Salty Zebra

  In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!   Philippians 2:5-8  Have you ever stood in line at a soup kitchen and eaten dinner there? If so, was it because you didn’t have the money for a meal, or because you wanted to identify and engage with others who were there? Have you ever even considered it? Pro tip, you’re not taking food away from someone who needs it more. Every time I’ve served in the kitchen there has been more than enough for the people in line, usually allowing them to offer seconds to those who want it. Sometimes they’ve even sent food home with my husband when he serves because there is so much le...

  “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”   Isaiah 1:18  I messed up in my parenting a lot. I tried; really, really hard, but I still messed up a lot. And sometimes I messed up bad. My daughter has been so gracious in recent years. She has been willing to be honest with me about things that hurt her, ways that I didn't meet her needs as a child. She has been willing to converse, and to forgive. While it is not comfortable or fun, it's certainly not the most enjoyable part of our relationship (of which there are many), I think it might be the most important. We were making dinner together last month and I mentioned how much I enjoy cooking with her now. We did not enjoy cooking together when she was younger for a variety of reasons. I don't think I handled those reasons as well as I could have, and that weighs on me. It piles guilt an...

  Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”   Luke 19:9-10  The story of Zaccheus reminds me a little of A Christmas Carol and Ebeneezer Scrooge. Zaccheus was hated and despised, and for good reason. In the eyes of his neighbors, he had collaborated with the enemy, the Roman government. He worked for them, their oppressors, and collected the people’s taxes. But he didn’t just do that, he added a little on the top for himself. He had cheated them all for years and kept the profits for himself. But God didn’t see fit to send three spirits to open Zaccheus’ eyes to his deplorable condition and desperate need for a Savior. No, God sent the Savior Himself!   We don’t know what God had been doing in Zaccheus’ heart leading up to this day, but something had to be at work there to have him be so desperate to see Jesus as He passed by. The crowd was thick a...

  Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.   1 Timothy 1:15-16  I think I need to borrow this line from Paul. How often do you go to share something with someone knowing that they will nitpick it and argue with you? Paul knew that his audience would poopoo his confession of being the worst of sinners – but he also knew that it was true. Paul knew his own heart, really Saul’s heart from whom he had been converted and changed into Paul ( Acts 9:1-19 , Acts 13:9 ). Paul knew what he had done, thought, and intended to do further. Everyone he was talking to today only knew him as Paul the apostle, the guy who has devoted his life to Jesus and spends every moment serving Him. But Paul...

  You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:6-8  Raise your hand if you’ve ever thought you needed to do something to earn God’s love, if you ever thought that you had to “get right” with God before you could accept Jesus as your Savior. Ok, now don’t you feel silly raising your hand while you’re sitting there reading on your phone or computer? 😂😂 Yeah, me too. There was definitely a time in my life where I thought I had to clean up my act, quit drinking, quit cussing, quit smoking before I could come to God and humbly ask for His forgiveness and presence in my life. I mean, how could I ask a perfect, righteous God to associate with someone like me? I knew the things I had done and said and thought. I k...

 Last August I shared with you about how you could get groceries for free through a few different Chase credit cards and their Door Dash benefits. Today I'm here to tell you about a different promotion I happened across this fall which nets me even more  free groceries every month! In October, I opened a Chase Ink Business Cash * card. It's $750 sign up bonus after spending $6,000 in 3 months (I can pretty much do this with just grocery shopping and dining out!) was pretty attractive, but when you factor in the $0 annual fee it got even better! Then when you consider 5% cash back when you use the card to pay your internet, cable and phone bills, it's pretty great. But as I went about setting up the card, I happened upon a little hidden benefit - Instacart+.  I've used Instacart a few times, primarily to order groceries when I was on vacation and didn't have a vehicle, but I've never considered Instacart+ to be something I'd use. For one thing, Instacart pri...

ChatGpt's interpretation of this event But the Pharisees and their experts in the law complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered them, “Those who are well don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”   Luke 5:30-32  Have you ever met someone for whom nothing is good enough? It seems like they can find fault in anything and everything around them exists only to disappoint them. They wouldn’t compliment you on the hairstyle you carefully arranged, they’d point out the hair out of place. They wouldn’t appreciate the feast set before them, they’d complain about the lack of options they’d prefer. This might not even be the way they are all the time, just some of it. Sometimes they are quietly appreciative, and others they are vocally disapproving of everything . I feel bad for them. I think they’re missing out. I try not to let them bring m...