My Daily Nourishment

The year 2010 is almost ending. It means that the first decade of the 21st century is almost over. Are you happy and contented for all what had happened to your life for this year? Some people might experience hardships of any kind and some might have contentment. Some people might have financial freedom and some might have difficulties. Some might lost their love ones and some might had given new births. Some might had their dreams slowly came true and some are frustrated. These are just the flows of life. It is like a wheel. Sometimes we are up and sometimes we are down.

I am thankful that I have quite a good year for 2010. There might be some problems and trials on the path sometimes but we had overcome most of it. There are a lot of plans we have for next year. On top is to renovate our house. One of these is our bathroom. We might need to find good whirlpool faucets if ever we will install a whirpool in it. We are also planning to put a terrace in our entrance door so that we don’t have a difficulty during snow time. Our old roof also needs to be replaced. I hope that we can have all these plans materialized little by little starting next year.

Lastly, I want to wish you all in advance a more bountiful and prosperous New Year!

Too much in our lives is done in the name of a “good idea.” There is an old saying to the effect that, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” We need to recognize that it is obedience that God calls for, not good ideas. God is like the conductor of an orchestra — it is up to Him to direct each person just as it is necessary for the conductor to direct each instrument in the orchestra. What a terrible sound it would be if everyone in the orchestra just played whatever notes they wanted to play. It is important that we build according to the will and Word of God.

2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16

1 When King David was settled in his palace, and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side, 2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God dwells in a tent!” 3 Nathan answered the king, “Go, do whatever you have in mind, for the LORD is with you.” 4 But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said 5 “Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Should you build me a house to dwell in? 8 “It was I who took you from the pasture and from the care of the flock to be commander of my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth. 10 I will fix a place for my people Israel; I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place without further disturbance. Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old, 11 since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD also reveals to you that he will establish a house for you. 12 And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. 14 I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. 16 Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.’ ”

If you want to know what sort of lifestyle pleases the Lord, the answer is very simple — a life of integrity and truth. Pope John Paul II was constantly calling us back to such a lifestyle and Benedict XVI has not let up on this call. The history of Judaism and Christianity is full of examples of the faithful few, the men and women of integrity, being sources of renewal and faithfulness in the life of our traditions. Are you a part of this solution or a part of the problem?

Jeremiah 23:5-8

5 Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; as king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land. 6 In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security. This is the name they give him, “The LORD our justice.” 7 Therefore, the days will come, says the LORD, when they shall no longer say, “As the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt”; 8 but rather, “As the LORD lives, who brought the descendants of the house of Israel up from the land of the north” — and from all the lands to which I banished them; they shall again live on their own land.
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The time of righteousness that Jesus will inaugurate may take some time to fulfill, the ultimate fulfillment being heaven, but it will include all of creation. We see that here through the promises that the lion and lamb will lie down together; that children and asps will play safely with one another.

Isaiah 11:1-10

1 On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. 2 The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, 3 and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, 4 but he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. 5 Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips. 6 Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. 7 The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox. 8 The baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair. 9 There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea. 10 On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious.
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So far, I can say that I have a wonderful day. I also had fun with friends last night. It was only scary as I drove home because it was snowing already. Imagine driving at 1:00 AM alone on the road and all your surrounding is white. I drove from 30 to 40 kilometers per hour. I have to dirve very slow because the road is already full of snow. I am also very thankful because I arrived home safe.

I can’t stay too long tonight. I am still not done packing for our trip tomorrow. I will also browse for directory submission services when we come back from our trip. I am quite excited because it is my first time to visit Zurich, Switzerland and Strasbourg, France. For sure, I will give you updates when I come back.

Take care everyone and have a safe and lovely weekend!
I am also sharing primula flowers here. This was taken in our garden last April 2010.

The coming of the Messiah will be the start of the time when all weeping will be driven away because sin, the most common, if not the only source of weeping, will be put to death. I am taking a little bit of liberty with the texts here but nothing that cannot be substantiated with the use of other texts. It is perfectly alright to interpret a text with the help of other texts.

Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26

19 Thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem, no more will you weep; he will be gracious to you when you cry out, as soon as he hears he will answer you. 20 The Lord will give you the bread you need and the water for which you thirst. No longer will your Teacher hide himself, but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher, 21 while from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears, “This is the way; walk in it,” when you would turn to the right or to the left. 23 He will give rain for the seed that you sow in the ground, and the wheat that the soil produces will be rich and abundant. On that day your cattle will graze in spacious meadows; 24 the oxen and the asses that till the ground will eat silage tossed to them with shovel and pitchfork. 25 Upon every high mountain and lofty hill there will be streams of running water. On the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall, 26 the light of the moon will be like that of the sun and the light of the sun will be seven times greater like the light of seven days. On the day the LORD binds up the wounds of his people, he will heal the bruises left by his blows.
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Hello everyone! The second weekend of December is here. Two more weeks to go and Christmas is finally here. Some people might not have the desire to go walking during cold winter time. How about you guys? Don’t you know that we still manage to go walking during winter? As long as the snows are not falling down, me and hubby always find time to go walking. I need a cheap used gym equipment next time for me to have some exercise in the house especially in this cold time of the year. Here is an image taken while we went walking the other weekend.

I also wish everyone a wonderful weekend! Stay warm and safe!

A time when the deaf will hear and the blind will see … this is what Isaiah is promising will come in the Day of the Lord, when the Messiah comes. More than that, when He does arrive we discover that the promise of eternal life is for us all and not just a few. God’s love is big enough to encompass all people. We need not be afraid of being left behind!

Isaiah 29:17-24

17 Thus says the Lord God: But a very little while, and Lebanon shall be changed into an orchard, and the orchard be regarded as a forest! 18 On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book; and out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see. 19 The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. 20 For the tyrant will be no more and the arrogant will have gone; all who are alert to do evil will be cut off, 21 those whose mere word condemns a man, who ensnare his defender at the gate, and leave the just man with an empty claim. 22 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of the house of Jacob, who redeemed Abraham. Now Jacob shall have nothing to be ashamed of, nor shall his face grow pale. 23 When his children see the work of my hands in his midst, they shall keep my name holy; they shall reverence the Holy One of Jacob, and be in awe of the God of Israel. 24 Those who err in spirit shall acquire understanding, and those who find fault shall receive instruction.
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So far, I had a wonderful day today. I hope you too! We drove to Neumarkt to pick-up important document in Landratsamt, the administration office in this city. A friend also went with us because she needed winter shoes for her kids. After window shopping in some stores, she finally found good winter shoes for her two kids. I forgot to look for ink cartridges for our old Lexmark printer. I hope I won’t forget it next time. I ended up buying a new winter cap because I like its color and style. I also returned the sweatshirt that I bought for hubby last weekend. It was too big for him and he don’t like the color. After shopping, we headed to the Chinese restaurant for a buffet lunch. That was quite a nice day today.

The apostles gave their lives in martyrdom (except John) to proclaim the Gospel. This is the highest price anyone can pay. They freely chose to pay it. Why? Because they had experienced the power of Jesus to change their lives. If you have had a similar experience then you need to proclaim this truth also. If not, then pray for God to convert you to Himself so that you can then witness to His transforming power. You cannot give to someone else what you do not first have yourself.

Romans 10:9-18
9 Brothers and sisters: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 For the scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? 15 And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring [the] good news!” 16 But not everyone has heeded the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?” 17 Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ. 18 But I ask, did they not hear? Certainly they did; for “Their voice has gone forth to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”
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