Being Thankful

I enjoyed a “PROJECT” yesterday – I do enjoy this new choice to pursue a decluttering sideline helping others – it ticks lots of mental boxes in my head – I feel productive – it is useful – it is interesting – it is needed for our level of stuffing stuff in lots of places…

My sorting paper was with a friend of a friend. I appreciated more than it was more than just “keeping busy”, I appreciated MAKING PROGRESS. This woman was a schoolteacher for years and she had tremendous amounts of great handouts and art projects and we sorted to give them to her friend for her children – they will get put to good use. We reminisced about some great books she also had, like “The old lady who swallowed a fly.” CLASSIC… I am thankful that I can sing that song after 50 years – still in my head…

Seeing the papers also made me feel blessed that I grew up learning in such an environment with wonderful teachers who used these types of tools… Sometimes stuff is just that but this was good stuff.

Separately, I heard of a family that had a fire yesterday – a neighbor of a friend – and wow that is our biggest fear – fire – losing our stuff. I pray them new stuff and that they get to repair some of their heartache at some point – and counting blessings that they are all OK. It is just stuff I know – and the family is fine – but how hurtful to lose stuff which is more than stuff – when it is the stuff of memories.

I am thankful for my stuff and thankful to hold onto it – but maybe a little more organized these days – which is why I organized the different sauce packets in my fridge over the weekend – silly but so nice now to just grab my favorite sauces… Neat…

I even dreamt last night (this morning) about being productive – that was a good motivation for this morning too – and I started to clean my own house (rarely do I do that!)

My sorting yesterday was with a friend of a friend. I appreciated that it was more than just “keeping busy”, I appreciated MAKING PROGRESS. This woman was a schoolteacher for years and she had tremendous amounts of great handouts and art projects and we sorted to give them to her friend for her children – they will get put to good use. We reminisced about some great books she also had, like “The old lady who swallowed a fly.” CLASSIC… I am thankful that I can sing that song after 50 years – still in my head…

Separately, I heard of a family that had a fire yesterday – a neighbor of a friend – and wow that is our biggest fear – fire – losing our stuff. I pray them new stuff and that they get to repair some of their heartache at some point – and counting blessings that they are all OK. It is just stuff – we know that – and the family is fine – but how hurtful to lose stuff which is more than stuff – when it is the stuff of memories.

I am thankful for my stuff of memories (and of clutter) and thankful to hold onto it – but maybe a little more organized these days – which is why I organized the different sauce packets in my fridge over the weekend – silly but so nice now to just grab my favorite sauces… Neat…

And I started to think of all the other things that I am thankful for…

I’m thankful my fridge is full of yummy food, and I can add flavor to the bland food too.

I’m thankful when I got hungry today, yesterday, later, and that day that I had remembered to pack a lunch with me. I’m thankful for stong flavors, like in fried onions, and mild ones like sandwiches, and seasonal flavors like tomatoes, and sweet ones like in ice cream, like in everything.

I’m thankful that I learned in the ways that I did growing up – in school and in life.

I’m thankful that I am still learning now.

I’m thankful I can still sort stuff, have stuff and have a car to drive my stuff around.

I’m thankful that the leaves are changing colors now, and that the sun is shining on me as I write this.

I’m thankful for being thought-filled.

Beiing thought-filled reminded me to be even more thankful of many things.

I am thankful that I can walk, step by step.

I am thankful I like to be busy, project by project.

I’m thankful when I realize I’m just spinning my wheels, and I tell myself to STOP.

I’m thankful when I feel pain and stop what I’m doing.

I’m saying for when I remember to rest.

I am thankful I can feel the sunshine right now, in the waning warmth of the sunset, of the fall, no frost yet.

I’m thankful for seeing a beautiful monarch butterfly yesterday, the last of the season.

I’m thankful that even though the thought of winter is sad. The knowledge that spring will come again is invigorating.

I am thankful that in life I’ve had a lot of time to think.

I am thankful that I’ve spent a lot of thinking about being thankful.

I am thankful that as soon as the sun went down, I felt the chill and that told me to go inside.

I’m thankful inside is warm.

I’m thankful I have a home.

I’m thankful to be home.

I’m thankful God tells me to think about my forever Home.

I’m thankful for God.

I’m thankful He makes me thankful.

I’m thankful that I try to stop NOT being thankful when I forget to be thankful.

I’m thankful God made me, flaws and all, and that He tells me He loves me.

I am glad God is love.

I love God.

Amen

—

Thanks for listening – I am thankful for you all.

Psalm 69:30-32 NIV

I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves. The poor will see and be glad— you who seek God, may your hearts live!

A Perfect Back Up Plan, Psalm 51

Among the multitude of funny-placed skeletons in the Halloween display of a neighbor’s yard was this intriguing plastic gravestone prop: “Death is but a passing through a door that opens to a new life.” Hmmmmm…. well true… I found this one not hilarious like the “Anita Shovel” fake gravestone – but a tough of truth – even if meant to be spooky…

I think we need to think of a new life in our future – a secured one by the sacrifice of Jesus – and a certain one not by our bravado or our horror-focus – but instead by asking the Lord to find us willing to be in repentance (as David would write in the Psalms): The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart — These, O God, You will not despise.

So, yes – our perfect “back up” plan is our PERFECT Savior – and our perfect primary plan too, of course. In other words, our Alpha and Omega of a Savior is where we are coming and going – from dust to dust…

And not to be morbid – although we know that we joke so much at Halloween – really that is where we have to find relief – in our Savior – and in a “here today – gone tomorrow – new life forever” mentality. We can not live without courage in both the here and now – and in the future some how. Courage, Strength, Contrite hearts – broken spirits – and a joy that will keep us going crossing over the end breath to the forever breadth of new life.

I am in NO rush to my time ending here on earth – and yet must be SO EXCITED to have a forever in PERFECTION of Jesus – meanwhile I will pray the song of David – “Create in me a clean heart” – “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, oh Lord, And take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. – Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation, And renew a right spirit within me.”…

And for this perfect back up plan – let us not be afraid but be grateful that the Lord will cover us with His Forgiveness – as we pray for mercy and grace – to wash us clean from what we have done and failed to do – to make a clean new person in us from pulling us from the quagmires of life – clearing all the crud underneath the fingernails of our life stories – and wipe clean the old dredged up ugliness in the past. We pray Lord for this renewed spirit – and the whole kit and kaboodle of new life.

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness…

Amen

—-

Psalm 51 NKJV

A Prayer of Repentance

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.

For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You.

Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart — These, O God, You will not despise.

Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.

The Path We Walk, The Gate, The Faith to Follow Jesus, Matthew 7

Last week I enjoyed chatting with some lab-minded scientists, discussing the tricky situation they had for isolating plant DNA – a known tough issue with cell-wall containing material. Somehow we got on a conversation about lab superstitions like wearing your lucky socks or I had a good luck stuffed bear from a vendor show which I said protected against some degradation contaminants… We all laughed and surely many of us have not necessarily a lucky charm, a rabbit’s foot or some quirky fun way to see if we can work things in our favor. I know that this is not real – and even black cats crossing our paths are not a problem Some advice, like not walking under a ladder, we can try to tease out good general advice from bad black magic level hocus pocus.

I looked down at my water bottle provided with the luncheon, and it said “PATH” – I said to myself, “Yes Lord – I know that You want us to be aware of our PATH – where we walk – how we step – and what we say – and how we pray. I backtracked from my laughing and then looked for the window of opportunity in the conversation to try to inject that I had FAITH not folly guiding me. I told them the story of a science project which could have gone one of three ways when I saw a seemingly spurious result, and that I prayed and prayed until I talked to the client and found out wow they had the same result – it all worked out fine. I thanked the Lord for the reassurance… They smiled and we continued our conversations at the free lunch (which you could say is never a free lunch when you have to PAY attention to what you say. Always good to quench your thirst on Living Water and not just bottled)… Anyway, ALL GOOD…

It is good for us to Pray on the Path of Life and PRAISE God all the time…

I remember the advice of Jesus from Matthew 7 – The way to destruction is wide but “narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” When we follow Jesus, our witness needs to be shown of HOW we DO TRUST – and how we are not projecting or absorbing sourpuss attitudes towards things… Our way that we TRUST in the Lord – reach out to Him – and know that He gives us good things – these are crucial to show others… No lucky socks required when Jesus is the One who is taking off our sandals and washing our feet – making us clean – covering us with His Blood – allowing us to walk more cleanly and clearly and confidently following Him in His Way. To find that gate – we need to let Him guide us – and He does. Jesus wants us to keep going and keep believing.

We also have to be aware of the situations presented in front of us – does something someone is promising seem TOO good a promise? Remember the scripture that we will know by the fruits that are made from the lives lived: “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits [the false prophets] you will know them.”

It is our PATH of faith to follow Jesus, which will give us the right steps to walk WITH Him. We can keep asking for help, seeking Him, and then be open to what He shows us. His Ways are above our ways – so let us look closely at the path we walk, the gate, and our faith to follow Jesus…

We won’t be lucky – we will be blessed – and we already are…

Amen

—-

Matthew 7:7-20 NKJV

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow Way
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

Designated Deliverer from Bitterness and Worry

It is nice to now sit and rest, watching a football fill of fun, resting after outside work and pulling out an AC for the season as last night it was chilly and the heat came on! And accomplished the important thing of cleaning up my car from a trunk or treat… and it was bitterly cold yesterday, well not that bad, but the wind was whipping, and the sun had not come out. But when I was interacting with the kids, nearly 100, making slime, I certainly did not feel any bitter cold. I was in the . And it was two hours that passed quickly. And when we were done I felt that bitter cold once again. In the moment there was no bitterness, and I was engaged in instruction, helping the children. My friend with the trunk or treat car next door said “you were in your element!”

And that is the case “in the moment” – one might not notice bitterness at all.

I had to warm up for sure, crashed tired in sleep at 10 after warming up with heated packs, whew… I then had a 1am wake up, I just stirred gently awake and then realized I should check on the location of my youngest, who was attending a friend-gathering Halloween party an hour away. I worried of course, and watched the tagged movement of the car back and forth and realized they were dropping off people. No I couldn’t sleep, but I was not upset, there’s no time for bitterness when you’re praying.

And yes, a time later I saw the turn for home on my screen and a text returned saying they had been designated driver that evening, pleased to have helped, despite the miles and time. There’s no time for bitterness when you’re helping your friends be safe.

And since I had to write the prayer for church in the morning, I started thinking about Jesus being our Designated Deliverer. A Designated Driver and Defender and Deliverer. No time for bitterness when being blessed.

I did get back to sleep, just after hearing the door close, home, mom’s worrying was actually working the prayers. And in the morning I listened to the online feed for one church pastor, who spoke of Moses and the Israelites wandering in the desert (book of Exodus 15). They were bitter and wandered and wondered. They were 3 days in, past the parting of the Red Sea, and came to the first area of drinking water, but the water was bitter. More bitterness in complaining. The Lord told Moses how to make the water not bitter, and the Lord promised to protect them from disease. These wandering people were only three days in and ended up being in the desert for forty years. Ohh, how bitterness works against our ability to see God working for us.

Let us pray for our awareness of our Designated Deliverer from bitterness, and worry, to trust and obey. God takes control and takes our cares away.

Amen and here is the prayer I prepared for church (our scripture was Matthew 6 – about not worrying…):

Lord, we are grateful for your goodness. And as we remember to wait on You, we pray to seek You first- before our fears overcome us. May we praise You when things go well and not so well. May we have appreciation of Your righteousness setting things right in Your Time. We pray for strength to trust You and trust in Your provisions. Your ways Lord are above ours, so let us understand You have already figured out how we will live best lives. You provide and have provided. Let us not worry and please do shelter us Lord when we do.

May the love that You pour into us now to be poured into others, so let us let the Holy Spirit work through us. You have sacrificed for us, may we now know Lord that YOU ARE ENOUGH, and may we not conform to this world but be a living sacrifice for You, to make Your Love known.

Amen

—

And here is that bitterness sermon from Pastor Joe, And how God has us where we need to look towards Him – He can turn our bitterness to sweet: http://resources.ccphilly.org/SAM1450

Exodus 15:22-27 NIV

The Waters of Marah and Elim

Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”

Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.

There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”

Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.

—

Matthew 6:22-34 NIV

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Do Not Worry

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Time of Our Lives

It was a fabulous adventure, a mystery-dinner event that we play-acted last night after just a few rehearsals, and my role was the doctor – checking on everyone and how they were feeling – with a few mysteries of my own which got revealed “in time”… And we all worked together as the family team we are, even if we had just met. I love meeting people and we share a cause – I love working the people who know that we are in this life together and we can do great things – even if it is simply showing up for someone else.

Such a hilarious time – less stress and certainly many hands make LIGHT work – and wow the director writer concept everything young woman has a great bright future ahead of her – everyone loves someone who knows how to run the ship. We got into ship shape and sailed into the program with just a few rehearsals… whew…

Both in practice and then for the actual event, we cracked each other up with our ad-libs, staying in character, which was the treat for us too – to be witty. The audience suspected MANY people, and a marvelous time was had by all. And yummy food, and blessed after party for decompression, I loved seeing the maid still costumed doing karaoke… her kids were tired, but she could have rolled on hours and hours more… Another mom there had rode the train up to the big city and then back in the same day – time well spent and managed – and then got to this big event. Time rolls like a train – steadily at times – stopping at times – and isn’t that the most interesting thing about time, it often rolls on when we are not noticing. It is hard for us to imagine how long we live without noticing we have lived it, and then wow it is 50 years later.

Time – I carried the old fashioned timepiece as a fashion accessory, a chain with watchface, it was 1960s or 1970s not 1800’s, but I found it quite suitable for the scene of the doctor checking for a pulse. I held it and it was snapped into my vest, a gorgeous quilted maroon fabric I got at the thrift store. The whole ensemble came together in 10 minutes and well that was time well spent. And well the people of the time – the gentleman of that time – had to have precise time pieces and synchronized their watches on chains often.

This watchpiece necklace however was my grandmother’s – my dad’s mom – from the 1970’s. I can remember my dad giving it to my grandma because the watch she wore on her wrist was one that would wind by you moving your arm normally and my grandma was in a nursing home and she was very very sedentary, having lost a leg to “the sugar” as they called it in those days. My grandma never complained and kept as busy as she could in craft projects and watching TV, which I also remember the day my dad brought her a great big TV she could have at her bedside – wow. I remember so much of those 10 years of me visiting her in the nursing home – every other day – my dad found time (or tried to) every day to visit her if only a short time – and my dad was busy – but how important to visit – it was not a text message or phone call, but a check-in – and also his random timeslots he thought would keep the nurses on their toes too – helping them know that he might be in to see her – and hopefully that gave her better care. I remember my family saying it simply could not care for her at home and for 2 small children at the same time and both working too. We can never be in two or more different places at the same time. I do remember so much time was spent for me in childhood – time then seemed so slow and now it flies. I know that I had a blessed childhood full of love and that is priceless. I pray every child gets a memory database full of cherished times.

Time does fly – it is a memory now – 50 years ago – and it is a recurring fresh thought that the time we spend with people is SO important – family who are friends and friends who are family – and even random people to whom we can make a difference… Honestly it is the time of our lives that we can be semi-stewards of – as we get to choose what we do in leisure time – which is much more these days than our parents had or our grandparents or before them… Let us use our time wisely.

And there are times we can not take – just not enough time in the day – so true. And there are times (not often for me) where time stands still – but I have seen it – and more often when you are trying to fit MUCH into a moment, well it seems there is time for it! Especially when I am in a situation where I think I have synchronized my clock with God’s. Remember it isn’t the other way around. God’s Time is His Own – we barely live within the sweeping hand of time – hold onto life while we can.

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” – 2 Peter 3:8

I can not even imagine what time feels like to God – I know that we need sleep and wow I was so tired I could have slept on the dining room table last night at the after party while the maid-dressed spitfire of a lady was dancing and singing karoke… I was ready for my crash. And I can not even imagine that God never tires – never rests – is all- knowing – that alone should make us realize that His Ways are above our ways. We are human people being human and God is perfect. Of all the time we have – may we be praising the Lord for the time He gives us – and praise Him in all circumstances good and bad.

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.” – Isaiah 40:28

So – I could spend all of time writing how amazing the Lord is and how we should make the most of our time – but really – WE SHOULD MAKE THE MOST OF OUR TIME. And we (I certainly do) thank the Lord that He makes us stop and rest too – resting restores our minds, our muscles, our movement – to get up and do it (living each day) again…

And so I put this beautiful watch away – actually hang it to the wall where I notice it on occasion and remember the memories – remember the shortness of life – remember to keep moving. I try not to watch the clock but sometimes I do… I don’t wear a watch (I use my phone) – and this past year has been a whole other type of time management – but I do remember that TIME IS A GIFT…

And the time we have is well worth living within God’s Time – He is beginning and end – we are given precious moments for Him for sure.

Let us LIVE the Time of our lives, because WE CAN.

AMEN

AMEN – and thank You Lord for the rest so I can be onto my next great adventure today…

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” – Revelation 1:8

God is the MOST-est

God is the Most-est.

God is the Biggest the Brightest the Boldest.

He knows how to LOVETH the MOST-est.

God knows BEST-est.

God is the MOST-est

Why do we doubt,

In a time of drought?

Our praise of Him we ignore,

When we have plenty and more?

Maybe we are human

And attempting perfection is our ruin.

Or maybe we don’t see,

Others who are worse than we.

Sometimes we should try harder in plea,

To understand and be satisfied in Thee.

Sometimes we should Live and Let Be,

And see the Peace will no longer flee.

Let us try to say:

God has the BEST Way.

God I TRUST You, say that TODAY,

And aways to God in God let’s PRAY.

That’s how to start and end a day.

God You are our MOST-est – I do say.

AMEN

………….

Joshua 1:9 ESV
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

1 Peter 2:9 ESV
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Romans 8:1 ESV
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 138:8 ESV
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Joy Rides and Job Sighs, Jeremiah 29:11

I felt Tuesday was a good stay at home day, sat outside in beautiful weather. I didn’t feel super productive at my job searching, except for realizing a direction that I didn’t want to go in. That was a true gut feeling I got while talking to a fellow graduate from my PhD institution, whom I networked with to discuss her workplace. She only started there two months prior, she’s 25 years my junior and has her whole life ahead of her feeling… cool… and for me, I now appreciate the ugh moment for the direction NOT to go in, even if I took the hit of making it me also feel temporarily unmotivatated. It’s OK, and goes with the territory of job searches which are also life direction decisions. Pondering is painful and yet productive. I am not in a due or die scenario – just would be nice to know the future, right?

And then, after an afternoon of more pondering and around the yard projects and resting my bones from overexertion the day before, I opened up the Bible Gateway scripture of the day email, and wouldn’t you know it, God sent the Jeremiah 29:11 message to me AGAIN. He has sent this relentlessly to me this season of life. FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU, SAYS THE LORD… TO GIVE YOU HOPE AND A FUTURE… Yeah, thank You Lord, AGAIN.

Wednesday was very different in movement and motivation, I took a ride with my daughter on her commute and she dropped me off at the train station (she also picked me up that evening – so nice that she drives – even if I still do hold on for dear life, LOL). I rode up early to the Big Apple, and had enough time before a “lunch and learn” in lower Manhattan (building right on the subway line) to take a “quick” ride on the Staten Island Ferry, round trip to see the Statue of Liberty in a distance and the skyline, and it is for free. 25 minutes each way. And I gave myself enough of a buffer for the chance I had to wait for the ride back. It worked out fine, I hustled in an NY minute around the corner and jumped last minute on the returning vessel. Actually all the trains and boats I hustled and got on within 3 minutes of them leaving – now THAT’S timing.

Oh it wasn’t like I was the only one there doing that same thing, and it’s a BIG boat, orange brightness keeps you from confusing it with others boats. Sturdy solid and sightseeing sweet. Sure, it was a JOY ride.

Yes, a JOY ride meant it wasn’t because I had to ride, didn’t have to commute, didn’t have to bear a weeks-long travel excursion endured for immigration like my ancestors (and I appreciated seeing in a distance the Ellis Island and NJ railroad buildings), and it was free. And the Statue of Liberty? A precious gem we all wanted to see.

My ancestors came from distant lands to see their futures. We can trust that the Lord knows ours. He has secured forever for us.

Joy. JOY. JOY RIDE.

A joyful heart is good medicine, and a joy ride is where we hand back some or all of our cares. And even though we live in a world of schedules and paying the bills, and whatnot, most of us have freedom to take a moment to pause, and may we always praise, even in the pondering and praying, and participating in play.

Jeremiah 29:11 and another 2 scriptures which appeared as scripture cards in my pocket on Wednesday reminded me to PRAISE the Lord and PRAISE the JOY RIDE.

Proverbs 5:21 For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all paths.

And Psalm 145:3 God is magnificent. He can never be praised enough. There are no boundaries to His greatness.

YES!

And then later as I networked and dug into my afternoon science conference (and the free lunch and goat cheese canapes at the reception), I felt free for conversation and connection making. I don’t know the benefits on the future, I just knew the joy of the moment. As I rode home on the train, I listened in to my Bible study zoom call and we talked about God giving us opportunities to grow, and how much He loves us.

As I rested last night, I rested in the Lord. And this morning? Always start with praise. God can not be praised enough.

ENJOY THE JOURNEY, AND ENJOY THE JOY RIDE.

Amen

Pope Prayers and Everyone Else Too!

Clearly when people come into our lives, we can connect, even if they never met us. We can connect in prayer.

I am praying for the Pope right now, praying his recovery is good. I know that he has the best care, or at least I hope he does.

I often forget to continue to pray for people whom I prayed for recently, I like many are affected by the new requests, new events, pushing old ones out of our current memories. It’s like visiting a friend and 24:7 being with them, but after that we forget to check in, we mentally move on. It’s not that we love them any less, we just are newly preoccupied with the current scene.

And yet I often pray: “Lord, help all those I forgot about.” I do this because I am far than even close to awareness. That’s something we all cope with, limited brain soace, and not choosing ignorance, just human-ness. We pray for awareness or we want more ignorance of awful circumstances. We won’t ever match God’s awesomeness and care.

Apostle Paul would write the Philippians 3:12 “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

And so, today I pray to be aware, even as I choose to not have overwhelmed thoughts. Today I pray for the pope, for the thoughts I has yesterday, and for the forgets before that.

Lord, thank You for everything amazingly You do. Thank You For You.

Amen

Matthew 5:1-16 and James 5 are great advice.

Blooming Well! Psalm 92

t is seriously fall – maybe an indian summer is what we called this as a kid – mid 70’s day – sunny – nice breeze…

The sunshine feels good. I found this morning that things are blooming and growing here – still in this fall weather. My chrysanthemum recovered a little and there are a dozen flowers for a last ditch effort to bloom. My forsythia has a few blooms out of season. And the ever-growing strawberry plant is still cranking out fruit – just 2 today but enough to taste the sweetness. Strawberries thrive while tomato production took a nose dive. At least everything is still alive. This sounds like a devotion – to keep blooming even in late stages of our seasons.

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.” from Psalm 92

Me too – us too – trying to thrive in this season of life – if you are reading this email blog then you are still alive! GOOD! And we are to sing praises to the Lord for He has us here today – for His purposes.

And like the colors of fall, the anthocyanins and carotenoids now showing their reds and purples, oranges and yellows, we need to show ourselves to be in this season – be a colorful unique bearing of His fruit. If our leaves and fruits are colorful and vibrant in this season – then we too can show our colorful sides – even if we are vintage – sure – or late bloomers – sure – remember we are not in our winter of a season yet. We could keep looking around the corner to colder weather and colder lives but right today we have a moment to be warm and to thrive.

To thrive is a stage of being alive and appreciating it.

Let’s Keep Going!

Amen

Psalm 92 NKJV

Praise to the Lord for His Love and Faithfulness – Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath day.
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night,

On an instrument of ten strings, On the lute, And on the harp, With harmonious sound. For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands.

O Lord, how great are Your works! Your thoughts are very deep. A senseless man does not know, Nor does a fool understand this. When the wicked spring up like grass, And when all the workers of iniquity flourish, It is that they may be destroyed forever.

But You, Lord, are on high forevermore. For behold, Your enemies, O Lord, For behold, Your enemies shall perish; All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.

But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil. My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies; My ears hear my desire on the wicked Who rise up against me.

The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing, To declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

The Starfish Story

Making a difference is an opportunity and a calling, and often pulls on skills and resources we already have. And it’s SO easy sometimes, when God lines up the circumstances.

My sermon benediction yesterday was going to be freeform, but as I closed my door walking out of the house, I spotted the bag of charms I have been moving around for years, starfish trinkets. Of course the Lord had me notice it then and connect the dots in my head about a sermon of the whole body, all of us together, being the best we can be and helping others. All for the glory of God…

And so my benediction spoke about how each of us can help, not necessarily even knowing who or the results of our helping is. Oh how we can help just one person and that makes all the difference in their life.

And then I relayed the story of the child throwing the starfish back into the water… (see below)

Yes if we just help one starfish, one person, one mission, we are blessed to do that. And assuredly God will find others for us to help too. And surely, we have been helped by others…

And most crucially, I addressed in my sermon that if we introduce people to God, our reflection of His loving character shone through us, it’s like bringing in family, sheep of God’s fold, yes…

Yes, God loves them

I appreciated seeing so many people at the after church event for the community helping pack school snack bags for the kids in the homeless shelter, they really shined love and I enjoyed chatting with a lady at the beginning of the line, as we fluffed open the bags, we chatted about her family and a baby shower coming up. I was happy to search the score of the football game for her. Nice…

And how sweet the little kids who came to help. And then one little boy had just had enough, became restless naturally. It was easy remedy thought and action for me, I was right next to the cabinet of markers, paper, stickers. I mean everybody loves markers! Everybody loves stickers! And so the little boy nestled into his work and mom kept continuing being able to pack the bags. Simple sense of the Spirit… later, as we almost finished, I was able to show him the small pumpkin I had made (carved a heart in) for the message for the earlier service. He asked if he could color it. And I, of course, said yes. And then he decorated it is stickers in paper, and was SO proud. Mom was so worried that he was doing something he shouldn’t have, but I was so happy to oblige a child. And I made sure that there was paper underneath his coloring, so it wouldn’t bleed through to the tablecloth.

Isn’t that what the Lord does for us? He helps us in small ways. And He also helps us in big ways. God certainly keeps us busy. And when we say “look what I’ve done, He us always listening in love.

The little boy asked at the very end when it was time to leave, if he could take the pumpkin, and I was very happy to let him take it. His mom was in slight shock, but what easy giving… I even handed him the paper that said, how God helps us. That being a christian is like being a pumpkin…

This was at the most less than an hour of my day and yet like throwing one seed or many seeds, we get to bless and feel blessed. It was nothing special, I just showed up. And I knew where the stuff was. It’s just using your natural talents to notice what God puts in front of you.

And so here is the Starfish story to encourage you to look for those easy projects because you know it will make a difference, and God knows the results, that’s okay with me…

Okay Lord and Amen

The Starfish Story

(Adapted)

Original by Loren Eiseley

1907-1977

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance during the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young child reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young one paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”

“I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” said the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young one replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, “But, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”

At this, the young one bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. And as it met the water, said : “I made a difference for that one.”

Sunday Sermon – James 1:22-27 Wisdom for the Whole Body of Christ

Wisdom for the Whole Body – (OURS AND THE BODY OF CHRIST)

James 1:22-27 NIV ²²Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

²⁶Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. ²⁷Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

SERMON

**** BOX OF PRAYERS – Taking a moment to think about those people whom we prayed for last week in the box of prayers – I sometimes forget to pray – so we do send them prayers – we share in their burdens and their joys…

In our scripture this morning, we are continuing to explore wisdom – this in faith expressed in action and in care: Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

What a unique this part of scripture – we know that this is from the book of James = he was said to be Jesus’s brother and the first major religious figure/leader in Jerusalem of the early church = I heard that he prayed so much that he was on his knees constantly… And the book of James teaches in the early verses that we are to accept trials – THAT we are to NOT to act badly if we don’t get our way – and we are to LOOK to the Lord for helping us, realizing that HE is in charge, not us. And so we see the writer James, like many of the disciples after Jesus’s time on earth, taught with direct instruction – to have the wisdom to reform ourselves – rid ourselves of evil – do the best we can – and this section urges us to NOT forget the Word of God… We are to study it, try it, be in it, and let it be in us.

And if we forget God’s Word, well James then states that we are like someone who looks at a mirror but then forgets what we look like – wow that is both being like someone who needs to constantly focus on ourselves and yet we are to know that we ARE children of God – we SHOULD know God in us – and then we can keep going – to help others. We are WARNED that if we lose focus – and forget God’s redemption – then we might even go against those teachings – it is human nature sure – but sin happens. We are human. WISDOM SAYS REMEMBER WE ARE GOD’S CHOSEN.

And if we are the person who doesn’t remember ourselves – then we forget what we are supposed to do – what God wants – AND we won’t remember how we have been blessed either – and TRUST and FAITH has been key for me this year – to remember.

AND another interesting thing about looking in a mirror is that we see flaws to fix – we are checking to see if we look OK – and should go back and change our mismatched clothes if we see that – but further we can interpret this scripture to also say: let us be able to walk away from that mirror and NOT forget to work at changing ourselves –

There is that great saying – I thought I could change the world – but I found it was better if I simply started with myself.

I didn’t have a mirror but I had this framed scripture: “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” – isn’t that what we should see in the mirror – see our blessing of God making us and taking care of us – that is the reflection we hope to see.

Sometimes there are funny mirrors like in those amusement carnival type places – and we get all stretched out and morphed – we look funny… God doesn’t see us that way – he knows us – and we are not to judge others either – so let us pray that we see past what might be off-putting or even funny in others – and we still are to help them – realizing that they are children of God too = made in His image too. I especially wish for us to remember the part that we were made in God’s image – that could be the greatest self-help formula ever – well it should be. We can be encouragers and reminders of how God sees us = sees the people we meet. Maya Angelo would say: “Stand up = remember you are a child of God and stand up straight…”

** Our next section of scripture for this wisdom for our whole self – and the whole body of Christ – the body of the church = the bride of the bridegroom who is Jesus –

²⁵But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it — they will be blessed in what they do.

So what kind of freedom are we talking about here? Freedom to rob a bank? No of course not – freedom to live? Well of course – and really this IS about forever freedom from the sting of sin and death – we can live as loved children of God and remember the Law of Moses has been fulfilled by Jesus – and the prophesies have been fulfilled. The perfection in law from Moses’s time was/is the ability to have forgiveness – which is now what Jesus offers. Jess fulfills all this. And we can tell others this too.

Jesus speaks to us = the Holy Spirit moves us – we are to not forget what we have heard. And we are to live in wisdom of being fulfilled with God’s Word – with His Plan – and not chase after wrong pleasures or after the world… One of the things we marvel at sometimes is people who get so bogged down in the world – we do too. Equally we could say this for those who are what we call successful or overboard in privilege. Both can get under the water in woe, as we can. Both these types of people, including ourselves, might see a fuzzy look in that mirror… or a view that is enhanced too much (like photoshopping photos artificially) or terribly looking into a mirror that is cracked – shattered – they might see themselves like that… or into a mirror set like in a funny house that shows you 20 images of yourself and you are trapped and don’t know how to leave the funny house… In other words, we want to stop that – and we are to look into that mirror more reflectively of what the Lord thinks of us and not of us thinking (too highly or too low) of ourselves – and not of others what they think of us either… Unlike funny house 20 plus images (so confusing) let’s focus to God’s image of us. He wants us to see us redeemed in Him.

Titus 2:11-14 would state: For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Our third section of this scripture for wisdom – is probably one of the best pieces of advice for living that we could ever hear – “²⁶Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” Ohhhhh = that great thought that we have 2 ears and one mouth – yeah keeping tab of ourselves – not forgetting our projection of what our image of God should be – hold that tongue from lashing out…

Philippians 1:27 -29 Life Worthy of the Gospel – “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…

“Stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him,..”

And if we fail (when we fail to act appropriately) – let us try to remember we have an advocate in Jesus – Who asks for our repentance and is great in mercy and grace. Whom are we to NOT know what the Word says – that it says we are seen by God in the covering – the cloak of the blood of Jesus’s forgiveness – we are to look in the mirror and then NOT forget that God knows us from the inside – God sees our hearts – even hears our unspoken prayers – God sees us from the soul – and His ultimate grace and mercy are not that He puts blinders on to our misdeeds and our original sin – but that He puts blood on us – His blood = BLOOD NOT BLINDERS = we are not looking in a mirror that has been blacked out – but one that shows us covered in white – being purified – because of Jesus… God knows we are human and we need forgiveness – we need nurturing – we need to realize that we are under His Wing.

Here is one of the great sayings about pumpkins this time of year –

Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin – “God picks you from the patch and brings you in (John 15:16)” – “Then washes all the dirt off of you (2 Corinthians 5:17)” – “He opens you up and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removed the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. (Romans 6:6)” – “Then He carves you a new smiling face (Psalm 71:23)” – “And He puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see (Matthew 5:16)” – (I did a demo with precut pumpkin and pulp – cut with heart to SHINE LIGHT)

And our last section of scripture for wisdom – What we are to do with the wisdom we get? – ²⁷Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Well – we have to practice about not being polluted by the world – to reduce our worldliness – and the reason God wants us working for Him and looking to Him – yes for LOVE – is also to love others – to reach the marginalized. We are to remember these people in multiple ways – yes to tend to their needs materially and physically – to be the people who listen to Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

And remember that we are to help people SPIRITUALLY too –

This is a greatest gift for us to share with them – it is how to love them enough to introduce them to God – God in us – God in our sharing and caring – God who gives salvation – God in whom we trust (if we don’t demonstrate that we trust God, then what IS our faith demonstration)…

For we may find that in society, many fall under a special type of orphans and widows

Orphans – can be people who do NOT know they are children of God…

And Widows – can be people who do NOT know that they are in the Body of Christ = the Bride of Christ – we need to share with them that they DO belong – and that is why we reach out to others = we can say “we are all in this together” – and that is really true!!!

God’s greatest commandments are that Jesus tells us is that we are to Love God and to love one another as ourselves. And tell them that they don’t have to be reformed to be loved – that God loves us first – the way we are – and then helps us from there. It is from our wisdom gained which tells us to Love God – and act in LOVE – Jesus said in Matthew 22 verses 36 to 39: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

This scripture is what we need to tape to our mirrors everyday – to remind us to be our best reflection of HIM… (and I have handouts for these scriptures to color!)

Amen – and won’t you please pray with me: Lord, let us listen and act – help us remember and speak humbly while living boldly – help us accept and follow You to give us the freedom of life everlasting – and let us let You clean us so that we SHINE Your Love to others – AMEN

And for a Benediction, let me hand out these small starfish charms – you may have one or two – and remember the great story (not scriptural but fitting) – of the boy who was seeing starfish washed up on shore – and started throwing them back into the sea – and a man walking by said there are SO MANY – you will never make a difference – And the little boy said I can to THIS one… So yes, we can go help even just one person and we don’t always have to know the result – God knows and that is enough… AMEN and have a great day!

God First, Ice Cream Second

I enjoyed my trip home north – and then the break in the mountains for a moment of real peace – like a quiet that you could hear – the calmness of the earth with just the most gentle breeze in the trees – and on our morning walk we saw the sun shimmering over the local little lake created by a dam. The colors of the leaves are starting to get near peak – and this peek at the peak was a welcomed site. The reflection in the water was spectacular and I laid right down on the dock (without the goose poop) to capture the reflective image – beautiful… Once I got home, I returned to laundry and chores like mowing the grass – my temperature jump was like 40 degrees – and that is the sign of the season – it is seasonable and variable and changeable – and so am I … so are we… Remember the good stuff and let the bad stuff (and goose poop) roll away…

We are human and goose poop will be there – we plan things and they are not always pristine and good days – this is human life and we just make the best of it… The scripture of the day gave me the same feeling – what we plan is one thing but what God plans is His – and His Plan will stand. And one could say that we have to find God in all the trials as well as the golden moments… And God’s counsel will stand, His plans, His directive, His PLAN, and I feel that – and try to live in that – and make the best – and knowing we are simply human, just ask for the forgiveness of life…

SO HUMAN – I am human with a Holy Spirit hope for filling a hole of soul… I appreciate my cup being refilled. I need it and drink voraciously these days, so yeah Lord please refill our cups. As we are but human – we need You, Lord.

And on this break (a vacation from vacation of the vacation – the decompression time in the mountains) I continued mentally this take of just doing the best we can in human existence. On my evening outing with my friends to a local meditation center near their mountain house in the woods – where they invited me to go after our delicious dinner – they said we would go then we were to come back to have ice cream – and even showed me the ice cream (yum)… Their house in the woods is marvelous and move in ready and heated with all the amenities and yeah pretty darn sweet! (and so would be the ice cream!)

At the meditation center, the instructor’s wife gave me a song booklet and we had moments of times of silence and then of singing. The hope was to be quiet and calm by focusing on the music after the singing (and it was a really cool instrument that he played). I first took a moment to look at their garden before going in and knew I would enjoy meeting the people after – and so I sat quietly during the experience and tried to quiet my rumbling tummy (that is impossible – that is life)… And so during the hour event, I really did not worry about quieting my mind in meditation too much = my mind rages on because honestly that would take 5 years of processing if I never did anything from this point forward – and you know I will have many more activities and outings… So I simply sat and rested – I enjoyed listening to my inner prayer – thinking of God’s gifts – my song from my drive was replaying in my head – “Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful” by Keith Green – and then I say quietly being OK that I was listening to the small sounds that could not be blocked out of my ears – like the sound of an electric (perhaps the heater) quiet muffled beeping electronically, and the movements of people in the building, and the simple sounds of not silence…

And I WAS thinking of God and we did hear the example of Jesus saying: You are the salt of the earth – if it goes bad then it is good for nothing – to keep the spice of life going – to be effective in life – to be working the work we are able to do – improve ourselves and that will help us cope in life too… And well the thoughts in my head moved from God back to Ice Cream!!!

Ice cream!!! – I am totally human – we all are – and we have a mind that wanders but a God that is SOLID – and although the ice cream is best when it melts and is gooey – God is not gooey but SOLID and SPIRIT and SOLACE and SOLEMN and STILL a Father who pulls us in like under His Wing – He gifts us so much – and we get the enjoy the desserts of His Labor… And we can rest in His Plans as much as in His Arms… “The fear of the Lord leads to life” – and this can be taken to be His and be against evil – and listening – and fill that hole in our soul with His WHOLE – to bring wholeness to our hope.

I was blessed to be in the company of friends and in the counsel of God. This is the wisdom that we will cherish…

And as our young lives melt away into older ones – and as our summer melts away into autumn – let us melt away from our preconceived plans and be satisfied with His – seek His advice – and simply BE… Then get back to being the Salt of the Earth – and tasting the ice cream joy of the moment….

Amen

Proverbs 19:19-23

*Listen to counsel and receive instruction, That you may be wise in your latter days.

*There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.

*What is desired in a man is kindness, And a poor man is better than a liar.

*The fear of the Lord leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.

Pick a Pleasing Pumpkin and a Praise

I heard a song lyric that said: “as our days fly away” – and the fall season makes you feel that. It’s going to be cooler and cooler, frost will come soon especially up here in the north. It’s time to be mourning summer and embracing the season that we are entering. Remember, also, that spring is just around the corner.

I’m appreciating the fall now, the gardens are full of hearty crops like squash, cabbages, brussel sprouts, pumpkins…And I’m fully embracing fall colors now too, and the harvest season of hope and hunkering down. We harvest what others have labored for.

It’s joy in the color of summer simmer in the flowers refusing to fade, the taste and color of sweet grapes, and deepness of red in the weathered storage barn. Fall here is matched with crisp temps, as crisp as the dried leaves crunch under your feet.

A pumpkin at a farm stand spoke to me and I GOT IT. It was BIG, shiny, warted-well, and true pumpkin orange. Only $5 and well worth a treat to me myself, because when you KNOW YOUR pumpkin, you KNOW it!!!

Pick a pleasing pumpkin in this season of life, you might tire of it in 2 months, but now it’s perfect!

I found an old photo of me with a carved pumpkin, like from 45 years ago, wow, and I can understand in my life, then and now, how PLEASING it must have been to have that pumpkin… The fall season as a kid was full of fun, and we need to embrace those moments now. I can understand those song lyrics of days and lives flying away.

So how we embrace today does matter, whether we are 8, 58, or 88.

I found the last 2 days of the Jesus Always book devotions very important in my life, now and always, for me and for all of us.

Be less distracted by the troubles in the world and more attracted to God. God asks us to focus on Him, be preoccupied with Him and recieve Him. Jesus said: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart – and with all your soul – and with all your mind – and love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39). And to break free from self absorption by learning to recieve God’s love and loving God back… Self absorption might make us miss the joy God wants to show us. And surely we would miss the oppotunities to share God’s love with others. Self absorption also makes life’s stings more painful. It is better to forget ahead towards God’s love and leading than take in opinion of others on our lives. Be knowing we are God’s child, not stucj in a chokehold of chiding that the world gives. We work our lives for Him, not others.

I remember that’s Jesus says to His disciples, the harvest is upon us, but there are not enough workers to gather what others labored for. Meaning the disciples are to share the good news of forgiveness and mercy and love, and from this love, the worship of God in spirit and truth, the news of salvation will spread.

Listen to God in THIS season. Plant, sow, harvest.

Embrace the season we are in, and pray to have peace in it. Pray to put aside pressures to conform to the world and instead pick up on the clues of God’s bounty. He will carry us through, so carry God in your day, love Him with all heart mind and soul…

Amen

In the Shadow of His Wings, Psalm 63

Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.

It’s beautifully Fall up here at home north, it is sure crisp, it is not peak color yet but leaves are getting there (late this year), and the colorful mums and pumpkin displays are quite amazing to feast with ones eyes… and the grapes are great! Dry this week, chilly but seasonal.

More great in yesterday’s adventures was the pure giddy laughter of Mom and her cousin as they reminisced, 80 plus years of life, when we stopped by her place to bring some of my aunt’s photos (it is a gift that keeps on giving). And as we timed it right, we then were able to take our cousin on a road trip (10 minutes only) over to where both their moms were as children. And their maternal sides had farms near each other, after those folks came over from the old country.

And then we saw another cousin (cousin by marriage to me) who works locally, whose coworkers my mom knows too. (Honestly my mom knows half the people in that town with her clubs and family history, LOL…)

And in the middle of town was a cute new cafe in a real house, so charming and filled with joy and homey feels and good lunch. A precious reminiscing time.

It was one of those moments and days to realize how blessed, and blessed not just for the travel but for the time off to both adventure and to be.. “under the shadow of His Wings“.

That’s how I’ve felt this summer, “under the shadow of His Wings”, from Psalm 63. I am to realize (we all are) that God protects us and keeps us. “Your lovingkindness is better than life…” and in David’s time there were lots of pitfalls and whatnot. We have plenty of those. We need to take a moment to praise where we DO see God’s grace and mercy, and when we forget to look.

David writing the Psalm 63 is when he in the wilderness but remembering times God gave him a more lush life. Yet even in lean times, David would praise in joy at God’s lovingkindness.

So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

And may we all PRAISE in this harvest season. May we count our blessings even in dry spells. And may we always look for how we are under the shadow of God’s Wing, and He keeps us moving…

Flying (and driving and riding) in faith through life. I know that I have been afforded this time to see what I can see, be where I can be, and know blessings of family…

1 year or 10 years from now might be quite different than today, TRAVEL TODAY!

Amen

Psalm 63 NKJV – Joy in the Fellowship of God

A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

O God, You are my God;

Early will I seek You;

My soul thirsts for You;

My flesh longs for You

In a dry and thirsty land

Where there is no water.

When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.

But those who seek my life, to destroy it, Shall go into the lower parts of the earth.

They shall fall by the sword; They shall be a portion for jackals.

But the king shall rejoice in God; Everyone who swears by Him shall glory;

But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

Walls of Wonder and the Way for Moses and Us

It is a blessing to be home at my family north, ut is a different land even if it’s not that far away. And I marvelled at the tree colors in the mountains – so beautiful. It was a wall of wonder and one could appreciate that but I didn’t stop for a picture, I keep driving past, I remembered previous times I tried to take a photo, didn’t come through to the extent of the beauty, you will have to take my word for it.

While in this wall of color, I was catching up on my sermon listening to Pastor Joe of Calvery Chapel, online, tremendous teaching! We walked with Moses out of Egypt and now are right up against the Red Sea with Pharoh’s chasing fleet close behind, actually camped knowing there was no way out, stuck, surrounded… Moses and the Israelites were down but not doomed. Pastor Joe reminded that we need to get to the place where it is ONLY God we look to.

It was an amazing miracle, one that we imagine but you would have had to be there to experience it luke that – in awe but in sure-footed march accross the bottom of the riverbed, no mud, just marvel… and swiftly… Walls so enormously tall. And like the colors but much more impressive, a marvel while moving… You couldn’t even imagine…

So, we do know God rescues. God leads and covers us. Moses visualized a cloud pillar and a fire pillar protecting and guiding and we have that in our souls now. We have guidance and have to look while walking. God makes a way where there is none. This is Salvation’s Way too… see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today.

The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.

These stories were explained and remembered, written down, taught… Future generations all the way in Isaiah’s time were taught: For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

It is ONLY God in His righteousness Who can rescue, recover, redirect, reassure… Let us believe and rely on Him always. AND KNOW HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IN US NOW.

Lord, You will establish peace for us, For You have also done all our works in us. Isaiah 26:12

Our saving is His Grace upon us. In MERCY AND LOVE.

WE DO WONDER, AND KEEP WALKING. Walls of Wonder and the Way.

AMEN

—

Pastor Joe teaching 10/4:

SAM1448 https://share.google/o6om40tneoWu7QUkG

—

Exodus 13: 21-22 NKJV

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.

Exodus 14:13-31 NKJV

And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the Lord looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians. And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained. But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

So the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and His servant Moses.

—-

Isaiah 26:9-13

With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Let grace be shown to the wicked, Yet he will not learn righteousness; In the land of uprightness he will deal unjustly, And will not behold the majesty of the Lord. Lord, when Your hand is lifted up, they will not see. But they will see and be ashamed For their envy of people; Yes, the fire of Your enemies shall devour them.

Lord, You will establish peace for us, For You have also done all our works in us. O Lord our God, masters besides You Have had dominion over us; But by You only we make mention of Your name.

You Can’t Measure the Size of Heaven

Yesterday we had a community festival where our community-minded church had a table, gifting free bible stickers and verse cards and bookmarks, some bibles and kids bible stories and bracelets. Plus kids could decorate rocks, which was a big hit. It was nicely attended for a small event. And you can NEVER measure any impact of an event like that is – and we never would be able to measure our church impact in the long run because ‘it’ is a faith thing not a weight, unit measure, or monetary value or widgets being produced. We don’t know the state of the people’s faith, all we know is we have to have faith to put ourselves out there to increase the Kingdom in whichever way God needs us to work, one seed at a time… It was not even a table to recruit attendees (although we would love them), it was an outreach table to simply say: we are here and we care and we want you to know the Lord. So, it’s not measurable, but I do hope the Lord shows me some sign of impact because I just like to know sometimes…

Well, I appreciated the kids, and just as we started, all these boys on bicycles came up and took the free faith bracelets with scriptures on them. I knew that I’m watching the Holy Spirit work, even if I will never know that impact. And in sincerity, us as adults should try to interact with kids of all ages because we are role models whether we are known or not.

And honestly, I don’t need to know the impact of a bracelet or book – I’m not the one keeping score. I know the Lord is holding count, and covering children in His Love, in their faith, for His Mercy, and all for Salvation’s sake.

And then, I opened the prayer box – and yeah the weight of the prayer requests are mighty – and yeah wow. It is not a burden that would be measurable – prayers are burdens shared and burdens carried – but not quantitative – they just ARE. And we are to be humbled to share in burdens – we are to carry each other by holding each other up. Paul would write to the Galatians: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

The first of the papers included ones that I wrote while talking to folks – one for a mom – one for a dad with cancer – two for missing a grandma – and a JOY for a boy whom we prayed for last year and he is recovered – doing great – Praise God. Then I opened the last paper – wow my heart and my tears and my soul just I don’t know how to describe it but I knew that the Lord gave me that burden to carry to pray for the person – it was a woman’s writing that said “I have a lump in my breast and I am praying it is not cancer.” = Yeah I felt humbled in prayer and placed in purpose. It was like her lump went to my throat – and I will take that on as a prayer – plus I know that we will pray as a church for this person – and I know that God sees more and more prayers – that we DO matter when we pray – and God DOES hear and God does heal – we will see that burdens are bear-ed bared and shared. And well, it made me in near tears at that moment because I also counted my blessings over trouble… Yes, I was tired but I didn’t have that issue. I didn’t need to think about achieving or counting or chatting or interacting – it was just about prayer at that moment – it was just about burdens shared. I thought back to the afternoon and yes I remember one woman who wrote a prayer paper while I was chatting with a child – and she said thank you and was off – and I didn’t chat – it was like a driveby ‘write and go’ moment. I am humbled to share that prayer request with you folks – for all those notes and especially the one – the drop and go – the “God knows the situation” prayer – the moment to know that others DO know that God heals…

We do too…

SO let us pray for all and all pray for one – and I know we can hold a blessing of burdens immeasurable because God – His Glory is Immeasurable too…

AMEN

—

Galatians 6 NKJV
Bear and Share Burdens

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load.

Be Generous and Do Good
Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Glory Only in the Cross
See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.

Blessing and a Plea
And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Here is the note which put a pause in my grumbling to turn to prayer… for a woman who slipped it into the prayer box without us speaking about it… God bless her and keep her!

Blessed Brief of Buzzwords in 1st Peter

Blessed to tap into wisdom!

And wow just a short brief 5 lines of scripture have a huge number of BLESSED BUZZWORDS – of TRUE SALVATION SPEAK! Peter is gifting knowledge and assurance and reinforcing to the folks what they already know – God is Awesome – God is our Father who knows and who saves and who is always with us…. What a Heavenly Inheritance!!!

Let us read these words revealed and be healed.

Amen

…

Here they are from 1st Peter 1:1-5:

Jesus Christ

Peter

apostle

pilgrims

foreknowledge

God the Father

sanctification

Spirit

obedience

sprinkling of the blood

Grace

to you

peace

multiplied

heavenly

inheritance

blessed

abundant

mercy

begotten

living hope

resurrection

from the dead

inheritance incorruptible

undefiled

does not fade away

reserved in heaven for you

kept by the power of God

through faith

salvation

revealed in the last time

Amen Amen

—

1 Peter 1 NKJV

Greeting to the Elect Pilgrims – 1 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 – 3 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, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Plans? Whose Plans?

I am glad it’s Friday, I have been working my plans for the weekend with renewed energy. And I am planning on traveling up home next week so that helped me buckle down to home stuff this week. I like making my plans and truly keeping busy with purpose because this keeps me motivated and keeps me in a form of schedule and without that I get lost. And planning relaxing time is a great venture too – planning that time includes bringing books or puzzles, writing or who knows…

It is Friday, and you wouldn’t think without working 9-5 M-F, that Friday wouldn’t feel like Friday, but it still does… and it is 85 plus summer feeling… and I have come out to my favorite pondering porch of this season, with laptop, book, and phone for writing, at a local mansion/park on the water. The trees sounding in the breeze surely does please!!! It is like a private park, so nice…

It is OK to pause in a plan to ponder.

I decompressed my day yesterday with movie clips of “Evan Almighty” – so funny and so meaningful too. Fictitious yes, but thought provoking yes. Evan (Steve Carrell) is a newly-elected congressman who THINKS he is going to do things he values, but instead, God (portrayed in the flesh by Morgan Freeman) wants Evan and his family to build an ark. It is not Evan’s plan at all, but God essentially backs him into a corner, and gives him all the tools, animals to help, and a book called “Building Arks for Dummies”. God even shows up to motivate Evan’s wife (frustrated with Evan’s craziness) to go back to her husband as they are a fabulous family unit. It is a good movie even if totally goofy in premise and not necessarily scripturally sound, like Noah doesn’t get to be Moses too (I won’t spoil the scene for you). Anyway, there IS a great message here, which is that God’s plans are well above our plans.

We think ahh, our plans… but whose plans? Just we are to pray that our plans align along with God’s plans not vice versa.

I don’t know the little plans for me, but I understand there’s a BIG ultimate plan, long term. We are but pondering points of time, and we best keep working our piece of God’s pie…

In the movie, the humor abounded, but sometimes we are in tough spots picking God’s Will over our own. Are there many good choices? Yes, like picking ice cream flavors, all good. In life, we have a big question of following God’s lead. It is easier to know His Path for us if we check in often.

Unlike the movie where the actor says ‘do random acts of kindness’, we know. God has us doing deliberate acts of LOVE.

Pondering is a place we pause. God’s reasoning in our lives is s cause

Amen

Psalm 123:1-2 NKJV

A Song of Ascents.

Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord our God, Until He has mercy on us.

Another Day to Grow

I went to sit at the Garden of Reflections yesterday, a nice green grassy area remembering September 11th – with peaceful places to pause – even if the memory is not of a peaceful day. This was my first visit this year and well, it is technically sentimental for me as it was 12 years ago that I wandered here on my awakening day – Feb 1st – and I had realized that after 6 weeks of pondering and writing out my awakening that I was now 100% with Jesus… yeah… That day I picked up one of the many decorative trinkets which was no trinket at all – it was John 3:16 on a coin – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” – AND YES I COULD FINALLY BELIEVE IT.

This time at the sculpture from the steel beams there were not the multitude of trinkets and coins – but one perfectly placed charm – of “the tree of life” – a charm that I also have in a necklace and earrings – and I know that we as the tree are to stretch out our branches and become fruitful and change with the seasons – prepare for winter – spring out again in spring – and be a home for critters – and be a sight for visitors – shade in the summer and even a place to climb and rest in the branches. Our own TREE of Life is surely planted by the Lord – and as Psalm 1 calls out: “and like a tree firmly planted I’ll be, grounded in the Word.”

And God will prune our tree as He sees fit… And today is another day to GROW!!!

And so on this day, you (I) might expect some earthshaking feeling when I stepped onto the grounds where I knew I was reborn in Jesus, not turning back, but it was not that same day it was 12 years ago… We change and we grow… And there was a decrease in stress for sure, but the place of my life is different now than that day – it is different this morning than it was even last night – and last night was different than the middle of the day. It is not that my fire has diminished but that my embers are old and glowing rather than young and leaping flames… My faith still has a holy hold of me but maybe I can describe faith moved from a bonfire to a campfire to a torch – and now I keep moving that LIGHT to other places…

Still, it was good to sit – and work on my laptop and well I also accidentally fell asleep for a short nap – and clearly the Lord has put mechanisms into our lives that keep us alive and waking up from a choking neck bend, so it was good for that reflex to rescue me (honestly it is better to go to the beach and nap there!) – and I can attest to our mechanisms of life are a mystery and a marvel!!! And if these are marvels of our life – imagine the much bigger marvel of how God keeps all the plates spinning in the air at the same time.

Knowledge is knowing that the Lord has a plan – and that we are to bear witness that our hope is the result of us knowing the Good News – not just us living in it’s LIFElight (or limelight) but to Light Life.

Today will be a whole new day of wonder – and as “we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” – we are to remember that each day has it’s own adventures – covered in mercy and grace…

Keep living in the branches – and hold onto that Vine of Jesus – feed from it – God is pruning us to make us more Christlike – and we shall sing praises in the Garden of His Reflection…

Amen

The “Jesus Always” devotion reminded of this scripture: “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” from 2nd Corinthians – which also has the great scripture of us being jars of clay – hard pressed on each side… I surely am not as pressed as disciple Paul was – but I get the same reminders from it: ponder the steps of life – don’t dilly dally in worry – work while walking – wonder out of just a wander – and always look for the LIGHT.

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. 3 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.

Love and Joy Perfected
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

2nd Corintinans 4:6-18 NKJV

For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Cast Down but Unconquered
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you.

And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

Seeing the Invisible
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Forever by Faith, Fun, and Foam

It takes a moment to remember…

It seems like half a lifetime ago…

And it is yet another thing that the Lord has chronicled in my life via media-recorded remembering…

I speak to this often, I am grateful media, photos, writing are tools, and so I thank you Facebook for keeping track of my memories!

One of the biggest advantages of teaching Sunday school was/is actually being the students OF God. God is watching knowing where and when to tweak our faith, and 14 years ago I was teaching Sunday School with fun, speaking about the lost coin, the lost sheep and the lost son. I had no idea that God would find me that day in an unique way. And when I spoke out loud: ‘God sent Jesus to make the Word of God spread faster’, including the pouring of activated living yeast onto hydrogen peroxide and dish soap, one of my fun science experiments, well, something in my head CLICKED. I can still hear in the audible CLICK! SNAP! And I said, “Oh!” and I discovered within myself that I had learned (and needed to know more) about Jesus too.

It was not just teaching the kids, including my own, but a deepening moment in my own walk of faith… WOW… and that experience and that info sat for 2 more years in my head, until 2 years later, twelve years ago, God really started sparking in my brain, and my Fruit of the Spirit of knowledge popped like popcorn!!! Yeah… setting the stage for an awakening… WOW WOW GOD, THANK YOU!!!

AND YOU KNOW, THE LORD KEEPS SPREADING HIS GOOD NEWS IN HIS OWN WAY…

We are blessed, we are treasures searched, we are sheep found, we are lost children returned. Luke 15 was speaking about me – as well as those lost then found stories..

I am now hearing, with open windows, to a long-off sound of children playing in a playground, I know that the local school is but half a mile away from here, the school my own 20+ yr olds attended. God keeps making more children of God, both physically and spiritually. God made me a child once again growing, craving His sustenance, yearning for knowing Him better. I am to remember today on this. Anniversary that if He gave me my life, gave me my rebirth, and gave me my FOREVER – through faith, fun, and foam, how even more He will continue to lead me – and lead us… One day at a time, let us keep following.

Thank You Lord, thank You for You, thank You for Me.

Amen

—

Luke 15 NKJV

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” So He spoke this parable to them, saying:

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Lost Son

Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’

“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”

Be Fruitful in ALL Seasons

I put my backyard umbrella away for the storm, but I got it back out, because this week is gonna be gorgeous and warm. It would be a great week for camping. Maybe I’ll just camp outside (or inside) my house, with electricity, wifi, laundry, and sleep in my own bed, yeah, camping without the hassle – could even sleep with the window open and pretend…

I have to admit that after the storms stopped, I had appreciated the rain we had over the weekend for the sake of gardens and soil and water supplies. I took the opportunity to tear out the garden weeds as it was such soft soil… It is a good feeling to have done that and now sit – and back to the computer!!! Fruitfulness is tough to gauge on a computer – but you have to work it anyway!

I keep working on opportunities and being optimistic and keep trying to be FRUITFUL like this strawberry plant which seems so out of season but it is not because it is a different variety – may we all be of this variety and fruitful all season long…

Seasons in life change and even the strawberries will go dormant in the cold – Ecclesiastes scriptures do remind us that “to everything there is a season”. And God knows what season we are in. There is a season for all things – and for God He is eternal – and we know this but we can not wrap our heads around it! “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.”

So – we are seasonal – and from dust to dust – but God Himself will save us in a plan that recreates us for Him – and forever – God will change our season to sensational, with Him, in HIS Time…

“I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it.”

OK, ready to take my laptop to the park and work alfresco or simply in my backyard… It is good to have a change of scenery often and laptops afford that. Soak in THIS season.

AMEN

AMEN 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.

When SHOULD We Give Up Control?

My neighbor stopped and opened his window as he drove to his house tonight and joked: “Hey are you sorting your garbage?” – funny but true – and I was pulling recycling out and separating it from other trash which I was careful to keep together and not let fall in the road – I am good with my trash for sure, LOL… And we had a nice conversation after that about life and about health and about accumulating too much stuff – which he knows about from one of his family members and I know about stuff and stuff and stuff too – and well we pretty much are typical Americans with typically too much stuff – and yet we do like our stuff – and well so if it not a danger for us to walk around our houses then let us let stuff be stuff… But remember to not start to worship your stuff – don’t get too much stuff – nor get so stressed that you don’t toss some away too…

But organizing our stuff is a whole another story. I have been gearing up for a new side business of helping people sort their space and declutter their stuff – and well it is not mandatory that we toss anything or donate – but those are great ways to clean up and make room for more stuff – better stuff right?!? And in sorting stuff, which I have done for years with my own family and my own stuff and a few neighbors and friends, I know it is hard to get rid of stuff – for multiple reasons… Sentimental YES – and valuable YES – and we are stewards of family heirlooms, YES. Hold onto good stuff – or at least partition it to others but don’t let it clutter too much nor go bad and become junk… And then there are those partial piles of stuff we hold onto YES = what I mean is that we want to find all the pieces of the puzzle or match the stuff together before we donate – or find all the game parts before we let it go – even if we have no control with what the people do with it then… But we DO (me too) try to right our own wrongs for losing things. We build bigger houses for more stuff. (I am glad I have to pare down for my small house).

This is typical – I have a whole display of single earrings because I lost the other and can’t bear to part with them. I hold onto those mismatched socks just praying to find the lost one – and yes, my kids toys, I have held them back from others who could possibly play with them until I find the last bits – but have to realize that when I give them away that I then have no control whether THEY lose parts… It is hard to be a responsible person but not a trash-aholic at the same time, geez… Basically it is hard to give up control…

But there is precedent for when we SHOULD give up control – that is when the One asking us is God Himself. God wants not to “be controlling” in a negative sense but to be known to “be IN control”. And honestly we can NOT take control away from God – we are NOT God. And although we do wander and wander and wonder until we get realization of where we are going – until then we should try to realize that we should listen – depend upon Him in the tough spots (and the easy ones too)…

Recently I have been listening to the bible teachings of Moses and the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt – and wow there were A LOT of those people. I appreciate Pastor Joe’s teachings online (like the link below, Exodus 13) and how he explains that the sheer number of people Moses was leading would have been millions stretched over 750 miles, protected undercover the cloud by day and led by a pillar of fire at night, which was only visible to them and not to the outside! God was in charge of them but they were complainers and they were forgetful of miracles that they saw – God protected them but still they doubted God. (And they had to carry all their stuff with them too – but God provided the food – God gave the stuff).

I know I am (we are) like people with Moses doing some wandering ourselves, both exile and exodus traveling – not knowing the plan that God has – and not taking the time to focus towards Him, God wanting us to look, ask and listen, leaning in to Him… Moses’s people wanted to go back to Egypt when things got tough – but God wanted to get them to that Promised Land.

Clearly God knows the Way, and what God wants is for us to depend upon Him!!! God is keeping me (us) under His wing and we are to be trying to be okay even when things are not okay!!!

Pastor Joe also reminded us that this is a reflection of how the Internal Fire, the Holy Spirit moves us today. We have an internal Saving Grace and we are to listen. And honestly we are to give up our control of our lives to His Will – this is tough but God knows best! https://resources.ccphilly.org/SAM1447

God has us covered too – and we have His internal Light to follow. Will we or when should we give up control? Well I am working on that too!!! TO GOD – not to our will but HIS. One day at a time – one moment at a time… Keep remembering this day, month, year is a blip in our lives WITH the Lord – keep moving… We are to walk not wander, listen not get lost, hope not hear hype, comply not complain… AND KEEP MOVING!!!

AMEN

Exodus 13:21-22 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

AMEN

Lord, Help Us Hope, Live, Prepare, and Share

Yum, Irish stew is so perfect for our damp rainy windy weather, thankfully we got it from Costco, LOL, no labor and all the love of the season’s hearty feels and fruitfulness. 10 minutes to stir and heat and enjoy.

Lord, help us enjoy.

I decided that my summer ending sadness had to end too, and I am now instead embracing the Autumn season, all the feels and all. I even brewed a cup of tea, nesting nestling in. Of course I also just enjoyed some summer sweetcorn, it’s good to overlap seasonal delights. There’s lots of loving of the fall. Focus on this season before it too is gone.

Lord help us focus.

Yesterday I felt the let down of the hype, it is a real storm sure, but I don’t know, I was more dark in mood than the sky, then I started to embrace the chance to be inside and look for inside blessings. I dug under the piles of accumulation and got to my sewing table, it felt good and feels good to get back here (SO FAR, LOL), and now I hope in new projects.

Lord, help us hope.

The rain reminded me to be thankful for the laundry room roof I had redone in the spring, it is safe secure and not dripping water inside. It’s fixed, was worth using all my tax return then to get it done. The rain reminded me of my gratefulness for mowing the lawn the day before, even if the forsythia wants to bloom, we need to prepare for winter. I was tucking away chairs and loose plant containers and being proactively ready. I was and am ready for THIS season of my life best I can be.

Lord help us prepare.

And I am grateful for a “Pumpkin Spice and Jesus Christ” coloring book I found on ebay, this will be a good set up for a church table of a prayer request box, rock coloring, and free children’s bible story book giveaway and coloring, that I will host at next week’s community event (it’s 2-5, after my delayed rummage sale date 8-2, just works out whew…) And the coloring pages are precious: “Let your LIGHT shine” – “Leaves are Falling – Jesus is Calling”…

Lord help us share!

My how one page spoke to me: “How beautiful it is to let things go”… I love that one picture especially with Isaiah 43:18 scripture: “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old...” Yes, we need to let things go…

Lord help us look for your fresh new adventures and blessings.

Lord, help us “Let it go!!”

These blessings are in looking to the Lord, for the Lord, being at peace in His presence, in His Joy, in His Hope, in His preparation, in His Sharing, in His finishing.

Lord help us see You in all…

Amen

Isaiah 43:10-19 NKJV “You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, And besides Me there is no savior. I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, And there was no foreign god among you; Therefore you are My witnesses,” Says the Lord, “that I am God. Indeed before the day was, I am He; And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?”Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I will send to Babylon, And bring them all down as fugitives – the Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships. I am the Lord, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King.”Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters, Who brings forth the chariot and horse, The army and the power (They shall lie down together, they shall not rise; They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick): “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Christmas in September? LOVE All Year and FOREVER!

Well, I am not rushing the season – actually quite annoyed that the colder weather is here – I am protesting fall of fall, but did get the A/C’s removed. The window is now open and brrrr I am bundled under the covers – so yes it feels like camping inside and yes the fresh air feels good – and even the ominous weather storm pushing in feels so right for the start of the season of fall. I can taste the hot apple cider now. But yeah – I want summer back – at least sunshine and 70 please… oh well…

I took an hour at lunchtime yesterday to go and sort and set out some stuff for a rummage sale. And surprisingly not surprisingly it found me sorting yes, CHRISTMAS stuff – Christmas in September – and actually separating that out from fall decor. Half the table (pictured) was already set out from previous years as extras – and I remember some precious items likely of a friend whom donated before – and then I opened a few big bags freshly donated from a woman’s family who gave it to the mansion for the sale after their mom, a local volunteer for years (I remember fondly) passed away. And I marveled not just at the cuteness, but that the family was able to do this layer of donation so quickly (less than a month after she passed) – and I know each family is different with such different circumstances, but wow I commend them for this layer of their processing – donation and distribution… Surely these are the surface trinkets – there are not heirloom family treasures here – but surface decorations for a decorated life. And to me with my own sent (buckets) of surface decorations, I am glad I got to see value in it – and glad someone else will talk about it.

Isn’t that what we love – is to talk about our good memories… YES… Take that moment (even a photo) and then pass on the stuff.

My few big bags included volumes and volumes of some used but very good gift bags, used and new ribbon and bows, and I stacked them together neatly in a box and a clear bag – they now look good to sell – and surely will so inexpensively. I took away the non-gift bags and put them aside for purchase bags for the sale ware – and I also extracted a few things of crumbled paper that probably is best for packing glassware… One thing I did find mixed in was note on a bookmark, written so sweetly and no identifying information so I put it back into the box – and someone else will treasure that moment of sweet thoughts…

I thought – how we are entrusted with sweet thoughts for just moments – and then pass them on – like even thought I organized this section – it is not my right nor time to know who gets those items or what they do with them – I am but a short visitor to the scene – like not a ghost but a guest… Help and move on. Hope and heart on. Hover and then hightail it to the next thing… I did hightail it to an appointment after just this short window.

I am reminded of the beautiful scripture with reality biting truth – we (our lives) are but a vapor from James 4:13-17 – who cautions us to ask the Lord for help in our steps to the future: Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

And David would remind us (and himself) to wait on the Lord – to wait for salvation – to remember our time is brief and God is our Rock of Forever. Psalm 62:5-7: My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.

Well, my Christmas in September will continue with my own set of items to sell at the rummage sale – at my own table – items of extraction from volumes of memories deep and surface… Some deep memories I had were from the three huge baskets of purged clothes from my youngest and as I folded them for the sale, I marveled at once again how short those teen years were – in addition to how short those little kid years were… It was a big jump in maturity to remove these shirts (teen themes) but then again they don’t fit and they clutter the closet – teen themes which were funny then but are not now… It is good to move forward and remember for a moment – that brief moment – and then appreciate that God got us this far – to HAVE memories…

And now is a good time for other clean outs and clean ups – and this weekend stuck in the rain (not really stuck) I probably will crank up the sewing machine and start in on piles of half vintage fabric – sorting and sewing and moving onto new memories…

And as for our loved ones – we give them to Christ – we keep Christmas as a holiday and a memory and a making of new memories – but they are IN CHRSTmas celebration forever – with CHRIST. And surely our lives everyday (Christmas in September too) is how we keep Christ in us too – because He is IN us. 1st John 4:12b-13: “If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”

Well, don’t rush the season and savor today – feel the festive feels and also how the trees and animals wind down to get ready for winter – us too – we should enjoy the harvest – prep for future – and even charge up our rest… We are but a vapor so don’t blow your top but savor every last drop of steam…. (and have hot apple cider before you have any eggnog… push that season off a couple more months PLEASE)…

Amen

1 John 4 – NKJV
Love for God and One Another

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Knowing God Through Love
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Seeing God Through Love
No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

The Consummation of Love
Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.

Obedience by Faith
If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

What is the Lord’s View? of Me? of You?

Surely He doesn’t need glasses to bring us into view.

He loves us, He covers us, He is forever true.

And in His creation, He made us new – and then remake us renew.

And our sins, foibles, our jealousy and grumblings, He knows too.

I am glad – eternally glad – Jesus Lord God came to rescue.

Whew yes WHEW… whew…

Thank You Lord for being a Rescuer and life leader too.

May we always want to follow YOU…

AMEN

—

Psalm 119 NKJV
Meditations on the Excellencies of the Word of God

א ALEPH
Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
Who walk in the law of the Lord!
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the whole heart!
They also do no iniquity;
They walk in His ways.
You have commanded us
To keep Your precepts diligently.
Oh, that my ways were directed
To keep Your statutes!
Then I would not be ashamed,
When I look into all Your commandments.
I will praise You with uprightness of heart,
When I learn Your righteous judgments.
I will keep Your statutes;
Oh, do not forsake me utterly!

ב BETH
How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.
With my whole heart I have sought You;
Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
Blessed are You, O Lord!
Teach me Your statutes.
With my lips I have declared
All the judgments of Your mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
I will meditate on Your precepts,
And contemplate Your ways.
I will delight myself in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.

ג GIMEL
Deal bountifully with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word.
Open my eyes, that I may see
Wondrous things from Your law.
I am a stranger in the earth;
Do not hide Your commandments from me.
My soul breaks with longing
For Your judgments at all times.
You rebuke the proud—the cursed,
Who stray from Your commandments.
Remove from me reproach and contempt,
For I have kept Your testimonies.
Princes also sit and speak against me,
But Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
Your testimonies also are my delight
And my counselors.

ד DALETH
My soul clings to the dust;
Revive me according to Your word.
I have declared my ways, and You answered me;
Teach me Your statutes.
Make me understand the way of Your precepts;
So shall I meditate on Your wonderful works.
My soul melts from heaviness;
Strengthen me according to Your word.
Remove from me the way of lying,
And grant me Your law graciously.
I have chosen the way of truth;
Your judgments I have laid before me.
I cling to Your testimonies;
O Lord, do not put me to shame!
I will run the course of Your commandments,
For You shall enlarge my heart.

ה HE
Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.
Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness.

ו WAW
Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord—
Your salvation according to Your word.
So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me,
For I trust in Your word.
And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
For I have hoped in Your ordinances.
So shall I keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.
And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings,
And will not be ashamed.
And I will delight myself in Your commandments,
Which I love.
My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments,
Which I love,
And I will meditate on Your statutes.

ז ZAYIN
Remember the word to Your servant,
Upon which You have caused me to hope.
This is my comfort in my affliction,
For Your word has given me life.
The proud have me in great derision,
Yet I do not turn aside from Your law.
I remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord,
And have comforted myself.
Indignation has taken hold of me
Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.
Your statutes have been my songs
In the house of my pilgrimage.
I remember Your name in the night, O Lord,
And I keep Your law.
This has become mine,
Because I kept Your precepts.

ח HETH
You are my portion, O Lord;
I have said that I would keep Your words.
I entreated Your favor with my whole heart;
Be merciful to me according to Your word.
I thought about my ways,
And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
I made haste, and did not delay
To keep Your commandments.
The cords of the wicked have bound me,
But I have not forgotten Your law.
At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.
I am a companion of all who fear You,
And of those who keep Your precepts.
The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy;
Teach me Your statutes.

ט TETH
You have dealt well with Your servant,
O Lord, according to Your word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes.
The proud have forged a lie against me,
But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart.
Their heart is as fat as grease,
But I delight in Your law.
It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.

י YOD
Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word.
I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort,
According to Your word to Your servant.
Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live;
For Your law is my delight.
Let the proud be ashamed,
For they treated me wrongfully with falsehood;
But I will meditate on Your precepts.
Let those who fear You turn to me,
Those who know Your testimonies.
Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes,
That I may not be ashamed.

כ KAPH
My soul faints for Your salvation,
But I hope in Your word.
My eyes fail from searching Your word,
Saying, “When will You comfort me?”
For I have become like a wineskin in smoke,
Yet I do not forget Your statutes.
How many are the days of Your servant?
When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?
The proud have dug pits for me,
Which is not according to Your law.
All Your commandments are faithful;
They persecute me wrongfully;
Help me!
They almost made an end of me on earth,
But I did not forsake Your precepts.
Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

ל LAMED
Forever, O Lord,
Your word is settled in heaven.
Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
You established the earth, and it abides.
They continue this day according to Your ordinances,
For all are Your servants.
Unless Your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have given me life.
I am Yours, save me;
For I have sought Your precepts.
The wicked wait for me to destroy me,
But I will consider Your testimonies.
I have seen the consummation of all perfection,
But Your commandment is exceedingly broad.

מ MEM
Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;
For they are ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the ancients,
Because I keep Your precepts.
I have restrained my feet from every evil way,
That I may keep Your word.
I have not departed from Your judgments,
For You Yourself have taught me.
How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through Your precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way.

נ NUN
Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
I have sworn and confirmed
That I will keep Your righteous judgments.
I am afflicted very much;
Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word.
Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord,
And teach me Your judgments.
My life is continually in my hand,
Yet I do not forget Your law.
The wicked have laid a snare for me,
Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts.
Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever,
For they are the rejoicing of my heart.
I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, to the very end.

ס SAMEK
I hate the double-minded,
But I love Your law.
You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in Your word.
Depart from me, you evildoers,
For I will keep the commandments of my God!
Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live;
And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.
Hold me up, and I shall be safe,
And I shall observe Your statutes continually.
You reject all those who stray from Your statutes,
For their deceit is falsehood.
You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross;
Therefore I love Your testimonies.
My flesh trembles for fear of You,
And I am afraid of Your judgments.

ע AYIN
I have done justice and righteousness;
Do not leave me to my oppressors.
Be surety for Your servant for good;
Do not let the proud oppress me.
My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation
And Your righteous word.
Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy,
And teach me Your statutes.
I am Your servant;
Give me understanding,
That I may know Your testimonies.
It is time for You to act, O Lord,
For they have regarded Your law as void.
Therefore I love Your commandments
More than gold, yes, than fine gold!
Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things
I consider to be right;
I hate every false way.

פ PE
Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.
The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.
I opened my mouth and panted,
For I longed for Your commandments.
Look upon me and be merciful to me,
As Your custom is toward those who love Your name.
Direct my steps by Your word,
And let no iniquity have dominion over me.
Redeem me from the oppression of man,
That I may keep Your precepts.
Make Your face shine upon Your servant,
And teach me Your statutes.
Rivers of water run down from my eyes,
Because men do not keep Your law.

צ TSADDE
Righteous are You, O Lord,
And upright are Your judgments.
Your testimonies, which You have commanded,
Are righteous and very faithful.
My zeal has consumed me,
Because my enemies have forgotten Your words.
Your word is very pure;
Therefore Your servant loves it.
I am small and despised,
Yet I do not forget Your precepts.
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
And Your law is truth.
Trouble and anguish have overtaken me,
Yet Your commandments are my delights.
The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting;
Give me understanding, and I shall live.

ק QOPH
I cry out with my whole heart;
Hear me, O Lord!
I will keep Your statutes.
I cry out to You;
Save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.
I rise before the dawning of the morning,
And cry for help;
I hope in Your word.
My eyes are awake through the night watches,
That I may meditate on Your word.
Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness;
O Lord, revive me according to Your justice.
They draw near who follow after wickedness;
They are far from Your law.
You are near, O Lord,
And all Your commandments are truth.
Concerning Your testimonies,
I have known of old that You have founded them forever.

ר RESH
Consider my affliction and deliver me,
For I do not forget Your law.
Plead my cause and redeem me;
Revive me according to Your word.
Salvation is far from the wicked,
For they do not seek Your statutes.
Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord;
Revive me according to Your judgments.
Many are my persecutors and my enemies,
Yet I do not turn from Your testimonies.
I see the treacherous, and am disgusted,
Because they do not keep Your word.
Consider how I love Your precepts;
Revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.
The entirety of Your word is truth,
And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.

ש SHIN
Princes persecute me without a cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your word.
I rejoice at Your word
As one who finds great treasure.
I hate and abhor lying,
But I love Your law.
Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.
Great peace have those who love Your law,
And nothing causes them to stumble.
Lord, I hope for Your salvation,
And I do Your commandments.
My soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I love them exceedingly.
I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my ways are before You.

ת TAU
Let my cry come before You, O Lord;
Give me understanding according to Your word.
Let my supplication come before You;
Deliver me according to Your word.
My lips shall utter praise,
For You teach me Your statutes.
My tongue shall speak of Your word,
For all Your commandments are righteousness.
Let Your hand become my help,
For I have chosen Your precepts.
I long for Your salvation, O Lord,
And Your law is my delight.
Let my soul live, and it shall praise You;
And let Your judgments help me.
I have gone astray like a lost sheep;
Seek Your servant,
For I do not forget Your commandments.

The Rumble of Our Grumble

There goes the Lord again, pushing us outside our comfort zones. (I have multiple occurrences these days…)

SO, Here’s a POEM, the rumble of our grumble, we moan.

The Rumble of a Grumble

WE MOAN, we get pushed out of our comfort zone

It’s like we should appreciate something new, but grief we choose to spew. (Me too.)

I do NOT think the Lord wants to throw me, He just wants to grow me.

Perseverance is the scriptural clue that God is talking to you.

And it’s our pride, God is taking for a ride.

So buck up and buckle up, is God asking us to grow up?

Maybe we have to be less full of self, and remember God started this whole world by HIMSELF.

And HE keeps it spinning, His is the game He’s winning.

So pushed outside of our comfort zones, new things, hard things, confusion, we have MOANS.

But let us put on the brake, to the grief we ache.

We, in tribulations, are instead to GLORY, but mostly we (I) say ‘Oh, Lordy’…

And we all must face, that we NEED God’s Grace.

And Romans 5 reminds us Jesus died for the ungodly too, and now us with faith, our Salvation He won’t let anything or anyone undo. Our lives are saved, we should not forget to Praise.

So know God’s Plan, DOES include fallible man. Adam’s ban becomes Jesus’s fix it plan.

We are to help too, spread the Good news to whomever God will choose. And He gives us GIFTS, to work hard against all faith rifts.

We must get out of our comfort zone, and bless the areas He wants us to roam. Yes Lord, I’ll try to GROW, by FAITH let’s get on with the Show!

Our hesitations are our sin, but You’ve got us Lord, we are to remember YOU WIN. And You Jesus will fill us, cover us, and bless us in GRACE, as we finish this life RACE (at YOUR pace).

Amen to begin PRAISING YOU again. The Rumble of our Grumble is to become but a fading faded din…

Let us begin, again, and again.

Amen Amen Amen

—-

Romans 5 NKJV

Faith Triumphs in Trouble

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Christ in Our Place

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Death in Adam, Life in Christ

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Keep What Keeps You – Don’t Quit God – Psalm 9

I enjoyed being outside yesterday – knowing that today will be rainy – and well Autumn is upon us – Fall is falling temperatures and falling leaves and sometimes falling in sadness that summer is done – and yet the temperature is more manageable to be able to THINK – as too hot is too hot… Falling seasons is also feeling like hunkering down and yet we are to remember that it is not hard to throw a sweatshirt on and get back outside…

The night falls faster too – it gets dark earlier and this is probably why the fall TV season starts up this time of year – and the only new offering that I am interested in will be Survivor – and well everything else on TV is just not seemingly worth it – nor is most of the new Roku lineup that I now have investigated after my youngest got one – honestly the only thing I saw last night worth anything was classic old fare: was a few minutes of the A-team – of Carol Burnett – and I don’t even remember now – (and sad for me to complain when I should have been thankful I had the downtime). SO, then I went to YouTube and after watching an interview with Ringo Starr, I stumbled upon a rabbit hole of another great force in entertainment from years ago – Mae West… Yeah the historic biographies were much more interesting than junk TV of the 2000’s or 80’s – and that was the EARLY TV 1950’s Red Skelton comedic bits with Mae West were hilarious.

Yes, Mae was quite the firework sparking attention – of what is now “Old Hollywood” but with sassy Vaudeville roots and scandalous new New York stage ventures… (Yeah scandalous and I make no defense of bawdy behavior)… Yet you have to admit that probably people in show business today have a fraction of her spunk as well as public power. She was so strong that she was able to keep WC Fields from drinking for a movie!!! However her publicity for bad press was still good publicity – and Mae West was a woman who worked hard and knew her power. Her attitude and one-liner comebacks were notorious and stunning. She even made good publicity use of her short prison sentence for her indecent show and they say she simply stayed pampered on the Welfare Island NY (now Roosevelt Island park with stunning views of NYC).

What struck me in one interview – with giddy interviewers like Dick Cavet – was a sentence that she essentially said: “Keep what Keeps You…” – she was asked about her success in living and she said she did not drink or smoke – and when asked about her diary she said: “I figure everybody should – yeah I figure you keep a diary and someday it may keep you!”… smirking laughter – but what a nugget of thought… Keep what keeps you…

And that is the big nugget of more than thought but the ultimate “Keep what (WHO) Keeps you.” – and this ties back to our thoughts of us and God – which we should say God and us – we keep the faith because He keeps us – we have to realize that He kept us first – made us too – and sure we often still do wonder our place in this world, so we need to realize that our FAITH is what is keeping us grounded and able to keep moving – and able to rest without falling into fear or fret or worse… Keep what is Keeping you – keep faith – keep God as focus – keep going…

And do I advise keeping a “diary” or conversation going with God? (written or otherwise?) YOU BETCHA!!! I am so much better when I start my day with discussing life with God – checking in – surely not listening enough but God always says: Oh I know the plan I have for you – keep going – keep listening – and ESPECIALLY KEEP FOLLOWING… (and after a good rest or at least some rest – yes we should praise the Lord that He wants us to refuel….)

One more mini-rabbit hole for video watching was a faith clip from 70s or 80s TV show “All in the Family” – a scene from “Edith” played so masterful by Jean Stapleton and son-in-law “Meathead/Mike” played so well by Rob Reiner – and she questioned her faith after their friend was murdered (that show pushed all the social controversies of the day into riveting thoughtful episodes while still being a comedy) and the conversation went like this: Edith said she didn’t understand God – and Mike asked ‘well what subject did you hate the most and not understand in school’ – “Algebra” Edith answered – and Mike said: but you didn’t quit school – and Edith gave the most thoughtful of poses – of course that means that if you don’t understand all that God is doing – don’t quit God… DON’T QUIT GOD!!!

True – we don’t understand everything – barely a fraction it seems in people’s actions and evil in the world – don’t understand from the beginning of time on earth the fierceness of cowardness in doing the right thing – but that doesn’t mean that WE don’t do the right thing – and that doesn’t mean that WE don’t keep the faith. We is our limited view = and THEE is God Almighty. Don’t Quit God – because God is NOT quitting you!! and Keep what keeps you – yeah FAITH…

“those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” from Psalm 9

Amen

Psalm 9 NKJV

Prayer and Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Righteous Judgments
To the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Death of the Son.” A Psalm of David.

I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

When my enemies turn back,
They shall fall and perish at Your presence.
For You have maintained my right and my cause;
You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.
You have rebuked the nations,
You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.

O enemy, destructions are finished forever!
And you have destroyed cities;
Even their memory has perished.
But the Lord shall endure forever;
He has prepared His throne for judgment.
He shall judge the world in righteousness,
And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.

The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble.
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!
Declare His deeds among the people.
When He avenges blood, He remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the humble.

Have mercy on me, O Lord!
Consider my trouble from those who hate me,
You who lift me up from the gates of death,
That I may tell of all Your praise
In the gates of the daughter of Zion.
I will rejoice in Your salvation.

The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made;
In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.
The Lord is known by the judgment He executes;
The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.
Meditation. Selah

The wicked shall be turned into hell,
And all the nations that forget God.
For the needy shall not always be forgotten;
The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.

Arise, O Lord,
Do not let man prevail;
Let the nations be judged in Your sight.
Put them in fear, O Lord,
That the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah

It’s the People! It’s the People!

It was a slowdown Sunday after a fabulous set up Saturday. (a rambling post about the weekend)…

Sunday was of course a blessing to give a sermon at our church. However small a group, I pray the message resonated. The Word moves and is alive. And I always have the thought in the background that my sermon that day also becomes my writing – and it is not 2 birds with one stone – but 2 missions with one message. And there is a double mission in writing – these emails go out to 73 people personally and then the posts that I make on DebbieUpper.blog go out to many people unknown – sometimes they “like” the page and I think my readership is at about 75 people. Again – no one HAS to read these but just know that I HAVE to write. It is social in a silent way. And with this month – I cross into the 3000th writing blog – yeah 125 chapters done (printed too in duplicate) – and Lord knows where this goes – or just simmers – it is social silent spiritual specialness.

It’s the People!!!

An Sunday post message, I went to the thrift store to find my costume for an upcoming event for scouts – a mystery dinner – for the older girls – and yes, we had a fun read-through on Friday night – people who love people – and we loved it… and I was quietly social with messages as I got my stuff and sent pics… fun to have companions who are not even with you… And then the cashier – I was able to encourage him with his discussion for finding a new job – and referred him to a local job helping agency! ENCOURAGEMENT!

It’s the People – and encouragement!

Sunday also found me catching up with finishing a great movie – “9 to 5” – I had not remembered most of it and I think it stands up with such a creative movie…. Sunday was then completed with a bible study by zoom and the concept that I had not heard – that the story of the adulterous woman in the book of John was kinda just stuck in there and the teacher pastor said he does not believe it is “canonical” – meaning once it got put into copy (predating the KJV) it stayed in – but it distracts from the whole of the chapter 7 – so interesting and so we discussed that section first – still so meaningful as a story and not saying it was not true but that it didn’t belong in that middle section from the crafting of the translations… Interesting gluing…

GLUING! I continued during my bible study and after to make these collages of photos for my cousin for his birthday in October – they are 80’s 90’s 2000’s photos (and I found a couple to reprint from real young childhood to add in) – and I know he will love it = as much as I loved putting it together – it is silent moments of loud memories in fading colors – and they glue together nice as collage pages.

It’s about the People – and this is about my cousin and the fun we all had as a family.

SO – social was good in some silence and solemness on Sunday – social media brought me quickly to the farm I had been meaning to go to – just the store and social media showed the last of the BIG peaches and I ran up there and got one and got a pretty photo too – and we all were grabbing peaches from the quick thinking “run” up there after their Facebook post – and then I sat at the table and organized some items including my thoughts – and then someone called me to say they had rice pudding for me leftover from a picnic – and yum – and gave them some corn on the cob ($3 a dozen – so gave them half) – yum… Today the farm itself is open and I many go there just for the wagon ride…

It’s about the People! The people stopping for the picking up of pleasant experiences (and peaches)…

And Saturday I enjoyed being social in a non-silent ways too – and yeah Saturday was fun… I helped my friend at her art studio space – well I don’t think I did enough helping at her table but did try to help clean up when it was done… I was busy too – TALKING – no surprise… I had a great interaction with all the people coming in for both projects = yes they were there to look at art but honestly the people who sat down to make art (or craft art) gave us the gamut of great interactions – really was a blessing to be with them all – in a joyous manner. (And I loved the crafting and the art – they blend for me – and it is the art of people interactions which is a God-given gift I appreciate).

SO – as the people came in – they sat – and this was the tip and trick I had for sucess that day – I SAT DOWN TOO – and yes I did get up too – but I did not stay on my feet all day… There were lots of stools and chairs – and sitting “to take a load off” was a welcome time for many… The invitation was to come make a gelli print (at my friend’s station) where paint is dabbed on a piece of gelatin and then rolled (less is more) to blend colors – and then maybe marked up with stamps or lace or whatever – and then a piece of paper overlayed to absorb the imprint and then peeled off. BEAUTIFUL and every one was unique (the prints and the people)… The color combinations were fun and it was a great way to tell each person: “GREAT JOB”!!! Perhaps this is why the sitting down (or standing) is so therapeutic – you use your hands, let your mind intermingle, and then voila you get art…

It’s the People – It’s the People!!!

Another people interaction was with the other artists at the show/event – the three other women in our studio were treasures of folks – interesting and talented and giving – and smiles smiles smiles… We were all happy to be there. And the woman accross the hall did these amazing huge collages – like of glass and mirrors – like of other objects – it could be both an obsession and a lot of time – and she told me that the one of glass which I loved – that the glass pieces had sat under her desk for a long time before she finally got to making it… I loved both the art and the interactions – and of course taking photos.

It’s the People – It’s the People!!!

PHOTOS!!!!

I know something about photos – especially recently – and sat down at a table to glue photos to cardstock folded cards (that came with envelopes, a great deal at the Michaels craft store! with coupons!) – and welcomed the people to come sit down – and craft some memories into a card that could be shared. It was neat to see the young men who came first – of special needs but of special talents – special abilities… One was so vocally thrilled when I mentioned that I had photos of racecars. I can still hear him – “Racecars racecars!!!” – and with all the children who sat down it was a joy to see them thinking – and for this one racecar afficianado, well I watched him make a glue stick square or rectangle that was just right for the photo – even though I had recommended to others to glue the photo back first rather than the paper – this young gentleman just went full steam ahead at gluing and his way was right – because he had the visual perception to make the template glue the right size = LIKE I SAID IT IS ALL ABOUT ABILITIES – and I love watching brains think…

The photos of cats? well they went fast – to young and old alike – we probably had like 30 or 40 people who came and did projects over the course of 6 hours – and one mom was taken aback at how her young daughter showed such an old soul in a moment of picking a photo of a dilapidated barn and pairing it with a pink card background – and yes it worked! And I can still see the mom with an amazement at where that came from her daughter’s soul… And then there was set of people who organically fed off each other – strangers but then became collage-rs having to share scissors – well they loved the creating and we did share the scissors and beautifully they crafted – with a eye of art – one gentleman sat to “take a load off” while his partner was doing the gelli print – and I invited him to craft a card – and he took the mini photos of things that his 20 month year old would recognize – a cat – a helicopter – a train – and he was so precise in his gluing and layout – cool – and then another gentleman (they were about 30) came and sat down and he beamed at the photo of the McDonalds arches – and yeah it was from the 80’s – and wow – this was fun – and then the woman next to him started cutting and collaging a farm scene – so awesome and I had let her borrow my reading glasses and even though I became anxious for their return, I was patient (tried hard) and she did – and we both loved the finished product as well as the producing… A woman from the other room came in and marveled at the young (mid-aged) men sitting and crafting and it just sparked her thankfulness for such a sight! FUN… And the woman who came to do the gelli print – she asked if she could take some cut outs home – and I said sure – she does an art journaling at home – cool…. (and some folks did give some money which I did not force or enforce which took care of the funding for the paper and glue – and it all works out in joy as priceless in my opinion…) And although I enjoyed making some cards myself in a silent social setting previously – this cemented how blessed it was that I loved the vocal social sit down for these activities…

It’s about the PEOPLE!!!

One woman (a friend of a friend) saw the Macy’s parade photos from the 80’s and she mentioned that she was a balloon handler for like 8 years – marvelous chatting and enjoyed seeing the photos – art therapy is talk therapy too – reminiscing is remembering and reframing thoughts into processed parts – joys and everything in between.

It’s about the PEOPLE PROCESSING !!! (thus this long post, lol)

I wanted to re-write mention about the cutting out of things, my aunt (who took these photos) did that a lot, from glossy newspaper coupon pages she would cut pictures of cats or random jars of peanut butter or whatever- we would laugh finding the pics in games or puzzle boxes. And when I was keeping my kids busy as little ones – scissors and gluesticks or elmer’s glue was a great project – we made giant collages of photos of halloween or flowers – love me some arts and crafts – but yeah also good to keep the kids busy – and I always tell people that when my oldest was about 2, I let her sit with safety scissors cutting out paper – and she just cut and cut and I called it “making confetti” – and she now (over 20 years later) is an architect – made the cut! Awesome!

It’s about the people and learning what makes them tick – and learning about ourselves too – and some people are not people people – but they all want to be heard – that I am sure of – our social nature is just wanting to be known – and God gave us the Proverbs to talk about us wanting wisdom – and the best wisdom is sometimes knowing ourselves… I love meeting people this weekend to know more about myself – I appreciated my alone times to reinforce what I was learning and relearning about myself and my motivations in this season – sometimes life is alot to process and we are unique in processing….

I think that the Lord has made us so unique and intricate and also given us times of downtime which heal our souls – soak our souls in saturating peace – and rest our feet too – yeah – art is the eye of loving how God made people so unique – we are His ultimate collage of collection of children – ready to bless each other – ready to be filled with His Love of knowing we are blessed to live…

Amen

from Proverbs 2:2-3 “So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding….”

Proverbs 2 NKJV

The Value of Wisdom

My son, if you receive my words,
And treasure my commands within you,
So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;
Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;
He guards the paths of justice,
And preserves the way of His saints.
Then you will understand righteousness and justice,
Equity and every good path.

When wisdom enters your heart,
And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
Discretion will preserve you;
Understanding will keep you,
To deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks perverse things,
From those who leave the paths of uprightness
To walk in the ways of darkness;
Who rejoice in doing evil,
And delight in the perversity of the wicked;
Whose ways are crooked,
And who are devious in their paths;
To deliver you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words,
Who forsakes the companion of her youth,
And forgets the covenant of her God.
For her house leads down to death,
And her paths to the dead;
None who go to her return,
Nor do they regain the paths of life—
So you may walk in the way of goodness,
And keep to the paths of righteousness.
For the upright will dwell in the land,
And the blameless will remain in it;
But the wicked will be cut off from the earth,
And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.

Sermon share: The Reverent Fear of the Lord is the Start of Wisdom, Proverbs 1-2

Scripture: Proverbs 1:1-7 NKJV
The Beginning of Knowledge
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

To know wisdom and instruction,
To perceive the words of understanding,
To receive the instruction of wisdom,
Justice, judgment, and equity;
To give prudence to the simple,
To the young man knowledge and discretion—
A wise man will hear and increase learning,
And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
To understand a proverb and an enigma,
The words of the wise and their riddles.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Sermon – The Reverent Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom – 20SEP2026

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” We say that all the time, but do we fear the Lord enough to really investigate what that means. Yes, we can wrap our heads around wanting wisdom, we all want that I hope, we all could thrive in wisdom, that’s not like knowing the future – with a magic 8 ball – but wisdom that comes from a pure source – from God… Yes, it is easy to realize whether we have wisdom or not, we should and probably we know we want it. WISDOM…

The fear though? I bet none of us fear enough. This is NOT SIMPLY to mean that we are to be ANXIOUS scared, fear of DOOM, but have a REVERENT fear of the Lord in realization that God is God and we are not. That’s a healthy fear, that’s the start of wisdom.

“Healthy fear” – which it is – is reverence and just a start – so can add that reverence in God gets us to change our ways. I have friends who are examples to me – an example that the Lord is “picking on us” – not in that way of Jaws, cue the music – dunnn – na, dunnn – na, dunnn – na…. but that the Lord is picking us out – picking us up… The Lord is a shark circling us for the kill? – no – the Lord is circling us to come in for the kill of the sin and death and of our worldly views – the Lord is circling us – FOR THE LIFE THAT HE WANTS US TO HAVE. This should bring us some wisdom – or at least appreciation of the Lord – He wants to bring us LIFE. God Knows Best – like Father Knows Best – yeah… Solomon would write: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction; ¹²For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father, the son in whom he delights.”

My friend who is a pastor now, Pastor “N”, well he tells the story of his life – of how the Lord got a hold of him – how the Lord severely shook him up – Him then young – certainly never could envision him being a pastor, even though his mom was an awesome minister) – well N was a wayward youth – living what he thought was the good life – party party party – even came inebriated at least once (I think this is how the story goes that he recounted) to church as a young man – came in still inebriated from the night before and they were lighting the advent wreath and well – the fire… (don’t worry – all was OK – and taken care of) – but yeah he remembers the wayward ways of not having reverence for the Lord – not in His house – in spite of his family – just off the rails. Financially awful – eating cold cans of food without a decent home – yeah bad… Well, one day he was in the bar – quite inebriated and THEN SNAP – like a snap of fingers – He heard God talking to him and N became stone cold sober in a second – instant – miraculous – boom… Yeah God can do that – yeah – it taught him some fear – it taught him lots of reverence – and yeah – wisdom??? Yeah – wisdom is as the proverbs say: the beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom!!! and the scriptures state to not stop there. KEEP LEARNING MORE WHAT THE LORD HAS INSTORE. Yes it helps us – but imagine how many more lives each person saved for the Lord’s work can help – we grow as community when we grow each in ourselves:

“LET THE WISE LISTEN AND ADD TO THEIR LEARNING, AND LET THE DISCERNING GET GUIDANCE “ – that is: “To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion – A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel…”

IF WE KNOW HOW GOD IS GOD – WHO WOULDN’T WANT HIS COUNCIL!

(and yes Pastor N now – is a wise man of council… ) Yeah God got him GOOD!!! And FOR HIS and GOD’s GOOD!!!

And I have seen many a friend who inspires me in their weakness but in God’s Strength – please continue to pray and know that God wants the best for them and for the people they are with. God ONLY wants good for us – we are weak but He is Strong!

Solomon (King after his dad David was king) would continue writing about this WISDOM – this is from Proverbs 2:1-12 – such good stuff:

The Value of Wisdom:

My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you,
So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding;
Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding,
If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures;
Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints.
Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity and every good path.

When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
Discretion will PRESERVE you; Understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil….

And how do we use this wisdom ? – how do we “put your own oxygen mask on first, so that you can help others”? – how do we live in order to serve? One aspect of reverence of the Lord is to love His people.

Another aspect of reverence – healthy fear – is to stop complaining about every little thing and start appreciating blessings – like in the book of James – perseverance…

And a clear aspect of reverence is that famous saying: “God put you into this world and He can take you out!” – But God is not mean in that way = He has a purpose we don’t always see. And so since we are IN this world – God wants us to use wisdom to be wise – then we get to share the wealth of our wisdom and work – and our work isn’t always about elbow grease – it is more about giving credit where credit is due and praising God – all creation groans to praise Him – we should too…

We ALSO are to take our blessings and replenish those fertile fields that helped us – and replenish so that they help the increase for next time – like putting down good fertilizer – if this were gardening or farming – sometimes even letting the soil take a rest for one crop season – in other words, we need to listen to God to then know when to act – how to act – when to rest – and always to listen

Proverbs say: 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.

