Amy's Place ... Poetry and Potpourri ... October, November and December, 2018

October 1, 2018 | Meg33, The Mayor, Trisham, JustAmy

[JustAmy]

Welcome To....


'Amy's Place' welcomes all poets
and those who enjoy poetry.
'Amy's Place' is more than just about poetry.
Come in, relax, and share with fellow FReepers
your thoughts about any of the things on the *Menu*.

Enjoy! :)









Never Forget!





Bad Penny



Amy's personal guardian ~
the ever charming, lovable, huggable,
LouieWolf




Many thanks for stopping by. : )

[luvie]

LOL! Very cute!

[left that other site]

You inspired me with the Kitteh post! :-)

[luvie]

:) We have a theme! LOL!

[left that other site]

Indeed. Let’s see who else joins us!

[TheConservativeParty]

The 12 days of cat mess is sooooo cute!!!

[luvie]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed. I just had to share it. :)

[TheConservativeParty]

I texted it to my sister and nephew, both love kitties.

[luvie]

Awesome! I like it when my posts are shared! More people to have a laugh. :)

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

Expect the Messiah

December 11, 2018

“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary?” Matthew 13:55

The repairman looked young—too young to fix our problem, a car that wouldn’t start. “He’s just a kid,” my husband, Dan, whispered to me, showing his doubt. His disbelief in the young man sounded like the grumbling in Nazareth where citizens doubted who Jesus was.

“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” they asked (Matthew 13:55) when Jesus taught in the synagogue. Scoffing, they were surprised to hear that someone they knew was healing and teaching, and asked, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” (v. 54). Instead of trusting in Jesus, they were offended by the authority He displayed (vv. 15, 58).

In this same way, we may struggle to trust in our Savior’s wisdom and power, especially in the familiar and ordinary details of our daily lives. Failing to expect His help, we may miss out on the wonder of His life transforming our own (v. 58).

As Dan found, the help he needed stood right in front of him. Finally agreeing to accept the young man’s aid, my husband allowed him to look at our old car’s battery. By switching just one bolt, the mechanic had the car running in seconds—engine humming and lights ablaze. “It lit up like Christmas,” Dan said.

So too may we expect and experience the Messiah bringing fresh light, life, and help into our daily journey with Him.

When I doubt You, Lord, help my unbelief.

What are some practical ways you can remind yourself or others that God is in control and He is able?

INSIGHT

Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, the one promised in the Old Testament who would rescue God’s people and rule them justly. The word Messiah (from the Greek messias) is found only twice in the New Testament—John 1:41 and 4:25. John is careful to translate this word for his readers: “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ)” (1:41). The word Christ (christos) means “anointed.” It’s the New Testament equivalent of Messiah and is found multiple times, beginning in Matthew 1:1: “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah (christos) the son of David, the son of Abraham.” The composite picture of the Messiah/the Christ is that He is Jesus, the God-man, the King who has been raised from death and exalted to the right hand of God (Acts 2:32–36).

[luvie]

Grateful for the
Sweetness of Autumn
Happy GratiTuesday!

[left that other site]

I Am Grateful

For My Family and My FRiends!

(((HUGS)))

ML/LTOS

[luvie]

Agreed!

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

The “No-Secret” Secret

December 12, 2018

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. Romans 7:15

A coworker confessed to me that he didn’t think he was “Jesus material.” I listened as he described what he called his “comfortable, narcissistic” life, and how it didn’t satisfy him. “But here’s my problem, I’ve been trying to be good, even caring, but it isn’t working. It seems that the very things I want to do, I can’t do, and the things I want to stop doing, I just keep doing.”

“What’s your secret?” he asked me in complete sincerity. “My secret,” I answered, “is that there is no secret. I’m as powerless to live up to God’s standards as you are, which is why we need Jesus.” 

I pulled out a Bible and showed him “his” quote as the apostle Paul expressed it in Romans 7:15. Paul’s words of frustration often resonate with both pre-Christians and Christians who find themselves trying to be good enough to deserve God but falling short. Maybe it resonates with you. If so, Paul’s declaration that Christ is the author of our salvation and its resulting changes (7:25–8:2) should thrill you. Jesus has already done the work to free us from the very things that have us so puzzled with ourselves!

The barrier between us and God, the barrier of sin, has been removed without any work on our part. Salvation—and the changes made by the Holy Spirit in the process of our growth—is what God desires for all. He knocks on the door of our souls. Answer His knock today. It’s no secret that He’s the answer!

See christianuniversity.org/NT225 for more study on the book of Romans.

Without Jesus, salvation and spiritual growth are both gifts beyond our reach.

INSIGHT

In Romans 7:14–25, Paul candidly shares his personal spiritual struggles as well as his deep confidence in Christ for help and hope (7:25). Romans 8 then unpacks that help and hope. The hopeful promise of “no condemnation” (8:1) is supported by the most extensive treatment of the Holy Spirit’s helping ministry (vv. 5–27) found anywhere in the Scriptures (outside of John 14–16). Paul’s confidence in Christ’s help and hope are not theoretical—they are provided by the indwelling Holy Spirit (8:11). 

[MEG33]

Good Morning To Amy's Place
I Wish You A Warm Fuzzy Day
*HUGS*

[left that other site]

Merry Christmas!

Do I Look Like Santa To You? 'Cuz I FEEL Like Santa!

(((HUGS)))

ML/LTOS

[luvie]

Happy Warm & Fuzzy
...and Tangled
Wednesday!

[Kitty Mittens]

Thank you for the Cute Wednesday Pings, Dear FRiends.
(((((Love to Everyone, and God Bless)))))

[luvie]

Always good to see your cute kitty posts. :) Sweet dreams!

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

The “Hope for a Baby” Tree

December 13, 2018

His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22–23

After wrapping the tree with clear twinkle lights, I tied pink and blue bows on its branches and christened it our “Hope for a Baby” Christmas tree. My husband and I had been waiting for a baby through adoption for more than four years. Surely by Christmas!

Every morning I stopped at the tree and prayed, reminding myself of God’s faithfulness. On December 21 we received the news: no baby by Christmas. Devastated, I paused by the tree that had become a symbol of God’s provision. Was God still faithful? Was I doing something wrong?

At times, God’s apparent withholding results from His loving discipline. And other times God lovingly delays to renew our trust. In Lamentations, the prophet Jeremiah describes God’s correction of Israel. The pain is palpable: “He pierced my heart with arrows from his quiver” (3:13). Through it all, Jeremiah also expresses ultimate trust in God’s faithfulness: “His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (vv. 22–23).

I left the tree standing well beyond Christmas and continued my morning prayer. At last, on Easter weekend, we received our baby girl. God is always faithful, though not necessarily on our timeline nor always according to our desires.

My children are now in their thirties, but each year I set up a miniature version of the tree, reminding myself and others to hope in God’s faithfulness.

Dear God, help me trust You today even when I can’t see what You are doing. You are faithful.

The best reason for hope is God’s faithfulness.

INSIGHT

The book of Lamentations expresses the grief of Jerusalem following the 587 bc invasion of Babylon. With her walls broken, her children exiled, and survivors living in the rubble of better times, it bares the soul of a once-proud people.

In its original Hebrew language, the book is composed of five chapters of carefully constructed poems. Its finely polished composition provides literary relief to the overwhelming confusion of a nation that has lost control of its own emotions and destiny. The only hope left is in the belief that above the clouds of this dark night of a nation’s soul, there is a God who has in the past shown that His mercies and love will never end.

[luvie]

Thankful!
Happy Thankful Thursday!