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Today's Devotional



For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.  (1Co_15:21-22)

   The new covenant of grace is a covenant of relationship. Spiritual death through Adam made this covenant of grace necessary. Spiritual life through Christ makes intimacy with God possible. Every human who has ever existed inherited a sinful, fallen, earthly life from Adam: "by man came death." Every person who has ever put their faith in Christ has received from Him a righteous, risen, heavenly life: "by Man [i.e., Jesus] also came the resurrection of the dead."

   Adam began with a measure of intimacy with His Creator. "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being . . . Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it" Gen_2:7, Gen_2:15. In the garden, Adam served the Lord and had fellowship with Him, when He would walk "in the garden in the cool of the day" Gen_3:8.

  Adam could partake freely of all that was in the garden, except for one tree. "Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" Gen_2:17. For Adam, as for all of his race, "the wages of sin is death" Rom_6:23. The day that Adam and Eve disobeyed and ate of the forbidden fruit, they died spiritually. "And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden" Gen_3:8 Whereas they had enjoyed a degree intimacy with Lord, they now fled from His presence. Ever after, the natural children of Adam would begin there existence "dead in trespasses and sins"  Eph_2:1.

   The only remedy for the spiritually dead human family would be through a relationship to a new "family head." "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned . . . if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many"  Rom_5:12, Rom_5:15. There are only two families to which humanity can belong: Adam's or Christ's. There are only two family head's to which anyone can be related: Adam or Christ. Adam passed along spiritual death to his offspring. Christ gives to his own life eternal, life abundant — all by His glorious grace.

Creator God, my Father, I confess that I was born in Adam's sinful line. I have demonstrated my sinfulness on a multitude of occasions. I praise You for sending Your Son to rescue me from Adam's race and to place me in Christ, my new Head, Amen.

Hi everyone on a beautiful but cool 36 degree morning here in South Carolina.  I think we avoided the freeze warning that was out for last night and the forecast for the next several days is for much warmer weather.  We are planning on attending church this morning and will have lunch somewhere and that will probably be it for today.  Of course, this afternoon and early evening I plan on watching the basketball.  It sure was a battle between Kentucky and Notre Dame last night and Kentucky pulled out a close one at the very end. 

John, this week should really see the flowers bloom out as it is time for the azalea  bushes to really blossom as this area gets ready for the Master Golf Tournament in just a few days.  I liked what you wrote about being a part of the Community of Believers. 

Ruth Ann, being able to take those afternoon naps is one of the nice things about being retired. 

Jane, thank for that great devotional message for today. 

I hope everyone has a very blessed day on this Palm Sunday. 

Jane, thank you for today's devotional and for the lovely hymn as well.   

   I was nearing the end of my post when the gremlins made it go "POOF!"  So for now I will just say we are back home and all is well.

Hi, friends,

It's been a quiet day today. So, I don't have much to say except I love and appreciate each of you. Thank you, Jane, for the great devotional message to ponder today.

Much love to all,
Ruth Ann

Good Palm Sunday to everyone!   Holy Week is upon us. 

Ruth Ann, Your neighbor goes beyond the pale in her needs.  I am wondering if she is experiencing the beginning of a form of dementia.   Bless you for you patience and kindness!  You need to care for yourself.

there are several extra services this week.  how wonderful to have this freedom of worship.   

I am writing this on my iPad and making mistakes.  Don was talking to Google on his iPad and my iPad answered.  How weird! 

Carol:  Oh, the "joys" of technology! I get so aggravated at the auto correct on my phone!  It takes correct things and makes them incorrect!  If I knew how, I would turn that feature off!

I just talked with my youngest daughter and learned youngest grandson (her son) is back in the USA on leave from the Air Force.  He's been in Germany for many months, can't remember how long, but nearly two years, I think.  He's on his way to Kansas to see her! 

Abby got a gold and a trophy on her solo tap dance last night; and her group got golds on all their numbers.   

Darrel's sis and Bro-in-law aren't doing too well, both are 81 and getting frail.  Norman can't see very well, and wrecked their car recently.  So we really did need to visit them.  Wish I were closer, so I could help her with stuff that needs done in the house.  Sigh.......

Jane, great Thoughts! 

Thanks for the devotional, Jane.  The devotional was very good.

