170
Seven – 31MAY
I love my little “seven” he has grown so well…I can’t wait to see him in full resurrected glory….Sigh….caterpillars to butterflies always symbol of Christ and rebirth… But also the most fun to watch…. We did this all the time as kids with monarch caterpillars at my grandparents farm…
Also like those confirmation kids today, they are in their butterfly chrysalis stage too, I can’t wait to see how they all come out…
169
Christmas Present, 29MAY
This year, ever since my spiritual awakening started with the Christmas season, I have taken even MORE time for myself to think about my spiritual growth… Think it all out… I sit and think… I work and think… and I write to process… I have tons to do, but no, I sit still and think more than ever… hmmm… I do get some of my life busyness in too, because when God took my brain, He blessedly lends it back to me to get work done when I beg hard enough…
I am sure if I keep my focus right on God and focus on the gifts handed me everyday, that I will be fine…. I pray for discernment always…. a few extra hours in the day would be nice too – but God already moved a mountain for me – I don’t expect him to move the clocks as well – just because I have so much I WANT to get done!
It’s HIS will, not ours…yeah… God wants the best for me, yes, but why did God take over my mind so much to achieve that? What’s the plan? I know, I know, the plan is not mine to know….Yet where is my discernment between God thoughts and my thoughts?….where is my God-stillness?… Because You are cranking thoughts thru my head, God, I would have to say that You Yourself are NOT still… God swirls in my head, I am getting used to it, I am just trying to keep up!!! But yes, God, apparently YOU have a plan, so go ahead… fill my mind… Ask me and I will follow… “This ship is ready to sail, so to speak…”
Anyway, I have to say that I feel blessed that this year God apparently picked me to be the “Ghost of Christmas Present”…. all year… Yup even now in early summer… It’s probably because I was not 100% in the birth of Jesus last Christmas…. so now that I am, it’s Christmas all year this year! In “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens – we see the ghost of Christmas Present with jovial larger than life bursting Christmas joy. He says “Look at me, you have never seen the like of me before!” Yes that is so true for me… I am very unique….always have been… but aren’t we all? I used to want to fade into the background when I was growing up, but not anymore… Christmas Present, I am here now and I love to stir up the mix, lend elbow grease to situations, pour water on stick in the mud people like Ebenezer Scrooges, encourage people already light years ahead of me, by trying to make difference and show my strength by my enthusiasm and my smile. I always did. I always will. I do appreciate this hand that God has dealt me.
But the MOST important aspect to me being this unique ghost of Christmas Present is that I get to SEE JESUS in people everyday! Because, I now know and appreciate what Jesus-like qualities are, I get to look for them everyday in ordinary people! Yes, even go out looking for Him wherever I am. And yes, who knows, maybe I will take a couple of those Ebeneezer Scrooges along for the rides off their life…
Perhaps my spirited life-look with this intensity will change based on the season’s of my life, the tragedies I know I must face in the future. I still FEEL young in spirit years…. Who knows… only God knows! In the meantime, I’ll just keep being Christmas Present today… not Ghost of Past, not Ghost of Future… Just be Christmas Present... Yes, that’s the eternal Christmas present to myself…. Actually, that’s God’s eternal Christ-present to me… to all of us!!! That’s why God took over my mind, told me to look for Jesus and to follow Jesus….eyes and ears open.
Merry Christmas!
Jesus came, Jesus is coming, Jesus is here – right now.
Going to go look for HIM today and everyday.
Amen
168
“But a Day to Live”, 30MAY
I love this little “Windows to God” book I found in the church closet, good God tidbits….. This one about living like it was your last day on Earth….. I pray to live more like this…..
but I hope it’s not my last day today, I want to sneak in a couple of yard sales today, lol….
I just now got a text message to go over to a friend’s yard sale, go figure…. God loves yard sales too… Reusing and re-teaching Jesus’s life stories, God is good!
167
Bull, 29MAY
LOL, just the other day I called myself “A bull in a China shop”…. The rapid awareness of full Christianity, 0-60 in seconds flat…
So I laughed (outloud) when I saw this quote this morning:
“Jesus is the original “bull in a china shop.” Is Jesus nice? Yes, of course, but when He is, He’s scandalously nice. He’s nice to all the wrong people, and He’s offensive to all the wrong people.”
— Rick Lawrence
So yesterday someone asked me what they should do for a birthday for a not so popular person… She thought to herself “I will ask Debbie”… I said just be nice… This person was relieved…. She felt the guilt because the rest of her folks were just being resentful towards that person… I said: “Why not just be nice? Just be nice”… I reminded her that one should always “take high road”, and if anything she would feel better about being nice to this person…
“Is Jesus nice? Yes, of course…. ”
Is Jesus a bull in a china shop?
Yes. I can hear His crashes still, 2000 years later…. Loud and clear!
Scandalously nice. Nice to the wrong people. Offensive to the wrong people. Real.
164
A Glittery God, 27MAY
I united the sparkly lanyard I bought on our beach girls mini-retreat trip with the glittery cross my cousin gave me on my trip… I will keep them in my car for the blessed memories and blessed journeys… It sparkles in the Sun and we ALL sparkle in the Son, the biggest star of all!
How truly blessed I am to have a glittery life, amazing family and friends, and 100% a faithful and often glittery God…. Amen and thanks be to God for all of you. You glitter God to me endlessly!
Tom Petty is so important to me (I remember vividly being in such tears and broken down state sitting in the car at a pizza place one evening, about twenty years ago, and listening to “Walls” over and over… I would say that the song gave me strength, and I pulled myself out of the worst down state…. So with the seriously amazing counselling of both my friends and going to my old church where the sermons touched my heart and brought me to tears) all those things brought me back up…. And how things improved from there…. Whew…. And I never looked back but kept building and building…
It IS nice to not look backwards but to reflect on how I awakened…. God must have made me write these for a reason… “Supernatural Radio” – I had always enjoyed the song but it never spoke to me like it did when I was awakening… Thanks Tom Petty!
The same cords as Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin” are used in ‘Only LOVE……. Only they LOVE of MY Jesus…’ Wow I couldn’t have said that a mere five months ago, but it warms my heart so now… I can’t wait until this Christmas, it will be my first REAL Christmas, oh my how awesome is that!!!!!
Today was one of those diamond days.
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163
Moving Mountains? What’s the Limit? 24MAY
I wonder. I wonder many things but I wonder why I wonder if God puts limits on the number of mountains he will move for you – probably not – but it’s a valid question…
I wonder if collective prayers work better than single prayers – and I wonder why sometimes we get caught up in praying for OUR will, and instead pray for GOD’S will… even Jesus had to admit that his future was up to God – Matt 26:39 “But do what YOU want, not what I want.”…
So, “Everything is possible if you believe” my new bumper sticker says… “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Mark 19:26
An unusual occurrence for me this past Sunday, and I wondered about the limit of moving mountains because someone visiting our church was asking everyone to pray for a very unusual occurrence… Hmmm… she really asked and asked for prayers – was probably there for at least an hour… moving person to person… she kept asking and asking….
I had genuine concern – but also I couldn’t help but wonder about my own motivation as I assessed the situation and my time schedule… My brain was balancing her concerns and my concerns about how do I deal with this situation. In this instance I could have easily said: “I got to run” but that was not what my responsibility was at that moment …it was a REAL request for help in the form of prayer… I was mixed on what to do but I decided to stay and rally the troops for a big prayer… Were my prayers directed ok? Were they on target or confused since I was still thinking about my time crunch? Was God going to get mixed messages from me? or were my mixed prayers (some for her, some for us, some for me) enough? that sounds terrible to say – of course ALL prayers are what God listens to…and He knew my motivations while I was mixed up in my own head…
But that’s the crux of the issue… are prayers enough?… We might say it but do we REALLY believe that ALL things are possible? All those gathered there are dear friends of mine and have been crucial in my own faith journey – one afterwords sent me this scripture from Mark 11: 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours…” This scripture and this unusual situation brings up an age old question: Do I truly believe – in a specific manner – that God can move the mountains in HER life which were really unknown to me – but seemed insurmountable at that moment – Would this be possible from JUST from my belief? Why would I doubt? Did I spoil the whole cart with my doubt? I will never know.
