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Morning Devotional...
TURNING POINT WITH DR. DAVID JEREMIAH

Love Through the Ages

Jesus replied, "You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind."
Matthew 22:37, NLT




Two wings of a bird; two halves of scissors; two sides of a coin. Sometimes two things go together so well that, alone, they are only part of the picture. That is true of the Old and New Testament revelations of God's love.

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word hesed—"loyal-love" or "lovingkindness"—illustrates the central theme of God's love. God's loyalty to, and compassion toward, Israel was demonstrated by His hesed toward them. But there were conditions to be met: the requirements of the Mosaic Covenant. By the time we get to the New Testament, Israel's failure to walk in God's covenant resulted in discipline. God's loyal love was then extended to all the world in an expanded way. Agape is the New Testament word that means unconditional, sacrificial love—love "in spite of." Even while we Gentiles were sinners, Paul wrote, God loved us unconditionally and sent Christ to die as payment for our sins. Loyal, unconditional, sacrificial love—that is the full expression of God's love for us.

Toward you, God is loyal and faithful and unconditional. Meditate on how life-changing His love is and what your respond should be to Him.


Recommended Reading
1 John 3:16-18



God's love for his people is infinite and unconditional.
John Blanchard

Jeanne:  Thank you for devotions.   Agape is a wonderful word.  I used to belong to a group with that name - it taught me so much about living in love.  Thanks for the reminder to always look with love.

Cannot believe it is already Ash Wednesday. 

Larry:  The speakers at Don's class are retired (sometimes) professors and the majority are very interesting.  No tests involved.  He likes to play cribbage and go to classes because it is fun and thought provoking material.  We usually go to the gym together but today a tendon in my leg is acting up probably from over-exercise.  Good excuse to catch up and do the laundry and plan Fridays meal with 3 neighbors coming over. 

Our friends and neighbors at home have the cold temperatures but the heavy snow is missing our neighborhood.  I am about to write a note back to a friend and will ask her why she was writing an email to me at 4:30 AM.   

Hi everyone on a much cooler morning.  We had a thunderstorm during the evening hours but it is sunny this morning and will get into the lower 60's this afternoon. The schedule is light today as only have coffee this morning with the men as the minister had to cancel our Wisdom group for today.  Late this afternoon Pat has an appointment for a haircut.  Beyond that I plan on just taking things easy. 

I did get my pacemaker checked yesterday and still have about 3 years of battery life left before it will have to be replaced.  The plans for dinner were changed as Scott filled in for someone last night who was having car trouble.  He came out around 12:30 and spent 90 minutes or so with us.  Then after his daughter had taken him to work we came out and spent the evening with us helping grandma get the enchiladas put together and made a nice lettuce salad.  We had a nice visit with her.  I did retire early last night as hadn't felt up to par yesterday and had to take nitro a couple of times, which always wipes me out. 

Carol, the classes Don is participating in sound like something I would really enjoy.  I also have loved to play cribbage since I was a young lad as my grandfather and father liked to play.  I have the cribbage board that my grandfather had that has ivory pegs in inlaid wood. 

Jeanne, thanks for getting us started with a new monthly devotional reading.  It is certainly a good one.   

Hi everyone.  It looks like this is going to be another very pleasant clear day and get into the 60's this afternoon.  We do have a potential for a freeze after midnight although our local TV station weather app shows it getting only to 34 degrees so perhaps it won't get to freezing.  Nothing much on the schedule for today and hope to stay home all day.  I do need to make another batch of sausage muffins for Pat's breakfast and change the furnace filter.  I also need to reconcile a couple of bank statements.  Yesterday Pat did get her hair cut and we came home for awhile and then went to Ruby Tuesday's for dinner.  I was so tired yesterday evening that I went to bed at 8 pm. 

Hi everyone.  It is a chilly but sunny, with the birds singing, South Carolina morning.  We were under a freeze warning last night but I do not believe we got that low, although close.  There is a large strawberry farm not far from here and I just read in the newspaper that they are already picking the strawberries.  They have a problem because their Mexican workers are not due here until mid-March.  There are no more nights in the 30's predicted for the next 15 days. 

I had a very quiet day yesterday although did have to take my car down to let my son use it as his had to be towed to a tire facility as he had a flat and in trying to get a stubborn lug nut off he had to apply so much pressure that it broke off the bolt.  He should get the car back today and bring our car back home.  Nothing on the schedule for today that requires us to leave the house so plan a very laid back day. 

