Someone shared this with me and I loved it. So, I am sharing it with you. Worhship is beautiful!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Wednesday Wonders
It would seem that my scratchy throat has turned in to a full blown cold with all the accoutrements... stuffy nose, post nasal drip, scratchy throat, tiredness, irritability, and general malaise. My spouse, on the other hand, is running a low grade temp and has an upset stomach. No vomiting yet, thanks be!
I have taken Friday off and that will give me a four day weekend but I certainly don't want to spend it kneeling at the throne. My throne room is quite small and not conducive to relaxation. So, for those of you who pray, please say several for us.
I am frustrated because I've been so tired that I have not felt like doing taxes, reading, or writing. I have only come on to read some blogs and write these boring posts! Come on, they're boring! Say it!
In the last few days I've perused several interesting blogs around the net. Wordpress has some interesting ones. Eleanor's Trousers is one. She writes well and witty. My friend Skeeter has one at Wordpress as well but she seems to have one everywhere and they are each very good. I found a few others I want to keep an eye on, too.
I'm finding that I want to do something different. Not sure what, just a feeling that I ought to find something that encourages me to post content with some consistency. That doesn't mean "regularly" it means with substance. Something with substance. I've been off my feed lately, I think.
I'm off to bed now. I shall tell myself to think on it in my dreams. That always works for me.
May you all have sweet ones.
I have taken Friday off and that will give me a four day weekend but I certainly don't want to spend it kneeling at the throne. My throne room is quite small and not conducive to relaxation. So, for those of you who pray, please say several for us.
I am frustrated because I've been so tired that I have not felt like doing taxes, reading, or writing. I have only come on to read some blogs and write these boring posts! Come on, they're boring! Say it!
In the last few days I've perused several interesting blogs around the net. Wordpress has some interesting ones. Eleanor's Trousers is one. She writes well and witty. My friend Skeeter has one at Wordpress as well but she seems to have one everywhere and they are each very good. I found a few others I want to keep an eye on, too.
I'm finding that I want to do something different. Not sure what, just a feeling that I ought to find something that encourages me to post content with some consistency. That doesn't mean "regularly" it means with substance. Something with substance. I've been off my feed lately, I think.
I'm off to bed now. I shall tell myself to think on it in my dreams. That always works for me.
May you all have sweet ones.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
What a Tuesday!
Snow and ice and cold. The mess is inches deep and another freeze coming tonight! I don't have to be at work until 10 tomorrow because of the ice but how dumb not to close up today. The temps got up to around 35 I think today but that was just enough to soften up the "snice". tonight it is supposed to drop down into the teens I believe. My Google Desktop says it is already 24 degrees! That will make a nice slab of ice for tomorrow morning.
I had a completely unproductive day. I was tired all day and the computers weren't working right. They performed maintenance on the server Monday and we were down half a day. Today they couldn't figure out why our systems were so slow. We are off site from the main server and wireless with outside antenna on the roof of the building. I asked them if ice could be coating the antenna on the roof and causing us to drop the signal. They didn't say but they said they were coming by to take a look at my computer. When I met with them they said, "We think it is ice on the antenna." Gee, ya think! But being right today didn't do a thing for me. My computer took 10 minutes to open a Word document!
At the home front, I am on my way to hit the shower. I made chili for supper and it was delicious with sharp chedder cheese and Ritz crackers with a side of 7Up! Now, I just want to get something warm and comfy on and read a good book or maybe write one.
I had a completely unproductive day. I was tired all day and the computers weren't working right. They performed maintenance on the server Monday and we were down half a day. Today they couldn't figure out why our systems were so slow. We are off site from the main server and wireless with outside antenna on the roof of the building. I asked them if ice could be coating the antenna on the roof and causing us to drop the signal. They didn't say but they said they were coming by to take a look at my computer. When I met with them they said, "We think it is ice on the antenna." Gee, ya think! But being right today didn't do a thing for me. My computer took 10 minutes to open a Word document!
At the home front, I am on my way to hit the shower. I made chili for supper and it was delicious with sharp chedder cheese and Ritz crackers with a side of 7Up! Now, I just want to get something warm and comfy on and read a good book or maybe write one.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Snowy, Snowy Night
We have snow on the ground and sleet has been falling since before 5 p.m. I suspect tomorrow will be an interesting day all over town. It is cold! My Google Desktop says it is 21 decrees. That is cold, folks. I am loving this big screen. I can have several things open and see them all!
I posted Chapter 21 of Mist for the ones reading it. I don't know how many are left. I think Alice is the only one but that's all right. I've been a bit sluggish lately about it and got off track. I've had a few insights this week and I want to start heading in that direction. I know who Reece is (having read back over an early chapter! I know what he wants. I know far more than I did a week ago and tonight's chapter is headed there. Come on, you knew Reece was important!
I will be glad to finish Mist. I started with several readers, of whom Nancy was one of the most vocal. Alice was probably the second most vocal! Today, I was looking at my Y360 mailbox and clearing out old messages. I ran across Nancy's notes of encouragement and praise each time she read up on Mist. Alice, I couldn't delete them. I just couldn't. I suddenly missed her and I wanted to keep them. So, they are still there, in my 360 mail box. I think I will try and print them out.
I was longing for a camera today to take photos of the snowy sea surrounding my house. It is beautiful but treacherous. I really don't want to get out in it tomorrow but unless they close the office, I don't see how I can do otherwise.
Well, I am off to do a bit of writing. Snuggle up and stay warm.
I posted Chapter 21 of Mist for the ones reading it. I don't know how many are left. I think Alice is the only one but that's all right. I've been a bit sluggish lately about it and got off track. I've had a few insights this week and I want to start heading in that direction. I know who Reece is (having read back over an early chapter! I know what he wants. I know far more than I did a week ago and tonight's chapter is headed there. Come on, you knew Reece was important!
I will be glad to finish Mist. I started with several readers, of whom Nancy was one of the most vocal. Alice was probably the second most vocal! Today, I was looking at my Y360 mailbox and clearing out old messages. I ran across Nancy's notes of encouragement and praise each time she read up on Mist. Alice, I couldn't delete them. I just couldn't. I suddenly missed her and I wanted to keep them. So, they are still there, in my 360 mail box. I think I will try and print them out.
I was longing for a camera today to take photos of the snowy sea surrounding my house. It is beautiful but treacherous. I really don't want to get out in it tomorrow but unless they close the office, I don't see how I can do otherwise.
Well, I am off to do a bit of writing. Snuggle up and stay warm.
Ignorance Is Bliss?
He lived in palaces, had the best food to eat, a loving family, his choice of any woman in the kingdom, and a job waiting for him when he grew up. Surely Solomon needed nothing to make life better for him. And yet, he wanted to be more than just a king. Solomon wanted to be the wisest king who ever lived. So began a journey that would take him down many paths, some joyful and good, some sad and wrong.
One result of Solomon’s search for wisdom is the Book of Proverbs. If you read it, you may find yourself surprised at the kinds of things he addressed. He frowned on a good many things your mama told you were bad for you. He advised on everything from gossip to immoral women. In the book of Proverbs you can probably find a maxim for any situation that arises in your life . . . if you look.
How did Solomon get to know all this stuff? Did he just sit down and pen all these proverbs off the top of his head? Did his mama advise him, too?
Solomon knew what was required to succeed in life. He knew positive actions bring positive results, and that associating with the wrong people will get you in trouble. He knew that there is a point beyond which it is unwise to go. Solomon had wisdom.
Wisdom is “an understanding of what is true, right, or lasting.” It is not “just knowing”. You may know something but not understand it. Wisdom is common sense to the extreme, and it is gained from either experience or observation. Solomon experienced or observed the things he spoke about in Proverbs and he understood the truth of those things. Sadly, some of the things he experienced were not nice.
Proverbs is filled with positive instruction. You will find advice on how to live a happy, healthy, prosperous, and productive life. It portrays a father instructing his son with all he knows about life. This is a loving teacher, not the “Preacher” of Ecclesiastes. Proverbs contains none of the bitterness and the “all is vanity” of Ecclesiastes.
What happened to Solomon between Proverbs and Ecclesiastes? It almost seems that these books were written by two different people and yet, their subject matter is nearly identical. It is the outlook that changed dramatically and the tone of voice.
In Ecclesiastes, Solomon is old. He has lost his joy for living and his view of life has become cynical, bleak, harsh and unforgiving. The loving father and teacher are absent. In his place, is an embittered, disillusioned old man focusing on his own past failures. He focused so much on failure that he could no longer see life as a gift. It was all vanity. All a man might seek to accomplish in life was vanity, no matter how good.
Solomon had succeeded in his quest for wisdom, but instead of letting it enrich him, he had allowed it to rob him. A journey began in the fire of youth had ended in the ashes of age. He lost sight of all that was important in his search. Never mind all he had done for Israel and for God. He even saw the search as vanity. Solomon’s wisdom told him that once gained, his riches meant nothing, and once understood, life was a waste and death was preferable. “Therefore I hated life: . .” (Eccl. 2:17)
His wisdom told him that God was the giver of all good things, but it didn’t seem to matter because the gifts themselves were also vanity. He learned to recognize folly in his own search for wisdom and knowledge.
Solomon began his journey to find wisdom and knowledge and to recognize folly. During the journey he became wealthy beyond imagination and wise beyond his years. At the end of the journey he was bitter beyond endurance. Solomon took life by the horns, hopped on its back, and rode it to death.
“For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” Eccl. 1:18.
We should not take this to mean we should not desire wisdom or knowledge. We should pray for this gift. In fact, it is wisdom and knowledge that make life and it’s hardships easier to understand and thereby, easier to bear. If you notice, those who have the most difficult time in trials are those who don’t understand the purpose of trails.
At no time should we seek these gifts for their own sake but to give us discernment and better equip us to serve God. When attainment is the goal, the value of the item is diminished. Solomon sought wisdom and God blessed him. But the more blessings he received, the more he wanted. He was never satisfied, never sated. Eventually, Solomon’s wisdom revealed to him that all his life had been spent satisfying his cravings rather that blessing God.
One result of Solomon’s search for wisdom is the Book of Proverbs. If you read it, you may find yourself surprised at the kinds of things he addressed. He frowned on a good many things your mama told you were bad for you. He advised on everything from gossip to immoral women. In the book of Proverbs you can probably find a maxim for any situation that arises in your life . . . if you look.
How did Solomon get to know all this stuff? Did he just sit down and pen all these proverbs off the top of his head? Did his mama advise him, too?
Solomon knew what was required to succeed in life. He knew positive actions bring positive results, and that associating with the wrong people will get you in trouble. He knew that there is a point beyond which it is unwise to go. Solomon had wisdom.
Wisdom is “an understanding of what is true, right, or lasting.” It is not “just knowing”. You may know something but not understand it. Wisdom is common sense to the extreme, and it is gained from either experience or observation. Solomon experienced or observed the things he spoke about in Proverbs and he understood the truth of those things. Sadly, some of the things he experienced were not nice.
Proverbs is filled with positive instruction. You will find advice on how to live a happy, healthy, prosperous, and productive life. It portrays a father instructing his son with all he knows about life. This is a loving teacher, not the “Preacher” of Ecclesiastes. Proverbs contains none of the bitterness and the “all is vanity” of Ecclesiastes.
What happened to Solomon between Proverbs and Ecclesiastes? It almost seems that these books were written by two different people and yet, their subject matter is nearly identical. It is the outlook that changed dramatically and the tone of voice.
In Ecclesiastes, Solomon is old. He has lost his joy for living and his view of life has become cynical, bleak, harsh and unforgiving. The loving father and teacher are absent. In his place, is an embittered, disillusioned old man focusing on his own past failures. He focused so much on failure that he could no longer see life as a gift. It was all vanity. All a man might seek to accomplish in life was vanity, no matter how good.
Solomon had succeeded in his quest for wisdom, but instead of letting it enrich him, he had allowed it to rob him. A journey began in the fire of youth had ended in the ashes of age. He lost sight of all that was important in his search. Never mind all he had done for Israel and for God. He even saw the search as vanity. Solomon’s wisdom told him that once gained, his riches meant nothing, and once understood, life was a waste and death was preferable. “Therefore I hated life: . .” (Eccl. 2:17)
His wisdom told him that God was the giver of all good things, but it didn’t seem to matter because the gifts themselves were also vanity. He learned to recognize folly in his own search for wisdom and knowledge.
Solomon began his journey to find wisdom and knowledge and to recognize folly. During the journey he became wealthy beyond imagination and wise beyond his years. At the end of the journey he was bitter beyond endurance. Solomon took life by the horns, hopped on its back, and rode it to death.
“For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” Eccl. 1:18.
We should not take this to mean we should not desire wisdom or knowledge. We should pray for this gift. In fact, it is wisdom and knowledge that make life and it’s hardships easier to understand and thereby, easier to bear. If you notice, those who have the most difficult time in trials are those who don’t understand the purpose of trails.
At no time should we seek these gifts for their own sake but to give us discernment and better equip us to serve God. When attainment is the goal, the value of the item is diminished. Solomon sought wisdom and God blessed him. But the more blessings he received, the more he wanted. He was never satisfied, never sated. Eventually, Solomon’s wisdom revealed to him that all his life had been spent satisfying his cravings rather that blessing God.
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