The online
Bible teaching ministry of Stephen
& Brooksyne Weber
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Home About Us Free email subscription ![]() Daily Encouragement on ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() <Previous Message Next Message> Monday, May 15, 2017
![]() A blessing of country living is when a neighbor drives in for a visit on his family tractor. Larry Dombach was out last weekend on his 1953 Farmall, the first tractor he ever drove as a child, while helping during the family harvest. His grandpa left it to him upon his death. Larry had it restored and occasionally drives it in the neighborhood. Message summary: Many of you reached out to your mothers-in-law yesterday on Mother's Day, but if not, perhaps you will feel prompted to give them a call or write them a note letting them know that you value them today. ![]() "Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. But Simon’s wife’s mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her. So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them" (Luke 4:38,39). We hope you had a meaningful "Mother's Day" yesterday. Whether or not your country sets aside a day to honor motherhood we all have mothers whom we should honor, whether still living or deceased. We all can consider the words of the Psalmist, "For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb" (Psalm 139:13). Ester prepared a pasta dinner last night and cleaned up afterwards insisting that Brooksyne relax for the evening. She also wrote a nice tribute to her in honor of Mother's Day. Early last Friday morning, as we travelled to our first company, we listened to Scripture on CD and today's verse was included. Little did we know that upon our arrival at the company a farewell gathering would be held for a long-time employee who was leaving the company. Brooksyne visited with him afterwards and learned more about his departure. He liked his job and would stay on if not for his mother-in-law's health needs. Her health has deteriorated, and rather than place her in an institutional setting, he is taking on a different job more favorable to arrangements that will allow his wife to give up her job so she can stay home and care for her mom. The employee, from his outward appearance is a strong, muscular man, the "biker" type. He doesn't look the type (if there is a particular "type") that would take his mother-in-law to her doctor's appointments and oversee her medical care, but his medical attention spares his wife the emotional rollercoaster of dealing with the variables of her health needs. We both admired his dutiful and loving care toward his mother-in-law. It further prompted our thinking about giving consideration to mothers-in-law today. In-laws, especially mothers-in-law are often the topic for jokes, ridicule, and bad relations yet the most famous "in-law" story in the Bible is Naomi and Ruth who had a wonderful, enduring relationship long after Naomi's son was deceased. Today's account may seem rather inconsequential. That is unless you or a loved one was the one being healed! The healing of Peter's mother-in-law is recorded in each of the three synoptic gospels. Jesus went into her house and found her stricken with a fever. Jesus touches her hand and the fever leaves her, and she gets up and begins to wait on the men. Luke, who was a doctor, called it a “great” or “high” fever. This could have been a deadly disease. Pastor John Hamby who has an entire sermon developed from this account states, "What we have before us in the accounts of this miracle... is a double miracle. First of all, Jesus took her by the hand, lifted her up and the fever was immediately gone. And the second aspect of the miracle, according to Dr. Luke, is that she was immediately infused with a complete restoration of her strength, she arose and served them. In all the accounts, the effect was immediate; the fever not only left her, but she was able to serve them." Another lesson we can learn from this account is the invaluable blessing of those who serve behind the scenes. The account doesn't go into detail about how Peter's mother-in-law "served them" but it likely means preparing, serving, and cleaning up after a meal. We all know the importance of that especially when you have a house full of tired and hungry people! It's likely that many of you reached out to your mothers-in-law yesterday on Mother's Day, but if not, perhaps you will feel prompted to give them a call or write them a note letting them that you value them today. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber ![]() * Is It Mother-in-Laws? Or Mothers-in-Law? ![]() Serious birdwatchers know how persistent squirrels are in eating bird seeds. This squirrel managed to leap up on our special "No/No" feeder in front of our home and was not going to be deterred! Notice how his back paw is clinging to the wire mesh giving him holding power and balance. He was there dining to his heart's content. ![]() Early yesterday morning we had a welcome visitor sitting on our back fence, a bluebird, which we don't often see. However it didn't stay long enough for a photo. However I did see we have a resident in the birdhouse! ![]() Yesterday we visited with Fred and Bev Steudler whom we met about ten years ago when we began serving the company Fred's father founded. Also in the photo is Dedan from Kenya who works at the company. ![]() Here's our wedding rehearsal dinner on May 7, 1976. Ruth Sherrell would become my mother-in-law and Georgia Mae would become Brooksyne's mother-in-law.
A
photo of me along with my mother-in-law, Georgia Mae, taken in 1998
when she was 78 years old. This was taken at the wedding of a close
friend
in California. That very night Mom had a serious fall resulting in a
serious head injury, which she never fully recovered from, though she
would live another six years, five of them in our home. We very much enjoyed our relationship as mother-in-law, daughter-in-law.
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "For The Beauty Of The Earth" Video Michelle Swift ![]() Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne To receive the "Daily Encouragement" each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe to our email list. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or through a Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the right side after opening this page.) ![]() ![]() Permissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. We do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact. Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version. Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity." © Copyright 2017 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA |