A poem!

Don’t worry I DIDN’T do the worst thing that I could do, 

Because the WORST thing that I could do was NOT PRAISE the LORD through and through.

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This week I ALMOST touched poison ivy, DID pull out bad plant nightshade on purpose, and then stepped on a rusty nail oops – well yay tetanus shot – well with bonus CVS coupons, hooray!

But the WORST thing I could have done, this that and today, was not remembered to pause and PRAY.

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I now feel better than OK,

Because I paused to pray.

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Life gets scary.

Situations get hairy.

But better than any pretend magic fairy,

Is the Lord, the Lord is Who of us will CARRY. 

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So give Him your tears

Be honest with your fears,

Yet let’s save Him any sneers,

Because He still loves us, over our jeers.

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LOVE YOU LORD. Whew…

The worst thing I could do,

Was not trust YOU.

Thank You Lord for being TRUE. 

AMEN

Calm the fear,

Know God is near.

Hold Him in cloudy days and clear.

He holds us close and dear.

We must know that His Love is SINCERE.

If you have a prayer against catching poison ivy, I would appreciate now if you would pray it. I mean, you can’t blame me for being excited about my new little clippers from harbor freight, they are just the right size and sharp and new… so when it finally got a little shady, I went to the the side of the house and started on the hydrangeas, which unfortunately took a hit in the cold snap. Well, there is still some green and for sure I never trimmed the old branches from last year – so clip clip clip I went – felt good to deal with it but it was also a situation of thinking about the pruning of dead branches in life that God will do – like Jesus explained in John 15. And this made me sad (not just for the hydrangea but for me) – I felt sad that maybe there were things pruned in my life that I didn’t expect or they didn’t work out – or a cold snap got them – well – enough of my whining I thought and just sat down to rest in the shade when all of a sudden a pair of birds flew in and one sat right inside the region that I had just pruned – see, the pruned hydrangea now had MORE ROOM for a safe place for the bird – as well as lots of great sticks on the ground that it could use if it wanted for nesting….  Pruning accepted Lord – I saw that there was purpose beyond the “what’s in it for me” mentality. and God does take care of those birds, doesn’t He?!!!  (I watched a bird documentary at the same time as I was pruning – go figure! – CBS link below)

WELL, PRUNING DOES make it better for a plant to not deal with dead branches and focus on strengthening the ones that still thrive. And thus pruned areas can be more fruitful. And doesn’t fruit look better than dead spaces or dead branches… I guess that is for us too – we can hold better fruit from God on our stronger branches if we accept that He will prune away some bad stuff – and maybe some good stuff too it seems – but we have to remember that all is naught compared to Him. God will use the good and the bad for His cause. And sometimes Pruning surprises us!

I continued on my pruning tasks on the other side of the house – this time for the annual cutting of a wayward nuisance junk tree that keeps coming up year after year – right in the middle of a beautiful azalea – that has a big trunk that sprouts anew each year and clutters my life – and that is the moral of the story of removing stuff underneath – removing the root of the problems…

Went over to the over grown flowering quice = which encombers my dainty rose bush and I went to clip clip clip = filled a trash can. AND THEN – UGH – I SAW THE POISON IVY!!! UGH – stopped in my tracks – my heart sank and my feet retreated – I don’t think I touched it buy you never know…  Well, that pruned my activity and in I went to shower and retool… That shiny leaf is so distinctive – what a symbol to STOP. If I had not pruned the plant I would not have seen it until much later in the season when it was much more well established! The pruning of this overzealous quince – even if strong – allowed me to see the danger lurking underneath.

In life – we have to remember that all things, good and bad, pale in comparison to Jesus – to being with our Lord in the moment – and forever. One song that speaks to me – on the wall – is “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” – all things will fade compared to the LIGHT of His Glory and Grace. And this song is one that I saw when I started praying for guidance – for one thing – but well it holds true for all. Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus – and let HIM add the fruit to YOUR branch.

AMEN AMEN AMEN

—

John 15:1-17 NKJV The True Vine
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

Birding in Columbia from 60 minutes 

Job 22:21-30 NIV

“Submit to God and be at peace with him;
    in this way prosperity will come to you.
Accept instruction from his mouth
    and lay up his words in your heart.
If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored:
    If you remove wickedness far from your tent
and assign your nuggets to the dust,
    your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines,
then the Almighty will be your gold,
    the choicest silver for you.
Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty
    and will lift up your face to God.
You will pray to him, and he will hear you,
    and you will fulfill your vows.
What you decide on will be done,
    and light will shine on your ways.
When people are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’
    then he will save the downcast.
He will deliver even one who is not innocent,
    who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”

Well, it started with ambition to rearrange the living room couches,  with the intention that rearranging leads to cleaning. That’s the only way I seem to be able to clean is to entice rearranging. This gets other people involved aka my kids.

Then it turned into a different project to rearrange the kitchen, and my muscles kid really helped, and we pushed the big repurposed china curio cabinet towards the wall, freeing up space for rehanging old artwork and new. Rearranging which of course led to other types of cleaning, but most importantly removing the bothers – those bothers are things that just drive you nuts, cause you haven’t dealt with them, like removing the relevant irrelevant junk. Removing the bothers including the rearranging of the room, became repairing, reprimimg, repainting, and even repotting plants. Really. 

I’m regrouping for resting, before I get back to the reworking.

I also did some restorative soul socializing, with a friend neighbor, repacking the recycling bin with recyclables. Rerouted my travels around road repaving, Reheated leftovers.

I’m not regretting anything about my rerouting of routine. 

Sometimes we get stuck in a routine, and we should think about rearranging life. On a small-scale, it’s kind of like someone who has gained or regained sobriety then will REDIRECT their car not to pass in front of the local bars, like they used to do. REROUTE AND REJOICE. 

If we rearrange and reroute ourselves, redo the bothers, without regret, regardless of activity type, we can have restorative life routines. 

Really!

Rework reshuffles the ruts, reworks the roughness, and rethinks our reality. Now, if you add into that resizing, rescinding and restoring, we have a remix of life.

And here’s a blessing: God will help us restore our attitude to rethink and reshine our thankfulness in PRAISE. 

Amen

Really!!!

I just rolled in – home (south) from a week at home (north) with my mom and family – and trust me that as an opportunist, spending this time with my family, when I can, is so worth it! I had brought my mom flowers as an early mother’s day present.

I am glad that I wrote this while on the road – taking a break – before home life invaded and my week memories fade… and yet, as my memories are strong from my childhood, I think memories are made from LOVE.

I think my Grandma would be proud of me, I just got a free cup of hot water from Dunkin’ Donuts then a free cup of ice from Starbucks. My Grandmother would be proud of me in other ways, but as a thrifty lady, she knew how to get her deals,  all for love of her family. We used to go to McDonald’s in the 1970’s and the hostess lady (yes they had them back then) would give free toys to the kids. Then, my grandmother would also come up and say: “I have five grandkids, can I get five of that toy?” Yes Grandma had taught us well. 

I’ve recently been digging through family treasures and even though I had a little bit of an overload of trinkets, it is OK –  those many McDonald’s toys and paint sets and Halloween outfits and coloring books and toys and play dishes and dress up clothes and and and – yes volumes and volumes of stored treasures of Love and play have shown up, stored like a timecapsule at my family farmhouse –  and not just from my generation, but a generation back. Wind up toys and puzzles, play horses, dolls and carriages, doll clothes, and those little bead mazes where you had to roll that darn bead into the right place so it would fall into the right hole – annoyingly entertaining. 

Many more treasures found in the storage rooms, including ice cream makers, repair kits for kids’ shoes, tricycles and bouncy balls, bow and arrow, nets, freezers which held ice cream pops, and don’t forget all those outside joys of swingsets, a pond of tadpoles, a field of butterflies, and snow-fence enhanced snow caves, plus vintage snow sleds – and how can I not mention that we had a whole farm to run around in…

See I don’t need always to visit a museum, I already have one. And if you think my memories are strong – my mom and my aunt’s are even stronger – and in techicolor where I see only black and white photos of that time frame.

It’s not just luck from the lucky horseshoe (which is still nailed above in the doorframe) that brought this level of activity to me and us growing up, it was pure LOVE from my grandparents and my relatives, including the grit and determination of my great grandparents to come over on the boats – and then really REAL was a big dose of hard, hard, hard work. Play is the job of a child. Giving a place to play is the joy of a grandparent, who pays it forward for lifetimes they won’t ever see.

Also on the rafters above, in one storage room, my grandma’s washboard and wash tub. Can you even imagine how she had to pump the water outside to bring it in (or even do laundry outside – I know she hung it on the line – that she still did even thought there was a dryer in the kitchen. My grandma and before her my great grandmas used to pump water outside – or get their kids to do it – until they had a pump on the inside of the house. (I just got out of a wonderfully warm shower – no strength needed for that!). Oh I am grateful for all indoor plumbing!

Pre-electricity, they were using the kerosene lamps. Electricity came in the 1940’s, the transistor radio eventually replaced with black and white tv. But the volumes and volumes of books and volumes and volumes of toys speak to an era where entertainment was engaging oneself – as well as playing with siblings and cousins. And oh the magazines, Life magazines stand out in brightness and in depth coverage, glamour was coming to fashion too alongside down home good advice just as the 1950’s women’s magazines had every imaginable crochet pattern, baby necessity, food recipe, and then some…

TIMES MIGHT HAVE BEEN POOR, BUT ENERGY WAS NOT. LOVE WAS CERTAINLY GIVEN OUT AND LIFE WAS WHAT YOU MADE OF IT.

My family now safeguards all these items and memories, filled with knowledge of farm days, animal caretaking, construction house building and everything in between. It’s important to us to remember but most importantly remember that LOVE started it and kept it all together.

My treasure that I took home from the multitudes was a plastic nativity set that family had – it is the giant sized one that matches a tiny plastic one that I have. LOVE is GOD and GOD IS LOVE – and so God is in all this plastic in spirit and truth and shape and you name it!

I do appreciate that the Lord was from before the beginning of time. I appreciate that He is love.

Our family journeys are filled with love. Even in hard times or when love seems to be lacking, there is somebody somewhere who thought of you and loved you even never having a chance to meet you – a grandparent or great great, great, great, great, great, great grandparent.

I appreciate being able to share my journey… I appreciate that my journey was made possible by family love and especially God’s love.

AMEN

………………..

Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

News, NOPE

History? Forgotten 

Simplicity? Never enough

HOPE? Hopefully 

Life? Lovingly 

Love? LONGINGLY 

Light? Definitely 

Dark? Temporary

Reality? Realized

Conflict? Clashing

Peace? Ponderable

Pain? Forgettable

Lost? Longing for Home 

Sick? Healed 

Lonely? Held

Tears? Wiped

Passion? Princely

Faith? For Sure

Gates? Opened 

Certainty? Certainly

Tiredness? Eliminated 

Needs? Met

Forever? For sure

Win? Won

God? Dwelling With Us 

Done? Ah but just begun. 

Believe and Begin again. 

Amen 

—

Revelation 21 NKJV 

All Things Made New

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

The New Jerusalem

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.

Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

The Glory of the New Jerusalem

But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

A Praise to Start Our Day

I can most certainly SAY:

The Lord loves us TODAY. 

God doesn’t wait for DISMAY,

To show us life in a splendor DISPLAY. 

God doesn’t wait to put His Love IN PLAY.

God WAS/IS LOVE from WELL before YESTERDAY,

Always GOD’S LOVE starts and CONTINUES EACH DAY.

LOVE always IS avaliable TODAY.

Praise TODAY. 

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Even in a life of no complaint, Jesus is not faint.

Jesus holds us even stronger if we are an ignorer-er.

Know God is near, know He will hear.

Walk closer to praise through, even when you don’t feel a need to.

God is our Creator, as well as Rescuer.

God’s Way is to Hear us Praise Him today. 

Don’t delay… praise Him TODAY. 

AMEN 

—

I pray for all to realize God gave us a foundation of life before we knew we needed Him. I pray a gentle growth in all.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Sometimes that’s it, 

You cough so hard you could spit.

And people will look,

But that’s what it took,

To rid yourself of the (mental or throat) gobbly-gook.

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Sometimes that’s it,

Forgiveness is a gift.

You continue to walk with the Lord, 

His mercy He did afford 

His Grace is by His accord.

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Sometimes that’s it,

You are filled with spite because of a rift.

But what does Jesus say?

Forgive often, forgive today, 

Turn the other way.

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You can stay mad

You can stay sad

But since you know Forgiveness is a gift, 

You have to unpack that after a tiff.

And sometimes that’s it.

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Sometimes that’s it. 

We speak of Jesus, 

But don’t always represent Him with actions.

And for us to spite is not walking in step with spirit.

One may know His message but not one one’s self hear it.

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Sometimes that’s it.

Jesus walking is vetted as a better fit. 

Jesus knows where to go.

Planting seeds in and on His Flow.

and FORGIVENESS is the row we hoe.

Amen 

…

Proverbs 17 NKJV 

The Lord Tests Hearts

Better is a dry morsel with quietness,

Than a house full of feasting with strife.

A wise servant will rule over a son who causes shame,

And will share an inheritance among the brothers.

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,

But the Lord tests the hearts.

An evildoer gives heed to false lips;

A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue.

He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker;

He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

Children’s children are the crown of old men,

And the glory of children is their father.

Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool,

Much less lying lips to a prince.

A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor;

Wherever he turns, he prospers.

He who covers a transgression seeks love,

But he who repeats a matter separates friends.

Rebuke is more effective for a wise man

Than a hundred blows on a fool.

An evil man seeks only rebellion;

Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs,

Rather than a fool in his folly.

Whoever rewards evil for good,

Evil will not depart from his house.

The beginning of strife is like releasing water;

Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.

He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,

Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.

Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,

Since he has no heart for it?

A friend loves at all times,

And a brother is born for adversity.

A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge,

And becomes surety for his friend.

He who loves transgression loves strife,

And he who exalts his gate seeks destruction.

He who has a deceitful heart finds no good,

And he who has a perverse tongue falls into evil.

He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow,

And the father of a fool has no joy.

A merry heart does good, like medicine,

But a broken spirit dries the bones.

A wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back

To pervert the ways of justice.

Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding,

But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

A foolish son is a grief to his father,

And bitterness to her who bore him.

Also, to punish the righteous is not good,

Nor to strike princes for their uprightness.

He who has knowledge spares his words,

And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.

Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace;

When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.

My bucket list… it’s many buckets worth…

Got one thing done this weekend that was sorely needed – cleaned out one bucket that had been stuck in my laundry room in the lowest of priorities on the bucket list – but that is also because I didn’t raise it in priority until my clean up of the laundry room to prep it for a roof repair (which didn’t happen in the rain yesterday).

I had THIS bucket on my list, this hodge-podge of fullness bucket had been sitting for like 4-6 months and I finally emptied it. sorted and stored stuff and tossed stuff. It was something I said I needed to do, but put off – like a need to clean one’s house, it haunted me sometimes, and I felt silly having a blockage of not doing it. It is like I said I would have a super clean house before I went back to work. Well, neither has happened in 3 months, LOL – Although I have been been 3 months busy and blessed.

And the bucket, when I DID get to the bucket, took like 10 to 15 minutes to clean it out, that I had delayed like 4 months or so… silly…

And that rain? it was a Godsend to my allergies – washed so much pollen away that I have now sequestered myself in my house ALL DAY to not touch any other pollen. It has been a bad week for my coughing and all that – so much that I lost my voice significantly until now. and now? I am planning to go up home (where there is less pollen) so I am sequestered home until I make that dash to the car tomorrow morning. And the car also on the bucket list was replacing the cabin air filter and wow it was terrible – from the fall – and now it is fresh and I will start fresh in colder fresher non-pollenated air north…

More bucket list things – I took the time to start my new job search by attending a seminar in person yesterday at a church and that was amazing – both overwhelming and amazing – and yet the woman suggested that we don’t try everything at once. So helpful was to open our LinkedIn sites and edit while she presented – so useful. Also we networked so much – and this led me to another bucket list item – mini bucket but still needed – I redid my business cards for this my debbie upper blog page – and also made business cards for my own networking during the job search which contains both the QR code for my linked in profile as well as for my CV directly.. Ordered! check that off the list.

More immediate – having done all my laundry, I am prepping for a trip up home to see my family. Yes more travel on my bucket list: I want to travel and so small things too, and then I remembered that it is vbs season soon in later June and July. I have lots on my bucket list. And I have lots of buckets.

What about our faith buckets? are we refilling those? I have to say that hope at the job search event was a bucket filling item – I was glad I was there. And a faith bucket that is refilling is from my purchase of more faith resources and cards this morning to share. And another faith bucket refill is that the bucket exists in itself because as of yet – I have not “kicked the bucket” – so every day we have not “kicked the bucket” we can get it filled with the Holy Spirit.

And as I remember that Jesus is coming back soon – He will come whether my house is clean or not – whether the business cards get made or not – whether I travel or not – whether I get a job or not. But Jesus will come back and that should fill our buckets to continue working in this life for His sake – to be His Hands and Feet… For the Lord to return (which Jesus has to wait upon God the Father too, to know) is when God says go…  And we wait with buckets open and keeping busy no matter where we are in this world.

We will carry our buckets with us…

Have a good week – and travel in joy…

Amen

I’ve been awake early, but because I have been getting to bed early it evens out – and I plan a nap later if I don’t go back to sleep this morning. Plus the dreams I was having were so unrealistic I had to reassure myself that they were impossible (and yet the reality of the news is not that much better). 

Instead I will search scriptures easily – by listening… 

SO – it is much better to take the time to focus on truth and true history and lessons – so bible reading and simply listening to bible readings in the bible gateway app – or catching up on sermons. Yes, in the early morning, or at any time, you can catch up on your scriptures, and specifically for me this morning, it is finishing last week’s sermon by Pastor Joe which I can listen to online. I really appreciate and love Pastor Joe’s delivery and his wealth of knowledge. It is both a deep dive into the scriptures as well as an alive sense of how they pertain today and in our lives. And trust me this is a deep dive – we have been listening to Genesis for 2 whole years – I am not kidding – it takes Pastor Joe about a dozen years to go through the whole bible – and he has done that 4 times by now – and he is never boring and the scripture is never boring. The resource online is worth perusing no matter what your non-conservative or conservative or liberal or non-liberal take is on the bible – because the text itself is clear for you to just understand. Pastor Joe can make the text understandable to a easy level. No matter what one’s own church is doing or where your personal reading is – there is always something more to be gained or be fed by listening and “reading ahead” as Pastor Joe urges – “read ahead and that way you can know whether I am making it up…” 

I have another bible class on Sunday night – and it is truly a deep dive into the gospel of John “bread of life” scriptures – and that lesson brings the scriptures up to the highest intellectual derivation of all the translations and especially the greek translations – and even though it is teasing apart the text, it still concludes to mostly the same interpretation that simple interpretations make: Jesus is our Bread of Life.

The Study of the bible – includes understanding some history and some framing as well as a big picture approach. There are so many tools and I have purchased some for my friends, including whole overviews and timelines. The best advice is not to overwhelm yourself with “having to know this stuff” but taking the opportunity to “peruse this stuff”.

Really – we will never not have something to learn when perusing the bible or studying the message in it for us. One crucial scripture that always comes back to me is Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord…” and just yesterday was able to speak to that a couple times as a bookmark that sits in my car…  well, I buy those bookmarks now for others to have too – a 25 pack is only $3.75

There there are bible bracelets (so inexpensive on amazon) – and prayer cards – I even bought some in spanish to share with a trip I am taking to equador and the galapogos islands later this summer – I figured it can’t hurt – it is a nice way to share in unobtrusive ways… They are items to share and it is up to someone else to pick them up…

Anyway – the sharing of the bible is a blessing – the study of the bible is a blessing as well as a necessity – and the teasing apart the scriptures (not to torture them but to understand) is the best pastime of all because it is present time as well as past time and future time for strengthening… TIme well spent… (money well spent on sharing too…)

AMEN

Here is one way how to listen to the bible:

https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/audio/?recording=nivuk-suchet

And Here is the whole series of teachings from CC Philly Pastor Joe as well as others is here: https://resources.ccphilly.org/current.asp  where you can listen or watch – and get the whole service or just the message.

I recommend many of the pamphlets from rose publishing – great resources to have while reading or listening to the bible:

https://www.christianbook.com/page/church/rose-publishing

I learned how someone else’s ministry is continuing to jump out to her – to make a difference and I learned that she knows the Lord is keeping her going in it – all this while looking at the cross below the PowerPoints – learning about life and career networking, AI use for resume review, research and job hunting, as well as an Emotional Intelligence review, and how to beef up my Linked In.

(And lunch for a minimum donation fee) – wow…

The Jump Start your career search is a ministry by one woman who also engages her friends to help teach – and they together provide an opportunity tor the attendees to network with each other – and wow so many folks – and such good conversation. Yes, I did get to learn and push myself a bit further into the AI tools understanding, and found myself agreeing with the Emotional Intelligence (EQ) discussion – although my stress level response to the group had more to do with my concern that I might be allergy coughing in my “pollenhate stage” = than it did for a job search. But by the end of the presentation and very little coughing thank God because of the rain taking down the pollen pollution, I found myself more stressed in the AI tools and Linked In work that I surely must employ in this phase of job search. 

But the one non AI technique that allowed me to be part of the ministry was when a woman so overwhelmed was trying to hold back tears and i got to give her a hug. Please pray for her and all the job seekers – this woman was downsized from the social security administration and still in the grips of sadness and I could tell she needed to both let down her guard to cry it out – as well as she needed the hug to bring it back in – as well as she could see that the Lord was sending her so many messages this day…  Yeah – the truth about networking is working nets and it is about mutual conversation back and forth… I told her about my stages of brief (stages of grief in job loss and company transition) that I wrote for hopeful inclusion in an industry trade magazine, and she wanted to read it! so I emailed it right away. I would never choose to be unemployed but I would never not choose to be in a ministry that jumps out to me too – to be present.

See, Ministry should jump out at you – what is your ministry but to pay attention to what God wants you to do – whether you are helping to raise kids or grandkids – or run career advice workshops – or music ministry (actually the sound guy for this church was there and we chatted and he flies military helicopters for VIPs in the area – wow), or lunch and coffee ministry – which trust me is must appreciated. Then there is teaching preaching and reaching – there is building and vbs – and cleaning and supporting and speaking and wow – you name it and it is a ministry – depending on how you craft it – who motivates you to do it – and how you can praise God through it.

We even prayed at the end of the day – and she asked folks to either pray or simply be still while she prayed in thanks to this ministry opportunity. This organizer as 6000 followers on linked in and she was simply helping to put sandwiches out – as well as give a talk. Yes – a career ministry with seminars started jumping out at her years ago – and it surely helps us.

I appreciated that behind the lunch station was a basket of communion – I am not sure how they share it at this church or if it is always available, but it was nice and open and that it was simply there – in silent witness that this was a church that shares – and that people do care to let you know that churches and peoples care. 

So let us let our ministries jump out of us and let Jesus jump start one in us… 

There are so many roads to take – take HIS.

Amen

I like historical stuff, but the explosion of the Broadway hit musical Hamilton 10 years ago started a phenomenal insight of kids into some American history that they otherwise would not have studied or known. Similarly when “We Didn’t Start The Fire” by Billy Joel became a song hit that taught history, it was phenomenal. Did it make any difference in people’s awareness? I don’t know… but it was fun as a flash in the pan sensation…

Hamilton the Broadway show is too! And the tickets and the prices have stayed hot! It’s a great show. 

We excitedly won the lottery for getting tickets recently that only cost a Hamilton. Yes, 10 dollar tickets, the result of a lottery on the Hamilton app. Front row too!

The show brought something close to home (Revolutionary War and our nations founding by fighting through out Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and New York and New Jersey), brought it even closer to home in remembering these areas are right here and these people were both “the sinners and the saints” in one great song with lyrics that say death doesn’t discriminate between the two. And all throughout the story the characters consider their legacy as well as the founding of the great American experiment. 

In the musical George Washington speaks of being like Moses to bring people to a promised land. And yet politics and war and freedom and prosperity are complex existences let alone “goals”. Life here is not pretty in times of struggle and yet it’s always worth pursuing the pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit itself into happiness. 

“A message from the King…” well, the King George in the musical is hilarious, and from the seats we had (side orchestra front row I could touch the stage even), I was close enough to notice the high quality of the costumes and fabric, decorations and even the sturdiness of the props. King George’s red apparel was sharp and his crown glamorous sparkly not cheap. I noticed that they did not worry about looking authentic as this is a show, but they put quality into the visuals. 

There was a gentleman who waited in line near us in a complete green outfit from the period – at first I didn’t understand the visual but he was dressing like A. Ham’s second act outfit. This big fan had seen the show 10 times, he stood in awe and I can see his face in awe…

What was I in awe of? Presentation presence placement price process and prayer. I knew the precision of execution of the show was flawless and I tried really really hard not to cough, oh these allergies… and well that’s a whole other devotion for the Lord in prayer against phlegm. Well, I got through it! Grateful too for a cool enough wet day to wash pollen away. 

My scripture tickle in my ears was not the Moses line, it was the whole concept they spoke of about “see you on the other side“. They meant: “see you on the other side of the war”, sometimes “see you on the other side of the conversation”, and often “see you on the other side” of death. Yes – on the other side of death – that’s the connection to believe in, a plan pursued, a place promised – passing on passing through passing away passing past into peace. That’s the pursuit of life, liberty and peace in THE LORD’S PROMISE. (it’s not even a lottery, we are just chosen for faith by faith)…

As for America 250, I will pursue more history lessons and props and places. I know that summer is going to be a fun time of frivolous events from a fraught time. Yeah, war is not great but it happens and is tied to our history too. And we can at least try to understand the people who tried to make a difference and did.

And who made the whole difference to us? The King of Jesus whose message is the Word of God. We WILL see our loved ones and see God on the other side, face to face, thank you Jesus.

In 1st Peter, Peter acknowledged: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

We are blessed to aware and awake of OUR ONE TRUE KING JESUS WHO PREPARED FOR US: THE OTHER SIDE…

Amen 

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1Peter 1 NKJV
Greeting to the Elect Pilgrims

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

A Heavenly Inheritance
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.

Living Before God Our Father
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

The Enduring Word
Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because

“All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

YOU CAN COUNT ON JESUS FOR KISSES.

YOU CAN COUNT ON JESUS FOR LISTENING TO WISHES.

HE WILL EVEN MAKE YOU MORE LOVES AND FISHES.

AND AFTERWORDS EVEN CLEAN UP THE DISHES.

.

IT’S A DIVINE TIME

STRETCHING FROM THE JESUS VINE.

DON’T BE WORRIED IT WILL BE FINE.

AND CALL UP JESUS ON HIS DIME.

.

THERE’S NOTING MORE SWEET THAN JESUS.

KISSES AND MORE – HE DOES SO MUCH TO PLEASE US.

SO TAKE TIME TODAY FOR TRUE PRAISES.

AND WHEN FEELING DOWN – FEEL HIS LIFT – HIS RAISES.

.

BE WELL 

AND BE HIS

BE STILL

AND HAVE BLISSFULNESSES

BE HOPEFUL

AND BE JESUS’S

MOST OF ALL

FEEL THE DIVINE KISSES.

.

AMEN

It was a very blessed weekend, I caught a good few hour nap this recovery Monday, after sleeping all night… I had a great weekend but intensity plus relaxation plus people connecting in hyper drive takes a mini toll on the body, on sleep, which is crucial for processing. Gratefully Jesus keeps getting us back on track. I may not even choose to get on track for a while, I’m going to do much resting now, at my home station this week, before I travel again next week. 

One of our great and deepest conversations from the weekend, a spiritual 4 day weekend, was at my small table. We discussed that the Lord doesn’t always give us the quick fix for our problems. Sometimes it takes a long time and even sometimes not until we’re in Heaven for all to be remedied. Yet we DO see healings and answered prayers in many ways all the time, small and big things. AND WE ARE STRENGTHENED BY THE LORD FOR ALL OUR DAYS. “The Lord stood with me and strengthened me.” 2nd Tim 4:17

Now what about “Jesus cheese us”?

I know people MIGHT think it’s weird that I saved a piece of cheese (for now) that accidentally fell into my lanyard pack after taco night, but I was so impressed (as a scientist) with the spread oil stain that diffused from just one piece of cheese onto my paper. The oil stain might remind that a little grease in our wheels can go a long way. I even moved that cheese and another stain appeared. I may not save this cheese (or maybe I will, LOL), but what is not going to disappear from the weekend is the memory that God gave me, gave us, a moment to praise, pray, ponder, cry, collect ourselves, and hug… God put us together and we had time to figure out why, and start new friendships of faith, with free-form conversations of knowing Jesus IN us,  plus knowing that we need to share Jesus with others.

If a piece of cheese, which I could name: “Jesus cheese us”, can spread some grease, can not we better grease some conversations with HOPE, with PRAYER, with LOVE? With Jesus? If Jesus can cheese us, and choose us, then we can choose to cheese the world with a little love that goes a long way.

I have often relived an image (photo below) of a famous picture and notion. One of a little girl straightening her crown, with the caption of: “On the darkest days when I feel inadequate, unloved, and unworthy, I remember whose daughter I am, and I straighten my Crown!” It’s both a reminder of us being worthy and being chosen. 1 Peter 2:9 teaches: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…”

And for me? “When I have nothing left in my tank to give, I will remember that “Jesus cheese us” can always eek out one more streak of oil, and I can eek out one more praise of life lived loved by God.

God loves ya! 

Amen

I dilly-dallied in my trip home, from camp, a spiritually awesome weekend, just enough to see and feel the rain come, but not a heavy storm so I did not fear.

At camp, I loved time to disconnect from the world to connect more deeply with the Lord and each other.

So, in pondering pause, I stopped to write a devotion, and post it. That allowed me to see these rainbows. I had to chase them. One has to change direction driving ones life to get the sun at your back, you had to look to see how the LIGHT overcomes the darkness, it looks like the rainbows are a promise to push the darkness away… that is our faith too, we must re-angle our direction and point of view to see God’s rainbows (even while still in the storms)…

And in community or in solo, may we always feel God strengthening us.

Amen

In this portion of the small series Jesus Teaches, Jesus Tells, Jesus Truth, Jesus Trust

Jesus Tells

I recently started a new online bible study with a Lutheran pastor and church members which came to me in that sideways way that the Lord provides – and this pastor is going through John 6, the Bread of Life series of scriptures.  We know that Jesus is TELLING the others in a slightly coded way – He is clear and yet it is clever enough that people have to figure this out too – that Jesus Himself is God and the Messiah – and the Bread of Life – even before Jesus has Risen (haha – I think that is too funny of a great play on words – but truth!!!) Truth is that people would be willing to believe after He was Risen but surely still skeptical now – and the people who are amazed and want to make Jesus their King – an earthly King – are not yet getting the part that Jesus is a Heavelnly Messiah that must go through some rough times (in other words His earthly life will soon be toast – LOL)…

Anyway – in our discussion of John 6, the pastor stated that the greek text of scriptures is much more indepth because honestly all the Greek does not translate – that so much more insight into the conversation back and forth between Jesus and these possible disciples can be found in their conversation (and surely it is right to say “you had to be there”)…  So now – where do we get our crumbs of understanding from? Well, from Jesus plainly TELLING us – that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life…

May we believe in our hearts and our souls and serve in all mind body and soul and know – Jesus tells us to KNOW HIM – we should and we shall.

Amen

—

The Bread from Heaven – John 6:22-40 NKJV

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone— however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks— when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”

Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”

Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”

Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”

And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

I’m starting a short series: Jesus Teaches, Jesus Tells, Jesus Truth, Jesus Trust

Today is:

Jesus Teaches:

Jesus said – in teaching: (from Luke 6:46-49):  “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

Jesus teaches this because we can call Him Lord, as some of those people did, but still not pay attention to doing what He asks – and one thing He teaches and He asks is to “TRUST HIM – to listen and hear what Jesus is saying because that is one who builds on solid ground – we have the anchor of the Lord and we won’t be shaken – we look at things and troubles not as annoyances but as more opportunities to see how Jesus will navigate us. 

May we look at each day as an opportunity and not let the small stuff shake us – really put on armor of God to protect our hearts and keep moving – may we look to Jesus as LORD and hear HIM as Truth…  Let us keep looking to Him.

Amen

It might be a bit of pride,

Or experience which allows you to “let it slide”,

Or a voice that says, silently inside:

“This is how I ride.”

Face it, we all have a level of snide, 

Humility is not our jive.

.

Sometimes people have a competition of Boldness,

Like saying “whose the oldest?”

Some like to brag which contains a coldness.

Others roll and shun being real, no personal closeness.

.

Let us instead be warmed by the Lord

Let us let the inside Lion of Jesus ROAR

Let us speak up in silent calmness and be quiet in extreme praise.

When we need to see something – focus on Jesus – let Him be our gaze.

Humble ourselves to know best, 

Jesus is Lord – do not bother with the rest.

.

So – no need to be snide – instead take humility in stride.

And for the angst of this world – let that ride – and slide…

.

Amen

I appreciate that an action I took, starting a faith friday discussion group once a month, at my now former employer, it was mentioned in the global corporate citizenship report. This initiative was approved by the whole ERG, but I did run it – and I was grateful that we had good discussions by people of many faiths – and we learned from each other…

Today I went to my old work place – it was good to give a presentation to them. I also appreciated the opportunity to be in the building (where my former work place also is) and talk to at least 8 people – which is both nice for me and I think nice for them to know that I am still doing fine.

I decided to open my linked in profile today to “open to work” green circle and yes the recruiters have already started knocking on the door – you never know on these things – so many will clog the in box – but there might be something in there that is for me for a faith walk not just for work…

The Lord leads us in faith work – in both open faith forums, as well as simple day to day interactions. I think I appreciated this so much because I felt the Lord was in the midst of the meetings – and I appreciate that He wants all of us to be out there and just be His…

May we all be “open to work” for the Lord – you never know who is watching and that the Lord is watering their soil along with your seed planting – so true…

Amen

Calmess

Closeness 

Connections 

Conversations

Compassion 

Commitments 

Cooperation 

Comforting 

Completing

Correcting 

Concentrating 

Can do

Callings

Ceasing 

Creating 

Cultivating 

Culturing

Climbing 

Covering ground 

Covering your bases

Coasting 

Coming home 

…

Life is Carrying Out Your Calling.

Cooperatively. 

Amen 

.

Carry your cross in cooperative calling.

Carry out Christ in connections.

Carry out Christ in compassion.

Do no complaining.

Do no comparing.

Cover ground for you.

Make no comparisons to others.

Carry on…

Yes, Lord, I love to roam.

I also love to be home.

With You, Lord, love is the norm, You are my HOME.

.

Traveling, I love the gift of a new sight.

And with you Lord, I appreciate the “It’s alright.”

I bless You with my praises with every flight.

.

And since You are in every place.

I can be comforted as I run my race.

I love You Lord, Your Mercy and Grace. 

.

So now I see You, Lord, in each grass turned green,

Spring springing beautiful into summertime glean.

Fall and winter and all, thank You for putting me on Your Team.

.

Thank you Lord for my roam, my meeting new people and also for being home.

Life we live because You give.

Thanks for the life being on the love team.

Amen

It’s a glorious, sunny day and easter feelings continue not to mention the beautiful flowers that have sprung this time of year, it’s “greening up”… (and oh yes, yesterday I started my month-long regime of allergy medicine for the BIG pollen coming soon, the tree pollen.)

And resuming wonderful walks, I couldn’t help but think of the amazements of Easter and the spring springing… Life is coming alive. And on this wonderful walk maybe my neighbors don’t realize the hilarious visual, the juxtaposition of their giant skeleton halloween decoration, which remains up, still wearing a Santa hat, now surrounded by springs finest blooms… Imagine this giant skeleton now being chased and imaginingly being run over by the brightest yellow forsythia, yellow daffodils and white and pink hyacinth, and greenest of grass coming up between it’s toes. LIFE OVERTAKES DEATH. Life will scare the death out of you, and it will never return…

In HIM was LIFE, and the LIFE was the LIGHT of men. And the LIGHT SHINES in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There’s nothing compared to the roar of spring bursting onto the scene, except the ROAR of JESUS coming back to LIFE and the quiet humble entrance roar of Jesus, Immanuel, God with us. The lamb may have been slaughtered, but the lion of Judah surely reigns.

I may have written about this giant skeleton previously, because it does look familiar to me, of a puppet of death not able to think,  it’s plastic anyway, being used as a prop, but LIFE is LIGHT, the darkness would never be able to understand and will NOT win out.

Jesus saves. No one can take you out of Jesus’s hand. In jesus gives everlasting life. Death has lost its sting.

Okay, time to get that allergy medicine and get my walk in… Everybody keeps shining the LIGHT and know LIFE will scare the death out of the world and forever more.

Amen

John 1:1-34 NKJV 

The Eternal Word

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John’s Witness: The True Light

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word Becomes Flesh

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

A Voice in the Wilderness

Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”  He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?”

And he answered, “No.”

Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”

He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The Lamb of God

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”

And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

Wishing you the most glorious of Easter’s best – the knowledge of Jesus in Salvation. Easter Resurrection is Everything… Hallelujah

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Eagerly 

Anticipated 

Savior’s

Triumphant 

Easter 

Rising 

.

Resurrection 

Easter 

Savior 

Undoes

Rescues 

Rectifying 

Empowering 

Christians

Triumphantly

Immanuel 

Overcomes 

Necessarily

.

Amen

Happy Easter!

HE HAS RISEN INDEED!

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John 20 NKJV

The Empty Tomb
Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord
But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

The Apostles Commissioned
Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Seeing and Believing
Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”

So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

That You May Believe
And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

A poem for Holy Thursday…

. .

It would be best, I do not jest,

To pray for others, us and the rest.

.

Reserve a SPACE FOR GRACE,

To FORGIVE others in place.

.

Moments of life,

Sometimes bring strife.

.

Our attitude of gratitude, 

Is actually like a beatitude.

.

Blessed are those who give GRACE.

Who re-gift forgiveness with time and space. 

.

Let our hearts carry a new beat, like a new life pacemaker. 

Christ-like, in forgiving, let us be His PEACEMAKER.

.

May we all know God’s Grace, 

Then share it in THIS PLACE. 

.

AMEN 

—

Matthew 5:1- NKJV

The Beatitudes

And seeing the multitudes, Jesus went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Believers Are Salt and Light

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

In the Road to Emmaus, Jesus kept walking, 

Jesus could TALK while He WALKED.

In the Road to Emmaus, Jesus kept talking, 

Jesus could WALK while He TALKED. 

.

In the Road to Emmaus, the disciples kept walking, 

The disciples could LISTEN while they WALKED.

In the Road to Emmaus, the disciples kept LISTENING, 

The disciples could WALK while they LISTENED.

.

At end of the walk,

Jesus could STAY, Jesus could SHARE.

At the end of the walk, 

the disciples could SHARE, the disciples could GO!

.

At the end of the sharing and walking, there was going and sharing. Jesus has us coming and going. Jesus has us going and sharing. Jesus has us sharing and understanding. Let us walk worship into understanding…

Understanding. 

Amen 

I appreciated the scripture email this morning from my Bible Gateway subscription, I also appreciated, during this Holy Week, it is Old Testament prophet Isaiah recording God’s good Word about the Messiah coming but already accomplished His Goal:

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:5-6

Isaiah writes in old testament prophecy, before Jesus was born on earth, in verbiage past tense because God made the plan and the plan was perfected of a perfect person in Jesus – well before we were born – and from before the beginning of time. God already knew our way of sin – our transgressions – our birth into Adam and Eve’s sinful state – and knew of our need for a Savior. Jesus, our Lord and Savior, gives us the Peace that He was pierced for – His wounds – by His Stripes we are healed. We do have the ONE peace we have – Jesus. That is a thoughtful Tuesday triumph this Holy Week – God got the job done – the war won – before the battle even started.

Life, therefore, should be lived in the present – knowing the past and the future are surely under God’s control.

“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.” David Bowie

Down time last night was so necessary for me after a very blessed busy day at the science meeting – including re-seeing a friend first time from over 35 years ago – we were young in an early lab setting as undergraduate workers – time flies but our 10 minute recap of each of our lives proved the statement by David Bowie – life is not boring.

Also in the day was much networking, random interactions that blessed my time, and again delicious food provided in this bubble of scientific blessing – including the talk of the day – the visit from the therapy dogs – so cute.

My downtime last night included a completion of the HBO documentary on David Bowie’s last 5 years – as a singer and artist – and icon and aged time traveller – the fast train lifestyle that David Bowie lived in the 70’s yielded a reclusive lifestyle in the early 2000’s – and his cancer treatments and illness were hidden until the days he released his last album and passed away 2 days later. I loved remembering the love that poured out – and yes the videos and songs “Lazarus” and “Blackstar” spoke to me as coming from someone readjusting and realizing his mortality and God’s gift of immortality. Imagine now, David, that where you – where we – are going is not going to be boring – not in Heaven – not in not Heaven – not in earth now – not ever. 

NOT BORING…

If we could gather any strength from this Holy Week Thoughtful Tuesday, let it be from realizing Jesus making a Way where there was no way. Let it be known that Jesus died for all – those who have not yet met Him but will – those who will not believe Him but might – and those who KNOW – KNOW that He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors – FOR OUR PEACE...

Peace be with you today and always…

Amen

—

Isaiah 52:14-Isaiah 53

Just as many were astonished at you,
So His visage was marred more than any man,
And His form more than the sons of men;
So shall He sprinkle many nations.
Kings shall shut their mouths at Him;
For what had not been told them they shall see,
And what they had not heard they shall consider.

.

The Sin-Bearing Messiah
Who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,
And as a root out of dry ground.
He has no form or comeliness;
And when we see Him,
There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment,
And who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
And they made His grave with the wicked—
But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.

---

Who Knew

3 months after Christmas, Time Flew

And now SPRING – we are starting ANEW

And we pay we can say, in faith, WE GREW

.

An image of a new green sprout – 

Really that is what life is all about – 

Green and bright – strong and all right

And Spring takes away the dreaded winter doubt.

.

So let us start a new path

A new shoot, a new graft.

Let us look at the Lord and say WOW

Let us look to Him and say AND HOW!

.

So truths are abounding

Jesus is surrounding

Life is rebounding

And the scriptures are resounding.

.

Spring is Sprouting ANEW

Let us know “Winter, we are done with you!”

Let us all hear and view.

Let us let Jesus’s voice resonate through!

.

AMEN

By Faith not sight 

Walk knowingly without fright 

Sometimes HOLD TIGHT 

Then fight the good fight 

.

By SIGHT things are confusing 

Beware of folly even if amusing 

Decisions are about BEST choosing 

So do right by God by listening with FINE TUNING

.

Be the one holding your refilling cup.

Walk with head down but CHIN UP.

You know it’s dangerous to grandstand, but NEVER give up.

God will lead, so BY FAITH look up.

.

By Faith not sight 

Heaven is our home 

Yet Earth we must roam

So be able to wait for the Lord for HIS LIGHT.

.

And decide to be alright. 

. 

Amen 

A continued recipe to strengthen us – from Heaven. We are to be strengthened by the knowledge that God is the one strengthening us – that He is guiding us place to place and even when we stay still – and He, our Lord Almighty, is guarding us – our hearts and our steps. For this we are to be thankful and to step carefully and to return to Him – going WITH God.

We continue from St Patrick’s Prayer – the middle part – more strengthening and arising. A recipe to remind – because when we see the majesty of the creations of the Lord – how can we not also realize that He cares for and strengthens us…  We are an amazing part of His creation – a VERY GOOD part.

Part 2 of St Patrick’s Poem:

I arise today –

through The strength of heaven, The light of the sun, The radiance of the moon, The splendour of fire, The speed of lightning, The swiftness of wind, The depth of the sea, The stability of the earth, The firmness of rock.

I arise today –

through God’s strength to pilot me, God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me, God’s shield to protect me, God’s host to save me From snares of devils, From temptation of vices, From everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and near.  

(to be continued tomorrow – stay tuned or read ahead on the attached prayer)

AMEN

I appreciate pick-me-up phrases like:

“You Rock !!!”

“This is your season!”

“Keep your head down, but your chin up!” (wrote this one myself)

and

“If God is for us, who can be against us?”

OH!!!

The last line there is scripture not just a saying – and scripture IS Jesus – the Word Made Flesh – so Jesus says He is FOR us! Really, could we be more blessed than that? WOW!

Jesus, YOU ROCK!

Jesus – IS the Rock – our Savior and Salvation – and some amazing friend too.

I came across a “YOU ROCK” figurine as I walked into a new moment at an old place – I appreciated it many ways including that when I had walked out the back door of the same place, the last piece of paper that I saw was a placard I had made that said: “YOU ROCK!” Seemed not eerie but cool – and I smiled…

“YOU ROCK” is also “YOU, ROCK, You Jesus are my Rock – my foundation and my security and my hope and my step”. Yes, Jesus is all that. The firm foundation of a life of faith is not to be ignored or underplayed or taken for granted – it is our faith which gets us through – it is HIS FAITH in us which comes from the Holy Spirit expressing praise through us to the Holy Hope we have.

And when we are down and out in worldly situations, we are to remember WHOSE we are – we are children of God – and blessed to be – and not to take a self-righteous swagger but to hold onto the righteousness of the Lord “righting” our situation, “standing us back up” in His Strength, not ours. I was the one who combined: “Keep your head down but your head up” meaning keep you head down and don’t be a rabble rouser or sour note – don’t be a troublemaker for trivial things nor put yourself out there to be lopped off and discarded – keep your head down so you live to live another day – AND “keep your chin up” is a classic saying which means don’t get discouraged – don’t be glum – be optimistic… 

Romans 8 scripture from Paul has more of those great “pick me up” sayings like:

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” – “who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit”

“Jesus has made me free…”

“And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness”

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons [children] of God”

“you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.'”

As children of God, we are “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ”

“if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”

“we were saved in this hope”

“all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

“we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us”

“neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“If God is for us, who can be against us?”

NOTHING SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“So keep your head down but your CHIN UP!”

YOU ROCK!!!!

AMEN AMEN AMEN

—

Romans 8 NKJV

Free from Indwelling Sin

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.  And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Sonship Through the Spirit

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

From Suffering to Glory

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

God’s Everlasting Love

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Perseverance Pep Talk Poem

I should surely seize

Every opportunity to be on my knees,

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING, yes, geez.. 

“Open the eyes of my heart, Lord”, PLEASE. 

.

Today I start a new day to PRAISE,

Awareness of Him to RAISE.

WALK IN THE LIGHT THESE DAYS.

Blessed opportunities even in trials, Oh to only Him I gaze.

.

If we only knew,

How TRIALS are TRAINING, TRUE!

Perseverance will get us through.

And this surely I can attest to!

.

Let us take Your Guidance Lord, let us not gawk.

Let us come to your Word and further our walk.

Help us to believe, not just talk the talk.

I will wait upon the Lord, then WALK. 

.

Thank You Lord for this pep talk!!!

.

Amen 

.

Psalm 27:14

Wait on the Lord;

Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart;

Wait, I say, on the Lord!

.

“POC” – it’s an acronym that has lots of possibilities. 

Point of Contact 

Proof of Concept 

Point of Contention 

But how about Power of Christ?

What is the Power of Christ in our lives?

POC

Power of Calling 

Power of Caring 

Power of Concern 

Power of Continuing on…

POS 

Power of Salt?

Point of Salvation 

Proof of SHINE 

Possibility of Surrender…

POWER 

Prevent our worry each rest 

Pluck out water entrenched rescue 

Pause over what everyone requests 

Point out with enthusiasm righteousness 

POWWOW

Pray Oh Wonder While Often Walking

Pursue Only Wondrous Worship Over Woe

Partake Of Willing Work over Whim 

Power Of Witness Will Offer Proof 

Amen to the Power of Christ 

WOW WOW WOW!

God’s creations and our appreciation – that’s the Mote Aquarium visit of yesterday’s day 4 Florida vacation – WOW WOW WOW – BEAUTIFUL beyond imagination…

Our trust in God and in each other… that’s the amazing trip to the circus – the AMAZING Sarasota circus – WOW WOW WOW – even especially seeing the amazing skills and strength of the performers. WOW.

THE TRUST THE PERFORMERS HAVE FOR EACH OTHER AND IN THEIR CREW, WOW. AND WOW SURELY THEIR TRUST IN GOD TO GET THEM THROUGH. WOW!!!

WOW. If we can trust swinging in the air, surely we can trust God Who made the air!

The aquarium showcased so many of God’s amazing creatures from playful otters to shy octopus, from silky smooth rays to spiny sea urchins, many of which I touched, and liked touching the starfish, it felt real and really alive… The dedication of the staff is a microcosm of how God trusts us to take care of His creation. If God can trust us with His world, surely we can trust God Who made the world. 

And as for getting around this week, now did I put my trust in the airplane pilots and trust in the boat captain, trust in my friend’s driving and trust in the cybertruck, which self drove half of our trips down here. Well, if we can trust technology and human nature, to a point, even trusting that it will fall apart at times, then SURELY WE CAN TRUST GOD, Who picks up the pieces in the world and of the world. 

TRUST is the WOW WOW WOW of living. Trust God today!

And as I close this vacation, flying out this morning, I will trust in the Lord for everything, and THANK the Lord for my generous friends here, and for His generosity for my free time.

If God takes care of the birds, surely He will take care of us.

Amen 

Proverbs 3 NKJV

My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; For length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.

Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.

Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction; For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her. The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens; By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And clouds drop down the dew.

My son, let them not depart from your eyes – Keep sound wisdom and discretion; So they will be life to your soul And grace to your neck. Then you will walk safely in your way, And your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; 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 the power of your hand to do so. Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you. Do not devise evil against your neighbor, For he dwells by you for safety’s sake. Do not strive with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm.

Do not envy the oppressor, And choose none of his ways; For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord, But His secret counsel is with the upright. The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just. Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble. The wise shall inherit glory, But shame shall be the legacy of fools.

“DON’T OVERTHINK IT”

“Don’t overthink it” they said at the training I attended yesterday – which means “Let go and let God” – which means let the Holy Spirit show you the way – which means “His ways are above our ways” – which means in a prayer for discernment: Don’t over scrutinize. 

I know it’s a universal scripture, but it pertains to me in quite unique ways, right at this very moment. (Yeah WOW I see God moving things around in my life, which is a BE STILL moment)…

A poem:

Don’t overthink it.

Don’t overblink it.

Let go and Let God.

Don’t think God as odd.

Follow the Spirit 

Believe it and hear it,

Actually Believe Him, Love Him, 

(3 in 1 is Him of Them)

An abundance in life, 

Over pain or falsehood or strife, 

Is listening to Him,

Over any whim.

Including when and what to begin again. 

Amen amen 

So, I wrote “don’t overthink it” on my hand, Actually wrote a lot on my hand for I havent for a while, but the reminders and scripture were paramount, and I took a photo before I washed it off. “Don’t overthink it”  and also wrote a repeated reference to the best scripture of my day/week/month: Luke 5:47 “For with God nothing will be impossible.” Yeah, a rephrase on my hand that I wrote: with God ALL things are possible… YEAH…

Discernment is part of our blessing using God’s Wisdom. Discernment is hard using just our human instincts. Discernment of His Plan over our plans is just plain hard when we don’t let God work His Plan – not that we can stop God – but we can fail to realize God is saying: “Hey, I’m working here!” Let us let God be God and us NOT overthink it. 

Amid my cutting and pasting of the actual scripture, I realized that it was immediately before my “life verse” which I often fail to comply with, Luke 5:38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” YES LORD I WANT TO COMPLY, WITHOUT ALWAYS ASKING WHY…

YES. WE BEST ask God to use us, or at least try to see how He is ALREADY using us.

Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live…

So, in DISCERNMENT, let us yield to the Lord with His Plan over ours (over mine). It’s not that He doesn’t include me, include us, because He certainly DOES, it’s exactly that He is USING US IN His Plan. Many times He only gives us info one day at a time, so let us refresh listening each day.

As for me? It’s best I commit these scriptures to memory, because my hand has to get washed, and because God’s Hand and God’s Word is sufficient (and never returns to Him void).

Thanks Lord for this pep talk (again).

Amen 

Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.

—

Isaiah 55 NKJV

An Invitation to Abundant Life

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance.

Incline your ear, and come to Me.

Hear, and your soul shall live;

And I will make an everlasting covenant with you – the sure mercies of David. Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, A leader and commander for the people. Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you shall run to you, Because of the Lord your God, And the Holy One of Israel; For He has glorified you.”

Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.

Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

“For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the Lord for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

My friend just showed me a photo of her new young cousin. As well as showed me a 40-year-old photo of her sister as a baby.  Amazing striking resemblance. Her sister is passed on now – like 30 years – a tough cancer that had taken her too young. Yet this new baby cousin brings my friend the sweet memories of her sister all while being the unique person she is.

Likewise I am spitting image of my grandmother. People tell me I even sneeze like her, LOUD. Plus my daughter looks like me so much that I call her my mini-me. The hair and the face – there are characteristics that one can recognize even if we are very unique in ourselves.

I wonder how God envisioned this for us – that we have strong enough DNA to express face characteristics and body types – and yet the mixing and matching of chromosome rearrangements during meiosis over the generations give us uniqueness – and add on top of that our personalities – yeah that is an independent expression in us – including that LOUD sneeze of mine – a LOUD yawn too – of that feels so good.

God made us in HIS IMAGE – He probably likes looking at us and smiling at the resemblance and yet it is not looking in the mirror at Himself but looking at how He expressed His creation into being – I believe that we carry His Spirit because He told us that He instills that into us but also because I feel it – He is in us and we are in Him. Solomon would right that God placed eternity into each of our hearts – and that is where I find my mind wander even if I know my steps are to be one day at a time. And worry? Well, if we are to be most God like – we need to stop worrying about the things we can’t change because God can change things – at least He can bring things to fruition over eternity if He doesn’t choose to change something today. We just have to wait it out – we just do.

In eternity, I am hopeful to meet my grandmother once again – as well as my great grandparents and whomever gave me my DNA – and my sneeze – and my yawns. And I long to see God face to face – to see Jesus and feel Him holding me – to once again see a renewed spirit in myself and to see how God re-reconstructs us for an afterlife family reunion. Oh the Love – and wow God’s Sprit which is LOVE will prevail in being expressed in our spirits and we will understand God’s waiting and His LOVE – Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Imagine in God’s Image how He sees us – He sees us HOME – He sees us HIS – He sees us as more than just a warm fuzzy of faces – God wants to see His Eternity in our hearts. God waits and endures all things – and God watches us as His come HOME.

Amen

—

Ecclesiastes 3 NKJV

Everything Has Its Time

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.

The God-Given Task
What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.

I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.
That which is has already been,
And what is to be has already been;
And God requires an account of what is past.

Injustice Seems to Prevail
Moreover I saw under the sun:

In the place of judgment, Wickedness was there;
And in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there.

I said in my heart, “God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,
For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.” For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust. Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth? So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?

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1 Corinthians 13 NKJV

The Greatest Gift
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

My Dad set aside some coins for me, now vintage  like me, like this set of my birth year, in a bag with my name “DEBBIE” on it with big block letters. These coins are not super rare or valuable, but because they were set aside, they are PRECIOUS to me. My Dad set aside for me, for sentimental remembering and for worldly value too, but the most value to me is the sticker where he wrote my name himself, he took the time to set it aside and to direct it to me.

Our Heavenly Father also has and will “set aside” – set aside not necessarily worldly things but “set aside” you and me. Yes He sets us aside from worldliness. Our God, names us as His. We are set aside uniquely and for forever.

Our Lord will also call us with a new given name, revealed to us in Heaven. We are set aside by name. 

Our Father Who Art in Heaven will greet us there too. We are set aside by LOVE. 

On earth as it is in Heaven, our Lord Jesus has shown us the Way and tells us we are His, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” We are set aside as His.

“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish...” We are set aside for forever. 

“neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” We are set aside and not forgotten. 

We are set aside for PURPOSE.

We are set aside BECAUSE WE ARE CHERISHED.

The Truth Shall Make us Free – WE ARE SET ASIDE BECAUSE OF GOD’S TRUTH IN US.

Let us TRUST in GOD.

AMEN

—

JOHN 8:31-36 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

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John 10:27-28 KJV

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

—

2 Corinthians 5:12-21 NKJV

Be Reconciled to God
For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Today I ponder that Ash Wednesday snuck up on me – it is already LENT? Well tomorrow… How did that happen when Christmas was less than 2 months ago – or am I counting that wrong? No, truly I still have Christmas candy all over my table – at least the Halloween candy is long gone…

But really – if I think of the Christmas season less than 2 months ago – how can I even fathom that I also forgot about my Christmas mindset too! I was pondering back then – Luke 1-2 of how Jesus came – and how He started His work – and now we have to think of Him walking to the cross? Time flies – and so does the life frenzy…

But we condense time mentally too, it was thirty years before Jesus walked to the cross 

2 months ago in a devotion I said something about finding peace in pondering the Lord: “Today I ponder a Christmas Jesus – it seems that the only break from stress comes when I ask the Lord to calm the Christmas commotion in my life – it really happened 2 days ago when I was in a frenzy and just prayed and just calmed down… Returning to the Lord gave me peace back.”

That was 2 months ago and now I can’t even remember what that particular frenzy was, except that I know it was Christmas frenzy time – enough said! 

Now, I feel that tapping into our peace of purpose is paramount in pondering Lent – it is not that we rush Jesus to the cross – but that we need to slow down our stress in these days,  just like when He Jesus Himself stopped and prayed…

I wrote 2 months ago at Christmas that: “our knowledge of the Almighty Amazing Forever Hope – Jesus has victory – we best pause in that praise and ponder…” 

So yes, we recognize the Christmas Jesus because we know the Easter Jesus – we know why it was and is important for Jesus to be Jesus. We feel the pain of the Lenten Jesus and hopefully know the HOPE of the Easter Jesus.

Let us attach to OUR Easter Jesus – OUR Lenten Jesus – OUR always Jesus, now and forever…

Amen 

A poem of P’s for Peter

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Perhaps passionate is a particular for Peter, he is passionate in his personality and purposes. 

Peter was Simeon and snagged sea creatures in success but Jesus summoned Simeon to be more, to be Peter, passionate Peter, to pursue people. Peter became the pitcher of plans.

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Peter at a Passover party proposed a pushback to the problems Jesus proposed but Jesus saw stuck Simeon saying that, so said “get behind me Satan”. Peter pitied his own self. Peter’s sword picked up a fight painfully. Then on the night of the pursuit of partners of Jesus, Peter positioned himself pushing back, in the polar opposite of his proper place. Peter fell to pieces. But the posted poultry protested presently and Jesus peered painfully at him. 

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Peter paused and Jesus pitied. 

Peter pained.

Peter powerless.

Peter was Peter.

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Peter glimpsed then the Plan.

Peter pushed past people who peered into the empty earth pocket. Where perhaps was Jesus?

Peter was particularly pursued in Presence and purpose for Risen Jesus’s Passionate Pledges: “Yes, Lord, I love You.” 

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Peter had to learn place, piety, and where to place his purpose.

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Peter’s passionate pleas pursued a plethora of Jews and Gentiles on the planet, people of the Plan, pieces of the puzzle.

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There’s proof in the pudding, Peter’s powerful pleadings were the passion not passive power that pursued. Peter said we have become a priesthood not for pride but for prayers and praise. 

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Pleadings Pledges Place.

Prayers and Praises.

Thank you Peter.

Praises from Pilgrims, Preciously Purified, Prophetic for Peace.

Amen

Amen 

1 Peter 1 NKJV

Greeting to the Elect Pilgrims

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

A Heavenly Inheritance

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.

Living Before God Our Father

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

The Enduring Word

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because

“All flesh is as grass,

And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.

The grass withers,

And its flower falls away,

But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

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Reading Psalm 90, I am reminded of my frailty and our frailty – and yet our strength – gifted by God. We are amazing bodies – and yet we do run out of steam…

I was surprised (even though I should not have been) at how TOUGH it was to get my trash cans out from the embedded snow and ice – wow – plus they were full of junk that we had tossed in for 2 weeks while not being able to get them to the curb due to the snow and ice and them being stuck – I put it off – but this week made the effort and dug them out – whew!

In doing so, I remembered that I was grateful that my friend, who acknowledged her frailty, moved into single living apartments for seniors last fall – before this classic winter of snow and ice. She and I had discussed her issues with these trashcans – which are taller than some people I know – and that the smaller ones were not yet available – and wow yeah – nearly impossible to deal with if you didn’t have the strength. Even the cans themselves crack and lose wheels in the rough handling of the trucks – it is a price we pay for throwing stuff away – and for accumulating too much of it ahead of time too…  That is who we are – we just do – me too…

Frailty in us is such the reminder that God is NOT frail – God is forever – and God is God – from everlasting to everlasting. And time passes so quickly that we should ask the Lord to number our days – and that we are just a short time on this earth like every person: “In the morning they are like grass which grows up: In the morning it flourishes and grows up; In the evening it is cut down and withers.”

So we pray compassion from our Lord – we pray “So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.” – and we pray for ourselves and for others that “we may rejoice and be glad all our days! Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us…”

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.

Yes Lord, establish the work of our hands – and bring us strength for the lives we lead (and for the trash cans too).

Amen

—
Psalm 90 NKJV 

The Eternity of God, and Man’s Frailty
A Prayer of Moses the man of God.
Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

You turn man to destruction,
And say, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in Your sight
Are like yesterday when it is past,
And like a watch in the night.
You carry them away like a flood;
They are like a sleep.
In the morning they are like grass which grows up:
In the morning it flourishes and grows up;
In the evening it is cut down and withers.

For we have been consumed by Your anger,
And by Your wrath we are terrified.
You have set our iniquities before You,
Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.
For all our days have passed away in Your wrath;
We finish our years like a sigh.
The days of our lives are seventy years;
And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,
Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow;
For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Who knows the power of Your anger?
For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.
So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Return, O Lord! How long?
And have compassion on Your servants.
Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!
Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us,
The years in which we have seen evil.
Let Your work appear to Your servants,
And Your glory to their children.
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands.

It is never too early to start thinking about Vacation Bible School – and this year (for one of my church families) we get excited about the most recent Group Publishing kit: Rainforest Falls.

Here are the amazing bible lessons and scriptures – amazing bible messages this year: from Group Publishing – I will dive deeper into them this week…

https://www.group.com/childrens-ministry/vbs/rainforest-falls/

Rainforest Falls VBS (2026) focuses on the theme “Wow, God!” 

Psalm 103:22: “Praise the Lord, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom.” 

The five-day curriculum highlights God as Creator, All-Knowing, Safe Place, Love, and Forever.

Daily Scriptures:

Day 1 (Creator): Psalm 103:22 – “Praise the Lord, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom”.
Day 2 (All-Knowing): Psalm 139:1 – “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me”.
Day 3 (Safe Place): Psalm 142:5 – “Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, ‘You are my place of refuge'”.
Day 4 (Love): Psalm 136:1 – “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever”.
Day 5 (Forever): Psalm 115:18 – “But we can praise the Lord both now and forever! Praise the Lord!”.

Key Bible Stories & Themes:

Creation: Genesis 1.
David/God’s Knowledge: Psalm 139.
David/Saul: 1 Samuel 23–24.
Jesus’ Love: Luke 22:39–24:12.
Heaven: Revelation 7:17; 21–22. 

Psalm 103 NKJV
Praise for the Lord’s Mercies
A Psalm of David.

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

The Lord has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all.

Bless the Lord, you His angels,
Who excel in strength, who do His word,
Heeding the voice of His word.
Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
Bless the Lord, all His works,
In all places of His dominion.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!