tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34937685710865268522024-03-18T03:22:52.790-04:00Mary Harwell Sayler In a Christian poet-writer's lifeMary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.comBlogger228125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-20979579738081326502022-04-03T11:03:00.018-04:002022-04-03T11:11:10.560-04:00Me, Myself, and Eye Care Over a decade ago I began this blog, and, as time has flown,
so has my vision. With a few other blogs to maintain, I hope to post/ repost
timely or timeless topics on WordPress, thus focusing my failing sight on only
one site. (Pun intended.)When I mentioned my macular hole (left eye) and macular
wrinkle (right eye) to a fellow writer in my Christian Poets & Writers
group on Facebook, IMary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-8451010868113850042022-01-13T09:36:00.001-05:002022-01-13T09:39:21.948-05:00When people in your presence push their politics (Yes,
alliteration intended.)
Are you weary
of hearing heated debates over politics? If so, try turning disputes into a
truce with these Bible tips.All
Christians have a duty to tell the truth of God’s Word: “There is no authority except from God,” Romans 13.All
lands are placed under God-given authority (Jeremiah 27:6.) All of
the people in the crowd recognized Jesus’ Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-50124138276618997682022-01-08T11:43:00.003-05:002022-01-08T11:43:33.864-05:00Caregivers, Caretakers Undoubtedly,
our circumstances differ in detail, but my thoughts here and your Comments
below might help each of us who cares for an adult with some form of dementia
or an inability to process or recall information.Note the attention span of the person in your
care. One minute? Three? Be prepared to answer the same question or hear
the same story many, many times. Offer needed instructions Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-34843772325144197012021-12-13T11:46:00.000-05:002021-12-13T11:46:16.228-05:00Jesus can use the Internet! If you’ve
ever been to church or read the Bible, you’ve surely heard Jesus’ command in Matthew
28:18-19:
King
James Version
“And
Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven
and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations….”
Douay-Rheims 1899
American Edition
“And
Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All power is given to me in heavenMary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-71723989715668464572021-11-01T14:31:00.000-04:002021-11-01T14:31:01.414-04:00Where old hotlinks go to die or worse!
If you’ve been fortunate enough to get a .com, .net, or other dot domain in your own name, do not (I repeat, do not) let it go! Ditto on other domain names that define your work. Unfortunately, I speak from experience! Earlier this year, I decided not to renew my domain names and keep only my blogs or other free sites. Bad idea! Within a short time, I discovered that anyone looking for my Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-28577656880150267912021-10-20T13:26:00.000-04:002021-10-20T13:26:25.474-04:00Baffling Bible Verses! If you’ve
read the blog posts on “A Life Worthy,” you know Michael Burns loves the Lord,
the Bible, and levity – all of which we, too, greatly need. In this morning's post, however, he asked a seriously big question:
“So
many believers trust God, fear God, serve God, and yet are destitute. Why?”
Since Psalm
25:12-13 had evoked that question, I re-read the words Michael hadMary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-5289244376539279382021-09-20T13:35:00.000-04:002021-09-20T13:35:38.469-04:00Learning to See God Many of
us ask how to hear God better, but maybe it’s more basic to first learn how to
see.
The
Bible gives us a comprehensive picture of God.
We get a
wide-angle view of God and His ongoing interactions with mankind by reading the
Bible cover to cover, preferably in more than one translation.
For an
up close and personal relationship, we zoom in by becoming Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-51290656161326493032021-09-17T10:28:00.000-04:002021-09-17T10:28:46.425-04:00How To Go Around Imitating God Each
morning I receive an email from Bible Gateway with the verse for the day. After
reading various translations on the site, I then select one to post on Twitter,
but today’s verse threw me:
“Imitate
God like His own dear children,” Ephesians 5:1, and I thought, “How can I possibly
do that?”
