Years ago, I made a conscious decision to grow closer to God. I have spent my time since then not letting anything hinder my efforts to try to do the things that I have felt God leading me to do. These things include, praying, attending church and supporting my church family, taking Bible studies, volunteering to help others and trying, trying to be as Christ like as I can be. Yes, I fall miserably short on that last one, but I'll continue to try. Writing this blog is a continuous struggle to reach out to others, but I'll continue to try.
Today's UpperRoom lists "My Cousins" as the prayer focus. I was just telling my homemakers club yesterday how much I love social media because it enables me to reach out and stay in touch with my cousins, whom I love dearly. They are my reminder of my grandparents, their home and the awesome times we had in their loving embraces as children. We are spread out all over the country now, and I yearn for the opportunities to be with them all.
The devotional reading also reminded me of the awesome message in the story that Jesus told his followers of the workers in Matthew 20:1-16. The owner of the vineyard spent an entire day hiring workers for a denari to work his vines. Some were hired in the morning, some later in the afternoon, and some much later, with only an hour left to work. At the end of the day, he told the foreman to pay each man, the last hired would be paid first and the first hired would be paid last. Each received the promised denari for their work. Many of those who had been working since early morning were upset that they had not been paid more, yet the owner clearly stated that he paid what he had promised. Does this seem fair to you?
God offers us eternal life for accepting his Son as our Holy Savior and working in His kingdom spreading his awesome story. It doesn't matter if we accept Jesus early in our lives and spend many years spreading God's word, or if we acccept Jesus on our deathbed, we all will receive eternal life for the acceptance of our Holy Savior Jesus. It may not seem fair, but it is the Good News of Jesus Christ that you've heard about.
I hope you have a great day. The Upperroom is available at www.upperroom.org. Or, I could mail you a copy if you ask. Again, enjoy a great day and stay safe. luv, Susan
Friday, April 8, 2016
Sunday, March 27, 2016
BECAUSE HE LIVES
I just read my UpperRoom devotion with the sunrise peeking through my window. This is my second attempt at a blog. Yesterday's disappeared. I am wishing you a beautiful Easter Sunday. I have been enjoying my special Easter music this week. My favorite is "New Again" performed by Brad Paisley and Sara Evans, an emotional conversation between Jesus and Mary prior to the crucifixion. I've seen it on YouTube many times, with the visual from The Passion. Jesus Christ Superstar is also my go to for Holy Week. I'm sure it's not everyone's cup of tea, but having seen the rock opera in the eighth grade at Memorial Coliseum, it's always been special for me.
This is always my favorite time of year, preparing for Easter and Springtime weather and enjoying basketball, as the Cats make their final charge toward the Final Four. Sadly, this year, UK finished up the first weekend of the three week tournament and we are currently hoping we have some players left to help the new recruits out next year. Our women also ended the second week. Oh, well. It is still my favorite time of year, just not quite as exciting.
This morning at church, we will spend the first hour singing our favorite hymns while we decorate a cross with beautiful cut flowers. At the end of the hour, we'll have a "living cross" at the altar and then have our Easter sermon. This will be our minister, Evan's last Easter Sunday, he and wife, Emma, will be moving on at the end of May. We've had four ministers during my seven years at our little country church and they've all been awesome. Love them all!
I'm looking forward to Easter dinner and hopefully an egg hunt at my sister, Pam's in Lexington. It's a fun time for all the family. MJ is quite the entertainer and we have other little ones that will enjoy this annual tradition.
I've been able to read through an additional Bible Study on the crucifixion of Jesus and simply wanted to share one stunning event that took place as Jesus died on the cross. The curtain that was made according to God's instructions given to Moses in the book of Exodus hung in the Tabernacle of the Temple. It was elaborately woven with purple, scarlet and blue yarn and measured sixty feet long and twenty feet wide. Because of the elaborate designs worked into the fabric, it was as thick as a man's palm.
At the moment when Jesus exclaimed "It is finished" from the cross, this massive curtain was torn from top to bottom. It had been the barrier that kept God's presence separate from the priests and the Jewish people. As this barrier was now removed, because of Jesus' sacrifice for us, we are now able to be with God. Jesus can now live in us. God dwells with His people, through His Holy Son, our precious lamb.
I wish you an awesome Easter. Enjoy the baskets, the bunnies, the chocolate and the egg hunts. And take time to thank the Lamb, that's what Easter is all about. luv, Susan
This is always my favorite time of year, preparing for Easter and Springtime weather and enjoying basketball, as the Cats make their final charge toward the Final Four. Sadly, this year, UK finished up the first weekend of the three week tournament and we are currently hoping we have some players left to help the new recruits out next year. Our women also ended the second week. Oh, well. It is still my favorite time of year, just not quite as exciting.
This morning at church, we will spend the first hour singing our favorite hymns while we decorate a cross with beautiful cut flowers. At the end of the hour, we'll have a "living cross" at the altar and then have our Easter sermon. This will be our minister, Evan's last Easter Sunday, he and wife, Emma, will be moving on at the end of May. We've had four ministers during my seven years at our little country church and they've all been awesome. Love them all!
I'm looking forward to Easter dinner and hopefully an egg hunt at my sister, Pam's in Lexington. It's a fun time for all the family. MJ is quite the entertainer and we have other little ones that will enjoy this annual tradition.
