“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
City traffic can be a bit baffling. I have yet to upgrade my brain from paper maps and road signs to GPS. I suspect that, even with the spooky little disembodied voice, I’d still have some difficulty and occasional confusion navigating my way around some cities with all the one-way streets, dead ends, and whatnot. I’m from Indianapolis, so one would think; but alas, I was born and bred a suburbanite, and therefore, city traffic still befuddles me. I’ve ridden with cabbies in both NYC and London. I hear it takes several years to Continue reading “No dead end”
This terrific offering is from one of my bloggin’ buddies, Kathy Boecher at A Time To Share, and as an added bonus (at no extra cost!) the artwork is by her very talented husband, Paul Boecher! I’m scheduling this for summertime; it’s a good reminder between the two important holidays of Christmas and Easter. Check out Kathy’s site for more good stuff!
(Original art by Paul T. Boecher©)
REDEMPTION
Through the cobwebs of existence – through the darkness of our strife –
Through the dankness of our sinfulness and wickedness of life
Through the cobwebs of existence – through the darkness of our strife –
Through the dankness of our sinfulness and wickedness of life
Through the deepest, darkest pits of hell and the helplessness we feel –
Comes a single beam of light from heaven our sinful hearts to heal.
The light grows stronger as we move to get a closer glance,
But as we reach to touch it, we’re enveloped in a trance.
It’s just within our reach we think, but no matter how we try,
We can’t escape the darkness that consumes us from all sides.
Just when we think that all is lost and relinquish every hope,
The light erases darkness and through it we can cope.
This little light from Bethlehem became a brilliant Star
That came to earth to save the world from sin’s most deadly scar.
He came in darkness of the night, but His brilliance cannot hide.
We are redeemed by His great might. He’s always at our side.
KATHY BOECHER©
I love the imagery and symbolism in the Bible.
Well, okay, some of it (lots of it) is more than a bit gruesome and could rival anything coming out of Hollywood. I mean, why spend eight bucks at the theatre when you can read about the concubine who was cut up into twelve pieces and subsequently Fed-Ex’d (via chariot?) to each tribe of Israel?
And some people regard the Bible as outdated, irrelevant milktoast. Go figure.
But that’s not the stuff I’m talking about.
When read as a cohesive whole, the entire picture of the Bible is painted on the canvas of war. Kings rising and Continue reading “Clean-up crew on board”
Wow, Cookie! This is brilliantly said, since naturally I love analogies. So timely here. Thanks for this! A really important read.
Today’s average American is more apt to rebel against a tennis shoe
not coming in the right color than against the slow erosion
of our democratic freedom.
Marianne Williamson
(a major project at home/ red Georgia clay / Julie Cook / 2016)
It’s not the moon.
It’s not some foreign land
It’s not a desert….
Yet it feels very much like a desert.
Dry
Rocky
Dusty
With deadly heat radiating up and off.
This forbidding alien landscape, however, is merely an excavated and grated bank in our yard.
Remember our yard is a former pasture.
This is a large, long, dry, hot, rocky bank.
A daunting side project…a resulting spill off project, stemming from a larger project.
A side project, now a major project, demanding immediate attention.
There has been no rain…
Zero…
Nothing of consequence in over a month.
The word drought comes to mind….
And with a large…
View original post 1,156 more words
Gary Smalley, a gifted family counselor and founder of the Smalley Relationship Center, conceived a simple personality test using four animals as examples; the lion is used in his demonstration as one who tends to have inherent leadership potential, but is also fraught with some significant relational challenges. I’m thinking the Apostle Paul was, perhaps, one of these:
“Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to Continue reading “Lion tamers, to name a few”
In terms of home ownership, the only good mouse is a dead mouse. Unless, of course, the olfactory evidence informs you of the deceased, but you can’t locate the corresponding corpse. There are various outcomes connected with this unfortunate demise:
The odor tends to encourage one to relocate to a different part of the house. That’s not necessarily so bad if the size of one’s abode can accommodate such changes. If, on the other hand, you live in an apartment, or a house full of other people, say, three or four children, that’s not quite so easy.
And/or we try to cover up the smell with other smells. I would also tend to opt for opening the windows for that fresh air aroma, but this also is not so convenient in December or January. So, instead, I get a mixture of holiday cinnamon with dead rodent, which will likely not do so well on the market next Christmas.
We also might avoid having Continue reading “The mouse in the house”
Just in case you need a little pick-me-up in the dirge of current events. From the mouths of babes….
Another beautiful poem from another Dawn (i.e., not me, the non-poet). She prefaces with these words as an encouragement:
“I pray it sparks in you the courage (if you need it) to be raw and real in your spiritual journey, whatever you believe and whatever your heart towards God at this moment.”
Raw and real with God–that’s exactly what Continue reading “Seated in the Heavenlies”
If Truth in Palmyra thinks he can throw down the gauntlet and get away with it, then I’m in! (And I hope, if you’re reading this, you are also!)
Here’s the meme he posted:
To which my comment included:
“How would I live now if I really embrace fully this concept? What would be different about my responses and concerns?”
Followed by his invitation of:
“That’s a good question…what’s the answer? You first.”
Here’s some beginning thoughts, but perhaps you might add a few more? I have referenced a several blogs specifically, but anyone can play, as long as we all play nice. (Actually, all Christians could use some insight on this one, so comments are welcomed and solicited.)
My two cents:
Okay I guess that three cents instead of two. And perhaps I should stop, since I’m delving a bit deeper into the Superman analogy (that’s my husband’s blog…) But when you think of it, that’s what we are called to be, in a sense, naturally not of our own 
power but by the supernatural power from an Other-Worldly Source.
Thoughts?
Call-outs to all, including but not limited to:
AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST!!
And blessings to all. –dawnlizjones
INSPIRATION with an ATTITUDE 