Monday, September 14, 2015

It's Been A Hard Five Days Night


Honestly, Hubby and I are dog tired this evening from five hard days of work. This post was going to wait until tomorrow but I'm so excited to share how good the carport looks now, I had to share. The house remodel is reaching the end. The only room lacking an upgrade is the guest bedroom. By mutual agreement, we have decided to possibly wait until after a short jaunt to South Carolina on the bikes. It will be a well earned respite from the persistent remodeling that has lasted nearly a year.

Here in the country, the carport door is often used as a front entrance. It's just a friendly way of letting people into one's home. The now 23 year old stick-built house and carport had been looking as tired as I feel tonight. The colors where faded, there where old spider webs seemingly glued to the ceiling, mold was everywhere (it's nearly a losing battle to eradicate mold entirely in the South but one must make an effort). I was weary of guests being weaved past filthy, tired looking walls.

First, the white ceiling was 'washed' via a pump spray bottle with a mild solution of bleach and water. Hubby performed this task and did a very nice job. It now sparkles as if there never was any dirt there.




Hang onto your hat ... here's the "after".
(Feeling kinda proud of myself here ... *giggle*)



How do you like the two-tone green/gray?
I wish I could claim this as an original idea 
but I learned this little trick from my always
creative step-mother Myra (now deceased).
She was ever so clever.
 Anyway, and just for fun, I found this tin replication
for an antique Hudson Granary Feed & Seed.
Obviously I had to have this!

And hopefully, dat's dat ... for now. *grin* The weather has turned lovely and cool in SE Georgia. It's feeling a bit like early Fall. We plan to roast a few weenie's at the fire pit this evening, and toss back a few whilst making plans for the future.

Hope your evening is also blessed. 

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Sunday Post: Who Was Gehazi In The Bible?

I thought for this week's reading, I would continue with lessons from the GotQuestions.Org website.

I pray this lends understanding for all of us in God's Kingdom that our lives may please Him.


Question: "Who was Gehazi in the Bible?"

Answer: 
Gehazi is mentioned in the Bible a few times, in the book of 2 Kings, as the servant of Elisha the prophet. Gehazi is featured in a story about a Shunammite woman’s dead child whom Elisha raised to life (2 Kings 4:18–37) and later in a story about how the king of Israel restored that same woman’s stolen property to her (2 Kings 8:1–6). But the most well-known story about Gehazi concerns a sin he committed, the cover-up he attempted, and the punishment that followed (2 Kings 5:15–27).

The story of Gehazi’s downfall starts with a man named Naaman who commanded the army of Syria. Naaman was a mighty warrior, but had an incurable skin disease called leprosy (2 Kings 5:1). Elisha the prophet healed Naaman of his leprosy by the power of the Lord (verse 14), and Naaman praised God and offered Elisha a gift, which Elisha refused to accept (verse 16). Naaman departed for Syria, but Elisha’s servant Gehazi ran after him and told a lie in order to get Naaman’s gift for himself. In his lie, Gehazi invoked his master’s name, making it appear as if Elisha wanted the gift after all: “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing’” (verse 22). Naaman was only too glad to comply—he was happy to be able to give something out of gratitude for his healing—and he urged Gehazi to take twice as much silver as he had asked for. Gehazi went home with the silver and the garments, which he hid. Later, when Gehazi came before Elisha, he lied again in response to Elisha’s direct question as to where he had been (verse 25). It soon became apparent that Elisha knew the truth, its having been revealed to him by God: “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you?” (verse 26). Then came Gehazi’s punishment: “Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever” (verse 27). And, just like that, Gehazi was a leper.

Elisha asked Gehazi an important rhetorical question: “Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?” (2 Kings 5:26). His point was that the miracles of God cannot be bought. The power of God in our lives is not meant for personal enrichment, and God’s servants should not be doing ministry for the sake of earthly rewards. Every one of us should remember that it is not money that cares for our needs—it is God (Hebrews 13:5).

Gehazi witnessed a miracle, an undeniable display of God’s power that involved the redemption of a man’s health, life, and soul. But all he could think about was money. Naaman needed to see the grace of God in the free and abundant blessing he received; Gehazi destroyed grace by demanding payment.

