Adorable!

LOL!

:-)

Some areas have had several inches of rain in Texas ...Amen about wildfires!

hehehe

Hoo Boy! That is ONE ANNOYED FELINE!

LOL! Indeed!

hehehe. That look says:

“You have to sleep sometime!”

LOL!

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Riding the Rapids

August 14, 2018

When you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. Isaiah 43:2

The rafting guide escorted our group to the river’s edge and directed us all to put on life jackets and grab paddles. As we climbed into the boat, he assigned us seats to balance the boat’s weight, providing stability when we encountered rapids. After highlighting the thrills the watery voyage ahead would hold for us, he detailed a series of directions we could expect to hear—and would need to follow—to effectively steer the boat through the white water. He assured us that even though there might be tense moments on the way, our journey would be both exciting and safe.

Sometimes life feels like a white-water rafting trip, one that contains more rapids than we might like. God’s promise to Israel, through the prophet Isaiah, can guide our feelings when we fear the worst is happening: “When you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you” (Isaiah 43:2). The Israelites faced an overwhelming fear of rejection by God as they went into exile as a consequence of their sin. Yet instead, He affirms them and promises to be with them because He loves them (vv. 2, 4).

God won’t abandon us in the rough waters. We can trust Him to guide us through the rapids—our deepest fears and most painful troubles—because He also loves us and promises to be with us.

Thank You, Lord, for being my guide through troubled waters. Help me to trust You even when the journey is wild and scary.

Has the Lord guided you through a difficult time? Share your story at Facebook.com/ourdailybread.

God steers us through difficult times.

INSIGHT

In today’s passage, God declares, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you” (Isaiah 43:2). In the New Testament, we see this promise of God’s care displayed in two stories of literal storms. In one, Jesus is sound asleep in a boat when awakened by His disciples who are frightened by a sudden storm. He calms the storm and the disciples’ fears (Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25). In a similar story, the disciples are alone in a boat when a furious squall begins. Jesus walks out to them on the water (Matthew 14:22-33; John 6:16-21) and assures them, “It is I; don’t be afraid” (v. 20). The Lord “commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him” (Luke 8:25).

Grateful for the heavenly aroma
from my tiny lavender buds
The Little Things
Happy GratiTuesday!

I'm So Excited!

It's My First Day of School! I know this because I overheard that dad's taking me to the Vet to get TUTORED.

Anyway...I THINK that's what he said.

ML/LTOS

HAPPY GRATITUESDAY
TO AMY'S PLACE!

"The Walk to Paradise Garden"
W. Eugene Smith*

"You Are The New Day"
The King’s Singers
(Click)

May You Approach Each New Day With The
Innocence, The Optimism, And The Sense Of
Wonder Of These Two Children!

*Back story of Gene Smith and his iconic photograph.

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The Lord Speaks

August 15, 2018

Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Job 40:2

We can find nearly every argument in the book of Job about why there is pain in the world, but the arguing never seems to help Job much. His is a crisis of relationship more than a crisis of doubt. Can he trust God? Job wants one thing above all else: an appearance by the one Person who can explain his miserable fate. He wants to meet God Himself, face to face.

Eventually Job gets his wish. God shows up in person (see Job 38:1). He times His entrance with perfect irony, just as Job’s friend Elihu is expounding on why Job has no right to expect a visit from God.

No one—not Job, nor any of his friends—is prepared for what God has to say. Job has saved up a long list of questions, but it is God, not Job, who asks the questions. “Brace yourself like a man,” He begins; “I will question you, and you shall answer me” (v. 3). Brushing aside thirty-five chapters’ worth of debates on the problem of pain, God plunges into a majestic poem on the wonders of the natural world.

God’s speech defines the vast difference between the God of all creation and one puny man like Job. His presence spectacularly answers Job’s biggest question: Is anybody out there? Job can only respond, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know” (42:3).

Lord, we have so many questions about life and its unfairness. You have shown Yourself good to us. Help us to trust You for what we cannot understand.

No calamity is beyond God’s sovereignty.

INSIGHT

After all Job had endured, how could the Lord of heaven respond to his honest, agonizing questions with more questions?

Job forgot the case he wanted to argue in the court of heaven (Job 23:1–10). The presence and questions of God suddenly reawakened the trust he’d expressed in those first moments of the worst days of his life (1:21; 2:10).

We, on the other hand, have an advantage that Job lacked. In the prologue of Job’s story, we are taken behind the scenes to see how God viewed Job (1:1–2:10).

What if our lives had such a prologue? Would it help to know that more is going on than we can see and that it’s better than we imagine? Even if we aren’t an exemplary example as Job was, can we take heart in being one of the dearly loved sinners for whom Christ died?

A Cat in My Lap

I know I have a lot to do,
So many things - see them through.
There are clothes to clean, grass to mow,
Cookies to bake, seeds to sow.
But I really can't do all these things in a snap.
Because, you see, there's a cat in my lap.

He stretches and rolls and gives me a wink,

From his sleepy gold eyes - just a small blink.
I smooth his long tail and tickle his tummy,
He yawns and purrs to tell me that's yummy.
The telephone rings. The paper boy taps.
No move do I make. There's a cat in my lap.

Bright sunlight dances across the floor,
To warm my small friend just a bit more.
A happy prisoner am I in my chair -

Some moments of peace - not a care.
I think I'll take a little nap,
With this soft, furry ball, a cat in my lap.

Karen Boxell

Have a happy Wednesday, everyone!

"Happy Warm Fuzzy Wednesday*
To Amy's Place

Oh Joy! I just found a brand new chew toy!
Wishing You A Joyful Day

LOL! To Bongo Fury, everything is a new chew toy!

Frankie and Bongo Fury

Good Morning

Amen, Rus.
Thank you for always being here with ODB.
You are appreciated.

Bongo inspired my post today!
;o)

:) He’s going out for a pedicure today.