Scripture memorization

How many of you have said "I can't memorize, my mind is too distracted, or stupid, or too forgetful," etc? Well I have, and my daughter Elisabeth has challenged me by memorizing Ephesians. She was on the first chapter when she was visiting in May and June, and practiced every morning. I thought if she can do it with 4 little ones, I can do it with none at home except my husband!

I'm sending out a challenge to any of my blog followers to do the 2 letter of Peter in 63 days. See The Youversion of Dr. Andrew Davis's challenge- Extended Scripture Memory, or download the little pamphlet which is free on the internet.

I've started today, August 29th, which just happens to be my granddaughter Valerie's 9th B'day. And the younger sister is Jennifer, 2.

Are we Christians hospitable?

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Hospitality vs Entertainment

God commands us to be hospitable. I began to learn this way back in 1977 when I was feeling sorry for myself because we had not been invited to anyone's home after the first welcoming Sunday in Franklin, La. In May, 1976.  Every Sunday we went home sad because we'd not been invited again! Suddenly one day my good husband said "I have an idea- let's start inviting people home after church, and quit feeling sorry for ourselves." Thus began many years of having simple ( red beans and rice!) and some not so simple ( beef roasts, which I have not yet perfected in the oven!) menus for Sunday guests from our churches. What a Godsend- literally. When we focus on what we want, we are feeding the "I" monster, and when we focus on making others happy, God makes us happy. As I read in my father's biography a couple of weeks ago, "We serve a happy God!" Our most Hospitable God.

Become like a little child- Matthew 18:1-4

"By what right do we become a “royal priesthood”? By the right of the Atonement. Are we prepared to leave ourselves resolutely alone and to launch out into the priestly work of prayer? The continual grubbing on the inside to see whether we are what we ought to be generates a self-centered, morbid type of Christianity, not the robust, simple life of the child of God. 

In regard to prayer, we are apt to be apologetic and apathetic, complex and confused; yet what a splendid audacity a child has, and that is what our Lord taught us to have. "

Reflection Question: With whom, or in what situation, do I need to become less self-centered and more God-centered? 

Quotations taken from My Utmost for His Highest and Christian Discipline, vol. 2, © Discovery House Publishers

The above came from my Youversion devotional by Oswald Chambers. I often "feel like" a little child in my wanting fun, or not wanting to have responsibility, or wanting others to be sympathetic with my problems, but Christ spoke of the simplicity and trust and dependence of a little child coming to his father to ask. I pray that I will learn what we all used to be like- trusting, dependent, hopeful, and completely confident that my Father in Heaven is ready for me at any time to ask audaciously...We need not be afraid to ask!

"Must we always comment on life?"

In 1951, at the age of 24, my Dad had just read For Whom the Bell Tolls by E. Hemingway and was impressed with the amusement of the people in just experiencing life- that they drew no conclusions, pointed out no morals, but simply stated things as they are. He said in his journal-"must we always comment on life? Can it not simply be lived in the reality of Christ's terms of contact with the Father, with Joy and peace, fear and love, full to the fingertips in their turn, without incessant drawing of lessons and making of rules? I do not know. Only I know that my own life is full. It is time to die, for I have had all that a young man can have, at least all this young man can have. If there were no further issue from my training, it would be well. The training has been good, and to the glory of God. I am ready to meet Jesus. Failure means nothing now, only that it taught me life. Success is meaningless, only that it gave me farther experience in using the great gift of God, LIFE. And Life, I love Thee. Not because thou art long, or because Thou hast done great things for me, but, simply because I have thee from God."