually do you good.” So I resolved to enjoy the extra time, helping other passengers lower their luggage after we landed and assisting a flight attendant with cleaning. By the time I was able to retrieve my bag, I laughed again when someone thought I worked for the airline.

We serve Him best by serving others.

That day’s experience made me ponder Jesus’s words to His disciples: “Anyone who wants to be first, must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35).

I waited because I had to, but in Jesus’s “upside down” kingdom, there’s a place of honor for those who voluntarily set themselves aside to attend to others’ needs.

Jesus came into our hurried, me-first world not “to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). We serve Him best by serving others. The lower we bend, the closer we are to Him.

Loving Lord, help me to follow You into the needs of others and serve You there.

Jesus’s kingdom is upside-down.

INSIGHT

Mark 9 is an action-packed chapter in our second gospel account. The chapter opens with the transfiguration of Jesus (vv. 1–13), where Peter, James, and John witness the glory of Christ and the voice of the Father while seeing Moses and Elijah join Jesus on the mountain to discuss His coming death and resurrection. Then, after descending the mountain and entering the valley below, the Lord of light is confronted by the power of darkness—from which He rescues a demon-possessed boy (vv. 14–29). After Jesus reminds the disciples of His coming death and resurrection (vv. 3–32), the disciples argue about which of them will have the highest place in the kingdom. This discussion of greatness initiates Jesus’s call to servanthood. After hearing how their Master would sacrifice Himself for them, they must be reminded that they too were called to lay themselves down for the benefit of others.

 Our natural inclination is to put self first. How might you intentionally look to serve someone today?

[MEG33]

~Good Morning To Amy's Place~

~Wear Red On Friday To Support Our Troops~

Happy December***I Wish You A Wonderful Weekend

[luvie]

Lovely! I scapped one similar, but now can’t locate it to use it.

[left that other site]

Happy Friday!

Have a Wonderful Weekend!

(((HUGS)))

ML/LTOS

[luvie]

Chris DeBurgh~The Lady In Red

[trisham]

Old King Winter

Old King Winter's on his throne
In robes of ermine white;
The crown of jewels on his head
Now glitters bright with light.

The little flakes of snow and hail,
And tiny pearls of sleet,
Are with the wild winds dancing
All round his magic feet.

His beard is white, his cheeks are red,
His heart is filled with cheer;
His season's best some people say;
The best of all the year.

Anna E. Skinner

Happy caturday and dogurday, all!

[trisham]

I love it!!

[left that other site]

AND...the fake doggie is wearing red.

[The Mayor]

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Ham and Eggs

December 2, 2017

The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9

In the fable of the chicken and the pig, the two animals discuss opening a restaurant together. As they plan their menu, the chicken suggests they serve ham and eggs. The pig swiftly objects saying, “No thanks. I’d be committed, but you would only be involved.”

Although the pig didn’t care to put himself on the platter, his understanding of commitment is instructive to me as I learn to better follow God with my whole heart.

Lord, I want to rely on You more fully. Please help me to look up and to trust You more.

To protect his kingdom, Asa, king of Judah, sought to break up a treaty between the kings of Israel and Aram. To accomplish this, he sent personal treasure along with “silver and gold out of the treasuries of the Lord’s temple” to secure favor with Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram (2 Chron. 16:2). Ben-Hadad agreed and their joint forces repelled Israel.

But God’s prophet Hanani called Asa foolish for relying on human help instead of God who had delivered other enemies into their hands. Hanani asserted, “The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (v. 9).

As we face our own battles and challenges, let’s remember that God is our best ally. He strengthens us when we’re willing to “serve up” a whole-hearted commitment to Him.

Lord, I want to rely on You more fully. Sometimes I see only what is around me. Please help me to look up and to trust You more.

When we are abandoned to God, He works through us all the time. Oswald Chambers

[left that other site]

YIKES!

It's The First December Cat/Dogurday!

(((HUGS)))

ML/LTOS

[luvie]

The Real Bambi and Thumper
Happy Critterday!

[TheConservativeParty]

Hi Trisham! Dogs who love snow! I think our little Moosie will love snow. Haven’t had much here so far. He seemed to like the little bit we got a few weeks ago.

Sunny and about 50 here in WI today. Lovely!

Cheers!

[The Mayor]

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Waiting

December 3, 2017

Bethlehem . . . out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel. Micah 5:2

“How much longer until it’s Christmas?” When my children were little, they asked this question repeatedly. Although we used a daily Advent calendar to count down the days to Christmas, they still found the waiting excruciating.

We can easily recognize a child’s struggle with waiting, but we might underestimate the challenge it can involve for all of God’s people. Consider, for instance, those who received the message of the prophet Micah, who promised that out of Bethlehem would come a “ruler over Israel” (5:2) who would “stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord” (v. 4). The initial fulfillment of this prophecy came when Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:1) —after the people had waited some 700 years. But some of the prophecy’s fulfillment is yet to come. For we wait in hope for the return of Jesus, when all of God’s people will “live securely” and “his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth” (Mic. 5:4). Then we will rejoice greatly, for our long wait will be over.

We wait, comforting Spirit, for all the world to experience Your love.

