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Fish for People, 30MAR

My brain sparked an interesting connection between these two pictures that I made (attached) of Jesus pulling us up out of the water when we sink like Peter after doubting, and of Jesus telling His fishermen disciples that if they follow Him, they will become fishers of men. Jesus said Fish for people and I added “don’t throw any of them back.”

Jesus commanded the fishermen Peter and Andrew to follow Him – whether He said it sternly or simply, or even if He said it cheerily, He did it KNOWINGLY.  Therefore, it is a command for us to mediate on as well. How will we fish? How will we give up our own lives for His.  How can we not?

18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,”Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

Jesus commands each of us in our own way, in His way of speaking to you. JESUS’S WAY IS WAY PERSONAL.

Following Jesus’s call will not always be easy – and yet it is the ONLY way, it is a command because Jesus IS THE WAY. Jesus commanded it as TRUTH.  Love and forgiveness can be HARD… Many are hurting from the world, but no one is too far from Jesus’s love. Love is not impossible for Jesus because Jesus makes it possible.

Fish for people because Jesus fishes for you.

Build nets and help those sinking.

Peter sank – we are Peter-like because we need help too. We are all in the water because we have original sin PLUS plenty of our own ignorance PLUS a human sinful nature.  We just need Him. How does water, Jesus as Living Water, cleanse us? He is present.  A dip in the water, a necessity to swim thru our complex lives, and a desire to be saved. How does Jesus save us? From ourselves. Why does Jesus save us? FROM LOVE FOR LOVE WITH LOVE.

Saved for God. Eternally loved.

Reach up your hand into His. Call Him.

Then join Him. Fish for more.

How do disciples fish for people? By reflecting the Way, the Truth, the Life – by loving – by forgiveness – by faith – by hosting hope. But most importantly by LOVING.

How will we do Jesus’s Work? By His Words… Fish for people and don’t throw any of them back. Don’t worry about how, just do… we have work for eternity…

Just LOVE.

People are fishes are people are human. Love them anyway. LOVE THEM ALL.

LOVE NEVER FAILS.

AMEN

1 Corinthians 13:

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails.

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Important old writing – new re-living of “Back in the Boat”, SEP, 29MAR

Yes, in life, one has to keep a good grip on Jesus’s hand… having stress is between you and Him, He helps the resolution but also He helps how we handle stress to move forward…. if Jesus says “give it to Me”,  He REALLY means it!

I have a particular stress that re-occurs and will continue to re-occur – that stressor does not go away but listening to Jesus helps me reduce that stress – I pray to listen and know what to do as that situation and new ones may not go away…

It is crucial that I re-live Jesus’s saving moment more than I relive the stress that caused me to reach to Him… I remember the saving feeling… I was there… and I have my little drawing of Jesus pulling me out of the water. The sketch taped at my desk where He did just that – He says our faith is what saves us… touch the robe, grab the hand – it is 100% true.

Jesus is at the right hand of the Father – so He is also anchored while He grabs for us…

I pray to not lose grip of His Hand… His save is the physical moment of “You were running a good race, who cut into you to stop you from obeying the truth”. The truth is that we are still in the race…

The truth is Jesus.

Here is the original post:

Yesterday after stressing about a really bad situation on and off for a couple of weeks, I was stressing awful… Yikes, my stress was thru the roof that very instant!!!! But WOW, how Jesus calmed it….I won’t tell you what those stressors were, but this was my text message to a friend immediately after my heart was released from that pain….. The stressor didn’t go away, but giving it to God made all the difference…

“Wow, I was just feeling so stressed this morning and it caused a real physical heart heaviness feeling, but it’s now GONE due to a refocus on Jesus….  stress pen chewing, gum, and I ate my lunch early, no help, stressing my heart SO heavy…. And so a friend came into my office, she is a good Christian friend and I was able to explain to her this tremendous stress feeling (and what caused it)… And then I explained that often when I was feeling under a storm I would ask Jesus to come back into my boat… when I (like Peter) reached my hand up, out of the water while sinking, that I could re-focus….  So, while telling her this, I actually motioned up, reaching for Jesus with my hand and grabbing HIS… And I am not kidding, my heart felt such instant relief!!!!! It was amazing, instant relief, the heaviness gone!!!!! WOW!!!!!
Good God!!!!
Thank you Jesus for this peace!!! ”

I told another friend about this amazing release feeling and she said: “Welcome back into the boat!”

PEACE

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In Awe, Lord, of You, 25MAR

I’m always in awe, Lord, but now I’m in awe for You.

I’m always singing Lord, but now I’m singing for You.

I love singing and loving You, Lord, but who can I tell?

No one. Anyone. Someone. You.

You.

I can tell You, Lord, I can tell You anything because You already know. I can confide in You that I have no idea what I am doing in life, because I don’t. But You already know that too…You just want me to look for You.

I don’t even know how much of my awe and love to share! But with You, I know to share it ALL. ALL FOR YOU.

The opportunities in life, Lord, might seem like something – but they are nothing compared to the opportunity to Love You.

The praises, Lord, might seem like something – but they are nothing compared to the opportunity to praise You.

The smiles, Lord – the Joy, Lord – the Life, Lord, might be something – but they are nothing compared to the smiles, Joy, and Life in You.

I can tell You all this and You understand because You LOVE my attention and You LOVE my love.

I’m never hesitant to tell You that I love You.

You Lord, I love you forever and forever…

Thank You Lord for understanding me. Who understands me?

No one. Anyone. Someone. You.

You.

Lord, I LOVE YOU.

YOU

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Wow – I have tears now, I wrote this last month- it’s a continued thought – but I didn’t send the writing – I just didn’t…  And now I have the scriptures that matches spirit with the thought, I have tears of joy for I shoulda guessed that God already has this concept covered!!! that God will find a way for every last person – both non-believers and those hardened heart people – to have the opportunity to say YES to His grace… the tribulation – my hope for everyone does and should rely on God getting the job done.

Here’s my writing, then at the end the conversation from a pen pal pastor friend… a wonderful way that God works… WOW…. hope for the lost – one last chance…

Loophole Committee for Christ, 25FEB, 22MAR

What are the best things that Christ gives us? It is a chance to know who we are complete being within Him. We are in Him and He in us.

As we are all part of one body, we are all workers of the net, by being the net to help God catch new people…

Call me loopy, but I believe that my part of the net is to work on the loopholes. I mean this in 2 ways – a loophole will stress and stretch the net and find an anchor further away – and that will hopefully catch more people.

And 2nd, loopholes are openings to pass thru – not always escape holes but close… I work the loopholes of God’s net because I ask our Lord to bring the non-believers, even at the last minute, to faith in Him… to pray there was one little mustard seed of faith caught under one of the non-believer’s fingernail while they might have been clawing away from His net… I pray that tiny grain of faith is remembered and found for my atheist friends and all…. and surely, I will be the campaigner for God and love for all those who don’t know how to know God…

I’m on the loophole committee… we are all working sections of the net…

God will take care of what we can’t finish in our net-work. Here’s the hope my friend wrote:

And some folks—myself included—believe that is why God is to have the “Seven-Year Tribulation” found in Revelation: because regardless of whether one is pre-, mid-, or post-tribulation, folks whose hearts have been so hardened against Jesus BEFORE He raptured the believers, may begin to crack in their resistance against Him, and with the horrors of the Tribulation FINALLY realize they have no hope BUT in Jesus, and will in those dark days have one last (period of) chance to receive Him. That there will still be some who will never accept Him and receive their fate in hell I have no doubt; but neither do I doubt God’s goodness and wisdom and justice and love in giving everyone “one last chance”. The joy is, some will take it; the sorrow is, some with reject it.

Here’s more info about the Tribulation from “got questions” on the “net”…

The tribulation is a future seven-year period of time when God will finish His discipline of Israel and finalize His judgment of the unbelieving world. The church, made up of all who have trusted in the person and work of the Lord Jesus to save them from being punished for sin, will not be present during the tribulation. The church will be removed from the earth in an event known as the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53). The church is saved from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 5:9). Throughout Scripture, the tribulation is referred to by other names such as the Day of the Lord (Isaiah 2:12; 13:6-9; Joel 1:15; 2:1-31; 3:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:2); trouble or tribulation (Deuteronomy 4:30; Zephaniah 1:1); the great tribulation, which refers to the more intense second half of the seven-year period (Matthew 24:21); time or day of trouble (Daniel 12:1; Zephaniah 1:15); time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7).

Here’s my original Loophole prayer devotion from 2016:

I didn’t get to the big 911 Memorial on February 1st like I want to, but near the Amish market, a local fire company has a beautiful 911 Memorial…
Tonight, I decided to stop and there were beautiful snowflake kisses falling from the sky… I held on to the towers and held on to the twisted steel and prayed, I truly felt a surge of energy from those blue lighted towers … In the plaques I noticed the AGES for the fallen firemen, police, and Port Authority officers… nearly all these ages were my age or younger… So many people not even in their prime… Wow this made me the most sad to know these lives were lost so young…  I know they served so bravely and did so much in their short time on earth… God bless their souls…

And I pray that God took all 3000 up into heaven, no questions asked… I KNOW it doesn’t work that way but I prayed anyway that God found a loophole for the non-believers too, convinced them last minute, and let them in… Maybe, just maybe…

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Audience of One, 22MAR

You realize life is all a stage, and your life is playing out in front of your eyes…

But isn’t it good to realize that you only have an audience of ONE – YOU have an audience of GOD.

GOD alone.

You don’t worry about men or events – you worry about the ONE and only focus of the Lord God for living your life.

You’re like on the stage – playing your life – that whole theater is dark because you don’t need an audience, you only have an audience of ONE.

… wait… WAIT… HUH?

Wait, you look out – into this vast theater – who’s that? what’s that? what’s the noise? Is that clapping? Is that mound of a huddled body like a derelict off the street? who snuck in here? How dare they!!!. Really, what’s that sound?  WAIT! what’s going on here? is that one person, that snuck in guy, actually clapping and starting to stand up? and giving you a standing ovation.???!!!???

But you’re ONLY here for an audience of ONE – of GOD – Why should a stranger be causing a commotion? Standing up and urging you for an encore?

No! wait a minute you didn’t put the house lights on, so why is there light coming from the audience anyway? OH-OH- that thought to be bum is no bum, is he? Why, there is pure white light starring to emanate from him?  and why is he cheering, cajoling, standing up in roaring loud love for you. Those bright white robes are very distinctive – you realize you know this man – and you realize He wants an Encore – He wants MORE from you – and it’s getting brighter out in the house and now HE’S holding up a SIGN- and it says Micah 6:8!!!

He wants more of your life – He wants your talents – He actually wants even more!

Now wait a minute!!! You thought this was an empty house, so why is this bright bright LIGHT  starting to illuminate a full house, where did these people come from????  Why is this LIGHT shining on them too? All those people, they’re not even all paying attention – some are working on their cell phones, some are crunching their snack wrappers, some are sleeping in the audience!!  But yet – STILL – this one bright light-clad focus is standing and cajoling for you,  cat calls and all, and wants more!

You start to realize that this whole audience is FULL –  this whole audience that you thought was just an audience of ONE is now an audience of ALL!!!

Um, WAIT! Isn’t that the same thing???

Isn’t an audience of GOD an audience of ONE – the same thing as an audience of the WHOLE theater FILLED WITH LIFE – AND WITH GOD?

LIFE IS GOD

GOD IS LIFE

GOD IS many in ONE

EVERYONE all together IS ONE

BE STILL

BE STILL ON THAT STAGE

BE STILL hearing that massive applause from Jesus!

BE STILL working the audience to shine His Light to share His talents given to you!

BE STILL doing an Encore because of HIS SPIRIT and THRU HIS SPIRIT!

BE STILL playing out your life for an audience of ONE – FOR GOD –

Pick up your lines, your cross and be you.

Jesus demands an encore.

God’s writing your score.

GOD is ONE

GOD is ALL

The Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. ¹⁵ And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.¹⁶ Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. ¹⁷ And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. ¹⁸ But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. ¹⁹ After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

²⁰ “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ ²¹ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’²² He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ ²³ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

²⁴ “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what isyours.’

²⁶ “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. ²⁷ So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

²⁹ ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

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Consider Yourself ASKED, 21MAR

There are probably people who think that they will never get into heaven, and those who think they are in by their hearts barely crossing the finish line – sliding into home….

The truth is you need to consider yourself ASKED! We have to actually accept and RSVP… We have to actually take Jesus’s offer by taking His hand. He has been reaching FOREVER for us.

I pray you have already have established a warm comforting relationship or even a corrective relationship with our Lord – either way consider yourself ASKED…

If you think you never got asked into the Kingdom “properly” in a human definition of being asked, remember that it is a spiritual connection just between you and God. Listen in – tune in – consider yourself ASKED…

In Matthew 20, the laborers of the vineyard parable is partially about transitioning to Heaven at whatever stage of life you are in – some don’t approach the throne of God until late,  some bump into an opportunity to accept the work of the Lord, even if they are late. This parable is totally about God being generous – no matter when we are asked – many are just waiting to be asked – well, consider yourself ASKED!

6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’      “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.      “He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

They got in! Some may be early or be late to salvation, but the truth is that it is NOT TOO LATE… RSVP without delay… Consider yourself ASKED!

It takes acceptance of Jesus, a generous gift from God, to get into the eternal Kingdom. It’s a loop!!!!  God – Jesus – Eternal Life – that’s the key.

Warren Zevon, just before his death from rapid cancer, covered Bob Dylan’s “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” – I heard Tom Petty sing it too, and he sadly passed away a couple years later.  My urging is for you to accept the RSVP for salvation now. DON’T WAIT! Pick up those keys when Jesus says: “Follow Me!”… Tom Petty sings: “something good is coming – for you and me – there has to be…”  that is truth – Heaven is open – open the door – you don’t even need to knock on Heaven’s door – just open it with the LOVE of JESUS.

Don’t let the invitation into Heaven confuse you – you are LOVED… Don’t worry about your works, only about your willingness.

Don’t think you have no credentials to work in the vineyard. Don’t confuse good works and GRACE – God just wants you as you… and you know that’s true – consider yourself YOU.

GRACE IS FREE FOR YOU.

God gets you.

You.

Faith as small as a mustard seed can move the mountain that is you – accept the GRACE.

Jesus is holding out His hand to you – consider yourself ASKED – and ACCEPT…

Knocking on Heaven’s Door? Jesus has actually been knocking on your door…

Open the Kingdom of Heaven!

“But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” 

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.

Consider this a revelation to you by our Father in Heaven.

Consider yourself ASKED.

Amen

Tom Petty Mudcrutch

Knocking on Heaven’s Door

https://youtu.be/dTYaN4cK1H8

Tom Petty Heartbreakers

Something Good Coming

https://youtu.be/rSvlJe1mwlw

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For God’s Sake, 18MAR

The last are first – God’s generosity is all His own… He is God.

Easter is coming – God has let me feel and understand Easter by ripping the curtains from my eyes, blowing the thick plugs and the fluff out from my ears…. I pray you have felt Jesus’s Easter….  and I pray you know His lift under your heart.

As a “late born – born again” – my Easter came later in life – God gave me an Easter feeling before I felt Jesus’s crucifixion (not that I have felt that level of pain in any form) – God unmasked the glory of the Lord to me, gave me a the thirst for His son’s life-giving water well before I could understand the pain of the reason for His death…

God let me feel the Son Rise before I felt the Son Fall – I knew the story, I didn’t know the feeling.

I pray I will never know how rejected Jesus felt, hanging there. I do however now feel the creeping realization of the lostness of the people right in front of my eyes. Oh, I cry more intensely now for them – for Jesus’s sake – now that I realize.

I thank God that I felt the Easter Morning before I felt this long walk to Jerusalem – because it means I already know how this good book of ours ends. CHRIST IS RISEN. Jesus finished the story with His Glory.

This story of forgiveness takes lots of time – many many chapters of catching up lost people.  Terrible that many don’t even know that they are lost. Many are like the early laborers in the vineyard who are jealous of God’s generosity to pay those who came late to work (Matthew 20) – that story mirrors God’s generosity and our human want – it is a story of the Kingdom of Heaven: God’s generosity is SO EXTRAVAGANT that He pays the price of everyone’s salvation before they are even born into sinful ways to reject Him. They are already rejecting the saving.

I was walking amidst the crowds at a parade this weekend and I wondered about how come there are jovial spirit one minute in the parade then huge hostile attitudes right after from the people in the parking lots spilling back into the streets – Geez – where did the goodness go? I wondered about the lost-ness of the crowd. We only see a tiny tinge of that feeling Jesus had of ALL His people and a huge and static distance. Jesus was crying for His lost sheep, Jesus is crying still today.

Ah, but Easter JOY when the lost are found. I saw three children marching in the parade who recognized me – they looking for familiar faces too – and they were so happy waving. I felt the JOY of them knowing me – JOY that only JOY can give…

JOY – fear but JOY – that’s the feeling of Jesus greeting Mary Magdalene in His risen state. Can you feel her weeping in wonder??? Can you feel the RELIEF of knowing Jesus that Easter morning? Jesus finished the story with His Glory.

Jesus has already started a new chapter for the world’s people who get to read the end of the book FIRST – have you read the end? The last is first. Jesus in the meantime is still working all the pages… There is a new JOY chapter for each saved soul – RELIEF.

RELIEF is the feeling of Jesus reconciling Peter after 3 denials – “DO YOU LOVE ME, PETER?” – “YES, YES LORD, I LOVE YOU!” –  JOY from healing this massive rift of Peter’s denials.

Peter was then commanded to fill in the pages of the MANY new chapters – JESUS SAID: GO FEED MY SHEEP!

Jesus finished our story with His Glory.

————-

Have you felt Jesus’s reconciliation within you? Do you want to know Him even more intensely now? Do you still want Easter? I still want to feel that JOY…

As we walk to Jerusalem, we can see the work ahead requiring even more faith that this will all work out…

Easter begins with the alone feeling – ALONE THEN BEING FOUND – then our marching orders: “Feed my sheep!” Yes, Yes, Lord, I love You! “FEED MY SHEEP”

I pray we keep moving forward to Easter – past and future… God’s generosity means He wants us ALL in Easter!

Let’s Pray for God’s sake that everyone hears…

Amen

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God’s Camera, 17MAR

Reading the book of Matthew these days – I am walking to Jerusalem with Jesus… Actually, I’m resting – I have a lot more walking to do.  Jesus would say: “you better get good shoes”!!!

Jesus gave an explanation to the disciples after a conversation with a rich man who walked away disappointed, not knowing if he could give up all his possessions to follow Jesus. Truly that was a tough request to the man…  “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Matthew 19 scripture below)

The rich man thought he had kept all the right commandment laws for his whole life –  but he missed the real message of a new covenant being formed thru Jesus. Even with Jesus standing right there,  the man could not grasp the truth that Jesus was the Way…

“Let the dead bury the dead!” – give up your own dead ways – and follow HIM.

We are to keep the commandments, of course, but Jesus was also reminding the rich man that he was to be the steward of God’s gifts TO BE SHARED – wealth is to be shared – skills and gifts are to be shared. We have a calling to be a cheerful giver – and in the end we will gain 100 fold. Cheerful givers – not just money – but our service – when people are NOT watching – when we are not trying to impress. 

Following Him means letting go of us – letting go of our agendas – giving it our best and our all – in EVERYTHING!!!

Jesus just wants us to be real…

We are to be real in our giving – not playing for a crowd – and we are to give the gifts that God gave us…

An amateur golfer might say he plays better when the cameras are on – can see the little red light… Performance pressure will focus us, and we often thrive due to our desire to deliver….

Surely, I sing better when I pay attention – not just because there are people listening, but when I can hear the monitor feedback to correct myself… not paying attention I sing terrible in my rock concert selfie videos – but that is OK – because I’m not trying to be. Singing in the shower or the car – it is all OK and even better with no one watching…

But how about being a cheerful giver? God is ALWAYS watching.  Bringing our best even when the cameras are not on and others are not watching.  GOD HAS CAMERAS on – even in our heads…  But don’t worry – we are all human – we make mistakes – we are to live the best we can.

Follow Jesus – don’t try to impress Him.

Achieving perfection is impossible – with man it is impossible – so know that in anything and everything it is God and God alone who saves us…He’s already done EVERYTHING for us. Believing in God’s Word helps bring out the best in us. Jesus is the best in and for us.

