[JustAmy]

10-22-04
Graphic by MamaBear

Good Morning, and God Bless
by John McLeod, from "Quiet...flows the love"

Good morning and God bless
On this most wonderful of days
God given, lit by sunlight
Shafting down in golden rays.
The heart sings out its wondrous joy
In choir with birdsong sweet,
And all one's love can employ
This beauteous day to greet.
Oh skies of azure
Blue as any skies could ever be,
How glad I am to meet this day
How well blessed to be me!

[Conspiracy Guy]

Hello!

[The Mayor]

October 22, 2004

The Lemon Tree

Read: 1 John 4:15-19

God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. —1 John 4:16

Bible In One Year: Isaiah 65-66; 1 Timothy 2

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People who have given up on love probably agree with the words to the song "Lemon Tree" by the folk group Peter, Paul, and Mary:

"Don't put your faith in love,
my boy," my father said to me,
"I fear you'll find that love is like the lovely lemon tree."
Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
but the fruit of the poor lemon
is impossible to eat.

Many people feel that way. "Love is bitter," they say, because they've been used or abused. But there is a love that is sweet: "God is love" (1 John 4:16).

The world wants to turn John's phrase around. "Love is God," they say, and seek love as the highest good. But John did not say that love is God. "God is love," he said. Author Frederick Buechner wrote, "To say that love is God is romantic idealism. To say that God is love is either the last straw or the ultimate truth."

The last straw? Yes, for some it is. They have looked for love in all the wrong places and have no other place to turn. But when they give themselves to God, as He is made real and personal in Jesus, they find the love they've been looking for all their lives.

God is not indifference, abandonment, and abuse, my friend. God is love. —David Roper

Loved with everlasting love,
Led by grace that love to know—
Spirit, breathing from above,
Thou hast taught me it is so. —Robinson

God's love knows no limits.

[JustAmy]

"Bottomless Cup of Coffee"

A bottomless cup of coffee
is what the menu said.
And thinking metaphorically
the thought came to my head.
God's love is like a bottomless cup.
It never will run out.
Just the simple truth in this
makes me want to shout.
No matter how much He gives to us
No matter what we say or do in sin
we put Him to the test!
But His love is unconditional.
His love is everlasting.
And by His Grace we're blest.

Pat Reed

[JustAmy]

Grape-Nut Orange Muffins

2 cups sifted flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup Grape-Nuts
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup orange juice
1 tb grated orange rind
2 tb. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Sift flour, sugar, baking soda and baking powder. Stir in Grape-Nuts.
Combine eggs, orange juice, and orange rind. Add vegetable oil and mix well.
Add egg mixture to dry mixture. Stir until moistened. Do not stir more than 50 strokes.
Line muffin pan with paper muffin cups and fill 2/3 full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody ! Happy Friday! TGIF!

Have a cup while you Freep !

[tuliptree76]

Good morning, Amy! I hope you have a wonderful Friday. :-)

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you for the precious poem and graphic!