We also have the benefit of wisdom when we have that extra sense – to listen to God and not to the world – like I know something that might seem so silly or even stupid to some folks – even to our family – well if we have worked that out with God – if we trust our Good God and our guts – then we are probably on the right path… God puts us in the path of people whom He needs to encourage – so we are to ENCOURAGE WHEN ABLE – to HELP – Jesus said: ²⁷Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so. ²⁸Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you.

This is the basis of our Know God, Show Love, Grow Community – isn’t it? We want all to know the blessings of God – and honestly it is part of our Great Commission too – to seriously say that we know it is God’s guidance –

God knows best, and why? BECAUSE HE LOVES US MORE – AS VERY GOOD – AS GOD IS LOVE AND CAN NOT NOT LOVE – SO HE WANTS THE BEST FOR US…

Jesus said look at the lilies of the field and as fine as Solomon dressed as good, yet here today gone tomorrow, the manmade stuff of life is but the briefest time, but how much more God loves us to keep us in forever, not necessarily here on earth, but forever with Him. Our reverence is in realizing His love enough to not spare His own son Jesus in exchange for our eternal life. That IS, He IS a God worth our reverence.

Previously in a sermon we spoke about not neglecting getting together for worship, Hebrews 10, and I noticed in the passages afterwards from Hebrews 10, a “fear” phrase which is clear – that we need to have a fearful check of reality to pay attention to God and accept His forgiveness and grace and instruction – verse 27 “. a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.”

We should know that as we draw nearer to God, He will help us keep from sinning, He will help us with His Wisdom and strength… and honestly, he would rather that we be weak so that HE can be strong in our lives. We have to reduce anxiety – that devil of doubt – and keep living – remember Jesus said alongside the lilies comparison, (also from Luke 12)

²⁹“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. ³⁰For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. ³¹But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

Our wisdom has to say to us to be God’s wise follower = He is a jealous God and He will be looking for us as that one sheep of the lost 100 = He is looking for us and knows where we are – as in Psalm 139 – we can’t separate ourselves from God’s watchful eye…

And God needs us for times like these (like Queen Ester was called for her time = God has us here for these times!)

—

Conclusion: SO – Faith over Folly, Wisdom over Worldliness, and Fear of God over Forgetting God. It is worth reading these Proverbs – and living them – Solomon asked for the most important thing he could really use, WISDOM, not riches or long life. God gave generously all these to Solomon as well, God is generous that way. Was Solomon perfect??? No, not at all. Not at all. And lots of people after Solomon were also NOT perfect – and yet God continued to secure a remnant of the family line of David and Solomon through hard years of people not listening to God (Dave in many other sermons spoke of this). And we know from this Word of the promises in the scriptures – that THE WORD is Jesus and Jesus came through this lineage of David and Solomon = as promised: Jesus came.

And with our reverence of God – we are more able to listen to Jesus and follow the more narrow path – which we will find is very much more sure than the wider more deadly path of worldliness.

All told, the world still needs wisdom now. Our wisdom should tell us that God has instilled instructions inside of us, a Holy Spirit center in us pointing to Jesus growing, if we simply follow Him over distractions of the human heartaches of this world. Know them – see them – fix them best we can – think Globally and act Locally – act BOLDLY – and spread the Love – remember the “share a Coke and a smile” commercial – do whatever you can to share LIGHT in a dark world…

Please pray with me – Lord, we know you state that “whoever listens to me [God’s Wisdom] will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” Keep us today in your grace and mercy and lead us to the people you want us to see. Amen

BENEDICTION:

Here is a poem about wisdom to set us off on a good day – listening to the Lord – being philosophical as well as practical

Wisdom is precious to Know,

A GIFT from God to help us grow.

When wisdom, like hidden treasure, is sought,

It is an easier path through life that is wrought.

Be God’s and fear Him, Awesomely,

Desire Understanding, Wholeheartedly.

The Righteous walk is with the Lord, not the human flatterer,

How God deals with them is a whole other matter.

Hide Commandments in your heart.

Quiet Discretion will make you appear SMART.

Side step all of evil’s ways,

Instead Lord, only YOU do we Praise.

Worthy is Your Word,

Your Wisdom calls out to be heard.

YOUR WISDOM CALLS OUT TO BE HEARD!

Amen – And have a wonderful day!!! God bless you and keep you!

CONTINUE KNOWING WISDOM… Proverbs 1 and 2

Busy busy busy – but in wisdom I know that this is a good thing for me –

Some keeping busy on the job hunting front – and I got to be the encourager yesterday for a new crop of job hunters – postdocs looking to break into industry and others – really I felt like since I had 20 plus years in industry, which they were all trying to break into, well yeah – I counted my blessings and connections and now can be that connection for others. Meanwhile my increase in likely consulting for both avenues: science/regulatory work and for helping people with clean up projects of their homes – digital scanning and garage digging and straightening etc, both avenues will increase in speed – because my life is as busy as it always was in SO MANY avenues… (This is also a good reason to take the train at times – getting somewhere but you aren’t driving – Let God drive)…

And the seminar on reskilling or retooling – well I was able to give the example of my ability in science and projects to break down a large project into small bits – well that ALSO pertains to looking at a pile and start in one corner and keep going – make things manageable and not do everything all at once and get there – things and life are split into finite chunks, so can our projects…

Yes – that is a retool of skills already had…

We all want to reskill or retool – and the difference in those things was a good ponder – reskilling takes time but retooling what you already have well that is a great thing to do – and that seminar (which also had a great free lunch) helped me focus and relax and rethink – and keep working my connections and what God has laid in front of me… Plus I got to walk a few extra minutes before getting back on the train (the train is a good ride) to a garden-like city block – where I sat at the bench were a beloved local DJ would sit – and it is now dedicated to him. Was a slice of nice… There was an art show going on too – outside – and yeah I loved the busy paintings of colors – that reflects my life and my attitude…

And it is now Saturday – and who doesn’t love a good saturday with good weather?!!!! SO many possibilities!!!

I’ve also in a plethora of lots of creative ways to share today – with art projects today with a friend at the local art studios – and last night a girl scout “reading” for a mystery play that I get to play in – it was sitting around the patio with friends and so welcomed to my counting of blessings – so good… And now I have to be creative and get my costume together!!!

But immediately, I was just now putting together my sermon for tomorrow and this poem I wrote years ago is worth a repost – about wisdom – and keeping looking for it… Be philosophical as well as practical… Proverbs 1, 2, and more – yeah good…

OK – here is the poem – and let me now get up and ROAM…

AMEN and have a great day!

WISDOM CALLS OUT TO BE HEARD!

Wisdom is precious to Know,

A GIFT from God to help us grow.

When wisdom, like hidden treasure, is sought,

It is an easier path through life that is wrought.

Be God’s and fear Him, Awesomely,

Desire Understanding, Wholeheartedly.

The Righteous walk is with the Lord, not the human flatterer,

How God deals with them is a whole other matter.

Hide Commandments in your heart.

Quiet Discretion will make you appear SMART.

Side step all of evil’s ways,

Instead Lord, only YOU do we Praise.

Worthy is Your Word,

Your Wisdom calls out to be heard.

YOUR WISDOM CALLS OUT TO BE HEARD!

Amen

And have a wonderful day!!! God bless you and keep you!

Here is the link to proverbs 1 and 2 – life lessons to listen to God https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%201-2&version=NIV;NKJV

I Lift Up My Eyes, Psalm 121

Love this Psalm 121 = not only from the Sound of Music – but it is the most best way to pray to the Lord with realization that He DOES make a difference in our lives.

The Lord has made ALL the difference in my life. My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

I heard back from a position I had applied for – and they went with another candidate – and yes I understand – and I don’t feel slighted or overlooked – but still a bit sad – but I know that the Lord has plans for me – MANY plans – so I will keep looking – keep pushing – keep waiting – keep believing. The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand.

And I went to a traditional job fair today – and I enjoyed chatting with people so very much… I had a good conversation with a particular place but know it is not for me (not saying others can’t do it – but not for me…) And I appreciated that the Lord gave me the pause and the prayer and the purpose. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.

And how much more comfort do I have that the Lord is thinking about me – about us – all the time – never sleeping – never forgetting – now and always. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.

Yes – we have the Lord to look too – to Him – to His Power – and to His Hope. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.

Amen and Amen!

—

Psalm 121 NKJV
God the Help of Those Who Seek Him
A Song of Ascents.

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

LIGHT OVERCOMES the darkness

It’s always a good reminder that the bible is very consistent and tells us that LIGHT has overcome darkness and darkness will NEVER overcome light ever again. And we are taught, and hopefully we feel and know JESUS as the LIGHT of the world.

SCRIPTURE CLEARLY CALLS OUT JESUS: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

SCRIPTURE CREDITS GOD AND JESUS FOR ALL THINGS: All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

SCRIPTURE SAYS LIFE AND LIGHT SHINES, AND DARKNESS DOESN’T EVEN UNDERSTAND LIGHT, DARKNESS CAN’T WITHSTAND IT NOR OVERCOME IT. JESUS WINS:

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.

SCRIPTURE IS THE WORD, IS JESUS, AND KNEW AND KNOWS THE WHOLE PLAN, LET US TAP INTO HIS LIGHT! HIS TRUTH! HIS LOVE, GRACE, AND MERCY:

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.

AMEN AND THANK YOU LORD!

—

John 1:1-14 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.

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.

Howdeeeee Lord!!!!! Psalm 118

Before you go down rabbit holes of video watching – think to yourself both of the time and the memories – and if it is worth the time. Well, I found an amazing rabbit hole that I felt was well worth it last evening – I enjoyed a whole lot of Minnie Pearl – wow – “Howwwwddddeeeeeeee!” (turns out her birthday and mine are the same!)

Do you remember Minnie Pearl? Well, I paused my video to ask my daughter – but she never heard of her – and I felt a failure of my upbringing of my kids for stuff that I knew – but since we don’t watch much TV anymore these days and have little of the “good” 70’s variety shows shown anymore, well wow, I guess she wouldn’t have been exposed to Minnie Pearl – nor to “Hee Haw” – wow I had to explain that too…

What a shame of loss when we don’t even know what we missed! Surely others would say that of us too. Time for us on the earth is so short – such opportunity but such finality of time we have and of the time we take.

My deep dive into Minnie Pearl was only a few hours – in downtime – but well I appreciated the memories and even the new footage for me. Minnie’s self-deprecating humor was always combined with her own laughing – it was effortless funny in appearance and she easily played off of others… She called herself a buffoon as a comedian saying that there are few that want to do what she did. And she had to work early on to get her comedic timing – these things are learned as well as ingrained. She spent much time on “Hee Haw” which must have been where I learned about her. And in the Grand Ole Opry, she was a staple – being invited to be a member just after her first routine – a throwback to Vaudeville performances (at least my daughter had heard of Vaudeville). Minnie even did many USO apprearances in war-zones. She is worth knowing about if you don’t know her – and her comedy still translates 50 plus years later via Youtube videos. They are a good rabbit hole of funny stuff. “COUSIN, MINNIE PEARL!!!!” her sidekick would yell. And the price tag dangling from her hat was always swinging because Minnie was always laughing!

How about us? Like to laugh or at least smirk? Do we appreciate those who want us to laugh – to lighten our load – who know they have a sparkle to share? How amazing that humor has made it to be part of our lives. God surely knew that we needed to laugh – we needed to sing and dance – we needed to appreciate downtime – and even when we were and are always thinking… “A cheerful heart is good as medicine“… Proverbs 17:22

And how does the Lord know that His stories of His people will always continue – surely in this finite world of everything – knowing God and His stories are always a fulfilling journey for us – knowing continuation and history which touches our souls is woven into the thirst we have. Laughing at these video clips is but a fraction of time – but knowing God’s Love and HIS-story in History is going to sustain us forever.

Let us keep living and working and knowing today is a gift for today. We will enjoy the ride that is short – but the view that is long.

“Today is the day the Lord has made.” Psalm 118:24…

“We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Amen and Howdeeeee to You Lord, today…

Amen

—

Psalm 118 NKJV
Praise to God for His Everlasting Mercy

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

Let Israel now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”

I called on the Lord in distress;
The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.
The Lord is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
The Lord is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in man.
It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in princes.

All nations surrounded me,
But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
They surrounded me,
Yes, they surrounded me;
But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
They surrounded me like bees;
They were quenched like a fire of thorns;
For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
You pushed me violently, that I might fall,
But the Lord helped me.
The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.

The voice of rejoicing and salvation
Is in the tents of the righteous;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
The right hand of the Lord is exalted;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
I shall not die, but live,
And declare the works of the Lord.
The Lord has chastened me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.

Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord,
Through which the righteous shall enter.

I will praise You,
For You have answered me,
And have become my salvation.

The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the Lord’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Save now, I pray, O Lord;
O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.
God is the Lord,
And He has given us light;
Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
You are my God, and I will praise You;
You are my God, I will exalt You.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

1979 clip: https://youtu.be/lbtC15yhDlU?si=52M8T0AvhjcbW3jE

Later Interview: https://youtu.be/7d1TRxVRzU4?si=TJCWKUSFmQ8LGMAO

How to catch a man: https://youtu.be/IHSsN3w9Mow?si=aEX6sHHlFYgK475g

This is your life – Ralph Edwards – about Minnie Pearl

Shake It Off and Keep Going, Acts 27-28 NKJV

It’s amazing we are afforded the ability to ponder then proceed. Because remember the simple fact: if we are still alive, then God has a PURPOSE for us, and while discovering this, we also get to play … ponder proceed play ponder again…

(Yesterday I wrote this on the beach… Today I am home job searching – always a balance…)

I am sitting in the shaded sunshine under the beach pier, watching the waves and the people. The water is warm. I see two gentlemen kicking a tennis ball as they walk, a little 2-3yr old scooping sand watching her father make a little sand castle and then him helping her rinse her hands in the waves by holding her up in the air – fun, I think the beach is where I see dads consistently playing with their children – blessed sight… Mom and grandma are looking on in delight too… Then some people are reading, some are sleeping (which I just woke from a needed nap myself), and others are splashing in the waves. You would have not known from a morning of pouring pouring rain, that this afternoon would be so very sunny beautiful. I enjoy the shake of the pier – almost cold in the breeze so I slid to the sun with a blanket to block the sunburning.

And sweetly I had a picnic lunch after church today in the great Auditorium of Ocean Grove, with Salvation Army band majestic playing, so nice to sit and absorb the majesty of it all, then I went over to “Days” had my ice cream, key lime pie, yum… Key Lime Pie ice cream is my favorite summer flavor there – but they have not had it but I saw a woman walking out with some – and she said she had to ask for them to get it from the back – so I did – and wow yum…

The church sermon stuck with me as much as the music did – even more: The sermonist said: be Heaven looking and earthly acting to purposely help others. Yes, let the Lord find your work for you, let the Lord open up your path, be of His Purpose. (The YouTube link is below).

The sermonist’s scripture was Acts 27, as Paul continued traveling a dangerous voyage but knowing God promised their safety (even if the ship would wreck and it did). Paul’s purpose was to trust God and talk to Caesar himself in Rome – sharing all along the way – months even years(?)… Paul’s journey was not just about the destination but the witnessing he did all long the way (ours too). So I reread both Acts 27-28 right now, on the beach, because it does really show God being purposeful in protecting Paul’s mission. Paul even shakes off a deadly viper bite. Just lives… and lives for God… Please do read his amazing adventure.

How about us? Can we shake off the deadly snares, crashes, wipeouts, wrath? Can we keep going? Surely God knows the plan and firms up our paths, and if we are still alive here on earth then we have a part of His Plan to be in. And surely our existence of being fallen people from Adam and Eve consequences (plus our own foibles) means we already WERE bit by the snake of sin and death, so that ONLY by God, His grace and mercy, will we rise again. Jesus saves, and stays with us.

In other words, you have already been saved in the victory of Jesus. Live as saved people. Washed clean, and Jesus is still scrubbing anything new. Actually Jesus is overlaying us with HIS purity. We are going to be OK. SO shake off the ugh of life.

Shake it all off, like sand from our beach time, shake off pain, shake off disbelief, shake off unknown, and keep going. Shake off fear. Shake off deadly attacks.

Shine instead. Shine hope. Shine life. Shine understanding. Shine LOVE…

Shine Jesus…

And keep going…

Amen

(sermon starts at the 48 minute mark and salvation army music all throughout https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptL1mr3VX3c&t=3003s)

Acts 27-28 – The Voyage to Rome Begins – And when it – Bible Gateway https://share.google/DnI9U6QaJEE1eaUwx

Acts 27-28 NIV

Paul Sails for Rome

When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment. We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.

The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs. From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us. When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board. We made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone. We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.

Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Day of Atonement. So Paul warned them, “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest.

The Storm

When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.

After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.”

The Shipwreck

On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep. Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.

Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. Altogether there were 276 of us on board. When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.

The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.

Paul Ashore on Malta

Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days. His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.

Paul’s Arrival at Rome

After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island—it was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. There we found some brothers and sisters who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged. When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.

Paul Preaches at Rome Under Guard

Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: “My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”

They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our people who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.”

They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet:

“‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’

“Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”

For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!

‘Someday’ Does NOT Exist

Had a most wonderful block party time at the street that includes our church, and all due to the spearhead, a man so wonderful and motivated for living, Earl, the self proclaimed Mayor of the avenue… Yeah… (And the food so good because it was made with love, the hamburger I had, yum, and the mac and cheese, yum, and the peanut butter and other cookies, yum…)

Earl is unique and a blessing for me to have met him (less than a month ago) and he and his wife and their son were fabulous to chat with, as were the other neighbors and our church members who came out. And in chatting with Earl I found the right and best headline for this blog as well as for life: ” ‘Someday’ doesn’t exist.”

Here is how the conversation went – and Earl at the same age as me (under 60) has fought and is fighting so many health battles that the Lord is keeping him in play for another day – in and out of the hospital but still here to serve God and God’s people and especially the avenue of neighbors – with love and motivation. So, the doctor asked Earl – ‘what is still on your bucket list?’ (knowing the time draws unknown) – “what is still on your bucket list?” – Earl honestly said “NOTHING” – I did it – I went to X, Y, Z… “I did”… And Earl said to others who said “Oh, I want to go to that place, ‘someday’…” – Yeah, well Earl said to the effect: “I look at the days – and well, there is a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. – ‘SOMEDAY’ does NOT exist…” I chuckled and agreed – thank you Earl…

‘Someday’ does NOT exist – go now – make the plan – be the one to decide to live – GO…

Someday – nope – today – tomorrow – make a plan – stick to the plan. Be fulfilled and fulfilling…

We know that God created the days – and after the creation of the world, he created a day called “TODAY”. (Hebrews 4:7) – and urged that we don’t harden our hearts towards God.

Thank you, Earl, for your wisdom beyond your (our) years…

So – the people enjoyed gathering with each other – were gracious to include us with the church – it was an all day affair – I left as the sun was about to set but the people still enjoyed sitting outside in the nice breeze – and the younger young folks went in to socialize too… Maybe my most important interaction that day was listening – not just to Earl – but to a most precious young girl who came with her wonderful parents. I loved sitting with her as she painted beautiful rocks and some drawings – and we talked about school – and she shared some tough things about school and I was able to relate – and support her – and MOST importantly I was able to tell her that GOD LOVED HER. I urged her to be brave – that it will get better – and that honestly, perhaps someone was watching her to see how she reacted to this toughness and that was inspiring them…

Let us continue to live = and be called to blessing = and yeah – be neighborly and loving – share our hopes and inspirations – LIVE in TODAY – and also LIVE in the hope that is Jesus’s gift of Everlasting Life…

Amen

—

1st Peter 3:8 – 22 NKJV

Called to Blessing

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For “He who would love life – And see good days, –Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Suffering for Right and Wrong

And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Christ’s Suffering and Ours

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

amen…

Surely, God is ALL We Need

I am eating a delicious avocado right now, ripened just long enough before it went bad – a miracle right? Because avocados are SO TEMPORARY in their goodness. Glad I caught it just right – and I am SO GRATEFUL that I got a good night sleep after an exhausting but fabulous trip to NYC – whew…

Thankfully – tiredness is helped by rest – avocados are helped by checking in on it everyday – but what about US??? Are we OK??? Well, God checks in on us – not occasionally – not only when we think of Him – God is surely with us always – and surely, God is all we need…

Let me say that again God is ALL we need… Amen and true and also hard to remember. But God is with us always…

Right now, it is sunny and the cool of the morning – perfect humidity level and a gentle breeze = God is here and God is all I need to remind me to do other things – and He does – like eat – like sleep – like write – God is always after me for writing – that is the state of my encourager job – and surely God is all I need. He reminds me of that – He even gave me the fingers to test the avacados and the knowledge to know when to eat them – and He gave us rest – and He gave us light – and He gave us the bountiful harvest season and He even gave us the tough times so that we look to HIM for guidance and support! God even sends the people we need!

Surely, God is all we need.

Jesus said (recorded in Matthew 28:16-20 about the Great Commission) that He would always be with us – and we know (especially on this Rosh Hashana day for the Jewish calendar celebrating when God made Adam and Eve) that God made us – and before us made everything and thought of us before that even – and then God will be with us until the end of the age.

I am going to trust God today – that worked for me yesterday and surely that will work for me tomorrow. God will help us today – God will help us tomorrow – Surely we can pray and ask Him for guidance.

Surely, God is ALL we need – and everything else will fall into order…

AMEN

“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”

It’s Quiet Uptown, Keep Living, (and eat the roses), 10-11SEP trip to NYC

I am now home from a last minute decision of taking a long-thought-out trip – I went to NYC for one night. So glad I went – so glad to be home… (long thought out is only like 2 weeks in my fast-paced thinking LOL)

I realized it would be a good chance to combine three things – go to a Yankees game – go see my friend (of course) – and go to Ground Zero… September 11th is 25 years ago, wow.

I felt God said it was OK to go ( I decided only that morning for sure) and so to go to Ground Zero for this anniversary was a good place for me – without going on the day of sept 11th but on the 10th – it WAS beautiful and meaningful… I sat under the tree there – and I felt yes, it was right and it was good for me to be there for my processing and praying – and remembering… I took a good moment – and my picnic lunch – to sit at the waterfalls at Ground Zero, especially resting under the big pear tree, which was removed from ground zero, rehabilitated, and placed back as a “survivor tree”. There was life teaming all around, between the people and the pigeons, and these cute squirrels, which attracted many people’s attention. Especially as one stole a flower right out of a memorial wreath, climbed up the tree and started eating it. Wow. A person was also feeling crackers to the very friendly squirrels. It was adorable and soothing, a reminder that LIFE continues… Love the pic I got. Life continues – stop and eat the roses. (And smell them)

Then I walked across the bottom of Manhattan to Pier 11 – and the info person was SO NICE – and helped me determine the shorter of the two ways to get to Pier 90 – where then I walked up to my friend’s place. Trust me that $4.50 for riding a ferry on the top deck was far superior than $3.50 underground on a subway for the same 50 minutes. And the views – wow – make sure to see my photos at the link below. The boat next to my ferry was “Seas the Day” – yes life continues – stop and smell the roses and compare them.

So I combined my game trip and 9-11 grounds trip with seeing my friend (fellow graduate from yikes almost 30 years ago) – and I really enjoyed seeing him – and we ate sweets and had lunch – and walked around – and talked and talked. Stop and smell and talk about the roses.

I had thought about this particular promo for the Yankees game sept 10th – get a Yankees jersey branded with my alma mater, I like it! (And as a kid I appreciated that I was from NY and assumed everyone was watching Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner fighting and just was a Yankees person… So thus I say Yankees is my favorite team even if the others have a much more fun and active stadium… I digress…)

My favorite interaction was a beautiful woman jogging by as I walked, saw my shirt and yelled out her class year! We had a fabulous conversation, really it IS a small world, and my ‘quest’ for connection was truly satiated. That was sufficient and fulfilling even before the game. Stop and smell and know to mention all about roses.

And was good to be close to the apartment after the game – it is quiet uptown and nice to stay over in convenience… People loved that the game was a winning game and I enjoyed chatting with some folks after moving from the 400 level cheap seats to the 300 level cooler seats to the 200 better view seats… 200 level was more rowdy and fun. The higher seats were still a good view but the people were more subdued. Stop and smell the roses but don’t be afraid to find other roses other places.

“It’s Quiet Uptown” – that is a line from Alexander Hamilton musical – but that is true – it is pretty quiet uptown and this morning (Sept 11th) we went to Alexander Hamiltion’s home of about 2 years before he died (and his wife’s Eliza’s home for nearly 30 years) – it is on the national park list – and the area is amazingly hilly and rocky – and they MOVED this house TWICE including lifting it over a church in 2008 WOW! the movie is amazing. *check it out on youtube* – and the house now has gardens full of roses… Stop and smell and ADMIRE the roses.

The reason for the song “It’s Quiet Uptown” – was that the Hamiltons were raising their many children (both adopted and born Hamiltons) in a big house after the oldest son was killed in a duel. It is a poignant part of the musical that states it is all about the processing – and it is also where one has to move on – and keep living… Stop and plant new roses – and remember those we have lost…

It takes a lot of processing – for them – for us – for us on Sept 11th – for life – for death – for life… Life is not always a rose garden…

It was also quiet uptown on this day – as it was the beginning of Rosh Hoshana – the Jewish new year – celebrating God making Adam and Eve – and Adam and Eve suffered great tragedy – which reading an excerpt from the Jesus Always book struck me – Adam and Eve lost BOTH their sons that day Cain killed Abel – lost Abel to death and lost Cain to the event of killing his brother – lost… They eventually had another son – but wow… Stop and know that roses have thorns… since the beginning…

And we have to remember to live – just keep living – plant new roses – smell them – see them – know them…

It was quiet in the colleges and school areas uptown and we ate lunch with Hungarian desserts as a treat – yum… It is quiet uptown except BUSY at the bakery – and sweet to sit down as my legs whew were sore! I need to walk more! and not to the sweets store! (maybe I should be eating roses like those squirrels)

Anyway a blessed day… and a blessed way to celebrate and know NYC… a rose of a city…

Remember September 11th

Amen

Song “It’s Quiet Uptown” from Hamilton musical.

His Place of His Grace – Live Where God has Placed You, Jeremiah 29:11

Whelp, I needed that – THE SCRIPTURE AND a Heaven-sent sermon to SEDIMENT MY SANITY… Jeremiah 29:11 “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 a hope and a future”...

And this Jeremiah 29:11 scripture has chased me all year – in my time away from work work – I have it as a copy in my car and everywhere – surely Jer 29:11 has chased me and us our whole lives to say: Live where God has placed you. God was telling the Israelites exiled in Babylon to not neglect living – to be fruitful, build houses, families, and gardens – LIVE – LOVE – LAUGH – LINGER IN LIFE. And this is true for us in “exile” on earth away from Heaven – and “exile” from where we THINK we should be – and “exile” in not thinking about how God has given us the Place of His Grace – to live (really live daily) where God has placed us.

That morning (yesterday), God found me in a pretty strong momentary “down” – worrying again – when I could tell my heart via my head that I was fine – but for some reason my fear and devil of doubt crept in – and that was after a great “up” – of a fabulous job pre-interview – and a hopeful connection to have an onsite interview. Then I also had a great recruiter interview. And so the morning left me with what my friend said must have been the “hangover” of the elevated high of the possibilities of those meetings just to then sink down to reality and then mentally I took the unfortunate dip deeper into yikes for NO good reason – BUT ONLY FOR A MOMENT – BECAUSE GOD FOUND ME A PURPOSE VERY QUICKLY – and I sought the Lord and He was already there waiting for me to notice Him. And I proceeded on my day – went to the beach to meet friends and took my laptop with me. Was a meeting at a favorite spot for both of us, Ocean Grove, beautiful weather to by outside the whole day…

Yes – great day – and then at 2pm I had a wonderful phone screen with a consultant placer – and this sounds promising as part time work – and well, all things all at the same time is normal for God in my life – probably yours too… (and this phone screen was taken so peacefully in a church town too – such a classic great way to find my peace)…

And then as I settled down yesterday for the drive home from seeing those friends, the Lord found to highlight a whole sermon on Jeremiah 29:11 for me on my YouTube feed – wow – as I was scrolling church items, there it was, a five year ago sermon given during the beginning of Covid and to an audience out on a lawn… Jeremiah 29:11 and the surrounding scriptures chased and found me again – on being at peace with where He has placed us – LIVE WHERE GOD HAS PLACED YOU. (the link is at the bottom of this email).

“Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord…”

And life is like that – ups and downs – not necessarily severe ones but when WE ‘think’ we know the way – and then run out onto that tightrope of life and then all of a sudden look down and get scared oops – well – we need to remember God IS our safety net – and He can bring us back to the sure way – and He can lead us FORWARD – to His Place of His Grace.

Well, good pep talk to myself, right? Well God found me where I was – Looking for HIM!

Thanks Lord!!!

Amen

….

: “What’s The Plan?”” Jeremiah 29:11, great sermon for me – also remembering covid times – Jeremiah says live where you are and don’t NOT live – but really LIVE…

—

Jeremiah 29 NKJV – Jeremiah’s Letter to the Captives

Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remainder of the elders who were carried away captive—to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. (This happened after Jeconiah the king, the queen mother, the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.) The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon:

Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the Lord.

For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.

WHY, HOW, WHAT, LOVE

I’m a bit deeper reading into a leadership book “Drive” by Simon Sinek, it’s all about knowing the WHY, sharing the WHY. This leads to forming the HOW, resulting in the WHAT. Inspiration for action.

Why?

How?

What?

Yes, it’s a leadership book, one has to feel like one is going somewhere, making something, that one is on a mission, for work or for anything. People want to know there is a plan and what their part is in it. Others simply want a paycheck. Both situations usually mean working towards a goal. Leadership in companies must read the market too. It’s a complex business thing that requires people skills to make a business model move, stay relevant, be achievable, work.

It takes quite a bit of work to work. It takes leadership and/or self-motivation to pursue work.

Faith, how does faith impact the work we do for the Lord? And around others? Faith brings the works – works and working in faith means following the Leader’s calling and your own calling, faith inspires faith in others, works inspire works too.

If anything we should realize Who our Leader is and Why He leads us, it’s LOVE. We also realize that God works in a different way than us, higher yes, not just complex but other worldly heavenly, super naturally, miraculously, but also in simple ways, and in clear ways. We can follow His example in that the work given to us is because we are given to it, skilled for it. We are “to work at anything as if we are working for the Lord.” – because the Lord will give us an inheritance, not for a reward here on earth.

We can teach, feed, inspire, motivate, heal, befriend, and LOVE.

Why? Love

How? Love

What? Love

And LOVE and FAITH will help us fill in all the details too. The What, How, Why of making God known as our motivator, of making God’s Good News known, it all starts with LOVE. We love because He loved us first… We also should tell others that God loves them.

Keep loving! Love works. That’s the WHY.

Amen

Colossians 3: 22-24

Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

Sept 11th, 25 years into Heaven

Well, it’s still hard to process September 11th 2001, even 25 years later. There are many things hard to understand in life about tragedies, about evil, and about human processing.

Doing more cleaning and photo sorting from my family treasure trove time capsule of stuff, this pamphlet of the twin World Trade Center towers from the late 80s just hit me with so many sad emotions from that day, all these days after, and now. But on the pamphlet – oh the phrases double upset me, because the phraseology intending to be humorous and about the majestic height of the towers reaching to the sky, struck me as odd: “The closest some people will get to Heaven”… UGH… Ugh in the irony of that tragedy there. Ugh because how much it implies some people never getting to Heaven. Ugh, gulp, many DID get to Heaven then. Many still will. I pray for everyone.

Remember 9-11. Remember MORE that all of that Heaven “climbing” is NOT climbing at all, or activities from the people, BUT by JESUS RISING THEM… GOD DIDN’T LEAVE HEAVEN SALVATION TO CHANCE, BUT FOR THE WORK IN/BY/OF HIS SON… and I pray mercy and forgiveness for all, yes all. It makes God sad for anyone to perish who doesn’t know Him. I pray pray pray for all to know God in all the best ways…

Our repentance into His Righteousness.

I’m not sure my plans this week ahead of attending 9-11 memorialized events or group activities, these are times I prefer solitude, I draw closer to God in the solo way, but know that we are to support in a connecting way. I will plan to get to the local 9-11 memorial – that place is also where I realized, Feb 1st 2015, of myself being 100% with Jesus, born anew in awakening, born into Heavenly Hope, facing forward to my future, hands to the plow, not looking back.

Tears and tragedy are one more play on this pamphlet’s text language, because of 9-11 and the towers and all the tragedy, many did draw much closer to God. Many also questioned why this world is so broken. It’s only God who can heal the brokenness, pray for this… pray for peace…

I prayed on my awakening awareness day, “Lord God, I pray you took all those in mercy and love and grace into Heaven.” – 3000 plus – “and Lord, like Peter preached thousands into the faith at Pentecost, may I reach 3000 people in a HOPE to help them reach to You, know You as Lord and Savior.”

Ah, Heaven is then, Heaven is now, for many. September 11th, 25 years into Heaven, may we never forget… May we continue to pray…

In prayer,

Amen

Only God Knows the Future

I left my “Jesus Always” book open to Sep 6th on purpose so that I would reread this passage again after I read it this morning. So needed…

The paraphrasing from Psalm 18, written in Jesus Calling lingo by author Sarah Young, speaks to me: “I don’t want you to focus overly much on what is ahead of you, wondering whether you’ll be able to cope with it. Only I know what your future really holds. Moreover I am the only One who fully understands what you’re capable of. I can alter your circumstances gradually or dramatically. In fact, I can widen the path you are walking on right now. I want you to realize how intricately involved in your life I am. I delight in taking care of you – Tweaking the situation you are in…”

I have lots of things ahead of me. We have a lot, each of us. And yet, Jesus wants us to take it only one step at a time. And not OVERLY focusing, it means to prep what you need to do, but don’t obsess on it. It’s different than “a watch pot, never boils” – it’s the scriptural truth of: “God’s Ways are above our ways…” wait on God… take it one day at a time, one moment at a time…

And waiting (and working) for the Lord is sometimes hard and sometimes easy. It takes a lot of listening. And the best we can do IS our best, and let the Lord take care of the rest…

God is our shield, we should always take refuge in Him.

Amen

Anchoring to His Gift is Better than Our Drift, Psalm 39

I surely enjoyed my day, and yet was aching for quiet time with the Lord. It’s not that the Lord wasn’t there all day, because certainly He was, it’s just the mental quiet that brings pause and more peace. I wanted that – I want that more and more, being connected and tethered to Him.

The day itself was great, first time I’ve done tubing down the river, just about forty five minutes north of here and a great activity with my daughter and friends, at a good coupon for end of the season. The first person out though, floated away and was unable to get back, catch us as we connected our tubes together with a rope, but they were able to pause halfway, and we reconnected. Instead of peace, that person had a tinge of panic and sadness just because they wanted to be with us, regardless of the time in the car as together, the event activity was where they ached for connection. I’m glad we all caught up, but there was that disruption of the peace by the situation. And yeah, we did know that we would all connect back at the end, but life is a journey, isn’t it…

That’s probably how God feels about us, He cannot give us perfect peace unless we are connected to Him. He can try to give it to us. His peace is Himself. Jesus is our Prince of Peace. But if we’re not receiving, then we are drifting… in our sinful ways we drift… in our arrogance we drift… in our distracted nature we drift… Let us not know God as a stranger, but a Father, and our peace

And in a drift, our life is just a vapor as David would sing in psalm 38, our drifted life gone with the rapid current of time. Best we anchor first, always, forever to Him.

So before we take up on our day and our activities, we should make sure we have our connection to Him in sight, in faith, in hope, in love.

God is already our anchor so let us not drift. God has people for us to be with, love to know, peace to share, hills to climb in challenges, and meadows and rivers to glide in. God knows both how to give us peace piecemeal, as well as catch us at the end…

And honestly, as much as I enjoyed my time together with everyone on our innertubes, I would also like to do that trip a second time as personal time, tubing by myself sometime, and just thank God and talk to God, realizing not a drift but a Gift…

Realizing a Gift. And holding onto Him.

Amen

—

Psalm 39:3-13 NKJV

David looking for wisdom from God:

My heart was hot within me; While I was musing, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:

“Lord, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them.

“And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You. Deliver me from all my transgressions; Do not make me the reproach of the foolish. I was mute, I did not open my mouth, Because it was You who did it. Remove Your plague from me; I am consumed by the blow of Your hand. When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away like a moth; Surely every man is vapor. Selah

“Hear my prayer, O Lord, And give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears; For I am a stranger with You, A sojourner, as all my fathers were. Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength, Before I go away and am no more.”

No more drifting…

Everything and Why Not?!

I am home from a great week away at home north plus traveling, and you could imagine that life in my subaru is a lifestyle of variety. And I’m so tired it’s hard to get out of the car, but did for some food, then home. So in the morning, I’m looking forward to that refreshed feeling of sleep.

The scriptures that stuck with me on this trip, and in life, are the three on my bracelets: “I can do everything through Christ (who strengthens me)”, Philippians 4:13; “Everything is possible for one who believes”, Mark 9:23; and “Trust in the Lord, with all your heart”, Proverbs 3:5-6.

Sometimes we’re just too tired, but we need to remember the Lord still has us, and He has kept us together!

I can say once again, how grateful I am to the Lord for my adventures, especially these last few months. I have many irons in the fire for activity and that’s not unusual. Variety is the spice of life, but the main dish is always the Lord’s solid sustenance.

I have to say looking at my aunt’s patch quilt, ( I have many aunts, sorry it’s confusing) on my cousin’s guest bed traveling, that the variety in our lives lived is like that, a variety, a patchwork visual to us but firmly placed on foundation by God. He holds the threads and it all works. Our variety is like saying God has everything planned for us, not necessarily that we are robots, but that we are cogs in something turning, as Joni Mitchell would sing. We are blessed to step in life moment by moment, depending upon Him.

And so for today’s variety, and tomorrow’s variety, and EVERYTHING God does, KEEP DOING EVERYTHING, because Why Not?! Let us TRUST and be STRENGTHENED by Him! With God EVERYTHING is possible.

Amen

—

Bloom Where You Are Planted, Ecclesiastes We

The cousins world tour continued – this time with my mom – great travelling companion. Saw 6 cousins from my dad’s side in 2 homes – great opportunity to travel and we seemed to miss the worst of the weather in our travelling ahead of the rain…

We started yesterday morning, travelled a little south then diagonal up almost to the state border – had great dinner – then stayed over and today travelled home via a route across part of the state – stopping to see 2 more cousins in one other town.

And wow the flowers of the season – and the crops to harvest – the tomatoes are better up here this year – ours not so much… The mums are getting close to being in bloom – and the farmers use a drip irrigation system – they bring the water to the plants… Every season is different and we are different in different places – and yet we are to bloom wherever we are – to bear fruit – to be counting blessings – and even to store up strength as we store up harvest fruits to tap into when the weather (and life) is colder… (WOW my cousin’s canned goodies are fabulous)… And the weather was a warm cool – not too hot and not too cold – nice…

We are to listen to God and bloom where we are planted but that doesn’t mean you can’t pick up your roots or stretch your stems and slide them around place to place – even sunflowers track the sun… Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes…

Solomon would be a bit philosophical: “A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness,…” Eccl. 2:24-26

More philosophy – Ecclesiastes We!

“This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.” Eccl 5:18-20

And an advantage in knowledge and in fear of God:

“… But the advantage of knowledge is this:
Wisdom preserves those who have it.
Consider what God has done:
Who can straighten what he has made crooked?
When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one as well as the other.
Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.
In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these:
the righteous perishing in their righteousness,
and the wicked living long in their wickedness.
Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise – why destroy yourself?
Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool – why die before your time?
It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other.

Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.” Eccl. 7:12b-18

So, let us enjoy this life one day at a time – and bloom in season and harvest in season – and just smile at God’s treasures shared…

Harvest in Health – Depend in Downtimes – Share in Suredness – Hope in However Life is… Be a witness to God’s abundant life – and bloom where you are planted (in His Arms Forever)…

AMEN

Thankfulness is Always in Season

I woke up with processing (that I was processing deepness in my dreams) and WELL, I am glad that dreams are just dreams – not real life – whew… I appreciate that God takes care of much of that processing stuff for us – really we have not enough time in life to see or fix or process even – we have a finite mind when God is infinite and allows us everything possible to understand in our hearts but not all the time in the world to do so – while in this world… Imagine the crash course (or forever college) on life when we get to heaven – well imagine that we can’t imagine it all…. yeah… amazing… He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

In terms of life – the scripture that crossed my mind this morning is a classic – Ecclesiastes 3 – there is a season for everything under the sun (and of course sing the version by the Byrds “Turn Turn Turn”)… And my subaru’s leaves on it – plus the sound of these late summer crickets and cicadeas – well the seasons are changing… Hold onto these summer temps if you can just a bit more…

Now we can read into the scriptures in an attitude of “geez…” or an attitude of “wow” or an attitude of “yikes” – so many ways to take it – and Solomon certainly was thinking of his take on life too – like perhaps in a “throw up your hands and I am done” kind of way…

I am taking life in thankfulness these days – and trepidation – and fear into faith – and well knowing this season will “turn turn turn”… God never changes but our seasons turn turn turn…

I came across some old (hey but not too old) photos of myself at age 3 – stored well in photo books – up home north – I was a cutie for sure – and thought it was hillarious this one photo – a face of disqust – funny now – I wonder what I was thinking at age 3 – my face twisted in a frowny smirk – perhaps I was cold… But with activity of rolling a snowman in another photo, I was certainly still working on activity even in the cold, and another photo of us with grandpa pretending to play checkers (yeah and later on in years we played LOTS of games of checkers). These photos are preserved well and perhaps I will take more photos of the photos – because much color of the early 70’s is fading badly because of the early experiences of color photo processing those days. Black and white photos of the era before are more preserved (of which we have lots of those too)… Seasons to remember are seasons we were too young to know – how interesting that our minds don’t remember until later on – my earliest memory was years later than this. But the photo tells me that this was a good season of my life. I am thankful for my childhood and my family. I am glad that God was there in that season.

The other photos I perused recently – from college days – are fun – 39 years ago crazy – me and grandpa again – and college freshman days – taken with my camera this time – but these photos had another problem – they were kept in a basement (I think) – they stink – physically ewww – and well I took photos of the photos and trashed them now, ewww… Seasons to remember but not go back. I am thankful that I have grown since then. I am grateful at the years that went by – and still go by. I am glad that God was there in that season.

And the photos of travelling as I left for this trip – well the new photos *** yet to be taken *** – they WILL tell the times of late summer and leaves starting to turn – on the cusp of fall and oh the colors – but also that oh the cold is coming… And the people in our lives – the Seasons of Love (cue the ‘Rent’ on Broadway song) – we best make it the best season with the people each day – because those days will change again… I am glad that God will be there in that season.

Seasons… I am thankful that God will be there for us with us – for me with me – in the next season (and now). I am thankful for God has us here for a reason – no matter if there is strife or joy or smirking faces in the cold – there is a reason for this season – and it is always to be thankful to God. God is in charge.

THANKFULNESS IS ALWAYS IN SEASON.

I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

AMEN and thank You Lord for today. THANK YOU FOR ALWAY BEING THERE AND HERE AND THERE.

—
Ecclesiastes3 KJV

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which 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 together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, 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.

What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

I said in mine 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 mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

A SEASON OF CUTENESS

Let the Water and Advice Roll, Proverbs 22

Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

The thunderstorms are rolling through, up here at home north, and they roll in sound here with steep hills. I am not worrying about it, the rain, as this house is solid and even the newer roof dampens the sound. The porch however, which I can step out on now after thunder stopped, brings me back to childhood growing up 40-50 years ago. And my dad’s advice, repeated from his father still rings true: “live on a hill”… True, let the water roll down…

I’m on the porch now, just rain no thunder and I think that’s great advice for the rain runs down (good for the valley which was already a floodplain) and good advice for living with volumes of information and advice and criticisms and “what not” bombarding: let it roll down the hill away from you.

In other words don’t absorb every criticism, don’t let neuroses become psychosis, “don’t sweat the small stuff”, “guard your heart”, stand on solid ground, hold onto the Rock.

Proverbs are great advice for the ages, and thousands of years old they still ring true – great sayings to give pause. Solomon wrote many in his wisdom.

The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless.

Yesterday while driving, I passed by that church with such witty sayings, it called out: “God tests us, but it’s open book.”… so good…

This rain pours out from the sky, surely God’s advice is classic and available and open book.

Proverbs for Pondering… well worth the read! Let the water and advice roll…

Amen

—

Proverbs 22 NKJV

The Value of a Good Name

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.

The rich and the poor have this in common, The Lord is the maker of them all.

A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.

By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches and honor and life.

Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them.

Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.

He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail.

He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.

Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.

He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend.

The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless.

The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!”

The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there.

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.

He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.

Sayings of the Wise

Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge; For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips, So that your trust may be in the Lord; I have instructed you today, even you. Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you?

Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; For the Lord will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.

Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.

Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts; If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you?

Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set.

Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.

LOVE MEMORIES, Psalm 33

I am heading north again today – another chance for a week with family – I know that I will look back upon this time, this summer, this year as an opportune one – to see people, to do things, to love being in the moment…

From last time up at the family farmhouse, one new layer of sorting family photos was finding a box of negatives from the 60’s that I came across. I am not sorting them because I am sure the photos exist in the collection that I didn’t get to yet. But we did scan a few just to see what era it was, who the folks are. We did a negative reversal in the photoshop computer program and I see it is 60’s… And what I can see is my grandparents by silhouette, my grandpa’s bend of his back from years of hard work, his height and my grandma’s hair sillouete are clear to me, posing by a Christmas tree with an aunt and uncle. Another snapshot, the same aunt and uncle by a car, distinctive in their heights, in the same driveway that I have seen hundreds of photos with every cousin and everyone – with their cars. In a separate photo is my dad, clearly to me by dad’s haircut and build, I know even by silhouette. I can fill in the rest of the scenery by memory, well not exactly as I wasn’t born yet, but I know the houses, driveways, trees, tables, couches… My aunt behind the camera took hundreds thousands of these photos, I know the same poses in color 60’s and 70’s and 80’s photos later… She was the photo documentation one for sure.

And as for the HEART in taking the photos and in the poses, the filled in memories, that’s all known by LOVE.

I recently watched “Nonna’s” on Netflix, a movie based on a real life restaurant in Staten Island where old world grandmas were featured as cooks, and the actor playing a son grieving his mom’s death had trouble in his grief, naturally, and waited to open a last letter his mom wrote to him. (Spoiler alert) Well the letter was filled with the special family recipe for the Sunday gravy, tomato sauce, and the love flowed in his memories, which he could taste in the sauce that he then made.

Isn’t that the sweetness of life – memories that are treasured… From LOVE, the specialness of what our memories amplify the gain or the pain of loss, it’s LOVE in us that is filling in the faded photos of time, an unfailing knowledge of LOVE.

Psalm 33 sings of God’s faithfulness in His Love, as God Himself IS Love. And God looks at us with the LOVE that HE envisioned before we were even born and before we did anything… And all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. We often talk about righteousness of justice – but LOVE is the ultimate righteousness – that is the ultimate repair – God fixed our broken situation by the LOVE He brought because that is what HE IS = He IS Love and because He IS God then He decides all the fill-in from what we lack.

LOVE MEMORIES for God are PRE-decided – He loved us before anything was even brought into view… He fills us with His Love – we fill in the rest of the living,,,

Thanks Lord… Love YOU!

AMEN

Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, Just as we hope in You.

Psalm 33 NKJV

The Sovereignty of the Lord in Creation and History

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. Praise the Lord with the harp; Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

For the word of the Lord is right, And all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.

The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks On all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works.

No king is saved by the multitude of an army; A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, Just as we hope in You.

Exuberant Faith Waits on the Lord, Psalm 27

Exuberant Faith – Psalm 27

I didn’t say it, GOD DID! Exuberant Faith helps us WAIT ON GOD!

God said it, well at least it is said by God through the Living Word that our Lord IS, said through David’s heart, through David’s trials and troubles ,and then through song through Psalms writings, through renditions, through translations, through versioning, through WITNESS!

The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? …

The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? …

Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

The version I like to read of the bible is the New King James – it gives me wording and authority of my youth but makes some of the hard words easier to read – not the “old” archaic words but readable for this modern audience. However the word EXUBERANT has shown up in this translation which I did not find in NIV or KJV – but I will take it – EXUBERANT FAITH – that is what we need to pull us through…

Honestly, we are seeing so many people who struggle with health issues, financial issues, finding their place in life issues, family issues, you name it issues, we have to know that they have faith to some degree – we can not judge where and how much their faith comes from – we simply know where our faith comes from – and my faith comes from the Lord.

We have to ask ourselves – do we know that God is a GREAT God? Do we know that God is BIGGER than all or any of our problems? Do we TRUST God enough to show us the way – even if it is only ONE DAY at a time? WILL WE WAIT ON THE LORD? Do we have EXUBERANT FAITH?

David, in Psalm 27, sang to wait on the Lord – David was in a tough spot – people after him – tough already for sure in having to hide out – tough we must think in the amenities that David did not have – tough in the “who do I trust” catagory too. War raging… TOUGH!

Perhaps our tough is David-level of tough – and perhaps it is not – perhaps it is personal war tough – perhaps it is emotional war tough – perhaps it is tiredness tough… We must watch for the Lord – watch while waiting… Ask and look for the Lord’s Face.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the Lord will take care of me.

And we need to believe – we must encourage too – our exuberant faith will fuel faith in others – as other’s exuberant faith fuels it in us. I just recently was helping at a church table at a local event – and my first interaction was with a young boy whom had done a vacation bible school this past summer which was the same theme that my t-shirt Rainforest Falls was. It was a great opening conversation and the faith of this little boy was SO STRONG that I saw it in his face – his firm amens and piercing seriousness of the bible message was so strong that I thought God Himself was looking at me – yeah – we teach so that we can be taught – I saw how God instills this faith into belief… No question that we must BELIEVE – and it makes all the difference in the world!

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living.

So we continue on in our daily life – one day at time – one step at a time as needed.

Teach me Your way, O Lord, And lead me in a smooth path… I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living.

