wake up and take in the sunshine
Topic: quotations (Scripture)

I need to do as it says in [Proverbs chapter 6] and not just remember to spend more time awake, but to do so and to fill my time with productive and efficient work being accomplished- I find myself taking naps during the day even if I do get to sleep earlier than I used to -_-;

-aside from that sorry status report, I've read from chapter 11 to 15 last night <3 but I see that reading and re-reading and thinking over the Scriptures is what I need to do rather than speed through the verses, so today, I'm going to continue posting from chapter 10:


Proverbs chapter 10:27-32

The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.

The hope of the righteous ends in gladness,
but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing.

The way of the LORD is a stronghold for the upright, but destruction for evildoers.

The righteous will never be removed,
but the wicked will not remain in the land.

The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but the perverse tongue will be cut off.

The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
but the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.

-even in this day and age so far off in time from when these words were first written, the last part is still glaringly apparent...

re-thinking my plans again...
Topic: seasonal

...now that I think about it, my Bible studies should not focus on the sheer volume of verses I read in a day or just how much I can re-type/write, but on understanding and really taking in the wisdom and knowledge that that fine book has to offer

I've got a long way to go in my journey then. _-sigh-


Proverbs Chapter 10:19-25

When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but the prudent are restrained in speech.

The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the mind of the wicked is of little worth.
The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.

The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.

Doing wrong is like sport to a fool, but wise conduct is pleasure to a person of understanding.
What the wicked dread will come upon them, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.

When the tempest passes, the wicked are no more, but the righteous are established forever.

-I'm also re-thinking my set limitations for internet usage over the period of Lent since I also go online to communicate with others about things that are going on- Christian events and what not

I won't be avoiding it altogether, but I do need to find a good balance between being on the computer all day and missing out on the important things that others have to say. -_-; ...

_help!

today is Ash Wednesday, the start of '07's season of Lent.
Topic: seasonal

^{...the past two days I was away doing frivolous things (akin to having a Fat Tuesday celebration by myself for twice as long) since today is the start of Lent and I had wanted to get more of Disgaea finished- I'm still at the beginning of the eighth chapter of that game and none the more enriched by putting so many hours into leveling up my characters _-sigh-}

Anyway, it is Lent now so I'm going to stick to my lovely Bible study, and make it a bit more structured:

-read at least one chapter of Proverbs daily
_{(except on Sunday in which I shall shift my focus on to the [Mass readings])}

-type out the more poignant verses of my studies for further memorization and meditation
_{(this is in opposition to my practice of merely re-tying whole chapters- it is good for me to do that, but my mental stamina is pretty low so I should put my focus on the best portions rather than just copying and not remembering or focusing...)}

-make sure to post here at least 3 times per week
_{(with 2 days as leeway for not posting, but I will still make sure to read even if that isn't evidenced here!)}

and for now, that is about it for my Bible study Lenten practices as it relates to this blog.

-as for today's chapters, I read through 9 and 10 respectively and of these two I found the latter to be much more understandable and instructive- I love the words of Solomon very much, for it is a shame that wisdom of the sort that he possessed isn't prevalent today... because there's so much foolishness everywhere it makes my heart and mind a bit melancholy as I read his wonderful words and admonishions

er, this may sound like a cop out or that I'm trying to be lazy, but I need to really read and even re-read chapter 10 to get more of the full effect from the quotations of Solomon's sayings- I'll make sure to type them out later as well.

-so I'll be back.

my omission
Mood:  accident prone
Topic: quotations (Scripture)

<sup>My omission of yesterday's study chapter of Proverbs wasn't intentional- I had read it, but did not type it out as I found myself doing other things instead had placed my attention elsewhere and assumed that I'd already posted it e_e;

Today, I will post some of chapter 7 and the first part of the eighth...</sup>


Chapter 7:1-5

My child, keep my words and store up my commandments with you;
keep my commandments and live,
keep my teachings as the apple of your eye;
bind them on your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart.

Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call insight your intimate friend, that they may keep you from the loose woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.

...

Proverbs Chapter 8:1-21

Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice?
On the heights, beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries out:

"To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all that live.

O simple ones, learn prudence; acquire intelligence, you who lack it.

Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right;
for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
They are all straight to one who understands and right to those who find knowledge.

Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold;
for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

I, wisdom, live with prudence, and I attain knowledge and discretion.

The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.*

I have good advice and sound wisdom; I have insight, I have strength.

By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; by me rulers rule, and nobles, all who gover rightly.

I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.
Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and prosperity.

My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.

I walk in th way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, endowing with wealth those who love me, and filling their treasuries."

*_{me too~}

...

