Chris Loehmer Kincaid's Blog, page 142
December 11, 2014
A Christmas Photo Challenge
This month's challenge from the personal photo challenge blog is Christmas Scenes. Maybe not the most original theme for December, but certainly a fun one.
It was hard to pick just a few photos from my archives, but I finally whittled it down to these three.
This beautiful figurine was up at our church a few years ago. I remember asking someone where it came from, but I can't remember what the answer was. For me, it captures so much of the first of Christmas.
I took this at church the same year.
I know. I kind of changed gears in a hurry, didn't I? For many years the hubby has dressed up as Santa. He had some Santa-gigs for a few years, and when that dried up - well - I couldn't get him to stop growing that beard and donning the red suit. In this picture, I had to touch up his beard with white hair paint, but each year his beard has come in with more white. This year, I don't think it will need any help. I will share pictures after his big day. Isn't the expression on his face priceless? Or something?
It was hard to pick just a few photos from my archives, but I finally whittled it down to these three.
This beautiful figurine was up at our church a few years ago. I remember asking someone where it came from, but I can't remember what the answer was. For me, it captures so much of the first of Christmas.
I took this at church the same year.
I know. I kind of changed gears in a hurry, didn't I? For many years the hubby has dressed up as Santa. He had some Santa-gigs for a few years, and when that dried up - well - I couldn't get him to stop growing that beard and donning the red suit. In this picture, I had to touch up his beard with white hair paint, but each year his beard has come in with more white. This year, I don't think it will need any help. I will share pictures after his big day. Isn't the expression on his face priceless? Or something?
December 8, 2014
Decorating for Christmas Past
Over the weekend, I dragged the totes full of Christmas decorations upstairs. And that's all the further I got. I thought that maybe if I looked back over some of the pictures from past Christmases, I would get inspired to start decorating. Hasn't worked yet. I'm thinking more like I should just blow these pictures up and set them around the house! Think anyone would notice that the stuff isn't real?
Peanuts all over the piano.
Those animated snowmen from the Hallmark store. It is double-duty when I put them out, as I have to find batteries for them as well.
One shelf for penguins and one for snowglobes.
And two whole shelves for the Snowmen.
And this isn't even all of it. There is the wall full of stockings and the mantel for the real stockings. The random stuff I hang on the dining room wall. Don't even get me started on the tree - I hate the tree. And I totally forgot the table full of Nativities! I guess it will still be "bah-humbug" for a few more days. I will get it together by the 23rd. Promise.
Peanuts all over the piano.
Those animated snowmen from the Hallmark store. It is double-duty when I put them out, as I have to find batteries for them as well.
One shelf for penguins and one for snowglobes.
And two whole shelves for the Snowmen. And this isn't even all of it. There is the wall full of stockings and the mantel for the real stockings. The random stuff I hang on the dining room wall. Don't even get me started on the tree - I hate the tree. And I totally forgot the table full of Nativities! I guess it will still be "bah-humbug" for a few more days. I will get it together by the 23rd. Promise.
December 7, 2014
18 Days Til Christmas
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Mary. Luke 1:26-27
What do we know about Joseph and Mary? Tradition tells us that Mary was young, a teen-ager, possibly as young as fourteen. Joseph was older, maybe thirty years old or more. That was a common age spread for the time. We have a hard time putting that into our modern view of marriage. In addition, this was most likely an arranged marriage. Mary and Joseph probably knew each other through family ties, but they had never dated, as couples would today. They almost certainly hadn’t spent any time alone together.But at that time, being engaged was the same as being married. It was a lifelong commitment which could only be legally broken by a divorce or death. The one difference between engagement and marriage at that time was that the couple was not yet living together.
How different marriage during biblical times seems to us. However, there are places in the world today where such traditions are still practiced.
If you are married, how long did you know your spouse before you were engaged? If you are single, how long do you think you should know someone before talking about marriage? And would any one of us not want to know our spouse until our wedding day? What does this tell us about God's definition of love compared with how the world views love?
(From "The Christmas Story in 40 Days",
published by Life Sentence Publishing, 2013)
December 5, 2014
Walking in a Winter Wonderland
I know that it has been a long time since I walked the streets of my town and shared about it here. I admitted a while back that I am just not as fond of winter as I used to be. And if I am outside, I will be wearing mittens, which are not conducive to photography. Yet here I am. One last time this year. (No guarantees what the new year will bring.)