I went on
to other things that needed tending, but the verse kept coming to mindMary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-19221166128299803242021-09-14T15:11:00.000-04:002021-09-14T15:11:01.910-04:00You're Cordially Invited to the Reading of God’s Will We, the people
of God, often speak of God’s Will, and each of us most likely has an idea of what
that means. For an accurate reading of God’s Will, however, let's see what God's Word says:
God’s Will
is for no one to perish. God wants us to turn from ungodly ways.
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is
longsuffering toward us, not Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-55607693672938520432021-08-16T12:03:00.002-04:002021-08-16T12:03:27.016-04:00Wising up! Praying for wisdom [Note: Our rural church, Lake Como Community of Hope in Lake Como, Florida, is non-denominational with several retired pastors of varied church backgrounds
gracing our pulpit each week. Every now and then, however, scheduling conflicts
or unexpected personal concerns leave us without a pastor to lead that day’s
worship service. Since Sunday August 17 was such a day, I read the recommended
Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-28583903348339592832021-08-09T01:23:00.001-04:002021-08-09T01:23:53.113-04:00Too much garbage? Break the cycle! In the almost
eighteen years we’ve been in our home, I’ve filled and faithfully set out the recycling
bin every week – until now! Reportedly, a shortage of workers recently caused
pickup to cease, so our paper, plastics, foil wrappers, and aluminum cans have
wound up in the back of the regular garbage truck! Bummer! So what’s
an environmentally conscious person to do?
Someone Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-53748792469086138422021-07-19T14:11:00.001-04:002021-07-19T14:14:44.580-04:00What did that compliment do to you? Assuming we have no ulterior motive, such as buttering up or
trying to manipulate someone, a compliment can a lift a person’s spirits.
However, it can also have a negative effect.
At the risk of making you (and me!) afraid to ever say anything
nice to anyone again, I’ve been pondering the subject and remembering what
helped me and what did not. I hope you’ll share your Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-73538132512420774222021-06-11T07:05:00.000-04:002021-06-11T07:05:30.059-04:00Real love cannot be faked Plants have
enemies.Weeds work at
replication.Real love
can’t be faked.
When that poem came to mind this morning instead of sleep, I
wondered how many poems I’d been given on love. I still don’t know, but most poets write on
the subject, along with other universal topics such as birth, death, and
infinity. What’s written, however, may have little to do with actual love – the real Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-8541404229980610812021-05-28T16:24:00.001-04:002021-11-02T08:39:23.990-04:00Do unto Yourself as you do unto Others This morning I commented on the pretty shade of yellow my husband was
wearing, then added, “Good color on you too,” to which he immediately said
something, well, smarty. Now the thing is, he hates it when I do that! He does
NOT like for me to be dismissive of a compliment or give a negative response,
so I told him:
“Hey! Do
yourself what you want me to do!”
Beloved, we might be onto Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-33598803690557176282021-05-26T11:07:00.002-04:002021-05-26T11:08:19.066-04:00Bible Reviewer: Amplified Holy Bible XL EditionBible Reviewer: Amplified Holy Bible XL Edition: Besides preferring the capitalization of pronouns that refer to God in the Amplified Bible, I appreciate the synonyms and definitions that amplify, without changing, the meaning of the text. This particular edition, however, appeals to me because of its 12.5 font, quality leathersoft binding, and unique size that’s almost 8” square and Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-35335864649129661312021-05-21T09:59:00.000-04:002021-05-21T09:59:59.579-04:00Beyond Belief “By the
authority of our Lord Jesus Christ I appeal to all of you, my friends, to agree
in what you say, so that there will be no divisions among you. Be completely
united, with only one thought and one purpose,” 1 Corinthians 1:9, Good News Translation.