Big washing today - how can two people have so much laundry? 

We had three neighbors over for a Swiss style meal last night - using a special toaster for Raclette cheese and that is carefully watched until it bubbles then scraped on veggies.  The vegetables in AZ are great being fresh daily.  Also, a baguette on the side for the melted cheese.  It is a lot of fussing and Don suggested it - always a hit and we have to really watch and help everyone get the hang of it so nothing but cheese melts. 

Just exhausted from yesterday - we are going out this afternoon and Don is working on taxes now. Humming birds have found their way back and we have three feeders out.  The quail have returned - the papas are so very proud and colorful.   We have lots of calls and emails of relatives and friends asking about open dates for visits.  Wishing they would come in the winter sometimes but everyone loves to sit outside and watch the stars in the spring.  Don't we all? 

Slowing and thoroughly reading a book about a former atheist becoming christian.  It is so comforting and keeps me from having a melt-down over some stuff. 

Congrats to Fotobirder!!!!  That is a wonderful picture of a Blue Jay - am I right? 

Good Sunday morning, just coming up to 8am here in UK...I shall be going to the church I joined last week in a couple of hours but this week it is not for Holy Communion, just the morning worship so may not last as long as the service last week, I will need to take my mobile and somehow slip outside to make that call for Richard to come collect me, although he says he will be there at a certain time waiting in the car park...We do stop for a cup of tea after the service but it is all done inside and near to the back of the church, not in a separate room, so most are drinking tea standing and chatting for a short while that was was how it worked last week, of course I would rather a backroom or a separate hall where we sat down, but whats to be, will be...

Our weather was forecasted as rain-winds and thunder, but now changed to light rain and winds, so I shall take my umbrella as even for that short walk down the slopey path, and at the slow speed I now walk, I could get myself a drenching, so best go prepared...
So whether this will be my every week church, maybe, but I shan't be ruling out sampling other churches before I find the right one to settle into, but a village church I guess is more what I am looking, and the friendliness of the smaller congregation...

Hi everyone.  It is another beautiful Sunday morning here in the South and we will get up to about 70º this afternoon.  Pat and I will go to Sunday School and Church and then eat out or pick up something to bring home for our big meal for the day.  Then we expect to spend a restful day.  I will watch the last day of the PGA Championship from Mexico City later this afternoon.  Our granddaughter brought our car back about 4:30 yesterday and stayed to have dinner with us, which was most enjoyable.  About 7 pm I took her back to where Scott works so she could get his car. 

Carol and Jackie, sure good to see your postings since I had been posting to myself for the last couple of days.

Carol, that sounds like a very interesting and tasty meal you fixed for your neighbors but not one you would want to make too often.  We use a lot of cheese in our household. Pat is talking about putting her Hummingbird feeder out but think it is still a bit early for this area. 

Jackie, hope you didn't need that umbrella this morning.  I bet if you asked someone they would get you a chair during your tea time fellowship following your church service. 

Larry Hanna...not sure too much space for a chair but there is always the pew bench if I need to sit down, although nowhere safe to place my cuppa really...

I am happy to read this time round your Pat was able to go to church with you, and what a good Idea is to stop off for a breakfast meal before returning home....I cant really do that myself as R is not a church goer...I do very much wish at times that I had a hubby or partner who shared my church passion...
I am so far happy with my choice of church, they are such a nice friendly, and welcoming small group of mostly parishioners of my age group or older...

Oh Larry, I am glad we have saved you from " posting to yourself..." almost as bad as talking to ones self, which is something I am very much used to inside this house, but thankfully as yet, I have not reached that stage of answering to myself...

Carol, now you are making me feel very hungry, re, your Swiss style meal....
I do enjoy sitting outside, weather permitting, watching and listening to the birds but, since moving here I have left most of my local garden visitors behind, just sadly, dont get anywhere as many birds here in this garden, just the odd few that stop off at my feeder...

Good Sunday to all,

Jackie:  We tend to choose a church with a good message - and we have worked at starting a church from scratch so that was most gratifying and humbling as well.  You will know when you find the right one.  Yes, you need a place to sit and enjoy tea and chat.

Time to vote on or latest photo challenge:  HERE

Jeanne you left out one photos the one of my dog Happy the border Collie on your list of photos

It snowed here again this morning, but was all melted on the street when we left for church. There were only about 10 people in attendacnce this morning, I think most were afraid to drive in the snow and it was so cold. The heater in my car was blowing nothing but  cold air.

