solitude?

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
mark 1:35

is it really solitude when you hide away to be with Jesus?

Connection between mercy and forgiveness

"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed." "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
matt. 18:32-35

this passage brings new light to the importance of forgiveness. how many of us want to be 'tortured until we pay back all we owe'? i have some clue about how much i owe, and there is no way i could repay Christ (or my debtors) for all that owe. i would be in eternal torment.

and yet there are times when i know i am to forgive others, and i choose not to. i am the same person as this unmerciful servant. i choose to hold a grudge, talk poorly against others who have offended me, etc. the list could continue on and on. and yet Jesus' words say that i will be treated the same unless i forgive from my heart. i think the key is from the heart. my mouth can say the simple words, 'i'm sorry', but my heart doesn't always get that memo. too often i harbor negative thoughts of others, and share that 'anger/hatred' with others.

oh Jesus,
please forgive my hard heart. You've forgiven me in a greater way than i could ever repay, and my 'thanks' is holding accounts against others. love holds no records of wrong --that's a tough one, Jesus. i can't do it on my own. i need You in my heart, refreshing me from the uncleanness which lingers. if there is any unforgiveness in my heart, please reveal it to me so that i may be made clean. i know Your blood set me free from sin and death, and yet there is a war raging in my inmost being. i praise You for allowing me to cling to You. i know that with You in my heart, i can't help but forgive others, and erase my slate of their wrong-doings. i beg You to help me forgive in the same way that You forgive. only thru You am i forgiven and without punishment from the sin i commit. Your mercy is great. i love You, sweet Jesus, and my heart rejoices that You are doing a new thing within me.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen

---

*Herb *Kelsey *Kelly

Faithfulness

O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.
Is. 25:1

the last two days i've been thinking about my past, and how God has been so faithful to me. it's amazing to me.

and the lincoln brewster song 'all i really want' is my praise song today. i enjoy most of lincoln brewsters stuff.

---

*Ann *Rob *Mitchell

Crisis

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
Matt. 6:25-27

so sunday night i'm driving home from youth and my car begins to make a funny noise when i go over 30 mph. not good. so monday my car goes to the car hospital to diagnose the problem. the wonderful people at Lawson Chevrolet fix "kelly" (my car). in the morning i will pick her up and we'll be re-united again.

that's the story. but the part that i'm leaving out is how i've fretted about getting it fixed. how am i going to pay for it? how long would it take to be repaired? how am i going to get to work? who will i need to bum a ride from? where do i need to take kelly? 'dear God, please don't let it be too expensive, cuz you know i don't have much money for repairs." (like i can tell God how much money i have or don't have? --definitely lacking some faith there.)

so i'm feeling a bit better about my car. the lawson people gave me a bit of a discount - always helpful. and all will be fine. 'why so downcast, o my soul; put your hope in God.'

---

*Susan *Valerie *Erika

Blessings Galore!

You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
ps. 145:16, 19

this morning i awoke to the most amazing sight! the sun had peaked over the mountain, and was brilliantly blazing upon the trees. it was incredible! (of course i had woke up late...really late...and shouldn't have ever seen it, but the blessings flowed none-the-less.) since i get up and leave before the sun rises, i never have a chance to see the glory of the morning. it was fascinating! oh to be able to enjoy that beauty every morning. and as it turned out i was only 30 minutes late for work. pish-posh! oh, for the glory of God, right there! do you see it?

yesterday i cleaned my desk - it was long over due. got rid of a calendar under my keyboard which was opened to July. just a hint of how overdue it was. now my monitor is lowered, and my desk seems to have much more room. i'm loving it. being more productive with my time is a good thing.

an opportunity has arose for a change in my career. more to come!

---

*Jim *Shari *Eden