Gobbledygook

May 13th, 2012 dsisler

I am reading a text book on writing that my Dad recently gave me. I can honestly say that there is more to this writing skill than I ever dreamed. I’ve learned a great deal already!
I came across the section about gobbledygook. Yes, there is such a word and it pertains to writing!

 “Gobbledygook is writing that suffers from an overdose of traits guaranteed to make it stuffy, pretentious, and wordy.”[i]It is an attempt to make writing sound better than it is by adding words to give it a “fuller” feel.
If you have ever read a legal document, you’ve read gobbledygook.
Jesus had something to say about gobbledygook. In Matthew 6:7, Jesus said, “And when you pray, do not keep babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.”
This verse is in a section where Jesus teaches His disciples about prayer (Matthew 6:5-15). His model prayer follows.
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed by your name,
Your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”
This prayer spoken by Jesus gives us the purest, most concise way to pray to our heavenly Father.
When we get rid of all the over used words, traditional phrases, and church jargon, we can get to the heart of prayer—sharing our hearts with our Father.
Entering God’s presence with our souls bared is where Jesus wants to meet us. Getting down to the real issues, using real, honest words with our God is where He will reward us.
And when we are to the point where we don’t know what to pray, the Holy Spirit steps in for us. Romans 8:26-27 tells us, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”
Even when words cannot express what’s on our hearts or our emotions, God will hear us.
Gobbledygook has no place in our conversation with God. Pure, simple words are all He desires from us. With that, I’m done!
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna

[i]Alred, Brusaw, Oliu. The Business Writer’s Handbook. 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. 2000. p. 271.
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A Lovely Rainbow

May 12th, 2012 dsisler

A few days ago, Mom had to spend a night in the hospital. We received a call that the lab results showed her hemoglobin was low, so off we went. The good news was that it was a false reading. The lab result was inaccurate.
After arriving at the hospital and getting Mom settled, I went to get dinner in the cafeteria to bring back to her room. I rounded a corner on the 6thfloor and was greeted with a surprise.
It had been sprinkling. The windows were covered with little droplets. But through the large bank of windows in the opposite direction was a rainbow and I could see both ends! And then, not only was there one rainbow, but two!
As I returned to Mom’s room, the double rainbow filled the window in her room. What an encouragement it was to her.
At that moment, I remembered God’s promise to Noah when He placed the first rainbow in the sky. Genesis 9:12-17 gives the account of that promise God made to man and earth.
Then I did a search on promises that God made and these verses interested me.
2 Corinthians 1:20 says, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through hi the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” The promises that God made were fulfilled with Jesus and because of Jesus we can say “yes” and “amen” to them all.
God also promised to be with us. Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Regardless of where we go (including the hospital), we can be strong, courageous, fearless, and encouraged because He is there.
And then we see the promise of great mercy and love in Palm 25:6. “Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.” God will not forget His long-standing promises of great mercy and love for us.
These promises are such a reassurance when we face situations that don’t fit into our schedule, are not welcomed, or filled with the unknown. But with God, we can face them with confidence in His promises.
Through the 24-hour stay in the hospital, I was encouraged to know that God was with us. He may not have placed the double rainbow in the sky for me or Mom, but I took it as a reminder to trust Him with all of it.
God’s promises are for us to claim. If we neglect to do so, we are missing a wonderful gift that God has given. Let’s determine to look for those “rainbows” in our lives and remember His promises.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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Walking and Talking

May 11th, 2012 dsisler

I have been separated from my husband for nearly three weeks while I’ve been caring for my Mom. I miss him like crazy, but it has reminded us of our early marriage.
After we were married, we lived in two different states for 18 months. We knew our communications skills had to be perfected if our marriage was going to make it. We managed to work through those 18 months.
For a change, I decided to call my husband two evenings ago as I walked around Mom’s neighborhood. I was able to see beautiful flowers in bloom. Trees with fruit beginning their growth process. People doing yard work. Dogs running in back yards. All while conversing with my husband.
Walking and talking isn’t new. God has been doing since the creation of the world.
Genesis 3:8 tells us, “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” God walked and talked with Adam and Eve, perhaps on a daily basis.
God also walked with Israel. Leviticus 26:11 says, “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.” God’s desire was to be among Israel, and He found that walking and talking was the best way to achieve that.
Jesus spent 33 years walking and talking with people. The Gospels are filled with such accounts. Being in Jesus’ presence must have been exhilarating. Oh for just a moment, sitting at His feet, listening to His teaching. That would have been glorious.
Just as people in Scripture walked with God and Jesus, we are called to walk with God. And there are ways in which we are to walk. Let’s see what God’s Word has to say about our walk.
We are to walk in all His ways. Deuteronomy 5:33; 10:12; 11:22; and 26:17 basically say the same thing. Listen to Deuteronomy 10:12-13. “And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.” There is quite a bit in this short passage, but walking in all God’s ways is right in the middle of it. We must learn His ways. That is the key.
We are to walk in the light. Psalm 89:15 tells us, “Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.” And Isaiah 2:5 says, “Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.” As we journey through this life, God’s light can illuminate the path and make it easier to navigate. I have stumbled enough; I want to walk in His light.
We are to walk in freedom. “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.” (Psalm 119:45) Under the New Covenant, we know what it is like to be free. Free from the laws and rituals of Old Testament living. We can rejoice knowing that we are walking in freedom!
We are to walk humbly. “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) Humility can be difficult, but as we draw closer to God and learn His ways, this characteristic will begin to bloom and grow.
We are to walk in obedience and in love. 2 John 6 says, “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.” Living a life of obedience is our way of showing God that we are walking side by side with Him. Living a life of love is our way of showing others that we are walking side by side with Him.
I certainly love to walk and I know I will take more walks around Mom’s neighborhood before I head for home. My prayer is that I and those I walk with (Mason or Mom) will follow God’s precepts. That we will seek Him in all our ways. And that we do it all in love.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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Like A Tree

