Question of the Day - New Year's Resolutions

It is that time of year...  the old is going and the new is soon to arrive...   so...   what are your New Year's resolutions?  Me?  I've actually quit making them, because I rarely keep them...  

But here is an idea if you need one...  Decide that you are going to read the Bible every day...  What?  You say you are not a Christian?  One does not need to be a Christian, or even to believe in God to read the Bible...  So I offer this as a challenge...  here is how it works...  

Start at the beginning of the New Testament with Matthew, chapters 1-4 on New Year's day... and continue to read 4 chapters every day... Then, when you finish the New Testament, go to the beginning of the Old Testament [Genesis]... continue reading 4 chapters a day...  And when you finish the Old Testament, start the New Testament all over again.  

By the end of the year you will have read the New Testament twice and the Old Testament once...  and it doesn't matter which version of the Bible you read... there is such a variety... pick the one that is the easiest for you to read and understand... 

Who will take me up on the challenge to read through the Bible in 2009?

Let's not forget...

It is so easy to get caught up in shopping and parties at this time of the year... let's not forget the real reason for the season of Christmas... Merry Christmas!!



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Caring for creation...

Just what did God mean when he told humanity to subdue and have dominion on the earth? [Bible reference: Genesis 1: 27-28] If we destroy them and their habitats, will we not also be destroying our own?

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did you know?

Our world, and the people in it are constantly changing and growing... how will you respond?

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when parents go to war...

Too many children are caught in this "no man's land"... not only at Christmas, but throughout the entire year... becoming "collateral damage" of their parent's war. How are Christians to respond?

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Prayer of the Day

Great Spirit,

Grant that I may not criticize my neighbor until I have walked a mile in his moccasins.

anonymous

American Indian

Its raining outside...

It's raining outside...  a steady, moderately heavy rain.  Out my backdoor I have a covered, well, not really a carport, but something similar.  I stood out there and watched as my backyard filled with birds of all kinds, some on the ground and some in the trees surrounding my yard.  They were singing and chirping and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying their bath in the rain.  It is amazing how other creatures seem to revel in and enjoy the very things that we humans sometimes think "ruin" the day.

Time vs. Money

They say "time is money"... but if all you do is spend your time making money, it seems and awful waste of time...  David Norris says, "How you spend your time is more important than how you spend your money.  Money mistakes can be corrected, but time is gone forever."

What do you think?

The Quiltmaker's Gift

I have recently read a book that is just perfect for this time of the year.  It is a delightful short story entitled "The Quiltmaker's Gift" by Jeff Brumbeau and illustrated by Gail de Marcken.  This book tells the story of a greedy king who wants more than anything else to have one of the quilts made by the old quiltmaker.  But will the king be able to pay the "price" she sets for her quilt?  Read it and find out what happens as the king goes about trying to get one of her quilts.  It is a short story suitable for all ages and shares timeless truths about giving and receiving.

Meet Buster and Nugget

As you perhaps can tell from the fact that I have "The Daily Puppy" on my blog, I am a dog lover.  As such I have two cute "pups".  Even though they are no longer the age where they would be considered puppies, since they are small, I still call them pups.  Their names are Buster and Nugget, and as you can tell from the picture, they are Miniature Dachshunds.

I think this particular picture of them is one of the cutest that I have.  Although the picture is about five or six years old now, they still look about the same.

So meet Buster and Nugget...  my two "kids"!!  Buster is an avid hunter of all things that move, from lizards to frogs to squirrels....   well, you get the idea.  Then there is Nugget, who would just as soon lay in the sun and sleep, or lay anywhere and sleep, as do anything else.  They are now both seven years old - but were not litter-mates.  They did have the same father, so they are half-brothers.  All in all, they are both a couple of rascals!!  

Prayer of the Day

Morning has risen.  O God, take away from our heads the sleepiness of the night, and from our limbs the sleepiness of the night.  During this day protect us from every kind of ill and misfortune that we may return safely home at night.

A woman's morning prayer

Pygmies, Zaire, Africa

This prayer was taken from:  

Van de Weyer, Robert.  African Prayers:Praise, Thanksgiving, Hope and Trust.  Nashville, TN: Dimensions for Living, 2002.

Prayer of the Day

"from ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggety beasties and things that go bump in the night, good Lord, deliver us."

anonymous

scottish prayer c. 1800

Advent and the Second Coming of Jesus, The Christ

This time of year in the Christian Church is known as Advent.  It is a time of preparation as we await the celebration of the birth of the baby Jesus.  It is also a time of preparation as we await the return of Jesus, not as a baby, but as Lord of creation, "coming in the clouds with great power and glory" [Mark 13:26, see also Matthew 24:30 and Luke 21:27].  

Although we are told in the Bible that "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" [Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:52], many people speculate as to when Jesus might return, based on events that have transpired in history, usually with the establishment of the Nation of Israel being a starting point.  

While it is true that there are differing opinions as to when this second coming of Jesus might occur, and equally true that the best thing might be to not speculate, but leave it in God's hands [where it already is], what is your opinion?  Do you believe we are in the "end times" and if so, when do you think Jesus might return?

Opening Post - Welcome and Rules of Engagements

With this post I am beginning a new venture...  or perhaps I should say adventure.  I have recently become interested in blogging as a way to communicate with others as well as to host a forum for the discussion of various thoughts and ideas.  Although I believe that no one can be totally objective or un-biased, I will, never-the-less attempt to be as objective as possible.   And while I do not expect others to lay aside the beliefs and/or underlying convictions that guide their lives, I hope that others will also attempt to be as objective as possible.   

Just to let you know, I do expect civility from all who participate - towards me as well as towards other bloggers who might leave a comment.   As the author of this blog, I will edit or delete comments that appear to be abusive or severely off-topic.  

I will attempt to post to the blog once a day...  the operative word here is "attempt"... because it may not happen.  Besides which, I am still learning how to do this, so there may be the occasional glitch... for which I will ask now for your forgiveness.

With all that in mind, welcome to Living Stones!!