April 30, 2011

Yesterday was a school day, the students are doing a good job on the annual, it is a very busy time for me, getting the right photos in the right place so they can create the pages.  Got to hear our speech students give their presentations.  They left at noon for the state event.  We have never had this many winners, it was exciting and on top of that they did a really good job, very fun speeches.  They drove to Cando and rode with their students on a bus together to Bismarck, today they did the speeches and come home afterwards.  So covered for her classes after she left and helped students,  it was a full day.  After school I visited with a teacher for a while and then went to Cando to clean the church.  I was ready to just sit for the rest of the evening. Jack had prepared himself something to eat, so I ate what was left and that made it easy. 

VERSE:
  And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious
riches in Christ Jesus.
   -- Philippians 4:19
   

THOUGHT:
  Paul gives the Philippians this promise only after he has
emphasized to them that he had found the Lord's grace sufficient in
good times and tough times, in times of plenty and in times of
lack. The key to this promise is not just God's provision, but also
our trust in him to satisfy what we most need in Christ Jesus. When
our hearts yearn to be full of him, to be pleasing to him, to be
blessed by his presence, to be given the assurance of life beyond
death, surely we can rely on his supplying everything we truly
need!

PRAYER:
  Give me eyes to see, O God, all the many wonderful ways you are
providing for me and graciously providing the abundance you have
poured into my life. I confess that my vision is shortsighted and
narrow. I need to see the panoramic view of your graciousness. Yet
the "little" part of your blessings that I am able to recognize is
lavish, gracious, and fulfilling. I know you have blessed me with
many more things that I do not see. Thank you for being so
generous! In Jesus' name! Amen.

April 29, 2011

Yesterday, we actually started putting pages together, it was hectic, because I heard a lot of people needing me to help them, but they are doing great, i see pages done already.  I appreciate each one of them.  My other task is altering dresses for girls, prom dresses and graduation dresses, we had company for a while after school, then did some computer work.  it was a good day.  

Dad took Dorothy back to Devils Lake and Frank was to come home from the hospital later in the day.

Words of encouragement to you from Joni....

She Is Not Gone


"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints."

- Psalm 116:15

Edna Hamlin was a saintly old woman. She sat humped over in a wheelchair the many
years she lived in a nursing home. Edna and I were pen pals those years. Her letters
not only overflowed with smiles and joyful observations about nurses and friends,
but her envelopes would spill over with gospel tracts, crocheted bookmarks, and
copies of poems and hymns. Edna was my inspiration.

I just received word that Edna passed away. All at once I feel sadness and joy.
 Perhaps this poem explains why:

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads

her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean.

She is an object of beauty and strength, and I stand and watch her

until at length she lands like a speck of white cloud just where

the sea and sky come down to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: "There! She's gone."

Gone where? Gone from my sight - that is all.

She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was

when she left my side, and just as able to bear her load

of living freight to the place of destination. Her diminished

size is in me, not in her; and just at the moment when

someone at my side says, "There! She's gone," there are

other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to

take up the glad shout, "There she comes!"

And that is Dying!

--Henry Van Dyke

The length of our days is in Your hands, O Lord. What counts, though, is not how
 long we live but how we spend those days. Give us wisdom to know how short, how
 fleeting life really is

April 28, 2011

Yesterday another day of school.  Some were absent, act test for jrs. honors banquet for a couple of other students, we started on the annual.  After school I drove to Devils lake, saw Jerry and then went to see Ben, he is a person who has been a camper and on staff, he was in Thailand and had a motor cycle accident.   He has a number of vertebrae broken in his back, today he has an MRI  

Fake Fruit... Real Fruit


"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

- Galatians 5:22-23

It's impossible to manufacture the fruit of the Spirit such as love and peace, gentleness
and kindness. You can paint a veneer of joy and put up a facade of self-control,
 but invariably you will be found out. You can only deceive yourself and others
for so long with false love and plastic peace.

Fake fruit comes from self-effort. It's like growing grapes the wrong way around.
First you find a cluster of white Concords and fasten them to the branches of the
vine. From there, you tie roots to the trunk and dig a hole, setting the entire
thing into the ground. There you have it, manufactured fruit (and incidentally,
fruit that will rot quickly). What you have done is put first the fruit; second,
 the branches; third the root; and fourth, the soil.

God grows genuine fruit in the opposite order. First He plants the seed of His Word
in the soil of our heart. The Spirit quickens us and causes the Word to take root
in our soul. Next, as we grow in the Lord, the vine and branches mature until sweet
and satisfying fruit clusters in abundance.

Genuine fruit comes from abiding in the Vine.

"No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.

Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me" (John 15:4).

Lord, I confess that I try to bear fruit by myself, forcing self-control, reminding
myself to be good and kind, often painting a smile of joy and putting on a pretense
of peace. Forgive me for all this manufactured fruit in my life. May I abide in
Your Word and keep step with Your Spirit today.... I look forward to the sweet and
satisfying fruit You will produce in my life.

April 27, 2011

Yesterday on my way to school, a road went out ahead of me, so we ahd to turn around and find a new way to Starkwether,  it was a bus and two vehicles that had to change our route.  Interesting.  I went to DL after school did errands, Dakota Boys Ranch got a load, and stopped to see Osbornes at camp, water everywhere there, you who have been there would find it hard to believe, they are building dike.  Then to see Frank, they are sending him back to Fargo today.  followed by a stop to speak with A STUDENT AND HER PARENT, AND GET HER SCIENCE BOOK AT SCHOOL...  Came home and ate, I was really starved....

An Encouraging Word


"A voice says, 'Cry out.' And I said, 'What shall I cry?' 'All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the
flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them.  Surely the people are
grass.'"