A week ago Saturday night was the yearly Christmas parade downtown Tomahawk. The parade covers an entire two blocks. I know, how crazy-huge is that! And there were probably more people in the parade than were watching it. Sometimes I wish I were living in the 60s again where these home-town things were cool (and not just in the physical sense).
Anyway, so here is the line-up getting ready.
The horse-drawn sleigh bringing Santa to town.
Lastly, there is a Christmas tree Winter Wonderland in the empty lot behind the Rodeo Saloon. Any group or organization can sign up for a tree and decorate it, then the trees are donated to needy families or other charitable causes.
The hubby had made an appointment for my car at eight this Friday morning. The forecast was to be somewhat reasonable, so I thought I would use that time to take in the wintery sights of downtown. Here is that tree lot with most of the trees gone.
For the outdoor winter enthusiast, I would say that miniature golf is out.
I don’t think there will be any horse-shoe throwing at the American Legion either.
Luckily, though, the city crew is always out getting the snow off of our streets.
The dreary-looking morning didn’t clear up before my car was finished and I was able to head home.
If you don’t hear from me before the 25th, have a Merry Christmas.
A week ago Saturday night was the yearly Christmas parade downtown Tomahawk. The parade covers an entire two blocks. I know, how crazy-huge is that! And there were probably more people in the parade than were watching it. Sometimes I wish I were living in the 60s again where these home-town things were cool (and not just in the physical sense).
Anyway, so here is the line-up getting ready.
The horse-drawn sleigh bringing Santa to town.
Lastly, there is a Christmas tree Winter Wonderland in the empty lot behind the Rodeo Saloon. Any group or organization can sign up for a tree and decorate it, then the trees are donated to needy families or other charitable causes.
The hubby had made an appointment for my car at eight this Friday morning. The forecast was to be somewhat reasonable, so I thought I would use that time to take in the wintery sights of downtown. Here is that tree lot with most of the trees gone.
For the outdoor winter enthusiast, I would say that miniature golf is out.
I don’t think there will be any horse-shoe throwing at the American Legion either.
Luckily, though, the city crew is always out getting the snow off of our streets.
The dreary-looking morning didn’t clear up before my car was finished and I was able to head home.
If you don’t hear from me before the 25th, have a Merry Christmas.
November 30, 2014
Psalm 136
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.His love endures forever.2 Give thanks to the God of gods.His love endures forever.3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:His love endures forever.4 to him who alone does great wonders,His love endures forever.5 who by his understanding made the heavens,His love endures forever.6 who spread out the earth upon the waters,His love endures forever.7 who made the great lights—His love endures forever.8 the sun to govern the day,His love endures forever.9 the moon and stars to govern the night;His love endures forever.
23 He remembered us in our low estateHis love endures forever.24 and freed us from our enemies.His love endures forever.25 He gives food to every creature.His love endures forever.26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.His love endures forever.(New International Version)
For the month of November, I have been blogging about 30 things I am thankful for. Last time you joined me here, I was up to number 25. Each verse of beautiful Psalm 136 gives us ideas of more things we should be thankful for. Here are the five remaining things I’d like to give thanks for, all of which I have pulled from this chapter of the Bible.
Number 26 I am thankful there is One True God and that His goodness and mercy endures forever.
Number 27 I am thankful that my One True God has made the heavens and the earth. He made these for all mankind, for our survival and our enjoyment.
Number 28 I am thankful that my One True God has made the sun to shine down on this earth during the day, to keep us warm and to grow our plants. And I am thankful that He placed a moon and the stars in the nighttime sky, to guide us when we are lost and alone in the still darkness of the night.
Number 29 I am thankful that my One True God has made food and drink to sustain us. I am thankful that He has granted me such a wealth of items to pick from, from healthy to decadent.
Number 30 I am thankful that my One True God sent His only begotten Son to die for my sins so that I will not suffer eternal death, but instead will one day join Him in my eternal home in paradise.
And so we head into the Christmas season. 25 days from now we celebrate the night the world welcomed this Savior. Give thanks for that event today and every day.
23 He remembered us in our low estateHis love endures forever.24 and freed us from our enemies.His love endures forever.25 He gives food to every creature.His love endures forever.26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.His love endures forever.(New International Version)
For the month of November, I have been blogging about 30 things I am thankful for. Last time you joined me here, I was up to number 25. Each verse of beautiful Psalm 136 gives us ideas of more things we should be thankful for. Here are the five remaining things I’d like to give thanks for, all of which I have pulled from this chapter of the Bible.
