ONLY SKIN DEEP

The other day "The Hub" and I had to go to the dermatologist.

And since we live almost an hour away from his office, we scheduled back-to-back appointments.

We made the long, twisty trip – and stepped out into an oven.

I don't know how hot it was – well over 100 degrees – but if I'd had an egg handy, I'm sure it would have fried, in my hand.

We were early for our appointments, but opted to go and sit inside where the cooling A/C wafted over our sweat-covered brows and reminded us of an oasis.  (Poetic touch…nice, huh?!)

As we waited, I looked around at the people surrounding us.

This day there was a good across-the-board representation of all ages.

Usually there's a preponderance of middle-aged people in various stages of *skin repair.*

I've put them into categories…

There are the people who have spent way too many hours in the sun – just like "The Hub” and I – and have the marks and bumps and discolorations to prove it.  This is the consultation and check-up crowd.

Then there are the people who have had some sort of procedure to fix the various marks and bumps and discolorations.  Trust me, people, we've seen some gnarly looking bandages and some Frankenstein-worthy stitches!

Finally, there are the ladies (and the occasional gentleman) with obvious (mostly well done) plastic surgery and injections of various fillers.

May the Lord forgive me, but I always seem to judge.

Besides the fact that plastic surgery is very expensive, I am way too afraid to have anything done on me!  I would be the unfortunate soul with numbness, or residual twitching, or hardness, or scarring, or any number of "Wow, that usually doesn't happen" complications.

Now don't get me wrong, I respect anyone's right to plastic surgery, and if you've had some done yourself, you go for it!

But I will never understand what makes anyone think that giant lips or a frozen face or a perpetually surprised expression is attractive.  Just my opinion…


OK, so finally we're ushered into the examining room, after politely being asked whether we'd like to be seen separately.  I am tempted to say that we'd rather not be seen at all, but I keep my thoughts to myself.

It's a *full skin check* day, so there's disrobing involved.

OK, no big deal, it's not like "The Hub" and I are showing off anything we haven't seen before.  But still, in a doctor's office, it all feels a little weird.

My appointment was first, so I got to sit on the examining chair.

"The Hub" sat across from me in another chair.

As I looked over at him, and then looked down at myself, I started laughing.

"What's so funny?" he asked me.

"Look at us.  Here we are in our matching hospital gowns, nude as the day we were born.  What a pair we make!" I chuckled.

He started laughing, too.

That's when I made the comment, "Wow, living large!"

I just could not stop laughing.


All things considered, I like the fact that "The Hub" and I go to all our doctors' appointments together.  I like having him with me to make sure that I get all my questions answered, and that I have all the follow-up instructions accurate and complete.

And truthfully, I get very nervous at doctor's appointments, so it's nice to have some back-up along.

I think he takes me along so that I hear all the information first-hand. That way he doesn't have to deal with my million questions when he gets home…

"Did you ask about…?"

"What did he tell you to…?"

"Why didn’t you remember to say…?"


So it's nice to bond over appointment time (???)

However, I have noticed in all my medical travels that it's usually middle-aged and older people that travel together.  I know my parents never went to an appointment alone.

Retirement at its best??

So, sitting there in that examining room, in our matching gowns, waiting to have our marks, bumps, and discolorations checked out, I felt kinda old.

How on earth did this happen?

The years keep piling on, and I keep aging, but inside I feel much the same as I did a good long time ago.

It's one of time's mysteries, I think.


So finally the doctor came in.

And, like a mad scientist with his bug-sized goggles on, he inspected me from head-to-toe.

Randomly and rapidly, without any warning, he took his trusty little canister of liquid nitrogen and zapped several *things* on my body.  (This is called cryotherapy – I think because it hurts and makes you shed a tear or two).

Then it was "The Hub's" turn – he got zapped, too.

The doctor shook our hands – thank you, Igor – and left the room.

The kind nurse assistant asked if we'd like her to leave while we put our clothes back on.  We told her that we didn't care if she stayed, as long as she didn't laugh.

I thought I heard a snicker, but it might just have been her clearing her throat??

And as "The Hub" and I paid the bill, I looked at our blistered bodies and thought to myself, once again, "What a pair we make…"


On the drive home, I got to thinking about skin.

Skin is really an amazing thing.

Here's some fun facts:

1. It's the body's largest organ.

2. An average adult's skin spans 21 square feet, weighs nine pounds, and contains more than 11 miles of blood vessels.

3. In one square inch of skin there are 625 sweat glands and 90 oil glands. There are also 19 million cells, 19 feet of blood vessels, 19,000 sensory cells, 65 hairs, and about one million pores.  Best of all, 20 million microscopic animals, such as mites, live in each square inch.  (I am the hostess with the mostest??)

4. Every inch of your skin has an exact stretchiness and strength for its location.

5. Your skin performs a range of different functions, which include physically protecting your bones, muscles and internal organs, and protecting your body from outside diseases.

6. Skin plays an important role in regulating body temperature, allowing you to feel and react to heat and cold and using blood to regulate your body heat. Your skin acts as your body's thermostat.

7. The skin releases as much as three gallons of sweat a day in hot weather. (Areas that don't sweat include the nail bed, the margins of the lips, and the eardrums).

