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Morning Devotional...

Psalm 22.1.  "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

David is leading the people in singing a minor-keyed dirge about the utter desolation and total abandonment he felt when it seemed that the Lord would not hear him - when it seemed like he had been finally and permanently cast off - cut off from the Lord Who was his only source of life and meaning in this world.

And he doesn't charge his Lord with wrong doing even in such abandonment. Instead he sings, "But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel."  He explains that what he means is that their fathers trusted God and were delivered in times of crisis, that they cried to Him and didn't need to be ashamed, because He heard them.

But, David says, he himself isn't like that.  He hasn't been worthy of  salvation like that, because, he says, "I am a worm and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people." He even sees himself as being ridiculed by the people, because they see him as deserving his fate, as being abandoned because he deserved to be abandoned.

We too deserve to be abandoned, because we've  rebelled against a God Who deserves only love and praise.  But, wonder of wonders, our Lord Jesus Christ experienced on our behalf all the abandonment we deserved!  He Who "did always those things that please the Father" had to feel as though He had done NOTHING to please the Father!  He experienced all OUR guilt.

Even in the midst of his depression, though, David expressed his utter dependence upon Jehovah.  He cries out to his apparently unhearing God that he's facing the greatest of enemies and that it's almost too late to save him.  He says, "Many bulls have surrounded me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.  They gape at me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion." The predicament  is desperate.  He says, "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it has melted within me!  My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue clings to my jaws!  You have brought me to the dust of death!"

Even his people, too, considered him a lost cause.  David says of them that "They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots" - as though he would have no further use of them.  But, dear friends, so it was also for the greater Son of David as well - and so it was for us IN Him. 

But even in that extreme David persisted.  He had trusted his God from his earliest moments, and he would therefore not cease to pray to Him now - even though he knew himself to be unworthy.  He prays what no doubt seemed to him like a final, desperate prayer: "But You, O Lord, do not be far from me!"

So for our Lord Jesus, as well.  When He was charged with all the sins of all His sponsored people and was guilty with their guilt, then He continued to call upon His Father nevertheless.  And the result explodes forth in David's following words.  He literally shouts out, "YOU HAVE ANSWERED ME!"

So it is for ourselves as well.  We were lost and abandoned, worthless and deserving of eternal damnation.  But He brought us to call upon Him nevertheless, brought us to cast ourselves upon His mercy - and in Him we too are saved! YOU HAVE ANSWERED ME!"

Did you deserve to be abandoned?  Do you trust in the One Who was abandoned for you?  Do you rejoice in HIM?
Al Moak

Amen Brother Al

Hi everyone.  Just back from coffee.  It is misty and chilly here this morning with more rain predicted this morning.  We have had a little over a quarter inch of rain and sure hope we have more today.  The warm house feels good and I plan on staying in today. 

Al, thanks for the great devotional message for this week. 

Marilyn, sorry to hear of your pain and that cyst or fatty tumor in your wrist.  That must be very unpleasant.

Etta Sue, I have Euchre in a game set that I have on my computer.  I enjoy playing against the computer once-in-a-while.

Sarah, you certainly do work alot.  It sounds like you have a heavy schedule between work and school.

I am listening to Focus on the Family, Dr. Dobson is giving the best and the wordst of the companies who censor the word Christmas, and all the Christmas symbols out of the Christmas season.  It is worth going to focusonthefamily.ca and seeing the website and list of offenders, and the non-offenders.  So often today we hear "happy Holidays" or now even "Winter Greetings" and all the remembrances of the true meaning of Christmas removed.

Thank you, Al, for the great devotion. 

Good afternoon from a rainy day in Indiana.  Yesterday was a great day with attending my church, eating out and coming back home for a nap. 

Today I am going with Ivalou to get her blood tested to see how to adjust her coumadin.  Tonight she has a sleep test at the same office.  She has no idea why she is being tested while sleeping, just that the doctor ordered it when they found out her heart was out of rhythm.  She is to be there at 9:30pm and they boot her out of there by 5:15am.  Going in the dark and coming home in the dark.

Hello all!  Just stopping in to say HI!

Hope all the 'mericans had a happy thanksgiving.