We can try to live our lives by Peter’s advice:

Faith

Goodness

Knowledge 

Self-control 

Perseverance 

Godliness 

Mutual Affection 

LOVE 

We are to live in God’s LOVE!!!!!!!!!

Amen

Matthew 19

16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

18 “Which ones?” he inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”

20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.Then come, follow me.”

22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”

28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

2nd Peter 1

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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For the Kingdom of Heaven is like Falling Asleep on the Couch, 17MAR

The most exhausted and wonderful feeling is falling asleep on the couch.  You can’t and won’t budge. You wouldn’t trade that couch for the world and certainly NOT a cold bed unless forced to. Forced by a bad neck position or knowing that longer sleep awaits you in bed? Then maybe you will move from the couch, but that’s the hardest move to make. That cushy comfort zone of a couch is completely unmistakably the best…. add a blanket and you are toast to the world… must be like a slice of that peace feeling just like you are entering the Kingdom of Heaven. So yes, even better the Kingdom of Heaven is HEAVEN!

There’s NO place like Heaven.

Even the couch cannot come close.

But falling asleep on the couch can be the best thing – chosen or forced. You have no choice being dead tired. You need that couch peace. Falling asleep on the couch is allowing yourself to take advantage of a slice of peace. So yes, even better – the Kingdom of Heaven is all about PEACE.

Falling asleep on the couch is healing, a 2-hour deep sleep, even a 10-minute power nap and you feel ready to take on the world once again, or at least have the energy to brush your teeth and get to bed. So yes, even better the Kingdom of Heaven is so HEALING that even thinking about it will force you to prepare your life to add little more into peace… It is always good to remember to make amends today for tomorrow’s sake…

Couch sleep is where people hate to disturb you, they know that you need that peace. If anything, they long to put a blanket on you and look longingly lovingly at your moment of peace – for you, for themselves – for peace. So yes, even better the Kingdom of Heaven is where we know everyone will be OK.

God knows PEACE – Jesus ransoms your PEACE for you – the Spirit joins you when you enter your couch PEACE…  Be at PEACE.

Sleep is a gift, a forced peace of the moment when the world fades away and there’s nothing getting you off the couch.  Putting away all your worries and drifting into sleep is like the force of PEACE calling you – everyday…

The Kingdom of Heaven is a place that I would never want to leave.  The permanent pearly peace. The warmth of Jesus, the peace of God, the freedom of the Spirit. We should be ready. We should long for Heaven WITHOUT being in a rush to get there.  We should prep just in case it’s coming sooner than we anticipate.

Let’s be ready. We need to be in His service and not fall asleep in our faith. We need to fall away from our humanness to prepare for another day working for the Lord’s peace.

In the meantime, enjoy the couch peace when you can get it.

Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Strengthen your hearts for the coming of the Lord is near. James 5

Good night – God night – God peace

Be at peace

PEACE

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Hearing the Lord, 15MAR

Hearing the Lord

Hoping for the Lord

Hungering for the Lord

Hearing the Lord

Hankering for the Lord

Healing in the Lord

Homing in on the Lord

Heeding the Lord

Hosting the Lord

Honoring the Lord

Holding the Lord

Helping the Lord

wHoleness Holiness Happiness

Humbleness to the Lord

Home

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Alexa, Stop! 14MAR

I am not a fan of this time change – I used to wake up refreshed early and have time to write and think about my day, my kids, my life, my future….

Mostly I would lie in bed and give the Lord thanks for my blessings…

I’m not sure I need the extra hour we lost to sleep but surely I could use that extra hour to praise…

I’m being too cranky, I’m not running on empty, I have the same blessings as last week, Lord, but I’m tired Lord!!!!… “Alexa, stop!” The Echo Dot is so unforgiving…

but God is… God forgives the me in me… I must praise that…

If I didn’t praise the Lord, not only would rocks cry out but I think that I would crumble up and die… sounds dire but I’m really tired right now and I’m sure that when I catch up with sleep I will catch more praizzzzzzzzz’es.

Time to go… thanks for the cranky 5 minutes, Lord… Sorry for my complaining…

I offer You, Lord, a devotion written when I did sleep well… “Jesus is our cup holder”…

PS – I do praise You Lord, You made a beautiful sunrise for me to see this early morning… I’m glad and blessed that You allowed me to awaken and to see! You poured a lot of beautiful colors into Your coffee cup of the sky this morning! I’m pensive and blessed… I’m going to get myself up now and going – if the sun does rise – the Son does rise – I can rise too…

Jan 2016 Devotion:

So my swirling head, running place to place, I roll from one adventure to the next don’t I??? ALWAYS have, always will. I run on empty sometimes, well that’s not uncommon for many of us to be running on fumes… Actually, I think that’s running on the breeze of the HOLY SPIRIT… Tuesday I was blessed to facilitate my women’s meeting after a long pensive day, and truly I was fueled by hugs of the faithful ones there, plus we are starting a series of THE BEATITUDES.  Blessed are those who run on empty, their cups will be filled anew!!!

Blessed am I that I am forced to rely on the HOLY SPIRIT fumes sometimes, because I KNOW it’s not running on fuel from my own tank…

Outside I looked up to raise my eyes to praise and found the Pleiades nearly at zenith in the winter sky… Clear beautiful sky in the middle and the cloudy surrounding sky brought big SNOWFLAKES….  KISSES from God… Those are God’s way of telling me HE loves me, and I sent out tears and praise cheers and silent pause for HIS ways to comfort me… I sang “Immanuel, God is with us” to process…

Now that I have solid hours of sleep under me, I am ready to write my devotion. And the thought of my previous Subaru cup holder triggered my brain and it made me smile to know that Jesus is our best cup holder… Here is my devotion:

Jesus is Our CUP Holder, 13-14Jan2016

https://debbieupper.wordpress.com/2017/05/20/jesus-is-our-cup-holder-13-14jan-335/

Friends, friends bring us hugs… Friends lift us up, friends steady our cups. We need pray for God to fill our cups, and when we ache and when we feel empty, we have to rely sometimes on others and we have to accept their grace, accept their help, AND accept their functioning arms as hugs from Jesus…and when we are full or have even just a little, we are best to share that with them too. When our cups were/are filled from God, then we know that source and we can share and then go back for more.

Friends will steady our cups, friends will help us find our lost cups, but it is US who need to tip them UPright if they are sideways or have a leak.  Our cups won’t catch the holy flow from God IF we don’t actually hold them UP and take the lids off. And we need to drink.

The best place to safely put our cups is in the permanent cup holder of Jesus’s ARMS… Think about it, think about that shape, Jesus’s arms outstretched for giving a hug – His arms also the shape of the perfect cup holder… Slide your cup right into Jesus’s arms… Slide Jesus’s arms right inside your heart. Steady your cup with friends who are hugging you to health… Each hug a little hot glue to keep it stable, a little cement for the side, a cushion to absorb the shocks of life. Accept the help of those who truly support you.

When you physically feel a hug, where are those arms squeezing? Right around your heart… When you ache, the hug can let you take the pressure off your frame and rest your heart… Jesus hugs, Jesus wants you to rest your whole body in HIS arms and especially let Jesus support your heart from within in HIS hands.

When you cup is empty, or when it is full, tip your cup UP…. Take off the lid, don’t block the flow, don’t forget to drink. Hold onto it so that your cup is UP and not up-set.

And remember you don’t own that cup, and you don’t get to choose the flavor it’s filled with (DON’T chug or spit it out)… the truth is that really GOD OWNS YOUR CUP and HE wants to fill it, and wants us to drink it, because HE wants to BE WITH US, Immanuel.

God gave us His ONLY begotten cup holder, so that we may live an eternal life with Him…

Drink up, God’s pouring!
Free drinks for ALL in ALL.

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The Risen Truth of Easter, 12MAR

Dough! undone dough – not risen – not bread – not done…  raw dough… cold and dormant faith…

Easter! Jesus is RISEN! but how about our own bread? Did we give it enough time to rise – are we doughy unfinished people? Does everyone know Jesus? Who needs to hear? Who needs to be filled with the Spirit – and RISE like bread with the warming PROOF?

Yes – we are collectively not yet done – not everyone knows Jesus – not everyone has RISEN with Him – not everyone is in the finished part of the baked bread – some, well many, are still stuck in the middle of the unfinished dough…

Bread must be warmed – bread must RISE – bread must be filled with yeast-creating air-pockets – bread must “PROOF”. Bread is not yet done until it is done…

People must be warmed – people need to feel the Spirit.

Jesus must RISE in these unfinished people – Jesus is not yet known to them – they are stuck in the dough – they are cold and have not fed on the sweetness of knowledge of God’s plan…

Jesus is the Living Yeast – Respiration and Resurrection – Jesus is the PROOF, the Way, the Truth the Life – Easter is the PROOF – Jesus is the TRUTH – the Kingdom of Heaven will RISE from the Spirit…  Every knee will bow… the Kingdom will not be done until it is done…

The bread of Jesus was broken – and now Jesus is shared. Jesus said “IT IS FINISHED” – That is when the bread of the body of Jesus ROSE.  – So let us now give the Kingdom a RISE as well – and tell others of the RISEN Christ.

Easter people – RAISE your voices… because there are people with raw dough clogged in their ears – they need You! Bring Your warming spirit to them as PROOF! Help them find their way to Easter.

Hallelujah!

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Everybody Hurts, 12MAR

Written for a friend…

and especially for Jesus…

Everybody Hurts…

Palm Sunday – Jerusalem – Jesus is riding in on a donkey and all that hoopla…  Hosanna!!! Hosanna!!!  Wave your palms in excitement – but do you remember the tears? Jesus’s tears… YES Jesus had intense tears…

Jesus wept while he rode in on the donkey, Jesus wept for the lost, He wept for us before we were even born…

Do you have tears? Everybody Hurts – Jesus too…

But Hold On – Hold On…

REM – https://youtu.be/5rOiW_xY-kc

“Everybody hurts – take comfort in your prayers – if you feel like you’re alone – no, no, no, you’re not alone…  cause everybody hurts – sometimes everybody cries…”

Yeah – Jesus understands that and more… Jesus Wept – wept as Lazarus was gone and wept as Mary and Martha lost faith when they forgot Jesus teachings of the peace of eternal life…  Jesus wept on His way to the cross – emotionally for lost souls – that had to be excruciatingly worse than His physical pain.

Jesus rode into Jerusalem that day – and Jesus Wept – and yet Jesus kept walking towards Easter… in hopes that when we realize Easter’s RISEN truth that we will arrive too… that we will find our way to Heaven eventually by walking WITH Jesus on His way NOW…. Jesus lived “Hold on”…

Hold on…

Because it IS a walk to Jerusalem – it IS a walk to the cross – so hold on – it IS a walk to Easter- so hold on – feel that stone rolling away and HOLD ON… Jesus, HOLD ON!

Easter is coming – and it already came – we are also walking with Christ to Easter, because we know Christ wants to walk with us. Jesus lives – so Hold on – Hold on….

We are walking too… Jesus, thank you for walking with us…

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” – “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”. Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”  – “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes.  The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” Luke 19:37-44

For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6

Easter is coming, Jesus – so Hold on…

Everybody hurts – so Hold on…

There’s HOPE – so Hold on…

We are walking with you now Jesus… Hold on…

Let us pick ourselves up to go… Hold on…

We are walking and waving our palms to exclaim Your Good News… Hold on…

We will pickup fellow travelers on our way… Hold on…

We are going to meet You, Lord, we are walking to the other side of Easter…

SO HOLD ON….

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The Lonely Lost Sheep, 09MAR

Today I felt a little lost in a crowd.  I enjoyed the moment of the St. Patrick’s Day parade – the busiest one I’ve ever been to – but I felt a little lost in the crowd – just did….

DON’T WORRY – downtime is good for my soul…

Downtime makes me think… thinking makes me write… writing makes me connect… connecting makes me understand Jesus more… Jesus makes me think…

Jesus took mental downtime too… He retreated 40 days – He wanted to pray and fast and focus and follow… Jesus needed His Father just as much as we do…

I was at the St Pat’s event to see a friend in the parade, the parade was wonderful… but I thought I should have been doing something at the event,  perhaps  be in the parade, to connect to the people even more,  but no – I was quiet and I was watching on the side – and that also is OK, as I have to learn my quietness…

Of course I was also there for my daily exercise… walking… I thought about mountain hiking that day, this was a great substitute…  instead of being one on a mountain, I was one in a million… a loner… loners exist everywhere… Sure, I could have brought a friend,  surely I could have chatted with people,  indeed I am VERY good at that, finding company in a crowd… but instead I mostly observed the parade quietly – with my voice inside… and my green gear and my smile shining.

I loved the town so wonderfully alive in a HUGE block party. I love watching people for sure, the people were thrilled connecting with other people, the people were living out the new and old connections in their lives… I had no idea who they were, or what they were thinking… that’s when I started wondering about how Jesus felt in a crowd – yeah, what would be running thru Jesus’s mind…

Love…

Longing…

Loneliness…

Hmmmm…..

Love…

Jesus would have known each and every one of them inside and out, even though they had NO idea who He was.

Jesus was incognito for many years prior to His open ministry – and He was surely in many crowds for years. I think that He would have been very pleased that the people were enjoying themselves, but He would have been sad at not connecting. Yes, I could feel him internally weeping: Palm Sunday style. I think that He would have cried internally for all these people who didn’t know they were going to need Him!!! I think He knew that He had so little time to meet everyone in the flesh, let alone teach and convince them to open up their ears.

Jesus of all people would have known that it takes God Himself to open the people’s ears… Jesus of all people would have had to wait until those who had ears could hear… Waiting…

I think that Jesus knew that He would not able to connect instantly. I think that Jesus would have felt lost in the crowd… The waiting must have been tough.

Jesus lost in the crowd…

Jesus gathered disciples to teach and the children ran to Jesus – oh what JOY…

The children at this parade – they were the ones who actually looked at me openly to connect. One girl in particular, about 7 or 8, exclaimed “you and I have the same headband!” – I felt incredibly found for that very moment of time. I felt known and appreciated even if I only had a moment… Connection… her brother, about 3, chimed right in too, showing me his beads. Cool… that was my favorite moment of the whole day… I was noticed…  I was found…

I walked to backtrack the parade route and find my friend, there were so many people on the side that I stepped into the road on occasion. One particular woman called out to me – “you are your own parade”… indeed… another connection was set in my head… I was noticed, I was found… even if I was doing something unusual, I was noticed.

I am my own parade, this is so very true – I am my own lost sheep, this is truly true – I am my own connection,  this is spiritually true – I am being found by Jesus ALL THE TIME. THIS IS THE TRUTH!

He looks and looks for me.

Jesus looks and looks for you too, forever.

Matthew witnessed Jesus instructing the disciples in the company of the little children:  “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?  And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.  So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”

You are your own parade – Jesus is there to watch out for you.

You may feel lost in the crowd or walking the opposite direction – but God rejoices when He finds you.

Be MORE QUIET, to hear Him calling you.

Become childlike, in awe of Him.

Because you ARE the twinkle in His smiling eyes.

Be found.

Amen

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Dust Storm, 07MAR

I am so blessed to have heard a sermon on Ash Wednesday from a friend who spoke of ashes as dust – dark and light, black and white and to be reminded that we are “made from ashes – and to ashes we will become”…

This morning in my mediation in the Word, I had like a beam of light that shined thru some of that dust inside my head and as I connected my thoughts there was a mini explosion of a dust storm….  whoosh…

We are a Dust Storm! We are a Dust Storm in the process of settling down. And when we shine the LIGHT of Jesus – that GLOW from our face – that is when our dust settles down and stops blocking out His light from beaming thru us…

YES! He SHINES when our dust settles down.

Our reflection of His light is better thru our selflessness than morphed as refractions thru our selfishness.

When dust storms settle, the light will shine thru better and brighter… when dust storms kick up, you can still see the light illuminate each and every particle of dust – you still see light and know that you are a part of a bigger event… Then, when dust settles again, we can look out past our dust storm to the horizon…

When we look past our own selves, and our own cluster of dust, we can see the future God is trying to move us to.

When I am confused and stressed and life is full of a jumble of thoughts – I need to talk it out of my system to settle the dust storm in my head… I don’t lose the dust, I just settle it and build upon it.

When I am so overloaded with joy and energy and exuberance – I need to work it out of my system to settle the dust storm in my head. I don’t lose the dust, I just settle it and build upon it.

And as Jesus is the living water, when I dampen down the dust in my head with His mist, and look for His Light, then Jesus can shine thru…

When we pass our fingers thru dust settled on a table, we reveal the clear surface underneath. This is a microcosm of times when God pulls His Son, in His right hand, thru our minds, clearing the picture, seeing the clear path to follow… We need Jesus to settle us and light our way.

God wants to settle us into a proper place.   Jesus is the light that shines thru… AND Jesus is the living water to hydrate the situation.

Settle your dust and see a chance to move towards peace.

Amen

PS – after his sermon, the Pastor friend reminded me that God swirls us all as dust into new creations…. oh yeah!!

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Appreciation, Angels and Awareness not Anxiety, Anger or Anything, 05MAR

BE PRESENT 

Angels – A Story of Lindsey, our Bionic Angel 

It’s amazing to be present and to watch the Spirit flowing… Lindsay is a special person, she told me to remember the bionic woman in order to remember her name. I know she survived a terrible brain injury – I can tell that God rebuilt her to His specifications, with a greater capacity to love…

ALL moments of life call for us to look for His spirit rather than our anxious puzzlement of predicaments, because we are to see, simply and divinely,  the angels that God has placed here on earth. This angel in Lindsay was an angel of hugs, she didn’t know the issues in play, but she knew there were issues and she did what our God of comfort called her to do – BE PRESENT… She gave hugs where she felt hugs and hand holds were needed. And trust me, they were needed at that moment. GOD knows our needs.

Lindsey got up and stood next to our Pastor at the end of the very emotional moment in her sermon.  Before that she told me that she needed to give our Pastor a hug, she just knew! I left the pew to prep for singing and was praying with my eyes closed in the side room, I didn’t see what happened until I saw her standing next to Pastor and I knew it was a God moment… I later helped her navigate thru the mess of speaker wires back down, with another friend (who also needed hugs badly that day). Lindsay was God’s triple play – God sent an angel in His timing….

We are called to BE PRESENT – sometimes we know the issues, often we don’t – always we can’t know the depth of issues that God knows is happening in others. Even sometimes we are on the opposite sides of issues, but regardless the Lord call us out to comfort others…  If we can’t be His workers, He will call out His other angels… Don’t let anything prevent you from seeing His angels – God sent them for a reason and for you to be in AWE.

Matthew 18: at that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

AWARENESS

That same day, I interrupted a conversation with a friend in which they were about to fly off in anger. I said: “WAIT, I need to tell you this story about Lindsay”. His anger would have prevented him the opportunity to hear me talk about this God moment… Yes, how often do we miss those moments? Yeah, we do quite often by being distracted by ourselves… Our disgruntled distractions mean missing the bigger moments. Don’t let anger keep you from awareness.

APPRECIATION

Yesterday, I had a God-orchestrated calming down after I got distracted by myself – it was an anxious moment and I knew that I was overthinking a personal issue – I prayed and settled down to work. I went thru so many scenarios in my head, my heart flip-flopped and I decided instead that focusing and BEING PRESENT with the work tasks at hand was the path I needed to take.

I have to share what happened next – this most powerful thing that God did for me – within 10 minutes of hunkering down, a good friend of mine, who was looking for someone else, sat to chat about an issue with an important report.  He sat down and I happened at that moment to be holding back my tears from that anxious overthinking moment and almost leaving to make a phone call that could have waited but I wasn’t waiting to stress about it…  So just then, by deciding to dig into work, I was able to pull myself together… Well, it was good that I didn’t leave my desk to make that call and I was there to discuss this deep science issue with the git of an idea that popped into my head so fast that I was like horseshack saying: “ooh ooh ooh, Mr Kotter!” a really good idea, my friend was so excited and I was both so happy to help and so pumped up knowing that God had helped me BE PRESENT – I would have missed that opportunity – how awesome to realize He was helping me – blessed because of my discussion and reliance on God to hunker down – and here I was rewarded with this idea that surely came from God’s making my brain connection work… I would have missed that opportunity to make a difference if I caved in to my anxiety.

