Sunday Scripture

 

Time for another Sunday Scripture lesson from Fix Your Focus!

This week's lesson was actually done by me the week of March 23.  Here goes ...

🌿 WEEK-AT-A-GLANCE CHECKLIST is further on in each week's section. But since I am working on Fix Your Focus all week long, I find it works best for me to do this checklist first. This checklist offers us four points:  

* To make a plan for reading our Bibles and praying.

* To add any upcoming events to our calendars.

* To jot down a to-do list of tasks that must be completed this week.

* To make a note of our top three priorities for this week.

This last point is one that I need to pay special attention to every week.  I've been finding it so helpful.  (The other three points are things that I'm consistently doing.) 

For this week, my top three priorities are:

1) Homemaking --   Start a 7-day home reset; continue decluttering and beginning to downsize.

2)  Ministry  -- Tea time with friends on Wednesday; phone call with Rebekah Thursday; Sunday Scripture/other blog posts; teach Sunday School,  lesson prep, etc.; host missions team meeting on Thursday evening,

3) Etsy/creativity  -- Prepare at least 5 Etsy listings; prep and send Etsy orders; hopefully find some time to craft and create, including working on mailers for Etsy orders and unfinished craft projects. 

[If you are following along with our study, this is the place to make a Week-at-a-Glance checklist and/or priority list for yourself!]

🌿 The first actual prompt for each week is JOURNAL.  We are encouraged to take a few minutes to our fears, joys, worries, desires and stressors concerning the week ahead.  [If you are following along with us, take a moment in a journal or notebook to do just that.]. Here's what I wrote on Monday, breaking it down into the suggested categories:

Fears: No real fears going into this week.   

Joys: Creativity is a joy; ministry is a joy; homemaking is a joy when I can take time for it.  In fact, all of my priorities this week are things that bring me joy when I find time for them.

Worries: No real worries going into this week -- and worry achieves nothing anyway.

Desires: That God will be glorified in the events of this week.  That I can be an encouragement to other believers in our various interactions.  To list as many items on Etsy as possible.  To nurture creativity in my life.

Stressors:  Mud, and the grit that comes in on our feet this time of year.  Limitations of time, energy, and aging.  The uncertainties of living in a fallen world.

🌿 The next prompt is PRAYER. It was suggested that we use several prayer prompts to have a conversation with God about the week ahead.  [You can do the same.  Use the very same prompts for your own prayer.]

* Lord, You are ... in complete control of this week and all the twists and turns that it will take.  You are sovereign over all of the events in our world and in our lives.  You are aware of all of my stressors and You are able to help me manage them.

* Lord, I feel ...  optimistic about the week ahead.  Energized and encouraged by longer hours of daylight.  A little discouraged when I think of how much mud season is still to come.  I feel thankful and blessed as I see how much You are still using me in the lives of others.

* Lord, help me with ... all that needs to be accomplished in this week.  With wise use of my time and energy.  With motivation to work in my Etsy shop.  With completing some unfinished projects.

* Lord, forgive me for ... times when I procrastinate or lack motivation.  Times when I allow people to irritate me.  Wasting time or energy in any way.

* Make a note of 4 or 5 people you are specifically praying for.  I listed friends dealing with a cancer diagnosis; two granddaughters with health issues; the family members of a friend who recently passed away.

🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION.  I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, Romans 12:10, using the SOAP method, and then answered several suggested questions.   [You can use your own preferred method to meditate on this verse, and answer the questions below for yourself.]

S= "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love, in honor preferring one another."  (Romans 12:10)

O=   In the ESV this verse reads, "Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor."

Brotherly love is the Greek philadelphia, which normally referred to the love members of a family held for each other (this was the way it was used in secular Greek) and would not normally be used to describe the love between members of different families.