- Isaiah 40:6-7

Isn't that wonderful?! You're nothing but grass!

Before you stop reading this seemingly discouraging word, consider this. What if
 the opposite of God's observation were true? What if we do last forever in the
flesh and never fade? I see two things:

First, you'd have to live with yourself forever. Many people are afraid to die,
but I'm not so sure that the alternative of living forever in our bodies is such
 a hot idea, either. I can't imagine living in this sinful body with all of its
frailties and leanings toward sin. When my deadline arrives, I'm not filing for
an extension.

Secondly, not only would you live forever, those who persecute you and who hate
God would live forever. Living forever would not help us escape their influence
and actions. Oh, what a disaster that would be.

Now do you feel a little more encouraged about you latest medical problem, your
latest fight with the boss, your latest battle with sin? Cheer up. It won't last.
It's grass.

Lord, I praise You that You've allowed our sinful flesh to die. I acknowledge that
You are the only one in the universe worthy to live forever. I'm just thankful that
You've given me the privilege of living forever - after this body dies!

I am adding these thoughts for you who are in offices:

VERSE:
  If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a
tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is
worthless.
   -- James 1:26
      THOUGHT:
  "It's no big deal!" That's the whine of a believer rationalizing
vulgar, inappropriate, or hurtful speech. However, a friend
confessed to me a long time ago, "Our moral plunge in the office
began when we let our language slip. It didn't seem like that big a
deal at the time, but what it led to was disastrous." Religion that
is not reflected in everyday speech is empty and hollow. So let's
use our speech to bless and encourage, not to curse, slander, or
gossip.

PRAYER:
  Holy and incomparable God, please forgive me for not using my
speech redemptively. Forgive me for the times I've used my words to
wound another or in ways that dishonor you and your holy claim on
my life. Use my words today, and every day, to bless, encourage,
and comfort so others may know your grace through me. In Jesus'
name I pray. Amen.

April 26, 2011

Yesterday, Julie got her things ready to go but then we realized that Janet's photos weren't all on the jump drive, so she spent several hours getting them cleaned up and on discs.  Finally at noon she was able to leave. I helped Dad put things in the missile that were on the trailer and then parked the trailer in the garage there.  I went to O'Brien house, vacuumed and got some things for second hand store, but I noticed that the door frame was pulled apart by the door we lock, so I went home and told dad, but he just got there , here he had fallen through the road over by Rosamonds and had to walk to the highway, where Vic gave him a ride, they got it out and now another road is closed,  He said the maintainer that works the roads, went through a road over by Skaars.  We went back to fix door, which was a challenge, and came home.  After eating I spent evening in the yard, it was really 

VERSE:
  But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to
take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the
helper of the fatherless.
   -- Psalm 10:14

THOUGHT:
  Just as God saw the plight of the Israelites in Egypt and heard
their cries for help, he still sees and hears today. But now, he
hears not only because he is omnipotent; he hears also because of
the intercession of his Son and our Savior, Jesus. Jesus has been
here. Jesus has faced the specter of death and the pain of torture
and ridicule. Jesus means God not only hears our cries for help; he
also feels the agony with us. That is why he came. He is our
assurance that God feels, cares, acts, and ultimately saves.

PRAYER:
  God, Father and Savior, please be with those who are bearing the
incredible weight of agony and pain. Some of these I know and pray
for personally. Others I do not know, but they still need your
comfort, strength, and grace to sustain them in their days of agony
and grief. Please bless them with clear evidence of your care. In
Jesus' name I pray. Amen.beautiful.

April 25, 2011

It was a good day, Janet and her family left and we drove over to Cando.  Breakfast together and a good worship service.  Jack, Julie and I enjoyed our day at home.  Julie made preparation for her trip back to Bismarck.

Oleanders


"For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted
when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire
 has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth
to death."

--James 1:13-15

Often the most beautiful things are the most deadly. Take, for instance, the

oleander bush. This popular flowering bush thrives in the California climate, and
often blooms bright and colorful along the freeways.

Yes, oleanders are lovely, but they're deadly. Because the leaves and blossoms are
highly toxic, many cat and dog-lovers have uprooted oleander bushes from their backyards
to protect their pets. I once entertained the idea of picking oleander flowers to
use in a table centerpiece but, on second thought, decided that I didn't relish
the idea of placing something poisonous on the dinner table.

Like oleanders, some ideas are beautiful but, oh, so deadly. Bad thoughts never
enter your mind, telling you, "I want to ruin your peace of mind, I want to rob
you of joy." No, harmful thoughts always disguise themselves as pleasant things
to ponder. But beware. That seemingly innocent thought about a married man at church,
or a young co-worker at the office... is poisonous.

So-called beautiful thoughts are like a bouquet of oleanders on your dining room
 table. They may be attractive to look at, but that don't belong close to you.
Learn never to accept the idea of putting something poisonous in front of you.

Lord of all, I admit that often thoughts enter my head that seem acceptable, even
beautiful. But in my heart of hearts, I realize they are deadly and damaging. Give
me strength to say "no" to enticing ideas that not only harm me but dishonor You.
Help me to place the Lord Jesus in the front of my thinking today.

I feel like this is soo appropriate for us today.  I just read through the book of James, much to say to us that is worthy of our thinking about.  How easy it is to get caught into wrong thinking.....  Mom 

April 24, 2011

Yesterday we were together with children and they had their traditional meal, of potato dumplings.  It was a nice day so we could be outside some.  We also cleaned out some things, gave to children, burned somethings, I need to go back to O'Brien house and get more things.

Today is Easter,  We trust that it will be a good day for you.  I like these thought even if they aren't focused on Easter.  Living our faith is about being content where God has placed us.

VERSE:
  But godliness with contentment is great gain.
   -- 1 Timothy 6:6
  

THOUGHT:
   What determines our financial worth? Do we compute it in terms
of dollars, or possessions, or investments? Paul reminded Timothy
that ultimate gain, the gain of inestimable value, is really
determined by a very simple formula: net worth = (godly character)
X (contentment). What would happen if we recognized the truly
wealthy as those who were godly in their character and contented
with their blessings in life?

PRAYER:
  O LORD God, the one from whom every blessing flows, readjust my
values from the greed of this world to a holy set of financial
convictions. Conform my character to the godliness that Jesus
demonstrated in his daily life. Teach me the contentment that can
be found only in you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Other good verses on the subject:

Luke 12:15-21 Then he said to them, "Watch out Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.  And he told them this parable:  The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.  He thought to himself, What shall I do?  I have no place to store my crops.  Then he said, this is what I'll do.  I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  and I"ll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.  But God said to him, 'You fool!  This very night your life will be demanded from you.  They who will get what you have prepared for yourself?  

1 Timothy 6:6-10  But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.  People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.  Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

1 timothy 4:8  For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

Philippians 4:11  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

Hebrews 13:5  Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God as said, 

"Never will I leave you;

never will I for sake you."

April 23, 2011

Yesterday was a day at home, I did some cleaning and preparing and by later in the day some of our family was here.

VERSE:
  Praise the LORD, O my soul. I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
   -- Psalm 146:1-2
    

THOUGHT:
  "Hallelujah!" This is a hallelujah Psalm! "Praise the LORD" is
our translation for "Hallelujah!" I love the dimensions of praise
given in this Psalm: my soul, all my life, and as long as live.
That is pretty all-encompassing. Our lives are to be a "holy
praise" to the LORD as long as we have life! So how's your praise?
Only been letting it out at church? Hmmm, maybe it's time to let
the rest of your life have a few hallelujahs!

PRAYER:
  I praise you, God of Israel and God of the Covenant, for your
mighty work bringing salvation through Israel to all nations
through Jesus Christ. My heart praises you for your joy and
comfort, my head praises you for all your wondrous creation, and my
soul praises you for your abiding presence through the Holy Spirit.
Please hear my life, my heart, and my voice as they all cry,
"Hallelujah!" to you, who alone are God! In the name of the Messiah
Jesus, I pray. Amen.

April 22, 2011

Happy Birthday to Addison  

Yesterday was a different day because most of the band students were gone to the instrumental contest.    So we focused on getting other children caught up on their studies.  I went to Cando after school to clean church and then on to Devils lake to see Frank and Harley Perich.  Frank was in swing bed, but he isn't doing so well, Dorothy said his situation has changed to acute care.  Harley is doing well and looked good.

We are looking forward to seeing our family.

The Fellowship


"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing
in his sufferings."

- Philippians 3:10

The words "fellowship" and "suffering" don't look as though they fit together. One
communicates comfort. The other, pain. Yet God links these words, insisting that
 our deepest fellowship with Him can be found in the midst of suffering.

The word "fellowship" does not mean a club. It's not an inner circle of elite believers
or a higher level of super-spiritual saints who have arrived. Fellowship - in the
Greek, koinonia - means a mystical participation together with Christ. It's a marvelous
mystery that Jesus feels the sting in His chest when you hurt.

When I hurt, when I'm in physical pain from my paralysis, when my heart twists in
anguish, I cast myself on Jesus. In the fellowship of suffering, I know He takes
 my pain personally, He's close enough to catch me. As I rest in His arms, I'm amazed
how often I find myself singing this hymn:

All my life was full of sin when Jesus found me,

All my heart was full of misery and woe;

Jesus placed His strong and loving arms around me,

And He led me in the way I ought to go.

No one ever cared for me like Jesus,

There's no other friend so kind as He;

No one else could take the sin and darkness from me -

O how much He cares for me! *[1]

Thank You, Jesus, for the warm, intimate union we enjoy together in the fellowship
of Your sufferings. Bless you for catching me when I fall, for holding me when I
 hurt.

April 21, 2011

Yesterday i took a student to a Spanish event at Rock Lake, there were about 70 students there for the event.  This teacher has a lot of online students in schools some quite far away.  It was a good day.  Ron Jacobson who taught at Hampden brought students from Warwick, I don't think he taught any of you, but Jacqui he taught the grade behind you.  It was a good day, I didn't have as much dialogue with the student as I would have liked but on the way home she talked more.

Lover of My Soul
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face
is lovely. My lover is mine and I am his."

- Song of Songs 2:14,16

When I approach the Lord in prayer, I relate to Him in different ways. Occasionally
I talk with His as my elder Brother, which He is. If I'm under spiritual attack,
 I'll go to Him in prayer as the Captain of my soul. He is my Friend when I want
 to pour out my heart. I even have single friends who look up to the Lord as their
Husband, as it says in Isaiah 54.

Lately I've enjoyed relating to my Savior as the Lover of my soul. And when I want
to tell the Lord how much I adore Him, I use the language of love in the Song of
 Songs. This beautiful book in the Bible is more than just a love poem; it's a picture
of the love relationship between the Bridegroom and His bride.

From your heart, tell Jesus that He is the fairest of ten thousand. Praise Him for
being altogether lovely. Let Him know that His love is better than wine. He is the
Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley. And to top it off, sing to Him this beautiful
hymn inspired by the Song of Songs:

Loved with everlasting love, led by grace that love to know;

Gracious Spirit from above, Thou hast taught me it is so!

O, this full and perfect peace! O, this transport all divine!

In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine. *[1]

Close me in Your everlasting arms, Lord, and let my soul find rest and peace as
I lean on Your breast. May doubts and cares fly away. No one, nothing, shall ever
part us. I am Yours... Praise You for being mine.

