Many of today's verses were confusing, so I marked several of them for later contemplation. Today is not a day to sit and ponder what I do not understand, as I have timelines to meet, and people who will be expecting me to be ready for action.
There were two verses that were easily understood at my current level of understanding.
Proverbs 19, 21: "Many are the plans in a man's heart, for it is the decision of the Lord that endures."
I make plans, and God laughs.
What I must do is listen and live.
Proverbs 19, 20: "Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may eventually become wise."
Last night was Pastor Tim's retirement party. He filled the room with over 250 family and friends. They praised his wisdom. They praised his life's work, his daily devotions to the word of God, his ministry, his contribution to God's teachings, the way he loves with God as his example. Pastor Tim made plans and God endorsed them. He listened to the word of the Lord, received the instruction, and lived his life according to the Word. He is a good example. I only wish that someday, I may be so wise.
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Friday, July 18, 2014
Proverbs 17 and 18
Proverbs 17:
17,3: The crucible for silver, and the furnace for gold, but the tester of hearts is the Lord
17, 9: He who covers up a misdeed fosters friendship, but he who gossips about it separates friends.
17, 14: The start of strife is like the opening of a dam; therefore, check a quarrel before it begins!
17, 17: He who is a friend is always a friend, and a brother is born for the time of stress.
17, 22: A joyful heart is the health of the body, but a depressed spirit dries up the bones.
17, 24: The man of intelligence fixes his gaze on wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
17, 28: Even a fool, if he keeps silent, is considered wise; if he closes his lips, intelligent.
Proverbs 18:
18, 10: The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the just man runs to it and is safe.
18, 12: Before his downfall a man's heart is haughty, but humility goes before honors.
18, 13: He who answers before he hears - his is the folly and the shame.
18, 15: The mind of the intelligent gains knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
18, 16: A man's gift clears the way for him, and gains him access to great men.
18, 19: A brother is a better defense than a strong city, and a friend is like the bars of a castle.
18, 24: Some friends bring ruin on us, but a true friend is more loyal than a brother.
L3: He who is late to work too many days in a row, loses his job. (aka - get moving!)
17,3: The crucible for silver, and the furnace for gold, but the tester of hearts is the Lord
17, 9: He who covers up a misdeed fosters friendship, but he who gossips about it separates friends.
17, 14: The start of strife is like the opening of a dam; therefore, check a quarrel before it begins!
17, 17: He who is a friend is always a friend, and a brother is born for the time of stress.
17, 22: A joyful heart is the health of the body, but a depressed spirit dries up the bones.
17, 24: The man of intelligence fixes his gaze on wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
17, 28: Even a fool, if he keeps silent, is considered wise; if he closes his lips, intelligent.
Proverbs 18:
18, 10: The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the just man runs to it and is safe.
18, 12: Before his downfall a man's heart is haughty, but humility goes before honors.
18, 13: He who answers before he hears - his is the folly and the shame.
18, 15: The mind of the intelligent gains knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
18, 16: A man's gift clears the way for him, and gains him access to great men.
18, 19: A brother is a better defense than a strong city, and a friend is like the bars of a castle.
18, 24: Some friends bring ruin on us, but a true friend is more loyal than a brother.
L3: He who is late to work too many days in a row, loses his job. (aka - get moving!)
Proverbs 16 - Maxims for Good Living
Proverbs 16:3: Entrust your works to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.
Proverbs 16:7: When the Lord is pleased with a man's ways, he makes even his enemies be at peace with him.
Proverbs 16:9: In his mind a man plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:11: Balance and scales belong to the Lord; all the weights used with them are his concern.
Proverbs 16:20: He who plans a thing will be successful, happy is he who trusts in the Lord.
Proverbs 16:23: The wise of the wise man makes him eloquent, and augments the persuasiveness of his lips.
Proverbs 16:24: Pleasing words are a honeycomb, sweet to the taste and healthful to the body.
Proverbs 16:31: Gray hair is a crown of glory. It is gained by virtuous living.
Grandma and Mom both had books of maxims that spoke to them and were the words they used to teach us, and to live their lives. My sisters and I have carried on the habit of gathering maxims and the verses above are well worth adding to the collection.
There is so much wealth and wisdom within these verses that they speak for themselves. (Plus I am behind and need to write about two more chapters!)
Proverbs 14 and 15
So many Proverbs, so little time. In the middle of summer, my garden consumes great amounts of time. However, I know better. Last year I did not spend much time in my garden, yet produce still arrived in over-abundance. I have been reading the chapters of Proverbs, thus fulfilling the assignment from Lora, marking verses that strike me, but not writing about it, so the verse in Chapter 14 that needs to be lifted up is: Proverbs 14:23: In all labor there is profit, but mere talk tends only to penury.
Proverbs 15
Proverbs 15:13: A glad heart lights up the face, but my mental anguish the spirit is broken.