Cross-reference for "Be kindly affectioned one to another" -- Let brotherly love continue."  (Hebrews 13:1)

Cross-references for "love" -- "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law ."  (Romans 13:8)

"A new commandment I give you, that ye love one another; as I have  loved you, that ye also love one another."  (John 13:34)

Cross-references for "preferring one another" -- "Render, therefore, to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due: custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor."  (Romans 13:7)

"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves."  (Philippians 2:5)

"Honor all men.  Love the brotherhood.  Fear God.  Honor the king."  (1 Peter 2:17)

A= To help with my application of this verse, I answered the three questions from Fix your Focus:

* Reflect on what this verse tells you about who God is.

God has a specific way He wants His children to treat one another.  That way involves showing brotherly love and honoring one another.

* Think about what this verse tells you about who you are.

I'm a child of God in need of His guidance and instruction for interacting with my brothers and sisters in Christ.  

* Throughout the week, consider how this verse should affect the way you live.

 "I'm to love my brothers and sisters in Christ with kindly affection.  I'm to outdo myself in honoring other believers.

"Paul writes at full length upon the doctrines, but he is very concise and pithy upon the precepts, for things of daily practice need to be short and easy of remembrance. Let us learn each one of these weighty sentences by heart and put them all in practice." -- Charles Spurgeon

Dave Egner writes in Our Daily Bread, "New Testament fellowship goes much deeper than merely socializing when we get together at church. It takes place when we consider how we can lift up, build up, and brighten up our brothers and sisters in Christ. Christian fellowship takes place when we offer encouragement to our friends, pray for them, and confess our sins and weaknesses to one another. These are the elements that make fellowship genuine."

Another writer has said, "to honor someone is to show genuine appreciation and admiration for the other individual. Believers who are being transformed by the renewing of their mind should be becoming more and more sensitive to showing respect, to acknowledging the accomplishments of others, to demonstrating genuine love by not being jealous or envious. These are the marks of a sincere faith which is maturing."

P= "Lord, I thank and praise You once again for the clarity of Your Word!  You give us such clear specifics as to how You want to see Your children live.  Here, specifically, we see some of the ways in which You want Your children to treat one another.

  "I pray that You will help me to love my brothers and sisters in Christ with kindly affection and to live out all that this means,  Help me daily to make a conscious effort to put others ahead of myself.    I can only do this in the power of Your Holy Spirit, so I praise You for how You will lead and guide me in this. I pray in Jesus' name, Amen."

🌿 GRATITUDE is the next prompt.  We were to reflect on the way God has shown His faithfulness to us over the past week and to list five things we are thankful for.  [If you are following along with us, be sure to make your own list of five things!]. Here is my list:

1) Food prepared and frozen for our family's canceled visit could be used to feed a large missionary family and our church missions team on very little notice, with minimal work for anyone.  A huge praise to see how God worked that out!.

2) Getting to attend the concert of a granddaughter who plays with a regional symphony orchestra.  So thankful for this opportunity for her to use her skills and talents.

3) Finishing off a cross-stitch project I'd completed some time ago but had not decided how to display.

4) The semi-annual church business meeting going well.

5A delightful tea time with Jennifer, Grandma, and the children.

🌿 SPIRITUAL GROWTH is the next prompt, and this week there's an emphasis on FASTING.  We were to think about what we could fast from, and to make a plan for how we might replace our fasted item with the pursuit of God and His Word.    [And again, if you are following along, please think about this for yourself.]

My plan for fasting: Our regular intermittent fasting makes room daily for more Bible reading, study, and a lengthy prayer time.

🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION: 

I will seek to serve and honor others first.

This is a challenging, even rebuking thought for the week ahead.  It takes forethought and humility to plan to serve and honor others before ourselves.

And there's the Sunday Scripture for this week!

One, two, three Hodgepodge

 

Finding a a few minutes today to spring into the Wednesday Hodgepodge with Joyce and the gang at From This Side of the Pond.   And again this week I'm not attempting all of the questions.  Three of them looked fairly simple.

1. Big week in the US of A...do you do your own taxes? What's something you've found 'taxing' lately? 

We're retired and seldom have to pay anything for income tax, but we find it more reassuring to have our accountant prepare them just in case.  We did our own taxes for years, though.  

