Shirlee Abbott

May Your Blessings Outnumber the Shamrocks (Thursday)

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Spring starts today! What do St. Patrick and Spring have in common, besides proximity on the calendar?

Growth, new life.

Just as spring plants grow from seed to tender sprout to fruitful maturity, Patrick grew from child to slave to man of God. And what about you? How’s your spiritual growth? Are you more fruitful, more mature than you were last year, five years ago, 25 years ago?

Mark 4:8 (CEV)
. . . the plants grew and produced thirty or sixty or even a hundred times as much as was scattered.

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May Your Blessings Outnumber the Shamrocks (Wednesday)

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

St. Patrick used a shamrock, so they say, to explain the Trinity.

Three leaves–one shamrock.

shamrock

Father, Son, Spirit–one God.

Here’s the Bible verse I’m memorizing this week–Paul’s prayer:

Ephesians 1:17 (NIV)
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

The Father sends the Spirit so you can know the Son.

May the shamrocks remind you of your many blessings.

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May Your Blessings Outnumber the Shamrocks (Tuesday)

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Where did St. Patrick find the power to not only forgive his former captors, but to devote his life to serving them?

“I arise today
    Through God’s strength to pilot me:
    God’s might to uphold me,
    God’s wisdom to guide me,
    God’s eye to look before me,
    God’s ear to hear me,
    God’s word to speak to me,
    God’s hand to guard me,
    God’s way to lie before me,
    God’s shield to protect me,
    God’s host to save me.”
from The Lorica (St. Patrick’s Breastplate)
5th century

The world has changed since St. Patrick’s time. God hasn’t. Go with God.

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May Your Blessings Outnumber the Shamrocks (Monday)

Posted on March 17, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

What do you know about St. Patrick?

I’m guessing he was Irish
He used a shamrock to describe God
He drove the snakes out of Ireland

Patrick of Ireland was born in Great Britain. At age sixteen, he was captured by Irish pirates. For six years he was a slave, working as a shepherd. During this time, he developed a personal relationship with God through prayer. He escaped and returned to his family. He later returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary. He might have used a shamrock to describe the Trinity. And the snakes? Probably just legend.

Forget the parades and green beer. Honor Patrick by forgiving someone who’s done you wrong.

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Let Your Light Shine (Friday)

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

I was fortunate to work with Dr. John S. Madara. He was an old-school general practitioner, a shining ray of medical and spiritual wisdom.

It wasn’t unusual for someone to grasp his hand and say, “I’ll never forget what you did for me, Doc.” Interesting thing, Dr. Madara had long forgotten what it was. He’d tell me later, “I’ve no idea what that was about.” My best guess? It was all about house calls, kind words, long nights and reduced fees.

Dear God, make me a light that shines and immediately forgets the deed.

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Let Your Light Shine (Thursday)

Posted on March 13, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

God says Let your light shine at the oddest moments.

God: See that car? Let her into traffic.

Help him pick up the coins he dropped.

Let them go through the check-out line first.

I expected a bigger assignment. I’m thinking spotlight, God is thinking penlight.

Luke 16:10 (NLT)
If you are faithful in little things . . .

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Let Your Light Shine (Wednesday)

Posted on March 12, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

“We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won’t need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining–they just shine.”
D. L. Moody (1837-1899)

Mr. Moody practiced what he preached. What started out as good deeds after work soon became his full-time occupation. We’d do well to follow his advice and his example.

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Let Your Light Shine (Tuesday)

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Matthew 5:14 (ESV)
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Don’t hide your light. And don’t try to rearrange it a la Daylight Savings Time. Don’t save up all your good deeds for a flashy photo-op. God is into good deeds, not good press.

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Let the Light Shine (Monday)

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Take an hour from front end of the day, tack it on the back end and call it daylight savings. Does that make any sense?

Does it have to make sense for me to like it?
I hate spring forward, but fall back is good
Can’t we just change our time zone and have daylight savings year round?
Dark mornings again, yuck!

Daylight SAVINGS? Like I can put the light in my piggy bank and save it for a rainy day? Nice concept, if only it worked.

Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

I don’t suppose I get to save up my good deeds and let them shine in one brief blaze of glory.

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What’s in Your Closet? (Friday)

Posted on March 7, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

South African writer, teacher and pastor Andrew Murray (1828-1917) gets the final word on this week’s topic.

“Let it be your business every day, in the secrecy of the inner chamber, to meet the holy God. You will be repaid for the trouble it may cost you. The reward will be sure and rich.”

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