Proverbs 19:20
Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.
Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
Proverbs 13:3
Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
Proverbs 16:4
The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.
Proverbs 18:13
If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.
Proverbs 21:23
Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
Proverbs 29:20
Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Abram, Sarai, and Lot
At the beginning of what we know as Genesis 12, we have the remarkable call of Abram by God, but by the end of that chapter, we have Abram being chided by Pharaoh of Egypt for dishonesty which was caused by unbelief. The sad story ends this way: "And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him [Abram], and they sent him away with his wife, and all that he had." (12:20).
In chapters 13 and 14, we see Abram interacting with his nephew Lot. God had seen to it that both men had prospered "So that the land could not support both of them dwelling together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock" (13:6-7a). Abram graciously permits Lot to choose which part of the land to dwell in. We observe Lot's choice in chapter 13, which seems completely understandable. But in chapter 14, and again in chapters 18 and 19, Lot's choice turns out to have farther reaching consequences than anyone could imagine.
Interestingly, in chapter 13 we learn this: "The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him [emphasis added] 'Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land than you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever'" (13:14). Again God commits Himself to fulfilling His covenant with Abram.
The vignette in chapter 14 may foreshadow the events of chapters 18 and 19, though here not only Lot but all he possessed was rescued by Abram and his associates, whereas when Lot is rescued from Sodom the next time, only he and his immediate family will be spared.
How did Lot come to such a sad end as chapters 18 and 19 reveal? He'd had the benefit of living with his godly uncle and aunt, and profited financially to the point where he had to separate from them. Yet he made one choice which led to others, moving toward and then into Sodom. His reputation with the residents of Sodom was mixed at best. Those who came to take the angels were unappeased by his position in the community. His would-be sons-in-law thought he was joking about the imminent destruction. His wife looked back and was destroyed. His daughters would take advantage of his weaknesses and bear sons by him incestuously. The sons they bore were to become the fathers of the Moabites and the Ammonites--who became enemies of the descendants of Abram.
Abram and Sarai had weaknesses of their own which would also lead to tragedy.
At the beginning of what we know as Genesis 12, we have the remarkable call of Abram by God, but by the end of that chapter, we have Abram being chided by Pharaoh of Egypt for dishonesty which was caused by unbelief. The sad story ends this way: "And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him [Abram], and they sent him away with his wife, and all that he had." (12:20).
In chapters 13 and 14, we see Abram interacting with his nephew Lot. God had seen to it that both men had prospered "So that the land could not support both of them dwelling together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock" (13:6-7a). Abram graciously permits Lot to choose which part of the land to dwell in. We observe Lot's choice in chapter 13, which seems completely understandable. But in chapter 14, and again in chapters 18 and 19, Lot's choice turns out to have farther reaching consequences than anyone could imagine.
Interestingly, in chapter 13 we learn this: "The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him [emphasis added] 'Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land than you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever'" (13:14). Again God commits Himself to fulfilling His covenant with Abram.
The vignette in chapter 14 may foreshadow the events of chapters 18 and 19, though here not only Lot but all he possessed was rescued by Abram and his associates, whereas when Lot is rescued from Sodom the next time, only he and his immediate family will be spared.
How did Lot come to such a sad end as chapters 18 and 19 reveal? He'd had the benefit of living with his godly uncle and aunt, and profited financially to the point where he had to separate from them. Yet he made one choice which led to others, moving toward and then into Sodom. His reputation with the residents of Sodom was mixed at best. Those who came to take the angels were unappeased by his position in the community. His would-be sons-in-law thought he was joking about the imminent destruction. His wife looked back and was destroyed. His daughters would take advantage of his weaknesses and bear sons by him incestuously. The sons they bore were to become the fathers of the Moabites and the Ammonites--who became enemies of the descendants of Abram.
Abram and Sarai had weaknesses of their own which would also lead to tragedy.
Friday, June 5, 2009
observations on Genesis part 1
Genesis
Because Every Woman's Grace is scheduled to study Joseph in the fall, Joshua in the winter, and Daniel in the spring of this coming year, we have been encouraged to do some background reading during the summer. I am among a number who are reading the book of Genesis, and no doubt rereading it, now. I have seen things I missed before. And so I am going to post my observations here and elsewhere over the summer.
When God confronted Adam and Eve after they fell, who did they blame? Adam blamed God--the woman who you gave to me--and Eve blamed the serpent; neither took any responsibility at that time. How often do I blame shift?
