#879, 03JUN

Grandma’s Stitches

It’s hard to break up a house,  my neighbor’s children are now dividing and tossing, but very slowly as they have much work and many memories to sort and ponder. I didn’t actually know this neighbor, except only that she gave cans of soda and big juice boxes for Halloween night, what a GREAT reputation, one for the ages, according to my children!

She passed away last month, age 80 plus, declining, after living in her house for probably 50 plus years…  In a roundabout way, I was given her classic embroidered tablecloth doilies which apparently didn’t make the “keep pile”. I washed, bleached and ironed them. How beautiful. Maybe I will someday find them a home, simple designs and simple stitches but hard work and beautiful examples of a craft of old… recent old, but still, those times seemingly would have felt more still than life now.

I always embroidered as a kid, at Grandma’s house, so did all my male cousins and brother, a great rainy or snowy day activity. Sit down and make cross stitches on a stamped pattern. I still have a pillowcase that my Grandmother made for me, a doll with a pink doily skirt. I have a little duck swatch made by my brother. All these are tucked away. Mentally I can see myself sitting on the 1970’s couch practicing my stitches, I can feel it in my fingers.

Women learn and work in double time, even when resting – they sat down to practice their alphabets and numbers in olden times of the 1700’s and 1800’s, it was part of their education to practice their stitches in “samplers”.  These doilies from my neighbor are decorative, and I have now pressed and folded them. As classic Grandma’s stitches, what do they represent?  They represent her hands working while her body was resting.  They are Grandma’s “DOWN TIME”, Grandma’s precious little “me time”. Grandma surely had VERY LITTLE “down time”.

My own sewing Grandma had a farm and 5 kids, 6 grandkids, her down time was earned. My Grandma was not known to have any religious background, but I can imagine that her thoughts were filled with her busy life when she sat stitching away and sorting through her thoughts. Grandma’s stitches are her own way of thinking thru life. Grandma could also “think work” while others or the TV talked in the background. Grandma could have some time to just be.

Looking at the precious french knots on these, I know they are a mini art that required practice. Looking at the vibrant colors 50 plus years later, these are simple beautiful. They lasted 50 years, but won’t last forever.

Look what holds up best in time, not Grandma’s stitches but her prayers for our lives. Prayer lasts forever in time. I can imagine how Grandma might say: someday my child will pass this to their children... Someday perhaps my grandchildren will know how much work their ancestors put into them having a better life… Yes, any child to raise and any stitch to sew might represent precious time that this particular or any Grandma would have welcomed into time to pray. We are blessed with things and lives our Grandparents would have dreamed about. How strongly their prayers worked. Our lives are vibrant and fulfilled in ways they wished and worked.

How could each stitch we NOW make in our own mental downtime become a prayer? For now and the future. Whether sewing machine or embroidery stitch, whether passing thought or purposeful practice, mentally we can meet with our Holy Stitch-maker every day… God has knit our hearts together before we are born, He knows us and we are to know Him. He can run His Graces over our lives in a Way that feel even better than when we run our hands over embroidery stitches. He can admire His Work. He can see and feel His Love placed in our lives. Can we?

The Lord can see simple stitches which He has combined to make an elaborate pattern we call life, and He can see deep in thru time, where He has made a mesh of beautiful moments. We can also appreciate that there are people who work hard tidying up the frayed ends of life to set things right for all. Thru it all,  God provides His Word as a crucial Healing Thread.

How hard my Grandma (and Grandpa) worked, all my family, and how amazing  stitching downtime was work too. How precise and precious all these little stitches are, and even the backs are neat, secured to endure. How my memories secure me to know that my amazing ancestors worked so very hard to secure my future and my heritage with their background of work ethic.

And of course we are to remember how short earthly life is, how all threads will be removed from any deep tangles of life and reset into His Kingdom.  “All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah 40.

We are secured, eternally, thru Jesus, held for preservation into our Father’s House.  How Holy Spirited our Creator works in His Way. How precise and precious. How carefully we are given into this world for this time – “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;  In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2

Keep stitching your life while weaving His Story. Keep praying His Legacy for Your children. Keep the faith, for we are all are already stitched into His Kingdom. 

