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Hooked in by Christmas, 13Dec

A Christmas ornament fell from the hook and I didn’t hear a crash but instead the branches of the tree caught it, just in time… I found it resting and nestled,  safe but precarious and ready to fall. I grabbed it gently,  and hooked it on the tree.

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A friend gives me encouragement and a focusing thought when I sing… says “Sing Pretty”…

“Sing Pretty”, 29Nov

We are given a voice – we choose how to use it… We are given the ability to sing, to speak, to scream and of course to complain. When we sing in the car, or the shower, we don’t worry about how we sound – yes, it is freeing to sing out strong. When we sing for prayer it doesn’t matter the pitch, it’s simply the plea God hears before we speak.

When we sing in joy and humbled thanks for all the Lord has done, we want to give Him our best, we want to “Sing Pretty”…

What is pretty to the Lord? Is pretty a human attribute? Pretty is up to interpretation but God is not. Giving our best is the perhaps the equivalent of pretty to God who made us in His image. God gave us His best, and gave us Jesus… I wonder what Jesus’s voice sounded like – did He sing? Jesus gave His best because He gave His all.

“Singing pretty” in music might mean relaxing, putting aside stress and angst, dropping baggage – and focusing… that’s our faith too – dropping the angst and feeling the love. “Singing pretty” might catch the attention of a half-listener… that’s true with faith too, our faith might catch the attention of a hurt soul who studies how we live. Our faith and our lives reflecting Him are the shining of light into darkness. Darkness is pretty awful. Hope shared is pretty to see.

Our words don’t sound pretty when we are screaming or carrying on, and certainly don’t sound pretty when we don’t open our mouths at all.  Our words are most pretty to God if we make them with love directed to Him and they are pretty real, pretty honest, and pretty often.

Sharing our love for God and for each other pretty much sums it up.

Pretty much everything we do to serve Him and His children can change the world.

That’s pretty awesome…

Amen

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Butterfly, 28NOV

Lord, I am Your butterfly.

You grew me from a caterpillar. You fed me on Your gifts to nourish me. Your Word opened my ears. I began to change.  I learned.  I grew.

You allowed me to find a safe sanctuary for not resting but for actively changing thru the most amazing series of modifications, inside and out. Within a protected shell I waited. I knew I was changing, but how could I comprehend how amazing this change would be. You knew.

Then you told me to start entering this world again.  I could not remain hidden under the leaves, I had to peer out from my cocoon and stretch and find how to steady my new legs.  All my mass had been shifted and repurposed into a completely different being, and yet my soul, my heart, my mind are still intact – I knew I changed – I knew I was called to take the next step, even if I didn’t know if I was ready…

You told me to fly.

You told me to stretch my wings and feel for the right moment.  You made me capable of everything that I could never have imagined.  You made then remade me.

You made me beautiful.  You made me intricate, complex, strong thru weakness, and capable.

I now can fly.

I can open the gifts of the earthly phase of my life and fly thru the world on Your Spirit. I will be ever watching for danger as well as refuge. And in those peace-filled times I can catch a warm breeze and fly higher and longer – seemingly forever…

I do know that I cannot fly here forever, but you have a place for me eternal – then I will rest….

For now, I will fly.

I will fly and forever tell of You.

I am Your butterfly…

Butterfly, Fly…

Amen

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Pray Simply, 24NOV

I think God wants us to pray without pause for so many reasons…

How can we even do His work if we aren’t taking instructions…

God also would rather us to pray in solitude instead of showmanship…

Personally, in this stage of my life, I think that we are gifted the time to pray for releasing our tears – and healing… and having the realization that He needs us to heal so that He can heal… God wants us all home with Him… and sent His only son to save us, scoop us back up, and take us home. We can’t get there if we don’t pray to be there. And God asks us to help others find the way too…

Pray

Jesus said pray simply, not rambling on, because God already knows what we are saying… God already knows what we need…  so simply pray simply…

The tears though – the tears are best shed when we let down our guards… the closing of doors to pray is an opportunity to open our hearts to release the floodgates of His healing, to clog our ears with tears means we can only hear from within, He calls us from within. His spirit is within us.