When God warned Cain, did he hear the warning? Obviously not. And Abel trusted Cain, which led to murder of Abel by Cain. When God gave Cain the opportunity to come clean, what was Cain's response? "Am I my brother's keeper?" How hard was his heart already? And when God banished Cain, even then he was more concerned for his own skin than the effect of all of this on his parents. How often do I worry more about myself than the consequences of my sin on others?
And Abraham and Sarah--how complicated their lives were! More on them next
Because Every Woman's Grace is scheduled to study Joseph in the fall, Joshua in the winter, and Daniel in the spring of this coming year, we have been encouraged to do some background reading during the summer. I am among a number who are reading the book of Genesis, and no doubt rereading it, now. I have seen things I missed before. And so I am going to post my observations here and elsewhere over the summer.
When God confronted Adam and Eve after they fell, who did they blame? Adam blamed God--the woman who you gave to me--and Eve blamed the serpent; neither took any responsibility at that time. How often do I blame shift?
When God warned Cain, did he hear the warning? Obviously not. And Abel trusted Cain, which led to murder of Abel by Cain. When God gave Cain the opportunity to come clean, what was Cain's response? "Am I my brother's keeper?" How hard was his heart already? And when God banished Cain, even then he was more concerned for his own skin than the effect of all of this on his parents. How often do I worry more about myself than the consequences of my sin on others?
And Abraham and Sarah--how complicated their lives were! More on them next
The Challenge of Being Strong
The Challenge of Being Strong
The challenge of being strong
Comes at each all life long,
Comes as a tempter,
Comes as a gift,
Comes and coils itself around a life until
There is no life left,
Comes portraying itself as sovereignly desirable,
Comes costing all while leaving ashes,
Comes costing and destroying and comes
Guileful,
Bashful,
Witty,
Deadly,
The challenge of being strong
The challenge of being strong
Comes at each all life long,
Comes as a tempter,
Comes as a gift,
Comes and coils itself around a life until
There is no life left,
Comes portraying itself as sovereignly desirable,
Comes costing all while leaving ashes,
Comes costing and destroying and comes
Guileful,
Bashful,
Witty,
Deadly,
The challenge of being strong
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Since my last entry and forward
Have been somewhat occupied [preoccupied] since my last entry; anything new in that? Soaked up a lot from the Old Testament in Every Woman's Grace these last months. Found myself contemplating Psalm 46:10 just yesterday and looked at it again today. I would guess that most people might recall this says, "Be still and know that I am God" but did you know that's not the whole of that verse? "I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" Is that not a comfort? He will be exalted among the nations, in the earth. On a personal level, I realized that if I am not still, I will miss that knowing in the first part of the verse, so with His help recommit myself to setting Tuesdays aside to be still and then to know. Watch for more about this on my main blog.
Have been somewhat occupied [preoccupied] since my last entry; anything new in that? Soaked up a lot from the Old Testament in Every Woman's Grace these last months. Found myself contemplating Psalm 46:10 just yesterday and looked at it again today. I would guess that most people might recall this says, "Be still and know that I am God" but did you know that's not the whole of that verse? "I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" Is that not a comfort? He will be exalted among the nations, in the earth. On a personal level, I realized that if I am not still, I will miss that knowing in the first part of the verse, so with His help recommit myself to setting Tuesdays aside to be still and then to know. Watch for more about this on my main blog.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Like a weary pilgrim
Like a weary pilgrim,
With flesh and spirit contending,
I yearn for Jordan and
This life's ending.
Like a weary pilgrim,
Tent grown tattered,
Sand and eind storm rim'd,
Heart and eyes increading dimmed.
Like a weary pilgrim,
Travel stained and sore
How I yearn to serve
Until I reach Heaven's door.
With flesh and spirit contending,
I yearn for Jordan and
This life's ending.
Like a weary pilgrim,
Tent grown tattered,
Sand and eind storm rim'd,
Heart and eyes increading dimmed.
Like a weary pilgrim,
Travel stained and sore
How I yearn to serve
Until I reach Heaven's door.
Motivation
Motive: something that causes a person to act. So, does Romans 12:1 connect to Luke 9:23? Paul wrote, "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship" and Luke recorded the Lord's command, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." Is presenting my body as a living sacrifice the same as taking up my cross daily? If Romans 12:1-2 is skipped over, don't verses 3ff become impossible, at least from the heart? It is possible to learn proper behavior, which is why 12:9a is crucial: Let love be genuine.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Seasons
Seasons
Southern California doesn't have seasons like I was used to as a former resident of the Midwest, but nature is not the only place where we experience seasons.
