Monthly Archives: February 2024

2/29/24   Psalm 67   Blessing

2/29/24 Psalm 67 Blessing

February 29. Have you ever said, “I wish I had a little more time?” “I just need one more day?” Well, here it is. Today is your free day, that extra 24 hours. It’s leap year and God’s gift to you is one additional day this year. What will you do with it? I sure don’t want to spend it reading some long blog (or writing one) so, here are 20 quick suggestions. Pick out 3 or 4 and do them today on this gift day. And know that you are absolutely blessed.

  1. Read the Beatitudes this morning and meditate on the blessings of God.
  2. Write a note to someone who needs a word of encouragement.
  3. Buy a cup of coffee for a stranger behind you in the drive-through line.
  4. Give $10 to a homeless guy.
  5. Organize your cell phone pictures
  6. Set 5 goals for NEXT leap year.
  7. Pray an extra 29 minutes.
  8. Read every 29th chapter in the Bible  (11 of them)
  9. Read the 29th book of the Bible (Joel)
  10. Send 4 texts of affirmation to your 2 sons and 2 daughters-in-law   (okay, pretty personal)
  11. Take a friend to lunch
  12. Take a not friend to lunch.
  13. Skip lunch and walk 29 minutes.
  14. Write yourself a letter for 2028.
  15. Send $29 to a mission or non-profit. (Branches, 1102 Dow St…just kidding)
  16. Start reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
  17. Take a nap without feeling guilty.
  18. Venmo your grandkids $10 just because.
  19. Tell 4 people that God loves them.
  20. Pray Psalm 67 over you and your house.

“May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face shine on us—
so that your ways may be known on earth,
    your salvation among all nations.

May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you.
May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
    for you rule the peoples with equity
    and guide the nations of the earth.
May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you.

The land yields its harvest;
    God, our God, blesses us.
May God bless us still,
    so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.”

21. Bonus: Remember how grateful I am that you read these blogs.

2/28/24  Lent   Psalm 66

2/28/24 Lent Psalm 66

2/28/24         Lent      Psalm 66  Okay, this may fall under the “too much information” category but, I am surprised at how noisy getting old is. It’s impossible to tie my shoes without a series of groanings. Getting out of a chair takes a couple of grunts. Every sentence is responded to by, “What?”, and has to… Continue Reading

2/27/24    Lent   Psalm 65

2/27/24 Lent Psalm 65

2/27/24 Lent Psalm 65 From Mike Courtney    I was grafted into the Leviner family. My widowed Aunt Ruth married widower Uncle Marion Leviner and I somehow was adopted by the whole clan. It was nice but it wasn’t really significant until my family moved, and I found myself as a high school sophomore attending… Continue Reading

2/23/24   Lent  Psalm 60    No Pain, No Gain

2/23/24 Lent Psalm 60 No Pain, No Gain

2/23/24        Lent       Psalm 60  Remember this is Lent, a season that Christians have traditionally “tried” to identify with the passion and pain of Jesus as He made His way through the last weeks of His earthly, pre-resurrected ministry and life. We give something up. We fast. We take on an added spiritual discipline, in part,… Continue Reading

2/21//24    Lent     Psalm 58

2/21//24 Lent Psalm 58

2/21/24 Lent Psalm 58  “Why do the wicked prosper?” is probably one of the most perplexing (and often asked) philosophical questions. I don’t mind so much that my life is not hunky-dory but it sure grates on me that the other guy, and I know he’s not doing right, is getting ahead. When my dad… Continue Reading

2/19/24 MondayMatters: Christian Assertiveness

2/19/24 MondayMatters: Christian Assertiveness

https://youtu.be/Na6AQntGZuk?feature=shared Are Christians allowed to be assertive? What does it mean to “speak the truth in love”? The issue of being assertive and being Christian always seems to be a difficult task. Christian assertiveness seems like a contradiction in terms. It is not only possible, but probably important for the Christ follower. Here is a… Continue Reading

Lent 2/16/24      Psalm 52

Lent 2/16/24 Psalm 52

Lent Devotion February 16, 2024 Psalm 52  Each day of Lent read through a Psalm and make it a prayer. I’ll attach a suggested list at the end of this. (It’s not too late to start.)    Larry Thompson was my 7th-grade nemesis. He was old for his age. A 7th grader with facial hair, fully… Continue Reading