Shirlee Abbott

Creative Weather

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

Friday was 70 degrees. Sunday we awoke to snow. How would you react?

Back to bed
O Lord, say it isn’t so!
April fools?
Thank you, God, for this new day

Weather can be disappointing. And weather is amazing.

Think for a moment of the water cycle. Precipitation comes in a wide variety of styles: gentle spritz, violent hail, noisy thunderstorms, horizontal rain, gentle fat flakes, sleet, white out, scattered showers, torrential downpour, ghostly fog, glittering dew drops, frost.

All that and more, straight from the mind of God.

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300+ Years, Same Old Enemy

Posted on April 1, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

A Puritan Golden Treasury is a carefully assembled collection of 1500 quotations from godly leaders of the 17th century.

This one is well worth pondering:

“If you neglect to instruct (your children) in the way of holiness, will the devil neglect to instruct them in the way of wickedness? No; if you will not teach them to pray, he will to curse, swear, and lie.” (John Flavel, 1627-1691)

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Rock Solid Advice

Posted on March 31, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

Posted in other | Tagged Romans14:13, stepping stone, stumbling block | 2 Comments

They Copy What You Do

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

On my very first back-to-school night, not quite 40 years ago, the librarian asked, “What is the most important thing parents do to encourage their children to read?”

“Read to them,” was the unanimous response.

“No,” the librarian answered. “If your children see you reading for pleasure, they will want to read. They copy what you do.”

And if your children see you studying the Bible and praying, they will want to study the Bible and pray. They copy what you do.

Posted in other | Tagged Bible study, prayer, teach your children | Comments Off

Follow the Directions

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

How do you teach your children to follow God’s commands? The Bible is your instruction manual.

Deuteronomy 11:19-20 (CEV)
Teach them to your children. Talk about them all the time—whether you’re at home or walking along the road or going to bed at night, or getting up in the morning. Write them on the door frames of your homes and on your town gates.

You live out your faith, day and night, at home and in public. You are teaching your children about your faith by your actions. If it isn’t obvious, they will think it isn’t important.

What could possibly be more important?

Posted in other | Tagged Deuteronomy 11:19-20, teach your children | Comments Off

Why Wait?

Posted on March 28, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

Which attitude about sharing your faith with your children do you hold?

I’ll let them decide for themselves when they’re old enough
My house, my faith
I’ll drop them off at church – somebody else can teach them

Ultimately, sure, our children have to decide for themselves. But our inaction teaches every bit as much as our action.

You wouldn’t wait till your children are teenagers to introduce reading and writing. You don’t let them decide for themselves whether they should brush their teeth.

If faith is the foundation of your life, why wait a decade to mention it?

Posted in other | Tagged foundation of faith, parents and children, teach the children | Comments Off

The Horrible Beautiful Cross

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

In 1912, George Bennard was heckled for his faith at a revival service. He was so disturbed by that event that he wrote “The Old Rugged Cross.”

“In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.”

Today, of all days, this is our song.

Posted in other | Tagged George Bennard, Good Friday, The Old Rugged Cross | Comments Off

Will Be Done

Posted on March 24, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

I pray

Thy will be done,

because he prayed

Not my will, but Thine be done.

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Who’s the Good Guy?

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

Simon Peter = good guy. Thief = bad guy.

Maybe not.

Luke 22:59-60 (NLT)
Someone else flatly stated, “I know this fellow is one of Jesus’ disciples, for both are from Galilee.” But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.”

Luke 23:41-43
But the other criminal protested . . .“We deserve to die for our evil deeds, but this man hasn’t done one thing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Loved of God. Saved by grace. Both of them.

And me. And you.

Posted in other | Tagged Luke 22:59-60, Luke 23:41-43, saved by grace, Simon Peter, thief on the cross | Comments Off

The Color of Forgiveness

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

Palm Sunday fell just three days after St. Patrick’s Day. And it was the first day of spring. Days of green, all around.

St. Patrick was enslaved by the Irish; he escaped and voluntarily returned, determined to share the good news of Jesus Christ with his former captors. Spring brings an official end to the unforgiving cold of winter. Palm Sunday put Christ on the path to die for our sins.

Some say that green is the color of envy. This green is the color of forgiveness.

Posted in other | Tagged forgiveness, green, Palm Sunday, Spring, St. Patrick | 2 Comments