ThinMint

Thanks Paula @CallToBattle

Just listened to this today.... crying again.... When he sang, 'leaves the 99', I understood what reckless meant. Thanks for carrying on with casting. How does God do it? He ministers to this one and another one and another one, to you and to me, simultaneously yet individually. Outside of time, yet in the hour we perceive for everyone for all time. He is so worthy of fear and awe, our complete heart of devotion. There are no words that are adequate. He is ineffable....

Casting off the worries of this world allows us to receive His perfect Love. His compassion is life-changing. Reckless even. Cast off. Love on.

Cast... Thanks P. for sharing this in the chat. This reminder is a great way to start the day. Through Him, on Him, because of Him...

I had planned to share some political stuff Monday while I worked on a Q&A. And I know last week I said I would post Trump’s speeches after the event. But, doing so doesn’t feel quite right at the moment. He is leading, like the Good Shepherd He is, to waters that refresh, invigorate. He says, Rest. Confess your need for Me. I have you, and nothing can take you away from Me. I love you more than you can possibly imagine. Breath. Sigh deeply. Be content. Smile. In My firm hold. So I choose to follow the Good Shepherd’s call. In the midst of chaos and confusion, in the midst of fury and fears? Yes. What is He telling you?

I knew I wanted to play music for Felix when he was in the ICU. There were a few songs that were poignant at different times. However, the Holy Spirit told me to play this song every day. Every day for 7 weeks I played this song for my husband. It's easy to praise God. It's easy to tell Him all the ways we love Him. But... Do we truly understand just how much He loves us? In light of what we just read about in the above posts, listen to this song with new ears. What is He telling you?

The compassion an earthly shepherd feels for a cast sheep lying helplessly on its back, frantically pawing the air, is mirrored in Christ’s compassionate love for sinners. The Good Shepherd desires nothing more than to set His children back on their feet so they can walk by His side again. https://www.thefaithfulwanderer.org/journeying-on/whats-a-cast-sheep Thank you Paula @CallToBattle

I am curious how this strikes a chord in you? Thanks @NerdLvr for sharing.

Sounds like I didn't miss anything from the Biden Foreign Pageantry™ last night. There's very little that piques my interest from these talentless knaves to be honest. Last night was a high school event. With the barn doors wide open to let in the cool air and under the tinkling lights, the students learned how to dance the: - Heel Toe Polka (American barn dance) - Ship's Cook (English country dance) - Le Brisquet Cellois (French folk dance) - Jolly Gordon (Scottish folk dance) - Boston Tea Party (American folk dance) Afterwards we enjoyed some Amish handheld pies: cherry, strawberry, apple, lemon and chocolate. I promise I didn't think of geopolitics one time because I am living the beautiful life God has gifted us! I hope you are, too!

Good morning!

4 of 4 The Bible doesn’t tell us, but I imagine one of the first things Proverbs 31 Woman did when she woke up at O’ Dark Thirty was pray. Goodness knows there is no way to get through life with that many lovely attributes and that many superb accomplishments without the intervening hand of the Lord! She must have sought quality time with Him; feeling reinvigorated each time she stepped away from her prayer time. Action begets attitude. She prayed then set about making her house a home. I bet she smiled. A lot.

3 of 4 Our hearts have been trodden upon the last few years. We have been deceived, banished, ignored, and mocked. The wounds run deep. We have been bewildered, unsettled, frightened, and grieved. Our minds wearied. As Christ-followers, this is the instruction we have been given: love one another. This Christ-like love is not when we feel like it. It is not dependent on anyone’s cooperative attitude. It is not set aside for worldwide pandemics. It is hard to love sometimes, is it not? Surely, God sees our plight! Can we do nice things in spite of _______________ ? Action begets attitude. However, where to start when we are drained? Prayer affects our mood. Can you pray? Then do?

2 of 4 There is something else noteworthy. We read what she does then later we see her mood. Actions then attitude. I think this is a crucial point. Sometimes we are not in the mood to do nice things, considerate things or helpful things. (It is worth pointing out that sometimes we may think we are Helping, but our mood is really Hindering.) What if we did the nice things anyway? The thoughtful things and truly helpful things, and it changed our mood. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? The old adage, “Actions speak louder than words” applies here.

1 of 4 I have contemplated the, “Proverbs 31 Woman” from different angles over many years. It was admiration for her when I was a child. Later she seemed to represent unattainable goals for the modern woman. In the years I was knee-deep in All Things Toddler, I diminished her accomplishments, regarding her with a jadedness that almost overshadowed my cynicism. Perhaps I was envious of her self-assuredness (and energy!). Now the pendulum has quietly swung the other way as I find myself once again curious about the mysterious woman who laughs at, the days to come. It recently dawned on me that the sagacity distinguished in this passage is a message for all Believers. Her deportment and foresightedness shows us what to emulate. More than anything what I now extrapolate from the proverb: make your house a home. Do what it takes to make it feel cozy-comfortable so that all hearts who dwell within, and those who come in from without know they are loved.

Hey friends! We started reading A Tale of Two Cities last Monday over at Gaining Ground. Shannon says, "Join us for memes, discussion, and nerdy shenanigans." 😃 I read half the book in high school and look forward to accomplishing to this feat. Would love to see you there!