Welcome to a place where Christ should be exalted and "Self" should be abased!!
Welcome to a place where the BIBLE can be discussed rationally, intelligently, and positively without unnecessary argument!!
Welcome to a place where prayer can be requested and encouraged!!
Welcome to a place where positive and encouraging thoughts from scripture can be shared in a caring and loving way!!
Welcome to a place away from all the arguments, recriminations, and negativity of the outside world!!
Welcome to a place of rest and safety!!
Welcome to a place where Philippians 2:3 is practiced: "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves."
Welcome to this Christian thread.
(Please leave all aggression, bitterness, and philosophy outside the door and please wipe your feet before coming inside!!)
I live in my own little world. But it's OK... They know me Here!
Welcome to a place where the BIBLE can be discussed rationally, intelligently, and positively without unnecessary argument!!
Welcome to a place where prayer can be requested and encouraged!!
Welcome to a place where positive and encouraging thoughts from scripture can be shared in a caring and loving way!!
Welcome to a place away from all the arguments, recriminations, and negativity of the outside world!!
Welcome to a place of rest and safety!!
Welcome to a place where Philippians 2:3 is practiced: "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves."
Welcome to this Christian thread.
(Please leave all aggression, bitterness, and philosophy outside the door and please wipe your feet before coming inside!!)
I live in my own little world. But it's OK... They know me Here!
Hi Nikki:-x
One of my favourite poems for you... 😄
The Touch of the Master's Hand
'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile:
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?"
"A dollar, a dollar"; then, "Two!" "Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three----" But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: "What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,
And going, and gone," said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand
What changed its worth." Swift came the reply:
"The touch of a master's hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine;
A game--and he travels on.
He is "going" once, and "going" twice,
He's "going" and almost "gone."
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's hand.
--Myra Brooks Welch
One of my favourite poems for you... 😄
The Touch of the Master's Hand
'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile:
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?"
"A dollar, a dollar"; then, "Two!" "Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three----" But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: "What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,
And going, and gone," said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand
What changed its worth." Swift came the reply:
"The touch of a master's hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine;
A game--and he travels on.
He is "going" once, and "going" twice,
He's "going" and almost "gone."
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's hand.
--Myra Brooks Welch
Always loved that one, Tom. Thank you. 🙂
(((((SURVIVORNIKKI))))))
You rock. :-x
--- Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old...you grow old because you stop laughing. 🙂
(((((SURVIVORNIKKI))))))
You rock. :-x
--- Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old...you grow old because you stop laughing. 🙂
For you Mom :-x
The Piano
Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE.
When the houselights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."
Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obligatio. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. And the audience was mesmerized.
Whatever our situation in life and history--however outrageous, however desperate, whatever dry spell of the spirit, whatever dark night of the soul-- God is whispering deep within our beings, "Don't quit. Keep playing. You are not alone, Together we will transform the broken patterns into a masterwork of my creative art. Together, we will mesmerize the world with our song of peace.
E. Elliot
The Piano
Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE.
When the houselights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."
Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obligatio. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. And the audience was mesmerized.
Whatever our situation in life and history--however outrageous, however desperate, whatever dry spell of the spirit, whatever dark night of the soul-- God is whispering deep within our beings, "Don't quit. Keep playing. You are not alone, Together we will transform the broken patterns into a masterwork of my creative art. Together, we will mesmerize the world with our song of peace.
E. Elliot
*tears* (((TOM))) I soooo needed to read that one today.
"whatever dry spell of the spirit"
So many times...too many times...we rage at the same God whom we beg for grace. We forget that even when we lose fellowship with Him, it is never His fault..it is our choice. He, with His awesome love, never leaves us nor forsakes us. He is always with us, even unto the end of days.
--- Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old...you grow old because you stop laughing. 🙂
"whatever dry spell of the spirit"
So many times...too many times...we rage at the same God whom we beg for grace. We forget that even when we lose fellowship with Him, it is never His fault..it is our choice. He, with His awesome love, never leaves us nor forsakes us. He is always with us, even unto the end of days.
--- Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old...you grow old because you stop laughing. 🙂
Thank you, Sir Thomas - that is one of my favorites as well.
((((Nikki)))) my thoughts and prayers are with Peter & his family.
It saddens me when I see the acrimony that dogs this thread so much that it makes me avoid it, and when I do that I end up avoiding the whole board altogether. Yet it pulls me back again and again because I truly believe this can be a source of encouragement and inspiration.
I've had all day to think about this and the thing that keeps coming back to me is found in the study of Ecclesiastes. We are talking about the richest man of Bible times - King Solomon. But in this book, he is depressed - and why if he is a man of God?
1:2 "Meaningless! Meaningless!. . . Everything is meaningless.
2:10, 11 "I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
He goes on and on about everything under the sun being meaningless. Then he concludes the book this way. . .
12: 13 14 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
I've considered all these and looked at my life - what it is like having God in my life and what it would be like if I took Him out of it. The result would be that I would be searching for everything and anything under the sun to fill that void in my heart. "All is vanity unless we live for God." Having God in my life gives me peace and contentment. When things happen to me, I try not to ask, "Why me, Lord?", instead I take the attitude of "why NOT me." I really believe the saying that "if God brought me to it, He will take me through it". So I guess I can be considered fully brainwashed.
My daughter continues to provide me with inspiration. She shared with me the following quote - (I need to ask her the source) -
"We have defined holiness through what we separate ourselves from rather than what we give ourselves to. I am convinced the great tragedy is not the sins that we commit, but the life that we fail to live."
