OUR DAILY BREAD - TUESDAY

Talk Low, Talk Slow

 

March 29, 2011

Our Daily Bread is hosted by Les Lamborn

READ: Judges 7:24–8:3

A soft answer turns away wrath. —Proverbs 15:1
John Wayne, famous American actor and film icon, once said, “Talk low, talk slow, and don’t say too much.” His advice is hard for me to follow since I’m a fast talker and I don’t always speak quietly or limit my words. However, this idea of controlling our speech can be a useful tool when dealing with anger. The Bible says we are supposed to be “slow to speak” (James 1:19), and that “a soft answer turns away wrath” (Prov. 15:1).

Gideon gave a soft answer during a verbal scuffle with some fellow Israelites (Judg. 8). Just after his army defeated the Midianites, a group of his countrymen criticized him sharply (v.1). They were miffed because they missed out on the main part of the battle. Gideon did not fling back a rough response. Instead, he reminded them that they had captured and killed the Midianite princes. He also honored the men by asking, “What was I able to do in comparison with you?” Finally, “their anger toward him subsided when he said that” (v.3
).
With the Lord’s help, we can defuse heated situations by reining in our words. Responding gently and carefully to angry people can promote unity, for God’s glory. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Lord, set a guard upon my lips,
My tongue control today;
Help me evaluate each thought
And watch each word I say. —Hess

Bite your tongue before your tongue bites others.

BEEN GONE FOR TWO DAYS BECAUSE.......

Hi friends, 

missed seeing all of you today and yesterday, I've been under the weather again for the past two days. Hope to be back tomorrow.

Hugs, Barb

Their Separate Ways is releasing soon. Here is a little about the book... - Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers

Their Separate Ways is releasing soon. Here is a little about the book... - Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

KATHI MACIAS INTRODUCES PEOPLE OF THE BOOK!

CSS Virtual Book Tour | Kathi Macias | People of the Book

We have FREE copies of PEOPLE OF THE BOOK to give away. To be eligible for the first giveaway ... like this page, post a comment about one of Kathi Macias' books, or spread the word by posting to your blog & linking back to this page - http://www.facebook.com/CSSVirtualBookTour.KathiMacias.PeopleoftheBook

SORRY FOR THE PROBLEMS WITH MY BLOG

Dear Friends,

You have probably already noticed the problems I'm having with my blog - the different color behind the printing. AGH!  Problems like this drive me crazy and I have worked for hours trying to correct it.  LOL  It is doing whatever it wants to do.  Maybe it's time for a new design and blog.  What do you think?  Any suggestions?  HELP!!

Hugs,
Barb

Each Day Is A Gift....

Maria Papazova, a friend of mine, sent this story to me.  I love it and want to share it with you.  Thank you, Maria. The 92-year-old petite well-poised and proud lady who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied even though she is legally blind moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away making the move necessary After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. "I love it", she stated, with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy... "Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room .... just wait" "That doesn't have anything to do with it",  she replied;  "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged, it's how I arrange my mind." .. "I already decided to love it.  It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice:  I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do " "Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away, just for this time in my life" .. She went on to explain "Old age is like a bank account you withdraw from what you've put in So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories.  Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. As for me, I am still depositing" And with a smile, she said... "Remember the five simple rules to be happy:-" "Free your heart from hatred Free your mind from worries Live simply Give more Expect less"

OUR DAILY BREAD - TUESDAY

How To Bloom

 

Our Daily Bread is hosted by Les Lamborn

READ: 1 Peter 1:1-9

Rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings. —1 Peter 4:13

My family and I live in an apartment, so our “flower garden” consists of what we can grow in indoor pots. For a long time our plants would not flower despite watering and fertilizing. Then we discovered that the soil had to be raked and turned over if the plants were to bloom. Now our potted plants are a pure joy to look at with their healthy leaves and blooming flowers.

Sometimes we need a little raking and turning in our own lives to make us bloom. Writing to the harassed believers in his day, Peter said, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice” (1 Peter 4:12-13).

Like the soil in our potted plants, these Christians were having their lives “turned over.” God’s purpose in doing that was to allow their faith to result in praise and glory to Him at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1:7).

God wants to loosen the things that can choke our lives and that prevent us from radiating joy. To do this, He sometimes has to allow pain and trouble—trials that help stir up the soil of our lives. If this is what you are experiencing today, rejoice. Surrender to His touch and acquire a joy and fruitfulness you never imagined possible. —C. P. Hia

Turning the soil and pulling the weeds
Helps garden flowers to grow,
And if we’re to see growth in our lives
Trials and testings we’ll know. —Sper

Those who bless God in their trials will be blessed by God through their trials.