The prayer to pray is the Lord’s prayer…

The processing comes with prayer…

We are the people God wants to hear from. Pray Simply and let Him take care of the rest.

1Thessolonians 5

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing,18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Matthew 6

5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.”

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Adjust, 24NOV

I think life is always about doing the best you can until you can’t – then adjust and readjust…

Totally true with my aging parents and family.  Totally true with my kids.  Totally try to remind myself of that for myself – because I slide between denial, engagement, focus, distraction, and frustration… and knowing I’m in blessing…., I’m being my own frustration of emotional pinball ricochet right now – yet I am secured with good blessings of work on all sides to keep me steady – not busy work but bungie cords of life. I need to Be Still, then readjust… I have to lighten my pull on the cords of life and let God move me instead.

Focus, forget the empty rhetoric in my head and just Be Still. Be Still… Let God slide me…

Still Lord, please let me talk this out…

My trip up home readjusted my focus into eldercare and yet being on the outside, logistically, in my own situation is strange… I have to readjust now, without stopping my home-life-work duties completely back where my kids are – hours away, but I see that now is my time here up home is to readjust and support them for their comfort. I see how AMAZING God has provided the best care already for my parents… we are blessed – but we need to pray for those in the stress…

Other have readjusted amazingly well – but I am on the delayed second round of catch up…

It’s tough for so many,  I can say that in comparison it has been easy for me to be dealing with my own tough situations – and I also reminds myself that my issues are not as tough or are different tough – but it’s all relative… mostly I praise that when I have had to readjust, God helped –  thanks Lord… I have to readjust my focus now… everyone has an opinion on what you should do,  but God knows best…

Be Still – we say it all the time but it’s true – be still, pray, listen – so that it is the focus knob that you turn – readjust your focus- then start again.

There is a season to each phase of life – (Ecclesiastes 3) – Sometimes you cross different seasons within one day, many times…

Just try to do your best… just take time to breathe… just readjust as you need… just take time to BE STILL – then listen for your next move…

Know that you are in this world but not of it – and take the long view while you work in the minutiae of your life. Help yourself help others most effectively… it is all about doing your best…

Adjust. Re-adjust. Move.

This is new to me, old hat to many… You are all doing a great job of adjusting – I will catch up… God will help…

Be still, close your eyes, turn the internal focus knob instead… God’s whispers are much louder when you become quiet and still…

Amen

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Updraft, 20NOV

Why does Jesus say to lay all your burdens on him and lift your own load? It’s because God needs you to be moved by the Holy Spirit – to do His work….

…and wouldn’t it be easier to be floating around for God’s purpose and helping His plan if we dumped some of the heavy baggage that we ourselves keep carrying?

See, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to help us help God – sent the Holy Spirit as another helper when Jesus had to leave earthly life…

So, with that flame over your head and the great wind that comes around you – can you feel the updraft caused by the forces of God’s nature? Can you feel that you are being pulled into God’s plan to serve Him by serving His people? There’s so many people and opportunities! Just keep moving forward…

Jesus gives you the freedom to live free forever – watch for His air traffic controller arms signaling the start of a new flight in Him..  sense the wind shift – lifting and taking you higher…

God’s grace and mercy and love gifts are always there for you – let Jesus take your burden- let the Holy Spirit carry on thru your life’s journey – look for, feel, and sense His updrafts…

Go!

——

Matthew 11:28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

John 14

16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you.

Matthew 9

35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

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Praise Forward, 09NOV

I’m taking a day for myself and the Lord today…

This is a nice praise from Hannah – old testament – 1 Samuel 1:4-20…  she prayed for a son, then how she kept her promise to the Lord that she would educate and dedicate him to the Lord…

I personally appreciate God has answered my prayers for so many things short term and long term… mostly my prayers were for discernment and peace… the path to peace needs action – the Lord has been faithful and given me guidance. Praying for discernment requires listening… my prayers for discernment continue – we always will need discernment…

And prayers for peace require action too… personally I can add action to repay Him… but scripture tells me that God wants it back only by us “paying it forward”, not back.  That makes sense… Jesus reminded us to look forward when you serve the Lord (“No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62)

… and God says let His Word do the work He intends it to do: (So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11)

Hannah prayed for a child, was gifted Samuel. She named him “because I prayed for him” – then, as she promised, she dedicated herself and him to the Lord….

