Penny J. Johnson's Blog, page 138
December 3, 2012
Advent 2012: Who is Hope?
Today we light the Hope candle again and reflect on the question “Who Is Hope?” as we read.
Isaiah 52:13-15: A glimpse at Christ’s fulfillment of servanthood through suffering.
Poetic Reading: “On the Day God Created Trees”
Family Reading: Bartholomew’s Passage –Week One: Monday
December 2, 2012
Q&A with Penny J. Johnson on Goodreads
Each section of my book, While Bethlehem Sleeps, begins with an acrostic poem highlighting an Advent theme. Join this week’s discussion on Hope.
Advent 2012: Why Hope?
Today marks the first Sunday of Advent. As a family, we lit the first candle, symbolizing Hope. Our readings gave us insight into why we need hope.
Genesis 3: The curse of sin within this passage is obvious, but hope rests in God’s gracious promise for Adam and Eve’s offspring.
Micah 5:1-4: Through the prophets, God reveals key details about this promised ruler. A descendent of Judah, he would be born in Bethlehem and would ”shepherd his flock.”
Poetic Reading: ”Hope”–an acrostic poem focusing on the prophets
Family Reading: Bartholomew’s Passage –Week One: Sunday
November 30, 2012
Advent 2012: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Advent marks the most wonderful time of the year for me. In the midst of making lists and buying gifts, turning my attention on the Advent themes keeps me focused on the meaning of Christmas.
Today we open the first door on our Advent calendar.
I have put various treasures inside these nooks each year. My youngest is looking forward to putting together a different Lego figure each day until Christmas. Each person opens a small gift or picks a fun family activity on his or her birth date. I have jammed folded pages of my poetry behind these doors as well. This year, we will read from my poetry collection While Bethlehem Sleeps. I am hoping to incorporate Bartholomew’s Passage by Arnold Ytreeide into our family reading, too. But, my favorite treasures are the slips of paper bearing scripture verses from Luke, Isaiah, and others related to the birth of Christ. These are the ones we cherish most!
Senate to Vote on UN Treaty
Several people have contacted their senators asking them to vote against the ratification. Please do so if you wish. I am not asking you to do that. I am asking you to pray to our True Advocate because He is the only One who can change hearts on this matter.
Blessings to all!
November 29, 2012
Daily Prompt: An Offer I Couldn’t Refuse
“I think it would be the best thing to do.”
How could I refuse when since first sharing the news, I thought the same? His statement blended my heart’s euphoria and my mind’s uncertainty into a tentative assurance. Why not when the alternative cost too much–not just in money, but in principle? It was the first decision I made without a T-chart of pros and cons. Being a stay-at-home mom was an offer I could not–and still would not–refuse!
November 28, 2012
Daily Prompt: Take It From Me
“Don’t worry.”
Spoken to my son with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
Spoken by his mother who also has GAD.
Spoken to me in Philippians 4:6-7.
Spoken by me to my son
to remind him
to remind me
to obey God in this way
as we follow Proverbs 3:5-6.
Advent 2012: Lost Sheep
New International Version (NIV)
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way.
Hebrews 3:7-14
New International Version (NIV)
7 So, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion,
during the time of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your ancestors tested and tried me,
though for forty years they saw what I did.
10 That is why I was angry with that generation;
I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray,
and they have not known my ways.’
11 So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’ “
12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.
John 10:27
New International Version (NIV)
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
November 27, 2012
Daily Prompt: Fight or Flight
Write about your strongest memory of heart-pounding, belly-twisting nervousness: what caused the adrenaline? Was it justified? How did you respond?
Do hens fight? Do hens have flight? I did a little research last night–taking flight from this prompt rather than fight to write–and I discovered…
Based on my limited late-night research, I realize why I chose to home school my three boys. Every morning I sent my sons to school, I told them what I knew was an outright lie. “It will be all right.” At home, I was a broody hen, pacing my roost until my clutch returned from another day in the battery cage that pecked away at their self-esteem. They now enjoy a more free-range education, and they are happier and healthier. But, will I, as some hens do, lose interest? Just try getting me to move off my nest!
November 25, 2012
Daily Prompt: Connect the Dots
A normally quiet kid, Gabriel knew him to be a genuinely curious person. The third complete sentence on page 82 from The River by Michael Neale
(Since I misread the page number, I thought I should post based on the correct one!)
I am a normally quiet person and genuinely curious. Certainly I can voice my opinion under certain conditions, but most of the time I prefer to defer. I have a cautious curiousity. I reserve exploration for scholarly pursuits and nature walks. But, if no one is looking, I might even surprise myself by standing at the edge of a cliff and singing a duet with my echo.
