Landings.....

FAITH:

I was on an early morning flight into Pittsburgh. It's the kind where most of the passengers are real veteran flyers, you know, like business people. And wouldn't you know, we got one of those two-for-the-price-of-one landings. Yeah, it's one of those bumpy, bouncy ones. You know? I mean, even with the seasoned flyers aboard, that landing got everyone's heads out of their papers and their briefcases - including mine. I couldn't wait to hear what the flight attendant was going to say. And, fortunately, we got one of the few that could show a sense of humor. He came on and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, now that I have your attention, I'd like to make a few announcements!" That's great! Believe me, after a landing like that, he had our attention!

You may have been experiencing a few bumpy landings lately yourself. It might be medical, or marital, economic, romantic, maybe it's parental issues or relationship issues. You're wondering why things have been so rocky. There could be many reasons, but we know that ultimately God is in charge of things. So, why has He sent or allowed these bumpy landings? Could it be He's trying to get your attention? Maybe if you could hear God's voice audibly right now, you'd hear Him saying, "Now that I have your attention, I'd like to make a few announcements."

One of King David's Psalms in the Old Testament is about how our bumpy landings can serve as spiritual wakeup calls. In our word for today from the Word of God in Psalm 32:1, he says, "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered...When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer."

David says the best position you can be in in your life is to have all your sins forgiven, your moral mistakes forgiven and cleaned up and to know you're OK with God and that you have a new beginning. But he goes on to say that he wasn't really dealing with the junk that was between him and God until he hit some bumpy landings. Until he started hurting physically, emotionally, until he felt God's heavy hand on him...until he was shot. That's when God got his attention and showed him that he needed to face his sin problem which was the ultimate cause of all his other problems.

It could be God is trying to make the same kind of announcement to you right now. I hope that through your bumpy landings Jesus can finally get your attention. His announcements? Well, things you might otherwise not have listened to or considered. He's using the trouble to say to you things like, "You are not enough, you need something lasting, you've tried it long enough without Me, or I love you so much." And He stands ready to do for you what you have needed and maybe avoided for years - to remove what's between you and the God that you need so much.

Jesus can do that because He absorbed all the guilt and all the hell of all your sin when He paid for it on the cross. And your bumpy landings may be all to bring you to the place that you've missed all these years - that cross where He loved you enough to die for you. All the journey of your life has been to bring you to this moment where you could finally commit yourself to the Savior you were made by, the Savior you were made for, the Savior who loves you so very much. Then you will be able to say as King David did, "Lord, You forgave the guilt of my sin."

Your bumpy landings may have shaken up your life, but only so you would turn your attention to the Son of God so He could finally bring you safely home. by Ron Hutchcraft

FRIENDS:

Father, give us strength as we try to be more like Jesus in our homes. We ask you to keep the evil one away from us; keep us close. Let our homes be testimonies of your love for us, that when people see our homes, they would see how you have loved the world. In Jesus' name, Amen.

DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
March 6
Matthew 23:1-12; Romans 5:1-11; Psalms 53; Numbers 12-14
March 7
Matthew 23:13-24; Romans 5:12-21; Psalms 54; Numbers 15-17
March 8
Matthew 23:25-29; Romans 6:1-14; Psalms 55; Numbers 18-20

10 THINGS I AM THANKFUL FOR
1. That my son was not killed today when a chain broke as a huge pit was being lifted up over him and knocked him to the ground
2. The great day I had talking with the grandkids and going shopping with them
3. Being in a huge craft store I used to work in
4. Finding all the ingredients for a Thai dinner
5. Beautiful sunshiny day
6. Working in the kitchen preparing dinner with my grandkids
7. Riding in the car with the grand daughter driving
8. Spending time talking with my son this morning before he went to work
9. Teaching my grand daughter to crochet
10. God granting me a long enough life to see my grand kids growing up

FOOD:

Olive Garden Basil Butter and Shrimp on Pasta
BASIL BUTTER

2 oz Fresh basil leaves (about - 2 bunches
10 oz Butter, softened - (2-1/2 cubes)
1 t Minced garlic
1/4 ts Salt
1/8 ts Black pepper
3 tb Grated Parmesan cheese plus - additional for garnish
1 tb Grated Romano cheese

REST OF DISH

1 lb Fresh Linguine or angel - hair pasta
1 lb Medium shrimp, shelled

Remove any large stems from basil and wash leaves. Shake off
excess water and dry with paper towel.

Place in food processor; process until finely chopped.
Process in two batches if necessary to get a uniformly chopped
basil.
Remove from processor and reserve.

Place butter in small mixer bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip
butter until pliable. Add garlic, salt, pepper, Parmesan and Romano
cheeses, and basil; mix until well incorporated. Basil butter can be used
immediately or stored covered in refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Cook pasta according to directions, drain well and keep warm.
Melt basil butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and saute'
just until done, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve over hot cooked pasta. Pass
freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

FUN:

A mom was concerned about her kindergarten son walking to school. He didn't want his mother to walk with him. She wanted to give him the feeling that he had some independence but yet know that he was safe.

So she had an idea of how to handle it. She asked a neighbor if she would please follow him to school in the mornings, staying at a distance, so he probably wouldn't notice her.

She said that since she was up early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to get some exercise as well, so she agreed.

The next school day, the neighbor and her little girl set out following behind Timmy as he walked to school with another neighbor girl he knew. She did this for the whole week.

As the two walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs, Timmy's little friend noticed the same lady was following them as she seemed to do every day all week. Finally she said to Timmy, 'Have you noticed that lady following us to school all week?
Do you know her?'
Timmy nonchalantly replied,
'Yeah, I know who she is.'
The little girl said, 'Well, who is she?'
'That's just Shirley Goodnest,' Timmy replied, 'and her daughter Marcy.'

'Shirley Goodnest? Who the heck is she and why is she following us? '

'Well,' Timmy explained, 'every night my Mom makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, 'cuz she worries about me so much.
And in the Psalm, it says, 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow
me all the days of my life', so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!'