by jot and tittle

There is something delightful about surveying your crumpled home after a particularly good visit. Its almost as though your house doesn't know that everyone is gone and you're the only one left to put things back in order. You see, the place still wants to laugh. The carpet is clothed with crumbs from the chocolate cake, the couch cushions are squished together in an awkward fashion rather than cuddling nicely side by side, the toy airplane is lonely on the floor next to the piano, and the teapot is begging me to boil more water and fill her up so she can hear another good conversation. I do turn on the kettle for one more cup of tea before bed and then fill the sink with water to move the dishes from the dirty side of the counter to their drying rack. Yes it was a particularly good visit. There was laughter, advice, serious conversation, cake, and tea. What else could you wish for? As I scrub away I think about hospitality and that verse in Hebrews 13 about entertaining st...

S5. That's what the ticket said. Finding our seats in the middle of the first floor of the bright auditorium, we sit down. Music, if you could call it that, flitters through the air as one by one people dressed completely in black take their places on the stage and begin to tune, then they remember something and go back behind the curtain. This dance continues for several minutes. Musicians going back and forth, spectators finding their seats, aids handing out programs. Once everyone is more or less settled the lights go dark, a violinist in a tux comes onto the stage, everyone tunes to his string, and then the conductor arrives. The applause are silenced as he raises his baton and Brahm's Third Symphony begins. Fast, slow, happy, sad, playful, depressed, and sometimes silent, the music fills the room. There are many different instruments. Not everyone plays violin or drums or trumpet. Not everyone plays the same notes, timing, or in the same key depending ...

I believe for the most part we all have good pastors who we really respect. Generally they have good sermons that point us to Christ and admonish us to be godly. But let's face it; sometimes their sermons leave something to be desired. They just aren't getting through to us.   Maybe they were really busy this week.   Maybe they were sick.   Maybe there was a family issue. We think.   Or, maybe you weren't praying for him throughout the week. Yes that's right, maybe the pastor was working really hard all week, studying a ton, spending much time in prayer, and he thought he put together a great sermon, but because you weren't praying for him 1. your heart wasn't ready to listen, and 2. he didn't receive the encouragement and blessings he would have gotten from your prayers. Next time you complain about a sermon you heard that you didn't like, ask yourself this question; how much time did I spend in prayer for my pastor this week? How much did I...

Hi, I'm a girl. Sometimes I wonder if you forget about that. Sure I know how to work hard and get dirty and talk about cars but I'm still a girl. I just thought I should clear up some stuff you might not know or you might have forgotten. Sometimes I like to dress up. I do my hair and wear heels because it makes me feel pretty (yeah, girls like to look pretty, I think it's because we all want to be princesses). But I don't have to look pretty all the time. When there are gardens to weed and work to be done then I will gladly get dirty and do it, but sometimes it is nice to be pretty. And even if I don't look pretty it's super nice if you open the door for me and help me carry stuff. I also really like to laugh. A lot of things make me laugh. Life is funny. But sometimes I also cry. I don't always know why I'm crying but it doesn't really matter. And I don't always know what makes it better either. Sometimes I need hugs, and sometimes I need to...

Buried deep down inside of mankind I believe there is a desire to change the world--for better or for worse. People want to be recognized. No one wants to die and leave only their name and some dates on their gravestone for people to remember. No, we want people to walk by and say "there's _______ grave; he cured cancer." But let's be real; that probably isn't going to happen. Most of us will simply work, have families, live in communities, and die with just our names and the dates on our stones. Our loved ones will remember us for a few years but they'll move on and then all we will be to this world is dust. In day to day life it might seem like you're not doing anything that's all that important. You go to work, make supper, clean your car, read your Bible, and visit your friends, but what difference does it make? I moved a little over a year ago (probably expecting too much) but nothing big has happened and I wonder why God wanted me to move at ...

too old, too new, too scared to do, too blind, to see, all the need, too frail, too weak too lazy to seek what God would say to you today too deaf, to hear His voice so clear to give it all even what's small He'll draw you near your prayer to hear to share the love of God above too loving to hide for judgement He died to Him, we bring our suffering our tears to wipe our sins to smite to take you home to bow at His throne to worship the Babe on Christmas day is to worship the King of everything Who left His throne to die all alone to give us life and remove the strife between God and me His child to be till time is no more His name to adore

I recently read 2 articles that have been floating around facebook. One talks about what women want in a godly man and the other is about what men want in a godly woman. The first talks about how men should be honest, pure, strong, compassionate, and humble and the second says that women should be real, confident, beautiful (in spirit), and passionate. These articles were interesting and insightful if those are the only questions you want answers to. (and I did find that the one to men didn't really convey what I would like in my husband). But the real question for Christians is what does God want in a godly man or godly woman? To answer this question in depth I would encourage you to read the entire Bible. If you would like a shorter answer please turn to 1 Timothy 2:8-11 and Titus 2:5-6. We'll begin with men . In this chapter Paul tells Timothy "I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing." Matthew Henry explains that men ...