Joseph the husband of Mary

I meant to write this back in December but I kept getting sidetracked.  If you recall I was taking my time looking at the linage of Jesus.  This is a verse that I stopped on and spent time thinking and pondering the verse and what it might mean.

Matthew 1:16

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary,and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.


Now just so you know, I don't ever presume to be an authority on what a verse actually might mean but sometimes a thought pops in my mind that almost makes sense and sometimes I will decide or am lead to share that with you.  



Joseph, the husband of Mary, who was the mother of Jesus doesn't get mentioned much after Jesus reached a certain age but that doesn't mean  that Joseph was not a key person in the life of Jesus.  Joseph accepted Jesus and treated Him as his own. Now he only did this after an angel appeared to him in a dream.

Matthew 1:20-21

New International Version (NIV)

²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,^[a] because he will save his people from their sins.”


Once that the angel appeared to Joseph he accepted and protected Jesus.  That sounds like adoption to me! How amazing that Jesus was basically adopted into an earthly family when He is the One that prepared the way for a heavenly adoption.  

Romans 8:14-16

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.^[a] And by him we cry, “Abba,^[b] Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
  
Do you need to be adopted by God or are you waiting on the angel??
Turn to Jesus!  He is the key Person!

John 3:16-17

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

A tangled story

I was looking at my messy, tangled hair this morning before I took the brush and got rid of the tangled mess. It was sticking out everywhere, out of control and had a very wild look.  Now the way my hair is, it will be possible for the tangled mess to be back soon!  I should carry my brush with me but often don't.

My life is often a tangled mess just like my hair.  If I don't go to God my life starts looking messy.  It can become very wild and out of control.  Now the way my life is, it is possible for it to become a tangle mess if not going to God on a regular basis. I have a tendency to try to work things out on my own before I hand the brush to God.

I need to always let him brush away my worries, my insecurities and fears.  I need to remember that He is always there even when I brush him aside.  He is closer than the hairs on my head!

2 Corinthians 5:5-7

New International Version (NIV)

⁵ Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

⁶ Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.⁷ For we live by faith, not by sight.

The Journey Continues:Update from pet scan and appointment

Yesterday was a long day.  We left Enid about 7:45 am and walked back into the house at 7:00 pm.  Richard had chemo, a pet scan and than saw a Doctor.  The Doctor told us that the pet scan still showed spots but they are still  located in the neck area.  They are going to compare the pet scan to the one that was done in the fall to see if the cancer is still the same, better or worse.  The remark was made that there was small uptake which means that the pet scan lit up in certain areas.  In the past we have heard words other than  small about the uptake.

The pet scan also lit up in his sinus area.  The Doctor also looked into his left ear and said it was still red and that there might have have been a hole but wasn't sure.  She did say that she saw a blood streak. She instructed him to continue the drops in his ears and started him on an oral medicine.  He will follow up with the ear, nose throat Dr. here in Enid on Monday.

He will do chemo again in three weeks.  He will also be doing an IVIG infusion after the chemo and than to see the Doctor at 2:30.  The good news is that is blood work was great!! White counts really good and his kidney function level is almost back down to normal!!

Thanks so much for the prayers!!! : )

Psalm 106:1

New International Version (NIV)

¹ Praise the Lord.^[a]

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

The worth of a Clarinet reed

I play clarinet, or at least attempt to play.  I have been in orchestra at church since last spring and have struggled at times with the songs, the six sharps that seem to be in every other song, worn out pads and keeping the beat!  I had not played in over twenty years when I picked up that clarinet in the spring and attempted to make music.  I must admit that I do enjoy playing, most of the time.

I have looked at the price of clarinets online and in music stores.  The price of a new clarinet may range from five hundred to thousands of dollars.  Used ones can be anywhere from one hundred and up.  If purchased from an individual the price will vary and might be cheaper.

The reed of a clarinet goes on the mouth piece and only cost two to three dollars but the worth of the reed really can not be measured.   The worth of a clarinet reed came rushing to me on Sunday during church while  playing with the orchestra in church.

I made it through the first song and part of the second song when I realized that something was wrong.  I could only play the low notes and that was iffy at time.  I struggled to get more air through the clarinet when it dawned on me that the reed must have split.

It had not only split once but it had split twice.  I did get about six months of play time from that reed but I probably will be checking the reeds over more often!  The reed is essential to play!!  A clarinet might be worth many dollars but without that reed it is useless!  It just will not play without the reed!

I know sometimes I feel just like a clarinet without a reed.  I sometimes feel that I am not doing anything but blowing out air and a few low notes.  I don't feel like I am worth much but God's Word tells me different.  The Bible points me to Jesus!  He prepared the way to my worthiness!  I must be worth much!  Jesus took my sin and was nailed to the cross with it!  He then conquered death with a victorious burst from the grave!

