Help I can't find my washing machine - I think it is somewhere under fall and Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Might be time to clear out some old and get ready for some new.  Clutter - I tell myself it is good to find value in stuff other people discard - you know that I am making use of these things that would otherwise fill our world with clutter.  I know, I know - so by saving the world of this debris, it resides in my laundry room. 

Well I realize that the same happens in my spiritual and emotional walk.  I get on subjects and gather all this stuff and realize the value and plan to use it all to show others by preaching and lecturing and it is really good stuff - but oh how the Lord has opened my eyes this first day of 2008 and shown me that He will use it all to His Glory.  My place is to allow Him to use me as a vessel ( a very used and cracked vessel at that) to carry and show the message. 

Ever since I worked on the subjects of patience and slowing down and being still, my patience has been stretched to the snapping point - I have run around doing all kinds of stuff I really shouldn't have been doing because I was sick with a cold and really needed rest. Talk about a log in my own eye.

I have to take the advice I dish out and faithfully pray and trust Him.  I must Be Still and Let Go and Let God.  So yes I realize sometimes that means that this vessel needs to keep my lid on.  (You know keep my mouth shut) and rest quietly. Yes - I got the message.   And yes show by my actions.  I hope to live the sermon.

I just got to shout this one thing - Jesus Loves You!

Happy New Year in His Love and Joy and Peace and Blessed Salvation!  

Love, Meme

1. Ephesians 6:1
   [ Children and Parents ] Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
   
2. Colossians 3:20
   Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

What happened to respect?

Children for parents, parents for children, parents for each other, people for people.

This is so disturbing to hear so much bitterness and sarcasm among people. I know I am guilty also of sassy comments and sarcastic remarks thought to be cute I guess, but it is not. And they say words can't hurt but they can.

1. Psalm 52:4
   You love every harmful word, O you deceitful tongue!
    
2. Psalm 57:4
   I am in the midst of lions; I lie among ravenous beasts— men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.
   
3. Psalm 64:3
   They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their words like deadly arrows.
   

We must tame our tongues and teach our children to speak with love for each other and respect for themselves and others. They hear us speak sharply and hurtfully to each other and of course they will copy. 

When we act disrespectfully we get disrespect in return. Children need to hear sweet words. We all need more calming words and encouragement for the days are so hard in this world.

God loves us and wants us to love Him and each other. We must show our love in our words and our actions.

Dear Lord Jesus, Please forgive me for when I have hurt others with my words. Help me to tame my tongue and put sweet words in my mouth to make others hear Your kindness and mercy and love, so they will come to know You. In Your Precious Name I pray, Amen.

 

Matthew chapter 7 :

Judging Others

 1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

 13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit

 15"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

 21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

The Wise and Foolish Builders

 24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

 Jesus' admonition to self-examination (7:1-5), warning that few will enter God's kingdom (vv. 13-14), observation that one's behavior reveals one's character (vv. 15-20) and caution that our lives and not just lips must acknowledge Christ (vv. 21-23) suitably climax in his final warning that only those who obey his teaching will endure the judgment (vv. 24-27).

How can my words be effective if my actions don't show the same ?  I must be more patient and obedeient and let go and let God !  He needs me to be mindful, and pray and reach out in love.  He will do the changing, both in me and in others.  He knows our needs.  He knows our weakness.  He knows what is in our hearts.  I must put my faith into action and pray believing that He will, He is able, He is my Lord. 

We must love one another and show our love for Jesus in our actions everyday!  He is the Light of the World, the Wonderful Counselor, the Living Water, the Bread of Life.

Jesus Is !

Love, Meme

Good Morning?  I have to say I have not been the most patient person this morning.  I sort of lost my cool with the insurance company, the pharmacy, the doctor's office and I apologized to them.  It is so frustrating to have to explain the same things over and over again to different people in every office you call,  after listening to all the instructions to speak this or punch this number or leave a message and then people don't really listen closely 'cause they don't really have the time. What is this deal that doctors are so busy they have to hire people who are not doctors to see their patients for them.  So who is doing the doctoring?  Sorry for ranting on.  Now I must take my own advice and be still and give all these worries  to God.  He is bigger than any problem I have.  He is able to take care of it.  He is able to give me peace.  Love, Meme

Proverbs 19:11
A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.
Proverbs 25:15
Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control.

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the
LORD is.

Jeremiah 17:7, King James Version

Love - Meme

Sing a lullaby. Oh, sing! Let the little sheep bells ring. Gently now, you woolly sheep, Sing the Prince of peace to sleep. That little Prince, so humbly born, would someday die with cross and thorn, But, raised by God to life above, now rules the earth with peace and love. No earthly throne sets Him apart. Instead, He rules within each heart, and when we all our struggling cease, We feel His love. We know His peace.

Sing, you heavens! Sing, you earth! Sing about the Christmas birth. Sin and death and war shall cease. He's come, the tiny Prince of Peace.

Love, Meme

Let us remember that the good news of the baby Jesus is the greatest Christmas gift ever given, and it doesn’t cost a dime to share that with those on our gift-list this year.