In Trappe, Maryland
Sitting at the Coffee Trappe—
Great food and coffee
A former bank building is home now for the Coffee Trappe.
Maryland Blue Crab
Harvesting crab pots daily—
Delicious cuisine
Checking crab pots on the Choptank River near Cambridge.
Crossing the Bay Bridge
Eastern Shore welcomes us home–
Picture perfect scenes
Sites such as this abound all around the Eastern Shore.
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Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs.
From Ephesians 4:31-32: “Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.”
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With another year starting up, I have been contemplating and praying about how to manage my life in better alignment with God’s Word. While a new decade is upon us, I am more concerned about the year ahead. Better yet, I need to build my faith day-by-day.
Last year, I kept three key words close to my heart:
While I have been successful in managing my pre-diabetic condition, and my family has been a true blessing in so many ways, I still feel there is room for growth in my faith.
In reading Scripture, Jesus is always connected to us. At the same time, there is a need to reshape my daily habits by reading God’s Word with a deeper understanding and to be more consistent in prayer.
From John 15:1-2: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.”
From John 15:11: “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.”
My mother (she will turn 82 this month) reminds me to make each day precious.
With faith at the forefront of my agenda for 2020, I will use a phrase to better emphasize keeping my faith on track and growing.
With God’s guidance, this Grace-driven foundation will consistently build up my spiritual energy.
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Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, “What’s in it for me?”
All successful men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.
Walking along an unknown, isolated trail
Hoping that this journey goes without fail
Watching skyward for some warm fun
Hiding behind clouds, escapes the sun
Hurrying along the narrow path against the windy cold
Seeking to not find too much adventure—yet be bold!
Traveling quickly, the brisk pace advances along
Thinking this morning hike, nothing can go wrong
Turning a corner, approaching a different place
Seeing a fork coming up and slowing the pace
Searching the mysterious routes of twin solitary trails
Feeling confidence slipping, suspense tips the scales
Deciding to journey down the unfamiliar path on the right
Adjusting the trip’s rhythm, accepting challenges in sight
Moving along another route, sometimes part of life
Aligning conflicting thoughts, without further strife
Finishing this satisfying walk, never feeling ready to fail
Realizing life’s unique treks, resemble being on this trail
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A spiritual discipline is necessary in order to move slowly form an absurd to an obedient life, from a life filled with noisy worries to a life in which there is some inner space where we can listen to our God and follow His guidance.
From Psalm 37:23-24: “Our steps are made firm by the Lord, when He delights in our way; though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand.”
Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) was a Dutch priest, professor, writer, and theologian.
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What is so special about simple rain?
Have you truly witnessed God’s gift of rain?
Everywhere, anticipation of rain
Withering crops crave God’s rainfall today
Farmers wait faithfully for rains to come
Without rain, hearts and plants start to decay
The farmland depends on these vital rains
Last year, little rain arrives to help out
Sunny skies chase away clouds too often
“Next year” cries out from thirsty lands of drought
Farmers sow their spring crops on faith alone
Waiting for nature to moisten the ground
Praying to the Lord, asking for His rain
Rain arrives, new life rising skyward bound
God sends righteousness, in the form of rain
Fulfilling prayers, easing farmers’ pain
From Isaiah 45:8: “Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation may spring up, and let it cause righteousness to sprout up also; I the Lord have created it.”
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Each step you take reveals a new horizon. You have taken the first step today. Now, I challenge you to take another.
Write on a subject you love. Your profit center should also be your passion center.
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Jesus gathers up His apostles from humble ground
Making up God’s team, their witness shall abound
God’s Word oversees the performance of this team
Standing as chief executive, seeing holiest theme
The Holy Spirit earmarks the hearts and brains
Serving as the binding glue, better than chains
Returning to the beginning of God’s creative time
Transforming a land, His Word continues to climb
The Creator conceives of a perfect place for man
Placing Adam and Eve in Eden, always His plan
But, Adam and Eve journey on a sin-filled path
Leaving the ample garden, under God’s wrath
From this moment, God’s team stumbles and wanders
Facing estrangement from God, His people squander
Jesus comes to bridge what separates us from God
Sitting at the right hand, coaching a humbled squad
God establishes His expectations, perfectly high
Faltering and imperfect mortals, will never satisfy
The team continues to collapse over and over again
Forgetting God’s Commandments, sin seems to win
Many teams measure success by the flashy show
Works by themselves, will never add much glow
But, Jesus shepherds His team on a brand new track
Following by faith alone, Jesus always has their back
He reminds us to always love our God in Heaven’s seat
Loving each other as you have loved Me, always repeat
A bloody, criminal’s Cross summons all to take a knee
Accepting Jesus as Savior, teammates look up to see
Our Father orchestrates, with infinite patience and love
Creating and molding, the Great I Am looks from above
Jesus remains alert at the Creator’s side
Carrying keys to eternal life, all bona fide
As team members, we must trust, follow, and abide
Playing for Jesus, His coaching is forever our guide
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Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.
From Habakkuk 2:2: “Then the Lord answered me and said: ‘Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it.'”
Big Sky Buckeye 