Devotions

Being Slack

Published on by Joan

Do you ever find yourself being constantly busy but feel like you can’t get anything done?   I once thought that when my kids were grown that life would slow down.  Nope.  Didn’t happen.  It seems that there is always something that has to be done, some problem that needs attention, some unexpected task or obligation arises or just anything can occur that takes up time.  Some of those things are necessary, such as a job duty or household chores.  Some things, like an unexpected visit with family and friends, are welcome.

Since I’ve been busy, there are certain things I have had to let slide.  Like writing.  When I started my blogs, I was so excited.  I planned to post something new at least every week.  Then the things I had let go as I took the time to get the web sites set up started demanding attention.  (My family seems to like to eat, have clean clothes to wear and be able to walk through the house without tripping over something).  My love of writing hasn’t lessoned, I just had other things to occur that seemed to take priority.  The age old dilemma of how to balance time is a never ending struggle.

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Big Feet

Published on by Joan

Do you have big feet?  I was looking at shoe sizes and saw that the size for men went up to an 18!  That size is for a foot which is over 13” long.  A size 12 for a woman is for those whose feet are 11” long.  My grandmother had small feet.  She wore a size 5.  I knew another lady who had even smaller feet and sometimes had to shop in the selection of shoes for girls.  On the other hand, I have a nephew who has large feet.  He is tall for his age and by age 13, he was already wearing sizes 13 and 14 in the men’s section.  I guess you could say he has a firm foundation!

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First Things First

Published on by Joan

We all experience “firsts.”  Our first breath.  First steps.  First scraped knees.  First bicycle ride.  The list goes on and on.  Some of our firsts we cannot remember.  Small children are learning new things every day, often every moment.  Although we may not remember many of those personal “firsts” we experienced as children, some people around us will remember.  Some of those first times can later come back to haunt us when a parent relays particularly embarrassing experiences we went through.  I enjoy telling stories to my children of things they did when they were young.  Some of those things at the time were trying to me as a young parent, but now are warm and amusing memories.

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Godly Counsel

Published on by Joan

Decisions Have To Be Made

Have you ever had times in your life when you were not sure of what you should do?   I daresay, ever person at some point or another has felt this way.  I know I have many times.  There have been times when I have faced decisions and the answer to the dilemma seemed very elusive.  At other times, I have been going about my own business and was confronted with the fact that what I was doing was, simply stated, dumb.

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What Every Woman Wants

Published on by Joan

God And A Piece Of Chocolate

I was listening to the radio once and a woman said she relies on God but that she needs chocolate.  I bet there are many women (maybe some men) who feel this way.  Even though it was said jokingly, there is also some truth in it.

I love and desire chocolate.  Sweet, bitter, dark chocolate.  It satisfies a craving.  Indulging in it gives pleasure, joy, even satisfaction.  It improves my mental status and my moods.  And just what everyone wants to hear, there are even health benefits of dark chocolate. Yeah! 

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Fast Moving Train

Published on by Joan

So, do you ever have racing thoughts? All the time?  Sometimes it feels like my thoughts are like a fast moving train.  The thoughts keep coming and coming.  Many of them are the same thoughts over and over, repeating like they are searching for the end.  Then another random thought inserts itself between the fast moving ones like the wayward boxcar that is seemingly out of place.

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My Qualification to Write

Published on by Joan

I’m no theologian or Bible scholar.  I’m no expert or great authority on the meaning of the Word of God.  So what qualifies me to write about my understanding of the Holy Scriptures?  The same qualification of every believer.  I have the Person of the Holy Spirit residing inside of me and He teaches and reveals to me what God’s word is saying.  I’m not saying I’m always right.  I just want to share my thoughts on what I feel God is teaching me.

I remember being in fourth grade.  I had a wonderful teacher.  Her name was Mrs. Ruth Kelly.  She was a black lady who I remember as being very caring and gentle as she taught her students.  It was in that class when my love for reading really blossomed.  I was soon reading beyond what was considered the normal fourth grade reading level.

I’m going to date myself, but back then we would have “Weekly Readers”.  This was a small newspaper distributed to elementary students.  It would have various stories within its pages and we would take turns reading those stories out loud in class.  But my favorite part of that small paper was that there was an order form with a list of books that students could order.  Of course I wanted every book listed.  I would take the form home and eagerly present it to my Mom and she would tell me the number of books I could order.  I would labor over it, trying to whittle down the list until I finally decided on the books I wanted.  Then with great anticipation, I would take that order form to Mrs. Kelly and give her my list along with the dollars and cents on the designated day of ordering.

Mrs. Kelly recognized and encouraged my love for reading.  On the last day of that school year, right before class was dismissed, Mrs. Kelly took me aside and gave me a paperback copy of Heidi.  I told her I didn’t have the money to pay her for the desired book.  She patted my arm and told me to not worry about that.  Just to take the book and to enjoy reading it.  It was then when I really felt like I was the teacher’s pet.

Now I find that when I really desire to read and study God’s Word, I feel again like a teacher’s pet.  You see, most books you pick up to read, even those in which the author tries very hard to explain certain things, you still have to gain understanding on your own.  But with the Bible, God has provided us with a personal Teacher.  That Teacher is the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us when we become a child of God.   When we pick up His Word with an eagerness to learn, with the longing to gain a greater understanding of God Himself, then our Teacher will be faithful to encourage our understanding and that in turn helps our relationship with God to blossom.  I can even feel Him patting me on the arm, and with joy in His eyes, say, “Child, I paid the cost for you.  Take my Word, read and enjoy it.”