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Morning Devotional...



Groceries, Ant Style

"Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest."
Proverbs 6:6-8

Even a small household must have some organization to keep enough food and supplies on hand for the family. Yet the thousands of members in an ant colony never run short of supplies even though there is no central organization and not one shopping list. Modern science is discovering how the ant's astonishing system works.

An ant colony depends on worker ants to bring in water and supplies. In the morning, workers search mainly for drops of dew that can be carried into the nest. Some of the water is shared with nest mates. Some of the water is delivered to the brood chambers where immature ants are still developing. This water is used to soak the ground to keep the humidity inside the chamber high. Food is likewise collected by the workers and returned to the colony to be shared with every member of the colony. Food is most often shared by regurgitation.

To learn how widespread this sharing in the colony is, researchers gave one worker ant sugar water that was radioactively tagged. Within a day some of the tagged material had been shared with every member of the colony. Within a week every member of the colony had an equal amount of the tag. This means that through continuous food sharing every member of the colony always has an equal amount of food. When one worker is hungry, she knows that the entire colony is hungry.

This simple, yet ingenious grocery system designed by the Creator keeps ant colonies supplied through the sparsest of times.


Prayer: I thank You, dear Father, that there is no end to Your wisdom and Your care for the creation. Help me to remember that You will also care for my needs on earth as well as eternity, for You have shown me Your love for me in Jesus Christ. Amen.



REF.: E. O. Wilson. 1985. Discover, August. p. 47-49.

At our house we have a similiar set up -- if Travis is hungry, everyone else will know it.  Not because we "share" food, but because he becomes so totally unbearable.  <growl>

Yes, yesterday was mine and nard's anniversary.  I think I saw him for a total of 15 minutes.   Our lives are really busy right now.  I am thinking and thinking of what I can eliminate, and the only thing I can come up with is sleep. . .

Sorry I wasn't in here on the 10th.  We were gone most of the mornign and early afternoon.  We got home during a thunderstorm, and when I tried to get online after it was over, "there was no dial tone."  Ugh.  I figured lightning had fried the modem (again), but nards got it to working.  Apparently, the power strip did its job and sacrificed its life to keep our modem safe and happy (though still slow).

I hope ya'll have a wonderful day!

 Just to let you know, I'm not being unsociable. I did see your happy birthday message... today
I was in court for jury duty on the 6th, I had a busy weekend, and didn't log on from home.
(my work connection is about 1000 times as fast)
Right now I'm watching the sun come up, and soon I'll be headed home.

Good morning to all of you - it was a good night's sleep for me, and my son is home safely, so I really could rest much better.

I understand the busy-ness of life. My grandson and I had a long hour of talk on Friday evening, and we both remarked as to how life gets so complex and busy. I laughed and told him I was sorry he had inherited that gene from me!!! 

Has anyone heard from Mieka lately? I certainly miss her and so many of our other posters. I love each of you and pray for y'all much more than you know.

Pat, I trust the visit with your guests is going well. With your great capacity for love and faithfulness and sharing, I know they're being very well taken care of.

Janet, you're right - yesterday was a rare day - you know, I just might be able to get accustomed to that! However, I was useful - one of my managers had a question some of the information services folk could not answer, so she came to me and we solved it in less than 5 minutes. So, I left work with a real sense of accomplishment.

I'm going to repeat a part of my last night's post, for some folk don't have the time to review previous postings.

I've done an update of prayer requests that have had updates in the prayer request section of our site. Please follow the link to review.

Also, if you've placed a request there, check your request to see if you've given us a recent update. We care - we pray - and it's important to learn of the progress of those for whom we pray.

click here[/b]

May you have a wonderful day with God.

Ruth Ann

Today's Daily Word - Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Healing Power

Powerful healing is taking place within me now.

The New Testament relates the story of a woman who was healed when she touched Jesus' cloak. He told her, "Your faith has made you well." Many others were healed, and all were grateful and in awe of His power. However, Jesus was quick to remind them that wholeness was restored through the power of their own faith.

I remember the power of faith whenever I pray healing prayers for myself or someone else. With faith, I move beyond the appearance of illness or injury to the spiritual wholeness that underlies all creation.

Praying and affirming wholeness, I release the situation to God. I have faith that healing is occurring, and I am grateful.

"And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed." --Mark 6:56 [/b]

Good Morning. Well I may have a house. I am going to Blue Lake today to look at a place. It is owned by the same people who own Gilbert's house. It is a 1 bedroom cottage, wood heat, fenced yard, dogs welcome.  I will let you know later this evening if  got it. Blue Lake is only about 7-8 miles from McKinleyville and arcata, not too far to come to work. I have heard so many good things about the landlord, they are  good Christian people and are known by people in my church too.

We had our annual business meeting at church last night and all went very well. We will be getting some new equipment for the music department. Thank you Jesus we sure need it.

I hope everyone is doing well today and I must say thank you to you Pat for the devotional today, interesting stuff.