Hi everyone.  I thought I would wake up to a sunny day but instead we are having a light shower and it is to be cloudy until mid-afternoon and we may get another shower around 1 pm.  However, the temperature is nice.  We did go to church yesterday but couldn't find a parking place where we wouldn't have had to walk a long ways or walk up and incline.  So we just came back home.  Neither of us were feeling very chipper so it probably worked out for the best.  I laid back down and read for an hour or so and then took a little nap.  Around 1 pm we decided to go get something for lunch.  The basketball games were very entertaining yesterday and I watched both of them.  Nothing exciting on the schedule for today.  We may attend a noon meeting and that will likely be it unless our son comes over to finish up a few small jobs. 

Carol, our religious freedom is something we better appreciate when we see what is happening to fellow Christians in the middle east.  We shouldn't think this same thing could happen here.  Nothing like dueling iPads!

Janet, go to the setting on your phone and if you have an Android phone (not an iPhone) click on the general tab and and then on the Language and Input.  You should see a spelling correction item and it probably has a checkmark in it.  Just click on the checkmark and that should take the automatic spelling correction off.  I don't guarantee it but it is worth a try.  Glad your grandson is back on American soil and hope you get to see him.  Good for Abby on her awards for her danciing. 

A prayer as we go out into the world.

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Thanks, Larry!  I will try that!

Hi, friends,

Well, this has been another busy day, but all of it was "taking care of myself" things.

Tomorrow morning I'll be playing piano for the devotions downstairs in our big public room. I love to be there, it's well laid out and has nice, appropriate furniture.

Well, it's about time to go to bed, so will sign off, saying God has filled my heart with love for each of you.

Ruth Ann

Hi everyone.  We woke up to a beautiful sunny morning and the temperature already being about 60.  We are suppose to get up to 80 degrees this afternoon.  Pat and I plan on doing a little shopping this morning as we both seem to be feeling pretty good.  I need to pick up medicine at Walmart and she wants to go to Hobby Lobby for a couple of things.  That will be our big plan for today.  I have pretty well completed a number of the desk projects I have been working on so will have to come up with a new list.  Pat offered to make a list for me of things to do but I gracefully declined her kind offer. 

Ruth Ann, enjoy the piano playing today. 

Hope everyone has a very enjoyable day as God blesses each one of us in various way if we just take time to realize it and be grateful. 

It is warming up early today but not setting record heat at least now after three days of records broken.  We have a week to ourselves and I don't know what to do with myself.....    Must plan menus for next week at some point and we need to use up some frozen food here in this last month.  We would have been home for Easter but there is still much to do plus still friends want to see us and we do want to see them. 

Janet:  You can't be there to help everyone every time.  I am sure they would appreciate phone calls of concerns & you can say you are praying for them as well.  Hooray for the safe return of your grandson!

Larry:  Dueling iPads indeed.  Nice.  My best to Pat! 

My 2nd. online class in genealogy arrived in email and they give us three weeks to complete.  This may be interesting or too much to take in - I am hoping to understand this class.   

Grateful for so many things. 

Hi, friends,

Well, it's been another be kind to me day. After the devotions, I took me to the hairdresser. It's certainly interesting to watch the hair that falls each haircut - seems it's getting grayer and grayer. Hmmmm.

Then, a nice phone chat with a close friend.

And, now I'm checking the internet, then I'll watch the ice hockey game to finish out my day.

Y'all have a wonderful day.

Ruth Ann

Hi everyone.  I woke up this morning to a rain shower but think that is over for the day and it is to get up to 79 degrees this afternoon.  We had a nice day yesterday as went to Hobby Lobby so Pat could get some artificial flowers  and then to Walmart for a few items.  Then last evening we went to Ryan's Steak House for a good meal made better by the fact we had a coupon where with one regular priced meal we got the second for $2.  That saved almost $10 on the bill. 

It was so nice here yesterday that I sat on my front porch and read for an hour or so and may be able to do that this afternoon as well.  As far as I know now the main activity today will be attending the Wednesday night dinner and Bible study at the church.  This is also bill paying day.  I did find out more yesterday about the golf cart service on Sunday morning at the church and talked with the wife of the man who does this ministry.  I think that will solve our problem with parking on Sunday morning. 

Carol, hope you enjoy your week to yourselves.  I didn't realize your genealogy class was an email class as thought you actually attended a classroom type setting.  I agree with you that we all have many things to be grateful for if we will focus on those and not the negatives that everyone experiences along the way.

Ruth Ann, I no longer have to see gray hair when I get mine cut as it is as white a snow. 

Larry, you have me drooling over your weather!     Spring seems to be slow coming this year, but it's really pretty much normal for this area.  Our turn will come.   

Hi, friends,

I'm thankful I began to feel better this afternoon and was able to get two packages mailed.

Other than that, I've been pretty quiet today.