April 20, 2011

Yesterday was a usual day, can't think of anything special, sometimes people react, when really they are just expressing their frustration with life and you happened to get in the way, wrong place right time.  I think that might have happened to me at School.  after school and getting a math assignment done because today I have a different role, I am taking a student to another school, it is close to an hour away so I will stay there til she is done and bring her home.  The devotion for today is appropriate because she has some needs, I hope we can have some good conversation, so if you think of me say a prayer for that.

Jack and Wayne were at Grandpa's house, I can to see how they were doing and saw a problem in the kitchen, seems a connection came loose under kitchen sing, so water on the floor,  We got that fixed but at midnight Jack said, I forgot to turn on the pump, I hope we get things going o.k. soon.  He doesn't have a lot of patience for the situation.

Sit Where Others Sit


"I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Abib near the Kebar Rivers. And there, where
they were living, I sat among them for seven days - overwhelmed."

- Ezekiel 3:15

After a recent speaking engagement, a mentally handicapped man who was wearing thick
glasses and baggy trousers trotted up and gave me a big hug. We talked as he stood
next to me, twisting his necktie with his finger. I asked about his church and his
friends. Out of nowhere, he smiled, stuck out his chest and said, "Ezekiel 3:15...
that's what I like about my friends!"

It seemed a strange thing to say, so I asked him what is so special about the verse.
He proudly quoted it:

"I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Abib near the Kebar Rivers. And there, where
they were living, I sat among them for seven days - overwhelmed" (Ezekiel 3:15).

I gave him a strange look. He explained, "Don't you get it? 'I sat among them.'
And, wow, for seven days!"

A light dawned. "O-o-o-o-h," I said. "I get it. You are pleased that your friends
sit with you and get down on your level, right? And they try to see things from
your perspective, the way you see them." He nodded enthusiastically and went on
to remind me that the captives in Ezekiel's time must have really appreciated friends
who would sit down with them seven whole days. That was a long time to be feeling
someone else's hurts.

As that mentally handicapped man walked away, I gained a new appreciation for how
much the smallest of verses can help. Who would have dreamed that Ezekiel 3:15 would
have anything to do with instructing friends on the fine art of compassion and empathy?

Lord, help me to get down on the level of those who hurt today. Help me to show
a little empathy for those in need. You did it... Ezekiel did it... the friends
of that handicapped man do it every day. And I can do it, too.

April 19, 2011

Yesterday was a busy day at school, so many things at the end of the year, music speech, extra reports, etc.After school a girl came to me, I had forgotten, Her mom had asked me to alter her prom dress and their exchange student, so we tried them on.   Then I went to DL to do errands, and back to Starkweather for Pam's piano recital.  (Jacqui did you take piano lessons from Pam?  I think you did.)  I came home and took the dresses apart so I can have them try them today.  We were in bed when Michael called to say that JT Rice had been killed in a flying accident.  He was an air force academy graduate taking advanced training.  I didn't know him but we knew the rest of the family.  

Praying With Scripture

"'Is not my word like fire,' declares the Lord, 'and like a hammer that breaks a
 rock in pieces?'"

- Jeremiah 23:29

Would you like to have greater faith in prayer? Of course you would. And it stands
to reason that if faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, then the
Word alone is the source of faith, especially in prayer.

The Word of God is the Christian's true prayer book. The secret to receiving answers
to prayer lies in how we use God's Word during prayer time - that's why it's always
a good idea to pray next to an open Bible. Do you want to tune your words of praise
so they will rise like a beautiful worship song to the Lord? Then fill your praises
with glorious words from the Song of Songs or verses of adoration from the book
of Psalms.

Also, bring God's Word directly into your intercessions. Pray for your loved one
 on the basis of Colossians 1 or Psalm 20. Why is this so important? The psalmist
said, "I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have renewed my life."
 You bring God's power to bear in the lives of the people for whom you intercede
 when you bring God's Word into your intercessions.

Read portions of Scripture to prime your pump before you pray. Let the Spirit lead
you to certain verses to use in your praise and intercessions. Then, develop personal
prayers that are enriched by those same verses. God loves to hear His Word when
you pray. It's like speaking His language.

Today, Lord, I praise You that Your Word is like a hammer that breaks through my
 unbelief. Your Word is like a fire that sets my heart aflame. Teach me to use all
of Your Word as a powerful tool in my prayers.

April 18, 2011

Yesterday was Sunday School and church, and after lunch at Cenex we were home and had a rest.  The house is ready for Dan and Vicki and now we start a new week.

Your Big-and-Small World


"If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious
talk, and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs
of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will
 become like the noonday."

- Isaiah 58:9-10

It's a big world out there that needs changing. It's a small world near you that
 needs changing, too.

You have to get the children off to school today and help evangelize the Muslim
world. You have to type a letter to the gas company and feed the starving hordes
 in East Africa. You have to buy a new car and stop abortion. The faucet in the
sink needs a new washer and the capitol in Washington needs new congressmen.

You have to get your driver's license renewed and the church around the world renewed.
You have to go to your son's football match and go preach the gospel to the poor
 in Indonesia. An insurance claim needs to be filed; a claim on lost souls must
also be made. You have to go to the cleaners, drive by the bank, stop at the gas
 station, and stop pornography.

Whether it's the big world out there or the small world just beyond your backyard
fence, God has work for you to do. It's demanding, it has to be done, and many are
depending on you, whether it's your toddler or the child you sponsor through a relief
agency, your husband or the itinerant evangelist in Uganda who travels from village
to village sharing Christ.

