Small Town Life (Haiku Series #186)

Feeding the Soul

Lone grocery store

Bags filled with conversation—

Open every day

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Hearing Latest News

Main Street’s hardware store

Meeting neighbors face-to-face—

Day’s gathering place

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Mealtime’s Joy Delights

Cozy diner greets

Town’s most favorite hang-out–

Morning, noon, and night

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Monday Memories: Feeling His Joy

From Hebrews 12:1-2:  “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings to closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God.”

person standing on hand rails with arms wide open facing the mountains and clouds

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God’s footprints, visible for eternity

Filling our hearts with His joy, perfectly

 

Our Lord’s joy remains forever man’s strength

Overcoming the wicked, godless and fleeting

When distressed, our Lord brings answers

Sadness and worry turn to joy, never retreating

 

Through God, He restores the joy of Salvation

The Lord’s highway steers us on His Holy Way

Justice arrives, bringing joy to the righteous

For God’s Word, keeping all from going astray

 

Joy is a choice, feeling our Lord’s countenance

When tackling life’s endless, inevitable trials

Consider every one of them, nothing but joy

Walking with God, feeling joy with every mile

 

Faith produces endurance for God’s community

Endurance leads to maturity from God’s hand

Maturity through God, brings lasting, final joy

Trusting God’s Holy Word all across this land

 

God’s Kingdom delivers righteousness and peace

Through the Holy Spirit, souls experience joy

Clapping hands, singing praise to our Holy Lord

Redeemed man walks, filled with gladness and joy

 

Prophets foretell of the coming of a new King

Our Messiah’s birth brings magnificent joy

Joy later shattered on a bitter, bloody Cross

Only to defeat death, with Resurrection’s joy

 

Living as part of God’s redeemed, feeling His joy

Fruits of the Spirit sharing love, peace, and joy

christ the redeemer

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Kay Arthur Quote

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Are you weak?  Weary?  Confused?  Troubled?  Pressured?  How is your relationship with God?  Is it held in its place of priority?  I believe the greater the pressure, the greater your need for time alone with Him.

From Isaiah 50:4-5:  “The Lord God has given me a trained tongue, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.  Morning by morning He wakens, wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.  The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I did not turn backward.”

American-born Kay Arthur (born 1933) is an award-winning Christian author and Bible teacher.

God of Salvation

From Psalm 25:4-5:  “Make me to know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.  Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all day long.”

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God of Creation

Filling life with hope

Divine promised land

Future grasps His rope

 

God of Salvation

Teaching with His Word

Holy righteousness

Grace freely conferred

 

God of Faithfulness

Sending steadfast love

Mercy walks ahead

Truth shines from above

 

God of Redemption

Erasing stumbles

Lives forever changed

Faith never crumbles

 

God of Blessedness

Praising our goodwill

Acts of compassion

Life never stands still

 

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From Psalm 25:20-21:  “O guard my life and deliver me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in You.  May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You.”

Warren Wiersbe Quote

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Surrender your mind to the Lord at the beginning of each day.

From Isaiah 50:4-5:  “The Lord God has given me a trained tongue, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.  Morning by morning He wakens, wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.  The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I did not turn backward.”

Taking Love Forward

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Morning sunrise greets

Another new day

Taking love forward

Rainbows without gray

 

Bold, positive steps

Encourage each day

Taking love forward

Spirit won’t betray

 

Heart finds harmony

Melodies all day

Taking love forward

Happiness shall play

 

Impatient clouds brew

Compassion saves day

Taking love forward

Life’s innocent way

 

Nightfall now arrives

Day finally sleeps

Taking love forward

Tomorrow will keep


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One of my favorite songs is “If I Were a Carpenter.”  With lyrics and music composed by Tim Hardin, the song climbed the charts in 1966 when Bobby Darin recorded it.  Darin’s interpretation of the lyrics is filled with love’s theme.

Curious Trivial Facts (7/9)

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This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing.  We can all appreciate some of the lesser known facts from around the world.

The term “paparazzi” comes from Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita.”  In the film, Marcello Mastroianni writes a gossip column, and Walter Santesso plays his coworker, a tabloid photographer whose name is Paparazzo.

Albert Einstein’s facial characteristics inspired the look of three popular film characters:  E.T. had Einstein’s eyes, Yoda had his forehead, and Emmett Brown in “Back to the Future” had his hair.

These facts have been discovered in I NEVER KNEW THAT by David Hoffman (2009).

Faith Through Love (Elfchen Series #108)

Lost

Pursuing

Flesh’s desires

Filled with works

Life falls short in

Darkness

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Faith

Truth

Speaks boldly

Christ’s Holy Word

Building hope through Spirit’s

Fruits

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Found

Love

Thy neighbor

Obedience to Christ

Grace meeting our needs

Freedom

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