I'm not sure about the unforgiving thing, but "give us this day our daily bread" is very much in my awareness. I work on a freelance basis, so I rarely have worked lined up for more than a few weeks at a time. When I take my eyes off the present and start thinking about what I'll do next month or next year for income, I can tend to get a little panicky, but God always seems to bring the next client along, when I need it.

"Help me to rid my endless fears. You've been so faithful for all my years." - Jeremy Camp

I'll let Ed decide if this is too long, but I had asked him for the Fenelon quote at the end of the sermon. It speaks to much: "Tell God all that is in your heart...your troubles, that He may comfort you; tell Him your joys that He may sober them; tell Him your longings,that He may purify them; tell Him your dislikes, that He may help you to conquer them; talk to Him of your temptations, that He may shield you from them; show Him the wounds of your heart, that He may heal them; lay bare your indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil, your instability. Tell Him how self-love makes you unjust to others, how vanity tempts you to be insincere, how pride disguises you to yourself and others..."

I first heard about Fenelon from Mark Hamby, a homeschool speaker (Lamplighter Publishing). Amazing how something written in the 1600's is still so fresh and relevant today.

Cathy and I went through the article phrase by phrase relecting our own experience and ending in prayer together.

The forgiver bears the cost. Has this been your experience?

I looked up this passage about Joseph speaking to his brothers: "do not be grieved, and do not be angry with yourselves..." This is a true picture before me of the cleansing of forgiveness.

"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7 Great sermon today. I hope people find that giving is not a chore but a blessing and a way to show our love.

"I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Mark 10:15

We need to learn to have the faith of a child to understand and trust God better. I remember hearing a pastor once say that when you were small and your dad placed you on a chair or table and said jump into my arms, you know he would catch you and you jumped. You had that faith of a child and trusted your father. Now we need to trust our heavenly Father to catch us when he says trust me.

Sometimes the big picture of things forms a harmony with what God is saying. I just heard how God uses the macro into the micro. In this case, we have the shaking of the earthquakes in Haiti and now Chile. As I listened to the sermon, I felt like a shaking of me and all my "goods." I think it is all speaking together. Our hold on goods is meant to be loosened for His clarity to us, and He seems to be speaking. Thanks.