Amy's Place ... Poetry and Potpourri ... January - December, 2024

JustAmy[creator], The Mayor, luvie, left that other site

[TheConservativeParty]

The arctic temperature brought us bright sunshine today.
There’s the silver lining of the cold.

😅

[The Mayor]

January 15

Serving Others for Jesus

Bible in a Year :

• Genesis 36–38
• Matthew 10:21–42

Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.

Mark 10:43 Actress Nichelle Nichols is best remembered for playing Lieutenant Uhura in the original Star Trek series. Landing the role was a personal win for Nichols, making her one of the first African American women on a major TV show. But a greater win was to come of it.

Nichols had actually resigned from Star Trek after its first season, to return to her theater work. But then she met Martin Luther King Jr., who urged her not to leave. For the first time, he said, African Americans were being seen on TV as intelligent people who could do anything, even go to space. By playing Lieutenant Uhura, Nichols was achieving a greater win—showing Black women and children what they could become.

It reminds me of the time James and John asked Jesus for the two best positions in His kingdom (Mark 10:37). What personal wins such positions would be! Jesus not only explained the painful realities of their request (vv. 38–40) but called them to higher goals, saying, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (v. 43). His followers weren’t to seek personal wins alone but, like Him, use their positions to serve others (v. 45).

Nichelle Nichols stayed with Star Trek for the greater win it provided for African Americans. May we too never be content with a personal win alone but use whatever position we gain to serve others in His name. .

Reflect & Pray

What are your current personal and career goals? What doors could you open for others right now?

Dear Jesus, show me how to use my position to serve others in Your name.

[luvie]

Sunshine is a big help. It’s helping our kitties stay warm as they sit in it during our 18-degree morning. Hope y’all have a warm-up soon!

[luvie]

Happy Monday Madness!

[left that other site]

Happy Monday Madness!

If I Had Opposing Thumbs, I Could RULE THE WORLD!

(((HUGS)))

ML/LTOS

[luvie]

The thumbs aren’t preventing THAT at all!! LOL!

[TheConservativeParty]

The forecast says in a week it will be 35.
Today only around zero.
Nice sunshine again!
🌝

[left that other site]

The Brains Make Up For The Lack of Thumbs.

[luvie]

Sooo true! :)

[luvie]

Just thinking about a 0 temp makes me ~~~shiver~~~

Hope your above-freezing weather gets there sooner than a week.

[TheConservativeParty]

I was surprised we have anything near 30 coming next week.
Would be nice to melt some of the snow.
🌝

[The Mayor]

January 16

Learning from Mistakes

Bible in a Year :

• Genesis 39–40
• Matthew 11

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us.

1 Corinthians 10:11

To help avoid future financial mistakes, such as those in 1929 and 2008 that brought down the world’s economy, the Library of Mistakes was founded in Edinburgh, Scotland. It features a collection of more than two thousand books that can help educate the next generation of economists. And it serves as a perfect example of how, according to the library’s curators, “smart people keep doing stupid things.” The curators believe that the only way to build a strong economy is to learn from prior mistakes.

Paul reminded the Corinthians that one way to avoid yielding to temptation and to have a strong spiritual life is to learn from the mistakes of God’s people in the past. So to make sure they wouldn’t become overconfident with their spiritual privilege, the apostle used ancient Israel’s failures as an example from which to gain wisdom. The Israelites engaged in idolatry, chose to “commit sexual immorality,” grumbled about the plans and purposes of God, and rebelled against His leaders. Due to their sin, they experienced His discipline (1 Corinthians 10:7–10). Paul presented these historical “examples” from Scripture to help believers in Jesus avoid repeating Israel’s mistakes (v. 11).

As God helps us, let’s learn from our mistakes and those made by others so that we might gain a heart of obedience for Him. .

Reflect & Pray

What warning should we recall when tempted to sin? How can we learn from our mistakes as well as the mistakes of others?

Dear God, please help me learn from failures so that I might be more obedient to You.

[TheConservativeParty]

Happy GratiTuesday!
Well, it was -10 degrees at 9am.
About -15 last night.
Can hardly wait for Shorts Weather next week when it will be 35!
😎

[left that other site]

Snow and ice here in MA. But not as cold. My heart goes out to you!

[luvie]

LOL! Reading your posts about the bitter cold up there is what keeps me from whining about our miserable little 12-degree weather. LOL! Hope you get some comparative warmth soon!

[luvie]

Peaches Loves The Warm Sun,
...And Is Grateful For It When It's Cold.
Happy GratiTuesday!

[left that other site]

Move To Boston?

From Florida?
Surely, You're Not Serious! (Yes I'm Serious. And Don't Call Me Shirley.)

(((HUGS)))

ML/LTOS

[luvie]

LOL! And yet, there you are! :) I’m sure you love being near family...when it’s not blizzardy.

[left that other site]

Yes. You are right about that.

[The Mayor]

January 17

Choosing to Follow God

Bible in a Year :

• Genesis 41–42
• Matthew 12:1–23

Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . . As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

Joshua 24:15 “The average person will make 773,618 decisions over a lifetime,” claims the Daily Mirror. The British newspaper goes on to assert that we “will come to regret 143,262 of them.” I have no idea how the paper arrived at these numbers, but it’s clear that we face countless decisions throughout our lifetime. The sheer quantity of them might become paralyzing, especially when we consider that all our choices have consequences, some far more momentous than others.

After forty years wandering in the wilderness, the children of Israel stood at the threshold of their new homeland. Later, after entering the land, Joshua, their leader, issued to them a challenging choice: “Fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness,” he said. “Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped” (Joshua 24:14). Joshua told them, “If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . . But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (v. 15).

As we begin each new day, possibilities stretch before us, leading to scores of decisions. Taking the time to ask God to guide us will influence the choices we make. By the power of the Spirit, we can choose to follow Him every day. .

Reflect & Pray

What choices have you regretted making? How might you have handled those situations more wisely?

Father, sometimes life can feel overwhelming—and so can the many choices that confront me. Please guide my steps and my decision-making so that I honor You in the choices I make.

For further study, read Dangerous Decisions: Learning from the Mistakes of Lot and Achan.