Coffeehouse by Chad Balthrop

Grab a cup of hot coffee and enjoy this.



Chad is the Minister of Leadership Development at First Baptist Church in Owasso Oklahoma.
Check out his insights on his blog:
theFarpoint
The link is listed in the COOL SITES list to the left of this post.

Just Thinkin',

Kathy

LAUGH ALREADY!!!!

If you don't think GOD has a sense of Humor...where have you been? Have you ever seen an Aardvark? How about a Platypus? Ever read about Balaam's talking Donkey?

You can read the whole account in Numbers 22 in the Bible, but here's a priceless moment:
Numbers 22:28 Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?"

29 Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me!
Seriously, the donkey didn't MAKE a fool out of Balaam, whose the one talkin' to a DONKEY? GOD gave us some funny stuff!



So laugh a little today. God loves you and sometimes we just need to down right crack up!

Here's my suggestion thanks to my friend Jayne;


If you need a good laugh: Call the Nestle Crunch Hotline at 1-800-295-0051. When asked if you want to continue in English or Spanish wait quietly for about 10 seconds & you will smile. Keep going & press 4. Then press 7. If you comment on this please do not give away the surprise! Keep trying if busy.... YOU HAVE TO DO THIS... LAUGHED SO HARD I CRIED!

I don't advertise on this site but you have to give Nestle a shout out for creativity...maybe I'll break the low carb rule and have a chocolate bar today!

Just Laughin',

Kathy

SNOW STORM...

Here's a Virtual Storm that you won't have to scrape off of your car...please be the only one around for awhile!!!


Well, I don't know about you but Oklahoma is starting to look to me more like the Arctic than the middle of the United States!
We just tucked in waiting for all the bad weather predictions to come true.
I was thinking how we didn't seem to take the Christmas storm as seriously as we should and as a result we are preparing for this storm a little better. Neighboring states are sending 300 linemen in ahead of time to help our Oklahoma Linemen, road crews have pre-salted some streets and folks are stocking up on supplies.
Do you take heed of the spiritual warnings in your life too and prepare for storms to come?
God gives us warnings for our life choices, behaviors, relationships, finances, work ethic and more. Do you take stock in HIS warnings of how to prepare for life's storms?
I hope you are safe and warm where ever you may be. I hope you will remember that whether you are in a physical storm warning area or in a spiritual storm warning area
The LORD will either calm your storm or allow it to rage while HE calms YOU!

Luke 8:25
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."

Psalms 148: 7 Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,
Job 38:22
"Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail,

I have not seen the storehouses but they must be full and they are being cleaned out on top of Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas!
God is the one who stores up the snow and the ice...sometimes I just wish He would share it somewhere else...but Nevertheless:
I will praise Him!


Just Thinkin',

Kathy

Don't Miss Today ...Looking Back!

A friend of mine asked her Facebook friends if they had read the Bible today and would they share. How about it friends. What did God show you in His word today? Please share and encourage us.

Here's Kathy's,
Been studying Priscilla Shirer's One In A Million...they kept whining
in the wilderness looking back...They kept missing miracles of the
moment!
I just read Philippians 3:13-14
"Brethren, I do not count
myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, FORGETTING THINGS WHICH
ARE BEHIND and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I
press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ
Jesus.




Just Thinkin',

Kathy

Is it True? Is it Kind? Is it Necessary?

"When I want to speak let me think first
-Is it true?
-Is it kind?
-Is it necessary?


If not, let it be left unsaid."

(Attributed to Babcock)

When my daughter was in grade school she came home one day and started to tell me about a little girl that was having trouble at school. Before she finished I talked to her about gossip and she responded, "But mamma, it isn't gossip...it is true!".
Truth was not the only criteria found in Babcock's wise words. You see, as my daughter and I discussed gossip further we came to the reality that gossip is not just rumor or falsehoods about someone else. ANYTHING that is not YOURS to share is gossip when you hear it or spread it. If you have something that is not yours without permission and you can't give it back...it is stolen! How can stealing from someone be kind, or necessary?





Speaking the truth in love is God's instruction to us. I have never listened to or shared gossip with the spirit of love. Babcock was not the only one with advice in this area of the mouth:

Proverbs 11:13
A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

Proverbs 16:28
A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends

1 Timothy 5:13
Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.

Proverbs 26:20
Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.

Romans 1:29
They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,

OUCH! gossips are right up there with murderers and wickedness!

