Nighty-night, Kitty!
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]
Bible in a Year :
The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but . . . present your requests to God.
For more than thirty years, Lourdes, a voice teacher in Manila, had taught students face to face. When she was asked to conduct classes online, she was anxious. “I’m not good with computers,” she recounted. “My laptop is old, and I’m not familiar with video conferencing platforms.”
While it may seem a small thing to some, it was a real stressor for her. “I live alone, so there is no one to help,” she said. “I’m concerned that my students will quit, and I need the income.”
Before each class, Lourdes would pray for her laptop to work properly. “Philippians 4:5–6 was the wallpaper on my screen,” she said. “How I clung to those words.”
Paul exhorts us to not be anxious about anything, because “the Lord is near” (Philippians 4:5). God’s promise of His presence is ours to hold on to. As we rest in His nearness and commit everything to Him in prayer—both big and small—His peace guards our “hearts and . . . minds in Christ Jesus” (v. 7).
“God led me to websites about fixing computer glitches,” Lourdes said. “He also gave me patient students who understood my technological limitations.” God’s presence, help, and peace are ours to enjoy as we seek to follow Him all the days of our life. We can say with confidence: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (v. 4). .
Reflect & Pray
How can knowing that God is near change your reaction of worry to one of peace? What specific requests can you present to Him?
Dear God, thank You for being near me. Because of Your loving presence, help, and peace, I don’t have to be anxious.
|
Happy Monday Madness!
We had a bit of snow Sunday night. Was very windy and cold today. Bonus sunshine in the afternoon made it look nice outside.
🌞
I decorated our Christmas tree today...company coming here on Christmas Day. 😅
Gonna make 2 kinds of cookies on Christmas Eve, so I have less to do on the 25th.
The family requested lasagne as a main dish, so that will be made on Christmas Day. Making nice crusty french bread with garlic butter (in the oven) to go with the lasagne.
Mom is bringing a nice ham, and rolls and cheese for sandwiches. She buys such good hams.
The week will go by fast.
Lots of cleaning to do, and more decorating.
Hope you had a great day!
🎄🎄🎄
Sounds like you have a good plan in place, and the food sounds yummy. Our tradition is steak, baked sweet potatoes with butter and cinnamon and a green vegetable. This time I think it’ll be green beans. Not sure what dessert yet.
My brother suggested lasagne for our holiday meal. I think it is good to not always have Turkey or more common (but yummy) foods. Steak sounds great too.
😄
I agree that having something different is fun. My hubby hates turkey, so steak is the best choice for us. Plus, he got a gift card for a nice meat market, so they are also a Christmas present! LOL
We had a little hurricane yesterday...powerlines down, trees crashing down, fences toppled, and me with the flu. Argh.
I say “little” because I lived in Florida for 16 years and lived through a CAT3.
Oh my! I hate wind storms. We had our farm buildings leveled when I was 12 years old. Barns down, greenhouses ruined, chickens crushed.... very traumatic. Thankfully the old farmhouse survived. We hunkered down in the basement, boulder foundation and a dirt floor....I never take severe weather warnings lightly. Scary stuff.
And you with the flu, too! Oh my goodness. That is horrible. Kinda hard to rest when nature is crashing stuff outside.😐
|
Merry Christmas Kanine Klaus.
5.56mm
Merry Christmas to YOU, Too! :-)
Thank you.
Bible in a Year :
The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and [Jacob] was limping because of his hip.
Faye touched the scars on her abdomen. She had endured another surgery to remove esophageal-stomach cancer. This time doctors had taken part of her stomach and left a jagged scar that revealed the extent of their work. She told her husband, “Scars represent either the pain of cancer or the start of healing. I choose my scars to be symbols of healing.”
Jacob faced a similar choice after his all-night wrestling match with God. The divine assailant wrenched Jacob’s hip out of socket, so that Jacob was left exhausted and with a noticeable limp. Months later, when Jacob massaged his tender hip, I wonder what he reflected on?
Was he filled with regret for his years of deceit that forced this fateful match? The divine messenger had wrestled the truth out of him, refusing to bless him until Jacob owned up to who he was. He confessed he was Jacob, the “heel grabber” (see Genesis 25:26). He’d played tricks on his brother Esau and father-in-law Laban, tripping them to gain advantage. The divine wrestler said Jacob’s new name would be “Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome” (32:28).
Jacob’s limp represented the death of his old life of deceit and the beginning of his new life with God. The end of Jacob and the start of Israel. His limp led him to lean on God, who now moved powerfully in and through him. .
Reflect & Pray
What spiritual scars do you have? How might they symbolize the end of something bad and the start of something new?
Father, my limp is a sign of Your love.
Learn more about finding God in life’s hurts.
Scars add to a person’s character.
|
What a nice Kitty Collection!
😊
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
