Sunday, March 28, 2010

Take Ten In '10, Week 13 Reading Schedule

After many computer glitches and problems, I bring you next week's reading schedule 30 hours later than usual and beg your pardon for any problems they might have caused.


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Schedule for March 29 - April 4th, 2010

Monday, March 29th
Deuteronomy 31, 32
Acts 12, 13

Tuesday, March 30th
Deuteronomy 33, 34
Acts 14, 15

Wednesday, March 31st
Joshua 1-3
Acts 16

Thursday, April 1st
Joshua 4, 5
Acts 17

Friday, April 2nd
Joshua 6, 7
Acts 18, 19

Saturday, April 3rd
Joshua 8, 9
Acts 20, 21

Sunday, April 4th
No reading. Finish any that were missed.

HE IS RISEN!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Experience Needed

An opportunity presented itself today to encourage someone dealing with a difficult situation. This person confided in me about a problem she was experiencing and knowing that I am a pastor's wife she figured that I might know someone who had encountered the same thing. I assured her that, yes, I did know someone who had been through the same thing. When she asked if that person would mind speaking to her privately I assured her that she would not and that "that person" was talking to her right at that moment. She was somewhat taken aback. Pastors' wives evidently are only supposed to know of others who have struggled but are not supposed to actually struggle themselves. Oh, if only that were true!

Inevitably, she asked how I had handled it when confronted with the same problem. "Not very well," I told her. Again, the surprised look of one who expects that God just automatically programs a pastor's wife with enough wisdom and grace to travel the paths of life without getting cuts and bruises or picking up burrs and nettles along the way. Again, oh, if only that were true! I explained that while I had failed miserably God had triumphed gloriously.

After we concluded our discussion I thought about this unexpected encounter. It became clear that our experiences can make us an encouragement to someone who needs it. Who can know the grace of God when one never has a bad day? What use is faith that looks toward better things if all one ever sees are good things? Why believe in an omnipotent God if one never has an impossible burden that He needs to carry?


At times I have had trouble understanding the words of I Thessalonians 5:18, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you," but not so much anymore. It is a blessing to see that God can use our experiences to give someone hope.

I thought of trials God has helped me endure and the people He placed in my path at a critical point in their lives, but there are many things that I have never experienced and pray I never do: the death of a child, widowhood, death of a parent, divorce, arrest, cancer, bankruptcy, or other heart-breaking situation. But maybe you have. If so, someone out there needs your experience to help them through their own time of pain. I pray that the Lord puts someone in your path this week like He did for me and that you will be willing to share what He taught you at just such a time.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Rollercoaster Day

I wish I was telling you about a ride at the local amusement park, however, two things make that impossible. The first is that the park is closed for the season. The second is that it's a bit too cold here to be outside riding roller coasters even if the park was open.

This is about the roller coaster of events and emotions. It's been one of those days that comes equipped with many ups and downs but no seat belts or warnings that signal the ride is about to begin. Well, unless you count the alarm clock going off this morning. I guess that should be warning enough.

Without going into details that might embarrass anyone or give away too much information that might not be mine to share in the first place let me map the emotional descents, ascents, twists, and turns:

7:30 a.m. - on the straightaway (Wake up and smell the coffee. Literally.)

9:00 a.m. - beginning ascent (Leave for homeschool co-op.)

9:30 a.m. - rapid descent (Find that someone who shall remain nameless - except that it is not I - forgot certain important things needed for one class. Lecture Discussion begins.)

10:00 a.m. - level off again (Discussion ends. Class is missed. World goes on turning.)

10:30 a.m. - small left-hand turn followed by a rapid ascent (Finds that instructor had a certain missing item that nameless individual should've known was missing before today. Smiles all around.)

11:00 a.m. - level off again (We both go to the class where nameless individual is student and yours truly is teaching assistant.)

11:30 a.m. - extremely steep descent (Nameless individual finds himself lectured about something he didn't do, but not by yours truly. N.I. proclaims innocence. Y.T. believes it is so since she was right there when alleged incident occurred.)

12:00 noon - quick right turn (Eat lunch with other parents and students. Jokes made about separate tables needed to divide anti- and pro- "recent political event" from each other. Contents of stomach threaten to reappear.) Sigh

12:30 p.m. - a stomach-lurching sharp turn followed by quick ascent (Text message received from a different nameless individual. Hope springs eternal, as they say.)

2:00 p.m. - quick descent (Send email to instructor asking for clarification of alleged incident. )

5:45 p.m. - rapid ascent (Instructor admits misunderstanding. Nameless individual cleared. All is well with the world once more.)

The vehicle pulls into station and passengers disembark. What a ride!

If any theme park desires a new ride feel free to use this schematic. It provided me quite a thrill today.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Take Ten in '10, Week 12 Reading Schedule

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"And now, Israel [substitute your name here ], what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all they heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?" Deuteronomy 10:12-13

Schedule for March 22-27, 2010
Monday, March 22nd
Deuteronomy 14-16
Acts 5

Tuesday, March 23rd
Deuteronomy 17-19
Acts 6

Wednesday, March 24th
Deuteronomy 20-22
Acts 7

Thursday, March 25th
Deuteronomy 23-25
Acts 8

Friday, March 26th
Deuteronomy 26, 27
Acts 9, 10

Saturday, March 27th
Deuteronomy 28-30
Acts 11

Sunday, March 28th
No reading. Finish any that were missed.