TELL ME WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU TO BE GRACIOUS.
Here is the most liked quote on my Facebook feed from yesterday’s sermon at Cornerstone.
What kind of things does a “mind set on things above” think about? What can you do today to focus your thoughts like that?
Nancy Merril has challenged us to bring photos of our PETS to her Photo a week challenge. You can see lots of pets by clicking the underlined link.
Here are my little darlings, Jacopo and Mercedes. They love the snow but the snow does not love them.
Jacopo and Mercedes
It is past time to join in on Jennifer’s One Word Photo Challenge: Balance, especially since the new challenge starts today. But I have two photos I just had to share with everyone. If you would like to see other well balanced photos check out Jennifer’s site HERE
Here is my balancing act.
I am joining in on a new challenge today hosted by Roger Shipp. His blog can be found HERE ALONG WITH THE STORIES OF HIS OTHER CONTRIBUTORS.
The photo prompt for this week is…
And our opening line is, “You lookin’ at me?”
The Careless Prince
By JE Lillie
“You lookin’ at me?” The mirror said in its best Brooklyn accent.
” Hey you wit da horns stop ya starin’.”
If it had spoken in an English accent, even French, I probably would have tumbled to the fact that I was in the house of Brunhilde. But everyone knows magic mirrors don’t come from New York and well witches are supposed to be all bumpy and scaly not super- modelesque.
Then again Charmings are not supposed to be plumbers. But after the glamour wars the royal family fell on hard times and hiding out as day labor seemed to be the thing to do.
Cindy had called us not three weeks ago and told us that the witch was hunting heads again, but I didn’t take it seriously. I should have listened. I wasn’t under the sink five minutes before Brunny was waving that wand of hers, turning me into a deer.
Cindy wasn’t kidding. Brunhilde was hunting heads. She cut mine off and stuck it to the wall. Now I can only stare into my reflection and listen to the mirror practice his shtick for the next prince who walks through the door.
Surely this cannot be a thing!!!! FUZZY WUZZY BROWN?
Holy cow! It is a thing! It’s this thing.
Which means this…
is Fuzzy Wuzzy Brown which I guess is OK for the town hall of Toy Town.
Click the underlined link above to see other fuzzy wuzzy brown things.
Yesterday we shared that one of the keys to filling the atmosphere of our churches with the presence of God, was a renewed commitment to holiness. You can find that post HERE.
We desperately need the presence of God in our services. No move of man or his power will suffice to stand against the enemies that surround the church. As ever the world is looking for something beyond entertainment. They crave above all else a real encounter with the living God. We can bring that but only if we stop striving in our own strength and begin to call down the power of God into our midst.
Holiness is one thing that calls God into the midst of His people. PRAYER IS ANOTHER.
Jeremiah the prophet said,” In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes.” Jer. 29:12, 13
God said to Solomon, “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 15My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.” 2 Chiron. 7:14,15
Again and again throughout the Bible God connects the move of His presence and power with the praying of His people. There must be an increase of prayer in the lives of the people of God if there is to be a releasing of the presence of God.
By prayer I do not mean a coming to God with our lists of what we want Him to do for us. The prayer God says brings His power and presence is the prayer that focuses on Him and on discovering His will. When God’s people spend more time in prayer asking God what He wants of them rather than telling God what they want of Him, then HIs presence will fall.
The DAILY POST HAS CHALLENGED US TO DISPLAY TIME IN OUR PHOTOS.
Here are some of my pictures displaying how I keep time.
The underside of the clock on the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft
“How did it get so late so soon?”
― Dr. Seuss
It does feel to me like time is speeding up. There are days when I have to fight to keep myself from giving into the frantic pace the world has set for us.
The Guild Hall In Derry Northern Ireland
And yet for all I hear the Spirit saying about keeping a slow constant intentional pace, I sense that time is of the essence too. As Benjamin Franklin said, “You may delay, but time will not.”
We do not know the day or the hour when the Lord will return to the Earth but every ticking clock is another reminder that we have one second, one minute, one hour, one day less than we had, and there is still so much to be done.
Of all people on Earth, then, we Christians should live with a peaceful urgency, a knowledge that governs our pace not to rush but never to waste this most precious commodity. Of all things it is time we are running out of
Here is Ken’s offering for the week on deciding to be mature.
To all the artists reading this blog. If you are in the Winchendon area and would like to join us for our next artist’s day apart, it is February 20th from 8 until 3. Cntact me here at the blog or at Cornerstone Church Winchendon for more info
Pastor JE Lillie
Lillie-Put 