Hannah’s praises are for her deliverance!

I am thankful too – for my heart rejoices in the Lord too!!!

I pray it forward that others also pray it forward…

Amen

“My heart rejoices in the Lord;
in the Lord my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
for I delight in your deliverance.

2 “There is no one holy like the Lord;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.

3 “Do not keep talking so proudly
or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the Lord is a God who knows,
and by him deeds are weighed.

4 “The bows of the warriors are broken,
but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
but those who were hungry are hungry no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children,
but she who has had many sons pines away.

6 “The Lord brings death and makes alive;
he brings down to the grave and raises up.
7 The Lord sends poverty and wealth;
he humbles and he exalts.
8 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
and has them inherit a throne of honor.

“For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;
on them he has set the world.
9 He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.

“It is not by strength that one prevails;
10     those who oppose the Lord will be broken.
The Most High will thunder from heaven;
the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.

“He will give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

————–

Isaiah 55 also praises that God’s word goes forward…

8“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.”

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Best Advice – God’s Perspective, 03NOV

Best advice I’ve probably ever heard – as I recounted all the ins and outs of life – advice from a pastor counselor friend:

“God’s long journey for us is often best understood, if at all, from a perspective of distance. Trying to understand the here and now without a Cross perspective will either be vague or distorted or both. We may never understand God’s ways, but we must never doubt His timing, His ways, or His ultimate purposes for His chosen children…”

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Our Daily Bread, 02NOV

From saying the Lord’s Prayer today at a funeral…

The Lord’s prayer brought me spirited tears, I was in a roomful of prayer, spoken at a funeral just now…. this brought me to new insight of His love and my deepest tears flowed… the love shared was overflowing… my friend’s father was a tremendous man and faithful child of God sharing His love.  Deep in his faith, he glowed with joy thru thick and thin, 84 years, no complaining even at the end… he shared this same love of God, which comes from God, with everyone…

The most amazing understanding I just realized while praying “and give us this day our Daily Bread” is that God’s gift of Daily Bread is not bread at all,  it’s not bread, not food, not money, not things – although He provides those things too as nourishment in just right quantities not excessively unless He puts you into the job to share His abundance. He wants us to spread His wealth of love.

See, God’s gift of Daily Bread is HIMSELF – His SPIRIT – for our hope, our life now every day – all thru the life-giving connection of Jesus.  God, our Father, connected thru all these souls just now and they all reaffirmed Him as Daily Bread – Jesus filled the room when everyone prayed… Love filled the room when they prayed – a Spirit of family filled the room when they prayed – our Daily Bread was and is our fill with nourishing Faith….

“Give us this day our Daily Bread” – this makes us realize that Jesus is in motion – daily… to awake us to see how the Holy Spirit made this moment happen… allow us to see hear feel how God loves us by being one with Him….

Your gift of Daily Bread was accepted today Lord, Thank You! You just filled our spirits with HOPE, You overflowed our hearts with Living Water, and our tears had to spill out the excess… Tomorrow will be a new mix of tears and joy – please give us our Daily Bread tomorrow too, Lord, and thank you for feeding the world on faith.

Connectedness to each other is God’s way of connecting us to Jesus our brother – our Father gives us everything we need, especially each other.

Thank you for filling my soul today Lord!

