God told Moses to send some men to go spy in the land of Canaan that God had given the Israelites. Moses always obeyed God, so he sent out twelve men, among whom were Joshua and Caleb. The land was rich and full of produce, and all of the spies reported this to Moses, but ten of the men also stirred up the people by predicting certain defeat at the hand of "giants" that lived in the land. God knew those giants were there, of course, but He wasn't concerned about them. Neither were Joshua or Caleb. Numbers 13 says Caleb silenced the naysayers by saying to Moses,"We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." Numbers 13:30
Are you facing any giants? Are there naysayers predicting your inevitable defeat if you take them on? God knows those giants are there. He isn't concerned.
Most of the time, the real giant we face is the naysayer inside of us, battling for the soul. Don't listen to that Liar, for "the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." 1John 4:4
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Hope in Aging, in Spite of Illness--the Great Physician!
Well, this week has been full of surprises!
On Monday, Don and I had dentist appointments, and neither of us had any cavities....no more appointments for six months! What a blessing after a year of two crowns and root canal!
The "thing" we have been waiting to happen with our son Nathan seems to be on the horizon, so we are singing some praises over here! If you don't already know what the "thing" is...believe me it is huge, and we are thankful....including Nathan!
Lisa got some wonderful news, which still has me smiling and thanking God!! Her PET scan on Tuesday was a "hair away from absolutely normal", and she is only halfway through her chemo!! Praise God! She had a challenging chemo on Thursday, but by yesterday she was feeling great! That has to be God's healing Hands!!
Thursday I had my appointment with my diabetes specialist. She gave me not great news in the best way possible, and by the end of my appointment, I was feeling like it was no big deal to be on insulin all day long! It turned out to be a bit more challenging than I thought...yesterday was my first day. I had a day of highs and normals, but by evening the thought of food made me almost run for the bathroom! I went to bed completely exhausted. But today is a new day, and my morning blood sugar was much better.
Last but maybe not least....I will be wearing glasses for the first time in my life. I was thankful to have only a tiny diabetic change in the back of my right eye....a tiny speck of a hemorrhage , which we have to "keep an eye on".... pun intended! But the reason I was seeing blurry which caused my diabetes specialist to request an immediate eye examination, was not diabetic retinopathy...but the worsening of my vision, requiring me to start wearing glasses. At least I'm not in bifocals yet. I asked Don to make sure he isn't the kind of guy who "won't make passes" if this old girl wears glasses! He asked if I had "looked" at him lately? lol! (He has a collection of all strengths of glasses and a contact!) I love my husband. I might even stop coloring my hair and we can start really growing old together!
Well, we have to live up to our titles, EeeEee and DooDah! We are 57....old age? Bring it on! We have a Great Physician, and the end is better than the beginning! Hope!
On Monday, Don and I had dentist appointments, and neither of us had any cavities....no more appointments for six months! What a blessing after a year of two crowns and root canal!
The "thing" we have been waiting to happen with our son Nathan seems to be on the horizon, so we are singing some praises over here! If you don't already know what the "thing" is...believe me it is huge, and we are thankful....including Nathan!
Lisa got some wonderful news, which still has me smiling and thanking God!! Her PET scan on Tuesday was a "hair away from absolutely normal", and she is only halfway through her chemo!! Praise God! She had a challenging chemo on Thursday, but by yesterday she was feeling great! That has to be God's healing Hands!!
Thursday I had my appointment with my diabetes specialist. She gave me not great news in the best way possible, and by the end of my appointment, I was feeling like it was no big deal to be on insulin all day long! It turned out to be a bit more challenging than I thought...yesterday was my first day. I had a day of highs and normals, but by evening the thought of food made me almost run for the bathroom! I went to bed completely exhausted. But today is a new day, and my morning blood sugar was much better.
 |
| Entering the Sunset Years! |
Well, we have to live up to our titles, EeeEee and DooDah! We are 57....old age? Bring it on! We have a Great Physician, and the end is better than the beginning! Hope!
Hope in Aging, in Spite of Illness--the Great Physician!
Well, this week has been full of surprises!
On Monday, Don and I had dentist appointments, and neither of us had any cavities....no more appointments for six months! What a blessing after a year of two crowns and root canal!
The "thing" we have been waiting to happen with our son Nathan seems to be on the horizon, so we are singing some praises over here! If you don't already know what the "thing" is...believe me it is huge, and we are thankful....including Nathan!
Lisa got some wonderful news, which still has me smiling and thanking God!! Her PET scan on Tuesday was a "hair away from absolutely normal", and she is only halfway through her chemo!! Praise God! She had a challenging chemo on Thursday, but by yesterday she was feeling great! That has to be God's healing Hands!!
Thursday I had my appointment with my diabetes specialist. She gave me not great news in the best way possible, and by the end of my appointment, I was feeling like it was no big deal to be on insulin all day long! It turned out to be a bit more challenging than I thought...yesterday was my first day. I had a day of highs and normals, but by evening the thought of food made me almost run for the bathroom! I went to bed completely exhausted. But today is a new day, and my morning blood sugar was much better.
Last but maybe not least....I will be wearing glasses for the first time in my life. I was thankful to have only a tiny diabetic change in the back of my right eye....a tiny speck of a hemorrhage , which we have to "keep an eye on".... pun intended! But the reason I was seeing blurry which caused my diabetes specialist to request an immediate eye examination, was not diabetic retinopathy...but the worsening of my vision, requiring me to start wearing glasses. At least I'm not in bifocals yet. I asked Don to make sure he isn't the kind of guy who "won't make passes" if this old girl wears glasses! He asked if I had "looked" at him lately? lol! (He has a collection of all strengths of glasses and a contact!) I love my husband. I might even stop coloring my hair and we can start really growing old together!
Well, we have to live up to our titles, EeeEee and DooDah! We are 57....old age? Bring it on! We have a Great Physician, and the end is better than the beginning! Hope!
On Monday, Don and I had dentist appointments, and neither of us had any cavities....no more appointments for six months! What a blessing after a year of two crowns and root canal!
The "thing" we have been waiting to happen with our son Nathan seems to be on the horizon, so we are singing some praises over here! If you don't already know what the "thing" is...believe me it is huge, and we are thankful....including Nathan!
Lisa got some wonderful news, which still has me smiling and thanking God!! Her PET scan on Tuesday was a "hair away from absolutely normal", and she is only halfway through her chemo!! Praise God! She had a challenging chemo on Thursday, but by yesterday she was feeling great! That has to be God's healing Hands!!
Thursday I had my appointment with my diabetes specialist. She gave me not great news in the best way possible, and by the end of my appointment, I was feeling like it was no big deal to be on insulin all day long! It turned out to be a bit more challenging than I thought...yesterday was my first day. I had a day of highs and normals, but by evening the thought of food made me almost run for the bathroom! I went to bed completely exhausted. But today is a new day, and my morning blood sugar was much better.
|
| Entering the Sunset Years! |
Well, we have to live up to our titles, EeeEee and DooDah! We are 57....old age? Bring it on! We have a Great Physician, and the end is better than the beginning! Hope!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Hope in Not Being Left Alone
Today I woke up early and had some God and Jerri time. Lately I have been trying to feed a lot of sheep and not allowing myself to be led beside the still waters myself. Last Thursday evening just past midnight, I woke up sick with a stomach flu that zapped every ounce of mental and physical energy from my body. I wanted to read...couldn't...tried watching TV, but I slept for 32 hours with hardly a break, waking up to force a grape or two down here and there, since I am diabetic, and inability to keep down food and water can turn into a trip to the ER. At some point in the night I thought that I needed to check my blood sugar, since I take insulin, but I could not stir up the energy. Finally, Saturday I woke up around ten AM, and I felt as though someone had beaten me within an inch of my life. Every muscle, joint and sinew hurt! I sat in my art room and finished up a Beth Moore study, sipped liquids and ate an orange. Don had left these for me along with some flowers. By evening, I felt good enough to make dinner for us, and I ate a little.
This morning I was thankful for my weird weekend. Why? Because the next time my friend, Lisa....who is closer than a sister...tells me she is having one of her "dog days" as the result of her chemo treatments for lymphoma, I will have a tiny, miniscule taste of her frustration...and the sense of losing time, when time is so precious to her. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Compassion and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all of our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." 2Corinthians 1:3-4
God, in His love and compassion for mankind, made it so we do not have to suffer alone!
