Category Archives: Bible

A ‘Hunny’ of a Hodgepodge

Joyce From This Side of the Pond has questions commemorating the birthday of A.A. Milne for our Hodgepodge this week.

When our boys were infants and toddlers they had those toys above and our favorite jammies for them were the Winnie the Pooh brand from Sears.

This little guy isn’t little anymore and he has a birthday this Friday.

1. On January 18th we commemorate A.A. Milne’s birthday. Milne is the author of the beloved classic Winnie the Pooh. In many ways Pooh represents innocence and simplicity. His optimism reminds us to appreciate the little things. What are three little things you’re appreciating in mid-January? 

  1. Watching the birds at the bird feeders.
  2. Hot soup and good bread.
  3. Working on Jigsaw Puzzles since the weather outside is below freezing.

2. Piglet teaches us even the smallest of individuals can achieve big things with the proper amount of determination. How do your current responsibilities make you feel? 

I am content in my current responsibilities outside the home. I need to be more proactive in bringing on some helpers who could take over for me if needed in these responsibilities.

At home I could be a little more diligent in keeping up the house and making meals so if I’m attaching a feeling it would be feeling behind or unproductive.

3. Tigger is known for his enthusiasm and energy, his boundless joy and love of life. What’s something you’re interested in learning more about in this new year? 

History of the Church ~ Church History by Simonetta Carr

4. Eeyore, while a melancholy character, teaches us the importance of resilience and perseverance. How do you stay motivated and persevere in difficult circumstances?

I have to go to the Word of God for my motivation and encouragement.

I Thessalonians 5:16-18: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

5. What’s the last thing you ate that was made with honey? 

Toast with peanut butter and honey

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

Currently the only Winnie the Pooh book we have in our country bungalow is this one:

The only authorized Russian-language edition of Winnie-The-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner

In this edition Winnie the Pooh becomes a Russian bear.

I bought it way back in the early 70’s at a bookstore in Westwood, California. It was $4.95.

Thanks to all who stop by here in my little corner of the world.

The Promise of My Father’s Love ~Hymn

The Promise of My Father’s Love

The promise of My Father’s love
Shall stand for ever good,
He said, and gave His soul to death,
And sealed the grace with blood.

To this dear covenant of Thy Word
I set my worthless name;
I seal th’engagement to my Lord,
And make my humble claim.

The light, and strength, and pardoning grace,
And glory shall be mine;
My life and soul, my heart and flesh,
And all my powers are Thine.

I call that legacy my own
Which Jesus did bequeath;
’Twas purchased with a dying groan,
And ratified in death.

Sweet is the memory of His name,
Who blessed us in His will,
And to His testament of love
Made His own life the seal.

Words: Isaac Watts, 1709.

Truth for Today #83

Thursday January 11th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Acts 4:11-12:

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

From Vera:

”He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.“
‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭22‬:‭2‬-‭4‬ ‭ESV

From Karen:

Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

From Marilyn:

Proverbs 16, especially verse 2 – Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts will be established.

 

Truth for Today #82

Thursday January 4th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Colossians 2:1-5

 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

From Vera:

”To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.“
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Nikkipolani:

John 6:18-21
18 The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. 19 Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. 20 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

From Dianna:

“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” Psalm 27:4

From Karen:

John 14:3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Thoughts for 2024

 

It is Thursday, December 28th and my thoughts are moving forward to 2024. Our last carload of family left this morning for their trek across the state and over the mountains to their home. Things are quiet and ideas are swirling. Here are some of those ideas I’m thinking about for the new year.

  1. A different reading through the Bible Plan I’m settling on is from www.FiveDayBibleReading.com

 

2. I want to pick some verses from the Bible to memorize. I’ll be strategic in my choices to make it easy on my brain. Since our current sermon series at our church is in the book of Colossians, I’ll choose verses from that book to memorize. I got a head start with this one on December 21st. This is actually Colossians 1:13 and 14.

 

Picking some key words helped me to remember the sequence, delivered, transferred, redemption, forgiveness.

3. Starting a new daily devotional. In researching Liverpool for our travels last September I read about J.C. Ryle, the first Bishop of Liverpool appointed by Queen Victoria in 1880. I’ve been reading his writings on Holiness and I asked for this devotional for Christmas.

 

4. Reading some new to me good books that we have ordered and received as gifts.

5. Getting acquainted with a new coffee machine/system I ordered for our church kitchen.

6. Putting plans in motion on how we would like to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Our wedding was in December and the weather can be unpredictable so we are thinking about autumn or late Spring for whatever we land on to enjoy with our little family of 10. (Lord willing)

7. Always and it seems forever implementing something in the eating world to drop some pounds.

8. Adding a daily 30 minute physical activity to my schedule.

9. Intentional time with our Grands.

10. Birthday gifts for three of ours who have January birthdays!

I was just thinking how I don’t have to make sure I write 2024 on checks instead of 2023. So few personal checks are written these days. I was also thinking that I’m not a fan of election years with all the nonsense that goes on and is already going on. With that in mind maybe less TV and more reading will be the best of plans. Have you been thinking about 2024 and what you might want to do that is new?