It was Communion Sunday at our church.

I see on Facebook where Janet and Darrel have returned from their trip to Croatia.

Marilyn, somehow the title of your photo got changed in the poll to "march".  I have no idea how that happened, but it's been corrected now.  Thanks for bringing it to my attention. 

Marilyn, although I only joined my new church two weeks ago, I was told by one parishioner that two weeks previously whilst we were going through a very cold spell that the heating had broken down inside our church when she mentioned how warm and comfortable it was today in our church...
We have been pretty lucky this winter, again for probably the third year running, we never had any snow, well just the odd flutter, but nothing settled in our areas...

Hi everyone.  It is an overcast morning but we are headed up to 73º this afternoon so will be a nice day.  I have several things on my schedule for today including a quick trip to Aldi's to replenish several items including our vegetable supply.  Then I plan on attending my noon meeting unless I am feeling too weary.  I do have a couple of chores that need to be done in the kitchen like grating cheese.  I also need to go around the outside and inside of the house with my bug spray as we are getting some ants in the house.  Scott has today off, as far as I know, so we may see he and our granddaughter later today. 

Jackie, our church gets out at noon so it is the main meal of the day that we have afterwards.  We ate at a Mexican restaurant that we like and Pat was able to get a salad meal that kept her pretty well on her diet.  Glad you are liking your church.  Perhaps you could ask someone to hold your teacup while you take a seat to be more comfortable.  Not only do I talk to myself but often answer myself, if only in my mind.

Carol, around 1980 we had just moved to Georgia and hadn't found a Church yet when a neighbor, who is a Methodist minister, stopped to visit us and invited us to come to his new church that was just starting in a trailer out along a beautiful river.  We did join the Methodist church at that time and we helped get that church started.  We left Georgia after five years to move to D.C. The church grew and a plus $1 million dollar new church building was erected.  They had moved and repaired an old very small country church onto the grounds where we had the trailer and it was there that Stacey got married, which was the first marriage held there.  Unfortunately the marriage didn't last.

Marilyn, glad the snow had melted by the time you went to church.  That was a small turnout.  What is your average attendance? 

Hopefully Janet will say hi today.  I expect they will need a couple of days to rest from the travels back to Kansas. 

Well, it never rains but it pours. 

Saturday morning I changed the thermostat from night to day and.... nothing happened.  I was hoping, of course, that the problem was nothing more than that the recent high winds had blown out the pilot light.  Emergency call to repair company, found out I was only one of many, and help finally arrived a couple of minutes past noon. (boy was I cold & bundled up) Blower was dead.      replacement approximately $600 and not for several weeks.

He managed to get it going with a temporary fix but warned it would last only a couple of days at the most.  So my next call was to a friend from church to ask him to get me a couple of electric heaters.  He did pick up two ceramic heaters and installed them at opposite ends of the trailer, "just in case".  Good thing.  It quit again this morning with room temp only back up as far as 64^o

The Town has received a grant for home repairs and I'm quite sure I qualify for that - for a furnace, water heater and roof.  All are original with the 25 year old trailer.

Meanwhile, I'm being very grateful that the Lord brought me to this church with a "Helpiing Hands" program and wonderful, helpful members.

Jeanne Lee:  Sorry for your heating issues.  I hope everything gets fixed for you at a fair price.  $600 sounds like a lot for fixing - not replacement.    Maybe it will begin to warm up for you very soon ?  We can pray about it.  I am glad you have two heaters in the house so that will help for now. 

When you look for a lost something at least three times - it is time to come to the conclusion that it is really lost.  How can that happen?  Am stupefied. 

Don is back from a lecture - it did not go well.  The speaker had the microphone right next to his lips and almost all in the audience asked questions before the mike could be handed to them - despite instructions at first.  We have seen this happen too often and it is ruining the lectures for a lot of people who cannot hear the questions and the answers. 

Meanwhile, the hummingbirds are happy with three feeders outdoors and more quail is visiting daily.  All this action - it is so exciting! 

Larry we usually average about 30. We are a small congregation.

Hi everyone on a bright and sunny Tuesday morning and we are headed up to about 81º this afternoon.  My main activity for today is to shortly leave to see the podiatrist.  It is about a 25 minute drive to his office.  When I am finished there I will drive down to my son's home to switch cars with him and come back home in my PT Cruiser.  He needs to put his car in the garage and my granddaughter can't drive a shift stick car so they will use our Hyundai until his car is repaired, hopefully by tomorrow evening.  Scott did make the main dish for our dinner last evening and our granddaughter made the lettuce salad to so with it.  We had a nice visit with them. 