Number 26 I am thankful there is One True God and that His goodness and mercy endures forever.
Number 27 I am thankful that my One True God has made the heavens and the earth. He made these for all mankind, for our survival and our enjoyment.
Number 28 I am thankful that my One True God has made the sun to shine down on this earth during the day, to keep us warm and to grow our plants. And I am thankful that He placed a moon and the stars in the nighttime sky, to guide us when we are lost and alone in the still darkness of the night.
Number 29 I am thankful that my One True God has made food and drink to sustain us. I am thankful that He has granted me such a wealth of items to pick from, from healthy to decadent.
Number 30 I am thankful that my One True God sent His only begotten Son to die for my sins so that I will not suffer eternal death, but instead will one day join Him in my eternal home in paradise.
And so we head into the Christmas season. 25 days from now we celebrate the night the world welcomed this Savior. Give thanks for that event today and every day.
November 25, 2014
Six More Things to Give Thanks For
It is the last week of November and I last posted the number 18 and 19 things which I am thankful for. That leaves me 11 things and since I have only been writing about this topic on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I better get going.
Number 20 – I am thankful that my parents took us on vacation every summer and that I got to see so much of our country.
Number 21 – I am thankful that back in 2005, God put it in my heart and in my head that I should travel to other countries. I am thankful that I had the chance to volunteer in Kenya twice and in Peru once.
Number 22 – I am thankful that the hubby gives in to my wanderlust, and that he even at times is willing to join me on my travels. I always have such a good time when he comes along.
Number 23 – I am thankful that God gave me such an active imagination. Sometimes, it gets me in trouble such as when I can’t stay focused or when I find humor in something very serious, but overall, the crazy things which pop into my head are the things which keep me going.
Number 24 – I’m thankful for my health. Hah! Have you seen me in the last three days? My back went out on Saturday morning and I have not been able to straighten up and at random times my back goes into spasms which drop me to my knees if I am not hanging onto something (so I try to always hang onto something coz I do not want to end up on the floor. “I’ve fallen down and I can’t get up.” I do not have Lifeline.). But at the beginning of the month, I wrote up a rough draft of things I am thankful for so I wouldn’t forget anything. I am still thankful that overall I am very healthy. When my back isn’t out, I can still walk, run, exercise, do crazy stuff my fifty-something year-old body maybe shouldn’t do. I don’t have high blood pressure, my cholesterol and blood sugar are excellent (hard to believe when you see what I eat). So I really can’t complain, but this did cause me to think of one more thing that I am thankful for.
Number 25 – I am thankful for technology. Some of the technology out there is scary (please don’t ever let them put a micro-chip in you), and some of it is dumb (exactly why do kids text their friends who are in the same room with them). But a lot of technology is really improving our lives, even saving lives. Example: Over the last few days I have been so thankful for my Kindle. When I am lying flat on my back in bed on the heating pad, it is so much easier to hold a Kindle and keep my place when I drop it when I am trying to shift my position than to hold a book, which is heavier, really hard to hold open with one hand, harder to turn the pages with one hand and if I drop it, I don’t know what page I am on. I also gotta love my laptop today coz it is not painful at all to sit in my office chair with my fingers on the keyboard.
(As a side note, I am thankful that I had all of these pictures already in the computer and that they all belong to me so I never have to worry about copyright infringement. Number 23 is very helpful. And by the way, that is a picture of cookie dough.)
Number 20 – I am thankful that my parents took us on vacation every summer and that I got to see so much of our country.
Number 21 – I am thankful that back in 2005, God put it in my heart and in my head that I should travel to other countries. I am thankful that I had the chance to volunteer in Kenya twice and in Peru once.
Number 22 – I am thankful that the hubby gives in to my wanderlust, and that he even at times is willing to join me on my travels. I always have such a good time when he comes along.
Number 23 – I am thankful that God gave me such an active imagination. Sometimes, it gets me in trouble such as when I can’t stay focused or when I find humor in something very serious, but overall, the crazy things which pop into my head are the things which keep me going.
