Thoughts for the Week ~ March 30

[Al Moak]

Don't take it into your own hands!

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Morning Devotional...

Psalm 39

David was SO much like us!  The background to this psalm, was apparently a situation in which it would have been best for him simply to remain silent, to let the "wicked" have their say without answering, even if they spoke about him.  And he was quiet for a while.  In fact he held it as long as he could.  But all the time he was nearly bursting inwardly because of the injustice, falsehood, and pride of his persecutors. It's likely that if he could have continued to remain silent they would eventually  have "hanged themselves" with their own words -.  but he couldn't.

When he finally couldn't take it anymore and just had to defend himself, the inner dam burst, and a torrent of words escaped his mouth.  He became nearly as bad as his accusers had been, and he actually sinned with his mouth - grievously.  He knew he shouldn't have done it.  He had purposed before the Lord to hold his tongue.  But, just as we often do, he failed, and now there were consequences. He began experiencing various troubles, and it didn't seem like the Lord was helping him at all - and he knew why.  he had sinned.

The real problem was that David (so much like us) was trying to take things into his own hands. God's covenant people should never do that!  They should always trust Him and let Him take care of their problems instead.  But, like David, they fail, and God is dishonored by it. 

But dear brothers and sisters, that's why David composed this psalm and introduced it into the daily worship - he knew everyone who sang it could relate to it, because such things happen to everyone.  So he led them in a song of confession to God and prayer for His mercy and restoration.  He knew they'd all need it.

In the first three verses, he simply tells God what he's done.  Then, in the next three verses, he confesses his weakness, his foolishness, and the shortness of his time on this earth.

Finally, he confesses that the Lord is his only hope.  He begs God's merciful forgiveness - that He would turn to him again because his life is too short to spend it apart from Him.  He begs His gracious restoration and says, "Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears, for I am a stranger with You, a sojourner, as all my fathers were.  Remove Your (reproachful) gaze from me, that I may regain strength, before I go away and am no more."

Has this ever happened to you?  Have you ever "burst" out with words that should never have been said?  I suspect we all have.  Confess your sin to your Lord.  Seek His restoration.  He's merciful.
Al Moak

Here's a hymn that reflects these thoughts.  Just click to hear the music.

He Looked Beyond My Fault
Lyrics by Dottie Rambo
(to the tune of "Londonderry Aire")

Galatians 5:1
"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."


Amazing Grace, shall always be my song of praise.
For it was grace that brought me liberty,
I do not know, just why He came to love me so.
He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.

I shall forever lift mine eyes to Calvary,
To view the cross, where Jesus died for me
How marvelous, His grace that caught my falling soul
He Looked beyond my fault and saw my need.

[Jane Walker]

Thanks, Al, for this very timely devotional on Psalm 39.  I love the song you posted, as well.  Truly it is amazing grace that saves us from our own self-destruction.

Larry, I'm glad you made it home safe and sound ... I well remember the long drives I have done in the past, and how happy I would be to get home to my own bed! 

[Don]

Thanks Al for the devotional. Boy can I relate to this Psalm. Seems like I always know when I should keep my mouth shut before I say anything but my mouth is already in gear and there is no stopping. Forgive me Lord!

Thank you for your Grace.
Don

[Carol]

Al:  On the question of bursting out with the wrong & awful words - no, but I have "thought" the evil words and that is just as bad.  Thank you for the message.

I am up early and awoke with the thoughts and prayers for daughter and all of her work friends who are high tech and marketing experts - out of work.  She has formed a club for them to meet as they are really struggling and two have homes for sale.  The work is suddenly going to 20 year olds - so this is a crises in their lives.  I pray that all handle everything well and look to Lord as guidance. 

Nita:  Sorry that you did not get that clickable.  It is about Christians being forced out of an Arab country because they are being condemned for being "overactive" - which means the muslims don't want any Christians around because they fear the message.  I just think it will get worse and worse. 

Gotta have my 

[JudyB]

Thank you Al for that devotional.  So many times in the past 5 hears I should have held my tongue but like David the dam broke.  I learned, as did David.  Thank you

[Pat]

Great devotion to start this week, Alan. 

