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Morning Devotional...

A Confession
Psalm 51:1-19  NLT

    1 Have mercy on me, O God,
        because of your unfailing love.
      Because of your great compassion,
        blot out the stain of my sins.
    2 Wash me clean from my guilt.
        Purify me from my sin.

    3 For I recognize my shameful deeds--
        they haunt me day and night.
    4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
        I have done what is evil in your sight.
     You will be proved right in what you say,
       and your judgment against me is just.

    5 For I was born a sinner--
        yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
    6 But you desire honesty from the heart,
        so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being.

    7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
        wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
    8 Oh, give me back my joy again;
        you have broken me--
        now let me rejoice.
    9 Don't keep looking at my sins.
        Remove the stain of my guilt.
  10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
        Renew a right spirit within me.
  11 Do not banish me from your presence,
        and don't take your Holy Spirit from me.
  12 Restore to me again the joy of your salvation,
        and make me willing to obey you.
  13 Then I will teach your ways to sinners,
        and they will return to you.
  14 Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
        then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
  15 Unseal my lips, O Lord,
        that I may praise you.

  16 You would not be pleased with sacrifices,
        or I would bring them.
       If I brought you a burnt offering,
        you would not accept it.
  17 The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit.
        A broken and repentant heart, O God,
        you will not despise.

  18 Look with favor on Zion and help her;
        rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
  19 Then you will be pleased with worthy sacrifices
        and with our whole burnt offerings;
        and bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.
What examples of repentance have been part of your life?[/size][/color]

    Because we are born as sinners (v.5), our natural inclination is to please ourselves rather than God. 

   David followed that inclination when he took another man's wife.  We also follow it when we sin in any way, acting according to our own selfish desires.  Like David, we must ask God to cleanse us from within (v. 7), clearing our heart and mind for new thoughts and desires. 

   Right conduct can come only from a clean heart and mind.  Ask God to create in you a clean heart and mind.
The Best of the Bible--365 Must-Read Bible Passages[/i]

micahjmurray

My cell phone paid for itself.  The family woods is in the middle of a mile square.  I hooked my little wagon/cart to the back of my Craftsman to take my cordless weed-eater back to the woods.  There was some grass growing around the fire pit and I felt that those city girls that are coming Monday night might think it was something besides grass if it tickled their legs.  So I used the weed-eater on the grass and around some trees where Kaye Don couldn't get up close with his mower. 

When you are back in the woods, it is so quiet, so peaceful.  You hear nothing but the leaves rustling in the wind, birds chirping, occasionally a squirrel scampering and sometimes the resident hoot owl.  It is always 15-20° cooler back there.  I had some phone calls to make so sat on some tiles saved from an old chicken house that was torn down years ago.  I decided that I had better get back to the house.  But....

I HAD A FLAT TIRE ON THE CRAFTSMAN!! !!

So I called Kaye Don to see if his air compressor was battery operated...line busy.  Called his cell phone...left voice mail message.  Then called Ivalou to have her drive back and get me.  Meantime, Kaye Don called me.  Ivalou came in and told him about my flat.  Kaye Don was online...busy phone.  So pretty soon he came back with his Craftsman pulling his air compressor.  It pumped up okay and stayed up while driving back to my garage.  If it goes flat again, then I will have Tony come plug up the hole or put some more of that green slimy stuff in the tire. 

But my cell phone paid for itself.

I have made my 'to do', 'to buy' and 'to take back to woods' list for next Monday and what days to do and buy.  Thursday is a rest day. 

Etta Sue:  I feel the sameway about my cell phone.  Once when travelling to my son's in Michigan, I took a wrong turn, - ended up in Detroit's "Harlem like area"...was I scared!  I called for help, and a State Trooper came to my assistance, and led me out to safer highways!

I wouldn't be without my cell phone!

                                                      June 16, 2005


WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS?

     Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down
     his life for his friend.

     John 15:13,15
     

Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for
Him. Peter said - "I will lay down my life for Thy sake" and he meant
it; his sense of the heroic was magnificent. It would be a bad thing
to be incapable of making such a declaration as Peter made; the sense
of our duty is only realized by our sense of the heroic.

Has the Lord ever asked you - "Wilt thou lay down thy life for My sake?" It is far
easier to die than to lay down the life day in and day out with the
sense of the high calling. We are not made for brilliant moments, but
we have to walk in the light of them in ordinary ways.

There was only one brilliant moment in the life of Jesus, and that was on the Mount
of Transfiguration; then He emptied Himself the second time of His
glory, and came down into the demon-possessed valley. For
thirty-three years Jesus laid out His life to do the will of His
Father, and, John says, "we ought to lay down our lives for the
brethren." It is contrary to human nature to do it.

If I am a friend of Jesus, I have deliberately and carefully to lay
down my life for Him. It is difficult, and thank God it is difficult.
Salvation is easy because it cost God so much, but the manifestation
of it in my life is difficult. God saves a man and endues him with
the Holy Spirit, and then says in effect - "Now work it out, be loyal
to Me, whilst the nature of things round about you would make you
disloyal." "I have called you friends." Stand loyal to your Friend,
and remember that His honour is at stake in your bodily life.

Oswald Chambers

Marilyn, what an enlightening devotional! Yes, each day, living our Lives for Him is where the battle's won (and I agree, sometimes it's most difficult). I'm thinking of the old chorus, "May the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,..." I love that chorus.

I'm gonna try at work today, but actually feel a bit worse than yesterday and the swelling is greater. So, I have a "bird beak" instead of a top lip this morning.

Y'all have a good day.

