The writing for today by Jan Andersen is entitled "SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED." It is a phrase that can be used several different ways. Jesus spoke of giving to others fully and we will receive the same, "A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over..."
May we all look for ways to give to others every day.
Have a blessed week.
Jan and Corinne
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Today's Devotional:
"SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED"
by
Jan Andersen
"Shaken, not stirred" is a catchphrase of James Bond for his martini cocktail preparations. It has been a popular phrase in western T.V. programs, video games and movies, including Bugs Bunny's carrot martini from a push button car dashboard. There is even supposedly a health benefit to shaking vs stirring a martini, because then it has more antioxidants. Personally, I don't like alcohol and don't drink it. My favorite drink would probably be hot chocolate. In the movie, The Santa Clause", Judy the elf makes the cup of perfect hot cocoa, "Not too hot, extra chocolate, shaken, not stirred." Now THAT's more my cup of tea. But that's mixing drinks - no pun intended!
Shaking a beverage as described above adds air to it. But when it comes to measuring dry ingredients, shaking usually compresses it, giving you more in a cup, whereas stirring would loosen it and add air, giving you less in the same measure. Some of you may be familiar with the story "The Jar of Life" where a professor takes a jar and fills it with golf balls, then adds pebbles that can fall into the spaces between the balls and fills it with those tiny rocks, but is still able to add sand that when shaken, sifts down into every crack still available and fills it once more now with sand. The balls represent the big important things in life, the pebbles less important things, and the sand is the small stuff. If we fill our lives with "the small stuff" first and focus on those things, then there will be little or no room for the bigger stuff, or the most important things.
God is the most important thing in our lives. He gives us our very lives, forgiveness, and all that we have. He gives us wonderful gifts, way more than we would ever deserve or even imagine, shaken down into the cracks and overflowing. Our giving to others pales in comparison, but God blesses us when we do. Our motivation for giving is not so that we will receive more, however. Our reason for giving is to share with others the bountiful goodness we have already received. It provides a good witness to others of our loving and forgiving God, and it is also our way of thanking God for the riches he has already showered upon us.
Luke 6:37-38 (NIV) "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Taking "shaken, not stirred" in a different way, when a person is shaken but not stirred by something that has happened, it means it had an effect on them emotionally at the moment but not enough to change them permanently in their behavior or way of thinking. When God blesses us, may we be stirred to bless others in our lives, not just shaken temporarily by greedy giddiness.
Dear Father in heaven, we thank you for your good gifts to us, in a measure packed full, pressed down and overflowing. Stir us to share our blessings with others, shaken together - not stirred and fluffed up with air. May we be a good witness to them of your love and your greatest gift - forgiveness and everlasting life through faith in your Son, Jesus, in whose name we pray, Amen.
written by Jan Andersen
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Prayers are lifted up daily for you
by the Staff Writers of
Women's Focus Ministry:
Jan Andersen, Cathy Friberg, Sandy Billingham, Beverley Napier, Shelly Keith,
Brother Thomas Ukwute, Jody Ward, Karen Bennett,
Carol Steficek, Amie Spruiell, and Corinne Mustafa
Occasional Contributors
Kathy Bireley, Lynda Kinnard, Mary M. Wilkins,
Kathy Bireley, Lynda Kinnard, Mary M. Wilkins,
Terri Baker, Beverley Napier, Kelly Dobyns
Glenna Williamson, Lisabeth Lipp, Nandita Bhatnagar.
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