Third Thursday in Lent 2011

He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” ~ Matthew 13:24-30 (ESV)

Lord, You tell us that all of us will be gathered into the harvest when You return. The wheat—those who love You and follow You—will join You in Heaven forever. The weeds—those who do not accept Jesus with their whole heart and mind and soul—will be thrown into outer darkness. Touch my heart, Lord, and make me Yours forever. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Third Wednesday in Lent 2011

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.” ~ Matthew 20:1-16 (ESV)

Lord, I love that Jesus searches for the lost sheep and rejoices over the one more than the 99 who weren’t lost. But when I read this parable, I realize that someone who accepts the Lord moments before the end receives the same reward as those of us who have loved and served Him all our lives. That doesn’t seem fair, just as it doesn’t seem fair that the master paid all the laborers the same, whether they worked all day or one hour. Help me not begrudge Your generosity. Help me to rejoice that the sinner who is saved on his deathbed will enjoy life in Heaven with You for eternity just as I will. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.

Second Tuesday in Lent 2011

And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” ~ Mark 4:26-29 (ESV)

Heavenly Father, I don’t understand how seeds grow into plants and produce food for us to eat. I don’t understand how Your Kingdom grows, but I do understand that the seed has to be scattered before it grows, and the seed of Your Word has to be scattered before it grows into Your Kingdom. Help me to live my life in such a way that it is seed for Your Kingdom. Empower me by the Holy Spirit to speak the words others need to hear. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Thanks to February 2011 Commenters

Thank you to the 118 commenters who left 173 comments in February. Your comments extended the conversation and added value and interest, and I enjoyed replying to every one of them. Every month when I post thanks to commenters, I get questions about how I compile this list. I have explained my system in detail in Compiling Thanks to Commenters.
Top Contributor (8 comments)
Christopher  Roberts	Christopher Roberts
Major Contributors (5 comments)
Dawn Colclasure	Dawn Colclasure Blog
don	Painted Desert Realty & Las Vegas Realty
Mia	SBP
Outstanding Contributors (3-4 comments)
Dominique	4 Walls and a View
Jonny	Extreme Workout Plans
Kat	n/a
Kyle	Finally Fast Blog
Tim	Sarasota Pro Wash
Tom de Lounge	Woo Techno
Paul	My Great Guide
Rozzy	Ask Bargains
Sensei Matt Klein	Fun affordable self defense karate for kids, 10/17
Significant Contributors (2 comments)
Andrew Heaton	Good Honest Dollar
Arvind Ranabhat	Malus Herald
Christopher  Roberts	Christopher Roberts’ Technology Blog
Dave	Jet Express Carpet Cleaning
Joe Rosales	Chords for Guitars
John	Starting Your At Home Business
Matt Keegan	Matt’s Musings
Mike Rodney	Olympus Recorder
Pia	Scented Candle Store
Rebecca	Cyprotels
Samantha Bangayan	What Little Things?
Terry	Barber-osophy
Important Contributors
Adrian Swieboda		Internet TV to TV
ahlal		carthoster.com
Alan Bradley		Discover the Secret of Making Beats
Alex		Bus Singapore Kuala Lumpur
Alex		The Cottages on Government Way
Alex Warren		2 Medicure
Alexia		Learn French Easy
Allison Palmer		Declutter Your Home
Anna		Raymond Chevrolet Kia
annette		Laser Hair Removal Cost
Anthony		Fast Towing
Anthony		Walking Dead 411
Arthur Williams		Home Built Generators
Bill Tillman		n/a
Billy		Container Crew
Brent		Arthouse 42
Brian		The Home Cart
Brianna Fox		Zimbi
Brooke		The Bluestocking Guide
Cherry		Cherry Solutions
Christopher  Roberts		Christopher Roberts’ Philosophy Blog
Christy Etheredge		Secrets of Making Beats
Crispin		Gumball Machines
Dave		Sturm Law
Drew		Article Brew Blog
elayne		Lord of the Rings Tour
Fred		PQ Works
Gabriel Sharpe		Guitar for Beginners
George		DS Photographers
George		Webmaster Talk Forums
George Anderson		Tissot-T-Touch
Hannah Crum		Kambucha Kamp
Henry		On Point Consulting
Irene		Skinny Guy Build Muscle
Ivin		Authopublisher
Jack J. Willing		Berendsen
James		Alea Hotel
James Moore		Car Cover Blog
Janet		Janet Kaderli
Jason		Meiji Electric
Jerrod		n/a
Joanna		ToPrice
JoBeth		Simply Puerto Rico Vacations
Joey		Nassau Buyers
John C.		Comm Discussion
jon		VennerCorp
Jonathan D.		My Marriage Prep
Juan		Prime Choice Auto Parts
Julia		Green Tent
Karen Alaniz		Write Now
Karen Swim		Words for Hire
Karl Gustav		HYIP Data
Kelly Toro		Pregnancy Stretch Mark Cream
Kevin		Weight Losing Diets
Kim		Mamann Frankel Sandaluk LLP
Kim Sorenson		Next Level Marketing
Kylie		Fisker of Orange County
Laura Spencer		Writing Thoughts
Leng		Bobby Jones Golf
Lisa		Getting It Write for You
Michael		Bingo Promotion
Michael		Freelance Writer University Review
Michelle		Classic Photographers
Mike		Chester Racecourse Hospitality
Mike		Fizz Giz Soda Maker
Mitchell		Echo Limousine
Nabil		Nabillionaire
nikos takis		Rhodes Market
Peter		Best Body Detoxify
Preben Hansen		Dot Vision
Rachel		Princess Festival
Richie		Carpet Cleaning West Covina
Rick		Diet Quick Weight Loss
Robert Path		n/a
Ronnica		Ignorant Historian
Russell Davison		RussellDavison.com
Ryan		Jango SMTP
Sally Ferguson		Sally’s Words
Sarah		Adiamor
Scott Truman		iPad2 Blog
Sean		Medical Assistant Programs
Sean		R.N.A. Locksmith
Shaun		Cadouri Perfecte
Simon		northern monkey creative media
Simon Payne		Watch NBA Live
Steve		Human Growth Hormone HGH
Steve Gordon		Creative Carpet Repair
sunitasam.sam		Free Desktop Wallpapers
Suse		Astrolight
Tommy		Technology Spot
Tonya		On Point Consulting
Tricia Gomez		Confessions of a Green Living Addict
Wu		MicroscopeNet