Seasons
Seasons consist of more than snow and ice or leaves and birds
These are words
Which hold meanings, condense them
Rather than immense them
Seasons take place inside of us, not just externally,
These changes sometimes seem infernally
Long, or not long enough, emotional, or indifferent,
Hard to sum up, frustrate, intelligent
As one might be,
Initially
Seasons brighten, enlighten, but with time
Only seem to mime
Making words worse
Concepts reverse
Thoughts en-hearse
Letters run together, run on, sentence themselves to spell check and grammar
Drops the hammer
Yet I yammer
From the slammer
Of this thought:
Nothing we experience can ever be for naught
Every season
Has its reason
Southern California doesn't have seasons like I was used to as a former resident of the Midwest, but nature is not the only place where we experience seasons.
Seasons
Seasons consist of more than snow and ice or leaves and birds
These are words
Which hold meanings, condense them
Rather than immense them
Seasons take place inside of us, not just externally,
These changes sometimes seem infernally
Long, or not long enough, emotional, or indifferent,
Hard to sum up, frustrate, intelligent
As one might be,
Initially
Seasons brighten, enlighten, but with time
Only seem to mime
Making words worse
Concepts reverse
Thoughts en-hearse
Letters run together, run on, sentence themselves to spell check and grammar
Drops the hammer
Yet I yammer
From the slammer
Of this thought:
Nothing we experience can ever be for naught
Every season
Has its reason
Monday, March 2, 2009
Saturday, February 28, 2009
A prayer, wrestling with the g.e.m.
A prayer
Lord,
Let me be jealous
Only for Your name,
Solely for Your glory,
Rejoice
With those who rejoice
As You
Always did,
Always do,
Lord,
Help me be,
Lord,
Help me do.
26 February 2009
Lord,
Let me be jealous
Only for Your name,
Solely for Your glory,
Rejoice
With those who rejoice
As You
Always did,
Always do,
Lord,
Help me be,
Lord,
Help me do.
26 February 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
A Surprising Blessing, and 25 Things
Given my predilection for wandering from the passage the pastor reads to others nearby, I guess I ought not think of this as a surprising blessing. Even so, it was, and given the economy as it seems to be, I have to share this with the two or three who might happen upon this blog/blog entry.
During church yesterday morning, the pastor read from Psalm 111:10: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! This, however, carried me to Psalm 112, which begins: Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! and further in that Psalm we read, Light shines in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous, and further on, For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. What a wonderful promise for those who trust in the LORD: they need not fear bad news. And that is the surprise blessing I wanted to share.
25 things about me
More and more astonished that God should so love me that He gave His only begotten Son to be my substitute and bear the wrath of God [see 2 Corinthians 5]
More and more astonished that God should provide His Word in both print [the Bible] and in flesh [The Incarnation]
More and more astonished that God's Holy Spirit should deign to make the Bible understandable to me
So blessed by my parents and my sister [double sister--humanly and spiritually] and my husband
1. Lived in three states so far
2. A state employee in one of them for several years
3. Never obtained a driver's license--safer for everyone that way
4. Played cornet and French horn, until a bad incident many years ago
5. Have loved reading ever since I learned how to
6. My 10Th grade English teacher encouraged me to develop my writing skills; a teacher in college told me that I didn't have any
7. 4-H member in good standing for many years
8. Got a ribbon for my green bean casserole in the dim distant past
9. Became a serious coffee drinker in college
10. Don't like fish the way my husband likes it
11. Usually up for a cheeseburger
12. Remember when you could get a burger, fries, and drink at McD's for 99 cents total
13. Started out to get a degree in elementary education but soon discovered that what I wanted to do couldn't be done through that
14. So blessed that my family and my friends overlap
15. Like to read the encyclopedia for fun
16. Like to read the dictionary for pleasure also as well as any other word-oriented book
17. Greatly enjoy teaching both writing and literature--apart from grading
18. Only business course I took was typing
19. Love history
20. Hope to travel more some day
Given my predilection for wandering from the passage the pastor reads to others nearby, I guess I ought not think of this as a surprising blessing. Even so, it was, and given the economy as it seems to be, I have to share this with the two or three who might happen upon this blog/blog entry.