Oh, that we watch our mouths and be careful what comes out of them!  

[Pat]

Let's have some fun and thoughtful moments as we answer the following Trivia submitted by Marilyn:

• 1. What is you favorite thing to eat, Be specific? (not a nonspecific like Mexican or Chinese...But just ONE thing)
  
  
• 2. What is your favorite time of day?
  
  


• 3.    How can we pray for you today?
  
  


• 4.  Do you read your Bible daily?
  
  
• 5. What is your favorite time to spend with the Lord each day?
  
  


• 6. Do you have a prayer partner that you call frequently?
  
  


• 7.  In one word how would you describe how your home looks at this moment?
  
  

To take part, just click the "Quote" button beside my post and it will paste into your posting box and just answer the questions.  Just remove my comments and leave only the questions.

Enjoy!

[Pat]

Now, I'm leaving to pick Norm up to take him to Hamilton to visit Judy.

Please click on the link in the left sidebar and go and congratulate our winners in our last Mini Challenge.  Some wonderful photos and now we're waiting to hear from Sarge as to what the next topic will be!

[Samantha]

Let's have some fun and thoughtful moments as we answer the following Trivia submitted by Marilyn:

• 1. What is you favorite thing to eat, Be specific? (not a nonspecific like Mexican or Chinese...But just ONE thing)
  
  

Reese cups!

• 2. What is your favorite time of day?
  
  

Morning

• 3.    How can we pray for you today?
  
  

My health

• 4.  Do you read your Bible daily?
  
  

No

• 5. What is your favorite time to spend with the Lord each day?
  
  

Morning

• 6. Do you have a prayer partner that you call frequently?
  
  

no

• 7.  In one word how would you describe how your home looks at this moment?
  
  

Disaster

[Pat]

Hey, Samantha!  I think you were peeking in my windows!  Disaster!!! 

[Jane Walker]

• 1. What is you favorite thing to eat, Be specific? (not a nonspecific like Mexican or Chinese...But just ONE thing)
  
  

Don't think of me as "strange" but I love a good meatloaf.  Add mashed potatoes and gravy and I'm very happy! 

• 2. What is your favorite time of day?
  
  

Evening -- just before dark

• 3.    How can we pray for you today?
  
  

Continued good health

• 4.  Do you read your Bible daily?
  
  

No

• 5. What is your favorite time to spend with the Lord each day?
  
  

All day ... (and night, too)

• 6. Do you have a prayer partner that you call frequently?
  
  

No

• 7.  In one word how would you describe how your home looks at this moment?
  
  

Comfortable

[smhead]

I love these kinds of things! Here ar emy answers

1. What is you favorite thing to eat, Be specific? (not a nonspecific like Mexican or Chinese...But just ONE thing)
Pad Thai with pork. Mmmmm.

2. What is your favorite time of day?
Evenings, just after dinner time because that's family worship time!

3. How can we pray for you today?
That my family would be guarded from anxiety about the mass layoffs at my work.

4. Do you read your Bible daily?
Yes

5. What is your favorite time to spend with the Lord each day?
Evenings, mornings, how can I pick just one?

6. Do you have a prayer partner that you call frequently?
My wife is my most precious prayer partner. My fellow elders at church give me accountability, and we pray for one another.

7.In one word how would you describe how your home looks at this moment?
Distant (its 32 miles away at this moment)

[Etta Sue]

Let's have some fun and thoughtful moments as we answer the following Trivia submitted by Marilyn:

• 1. What is you favorite thing to eat, Be specific? Nacho Supremes!!!!
  
  
• 2. What is your favorite time of day? Early morning when the birds are just waking.
  
  


• 3.    How can we pray for you today? Pray for my health and a praise that my numbers went down in 6 weeks!
  
  


• 4.  Do you read your Bible daily? Yes, reading the New Testament, Daily Bread and Upper Room daily.
  
  
• 5. What is your favorite time to spend with the Lord each day?
  Right after breakfast...before I start anything else for the day.
  
