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Today is Friday, May 17th, 2024; Karen's Korner #5125
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As we move through May, spring planting is hitting a high note! Because it has been a bit wetter here in north central Iowa than it has been the last couple of years, we have been delayed in getting some of our seeds or started plants into the ground.
The last few days I have been turning the soil in some of my flower beds. And the weeds have taken over! There are long, white roots of my crab grass, running everywhere. Left unchecked, I would have clumps of crab grass overtaking my flowers!
As I looked at the lengthy roots, I couldn't help but think of us as Christians sending out 'roots' and 'runners' to add more to His Kingdom. And there would be no end to the 'starter' plants in the world, our world.
Jesus said as he was leaving this world, "Go and make disciples in all the nations." (Matthew28:19).
We 'go' when we band together in church and worship. We 'go' when we do a short-term mission trip. Or financially support a foreign missionary worker or mission outreach. We 'go' when we serve a neighbor or someone in need. The list of ways we can 'go' is limitless.
We just need to keep sending out root runners, like my relentless crab grass!
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Today is Thursday, May 16th, 2024; Karen's Korner #5124
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This is today's Max Lucado.
Maybe it is because two of my sisters and I were planning to go to Europe in a few days, but plans needed to be rescheduled for a later date. Or maybe because we dad was in World War II and it would have been his birthday tomorrow.
But this one really captured my attention.
All of Max's are good.
"In the days leading up to the war with Germany, the British government commissioned a series of encouraging posters. The first poster was distributed in September of 1939: Your courage, your cheerfulness, your resolution will bring us victory.
"Soon a second poster was produced: Freedom is in peril. Defend it with all your might.
'A third poster was never released to the public, but was held in reserve for an extreme crisis, such as an invasion by Germany. It was never seen until nearly sixty years later. It read: Keep calm and carry on.
"God’s sovereignty doesn’t negate our responsibility. It empowers it. Trust God to do what you can’t. Obey God, and do what you can. Just…keep calm and carry on."
***
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Today is Wednesday, May 15th, 2024; Karen's Korner #5123
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Yesterday's entry in
"365 Days of Prayer for Women" by Stephanie Sample (May 14):
AS IT SHOULD BE
"If
we know He hears us every time we ask Him,
we know we have what we
ask from Him."
~ 1 John 5:15 NCV
"Glorious, God, we ask, and you answer. Not every prayer, exactly as it
is worded, but every pure intention, exactly as it should be. If I pray for a
job interview to go my way, you know whether security, meaning, or even
convenience is what my heart desires, and that is the prayer you answer. If a
relationship doesn't work despite many prayers, I know you have responded to
the need I hoped that person would meet. Thank, you, Lord, for knowing my
heart. Your generosity is without exception or fault; your gifts are always
good."
Do we know God hears
us
every time we speak to
Him?"
**
God,
help me to pray
more.
To believe more!
Thank You that You
hear
our every
prayer!
Amen.
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Today is Tuesday, May 14th, 2024; Karen's Korner #5122
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Some Bible verses we hear more often than others. Here is one we hear quite a bit:
"Yes, all have sinned;
all fall short of God's glorious ideal;
yet now God declares us 'not guilty' of offending Him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in Hi kindness freely takes away our sins."
~ Romans 3:23 & 24 LAB
*
Bible Commentary: "Some sins seem bigger than others because their obvious consequences are much more serious. Murder, for example, seems to us to be worse than hatred, and adultery seems worse than lust. But this does not mean we can get away with some sins and not with others. All sin makes us sinners, and all sin cuts us off from our holy God. All sin, therefore, leads to death (because it disqualifies us from living with God), regardless of how great or small it seems. Don't minimize 'little' sins or overrate 'big' sins. They all separate us from God, but they all can be forgiven.
"When a judge in a court of law declares the defendant not guilty, all the charges are removed from his record. Legally, it as if the person had never been accused. When God forgives our sins, our record is wiped clean. From His perspective, it is as though we had never sinned."
***
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Today is Monday, May 13th, 2024; Karen's Korner #5121
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One of "100 Things God Loves About You" by Tama Fortner. #37:
GOD LOVES THE WAY YOU
LET HIM RESCUE YOU.
"Reach down your hand on high;
deliver me and rescue me
from the mighty waters."
~ Psalm 144:7
"You're drowning. Going down for the third count. No, it's not water that's swallowing you; it's the world. Maybe it's too-long-to-do-list in a too-short day. Or the slings and arrows of gossips who delight in your struggles. Or loneliness, weariness, or emptiness. Whatever the cause, you're drowning and you are at the mercy of threatening waves. But like Peter, you reach up to God and cry out, 'Lord, save me!' (Matthew 14:30). And He does.........because rescuing you is just something He loves to do..."
*******
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Today is Friday, May 10th, 2024; Karen's Korner #5120
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Happy Mother's Day!
We will know never know the affects our prayers have made on others. Nor will we know what a difference prayers said for us have made over the years of each of our lives.
Here is something shared by Anne Graham Lotz this week about her mother Ruth Graham and her praying for others. We all get to experience some of those differences made in the lives of the Graham family - Samaritan's Purse; Billy Graham Evangelistic Association; Anne's ministry; and countless others.