Proverbs 15: 15: Every day is miserable for the depressed, but a lighthearted man has a continual feast.
Proverbs 15:17: Better a dish of herbs where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it.
So much to write about - so much. I have been experiencing days of grief over losing my Mom in November and the scars on my heart have been re-opened. My friend/sister, Shelley, continues to pray for me and tries to keep me lighthearted despite the anguish. She portrays a life of a feast, thus is a good example that even when life throws things at us that are hard and depressing, life is our daily feast from God. And thus, it is better to have a dish of herbs with love, a lovely image portraying a plate full of God who loves us and helps us through the daily difficulties.
- Penury: extreme poverty; destitution
- There is my life. I work, I do things, yet I have always wanted to be a writer. Yet, being a writer is mostly "mere talk" when it comes to the daily decisions of how to spend my days. It is the last thing that I "let" myself do in the face of all other work that calls my name.
- Thus my excuse for not writing my daily blog - thus my penury.
Proverbs 15
Proverbs 15:13: A glad heart lights up the face, but my mental anguish the spirit is broken.
Proverbs 15: 15: Every day is miserable for the depressed, but a lighthearted man has a continual feast.
Proverbs 15:17: Better a dish of herbs where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it.
So much to write about - so much. I have been experiencing days of grief over losing my Mom in November and the scars on my heart have been re-opened. My friend/sister, Shelley, continues to pray for me and tries to keep me lighthearted despite the anguish. She portrays a life of a feast, thus is a good example that even when life throws things at us that are hard and depressing, life is our daily feast from God. And thus, it is better to have a dish of herbs with love, a lovely image portraying a plate full of God who loves us and helps us through the daily difficulties.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Proverbs 12 and 13
Reading one chapter a day was a great idea. Chapters 12 and 13 are jam packed with great verses, so i think it would be a good practice to repeat reading a verse a day every July. Since there are so many awesome verses, I am going to pick a verse or two from each chapter as to fortify and encourage wise behavior in this current stage of life.
Proverbs 12:11: "He who tills his own land has food in plenty, but he who follows idle pursuits is a fool." I took this verse literally yesterday and now have three blisters on my hands, and aching muscles from spending six hours in the garden. It looks so much better today and the tomatoes and cucumbers will be so much nicer since they are staked, so I know there will be plenty to share as well as to eat. However today, the second part of the verse continues to prod me on... "but he who follows idle pursuits is a fool." Today my bones ache, my hands hurt and I am tired. The temptation to sit on the couch, knit and nap is great. Yet, if I would put in some quality time in the garden today again, we could have fresh green beans and cucumbers for supper, and the vine crop will have a chance to see more sunshine if the four foot tall weeds are removed from the fenceline. The temptation to be idle is great, yet this verse tells me not to be idle.
Proverbs 13:11: "Wealth quickly gotten dwindles away, but amassed little by little, it grows." When my Mom died last year, I put $2,000 of the money I received from her in a checking account. She used to give me a $20 bill when I would pick her up and take her places "to pay for my gas." I always told her she didn't have to do that, but she would ignore me and put the money in my car's dashboard. It frequently came in handy when I needed cash, but there were many $20's that ended up in my secret stash and are still there. However, the $2,000 ran out this week. I used the money to treat myself periodically - buy yarn, get my hair done (many times), buy more yarn, etc. There is something different about money you accumulate slowly vs. that given to you in a larger chunk. The $2,000 is gone, yet I still have some of the $20's she gave me.
Proverbs 13:20: "Walk with the wise man and you will become wise. but the companion of fools will fare badly." I am blessed to have friends and family who possess wisdom, who make wise choices and encourage similar behavior. Walking with them makes me a better person and I am grateful for their presence in my life.
Proverbs 12:11: "He who tills his own land has food in plenty, but he who follows idle pursuits is a fool." I took this verse literally yesterday and now have three blisters on my hands, and aching muscles from spending six hours in the garden. It looks so much better today and the tomatoes and cucumbers will be so much nicer since they are staked, so I know there will be plenty to share as well as to eat. However today, the second part of the verse continues to prod me on... "but he who follows idle pursuits is a fool." Today my bones ache, my hands hurt and I am tired. The temptation to sit on the couch, knit and nap is great. Yet, if I would put in some quality time in the garden today again, we could have fresh green beans and cucumbers for supper, and the vine crop will have a chance to see more sunshine if the four foot tall weeds are removed from the fenceline. The temptation to be idle is great, yet this verse tells me not to be idle.
Proverbs 13:11: "Wealth quickly gotten dwindles away, but amassed little by little, it grows." When my Mom died last year, I put $2,000 of the money I received from her in a checking account. She used to give me a $20 bill when I would pick her up and take her places "to pay for my gas." I always told her she didn't have to do that, but she would ignore me and put the money in my car's dashboard. It frequently came in handy when I needed cash, but there were many $20's that ended up in my secret stash and are still there. However, the $2,000 ran out this week. I used the money to treat myself periodically - buy yarn, get my hair done (many times), buy more yarn, etc. There is something different about money you accumulate slowly vs. that given to you in a larger chunk. The $2,000 is gone, yet I still have some of the $20's she gave me.