I did have an interesting text conversation with one of my sons. It revolved around his favorite restaurants here in the Nashville area.

Larry, my dad's hair was silvery white years before he died. When mother passed away at age 65, she only had one or 2 white hairs in her dark brown hair. I always thought I took my hair color from my dad, but it certainly hasn't carried over in when we turned gray. He was white headed in his 60's and I'm going to see 75 this year with mostly light brown hair. It's odd.

Well, y'all have a good rest of the day.

Ruth Ann

I just posted an update on Joy in Prayer and Praise ... we need your continued prayer for her and the family.

We had a wonderful, but busy day today.  We skipped gym time this morning and just enjoyed each other!    Then we went to Garden City to shop for a new washer and dryer, as our washer, which is about 30 years old, decided to retire and let us know by creating an indoor lake!  You know how much we need more water problems!  So we talked it over and decided it was time for new ones.  We found a really nice set and bought them.  Then we went to a Mexican place--Los Margaritas--where the car dealer had given us a $25 coupon for a meal, and had a nice lunch; went to a few more places, then back to let them load the machines; and came home.  Darrel and I unloaded them BY OURSELVES!!!  (Yes, I know we shouldn't have!) but there wasn't anyone here to help us!  Now we have the job (tomorrow) of getting the old ones out and deciding what to do with them.  I think I will call the radio show they have on Friday, where people call in things they have to sell, or things they want, and offer the dryer free to anyone who will come and haul off both machines.  The dryer still works just fine.  We just wanted a matching set.  I know, TMI. 

We pulled a great April Fool's prank on the salesman at Burtis Motors.  We pulled into the lot, drove around a little, looking at the pickups, and he came out with a big smile, greeted us and asked how we were doing.  We gave him this big story about wanting to trade the pickup back in because it didn't have enough power, etc., etc.  We really had him going, until I grinned and said, "April Fool!"  He looked a bit stunned, then said, "Oh you guys!  You really got me!"    

Darrel had a CT scan of his back yesterday.  Today they called and said he has a mass of some kind and needs to have it removed, making the end of the day not so wonderful.    He told them what surgeon he wants, so we should hear something maybe tomorrow.  Please join us in praying it is NOT anything serious.  Thank you so much.

Hi everyone on another overcast day with a thunderstorm predicted for this evening.  We are expecting it to get to 79 degrees today and stay in the 60's tonight.  We enjoyed our Wednesday night dinner at church last night.  The menu was hamburgers and hot dogs fixed on a big outside grill, French fries, and all the trimming including cold slaw for the hot dogs although I didn't put mine on the hot dog.  We then had a cheesecake for dessert.  Then our interesting Bible study continued in the book of Acts.  I am expecting the Comcast technician this afternoon between three and 5 to improve our service. 

Jeanne, just remember when we are sweltering in the humidity down here you will likely be more comfortable in the mountains. 

Ruth Ann, glad you were feeling better yesterday.  Pat has been very slow in having her hair turn gray.  When you are up close you can see the gray but from a distance it still appears to be brown.  I have been white headed for many years as started getting gray headed fairly early in life. 

Jane, I will check out the new posting regarding Joy.

Janet, what brand of washer and dryer did you buy?  I would say you were due a new set if you have been using the others for 30 years.  The new washer that Pat got last year spins the clothes so dry that the actual drying cycle is greatly shortened.  I will be praying that the mass in Darrel's back isn't anything serious. 

Larry, we got Crosley machines.  They are made by Whirlpool, as are several other brands, including Maytag!  I didn't know Maytag sold out 5 years ago, but they did, to Whirlpool.  These machines have the new technology:  No agitator, stainless steel tub in the washer, the water sprays on the clothes as they spin,(same as the front-loading ones) and the washer spins the clothes at a higher rate of speed, getting them close to dry.  So they are probably very comparable to the ones you and Pat have.  I hope these last me until I no longer need them because I've moved to heaven!    Darrel is still working on getting them installed.

Boy, the wind hit last night with a fury!  But today is quite nice, not the "considerably cooler" they had predicted.  Now they say cold again tomorrow. 

I was so pleased yesterday to hear several people tell me, "Have a happy Easter!"  Yes!  He is Risen, and because of that, we have hope!  Hallelujah!

Whirlpool used to manufacture in St. Paul, Minnesota and now I believe everything is made in Mexico.  Sad to see everything leaving our own country. 

Ruth Ann:  I don't see gray on you!

