Thursday... So many gifts they gave us.

My sister, Connie is here with us for a few days and we've been reminiscing and that is a good thing. In that context this verse in Proverbs stood out to me as I was thinking of our parents who have gone on before us.

Proverbs 12:11 (NLT) says, "A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense." One of the greatest gifts our parents, Ivan and Helen gave us was the example of being hard workers. And I really thank God for that example. To their last days they were hard workers and God honored them with that example. My dad was working late into the night when he was killed. And my mom into her 90's was still looking each for something to do.

I have a family around me who are hard workers. My son and daughter and their mates are hard workers. My wife, Margaret is one of the hardest workers I know. And God is blessing each one of them.

The MESSAGE says it this way, "The one who stays on the job has food on the table; the witless chase whims and fancies."

May God bless you today as you get up and head out to your job. May you keep at it. Others may not be physically able to to what they have done but they are not giving in to the temptation to just give up. And God is blessing them.

One thing about hard work is the deep satisfaction and the sense of accomplishment that one has as they look back on their day and see what they have done. Even in retirement I get up early to do what I do to make a difference with my life. That was built into me from the examples that God put into my life.

The Amplified Bible says, "He who tills his land will have plenty of bread. But he who follows worthless things lacks common sense and good judgment."

Thanks God for your Word and for examples that you have placed before us and for the opportunities that you given us. Again, "A hard worker has plenty of food", "The one who stays on the job has food on the table" and "He who tills his land will have plenty of bread." Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

Comments

Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do

Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT), "When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers - the moon and the stars you set in place - what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do. No, not the fact that I can go out my front door and look out at night at the marvels of the sky. I can do that and it is amazing and it takes my breath away each time I see it. Yes, that is a fact but the reality of who did that and the wisdom and the faith that I have to believe that and to marvel that the one who did that cares about me makes such a difference in how I live my life. Yes, God really does. That is so wonderful for us to believe. And that is why faith and wisdom are so important. Now whatever belief you have at how that marvel happened must also be believed through faith. And the sad thing to me is that more and more people have been taught that there is no God and therefore he did not have a h...

Monday... Three ifs and two thens. They go together!

Monday... Three ifs and two thens. They go together! They really do. And this is what caught my attention this morning as I was reading Proverbs 2. Verse 1 (NRSVUE) says, "My child, if you accept my words and treasure my commands within you." Verse 3 (NIV), "Indeed i f you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, Verse 4, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, Verse 5, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." And verses 9-11, " Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you." There will always be some effort we must do, some ifs for the thens to be realized in our lives. So many of us want to understand without the ifs. But the thens are so worth, so very worth the effort. Verses 5-6 in the Ampli...

Wednesday... Our unless can turn into useless.

Wednesday... Our unless can turn into useless. It really can. I have found that unless I give the correct email of my wife then I can't get what I wanted. I put an extra i in her email and I have been working for 5 days to get it changed. Unless has been useless. The writer of Psalm 94 uses this word and shows how important it is. Verses 17-19 (NLT) says, "Unless the Lord had helped me, I would have soon settled in the silence of the grave. I cried out, 'I'm slipping!' but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer." "Unless the Lord had helped me." So many people go on and on and on striving to live their life on their own but they keep slipping and doubting and living without hope and cheer. Yes the Lord has such unfailing love for us, he really does but unless we have a relationship with him and we turn to him and ask him for help then the unless turns in to useless because h...

Todays Beginning

Search This Blog