Jeanne, sure hope those heaters kept you warm last evening and will serve the purpose until you can get the furnace situation straightened out. 

Carol, too bad the lecture was spoiled in the manner you described. 

Marilyn, your church sounds very much like the one I grew up attending, which was a small country type church.  There were only two churches in our little town and they were Methodist and Christian (Disciples of Christ).  As far as I know the churches are still in holding services. 

Hi everyone.  We have an overcast morning but will again get into the low 70's this afternoon.  Pat is going to attend her Gifts group this morning at Church, something she hasn't done for most of this last year.  While she is doing that I will go to coffee with the men at the cafe.  She may want to get her main meal our after she is through with the Gifts group as I will be having the evening meal with Scott and Jennifer at the Wednesday night dinner at Church.  Then Scott and Jennifer will come out to the house for a little while.  It is nice to live so close and getting to be with them at least once a week.   

Hello!!  Yes, we are home again!  We got home last Tuesday afternoon, very weary.  And I had lots of laundry to wash and lots of mail to sort!  And no email notices from Cp.    While I was praying this morning, I thought about it, so stopped and made myself a note to find you today and catch up--which I just have done.  Good to hear all who are posting are doing well, but sure wish the others would come back and post!

Jeanne, hope you will get help with your trailer repairs!  And that you got the blower repaired, too.

We were awake for over 26 hours coming home  Part of that was because we had much too long a layover in Detroit--over five hours.  By the time we got to Oklahoma City, I felt like a walking Zombie!  We spent the night and drove home the next day.

Beth and John were all right when we got home, but she is always very happy to see her Mom!  It is getting almost impossible to understand anything she tries to say now.  So heart-breaking!

We had a very pleasant three weeks trip.  And on April 7th we will leave for another month!  Then I think we shall stay home for quite some time!  These next trips we booked back to back to save the airfare as well as the wear and tear on us!  We will be going to Italy, Spain and Portugal.    I'm so very thankful we are in good health and still able to travel!

Jackie, it's all right to talk to yourself; and its all right to answer yourself.  But when you start asking, "HUH?" then you have a problem!   

We are having terrible wildfires in our corner of Kansas, whipped by high winds.  So far, over 650,000 acres have burned!  Some towns had to be evacuated.  Over 30 homes have burned and five people have died.  Please pray that the winds cease and we get some much needed rain--or snow!  We will take anything WET!  On the news just now, they said, "This is far from over!"  Fires are so big they can be seen from space!

We had nice weather while in Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Hertzegovina.  There was some rain two days, but we love rain! 

Have you heard from Pat?  I've been praying for her and wondering how she is doing.

So nice to read your postings again Janet

I went to the cancer center with freckles to visit today pone other team was with us. We had a good tim e, the folks are always so happy to see and pet the dogs. I even took her with me to the chiropractor this morning. Now we don't have any more visits until Tuesday next when  we go to Blossom Gulch School to teach the kids about safety and how to care for their own animals this will be with the K-2 grades. We went to the Coos bay head start yesterday.

Hi, friends,
Its so good to hear from all of you through your postings.

This has been a busy week, and yet another appointment tomorrow.

The temp is predicted to rise above 70 tomorrow, then possible rain changing to snow Saturday night. Brrrr!

Y'all have a good day.

Ruth Ann

Well I blinked, and then noticed, there were nine postings since I last made a post....

Larry Hanna....
.....I need to take more advantage of what my church offers, they have other services throughout the week...There is also a village hall a short distance away that does several things such as, ( I have the diary on the website, ) Lady's Friendship Circle - a Crafter group - Community Lunch - Coffee Morning and a Lunch Club...

Jeanne Lee....
....I hope by now your heating thermostat has been sorted, isn't that the thing that happens, if it is going to pack up, it will pack up in winter...

Carol....
....sorry to read the lecture did not go well, seems so many people got let down, and felt rather frustrated...

Marilyn....
.....we too are a small congregation, small, friendly and welcoming...

Larry Hanna....
.....I have gotten a tad lost along the way, who is Scott and Jennifer?....

