40 Days of Lint, Day Twenty-Three, Foolishness

In the 1956 movie Court Jester, Danny Kaye pretends to be a jester joking his way through his mission to save the true king. My favorite scene is his famous monologue and tongue twister, “The pellet with the poison in the vessel with the pestle. The chalice from the palace has the brew that is true!” No matter how silly the presentation, the jester’s heart to serve his king was true and good eventually won.
Find today's Lent post at:
http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-twenty-three.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Twenty-One: Caught in Our Own Snare

Yesterday's post should have been Day Twenty-One. I suppose it won't hurt to read them out of order. Here's the link to the missing post.

"...even equal vengeance doesn’t bring peace, Jesus came along with a final command - to pray for our enemies, bless those who curse, and leave revenge up to God. The whole concept shocks us just as much now and it did two thousand years ago..."

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-twenty-one-caught.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Twenty-Two: Hidden

I’m so glad we serve a God who wants to know and communicate with us daily. He tells us in the Bible how to please Him. He’s tender with us, yet completely honest, and that’s what He wants from us. However, sometimes we don’t even know we’re keeping things from Him.

Follow this link to today's post in the Lent series:

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/04/40-days-of-lint-day-twenty-two-hidden.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Twenty: Who's the Leader?

Excerpt from today's post:

What a crazy turn of events! While men from other nations would murder for a chance to be king, God’s chosen king is hiding in a pile of luggage! I can’t say I blame him. I think that’s where I’d be.

Click on the link below to read this article:

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-day-twenty-unwilling-to.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Nineteen: While You Were Sleeping

A lot can happen while you're sleeping:

"What would happen, however, if someone stole your most precious possession and you didn’t notice it was missing? What if you woke up and your husband, wife, or kids had been kidnapped, yet you went about your business oblivious of the fact that they were gone? People might question just how much they meant to you in the first place. That’s what happened..."

Click on link for today's post:

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-day-nineteen-while-you.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Eighteen, and intro to Part 3

Part Three: Pocket Lint (What is Hidden)
Welcome to Part Three of the “40 Days of Lint” series. In this section we’ll probe the areas of our lives that, to most, remain hidden. Like pocket lint, no one knows it’s there except us - and the One who knows our every thought and intent, even before we do. We don’t have to fear His knowledge of us, since...

Follow the link for today's post:

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-part-2-pocket-lint-what.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Seventeen, River of Life

"...Smack dab in the middle of heaven is the River of Life - clear, invigorating, and healing..."

To find today's Lent reading, follow the link below.

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-day-seventeen-river-of.html

40 Days of Lint, Day Sixteen: Jesus in the Middle

"...Yet, there have been other times when I have blamed God for pain and suffering. Even hanging from a cross of my own making, I have yelled at God for not saving me from the pain. Whenever grief or hardships appear, whatever the cause, the choices are the same. We can either look to Christ for help and comfort, or rail at Him in anger..."

Follow the link below to today's Lent reading.

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-day-sixteen-jesus-in.html

Day Fifteen, In the Courtyard of Denial

The danger of blending in:
"Concerned for his Master’s welfare, Peter followed at a distance. However, out of self-preservation, he tried to blend in..."

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-day-fifteen-in.html

Day Fourteen: True Friends, True Healing

"...Seems like a toss up to me. Only God can do either one. Of course healing is more of a show stopper. You can’t see the effects of a clean heart right away. We’re more drawn to the spectacular. So, to prove He can do both, Jesus healed his body as well. He fixed the source as well as the symptoms of his paralyzed state..."

Follow the link below to today's post.

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-day-fourteen-true.html

Day Thirteen: Mistaken Identity

So many times we do not recognize God when He comes to help us in an unexpected way. Today's post is a good reminder that Jesus doesn't do things our way, but His. And His ways are better, perfect, meeting our deepest needs.

Click on the link below to read today's post in the "40 Days of Lint" series.
http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-day-thirteen-mistaken.html

Day Twelve in the 40 Days of Lint

Looking for today's post? Follow this link.

