Burnt Fat Offerings

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

BURNT FAT OFFERINGS

SCRIPTURE: Leviticus 4:8     ‘He (the priest) shall take from it (bull) all the fat of the bull as the sin offering…..10.  as it was taken from the bull of the sacrifice of the peace offering, and the priest shall burn them on the altar of the burnt offering.”

Related Scripture:  Leviticus 4:26, 31, 35; 7:3-5; 8:16; 9:10, 19-20; 16:6, 11, 17, 25

REFLECTION: It’s inappropriate in our culture to burn the fat of the bull on the altar as a sin offering. But it isn’t inappropriate to burn our body fat. After all, in our country, one of the most obvious and greatest sins is gluttony.

     Recently, adjustments were made for healthy weights in adults. Needless to say, the weight limits were

Suspicion

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

SUSPICION

     I recall a time when I received a gift.

     We lived in Atlanta, Georgia.  On a marvelous late-summer evening I was driving to Roswell to visit my cousin. The car windows were open, and mixed with the wind sounds was a favorite classical symphony playing on the car radio.

     A black van pulled up behind me, following too close. The driver was waved at me, almost flirtatiously, invading my “space.” When I attempted to maneuver away from him, he stuck close to my tailgate. I was getting very nervous.

     I knew a gas station was about a mile down the road. I pulled into the right lane.  Even in the heavy traffic, the man kept

26 Devotions Based on the Alphabet: The Letter C

26 DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE ALPHABET:

THE LETTER C

Monte Holland

Several persons have expressed an interest in having my husband, the Rev. Monte W. Holland, post an online series of devotions. Through their encouragement, Monte will post a weekly devotion on CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS. To read the introduction click on 26 Devotions Based on the Alphabet: Introduction.

To read the previous post on the letter B click on 26 Devotions Based on the Alphabet: The Letter B

Return to this site each Saturday to read Monte’s his devotion.  Carolyn C. Holland

ALPHABET OF THE BIBLE – THE LETTER C

Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you. (1 Peter 5:7 Revised Standard Version)

⁶ Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: ⁷casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. ⁸Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: ⁹whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. ¹⁰But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. ¹¹To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.    (1 Peter 5:6-11   King James Version)

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     “Nobody Cares!”

      How often have you heard that statement? In our own ego-centric view of the world, how often we conclude that everyone around us could not care less what happens to us. And we’re often right. Everybody is

A Drought? Where? Not here in Southwestern Pennsylvania!

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

A DROUGHT? WHERE?

NOT HERE IN SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA!

     The word seeped into conversations. There’s a drought. Yes, there’s a drought—here in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

      The word on 2010′s drought came first from some people living in Slippery Rock Township. They have water problems. The water supplying their spring, which normally supplies six families and fills a pond, is low. It is reduced to a trickle. Drought conditions exist. The water in their pond is lower than their overflow pipe. The situation is serious—they have no water.

     Meanwhile, stepping on our lawn in Laurel Mountain Borough, east of Ligonier, is like feet squeezing water out of a sponge. It seems the rain

Friendship

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

FRIENDSHIP

Nancy Briskay Cornell Lipsius

     The following post was written by my late mother. 

     For me, the word friendship is synonymous with the name Edith.

     Twenty-three years ago I met Edith quite by chance at a Sunday school picnic. Both of us were accompanied by our children—Edith’s three girls, the oldest about twelve and the youngest about seven—and my four, the oldest a girl of five and the youngest a girl almost two.

     I suspect neither of us really remembers what drew us into conversation but, suddenly, there we were, bursting with an eager exchange of ideas, both of us basking in the opportunity to engage in adult conversation. That was the beginning. Although we did not see each other very often in the ensuing months, we were drawn together occasionally at worship services and church activities, through which we developed a genuine liking for one another. Still, with both of us working full time and raising our families there remained little time for socializing and so the development of our relationship was put on hold.

     One needs to know a bit about both of us to understand the need we had for one another’s company, how our personalities blended and complemented each other, as well as the differences that drew us together.

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     Edith is a solid citizen, both feet on the ground, faces reality head on: I am a dreamer, an idealist with a tendency to, at times, back off from reality. At the time I met Edith she seemed painfully shy, projected little self-confidence, felt comfortable blending into the background, and almost successfully covered up her leadership qualities. I, on the other hand, athough somewhat shy, am a bit more

26 Devotions Based on the Alphabet: The Letter B

26 DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE ALPHABET:

THE LETTER B

Monte Holland

Several persons have expressed an interest in having my husband, the Rev. Monte W. Holland, post an online series of devotions. Through their encouragement, Monte will post a weekly devotion on CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS. To read the introduction click on 26 Devotions Based on the Alphabet: Introduction. Click on 26 Devotions Based on the Alphabet: The Letter A to read the previous post on the letter A.