Sticks and stones will break my bones and words can often murder me/my spirit. Whether you are the gossip or the gossiped about...pain is part of the equation. You are hurting your character and hurting the person you are gossiping about.

So next time you have the urge to share or listen to ANYTHING THAT IS NOT YOURS TO SHARE...
Is it True? Is it Kind? Is it Necessary?

Let's keep working on it.

Just Thinkin',

Kathy

Discipline Is NOT a Dirty Word

Discipline!!! AARRGG! It always makes me think of being "IN TROUBLE" when it should make me think of being loved. God loves us...so as His children HE sometimes disciplines us. God wants the best for us so He advises us to exercise discipline in our lives.

I am looking at chores that I have done many times before in my life and thinking I could skip them, put them off, complain about them, train my dog to do them or: just DO them.



Why do we need to live disciplined lives?

Well...I will try to go scrub a toilet to the GLORY of GOD while you read what I just read in Chuck Swindoll's book Wisdom for the Day


WE NEED DISCIPLINE

Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline, but he who regards reproof will be honored. Provebs 13:18

Swindoll writes:

Discipline is one of the most hated terms of our times...right alongside patience and self control. But have you noticed how often it comes up in the testimonies of those who win?...

Here are some key uses of discipline:
No runner completes the training or a race without it.
No weight-loss program is maintained without it.
No human body is kept fit without it.
No mind is sharpened without it.
If you want to put a stop to mediocrity, to replace excuses with fresh determination and procrastination with tough-minded perseverance, you need discipline.

Charles Swindoll


LORD,

Help me to have the energy and the determination to accomplish what you have for me to do today. I know I can not do this on my own, but only through the power of your Holy Spirit.
Help me in the areas of disciplining my mouth...what I eat and what I say. Help me show discipline in how I respond to the authorities you put over me in my life. Please, help me be disciplined in the study and application of your word. Forgive me for my failure in these areas. Thank You for your strength. I can do what you want me to do, with your help.

AMEN



Not Just Thinkin'...but also Just Prayin',

Kathy

SOMETIMES...I JUST NEED A DRINK...AND A DATE!

So now that you are curious...

Our Bible-lovin'-Babes have been studying Priscilla Shirer's "One In A Million" bible study sub-titled Journey To Your Promised Land. The study is tracing the journey of the Israelites out of their captivity in Egypt. Yesterday we shared together our lesson on the subject of the wilderness times in our lives. It struck me just how God has worked in each of our lives through various trials and struggles. What struck me even harder from this study was the truth that God was the one who was leading the people through the wilderness. Didn't He know there was a shorter route? Doesn't God know there is an easier way than for you to go through the wilderness of:

loneliness, divorce, cancer, addiction,job loss,financial loss,loss of a child,loss of a spouse or for that matter loss of any kind?


Wilderness East of the Red Sea June 2007 (photo by Kathy)

YES HE DOES KNOW! YES! I know He could make an easier way. But can you, as I have, look back at the wilderness times in your life and see the wisdom of God leading you in the path He chose for your life?
During the forty year journey that should have taken thirty days, God was teaching them to trust and to follow Him. He was the cloud and the fire that led them (Exodus 13:21-22). Today, we have the Holy Spirit to lead us. I know this in my head...I've read this before! So why is it that I still NEED to see a glimpse of His presence in my life now and then to keep going? I am human. I have a need to be reassured that things will be okay.
So...back to the title of this post.
They had been wandering, following, following and wandering! They needed a break...some refreshment:
A Drink and A Date!
God brought them to Elim.

Isaiah 41:18

"Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters."



Photo taken near Mediterranean Sea West of Canaan 2007

Instead of just the "WHAT IS IT" (Manna) they had been eating everyday God brought them beside fresh water and date palms.
He gave them a place to rest. He knew they needed a little water to DRINK from the twelve fresh springs and date trees to provide the sweetness of A DATE.

I have a good life. My husband is wonderful. I love my children. But, I am human and sometimes during the difficult moments in life I can't see the promised land of milk and honey. I might worry or grumble about my daily provisions or the routine, mundane tasks. God often shows up with just the right refreshment for my soul at just the right time. And just as He led the Israelites to Elim, He leads us to places of refreshment. He may send scripture into my life to remind me how much He loves me. Sometimes, He has refreshed our family simply with time together. Other times, He literally sent someone to refresh us.

