Simple Doesn't Mean Easy

by Gracie Hager

First Baptist Church, Richmond, KY

I do not understand what I do. 

For what I want to do I do not do, 

but what I hate I do.

Romans 7:15 NIV

SIMPLE=easy to understand, deal with, use
EASY=achieved without great effort; presenting few difficulties

SIMPLE ≠ EASY

So many times I think, "It's simple, so why don't I just _____________!?" You can fill-in-the-blank with just about anything:

• Losing weight is simple, just move more and eat less....not so easy!
• Drawing closer to God is simple, just read His Word and Pray....not so easy with all that competes for our attention and affections!
• Saving money is simple, just spend less than you make...not so easy since there's so much we think we want and so many advertisements to tell us what we need!

I could go on, but to what end? 

"Simply" said, sometimes the "easiest" things are the hardest! 

My prayer is this, may we (I) learn to tap more and more into the same power that rose Jesus from the dead. May we (I) discover that just because something's hard does not mean it's impossible.

Dear Lord, I thank You for making that power available to me, may I live like I believe it!

Magnolia Blossoms

This is madness.

Friday, March 16, 2018

by Maggie

This week as my Alpha was working on something in the other room, I found a paper of hers that had a bunch of colleges listed on a fancy grid of some kind. As I examined it I saw that She had chosen one school over another until there was only one left in big red letters. I was intrigued by this selection process and started analyzing it further. 

How did She decide which college would move to the next slot? Was it based on names? Colors? There were some little numbers beside each name but that didn’t seem to matter. There was one college of blue devils that was emphatically marked off of her list. I was stumped. I decided to Google these schools and figure it out on my own. And this is what a found. 

• 8 barkers (bulldogs, retrievers, wolves)
• 5 feathered friends (eagles, jays, and a fictitional thing called a hokie)
• 11 mousers (wildcats, panthers, tigers, and cougars)
• 3 growlers (bears)
• 5 hooved creatures (bulls, steers, buffalo, and horses)
• 7 kind of oddball critters (jackrabbits, wolverines, alligators, boars, sheep, and horned frogs) Tell me. How is a horned frog going to be victorious over an eagle or a tiger?
• 1 thing that I have no idea what it is (Crimson Tide) or why it would look like an elephant. 
• 1 weather pattern (hurricane) which I would frankly rather not think about because of what Katrina did to my former home. 
• 2 fruits (orange, buckeye)
• And 24 smoothskins, some of which seem particularly menacing (pirates, cavaliers, raiders. musketeers, and spartans) while others seem fairly innocuous (farmers, boilermakers, Quakers, and tar heels — whatever that is). There are even some native people groups represented (Aztecs, Gaels, and Seminoles).

So once I figured out which critters and smoothskins were up against each other, I could predict who would win. For instance, the jackrabbits would just eat the buckeyes. And the musketeers have a distinct advantage in their weaponry. 

I admit that I couldn’t let any diablo win — blue or otherwise. And I saw the opportunity for the fruit of the orange tree to get back at the devil on behalf of all the world’s apples. 

Who are my final four?

Some western wildcats, the musketeers, the thundering herd, and some southern tigers. 

In the end I think the musketeers will prevail against the wildcats and the thundering herd will trample the tigers. 

I’ve thought about this final confrontation. Although the musketeers will likely cause some of the thundering herd to falter, I don’t think they will be able to stand up to the strength of a herd of mustangs. 

So there you have it. My prediction to end all this madness. The number thirteen seed out of the east will prevail. 

I wouldn’t place any wagers on it if I were you. 

seccountry.com

Vacation update

Thursday, March 15, 2018

You may be aware that Bill and I had planned to go to Florida this week for spring break. But things just didn’t work out for us to go. So . . .

I have been working all week and Bill has been on vacation. I guess that makes this week a working vacation. All I know is I’m exhausted. 

But just so that you don’t feel too sorry for us, I thought I’d list all the fun things we will have done by the end of Saturday night coming up. 

• 3 UK baseball games
• 4 movies (complete with popcorn)
• 15 high school basketball games
• 40 hours of work 

Or maybe this DOES make you feel sorry for us! 