Our world is desperate for help and hope. But take heart: Your prayers and practical
action make a dent, a big dent in your small world and a small dent in the big one.

Use me, Lord, in big ways and small. Help me make a difference in Your world.

April 17, 2011

Yesterday was a really full day.  Starting here at home with a bit of cleaning and also at Grandpa Glenn's house,  I actually rested for a while, got up and Jerry had come to get thigns out of the hosue, so I went with him over there and then on to Devils Lake to help 4-H'er make sweets on a stick.  I got some more containers and came back to grandpa's house and started in helping Jerry and Jack.  Wayne Haugland was there working on the windows, It is about ready for them to move in.  I was really tired last night when I came home, but thankfully I could sleep.  I like what Joni says because as I was getting ready, God reminded me of the people we had shared that home with and I think that Grandma would be pleased, she had such a heart for missions and never able to have the freedom to share like she would have liked to and now we can share her home with others.  Dan and Vicki are very very grateful for a place to be.....

The Beauty of Grace


But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it."

- Ephesians 4:7

Grace is what beauty looks like when it moves. God's grace is what He

looks like when He moves, acting out His will through us.

Those on whom God's grace rests are truly... gracious. They are truly beautiful.
 The cerebral-palsied young man who smiles despite a dreary existence in a nursing
home. The elderly woman who always seems to think of others rather than her aches
and pains. The mother of two toddlers who is happy to baby-sit a neighbor's little
boy. The pastor and his wife who take in a homeless couple for a week while they
 look for lodging. These people shine with a hint of glory.  They shine because
of God's grace.

Grace is God's energy, all bright, beautiful, and full of power. And grace is most
beautiful when God is moving through us to touch the lives of others who hurt.

Grace binds you with far stronger cords

than the cords of duty or obligation can bind you.

Grace is free, but when once you take it,

you are bound forever to the Giver and bound to

catch the spirit of the Giver. Like produces like.

Grace makes you gracious, the Giver makes you give. *[1]

E. Stanley Jones

Do you desire to be gracious? Christ apportions grace. First, a small measure in
 accordance with your faith, which may be small. But then, like morning sun dawning,
your faith grows and grace fills you with its full and excellent brightness.

God of grace, I long to be beautiful in You, I long to be gracious to others. May
Your beauty shine through me today as I move in Your will.

April 16, 2011

Yesterday was a quiet day at school, because all but about 4 students in high school were at the music contest in Maddock.  I don't know how they did, or what it was like for them to drive, because we have a lot of snow.  After school I went to Grandpa Glenns house to get it ready for Dan and Vicki, Dad loaded up National Geographics, until he ran out of boxes.  As I was working I was thinking about the people we have been able to give a home to at that place, the first was Sjostroms, then Dale and Nancy, then Solbergs, Jerry's and now Dan and Vicki, we could see by facebook that they left the farm for the last time yesterday, I know it was a really emotional time for them as a family.  I had visited with Jodi in school and she couldn't talk with out tears, remembering the tears of the rest of the family.

Unlovely Traits


"Hear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy."

-Psalm 86:1

My spiritual battleground is not over a pack of cigarettes or a bottle of port.

It's not in a disco or a movie theater. My spiritual battleground is not a backyard
fence over which I gossip to my neighbor, nor is it a fast car I race past the speed
limit. My paralysis prevents me from reaching for common temptations. That's why
 my spiritual battleground is on the field of my thoughts.

I possess a very unlovely trait: I will waste precious time in idle daydreams. I
 hate it because wasteful fantasies distract me from the real concerns of life,
causing me to feel restless and dissatisfied with the way things are.

I draw comfort, though, knowing that my unlovely traits furnish me with my best
discipline. The very fact that I am ashamed of myself drives me to God. I lie in
 the dust of my self-despair at His feet and find safety and acceptance. My lazy
 thoughts make me contrite and repentant, and I am humbled that I have to come so
often to God for cleansing.

If we are to have power with the Lord, to be dear to Him, if our prayers are to
prevail and if we are to be most useful to Him, we must jerk right-side up those
 wrong and unlovely traits in our lives.

Amy Carmichael has said, "No word can declare with what longings Divine Love waits
until the heart, all weary and sick of itself, turns to its Lord and says, 'Take
 full possession.'"

Lord, I am poor and needy for I am so often overwhelmed by the unlovely traits in
my life. May these things drive me to You, whether it's pride, halfheartedness,
peevish temper, or impurity in thought, word, or deed. Good Lord, hear my prayer,
and in hearing, please forgive.

April 15, 2011

Yesterday was a busy day.  I got to school (after being away the day before) and found I had to deal with something, a student isn't happy with me, but sometimes we have to take authority over a situation that needs to be dealt with.  Otherwise the day was busy and after school I went to Devils Lake did get the errands done and then to Cando for last session of Esther Bible Study.

Be a Witness

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

--Acts 1:8

God gave my friend Jennifer a burden for waitresses. Once every two weeks, Jennifer
and her Christian friends regularly meet for lunch, but before they choose a restaurant,
they pray. Once it's decided where to lunch, they sit down and strike up a friendly
chat with the waitress. They learn her name and ask for her suggestions from the
 menu.

Jennifer and her friends visit the same restaurant at least five times, asking the
maitre d' that they be given the same waitress. After so many luncheons, the women
become friends with the waitress and invite her to church. Jennifer and her friends
have been witnessing this way for years and after visiting scores of restaurants-and
as many waitresses-they have seen fifteen women come to Christ.

Jennifer is only doing what's required of her from Acts 1:8, so we shouldn't think
she's amazing. But what is amazing is her creativity. She and her friends not only
have fun together over lunch, but they make an outreach of it. Waitresses are, in
fact, their main reason for getting together.

