1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
9 Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.
10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
20 He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.
Today I am reading and thinking upon and praying through Psalm 34. For this selection from the New King James Version I am grateful to my favorite online Bible site http://www.biblegateway.com/ ,where you can freely view and search multiple versions of the entire Bible.
Thank you Lord for your good promises to your people. Our hearts are steady when we trust in You.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Friday, September 5, 2008
Where does she stand on the Issues?
This week we have seen history. The country has been electrified with Sarah Palin. If I was writing this last week an introduction would have been necessary. But if you haven't heard the name Sarah Palin this week, where have you been? You must have been out of the country - no wait, that wouldn't work. Maybe the remotest parts of Alaska.
I decided a while back that I would vote for John McCain, but Wednesday night was the first night I felt enthusiastic about it. His VP selection is a gamble but I think a smart one. He may not win the election but he has a better chance with this dark horse candidate than with any of the usual suspects.
On a side note, I am so thankful to live in a country where I can state my opinion publicly without fear of arrest or reprimand if he loses, that I live in a country where his name is not the only name on the ballot or opposition supporters might torch my home for disagreeing with them. And I am thankful to live in a country that has chosen Barak Obama as a candidate for President. I disagree strongly with him on a number of issues but his life story is amazing and is an American story and is the reason people all over the world still look to America, because stories like this give HOPE. I will not vote for him, but it is because I disagree with him on the issues. His race is not a factor in my decision and doesn't seem to be for most which makes me think we might be making some progress.
Anyway, last night I was amazed at how Sarah Palin's person was summarized for public consumption. I don't remember the exact quote but it went something like "She's a hard-charging corruption-fighting snowmobile-riding moose-hunting conservative mother of five." Wow! That Todd must be a REAL man. No wonder they call him the First Dude.
I read somewhere that John McCain had met her once before announcing her as his Veep, so it wasn't her high-powered personality that won him over. It had to be her stand on the issues, and how he felt she could add something to his bid for the White House.
Where does she stand on the issues? I'm sure we'll find out more, but on paper she looks like a great conservative candidate. Where does Barak Obama stand on the issues? I'm sure we'll find out more but on paper he looks like a great liberal candidate.
This morning I woke up thinking about the issues. I wondered what it would sound like if my own life and beliefs were so analyzed and summarized, sliced & diced and bandied about like a baseball player's stats.
I got to thinking about how my Heavenly Father had picked me. I can tell you this, it wasn't because I can add something to His ticket. And it wasn't because I was right on all the issues. I have issues that you don't even know about. I probably have issues that I don't even know about, but at the right time the Holy Spirit will bring them up because He loves me and it is His determined purpose that I be conformed to the image of Jesus. He knows all about me, and where I stand on the issues, and what my own issues are and where I stand on them, where I'm right and where I'm conservative and where I'm liberal.
Thankfully He doesn't pick on the basis of that. He picks as He does because it pleases Him to do so. He doesn't owe us an explanation but has given one anyway. He owes us nothing but has given us everything in the person of His son Jesus Christ.
I am so thankful to live in this country. But my citizenship is not here. I am a citizen of Heaven. If you don't like that, that's because you're not from there. I will participate respectfully in the governing process while I'm here, but my heart longs for home and it will be glad when I get there. In the meantime, I've got to take a stand on the issues. Lord, let me be right on the issues that matter to You.
I decided a while back that I would vote for John McCain, but Wednesday night was the first night I felt enthusiastic about it. His VP selection is a gamble but I think a smart one. He may not win the election but he has a better chance with this dark horse candidate than with any of the usual suspects.
On a side note, I am so thankful to live in a country where I can state my opinion publicly without fear of arrest or reprimand if he loses, that I live in a country where his name is not the only name on the ballot or opposition supporters might torch my home for disagreeing with them. And I am thankful to live in a country that has chosen Barak Obama as a candidate for President. I disagree strongly with him on a number of issues but his life story is amazing and is an American story and is the reason people all over the world still look to America, because stories like this give HOPE. I will not vote for him, but it is because I disagree with him on the issues. His race is not a factor in my decision and doesn't seem to be for most which makes me think we might be making some progress.
Anyway, last night I was amazed at how Sarah Palin's person was summarized for public consumption. I don't remember the exact quote but it went something like "She's a hard-charging corruption-fighting snowmobile-riding moose-hunting conservative mother of five." Wow! That Todd must be a REAL man. No wonder they call him the First Dude.