Now, on to CHRISTmas!!  Whoooooohoahoahohaoah!  (I like Christmas!)

Hi everybody.  A little while ago I got a phonecall from Marilyn.  It turns out that her ISP has a problem, so she can't get online. I told her I'd tell everybody she didn't want to talk to any of you.  I don't think she believed me.  Anyway, she'll be back when Mr. Cyber gets his act together!

     Good evening to everybody. I am trying to catch upon reading the post's again.  I don't no where the time seems to go.  It seems that we are helping our daughter with our new grandson a lot but thats o.k..

Yestreday I was singing with the large choir that I am in and as per usual it was a long day but so much fun.  We had 82 members show up and we sing acapella barber shop style and all gospel songs.  We do use a few background c.d.

Thank you for the great begining for the week Larry it was good and also the song we used to sing that one all the time.

Pat:  Thanks for your previous devotional and also the hymn which I was going to sing tomorrow at a Christian Womans Meeting but the background music was so slow. Glad to here that you are looking after yourself.

Judy B:  Hi sis.  How are you doing up there in cold country.?  Stay worm.

To everyone else have read your posts and will pray for you all Gord.

Morning Gord.  Yes we are staying warm.  In Church on Sunday we sang Majesty...I could hear you singing along with us!

The girls decided to go and get more of the cut up wood in yesterday and were blocked by a slippy road. They had the tractor and trailler hooked up.  There is a hill they need to climb before going down the hunt camp drive.  They got stuck on that hill.  I give them A for effort, a really good try.  Looks like the snow machine has to get running.  We just have a skiff of snow but enough to cause a problem.  Winter is indeed here.

I tried to install a printer with drivers off the net.  It didn't work and I am not sure why.  I have to either get Heather over to fix qhat I have done wrong, or I have to take it to her.  Either way it won't happen till the end of the week.

Got to go, alot on the agenda for today.

God bless JudyB

Hi everyone.  It looks like our rain is over for a few days and it has warmed up a bit.  We didn't get much rain.  Pat did a lot of cooking yesterday as had purchased a turkey before Thanksgiving and fixed it yesterday with a lot of other dishes, made a pecan pie and a big pot of chili.  She also made the best dressing and gravy I have tasted in a long time.  Needless to say we will be eating well all week and she sure shouldn't have to cook much.  A friend also gave us some ham and a dozen eggs that his son had brought from Arkansas when we came for Thanksgiving. 

Judy, after you downloaded the drivers for your printer did you actually install them and then go to add a printer in the control panel?  It sounds like you have some slick roads up  your way.  I remember growing up where we had an unpaved and ungraveled road from our house out to the driveway and on which we had to walk to school.  Brings back memories.

Gord, it must be great to sing in a choir of 82 voices.  Our choir is usually 16 to 20 and at Thanksgiving we had a combined choir of maybe 50 voices and that was really nice.  Years ago I sang for one year with the Choral Guild here in our county and enjoyed it but my health interseded and I had to quit after one year. 

Al, thanks for sharing the word on the problem Marilyn is having with her ISP.  That can be so frustrating as we get very used to having Internet access.  I hope they get it fixed for her shortly and we will see her posting (Marilyn we miss your postings when you aren't here!)

Karmat, nice to see you post in with a posting.  Sure you and Nards are very busy with your family and jobs.  Hope Nards is feeling well now and recovered from his surgery.

Etta Sue, the heart doctors all seem to be very concerned about sleep apnea as know it is hard on the heart.  It is wise to have that checked out since Ivalou is having issues with her heart. 

I have a meeting to attend this morning but nothing else on the schedule for the day.  I have been working through a tutorial on some new web authoring software called NetFusion and it is really neat.  It does things with menus sort of automaitically that I have tried to do with my own coding and never succeeded.  It has a large tutorial manual that I am going to print out and then tackle or redo of our current church website even though I probably won't be doing the page too long this time.

Hi, everyone.  I just wanted to tell you that my sister, Faye, had the surgery yesterday and all the cancer was contained in her uterus.  They were able to get it all.  We are rejoicing!  Nita

Wow!  I woke to bright sunshine today!  Sunshine makes a big difference in your day.  Makes you feel happier!  Sunshine with 40° seems so much warmer than rain and 40°!!