So pleased,  so thankful…  As I refocused on my own task at hand – I first got up to get a refill of hot water in my tea mug – and as I was mentally thanking the Lord, this plastic heart cookie cutter floated up inside my mug… startling me!!!  – oh how precious was that timing… it must have fallen in in the dish strainer then caught under my tea bag and I never noticed… you may think that’s crazy to smile over an oops, even selfish of me to stress my own issue – but you understand my joy of two simple rewards for being still, the chance to use my brain (it was His idea) and the powerful knowledge that it was God’s timing and love to keep me be patient and not being impulsive from overthinking… (and it wasn’t just any cookie cutter in my cup, it was A HEART)

Thank You, Lord for my relief – thank You for my own childlike wonder of Your ways: focus thru frustration, a floating heart makes my cup overflow… just like in seeing a bionic angel, I had to be in an awareness to see and then tell of these God-moments…

His love is mysterious and real… we can put our faith in Him for handling our much much bigger issues.

If we choose to look for the Lord, we can see and feel His comfort – and if I need to shout that out like Horseshack,  I need to…

I pray we never to lose our “Ooh ooh! That was God” exclamations!!

Deuteronomy 6 – 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

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GOD KNOWS SNOW, 04MAR

I think sometimes I could stop and write about God all day – but luckily lots is already written!!! And a photo is worth a thousand words… a snow-covered tree against the blue sky – a marvel for sure…

I love these lines from Job:

“STOP and consider God’s wonders! …  God comes in awesome majesty!”

We have to absorb God in everything, and we often don’t take time to stop and think. Look at the blue skies and sunshine and snow – God can use these to catch our eye in wonder… no thinking needed, just see the love of God who made us see the Love of Him…

Sometimes it seems God catches our attention because He wants to share this beauty with us directly – and we need to share this awesome awe-filled wonder of God’s love… sometimes we can tear up from knowing that He wants us to know Him intensely.

Job, ever learning Job, discovered that God catches our attention with His mighty strength – to fear the Lord is respect His authority… Jesus reminds us to keep moving and not ignore the non-harmonious aspects of life – our job to be His hands and feet… to work for Him.

God needs for us to see our purpose thru Him.

If God wants us to see our purpose, we best not cover our own eyes…

God is a God of:

Beauty and Joy,

Control and Action,

Righteous and Holiness,

Peace Eternal

And all LOVE….

JOB 37

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
6 He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’
7 So that everyone he has made may know his work,
he stops all people from their labor.[a]
8 The animals take cover;
they remain in their dens.
9 The tempest comes out from its chamber,
the cold from the driving winds.
10 The breath of God produces ice,
and the broad waters become frozen.
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;
he scatters his lightning through them.
12 At his direction they swirl around
over the face of the whole earth
to do whatever he commands them.
13 He brings the clouds to punish people,
or to water his earth and show his love.

14 “Listen to this, Job;
stop and consider God’s wonders.
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
and makes his lightning flash?
16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,
those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?
17 You who swelter in your clothes
when the land lies hushed under the south wind,
18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,
hard as a mirror of cast bronze?

19 “Tell us what we should say to him;
we cannot draw up our case because of our darkness.
20 Should he be told that I want to speak?
Would anyone ask to be swallowed up?
21 Now no one can look at the sun,
bright as it is in the skies
after the wind has swept them clean.
22 Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;
God comes in awesome majesty.
23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;
in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.
24 Therefore, people revere him,
for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?”

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Be Strong and Courageous, 03MAR

We who lead must follow! Be not afraid – God goes before us.

Jesus – His name – His Word – His leadership calls us to follow. We can connect the dots between Old and New Testament teachings to find passages from BOTH which will shine the LIGHT on how we are to LIVE and to LOVE… When we follow our Leader, the Lord, we can see bible lessons come alive in our own lives – we can connect the Word to us in the world.

Throughout the Old Testament, we learn of human leaders who were crucial to others serving the Lord, their lives were prophetic and purposeful… Joshua (scripture text below) took over from Moses in a necessary progression of the Lord’s plan – Moses was a leader led by the Lord… Joshua continued… the Lord wants everyone to follow His command. All who lead must follow.

In fulfilling His Own plan, God sent Jesus at His appointed time. Jesus was and is a leader who walked the earth and also Jesus was/is fully God. Yes, even as God, Jesus was still led by and answered to the Lord, His Father. Jesus gave credit for every miracle to His Father – who is Our Father too. Jesus always looked to Our Father for guidance, we should too… When earthly Jesus left His disciples 40 days after His Resurrection, He told of the Holy Spirit continuing to lead them – this is the ultimate Heavenly guidance – for them and for us. Jesus asks us to follow God’s command… The Holy Spirit will allow us to follow thru. Jesus said: we are not alone – the Holy Spirit will always guide us…

We are God’s chosen people, led by the Lord,  instructed by Jesus, moved by the Holy Spirit… we ourselves must be courageous… we then serve as examples, using our lives, to lead the others who see our actions. Whether people understand the Lord’s system or not,  we are still  called to be leaders in our own communities because of our chosen status – our skills are our equipment for serving the Lord – He does not call the equipped, He equips the called!

Often leading means we are called to drop our pride, reduce our own worldly ambitions and agendas, and acknowledge His… This is best accomplished by praying, knowing His Love and Loving His children.

If Ash Wednesday reminds us that from ashes we came and to ashes we will return – then how important it must be for us to be the SPARK burning bright for the Lord right now, in between our ashes stages. If we fuel our faith, our faith will fuel us.

Jesus kept moving forward towards His death, instructing as He went, therefore we can move forward towards LIFE, living within His plan. Even the leaders like Moses, Joshua, and especially Jesus followed God’s plan…  we can too.

Be Courageous – Listen – Keep Moving – Lead the way by learning to follow…

Amen

Be Not Afraid

https://youtu.be/wQr4udSiEew

Old Testament

Joshua Installed as Leader

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

10 So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’”

12 But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said,13 “Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle, must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites. You are to help them 15 until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

16 Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!”

—-

New Testament

John 14:15-31 (NIV)

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

15 “If you love me, keep my commands.16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

25 “All this I have spoken while still with you.26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.

“Come now; let us leave.”

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The Gift of Prophesy, 03MAR

1st Corinthians 14 excerpts

But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. ,,,,,,,  Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church. ,,,,,,, Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.  Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.

—–

A friend and I were discussing his perceived spiritual gift of Prophecy from his bible study workshop, and we talked about how my writing has been maturing. The song beautifully sung by Joni Mitchell  “LOVE” speaks of maturing – “when I was a child I spoke like a child, now I am a woman I put away childish things.” https://youtu.be/ROjgn0t5fOo

To be honest, I know I am blessed to be a grown woman with a childlike faith of Joy…. Even if my writing has matured, less like a child, this scripture really is about the sad reality of losing those childlike faith moments when we grow up –  the moments that “were known fully are now only known in part” by us who have aged, we are unfortunately jaded grown-ups even if we are matured Christians. Alas, but never fear, our knowledge will fully be restored someday…

Keep becoming the child that the Lord needs you to be – so that your faith is fully known…

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is LOVE.

1st Corinthians 13:1-13

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God is Making His Next Move, Hold on to Jesus, 02Mar

I’m appreciative of being in such a good mood today – a Saturday free day and my soul feels like singing – I did a chunk of writing this morning – like a whole chapter came out of one fishy scripture!!!  I took my daughter to practice – chatted with friends and now off to have a great day – and I can feel again and again how thankful I am to the Lord for lighting my path, one step at a time… mercy to move forward! Life is not a bowl of cherries when so many people are in the pits, but life is about sharing the good news of God’s plan… keep moving to help the world – Micah 6:8 – mercy, humbleness, justice…

Truly, sometimes life can feel like a hopscotch game in joyful fun or in sorrowful necessity – and yet it’s a lighted tile sliding game to be jumping to skip spaces, but in truth LIFE IS NOT A GAME – and we have to slowly take our steps, calculated and prayerfully… what section of the board you are on will change… Perhaps your spot is secured enough for you to reach to help others in tougher spots…

Jesus lights the tiles for movement and we have to importantly remember to NOT be frozen in a position and ignore the next steps – if we stay too long on one tile, and are afraid to move forward then sometimes God will slide the tile for us – in this puzzle of life to get to the end. If God is pushing you forward, then hold on to Jesus when the earth starts moving underneath!!!…

Jesus may be seated at the right Hand of the Father, but God still moves His Hand for His Plan… HOLD ON!

KEEP SMILING!

GOD IS MAKING HIS NEXT MOVE!

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A Fishy Tale – Part 2 – Jesus is No Magician, 23FEBthru02MAR

One very important lesson that we can get out from the Bible is actually seeing ourselves in the Bible! That’s NOT by chance…

I have been focusing on learning Jesus’s lessons from Matthew 17, and have swirled the scripture of the fish and the coin thru my thoughts over the last few days. I couldn’t wait to find peace to write it out until now, my opportunity to put out a sign that says: “Gone Fishing”. Scripture is portable and carried easily thru our day… I had never heard this particular one and now I think one could teach and learn from it – forever…  I can see us (me and you) in this scripture – that is NOT by chance. Scripture is the book you should read in-between the lines!

Here’s that interesting scripture: Matthew 17

24 When they arrived at Capernaum, the tax men came to Peter and asked, “Does your teacher pay taxes?”

25 Peter said, “Of course.”

But as soon as they were in the house, Jesus confronted him. “Simon, what do you think? When a king levies taxes, who pays—his children or his subjects?”

26-27 He answered, “His subjects.”

Jesus said, “Then the children get off free, right?  But so we don’t upset them needlessly, go down to the lake, cast a hook, and pull in the first fish that bites. Open its mouth and you’ll find a coin. Take it and give it to the tax men. It will be enough for both of us.”

——

I thought of where I see myself in this story – EVERYWHERE… How about you?

Just now I see myself having had to wait a week simply to finish this writing, then a month to finish editing it and posting. One day I woke up on a Saturday,  refreshed to write, but the cat wanted to play – I had to play for a bit then get on with my mission to write – this is what Jesus was experiencing too – not the cat but the tax collector moment as an interruption of His mission to move towards Jerusalem,  His fixed destination… Jesus was not going to let a bump in the road stop Him from His job. My first take home message: we also encounter bumps in the road, we too have to deal and keep moving… sometimes bumps in the road can remind us that there is a road to keep moving on… (and it is good to play with the cute cat!)

Lesson 2) Perhaps Peter made an oops… the first account that I read in Michael Card’s book conjectured that the teachers were exempt from this tax – Peter maybe made an oops of judgement – and Jesus helped him out… (Jesus never minded offending people, but apparently made an exception here). Jesus preserved the peace since they were on a time schedule so close to crucifixion day… Jesus decided not to offend the tax collectors and make it easier on Peter and also continue on their journey… Do we see ourselves in Peter’s position? Oh Yeah…

Take home message: Jesus figures out how to get us out of a jam, to re-find our peace, to either correct our actions or give us enough mercy to keep moving…

Jesus will tweak the system for us, even asking the Father to forgive the worst offenders. Peter messed up plenty after this too – so will we – we are HUMAN – “to err is human, to forgive is divine”… we are watching Jesus lead by example… we are to forgive as well…

Lesson 3) The fish was stealthier a hidden spot than other places – wait – let’s take that magic concept out and exclude falsehoods and change it into a truth moment – let’s remove from our thinking that Jesus had magically placed this coin into the fish mouth rather than think in the truth. JESUS IS NOT MAGIC…

JESUS IS NOT MAGIC…

The fish had a reasonable chance to pick up a coin whereas another miracle might have looked sketchy – WHOA – I have to correct my words here – Jesus didn’t cause the fish to get the coin – just like Jesus didn’t snap His fingers behind Peter’s ear to make a coin appear or make this situation into a side-show attraction. Jesus didn’t decide to HIDE the miracle lest people start a gold-rush for wealth, no….  Jesus was really acting on knowledgeable TRUTH. And yes, logistically, it’s probable that a fish would pick up a shiny object, a coin, it’s probable that the coin would get stuck, it’s probable that people in the area of the sea would have lost coins in normal life moments. It’s the truth that Jesus at that moment had inside knowledge of where to get a coin. It’s the truth that Jesus knows EVERYTHING (except the exact day and moment God will send Him back to earth, but that’s not His job to know, nor ours, just His job to prepare us for that day).

Take home message: JESUS IS NO MAGICIAN – doesn’t do magic in your life or mine – Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life… He’s a heaven-human woven as the Word into our lives before we are born. Jesus verbally reminds healed folk and us ALL THE TIME that it’s our faith that heals us, not His magic trick. When we accept Jesus as the Word, then the Spirit can pull on our woven heartstrings and move us into the truth of healing…. we can be healed by active prayer by others too… Jesus is not an unavailable resource, He is ever present.

Lesson 4) The fish walk gave time for Peter to think. Peter believed Jesus. Peter still had to act on that belief and cast the line. Got to still put in the work, we do too. Peter got to fish for his peace, do we?

Maybe to “go fish” was a good “downtime” activity for a possibly distraught Peter – or maybe Peter was in such excited relief for the save by Jesus’s quick thinking of go get the coin in the secret spot – or maybe Peter was grateful for a moment to getting out of town, away from tax collectors and interrogators – or maybe Peter thought and reflected that this might be the last time to see his hometown, one last look at the water before leaving with Jesus to Jerusalem… Did Peter run to the water or slip sheepishly there? How long did he stay? Would he think that he was lucky to have a moment to fish or burdened by quite a time crunch? Did Peter reflect that even though he left fishing to fish for people instead that Jesus allowed him one more time to be at the water?

Maybe Peter wasn’t thinking and maybe Peter was just doing!!!

Later, I wonder if Peter reflected on that walk as an opportunity, a pleasant and grateful moment knowing that Jesus had taken care of everything.  Jesus took the worry out of it.

Take home messages: Do we worry? Do we give up worry and know God has it under control? Should we be overthinking or just doing our best?

Do we take the worry out of our lives knowing that Jesus took care of everything?

Do we run in delight to the first fish of our eyes and know, just know that Jesus clued us in to victory in a clueless world? Do we feel like we won the jackpot even if it’s the smallest of saves by God, one coin for one tax, one rescue for one bump in the road of life?

Do we pre-worry about the next bump in the road? Or appreciate LIFE IN THE MOMENT… do we take time to sit and fish for our peace?

And do we start checking all the fish mouths (like I used to check the whole line of vending machines as a kid for forgotten coins)? Or do we get just the one coin and only one we need (perfect provisions) and be satisfied that this is enough?

When do we simply realize that JESUS IS ENOUGH. The whole of GOD, JESUS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT is enough for our holy wholeness? When will we “be still”?

Can we – and will we – take life one fish at a time? Just follow the light – not overthink complex maps of predicting the future – just step one step at a time – and can we actively participate in this process? Participate NOT anticipate! Jesus will lead one step, one casting, one fish, one coin, one soul at a time. We need to be caught by Jesus and be ok with that and be real in our faith to reel in our future.

Lesson 5) Peter and Jesus had become unrecognizable as local folk… this was Peter’s home and where Jesus lived for quite a while, they should have been recognized as hometown folk, not strangers, from whom tax collectors took tax… (the translation of this passage sometimes says strangers instead of subjects, in both versions Jesus says children are not taxed)…

Mathew alone recorded this (not the other gospels).  Matthew was writing to new Christians leaving the security of the Jewish community as they began to become the earliest Christian communities… they needed to see an examples of others like them,  on the outside of the norm… we don’t know if Peter in this real story was NOT recognized as a local or only Jesus as an outsider was asked to pay a tax, but either way Jesus asked Peter to pay for both of them.  Jesus kept Peter with Him. First Christians (and we) needed to know Jesus had them covered.

Peter AND Jesus were unbelievably changed in the opinion of their hometowns and the wisdom of Jesus teaching caught his hometown off guard.  A prophet is not without honor EXCEPT in his hometown…

Take home messages:

1. Jesus has us covered. Jesus is with the outsiders and unrecognizable. Jesus understands rejection and stumbling blocks. If you ever felt lost or alone, know that Jesus is with you. Know that this human earthly world is temporary and not our home, know that Jesus asks for protection and mercy for all of us because we are not OF this earth, just travellers. We can be ostracized for our faith. Also, we can be ostracized by the world “just because”.  Jesus stands with us. Jesus pays the price for us on the small scale and the ultimate scale… we are children of God with no tax on our entry into His kingdom.  Jesus was our ransom.
2. Peter and we are completely changed by the HOLY SPIRIT – a new creation – look at this new thing God is doing THRU us. It’s not unusual that the world won’t understand, be bold for God anyway…
3. Peter, a fisher for men, like Jesus, like us, so we need to cast nets for people – IMPORTANTLY WE NEED TO NOT THROW BACK ANY FISH WE DON’T LIKE… no favoritism…

Lesson 6) It’s a fish story – isn’t that memorable? Aren’t Jesus’s stories always memorable? Jesus spoke in ways that made people think. This was not a parable but a private conversation story that Matthew (and Peter) could recount in a memorable way… the fish too was better off without that coin stuck and was freed from the burden. Are we freed from our burdens by letting Jesus?

Another take home message: What are our memorable moments of when Jesus interceded and that caught us – hook, line and sinker? How were our burdens negated?… how blessed are we? BLESSED.

Lesson 7) Jesus reminds us ALL THE TIME that glory is for God, it is not glory earned for man’s achievement. That doesn’t mean we can’t aspire to doing great things, we can and are supposed to be the hands and feet of the Lord… But we just need to give credit where credit is due… But paying taxes? yup, there’s hoops in life for us to jump thru – along the way – Ceasar needs to build some roads and schools and, oh yeah, pick up the trash. Common tax for common good. Give Ceasar what is Ceaser’s – and to God give all that is God’s…

There are more lessons….

The end real take home lesson is the beginning lesson – that the Lord’s children get off free – (I give thanks to Michael Card for re-pointing that one out).

Jesus said, “Then the children get off free, right?… “

Take home message – people don’t know that they get off free – we are already God’s children – we already have our way to eternal peace – paid by Jesus’s death – we enter into our journeys EVERYDAY – pick up our cross EVERYDAY. These are our days to walk with our fellow children who are at various stages of understanding and purposefully help to get each other home – the price we pay is our obedience – the payoff is well worth it… HOME

Take home message is to take the MESSAGE home.

Keep walking.

Keep paying taxes.

Keep forgiving flubs.

Keep focusing on forever things…

Keep fishing for the truth. 

Keep the message real.

Keep the faith. 

Fish.

Jesus is the Word.

The Word is in you.

The act of imagining and knowing yourself thru the scriptures is the Word fleshed out…

Have faith…

Fish your hearts…

Fill and spill your soul…

Feel the Spirit flowing…

AMEN!

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Include Me Lord, 25FEB

It’s one of those times when I can’t sleep until I get thoughts out…

I barely get to read news, but my Facebook overloads with news and posts about the recent church controversies…

My favorite peoples and pastors are totally split onto one side or the other. These peoples are the most passionate peoples I know for Christ and I’m sorry to witness such angst on both sides. What I do see is the bridge of Jesus to both sides… I pray that it’s the bridge of Jesus that helps keep them teaching, sharing and loving… we are to help everyone working towards completing togetherness with the Lord. One body…

I pray to learn where I stand. Actually I pray to kneel, not stand, and be quiet about this so that I can hear what God is saying – I have no doubt that I hear Jesus talking to those folks on both sides – and I realize that I have been placed to see both sides and points of view and realize that it is my place is to also be a peacemaker as a bridge for the Spirit flowing through both sides.  This is also true for all issues that threaten to divide our concerted efforts to work for the Lord. As for the Lord, He would rather you be hot or cold but never lukewarm…

I think I hear Jesus saying:  “stop standing to argue and keep moving to follow”.

The place where each of us stands is not defined by our views of how to love God’s people as much as it is by Jesus’s love of us despite and because of our views… actually I don’t even get a chance to stand or kneel because where we all are is treading water, below Jesus’s hand, dipped in the water, outside the safe boat, and swimming like a fish – hoping to make our way by focusing on His way – focusing our eyes on Him. We are all sinking and rising people.  We are all bridged to the Lord by Jesus’s work… Watch for Him… Work for Him no matter what…

Include us Lord in Your healing…

A rainbow is the symbol of God’s promise that He would not flood the world again… therefore, as I know that God is keeping His promise, we are not experiencing rising waters, as we have already been in the water, and being forever being fished by our Savior Fisherman…. if we were in the water, we would not even notice rising waters because we would already not be able to touch ground… Reach for Jesus and help Him find others… Jesus is the Light that shines… if we look forward, towards the light, we can hold on… if we sink, we can rise…  God’s plans for us are already ordained, just keep walking… share your maps with others… help navigate…

Lord, I pray for healing for my friends, my cousins in Christ, but mostly I pray for continued reaching.  I pray for rising.  I pray for walking.  I pray for sharing… I pray for obeying the Truth that I pray to continue…. “You were running a good race, who cut into you to make you stop obeying the truth?”

