A Bit of Encouragement: Community Service

Welcome Back, Ladies!

I'm so happy you've decided to join me back on the blog. I hope it's giving you a little respite from your daily grind. We are all busy busy busy, but as we know, it pays off to make sure and get a little "me" time each and every day. But the trick is to NOT feel guilty about it. Ya know what we (the husband and I) did on Saturday while it was dreary and raining outside? Well, after working out at the gym in the morning - we did - nothing! We literally watched movies all day. Do you know how good that felt? I hope you all get a chance to do that once in a while. We don feel guilty about it, because we needed that down time. Praying all of you are getting some down time in between all the other "stuff" you do.

A Matter of Perspective

Roles And How We Play Them

Whenever I'm disappointed with my spot in my life, I stop and think about little Jamie Scott. Jamie was trying out for a part in a school play. His mother told me that he'd set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen.
On the day the parts were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school. Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement.
"Guess what Mum," he shouted, and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me: "I've been chosen to clap and cheer!"

Living by Faith Not by Sight

A daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with her father. When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows. An empty chair sat beside his bed. The minister assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit. "I guess you were expecting me," he said.

wooden arm chair

"No, who are you?", said the father.

"I'm the new minister at your church," he replied. "When I saw the empty chair, I figured you knew I was going to show up."

"Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you mind closing the door?"

Puzzled, the minister shut the door.

"I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man. "But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head. I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the old man continued, "until one day about four years ago my best friend said to me, 'Joe, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here is what I suggest. Sit down in a chair; place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It's not spooky because he promised, 'I'll be with you always.' Then just speak to him and listen in the same way you're doing with me right now.'

So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I'm careful though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm."

The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old guy to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil, and returned to the church.

Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon.

"Did he die in peace?" he asked.

"Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later I found him dead. But there was something strange about his death. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on the chair beside the bed. What do you make of that?"

The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said, "I wish we all could go like that."

We live by faith, not by sight.

2 Cor 5:7

Psalm 118:8

Did you know?

PSALM 118 is the middle chapter of the entire Bible.
PSALM 118 is preceded by Psalm 117, the shortest chapter in the Bible.
PSALM 118 is followed by Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible.
PSALM 118 is preceded by 594 chapters and followed by 594 chapters.

If you add the 595 preceding and 594 following chapters, the sum is a total of 1188 chapters. Psalm 118:8 (that's 1188) is the middle verse of the entire Bible.

And what is this central verse of the Bible?

"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man"

- Psalm 118:8

And now in honor of St. Patty's Day - here's a yummy recipe if you've never made this before. You know, we are all Irish on St. Patrick's Day. :)

Corn Beef and Cabbage

Ingredients

3 pounds corned beef brisket with spice packet
10 small red potatoes
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
1 large head cabbage, cut into small wedges

Directions

Place corned beef in large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Add the spice packet that came with the corned beef. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer approximately 50 minutes per pound or until tender.
Add whole potatoes and carrots, and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook for 15 more minutes. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes.

Place vegetables in a bowl and cover. Add as much broth (cooking liquid reserved in the Dutch oven or large pot) as you want. Slice meat across the grain.