Eating To Excess

Eating to excess is not considered to be a sin my many, because it produces no noticeable harm. But there are sins which destroy human dignity, and eating to excess is one such sin.
(Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom, 4 March)
7 March 2016

Make Haste

O God, make speed to save us,

O Lord, make haste to help us.

(Book of Common Prayer)

6 March 2016

Showers of Blessing

We come to you, our Father,

with thoughts of thanks and praise,

for your abundant mercy,

and all your love and grace;

we praise You for Your goodness

and for your loving care,

for daily showers of blessing,

for answers to our prayers.

(Moravian Daily Texts - 2013, 5 March)

5 March 2016

'Tis The Gift To Be Simple

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free, 

'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be, 

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd, 

To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd, 

To turn, turn will be our delight 

'Till by turning, turning we come round right.

(Elder Joseph Brackett Jr, 1797-1882)

4 March 2016

All Things Bright and Beautiful

All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,

Each little bird that sings,

He made their glowing colors,

He made their tiny wings:

The purple - headed mountain,

The river running by,

The sunset and the morning,

That brightens up the sky,

The cold wind in the winter,

The pleasant summer sun,

The ripe fruits in the garden,

He made them every one.

(Cecil Frances Alexander, England 1818-1895)

3 March 2016

Approval Addiction

Living in the love of God, living in the gracious acceptance and approval of God, will liberate you from the “approval addiction” ─ living in bondage to what other people think about you. When you are addicted, no matter how much of your drug of choice you get, you never get enough. You've got to have more and more and more fixes, and like other junkies, you go crazy when this drug ─ the approval of others ─ is withheld. When you are an approval addict, you are always vulnerable to other people's opinions about you, and your life becomes an emotional rollercoaster.

(John Ortberg, Now What? p. 141)

2 March 2016

Spiritually Mature Human Being

The greatest sign of a spiritually mature human being is not a head crammed with knowledge ─ although that's not necessarily a bad thing ─ but the greatest sign of a spiritually mature human being is a heart that desperately loves people, desperately loves Jesus, and desperately wants to bring them together.
(John Ortberg, Now What? p. 140)
1 March 2016