Love your local library!

One of my favorite places has always been the library.  Where else can you find a way to travel around the world without spending any money?  Where else can you find a way to let your imagination run free?  Or learn about various things for free? 

I loved reading when I was a child.  My parents were poor and we didn't always have the money to do things, but I could go to the library and check out books to read.  I could read fiction books and imagine myself in the story. I could learn about other countries and other time periods.  I could check out books that taught me how to do different things.  I could use the reference books to do reports or learn about things. Books were my friends when no one else would be. 

I still love to read and I still love the library.  And I love the written word (but not more than the Word).  Today, the library is more than just books.  The library has magazines and newspapers.  It has microfiche machines where you can look at old newspapers and see what life was like in earlier times. The library has movies and computer software that can be checked out. Our library has a genealogy reference section.  There is a section of computers with Internet access for card holders to use.  Our library also has audio books you can check out.

Even in this day of Internet access and computer use, books are still the best way to find out information. A love of reading does not come naturally, however.  It has to be modeled.  My son loves to read, and it's because he sees me reading.  We also make weekly library trips. My husband is not a big reader, and I believe it's because it was not modeled to him when he was growing up. 

This year is the 175th anniversary of the Belleville Public Library, which is the library we visit every week (and is pictured above).  This post is dedicated to the librarians there, who help us find the books we want to read, buy Boy Scout popcorn from my son and helped him with his Reading merit badge.  Your local librarians are great resources for information.  They're there to help.  So go to your local library and see what's there.  You never know what you might find. 

See you next time!

Diane

Ah, a sweet aroma

In  2 Corinthians 2:15-16a, Paul states the following:  "For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one [we are] the aroma of death [leading] to death, and to the other the aroma of life [leading] to life." Let's take a look at what this means.

Webster's Dictionary has two definitions of  "aroma." Definition 1a is "a distinctive pervasive and usually pleasant or savory smell." Think of the wonderful smell of a fresh flower,or the smell of coffee brewing. Or the smell of fried chicken cooking.  Definition 2 is "a distinctive quality or atmosphere." This definition is the one that fits the verses the best, I think.

So how can we be the fragrance of Christ to God among believers? I don't think that personal hygiene was what Paul had in mind, although that certainly wouldn't hurt. LOL!

I think what Paul meant was how we present ourselves as Christians.  Smell precedes sight. You smell the  fragrance before you see what is causing the fragrance. When you meet someone for the first time, how you treat that person is being the fragrance of Christ.  And how do we do that?  By being kind, courteous, caring and welcoming.  When a brother or sister in Christ is hurting, being there for them and helping if possible is being the fragrance of Christ.  When a fellow Christian is rejoicing, we rejoice with them. Worshiping the Lord with all your heart and soul is the fragrance of Christ to God. 

But what about the second part of that verse - the part about we Christians being the aroma of death to those who don't believe?  I think it means that our actions and words are so sweet that they are sickening.  The aroma of Christ that emanates from believers shows the lost how dark their souls are and what their eternal destination will be - unless they repent and trust Christ for salvation.

So think about how you are the fragrance of Christ in the world and how you can smell even sweeter. I know I am!  See you next time!

Diane

The big C

Cancer
Is an insidious disease. 
It does not discriminate
As to age
Or creed
Or race
Or social status.
It is no respecter of persons.
If caught early enough,It can be beaten down
By radiation and chemotherapy
And kept away by medicine.
But most times,
It is a parasite that feeds off its host
And multiplies
Moving to other places in the body
To wreak havoc there as well. 
It leaves sorrow in its wake
As those who have lost loved ones
To this insidious disease
Mourn their losses and sometimes wonder,
"Am I next?"
Yet there is hope
That someday a cure may be found
And this infernal disease
Would not torment and kill any more.
As for me, I look forward to the day
When this becomes reality:
"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:4

Please feel free to pay tribute to your loved ones who have passed away from cancer by commenting below.  Here are mine:

Patrick Schultz 1964-2011
Violet Kathriner 1930-1997
Esther Mae Klingelhoefer
Sylvester (Spencer) Klingelhoefer

Easter: it's not about the bunny

It's not about the eggs, it's not about the candy, and it's not about the Easter Bunny. (Or the Easter Beagle, if you're a Charlie Brown fan.).  It's also not about new clothes and presents.  The word "Easter" derives from the old English word Eastre, which refers to Eostur-monath, a month of the Germanic calendar named after the goddess Eostre of Anglo-Saxon mythology.   The correct name of Easter, in my mind, should be Resurrection Day.

What Easter is really all about is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave three days after he died on the cross.   There are those who think that Easter is to celebrate spring's arrival.  Why should we celebrate something that happens every year?  Jesus was resurrected once and for all time.  That's worth celebrating every year (and every day, for that matter)!

Jesus triumphed over death and the grave.  Because He rose from the dead, sin and death have been defeated forever. The victory was His on that Resurrection Day.  The victory is now ours as well, for Jesus' death on the cross saved us from our sins and His resurrection redeems us and justifies us.