  


• 6. Do you have a prayer partner that you call frequently? No
  
  


• 7.  In one word how would you describe how your home looks at this moment? Presentable.
  
  

[Etta Sue]

My doctor appointment was this morning to discuss my blood work done last week.  It was just for cholesterol and it went from 215 to 175 and my triglycerides went from 246 to 134.  HL from 70 to 67 and LDL-C from 95 to 82...in 6 weeks.  And I lost 6 pounds.  She was pleased but gave me a new prescription for Vytorin...10/80mg. 

I also told her about my upcoming surgery and asked her why I am not to have any vitamins or herbal medications for two weeks prior to surgery.  She said 'and that includes fish oil capsules'.  And she said because they all thin your blood!  So I am not to take my One a Day Vitamin, Calcium with Vitamin D AND four fish oil capsules! 

Then Ivalou and I ate Chinese.  Then to WalMart.  I had to get a prescription refilled and purchase some other things while there.  I told Ivalou to not let me forget to go to the bank and cash a check...she did.  After I got in the house, and was doing my paperwork, I saw the check in my purse.

Oh, yes!  The Check!  It was for $25...the monetary amount for my first place computer generated photo at Kokomo!

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[Al Moak]

1. What is you favorite thing to eat, Be specific? (not a nonspecific like Mexican or Chinese...But just ONE thing) Butterscotch pudding with icecream.

2. What is your favorite time of day?  Early, early morning.

3.    How can we pray for you today?  Improvement in my legs

4.  Do you read your Bible daily? Yes

5. What is your favorite time to spend with the Lord each day? 6AM to 6:30AM

6. Do you have a prayer partner that you call frequently? No

7.  In one word how would you describe how your home looks at this moment? Definitely "lived in."

[Carol]

    * 1. What is you favorite thing to eat, Be specific? (not a nonspecific like Mexican or Chinese...But just ONE thing)

   Swedish pancakes with Lingonberries

    * 2. What is your favorite time of day?

  Morning


    * 3.    How can we pray for you today?

  My children and husband - my family and you can add that I need to read my bible daily 


    * 4.  Do you read your Bible daily?

No

    * 5. What is your favorite time to spend with the Lord each day?

On my walks


    * 6. Do you have a prayer partner that you call frequently?

no


    * 7.  In one word how would you describe how your home looks at this moment?

Welcoming  (I am not home at the moment but it is really a good place to visit).

We are to have beautiful sunsets in Tucson - already missed tonight because we have no view here - because of the ash from the Alaskan volcano. 

[Pat]

Re Judy McKenna:
I am home from taking Norm to see Judy in Hamilton, Ontario.  She was in good spirits.  The room was very hot and she asked me to gently fold the sheet down bit by bit so that she'd be a bit cooler but still be looking decent so I did this for her. 

She's quite bandaged, has a morphine pump to administer her own pain meds and she has weights hanging off the end of the bed that are attached to her limbs.  She'll be like this for 8 weeks!   

I'm sorry but I came away very sad.

We had a time of prayer together and I was able to share some verses from the scripture with her.

[JudyB]

1. What is you favorite thing to eat, Be specific? (not a nonspecific like Mexican or Chinese...But just ONE thing)

Chicken Fingers

2. What is your favorite time of day?

Late afternoon

3.    How can we pray for you today?

For my health and the health of John and the girls

4.  Do you read your Bible daily?

No but I lesten to the Bible being read

5. What is your favorite time to spend with the Lord each day?

Afternoon around 2:30

6. Do you have a prayer partner that you call frequently?  Yes


7.  In one word how would you describe how your home looks at this moment?

Lived in

[JudyB]

The girls are doing well in Cadets.  Kass has a lesson plan to prepare for mext Monday and she has to also teach the lesson.  If she does well at this then she will be in line for another promotion at Annual Inspection in June.

I was home late from cadets and rather tired so I am off for today.  I will be vack tomorrow.

God bless and have a good rest everyone.