TTYL

May 11 - To Be or Not to Be

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"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

The verb "to be," in its various forms and tenses, enjoys wide usage throughout Scripture. Verses employing it, as it relates to us, contain many of the greatest and most precious truths. Consider the following sampling:

Past tense: "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8 ). "When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God" (v.10). "You hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1). "You, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled" (Colossians 1:21).

Present tense: "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven" (Romans 4:7). "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God?" (I Corinthians 3:16). "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation" (I Peter 1:5). "By the grace of God I am what I am" (I Corinthians 15:10). "Beloved, now are we the sons of God" (I John 3:2). "For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him" (Colossians 2:9-10). Note also our text verse.

Future tense: "It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is" (I John 3:2). "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (I Thessalonians 4:17). "And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him: And they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. . . . and they shall reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 22:3-5). JDM

I'm popping in to wish all of you a happy Wednesday. 

We are getting ready to lay tile.  I injured my elbow yesterday, I guess when I was taking up the tack strip--anyway, it throbbed so last night I couldn't sleep, pains radiating all the way into my little finger.  I finally got to sleep after two tylenol and two tylenol PM, but I'm sure not myself this morning.   I'm glad this is the last of the tile laying, we are not getting younger.  (Even though I have  younger lately!)

Friday night is our Mother=Daughter banquet at the Senior Center, and also my daughter Diane's birthday.  She's a jewel!

Have to take Beth to the Chiropractor again at 11:00.  He told her Monday that he doesn't think he is going to be able to help her.

Glue is down, gotta go!

I don't know how much I'll be in here in the next couple of weeks.  I was referred to a special physical therapist who works particularly with lower extremity edema.  She's got a great big bandage on my left leg, along with a special velcro-tied shoe to go over it on the foot.  I have to go to her every day this week, as well as pretty often through the next 3 weeks.  At that point, everything going well, I'll probably have to wear stretch stockings the rest of my life.  May God grant me patience, healing, and strength to do whatever He wills.

Please keep us fully informed, Marilyn, on the house in Blue Lake.  We get over as far as Glendale, right near Blue Lake, quite often, going the back route to Eureka.

Al I will call you and let you know what happenes. Thehouse is  off Chartin road on Ivy.
What back way to Eureka? The old Arcata Road? Does that come out near Blue Lake too? I don't think so.

This cold is really getting me down.  I slept good and I do think the meds are working but my eyes water and my sides ache from coughing so much.  Sooooooo I am on my way!!!

More glue setting, has to set for 10 minutes before we can use it after mixing.  Boy, this work was a lot easier a couple years ago!

Etta Sue, (((((hugs))))) to you, and may that cold go away QUICKLY!

Al, I wish you the best with those legs/feet.  Hope the remedy works, but I sure don't envy you having to wear support stockings the rest of your life.  I had blood clots in my legs and had to wear those, they are a JOY to put on!  NOT.

Marilyn, I hope you get this house if it's the one for you.  Sounds good, anyway!

Gotta run again!

re: mieka

I sent her dad an email about Jerry's passing, but haven't heard back.  I don't if the address/account I sent it to is still active.

Gotta do some stuff before I go back to work

have a great day

Hi everyone.  Just watched the evacuation of the White House and Capitol building.  Another false alarm due to a small plane entering restricted airspace.

I am having another of those tired spells.  The last one last three days and this is already day two.  I just don't feel like doing anything.  Will lay down for awhile after I post here in case I don't get back here today.

Marilyn, I sure hope the house works out for you.  It sounds like it might be just right for you although would sure hate to have to deal with wood heat.  However, if the house is small perhaps a lot of the time a small electric heater would do the job. 

Etta Sue, sorry to read that you are having such a bout with your cold.  Hope it has about reached its conclusion.

Janet, sorry about your arm.  Perhaps your bodies are sending you a message that this work is too hard for you at this stage in your life.  Hope you get the job completed soon.

Ruth Ann, it was nice to read that you had a more reserved day yesterday.

Al, I do hope the new treatment will do the job for you.  I well remember after my heart surgeries having to wear the special support hose and how good they felt on my legs.  At the time I thought I always want to wear them but that soon passed when I didn't need them anymore.

Karmat and Nards, a belated happy anniversary.  I thought that was probably the special occasion but failed to mention it yesterday.

Thank you all for the continued prayers regarding the heart transplant.  I have several other hurdles to get over before I will have to start listening for the telephone to ring.  However, this was probably one of the most important approvals since Kaiser will be paying the bills and they will be large if I ever get the transplant.

I have read everyone's postings and it is good to see the postings.  Hope all have a good day.  Time for a nap.

Janet, you are so correct.  This sunshine makes you feel "better all over than anywhere else".

I'm looking out the window as I type.  I see my rhodies just beginning to bloom.  Wygelia, pretty in dark and light pinks, has been blooming for weeks, but rain drenched.  My azalea(the one I can see from this window) is all pretty in it's fushia color.  If I looked out the kitchen window, I'd see a lawn that really needs to be mowed.  All this rain has done it's job.....everything is green and tall!  The pups love it, but come in with all kinds of stuff attached to their long hair.