I've been able to read through an additional Bible Study on the crucifixion of Jesus and simply wanted to share one stunning event that took place as Jesus died on the cross. The curtain that was made according to God's instructions given to Moses in the book of Exodus hung in the Tabernacle of the Temple. It was elaborately woven with purple, scarlet and blue yarn and measured sixty feet long and twenty feet wide. Because of the elaborate designs worked into the fabric, it was as thick as a man's palm.
At the moment when Jesus exclaimed "It is finished" from the cross, this massive curtain was torn from top to bottom. It had been the barrier that kept God's presence separate from the priests and the Jewish people. As this barrier was now removed, because of Jesus' sacrifice for us, we are now able to be with God. Jesus can now live in us. God dwells with His people, through His Holy Son, our precious lamb.
I wish you an awesome Easter. Enjoy the baskets, the bunnies, the chocolate and the egg hunts. And take time to thank the Lamb, that's what Easter is all about. luv, Susan
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
STILL, THIS IS MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR
I am so very happy to report that the groundhog was right when he predicted an early Spring. We have enjoyed beautiful warm days in the past month or two, but Winter has always reared it's ugly, snowcovered head. The last snow day was a mere six days ago when it was really coming down here in Central Kentucky, while MJ and I were at our monthly Homemakers meeting. Thankfully, the snow didn't stick around and now, it appears, we have at least a two week jump on official Spring. After hanging towels and jeans outside to dry, I walked around toward the garden and was stunned to see daffodils ready to bloom and some hyacinth already blooming. Thank you, God, for an early Spring.
Because I only posted eight blogs in 2015, you might make the assumption that watching my little grandson takes more time than I thought. Well, yes, it does, but it has more to do with simply enjoying my time with him and trying to get caught up when I don't have him. Unfortunately, his new daycare does not have a two day a week program available for him, so I have lost watching him on Mondays. I thought since I'm down to watching him two days a week, I might be able to squeeze in a blog a week, maybe.
I've mentioned previously that my Sunday School class has been working our way through Beth Moore's Daniel Bible study. The study took us into some prophecy and we actually spent time visiting Revelation. In addition, my Bible Study Fellowship this year has been studying Revelation. Before these two studies, I had always avoided Revelation, wanting to learn more about the rest of the Bible before I had to learn about the final chapter. It was actually a shock to me when I realized that the second part of the Daniel study was all about prophesy, thus going hand in hand with the final book as well. You might guess that I'm taking both of these studies very seriously.
The rest of my life is going along quite nicely. It is now early March, and Easter is just around the corner at the end of the month. It's time for me to start getting all my tax stuff together, so I can start thinking about spending more time outdoors. My dad turned ninety last month and we are all so blessed to have him still with us and in mostly overall good health, with the help of oxygen. He and I even made it over to a couple of the regional tournament games to see Paris win, then lose. And we have also been counting our blessings with my mom's health as she is cancer free after that terrible scare of cancer in her colon last year. She's bounced back better than you'd expect any eighty eight year old woman to do. MJ and I really enjoy going to Paris most Thursdays to visit them. They also celebrated their wedding anniversary in January. They've been married sixty nine years. Again, we are so blessed.
Like I said, I've got tax stuff to gather and beautiful weather to enjoy, so I'm gonna wrap this up. Hopefully, I'll get back to it before long. In the meantime, you have a great day. And, with the SEC Tourney starting this week......Go Cats!! luv, Susan
Because I only posted eight blogs in 2015, you might make the assumption that watching my little grandson takes more time than I thought. Well, yes, it does, but it has more to do with simply enjoying my time with him and trying to get caught up when I don't have him. Unfortunately, his new daycare does not have a two day a week program available for him, so I have lost watching him on Mondays. I thought since I'm down to watching him two days a week, I might be able to squeeze in a blog a week, maybe.
I've mentioned previously that my Sunday School class has been working our way through Beth Moore's Daniel Bible study. The study took us into some prophecy and we actually spent time visiting Revelation. In addition, my Bible Study Fellowship this year has been studying Revelation. Before these two studies, I had always avoided Revelation, wanting to learn more about the rest of the Bible before I had to learn about the final chapter. It was actually a shock to me when I realized that the second part of the Daniel study was all about prophesy, thus going hand in hand with the final book as well. You might guess that I'm taking both of these studies very seriously.
The rest of my life is going along quite nicely. It is now early March, and Easter is just around the corner at the end of the month. It's time for me to start getting all my tax stuff together, so I can start thinking about spending more time outdoors. My dad turned ninety last month and we are all so blessed to have him still with us and in mostly overall good health, with the help of oxygen. He and I even made it over to a couple of the regional tournament games to see Paris win, then lose. And we have also been counting our blessings with my mom's health as she is cancer free after that terrible scare of cancer in her colon last year. She's bounced back better than you'd expect any eighty eight year old woman to do. MJ and I really enjoy going to Paris most Thursdays to visit them. They also celebrated their wedding anniversary in January. They've been married sixty nine years. Again, we are so blessed.
Like I said, I've got tax stuff to gather and beautiful weather to enjoy, so I'm gonna wrap this up. Hopefully, I'll get back to it before long. In the meantime, you have a great day. And, with the SEC Tourney starting this week......Go Cats!! luv, Susan
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