“The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10), and “you cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:13). After years of seemingly faithful service, Gehazi fell. His sin began in the heart, as he covetedwhat Naaman was offering. Other sins soon followed in a series of lies. Gehazi would have been wise to heed Moses’ warning of long ago, “You may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Wordless Wednesday: Outside My Window

Tiger Swallowtail (male) on Butterfly Bush

Silver-Spot Skipper visiting Mexican Petunia

Not identified mushroom
(They're bright yellow if anyone knows what they are.)
Jackie Boy 'helped'.

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Sunday Post: GotQuestions.Org

For this Sunday's post, I thought it might be nice to take a different tack for discussing God's Holy Word. Lately, I've been reading the weekly writings of GotQuestions.Org and thought I'd share one of their posts. I'm finding them really insightful so far. This week's mailing was "Why study the Old Testament?" I pray you'll enjoy their work too.

Hope your day is blessed. ~:)


Question: "Why should we study the Old Testament?"

Answer: 
There are many reasons to study the Old Testament. For one, the Old Testament lays the foundation for the teachings and events found in the New Testament. The Bible is a progressive revelation. If you skip the first half of any good book and try to finish it, you will have a hard time understanding the characters, the plot, and the ending. In the same way, the New Testament is only completely understood when we see its foundation of the events, characters, laws, sacrificial system, covenants, and promises of the Old Testament. 

If we only had the New Testament, we would come to the Gospels and not know why the Jews were looking for a Messiah (a Savior King). We would not understand why this Messiah was coming (see Isaiah 53), and we would not have been able to identify Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah through the many detailed prophecies that were given concerning Him [e.g., His birth place (Micah 5:2), His manner of death (Psalm 22, especially verses 1, 7–8, 14–18; 69:21), His resurrection (Psalm 16:10), and many more details of His ministry (Isaiah 9:2; 52:3)].

A study of the Old Testament is also important for understanding the Jewish customs mentioned in passing in the New Testament. We would not understand the way the Pharisees had perverted God’s law by adding their own traditions to it, or why Jesus was so upset as He cleansed the temple courtyard, or where Jesus got the words He used in His many replies to adversaries. 

The Old Testament records numerous detailed prophecies that could only have come true if the Bible is God’s Word, not man’s (e.g., Daniel 7 and the following chapters). Daniel’s prophecies give specific details about the rise and fall of nations. These prophecies are so accurate, in fact, that skeptics choose to believe they were written after the fact.

We should study the Old Testament because of the countless lessons it contains for us. By observing the lives of the characters of the Old Testament, we find guidance for our own lives. We are exhorted to trust God no matter what (Daniel 3). We learn to stand firm in our convictions (Daniel 1) and to await the reward of faithfulness (Daniel 6). We learn it is best to confess sin early and sincerely instead of shifting blame (1 Samuel 15). We learn not to toy with sin, because it will find us out (Judges 13—16). We learn that our sin has consequences not only for ourselves but for our loved ones (Genesis 3) and, conversely, that our good behavior has rewards for us and those around us (Exodus 20:5–6).

A study of the Old Testament also helps us understand prophecy. The Old Testament contains many promises that God will yet fulfill for the Jewish nation. The Old Testament reveals such things as the length of the Tribulation, how Christ’s future 1,000-year reign fulfills His promises to the Jews, and how the conclusion of the Bible ties up the loose ends that were unraveled in the beginning of time.

In summary, the Old Testament allows us to learn how to love and serve God, and it reveals more about God’s character. It shows through repeatedly fulfilled prophecy why the Bible is unique among holy books—it alone is able to demonstrate that it is what it claims to be: the inspired Word of God. In short, if you have not yet ventured into the pages of the Old Testament, you are missing much that God has available for you. 

Link

Saturday, September 5, 2015

A Day Trip To The Big City

Isn't life just like this. I set off to do one thing, and end up doing another.

Yesterday, to lighten the mood, Hubby and I drove to neighboring big city of Brunswick to buy a Halloween costume for me (I love Halloween ... just a big kid really), and ended up toting home something entirely unrelated.


This bedspread is called the "Cassandra" from JC Penney. They where having a Big Sale and I couldn't say No. It looks quite nice in the room, don't ya think? These colors and pattern compliment the new carpeting, in my opinion.

So, I'm a little bit poorer but still must find, or come up with, some kind of costume that does not entail any masks for our Second Annual Halloween Party. Any suggestions? Which holidays do you enjoy the most?