This morning I was thankful for my weird weekend. Why? Because the next time my friend, Lisa....who is closer than a sister...tells me she is having one of her "dog days" as the result of her chemo treatments for lymphoma, I will have a tiny, miniscule taste of her frustration...and the sense of losing time, when time is so precious to her. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Compassion and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all of our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." 2Corinthians 1:3-4
God, in His love and compassion for mankind, made it so we do not have to suffer alone!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Hope.....Even When We are Misjudged
Usually it is Christians who have the reputation of being judgmental. Jesus knew we would be tempted. That is why He warned us: "Do not judge or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Matthew 7:1-2)
Often other people who don't share our beliefs about God and Jesus misjudge Christians either by what others who claim Christianity do, or by preconceived ideas of what Christians believe. It's hard to take when someone is angrily denouncing all Christians over the actions of a few, or the rumors of the actions of a few or many.
For one thing, any Christian who claims to have no sin....fails to walk in truth. I John 1:8 says: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."
I haven't met too many Christians who "claim to be without sin". If a person truly believed herself to be "without sin" the blood of Christ would be without meaning in her life, not unlike in the lives of atheists. I have met people who seem to think that Christians are fair game for their ridicule and hateful judgments. There is nothing more annoying than someone spouting off hatred for all Christians in a torrent of bitter complaints about the injustice done to mankind without knowing the first thing about the life or practices of the person standing before him. What if every atheist was blamed for the abhorrent actions of a few? Not every atheist is a Communist, although Communists are generally atheists. How many murders were done in the name of Communism, and just how fair would it be to blame all atheists for the atrocities of the KGB?
So where is the hope in all of this self-righteousness and judgment by mankind? There is hope for the sinner who knows he is a sinner: I John 1:9 says,"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." It really doesn't matter whether or not we believe the Bible or whether we believe we are sinners, there is a truth out there, and that is: "ALL sin and fall short of the glory of God.".
If you are an atheist...a person who rejects all religious belief...who has been wounded by the sins of Christians, I am sorry. Know that we have also hurt one another by our judgments. If you are a Christian hurt by other Christians' judgments, it might help to think about times you have misjudged and hurt others yourself. If you are a Christian...a follower of Jesus Christ...who truly has a love for people like He did, and if you have been accused, tried and convicted by those who choose not to understand, then cheer up, because: "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in Heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Jesus died for all.
Often other people who don't share our beliefs about God and Jesus misjudge Christians either by what others who claim Christianity do, or by preconceived ideas of what Christians believe. It's hard to take when someone is angrily denouncing all Christians over the actions of a few, or the rumors of the actions of a few or many.
For one thing, any Christian who claims to have no sin....fails to walk in truth. I John 1:8 says: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."
I haven't met too many Christians who "claim to be without sin". If a person truly believed herself to be "without sin" the blood of Christ would be without meaning in her life, not unlike in the lives of atheists. I have met people who seem to think that Christians are fair game for their ridicule and hateful judgments. There is nothing more annoying than someone spouting off hatred for all Christians in a torrent of bitter complaints about the injustice done to mankind without knowing the first thing about the life or practices of the person standing before him. What if every atheist was blamed for the abhorrent actions of a few? Not every atheist is a Communist, although Communists are generally atheists. How many murders were done in the name of Communism, and just how fair would it be to blame all atheists for the atrocities of the KGB?
So where is the hope in all of this self-righteousness and judgment by mankind? There is hope for the sinner who knows he is a sinner: I John 1:9 says,"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." It really doesn't matter whether or not we believe the Bible or whether we believe we are sinners, there is a truth out there, and that is: "ALL sin and fall short of the glory of God.".
If you are an atheist...a person who rejects all religious belief...who has been wounded by the sins of Christians, I am sorry. Know that we have also hurt one another by our judgments. If you are a Christian hurt by other Christians' judgments, it might help to think about times you have misjudged and hurt others yourself. If you are a Christian...a follower of Jesus Christ...who truly has a love for people like He did, and if you have been accused, tried and convicted by those who choose not to understand, then cheer up, because: "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in Heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Jesus died for all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)