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July 2013 Archives

Printable Issue 2601  Today is Monday, July 1st, 2013; Karen's Korner #2601
Mom recently moved from her assisted living apartment to the care center. The five of us girls divided some of her few remaining personal belongs. I am the recipient of a Bible Trivia card game. I still don't know for sure how it is played but the questions aren't as impossible as some Bible games.
 
Now and then I am going to include a series of three questions and answers (at the bottom) in Karen's Korner.
 
Try your memory luck:
 
1) How tall was the Philistine Goliath?
 
2) What type of tree did Zacchaeus climb so he could see Jesus?
 
3) What did Moses say to Pharaoh when he went to Egypt to free his people?
 
*
Who doesn't enjoy having the fun of getting or giving a "God-gift" as a blessing to someone, for no particular reason?
 
It happened to me last week when my friend Belva found a small 'treasure' on one of her frequent travels:  a 2" x 3" metal Prayer Box. Inside the lid cover are these words:
 
"When your head starts to worry
and your mind can't rest,
put your prayers down on paper,
and let God do the rest."
 
Box contents are a small pad of paper and tiny pencil.
 
I am blessed by the gift, the thought, the reminder, and the friend. Thanks, Belva!
 
*
answers:
1) Over nine feet; 2) Sycamore; 3) "Let me people go."
 
***
Printable Issue 2602  Today is Tuesday, July 2nd, 2013; Karen's Korner #2602
Today's 'korner' is from Max Lucado and is title the 'language of the liar". Anyone but me relate?
 
The trick is to not listen to the devil too long......and to recognized when he is trying to deceive us!
 
 
"The Language of the Liar"
 
I was living in Brazil. It had been an especially frustrating day getting my car fixed. As I drove off, two devils perched on my shoulders.  They spoke the language of the Liar. One was anger; the other self-pity!  I rolled down my window when I reached a traffic stop.  I saw a boy, probably nine years old.  Shirtless.  Barefooted.

“What’s your name?” I asked. “Jose,” he answered.  Two other orphans with him were naked except for ragged gym shorts.

“Have you collected much money today?” I asked.  He opened a dirty hand full of coins.  Enough perhaps for a soft drink.  As I pulled out the equivalent of a dollar his eyes brightened and he ran to tell his friends!

God sent Jose to me that day with this message:  “Max, you cry over spilled champagne. You bellyache over frills, not the basics.” Jose gave me a lot for my dollar…he gave me a lesson on gratitude.

***

Printable Issue 2603  Today is Wednesday, July 3rd, 2013; Karen's Korner #2603
A pass-along email sent to me yesterday by my long-time Montana friend Judy. I think that I have read it before but not included it for a Karen's Korner. Enjoy, as we approach the 4th of July holiday:
 
Please Pass the Biscuits
 
When I was a kid, my Grandma liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day. On that evening so long ago, she had placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my Granddad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!

Yet all my Granddad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Grandma and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing... never made a face nor uttered a word about it!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Grandma apologize to my Granddad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then."

Later that night, I went to kiss Grandaddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Grandma put in a hard day of work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!"

As I've grown older, I've thought about that many times. Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I'm not the best at anything. I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I've learned over the years is to accept each other's faults and choosing to celebrate each other's differences, is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today... that you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!

We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!

So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine.
 
***


 
 
Printable Issue 2604  Today is Thursday, July 4th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2604
Happy Independence Day!
 
If I heard right,
 the battle at Gettysburg during the Civil War was July 1 - 3, 1863
- 150 years ago!
 
*
Our nation was built as
an experiment in governing that had never been tried any where else in the world.
It was built as a
'strong defender of individual freedom'!
 
*
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was quoted as saying,
"If the American people are given the choice
between evil vs. good,
they will always choose GOOD!"
 
*
In listening to a recent radio broadcast with
Dr. James Dobson and his son Ryan,
they were discussing a recent survey of college students.
They were asked to name 10 atrocities caused by Americans during our 200-plus year history.
They could quickly make their lists!
 
When asked to name 10 'good things' which had been done
by our country and its people in that same time period.
They couldn't come up with any!!
 
*
Allow me to list 'one thing' which Americans have done in our nation's history.
 
Something was called to my attention a number of years ago, by former pastor Paul Pfaltzgraff who was part of the World War II generation and passed away several years ago.
 