[Janice]

1. What is you favorite thing to eat, Be specific? (not a nonspecific like Mexican or Chinese...But just ONE thing)
Good old fashioned cornbread dressing

2. What is your favorite time of day?
Early morning

3.    How can we pray for you today?
Relief from chronic back pain

4.  Do you read your Bible daily?
Yes.

5. What is your favorite time to spend with the Lord each day?
Early morning is my quiet time with the Lord. 

6. Do you have a prayer partner that you call frequently?
No.

7.  In one word how would you describe how your home looks at this moment?
Lived in. 

[Janice]

Thanks Al, for the devotional today.  Yes, I am guilty too, my tongue betrays me.  I am reading in the book of James currently, and in chapter 3 I read about how "no man can tame the tongue."  We have good intentions, but Satan loves it when we fail.  God's grace is our only hope.

Carol, I hope your blood pressure is stabilized now, that can sure get dangerous.  Been there myself.

I would like to ask you all to pray for this little family in Texas.  We got an email this evening from Earl's brother, and he sent a forward from an email he received from his grandson's wife.  How sad this sounds.  I don't know this girl, we have not met her, but we know Josh of course.  These kids need uplifting in the coming days. 


....."Good Morning Papa Ray,
I wanted to check in on you and see how you were doing.  I am assuming that Carol or Randy told you about the baby.  It was confirmed last Tuesday that our little Rowdy has an extremely rare and fatal disease.  He has no chance to thrive and they think it best that they go ahead and induce my labor due to safety concerns and risks if I wait until his due date in July.  They are going to induce me tomorrow morning in Brownwood at the hospital.  Josh and I have to be there at 5 am.
     This is definitely not what we had wanted or expected!  I guess the Lord knows best and I find comfort in know for sure where Rowdy is going and that when he gets there he will have a New body!  Praise God for that.  That is what keeps us going.  The Dr. told Josh and I that this happens 1 in a million times.  I told Josh that I already knew we were special but not 1 in a million!  On a brighter side, he said the chances of it happening again are slim to none.  We should be able to have another healthy baby.  Just wanted to let you know what was going on.  We are going to have a graveside service out at the cemetery in Caradan where Josh and I were married.  We are thinking it will be Thursday at 10 am.  There will be a lunch following at the Cowboy Church in Goldthwaite.  We would love to have you if you would like to come.  I have really been proud of your grandson.  He is a fine man and has been my rock. He is having an extremely hard time so please keep him and I in your prayers.  I am confident in knowing that blessings and good things will come from this experience.
Love you much,
Sandy. "

[Ruth Ann Bice]

Al, as I read the devotional this morning, my mind began to hum the little children's song "Oh, Be Careful Little Eyes What You See" and thought through all the verses. How necessary it is for us to guard our eyes, ears, thoughts, tongue, hands, and feet!

1. What is you favorite thing to eat, Be specific? (not a nonspecific like Mexican or Chinese...But just ONE thing)

Chicken Curry with veggies on brown rice

2. What is your favorite time of day?

When it's very late in the afternoon, shadows are long, and things in the landscape are silhouetted against an almost dark sky. It seems peaceful then, as if God is wrapping us in His love as we prepare to rest for the day.

3.    How can we pray for you today?

Please pray with me for the salvation and spiritual growth of my children and that the Lord can use me as He sees fit.

4.  Do you read your Bible daily?

No - I need to ask forgiveness for this and ask for strong resolve to begin once more to do so.

5. What is your favorite time to spend with the Lord each day?

As I'm driving, at the computer, and when there's a moment to rest. My longest prayer time is just before I fall asleep.

6. Do you have a prayer partner that you call frequently? 

Yes, several ladies and I support each other in a prayer group.


7.  In one word how would you describe how your home looks at this moment?

Happy/peaceful/welcoming

[JudyB]

Oh Janice.  How touching.  I am in tears at the genuineness and unspoken heartache.  Let them know that a sister in the Canadian town of Powassan is praying.