Something I've found "taxing" lately?  Oh, I don't know.  Planning, I guess.  I am doing a lot of planning these days for our ministry at a Christian camp, especially for the weeks that I cook for volunteers.  It takes a lot of planning, not only for the meals themselves but for when to do what.

Daffodils that grew at my childhood home

2. When it comes to travel are you a last minute packer or a lay it all out a week in advance type? Do you struggle to pack light? Share a packing tip that has worked for you. 

I tend to be a last minute packer, my hubby even more so.  I might start packing the day before.  I work very hard at packing light; we try to manage with just a carryon and a duffel bag for short trips and only one suitcase for longer trips.

Packing tips:  I don't have anything really great, but one is to always store suitcases with a bar of soap inside.  It keeps them smelling fresh and there is always a bar of soap at hand if a soap dish needs replenishing at any point during a trip.  I also like to keep a half dozen clip-type clothespins in a suitcase or carryon.  They are handy in many ways; hanging laundry or swimwear to dry; clipping motel curtains together; holding a chip bag closed.

Silk daffodils in a syrup can on the kitchen island

3. April is National Grilled Cheese Month. Hmmm...who knew it got its own month? Do you like a grilled cheese sandwich? What ingredient do you add to take yours to the next level? 

I did not know grilled cheese got its own month!  I was thinking maybe a day!  I do love a grilled cheese sandwich, though it's been awhile since I've had one (other than a tuna melt at a favorite diner).  I think the ingredient that takes any grilled cheese sandwich to the next level is real butter spread on the outside.  

Bloodroot is the first spring wildflower we see in our area.

And there's the Hodgepodge for this week!

Sunday Scripture

Time for another Sunday Scripture lesson from Fix Your Focus!

This week's lesson was actually done by me the week of March 16.  Here goes ...

🌿 WEEK-AT-A-GLANCE CHECKLIST is further on in each week's section. But since I am working on Fix Your Focus all week long, I find it works best for me to do this checklist first. This checklist offers us four points:  

* To make a plan for reading our Bibles and praying.

* To add any upcoming events to our calendars.

* To jot down a to-do list of tasks that must be completed this week.

* To make a note of our top three priorities for this week.

This last point is one that I need to pay special attention to every week.  I've been finding it so helpful.  (The other three points are things that I'm consistently doing.) 

For this week, my top three priorities are:

1) Ministry  --phone calls, tea time discipleship, Sunday School lesson prep, prep meal for visiting missionaries/church missions team; take notes for Leslie at business meeting; blogging.

2)  Etsy and creativity -- do five Etsy listings, finish off some projects, make Etsy mailers.

3) Homemaking/family-- talk with Joanna, attend Julia's concert, clean in zones 3-4, start a 7-day home reset.

[If you are following along with our study, this is the place to make a Week-at-a-Glance checklist and/or priority list for yourself!]

🌿 The first actual prompt for each week is JOURNAL.  We are encouraged to take a few minutes to our fears, joys, worries, desires and stressors concerning the week ahead.  [If you are following along with us, take a moment in a journal or notebook to do just that.]. Here's what I wrote on Monday, breaking it down into the suggested categories:

Fears: No real fears going into this week.  A few concerns about the weather -- heavy rains and high winds.

Joys: Nearly all the things on this week's agenda are things in which I take joy.

Worries: No real worries, but a few concerns.  I find business meetings very challenging.

Desires: To glorify God in the activities of this week.  To be an encouragement to other women in the various opportunities He gives me.  To complete a 7-day home reset.  To add to my exercise routines.

Stressors:  Limitations of time, energy, and aging.  Church business meetings are nearly always stressful.  Other people can be difficult to deal with.

🌿 The next prompt is PRAYER. It was suggested that we use several prayer prompts to have a conversation with God about the week ahead.  [You can do the same.  Use the very same prompts for your own prayer.]

* Lord, You are ...in full control of this week and all that it will hold.  You are sovereign over every circumstance of life, including the weather.  You are so good to give opportunities to serve You and to touch so many lives in the course of a week.  You are able to help me to deal with every one of the stressors in my life this week.

