It's entitled Sobriety Lost. It's by Nu-mi from Poland. I found it on quarterlife.com
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Lent Devotion--- very fitting for me
MARCH 5 - FAITH IS THE KEY
By Heather Zimmerman, a junior American Sign Language major from Barrigada, Guam
SCRIPTURE: Romans 4:13-25 (NRSV) Scroll down for complete Scripture.
DEVOTIONAL: What is the promise that the author of today?s Scripture speaks about? It is righteousness. But what is righteousness? Webster?s Dictionary defines righteousness as being just, honorable, free from guilt/wrong. How can we obtain righteousness? Can we as mere humans, whose hearts are wicked, become righteous?
The Chinese pronounce righteousness as ?Yi.? This symbol has two characters that together mean righteousness, but separately mean ?lamb? and ?me.? This is what righteousness is my friends. It is a right relationship with God by Jesus Christ, who is the lamb. We are made righteous in God?s sight by the price Jesus paid on the cross. This is not by any of our own efforts, quite the contrary, for in verse 16 it is made clear that this promise of righteousness is a free gift that is accepted by faith.
Faith is the key. Righteousness is by faith in Christ, not the Law, not academics, not ?good living,? not eco-friendly protests, not acceptance by peers and not by works. We can conquer the world, save lives, feed the hungry, clothe the needy and heal the sick?but it would all be a worthless effort and impossible if we did not have faith in God.
Faith is the key, and it is the key to everything. Faith is one of the most powerful tools that God has given us. In 1 Corinthians 13 it says that three things will remain: faith, hope, and love. Faith is what kept Abraham strong and brought glory to God. Abraham?s faith was so strong in God, despite the circumstances that he was in. Abraham was a weak old man, his wife was barren, he had no children and God promised him that he would be the father of many nations. He did not even see this promise completely fulfilled, however his faith did not waver, it grew stronger and that brought glory to the heavenly Father. Because of Abraham?s faith God declared him righteous, not because of his works, his good deeds or his wealth, but it was because of his faith.
Faith is the key. Faith that God has made us righteous by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Will you accept this gift today? Will you bring glory to God by stepping out in gaith like Abraham?
???-
PRAYER:
Father God, thank you for your Son?s sacrifice. Thank you for declaring us righteous through faith. I pray that you will help me to have faith in you today, and the rest of my days. I pray that I will have faith that you will fulfill all your promises you have spoken over me. In Jesus name. Amen.
???-
SCRIPTURE: Romans 4:13-25 (NRSV)
For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.
For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, ?I have made you the father of many nations?) ? in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become ?the father of many nations?, according to what was said, ?So numerous shall your descendants be.? He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah?s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith ?was reckoned to him as righteousness.? Now the words, ?it was reckoned to him?, were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.
By Heather Zimmerman, a junior American Sign Language major from Barrigada, Guam
SCRIPTURE: Romans 4:13-25 (NRSV) Scroll down for complete Scripture.
DEVOTIONAL: What is the promise that the author of today?s Scripture speaks about? It is righteousness. But what is righteousness? Webster?s Dictionary defines righteousness as being just, honorable, free from guilt/wrong. How can we obtain righteousness? Can we as mere humans, whose hearts are wicked, become righteous?
The Chinese pronounce righteousness as ?Yi.? This symbol has two characters that together mean righteousness, but separately mean ?lamb? and ?me.? This is what righteousness is my friends. It is a right relationship with God by Jesus Christ, who is the lamb. We are made righteous in God?s sight by the price Jesus paid on the cross. This is not by any of our own efforts, quite the contrary, for in verse 16 it is made clear that this promise of righteousness is a free gift that is accepted by faith.
Faith is the key. Righteousness is by faith in Christ, not the Law, not academics, not ?good living,? not eco-friendly protests, not acceptance by peers and not by works. We can conquer the world, save lives, feed the hungry, clothe the needy and heal the sick?but it would all be a worthless effort and impossible if we did not have faith in God.
Faith is the key, and it is the key to everything. Faith is one of the most powerful tools that God has given us. In 1 Corinthians 13 it says that three things will remain: faith, hope, and love. Faith is what kept Abraham strong and brought glory to God. Abraham?s faith was so strong in God, despite the circumstances that he was in. Abraham was a weak old man, his wife was barren, he had no children and God promised him that he would be the father of many nations. He did not even see this promise completely fulfilled, however his faith did not waver, it grew stronger and that brought glory to the heavenly Father. Because of Abraham?s faith God declared him righteous, not because of his works, his good deeds or his wealth, but it was because of his faith.
