69 thoughts on “Our Daily Thread 1-26-13”

  2. I am off to the Vestry retreat today.
    I keep reminding myself that life is good. It isn’t always great, but it is always good.

    If Donna didn’t share the link to her article here yesterday she really needs to.

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  3. Good morning from the Gem State! For some reason 32 degrees in Idaho doesn’t feel as cold as 32 degrees in SoCal. Roads were crazy with the freezing rain though. And I did some fantasitic ice surfing on my sister in-law’s steep drive way. Nailed it!

    QoD: Well this is not my usual afternoon, but today we will visit my sister and brother in-law and then wonder over to the Idaho Center to spend an evening with George Strait on his Cowboy Rides Away Tour. Martina McBride is opening for him.

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  4. In answer to Cheryl’s question a few days back, I asked a friend and got her response by email. Here is her response only I am taking out the name of her child:

    “I can’t speak for 6th-graders who attend a school that goes up to 8th grade, but at a middle school there is no recess. _______ barely has enough time to eat her lunch! I do believe that I have seen some of the work displayed by students on certain walls in the school — I think there was a math project that had a visual aid that _______ was involved in, and it was displayed on a school wall. I don’t think that you would see the amount of artwork/etc. displayed that you might see in an elementary school.”

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  6. A relaxing afternoon is one in which there are games to play either outside if one is up to that or inside board or card games with family and friends. A walk taken in good weather at a nature preserve is relaxing. Gazing at a pond where ducks are swimming, watching people walk their dogs and meeting up with others doing the same and checking out the dogs’ reactions, watching a fire in the fireplace while sipping apple cider or hot cocoa and smelling good things cooking in the kitchen are relaxing I could go on,,,engaging in hobbies, listening to soothing music either live or from another source…relaxing with any of these is good but finding the time to get around to doing these things sometimes seems impossible. The best I do these days is to play a board game once in awhile.

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  8. Everyone,

    I posted a link to Donna’s story in the news thread. Just click on the red lettered words TheDailyBreeze and it will take you to it. It’s a fine story, and you should read it if you have the time.

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  9. I have never considered what a “relaxing afternoon” might be.

    Chas’ back hurts. I know the problem. Since I didn’t go to Lions yesterday, I spent a large part of the day doing income tax. That, with a small amount of blogging means that I was on this computer.
    I have very bad posture on the computer. I try to remember to straighten up, but find that most of the time I’m slumped over. It’ll go away, it as before.
    But it is a nusiance.

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  10. Yes, long hours doing taxes can be a pain in the brain, as well as in the body! But there can be some relief when in the tax preparer’s office a person gets good news of an unexpected refund and they do a happy dance. 🙂

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  11. great story Donna!
    Me neither. Idon’t see how they can compress the story into a two hour movie.
    I wonder if they plan to leae out his conversion experience?
    Maybe the brutality of the prison camp.

    Strange thing about that book. I remember reading the book. But I don’t have a reecord of haveing read it. I keep a list of books:
    1. That I have and need to read
    2. Books that I have read
    3. Books that I want to read.
    I have no record of it.
    Amazon says I boutht it in May of 2011.
    It isn’t on my Kindle
    It isn’t on my bookshelf.
    Strange

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  19. It’s a lazy Saturday morning around here…

    Regarding sixth grade girls: Having a seventh-grade girl of my own, I’m pretty familiar with this subject. Here in Houston, sixth grade is part of junior high. There is no recess and no art work on the walls. The girls text each other incessantly. They talk about movies, music and T.V. shows and of course, other girls. I personally think sixth grade should still be a part of elementary school, and junior high should contain seventh through ninth grades. Our seventh grader had a huge jump in her maturity level between sixth and seventh grades.

    QoD: A relaxing afternoon is one in which I’m able to read a good book. I also love to hang out at the beach, lying in the sun (smothered with sunscreen), reading a book.

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  20. Thanks everyone. Yeah, the section about the sharks actually had me putting the kindle down a couple times just to take a few breaths! Pretty intense. As someone (the producer, I think) said to me during one of our conversations, it’s hard to think you’ve ever had a truly bad day after reading some of those parts of his story.