Number 24 – I’m thankful for my health. Hah! Have you seen me in the last three days? My back went out on Saturday morning and I have not been able to straighten up and at random times my back goes into spasms which drop me to my knees if I am not hanging onto something (so I try to always hang onto something coz I do not want to end up on the floor. “I’ve fallen down and I can’t get up.” I do not have Lifeline.). But at the beginning of the month, I wrote up a rough draft of things I am thankful for so I wouldn’t forget anything. I am still thankful that overall I am very healthy. When my back isn’t out, I can still walk, run, exercise, do crazy stuff my fifty-something year-old body maybe shouldn’t do. I don’t have high blood pressure, my cholesterol and blood sugar are excellent (hard to believe when you see what I eat). So I really can’t complain, but this did cause me to think of one more thing that I am thankful for.
Number 25 – I am thankful for technology. Some of the technology out there is scary (please don’t ever let them put a micro-chip in you), and some of it is dumb (exactly why do kids text their friends who are in the same room with them). But a lot of technology is really improving our lives, even saving lives. Example: Over the last few days I have been so thankful for my Kindle. When I am lying flat on my back in bed on the heating pad, it is so much easier to hold a Kindle and keep my place when I drop it when I am trying to shift my position than to hold a book, which is heavier, really hard to hold open with one hand, harder to turn the pages with one hand and if I drop it, I don’t know what page I am on. I also gotta love my laptop today coz it is not painful at all to sit in my office chair with my fingers on the keyboard. 
(As a side note, I am thankful that I had all of these pictures already in the computer and that they all belong to me so I never have to worry about copyright infringement. Number 23 is very helpful. And by the way, that is a picture of cookie dough.)
November 23, 2014
Psalm 28
1 I pray to you, O Lord, my rock. Do not turn a deaf ear to me.For if you are silent, I might as well give up and die.2 Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help, as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.3 Do not drag me away with the wicked— with those who do evil—those who speak friendly words to their neighbors while planning evil in their hearts.4 Give them the punishment they so richly deserve! Measure it out in proportion to their wickedness.Pay them back for all their evil deeds! Give them a taste of what they have done to others.5 They care nothing for what the Lord has done or for what his hands have made.So he will tear them down, and they will never be rebuilt!
6 Praise the Lord!
For he has heard my cry for mercy.
7 The Lord is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.8 The Lord gives his people strength. He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.9 Save your people! Bless Israel, your special possession.
Lead them like a shepherd,
and carry them in your arms forever.
(New Living Translation)
Sometimes there is just nothing more to say. Have a great week and a happy Thanksgiving. And praise God for all the blessings we have received.
Sometimes there is just nothing more to say. Have a great week and a happy Thanksgiving. And praise God for all the blessings we have received.
November 20, 2014
Thankful for puppies and kitties
I would be remiss if I didn’t share how thankful I am for the namesake of this blog.
Dino the Wonder Dog came into our lives in April 2007. We had lost Pepper and Shadow just three months before and at the time said to ourselves, as many dog owners do, we won’t get another dog. Isn’t it nice to not be tied down and have to worry about someone being home to let the dog out? Isn’t it nice to not have another mouth to feed, another critter to run up vet bills, another responsibility?
But that April things weren’t going so hot for the family. We spent the weekend in the hubby’s hometown and when he went for a walk one morning, he stopped at the humane society just a few blocks away. They had a few mixed breed dogs up for adoption and had just been told they would be getting St Bernard mix puppies soon. Maybe we wanted a puppy instead? (Or a pony, do you mean?)
One dog caught the hubby’s eye. They thought he was part Australian shepherd and was about six months old. He’d been abandoned with several other dogs, perhaps his brothers and sisters, and all of them had found homes. But no one had taken an interest in this dog for some reason, and one of the boys who volunteered there had nicknamed him Demon, because he was so wild.
The hubby walked back to the house and told me about the dog, said that we could return to the shelter later that afternoon if I wanted to see what they had. It was close to our daughter’s birthday, and she had been having a rough year. Maybe we should get her a dog.
My living room, the morning after Dino's first night with us.
He spent that first night in his kennel and did this in the hour
after we let him out and went back to bed. We drove to the shelter that afternoon, and even though we looked at the other dogs, I knew this one was the one. Yes, he was a little wild, but that was just the pent-up energy from spending too many hours in a cage in a cement building. I wanted to take him home right then.
We had to fill out an application and they wanted to check our references. They would call us once all the paperwork was in order and we could pick him up then. It was a long weekend. I was off of work that week and willing to drive over to get him as soon as I got the call on Monday.
Since we already had cats with the names Fred, Pebbles, and Bam-Bam, it seemed we could stick with the Flintstone’s theme and name the new dog Dino.