* Lord, I feel ... encouraged that I've found time to exercise every day this week.  A little bit discouraged that as the week went by I only completed one day of the 7-day reset, but at least it was one and I feel hopeful about a new week coming up.

* Lord, help me with ... the stressors of this week, the business meeting in particular.  I can usually keep almost any meeting in perspective (whether town or church) if I can do some mindless needlework while listening.  I can't do that when I'm the one taking notes.  Help me to continue on with the 7-day reset and to get some work done in my Etsy shop.

* Lord, forgive me for ... times when I'm tempted to act in my own strength and wisdom -- both so limited that I should know better than to waste them.  Any time when I respond to others in a way not pleasing to You.

* Make a note of 4 or 5 people you are specifically praying for.  I listed friends dealing with a cancer diagnosis; a granddaughter with a bad cold and a busy week;  an older couple with health concerns and medical testing related to those.

🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION.  I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, 1 Chronicles 16:34, using the SOAP method, and then answered several suggested questions.   [You can use your own preferred method to meditate on this verse, and answer the questions below for yourself.]

S= "Oh, give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever."  (1 Chronicles 16:34)

O=   The ESV reads, "Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!"

 "Oh give thanks" is the Hebrew yadah, meaning "openly confess, gratefully acknowledge".

The ESV titles verse 8-36 of 1 Chronicles 16 as "David's Song of Thanks".  This was on the occasion of the ark of the covenant being brought to Jerusalem.

Verses 5-7 describe musicians playing harps and lyres, cymbals, and trumpets.  "On that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the LORD by Asaph and his brothers."

In the KJV 1 Chronicles 16:7 says, "Then on that day David delivered first this psalm, to thank the LORD, into the hand of Asaph and his brethren."

It seems that this song was what we know as Psalm 105.  Verses 1-15 of Psalm 105 are almost word for word the same as 1 Chronicles 16:8-22.

Cross-references for verse 34 -- "Praise ye the LORD.  Oh, give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever."  (Psalm 106:1)

"Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations, to give thanks unto Thy holy name, and to triumph in Thy praise.  Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting; and let all the people say, Amen.  Praise ye the LORD."  (Psalm 106:47-48)

A= To help with my application of this verse, I answered the three questions from Fix your Focus:

* Reflect on what this verse tells you about who God is.

He is the LORD, the self-existent One, the eternal I AM.  He is good.  He is merciful and His mercy is forever enduring.  He deserves thanks for His goodness and enduring mercy.

* Think about what this verse tells you about who you are.

I'm a person with so much to be thankful for.  I have tasted of and seen God's goodness and am a recipient of His mercy.  I see His steadfast love in my life every day.

* Throughout the week, consider how this verse should affect the way you live.

 I should live in an attitude of thankfulness to the Lord, living life as a thank-offering to Him.  I should be so thankful that His goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days of my life.  How blessed I am to be able to live my life in light of His steadfast love!

P= "Lord,  You are so good!  How blessed I am to be Your child!  I'm so thankful for Your grace and mercy that You showed in drawing me to Yourself with loving kindness.  I'm incredibly thankful for Your steadfast love in my life every day, and that Your goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.   

    "I pray that You will help me as I seek to live every day of life as a thank-offering to You.  I pray in the merciful, steadfast name of Jesus,, Amen."

🌿 GRATITUDE is the next prompt.  We were to reflect on the way God has shown His faithfulness to you over the past week and list five things we are thankful for.  [If you are following along with us, be sure to make your own list of five things!]. Here is my list:

1) God's sovereignty over every aspect of our lives and plans.

2) The comfort of knowing that our times are in God's hands.

3) Being able to get our for a walk each day that the weather cooperated.

4) A different wood stove that is so efficient and makes it much easier to stay at our cottage in winter .

5) Energy to be able to handle some housekeeping tasks.

