Do Not Seek Revenge

“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.'" — Leviticus 19:18 

Today is our bluegrass Sunday at church.

And afterward, we have a courtyard fellowship with more bluegrass music plus pies!

So I spent the morning baking pies for the fellowship time and for our friends who share their fresh fish with us.

Blueberry and cherry. Yum!

This verse hit home with me last week as I was struggling with a colleague who has not been treating people well.

Even so, God really convicted me about not holding a grudge.

And not excluding them when we invite others to join us to celebrate our anniversary in October.

It's so easy to hold a grudge.

But God commands us to love our neighbor as ourself. Even when they don't treat us well.

Help me, Lord, to obey.

Whoever Loses Their Life for Me Will Find It

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. — Matthew 16:25

Our neighbor returned from vacation today and brought these gorgeous tomatoes to us. 

They are delicious as well as beautiful.

And they are part of God's marvelous creation.

So am I.

God lets us know that if we give up our lives for Him, we will find true life.

Lord, help me to lose my life to You.

Instead of trying to save my life for the world.

The Lord Is Patient With You

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. — 2 Peter 3:9

The Lord always keeps His promises.

His timing is not mine.

Rather, he is patient with me.

Taking His time so everyone can come to repentance.

Having mercy on all of us.

And we are thankful.

The Lord Is Faithful

But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. — 2 Thessalonians 3:3

Yesterday we kicked off our Vacation Bible School. 

Our theme this year is Hometown Nazareth: Where Jesus was a kid.

We have several children from other countries participating.

Some who don't speak much English.

Our preschool group included one three-year-old who had just arrived in the country.

He told his mom afterward that Americans really love their cheeses.

He wasn't talking about the string cheese they served but rather the songs they sang.

When she asked him to tell her more, he said, "Today we sang about how much we love cheeses."

Then he sang, "Oh, how I love cheeses, Oh, how I love cheeses."

I couldn't stop laughing when I heard that story.

His mom shared it with the preschool teacher.

The Lord is faithful.

He will strengthen us.

And God will protect us from the evil one.

Oh, how I love Jesus!

Sing to God, Sing in Praise of His Name

Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. — Psalm 68:4-5 

I love to sing praises to God.

Rejoicing before Him.

He rides on the clouds.

His name is God the Lord.

He is a father to those who have no father.

And a defender of widows.

He adopts the orphans into His family.

And He reigns over us in His holy dwelling.

Alive and well in heaven.

Extol Him!

Sing in praise of His name.

Those Who Hope In the Lord Will Renew Their Strength

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. — Isaiah 40:31 

Today we woke to the news that Spencer, Iowa was flooded.

The Little Sioux River overflowed its banks and sections of the town and cemetery are under water.

Our prayers go out to the people of that town and others that were affected.

Here's the Dairy Queen Kirk and Ernie stopped by on their way to Akron a couple of years ago.

We are shocked and saddened.

We hope in the Lord even when the world sends us disasters and floods.

In Christ, we will walk and not be faint.

The Lord Will Keep You From All Harm

The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. — Psalm 121:7-8

God watches over our going out and our coming in.

The Lord keeps me from all harm.

He watches over my life.

And my travels both now and forevermore.

Years ago Abby and I went to the fair together.

We got our picture taken in front of this tower.

So this year we did the same.

Such a beautiful day.

Rest in the Shadow of the Almighty

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. — Psalm 91:1 

For Juneteenth, Abby and I went to the San Diego County Fair.

It was crowded, but we had a great time.

We are grateful for the day together.

Here's the view we had from the Ferris Wheel.

We are thanking God for the beautiful day He gave us.

And for the blessing of family.

The Skies Proclaim the Work of His Hands

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. —  Psalm 19:1-2

God's glory shines in the world around us.

The heavens declare His greatness.

The skies show us His creation.

The work of His hands.

Day after day, the world around us shouts His name.

Night after night, the each reveals His wisdom and knowledge.

The Lord God is amazing!

From Everlasting You Are God

Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. — Psalm 90: 2, 4

Before the mountains were born,

Before God brought forth the whole world,

From everlasting to everlasting, He is God.

The Lord makes my feet like the feet of a deer.

He enables me to tread on the heights.

God leads me to streams of water.

My cup overflows!

Enter Through the Narrow Gate

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. — Matthew 7:13-14 

God calls us to enter through the narrow gate.

The road that leads to destruction is wide.

And many go through it.

But the gate is small that leads to life.

And the road is narrow.

That's why only a few people find it.

And even then, many are reluctant to go through it.

But God will guide us each step of the way.

The Sovreign Lord is My Strength

The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments. — Habakkuk 3:19 

God is my strength and my song.

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer.

As a deer pants for water, so my soul longs for the Lord.

Tomorrow we sing "Sicut Cervus," which is based on this Scripture.

God enables me to walk on the heights.

He is my portion.

He is my strength.

Rooted and Established in Love

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. — Ephesians 3:17-18 

Paul prayed for the Ephesians, that they would be be able to grasp the depth and width of the love of Jesus.

I pray that I'm also rooted in love.

So that I too, may have the power to grasp this concept.

And to know the love of Jesus that surpasses knowledge.

So I may be filled with God's fullness.

Yours, Lord, Is the Kingdom

Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. — 1 Chronicles 29:11 

Today is my niece Victoria's birthday!

And it's also the day Kirk goes in for his arteriorgram.

They are both covered in prayer.

We are also praying for Kirk's surgeon, nurses, and the healthcare team.

That God would give them wisdom and precision.

And that God would be glorified, even during the catheterization and coronary arteriogram.

For the greatness and power belong to Him alone.

The glory and majesty and splendor are His.

Everything in heaven and on earth is His.

Including us, His children.

His is the kingdom.

Help us exalt You, Lord, over all.

Christ Was Sacrificed to Take Away the Sins of Many

Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. — Hebrews 9:28 

Jesus paid the price for my sin.

He was sacrificed once to take away my sins.

And the sins of all.

And He will come back again in glory.

Not to bear our sin, but to bring salvation.

And to offer it to all those who are waiting for Him.

Praise the Lord!

The Old Order Has Passed Away

"They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” — Revelation 21:3-4 

God will wipe every tear from our eyes.

There will be no more death at the resurrection.

No more crying or pain.

Our friend Tim is going in for an ablation on Tuesday.

But in God's plan, the old order of things will pass away.

He Himself will be with us as He is now.

We will be His people.

God's Dwelling Place

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. — Revelation 21:2

Happy June!

We are praising God for Kirk's new cardiologist who got tests completed for his afib so quickly.

Thursday he had his labwork completed.

And Tuesday he's scheduled for his angiograph.

When mom had one, they went in through her groin.

Now they go in through the wrist. Amazing.

He's been talking to lots of friends who have had stents.

That may not be his outcome, but we are praying for the best.

And grateful that he is in good hands.