Amen

878, 14JUN

Jesus Knows What is in Our Hearts

Amen Amen…

“Jesus knows what is on our hearts”.

I read and lived that sentence tonight and instantly my room light clicked off. That timing for my light’s timer is timeless. I saw it as a signal it was time to get to sleep and rest. It was also a sentence of truth to comfort, to counterbalance conviction. Jesus knowingly wanted to soothe my soul and address any dread in my racing thoughts from the day – did I do right? Did I risk things? Did I mess up? Did I fail to act… Know that with Jesus it’s about motivation,  it is truly the thought that counts. Jesus knows what is on our hearts and in our hearts. He understands and wants us to move forward.

“Jesus knows what is on our hearts” was apt for Peter, rambunctious Peter, for he too is rash. Rash moves, emotional reactions, imperfections galore.

A great reminder of a heart who is human. We are human too. Jesus knows… Jesus forgives…

Forgiveness from Jesus is both for sins knowingly committed, and the oops too. The mess ups and the sins of omission as well. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. It’s the secrets shared only with the Lord that can give the quiet calm where there should be waves of storms lashing you.

Lord, we all pray forgiveness for all we do and don’t.

The Word is the final Word, as well as the beginning. Alpha and Omega. “Jesus knows what is on our hearts”.

Psalm 51:9-12  Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation….

And renew a right Spirit within me.

Amen

877, 10JUN

Net Your Strawberries and Guard Your Heart

Was it worth 20 minutes extra drive and $6 of netting to protect $5 worth of strawberries from the birds? Tasting the taste of today – YES!

These are precious moments remembering garden toiling for 2 plus years, even if for only 2 weeks of taste. I had to save what I started. And now that tis the season of strawberries, I have to physically take the time to harvest them too.

Unbelievable! I need to guard my strawberries from those hungry birds…. blocking some strawberries is not depriving the birds of life-giving food, as they feast plenty-fine at the neighbor’s feeders,  so protecting my crop for me seems appropriate.

God protects His crop too.

God nets His flock.

God goes after His heart, which is all of us.

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We all need to guard our hearts, as everything we do flows from our hearts.

We all need to balance.

We all need to serve while keeping sacred Whom we ultimately serve.

We need to build strength reserve so that we can serve. Perpetuate peace.

Protect what we hold in our hearts, all while giving our all.

The sweetest outcome for the Lord is to build peace, and see the fruits of His labor from His long planned devotion to His mission: net all of us so we come home. Home Sweet Home.

Amen

 

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Proverbs 4:20-23 My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.  Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.  Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

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Phillpians 4:4-9 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

#876, 08JUN

I Don’t Have All the Answers

I have lots of ideas, many good ideas. However, I doubt that I’m supposed to have ALL the answers, but it’s upsetting to me when I don’t. That’s natural of course,  we want to help, know, act. Lately I’ve realized that perhaps I’m NOT supposed to have all the answers and when it’s clear to me that my mind is BLANK, it’s not for lack of TRYING, it’s from a lack of RELYING ON THE LORD TO FIGURE  IT OUT.

Actually I realize more and more the things I don’t understand… so, maybe I’m dumbfounded on purpose or have a block or because someone else is supposed to shine with their idea? (yes that has happened a few times lately) Yes, it is MORE important that an answer is found than for me coming up with it! It’s more important the praying out than how it plays out for me.  My job? KEEP THE FAITH.

Now I’ve been ruminating about important things to me, but not things of everyone’s concern. I even stress over broken situations I didn’t bring about, but still think it’s up to me to fix. What do you think I should do, what we should do in our own dilemmas? KEEP THE FAITH. Keep the walk and keep trusting.

And (clearly with many world examples) even if things go haywire on any terms – small or large scale – what should we do? CALL OUT TO GOD, and KEEP THE FAITH.

