Month: May 2025

Choose JOY – Experiencing the Rescue and the Lift, Psalms 56 and 57 and more…

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I am under vows to you, my God; I will present my thank offerings to you. For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. Psalm 56:12-13

My Playlist of God songs including “Rescue” – and “This is how I fight my battles”, this was my ‘go-to’ yesterday morning. I woke in (TMI) hot flashes and anxiety, for no good reason, maybe a few frivolous reasons, but not ‘good’ ones. I went from powerless (but got myself going – I mean on a Friday it is easier to say ‘Hey this is Friday’) to feeling more and more empowered throughout the day, with the Lord’s raising. Yes, I was raising from bed, slowly a gaining of better and better momentum, the trickling in of small special moments of appreciation and happiness that streamed into my morning. Appreciative messages, people offering answers to work prayers, good stuff for a Friday. Then when my old boss texted to see if I wanted to go to lunch to a brand new place, a Jewish delicatessen, with 2 OG original gang coworkers, I leapt at the opportunity.

It was surely the Lord Who lifted me up, like the Josh Groban’s version of the song sings, “You Lift Me Up!” to walk on stormy seas. And His people carried me forward. That’s a Lord of Love. 

I specifically wrote a devotion about Psalm 56 that down-feeling morning, because I knew ‘if God is for you, who can be against you‘, even in one’s own doldrums or health whatever, hormonal swings and such, good reasons or ‘no good reasons’. And I even told my coworkers and the owner of that new Jewish delicatessen about Psalm 56 helping me as a pick-me-up scripture, and we both said thank God for everything. 

In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise – in God I trust and am not afraid. Ps56:10

I certainly reached for God today – HE WAS THERE.

The Lord comforts and lifts, helps and holds. He does not disappoint!

And writing this, I enjoyed decompression in a moment, outside in the car, door open, with a simple rain sprinkle and cool breeze in the evening after going for ice cream with a friend. No I did not need the ice cream but I certainly just tasted for the sweetness of the day… And the friend and the ice cream were great joy. I can say the Lord delivered ‘my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.’… YES…

(And a bonus, I got to hold a pudgy cutest soft squishy baby at the ice cream place, Now that IS JOY!!!!! JOY!!! The ice cream, so good, was still so temporary but the JOY is forever!!!)

Amen Lord – Thanks… my tears of gratitude collection is filling up.

Thank God For You are For US.

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This Psalm 57 verses 9 t0 11 is like the Nine One One call request of rescue to the Lord – and then the THANK YOU!!!!

I will PRAISE you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 57:9-11

God is FOR us, Psalm 56

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God is FOR us

God IS for us

God is for US

GOD is for us

We should repeat this phraseology – God is for ME – and God is for US – with the emphasis of GOD. 

God is FOR us – God IS for us – God is for US – GOD is for us… 

With God, how can we not be alright – even better than alright – even if it takes endless rough spots to get through. And some people’s rough spots are tougher than others and some people are more strong – but the weakness that leads to depending upon God is the best weakness of all. For GOD IS OUR STRENGTH – and GOD is for us.

David – the king and the shepherd – he went through tough times and whether we relate and whether people have actually tormented us – the prayer can be the same – “Be merciful to me, O God…” David realized that with God and in God that he would be OK – even unto torment and death. I pray we are not there but for those times that we fear – we ALSO can cry out to the Lord – for the times we wonder – for the times we hurt… God collects our tears – God plans our steps – God doesn’t change and always carries us.

For You have delivered my soul from death.
Have You not kept my feet from falling,
That I may walk before God
In the light of the living?

If we are still here today, God has a purpose for us. We can keep going – God is FOR us.  Survive, Thrive, Be Alive.

Amen

Psalm 56 NKJV – Prayer for Relief from Tormentors
To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A Michtam of David when the Philistines captured him in Gath.


Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up;
Fighting all day he oppresses me.
My enemies would hound me all day,
For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.

Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not fear.
What can flesh do to me?

All day they twist my words;
All their thoughts are against me for evil.
They gather together,
They hide, they mark my steps,
When they lie in wait for my life.
Shall they escape by iniquity?
In anger cast down the peoples, O God!

You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book?
When I cry out to You,
Then my enemies will turn back;
This I know, because God is for me.
In God (I will praise His word),
In the Lord (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God;
I will render praises to You,
For You have delivered my soul from death.
Have You not kept my feet from falling,
That I may walk before God
In the light of the living?

Which War are We Fighting? Keep Praying! 2nd Corinthians 2

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In my recent travels to Canada, the probably only frowning face I encountered was at the orthodox church where I went to purchase candles to light in memory of my friend. Yes there was sadness in reverence of the mini service going on for remembrance of people who have passed away, but the frown on the one lady behind the counter became that classic grumpy frumpy face known universal, saying: “10 dollars minimum” to tap my debit card. So no, not upset of me being unknowing of customs like covering my head in the building for the service, but of customers covering the service fees for the banking transactions (trust me I was thrilled that I saw the tap machine like at every restaurant and gift shop). We are fighting an economic war more than anything in earthly life, aren’t we – universally.

Yeah, which war are we fighting, being disgruntled with – Spiritual? or with Sanctions for earthly living? I quickly grabbed more candles to bring myself to 10 dollars minimum, and donned the scarf borrowed from the very sweet lady who was blessed to see me visiting. See it is better to humble ourselves and keep fighting the spiritual war with prayers and praise and the power of Jesus. The war we wage against evil is continuous in all our heavenly and earthly realms. We must keep praying to fight that war by LOVING, by watching, by being in the right place to be the nice person and the friendly face of forgiveness and grace. 

So, no I was not put off by that grumpy face – which you know as well – that is the price of customer service often – the customer always thinks they are right and they aren’t. It was OK. We must be aware of our customs and that since we are covered by grace from above we are covered by grace to each other. 

Covered and covered. I got the candles and the LIGHT for them. I was covered in grace with my nice scarf borrowed and covered in humility for being able to enter the beautiful sanctuary as a foreigner and covered in hope with the LOVE of Jesus which we all shared. And with extra candles I added extra prayers.

And oh the lilacs – not native to this area but still smelling sweet – are like us – here for a short time – not native to this earth but of heaven – and still smelling sweet by the covering of Christ – “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.” 2nd Cor 2:14-17

Let us keep fighting God’s War in prayer and praise and BELIEVING! 

Amen

Travel – Meet the People to LOVE!

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Loved my travel – to CANADA!!!! The most amazing difference IS: everyone in Canada is SO FRIENDLY – takes a while to get used to! 

The traffic although thick was courteous and nothing like my rush hour back home here – whew – I never saw anyone cut anyone off in traffic there! The people AND the traffic so considerate – and that matches the scriptures of compassion – Colossians 3:12 – “Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

And the spiritual connections I saw, biggest one I felt, was that I was just in the right space for the right conversations and had a good time too – enjoying just travelling and sight seeing and especially meeting people. So True! the people so kind were also so diverse – I stood in line with a couple and their sweet spunky little daughter and we chatted how the people are so nice and not to believe the media hype about the static between the countries – just get out there and travel…

The quote from Mark Twain so appropriate here – about travel – “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.”  Mark Twain wrote: “It liberates the vandal to travel — you never saw a bigoted, opinionated, stubborn, narrow-minded, self-conceited, almighty mean man in your life but he had stuck in one place since he was born and thought God made the world and dyspepsia and bile for his especial comfort and satisfaction.”

It is good to travel!! to LOVE – to meet up with God’s People…. “Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” They are patient with us and we can be with all….

Amen

A Surprise Planting of Myself in the Present

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What a surprise! I was searching for some needed green space in a concrete sprawl of an area – and found this beautiful recaptured nook of an arboretum on the campus of a local college/university and it surely provides the students and the public needed green space. I saw it on the map and looked interesting enough, drove, opened the door and the five people 3 steps away from my car looked gathered and the woman organizer said: “Here for the tree planting?” ah….  sure – yeah – why not, I thought – and grabbed my hat and sunscreen and up we climbed this beautiful slope. Everything is in miniature in my opinion for the greenspaces here – back home we have big expanses – but I don’t think I ever stumbled upon tree planting!

They provided the gloves, shovels, and plants and were taught how to dig the right hole and tamper the soil down after planting. They were student educators and this education was exactly up my alley for learning. I loved it….

A Surprise Planting of Myself in the Present…

and the views? unparalleled of the city below…  and the students? Never shoveled or held worms…  (and wow great worms – even the educators could show the students the worm poop in a compost conversation) And the educators? Tickled pink that I just “happened upon them” that we were all there to be there…  I planted 3 trees. I didn’t expound upon plant science knowledge, it was nice to just appreciate what I knew and keep it to myself, but later with the educators I explained how I found them on the map, and my background for putting your foot in the door for experiences for college and university and life…

And then I got to be the substitute grandma-like person to entertain a baby – me in my red hat must have caught his attention – and the sun shining on his face caught mine, so mom and I maneuvered the stroller back into the shade. And he seemed to enjoy the whole experience. He was 10 months old – and mom and dad enjoyed planting plants and having a day out…  

That was a quick 1 hour and a half “wow” to that moment – I could have turned many directions and even just sat in my car for an hour waiting (was waiting for my travelling companion to have a get together at breakfast with friends) but this was the turn I took and so appreciated it…

I know the best devotion we can give the Lord is praise – and love – and thankfulness just to be present in the moment that He could come up with “last minute” – when we are just not rushing here and there…  I knew later I was rushed on the way home – but here I was able to check my time at the same time as relaxing and realizing my blessings… A BLESSED Planting of Myself in the Present as well as planting trees.

Realize blessings and thank the Lord – THANKS LORD!

Amen

Love is the Greatest Power, Memorial Day 2025

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It’s Memorial Day and although it’s universal for wars to happen, it’s also universal for wanting peace enough to fight for it. It is good for us to remember a sacrifice from those committed to serve without questioning, to fight forward to advance a cause, and to retreat when cutting losses. 

We often feel it makes no sense the wars we often fight, but it makes perfect sense the wars fought for peace. Wars happen. It’s a strange situation of human brokenness to fight, and yet the Lord has warriors fighting on the deepest levels, the highest grounds, the lowest lows. The war in Heaven for us is the peace-making power the Lord employs, strange but sacred, tested but true.

