TODAY'S QUOTE

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"For where love is wanting, the beauty

of all virtue is mere tinsel, is empty sound,

is not worth a straw, nay more is offensive

and disgusting."

-John Calvin

WHAT A HANDSOME BRUTE

Photo courtesy of: www.bigfoto.com

"What a handsome brute."

Personally, I don't think so.

I do not include a profile picture of myself on;

Blogger, Facebook on in Squidoo lenes. 

The reason is very simple.

I am not all that proud of myself.  Or another

way, I not happy with my looks.  I am not 

as good looking as you are.

So, I use something else; a sunrise, my wife's

cat, or a tractor.  They all look better than I

do.

I do not go to school reunions, office parties 

or other functions where people stand around

bragging on their life's accomplishments.

Because,

I don't have any to brag about.

But God let me see something.

In Isaiah 53, which is a prophecy of Christ's coming,

we read in Today's English Version;

"He had no dignity or beauty to make 

us take notice of him.

There was nothing attractive about him,

nothing that would draw us to him.

We despised him and rejected him;

he endured suffering and pain.

No one would even look at him -

we ignored him as if he were nothing."

(Isaiah 53:2,3 TEV)

Can you imagine that.

The very creator.  The one who created

the universe and you and me.  When he

came to earth to die for us -

he chose to be the most common of men.

to be a nothing.

FOR YOU AND ME.

Just perhaps, we "nothings" 

are more God like that those who seem

to have it all.

THE WAY TO A MAN'S HEART

This little girl taught this old man something.

She is one of my great grandchildren.

At the time this picture was taken -

grandpa would have done anything in the world 

for that girl.  Well! if he could, and it was not
bad for her.

That is why I am still taking care of the rabbit.

Was it because she was pretty?  

No.

Was it because she has red hair?

No.  I don't care for red hair.

Was it because she has freckles?

No.  I don't particularly care for them.

I do not know how to put it into words.

But it was something about that helpless, trusting,

submissiveness that would just get ahold of

my heart.  And I could not help my self.

She was about nine years old at the time of the 

photo.  Today, she is several years older.

And today - she would have to pry it out of me.

All because of her change in attitudes as she is

nearer to being a teenager.

And perhaps, because I am catching on.
[Yes, we still get along fine and sometimes
do things together.]

When I begin to think about the difference,
it gave me a whole new understanding of a
passage of Scripture in 1st Peter.

I must first confess that like some other guys,
the more paint I see slopped on a woman,
and the more shinny stuff I see hanging on
her, the more I realize - she is trying to
hide something.
[I just wish my wife would catch on.]

With this in mind consider the passage of
Scripture that I am now understanding better.
1st. Peter 3:1- 6 TEV.

"In the same way you wives must submit yourselves
to your husbands, so that if any of them do not believe
God's word, your conduct will win them over to believe.
It will not be necessary for you to say a word, because
they will see how pure and reverent your conduct is.
You should not use outward aids to make yourselves
beautiful, such as the way you fix your hair, or the
jewelry you put on, or the dresses you wear.
Instead, your beauty should consist of your true inner
self, the ageless beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit,
which is of the greatest value in in God's sight.
For the devout women of the past who placed their
hope in God used to make themselves beautiful by
submitting themselves to their husbands.  Sarah was
like that; she obeyed Abraham and called him her master...."