Proverbs 13:20: "Walk with the wise man and you will become wise. but the companion of fools will fare badly." I am blessed to have friends and family who possess wisdom, who make wise choices and encourage similar behavior. Walking with them makes me a better person and I am grateful for their presence in my life.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Proverbs 10-11: Part II of the book of Proverbs: First Collection of the Proverbs of Solomon
My bible describes Solomon's proverbs as 375 proverbs meant to be distinct from the others developing one idea through contrasting parallelism in chapters 10-15 and a climactic treatment in 16-22.
These verses remind me of Grandma's quotes, and Mom's quotes, and Linda's quotes. Different quotes speak differently to us depending on the times in our lives and what we need to hear, so I'm going to put in a few of my favorites from Proverbs 10-11.
10, 12: Hatred stirs up disputes, but love covers all offenses.
10, 19: Where words are many, sin is not wanting, but he who restrains his lips does well.
10, 22: It is the Lord's blessings that brings wealth, and no effort can substitute for it.
10, 23: Crime is the entertainment of the fool; so is wisdom for the man of sense.
11, 5: The honest man's virtue makes his way straight, but by his wickedness the wicked man falls. (brings us back to making a straight path!)
11, 12: He who reviles his neighbor has no sense, but the intelligent man keeps silent.
11, 13: A newsmonger reveals secrets, but a trustworthy man keeps a confidence.
11, 22: Like a golden ring in a swine's snout is a beautiful woman with a rebellious disposition.
11, 23: The desire of the just ends only in good; the expectations of the wicked is wrath.
11, 24: One man is lavish yet grows still richer; another is too sparing, yet is the poorer.
11, 25: He who confers benefits will be amply enriched, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Good stuff dear Solomon.
These verses remind me of Grandma's quotes, and Mom's quotes, and Linda's quotes. Different quotes speak differently to us depending on the times in our lives and what we need to hear, so I'm going to put in a few of my favorites from Proverbs 10-11.
10, 12: Hatred stirs up disputes, but love covers all offenses.
10, 19: Where words are many, sin is not wanting, but he who restrains his lips does well.
10, 22: It is the Lord's blessings that brings wealth, and no effort can substitute for it.
10, 23: Crime is the entertainment of the fool; so is wisdom for the man of sense.
11, 5: The honest man's virtue makes his way straight, but by his wickedness the wicked man falls. (brings us back to making a straight path!)
11, 12: He who reviles his neighbor has no sense, but the intelligent man keeps silent.
11, 13: A newsmonger reveals secrets, but a trustworthy man keeps a confidence.
11, 22: Like a golden ring in a swine's snout is a beautiful woman with a rebellious disposition.
11, 23: The desire of the just ends only in good; the expectations of the wicked is wrath.
11, 24: One man is lavish yet grows still richer; another is too sparing, yet is the poorer.
11, 25: He who confers benefits will be amply enriched, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Good stuff dear Solomon.
Chapter 9 - The Two Banquets
This chapter has lots of content!
noun \-brē-əm\
: very strong disapproval or criticism of a person or thing especially by a large number of people
: something that brings disgrace
: public disgrace or ill fame that follows from conduct considered grossly wrong or vicious
- The two banquets - Wisdom's (1-6, 11) with seasoned meat and wine, inviting the simple to her table, and Folly's (13-18) with stolen water and secretly gotten bread and guests of the nether world.
- Verses 7-9 covering how to interact with arrogant or wicked men, and with wise men
- Verses 10 and 12 (because verse 11 is between 6 and 7) discussing the beginning of wisdom and understanding (through fear of the Lord and knowledge of the Holy One).
- There are also some great words:
noun \-brē-əm\
: very strong disapproval or criticism of a person or thing especially by a large number of people
: something that brings disgrace
: public disgrace or ill fame that follows from conduct considered grossly wrong or vicious
fol•ly (13)
noun \ˈfä-lē\
: the lack of good sense or judgment
: a foolish act or idea : foolish behavior
: a very unusual or fancy building that was built in a garden for decoration or amusement in the past
noun \ˈfä-lē\
: the lack of good sense or judgment
: a foolish act or idea : foolish behavior
: a very unusual or fancy building that was built in a garden for decoration or amusement in the past
inane (13)
adjective \i-ˈnān\
: very silly or stupid
: empty, insubstantial
adjective \i-ˈnān\
: very silly or stupid
: empty, insubstantial
The best story about Wisdom's banquet came from Shelley's e-mail yesterday describing the banquet that the Lord has put out for her and her family. Many good things were served, some hard things were included, but the banquet was definitely served by wisdom, and received in the way of understanding.
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