Author: Jason

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Cookies!

Oh man, today is National Peanut Butter Cookie Day.  And who can resist that great tasting cookies with the fork prints crisscrossed on top?  (well, that doesn’t count those with peanut allergies!) Did you know that recipe was first published in 1932?  When I hear that I sort of feel like Abraham after he realized he had some mighty visitors to his camp.  He ran to his wife and hollered

Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes!

I am not sure Amy will appreciate that shout out this morning, but I might give it a go and see if it results in some deliciousness. Anyway, baking also makes me think of measuring and measuring always brings me back to the way God will judge us.

38 Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Luke 6:38 (NASB)

This thought sure makes it easier to be a little more generous with our stuff, our thoughts, our judgements and our exhibitions of mercy.

Use a large measure today and see how things come back to you.

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Kings and Control

Over the last few months, I have been exposed to the difficulties that surround that entire process of waiting and trusting.  I have had several incidents that have removed all control from me, and that is actually pretty unsettling.  It’s day’s like this that I could dream about guys like Kamehameha, after all it is his day.  Kamehameha was the monarch who first established the unified Kingdom of Hawaii way back in 1810.  He wielded so much control that he was able to keep the Hawaiian Islands from been colonized at a time when the rest of the Polynesian Islands where succumbing to Colonial powers.   He helped bring pineapples and coffee to Hawaii and said things like this:

“Endless is the good that I have given you to enjoy.”–Kamehameha I

Pretty impressive control, and evidently a pretty impressive ruler!

Despite Kamehameha dominance as a ruler, he can only teach me things today, he can’t really help me with waiting and trusting, especially since his control eventually gave way others.  Fortunately, I know another ruler that his followers said this about:

What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him? – Disciples of Jesus

Now that’s control! And that guy is still around helping us today.  He’s the guy I will look toward during these days of lack of control (as if I ever had any), apparent uncertainty, and ‘confusion’.

9 The heart of man plans his way,  but the Lord establishes his steps.  Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)

Think about that when you have concern about what is happening around you!

And have a great Kamehameha Day! Aloha Kakou

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Iced Tea Day!

It’s a depressingly dark and rainy morning as I stare out the window for a thought to get the day started, but then I remember that it is International Sweet Tea day!  Well it’s actually National Iced Tea day, but what good is tea when it’s not sweet? Anyway, on June 10, 1904 at the St Louis Worlds fair, it seems they purveyors of the fair claim they invented iced tea – thus creating this glorious day. However, upon further inspection, like this bit of history here, it can be understood that those in the South were serving sweet tea long before 1904!

Tea Choice!

No matter, just get out there and kick back and refresh yourself by enjoying some iced tea today, remember it is the gentleman’s drink.

Oh and speaking of being refreshed, maybe this will be iced tea to your spirit!

For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish. Jeremiah 31:25 ESV

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Consider the Birds

Keeping the Sermon on the Mount deal going this morning, I thought I would grab one more sentence with a powerful punch to share on this first Friday in June.

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Yeah, that’s incredible.  Actually this is the way the start of the section that I shared the conclusion yesterday.

It sort of reminds me of some friend I have who sold their house without any idea of where they were going to move.  They just put it out there and sold.  For me, I think I would have a nervous breakdown in that situation.  But they just sold and boom, temporary housing appeared, and then boom, a house with a great price appeared.  Pretty awesome!

So, remember your place in the scheme of things today, and remember who is taking care of you.  That should help remove whatever it is that you find yourself anxious!

 

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Today

I have spent some more time in those same few chapters of Matthew as were I rediscovered the second mile verse.  There are so many nuggets of greatness there, it’s actually better than reading Proverbs.  Anyway, here is another one of those great teachings from the Christ that you can’t hear enough.  For some reason this is something that I think all of us struggle with.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.  Matthew 6:34