Amen

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Camp Rock, 01NOV

I’m at camp,  enjoying the rare 70 degrees in late fall,  just for an alfresco lunch hour away from work, which is only 25 minutes away from here… my boss said I could take comp time vacation after my giant project wrapped up,  and I decided to take it in small increments… this is a mini retreat for prayer and writing… it’s been an interesting year,  but truly God has given me strength thru it all…

I love sitting on this rock, hearing this waterfall. The colors have now changed, it took a long time this year, it was worth coming out here today…

When we are trying to stand firmly on the Rock of Ages we can look around and notice how much diversity is growing on and from the rock – the rock is the anchor – the colors are magical eye-fulls… Jesus says it will all disappear at the end of our time – but for now I will appreciate that I can appreciate this…  even Solomon in all his splendor does not match the beauty of a lily – or a red orange green yellow leaf changing…

Nearby is the waterfall – the rock is just a rock – and water just water – yet combined the roar is ear-filling. Imagine God and Jesus and the Spirit movement- that’s soul-filling.

It is our awareness of noticing it that is a gift from God too…. I like to appreciate His piece of peace even in tiny increments…. imagine how long His peace will be eternally, wow… that’s the fullness of time.

“What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

How precious is this time to think about God and thank God. The book of James comes to mind,  to always be humble and praising because we don’t know when Jesus will come again… and to pray, not quarrel,  and help others find peace too… not just sitting on the rock,  but loving and living our best life…

The gift of eternal future starts now. Just sitting on a rock…

——–

17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

——

7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

——–

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

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Strangely Dim, 31OCT

I’m not talking JUST about peanut butter M&M’s…..

One of the most true lyrics from a Jesus-inspired praise song is: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus…. and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

Everything grows dim, not just the old favorites of life. Everything.

The Joy of Jesus – that amplifies my joy of life.

The Joy of Jesus also can become a quieter delight, a deeper joy of peace in chaos.

The Joy of Jesus is hope in holding onto hope eternal…

Jesus is better than the most wonderful things on earth, in addition to being a better focus for us as direction in disaster, focus during the toughest times.

And, readjusting our joy of silly things too – good and bad…

Not just peanut butter M&M’s that truly aren’t so good as I remembered….

Halloween this year was nice but not spectacular, but should I be worried about that? No, not at all… the things of earth will grow strangely dim…. Halloween is different, my kids are grown,  my tastebuds don’t like the overly sweet stuff as much now, having changed to healthier eating,  and the decorations are not so important… the silly faces are ok, the gore is too fake for me to worry about,  I’m not into any type of devil worshipping stuff – those bitter aspects of Halloween? I mentally threw them away – those fluffy aspects of Halloween are fading away for me also,  and that’s OK.

Just like my tastebuds now savor tastier treats than those blah treats of my youth, my joy-tastebuds savor truer joys…

“and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace”

Yesterday, on Halloween, I mostly enjoyed seeing the joy of the people celebrating with each other. Sharing and witnessing fun joy with friends and family.  With my beloved neighbors, I enjoyed warm weather and a bonfire.  With my solitude, I enjoyed times of focused prayer. In my thankfulness, I mostly enjoyed that I was given an opportunity to really enjoy the day.

Seeing the cutest little costumed kids that parents doted upon, a joy.

Seeing the levity and gratitude of work folks also in costume was fun…

Being able to find JOY IN THE JOURNEY of life is priceless…

If all good things are from God, then moments of peaceful fun are sprinkled on the cake of life… as long as we attribute this cake itself to God Himself.

Joy, who are we to mess with that…

Strangely dim is how both frivolity and fright fades in the focus of God’s grace – the hope of eternal future clears up our current path of life…

It’s Halloween, so let me rush in Christmas now – Joy to the world, the Lord has come, the Savior reigns – lyrics mesh us into Xmas, because, the truth is that Jesus does reign all the time…

Who is better than all today’s earthly troubles? Jesus.

Who is better than all earthly glitter? Jesus.

Worship not the world but Worship Jesus in Spirit and Truth.

