Thoughts to Myself

This one needs to be developed further, and weighed against the whole of Scripture.

While it probably doesn't suggest that we have no role in what is often - aptly or not - referred to as 'social justice,' it is God who has to bring about that justice. We may still have some active role, but we're not going to be the one calling the shots, or guaranteeing the results.

According to their deeds, so He will repay, wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; to the coastlands He will make recompense. So they will fear the name of the Lord from the west and His glory from the rising of the sun, for He will come like a rushing stream which the wind of the Lord drives.

Isaiah 59:18-19 NASB

So, what is our primary role?

“As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from now and forever.”

Isaiah 59:21 NASB

Our primary role is focus on becoming who God desires us to be (which will/must flow into action), and train our children right. In particular, focus on God's Word so that His Spirit has something to remind us of. However, I might add, let's not do it ripping verses out of context so that they develop a life of their own that was never intended, even in a way that may actually falsify them. Rather, let's learn God's Word knowing full well the context of the scriptures we're memorizing. Maybe we even need to do it by memorizing entire chapters.

Bible Stories in Blue Books

Ch was done brushing her teeth before La was, so I sat down with her on her bed, where she asked me to tell her a story. "Not the sheep one" (La's favorite), she pointed out. So I told her,

"There was a man once who was really small.
He wasn't tall like Uncle P.J.
He was really short.
One day, Jesus came to town, and the short man really wanted to see Him."

At that point, Ch exclaimed, "That story is just like La's blue book!" Off she scrambled to find the book, while I continued that the short man had to climb on a tree because there were so many people surrounding Jesus, and he couldn't see Him.

Obviously, their reading corner was dark at this point, and we had to turn the lamp back towards the books, and get it lit. Soon, she had found the book that is just like the story of Zacchaeus.

It's Not Easy Being a Bunny. Hmmm.

Sunday - Day of Rest or Day of the Lord?

“If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot from doing your own pleasure on My holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and honor it, desisting from your own ways, from seeking your own pleasure and speaking your own word,

Then you will take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Isaiah 58:13-14 NASB

We've thought of Sunday as "Day of Rest," and gradually, it has become a day to sleep, or quietly enjoy ourselves. While "the Sabbath is made for man, not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27), it is also characterized as "The Day of the Lord." It's not a day to focus on our hobbies, slouch on the sofa watching TV, or have planning meetings for ministry (did I just say that?), but a day to delight in the Lord.

Food for thought.

Map of New Outlet Mall

Horizon has posted a map of the new outlet mall at I-40 and Council. They also have a news release that puts the construction start date at Summer 2008. Hmmm, they better hurry. It's supposed to be completed by December 2009.

The Middle Way

They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn all about me. They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God.They ask me to take action on their behalf, pretending they want to be near me.

[...]

No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

Isaiah 58:2,6-7 NLT

Granted, there is a way to do this wrong, and reinforce bad things.

There must be a way to do this right.

Often, I feel that we have chosen the middle way: do nothing.

Oops!

So I come to the office with boxes of all shapes and sizes (my lunch). As is my custom, I make a trip to the break room next thing to put all the perishable foods into the fridge. And usually, I take my empty water glass to fill it up. Since I had lots of boxes of all shapes and sizes this morning, I decided I'd just stuff the empty water glass under my arm sideways so I'd have my hands free so I don't end up dropping the yogurt.

Turns out the empty water glass wasn't empty.

Yes, it looked like I wet my pants.

Why am I blogging this?

What the Duck 553

Source: What the Duck

Clever Quote

"In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers. And then there are those [...] who use their careers to promote change."

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin

Source: USA Today