A paragraph from daily readings by Spurgeon on the 28th of December;

“…Faith lays hold upon the Lord Jesus with a firm and determined grasp. It knows His excellence and worth, and no temptation can induce faith to place its trust elsewhere. And Christ Jesus is so delighted with this heavenly grace that He never ceases to strengthen and sustain that faith by the loving embrace and all-sufficient support of His everlasting arms…”

Christmas Eve 2023

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying,

4

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those

with whom he is pleased!”

С Рождеством Христовым

(S Roždestvom Khristovym)

On the birth of Christ a very Merry Christmas to you and yours!

JOY!

 JOY

Joy is a recurring theme and response to Jesus and what he has done for us. Look at the joy in these verses from the Bible. Take a moment to read through them.

Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” declares the LORD.
Zechariah 2:9-11
When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
Matthew 2:9-11
You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
Luke 1:13-15
For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.
Luke 1:43-45
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Luke 2:9-11
Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven.
Luke 6:22-24
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
Luke 10:20-22
In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Luke 15:9-11
These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
John 15:10-12
“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.
John 17:12-14
And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13:51-52
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:11-13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:12-14
…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-3
and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
1 Peter 1:7-9

Remember this Christmas season when you see a star, man made or God made, pause to rejoice.
When you see a babe think of our Savior and rejoice.
When you see gifts beautifully wrapped think of the very best gift of all we have been given from God through Jesus and rejoice.
REJOICE with the angels.
REJOICE with the shepherds.
REJOICE with Mary and Joseph.
REJOICE and again I say REJOICE!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
This post is replacing Truth for Today this week. Truth for Today will resume next week. Praying you all will have reason to Rejoice this Christmas.

Truth for Today #81

Thursday December 14th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Luke 2:1-20

 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.  This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  And all went to be registered, each to his own town.  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,  to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

 “Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”  And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.  And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.  And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.  But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.  And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

From Vera:

”To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.“
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭25‬-‭26‬

From Dianna:

John 1:14
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we held His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

From Lauren:

Luke 2:14
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased!

Our Christmas Letter 2023

Friends and family, we send you our 2023 Christmas message with love.

We could recount all the cool experiences we had in 2023, or talk about how Greg completely remodeled our Master shower even with a left hand that is 30% functional, but if you are at all interested, Ellen’s blog covered it with photos. http//happywonderer.com

Now that we are both in our seventies we feel an urgency to share our greatest treasure with you. Some of you have the same treasure but our desire is for all our friends and family to know this treasure. We’ll start with the words from our favorite song since September of this year, My Worth Is Not In What I Own. (Keith and Kristyn Getty, and Graham Kendrick)

My worth is not in what I own,

not in the strength of flesh and bone,

but in the costly wounds of love, at the cross.

My worth is not in skill or name,

in win or lose, in pride or shame,

but in the blood of Christ that flowed, at the cross.

I rejoice in my redeemer,

greatest treasure,

wellspring of my soul.

I will trust in him, no other,

my soul is satisfied in him alone.

As summer flowers we fade and die,

fame, youth and beauty hurry by,

but life eternal calls to us,

at the cross.

I will not boast in wealth or might,

or human wisdom’s fleeting light,

but I will boast in knowing Christ, at the cross.

Two wonders here that I confess,

my worth and my unworthiness,

my value fixed, my ransom paid,

at the cross.

I rejoice in my redeemer, greatest treasure,

wellspring of my soul.

And I will trust in him, no other,

my soul is satisfied in him alone.

My soul is satisfied in him alone,

my soul is satisfied in him alone.

We are all sinners and we all need redeeming. Jesus is the one and only redeemer who can save us from our sins and their consequences, giving us peace with God. Jesus paid our ransom at the cross. He is the only one who could be the perfect sacrifice for sin. We need to recognize that our sin separates us from God and we need what Jesus accomplished on the cross to reconcile us to God. Acknowledging our sin and putting our faith in what Christ did on the cross gives us new life, spiritual life, with God.

When Greg and I came to that place in our lives, recognizing our sin and trusting in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins we began a new life with eyes and hearts open to learning more about God from the Bible. All he wants us to know and become is written in His Word. From Genesis to Revelation we learn about Jesus and how he is the answer for life with God. Satan is real and dominates our world with lies. His sphere lies in darkness and that is where we are until we accept the light of the world, Jesus. With Jesus you inherit light, without Jesus you will remain in darkness.

“May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:11-14

Don’t let Satan fool you into believing you are just fine the way you are, that you aren’t a huge sinner, that you are a ‘good’ person because you haven’t murdered anyone…yet! No! That belief will land you in hell instead of heaven. We are all sinners and we need Jesus to save us from the eternal consequences of our sins. We urge you to choose light and life today! Start the new year with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior who loves you and cares for you!

For those of you who have put your faith in Jesus we encourage you to keep growing, don’t drift, obey God’s Word, learn more about our God in Three this year. We hope to love Jesus more in 2024!

Love in Christ,

Greg and Ellen

Truth for Today #80

Thursday December 7th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Revelation 1:4-6:

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

From Vera:

‭‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭24

“Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”

From Nikkipolani:

Habakkuk 2:20
“But the Lord is in His holy temple.
Let all the earth keep silence before Him.”

From Diana:

Psalm 95:1-3
Oh come, let us sing for joy to Yahweh,
Let us make a loud shout to the rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before His presence with [a]thanksgiving,
Let us make a loud shout to Him with songs of praise.
3 For Yahweh is a great God

From Karen:

I John 3:23
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

From Maristella:

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8.
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