Most of us don’t find waiting easy, but we can trust that God will honor His promises to be with us as we wait (Matt. 28:20). For when Jesus was born in little Bethlehem, He ushered in life in all its fullness (see John 10:10)—life without condemnation. We enjoy His presence with us today while we eagerly wait for His return.

We wait, Father God, and we hope. We wait, dear Jesus, as we long for peace to break out. We wait, comforting Spirit, for all the world to experience Your love.

We wait for God’s promises, believing they will come true.

INSIGHT

Christ’s second coming is also the theme of several New Testament passages. As Christ ascended into heaven, the angels told His disciples that Christ “will come back in the same way” they saw Him go (Acts 1:11). Jesus said His return would be unannounced and could occur at any moment; therefore, we are to “Be on guard! Be alert!” (Mark 13:33–37). The early Christians believed that Jesus’s return was “almost here” (Rom. 13:11–14). The apostle James encouraged believers to “be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near” (James 5:8; see also Rev. 1:3). The anticipation that Jesus could come any moment led some Christians in Thessalonica to become idle, quitting their jobs and waiting for Him to return. But Paul told them to get back to work and live meaningful lives (2 Thess. 3:11–13).

“While we [patiently] wait for the blessed hope” (Titus 2:13)—that wonderful day of Jesus’s return—we can ask the Spirit to help us to live “holy and godly lives . . . spotless, blameless and at peace with him” (2 Peter 3:11, 14).

In what ways can you enjoy God’s presence today as you wait for Jesus’s return?

[MEG33]

Welcome To Sunday At Amy's Place

***
Our Father, we long for the simple beauty of Christmas
~for all the old familiar melodies, words, and symbols that remind us of
that great miracle when He who had made all things came one night as
a babe, to lie in the crook of a woman's arm.
***
But in that longing, let us even more yearn for your renewed presence
among us even as we celebrate and expect the Coming of your Son.....
***
May the loving kindness of this Advent Season and the true Spirit of
Christmas not only creep into our hearts this season, but there abide,
so that not even the return to earthly cares and responsibilities, not all
the festivities of our own devising may cause it to creep away weeping.
***
May the joy and spirit of Christmas remain with us now and forever. In
the name of Jesus, who came to save His people from their sins, even
in that lovely name we pray. Amen.


Blessings To All Who Enter Here

Adapted from a prayer by Peter Marshall

[MEG33]

"We wait, comforting Spirit, for all the world to experience
Your love."
Beautiful devotional, Rus.
I Am So Grateful To You For Our Daily Bread

[luvie]

Ray Walker~Master The Tempest Is Raging
Congregational Singing

Cynthia Clawson & Others~Church In The Wildwood

The Trevecca Madragalians~It Is Well With My Soul

Statler Brothers~How Great Thou Art

St. Olaf Choir~When Peace Like A River

Providence~Farther Along

Vocal Majority~Deep River

Have a blessed Sunday
God bless our troops!

[left that other site]

Have A Blessed Sunday!

May The LORD Bless and Keep You!

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[The Mayor]

Thank you Meg, I hope you had a restful Lords day.

[MEG33]

Thank You For sharing your pretty graphics, music and blessings,
I Wish You A Blessed Sunday Evening

[The Mayor]

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Christmas at MacPherson

December 4, 2017

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. Luke 1:68

About 230 families and individuals live at MacPherson Gardens, Block 72 in my neighborhood. Each person has his or her own life story. On the tenth floor resides an elderly woman whose children have grown up, gotten married, and moved out. She lives by herself now. Just a few doors away from her is a young couple with two kids—a boy and a girl. And a few floors below lives a young man serving in the army. He has been to church before; maybe he will visit again on Christmas Day. I met these people last Christmas when our church went caroling in the neighborhood to spread Christmas cheer.

Every Christmas—as on the first Christmas—there are many people who do not know that God has entered into our world as a baby whose name is Jesus (Luke 1:68; 2:21). Or they do not know the significance of that event—it is “good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (2:10). Yes, all people! Regardless of our nationality, culture, gender, or financial status, Jesus came to die for us and offer us complete forgiveness so that we can be reconciled with Him and enjoy His love, joy, peace, and hope. All people, from the woman next door to the colleagues we have lunch with, need to hear this wonderful news!

The good news of Jesus’s birth is a source of joy for all people.

On the first Christmas, the angels were the bearers of this joyous news. Today, God desires to work through us to take the story to others.

Lord, use me to touch the lives of others with the news of Your coming.

The good news of Jesus’s birth is a source of joy for all people.

INSIGHT

One of the great themes of Luke’s gospel record is that it continually affirms that the message of Jesus’s death and resurrection is for everyone—not just for Israel. Today’s devotional declares that Christ’s coming would “cause great joy for all the people” (2:10). This important message continues later in this chapter when Simeon says that salvation is prepared in the “sight of all nations” and that Israel’s Messiah is both “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel” (vv. 30–32). At the conclusion of Luke’s account, the risen Christ tells the two disciples on the Emmaus road that “repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (24:47). This message was not intended for Israel alone, nor are we to keep it to ourselves. The entire world is the object of God’s love.

For more on sharing your faith, see the Discovery Series booklet Truth with Love: Sharing the Story of Jesus.