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-day-twelve-outstanding.html

Day Eleven: Pick Your Tree

Have you ever noticed that it’s hard to stay away from temptation? When I gave up dessert for Lent, I was suddenly drawn to the last Lindor truffles from Valentine’s Day. The bowl of pastel mints for Easter called to me each time I passed. And I was suddenly in the mood to bake! It took constant vigilance to resist the voices luring me into the kitchen.

Kelly absentmindedly filled his pocket with free candy at the store the first day of Lent, until he remembered his promise. Even then, there was a little voice inside that said, “She’ll never know.” But of course...

Click on the link to find day 11.

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-belly-button-lint-in.html

Link to Day Ten, The Throne

When you walk into a person’s house, you usually enter the living or family room. Whatever piece of furniture sits in the middle of that room is probably symbolic of the lord who lives there. It may be a lazy boy recliner with a remote on the arm, or an oversized chair with an ottoman. It may be a leather couch flanked by neat piles of books and magazines. The central piece of furniture in a woman’s home might be a multi-pillowed couch with luxurious blankets for snuggling. What then, do you think we will find in the middle of heaven?...

Click on the link below to read this post.

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-day-ten-throne.html

Day Nine, and the beginning of Part Two in the the "40 Days of Lint"

Follow the link below to find Day Nine: In the Middle of Camp

“Which way is your tent facing?” Are you distracted because your focus is on others? Does the holy presence of God descend unnoticed as you gaze dejectedly into the desert? How do you know when it’s time to stay put and when to get going? What does the banner say that flies above your home? Is God in the middle of your camp?
http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-part-two-bellybutton.html

Day Eight, Insults

Here is the link to yesterday's blog for the "40 Days of Lint" series:

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-day-eight-insults.html

"I still remember the day my college roommate hurled her dresser drawers at me..."

Day Seven in 40 Days of Lint

Excerpt from today's post:

"...No one is excluded from the Lord’s invitation. A barren, unfruitful life given to Him will flourish and become productive. None of us are beyond the reach of His love and healing. He will not reject anyone who comes in repentance and humility. That goes for first-time comers, as well as repeat customers. He has a way of taking our messy lives and making something new and beautiful out of them. Instead of remaining worthless, we become showpieces of His amazing love. 

Follow the link below to read this article.


http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-day-seven-i-have.html

Day Six: Sprouting from Dry Ground

Excerpt from today's post in the "40 Days of Lint":

"As a gardener, it always amazes me when I see weeds, even trees, growing from cracks in the sidewalk or breaking through solid rock. Why is it that what I plant on purpose has to be coaxed into existence, while these rebel plants thrive in the least likely spots? They are tenacious for life, willing to fight impossible odds, flourishing in the most inhospitable environment. They don’t care if anybody wants them there, or if anyone makes bouquets from their flowers. They laugh at our efforts to kill them. No matter how many times we pull or spray these plants, they keep coming back."

Follow this link to read today's post:
http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-day-six-sprouting-from.html

Day Five: When the Brook Dries Up

If you are following the 40 Days of Lint series, today's post can be found at:
http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-day-five-when-brook.html

Here is an excerpt from it:
"...If your brook has dried up and you’re mourning the easy life you once enjoyed, God may be changing your situation for reasons you haven’t yet realized. Maybe there’s someone out there dying of starvation that needs to hear about God. Sharing Him in your own time of need is a miracle that can’t be done by the brook. Or, perhaps you need more than just physical comfort..."

Click on the link to read this post.

Day Three in the Lent series: A Dry Fleece

If you're looking for Day Three of the 40 Days of Lint series, follow this link, or type "40 Days of Lint, Day Three" in the search engine at the top left corner of the blog :

http://bethvice.blogspot.com/search?q=40+Days+of+Lint%2C+Day+Three

Day Two: In the Desert

Apparently the first time I posted this series, Day 2 was inadvertently left out. So today's blog is a never-seen before piece of the Forty Days of Lint.

