The Way, the Truth, the Life 2024 Holy Word Blog

[Boston Red Sox]

Week 4 Day 29

With everlasting kindness He pities and pardons us, and when He forgives it is with completeness and finality. And we need to do the same. Evermore.

Message Bible: Psalm 51:1-2 "Generous in love - God, give grace! Huge in mercy - wipe out my bad record.
2 Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry."

[Boston Red Sox]

Week 4 Day 30

Happy are we whose sin is removed. We are forgiven for Christ's sake. And this amazing forgiveness is never earned. It is given through God's infinite Grace and Mercy. Thank you, Lord!

Message Bible: Luke 6:37-38 " "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don't condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier.
38 Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back - given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."

[Boston Red Sox]

Week 5 Day 31

And then there was only one team still undefeated and un-kissed: The Mighty 4-0 Mets leading the pack with the still undefeated but once kissed Royals only a 1/2 game back. The Athletics put a squeaker-of-the-week win on the Powerful Padres to hand them their first "L" of the year, dropping them into a four-way-tie for third with the Cubs (under new management), the Mariners, and the Giants who have yet to see and "L" but has kissed the sister twice. The Athletics squeaker win came by virtue of a single HR and 2 RBIs. Oh, the humanity. Unfortunately, my Bosox are lined up against the Powerfully Pissed off Padres this week. Woe is us. Holding down the seventh spot are the White Sox, Dodgers and Rays all with identical 2-1-1 records, 1 1/2 games back. The number 10 spot is another three-team log jam: D'backs, Orioles and the still elated Athletics only two games back.
Stat winners for week four: Round-trippers - R) Royals (15) Runs - Athletics (38) RBI - Royals (45) Steals - Blue Jays (12) AVG - Braves (?)(.300)
Ks- Mariners (again)(81) ERA - Orioles (2.72) WHIP - Rockies (0.908) SVh - Athletics (11) W+QS - Padres (12) Key Matchups for week 5: 1 vs 2 Mets/Royals! Somebody is going to get their first "L" also Cubs/Mariners and White Sox/Rays. With three of my front-line starters on the IL my chances against the Powerful Padres are slim to none, but with God's Amazing Grace, anything is possible. Grace is this week's focus. 

Message Bible: Ephesians 4:5-7 "You have one Master, one faith, one baptism,

6 one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.

7 But that doesn't mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift."

[Boston Red Sox]

Week 5 Day 32

Money can buy things, but not peace, tranquility of mind or joyful fullness of life. These are priceless. They are God's gift of grace which are feely available for believers.

Message Bible: Psalm 84:11 "All sunshine and sovereign is God, generous in gifts and glory. He doesn't scrimp with his traveling companions."

[Boston Red Sox]

Week 5 Day 33

Everything we enjoy that is good and worthwhile, we enjoy by the grace of God. We don't deserve these things; we cannot earn them, and we are not worthy of them.

Message Bible: Ephesians 2:8-10 "Saving is all His idea, and all his work. All we do is trust Him enough to let Him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish!
9 We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing!
10 No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join
Him in the work he does, the good work He has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing."

[Boston Red Sox]

Week 5 Day 34

We are who we are and have what we have by one blessing, and one blessing only; Christs unfathomable love and grace toward us.

Message Bible: 2 Corinthians 8:9 "You are familiar with the generosity of our Master, Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us - in one stroke he became poor and we became rich."

[Boston Red Sox]

Week 5 Day 35

His unending love compelled Him to sacrifice His life for us. And for this very reason you should never take for granted the blessings which you have received from His hand by His grace.

Message Bible: John 15:13 "This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends."

[Boston Red Sox]

Week 5 Day 36

Our God is a great God. His grace, His mercy, His Love never ends. We need nothing more.

Message Bible: Psalm 136: 1-9 " Thank God! He deserves your thanks. His love never quits.
2 Thank the God of all gods, His love never quits.
3 Thank the Lord of all lords. His love never quits.
4 Thank the miracle-working God, His love never quits.
5 The God whose skill formed the cosmos, His love never quits.
6 The God who laid out earth on ocean foundations, His love never quits.
7 The God who filled the skies with light, His love never quits.
8 The sun to watch over the day, His love never quits.
9 Moon and stars as guardians of the night, His love never quits.