Nita ~ God is good...all the time.  Good for Faye...now she can get on with her life!   

I woke at 6:30am and Ivalou's living room lights were on.  When she came home from the Sleep Clinic, she got the newspaper and was reading it.  Well, I went back to bed and didn't get up until after 9am.  After breakfast and my Bible devotions, I called her.  She said she had wires all over her, ankles, hair, forehead, something around her waist, EKG and on her finger.  She was to sleep on her back which she seldom does because she doesn't like the cover pushing on her toes...she has pins in two toes.  But they said for her to try to sleep on her back.  She said that it maybe took her a half hour to get comfortable and she didn't wake up until they woke her after 5am.  Now she has to wait a week to find out the results of her Sleep test. 

Please say a prayer if you so desire for Judy B, my high school classmate.  She is having knee replacement tomorrow.  She will be gone from home at least two weeks because she goes into rehab probably by the weekend.  She is long over due for this surgery.  I really don't know how she has kept working at WalMart in the financial department. 

I have visions of getting out some Christmas decorations today!

Oh Father, please greatly bless Judy, Etta Sue's highschool classmate.  I pray You'll bring great good out of this knee replacement.  I pray she'll very soon turn to You and shout out her thanks to You through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And thank You, O gracious and merciful Father, for what You've done for Faye!  Oh how good You are!  I pray you'll keep cancer away from her now.  Oh do these things through Jesus Christ our Lord.

hello hello!

I'm so glad to hear that Faye got a good report.  I will be praying for her (and your classmate, Etta).

Don opened the chocolate covered popcorn we bought from grandson - it is all his fault.  We had to put it away because - it was so wonderful that we couldn't stop eating.  Good grief.  Lots of chocolate on the popped corn.  Way to make it. 

Marilyn:  I am sorry that you don't want to talk to us (Al said so)   

Pat:  I have given that Rejoice Radio site to several friends and anxious to hear if anyone has listened to it. 

When does Janet return?  Is she climbing a mountain in South America? 

Al:  The verse you used: 

QuotePsalm 22.1.  "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

reminds me of one the lowest of times in my life and it was so good to know that we are never really forsaken. 

EttaSue:  Wonderful news on your friend, Faye.

High winds today and chilly temps arriving now.  We have just a little snow left and not much expected for the mountains.  Way below average snowfall so far - ski resorts are really nervous. 

Carol

The beginning of psalm 22 reminded me of a recent piece that I wrote.

Communion ?

The quiet room,
drowns in the noise
of the lonely solitude of self,
weight of forever upon unsteady shoulders.
The vacuous emptiness of paper
stabbing pain into brimming eyes
in a dungeon,
captive to ignored pleas
and chained by futility.
Each shackle like Marley's plight.
Each endless link heavier than the one before
sealed with infinity.
The light has dimmed, curtained by fear
and the nonsense of perceived reality.
There is no truth beyond the moment;
what was and what is to come,
fellow torturers of care and hurt.
In the chasm of pain,
numbed beyond another wound,
we have communion.
You and I.
You and I, and nothing left.
Bankrupt of joy,
love exposed and seared,
this is communion
starved of the bread of life
and the providence of wine.
Your tears,
precious wine of your soul,
flooding my chest
with each forced breath
each abandoned thought of another day.

Hi everyone.  I got up a little earlier this morning as it was time to fix my weekly medicine boxes for the next two weeks (I have two boxes).  I usually then have to order replacement medicine, which I do over the Internet.

This morning is our Bible study with the pastor a the church.  Then tonight I have choir practice.  That will pretty well take care of my day, as far as I know now.

Nita, that is certainly good news about your sister.  Hope she has a speedy recovery.

Etta Sue, I had to chuckle at your "vision" to get your Christmas decorations.  I don't think that is going to get the job done although it may give you the encourage to get that job done.  I agree with you on the sun shining making the day seem so much better from a mental standpoint.

Carol, we bought a tin of covered popcorn from the little cub scout next door and he delivered it a couple of days ago.  It certainly was expensive but hope it will be very tasty.  No bigger than the tin is we won't be eating too much of it.    I have listened to the Rejoice Radio a little bit and it is very nice.