He told about the Allied powers and the 'winners' of WW II. "We were called on as a nation to defend our country and its freedoms," he said. "and we worked to liberate nations which aligned themselves with us; some which had fallen under the rule of the Nazi Germans and nations friendly with their vision for the world."
 
Most of us have heard 'to the victor, goes the spoils'.
 
He said our country, England, and the others could have ruled the world.
 
"But instead, we decided to give the 'won' land, back to the 'loser' nations'," Pfaltzgraff said. "Nothing like this had ever been done in history!"
 
*
 
Maybe you can think of other things which our nation has done 'right' in our history,
and the ways which God has blessed our country and its people.
Make your list and send it to me, as part of this year's 4th of July celebration!!
 
***
Printable Issue 2605  Today is Friday, July 5th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2605
As we continue our 4th of July celebration weekend, I am sharing "America the Beautiful"; notice the words repeated in a number of verses:  "God shed his grace on thee".
 
May that be our prayer for America as we trod through our third century as a country:
 
America the Beautiful
Words by Katharine Lee Bates,
Melody by Samuel Ward
 
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

 
***
Printable Issue 2606  Today is Monday, July 8th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2606
I just finished reading the book "The Sacred Acre", a biography about the Aplington-Parkersburg high school coach Ed Thomas who was shot and killed by one of his former football players several years ago. The 'sacred acre' referred to his care of his/their high school football field.
 
Quite a man; quite a story. While his win-loss record of more than thirty years as head football coach at the same school is legendary, his goal was 'building men', not necessarily winning football games. Not only is his story about building his team members, a large portion was devoted to the Parkersburg tornado which destroyed a good part of his 'hometown' a short time before his death. His Christian faith was threaded through his life story.
 
Each chapter of the book began with what I call "Ed-isms":
 
"Adversity is the test of character."
*
"The only way we win is to look out for one another."
*
""Good things happen to good people."
*
"You either get better or worse.
You never stay the same."
*
"If we do what's right, get better every day,
winning will take care of itself."
*
"I once had a person tell me,
'Thomas, you are the luckiest man I know.'
I just smiled and inside said, 'Thank you, God.'"
*
"Success in life is a peace within,
knowing you are working to be the man or woman that God has called you to be."
*
"I want to finish the race with God working through me.
*
"Being a Christian does not mean we will
always win and be exempt from adversity,
disappointments in life, and problems.
Being a Christian is hard."
*
"Whatever you do in life,
echoes thru eternity."
*
"As a father, there is nothing more important
than to see your family walking with God."
*
"There are three things necessary to be successful in life:
faith and a relationship with God,
using our power to choose to do what is right,
and hard work."
****
Printable Issue 2607  Today is Tuesday, July 9th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2607
Last night our church had an evening at our local pizza restaurant where we earned money for an upcoming short-term mission trip, bussing tables for tips and a portion of the gross sales.
 
One of our volunteers was Arianna, who will be a sixth grader this fall. After attending church camp a week or so ago and talking with our minister and his wife, she chose to be baptized on Sunday.
 
As she sat eating her supper during one of the lulls early in the work session, she said, "I am looking for more ways to worship and serve after I accepted Jesus as My Lord and Savior."
 
Arianna is someone who lives a handful of blocks away from the church and is nearly always in church and Sunday School; making the walk regardless whether other family members make the weekly trek or not. Since she is now in middle school, she is 'too old' for either JAM (Jesus And Me) and/or Hiz Kidz, both Christian groups for kids from her past. She still will be in SHINE, a smaller band of girls led by our minister's wife and a friend of mine, which will be expanding to include sixth graders this coming fall.
 
But she was looking forward with excitement. "This year I am going to join Peer Helpers (middle school group, hosted by her guidance counselor), CHICKS (ecumenical girl group, challenging middle school young women from a Christian perspective) and Bible Bowl team (middle school/high school teams lead by our minister; going to monthly competitions).
 
Her enthusiasm was contagious to me; my prayer this morning:  God, help me to be more like Arianna. I am looking for more ways to worship and serve You, because I have accepted You as My Lord and Savior. May I, and Arianna too, not lose our excitement at being added to Your Kingdom and 'forever family'. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Printable Issue 2608  Today is Wednesday, July 10th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2608
First three questions from our Bible Trivia card game and then a 'Max Lucado' treasure.
 
 
1) What town did Joseph and Mary live in when the angel Gabriel visited them?
 
2) On what day of creation did God create man and woman?
 
3) To whom did Jesus first appear?
 