Matthew 27:52-53 records that when Jesus rose from the grave, many of the saints rose from their graves and appeared to those in the city.  We who believe in Christ will have our own Resurrection Day since believers will be raised from the dead at the Rapture.  Unbelievers will have a Resurrection Day at the second coming of Christ, and they will face God's judgment at the Bema Seat.  Examine your heart right now and determine on which Resurrection Day you will be raised - the first or the second?  If you determine that you'll be raised on the second Resurrection Day, and that concerns you, I urge you to pray for forgiveness from your sins and accept the sacrifice made on the cross for you.  If you are unsure as to how to pray for forgiveness, click here for some assistance.  And please comment below if you prayed for forgiveness and received Jesus as your Savior.  I want to rejoice with you!

So today on this Resurrection Day, set your hearts and minds on the real reason to celebrate - the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!  Have a blessed day!

Your sister in Christ,

Diane

Seasons change

Last Friday, I heard the news of a birth (the grandchild of a friend) and a death (the husband of one of my cousins). Life began for one soul and eternal life began for another soul, both on the same day.

Birth and death are just two of the chronological seasons we go through on our life's journey. There are also seasons of trials and tribulations - financial difficulties, health problems, relationship problems, job problems.  Yet no matter what season we are in our lives, there is one constant - God.  Jesus never changes - He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  (Hebrews 16:8) Those of us who have put our trust in Jesus as our Savior know that He is always with us, no matter what happens.

Knowing that God doesn't change and that He's always with us is a comfort. He's only a prayer away.  When you look back at the trials and tribulations you've been through, you will realize that you've been the closest to God.  Take a moment just now to thank God for being with you with through everything you've faced in your life, that He's with you right now and that He'll help you with what's yet to come. 

That's all for now!  See you again soon!

Diane

The only book you'll ever need

I'm sure you've seen those "man on the street" interviews where the people are asked what book they would want with them if they were stranded on a deserted island.  Some people would select Les Miserables, Gone with the Wind or War and Peace, since those are long novels and they would keep you occupied for awhile.  Other people would select a book that would help them survive on the island, such as the Boy Scout handbook. Still others would select books such as romance novels or adventure novels that would help them take their minds off the fact that they are on a deserted island.

There is only one book that I would take on a deserted island.  It has a little of everything.  It has romance, adventure, wisdom and epic battles.  It tells how things began and how it all will end.  It even tells what will happen in the future.  It has poetry and stories.  It was written by several different authors, but they were inspired in their writing by one person.

Yes, you guessed it - the book I would want on a deserted island is the Bible.  I'll break out the paragraph above and show you where you can find these various things in the Bible:

Romance - Song of Solomon, Ruth and Boaz
Adventure - Exodus (Israel leaving Egypt on a 40 year journey through the wilderness); Jonah in the belly of the whale
Wisdom - Proverbs, Ecclesiastes
Epic battles - Joshua and the battle of Jericho; the Egyptians at the Red Sea; David and his mighty men battling King Saul
How things began - Genesis
How things will end - Revelation
Things in the future - Daniel, the prophets, 2 Peter 2, 3
Poetry - Psalms, Moses and Miriam's song of triumph, Mary's song of praise (the Magnificat)
Stories - Jesus' parables
This is just a short list; I'm sure there is much more in the Bible in these categories than I have listed here.

For the last several years, I have read the Bible all the way through from beginning to end.  I am now a member of two Bible study groups: a ladies' Bible study group and an inductive Bible study group. I am learning so much more about the Bible and what is in it than I ever saw before.  There is so much in the Bible to be mined that one could never find everything that God has hidden in it. 

The greatest romance of all is the one between God and His chosen people Israel, and Jesus and the Church, His Bride.  These love stories will never end. 

Well, that's all for now - it's time for my evening Bible study.  The ladies' Bible study is in Exodus right now.  See you again soon!

Diane

P.S.:  I welcome comments - just keep them clean, or I won't publish them.  Thanks!

Light bright

My husband wakes up at 4:30 a.m. to get ready for work. He turns on the lamp on the dresser so he can see to get dressed. I instinctively roll over away from the light so that it doesn't wake me up, because I'm not due to get up for another hour.

Light illuminates. Light helps us to see in the dark - a flashlight, a candle or a streetlight.  Light attracts us to things - like a neon sign on a building, or like the mosquito to the bug light. Light is also used for medicinal purposes, like for the baby with jaundice or for people suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder.

In John 8:12, Jesus proclaims that He is the light of the world.  And just like I roll over away from the lamp at 4:30 a.m., people turn away from Jesus' light.  The light of Jesus exposes them for what they really are - sinners.  Jesus' light floods the darkness in their souls. Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:19-20:  "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed."

Jesus' light is the only light that can cleanse the soul of its darkness.  But Jesus' light is not scary; it's warm and loving.  Jesus' blood covers all sins, and His light transforms us and makes us new creations.  Oh friend, do not be frightened of Jesus' light.  It may shine into the dark corners of your soul and expose your deepest sins and dark desires, but Jesus longs to shine the light of His salvation into you and save you.  He longs to use His light to remove the darkness from your soul.  If you haven't put your trust in Jesus for the salvation of your soul, you can do that right now.  All you have to do is tell Jesus that you're sorry for all the sins you've committed, ask Him to flood your dark soul with His light, and tell Him that you're going to live for Him for the rest of your life.  Then He will come and live in your soul, and make you a new creation in Him. 


That's all for tonight.  See you again soon!

Diane