In grade school I learned the difference between the word ‘desert’ and ‘dessert.’ “The way you can tell which one has two S’s,” my teacher said, “is that you always want more dessert, but you never want more time in a hot, dry desert.” Trials and suffering are desert times; we wish there was less pain, and more water, more palm trees and dates, and more time to chill at the oasis. Trouble comes to us all though, regardless of whether we’re believers or not. The difference is God’s people have a place to go to for relief.

King David knew how to do that. I’ve had my heartaches, but I can’t say anyone’s hurled a spear at me lately when I tried to soothe them with praise songs. No one’s chased me with an army intent on killing me. No one’s thrown rocks at me and cursed me to my face. My friends at church don’t openly ridicule me or celebrate when I get sick. And none of my children have taken possession of the house and kicked me out. But all of this, and more, happened to David. How did he survive? He talked to God about everything.

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1
Life is hard sometimes. The desert can be a miserable and lonely place to be. You head for a green oasis for some cool, refreshing water and end up getting a mouth full of dryer lint instead. Why? Because what you saw was a mirage, there was really nothing there to quench your thirst. But when we express our thirst to God, He will satisfy our longing and get us to the other side of whatever desert we’re in.

Throughout Psalm 63, David provides the map to the Oasis: earnestly seek God; keep going to church and see God for who He is; praise Him in the desert; sing songs to God at night; and hold on tight to the Source of living water.

Lint Removed: Desert Thirst
Cleaning Process: Seek, Worship, Praise, Sing, Cling

What Will You Do for Lent This Year?

Today is the first day of Lent, which is the 40 day countdown (not counting Sundays) until Easter, which will be on April 20th this year. It’s a time for us take inventory of our hearts and do a little house cleaning. It helps us focus on what Jesus did for us and how we want to respond to Him.

Jesus didn’t just die for our sins and rot in a grave somewhere. He rose from the dead, demonstrating that He is God and has power over death. Because of that we can die to our old sinful life and be raised to life with Him.

People often give up something for Lent, or do something they don't normally do. I’ve decided to give up fear for Lent this year. Fear of rejection, fear of what might happen, fear of letting go and giving God complete control. I am posting scriptures all over our house and in my car to say aloud every time fear makes an appearance, so I can refocus my mind.

One of the most popular posts I've had on my blog is the series I did in March of 2011 called the "40 Days of Lint." Here's the introduction:

"Just for fun, I want to offer daily readings on my blog during the next 40 days with a little house cleaning in mind. It's not a typo; I really mean Lint. Annoying, ever-present lint may seem like a stretch from repentance and self-denial, and yet, I couldn’t resist the idea of exploring the parallels between physical and spiritual lint.

Lint is that collection of dust and material fibers that seem to get everywhere. Even though we diligently clean it from our dryers, pockets, and bellybuttons, it always seems to be back again the next time we turn around. Many people fast during Lent to clear their minds and hearts of selfishness and distraction. We ask God to sweep sin from our hearts to make way for worship and praise to our risen Savior Jesus Christ. So there are many similarities.

We get rid of lint for several reasons. It looks untidy; we de-lint to look presentable to others. Lint can also clog things up, so we regularly clean it from our dryers, vacuums, and equipment so they will run properly. Last of all, lint is a form of dirt, so we vacuum and scrub to keep sickness at bay and vermin from moving in. We clear away spiritual lint for the same reasons: to present an attractive testimony, to remove anything that hinders our walk, and maintain personal purity before God.

I hope you’ll join me here for the next 40 days of Lent season for a new twist on an old tradition. I want to be clean and ready for the best Easter ever! Won’t you prepare your heart with me through a search and destroy mission for these five kinds of lint?"

· Lint In the Dryer (Spiritual Dryness)
· Bellybutton Lint (At the Center of Things)
· Pocket Lint (What is Hidden)
· Clothing Lint (Appearances) and where would Easter be without
· Dust Bunnies (Deep Cleaning)

If you would like to read these updated posts, click on the link for Day One: http://bethvice.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-of-lint-part-one-in-dryer.html