[Etta Sue]

Janice ~ You can read the peace from God in the email from your g-niece..I think that is how you are related.  Only God can give peace when someone is going through the trials that these two are going through.  God is already with them.  I read in Our Daily Bread this morning...When we know that God's hand is in everything, we can leave everything in God's hand.  True!

I was on the phone for over an hour with a person from Ultimate TV last evening.  Seems most of my recordings since coming back from Florida are pixelated...not constant but intermittent.  She had me to reset the receiver to like new.  Now we will see if it worked.  If not, I will have to get a DVD-R. 

Dark and dismal today.  A great day to stay inside and do laundry...which I am doing. 

Have a God-filled Day!

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[Marilyn]

I am back on my own computer now. It took Keith from 9am to 7:30  pm to get the  room that is our office set up, desks moved around and cleaned up on Sunday, All I did was warm the set of the couch all day. I did set up my won computer though.

# 1. What is you favorite thing to eat, Be specific? (not a nonspecific like Mexican or Chinese...But just ONE thing)
Huarache (a Mexican Dish)

# 2. What is your favorite time of day?
early early morning

# 3.    How can we pray for you today?
That I can pass the Oregon Written drivers test the first time.

# 4.  Do you read your Bible daily?
Yes but not lately

# 5. What is your favorite time to spend with the Lord each day?
Early Morning when all is quiet and any other time of the that I am free for a few moments

# 6. Do you have a prayer partner that you call frequently?
Yes she lives in Oklahoma

# 7.  In one word how would you describe how your home looks at this moment?
Family Room is a disaster with boxes  every where, but the rest of the house is lived in.

[JudyB]

I am back from grocery shopping.  A lot of meat specials today.  Heather came with me as she had shopping to do too. What a good time we had.  It has been a long time since we have had a day out like this.

The weather has been beautiful.  Nearly all the snow is gone.  Even the river has the chanel opened up.  Soon the Geese will be back.

John is in Superior Wiscinsin right now.  He has battled weather all day.  He may move on depending on the weather report for the night and tomorrow morning.

Well have a great evening everyone.

[Larry Hanna]

Hi everyone.  It is going to be a rainy evening here in Georgia and they are saying the drought we have had for three years is over.  They had about 5 inches of rain here just while we were in Florida.  I don't know whether they will remove the watering restrictions or not.

Pat, it is about 500 miles from here to St. Petersburg, as I recall. 

Al, thanks for the new devotional for this week. 

I am sitting with a heatpad to my back as it has been aching for a couple of days and seems to be worse today.  It may be from all the hours spent sitting in the car as don't seem to have any symptoms of having the flu or something like that.

Etta Sue, congrats on your cash prize. 

[JudyB]

It is raining here again in the north.  We had several power outages which messed up the alarm and we all slept in.  The girls are home today.  That is fine they will catch up tomorrow.  They each can call friends to find out what was missed.

I will be back.  I am going through the pictures.  If you have time check out the pictures that have been posted.  We have some very talented photographers here!

[Etta Sue]

I got up early for me and went to Noblesville and had breakfast.  Then went to the grocery store.  Then filled the car up with gas.  Then to Lapel to the bank. 

Ivalou called when I got home and I am going with her to Woody's..a restaurant in Lapel and then to the drug store at noon. 

Then this evening Ivalou and I are meeting Marge at the funeral home for a visitation and then will go to eat somewhere again....

There goes my cash prize for my photo win!! 

And I have to shower and wash my hair and make a salad for the funeral dinner tomorrow before leaving this evening. 

Bright and sunny today.  Beautiful day!  Nothing like yesterday! 

It was so windy yesterday that my umbrella broke from the wind when I went for my mail.  Got a new umbrella today! 

Also I am getting a DVR Thursday morning...my Ultimate TV is sick!

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[Marilyn]

I am kinda just running through here this morning I have lots to do. I've been online paying bills, washed some dishes and  now I have to make a few phone calls to see if I can find a decent kennel to board the dogs for when I go to California to see the kids and when we go on vacation.

some on asked if my temp thing reflected  when I am living now but I am not sure who or where it was asked., yes it does.