Saturday, October 29, 2011

A Time For Everything


Good morning!  I'm up.  Sort of.  I'm being very careful to not let my neighbors see me let my dogs out (because my sweet husband bought pink thermal under ware for me and that's all I'm wearing.  I look like Miss Piggy.  Hence, the sentence, "I'm being very careful to not let my neighbors see me let my dogs out").  

My mom is doing a face-plant into her palms right now.  


This is the first morning I've seen frost on the grass (behind the fence).  


Of course!  There's a Pug in my picture (in front of the fence).



The frost on the ground....


The golden leaves in my yard....it's fall alright.  "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven."  


A time to rake leaves (that will never get done),

 

A time to evict your Geraniums from their homes cause they froze to an excruciating death (sucked to be them),


A time to chop wood for the winter like they did on Little House on the Prairie that you watched every single day of your young life in the 1980's (with an eight pound ax your husband bought and so you thought you'd get your "Prairie" on and chop ya some wood, yo!),


A time to buy fire log's (because after fifteen wussy swings, aims and holes in your grass, you realize you're crazy attempting to chop wood with a heavy ax only Hulk Hogan should wield because you'll either:

A. Swing the ax right into your stinkin' shin like your cousin did.

B. Chop off all your toes and never enjoy a full-pedicure again (however, would they only charge half the price?  Sorry.)

Lotsa Love,
Laura Ingalls 
(the wussy one)
(the one who can't swing an ax)
(the one who can't chop her own fire wood)
(the one who understands why Laura became Zoya instead when she grew up)

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

The Boyden Building & My BFF

Holly, my Homie for life, lives in a small town about fifty minutes away from my driveway to hers.
I visited.  She took me to lunch at Richie D's Deli in town.  Said town being Coalville.
Richie D's is inside the old Boyden Block Building.  


It used to be a pharmacy.
Then they expanded the business to include Sundae's, ice cream and soft drinks.
It's still a hit.  Give it a try sometime on a road trip.  

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Hen House Study Week 6 Lesson

Ladies!  Hen House Study is tonight at my house at 7:00 p.m.
Wendy Jepsen will be singing the roof off for us.  I'm really excited!!

"...how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings..."  Matthew 23:37



Ruth 3:7-18
“Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out.”  Ruth 3:18


Let’s do this!  Read Ruth chapter three with me.


1.  Ruth 3:7,8:  “When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came secretly, and uncovered his feet and lay down.  It happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet.”  (NASB)
·       Ruth came softly, that is secretly, at night so that no one would see her.  Why? 


There was another woman we have talked about before who also came to the feet of the Lord.  Read Matthew 26:6-13 and then we’ll talk.

Ruth the Moabitess & Mary Magdalene

2.  Ruth 3:8,9 and Matthew 26:7.  What was the attitude of both women in their desperate circumstances?  What could have their behavior been instead?



3.  Ruth 3:10,11 and Matthew 26:10,11.  What was the response each woman received?
·       Boaz’s Response/Reaction to Ruth:    


·       Jesus’ Response/Reaction to Mary Magdalene:


4.  In Ruth 3:11, what did Boaz call Ruth? 


5.  In Matthew 26:13, what did Jesus say would be the repercussion of Mary’s devotion?


6.  Go Deep~the Hebrew word for Devotion is Siyach which means: communion, contemplation, meditation, prayer, talk, reflection and my favorite, to be an extension. [i]
·       Deuteronomy 11:18-21
·       2 Corinthians 4:1-7.  What is an earthen vessel?
o    Greek: ostrakinow skeuos.  This Greek phrase means _______________    ______________.  In ancient times it was a common practice to bury treasures inside clay jars.  Two recent discoveries of biblical manuscripts—the Chester Beatty Papyrus and some of the Dead Sea Scrolls—reveal that these manuscripts were hidden away in jars for nearly two thousand years.  As these treasures were enclosed in earthen vessels, so the indwelling Christ lives within our earthly bodies.[ii]

7.  Looking over your notes, what can we learn about the Lord’s response to us when we lay all of ourselves at his feet—completely devoted (Siyach) to Him?



8.  Onto Ruth 3:12!  “Houston, we have a problem.”  Name that movie.  Boaz said to Ruth: “Now it is true I am a close relative; HOWEVER, there is a relative closer than I.  Remain this night, and when morning comes, if he will redeem you, good; let him redeem you.  But if he does not wish to redeem you, then I will redeem you as the Lord lives.  Lie down until morning.”  (Ruth 3:12,13 NASB)

Jiminy Crickets!  How well might YOU have slept than night?  Personally, my first thoughts would be: “Who is that guy?”, “Is he ugly?”,  “How old is he?”  Has something you needed seemed easy enough but there’s that ONE little meazly snag in the way?   Can you think of a time your devotion to God helped you stand?


9.  Verse 13: Boaz said, “as the Lord lives”. 
·       What does this reinforce?

·       What does the law say about the marriage duty of the surviving brother in Deuteronomy 25:5-10?


·       Who and/or what is Boaz clearly devoted to?

10.  Ruth 3:14 Part A:  “So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized…”  (NIV)
·       Did you catch that?  Where was Ruth before the break of day?
·       The best place for us to be is at the feet of the Lord before we start our day.