And God DOES have a good track record – unbeatable really. God DOES and HAS sustained us this far – we must believe this and not lose heart – we must go back to that EXUBERANT FAITH – A FAITH WHICH ALLOWS US TO WAIT UPON THE LORD…

Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

AMEN AMEN AMEN

THANK YOU LORD FOR STRENGTHENING ME – FOR STRENGTHENING DAVID – FOR STRENGTHENING ALL OF US.

EXUBERANT FAITH HAS A PLACE.

AMEN

…

Psalm 27 NKJV

An Exuberant Declaration of Faith

A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.

One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.

And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

Teach me Your way, O Lord, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence. I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living.

Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Oh What Faithful God Has Done

Wow

It is simply PERFECT in the weather here – perfect sunny and low humidity and still early in the morning so it is warm enough and not too hot (which it will be later – but perfect)… SUMMER

It puzzles me and amazes me what God has done with our weather – and how seasons change and why is the earth on a tilt anyway and what in the world is the purpose of such valleys and mountains and wows = like beaches and forests = like meadows and rocks… We have a boulder field not so far from here (actually a few) and I often just want to say “what’s up with that?” – I think that whether one believes in God’s mini-touches (which I do) or one doesn’t believe in God – or somewhere in between – one STILL HAS TO MARVEL AT THE CHANGES AND DIFFERENCES AND ALL THAT JAZZ IN OUR WORLD…

Philosophical Pause.

I ALSO marvel at how God gives us this freedom and this free will and the free thinking and even gives us time to think… All art comes from thinking time = even if done quickly, the brain engages into the motions of producing. Music comes from somewhere within – math and tinkering engineering comes from within – I love how you can simply watch someone thinking… What’s up with that, God? Why can we perceive – why can we complain and exclaim – why are we able to ask “WHY?”

And God gives us this free will and gives even more to help us through all the ups and downs of life… The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. But what IS the covanent that He makes known??? The covenant now is new – is salvation via Jesus – God makes this known. And the covenant (old) is the law that helps the people ask for forgiveness by sacrifice. So – add old and new togther: Jesus fulfills that law – He is the NEW Covanent Who saves us…

Philosophical scriptural pause…

I am THANKFUL – GRATEFUL – BLESSED – PLEASED – AND WHEW – YES – THE WHEW IS REAL… WHEW is relief from performance anxiety and time crunches each day. WHEW… made it… We made it to TODAY…

And for the rest of our days and our lives, we can just wait on the Lord – and He says “WHEW – MADE IT!” – Jesus said it is finished and therefore we can start each day fresh… All I can say for an overwhelming thanks to God – for this day – for all the philisophical points and whimsy too – anything overwhelming us in a marvelous way – is to say – THANK YOU GOD FOR TODAY…

THANK YOU GOD FOR TODAY…

OH WHAT FAITHFUL GOD HAS DONE – GOD HAS MADE THIS DAY, whew and hooray…

AMEN

—

Excerpt from Psalm 25 of David

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good.

Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will inherit the land. The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.

GOD IS MORE, PSALM 24

LET US EXPLORE

PSALM 24

GOD IS MORE

The earth is the Lord’s

and all its fullness

The world and those who dwell therein.

For He has founded it upon the seas,

And established it upon the waters.

WE CAN NOT IGNORE

THAT GOD RUNS THIS STORE

GOD BRINGS THE GOODS GALORE

GOD IS THE BOSS OWNER AND MORE

GOD IS MORE

Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?

Or who may stand in His holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,

Nor sworn deceitfully.

He shall receive blessing from the Lord,

And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,

Who seek Your face. Selah

WE SHOULD EXPLORE

HOW TO FOCUS ON GOD MORE

BLESSINGS ARE IN STORE

FOR THE ONE WHO TRUSTS GOD MORE

GOD IS MORE

Lift up your heads, O you gates!

And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!

And the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord strong and mighty,

The Lord mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O you gates!

Lift up, you everlasting doors!

And the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord of hosts,

He is the King of glory. Selah

WE SHOULD LOOK UP MORE

WHO IS IT THAT WILL WALK THROUGH THE DOOR

THE LORD FOREVERMORE

MIGHTY IN BATTLE AND GLORY AND MORE

GOD IS MORE

THERE IS NOTHING WE NEED KNOW MORE

THAN THAT WE NEED GOD MORE

WE NEED TO KNOW GOD MORE

WE NEED TO KNOW GOD IS MORE

WE LOOK TO HIM FOREVERMORE

GOD IS MORE.

AMEN

—-

Psalm 24 NKJV

The King of Glory and His Kingdom

A Psalm of David.

The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,

The world and those who dwell therein.

For He has founded it upon the seas,

And established it upon the waters.

Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?

Or who may stand in His holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,

Nor sworn deceitfully.

He shall receive blessing from the Lord,

And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,

Who seek Your face. Selah

Lift up your heads, O you gates!

And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!

And the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord strong and mighty,

The Lord mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O you gates!

Lift up, you everlasting doors!

And the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord of hosts,

He is the King of glory. Selah

The Calm of the Psalm, Psalm 23

I just didn’t get to my devotion writing until now – and yeah I felt it… I longed to get back to a moment of God and me and Scripture we…

I could say that my mind swirls with things often = and I could say that my time slips away = only to be reminded that my freedom (our freedom) is gifted with the hope that WE CHOOSE to turn to the Lord – be with the Lord – ask the Lord for help – TRUST in the Lord – and LOVE the Lord…

It matters to be looking towards the Lord.

As my slow climb up the Psalm numbers began, I thought the patch of writings of these songs of David’s angst (in the teens and low 20’s) was fitting for those who are in real danger – like physical danger – but his Psalms are more that that – they are to bring us back to remember to not stray… Psalms are songs for returning to the Lord – to figure out that the freedom to live also means that even if we see so much out there in the world – our best and only return is to our only truth that is the Lord.

The Calm of the Psalm has us humming along.

So as numbers and angst by David rose – he came to a pinnacle of realization – and yes, Psalm 23 snuck up on me too.

a mini poem:

Psalm 23 snuck up on me

Because although God lets us have freedom free

He knows that WE need Him = you and me

So let us read Psalm 23 as a plea

To comfort to be held to just know our Holy Thee

God, we look to You fearfully

Jesus, we long for You anticipatorily

Lord, we hope in You joyfully.

You know Psalm 23 pertains to us, intimately…

Psalm 23 KJV
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

AMEN

Dolly, There IS Jesus, This Clear Blue Morning

It was the ripple shockwave you would expect, we heard that Dolly Parton passed away yesterday 8/25 and we were the ones telling others too. I heard the shocking news from a friend, then I mentioned it to three others, one of whom avowed she would fight anyone who would say anything bad about Dolly, that she was amazing… and we agreed that she was with the angels in a better place.

“You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.” Acts 2:28 NIV

Dolly wrote about a Clear Blue Morning, taking a LONGVIEW. (Lyrics and link below). I have written many times on bible teachings to take a LONGVIEW of life – don’t get clogged by day to day craze, but take a longer wider gaze…

In “Jesus Always” by Sarah Young she writes that “there are times you will have to look THROUGH your circumstances” – essentially ‘[to see God’s glorious radiant presence – imagine looking at a beautiful garden through dirty glass and only seeing the dirt on the glass and not taking that LONGVIEW out to the garden beyond. This is us not looking at our forever home and secured sanctification and salvation but instead being too clogged in view by our current circumstances.]”

We must have faith that gets us through.

Dolly Parton carried and shared strong faith that was open. The recent song sung with Zach Williams “There was Jesus” runs through my head, it’s a favorite and I appreciate Dolly being the support she steps out of the mainlight to fill in beautifully. Dolly adds such truth in her voice, vowing THERE WAS JESUS in presence and forgiveness and direction… In one music video version she lifts her hands up in praise… Now surely she rests in praise and in the comfort of the carrying arms of Jesus, what He has done for us before we were born. “I couldn’t see it then but I can see it now – There was Jesus.”

The video by Dolly’s family stated humorously she asked to be buried in cotton, she could be rid of the heavy rhinestones – being honest of the glitz and glamor was also hard work… She loved people and also loved her privacy… Surely all is good now, resting IN Jesus, clear blue morning beautiful beyond belief, and no need to look back or forward, for there IS Jesus holding you, Dolly, as He holds us…

God bless you for your faith and strengthing ours…

There IS Jesus.

Amen

—

Lyrics and link for There Was Jesus with Zach Williams

Also https://youtu.be/37wV6D49iEY?is=OatMBaU6s0AW1wXg

Every time I tried to make it on my own

Every time I tried to stand and start to fall

And all those lonely roads that I have travelled on

There was Jesus

When the life I built came crashing to the ground

When the friends I had were nowhere to be found

I couldn’t see it then but I can see it now

There was Jesus

In the waiting, in the searching

In the healing and the hurting

Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces

Every minute, every moment

Where I’ve been and where I’m going

Even when I didn’t know it or couldn’t see it

There was Jesus

For this man who needs amazing kind of grace (mm)

For forgiveness at a price I couldn’t pay (mm)

I’m not perfect so I thank God every day

There was Jesus (there was Jesus)

In the waiting, in the searching

In the healing and the hurting

Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces

Every minute, every moment

Where I’ve been and where I’m going

Even when I didn’t know it or couldn’t see it

There was Jesus

On the mountain, in the valleys (there was Jesus)

In the shadows of the alleys (there was Jesus)

In the fire, in the flood (there was Jesus)

Always is and always was

No, I never walk alone (never walk alone)

You are always there

In the waiting, in the searching

In the healing and the hurting

Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces

Every minute (Every minute), every moment (every moment)

Where I’ve been and where I’m going

Even when I didn’t know it or couldn’t see it

There was Jesus

—

Her song, Clear Blue Morning, from 1977 (lyrics and link below to a remake she released with others) state the truth of the HOPE we hold in Jesus “‘Cause I can see the light of a clear blue morning, I can see the light of a brand new day… Oh, and everything’s gonna be all right, It’s gonna be okay…”

—

Dolly Parton

Light of a Clear Blue Morning

Featuring Lainey Wilson, Miley Cyrus, Queen Latifah & Reba

YouTube

Dolly Parton, 1977

It’s been a long dark night

And I’ve been a waitin’ for the morning

It’s been a long hard fight

But I see a brand new day a dawning

I’ve been looking for the sunshine

You know I ain’t seen it in so long

But everything’s gonna work out just fine

And everything’s gonna be all right

That’s been all wrong

‘Cause I can see the light of a clear blue morning

I can see the light of a brand new day

I can see the light of a clear blue morning

Oh, and everything’s gonna be all right

It’s gonna be okay

It’s been a long long time

Since I’ve known the taste of freedom

And those clinging vines

That had me bound, well I don’t need ’em

Oh, I’ve been like a captured eagle, you know an eagle’s born to fly

Now that I have won my freedom, like an eagle I am eager for the sky

And I can see the light of a clear blue morning

I can see the light of brand new day

I can see the light of a clear blue morning

Oh, and everything’s gonna be all right

It’s gonna be okay

I can see the light of a clear blue morning

I can see the light of brand new day

I can see the light of a clear blue morning

Ooh, everything’s gonna be all right

Everything’s gonna be all right

It’s gonna be okay

And I can see the light of a clear blue morning

I can see the light of a brand new day

I can see the light of a clear blue morning

Ooh and everything’s gonna be all right

Everything’s gonna be all right

It’s gonna be okay

I can see the light of a clear blue morning

I can see the light of brand new day

I can see the light of a clear blue morning

Everything’s gonna be all right

It’s gonna be okay

God Knows How Psalms Prose Goes and Flows

A Poem of Prose Pros

It is before dawn,

But the Psalms sing on.

God chose the Word Prose,

And how David’s melody goes.

David’s heart sings of God’s flows.

Psalms are devoted Praise in the Prose.

God Knows How Psalms Prose Goes and Flows.

AMEN to the Psalms, the Pros of the Prose, and How God Knows…

To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.
You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.

(From Psalm 18 NIV of David)

As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great.
You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.

(From Psalm 18 NIV of David)

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.
Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings…

(From Psalm 17 NIV of David)

Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust. O my soul, you have said to the Lord,

“You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.”

As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”

Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;
Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take up their names on my lips.

O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.

I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

(Psalm 16 NKJV – A Michtam of David – The Hope of the Faithful, and the Messiah’s Victory)

“Get Back Out There!”

I loved that God found me stuff to do on Sunday – I really wasn’t feeling like figuring out my own plan – just happy to trail along His lead… Got a lot done that way too – for both me and for God…

I did half a bag (my last bag) of photo sorting – yeah had to put down a towel to dry the table outside – after a drought, we have had much rain… Half the bag in the morning and then the rest in the early evening when it started to rain again – but I got my sorting done… (some snapshots of the sorting below)…

This sorting was being done while I listened to one church service online – love Pastor Joe’s sermons so educational and spiritual – and he spoke of more of the plagues from God to Pharaoh’s people while Moses was asking “Let my people go…” – Moses wanted the people to go out to worship God – well they ended up wandering for a while – and so do we… It took quite the shake up to get Pharaoh to see God as God…

Then church at church (in the building) was blessed and the message about how we forget to pray and praise – (and think of the manna coming from God – did the people grumble well yeah – and do we grumble and forget our blessings each day – well yeah – and do we forget to pray and praise – this is an understandable thing – but in Moses’s time, God instructed the people to tie the commandments as REMINDERS to many things – your hands – your doings – your doors – your gates – SO THAT WE REMEMBER… Inside and Out remember God… REMEMBER THE BLESSING HE HAS BESTOWED ON US!!! AND REMEMBER HE TELLS US HOW TO LIVE…

Then after church the local folks came to the church basement for an organizing event for a local street fair – so I stayed as I will man the church table then… In additon to plans, I heard the personal testimony of a man who said he has died 5 times – living now 2 years after his diagnosis of only 1 year to live (major melanoma cancers etc I don’t know the whole story but he urged us to wear sunscreen)… As for the last time he was medically gone – but came back – he said he sensed walking up an incline in dark towards light but at the top he saw the gate but he was spun around and sent back “Get back out there!” – YES, he interpreted this as he has more to do on this planet – more to live – more to contribute – more to inspire… Get back out there – not your time yet… And he preached the right message for the day – ONLY GOD SAYS WHEN YOUR TIME HERE ON EARTH IS UP – just keep living… each day…

That feels like the truth for a Sunday as well as a Monday and everyday – God has stuff for us to do – people to be with – hope to share… This gentleman was firm and clear in improving life around us – like we should wave at people in our neighborhood as they drive down the street – we should be neighborly – we should remind folks that our kids all live here – slowdown and don’t be looking at your phone while driving – and pay attention… He also is neighborly in having a packet available of take out menus when he goes to a new neighbor – connecting with them… I have a feeling that this street fair (with our church on that street) will be something he wants to make memories last – make connections – make a difference… “Get back out there…”

The day continued and I went to help my friend with her mission project of giving out fresh produce at the local church food pantry – donated from local folks – thousands of pounds gifted for free – and I appreciated this sign at the church garage above the bread – “Give us this day our Daily Bread” – Matthew 6:11 – which is really about Jesus – He is OUR daily Bread – He is what we need… (but yeah bread/manna/Jesus – all in the theme of the day – and remembering that God DID give and gives and will give – and really we should be thankful…

I am thankful – thankful my day continued – I had lunch – went to a friends to help her trim bushes – thankful for the technu and shower to clean any potential poison ivy off – thankful I finished this portion of my “take home” photo project – thankful for gas in the car an a roof overhead – thankful now to get back to job searches – thankful for thankfulness…

So today – let us “Get back out there”… God keeps us on this spinning planet for reasons – let us find out why… AND BE THANKFUL – PRAYERFUL – AND PRAISEFUL!

AMEN

PS – here are more photos: = One of my favorite photo finds this day was a funny pic – a cat on the sewing machine! … And I had a lot of photos of family meals – and oh the cookies – I miss those cookies… I miss the people even more but yeah I can taste the cookies and hear the laughter of my family…

PPS I love the Psalm 19 reminder of the praises given to the Lord – connected to Moses and FULFILLED by JESUS – the perfection for our imperfections…

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

Psalm 19 NKJV
The Perfect Revelation of the Lord
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.

In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.
Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

—

Deuteronomy 8 NKJV
Remember the Lord Your God – Moses said what God needed the people to hear:

“Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you.

“Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.

“Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end— then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’

“And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

Jesus is Our Man in the Middle

A Prayer for Pondering:

Lord God, You hold all things in Your hands, therefore when You stretch Your hands out to grab us, You bring us to Your Heart. Lord Jesus, You, as fully God gave Your earthly life to secure our Heavenly one. Jesus, You as fully man felt our pain to let us know that You understand. God You understood understand overcome overall. In Your Spirit we Praise.

—

The Psalms are “go to” prayers and praises and these (link below 11-16) from David are covering the gamut of emotions and circumstances, are also acknowledging God as God, and His Power prevailing over the wicked and over bad times eventually we shall prevail because of God Who will keep us out of hell. Presence of God or absence, I chose Presence.

Jesus IS our man in the middle WITH us in life – and ABOVE us in being God raising us to Him – and chose to go BELOW us in His humility and servitude. Jesus is BEHIND us in support – AHEAD of us in knowledge – and IN us in Spirit.

Jesus IS our Man in the Middle, Master in the Motivation, Messiah in the Most.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

May we Praise the Lord today, and forevermore…

AMEN

—

Psalm 16 is a blessing to know about the Lord – The Hope of the Faithful, and the Messiah’s Victory – A Michtam of David.

Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust. O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.” As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take up their names on my lips.

O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance. I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

—

Psalms 11-16 NKJV – Faith in the Lord’s Righteousness – Bible Gateway link: https://share.google/MSbBPz0XOlxyLCGAw

Ignorance WOULD Have Been Bliss, Psalm 10

Allow me to be philosophical for a moment…

Oh, wouldn’t it have been nice to have no knowledge of the difference between good and evil, if Adam and Eve has not bitten the apple? If the witnessing now of just evil, or hassling, or meddling, or simple crankiness (and being HANGRY combined with tired) in others AND in us (remember that we all go wrong) – if those didn’t exist or we were just ignoring them? Hmmmm…. I ask because we are NOT there, and our ignorance doesn’t stay bliss much anymore…

Ignorance is bliss, but then we infight.

Ignorance is not bliss, that’s the insight.

Informed insight means we need to see into Jesus’s fight.

Jesus allows us back the joy, life’s delight.

It’s something we struggle with, “woulda coulda shoulda” with our actions, some of us overcriticize ourselves, whereas others are ignorant to the affect of their actions. And some are malicious. I could give you 1000 examples. But we ALSO see where the light overcomes the darkness, we see others do the right thing over and over. Let’s not ignore the LIGHT working it’s Way every day.

Ignorance would HAVE been bliss,

But now, GOOD over evil, LIGHT over dark, is our WITNESS.

Hindsight can’t fix wrong into right, so let us TRY to see clearly where to walk in His Sight.

Walk and hold on tight.

God Triumphs over evil, in His Might.

Just wait on Him, He will bring all into account, His timing, and insight.

Have a good morning and hopefully a good night.

Follow and praise the LIGHT.

Let Jesus be our DELIGHT.

AMEN

—-

Psalm 10 NKJV

A Song of Confidence in God’s Triumph over Evil

Why do You stand afar off, O Lord?

Why do You hide in times of trouble?

The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor;

Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.

For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire;

He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.

The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God;

God is in none of his thoughts. His ways are always prospering;

Your judgments are far above, out of his sight;

As for all his enemies, he sneers at them.

He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved; I shall never be in adversity.”

His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.

He sits in the lurking places of the villages;

In the secret places he murders the innocent;

His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.

He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den;

He lies in wait to catch the poor;

He catches the poor when he draws him into his net.

So he crouches, he lies low,

That the helpless may fall by his strength.

He has said in his heart,

“God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see.”

Arise, O Lord! O God, lift up Your hand!

Do not forget the humble.

Why do the wicked renounce God?

He has said in his heart, “You will not require an account.”

But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief,

To repay it by Your hand.

The helpless commits himself to You;

You are the helper of the fatherless.

Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man;

Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

The Lord is King forever and ever;

The nations have perished out of His land.

Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;

You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear,

To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,

That the man of the earth may oppress no more.

Can You Hear Life? Can You Feel It? Psalm 8

One of the photos I saw while sorting my aunt’s HUGE collection of extras still in the bags, came from my wedding and reception and clearly I can recognize this lady – her name is Ann – and she is holding a dollar and in front of the DJ. Ann is about to get the dollar dance from the groom – and I can see her laughing in the photo – and I can hear her laughing in life – even though I was not seeing her that day (I was dancing myself as the bride), I know her and know her laugh – and the photo was a nice memory for me.

I can hear the whirrrrr of my sewing machine too – from this photo – 1989 or 1990 – my friend at my summer work had just given it to me – I brought it to my aunts’ house to see how it worked and got it oiled and 35 years later I am still using it all the time – still oiling it like my aunt taught me – still appreciating it being a durable machine. I can feel that machine in my hands then and now.

But the machine (like a car turning over) is truly a mechanical sound and activity – not life from the Lord – but still an action roaring into “life”. But we can tell the difference can’t we – we can HEAR life and we can FEEL life. Real life. Like a hug – like a laugh – like the petting of an animal – just hold your hand on the animal and feel a tingling of life in the transfer. Life is not artificial nor accidental. And if you ever hold a baby – either hold a baby’s eyes locked on yours – or hold a baby in your arms, you have to recognize the God-given life within them connecting to you.

When I was at the agricultural fair last weekend, I had a moment of marveling – there were tiny guinea pigs – there were massive cows and towering Belgian draft horses – there were fuzzy alpacas (or llamas not sure) and there were such tiny tiny creatures and massive massive creatures – all filled with life. How diverse and yet sharing similarities in an amazing digestive system – circulatory system – and everything else. My friend went to touch a bunny’s fur and the bunny turned around – the bunny knew someone was there. We are filled with life and it IS amazing. And on Friday night, watching the young kids try to roll a big bale of hay – one gentleman motioned to me to watch on the ground – and this little field mouse would jet out to grab some food someone placed there – or a piece of grass – and jot back in – I remember the cute mouse – he must have been scared – and I remember the man’s giggling glee – it was a connection of life to life to life that only God could put in our hearts.

How much MORE amazing is both the life AND the spirit that God puts in us. How much amazing processing we can have – how much LIFE we get out of LIFE… Can you hear life? Can you feel it? It is deeper than the cool breeze that we can feel – it is more alive than an accidental activation. Life is God-given and intensely interesting and completely more complex than our minds can conceive. God works at God level – don’t ever try to pigeon hole God into what WE think of Him… God is infinitely bigger than that.

SO THANK YOU LORD – FOR TODAY – FOR LIFE – FOR THE SIGHTS SOUNDS FEELS AND LOVES.

Thank you also for the cool of this morning to feel the moments when You are reaching us – awakening us – all while holding us close.

May we always FEEL and HEAR and KNOW God.

Amen

PS – and one photo I entered was of the scene of the cross – because I wanted something of faith displayed – and I put this image (from a Vienna museum of the carving) displaying Jesus turned toward one crucified thief who was engaging with him in asking forgiveness – vs the other thief who was turned away in darkness and disgust. I put it in the “Altered Images” category because truly that is what Jesus does for us – Alters Life – gives LIFE eternal and now…

Psalm 8 – NKJV

The Glory of the Lord in Creation

To the Chief Musician. On the instrument of Gath. A Psalm of David.

O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens!

Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
All sheep and oxen – Even the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth!

———————–

One last grange photo – that mouse we saw

Give Ear Oh Lord, Psalm 5

“Give ear to my words, O Lord…”

Oh I miss my praise band singing days – but I can not go backwards and we simply have to appreciate the times when they were – and look for new times now – in the present… Things have changed for all of us in our lives – and the ONLY constant is GOD – He is Unchanging – Faithful – and Dear. God Listens…

Psalm 5 KJV – the first three lines is the same version as the song I would sing in praise band. “Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”

King David – before and after he was king – was looking to connect with God – and we must remember and believe that God is ALWAYS connecting with us – we must simply just realize. God does want to hear our voices call to Him – God does want us to draw close. David makes a distinction between the wise adn the foolish as those who call out to God and those who don’t, God does not take any pleasure in His punishment to the wicked – scripture says this over and over – that God is pained by it. God even takes a breather in Heaven when the promised punishments of the Book of Revelation are rolled out – God is slow to anger and so He must suffer pain while waiting for the lost to figure out they WANT to be found.

As for me – I WANT to be found by Him every day and every minute. The mornings are easier to sit here in peace and I am outside right now listening to the summer sounds – it is the cool of the morning – and as Heavenly or Eden-like as I have in these days… God is great to convene with in the morning = “give ears to my words o Lord” – “O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”

David continues and alternates verses about the wicked and those who trust God and look to Him – and Give God His Due Respect – be in fear as in be in amazement – and worship God – and also make the path in front of us straight so we know which way to go… But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.

David knows that the wicked rebel and turn away – but for himself – for ourselves who trust God – REJOICE – TRUST – BE PROTECTED… “let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.”

We ask the Lord to GIVE EAR – but honestly God has given us everything we need – especially the knowledge and the desire to know Him MORE…

AMEN AMEN AMEN

—

Psalm 5 – KJV

Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.

For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.

But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

Remember, You Will Forget, But God is Still Good!

I have to say – looking at 40 year old photos – that time flies – and we HAVE done a lot and grown a lot in 40 years… (Photography and photo printing and camera design has changed a lot too. I marvel at these adorable 15-photo disc negatives – going to make an art project out of them – I have easily 100 of them from my aunt)

I can’t help but have to marvel at the MEMORIES in this new set of sorting – sorting that I picked for myself – limiting myself to only “half a bag a day” so that I get my other work done (meaning job applications – hey even my daughter said it was good that “I did something physical and creative and different than just screen-time”, LOL – when Mom is mommed).

So wow a great reminiscing opportunity in photo sorting my aunt’s “duplicates” – honestly it is not just sorting but it is also a way to honor my aunt who passed away about 5-6 years ago – and I was not able to go to her funeral because it was during the harsh covid lockdowns up in my hometown – much more strict than our area… I am thankful for the opportunity to process and count my blessings of memories while my hands keep busy sorting sorting sorting… Half the photos I have tossed – so many we don’t need – really – kitten photos and random things and duplicates and triplicates. A fuzzy photo of yet another president inauguration – seen a lot of these photos in these piles by decade but don’t know who this president is – well toss the photos – too much is too much… (and I am pretty sure that she has them in albums too – these are duplicates).

But in these sets are gems – REAL GEMS… I went through about 40 packets today of the 100 plus from the 15-disc sets of photos that my aunt took – so I’m really dug into the1980’s now. There is a photo taken by my aunt, fall 1987, of me in my freshman dorm when I was still 17yrs old, the photo 39 years ago this year. Geez…

And perhaps you remember – there were circus and zoo days when animals were performers – a photo of big bears who were riding bicycles at a game farm. These are real photos – no AI stuff – just stuff stuff – and look how minimal the fencing is…

AND some pictures of things that are a memory – that don’t exist anymore at least not like it was – of downtown sidewalk sales – cool – and of the old buses and buildings and businesses…

SO when year 2001 photos showed up in my 1980’s pile (mis-sorted oops) – photos of my apartment move from home north to home south – I marvel that I barely remember it – and it was “only from 25 years ago” – yet it is also like yesterday – and wow I have moved on and grown… Which means I have moved on and on and on by now… Which means I got through LOTS of tough times since then – and before them…

And so my aunt took photos of moving my apartment where I had been with my husband for 10 years during my doctorate and postdoc schooling – and wow those were tough years of school and dissertation and wow – and yet the memories of the angst slip away – and we have moved on – and well I see photos of 4 Subaru’s ago – and photos of college where I know that my chem classes were TOUGH – and yeah photos of the packing remind me that I took three layers of stuff away and sold in yard sales while 7 months pregnant – and it was a tough pregnancy (with a preemie baby 6 weeks early – now great at 25) = and those years were certainly filled with tough spots…

AND THAT MEANS THAT GOD PULLED ME THROUGH THE TOUGH SPOTS!

Oh I remember that I forgot and forget…

We should REMEMBER that we WILL – you will – I will – FORGET!

AND THAT MEANS THAT GOD PULLS US THROUGH THE TOUGH SPOTS!

Psalm 4 reminds us to be still – we can be angry but we should remain still and not sin – and well yeah – all those times that I was angry and sad and scared – and well somehow I got through it – sinning or not – God’s Grace abounded then and still does. The Lord’s Mercy abounded and we got through – the Lord’s relief came with our prayers – the Lord heard when we called – and the Lord made His presence known when we trusted Him.

Good… and a good memory to never forget is that God is good and always here – always was and will be – Thank you Lord…. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

AMEN

—

Psalm 4 NKJV – The Safety of the Faithful
To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my distress;
Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.

How long, O you sons of men,
Will you turn my glory to shame?
How long will you love worthlessness
And seek falsehood? Selah
But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly;
The Lord will hear when I call to Him.

Be angry, and do not sin.
Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
And put your trust in the Lord.

There are many who say,
“Who will show us any good?”
Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.
You have put gladness in my heart,
More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Cling to What (WHO) is GOOD!

I have the new bug catcher installed in my bathroom – it is simply a little blacklight bulb behind a sticky screen – not a zapper but a catcher – works great so far – and you replace the sticky-ness. And the illuminating blacklight bulb? It illuminates the really good truth of this scripture: “Cling to What is Good” -which is nestled in my metal bathroom medicine cabinet with favorited scriptures, inspirations and kids photos plus some trinkets – like my grandmothers small plastic cross from the 30s or so, sitting in a little glass of crystal and garnets from my cousin… precious stones are one thing but precious memories are the best – cling to what is good...

The other scripture inspirations are “let your LIGHT shine before men” – and the descriptions of Prevenient Grace, Justifying Grace and Sanctifying Grace. Just a nice reminder that God has our number and calls us up all the time to SHINE for HIM. Prevenient is God already protected us and called us – Justifying is we realize it and realize we need it – Sanctifying is accepting God’s grace and forgiveness, coming to repentance and moving forward as Sanctified – God “gave-gives-is giving” for us to be with Him Forever. (These definitions are from John Wesley’s traditional teaching – and I like the pamphlet because it reminds me of a favorite pastor who gave it to me years ago.)

Cling to What (WHO) is GOOD! – Yes Sound biblical teaching is so good – and God is the author of the Message – Jesus Himself is the Word.

Psalm 3 is my “go to” psalm today for inspiration – and it is a classic “God will protect” reminder. David was in a tough spot and yeah things had gone bad with his son and well, David needed (and got) protection from the Lord… “But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.”

When we cling to the good that God put in front of us – we get day-sized chunks of living – not too long and not too short – long enough to get something done – short enough that we get to rest and start fresh. David would write (when being pursued) about having a moment to rest: “I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.”

We probably don’t have people out to get us – but we do have things that brush us wrong – get in our way – unthinking strife – and we do have that devil of meddling messing with us – EITHER WAY let us let the LORD handle it – as the letter to the Romans continued: . If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

SO – in our days today – keep going – keep believing – CLING TO WHAT IS GOOD -and let the Lord do the fighting while we do the living… Keep your chin up and your head down to dodge the dangers. Watch your steps and your tongue – and keep SHINING the LIGHT so that people will praise God…

AMEN

—

Romans 12:9-21 NKJV

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

—

Psalm 3 NKJV

The Lord Helps His Troubled People
A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son.

Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!
Many are they who rise up against me.
Many are they who say of me,
“There is no help for him in God.” Selah

But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.

Arise, O Lord;
Save me, O my God!
For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;
You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.
Salvation belongs to the Lord.
Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah

It’s Not False Faith

Last night I had a good slowdown of a night IN – after a night OUT… I took a moment to nap this afternoon – dead tired – it was not a “rough day” but a hot one (outside working a car wash for scouts which was a great fundraiser but hot) and well I needed the cool down in the A/C and the nap and the shower and the whole body reset – physically that is what I needed. Mentally I needed the slowdown and choose TV watching as an inside comfort – watching the recording of the Netflix Major League Baseball “Field of Dreams” pre-game show gave all those goosebumps – those tears from sentimental-ness of baseball families – fathers and sons in the American pastime that we get passionate about – “all the feels” – they had hall of famers – and even the dads of the managers…

Ah – summer feels – I love Summer – all the feels of summer are appreciated now – except when you need to cool down – but the feels of summer are what we wait for all year – yeah the outside feels of summer nights… That feeling of it being the “end of summer” means “I’ve got to get it all in”… Yeah, the rest of summer is a few more times to the beach and maybe some more corn on the cob – mmmmm – the watermelon I had last week, oh it was quintessential summer taste…

To be honest with you, it is not quite the end of summer (still have 2 months of warmth), but we worry like it is the end of summer – and we worry about the loss of lots of things at the end of summer – like we won’t ever enjoy summer again – and we will be cold – and well, summer has come back every year that I have been alive… I know that whatever season it is now, life will turn and change… So, hold on…

I wrote a poem of FAITH – about holding onto faith even when times change. I am in a change now and yet I remember the MANY changes that I have had before and I am OK – God got me here – safe thus far. I know we have to remember to find how to be OK – have faith to hold on – to calm down – to settle down – to get back to focus and forward thinking… The best thing about FAITH? It is not FALSE… FAITH IS OUR FIRM FOUNDATION AND REAL.

And as for me – in gathering up my faith – I am reading the Psalms – and I did a whole series of writing on the Psalms before – starting with Psalm 1 is a good place to start – as it talks about putting our Faith in the Lord – and bringing forth fruit in due season… Think of how Jesus gives righteousness – Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets – and wow – Jesus covers us, so we can TRUST JESUS to show us the WAY…

So here is the poem and the psalm… thanks for listening…

—It’s not FALSE FAITH – because FAITH is FROM GOD – to help us believe in God – to rely on God.

Sometimes fear is forefront – it scares us to have unknown – but hold on – wait for God in His Timing.

And FAITH? it is not a false hope – it is a firm foundation – FAITH finds us.

FAITH FINDS US – FAITH FILLS US – FAITH FIRMS THE FOUNDATION ON WHICH WE WALK.

Faith does not mean you don’t drop a tear, but it helps you clear them so that you can still steer.

Faith does not mean you can’t fall into flighty dreams, but Faith helps you pick up the pieces of life when you have had it out in screams.

Faith is the “Forwarding All Issues to Heaven” in action,

Faith is Forward Looking and Firmly Planted.

Faith is pulling on all the good Godly goodness you can muster – and overflow in TRUST.

TRUST is FAITH in ACTION…

It’s NOT False Faith because Faith is God knowing where He is taking you.

AMEN

Psalm 1 NKJV

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

James 3:17 Wishing For WISDOM

WISHING FOR WISDOM

James 3:17 reminds: “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

WISDOM

God’s WISDOM is PURE,

God is not trying to trick us, God just wants us to pay attention to Him.

God’s WISDOM is PEACEABLE,

God settles the dust in our heads to pay attention to Him and see how He is working.

God’s WISDOM is GENTLE,

God hears us, herds us, holds us, helps us.

God’s WISDOM is WILLING TO YIELD,

He will come after us in our lostness, give graceful forgiveness and give us a second, third, five-millionth chance.

God’s WISDOM is FULL OF MERCY,

Praise God for giving us GOOD GIFTS and NOT the punishments we deserve from our drifting.

God’s WISDOM is FULL of GOOD FRUITS.,

“Like a tree firmly planted, I’ll be grounded in your Word” – Let us accept the fruits He bestows and use them for His Good.

God’s WISDOM is WITHOUT PARTIALITY,

No matter who we are, who we think we are or not, God opens His GIFTS to all, offers Salvation to all, LOVES ALL.

God’s WISDOM is WITHOUT HYPOCRISY,

GOD REALLY MEANS EVERYTHING HE SAYS!!!

AMEN!

Appreciate Jesus’s STRENGTHENING

I appreciate summer and yet cooler temps to allow me to keep moving.

I appreciate Jesus strengthening even more these days…

Many of my thoughts in this season of my life are all scattered about – but so are seeds – and seeds are meant to be scattered – there are big ones – like a peach pit – and tiny ones like the tomato seeds which are now big plants giving more seeds – all while giving the big juicy fruit as excess – and nourishing us.

In thinking about Spiritual Fruit – there are fruits that are big and juicy like a tomato and fruits that are small and hard but sturdy and last – like an acorn or a poppyseed. And think of how much flavor is in one little poppyseed.

I know we have times in our lives which are lush and which are dry – and we have seasons of life – sometimes multiple seasons all in one day. Life times vary and change what you do in activities, like now cool enough for outside before it cranks up in temperature – then it will be too hot but then again great beach weather – but then cooler in the evening and back to being outside under the stars… Summer is a great season of enoughs – then comes fall and the harvest – but then again Winter is diverse and still productive just for different things – and Spring springs eternal in hope and new life…

We have to live IN our season and not be longing too much for the next season (I am rejecting the thought of pumpkin spice creeping into summer or those Halloween displays already out), we need to appreciate today – and perhaps realize that God is working on us to live life abundantly at the same time as storing up resources for tomorrow… ALWAYS JESUS WANTS US TO RELY MOST CLOSELY ON HIM.

I was reminded of abiding in Jesus from a devotion I read recently – and that is what we need to do – we can not make the seeds – we can not share the seeds = we can not get the most out of the fruits of life without Jesus.

I know we need, I need, Jesus for strengthening – “I can do all things through Christ, Who STRENGTHENS me. Philippians 4:13

AMEN and have a good Friday and good weekend…

—

Philippians 4:1-13 – New King James Version – Paul’s letter to his friends

Be Anxious for Nothing; Think These Thoughts
Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.

Be United, Joyful, and in Prayer
I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Meditate on These Things
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Philippian Generosity
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Psalms in Might

Psalms at night,

Prayers delight.

Psalms in Might,

David did write.

Grace over a fight.

Mercy blessings so righteously right.

God to be called upon today and tonight,

Until darkness overtaken by Dawn’s LIGHT

If there’s fear tonight,

Pray, praying Psalms in Might.

Amen to our plight,

God will set things right,

Just hold tight…

Amen

The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.

Power belongs to God.

When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

I will trust in the power of Your Wings.

So I will sing praise to Your name forever, That I may daily perform my vows.

In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.

Amen

—

Psalm 61-62 NKJV

Assurance of God’s Eternal Protection – To the Chief Musician. On a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David.

Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah

For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name. You will prolong the king’s life, His years as many generations. He shall abide before God forever. Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him!

So I will sing praise to Your name forever, That I may daily perform my vows.

…

A Calm Resolve to Wait for the Salvation of God – To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.

How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence. They only consult to cast him down from his high position; They delight in lies; They bless with their mouth, But they curse inwardly. Selah

My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.

Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah

Surely men of low degree are a vapor, Men of high degree are a lie; If they are weighed on the scales, They are altogether lighter than vapor. Do not trust in oppression, Nor vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them.

God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God. Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy; For You render to each one according to his work.

The Art of Living – Helping While You are Hoping

Had two nice sets of encouragements today – both while sorting old photos – one was a great set from my undergraduate days – when for our spring festivities I was dressed as a clown and my aunt attended with my family and she was the one who took my photo. Yeah I was cute – And, so if I could tell my 19-20 year old self something – it would be to “KEEP SMILING” – keep cheering – keep helping… (and oh yeah – don’t sweat the small stuff – life is too jam packed to be worrying about crumbs when there are whole cake-slices of life to be had….)

The other encouragement was reading a letter written to my aunt in the late 90’s from her Canadian Pen Pal – yes someone she corresponded with for like 50 years I think – and well this letter, mixed in with photos, spoke of encouragement after my grandfather died – at a ripe old age of 90 – it was a major hurt in our family’s life, especially to my aunts who lived with him… It starts with “This letter may not be understood by you at the moment”… “You may have to mourn the loss of your dad for a while, but after a time he’d probably get on with the art of living and helping someone special.”

The letter continues, I paraphrase: “My dad said to me (when I had just come from the kitchen where I had just helped my mom), said: ‘Go and help your mother – go help her again’….” – “So I did and haven’t stopped since. I’m her companion and I do the corny things one takes for granted. When she doesn’t want help, I proceed to do clean up duties. It works perfectly. My mom is 93 and doing fine and I as such. If I’m able to be her companion for the time she has left on this earth. I’m happy.”…

SO YES – great advice in the art of living – be a help – and be helpful to someone while you are hoping for the next new thing – be a companion while you can – and always help someone special (your mother – your father – or whomever is in your life)…

As we know we need each other – and so many have helped us – we can help. AND – we will see that the Lord will send the right people at the right time – sometimes someone is sent to you – and sometimes you are sent to others… That’s the art of living – being helpful – being hopeful – and keeping being OK to live while you are hoping and helping…

AMEN

(And thanks to my own encouragers this week and always – I have had a few and I truly appreciate them!)

The Race, Our Pace, Our Place, His Grace

2 poems

The Race of Faith is not to get to God faster like at the finish line, because He is already with us. The Race is our race “running a good race” of life and not letting life’s bumps stop us from believing God is with us. Our Race and our pace will continue as our place is here in the now. And everything, before, after, and now, is benefiting from God’s Grace.

The Race, our pace, our place, His Grace.

AMEN

—

When life is lush,

We have no rush,

When life is dry,

We want to cry.

Seek God’s Face.

Let us find our pace, our place.

And let us finish this Race in His Grace.

AMEN

Personalize the Psalms, Pray Personal Protection

I was at an ice-cream social and the woman next to me was a chaplain and retreat speaker and with so many years of experience in life, it was amazing to be with her and another woman immediately across from me – who was a long time sharer of the gospel… and the woman to my right said that she memorized Psalm 91 as it pertains to herself – in person – as in “I” rest in the shadow of the Almighty… Cool! She knows that helps her push forward… the other woman at our ice cream table was saying how important it was to watch out for meddling by the devil, read her favorite Psalm. Asked me to pick one, I love Psalm 139, but felt a pull to read Psalm 60, don’t know why, but I reread it now, it’s about the Lord restoring us. “Through God we [I] will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our [MY] enemies.” … Oh, restore me again!

Later in the weekend, scrolling through Facebook, my friend from school who always posts funny comics posted a pretend scenario for “Nancy” an old comics character whose life wasn’t perfect, and Nancy was saying, lying in bed, “Actually yeah, maybe today Satan”. and yeah, I laughed at Nancy’s expression saying “maybe today” verses “No, NOT today”. The comic spoof is honestly what we deal with each day – realizing an admission for trouble or acknowledgement that the devil of doubt DOES meddle in mess. We talk the good talk of not letting it bother us but we do get bothered – and so yeah, probably we can imagine we live in that wishy washy space too often… We don’t say STRONG enough “Not Today Satan, NOT today!!!”…

WE NEED JESUS TO DEFFEAT THE DEVIL OF DISTRUST DABBLING DOUBT DOOM… WE HAVE JESUS AS ALMIGHTY KING.

Jesus would say: “Satan get behind me”, acknowledging Satan exists, meddles like with Peter and with us, but Jesus Knows Satan MUST be beat, MUST back down like evil spirits Jesus ordered out. Jesus wins, and HAS been crushed by Jesus’s Standing Strong. It is no contest but it is a battle, so each of us conflicts in this earthly space with the pestilence on the prowl. THANK GOD FOR JESUS TO HOLD ONTO.

So here is psalm 60 and psalm 91 written in “I will dwell in the Lord”.. which we choose. And may “NOT today Satan” always be from us saying YES to JESUS.

I 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.

Amen

—-

Psalm 60 NKJV – PERSONALIZED
Urgent Prayer for the Restored Favor of God
To the Chief Musician. Set to “Lily of the Testimony.” A Michtam of David. For teaching. When he fought against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

O God, You have cast [me] off; You have broken [me] down; You have been displeased; Oh, restore me again! You have made the earth tremble; You have broken it; Heal its breaches, for it is shaking. You have shown me hard things; You have made me drink the wine of confusion. You have given a banner to those who fear You, That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah. That ME, Your beloved, may be delivered, Save ME with Your right hand, and hear me.

God has spoken in His holiness: “I will rejoice; I will divide Shechem And measure out the Valley of Succoth. Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet for My head; Judah is My lawgiver. Moab is My washpot; Over Edom I will cast My shoe; Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me.”

Who will bring me to the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? Give us [ME] help from trouble, For the help of man is useless. Through God we [I] will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our [MY] enemies.

—-

Psalm 91 written personalized – NKJV verses 1-6, 15-16 Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God

I dwell in the secret place of the Most High and 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 ME from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover ME with His feathers, and under His wings I shall take refuge; His truth shall be MY shield and buckler. I 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.

…

I shall call upon THE LORD, and HE will answer ME;

HE will be with ME in trouble; HE will deliver ME and honor him.

With long life, GOD will satisfy ME, And show ME HIS salvation.”

…

AMEN AMEN

Sermon – Service as Worship

Sermon 09AUG – Service as Worship (to go along with a mission project after church)

Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

—-

A Gift is a Gift – WE ARE IN OUR PENTECOST SERIES AND TALKING ABOUT OUR SEASON OF Going out and sharing the Love…

There is at least one more story from my travels – this one is remembering a sweet gesture from 2 young boys sitting in the airplane seats ahead of me. We were in a jovial section of the back of the plane – behind me were many girl scouts – and in front of me were a hodge podge of folks who had signed up with National Geographic trip – to the Galapagos Islands – everyone enjoyed the Galapagos Islands – and we all had so much to talk about even among strangers.

I appreciated the woman next to me – she was chatty – turns out she and I have the same profession – I was able to talk shop for a bit – and just in the seats immediately in front of us were young boys (maybe 8 to 10 yrs) who had been friends on the trip – and they overheard me asking the lady next to me where she was from – and they chimed in before she could answer and said Germany. Well, this woman was so shocked because it was only in one conversation, that she said, at a dinner, where she mentioned her roots – but she lived in California for a long while now… These boys picked up on the info – internalized it – shared it – a gift of recall. And a gift of ATTENTIVENESS.

Later in the flight – more conversations between seats and I handed up two little plastic flamingos – gifts I brought WITH me – gave many out to whomever I thought – no need to give me something back – just for fun. But when I handed the two statues up – the little boys liked them and then they decided to gift me each a purple skittle from their candy – so sweet – the action and the candy. One boy was thinking for sure – what can I give FROM what I have – and not having much – he realized and directed the other little boy to give me each a little purple skittle candy. Sweet…

I didn’t expect any return gift from my gift – I just enjoyed seeing the oohs and aahs from people receiving the flamingo statue. I think that the sweetness of the candy came from a “oh we should give a return gift” – which is not always necessary – or it came from an ATTENTIVENESS of “what do we have that we can give”– and it was good to see sharing kids with good upbringing… Sweet…

How about giving from what we get from the Lord? Well, we could never repay the fill of gifts that He gives us – we could never pay anything worthy of what He gives us – His Grace – His Mercy – His Life – His Everything for our Anything. And SO, we don’t pay it backwards – we pay it forwards – in service with a good attitude and sharing Him with others – and sharing PRAISE about Him as our cause.

God’s Gift of gifting is to us, well, A GIFT TO WORSHIP HIM – with all our hearts and minds and soul! And Jesus specifically said (in Matthew 5:16) to let our light SHINE before men – and in so they will PRAISE the Lord… WOW!

A light that shines might be being friendly in a crowded space – smiling at unknown strangers – remembering that the people we interact with are made in God’s image too… It is being attentive to what we have and how we can share it.

*** The scripture read this morning from Paul to the Romans: in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

One of the great 20^th century examples of service as worship is the story of Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, was an Albanian-Indian Catholic nun, founder of missionaries – born in Northern Macedonia – she studied and served in Ireland where she learned English and then she served in India – from the late 1940’s on – starting the Missionaries of Charities. Joseph Langford, founder of the congregation of priests, the Missionaries of Charity Fathers, later wrote, “Though no one knew it at the time, Sister Teresa had just become Mother Teresa.”

Sister Teresa experienced what she later described as “the call within the call” – “to leave the convent and help the poor while living among them. It was an order. [she means from Jesus]. She had to keep FAITH that it was the thing to do.

Mother Teresa emphasized service as a manifestation of love.

Her notable quote states, “Love cannot remain by itself – it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action, and that action is service.” This highlights her belief that true love is expressed through acts of kindness and service to others.

Writers [Sara and Justin Kraft] would say about Mother Teresa: “One cannot be fully alive without relationships with others. We are made for love, to be unified in giving and receiving with others and ultimately with God. If we close ourselves off to service, we will never create the space within ourselves to be filled with the love of God. He can transform the most difficult tasks into meaningful experiences, but we have to be aware of His presence.” – I am going to repeat that – God can transform the most difficult tasks into meaningful experiences – but we have to be aware of His presence – and His Presence creates that space within us to LOVE to serve – and to worship.

These Mother Teresa impactful quotes exemplify the meaning of charity and love and service for others as worship:

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them,”
“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”
“Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do… but how much love we put in that action.”
“I see God in every human being. When I wash the leper’s wounds I feel I am nursing the Lord himself. Is it not a beautiful experience?”

It is Love that we share… From Love – from Jesus Himself through His Holy Spirit.

We have a story in scripture – from our great role model of Jesus – urging us to give GENUINELY – we give whatever we have in FAITH, in TRUST, in Service of Giving.

This reminds me about the story Jesus told of the woman with 2 mites – Luke 21:1-4 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”

This is not a “give until it hurts” sermon, but to remember that the gift of TRUST and SERVICE is from the space we create WITH GOD – the widow’s gift came from a worshipful place – it was not flashy nor knowing that someone else was watching. And so we don’t need to just give from a place of that sense of duty – it is BETTER that we can give in JOY FROM JOY – from a space inside us appreciating everything we have and what we can share – because we’ve been given that gift… And because we TRUST GOD IS taking care of us, we can be in the mix to help others realize His Gifts.

We show and SHINE – by our service FROM US – it can be anything, time or talents, truly God in the Holy Spirit – in a Pentecost way to BE worship – to come from within – to let us praise. SO let us NOT be short on praise – let us NOT being dilly-dallying before we praise – even in tough times the Lord asks for us to praise. The book of James reminds us about Perseverance – and that leads to praise – we may not know the circumstances of life that puts thorns in our sides – like Paul – but we are to remember to praise… Give our hearts to God – and strength and soul and mind – and praise…

Jesus gave us the example of the ultimate gift – We love because he first loved us. He laid down His life for us – His friends the disciples and for us before we were even born. We praise God because we know God and we want God to be known through us – John would write: If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. (1st John 4:12-14)

Our service to others is FROM that core that God put in us – service to God – and becomes our worship to thank Him that we can give what we can.