🌿 SPIRITUAL GROWTH is the next prompt, and this week there's an emphasis on REST.  We were to make a plan to intentionally rest this week.  [And again, if you are following along, please think about this for yourself.]

We planned on spending two nights at our cottage.  So restful.

🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION: 

God has steadfast love for me.

What an encouraging and uplifting thought to take into our week ahead!  

And there's the Sunday Scripture for this week!

Sunday Scripture for Easter 2026

 

 Years ago (2014) I did a four-week "Why Easter Matters" study from Good Morning Girls and have written only five posts from that study -- one in 2014 , two in 2022, one in 2024, and one in 2025.  Since today is Easter Sunday, and since it really does matter tremendously to us, I felt it was important to take a break from our regular Sunday Scripture posts and share more of my study with you.  The Scripture passage to be SOAPed today is Luke 24:45-48, and it is from the third week of the Easter study.  The week is titled "Why the Resurrection Matters".

S= "Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
"And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day;
"And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 
"And ye are witnesses of these things."  (Luke 24:45-48)

O= This records an incident following Christ's resurrection.  Luke shares several appearances of Jesus after He was raised from the dead: He appeared to Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women very early that morning; He appeared to the two on the road to Emmaus later that day; and that evening, He stood in the midst of His disciples.  He showed them His wounded hands and feet.  He even ate some broiled fish and a piece of honeycomb.

Then He opened their understanding so that they could understand the Scriptures.  He explained it was written that Christ should suffer but would rise from the dead on the third day.  He added that they were witnesses of these things, and that 

repentance
and remission of sins

should be preached in His name
among all nations,
beginning at Jerusalem.

Warren Wiersbe explains: "Jesus not only enabled them to understand the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms, but He also reminded them of what He had taught them, and He explained how it all fit together.  Now they began to understand the necessity for His suffering and death and how the cross related to the promise of the kingdom ... But privilege always brings responsibility; they were to be witnesses of all that He had said and done."

A= I am so blessed to have multiple copies of God's Word, the Bible, in my own language.  I have the indwelling Holy Spirit to help me understand it.  Since coming to faith in Him many years ago and having walked this far with Him, there is much that I can be a witness of.  My relationship with Christ and my knowledge of Him gives me a responsibility to share His truth.

As Wiersbe says, "A witness is someone who sincerely tells what he has seen and heard, and the word witness is used in one way or another twenty-nine times in the book of Acts.  As Christians, we are not judges or prosecuting attorneys sent to condemn the world.  We are witnesses who point to Jesus Christ and tell lost sinners how to be saved ... We go forth in the authority of His name, in the power of His Spirit, heralding His gospel of His grace."

Am I telling others sincerely what I have seen and heard -- about the work Christ has done in my life?  This is His purpose in saving me -- that I will bring honor and glory to Him and point others to Him!

P= "Lord, I thank You for Your Word and for Your Holy Spirit that helps me understand it and apply it to my life.  

"I thank and praise You for bringing me to the understanding that I needed a Savior and that Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection was for me.  Help me to share this truth with others who need to know the Savior.

"Help me also to share the blessings of the Christian life with other believers and to encourage them in their walk with You.  I thank You for all You will do, in Jesus' glorious name, Amen."

Today, Mr. T and I would like to wish all of our friends a blessed and meaning-filled  day of celebrating Christ's resurrection.  "He is risen, as He said"!  (Matthew 28:7) 

Our Resurrection Day celebration will begin with a meaningful outdoor service and a bountiful breakfast with our church family.  

Later, we will enjoy a celebratory Easter dinner with our local daughter and her family.  We hope that all of you will have as lovely a day and that you will spend time pondering on what Christ's resurrection means for you personally.  May you have the opportunity to share Him with someone today!

Happy Easter!

Two from the Hodgepodge

 

Again this week I'm springing into the Wednesday Hodgepodge with Joyce and the gang at From This Side of the Pond.   And again this week I'm not attempting all of the questions.  Two will do!

 3. What's a word you struggle to spell on a regular basis, and sometimes need to double check before writing it down? Use the word in a sentence that tells us something about your April calendar. 