8. Body odor comes from a second kind of sweat – a fatty secretion – and the odor is caused by bacteria on the skin eating and digesting those fatty compounds.  (Yum…)

9. A fetus doesn't develop fingerprints until three months' gestation.  Some people never develop fingerprints at all.

10. Your skin regenerates itself, shedding its dead skin cells on a daily basis, creating a new layer of skin every 28 days.

11. Your skin sheds 50,000 cells every minute.

12. Globally, dead skin accounts for about a billion tons of dust in the atmosphere.  (OK, this is just disgusting.  Forget global warming, global shedding is a much more serious problem, eh?!)

13. There are at least five types of receptors in the skin that respond to pain and to touch.

14. All mammals have some hair on their skin, even if it isn't easy for you to see.  And some animals have very thick skin – for example, a rhinoceros’ skin can be as thick as ½" – 2".  (However, though a rhino may be thick-skinned, I wouldn’t tease him, just sayin').


Those are some fun physical facts, but there is a spiritual fact that is also true.

While we live on this earth, our skin is like the body's *house.*

It's a temporary abode for all the things that make us who we are.

The Bible calls our body a *tent* – and I can think of no more apt description for our skin – a covering that shelters us for a time, until we return home.

For indeed, there will come a day when we leave this body and go to be with Jesus.

Listen to the words of Paul:

"For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.  We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.  For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies.  While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us.  Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life.  God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit." (2 Corinthians 5:1-5, NLT)


I love the imagery of putting on the new body like clothing – and I think of the concept of literally putting on new skin!

Yes, for the time being, my body and my skin ages, and needs a lot more attention than it used to.

And yes, there are days when I groan inside of it.

But these sufferings are only temporary, for there is a day coming when my perishable will put on imperishable, and I will live forever!

Can you even imagine?!


The freedom!

The rejuvenation!

The energy!

The glory!


Yes, in so many ways, this life is only *skin deep*...




What reminds you that this life is only temporary?

Walking home...

"He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again." (Psalm 78:39, ESV)

"How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow?  Your life is like the morning fog – it's here a little while, then it's gone." (James 4:14, NLT)

"All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return." (Ecclesiastes 3:20, NIV)

"All these people died still believing what God had promised them.  They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it.  They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth." (Hebrews 11:13, NLT)

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." (2 Corinthians  4:7, ESV)

"Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:8, NLT)

"So is it with the resurrection of the dead.  What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.  It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory.  It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.  If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body." 
(1 Corinthians 15:42-44, ESV)

"For the trumpet will sound…and we shall be changed.  For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

'Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?'"

(1 Corinthians 15:52-55, ESV)


"He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers." (Romans 2:7, NLT)

"For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son [as Savior], so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life." (John 3:16, AMP)

"Jesus said…'I am the resurrection and the life.  The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.'" (John 11:25-26, NIV)

"'And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day.'" (John 6:39, NLT)

"…as for me, God will redeem my life.  He will snatch me from the power of the grave." (Psalm 49:15, NLT)

"For you have delivered my soul from death…that I may walk before God in the light of life." (Psalm 56:13, ESV)

"My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better." 
(Philippians 1:23, ESV)

"I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes – I, and not another.  How my heart yearns within me!" (Job 19:25-27, NIV)

"I shall walk before the LORD In the land of the living." (Psalm 116:19, NASB)




Linked with:

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BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

GARAGE SALE BONANZA

Labor Day weekend.

Every year our little town has a community-wide garage sale extravaganza.  And on this weekend, cars and people go a little crazy!

Necks craned, lookie-loos converge, and the streets are not safe for driving! 

It's a bit like being in a demolition derby – as one has to be extremely alert not to hit or get hit while negotiating sudden stops, willy-nilly changes of direction, and abrupt u-turns – by us and other drivers!

Garage sales are best negotiated by a team of two – a driver and a navigator/lookout.

This is why "The Hub" and I are really good at this whole garage sale thing.  He drives, I look out for hazards – he decides where to go and when, I look out for bargains!

But before I tell you about our adventure, I've got to share a bit of trivia.

Do you say garage sale, yard sale, tag sale, or rummage sale?  

Practically speaking, there is no real difference.  

Some of it has to do with where you live.  (For instance, on the East Coast the phrase "tag sale" is more often used.  I've also noticed this regional difference when people interchangeably use the terms, drywall or sheetrock, lightning bug or firefly, submarine sandwich, hoagie, grinder, or poor boy!).   


OK, so, I have to begin my garage sale ruminations by telling you about our *only-once-and-probably-never-again* experience with our own garage sale.

We held one a few months before we put our previous home on the market.  

Deciding to rid ourselves of some of the mountainous amount of stuff I had accumulated in almost 29 years, trying to downsize before having to move it all, we decided to venture into the wild and woolly waters of a weekend garage sale.

I'm not sure I've ever worked harder in my life!


Here's some of what I learned:


The pre-organizing is tiresome and stressful.

Especially when one of you is a packrat, and the other loves to wean and winnow.  One person is saying, "When's the last time you used/wore that?" – and the other person is saying, "I can't give that away.  It has sentimental meaning."  (Bonus points if you can figure out who's who...)

So, the *deciding on what to sell* can be a tedious process.

Mr. Give-It-All-Away and Mrs. Keep-Everything-Forever worked very hard to come to an acceptable compromise – (which meant a lot less went on the "chopping block" than "The Hub" would have liked to see!).


OK, then there comes the staging time.

This is when you put prices on everything.  Some people use tags – which is fine.  But, they're more expensive and time-consuming than stickers.  We used stickers.  But honestly, then comes the challenge of deciding where to put the sticker so it doesn't ruin the item.

I worked hard to find stickers that wouldn't stick too much.  Because one of my biggest pet peeves is stickers that won't unstick, or the ones that leave a gummy residue, or discolor or tear the item in the process of removal.  GRR!


Deciding on prices is also difficult.  

You expect bargaining, so you want to set your initial price at a good starting point.

Too high?  Too low?  

Endless second thoughts.


Second, it's a good idea to make signs and place them in strategic locations.

Up here in our little town, the local paper publishes ads and a map to aid in searching for participating homes.  When we did it ourselves, we didn't place an ad.  But we did make signs.  I used neon-colored poster board, with VERY LARGE (and legible) letters to advertise our location and time.

Visible and eye-catching – that's the objective.

Because I don't know about you, but little signs with little lettering in lightly-written ink are extremely hard to read.  And, slowing down to figure out where the heck you're going – well, it can lead to those sudden stops, willy-nilly changes of direction, and abrupt u-turns that I mentioned before!


Finally, the day for the sale comes.  

Hold on to your hat!

The actual day of the garage sale is like one big sociology/psychology experiment.  You'll find that you will observe the most unlikely and surprising human behavior.

First, people will show up early.

This is one reason why I learned that it's a good idea, if you can, to lay out the stuff IN your garage before putting it out.  This prevents people bothering and pestering you before your preparations are complete.

Because, sure as the sun will rise, scavengers people will be out and about way before your posted time.  Like circling vultures, they'll pounce long before you're ready.  You can make some good sales at this time, but if you're not prepared, you'll just find yourself saying, "We're not open yet" – which is ridiculous when the "store" is your driveway!


Most people are pretty normal and really nice.  

Others defy the laws of explanation!

I vividly remember one guy who sped down our street, came to a screeching halt, and left his car running while he jumped out and ran around our driveway.  After a muttering five-second perusal, he ran to his car and peeled off to another destination.

Hmmm.

Another guy threw me (in my opinion) a very low-ball offer for a set of glass, brass, and mirrored display cases.  I had picked what I thought was a quite reasonable price for each, and he proposed the same price for all three!  I counter-offered, and he started to walk away.  (Yes, I know this can be a tactic).  I was feeling stubborn, and refusing to cave in, until "The Hub" gave me *The Look* – you know, the one that says, "When are you going to use these, I don't want to move them, he seems like a nice guy, some money is better than no money at all...").

Sigh...sold.

Then there was the couple who looked through a box of books.  In very good shape.  Which we had priced dirt cheap.  And then, complaining that our prices were too high, they offered a bargaining price that was laughable. Because I didn't like their rather haughty attitude, I chose not to bargain.  Then smugly watched as they drove off in their ironically expensive car.

Yes.

(I guess I'm not a good garage-salesperson at heart.  For though my objective should have been to get rid of stuff, I found myself personally insulted at peoples' attitudes.  Harumph!)


Which brings me to another point.

I wasn't prepared for being offended.

Some people were unreasonable, some were rude, some were downright dismissive.

I found myself experiencing old insecure feelings.

It brought back memories of not being chosen for a team, or not being invited to a birthday party, or left out of the popular circle of cheerleaders and song girls in high school.

You see, though I had determined that this stuff was stuff I was willing to part with, I wasn't prepared for people not liking my stuff!  

Ya know?!

So, my advice is to detach yourself from your stuff.  (Which is very difficult for me, which is why we STILL have a lot of stuff!)  For instance, don't expect someone else to appreciate the nostalgic value of your old VHS movies and cassettes…ahem.


One last thing that I learned is this – when the sale is over, almost anything and everything that you put out on the curb with a *FREE* sign will magically disappear overnight.  

POOF!


When all was said and done, we made over $400.  Which was great – except for the emotional roller coaster of that weekend!  Harassed, haggled, and harried.  That would sum it up for me!

I have discovered that it's much more fun to be a buyer than a seller!!

Which brings me back to our Labor Day weekend garage sale bonanza.

Yes, we were successful in our searching!

We found some old western frames and pillows, a cute western mirror, a wooden toilet paper holder shaped like an outhouse, some porcelain figurines for my animal collection, a book about ghost towns, an electric sander, a miniature tea set, and a slew of other little things.

What fun!  

But honestly, can I finish this post without bringing in some sort of spiritual application?

Of course not!

So, here's what I want to say...


Looking for stuff is fun, but we must never confuse stuff with treasure.  Earthly things can enhance our comfort and convenience.  They can help grace our homes with a personal touch.  But, we must never become overly attached to temporal things.

For our treasure does not lie in this world.

