Shirlee Abbott

Listening Ears

Posted on April 6, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

Our kindergarten son was on his first trip through the mountains. My ears had just popped when he called from the backseat, “Mom! My ears just turned off.”

Lord God, this might be a good time to turn our ears on and our mouths off.

Posted in other | Tagged litstening | 2 Comments

Babel On

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

Babel – a chorus of confused voices (I hear that a lot).

Psalm 33:12 (MSG)
God takes the wind out of Babel pretense,
he shoots down the world’s power-schemes.
God’s plan for the world stands up,
all his designs are made to last.
Blessed is the country with God for God.

Now would be a good time to listen to God.

Posted in other | Tagged babel, Psalm 33:12 | 2 Comments

Sow Carefully

Posted on April 4, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

Galatians 5:7-8 (CEV)
You will harvest what you plant. If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life.

When we sow selfishness, we reap envy. When we sow excuses, we reap a culture of blame. When we sow tantrums, we reap violence. When we sow arrogance, we reap power struggles.

And when we sow godlessness, we reap trouble. Big trouble.

Posted in other | Tagged Galatians 5:7-8, sowing and reaping | 2 Comments

What Are We Reaping?

Posted on April 3, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

People are unhappy, and it is somebody’s fault.

What’s the problem?

People aren’t grateful for what they have, only envious of what they don’t have
For those in power, it is never enough power
Folks make their choices, but they don’t want to live with the consequences
All of the above

Those of us who know God know that actions have consequences—it is that whole sowing and reaping thing.

“Leave God out of it,” our culture says.

Guess we’re reaping what we sow.

Posted in other | Tagged consequences, sowing and reaping | 4 Comments

Listen with Your Eyes

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Bible – God’s whispered instructions. If you don’t read them, you won’t hear him.

Posted in other | Tagged 2 Timothy 3:16, God-breathed, listening | Comments Off

Step into the Light

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

Posted in other | Tagged Bible, light, Psalm 119:205 | 2 Comments

Wisdom’s Shortcut

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

Me: Lord God, the Bible is a big book. Isn’t there
some shortcut to wisdom–a TED talk, or
Cliff Notes or a Reader’s Digest condensed
version?

God: Silly child, that wasn’t your wisest
request ever.

2 Timothy 2:15 (MEV)
Study to show yourself approved by God, a workman who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.