"Inori no... "
Now Playing: kareoke in the background~
Topic: quotations (Scripture)

_{I have a long way to go with regards to being good at finishing housework swiftly and efficiently since I would much rather leave those sorts of things (especially laundry) to be finished later, but I know better than that- I just need the self-discipline to move forward without hesitation or going off on a tangent...}


Proverbs Chapter 6
_{this chapter is full of Practical Admonitions, but quite notably in this part of the book is the list of the Six things that the LORD hates which is good to know.}

My child, if you have given your pledge to your neighbor...

Go to the ant, you lazybones; consider its ways, and be wise.
Without having any chief or officer or ruler, it prepares its food in summer, and gathers its sustenance in harvest.

How long will you lie there, O lazybones?
When will you rise from your sleep?

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want, like an armed warrior.


A scoundrel and a villain goes around with crooked speech,
winking the eyes, shuffling the feet,
pointing the fingers,
with perverted mind devising evil,
continually sowing discord;

on such a one calamity will descend suddenly; in a moment, damage beyond repair.


There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him*:

haughty eyes, a lying toungue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that hurry to run to evil,
a lying witness who testifies falsely,
and one who sows discord in a family.

My child, keep your father's commandment, and not forsake your mother's teaching.
Bind them upon your heart always; tie them upon your neck.
When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you;
and when you awake, they will talk with you.

For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light,
and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,
to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.

Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes;
for a prostitute's fee is only a loaf of bread,
but the wife of another stalks a man's very life.

Can fire be carried in the bosom without burning one's clothes?

Or can one walk on hot coals without scorching the feet?
So is he who sleeps with his neighbor's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.

Thieves are not despised who steal only to satisfy their appetite when they are hungry.
Yet if they are caught, they will pay sevenfold; they will forfeit all the goods of their house.

But he who commits adultery has no sense; he who does it destroys himself.
He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
For jealousy arouses a husband's fury, and he shows no restraint when he takes revenge.
He will accept no compensation, and refuses a bribe no matter how great.

...

(some things in life can't be helped, but it is better if some things are prevented...)
Topic: quotations (Scripture)

<sup>I missed out on posting Proverbs chapter 5 here yesterday since I sank so much of my time into playing Disgaea* (the first one) rather than focusing on getting things done

today, I'm going to see if I can get some work finished instead of just letting that game eat all of my time (and if I do play, I wouldn't want to go more than 3 hours tops! x_x; ...)


Read More...</sup>


Proverbs Chapter 5
_{this is basically a warning against impurity and infidelity}

My child be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding,
so that you may hold on to prudence, and your lips may guard knowledge.

For the lips of a loose woman drip honey; and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as worm wood, sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol.
She does not keep straight to the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it.

And now; my child, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth.

Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house;
or you will give your honor to others,
and your years to the merciless, and strangers will take their fill of your wealth,
and your labors will go to the house of an alien;

and at the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are consumed,
and you say,

"Oh, how I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof!
I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ear to my instructors.
Now I am at the point of utter ruin in the public assembly."

Drink water from your own cistern...

For human ways are under the eyes of the LORD, and he examines all their paths.
The iniquities of the wicked ensnare them, and they are caught in the toils of their sin.
They die for lack of discipline, and because of their great folly they are lost.

-as for this reading, the part that really speaks to me is the last verse since I have a hard time staying focused and finishing the task at hand instead of going off to do something else... -_-;

^{(-interesting that the last bits of these chapters of Proverbs are the most thought-provoking... I didn't notice that until just now ^-^; ...)}

_{Bibles really need to be made out of sturdier paper since if they're read everyday and are often carried around will get worn out rather easily -I am saying this since I don't like how thin the pages of mine are, since they're akin to an onion skin and I don't want to accidentally rip them or anything...
further ramblings}

Proverbs chapter 4
Topic: quotations (Scripture)

^{Yesterday, I was offline and since it was Sunday and I was out for most of the day (since I attended a prayer get-together and Mass) I didn't read a chapter of Proverbs, so today I am not as far as I could have been but this will do- on Sundays I think I'll focus more on the Mass readings...}

Listen, children, to a father's instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight;
for I give you good precepts: do not forsake my teaching.

When I was a son with my father, tender, and my mother's favorite, he taught me and said to me,

"Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.
Get wisdom; get insight: do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever else you get, get insight.
Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.
She will place on your head a fair garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown."

Hear, my child, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.
I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.

When you walk, your step will not be hampered; and if you run, you will not stumble.
Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.

Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evildoers.
Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.

For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
they are robbed of sleep unless they have made somone stumble.
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which shines brighter and brighter until full day.

The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what they stumble over.


My child, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
Do not let them escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.
For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.


Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.

Keep straight the path of your feet, and all your ways will be sure.

Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

My favorite part of today's chapter is the last part <3

-because, I want to be that sort of person and take care to remain pure (sometimes it seems that other people don't care to guard their hearts from falling into sorrow and that makes me sad- it hurts to see it...) _{and if God willed it, I would love to marry a man like that as well~}

-sigh- ...

a little more Proverbial Beauty~
Topic: quotations (Scripture)

^{-there is no "Thought of the Day" on weekends, so I'll focus more on the daily Mass readings during these days except on Sunday since I generally use that day for staying offline and logged out so I can reconnect with the real world and focus on other things.}


Chapter 3 of Proverbs:

My child, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,
for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare they will give you.

Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and of people.

^{(the following is one of my most favorite/needed reminders in the entire Bible)}

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
It will be a healing for your flesh and a refreshment for your body.

^{since I like Proverbs 3:5-8 so much, I made a paraphrased avatar of those verses: avatar for you}


Honor the LORD with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce;
then your barns will be filled with plenty; and your vats will be bursting with wine.

My child do not despise the LORD's discipline or be weary of his reproof,
for the LORD reproves the one He loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

Happy are those who find wisdom, and those who get understanding,
for her income is better than silver, and her revenue better than gold.

She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Long life is in her right hand, in her left hand are riches and honor.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy.

The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding the established the heavens;
by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.

My child do not let these escape from your sight;
keep sound wisdom and prudence, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck.

Then you will walk on your way securely and your foot will not stumble.

If you sit down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

Do not be afraid of sudden panic, or of the storm that strikes the wicked;
for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.

Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it"- when you have it with you.

Do not plan harm against your neighbor who lives trustingly beside you.

Do not quarrel with anyone without cause, when no harm has been done to you.

Do not envy the violent and do not choose any of their ways; for the the perverse are an abomination to the LORD, but the upright are in his confidence.

The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the abode of the righteous.

Towards the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he shows favor.

The wise will inherit honor, but stubborn fools, disgrace.

_{(-I'll soon be leaving for a prayer meeting with my family, so I'll leave this posted as it is though it is only draft quality- I'll probably have it further refined later after my return -which indeed I did~)}

[my second] Thought of the Day
Topic: quotations (Scripture)

"I saw my peoples' ways, but I will heal them and I will lead them I will give full comfort to them and those who mourn for them, I the creator, who gave them life.

Peace, peace to the far and the near says the Lord, and I will heal them."

-Isaiah 57:18-19.


****
...I still have yet to really read through this book of the Bible (yes, that is very sad) but from these two verses here, Isaiah seems to be reassuring the people by telling them this message of the Lord's -to let them know that He is Merciful that he would go so far as to heal and lead His people even after seeing them do so many horrible things

-after I read through the entire book, I'll have more to say
_{*doesn't know to what exactly is being referred to here* -_-;}

continuing from yesterday...
Now Playing: I was made to love you- Toby Mac
Topic: quotations (Scripture)
I'm going to simplify my entries so that I can have these blog posts of mine be more focused, concise and to the point.

I'll be writing separate entries during the day for each reading that I want to type out
^{(I have placed the links to the Daily Mass Readings and the "Thought of the Day" Scripture quotes provided by Spirit FM in the sidebar on the right side under the "My Church" title since that is quite a lot for me to type out- I will still be reading and reacting to those passages... )}

also, I am still internally debating whether or not I should post about my personal gatherings that I receive from these Scriptures (it is hard enough for me just to post these in the first place, but I am being reminded of and learning things through this study...)


Anyway, here is what I read in the second chapter of Proverbs today*:

My child, if you accept my words
and treasure up my commandments within you,
making you ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;

if you indeed cry out for insight,
and raise your voice for understanding;

if you seek it like silver,
and search for it as for hidden treasures-

the you will undertand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.

For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come[s] knowledge and understanding;

he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,
guarding the paths of justice
and preserving the way of his faithful ones.

Then you will undertand righteousness and justice
and equity, every good path;

for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasnt to your soul;
prudence will watch over you; and understanding will guard you.

It will save you from the way of evil,
from those who speak perversely,
who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness,

who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil;
those whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.


You will be saved from the loose woman,
from the adulteress with her smooth words,

who forsakes the parner of her youth and forgets her sacred covenant;
for her way leads down to death, and her paths to the shades
-those who go to her never come back, nor do they regain the paths of life.

Therefore walk in the way of the good, and keep to the paths of the just.
For the upright will abide in the land, and the innocent will remain in it;
but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

The part of today's reading that really stood out to me was the part that says that the one who stores up and lives by these teachings will be "saved from the loose woman" -I wish that people would all be [more] inclined to wisdom so that the tragedy of unfaithfulness would end... also, when a good man is corrupted by a vulgar woman he loses so much of his virtue and the qualities that made him really wonderful in the first place... <sub>-sigh-



*actually, I was reading more than this since it was so good, I started reading the third chapter as well but then I stopped since I wanted to get to Mass... *got there on time- not early*</sub>