We are on a Great Commission Lord.

Yours…

The truth is You – the action is the Great Commission – the argument is none.

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Why is it Taking So Long, Lord? 25FEB

Time is a funny thing – we say that all the time… Today is Christmas in February – the 25th – doesn’t feel like Christmas was only 2 months ago or as much as 2 months ago… to me it feels like a lifetime ago…. but then I noticed the Christmas blankets still on the couch, the Christmas gifts that I’m still moving around.. the wreath still on my door… the most beautiful Xmas card that I will keep on my microwave all year…

Time is as crazy to figure out as much as it was before we had synchronized time devices… Time in our heads does not match our lifestyles – we’re lucky if we can figure out if we are coming or going or even what happened yesterday…

Was time on the minds of the apostles with sundials as wristwatches? Was time on Jesus’s mind?  In our modern definition of time we could say that time was NOT on Jesus’s human side. We know He only had some 3 years to teach on earth, that’s less than a college education takes today.  We know He wept coming into Jerusalem as the people shouted Hosanna! Things in the prophesies probably told Him more would have been finished by then… He wept for the lost sheep – He wept asking mercy and forgiveness for God’s lost sheep… He thought more would have been finished by then…  He still does weep for us today. Does that mean He stops to weep? I doubt that. I think that He weeps “on the go”… He also wipe His tears and continues to spread Love, every step of the way, every tear of the WAY.

Jesus finished the best part of our story – securing our eternal life – so why does the news travel seemingly slow, especially with our fast time schedules?

Why do we waste time arguing when we should be out teaching, loving, working and showing the peace that knowledge of Christ can and does indeed give us… why are we seeing times of strife? In comparison, our modern strife may seem so peaceful compared to olden times but it’s all relative…

Is Jesus still weeping? Yes. but is His weeping stopping Him? No.  Jesus is on His way to catch up with all of us, God’s children… Surely if we remember that Jesus said to the disciples: “I MUST leave so that the Holy Spirit can come!”, then we know that He is even more active in the world the Word travels faster by Spirit than by foot…

Jesus knew this going into Jerusalem – the events for Him were set like clockwork –  Even though we don’t know the end time for when Jesus will return again (not even Jesus knows) we know it’s on the agenda… we have time now, entering Lent to take account of our time to prepare our hearts… walking now by earthly steps toward our Easter…

God revealed to Jesus the steps He was to take to the cross – it was FILLED with teaching and works….  So, has God revealed a path for us? Yes. We have a walk to take. Jesus’s path was so busy that there’s not enough books or time to record it all according to John… our paths should also be filled with doing His work…

If you look at God’s timing for your life – would you thank the Lord for your next minutes and memories before they even happened? Would you thank Him for the future just as much as looking back at the good ole days?

Perhaps in God’s timing we are to remember to not stop – to plow forward – to work hard to overcome the strife… If one was on one’s deathbed, would one take time to mend old wounds and strife? Possibly? Probably… what about one’s future, would it be better to prevent new wounds by practicing peace? Possibly? Probably? Definitely!

JESUS said always be prepared for the day that this earthly world will end – Jesus said always be working in the world to share the good news – ALWAYS… that means practicing peace today.

Jesus, in my opinion, is probably urging the Lord – ‘one more day Lord,  please more days to let the Spirit work, one more chance for spreading the Good news to Your children’… if I were Jesus,  that’s what I would humanly say to the Lord… I would ask to stretch time…

And yet I would also long to see the end of time where all nations end, all knees bow, and see wholeness for the Lord.

We know the end of the story, and, like Jesus urges, we need to go out there and find all the pieces of the peace…

Now as God sent Jesus to share love, Jesus sends us…

Jesus would likely tell us: You know the plan, now get out there and make it come true…

Lent, Jerusalem, Heaven awaits – TIME IS SHORT – keep busy on your journey with Jesus. Wipe the tears and Love every step of the way.

Amen

Text from Paul to the Philippians: 2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

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Be Still Everything, 24FEB

Be Still and KNOW THAT I AM GOD

BE STILL

Be still everything

Be still

Be still praying

Be still playing

Be still alive

Be still feeding the cat

Be still sitting on the couch

Be still planning the day

Be still pursuing peace

Be still singing

Be still living life

Be still jumping into the ocean

Be still you

Be less of you and more of Jesus

Be humble

Be kind

Be welcoming

Be beautiful

Be SMILES

Be holy

Be blessed

Be loving

Be still within God’s plan

Be Jesus and Love

Be filled with the Spirit

Be relieved

Be still everything

Be LOVE

Be

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Part 1, what I thought God would say to me… 17FEB 23FEB

Thank you for letting me share

This is long…

You don’t have to read it…. I had to dump old processing….

—–

What I thought God would say to me is a better description of these thoughts rather than saying that God spoke these things to me…  especially since I heard what He eventually said to me after I stopped talking….

Do I now discard these thoughts? I brainstormed them on paper after my physical mental brainstorm, so do I crumple that paper? No…. Do I take the time to cry over these things? Do I cry in relief? because Jesus says ‘let these things go!’ – “Lazarus, it’s time to go” – biblical and from a favorite song of mine… pull it together and move forward… no one who looks back is fit to serve..  keep looking forward,  time is pulling your life forward – focus…

Do I acknowledge my humaness? Do I need Jesus? More than ever…

More than ever… to accept one’s Savior is to accept one’s humaness… to realize His love… then work together to serve the Lord…

Of all things I wish people could feel, see, understand, hear about Jesus is that He urges: ‘I understand, I’m not judging you, but I see all these things running thru your brain, I want to take them and make your burden LIGHT.  I got this!’…

Maybe walking on water with Jesus is first best done by walking thru one’s own tears.  Jesus’s human tears are from people not knowing Him and not knowing that the Kingdom of God has already been calling for them.  Walking thru my tears is because He pulled me thru myself into His net – He had to fish thru my head because He had always had my heart.  He found the right tools  the right bait, He studied me and studied me… if that doesn’t make one cry, I don’t know what will… Jesus saved me because He’s been tasked with saving every lost sheep… I was, I am sheep number 100 – I was lost in myself – Jesus knew where to look – He still does…

Here’s “Part 1” – a dump of my brain from default thoughts – has it been an overwhelming 4 years of being saved?… Wow. WOW doesn’t even begin to explain God, the continued healing of me saying “WOW LORD! REALLY LORD?” phenomenon that’s been exploding in my head for years now… flooded into my head in an hour and a half car drive at the end of a long journey then I dropped my brain on paper and went to bed… I now pour myself a cup of tea and grab box of tissues… and write:

What I thought God would say to me:

BE STILL – the Brownian motion of all your molecules are supposed to be reserved for the Holy Spirit to act upon and motivate,  rally, and move you. “Be still” means not to move yourself when I need to move you. Be still and know that I am God.  This means to know that I have the better plan.  My timing, My plan, My children… Are you in My plan? YES! Be Still and know that I am God, Psalm 46…

1Peter 2:9

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

I am the one who called you out of yourself. Be humble, be discerning, be free of your burdens but be MINE. You are already MINE. I have a gold mine better than gold, I have you, all of you, My children. YOU WORK FOR ME – Jesus reminded you that the Holy Spirit will help you, you have a job to do to share my Word, My Love, My Hope. I will heal you… I will heal the world…

I am the one who gave you discernment – use it.

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.”

1Corinthians 6:19

Yes, as you have been discerning, with help from discussion friends who are My children too, your weight loss was all from My focus. More importantly, your whole awakening was from Me. Be a Temple for Me and as you awakened to learn, I want you to fill your head with My Word. Your thoughts, your health, your life – feed your Temple in all these ways, because it’s Mine.

Yes, as you discerned, your ability to sing is because of Me. You know that you had no voice (and have recorded proof) until you heard My voice and I made your spirit pour into a musical feeding frenzy… I have a plan, you see only a small sliver, you saw a glimpse of serious miracle Holy movement that seriously shifted your mind and life and body into My service. Why did your head explode? Because I am faster than the speed of sound.  God time, God movement is bound to make an explosion or two – but the one in your head was and is so that you stop listening to yourself and start listening to Me!

SMILE !

Your awakening was earth shattering to you because it was NOT from the earth but from Me. You have a spiritual gift for encouragement – use it – tell people that if your joy is seeming incongruous with the situation that you are thinking bigger picture – I have already finished your story – you will have eternal life – and yes, yes, I hear you pestering me to be an angel who gets to spread joy from Heaven – don’t worry, I’ll keep you happy busy in Heaven, so just keep happy busy here on Earth for my time… that’s Heaven on earth, you know,  feeling My love.

If people think you are boasting, try to remember to give me the credit that I am due. Even if they don’t believe you, you know that i heal the brokenhearted – this is what I did for you…  and the whining, I hear that from you too… be aware of how you share.

Yes, you awakened because of Me.

You didn’t believe in Jesus, now you can’t get enough of Him.

You started writing because of Me.

You are an encourager because of Me.

You began singing because of Me.

You are a child of God with an amazing family, life, career, because of me and because of all the prayers and hard work of those who came before you.  Remember that you are a fulfillment of their prayers for you.

You have beautiful children because of Me.  (The teenager’s phenomenon I will explain when you get to heaven. Just hold on tight and keep the faith that this phase will pass. You got awakened just in time, right? That was all Me. My thinking was that you would need My guidance for you.  I was right. And you know how right I am, they are amazing kids turning into amazing adults.  I know because I made them).

Those glimpses when you thought I was using you? You were right, you followed your gut – you were not the miracle maker,  I am… the drifting trucks and the Subaru and the amazing grace song… the old man about to get hit by a car… your Subaru horn was the tool, but Me catching your eye and Me giving you the drive to make a difference was all for My purpose to use My children to help My children.  You didn’t even think, you just acted. That’s my timing.   Those times I saved you miraculously from yourself? Also for My purposes. How about that big FedEx truck you would have smashed into, huh? That soccer mom’s car you almost hit? That kid you didn’t see in the dark? All those saves were from me… keep focused and make it easier on me. OK?

Show your faith not your flaws.

Mercy.

Mercy for all those things that you could have done…

Mercy for your slowness and your rushing…

Mercy for your ignorance and your self-fulfilling life…

Mercy for making the right, wrong and no decisions…

Mercy for:

Everything that My guidance walked you thru that… you knew that… you know that… move forward…

25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. 26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” 27 “Yes, it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.”

I am so grateful for mercy in my life.  Jesus giving mercy… Jesus for being both the advocate to argue my case and the one to walk me thru my own tears… I thank you Lord for being able to be still and watch how You moved me thru many things, many helpers,  many reminders of mercy… even if the world is not our home, Your helpers helped me walk thru this earth,  they still do… things fell into place in a way that helped me share the grace You shared with me…

Mostly I saw that when even I was the bottleneck to your will, Your decision was forced upon me and You took over the timing, I saw that windows that opened for me were lit by Your light guiding my next steps – windows require a lift to be lifted thru – open the window of my future and let the spirit sweep me forward…

The washing away of worry…

Lord, I know that earthly things are not heavenly, but I thank you for the peace of mind of gifted stability on earth. I do have children to raise, college students soon Lord… time to pray is also for visualizing the good things…. reflection of future thankfulness before you even get there…

Oh Lord, the devil – how do we defeat the devil? We don’t, You do. Our job is importantly to NOT let him get a foothold into the cracks of our lives.

If I think of the Devil as the toilet paper stuck to Jesus’s foot when He walks into my heart,  then l thank You Lord for pulling me thru the trials that washed that Devil away – I will need this forever  I know it is only by Jesus holding my hand as He pulls me out of the water when I sank when I lost focus – I will sink again, as I am human… I will continue to look for and see the light when I remind that devil (by reminding myself) that Jesus defeated him and that we are not going to let darkness invade… “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” John 1:5

Forever we are not cheated from eternal life… remember the devil is real, conniving, and slips into the cracks when we give him the opportunity… but because the devil is nothing compared to Your power Lord, we can see Your triumph… we still have to walk thru the mud… dilute the devil by pouring in more and more living water…

“13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

When have I seen the devil? When I let a crack in my humanness wide open with no armor of God… did God make some temptations easy to see were bearable? Oh yeah – just one example here – the guy in the other car hitting on me while we were driving 70mph on the highway, 5 times approaching me, motioning,  like who does that? The devil’s influence into the world.  Was it my thoughts just prior? Yes likely I also let the devil in and he took an opportunity…. And yet what he tried was so silly,  dangerous,  obvious… Who makes it obvious that that is the devil trying a foolish thing? I mean on a highway??? Anywhere? God does.  God reduces the devil, remember that…

To wrap up this writing – My most important observation of God is DON’T PIGEON HOLE HIM!

DON’T doubt His supremacy nor His amazing ways.

DON’T let anyone change your mind about God. God is the only One allowed to change it. Let God change your mind and you will see your future, one lighted step at a time. Don’t rush but if you fall off the path, let Jesus take hold and pull you back on. Hold on to His hand!

DON’T let anyone or anything make you feel that God doesn’t have control.

Don’t doubt that God has already made the plan for the future. Don’t doubt that God reveals His plans all the time.

Don’t forget that if God can make the world, then He can surely make your day.

Don’t worry, just pray.

Listen Live Learn Love

Let go… Let God…

There is more to this processing – because processing is a process – how could it not be.

Process that God has made the plan and you will be able to process the warmth of His love…

Don’t worry about processing God as much as letting Him process you… and let Him help you find your savior to get you Home.

God will see you thru

I believe in You

God l, I Love You

Amen

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Fulfillment as God’s Chosen Children, 21-22FEB

The bible messages bring ourselves into the stories of how we are to live life today…

The story of Deborah in the bible is so much about knowing that we have a role in God’s plan – and then just actually fulfilling it.  That’s a message for us – Fulfillment in His Perfect Love. Everything in the bible pertains to some aspect of what we need to learn about how we can live and also how we can serve God.

Deborah, a judge and Godly woman, prophet of Israel, had discernment. Discernment is probably the trait that I pray for the most. She shared that discernment with Barak – she shared the TRUTH that was revealed to her – that God had already won the battles big and small – that He had gone ahead of Barak – plus a reminder to us to neither take credit nor shy away from participating in His plan.

“Go!….. Has not the Lord gone ahead of you?” Judges 4:14

Our desire for fulfillment could and should be pulled from discernment of the Lord’s plan – then executing it. The task is not to wonder if we made a difference as much as to know that God already finished the big plan… We still have to finish our parts (Remember, God is holding the big picture in His sight – holding the lid to the box for this puzzle of life – and holding the box too)…

Deborah, the prophet, discerned that God called individual people for certain tasks – that He equipped the called and stripped down the chance that others could take the credit. The battles big and small that were hurdles to man, as well as perceived achievements, they were all to be pursued for God.

We too are called. Don’t worry, just do your best to fulfill what God is calling you for. Study God’s plan for your life then just do it.

I have been blessed to sing in a praise band, I have to practice – we need to all practice and equip ourselves to use His gifts of skills – our skills are going to be called into use for His Purposes.

I appreciate that the name Deborah means Bee in Hebrew – a song video found me – Keith Green (lyrics below) speaking that God is the God of the small and the great…  and singing about how God tells us that everything has already been done for you…

Deborah, the prophet, encourages you thru the Word – fulfill the plan that God has already made.

This Debbie, the bee, encourages you (and herself) too – my busy bee thoughts are for us to use our God-given gifts to live in and share His love and to reach whoever is in need of knowing Him…

His Love has already won…

Amen

“When I hear the Praises Start” 1977

https://youtu.be/fIgVU_5FsqA

“My son, My son, why are you striving
You can’t add one thing to what’s been done for you
I did it all while I was dying
Rest in your faith, my peace will come to you

For when I hear the praises start
I want to rain upon you
Blessings that will fill your heart
I see no stain upon you
Because you are my child and you know me
To Me you’re only holy
Nothing that you’ve done remains
Only what you do for Me

My child, My child, why are you weeping
You will not have to wait forever
That day and that hour is in My keeping
The day I’ll bring you into Heaven

For when I hear the praises start
My child, I want to rain upon you
Blessing that will fill your heart
I see no stain upon you
Because you are My child and you know me
To me you’re only holy
Nothing that you’ve done remains
Only what you do in Me

My precious bride, the day is nearing
When I’ll take you in My arms and hold you
I know there are so many things that you’ve been hearing
But you just hold on to what I have told you

For when I hear the praises start
My bride, I want to rain upon you
Blessings that will fill your heart
I see no stain upon you
Because you are My child, and you know Me
To me you’re only holy
Nothing that you’ve done will remain
Only what you do for me”

Songwriters: Keith Gordon Green / Melody Green

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A Fishy Tale – part 1, 20FEB

I can’t believe that I NEVER heard this fish story before – maybe I have been living under a rock but wow – never heard it!… Simon Peter is asked if his teacher (meaning Jesus) pays a certain tax – so Peter says yes (whether he thought about it or not) – Jesus later said (privately) to Peter: ‘we don’t really have to pay as we are children not strangers – but let’s pay it anyway so that we don’t offend them – and just go down to the shore and the first fish you pull in will have the coin in his mouth – enough for paying for me and for you’…

SAY WHAT?  WOW !!!  Matthew 17:24 – never heard it – that’s so fishy… and a thousand questions: why does the fish have to have the coin – why make it that elaborate and not just find a coin under a rock nearby? hmmm…

This story is only in Matthew and I am so very appreciative of these Michael Card books – (I even bought extra sets of them on ebay for $5 each so that I could lend them out – what a great way to methodically step thru the 4 gospels…  cool…)

Matthew 17:24-27

When they arrived at Capernaum, the tax men came to Peter and asked, “Does your teacher pay taxes?”

Peter said, “Of course.”

But as soon as they were in the house, Jesus confronted him. “Simon, what do you think? When a king levies taxes, who pays—his children or his subjects?”

He answered, “His subjects.”

Jesus said, “Then the children get off free, right? But so we don’t upset them needlessly, go down to the lake, cast a hook, and pull in the first fish that bites. Open its mouth and you’ll find a coin. Take it and give it to the tax men. It will be enough for both of us.”

I will take some of my own time wrecking my brain about this fish story – but I read ahead to some of the interpretations – I shouldn’t even be writing at this late hour – i am tired – but I write anyway and I appreciate the many interpretations that I read – turns out that there are so many non-agreeing messages for this set of scriptures – I don’t even want to give you some of those fabulous answers – they all sound plausible… but even the different translations seem to have a different take – Michael Card is no exception – I like his explanation but I am not going to share that yet either…

What I will say is that all I read never questioned that Jesus could do this – no one doubted …  Jesus is sovereign… the rest is up for interpretation- especially the facts left out of the story!!!

I’m going to let this one root around in my head and hope it does in yours too – and then when I am rested I will revisit and share the many explanations of the story – and new insight that I have already starting in my head…

It is always good to give your brain a chance to think – to catch your brain on this hook of scripture – to fish for your own answers – maybe Jesus sent Peter to the fish to give some time for Peter to think…

What do you think this story gives for some meaning in your life? 

Part 2 of a Fishy Take – a Fishy Tale –  coining soon – coming soon…

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Biblical Judge Deborah, 20FEB

A friend sent me this nice description of Deborah in the bible and a podcast study on Deborah – from the book of Judges. Now, I was not named after Saint Deborah – I was named after movie star Debbie Reynolds – LOL – yeah I really was… my brother’s name is Eddie, named after our grandfather and so when I was born it was cute – Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds – yeah – I am the mother to Princess Leia Carrie Fisher too – “May the force be with you”!

An excerpt from the bible study:

“as someone who faithfully and humbly served God in a time when the days were evil. There is much we as women can learn about how to navigate our days from this “mother in Israel.” …her humility and courage and devotion to her God and His purposes, to the people of God, and how rather than grasping for power and control herself, she instead honed all of her self (her gifts, her intellect, her will) to serve the leaders that God had called to lead Israel in that time period. She continues to be a mother to us even today through the pages of Scripture and call us to humbly do the same in our generation!”