11.  Ruth 3:14 Part B: “….and he said, ‘Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”
·       Why did Boaz desire no one knew about Ruth coming to him at the threshing floor that night?  Use Judges 21:25, Romans 14:16, and 2 Corinthians 8:21 to help you answer this question.


12.  Ruth 3:15: “And he told Ruth, ‘Bring the shawl you’re wearing and hold it out.”  When she held it out, he shoveled six measures of barley into her shawl, and she went into the city.”  (HCSB)  Why did Boaz give Ruth six measures of barley? Keep a couple of things in mind as we finish up:
·       How many days did God work in creation?  (Genesis)
·       When did God rest when His work was finally completed?

Did you get my message?

Perhaps Boaz was sending a message through Ruth to Naomi.  A message which went right over the head of a young convert like Ruth.  Naomi, a seasoned woman in God’s Word would understand the significance of Boaz’s actions.

Ruth 3:16-18:  “And when she came to her mother-in-law she said: ‘How did you fare, my daughter?’  Then she told her all that the man had done for her, saying, ‘These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’  She replied, ‘Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”  (ESV)
·       “The man will not rest.”  Naomi understood Boaz’s message.  Perhaps Boaz’s message to Naomi was “I’m going to work and not rest until my work is complete—until Ruth is my wife.”  “Sit still, Ruth.  Rest, and watch, and see what he’ll do.”[iii]  Have you been in an antsy waiting room before?  Ruth had to wait.  Sometimes we have to wait.  I hate waiting but I know God is devotedly working in my circumstances.  Naomi told Ruth to “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out.”
·       Psalm 121:4 says, “He who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.”
o    The psalmist tells us a truth full of comfort to us.  God, our greatest guardian never sleeps so that we can confidently look for His protecting care.  God is never exhausted, or weary or inattentive.

13.  Go to Psalm 62.
·       Psalm 62:1: In what is the one and only place our souls can find rest?

·       Psalm 62:2: This verse gives three descriptions of who God is.  What are they?

·       What is the result of those listed qualities in this verse?

·       Psalm 62:5: Who is the Psalmist speaking to?

·       Psalm 62:7: Who does our salvation and honor depend on?

·       Psalm 62:8: What are we encouraged  to do?

In closing, read Psalm 146.






[i] Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon Search Results: http://www.eliyah.com/cgi-bin/strongs.cgi?file=hebrewlexicon&isindex=7879
[ii] Strongs Concordance, #3749; 4632.
[iii] Jon Courson’s Application Commentary, Old Testament, Volume 1: Genesis-Job,  Copyright 2005.

Clipart courtesy FCIT

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Overnighter in the Camper

Ladies and Gentlemen: Miss Jo Dee Messina....

Baby, what do you say we just get lost?

 Leave this one horse town like two rebels without a cause.
I got people in Boston.  Ain't your daddy still in Des Moines?
We can pack up tomorrow.  Tonight, let's flip a coin!
Heads, Carolina Tails, California.  Somewhere greener, somewhere warmer.
 Up in the mountains, down by the ocean.
 Where? It don't matter, as long as we're goin'....
 Somewhere together. I've got a quarter.

 Heads, Carolina Tails, California!
 We can load what we own in the back of a U-haul van.
 Couple modern day Moses', searchin for the promised land.
 We can go four hundred miles before we stop for gas. 
 We can drive for a day, and then we'll take a look at the map.
 Heads, Carolina Tails, California.
 Somewhere greener, somewhere warmer.
 Up in the mountains, down by the ocean.
 Where? It don't matter, as long as we're goin'...,
 Somewhere together. I've got a quarter.
 Heads, Carolina Tails, California!
 We're gonna get outta here if we gotta ride a Greyhound bus.
 Boy, we're bound to outrun the bad luck that's tailin' us!
 Heads, Carolina Tails, California.
 Somewhere greener, somewhere warmer.
 Up in the mountains, down by the ocean.
 Where? It don't matter, as long as we're goin'....
 Somewhere together. I've got a quarter.
 Heads, Carolina Tails, California.
 O---
 OOOOO-----oh, California!
Carolina! California!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Team Colorado

A delightful group from Colorado came with serving hearts to help our church for a week with Vacation Bible School (VBS).  


Enter Wikipedia: Vacation Bible School (VBS) is a specialized form of religious education which focuses on childrenChurches usually hold the week long events during the summer, though the lengths of such programs may vary, and they are sometimes held during other times of the year.  


I'm here to help.


While the folks were in town, our Pastor Loren brought Pastor Wes' team over to our crib.
 B-Lowe and I told our stories of how we came to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.  We told them about how relationship verses religion changed everything for us.  Our chains are gone.  We've been set free.
 And they listened with grace and kindness.
 B-Lowe talked about the day he finally cried out to God.  
 And God answered.
 He came to the rescue.  
Because that's what God does.


It was a sweet time together.  
With sweet people who love the Lord and were here to glorify only Him.  They ate my cookies.  I like people who eat my cookies.  I hope they come back.

Sing for joy to God our Strength; Shout aloud to the God of Jacob!  Begin the music, strike the timbrel, play the melodious harp and lyre.  I heard an unknown voice say: "I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket.  In your distress you called and I rescued you." From Psalm 81.