"Do not gather and heap up and store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust and worm consume and destroy, and where thieves break through and steal.  But gather and heap up and store for yourselves treasures in heaven...For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." 
(Matthew 6:19-21, AMP)

"'Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.'" Luke 12:21, NLT)


Second, searching for things can be fun.  Purchasing things can be fun.  But these things are not the first things.

Only God must hold this place.

And we must seek Him before and above everything else.

"'…seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.'" (Matthew 6:33, ESV)

"'I am the Lord your God, who has brought you...out of the house of bondage.  You shall have no other gods before or besides Me.'" (Exodus 20:2-3, AMP)

"…if riches increase, set not your heart on them." (Psalm 62:10, AMP)


And finally, let us never forget that we are a redeemed people.

The enemy of our souls would gladly discard us as worthless rubbish and meaningless junk.  He would gleefully have us wear the filthy rags of guilt and shame.  He would enthusiastically celebrate a life lived in the wasted ravages of sin.

And yet, destined for the trash heap, we were instead purchased by our Savior!

Worth nothing in our own right, we were chosen by the Lord God Almighty Himself!

Somehow in the rubble and rabble aftermath of the Fall, He still saw people that He loved.  People that desperately needed salvation.  

And just like that *garage sale treasure* – He saw something worth saving.

Greatly cherished, He sought us and bought us.  And one day, He will bring us home to a place of honor.

Oh, what joy!

"God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.  This is real love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us…" (1 John 4:9-10, NLT)

"You are not your own, you were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, AMP)


So, our garage sale adventure is done.  And I can't wait to do it again next year.  

But, in the meantime, I'll leave you with this one last thought…

Oh, the lessons to be learned…if we only go looking for them!!

One man's trash
is another man's treasure...

...or in my case,
every man's trash
is this woman's treasure?!

Go on your own treasure hunt adventure – look for the *gold nuggets* in these Scriptures!



R  "O Lord, You have pleaded my soul's cause; You have REDEEMED my life." (Lamentations 3:58, NASB)

E  "EVERY good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father…who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17, NIV)

D  "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will DWELL in the house of the LORD for ever." (Psalm 23:6, KJV)

E  "'I have loved you, my people, with an EVERLASTING love.  With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.'" (Jeremiah 31:3, NLT)

E  "'I am the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the END,' says the Lord God.  'I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come – the Almighty One.'"(Revelation 1:8, NLT)

M  "[He] said…'Well done, good and faithful servant…Enter into the joy of your MASTER.'" (Matthew 25:23, ESV)

E  "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have ETERNAL life." (John 3:16, NLT)

D  "And when this perishable puts on the imperishable and this that was capable of dying puts on freedom from death, then shall be fulfilled the Scripture that says, 'DEATH is swallowed up (utterly vanquished forever) in and unto victory.  O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?'" (1 Corinthians 15:54-55, AMP)




Have you ever held a garage sale?  What did you learn in the process?



Linked with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, SMALL WONDER, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, GRATEFUL HEART MONDAY, REFLECT LINKUP, WORDS WITH WINTER, MOM 2 MOM MONDAY, THE ART OF HOMEMAKING MONDAYS, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, SOLI DEO GLORIA, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, UNITE, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TUESDAY TALK, TELL IT TO ME TUESDAYS, RA RA LINKUP, WOMEN HELPING WOMEN, TELL HIS STORY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, WISE WOMAN, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, THE (NOT JUST) HOMEMAKING PARTY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, WOMEN WITH INTENTION, WAITING ON WEDNESDAY, JOYHOPELIVE LINKUP, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY, THURSDAY FAVORITE THINGS, LIVE FREE THURSDAY, SHINE, GRACE AT HOME, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, LOOKING UP LINKUP, THEOCENTRIC THURSDAYS, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, EVERYDAY TESTIMONY, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAY, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, FAITH & FELLOWSHIP, GRACE & TRUTH, TGI SATURDAYS, DANCE WITH JESUS, SATURDAY SOIREE, STILL SATURDAY, LIVING PROVERBS, WEEKEND WHISPERS, SUNDAY STILLNESS, GIVE ME GRACE



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

JESUS - MEEK AND MILD??

Pictures of Jesus.

There are so many, aren't there?

I don't know about you, but I've seen a bunch.  Some pictures make Him look way too attractive, in my opinion, for someone the Bible tells us "…had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him."  Other pictures make Him look weak and frail, like He needed a good tan and some weight training.

I don't know if any of them come close to the way He actually looked.

All I know is that my impression was always that Jesus was meek and mild.

And not necessarily in a good way.

The word that always came to my mind was – dare I say it – WIMP.

So, yeah, I always knew Jesus was my friend.  But I wasn't sure that He was the guy I wanted on my side in the playground of life.

Sure, if I got knocked down He'd be there to pick me up.  But then He'd tell me, "Turn the other cheek" – and walk slowly away from the bullies.

Or He'd tell me to "Love your enemies" – when what I really wanted was someone who'd squish my enemies like bugs.

So yes, I learned that Jesus was sweet, gentle, and kind.

And I appreciated those qualities.  But, I secretly wanted something else, something more.