You are Tweakable

You aren’t stuck with today’s personality.  You aren’t condemned to “grumpydom.”  You’re tweak-able; changeable. From whence come statements such as, “It’s just my nature to worry,” or. . .“I’ll always be pessimistic, I’m just that way.”  Or. . .“I have a bad temper.  I can’t help the way I react.”  Who says?

Would we make similar statements about our bodies?  “It’s just my nature to have a broken leg. I can’t do anything about it.”  Of course not.  If our bodies malfunction, we seek help.  Shouldn’t we do the same with our hearts?  Shouldn’t we seek aid for our sour attitudes?  Can’t we request treatment for our selfish tirades?  Of course we can.  Jesus can change our hearts.  He wants us to have a heart just like His. Can you imagine a better offer?

**

Hope you did as well with your answers, as did the handful of you who responded back to me last week. Responders either got two right, or all three. These might be a little harder.

Answers:  Nazareth; Day six; Mary Magdalene.

Printable Issue 2609  Today is Thursday, July 11th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2609
Something shared with me by reader Steve Watne; written by Rick Warren of "The Purpose Driven Life" fame:
 

Get Your Joy Back

“The Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17 NLT)

What’s the easiest thing for you to lose? Your glasses? Your keys? Your mind?

The easiest thing of all to lose is your joy. You can lose it with one phone call or email, a letter or conversation. You can watch a commercial on TV and lose your joy. It’s the easiest thing in the world to lose. And a lot of people in a lot of circumstances are conspiring to rob it from you.

When God’s children aren’t filled with joy, it makes God look bad. Cranky Christians are a bad witness. They look like they’ve been baptized in vinegar because they’re never really smiling. And that makes God look bad.

Why? Because God wants us to be witnesses with our countenance.

The Bible tells us that the Christian life can be summed up in three words: goodness, peace, and joy. Romans 14:17 says, “The Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (NLT).

The reality is, though, that you can lose your joy so quickly, and there are thousands of ways to lose it. There are thousands of killjoys in life that will rob you of your joy, even to the point that somebody like Jeremiah, a prophet of God, could say this in Lamentations 5:15, There is no joy left in our hearts” (GW).

I don’t know if that’s where you are today, but if you’ve ever gone through that period where you feel like you’ve lost the spark and you’re not as close to God as you used to be and you’re just going through the motions of life, you need to know that it’s quite easy to get your joy back, too.

So, how do you get your joy back?

The first step you need to do is admit you’ve lost it.

You simply look at your past and ask yourself a couple of questions: Has there ever been a time in your life when you were closer to God than you are right now? Has there ever been a time in your life when you were more joyful in the Lord than you are right now?

Now is the time to make the change. But you’ve got to start by admitting that you’ve lost what you’ve had in the past. You could ask God about it; he’s waiting to help you. David prayed this in Psalm 51:12: Restore to me the joy of your salvation” (NIV).

***

 
Printable Issue 2610  Today is Friday, July 12th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2610
My mom, who is 94 1/2, recently moved from assisted living to a local care center in her hometown. She moved to an assisted living apartment seven months ago, as she began having some definite problems with dementia.
 
A couple of months ago came a doctor's diagnosis of some medical problems as well. The five of us girls had to make some choices for mom's care:  do some medical intervention to try to lengthen her life or 'due to her advanced age and advancing dementia', choose to do nothing. We chose the later, thus the need for more care at the care facility.
 
She is now in hospice care and moving rapidly through some end-of-life stages. One sister wanted to know what hospice nurses find whenever they see mom. The nurse emails Jill and she sends the note to the rest of us.
 
Our latest update told of her being more sleepy and harder to understand when she talks, if she talks at all; the same things that we witness when we visit her. Most recently she was asleep for the few minutes when my husband and I visited her. But one of his most recent written comments by the hospice staff:  "She was quietly chanting '...help me Lord, thank you Lord...' over and over."
 
I don't have an end-of-life diagnosis, but like everyone alive:  we are short-timers in this life. So please excuse me if I seem distracted, sometimes to help me get through a day, a bad time, a crisis, good news, I may need to take the lead from my aging mother:  "Help me Lord; thank you Lord."
 
Think I might have to say it over and over......
Printable Issue 2611  Today is Monday, July 15th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2611
The call came mid-afternoon on Friday. It wasn't unexpected, but it may have been sooner than we'd thought.
 
"All of you need to come. Your mom isn't doing well" was the message.
 
In the next two hours plus, all five of us girls made our way from different directions to the Clear Lake care center. And began our 'final hours' watch as mom struggled between life and death.
 
