Dec. 31 - Jan. 6

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11 comments:

Tim Suttle said...

Hey Guys,

I'm going to try and spend good time in the word every day this week. I'm taking a class on Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians this semester. So I sat down and read them all through just now. I'm looking forward to really absorbing these texts over the next couple of months.

One of the things that stuck out to me today was in Chapter 4 of Ephesians. He's encouraging them in two things. 1) unity and oneness as a body. 2) it's time to grow up and mature, leave behind the old way of life and join a whole new one.

I'm encouraged that these two things only work hand in hand. Unity w/out new life is just social. Growth without unity is just individualism or self-enhancement.

Peace,

Tim Suttle said...

Had another good time reading eph. Phil. & Col. today. It's really nice to take big chunks of scripture in at one time.

Ephesians was the high point again today. I read in the Message which is such an interesting take on the subjects - very real. Here is one of the texts which I really responded to today:


17 And so I insist - and God backs me up on this - that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. 18 They've refused for so long to deal with God that they've lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. 19 They can't think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion. 20 But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! 21 My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. 22 Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything - and I do mean everything - connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life - a God-fashioned life, 23 a life renewed from the inside 24 and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you. 25 What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.

Peace,

-t

Tim Suttle said...

I did the Divine Hours this morning. I'm going to try and do them all day. Here is my favorite prayer from Phyllis Tickle:

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.†

Peace,

-t

Mandy said...

I have been praying the hours (the Phyllis Tickle stuff), all through advent. I can honestly say it has been a really wonderful discipline for me. (Tim I just read that prayer you noted to Bill a couple of days ago, I love it too) I love this new dimension in my prayer life …one that is not petitionary (is that a word?) or even intercessory, but simply an offering. So frequently I start praying and just go straight to the list of requests, I don’t mean to, it just happens. Anyway, guided prayer has been a new experience and a good one. I will say, however, it is hard to be at home with kids and do this discipline, but it has become something I need because I am at home with kids.

I started reading Galatians today, let you know how it goes….I have made it a goal to read one chapter in Gal. and one in Proverbs every day……or at least every other day.

Mandy

Tim Suttle said...

I did the hours today, just twice. But I did Compline which is may favorite one. It was really good this evening. Yesterday I actually did all 4 offices - it seems like forever since I actually pulled that off. It had to be before the holidays started.

Peace,

-t

Tim Suttle said...

Friday Confessional:

I confess that I’m struggling with anger today and I really don’t know why.

I confess that I’ve been soothing stress with food for months and now I weigh more than I have in 4 years.

I confess that my new year’s resolutions seem harder to keep this year…probably because I’m angry, hungry and overweight.

I confess an unhealthy longing for eating dessert before breakfast.

I confess that I am totally enamored with Bonhoeffer right now.

I confess that our Christmas decorations are still up & I really just want Kristin to take them down by herself.

I confess that my favorite thing I did this week was to read Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians each three times.

Anonymous said...

I'm back....home and on line. Sorry my internet has been down. It's been great reading what I've missed.
We had a great Christmas and blessed family time.....and then we went to Chicago.

I confess I didn't lift my bible up once. I confess that I use the travel and craziness of the holidays as my laziness excuse.
I confess that I haven't missed it yet and feel really crummy about that. I confess that I'm ready for my kids to go back to school and feel bad about that also. I confess that I had the best birthday in years (Im usually very cranky because the date stinks so much) because my kids got along and even laughed together instead of fought together. I confess I'm feeling guilty about a gift that Jeff and I gave each other to the point that I won't even right it down, because it feels too indulgent. I could confess for hours about negative thoughts about my family and arguing with my mom! UGH! I confess to not wanting to do my house group blog, because I enjoy this one so much and I'm afraid that that blog will erode into something social....which will tick me off. So, I confess to being a grumpy person.

Okay, just writing that down made me want to get back in to my bible!

Kristen said...

I confess that I haven't picked up my bible since the last time I blogged.

I confess that I am more interested in learning about Macrobiotics then spending time reading the bible.

I confess that if I had the chance I would tell off Ken's boss with every explict word I know.

I confess that I really don't think I truly feel much...like really feel emotions the way I think I should. Maybe it's not me, maybe it's that the people around me are far too emotional.

Outside of these confessions I feel I have a good outlook on the new year.

Mandy said...

I read Galatians all of one day this week, God help me be better

Friday Confessions:

I confess to feeling totally overwhelmed.

I confess that I am a terrible homeschooler

I confess that I was too honest with a friend yesterday and hurt her feelings, I let myself do that to her because I was sick of her bitching about her life and how she can't ever be happy. Also, I sort-of enjoyed it

I confess that I cuss too much

I confess that I blame Bill for stuff that I should be responsible for…. classic projection

Tim Suttle said...

I did the hours all 4 times today, though I missed noonday prayers by a couple of hours. I feel the strength coming back on that. Tonight I did the Jesus prayer two times through my prayer rope (two hundred). One of my new year's resolutions is to return to a regular practice of doing that prayer.

Tim Suttle said...

I did the hours all 4 times today, though I missed noonday prayers by a couple of hours. I feel the strength coming back on that. Tonight I did the Jesus prayer two times through my prayer rope (two hundred). One of my new year's resolutions is to return to a regular practice of doing that prayer.