Live in Peace

 

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

 

Romans 12:18 (NLT)

The Servant Song

Will you let me be your servant.
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.

 

We are pilgrims on a journey.
We are brothers on the road.
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.

 

I will hold the Christ-light for you
In the night time of your fear.
I will hold my hand out to you;
Speak the peace you long to hear.

 

I will weep when you are weeping.
When you laugh, I'll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we've seen this journey through.

 

When we sing to God in heaven,
We shall find such harmony
Born of all we've known together
Of Christ's love and agony.

 

Will you let me be your servant.
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.

 

Songwriters:

Richard Gillard, Betty C. Pulkingham

The Servant Song lyrics © Universal Music - Brentwood Benson Publ.

Breathe on me, Breath of God

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
fill me with life anew,
that I may love the way you love,
and do what you would do.


Breathe on me, Breath of God,
until my heart is pure,
until my will is one with yours,
to do and to endure.


Breathe on me, Breath of God,
so shall I never die,
but live with you the perfect life
for all eternity.

Psalter Hymnal, 1987

The text is a prayer for renewal by God's Spirit (like Ps. 51:10-12), a renewal that is to be expressed in a life of love (st. 1), in purity of heart and will (st. 2), and in an intimacy with God that heralds the perfection of eternal life (st. 3). In both Hebrew and Greek the Word for "spirit" is the same as "wind/air/breath"; thus in this text the Spirit of God is referred to as "Breath of God."
Intended as a hymn for ordination, this text by Edwin Hatch (b. Derby, England, 1835; d. Oxford, England, 1889) was privately printed in 1878 and then published in Henry Allon's The Congregational Psalmist Hymnal in 1886. Hatch evidently had a simple and childlike faith; that description fits this text as well.
 

Be an Encouragement

Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

Ephesians 4:29 (NLT)

Joyful

And so, my children, listen to me, for all who follow my ways are joyful. Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it. Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home!

Proverbs 8:32-35 New Living Translation (NLT)

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT)

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Another timely quote as I struggle with improvements and changes I need to make in my life. Scripture is inspired by God and God inspires us through the scripture (and the Holy Spirit). God is good. :-)

Really love them

Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
Romans 12:9-10, NLT

Oh pretend love is hard but often still much easier than real love. Is it a step along the way to real love or does it create a barrier to real love?

Walk the talk...need to work on this one

Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

1 John 3:18, NLT

Back Door Travel Philosophy

From Rick Steves Europe Through the Back Door

"Travel, like the world, is a series of hills and valleys. Be fanatically positive and militantly optimistic. If something's not to your liking, change your liking.
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"fanatically positive and militantly optimistic"... I can do that. :-)

Common Sense

He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.

Proverbs 2:7, NLT

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I often say that common sense is the greatest oxymoron because there's nothing "common" about it. It does seem that Americans don't exercise much common sense. I hadn't thought to pray that I wouldn't lose mine. This is a great promise...I just need to stay honest and "walk with integrity." Awesome goals.

Having fun...the Bible says so

So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 8:15, NLT

Patient Endurance

Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

Hebrews 10:36, NLT
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How does Air1 know what verse I need on a given day? Today, I needed to be reminded of both patience and endurance. Thank you, Lord, for knowing what I need before I even know I need it and for filling that need.

Hope

And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.

Psalm 39:7, NLT
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Amen!

...and don't think you know it all

This Bible verse has several powerful and different messages all wrapped up into one:

Live in harmony with each other. Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!

Romans 12:16, NLT 

I love all the messages. I need to live all the messages.

Strong and courageous!

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.

Deuteronomy 31:6, NLT

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Yep it was another Air 1 verse. I'm not feeling particularly weak or cowardly right now, I wonder if something is coming that I need to be strong and courageous for. Even if nothing's coming down the pike immediately, I know I need to remember this.

Six Little Stories

1.  Once all villagers decided to pray for rain, on the day of prayer all the people gathered,
but only one boy came with an umbrella.

That's FAITH


2.  When you throw a baby in the air, she laughs because she knows you will catch her.

That's TRUST


3.  Every night we go to bed, without any assurance of being alive the next morning
but still we set the alarms to wake up.

That's HOPE


4.  We plan big things for tomorrow in spite of zero knowledge of the future.

That's CONFIDENCE


5.  We see the world suffering, but still we get married and have children.

That's LOVE


6.  On an old man's shirt was written a sentence 'I am not 60 years old....
I am sweet 16 with 44 years’ experience'

That's ATTITUDE

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Shared with me by Daddy W, Dr. Mary's dad who must be a twin separated at birth from my dad. They're both engineers (ask them what time it is, they'll tell you how a watch works) with a good sense of humor and a lot of love for life and for their family. Thanks, Daddy W!

Classroom Management

Kaysue, a student in my classroom management class back in 2011 (?) wisely said, "Taking a college course in classroom management is like taking swimming lessons at the gym." I use this quote every semester in my class. Finding the balance between theory and practice is important for safety and comfort as well as success in both swimming and classroom management.

I shared that quote yesterday with my colleague Walter and he shared one back. He had a student, Patricia, who was a whitewater kayaker. She said, "Kayakers look for the path not the rocks." Now that sounds like a great analogy for the difference between proactive classroom management and reactive classroom management. I'll be using that in future semesters!

St. Raphael Choir Motto

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God

Philippians 1:3, NLT

(well...that one and "Make a joyful noise.")

I can't do it alone

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5, NLT
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From Air1 as usual. For the last few days I'd been struggling with this. I'd realized that I'd been "depending on my own understanding" for quite a while now (thank you Proverbs for the right words to describe my struggle). I'm reminded of the expression about the man who wouldn't stop sawing long enough to sharpen his saw...when the going was getting tough, I was erroneously thinking I didn't have as much time to pray when in fact that was the very time I should've been praying more. Thank you, Lord. Help me to trust in you more and spend more time with you.

Encourage others

Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

Ephesians 4:29, NLT