Responsibilities.  I have to check the spelling for this word nearly every time.  It just seems so long.   On my April calendar, days are filling up with my volunteer responsibilities at a Christian camp.  I will be cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner for small work teams two weeks in a row.  So far.  And there will likely be more responsibilities as well.  But that's April in my world.  And it's good.

5. This week's Hodgepodge lands on the first day of April, which happens to be National Poetry Month. Do you like poetry?  Share a favorite line or two from one of your favorite poems. What makes this one a favorite? 

I do like poetry.  I know I've shared this poetry month post before but if you've not read it you might enjoy Poems and a post for the last day of April.  

The lines that always come to my mind this time of year are from Robert Frost's poem Two Tramps in Mud Time:

"The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You're one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
A cloud comes over the sunlit arch,
A wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you're two months back in the middle of March."

Honestly, those lines could not describe this week more perfectly! 

 
 And hey, I will add a random thought: This week, we also had the first ice cream date of spring:

Yes, outdoors, in New Hampshire.  You can see by my hubby's flannel shirt that it wasn't terribly warm ... but it was a nice mud-season day.  This is homemade peanut butter cup ice cream on the bottom and chocolate on the top.  Scrumptious!

That's the abbreviated Hodgepodge for this week!

Sunday Scripture

 

Time for another Sunday Scripture lesson from Fix Your Focus!

This week's lesson was actually done by me the week of March 2.  Here goes ...

🌿 WEEK-AT-A-GLANCE CHECKLIST is further on in each week's section. But since I am working on Fix Your Focus all week long, I find it works best for me to do this checklist first. This checklist offers us four points:  

* To make a plan for reading our Bibles and praying.

* To add any upcoming events to our calendars.

* To jot down a to-do list of tasks that must be completed this week.

* To make a note of our top three priorities for this week.

This last point is one that I need to pay special attention to every week.  I've been finding it so helpful.  (The other three points are things that I'm consistently doing.) 

For this week, my top three priorities are:

1) Our Nevada family's visit would have been our top priority.  But Monday night we learned that flights had to be cancelled.  Health issues for one of the children slowed them down and then a vehicle issue en route to the airport put an end to their travel plans.  So now a priority has become seeking to encourage one another despite disappointment.

2)  Ministry  -- Tea time with friends on Wednesday; phone call with Rebekah Thursday; Sunday Scripture/other blog posts; Sunday School lesson prep, etc.

3) Etsy/creativity  -- Prepare at least 5 Etsy listings; prep and send Etsy orders; hopefully find some time to craft and create. 

[If you are following along with our study, this is the place to make a Week-at-a-Glance checklist and/or priority list for yourself!]

🌿 The first actual prompt for each week is JOURNAL.  We are encouraged to take a few minutes to our fears, joys, worries, desires and stressors concerning the week ahead.  [If you are following along with us, take a moment in a journal or notebook to do just that.]. Here's what I wrote on Monday, breaking it down into the suggested categories:

Fears: No real fears going into this week.   

Joys: It would have been a joy to see family we've not seen in person for over 3 years.  That was not to be, but it's easier to cope with knowing it was God who closed the doors.  Ministry is a joy -- having Jennifer, Grandma, and the children over for tea, preparing for a new Sunday School study, working on blog posts, etc.

Worries: It never really occurred to me to worry that our NV family wouldn't come.  A good reminder that worry never accomplishes anything.

Desires: To glorify God in the events of this week.  To not be resentful or depressed that our loved ones couldn't come, but to trust God for His good purposes in sovereignly allowing this disappointment.  To be a blessing to other ladies and an encouragement to my grandchildren.  To spend some time being creative and to get some good work accomplished in my Etsy shop and in my home.

Stressors:  Aging.  Other people.  Limitations of time and energy.  Minor health concerns.

🌿 The next prompt is PRAYER. It was suggested that we use several prayer prompts to have a conversation with God about the week ahead.  [You can do the same.  Use the very same prompts for your own prayer.]

