Sep
16
A New Home for The Sweet Dropper
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You can now find The Sweet Dropper at it’s own domain name: http://sweetdropper.com
If you’re reading this in an RSS reader (Google Reader, Bloglines, Netvibes, etc) don’t forget to update your subscription to the new feed address: http://feeds.feedburner.com/sweetdropper
Don’t miss Phillip’s latest post, MNA Disaster Response Appeal.
Sep
8
Coffee with Lewis: to love or not to love?
Filed Under Books, C.S. Lewis, Coffee with Lewis | Leave a Comment
From The Four Loves:
To love anything at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to amke sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket–safe, dark motionless, airless–it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. the only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell. [121]
Sep
4
Thinking and eating
Filed Under Fun | Leave a Comment
Not sure how to analyze this. I’ll think about it some more after I finish the Fritos and the gummi bears.
Sep
4
Focused prayer for Muslim world
Filed Under Around the Church, Blogging, Culture, Current Events, Evangelism, Islam, Missions, Prayer | Leave a Comment
In our prayer meeting during September we will spend a portion of time praying for the power of the Gospel to reach mightily into the Muslim world. 30-Days International (www.30-days.net) produces the “30-Days of Prayer for the Muslim World” Christian prayer guide coinciding with Ramadan each year.
The origin of this international prayer network came about as a group of Christian leaders were praying during a meeting in the Middle East in April 1992. God put a burden on the hearts of these men and women to call as many Christians as possible to pray for the Muslim world. The annual, worldwide, 30-Days Muslim prayer focus gives Christians the opportunity to learn about Islam and pray for Muslims during Ramadan (Islam’s important annual month of fasting and religious observance). This year’s motto is: “Loving Muslims through Prayer.”
Each year a new prayer guide booklet is published in a number of languages and locations around the world. The booklet is illustrated and contains daily readings with prayer points and informative background articles focusing on the Muslim world. Printed copies of the prayer guide are sold out, but an online daily blog version is available here.
Sep
3
Coffee with Lewis: forgiveness
Filed Under Around the Church, C.S. Lewis, Christian Living, Coffee with Lewis | Leave a Comment
Every now and then I’ll start throwing in a choice C.S. Lewis quote. His insight, wit and wisdom still amaze me. Here’s a first sip from The Weight of Glory:
To forgive the incessant provocations of daily life–to keep on forgiving the bossy mother-in-law, the bullying husband, the nagging wife, the selfish daughter, the deceitful son–how can we do it? Only, I think, by remembering where we stand, by meaning our words when we say in our prayers each night, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We are offered forgiveness on no other terms. to refuse it is to refuse God’s mercy for ourselves. There is no hint of exceptions and God means what he says.
Jesus says the a forgiven heart is a forgiving heart (Matthew 18:21-35). Is forgiveness really necessary? According to the Lord’s prayer, practicing forgiveness is as much a part of daily life as seeking food. The Bible is the story of a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin… And this God says the forgiveness I receive is to be translated into forgiveness extended to others.
P.S. Folks in and around Kosciusko ought to come to our FPC Fall Lecture Series, which begins, Thu. Sept. 4 at 6:30 pm in our fellowship hall. Rev. Brad Mercer will present six lectures over the next six weeks on “C.S. Lewis: A Man for All Christians.” Let us know if you want more information. See you there.