Faith is the key. Faith that God has made us righteous by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Will you accept this gift today? Will you bring glory to God by stepping out in gaith like Abraham?
???-
PRAYER:
Father God, thank you for your Son?s sacrifice. Thank you for declaring us righteous through faith. I pray that you will help me to have faith in you today, and the rest of my days. I pray that I will have faith that you will fulfill all your promises you have spoken over me. In Jesus name. Amen.
???-
SCRIPTURE: Romans 4:13-25 (NRSV)
For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.
For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, ?I have made you the father of many nations?) ? in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become ?the father of many nations?, according to what was said, ?So numerous shall your descendants be.? He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah?s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith ?was reckoned to him as righteousness.? Now the words, ?it was reckoned to him?, were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Random thoughts from Denny's... (btw love eggs over medium)
My thoughts are swimming
My brain has been inspired by floating memories of information overload
Handwriting is fast and furious
I may explode with thought any moment
Which quite frankly frightens me
What if they (they being thoughts, ideas and etc) decide to do the breast stroke into forgotteness as many "theys" do
Guess I should make one of my many lists
And catalogue each divinity of creativity
Who knew the internet and writings on such things could make me wild and restless...
It's better than thinking on
deficiant bank accounts
and looming eviction notices
At least these dog paddling ideas bring hope
instead of defeat
Wow my handwriting just got
STEADY AGAIN...
Crazy how sobering thoughts can do that.
My thoughts are swimming
My brain has been inspired by floating memories of information overload
Handwriting is fast and furious
I may explode with thought any moment
Which quite frankly frightens me
What if they (they being thoughts, ideas and etc) decide to do the breast stroke into forgotteness as many "theys" do
Guess I should make one of my many lists
And catalogue each divinity of creativity
Who knew the internet and writings on such things could make me wild and restless...
It's better than thinking on
deficiant bank accounts
and looming eviction notices
At least these dog paddling ideas bring hope
instead of defeat
Wow my handwriting just got
STEADY AGAIN...
Crazy how sobering thoughts can do that.
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Check out this article and sign.... Let's help eliminate malaria!
AFRICA: New hope for malaria vaccine
Health experts say any future vaccine should be part of broad prevention efforts
Health experts say any future vaccine should be part of broad prevention efforts
DAKAR, 22 December 2008 (IRIN) -
The world’s most clinically advanced malaria vaccine trials have given new hope in the fight against the disease, which in sub-Saharan Africa kills a child every 30 seconds. Malaria experts recently meeting in the Burkina Faso capital Ouagadougou say promising vaccine research aside, governments in West Africa must step up existing measures to prevent the spread of the disease. Results published on 11 December in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that the vaccine candidate RTS,S/AS (made by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Biologicals), provides both infants and young children with significant protection against malaria. “We are closer than ever before to developing a malaria vaccine," said Christian Loucq, director of PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI), the organisation coordinating the global effort.
The Roll Back Malaria (RBM) partnership says malaria is the leading cause of death of under-five children in Africa, and in pregnant women increases the chances of low birth weight, anaemia or early infant death. Malaria is endemic in most West African countries. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says malaria causes an average loss of 1.3 percent of economic growth in countries with intense transmission. Scientific success Two separate ‘second phase’ trials of versions of the RTS,S/AS drug were conducted in Kenya and Tanzania, and reaffirmed earlier study results, supporting the launch of a further, ‘stage three’ trial. In children aged five months to seventeen months, the candidate RTS,S/AS01 reduced the risk of clinical episodes of malaria by 53 percent, over an eight-month period.
It was also shown to have a promising safety profile. And for the first time, data from the study of RTS,S/AS02 showed that the drug can be used in infants, as part of existing national immunisation programmes. “The vaccine works alongside standard infant vaccines of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI), and has consistently shown a significant efficacy level,” said Joe Cohen, a co-inventor of the vaccine and vice-president of Research & Development, Emerging Diseases & HIV at GSK Biologicals. Holistic approachOne RBM official, who took part in the Ouagadougou malaria conference, said the vaccine progress is welcome news but does not change the need for better prevention efforts in West Africa. “This new research is positive but it doesn’t change our message – countries still need to modify their strategies, especially in prevention and treatment”, Boi-Betty Udom, RBM partnership facilitator, told IRIN. “We’re hopeful a vaccine could be part of a holistic approach to malaria control, as a way to reduce the severity of malaria attacks.”