Right after Richard was laid off in 2001, (9/11 layoffs) two different families from our church showed up at our door to refresh us. One man had just put up a side of beef for the winter in his freezer and showed up at our door with a cooler full of meat to share with our family. The very next day a family also in the aircraft industry (who would themselves be affected by the cut backs) brought by a tin full of homemade cookies. It was a nice refreshment. What we did not know until they left was that there were four hundred dollars hidden in the bottom of the cookie tin. These friends gave us hope during a rough time.

Nine years later we can look back at the time of job loss in our lives and see God's presence and provision all along the way in our wilderness of unemployment. He maintained us spiritually, financially and physically. I don't want to go there again but I can't tell you how glad I am for the experience.
It doesn't always have to be the RED SEA size miracles that get us going the right direction.
Sometimes, God is aware, I JUST NEED A DRINK...AND A DATE!

If you are facing one of life's wilderness times, remember if you are following God...He put you there and He loves you. I hope you will look back and see how God has already provided for you during tough times in the past. Count on Him to do it again. He will refresh you. His word (the Bible) is an excellent oasis.

In his book Moses: A Man of Selfless Dedication Chuck Swindoll writes:

"Does God Know? Does He understand? He understands very well, my friend. After all, He's the One who PUT you there. His schooling includes time in the wilderness. That's where He gets our attention."

At the foot of Mr. Sinai (Horeb) June 2007 (photo by Kathy)




Just Thinkin',

Kathy

Commanded To Love

Just as the North Pole receives many letters from children addressed to Santa, the U.S. Post Office receives many addressed simply "GOD".

One letter from a little girl named Nan sums up our struggle with the command to love your neighbor. It starts in your own home.


I think we have all had times when we can relate to Nan's letter which starts:

DEAR GOD,

Leviticus 19:18
" 'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

Luke 10:27
He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' ; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "

We have heard these words all our lives. We know God commands us to Love, and yet just loving the people in our own families can be a challenge.
I find myself justifying my bad reactions to other people's behavior or justifying my bad actions that have offended others. God wants me to love my neighbor, love my family, love myself and ultimately (according to these scriptures) I must love Him first in order to love anyone else.

It is hard to love the 'Unlovely' and yet God commands us to love. When there have been cross words, disappointments or disrespect it is tough to remember we are commanded to love. So let's cut each other some slack. This week I want to work on making a choice to love as an action not just a feeling; starting right in my own home.
How about you?

I love you and want you to know God loves you.



Just Thinkin',

Kathy

We Don't Say Shut Up...So...

Dear Mr. Pat Robertson,

Please only say what the bible says. It is God's word and He does a great job of speaking for himself. Since my children know we don't say SHUT UP at my house...In the words of Steven Curtis Chapman, Mr. Robertson PLEASE:"BE STILL....BE SPEECHLESS".
Think about it...(yes I am saying shut up)...I will stop this car and come back there if you don't stop!!!
In the mean time please Note the few problems I have had with your advice and proclamations the past few years:
Instead of condemnation for the people of a country suffering from an earthquake or natural disaster, pray for Haiti, let God decide what HE is up to... and if I am crushed under a building at any point in the future, please HELP ME FIRST...evaluate my circumstance all you want later!!!
Next:
Read scripture regarding the commitment of a husband and wife. Stop telling folks what YOU think and let's leave the advice up to what GOD declares.
Based on the criteria you gave as to a wife "not being" there...shouldn't most of your viewers feel free to move on to another "prosperity preacher" now.
Thank you,

Kathy

P.S. A GENTLE ANSWER TURNS AWAY WRATH BUT A HARSH WORD STIRS UP ANGER Proverbs 15:1

Just Thinkin'.... No...no this time I am not just thinkin... I am just a bit ticked and sad....you have a responsibility to get things like this right or simply say I DON'T KNOW LET'S SEE WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYS!!!!

Every life is precious and deserves the commitment of a loved one to continue whether there is one thing left besides a heartbeat.

Kathy Lonsinger Founder and Speaker and WRITER for:
A GENTLE ANSWER MINISTRIES....GENTLE DOES NOT MEAN PASSIVE!!!!! So I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE!!!!

