Monthly Archives: November 2011

Genesis 17:1-28:19

I didn’t get the chance to blog last night because my daughter cheered at her 2nd game. She is more important, so I’m updating now. I’ll just give you the highlights, and hope you will read it for yourself. Let me know your thought too.

1. I was surprised when Abraham laughed to himself in disbelief as God told him Sarah would give him a child. Even though he had doubts, he still obeyed God.

2. Genesis 18:14 Is anything too hard for the Lord?

3. I questioned Lot and his intentions when he offered his daughters to such wicked men. Do you think he was banking on them not being interested in her?

4. I love that the angel grabbed Lot’s hand and his wife’s and rushed them out of the city. How cool is that?

5. The faith of Abraham has always stunned me when God asks him to sacrifice Isaac. I wish I could say I would be just like him, but I know I would honestly argue with God. What I’ve never really paid attention to is Isaac. I mean, he asks where the sacrificial animal is and Abraham tells him that God will provide, but then Abraham straps him on the altar. Isaac didn’t resist! It was then that God intervened.

6. Jacob deceives Esau for his birthright but Esau saw what he wanted and exaggerated starvation. Instant gratification early on in the bible! Esau didn’t stop to think about the consequences.

7. Isaac follows his fathers footsteps-tell them you are my sister. Was he shaped by his father?

8. Jacob deceives a second time when he listens to Rebekah and gets Isaac to bless him.

Ok, you go read it and come back so we can talk about it!

Yay Me!

I’m doing the happy dance right now because I have finally switched my blog over to my own domain and changed the theme. All by myself! Technically challenged me!

Genesis 1:1-16:16

After a rough start, I can officially check day one off the list. I should know by now that making a commitment like this gets satan all out of whack, so that he then takes it out on me. Well try as he might, he did not win.

I listened to the reading on my phone by using You Version, and after dinner I sat down with a pen and journal to do the reading. I wanted to share a few of the things I jotted down.

-God CHOSE to create heaven and earth because He loves us and wants to fellowship with us.
-By placing the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden, God gave Adam a choice to obey God or not. Without the choice or free will, the obedience is hollow. We have to choose God. The simple disobedience of eating the fruit brought sin into the world, and their family when Cain killed Abel.Shortly thereafter, Lamech also kills a  man.
-Noah was a man that fully loved and obeyed God when the rest of humanity didn’t. “Everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.” Gen 6:5 NLT
-“So Noah did everything exactly as God commanded him.” That is stated twice, in verse 6:22 and again in 7:5. Can I say the same?
-Abram moved in faith when God called him to. God promised to bless him if he obeyed, and through the line of Abram, Jesus was born to save us.
-12:14 Abram lied to Pharaoh about Sarai because he lost faith in God to protect him, and he brought hardship upon them.
-King Melchizedek only ever appears in chapter 14, verses 17-20, yet it is obvious he loved God and he blessed Abram.
-Sarai showed her lack of faith when she gave Hagar to Abram. She had the opportunity to be patient and wait for God to move and give her a child but she took things in her own hands. Once Hagar was pregnant, she changed and Sarai took her frustrations out on her, so much so that Hagar ran away. I chuckled when Sarai looked to Abram for help in the situation and he told her, “look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” The angel of the Lord told Hagar to return to Sarai and submit to her authority and he would bless her. I just thought of how I try to control situations sometimes and God still works in the mess that I make.

I would love to share these insights every day, but I’m not going to make a promise.  The next two nights will be filled with Basketball games and practices. I enjoyed digging deeper into the reading today.

Read the BIble in 90 Days

I’m going to be reading through the Bible  in 90 days again. The last time I did this, I read the NIV. Recently though, I have been reaching for the NLT, so that is what I will be using. Specifically, it is the Tyndale Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation.

I have heard people say they read through the Bible in 90 days just to say they have read it, and if that’s you, that is fine. I am going to use this time to dig deep and really use the study guide. I have a journal where I plan to jot down verses that jump out at me, thoughts that I have, and prayers. It will probably take me an hour each day, but I can’t think of any better way to spend it! I’m part of a Facebook group for accountability and support, and really looking forward to it. I’d love it if you would join me too! There is a link to the Reading guide at the top of this page where you will find two versions of reading plans. The second one gives you two “grace” days which may be helpful around the holidays. That is the plan that I will be following this time, so I can be on schedule with everyone else.

Please let me know in the comment section if you want to join us tomorrow, or if you have done this in the past.

An interview with Mitch Albom

I had the pleasure of talking to Mitch Albom today about his latest book turned movie, Have a Little Faith. It is a true story of Mitch’s journey to know his old rabbi better. Five words started this journey. His 82 year old rabbi asked, “will you do my eulogy?”

Mitch had grown up with the rabbi since he was six months old, but had fallen away from the church. He calls it apathy. Everything was going ok in his life without God, so he really didn’t feel the need to find a church. So when he ran into the rabbi at a speaking engagement, and he asked him to deliver his eulogy, Mitch thought he should know the rabbi as a man. They began to meet.

At this same time, Mitch met with a Detroit pastor who was a reformed drug dealer and convict. They were two very different men, in two very different situations, but they had a similarity that bound them together. It was their faith. Believing in something bigger than yourself. What transpired in those meetings sparked a change in Mitch.

You can watch this Hallmark movie, Have a Little Faith, this Sunday November 27th on ABC at 9/8C.

Here is what we talked about today.

Me: You call yourself a cynic. What changed you?

Mitch Albom:  I think when you see people living a life of faith up close, away from the pulpit and robes, you see it’s a very admirable and special thing. I saw how faith guided their lives, and how it completely turned Henry’s life around.

Me: This is your fourth movie. Did you have a lot of control in the process of making it?

Mitch: I think I had the most important say so. When Hallmark approached me, my request was that it be done in Detroit, where it all took place. They came to Detroit and we sat in pews for the business meeting. This movie was made where it happened, with real congregants and real homeless people.

Me: What do you hope people learn from this movie?

Mitch: That faith pull us together, it doesn’t divide us. You can be black, white, Christian, or Jew. You can be very different but still find common ground in faith.

Me: I saw you had a charity premier at the Emagine Theater in Detroit. Tell me how that went.

Mitch: All the stars were there from the movie, and they didn’t have to be! Before the premier they came down to the church and got to hang out with some of the people. There were 1600 people in a donated multiplex theater, with the movie showing on ten screens. Over $60,000 was made in one night to help fix up the church.

Me: What is one thing you want my readers to know?

Mitch: It’s never too late to wander back to God. It’s not a one way street. You’re not a hypocrite. You learn everyday about new things, and new lessons. You learn and admit that you were wrong to walk away. Come back. You won’t be punished. You can always go back to God if you want.

Thank you Mitch! It was an honor to talk to you today, and my family is looking forward to watching Have a Little Faith this Sunday night on ABC at 9/8C.

You need to watch it too!  Have a Little Faith

Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom

UPDATE: The movie was on ABC last Sunday. If you missed it, check out the Hallmark Channel as it should be on very soon.

I am so excited to bring you this sneak peak of Mitch Albom’s new movie. For some reason I can’t embed the video, so please click on the link.

Have a Little Faith

The movie premieres Sunday, November 27th at 9pm Eastern/8pm Central on ABC. A big thanks to Hallmark for making such wonderful family friendly movies!

I know where I’m going to be Sunday night after Thanksgiving, what about you?

Be sure to meet me back here the following Monday because I will be interviewing Mitch and sharing the details with all of you!

Victory with Jesus

It was pointed out to me by a dear Godly friend that I have the tendency to try and control things. This is not a trait I am proud of, and it’s not something that I fight all the time. I notice it when life is getting away from me, we’re a little to busy, satan is whispering in my ear, and I feel like I can’t see the shore.

It’s so great to have friends who lovingly call you out and gently advise you. I left our coffee meeting with a lighter heart and direction. Not a newfound direction, because she told me to pray, and I know I need to pray. Need to pray!

Do you ever get so busy that you forget to pray?

Me too.

I have no excuse.

Forgive me Jesus. Please forgive me for taking you out of my day, and trying to take control of things all on my own. I am sorry, and I know I can’t do anything without you. You have already won the battle. You know the details of my battles, and with You I will be victorious too.

I want to share some scripture that really speaks to this. I found this during my quiet time, and I know that God gave it to me to share with you.

Romans 8:31-37
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one-for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one-for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 

Ahhh, overwhelming victory! Yes please!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Halloween 2011

So Halloween brings up all sorts of differing opinions, most of which I just toss up to opinion. We’ve always gone trick or treating and it’s just something fun to do. Get dressed up and visit family for candy. Some years we would visit the trunk or treat at church, and neighborhoods of friends. My two oldest are really too old to participate at 15 and 13, but the 13 year old held out this year and went with a couple of his buddies.

It seems to get tricky with Matthew because he is easily frightened by scary masks and crazy people that jump out at you from under a pile of leaves. Wonder where he gets that from? Ummm ME! Come on people, there are little children walking around trying to get loads of candy and you make it your goal in life to scare the bejeezus out of them! Not to mention moms who could possibly have a heart attack because of the sudden fright.

This year he really surprised me though. I think it’s a sign of him growing up, which makes daddy smile and mommy cry a little. He walked right up to those doors and rang the doorbell, said Trick or Treat, and even said Thank you! I am so proud of him! He even braved walking by the Scream statue, very slowly albeit, but all by himself. No siblings there to ease the fears, and daddy and I stood on the sidewalk. 

We went to a start up neighborhood just across the street from us and learned that they weren’t expecting many trick or treaters and they gave HANDFULS of candy. So we spent half the time and got twice the candy. Bonus!

Grandma and Grandpa were our last stop and he was not disappointed there. He quickly dumped the cauldron of goods into his bag and proceeded to raid all the candy jars too. Shortly after that he was bounding from couch to couch and I was saying, ” No more CANDY!”

Matthew knows the history behind Halloween, but he told me to him it’s all about fun and candy. I don’t think there’s a better way to look at it. I’m sure to some there is a dark connotation associated with the holiday, but to us its for fun. And we’re stickin’ to it. Literally!