People say that God answers all prayers and sometimes he says “No” – so that seems a valid thought… Normal questions are like “what’s your plan God? why now? why is this person/situation in my path today? why do I get to choose to either ignore the situation or pay attention to it?” What am I supposed to do when I have hundreds of these requests filling my plate? This was actually the second person who asked me that day to ask to pray for them… and the first time I had to acknowledge, pray quickly and move on because I was running late…. hmmm….
So – how many mountains can you move for me, God? is there a limit per day? she asked me to pray for her everyday, do I roll her prayer up with everyone else I pray for – a big group prayer???…
God knows better than I do where to draw the line… praying to God for discernment has been my prayer throughout time… still praying that…
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Mark 11:22-24New International Version (NIV)
22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly[a] I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
162
24MAY Pentecost
Pastor R today was our guest preacher – and he spoke of the Holy Spirit being “the person-hood of the Holy Spirit’ – Here is my “sermon-report” kinda like a book report – I didn’t mean to take notes but when he said the Holy Spirit was not an “IT” I thought I should write down what the Holy Spirit was… cool….
After the service I shared with him and his wife that I was grateful for a training he shared approximately 10 years prior, of how to share communion during home visitations… that even after training I still did not feel ready to give communion… But fast forward and when the Holy Spirit got a hold of me, the Holy Spirit brought me up to speed. The Pastor was so pleased to hear that – and I was so very pleased to tell him, especially since of all days, it was Pentecost!
In the sermon (I took notes) he spoke of the 5 main events – Incarnation (Birth of Christ), Atonement (Crucifixion), Resurrection, Ascension, and Pentecost – and he reminded everyone that the Pentecost season is the longest season in the church calendar – (the sixth main event will be the 2nd coming).
Pastor spoke of the Holy Spirit not being “an IT” – but being a person of intellect and emotion, and WILL… the Holy Spirit acts not ONLY as a divine force but also as a person… that the Holy Spirit, just like people, can be blasphemed, grieved, etc…. that the Holy Spirit is also divine and has the attributes of God – eternal, all powerful, everywhere, all knowing, present at work, home, everywhere…
He said “The Holy Spirit moves us – convicts and convinces us that Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life. the Holy Spirit primary purpose is to build the faith in you – we are called to believe. The Holy Spirit keeps life from truly becoming “Hell on Earth”. We need to put on the full armor of God everyday… Evil is really pulling so many people away from God these days. God dwells in us – we should be more careful about how we live our lives and take care of ourselves and the God within us. Although Pentecost will not come again, just like Christ’s Death and Resurrection were one time events, we should expect the “blessings of Pentecost” to continually happen – we are to be filled with Holy Spirit forever…”
John 14 – Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—
161
Joni and friends blog, 23MAY
Thanks to a friend for the below blog, I have these hints of heaven, so awesome…. My heart feels so warm right now!!!! And awesome, after a parade, just got a blue flower, not a poppy, but a blue forget-me-not, which is my favorite flower!!! We are now on an outing as a family!! Yay! That really warms my heart!!!
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here’s the “Joni and friends” blog forwarded from a friend “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16:11
‘Will heaven’s ecstasy go on forever? Is it true we will never become bored? Will it really be as glorious as the Bible insists? God sprinkles hints of heaven on earth to give us an inkling–just a small glimpse–of how pleasurable heaven will be. I catch hints of heaven in magnificent sunsets that leave me breathless. I hear it in the haunting strains of Dvorak’s New World Symphony. I recognize it in the soft gaze of someone I love. I smell it in the ocean air when dark, gray clouds brew in the distance. If these are mere glimpses and hints of heaven, what will the real thing be like?
C. S. Lewis wrote, “The faint, far-off results of those energies which God’s creative rapture implanted in matter when he made the worlds, are what we now call physical pleasures; and even thus filtered, they are too much for our present management. What would it be to taste at the fountain-head that stream of which even these lower reaches prove so intoxicating? Yet that, I believe, is what lies before us [in heaven]. The whole man is to drink joy from the fountain of joy. In the light of our depraved appetites we cannot imagine this.”[1]
Every beautiful sunset, breathtaking symphony, or exhilarating taste of salt air at the ocean is not merely for your present inspiration. It is a God-sent gift to whet your appetite for your true home in heaven. Earthly pleasures never quite satisfy; God wants you to sing “This world is not my home; I’m just a-passin’ through.” In heaven we will keep getting smarter, wiser, younger, and happier. The unfolding of the story of redemption will have us taking one gasp after another, with our joy and amazement ever-increasing.
Oh God, open my eyes and heart that I might recognize “heaven” here on earth!
[1] C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1949), 14.
Blessings,
Joni and Friends
160
Romans, Yup Yup Yup, 23MAY and
Complaining, 22MAY (email chain start at bottom)
Yup, bible gateway verse of the day today is Romans 2…. About passing judgment, perfect duplicate verse this week (yes there were five duplicates this week too, sigh…) to drive the point home about complaining… I am so grateful for frank honest discussions with a handful of friends, like the one below, with a little humor thrown in…. (see bottom email)
But trusting God, I know that verse “that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance” is the truth, God blessed me (big time) to helps me repent… I take notice… I evaluate why I have the thoughts I do… I praise before the rocks call out… I look to God to repent big or small while I praise…
Last night thinking over these things, I saw a beautiful shooting star, I am not surprised, I had been looking to the heavens for quite a while last night and forever… I believe that if you look for God’s signs long enough, you will see them in multitudes… And I believe I won’t need to count the duplicate verses anymore (notice them but not count), because I look to God’s Word constantly. I believe that if you look for God’s signs long enough, you will see them in multitudes.. Yup yup yup……AMEN AMEN AMEN
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Romans 2 New International Version – UK (NIVUK)
God’s righteous judgment
2 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realising that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God ‘will repay each person according to what they have done.’[a] 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honour and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favouritism.
12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
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email to a friend…
I like this set of verse… Both for advice of how to live, and also it’s so wonderful that Christ gave the gift of teachers… I am so blessed to learn, and to have teachings pour out from so many sources…. Thanks
Ephesians 4 New International Version – UK (NIVUK)
Unity and maturity in the body of Christ
4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says: ‘When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.’
9 (What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Instructions for Christian living
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour, for we are all members of one body. 26 ‘In your anger do not sin’[d]: do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
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On May 22, debbie wrote:
>
> I love the honeymooners –
> I always try not to complain for there are so many worse off…. My grandmother was in a nursing home for 10 years from a stroke and diabetes and leg amputation – I visited her every other day with my mom or my dad – he visited her everyday… she NEVER complained – EVER! he roommate was the loudest screamer – I don’t know how my grandmother did it…
>
> When I do complain it is out of wanting something better for that person or our situation – and sure, of needing more help for myself… I don’t know how to remedy past perceptions of my complaining… I wish I had found the right way to motivate instead of complain… I have to discern now what I level of happiness I am entitled to – and what I just have to let go of…. I hope my motivation is always or the improvement of the situation to bring glory to what God wants – to vocalize what I visualize… and yet
I can not change the perception that others have… either way I have to pray on it…
>
> thank you for listening…
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> On Fri, May 22 xxxxxx wrote:
>>
>> I think it depends on what you’re complaining about & why you’re complaining kiddo. If you’re complaining about say a lack of effort by a colleague at work or by your kids that can help to motivate. If you’re complaining about everyday irritations such as traffic, an allergy attack, being sick, etc. just remember Jesus suffered through worse & He knows what human suffering is because He dealt with it too. Lately I’ve been experiencing pain/numbness. I can either complain which doesn’t help the situation, or I can take a muscle relaxer to help me sleep. If my boss complains because I didn’t do something the way he demonstrated I usually learn something useful. It’s the motivation for the complaining that can get us into trouble & disappoint God at times. The following Honeymooners skit demonstrates the worst kind of complaining on the part of the mother-in-law & it’s absolutely hilarious! Enjoy (& don’t complain!):https://youtu.be/92YQbNLnh_Q
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>> From: debbie
>> To:
>> Sent: Friday, May 22,
>> Subject: What does the Bible say? About complaining
>>
>> Well, I have two people telling me, in this last few days, that I have the right to complain about life things, I wonder what the bible says…..