Dear Child of Mine, Be Holy...FOR I AM HOLY. Your loving father, GOD

Years ago my husband Richard and I taught a class on the book of Leviticus. At first I thought I would rather have a root canal than study this overwhelming book. Then, as we studied, I realized I loved this book. Jesus was on every page. The late Pastor and teacher Ray Stedman has this to say about a particular passage in Leviticus:


You shall be holy to me; for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine. (Lev. 20:26)

Ray Stedman writes;

"Perhaps you were turned off right away by the word "holy" in this passage. I don't know what you think "holy" means, but you probably read into it things from your past experience which make it unpalatable to you. Most of us associate it with some kind of grimness. We think "holy" people are those who look as if they have been steeped in vinegar or soaked in embalming fluid. I used to think of the word that way, and holiness was not attractive to me at all. It repelled me. But I ran across a verse in Scripture which spoke of "the beauty of holiness," Psalm 29:2 (King James Version)
2Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. I asked myself, "What in the world is beautiful about holiness?" When I found out, I had to agree that holiness is indeed a beautiful thing."


Because we are His, he wants us to live a life that is "WHOLE",or,holy. He can take our brokenness, our mistakes, our hurts and disappointments and make us new. If you've ever thought, 'Who am I to be holy?', remember: Through Jesus Christ, God sees us as Holy.

God's command to His people to "BE HOLY"(although challenging)is a beautiful thing!


I guess I'll put off the root canal for now and go pick up my bible.

Let me encourage you to take the One Thing Challenge (read through the bible in a year). Links to the Challenge and to the One year Bible are in the margin.


Just Thinkin',

Kathy

Simple Faith

A little boy opened the big and old family Bible with fascination, and looked at the old pages as he turned them. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible, and he picked it up and looked at it closely. It was an old leaf from a tree that had been pressed between the pages. 'Momma, look what I found,' the boy called out. 'What have you got there, dear?' his mother asked. With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered: 'I think it's Adam's suit!'


I love the simplicity of childlike faith. The little boy in the story had heard the biblical account of creation and simply accepted it as truth.

A few years ago, we were driving from Oklahoma City to Tulsa on the turnpike late at night. I could see my four year old son's face from time to time as the lights from the road would shine in as cars passed by. I could tell from his expression he was deep in thought. Out of the darkness I heard his little voice speak. 'Momma,in heaven---no tears?' 'That's right', I answered. 'Momma,no mean people there?' he asked with a curious tone. 'That's right sweetie',I said. After a few more lights passed by he asked in a very serious almost desperate tone, "HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS?"
Well...I had spent years speaking with confidence in front of rooms of business men and women far more intimidating than this one little boy. I'd taught Sunday School classes, led bible studies and spoken in various ministry settings from funerals to fund raisers and I was now facing my toughest audience; one little boy with big blue eyes and an urgent need to understand heaven. All I could come up with deep in my intellect and spiritual maturity was; Jesus loves me this I know...
So I answered his HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS(?)question by saying,"The bible tells me so!"
He thought for a moment and smiled and simply said, "WELL OKAY THEN!"

Do we do that? Do we take our questions to the word of God and accept the treasures, truths,and promises it offers? Do you know God loves you? Do you know He sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in your place? Do you know heaven is a real place where He promises to wipe away our tears? Did you know he promises to remove your sin as far as the east is from the west?

Revelation 21:
4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."...27Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Psalm 103:
11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
12 He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.

WELL OKAY THEN!
I want to have the simple faith my son had that night in the quiet of our car. I want to know God's word and accept it into my everyday life. I'll keep working on trusting Him.
How about You?

Just Thinkin',

Kathy

WRONG ORDER!

We all face dilemas from time to time...how do you respond to them as a child of God?





SITUATION: You order two jumbo size pizzas with just the right crust and just the toppings the way your family likes?
You pay...you get home...during an ice storm...to find the pizzas were not made correctly.
You eat them anyway because the storm keeps you from going back out.
You find you like the way they made them (incorrectly) better.

QUESTION: Do they owe you anything? Explain your answer.

Tracy said: In the world's eyes, yes, "I have the right!"
But, in God's eyes, I received what I paid for, maybe not perfect, but better :) No, i wouldn't expect to get my money back.

Krissie said: Maybe you owe them a thank you for messing up! hehe

Erin said: I'd say no they don't owe you since you actually liked them (and better). God blessed your inconvenience...

Post your answer in the comment section of this post. Click comments and leave a message (others will see this)

Just Thinkin',

Kathy

WHY PAIN?

Today the sun is shining and it is 4 degrees outside. I am in Wichita Kansas writing on a strange computer I am not familiar with trying to make sense of PAIN!

