Be of Good Cheer

Another strange and interesting Bible Fact:

When my husband was diagnosed with a terminal illness he despaired of one more person asking, “How are you?” Yet every doctor, nurse, technician and visitor asked the same thing, “How are you?” Why not take a Bible phrase and turn it into a new greeting. “Be of good cheer.” In Matthew 14:27 Jesus said, “Be of good cheer; it is I, be not afraid.” John 16:33 says, “In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.” (kjv)

Develop a new habit, practice saying, “Be of good cheer” to everyone you greet.

An Old Cliche by Job

Authors are reminded to avoid oft quoted cliché. Still we hear a family member, friend or co-worker use an old hat phrase on a daily basis. Ever wonder where they stem from?

Today when I searched for those little known tid-bits of the Bible, I ran smack dab into a phrase I use often. “…. by the skin of my teeth"; did you know Job is the first recorded person to say, “by the skin of my teeth?” Job 19:20 NIV.

How many other little tidbits of speech actually are derived from the ancient ones? Those who lived years before us?

The Lamb Crew

Our friends felt called to parenthood. After the birth of their third child they adopted a special needs child, then another and another. At the last count they were the proud parents of twenty-one children. A happy bunch, they call themselves the Lamb Crew.

Twenty-one children is a lot of mouths to feed, but what about our Bible character, Rehoboam. He fathered eighty-eight kids—now that, my friends, is one large family.

II Chron 11:21 niv Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

Just a thought from Kat for today, chew on it for awhile.

What Is It?

Manna is a honey wafer. (Exodus 16:31 NIV). The name means “What Is It?” Now think about it. God gave the people food every day. They didn’t dig the soil. Tend the garden. Fertilize the plants or even water. They simply harvested the ‘manna’ each day. They were given just enough for their needs. It seems that often we heap our plate full of the day’s offerings without a sound of thanks giving. Instead we are guilty of wrinkling our nose and like the Hebrew children we say, “Manna?” or translated, “What is it?”

Left Handed Warriors

David’s warriors were well trained for battle. So well trained we find they could shoot arrows right handed and left handed (I Chronicles 12:2 NIV).


The year my mother turned eighty I received an almost illegibly written letter. I wondered if her age had robbed her penmanship until I read her end-note. “I’m practicing writing left-handed just in case I hurt my right arm.” Mom thought she needed to be doubly prepared for battle.


Maybe we should all take lessons from David’s warriors and my elderly mother.

The First Color in the Bible Is?

Kat's Kernels:
Interesting Facts from the Bible

Bible Trivia to keep you thinking.

Today's thought comes from Genesis 1:30

Most Bible readers know the rainbow is mentioned in Genesis and the rainbow holds the primary colors.

But what is the first color mentioned in the Bible? Does your mind go to the brown snake? The red apple (the fruit mentioned isn’t truly an apple, but we’ve heard Eve picked the apple for so long, our mind can play tricks on us and see the Delicious red apple in her hand). Maybe you thought the blue of the sky or the yellow of the sun or the . . . The first color mentioned in the Bible is green. Check it out, read Genesis 1:30.

Kat Crawford@2008