>>
>> A pursuit of excellence or nitpicking????….take that log out of your own eye, don’t throw the first stone (those were more of the repeat verses this week…but they gets repeated alot lately anyway) hmmmm……
>>
>> Romans 12:2 ESV
>> Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
>>
>> Philippians 2:14-16 ESV
>> Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
159 Autocorrect, Sin Trials, and Spring Pruning, 20MAY
I am so re-convicted almost everyday of complaining or doing something not in the right Christ-centered mode and then find myself in the exact wrong position I complained about!!!! You should have seen my terrible autocorrect to a former professor of mine and then on top of that – I pocket called him three times and send a gibberish text and even a photo – of a poinsettia (luckily not something else) – whew – God laughs at me – at least it was not to someone who would think less of me – this person already knows I am crazy… sometimes a friend says: “there goes Debbie trying to save the world again!”…
These thoughts are so fitting with last week’s conversation with my professor about not pointing out the sins in others first. That’s because I think this phase of my new Christianity is just that – I am being convicted on all the sins that I picked apart in other people – the sin of rushing – the sin of accusing people – the sin of a few other things I can’t mention in an email – none of them to a terrible level – but still I am being shown how painful they are to be burdened with… Like a cliff-note version of sin instead of the whole book and WOW, God is whipping through these lessons so fast on me – I can’t even imagine what next months lessons will be!!!! (But actually I think it is the Devil trying to grasp at straws and making a last ditch effort to see what he can catch me on… And when I just show him my Jesus card he retreats and he says “rats, foiled again.. “…
I really want to pause time and just sit down on a rock for a bit – I am so blessed that my friend sent this encouraging email today – and sent a visual youtube video today of the book of John – wow – it is awesome and I randomly picked a place in the three hour movie – and it was where Jesus went out into the desert to retreat himself – I am so in need of that – just retreat myself for a short time – (actually I want to catch up on work first – then retreat) – I think that being recent trials meant being pruned in the spring time – and that has been very painful compared to when I had been regrafted painlessly in the winter. These trials, although are not earth-shattering, are still painful…. and so that phrase “You did not choose me -but I chose you so that you would bear fruit – well – little snippets coming off me in this spring pruning is tough…but it will cause me to bear more fruit – I know this because I believe it….
Last week I was reminded the possibilities of “if you are hated – remember that I was hated first” – whew…. and I was reminded of my Bernadette confirmation name – in the movie the nun (who tends to Bernadette in the convent) is so harsh on her because she was never pained and because she was seemingly naive and had not been through enough teachings, enough endurance, enough pain, enough trials to be worthy in this nun’s eyes to claim to have seen a divine site – “That there is no promises of a good life in this world, only in the next one” – and the nun is ticked that Bernadette hasn’t seen this pain – and then a few months later she is noticed limping in prayer walking and although she has never complained, turns out she has this terrible diseased leg – and dies soon after – and the nun has been convicted of that statement – the nun totally believes – because Bernadette must have been so saintly to have endured that pain… and never complained…
So – where am I going with this thought? Well, I am not being pushed down into the depth of the great pain and suffering – but I am tasting a little of this and a little of that to get more appreciation of the pain/temptations/distractions of everyone else – enough but while still being able to be focused on Jesus and saying – “oh yeah – that happened because I said that” or “oh yeah – that happened because I did that” – well – painful springtime pruning ! Lord knows what kind of fruit is going to come out of this situation – but whew – God is good and in control…. overwhelming and I better stock up on those pen caps – because I am going to need them – going to be a stressful chewing time while I spin through these minI trials… maybe I need to match them up with the 7 deadly sins to see what score I have so far…and what is coming next….
158 God knows us… Christmas happens, 20May
I have always been a visual learner, God knows that and has blessed me greatly because of it….I remember the beauty, the symmetry and of course the colors of life.
I am also an emotional learner, God knows that and has blessed me greatly because of it. I will remember not all of the actual text in a conversation from years back, but the emotions in the room, who was sitting where, and the gist of the conversation and end result….
I am also a fast processor, my brain zips faster than my mouth… I have already made it to the end of a conversation before the other person had spoken it… Drives everyone crazy!!!
So of course, GOD just uses HIS knowledge of me to HIS advantage… the right time, the right people, the right places, the right visuals, the right emotion, everything right….. And that’s how he pulled me into being 100% with Jesus… I get it now, Jesus is 100% real to me… I see HIM and feel HIM.
I get to visualize HIM everyday because I look sideways to the people around me. Visually I look up, as well as around me, to see and praise God as a whole. The stars, our moon, the planets, our everything…
I get to feel HIM everyday because I reach sideways to the people around me. Emotionally I reach up, as well as around me, to feel and praise God as a whole. The smiles, our laughs, the tears, our everything.
ALL in ALL – God is God – and we get to tap into that unbelievable power when we put Jesus into our hearts our minds and our souls.
Today’s visual learning reminds me of emotional learning that causes people to become Christians – to give their lives over completely to God and His power. I have two poinsettias, one at work and one at home, they are still beautiful months after Christmas. They are both over 2 years old and they both turned red this year, but for different reasons. One sat peacefully in a windowsill on my desk and the changing seasonal light durations translated into physiological growth changes, inducing the mechanism to grow red leaves… It’s a response of phytochrome sensors reading the “red” to “far red” light wavelengths…
So you could say this poinsettias saw the light – and Christmas happened…
The other poinsettia was outside growing beautifully in the shade all summer. When it was time to bring it inside for the winter, one of the two plants together had root damage, and not long after that side recovered it started growing red leaves, while the non-stressed side remained growing green leaves…
This was not a photo induced changed ( both saw the same light) so you could say this poinsettia saw the stress – and Christmas happened…
So what does this mean when people become Christians?
It means some people SEE the LIGHT… visual learners… It happens when they realize God is in control… The visual clues are too difficult to ignore anymore… It changes them, and they call out and find peace and release in the powerful saving of Jesus … Christmas happens… Christ comes into them.
It means some people FEEL the STRESS…. emotional learners… It happens when they have to give God control… The stress is too difficult to ignore anymore… It changes them they call out and find peace and release in the powerful saving of Jesus… Christmas happens… Christ comes into them.
What kind of learner are you? probably a mixture of both… well God’s got the plan, has you figured out, knows what kind of teaching will help YOU learn that Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life.
John 14:6-7
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Christmas happens….let it happen….listen and watch for God, everyday.
Amen
157
Article “spiritual not religious” re-building the church and Revisiting my Lego faith to Zipper faith’ transition, 19 May
“Whenever anyone asks you to speak of your hope,” the Bible reads, “be ready to defend it.” (1 Peter 3:15). “
This web article (see the link below) is freaky God, (LOL – I just wrote “really good”, but autocorrect made it “freaky God”…. So I just had to leave it…. That’s great!!!!)
Anyway, just like the conference Pastor and I attended, this article talks about spiritual but not religious people… And about the need too educate deeply in theology… And that is so true… If you don’t know the word, then how can you live it? And it is EXACTLY the same discussion for science… People are afraid of Frankenstein science, uneducated about the advancements, and scoff at basic research…. Just try to explain the similarities of genetically modified foods and plant breeding to someone and you will get challenged (but maybe some genuine interest, if you cultivate it)….
So, religious affiliations or not, the need to educate people is key… It’s the need for people who belong to something to get MORE educated… Only then can they begin the see that the churches are not trying to hold up smoke and mirrors… That there is meat in the bible lessons, that there are stories (lots of them) to be told… That when you LOVE the LORD long enough, he becomes more real than the velveteen rabbit.
