Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 8.20- Deep friendship develops in the context of work or play or association when we start to regard people from a different point of view. What have you been thinking about? What would I like to share with you? Good learning friendships have a common belief in the ultimate best teacher, God's love. Then there is freedom in topics as well as learning places, indoors and outdoors. Early and late. I religious places and very worldly places. and methods, from oral learning to reading to watching the beauty of nature. I have learning methods that have worked for me. Have you found methods that work for you Might be sitting in a car driving,,,in a boat or cruise ship…an hour or two of silence as you drive…sitting in a deer stand, duck blind, stadium seat..sewing group…watching a sunrise or sunset…over breakfast with a husband or wife…in a class with 30 other co-learners who can disagree and still learn together…worshipping with people who sing amazing grace and knowing that you just ba...

 8.19- Arrogance and conceit can kill a good conversation. Crash and a light cover and falls and all of a sudden something that was going well is completely off track. I got a roof put on last week after having been in this house for ten years and many hail storms. The crew was here from 6 .15am to about 8.15pm with a two our lunch and siesta in the heat of the day. I noticed that as they left the leader said another guy would be here tomorrow to clean up. I looked out the windows and doors and didn’t see anything they had left to clean up. I can be having a good conversation with someone in my family or friendship circle and if I get on a “high horse” of self righteousness or a “soap box” of my opinions and traditions being some edict from heaven then my good conversation becomes one way and without any joyful interchange of ideas. This morning I was thinking how my morning was distracted by opening my laundry room door and there on the floor was a million pieces of glass becau...

 8.18- For about twelve years I have chosen to write my first draft of my history here. Yesterday, 8.5.78 was history making in my life. Amy Lynn Wishard Goggins came into my life. My daughter is Amazing Amy to me. She can plan and throw a party on a budget. Her friends are totally in with her and she with them. Four girlfriends recently celebrated her birthday with her in New York. Three flew from Atlanta to assist with Sheila's service. Amy is an accountant, really controller, but she acted like a loving, gentle hospice nurse to her mom last year. She is a joyful, beautiful warror princess to me. Thank you God for Amazing Amy. John 12. 12  Therefore, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.   2  So they made Him a dinner there, and Martha was serving; and Lazarus was one of those reclining  at the table  with Him.   3  Mary then took a  [ a ] pound of very ex...

 8.17- When a mother loses her husband and is left to raise children alone, there are some hard choices that have to be made. Will you step away from it or into it? If into it, who will you rely on to help you with these fatherless childen? In any community there are people of peace and compassion who care about the mother and the children. They show up at day care centers. They show up at schools. They show up in neighborhoods. They show up on sports teams. I wish I could include all churches in this showing up, but I cannot. Some churches are so into perfection and ritual that they shun families that don't have a father around. That is not being like the builder of the church, but that is the case. On the other had there are some churches which are excellent at caring for the children. These spend time, energy and focus on honoring the children among them. Jesus, the builder of His church said that the children are the greatest. They are the examples of trusting the Fath...

 8.17- When a mother loses her husband and is left to raise children alone, there are some hard choices that have to be made. Will you step away from it or into it? If into it, who will you rely on to help you with these fatherless childen? In any community there are people of peace and compassion who care about the mother and the children. They show up at day care centers. They show up at schools. They show up in neighborhoods. They show up on sports teams. I wish I could include all churches in this showing up, but I cannot. Some churches are so into perfection and ritual that they shun families that don't have a father around. That is not being like the builder of the church, but that is the case. On the other had there are some churches which are excellent at caring for the children. These spend time, energy and focus on honoring the children among them. Jesus, the builder of His church said that the children are the greatest. They are the examples of trusting the Fathe...

 8.16- No time for... ...word games without meaning ...making molehills into mountains ...making mountains into molehills -God created us. -Male and female -Love children and protect them -Be a helper of the down and out -Be gentle with broken people and all of us are -Be forgiving with yourself and others. Yes time for encouragement and support. All reactions: 13 Charmaine Wishard, Beth Norwood and 11 others

 8.15- A man rang my door bell at 6am this morning. This seems like an odd thing. My son and his wife are preparing to go to work. I don't have any normal, regular meetings at that hour with anyone. My house doesn't have any security guard watching over me. I had been awake since 1.41am off and on because of eating too late late last evening. I need to learn to eat earlier in the day if I want to sleep well at night. On the other hand I'm glad I was up when the door bell rang. I was preparing my scattershooting devotional thought for the day. Scattershooting 1. "You don’t need to go through an airport to be a missionary." 2. Without trust and respect we cannot spiritually help people. Therefore, as followers of Jesus, we constantly do things to build trust and refuse to do anything to destroys trust. 3. We do not need any special equipment to show the love of God. All it requires is a small bottle of water. 4. The way to improve your health significantly i...