Do You Know?

I just published a book, Old and New Testament Gleanings. It is a one to two page summary of each Book of the Bible in poetic form. The link to Amazon is below.  I am now in the process of writing a sequel which provides a one page character description of characters in the Bible. Below is a sample of what is to come. 

Do you know who Rhoda was in the New Testament?  Her name was only given one time. Following is who she was. 

“And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate.” Acts 12:13-14

 

“They said to her, ‘You are out of your mind. But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, ‘It is his angel.' But Peter continued knocking.” Acts 12:15-16a

 

“But Peter continued knocking.” Acts 12:16a

 

Rhoda

 

Imagine if you will

a girl who was so surprised she forgot to think.

She moved simply by her instinct.

Peter had knocked on the door.

Rhoda, a servant girl, came to answer.

Peter spoke. What he said, we know not what,  

but Rhoda recognized Peter’s voice.

She became so excited she did not open the door- it remained shut.  

This was at Mary’s house, and there was a group there praying. 

 Instead of letting Peter in, 

Rhoda ran to tell the group that Peter was at the door.

 Peter was left standing while still knocking and being ignored.

But Rhoda was too joyful and stirred to think to let him in.

The group at the house were responding in disbelief.

The chatter was probably not brief,

and Peter was still knocking.

One was saying, “Your out of your mind.”

Another may have leaned back to listen and remained, in amazement, reclined.

Rhoda excitedly continued insisting that Peter was at the door.

Another joined the conversation, “It must be his angel,”

as Peter continued knocking.

Finally, they opened the door and were amazed.

Rhonda joined everyone as they praised.

Why were they in awe? 

Why was Peter left knocking?

Peter explained to them,

“An angel awakened me in my cell

and said, ‘Peter, get up quickly.’

The chains fell from my hands, 

and the angel led me past the guards and out the gate.”  

No one had expected Peter to be at Mary’s house nor knocking,

least of all Rhoda.

Rhoda was just a servant girl stirred with excitement-

Her joy was so deep, she forgot to open the door.

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Old-Testament-Gleanings-Mary-Crisp/dp/B0H3H975TC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3FKTUERLUMML7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZE7UJ19V-D9-_B6RkTDmVWL0c6OVITU59j_hiSjM3pIZM0kWsNIWW6pzMG094YLt20_e0ZhWrFm7U0Ioh5y4YGCP19QZTlcD_E_MVlJ7R7A8I6TRS_lM3_KUxRXH2d5-VFJ4ZyKjY1nmY3XyvU_fEg9TpVsRmIzEPIR8UoC4b_304FI3UyruPPLDlHpDdOVZolUcvKaEeBAmybI0LboXvtweHJqHz2wRvakl7edSrzs.Ipk4GQqUB0pW5XQt4ddUtsBzFaZiD4x2IMY1Y9zhVAM&dib_tag=se&keywords=old%2Band%2Bnew%2Btestament%2Bgleanings&qid=1787174860&sprefix=old%2Band%2Bnew%2Btestament%2Bgleanings%2Caps%2C230&sr=8-1

A Little Humor

While reading my devotional this morning, I was still pretty sleepy and read foes as toes. It made me laugh. Then it brought to mind the following about the toes most all of you with our babies while wiggling their toes. I don’t know why? It just popped in my head.

 

“This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home, this little piggy had roast beef, this little piggy had none, and this little piggy cried, “wee, wee, wee” all the way home.”

 

After that I decided to write 5 little things to encourage children to learn: 

Jesus loves me

Jesus lives in me

Jesus saves me

Jesus guides me all day long

Jesus helps me when I fear- all the live long day.

 

Said I Wouldn'd- But Did!

I said I would’nt, but I did. How many times have we all said that and went ahead and did it. My confession is that I said I would not water the grass but I am doing it. Lord! My plea and prayer is give us rain! Please! 

 

R aindrops falling on My Head, I promise to sing.

A ll day long, please let it rain.

I nto praise, I will rejoice when You bless with rain

N o One knows better than You, Lord, how we need rain.

                           Amen!

 Now back to "I said I wouldn’t but I did". Peter said he wouldn’t deny Jesus, but he did. He denied Him three times. How many times have you? 

Days of the Week

I have seven days to plan for something every week. Sometimes I get up asking myself, “What will I do today?” Other days I check my calendar to see what appointments I have. At one time, I tried setting specific tasks for the day, like Sunday is church day, Monday is a day to cook, Tuesday is a day for washing,  Wednesday is mow day, and on and on. That was entirely too structured. It did not work for me. I find it simple to just take “one day at a time” for whatever comes my way.

     Reading Psalm 23:6 and Psalm 145:20 gave me further thought. God does the same every day no matter what day it is. He gives me goodness and mercy every day, and He protects and loves me every day no matter what day of the week it is. I rejoice in that.

 

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6 

 

“The Lord preserves all who love Him," Psalm 145:20

    

Complain or Rejoice

It’s Monday! A new week! A new day! A new hour! A new minute!

 I ask myself? What’s better!

 Complaining or rejoicing?

Inaction or motion?

Frowning or Smiling?

Worrying or “Letting God”?

Stewing on something or doing something?

 

Hmmm...I think my verse of the day will be Philippians 2:14 ESV, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing.” 

My Cup Runneth Over

I love the 23^rd Psalm. It was probably one the first sets of scriptures I memorized when I was growing up and attending Girls’ Auxiliary (G.A.’s)  at church. 

 

“The Lord is my Shepherd...(vs. 5)-my cup runneth over.” 

 

Do you ever fill like your “cup runneth over”? 

 

At times I dwell on the problems I have that runneth over my cup, but I prefer to center my life around the blessings I have that runneth my cup over; like, joy, everyday delights, good neighbors, great church friends, even things like, “hey, my car runs, I have good health, I have a roof over my head, I have friends I can call when I need to talk, and things like that. Most of all though is that I have Jesus in my heart and I have salvation through belief in Him, and that gives me security, hope, and joy. This last one is what makes my cup runneth over.

 

Following along with that is a saying which I have framed on my wall- (author unknown)  

“I am drinking from my saucer

 ‘cause my cup has overflowed. 

I’ve got a friend in Jesus, 

and that makes me rich enough.”

 

 

Run the Race

Lord,

Because of you, I can rejoice – I am alive - I thrive.

Give me drive to strive deeper into Your Word,

 And to stay the course.

What I lack -When I fall back-

Get me back on track,

And help me run the race.

Lord, 

Fix my eyes on Jesus, 

Who paid the price- who made the sacrifice,

Who rose again, 

And Who made a home for me in paradise.

Please establish my pace-

Hold me tight with You ever in my space.

And Lord, 

I thank you for Your grace.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 8/7/2026

 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set down before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” 

Romans 12:1-2 ESV