The article states how bible education is key for churches to offer… And I would add that we need to find the deep, not often talked about stories, because there is some story for everyone to be touched by. It’s a foundation, as well as a set of building blocks… Legos, I wrote “Lego Christianity” on Dec 18, one of my earliest writings of where I acknowledged that my faith was in a changing phase… a change orchestrated by God, worked by the Holy Spirit, causing a little Christmas baby to grow in my soul, regraft me to the True Vine, thus enabling me to eventually reach my hand up for Jesus to raise me, like Jarius’ daughter, and to give me peace.
And that’s EXACTLY where my base education paid off, my base biblical education where I learned the bible stories for years and years IN religious school, church services, church meetings, teaching Sunday school, attending an awesome bible study class about the archeology of the Old Testament sites, and by reading the REAL word…
You see, now I describe my faith journey like a zipper, there was a peg not seated right I the middle where I wasn’t 100% with Jesus…. Once that peg was seated properly by patient nudging from God (see my Dec to Jan writings), the rest of the zipper was already intact and fairly smooth, because I knew and was educated for years on the BIBLE… And honestly it felt like that zipper was a big slide at the playground… And I know others have heard me squeal “Wheeeeee!!!!” As I quickly flew down the section of zipper I had already intact….. So much fun that I continually go back up for another ride…. If friction catches me, then it is a place to pause, catch up on a bible story and lesson I either didn’t know or most likely forgot, and a time to get the sandpaper out and smooth the rough spot on the slide for a better ride.
Trust me when I tell you that rereading the bible in a new 100% accepting Jesus mindset is like being a kid in a spiritual candy store… My hunger for food has truly been replaced by a hunger for scripture, for interpretations and pondering… “It’s the strangest thing” I find myself saying a lot, a fitting quote from a passage I read from a play about a girl raised from the dead….And that is the 100% truth, it is the strangest feeling to walk with Jesus everyday, every hour, every minute…. It’s the strangest thing to wonder if I will ever get used to this new life! My first Easter I walked into a dollar store and saw Jesus stickers and squeaked “oooh! I believe now…these stickers are for me too!!!!”. It’s the strangest feeling to have dropped two pant sizes (so far) from hunger-ing for the Lord instead of the stress eating…and having to actually remind myself to eat something… It’s the strangest feeling to feel and see God working inside of you, yeah that’s”freaky God” alright! And then to see the faces of those who see the change in me, to hear the words that I “exude the joy”… But it’s true, I think you can see the JOY all over my face….
It spills out…. I can’t help it…
God’s got some plan… He is busy lining up the players, getting them to go out of the building and build a new stronger church from the remnants of the old…rebuild Trust….
Trust God and go build the faith back up in those drifting. Trust God and go educate the masses. Trust God and stand up for faith so that they too can see the fruits of HIS labor….
Trust God, HE will most certainly support you, and keep your cup filled so that you can draw upon it daily…
Trust God’s plan.
It’s Freaky Awesome God! THANKS for stirring it up….
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Here’s the article:
http://eecp.umc.org/…/lessons-for-church-from-the-spiritual…
“Whenever anyone asks you to speak of your hope,” the Bible reads, “be ready to defend it.” (1 Peter 3:15). “
156, email with my professor (read bottom up)
I love having a professor and a whole church family – wow, do they ever nourish me!!!
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To: Professor
Ahhh… How often everyone throws that first stone!!! Sometimes they take a giant bolder to roll over others – so big that they can hide behind it to prevent themselves from being seen, lest they get a stone tossed at them for their sins!
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On Mon, May 18, Professor wrote:
Jesus puts such a big emphasis on examining and dealing with our OWN sins before pointing out the sins of others! So important.
————–Original Message—–
To: Professor
Subject: Romans 7 and Judas
This Romans scripture is such a key verse to match a conversation that I had about Judas – when Jesus said “it would be better if you were never born…”
– it is still up in the air whether people sin of their own doing and that makes it the most frustrating when you want to be mad as H-E-double toothpicks at someone and you just don’t know if they are really doing it against you or not – and of course I HATE the phrase “The Devil made me do it”- because this speaks to the fact that you certainly do have a choice to sin or not to sin and I pray that you choose to not sin… but in the case of Judas, it clearly states that “Satan entered into him” (John 13:27) – so yeah – Satan is real and tricky and working every angle…
154
Repeating scripture #1 this week
ah ha – another good example of repeating verse #1 for this week:
62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:61-62)
matches the web article that said “if we are yoked to Jesus and then let God do the plowing the lines will be straight – instead of worrying about us taking our plows every which way and that… “
this is the triple showing for this verse – last week a discussion about not looking back to your old life, a great discussion I had yesterday, and this blog post that showed up this morning… it’s one of those weeks again – replicate scriptures – be on the look out! IThere were 5 replicate scriptures last week – so cool!
155
Repeating scripture #2 this week – or is it #7 total between last week and this week?
Of course this could be number seven fun too… Seven is the number I received for my Facebook blog name for my writings… Five plus two for the five plus two repeat scriptures equals 7, my address numbers total 7. My parents address numbers also total 7. My father’s graveyard pre-purchaed plot is the same number as their house number – well… Today I named my caterpillar “seven” based on his shape… What other sevens I am not thinking of, hmmm….
Oh my… my friend just now texted me Jeremiah 29:11, which I email discussed this morning with my other friend. Oh, and my eyes filled with tears… Second repeat scripture for this week so far (after five repeat scriptures last week)….sigh… So blown away with God smiling on me, on us… Every day a blessing…. I wonder what else is coming this week…
Yesterday I told our sermonist friend about the five repeat scriptures last week, and he stopped to say his company is called “five” something (I didn’t catch the full name, and he pulled a five dollar bill out of his pocket that he found his dog eating that morning… And I said I lost a five dollar bill last week….just blew out of my hand…
Now God wouldn’t be pulling my leg would he? Well maybe…. Hmmm…
Peace… Enjoy God’s plans, I certainly am!
Tonight I have been pondering those plans….
I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU DECLARES THE LORD (JEREMIAH 29:11 NIV)
153
The Joy of Ministering, 18 May
LOL, God convicted me of my statement the other day about being able to sleep in now instead of early morning wake up calls to write…. Oh well…Thanks for writing on my heart God…even if it is back at 4AM
The Joy of Ministering, 18 May
I am so glad when I hear about small groups, because truly that is where faith discussions are the most meaningful… The potential for growth in ALL those folks is huge… To get them (all of them) to feel value :in their stories (I mean God’s stories) will translate into a higher spirit of praise in their lives and then perhaps they will feel comfortable to demonstrate how much the spirit has touched their hearts. Now that is the wonderful position God had moved ministers/teachers/leaders into…. You get to minister and be fed by the spirit at the same time. Give praise for how much growth and contentment you see in your flocks.
ALL in ALL, everyone who reaches out are blessed to get to set up the cups inside the people, stop them from being so wobbly by supporting their cups with firm foundations, and then let the SPIRIT pour into them, not spilling a precious drop… Isn’t that the joy in the ministering life? Cool…. Good job everyone, keep up the good work…
Smiles, have a great day setting up those cups. God bless you. Thanks and praise always.
152
I have been called Pollyanna, often…. I forget the hard times I remember the good times, I have no idea why. I just know that I have very little right to complain, especially with how much God has blessed me.
Last time I was called a Pollyanna…. My thought was “good for me, sorry you’re not one too”, “sorry for your downer attitude”… I have to say that I should pull back my Pollyanna now and be more pensive.
From 8th grade on, when I turned into an outward-facing person, I walked away from my shyness, left it behind, I have been an enthusiastic person ever since (annoying yes, sorry)… do I choose to show my dark places? no, I choose not to dwell there too long…. just like this book passage states (photos attached) from a book my Pastor gave me, the writer talks about a man who looks on the bright side even in tragedy. I know someone in real life who does this, he is an amazing 87yr old retired coach, a greeter at my children’s school….if I could be half as enlightened as he is at 87yrs of age, well that would be awesome….
I think that while I still am in my Samaritan woman “screaming through the streets” phase, my friends who truly know who I am, will just smile. They worry about me sure, but I believe they will understand until I settle down. So maybe people should get some earplugs… Let’s just say God figured out how to make my enthusiasm knob turn up to 11…. and plug it into the right channel.
