It's been quite a year while David has been gone. A couple weddings; a couple funerals; and three new babies in the family. Welcome Crista, Caitlyn, Jackson, Silas, and Ayana! Best Wishes and Congratulations Joel, Rollie, Mark & Melissa, Clint & Rachel, and Carlos & Nancy!! Goodbye Grandpa Skaff and Grandpa Carlson: my son-in-law, Nate said "goodbye" to both his grandpas within the space of two month! That was/is tough.
David's home. Currently my two favorite words (to steal Christine's line). He left February 10, 2009 and returned home February 9, 2010. I am filled with gratitude. I am proud and humbled at the same time. Excitement and relief combined. It is a wonderful feeling.
Thank you, David, for you consciencious service. Thank you for giving us all this past year of your life; the world is a better place because you are in it. (Read his blog for details of the year.) www.infantry34.blogspot.com
Thank you, God, for keeping my son safe. Thank you for the verse you gave to me last February for this year: "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." John 17:15
Thank you, Lord, for protecting David. Thank you for protecting all our children. That was your prayer; that is our prayer.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
A Reason, A Season, A Lifetime
People come into your life for
a REASON, a SEASON, or a LIFETIME.
When you know which one it is,
you will know what to do for that person.
When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty,
to provide you with guidance and support—
to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
Then, suddenly, the relationship comes to an end.
Realize your need has been met and their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered
and now it is time to move on.
Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it, it is real. But only for a SEASON.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons:
Lessons you must build upon to have a solid foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person
and put what you have learned to use
in all other relationships and areas of your life.
Thank you for being a part of my life: Whether
you were for a REASON, a SEASON or a LIFETIME.
a REASON, a SEASON, or a LIFETIME.
When you know which one it is,
you will know what to do for that person.
When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty,
to provide you with guidance and support—
to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
Then, suddenly, the relationship comes to an end.
Realize your need has been met and their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered
and now it is time to move on.
Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it, it is real. But only for a SEASON.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons:
Lessons you must build upon to have a solid foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person
and put what you have learned to use
in all other relationships and areas of your life.
Thank you for being a part of my life: Whether
you were for a REASON, a SEASON or a LIFETIME.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Call His Name JESUS
JESUS, the name given by God.
Luke 1:31 — You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. Matthew 1:21 — She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
JESUS is the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Joshua.”
Joshua brought the children of Israel into rest — into the promised land. Numbers 13:16 — These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore the land. (Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun the name Joshua.) Hebrews 4:8 — For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.
The name JESUS includes the name Jehovah (1st element).
Jehovah means: God; the Mighty One; God the Almighty; the great I AM — the one who is now in the present; the one who was in the past; and the one who will be in the future. “I am whatever you need.” Exodus 3:13,14 — Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”
The name JESUS includes the name Savior (2nd element).
Savior, or the One who Saves. Jesus not only saves us, HE IS OUR SALVATION. “Lord Jesus Christ, come to me and BE my salvation.” Philippians 2:9-11 — Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
JESUS is the name above every name; the name IS the person.
1) The Name we Believe In:
John 1:12 — To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
2) The Name we are Baptized Into:
Romans 6:3 — All of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death.
3) The Name by whom we are Saved:
Acts 4:12 — Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
4) The Name by whom we are Healed:
Acts 3:6 — In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.
5) The Name by whom we are Washed, Sanctified & Justified:
1 Corinthians 6:11 — You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
6) The Name we Call Upon:
Romans 10:13 — Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
7) The Name in whom we Pray:
John 14:13-14 — “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.”
8) The Name we Gather Into or Together:
Matthew 18:20 — “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
9) The Name that Casts out Demons/the Enemy:
Acts 16:18 — Paul said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!”
10) The Name we Preach:
Acts 9:27 —He [Paul] had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
Luke 24:47 — Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations.
EMMANUEL:
God with us — after we have received and experienced Him, he becomes God with us. When we experience Jesus, He is then Emmanuel to us — or “God with us, revealed in us.”
Jesus is nothing less than God Himself — He is the Son of God and He is God in the flesh.
Luke 1:31 — You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. Matthew 1:21 — She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
JESUS is the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Joshua.”
Joshua brought the children of Israel into rest — into the promised land. Numbers 13:16 — These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore the land. (Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun the name Joshua.) Hebrews 4:8 — For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.
The name JESUS includes the name Jehovah (1st element).
Jehovah means: God; the Mighty One; God the Almighty; the great I AM — the one who is now in the present; the one who was in the past; and the one who will be in the future. “I am whatever you need.” Exodus 3:13,14 — Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”
The name JESUS includes the name Savior (2nd element).
Savior, or the One who Saves. Jesus not only saves us, HE IS OUR SALVATION. “Lord Jesus Christ, come to me and BE my salvation.” Philippians 2:9-11 — Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
JESUS is the name above every name; the name IS the person.
1) The Name we Believe In:
John 1:12 — To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
2) The Name we are Baptized Into:
Romans 6:3 — All of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death.
3) The Name by whom we are Saved:
Acts 4:12 — Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
4) The Name by whom we are Healed:
Acts 3:6 — In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.
5) The Name by whom we are Washed, Sanctified & Justified:
1 Corinthians 6:11 — You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
6) The Name we Call Upon:
Romans 10:13 — Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
7) The Name in whom we Pray:
John 14:13-14 — “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.”