[Boston Red Sox]

Week 6 Day 37

Stat winners for week Six: Dingers: Giants (11) Runs: - Giants (37) RBI: - Giants (anyone else seeing a pattern here?) (34) Steals - D'Backs (8) AVG - Orioles (.338) Ks- D'Backs (77) ERA - Mets (1.13) WHIP - Mets (0.875) SVh - Astros (10) W+QS - Mariners (11) Squeaker of the Week Oakland over the Dodgers by virtue of: tied steals and a single W/QS. O - the - H! Key match ups for week 6: Nothing really. The favorites will likely prevail. The Mighty Mets are still unsullied with loss or sister-kiss. The Giants are yet to be beat but can be kissed. Everyone else has lost at least one. I'm skipping the usual three-way tie for ninth Blah, blah. Let's be honest: Everyone is seeking another win. Some, you know who you are, are still seeking their first. Blessings upon your efforts this week. Blessings on mine. Some of you, the more astute, (read enjoy reading the Monday recap) may have noticed the tardiness of this post. Usually, I'm done before morning is. Although some of you know I retired this year from being Artistic Director of the Pelican Playhouse in Miami Springs (it's the reason my team is SO much better!) my wife and I moved from Miami Springs to Apopka, FL to be near my son, daughter-in-law, and two granddaughters. When I retired from the playhouse, I reinstated my writing career and wonder of wonders, my Writers Guild has a client on the line for me. I haven't had Guild work since my soap opera script writing days in the mid-90's. I digress. I was tardy because I was working a paying gig. As much as I appreciate this league, it's not making me any wealthier. I am adapting "Douwlina: A Rhino's Story" by Grace Borgeson. It's a kids documentary about Rhino's and this one particular Rhino, Douwlina, who is orphaned by poachers when she is one day old. Grace spends half her time in South Africa and the other in Tampa. The orphan part is about two lines in the book. She wants a whole screenplay built around those two lines. Which puts me in the enviable position of creating something from almost nothing. "Douwlina and the Poachers!" coming to a theater near you...eventually. I have much to be grateful for. So do we all. Focus for the week? Got to be Gratitude.

Message Bible: Psalm 107:1 "Oh, thank God - He's so good! His love never runs out."

[Boston Red Sox]

Week 6 Day 38

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it is easy to forget simple courtesy. We often think that since we are paying for a service, we miss the chance to show appreciation with a simple compliment. Try it. So many easy chances. Hair, attire, smile etc. Easy.

Message Bible: Colossians 3:17 "Let every detail in your lives - words, actions, whatever - be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way."

[Boston Red Sox]

Week 6 Day 39

The habit of saying "thank you" enriches every aspect of our lives. It costs nothing but creates so much joy for both the giver and the receiver. And strive to not just say the two words but enrich them with emotion. They'll respond in kind.

Message Bible: Hebrews 12:28 "Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander."

[Boston Red Sox]

Week 6 Day 40

40 days. A very biblical number. The number 40 appears numerous times in the Bible, often representing a period of testing, preparation, or purification1. Examples of 40-day periods in the Bible include:
The great flood
Moses on Mount Sinai
The establishment of the Kingdom of Israel
The prophet Elijah's fast
Moses, Elijah and Jesus fasting in the desert
The Israelites wandering in the desert
Ezekiel laying on his right side for 40 days to “bear the iniquity” of Judea’s sins
Goliath taunting Israel for 40 days before David defeated him.
Jesus' time on earth after His resurrection. 
May we show our gratitude.

Message Bible: 1 Cornicles 29: 12-13 "Riches and glory come from you, you're ruler over all; You hold strength and power in the palm of your hand to build up and strengthen all. 13 And here we are, O God, our God, giving thanks to you, praising your splendid Name."

[Boston Red Sox]

Week 6 Day 41

Gratitude is a reflection of the love of God. We can amplify His love with our gratitude for those around us. And it's so easy to be kind. In our economy based society interaction as we shop or eat or recreate puts in contact with total strangers on a daily basis. Try a simple compliment and see the reaction.
I love your hair, scarf, ink, shoes. It can be as simple as that. Or compliment someone on doing their job with expertise. The cashier at the checkout doesn't get appreciated very often. Admire their expertise. Show them a little gratitude.

Message Bible: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 " thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live."

[Boston Red Sox]

Week 6 Day 42

If expressing gratitude is advantageous on an ordinary human level, how much more should we express gratitude toward our Heavenly Father. Everything we've ever gotten has come from Him. We literally can't thank Him enough.

Message Bible: Psalm 100:4-5 "Enter with the password: "Thank you!" Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him.
5 For God is sheer beauty, all-generous in love, loyal always and ever.

[Boston Red Sox]

Week 6 Day 43

But when we do thank Him, our spirit soars as it is set free and we experience a joy and a blessing that could only come from God. Do it today. Do it now.

Message Bible: Hebrews 13:15 "Let's take our place outside with Jesus, no longer pouring out the sacrificial blood of animals but pouring out sacrificial praises from our lips to God in Jesus' name."