Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 8.11- Win/Win partnerships. I never noticed at the time, but the way mom and dad did things was to work hard and avoid get rich quick schemes. They didn't want to get over on others and they tried to be cautious in business deals. Dad never negioated for a better car price. There were several business writers who described this rule of life. Win/Win or no deal. Good for you. Good for me. This did not make my folks super rich but it made them super happy. They did not think of themselves saints or perfect people but they taught us to train our conscience in what was good conduct and then let our conscience be our guide in win/Win partnerships. This was not taught by words but by their actions. They didn't worry much. They prayed at meal times a prayer of thanks for health, jobs and food and shelter. I am grateful for this training. Matthew 5 33  “Again, you have heard that  [ z ] the ancients were told, ‘ [ aa ] You shall not   [ ab ] make false vows, but shall fulfill your  

 8.10- How to prepare to leave earth. The greatest human who ever walked on the planet said four little words. "Your will be done." Matthew 26 36  Then Jesus *came with them to a place called  [ o ] Gethsemane, and *told His disciples,  “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”   37  And He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him, and began to be grieved and distressed.   38  Then He *said to them,  “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.” 39  And He went a little beyond  them , and fell on His face and prayed, saying,  “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You  will .”   40  And He *came to the disciples and *found them sleeping, and He *said to Peter,  “So, you  men  could not keep watch with Me for one hour?   41  Keep watching and praying, so that you do not come into temptation; the spirit is  [ p ] willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42  He went away again a second time an

 8.9- Our nation is blessed to have a desire that all it's citizens learn about reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic. Public education supports good thinking about how to be healthy physically, mentally and socially. Those who teach and coach public school students invest in love and support of kids at great personal sacrifice. They give so much that I'm glad they get a month or so of rest in the summer and a couple of weeks in mid year. Schools are a chance for all kids regardless of their socio-economic status to break out and do amazing things to benefit our country. In school we learn to relate to people very different from ourselves. I am praying for protection over all of our teachers and coaches to have good year 24/25. Great nations have great schools. God blesses those who love children. Could I suggest we all list 30 teachers and coaches and then pray each day of the month for that teacher? John 10 11  “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life

 8.8- Deep love for God will lead to a sincere love for all people in all nations, tribes and races regardless of their status in life. 1 Corinthians 13 13  If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.   2  If I have  the gift of  prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.   3  And if I give away all my possessions  to charity , and if I surrender my body so that I may  [ a ] glory, but do not have love, it does me no good. 4  Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.   5  It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own  benefit ; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong  suffered ,   6  it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;   7  it  [ b ] keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures a

 8.7- Humans get older yet think of themselves as "young". I was listening to a man in his 60's saying he kept thinking of himself as "one of the young guys" at work. A man described his encounter with his own mirror. "Who is that old guy?" I used to enjoy my dad or three older siblings doing the hardest things. Now It's me. I must be strong and wise and patient. When I feel weak, which is often I can cry out for help and it comes I so many ways. A lady saw me looking at the milk cooler from my mobility scooter. She said, "Can I help you?" I said,"Yes. I never turn down help nowadays. You have helped me by being genuinely available. I want to reach it to push and stretch but your words did help me." Another lady saw my "pink" shirt. "I like your shirt." "Thank you. My guy friends make fun of a guy in a pink shirt." She said, "It's not pink. It's flamingo." "Thanks" He