I will figure it out…. Pollyanna or not, a friend of mine said: “at the bare minimum you have now found your spiritual voice.” – and for that I am truly grateful….
150, 15May
I had to laugh when I drove by the theatre company near my work and saw this sign…. I think I might have to go see this play…. “How to write a new book for the Bible”.
I wonder what that’s all about!
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151
15May
Apparently we moved from duplicating scriptures to duplicated books today…
What’s duplicating for you these days?
ONE book I saw this morning and then a random book at the dollar store had the same author, sigh….
This second book about dealing with anger and understanding people with anger issues. It’s a ready good read so far (and I don’t even like to read, lol)…. and it has a good chapter on forgiveness, which I know angry people have a hard time doing….
Well worth the dollar, especially this week where someone’s old anger took me by surprise….good pensive read…turn the other cheek…
149
Email thank you to songwriter for “Come to the Cradle”
Thank you Michael Card!!
I am 100% Christian now, 100% with Jesus with your musical help.
Your song “Come to the Cradle – Come and Find PEACE” was instrumental (vocal too) in drawing me closer to Jesus. My church’s praise band played it during our christmas concert and then again during regular worship as an extra piece which our praise band leader, Anthony, wonderfully fit into your “The Promise” … He added it special in a wonderful arrangement and I appreciate it – because listening to it as well as your version over and over again has been a comfort to me while God moved me from being about 50:50 with Jesus to 100% within the timeframe of mid December to Feb. It was a swift pruning and re-grafting of my spirit to the True Vine.
There was no lightning strike, no miraculous life turn around – it was truly a simple but overwhelmingly powerful calling that God wanted to do some corrective action on my brain… and THANK GOD that Jesus was there to comfort me – to help me find peace in the form of a small baby…
I felt compelled to resolve my questions and I actually reached out to our praise band leader NOT because of the song but because of his amazing touching guest sermons. He always said at the end of those four guest sermons, which I had on CD, ‘If you are having any questions – or if you have doubts – please come after the service and I will pray with you’. So one day I got over my embarrassment and I decided to take him up on that offer.
My Subaru had/has become my tabernacle and I listened to his sermons (and the music) in my car during my hour commute – since I never had a chance to actually get into the service as I was running around the church teaching sunday school, chasing after my kids etc… I could always hear the praise band playing thru the walls of the church – it was always a great sound penetrating the rest of the church…. but I was convicted of not feeding myself spiritually (even though I am our women’s group president, the leader of our vacation bible school). Now I religiously get myself into contemporary praise service (even set an alarm to leave sunday school in time) because it means so much to me to re-feed myself some praise time with song… and thankfully I can praise sing all week long in my long commutes.
I had to process this overwhelming time in my life by writing it out and I have written over 200 pages (both process and devotional praise) – not by choice – but by the need to say “OMG – I can’t believe what is happening to me!” – and truly I know that “MY story” is not mine at all – it is God’s story, because He told me to give my life to HIM – He continues to move me in His sandbox he calls Earth – and Lord knows where I am headed – but it is fun to ride along! I so look forward to next Christmas which will be my first 100% and hear that song played by our praise band again.
This overwhelming change that was occurring in me caused me to reach out to both former pastors and spiritual advisers and they were so awesome in coming alongside of me when they could see that I was building a new faith. And then when I was really really close to 100% ( I like to say I was 99.44% like ivory soap) I reached out to my own Pastor and wow – was he and I overwhelmed with joy! We are journeying together now – what a fruitful journey it will be! I am no longer ashamed of where I was – I do question why this transformation didn’t take place before I was 45 yrs old – but only God knows… and I am praising that I get to tell my story both in person and in text…
Anyway – please just know that your music was and is “Prevenient Grace” for me and of course for millions of people – it must have been God’s almighty hand guiding you to write and perform that song – I truly appreciate it!
God Bless You!!! God Bless your amazing faith and skills!!
In 100% Jesus, I found the Prince of Peace…
Thank you,
Debbie
148
Coincidences NOPE, 14MAY
What I wrote about God’s Winter Pruning (22APR) was the best example of no coincidence but God’s timing instead… I understand how God picked winter for my pruning and regrafting to the vine
I praise God’s timing BEFORE I was to jump into a busier church/VBS/life schedule this spring… and I praise God’s timing for having this happen when I was not in a crisis mode – I count my blessings for my health and that I still have my parents and my family – and I don’t want to predict the future but I know that my parents are not going to be around forever…. who knows I could get hit by a bus tomorrow…
And honestly, if nothing more, I praise God’s timing for getting my head straight while my kids are just entering the teenage phase – cause you know that that is going to be a WILD RIDE!!!!
and I question God’s timing, but I praise God’s strength that he gave me the ARMOR OF GOD which enabled me to survive (so far) this week where I had not one but 4 MAJOR relationship …these 4 people situations/events have been spinning my head like crazy his week and yet I was still able to get some work work done! – AMAZING TIMING!
and I praise God now for back to solid sleep-filled nights and no 3am wake up calls…. 10 to 5:30 like clockwork, THANKS GOD!!!!!
147
Object Lesson, 14May
I am in constant thoughts with God… it’s the strangest thing but has given me such peace… an even peace thru ups and downs these last few months…
That peace was/is so powerful, and the song “come to the cradle, come and find peace” was instrumental in my journey… I listened to it probably 500 times… you know, as awesome as this past Easter was, being my first real Easter, next Christmas is going to be awesome too, since it will be my first one as a 100% believer in Jesus.
I had some stress this week, but I will think of it like big grit sandpaper, knocking off some of my dead branch parts…
Have a peace filled day.
146
Email with my Professor, 14MAY
Question to Professor, 7AM:
So, why did Elijah say “go back” to Elisha? Was he giving him permission to say “Goodbye” to his parents?
Why did he say “what have I done to you?”
Was be questioning Elisha’s faith????
The call of Elisha
19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. ‘Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,’ he said, ‘and then I will come with you.’
‘Go back,’ Elijah replied. ‘What have I done to you?’
21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the ploughing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.
——————–
On May 14, 8:53 PM, Professor wrote:
Yes. He was giving permission for Elijah to say goodbye. In ancient Israel, family ties were extremely important and it would have been disrespectful and dishonorable to the max for Elisha to just ditch his family without saying goodbye.
HOWEVER- Contrast this with a similar story in the gospels-
61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:61-62)
Notice the resonances with the Elijah/Elisha passage you quoted- including the request of the disciple in each to say goodbye, and even the mention of the plow. But look how Jesus’ response to the same request is different from Elijah’s. Elijah permits Elisha to go say goodbye, Jesus does not. What kind of shift in priorities does that suggest to you?
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Reply to Professor, 9pm:
Thanks,
It is consistent with the shift from a mere (but mighty) prophet to the actual son of God…. Elijah was of the old covanent, Jesus represents the new covanent. (And Jesus was on a tight time schedule too) plus Jesus preached for when he sent out the 72, that if you are welcomed into a home then stay with the people, if you are not welcomed then move on…. I guess you can try but keep moving if you dont succeed, and try again.
I believe this now, that Jesus is the son of God, not must another prophet…. and I bet if you truly believed that 2000 yrs ago (and apparently the ones who interacted with Jesus knew and believed the predictions from the prophets’ stories), then you probably would have dropped everything easily… probably a mixture of true believers, and some ambulance chasers mixed in….
I twisted my ankle and fell tonight, and I am ok, but as I laid there I said “really God? What’s the blessing in this?” But in that few minutes laid out in the parking lot, I did have to praise God that I wasn’t really badly hurt, I fell well, especially since I have been working out so much and my ankle is strong, and no one saw me…. So when I got back into the car, I reread Psalm 121… knowing that I was paying attention to this cool car color, wanting to take a photo and not paying attention to my footing on the uneven payment…
So in extension, if I take my eyes off the Lord I will stumble too…(or sink like Peter)…. and if I keep looking back at the old life I had, I will not plow straight either….