"Mom...why is God letting this happen?" my son asked me through tears he was trying to hold back.
Yesterday, January 8, 2010, we had just finished one of the last rehabilitation sessions my husband would undergo for his recent knee replacement surgery. The rehab center is in Wichita, Kansas which is a couple hours drive north from our home. The frozen Arctic tundra known as Oklahoma and Kansas has been experiencing below 0 wind chills and temperatures with only one digit. So we decided to spend the night here in Wichita and not risk a night drive in this weather.

We left the rehab center and made our way to a local restaurant for a quick bite to eat before spending the night with Richard's sister Betty here in Kansas. Our 17 year old son came with us on this visit. It is exciting to have one of our kids all by them self from time to time and we were enjoying our time together with Betty, my son, Chips and Salsa. That is until...he quietly sent me a text (yes we were sitting across the table from one another)that read:

"I'm seeing yellow spots everywhere and I don't feel so well!". He did not want to interrupt our conversation about hope and healing and a new start during our meal with complaints about feeling poorly.
We finished our meal and our son rode back to Betty's house in her car and Richard and I followed. By the time we got to Betty's home, he had a headache, dizziness and now nausea. Within a few minutes he was expressing the worst pain he has ever felt in his life. This is a kid that has had several surgeries. The most recent was last year for a torn ACL in his knee. So knowing he rarely complains during times of pain or illness, I was alarmed to hear him say, "Worst pain I have ever felt...Please help me!". We followed all the usual steps to try and evaluate what was happening and concluded he indeed was having a classic migraine headache that was off the charts. For the next several hours he dealt with this intense and growing pain and sensitivity to light and sound. The medicine provided did not seem to help but made him feel more sick to his stomach. Of course this happens on a Friday night in a town away from our own family doctor and it is -2 degrees outside. I called the local hospital ER and the Doctor advised us to bring him in if the migraine medicine did not kick in within the hour. During this hour, Joshua only spoke quietly and when necessary. We could hear him whisper pleas for help, prayers, sighs and then...he asked that question...the one we all ask from time to time when something unbearable happens in our lives or our loved ones lives, "WHY is GOD letting this happen?"

It's funny how I trust the Lord and believe in His power and mercy and strength and I believe He has a plan and yet, I too have times when I ask that question. Maybe not audibly as my son did but my spirit pleads to the LORD..."WHY ARE YOU LETTING THIS HAPPEN?".

All I can come up with at this moment is that I do trust God. I hate not being able to help my children when nights like last night arrive. I don't want to face any more suffering in this world. Not mine, not my children's, not any one else's. But I trust GOD! And one day because I believe in the promises found in scripture there will be no more pain.
Until then, I believe God can use our pain to strengthen. "I don't want to be stronger if this is just to make me stronger", I've said. But God has a reason to allow pain. His ways are not my ways nor are His thoughts like mine. But I trust Him.

Betty's husband Gary went home to be with the Lord in March of 2007. He fought a painful and extended battle for years with a degenerative bone disease. He battled with pain and surgery after surgery and eventually was home bound with his illness. From time to time an ambulance had to be called to get Gary to the hospital for immediate care. Each time people observed this believer in Jesus Christ through the broken voice of his pain say to an ER worker, nurse,physician or EMT, "So...do you believe in Jesus?",and the witnessing would begin. Right through the pain, right through the suffering, Gary never gave up trusting God. This man ministered up to the very last week of his life to other people that were helping him address the issue of pain and suffering. Gary's daughter, Shauna recalls the question he once asked, "Are you saved?" to three ambulance attendants. Two of the young men responded, "Yes sir I am". One man said,"Well sir...I'm thinkin' about it" to which Gary said, "Son, you don't have a lot of time here, what's to think about?".

The world will always have pain. So why doesn't God heal the children with migraines, the Garys and the Jonis of the world? Can you imagine a world without Joni Eareckson Tada? A gifted artist, and speaker who has ministered to broken and hurting people for years from the confines of her wheelchair? Joni was paralyzed after a diving accident as a young woman. God may not have healed her body but her spirit is whole and complete because it is bound to Christ's.
If there was no hope of a future in heaven, the question my son asked me last night would be asked in vain. But because we know this is just a temporary place, we can live through pain and suffering with a courage and strength found only through our faith in Jesus Christ.

I hope you know Him.