What are we to do? Work in the peace already garnered. Work for the peace and work at the peace for wars already won. Be the peacemakers in life, negate the strife with LOVE. 

And remember those who have been fighting for us all to have a better life, especially those who’ve passed away. This is why we celebrate Memorial Day – in humble thankfulness.  They fought under command. They fought for love of country and of man and prayerfully they were reaching out to God for guidance. They sacrificed so we could live, so we could keep loving.

Wars will cease one day. Let us not wait for then to begin to love our enemies. We love under command too. Don’t let love grow cold. Don’t let love be forgotten as the greatest power. 

Amen 

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Matthew 24 NIV excepts

Jesus says: “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom… 

… Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

Romans 12, a Life Changer, FOR GOOD!

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Romans 12, a Life Changer FOR GOOD

The TOUGHEST thing about being a Christian is putting in a GOOD effort to be more LIKE Christ – it’s that forgiveness piece which is SO TOUGH. 

And if we are to forgive our enemies, let alone those who just tick us off, that means we should try EVEN HARDER to overcome evil with GOOD. Go the extra mile… Don’t confront just to win… Bring the stress level down by forgiveness… Diffuse and make a difference as a peace-keeper.  Don’t only just be ignoring evil to bring it to an even score, but add an extra level of GOOD in goodness, ADD GOOD EVEN MORE!

ROMANS 12 IS SUCH GOOD ADVICE FOR US TO KEEP LIVING AND IMPROVING. IT’S A LIFE CHANGER, FOR SURE AND FOR GOOD.

It’s like trying NOT to be annoyed, it’s like trying to NOT think so worldly, even if everyone else is, it’s counting blessings and NOT be jealous, it’s giving of yourself more and more until all you can give is Jesus’s level of giving. It’s TOUGH, and that is the blessing to have Jesus when we struggle to be Jesus. Yeah, let us do our best and let the Lord take care of the rest.

“Vengeance is mine” says the Lord… and so is forgiveness…

Romans 12 also advises about the spiritual gifts that the Lord gives us,  and that we all are to WORK TOGETHER and not be jealous or getting out of our lane, but do what the Lord has called us to do. If having “gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, LET US USE THEM.”

THE MORE WE USE OUR GIFTS THE LESS THE LAST TIME WE WILL HAVE TO GRIPE. . 

I NEED TO HEAR THIS EVERYDAY. Please read ROMANS 12 as a Life Changer FOR GOOD. 

Amen 

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Romans 12 NKJV – Living Sacrifices to God

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Serve God with Spiritual Gifts

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Behave Like a Christian

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink;

For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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Proverbs 25:21-22 is a wisdom piece for the ages, life advice from King Solomon to be kind even to your enemies: “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the Lord will reward you.”

Loving MORE

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Loving More

I can feel the news cycles slowing down about the new Pope – which was the flurry of news activity that I also appreciated. He won’t slow down and the crowds won’t slow down but the news will. Now, we perhaps will see there are people listening more to the messages that may be shared openly to the world about the mission of the Catholic church and especially about the Love of God. These messages are surely going to bring passages from the bible and stories from the bible out into the public to hear then again or maybe for the first time. The Bible is very Viable – it is a living Word of God – and when we share it, we are sharing Jesus directly. It helps others see how Jesus lived and to urge them (and ourselves) to be more Jesus-like in action and especially trust in God. 

I appreciated the recent homily of new Pope Leo – his homily at his inauguration, where he talked about Peter being reinstated by Jesus after his denials. Pope Leo’s speaks of a missionary church – offering Christ’s Love…  LOVE IS GOD and GOD IS LOVE – and this is the crux of the cross – the most important meaning for Jesus is to LOVE and to bring the ability for Love to come to all – all who are sinners and make them saints by the blood of Jesus. And because this love is sacrificial, then we can offer God’s Love because we are loved.

Pope Leo specifically spoke of Peter and how he was blessed by Jesus to have the reinstating-like triple questions after his three denials of Jesus on the night before He was betrayed. But that this ALSO was a reminder of purpose – to keep LOVING and feeding the sheep of God’s children. In the imploring of how to live his life in service – of how to love – how to love LIKE Jesus using the LOVE that God sends out. AND WE LIKE PETER – that we also can not love like God without ACCEPTING the love of God to USE IT. Let us pray to change our lives to make us into the disciples He wants us to be.

If there is anything that we can do to make our lives more missionary – it is to share LOVE. To show the bible to be viable, we need to live LOVE scriptures – Jesus LOVE is MORE – and we can use His love to feed His sheep…

LOVE MORE!

Amen and please read the snippet below about Jesus and Peter from Pope Leo. 

Here is the 11 minute video and below is a link to the transcript – and excerpts for the transcript.

Pope Leo states (excerpts):

“Love and unity: These are the two dimensions of the mission entrusted to Peter by Jesus. We see this in today’s Gospel, which takes us to the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus began the mission he received from the Father: to be a “fisher” of humanity in order to draw it up from the waters of evil and death. Walking along the shore, he had called Peter and the other first disciples to be, like him, “fishers of men.”

“Now, after the Resurrection, it is up to them to carry on this mission, to cast their nets again and again, to bring the hope of the Gospel into the “waters” of the world, to sail the seas of life so that all may experience God’s embrace. How can Peter carry out this task? The Gospel tells us that it is possible only because his own life was touched by the infinite and unconditional love of God, even in the hour of his failure and denial. For this reason, when Jesus addresses Peter, the Gospel uses the Greek verb agapáo, which refers to the love that God has for us, to the offering of himself without reserve and without calculation. Whereas the verb used in Peter’s response describes the love of friendship that we have for one another.

“Consequently, when Jesus asks Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” (John 21:16), he is referring to the love of the Father. It is as if Jesus said to him, “Only if you have known and experienced this love of God, which never fails, will you be able to feed my lambs. Only in the love of God the Father will you be able to love your brothers and sisters with that same ‘more,’ that is, by offering your love your life for your brothers and sisters. Peter is thus entrusted with the task of “loving more” and giving his life for the flock.”

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“We want to say to the world, with humility and joy: Look to Christ! Come closer to him! Welcome his word that enlightens and consoles! Listen to his offer of love and become his one family: In the one Christ, we are one.”
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“Brothers and sisters, this is the hour for love! The heart of the Gospel is the love of God that makes us brothers and sisters. With my predecessor Leo XIII, we can ask ourselves today: If this criterion “were to prevail in the world, would not every conflict cease and peace return?” (Rerum Novarum, 21).

“With the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit, let us build a Church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world, proclaims the word, allows itself to be made “restless” by history, and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity. Together, as one people, as brothers and sisters, let us walk towards God and love one another.”

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whole transcript at https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/pope-leo-xiv-homily-inaugural-mass-transcript

Saints are Soldiers of the Past

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I am remembering a friend today – for VBS awaits us in a couple months. My friend Miss Bonnie is now passed away but as a “saint-becoming” she is remembered, not because she was perfect as she was not, but because she was perfecting – and ultimately Jesus perfects us with His Love and covering of all our sins. We will shine because of Jesus… SO here is a piece I wrote of a glittery cross from VBS at church 10 years ago… It is a cross that I now have in my house and will bring back to VBS this year – bringing Miss Bonnie’s memory alive again “in spirit”…

as for the writing? this was PURE PROCESSING 10 years ago – wow – and worth reading to feel the passion of the passionate faith God was putting into me…

Freaky Cross, Passionate PEACE, 13 JULY 2015

Well that was kind of freaky… I was at church 10 o’clock at night, dropping off stuff for Vacation Bible School and I look up at in the window and a glittery cross is twisting and shining sparkly, moving with the air conditioner?… from the other side of the room?… I took a photo and video… Freaky… a freaky cross comfort…

I am usually not freaked out alone in the building, but tonight when I heard those normal creaks, I just had to tell myself it’s nothing… When I went upstairs to the choir loft to drop off my stuff, I immediately noticed the giant wood cross I draped in white fabric across the room with the outside lights shining on it… Ah comfort.

Then I noticed the old heavy brass cross that we ignore in the choir loft too much, I move it around like it’s looking for a home… Ah comfort.

As I went back down the stairs, I looked to the wall, there used to be a cloth cross tapestry there, it’s moved but that image on the wall is imprinted in my brain… Ah comfort.

I didn’t look for any of these crosses, they just were the first things to catch my eye… To absorb my fear I was able to spy a VBS phrase: “God had the power to comfort… Hold on”.

Freaky or not, I’ll keep looking for God, HE will comfort me always…

Freaky or not, I’ll keep noticing crosses when I am not looking for them, Jesus saves me, Jesus makes me sane…

It’s not that I will forget that God saved me, it’s just that God wants me to notice the cross over and over again, He is always retraining my eye on the only comfort, hope, joy and peace I need… I do thankfully have one of those strong memories that remembers the good and fades out the bad… Reminding me all the good in my life came from God.

God decided I needed daily reminders to look to Jesus’ loving arms hung on the cross… Everyday anew He wants me to feel like I could hold Jesus outstretched in my loving arms, strongly lifting Him off the cross and then His stiff body melts in my arms as He is resurrected into LIFE… His body dark becoming glittering and glowing… Then He hugs me tight and holds me up as my body goes limp, enabling Him to polish me, as my soul goes from tarnished twinkling to sparkly bright with His bold light emanating thru me as HE lifts me ever closer to Heaven…

His passion unmatched. God’s love never-ending, never tarnished, never dull.

God is moving the passion of Christ’s LOVE inside me, stirring my soul, setting sparkles in my heart that will catch HIS light and emanate out.

The Holy Spirit is blowing me gently, turning me to catch the light. Christ is shining thru me and He turns my soul passionate. His sparkling cross wills me into passionate PEACE.

AMEN

Freaky Cross, Passionate PEACE, 12-13Jul – #211

God’s VBS Staff Plan Sometimes Means Giving up our Own – a Memory of how God Moved Me in VBS

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A story of Moses must be the best reminder to listen to God and stop wondering about wandering – but listen to the Lord’s Plan over our own.