Among other people waiting with us were long-time friends of our family and our oldest sister's retired pastor, Denny and  his wife Sharon..
 
As the afternoon moved on, the hospice worker said, "It will probably be between 24 - 48 hours."
 
Denny and Sharon made their way to leave around supper time. Sharon said, "You girls need to go in and talk with your mom, one-by-one to tell her good-bye and that it is okay for her to go. I've seen it speed up the dying process." Most of us have heard of that before. Sometimes we need to be reminded.
 
Mom was in a two-person room which had two chairs by her bedside. Sometimes we'd bring in an additional folding chair. We'd rotate spots and times sitting with her in her room.
 
Shortly after nine, I was spending a couple of minutes in her room alone. I took one of her thin hands and said to her, "Mom, it's okay. You have been a good mom to us. We love you very much. We are all going to be okay. You don't have to stay here for us any longer. When you get to heaven, will you tell Merry (our daughter who died about 14 years ago) hello from us, let her know how much we love and miss her. And that we will all be together again soon. Good-bye, Mom."
 
Our youngest sister ventured in as our watch continued. Within 10 - 15 minutes, mom's breathing changed. Eileen motioned for the other three sisters to come into mom's room. Another 10 - 15 minutes and she drew her last breath.
 
Was Sharon right telling us how to let her go and that made a difference? We don't know, nor will we ever.
 
But we do know one thing:  Mom's now home at last to her new forever home!
 
Time to praise God for lives which never end!
 
 
Printable Issue 2612  Today is Tuesday, July 16th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2612
Something by Sarah Young's Devotions for Every Day of the Year "Jesus Calling"; written as if Jesus is talking to us directly. This one was from a couple of days ago:
 
"I want you to experience the riches of your salvation;
the Joy of being loved constantly and perfectly.
You make a practice of judging yourself,
based on how you look or behave or feel.
If you like what you see in the mirror,
you feel a bit more worthy of My Love.
When things are going smoothly and your performance seems adequate,
you find it easier to believe you are My beloved child.
When you feel discouraged,
you tend to look inward so you can correct whatever is wrong.
 
"Instead of trying to 'fix' yourself,
fix your gaze on Me,
the Lover of your soul.
Rather than using your energy to judge yourself,
redirect it to praising Me.
Remember that I see you clothed in My righteousness,
radiant in My perfect Love."
 
"Ephesians 1:7-8; Hebrews 3:1; Psalm 14:5"
 
***
Printable Issue 2613  Today is Wednesday, July 17th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2613
Thanks to Karen's Korner readers who responded to my Monday email surrounding mom's death. Many of you who wrote or called shared similar experiences when you lost a loved one and what happened near the time of his/her death. Isn't it amazing how good and near God is? And how He wants us to know Him better and better?
 
Now a 'Max Lucado' for the morning:
 
CALLED TO MINISTER
 
If you don’t feel called to be a minister and you’re wondering if your life counts for Christ—it does!  And you don’t have to put a collar around your neck, eat at every potluck that comes around, or preach long sermons to prove it!

According to Paul, ministers proclaim the gospel everywhere they go; they testify to God’s work in their lives.When you arrive in heaven, I wonder if Christ might say to you, “I’m so proud you let me use you.  Because of you, others are here today.  Wanna meet’em?”  Neighbors, co-workers, friends, strangers, parents, spouse, children, grandchildren—all step forward!  Even great-grandchildren, ones you never met are there because you ministered to your kids and to your grandchildren.

Are you a minister?  You bet!  Can you make a difference?  Absolutely.

“I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.”  (Romans 15:14)

****

Printable Issue 2614  Today is Thursday, July 18th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2614
"But as for me,
I will sing each morning about your power and mercy.
For you have been my high tower of refuge,
a place of safety in the day of my distress.

"O my Strength,
to you I sing my praises;
for you are my high tower of safety,
my God of mercy."
~ Psalm 59:16, 17
 
***
Printable Issue 2615  Today is Friday, July 19th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2615
Indulge me one more Bible verse on death, surrounding our mom's dying last Friday.
 
I share it not because I had planned to, but because it sort of dropped into my lap last night.
 
Knowing how God works, this might not be just for me but for some Karen's Korner reader(s):
 
"The path of the godly leads to life.
So why fear death?
- Proverbs 12:28 LB
*
Bible Commentary:
 
"For many, death is a darkened door at the end of their lives,
a passageway to an unknown and feared destiny.
But for God's people,
death is a bright doorway to a new and better life.
So why do we fear death?
Is it because of the pain we expect,
the separation from loved ones,
the surprise of it?
God can help us deal with those fears.
He has shown us that death is just another step
 in the continuing eternal life
we began when we started to follow him.
Death is not final;
it is the first step into eternity.
***
 
 
 
Printable Issue 2616  Today is Monday, July 22nd, 2013; Karen's Korner #2616
This is something written by Max Lucado and is titled "The Mother-in-Law". What he has written could be transferred to another person in your life:   co-worker, sibling, difficult neighbor........you fill in the blank.
 
The Mother-in-Law

Someone once asked me, So what do I do about my mother-in-law?  Let’s just say, she’s taken “critical and judgmental” to a whole new level!

Just saying, “my mother-in-law” gets a chuckle every time. I wonder if in mother-in-law circles they laugh when they hear “the son-in-law?” Your mother-in-law may be hard to get along with. But the fact is, you can’t change her, but you can change the way you see her.

For starters, stop looking at what drives you up the wall. Look for a quality worthy of your attention. Is she generous? A great cook? And pray for her. It’s hard to stand before God and speak horribly about someone He loves! You may not change your mother-in-law, but it’ll change your attitude toward her. Who knows? Maybe she’ll start to change when you start to see her differently!

***

Printable Issue 2617  Today is Tuesday, July 23rd, 2013; Karen's Korner #2617
"O God,
in mercy bless us;
let your face beam with joy as you look down at us.
Send us around the world with the news of your saving power
and your eternal plan for all mankind.
How everyone throughout the earth will praise the Lord!
How glad the nations will be,
singing for joy because you are their King
and will give true justice to their people!
Praise God, O world!
May all the peoples of the earth give thanks to you.
For the earth has yielded abundant harvests.
God, even our own God will bless us.
And peoples from remotest lands will worship him.
*
Bible Commentary:
Count yourself among that great crowd of believers worldwide
who know the Savior,
praise Him for His Good News;
and share that gospel until there is an abundant harvest.
 
***
 
Printable Issue 2618  Today is Wednesday, July 24th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2618
The world watched and waited for the good news of a new member of the royal family in Great Britain, born on Monday.
 
Yesterday we were introduced to the new baby boy of  Will and Kate. There is no way this baby has any idea of his identity and the kind of family into which he has been born, nor the riches and privileges which will be a part of his life as long as he lives. He is right now a Prince on his way to become King of England some day. Any day his 'given' name will be on the lips of billions of people in our world.
 
He has done nothing to receive this new 'rock star' status.
 
What about us and our family members? And those who live around us?
 
God has the same status in mind for each one of us as His Children.
 
 
"But you are a chosen people, 
a royal priesthood, 
a holy nation, 
God’s special possession, 
that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness
 into his wonderful light. 
Once you were not a people,
but now you are the people of God; 
once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy."
~ I Peter 2:9,10
 
Just as these new parents and the world has welcomed this new child into their lives and their royal family with all of its trappings, we too are part of a royal family: God's!  Enjoy your status and special privileges!
 
Thank You, God, for introducing each of us as believers into Your Royal Family and taking us into Your Forever Family. Walk with us as we journey through Your Kingdom today. All of this was made possible by King Jesus and His death on the cross. We praise You! Amen.
Printable Issue 2619  Today is Thursday, July 25th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2619
First 3 Bible trivia questions for the week:
 
1) What was the name of Elizabeth and Zechariah's son?
2) In how many days did God create Earth?
3) How were the animals loaded on the ark?
 
 
Today's 'korner' is the writing for July 25 from "Jesus Calling' by Sarah Young:
 
"As you listen to birds calling to one another,
hear also My Love-call to you.
I speak to you continually:
through sights, sounds, thoughts, impressions, scriptures.
There is no limit to the variety of ways I can communicate with you.
Your part is to be attentive to My messages,
in whatever form they come.
When you set out to find Me in a day,
you discover that the world is vibrantly alive with My Presence.
You can find Me not only in beauty and birdcalls,
but also in tragedy and faces filled with grief.
I can take the deepest sorrow and weave it into a pattern for good.
 
"Search for Me and My messages as you go through this day.
You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with your whole being."
 
