Morning Bread

Reading from Romans this morning:

" Let love be genuine;

hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 

love one another with mutual affection;

out do one anther in showing honor.

Do  no lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 

Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.

Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you;

bless and do not curse them.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those weep.

Live in harmony with one another; 

do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly;

Do not claim to be wiser than you are.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil,

but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.

IF it is possible, so far as is depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Beloved never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God;

for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay says the Lord."

No, "if you enemies are hungry, feed them;

they are thirsty, them something to drink;

for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads."

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome with good.
Romans 12:9-21

My Silly Little Goose

I miss my Goose! Her name was Goosie Goose! I gave her away before I got married last year. I bought her in the spring time when they have the little chicks and baby ducks for sale at Big R. I couldn't resist the little peeper. She was a very good goose until she started chasing our dogs and cats. Then she started getting in my mom's vegetable garden. I started putting her in her pin more and more. A little while latter I bought her a plastic kid pool that they sell at Walmart, She loved it. She bathed every hour, dunking her beautiful neck in the water. I loved to watch her from the window, bathing, trimming our front lawn, chasing grass hoppers. Latter she started visiting our neighbor who lives down the road. He called me one day informing me that my goose had bitten his dog. He was really nice about it but I knew I had to get rid of her. So I started looking around for someone who could take my little pet.  I couldn't find any one who wanted her. My sister Olga and I tried taking her to the park in town and leaving her at the city pond, that was one of the most difficult 2 hours I have spent in my life. She honked and honked at us following us all over the park not wanting us to leave her. My sister and I had a hard time fighting back tears. It started raining and I knew I couldn't just leave my little friend all alone in a big loud city, so of course I took her back  home with me again. She was back to her same self again, honking, bathing, eating up all our veggies, biting the dogs and cats. She couldn't help but be a goose!!! I started praying that the Lord would find me a home for her. One day I was driving down the road with a friend of mine and we were discussing the matter, as we passed this little sweet house with a little pond of ducks and geese! I knew it was the Lord, I turned around and we knocked on the front door! It turns out the gentleman who lived there was a retired veterinarian who loved and understood ducks and geese! He agreed to take my goose and provide a happy little goose home for her!! I know this is a little silly story but I know the Lord heard my prayer and He cares so much for me that He would even provide a lush, gorgeous, safe little home for my goose! How much more He must care for us! Even though it was a goose and not a sparrow this story makes me remember this verse in Matthew:

Matthew 10:29-31 (New International Version)
29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny[a]? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So 

don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Food For The Day

I was reading Malachi yesterday and I loved these 3 verses. 

Malachi 4:1-3
1 [a]"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them. 2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. 3 Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act," says the LORD Almighty.

................ watch this little calf, he is so precious!

Food for the day

Psalm 37

Of David.

1 [a] Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.

9 For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.

11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy great peace.

12 The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;

13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.

15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.

16 Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;

17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.

18 The days of the blameless are known to the LORD,
and their inheritance will endure forever.

19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

20 But the wicked will perish:
The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields,
they will vanish—vanish like smoke.

21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;

22 those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be cut off.

23 If the LORD delights in a man's way,
he makes his steps firm;

24 though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

25 I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.

26 They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be blessed.

27 Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.

28 For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.
They will be protected forever,
but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;

29 the righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks what is just.

31 The law of his God is in his heart;
his feet do not slip.

32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
seeking their very lives;

33 but the LORD will not leave them in their power
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

34 Wait for the LORD
and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,

36 but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.

37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
there is a future [b] for the man of peace.

38 But all sinners will be destroyed;
the future [c] of the wicked will be cut off.

39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

40 The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.