* Lord, You are ... in complete control of every event in this week.  You are sovereign over all the happenings, even the disappointing ones.  You are able to help with the stressors of life and You are working in the hearts and lives of others as well.  You are able to take every circumstance of life and use it for our eventual good and for Your glory.

* Lord, I feel ...   a little bit at loose ends with our plans changed so completely.  Blessed to be able to stay at our cottage the last few nights, since our family wasn't staying there.  A little dismayed when I observe believers who refuse to grow.  Blessed to be a part of mentoring younger women.  Disappointed that our family couldn't come, but not dismayed by the need to shift gears.  Somewhat energized by the additional time now available for other tasks.

* Lord, help me with ... all that needs to happen this week.  With the necessary wisdom to order my days.  With the energy I need to accomplish all that You would have me to do.  With wise use of time and resources.

* Lord, forgive me for ... anytime when I give a fleshly response rather than a spiritual one.  Any time when I speak before thinking or use rash, unwise words.  Any time when I act in my own very limited wisdom or strength.

* Make a note of 4 or 5 people you are specifically praying for.  I listed friends dealing with a cancer diagnosis; a granddaughter with physical issues; our elected leaders.

🌿 The next section in this helpful guide is SCRIPTURE MEDITATION.  I chose to first meditate on this week's Scripture, Romans 12:1, using the SOAP method, and then answered several suggested questions.   [You can use your own preferred method to meditate on this verse, and answer the questions below for yourself.]

S= "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."  (Romans 12:1)

O=   In the ESV this verse reads, "I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."

Whenever I see the word "therefore", I always wonder what it is "there for" and I try to look back at the preceding verses and find out.

One writer said that "therefore" here is meaning "in view of God's mercy" -- and that makes sense.  If we look back at the end of chapter 11 we see God's mercy spoken of in verses 30-32 and His matchless wisdom in verses 33-34.

My Scofield study Bible points back to Romans chapter 3, verse 21, all the way  through chapter 8, verse 39 as enumerating the mercies of God.

Daily Walk Bible suggests looking for the mercies of God all through the book of Romans -- what a great idea! -- and suggests three references to start with, so I will share those to jump-start your thinking.

Romans 3:24 -- "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

Romans 5:1 -- "Having justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Romans 8:1 -- "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."

So, in view of, or in light of, the mercies of God, Paul beseeches his readers to present their bodies as a living sacrifice.  He says this is their "reasonable service."

Cross-references for "I beseech you" -- "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."  (1 Corinthians 1:10)

"Now I, Paul, myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you."  (2 Corinthians 10:1)

"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation to which ye are called."  (Ephesians 4:1)

The above verses show us Paul's faithfulness in beseeching believers to walk with God!

"Present" means "to present once for all"

Cross-references for "present" -- "Let not sin, therefore, reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in its lusts.  "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God."  (Romans 6:12-13)

"Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness? ... even so now yield your members servants to righteousness, unto holiness."  (Romans 6:16, 19c)

"For ye are bought with a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."  (1 Corinthians 6:20)

"Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."  (1 Peter 2:5)

Cross-reference for "living sacrifice" -- "But I have all, and abound; I am full, having received from Ephaphroditus the things which were sent from you, the odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God."  (Philippians 4:18)

Cross-reference for "holy" -- "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still."  (Revelation 22:11)

"In position, believers are eternally set apart for God by redemption, 'through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once' (Hebrews 10:10).  Positionally, therefore, believers are 'saints' and 'holy' from the moment of believing (Philippians 1:1; Hebrews 3:1).  In experience, believers are being sanctified by the work of the Holy Spirit through the Scriptures.  And, in consummation, believers' complete sanctification awaits the appearing of the Lord."  (C.I. Scofield)

"Reasonable service" may be read "rational service."

A= To help with my application of this verse, I answered the three questions from Fix your Focus:

* Reflect on what this verse tells you about who God is.

He is a God of mercies.  His mercies are so manifold that it would take numerous deep dives into Scripture to research them all.  He is worthy of our worship and even of our presenting ourselves to Him as living sacrifices.  He desires for our sacrifices to be holy and acceptable unto Him, which surely points to another attribute of God -- His holiness.

