Monthly Archives: September 2014

The Loft

The Loft – Best Practical Tips

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The topic this week at The Loft (Graphic by Kerry Messer)  (Click HERE and you will be directed to The Loft.) the-loftis Best Practical Tips. And, of course, as good Christian Girls we should offer some wondrous spiritual insight, right? We could hope! Yet I have learned holy advice does not always have to be without humor.

She’s 84. She’s in my Sunday School class. She’s beautiful. She’s funny. She is a saint for sure! And when asked by some younger woman, looking back what would she do differently; she replied, “I’d put more lotion on my neck.” 

I love it, I love it, I love it! 

How do I get holy out of that? A couple of ways, I think. 

One. I have recently learned that taking care of this temple in which the Holy Spirit of GOD resides is a holy matter. It really does matter to ABBA what we eat, how much we exercise, how much we sleep, and much more. These things are a huge contributor to our physical, emotional and even our spiritual well-being. And as long as we are still breathing earth’s oxygen, it’s not too late to start making better choices about food, exercise, sleep, etc. Individual as we are GOD has a plan for each of us, even when we are 84 years young.  Maintaining the temple, particularly physically, is not complicated; it’s just hard. For most of us – for sure there are some exceptions – it’s eat less, move more.

But back to necks and lotion and my second reason.

Two. Necks turn our heads, do they not? Necks can be stiff, unbending, and that is not a desirable state is it? 

2 Chronicles 36:13 And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel.
Psalm 75:5 Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.
Jeremiah 17:23 But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.  via BibleGateway – Quick search: stiff neck.

More lotion on my neck. Oh yeah! That is holy advice for sure. The lotion (shall we say oil) of The Word of GOD applied by His HOLY SPIRIT to our necks will mightily improve our ‘looks’; will make our necks pliable, bendable to the Will of our Father. Oh yeah! that’s some practical, holy advice if I ever heard any! 

:)

Day 266 of 2014, a day to give Thanks.

Kathie

A Quick Hello, Guests

Happy, Happy Saturday Morning!

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Well, it has been more than a week since I have posted here… Yikes!  I don’t know that I have an acceptable excuse — so I’ll just leave that thread right there.

I am here this morning because I read a blog post from a new to me  blog address that I think is so on point and so needed and so crucial in my own life that it just might fill a need for some of you. So if you will click HERE and read.

The blog post is entitled Lay Aside the Weight of Irritability and its author is Jon Bloom.  Forgive me if I sound (well a good word escapes right now), I am identifying with and this post nails my heart so well — a woman could have written it!!! :)   That sounded bad, didn’t it?  Perhaps Jon will take that as high praise because it is! I am exceedingly grateful to have ‘happened’ upon his blessed offering.  Perhaps when you read you will feel the same. 

I am wishing you a Saturday kissed and crowned with victory!

Day 263 of 2014, a day to give Thanks.

Kathie

Assurance - Promise, Christian Living, You Tubes

Even with Wobbly Knees

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Earlier this morning I opened my Bible via my iphone – it opened to John 16. A most appropriate passage for today. 

John 16:1 “These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. 2 They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. 3 These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. 4 But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them.  via John 16 NASB;CJB – Jesus’ Warning – “These things I – Bible Gateway.

See what I mean?

If you would like to read the passage in its entirety, just click the link above and you will be directed to Biblegateway dot com; there you will be able to read the chapter in either the NASB or the CJB or choose another translation of your liking.

Jesus (Yeshua) continues in the Passage with promises and assurances. He ends the chapter with this:

33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”   via John 16 NASB;CJB – Jesus’ Warning – “These things I – Bible Gateway.

I also find comfort in the CJB version of this verse: 

33 “I have said these things to you so that, united with me, you may have shalom. In the world, you have tsuris. But be brave! I have conquered the world!”  via John 16 NASB;CJB – Jesus’ Warning – “These things I – Bible Gateway.

tsuris – tribulation

Be brave? In this world? Right now? Today?

Yes. For HE has conquered the world! And this assurance is real and sure; even more so than the sun which rose over this continent this morning. Bravery does not mean we blindly without caution jump headlong into a thing. No, it means we move forward through the day, through the tsuris with HIM even when our knees are wobbly. 

Be brave. We are not alone. He is with us.

And the most effective way I know to practice His fellowship, infusing us with bravery is to give Him thanks, to live in eucharisteo in all things. 

Day 254 of 2014, a day to give Thanks.

Kathie

Christian Living, The Loft

Pot Luck

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the-loft

At The Loft.   (Graphic by Kerry Messer) 
Some delicious writing and pictures are being served. Please click the pic for a taste and perhaps a feast for your soul.

As Leah wrote, pot luck here in the south can be described this way: When my home girls get together for a pot luck meal, no one asks, ‘what do you want me to bring’. Everyone knows it is true pot luck…bring whatever lights your fire. If we have all desserts and no veggies, well, what a tragedy!!

What is lighting my fire today? Hmm. 

Well … no that one might not be tasty?  Lets see, nah! for that one I might be lacking some ingredients. And this one — well, that one is not perfected for public consumption yet. Excuse my discussion with myself. :)

I might have such a conversation with me as I consider a Pot Luck dish to prepare. Perhaps I should have such a conversation before I serve up a piece of mind too. :)

So what is in the pantry of my soul? 

Psalm 119:11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. via Ps 119:11 ESV;CJB – I have stored up your word in my heart, – Bible Gateway.

Oh I hope I have stored away enough to pull out a morsel at a moment’s notice to serve up an edifying dish for a sister or brother. 

4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” via Luke 4:3-5 NASB;CJB – And the devil said to Him, “If You – Bible Gateway.
29 Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it. via Ephesians 4:28-30 AMP;CJB – Let the thief steal no more, but rather – Bible Gateway.

 And don’t be afraid to try something new, when that wild idea comes to mind, line it up with Scripture and if it fits — go for it!  Works with cooking too. pesto chicken and applesSautéed these apples along with the chicken in a little grape-seed oil, added a little cinnamon and a hint of Stevia for sweetness to the apples, topped the chicken with my best batch of pesto yet — it was yummy! 

And that’s my Pot Luck serving at The Loft and here at The White Stone.

Happy feasting!!

Day 252 of 2014, a day to give Thanks.

Kathie