I need to be grateful for this new life…. I AM grateful. Amen
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains –
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip –
he who watches over you will not slumber;
142
Email with Pastor – repeat scripture #2
Oh my….. oh how I prayed that verse yesterday and today!!!! I posted that verse to you last night in a message, set my phone down and realized it didn’t send so I reposted it this morning to you I can’t believe it…. well I can believe it and I think I must have gotten that scripture verse from a church email I just can’t put my finger on it right now
I so pray for the anguish caused by the strife. I’m sad to say it is just the latest version of centuries of strife. it just plain sucks….
“Dear Friends,
Please pray sincerely for the deliverance of the people of Northern Iraq from the terrible advancement of ISIS and its extreme Islamic goals for mass conversion or death for Christians across this region.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.Philippians 4:6”
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143
Email – repeat scripture #3
The other scripture that came up twice today was 2nd Peter: 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Yup…. one of those days….
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144
Email – repeat scripture #4
OK – been a pensive few days… now I have another scriptures which I ran into repeatedly from different places between last night and now – hmmm…. after the third time I saw this one (Matthew 5) I had to email…
let your light shine before others and don’t put the light under the bushel basket – yeah… I am not putting any light of mine away….
15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” –Matthew 5:14-16 (NRSV)
You know – it is the random spots where God naturally comes up in conversation which make me smile – where I didn’t force the conversation – yeah… this morning at the food pantry when I was dropping off stuff a lady down on her luck and I got to talk about her faith and mine – in front of about 10 people in line – very natural, not forced…
Yesterday morning I stopped to trash pick a shovel and plastic bin and had a good conversation about vacation bible school and how God sees things vs us – mountains into molehills with a gentleman who was a climber….
Yeah – organic and not flashy – nice…. and not under a bushel basket…..
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145
Email – repeat scripture #5
Well today’s duplicate scripture (after the four duplicated/triplicated ones earlier this week) is Psalm 121. I am not making this up.
I was thinking about that last night from the Sound of Music, when Mother Superior says it to Maria…. I googled the line, found the psalm and texted it to pj. ….. then this morning that little devotion book, I found in the church closet, I opened to a page and there it was, seriously not making this up (photo attached)….. I guess a noble woman is supposed to hide scripture away in her heart, so forgive me for spilling the beans (there are just 6 of you on this email).
Of course I think it is cool that Maria says, ” when God closes a door, somewhere he opens a window….” this book is called “Window to God”, shhhh…. so cool…..
Thanks God, you are so cool!!!!
Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains –
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip –
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you –
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm –
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and for evermore.
141
email with a friend, Zipper Faith,12MAY
I appreciate our discussions, and those I have with Pastor, because we can discuss and I am not criticized for not knowing some bible stories…. because I did have many years (schooling and teaching) of bible learning, and I did take the stories to heart….always…. even if I was 50:50 on whether the bible writers stretched the truth (maybe Jesus was just a prophet with a good publicist) I still listened and believed in the messages of the stories… I never doubted God…. the life lessons were and are always valid.
I do see similarities between me and Peter, I know his stories the best, but I didn’t deny Jesus AFTER knowing him, I pray I don’t ever… I really don’t think I will… I trust God 100%, I even believed in the holy spirit 99.44% before this….now I am 100% on everything God…
My faith was kinda a zipper that is smooth at the beginning, had a peg out of place in the middle, but then was smooth again at the end…..why, I don’t know… but seeing the corruption of man had to be the reason in hindsight… and why I was awakened in the time frame I was?, I have no clue…. there is no reason why I should know that. It’s like when I found the perfect present for our sermonist friend, some crystal grapes, for his “I am the vine” sermon…. I couldn’t find a gift I wanted to give and decided to give it up to God and literally I just turned around and they were there! God picked that gift for me to give; all I got to do was pick out the colors….which is the fun part.
I try not to question God’s motives anymore, I appreciate when I get to do HIS work, I do question His timing, but God is used to my questions by now….
I was challenged recently with a questions if I felt I was “saved” before this awakening, and I don’t think in my situation that is a valid question…. Because the answer depends on the faith of the speaker and the questioner….. I feel saved now, 100%, but did I feel left out before? No, of course not…. God had been talking good care of me…. I never doubted that forgiveness was the way to heaven… and did I ask Jesus for forgiveness when I finally believed in him? You better believe I did! You can’t ask for forgiveness of someone who doesn’t exist for you for real.. he is REAL to me now…. me is my lifeline, I believe in him 100% and I was ready to fall in love with HIM instantly since that was the smooth part of that zipper… those pieces were already in place, and it was like a smooth ride after I got over the hump.
Thanks for letting me babble…
Have a great vine connected day….
140
Email with Pastor – repeat scripture #1
this was the first of seven scriptures which repeated two times within a day or two…. geez….
of course you I love that line:
“and when it snows……”
Psalm 31: The Wife of Noble Character
10 A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
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double geez when I read today’s Maya Angelo post (below):
“Fall gently, snowflakes Cover me with white Cold icy kisses and Let me rest tonight.”
And in psalm31, the snow references and today guess what color I decided to put on? purple – with purple earrings of purple grapes… sigh….
Woman Work – Maya Angelo
The clothes to mend
The floor to mop
The food to shop
Then the chicken to fry
The baby to dry
I got company to feed
The garden to weed
I’ve got shirts to press
The tots to dress
The cane to be cut
I gotta clean up this hut
Then see about the sick
And the cotton to pick.
Shine on me, sunshine
Rain on me, rain
Fall softly, dewdrops
And cool my brow again.
Storm, blow me from here
With your fiercest wind
Let me float across the sky
‘Til I can rest again.
Fall gently, snowflakes
Cover me with white
Cold icy kisses and
Let me rest tonight.
Sun, rain, curving sky
Mountain, oceans, leaf and stone
Star shine, moon glow
You’re all that I can call my own.
139
My writing – My identity is not important, 11MAY
Two great sermons yesterday, I listened in the car, old ones from 5 yrs ago, both giving me scripture which helped me with my pondering… I love it when a scripture finds me… especially this one John 21:15-25… the surmonist said it wasn’t our identity that was important, plus in life all we need to know is the fact that Jesus loves us and that’s ALL we need to know.. we are not here to be compared to other disciples…. Everyone will have their own path to discipleship which of course means their own way of processing.
Yup, John 21:25… so at least I realize from this pondering that the way to publish my awakening story will be anonymously… when I’m ready…. I will still tell others I meet, enthusiastically tell then that God changed me, others didn’t change me, but God himself took it upon himself to corrective action my faith… moved my faith mountain right in front of me and told me to climb…. no great fanfare, no devastating punch, no lightning…. God found the right tools (bible teachings, contemplative text, sermon recordings, music, drive time, social media, writing, and of course people), He told me it was time to get myself out of the way and believe…. He sliced and regrafted my connection to the vine, swift, gentle and precise….
When scripture finds me I take notice, and when I find me in Scripture I best to follow the advice… I knew the fish story, I knew Peter had to affirm three times, but had not heard that last verse before, about writing it all down….
Even though I didn’t want or mean to write my journey down, I did – I found that when I wrote I kept my mind open and my mouth shut – and I wrote to think – and I want to share it because it is true – I didn’t make it up – I was there – I guess I shared this story because I am like my confirmation name, Bernadette Soubirous, I just want people to believe me … not look to me, not look up to me – just believe me…. if I want to touch people out there, in the world, people I don’t know, who don’t know me, then of course my identity means nothing… they wouldn’t know me anyway. Actually I want people to believe my story, not believe me, if it is truly a story worth telling, then it will stand on its own…
God is just setting me in his chess set in the right position now… I am not the queen , the jester likely…And the jester doesn’t even get a square, the jester is free to hop on and off the board… to go where no other can go… this totally NOT about me…. it is about how I can make a difference in my own (?) special way… NO, in God’s special way….
Sigh… Thanks Jesus and beloved disciple for the pep talk. 😉 I am listening.
John 21:24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
———————
Jesus Reinstates Peter (from John 21)
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”
24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.