Second Monday in Lent 2011

Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” ~ Mark 4:1-9 (ESV)

Lord, open my ears to hear, my eyes to see, and my heart to receive the truth of Your Word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Second Sunday in Lent 2011

And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. ~ Matthew 15:21-28

Heavenly Father, how easy it is to give up in discouragement when prayer isn’t answered immediately. Give me the faith of the Canaanite woman that I will persist in calling upon You in faith. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Indie Authors Relief Fund – Helping Japan

We’ve all seen the devastation in Japan, but dramatic before and after photos show it even more powerfully than just looking at the after alone. Looking at those pictures will surely make you want to help.

Now you can get great deals on books and book-related items and 100% of the auction proceeds will be donated to Red Cross International, earmarked for Japan earthquake and tsunami disaster relief. You will find the auction at Indie Authors Relief Fund. Check out what’s available and bid on the items of your choice. Even if you’ve already donated to disaster relief for Japan, you can help even more while you acquire books and other items donated by indie authors.

If you’re an author, I hope you consider donating as well. If you’re a reader, I hope you’ll bid on the items that appeal to you.

Here are the links to my donations:
Bundle of Romance E-Books
Bundle of How-To E-Books
Two hours of resume-writing services
One hour of manuscript editing or publishing consultation

And whether you donate, bid, or neither, please keep the people of Japan in your prayers.

O GOD, merciful and compassionate, who art ever ready to hear the prayers of those who put their trust in thee; Graciously hearken to us who call upon thee, and grant thy help to the people of Japan in this their need; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Second Saturday in Lent 2011

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ~ Matthew 13:47-50 (ESV)

Heavenly Father, cleanse my heart and lead me to do Your will and manifest Your love in the world and in the end to join You in Heaven for eternity rather than be cast into the fiery furnace. In the name of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Second Friday in Lent 2011

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” ~ Matthew 13:44-46 (ESV)

Lord, You are the treasure I seek. Let me give up everything earthly and seek only You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Guest Post from Tara Miller: Three Techniques of Journalism That Could Improve Your Blog Writing

Great writing is essential to running a successful blog. When a blog’s posts are consistently well-written, readers will be more compelled to return for new posts as well as to look over old ones. Unfortunately, good writing is not something that comes easily to everyone. Writing well can be difficult and confusing, but bloggers who are struggling with their writing skills can adopt some time-tested journalism techniques for guidance on how to create informative and gripping blog posts.

1. The Inverted Pyramid

Writing using the inverted pyramid means that your post should start off with the most important information first and then gradually narrow down to less important details. In journalism, this ensures that the reader gets as much of the important information as possible early on so that even if the reader drops the news story halfway through, they will still have the basic gist of the news piece. In blogging, you can use the same approach by introducing each post with the most important information first and delivering the more unimportant information further down the post. This way, your readers will get a good idea of where your post is headed so that your ideas are more clearly understood.

To successfully create an inverted pyramid style of writing, your first paragraph will have to pack in a lot of information. Strive to answer as many as the who, what, when, where, why, and how questions as comfortably possible within the first two paragraphs. This will give your readers a firm grasp on your post topic. Following that paragraph, you can write on something less essential, such as using that paragraph to set a scene or further explain the post topic. You would end your post with a tidbit that may be entertaining or helpful, but not necessarily essential. Using this model will help you to hone your ideas so that you are more effectively communicating information in each of your posts.

2. Show and Not Tell

Vivid writing can be difficult, but it is not impossible. Journalists often must pack life into their news stories to elevate them from a dull collection of facts to a real news story. One way they turn boring news reports into entertaining reads is by showing and not telling the reader about all of the events that took place. As a blogger, you can use the same writing style to make your posts much more exciting.

Showing and not telling a reader about events means that rather than outright saying that someone was feeling something or doing something, you simply describe exactly how they are behaving so that the reader can see that feeling or action. For example, rather than saying, “Bobby felt guilty about eating all the cookies,” you could show your readers Bobby’s guilt by saying, “Bobby looked down sullenly and silently wiped the remaining cookie crumbs off his mouth.” This way, readers will have a more compelling picture of Bobby’s feelings and your piece will be much livelier.

3. Break Up Your Posts

It is difficult for readers to trudge through long blocks of texts, whether it is online of offline. For this reason, most journalists make sure that all of their paragraphs are only a few sentences long before breaking into a new paragraph. Online, bloggers can do the same thing and make their posts easier on the eyes by writing shorter paragraphs and including other visual elements like bulleted lists wherever necessary. A picture or graphic is also a great way to break up text-heavy posts, as it will give readers something else to look at before they return to the text of your post. This retains the reader’s visual interest and encourages them to continue reading.

Byline:

This guest post is contributed by Tara Miller, who particularly enjoys writing about psychology degree.  She welcomes your comments at her email Id: miller.tara23@gmail.com.

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