Despite our diverse cultures, radically opposing
beliefs, and personal preferences for how things are to be done, we are all to
be One inMary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-70885095223569556592021-05-13T13:01:00.002-04:002021-05-15T09:40:17.620-04:00If only I had knownLong
before text messaging reduced words to their first letters, writers and
editors referred to a commonly over-used plot as IOIHK – “If only I had known.”Books,
movies, stories, areas of miscommunication, and misspent lives have infamously
fallen into the IOIHK category. But in this time of rampant misunderstanding
between various peoples and traditions of faith, we poets, writers, pastors,
Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-2839744455418512972021-04-30T10:08:00.000-04:002021-04-30T10:08:07.867-04:00I Sing Better With Him Behind Has
your voice ever slid off-key for lack of breath or unfamiliarity with a hymn? As
our vocal chords age, it’s harder for most of us to hold a note or stay
consistently in tune.
When
our extended family members come back to Florida for the winter and early
spring, I look forward to Henry’s return. As soon as I see him, I eagerly point
to the seat behind me where I can hear his pleasing Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-50134229439241509362021-04-04T09:39:00.002-04:002021-11-02T08:41:00.483-04:00Poem for Easter
For You,I turned water into wine, purified in the veins of My own body. I climbed mountains, healed crowds of hunger, warmed a leper’s skin. For you I chastised leaders, halted stones, wrote on the ground each word contained in Love.I overturned unfair prices and low wages, tabled discussions about who’s first or last, and enjoyed the most unlikely company.Before My execution, I tamed a donkey, Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-16290216614727625582021-04-01T14:18:00.001-04:002021-11-02T08:41:36.902-04:00Where are we on the Cross?As
we head toward Good Friday and the crucifixion of Jesus, the biblical command
to “take up your cross and follow Christ” comes to mind. Sadly, we might think
this means carrying heavy weights or generally being miserable throughout our
lives when, actually, it’s the opposite!
Taking up our cross and following Christ is meant to be freeing,
not burdensome. It’s meant to exchange our self-will Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-17819829038325979772021-03-10T13:13:00.000-05:002021-03-10T13:13:17.523-05:00You, The Chosen Race No
race but the human race in God’s eyes, but the Lord has much more in mind!
Regardless of our skin color or cultural background, God has ordained us to be
one: a Holy Nation, a Royal Priesthood, the people of God.
This
hope – this prayer of the Almighty
God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Jesus – goes back thousands of years as these
verses show:
“For
thou art an holy people unto the Lord Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-85971994737885673162021-02-23T10:58:00.003-05:002021-11-02T08:42:37.203-04:00Taking God at His Word
When I proof my work online, I have trouble spotting mistakes, but when I read a book in print, my eyes often go to whatever needs correcting. I'm sorry to say, I didn't proof a printed copy of Kneeling on the Promises of God until after publication. I've now corrected those errors and re-uploaded the book, but if you find something I've missed, please let me know. Thank you.And may God bless Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-12400719592171909752021-02-16T16:36:00.000-05:002021-02-16T16:36:42.410-05:00Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall DownThis poem originally began on an Ash Wednesday – the first day of Lent
which often focuses on the penitential Psalm 51 and encourages us to look at ourselves
honestly then confess what needs confessing, change what needs changing, accept
what needs accepting, and receive the joy of God’s forgiving love. Begun in Ashes
Create in me a clean heart, O Godand renew a right spirit withinall who Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-70742834963799878692021-01-12T18:50:00.000-05:002021-01-12T18:50:38.029-05:00Must we be divided?This quote often attributed to Abraham Lincoln is actually a word from Jesus: "And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand," Mark3:24-25, King James Version (KJV.)Regardless of our political preferences and despite our worse fears, may God's people come together as one Body of Christ! Until the Lord Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493768571086526852.post-2281267615857685812020-12-17T11:33:00.000-05:002020-12-17T11:33:53.290-05:00What Are Your Favorite Daily Devotional Books? This year, my husband
and I read Jesus Always every evening with additions from my book Kneeling on the Promises of God at various times of the day. I highly recommend Jesus Calling too. But, what about you? Do you have a daily devotional book
that speaks to you?
This week, Group
Publishing kindly sent me a review copy of the new 365-day devotional Jesus-Centered Daily by Rick Mary Saylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08709628386233742459noreply@blogger.com0