And this is a short summary from what I heard: Deborah was bold and she spoke to Barak a message to inspire him: ‘this is the day the Lord has given – it is already done – the Lord has already gone out before you’… that is a message for us today as well: to fight sin and evil in the world we have the best, we have God! God has given us  His presence – and His victory is already won – we can proclaim the GOOD NEWS with boldness because God has already won…  and that we have to ask the question: “Do we submit to God now and work for Him?”

Deborah also has a song celebrating God’s work in His people….  He was the one who did all the work – give all the credit to God.

“So may all your enemies perish, Lord!   But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.”

No enemy can stand against God – but we don’t wait passively – we work actively like Deborah – with humility – be submitted and be committed to faithfully speaking His Word…

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What is God saying to me?, 17-18FEB

A new friend suggested that I pray and write down what God is trying to tell me.

I’m so very appreciative of the new friends that God drops into my life as we all walk in our faith…

I’m so appreciative also of the old friends who are so amazing and fill my heart with JOY.

I’m so appreciative of the Lord…

After reading his advice, the first part flooded my brain during the hour and a half car ride home (a gift of processing that kept me awake in changing weather conditions after a long day with reduced sleep)… as soon as I got home I jotted down brainstorm on actual paper… and then let myself collapse in sleep… part 1 was backlog of what I thought the Lord wanted to say…

The second part was written from deliberate prayer after solid sleep… of what the Lord (hopefully) wanted me to write…. one big take home message that I can give you when speaking with the Lord is to take the time for listening too – and it’s good to get yourself into a position and state to actually hear – for me that is getting time for solid sleep – so that I can wake to think – that’s my daily gift of peace for processing…. rest – Listen – hear – think – Love…

I’m going to write out part 1 later from those notes, but that’s later – it’s meaty stuff for sure – but here’s Part 2 – that’s MORE important to share with You!

What is God saying to me?, Part 2 – while praying:

My Child – I LOVE YOU. I KNOW YOU LOVE ME. I LOVE YOU.

Don’t sweat the small stuff…

Don’t rush.

Rest.

Don’t act, worry, rush, write, conclude, when you haven’t taken enough time to pray on things… you need rest.. You will do all these things when you haven’t prayed either – and I do love you regardless.

If you wait and watch, I often will show you that I’ve got better plans…

Count your blessings.

I am bigger than all your issues and bigger than the worse things of everyone’s lives

I am bigger than all the world and YES, I hold the world in not JUST My hands but in My Heart.

Be BOLD.

Be brave.

Be at peace.

I’ve never been distant from you – you already knew that – tell your friends who feel distant from me that I’m right here – not over there but here within them. Tell the world that I am so close that all they have to do is close the circuit and pray. Life without prayer is an open circuit in each of you – bring your hands together- bring your heart and head together and pray and feel connected with the flow of energy thru you – this prayer is for both you and for you being the rechargeable battery in My world – go share your energy – recharge – keep sharing – keep praying – keep using MY energy for MY people.

Yes, this is about Me, Your Lord, because I am ALL – and therefore I am ALL about you too…

It’s good for people to see Me in and thru you, it’s more important that they know the source – keep giving Me credit…

You weren’t always a Jesus junkie, like now you are.  You don’t have to be shy about that, but just don’t freak My people out – they are on their own timelines just like you are… keep walking with them as they are walking with you… keep being the cog in the turning of the world – it’s My world and I love each and every one of you. I ache for the world, but I don’t stop loving the world…

You held your hands on cold 911 steel in Feb 2015, praying for 3000 people to have found me that day, they did.  You prayed to be like Peter and touch 3000 lives – keep praying – you set that goal because of My love – you will achieve that goal not alone – because you don’t speak of my love from you – you speak it from me – and Love is giving and shown and life-changing when shared in concert with others because WE together are a NET of LOVE, not a hook of LOVE but a NET…. BUT don’t take any of your time counting to 3000, because I am the one doing the counting, I am good at that.  You just keep loving… You have seeds of faith to plant, you know where to get more. Keep loving. Keep listening. Keep going…

You want to share this amazing feeling of Love that comes from me – I am LOVE!

You are, you can, you will…    Just be

Yes, it is because of Me that you want to share LOVE because I am the Love you want to share – Yes, that is the point – Yes, I AM the LOVE.

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Don’t clog the conduits of LOVE ACTION PRAYER with distractions.

Don’t hide the grief from the world but don’t clog the conduits of JOY. JOY, LOVE, HOPE – they need to win over it all – don’t stop fighting for LOVE to WIN.

You read the end of the book, remember that I wrote it and I have it handled – for sure your prayers will make a difference… your devotion to the Word adds words, adds love, adds more… so much love that I am scribbling down the sides…. Keep writing LOVE…

Jesus already has His orders for the end of the world, but He is NOT simply sitting on a cloud just waiting!!! No! And neither should you!!!  You are to be like Jesus and stay out in the world working the net, sewing the net, handing ropes to the next person in this NET and TOGETHER WE WILL WORK THE NET that We are…

See, JESUS IS SEATED ON MY RIGHT HAND, but is MY Right Hand keeping silently still???? NO!! My Hand is moving, can you even imagine how active We are? Jesus threads the NET thru each person’s heart with the gifted security of a Savior. I move thru Spirit to move you. You now have a glimpse of how I work, I have always had it all in My sight.

JESUS is working with the Holy Spirit flowing through the world – the same is true for you – you need to be working too… You are held in my heart, and you gave been committed by Me to be flowing through the world like My blood flows thru My heart – directed thru My Arteries and Veins out into the world and back – you are touching My world because I want you there…

I AM in you and you are in Me.

I AM

I AM LOVE

YOU SHOULD BE LOVE TOO

YOU SHOULD BE YOU

I MADE YOU

I LOVE YOU

TELL THE WORLD THAT I AM LOVE

I will tell them too.

PEACE is for them, PEACE is for you

Peace thru LOVE

Go be you

Go be Love, My Love

Go Be You

Go BEE You

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God is This Way, 16FEB

I don’t doubt that the Lord has a Way… I don’t doubt that some of us need a God vortex to keep us from losing our way.

This Way… His Way…

Of all the scriptures I have learned, it’s that if I am too self-conscious about my “image” then I have missed the point of Jesus teachings… missed the point of Jesus being the bull in the China shop… missed the “first must be last” notion and command of less self… missed the point that I am NOT supposed to be worrying about MY image…

We are to REFLECT HIS IMAGE…

Jesus was perfect, I am not.

Jesus was exacerbated by the disciples slow to understand who He was, what the plan was and is, and what to do after He died and rose and left…

Jesus was exacerbated and sad for His lost sheep and apparently, I am not exacerbated enough by this…

Jesus wept while riding into Jerusalem… why am I not weeping enough? Perhaps I am to take His tears as grease in the cogs turning… even Jesus kept walking…

When I look into the mirror, I am not supposed to look for myself at all…
I am to mirror Jesus.

The best mirror is NOT aimed at yourself, but at Jesus to see all sides of His Image…

The best thing to do is serve the Lord…

The best image for ourselves is a reimage of Him…

The best way is His way…

The worst way is saying “no way, that’s not me”… we have to get out of the way…

The ONLY way, in all our flawed ways, is finding a way thru the very narrow gate…

We can only point others to the Way, Jesus is the Way, the Truth, the Life…

We can just hope that everyone comes this Way…

His Way…

That’s a prayer for focus – every day…

Point to His Way…

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What’s in your Basket? 12FEB

Perfect provisions or an abundance of bread? How about faith? How’s your basket of faith? Can you share some?

Jesus broke just a few loaves of bread and kept feeding thousands of curious people – at least two big crowd events were mentioned in Matthew 14 and Matthew 15 – Jesus fed them bread, fed them sustenance for their faith… Jesus taught in parables which surely fed the deep conversations on the long walk home. Even the leftover crumbs of bread were placed into use. Both tangible and faith crumbs were mentioned by the Canaanite woman begging mercy to save her daughter, stating that even accepting the crumbs of mercy (like puppies get crumbs of bread) would be a nourishment. Yes, Faith feeds…

There was a miracle feeding of thousands from a little bit of bread and the apostles were all called to work hard to feed the crowd – the provisions started small, but growth was provided by merciful Jesus, who knew the crowd would need the nourishment for their journeys. Jesus actually always wins praise for the Father, never for Himself – God provides all. Jesus as the Word tells us of God’s Love.

I am intrigued by the insight of author Michael Card (Biblical Imagination series) who points out that the leftovers were placed into 2 different sized baskets after each mass-feeding event – he points out that the baskets were described with different words in Hebrew/Greek. The first feeding gave lunch pail sized baskets as leftovers, he speculates that those carry just enough for the disciples to eat after feeding the thousands – perfect provisions and not too little or too much.

Then in the second feeding the leftovers were big man-sized baskets – so much bigger, the leftovers much more abundant.

Jesus provides reminders of God’s power and yet we forget… the disciples participated and even they forgot just as quickly!!!… In Matthew 16:9, Jesus chastises the disciples (after they said they didn’t know what to do since they had no bread) for not remembering the previous two miracle mass-feedings. Disciples sometimes even forgot the miracles they performed by themselves in God’s name… Clearly the disciples were human. We are human. We need reminders. When we share we see the connection to His abundance we are to remember that we too are blessed. God provides this knowledge in perfect provisions.

Jesus wants you to realize God’s work, to have perfect provisions and to have abundance – and especially wants you to realize you need to share it.

But did you bring any bread?

Do you even have a basket?

Do you have something to share? Will it multiply when you share it?

Do you hold on so stingy to what you already have that it rots rather than multiplies?

Do you have holes in your basket?

Do you think God needs your help to help others first? YES! Will there be enough for you? YES!  I am sure Jesus would say “have you no faith?” “Don’t you realize?”

When Jesus shows frustration with the disciples, He is urging them to realize His teachings… Likewise, is Jesus urging us to wake up too? To realize that we have been provided for – in bread? In faith? In teachings? In peace? In salvation? In All in All?  Then – when we realize that, do we realize that we are supposed to share it?!

What’s in Your Basket? (Remember God actually provides the good baskets too!)

Don’t worry about your provisions – just bring the basket anyway… Remember that a basket is a tool for bringing everything you have to the table of sharing, and realize that you are also to be planning ahead for gathering an abundance of overflowing leftovers that won’t go to waste – you will be responsible for picking that up and sharing it somewhere else.

When you realize God is feeding you faith, you won’t go hungry.

Can you use your skills to share what was gifted to you?

You can.

Are you fed from feeding?

You are.

Have you ever visited a homebound person, a nursing home, and felt even more blessed yourself from the visit? Fed the hungry and be filled with faith and warmth? Have you ever smiled and gotten smiles back?

The spirit flowing through you will feed you too…

Keep sharing your faith and your faith will abundantly grow in you. It will not go to waste. The spirit that begun a good work in you will complete it… keep weaving strength into your basket…

Jesus says just keep feeding and keep believing… share the Good News…

What’s in your basket?

Amen

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God-Confidence, 09FEB

I know it is a cool feeling when God is letting us know when He is using us.  We often doubt that is occurring, but not from a position of low self-confidence but from our position of low God-confidence… We need to develop more God-Confidence.

It’s nice to see Him in action, it’s COOL to feel the WARM Spirit gearing us up, using us in His service… So, why do we doubt that He is using us? He wants to use our flaws and fears and fabulousnesses… God is using us – we are “cogs in something turning” like Joni Mitchell sings… It is up to us to notice it and thrive on it – “we are stardust, we are golden, and we’ve got to get ourselves back to the Garden…”

Yes, we need confidence in God. How can we not? He has confidence in us!

An old high school photo of mine popped up, really from forever ago… if I could go back 35 years to tell my 15-year-old self something, it would be to urge myself to be more self-accepting, to have more self-confidence… I wonder if I would have been a different girl then, if I were more confident. Confidence is not something we act – we have to actually be confident.

Fast forward to recent history…  in hindsight, I can see when God had taken over where I failed to appreciate my blessings to be used for His purposes. Now as my nearly 50-year-old self, I do have more God-confidence of how He will use me.

In foresight, I should NOT be surprised or afraid for how God will use me today… actually I smile at the opportunity. I have gained confidence in God – actually I have gained confidence in understanding that God wants the best for His children by gathering them back to Him.

I question: In the future, will I have the hindsight to be appreciative of where I am now? Will I realize where God used me for His plan? Probably, so why wouldn’t I now strive to be used by God more? I want more God awareness.

I am sure that we are to drop self-awareness and make our lives about God awareness…

Our thirst for knowledge, of how we fit into life, is a default thirst – a result of Eve being tempted to bite that fruit. She was tempted to gain wisdom, to learn the difference between good and evil… Of course it seems that we want that too – but MORE IMPORTANTLY, we have to WANT TO SPIT that knowledge out of our systems and simply trust that God will take care of us…

Let us drop our thirst for self-knowledge and drink in the thirst of how God’s plan and how we fit… We only need to rely upon Him.

Let us spit out the forbidden fruit and instead drink in pure living water…

Pray that God is the apple in our eye… Long for Him… Smile…

God gave you a smile in His Image… Be Confident in God.

Amen

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Crumbs of Faith, 08FEB

Even the crumbs of faith… some of my insight from Michael Card’s Biblical Imagination series in Matthew…

Precious story – Jesus and a Gentle woman, a Canaanite, even the disciples wanted to get away from her – from her loudness and persistence… the crowds were overwhelming everywhere and He had to get to the places He knew He had such short time to get to… Jesus is stern to the woman here, He was human in His attitude and Godly in His teaching – and it’s amazing how one short encounter can teach us so much… I have learned so much from this one passage…  This woman longed for mercy – Jesus NEVER refuses the call for Him to provide mercy.

Matthew’s Gospel are writings to the first Christian communities – they are so new in their faith…

And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”  But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.”  He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”  But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. (Matthew 15: 21-28)

Mercy, Jesus NEVER refuses the call of Mercy…

Matthew describes the ever-present crush of people seeking Jesus, He is trying to get away – it’s like the rock star or sports star crushed by the crowds and yet a small puppy of a persistent person catches their eye with a small gesture or huge sign… all in the crowd wants anything and everything, but this one person just wants a smile, a wave, an acknowledgment… oh just the crumb of connection…

This Canaanite woman would not be brushed off by the disciples, she is smart and very engaging in her direct conversation with Jesus. We need to be that way too. She has faith that the Lord, her Lord, could save her daughter.  We need that faith too.

Even if she knows she is on the outside, this woman is going to try anyway… persistent… begs for mercy – giving it all she has… that is us too saying “I have to try”… saying “I have to talk to Jesus”… she believes in His mercy… we can too… Jesus takes pity… Jesus says ‘all you need is faith’… Jesus says ‘it is your faith that heals you’…

Crumbs are what the puppies will take… they have to try…. we do too… crumbs at the bottom of the bag, they still taste sweet… can you savor your life, your situation, your faith too? Can you enjoy just a crumb and be satisfied? Is a crumb enough compared to nothing?

Crumbs… the last few crumbs of your hope… a last-ditch effort… try and try – and know your faith will bring you to Jesus’s mercy…

We have to try…

We have to believe…

If we don’t believe in Jesus, we won’t look for Jesus…

If anyone can help us, Jesus can. Jesus does.

Jesus NEVER refuses a sincere cry for Mercy. Seek Him. Follow Him. Be like Him.

Everyone, no matter what, can ask for mercy.

I know I do…

How about you?

Jesus loves you.

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Empowerment into the Family Business, 04Feb

We are all working for God whether we know it or not…

A dear 98 year old from our church passed away this morning, she was a tremendous organizer, mover and shaker – Betty was a servant and child of God. She was so tremendous that you could easily say she was a saint on earth.

Actually, she was “empowered” to work for God. Earth-empowered and Heaven-sent. She worked in the Family Business. (God makes an offer we can’t refuse!)

Many of us try to do the right thing, many of us sometimes fail – that’s because we are human beings and distracted by the world of us, rather than the world of God.

Many of those times that we chose to do right and then we long for a sign that we did right by God…. we want encouragement and we want feedback… It doesn’t always work that way – and as God is supreme, it is IF and WHEN God lets us glimpse into the plan – when that happens, oh how intensely our hearts are warmed… How amazing to work for the Lord!!!  We always work for Him, if we wake up we are still on this earth for Him. If we mess up, we are still on this earth for Him. We can NOT mess us His ultimate plans.

And isn’t that the TRUTH – we actually DO know the plan – even if we don’t know the minutia – we actually know and can read the end of the book – GOD WINS!

Maybe we simply need to feel empowered. But we are. Maybe we want to feel it and realize it, but we already ARE empowered….

You are a child of God – therefore He IS our Father!

If you take care of a pet or any animal, you already are empowered to do that… if you take care of your children,  you are already empowered to do that… If you smile at joy and spread joy, you are empowered to do that too… If you feel willing and have the finances to help a charity or anyone with a gift of money, you know that is the right thing to do, but what you don’t always know is how much of a blessing it is to them – that’s OK – we don’t always have to know… God knows…

If you take time to pray for people on the other side of the world, you are empowered to use your power of prayer. If you take time to pray for yourself, you are asking the Lord to use you better for one more day. Your prayers are heard. Pray, just Pray!

All the way back to Genesis, scripture lays out empowerment – not entitlement – empowerment that we are to be caretakers… God provides all we need, now we can work for Him KNOWINGLY…

Micah 6:8 reminds us to keep walking, keep working, keep learning, keep making the difference in the world – one little step at a time…

You are EMPOWERED because you have been gifted the Holy Spirit.  You have the same power that was entrusted to Jesus – and now you are able to make a difference… “you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22

You are a Child of God.

Smile.

Welcome to the Family Business!!!

Ephesians 2

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork,created in Christ Jesus to do good works,which God prepared in advance for us to do.

—–

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

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Call Out – Seek to be Saved, 02Feb

I have been reading about disciple Peter and how he was sinking in the water, from Matthew’s gospel account out of Michael Card’s Biblical Imagination book…

Peter called out to Jesus from the boat, then crawled out, expecting Jesus could help him walk, but soon after, Peter started to doubt!  Peter just as quickly learned that Jesus could save him, after he called out to Jesus the second time. Yes – two calls – once to seek Jesus and once to be saved. Two important lessons within the shortest time span. We have to understand our faith requires calling out in both ways – to seek and to be saved – in both we have to initiate the calling out to Jesus… He is divine thru and thru and this enables us to see all our humanness in between… Our humanness requires us to seek and to be saved.

It is our faith that tells us that the Lord calls us and our faith to say that we will be OK if we do not lose our focus. It is our humanness to know we need Him, oh we are so very human…

When we are sinking in doubt, and Jesus is in the process of rescuing us, that the dip in the water is the continual cleansing that Jesus gives to our souls, the needed dip to rinse and repeat – just like shampoo…

Blessedly, Jesus has a net for us.

We should ask the Lord to use us for whatever He needs for furthering His work – sometimes we work repairing sections of His net, sometimes we work on new sections, we are blessed to be part of the net that caught us…

Working the nets… fixing the nets… growing the nets…

Calling out for directions from the Foreman of all.  Jesus knows where the fish are.  God knows how best to build the net.  We best to listen…

Call out! – then Listen!

Seek to be Saved!

Reach!

Praise!

—-

Matthew 14

25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear.27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Note – I realized it was 4 years ago, yesterday Feb 1st 2015, that I had my realization of this amazing awakening that had brought me 100% believing in Jesus… it was a process… I wrote out my processing… crazy huh? It is individual to each of us for being in the great realization of being looped into God’s net by Jesus… am I done? No, I’m now in net-work, His network to do work on His net… my 100% is a beginning not an end.

You are also a work in process – our beginning is not an end, but a continuous walk – keep walking!

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The Other Shoe, 02FEB

I felt good today until I realized that I made mistakes today, and this week – they were not earth shattering, but stupid enough – mistakes from rushing and other moments of ugh…

I write now because my mistakes meant that I learned more insight into my faith and a reminder of why my humanness, everyone’s humanness really needs Jesus as our healer, the forgiver, the divine…

“To forgive is divine.”

After my realization of my mistakes, a friend comforted me by saying: to forgive is divine. I said “It’s hardest to forgive oneself…”

And yeah, then I realized I need forgiveness for that statement too… because the basic fact that I can’t actually give myself forgiveness, I can only be the one to ask… yup… Forgiveness is a divine gift as well as a directive.