At the Ouagadougou meeting WHO and RBM officials urged West African governments to work to reach more people with preventive measures. Udom said just 20 percent of people – mainly under-five children and pregnant women – are being targeted. Stephan Tohon of WHO’s malaria programme in Burkina Faso said too narrow a focus might mean that preventive tools like insecticide-treated nets (ITN) are not being used as they should. “Ten years ago we focused on the most vulnerable populations – women and under-five children – but today we realise that where there is a mosquito net it’s often the head of the household who uses it.” WHO’s latest world malaria report says surveys in 2006-07 in 18 African countries showed that 34 percent of households owned ITNs and 23 percent of under-five children slept under the nets. Experts at the meeting noted that none of the countries in West Africa have met the African Union’s 2003 Maputo declaration, which stipulated that governments allot 15 percent of the national budget to the health sector.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
I read this on MSN and really liked what it had to say. Since we at New Community have been doing the Advent Conspiracy, I have been refocusing on what matters during Christmas. I have been trying to (and not always succeeding) to worship fully, spend less, give more and love all. Not an easy task. The article is on how to beat the holiday blues if you are single. I would just add to try the Advent Conspiracy. It might change how you feel about Christmas.
Keep the Holiday Blues at Bay
By Margot Carmichael Lester
If you're single during the holiday season and not happy about it, it can be hard to have a smile on your face all of the time. Here, some coping tips.
Are you feeling down about being single this holiday season and wishing you could just go into suspended animation till January 1st ... or make that February 15th? You are not alone, as the song says. "Newly single daters feel down around the holidays, because everything about the holidays centers on the traditional view of family togetherness," says Leah Klungness, a psychologist in Long Island, NY, and co-author of The Complete Single Mother. "The media images of happy families gathered about the Christmas tree, parents lovingly laying out toys from Santa, couples embracing in a romantic setting — all create the impression that everyone else belongs to a loving family and are certainly half of a loving and committed couple," she says. That makes it easy for you to feel like you're the biggest exception to that on the whole planet. But you don't have to be low during the holidays. We've come up with 10 tips for beating those blues (or at least keeping them from beating you) so you can socialize and enjoy the holidays without a spouse.
1. Make some changes. "A big life change, like suddenly finding yourself single, allows you to redefine the holidays more to your personal liking rather than constantly needing to respond to the demands of others," Klungness notes. "If you hate to bake, then why do it? Are you flooded with paperwork at your job? This might explain why you describe holiday cards as ‘another big job I need to get out of the way.'" This year, don't do anything just because you think you should. Instead, do what you truly enjoy.
2. Mix and jingle. "After I left my husband, I wasn't looking forward to the holidays," recalls Nancy Prefontaine of Scottsdale, AZ. "But another newly-single friend and I hosted a holiday mixer for all our single friends. It was fun — and there was no feeling sorry for ourselves because no couples were allowed. By the end, we were all in the holiday spirit."
3. Practice gratitude. "Make a gratitude list of all the great things that are in your life right now," notes Diana Kirschner, psychologist and love coach on the Love in 90 Days Boot Camp TV show. "Make a payback visit where you go to someone who helped you a lot and give them a thank-you gift. Research shows that these steps help create happiness."
4. Focus on family. "My wife had the kids last Christmas, so I went home to my parents and spent the week catching up with old friends and family who also were home for the holidays," says Thom Englund of Boston, MA. "It was nice to be able to focus on people I don't get to see much and re-establish relationships."
5. Do good. Volunteer during the holidays at places such as a nursing home, soup kitchen or animal shelter. "It's a great way to counterbalance any blue feelings you may have," says Steve Kemble, star of the Style Network's Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? and ABC's Extreme Makeover: Wedding Edition. "Additionally, helping others is always a wonderful way to make you feel better about yourself, while at the same time making others feel better about themselves. There is no better feeling than brightening someone else's life."
6. Get away. "After my husband died, I just couldn't face our home during the holidays," says Suze Hernandez of Fresno, CA. "So I decided to give myself the gift of travel. I spent Christmas and New Year's in Hawaii, and the escape was just what I needed to start the next year full of hope instead of despair."