Hello Friends, What a weekend I had sharing with the United Methodist Women of my church, UMC of the Covenant in Arlington, TX.  We met at Stillwater Lodge, part of the Methodist Camp at Glen Rose, TX.  A peaceful and beautiful site to hold our retreat. Beautiful spacious lodge with comfortable rooms.  A river that flowed behind the lodge, was inviting for rock hunting, walking and fishing.  I didn't see any lady fishers. LOL I did see plenty of walkers and others sitting along the banks in thoughtful solitude or in groups, all with relaxation and laughter in mind.

Glen Rose, Texas is also home to fantastic, unique attractions like Fossil Rim Wildlife Center and World Famous Dinosaur Valley State Park, making it an extremely popular tourist town with terrific accommodations. There are also numerous walking/jogging trails perfect for the active visitor.

We enjoyed a Bible study on using Our Spiritual Gifts, Chair Aerobics, a visit to a pie shop downtown..YUMMY!  Lots of singing, movies, devotionals, prayers and lots of fun.  The food was excellent, and the large dining room was well managed by the lodge to seat other large groups also attending the Lodge for meetings and fellowship. One of our favorite highlights of our retreats is the craft time.  This year we made beautiful bible markers made from jewels and other materials for jewelry making.  They ended up beautifully for most ladies....but there were the exceptions...like mine.  My string was too short to fit inside the bible, and I put too many jewels on each end, so.....I made a cute things to hang from the chain on my purse.  Looks like it belongs there.

We closed our weekend with a special worship service on Psalms and the singing of Psalms.  It was touching and meaningful, a lovely note to end our retreat.

When the worship service was over, one of the ladies set a stack of unusual rocks, shells and fossils that she had collected from the riverside.  She issued an open invitation to all the ladies to take whatever appealed to them. It seemed each piece found a home. I picked up an unusual rock that had a hole completely through it, and was almost hollow on the inside. Quite smooth on the outside and an unusual shape overall.  I wonder what story of history lies within that rock? The fascination is.....I will never know and can make up many stories to tell around it.  Maybe one might be close to truth.  Reminds me of the song, "Rock my Soul in the Bosom of Abraham."  That's what it's all about!

Barb

OUR DAILY BREAD - MONDAY

Free Compliments

March 21, 2011

Our Daily Bread is hosted by Les Lamborn

READ: Proverbs 16:20-30

Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. —Proverbs 16:24

During a time of economic crisis and depressing news, two students at Purdue University decided to lift the spirits of people on campus with some encouraging words. For two hours every Wednesday afternoon, Cameron Brown and Brett Westcott stood along a busy walkway holding a large “Free Compliments” sign and saying nice things to everyone who passed by. “I like your red coat.” “Cool snow boots.” “Very nice smile.” Some students said they deliberately walked past “the compliment guys” every Wednesday just to hear a kind word.
I was struck by these two young men who looked at people with the goal of commending them, rather than finding fault or being critical. Is that how I, as a follower of Christ, view others each day?
Instead of being like the person who is focused on evil and whose speech is “like a burning fire” (Prov. 16:27), we can take a different approach, knowing that what we say begins deep inside us. “The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips. Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones” (vv.23-24).
Kind words may be free, but they give a priceless lift of spirit. Why not encourage someone today? —David McCasland

The power in words can build up or tear down—
Create a big smile or produce a sad frown;
So in all your contacts with people each day,
Be sure to encourage in all that you say. —Fitzhugh

A gentle word of compliment falls lightly but it carries great weight.

OUR DAILY BREAD - SUNDAY

The Stones

March 20, 2011

Our Daily Bread is hosted by Les Lamborn

READ: Joshua 4

When your children ask . . . “What are these stones?” then you shall let [them] know, saying, “Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land.” —Joshua 4:21-22

Not long ago, our friends had a gathering at their house and invited a group of people who were all music lovers. Kevin and Ilsa, who are both gifted musicians, requested that each person or couple bring a rock for a fire pit that was often the site for their evening musical jams. But they didn’t want just plain ol’ rocks. They asked that each one be marked with a name or date or event that indicated how or when everyone had become friends.
God felt that the Israelites needed a reminder of an amazing event in their lives. Although the Jordan River had been at flood stage, the Israelites had been able to cross over on dry ground because God had stopped the water from flowing (Josh. 3:13-17). Something similar had happened years before in an escape from Egypt (see Ex. 14:21-31). On this occasion, however, God instructed His people to build a memorial of stones so that in the future when children would ask about the stones, parents could remind them of the mighty hand of God (Josh. 4:23-24).
As God continually cared for the Israelites, He continues to provide for us today. What “stones of remembrance” will you use to remind your children, grandchildren—and even yourself—of the evidence of God’s might? —Cindy Hess Kasper

God’s faithfulness we’ve known throughout the years,
His oneness with us in our joys and tears;
So many times the Lord has helped us through,
Has answered prayer and given strength anew. —F. Hess

Remembering God’s goodness is a good cure for doubt.