25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
THE BEATLES
“All You Need Is Love”
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done
Nothing you can sing that can’t be sung
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game
It’s easy
Nothing you can make that can’t be made
No one you can save that can’t be saved
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time
It’s easy
All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
Nothing you can know that isn’t known
Nothing you can see that isn’t shown
Nowhere you can be that isn’t where you’re meant to be
It’s easy
All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
138
JOY, 10MAY
Figures this web bible interpretation of joy would come my way today http://www.gotquestions.org/joy-of-the-Lord.html “… for the believer in Christ, the joy of the Lord comes as naturally as grapes on a vine. As we abide in Christ, the True Vine, we the branches are full of His strength and vitality, and the fruit we produce, including joy, is His doing (John 15:5).” YUP – that “I am the Vine scripture” – grew so fast and encircled me – got caught in my branches like, um, grapevine…
I am SO grateful for the re-grafting that God did – he picked up my branch and decided to prune some – but most importantly, found the flaw in my connection and decided to expertly re-graft my branch to Jesus’s life-giving xylem and phloem – AMEN!
Smiles
137
Another tractor trailer, 06MAY
I can’t believe it, same frigging spot on the highway just now, tractor-trailer with turn signal on, weaving in traffic, only going 50 miles an hour, with somebody in a Subaru tailing on his bumper…. but this one is from my hometown (5 hours away), a farm 2 miles from my house up home, ugh, this time my horn honked to “come to the cradle come and find peace”…. I’m like really God? another tractor trailer to wake up? In the same frigging spot as that gas tanker before? And from my hometown? really what the H#LL !!!!!???!!!!
Subaru power activate, I guess…. whew….
this time I honked then drive next to him and smiled, he looked at me, then I passed him… and exited… Maybe he was.not sleeping but just daydreaming of our home….
135 Emails about an amazing chance to witness Jesus’s love
#1 in the chain
On Fri, May 1, at 6:09 PM, debbie wrote:
HI Pastor P – I got to be you yesterday morning! – I am calling it one of my first “got to pull a Pierre” moments – and I got to pray I well as encourage in the most random of places – to the most random of people… But not 100% random, as I was in my Subaru, of course. SO, it was definitely the Holy Spirit who moved me there at that moment!
I’m was and am so excited!
I had to take an early morning conference call so I did so from home – then dediced to run lots of errands and then I got my oil changed and my brake light replaced before heading to work . So, it wasn’t until late morning that I am zipping down the random road to the turnpike… And holding part of those unfinished errands, I was holding a duplicated copy of a photo from my trip to a cathedral, of Jesus, for a friend who liked the photo when I showed him last week … I thought – maybe I should just pull over and fihish this card so I don’t have to keep holding it.. So I stopped the car on the side of the road near the top of a long strange driveway and started to grab my pen to write. So. wouldn’t you know it, but someone wanted to pull into the driveway like 3 minutes later – and I backed up and he didn’t looked pleased… of all the places, why was I there?…
Well, I backed up and was preparing to put the letter away to get out of there – but the guy was walking up to my car and staring me down – oops.. I could have just pulled out but I thought I should say something so he didn’t worry – so I rolled down my passenger window and said “no worries – I was just writing a letter – sorry”. And then he said in a challenging voice – “What do you mean you were just stopped to write a letter” – its true – that was a strange thing to stop randomly to do that… but I am random and always will be… So, I showed him – this rough and tumble guy with his cigarette in hand – I said, innocently, “see – I have this card and this photo of Jesus that I took on a trip and I wanted to send it to my friend who is going through a rough time – and I just wanted to lift his spirits!” – well – that’s true – and I wanted to be open and honest.
He says: “Well, that Jesus is doing some awful ‘explitive’ to me right now” – and I said in a friendly but correcting voice: “Its not Jesus doing that – maybe the devil but not Jesus – you know Jesus? he wouldn’t do that”… well, this guy (his initials are S.J.) started telling me his whole massive awful battle with his wife about custody of a 2yr old, a 5 yr old and a 13 yr old… and divorce fees and visitation issues, and then his car was totaled and he was supposed to get a breathalizer engine starter (that he didn’t need because it was a medication-caused DUI he shouldn’t have gotten) and it was supposed to be installed that day and they gave him hassle that it wasn’t the right car – beause he scrambled and was able to land a new car, title etc in like three days… and whew – life story vent in five minutes! makes everyone elses’ life look like easy street… whew… so we talked for like ten minutes and I tried to encourage him and I wanted to give him the photo – but he said no – he had a photographic memory and he would remember it – just like he remembers seeing strange lights come out of the statue of the virgin mary at a church down the road one day he wandered in… and so I said: (ala Pierre-style) “Can I pray for you?” He said yes – so I grabbed his hand and prayed a short but passionate prayer for him, his kids, his wife… his everything.
… and we then went on our ways… whew! – thanks Holy Spirit – thanks for freeing up my morning – moving me – using me – whatever your tricks are – keep them up – and thanks for making a strange situation into a blessed one!!!
and thanks Pierre – for the witnessing style you have- and for your most awesome enthusiasm for the salvation of Jesus keep up the good work!
—————-
#2 in the chain)
On May 3, 4:32 PM, “Pastor P > wrote:
Debbie,
This is phenomenal! I love the way you casually “disarmed” this gentleman with God’s love. God’s love can untangle the craziest of all situations. Way to Go! You gave that man an encounter with Jesus! The first and not the last! (For him or for you…you have many more prayers to pray for others!)
Blessings!
P
——————
#3 in the chain)
On Sun, May 3, at 9:02 PM, debbie wrote:
Thanks Pastor P,
This guy didn’t know that I am a random weird soul, who thinks nothing of stopping to write a letter or having Easter eggs glued to the top of my car…. (actually I changed my car to red poppies now, see attached photo).
It was just me being honest and certainly I usually do talk to anyone and I certainly speak my mind! (my parents taught me that people are just people), so I would have to say that GOD is using my talents to HIS favor, which makes sense for God, but catches us off guard at times!!!!
It’s one thing to be looking for an open opportunity, but I have been getting used to God plunking opportunities right on my path!
The prayer I have is for discernment. It’s easy to act when God plunks you down and you have no choice, but to know whether you should act or not, that is always the question…. luckily I always try to act, when I feel I can make a difference… it’s not a worry about over extending myself, it’s more a worry about being overbearing…
I wonder where God will take me next?
Can’t wait to find out!
Thanks.
Smiles…
———————-
#4 in the chain)
here is that photo I was holding – the one of jesus alone – and also a photo of us together – from St. Vitas Cathedral at Prague Castle
have a great day
134
Autopsy Openness, Let’s Roll, 29APR
I know that my reading of Jarius’ daughter at the sunrise Easter service was perfect for me – my pastor sure knows how to pick’em – this was a speech by a girl raised from the dead by Jesus – and the first line is “I was not surprised that the man who brought me back to life rose from the dead three days after his crucifixion. I was proof that he had power over death.”
Yup Yup Yup…. that’s me in a nutshell… I am not surprised at hardly anything that God/Jesus/The Holy Spirit do anymore – not surprised at all… sometimes I do question the timing though and say “Really God?” but I don’t question the motive.
And I still say “Really God? – little me?” So much time and energy that God has spent just for me? – unreal… but He is doing this for EVERYONE and not just me – YOU TOO – I just am blessed to notice it more and more.
I so realize now that I am not the one who this “corrective action” was for. Sure, it happened to me and I get to benefit in the glorious happenings – but really, I have to say that God chose me as a servant – which is not a surprise. For my whole life, my family has raised me as a servant to serve others – I get the greatest joy from seeing others happy – I am just happy to be me and to make others smile…. So yeah, it is not a surprise to me that God took me and said: “OK girl, let’s fix you and put your head on straight and focus you on what you are supposed to be here for” – and now He says: “Let’s Roll!”