Bill married the right girl. That’s for sure!

This empty nest thing is working out pretty well. 

angmohdan.com

That’s Impossible

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

We are so advanced technologically these days that nothing seems to be impossible. Our computers are getting smaller and more powerful every day. We are routinely sending people into space. And the skies are no longer the limit with how far we can  explore.  

But one thing IS impossible for those who are in the family of God. Nothing can separate us from His love. Nothing. 

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:38-39‬ ‭NIV‬

Remember that when things get tough. Remember that when it feels like the whole world is against you. 

Remember that when you don’t feel very lovable. 

I’ve told my children this for as long as I can remember and I think this Scrioture proves that God says it to us:

“There is nothing you can do to make me not love you.”

Lord, thank you for your unending, unconditional love. And thank you that I can never be cut off from it. 

The Rest of the Story

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Yesterday I wrote about Lizzie being prepared for everything on her spring break trip and what a blessing that was. But just so that this doesn’t get lost on anybody, here’s the rest of the story. 

1. Lizzie pretty much just packed her stuff up and threw it in the car. 

2. Her dad did everything else. 

When it was obvious that they had a problem, Lizzie immediately called her daddy. It was her dad who contacted the people necessary to take care of her and to get her back on the road. 

Do you see the Spiritual connection here?

God, our loving Father, has done everything to prepare us for life. We really can’t take the credit. And when we have a crisis, He is the one we turn to. But best of all, He doesn’t leave us to fend for ourselves when things go awry — He goes before us to make the crooked places straight. 

God loves us. 

He wants us to be prepared for our travels through life. 

He’s ready when we need help. 

He works out the details for us. 

Thank you, LORD, for being such a good daddy. 

Be Prepared

Monday, March 11, 2018

We sent Lizzie off on Spring Break by herself for the first time this year. Well, she isn’t entirely alone — she is with two other young women from UK. But still — daddy isn’t with her. 

Before she left we had a whole check list of things to do so she would be ready. 

• Change the oil in the car. 
• Rotate the tires. 
• Check tire pressures. 
• Fill up the washer fluid. 
• Remind her about OnStar in case she needs something on the road. 
• Make sure she’s got her AAA card just in case. 
• Fill up the car with fuel. 
• Make sure they get a good night’s sleep prior to leaving. 
• Make sure they have enough money for emergencies. 
• Make sure she has her health insurance card. 
• Make sure the license / registration / proof of insurance are where she can get to them. 
• Plenty of snacks and drinks packed up. 
• Plenty of sunscreen
• Advice like “watch for alligators if you’re near the inland waterways.”

She was ready to go just to get away from all the checklists and scary advice!

Well, the girls made it to their destination but not without picking up a nail in a tire. How does that happen anyway? A nail just happens to be standing straight up on its head and of all the asphalt around, you just happen to run over it — without a bonafide adult around to take charge. What are the odds?

Well, this little girl scout was prepared. First the car sensor alerted her to the tire problem. Then she pulled off the highway at a gas station and spied the little invader. She called AAA. A very nice man from AAA came very quickly and changed the tire. He also gave a recommendation as to where they could get the tire repaired tomorrow. So all’s we’ll that ends well. 

And Bill didn’t hyperventilate or anything. 

So what kind of Spiritual lesson can we learn from this? 

It is important to be prepared:

• for entrance into heaven
• to tell others about the Lord
• to recite Scripture when Satan attacks
• to know Scripture so you can make good moral choices

LORD, help us be more dedicated to learning your word. Prepare us for what lies ahead. Help us to depend on you for guidance and direction. 

gizmoway.com

II Corinthians 5:17 NIV

March 11, 2018

Focus this week on 

SALVATION

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This is refreshing and encouraging. For the new believer, he/she can take comfort in knowing that at the moment they commit their lives to Christ they become recreated in His image. I think that’s pretty cool. 

Did you know this Scripture is actually connected to a passage in Isaiah?

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? 
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43:18-19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Claim the Scripture as you memorize it. Make it a part of your week. 

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