8) The Name we Gather Into or Together:
Matthew 18:20 — “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
9) The Name that Casts out Demons/the Enemy:
Acts 16:18 — Paul said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!”
10) The Name we Preach:
Acts 9:27 —He [Paul] had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
Luke 24:47 — Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations.
EMMANUEL:
God with us — after we have received and experienced Him, he becomes God with us. When we experience Jesus, He is then Emmanuel to us — or “God with us, revealed in us.”
Jesus is nothing less than God Himself — He is the Son of God and He is God in the flesh.
Friday, October 16, 2009
AUTUMN
Just smell!
There is not a corner in the house
that is not full of the marvelous scent.
In stable and stall
and kitchen and bedroom and cellar
comes a scent of blessing over everything.
Over the field and meadow and hill
there is the smell of hay and aftergrowth,
of potatoes and carrots and apples,
of nuts and berries and newly made cider.
We are now content
and the pigs and the cow and the horses,
are contented as well.
The summer with its work
went on and on
but now comes rest.
For nothing,
was our worry and misery
as the hot summer days stretched on;
The harvest is in
and we are safe another year.
There is not a corner in the house
that is not full of the marvelous scent.
In stable and stall
and kitchen and bedroom and cellar
comes a scent of blessing over everything.
Over the field and meadow and hill
there is the smell of hay and aftergrowth,
of potatoes and carrots and apples,
of nuts and berries and newly made cider.
We are now content
and the pigs and the cow and the horses,
are contented as well.
The summer with its work
went on and on
but now comes rest.
For nothing,
was our worry and misery
as the hot summer days stretched on;
The harvest is in
and we are safe another year.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Grow in Grace
Today, I would like to encourage you to “grow in grace.”
2 Peter 3:18 — Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
As authentic, Christ-centered Christians our focus must be on God’s grace. The body of Christ must be centered in, on and with our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Titus 1:14 — The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
God’s relationship with us is not conditional. He loves us because HE is good, not because of or when WE are good. We should never forget that all of our “doing” does not alter or modify our relationship with God.
Ephesians 2:4-10 — Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.
We are obedient because we have been saved; we are not obedient so that we can become saved. Obedience is a consequence of salvation—it is not a causal agent of salvation.
How can we, the perishable, imperfect and sinful, perfect the imperishable, perfect and holy? The answer is: By Jesus, through Jesus, because of Jesus; by the power of His Holy Spirit whom we clothe ourselves with and who clothes Himself with us.
Titus 2:11 — For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
It is NOT possible for any of us to focus on grace too much. We are saved by grace. Grace is God’s attribute: His gracious, giving and generous Spirit. Grace helps us know and understand God.
Revelation 22:21 — The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
We need more grace, not less.
2 Peter 3:18 — Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
As authentic, Christ-centered Christians our focus must be on God’s grace. The body of Christ must be centered in, on and with our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Titus 1:14 — The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
God’s relationship with us is not conditional. He loves us because HE is good, not because of or when WE are good. We should never forget that all of our “doing” does not alter or modify our relationship with God.
Ephesians 2:4-10 — Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.
We are obedient because we have been saved; we are not obedient so that we can become saved. Obedience is a consequence of salvation—it is not a causal agent of salvation.
How can we, the perishable, imperfect and sinful, perfect the imperishable, perfect and holy? The answer is: By Jesus, through Jesus, because of Jesus; by the power of His Holy Spirit whom we clothe ourselves with and who clothes Himself with us.
Titus 2:11 — For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
It is NOT possible for any of us to focus on grace too much. We are saved by grace. Grace is God’s attribute: His gracious, giving and generous Spirit. Grace helps us know and understand God.
Revelation 22:21 — The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
We need more grace, not less.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Gentle Thoughts - It's My Birthday
Aging: Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.
The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.
Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want people to know "why" I look this way. I've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved.
The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth, think of Algebra.
The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight, because by then your body and your fat have gotten to be really good friends.
He who hesitates is probably right.
The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.
Did you ever notice: The Roman Numerals for forty (40) are " XL"?
If you think there is good in everybody, you haven't met everybody.
If you can smile when things go wrong, you have someone in mind to blame.
There's always a lot to be thankful for if you take time to look for it. For example I am sitting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don't hurt.
One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a nice change from being young.
Being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth...AMEN!!
The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.
Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want people to know "why" I look this way. I've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved.
The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth, think of Algebra.
The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight, because by then your body and your fat have gotten to be really good friends.
He who hesitates is probably right.
The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.
Did you ever notice: The Roman Numerals for forty (40) are " XL"?
If you think there is good in everybody, you haven't met everybody.
If you can smile when things go wrong, you have someone in mind to blame.
There's always a lot to be thankful for if you take time to look for it. For example I am sitting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don't hurt.
One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a nice change from being young.
Being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth...AMEN!!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Walk the Roman's Road with John's Help
Romans 3:10
As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one.
Romans 3:23
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 5:12
As sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.
Romans 8:13,14
If you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Romans 6:23
The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:8 niv
God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Romans 10:9-10
If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus as Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Romans 10:13
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Romans 5:1
Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Romans 8:1
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:38-39
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.
Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.
As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one.
Romans 3:23
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 5:12
As sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.
Romans 8:13,14
If you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Romans 6:23
The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:8 niv
God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Romans 10:9-10
If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus as Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Romans 10:13
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Romans 5:1
Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Romans 8:1
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:38-39
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.
Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.
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