Forgiveness is divine not human in origin…. yup… we are to forgive but give credit where credit is due…

Forgiveness of human self is the message of Jesus’s reconciliation…

Not forgiving myself is forgoing the mercy Jesus desperately wants to give… I need Jesus… and I can be grateful that I even realized that I went wrong today… humbled by my humanness… grateful that I can try to make amends… blessed that Jesus paused to say “i don’t condemn you, but you realize what you did, right?”

Such insight can be gained from sleepless nights… “maybe a thousand sleepless nights is what it takes to know You’re near…” the song lyric resonates (“Blessings” from Laura Story)…

My missteps were the result of rushing, trying to do the right thing, but I stumbled. Tripping over myself for trying too hard… maybe someday I am going to be grateful for this trial… or forget it all together… yet right now I feel humbled…

See, it is important to know that God does not “drop the other shoe” in our bubble-bursting moments – the “other shoe” is for us to put on and walk with Christ in our humbled humanness… and then to reach for forgiveness… “if the shoe fits…”

We have 2 shoes – JOY and HUMBLENESS – we have to put BOTH shoes on to keep walking…

Even IF I wanted to stop living in joy, because of my sadness, I have to keep walking, stepping out to serve the Lord in Joy.

Even IF I wanted to ignore my humanness, and go back to spreading wonderful joy, I cannot ignore how very human I am – and therefore I have to keep walking, stepping out to serve the Lord in humbleness.

If “the other shoe” fits… it’s because God dropped it in front of us so that we put it on and keep walking in His narrow but sure path…

These steps are for you and you alone (but not alone, we walk WITH the Lord)…

The shoe fits…

Jesus carries the day…

Thank You Jesus…

Amen

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

NOTE: now that I have had some time to reflect on those issues – they seem so small in comparison to life – and I have to say that to walk humbly with the Lord means that we ALSO have to put our own issues into perspective and not make a mountain out of a molehill! in other words, keep walking and don’t let your perceived problems overtake the problems of the world – don’t ignore issues but don’t dwell on them in a selfish way – let them go and get back to the Lord’s work…

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Nothing to Write About is EVERYTHING, 31Jan

Lord knows, He wakes me up early, refreshed, ready to write. But this time I don’t think I have anything to write about!

As I turn over comfy, warmed, I am thankful to have slept well and especially to have found a corner of peace to allow myself this luxury of enjoying peace.

I am so thankful that I am THANKFUL…

Nothing to write about means I have EVERYTHING to thank the Lord for…

Lord, I’m so thankful witnessing that You give us strength and direction and for knowing that “These things will pass” – they actually did pass. They did and I am here to praise Your healing – physical, emotional, and healing thru time fading away the pain.

The moon, the stars, the sunrise are so beautifully distracting this morning – and You are even more beautiful than everything that You made beautiful. Thank you Lord for You – for being a focal point of a new day in Your service.

If I am in a holding pattern of peace it is because You made me look here for peace among the struggles, You focused me to count my blessings and YOU WERE RIGHT.

I did not foresee where I am now, but Lord you knew how to get me here. I have tried to make the best choices – and even if I didn’t, I have prayed for You to use me best You could… I fear You Lord in respect, You know when I feel humbled.  Thankful for my trials, I thank you for Your guidance thru them.

You are the best Lord, nothing I could have imagined compares to knowing you…

I am sorry when I forget You.

I am sorry when I rush You.

I am sorry when I fail to seek You.

I am sorry when I hesitate to serve You.

I’m sorry when I should have shut my mouth.

I’m sorry when I failed to open it.

I am sorry when I got shy and should have shouted.

Do I have work to do for You? Am I too complacent? Oh yeah… I have Your issues in me to work on and yet You allow me to feel Joy. I have Your issues in the world to work on and yet You allow me to stay here with my little section of puzzle (for now)…  You give me rest and You allow me perspective. I will never run out of Your Work. You need me to understand Your pace, and my place… then You need me to work for the benefit of Your place at my pace…

Thank You for allowing me to rest just now, regaining my strength…

Actually, You remind me that I need to look for Your strength not mine… Your agenda not mine… Your joy not mine. Your wings are not just to hide under but for me to soar on.

You are my JOY.

Oh Lord You’re Beautiful…

“if I’m doing good, please help me to never make a sound, except to give all the glory to you.” Keith Green 

Nothing to write is everything to praise!

Thank You for giving me pause to praise.

Amen

—–

My favorite Keith Green song, it is in my head so much…. Oh, Lord You’re Beautiful (Live)” on YouTube https://youtu.be/uVgPQm06g2c

Oh LORD you’re beautiful.

Your face is all I seek.

For when your eyes are on this child.

Your love abounds to me.

—

Oh LORD by body’s tired.

But you keep reminding me.

Of many holy tireless men,

Whose split their blood for thee.

—

I want to take your Word and shine it all around.

But first help me first just live it LORD.

And if I’m doing well help me to never make a sound,

But to give all the glory to you.

—

Oh LORD my faith is small.

And I need a touch from you.

Your Book of books lies undisturbed.

And the prayers from me too few.

—

Oh LORD please light the fire.

That once burned bright and clear.

Replace the lamp of my first love.

That’s fueled with holy fear.

—

I want to take your Word and shine it all around.

But first help me just live it LORD.

And if I’m doing good, please help me to never make a sound,

Except to give all the glory to you.

—

Oh LORD you’re beautiful.

Your face is all I seek.

For when your eyes are on this child.

Your faith abounds to me.

“STRENGTHEN YOUR HEARTS,  FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD IS NEAR” James 5

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Scripture 52, Treasure Old and New, 25Jan

I came across a “new to me” scripture – it’s unusual to have a new one that I never heard, like it was stuck at the end of so much teaching that no one gets to reading and sharing it:

“And He said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings forth out of his treasure things new and old.’ ” Matthew 13:52 New American Standard

I will have to figure this one out – I want to ponder it before I read ahead in my study guide book.  Scripture 52 (I also take special notice of the number 52, that’s a long story…

This end cap parable is near the parable of the wheat harvest separated away from the weeds AFTER they were grown together, and near the parable of the good fish separated from the bad. Here Jesus talks about the end of ages, the bad will be plucked out and thrown into the fire and the righteous clearly standing out… also near the parables of the mustard seed and yeast, all about the kingdom of heaven starting small and growing large… also near the scripture discussion of Jesus telling folks that He is the one fulfilling scripture prophecy…

Old and new… yet this last scripture is DIFFERENT… it’s about showing both old and new as treasures.

Old treasure could include the saints who’ve passed away before the messiah came, and new being believers who already start with a known messiah…

Jesus is the Word, eternally old, and recorded… here Jesus being on Earth is clearly new, a new fulfillment of old wisdom that the scribes witnessed and recorded… in this scripture 52, could the treasure simply be Jesus who is new and old at the same time? And/or the treasure is that Jesus’s effect on us that is new takes on our old ways.   Treasures of stories to show, not hide. Jesus does not want us to hide stories of HIS HEALING. Jesus is all these things…  old and new, He is true.

If we are disciples, then we must show Jesus thru us. In the thoughts of scripture 52, we can show healing of old wounds. We could also show treasures of new changes that Jesus has brought in us – trading our old ways for new. We are new creations in Christ! And how better to show this than to be examples of change – His repair to our brokenness… If you have been changed then tell the world. And give credit where credit is due – bring out the changes and speak highly of the miracle that changes you.

As a scribe, recording the story of Jesus, there are old and new stories to tell. We can all tell stories of the amazing differences God and God’s people have made in our lives… I am glad I subscribe to this thinking and writing about Jesus… So, my thoughts are new to me, NEW, but they are of old ways of the Lord. The Lord makes each person’s faith freshly their own…. that is old and new at the same time…

So, now I will read ahead in my study guide and see what he says – hmmmm…. This author ONLY talked about Jesus instructing the scribes to be scribes… short explanation… perhaps he could have written more – perhaps he could have written a whole page – perhaps that is what I and you are supposed to do – perhaps our whole lives are to be living testaments (not necessarily written but lived) – living out the amazing treasures of new and old of Christ within us – perhaps as scribes a picture means a thousand words… and the WORD means a lifetime of treasure…

I know one of my greatest treasures is to show that I was old and now Jesus made me new (and as my own kind of scribe I am now all about feeling and knowing my newness)… Old wisdom is a treasure,  and New insight into scripture is a treasure too….

How each of us opens up to Jesus in old and new ways is worth treasuring!

and Jesus? Jesus is a treasure…

Who does Jesus treasure? YOU!

You are part of the Kingdom of God!

God wants to see you!

“Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.” KJV

Thank You Jesus…

I treasure Your kingdom because of You!

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My Roots – His Net, 20Jun 2015 reprise 2019

Feed on JESUS love and not individual human love and you will never go hungry. Look for the love of Jesus under stones, in the dark spaces, and plain as day in the open…

At first I went to church for the people and to put down my roots. I needed and always will need people, that’s who I am, that will never change. Once in my church family I followed God’s love in a unique path that I didn’t realize I was taking. God drew me near and I found Jesus along the way. In a long term plan, God was reeling me in… Slow but sure… Slow enough that my wriggling didn’t unhook me, and by using a wide hook that was made even wider by the extension of love into and from my church family, a network woven tight, built strong…

Our faith family is a network that is GOD’S fishing net, the tighter the weave, the smaller the fish one can catch, the wider the net, the wider the range of fish one can catch, the stronger the safety net behind the first net, the more fish that won’t get lose when things break…

See Jesus is a Fisher of men… Humans are the fish caught in the nets, but they must then become the nets themselves… They can be the builders of new nets, repairers of old nets, designers of new net styles, and then embed themselves into that net.

Anytime you network in Christ means more nets for His work, for Him to draw upon…

See, after I accepted Jesus, I accepted being part of his net. I know my tools, sometimes I build, sometimes I repair, sometimes I design, but all the time I network from within, by being part of that net… We are called to work in the net as well as exist in the net…  we must be networked to work within and not outside God’s workshop.

I used to go to church – “for the people”…. Jesus caught me in His net… So, I now hunger NOT for people love but for JESUS LOVE… And so I now go to be the church – “for the people”… I want to feed the people JESUS LOVE… I feel JESUS LOVE thru them…

I am here for Jesus. I am a member and a worker/builder/repairer of His Net.

Together we are the net that is made in God’s image.

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Wisdom, 13JAN

Your title means nothing,

Your recognition means little,

Your work means something…  but…

the DIFFERENCE you make means EVERYTHING…

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Be Something, 12JAN

“When it snows, she has no fear for her household”

That’s who I want to be.

By snow I don’t mean just snow, but life…. when “life happens”, I pray that I have prepared my household for dealing with life.

I fear the Lord – not by shaking in my boots, but shaking off my boots – shaking off the muds of life’s work – and preparing my boots to get back out there in the Lord’s service.  I fear the idleness,  not the work. I fear the ineffectiveness, not the work. I fear the Lord enough to know He is keeping His eyes on me. I pray to be something.

I praise the Spirit who whispers to me when I stop being in freefall, but be in stillness.  I try to listen before I leap. I leap because I have listened.

Snow is a gift not a nuisance.

Life is a work not a worry.

Grace is gifted not grabbed.

A woman is a gift not a given.

Life gives wisdom not wishfulness.

Dignity is a duty not a default.

Learning is a life pursuit

Be still to learn to be somebody.

Be somebody

Be the Lord’s

Be

—-

“When it snows, she has no fear for her household for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
 ^…
“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.  She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.  She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
…
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised”

Proverbs 31

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Compartmentalize, 10JAN

Compartmentalize your stress but let the Lord’s SPIRIT pour in… leave the tops open to your compartments…

We hold so many problems at the same time – I could list so many – and yet you know that we are forced to cope…  So, how can we?

We can compartmentalize…

These barriers (forced or natural) of compartmentalized situations allow us to focus on some things while holding back the stress of others in holding zones… We are in charge of our zones… build strong walls… perhaps even make clear walls to keep an eye on your issues, knowing they are contained enough to work on something else…

Compartmentalizing allows us to let us to move on day to day with our lives…  imagine a time when you get a phone call that your child is sick at school – well everything else gets shoved into a big compartment that you will ignore until you get to your child. Can we also do that on a small scale?

So many big and little stresses – and so many big and little joys – one person’s stress is another person’s ignoring situation. It is not that people are cold to some problems – it is just that they might be compartmentalizing them…

But how will we stay sane and connected at the same time? How will we prioritize which momentary compartment to think in? Here is an idea: LEAVE THE LIDS OFF of your compartments!!!  Yes, let the Lord’s spirit flow in thru each compartment – let Him guide you and give you peace in the present… Perhaps not make such rigid walls on these compartments but let them be expandable when necessary – the Lord may fill one section up more and make more room in your life for an event – whether good or bad – the Lord can make those decisions for you much easier – just let Him in…

Flow or flood? Breathe thru your stress – let yourself process it for a moment before exploding or ignoring – survival means that you don’t blow your container sides out… if there is a flood of life, then leaving the top open will let excess flow out – and if you let yourself go with the flow then perhaps your buoyancy and flexibility will float you to the top so you can catch your breathe…

Life is better when angst and joys are shared with friends – and also when not shared – have you ever started complaining and then realized you spent all that time in angst? Sometimes leaving the stress in that compartment and not looking back is a great way to move forward each day… think “let the dead bury the dead” Matthew 8:22 – and you move on to your future…

Process – don’t ignore Joy – don’t trash peace – God is not here to “drop the other shoe” – pursue peace – don’t be the downer and just say “this joy can’t last” – you know that at the end of this race, God has ONLY PEACE in store for us – so practice peace now.

Remember God’s house has many rooms – meaning we all have a space for us with Him in Heaven. Isn’t that the best way to look at these compartments of stress and joy and life? AS TEMPORARY! Don’t store up treasures on this earth means also don’t get stuck in the quagmires of balls and chains of this earth. Remember to step up, outside your containers – maybe even climb up on the top of them but don’t look down – and realize that the Lord lifts you out of this world and back to His – so every day put yourself into that mindset – heal on the go…

Live in this world but not of it – compartmentalize and leave the lids open for the spirit to flow. He will find you where you are… and He will help you thru…

Be at Peace where you are – and Peace will find you!

Amen

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I worry, I pray, I pray more… an object in motion stays in motion… 04Jan

I just got so very very anxious worrying about my daughter’s college applications. But I know she’s in good hands and I just started to pray and that calmed my anxiety down… I really do get anxious at times and yet I don’t because I just pray… an object in motion stays in motion. If I keep busy in prayer,  I will stay in prayer.

My anxiety actually freezes me, my prayer moves me into action… an object in motion stays in motion.

I’m human and I need to use my prayer opportunities… I need God – He never stops, I just drift like out in space if I don’t apply the power of prayer… I freeze in stress, and I stop being thankful for the trials… trials bring humbleness,  prayer and direction… an object in motion stays in motion.

Today I had great news that my Dad’s cancer hasn’t spread – that news is sufficient to make me praise over pine…

Cancer is awful,  but this thorn brings with it an action plan of radiation therapy… my Dad and Mom can be in planning,  in attack mode over cancer,  they can be mobile – an object in motion stays in motion.

The little things that caused me strife today I mostly dismissed saying “I can’t complain” especially hearing the encouraging news – actually none of my problems are problems if I think about them compared to God’s long term plan – His plan is in motion – an object in motion stays in motion.

My joy today was also in hearing my mom’s relief – my joy today was feeling that God has my family in His capable hands – my joy is His gift to me – i didn’t make the joy, i only tapped into His… an object in joy stays in joy…

So why do I stress? My stress is my own and my stress I pray is actually purposefully used to move me, direct me, focus me – my stress can also be called a blessing – IF I make it so –  only IF I give it to God, and trade it for an action plan – a plan in motion stays a plan…

So even if the law of inertia says opposition forces cancel, the object that already was in motion stays in motion… so I could say that even if my joy and stress cancel each other out, God’s plan doesn’t, God’s motion is still moving…

So, I pray to align and accelerate with God’s plan….  What’s Your plan Lord?

God’s plan is in motion… it will stay in motion…

You are Lord of us all… You are God… our greatest motion is drawing closer to you.

If I could remember that You’ve got this covered Lord, I could rest…

If I could remember that You took care of all our burdens thru Jesus, and if I could remember that You give Mercy and Grace in Your acts of Love, and if I could remember that I will live with you forever, and if I could remember my forgetfulness, and if I could remember to BE STILL – then I could rest.

I cannot rest Lord until I seek You for rest, and yet that takes me being in motion… I will try Lord to move closer to you. A child in motion in order to gain rest.

Thanks Lord.

Amen

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Happy close to 2018 – you as readers have been such a blessing to me – reflecting His love in your friendship…

Windows of Life, 30Dec

We are to OPEN whatever windows of opportunities God places in front of us. God places opportunities EVERY DAY.

God wants us to evaluate which windows are for us to open, and which are not… We still need to work them with our elbow grease…

We are also to realize that windows are made of glass – look before you leap – study and pray on which direction to take. Look thru the glass and see if the scene is illuminated by real, true light – or artificially lit… our paths are best if we are walking in His LIGHT…

What about staying where you are and not moving? Perhaps that is because you are already standing in the middle of a certain window of time – a moment of silence – a moment of rest… that window is called the window of opportunity – it’s a moment of PEACE… reflecting our future with Him…

When you see yourself in a window, notice the Light – look hard for the Light – His Light – notice that it is shining thru you! This is because you are responsible for reflecting His forever peace into this finite earthly time and place. Notice how your reflection in this window of time is reflection of His peace… and shine that window – shine it clear as clear can be so all may see His peace.

Keep shining His love thru your piece of His window of peace…

Amen

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Devotion about Living Forever – Because We Do… 28DEC

Interesting duplications… while I’m thinking about my health, and also 2 friends funerals today, my Facebook reminded me of the anniversary of my aunt’s death… a devotion, that I posted then, reminds us that Jesus is calling for us to live forward with Him – FOREVER…

This devotion from a little 1950s book hits it on the head – we are living creatures and we keep living after death…  Additionally, my scripture reading this morning was about Jesus raising Jarius’ daughter…

Was all my reading about death? – but really it is all about life! Think longest term – FOREVER…

Jarius’ daughter reminds me of my awakening AND reminds me to not fall asleep in my faith now…. stay awake in faith forever… Thinking about living forever changes your perspective… we are to live for today, not worry about tomorrow, and be alive forever…  By worrying about today, we should not have time to worry about tomorrow – it’s up to us to make that our mantra!

My sorrow for today’s pain, my hope for forever… my goal to stay awake in my faith…

Just like the woman touching the fringe of Jesus robes, our faith today heals us for living forever.    IT’S OUR FAITH, Jesus always reminds us, which makes things happen…

My prayers are for everyone to believe that too…

Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman (Matthew 9)

18 While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.

20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”

22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart,daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

23 When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, 24 he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. 25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. 26 News of this spread through all that region.

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Matthew 9 in Michael Card’s “Biblical Imagination” Series, 27Dec

I’m not writing so much these days as I am in deep learning (decompression time from Christmas too)

Anyway…

My Michael Card’s book “Gospel of Matthew” sits too quietly…. actually it screams out at me and I put off reading it – I should take time, I learn so much from it, I could not more highly recommend these 4 books on the gospels!!!!

Here is a tiny book report on the big topic of Mercy.

These are 3 excerpts from the 1st half of Matthew 9, who writes so condensed that there are years of thinking material in such few paragraphs.

I’ll share a few snippets of deep learning:

Matthew was renamed Matthew, he was Levi the tax collector. It was at his house where Jesus ate with many sinners, which upset the Pharisees.  They asked, and Jesus said: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Jesus wants us to know all our healing comes thru God’s mercy, not our doing.

Mercy, “lovingkindness”, is HESED in Hebrew.  God gives hesed. He wants to give hesed.

Our healing can only come when we realize that we need healing – not be blind to our sin like the Pharisees.  Jesus as a doctor comes to minister to the sick – not necessarily illness, but sick with sin.

Matthew shares about Jesus healing a paralyzed man because Jesus saw the impressive faith of his friends – Michael Card reminds us that we are to carry the burdens of our friends to Jesus. First Jesus heals the man from his sins – by forgiveness…. the physical healing follows suit… The forgiveness of sins is paramount to un-paralyzing us to get to heaven.

Jesus always wins praise for God not Himself – the people also gave all praise to God, they saw Jesus with God’s authority.  Everything we do, we need to praise God for.