Of course, as I was thinking of these unknown answers in me, the Holy Spirit had me pull a loose thread of my lack of knowledge, my earnest attempts to learn, and I realized while reading a “scripture of the day” that I had never heard the scriptures from Habakkuk. And WOW… the answer that grows in Prophet Habakkuk’s conversations with God is : “KEEP THE FAITH” !!!

The awesome video teaching from “The Bible Project” reminds that in everything, we are to keep the faith:  https://youtu.be/OPMaRqGJPUU

Fabulous Faith Forever Fulfilling…

Keep the Faith

Pull the strings of unknown, but meditate on the known: God has a plan. In strife  and good times, KEEP THE FAITH.

Amen

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The book of Habakkuk offers hope to people – BibleProject™

https://bibleproject.com/explore/habakkuk/

 

#875, 07JUN

Dive In for Jesus

My Word… how blessedly we can dive right into the life stories of Jesus. My deliberate pace thru the 4 gospels, with commentary by Michael Card in His Biblical Imagination series, has been a joy of learning. There’s no better way to learn about your faith than thru His Word. His story is our story, His disciples are our teachers. His life is worth learning. He is the Alpha and Omega. He’s the Word worth taking in.

The gospel of John was written when John was very old, recounting the stories and teachings from his witness as the “disciple Jesus loved” as a teenager, from his life with second-mother Mary, and the other disciples. John spent volumes of time teaching. We are able to dive in to be alive with these stories and we can fish for our lives as well as our direction, our hope.

John 20 concludes His Gospel teachings of the Resurrection of Jesus on that first Easter morning and John 21 adds a few more stories about their fishing after Jesus rose. Jesus watched them fish all night, empty nets. One direction from Jesus and their nets were full. This mirrored the same way that Jesus gave direction and encouraged the disciples the first day He met them and other times. This repetition of direction overfilled their nets, again.

How fitting that His encouragement fills our nets as well, with resources, fulfillment, faith and food of life.  Peter dove right into the water that morning when he learned it was Jesus on shore, nothing could keep him in that boat and he swam the Sea of Galilee to see his friend. We too must dive in full force into our future. Jesus provides and Jesus calls… in this day, and always, Jesus is already here. No long term wait, He’s prepared today for us, and started us with daily bread.

Jesus gives directions to His disciples and to us for where to catch fish. He gives us moments and tools to harvest what others have seeded and the Lord has grown. Jesus already knows where the fish are. Once the catch of the day is made, we are able to be Peter-like and dive into His Divine Presence. Each new day will be another day for Peter to fish for men. Likewise for us, each morning will be the best time to fill our hearts and souls with Jesus knowledge for the tasks ahead. Take one day at a time.

Go seek Jesus and learn how He has been watching for you, always, and waiting for you each morning with nourishment for the day’s tasks.

Listen to Jesus and learn where you best cast your nets.

Fill yourself with Jesus as Word and be filled.

DIVE INTO EVERYTHING JESUS IS!!!

Amen

 

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John 21:1-14

Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.  When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”  So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

#874, 04JUN

I Wonder

I wonder about excessive forgiveness… how much is excessive.  How much is enough? I wonder. Perhaps a better term to use is EXTRAVAGANT forgiveness, yes that is a fitting word for the WORD.

Jesus, risen from the dead, breathing on the disciples with the Holy Spirit, said: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them, if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20)

Jesus wants us to display forgiveness, therefore I don’t think that there is anything that could be called excessive in forgiveness, since our gift of forgiveness is EXTRAVAGANT. And therefore, whatever is not forgiven remains unforgiven. We best to tap into Jesus to help us forgive what we can not.

Jesus IS the definition of excessive forgiveness. Jesus in death and life is the excessive gift of the Father How can He not be called excessive, He blessed even the people who killed Him.

Jesus came to cover all sins. How unfathomable. How unreal. How, I wonder, could anyone model that level of deep forgiveness. ONLY with the Holy Spirit and ONLY by the Holy Spirit.

Mercy is to be loved. With whose love? The Spirit.

Justice is to be sought. How? Rely on the Spirit.

Humbleness is to be walked. Who leads? The Spirit.