Ruth Ann

Today's Daily Word - Thursday, June 16, 2005
Healing
The presence of God is restoring and revitalizing me. I am healed.
At times, I may need to remind myself that the presence of God is active within me always. God's presence is a source of pure life and health that revitalizes me and restores me so that I am whole and well.

The presence of God is continually renewing me. Divine life is present in every cell of my body, renewing each vessel and organ, infusing each one with cleansing light. Every impurity is washed away, and I feel stronger and better with each passing moment.
Within every cell of my body, I am being restored and renewed. As my outlook improves, my health increases dramatically. As healing takes place, I am energized.

The presence of God is restoring and revitalizing me. I am healthy and whole and renewed.

"In your hand are power and might; and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all."--1 Chronicles 29:12

Ruth Ann:  The swelling is bound to be relieved soon, I hope for your sake. 

It is quiet here.  We are expecting severe weather this afternoon, which is probably a thunderstorm.  We are close to the foothills so that can mean floods but on a hill so our house is quite safe.  I was thinking of stormy weather yesterday and how that can mean everything to a family from losing their jobs and any income, losing their home, illness and accidents - and there is always the comfort of reading the Bible and faith in the words.  How fortunate we are to live in our part of the world.  Carol

Here I am back from a wonderful night's rest that God gave to me.  I woke up with a cat on each side of me wanting my attention.  Once I am up, then they could care less about me but that is our time together.  I love it. 

I have laundry to do and am hanging it out on the line.  I love line dried clothes.  Probably helps that I have really soft water and there is a wonderful breeze today. 

Then I plan to go shopping and get some things that I need and have been putting off getting. 

Other than that...nothing else planned.

Hello all!  The medicine prescribed for Kristi seems to be working a little, at least it did yesterday. I haven't given it to her today, yet.

Not al ot going on today, but htis evening will be busy.

I hope all of ya'll are having a good un!

Today I am taking Jan's cat to the vet for her shots, going to all three clients and to Physical therapy. I am trying to get Fay to give me Thursdays off for at least the next 6 weeks while I am in PT. I am using the Home Traction unit at the PT, but not the one they will be ordering for me. I have to get a letter from my doctor for Medicare to pay for the home unit.

Today is Savannah's 9th birthday and they have invited me out to Blue Lake for cake and then a party on Saturday night. Thursdays are a stressful day for me but I don't want to miss out on my g-daughter's BD, so I will just have to grin and bear it for one more day.

TTYL

It aint sposa rain this time of year, but guess what - it's doing it anyway!  Supposed to be showere today and showers tomorrow too.  Our pastor is going to be travelling down to the Bay Area (San Jose) this weekend to visit with his father on father's day.  The worship leader is going to be gone also.  So another fellow and myself have to "hold the fort" while they're gone.  I wouldn't even mind if y'all prayed for me!

Saying Hello before moving on to complete  more jobs before leaving for work.

We had rain yesterday afternoon and evening also this morning but it is predicted to end by noon.
Our gardens and lawns are now starting to look beautiful.

Ruth Ann:  Do take care of yourself.

Karmat:  I know that Kristi is a little young but perhaps a little orange at noon would do wonders, Our son had similar issues and we found that a small amount of orange ( the real thing not juice) worked wonders.  36 yrs later he is doing well.

Pat, Marilyn, Al, Larry, Carol, Etta Sue and the rest do take care.


Ruth

Hi, friends,

Etta Sue, I really like the devotional today.

I finished the day about 4:30 today. It's kinda nice to leave while the sun's still shining!

Y'all have a good day. Thanks for the good wishes.

Al, with your love for others and your experience in the ministray, I believe you'll do well. However, will add you to my prayer list.

Ruth Ann

Hi everyone.  I am late getting here today.  After coffee this morning I went with my friend up to the big Senior Center and he checked out the connections for his laptop as he will be using it tomorrow afternoon for a program he is giving to the Computer User Group.  When I got home I had some computer work I needed to do and then went to Calvin Cove.  While I was at the church I took some photos of the setup they did for Bible School this year.  Very creative and obviously a lot of work went into the decorating.  If they turn out well (I will try to look at them tomorrow) I will share a few of the better ones.  I want to use them to make a special page on our church website.  Pat and I went out to eat supper this evening and when we got back did a video conference to check out AOL IM with my friend. 

I have read all the messages from yesterday and today.  I am tired this evening as didn't get to rest this afternoon and therefore I will be brief tonight.

I am really upset. MediCaid has informed me that hey will no longer pay full medical for me and are going to charge me a monthly copay of $431. my SS is only $421. Any way I have to call them tomorrow as my monthly medication bill will be $417. per month if they do not pay it anymore.

AAARRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!![/color]

Oh, Marilyn!  That's not good.  I'll be praying about this along with you.


Well, today was a bit of a trying day for me.  I took some friends out for lunch and then my afternoon that I had hoped to be free was very busy due to the fact that my friend decided to spray my apple trees for me.  I'm so thankful that he does this for me.

Then Judy McKenna and Norm picked me up to take me to the church for visitation for our dear pastor's wife, Monika.  It was sad.


And tomorrow, I have TWO funerals to attend.  Monika's is at 11 am and then a very dear friend of our family passed away in Nebraska and she's being buried in Guelph as the first church she and her dear husband pastored was here in Guelph 60 years ago.  So, I'll be attending "Auntie" Grace's funeral at 2 pm tomorrow.

Indeed, it will be a difficult day for sure.

Now it's time to lock the door here and I'm off to my bed in anticipation of tomorrow and the need for much rest.

Let's pray too for Janet as she goes off on a little mini vacation diving and attending her Family Reunion.

Talk to you soon,

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