Sack of Potatoes

THE SACK OF POTATOES

My teacher had each of us students get a clear plastic bag and a sack of potatoes. Then for every person we'd refuse to forgive in our life, we had to take a potato, write on it the name of the person and the date, and put the spud in the plastic bag. Some of the bags, as you can imagine, very very heavy.

Then she told us to carry this bag full of the potatoes with us everywhere for one whole week. We had to keep it at our bedside every night, on the car seat when in the car, next to our desk at work, etc.

The hassle of lugging that bag around with us made it so clear what a weight we were carrying spiritually, and how we had to pay attention to it all the time to not forget, and keep leaving it in embarrassing places.

Naturally, the condition of the potatoes deteriorated into a nasty slime. That helped us appreciate the price we pay for keeping our pain and heavy negativity!

Too often we think of forgiveness as a gift to the other person. While that's true, it clearly is also a gift for ourselves!

So the next time we decide we can't (won't) forgive someone, we can ask ourselves, "Isn't MY bag heavy enough?"

We can empty that sack out before it gets too heavy and slimy. Or better yet, we don't even have to start to put those potatoes into it. We can be willing to forgive in the same way that the Lord has forgiven us.

G. T. Manley

This is our great need, to be more like Christ, that His likeness may be seen in our lives; and this is just what is promised to us as we yield ourselves in full surrender to the working of His spirit.

"God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah" Psa. 46:1-3

We have all found ourselves in need of refuge shelter. It may be a refuge from the heat, or rain, or cold, or lightning, or wind, or snow. We may need shelter from the storms of life or the oppression of the spiritual world. Whatever the problem, we often seek help in the form of some type of refuge.

God is that refuge for the believer. He is our source of peace and comfort. He is our strength when we are weak. He is our ever present help in trouble. David knew that. We know that. How often we have found our peace in the presence of Jesus through prayer and Bible reading.

How strong and secure is this refuge? David tells us that the earth could quake and crumble and our God will not be moved. The mountains could slide into the ocean and our Lord will stand firm. The storm waves may tower over us, and still our Refuge holds us up. That is how secure we are in the hands of our God, our Creator.

Isn't it comforting to know He is so involved in our lives that He cannot be moved from protecting us?

I don't know what you are going through. It may be sickness, sorrow, pain, persecution, or grief. It may involve your family, your friends, your failures, or your losses. It makes no difference to God. He is bigger than all of you problems and my problems rolled into one. There is nothing too difficult for Him. Nor is there anything that He cannot overcome it.

Join me as we put our trust in Him. That is all He asks nothing more, nothing less. He will take our burdens upon Himself and carry them for us if we only exercise the faith He has given us.

Through Him we can find refuge and strength. Through Him we will be over comers.

~~ Honey from the Rock ~~

Do we want the sweetness
From the Rock, Christ Jesus?
Are we hungry for His sweetness
To be revealed in us?
Or are we satisfied With what we have?

Do we crave for more of Him
And less of us?
Do we long to go deeper
Deeper into Him?
Are we willing to be crushed
That more of Him will show
Or are we content with what we have?

Do we want His sweetness
To be revealed in us?
In our thoughts?
In our actions?
In our mind?
In our behavior?
In our love?

Do we crave to know His sweetness
His life lived out within us?
Do we wish to feed on Him
And know our hunger satisfied?
Do we yearn to come closer
To the bridegroom As His bride?

Are you willing to go deeper
Ever deeper in His love?
Do you long with such a hunger
A longing that's an ache
For all that God will give you?
Do you cry in desperation
Take me deeper into Your love?

Feed me with the honey
The sweetness from the Rock
I long to love You deeper
To know as I am known
To touch Your heart Oh, Savior
Plunging deeper in that river
That flows out from Your throne

Crush me till all self is gone
Till all that's left is You
Embrace me in You loving arms
Fulfill in me this longing
This ache that You've put there
That never can be satisfied
Except by more of You!

A grain of wheat falls to the ground
And there it has to die
My plans, my wants, my longings
I lay them at Your feet.
I want not anything,
but You Deeper, ever deeper Lord
Till the beat of my heart Is as one with Thine.

by Doreen
Psalms 81:16

"And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation." ~Isaiah 25:7-9

We can live today in the consciousness of God's contact, upholding us in all good thoughts, words and deeds. If sometimes there seems to be a shadow on our lives and we feel out of sorts, we can remember that this is not the withdrawal of God's presence, but only our own temporary unwillingness to realize it. The quiet gray days are the days for doing what we must do, but we can know that the consciousness of God's nearness will return and be with us again, when the gray days are past.

William Hendrickson
The duty as well as the destiny of believers is to be conformed to the image of God's Son.

What is the origin of tile word "good-bye"?
A) It's a contraction of the 16th century phrase "God be with ye"

'Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.' -- Albert Einstein

'And the trouble is, if you don't risk anything, you risk even more.' -- Erica Jong

'We have much to do together. Let us do it in wisdom and love and joy. Let us make this the human experience.' -- Gary Zukav

'As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.'
-- Marianne Williamson

A group of students were asked to list the Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following got the most votes:

1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. Taj Mahal
3. Grand Canyon
4. Panama Canal
5. Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one quiet student hadn't turned in her paper. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied,
'Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many.' The teacher said, 'Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help.'

The girl hesitated, then read, 'I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:

1. to touch
2. to taste
3. to see
4. to hear

She hesitated a little, and then added

5. to feel
6. to laugh
7. and to love

The room was so full of silence you could have heard a pin drop. Those things we overlook as simple and 'ordinary' are truly wondrous. A gentle reminder that the most precious
things are in front of you. Your family, your faith, your love, your good health! Peace to each of you!

Alexander MacLaren

Only he who can say, 'The Lord is the strength of my life' can say, 'Of whom shall I be afraid?'