My Mother's Abiding Joy
"In Your presence is fulness of joy;
at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
~ Psalm 16:11 NKJV
"As a teenager growing up, my room in our house was directly over Mother's. At night I could see the lights from her room reflected on the trees outside my window. When I slipped downstairs hoping to talk to her a few minutes, I would find her shapely form bent beside her bed in prayer. It was useless to wait for her to rise because she would be there for hours on end, so I would trudge back up to my room. And no matter how early I awoke in the morning, I would see those lights from her window once again reflected on the trees outside. When I tumbled down the stairs, I would find her seated at her big, flat-top desk, earnestly studying one of the fourteen different translations of the Bible spread out around her. My mother chose to make abiding in Christ one of the priorities of her life.
"Mother's abiding was rooted in a love relationship with Jesus that was the secret of her life. As a result of her abiding, and the obedience that was integrated into it, the hallmark of Mother's life was joy. Her face radiated it! Her eyes sparkled with it! And I'm left to wonder...what outward evidence of my inner r relationship with Jesus do my children see?"
***
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Today is Thursday, May 9th, 2024; Karen's Korner #5119
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At our ecumenical Bible study yesterday, we looked together at the topic of ANGER. We read through about a dozen Bible verses in both the Old and New Testaments.
One sentence that really stood out to me was:
Anger is Today's Emotional Epidemic!
We would have to admit that anger is swirling all around us. Either as individuals, families, communities, churches, and certainly in our world! One way or another we experience anger.
One of the Bible verses we read was Psalm 37:8:
"Stop your anger! Turn off your wrath.
Don't fret and worry ---
it only leads to harm."
The Bible Commentary on this verse says, "Anger and worry are two of the most destructive emotions. They reveal a lack of faith that God is in control. We should not fret and worry instead, we should trust in the Lord. When we dwell on our problems, we will become anxious and angry. But if we concentrate on God and His Goodness, we will find peace. Where do we focus our attention?"
It isn't that we may become angry at a situation or person, we need to take a second look at the source of that angry. What is the context of that anger? We can't let that anger take control of that situation. Or us. We need God to ask for His help us recognize what is happening and why. We may need to refocus. We may need to ask someone else to forgive us.
God,
please help us!
Guide us!
We have trouble handling our
worries,
fears,
anger!
You are the great I AM!
Thank You!
Amen.
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Today is Wednesday, May 8th, 2024; Karen's Korner #5118
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Yesterday's writing by Stephanie Sample, taken from '365 Days of Prayer for Women::
WHEN WE DOUBT
"Have mercy on those who doubt."
~ Jude1:22 ESV
"Lord, how it must grieve you when we doubt! Scripture is filled with your faithfulness, power, and promise. Still, we question. We wonder, are you really there? Will you really come through? We know you are great, but we doubt you'll deliver. Or worse, when things get dark, we start to wonder if maybe we made the whole thing up. Nothing can last; no earthly love can truly satisfy. It's what we are used to, so we project it onto you. But you are so gracious, God, that you stick with us even then. You keep proving yourself, no matter how many times we ask it of you. In your mercy, you take that projection of doubt and bounce it back as blessed assurance."
"What are you doubting?
Can you believe for God's mercy?"
***
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Today is Tuesday, May 7th, 2024; Karen's Korner #5117
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Side Notes, vertical comments in the margins of each magazine, taken from the April/May edition of OUR IOWA magazine. Always fun!
"I remember my mother's prayers
and they have always followed me.
They have clung to me
all of my life."
~ Abraham Lincoln
*
"It is never too late
to become what
you are capable of becoming."
*
"When you invite trouble,
it never refuses the invitation."
*
"I got booted from the coffee club,
because I wore a tea shirt."
*
"A friend is one who overlooks
your broken fence
and admires
the flowers in your garden."
*
"Live simply,
live generously,
care deeply,
speak kindly,
and leave the rest to God."
*
"The greatest compliment
you can ever receive is
for someone to say,
'I feel good about me
when I'm around you.'"
*
"How much does a chimney cost?
Nothing,
it's on the house."
*
"Friends are the
chocolate chips
in the cookie of life."
***
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Today is Monday, May 6th, 2024; Karen's Korner #5116
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I was reading Psalm 34 this weekend. Marked in the margin was a note that I had used it as a Karen's Korner in March 11, 2021, #4404. I re-read it!
If it was good then, it is good today too! It talks about Molly and her coming speech. She graduates this Sunday. We celebrated with graduation party yesterday.
Our granddaughter Molly who is a high school freshman has a couple of entries in this year's state speech contest. The competition is today.
I texted her yesterday to wish her good luck.
Her text back to me: "Thank you. I think my speech will go well!"
I liked that confidence. I probably would have thought or texted "I hope I do well". What does it hurt to think it 'will' go well.? She didn't say anything hoping for a 1 rating; just that her speech would go well.
I have a couple of things on which I am working to do. From Molly's viewpoint, "I think they will go well!"
What do you have to do today that you think 'will go well'. Before it happens?
*
"I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. I will constantly speak of
His glories and grace.
I will boast of His kindness to me."
~ Psalm 34:1-2b LAB
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