Shirlee Abbott

God Has a Sense of Humor (Wednesday)

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

I stand by the fence watching the giraffes nibbling from tree branches. They are awkwardly graceful. Creator God, what were you thinking?

I sense Jesus leaning against the fence and laughing, Aren’t they great!

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God Has a Sense of Humor (Tuesday)

Posted on September 23, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

There’s a Bible passage that reminds me of an Abbott and Costello routine.

This is how the story of Hagar and Ishmael reads with the meanings of the names taken from chapter 16.

Genesis 21:15-18
When the water in the skin was gone, Hagar put the boy God Hears under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch God Hears die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob.

God Who Sees heard God Hears crying, and the angel of God Who Sees called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God Who Sees has heard God Hears crying as he lies there. Lift God Hears up and take him by the hand, for God Who Sees will make God Hears into a great nation.”

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God Has a Sense of Humor

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Can you envision God laughing?

Absolutely
Seems out of character for the Lord of the Universe
I just hope he’s not laughing at me

Consider the platypus: bill of a duck, feet of an otter, tail of a beaver–an egg-laying, venomous mammal. It seems to be assembled out of left-over parts, kind of like Johnny Cash’s One Piece at a Time Cadillac.

The way I see it, God had a good chuckle when he designed the platypus. And when a platypus tickles my funny bone, I’m not laughing at God. I’m laughing with God.

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Us)e Your Imagination! (Friday

Posted on September 19, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

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Use Your Imagination! (Thursday)

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Not all prayers have to be in words.

Sometimes I settle on an image to convey my prayer: the exhausted mom soundly sleeping, a friendly handshake between quarreling friends, the unemployed teacher in a classroom filled with students.

Sometimes God responds in kind, speaking in images rather than words: the face of a person who needs prayer, the layout of a VBS lesson, a change in my morning routine.

Use your imagination!

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Use Your Imagination (Wednesday)

Posted on September 17, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Have you noticed how almost every news article and blog post has a picture attached? Sometimes it enhances the story. And sometimes it is just an obligatory filler, a random image that carries little connection to the content. I’m annoyed by the same taped-off crime scene photo my local paper attaches to numerous unrelated reports.

I don’t want to use images that way. It’s not that I lack the imagination–actually, I’m very good at picking a photo that matches the message. But I want you to use your imagination, not mine.

Exercise this gift to you from God.

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Use Your Imagination (Tuesday)

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

“Imagination is the greatest gift God has given us . . . it will be one of the greatest assets to faith when the time of trial comes, because your faith and the Spirit of God will work together . . . your imagination will never be at the mercy of your impulses, but will always be at the service of God.”
Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, Feb 11

Lord, let me put my imagination to good use in your service. Amen.

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Use Your Imagination

Posted on September 15, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Imagination.

What is it?

Child’s play
Unproductive day dreaming
Unleashed creativity

Is it far fetched to consider my imagination not just a gift from God, but also a reflection of God?

Take the creation account from Genesis 1. God spoke and our world came into being. Doesn’t that make us products of God’s imagination? When you use your imagination, are you demonstrating how you are created in the image of God?

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Restoring My Soul

Posted on September 7, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Taking a break from Souls Under Construction to visit family and restore my own soul. I’ll be back!

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Why Work? (Friday)

Posted on September 5, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Here’s the thing, Lord. I try to do things well–on my job, for our church and at home. I’d like to say that I do this good work for you, but I can’t lie (at least not to you, God). Most of the time, I do it for myself–so that people will think highly of me. I confess, it’s usually more about me than it is about you. And I’m sorry.

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