    If the film gets made, I hope they can really knock it out of the park; it can’t include everything, but the filmmakers seem to be sincere in making sure the original star of the story (though he does turn 96 today) & the author of the book are active consultants throughout the process. I had to smile as Louie so casually mentioned to me on the phone about how “Angelina and Brad” came over to his house … 🙂

    Adios, your comment about how 32 degrees in Idaho doesn’t seem as cold as it would in California is so true somehow. But I hate ice. Ice surfing for me is usually just a spectacular limb-flying spill in the making … 😉 Ouch.

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  21. 6th grade was still elementary school when I was growing up. Recess and all. Moving up to middle school or junior high — where you suddenly had a gazillion teachers and lockers and hormones and no recess — was a bit of an adjustment. 😉

    In a different era, I would definitely have been one of those “texters” as I was always writing little notes to my friends and leaving them in their lockers. It annoyed me when the didn’t “write back” right away (even though we saw each other throughout the day!) 🙂

    Those transition years are somehow both wonderful and horrible all at once (for kids as well as parents & teachers, I’m sure).

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  22. Yes, Tychicus. I understand the Spurs are about to start their two-week rodeo-induced road trip. I am happy with my Thunder although we do miss Mr. Harden.
    You should convert. The Spurs are an old person’s team. It’s hip to be for the Thunder. In all other areas of life I am 150 years behind the times, but I am on the cutting edge when it comes to the NBA.

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  26. Peter – What is it that you don’t like about the 7 Habits? I read the version for teens, which my husband had bought for our daughters years ago, & thought the habits were quite sensible.

    The 7 habits, according to the book for teens…

    1. Be Proactive
    Rather than reactive. The only thing we can really control is how we respond to what happens to us.

    2. Begin with the End in Mind
    Consider the outcome of your choices & decisions, count the cost

    3. Put First Things First
    Prioritize, do the important things first, don’t procrastinate

    4. Think Win-Win
    Don’t compare yourself with others or be envious

    5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
    Kind of self-explanatory

    6. Synergize
    Teamwork & cooperation

    7. Sharpen the Saw
    Take care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, & spiritually

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  27. Thanks for the sixth grade answers!

    Donna, good story. I haven’t yet read the book, but it’s on my shelf because of Chas’s recommendation, and others seconding him. (I have read Seabiscuit.)

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  28. RW: An old person’s team? The Spurs play beautiful, unselfish basketball. They epitomize what’s great about team sports: integrity, responsibility, sacrifice, and TEAM above the individual.

    As Jeff Van Gundy says: “I want to get on the Spurs season-ticket waiting list and if I get them, I’m moving to San Antonio. I want to watch this kind of basketball every night.”

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  29. Tychicus, Everything you said is true and it proves my point. Sacrifice, unselfishness, etc are old person values. The Thunder specialize in spectacular dunks and being fashion trendsetters. They also play very hard defense, but it is their dunks, Westbrook’s shirts and lens-less glasses and Durant’s backpacks that make them a hit with the young. They are also in the popular commercials:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI_WtWr-CK4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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  31. Wow, what a day. Learned to shoot a compound bow, learned how to teach others to shoot and learned how this ministry will be used to reach unchurched people in our community. (I also wound up with a 2 1/2 inch by 1 1/2 inch bruise on my elbow from the bow string hitting it!)

    Now for pizza!

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  32. Good vestry retreat. Are any of you familiar with a prayer walk or Biblical Garden? We have a unique setting and this is a 5year goal. We are also going to be more purposeful in local mission work.

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  33. Loved your video, Donna. Cowboy is such a cute and energetic dog! That was one of the things on my relaxation list.

    kare2012—ouch! the bruise sounds painful. Pizza sounds good. I made one for lunch with garlic, spinach, mushrooms and cheddar cheese. It was delish!

    Kim, glad you had a good vestry retreat. When at the women’s conference last year we had a room to visit that was called maybe “The Prayer Experience or Room” or something along those lines. There were different stations for people to silently engage with which had different things to focus on from the Bible or the one I remember in particular was an imitation of the prayer wall in Jerusalem where we could tuck our prayers in the wall. I am thinking that might be something similar to what you are talking about only outside. A prayer wall would certainly be nice for anyone in the community to have access to.

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  35. Cowboy is so good. 🙂 He sprained his front foot today at the dog park, though, but it seems OK now. Lots of big dogs there whooping it up, which is fun — until someone winds up in a cone, as they say. 😉

    But he’s fine, I left him in the Jeep when I stopped off at the store on the way home (had to get the casserole ingredients), so he had time to rest and it seems fine now.