Don’t conform to the patterns of today – think of YOUR skills – YOUR gifts – YOUR inklings – This is something that you and the Lord can work out together – sometimes it is right in front of you… Our scripture: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

A pattern game is a favorite of mine growing up – Perfection – it would pop if you didn’t get all the pieces in – well God is the one creating the game we call life in HIS PERFECTION – we could know that we have a space all prepared for us – and will be in it – and yet we can be out in life – on the board – and help others find their place in HIS PUZZLE of Life…

Whether it is giving time – giving encouragement, hope, or even little purple skittles candies – smiles, or giving service in presence like Mother Teresa – let us remember to make it worshipful as what God wants – our praise and our service is a worship to the Lord who holds the whole world in His Hand.

Amen

———-

And let us pray: Lord – thank You for this time to reflect and learn – to ponder – Jesus Himself said: “I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit… “ what fruit today would you have us give back to the world in service and worship. Lord, I can’t wait to see what kind of fruit salad mix from all of us – that You, Lord, are gifting the world with – Let us always be creating a place for You within us – and see a peace in us in order to serve others as you do… AMEN

Picture This Love

Photos Photos Photos…. So this task, I have chosen for myself, was to bring home and do in “my leisure time” is sort sort sort… It is a natural part to help with cleaning up that farmhouse, and after scanning letters from family history projects, I’m now on the photos task (that I assigned to myself) and have been sorting and even sending some out to family members – especially thinking of the children who are now 25 years older – and their families – for them to have photos that remind them where they came from and of the love.

You could think it is a little overwhelming, but it is not hard – it is developing a system like I have – and just digging in – right now I am in the 1990’s and sorting into spring valentines, easter, fall and winter holiday scenes, and then group photos – my aunt is most interested in group photos… It’s such a blessing of memories – and even to look at them now it is a surprise to see things that I don’t necessarily remember but there is a photo of me in it. In sorting big bags (still in the envelops) we think these are duplicates – but we want to sort before we toss. [and there are mixtures of papers here too like tax returns and the such – and just now I found the eulogy given at my great uncle’s funeral – sometimes it is too much to keep but that I will send along to his daughter…] And so with all this sorting I end up taking like 25% of photos to save – and that is still PLENTY… My aunt always had 2 cameras. Usually a one-ten-millimeter – and a small point and shoot for thirty-five millimeter – and that is the width of the negatives – which we would not use for recreating photos – it is easier to take a photo with one’s phone nowadays of those photos and text them to a cousin – but might as well send some – because these days we hardly ever print….

And then there are those disposable cameras – we have many from my aunt that are not developed yet from 25 years ago – like 10 or more rolls plus 10 cameras… Not sure if we will develop them – it is pricey now – and honestly our memories are good too – so nothing in these photos are of trips we have forgotten – just tucked away – like me holding 5 kittens – it is a memory but not an monumental one like a wedding – and even those we keep only some photos… Some photos are also from not our house(s) – but maybe – that is why it is good to ask the makers of the memories before they pass away… And if the photo is not pertaining – like every state fair butter sculture photo from like 20 years – well those are probably OK to toss…

With sorting photos then sending out to family – for them to have photos that remind them of the love, actually it is not costing me anything to send the photos because, well, my aunt had stockpiles of loose stamps too – not the fancy collections but half a strip here – a few there – and so it is easy to give things away from her giving pile. I thought I had a heavy bag of coins recently but it was a bag of rocks, oh well. And besides the stamps, today I came across a christmas card with $30 – wow – well I will bring that back to my aunt…
——————-

The photos are a good reminder of giving of our time into memories – yes keeping family memories alive – and counting blessings of fun times. Remembering this is like a fraction of the time my grandparents and my aunts gave of their time to watch us as rambunctious kids, me, my sibling and my 4 cousins, childhood time when my mom and dad were working, our time spent on the farm. Yes, we went fishing and they put on the worms, we did baking and cooking but they organized it all, we played outside and they watched us like a hawk. We took trips to fun places. They packed the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the cooler. They stocked up the freezer with those ice cream bars “cheerios” and ice cream sandwiches and those orange creamsicles, which I think are disgusting, but my cousins liked. And my Grandma remembered that I hate spaghettios, so I always got raviolis… It is the little things, and I’m so grateful they remembered… even if we were little – the demands were big…

Picture this love now – on a grander scale than grandparents – picture that God knows EACH of us – and knows every thought and every hair on our heads – I don’t even think that we can wrap our heads around God in this greatness – but we can take photo memories of times we know He was helping us – I can see and can picture the LOVE shared – for each of us was born and taken care of by human care (it takes a village) – and we are STILL here… If we are breathing then we should be believing that God Loves us… He does…

I praise the Lord in my past and for my past – I praise the Lord for the present of the present – and I praise the Lord of the future which is already in play – He will gives us ALL THE TIME – Picture His Love – Picture THIS Love…

Amen

Grandpa’s and God’s Work Endures

I started on my new project of photo sorting. But first had some paperwork to sort through from the farmhouse, my grandfather and family kept every record for every house he built including tax statements, receipts for every piece of lumber or supplies, and all the workers payments… Rolls bundled of canceled checks to blueprints, we are keeping some, but a lot has to go to shred… you can’t keep everything…

The work however still stands. He worked hard. And what my grandpa built endures, the houses, the repairs, the odd jobs, plus the family, the values, the work ethic AND the love. Sorting documents, we reminisced that he bought lumber from like every building place, share the work, and he was a really good employer. There are papers for good insurance plans and proper lawyers records. And I know, if it needed one nail, my grandpa put three, to keep it sturdy. What grandpa built lasts… He passed away in the late 90’s at a generous old age of 90.

I also found some newspapers in the farmhouse, and this day while my YouTube feed was playing Prince’s “1999” for music to sort by (trust me there’s a lot to sort), I noticed there was a newspaper in the boxes ALSO from 1999. And we “could party like it’s 1999”, thinking nothing of the future, but GRATEFULLY both my grandpa AND THE LORD worked to have built lasting life beyond that. The love, the life, the values, the plans.

I found a nice drawing of one of the houses as a model. Once my aunt fell off a ladder, she was fine but my grandfather decided never to build two story houses again and then they were all one story ranchers.

Isn’t that also like the Lord, God knew we were fallible, and He built into His plan a Savior in His Son Jesus. A rescue and a steady life plan for us to follow the narrow path, without foot slipping, plus the safety net of Jesus. Now that’s good insurance.

We have a bit of a floor plan described of Heaven when we read the scriptures, God doesn’t have to “sell it” to us, but he certainly makes it appealing! I’m looking forward to seeing Him, God, Jesus, and prayerfully my grandpa and great greats too!! It will be in the Heaven God built! Secure and secured!!!

Amen

( And thank you Lord, for this time that I can reminisce while working STILL HARD in the earthly family values…)

Here is Here!

Here is NOT nowhere,

Here is Here!

Sometimes we think are going nowhere,

But it’s always somewhere,

And being HERE,

With God’s presence DEAR,

Is better than ANY FEAR.

Here is NOT nowhere,

HERE IS HERE!

Here is present in this time, place, season, THIS YEAR.

Here, life in the present gear,

We are here,

And we leave the past back there,

And wait on the future somewhere.

Here is NOT nowhere,

HERE IS HERE!

SO TAKE THE BACK ROADS, with no fear,

Enjoy the ice-cream, mmmm in cheer,

Feel the summer simmer near,

Splash under the waterfall in joy with water clear,

Play board games with family dear,

And remember God is here, near,

In the HERE!!!

Amen

Chocolate BLOOM is NOT Impending Doom

Chocolate BLOOM, it took a good night sleep for that term to surface from my deep pockets of knowledge, same reason that I’m better at Scrabble (the word tile game) in the morning than tired nighttime. We are our best when our brain is the best. Chocolate bloom is not the best situation for chocolate, it’s the dried out version where the natural oils separate and although it is edible, it’s less palatable to the taste buds or visuals for a chocolate connoisseur consumer. It gets tossed… Expensive chocolate is no exception, the higher the percentage of cocoa, the less melting but when left in a hot car, it will be damaged, be friable and off-color from cocoa butter separation, still usable for something, but damaged.

Granted that this is not the end of the world. Chocolate bloom is not impending doom.

What about us? Us when we are tired, cranky, off-balance, when we get older and our mental health and/or physical health is friable or easily crumbled? Not a fun or palatable place to be in or witness.

Now, I’m not intending over-simplifying our hard life realities to my musings in these musings, as such sadness exists in brokenness of human fragility, including failing relationships brought on by problems we can’t deal with. “Getting older —- !”, I’ve heard many say. But I simply want to re-encourage resilience. Is our death or a loved one’s death impending doom? Not if we take Jesus’s offer of forgiveness for our repentance. We can walk healed and whole again.

Mr Roger’s (portrayed in the movie with Tom Hanks) advice was: Death is a human thing, therefore mentionable – and if mentionable then manageable. Granted life and relationships was not an easy path for him either.

We are broken world creatures, where all of creation groans for Jesus’s restoration. There are unmanageable unimaginable unmentionable circumstances for us, but Jesus has seen it all, and sees it now. So we must tread lightly and be genuine and generous in grace to our family members, our friends, ourselves.

We all have something to deal with. We all have the opportunity for optimism and simply dealing (or not dealing) with what life hands us.

May we remember our chocolate bloom is not impending doom, and for the harder harshest of reality? Depend upon Jesus one day at a time, one step, one moment…

Amen

(And don’t worry about me, I’m simply being an observer of life of all around us…)

Psalm 121 NKJV

God the Help of Those Who Seek Him – A Song of Ascents.

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—

From whence comes my help?

My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.

Be Hungry for God

I am up home – so nice for that summer feel – and to see family.

Yes, driving up the back roads – love the little hamlets and town. And in one bend, there is a picturesque church – often selling pumpkins in season – or where you donate your bottles and cans for the redemption (ha ha redemption – nickels, not church-speak). Well, I love this church’s sayings – I think it’s a great service of churches to have little quips, scriptures, etc on their signs. Thousands each day are strengthened or chastened or perhaps the saying makes then chuckle in lightening their day.

This one yesterday driving up home “hit the spot” for me:

“Be hungry for God, otherwise you’re just full of yourself.”

Oh yeah… I laughed at the witty words, and my admittance of my path, and the truth of God’s Word and Way above my way, our way…

I smiled in just HOPING I have been listening to His callings and His pausings… and I smile in joy and peace and blessings to be HERE, up home this week, seeing my family and friends, enjoying a CNY summer feel, including the cool 68 degree rainy mist, while driving, a respite from the heat.

Got to the local state park. SO NICE and picturesque plus they have a bath house and swimming. I didn’t go to the 68 degree water this day – but when it will be hot, maybe will take a dip then! Anyways, I was sitting (I know unusual but not for this past 6 months) – sitting and watching the swimmers and divers – and hearing the sounds of the crashing waterfalls into this swimming hole at the bottom of a great gorge and waterfall trail. One doesn’t have to walk the trail (2 miles) but just drive in – to the top or to the bottom – convenient… And as I was walking back to the car, I thought to myself: THIS was/IS STOPPING TO SMELL THE ROSES – oh how blessed. I appreciate the time – and that the Lord has afforded me this time.

And so for our direction and our placement – for our observations of our blessings – for simply looking to His Plan above ours – we want to HUNGER for God – BE HUNGRY – Be still and know He is God – and therefore take it all in – and know His Plan calls us places – and therefore take up your travelling or sit down and just be… Listen for His call, follow in His Path, be patient with His Way – and help along the way too. His Righteousness over ours – His plan over ours – Praising Him for known and unknown…

(realize via Psalm 107 how much God has done in the past – and how much He is doing and how much He will do – for us – for everything – for Love…)

“Be hungry for GOD – otherwise we are just full of ourselves…”

Yeah…

Amen

—

Psalm 107 NKJV

From BOOK FIVE Psalms 107–150 Thanksgiving to the Lord for His Great Works of Deliverance

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, And gathered out of the lands, From the east and from the west, From the north and from the south.

They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; They found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, Their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He delivered them out of their distresses. And He led them forth by the right way, That they might go to a city for a dwelling place. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, Bound in affliction and irons— Because they rebelled against the words of God, And despised the counsel of the Most High, Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; They fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He has broken the gates of bronze, And cut the bars of iron in two.

Fools, because of their transgression, And because of their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul abhorred all manner of food, And they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, And declare His works with rejoicing.

Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters, They see the works of the Lord, And His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises the stormy wind, Which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end. Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, And praise Him in the company of the elders.

He turns rivers into a wilderness, And the watersprings into dry ground; A fruitful land into barrenness, For the wickedness of those who dwell in it. He turns a wilderness into pools of water, And dry land into watersprings. There He makes the hungry dwell, That they may establish a city for a dwelling place, And sow fields and plant vineyards, That they may yield a fruitful harvest. He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly; And He does not let their cattle decrease.

When they are diminished and brought low Through oppression, affliction, and sorrow, He pours contempt on princes, And causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way; Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction, And makes their families like a flock. The righteous see it and rejoice, And all iniquity stops its mouth. Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.

Yup, God AGAIN

Isn’t always the case,

When we realize God wants us in the RACE.

Don’t even try to keep up with His PACE,

But know that for you and me, He has a PLACE.

Monday might bring dread,

Oh anxiousness for what lies ahead.

But remember Jesus Himself had no place to rest His head.

So keep pushing, keep moving, keep hoping instead.

Thank You, Lord, for the pep talk.

Thank You, Lord, for Your walk.

Now every time I feel like I should squawk.

Let me praise You, for Your eye on me (us) is sharper than any hawk.

Amen

…….

Grand Gratefulness for Grandparents

I was re-reminded just now to write this blog on gratefulness for grandparents when I was in the grocery store – and overheard this father say to the little girl: “who taught you how to skip?” – “GRANDMA!” – “Ah, grandma has taught you everything…”

THANK GOD for Grandmas, for Grandpas, for Aunts and Uncles, for those who just teach children – all our children…

And last night (after the beach and then ice cream) we went to the American Tapestry concert – and along all the classic songs, I had a great vantage for people watching… I watched in a sweet private JOY of a view from my middle seat at a concert to the side – to see the sight glimpsed as a grandson had his grandpa’s directing baton, after Grandpa finished guest conducting one strong song in the concert (I am assuming a Grandpa from the interaction I saw from a distance with a younger woman and little girl just in the doorway outside this big auditorium, also glimpsed from my middle seat, looking out). This grandpa beamed in his performances, and the grandson, maybe 8 or 10) was content the WHOLE TIME with that baton in hand – swinging it… And the grandfather later was the piano player for the most amazing energetic rendition of Rhapsody in Blue – so excitedly playing that the grandpa nearly fell off the chair near the end…

These gifts of concerts and the whole feel of Ocean Grove NJ Camp Meeting and beach – well are such a gift of “old time sake” – and a gift of being transported to both a tucked away gem but also the benefit of world-class entertainment – really amazing stuff. And the openness of the side doors allows for many on-lookers to peak in – without committing to the event – and even all the way across the street one can hear the music in the bathroom – it carries.

And the most amazing thing carries – which is not a thing – but is love spread from grandparents – from other family members down the line – forward into their families – like the little boy getting to just be himself in mimicking the conductor and getting an appreciation of music.

So – let us all be like those grandparents in life – and appreciate teaching – let us love which God has given us in excess to share – let us just be thankful, watchful, musical, and skipping in joy…

AMEN

Jesus Loves ALL

Had a fabulous feast and fun last night with friends. When one can’t travel to the country that they live in, one has to appreciate that they share the beautiful aspects of their culture and their lives with you here… We had fabulous food, and karaoke dancing and they loved that I joined in, and yet the sweetest sweetest sharing was simply LOVE… and sweetest care with loving their littlest sweet child, just two years old… Oh such a cutie… You know grownups who play at a two year old teaching level, including grandma, are just as cute, I heard a quote in the Mister Roger’s movie that with a child, you get to relive but redo your childhood in a better way, you get to learn too.

And so I went to the Hallmark store for a teddy bear as a present, and looked for cuteness at a reasonable price (and I did find a good deal for a blanket with a hood with animal ears and a sweet puppy). But as I went into the aisle of “stuffies”, I thought “What can I bring?”. Right in front of me was the dish of many plush Jesus dolls, whom I’ve given before to friends, ah… yes although I didn’t pick this “plush” pretend Jesus doll this day with walking into a new situation, JESUS is EXACTLY Who What one needs to bring, Jesus, in LOVE to ALL, everyday…

Jesus in all His Love IN us.

Jesus for all His Love FOR us.

Jesus in Truth to TEACH us.

Jesus in body OF us.

Jesus in SPIRIT AMONG us.

YES LOVE…

Jesus lives for and Jesus loves for everyone. Jesus wants everyone to know Him.

I loved this family opening up their home to me, sharing love and fun. I LOVE that Jesus opens up LOVE for us to share with others. I pray one day I can share not just the Jesus doll with them, but more ALL of Jesus with them and all. Live in love most of all.

And may we feast forever with Jesus in Heaven loving His Love.

Amen

What We Do for Christ Will Last, and a family photo album of memories past is a present gift to the present…

It is the pivotal last day of the month – and I am 2 months behind in putting all my blogs into Word and PDF – but I do plan to do that today and tomorrow because I always promise the Lord that I am not going to be overdue in taking care of His Business with these – not a life and death matter especially because God is forgiving – but I promised myself and promised God that I believe in these writings will outlive me – in some fashion… These are easier to keep (even dust covered) in paper than digital versions that could be deleted so easily (but I have those too)… Paper lasts for a while… and well it and we all will turn to dust one day… but for now – memories of God’s workings in my life that are shared – precious…

And a preacher this morning, in a facebook rabbit hole that I was following, said the exact words that we all need to hear: dust to dust – nothing can you take with you – you will return to dust – but WHAT WE DO FOR CHRIST WILL LAST… And he was not talking in the earthly sense of last – but last heavenly in forwarding the kingdom and serving God’s people…

And so in OTHER will be dust thoughts – I have been “dusting off” some of my family farmhouse dust-covered bags and boxes of photos I have sorted this past week – I found treasures of memories – and decided to simply (with some EXTRAS) glue them down organized – these are but a small fraction of 1980’s and some 1990’s times like ice skating and holiday decorating and farm life – remembering how hard my Grandpa worked – and seeing each other appreciate each other… MEMORIES THAT ARE PRICELESS…

And so, I spent half of the day yesterday doing such – indulged time in this crazy creative idea that came to me at like 5am and I started and worked a few hours (already had all the supplies) – then did regular stuff all day and then finished at night – with watching the evening news (ugh), 2 episodes of 1970’s Barney Miller (talk about throwback and old ugh as the episode was about agent orange and not knowing the effects), and then finished the album off with printing just one photo at 9pm to finish the album – a photo WITH my grandma which was not in this set of extras… My Grandma died in the early 80’s when I was a teen – she kept her family all together from the 30’s on – I love the older photos of her as a child (that is older family history compiling) – and I love these newer (well 50 year old) photos of ME as a child with my sibling and cousins… Grandma had an offer by Grandpa to move to a house he built (he built many many houses) but she wanted to stay on that farm – and my mom and aunts and uncle were glad for that too – and I am glad so much – as we had the fun childhood… On Summer break, my aunts who stayed at the farmhouse would watch us like hawks – and we were safe and ever overprotected – but then again that is a Godsend… We felt the love… We went there during the day – we would stay with them while my mom and dad worked – and we ran through the fields – and we sewed and cooked and ate cookies, sewed embroidery and pretended to be cows in the barn, and watched game shows on TV, had picnic lunch in the tent, caught butterflies and grasshoppers and frogs and and and…. and even got bored – yeah I forget now but we were bored too as kids (and I thank God for no video games yet) (and boredom creates even more creativity in thinking folks) – and thus cloud watching was a favorite pastime on those summer days – just lay on the ground and watch the clouds…

(Winter we were outside too – brush off the pond let’s go skating and then have hot cocoa…)

I am grateful – not just in material but in memories – (and in this time to reminisce) – and so this scrapbook may not evoke my memories in everyone – but I can feel them – describe them – love them… (and I will enter the scrapbook to the local agricultural grange fair)…

Likewise – and more so – my writing – which I now will get back to compiling and printing – they are SO TEMPORARY – so much so that I don’t remember what I wrote and yet rereading feels good – and feels in the moment of that time…. Because the ONLY thing that WILL last is God – God is forever – and what we do in Christ for Christ and with Christ will eternally be remembered – and then even so, we will CAST DOWN OUR CROWNS TO HIS FEET – to signify HIS MAJESTY… Yeah – God will last – that is a memory for us now in the future, the past, and well the present… God is with us always from before time – with us now – and will take us Heavenly Home Forever… God bless the thought… (and will we be bored in Heaven? I doubt it – imagine the memories in advance – wow… and imagine all the great people we will meet – and meet again – but perfected without our earthly worries… Wow that thought in advance is a present…)

The “PRESENT” is a gift that God gives to us.

Enjoy the PRESENT of this day – it is a gift to know the Gift of God in our lives…

AMEN and thanks for letting me ramble, Lord… some day I will understand it all…

Amen…

Praying for Praise

I have a lot to praise with celebrating my daughter’s 25th birthday yesterday – with the shopping, the decorations, a silver jubilee, the festivities, AND THEN the food…

Which, of course, the dinner was a reminder for me of God and truth over our abilities… about our power and God’s Power. I was praying in the BIG dinner we had – to just enjoy healthy… yes the kids enjoy Kpot the Korean BBQ and hot pot – although I think I would like it more if I had someone cooking me the items – but I enjoy it too for the atmosphere and being there with the kids – and yeah… but there’s always a concern that you might eat too much, and I had concerned that I hadn’t eaten much good during the day.

And – so- I hunkered into a few prepared treats while my soup was cooking mushrooms and squid and some beef – and it was a very good soup – while trying not to be HANGRY – that is hungry angry…

So – I had a prayer to settle my unsettled stomach and to be able to enjoy the evening – and I did = and I did = both pray and have a settling of the stomach to feel good with some food in it – and that is also where I realized I was getting it WRONG – that I DIDN’T “pray myself well” – but that God made me well – God heard my prayer and it was all good… GOOD – both that I understood more about prayer and praise = and that God DOES give good things…

I also focused in rather than get distracted out…

It (feeling better) reminded me of looking for a parking spot last week that I said “Lord. I only need one” and then it appeared. My friend says that’s coincidence, but I know the truth that all good things are from God… However I know, I wouldn’t chalk it up to one of God’s big miracles to simply find a parking spot in a busy beach town and like the praying for anything, we DON’T pray ourselves into good fortune. We should praise in good and bad times…

And may we always pray discernment and good decisions

All good things are from God – especially HIM HIMSELF…

Praise and PRAYERS – all good…

Amen

Faith Leaping – Again and Again

OK – so in between fun stuff – I am still looking for a job, LOL… SO, I do have a bit of a plan for this renewed job search initiative – now that I am back from my trip(s) which took most of my brain space (gladly)… So now, as I ease into this new plan (and trust me that reading job boards is unpalatable), I am back to networking – which is my favorite part – back to scrolling and scrolling at company websites but with intention to message the people I know at those companies. I am adopting a pattern of some Monday, some Tuesday, some Wednesday, etc – with smaller companies mixed in – yes – there has to be a pattern that works and also doesn’t get old. It may seem easy but it seems icky – so that is why people connecting with people is the best way.

And surely in FAITH – we know that connecting with people is the best bet… Yes, I can feel that there is the right opportunity around the corner – but I am not AT the corner yet – AND I do have a motivation to make it to the corner to turn – and keep turning – but this doesn’t mean I ignore the road in front of me right now. I do wonder the Sunday driver in me, is it too enjoyable to be distracted – because a Monday driver might be better… IN FAITH – I really need to let God drive – right? RIGHT – and yet know that He also needs me doing my part in putting the pedal to the metal when the time is needing it…

I found (granted this is only day 3 of my RENEWED plan and going OK) that using my creative juices every day in a DIFFERENT way is necessary – and so I have done craft projects and sorting through family history photos – I made a display for a birthday and a display of the family farmhouse barn – in all seasons – nice memories…

And down time – you have to take down time… So I do get some novelty out of mundane tv watching or video binging – but what I have picked is not just fluff – there are lessons to be learned in people’s journeys – so recently I finished up the 3rd season of Netflix America’s Sweethearts on the DCC Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders – it is interesting viewing and of course the person that is tracked the most is Reese – and she is Christian and is shown as so sweet too – with her newly wed husband and in a supporting relationship. She suffers some health issues (spoiler alert – stop here if you are going to watch it….) Well – she decides to retire from the sport/dance team after 3 years because of many reasons – including and especially listening to the Lord for the next move… She says Leap of Faith – and that is the title of the episode – which is the last episode of the season… And that is such the place we are and we need to be – again and again… A LEAP OF FAITH – AGAIN AND AGAIN…

In my other movie watching recently was the great story of Mr Rogers and the writer Lloyd in the movie starring Tom Hanks – really a thought provoking and heart grabbing story… Loved it… And Tom Hanks really brings out the deep faith of Mr Rogers – who acknowledges that faith and life does not come without pain.. I thought it was a great movie to talk about how to handle one’s faith – and how to thank God for the burdens of faith – Mr Rogers prayed by name for thousands of people – and then after it – THANKED GOD for the mission of prayer.

A leap of faith does not mean there is no safety net nor mean that there is no person swinging with you – Jesus is always there – God and His Holy Spirit swing swiftly and securely always there.

Amen – and Thank You Lord again for this peptalk… KEEP LEAPING IN THE FAITH – AGAIN AND AGAIN…

Amen

—-

If you want to have OTHER distraction watching videos – may I also recommend these – here is a pair of GREAT distraction videos –

Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett’s show – Hilarious – Phantom of the Opry !!!!

And a slightly bizarre but fascinating look at “the fabulous fifties” Dick Van Dyke – and Julie Andrews – and others – great music!!!

A Gift is a Gift

There is at least one more story from my travels – this one is remembering a sweet gesture from 2 young boys sitting in the airplane seats ahead of me. We were in a jovial section of the back of the plane – behind me were many girl scouts – and in front of me were National Geographic-signed up travelers – all enjoyed the Galapagos Islands.

The woman next to me was chatty and the boys overheard me asking her where she is from – and they chimed in before her and said Germany – well, this woman was so shocked because it was only one conversation, she said, at a dinner, where she mentioned her roots – but she lived in California for a while now… These boys picked up on the info – internalized it – shared it – a gift of recall. And a gift of friendliness.

Later in the flight – more conversations between seats and I handed up two little plastic flamingos – gifts I brought WITH me – gave many out to whomever I thought… A gift – no need to give me something back – just for fun. But when I handed the two statues up – the little boys decided to gift me each a purple skittle from their candy – so sweet – the action and the candy.

I didn’t expect any return gift from my gift – I just enjoyed seeing the oohs and aahs from people receiving them. I think that the sweetness of the candy came from a “oh we should give a return gift” – which is not always necessary… and so we simply take the nice return gesture as nice – kids with good upbringing… Sweet…

How about the gift and gifts from the Lord? Well, we could never repay the fill of gifts that He gives us – we could never pay anything worthy of what He gives us – His Grace – His Mercy – His Life – His Everything for our Anything. And so we don’t pay it backwards – we pay it forwards – and share His Gifts with others – and we share PRAISE about Him to whomever will listen…

A Gift is a Gift – and a God Gift is well, WOW!

Well, I am glad those little boys got to go to the Galapagos – I am glad they are included in travel and in conversations and in life – they will be gifts to whomever they meet down the road – paying it forward – and sometimes back between the seats where only an eye is seen…

Sweet…

Amen

Not Racing Thru Our Faith Race

I fell asleep for powerful power naps yesterday afternoon – not ON the beach as I intended – but accidentally fell asleep listening to an amazing operatic singer up in the main town center at a free summer concert in the afternoon in my favorite Ocean Grove – in their tabernacle which is as old as the auditorium from the 1890’s – wow great acoustics and wow great singer… And the need for my nap? Not just traveling but VBS this past week and a few doctor’s appointments – and and … and well – my body knew it just NEEDED A NAP…

She sang AMAZING – world class – and finally in the songs that I might know – well after favorite “Climb Every Mountain” from the Sound of Music – the songs after that I was so VERY tired that I dozed – luckily not embarrassingly – and hoping forgiveness from the woman seated behind me (who knows what she thought!)…

The song lyrics mean so much to me – Climb every mountain – a dream that will need all the love you can give – every day of your life as long as you live…

YES ! And after my naps – well I was ready to drive home – skipping the ice cream this time – and just felt the peace of that place in my pace…

This morning now (a beautiful backyard moment for me as I sit under my shade umbrella writing) – those slow down songs creep into my head – “Slowdown, you move too fast – got to make the morning last – just…” That is the Simon and Garfunkel lyric that calls to me this morning as I think about “a slowdown” – people would say this or that about my activities or not – but honestly we simply need to listen to our bodies – listen to our heart achings – be a judge of the season we are in and the weather we get – and MOST of ALL, Listen to God Who KNOWS us and is holding this WHOLE world in His Hands. Yeah… Let us run the race of FAITH at HIS Pace – at our pace – and in THIS place.

The Race of Faith – Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I find these days that NOT RACING THRU OUR FAITH RACE is my best advice – to myself too. Stop and smell the roses – stop and take a nap for your body – listen to the Lord and even ask Him to repeat it – but then pick up and keep going…

I benefit from preparing sermons and this scripture above, from Paul from Hebrews, just ALSO stuck out at me when I was preparing the 1st Peter 4 sermon for yesterday, about serving as one body – and then Hebrews 6 appeared as the scripture of the day in an email I just got from Bible Gateway… Cool… And cool that we all have a part and we are to use the gifts given to us. I also benefitted from the preaching to myself – that we (that I) have a part that God picked for me and placed fruit on my vine…

I then benefited yesterday from online listening to Pastor Joe’s sermon from CC Philly for great teaching (while I was driving back from the beach after meeting friends) which spoke of God urging Moses to do the work that He picked out for him – that God knows us – God knew all our generations before us – that God is with us – that God cares and God dares us to live lives of faith depending upon Him… https://resources.ccphilly.org/SAM1438 Pastor Joe reminded that (Exodus 6) GOD WANTS US TO LIVE OUR LIVES AND YES HE PICKS US TO DO TASKS AND DO MINISTRIES AND DO LIVING FOR HIM… GOD’S GOT THIS – DON’T BE AFRAID…

That is where I am – where we all could be:

DEPENDING UPON GOD forHE INCLUDES US IN THE PLAN,

And REMEMBER: worrying about tomorrow is a SCAM.

Remember that thinking in unstable ways is the devil of doubt’s SHAM.

GOD’S GOT THIS – STICK WITH HIS PLAN – HE’S THE GREAT I AM !!!

See – me doubting the Plan is a sham and I should not buy into that scam… God brought me (BROUGHT US) safe thus far – and God has blessed so incredibly – and I do have plans but WILL TRY to remember to try to hold back worry for tomorrow – yes use it as motivation for today – but dig deep in knowing faith – and just now looking at the birds and listening to their morning songs – know that if God takes care of these birds, how much MORE He cares for us. (Matthew 6)

So – a fresh day – a new day – another plan to see where does God take me TODAY… Every day is a new day…

And remember to not STRAY – remember to take a nap if needed – or your body will ANYWAY…

And believe in the POWER of God – and HIS PLACEMENT – and to His Word let us OBEY…

AMEN

—

Matthew 6:26-34 NKJV
Jesus said: “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

YEAH JESUS YEAH…

Ocean Grove NJ website https://www.oceangrove.org/

Ocean Grove Camp Meeting booklet for the summer events: https://www.oceangrove.org/2026

Whole concert: The Operatic singer Laura Zahn: https://www.youtube.com/live/vCSirvjOi3E?si=OydsGBeaJok8Sv1C

“CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN” Lyrics:

Climb ev’ry mountain,
Search high and low,
Follow ev’ry byway,
Every path you know.

Climb ev’ry mountain,
Ford ev’ry stream,
Follow ev’ry rainbow
Till you find your dream.

A dream that will need all the love you can give
Ev’ry day of your life for as long as you live.

Climb ev’ry mountain,
Ford ev’ry stream,
Follow ev’ry rainbow
Till you find your dream.

Sermon Serving as One Body, 1 Peter 4:8-11

Sermon Serving as One Body, 1 Peter 4:7b-11

…be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

—-

Ola – ¡Buenos días! – Good Morning!

WOW WOW WOW – I HAVE TO GIVE IT TO GOD WHO BLESSED ME – many of us GIRL SCOUTS AND FAMILIES – WOW – we had the most fabulous trip ever – to Ecuador and to the Galapagos Islands.

[wearing the poncho – show the audience the textiles and the patterns – the patterns so beautifully weaved together like God weaves us together…]

I feel so blessed to have travelled – and you know that I have been travelling a lot this year – but this trip topped them all in WOW – 2 years in the making and planning and yet we simply show up and go. Yes it was an education programmed trip for the girls but we as adults got just as much education and blessings – wow…

I have to tell you that my trip reframed the way I look at the world and the people – at God’s children – because it was like the whole southern hemisphere opened up to me – and I can see why missionaries travel and why scientists travel – and even why weather-buffs or foodies travel – all of it was an experience… Yes – in the mountains of the in Ecuador – then to the Galapagos Islands – this planet is SO BIG but travelling makes it a smaller world – and right across from us one morning – a whole separate excursion was the local high school’s Spanish club trip – wow… and separately I was chatting with a fellow tourist – he was a bird watcher and he says: well I am from… my town – SMALL WORLD…

And yes in the amazing small place – we found diversity and amazements… It is where the biggest island is only about the size of Rhode Island to give you perspective and then there are many smaller islands – and EVERY ISLAND HAD UNIQUE ANIMALS – some similar and some so specialized into another species – trust me as a scientist it was fabulous – and as a weather junkie so interesting – the weather was amazing – amazingly cool enough – and amazing warm-enough. It was cloudy and misty in the mountains where the giant tortoises were – lush and green – it was dry and arid and like Arizona down at the base of Baltra island where the airport was – and then back on the mainland – we went from the city full of people up to the Andes Mountains – MORE people – well the villages really did look amazing – and I have this painting of people in their colorful wraps and a village church – and yes I felt this scene – I saw this scene…

And then being on this trip as a foodie – yum or as a weather buff – well not enough time to tell all that…

And then being on this trip as a child of God????? Yes, a child of God? It blew me away – God does that – Well – I was whelmed up with tears many times at the beauty – like at this misty waterfall in the mountain (about 9000 feet in the Andes mountains) – and misty whelmed up with teas at the opportunity – and well – as a child of God – realizing that THERE ARE BILLIONS MORE CHILDREN OF GOD THAN WE WILL EVER MEET… WOW!

AND WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOVE THEM AND SERVE THEM and to be served as fellow children of God – they were SO HOSPITABLE TO US…

I come back to this scripture in our sermon series – of being in Pentecost and of sharing our gifts: be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling…

Peter – Peter wrote this as a more wise – more aged – more “in tune” disciple after many years after His first Pentecost and the Holy Spirit coming to them in the book of Acts stories. They say Peter lived 30 more years after Jesus died and arose – and that he died in the time of Nero in Rome – crucified upside down as he deemed himself unworthy to die the same way as Jesus. Scholars also debate the language of 1^st Peter vs 2^nd Peter – but we can imagine for today that Peter grew – Peter matured with every experience he had sharing the Good News of Jesus – and Peter went from a Jew-focused ministry to an EVERYONE – Jews and Gentiles alike – including people from Rome. We know in ministry Peter was called by Jesus – changed for sure – the rock from which the church was built – Peter from a fisherman to a fisher of men – and especially after Jesus re-reeled him in – after Peter’s denial – and charged him on the beach that day (in the few days after His death and resurrection) with that breakfast on the beach to “feed my sheep” – Peter did that…. Peter did change and, always a leader of the local group, took on a role of a spreader of the Gospel in Israel and then beyond Israel into many communities – both physically and socially as he was called to talk to Gentiles in addition to Jews – remember that story where Peter at Cornellius’s house was being led by the Holy Spirit to be with the gentiles even if it was against cultural norms. God said Eat – Preach – Be Mine…

SO – Peter in THIS letter is really educating us – to reach out – to go out – to be in the places against cultural norms. And that time goes quickly. If we don’t bring the message of HOPE – of Salvation – of LIFE to the people, who will? That is the Great Commission – Jesus said GO – and Jesus urged us to listen to God over man…

—

Scholars say that these first and second letters of Peter were written in Rome, which Peter calls Babylon – and that is pretty much a description for any community that is wayward and needs help… Rome needed Jesus – we need Jesus – our communities need Jesus and the LOVE of God. Rome was worshiping Ceasar as a God – Peter (who would take flack for this) was emphasizing that Jesus is the ONLY WAY and we need to love – and this love will cover sins – have FEVERENT LOVE.

—

Paul (another spreader of the Gospel) would write in Hebrews 12: Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ²looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

GIVE JESUS THE CREDIT – BUT TAKE YOUR ENERGY FROM JESUS

And how can we help? Recently I went for a blood draw and the person had a small rubber toy Jesus on her monitor – was great to see that – a comfort in a time of need – ouch… And then at the mammogram place – same week – the receptionist had 4 Jesus’s – all colors but not purple – well I have a purple one (show audience) and I plan to bring it to her – we comfort each other…

Everyone has their own skills – something they can share – whether material – or encouragement – maybe it is listening – maybe it is just being present – Well, everyone has people they interact with and will provide AGAPE LOVE…

VBS? (in audience was a great young kid – so easy to give him VBS gifts…)

An easy lesson I got this week was in helping teach VBS kids – I was speaking about the gifts that we can share – and we do it to glorify God – not to glorify ourselves but to say: “God gets the glory”, And I told them: when we see miracles – we are to remember that these are to point to God’s Glory…

Well, in this opportunity this past week to help Vacation Bible school, I was doing the science experiments that supported the themes of God is our Safe Place – God is LOVE – God is Forever – WOW GOD… And by Friday, one particular boy who was quite rambunctious earlier in the week seemed to just want to pay attention so much on Friday. He even quieted the other rambunctious boy, so he could hear the story. I was talking about Jesus and how He loves us to teach us, and I was talking about John and the book of Revelation – how God revealed what Heaven is. And I was teaching how John was allowed to live until his old age unlike the other slain disciples like Peter, and when John was away on an island of Patmos, God gave him this amazing vision of heaven, which he wrote down in the book of Revelation. John was gifted this wisdom to share. And this particular boy’s face was so purely paying attention. And I thought at that moment, it’s like looking into the face of God, because each person not only do they deserve respect, they have a hunger, for things that are of God. Whether they know it or not, THAT inspiration from God is what we crave – they crave – that acknowledgement – that understanding – that love. This particular boy, he was really absorbing the story. And so we have the opportunity even to one person – to one soul – we can use our gifts to do what Peter says: give witness and talk about miracles and point back to him. As a source of our strength, we must educate and gift our witness.

—

If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever.

That charge – do it with the ability that God supplies works back into our Fruit of the Spirit gifts – it does. And who are we not to give the HOPE that Jesus has overcome the world.

I have to share that yesterday afternoon I was absorbing the lyrics of Les Mis the musical – which has a few redemption stories within it. And I don’t know if you have seen it – the people we were with had to have a primer (which my daughter gave) – but there is a song where the prisoners are hard at labor and the song is: “Look down, look down, sweet Jesus doesn’t care.” But that’s not true. Jesus cares so much cares about everything cares about everyone knows that each person is both an image bearer of God our Father and of Him too. Jesus specifically can speak to the people who are downtrodden, abused forgotten. Taken advantage of.

And there’s a fabulous line that says, when you love somebody, you’re looking into the face of God.

—

In another scene in Les Mis – the one particular prisoner is freed after doing his time – but then the gentleman steals the silver from the church – and he is caught – and the priest in a great show of the HOPE of redemption – mirroring where Jesus gives us everything, well the priest gives the silver candlesticks to the man and does not persecute him. The priest says: you must use these gifts to become a better man, and that’s what Jesus is trying to tell us, and that’s what Peter is preaching about. We are redeemed and so we must act redeemed. We must give credit where credit is due – to Jesus, and we must give back to society – to people – and at least we must try to be best.

And one last thought on time – we are short on time aren’t we – time moves so fast – and this scripture from James is what I will close with – to urge all of us to live for the opportunity to serve the Lord: James 4:¹⁴Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

Yes, Let us ask the Lord where we are going today – and let us always remember to give Jesus credit for the gifts we have – and let us share those gifts with others – because God loves them – we are to love them too.

AMEN

Exit Strategy from EXODUS…

I enjoyed this, from Calvary Chapel’s Pastor Joe, and I thought you might too! http://resources.ccphilly.org/SAM1437

Such a strong message…

God doesn’t want anybody to perish…

God is ALREADY Watering THE Garden

Allow me this moment to sit and appreciate my backyard – And the LUSHNESS of the flowers in the containers and garden beds this year. I prayed and asked and asked and asked my stay home kids to water my containers while I was away on my big trip – they did – even despite the terrible air quality from the wildfires.

Every day I have to water these gardens, including my new addition, a three drawer clothes dresser trash picked from a rainstorm and now filled with flowers plus basil which replaced bolting radishes… and the gladiola flowers this season actually grew completely straight up… GORGEOUS and LUSH…

Do you know this summer has felt amazing and has gone by quickly, even if it’s still only half gone. They are fun times coming up like beach days and the agricultural fair, baseball games, but imagine the things we ALREADY did in THIS SEASON that were so much fun but we realized are so temporary…

Temporary stuff included that great steam train that came through many towns and is a puff of smoke disappeared… temporary stuff included a fun America 250 celebration, beautiful fireworks, which seem like they fizzled out now… SEASONS shift…

A friend and I remarked that we saw a couple fireflies, and how did we miss that season? Only to be reminded that there’s a couple left even in the heat… summer days are getting shorter, but there’s still much to enjoy…

Today in vacation bible school, we will teach about GOD’S FOREVER. We will try to explain forever to younger kids who think we as older have been living forever – but we have not… and yet we know we are “but a mist”, we are so temporary on this earth…

These flowers will fade, but in Heaven, God is already watering THE gardens. The sun and the moon and the earth will pass away, but God already has the most beautiful plans for all of us… and the Lord Himself will be our Light, Life, Love…

I’m looking forward to it, but I’m going to sit right now and just absorb the feeling of summer sun before it burns, the sight of greens and reds and yellows, the sounds of singing birds and the counting of my blessings to pause and praise…

Amen and thank You Lord…

Amen

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…

—

A video for vbs worth watching for everyone – God is FOREVER – WOW GOD!!

Key Bible Verse: “But we can praise the Lord both now and forever! Praise the Lord!” — Psalm 142 / Psalm 115:18

Bible Story: God gives John a vision of heaven (Revelation 7:17; 21–22)

VBS dispatches Days 3 and 4 Rainforest Country! God is Our Safe Place, God is LOVE

I am back from an AMAZING visit to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands!

Here is s VBS dispatch for one of my friend’s church, from the Isabella Island!

I prayed so much for God’s help this morning, we rode a speedboat, which made our stomachs upset, but it was worth coming to this place and we did snorkeling, with the turtles, and even saw the fish that were blue!!! God was so good when I got scared, while I was in the water because I’ve never done snorkeling before, and I’m not the best swimmer. But I know that God is everywhere! And he’s always available for us to pray to Him for guidance. I also got left behind and so while I was in the water, I was able to get my legs underneath me and swim by my flippers towards the group. I know God is ALWAYS there!

I truly feel that God is our safe place, and we can travel miles from home, halfway around the world, and god is our safe place, and we can feel secure in Him.

day 4

Here’s my VBS dispatch from the field! Day 4, God is LOVE!!! Today we rode that fast boat again and it was scary for me so again I prayed a lot to Jesus because I know He rescues, Jesus has rescued me so many times, and you too. And all of us have been rescued by Jesus to live FOREVER, because He loves us. God loves us! WOW GOD!!!

We also had a very hard hike today, 2 miles, but at the end, we had a wonderful beach for swimming, and after a very hard hike back, not only did we have our friends helping us, they brought a bus so that we could ride comfortably the rest of the distance. And then they took us to the restaurant for lunch. And so looking at the bus gave us hope that we had the ride. And that’s just like Jesus, because He gives us hope, and He gives us a ride into Heaven. It’s not a bus or a boat. He gave us this ride because of his blood, because he died on the cross and came back to life. Jesus knows the way for all of us to get back Home to be with God in Heaven. And then when we get to Heaven, we’re gonna have a fabulous feast!!!

Plus the other amazing things I saw today were mockingbirds that sang, and we saw more geckos and small lizards and butterflies that weren’t afraid. They are comfortable with us and not afraid, especially because they feel we won’t harm them. Since Jesus takes care of us, we should ALSO not be afraid. And we should feel very blessed and love Him, because He loved us first! God is love! WOW GOD!

Just Jeremiah 29:11 – Believe It All the Way to Heaven

A poem of praise:

I have to give God the credit and the praise – He has given me Jeremiah 29:11 to rave.

Every time I start to worry – about jobs about money – well, He gets that scripture to me in a hurry.

In cards and items written in English and in Spanish – His HOPE will not vanish.

I know there is the right match out there – for my work – for my time – but I must listen to Him – to phone Home for His advice, in His Word, He gives me His Dime.

In time, in time…

I bring that scripture with me, SMART – I see it on bookmarks and in my heart.

And while placing Spanish scripture cards out in a Spanish church, I paused with a friend to talk about my journeying – I took one to translate and wow – Jeremiah 29:11 it was – seriously – I mean God knows my heart, and my yearning.

Then again right now, I was questioning both the if and the how.

The scripture came once again – this time in a devotion from a friend.

Jeremiah 29:11 is God saying “I’ve got you EVERY DAY” – there is a time for exile and there is coming home in MY WAY…

So I will keep quiet in grief but know His relief.

Keeping in step each day – and we will learn more about God’s Way.

KEEP THE PRAISE KEEP THE PRAISE KEEP THE PRAISE.

AMEN AMEN

Know Grace and Truth, VBS, Psalm 139 and John 1:14

I am travelling and pre-writing these devotions

It is hard to imagine how VAST God is – and in the travelling that I have done, I know that this world is HUGE – and it is not concievable and how much grace and mercy our God must have. It is impossible for us to realize that with the millions – billions of people that He can know every hair on EVERY head – not just our one head – and we are very human-centric but we must remember that God is God so much bigger than our beliefs of Him.

Isn’t it AMAZING that God knows SO much – and there is SO MUCH to know – everything of just me is already mind-blowing – wow – that is what makes a whole world of knowledge, grace and mercy – and especially LOVE – so impossible to wrap our heads around. But God is God and we are not – and wow that is comforting too.

Psalm 139 is the psalm that brings it to our knowledge – right clearly stating:You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.

This was true for David who wrote it – and true for us. God knows and God cares.

And Jesus was sent to bring this message even more clear to us to tell us directly – both the knowledge and the glory of God. In John’s Gospel we remember about Jesus being Truth – being the Word – being God – knowing all and all knowing to come help and save – “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.”

In Vacation Bible School for Day 2, the study is for David and how he was relating to God at that moment – and remembering past situations and sins and saves. And we have to remember that we too are ever loved by God – for we too are known.

God wants us to know HIM – and know Grace and Truth – forgiveness and friendship – care and caretaking..

Thank You Lord for loving us.

GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING! WOW GOD!!!

Amen

Psalm 139 For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.

If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

God is God – and God is Our Creator – VBS Day 1 – Rainforest Falls – Genesis 1

I am reminded so many times that we are thinkers of this world in the way of our center of the world – like we think God is OUR creator – which He is – but first and foremost we must think of and know that God is God first and foremost – the “I AM”.

God is not just foremost or before most – He IS before ALL – because He IS. So, in our Vacation Bible Studies for Rainforest Falls, by Group publishing, Day 1, based on the scripture of Genesis 1, we learn that the “ultimate origin story” means that God “fills the emptiness with light, land and life.” The lesson speaks to how God is the Light that shines on, over and through. God creates life from NOTHING – not just filling an empty room or space but making the whole space of everything – by speaking it into existence.

And then God created us – and He had a purpose and love for us before we were even created – God has formed us “intentionally” – “in His Own Image” – we are His “VERY GOOD” creation – and He loves us.

In a devotion poem I wrote many years ago – I wrote God is God and God never ends and God only begins.

TRUE!

Here is the Bible Verse for Rainforest Falls Day 1: “Praise the Lord, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom.” Psalm 103:22

AMEN

Here is that original post as well as the scriptures for Revelation 22 about Jesus, One with God and One God, and our NEW beginning (again) as well as Genesis 1 (the beginning of beginnings for us – but a constant love for God to make new beginnings)

https://debbieupper.blog/2021/09/19/god-is-god-16sep-1249/

God is God.

In the BEGINNING, God created the Heaven and the Earth. In the end was a new beginning. In the new beginning was the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ with us. With us was Jesus, in us Jesus and will be with us Jesus. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, beginning and end, first and last. At last there is a new beginning. In the beginning God was God and God is God. In the end God was God and God is God. There was a “It is finished” but that was no end that was a NEW BEGINNING. God never ends. God only begins.

God is God.

————

Revelation 22 – King James Version

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

————-

Genesis 1 King James Version

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day.

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Unfold Truth, Jeremiah 29:11

I started stressing again, just for a moment, and the Lord gave me the visual, I needed… it’s a pink bag which has Jeremiah 29:11 scripture.

The bag was folded in half, but God knows how to unfold the truth, so I enrolled the bag, and the truth is, HE STILL SAYS: DON’T WORRY, I have a PLAN. Jeremiah 29:11 yes!

Jeremiah is writing to encourage exiles – telling them to keep going and live prosperous lives even in this exiled location…. and we are also exiles whom God has promised to bring back – after a prescribed time of exile (earth) – live well – prosper… life liberty and the pursuit of happiness in this patriotic summer season…

In those days, God employed empowered extolled exiled prophets to encourage all. Today we need to be the encouragers to others.