Ignore the Spirit and ignore life everlasting. We need to breathe Spirit,  live Spirit,  love Spirit.

Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit after Easter morning because He had no human breath left. And He used His breath to forgive. He had the ONLY the breath needed, the ultimate breath of the Holy Spirit. One with the Father, One for all. One breath forever alive.

I wonder,  how we can ever move forward in anything? Follow.

I wonder, how can we forgive? Breathe.

Listen. Speak.

Breathe easier, we are given the work of the Holy Spirit.

We wonder, He works.

I wonder in wonder of the great “I AM.”

We wonder, but He IS.

Amen

873

The Fray, 02Jun

I often wonder why we can be blessed to be born and continue to live above the fray of hardships of poverty, unrest, physical pain (for now, thanks Lord for the hedge of protection). It’s not that I worked hard at these, except I have been taught to know to work to keep myself and my family to stay away from the fray.

We are blessed, always, no matter our circumstances.

Sheltered or hiding from world problems? We do have that ability, to block out the world, to find solitary isolated places, especially by shutting off the news. But how much should we go solve the world problems? How much are we supposed to venture out or hunker down? There is only one source of solution that works, WORK for THE LORD. And no matter safe or scared, isolated or inundated, we still must work for the Lord and tell of His Good News.

Right now, do we make do with a new view or make anew a mission, old or new? I sort thru these dilemmas in my head.  When I taught vacation bible school,  my thoughts were that my job was to equip the next generation with the seeds of knowledge of Jesus and His mission. No VBS this year – yet. So, as ever, my writings may have pulled me closer into peace by settling me down. But why continue writing and sharing, in this 51^st chapter?  I’m pretty sure that even if I don’t see the impact,  someday somehow God will use the fact that I wrote – was forced to write – and wanted to share. His sharing is beyond my understanding. I’m not the first writer – it is just that I am just the curator of His peace within me.

What about entering the fray? Even my worry about losing the cat sometimes blocks my path from leaving the house, or causes me to figure out how to sneak out the back door. Maybe I’m not supposed to cut off the fray but sew it together so it is not unruly and make the fabric potentially lost. The fray of fabric can be overstitched by my serger sewing machine, so perhaps the life fray fears and foibles are the same. The Lord saves me from my own human fray. Yes, the Lord stitches the world’s people into His love, He makes the fray manageable for another day. He overlocks the loose ends of people’s lives with His love. The serger overlock machine will cut off the fabric edges off with a sharp knife. We too must be willing to cut back some of our excess living while being secured by the Lord into His giant patchwork quilt project He calls earth. Sew two pieces of lives together and you have doubled the expanse of the width of the fabric. Stitch out to share the Word of God and watch Him sew His quilt bigger and bigger. Our Father, the Vinedresser, will prune us to bear more fruit. (John 15)

The Word will spread. We are to partition our lifestyles into usefulness that is uniquely gifted to us to do our part. The fruit we are given is for sharing. He will equip us and bless us.

It’s the Lord who keeps us close to Him, thankfully.  Impact is His. He makes stepping stones of opening opportunities… I will never know which opportunities were mine to miss. I best to mine the opportunities to make the most of my life. For Him. For Him.  He is the goldmine of purpose.

Someday I will reach into the fray more. And remind the world who will reach out too.

Pray for the fray.

Pray for those who reduce the fray, every day it needs tucking together into peace.

Pray for realization that we need our future. GOD NEEDS US TO CONTINUE.

Keep working for the Lord. Every big and little stitch.

Amen

 

872, 31MAY

Holy Spirit, Thank You for My Life

“Alexa, when is Pentecost?”

“Pentecost is today.”

I placed my hand out to RISE UP from sleep, knowing that I needed to RISE to write and my hand SMACK-landed on my vacation bible school lessons paper next to me: “Zing! The Holy Spirit”

The VBS paper states that God gives us what we need, in order to share about Him. My favorite part of listening to people talk is when they say “Thank God”

THANK GOD!