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  37. QoD: I had a very relaxing early afternoon sitting in the sun on our deck. Nothing like sunshine on a January day — I really needed that today. I had on my jacket with the hood up, and wrapped a thick blanket around me and just sat and let the sun soak into my face and hands. Ahhhhh 🙂

    While I was sitting there, knees up so my feet weren’t visible to me, one of the cats came over, and after I petted him a little, he proceeded to disappear from view (sort of) to check out my shoes. I heard this strange sound, like something rough rubbing against something, and felt this very light pressure on the top of my right shoe. Here the silly cat was licking the top of my right shoe!

    That’s when I remembered that yesterday, when we had had turkey, I had spilled some turkey drippings, and some of it had landed on my right shoe. I wiped it off, but I’m sure there was enough residue left on it that made the cat sniff it out and feast on it today for probably close to a minute. 🙂

    Yum! Turkey drippings! 😉

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  38. The beach video was taken a couple weeks ago (he still had his jingle-bell Christmas collar on, I heard it jingle a couple times). But maybe I’ll get him out there again tomorrow.

    Kim, I’m familiar with the labyrinths which have been popular among many New Age types out here (and some liberal mainline churches). I think that might be a similar concept to what you mentioned, although I’m sure yours is a more bliblical approach.

    Wow, Kare2012, playing bows and arrows. That sounds like fun. Until someone ends up in a cone or a cast, eh? 🙂

    Pizza does sound good. Maybe when that chicken enchilada casserole for church is finished cooking I’ll stick the frozen pizza in the oven that’s been in my freezer for a couple weeks now.

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  39. Cats and dogs are amazing for their sense of smell. 😉 They’re actually great floor cleaners when I’m in the kitchen. 🙂 Tess often hovers at my feet, knowing that, at some point, I’ll surely drop “something” worth eating.

    That’s because I starve my dogs, you know. 😉

    6 arrows, sounds like a wonderful afternoon respite in the sun. Peaceful.

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  41. It was wonderful, Donna. It lifted my spirits so much. And now I realize I don’t have any more of that tight sensation in my chest tonight. It’s been a good day, all in all. 🙂

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  42. Kim, if you have some more sunshine tomorrow, send some of it my way, because it sounds like from the weather forecast, there won’t be any where I’m at.

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  44. RW: I understand what you’re saying, but the Spurs have an awful lot of young fans as well.

    The Thunder have had an easier schedule so far, and it doesn’t look like the Spurs’ streak will end anytime soon, but we’ll see how it plays out over the coming weeks.

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  45. T, I was teasing you, though it is true that the Thunder are the new darlings of the young and the urban. If the Thunder all stay healthy, I like their chances. The Spurs are the deepest team I have ever seen, and could more easily withstand the loss of a key player or two.

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  46. Good morning all. Quite the icy drive home from the George Strait concert. Sheesh. It was great to see the king. It was a moment of distraction that my MIL insisted on. This trip to Boise will be the last time we see FIL in this life. He is getting weaker and weaker everyday. We thought we lost him Friday, but God has granted a few more days. Pray for his homegoing. We know how the homecoming will be!

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  47. DonnaJ, I can assure you the ice surfing was very unintended, but the muscle memory helped me from ending up on my tookus. If Mumsee’s gang were anywhere around I am sure they were laughing at the surfer girl 😉

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  48. Husband and children did not see George Strait while they were there, but there is a plan to go to the opera this afternoon. Sorry to hear about your FIL. It is a tough time, even when we know where they are going.

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  49. I woke up early this morning, and “realized” it was Monday and I hadn’t reset my alarm clock for my workday schedule, so I reset it to wake me up at six. Then I woke up again, realized that I was only thinking it was Monday because I spent most of the day yesterday at church, so I turned off the alarm and hoped the dog wouldn’t let me oversleep.

    She didn’t, and I was up and ready for church in plenty of time. However, while I was eating breakfast, the church leaders decided to cancel church due to freezing rain. So I guess I’ll spend the morning listening to last week’s sermon and transcribing it for our website. (Someone records the services on video and puts it on a DVD, we copy the DVD to distribute to shut-ins, and I recently started also transcribing the sermons, because posting the videos to the website would probably eat up our allowed storage allotment too quickly.)

    I am told that yesterday’s workshop at church on handchimes and worship went very well. I was there, but I wasn’t sure just how well it was going because I was leading it, and I hadn’t led something like that before and wasn’t sure how much we should expect to accomplish in 3 hours (including lunch), and why some people left early (turned out to be their kids has sports events). People would like to do it again, so I need to start thinking about what to cover at the next one.

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  50. I realized after I posted the above that it might sound strange saying I spent most of yesterday at church, when the workshop was only three hours. But besides going in early to set up, we also had our monthly fellowship get-together in the evening yesterday, and since we don’t live in town, we just stayed at church all afternoon (reading, playing games, doing computer stuff), rather than drive home and then back in a few hours.

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  51. Just catching up.

    Relaxing afternoon: Just being w/out responsibilities or time schedules. Whether that means taking a leisurely drive, reading or watching TV or a movie, it doesn’t matter.

    Donna- great story. I look forward to the movie. Perhaps I’ll get the book first.

    Karen O- I have no problems with the concepts of the 7 Habits, but sitting through the mandatory training we had, and having to teach them without being able to mention the biblical principals from which Covey borrowed, that is the problem. All Covey, a good Mormon, did, was rehash other quasi-religious jargon. I have been through other similar training in previous jobs. It all boils down to “be good without God.” In other words, a man-based attempt to be what God wants us to be, without acknowledging the God we serve.

    Adios- Ice surfing is fun. But when one lives in a cold climate, one has to try it without wanting to. Lots of broken bones from falls.

    Speaking of ice, we had church yesterday afternoon in anticipation of the freezing rain we are getting today. I guess you could say we were “7th Day Preventists”- meeting on Saturday to prevent accidents on Sunday.

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  53. Peter – Okay, I see what you mean.

    Remember the controversy over The Purpose Driven Church? My pastor recently said he wants a Presence Driven Church. 🙂

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  54. QoD for January 27: Whose birthday is today?

    Hint: He’s turning 257 😉
    Second hint: My husband’s guess of “Larry King” was wrong. 😆

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  55. 6 Arrows, That would be Mr. Mozart.

    At church we had good presentations from missionaries to the Philippines. The church is exploding in Asia. The missionary movement has gone global. It was very encouraging.

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  57. Ding, ding, ding! Ricky got it. 🙂

    In honor of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s birthday, here is his Aria #14, sung with a most impressive display of vocal versatility by a 17-year-old young woman from Peru, and accompanied by her very accomplished 21-year-old pianist brother. And both were self-taught!

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  58. Tychicus: The Purpose Driven Church was an attempt to bring business-type “feel goodism” to the church. It seemed to me to be a way to revitalize dead churches using human psychology rather than prayer and fasting.

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  59. Every now and then I like to share something from my church. We sang this song this morning. I read the copyright next to the title and realized that the writer is the mother of our music director. She sits on the “other” side of the church from me. It had to be special for her knowing her prodigal is now the music directory of a church and he was leading us all in singing her son.
    (This video is not of him)

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  65. Thank you Peter.

    I managed to take a 2-hour nap this afternoon, I think I just really needed it. Trying to slowly de-stress … then prepare for more ahead, I’m sure, but at least I have Monday off.

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  66. Tychicus – I assume you saw Peter’s answer? I haven’t read the book, but I remember the discussion of it on the old WMB, where lots of folks thought it was too works-based.

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  67. Donna, Hubby and I both enjoyed your Zamperini article. He was mentioned in last month’s Running magazine, so I had recognized the name but not from where. Of course, there was nothing about his conversion in the article, but it was very intriguing non the less. Now we both want to read Unbroken after the recommendations of those here on this blog.

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  68. I liked Covey’s books. I think we Christians have a tendency to be way too critical. Perhaps that is because we don’t really want to follow the ideas? It is easier to run them down. Or, at least, I sometimes find this to be the case for me. 🙂

    Of course, it is also important to compare what is written against Scripture, but I didn’t find anything in the books that was inappropriate that I remember (it’s been a long time).

    Faith is the most important, but faith without works is dead. (James)

    “To escape the error of salvation by works, we have fallen into the opposite error of salvation without obedience, and there is no such thing.” -A.W. Tozer

    And, of course, Covey was never dealing with that issue anyway. He was giving guidelines on living a more fulfilling, contented, productive life. He wasn’t being a legalist at all, and wasn’t even touching on the salvation issue.

    Think of them more as suggestions that he found worked well for many people. If you don’t follow them, you don’t follow them. It won’t affect your salvation one iota, and he never claimed it would.

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