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| Amazom.com |
A Slow Month
My computer issue did not get resolved until I purchased a new one. Then I had trouble getting my printer to work. In the process of trying to resolve the printer issue, I shut it down completely. Roger told me he would look at the printer when he came home. (I was able to contact my ink supplier and get that problem resolved.)
Postponed Plans
Roger was going to come home St. Patrick's Day weekend but was too worn out to do it. We said it would be okay with us if he came Palm Sunday weekend.(I had a birthday during the week in between.) Jim has been dealing with a cold and another health issue. So we decided Roger didn’t need to be exposed to those germs. We aimed for Easter weekend. Then, I started feeling bad.
Pastor Rick
Pastor Rick was released from the intense therapy hospital on March 22nd. Cheryl took a couple of pictures and texted them to some of us. He looked happy to be home. I didn’t get to church on Palm Sunday and Easter. I heard that Pastor was at first service on both Sundays.
Desires, Goals, and Plans
As time goes by, I have some desires that I would like to be able to accomplish. In order to do these things, I have to set goals. Then, I have to make plans to see those goals met and those desires become real. Please pray about this for me.
This See-Saw Weather
I will be very happy to see an end to this chilly weather. When the temperature is not in the 30s and 40s, it is up in the 60-70 range, for a day or two. No wonder so many people are sick.
An Interesting Day
My driver’s license expired on my birthday. A few weeks earlier, I received a postcard from the B.M.V. The card reminded me of the fact of the expiration. It also told me to bring paperwork verifying my identity.
(I had already done this six years ago. I happened to keep the paperwork in my desk drawer.) I thought I needed to update the documents showing my mailing address.
I drove to the town just north of us to go to that B. M. V. I found out it was closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I was there on a Tuesday.
I had to drive back to our city and then across town to get to the shopping center on the south side of town. When it was my turn to be waited on, I asked about the need for my paperwork. The young lady said, “You already have the star on your license, you didn’t need to bring the paperwork.” I also found out that the branch I went to first shares its staff with the branch in the next county. Yes, it was an interesting day.
Two Phone Calls
On Tuesday of Holy Week, I answered our home phone. It was our great-nephew. He told me that his dad had suffered a stroke the day before. He also said his dad was not going to make it. About three and a half hours later, he called back and told me that his dad had passed on about an hour and a half before.
Between the two phone calls I contacted some prayer-warrior friends. I also prayed that our nephew would not suffer. As his son told me, our nephew turned over to go to sleep and passed on.
Jim was asleep when the second call came. After I told him, most of that day, Jim told me memories about when they were kids; they were fond memories.
This may sound boring but that was my life during the month of March.
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| Christ our Pilot, Sallman |
and does not respect the proud nor such as turn aside to lies.
Psalm 40:4 (NKJV)
Words of David
From time to time, we experience difficult things in our lives-sudden serious illness in our families, loss of employment, death of a loved one,- events that we have to face even though they seem to be hard to understand.
David tells us that the person who trusts God is blessed. He further defines one who trusts as one who chooses not to respect those who think too highly of themselves, or one who comes across as being a ‘know it all’.
Also, one who trusts in God will refrain from listening to those who repeatedly abandon the truth for lies.
When we follow the Lord, we have all of His blessings for us and His power keeping us safe. Then we are truly blessed.
Words of Solomon
I found a form of this verse in a gift book that I ran across in my living room. The book is entitled “Growing Through Prayer”.
I am certain that each of us has experienced not heeding God’s Word in the way we should.
When we choose to think that we know a better way to do something than God we do not heed His Word. We find ourselves in a fix, and it may be a while before we can say that we are out of trouble.
However, when we heed God’s Word and His leading, we find ourselves more relaxed and
possibly even have a pleasant outlook about things.
When we give our worries and concerns over to God and trust Him for the outcome, Solomon tells us we achieve happiness when we trust in the Lord.
This sounds so simple. There are times when I have wandered away from trusting Him and have taken on some issue that either is to big for me to handle or should not really concern me. That’s when I find myself getting unhappy and, yes, possibly depressed.
Prayer: Father God, please forgive me for those times I have not trusted You. I am sorry for rushing into things that are too big for me to handle, especially those things that only You can remedy. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift his countenance upon you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV)
Words spoken by Moses to Aaron
The Lord bless
you
The Lord God blesses us in so many ways.