Well, the medicine eventually allowed my son to rest and it is morning and God's mercies are new every morning. He is feeling much better and is thankful to have gotten through the night without venturing to the hospital. Today we will rest and try to remember our hope is not found here on Earth and we will try to live today in a way that pleases the LORD.

Thank YOU Father that you loved us enough to send Jesus to die in my place, and in my son's place on the cross. You have allowed us to remain on this Earth where pain and suffering will touch our lives. Until you take us to be with you, I will praise you. You alone,God, are holy. Thank you for helping Joshua today.
I praise you in the name of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior,
Amen

"Belief in a future home beyond this one should affect more than how we die. It should also affect how we LIVE!"--Phillip Yancy

Just Thinkin',

Kathy

BE STILL...

God did not wake up this morning and say, "You're kidding me...you are struggling with that!". What ever you are facing, fearing, fighting or fleeing; God is with you.
This bitter cold did not take GOD by surprise. In the quiet of this moment...can we be still long enough to rest upon His chest and listen? Take a few minutes to reflect upon our amazing creator as you listen to this beautiful song by Steven Curtis Chapman.

Psalm 46:10
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."



Just Thinkin', and Being Still.

Kathy

1 Corinthians 13.... and just because I love this song in reference to thinking of God!!!

BECAUSE HE IS MY ONLY HOPE...AND I PRAY...TO LOVE, GOD'S WAY!

1 Corinthians 13
Love
1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

AND FROM THE MESSAGE:
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

8-10Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.

11When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.

12We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

13But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.


Just Thinkin',


Kathy

Sometimes the only answer for you is... ONLY GOD IS GOD!!!

When your questions come without answers and you can only see part of what HE is doing in your life just remember when you don't understand...

GOD IS GOD!!



Just Thinkin' and praying for YOU today.

Kathy

NAP...OR HELP WITH THE DISHES?

As the mother of four chldren, I found it possible to allow my children to help me in such a way that helped them feel part of our household as they were growing and learning. I would often ask a cranky or sleepy 4 year old if they would like a Nap or to help me with the dishes. The idea of sleeping and missing out on any activity was simply unthinkable to most of my children. H-m-m-m-m...go take a nap or play in the water in the kitchen with Mommy??? I usually had a handy little dish dryer waiting to avoid the much dreaded NAP!! NOW...Fast forward to this afternoon, Sunday, and me asking my seventeen year old son...NAP...OR HELP WITH THE DISHES? Without even answering, I think I actually saw smoke fly from the bottom of his shoes as he ran to the couch to assume the Napping position.
I think I do this spiritually from time to time with GOD. When I was a new Christian I could not wait to be part of the activity of the Body of Christ. I did not want to miss anything. Staying away from service, or classes or fellowship was unthinkable to me. I still love the Church and the privilege to worship and fellowship with other believers, however sometimes I feel spiritually lazy. I want to run to the sofa and hide from the work involved in being a believer in The Body Of Christ. It is hard to love other people unconditionally. It is exhausting trying to take every decision I make to the foot of the cross to see if it fits who I am as a Christian. It is difficult to notice the needs of others and offer to help when I feel tired and under equipped. Sometimes I don't even have the resources my own family needs, how will I give to others? When I am walking in the flesh and not in the Spirit of God it is so easy to justify my lack of effort to serve. How about you?
When the work (service) points to ourselves as individuals we seem to jump at the chance to serve. So why is it hard to quietly step into service that may go unnoticed by others, or seem insignificant in the overall scheme of "CHURCH" things? Why is it so hard to fill the nursery workers positions but the choir loft seems plenty full? Don't misquote me here, I LOVE THOSE WHO SERVE IN THE CHOIR. But surely someone in the churches across our country can help in the nursery or clean up after church functions. Stacking chairs is a beautiful ministry!!!
I am reminded of Henny Penny and her not so loyal friends: "Who will help me bake the bread?", she would ask. "Not I!", said everyone she asked.
But the response was so different when it came time to eat wasn't it?
I used to read this story to my children and we would discuss the value of helping each other and enjoying the end product. GUESS WHAT?
My children bought me a bread machine for Christmas! So I guess, they will help me bake the bread...and enjoy eating it too!

Whether you feel called to simply help in your own family more or serve in the Body Of Christ, join me in seeing if there has been an area of your life you are napping right through.

Meanwhile,
I better go do the dishes.

Just Thinkin'

Kathy