Why are we alive? TO THANK AND LOVE GOD. Seriously,  why have we been given breath today? To share the GOOD NEWS… Jesus’s Life-giving life, death, life is because HE HAD TO COME AND GO… We needed the Holy Spirit. We want the Holy Spirit to move us. We are to be the Holy Spirit’s RUSTLE today,  not our hustle but HIS rustle…

The disciples were surprised by Jesus, and surely by the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2) and we too can be SURPRISED by living in this life – the goal in life could be to overcome the odds stacked against us,  to rise to a comfortable living, enjoy people and position and possessions – OR to realize then use our comfort, our position, our possessions and our lives to be a blessing to others – especially to be HOLY SPIRIT- MOVED to meet the people WHO NEED TO RISE BY KNOWING JESUS. JOY in Jesus, the HOPE THAT REALLY HELPS.

I am feeling so blessed and pray a hedge of protection around my life and my family’s life… and I ask the Lord,  “WHY? Why do I have this seeming oasis of home blessings?” At 1st, especially with all the turmoil in the world, especially since we have NO IDEA what volumes of sadness exists when as it is not experienced by us, I thought it’s kind of like SURVIVOR GUILT but instead it’s like SURVIVOR JOY.. .  Jesus wants us to have SURVIVOR JOY!!! He didn’t die to demonstrate iniquity in His World but stepped into the fire for He knew. He lived to demonstrate that He is the Way out of iniquity for all, by spreading peace.

In life we have a Lord who brings JOY…

In death we have life, thru a Savior who brings me LIFE and thus JOY…

JOY!!!

Just like they say there’s enough food in the world, plenty, but it’s a “distribution problem” – can’t get it to people – I believe that it is the same way with JOY – there’s total JOY in Jesus, because there is total PEACE in Jesus. So your internal peace is not for idling, but to catch your breath, a breath of Holy Spirit. Then go back out to share and spread PEACE.

So how do we get it there? How do we share all there is to share???  HOLY SPIRIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SMACK, place your hands down and rise to the moment to share HIS LOVE in a smile,  in a gift, in a help, in a Word, in a witness, in standing by with support,  in making the world a better place…

Don’t worry,  the Holy Spirit will be with you.

“Pentecost is EVERY DAY”

Holy Spirit – move me today!

AMEN!!!

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Fittingly in this play on Words, Act 1 is Jesus,  Act 2 is Holy Spirit… the next Act is me and you!

 

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Act 2)

871, 27MAY

Eyes AND Hand to the Plow

Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

I was made aware of another delicate step thru my faith journey. I had wondered what I would see and learn during my long car ride, and God did not disappoint.  I had to take a detour, onto the longer road, the road less traveled, as the turnpike was closed, and I had to slow down around those bendy farmland curves. I saw beautiful countryside and life at a different pace with amish farms, cows, green hills. I saw myself in none of these, as I am a fast paced person, but I appreciate both paces. However I did see a teaching moment revealed in path for my faith, when I saw a woman in a small field with an old fashioned plow, wearing a bonnet and long skirt, certainly not old gardening clothes but wearing what was expected of her, complete coverings in warm weather, yet she still did the necessary work… and I saw she was walking VERY slow. Why? Because she had her hand AND eyes firmly fixed to the plow. She had her hand to the plow and nothing broke her concentration. My concentration wanders, and my driving trip was my own type of plowing and I was trying to NOT second guess myself, I am always second guessing myself.

Jesus: “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

In doing His work, Jesus says don’t look back, DON’T. If you look back, surely you will plow haphazard and be pulled to places unknown,  you will be pulled all out of sorts. In faith, we must plow ahead. If we look back and second guess we are risking forward progress, just look and work forward. Serve the Kingdom ahead. Serve where you are planted. Sow your land that was gifted to you to plant. Work with the tools you are given.

