“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-21 (emphasis mine) Gratitude: the quality of being…
Read moreThis month’s book selection for the First Tuesday Book Club at my local town library was Stones for Ibarra by Harriet Doerr. A friend and I started this book club five years ago as a way to meet more people in our communities. We both worked out of our area,…
Read more“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 All through the winter months, through wind and cold and a rare snow storm, the Live Oaks stood strong. While others trees around them rose stark and bare against the winter sky, they flourished –…
Read moreCount it all joy when you fall into various trials. In the first chapter of James, James is talking to us about our attitudes. More specifically, having a proper attitude when things don’t go right. I had a day, the other day, where things just didn’t seem to go right…
Read moreI have heard it said that one of the national pastimes of England is complaining! They like to complain about the weather, the trains, the Prime Minister, the price of food, and on and on. The same could be said of us here in the U.S. We complain about the…
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