Have a blessed day everyone.  I will be out in this sunshine as much as I can.     Nita

I love the spring and summer, too.

Didn't have a chance to wish all of you a Happy Mother's Day.

My weekend were filled with family and on Saturday a visit to
the cemetary --

while my husband was planting flowers on his mom's grave;
I looked around.

I saw a very old small headstone --white in color--it read:

Sarah A. Carey --born 1891 - died 1922.

I had a strong feeling that this person must have been a mother
and received lots of flowers ; now her gravesite was bare.

That bothered me a lot, a whole lot....

Well, her gravesite wasn't bare  for long; I asked my husband to plant flowers by her
and he did (without asking me why --he knows me by now, not to
ask when I request certain things like this) and I left hoping that
Sarah likes the pretty pink petunias that we planted.

Just thought I would share that with you.

Has anyone ever done something like this --feeling like you wanted to
do something and just did it without thinking??

Take care and as always,

Love in Christ,

Joyce

Joyce, good for you!  I believe those are called "Random acts of kindness"  or you could also call it "Paying it forward."  I hope one of that lady's decendents sees the flowers you and your husband planted and it makes him/her smile.

WHEW!!  We finally got the very last tile cut and laid, boy, are we ever tired!  You sure are right about that, Larry!  Our bodies are telling us that's too hard a job; but now it is done.  Well, all but grouting, polishing, sealing........   Darrel was saying the other day that he was going to build scaffolding around the dome so we could finish shingling it.  I said NO YOU ARE NOT!! That whole building is not worth one of us getting hurt and possible crippled for the rest of our lives!  I'd rather let it fall down!  And I mean that, too.  If we can hire it done, fine, otherwise, it will not get done!  Very dangerous, definitely not a job for seniors.

I am headed to the shower, then possibly a nap will be in order.  We are not having services at church tonight because of H. S. Baccalaurete.  I am so tired I was happy to get that call!

May 11   

Preaching: The Message Must Be Alive

Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord
said to me: "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have
this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out
and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to
plant."
--Jeremiah 1:9-10

A church can wither as surely under the ministry of soulless Bible
exposition as it can where no Bible is given at all. To be
effective, the preacher's message must be alive--it must alarm,
arouse, challenge; it must be God's present voice to a particular
people. Then, and not until then, is it the prophetic word and
the man himself, a prophet.

To perfectly fulfill his calling, the prophet must be under the
constant sway of the Holy Spirit. Further, he must be alert to
moral and spiritual conditions. All spiritual teaching should
relate to life. It should intrude into the daily and private
living of the hearers. Without being personal, the true prophet
will nevertheless pierce the conscience of each listener as if
the message had been directed to him or her alone.  This World:
Playground or Battleground?, 85-86.

"Lord, I pray that my preaching and teaching might never become
routine. Keep me fresh; keep me under the 'constant sway of the
Holy Spirit;' keep me alert and alive always. Amen."

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One woman tells of a time her dog disappeared. After searching
diligently, she placed a "lost dog" ad in the local newspaper.

The following morning her phone rang and a weak, cracking voice began,
"I'm calling about your dog." Then the caller coughed and cleared her
voice a few times. She explained that she wasn't feeling well and
that, in fact, she had not felt well since her husband's death three
years ago. She went on to relate that her parents, too, had passed
away since then and her sister was diagnosed with a fatal ailment.
Even her friends, she continued, were not doing well, and she gave
details of their various maladies and described the funerals of
several of them.

After 30 minutes of listening, sympathizing and even trying offers of
help, the dog owner steered the conversation back to the original
subject. "About the dog," she began.

"Oh," the caller replied, "I don't have him. I just thought I'd call
to cheer you up."

Letting you know that I didn't take the house, it was way too old, too small, too dark and in bad shape.  Not the one God wants me to have..

TTYL

Sure sorry, Marilyn.  I pray that our Father will steer you to another house very, very soon and that it will be the one He has for you.  By the way - have you given any thought to asking the owners of the one you just looked at whether they know of any others that would be suitable?  Or, failing that, is there any possibility they would do some refurbishing on the one you looked at?

Marilyn -I've been praying about your need for a home for quite awhile now.

BTW - thats a lovely new photo of you!  You are very attractive there girl!

Thank you Judy.

Al I am not that desperate to have a place that I would take something that I would not be happy to live in. I want a place where  will be able to stay for a looooooooooong time.  hate moving.

      I am taking a few minutes to say hello.  It was a cool but lovely day around here, but the kids
      on my school route this afternoon were crazy ( acting like the weather).
      My day was spent visiting a couple of friends and trying very hard to get caught up with the
      more of the unfinished jobs. 
      American Idol will soon be on so must find out who is this wks winner.


      Ruth

This cold is really getting me down.  I can hardly keep my eyes open.  Yeah, I know it is early but if I don't start a NEM now, I won't get it done.  It has been storming here, too.

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