Picturepocket's Blog

Category: learning

  • Lot in Life

    When we read Scripture, it’s easy to identify with the hero, the main character. All of the characters in the Bible are important and sometimes we miss some of the things that God is doing in the edges of stories. Lot is an example of one of those side characters. He is Abraham’s nephew, the…

  • Elementary 

    Elementary 

    During my semiannual evening visit to my daughter’s classroom, her 2nd grade teacher posted the following list under “Classroom Management.” Normally, I see a list of simple behaviors like: keep your hands to yourself, or put away the art supplies. This time, on the eve of Ivy’s eighth birthday, I found the teacher’s PowerPoint slide…

  • The God Who Speaks 

    The God Who Speaks 

    There several times in my life that I have sought God’s wisdom. I believe from scriptures that God has wisdom and wants to share it with us. (Proverbs 8:1) (Colossians 1:9) (James 1:5) I have often prayed when facing with a fork in the road. Should I go to college? What should I study? Should…

  • Genesis 15: Dreams & Visions

    Abram has a vision of God saying, “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”  Instead of just accepting this, Abram questions God about his childlessness. He doesn’t understand how the promise of having countless descendants can be fulfilled without even having one kid. What gives? Now that his nephew Lot…

  • Alignment

    Alignment

    (I wrote this note 16 years ago and it just resurfaced on FB memories.) I went to the Physical Therapist yesterday because my neck and back have been stiff and sore a little since a car accident I was in a few weeks ago. Nothing dramatic, but I was getting headaches too. The PT had…

  • 1 Corinthians 12: Spiritual Gifts 

    Paul reminds the readers of a time before when they followed idols with mute spirits. Now, he says that no one with the Holy Spirit says “Jesus is cursed,” and no one says “Jesus is Lord” without the Holy Spirit. In other words, our faith and conviction are empowered by the Spirit.  Paul says there…

  • Dreams & Goals

    Christmas eve this year, I sat on the bed wrapping gifts and chain-binging Christmas movies. One was a Hallmark story where a big city gal goes to back to her Southern hometown for the holidays. While the characters were awkwardly churning through lines that someone spent five seconds writing, the romantic lead said he was…

  • Anything but Beige 

    A doctor asked me yesterday if anyone in our family has been diagnosed with mental health issues. The short answer is no, but the long answer goes like this: If you gave me a list of all the different things that one would associate with ADHD, autism, OCD, anxiety, depression, hyperactive or ultra focused, I…

  • Romans 2: Doing > Saying

    Welcome back to Paul’s rant against bad-behaving believers. It’s amazing to me that these words are 2000 years old, because they feel pretty on the nose for today.  First he talks to those who judge others, literally everyone on a screen right now. “For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the…

  • Acts 26: All Roads Lead

    Paul has an audience with the new Roman governor Festus, Jewish king Agrippa and princess Bernice. Paul gives a passionate retelling of his experience as first a Pharisee, determined to wipe out the followers of Jesus of Nazareth, his conversion and new conviction and ministry to “proclaim light to both our people and the Gentiles.”…