Category Archives: Christian Living

Christian Living, Guests, The Loft

Everyday, Every Day

Gallery 2 Comments

“Sacred, everyday moments of life.”  (Day Twelve, Page 59; A Grandmother’s Prayers by Kay Swatkowski)

Strikes me today; so I’m writing! :)

What is sacred about an everyday Wednesday? Or Tuesday? Or Friday for that matter?

Sacred:
1. Dedicated to or set apart for the worship of a deity.
2. Worthy of religious veneration.
3. Made or declared holy
4. Dedicated or devoted exclusively to a single use, purpose, or person
5. Worthy of respect; venerable.
6. Of or relating to religious objects, rites, or practices.
Wow! Let us carefully examine these definitions of sacred.
What if we considered:
1. This day as exclusively devoted to Jesus?
2. This day to be worthy to be regarded with reverence?  See Psalm 118:24 24 This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
3. This day as having been declared holy by The LORD Himself – what if we agreed with Him and so embraced it – this ordinary (holy, sacred) Wednesday?
4. This day devoted exclusively to pleasing Him with our conduct and activities? Like riding our bikes? And looking for Him in everything as we go! :)
5. This day we respected theses 24 hours and used them wisely? See Ephesians 5:16  16 Use your time well, for these are evil days.
6. This day is related to worship just as much as Sunday? Just as much as Sunday, we dedicate this day to worshiping Jesus in everyday things we do today?
What if?
What if this everyday, ordinary Wednesday was sacred ?
But it is!
It really is!
Oh I hope I remember this when this post is sent and I am on my way into this everyday sacred Wednesday or  Thursday, Friday . . . 
Until next time ~ ~ ~ Kathie

The Loft: A weekly Hangout and Link Up for Christian bloggers
Graphic by Kerry Messer

Christian Living

Ambition

Gallery Leave a comment

Reading. Early morning. A little rain. Quiet.

James 3:16. 16 For where there are jealousy and selfish ambition, there will be disharmony and every foul practice. [source]

Jealousy. 

Selfish Ambition.

These two, give birth to much evil. Every foul practice The Word says. 

Does this mean if I stay clear of jealousy and selfish ambition, I’ll sin less? I think it does! 

Ambition (number 4) for today: staying clear of jealousy and SELFISH ambition.  Pray me obedience! :)

What’s your ambition for today? 

Until next time ~ ~ ~ Kathie 
Christian Living, Forgiveness, Uncommonly Used Words

Tiz Kinder, I Think

Gallery Leave a comment

Flaws.

My Scripture reading this morning was Revelation 2:1-7. Click HERE if you’d like a link to read it. One thought led to another and soon I found myself hearing a word about flaws.

We’ve all used the word, right? She, he has this flaw _________________.
I have this flaw ____________________. 

Free Dictionary dot com gave me some definitions. Here are a few:

An imperfection, often concealed, that impairs soundness. 
A defect or shortcoming in something intangible: The two leaders share the flaw of arrogance.

And just for fun – yes, it’s new to me too:
A quick, intense burst, especially of wind, rain or snow

Who knew? One more.

A feature that mars the perfection of something. 

And so as I read these definitions it confirmed the word I heard while looking at the flaw of the Church in Ephesus and those of someone(s) close and loved. The word flaw seems kinder than other words we might use. Don’t you think? That is why we use it, right? I thought so too, until today. 

Before this morning (and it will again, unless I practice what I preach) when I see flaws in others it just gives rise to one of my own flaws: irritation. But I see something different this morning.

My new definition for flaw: well practiced sin.

Seeing a flaw in him or her or me with this definition brings a new response. A response of prayer for mercy and grace for them and for me. This new definition of flaw doesn’t let me off the hook, I can’t just dismiss the practice (action) as oh well that’s just who I am. Live with it!  And when it’s out there in someone else, with this new definition, rather than irritation, love prevails and so I pray.  Because she who loves does not want a brother or sister or child or spouse bound up in sin, right? 

Flaw. Tiz kinder I think to call it what it is — a well practiced sin. 

No more excuses. Not just a flaw. But a sin I have practiced way too much, and way too long!

ABBA, desiring to call it what it is and pray, for me and for them. To love You and them enough to do the kindest thing, offer mercy, grace and forgiveness instead of irritation and aggravation, no matter what the ‘flaw’ is. I love you, ABBA. Thank You. 

Until Next Time ~ ~ ~ Kathie 
Christian Living

Like It or Not

Gallery Leave a comment

24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 2 Peter 2:24 [source]

Yes. Same verse. Second day. Focus today: He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross,

The filth of our sins poured into Him. He who NEVER committed even one of them experienced the filth of each of them. And not just the deadly feeling of the filth but the actual legal guilt of our sins were imposed on Him, personally in His own body! 

What sins? 

Let’s review just a few.

  1. You shall have no other gods before me.
  2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
  3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain,
  4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
  5. Honor your father and your mother,
  6. You shall not murder. (Matthew 15:19, Matthew 5:21-22)
  7. You shall not commit adultery. (Matthew 5:28 – applies male and female)
  8. You shall not steal.
  9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
  10. You shall not covet
    [source]

So which one have we NOT done?  For many of us when we consider the passages in Matthew, perhaps we have done them all.  Sobering? 

So. How grateful am I that He bore my sins in His body on the cross? (Like it or not) My behavior surely shows how grateful I am! 

Day 141 of 2015 ~ ~ Repentance. Perhaps our greatest need  ~~~ Kathie
Need someone to come alongside to pray with you?  email me