I wanted a Savior who was strong.

Tough, powerful…maybe even a little scary.


Let me tell you something.

I finally met this Jesus when I read through the New Testament!

The first time I did that, I tried to insert myself into the Gospels.  I tried to picture myself right there beside Jesus and the disciples.  I tried to use my senses to engage the moment – the sights and sounds, the smells.

I tried to imagine Jesus' tone of voice as He spoke.

Sometimes the Bible translates His speaking by using the words – told, said, answered…

But I wonder sometimes.

Scripture tells us WHAT He said, but I wonder – HOW did He say it?

Did He whisper or shout, did He speak with anger or with sympathy, did He smirk or smile or laugh, did He speak with a twinkle in His eye or a scornful frown?

What was His tone, what was His facial expression, what exactly was He conveying?

These things captivate me!

As I perused those cherished *words in red*, a new picture of Jesus began to emerge.

Sometimes He was angry, sarcastic, condescending.  Sometimes He was patient, sympathetic, caring.  Sometimes He spoke quietly, and sometimes He spoke harshly.

Jesus was a multi-faceted person – a PERSON just like you and me.

And upon my reading it became very clear to me that Jesus was not a wimp.

The words that began to form in my mind were these: intelligent, clever, cagey, articulate, combative, confrontational, bold, confident, audacious, daring.

Jesus used His words like weapons when needed.  And He used them wisely and incisively.

He chose His words intentionally – and they were keen, perceptive, insightful, penetrating.


Let me relate one example.

This past week I've been working on my taxes.  Ugh.

And I got to thinking about a particular encounter between Jesus and some spies.  Jesus' enemies were always on the lookout for an opportunity to "trap" Him.

This situation was no different.

First of all, they approach Jesus with false flattery and smarmy groveling:

"Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God."  (Luke 20:21, ESV)

OK, so they're hoping to *butter up* Jesus by using a flattering title and complimentary words.  They're trying to manipulate Him, trying to steer Him to an openness and freedom of conversation with them so they can then ensnare Him.

(As if Jesus is going to fall for this…)

"Is it lawful for us to give tribute [taxes] to Caesar, or not?"
(Luke 20:22, ESV)

(The trap is laid…)

And then, there is this – the part that I just love:

"But he perceived their craftiness…"  (Luke 20:23, ESV)

Other translations use these words: duplicity, trickery, deceit, cunning, guile, scheme.

Jesus KNEW their hearts, knew what they were plotting, and pointedly addressed their intent:

"Why tempt ye me?"  (Luke 20:23, KJV)

OK, so here is one of those times when I try to imagine how Jesus said this.  Did He glare at them with squinty eyes and say this quietly under His breath so only they could hear?  Did His words drip with barely-contained wrath?  Or did He say it loudly so that their plot was exposed to everyone within hearing distance?

And how did they react?

Did they jump back in surprise and fear – even just for a moment?

Then Jesus answers their question:

"Show me a denarius.  Whose likeness and inscription does it have?" 

They said, "Caesar's."

He said to them:

"Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."  (Luke 20:24-25, ESV)


Do you see how clever this reply was?

Jesus was smart, and He was also wise.

And He used His words perfectly.

I have a vision of Him saying this loudly to the crowd, and then turning back around to the spies and looking them full in the face as if to say:

"Aha!  You have your answer, and yet, you have not trapped Me!"

I think Jesus might have smirked in triumph…just a little.

Finally, my favorite part:

"And they were not able...to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent."  (Luke 20:26, ESV)

Other translations say they were: surprised, astonished, amazed, stunned.

But the part that I like the very best?

THEY. BECAME. SILENT.

Yup!

Shut up, speechless, thunderstruck, bowled over, flabbergasted.


You know, I'm kinda re-thinking that whole scene that I mentioned earlier – the encounter on the playground of life.

Perhaps Jesus doesn't walk away from the bullies.  Perhaps He just uses His words, His Word, and they are silenced.

And that, my friends, is not meek and mild.  It is not weak or wimpy.

It is strong, tough, powerful…and yes, maybe even a little scary.

In a good way.


As we ready ourselves for Easter this year, I would encourage you to read those beloved *words in red* in your Bible.

Let them speak to you anew.

Contemplate and ponder – 

How might Jesus have said them?

What was His tone of voice and His intent?  What were His facial expressions? Did He say them with sarcasm or pity or impatience or kindness?  Were they spoken quietly or loudly?

Put yourself there.

And look at Jesus.

The REAL Jesus.

The Jesus who will one day squish our enemies like bugs.  Who will confront those bullies with more than words.  Who will vanquish the foes, win the victory, and reign like a champion, a conqueror, a King.

Jesus.

This Jesus, who died for us.

Paid the price.

So we would never, ever again have to cower in fear.

For He defeated the greatest weapon of our greatest enemy.

He overcame death, and overpowered Satan.

And uttered these triumphant words:

"It is finished!"

"Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!'  And having said this he breathed his last."

(John 19:30 & Luke 23:46, ESV)


Nope.

Jesus is not a wimp.

Not a coward, not a pushover, not a featherweight, not a fool.

He is the strongest man that ever lived.