But the people must have been concerned in Jeremiah’s day, and we too get very concerned (frightened even) even though we know God is trustworthy. And we are to work at a plan, go with a plan, trust a plan, hope in a plan.

Recently, with Fourth of July excitement, we went to a local farm for fireworks. We went late because it was a hundred degrees, and the people were certainly having fun. And it was interesting because it did cost to go, which kept crowds manageable, and because it seemed like a family picnic, as opposed to a big municipal firework show. Someone bought me the ticket so I didn’t mind the price. And then the clouds started to popcorn up, the radars showed the worst weather north and quickly passing east. By the radar, we’re very fortunate and not in the bullseye of the storm. But oh we saw it!

Families with small children were smart, and they got their kids in the cars. My adult kids and I could have actual adult conversation about the situation and the weather and our response. The wind though kicked up, and as I helped the local brewery, grab their tent and collapse it, somebody in line was so oblivious audacious to say: “are you still serving?” as it was not registering with him the fierce weather activity at hand… oblivious… and we too tend to be oblivious to HUGE workings of monumental ground shifts and weather fronts, if it not immediately in front of us or under OUR feet. This is also true, and why we need FAITH when things are not going well, because God’s got SO MUCH going on behind the scenes, unseen and seen. We must have faith. We must keep going…

After the tent and things settling down, we stuck it out and waited, most did but in their cars. But then the most amazing ball lightning arose. So spectacular dancing across the sky!!! And it was in the distance and yet close enough that I thought we should wait in the car too. We did. We watched. And then rolled back out for the fireworks, which were spectacular – oh amazing and close, (and well worth the price!) The intensity of the BIG boomers shook you and we loved it.

The ball lightning while we waited it out was serious strength in the sky. And it was like the fevered pitch of the weather just had to let go. (Whew not directly over us.) And can you imagine how we emotionally and mentally also often have to VENT, because our energy angst frustration just takes over. GOT TO BLOW STEAM. And weather and whether we are in that fury or not, we often it.

Now let us not just imagine, but believe how much MORE POWERFUL God is. So powerful and yet so gracious too. We celebrate with explosives! And we explode with celebration! God rules with Power and God Powers His rule! And He is both the spark and the sparkles.

So next time, we are in a fearful situation, whether real or our minds have carried us away, let us cling even MORE to the powerful God we have WHO KNOWS ALL! Keep a close watch on the weather for safety, don’t tempt faith, fate, fireworks or fronts of storms. But DO trust that God will pull us through. Unfold the truth: 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.”

Keep your cool and keep hope.

Remember God does have a plan!

Amen

A Letter to the Exiles
29 This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. (This was after King Jehoiachin and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.

This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

Were Times “Simpler” in the Old Days? God’s Love Never Changes

I am pre-writing as I am travelling…

My local family have remarked how they longed for the 1950’s and a great time – that their childhood and everything much simpler then… Well, that is awesome – but it does mean that things were simpler then simply because they were kids, and as a child, one is really cared for and usually sheltered. So probably not because times were simpler or easier for society – but society (and/or the powers that be) blessed them/us with joy… Granted, the 1950s economically was better in the American economy after pulling out of the depression – and my local family grew up on a farm and had more food than most in big cities, and yet we tend to see popular movies and society making an influence on “these were the good old days” – but in reality every time is different for different people… ignorance is bliss can be said in every generation.

Amazing play I just saw, local theater production, and my youngest is on stage crew. Oh exciting for me to see set changes, and also what we donated from the farmhouse, newspapers magazines and they actually used them in one scene slamming on the ground, as the show touched upon tough topics while the couple tried to “pretend” they were living in the 50s. Oh fun and then the cliffhanger, then the 2nd half touched upon TOUGH subjects for any generation, including relationship norms, financial crisis, infidelity flirtatious, and fear of acceptance in the workplace, fear of change and wow… it was a show that made you think and squirm enough, but with a resolved ending (WHEW!). Yeah, life is precisely life, no matter which generation.

As for my extended extended family in the big city in the 1930’s (for whom I have been learning about first time) living in the depression era in NYC, it was TOUGH – and yet they survived – survived with MANY mouths to feed too… The letters that later came in the 1950s showed happier times economically but the 30’s were tough. Also without long drama detailed – all the generations when family members are sick and dying are tough and sad… Yet the letters at the end said “love and kisses” – they still shared the love – as did they send Christmas cards that mentioned Christmas joy – even if Santa was poor those years…

Here is where we have best joy in God – we are His children and sheltered and we are taken care of free from sin and death – from illness and tears – in the time when we return HOME – to Heaven. We are also sheltered now so that we CAN experience JOY and explan Who gives us counsel. God does. Jesus carries us. The Holy Spirit moves us.

So for the meantime we need to tough it out here on earth, and we can make it BETTER for others as we live life… Life here has ups and downs – but we are to focus on His blessings – especially the ability to draw close to Him – remember happiness is fleeting but JOY is forever.

Were Times Simpler “In the Old Days”? Hmmm not so sure – but what I DO KNOW is that God’s Love NEVER changes.

I will always remember the LOVE in these letters – through the tough times and the reality of the real world – we KNOW that the most important thing is LOVE.

GOD LOVES US ALL – we are HIS family.

Amen

Here are some letters from them which we found in our family farmhouse – letters dated in the 30’s:

“…got a new radio from our Pop for Christmas so that it keeps us in nights for a change and he likes it too because he at least has some company when he’s home alone….” from one cousin…

and from another cousin – about that same radio: “One day last week, Dad was up by Uncle Frank and they have a new radio and Dad said it is very nice…”

Then there are sorrow writings about the times: “… writes they don’t get much for their milk, eggs are 12 cents a dozen there. Here we pay 29cents for a lb of salt butter, and 39 cents for a dozen grade A eggs (that’s in the A&P store)…” (I think these are high prices to buy but low prices for farmers to not get money for their goods)…

Another letter: “We are all in good health although things here are poor. I have been out of work a long time so that we get along a best we could.”… “I hope you are all well and happy and we are. We are all busy now preparing for Christmas, which is just around the corner. Things here are pretty bad and lots of people are complaining but we have our health.”

The the nitty gritty of the death of family members too: “were quite surprised to read the note enclosed – Pop was quite unhappy to know when Aunt.. died… He was also sorry to hear about … but I guess we all have to go sometime.”… and another letter: “…We are all enjoying good health and Pa is picking up slowly. He asked me to write to you to let you know that Uncle … is very ill. He has been complaining for some time about his arm and as he could not stand it very much longer he went to the hospital and they found that he had some kind of lump under his arm. Before they could operate it burst and all the matter spread on his lungs so that he is a pretty sick man. He was operated on Friday night which happened to be his 63rd birthday and they didn’t let us know until yesterday or I would have written sooner…”

Counting Your Blessings and Your Cheeses

I am travelling and pre-writing these devotions.

During the beginning era of Covid and then for months afterwards, my friend and I would remember to count our blessings by counting the number of types of cheeses in our houses – and don’t forget that green can of parmesean which might be lost in your fridge. See, if we are SO blessed that we have food, let alone have THIS many varieties of cheese – just like my recent drawer reminded me (hey half these cheeses are for my adult kids – not me), then we MUST remember that we are blessed… SO MANY CHEESES but even more blessings – even in covid era – even in hard times – even today. It is so good to count blessings and BE GRATEFUL (haha grated and grateful cheese – a cheese joke)…

I also recently had a turkey dinner made by the before mentioned adult kids who also enjoy cheese. (It is cool huh to have adult kids who adult!!!)… Well, we had the extra free-ish turkey in the freezer since thanksgiving or christmas and well, time to use it up… (It seems so long ago can’t even remember if it was a $10 10lb turkey or free) – and we enjoyed ice cream after, LOL – and popsicles for the 4th of July… and sparklers… and since we feel like this is a staycation around the 4th of July and the HEAT, we are also thankful for air conditioning…

So – how do we show appreciation to God for our blessings? Well, we could grumble less, fear less, and not be so apathetic to the causes of others. I know this sounds like a soapbox but honestly it is also a pep-talk to myself – to complain less – is to remember the blessings.

(and while I am at it – I remember my blessings for this extra time during my time off from work – as well as the vacation trip that I am on – but also feel that need to DEPEND upon God for my next steps – really need God more than ever to reveal a plan! Meanwhile I will count my cheeses and count ON Jesus…)

I found a new to me sign in the trash – I have always been a trash picker – and it was overnight and then buried under another thing – it was a sign that was perfectly good and should have been donated (in my opinion) which said “Grateful for Blessings” – yeah… Well, I will keep it – maybe hang it outside since it is wood – and remember to be GRATEFUL – and to see the situations as opportunities to depend upon God…

Grateful and blessed…

Keep counting on God…

Amen

Under the Shade of the Almighty, Psalm 91

I am pre-writing these as I am travelling.

It was no joke, the weather, the temperature – early July and 100 – wow…

But under the tree in the walk that I attempted early one morning (only 80) – the temperature was SO MUCH COOLER – whew… Then I noticed the whole hill was lined with trees and if I placed myself just right, I could/should have walked all morning in the shade – with a good hill for a good workout. I know that shade is a blessing – especially when you forget a hat.

Ah – but the shade of the Almighty – He IS our shade – our protection – under His Wing we best keep.

Psalm 91 NKJV

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.”

AMEN AMEN

Live for the Future – THEIR Future OUR Future…

I am writing ahead – I will be on vacation traveling:

I have barely been keeping up with world news but certainly when one hears of an earthquake – it is big new – no one has an explanation for why some regions are more prone – sure there are scientific reasons but it is one of those broken earth – broken world – situations… And so we pray for those lost and those left behind – and this headline is one that always grabs your attention – baby and mom pulled from rubble in the venezuela earthquake – wow – the mom felt the first tremors and quickly went to her son’s crib and grabbed him – then they both fell with the building – and she realized she was in a hole – stuck – rocks holding her legs and against her cheek – and her baby was in her arms and a bible under her leg. She said that the baby kept her going – if he was alive then I was alive. The earthquake was Sunday and their rescue was Thursday. She said she would just touch her baby’s nose to know that the baby was still alive. Whew… Wow… The dad who was unharmed and not at home, after their rescue said when I saw him I felt that I was born again… Yeah – wow!!!

Link to news story: Venezuela earthquake: Mum rescued from rubble with newborn baby tells BBC how he helped her survive

Yes, we live for our children’s futures – and the future generations – and we have to remember that by others, our whole lives and before we were born, we have been under prayers – lifted up in prayers – held in prayer. Surely our great grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles – surely so many who came before us (even the government or church people from long time ago) were thinking of these generations – our generations. I love that phrase that if you are happy and blessed – remember that others were praying for you… This is our encouragement to pray for others.

Well, the One Who knows us best – God – His Psalm 139 reminds us that He Himself has known us from before we were formed in our mother’s wombs… Yes…

Thank You Lord for everything – You live for the future – so can we.

Amen

Psalm 139 NKJV

God’s Perfect Knowledge of Man
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.

Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain.
Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting

Love is Thicker than Paper

Love is Thicker than Paper. I am pre-writing these devotions because I am traveling.

In my family farmhouse finds, I have no less than 2 inches of paper in a ziploc, sole stacked for a massive set of postcards for an ANNY – whom I have discovered is my great grandmother’s sister – whom got most of these cards from a suitor – and they are sweet – from 1909 to 1910 – she must have been a fine young 20yr old lady then but so sad that I found she lost her life early on – as the gravestone shows she was only 27 years old in when she passed. The cards are in the old language and I can not read them – and cursive is not so conducive to the google photo translators. Hmmm…

She was one of three adult children who passed at young ages – after their father and before their mother (in their 70s) all recorded on one of the family gravestones I recently “unearthed” on the internet… I hope to visit this place one day.

I do feel sorry for the situation – and for that suitor – I mean that IS a lot of postcards (like I said – 2 inches thick)… I am sure Love was much thicker than paper.

Another set of papers that found were these religious mailing inserts – inside Christmas and Easter cards – these included Moses and two of Jesus – one at the Garden of Gethsemane and one from Luke 15 – of the lost sheep and the lost coin – urging repentance of “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

God wants our repentance and our love – following Him. His Love has been through thick and thin of our faith – His LOVE is THICKER than Paper – Thicker than blood – or at least just like the covering of our sins with blood of Jesus – who went to the thick of death for our lives give in grace and mercy.

God pursues us – God does – God is our suitor and God is our Savior. One day our Bridegroom will come for us – His Bride… To Him – we are the BEST – because of Him…

Amen

All the News that’s Fit to Print

I am on an adventure vacation trip and pre-writing these devotions.

I enjoyed perusing and photographing this stockpile of newspapers from my family’s old farmhouse – just enough papers have been saved to make it manageable – of interesting things – especially war and weather. They are preserved so well and really really meaty reads.

For war, it is WW2 – both papers local to their city and those sent from other cities – including from Honolulu from my uncle who was deployed there before the South Pacific. Many papers with the big headlines were saved but we did recycle crumbled papers that were not saved to be saved but just “stuff” in stuffing. (you can’t keep everything) And yes – all these papers were BIG and Wide and detailed and interesting.

I could tell that my family and surely all the newspaper readers of the time paid attention to the progress of the war’s front lines. Troop progress maps were published in these papers – history and geography was studied. And surely the readers (including my family) were concerned both for their family members at the front lines as well as folks back in the old country – it is hard to ignore the importance of the times when you have many connections. It must also have been so tough to participate in the war machine when family may have been inadvertently in the way.

(My Grandfather was a farmer and older and not in WW2 but maintaining the home front – and growing crops – but still part of the mix of the American people paying attention, sacrificing, and producing.)

And then I found that there is an interesting stockpile of clippings that my family kept from the Lindbergh baby kidnapping – and the trial of the alleged perpetrator – it was truly the most captivating scandal and sorrow of that time – and in a time when people had newspapers and radio – not TV nor social media on demand – they hung on every word in the records.

Weather-related news making headlines was also saved – hurricanes and 100-year floods that come much more often these days… And these papers also had society sections and puzzles and comics and ads – especially ads that showed the fashions of the day. Side by side with the hard news. Interesting that we seem to have minds that can flip flop like that too – from serious to silly. And oh – those sport pages – surely those were read intensely and the stock pages too.

All the news that’s fit to print made for a jam-packed newspaper. I found them filled with patriotic encouragement too! Like women being recruited into the Navy.

And then I bet that people, after they read the papers, had discussions of the news, surely. People would certainly have taken the opportunity to take it all in personally while reading – then mulling it over later – and then discussing it. Especially if someone was reading a paper over one’s shoulder there must have been immediate conversation. The news and the newspapers – they were also a route for teaching – that the parents could explain what was going on without reading the paper verbatim – then again that was a great teaching tool for vocabulary and sentence structure – and also condensed news. The newspaper was a big deal in the day…

We can re-read these papers now – or read fresh for news that we didn’t realize we didn’t know. They have a depth of history – and yet refer to so short a time frame for what these newspapers and our lives span – so short compared to forever – and time changes so fast for us.

So – what news is UNCHANGING? Ah – the GOOD NEWS… Ah, yes all the news that gets INTO print and is FROM print – as Jesus IS the Word. All the news that’s fit to print – and fit fittingly healthy and good. And unchanging – Jesus Himself says don’t add or subtract (see Revelation 22:18-19) to the Word or the prophecies – don’t be misled by the message either. Take in the truth and let the truth work in you…

If people are obsessed and save Headlines that are BIG and BOLD – how much more we can save the Word in us as truth and not splashy but salvation-y… And isn’t it grand that the news that comes and goes about wars – as bad as it is – will all fade when Jesus returns and all knees will bow to Him. Now there will not be a newspaper headline for that day – but a head-line in sight of the real news – the GOOD NEWS – forever…

Amen…

Feel the Unknown and Keep Going – Our BIG Trip

I am travelling and pre-writing these devotions – and right now (planning a Sunday release to this post) I should be in a the midst of the unknown feelings of known travel – and known fear but unknown fun – and known fun and unknown unknowns…

YES – for 9 days we are travelling with scouts – thanks for your prayers! Traveling with friends is always an adventure!

It is going to be a GREAT trip no doubt – it is going to be amazing as it can’t be anything but amazing… Every time I travel BIG – to another country – it is like as soon as I let go of that car door or realize it is just me and the suitcase and my passport and all reliant upon me going – well that is when I take that breath – whew – yeah this is really happening… And I can do this – I travel all the time – even out of the country – I do jump when I jump – and I am usually wearing my bracelet of this scripture: “I can do all things through Christ!” Phil 4:13

And so I was watching a recent video of an Eagle taking flight – the first flight from his parent’s nest – well, it matches my feelings right now in travelling (could be any new venture for us) – might be a wobble for a second and then GO. It is a feeling of both unknown and known newness – the whole world in in front of us – we feel both – I feel both – both apprehension and excitement – either way it is TIME TO GO! Admire the view and then be part of it!

(These screenshots are images from this video – first the eagle looks then flaps his wings in prep – then goes: https://bbc.com/news/videos/cp3x257qkx9o )

BUT ah we need to remember that we never go without God – as He is already in the place we are going as much as the place we are from and especially He is really REALLY with us when we are thinking of Him at that moment… At THIS moment Lord, thank you! You know me – You love me. (Psalm 139 for sure)

Yes, Lord, TIME TO GO – by car train plane boat and feet – well time to FEEL the Unknown and Keep Going! Be Strong and Courageous !!!

KNOWING GOD IS WITH US EVERY STEP!!!

AMEN

Psalm 139 For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

And God? He Gives Us FOREVER

I Love Vacation Bible School. And it takes all year to get back to vacation bible school, to realize what a blessing, that’s like lightning in a bottle, capture it for only a moment and then it’s released… or a cloud… a mist like us… here for just a fleeting moment…

But God? God is FOREVER, and He gives us FOREVER as a gift. TRUST JESUS!

And so 2 days of VBS joy at my friend’s church, a place where I used to sing for a short time before covid, where the Lord connected me to such precious and inspiring Christians. Yesterday’s and then today’s messages, I made into science experiments, connecting to the concepts and truths of where JESUS makes us BOLD and JESUS allows us to live FOREVER.

Yesterday we made science chemical reactions where we broke bonds and had some fizzing and some foam… we studied momentum and acknowledged that when the holy spirit gets us moving, we can keep going… and then today, we had an experiment where we made clouds just like the mist, just like the steam that came out of the railway theme, and then those clouds dissipated… the clouds were made by boiling water in a mason jar, then ice on top, then a squirt of hairspring showed us where the water droplets came together… and a really fun experiment is cutting a piece of paper so that we can actually step through it. This signified Jesus and him breaking the bonds of the change that hold us and giving us a path to Heaven.

I know that each day is a gift from God – and well, we keep moving in God’s Grace – one day at a time

Tomorrow I will be blessed to travel – and I have pre-written devotions for each day… Have a wonderful week everyone! I am tired and blessed to be tired – long day – long week – long month – long year – long life – and forever life on top of that too!

Amen

Don’t Wade into Worry

It was a great trip up to see my mom and family. And to bring back up family history, a stuffed shoebox-sized treasure trove now all paperclipped and organized. It was a project that was a joy, I told friends it was like me hiring myself to do that job… and it was a joy job…

So I’m home now and tired – a good tired…

And this noon we spent just a half an hour at the local waterfall, where I could have waded in the water, but just dangled my legs. I really, really wanted to get my bathing suit on and just take a dip.

I think we often I need to not just wade into water, but to go in completely. The people at the diving board were having the best time! Ah, we should jump into FAITH that way and we should never wade in worry, and too many times we go full in freak out mode. We shouldn’t.

And preparing for one vacation Bible school lesson. I am reminded that Jesus gives us the power to be bold. Bold in faith, bold in trust and bold in not worrying…

Maybe next time, I will bring my bathing suit and go full in the water. And prayers for what I should go in full in faith in life. Let go and let God. Wisdom over worry..

Amen

A Closer Look

I got the window of opportunity and urge to go, so I came up home, north, yesterday morning, will go back home, south, later today. It’s a blessing to be here, it’s a blessing to have a place to be. “I LOVE NY” is both a statement and a place of mind. And I found it funny when the gentleman whom I asked to take a photo of me with the I LOVE NY sign at the visitors center left his finger in the photo and it looks like he is pointing “THIS” – yes THIS – I love NY.

One urge in this window of opportunity of course is to see family and get the gist of them which comes better in person than on the phone – and everyone is enjoying summer, doing ok. My aunt is getting thinner, she realizes this too, prayers are appreciated. I do appreciate that they appreciate our visits. Everyone is not getting any younger up here.

And my other motivation to come up was to bring up all this family history research and materials BACK to the farmhouse, to share it with her and my family, to basically explain that they had dozens (now hundreds) of cousins that we never knew we had. My family wondering if they would be looking for us too. I don’t know but I would hope so – there are probably many hundreds of folks now – I wonder if they have our (my grandma’s) letters too. It’s the connections that interest some folks, or simply the possibility, but really my blessed ability here was just to take the closer look into our vast family and their plights, and trust me that I felt like love for my grandma and family from her aunt and cousins through these letters and cards. And help us appreciate counting blessings from our opportunities and commiserate for our collective sorrows. My aunt said she appreciated my sorting and hard work, she felt like she was in one of those family ancestors finding your roots programs. Cool. I did hope she and my mom would appreciate it – but honestly I felt the drive to research if just the people in heaven were saying “hey, someone spoke my name”! I do believe I will meet these people in Heaven – I can’t wait (but I am in no rush!)

And ANOTHER motivation for my trip up here, which is both practical and selfish – is to put a bookmark or pause or “finished for now” placeholder on the research – both because it is time for me to travel soon and because I have “milked” the bulk of research our of it – a box which is the size of a shoebox – but the information to fill a lifetime of research. I have to pause and say “done enough” – wrote up a big report on the census findings too – 36pages – and pause. Of course it is ALSO time for me to find work OUTSIDE the home – which is what my family in the depression (according to these letters) was wanting to find. It would make for a better “Santa Claus” as they would say… When people ask “how has your job search gone?” I have to say it is the connections that I have made over the years that are being renewed are my favorite part of job search. A friend just redid my CV for me in AI-lingo – and that was so nice of her – looks so much better. And honestly I have counted my blessings over concerns and kept going this five and a half months as if I was doing “other work as assigned” by the Lord. And for this I am truly grateful… GRATEFUL! (and yes, I have NO regrets on travel and time spent.)

(and one has to have both a tough skin and “to guard your heart” – from the Proverbs – because when you feel it is your mission, don’t let anyone dissuade you – and also don’t worry what others think… Guard your heart – and get wisdom to know (from the Lord) whether each step is worth it – and don’t let the fear of folly dissuade you from keeping going.)

And a different kind of “closer look” was lowering down upon us yesterday too when a hot air balloon drifted and dangled and dazzled from the sky – they lower to touch down at a local park down the hill – so this particular balloon is seen a few times a year by my family – I think it was the closest I have seen it myself – so cool… I have video too. And close enough that I was looking for their faces – but no one was leaning OVER – they must have been looking AROUND. And isn’t that our joy too – for a closer look – to take the time to look around at our situations and opportunities – from a new vantage point. The balloon people saw us as specks – and then we drifted out of their view, same with the balloon, same with life – YEAH!

Yeah take the OPPORTUNITY for A CLOSER LOOK – then keep drifting to the next view. You won’t regret it… won’t regret being “in the moment” – to have the Lord’s Finger pointing to THIS. I never have regretted it when the Lord has “made me look”… And I thank the Lord for keeping me close as I try to look closer towards HIM.

Yeah – a closer look – and daily a closer walk too…

Amen…

(Thank you for prayers for traveling mercies!)

—

Proverbs 4 NKJV

Hear, my children, the instruction of a father,
And give attention to know understanding;
For I give you good doctrine:
Do not forsake my law.
When I was my father’s son,
Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
He also taught me, and said to me:
“Let your heart retain my words;
Keep my commands, and live.
Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
Love her, and she will keep you.
Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
Exalt her, and she will promote you;
She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
She will place on your head an ornament of grace;
A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”

Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,
And the years of your life will be many.
I have taught you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in right paths.
When you walk, your steps will not be hindered,
And when you run, you will not stumble.
Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
Keep her, for she is your life.

Do not enter the path of the wicked,
And do not walk in the way of evil.
Avoid it, do not travel on it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
For they do not sleep unless they have done evil;
And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.
For they eat the bread of wickedness,
And drink the wine of violence.

But the path of the just is like the shining sun,
That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know what makes them stumble.

My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.
Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.
Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.

A Month of Me Hiring Me, for God Hopefully, Family History Researching

I watched America 250 coverage and wore a bicentennial dress while watching a show of an immigrant worker who kissed the top of the Statue of Liberty – cool…

So, yes I wore a 50 year old red white and blue dress that my aunt made – for 1976 – fits me well now… And fittingly I was working hard at her and her mom (my Grandma’s) boxes of between 50 and 120 year old letters from our family – including learning what I now know is my Great Grandmother’s many siblings, plus their children and grandchildren. I’ve sorted by year and type, and person and family branch – Auntie gets red ziplocs and a red folder – and other get yellow or green or blue – and labelled – and paperclip or binder clipped – and well, yeah – I wrap up this one month plus journey of working hard on researching and scanning and copying. I am not contacting current relatives – this was a deep dive to just know (and now know over 200 new cousins).

I worked hard – as if both working for myself and for their memory – and seeing how I think this was not a distraction but a mission – then I think I was also working for the Lord in all this – which also meant that I understood that it was a project that one had to find an end to – which I did – and everything is now boxed up ready to deliver back to the farmhouse with copies to my family – and yes I look forward to explaining it all. WHEW! (and I wanted it done before heading off to a VBS and then my BIG trip – and then another VBS).

And what a blessing too – to know my family members joys and struggles – to know what a community brought to them – seeing census records which showed that they were MANY in NYC – and great in family. What brings me sadness is that my grandmother moved away from her many cousins and their letters must have been a comfort but also a reminder that she would not see them again maybe once or twice… And they were in the same state!

Well, I am crossing the state too again to deliver these items – organized so well and well, in all the scanning and the organizing on my google drive and then the printing out of them for both my family and for physical paper copies to go with the letters – well it was sort of me working for myself this last month. I think that is what I realize – is that I knew the JOY – and the mission – and the motivation too – the motivation comes from somewhere – well – but from WHOM was I being motivated? I checked in with the Lord often in the last month and questioned myself and Him – and still felt the peace of this pocket of opportunity – which I have been taking all along. So, if it feels like I was working BOTH for my project and for myself – I was. And was it like “work” well, no – just a JOY to do. And was I or am I – working for God – well I hope so… I hope to state that this helped me know the names of faithful to meet somedays

I think that God gives us time = and freedom = and we have to decide what to do in it… And yeah to ask for and accept God’s Grace when we realize we need it. And to stand “be still” and know that God has all this under control.

In one of the postcards, there is a peasant woman looking in a small space and seeng an halo-ed figure.The kneeling shows prayer and maybe conversation. That’s me too – I kneel to the Lord – in THANKS – that I got this window of opportunity – had the window – opened the window – and took the window of opportunity.

Thank You Lord for this time of me hiring me for my projects – which I do believe You placed in front of me…

Thanks Lord for my family – and me…

AMEN

Oh God Bless America – Especially Ocean Grove NJ

Just now I am outside to catch this wonderful breeze and even though I’m in my backyard right now, I’m imagining I’m over back there – where I was last night – in Ocean Grove…

I’m not sure where you in relation to the New Jersey shore, but I hope someday (or even today) you get to Ocean Grove, my favorite beach and favorite town for both an opportunity for Christian growth and relaxation and respite – AND a real plus in having beach time plus ice cream and organ concerts and fun… they have activities and Bible studies every day… SO much history in faithful people finding an opportunity for revival – 1800’s to present. It’s no secret that I am dreaming of a whole summer to make it my home base – swim and sing – to write and wonder – to socialize and have solo serenity… (in the meantime I will just day trip there!!! Here is the brochure for the summer: https://www.oceangrove.org/2026 Anchored in Hope !!!! )

I arrived later, 430ish when parking opens up, the lifeguards are still on duty until 530. I sat, I swam, i just was – as in “Be Still” – be still aware – be still paused – be still wondering – be still thankful. And the majority of my emotion was thankfulness. Just thankful…

Still am…

I did leave the beach around six pm, because not only was I cooled off enough, there a patriotic concert at seven, and I wanted to get my ice cream, my Day’s ice cream, and eat in the park… not too far away from me was a gentleman practicing his tuba… and this summertime band was the best end of 4th of July weekend treasure and treat… oh the music… oh the moment to be still… be still singing…

Whole photo link including music from the concert click here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/jvhj7yaW6S1WNDgq5

And listening to years and years of music gems at this concert and again now in recordings, it is interesting to think that we see times as changed and yet God is never changing – the big lighted sign in the auditorium is “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” – “SO BE YE HOLY”… And that is the hope in a nutshell – that we learn – we learn to be better and do better – we grow – and we always try to do our best and be Godly in our compassion, strength, following His lead – and also remember to be in praise of Him.

If there is anything we can appreciate from America 250 – it is remembering that it is the people not the politics and not the pride or putdowns – it is that we are all a part of somehting bigger – and then bigger than that – we have God – Mighty God – Who cares enough to allow us this time to feel good about our “home sweet home” and the role we can play in making it better. May we (I) always sing “God Bless America – land that I love – God bless America – my home sweet home”. Yeah…

AMEN

—-

And America the Beautiful:

O beautiful for spacious skies
For amber waves of grain
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw
Confirm thy soul in self-control
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

Taking Care of Family Business

Ah… Hope you all had a great 4th of July – America 250 – and that this jovial spirit will continue!

I know that we talk about “the American Dream” in a self-motivating manner – WE need to achieve and get out there!!! We also self-envision a lifestyle and well like everyone would have their own place – usually… As we leave home and yeah we also imagine kids who fly the coop – and then we are sometimes surprised that children come back home – or never leave – but this is not new… This is not new…

Every situation is unique and works (or doesn’t work). I know that many people would like their lives different – but we deal with what we have. Honestly, many families have benefited from multi-generational families – not just Grandma living with us watching us – but also like my grandparents and aunts babysat me when I was young. And yes sometimes the whole family is together in one house. I know grandkids who have THRIVED MORE because of Grandma and Grandpa. This is the norm in other countries, so why do we tend to let the media or society tell us it is not “normal” here… It’s all good – and as the song goes: “Anything goes”…

The truth here is that LOVE is what makes a family into family – and being together is a functional but fundamental structure and off-shoot of Love that works.

I’m entrenched in the reading of the census of NYC 1900-1950 and know from reading incoming ship manifests of my family members that we are the recipients and results of them entrenched in the “American Dream” – they essentially were “taking care of family business” first even though they themselves left home. They were immigrants making it and then making it work out for their better – and the betterment of their children in America – by their hard work… (and for my family, at least one set of adult children sent back for their adult parents to come to America too. Taking care of their extended family and I can imagine great neighborhoods of families together).

We found American flags that would have been my great grandparents – and have their naturalization papers too. Reading my extended family letters from the farmhouse – I do see family growth into the “American Dream” – but also financial sacrifices. In the readings and in the Census reports, I have read often of examples of family members moving back in – kids to parents – parents to kids – siblings and cousins to each other… MY grandparents built a house for my great grandparents to move into – down the road from their farmhouse. My other great grandfather on that side built houses and as he built one particular one, he moved in with my great grandmother because this was her “dream house” and then he built or renovated another house for one of his sons, just across the street. Family helped family.

For this current treasure trove of letters in english (from the America-residing generations after their parents settled in NYC after coming from the old country), the letters do talk about these multi-generational homes. The letters show the love and sometimes the strife of these households (probably because it is tougher to have conflict when you love someone than when you don’t)… In all these structures, it is LOVE which is the glue that holds life together.

And they mostly took care of each other. (with the exception of a family dispute only lightly touched upon). In one letter in 1931, the talk is about Great Grandmother’s brother, who was a baker in NYC when the family business was booming, now not working much mid depression – and instead making lunch for his grandson as the other daughter works: “Dad isn’t working much, maybe 2 days a week, but he always has something to do, he cooks he cleans and gets (grandson) lunch for him. (Other daughter) is working but not the whole week but it is better than nothing.” The rest of the letter states there are thousands of people out of work in the depression…

“I go by my Father every day as he isn’t working much now as pretty near all the bakeries are closing no business. (Daughter) is working so Dad takes care of (grandson).”

A different cousin writes: “I was glad to hear that your Mother and Father are able to take it easy now…” – “We are all well here, (sister) and I are working, my Father is home and does a little cooking and marketing. He has the time of Riley, but I guess he has worked hard enough for one life time…”

Well, these letters do often conclude with love and kisses – and well wishes to their extended family… I am glad that the letter recipients, my Grandma and Great Grandparents, felt this love. I hope we all do – and that we share love with whomever God has put in our paths.

Our American Dream shouldn’t forget who brought us to this place where we could thrive… God bless America…

AMEN

Romans 12:10: Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Hebrews 13:1: Let brotherly love continue.

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.

Renouncing Anarchy – Realizing Rejoicing God’s Reality above Regency

I appreciate the 4th of July and this 250th anniversary….

I found paperwork recently of my Great Grandfather as naturalized as a US citizen in the early 1900s – he (and all my great grandparents) had to renounce citizenship to the Austro-Hungarian empire – the ruler Frances Joseph – acting like a King – was “Emperor of Austria and Apostolic King of Hungary”. My relatives there were raised on the border of an old country where this A-H empire was the political force in the region.

Wikipedia says: “The Lands and the Austro-Hungarian Empire had a complex relationship. During the period of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which existed from 1867 to 1918, the lands were part of the Austrian half of the empire. This era was marked by a struggle for autonomy and political representation…” In other words, it was ALWAYS complex in government – and complex in who they WANTED to be aligned with and who they DIDN’T.

My Great Grandfathers (both on that side of the family) as well as SO MANY left to not have to fight FOR the emperor – AND to be able to find a new prosperous life in America – AND to live an American dream of freedom from persecution. They certainly could not have known what also made a difference in the lives of their children to move from city life to country life – as not only did my family’s life differ than our cousins because we were in America, but we had a different life because we were in the upstate NY country compared to our family in packed busy NYC.

In the naturalization paperwork, they also pledged (like all others at the time) to not be an anarchist or polygamist. These folks who became naturalized US citizens gave up any allegiance to foreign powers. “and it is my intention in good faith…”

In Good Faith – means to have have faith that is real – and to act upon a good intention in one’s decisions. And surely my relatives made sacrifices for family. Even coming to America meant not having family from the old country any more – unless you brought them with you (as did my great grandmother). In Good Faith they did what they had to do… “SO HELP ME GOD.” in CAPITAL LETTERS!

I pray that we all “IN GOOD FAITH” have faith in what the future holds – my family in the late 1800’s early 1900’s could not have foreseen the great depression – or the twists and turns of political football passing in the 20th century. They only know “to live in faith”… “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

May we renounce Anarchy and keep realizing rejoicing God’s Reality above any regency. May we know God as Lord and King – and Savior and Solution. May we always “In God We Trust” TRUST and act.

…”and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” Col 2

Amen and Happy 4th of July!

“SO HELP ME GOD.” in CAPITAL LETTERS!

Seek the Lord’s Face in all His People

It took me a moment – something I just noticed scrolling through my 100,000 photos) – I looked closer at imagined Jesus – at this portrayal of “Seek His Face” imagery in the Jesus decoration that used to be at my friend Linda’s house – unique as a portrayal – and isn’t Jesus’s Face going to be unique – yes – but within the painting of Jesus’s face (by Joe Castillo on a plaster porcelain image) are portrayals of part of His life here on earth… The Cross, His birth, the angels – awesome..

I have photos of trinkets and decorations that Linda had way back before she moved – and I am grateful that our friend Linda is safely and satisfyingly in the arms of Jesus now in Heaven, from maybe 5 years ago… Linda was always one to read her bible and appreciate the bible art she had. When Linda moved out of her apartment, she could not take 90% of her trinkets – so I quick took photos of them from the walls and windowsills, on top of the TV and you name it – took photos and then printed them for a small photo album for her new assisted living quarters – and then she gave that 90% away…

Surely we can’t take anything with us – and surely we should seek Jesus’s face away from trivial trinkets – but in this one of them Psalm 105:4 “Seek the Lord and His Strength, Seek His Face Continually.” is wonderfully written plus the imagery of faith events. I bet Linda must have loved looking at this… I can picture her one day sitting and reading her big bible – I can understand her appreciating the Word.

One item I have from here is the Christmas tree made from the colorful pins of plastic balls. One of my favorite pieces (that went with Linda to her new place that year) was the nativity scene she kept out all year – with sweeping imagery of Mary and Joseph – oh their faces…

I know we can’t take anything with us when we die – but we do take our faith – and what we tucked away in our hearts – we DO take Jesus – the look of His Face in our Faith – in our hearts – in our hopes – in our strength…

And in Jesus’s face – all He sees is US IN HIM – He sees everything and chooses to see us as His – and surely as we are made in the image of God – God sees God in us – in our faces and in our faith.

Know His Face in our faith. And then seek the Lord’s Face in all His people.

Amen

Psalm 105

New King James Version
The Eternal Faithfulness of the Lord
Oh, give thanks to the Lord!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!
Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!
Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,
O seed of Abraham His servant,
You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!

He is the Lord our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.
He remembers His covenant forever,
The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,
The covenant which He made with Abraham,
And His oath to Isaac,
And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,
To Israel as an everlasting covenant,
Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
As the allotment of your inheritance,”
When they were few in number,
Indeed very few, and strangers in it.

When they went from one nation to another,
From one kingdom to another people,
He permitted no one to do them wrong;
Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes,
Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones,
And do My prophets no harm.”

Moreover He called for a famine in the land;
He destroyed all the provision of bread.
He sent a man before them—
Joseph—who was sold as a slave.
They hurt his feet with fetters,
He was laid in irons.
Until the time that his word came to pass,
The word of the Lord tested him.
The king sent and released him,
The ruler of the people let him go free.
He made him lord of his house,
And ruler of all his possessions,
To bind his princes at his pleasure,
And teach his elders wisdom.

Israel also came into Egypt,
And Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham.
He increased His people greatly,
And made them stronger than their enemies.
He turned their heart to hate His people,
To deal craftily with His servants.

He sent Moses His servant,
And Aaron whom He had chosen.
They performed His signs among them,
And wonders in the land of Ham.
He sent darkness, and made it dark;
And they did not rebel against His word.
He turned their waters into blood,
And killed their fish.
Their land abounded with frogs,
Even in the chambers of their kings.
He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,
And lice in all their territory.
He gave them hail for rain,
And flaming fire in their land.
He struck their vines also, and their fig trees,
And splintered the trees of their territory.
He spoke, and locusts came,
Young locusts without number,
And ate up all the vegetation in their land,
And devoured the fruit of their ground.
He also destroyed all the firstborn in their land,
The first of all their strength.

He also brought them out with silver and gold,
And there was none feeble among His tribes.
Egypt was glad when they departed,
For the fear of them had fallen upon them.
He spread a cloud for a covering,
And fire to give light in the night.
The people asked, and He brought quail,
And satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
It ran in the dry places like a river.

For He remembered His holy promise,
And Abraham His servant.
He brought out His people with joy,
His chosen ones with gladness.
He gave them the lands of the Gentiles,
And they inherited the labor of the nations,
That they might observe His statutes
And keep His laws.

Praise the Lord!

Ay Yi Yi AI, Better Look to our Almighty I AM

Ay Yi Yi AI

It is weird to be in this world where it is both advantageous for us to have smarter computer algorithms (whether they are truly “AI” Artificial Intelligence or not) – and yet in this “learning phase” we are forced to look at JUNK offerings in how we might use it… (some are amazing and good (especially spell check whew! and some are just way off as my email below triggered my rant)… It is the same as TV surely – there was always junk and good stuff. Ah telephones – great to have but then all that spam… We had the same thing for the US Mail – send in one donation and then 30 companies spam you with mailings (except most can’t afford the mail costs these days…)… Worst is the spam mail we now get from organizations where you thought your $25 donation was saving someone but how could they if they are sending 1000 mailings now… hmmm…. SORRY for digressing…

Sorry, I digress from my original disgust. What triggered my “Ay Yi Yi” – I just like saying that – was an AI response prompt to an email I got from a new person I met at my college reunion who happens to live in my home town (that is not unusual as my college is not THAT far from my hometown)… He said it was nice to meet all of us from our reunion class – his class was 15 years more – at the 50 year mark – and I invited him to join us at the local watering hole that evening after dinner and the fireworks – was a really nice opportunity to meet new people the whole weekend – simply nice to have nice people… ANYWAY – he did email me from when I gave him my networking business card and nice email but the AI-generated response was terrible – so weird that it would assume and presume – and I sent in a rejections comment to google – yeah – whose going to teach these bots about the NOT!

The response replied to him in a nickname not his formal name. It made an assumption about me at the farm not my aunt – which granted was also not clear in the beginning text but the conversation was so short that evening about the farm – but still – the AI overstepped. And the funny totally not true part was that the AI replied as if the person in the email offered me a job – he didn’t – he just complimented and then gave me advice which I appreciate and adhere to – I am being “choosy” – for good reasons… Maybe later I won’t be choosy but right now I am…

Here is a screenshot. It would be so un-authentic to use it – and totally wrong. And I am all about being authentic and cautious at the same time.

WELL – how do I think we will get better in AI – or any of this – and honestly – how in this time in our lives will we just be authentic. Isn’t that the most complained about trait about humans or about society? We just want AUTHENTICITY not Artificial Invasions.

Well, there is no Greater REAL that God Himself – and although we wonder the plan in life for all our computers and bots and bothers – we must again and again look to God for path – plans – positioning – pondering – promise.

God said to Moses: I AM

God says to us: I KNOW YOU – I MADE YOU – I LOVE YOU

Jesus came to earth to forgive us – to cover us – to not judge us but save us: “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:17)

As for AI, this scripture of Jesus’s teaching (John 3:6) reminds in a different way that human stuff won’t ever reach God stuff. Jesus said: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

God knows where we are going – even when we go off track – and He offers us the most Authentic Influence – Almighty Interest – Awesome “I AM” – yes yes.

And as we are to remember – check back everything we hear as bible to the actual bible – believe Jesus Immanual over Imagination…

And AMEN to Jesus’s teachings in all of John 3:1-21 NKJV (below)

AMEN

John 3
New King James Version
The New Birth
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

AMEN AMEN

The Lord IS in Charge – BE STILL and WAIT

You could say that it is HARD to wait on the Lord – and at the same time keep doing what you are doing and looking for direction and checking back in.

But the Lord is 100% consistently here in our lives and we need to trust Him more.

Thus could be said for job searching – yeah – tough in terms of waiting – and waiting – and yet not being idle. One has to search – these things rarely drop from the sky.

I found that I was in one possibility for a moment and then it was made clear to me that THAT particular situation (not necessarily the role but well other things) – that THAT was not where the Lord wanted me and I could see that as a “save” – not that it was offered to me – but whatever, LOL…

Also in job searching – there has to be a hunger and direction put into my life – and the Lord has given me the blessing of interest in interesting things. And then there will be the fear of failure that will wage in – of no wages – so those of us STILL in a denial (easier to explain to people) and/or in TRUSTING THE LORD (actually harder to explain to people) – well we have to WAIT on the Lord either way.

This devotion below from Bob is perfectly timed (once again the Holy Spirit is so active and timely) – I checked in last night with God again, while scanning family history stuff and doing a very interesting home project) and just said “Lord, AM I ALLOWED TO HAVE THIS PEACE?” – then this devotion (below) popped up this morning – such timing… Keep doing day by day what the Lord has you doing.

Yeah – I question sometimes – am I being distracted or uber focused on important things? I was finishing up my scanning of this branch of the family correspondence from 1900’s – 1960 – taking like three afternoons/evenings of scanning and then some – including making 2 “xerox” copies for easy reading – and contemplating “is this for me?” – “is this for them?” Whom am I doing this for? – and yet it seems perfect the treasured job given to me – both as an activity to keep me busy as I await the BIG trip this summer in less than 2 weeks – also to finish up before I do VBS’s – and as a scanned/printed resource for the future – including that I can’t wait to meet these lovely people in Heaven one day. I realize that everyone I am reading about – would be deceased by now – and yet they come alive in letters. [and the practicality of paper is true – these letters survived over 100 years but computer scans may not unless saved in an accessible way.]

Well – job search – life search – just paying the bills – so much to consider – but God? GOD IS – not just God is convenient to touch base with – but GOD IS GOD – and God knows we need Him.

Here is Bob’s devotion – on WAITING on the Lord…

(and don’t worry – I have more letters to send you pics of in future emails)

Amen and thanks for the pep talk Lord!

———-

It’s JUST a Matter of Time

It was seemingly fitting to listen to the Hamilton musical while doing my family history project, I have been scanning and copying precious letters from my family history, and even though it’s like an unknown payoff of taking my time, it’s ONLY time, and only a matter of time, plus just a brief moment of time in the big scheme of life. And this slice of life is worth it, I just feel it. A good project in the AC at night. And at the same time as my scanning, the actress speaks on TV over my shoulder the last words of the Hamilton musical, it’s a breathtaking moment and she (Eliza) sings: “And when my time is up, have I done enough? Will they tell my story?… Oh I can’t wait to see you again It’s only a matter of time…”

Yes, time – I feel this level of bringing these people’s history alive, their memories, and my excitement for meeting them again in heaven IS worth the TIME. It’s JUST a matter of TIME.

While scanning, I’ve been reading them and interacting with the stories of them, I can feel the love and pain of their tales, relationships, hopes. Even when they talk about how Santa Claus will be for them and their little ones, it’s relatable. And these letters are over 100 years old but one can picture it, sometimes tragic things but not too over stated. They speak too of how time does fly by. These letters talk about going to the new talking movies, talk about the trolleys, about ice skates and hanging out on the NYC streets as kids as their normal activities in the 1920’s 1930’s… an older time… We forget the simplicity and yet the harshness of those times. They write in the depression of how bad times are. But that they still have their health. Except for the part of one cousin who got sick and wasted away, “You would have never known a year ago “… and the car that hit a cousin and his medical treatment free on Welfare Island (now Roosevelt Island alongside Manhattan).

Well, more on time, I was thinking how much I still forget, yeah… I forget so much, we all do. And I don’t know or understand this reading from Zechariah, even if I read it before. That bothers me a bit but it shouldn’t because wow all of scripture is SO detailed, SO intense, and covers ALL of time, even the future – there’s no way to know it all. Zechariah is no less complex [Bible Project link below explaining these are dreams, prophecy, and God’s in charge of time – and much the rest is strange symbolic visions].

Yes, what I can gleen immediately from much/all scripture, including from Zechariah 14 (link below from Bible Gateway), IS THAT GOD WINS. GOD IS IN CHARGE. IT’S JUST A MATTER OF TIME. And God wants our devotion.

Yes, well even now, God is STILL in control.

God gives us so much, including time… it’s not for us to understand it all but know the underpinnings that God does, God is in charge, and God loves us.

And whatever happens in life, God will set it straight, it’s just a matter of time. It’s JUST time. God makes that happen or stop!

Amen

—

Zechariah 14:1-9 NIV

The Lord Comes and Reigns

A day of the Lord is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will be plundered and divided up within your very walls.

I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light.

On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter.

The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. …

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zechariah%2014&version=NKJV;NIV

—-

Bible Project explains:

Psalm 138 God is Great! Farmhouse Finds, Cousins upon Cousins

To say my time not working (at a job) has been WORKING OUT for me, is an understatement. It’s been a PRODUCTIVE time, I’m blessed to have had this opportunity and temporary reassignment to “OTHER” jobs – not just travel, which you know I’ve been doing a LOT of. (It’s 2 weeks until my biggest summer adventure. Yes I’m almost packed.)

And as for work: “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever” – I believe this Psalm 138 verse SO MUCH – He Will in HIS TIME.

But so SERIOUSLY and with CERTAINTY, instead of a nine to five job, how ELSE have I FILLED my time (or seen it filled for me)? Well, I’ve had a few adventures with my kids yes, and a BIG one with the farmhouse finds. AND HOW AND WOW!

We have items, yes, newspapers and photos, baby dolls and even 48-star American flags. We have a FULL house of finds… But it was the “draw” of the pull mentally of getting to “the back corner”, an artificial goal with natural faith to finish that sorting before summer made that attic region unbearable in heat, THAT was an achievement in my mind that has paid off BIG TIME. Essentially we found letters and postcards, we found that we have HUNDREDS of cousins we did not know about. Letters and letters and letters. WOW.

AND I’VE BEEN SCANNING AND COPYING FOR A MONTH. Plus online research.

Most surprising, now that I’ve connected census research and ship manifests, I discovered that my great great grandparents came to America after their old-enough daughter (my great grandmother) and old-enough son had established themselves here, bringing more children. And I found photographs and maps to their gravestones. WOW.

Auntie, we knew of her from one photo, but now her many children plus more uncles and cousins are discovered. In these letters, yes, the writings ache your heart in the depression hitting their lives as workers, bakers, farm stand folks, seamstresses. Even though times were tough for my direct family back then, they had a farm and they still ate. My grandpa told me once that all they ate was potatoes every day. Makes me count my blessings.

And in this, I see the RESILIENCE of a generation, the love especially in the writing, and also the normalcy of their situations. IF WE STUDY THE PAST, WE ARE THANKFUL GOD HAS PULLED US SAFE THUS FAR.

I will write more later about what I’ve found, but for now I will say THANK YOU LORD for this time I’ve had to dig into the project, to devote to scanning and copying, online digging, to now know their names, even a couple photos, but most importantly their love. And I THANK YOU LORD for once again making me count my blessings of provisions and a plan.

I stopped my “ancestry .com” research after my one month $25, I think I milked it pretty good, loose ends and and rabbit holes accepted. I’ve colored coded my scanned letters and sorted by time and person.

Will I find relatives who live in this era? I don’t know, but I’m going to leave that for another time. This was a big enough project for now.

And I will appreciate what I do have, God’s grace and mercy for these moments of openness… (and appreciate a whole bunch of people whom I hope to meet in Heaven!)

Now I plan on SWITCHING GEARS to typing up the new family tree, for me, my kids, my family. The “artificial goal” I’ve set is to complete this to a stopping point before my next travels. It’s a good goal to gain and then move forward to the next BIG thing.

Yes, LIFE gifted by God. Got to live it and love it!

