Well, for anyone who cares (besides me and my husband), I start a new job on Monday. My nearly 2 year vacation is coming to an end. This is bittersweet because in spite of the drastically reduced income (and the perks that were lost with that reduction), it has been really enjoyable spending so much time with God. When I'm home by myself for almost 8 hours every day, it is very easy to spend time in  prayer, reading a devotional or Bible, and/or writing a blog.  I have also been able to spend a lot more time with my husband and others. So I will be giving much of that up. But I will be gaining too. I can already see my husband is less tired. I can see how the burden of paying the bills alone can be exhausting. After I start making an income again, we will be able to plan for things like vacations and retirement. Yes, I am going back to work in part to plan for retirement! Building that retirement account is important. I am posting about this for a couple of reasons. 1) I'...

Matthew 20:28   just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45   For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” 1 Timothy 2:6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. Hebrews 9:15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. I read a booklet yesterday by Charles R Swindoll called The Rising Hope . It is a short little book but it has a lot in it that was noteworthy enough for me to highlight, dog ear pages and/or write it in my scripture journal with my comments. One such item is on page 48. " Redemption is God's act of paying the ransom price to release us from out bondage of sin. Held hostage by Satan .......

Mark 10:51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.    The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”  I'm sure that Jesus knew that the man was blind. I'm sure that He could tell by looking at the man that he couldn't see. Why did Jesus ask the man what he wanted? Here's something I think about this passage. 1) Jesus wants us to ask. He knows what ails us. He knows what we want and what we should want. He wants us to ask. 2) The man knew what he wanted....."I want to see." As for me, I am not always as certain about what I want.  Sometimes I think I know. Lots of times, I don't. It is easy to say I want God's will, but to some extent that is a cop-out. It keeps me from having to make a decision, from having to make plans, from working toward a goal - because if I can lean on "I don't know what God's plan is", I don't have anything to commit to.  What a revelation!  The other part of that revelation is why do I le...

Today, I am just going to note some passages that I've written down the last few days. I may add a note or two but then, maybe not. 2 Samuel 18 : 1-3 NLT David now mustered the men who were with him and appointed generals and captains to lead them. He sent the troops out in three groups, placing one group under Joab, one under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and one under Ittai, the man from Gath. The king told his troops, “I am going out with you.”  But his men objected strongly. “You must not go,” they urged. “If we have to turn and run—and even if half of us die—it will make no difference to Absalom’s troops; they will be looking only for you. You are worth 10,000 of us,......" For some reason, when I read this passage this morning, I thought of the contrast with the disciples deserting Jesus when they arrested Him. Ephesians 1 :17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so ...