Return to this site each Saturday to read his devotions.  Carolyn C. Holland

ALPHABET OF THE BIBLE – THE LETTER B

     Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

     Today is the second in a series of weekly devotionals I’m writing based on twenty-six verses in the Bible, one for each letter of the alphabet. I am using a list of verses I received from an old friend, Bill Sollinger, many years ago.

          Galatians 6:1-10        Bear One Another’s Burdens¹Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. ²Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.³For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.⁴But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.⁵For each will have to bear his own load. ⁶One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. ⁷Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.⁸For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.⁹And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.¹⁰So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (English Standard Version)

     According to many persons who watch the world scene, we tend to approach faith in one of two ways:

• It’s all about our personal salvation and our relationship with God, or
• Faith calls us to love of God, neighbor and self.

     Both ways are appropriate faith actions, but the first tends to be less concerned with issues of social justice. The second approach leads to saying that we are all in this life together and that anything I do that hurts, or disadvantages, my neighbor diminishes who I am.

     What does it mean to “bear one another’s burdens”? We need to

Stockings for Jesus

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

STOCKINGS FOR JESUS

     The stockings were hung by the chimney with care…

     “In all the years I’ve visited people’s homes during the Christmas season, I’ve seen many stockings hung by the proverbial ‘chimney’ I’ve never seen one hung for Jesus. And it’s his birthday,” my friend Linda Bondurant said.

     Linda, who lives south of Atlanta, Georgia, believes this should change, and is challenging Christians all over the United States to hang a stocking for Jesus this year.

     “Everyone has a place to hang a stocking,” she said.

     I’m suggest expanding her idea: for all others who hang stockings in the Christmas tradition, hang an additional stocking with God’s name on it.

     As I write this post there are three months—ninety-eight days—until the first time zone on planet earth reaches December 25^th, 2010. That is, 2372 hours, 142,270 minutes (the seconds are ticking by rapidly—at the moment I’m posting, it is 8,536,196 seconds).* 

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     Invite all your houseguests who visit you on these days to prepare for Christmas by placing a gift in the stocking each time they visit. Linda suggests

Nancy

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

NANCY

I wrote the following limerick for my sister, whose birthday is September 15.

 

My parents named me Nancy

After my mother, Nancy

A French city, Nancy,

A boat

26 Devotions Based on the Alphabet: The Letter A

26 DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE APLHABET:

THE LETTER A

Monte Holland

Several persons have expressed an interest in having my husband, the Rev. Monte W. Holland, post an online series of devotions. Through their encouragement, Monte will post a weekly devotion on CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS. To read the introduction click on 26 Devotions Based on the Alphabet: Introduction. Return to this site each Saturday to read his devotions.  Carolyn C. Holland

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 ALPHABET OF THE BIBLE – THE LETTER A

All  of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

     Today is the beginning of a series of weekly devotionals I’m writing based on twenty-six verses in the Bible, one for each letter of the alphabet. I am using a list of verses I received from an old friend, Bill Sollinger, many years ago.

     This verse is totally obvious. Do we know anyone who has never sinned? Clearly not! The problem is not that we have sinned—that is part of the human condition. The problem comes when

Tales of Rare Lobsters

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CAROLYN’S CREATIONS

TALES OF RARE LOBSTERS

     Ariel, kidnapped, probably became part of a BBQ. Skye Bloo became a blue-plate special for his roommate. After Ol’ Blue Claws, a.k.a Cobalt or Papa Smurf, was evicted from his Portland, Maine residence, he took up residence in Rye, New Hampshire.

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     Over the years, I’ve collected a selection of articles on lobsters. Summer’s end is a good time to share some lobster tales with you. Links at the end of the post will lead to more lobster tales. 

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     Ariel was a rare albino lobster discovered by a local fisherman in 1997, and donated to the Newquay’s Sea Life Centre in Great Britain.     

     Albino lobsters are very rare, partially because their lack of camouflage makes them an easy target for predators, including their fellow lobsters. Thus, they do not usually survive for very long in the wild.

      Ariel was around one-and-a-half feet long and weighed around three pounds. He was a real star at the aquarium, where he had his own private tank, which kept him safe from being attacked by other lobsters.

     Three years after his capture, or protective custody, an aquarium curator noticed the lid on Ariel’s tank had been tampered with. A search of the centre revealed a hole in a nearby fence, and a missing fish crate.  The crate was later discovered next to a burnt out fire on a beach.  The evidence suggests