I might feel like the clarinet without a reed but then I remember that Jesus is my reed!!  The price of my reed is beyond measure!!

What about you?  Have you met my reed?  He is waiting!

John 14:6

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.No one comes to the Father except through me.

Proverbs 8:33-35

New International Version (NIV)

³³ Listen to my instruction and be wise;
    do not disregard it.
³⁴ Blessed are those who listen to me,
    watching daily at my doors,
    waiting at my doorway.
³⁵ For those who find me find life
    and receive favor from the Lord.

The price of sugar!!

Today I went to the store to buy some groceries.  On my list was sugar.  I was on the sugar aisle and it struck me how much the price of sugar has went up over the last several years.  I paid 2.62 for a four pound sack of sugar.  Not only is the price higher but what we get for that price is less sugar.  It doesn't seem that long ago that I paid 89 cents for five pounds of sugar.

I guess everything has went up.  Everything on my list was more today than it was several years ago.  I do use coupons and look for sales that help with the cost of food but it seems that I am getting the short end of the deal.  On my way home I noticed that the price of gas was 3.49.  I could only sigh.

I was putting up the groceries when I remember that there is something that the price will never change!!  In fact it is free!  The price was paid for me!  It is my salvation. I sinned but Jesus paid the price!  All I had to do was accept the gift!  Jesus is the way to salvation.  He died and rose again just for me and for you!!  It is the best deal that I ever chose.  The price is always the same!

What about you?  Will you choose the gift??

John 3:16-17

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Romans 3:23-25

New International Version (NIV)

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,²⁴ and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,^[a] through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—

The Journey Continues:Update on fever and cough

Richard seemed to be doing better.  He has not have fever since Tuesday evening and the cough is not quite as bad though he does have spurts of coughing.  He mentioned last night that he felt like his head was plugged up.  This morning he told me that during the night he woke up to find a bunch of  fluids draining out of his left ear.  He still has fluids coming out of his ear and at one point in time thinks there may have been some blood mixed in.  He also can not hear out of that ear.  It seems to be plugged but draining.  I will be calling the Dr. office this morning.

Thanks for following Richard's journey and for the prayers that you keep sending up!!

Proverbs 3:5-6

New International Version (NIV)

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.^[a]

The Journey Continues:Another quick update, 02/05/13

Richard is running a fever that started Saturday evening.  It is gone in the morning but back in the evenings plus he has been coughing though last night he had a restful night and did not wake me up once.  He is coughing some this morning.  Yesterday when I got home I took his temperature and it was 101.9 and he had taken Tylenol an hour before at work. Of course he is working today!  I have instructed him (LOL) to let me know how he is doing mid morning and if needed I will email or call the nurse at OU medical.   He is just worried that he will end up in the hospital which is always a possibility.

Thanking you in advance for the prayers that will be going up!!! :)

Psalm 88:13

New International Version (NIV)

¹³ But I cry to you for help, Lord;
    in the morning my prayer comes before you.

Ramblings from a tired mind

It is funny the things that pop into my mind when I am tired.  Things that pop into my mind when tired are things like I am never going to get the rest that I need, how come everyone else in the whole wide world have such clean homes, my house will always be dirty and that spiders are going to take over the world.

This morning after wrestling with my mind that yes I did have to get up my feet touched the floor with mild hesitation but with a resolve that I would make it through the day but I would be on the look out for spiders. Whether my mind is tired or calm I make sure that there are no spiders in my path but when my mind is tired spiders seem a larger than normal. I calmly shook out my towel to make sure that no spiders had taken up residence on the towel that would dry off my face.  I can not imagine a spider close to my face.  I also made sure that there were no spiders in my shoes, in my slacks, in my socks, in my hair brush, on the toilet paper, in my slacks and well you get the picture.  Spiders can be larger than they really are!  They are evil!!

As I was calmly looking for any spiders that might have crept into my life I realized that there is something larger, more evil and more sinister than any spider could ever be.  It is the devil!  You know the one that will end up in a flaming, fiery furnace called hell.  I need to have a check list every morning to make sure the devil is not in my life.  Is there sin that needs taken care of that the evil one parades in front of me, are my thoughts clean and pure even when tired, am I to pushy, to righteous, too angry, to prideful and well I think you get the picture.

I need to be on the lookout and kept the devil at bay.  I need to keep my pray life active, read and study the Bible and listen to the Holy Spirit and be accountable to my God.  I need to heed the warnings of other Christians and keep my mind pure and Holy. That is the check list I need to go through every morning to keep the one that is more evil than spiders out of my life!

What about you?  Do you have the right checklist?

Revelation 20:10

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

1 Corinthians 3:18-19

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁸ Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”^[a];