And He is, indeed, my Friend.

How about you?!

He's got the whole world
in His hands.

(The actual words of Jesus Himself are italicized):


"And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written." (John 21:25, NASB)

"Then the high priest asked him, 'Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?'  Jesus said, 'I AM.  And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God's right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.'" 
(Mark 14:61-62, NLT)

"'But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.  And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.  And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.'" (Mark 13:24-27, ESV)

"In that day the heir to David's throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world.  The nations will rally to him, and the land where he lives will be a glorious place." (Isaiah 11:10, NLT)

"Stop weeping!  Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David's throne, has won the victory." (Revelation 5:5, NLT)

"'To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.'" (Revelation 3:21, NIV)

"Jesus replied, 'I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones...And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.'" 
(Matthew 19:28-29, NLT)

"'Look, I am coming soon!  My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.'" (Revelation 22:12, NIV)

"'I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.  Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world.'" (John 16:33, NLT)



What do you think about Jesus?



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BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?

This is the week of Christmas.

And of course, I am thinking about Jesus – the reason for the season.

You know, even though that phrase might be overused, even though it might sound a bit cliché, it's still the absolute and unchanging truth.

Jesus is The Reason – for the season, for our lives, for everything.

But of course, first and foremost, one must contemplate a very important question:

Who is Jesus?

You know, this is the most important question you will ever be asked in your entire life.  And your answer will determine your eternal destiny.

Jesus Himself even asked the question:

"Who do people say I am?"

Of course, there were many "theories" going around at the time.  I think people knew He was someone special.  Just like today.  Many people think Jesus was a great teacher or philosopher, or a really good man, or maybe even a prophet.

But most people missed the Truth of His identity.

Just like today.

So I thought I'd take a bit of time to contemplate five aspects of who Jesus is, five facts that define who He is, and five ways that these truths might impact your life.


CREATOR

Jesus is the Creator.

We are told this in Scripture:

"For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through him and for him.  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (Colossians 1:16-17, ESV)


Ponder that.

Nothing that you see, not one single thing, including every single person that has ever lived – nothing and no one arrived here by mistake or randomness or fate.

Everything was created.

Let scoffers come up with their theories, let doubters worship destiny.  They are all mistaken.

Jesus was the force behind this amazing *creation of it all*.

And if He created everything, then He retains absolute sovereignty over His creation. 


FACT:  Jesus was the Creator.

APPLICATION:  Therefore, because He is in control, I can trust Him with everything in my life.



CRADLE

Jesus was born as a human being.

And He arrived as a baby.

A lot of people seem to skip over this rather important fact.

It makes a difference, a big difference.

Jesus could have arrived as a man – full-grown and ageless.  But He didn't. He chose instead to come into our world completely vulnerable, totally helpless.

He chose to go through growing pains.

He entered into the human experience of physical development, and emerging emotions, and increasing intellect.

It is why He is our perfect High Priest.

"For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people." 
(Hebrews 2:17, NIV)


Jesus experienced everything that it means to be human.

Jesus knows, He gets it.


FACT: Jesus was a human being.

APPLICATION:  Therefore, because He understands and cares about everything I am going through, I can turn to Him and find comfort and encouragement.



CROSS

Jesus died on a cross.

Many people might be willing to believe that this is a historical fact. 

But most people miss the significance of the Crucifixion.

It wasn't the death of a rebel, it wasn't the execution of a rabble rouser, it wasn't the slaying of a prophet, or even the martyrdom of a saint.

It was nothing short of the murder of the Son of God.

But, and here's the crux of the Cross...

It was NOT a death in vain.  NOT a defeat.  NOT the end, but rather the beginning.

The Resurrection is the climax of the crucifixion, and in that empty tomb lays the true meaning of it all.

Sin was borne and cancelled out.  Death was defied and defeated.

And if we believe in the One who sacrificed His life, the promise of the Cross is eternal Life.


FACT:  Jesus was crucified for our sins.

APPLICATION:  Therefore, I do not have to live a defeated life of guilt and condemnation, for I have been washed of my sins and set free.



CORNERSTONE

Jesus is the cornerstone of the church.

I looked up the definition of a cornerstone:

"The cornerstone (or foundation stone) concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure."

I like that.

Jesus, the cornerstone of our faith, and the reference point that will determine the position of our hearts and the direction of our life.   The bedrock linchpin that holds the church, the Body of Christ, together in unity. 

"You are citizens along with all of God's holy people.  You are members of God's family.  Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets.  And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.  We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord." (Ephesians 2:19-21, NLT) 


Now to those of us who believe, this stone is precious.

But to others, it is a stumbling block.  Jesus – the unavoidable obstacle. The boulder in the road that will cause them to fall if they don't believe.

However, to us as believers, it is The Rock upon which we stand.  

We are promised that the very gates of hell will not prevail against it.

And so, we stand firm.


FACT:  Jesus is the Cornerstone of the church.

APPLICATION:  Therefore, I can stand firm amid the changing winds of opinion and the storms of tribulation.



CROWN

Jesus wears a crown.

After all He went through, all He suffered, all He bore on His sinless shoulders – after all that, He was raised to a position of power and authority.