She said she grew up workinig really hard at living for Christ, but after 5 weeks in Cambodia and seeing the miseries of the result of sin (and she means that as back to the first sin of Adam & Eve), she is now convinced that that is not what it's about, but rather it is living Christ.
In closing. . .
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
I use to sing this little chorus as a little girl. . .
Why worry, when you can pray
Trust Jesus, He'll be your stay.
Don't be a doubting Thomas
Trust fully in His promise,
Why worry, worry, worry, worry. . .when you can pray.
OK, end of sermon. 🙂 I'm off to watch HNiC with DH & DD.
((((Nikki)))) my thoughts and prayers are with Peter & his family.
It saddens me when I see the acrimony that dogs this thread so much that it makes me avoid it, and when I do that I end up avoiding the whole board altogether. Yet it pulls me back again and again because I truly believe this can be a source of encouragement and inspiration.
I've had all day to think about this and the thing that keeps coming back to me is found in the study of Ecclesiastes. We are talking about the richest man of Bible times - King Solomon. But in this book, he is depressed - and why if he is a man of God?
1:2 "Meaningless! Meaningless!. . . Everything is meaningless.
2:10, 11 "I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
He goes on and on about everything under the sun being meaningless. Then he concludes the book this way. . .
12: 13 14 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
I've considered all these and looked at my life - what it is like having God in my life and what it would be like if I took Him out of it. The result would be that I would be searching for everything and anything under the sun to fill that void in my heart. "All is vanity unless we live for God." Having God in my life gives me peace and contentment. When things happen to me, I try not to ask, "Why me, Lord?", instead I take the attitude of "why NOT me." I really believe the saying that "if God brought me to it, He will take me through it". So I guess I can be considered fully brainwashed.
My daughter continues to provide me with inspiration. She shared with me the following quote - (I need to ask her the source) -
"We have defined holiness through what we separate ourselves from rather than what we give ourselves to. I am convinced the great tragedy is not the sins that we commit, but the life that we fail to live."
She said she grew up workinig really hard at living for Christ, but after 5 weeks in Cambodia and seeing the miseries of the result of sin (and she means that as back to the first sin of Adam & Eve), she is now convinced that that is not what it's about, but rather it is living Christ.
In closing. . .
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
I use to sing this little chorus as a little girl. . .
Why worry, when you can pray
Trust Jesus, He'll be your stay.
Don't be a doubting Thomas
Trust fully in His promise,
Why worry, worry, worry, worry. . .when you can pray.
OK, end of sermon. 🙂 I'm off to watch HNiC with DH & DD.
All around you, people will be tiptoeing through life, just to arrive at death safely. But dear children, do not tip toe. Run, hop, skip, or dance, just don't tip toe."
Oh, sorry, Sir Thomas!!! 🙂 of course you know that's not a reference to you!!
All around you, people will be tiptoeing through life, just to arrive at death safely. But dear children, do not tip toe. Run, hop, skip, or dance, just don't tip toe."
Don't be a doubting Thomas
Oh, sorry, Sir Thomas!!! of course you know that's not a reference to you!!
LOL Nellie!! :-x
Please don't apologize!
I know that you meant no offence!!
But, you see, it IS a reference to me because there was a day when I WAS a "doubting Thomas" but now the expression of my heart is found in John chapter 20, verse 28: "And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God."
BTW, I too miss you when you are not here. :-x
Oh, sorry, Sir Thomas!!! of course you know that's not a reference to you!!
LOL Nellie!! :-x
Please don't apologize!
I know that you meant no offence!!
But, you see, it IS a reference to me because there was a day when I WAS a "doubting Thomas" but now the expression of my heart is found in John chapter 20, verse 28: "And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God."
BTW, I too miss you when you are not here. :-x
((Valve))) I sooooo adore Mr. Shea. WHAT a brilliant man and quiet soldier for the Lord. :)
--- Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old...you grow old because you stop laughing. 🙂
--- Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old...you grow old because you stop laughing. 🙂
It saddens me when I see the acrimony that dogs this thread so much that it makes me avoid it, and when I do that I end up avoiding the whole board altogether. Yet it pulls me back again and again because I truly believe this can be a source of encouragement and inspiration.
Separating the wheat from the chaff is no easy task. Whether you (or I, or anyone) are here or not maters little. The word of God will persevere for those who need it, desire it, and want it.
--- Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old...you grow old because you stop laughing. 🙂
Separating the wheat from the chaff is no easy task. Whether you (or I, or anyone) are here or not maters little. The word of God will persevere for those who need it, desire it, and want it.
--- Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old...you grow old because you stop laughing. 🙂
Valve...I wasn't speaking of any one particular person.
Separating the wheat from the chaff, to me, means sifting through the bad and embracing the good, whether we're talking about people themselves, or their interpretations of scripture.
--- Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old...you grow old because you stop laughing. 🙂
Separating the wheat from the chaff, to me, means sifting through the bad and embracing the good, whether we're talking about people themselves, or their interpretations of scripture.
--- Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old...you grow old because you stop laughing. 🙂
(((Tough_Old_Bird)))
I found this gif in my PB and thought of you...(NOT because of the gal pictured, but because of the attitude!)....
--- Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old...you grow old because you stop laughing. 🙂
I found this gif in my PB and thought of you...(NOT because of the gal pictured, but because of the attitude!)....
--- Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old...you grow old because you stop laughing. 🙂