These song lyrics are on point:

“Just turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Look full in His wonderful face.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

Amen

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Soul on Fire, 30OCT

https://youtu.be/i7lv9oMjv_0

I have been thinking about one of my soul sisters, rest her soul, and remembering the one day that she called me and left a message, singing this new praise song: “Soul on Fire”… She knew to reach to God for re-lighting her soul on fire… she was trying to find comfort in action while putting aside her grief and working for our Lord. I loved her energy with the kids, I appreciated her visitations with seniors, God’s big kids – she was always working on loving God’s people…

I think about the “Soul on Fire” lyrics – that’s so fitting for her life. If we are running for God’s heart, what does that mean? We are already in His heart, on His heartstrings…. so perhaps it means that our running is like being a hamster in a wheel or better yet a runner on top of a water wheel making the water wheel of living water move thru God’s kingdom – helping the world…. we are “a cog in something turning”, as Joni Mitchell sings… our efforts for God show the world that when we run for God’s heart, that He is served because others are served… and they are saved when they start running for His heart too….

I thank my sweet friend for running so very hard for God’s heart, and I thank Him for catching hers.

Amen

608

The Gospel of Intensity…

I’ve always tried to learn from advice, I replay it in my head… I was told early on in my awakening that I “was intense” – but that person said they understood – they said also that they were “intense”. For better or worse, it’s good to be understood.

Intense is apparently where God needs some of us to be – not for intense arguing with people, not for political discourse, not for sports stuff, not for grumbling, not for fluff…. Intense is where God needs us FOR HIM! Don’t ever stop being intense for God…

Intense is not always popular, intense is time-consuming, intense is exhausting… be intense anyway…

Teaching, preaching, living, breathing for God… God asks us, His chosen people, to live and love Him by loving and helping His people… Don’t ever stop being intense for God. God’s people need some intense intervention and love.

Intensely God calls and rings your phone off the hook – of course it helps that when Jesus picks up the phone for you, that He puts it on speaker… “Let those who have ears hear!”…

(Jesus catches those missed calls too)

If only people would hear when God’s speaker is a megaphone… let us pray they don’t hesitate to pay attention and follow.

If only people would hear by listening to the whisper, quiet the world to hear the ping of their heart… If only people would feast on the Word and not the fluff… I pray they take the time to Listen, they don’t hesitate to pay attention and follow, and that they look forward, letting the things of earth fade away… I pray that for myself too…

Does God give us a choice? Well if one is hunted down by none other than God Himself – it becomes the only path for those seeking light – serving Jesus –  worshiping God in Spirit and Truth…

Is it easy? The few chosen to be the leaders get scrutinized intensely.  But even thru the mud they are called to give it their all… and move the flocks. Herd them forward because they heard the call…

Life is an unplowed field ready for planting… The world still needs plowing, planting and nurturing of God’s Word…

Is it LIGHT work? Of course, no matter how hard it is, it’s still LIGHT work… shedding LIGHT, sprinkling Living Water, and doing plentiful seeding – the Garden is being re-cultivated – we are called to help…

Where is God most intense? In His love.

Our intensity is but a fraction of His…

God is intense.

God is God.

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Oz – There’s No Place Like Band, 25OCT

If my adventure with my church band were like the Wizard of Oz movie, I would feel to be Dorothy, dropped into the band like a tornado spun me there… and like Dorothy, I had to pick myself up from the whirlwind and start walking… “No, ‘Christmas the Crab’, we are not in Kansas anymore”…

Ok – let’s keep walking… let’s follow the yellow brick road…

My traveling companions of bandmates had already been on this road for a while when I dropped in. We are all in this journey together. I came last but they all had a role in making me feel at home (well home away from home of course – we are but traveling in this world, our home is eternally not in this land of oz… we are in but not of… John 17:16).

My bandmates, like in the movie, all have their amazing abilities and they never needed the wizard to give them a brain or heart or courage, they all had that already!!!

But as Dorothy, I would still need to find my way thru the thick and thin of life… sparkly shoes or not (no shoes are required while singing at practices), we best keep walking…

Just try to remember, Dorothy, to keep walking…

Is the Scarecrow smart? Yes. He helps Dorothy talk things out – Dorothy needed her scarecrows to help. Many of my bandmates have been scarecrows to me, ever willing both with advice or to just let me talk it out… allowing me to talk out and sing out my faith.