I read somewhere that John McCain had met her once before announcing her as his Veep, so it wasn't her high-powered personality that won him over. It had to be her stand on the issues, and how he felt she could add something to his bid for the White House.
Where does she stand on the issues? I'm sure we'll find out more, but on paper she looks like a great conservative candidate. Where does Barak Obama stand on the issues? I'm sure we'll find out more but on paper he looks like a great liberal candidate.
This morning I woke up thinking about the issues. I wondered what it would sound like if my own life and beliefs were so analyzed and summarized, sliced & diced and bandied about like a baseball player's stats.
I got to thinking about how my Heavenly Father had picked me. I can tell you this, it wasn't because I can add something to His ticket. And it wasn't because I was right on all the issues. I have issues that you don't even know about. I probably have issues that I don't even know about, but at the right time the Holy Spirit will bring them up because He loves me and it is His determined purpose that I be conformed to the image of Jesus. He knows all about me, and where I stand on the issues, and what my own issues are and where I stand on them, where I'm right and where I'm conservative and where I'm liberal.
Thankfully He doesn't pick on the basis of that. He picks as He does because it pleases Him to do so. He doesn't owe us an explanation but has given one anyway. He owes us nothing but has given us everything in the person of His son Jesus Christ.
I am so thankful to live in this country. But my citizenship is not here. I am a citizen of Heaven. If you don't like that, that's because you're not from there. I will participate respectfully in the governing process while I'm here, but my heart longs for home and it will be glad when I get there. In the meantime, I've got to take a stand on the issues. Lord, let me be right on the issues that matter to You.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Take it to the bank
Emma is my daughter. She is seven and she makes my heart sing. She has a wonderful, very happy smile. She doesn't give it up easily but when she decides to turn it on she can light up every face in the room. Her brown curly hair regularly attracts attention, all her life strangers have walked up to her to comment on it. (I remember once telling a mom in Walmart that no, we did not get her a perm, she's only 2!) She can be shy in public but at home she loves to take center stage - singing, dancing, and trying to create as much hoopla and laughter as possible.
She's a great reader and loves attending the Branch Christian Academy. One day this spring I picked Emma up from school to have some daddy/daughter time together. I had to stop by the bank and as often happens Emma attracted the attention of the ladies who worked there. She was kind of shy but seemed to take it in stride.
Emma had her school uniform on, so one of the ladies working in the lobby asked her about school. Emma told her she was working on her memory lesson. "Can you say it to me?" she asked?
Emma nodded shyly and began. Children can be so open, their trust and vulnerability can break down the walls around our grown up hearts. Quietly and steadily Emma repeated "For God so loved the world, He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
For just a second it was very quiet. It was a holy moment, right there in the bank lobby. It was like someone had turned on a light, and suddenly everyone realized how dark it had been.
"That was really good honey" the misty-eyed bank lady told her. Then she gave her a yellow sucker, and we walked up to the teller. That holy moment was gone, but not forgotten.
I've prayed for that lady we saw at the bank that day. I'm not in that branch much anymore and I haven't seen her since then, but I have prayed for her when I remembered that day. I don't know what she decided to do with the Message, but I know she heard the truth.
This message about Jesus is wonderful news. And you can take it to the bank.
She's a great reader and loves attending the Branch Christian Academy. One day this spring I picked Emma up from school to have some daddy/daughter time together. I had to stop by the bank and as often happens Emma attracted the attention of the ladies who worked there. She was kind of shy but seemed to take it in stride.
Emma had her school uniform on, so one of the ladies working in the lobby asked her about school. Emma told her she was working on her memory lesson. "Can you say it to me?" she asked?
Emma nodded shyly and began. Children can be so open, their trust and vulnerability can break down the walls around our grown up hearts. Quietly and steadily Emma repeated "For God so loved the world, He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
For just a second it was very quiet. It was a holy moment, right there in the bank lobby. It was like someone had turned on a light, and suddenly everyone realized how dark it had been.
"That was really good honey" the misty-eyed bank lady told her. Then she gave her a yellow sucker, and we walked up to the teller. That holy moment was gone, but not forgotten.
I've prayed for that lady we saw at the bank that day. I'm not in that branch much anymore and I haven't seen her since then, but I have prayed for her when I remembered that day. I don't know what she decided to do with the Message, but I know she heard the truth.
This message about Jesus is wonderful news. And you can take it to the bank.
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