This was the therapeutic writing #704 when I had to close down my old VBS only to have a great sermon lesson about Moses and then stepping into a new VBS about: MOSES, yeah cool…

VBS CEO Moses, Give up your Staff, it’s His Staff Anyway, 02JUL2019

A MAJOR processing devotion to how God changed my role – how He is using me NOW, and about me leaving my old role as the VBS CEO, as I let it go…

Over and over I’m being reminded that I am handing my VBS staff over to be the Lord’s staff, which they already were and are… just like some kids and volunteers (including me) are going over to an Africa VBS theme experience at a friend’s church next week – the perfect tag line for all of us is: “When life changes, God is good”

I had a $2 African photo box sitting unused ever since springtime. How fitting that now the few VBS core volunteers, who had fought for a “Roar” theme over “Power Lab” theme, are all now going to be able to go serve in a ROAR VBS! Yeah, hilarious Lord…

They are changing locations for their children’s ministry focus. I got to help coordinate to get them to a personal “Promise land” VBS theme of the year. You parted the seas and I pointed my staff in that direction. Actually Your staff, Lord, Your staff not mine.

“When life is unfair, God is good”…

“When life is scary, God is good”…

“When life changes, God is good”…

“When life is sad, God is good”…

“When life is good, God is good”…

How blessed… I am calmly watching my team dissipate into the future as if I was a retiring CEO. I had to close my company, lay them off and lay myself off too…

I feel to be the retired CEO of this VBS, I was the transition leader for just until You, Lord, made way and I settled the loose ends, finished my cleaning and moved ahead… I moved on because You assured me Lord that everybody will be OK. I am OK.

But Moses, I’m in tears now realizing that GOD HIMSELF made me realize that I am just like Moses….. that’s why a recent Moses sermon really touched me… It really did – Moses had to give up control of his walking stick staff to God’s needs for it… Moses had to move his/His people – I too move to where the Lord is calling me. Like Moses at the end, I will stop and rest and know God loves me and see everyone move on…

So don’t worry about me, He found me a place to rest. I’m uber blessed to rest, learn, SING. I know God pulled me to where I am… Oh, my shock is that I get to feel His peace in where I am today. Peace.

Now I am watching HIS people go into their future – to serve HIM!

It is a shockingly accurate description in scripture of how God knows EVERY hair on our heads – He knows how to shock me too – I wrote this title: “VBS CEO Moses, give up your staff” – and then GASPED at the wordplay of the word STAFF – I give up my VBS people staff – Moses gives up his staff to be HIS staff, the physical stick – and that’s the crux of the sermon I just heard – WOW. Yes, scripture that “sticks with you” is meant for you to find how it pertains to your own situation…  oh…. amazing…

I myself have future opportunities galore, I’m first going to be sewing dresses for Africa, another skill that the Lord gifted me – I have a serger, a sewing machine, a skill to share, and yet another gifted decompression opportunity while I remain busy as a bee… Perfect Lord…

I’m always on YOUR STAFF, Lord. Ready to bee me.

VBS – ALL OVER THE WORD AND WORLD – ONE DAY AT A TIME ! John 21

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It is summer – and it is VBS season. This has given me direction and hope. I don’t want it to go fast at all – I want to savor the summer. I want to spend a lot of decompression time AT THE BEACH. I put my feet in the sand just the other day – and took in the shade reading – taking Sunday afternoon to decompress and relax. I think I need to pre-rest for the pre-busy summer. The theme of summer is SUMMER and the re-focus into summer that has invigorated me, is not just a little bit of vacation but a lot of Vacation Bible School, yeah!

VBS is a great way for us to listen to Jesus where He tells us where to catch His fish… Just like Jesus told the disciple fishermen where to put their nets for the greatest fish collection, we need to see VBS as a great opportunity to bless the children who need to hear about Jesus, we don’t want these children to be sheep without a Shepherd. In John 21, Jesus 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.

VBS serves these fish and helps them both keep swimming in growth and to be caught up in the blessings of Jesus.

If you remember 5-6 years ago, it was a tumultuous challenge and change for us, for me, having to do with planning VBS. My boat was tipped over – I felt shipwrecked but rescued by Jesus (which coincidentally was the last VBS I had done the year prior). Yup, that following year was the year I had to cancel VBS. And without dwelling on the LONG backstory, I have to state that it WAS a shame in continual processing – and then move on. I have to state that instead of running the event, I ran the closure and the cleaning out of a whole choir loft of supplies – and the moving forward of me and others to another VBS that summer. I moved forward in many ways. And I moved forward in NOT leaving a church but expanding my church families – I love ALL my church families and I think that this was purposeful for me as an encourager to find the people where they were and are. 

Remember. we really have to go where we are led and I felt led. We are told to put our hands to the plow and keep looking forward, not back. So YES, the Lord filled me and still fills me with mission and purpose and logistics and you name it – and got me through it all – it was a process that summer that still hurts and yet still invigorates my faith as I saw where I was rescued by Jesus. It also reminds that what was once so routine showed to become temporary and finite and done…  Move forward the Lord said – and He showed me…  Move forward, and remember it was and is always NOT about me. It is about serving the Lord.

So, as I mentioned, I found blessing in helping another VBS that summer, and after covid, I found many many other places to help. It really is now my time to ask you for your help, for you to come to my VBS events or to go to help at ANY VBS ANYWHERE near you. God’s children are everywhere, so why not us?!!! God needs us to “feed His sheep”…  And myself? I am both going to serve, such a blessing, in a new VBS never run, as well as a renewed VBS at my original VBS church – not as the leader but as a helper – back again with my friends and with new friends. MOST IMPORTANTLY, at VBS, WE GET TO HANG OUT WITH OUR FRIEND JESUS.

AND the benefit of moving forward from that time, is that I must know that God moved at least something into good – and that was to be now connected with MANY VBS’s MANY churches, working with those friends from other churches. So, personally this year, Lord-willing and Lord-helping, I’m volunteering with THREE maybe FOUR VBS events with my friends’ churches.  How will I do this? One day at a time. The first one will be in a week that I am taking as actual vacation and do VBS in the morning and relax in the afternoon (at the beach woohoo). Then the other 2 are evening VBS’s. I pray for fruitfulness, I pray to see the Lord working. I pray the children and teens and volunteers to be enriched in faith. 

First I’m going into Egypt with Joseph’s journey, into the sand as that one will be at a beach church with my vacationing there too with sandy, singing, swimming, sweet sisters! Then if I have time, that weekend I’m helping with one day of ROAR, where Moses pulls out God’s people FROM Egypt – with a passover and a parting of the red sea! Wow what timing!!! Then the next Sunday is Australia! Starting with Moses again and into learning about Jesus. Then 1 week later walking with Jesus as our TRUE NORTH in an Alaska wilderness theme… Isn’t that crazy? I’ll be ALL OVER THE WORLD in many continents and contexts in just 3 weeks time span, Lord Willing, with ONE Subaru driving… Driving under and with ONE direction: Jesus… Jesus said to Peter and to us: “FOLLOW ME” – that is what we are to do, follow Jesus, taking it ONE DAY AT A TIME.

Jesus Lord… You said: “FEED MY LAMBS’ – to Peter and to us (see John 21). I just heard this Gospel reading in the inaugural mass of the Pope, and yes, I appreciate this – Peter was told that his life will be charged and challenged to FOLLOW JESUS. How did Peter do this? ONE DAY AT A TIME.

How can we serve the Lord and live our lives? Serve Jesus serving VBS, the Word and the World, ONE DAY AT A TIME!

VBS is the best part of summer – and the year!

Join us! Wherever you are!

Amen

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John 21

Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish
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.

Jesus Reinstates Peter
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.”

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.”

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. 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.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

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?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 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?”

This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

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.

VBS favorite posts – “God’s Children” reprise #419

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I am remembering favorite times that God used me for His mission without my thinking it was in “my plan” – well God always knows best!

Here is a post where I was upset that the posters I had put IN FRONT of the church were taken down and then put in the back (which is where our entrance is) – well I wanted the cars to see them but oh well – and I stopped being upset because God found a way to show me that my labors were not lost and really I got to view that a different purpose was found…  yeah – we serve because God has a plan… even if we don’t always understand.

GOD’S CHILDREN – July 2017

So I have to tell you how God lets me witness touching moments… I see so many, God tickles me into joy with opening my eyes to see Him in live action… Yesterday a little boy, maybe four years, comes out with his grandma after Vacation Bible School… He says “mom-mom, mom-mom” and pulls her over to the sign that had I made with each of the Bible scripture lessons and Bible Buddies and found them placed in the back garden – which was fine – so that perhaps parent or grandparent would glean the Bible messages while waiting in line to check in. Originally I was going to put the sign somewhere else but that doesn’t matter now, God must have had other plans for that sign, I realize over and over again life is NOT my plan but His plan…

“Mom-mom, mom-mom”, this cute little boy continues… “This is Sal and this is Radar, and….” … He tells her all about the VBS Bible Buddies which help our children understand the scripture messages. He was trying so hard to make sure his mom-mom was focusing on the pictures, understanding what he wanted to teach his mom-mom all about.

See, we are not JUST teaching our children the Bible messages, they are teaching US!!! Children are a living Bible…. God has empowered these sponges to soak up Bible teachings and spread the WORD. How sweet and touching to listen to those innocent words of a child? The grandmas and grandpas LOVE to listen… the children LOVE to share the LOVE… perhaps they don’t yet know this love comes directly from God, but surely we know by now that God has instilled His Spirit into every child… Jesus in their hearts – He gets to play as a child, and He would grow with us if we feed HIM…

I pray, that we all remember our own Child of God beginnings and haven’t lost the appreciation of those touching small and large God-sighting moments. God is using us to reach others,  using our lives to teach… Wants us out there sharing the love…  He loves us, we are HIS children, forever…

Thank you Lord for letting me witness You in action… Thank you for your children.

AMEN

God’s Children, 27Jul – #419

VBS favorite posts – “WHERE CAN GOD USE ME?” reprise

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715 where do i fit

I am going to switch gears and think of the favorite VBS writings that I have – for memories of where God used me where I didn’t know but was just trying to follow Him to wherever He led… This was a moment for sure – and captured in a photo – wow…https://debbieupper.blog/2019/09/16/where-do-i-fit-a-one-sheep-vbs-moment-20jul-715/

THIS is a memory from 2019 when I had to cancel our VBS and was gratefully accepted (along with many of our campers and volunteers) into a neighboring church’s VBS – I went NOT as a director but instead a “spare” special assistant to watch over my friend’s daughter who was recovering from her surgery – wow – this was 6 years ago now – wow – amazing…

This blog is a day in that new vbs where I stepped away from my “job” watching and chased down a disgruntled 7 year old… This story is about accepting that you are not always going to be doing “YOUR” plan – but participate in God’s plan…  YEAH! and sometimes you don’t say anything right but at least have eyes and fast legs!

Where Do I Fit? a One Sheep VBS Moment, 20JUL2019
Ah, my friend caught a precious VBS moment in a photo…

VBS is not just about fun, it is having faith that God needs you to be present where He places you.

Where do I fit?

The most important scanning of a new situation is to see where you plug in and where you can make a difference and to discern why God put you there that day.

I was NEW there – not the leader like I was in my old church – but I did NOT feel that weird in a new Vacation Bible School church because I figured I could be helpful, somewhere…  I did wonder how I could contribute, I wondered how God would use me and I made myself available for His plan. That morning I saw random needs: I folded t-shirts and I placed nametags on people who didn’t think they needed them – they did… A former or ’emeritus’ VBS director ALWAYS scans the scene…

In the opening session for one particular day, middle of the week, God made it SO clear of His answer to my question of “why am I here?” The answer came in one sheep – I noticed seven-year old Jayson pouting on the floor, 2 rows back from the well-behaved 16 five-year olds that I was assigned to…. I saw him not participating, disgruntled, ANGRY at Grandma and the world…. No, I never met him – but knew what an angry 7year old’s “HMMPFFF!!!!” was all about…

The five-year olds were fine with 6 leaders present, so I was able to break away and down I sat, on the ground in the sanctuary… Eye to eye… Really it didn’t matter what I said to Jayson. I just tried to listen.  And then… in a flash Jayson took off!!! Running down the side!!! I ran!!! Yes I ran!!!…. I  yelled “Catch him!” but three adults were totally oblivious, they did not… I caught him just at the back door – and I was thankful!!!…

WHEW!

“God, this is why I am here today”… “Thank you Lord that You enabled me to be aware, to run, to catch, to be present…”

That afternoon and the next day I stood guard watching him in the pews, he was much better, doing the singing, he was OK for his Grandma. I even saw him chatting with a friend.

See, that’s what working for God is all about – it is about being present, aware, asking the Lord: “where do I fit?” – It is NOT “what’s in this for me?” – We are to ask: “What’s my role – where can I be the servant?”…

Running AT camp is where God used me this year – I was NOT running a camp (as the leader) but running AT camp… “Where do I fit, Lord?” EXACTLY where You placed me.

There’s no better week than VBS week… NONE…

Thank You Lord for VBS sheep! I am one of them – thank You for catching me too…

Amen

My Sermon from today – Knowing God as our Shepherd – John 10 and Psalm 23

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Blessed to share my sermon from today:

Knowing God Through Relationship – God as a Shepherd – Psalm 23 and John 10

Have you caught the media frenzy about the new pope, Pope Leo? WOW! Hard not to catch the news – I think it is like the FEEL-GOOD STORY for this month, before the next news cycle – but it IS exciting to see the excitement – don’t you think?

We love a local kid hits the big time story – even if we are not really local to Chicago – well most of us –  and I had to even be reminded that there were 2 baseball teams in Chicago – yeah I knew that but sure wasn’t on the forefront of my news every day – and whether or not you have figured out that the pope is a Chicago white Sox fan over the Chicago Cubs – what IS clear is that people have a thirst for info !!!  and as he becomes a pope for the people, the people find connections – and this brings them the sense of guidance. PEOPLE NEED AND FEEL GUIDANCE IS A WANT.

Why do I bring this up when we, as a community church, don’t follow the pope as an organization? Well, we can see that folks revere the office of the pope – many religious leaders – see the willingness of him and of all people of the church to serve. I bring it up because you may see there truly are people searching, searching for a shepherd- truly searching not just for a pope to give just an agenda, but for a person of faith to be a shepherd to lead. It’s a normal thing and I am intrigued and blessed to have this good news of faith displayed.

And this is where I want to speak about Jesus as our Good Shepherd – God with Jesus and the Holy Spirit – as a triune God – knew that “SHEPHERDING” WAS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEEDED!

I have to mention another aspect of Jesus being here on earth – He was accessible – He was with the people as He is now with us – but also in the flesh – and He had disciples including brothers who may have been so surprised AFTER Jesus rose – after they realized He was the Messiah – brother James especially in his chapter of scripture is so touching in his devotion – and giving us insight – as the other disciples did…

And yes – going back to my news media frenzy last week – Insight was key for the Pope has 2 brothers still in the US, Chicago and Florida – they really look like him – and thank God they provided that immediate media frenzy need for information – good or bad the responsiveness helped and wow did we get to that white sox over the cubs controversy answer quickly –  (scary that we learned all this stuff huh? Over real issues of the day ) but that accessibility to fulfill an insatiable appetite is SO VERY HUMAN of us -and amplified by media – and amplified by our worldliness – which is ANOTHER reason why Jesus needs us to know to be a sheep to Him as shepherd and watch out for becoming a media wolf trapped in the worldliness of the world – we need to be shepherded to look to things above…

So seriously, the shepherding that Jesus took on (and takes on) was so necessary and so fitting too. We want to know the best of God’s plan and will listen for Jesus’s voice – and gratefully we can listen with our souls to the Word – which is Jesus – Jesus is the Word made flesh…  John is the gospel of wisdom, written by a seasoned John who likely told these stories for years and was urged to write it down – John would know more fully when Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.”

Jesus fully God, fully human and accessible to us through the holy spirit, His Word resonates to tell us that no one – no one can pluck us out of His hand… We pray and seek Jesus, knowing Him, reach for Him, and be shepherded by Him.

Because you know there are evil forces around – no sugar coating the wolf that comes after the sheep – the evil one in the devil is on the prowl – and yet we can speak the name of Jesus and tell the devil to stand down – that is the relationship that Jesus wants us to have with Him – with God – to know how to stay safe – Jesus tells us – also from the gospel of John that Jesus Shepherd is also the Gatekeeper. Jesus gatekeeper “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Jesus – such a GOOD Shepherd – and the Chosen one – not a chance that Jesus would turn away from His work. John 10:11-18 again records this amazing passage by Jesus: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.”

Ah yes – not the hired hand – Jesus is true and forever – and being God, He will never change. You can’t fall out of God’s LOVE because God IS LOVE – that is key to our relationship because it is about God’s plan – never to be snatched out of Jesus’s hand. Here is more from Jesus:

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. “

AH – sheep from other pens  – that is Jesus speaking of the Gentiles in addition to the Jews – that is Jesus speaking about us – in addition to the people of the time – Jesus for all generations is unchanged and still the Shepherd.

“The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Ah – so Jesus wasn’t forced or “voluntold” – Jesus chose this path – Jesus chose to save – Jesus chose us – Jesus chose to serve God – and to be the LOVE.

How could we ask for anything else??? 
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Our often favorite Psalm is psalm 23 – it is a tremendous reading to recite if you are able to – or us the colors to help you remember this comfort –  it is a key “go-to” it in times of trouble and in reflection – I can imagine David writing it from processing so much that God had done in his life.  Here is the beginning: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 

Yes – we shouldn’t want – and we should be grateful and see what we have FROM the Lord – we are shepherded – and provided for:

As I went to find the psalm to paste into my writing and came across a very succinct description of how encompassing these short phrases are – this is from “bibleinfo” webpage:

”The restored soul is then led on to another stage in God’s plan for his life – ‘He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.’ That is, God leads us into work, into service for Him. Rest in the green pastures and refreshment by the still waters are to fit us FOR work. – In the gospel plan, works do not precede but FOLLOW rest. The restoration of the soul comes first, then the works of righteousness. We are not saved by our works BUT WORK because we are saved. We are not justified by works, but FOR works.” 

 YES – I appreciate this – that our relationship with God is being shepherded to be MOVED.   Not just kept inside a gate but moved through life.

Here is an important part of life: the next part of Psalm 23: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me…

HMMM… I question – have I walked thru the valley of the shadow of death? Don’t think we have to have a near death experience – so what does that mean to us? David experienced it –  We could take that to mean that we have been in awful situations – near death – or that we know those who were near death – or especially that we have seen the shadow of death with life but we are walking past it with salvations.

I have been watching a Netflix documentary of the “Blitz” in London – the WW2 stretch where they were bombed – unbelievable the horrors of war and the scariness of them – this but a fraction of the fear and the devastation seen in war – in any attack – the people in the streets of London went out during the day on their normal business but at night they pulled black out curtains to block the light from showing where population was – and at night they would take their families down into “the tubes” the underground train stations – they packed in for safety. And yeah the bombings were devastating – I is amazing to see the colorized film reels – brings it more to life  – These are situations where these people surely felt they were walking thru the valley of the shadow of death – needed Jesus, need peace…

And there is footage of Winston Churchill in the reels – and I remember a quotation from Winston Churchill: “If you are walking thru hell – keep walking” sounds like Psalm 23 doesn’t it – and great advice for us – to KEEP WALKING!!!

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Evil exists. Evil makes the conflict bigger.  War is awful – we can’t even imagine.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies

Yes – a rod and staff are shepherding tools – God’s ability to keep us moving in the RIGHT direction – the Holy Spirit shepherding we experience. The table – surely a heavenly banquet. And going after us – we are shepherded if we go astray:  one sheep. Even was reading this for my upcoming prep for vacation bible school this summer – Jesus will leave the 99 and go after the one sheep.
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I want to talk about a very personal time that I was shepherded – still am – by Jesus and this going after the one sheep story is so fitting – Jesus really does go find us – really loves us – really leaves the salvation up to HIM not to us wandering sheep….

I know that I was shepherded by Jesus when my dad was sick and then passing – going downhill and then just a few weeks left became a few days and even a few hours – – and I have told at least some of you previously in a sermon that I write a daily devotion – this was a whole month specifically on dealing with my dad’s death – already was prewriting in my head – I have a chapter which will eventually become a book – I feel it would help others – and it was and is extremely healing to write – and  I was and am shepherded – and clearly in journaling – which I implore all of you to try – I also found comfort in that my dad was shepherded too… the one sheep …

So – I have a friend who is like an editor and voracious reader and child of God – and she is 92 now – and I gave her this chapter about my dad – and one of the writings included Psalm 23 which we have talked about for shepherding – and the copy from my dad’s prayer card from his funeral –  And we checked this card over greatly because the misspellings of my maiden name – people put an N in it…  well – we were good – and surprised even…  the N is a running joke in my family…  OK – no N – good to go…

Well, Sue – never saying “been there done that” with scripture – she took a moment to  actually read the Psalm 23 to herself. And WOW – she showed me and said: “Debbie, there’s an extra ‘N’ !!!” WOW – I was shocked – did we miss it in our name? No. then how and why???  “… thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over…”  Psalm 23   OH  – THERE WAS THE N – AN EXTRA “N” IN ANNOINTEST – WOW

I LAUGHED SO LOUD – it was both laugh and tears because it may not mean anything to you – certainly was just a typo to sue – but to me – oh the lord found the UNIQUE littlest of shepherding – the funniest thing – to let me know he was still listening and watching and shepherding and encouraging… and being there… Shepherding is SO UNIQUE to us!!!

HOW CAN WE NOT BE THRILLED AT THE LORD SHEPHERDING US – AND PRAISE HIM ! Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalm 23       

AMEN

PRAYER: LORD THANK YOU FOR BEING OUR SHEPHERD – FOR US TO REALIZE IT – MAY WE GROW IN RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU TO WANT TO BE SHEPHERDED TO HAVE DIRECTION – TO HAVE SECURITY – TO HAVE A FUTURE AND TO HAVE A HOPE TODAY – AND EVERY DAY – Lord – thank YOU for YOU. AMEN

Through CHRIST, Philippians 4 and Psalm 23

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Ah… Saturday…

I turned over to allow myself the luxury of more sleep, the cat woke me up like normal 545, and I think that when the cat sees my eyes moving in rapid motion for dreaming is when she comes in for the prodding (head motion to bite me gently as her communication device) to wake back up. I turned over so she couldn’t see my eyes. And yes I got two extra hours of sleep.

I spend a lot of time trying to interpret this cat. But the truth is she probably spends more time trying to interpret me. And she gets her big naps in when we leave for the day, otherwise she feels like she’s on duty to watch us. I thought it was hard to walk around the house to not wake up babies – well the cat is just the same.

So rest – and then a plethora of activities today planned around the house and outside – I am grateful for the reminders, especially on Saturday, to rest physically and rest emotionally and rest spiritually. Then spring into action or at least slide slowly into the day. I do have lots today, good stuff, but it’s best to STRATEGIZE first with the Lord. Sometimes I am in the crisis mode: “how am I going to get it all done (and not wake the cat)”, and sometimes in the questioning mode: “what on earth should I be doing, Lord?”, and sometimes in the mode of “forgive me Lord, I am just going to sit here and do nothing (except watch out for that cat)”

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. I went for a deep dive on Psalm 23, which I’m going to include in my sermon prep for tomorrow, Sunday. I found a great website reminder for the scripture – that God gives us the rest first – then we proceed in life’s rest of life… We are to rest in Him then let Him work through us.  YES! The quote from BibleINFO website said in short: The restored soul is led into righteousness, and then work – we are not saved by our works but our work is done because we are saved…

When we read about spiritual gifts – we have to realize that our joy is FROM Him, our strength is FROM Him, our generous nature is FROM Him. We are not to be goodie two shoes but good for His work from His prodding from His rest. Then we can do “all things through Christ” – and that is what my bracelet says – the great scripture reminder from the letter to the Phillipians 4:13. The bracelet sat next to my bed and when I woke (after those extra 2 hours) I saw it clearly.

Now I want to feel it clearly – both the strength through Christ and the REST – and rest in His Plan – and for His Way – and start my day.

Keep Moving – and Keep going THROUGH CHRIST.

Amen

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalm 23

Amen 

Psalm 23: Verse by verse meaning https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/psalm-23-meaning

Holy Spirit Help, VBS prep day 5, Matthew 28 Acts 2

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Please pray for a gentleman named Joe, a friend of a friend. Joe is having eye surgery today (Friday) after an accident. More surgery is ahead as there is a possibility of regaining his sight in the eye. Prayers appreciated! Lord, please heal him!!! Holy Spirit Help!

“When we need help, trust Jesus.” – on day 5 of VBS “True North” brings us to the scriptures where Jesus asks for the advocate to help when He ascends, God sends the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is fully God, God’s Holy Help for us, always pointing back to Jesus as savior, as model, as teacher, as the Word. All 3 in our heads as one might be the swirling spin of winds and flames coming afresh. That was the disciples too – that first day – they asked “what does this mean?” – they wondered too – they needed Holy Spirit Help – We need Holy Spirit Help. We both work with the Lord and in the Lord. We need the Lord and the Lord, the Holy Spirit, God wants us to build upon the Kingdom by teaching about Jesus’s Good News. If you are in the swirl, keep trusting Jesus! 

It’s interesting that we “end the week” for Vacation Bible School talking about the Holy Spirit, because that’s actually how we start: it is the Holy Spirit that gets us moving, whether thinking – whether praying – whether wondering – whether in action. We pray for Holy Spirit Help and Jesus and the Spirit and God reach into our wondering. We talk about the Holy Spirit on day 5 because we know Jesus as a timeline and His coming and fulfilment of scripture as He already was and He already is and He will come again. That is a wonder but TRUST Jesus, we have Him to Help.

When we Wonder, TRUST Jesus. 

When we feel alone, TRUST Jesus. 

When we feel powerless, TRUST Jesus.

When we need HOPE, TRUST Jesus.

When we need help, TRUST Jesus.

I appreciated this pre-preparing of VBS scriptures for my understanding and our walk – for our day to day living, we NEED Jesus – and He never leaves us alone – we can rely upon the HOLY SPIRIT HELP to bring us back around to the wondering and the TRUSTING. Now we can keep walking IN the wonder – not alone – with His Power – in Hope – and with HOLY SPIRIT HELP.

We have HOLY SPIRIT HELP to LOVE, LIVE, and keep moving!!!

Amen (and Lord – please help those who still need to see You working in their every day lives)

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Matthew 28:16-20 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Acts 2:1-12  The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

The HOPE in our JESUS JOY JOURNEY, VBS prep day 4

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I revisit yesterday in my day 3 vbs prep scriptures, the Centurion who believes in Jesus and asks for healing for His Servant without Jesus physically travelling, we marvel at the HOPE, the faith in the centurion, a gentile, knowing God-power and knowing the lack of his worthiness and yet that Jesus is the Way. That’s an attitude for us as we see day 4 scriptures for VBS (yes, for each kit of Group, Day 4 is Jesus’s death and resurrection). Our attitude EVERYDAY should be of HOPE.

HOPE in Jesus and asking Him for His Power – it’s a fulfillment of the HOPE of the world – Jesus under direction from God, not shying away, fulfillment of the scriptures, and the Way of our forever forgiveness too. Jesus accomplishes all this, and we are blessed to share this HOPE, the LIGHT, the JOY with the world, especially at VBS. We need not shy away from this amazing opportunity to share Jesus in the Way!

Jesus is the HOPE, then, now, and to come. 

The Bible lesson we know, the prophecy may be new to many, that Jesus fulfilled his coming (see the Isaiah 41 scripture quoted in Matthew 12), and that Jesus will come again. We are not done yet! More Jesus Joy is in our Faith Future! This is what VBS brings to the next generation and reinforces for us.

Jesus is our JOY in this Journey! SING PRAISE!!!

Amen 

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God’s Chosen Servant – Matthew 12:15-21 

[After healing a man,] A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. He warned them not to tell others about him. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope.”

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Isaiah 42:1-13 NIV

The Servant of the Lord
“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
    my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
    and he will bring justice to the nations.
He will not shout or cry out,
    or raise his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
    and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
    he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
    In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”

This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
    who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
    who gives breath to its people,
    and life to those who walk on it:
“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
    I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
    to be a covenant for the people
    and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind,
    to free captives from prison
    and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

“I am the Lord; that is my name!
    I will not yield my glory to another
    or my praise to idols.
See, the former things have taken place,
    and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you.”

Song of Praise to the Lord
Sing to the Lord a new song,
    his praise from the ends of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,
    you islands, and all who live in them.
Let the wilderness and its towns raise their voices;
    let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice.
Let the people of Sela sing for joy;
    let them shout from the mountaintops.
Let them give glory to the Lord
    and proclaim his praise in the islands.
The Lord will march out like a champion,
    like a warrior he will stir up his zeal;
with a shout he will raise the battle cry
    and will triumph over his enemies.

Power and Purpose and VBS prep day 3

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“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” – that’s what Jesus said to his disciples who were afraid, not knowing Jesus was approaching them or what was happening with a ghostly-like figure walking on water. They probably felt powerless in the unknown or not sure even what was going on – I mean Jesus was walking across the water, who would be ready to understand that! WOW!

And even in “normal” situations – we often don’t know how to deal with them best  – let alone get ourselves out of a strange situation. And we find ourselves not knowing that Jesus is coming with an answer or even coming AS the answer. 

Vacation bible school prep – day three of “TRUE NORTH” – finds us finding Jesus telling us to not be afraid, and to know He is here, there, EVERYWHERE! We need to find courage and know God’s support is constant – He can move mountains and He can help in many ways. In the Bible lesson, Jesus is being approached by an officer of Roman soldiers, a Centurion, in Capernaum about a sick servant, and Jesus demonstrated His healing power expanded to anywhere.  The centurion asked for healing and showed faith in Jesus’s power to heal. The Centurion also saw what so many didn’t see – that Jesus had a calling and a power authority to answer to – namely His Father – and to stay true to His Direction of mercy – and to His Mission. The Centurion said “for I myself am a man under authority” – meaning that a calling is like a command – and asking Jesus to be Jesus works wonders in the asking – that is faith – always remaining in contact with God. It was a faith focused understanding – and Jesus was AMAZED at his faith when He knew so many could have seen this LIGHT – but these others were stuck in the darkness – and would be forever.

The Centurion, and hopefully we, know Jesus has POWER – at least the Centurion knew that Jesus held power and had the ear of the powerful One in God Almighty. Power that was not used for magic or wealth – but for an elusive issue of health…  Power over life and death means power over and for health.

This is an earth shattering issue – not knowing the power the Lord has and not tapping into it. The power is not for moving mountains for fun – but moving the mountains of stress away – moving the mountains of issues – moving the mountains of doubt.  And moving us back to peace. Jesus’s POWER is all about PEACE…

Let us keep focusing on faith – it is our way to power our days – and heal our way.

Amen

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The Faith of the Centurion

When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”

Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment. Matthew 8:5-13

TRUST JESUS, Do Not Worry, in Life in Death, or in VBS prep, Matthew 13/18

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A little poem for VBS:

Sweet Sheep, Jesus heard your crying bleat.

You are not forever lost, your found is just hidden down deep. 

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Reach out to Jesus, He knows, He searches, He sees. 

A path to follow is in your life, wherever He leads. 

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So hold tight, don’t worry little lamb, 

See the Light, and just follow God’s glorious plan.

Amen

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I’m happy to have taken lunchtime out in the great weather, with VBS scriptures open as my refocus for the shortest respite. There are GREAT volumes of the Word, which guides us, and TINY nuggets too. Even in a great forested garden, I’m not lost here in thought, but grateful for my mentality to be FOUND. 

Mental health surely starts with knowing we are not alone. We can pray and know God hears.

VBS day 2’s saying from True North is “When we feel alone – TRUST JESUS”. Yes, blessed to find VBS PREP time in the scriptures. The Word brings us hope and help. Jesus stated that He knows the little ones are never left alone, like wandering sheep are found. And Jesus stated that we are not to worry, God provides to us all we need, now and forever. Look at the birds – and know God provides – so don’t worry! I know in these scriptures that we are gifted VBS prep time, we know what to do, now just need to embrace it and do it! Remember our blessings!

My Aunt would have be 87 this week, she loved activity, she would love being outside. She loved us as family. She was fun. I wonder, in her death, 4 years ago now, if she was a believer in Jesus, but I don’t know.  I do know she wouldn’t have been one to dismiss faith, maybe just it was never brought up, as she wasn’t brought up in it. But she shared holidays and saw others, got messages on cards. She had reverence, I remember, for faith-folks, like the ministers at my grandmother’s or my aunts’ funerals. She had a sweetness of not telling us (kids grown but still kids) about her worrying, and we didn’t even know how sick she was, I doubt she even knew. And when she passed away she was gone so quick… She seemed to have suffered a long time but still was joyful and fun. If she worried she only told a few. I do miss her. I remember our conversation of the last zoom call from her locked down intensive care unit under many precautions (both covid and other) – and that she was chipper to hear me – she seemed to have an internal lack of worry or at least compartmentalization. She passed the next evening. In pandemic lockdowns I wasn’t able to get to the funeral, yet facilitated a zoom for it. But I don’t think I will ever have complete closure until I see her again – I pray to Jesus to see her again in whole health and in joy. That’s where I also place my trust for Jesus to take care of her.

My hope is that she is at best rest. And my faith knows Jesus’s reminder that God would never let us perish alone. I hope in faith for her faith and have hope in Jesus the Rock. I trust Jesus that He showed up to her at the time she needed Him most.

If we are to trust in Jesus, then let us drop our worry, and keep walking. God’s got us. God’s got the lost, the asleep, the rest. I believe that. I trust in Jesus. 

Amen 

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Matthew 18:12-14 NIV

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

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Do Not Worry

Matthew 13:25-34 Jesus said: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

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

A Fulfilling Faith Focus, starting VBS prep in Matthew 3

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I was grateful to have a good ride home south from home north. And I took the back way skipped the major highway most of this trip just because. I stopped for my favorite travelling ice cream at a farm dairy and looked over my VBS booklet. It’s good to let your mind wander in wonderful views. It mimics a vacation mindset – and honestly I feel like a need a big vacation – and yet small vacation doses are suitable for now. We restart our days knowing our identity. We need to know where we stand – often it is in our walking with the Lord that we find this the best. A fulfilling faith focus.

My friend just did 5 days hiking on the El Camino. It is something I know I would enjoy – a trip to find myself deeper in faith – And yet I wonder if I could just drive it, like I drive these most beautiful winding roads in the northeast… Hmmm…  Could I take a tour of just plan sitting – that would be a faith find too….  Well, no matter where we are, we best take the time to decompress… then fill up with the good stuff!!!

When is the right time? Well, in this season it is now PREP time for Vacation Bible School – and my first day reading the day one scripture for my second VBS – TRUE NORTH – and the TRUE part comes with Jesus being TRUE – TRULY GOD – TRULY HUMAN – TRULY OURS…

And the first day story is of John the Baptist – of Jesus’s identity revealed – of God’s Promise fulfilment – and of the appreciation and recognition of IDENTY in a TRUE NORTH faith-compass pointing moment to when God came down as the Dove and said “This is my beloved Son” – TRUE STORY – Matthew 3 – read it all below.

John knew his identity and that of the deliverer in the Messiah – but not yet knowing the visual of his cousin to walk in – (even if we know that the Holy Spirit in John knew Jesus when John was in his mother’s womb) – and John could tell the people: “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire”

Jesus knew His identity and was likely aching to be the moment when the world would start to know – not because of a “Look at me” moment – but because He knew the world would be saved thru Him – and therefore He wanted to teach the Way – the Truth – the TRUENESS. Jesus wanted and wants us to repent and to be more forgiving and be more understanding and to understand our place.

I will start to “dive in” to Vacation Bible School work – and this is a GOOD PLACE – because this is IDENTITY and the drive and true calling to be working with Jesus for Jesus for the kids and their families – and to know the WAY…

May we all find our fulfilling faith focus in HIS WAY – Our Faith Walk is just beginning – new each day…

Amen

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John the Baptist Prepares the Way – Matthew 3 NIV
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”

John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

The Forget-me-nots of Mother’s Day

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It is a blessing to come up north for Mother’s day weekend to celebrate my mom, to absorb the spring again (40 degrees rain became 60 plus sunshine), and to get some projects done! Yeah, my mom doesn’t sit very long, we get up and go! (Saturday was first 9am cleanup session at preparing the camp for special needs kids for summer programs, it’s a camp my family has helped with for 50 plus years – beautiful in the rolling hills. )

(I’ll be traveling south later today for home, and my kids to have dinner with me! )

This repeat spring for me (there’s like a 3 week difference in our seasons and temperatures) meant I was getting a chance to revisit my favorite flower in forget-me-nots, as seen in my family’s backyard under the redbuds, as well as smell the lilacs, which are much more prominent up here. I missed the whole season in home south. I caught it up here! Mmmm…

These are forget-me-nots of the seasons. And these are times to remember the forget-me-nots of mother’s day and forget-me-nots of the Lord as our Shepherd gathering us but also letting us wander. Our mom’s sacrifice in love to bear us, raise us, keep track of us, inspire us and keep important memories alive. Moms also let us go do our own thing – cutting apron strings but keeping the kitchen open. My mom reminds us of our good times and the sacrifices seem obvious.

The Lord? The Lord never wants us to “be independent”, He does want us to both “forget-me-not” in His previous care and forget-me-not in everything in front of us. The Lord will continue to sacrifice and Shepherd. The Lord raises us as children not to be forgetful but to be trusting. TRUST – that is the TRUTH of motherhood too – trusting children to be OK. Thanks mom – thanks Lord…

May we love our moms and our Lord today, and BE THANKFUL!!!

AMEN

Psalm 126 NKJV

A Joyful Return to Zion – A Song of Ascents.
When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.

Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.

Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.

Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.

“4 KIDS” – Dive In” – Vacation Bible School Season

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Speaking to a friend while driving up home, many hours, we cover many topics, especially since it was over 2 hours of a conversation. The important one for me was about approaching Vacation Bible School – about decorations and registrations – and then focusing on me, about how much I hold back waiting on the new leader and wouldn’t you know it, the Lord had 2 signs for me in the heart of the conversation about me and my existence – to flip it back to WHY we serve the Lord – they were signs of license plates: “4 KIDS” was the first and “Dive In” was next. YES – the most important aspect of Vacation Bible School is SERVING full force for God, for His Kids, for the Kingdom. 

Jesus Blesses Little Children – Matthew 19:13-15 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

It’s rare for a sign to drive by you, like the cars did, both faster than me, but it’s not rare for the Word of the Lord to come alongside you and be real. It really is for the kids, them and our inner children to be more kingdom focused. Approaching Jesus and being accepted and welcomed. 

Let’s dive in for this IS Summer Vacation Bible School season!!!

I’ll start with the scriptures in my next future blogs and let’s go from there… Jesus welcomes us to learn too.

Amen…

DIVE IN…

God’s UNCONDITIONAL Love

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

I’ve been thinking about LOVE that is unconditional from God – no conditions – no barriers even – when Jesus died, the curtain tore and no man can re-hang what already hung – the death of separation – the death of sin’s separation – the dead bury the dead because the LIVING will always LIVE in God’s LOVE.

I witnessed this week, a gift with conditions – simple enough – my friend who is moving is asking for anyone who wants the good metal pile on her lawn to take down her shed of metal – there is a condition to the gift even though it is all free – it requires some work from someone. No judgment here except for not being sure if she has time to wait for this to happen – that is my opinion and not scriptural, just observation. Those who salvage, work.

This “condition” is so NOT like the Lord, the Lord already did the work and holds no conditions for His FREE and FREELY Given salvation to those who will accept it. Yes, God salvaged with an ultimate salvager – but this planning from the beginning was to give perfect love to the imperfect. Love that is then given without separation or conditions, love complete to give and completely given. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

Here is my poem on LOVE – unconditional LOVE:

LOVE, no strings attached, 

Except those weaving the net from the Fisher of men.

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LOVE, given UNCONDITIONALLY. 

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God’s Passion finds you wherever you are, and loves you. 

God’s Compassion finds you wherever you went, and brings you back to love.

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God’s UNCONDITIONAL love accepts you in your state.

God’s Conditioning love makes your soil more fertile so you will be more fruitful. 

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God’s unconventional LOVE knows no bounds. 

God’s convention is to love everyone.

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God’s simple love is complex.

God’s complete love is complex-ily given simply. 

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God made love complete-able.

God IS love made complete.

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God is unconditional in His Love, 

God’s condition IS love. 

God is love. 

God is.

Amen 

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Roman’s 8:24-39

For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

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

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

God’s Everlasting Love

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

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

Take One Trip, Two Views – GRACED and Grateful

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The waiter should have taken two trips, the plates were super heavy and not stacked for the long trip through the garden cafe. Or perhaps not have stopped by our table while carrying the load, and just stayed single minded going back into the restaurant. Because our sidebar conversation about putting the credit cards in his apron may have set him off-kilter, distracted, and he was off-kilter already, as I mentioned, with the big heavy plates. Not the action but the conversation. Well an averted disaster as I grabbed plates as he set them down on our open table. It would have been bad, with broken plates on rocks, but we didn’t have that happen, crisis averted. I suggested that why not scrape the plates camp-style and stack, but he was too embarrassed to absorb that info. He also was trying to explain that he couldn’t take the bill and credit cards, each table had to go up front, OK… OK and I’m sorry and grateful for the whole situation of almost dropped plates truly grateful for not dropped plates. This is taking two looks at the same situation. One trip, two views. Grateful and well, grateful. Graced and Graceful.

One trip – the waiter’s view of pain and embarrassment, let alone strain of those plates (I mean like 8 really thick plates) – and my view of helping or of two views ‘almost crashed’ and ‘not crashed’ – of helpful and not helpful – and my ultimate view of NOT spoiling the idyllic view, and atmosphere in the garden, in the shaded sunshine of a place I always wanted to be. Grace in all things.

There were ladies who lunched who came with their bicycles surely coming off the nearby trail. Their bicycles so neatly lined up. Such a photo in my mind that I took one with my phone camera. Two views to one trip – my photo and my mind, which the view with our eyes always seems better. And these ladies had a great view of their bicycles outside plus surely a great view riding. They also had a return trip in front of them after a big lunch. I hope they had a wonderful time, I’m knowing we were all appreciative of being outside. Imagine a view of dreaming enjoyably about being in their shoes with this privilege, but then not needing to be and zipping in the car more easily. Privilege either view… Graced and Grateful.

This scene within a short hour provided many views , including memory of the situation. I think we should walk through each day with two views, ours and how the Lord views our steps and missteps.  We know that He will guide us. And we know that he will forgive us because his love is unconditional, no condition for granting love. Privilege in both views. Graced and Graceful.

We are very conditional as we view the world, make plans and bargains, and fail to just sit and enjoy the present. What if we were to take God’s view, having already been given grace to then keep moving through the day KNOWING that. Then being able to share that. No need for hurt memories or second trips rehashing ‘what ifs’… What if we sat in GRACE like being in the shade on a sunny day, and just said THANK YOU LORD. One trip, two views. BOTH IN GRACE. Let us not mix them up. Focus on things GIFTED from above.

Grace and Grateful – and Graceful to share…

AMEN

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:1-2

AMEN AMEN

Perceiving God’s Plan

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I needed quiet again to put my thoughts down – after my day started without the quiet time to process and write – I had the idea for writing – but no, not the right time. Now I do – but late – and 16 hours after I would normally write. I am OK – now that I finally have the moment.

My thought this morning was about the reverse spiritual aging we must do – that if we are best as little children in God – appreciating and less baggage carrying and more straightforward – then perhaps our spiritual aging is in reverse – like growing younger…  This is not like TV’s Mork and Mindy’s visit from a baby in Jonathan Winters – that was funny comedy where he arrived as old in years but infantile in thoughts. And this is not about growing younger and less likely to make mistakes – we all make them at every age – hopefully we learn from them.  I am thinking that the Lord knows that we can not fully know at our oldest of age how spiritually mature but youthful we must be. And that is where GRACE comes in. We should know – we try to know – we try to achieve – but we are stuck in humanness and the hard shell of ignorant clouded views. We can’t have a “can’t get there from here” attitude either – we HAVE to get there from here – we have to get to the place where we give the Lord the participation – and we follow His plan as well as perceive His plan more easily. Or at least we listed better to directions without arguing.

It took me a while today to get here – to complete my plan for pause – and it will take me and take us our whole lives (whether long or short) to get ourselves “back to the nest” – especially when we play that grown up game of “to the NEXT” rather than “to the NEST”…

Now I am exhausted from the day – but in all the topsy turvy of the day I can now say that within it, I saw and embraced God’s Way.

Perceiving God’s Plan – that is a job for each day.

Amen

HOPE over hype, Philippians 4

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Oh yeah – HOPE over Hype – and Hype means anything that sets you off – pushes your buttons – and throws you off-kilter. 

In contrast, HOPE is God and GOD IN CONTROL!!!

Like that text message you wish you had not read, on your way to work or somewhere, and if you had not read it then it would not have spiraled you into a rabbit hole of angst or anger or pain or whatever distracting it could spin…  that is where staying calm, saying “NO” I won’t let it bug me, I will remain believing the God is IN control!

I had to laugh, here is the ad banner just above the scripture of the day, emailed to me each morning – maybe I should pay for the no-ad version of Bible Gateway but whatever… SO this advertisement was for Nostradamus and other ‘haunting’ crazy predictions about this year – like hype hype – even the sponsor was a hyped up name…  but the scripture just below the hype ad? Well, the scripture was classic HOPE over hype. From Paul to the Philippians: Be anxious over nothing – keep praying!!!!

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:6-7

YES – so it is not that there aren’t crazy times and horrible times – but we need to believe in HOPE and we can keep the faith – and use it!

So don’t get frazzle-dazzled today by somethings that throw you off – keep calm and keep HOPE.

HOPE OVER hype.

Amen

Human Traces are Temporary, God is FOREVER, Psalm 119

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Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever.

The papers in my friend’s basement of old records (like most people I know, we accumulate piles and piles) were up to 20 years of receipts and important statements from the mail – important once but not anymore – but this little paper, color blue, stood out – it rose to the top of my eye – it was a scripture – carefully written and preserved: “But You are near, Lord, and all your commands are true.” Psalm 119:151, so true and so preserved – even if the paper is tattered and then I got rain on it – and then noticed the fading number caused me to research the whole psalm – helping me find the true statement that in Psalm 151 – the Lord makes His Commands LAST – as HIS Word LASTS!!!!

Stuff – we move that around – but paper – a blessing and a curse – Shredding is a blessing for personal information – stuff you don’t want lying around the trash will accumulate until you find a shredding option. And you have to sort it out – like the most important stuff once is the most important to destroy later. HOWEVER, the Lord’s Word never returns void to Him – so what He has moving around is for a purpose – and then He can let it go too – because He and His Word is eternal.

Right now, personally I am making MORE paper, I am copying 2 months of electronic writings from my blog page back into a Word document format for making a PDF and then printing via an office superstore. (No I don’t print them at home or work, but I take the leap of financial faith that paying 10 dollars for a month of writing, printed in duplicate, in really good quality and by a convenient way – that it works for me) So, YES, printing is important for me – especially because I believe paper will last and be passed on…  My blog will last for a while but you never know… So, I am thinking that at my funeral someday, maybe it is best to display my writings over any other of my knick-knacks or junk…  Yeah – my writing is my NOT SECRET writing – my writing is from my reading – my expression of my personal study – but also that I try to take too much personal out of it and talk about Holy Spirit driven-ness. And will these paper copies last? NO !! Yes I sense that my paper will last a little time – but again – I write from the Written Word – it lasts in being passed on.

I always come to this moment – wondering WHY I write. I don’t worry about it because it is God’s blessing for me to process. And based upon the people’s feedback, I am appreciative of their support – encouragement to my encouragement. But is is a natural question of pursuing God’s Will – why do I write and in what format? It interests me as a study of me – but especially as a study of God and His push. And of course we all do need a gentle push from God – or a pull – or at least that hug of love from His Word.

I am also wondering, always, what do I do with them from here? I know that I am to stay in the blog format – this is key – I write in emails so that they are instantly backed up. And have an email following as well as people who just accept my writings knowing I never ask them to read them – but to know that I HAVE to write. But now in addition, do I take these into a book? Re-write any? Who knows! The blogs are uploaded for security and convenience.

Us being grounded in the Word means to me that I remember that we are finite and He is infinite!!! My writings are for now – hoping to encourage others NOW – and maybe the next few years they will be applicable and explainable and accessible. I will let them go! But His Word? His Word is for FOREVER. And this means He will also be with us FOREVER. “But You are near, Lord, and all your commands are true.” Psalm 119:151

Precious and True. The Lord IS near and the Word LIVES. Truly Lives

Amen

Psalm 119:145-152 Qoph
I call with all my heart; answer me, Lord,
    and I will obey your decrees.
I call out to you; save me
    and I will keep your statutes.
I rise before dawn and cry for help;
    I have put my hope in your word.
My eyes stay open through the watches of the night,
    that I may meditate on your promises.
Hear my voice in accordance with your love;
    preserve my life, Lord, according to your laws.
Those who devise wicked schemes are near,
    but they are far from your law.
Yet you are near, Lord,
    and all your commands are true.
Long ago I learned from your statutes
    that you established them to last forever.

Lord “Shine on Us” – May the Fourth

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“May the Fourth be with you” a great fun saying for today, rhyming with the “Star Wars” movie’s “May the Force be with you.” And yet WOW, we have to avow an even unequaled great greater GREATEST Force of the great greater greatest power, of the greatest LOVE, of the greatest LIGHT, OF OUR GREAT GOD!!!

Yesterday, May the 3rd, with no catchy phrase, added to my witness of our unequaled greatest never-changing God. Wow I’m tired but a happy heart-filled tired.  I was BUSY yesterday with helping a friend with her garage sale, then all day outside running a 50:50 raffle for the benefit of the local mansion upkeep – painting especially – I walked the grounds with a paint can and tickets. Then a quick shower at home (80 plus degrees all day, I took often respites in the shade of the great stone-covered building) and after that, whew, jumping on the road for an hour drive to an evening church service, was great praising the Lord – and after it I dropped off a friend an hour away then chugged home, an hour from there, whew! Midnight… TIRED… My eyes hurt from the headlights… SO GRATEFUL the LORD got me HOME SAFE!!!! Wow I’m tired today but a happy heart-filled tired from needed rest. Wish the cat would have let me sleep, but it’s more important to be up praising the Lord!

Clearly the Lord’s Light was shining on us last night, with friends, completely safe in a big church when a huge line of storms came through. You could see through the windows of the RAGE of weather and see the lightning, but heard NONE of it – yeah heard none! Great wooden church protection and double paned windows. I heard practically none of the fierce storms, felt none, and knew that security feeling. And with the Lord? Oh, He MUST be the most amazing greatest all in all, COVERED and all LIGHT! Security in Him and direction in Him leading us!

Led by the Lord’s Light.

I wondered if we would lose power, but we were holding electric candles, oh yeah, we turned off the lights to see more LIGHT of the LORD. To remove artificial light, artificial distractions, artificial false hope. We found the best HOPE in the Lord. Perhaps that’s the best thought: that in the storms of life, look for the light. In the unknowns, look for the Light of the Lord. Lord, Shine on us.

The song lyrics stood out to me when I saw my photo of a friend’s shared candle – the paper was shining in the background from the pew in front of us – wow: “SHINE on US” – both the lyrics and the physical paper illuminated by the light:

“Lord, let Your light – Light of Your face – Shine on us

That we may be saved – That we may have life – To find our way – In the darkest night

Let your light shine on us – Lord, let your grace – Grace from Your hand – Come over us”

Yes today, May the Fourth, Force, whatever phrases of the day and phase of life you are in, be in the Lord’s Light!!!

Let us shine from Him, His light, His power, His Grace, His Way. Today and tomorrow too with no catchy phrase either… Let us be a witness of our greatest never-changing God. 

We (I especially) need the Lord’s Light today, even in broad daylight. 

Amen

Here are the full lyrics and song link:

Phillips, Craig & Dean – w/ Full Vocal & Lyrics”https://youtu.be/i51ZYgVFCUo?si=aux5IQ304A57d0c1

Lyrics

Lord, let Your light

Light of Your face

Shine on us

Lord, let Your light

Light of Your face

Shine on us

That we may be saved

That we may have life

To find our way

In the darkest night

Let your light shine on us

Lord, let your grace

Grace from Your hand

Come over us

Lord, let your grace

Grace from Your hand

Come over us

That we may be saved

That we may have life

To find our way

In the darkest night

Let Your grace come over us

Lord, let Your love

Love with no end

Come over us

Lord, let Your love

Love with no end

Come over us

That we may be saved

That we may have life

To find our way

In the darkest night

Let Your love come over us

Let Your light shine on us

Respect Jesus – Keep Growing – the Tenants Scripture, Matthew 21

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The “growing season” is upon us – it is also where the new growth will overtake the withered cast away dried up leaves of last season. We are best to take the appreciation that we are but stewards on this land to keep it prosperous and not waste opportunity. It is God’s good earth not ours – we are but tenants – stewards – a flock of sheep roaming around – we are temporary in this world and our fruitfulness builds the kingdom of God. Isn’t it good to be in a good season for growth?!!!

But alas to those who don’t want to grow – don’t even want to give God His due – won’t be fair let alone be respectful. Jesus was serious when He told the Pharisees, who refused to believe in the fulfilment of scriptures that was happening right before their eyes, that “the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”

Jesus used the parable of the tenants to awake the rottenness from the self-serving and hope to shake awake the hardened hearted rulers and policy makers. Jesus predicted a wretched end to the people who refused him and refused to believe in even the possibility that Jesus was this “cornerstone” – Messiah – Savior – or at least being ordained by God (like a prophet the townspeople thought). Jesus saw the dried soil of their faith – unable to prosper and grow.

What about us – are we ready for a new season in life? Are we ready to open up some good soil in us to plant and re-hydrate His seeds of Spirit to be prosperous in this season?

Those who questions will have the answers revealed if they genuinely have open ears. Open ears, open minds, open hearts – and open soils. If we actively refuse to listen to the hope in the Lord – then how can we use that hope gifted to us to help us repent and build our lives again in a way that will bring fruit to the kingdom. Our repentance of evil, but also of stubbornness, of strife, of self-centeredness, of pride.  We want to bloom, not go boom in destruction. We want to be able to grow GOOD FRUIT – not sour grapes. We want to know that the Lord is here to help us in this chapter of our lives, in this season, and in our eternal future.

To know Jesus is to know that He wants us to grow – to know Jesus is to know He gave it all already and we can do nothing to secure our place in Heaven except believe in His forgiveness and His power and His hope for us. Jesus gives us the power of prayer and the power of perseverance. Jesus is our cornerstone and in our lives we want to build our lives upon Him – as well as have fertile good soil to sprout and grow the seeds that He gives us to produce fruit. Fruit grows and gives seeds to then be distributed and grown again. It is like this with the Lord, He is building His Kingdom with us.

Grow well – no matter what season of life you are in.

Amen

—

Matthew 21:33-46 The Parable of the Tenants
Jesus said: “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

“The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’ ? Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

The Road to Somewhere

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Silly Spiders in the Spirit! 

Yeah I could claim that I was supposed to “run into” one friend last night, who was one of the many organizers at a camp retreat event for 3day 3night immersion into deeper growing in faith. I perhaps was supposed to run into LOTS of people, or not. I was just there because I could. I had the time. I wanted to be “an encourager” – a warm body even but surely a warm soul with a smile. I wanted to be with “my people” if only for an hour before driving home. I could also state that I wanted to absorb the feel of camp for just a few minutes without staying and yes the drive in the green rolling hills of farmland was worth it – the stream was worth it – the peace was palatable.

I could say I was supposed to chat with her in particular for our conversation that compared OUR attitudes to the differences of this year to last year,  when we both were on the organization team. This year I felt that I was not going to be on the team, maybe next year. THis year I felt the Lord had different plans for me. And for her, this year felt different too, in being on this organizing committee, so much more understanding that she didn’t have to understand the whole plan, in that she said she felt MORE peace in letting the Lord handle the weekend, the interactions, the service with a spirit smile while helping others in their faith journey. 

Simply stating that it’s good for ALL of ourselves to get ourselves out of THE way of the Lord’s Way, and LET the Lord place us in His Purpose FOR a plan for SOMEONE ELSE, yeah, and give us the PEACE OF MIND to be OK. To let the Lord use us without us knowing everything. 

A road to SOMEWHERE. 

I was listening to the perky tune, great for driving later at night home, “I’m on a Road to Nowhere” as sung by the Talking Heads… love that song for the beat…  But I am not interpreting the lyrics good or bad, just to compare it to the path of a road to SOMEWHERE that the Lord knows rather than a road to nowhere that you don’t even have direction to get there.

And maybe we are simply to be simple in spirit knowing the Lord has this Road to SOMEWHERE – and scripture tells us to work hard while we are riding along the Spirit highways of life. Paul said in a letter to the 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14 “Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.

Oh the spiders? Well, I’ve been helping a mutual friend of ours pack her house – and this bag of halloween shiny sparkle spiders kept getting in the way and i was going to use it as fluff stuffing – but my friend told me to just take the spiders for any reason but to just get it out of the mix of the things were were packing. Later she reminded me that perhaps I had found a purpose for them – no I hadn’t even gotten them out of the car – and then, haha, my camping friend started to complain about the bugs and maybe a big spider would show up in her room. Mentally I immediately remembered the sparkly spiders in my car – plastic of course – and yeah…  where did they end up? on her bed…  Just some humor of being nowhere but somewhere but no idea why and just being in the moment…  Well, there is no spiritual connection to the spiders, but there is a moment to thank the Lord for our mindset to set ourselves in His Positions. It was not the most spiritual thing of spiders, it was just fun. And if we have peace, we can have fun too….

Amen

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

AMEN!!!

VBS is a Holy Spirit blessing from the Lord

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I can tell that my mindset is SWITCHING GEARS – to VBS mode!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love getting to this point of the year, the VBS planning meetings. I am SO excited – I was thrilled when I heard about VBS coming back to my old church, the first time since covid era. Trust me I already read the materials well beforehand. I’m SO EXCITED!!! These are great Jesus stories of love, care, hope… Especially that Jesus calls our unique selves to Himself.

And last month I almost started ordering supplies before I even got signed up into my choice of station leader position: Imagination Station, combining science experiments and crafts. But I held myself back, because I am not in charge of this VBS, one of the “seasoned” helpers. Yes I led VBS for 7 years but this time is in a different season with all of us seasoned folks in a new mix with new folks and we need to LET the Lord put it all together HIS WAY. 

Not phoning it in but being “called” to help… Vacation Bible School is the LAST place for any of us to have a “been there done that” attitude. WHY? Because this is a new situation for each person at a new season in their life and especially new for the children young and old who will learn the lessons new and anew.

Remember each day is new, let alone each year, so YEAH each VBS is NEW. There are no broken records of Scripture, each time we hear even a well-versed Scripture, it’s NEW to our situation at that moment. More important it is NEW to the student and the intended ears to hear. 

My lessons learned in VBS year after year, and especially last night? The Holy Spirit moves unhindered and fast and fresh. 

As I scoped out the room of chairs, 10 minutes late, I sat in the back to be quiet and listen. I noticed for myself that the troubles of the day faded away… I was amazed and thrilled (quietly sitting there to start) because these were the veteran seasoned vbs-ers who showed up. I was moved humbly to see that we were with two FRESH FACES of grown up VBS-ERS from my era of teaching. I remember them both at preschool and elementary age. They were quite grown up now. I found a photo for one, almost 10 years old now, in an old email to her grandfather, for the now teen sitting immediately in front of me, one whom I encouraged last night in this new era of VBS, explaining the stations names and the bible stories this year.

We help with an unchanging God to keep us growing. These new VBS helpers (40 yrs my junior) are our future in sharing the Lord well after we are long gone… And oh I am excited to see more teens now near adults coming to help this year too! (and maybe I can get my kids to help again too this year in some capacity, yay!)

Yeah! I know we are to step IN to VBS and to step OUT of being in the way of His Way. We need to let the Lord have HIS say with our lives and our time. And when it comes to faith, we should not have to rely on “our way” or having “my say”. Everywhere, and especially in VBS, we are to be supportive being used in the Lord’s Way.  Hooray! It should be this way = HIS WAY!!!

Amen and I hope you get to help in a VBS this year in some Holy Spirit Way!!! BLESSED YAY!!!