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Posted on 01/02/2023 6:16:23 PM PST by JustAmy
Edited on 01/02/2023 7:28:26 PM PST by Jim Robinson. [history]
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Awwwww....that just sux. I’ll bet she didn’t even apologize. LOL!
Nope...but she DID look guilty about it.
Happy Monday! It was a bit manic....so checking in here really late to say “Have a good night!”.
🌙⭐️💫✨
Bible in a Year:
Be devoted to one another in love . . . joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
“A thorn has entered your foot—that is why you weep at times at night,” wrote Catherine of Sienna in the fourteenth century. She continued, “There are some in this world who can pull it out. The skill that takes they have learned from [God].” Catherine devoted her life to cultivating that “skill,” and is still remembered today for her remarkable capacity for empathy and compassion for others in their pain.
That image of pain as a deeply embedded thorn that requires tenderness and skill to remove lingers with me. It’s a vivid reminder of how complex and wounded we are, and of our need to dig deeper to develop true compassion for others and ourselves.
Or, as the apostle Paul describes it, it’s an image that reminds us that loving others like Jesus does requires more than good intentions and well-wishes—it requires being “devoted to one another” (Romans 12:10), “joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (v. 12). It requires being willing to not only “rejoice with those who rejoice” but to “mourn with those who mourn” (v. 15). It requires all of us.
In a broken world, none of us escape unwounded—hurt and scars are deeply embedded in each of us. But deeper still is the love we find in Christ; love tender enough to draw out those thorns with the balm of compassion, willing to embrace both friend and enemy (v. 14) to find healing together. .
Reflect & Pray
When have you experienced the healing power of compassion? How can you cultivate a community of healing?
Loving God, thank You for Your compassion. Help me to love others like that.
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Our differences are the fun part! :)
Indeed! :-)
Hi there! It was cold here today, in the 20s. Better tomorrow, around 40. Nights have been cold, 10 to 15 degrees. It snowed 2” on Sunday. Still snow around but streets are fine.
🥶
Bible in a Year:
How faint the whisper we hear of Him!
The whispering wall in New York City’s Grand Central Station is an acoustic oasis from the clamor of the area. This unique spot allows people to communicate quiet messages from a distance of thirty feet. When one person stands at the base of a granite archway and speaks softly into the wall, soundwaves travel up and over the curved stone to the listener on the other side.
Job heard the whisper of a message when his life was filled with noise and the tragedy of losing nearly everything (Job 1:13–19; 2:7). His friends blabbered their opinions, his own thoughts tumbled endlessly, and trouble had invaded every aspect of his existence. Still, the majesty of nature spoke softly to him about God’s divine power.
The splendor of the skies, the mystery of the earth suspended in space, and the stability of the horizon reminded Job that the world was in the palm of God’s hand (26:7–11). Even a churning sea and a rumbling atmosphere led him to say, “these are but the outer fringe of [God’s] works; how faint the whisper we hear of him!” (v. 14).
If the world’s wonders represent just a fragment of God’s capabilities, it’s clear that His power exceeds our ability to understand it. In times of brokenness, this gives us hope. God can do anything, including what He did for Job as He sustained him during suffering. .
Reflect & Pray
How does God’s great power comfort you? Which parts of nature inspire you to stand in awe of Him?
Dear God, when my problems seem big, help me to remember that You’re bigger, and nothing is impossible for You.
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Savanna looks like a very good girl!
🐶
She is a gentle giant. You can’t tell how tall she is in that picture, but her chin can rest on the table top without even stretching. LOL!
Bible in a Year:
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Weeks later, their conditions became manageable. God seemed to be saying: “There are times when I use medicines to heal. But medicines don’t have the final say; I do. Don’t place your trust in them, but in Me.”
In Psalm 20, King David took comfort in God’s trustworthiness. The Israelites had a powerful army, but they knew that their biggest strength came from “the name of the Lord” (v. 7). They placed their trust in God’s name—in who He is, His unchanging character, and unfailing promises. They held on to the truth that He who is sovereign and powerful over all situations would hear their prayers and deliver them from their enemies (v. 6).
While God may use the resources of this world to help us, ultimately, victory over our problems comes from Him. Whether He gives us a resolution or the grace to endure, we can trust that He’ll be to us all that He says He is. We don’t have to be overwhelmed by our troubles, but we can face them with His hope and peace. .
Reflect & Pray
In your personal battles, where or in what do you place your trust? How might trusting in God’s name change the way you cope with these challenges?
Heavenly Father, give me the courage to trust in You. Help me to believe that You’re all that You promise to be.
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Howdy! Had a decent last day of November, about 40 degrees, so I went riding for a while. Horsie has a nice thick winter coat, the natural coat a horse grows starting in fall. She is so cute and furry. 🥰
Beautiful image!
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