Here’s a crucial part of many folks faith journeys, that it is OK to be NOT on the fast track. It is OK to walk slow but walk with sure footing. This amish woman was watching her work and walking with EXTREME focus and that required an appropriately slow and steady speed. Her face was determined, she was EXTREMELY in step with her role, she studied her plow and her steps.  She didn’t look back nor look haphazardly off to the side or look so outstretched to somewhere too far ahead. SHE FOCUSED ON HER WORK AT HAND. No matter how slow, old-fashioned, seemingly inefficient it seemed to me zipping along in my car,  it was her job that day, perhaps only a few hours within a busy day, to plow. And her instruments were sufficient for the size of the plot and it was in keeping with her chosen lifestyle. And I bet it will produce a bountiful crop because of her attentiveness. Even a small crop is pleasing to the Lord when it yields more than was sown.

Our faith needs focus and follow thru. AND not to anticipate too far ahead. Once we commit to the Lord’s work there is no turning back. And we can’t harvest fruit until we take the time to prepare our fields, tend our fields, be in our fields.  Faith is not a spectator sport. Even if we don’t know what will sprout from our plowing, when we earnestly fit our faith work into the context of our lives, with the intent to serve, surely we will be making progress…. Better yet, if we let the Lord plan our lives, He will be making progress… (Remember we may not see the crop ourselves)… God knows where to send the rain, to farmers who prepare. Today, this farmer laid down a beautiful set of straight rows, and unlike plowing like a bull in a china shop, I of all people need to keep watch to step delicate and always be true.

Another crucial crystallized thought: How often do we REDO our own work, not looking back but doubling back to the same routine, when we should be looking for new work, new fields to sow. How often God does change our scenery if we travel long enough on the same road, within a short time we will be set to work our same skills with new souls.  How often does God use the detours of life, unplanned as well as asking us to take risk purposefully by taking the road less traveled, or to plow into a new field. How often do we see wasted time as wasted,  but the Lord sees it differently.  Even fallow fields are required to rest. We can always pray instead of stew. Perhaps God’s timing is waiting for our obedience rather than the other way around.

The Lord makes time, He can stretch it, slow it, and He can make all our time worth His time. So should we slow or stretch our time as well, make it into time well spent, even if it giving quiet time to let seeds sprout. Sometimes the best plan is to listen and be still.

We shall sow and sow we will in His time, on His land, for His people.

Our journey picking up our faith walks, and never knowing what lies ahead, could become like the women that first Easter morning who stepped into darkness with minimal light and hope after Jesus was laid to rest. They still plowed ahead with their journey to anoint a dead body, they plowed ahead even in danger, without any expectation of the glorious Easter moment ahead – of SEEING THE RISEN CHRIST. Jesus startled them for sure. I am sure when we continue our faith walks, Jesus will startle us as well, with HOPE, LIGHT, and GRACE. When we know that all we did was plow, we will know that He was the one who walked us into growth.

Keep plowing forward.

Amen

 

 

#870, 27MAY

My Faith in Faith

My faith, where is it? My laundry list of health worries, life worries,  project worries, why don’t I list my faith as my first agenda item to work on?

A faith ailment is worse than anything I could catch.

God’s faith in me is strong. How about my faith in Him? It’s not a question of whether, it’s a question of if. My faith is the big IF.  Everything else will fall into place, IF I listen, IF I catch on that FAITH in Him is all I need.

For me,  for example,  when I’m worried about anything that impacts my joy, it really means I might worry without working on the tasks at hand. I worry and God waits for me to stop worrying. God asks me to keep walking and keep still and listen. I cover my bases, back track to cover my steps, yet nothing else is better than to be covered by nestling under His Wing (read Psalm 91 for sure).

God waits for me to stop worrying and get worshiping.  I can’t fix anything with worry.  Let me praise first, no matter what, our praise solves more.

God can fix everything (even if it not seen until eternity) with our walking WITH Him. God will fix our worries by us having more child-like faith. God will be God regardless of circumstances. If we mess up, God will give us words to help. If we praise even our pain, God is ready to help. God is ready to steady, can we rise to believe that? God will come to us, even deep in our low places, that I know.