No matter where we go or whom we meet, we can have an effective outreach for Christ
in our community. No, Jennifer will never organize a group called "Eating Out for
Jesus," or plan a budget or print up brochures. But she will keep on doing what
comes naturally: being a witness for the Lord.

Lord Jesus, I want to be a witness for You today. I want to tell others of Your
love. Show me new ways to share Your Gospel with others and use me to make a difference
in my community

April 14, 2011

Yesterday I took students to Grand Forks for a medical conference, it was really good and they enjoyed it.  We got to see Jacqui, Alicia and her girls, that was special, too.  Later after I got home, I was over in Grandpa Glenn's house getting it ready for Dan and Vicki, they came and saw it and will be there by next week.

God Rushes to Your Aid
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple
he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. The earth trembled and
 quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook. He parted the heavens and came
down. He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind."

--Psalm 18:6-10

When you read this psalm, you are struck by the fact that God moves heaven and earth
to come to your aid when you cry to Him for help. At your heartfelt plea, your Lord
thunders from heaven and scatters your enemies. Verses sixteen, seventeen, and nineteen
then add, "He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep
waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy. He brought me out into a spacious
place; he rescued me because he delighted in me."

Don't ever think that when you pray for God's support, He remains uncaring or unfeeling
about your plea. God is not off somewhere on a mountaintop at an arm's length from
your cry. When you pray for help, He does not lean over the wall of His ivory tower
to tell you to beg louder.

God is attentive to your needs as a caring father is to his dearest son. When you
send out a distress call to the Lord, He parts the heavens to come to your rescue.
And if you need to be reminded, read Psalm 18 in its entirety.

No one who lets out a genuine cry of distress is thinking about manipulating God.
Impossible! A heartfelt plea for help carries with it no desire to control the way
the Lord deals with you. Rather, such a prayer implies that you've cast yourself
 on the Lord's mercy, with no hint of impure motive. When you pray like that, God
immediately recognizes the sincerity of your heart and rushes to your aid.

O Lord, how great is Your compassion and love toward us!

April 13, 2011

In the morning when I went to school, the road to Starkweather, I noticed a wash out on the north side and remember this happening there before, so when I got to school I called Jack and he said to call the highway engineer, the road is closed, there are other places, or else places where it is right at the top.  After school I found a way to Frank and Dorothy, but there was no one there, later in the evening I found out Frank is in the hospital.

                                           


VERSE:
  Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow.
   -- Psalm 144:4
      

THOUGHT:
  Time is so precious -- time with our families, our children, our
parents, our friends, as well as our brothers and sisters in
Christ. How do you invest your time? Where do you invest it? You
know, it's really more valuable than the money we invest. Once it's
gone, it can't be reclaimed. So as you begin each day, ask God that
you will be able to "know the time," to see it for what it is and
to use it for its greatest good. Time passes quickly, and like the
shadows of early evening, it's not long before it is absorbed into
the gathering darkness of night.

PRAYER:
  Eternal God, please give me the wisdom to use the time given me
today to do what is best, right, good, and profitable. I want to
invest my time in what is truly enduring. Please help me use my
time to influence and to bless all those with whom I interact so
that they are brought closer to you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

April 12, 2011

I think I haven't written for a few days, we were busy Saturday with the adoption event for Jerry's family in Devils Lake, Sunday School and church, and yesterday school.  

Me Crucify God? Never!

"The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives
 to God."

--Romans 6:10

When I was first paralyzed in the hospital, I kicked a girlfriend out of my room
 and screamed, "Don't come back!" I'd like to think my rant was drug-induced or
related to the pain of rejuvenating nerves. That's what I'd like to think. But no,
I really said those awful words. And a lot more.

When the pain began to ease, I realized that I was mostly angry at God. But how
could I strike out at someone who was invisible? How could I punch someone in the
nose who wasn't there? Since I could not get at God directly, I settled for the
next best thing: I got at Him through people-whether the friend who preached a little
too heavily by my bedside, or the clumsy nurse who banged a bedpan against the guardrail.
I spit venom at God whenever I railed at them.

I discovered that the all-powerful God had an odd place of vulnerability: His people,
His body. We may not be able to crucify God (really?!), but we can crucify a part
of His body with our cutting words.

So before you strike out at a fellow believer, remember that anger against another
is ultimately anger against God. Please, may it never be! You and I don't have to
strike out at the Lord, because we already have. Our sin impaled Him on the cross
and we would never do that to Him again. You don't need to hammer the nails into
 His body anymore.

One Crucifixion is enough.

Lord Jesus, I praise You for having died to sin once for all. One Crucifixion is
 enough. That means Your power frees me from sin, and I am at liberty to love every
member in Your body, every sister and brother in Christ. Rather than hurting You
 by hurting others, help me to love you by serving others.

April 9, 2011

Yesterday after a day of school, I came home and rested and Jack and I went to Cando to have supper with friends, Lottie was there, too we had a good time together.  It made jack's birthday special, and he says thank you for birthday greetings.

VERSE:
  The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from
the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.
   -- Psalm 50:1


THOUGHT:
  Some speak of Mother Nature, but the Scripture speaks of The
Mighty One, God the LORD, who controls our universe and sustains
our world. He speaks and they do his bidding. This is the LORD who
listens to our prayers and who acts for our well-being. He is the
God who sustained his people and sent Jesus to fulfill his
promises. He is the God who will bring us home. We can have
confidence in our future with him!

PRAYER:
  Almighty God, Ruler of the Universe, you are incomparable. I
cannot even begin to imagine your glory and power. Nevertheless, I
know, God, that you are not only all powerful, but you are also
near. Please be near some special friends for whom I pray today ...
In Jesus' mighty name I pray. Amen.