Janet:  I know you want to help the drought but could you please turn off the old washing machine?   ---

Jane:  Will check

Hi everyone on a beautiful, sunny and warm Spring day.  The birds are singing and we are expecting to get to 87 this afternoon with 32% humidity.  We may have to test out the air conditioner in this new heat pump. 

Our son came over late yesterday afternoon and helped us with some problems on the remotes for our living room TV.  All of a sudden yesterday afternoon they wouldn't work.  He got them working properly.  He stayed for dinner with us and then went upstairs with Pat and pretty well finished up the little projects she had needed for him to do in her sewing room. 

The Comcast tech was here yesterday afternoon and changed out the gateway that we had an set it on a different channel.  Unfortunately, he forgot to pick up the gateway he had replaced.  I may take it back this morning to Comcast as we are planning on going to COSTCO and they are very close by.  That way I can get a receipt for having turned it in and not have to deal with calling them again. 

Thanks for the info on your new Crosley machines.  That is an old name in appliances.  Your washer does sound very much like ours.  Pat wanted a large capacity washer so we got the biggest tub they have.  Unfortunately the tub is so deep that both of us have a little problem reaching the very bottom of the tub to remove the wet clothes. 

Carol, I agree with you on how sad it is that most of our manufacturing has moved out of this country.   

I am up and about, feeling tired and sore, better now that I spent a couple of hours with the Lord.  Our weather change arrived, and it is overcast, windy and much cooler today.  I thought about skipping gym today, but think I will go and just not stay as long as usual.

I thought about the discussion in here re white hair.  I got some light blonde hair color the other day, but when I used it, it took out almost all the color left in my hair, and now I'm white-haired!  Not sure if I like it....only have a week to decide whether to color it a bit darker for our portraits.   

Larry, we have an elbow in the drain line that was between the washer and dryer, and the new dryer is wider.  So Darrel decided to build a little platform to go over that, thus giving us the extra two inches we needed.  Works great, EXCEPT that now the machines are four inches higher, and I do have to stretch to get the clothes out of the bottom of the washer!  He said now he needs to build a platform for me! 

We were both exhausted after installing the machines without any extra help.  I wanted to call a young friend from church, but Darrel didn't want to bother anyone.  I was afraid he might further injure his back, which was hurting pretty badly already.  So I did as much as I humanly could to help.  We were both in bed by 7:00 last evening!  Whew.  We washed our sheets to see if we had done everything correctly, and it seems we did. 

Aren't we blessed that God's magnificent plan included sending His only beloved Son to live as a man, to teach us, and then to suffer untold agonies, physical, mental and emotional, on the cross, and even die to take away all our sin?  We can never praise Him enough!  I wish each of you a blessed Resurrection weekend.  I was thinking of the term "good" Friday, and realize how good it actually is, because of what God and Jesus did for us that day.  It was horrible for them, but salvation for us.

 

Happy Birthday Jane!

Larry:  Pat and you have a wonderful son! 

Good Friday - the U S stock market is closed for this holiday.  I can't believe that still is happening with all the attacks on Christianity.  Musn't say, "God Bless You" when someone sneezes in our schools.   

This is an odd request but could someone tell me how to get "People You Might Know" or something like that title off my Facebook?  I tried the suggestions - am about to delete Facebook forever.  I only want my children on there and just a few others.  It is too busy now. 

We did our exercise - ate breakfast and now to simmer a pot of split pea soup and bake cupcakes to freeze for this weeks visitors.   

Hi, friends,

It's a day of storms and tornado warnings here in Nashville, so I've decided to stay in today.

There's not much more to say, except for Jane to have a great birthday and for the results of the testing be non-threatening.

Y'all have a good rest of the day.

Ruth Ann

I have open windows!!!  Of course it will soon cool down into the 20's tonight and only into the 40's for the next week or so, but today I'm enjoying the 60's and fresh air.   

Jeanne--nothing like fresh air, huh?  I love the smell of laundry that has dried outdoors, but no longer even have a clothesline.  Another good thing of the past.  (Not that anything prevents us putting up another clothesline!)

Carol--I am worse than no help with anything like FB.  I have a love/hate relationship with it because when I go to check it I wind up wasting far too much time.  My own fault, I know. 

I called the Bargain Bin on our local radio station this morning and offered the dryer free to anyone willing to haul off the washer, too.  A lady called within 5 minutes and said she would be here at 2:00 to get them.  It's now 4:00 and she hasn't shown and she hasn't called.    Another guy called and left his number.  I called back to tell him to come get them, but no answer, and no mailbox had been set up for that number.  We would like them out of the way!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JANE!!!