Hi Al, Karmat, Wordsculptor and all who come by to visit.  I see we still haven't been able to hear from Marilyn and I agree it must be about time for Janet to get back from her trip.

Good morning.  It's almost 5:30 am and I'm waiting for the coffee to finish.  I fell asleep in my chair last night and slept from 8:30 to10:30, then went to bed and right back to sleep.  I think it was the relief of knowing Faye would be ok that just let me sleep so hard.

Anyway........I'm up and ready for what the day brings.  And maybe it'll be a new grandbaby.  It's getting close for sure.

It seems strange not reading something from Marilyn.  I hope she's back up soon.

Wordsculpter, your poem is hard to read.  Very well written and painfully real... and raw. Tell me how it came to be.

Etta Sue, now that I've done animation classes, I really notice all of yours.  I forget; did you do them all or just collect them?  Animation is really fun so far.  I love doing snow and rain. haha  I'm a water person, ya know.

Pat, I have Rejoice Radio bookmarked and up on my links bar so I can click easily.  I listened for a few minutes yesterday, but it was a teaching and I knew I wouldn't be at the computer long enough to listen to the entire message.

Now on to a nice cup of coffee with Hazelnut creamer.   Have a blessed day, everyone.  Nita

Hi everyone   
Leaving the corner for a while to share a precious email I got.  Blessings to you all.... xx

Does God still speak to people?

A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible Study.  The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice.  The young man couldn't help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people?"

After service he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message.  Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways.  It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, "God...If you still speak to people speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey."

As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk.  He shook his head and said out loud, "God is that you?" He didn't get a reply and started on toward home.  But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk.

The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli.

"Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk." It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.

As he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge, "Turn Down that street."  This is crazy he thought and drove on past the intersection.  Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street.  At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh.  Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will".

He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in semi commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed.

Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street." The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat.

"Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid." Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk.  Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here."

He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?" Then the door opened before the young man could get away.

The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. "What is it?"

The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, "Here, I brought this to you." The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway.

Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face.

The man began speaking and half crying, "We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk."

His wife in the kitchen yelled out, "I ask him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?"

The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face.

He knew that God still answers prayers.
 

This is so true. Sometimes it's the simplest things that God asks us to do that cause us, if we are obedient to what He's asking, to be able to hear. His voice more clear than ever. Please listen, and obey. It will bless you (and the world).

      

Nita ~ Some of my animations are from the web but most of the ones at the bottom of my posts are mine.  I made one for each day of the month while Jerry was still here.  About drove him batty!  But it was fun!  My biggest problems are stray pixels.  If they are on white background you don't see them...   Where did you take lessons on animations?  Sounds interesting!!

kingsdaisy ~ I have read that true story before but very much worthwhile to read again.  Brought tears again!

Another bright and sunny day in Indiana.  And it is to get to 52° and right now it is 36°.  I think winter is officially here according to the temps. 

I plan to get caught up online and then go to the hospital to see Judy.  Two of her sons and her brother were with her this morning during surgery.  Maybe she will be in a room when I get there.  Where she is having surgery and where her room will be is quite a distance.  So if I wait to feel she is in her room, I won't have as far to walk!!  See there is a method to my madness!! 

Etta Sue, I went through Stepping Stones Through PSP.  It's a Yahoo group.  There are 5 sets of lessons, steps, and then you can be invited to join either the animated lessons or stationery.  I chose the animated.  It's pretty basic, but when you don't know anything about animation, it's perfect.  And that's me.   What lessons did you take?

Medicare has decided to put me on a drug plan, during this enrollment period.  I thought it was already noted that I have ChampVA with their Meds By Mail plan, but I guess not.  Now I'm trying to DIS-enroll.  I've been trying for two days to contact them by phone.  Yesterday I was told that they'd contact me in two days.  They tried this morning, and my son thought it was a telemarketer and hung up.   Then I called them back, sat with the phone to my ear for half an hour and then the power went out for a minute and the phone went dead.   Maybe God's trying to show me that my patience level is not where it should be.  I always thought I was patient. haha   So tomorrow I guess we try again.  I don't want to do it today.

edit:  Kingsdaisy, I forgot to mention that I thought the article you posted was so neat.  I think we all, at least me, question if and when we really, really HEAR God.  And confirmation is the sweetest voice.   Thanks for posting it.

