Amy's Place ... Poetry and Potpourri ... January - December, 2022

1-01-2022 | The Mayor; Luvie; JustAmy

[left that other site]

Happy Gratituesday!

I Am Grateful For Easter!

(((HUGS))))

ML/LTOS

[The Mayor]

Our Daily Bread

Wednesday,
April 13, 2022

Carried by Love

Read: Isaiah 46:1–10

I have made you and I will carry you. Isaiah 46:4

My four-year-old grandson sat on my lap and patted my bald head, studying it intently. “Papa,” he asked, “What happened to your hair?” “Oh,” I laughed, “I lost it over the years.” His face turned thoughtful: “That’s too bad,” he responded. “I’ll have to give you some of mine.”

I smiled at his compassion and pulled him close for a hug. Reflecting later on his love for me in that cherished moment also caused me to ponder God’s selfless, generous love.

G. K. Chesterton wrote: “We have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.” By this he meant that the “Ancient of Days” (Daniel 7:9) is untainted by sin’s decay—God is ageless and loves us exuberantly with a love that never falters or fades. He’s fully willing and able to fulfill the promise He made to His people in Isaiah 46: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you” (v. 4).

Five verses later He explains, “I am God, and there is none like me” (v. 9). The great “I am” (Exodus 3:14) loves us so deeply that He went to the extreme of dying on the cross to bear the full weight of our sin, so that we might turn to Him and be free of our burden and gratefully worship Him forever! — James Banks

In what ways does God carry you through each day? How can you draw new strength from Him in this moment?

Beautiful Savior, I’m so thankful Your love for me never grows old! Help my love for You to grow ever deeper.

Bible in a year: 1 Samuel 22–24; Luke 12:1–31

[luvie]

Whazzup?
Happy Warm & VERY Fuzzy
Wednesday!

[left that other site]

Happy Happy Happy

...Warm And Fuzzy Wednesday!

(((HUGS)))

ML/LTOS

[TheConservativeParty]

Wow! They are sooooo cute!

Having 2 stormy days here, not as bad as predicted, thank goodness. The cold bad weather went north into MN and northern WI, and bad warmer stuff stayed south in Illinois. Only rainy here today, no severe weather.

😅

[left that other site]

Brautiful warm sinshine here, but still wet and chilly at night. :-)

[luvie]

[TheConservativeParty]

Good Night FRiends
See ya on Thankful Thursday
😴
⭐️💫🌟✨🌙

[Kitty Mittens]

Thank you for the Beautiful Daily Pings, Dear FRiends.
(((((Hugs to Everyone, and God Bless)))))

[luvie]

Nighty night. Hope you are getting some nicer weather for the weekend.

[luvie]

Nighty-night, Kitty!

[The Mayor]

Our Daily Bread

Thursday,
April 14, 2022

“And It Was Night”

Read: John 13:21–32

As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night. John 13:30

Elie Wiesel’s book Night starkly confronts us with the horrors of the Holocaust. Based on his own experiences in Nazi death camps, Wiesel’s account flips the biblical story of the Exodus. While Moses and the Israelites escaped slavery at the first Passover (Exodus 12), Wiesel tells of the Nazis arresting Jewish leaders following Passover.

Lest we criticize Wiesel and his dark irony, consider that the Bible contains a similar plot twist. On the night of Passover, Jesus, expected to free God’s people from suffering, instead permits Himself to be arrested by those who would kill Him.

John ushers us into the holy scene before Jesus’ arrest. “Troubled in spirit” over what awaited Him, at the Last Supper Jesus predicted His betrayal (John 13:21). Then, in an act we can scarcely comprehend, Christ served His betrayer bread. The account reads: “As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night” (v. 30). History’s greatest injustice was underway, yet Jesus declared, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him” (v. 31). In a few hours, the disciples would experience panic, defeat, and dejection. But Jesus saw God’s plan unfolding as it should.

When it seems as though the darkness is winning, we can recall that God faced His dark night and defeated it. He walks with us. It won’t always be night. — Tim Gustafson

When have you experienced panic, loss of hope, and despair? How would you describe how you felt after you came through that dark experience?

Thank You, Jesus, for keeping Your Father’s plan in view when You went through the steps to the cross. Thank You for conquering death for us.

Bible in a year: 1 Samuel 25–26; Luke 12:32–59

[luvie]

Thankful For Spring Blooms
Happy Thankful Thursday!

[TheConservativeParty]

Happy Thankful Thursday!
Trying to guess what flower that is, Baptisia or Blue Bonnets or something else?

😁

[luvie]

It’s the first blooms on my poor water-starved wisteria. LOL!

[left that other site]

Happy Thankful (and Holy!) Thursday.

I Am Thankful For My Lord and Savior, Jesus.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[luvie]

Amen!

[TheConservativeParty]

Good Morning, TGIF, heading to work soon.
We had brief snow squalls Thursday afternoon.
Winter still saying hello to us.

See ya later this afternoon, have a good day!
☺️

[The Mayor]

Our Daily Bread

Friday,
April 15, 2022

His Cross of Peace

Read: Mark 15:16–24

A certain man from Cyrene . . . was passing by . . . and they forced him to carry the cross. Mark 15:21

Somber eyes peer out from the painting Simon of Cyrene by contemporary Dutch artist Egbert Modderman. Simon’s eyes reveal the immense physical and emotional burden of his responsibility. In the biblical account from Mark 15, we learn that Simon was pulled from the watching crowd and forced to carry Jesus’ cross.

Mark tells us that Simon was from Cyrene, a big city in North Africa with a large population of Jews during Jesus’ time. Most likely Simon had journeyed to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. There he found himself in the middle of this unjust execution but was able to perform a small but meaningful act of assistance to Jesus (Mark 15:21).

Earlier in the gospel of Mark, Jesus tells His followers, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (8:34). On the road to Golgotha, Simon literally did what Jesus figuratively asks His disciples to do: he took up the cross given to him and carried it for Jesus’ sake.

We too have “crosses” to bear: perhaps an illness, a challenging ministry assignment, the loss of a loved one, or persecution for our faith. As we carry these sufferings by faith, we point people to the sufferings of Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross. It was His cross that gave us peace with God and strength for our own journey. — Lisa M. Samra

What “cross” have you been asked to carry? How can you use this struggle to point others to Jesus?

Jesus, thank You that You understand and sympathize with the pain I experience as I take up my cross and follow You. Give me courage and strength even when the journey is difficult.

Bible in a year: 1 Samuel 27–29; Luke 13:1–22

[luvie]

Chris DeBurgh~Lady In Red

GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS!