I get bored when talking to some people. Some people. The ones who talk, talk, talk, without saying anything interesting or meaningful. The ones who talk endlessly about themselves with no interest in the person to whom they are speaking. The ones who dominate a conversation and don’t give other people a chance to speak.
A conversation is interactive. It involves the back-and-forth exchange of ideas between two or more people.
Introverts are not interested in small talk. Small talk is an easy way to begin a conversation, but it is boring. Gifted conversationalists (not me!) may begin a conversation with a question. What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done? What’s your favorite hobby?
What loquacious extroverts may not know is that the person who isn’t participating in the conversation can’t get a word in edgewise. You have to pause once in a while to let other people speak.
We live in a material world, so naturally, many people will say that the best gift they have ever received is a material thing. I received the best gift I could ever receive in the basement of an old church. My Sunday School teacher told me about this gift. I can’t see it. I can’t touch it. But I gratefully accepted it, and I hold it in my heart.
You know that we are living in a material world But I am NOT a material girl
Those of us who believe in Jesus use different phrases to describe the moment we received this precious gift. We are saved. We are redeemed. We are born again. We have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior.
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’
John 3:5-7
The best gift I ever received was a gift from God. He loved me (and you) so much, He came into our material world to give eternal life to whoever believes in Him.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
Jesus gave me the gift of eternal life! He died on the cross for my sins, and He rose from the dead. As one of my favorite childhood hymns says, He lives! He’s in the world today.
I serve a risen Saviour, He's in the world today I know that He is living, whatever men may say I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer And just the time I need Him He's always near He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today He walks with me and talks with me Along life's narrow way He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart In all the world around me, I see His loving care And though my heart grows weary I never will despair I know that He is leading, through all the stormy blast The day of His appearing will come at last
Knowing Jesus is the greatest gift I’ve ever received. It isn’t just the gift of eternal life. He is with me today.
This morning, decades after receiving this precious gift, I will go to Sunday School to tell children about Jesus. I want them to receive the best gift they could ever receive just like I did.
Are you patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you?
It makes me sad when a good word is co-opted by misguided people. The word patriotic describes a person who is devoted to their country. The word patriotic used to evoke feelings of pride in my country, the sweet land of liberty. Now, it brings to mind people who are devoted to a man with autocratic tendencies and people who conflate faith with nationism.
The man who tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power in the United States of America in 2021 described the insurrectionists he summoned to the US Capitol as ‘patriots.’
Were these rioters demonstrating devotion to the United States of America when they stormed the Capitol? No, they were demonstrating devotion to a man. They came to protest in D.C. on January 6th because a demagogue told them to be there.
The Capitol rioters aren’t the only ones who have soured me on the word patriotic. Christian Nationalists might well be described as patriotic; they are certainly devoted to the good old USA. Not only are they devoted to a misguided vision of our country, but they also idolize nationalism.
Patriotic Christians recognize they are citizens of heaven first and citizens of America second (Philippians 3:20).
Keith Simon, Truth Over Tribe
I am a Christian, and I love my country, but I am a citizen of heaven first. I am devoted to God.
My Father God to Thee, Author of Liberty, to Thee I sing.
My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing: land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims’ pride, from every mountainside let freedom ring!
I am one of the many people who drive faster than the speed limit, especially on highways. I have never gotten a ticket for speeding, though I certainly have deserved one. It is well known that you won’t be stopped if you drive within five mph or so of the speed limit, and I take advantage of that. Other people drive 10-15 mph over the limit, so I tell myself I’m good!
The one time I ever got a ticket was for failing to stop at a red light. I was with my husband, though we weren’t yet married. We were following another car on our way to a coworker’s house when the light turned yellow. As I was slowing down to stop, Kent told me to go so we wouldn’t lose them. Of course, a police officer was there!
And yes, I have unintentionally broken traffic laws. Going down unfamiliar streets, I have failed to see a stop sign or a reduced speed limit sign. I have unintentionally gone the wrong way down a one-way street, which can be terrifying!
The topic of breaking laws makes me think of everyday grace, the undeserved favor we show one another. Just as the police extend grace to traffic law breakers every day, most of us extend grace to others every day for minor annoyances. We are even more merciful when people unintentionally do something wrong.
Sometimes, we take everyday grace for granted, don’t we? When I speed, I am breaking the law. The police have the right to fine me for going even one mph over the limit.
God is even more merciful than we are. He does not treat us as we deserve to be treated. He is compassionate and gracious.
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
My husband and I have owned two homes in the last thirty-one years. We plan to downsize later this year. Prior home ownership shows you what you want and what you don’t want in a home. But as anyone who has ever watched Love It or List It or House Hunters knows, couples do not always agree on the ideal home. We are no different.
Our first house, home for twenty-seven years, was a 1970s tri-level with an unfinished basement. I didn’t like having to go up and down stairs all the time. That house had a formal living room on the main level and a family room on the lower level. I don’t need two living rooms.
Our current house is a ranch style home with a completely finished basement. It was constructed in 2006, so it has the “open concept” design that is popular today. I like this style, but it isn’t on my must-have list. One of the reasons we want to move is that our house is too big for two people. I don’t like our master bedroom as much as the one in our old house because it isn’t wide enough for our bedroom furniture.
For me, a dream home isn’t just about the inside of the house; I also want a nice yard with a place to sit outside and for hubby to grill. I also like trees. Our first house had a fenced-in backyard with a covered concrete patio. I didn’t like having neighbors so close behind us. Our current house has a nice front porch and two decks in the back. We rarely use the uncovered deck. I like the fact that there are no houses behind us, just a pasture that is likely to be developed someday. As a lover of wildlife, I have enjoyed seeing deer in the pasture and in our yard.
Location. Location. Location. Our old house was in the suburbs. Almost everywhere we needed to go was within three miles of our house. Our current home is six miles or so from the grocery store and church and even farther from the gym and other businesses. I would like to be closer.
I’ve been looking at homes on Zillow and Realtor.com in anticipation of moving. I’ve talked to my husband a couple of times about the homes I like. He says we’re looking for different things.
Kent wants a home that is “cozy” like the home he grew up in. That house was small and outdated, and it’s definitely not my dream home. When Kent’s dad retired from farming, they moved into a newer home in town. I was so happy for my mother-in-law. Kent doesn’t mind a house that needs some work because you can personalize it to your taste. I would rather have a move-in ready home. In the past, we waited too long to remodel our country blue kitchen. Now, I’m too old, or maybe too spoiled, to wait years for what I want!
We lived in several old houses when I was growing up. My mother had a knack for making all our homes feel cozy. I prefer cozy to the starkness of some modern homes, but I don’t want to feel cramped. If there isn’t enough space, a home can easily become cluttered. Clutter disturbs my peace.
So what exactly is my dream home? No more than three levels, including the basement. Spacious master bedroom and kitchen. Two more bedrooms for guests. Space for all our books. A place to sit outside and drink a cup of coffee. Good lighting. And because we have cold winters and summer hail storms, a two car garage is a must.
My favorite home on the market in our area, in our price range, checks off all my boxes. It has a shady front yard with a covered porch. It’s centrally located. It was built in 1948, but it has been updated. The living room and kitchen are spacious. Upstairs, the bedrooms and bathroom have the slanted walls of a one and a half story home. That’s cozy.
For me, a dream home is one that makes both of us happy. Will my dream home be cozy enough for Kent but not too cramped for me?
Innermost Being 