May 10th, 2012 dsisler

I found this fallen tree in the mountains last summer. I was intrigued by its position and condition. I had never seen a tree like this.

I wondered how it had fallen. What had caused its death? Why was the center hollowed out? Of course, I couldn’t give an answer for any of these questions and probably would never know.
So now my thoughts on trees moved to Scripture to see how God used trees for examples for us. Here’s a passage from Jeremiah 17:7-8.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
We can relate the ideas in this passage with our spiritual journey. For the tree, being planted by water with a good root system is the lifeline of the tree. Without the root system that draws nourishment and water to the tree, it would not thrive, and perhaps die.
We, too, must be firmly rooted. If our root system, our foundation is not stable, we will not be able to stand up to the pressures of this world. If we are unable to reach the nourishment and the water needed, we would not be able to thrive.
Through prayer, Bible study, worship, and fellowship with other believers, we can guarantee that our root system is strong and healthy.
With our root system prepared and with the aid of the Holy Spirit, we are then ready and able to meet the troubles we encounter. Let’s see what our tree might encounter and what lessons we can learn.
1) It does not fear when heat comes.Troubles will come. Jesus said they would. But when we have a complete trust in God, we will not fear the troubles. We might even welcome them, because we mature through these struggles!
2) Its leaves are always green. Do you feel “green” today? Green represents life. As a Christian, we have abundant life and as a result of that, we should be green! Our lives should be a reflection of the abundant life given through Jesus.
3) It has no worries in a year of drought.We go through times when we feel parched. When our spiritual lives are not being filled because of circumstances or situations. It is during these times we can utilize the deep connection and trust we have in our God. There is no reason to worry during these times…God will take care of it all.
4) It never fails to bear fruit. The fruit that we bear shows that our roots are reaching the source. With the Holy Spirit living within us, we are able to strengthen the characteristics within ourselves.
The tree is able to stand up against the elements and we know the blessings we receive from trees. Fruit, shade, and visual beauty. From this illustration, we can see that reaching deep to the Living Water is where we gain our strength. We, too, are able to stand up to the elements of this world and are able to bless those we come into contact with.
As a person who places their complete trust and confidences in God, you don’t ever have to worry or fear. You can be assured that you will always feel alive and bear fruit. Like the tree planted by the water.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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Greed

May 9th, 2012 dsisler

My husband is my favorite photographer. He can compose a photograph unlike anyone I’ve ever known.
While this is no where near his best work, it still remains one of my favorite photographs. He snapped this photo of our two cats as they sat at the table, begging for whatever we might be serving for dinner. 
Unfortunately for them, there was nothing to share. We were sitting around the table drinking coffee and chatting.
They sat in these same chairs many times through the years. Waiting. Hoping. Begging. Thinking they might receive their greatest desire. Food.
These two didn’t need any more food than they already had, but they certainly wanted it. That is the definition of greed.
I recall several people in Scripture who also showed greedy tendencies.
The Israelites had been wandering for some time. They were tired of the same food. They begged God for something new. God gave them what they wanted.
Numbers 11:31-34 gives the account. Starting in verse 31 we see God driving “quail in from the sea. It brought them down all around the camp to about three feet above the ground, as far as a day’s walk in any direction.”
The people gathered and gathered. They were greedy.
God burned with anger against Israel and struck them with a severe plague. Their greed and craving food caused great pain and anguish.
David was also found desiring something that didn’t belong to him when he saw Bathsheba. 2 Samuel 12 tells this story.
David and Bathsheba have a sexual encounter at David’s bidding. Bathsheba becomes pregnant. David tries to manipulate her husband and eventually must have him killed to cover his sin.
David is then confronted by Nathan about his green and sin. David repents, but the baby Bathsheba delivers dies.
David’s greed caused great pain and anguish in many lives.
Ananias and Sapphira’s story can be found in Acts chapter 5.
The couple sold a piece of land and gave a portion of the profits to the Church. However, they each told Peter that they had given the full amount of the sale.
In their greed, they wanted to look good among their fellow Christians and still make some money.
As a result of this greed, the pair fell down and died.
Ephesians 5:3-5 says, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”
There is to be no hint…of greed! Because it isn’t proper for us. The greed person has no inheritance in God’s kingdom.
These are harsh words, but God knows how this sin can affect our lives. How it can destroy us. So, He simply says to stay away from it.
I’m sure I’m not the only pet owner with a pair of greedy pets. I suppose the next time I find them sitting there I should explain greed to them.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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  • "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19

  • I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in Jacksonville, Florida.

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