****
Trivia answers:
1) John; 2) Six; 3) Two by two.
 
Printable Issue 2620  Today is Friday, July 26th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2620
"Despise God's Word
and find yourself in trouble.
Obey it and succeed."
~ Proverbs 13:13 LB
 
Bible Commentary:
God created us, knows us, and loves us.
It only makes sense, then, to listen to his instructions
and do what it says.
The Bible is his unfailing word to us.
It is like an owner's manual to a car.
If you obey God's instructions, you will 'run right'
and find his kind of success.
If you ignore them,
you are doomed to breakdowns, accidents, and failure.
 
****
Printable Issue 2621  Today is Monday, July 29th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2621
(Sorry this is late today; needed to have our computer reconnected after carpet installation!)
 
This is not meant to be about me, our family, or about death.......again!
 
It was 14 years ago yesterday that our daughter Merry was killed in an auto/truck accident.
 
Yesterday I heard this said on a Christian television station and it is meant for everyone who has lost someone special in their lives. (And that means everyone.......)
 
Stephen Curtis Chapman, a Christian musician and song writer, lost a young daughter in a tragic accident. "When a tragedy hits a family such as ours," he said, "many people have words of comfort. Some we tend to remember more than others." He told about T.V. minister Greg Laurie, who lost a 33-year-old son in a car accident in 2008. "Greg told me to remember that 'our children are a much greater part of our future than they have been in our past!"
 
Even though they (and we!) had our children a shorter period of time than we would have liked, if we are Christians and part of God's 'forever family':  those who have passed away are a greater part of our future than of our past!
 
The twosome also told that people who greet nearly 95-year-old Billy Graham now, he will say "__________(calling them by name), I'll see you soon in heaven!"
 
One of our recent funeral cards surrounding my mom's death was from Jim's cousin Wilma. She penned, "When Larry died, shortly afterward on Christmas Eve in Des Moines, a lady at church said, 'I'm sorry you lost your husband.' My reply to her, 'He's not lost. I know exactly where he is.' and I thanked her for her reminder."
 
 
Only one caution:  Have you made your reservation?
 
"Heaven can be entered only through the narrow gate!
The highway to hell is broad,
and its gate is wide enough for all of the multitudes
who choose the easy way.
But the Gateway to Life is small,
and the road narrow,
and only a few ever find it."
~Matthew 7:13,14 LB
*
Bible Commentary:
"The Gateway to eternal life is called small.
This does not mean it is difficult to become a Christian.
It means there are many ways to live your life,
but only one way to live eternally for God.
Believing in Jesus is the only way to heaven,
because He alone died for our sins and made us right before God.
Living His way may not be easy,
but it is true and right."
 
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Printable Issue 2622  Today is Tuesday, July 30th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2622
A Max Lucado for the morning:
 
Resentment

Resentment is a prison.  When you’ve put someone in your jail cell of hatred, you are stuck guarding the door.  If you’re out to settle a score, you are never going to rest.  How can you?  For one thing, your enemy may never pay up.

As much as you think you deserve an apology, your debtor may not agree.  The racist may never repent.  The chauvinist may never change. As justified as you are in your quest for vengeance, you may never get a penny’s worth of justice.  And if you do, will it be enough?

You see, resentment is a prison.  Jesus doesn’t question the reality of your wounds.  He just doubts whether resentment is going to heal you.  What are you going to do?  Spend your life guarding the prison jail cell?  Or entrust your wounds to Jesus?

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Printable Issue 2623  Today is Wednesday, July 31st, 2013; Karen's Korner #2623
First our three Bible questions for the week from a card in a "Bible Trivia Game"; then yesterday's entry from "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young:
 
1) In which book of the Bible can you find the story about Jonah and the big fish?
 
2) Complete this Bible quote, "Blessed are the meek........"
 
3) Name the town where Jesus was born.
 
*
 
"Worship ME in the beauty of holiness,
I created beauty to declare the existence of My holy Being.
A magnificent rose,
a hauntingly glorious sunset,
oceanic splendor---
all these things were meant to proclaim My Presence in the world.
Most people rush past these proclamations without giving them a second thought.
Some people use beauty,
especially feminine loveliness, to sell their products.
 
How precious are My children who are awed by nature's beauty;
this opens them up to My holy Presence.
Even before you knew Me personally,
you responded to My creation with wonder.
This is a gift,
and it carries responsibility with it.
Declare My glorious Being in the world.
The whole earth is full of My radiant beauty--
My Glory!
 
***
 
Answers:  1) Jonah; 2) For they will inherit the earth. 3) Bethlehem