Janet....
....enjoy your trip to Portugal, I have visited there, especially I enjoyed our river cruise on the Douro River, but not before visiting Oporto - Mateus Palace gardens - and historic Lamego, to name just a few...
That was quite some journeys you took on your recent trips, no wonder you are warn out with the back home travelling...take time for a little rest...
I need to catch up on, who Beth and John are...
Right or wrong, my first thought on wild fires is the survival of our wildlife, the innocent wild animals...Terrible to hear human lives being lost, and homes burnt to the ground, having to start over again...I hope and pray they can and will get the fires under control...

Marilyn....
.....is freckles what we call, a PAT dog, a therapy dog?

Ruth Ann...
....I dont know what your appointment is, but If it is medical, I wish all the best for you, re, your today visit..

Nothing on my today agenda....I am posting at 6.30am, been up a couple of hours already, these hours seem to now be my norm..

It is a beautiful but cooler morning but will warm up throughout the day into the 70's again this afternoon.  I will pick up my friend and we will go to coffee.  I had expected to have the Wisdom group after coffee at the Church but the minister has been called to attend another meeting so that has been cancelled.  I have no particular chores on the agenda for today so expect to have a very restful day.  We should get our car back from our son later this afternoon if they get his car repair finished.  Pat enjoyed her Gifts craft group yesterday but came home exhausted.  We had a nice meal at Church last night and a short visit with Scott and Jennifer.

Janet, glad to see you home safe and sound and glad you checked in.  I hope you and Darrel are getting rested up after that long, long trip home.  It sounds like you had a wonderful trip and now another one on the horizon.  Are you all safe from those terrible fires?  Sorry to hear that Beth continues to fail. It has been several days since I have seen a posting from Pat.

Marilyn, it sounds like you have had a busy schedule with Freckles with more on the way.

Ruth Ann, hope your appointment today goes well and that the snow will stay away from area. 

Jackie, it sounds like trying out some of the village hall activities would be another good way to make new friends and enrich your life to the extent you are able to participate. Scott is our son and Jennifer is our granddaughter, his daughter, who is currently living with him.  I liked your graphic and it is a good reminder of how I should live my life for this day and everyday. 

  Larry Hanna...
...thank you for putting me straight, I should have known the answer to my own question really but...for some  reason I was thinking Scott was the hubby of your darling, now departed Stacey, which only got me more confused when you mention Jennifer...

It seems to be a sunny, dry and glorious weather day here too...our sky is quite blue and clear apart from the odd white faded cloud, but it does look very much like Spring has been sprung early...

That is good to hear Pat enjoyed her craft group, from what a lady friend told me at church last week, it is not that important as to whether we know much about the subject matter of the class just the fact they are a friendly bunch that focus more on a friendly get together, a chat, and maybe having a bit of a laugh...Guess at the end of the day, if we get out to socialise, that must be a plus in our drab indoor existence...even though my top of right leg inside - and groin area has really been coming alive these last couple of days, the movements, the nerves, the involuntary contractions, it has a mind of its own..but no pain...just hard to maneuver that leg...

Larry Hanna....ah yes, now it is all flooding back...if I remember rightly, it was Scott who not long back lost his dear wife...apologies for bringing this all up again...it is good you both have a close bond...

Forever Friends

by Joni Eareckson Tada


"From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live."      Acts 17:26


 
Did you catch that? It's no mistake that you are living in this century, this decade, and this very year. It's no accident that you are residing in your town, living on the street you live, and with the neighbors you see every day. And is your circle of friends just coincidence? No way. God has determined it.
 
Just think. You could have easily been born in another time, another place. Or you could have been raised on the other side of the country
-- think how different your life would be growing up with a whole new set of childhood friends and neighbors.
 
Of all the billions of possibilities, of all the millions of people with whom you could have been best friends, God determined the exact time and place where you should live. When you consider this amazing fact, your friendships take on a new and profound significance. God has a special reason, a unique design in each friendship. He chose to surround your life with these certain and treasured dear ones for good reasons.
 
As Christians, these are the people with whom you will live for eternity, enjoying an even greater dimension of friendship. Because God has placed you together on earth at this time and in this place, you and your friends have a chance to get a head start on God's eternal plan.
 
Father, I stand in awe at Your wisdom and ways. You could have placed me anywhere on this earth, but You determined that I should live here and now. Teach me what this means. Show me Your special design for my friends and family. And thank You that each person You put in my life is precious in Your eyes.

Blessings,

Joni and Friends