Amen

Psalm 138 NKJV

The Lord’s Goodness to the Faithful, a Psalm of David.

I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You. I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name. In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.

All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord, When they hear the words of Your mouth. Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, For great is the glory of the Lord. Though the Lord is on high, Yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

Sharing Sermon – Jesus as the Vine – We are Empowered as Branches

Good morning!

Ah – isn’t it great to be in summer and specifically for us in church this morning to be in our Pentecost season – where we are actively remembering that God in the form of the Holy Spirit is with us ALL THE TIME – and we are talking about EMPOWERMENT in this series and this season – and well – it surely IS the right time for us to feel empowered to do things but also to know that God loves us so much that He is with us – Be still and know that He is God – He helps us – He gives us His power – He plugs Himself into us – He gives us the juice of the battery to keep moving – He gives us the wind under our sails – and the pickup in our steps. And THIS for His purposes which when we align to Him – we are blessed.

Jesus often must have talked about these sentiments to the disciples (like in John 14:26-27), speaking to them while here on earth but soon to go: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

—

So in our study this season, last week spoke of the sermon spoke of walking by the Spirit – and we often talk about the fruits of the spirit from Galatians – I had a sermon last year when we made the tree and hung the fruits on it: the fruit of the Spirit – are: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. What great gifts to tap into when gifted – and for us to strive for.

And in our scripture this morning – we also heard that familiar passage from Jesus (chapter 15 of John, the beginning verses):

“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.” – THIS IS NOT A PUNISHMENT BUT A REPLENISHMENT!

So – you know it is a great season for props – I mean planting… so showing prop 1A – a bag of tomato flowers and tiny fruit – I want to mention this pruning I did this morning – specifically for my tomatoes. Well, gardeners know (or someone taught me) that one has to remove the early flowers which are on the young plants – they grow fast out of stress – the goal of plants (not an emotional goal but a botanical one) is to bear fruit and seeds to fill the genetic pool with their own offspring – but we know, as gardeners – that we are to prune off these young sapling’s flowers and maybe even a small fruit – in order to have the plant devote itself (again not emotionally but physically) to making heartier branches – longer vines – better bigger fruit… Peaches are like that too – in that I read the orchard’s Facebook posts and they have to remove some of the smaller flowers and fruits to have the biggest best peaches. They say the first is called the King Blossom.

Pruning – and what about us? Ever feel pruned by the Lord – yeah – ouch – yeah – necessary even if we don’t see the reasons immediately. Pruning – yeah – emotionally and speaking of our EQ like IQ – to be stronger in spirit – to rely on the Lord more – to be more abiding in Him. And pruning can also be a focusing experience – like shutting a door on something – and working on a task at hand. Jesus DID say – to take life one day at a time – let tomorrow worry tomorrow – today has enough to stay tuned into.

And here is ANOTHER prop to help tomatoes (prop 1B) – the tomato cages and stakes – and clips – tomatoes are vines as we discussed and it will help the fruit if we give them a support – just clip the vine and support the growth upwards…

And don’t we need this support too? Don’t we need the direction to Look Above? Yes, we do – I do – we need help in holding up these mighty fruits of God’s gifting – we are given His help to be stronger – God actually would prefer that we don’t “go it alone”.

This next scripture section is probably the most comforting of this whole passage: “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. – Whew! We as believers and Jesus’s disciples are already clean because of the word – because of Jesus – because we believe in Him and repent to know Him better – to know the way He wants us to go – to be in connection with Him – and to be cleansed by Him – you know what He can give us – through His Vine will grow us and mature us and cleanse us.

Which brings me to this prop – “Technu” – I love this cleanser – it takes away the oils of the poison ivy and also that itchiness of tomato plants too! After I get inside, I clean my tools, my glasses and especially my upper arms and wherever I may have touched my face – (I leave my gloves outside – wash them later). Technu gives me that peace of mind – I did what I could do to prevent poison ivy.

And regular soap too – my cousins on my recent trip to VA and NC had a soap dispenser that said “This is the day the Lord has made, Let us rejoice and be GLAD in it.” PS118:24. The scripture reminded me to stop and cleanse my hands of course – but my thoughts too – and cleansing thoughts becomes the opportunity to praise – to pause – (stop our complaining) – to say and hope to “BE GLAD”.

A recent devotion I read and thought of as I was looking at the soap – was to PURIFY – The Author asking: “are you daily doing the work needed to keep your heart purified and guard it from being contaminated?” 2 Corinthians 7:1 “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out reverence for God.” [ In our botanical examples, this could mean don’t touch the poison ivy on purpose…]

It is about realizing who we are in Christ and then walking in humility and awareness. James 4:7-10 speaks to this: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” – Just like our branches to His Vine – and just like those Tomatoes.

Jesus tells us to resist evil by standing firm in our faith. Jesus knows we need Him to do this!

Jesus tells us: we are clean BECAUSE OF HIM – isn’t that an EMPOWERMENT to keep trying our best – to keep going – to do what we can. To REJOICE in today and in forever that the Lord as He washes and covers us with not just the fluffiest of towels but in His forgiveness in His Blood – in His overlay to our sins. God cleans up our acts – so it is best we try too… (Our friend Deacon Don would say we are to watch our: thoughts words and actions – TWA.)

And another advantage to staying vined with Jesus is that we want our lives to try to be less choked by the weeds too. These are the distractions and they take up our time – just like weeds in the garden take up nutrients, water and sunlight – blocking the best growth – we need pruning and sometimes we need the big tool – so that brings me to Prop 3 – a small garden hoe and this landscaping fabric – we clean around our precious plants – why not clear and clean our lives too from distractions if possible. Paring away and coming nearer to God… We often have to thin the seedlings – like for radishes – many growing will not be as good as one BIG radish…

I am not going to go through all the many distractions we have in life – but we are to know to look to Jesus – and everything else will fade away as less important.

—

ABIDE in Jesus – SO – for this abiding in Jesus – we need His support, yes, need to listen to His words – about pruning – about resisting – about being less choked by weeds – and about Jesus feeding our branches. So with all this – we will see that His fruit grows. It grows on us and then we’re empowered to share from this bountiful harvest of His Help – we are to give as God has given us.

” 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. – My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit…”

We sang this morning: ‘Empty Me’ (so we can be filled) – we sang ‘Abide’ (so we can follow) – we sang ‘Breathe’ (so we are given life). We NEED Jesus – we want His help. It IS a strengthening to keep going. So it should not concern us of HOW we are going to bear fruit – but protecting it – like those hot houses I saw in North Carolina last week – and I saw watering systems too – for the tomatoes and for us too – helping our branch to the Vine be out in just enough sunlight – be protected from scorching heat – and not be too far from the water source… I loved the farm feel – a reminder of home at our pick your own places – a chance to be outside – and a chance to get the freshest – I mean the FRESHEST produce.

I stopped at a separate farmstand – just a cart – on the side of the road for this corn (prop of an ear of the real corn he gave me) and well I only had 2 dollars – thought I would get just one or two for snacking but the gentleman just gave me 4 ears – just for free – asked where I was from – and probably thought my accent was funny. It was so nice of him to share the fruit of his harvest – and his smile. I wanted to pay but not only did he give me this for free – he gave me double what I asked for – now isn’t that like Jesus – giving us so much.

And then what about the spiritual fruits for us to share – we have to figure out what we are going to do to share our skills, our talents, our encouragements – so many options. So, we need that wisdom from God too – from Jesus giving direction – empowered to share – it is OK – it is good – it is right – and honestly if we don’t share our fruits, how will the seeds – the seeds of faith – how will they spread? We are empowered to share.

We don’t want fear that freezes our fruit away – just keep trusting and just keep knowing He has this – and just keep moving forward. It is sinful to stew – let us keep our fruit fresh…

Well, God doesn’t feed and leave – no – God is always with us. Just like when Moses has passed – Joshua was chosen by God to finish the leading – to lead the wandering folks into the promised land – and God said: 9 ”Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Yes – we are to know God is with us. We can ask for His Help in living our lives for Him.

Amen – Won’t you please pray with me?

Lord, we do pray that You do help us to prosper and be fruitful – to listen and obey – to put others in front of ourselves – and to put You, Lord Jesus, above all. We know Lord that You do have plans to prosper us – to give us a hope and a future – and You DO want our help in sharing the fruit that You give us – In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Benediction – read excerpt of Psalm 139 – God loves us – He really does – and He wants to help us and empower us! (also read and handed out the names of Jesus on a bookmark.)

Uttering (and Believing) Sweet Jesus – the 1776 Musical

“Sweet Jesus” is spoken many times in the musical I am watching (about 3/4 thru now) sometimes as a prayer but sometimes as a swear and sometimes as a mockery of the one who said it all the time – “Sweet Jesus” is spoken by the Congressional custodian Andrew McNair – played by a particular actor who played it in the musical on stage and then in this 1972 movie version – he is so good at his role. Ben Franklin (a hilarious portrayal) says it once too – but it is the custodian who is very importantly saying it in frustration and disbelief. And I think he is also saying it in “I can’t believe it – I need some help here in believing this terrible stuff”…

And so in this musical, the song that drew dramatic attention is: “Oh Momma, Look Sharp” – a poignant song about young people in war – both musical 1776 and emotional reality 1776 war – about a sore subject we don’t talk enough about in that war – nor in 4th of July frivolities and fun. So in this musical, it is sung by a young soldier who is a courier back and forth with dispatch letters from General Washington from the field – or from other war places. The young courier speaks about his 2 young friends dying in Lexington (The shot heard ’round the world) – and their momma’s running to find them when they didn’t come home that night. Oh – ugh – awful thought…

Yeah, war brings death – of young folks – of momma’s sons. Sweet Jesus, we will never understand war or wars from a humanitarian side – but we do know war – and we do sadly understand death and the sting felt by those left behind.

Sweet Jesus we say that in disbelief of so much suffering and death in this world – the beginning of sin – the Cain killed Abel disruption – the dark prince of this world – the evil uproars that cause differences in people who should live in harmony – and the unknown of why we are the way we are. This is where we need you Sweet Jesus, Prince of Peace.

I cannot make any philosophical and intellectual professions of understanding or defending or not defending war, not going to try to engage in debate. And just as a audience member of the movie – they speak of a tyrant who is king – and that when a king becomes a tyrant, people will reject this person as not their king. In scripture in the old testament, God warned against putting human kings into the equation of earth – not to want an earthly king – God knew the consequences. And God “I AM” Sovereign really wanted (and wants) the people to understand Him as their King – and their everything – and yet the people rejected (and reject) Him.

The people in Samuel’s time (before King Saul was picked) said “No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

God IS the one who judges and goes out before us and fights our battles. We must remember that “God’s got this”…

Sad for the ones who don’t know that when we reject not only God as sovereign but also reject the Salvation offered by Jesus’s sacrifice, we reject the opportunity to be saved – and we do want salvation, right? Given as a price paid by Jesus – offered to us – we do want this. Sweet Jesus thank you for this gift!

We pray in any war on any year or any day of any era of time – that the Lord will see us through – He Will – and we pray that we remember to focus on the ONE who saves: Sweet Jesus.

Sweet Jesus.

Amen

1 Samuel 8 NKJV

Israel Demands a King
Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”

So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day.”

Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the Lord. So the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed their voice, and make them a king.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city.”

A Holy Composition, The Word

I am enjoying this America 250 simply from the fact that there is much history to be learned and places to visit – and yet, 250 years ago was only the beginning and there were many dark days and many bright ones too – between then and now.

And while watching and reading about the musical 1776, I found that the folly of the facts both fascinating and foolish. (especially funny the parts of Ben Franklin and his quips…) – well this movie is historical fiction for sure.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1776_(film)

But most fascinating is how I appreciate the main character, John Adams, in the story – NOT because of his role but FOR the actor portraying him – the same actor who was on St Elsewhere much later – William Daniels – and that brash stark and demanding character he is in both shows. Yeah – I had to look him up as soon as I started watching – and it is the storyteller who conveys the attitude you take for or against the character. (and trust me this movie from 1976 for 1776 has a funny set of characters!)… And so much pleading by John Adams to make it a dramatic movie.

It is also interesting how they portray Thomas Jefferson – and say he has “A happy talent for composition” – and funny how they have a quip by Jefferson to Adams about assuming a role like God in creating – well – no one can create like God! And Jefferson so far (I only watched half the movie) is stuck with writer’s block. Glad he got over that!

Now, I am grateful that Our Lord and the Word Himself never had writer’s block – and not a happy composition but a HOLY Composition in preparing the Bible… And we remember and know that God IS God – and it is not like He has a talent for writing but IS the Word Himself. Jesus brings not just His best but HIMSELF to the EXISTANCE of God on earth – not just a role that He plays and fulfills – there are no checkboxes but pre-written plotlines and twists and turns that we can’t understand. There are not commands just for drama – but dramatic reasons to be commanded. Jesus IS – and wanted to teach – and writers of the Word were chosen to write to explain – to challenge – to inspire.

In 2nd Thessalonians letter chapters 2-3, Paul urges the letter readers to STAND FAST and hold on… and to know that God Himself chose the chosen to believe and to act – not to be idle – and to be not disorderly but a follower of Jesus. – Love and obey – there is no other way. And treat others both fairly and like Jesus and if they do not go along with the Word (at Paul’s urging), don’t treat him like the enemy but as a brother – to bring him back to the fold.

But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Yes – I see that “the happy talent for composition” – is more of a RECONCILLATION – bringing Christ to us and us to God – and to each other in brotherhood of love. It is a HOLY Composition for LOVE.

Let us remember to LOVE most of all.

Amen

(ok – back to the rest of the movie…)

—

2nd Thesollonians (2:13- 3:18) NKJV

Stand Fast
But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

Pray for Us
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.

But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.

Warning Against Idleness
But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.

For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.

But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Benediction
Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all. The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

What if Jesus Drove a BIG Pickup Vehicle – Tire Tracks in the Sand

Well, I know you know ‘footprints in the sand’ where Jesus is carrying us… and He always is… But this tire track next to a footprint on the trip I took, from an official beach vehicle, reminded me of Jesus as Rescuer with the POWER – Tire Tracks in the Sand – Jesus is not without the POWER to pick up everything!

Cleaning up – picking up – big messes and small – Jesus will rescue it all.

‘God’s Got This’ is a great thought, but it’s actually one hundred percent the truth!

And so Tire Tracks in the Sand, His Real Power in His Real Way. Jesus takes care of it without delay.

Amen

Holding Out For Home

Ah… home…

I pulled in home about 10pm. It’s so good to travel, but it’s priceless to be home. Travel often makes you long for home, your bed, your bathroom, and doing laundry… home until the next adventures…

I was so thankful to get a power nap, I did listen to my body and when pulled up in the Maryland rest area, I set my alarm for 22 minutes. It was less than 2 hours to home, still daylight and the weather cooled down and I locked my door and pulled out my pillow and reclined, a friend gave me this pillowcase of NYC taxis, she and I are both from NY, but wildly different parts, she downstate, me up. It’s what makes remembering home as home, different things but same desire to remember.

And home eternal is also what we long for, enjoy the joy in the journey until then, and hold onto God’s peace, even more than that steering wheel in DC metro loop traffic, whew. We all will say WHEW when we land home in heaven.

And on this trip I enjoyed remembering my childhood trips, touring the east coast and seeing both cousins and tourist stops, including historic places like Yorktown near Williamsburg. I went to Colonial Williamsburg as a child, Busch Gardens too, but not Yorktown, so on this trip that brief stop for me was for new memories of a place in time which was crucial to America independence, and understanding the battles atmosphere. Well for me it was hot, 90’s, so I walked only to the monument and got back to the car to keep moving… my cousin’s house and big dinner then home was awaiting…

Meanwhile driving I spoke to at least three friends/family and then I listened to excerpts on YouTube for the American Revolution Ken Burns series, they were education on the go, and mind engaging for keeping awake, but still I needed to stop and rest. And then after 30 minutes power nap, I was up, ready to go. It was so good to recharge and not just for driving but for when I did get home, having the energy for showering, putting in laundry, and talking to my youngest all about the day, including the community theater production for which props were needed, and yes, I had stuff to share and had to dig them out.

Then crashed into bed, ah home…

Home is temporary here on earth, I’m off to my next adventures soon. But here’s the devotion worth remembering: Permanent Home is Heaven Home, where God has prepared for us an amazing banquet, to sit at HIS table. And there’s no hassles or tiredness. And while here on earth, we foster connections that we want also in Heaven.

On this last driving day, a visit I had earlier that day, I got to go see my other Virginia cousins, a brief stop for early dinner it was great. It gave her also that connection to me too. Brief but beautiful and quality over quantity. And I gave her my scripture of the moment, Jeremiah 29:11, “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. “

AND may we believe that… day by day plans from the Lord… Heavenly forever plans especially…

Holding out for Home.

Amen

—

Faith in Flight and Knowing Things are All Right, Psalm 93:4, OBX trip NC

Mightier than the waves of the sea is HIS LOVE FOR YOU – Psalm 93:4

I teared up yesterday – oh the blessed feelings I have had this whole trip “my cousins world tour ” and then yesterday adventure day while driving north – from my cousin’s place to Kitty Hawk in upper NC outerbanks. “OBX” they call it – the outer banks. Well, I feel that God was putting money in my memory banks for this day of the trip – and yeah – teared up in the beauty and in the ability and in the going.

I started at 6am with the sunrise walking the beach with my cousin – what a fast pace and great exercise – and seeing the turtle nests and the turtle people checking them – and the mailbox “Kindred Spirits” where I wrote a note “God bless you all” – and then I drove up the coast on route 17 where I felt like I could stop where I felt like – you know when you are in the car and see these places but then I stopped – even took a photo on the side of the road and a sherrif checked on me – so sweet – but yeah good stops like the farm cart of fresh corn and only had 2 dollars but instead of getting just an ear or two – the old farmer guy gifted me 4 ears – and didn’t take my money – asked where I was from and just smiled in the giving … Yeah… yummy too – i love eating corn raw as a child and now as a child of joy. And then around the bend I saw the real tobacco plants planted, wow, and beans and corn and more – so much farming still – and found the off-road farm stand at the farm itself where I got blueberries and peaches and oh the yummy ice cream for lunch. Then at the boiled peanut place – oh my those are so good these were freshly boiled salty ones completing my “farm to subaru” lunch – there was a placard: Mightier than the waves of the sea is HIS LOVE FOR YOU – Psalm 93:4 – and that is not just for fun or frivolous stuff like so much we do – but He loves us down deep for our faults and our foibles and our faith – yes – IN FAITH – He brings up the tears that He then collects – it is how He lubes our system at times – hydrating us with Living Water to then make our eyes (and appetites) re-wetted for more – MORE OF HIM. I love this trip and love the Lord even more and feel like I am riding on His coattails and joyful happy trails.

I would say that if you never experienced much travel, then please get out and do it. I have to say that traveling alone is wonderful in that you can stop when you want to stop and experience and rest and then also see so much – and not alone because not only is God with you – but you can make phone calls from the car and talk and talk and talk. AND YOU NEED TO SEE THE FARMS BEFORE THEY ARE TAKEN OVER BY HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS!!! Gas has been inexpensive $3.30 – and travel is priceless – and there is SO MUCH HERE – I went from Asheville on th efar west to the OBX on the far east – so worth it…

And I did have dinner with a high school friend – 40 years – and thank God for Facebook that keeps us connected – we had SO MUCH to talk about – but also SO TIRED – and I knew I was running on fumes and including watching the sparks of the heat lightening which was going to bring real storms sooner than later – and well I was fully in my hotel by then and the downpours were immense but the solid cement of this hotel (near the airport and more inexpensive with my points redemption) kept me more safe than safe and sound – it was safe and sage knowledge of Knowing the Lord had brought me “safe thus far” – that IS Amazing Grace in the practical sense – and yes His Amazing Grace is for our every next step.

So – photos – including the words on the Kitty Hawk Big Kill Devil Hill monument that state “UNCONQUERABLE FAITH” – yeah – they must have had this faith – they built and then they drug the apparatuses up this HUGE sand dune over a 1000 times in testing and perfecting their flights – and wow you have to be here to feel the wind – oh my… you might get a sense of it. You need to visualize the hill and the markers where they got their distance – and I was grateful for the park ranger who told me they were closing but there was a free parking spot behind the park and that people could walk in and take all the time they wanted – wow…. near the airport strip just behind the monument… sweet…

As for me and my Subaru (over a 1000 miles on this trip and newly oil changed in Virginia), we will serve the Lord – and seep the tears of joy and unbelievable blessings in feelings to have these days – not just of leisure but of travel and mission – and wow will be my 4th cousin grouping today – as I am on my way north to DC and then home… But first I plan to stop at many historical markers and well, whereever I feel like – that the Lord will make me appreciate in the going…

Thank You Lord for Faith in Flight and Knowing Things are All Right!

Amen

Connect Crucially, Cousins and Community and Creator

I really appreciate driving a shorter 3hr distance to my next set of cousins on my “cousins world tour “. These cousins live on the southern coast, not far from the beach. The sunset was amazing, the pool was soothing, and the conversation was enlightening. See you need to sit with people often to catch up.

See, on this trip I have really witnessed and experienced that you actually have to visit people to hear ALL the news. And trust me that we lose touch so easily with even our closest cousins…

Yes, our closed connections, whether it be with cousins or community are crucial, even fun. The community in this neighborhood had a pool party for Father’s Day. And you could tell that the community enjoyed being together. We floated in the pool, and you could just feel the joy in the chit-chat that rose above the water.

And we were having some of our own chit-chat later in the evening, when we were interrupted by something even more beautiful, it was an overwhelming amazing sunset, even startled us. I said that God makes even a sunset more beautiful than we could ever imagine for things made on earth.

And if we listen to the closeness of God, we will hear His Plan more, for our lives, for answered prayers, for next steps. Stay in His shadow…

And when we stay in communication with our Creator, we will see how creation and the creatures and the crazy goodness are compelled to be in God’s plan and grace.

Oh, the place and pace of God’s Grace… Let us connect with God and each other in God’s way, and keep the connections strong.

Amen

Connected by Love, Happy Father’s Family Day, Proverbs 23

Well Happy Father’s Day to everyone dad and dad-like. Happy father’s day to my own dad plus “uncle-dads”, as my cousins have called many of our 6-brother dad uncles. All heaven held now, in Jesus’s hands. In the Love of the Almighty Father.

I know that I am blessed with perspective and certainly travel right now, so on this father’s day I am with family to whom my dad would travel to see as well. We are all getting older so those of us who are mobile best mobilize. I’m driving to other cousins later today. I say, “God willing, and He usually is…” (I liked looking at the state flag stamps with my cousin, and realizing that instead I would make state cousin pictures stamps if I could. I love traveling and being a connector. )

My grandparents lived in much tougher economic times than we do and raised 6 amazing men and fathers. Really isn’t that the blessing God gives, is the ability to appreciate what we can do to be wise children and respect our elders, and be teachers to our own collective children. Remember we pass on our willingness to engage, to help, in order to see them, the next generation, pay it forward, play it forward, LOVE IT FORWARD…

That is the wisdom of the day, be wise and teach wisdom.

And do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding. The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who begets a wise child will delight in him. Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her who bore you rejoice. Proverbs 23:22b-25

Amen and Happy BLESSED FATHERS DAY TO OUR LORD GOD ALMIGHTY FATHER.

AMEN

Jesus IS the Blessing, my trip to NC

I knew it would be so good to see family, but I guess I just didn’t think about that time blessed to have to view the amazing scenery. And so after a long drive from Virginia, down to North Carolina, I got up the next morning and rode with my cousin and my Aunt (age 90plus) over to the mountains, up to Asheville and the Biltmore house and amazing grounds… oh mountains and amazing views…

Walking this morning back here near central NC, I appreciate street signs of Blessing, Mountaintop, Good life, Joyful noise… and I especially appreciate it a billboard yesterday that said “JESUS IS the answer to all our problems”… THE IMAGE I GOT WAS FUZZY, BUT THE MESSAGE WAS CLEAR.

Yes, thank YOU, Jesus, for helping us clear our minds, realize what’s important, take everything day to day, hour by hour. And thank you for these safe passages, especially the tiredness in driving at times.

Thank you Lord for giving us the best view… YOU!!!

Amen

The very best thing I could tell you these last 4 and half months is to go see family, go see exciting things. And one hundred percent follow where the Lord is leading you. Jesus is the answer to all your problems…

Safe Passage in Life and a Visit to Berkeley Plantation Virginia

It was an AMAZING visit to Berkeley Plantation Virginia, I just “randomly” picked it off Google maps, wow…

And the tour guide so amazing. The historical significance is remarkable but the scenic views are the most breathtaking. The proximity of the wide river, the weather favorable to crops, the now grown-up trees, the careful caretaking… and then the history, from the natives in the area, to the “first recorded” thanksgiving to God, thankful for safe passage by ship in 1600’s, to the revolutionary war resources of the wealthy Harrison people who also took the heat for separation by the turncoat Benedict Arnold destroying the place, to the revamping and restoration by next generations. Lincoln visited the 140,000 troops camped here. The writer and bugle-est penned TAPS here. Wow…

And then there’s the current resident, George the cat, so welcoming…

A wealth of history and artifacts and place of pondering. And that thanksgiving to God for safe passage. Yeah, me too…

The tour guide did talk about the indentured slaves, how they themselves did gardens and create items of value to trade with the household. She told us that the slaves stayed near where they worked, so separate groups, we’re working hours away in the thousands of acres of tobacco or corn, etc… she said that all this labor for a big place made the wealth for these inhabitants. It’s an anniversary today for Junteenth, to celebrate freedom from slavery, it’s a continuation of realizing many thanksgivings for safe passage in life.

Safe passage, how interesting for us to have our modern conveniences, do we realize we’ve had safe passage to this era? I think we need to thank the Lord and count on Him that we continue to have safe passage in His arms even through hostile times.

All of history, back to Adam and Eve to Cain and Abel, all of history has had incidents of strife as well as amazing safe passage forward.

Let us thank the Lord today for everything He’s done for us and will do. Let us learn perseverance from Him. James 1 talks about the testing of faith producing endurance.

Amen

And prayers for safe passage forward…

James 1
New King James Version

Greeting to the Twelve Tribes
James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.

Profiting from Trials
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

The Perspective of Rich and Poor
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.

Loving God Under Trials
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

Qualities Needed in Trials
19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Doers—Not Hearers Only
21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

REJOICE, PURIFY, Pursue Peace

I loved the scriptural soap container in my cousin’s bathroom: “This is the day the Lord has made, Let us rejoice and be GLAD in it.” PS118:24. The scripture reminded me to stop and cleanse my thoughts and not just my hands – and cleansing thoughts becomes the opportunity to praise – to say BE GLAD. The devotion from Bob of the Daily Dose also was on my mind as I was looking at the soap – his devotion was to PURIFY… Asking: “are you daily doing the work needed to keep your heart purified and guard it from being contaminated?” 2 Corinthians 7:1 “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out reverence for God.”

And one of my big mental purifications (again) is Jeremiah 29:11 – which was written on my cousin’s shower curtain: “God’s plans are for you to prosper, to provide you a hope and a future.” And so yet again my fear that freezes me for a second is washed away – just keep trusting and just keep knowing He has this – and just keep moving forward. It is sinful to stew in spewing stuff… Keep moving forward… REJOICE… BE GLAD…

REJOICE in today and in forever that the Lord washes us both inside and out – and covers us with not just the fluffiest of towels but His forgiveness in His overlay to our sins. God cleans up our acts – so it is best we do so too… We can scrub and sing praises, trim and praise the pruning, believe and dispel unbelief. It takes a “daily detoxing” to cleanse our thoughts and our actions – and let the Lord lather up our lasting lives.

AMEN

(and oh the wonderful peaceful morning I had sitting on the porch in pursuing peace – hearing the rustling leaves and feeling the breeze…)

Virginia is for Lovers of God’s Country (and people)

Ahhhh… I was so tired last night when I penned my devotion about the postcards – but MUCH BETTER NOW – AND WOW I appreciate this trip down here… And wow I have now made a post (not postcard) of photos in an album from this first leg of my trip to see cousins on “my cousins world tour” – here is Virginia since last night. Tomorrow will be down to NC for more cousins – it is simply good to have this time to take and good to take the time.

I also have to say that Virginia is for Lovers, like the old ad campaign said – and that being in Virginia I love God even more it seems day by day when I got to experience the why I came here when I stepped out of the car and wow felt embraced by this place of peace in the woods (really out here) in deep Virginia – and acres of woods and the birds and the deer and the trees and wow – the nature – the creation growning for the Lord and me sigh-ing for Him too – it is just so good to be here – AND TO BE WITH FAMILY – and walk their property and drive to a local town famous in an old way…

(and wow we sprayed the repellents on for the walk in the woods – and yes I checked for ticks !!! Ticks and their diseases are the frustrating part of life here now – and we do have to tolerate and prepare and take action – just like the rough parts of life… that’s the brokenness of life here – hoped to be healed sooner than later by Jesus returning – Lord please come)

And so from just this small trip so far – we know that ‘Virginia is for Lovers’ – and for Lovers of God – and so it also is time for us to Love God no matter where we are – as God and love of God surpasses time and place.

So while resting after our hikes I checked over my recent photos from back home and I see the beauty of the photos of the lovely vintage Valentines that I photographed from the family farmhouse collection. AND I also found a letter nearby – which I read and photographed – an evangelism letter – send to my grandfather after his dad passed away and he had to fly to Florida to get his effects and him – in the mid 50’s. The letter is truly a blessing of scripture of encouragement – to “the bereaved one” – I read it truthfully and in love of the ability to use the Word in word sense in writing to people – and in sharing no matter what the age. “WE WANT TO HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT JOY THERE IS IN TAKING JESUS FOR YOUR OWN.” – yes – JOY…

Joy is in the journey always – and to know God is to wait on Him and accept the amazing and the not – and keep moving forward…

Here is the letter typed out (just excerpts): “When we are born into this world, we come into it as sinners. In Psalms 51:5, David writes, “Behold I was shapen in iniquity… “But in John 3:17 the Bible says that God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. II Peter 3:9 – “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise….” … “Accept Him today as your Savior and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and mind through Jesus Christ.”… “WE WANT TO HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT JOY THERE IS IN TAKING JESUS FOR YOUR OWN.”…

AMEN – JESUS IS FOR US – FOR LOVE – FOR FOREVER…

Postcards from the Past, Savor Our Savior Suitor

It’s the treasure trove I didn’t know about. We all enjoy old postcards, but this stack contained the correspondence too, wow… Yes, cleaning up the family farmhouse, we opened one box, and here are a hundred postcards from 1909 to the early 20’s. Wow… The romantic images are for a cousin from a particular suitor, a couple being together, or the simple direct question on a card: “When Will I See You?”

(That’s the same question to a Savior, Jesus sees us and wants to know when we will come to Him.)

You know, the Lord asks for us. He is our Suitor suited to be the Groom for us as His bride. These cards may fade, but His Love (and He) never will!

The cards show love. The Lord? HE IS LOVE!

I’m tired from traveling, but the Lord? He never sleeps and He energizes us.

The postcards talk about the weather, and happineings. He has told us from alpha to omega how He is loving May we take His postcards seriously. He is our Suitable Suitor.

Amen

All Aboard! Jesus’s Train

I got to see the BIG BOY – the big train that rolled into Scranton yesterday – there are many plenty days to see it – but whew I got to see it before it was open to the public today which they said were crazy crowds. I saw it because I like stalked it and with about 500 others we came late in the afternoon to where Steamtown was being set up with both Big Boy trains. I was already driving through the area and it was only a 10 minute detour for me – so worth it and now I don’t have to keep chasing that train. (and funny that I took lots of trains in the cities these last 2 weeks – caught a lot of them “just in time”

Yes it was cool to see the big boy – but have I seen trains before? ah yes – both at home and in museums – big ones… And so I loved seeing that other people from kids to grown ups were thrilled! And I really enjoyed the train for the sake of trains which runs in my family.

And as for my train connection with the Lord – that is what I named the chapter I wrote for processing my own dad’s death. wow it is 5 years ago – and below is the first of that series that brings in a train… God is good that I don’t have to track that train down – He brought the Healing Train to earth. He has punched my ticket and His train will be ON TIME. HIS TIME.

AMEN

The Lord’s Train and Timing, 01JUL – #1199

The Lord’s Train and Timing, 01JUL2021 – #1199

When my dad passed away, he went so rapidly after a long steady pace of decline. The Lord’s timing is the Lord’s.

I did talk to my dad twice that morning. When he passed unexpectedly just after lunch. I was over halfway driving there, he knew that I was on my way. I am SO GLAD that I did have 4 days vacation to visit with him, and my family, WITH the kids just 2 weeks prior, a great trip. I told the kids that I needed to see their grandfather watching their grandmother giving them hugs. And THANK GOD for post-covid vaccination timing! Whew.

I had this devotion in my head processing about my trip while driving up (I thought in time), about me being the caboose and getting up there after a steady train, a parade, of friends in a farewell tour of love, but the Lord (once again) showed me that HIS Timing is above my timing, HIS Ways are well above ours always so we should always expect His timing, not ours.

Everyone asked “Did you get there in time?” Well, NO but YES. Not my timing, never was. Not my Dad’s timing either, he probably would have stayed in this world longer but his body gave out. It was and IS clear that when the Lord leaves the station, He pulls out. Can you catch the ride late? YES, Jesus is continually grabbing every hand He can, one soul at a time. And Jesus is EXCELLENT at making the catch.

Could my timing have been better? Of course, but clearly I was being my human self in a human world. However, our Lord is LORD and it is like my processing about being that caboose: God does not need the caboose to run the rail, but oh how blessed that He does want us to ride with Him.

My Dad LOVED railroads. My Grandfather was an engineer, a fireman young then the engineer. My Dad the youngest of many sons. Everything train train train has been awesome in my life. Except getting stuck behind one. My Subaru even has a railway spike in the pen holder. And the VBS theme this year is Railroad! And I will track alongside with friends. My Dad’s life embraced trains, he sometimes got railroad passes in the 1950’s and 60’s to ride anywhere. He loved the caboose. Me too.

I thought while driving up, I was like the caboose of the family, right? I was supposed to get there before He passed. I am the youngest right? The caboose? The end? Nope… I was both human in my timing and held up by getting my ducks in a row, getting my cars on the tracks aligned. I got to the house, but he had passed away like 2 hours before. I processed that with the Lord immediately for me to feel not surprised. They didn’t want to tell me, I was driving 5 hours in the rain, they wanted me safe. I had planned to travel the following day but it was a sudden shift in his health. Got the call, packed, showered, put oil and gas in the car. Called twice while on the road. They told me he heard me, motioned that he did. I walked in the door, then learned he was gone, I hugged mom and her tears so needed, I went to sit with him. Surreal. I then did the math, no, I could NOT have made it “in time” for his final breaths, no, not without me AND my car out of breath. I did the math, I would have missed his last minutes by 5 minutes if my timing was perfect. Well, my timing is NEVER perfect. Plus it was POURING RAIN, so of course I slowed down as my dad would have me slow. (Yes Dad, I have good tires on my car too). Yes, my Dad 100% would have had me be safe, make sure my kids and work duties were ok and to NOT RUSH. Important work calls I needed/wanted to take on the road, I took them. I settled my kids schedules too, made sure all emergency plans fell into place. My Dad 100% said to take care of my kids. I did. I did.

My Dad AND Our Father God both like us to have our ducks in a row so that HE can clear the path forward. He wants us ready to go. God doesn’t need me loaded onto His train to pull out of the station, but He WANTS me to catch a ride.

I did that math like 3 times, whether I had or should I have had time to cut, but I didn’t with the kids, the work, the rain, the car, me, and especially God – no you CAN’T stop the rain or a train. I was also stopped at the last moment by (you guessed it), a TRAIN. I was stuck waiting for a TRAIN at the same intersection where my Grandfather’s train ran for years and years. A TRAIN – oh, I SAT… oh, Your Ways Lord, Your Ways... I took a pic, cute Lord cute. You are telling me (again) that this is YOUR TIMING, not mine. You don’t punish Lord, but you certainly do instruct.

You. Your rest, Your mercy Lord, Your Peace. There is none higher. You are the engineer, the engine, the WHOLE track. You are running this line on Your Timetable. I’m not the actual caboose as much as I am simply standing ON the caboose waving at the people, encouraging them to join a ride. I’m NOT driving myself in this life, I am a passenger passing thru this world. And the baggage car? The Lord left it at the station. He only wants us on board.

Most importantly, my Dad is now on Your Train, Lord. You had your sights on him always. You punched His ticket. He’s got not a free ride but one bought by Your blood, and pursued by all those in prayer. What a rally we pray for those running to catch the train, His Train. Those strong grips You provided on the caboose, Lord, are golden. Thank You.

The caboose is cute, but it IS the ENGINE that pulls the load. I am happy to be on Your Line Lord. Power our lives. Let us hear Your whisper whistle.

Thank You Lord.
All Aboard!

Amen
WHEW…

Our Ultimate Reunion: Heaven

I love Reunion weekend, love my Alma mater, love my friends and the new friends who we meet here. Last night we (4 of us in our class) connected with a new “Reunion friend” from another class year, while watching the fireworks! Connections were made all day really, as we did all weekend, with those who share this same love of the place and how it shaped our lives.

Is not that even MORE true in Heaven? Oh we connect and will connect with unbelievable numbers of believers. And a blessing to connect now. If we ever doubt where we are in life, let us just check back in with the Lord. Just like new friends can be forged, with people who are like minded, and have genuine interest in you, we can connect on the fresh way every day with a new mindset (and the old) with the Lord, Who already knows you best, and longs to know you and have you know Him.

I have really enjoyed my summer morning, old friends and new.

I’ve added more photos to the big album:

Including yesterday looking at the equestrian area, new all sports fields, the nearby lake, having breakfast lunch and dinner with fellow alumni, and of course, a visit again to the local watering hole… it’s so good to be back.It’s so good to have had these memories, and it is priceless to make more…

All while still remembering, our citizenship is not here on earth, it is Heaven, the ultimate Reunion…

Amen

Philippians 3:17 – 4:9 NKJV

Our Citizenship in Heaven

Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Be Anxious for Nothing; Think These Thoughts

Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.

Be United, Joyful, and in Prayer

I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

Meditate on These Things

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

When You Wish Upon the Lord

A poem after seeing the beautiful stars in the dark sky. To the tune of “when you wish upon a star ”

Written after the opportunity to see the observatory, for which I got, because the golf cart rolled by and asked if I wanted a ride, just as I was admiring the beautiful stars walking back from the local watering hole. It is truly a blessing to be here at my reunion and especially timely. Weather it’s great in the 70s… After after breakfast, we took a walking tour. Which led us to a gentleman who toured us through the kilns and glass blowing, and then another tour of the industrial arts printmaking, and everything like that… sat with alumni for dinner, who were very familiar, very familiar with my hometown. Then, walking past the band stand and down to a hangout place, then, the observatory, then home to my freshman dorm… so blessed…

Here’s my my song:

When you wish upon the Lord, doesn’t matter rich or poor

Ask His help and just be blessed

Do your best, He’ll do the rest.

When you hope upon the Lord,

Trust in Him, I do implore.

Watch Him turn things, just be blessed,

Wait it out, He’ll do the rest.

When you watch upon the Lord,

Answers come and then quite more.

Know He cares to treat you best,

He’ll keep you now forever blessed.

Amen.

The Lord is AMAZING, Psalm 19

Psalm 19 was perfect to read when I woke up early morning and perfect to read now… it’s perfect, because the Lord is perfect. And the heaven and earth declare Him so, but most of all, He Himself shows Himself as AMAZING…

I am up enjoying a long weekend at my college reunion…

AMAZING…

And the Lord more so…

It’s so good to be in the Lord’s Hands!

Psalm 19 NKJV

Perfect Revelation of the Lord

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world.

In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, And its circuit to the other end; And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can understand his errors; Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

“And Whatever the Station in Life You’ve Become”… The Last Ship in NYC

“And whatever it was that ye’ve done to be here, It’s the sum of yr hopes yr despairs and yr fears, When the last ship sails.”

Oh these lyrics from Sting’s the Last Ship, yah… I just left the theater, New York City Metropolitan Opera, I bought the ticket way back in November – just snapped up front row of the balcony for inexpensive, and just for me… ohh I love to see Sting and I saw this musical when it first came out on Broadway. And wow, it’s an experience, it’s a thrill, it’s a Holy Spirit chill when they talk about eternity, death, crossing both into death and saying the cross prayer (in the name of the Father and the Name of the Son and the name of the Holy Spirit)- yes in all three and the work that they’ve done… I love Holy Spirit chills… ( and you should have seen the cross projected on the ship)…

And I love that I got here and everything…

And yes, the musical was very moving. And I love the lyrics…

“Oh the roar of the chains and the cracking of timbers, The noise at the end of the world in your ears, As a mountain of steel makes its way to the sea, And the last ship sails.”… “And whatever you’d promised, whatever you’ve done, And whatever the station in life you’ve become. In the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, And whatever the weave of this life that you’ve spun, On the Earth or in Heaven or under the Sun, When the last ship sails.”

Now, now, here’s the interesting dilemma, which is not really a dilemma, but an observation… (Spoilers ahead)…The woman to the left of me had never seen it and didn’t know the music. And she REALLY enjoyed it, we had a very nice conversation. And the woman to the right of me saw the original version ten times and knew all the music (and trust me the changes from the original version to this version are so dramatic, including to make the whole show less dramatic…)… and they changed the characters, weird rewrite but it worked, and it’s a little crazy to have the OTHER guy get the girl, and oh well, but hey, it’s Sting, who wrote it, and he has all the privilege to change whatever he wants… so the woman to the right of me, I could completely relate and we did all of our complaining and our comparisons and whew!

And then, and then the third lady in line with me on the way out said she was ready to come back and see it tomorrow…

In other words you can’t please everybody, and if you have no expectations, you can enjoy a show that you don’t know is changed, and if you have LOTS of expectations and think it should be done the way it was done, then you have a chance to be disappointed… interesting, huh?

I enjoyed the show very much and again, I think Sting has the ability to change if he wants…

But it isn’t that a dilemma for us in life, we expect certain things, we expect the lights to turn green when we want them, we expect the train or the bus to come when we want them. And we expect the Lord to help us with what we want… and we are in different stations of life…

Perhaps, the best station in life for us to be is just grateful… and SPOILER ALERT: God wins, Jesus comes again, and we live forever in the love grace forgiveness of our souls…

I am grateful to be an observer of life as well as a participant… and as we say so many times: we’re gonna have to trust the Lord in everything…

Everything… keep believing… keep moving…

Blessed…

AMEN!

A Sticky Devotion – Vines that Stay With You, Jesus and Sticky Weed

Ah – the Sticky weed!!!!! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galium_aparine

My friend from a church event in the spring found small sprigs of this plant “sticky weed” or “cleavers” Galium aparine, and in childlike fashion, playfully slyfully attached the sprigs to various people’s backs (and someone got her too) – and we all laughed… Classic fun with no harm – because a sticky plant is just that – sticky.

Wouldn’t you know, that EVERYWHERE I now see this sticky plant, and the weather must be so good that behind my shed I found the LARGEST growth – about three foot by two foot high – wow – and in my effort to clear the chaos behind the shed – I grabbed it all and bundled it and got so attached to not just the leaves but now the small hitchhiker balls of seeds – yeah – sticky… Every time I see sticky weed I remember my friend, her joy, her playfulness, and that sticky-ness is what Jesus wants to be to us. Not just sticky but INSIDE the VINE of His Strength and His Power. (John 15)

Jesus is here for many reasons – the ultimate one of saving us – and He is here to help us – to be that source of our strength: “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.”

I have also been trying hard to remove the burdock leaves in my yard as those make the HUGE hitchhikers – and we should marvel that both of these plants are native and “smart” adapted plants to end their seeds around place to place. My cleaning is dual purpose – to clean up and to get to an unfortunate other good growing plant – the BIG patch of poison ivy – ugh… I found my bottle of spray killer and am going to spray that now that I can see it. And that is also devotional – the parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13) – that good and bad exist in the world, but Jesus will pick out the good at the end of days for the Kingdom… “He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom…”

Now granted both these plants are weeds to me but a food source to other animals – even the sticky weed or broad sized burdock leaves must be a nice shade for the critters below. I actually take a burdock leaf and use it like a glove over my glove to pull out harmful purple nightshade vines – but the poison ivy? I am grateful to the sticky weed in that it overgrew and blocked out the sun to the poison ivy… But now I will leave that removal to the weed killer. And MOST importantly, the tares of the evil in this world? I will leave that to Jesus to remove – and just keep moving…

Yes – let us save the hard stuff for Jesus and we do the good sticky stuff – SHARE THE LOVE – Share the stickiness of LOVE – with others – with ourselves in grace – and keep moving…

“Love is patient, is kind, does not envy, does not boast, is not easily angered, always protects trusts hopes perseveres. LOVE NEVER FAILS” 1 Cor 13

Consider yourself tagged with Jesus now go spread Him – spread the LOVE!

AMEN

(PS – this is a sticky devotion – so if you would like, I invite you all to reply back in a comment and give me a devotion or a thought about Jesus sticking with you and with us – and also strengthening us – and also removing the poison ivy in our lives or at least making us aware of it… THANKS! )

—

John 15:1-12 NJKV

Jesus said: “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. “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you…”

—

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 NKJV

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. …Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

The Bliss of a Miss – Close Calls and Traveling Trust

I had a close call Sunday night that I realized the next morning. You know in all my travelling I try not to worry. I assess situations and probability, keep moving. So I also trust that my gut feeling is valid, and although I could have spent another fifteen minutes with a friend over the weekend, I felt the crowds the tiredness the timing, and I continued with this massive crowd to get on the express train, which we had been waiting a half an hour for..

Yes, THAT crush of people, well honestly I’ve been in that situation before, so I seem to accept, just click in and keep going.

Turns out that probably within five minutes, a crazy man stabbed half a dozen people, roughly where I was standing. I saw on the news the next morning. It was a close call. I pray for those people and I pray for the crazy man who police subdued very quickly and with a bag on his head, chained him to a chair to transport him out of that train station. Close call – yes.

And my friend getting another train saw the man with the bag being wheeled out by the police. He assumed also it was a crazy situation, and we thank the police department for their efficient work.

And how many close calls do we miss? Ones that we’re not even aware of? How much bliss do we have in the miss?

One call that wasn’t close but was WIDE – A SURE THING – is that Jesus came and was successful in His mission, and He wasn’t gonna miss that. And there was no close call and everything there was in God’s plan. Even calculating in the given of evil – evil turned around for the purpose of good.

Jesus knew, knows, is.

We have many things that seem like happen chance. And me saved from that train scene is just another in a thousand day to days.

Had friends visiting and went to see more friends –

Now Saturday was a thrill,

Seeing friends, 35 years still.

Yes buddies are we!

From north and south east and west,

These are friends who knew and know me best.

“For a thousand years in Your sight

Are like yesterday when it is past“

Psalm 90 says memories stay fresh, they last…

We yapped, ate and walked,

rose up tall buildings and gawked.

Finished the day in a sweets way

Even walked in the rain,

And took the train…

—

Sunday – Walked to St Patrick’s Cathedral, by Radio City, Rockefeller Plaza. Walked up to Tiffany’s for brunch. Wow… took the subway back and then got to that train. And I sat blissfully on the train happy to be going home.

I teared up in the emotion of feeling the blessings of being together and treating ourselves to this weekend – felt it both walking in the rain at chelsea market the night before, and this morning while sitting for breakfast at Tiffany’s – BEAUTIFUL FRIENDS and I LOVE whom the Lord has given me as friends…

HONESTLY, WE HAVE QUITE CLOSE COUNTERS WITH SO MANY PEOPLE SITUATIONS, BUT I’M GLAD THAT THE LORD DOES NOT MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT US WITH FRIENDS.

AND HE NEVER WOULD HAVE MISSED.CONNECTING HIMSELF WITH US…

AMEN

—

Psalm 90

New King James Version

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.

2 Before the mountains were brought forth,

Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,

Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

3 You turn man to destruction,

And say, “Return, O children of men.”

4 For a thousand years in Your sight

Are like yesterday when it is past,

And like a watch in the night.

5 You carry them away like a flood;

They are like a sleep.

In the morning they are like grass which grows up:

6 In the morning it flourishes and grows up;

In the evening it is cut down and withers.

7 For we have been consumed by Your anger,

And by Your wrath we are terrified.

8 You have set our iniquities before You,

Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.

9 For all our days have passed away in Your wrath;

We finish our years like a sigh.

10 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.

11 Who knows the power of Your anger?

For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.

12 So teach us to number our days,

That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

13 Return, O Lord!

How long?

And have compassion on Your servants.

14 Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,

That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!

15 Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us,

The years in which we have seen evil.

16 Let Your work appear to Your servants,

And Your glory to their children.

17 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.

Jesus IS the Bread of Life, St Patrick’s Cathedral NYC Visit

Corpus Christi – Jesus is the Bread of Life – amen to the truth and believing in it. This was a feast day, and the wonderful message we heard on vacation day yesterday.

We had a marvelous weekend in NYC and us early birds walked over to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral for Sunday mass. It was beautiful and full. The priest sweatedly wiped his brow early in the service. We sat close up front, and I prayed away any coughing fits, I listened more than sang, and the meaning of the words of The Word resonated. Jesus IS the Bread of Life, He reminds us that He is all we need. True. My friend pointed out the amazing Holy Spirit Dove sculpture on the heights of the rising arches. The ornation grand but not overdone. The candles we lit for devotion were knowing we were carrying the Light forward from our loved ones.

We loved simply walking into the space, the place, the grace.

The weather has been hot and sticky and if we were actually proofing bread dough, it would overflow in the conditions. That’s a good thought of how we should celebrate Jesus who came as proof, rose as promised, and IS as Bread of Life. Jesus then should overflow from us. Jesus feeds the need, our need, the world’s need if only the world would hunger for Him more. Like the 5000 plus fed, many marvel but do they understand? We all chase other threads of distractions. We need more to hunger for Jesus’s trueness.

We, we need to hunger for Jesus and trust and be filled by Him. Jesus told us that ALL we truly need is Him. John 6 gospel recounts in wisdom how Jesus said that those who don’t see Him but know Him, believe Him, trust Him, are truly blessed. And that His role is doing God’s will, His will, to SAVE. To raise up with Him.

