tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86944317834208030332009-05-29T19:30:03.441-04:00More or less the randomness that is UBCDavidnoreply@blogger.comBlogger193125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-39870625449610291092009-05-29T19:28:00.000-04:002009-05-29T19:30:03.451-04:00

Deuteronomy 6:5 – Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got! (MSG)Moses was telling Israel to listen obediently and do what they were told by God – his God, their God, the only God. But the biggest thing they had to do was to love God with everything they had.God didn’t want the people of Israel to love him as a friend, He wanted

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-83077201528153025752009-05-21T15:55:00.000-04:002009-05-21T15:56:51.464-04:00

I went to button my pants the other morning and discovered that wasn’t going to happen. Clearly an indication I need to start dieting and exercising. Of course the easy solution is to simply buy a new pair of pants that will fit. How many times does God give us a clear indication of what He wants us to do, but because it doesn’t fit us, we look to the easy solution, the easy way out.Blessings,

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-46511058496713612472009-05-09T08:19:00.001-04:002009-05-09T08:19:58.701-04:00

Now that winter is gone and spring is here, I've been out walking as part of my daily exercise. This evening I decided to go out just before dark to get some fresh air and relieve some stress. As I was walking down my street, I was thinking and brooding about an issue going on in my life. It never seems to end and I dont want to deal with it anymore. I think we all know that feeling.I got to the

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-37902395836730244152009-05-01T08:29:00.000-04:002009-05-01T08:30:21.079-04:00

View from the PorchBrothers and sisters, God wants us to be the best that we can be. The best Christian; the best servant; the best spouse; the best parent; the best brother or sister; the best employee; the best neighbor; the best church member, etc. You get the picture. How do we become the best at who we are and what we do? Seems to me, training and practice. Athletes, emergency service

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-20535980582299573592009-01-29T07:56:00.000-05:002009-01-29T07:57:11.052-05:00

I have a brush pile in the field behind our house. I tried to burn it last Saturday, but the wood was too wet because of the snow and I had left the pile uncovered. Last night, I put a tarp over the pile since several inches of snow are expected today. After the tarp was in place, I looked up at the stars. The sky was clear. You know, one of those cold, crisp, dark Winter nights. The stars were

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-34005721970705478652009-01-27T13:44:00.000-05:002009-01-27T13:46:10.022-05:00

Steady my steps with your Word of promise so nothing malign gets the better of me (MSG)When I read this Scripture, my thought immediately went to "Footprints in the Sand" by Mary Stevenson 1922-1999Footprints in the Sand One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-20209680492384060072009-01-24T19:59:00.004-05:002009-01-24T20:43:14.972-05:00

Sermon notes for 2 Corinthians 1:12 through 2:4As I’m putting the final touches on the sermon, I realize that I won't be dealing with a primary issue of the passage. That issue is Paul explanation to the Corinthians why he changed his mind about the visit to them, and why this change of mind is not vacillation.Paul and the Corinthians aren’t getting along at this point. He doesn’t fit their model

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-457919114475272832009-01-11T08:14:00.001-05:002009-01-11T08:15:52.599-05:00

Verse 9 "the sentence of death"There are a number of commentators who feel that Paul is not at all using an analogy here but he is under an actual sentence of death. They believe that somehow, in the Roman court system, Paul had been linked to some of the problems in Ephesus and that he had been convicted under what they see in Roman law as a “known associates” law and had been given a death

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-46589271528890351292009-01-09T10:54:00.001-05:002009-01-09T10:54:36.677-05:00

I enjoy going in to the Straw Cellar in Wolfeboro. It’s one of those quaint lakeside gift shops. Debbie doesn’t like me to go in because I usually buy something each time I do go in and their items tend to be expensive. Case in point, I recently purchased a wooden plaque (for $25) which is inscribed as follows: “God didn’t promise days without rain, laughter without sorrow, nor sun without rain,

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-28129559101194497652009-01-03T16:05:00.001-05:002009-01-03T16:05:33.447-05:00

Corinth is a city in a culture very much like our own. It was filled with sensuality, it catered to pleasure and was actually very spiritual (don’t mistake that for “very moral” though).Rome had leveled the city many years before (because of rebellion) and had rebuilt it and settled it with discharged army veterans and people who Rome wanted to reward with land grants. If you look at a map you

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-5703948558749282602009-01-01T21:56:00.001-05:002009-01-01T21:57:44.926-05:00

Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? To be out of your sight? (MSG)The answer is no...Margaret Wise Brown wrote a book in 1942 called 'The Runaway Bunny'. One day the bunny got angry with his mother and decided to run away. His mother said to him, 'If you run away, I will run after you. For you are my little bunny.'Well, the little bunny came up with all sorts of scenarios of where

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-39064907961873759032008-12-01T14:20:00.001-05:002008-12-01T14:21:30.520-05:00

Matthew 18:20 ‘For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them’ NIVIt’s been a long time since I have written any devotions, but I hadn’t realized how long until I looked it up on the blog – Oct 4th to be exact. Way too long to stay away and I miss writing.Since Labor Day weekend, I have acquired a household of 5 more people, bringing the total living here to eight – ages 5

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-57630740460521800222008-10-07T08:30:00.000-04:002008-10-07T08:31:57.366-04:00

Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich; restrain yourself! Riches disappear in the blink of an eye; wealth sprouts wings and flies off into the wild blue yonder. (MSG)When I read this, I immediately thought of a young man I know who just got out of experiencing this type of thing with his business. He went too big too soon, he put too much money on his credit card and he over estimated the

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-40920623474299347512008-09-12T19:12:00.000-04:002008-09-12T19:13:16.711-04:00

The right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewelry (MSG)I read on line a small list of the most powerful words in the English language and wanted to share them with you.1. Alone - the bitterest word2. Death - the most feared word3. No - the coldest word4. Friend - the warmest word5. ? - the most powerful word?For the author, Jesus was his most powerful word and he

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-52053135218530255392008-09-02T09:39:00.000-04:002008-09-02T09:40:40.790-04:00

What stuck out to me in these verses were - God said to Gideon and Gideon listened. (vs 2, 4, 5 & 7)Earlier in the story, the Israelites were crushed by nomadic raiders called the Midianites. So God calls on Gideon to set up an army. Which he did, but it was too large and God said he just couldn't turn Midian over to them, the army would say they did it themselves and and forget about him. God

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-24952988513570448682008-08-18T16:36:00.001-04:002008-08-18T16:39:37.078-04:00

`Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith. (MSG)In Galatians 6, God is telling us that we have a responsibility for each other and if our resources (financial or personal) are low, our first concern should be to others who belong to the family of believers. (NIV)Do you wonder why on

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-59913481083734501792008-08-12T08:24:00.002-04:002008-08-12T08:25:46.723-04:00

And Jesus matured, growing up in both body and spirit, blessed by both God and people. (MSG)This is the story of a twelve year old and his parents making their annual trip to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover. When it came time to go back home, Jesus' parents started off to Nazareth and thought their son was walking with relatives or neighbors. However, Jesus never told his parents that he had

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-39651655227281491192008-08-04T16:29:00.000-04:002008-08-04T16:30:56.465-04:00

Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? (MSG)Do we grow by standing in front of a mirror? (MSG) Do we add a single hour to our lives by worrying? (NIV) God says no...My grandson, Nicholas, starts first grade in a couple of weeks and is a anxious. He knows he will be in the same school and have the same kids from kindergarten, but he will have a new

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-89386595077132160012008-07-29T13:17:00.000-04:002008-07-29T13:19:24.375-04:00

True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. (MSG)Which way to go? That is a question that's often hard to answer and it shouldn't be. But for some people, it is.Do you ever wonder which road to take during the course of a day, whether it be your personal road or a physical road? You are running around doing things, having to get things done yesterday or

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-61270549209573915892008-07-29T02:51:00.001-04:002008-07-29T02:51:58.926-04:00

This past Spring, a bear came down off the mountain behind our house to feed from two of our bird feeders. One feeder was broken open. The other, was no where to be found. Apparently, the bear took that feeder. I actually went looking for it. I walked along the stone wall that borders one side of our two acre property. I found no bird feeder. I then walked along the old logging trail that leads

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-5904402528403007722008-07-24T14:16:00.000-04:002008-07-24T14:17:34.210-04:00

Be ready with a meal or a bed when it's needed. Why, some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it!..(MSG)I read in the newspaper this morning about Mr. Crete, a dairy farmer from Boscawen, NH, who was diagnosed with liver cancer two years ago and was given 6-18 months to live. Last year, praise God, he was able to come back and work his farm. This man, for more than 20 years,

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-64725642202080561822008-07-18T10:13:00.001-04:002008-07-18T10:15:16.689-04:00

At abut four o'clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them walking on the water. They (the disciples) were scared out of their wits. "A ghost!" they said, crying out in terror. But Jesus was quick to comfort them. "Courage, it's me. Don't be afraid." Peter, suddenly bold, said, "Master, if it's really you, call me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come ahead." Jumping out of the boat,

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-451476824052531132008-07-17T15:52:00.000-04:002008-07-17T15:53:35.201-04:00

Hello friends and family! It's been awhile since I've written, I know. Life has a funny way of speeding up when one begins a full-time job.I finished the last six weeks of school (as a para-professional) alongside the full-time job ( as an RN) so that period is still pretty foggy. I came through relatively unscathed. The scathing part I have no time or energy allotted for right now. What I

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-33336653288356088602008-07-15T08:45:00.000-04:002008-07-15T08:46:50.539-04:00

I'm praying not only for them (disciples), but also for those who will believe in me. (MSG)Jesus never gave up praying for his disciples and he never gave up praying for those who believed in him. Giving up was not in his vocabulary and no matter how difficult things were or frustrated Jesus got, he stuck to the task God wanted him to do.I really like frogs for the most part, but I have this

Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694431783420803033.post-392569207142145062008-06-27T10:26:00.001-04:002008-06-27T10:27:33.103-04:00

So listen! And be kind! Help me out of this! (MSG)David was at the point of shattered strength and it had swept away all his self-reliance and he started crying for God.I participated in a short Bible study of Psalm 30 using photography. We could photograph family, pets, mountains, oceans, scenic areas, anything we wanted for either each verse or as an overall picture of the Psalm and that

Davidnoreply@blogger.com