Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 1.21- Haste makes waste. Measure twice, cut once. If you don't time to do it right the first time, When will you find time to fix it later. Don't let the urgent crowd out the important. Versus. Boss says get it done now or else. The question is what and who do you love most and how can you do what is the best you can today and leave the rest until tomorrow. Some jobs are such that you just can't get it all done. There are some things that are urgent but not important (much of spectator sports and social media and all spam calls)and other things that are urgent and important (spiritual and physical self care and family care). This requires alertness, discernment and prayer. Matthew 6. 25  “For this reason I say to you,  [ q ] do not be worried about your  [ r ] life,  as to  what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body,  as to  what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?   26  Lo...

 1.20- Downtown big office buildings. Being a country boy I was amazed at the office of a friend who worked on a 30th plus floor of a downtown building. There were several banks of elevators but only one bank took you to the top. Love makes promises that take you to the top of life and I'm convinced beyond. Love elevators go beyond the fear only bank. Yes, always respect, even reverence for God and respect for ourselves and all others. But love never fails to deliver us to the top floor and with trust and progess, not perfection, but gradual progress. I'm only 77 and i have not arived yet and must press forward this year, but i am persuaded I'm trusting the right bank of elevators. When all my learning is finished then comes ascension to the final stage. I'm glad that grace bats last. Love makes these promises and will deliver. 2 Peter 1. 2  Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus  [ d ] our Lord,   3  for His d...

 1.19- The correct question not how many times have you fallen but how many times have you gotten up. Proverbs 24:16 For a righteous person falls seven times and  rises  again, But the wicked stumble in  time of  disaster.

 1.18- Pictures of men with large families are amazing me today. Their wives are a big part of the story but often work in the background. Washing out clothe diapers and helping their babies into the world and doing everything they can to help their husband's and children and grandchildren succeed. These women are also career women. Some of these women are teachers, coaches,journalists, Farmers and business owners. Men who are blessed with wives who love them and respond with resilience to leadership that is often distant. Love should be gentle and intimate. That things go as well as they do is a miracle of grace. These women are strong and fearless. They challenge their husbands to be all they can be. They know how to laugh and how to love. Those who succeed at the highest levels do not put their ultimate hope in their clothing, jewelry, house, cars or even their careers or husbands for these come and go. They put their hope only in the God of love who is out out there but in he...

 1.17- Have you ever had a great day in the big things? Good prayer reports. Positive useful conversations. . Cleaning helpers. Floor perfectly clean. Then I started to rely on casual thought and not concentrating and being overconfident. Thinking such a good day I will prepare the perfect meal. A dinner of collard greens, sweet potato and shrimp was perfect. Not being alert and focused I spilled water and leftover greens all over my cabinet and clean floor. I was frustrated. I got it cleaned up in time for the news where a man from Palestine had been shot while walking a steet in Vermont. Now a paraplegic, he was asked what he thought. He said, "I am better off than my starving family there and I have a wheel chair. Lord. Remind me to be grateful. Phil. 4. 4  Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!   5  Let your gentle  spirit  be known to all people. The Lord is  [ d ] near.   6  Do not  [ e ] be anxious about ...

 1.16- Love means treating myself with the same grace and mercy that I extend to others. It means avoiding nagging that ruins the best kind of relationship. Love also means celebrating progress rather than waiting for perfection to rejoice. Love means remembering I was made and designed for receiving and giving forgiveness. Ephesians 4. 29  Let no  [ u ] unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if  there is  any good  word  for edification  [ v ] according to the need  of the moment, say that , so that it will give grace to those who hear.   30  Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,  [ w ] by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.   31  All bitterness, wrath, anger,  [ x ] clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice.   32  Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven  [ y ] you.

 1.15- The things that are most precious to me are not mine. They were loaned to me by the author of life to brighten my life. Memory is a gift that pulls back the curtain to remind me of my life before them. I could have been without them at all without the blessing of my creator. Today I'm thankful my wife and other family who have gone home. For some more days with my kids and grandkids and siblings though they are not mine. Three of my close friends have seemed close to going home lately then it seems I have them for a while longer. I will not take one day for granted. Dottie Rambo wrote this song that was a favorite of my good friend, Fern Pierce, who is in heaven now. Remind Me, Dear Lord Verse: 1 The things that I love and hold dear to my heart, are just borrowed they're not mine at all, Jesus only let me use them to brighten my life, so remind me, remind me dear Lord. Chorus: Roll back the curtain of memory now and then, show me where you brought me from and where I cou...

 1.14- When people finish their work on earth it has been common among the Jewish people to say," they breathed their last and were gathered to their people." Top row. (L to R)Hubert and Janie Lowry, Reed, Gene Wishard, Wayne Lowry. Bottom row. Bill , Hazanne Luttrell, Cora Sue Wishard, Sheila, Larry, Bill Wishard, Patsy and Harvey Lynn Milton. Gathered to celebrate the dedication of the Boles Home Scholl administration building to the memory of Gena Wishard. Four of us, Hazanne, Bill Wishard, Wayne Lowry and myself still finishing our work. Honored to be inspired by all of them. All here looked healthy and happy. Thank you God for good memories. All reactions: 19 Clint Norwood, Kay Epps Headley and 17 others