Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 6.18- Wise men for thousands of years have taught us to be humble. What does it mean? One of my friends said, "To not be so full of yourself. Remembering that many people are more intelligent than you so don't pretend to be a 'know it all'. The most successful teacher who ever walked on the planet was born and laid in a manger. At the end of his earthly life he breathed his last breathe between two theives. He had taught that it was good to be invited to banquet and to attend, but be sure and take the lowest seat there. He said if you throw a banquet yourself be sure to invite poor people who cannot return the favor and therefor the reward is to go straight to God. One of his students wrote that he would be tempted to exalt himself so he was given a thorn in the flesh of his body to make him humble. He had asked God three times to remove the thorn, but three times God had so no. It was revealed to him that God's greatest power is shown to us in our greatest ...

 6.17- Fun, successful work. Come early with positive humor. Look for the good in your fellow human, whether, co-worker, boss, lead, client, always look for win/win or no deal among clients and prospective business partners. Don't rush out when your time is up. I have known workers who worked joyfully into their 70's, 80's, 90's because of being full of joy, grace and truth. People loved being around them. I have known people who "retired" in their 50's who were unhappy and looking for "greener pastures" We reap what we sow. Joy or negitivity. 1 Thessalonians 5. 12  Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.   13  Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.   14  And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with...

 6.16- Come and see. The butterfly is yellow, purple, white and black. My backyard has a couple of giant shade trees but for these two squirrels it's a racetrack. Playing peekaboo then tag. Mr. balloon throat camelion was showing off with his upside down sticky feet routine on my raingutter yesterday. Hot shot Cardinal was racing to get an early bird snack this morning. When life slows down for a quarterback they say he can see the open receiver who was there all along. Slow me down Lord and help me to see your glory. Julie, Kursty, Lucia, Michael, Pete, Angela, Suzanne, Viven, Joyce, Beverly, Lexi and Ross served me in my shopping exploits this morning. Did I see them? Really see them? One 60 year old Hispanic man that I thought I offended by asking for the spelling and pronunciation of his name came up to me with with hug the next. That Cheers song is not off "sometimes you want to go where everyone knows your name." Lord open the eyes of my heart. Luke 10 25  On on...

 6.15- I turned off Texas highway 1550 onto the gravel drive around the Oak Ridge Cemetery, established in 1874. There were civil war soldiers buried here but more importantly for me, it was nine months since the burial of my wife, Sheila. There was stillness and quiet. The gravel under the tires was the only sound I heard. This bright, cloudless, June 6,2023, day was reminding me of the words of a teacher promising some things that seemed like “nonsense”. He said that one day there would be a resurrection of spiritual bodies of those who had done evil and those who had done good. Scriptures say that some women went to the tomb where this teacher had been buried about 2023 years ago but his body was not there. They ran and told the disciples. These words seemed like nonsense. The disciples ran back to see for themselves and they saw the linen the body had been wrapped in but his body was gone. Luke recorded a scene where some men were discussing the teacher’s words and his e...

 6.14- Early summer has so many wonderful joys. Sweet corn. Green onoins and scrambled eggs. Wild flowers. Vacation. Moonlit mornings. The designer of the universe is so loving. Psalm 19. 1  The heavens declare the glory of God;      the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2  Day after day they pour forth speech;      night after night they reveal knowledge. 3  They have no speech, they use no words;      no sound is heard from them. 4  Yet their voice [ b ]  goes out into all the earth,      their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. 5       It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,      like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 6  It rises at one end of the heavens      and makes its circuit to the other;   ...