During church yesterday morning, the pastor read from Psalm 111:10: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! This, however, carried me to Psalm 112, which begins: Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! and further in that Psalm we read, Light shines in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous, and further on, For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. What a wonderful promise for those who trust in the LORD: they need not fear bad news. And that is the surprise blessing I wanted to share.
25 things about me
More and more astonished that God should so love me that He gave His only begotten Son to be my substitute and bear the wrath of God [see 2 Corinthians 5]
More and more astonished that God should provide His Word in both print [the Bible] and in flesh [The Incarnation]
More and more astonished that God's Holy Spirit should deign to make the Bible understandable to me
So blessed by my parents and my sister [double sister--humanly and spiritually] and my husband
1. Lived in three states so far
2. A state employee in one of them for several years
3. Never obtained a driver's license--safer for everyone that way
4. Played cornet and French horn, until a bad incident many years ago
5. Have loved reading ever since I learned how to
6. My 10Th grade English teacher encouraged me to develop my writing skills; a teacher in college told me that I didn't have any
7. 4-H member in good standing for many years
8. Got a ribbon for my green bean casserole in the dim distant past
9. Became a serious coffee drinker in college
10. Don't like fish the way my husband likes it
11. Usually up for a cheeseburger
12. Remember when you could get a burger, fries, and drink at McD's for 99 cents total
13. Started out to get a degree in elementary education but soon discovered that what I wanted to do couldn't be done through that
14. So blessed that my family and my friends overlap
15. Like to read the encyclopedia for fun
16. Like to read the dictionary for pleasure also as well as any other word-oriented book
17. Greatly enjoy teaching both writing and literature--apart from grading
18. Only business course I took was typing
19. Love history
20. Hope to travel more some day
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
seeing photos cycle memories
Seeing Photos Cycle
Seeing photos cycle through
As gagets as picasa
In mi casa
Memories of times we looked forward
Memories of time traveling to Canada with Bev
Memories of time traveling to the east coast with Sue when our Dad worked for a senator
Memories of time lived in this state and in that
Memories of friends once close now long forgotten by each other
Memories of weddings so long ago and so far away
Memories of family members
Memories of friends
Memories
Seeing photos cycle through
As gagets as picasa
In mi casa
Memories of times we looked forward
Memories of time traveling to Canada with Bev
Memories of time traveling to the east coast with Sue when our Dad worked for a senator
Memories of time lived in this state and in that
Memories of friends once close now long forgotten by each other
Memories of weddings so long ago and so far away
Memories of family members
Memories of friends
Memories
Thursday, January 1, 2009
annus mors, or, year of death [2008]
I suppose that I mangled the Latin; I don't imagine any one who reads this will correct that, though you are welcome to. We started a list somewhat casually of everyone we could think of who we knew or knew of who had passed away during 2008. The list grew as one or the other of us remembered someone else. The following list cannot possibly be comprehensive, that is, we probably forgot someone. But this is meant to memorialize those we could think of.
Sheila W's husband Bill
Elisabeth H's mom
Mary B's brother
Sue R's husband Jim
Candy R's mom
Leona O's husband Bob
Mike I's wife Diane
Rob I's mom
Jennifer M's mom
Maurine K
Bill C's wife Jeanne
Ruth H's husband Gordon
Joanna T's sister
Joanna T's son
Lois E's dad
B.J.'s husband James
Woo's son
Arlee Stroman
Jack A's mom
Steve Mitchell
Graham M's mom
Peggy B's husband
Vangie S's husband Oscar
Holly M's husband Bill
I suppose that I mangled the Latin; I don't imagine any one who reads this will correct that, though you are welcome to. We started a list somewhat casually of everyone we could think of who we knew or knew of who had passed away during 2008. The list grew as one or the other of us remembered someone else. The following list cannot possibly be comprehensive, that is, we probably forgot someone. But this is meant to memorialize those we could think of.
Sheila W's husband Bill
Elisabeth H's mom
Mary B's brother
Sue R's husband Jim
Candy R's mom
Leona O's husband Bob
Mike I's wife Diane
Rob I's mom
Jennifer M's mom
Maurine K
Bill C's wife Jeanne
Ruth H's husband Gordon
Joanna T's sister
Joanna T's son
Lois E's dad
B.J.'s husband James
Woo's son
Arlee Stroman
Jack A's mom
Steve Mitchell
Graham M's mom
Peggy B's husband
Vangie S's husband Oscar
Holly M's husband Bill
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