What began as a crown of thorns was changed into a Crown of majesty and glory and honor.

Jesus Himself declared this:

"Then the high priest asked him, 'Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?'  Jesus said, 'I AM.  And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God's right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.'"
(Mark 14:61-62, NLT)


Yup, there He sits!

And do you know what one aspect of His job description is?

Pleading our case.

Paul asked this profoundly simple, and simply profound question:

"Who is to condemn?"

And the beautiful answer that washes over our souls like a balm of forgiveness is that we are declared "Not Guilty" by the One who died – the One who sits at the right hand of God, the One who is interceding for us.

If God is for us, indeed, who could EVER be against us?

And because of Christ's victory, we will one day receive our reward, too.

One day we will receive the Crown of Life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.


FACT:  Jesus wore a crown of thorns, and now wears a Crown of Glory.

APPLICATION:  Therefore, I must not focus on earthly trials, but focus instead on my imperishable heavenly treasure and everlasting reward.



Who is Jesus?

It's the most important question of all.

And I pray that you join me and many others who have declared with conviction the Truth that Peter proclaimed:

"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!"


May the Lord richly bless you and yours with the full meaning of the Truth about Jesus – The Creator, the One who was born in a Cradle, crucified on a Cross, the One who became the Cornerstone of the church, and now wears a Crown of everlasting glory.


MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I am the resurrection and the life.
The one who believes in me will live,
even though they die.
And whoever lives by believing in me
will never die.

Do you believe this?

(One of my very favorite quotes):

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God.  That is the one thing we must not say.  A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher.  He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice.  Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse.  You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher.  He has not left that open to us.  He did not intend to." 

(C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)



"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:1, 4, ESV)

"'I am the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end…I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come – the Almighty One.'" (Revelation 1:8, NLT)

"Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, 'Hallelujah!  For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.'" 
(Revelation 19:6, ESV)



Who do you say Jesus is?  And how are you celebrating His birth?



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BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

JESUS RULES!

Jesus rules!

Yes, in the language of slang, you can interpret that as meaning – He is really awesome.  Which is true, for sure.  But I'm talking about something else here.

His Authority.

Can you think of some people who have that aura of authority around them? Whose words ring with weight and wisdom?  Whose presence seems somehow larger-than-life?

These are some people on my list who have/had that certain quality about them:

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Billy Graham

C.S. Lewis

Ronald Reagan

John Wayne

Mother Teresa

The Apostle Paul


But at the absolute top of my list is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. And He demonstrated His authority while on this earth in three ways:

1)  He showed authority over the natural world

2)  He showed authority over the physical body

3)  He showed authority over the spiritual realm


Let's expand on those ideas.

First of all, Jesus demonstrated His authority over the natural world. He turned water into wine, He calmed storms, He multiplied physical elements to produce food, He went on some pretty successful fishing trips.

In all of these encounters, Jesus exhibited His God-ness.  He spoke, and the natural world obeyed Him.

Have you ever pondered that deeply?

Jesus controlled atoms and molecules, space and time itself.  Since all things were created through Him and for Him, He spoke as the ultimate power over creation.  His words manipulated the very stuff of matter.  On His word, the natural world bowed to its Master.


Secondly, Jesus demonstrated His authority over the physical body.  He healed the lame, opened the eyes of the blind, cured leprosy, and even raised the dead!

Jesus did what no doctor can do.

He instantly made disability and disease and death disappear.  Poof!  Just like that.

And yet, isn't it rather amazing that He didn't use that power and authority to save His own life?  He could have, you know.  With a word.  Poof!  Just like that.

But He intentionally set aside His authority and gave up His life willingly for a greater purpose than His own safety and healing.

He instead chose to heal the world, and ultimately offer the eternal healing of a resurrected body just like His own.


Finally, Jesus demonstrated His authority over the spiritual realm.  At His word, demons were instantly cast out.  At His word, the devil was spurned. At His word, angels could be summoned to do His every command.

He had the ability to rule the world, and all the heavens, with the power of His will and the direction of His voice.

Jesus had direct access to the Father, instant communion and communication with the Almighty.  He knew the Holy Spirit intimately.


In this Advent season, I'm thinking about this Jesus.

The Jesus who possessed such power and authority.  The Jesus who had command over the natural world, the physical body, and the spiritual realm.

The Jesus who could have come to this world as a mighty conqueror, wielding His power in any way He wanted to, exercising His authority to rule over everything.

And yet, the Jesus who chose instead to come into our world as a baby.

No wonder the world was puzzled, and mystified, and angered by who He was.  He was NOT who they had expected.

The nation of Israel, and perhaps indeed all of humanity, had been looking for a messiah.

What they got was The Messiah.

They wanted a powerful savior, yes.  But they wanted a man.  A man who would exercise power and authority in the political world.  They wanted a man who would restore the nation of Israel.

They wanted a man who would give them back their OWN power and authority.


Are we really any different?

I confess, sometimes I want to "force" Jesus to use His power and authority to make life *work*.

Like in the natural world.

Wouldn't it be nice if He instantly produced money to pay the bills?  Or how about if He created some extra food on the table?  And wouldn't it be great if He stopped some storms or sent some rain?

Douse the wildfires, Lord.  Dam up the floods.  Quiet the earthquakes.

Make the world obey You.


Sometimes I want to "force" Jesus to use His power and authority to make life *work*.

Like in the physical body.

Wouldn't it be nice if He instantly healed sickness and disease?  Or how about if He fixed disabilities and deformities?  And wouldn't it be great if He made germs and viruses and bacterial ailments disappear?

Cure cancer, Lord.  Do away with mental illness.  Abolish death.

Make the body obey You.


Sometimes I want to "force" Jesus to use His power and authority to make life *work*.

Like in the spiritual realm.

Wouldn't it be nice if He kept us from facing temptation?  Or how about if He did away with sinful thoughts and feelings?  And wouldn't it be great if He gave us perfect faith?

Send some angels, Lord.  Get rid of evil influences.  Make the enemy disappear.

Make the spirits obey You.


It sounds wonderful, doesn't it?

And yet, I have to stop and think about this.  If I really had those things, if I really could make Jesus do what it takes to make life *work*, would I really do the right things?

For indeed, if I could manipulate His power and authority, wouldn't I end up re-making Him into my own image?

And in the end, would it really turn out that I had Jesus at all? 

I think that I would find that I had made a messiah, but had totally missed out on The Messiah.


And, after all, that's who arrived in the manger.

THE Messiah – (with a capital "M" – amen!)

The One with ultimate power and authority.  

And yet, the One who laid it all aside to arrive as a helpless baby, a human with weakness and frailty.  The One who willingly relinquished His God-ness and deigned to come into our world.

He, who controlled the natural world, entered atoms and molecules.

He, who controlled the physical body, inhabited one Himself.

He, who controlled the spiritual realm, left angels to walk on earth.


Yes, Jesus had ultimate and sovereign control.

And yet, as mentioned before, He set aside that position of authority for something else.

Someone else.

Me.

And you.

I am stunned by the immensity of this.


You know, truthfully I don't really want to control Him.  I just want to know Him.  More and more, forever and ever.

JESUS RULES!!

He gave up His divine privileges.
He took the humble position of a servant.
He became like other human beings.
And was born in the likeness of men.

(THE NATURAL WORLD)

"And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger.  And they went and woke him, saying, 'Master, Master, we are perishing!'  And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm...And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, 'Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?'" (Luke 8:23-25, ESV)

(THE PHYSICAL BODY)

"John's two disciples found Jesus and said to him, 'John the Baptist sent us to ask, 'Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?'  At that very time, Jesus cured many people of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind.  Then he told John's disciples, 'Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard – the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.  And tell him, 'God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.'" 

(Luke 7:20-23, NLT)

(THE SPIRITUAL REALM)

"When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons...When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, 'What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg you, do not torment me.'  For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man...Jesus then asked him, 'What is your name?'  And he said, 'Legion,' for many demons had entered him...Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these.  So he gave them permission.  Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned." (From Luke 8:27-33, ESV)

(THE MESSIAH)

"At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon.  He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel...That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there.  He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, 'Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised.  I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people.  He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!'" (From Luke 2, NLT)

"'But what about you?' [Jesus] asked. 'Who do you say I am?' Peter answered, 'You are the Messiah.'" (Mark 8:29, NIV)

"...these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:31, NIV)

(HIS AUTHORITY)

"And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.'" (Matthew 28:18, ESV)

"Jesus answered [Pilate], 'You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.'" (John 19:11, ESV)

"'Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?'" (Matthew 26:53, NIV)

"And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit." (Matthew 27:50, ESV)

(HIS RULE AND REIGN FOREVER)

"Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.  Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.  When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.  Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:6-11, NLT)

"Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.  For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.  The last enemy to be destroyed is death.  For he 'has put everything under his feet...When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.'" 

(1 Corinthians 15:24-28, NIV)

"... I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven.  He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence.  He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him.  His rule is eternal – it will never end.  His kingdom will never be destroyed."

(Daniel 7:13-14, NLT)

"Jesus said, 'It is finished.'" (John 19:30, NIV)

"'Look, I am coming soon...I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.'"(Revelation 22:12-13, NLT)

In this Advent season, will you take another look at the manger and see the humbleness of a Savior who laid aside His God-ness to become one of us?

How can you worship Him anew?

Linked with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, UNFORCED RHYTHMS, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, INSPIRE ME MONDAY, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, MAKE A DIFFERENCE MONDAYS, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, SOLI DEO GLORIA, TITUS 2 TUESDAYS, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, UNITE, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TITUS 2SDAY, WINSOME WEDNESDAY, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAYS, CAPTURE YOUR JOURNEY, TEACHING WHAT IS GOOD, SO MUCH AT HOME, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, TELL HIS STORY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, THRIVING THURSDAY, EVERYDAY JESUS, SHINE, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, HEARTS FOR HOME, GRACE AT HOME, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAYS, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAYS, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAY, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, A GROUP LOOK, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, MISSIONAL WEEKEND, STILL SATURDAY, SATURDAY SOIREE, RECOMMENDATION SATURDAY, SUNDAY STILLNESS, GIVE ME GRACE, WEEKEND BREW

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"