7. Exercise. "It's important to get sufficient exercise," says Judy Bolton, therapist and co-author of When Did You Know … He Was Not The One? "It has been scientifically documented that exercise stimulates the endorphins, which send a calming effect throughout our bodies." Plus, you might meet someone cute and available at the gym.
8. Unclutter. "My wife died around the holidays and I spent that time going through her things — and mine," explains Carl Means of Knoxville, TN. "Now I use the end of the year to clean out my closets and cabinets. I get a feeling of accomplishment and clarity. And since I give most of the stuff to local charities, I know I'm doing something good for people who are less fortunate. That boosts my spirits, too."
9. Think positive. "For my friends who insist that staying home will make them feel better, I always recommend that they write down 25 positive things about themselves," Kemble says. "Trust me, you will end up feeling so much better about yourself."
10. Indulge. "Over Christmas vacation, I take advantage of all the guilty pleasures my ex despised," admits Sarah Dukes of Chicago. "I catch up on soaps, check in on the Real World marathon, and whip out my K-Tel 70's music compendium. It's hard to feel sorry for yourself when you're doing something this ridiculous." Following this advice will help you keep the holiday blues at bay so you can enjoy the end of year and move ahead with a positive outlook ... and quite possibly be ready for an amazing new romance in 2009.
Margot Carmichael Lester is a freelance writer whose work also appears in Go magazine and The Los Angeles Business Journal.
Keep the Holiday Blues at Bay
By Margot Carmichael Lester
If you're single during the holiday season and not happy about it, it can be hard to have a smile on your face all of the time. Here, some coping tips.
Are you feeling down about being single this holiday season and wishing you could just go into suspended animation till January 1st ... or make that February 15th? You are not alone, as the song says. "Newly single daters feel down around the holidays, because everything about the holidays centers on the traditional view of family togetherness," says Leah Klungness, a psychologist in Long Island, NY, and co-author of The Complete Single Mother. "The media images of happy families gathered about the Christmas tree, parents lovingly laying out toys from Santa, couples embracing in a romantic setting — all create the impression that everyone else belongs to a loving family and are certainly half of a loving and committed couple," she says. That makes it easy for you to feel like you're the biggest exception to that on the whole planet. But you don't have to be low during the holidays. We've come up with 10 tips for beating those blues (or at least keeping them from beating you) so you can socialize and enjoy the holidays without a spouse.
1. Make some changes. "A big life change, like suddenly finding yourself single, allows you to redefine the holidays more to your personal liking rather than constantly needing to respond to the demands of others," Klungness notes. "If you hate to bake, then why do it? Are you flooded with paperwork at your job? This might explain why you describe holiday cards as ‘another big job I need to get out of the way.'" This year, don't do anything just because you think you should. Instead, do what you truly enjoy.
2. Mix and jingle. "After I left my husband, I wasn't looking forward to the holidays," recalls Nancy Prefontaine of Scottsdale, AZ. "But another newly-single friend and I hosted a holiday mixer for all our single friends. It was fun — and there was no feeling sorry for ourselves because no couples were allowed. By the end, we were all in the holiday spirit."
3. Practice gratitude. "Make a gratitude list of all the great things that are in your life right now," notes Diana Kirschner, psychologist and love coach on the Love in 90 Days Boot Camp TV show. "Make a payback visit where you go to someone who helped you a lot and give them a thank-you gift. Research shows that these steps help create happiness."
4. Focus on family. "My wife had the kids last Christmas, so I went home to my parents and spent the week catching up with old friends and family who also were home for the holidays," says Thom Englund of Boston, MA. "It was nice to be able to focus on people I don't get to see much and re-establish relationships."
5. Do good. Volunteer during the holidays at places such as a nursing home, soup kitchen or animal shelter. "It's a great way to counterbalance any blue feelings you may have," says Steve Kemble, star of the Style Network's Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? and ABC's Extreme Makeover: Wedding Edition. "Additionally, helping others is always a wonderful way to make you feel better about yourself, while at the same time making others feel better about themselves. There is no better feeling than brightening someone else's life."
6. Get away. "After my husband died, I just couldn't face our home during the holidays," says Suze Hernandez of Fresno, CA. "So I decided to give myself the gift of travel. I spent Christmas and New Year's in Hawaii, and the escape was just what I needed to start the next year full of hope instead of despair."