Meant to post this a little earlier but I suppose it is still the Autumn. Thank you Pat for the Radio link.
Hi everyone else!

Nita Kas was watching me here while I was readsing the posts.  We have a friend called Helen who she thinks you look like!!  That is why you look so familiar!  Now about the animation course, is it still available?  Could you IM me with the details?

We have another cold day here in the North, with more snow on the way.

I had an accident with boilling soup last night.  A bowl full spilled all over my upper thighs and left arm.  I immediately went to the  shower and then put bags of frozen veggies on the red areas.  I fully expected a major problem, but, God is good, I have just a couple of red spots and no blistering except a couple of small ones on my wrist.  God is so good!!

Well I really must go, I have to get going with the girls on school work.

Till later
JudyB

Quote'Wordsculpter, your poem is hard to read.  Very well written and painfully real... and raw. Tell me how it came to be.'

this is the appended note which accompanied the poem:-
It is a confused piece, coming I suppose from a confused mind. Within its lines I travelled from being sorry for myself about family situations over which I have no control, to that communion which can only take place between one soul and the maker of souls, and then on to the shared depression of spouses when prayers seem unanswered. Upbeat, it seems, will have to wait for some other day.

Don is heading to Denver for a board meeting and won't be home until late - the roads are clear (well, not clear of the vehicles).

wordsculptor:  I so admire anyone who can sit down and write with such a passion.  Thank you.

JudyB:  Great that you were not too seriously burned.  Frightening.

Nita:  Perhaps I could take that lesson as well.  I will search Yahoo and hope to find it.  Am always so engrossed in sewing that this has take a big back seat.  Not enough hours in the day.

Carol

Colin:  What a beautiful piece.  Hope you don't mind, this one sits very close to my heart.

JudyB:  Amen - God is so GOOD!  I'm so glad you're okay.

Etta Sue:  I always admire your graphics so.  I wish I could do that!

Wordsculptor:  It takes so much to express one's purest heart especially in such a manner - thank you for sharing it here with us.

Nita:  You're so right!  Confirmation sure is the sweetest voice - isn't it AWESOME!!

  Hmmmm.... chocolate covered popcorn........!!   

Wordsculptor I understood only because I have been there. 

We are expecting 15 CM of snow, now that sounds like a lot but when converted it is only 6 inches.  That is not so bad.

I have gone through my material and have found pieces that I can use for the family Christmas presents.  That means I have to really work and get the patterns out and get going on the items.  sooo I will be scarce for a while.

Well that's it folks, I have to go and figure out patterns.
Night and God bless.

   Good evening to all and have been reading all the posts.  They are very interesting and will remember you all in prayer.

Judy B.  I am so glad that you did not get bad burns.  It is so easy to do that kind of thing.   Please look after yourself and say hi to John and to Heather..

Pat.  How are you hope that you are not doing to much.  Look after yourself and dom't overdue things.

The last to days have been great we were abke to spend time at our granddaughters and she has changed so much sunce we saw her last. she is getting longer and has gained some more weight.  Also our grandson went to the doctor and he has gained also he is up to 11lbs. so he is heavier than his cousin,  she is 10lbs.13oxzs.  so they are growing very well.   My grandson's back problem the medical team will check on him every two months for now.  But do please continue to pray for him that the Lord will work a miracle on his back.  Thank you.

Well it's time to go to sleep.  Have a wonderful rest of the week and a great weekend in the Lord's house.  God Bless.

Thank you Kingsdaisy and I dont mind at all. Really nice to meet you. Enjoyed reading your post about the email you got.

Hi everyone else!

Up and on the 'puter, just checking out something that I thought about immediately upon waking. 

Kingdaisey:  Hmmmmm, that is a cute and different name and I wonder where you thought of it?  I can barely walk by the canister of the chocolate covered popcorn and last night I had a few pieces and quickly slammed that cover down before temptation overcame my weakness for sweets. 

Gord:  Wonderful that you could spend time with the grands - will pray for your grandson. 

Must run.     going to the gym.  Carol