This is just the first half of one chapter – Matthew’s gospel is the gospel of identity…. It’s a whole new way of thinking for these disciples and crowd – Jesus speaks of not putting new wine in old sacks – not a new patch on old clothes – but instead a whole new way of thinking….  plus feasting NOT fasting when the bridegroom (Jesus) is actually present, and a reminder that He won’t always be present in the flesh,  this is echoed in Michael Card’s song “Come to the Cradle”….  It is a call of living in a whole new way – thru Jesus – our new identity is in and thru Jesus. That’s the way…

The mightiest message in condensed form. Our identity as saved is THRU Jesus, praising God, realizing our sickness of sin, and desiring healing hesed mercy.

Jesus is the way… to God’s mercy…

Amen

Matthew 9

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man

1 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”

3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”

4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 Then the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.

The Calling of Matthew

9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jesus Questioned About Fasting

14 Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”

15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

16 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17 Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

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Practice peace, pause and process. Pray simply, pray on the porch.

You won’t understand this writing about my day at all, but God knows all the details…

A Porch Prayer, 19DEC

There’s nothing like pursuing peace from prayer…

Moving forward along my day yesterday was a noisy and bustling string of things that were not under my control.  My prayers were.

Prayers were the only thing in control.

Let’s start with Xmas, start with school prep, start with teenagers, start with life – keep moving…

Continue forward – commute for prayer – parking lot prayer – phone call prayer – uncertainty prayer

Stop or go?…, work or no?, drive home or keep going? Keep going… Pray..

Work? Do exactly only what ONLY you can do? Do exactly what you ONLY can do?. Do. Just decide. Just work.

Party

Pray, pause in peace… party…

Phone. Prayer. Porch party prayer is removing yourself from the party and being present on the phone for the sake of peace… porch party is prayers while still at the party… porch prayer is where God says, you are at the party,  but not of the party – you work for Me.

Yes Lord, I work for You.

Prayers. I pray. I pause. I am in the world, not of the world.  Pray for all in all places.

Party, people, practical pause for peace within a party. Be present in, be present at, be in His presence… be His presence for prayers.

Watch, watch in prayer, hope, unknown, watch God’s timing play out. Watch.

Smile.

Smile, sing, watch, watch, watch…

Listen

Pray

Pray

Pray

Smile

Sing

Porch

Smile

Porch

Pause

Pray

People

Porch

Car

Move

Pause

Pray

People

His people my people

Pray

People

Peace

Pray

Sleep

Pause

Pray your day

Move always in His timing.

Pray

Practice Peace

Amen

Amendment Amen

Amen

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Christmas Shoes, 17Dec

My feet were hurting and I thought of a friend’s recent commentary about Christmas – that too much of what we do at Christmas is not what God envisioned…  the hustle and bustle – all that was going against the real meaning of Christmas…

My feet are still really hurting – my own fault for not wearing the right shoes for Christmas shopping – for Christmas singing at church – for living thru the day…  I should have thought about the shoes that would have sustained me, but I chose fashion over function.

Guess what this is a writing about?

Christmas – Jesus – our faith! Not really a writing about my feet… I will come right to the point before I add my flowery writing…  If we put Jesus front and center as the sustaining force in our lives, then our faith will fall into place – our excess of Christmas will fade away – and we won’t ache from bad choices… we will rejoice in a sustaining life…

We need to think about living the life that will sustain us – we need to choose Christ over Christmas.

There’s truth in the praise song: “Come to the Cradle”: “The hustle and business lasts year after year, but this little baby won’t always be here”… “Come to the cradle – come and find peace.”

Being out of step with the real meaning of Christmas leaves more than our feet hurting. Yes, being out with my daughter shopping was fabulous – and we even bought her shoes – but neglecting my physical health, while wearing poor shoes, fueled my stress of the hustle and business. Yes, it was wonderfully sweet our time together – shopping, laughs and togetherness – all to keep the spirit flowing – it made my mom heart smile but my feet were so tired…

I wore my good shoes today and I reworked my head about Christmas AGAIN – Again because this readjustment happens every year – actually every day we need to rework our heads about Christ – about picking up the cross – about sustaining the right paths for our feet and our lives… Neglecting our faith will ache worse than our feet…

Jesus came as a baby with nothing, wanting nothing but us… no tinsel, no shopping, no fuss…. later in life Jesus told a want-to-be disciple to not take the time to bury his father (or go thru worldly rituals) but to just “follow me”. A book passage from Michael Card states that in Judaism family was placed in front of faith – and in Christ’s new way of thinking we have to put faith in front of everything including family. Hmmm, that is what God did too, didn’t He – He put faith in front of family – He sacrificed His son to bring the whole world home to him – His peace is dependent upon us listening to Him, He is wanting us home…  and to get home we need to want His love – know His love – share His love – we need Jesus to wrap it all up and with mercy and grace bring us home…

My pained feet reminded me also of a song by my same friend with the Christmas advice – he recently sang me a few verses beautifully: “Christmas shoes” – about a little boy wanting to give his mom a special gift to meet Jesus, as she was near death – how tearfully sweet…  How the child wants to give her a gift for being a dedicated loving mom, and so that she will be beautiful when she sees Jesus as she passes away that night…

In this Christmas season and always, Jesus does see us, and He asks that we see Him, asks that we seek Him out. He’s ready for us. But as a baby needs a home, He needs us to come to Him, He needs us to make room in our hearts. And He needs us to rely on Him to bear the fruit of God’s plan for our lives.

Remember Jesus in all the holiday hustle by remembering the gift He gave us – our eternal life with Him and with Our Father…  Remember (and remember again) that all we need is already inside of us – Jesus reminds us that it is our faith in God that heals us.

How can we reduce our carbon footprint of Christmas excess and instead leave a footprint on the narrow but sure path of our faithful walk back home to God eternal? How can we walk the walk of being Christian – talk the talk and walk the walk – how can we simply be Christians at Christmas? We can simply just be ourselves and seek Him for everything. We can simply take ourselves and our agenda’s out of the mix and follow Him.

We need “Christmas shoes” – sustaining our walk with Christ…

Our Christmas shoes will be a mindset that all we need in life is in Christ – to pray simply, to bring our hopes in Him… to stay in step with Christ…

We celebrate Christmas for the gift of sustaining life in Christ…

We need to remember to choose Christ over Christmas.

Amen

———

Lyrics – Christmas Shoes (Eddie Carswell / Leonard Ahlstrom)

It was almost Christmas time, there I stood in another line
Tryin’ to buy that last gift or two, not really in the Christmas mood
Standing right in front of me was a little boy waiting anxiously
Pacing ’round like little boys do
And in his hands he held a pair of shoes
His clothes were worn and old, he was dirty from head to toe
And when it came his time to pay
I couldn’t believe what I heard him say
Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my mama, please
It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, daddy says there’s not much time
You see she’s been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if mama meets Jesus tonight
He counted pennies for what seemed like years
Then the cashier said, “son, there’s not enough here”
He searched his pockets frantically
Then he turned and he looked at me
He said mama made Christmas good at our house
Though most years she just did without
Tell me Sir, what am I going to do,
Somehow I’ve got to buy her these Christmas shoes
So I laid the money down, I just had to help him out 
And I’ll never forget the look on his face when he said
Mama’s gonna look so great
Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my mama, please
It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, daddy says there’s not much time
You see she’s been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if mama meets Jesus tonight

I knew I’d caught a glimpse of heaven’s love
As he thanked me and ran out
I knew that God had sent that little boy
To remind me just what Christmas is all about

Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my mama, please
It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, daddy says there’s not much time
You see she’s been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if mama meets Jesus tonight

I want ‘er to look beautiful if mama meets Jesus tonight

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Sentimental in my JOY, 16DEC

Sounds silly to non-sentimental folks, but I feel God allows and forgives my sentimental self… (within reason…).

And then I see when my own sentimental self fades away – and the deep true embers of God’s love persist…

I know that to plow forward in service to the Lord, I am to be looking forward. Yet in my humanness, with my leaky soul, I get humanly sentimental – I enjoy the little things that I perceive God’s Holy Spirit is showing me – those things swirling around to let me know that my humanness is remembered and not discarded as fluff. Sometimes I may see a bird and be reminded that God takes care of the little birds – which means that surely He takes care of us. I smile in knowing His love is intentional to get me thru this world into His eternal one. I cry in knowing that too – I cry feeling His love.

I know that I work for God – I ache for God’s people – I work in, for and on the network of His love…. Luke 1:38 “I am the handmaiden of the Lord”. My boldness and my obedience are BOTH required to serve…

JOY, my perception of God is a God of JOY. When I heard I was classified with the sanguine description to my personality (one of Hippocrates four humors: sanguine choleric, phlegmatic and melancholic), I smiled in JOY because someone understood me… When I heard I was classified a “campaigner” personality type (of the 16personalities website)  I chuckled… how can I not tell folks that even while enduring hardship, JOY is in the Lord… and oh, how much JOY I feel when I remember that God knows me so much…

God always understood me.

God understands you, how could He not!?!

I’m a thinker and precious little mental things connect with me… my time with Our Lord is all the time, but sometimes my brain, heart, eyes go “off the clock”… sometimes I am too noisy to listen, too busy to be still… I get impatient, I fall into not being thankful… Sometimes I get confused – is what I see and hear from Him? or from the glut of human distractions in the world? I worry about the evils spilled into my path – but the scripture reference that helps me discern things of the world and things of Him is to look for fruit – His fruit – spiritual fruit that can be shared by the actions of God’s presence…. what resets my path back to Him is to follow His light with humble walking…

When I’m blue, He finds a way to guide my feet… when I am lost He shepherds me.. when I fuss, He puts me back to work… He’s always looking for me to smile, internally. If I help anyone in this world it is because He shows me mercy…and helps me… It is my JOY to see Him working His Spirit. It is my job to not get in the way of His Way.

Today, I will be blessed to sing my awakening song in church… it’s a big deal for me – it’s also not a big deal too. It’s both an opportunity and a remembrance – but I am the one who allows myself to be sentimental – just as I allow myself to shrug it off… others shrug off things that mean so much to me and others dwell on things I’ve dismissed… we are different people and I will remember that it is OK. “Come to the Cradle ” is a sentimental blessing that I also know is not for me… I’m singing for the Lord. Simultaneously I get to hopefully convey the feeling as i get to personally feel the healing of the line: “come to the cradle, come and find peace ” – “come to the cradle, He waits for you there”… Jesus wants peace for you and all…. In singing the line of the song: “in the innocent upward trusting look of a child” I’m cajoling others to see that face of Jesus. Jesus as a baby trusting us, trusting His Father… I’m also trusting the Lord to understand me, His child… We still have to find peace each day in Him. We are still called to trust. We need to find peace and remind others that we believe in peace. We are called to lead by example… His spirit is to be moved THRU us not just to us.

Jesus as a baby brings JOY and purpose – He was as strong as He was weak… that’s us too – we are weak in ourselves – we are strong in Him…

We are Our Father’s JOY – that’s not sentimental – that’s God’s love.

Feel the JOY… know His healing… trust in Him.

Blessed to be His child. My sentimental joy is nothing compared to my spiritual joy.

Amen

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Hooked in by Christmas, 13Dec

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

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

“Sing Pretty”, 29Nov

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That’s pretty awesome…

Amen

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Butterfly, 28NOV

Lord, I am Your butterfly.

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

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

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

You told me to fly.

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

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

I now can fly.

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

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

For now, I will fly.

I will fly and forever tell of You.

I am Your butterfly…

Butterfly, Fly…

Amen

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Pray Simply, 24NOV

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

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

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

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

Pray

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

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

The prayer to pray is the Lord’s prayer…

The processing comes with prayer…

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

1Thessolonians 5

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

Matthew 6

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

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

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

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

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Adjust, 24NOV

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

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

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

Still Lord, please let me talk this out…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Adjust. Re-adjust. Move.

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

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

Amen

615

Updraft, 20NOV

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

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

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

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

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

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

Go!

——

Matthew 11:28-30

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

John 14

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

Matthew 9

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

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Praise Forward, 09NOV

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hannah’s praises are for her deliverance!

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

I pray it forward that others also pray it forward…

Amen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

————–

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

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

613

Best Advice – God’s Perspective, 03NOV

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

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

612

Our Daily Bread, 02NOV

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you for filling my soul today Lord!

Amen

611

Camp Rock, 01NOV

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

——–

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

——

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

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

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

——–

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

610

Strangely Dim, 31OCT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Joy, who are we to mess with that…

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

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

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

Who is better than all earthly glitter? Jesus.

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

These song lyrics are on point:

“Just turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Look full in His wonderful face.

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

Amen

609

Soul on Fire, 30OCT

https://youtu.be/i7lv9oMjv_0

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

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

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

Amen

608

The Gospel of Intensity…

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

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

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

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

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

(Jesus catches those missed calls too)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where is God most intense? In His love.

Our intensity is but a fraction of His…

God is intense.

God is God.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Just try to remember, Dorothy, to keep walking…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Keep your eyes open Dorothy, new adventures await you…

Keep moving…

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

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

Amen

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

Cheer Up! 25Oct

Yay – it’s my birthday!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let those who have ears hear!

Let the blind see!

Let the Light of the World lead!

Let God know we are on our way HOME!

CHEER UP! JUMP UP!

JESUS IS CALLING!

THANKS BE TO GOD!

Hallelujah!!!!

———-

Mark 10:46-52 (NIV)

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

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

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

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

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

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

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

605

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let us today find and work for God.

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

Amen

—-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Matthew 20

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What’s God’s Music?

What kind of music is God playing for your theme song at this moment?…

Perhaps He’s playing the Rocky theme and you need to get-up-and-get back in the game knowing He is giving you the strength.

Perhaps He’s playing that calliope instrument and life is bubbly and fun and filled with joy.

Perhaps it’s a great organ playing Count Dracula scary suspense music and Lord knows where the dark shadows lie in your life…

Perhaps He’s playing the Jeopardy theme song and is waiting for you to make a decision of the answer you’re going to give Him.

Perhaps it’s a Weird Al parody – and your life is seemingly filled with goofballs, but you still have to deal with it all…

Perhaps it’s a vast Broadway chorus and you are in the show-stopper biggest most intense moment of your life…

Perhaps it’s quiet – but you still hear the clock ticking… Perhaps God is telling you to stop marking time… perhaps God is telling you to start making time…

Perhaps God is singing you a lullaby, gently telling you to rest in Him…

Perhaps it’s time for you to be quiet and not hear music, just hear Peace…

Listen to God to hear Peace….

Just Peace….

Peace…

Peace…

Peace…

God’s Music surely is hearing PRAISES for PEACE…

Amen

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Trickle Effect – rerelease, 14Oct

Revisiting the awakening connections that God established, I edited this email turned blog for re-release… Faith is spread as a trickle effect…

I hesitate changing the exuberant way I wrote the original email… really all my discussions that have the phrase “oooooooh” are how I felt,  learning about Jesus and poking around the new paths in my brain that God set aside for His connections space – that’s all “oooooooh”…  maybe that’s why we have such ripples in our brain,  God can use them when we let Him… Jesus loved discussing faith as the good rabbi He was… using our whole heart, soul and MIND continues as a trickle effect of increasing our faith… sometimes Jesus comes in floods (like for me) and always we need to let the Living Water keep seeping into our lives…. let us all want to be dripping wet with faith….

this was the original dripping wet with exuberance at: https://debbieupper.wordpress.com/2016/12/23/email-with-professor-about-trickle-effect-05sep-257/

Trickle Effect, 05SEP – #257 edited

It interests me how Jesus truly didn’t want to be considered a sideshow attraction… He wanted people to dig deep within themselves, He wanted individual conversions…. And even though miracles also worked to convince folks, Jesus’s intent was simply showing mercy – simply kindness to deserving believers who were in bad straights…. He could have done flamboyant miracles with grandeur, but He didn’t… I was all about the faith of the person asking for mercy.

Thinking about our avenues of teaching and trying to spread the Gospel to the masses, we wonder: what is the best way to reach people? God could have waited and sent Jesus now, in our day and age, when mass media would have spread (or squashed) His message like wildfire… But He didn’t…

But God choose a trickle effect of spreading the Good News…

Some mega churches try a big scale approach… Kinda like the debate people had with free education when it started, questioning if it is better to water down education for all to understand?, or keep education at high level for a few?… I think with faith, God wants the trickle effect – Yes, even at mega churches there is the trickle effect – it might be the person sitting next to you, with whom you can discuss the message’s meaning, where conversations about Jesus occur… It’s the way of the personal trickle down/bleed over effect – where God becomes REAL to you…

I am always wondering where God will take all these pockets of faith next….. Hmmm…. God sure is interesting in His approach….

Feeling and seeing the trickle effect of faith is watching and seeing the Holy Spirit in action…

God wants us to come to Him – one by one – by our own realization that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life!

AMEN

36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

from John 14:10-12, 27 (NIV)

“… The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these…”

“…the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

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Wakefulness, 17Sep/13Oct

I doubt life is all fate because we have so many choices…

When do you ponder life choices?  Personally, I’m the early morning thinker… and when I finally get up it means I am also the early morning do-er too.

Is it sleeplessness or wakefulness? Depends…

It is best to turn to God to ask.

I always wonder what to do at a 4 AM wake up. I have a choice of a handful of activities, and this morning I would choose going back to sleep, and yet this gifted quiet time, while the noisy world is semi-quiet, is a gift of quiet time with the Lord…

This morning I hear crickets, cicadas, cat, crab and cars…. and just now the creak of my child turning in her sleep…

We turn and turn things over in our minds, we turn and turn so much… We turn all the time while we are awake, therefore we turn in our sleep too…

If I have an ache, I turn over…

If I have a bad dream, I turn…

I have something on my mind, I turn…

I turn in sleeplessness… I turn in wakefulness…

I turn to God…

I believe in God and know that He wants the best for me. When I turn to Him I believe that He will turn my existence into His fruitfulness.

When I focus on God, the turning to Him often causes me to turn my existence into action, if only in my thoughts… To step out and move forward… Whenever and wherever we make plans that may or may not work out in our thoughts, God can make alternate plans for us, we can pray on them and we can evaluate and choose our path, either way we still have roads to traverse.

God’s active love allows us to also turn back to Him when we need a complete U-turn. He gives U direction, but U still need to turn. It’s up to U.

God would prefer we “turnover” our problems completely to Him…

Wakefulness is a gift to hear Him calling us, it’s our turn to listen…

Be still and listen…

Amen

601

Puzzlemaster Jesus, 02Sep/13Oct

Life is being pieced together in front of our eyes… PEACE pieces are being placed… We are the puzzling people Jesus came to save.

Loose pieces butt up against other loose pieces, so we can talk it out with different people and get an appreciation of the other side of the box…

Jesus came to collect those loose pieces (us) and funnel them thru Himself – He knows where you fit – Jesus will glue you in – Jesus will clue you in too.

We are puzzling people! Each of us a puzzle ourselves within the larger plan. Jesus is sorting thru the loose pieces in our hearts with God’s plan in mind. Likewise, we are being set next to other puzzling people in varying stages of progress. When we see others with similar and harder challenges, this gives us courage and perspective to keep sorting thru our internal issues to serve Him better. He knows how to fit you – Jesus will be your glue.

Look to reflect in Jesus as a finished person, a model of perfected love, and see where you may have put a priority out of place. Be accepting of giving up pieces of your life that you tried to hold onto but were not yours to keep. Jesus will justify it all.

Likewise reflect on His instructions and make room for the pieces of the picture you may have missed.  Be accepting of pieces you never knew were for you… Grow… Practice peace at whatever stage of togetherness you are…

Be pieces of Jesus’s PEACE. Help others find their pieces, show them what you know of the box, and especially show them Jesus shining thru the incomplete puzzle of you too.

Be still and let God’s Hand find you without scurrying away. He needs to move your piece into place.

Be at peace amongst all God’s pieces..

AMEN

600

A Peaceful Easy Feeling, Oct 11

I don’t always have a feeling of peace and I probably shouldn’t knowing how bad things are happening in the world, yet God sometimes gives me that peaceful easy feeling – a slice of peace that He shares so that I understand His goal for everyone… The Eagles song of the same name came as a reminder this evening, and I can see that God always gives us reminders that we will have peace (eventually) when focusing on Him… and it’s important for us to be grounded…

For me, I am newly adventuring in life things, and I am “learning to fly, but I ain’t got wings” (thanks to Tom Petty for that lyric reminder)…  Things don’t always go as planned or things don’t always work out – but I try to remember that I am still a daughter of God… Maybe the uneasy feeling is purposeful as a warning or a lesson – maybe if I look at life in that way I will learn more… and I am learning because I am aware that I am a child of God. And God’s timing is His, not mine.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

How we feel does not change the gifts that God gives us – we are praying to feel His love but He doesn’t withhold that – and God does not withhold the one who helps us achieve ultimate peace – He gave us Jesus, the one and only Prince of Peace to help….