Is the Tin-man ticking with a heart? Yes. The oil can (and the Spirit) will help the Tin-man from freezing up. The Tin-man then shared a dance of praises with Dorothy… many of my bandmates are Tin-men to me, they stay limber to act on that immense love that God fills us with.

Is the Lion brave? Yes. Dorothy is encouraging and encouraged by all the bravery.  All of my bandmates are brave to me… We can be brave because God is in control.

Not exactly Oz, but life is a journey, not an ending… faith is a journey, not an ending…. Glenda, the good witch, says to Dorothy, when she was still feeling lost in this world: “Dorothy you always had the power to go home”. Yes, we all have to remember that we always have the hand of Jesus to bring us home… and we can always think about home, even when we feel lost here on earth…

Dorothy will click home at some point but in the meantime she will keep her faith journey alive and active in her heart. She will click her heals someday, and move on to another phase of life, but for now? “There’s no place like band, there’s no place like band, there’s no place like band”…

Keep walking Dorothy… keep walking… put your shoes back on, we will need to walk forward… we will be ok.

“There’s no place like home… there’s no place like home”…

The wizard didn’t help get Dorothy home, it turns out that the power to go home is spiritually placed inside of each of us – we have to realize it – and the friends were (and are) Dorothy’s encouragement – thinking, feeling, action-taking and courageous… Dorothy can think of home and meanwhile stay in her mission for her own strength building and to help others.

Keep your eyes open Dorothy, new adventures await you…

Keep moving…

My bandmates, some have come and gone – we all might take new roads while we are all traveling home… they are going to be in my heart forever…  in my heart with me forever because we are in God’s heart already together… we sing all our way home…

God pulls His ropes within His net and we slide passed each other in life temporarily.  We are but traveling such a brief time… we will sing together forever because we are blessed to be attached inside God’s heartstrings…

Amen

606 (that is hilarious God, the number of this post is “coincidentally 606 – I was born at 6:06 AM – so cool”

Cheer Up! 25Oct

Yay – it’s my birthday!

“Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:19-20

I’m reading ahead to this week’s Sunday scripture from Mark 10 about Bartimaeus, the phrase “Cheer up” struck me as the most important lesson today – fittingly it is verse 49, and I am 49 years full of life today!

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”

Wow –  Wouldn’t that be awesome if the crowd around us said to us, every day: “Cheer up, on your feet! Jesus is calling you!!!”

Ain’t that the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the spirit and the truth??!! Jesus is calling you!!!

Amen to that – Jesus is calling and knocking on your door and ears! Your faith is what is growing in you and lifting up your life! Jesus is just waiting for you to jump up and realize it!

The blind man jumped up, gave up everything he had, which was only his cloak, he jumped up to find Jesus had already been calling him!  He believed before he was called, he was healed because he believed.

What if we also called to our blind brothers and sisters, who can see the world but cannot see or feel Jesus’s call?…  What if we called to the world every day and said “Cheer up”!!!  “God’s grace of forgiveness is already here if you hear!” YOU HAVE A PLACE IN HEAVEN! You are healed eternally, feel the joy of Jesus now!

We can try to remember and remind others that Jesus is calling to us to wake us up to the fact that our lives are temporary in blindness – and if we see, it is because we see because of our FAITH – He wants us all to see our place in eternal love!

Do you hear the call? We have to believe in that call! We really have to listen. When Jesus is calling every blind one, He is calling us too! We must believe in Him!

Let those who have ears hear!

Let the blind see!

Let the Light of the World lead!

Let God know we are on our way HOME!

CHEER UP! JUMP UP!

JESUS IS CALLING!

THANKS BE TO GOD!

Hallelujah!!!!

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Mark 10:46-52 (NIV)

46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

605

Jesus says: Faith Like Children, NOT Cranky Teenagers… 19OCT

I could think about that parable of the laborers working in the vineyard in multiple ways… Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 20, talks about the kingdom of heaven being like a vineyard – and God has hired laborers  – some started early and some started later and yet the ones who came late got the same wages as the ones who came early… Jesus teaches that God, as the landowner, says: “Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous? So, the last will be first and the first will be last.”