April 8, 2011

Yesterday school, Beth Moore study of Esther in the evening and other wise no excitement.  The Beth Moore study is really good and timely for events in my life.

Faith That Blesses


"So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith."

--Galatians 3:9

Over the last few months my backyard bird feeder hasn't been much to look at. No
 visitors except a few hardy sparrows. In fact, the other day I spent many long
moments by the window, feeling a little blue, hoping to see a few birds.

Suddenly the bird feeder was abuzz with new and different friends. Finches flew
out of nowhere, a mockingbird showed up, a couple of red-breasted robins hopped
by to join the party, and two doves perched on a nearby fence to wait their turn
 for the birdseed.

I sat there wide-eyed and with the biggest smile. Without thinking, I exclaimed,
 "Thank you, Lord, for the birds!" It struck me that the entire backyard party was
organized by the Lord Himself. Just when I needed a lift, He brought by an array
 of brightly colored, happy birds. Doves and robins don't drop in by chance-if the
Lord notices when a sparrow falls, then surely He directs their flight paths.

It's simply a matter of faith-faith to observe God's hand in absolutely everything
that happens. Faith to believe that the flashing wings of a blue jay fluttering
across the yard is a gift orchestrated personally by the Lord.

What a way to live! Those who are able to see God's sovereign hand in great or small
things are full of joy. Look around you today and have faith to see His gifts. You
will be blessed.

Lord, today I want to see Your hand in everything that happens. Give me faith to
 believe that every gift is from You. Help me to recognize the wonderful ways You
minister to me today. Give me eyes of faith, and I shall be blessed.

April 7, 2011

Yesterday was another day of school, I am really busy every day helping students.  After school I went to Cando and cleaned church, visited with jay and Illa Mae, and Matt and Mavis, then to Dick's  this was a surprise birthday party for Marjean their daughter.  The usual people were there.  Didn't actually do a Bible study but played a Bible quiz on the TV  There were 4 people with birthdays within days, Jack is one, they were all on a team together.

"If you love me, you will obey what I command."

--John 14:15

The husband walked through the front door at 5:50 P.M. and noticed that dinner was
not on the table. After throwing his coat in the closet, he muttered to his wife,
who was in the kitchen, "If you love me, you will have dinner ready at six o'clock
when I come home." Pressured by his intimidating tone of voice, she quickly rushed
the casserole and half-cooked vegetables to the table. She glanced at her watch,
 relieved to be serving dinner on time.

"If you love me, you will obey," can sound like a threat. When our motivation to
 obey becomes an oppressive pressure to do the right thing, to do what's expected
of us as Christians, then it breeds serious problems. Obedience that is only seen
as rule-keeping ruins the love relationship between us and the Lord. Why? Even though
the rules may be biblically based, we will end up obeying them rather than God.
Concern with the letter of the law will cause us to lose the spirit of love.

The Lord's words in John 14:15 are not a threat. His words are to be read as a promise:
"If you love me, that is, if you make me the center of your thoughts and do your
 most ordinary duties with an eye to my glory, then you can't help but obey me for
it will be your heart's desire."

When we view the Lord's call to obey as a promise, we won't so much follow His rules
as we will follow His voice.

"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." (John 13:17)

Lord, may I rush to obey You not so much because it's the right thing to do, but
 because I long to please You with all my heart.

April 6, 2011

I wondered if I was writing the right dates, it it hard to realize it is April, with the way it looks outside.  It is only 6 a.m. already Jack was up and shooting out the door, he says there wre dogs here?

Yesterday I got a call and said hello Janet, it was Mr. Docktor, I needed to take care of Kadie as Karen was sick.  It was a 'full' day.  For Kadie's online class we were talking about future plans, I was able to share with her about Joni, who is disabled just like Kadie.  That wouldn't have happened with her regular para, so I know that God was in it.  After school I helped the Kempel girls start bracelets, and then helped Presley finish her shorts.  I am glad to get some of the little tasks done because spring is on the way.  Jack had chemical certification meeting.  Julie had some car issues, but I am thankful that she was in a safe place when it happened and God provided someone to help her.

The Dead Shall Rise


"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the
voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ
will rise first."

--1 Thessalonians 4:16

I remember a very odd Sunday afternoon. My mother-in-law purchased a family grave
plot at a cemetery called Forest Lawn. However, she would not sign the papers until
Ken and I looked at the lot and gave our approval. "Do I have to?" I whined at Ken.
I could think of better things to do with our Sunday afternoon.

Being the submissive wife, I trekked to Forest Lawn with Ken, looked at my gravesite
located in a section called "Murmuring Pines," and listened to the realtor (that's
what she was actually called) remind me that what with my head "here," and my feet
"there," I would have a grand view of the valley and distant mountains. That's important,
I told her. I also told her I did not have plans to stay there very long. Smile.

While the realtor and my mother-in-law conferred over the papers, I looked around
at the hundreds of tombstones. It suddenly struck me that I was sitting on the exact
spot where my body will rise, should I die before Christ comes. Sitting on that
grassy hillside did more to ignite the reality of the Resurrection than hearing
sermons or reading essays on the subject.

The Resurrection is not something to be spiritualized away. One day actual spirits
will return to actual graves and reunite to rise. Dead men, one day, shall live,
 hallelujah!

Lord, You are the Resurrection and the Life and I praise You that eternal life is
Your glorious gift to those who believe. One day the dead shall rise-me included!

March 5, 2011

Yesterday was another day of school, each day is different and with different needs and challenges and joys.  After school I went to Devils Lake to get some books for one of the classes and to check at the extension class as I am helping them with a foods project in two weeks, left some books with Vivian Wass and had a good visit with her.  She is a gem. came home, fixed Jack and I something to eat and relaxed for the rest of the evening.  Oh, I made a cake, to try something for the4-H event.  Thoughts from Joni.....

