TGIF

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29 Responses

  1. Please Note says:

    Amen!

    Good Morning Michael, how’s Trey?

  2. bishopdave says:

    Best I’ve ever read on this passage. Well done.

  3. Michael says:

    PN,

    He’s feeling better this morning…got some solid food in him and he’s not as inflamed as he’s been.
    Thanks for asking, my friend.

  4. Michael says:

    Thank you, B. Dave…it’s a different take, but I think it applies.

  5. Those disciples, men & women who were following Jesus around, they were part of the same community as the poor widow.

    Knowing how this faith thing works, I have faith that she didn’t remain nameless and faceless, it’s just that “the rest of the story” unfolded in secret, Just as Jesus intends according to what he told His followers on how to do good and give.

    Jesus’ impact on His followers wasn’t merely cerebral, knowing the impact of God within community, He has a subversive effect on His people…
    …they loosen up
    …they rediscover resources they overlooked minutes ago
    …a few individuals actually get off their butts and reach out and make a difference
    …they write songs of vision & encouragement and provoke others to sing

    “I Lived” (written for his child)

    Hope when you take that jump
    You don’t fear the fall
    Hope when the water rises
    You build a wall

    Hope when the crowd screams out
    They’re screaming your name
    Hope if everybody runs
    You choose to stay

    Hope that you fall in love
    And it hurts so bad
    The only way you can know
    Is give it all you have

    And I hope that you don’t suffer
    But take the pain
    Hope when the moment comes
    You’ll say…

    [Chorus]
    I, I did it all
    I, I did it all
    I owned every second
    That this world could give
    I saw so many places
    The things that I did
    Yeah, with every broken bone
    I swear I lived

    Hope that you spend your days
    But they all add up
    And when that sun goes down
    Hope you raise your cup

    I wish that I could witness
    All your joy and all your pain
    But until my moment comes
    I’ll say…

    [Chorus]
    I, I did it all
    I, I did it all
    I owned every second
    That this world could give
    I saw so many places
    The things that I did
    Yeah, with every broken bone
    I swear I lived

    [Bridge]
    Whoa
    Whoa
    Whoa
    Oh
    Oh
    Yeah, with every broken bone
    I swear I lived
    Yeah, with every broken bone
    I swear I lived

    [Chorus]
    I, I did it all
    I, I did it all
    I owned every second
    That this world could give
    I saw so many places
    The things that I did
    Yeah, with every broken bone
    I swear I lived

    [Outro]
    Whoa
    Whoa
    Whoa
    Oh
    Oh

  6. Linda Pappas says:

    Michael,

    Thank you for going for sharing the meat, not just the milk on this one. Won’t say why, I think you already know.

  7. Ah yes, the bible story that convinced me it was better to give just a mite to my church instead of larger sums. 🙂

  8. Michael says:

    Linda,

    Thank you…I hope it encouraged you to keep on keeping on, my friend.

  9. Dusty says:

    You matter!!! (((Hugs)))) 🙂

  10. Nonnie says:

    Once again my heart sings and weeps, all at the same time . Beautiful ! Thank you, Michael.

  11. Michael says:

    Thank you, Nonnie.
    Dusty, I hope everyone who reads this comes away knowing they matter to God.

  12. Dusty says:

    I matter. I matter…Nonnie, Sis and you are helping me to believe that….

  13. Dusty says:

    Nonnie you matter to me too!

  14. Dusty says:

    Michael I hope you know how much you matter to me.

  15. London says:

    What is this painting and who is the artist?
    I live the detail work of what I can see.
    Although, I’ve always thought (or been taught) the woman was old and poor and not that she was so beautiful.
    Still would like to see the whole image.

  16. Michael says:

    Dusty,

    I know…

  17. Michael says:

    London,

    I’ll see if I can find out.
    The most interesting think about the art made around this widow is that many of the paintings show her with children…

  18. Anonymos says:

    A salute and “thank you” on this 70th anniversary of D-Day. If the Allies hadn’t turned WWII around, we might all be Nazis today.

    Scroll about 2/3 of the way down and see the look on a French D-Day vet.

    http://theobamadiary.com/

  19. London says:

    Thanks Michael. Looks like that’s the whole image then.
    If it were “realistic” though all the old guys would be fussing all over that widow. She’s much too young and beautiful for this story 😉

  20. Papias says:

    Good word Michael. Going to chew on this one for a bit.

  21. Nonnie says:

    I’m guessing that there were many “young ” widows in those days .

  22. Muff Potter says:

    Anonymous @ # 19 wrote:
    A salute and “thank you” on this 70th anniversary of D-Day. If the Allies hadn’t turned WWII around, we might all be Nazis today.

    The Allies entered the land conflict in the West only after it was assured that the Wehrmacht in the East was finished. The Russian people bore the heaviest brunt of the cost in defeating Hitler. Don’t get me wrong, I too salute all our vets, I’m one myself, but fact is fact, it was Russia that did the lion’s share.

  23. I just realized. One of those Pharisees in the art looks like Gimli the dwarf almost.

  24. London says:

    LOL. I was seeing them as dwarves as well.

  25. sisterchristian says:

    What a deeply beautiful truth you have highlighted from this passage …….thank you

  26. sisterchristian says:

    Dusty-
    You matter a great deal!
    You have made a significant difference; a positive encouraging influence to so many lives your sweet spirit has encountered

    There have been more than a few days when I thank our Lord That He brought our paths alongside one another…

  27. If you live by conscience and not by convention then you will likely have some problems. Most ministers do not end their ministry in honor but in dishonor and shame. That is not directly what is being talked about here but it comes to mind.

    Having been a baptist and left them after ‘going charismatic’ there is no where that I have served that would welcome me with open arms. They are, justifiably, skeptical and offended at the changes. My ministries were without scandal, without rancor, without divisiveness and with a varying amount of ‘success’ or if you will, effectiveness.

    Nevertheless, those churches do not view me as having been a man to honor. So at 60 I serve a church that I founded. It is the only possibility of finishing well. The truth is that most of us who are older, serve too long, are unaware of our fading impact and helpfulness and leave because …well… we simply are done. “He stayed too long” is the common refrain.

    Better do this for Jesus, better do this because you must, better do this without expectation of appropriate reward. Most stories are like the woman, you pay the price and go your way. And when you are gone you have the LORD as your reward.

    Musing aloud. Sometimes I shouldn’t. Sometimes it just looks foggy and cloudy and damp even in the sunshine.

  28. Michael says:

    BD,

    Your musings always have substance…this was no exception.

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