Again we see this “last is first” statement, which has been replicating in my own readings lately. Jesus does teach this many times, and also teaches us to not be upset about this perceived inequity! So many times He tells us that we are called to put ourselves last… Why? Perhaps Jesus keeps drilling that home because the kingdom of Heaven is near and we are not to let our guard down – it may be closer than we think and Jesus says it is better to be working in the field for God than spend idleness in chatter… Jesus wants us working to strengthen our hearts as the only way to prepare… and spending time complaining about the other people working (even if they came late) is not productive – ESPECIALLY since the Kingdom of Heaven is God’s and not ours – ESPECIALLY since the wages the laborers make (also thought of our salvation) is NOT ours to dole out – but HIS and HIS alone.  Jesus reminds us often that He too works for God and says ALL the glory goes to Him. Jesus came to remind us to stop worrying about our human-perceived inequities – but be grateful for God’s love – because “Love rejoices in the truth, NOT in iniquity!” (1 Corinthians 13:6)

I think of this scripture when I hear folks complaining – perhaps one reason Jesus told us this parable is so that we would TRY to become less cranky in life… our disgruntled nature is so very human – our crankiness very teenager like in our faith – and our jealousy of others might make us resentful enough to stop issuing the rest of the people in the world Grace – the same Grace that is afforded to us…. The scripture is also about not being so greedy and about sharing with others who come after us… and realizing that God does what He wants with HIS STUFF – paramount is for Him to have EVERYONE come home to Heaven. We are all more than just HIS STUFF because we are HIS CHILDREN!

We have to accept that people, as sheep, as laborers, come to the place of forgiveness at various times and still get full forgiveness…. we are to acknowledge that faith as small as a mustard seed is enough to get each person into heaven – because entering Heaven and receiving forgiveness is by God’s grace and not by our doing…. and God gave Jesus to those of us broken on earth to be repaired in Heaven – Jesus reminds us that what is impossible with man is only possible with God…

If we feel saving grace in our hearts, are we still remembering to be growing Christians? We are still called to grow… We always have something to learn and our imperfections that re-occur…

Are we envious of others because of God’s gifts to them? And that clouds our gratefulness of ours? Are we forgetting that salvation is a gift and has nothing to do with us – but we are still called to work very hard regardless…

See, Jesus says we are to enter the kingdom like little children… we are growing Christians, our faith must become more simple and God-dependent – it is not given without sacrifice… Maybe some of us pass thru a cranky teen phase on our own way to being children of faith… we can acknowledge our cranky “what about me?” phase and try to get over it by reminding ourselves that it’s not all about us – but it is all about God! That we are in His plan and should rejoice in that! We should still try to embrace joy and shed our envy… And still labor in the vineyard for whatever wages we agreed to work for – and keep working for all… God is for all – so should we be…

Are we willing to still work – even serve others whom we dislike and disagree with? And do it with JOY? Joy is integral to God… Joy is blessed on those who learn to serve Him now… JOY is given as grace – only at His doing, not ours – not earthly JOY…

Are we allowed to be cranky about earthy things? How about cranky about God’s gifts? Are we like the prodigal son’s other brother, jealous of the returning prodigal son? Are we doing ourselves and God a disservice by withholding grace and not letting ourselves return to childlike acceptance of our faith? We should just let it go…

I remember a friend saying: “God calls all these people, whom I don’t like, His children too “… and it’s true that we can’t see into their hearts, so those late to the table still means they got to the table, and God’s blessings of grace will bring them home…

Are we able to forget our personal agendas and follow His example of being generous with our grace too?

For the first should be last… and stop complaining along the way…

Let us today find and work for God.

There is a lot in life – there is our lot in life – our lifework is a lot – but we can rejoice in working for God…

Amen

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“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

3 “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went.

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing.6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

7 “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’

9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius.11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Matthew 20