My counter don't work!!!!

I was trying to keep track of the "hits" I had on this blog during this Lenten project and now the counter isn't working. How disappointing!

It did this once before but came back and few days later with much different numbers.

Oh, well. I'll be OK.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog.

Lenten Devotion for March 6 - David Waits on the Lord.

Psalm 27:14

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!


David’s life had been filled with pain.
He “Cried aloud to the LORD.
His life was filled with brokenness
and he wished it to be restored.

He wondered if God was mad at him
and he turned his face away.
The only thing he knew to do
was to reach out to God and pray.

The assuring message he received
was “be strong and wait for the LORD”.
God was aware of his presence,
he wasn’t being ignored.

Wait didn’t mean to do nothing
but to take courage with his heart
so he could see God’s answer
and feel his good life restart.

Lenten Devotion for March 5 - Jesus Stills the Storm

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Storms are used in the scriptures
as symbol for troubles we face.
Troubles we cannot solve alone
but only with God’s great grace.

When it seems like we will sink
with winds that blow us around,
Jesus speaks his words of peace
so we will not have to drown.

Yes, Jesus cares what we’re hurting
and the words he speaks to the storm
save us from the present fear
and makes our heart a new warm.

“Who is this?” we ask with them
that the winds and sea obey.
We give many thanks to God
He is with us every day.

Devotion for March 4 - Jesus, the Communicator

Mark 4:33-34
With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.


Jesus was the great communicator.
The truth was given as they were able
to understand and apply to their lives
through the technique of the parable.

The parable is so very complex.
It opens truth little bit at a time.
And when we continue our deep study
it leads to lessons that are sublime.

I’ve studied them for over fifty years
and preached them on many occasion
to many different congregations
in an attempt at real persuasion.

When I try to bring one out to preach
and study it from every perspective
I find that God gives guidance to me
to find an exciting new reflection.

Why not read one of these stories yourself
and look at it for something brand new?
You don’t have to be a theologian
to find truth that is helpful for you.

Teasing the Un-retired

Teasing the Un-retired
By Larry R. Linville

“You have to go back to work,” I said,
“and I’ll go home for a nap instead.”
“It will just be a little while”
he said, to my smirking little smile.

When I got home there were things to do.
Too late for a nap when I was through.
After supper there was much more
and I missed out on my evening snore.

Another meeting I had next day
which kept me from finding time to play.
We took a lunch break and met again
it was time to eat when I came in.

Was this a penalty for my joke
and for the great fund I tried to poke
at that guy who was not yet retired?
Had all my teasing on me conspired?

Lenten Devotion for March 3 - Jesus Teaches

Mark 4:1-9 Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” And he said, “Let anyone with ears to hear, let him hear!”

His classroom was the great outdoors.
His podium was a boat.
The images were so graphic
we have it now as a quote.

Seeds and sowers were commonplace
and soils were recognized.
These things had happened for years
before the listeners eyes.

Some heard but didn’t understand
the great truth was very near
so Jesus said if you have ears
you must try very hard to hear.

There’s more than just hearing words
if the lesson we are to learn.
When we read it many times
one day we’ll finally discern.

Devotion for March 2 - Jesus' family

Mark 3:31-35
Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!5Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”



All those who follow Jesus
no matter whom they may be
and who follow the will of God
are family for you and me.

They may be a different color
and a culture we may think odd
but they are Jesus’ family
and children of our good God.

Jesus loves all those people
we’ve chosen not to OK
but God can help us accept them
if we’re serious when we pray.