Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 4.30- Dopamine, endrophins are serotonin three internal body drugs that reduce pain and make us feel internal well being. Fellowship, gratefulness, short term goals accomplished along with new and improved thinking give a surge in these good, body, naturally produced chemicals. Fifty years ago as I started my weekly writing ministry I noticed some people in suburban Dallas and my farm community had discovered a path to steady joy. Start your day with prayer and meditation. Move out to work hard and joyfully. Give it your best shot. Be the best you can be. Provide for yourself and those in need. Enjoy good fellowship with family and friends. Be grateful. Keep learning. These habits build a life of steady joy regardless of surrounding circumstances. Yesterday my cup did overflow. Had my normal reading, prayer and meditation experience. Made a today to do list. It was interrupted by better things. The inspecter passed my new, cool a/c. Recieved a call from a family member, Called a...

 4.28    ·  Shared with Public Bethany places. Flexibility. Family. Friends. Fellowship. Food. No schedule. No opponents and division. Yes. Good smelling food. Bacon. Sausage. Coffee. Tears. Laughter. Joy. The Ponderosa. White county Colorado. We can be so easily distracted from what is best. Near where this was taken a young person had walked a half a mile to sit near a home with wifi and sit and look at a screen. Why? Because screens can point us toward the creator or distraction us from Him. Luke 10. 38  As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.   39  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.   40  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41  “Mar...

 4,27- Zoom friends from Denver and Fort Worth have their yearly meeting at Rudy's BBQ. Aren't we blessed with forgiveness. Long term, deeply beloved friends are chosen "family". This week on Tuesday I was reminded to be careful about careless words. They have consequences. On Wednesday I messed up. Then I spoke the Lord's prayer "Forgive our sins as we forgive others". Then I asked my friend for forgiveness and received it. Wonderful! Matthew 18 21  Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22  Jesus answered,  “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. [ g ] 23  “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.   24  As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold [ h ]  was brought to him.   25  Since he was not able to pay, the master or...

 4.26- Christian families work best when they all submit to Jesus and each other. Husband's submit to wives sometimes. Parents submit to children periodically. You cannot love without submitting, but you can submit without loving. We seek progress. Less careless words of judgement and discounting. Less nagging, quarreling, arguing, whinning and complaining. More clean joyful build up conversations. Matthew 12. 30  “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.   31  And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.   32  Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. 33  “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.   34...

 4.25- He was a bridge to growth as a man for me. As I would throw out my dream of the week he would challenge me to make me think deeply about how much sacrifice would be involved for me to accomplish this special dream. He made plans for the needs of his family for beyond his own life. We was very quiet compared to my loud, busy and careless mouth. When he spoke with a dry wit it broke up the room with laughter. I felt that I was his side kick, wingman. He did not expect an easy life or for the world to revolve around him. He learned to submit his will to the authority leaders in the military or in government work or business. His wisdom about business was respected by people in Fannin, Delta, Lamar and Hunt counties and beyond. His office in Roxton was a set up to a salad lunch next door always on him. Stayed busy doing good things to take care of business. His love and care for his brothers and sisters and others was powered by his internal spiritual values. I still miss h...

 4.24- Happy Birthday Ruth Ann Milton Jones Thank you for all you have done to help our family. Your visits to mom and dad in the HGNC remain as highlight of their day and week when you came by. This after a hard day of teaching school and helping students to achieve as much as possible and beyond. Matthew 15. 15  Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked,   2  “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!” 3  Jesus replied,  “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?   4  For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ [ a ]  and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ [ b ]   5  But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’   6  they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullif...