Author Archives: famtree2014

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August 30, 2013

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Attitudes & Behavior, Joy, Nature, Today: Make it Count

Greet the Day with Joy

2013-8-30But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. O my strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love. [Psalm 59:16-17 (NLT)]

O Lord, may I wake each morning with a song in my heart. Let me be like the mockingbird who greets the dawn singing with confidence and delight. May I face the day’s challenges with a positive attitude and praise for you. I don’t want to be like the fish crow who shares his pessimism with a nasal whine of “uh-uh.” He’s emphatic about saying “no” to the day’s possibilities while the mockingbird sings almost endlessly with enthusiasm and hope.

Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. [Psalm 90:14 (NLT)]

 

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August 29, 2013

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Attitudes & Behavior, God's Plan, Trusting God

Expectations

I’m afraid that I may come and find you different from what I want you to be, and that you may find me different from what you want me to be. [2 Corinthians 12:20a (GW)]

Sometimes people or events don’t live up to our expectations; it’s good to remember that we might not live up to the expectations of others, either.
Lord, give us confidence that, even when things don’t turn out the way we expect them to, they will turn out the way they are meant to.

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August 28, 2013

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Sorrow, Grief & Regrets, Thanks & Praise, Today: Make it Count

Make Every Day Count

Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath [Psalm 39:4-5 (NLT)]

Giver of Life, thank you for the days with which I have been blessed. Thank you for the days you hold of my future, no matter how many or how few they may be. Show me how to live each day to the fullest so that, when my life comes to an end, I will have no remorse, regrets or unfinished business.

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August 27, 2013

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Family, Friends & Fellowship, Love & Works

The Kiss of Christian Love

2013-8-27Greet each other with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. [1 Peter 5:14 (GW)]

These were Peter’s words to the early Christians who were suffering for their faith. I’m not sure what would happen to us today if we greeted everyone we met with a kiss, even if we only did it at church. No matter how chaste the kiss might be, it would probably result in slapped faces, harassment lawsuits, or irate spouses. As followers of Christ, we don’t have to kiss everyone we meet, but we do have to greet them all with Christian love. That means we greet everyone with a tolerant, forgiving and loving heart.

Above all, love each other warmly, because love covers many sins. [1 Peter 4:8 (GW)]

 

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August 26, 2013

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, Forgiveness

Suffer the consequences

Endure your discipline. God corrects you as a father corrects his children. All children are disciplined by their fathers. If you aren’t disciplined like the other children, you aren’t part of the family. [Hebrews 12:7-8 (GW)]

Parents spend a great deal of time and effort disciplining children. Since we are God’s children, we need to understand that He, too, will discipline us. Because a loving parent lets his children learn from their mistakes, God’s discipline will often involve allowing us to suffer the consequences of our sins. If we repent of our sin, God forgives us, but God’s forgiveness does not free us from the adverse effects of our actions. Sin has repercussions and forgiveness does not shield us from its impact.

We don’t enjoy being disciplined. It always seems to cause more pain than joy. But later on, those who learn from that discipline have peace that comes from doing what is right. [Hebrews 12:11 (GW)]

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August 25, 2013

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Attitudes & Behavior

Be Nice

It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house with a quarrelsome wife. [Proverbs 21:9 (ESV)]

Something tells me, Lord, that if one of Solomon’s wives had edited his proverbs, she would have included something about a quarrelsome husband as well! Guide us all so that we are even-tempered and good-natured, not just to our spouses, but to everyone we encounter this day. It’s so easy to let trivial irritations become significant; keep us from being argumentative, complaining or grouchy.