I’ve been thankful for him ever since (ok, except maybe that first morning).
Let me just sneak the cats in here too, coz even though the brains in cats’ heads function on a totally different level from a dog’s, I still have to respect who they are. Coz if I don’t, they will retaliate.
Here are the cats who have shared my adult life with me:
Keisha – October 1986 to February 2005
Pebbles – July 31, 1993 to January 28, 2008; Bam-Bam – July 31, 1993 to July 24, 2010
Fred – September 2004 to present
Barney – June 30, 2008 to March 20, 2009; Betty – June 30, 2008 to present
Alice – July 31, 2010 to present; Cheshire – July 31, 2010 to present
I’m thankful for the joy each of these cats have brought into my life.
And I should mention Muffins too. May 1991 to June 1995
Dino the Wonder Dog came into our lives in April 2007. We had lost Pepper and Shadow just three months before and at the time said to ourselves, as many dog owners do, we won’t get another dog. Isn’t it nice to not be tied down and have to worry about someone being home to let the dog out? Isn’t it nice to not have another mouth to feed, another critter to run up vet bills, another responsibility?
But that April things weren’t going so hot for the family. We spent the weekend in the hubby’s hometown and when he went for a walk one morning, he stopped at the humane society just a few blocks away. They had a few mixed breed dogs up for adoption and had just been told they would be getting St Bernard mix puppies soon. Maybe we wanted a puppy instead? (Or a pony, do you mean?)
One dog caught the hubby’s eye. They thought he was part Australian shepherd and was about six months old. He’d been abandoned with several other dogs, perhaps his brothers and sisters, and all of them had found homes. But no one had taken an interest in this dog for some reason, and one of the boys who volunteered there had nicknamed him Demon, because he was so wild.
The hubby walked back to the house and told me about the dog, said that we could return to the shelter later that afternoon if I wanted to see what they had. It was close to our daughter’s birthday, and she had been having a rough year. Maybe we should get her a dog.
My living room, the morning after Dino's first night with us.He spent that first night in his kennel and did this in the hour
after we let him out and went back to bed. We drove to the shelter that afternoon, and even though we looked at the other dogs, I knew this one was the one. Yes, he was a little wild, but that was just the pent-up energy from spending too many hours in a cage in a cement building. I wanted to take him home right then.
We had to fill out an application and they wanted to check our references. They would call us once all the paperwork was in order and we could pick him up then. It was a long weekend. I was off of work that week and willing to drive over to get him as soon as I got the call on Monday.
Since we already had cats with the names Fred, Pebbles, and Bam-Bam, it seemed we could stick with the Flintstone’s theme and name the new dog Dino.
I’ve been thankful for him ever since (ok, except maybe that first morning).
Let me just sneak the cats in here too, coz even though the brains in cats’ heads function on a totally different level from a dog’s, I still have to respect who they are. Coz if I don’t, they will retaliate.
Here are the cats who have shared my adult life with me:
Keisha – October 1986 to February 2005
Pebbles – July 31, 1993 to January 28, 2008; Bam-Bam – July 31, 1993 to July 24, 2010
Fred – September 2004 to present
Barney – June 30, 2008 to March 20, 2009; Betty – June 30, 2008 to present
Alice – July 31, 2010 to present; Cheshire – July 31, 2010 to present
I’m thankful for the joy each of these cats have brought into my life.
And I should mention Muffins too. May 1991 to June 1995
November 18, 2014
Thankful for Family
Hard to believe that we are this far into November. I have been writing about what I am thankful for this month, and I better get serious about my list as I was only up to number 12 last time!
#13 Ok, since it is lucky thirteen, she will understand. I am thankful every day of my life that God sent my sister Pat to be my best friend for 39 years. But actually since she was here first, I guess I should be thankful that God sent me into my particular family when Pat was two and a half years old and totally ready to be a devoted big sister. Not a day passes that I don’t miss her, but I know we will be together again someday and I am just as thankful that I will have that opportunity to again be her baby sister.
#14 My other big sister, Judy. Because she is quite a bit older than me, I don’t remember her living with us. But I do remember her wedding, when I was six years old. I thought it was pretty cool. I’m thankful though that now that we are older, we have more things in common, and we can be friends in addition to being sisters.