The Love of Christ


"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither
the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything
else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord."

--Romans 8:38-39

The supreme reason that you can and should trust God through suffering is found
at Calvary, for no better argument can be voiced apart from the cross. That He would
endure the full fury of hell so you could escape it should tell you something as
 you face your own hellish circumstances.

The greatest love scene in the world happened when Christ hung and bled on the cross.
It was God saying, "Look, see, this is how much I love you!" What's amazing is that
He played out this love scene while we snubbed Him in cool, callous indifference.
Who would want to escape that kind of love, or ignore or deny it? And what Christian
could ever dare doubt it? Christ died for you. What love!

Sometimes after I've snapped at a friend or chipped in my two cents' worth of gossip,
I catch myself thinking, "Oh, God, these are the things that nailed Jesus to the
 cross... I am so sorry."  Human logic tells me that He should turn away from me.
But nothing, absolutely nothing can separate me from His constant outpouring of
love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Often we twist God's arm for the "reasons why" before we decide to trust Him with
our circumstances. We want the blueprint spread before us. But the bruised and battered
apostle Paul who probably had every reason to wonder "why," never said, "I know
why all these things are happening." Rather, he said, "I know in whom I have believed."
The love of Christ was enough.

Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.

March 4, 2011

Yesterday was a wintry day but we did get to church.  Enjoyed a quiet day at home for the rest of the day.

Getting to Know All of God


"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together
with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of
 Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to
the measure of all the fullness of God."

--Ephesians 3:17-19

When I think of God the Father's special gift to us, I think of His plan of salvation.
The Father was the one who came up with the idea. That's why I often spend time
worshiping Him in reverence and respect.

Other times in my prayers, I think about God the Son and His special gift to us
of grace. Jesus is the one who followed through on the Father's plan of salvation.
And my response? Gratitude that He's my Savior and obedience to Him as Lord.

When I dwell on the Holy Spirit and His gift of strength and encouragement of heart,
I remember that he's the one who gives us assurance and joy. That's why I take care
not to grieve, quench, or oppose Him.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I am filled to the measure of all the fullness of
God as I commune with each member of the Trinity. It's a glorious way to experience
a full communion with the Lord and thereby discover how wide, long, high, and deep
is the love of Christ.

God desires to fill you to the brim with the fullness of His love. Although Ephesians
3:17-19 says that such love surpasses knowledge, we can still enjoy His love's fullness
as we enter into a complete and well-rounded communion with the Father, Son, and
 Holy Spirit.

Lord, thank You for wanting to fill me with the fullness of all of Your love. Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit... I worship You.

March 3, 2011

Happy Birthday Janet

I was gone to Bismarck and came back last night, It was a really good Aglow conference.  Over the past year or so God has been speaking to me about the ministry of deliverance because of generational sin, that is what she minister on.  Most helpful

Sow in Tears

"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying
seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him."

--Psalm 126:5-6

What a promise! Think of it. When you sow in tears, what a marvelous and abundant
return you will enjoy on your investment. "But," you may be thinking, "when have
 I ever gone out weeping, carrying seed to sow?"

If you have ever reached through an invisible wall of pain to embrace God with willful
thanks, you have sown in tears. If you've ever been rejected by a dear one and yet
turned the other cheek in love, you have sown in tears. If you have patiently endured
physical affliction, or responded in love through a difficult marriage, then Psalm
126:5-6 could be your life verse.

Think of the pain young Elisabeth Elliot must have felt as she continued to serve
as a missionary to the very South American Indians who had murdered her husband!
 Truly, she sowed the seed of God's Word in tears, but oh, the songs of joy that
 ring from the millions who have been touched by her testimony.

When you hurt physically or emotionally, it's hard to muster a patient or godly
response. Pain has a way of screaming for our undivided attention. But when you
either offer a sacrifice of praise to God in the midst of your hurt, or respond
in faith to a heartbreak or hardship, you are sowing in tears. Take heart, for one
day God will reward you with sheaves of joy-all because you were faithful through
tears.

Lord, thank You for the hope and help You offer me through my hurt. Help me to remain
faithful even though my tears sometimes blind my way. May I remember that for every
tear, there will be a song of eternal joy!

April 1, 2011

Yesterday, school time at home and then Bible Study with ladies.

Jesus' Pre-Cross Crash Course


"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will
not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what
is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making
 it known to you."

--John 16:13-14

Have you ever crammed for a "now or never" exam? On the Bible? Unless you're a seminary
student, probably not. But suppose you were thrust into such a situation? You'd
probably panic.

That's no doubt how the disciples felt the evening they enjoyed the Last Supper
with the Lord Jesus. Up until the end, the evening had been warm and personal-there
was even that touching moment when Jesus washed their feet. But the mood shifted
 when Jesus spoke those strange words to Judas, "What you are about to do, do quickly."
Judas left and from that point on, the tone of the evening changed. It was as if
 the Lord realized He had pressing things to say and only a short time in which
to say them.

He spoke about vines and branches, peace and persecution. So much packed into those
few hours! How would the disciples remember it all? Jesus knew their dismay. But
 the Lord also knew that everything would become clear. That's why He promised them
the Holy Spirit. The Spirit would be teacher and guide.

Are you any different from the disciples? Not really. Sometimes you feel that God
is pouring million-gallon truths into your one-ounce brain! But the Spirit will
help you to understand. He will bring God's Word to your mind and memory, making
 all things clear.

Almighty God, today help me to remember that, in time, You will make known to me
 everything I need to understand. I welcome You, Spirit, as my teacher and guide.