God, Lord God, please show me what I need to know. Please give me the strength to believe in You to the ends of my dust and Your earth

Amen

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Psalm 91

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers. and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

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Luke 12:25-31

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.  But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

 

 

869, 26MAY

Other Concerns Out Compete Covid19

My weekend brought out a microcosm of concerns! Wow, I pray a hedge of retro protection for sure! I appreciate prayers from prayer warriors, it’s only God who can handle the healing,  hand out hope, hold our hearts whole… Hands and hearts, hold them up for the Lord, in the Lord, with the Lord.

Thanks

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Keep your summer safe!

I didn’t stay home and worry about catching COVID19 this weekend, I did get out – and had a great time – although I know I had to spend time concerned about a few other dangers – namely poison ivy (twice), sunburn, Lyme ticks, E.coli, listeria, salmonella, asbestos and oh yes, don’t forget about bubonic plague! WOW what a weekend!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, I dealt with each concern as they came – I will likely forget today’s troubles tomorrow (each day can worry about itself) – I don’t shy away from living – I did remember my common sense (I hope) and I dared to live life. One of the biggest concerns if you don’t get out and exercise is diabetes, so I made sure I got my walks in!  Ticks – got to check yourself! Check! Sunscreen? Check that box too and wear a hat! My gardening was interesting with avoiding poison ivy in my friend’s yard and pulling it out in mine. You have to step carefully, wash immediately, and watch especially scrapes for signs of outbreak for this is a VERY common ailment! At that moment, I didn’t worry about an inkling about anything else compared to poison ivy! It is all about perspective!

Let’s talk picnic time! I was so happy to see my neighbors place their salads on ice – and those tasty eggs were cooked very well – check and check for highly reducing potential risks of listeria and salmonella…  Delicious foods and delicious burgers – of course you have to watch out for E. coli with raw hamburger meats – keep the raw meats in plastic and BELOW the prepared foods in the fridge. wash all surfaces! And that delicious burger? I always take it WELL DONE at picnics (hey don’t tell the host if I might step into their kitchen and nuke it for a minute too!)…  Did I mention COVID19 yet, the SARS2 virus? This is going to be in the world for a while – no matter what the precautions, it is a big unknown. I am a big fan of mask wearing (not everyone is) but any time we can reduce splattering germs around is good. Yes, compliance with social distancing, reduced store visits, and letting no one or minimal folks into my house except my immediate family all should help. Which brings me to asbestos, yes asbestos, the wonderful material that was so useful in the 50’s is now such a hassle in the present. The work in my house (before this self-isolation time) covered the asbestos tiles and there was no harm no foul. Construction was shut down for a time but now that we are emerging into both the construction allowable phase at SUMMER, it was time to get a new air conditioner (installed by my properly masked contractor). He was very self-isolated too, so I worried minimally about COVID19, but asbestos??? So to minimize asbestos exposure I wet mopped the area as dust reduction technique. With asbestos you won’t know for 30 plus years if you had been breathing too much. By then I will be nearing 80, I probably will worry much less about asbestos then. I’ll worry about that when/if I make 80!

Did I forget anything? Oh yes, bubonic plague – not really but I always think of it when I see mice and mice droppings.  And so the shed clean out was good and yet was icky…  there will be some confused mice when they can’t find that home in the corner of the shed now.  Seriously the warnings on hantavirus in droppings are scary. I stopped writing this piece once I read about hantavirus and just simply got up from my computer and got on my knees to pray to the Lord for some retro protection. I really really really like living. I really really really like to protect my family. I really really really like to know that I did what I could with a crazy busy life and ALL these worries.

Where is the boat Jesus? – I want to get in Your boat and not mine. I will worry less with You – I will live forever with You – I will live well now with Your protection. I will just choose You over stress-eating and over stress-stressing. I will remember God’s mercy and believe – really really really I want to believe in your healing Lord and in your pre-healing prevention and protection.

Thanks for letting make my prayer vent – that is good for my mental health too – to think that I can have prayers is a comfort. To KNOW that I have the Lord is really my joy, my strength, and my rest.

Thanks Lord for You.

Whew.

You.

