This past month I got to work at the Minnesota Processing Center for Operation Christmas Child. Each morning is started with staff devotions. One day, Pastor Tomm talked about biographies. Pastor Tomm quoted Ernest Hemingway’s biography:
For sale: baby shoes, never used.
He also talked about King David’s 6-word bio:
A man after God’s own heart.
And asked if we could write a bio for ourselves in just six words. Pastor Tomm suggested ‘Once lost, now found. Eternally grateful.’ Some came up with amazing ones. I could not still can not. Well, maybe…
Loves photography, nature, quiet, music. Happy.
What would your six-word biography be? How would you interpret Ernest Hemingway’s?
“Inside, my heart is very quiet.
As quiet as lying still in soft green grass
In a meadow
By a little stream.”
“So here is what you are to tell my servant David: The God-of-the-Angel-Armies has this word for you: I took you from the pasture, tagging along after sheep, and made you prince over my people Israel. I was with you everywhere you went and mowed your enemies down before you. Now I’m making you famous, to be ranked with the great names on earth. And I’m going to set aside a place for my people Israel and plant them there so they’ll have their own home and not be knocked around any more. Nor will evil men afflict you as they always have, even during the days I set judges over my people Israel. Finally, I’m going to give you peace from all your enemies.Furthermore, God has this message for you: God himself will build you a house! When your life is complete and you’re buried with your ancestors, then I’ll raise up your child, your own flesh and blood, to succeed you, and I’ll firmly establish his rule. He will build a house to honor me, and I will guarantee his kingdom’s rule permanently. I’ll be a father to him, and he’ll be a son to me. When he does wrong, I’ll discipline him in the usual ways, the pitfalls and obstacles of this mortal life. But I’ll never remove my gracious love from him, as I removed it from Saul, who preceded you and whom I most certainly did remove. Your family and your kingdom are permanently secured. I’m keeping my eye on them! And your royal throne will always be there, rock solid.”
Psalm 51, 2 Samuel 7, Psalm 23
I am following my friend Amanda’s Advent Stitch-A-Long. You can find instructions for today’s ornament here. Prep instructions by Amanda are here.
The book used for the Advent reading is The Jesus Storybook Bible. You can find more information the book here or buy it on Amazon here.