Sharing Other's Gifts With You: Esther, part 1

Today I am starting Darlene Schacht's online 3 week study* of the Book of Esther, the only book in the Bible that does not mention God.

And yet... there is no doubt of who's invisible hand is at work. 

God had a plan to save the Jews

From Haman’s wicked scheme: to use

Not Shimei, nor Abihail,

Nor mighty armies to assail

The Persian palace walls, but me,

A Jewish orphan girl, to free

The sons of Israel from death.

And even now it takes my breath

Away to think about the ways

Of God, and how from ancient days

He planned it all, and ruled the world,

Right down to how my hair was curled...

From John Piper's Esther Poem

  You can download the PDF of this book including the beautiful illustrations at:       

       http://document.desiringgod.org/esther-en.pdf?1439242123

*You'll find her study at:
http://us9.campaign-archive1.com/?u=1e993b474a8ddef76a86c0b33&id=5306eac6a9&e=ef1b5ea102


Selah ~ consider joining me. It's starts today and is FREE.

Connie

Precious Masterpiece

I saw a lovely teacup
in a little shop one day,
It was so magnificent,
it took my breath away.

And as I held it in my hands,
I thought I heard it speak...
"You know I started out as clay
unshaped, quite plain and weak.

"But the Master molded me,
and by supreme design,
The agonizing process
made each detail divine.

"Then quite unexpectedly,
He put me through the fire,
And when I thought I'd bear no more,
He let the flames go higher.

"But each and every moment
brought me closer still
To my place of purpose
within His perfect will.

"I grew stronger through the pain
while on the molding stand,
And even through the furnace,
I could feel His loving hand.

"Now I'm strong and beautiful -
just what He had in mind,
And I'm His precious masterpiece...
a special one-of-a-kind."

 ~ Rita S. Beer

Shattered

Last week I dropped a brand new bowl while unpacking it. Before looking, I heard it shatter into many pieces. I felt sad for a moment, but four others remained intact.

More important is the possibility that I have shattered two friendships- one fairly new, the other nearly ten years in the making.

I know what I did... what I said. Would it have been preferable to be dishonest? 

Someone said:

The question for me is what to do now. Do I try to put those pieces back together again? 

Or maybe our season is over.

I am blessed with two-lifetime friends. One for 50 years and the other over 60 years. Both of them have been there for me through the bad times as well as the good. We always are able to pick up where we left off. Miles never separate us. I appreciate both of you!

As I think it over, I may need to consider that my life is coming to a close. It could be best to focus on those who encourage and support me rather than drain my limited energy. But it is hard to be self-focused, as I have been a "fixer" and an encourager most of my life.  

However, like Fagin sang, ♪ I'm Reviewing the Situation.♪

"A man's got a heart, Hasn't he? Joking apart, Hasn't he?

What happens when I'm Seventy. Must come a time, seventy

When you're old and it's cold and who cares if you live or you die...

"I think I'd better think it out again!"

Fagin in the musical "Oliver"

Selah - thinking on this

Connie

“The emotion that can break your heart is sometimes the very one that heals it...” 

― Nicholas Sparks, At First Sight