* Think about what this verse tells you about who you are.

I'm a believer who has experienced and continues to experience the mercies of God.  I've been bought with a price and belong to Him, so living a sacrificial life marked by personal holiness is simply my reasonable or rational service. 

* Throughout the week, consider how this verse should affect the way you live.

 Daily Walk Bible says, "God wants you dead to sin and self, but He also wants you alive for service ... Based on God's abundant mercies on your behalf, He is calling you to become a voluntary living sacrifice as a reasonable expression of your gratitude for all He has done for you and through you."

P= "Lord, how thankful I am for the clarity of Your Word and the teaching that Your Spirit imparted to Paul.

    "Truly, in light of Your manifold mercies to me, my reasonable service is give my life a living sacrifice to You.

  "I pray You will help me to live a sacrificial life marked by holiness that will bring honor and glory to You.  I pray in Jesus' name, Amen."

🌿 GRATITUDE is the next prompt.  We were to reflect on the way God has shown His faithfulness to you over the past week and list five things we are thankful for.  [If you are following along with us, be sure to make your own list of five things!]. Here is my list:

1) The blessing that the Ladies of Grace fellowship was to those who could attend.

2) Opportunities to meet some new people just in the course of our weekly routines.

3) God's guidance and strength in helping me to prepare a devotional for our Ladies of Grace meeting.

4) Going out for supper at a favorite cafe one snowy night.

5) Protection from illness this winter.  My hubby had one cold; I've had none and am so thankful.

🌿 SPIRITUAL GROWTH is the next prompt, and this week there's an emphasis on SERVICE.  We were to think about what resources we have available and how we could srve those in need this week.    [And again, if you are following along, please think about this for yourself.]

My plan for service: Our favorite local thrift stores directly benefit homeless families.  We regularly shop there and donate often, too.  We used resources of time and food to serve friends who came for tea.  I took time to encourage a faraway friend by phone.  I also use the resource of prayer to serve family and friends every day.

🌿 Lastly is a GOSPEL-CENTERED AFFIRMATION: 

May my speech and actions be an act of worship to the Lord.

This is surely a motivating, uplifting thought for the week ahead.  Living all of life as an offering to Him is truly our reasonable service.

And there's the Sunday Scripture for this week!

Trying something new: Date Bark

 

I recently tried what I guess has become somewhat of an internet sensation: date bark.  I'd seen it on Instagram and I think the idea is it's supposed to taste like a snickers bar.  I say not quite, but it is delicious.

I found the recipe in the Home section of The Epoch Times newspaper around the end of February, but it took me awhile to get around to trying it.  You can read the article (and find the recipe) here: Date Bark.  

Essentially, you take 12 Medjool dates and remove the pits.  You arrange the dates, edges touching, in a 3x4 grid in the center of a square of parchment or wax paper and place another piece of the same over the top.  Then you use a rolling pin to roll out the dates, between the sheets of parchment or wax paper to an even 1/8-inch thickness.  Transfer the dates, still between the sheets of paper, to a rimmed baking sheet.

Then you remove the top piece of parchment and spread nut butter (I used natural peanut butter) over the date layer, spreading it to the very edge.  Then you melt 3 to 3 1/2 ounces of dark or milk chocolate (or 1/2 cup chocolate chips) with 1 teaspoon coconut oil.  (I used about 1 1/2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate and 2 Tablespoons dark chocolate chips along with the coconut oil.)  Pour the melted chocolate into the center of the nut butter layer and spread out from there to the edges, covering the nut butter completely.

Chill the date bark at least an hour before cutting into small pieces.  As you can see by my "squares" below, it isn't super easy to cut.  If you can wait longer than an hour that's probably better. 

Store airtight in the refrigerator in between layers of wax paper.

And there you have my late-to-the-party take on the "viral" date bark.  It's very good and is a nice thing to keep in the refrigerator for when you just want something chocolate.