* With His guidance
* With His love
* With His Word
* With friends
* With Spiritual gifts
*
and be gracious to you
The Lord sheds His grace on us in so many ways.
* By extending salvation to us
* By granting us rest
* By listening to our prayers
* By guiding us through hard times
* By giving us what we don’t deserve
and give you peace.
The Lord God gives each of us peace
* When we go through difficulties
* When we don’t know what to do
* When we have been deeply hurt
In our Lenten devotional readings for Sunday school, the author pointed out something that was new to me.
“The word peace in Hebrew is the word shalom. The word is vividly translated, “May all things be for you the way God always wanted them to be.” (1)
I like that meaning. In our world we see conditions that God doesn’t want for us. We must pray that God deal with these things each time they appear in our world.
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(1) Guided to the Cross by Ed Arle © 2024, Creative Communications, division of Bayard, Inc Fenton, MO.
Getting Some Repair Work Done
We had to have some work done to our bathroom. Our shower and bathtub had been out of commission for a while. We had to search for a plumber to do the work. The first one to look at the job was not acceptable. The second one did an excellent job and did not have to cause any more issues with our bathroom.
A Friend Wears A Crown
Rachel, one of the ladies at my church entered heaven on January 31st. She had been in failing health since she had COVID. Then, later she was diagnosed with ALS. I was able to go to her visitation. She looked very good considering what she endured with her illness.
Cleaning Out a Closet
In preparing for our plumber, we emptied a closet that is behind the wall in the bathroom. We thought the water pipes to the
shower were in there. Well, they weren’t. (The closet truly needed to be cleaned out.)
The next day, I spent time beginning to sort through the STUFF, one pile to keep, on pile for the church rummage sale, and one pile to toss. I really need to stay with this project.
I ordered two hanging garment bags that came in two days. I also ordered two sweater boxes to help me store my sweaters. One of the places I ordered from could not fill my order until the latter half of March. I canceled that order and ordered from another place.
Phil missed it
We had a snowy day on Friday after Valentine’s Day. Jim said it looked like five inches. Phil the ground hog must not have had his eyes opened when he come out of his den.
Praying for our pastor
On January 29th our pastor had a stroke. His wife took him to the ER. They admitted him to the ICU. He was in ICU for almost a week. They had to take him back to ICU and have some surgery. He is back in a regular room. He had a rough night his first night back in a regular room. (More news to come in March Reflections)
Interim Pastor
The day after Pastor’s stroke, we knew we would have an interim pastor and we knew his name. He lives in a nearby city.
Almost A Personal Catastrophe
I wear hearing aids. On President’s Day, I put them in, one while I was taking on my cell phone; The other one as I fixed my ‘breakfast’. Later in the day, I reached to that ear and didn’t find that one in place.
I asked some of my friends to pray for me. I happened to see something shiny in the kitchen reflecting off the lamp in the living room. I went in and started to get something out of my vegetable bin. I stepped on the missing hearing aid. I was wearing house slippers; had I been wearing regular shoes, I would probably broken that hearing aid.
In explanation
I decided I needed a blog-break due to a health issue. Then, I had a computer issue that I could not do anything about by myself. My husband was not up to driving to the next town west to get my computer seen about. His health is questionable at this point in time.
More reflections to come next month.
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| Etsy |
And above all things have fervent love for one another,
for “love will cover a multitude of sins’
1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Words of Peter
When we worship God in a corporate setting, we unite with our fellow worshipers to praise Him, to seek His guidance, to encourage others.
Peter tells his readers, then and now, that they and we are to love each other fervently.
Just what does fervently mean?
Webster’s New World Dictionary tells me that fervent means: Showing very warm or strong feeling; intense; ardent, as in a fervent appeal for help.
We have those times when we show love for one another through prayer, through visiting, through sending a card.
We have times when our prayers must be fervent,
*When there is an urgent need for God to intervene.
*When we need His guidance about an issue or circumstance.
*When we are asked to intercede for a friend.
Our church has had a time of fervently praying for our pastor and his wife. A couple from our church who reside in another state are facing a serious medical situation for which they will be returning to our town for medical treatment. This couple will receive, and has already received, fervent prayers from those that know and love them.
Father God: Please guide us through those times when we ae to be fervent in our love and in our prayer life. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen
cc This is a hymn that came to my mind this week. I became acquainted with it back in 1978. It has helped me through some difficult times....