Amen

868, 26MAY

He Gave Up His Spirit

Jesus, as told in the gospel of John, gave up His Spirit, knowing He had fulfilled the scriptures, knowing Our Father had set out a plan for His glory.  Jesus did not give up His Hope, His Mission,  His Life. Jesus is Life, therefore Jesus gave OF His Life by handing out His Spirit to all.

Jesus knew His body gave out, but He did not give His Spirit to just dissipate away to nothing, instead purposely He was invigorated in His ability to shepherd His flock.

Since we must open the door of our own lives to the Lord, and hear His voice, we must give away our hardened hearts and be filled with renewed Spirit. We must recognize this influx of His Spirit come to comfort and create us anew. We must welcome walking with no hesitation.

Jesus was stilled on the cross. He gave up the ghost.  Jesus needed us to be filled with Spirit because of His full-filled life purpose. We have Jesus in our hearts, Spirit in our souls. Fear not, feel fulfillment. Be fully His.

We have God and God has us.

He will NEVER give up us.

Amen

867, 22MAY

Jesus Follow Thru

Jesus Himself could have walked away from His own mission, BUT HE DIDN’T. Perhaps He would have decided to keep teaching for as many years as His Father would have let him, but He knew the time was drawing near and He knew His sacrifice for sake of His Father, Our Father. We may watch the days of the calendar, but the truth is: Jesus wants us to number our days by our walking with Him.

These days in the news we are reading about nurses and healthcare workers under intense stress, watching and endangered to catch illnesses which scare them to death. But they walk back into their work each day. Can we support them? Can we ease the burdens of these souls who walk into danger every day? Theirs is a calling. What’s our calling for helping others? Jesus call us to rest, then step according to His Will.

These days I am reading in the last verses of the gospel of John 19, not yet Easter in John 20, and so it is excruciating reading about the torture, the cast of characters around the crucifixion, the political moves that positioned an innocent man as sacrifice, then as pawn for chaos, and now in verse 26 we see the re-gifting of Mary as a mother to young John, and John as a son to Mary. John and Mary each have new paths ahead of them but a reliance connection needed to take care of each other. We too are gifted others in support and buffer to walking bumpy roads.

Jesus came to connect us to our Loving Father for eternity.  It’s the core of our walk, to be walking to HOME.

Our paths are varied, uphill, downhill and thru unknown terrain. Jesus is always shoring up our path. Let us stay on the path. (Cue the Keith Green song.)

Constantly sacrifice is needed for our obedience to God’s will, to stay on the path. To demonstrate to BOTH demons and human watchers that we KNOW Whom is in control. If we are unsure,  we should not guess our steps but pray the Holy Spirit to help, to watch the path unfold. We must TRUST the path the Lord has spoken into our lives. We must step IN STEP, like Jesus did.  It’s a sacrifice not of life but the things that weigh us down.

I’m blessed to know so many people who are devoted to the Lord, I also know many who aren’t and we have the blessed opportunity to pray that they uncover their own path to walk with Him. Keep faith to show others that you are not shaken in your faith.

If we lay our own path, it will be bumpy and off to unknown lands. If we let Jesus lay our path, it will be sanctioned from above and sure. Most importantly, even if we go thru tough times, our path will always point us HOME.

“It is Finished” John 19:30

Jesus finished His own earthly walk, but was His walk done? No.

Jesus steps ahead to walk EVERYONE HOME.

Jesus refuses to leave us. Jesus stays forever without knowing the day or the hour He will come back again, but His Spirit has been laid into our hearts, knit into our souls. As Jesus knew that the old testament scriptures had been fulfilled, He stepped across His own life bridge to Heaven to fulfill His own Writing as a New Testament to Life, Truth, and the Way. As He Fulfilled the Scriptures, Jesus is OUR FULFILLMENT TOO.

PRAISE YOU JESUS FOR YOUR FOLLOW THRU. PRAISE YOU JESUS FOR HOLDING ONTO US.

May we lean into our walk and reach for You. You gave up Your Spirit and gained all of ours for the Kingdom.

Amen Amen

Amen