So – it is/was the strangest experience to have been “awakened” – in Jesus’ eyes I (as Jairus’ daughter) was simply sleeping – but if this were those biblical people’s eyes I (as Jairus’ daughter) was completely dead and they were too late and there was nothing they could do and why even bother… well, at least someone DID bother – and for me that somebody was God Himself… God not just bothered to think of me – He took action – even with “everything he holds in His hands” (as the praise song “Unfailling Love” goes: “And everything You hold in Your hand – Still you make time for me – I can’t understand – Praise You God of Earth and sky – How beautiful is Your unfailing love “).
I now see in this very recent stage (now three months after my awakening) that I am in a new phase – which I am calling the “SELF-AUTOPSY” phase – I am dissecting and examining every aspect of self – to the detriment of time sure, but hopefully to the glorification of God, so that at the bare minimum it is to figure out how I got here and how can I sustain where I am – one would hate to fall back asleep – I vow to NOT let that happen to me – and I doubt God would ever let that happen anyway, He’s got plans, I can plainly see… He even made my sins clearer to see – and when the Devil is creeping up in old or strange new ways, it has become so much more easy for me to spot it. Even the mundane sins are still sins and its a binary 0/1 or on/off designation – we are all sinners doesn’t matter if you did something “light” as a sin – it still darkens – still sins in God’s eyes…
Yes, this self-autopsy has me WIDE open – and I don’t mind – as Jarius’s daughter (in the play) says: “It’s not been a terrible sacrifice.” – which is true – I have been easily telling me tale now – not a problem God, it’s OK, if you are guiding me I will follow. Does it matter what others see, no it doesn’t matter to me…. BUT – it does matter to those people who see it. they either don’t want to see it – or don’t even notice – or they are at least curious and want to see it – and in that case I am happy to share. I have not yet had to scare people with it – but I wonder if that will happen – probably.
SO, there are some SQUEAMISH people out there – they don’t want to see my spiritual blood and guts – they might get tired of seeing my sins and/or my saintly moments strewn out for display – think about some carefully preserved glass jars of formaldehyde with my parts preserved for eternity… BUT, there are also some JADED people out there – it doesn’t even phase them to see what is going on with me – they just keep walking – don’t pay any attention to someone that God has opened their whole heart and soul for the world to see… nope, that doesn’t even register with those people. This is EXACTLY like the times when I can walk down a hallway with a red clown nose on – or Easter eggs glued to the top of my car – and they don’t even crack a smile (I love it when the people are trying to hold back and be serious – but it gets them and they fight the smile – they just don’t want to be moved – but it starts to creep out of them)…. BUT – there are tons of those curious people – well, it doesn’t matter whether they are ambulance chaser folks or just super interested in how this happened to me or curious or scared how and IF this might happen to them….
So, this strangest experience to have been “awakened” – it was sprit-led, like I said, no one knew where I was spiritually in Jesus’ eyes I (as Jairus’ daughter) was simply sleeping – in people’s eyes I (as Jairus’ daughter) was completely dead and they were too late and there was nothing they could do and why even bother… well, at least someone DID bother – and for me that somebody was God… God bothered to think of me – even with everything he holds in his hands (as the song lyric goes) still He makes time for me, I can’t understand…
Jarius’s daughter says (in the play version):” I must give my life to the one who has given it back to me. I have to surrender my desires and follow his teachings instead.” – and this I know: there are going to be some more painful trials ahead and yet I won’t have to endure any of them with God’s reassurances, Jesus’s hugs, and the Holy Spirit’s lifting presence.
OK God, Let’s Roll!
————
35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”
36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.”40 But they laughed at him.
131
Well, awesome movie I just saw, A Winter Tale, a great movie and it mentions the Pleiades…. I will tell you about the God/devil filled movie about miracles later… and wow, it was moving beyond belief…. but I want to tell you about how it sent me looking up something about the Pleiades..and then how I came across this tale of the favorite constellation of the an Indian nation near where some of my family grew up… . Their favorite constellation? you guessed it…. the Pleiades….. and you know what? It’s a winter constellation, just like my winter window of God’s chosen time for my awakening…. and also winter is when vinedressers do the best pruning off the branches of the vine (according to a sermon I heard)…. hmmmm…. good God….
132 Music Therapy – Joni Mitchell – I Think I Understand, Apr
Another good song about Fear and Journeying – and as I was finishing an email about fear, of course a good song came on in the background – so fitting!!!
I posted the lyrics below – but Joni calls fear “stepping stones” or “sinking sand” – I just told someone else about sinking sand when you don’t trust in the Lord… so – yeah, i hope that we can all trust in the lord – all our fear can be stepping stones to what is next and we can take time to prepare… and we can taste the sunlight… sigh… life is for learning you know… (youtube https://youtu.be/vnVeeUAWkSE)
I Think I Understand
by Joni Mitchell
Daylight falls upon the path
The forest falls behind
Today I am not prey to dark uncertainty
The shadow trembles in its wrath
I’ve robbed its blackness blind
And tasted sunlight as my fear came clear to me
I think I understand
Fear is like a wilderland
Stepping stones or sinking sand
Now the way leads to the hills
Above the steeple’s chime
Below me sleepy rooftops round the harbor
It’s there I’ll take my thirsty fill
Of friendship over wine
Forgetting fear but never disregarding her
Oh, I think I understand
Fear is like a wilderland
Stepping stones or sinking sand
Sometimes voices in the night
Will call me back again
Back along the pathway of a troubled mind
When forests rise to block the light
That keeps a traveler sane
I’ll challenge them with flashes from a brighter time
Oh, I think I understand
Fear is like a wilderland
Stepping stones and sinking sand
133
email to Pastor for recent sermon about Pondering, 26APR
Wow…. your pondering made such a powerfully wonderful sermon… I am only half thru and wow, I had to stop to say you hit EXACTLY my calling out about the green beans and I KNEW God would answer since I trusted God so much, and how faithful He was to me, I knew, I knew to trust 100%… And how did he reply? He moved a mountain twice with the author to read my emails and I pray she is pondering herself more about God, and wow he gave me both a visual comfort in the height differences between my beans and theirs, and he gave me fuel to share my faith at the meeting…. soul on fire is easy when God creates the spark…
Now about being STILL, I have processed, pondered and praised so much not being still .. not even including my car time, I am reminded that we are never still because the earth is moving.. if you watch a sunrise which I’ve done three times this year, or track the stars, it will blow you away at how amazingly fast the earth is moving and we don’t feel it… this is EXACTLY how amazingly fast God is working in our lives, even when we are ignorant or trying to not feel it. And so when we do feel God working, wow it’s fast!! Thanks
130
Evolution is a verb, not a noun
Too many people pigeon hole God…. I try not to… all things are possible… God would not leave us scientists hanging…We are blessed to understand the bare surface of how God allows an amazing evolutionary plan continue thru present day… Evolution is a verb and evidence is all around… God smiles and allows diversity to be the most amazing active cascade of events… God’s time is just that – God’s – there is no reason why time should be completely understood by us – we are blessed to visualize it – to feel it – to see life and be life. Lest we forget that God thought of us before we were born… God loves us and I am pretty sure He is pleased that we want to study Him and His ways.
“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.”
3 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
8 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. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.
11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
129
Email with my professor about Henry VIII, 22APR
Q? I heard a very profound statement today at the doctor’s office from a goofball but God loving gentleman and his wife… he said that Henry the eighth was highly responsible for the spreading of the Gutenberg Bible – he handed it out to everybody or something like that and look how this man who was killing his wife and was a terrible person was being used by God to do the most amazing thing because the english-translation of the Bible had a major impact in the spread of Christianity…. hmmmm… Have you ever heard of this aspect of Henry the 8th?
I had a very profound morning – it’s amazing when you have one when you least expect it, but wow we had awesome good God/spirituality/religion conversations there in the doctor’s office…
Later I saw a really funny billboard (such duplicate timing huh?)… “who invented fractions? Henry the 1/8”
Reply: I do know that despite being a ruthless megalomaniac, Henry was also very devout in his faith. Before he broke away and started the Church of England, he was given an award by the Pope for writing a very learned defense of the Eucharist over against the early Protestants.
Debbie Upper 