Now ‘coincidentally’ John 6 is the theme of the Bible study I participate in on Sunday nights. Never a coincidence obviously because obediently we must believe that God has everything under control and uses all teachings all scripture to sharpen us, encourage us, inspire us, and comfort us.

Jesus IS the Bread of Life WITH PROOF, PURPOSE, PLANS, AND POWER.

PERFECT PEACE PRESENCE.

Raised up Righteousnessly, Really.

Amen

Verses 35-40 NKJV 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.”

Amen

Be Held by the Beholder, James 4, Luke 12

I’m in NYC with friends, so blessed to be together. My hotel view has beautiful skyline, including the Edge, which I stood on yesterday… now I can appreciate the sound and sight of a city (which never sleeps) come alive this early morning… (and I can nap on the train home later)…

and I would have missed it if I didn’t open the window, or get up before dawn, or even switch positions for viewing from the bottom of the room vs to top. It’s about changing perspective.

And that is us as well in knowing we are loved. Live in this love of the Beholder, God, from His perspective.

Basically, if we remember Whose Love it is to love us, we remember God LOVES (REALLY AND SACRIFICIALLY) and God MADE love and God IS Love, therefore we need to live IN this love of the One Who loves, the Beholder of love.

God LOVES us and it is up to us to accept HIS love with gratitude over any level of push-back attitude. Our acceptance needs to be in humility over nonchalant brushing off or even refusal. We best accept the love, at least acknowledge it, minimum know it exists. Ah but how much more blessed to be the sheep of the Shepherd, the loved of the Lover, the children of the Father. Accept the love.

The book of James reminds us not to boast in our will. Change perspective and attitude. I’m reading a study guide, and interesting that the pamphlet is mostly the scriptures themselves. God is clearly loving enough to lay it all out for us plainly. James and a particular passage from Luke, on this page shown, are combined for a MAJOR point in this guide – GOD IS IN CHARGE NOT US.

So, let us think about being loved from God’s point of view. He must love, let us be loved. He must guide, let us be guided. Let us be HELD in love by our Beholder.

AMEN

(PS Don’t let others nor yourself tell you that one isn’t worthy or one doesn’t need God, nor His guidance and LOVE. Yes WE NEED HIM. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. PUT YOU TREASURE AND TRUST IN HIM)

Amen

—

This is a paragraph from the study guide:

“… Our Lives Are in God’s Hands

“Discussion of conflicts and disputes, desires and cravings, friendship with the world, and humility before God takes on a new perspective when viewed in light of the real situation of human beings in the world. We are not the ones in control. James takes to task those who boast that they are going to a certain city to trade for a year and to make a lot of money. He says, “You do not even know what tomorrow will bring” (4:14). Jesus’ parable of the rich fool makes the same point. After the rich man had planned larger barns to store all his goods, he said, ” Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ ” (Luke 12:19-20)

“James says to those who think they are in charge of their lives, “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (4:14c)….”

—

James 4:13-15 NKJV

Do Not Boast About Tomorrow

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

—

Luke 12 NKJV

Beware of Hypocrisy

In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

Jesus Teaches the Fear of God

4 “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!

6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Confess Christ Before Men

8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. 9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

10 “And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.

11 “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

The Parable of the Rich Fool

13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

14 But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’

21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Do Not Worry

22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? 25 And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 26 If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant

35 “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; 36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. 38 And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 40 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

41 Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?”

42 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

Christ Brings Division

49 “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! 51 Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. 52 For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53 Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

Discern the Time

54 Then He also said to the multitudes, “Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is. 55 And when you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is. 56 Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?

Make Peace with Your Adversary

57 “Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? 58 When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.”

God IS LOVE

God is Love.

The paper (on my table) was sent from above

On the wings of a (Holy Spirit) Dove

And may the sentiment fit us like a glove

God’s sacredness is that He can’t be anything BUT Love.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Life is THAT Way

Our lives matter a lot

Boring they are not

But we got what we got

So life, let’s just give it a shot.

Try to pray

Living to play

For what is best today

Than following in God’s Way.

Excuses I generate

Don’t hold any weight

For I should not wait

To PRAISE God out of the gate.

Trouble will Trouble today

LIFE IS THAT WAY

But may we say,

I’ll praise God today.

And instead of stressing

Savor life’s testing

PERSERVERENCE I am guessing

Makes us count our blessings.

So let us continue the chase

Living life at our frantic pace

And what we best embrace

Is God’s everlasting immeasurable Grace.

AMEN

….

Comic shows Blondie’s Dagwood saying: this movie will seem boring compared to what I have been through my life… TRUE…

Truth over Trivial Trinkets, in My Calamity of Clutter

I’m taking just a brief moment to pause my house cleaning, which is five years overdue. My friends are coming in and we will visit together and then travel together. I’m giving them my room to stay in for 2 nights, so you could imagine I have a lot of de-cluttering and cleaning to do. I DO have (well have had since I have been cleaning for 5 hours) a calamity of clutter, a disaster of a dustbowl that should be ditched in the dustbin, but I want to scrub the stuff even if they are trivial trinkets… (Not don’t even get me started on having too many t shirts – that is not today’s trouble)…

(And I thought the pollen was bad enough for my allergies. This dust and yesterday’s old papers must – whew it’s a sneezing wheezing gust!)

Now there are dishes to discard, charms that can’t compete, even a chik fila cow that I’m moooo-ving out. Donations for someone else’s cleaning of clutter. Just way too much… and then there’s rocks and sea shells, so sweet at the time, trust me, I don’t remember half the rhythm or the rhyme of their collection time. Just wanted a memory, but all I remember is that I must have enjoyed the moment.

Yes, I’m organized but I do have too much, we do in America – we are the results of depression era moved into collection era and now crushed by it all era. And yet, I love my stuff and so Lord, please don’t take it away, just help me sort to straighten and patiently purge preciously, as my mushy memories are in play.

So within these piles are precious papers, truthful tons of tomes: and special these include my own spiritual special biblical writings AND my many biblical books. And now my recent acquisition of a 1950s set of the “Story of the Bible”, from a friend who saw it in her parents home for years. These are tremendous treasures of tome. (Not my beach reading rags.) These are to be read religiously and absorbed spiritually, and appreciated aptly. Then pass them on, as God’s Word is to be heard and reheard.

Whew…

And that’s why we enjoy scriptural sentiments and biblical books, because they are matters of this moment, not just of the past, but of the future and of the now… so I will shake off the stuff and save the sustenance of substance. SCRIPTURE IS SAVING FOR SAVORING.

Okay back to dusting, dusting off my memories, my hopes, and my hallelujah’s!!!

AMEN

Jesus for Us to Know, So Hi Ho Silver GO (to Him). Plus Christmas Cards that Glow.

I love these Christmas cards from the early 1950’s – they simply glow in beautiful colors and sharpness and in classic style. These were in my cleaning up of papers in the farmhouse – what a blessing to know that so many neighbors and family members and even the insurance company sent these cards in love and celebration of Christmas. These cards were produced even before the song “Silver and Gold” for the Christmas TV show “Rudolph” – but they sparkle in colors so bright!

Also in the cards, which stood out bright, were beautiful testimony pamphlets for evangelism from one particular friend (I saw these in multiple years from these lovely people). These speak truths of how to ask yourself deeply if you want to be Saved, reminding you to ask Jesus for His power to save you (save us). Bright and Bold – the questions are really BOLD. “JESUS ALONE CAN SAVE YOU. ARE YOU SAVED?”

The one pamphlet states: “All who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ are saved! The value of the work of Christ is put to their account by God and they are cleansed. They are put IN CHRIST and are ‘accepted in the Beloved’ (Eph 1:6). It is a matter of great comfort to the believer to know that God sees him IN CHRIST ‘clean every whit,’ a ‘new creation.’ ” – “HOW DOES GOD SEE YOU? Does He see you in your sins? If so, this is a dangerous condition to be in; for to die in your sins is to perish. But you need not remain in your sins. Avail yourself of the sacrifice of Christ. Make the Savior yours today and you too shall be ‘created in Christ Jesus unto good works’ (Eph 2:8-10).”

That Lone Ranger mini comic book from a box of Cheerios cereal was also among the papers – so cool – “Hi Ho Silver” the Long Ranger would say – speaking about his horse “Silver” – to get up and get going. The Lone Ranger on TV would restore order and bring peace to a troubled situation (in under 30 minutes or in several pages of the comics). But isn’t it even better that we know that Jesus will come to restore order – to bring us to God – to have each of our tears wiped away – and to bring us peace.

Because in ETERNITY – we do want Jesus’s rescue.

The scriptures stated on one of the pamphlets included:

John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Mark 16:16 “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

Matthew 25:46 “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.“

AMEN AMEN AMEN – Let us Hi Ho to our best rescue in Jesus. And then celebrate each Christmas SO BRIGHT – with a Savior’s Glow – Jesus is for us to KNOW.

AMEN

God Bless Grandma Love

Came across this poem for blessing Grandmothers and it brought me to tears remembering both of mine. These past few weeks have been sorting so many items of my one grandma from the farmhouse – from her hope chest to her wedding cake topper to the birthday surprises to the catalogs and bills from Sears, Wards, and Pennies…

And now including her sketch book as a girl – with these beautiful vintage figures – 1920’s heyday outfits for sure. I took photos and have included some.

My Grandma was wonderful – and my mom said my Grandma could not wait to look after our family. My mom would bring us over while she went to work part time – it was a wonderful time to be on a farm as well as learn baking and sewing and travel and play outside – idyllic now that we look back on it. I even remember laying back and watching clouds go by – ah those were the days. My grandma died while I was still in my teens – it was a tough time for my family – she held so much together. And oh the fun items we have found now in the attic of our cleaning at the farmhouse… I am blessed to be seeing so many of my Grandmother’s letters from her cousins and aunt from the 1920’s to 1950’s as well – and to see this sketchbook.

And in this 1940’s newspaper, I found this poem – so true…

God bless Grandmas everywhere!!! Then and now and let us be inspired to be Grandma helpers always whether we have kids of not!

AMEN!!!

Poem by Rowena Cheney

“Prayer for Grandmother”

Dear Father, please let Grandma do

Some happy little tasks for you;

Please see that heaven understands

She never sat with folded hands.

She knitted, darned, or sewed a patch

On little trousers – made it match –

And took the tiniest stitches, so

It was not noticed. Let her know

You need her. If a cherub tears

His rompers on the golden stairs

Please let her mend then Don’t forget

How well she tells a story. Let

Her entertain the seraphim;

And fill her heart right to the brim

With joy that comes to dear grandmothers

Only when they are helping others.

Mother Mary, Hold This $20

Do you ever think you were on Candid Camera? Feel like someone is pulling your leg?

Today it seems more likely that we are ALL on Candid Camera because there are cameras everywhere. But the thing about the TV show Candid Camera is that they were trying to see your reaction to something strange – whereas we simply live in times that are strange… what a relief as well as embarrassment when Alan Funt came out…

And the thing about someone pulling your leg? Well, life seems that way doesn’t it? Sometimes you just feel like you’re being picked on – or hit a rut… “Isn’t it ironic?” That’s a song that covers that sort of thing, those annoying ironic or other things that go against your wishes or progress. (Trust me that things could always be worse – and we do both need to count our blessings and not sweat the small stuff – but I talk about little annoyances because we are really living in a world of brokenness and whatnot…)

Well, recently I was in the laundromat, because I like to accumulate all my icky garden gloves and old crocs and old sneakers, and so I prefer not to wash them in my nice washing machine (go ahead and judge me, but well that is what I do…)… So it may seem a little cruel to bring it to the laundromat, but for a few dollars, I’m treating myself… So I went up to get some change, and a lady had just lost a twenty dollar bill in the change machine. UGH… She and a gentleman and I discussed it… We urged her to call the phone number listed (and she got her money back don’t worry). She packed up at that moment with no more money and left apparently without doing any laundry. I got my change okay using the other machine, but then my washer wouldn’t start. UGH… I’m like, is this double candid camera? Is there an electricity issue? I don’t know, but I truly felt like I (we) were being picked on… why Lord why?

So I go back to the machines to find that phone number and call it. Meanwhile, I look at the change machine and the twenty dollar bill had spit itself back out. WOW! But the woman was nowhere to be found. And so since I was on the phone with the very nice gentleman who is sending me my refund of three dollars, I said – what should I do with this bill? So I decided to slip the twenty dollar bill in the back of a picture on top of the change machine and that way it was secure and hidden, but known… it was a picture of the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is actually my favorite artwork of Mary. I texted a photo to the laundromat attendant, and he said he would tell the lady.

Okay, I packed up my stuff and I skipped that laundromat… (I went to a different one and yes today got all that washed!)…

So then I get a phone call, and the laundromat gentleman says the lady can’t find the money. And both of us speculate that it would be so awful if the guy watching us had taken it… so the laundromat man was going to check the video camera. And isn’t that a funny thing we get upset about being videoed normally. But in a situation like this, we were happy there’s a video camera… same with those people who like their dash cams, but I digress…

Well, back to that twenty dollar bill… the laundromat person texted me back to say the lady went but she was short, and she never took the photo down. He said he would check it out later that afternoon. Yes, he found the twenty, tucked still into Mary’s keeping. He will send that lady a check. And I was grateful that we didn’t have to suspect the third person… all is good… good!

Perhaps we should remember that no matter whether there are video cameras, or not, that there’s no bigger Entity in this world watching us ALL THE TIME than God Himself. And for whatever happens to us, whether we feel picked on or in a rut, He GOD picks us up. If we ourselves are not the goodie 2 shoes citizens we should aspire to be, and we ask for forgiveness, admit we are sinners, well, He will also pick us up. So regardless of being picked on, remember we are PICKED UP!

I appreciate Mother Mary in her willingness to be the Lord’s handmaid and serving, by accepting being chosen (not just she carried that 20, LOL). I appreciate that the Lord chose her, and that the Lord chooses us for random tasks and sacred ones.

One more thing about feeling like we’re picked on, well, seriously we need to stop our grumbling… I need to stop my grumbling, and we collectively and personally need to take a bigger picture attitude in this broken world. We need to frame and reframe things that look and appear like tests, and change them into testimonies of trust.

God is watching everything.

Including those twenty dollar bills…

Keep grinning and bearing it!

Amen

Polishing the Silver of our Situations

I started polishing the silver earrings that I never get to polishing – they pile up in the bathroom – but I did get a new tub of pink paste (the best and just like my father used, with the nice sponge) so I took the moment to polish. It is good to pause for those little tasks that need to get done at some point – and then find the time.

My silver earrings include these beautiful “Tree of Life” silver medallions, which are reflective of scriptural and sweet and soul-filling solace for God Himself sets that Tree of Life in our lives – and will again… These earrings are from a friend with whom I contemplate that someday we two will be sitting under this Tree of Life and enjoying the fruit of the season – snacking and discussing life and Heaven and everything – causually sitting while in awe that we are there – and in awe that we get to chat. That is my vision. And the scripture is Revelation 22, beautifully told to John by an angel as the vision of Heaven and the New Jerusalem: “…on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.”

And while polishing (my silver and my life and my thoughts), my ears and mind were filled with thoughts as in those moments, as I was also taking time to listen to a sermon from Pastor Joe Foechst of CCPhilly, available online, where I get to understand even MORE about how the Old Testament and New Testament secure a message that is to hit our ears – just right – to contemplate our faith and to be beautifully blessed by the sacrifice of Jesus to save us.

Today’s sermon was about Moses and the Burning Bush in Exodus 3 – and these things stuck me: Moses was not a shepherd trained from birth as he was in the egyptian pharoh’s household and had to learn to work – yes – and he had to learn to be a shephard and do so at an old age, and so Moses had to learn someting new – we too… Moses was called aside and the burning bush caught his attention – so what are the things that God uses to call us to His attention? Moses was told by God to take off his shoes it was holy ground – and that is that Moses like us are human and that God Himself takes us the rest of the way with His Grace and covering our sins. And that Jesus spoke the “I AM” speech to the pharasees who spoke of God in the past – and Jesus was reinforcing and meaning God is God and IS – still in the present – God is the God of “I AM”. Yeah….

Pastor Joe said we all need those times to listen to when God says: “turn aside” and pay attention to me. And then God blesses us with His Grace and Mercy.

Yes, let us let the small stuff go and don’t worry so much about earthly things – yes comply and make right – but for the grievences, it is like turning the other cheek from hurt and wanting to retaliate (as Jesus said) – then turn aside and pay attention to God, Who wants to bless us. Yeah I LOVE to learn and to contemplate and polish my scriptures and thoughts of my situation with getting the tarnish off… Yeah…

I believe that we are to be polishing the silver in our lives – we need to knock off the tarnish and then ask the Lord to go deep in the cracks. We are still worth it and worthy and actually more valuable made of such a precious metal – made from dust by God which is more precious than little sparrows and more precious than silver and gold because we are made wonderfully by the Craftsman Himself. We sometimes just need a little polishing of the silver of our situations.

Take time this day to contemplate where to trim where to hone where to rest – and where to simply BE. Most of all, thank the Lord for His care and insight – and for helping us be us – most beautifully. We need to shake the earthly dust off of us – and turn aside to listen to God. God wants our attention and He means it. Thank God.

Amen

—

The sermon is posted here: 31MAY, Exodus 3

https://resources.ccphilly.org/current.asp

Revelation 22 NKJV

The River of Life
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

The Time Is Near
Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.

“Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.

Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”

Jesus Testifies to the Churches
“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”

And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

A Warning
For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

I Am Coming Quickly
He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

—

Exodus 3:1-8
King James Version
Moses at the Burning Bush
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.”

So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!”

And he said, “Here I am.”

Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.

And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.

Simply Sweet Stewardship of a Saturday

Something seems so Saturday about Saturday. Simply one must steward the stewardship of Saturday as superbly as seemingly possible.

Started with SWEET strawberries from my special spot, after some sleeping in… Then shifted to stewardship of the lawn – swift work in morning mowing. Then stewardship of my sanity became simply a day of stuff to satisfy my “to-do” situation.

Sure there are seemingly stupid sorts of stuff to do, like solving a paperwork snafu of my Subaru registration and so at AAA, surely super Serena, so serene with a saavy smile, well she shaped up a solution for me like the snap of her fingers. And the small sweet figurine of Jesus set on her station saying: Jesus Loves You, as so soothing and something special, she surely set it there for all to see and know Jesus LOVES You SO!!!. Spirit-seen, Spirit -saw, yes.

SO, Saturday continued with some errands, like scoping out starter plants (tomatoes), and sorting shredding stuff, and swooping up saucepans and skillets from someone’s shedding supply of stuff.

Then shooting the breeze with neighbors, sweet… Subaru-ed a stop at a spot for saving money on a stand up screen tent to be my sun screen of shade to stop any stinging sunburn. SOLD!

Some shopping was in store too, for some savory stuff. (Seriously wash your stuff then wash your hands in sudsy stuff before consuming said shopping stuff (sauces and snacks and so on…)

So then the Subaru sombered on…

Somehow Saturdays we stop any sinking ships from stalling in our space. We work at not working but work for ourselves and self-satisfaction. Sometimes we might simply show up to suffice the support of someone. And sometimes we are solo. Sometimes Saturdays are simply saved for a special stewardship of Saturdays…

Stopped in my special spot for sustenance. Then, I slipped over to the special sale of salad stuff at the special market. STOP THE PRESSES, walking in I was stopped super stupefied in my tracks – for there was a stone, one I wrote on, especially set up in display at the entrance, I made and then planted said stones maybe two years ago, and now they were sitting front and senter of the said salad stand. Two stones actually, one with a saying I stenciled, and the other by a friend at a festival, then scriptures spirit-supplied. So then said stones were stashed in the stand’s corner, so someone would have to see it as a sign. And there it was, now, sitting for everybody to see, me too, set prominently positioned, holding down papers of Spiritual purpose… SO special SO surprised SO not surprised that the Lord uses us for His service… AND SOMETIMES HE SHOWS US…

“FAITH, HOPE, LOVE, ABIDE THESE THREE; BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE” and “Hope, Joy, Faith, Love, Peace” SO SPECIAL.

Stones which cry out when we stop sheepish in our praise…

SPECIAL…

The rest of the day (working the soil, sorting stuff, showering, and sitting), I kept remembering that the Lord had shown me SUPER special spirit stuff – on a Saturday – and made me SMILE.

Sunsets now on Saturday setting successfully, and so on… How else special to spend a Saturday, but in stewardship of some precious time in service… Ah I smile…

SO, let us try to be of service, to others for sure, to ourselves in sanity, in soothing, in time saving well spent, or simply snoozing. And simply steward Saturdays in the Spirit, Simply.

SWEET…

Amen

More than Oprah Money, God has God Goods, Romans 8

OK – I decided to spend the money – $25 for this month of Ancestry . com – because I already used my free trial – and well, I wanted to see the names and info of my cousins who’ve I’ve never met. Was it worth it? I think so – and we will see – because it seems now after just a little digging – I HAVE EVEN MORE COUSINS THAN I KNEW!!! YES, it is if Oprah is saying: “and you get a cousin and you get a cousin” – mimicking her car giveaways… Yes – I have the info and am still digging for these new insights into cousins from this other side (I think I depleted all my leads on my other side so I am digging on this side) – so many of our immigrant ancestors landed into NYC area – through Ellis Island – and yes I have been there and felt the enormity of my life funneled through the masses who decided it was worth the risks to go to this new place – AMERICA – wow…

SO, for this new branch that I am researching – I am combining reading historical letters from the late 1920’s, the 30’s into the 40’s from NYC – not a small community even then… LOTS of people… But they kept really good records – Thank God. Not all the things in the letters are good – there is talk of the depression conditions – there are classic family issues which are not really talked about but you can imagine – but also the ends of each letter are filled with love and best wishes – and you can imagine that they loved each other so deeply over the miles – these letters were their lifelines.

Especially in these letters from cousins to cousins, there were pleas to write back and also to visit or tell them when they could visit. Even in the great depression they tried to get together but mostly they didn’t get to see each other – they all just didn’t have the time or the means – and well a farm to run and well NYC was a ways away back then… Much of the letters included info about the weather and the children and the work or lack there of – one set of cousins said they left one job to go dig for worms and sell worms – and then lost that business because worms were being imported from Boston to NYC – yeah job loss… I have heard that what really pulled us out of the great depression, economically, was the influx of WW2 and the money spent on it. Yes – I have read in these letters of cousins who died in the war too and cousins with cancer and other ailments. These people are people just like us – we all have to deal with somethings…

And multiple letters told of the yet another child to our cousin. So – I now have the names of my cousins (and great greats) including a set of MANY children from one branch of the family. Maybe there are some still alive but not sure – wouldn’t it be nice to connect? maybe? maybe that is awkward but then again maybe not – and maybe over in that branch they are also longing for connection? Only God knows…

One letter told of the death of the patriarch of the family – “Papa” but not sure which Papa that is yet but the letter closes with “well, his troubles are over now.” – And that is the truth that in Heaven our troubles will be over and God, who collected our tears will rejuvenate us in both a spiritual and physical sense – no more pain – rescued with His Love. Let us hold onto that HOPE now. And know the LOVE in advance.

And so I can look up the streets they lived on as well as the street corners of NYC where they had fruit stands and stores – and yet those buildings are gone and the shops are gone – and the people are gone – but are they? NO – I don’t know how we can sense that our families are still alive than just to know it – we know it – we sense it – and we are to believe it… They are alive in God – and in our hearts… yes, and with me finding Christian symbols and pamphlets and a plastic cross – well, that soothed my hopes over my fears of never knowing. I pray and I know that like Oprah giving away cars – God says: “And you get a cousin and you get a cousin and a grandparent and a great times 20 great grandparent – and you get BROTHERS AND SISTERS in Christ” – yeah….

Yes, More that Oprah Money (which I wouldn’t mind having too) – God gives Good things – “God Goods” – that are eternal and not just the earthly things we enjoy = ALL GOOD THINGS ARE FROM GOD. (Romans 8:28 and all of Romans 8). God gives us the things and the hope – and the life everlasting through Jesus who cleanses us and covers our sins so that we are forgiven and forevered. Remember the people who you know and don’t know now – who DO know Christ and ask for His forgiveness – will ALSO be cleansed and renewed and restored in Heaven – and all will be OK.

Well I will go back to digging – 1920’s 1930’s 1940’s 1950’s census and then maybe will find birth and death records and might have to renew my newspapers .com subscription too – not to do this obsessively but fanatically – as a fan of the gifts that God has given in information AND LOVE.. GOD GOODS ARE GOOD.

“And you get the LOVE – and you get the LOVE”… Thanks Lord…

Amen

Romans 8 NKJV – a letter from Paul to the Romans
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.

MAYBE MINISTRY is for EVERYONE – MIN IS TRY

MINISTRY – oh I realized this spelling last night and couldn’t wait to write about it.

MIN IS TRY – MIN is minimum – and “minimum is try” – MIN-IS-TRY – YES – for each person to have a ministry – the minimum is to at least try – be real – just be yourself… and like the book of James suggests, Let us be real. Let us tap into God’s wisdom over devilish disaster talk…

James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.

WHY? Because the Lord calls us to just be ourselves, to praise Him, to love Him because He loves us, and because we want others to understand two things: how amazing God is – and how amazing we feel being helped by God because that awareness is awe-inspiring and a hope we hold onto. Our ministry could simply be to believe more and show it. At least try. at MIN is TRY – MINISTRY…

James 3:17-18 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

So let us be listeners – let us be sowers of peace – let us be praising the Lord – let us be real and realize not our righteousness but that of the Lord and then sow HIS seeds to help make peace – let us not grumble at each other (James 5:9) – let us answer truthfully in what we know and not swear against heaven – Let your yes be yes and your no be no. (James 5:12)…

And PRAY… at Minimum, PRAY – at least TRY.

James 5:15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.

MAYBE MINISTRY is for everyone who at least tries – at MIN IS TRY.

AMEN

James 3-5 New King James Version (BIBLE GATEWAY)

The Untamable Tongue

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

Heavenly Versus Demonic Wisdom

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Pride Promotes Strife

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

Humility Cures Worldliness

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Do Not Judge a Brother

Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

Do Not Boast About Tomorrow

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Rich Oppressors Will Be Judged

Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.

Be Patient and Persevering

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.

Meeting Specific Needs

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

Bring Back the Erring One

Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

Been Historically Blessed, John 16

More digging into history today – love to learn from his history. I have “Been Historically Blessed” with more reading through my family letters and papers from the farmhouse which I brought down here to sift through. In letters from the 20’s – the 1920’s – I found a whole new set of family to connect with – if ever it works out – but not sure – but with DNA testing etc, and maybe some more newspaper searches, maybe I can connect.. They would have come from NYC into the Bronx and Wisconsin way back… I do think it is interesting that we search old time family and don’t always take time for current family – oh well…

So also in my farmhouse finds, the papers, I found ration books with coupons still in – I mean that is good – that my family (farmers so had decent food) had extra coupons – one set was my grandmother’s sugar alotment for canning – she had 4 coupons left – isn’t that interesting to think that food was rationed – even if you could afford it didn’t mean you could have it… Think about that – we expect and even demand – but there was a time when the people had to wait it out… So long ago and not so long ago. And because my family survived the war – that is why I am here today – if we are reading this then our ancestors got through some tough times and likely they prayed for us in their surviving. Been Historically Blessed. I even saw a letter from my grandfather back to the family with “X”‘s on it – like hugs and kisses notation in his sign off – really – the love that I read in those letters is so touching. And the war was hard on them – prevented them from travelling – broken society but LOVE was constant.

I love that I saw a toy from the old country mailed to the children here in teh US which contained a nativity – old old 1920’s likely – but the brilliant colors of the nativity stand out to me… I am thankful that someday I will see my family in Heaven – and meet them.

I also found letters that spoke of family members lost in war and lost as young babes – and sadness surrounding this… Broken health and sickness, death in addition to war shows the brokeness of sin entering our world – the perfect world created is a crumbled state often but we still have to reassemble the good we can from it – like that puzzle – jumbled but one can piece it together.

We live in a broken society – always have – and yet Jesus never changes and is the Alpha and Omega – beginning and end – and so we need to remember that He will take care of us – wherever we are in this life time. So, this bumper sticker that I saw today driving in the city struck me as funny, it said: “I am going but I want to know how did I get in this handbasket?” – meaning that the person was going to hell in a handbasket (old joke) – and yet if Jesus picks us up – well isn’t that more than a basket? that is a whole net – a whole hand – a whole pick me up body – footprints poem carrying style..

Jesus has historically picked us up – and He will continue… Scripture John 16 that I read yesterday in the Jesus Calling devotion book, by Sarah Young, recounts that our hope in Jesus is not diminished by today’s trouble – He told the disciples that they too would find sorrow and the solace in Him – because He has overcome the world. We too need to remember that and be Historically Blessed and Future Blessed. LOVE is constant – AGAPE love from God will never end.

Jesus said: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

AMEN !

John 16:22b-33 NKJV Jesus said: “but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Jesus Christ Has Overcome the World
“These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”

His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.”

Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Memories Yet to Come.

It’s so good to be home. I got to sleep in my own bed and started my huge piles of laundry. And I woke up this morning knowing that I had the whole day free to do a planned project of sorting through boxes of family history, paperwork, which I brought south from home north… i sat outside under canopy and worked all day in just concentrated absorbing of info. But really just a relaxed day to consolidate big boxes into a few. Photos and cards and letters and letters and letters throughout the depression.

It’s a tremendous blessing to look at memories even if they are not my own memories. Actually, I think there are “memories to come”, because one day in heaven, I pray to meet all these people. And wow, how many questions will be answered… i am looking forward to seeing all these people.

Yes, memories yet to come.

Some of the treasures include photos of my Great Uncle, serving in world war 2. He sent photos and many, many letters from training. W

Then he was stationed in the south pacific. There’s pictures of my grandfather and family working out the houses they built. And there are extra ration coupons from WW2. It’s also amazing the sugar allotment, apparently, my grandmother must have used like 50 pounds of sugar for her canning, in 1944 because there’s four coupons extra. For Memorial Day, remind us to remember to count our blessings. And the whole box of letters from the nineteen twenties with family that we have not yet connected with, praying for that!

But what really made me smile was the beautiful cards sent at easter and christmas, pictures of Jesus, these also remind me that the Lord is working to make himself known to everyone. I pray all my relatives knew Jesus. Jesus surely was looking for them. And Jesus looks for us.

Times change, they really do, but the Lord does not change.

I’m looking forward to my the future memories, my cousins, my grandparents, my many aunts and uncles and the whole family of God. Memories yet to come…

Blessed

Amen

And God bless the soldiers…

A Cup of Love, a Cup of Peace (and the Stanley Cup too) – Canada day 3

And so last Sunday, the rain stopped (except a real constant mist) and we went down to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto (a quick ride on a Sunday with more inexpensive parking) – and wow we saw the Stanley Cup!!! It was a great museum – packed with everything – a bit cramped in how much stuff but I would say that they were not lacking in amazing stuff – including the Stanley Cup itself – and the original bowl (cup) and the bands from the teams… Plus so much more…

The Stanley Cup… A Cup of Winning and Hope…

Lord Stanley’s Cup…

My lunch with my youngest was also a treat on this mini-vacation, because this was the day that he said he would spend a good part of with me – and it was a very nice restaurant – with fresh pulled mozzarella… After lunch, he then got me a hotel vending station-sourced ice cream and that filled my cup – because I was just then thinking of the day and the weekend and the “productivity” question that I always have of myself – and then when the ice cream came – it was not just a sweet treat – but it was an acknowledgment that I did indeed come to spend at least some time with him – and just be present – and that driving companion…

A Cup of Love…

Then – when he went back to the convention and to see his friends, I took the opportunity to go back to that farm village – the Black Creek Pioneer Village – where they have brought buildings from all over this area of Canada and placed them so wonderfully together. It was a free weekend for the visitors and MUCH better than yesterday’s rainy weather so fairly busy – especially with kids loving the mud puddles.

I enjoyed the displays and teacher/reanactors – but especially I enjoyed the peace – the refill of my cup of peace… squish squish squish went my shoes into the setting – and the cup of hot cocoa hit the spot as I sipped it while absorbing the scene. I loved the printer’s office – and the fragrant lilacs – and the root cellar – and the secluded section of this busy busy sprawl of a continuous city/suburb… One could see the tops of the sports stadium over the back of the farm – but the farm framed my view so wonderfully… I am not a romanticist of the farm life or old life – I like clean running water and modern plumbing too much – but I do love to reminise of my childhood days – and I love to see the preservation so that others can learn. Honestly, nearly all of the groups touring around seemed to be of the mosaic of Canadian peoples (remembering that America is a melting pot – but Canada is a mosaic of it’s many many country origins of people) – and that those people all need to learn about what their history is = as well as learn to count blessings. I found that there is so much peace in the plain pleasures of the past…

A cup of PEACE…

At the printers office – there was a reproduction of a newspaper and I honed in on a prayer: “Trust in God, and Persevere” – here are the words printed – (A CUP OVERFLOWTH WITH JOY)

“Trust in God, and Persevere”

“Brother, is life’s morning clouded? Has the sunlight ceased to shine – is the earth’s in darkness shrouded ? Cheer up, brother, let thy vision Look above: see, see light is near. Soon will come the next transition “Trust in God, and persevere.”…

“Brother, has life’s — receded, hast thou sought its joys in vain? Friends proved false when mostly needed, Foes rejoicing at thy pain? Cheer up brother, there’s a blessing Waiting for thee – never fear; Foes forgiving, sins confessing, “Trust in God, and persevere”…

“Brother, all things round are calling With united voice, “be strong!”. Though the wrongs of earth be falling They must lose their strength ere long. Yes, my brother, though life’s throuble Drive thee near to dark despair, Soon ‘t will banish like a bubble, “Trust in God, and persevere.”

“He from His high throne in Heaven, Watches every step you take, He will see each fetter riven (?) which your foes in anger make. Cheer up brother, He has power to dry up every tear and through darkest tempests lower, “Trust in God, and persevere.” …

“Brother, there’s a quiet slumber waiting for thee in the grave; Brother there’s a glorious number, Christ in mercy deigns to save. Wait thou ’til life’s quiet even, closes round thee, bright and clear. And till called from earth to heaven, Trust in God, and persevere.”

AMEN

Memory All Days, Joshua 4

Me. I just returned from Canada, missed Memorial Day parades and Ceremonies etc.

But wouldn’t it be good to have each day a memory day? Memorial Day plus Memories All Days, or divided between. One day remember ancestors, one day remember lost loved ones, one day remember the kids when they were little… etc

God bless our soldiers of war and peace this Memorial Day.

and we need a memory all days for when the Lord was good to us. Yes each day and all days: God bless the Lord for being the Lord.

Joshua scripture reminds of how he instructed his people to make a pile of stones that they brought out of the river when they crossed it. This served as a memory for their memorial day of how God gave them so much.

We too must remember. God takes care of us!

Amen

Joshua 4
New King James Version
The Memorial Stones
4 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: 2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’ ”

4 Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; 5 and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.”

8 And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the Lord had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.

10 So the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the Lord had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and crossed over. 11 Then it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over, that the ark of the Lord and the priests crossed over in the presence of the people. 12 And the men of Reuben, the men of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses had spoken to them. 13 About forty thousand prepared for war crossed over before the Lord for battle, to the plains of Jericho. 14 On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life.

15 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, 16 “Command the priests who bear the ark of the Testimony to come up from the Jordan.” 17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, “Come up from the Jordan.” 18 And it came to pass, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord had come from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet touched the dry land, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks as before.

19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. 21 Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; 23 for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

The Cost of Pentecost

It is Pentecost – the Church’s Birthday – POWERFULLY PLANNED.

But what does Pentecost cost?

Pentecost cost Jesus His Life on Earth. The Prince of the Kingdom of Heaven defeating the Prince of the World.

Pentecost cost the time of the disciples to give of their whole lives after. (and us too) it’s not PentecoAst but cost…

Pentecost cost but did not diminish the love of God to continue to Love always – and God freely gave that – and still does.

Pentecost costs nothing to us – but yes of our time and our dedication and our everything our all. So Pentecost costs us of us but paid by God.

Pentecost costs everything to the Lord – because His cost is our gain.

Pentecost is not a bargain – nor a freebie – not a pricey commodity nor a loss of capital.

Pentecost is the Holy Spirit pursuing the path and plan of God – by partaking in the push of the purpose of peace – given to people for perpetuity.

Pentecost takes Jesus, the Passover Lamb slain in Sacrifice, to become what is Passed out for POWER in POWER to Pursue People.

Pentecost is now our Possibility to Portray WHAT Participatory Praise will do for us – HOW Positioned we need to be – WHOM we need to Petition – and WHERE Peace will come from.

Pentecost puts the WHY into our WALK.

Jesus said – let the Holy Spirit help – guide to go – and push out FIRST the praise.

Jesus, the Promise, Promised to Help – to Holy Spirit our Path.

Our perception is that Pentecost is Priceless – Pentecost costs us to Partake in Jesus’s Plan.

Amen

—

Acts 1:3-5 After his suffering, Jesus presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 2:1-8 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?“

John 16:6-20

“I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. – “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” – The Disciples’ Grief Will Turn to Joy – Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” – At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.” – Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”

John 6:35 – 40 NKJV 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.”

God Bless You, Little Franky and ALL the Kids of Inquisitiveness

I am up in the Toronto area, near the airport and convention center, so not downtown in exciting Toronto but that is not important today because EVERYONE east coast got RAIN… So yeah, I was stuck in a hotel-home phase for today because well, I really didn’t and don’t feel like going out in the rain – did when I had to – but I even considered for a moment a door dash of decent food like pizza…

Trust me – I am fine and blessed and sitting in a hotel room that is nice and self-contained but honestly hotel life is more boring than it was when I was a child – at least then we were excited by the ice machine…

I am here because I offered to share driving with my youngest whose friend couldn’t make it to Canada (passport issue) for this comic-con anime north – so I came… I am happy to help with my kids for a safer experience, but me too – I like seeing new sights…

Jesus made children inquisitive – right? and made their parents want to take care of their kids…. Jesus said to let the children come – Scripture in Matthew 19:13-15 NKJV: Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

But wow RAIN – It is raining – and well it is going to continue to rain until night time. SO interesting as a meteorologist but not exciting as an outdoorist. I didn’t get back to the farm town that I had hoped so I am really glad I got there yesterday.

And for the convention folks, it is normally a great walk but today – ugh – the rain was/is so heavy (at cold cold 49 degrees) it is so icky… and the people (maybe one-fourth of them) have amazing costumes! I really did feel like I should offer to shuttle folks over there out of pity. I did force my youngest to let me give him a ride to the convention in my car rather than walk the 10 minutes (his friends were already there to meet up with) – and I did come back and see one pair – and offered them a ride – was nice just to help… These are all big kids here – having fun…

Well, back at the hotel, I realized I don’t HAVE to sit here in the hotel – I could leave in my car but after yesterday driving around aimlessly for couple hours, well, it is not so appealing to do that again in the rain – and trust me THIS IS CRAZY RAIN… And the timing of this forced “lockdown” for me is good in that I am forced to keep busy on my backlog of consolidating my writings by month into printed chapters – and faithfully I just finished 2 more and am now almost up to date – and that is what I promised the Lord I would do – so whew!

And I did go to the pool for a little bit – and that is where the loneliness – of being alone in semi-forced lockdown – got better because of Little Franky – YES – little Franky aged 4 was at the pool and he decided he wanted to tell me LOTS of things about being 4. He told me about his sister and so many things in 4-year old talk that honestly I didn’t understand them all but just nodded and smiled – sweet kiddo – isn’t it so nice that KIDS want to interact. God bless you Franky and all the Kids of Inquisitiveness. For sure that if a kid wants to talk to you that is a Holy Spirit connection. Surely it helps that I do look at a child gently in the face – maybe even wave at them – because I am a child too – looking at other faces. My mom is always looking for the babies and young kids to interact with. It’s a family trait.

I think that we are naturally inquisitive about each other and want to connect because God made us that way. Yes there is some being too nosy out there in the world – and the sinfulness of jealousy and gossip. But basic inquisitiveness is a blessing – it is also how we check on people – and relate to them.

And wanting to help is a gift from God too – in empathy. The lady next to me at the elevator said empathetically and compassionately: “oh you are SOAKED” – I smiled and said: Oh – I was just in the pool… LOL – not soaked from the rain but from the pool. And isn’t that what we should be too – in life – busy and blessed from the interactions – soaked in stories and sweetness like talking to a child. Being engaged in each other’s burdens…

There are times to step away from situations we can’t help (and 4 more sets of people I offered rides too said thank you but no thank you) – and then there are times we just are available to chat. Sometimes we need to express (says the expressive in me).

Jesus said to let the children come – Scripture in Matthew 19:13-15 NKJV: Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

OK – back to the collating of previous collecting of my thoughts. I DID get some food – as my youngest called me to pick him up and we grabbed some fast (and warm) food (PROTEIN yay) for the ride back to the hotel. I am nestled in for TV watching – more gym and pool tomorrow maybe – and maybe just maybe I will investigate if they have an ice machine…

God bless Inquisitiveness!

Amen

(thank you for listening to my rambling in the rain!)

Pleased as Peace. Oh Canada day 1

I had a good night sleep and really enjoyed breakfast with my youngest at a nice pancake place – it was good to spend time together before the festivities start for the comic-con thing that my youngest is attending – I am just hanging out today and tomorrow – and Sunday he said he told his friends that he was “going to hang out with his mom!” – wow! Time is precious!

In the meantime well, the hotel is a good homebase – with wifi and good clean room – nice shower and in a safe place – which is also walking distance for “the con” (short for convention) attendees. I like seeing their costumes (called “cos-play” for costume-play) – and I like the good kids in geeked out gear just having fun – I mean what would you want to do if you were 21? you would just want to have fun…

I’m older – 56 – well, I like fun too – but honestly I like peace more now – and I like travel – and I like a good bargain and I like not wasting time – and there are lots more things I like, now that I am older, and things I don’t like… like – TRAFFIC – and after a wonderful peaceful half an hour – I did like 2 hours in random traffic trying to see what I should do next (nothing) then come back to homebase for something after doing nothing – couldn’t even find a decent grocery store – here it is all sprawl sprawl sprawl – and the airport… oh well

I think that we always have to remember that the short stints of fun are surrounded by the mundane or maddening or messes – but when we get that small window where everything is OK – well that is our ponderance and pause and slice of peace.

So for me – after nice late breakfast and then forcing myself to work on the computer for a couple hours – I drove out and found the one place I wanted to see – the Village at Black River for the bliss of 30 minutes – oh nice – oh SO nice – it was a dream spot – it was heavenly peaceful and the weather was perfect – and for the last half an hour before they closed – I left the hustle and hassle of the traffic here and stepped into a whole other world – one that made me: PLEASED AS PEACE…

I really think that is what the Lord wants us to find in HIM – the moment to pause – the moment to ponder – the moment to be IN PEACE – peace amongst all the particulars of problems…

Trust me the time spent was so short but so worth it – both with my youngest at breakfast and with myself at the village with the beautiful buildings and the lilacs… I know it will rain tomorrow – but I plan to return with winter coat on and peace in my palate to pursue…

Pleased as Peace to pursue precious peace…

AMEN

I Can Through Christ, Not by Me Nor My Might

Well! Not only did I survive the ride, I mean the drive, to for the long weekend, I am blessed to watch my youngest grow more and more mature, including in driving… Yeah.

And trust me, even though you might think that my last couple days were slightly interesting, with the headlight thing, there’s no more tighter grip one can have in a car than on the “oh God”-bar, holding on, than when one is riding with one’s kid, newish driver but really a good driver, but WHEW, in pouring rain and winding roads for the first few hours. Whew… I prefer that I drive myself in my car… my hand still hurts from gripping and griping… whew… (but seriously I taught this “kid” on winding roads on purpose, they are good…) now I understand more of my own mother riding with me still, even though I’ve been driving for forty years, we just want to drive ourselves…

So yes, we made it safely, it’s a nice getaway.

But seriously, the scripture “I can do all things through Christ Who STRENGTHENS me” by Paul writing to the Philippians 4:24, is for much more than just for riding with your kid in a car. It’s for life it’s for everything. And ot is through Christ’s strength, not our own might or determination. I Can Through Christ, Not by Me Nor My Might.

Yes, it’s our weakness where He is made to show up as strong, because you stop relying on one’s own opinion, attitude, life-plan, et cetera – and instead find His Strength to push pull prod and ply…

And this is especially true when we want to be in the driver’s seat. Maybe this strength we need is seriously and simply to let HIM take charge, “Jesus take the wheel”…

Just add Jesus and trust…

I can do all things through Christ, especially TRY to.

Amen

A Blessing of Attitude

New photos yesterday of the car and the impaled headlight – just crazy – and this post will hopefully finish my complaining and move me to processing and then out to a new thing – and trust me there are new things everyday to get excited about.

So, my wonderful neighbor said the right thing to remind me – that it is a blessing of attitude to find as a “hidden” not hidden blessing in a situation like this – the attitude is what drives our actions and reactions and non-actions and how much more chaos we decide to put into the world or to refrain from doing so… And so my attitude started morphing from being mad to being resigned to “it is what it is” to being reworked to see that this attitude of gratitude and blessing of attitude is what will keep ME most calm and productive.

Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls.

And as for the first productive thing today, I cleaned out my purse while waiting at the car dealer for my inspection and the plan forward with the headlight. And with an organized purse, I then placed out many of my faith scripture cards from my purse for a photo – including the most important reminder to “Let your LIGHT SHINE” – yeah… It is OK to be angry and frustrated – but we should not let it damper our shine or let our whine affect our shine…

The funny thing about that headlight impalement is that it didn’t break any bulbs – actually my whole car passed inspection with no bulbs out – which is unusual for me – and well, the LIGHT will shine – and I even wrapped my broken headlight up in plastic for the rainstorm – and thank God for the break in temperature. A cooler life and cooler head helps keep a cool attitude instead of red hot headed.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Reading the scripture cards and also having the nice interactions that I had today – well that was so good – and the clean purse – and the time on the laptop – and the ability to sit and think – and oh yeah, the time to file the insurance claim – good…

And so let me and let we to pray for a good attitude towards life in all it’s minor hiccups. And my tshirt? a homage to the Grateful Dead: “What a long strange trip it’s been.”…

The Proverbs 17: 19, 20, 22, 24, say:

Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.

One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

Proverbs 25:26-28 NKJV

A righteous man who falters before the wicked Is like a murky spring and a polluted well.

It is not good to eat much honey; So to seek one’s own glory is not glory.

Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls.

AMEN

Maybe the Blessings are for SOMEONE ELSE

Boo to the frustration !!!

I know Jesus suffered all our emotions too – and one that I suffered from yesterday was frustration along with anger and impatience and being rushed. Jesus, You understand, I know You do.

So, my frustration came from both the hit of a piece of plastic edging from a truck, likely, and my frustration came from the impaled piece of plastic into my headlight – yeah!!! Frustration and anger came from 1) hey! it hit my car – my beautiful blue car (I am not usually vain, but I love my Subarus!) and 2) I hardly ever run on those roads anymore but that route is a nemesis to so many, and 3) ugh – the expense and insurance claim (again) – but maybe not – we will see this morning when I take it in for my inspection… and 4) me NOT seeing the blessing in it – because I am always looking for the blessing – and yet know that we don’t always see the blessing – even if it is divinely just pulling closer to the Lord – in either concern or care or “Can’t believe this!” ugh…

Yeah – but yeah – all that truth of “it could have been worse” – “glad it wasn’t your windshield” – ” glad you are safe” – yeah yeah yeah – in the moment that IS the blessing that people care and the blessing for people to reset your emotions and your focus – we want to stay angry (I still am but less this morning than last night)- and I do appreciated the best wishes, but geez – the impaling of plastic rubber into my headlight (and the small piece that flew over my hood, hit my windshield) – well, it was just plain annoying… Geez, I STILL asked the Lord:where is the blessing in this?

Well one blessing was this lady who saw me paused in the parking lot and with that worried look on her face said: “do you know you have something sticking out of your headlight?” (5 minutes had passed and I didn’t know – did not see it. And we co-commiserated – I am glad that the Lord puts those kind people in our path. And I recounted my story to her, saying I thought only one piece had hit and flew over me. Well, no… but it is a blessing of processing we have. (and trust me I am thankful for the safe landing of this piece in my light and not my windshield)…

And then I thought of another blessing last night (also from a justifying processing – not that I was bad but there must be a reason somewhere) – and I was remembering another subaru thing a few years back – maybe this blessing was BOTH the above of not being hurt – AND the blessing is that this plastic impaled into MY car and – and NOT into someone elses – yeah – yeah yeah – that is how I will frame my thinking – my subaru clean up crew gave it true – it took the plastic away from the roadway… Maybe the blessing(s) are for SOMEONE ELSE… yeah…. yeah – and thus I remembered my red car and someone side-swiped it while I was stopped and they missed everyone else and hit me without injuring me and I thought at that time – maybe it was me taking the impact to protect others… maybe this impaled piece is that too… blessings for others – subaru sweep up team…

And that is a suffering that Jesus understands – taking the hit for someone else – actually for EVERYONE… Taking the hit and consequences and paying the deductible too – insuring it would all work out by His plan from before time – Jesus is the Alpha and Omega – there from before we were – and with us now – and with us forever…

Thanks Jesus for understanding our being suffering (even if ours is trivial like this is for me) – Thank You Jesus for understanding anger and frustration and feeling rushed (I felt rushed and not able to look up the road situation or call the highway department – as I was on my way to a science event which was worth it – and much better seeing friends and new friends than worrying about the light – just parked the car and walked away for a bit (and yeah I put the impaled piece in my back)). And THANK YOU Jesus for your grace and mercy of any of my sins of speech from those feelings of anger and all that – and thank You Lord for forgiving us for ever – thank You Jesus for everything…

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” – Romans 8:18

OK – onto today and remember to deal with the feelings and not let them fester – and remember to think about the others – and thank you for letting me ramble this morning – life is full of flying fluff and hard stuff.. Just keep rolling…

(and yes I already have an appointment at early at my favorite Subaru place for an inspection… God pre-prepares our path)…

Amen to Jesus – and not to my rambling…

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Proverbs 2 NKJV

The Value of Wisdom

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: