Shirlee Abbott

God Is Our Security

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Shirlee Abbott

Posted in other | Tagged climate change, national security, Psalm 33:12 | 2 Comments

Treasure!

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Shirlee Abbott

This doll from my childhood . . .

. . . wearing clothes sewn by my aunt,
sitting in a chair crafted by my son,
with the doll quilt Grandma stitched as a child.
Treasures! Made made by people I love.

Father God, I treasure our world because it was made by you.
I love you, Lord. Amen.

Posted in other | Tagged doll, treasure, world | 4 Comments

God’s World

Posted on October 21, 2015 by Shirlee Abbott

In the late 1800’s, Maltbie Davenport Babcock would head out to enjoy the beauty surrounding his upstate New York home. As the story goes, he’d tell his wife he was “going out to see the Father’s world.”

Our hymnbooks include his memorable words of praise:

“This is my Father’s world, why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King—let the heavens ring.
God reigns—let the earth be glad.”

Maltbie had the right idea. This isn’t our world. It is God’s world. Rejoice and be glad.

Posted in other | Tagged Maltbie Babccock, This is my Father's world | Comments Off

It’s All God’s, and It’s All Good

Posted on October 20, 2015 by Shirlee Abbott

Genesis 1:27-28 (ESV)
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
And God blessed them.

And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.”

We build homes and have children. We dig wells and arrange plumbing. We plant the seeds of our favorite produce. We eat our veggies and search out cures for illness. With God’s blessing.

But we are always stewards, never owners.

Posted in other | Tagged Genesis1:27-28, stewards | Comments Off

Patterns of Comfort

Posted on October 18, 2015 by Shirlee Abbott

Spring, summer, fall and winter—the seasons of our lives. What delights your heart?

The scent of lilacs
Fun at the shore
Hills arrayed in color
The silence of new snow

Think of the cycles God provides: oxygen, water, sowing and reaping, birth and death, seasons. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, our very lives follow a familiar pattern.

The pattern is never exactly the same, never perfectly predictable. But there is order. In that we find security and comfort. It is a good pattern. A very good pattern.

Posted in other | Tagged oxygen cycle, patterns, seasons, water cycle | 2 Comments

America, Nehemiah-Style

Posted on October 16, 2015 by Shirlee Abbott

Nehemiah 1:6-7
Hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you.

Per Nehemiah’s example, what’s wrong with America starts with . . .

. . . me.

I confess the sins I have committed against you, Lord.

Posted in other | Tagged America, confession, Nehemiah 1:6 | Comments Off

“Turn from Your Wicked Ways.” Or What?

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Shirlee Abbott

God says, “Humble yourselves and pray and seek my face and turn from your wicked ways” (from 2 Chronicles 7:14).

Or what if we don’t?

Abraham Lincoln, in his second inaugural address, suggested that the Civil War might have been our “Or what?” for the sin of slavery:

“. . . until all the wealth piled by the bond-men’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn by the sword.“

I’m worried about my generation’s “or what?”

Posted in other | Tagged 2 Chronicles 7:14, Abraham Lincoln, Civil War, slavery | 2 Comments

“And Turn from Your Wicked Ways”

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Shirlee Abbott

“Turn from your wicked ways.” Ah, that’s the real challenge of 2 Chronicles 7:14.

When it comes to the state of my nation, I want the other fella to turn from his wicked ways. Cause I’m one of the good guys, right?

God: Are you content with the status quo so long as it’s profitable for you?

Me: Do I really have to answer that?

It is so easy to make excuses: Everyone is doing it. I’m not as bad as they are.

God doesn’t set much store by excuses. That’s where the “Humble yourself” comes in.

Posted in other | Tagged 2 Chronicles 7:14, prayer, repent | 4 Comments

Nehemiah Humbles Himself and Prays

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Shirlee Abbott

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Nehemiah followed the instructions:

It worked well for him. We should try it.
Check Lesson 2 in Rebuilding the Walls for more on Nehemiah’s prayer.

Posted in other | Tagged 2 Chronicles 7:14, Nehemiah 1:6, prayer | 2 Comments

My Tale of Two Houses

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Shirlee Abbott

An internet writer friend, Norma Brumbaugh, asked me to write a guest post for her website.

Norma is an interesting soul. She’s the only walnut farmer I know. She also teaches, speaks and writes–as God leads. Read more about her here.

Read my renovation story and see some before and after photos of our barn.

Posted in other | Tagged guest post, Norma Brumbaugh | Comments Off