7. Exercise. "It's important to get sufficient exercise," says Judy Bolton, therapist and co-author of When Did You Know … He Was Not The One? "It has been scientifically documented that exercise stimulates the endorphins, which send a calming effect throughout our bodies." Plus, you might meet someone cute and available at the gym.
8. Unclutter. "My wife died around the holidays and I spent that time going through her things — and mine," explains Carl Means of Knoxville, TN. "Now I use the end of the year to clean out my closets and cabinets. I get a feeling of accomplishment and clarity. And since I give most of the stuff to local charities, I know I'm doing something good for people who are less fortunate. That boosts my spirits, too."
9. Think positive. "For my friends who insist that staying home will make them feel better, I always recommend that they write down 25 positive things about themselves," Kemble says. "Trust me, you will end up feeling so much better about yourself."
10. Indulge. "Over Christmas vacation, I take advantage of all the guilty pleasures my ex despised," admits Sarah Dukes of Chicago. "I catch up on soaps, check in on the Real World marathon, and whip out my K-Tel 70's music compendium. It's hard to feel sorry for yourself when you're doing something this ridiculous." Following this advice will help you keep the holiday blues at bay so you can enjoy the end of year and move ahead with a positive outlook ... and quite possibly be ready for an amazing new romance in 2009.
Margot Carmichael Lester is a freelance writer whose work also appears in Go magazine and The Los Angeles Business Journal.
Monday, November 03, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
I read this today and felt my heart scream...Sing it again... I hope this speaks to you as much as it did me.
Keeping Company With God
One of the passages of scripture that I never get tired of hearing, reading, or studying is found in Isaiah 43:1-5. Though the passage is describing the redemption of Israel, as I read the words, I find my own redemption being described. As my eyes pass over the words, phrases catch my attention and capture my heart:
Thus says the Lord…He who formed you…Do not fear…I have redeemed you…I have called you by name…You are Mine! …I will be with you…I am the Lord your God…Your Savior…You are precious in my sight…You are honored…I love you…Do not fear….
Though I read that passage a thousand times, my heart cries out, Sing it again. Those words of scripture never grow old. Like God’s promises, they are new every morning. Yet despite their freshness and life, distraction still gets the best of me.
As followers of God, sometimes I think that our greatest challenge is not having too little information but too much. The Bible makes it clear that God wants us to be able to recognize his voice.
Scripture overflows with examples of God speaking to his people. Adam, Eve, Abraham, Moses, David, Samuel, and Noah all experienced ongoing dialogue with God. Yet God doesn’t just speak to the big-name, biblical-equivalent of rock stars; he spoke to Cain regarding his countenance, Hagar regarding her son, and Ananias regarding a blind persecutor of the church. Meanwhile, Jesus personalized the idea of conversation with God. He demonstrated through his life that hearing God’s voice was more of an expectation than an exception.
I believe that we will never be better able to discern God’s voice from the other voices as quickly, concisely, or accurately than when we spend time in God’s Word. This is where God most often sings it again. Published as the greatest love letter of all time, the Bible is a soul-wrenching invitation to a real relationship with the one who can love us like no other. Whether we read the words in an ancient or modern translation or download an audio version on our iPod, God’s Word breathes life and hope. Specific passages provide the correction and direction we need. When we allow the words of God to come alive in our hearts, they unleash an unmistakable transforming power in our attitudes and actions.
One of my all-time favorite definitions of prayer comes from Clement of Alexandria who simply described the divine activity as “keeping company with God.” Not only are we servants of God, but by his grace he has also made us friends, so that we serve him out of gratitude. Through prayer, we partner with God in the work he is doing throughout the earth.
Through prayer, God invites us to sing the song of our lives to him—every word and every phrase—and he even enjoys the chorus. Prayer matters. Sometimes that’s easy to forget, especially when I don’t see any answers, or worse, when I receive an answer I didn’t really want. Yet the invitation remains:
Sing it again.
I am beginning to believe the real beauty of prayer is not just in the request but in the repetition. Something wondrous happens when we respond to the admonition of Paul to pray without ceasing. Something enchanting happens when we ask God for something more than once, as if with each refrain, our heart aligns itself a shade closer to God’s heart. It’s almost as if something sacred happens in the echo of our prayers. Through prayer we become part of a greater story—the story of what God is doing in our lives, our families, our communities, and around the world.
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