#15 My brother Tom. I can’t tell you why I am thankful for him. Judy knows why, and my hubby too. Family secrets, don’t you just hate them? I can tell you that I am thankful that he has a family picnic every summer. It brings out the whole family, kids, grandkids and cousins. It is always a good time.
#16 My dad. What can I say about Dad? Too much to list here. I can’t believe he’s been gone 21 years!
#17 My mom. Ok if I can’t think of anything quick and witty about Dad, I sure can’t come up with something about Mom. I’m thankful that I had two parents who managed to turn out four pretty decent kids. I can’t in all honesty say they were always there for us, but they were always there when we really needed them. I guess that’s what’s important.
Ok, whew, I got through the immediate family. What’s next?
(Disclosure: Because there may be someone in my family with an aversion to having their picture taken, you only get to see pictures of those who are no longer with us.)
#13 Ok, since it is lucky thirteen, she will understand. I am thankful every day of my life that God sent my sister Pat to be my best friend for 39 years. But actually since she was here first, I guess I should be thankful that God sent me into my particular family when Pat was two and a half years old and totally ready to be a devoted big sister. Not a day passes that I don’t miss her, but I know we will be together again someday and I am just as thankful that I will have that opportunity to again be her baby sister.
#14 My other big sister, Judy. Because she is quite a bit older than me, I don’t remember her living with us. But I do remember her wedding, when I was six years old. I thought it was pretty cool. I’m thankful though that now that we are older, we have more things in common, and we can be friends in addition to being sisters.
#15 My brother Tom. I can’t tell you why I am thankful for him. Judy knows why, and my hubby too. Family secrets, don’t you just hate them? I can tell you that I am thankful that he has a family picnic every summer. It brings out the whole family, kids, grandkids and cousins. It is always a good time.
#16 My dad. What can I say about Dad? Too much to list here. I can’t believe he’s been gone 21 years!
#17 My mom. Ok if I can’t think of anything quick and witty about Dad, I sure can’t come up with something about Mom. I’m thankful that I had two parents who managed to turn out four pretty decent kids. I can’t in all honesty say they were always there for us, but they were always there when we really needed them. I guess that’s what’s important.
Ok, whew, I got through the immediate family. What’s next?
(Disclosure: Because there may be someone in my family with an aversion to having their picture taken, you only get to see pictures of those who are no longer with us.)
November 16, 2014
Psalm 26
1 Lord, you be the judge and prove that I have lived a pure life. I have depended on you, Lord, to keep me from falling.2 Look closely at me, Lord, and test me. Judge my deepest thoughts and emotions.3 I always remember your faithful love. I depend on your faithfulness.4 I don’t run around with troublemakers. I have nothing to do with hypocrites.5 I hate being around evil people. I refuse to join those gangs of crooks.6 Lord, I wash my hands to make myself pure, so that I can come to your altar.7 I sing a song to give you thanks, and I tell about all the wonderful things you have done.8 Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory is.9 Lord, don’t treat me like one of those sinners. Don’t kill me with those murderers.10 They are guilty of cheating people. They take bribes to do wrong.11 But I am innocent, so be kind to me and save me.12 I am safe from all danger as I stand here praising you, Lord, in the assembly of your people. (Easy-to-Read Version)
For the month of November I am sharing Psalms which contain the wordthanks or thanksgiving. Psalm 26 is called a psalm of vindication, as David pleads his case before God. Yet David was as big a sinner as anyone, as you may recall from the whole Bethsheba story (2 Samuel 11).
But I don’t think we should read this Psalm thinking of these as David’s words. They should be our words. If we have committed any of these sins (or any other sins, of which we each have a long list), all we have to do is ask for God’s forgiveness and those sins are washed away. Then all that is left is for us to thank and praise God for His goodness.
After you read 2 Samuel 11, you'll know why I thought of this picture, even though there is no one on this roof top.
For the month of November I am sharing Psalms which contain the wordthanks or thanksgiving. Psalm 26 is called a psalm of vindication, as David pleads his case before God. Yet David was as big a sinner as anyone, as you may recall from the whole Bethsheba story (2 Samuel 11).
But I don’t think we should read this Psalm thinking of these as David’s words. They should be our words. If we have committed any of these sins (or any other sins, of which we each have a long list), all we have to do is ask for God’s forgiveness and those sins are washed away. Then all that is left is for us to thank and praise God for His goodness.
After you read 2 Samuel 11, you'll know why I thought of this picture, even though there is no one on this roof top. 