One day, when I am at the Lord’s feet, I have prayers that Jesus will stand there and plead my case of life choices – the good and bad – the uninformed and the knowing choices… Those peaceful pauses you might hear during crying for help would be from Jesus’s urging to me to catch my breath… Tissues made from the big robe sleeves, mercy in the touch of the fringes, peace as a gift after pleading my case… Jesus says it is OK, it is OK!… We do have an advocate – a Savior – a new life – we are pulled up and out of our angst by Jesus Himself…

Tonight, things did not work out according to my plans – but maybe they did according to God’s plans… I re-thought it out and once again I realized I have to leave my life plans in the hands of God ,  if things happens they happen, if they don’t they don’t… maybe this or that didn’t… but God did…

God did happen either way…

I love to sing along in life,  so tonight, after things did not work out (or maybe they did) I was scanning a song collection and I “randomly” picked something that popped up in my head: “Peaceful Easy Feeling” the Eagles – the lyric to my pensiveness – God answered lyrically because I was listening – He said that I would be OK –  “I’m already standing, on the ground” – I didn’t know why that song popped up in my head – but the Spirit did – and it was good to have the answer that I didn’t know I was looking for… I’m “already standing on the ground” – at least wanting to very much – standing on solid ground – that realization (again) of being grounded in God – that is what brought me peace. Always our desire to find peace must be formed in the deep belief of God – the lyric registered with me because it matched my recent ongoing brain song from Psalm 1 – “I will delight in the law of the Lord, I will meditate day-and-night,  and like a tree firmly planted I’ll be, grounded in your Word. ” Sometimes Jesus sends His spirit to sing us a soulful song to soothe… That’s what Jesus did tonight…

Peace is in the Word.

Peace is felt in God holding us and by Him reminding us to keep studying and keep trusting, keep swimming, keep paddling,  keep calm, keep focusing on things above… Keep loving God…

While focusing on the LIGHT, I can get “a peaceful easy feeling” – which is simply and exclusively from feeling God’s LOVE shining thru my own unknown situation… I know that my inner moth is attracted to the LIGHT from the best source – the Spirit within…

And whether I am right or wrong on those occasions, that I put my hope in an unknown event, I will try to remember that Jesus will still hold me until my spirit is re-stoked, re-sparked, re-stored…

I’m just learning to fly – learning again in life.  How about Jesus? Well, He already knows how to catch… and He caught me tonight – He catches us when we are learning to fly – without wings….

That’s a peaceful easy feeling – Jesus won’t let us down.

Amen

———–

Thanks Lord for You – thanks Lord for your grounding…

Psalm 1

¹ Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
² but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.

———

Eagles – Peaceful Easy Feeling:

https://youtu.be/NjofshOBV5s

‘Cause I get a peaceful easy feelin’
And I know you won’t let me down
‘Cause I’m already standin’
I’m already standin’
Yes, I’m already standin’
On the ground

The craving for spiritual milk is really gifted to His followers by the Lord – He knows that they will need Him – in toughest times it is feeding on the cream of spiritual milk. Life’s turmoil churns the spiritual milk we have held in our souls and the cream of comfort rises to the top.  It is getting the rich stuff, not at the bottom of the barrel, but rising to the top when we slow down to let our turmoil settle – and the cream – yes the cream rises.

Our understanding and hungering for the Lord, in joy and in pain, is wanting to partake in pure spiritual milk, because we know that the Lord is good….

As we grow towards our salvation. Jesus rises us to the top.  We are saved by Him and only Him. We are God’s children – He wants to nurture and nourish us here and forever…

“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” 1 Peter 2

Photo credit Living History Farms, Des Moines, IA

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The Cream of Spiritual Milk, 08OCT

Do you know people who shun their spiritual beliefs? Not only do they not realize their salvation, they can’t figure out where to find their joy? It shows – they move thru life OK but deep joy is not there – their comfort during tough times is also not there. While we walk our spiritual journeys we often see others not rooted in His Word – just as Jesus spoke of in the four soils parable, they are dried up seedlings that sprouted without placing their roots in a firm foundation, nothing to feed their roots… I feel bad for those folks… It’s one thing to not know enough about one’s faith – but for some to actually shun it, that is the saddest thing – it is like going to the bank and then refusing free gifts of money – and then mocking the bank for trying to give it away to you…  sad…

My wish is that everyone would want to know the Lord. To know the Lord is to know His Joy, His protection, His compassion,  His mercy.  We are to give God highest praises – all praises – even if we think all we can muster is a little drummer boy’s effort, it is still pleasing to God to give what we have – to be in praise brings so much increased internal joy. I want everyone to feel the joy.  I am a campaigner for God’s Joy – of course God is the only one who can make the folks realize His Joy – my wish is but a minor drop in the bucket of God’s power to help the world realize their Joy is in the Lord.

Actually, I often feel I have much more joy than I am allowed to have…. I feel bad if folks think that I am a Pollyanna – I just wish people could tap into their own joy – I really do… and that would help them tune into God in the rough times too…

The craving for spiritual milk is really gifted to His followers by the Lord – He knows that they will need Him – in toughest times it is feeding on the cream of spiritual milk. Life’s turmoil churns the spiritual milk we have held in our souls and the cream of comfort rises to the top.  It is getting the rich stuff, not at the bottom of the barrel, but rising to the top when we slow down to let our turmoil settle – and the cream – yes the cream rises.

God knows our pain. God also gives until it hurts. Jesus knew the physical pain to take on our burdens to allow us entry into the kingdom…. Jesus’s tears flowed until His blood flowed… and His spirit flowed thru His tears some more – flowing the deepest sorrows of emotional pain for the lost children of God. Surely His emotional pain was severe – and He had compassion for those who believed…

Our understanding and hungering for the Lord in joy and in pain is wanting to partake in pure spiritual milk, because we know that the Lord is good…. all the time…

We are blessed to grow towards our salvation. Jesus rises us to the top.  We are God’s children – He wants to nurture and nourish us here and forever…

“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” 1 Peter 2

Photo credit Living History Farms, Des Moines, IA

598

God is NOT a Fairytale, 06Oct

I’m attending a wonderful wedding today – I know it’s going to be beautiful, sweet, fairytale-like and fun!

We may wish fairytales in life, but life is really NOT a fairytale if God Himself is the one directing.

God is NOT a fairytale. God is real – and really at work today!

We are sure that God brought our bride and groom together for His plan. We are filled with JOY watching our bride and groom together.

JOY! Today there will be JOY! Joy will be spilling out from all the happy moments and friends enJOYing the day. Our joy comes from knowing the Lord, knowing He has us in the palm of His hand. So much JOY will overflow that we must spread our joy to others.

Our bride and groom know JOY because they know the Lord, and love Him, and because they share Him with others.

HOPE! Today there will be HOPE! Hope springs from knowing the Lord Himself gives us HOPE. Hope that ultimately we have a life together, with Him, eternally allows us right now to live more hopefully in His love. So much HOPE will bloom that we need to show others that they too can find HOPE.

Our bride and groom know HOPE because they know Jesus, and love Him, and because they share Him with us.

Today there will be LIGHT! LIGHT from the Lord will shine! His light will beam today from everyone’s smiles and darkness will not overcome it! Let us let the LIGHT from the SPIRIT inside each of us spill out – let us watch for the GLOW today – let us share our LIGHT with others. Just allow love to GLOW!

Our bride and groom will GLOW! They beam the LIGHT because they know the Spirit of the Lord moves them, because they love to be moved by the Spirit, and because they share the Spirit openly.

Today there will be LOVE

LOVE from the original source

LOVE in all its forms.

LOVE from God

LOVE to God

LOVE

Our bride and groom today will show LOVE, know love, experience love, and give love. Today they will allow their new love to grow even more.

Love is not a fairytale – God’s emanating love is alive. Our sharing of love needs nurturing, needs studying, needs reality checks.  Love is a process, love is powerful, “love is enough” ONLY if love drives everything else. Love must be allowed to grow.

Love from God – shared AGAPE- must be the foundation of our growth, our JOY, our HOPE, our GLOW.

LOVE FROM GOD WILL GROW.

Love is no fairytale because love is the plan.

God is no fairytale because God Himself is writing this story for our bride and groom, writing this story for us, writing this story for Himself.

The end of this story is the same as the beginning of the story – LOVE.

GOD IS LOVE.

GOD bless our bride and groom, as they continue to show us His love.

AMEN

597

SNAP!!! Out of the Mud!!! 30SEP

Oh I love Facebook time hop….. today it reminded me that it was 6 years ago when something in my brain snapped while teaching…. I can still hear and feel that SNAP!….

I said out-loud to the kids: Jesus came as a catalyst for changing the world by spreading the news of God’s love faster… SNAP!… a catalyst in a chemical reaction makes things happen – Jesus makes things happen for God – SNAP! It was two years later, in God’s timing, while my writing was chronicling my processing, God started making my head spin…. I was hunted down by none other than God Himself…. I thought I was going crazy – I said: “wait! what?”

How earth shattering is it to be hunted down by God? How amazing is it to be caught by Jesus who simply gently said “she’s not dead, she’s just asleep…”

I wish I could convey that SNAP, that hunted down feeling… but each and everyone has to realize Jesus for themselves… I don’t fault myself or anyone for not knowing where I was spiritually, I don’t fault and yet I do know I slipped thru the cracks but was still driven to feed others….  when they say “God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called” – that’s 100% true…

There’s no formula to faith,  but if you hear a snap,  I promise you there’s something going on with the universe of God’s dust particles, the word of Jesus, and the movement of the Holy Spirit… God is moving a sliding puzzle piece in your head, placing or un-placing a Lego piece, unzipping the separated part of a zipper and re-zipping it right… God knows what and where to adjust our antennae – our job is to listen, hear, believe, change, act…..

God formed the dust particles that are me, got the Holy Spirit swirling them around, and Jesus came to me as a flood of living water…. Christmas Flood is the basis of my blog, my 34 chapters of writing… I’m just trying to scoop up the mud in my brain and help Him help the Kingdom…. you have to learn to love God’s ability to rise us up out of the mud…

Thanks for letting me share… I’m still blown away, but God planted me, like a tree, and grounded me in His Word… I cried begging mercy after I realized what I didn’t realize…  I cry still when I think about what it would have meant if I didn’t SNAP into life with Jesus. My tears of flooding Jesus often come now to soften up my hardened soil of my soul – and the mud is better than stuck in dry ground… at least with mud you can move and you can climb – and you can ask to be cleansed and rise up – with Jesus…

I love you all… thank you for letting me share my experience…

Please know that God loves you…

Jesus saves – wakes – washes – wows…

WOW

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Recapture Pieces of Peace, 29SEP

When mini chapters of life challenges close, there are so many possibilities for us to find ways to reflect.  One day I would like to get together at a particular restaurant where a bunch of us retreat planners had lunch Feb 1st 2015, the day I knew i was 100% with BELIEVING THAT JESUS WAS REALLY GOD’S SON and I was 100% with Jesus, it was the cap of 2 months awakening… years in the making…  my peace only brought after a shocking shaking up of my soul…

…and I want to sit at the window eating sweet potato fries, like I did that day, then go to the 911 garden where I knew – I just knew Jesus had captured me and I had accepted Him as my Lord and Savior after not even knowing I had to do that – that day I was lost driving and God placed me where I needed to reflect in my own mental slice of His garden.. and after revisiting that Garden then I want to go back to a friend’s place for hot cocoa…. I have a hunkering for those sweet potato fries and for a mental piece of an immense moment of God’s peace… both are best shared with friends…

I still feel I have to share my quiet time with not just the Lord but thru writing too, I feel I have to spill it out because I am still broken and needing to ooze about God’s immense love because it is the oozing cementing of that love within our cracks that soothes our brokenness… and I pray others will look for His love to heal them… Maybe someday I will not ooze as much but I knew when I started writing that I didn’t want to become complacent or embarrassed for saying that we need God to heal our brokenness…

The 911 garden for me is trying to find peace in recovered pieces, pieces of peace carefully gathered back from rubble, glued together with love, steel and tears, green grass and grief, water fountains of tears and the flowing living water of healings…. recaptures of the old peace to make new peace…

God’s peace is illuminated by His shining of Light that makes one overlook the darkness of everything else… and so, on 911, when love and hate crumbled together under the weight of the collapsing towers, that scene became a stratified rock of visual light and dark layers.. with knowing God as we do, I can picture the pieces of those crumbles becoming places where He had to scoop up layers of love back to Him, I see souls of love floating out of rubble, and darkness forever trapped down in the muck….

Light from God is so immense that it’s never going to be overshadowed by evil…

Light from God, is LOVE…. our coming to the light and coming to peace with the light is due to love… LOVE before a second coming shows up as oozing love that still seeps from Jesus’s first coming – actually from way before,  because Jesus as the Word made flesh means that in the beginning the Word was looking for us – all of God’s entirety saw us needing His Word… Light came to move us out of darkness, one piece of peace at a time.

God’s light makes even the worse evils that so much more minimal – but it doesn’t always feel that way when we are immersed in pain – oh how painfully we are reminded that we are human and life seems at best a mixture of stratified layers of pain and passion and peace… Life everlasting however will see us lift the LIGHTED lightened pieces of peace out of the rubble… we are to strengthen our hearts…

Personal challenges exist, worldwide pain persists, it’s our hope to focus forward to the beginnings of a beautiful new walk with the Lord, everyday… It is remarkable that He allows us to be pulled thru feelings of so much pain, bleeding out of our souls to only realize this whole time that He’s been trying to fill us up more with sticky ooey gooey oozing healing LOVE…

God is recapturing His peace – from us – for us – for Himself.  His peace is in pieces. He knows how to work thru us to piece it all back together… He loves us…

Let us all keep practicing peace so that pieces of peace will come to LIGHT…

Let us all Love His Peace…

Amen

Peace

595

There are Summer Bugs, Lord!!! 27SEP

I hear them Lord! Chirp chirp chirp,  ….crickets!!! Crickets just like those Peepers Lord that You made me notice in the spring – and those stars you made me notice the previous Fall…. it’s almost almost Fall, but summer is holding it’s own until the last minute.  I’m thankful Lord, I really am, You knew I needed to hear that sound…. I need fall retreat but it’s still the chirp of continued summer – and that’s music to my ears and warmth to my soul… it’s still something to chirp about – and that’s You Lord… I sing praises in chirping peeps and in stunned silence to Your Love…

I do have trouble Lord, but I’ll keep my cards and not trade troubles with others.  I will accept my lot and I will make do – no Lord, I will make better than that – I will make praises with and for my humbling troubles because I remember that You have blessed me endlessly and forever… I will make do with my lot in life but i will make my life do more – for You…

I do have joy, Lord, I have joy and hope – I also have memories that enable to know that You and You alone delivered me from the season of spring peepers to now the end of summer… You are my provider as scripture reminds me. You know what i need and I’m grateful

So, I’ll just snuggle up a little more rest at the end of the night before day dawns, but when I do get going (soon, I’m getting there) I’ll have to make my own chirps because winter brings no sounds of spring peepers or summer bugs – a very quiet season is next – imagine the quiet of falling leaves… imagine the quiet of listening ears…  Imaging me trying to not worry- I’ll just chirp my own way thru the day and keep moving…

Thanks Lord

Amen

31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6

https://debbieupper.wordpress.com/2018/05/12/there-are-peepers-lord-26apr-551/

https://debbieupper.wordpress.com/2017/11/03/the-stars-27oct-496/

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Beautiful Mercy, 24SEP

I’m drawn and pulled in many directions, but I knew I wanted to get to one of these Paul Simon farewell concerts or I would have regretted it… Concerts are my choice of retail therapy these last couple years…

I was glad that the train only had one direction, because I couldn’t go backwards- I was worried about my Dad and my Mom, because on my way to that train to the concert I heard about my Dad breaking his leg earlier that day… louder than the wheels turning in my head I could hear them say: “don’t change your plans”… they always say that…. I knew that my brother was there and they all said “it’s ok he’s stable, no surgery for a while… Don’t come…” So I continued on the train – on the one way path I was led on…

We got to the concert with minutes to spare, I got a piece of chocolate from my travelling companion and the music started and we found ourselves in Graceland – that’s the feeling of mercy – forgiveness for fast pace life – forgiveness because we ask for a moment of mercy to put the outside world aside and enjoy our slice of peace – God said: you are ok, you got here and now just relax and enjoy… it’s mercy to be allowed to enjoy, to feel right at home,  to just BE…..

“Hello darkness my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again” …   this time in the darkness there were also thousands of singing souls lifting and lighting up the arena with their spirit of appreciation to live in the moment – everyone was so thankful for Paul Simon – his music lighted up their lives – they were all thankful they were there – thankful for a short period of peace… thankful to sing along… Paul’s 60 plus years of music, all still beautiful…

Beautiful Mercy….

I’m grateful that I heard the Lord comfort me to seemingly say: “enjoy this farewell – enjoy this piece of peace”… and I did – and I reflect now that I was so grateful to be there…

Similarly, at church on Sunday, i knew that I was supposed to be there – it is feeling… Singing Psalm 1, my requested song, seemed perfect regardless if I might start crying,  I didn’t cry because God needed me to not cry – He needed me to be strong – He knew there were many more people who needed to see me strong and to see my prayer and praise of the Lord – people who were in need to be lifted up – many in worse situations than what I was experiencing… it’s all relative…

It is great mercy for the Lord to help you realize that you were led…

God blesses us and leads us…

God gives mercy…

Beautiful mercy…

593

Believing before Beholding – an Open Tomb – an Open Relationship with Christ

The bible and bible folklore uses that word: “Behold” and we put movie theatrics behind it… – “BEHOLD the Risen Christ”! …. Yet in Mark’s Gospel (a writing of Peter’s emotional experiences with Jesus) the Easter morning story ends abruptly – the women at the tomb don’t get to “Behold” the risen Christ, yet… the story ends with them hearing “He is Risen” – but with the women leaving, running in fear… In our lives and in the movies we skip over that running in fear portion – we just want to know the end of the story…

I’ve learned a lot from Michael Card’s “Biblical Imagination” series, where he has the gospels detailed according to the writer’s circumstances. I learned that our memories are a weaving of the different biblical versions plus our theatrical minds filled with John Wayne-like movies…. In truth, there are still many scholar debates of what to include or not in the gospels, even discussions about who is who… this theorist says that Mark is likely the owner of the house where Jesus held the last supper, and perhaps the man running out to hear the commotion at the Garden during Jesus’s arrest was Mark… and guess what? The gospel details the man running out only in a sheet – which he loses in the mob scene during his escape… Why would the bible need a theatrical scene of a man losing his sheet – we focus on the funny image but the image was not that at all – it was running in fear – we skip over that often…

Clearly the gospel authors had target audiences in mind…  Mark’s writings are detailed but not verbose… Mark was recording the account of Peter that would relate best with his readers who were experiencing the tyranny in Rome…. So fear was well known by his readers… He still was conveying a message of faith..   to behold the belief that they would be ok thru the tyranny – without seeing peace right now- that’s the message Mark was sending…

It’s the feeling that God needs us to experience too – believing without always seeing… Behold faith… We are asked to believe both when we are calm and when we are running in fear…

The account of the women indicates that none of the disciples actually believed Jesus would come back risen… in death, a tangible thing, they had to attend to the body. With Jesus’s body gone they only had open questions – that leap of faith, of Jesus being risen, had to be prodded by the angel – just like the cracking of the tomb, the cracking open of our faith requires prodding… Faith from prodding not always proof…

And these women still had immense fear… at this ending of the gospel there is no closure to the readers – perhaps because there is no closure for an open relationship between each person and their faith… we can desire satisfaction with understanding but that takes great leaps of faith…

Do we fear our own leaps of faith? Jesus wants us to believe even thru fear… In bad times do we not want to believe that God is still in control – do we fear faith? it’s all a personal journey… people only believe when they believe, in their own time – faithfully Jesus shepherd’s us, faithfully standing by – He knows it takes a leap of faith to acknowledge Him – He even knows it takes fearful running leaps of faith to process our own faith…

No closure here – only an open tomb – an open relationship – opening our hearts to faith….

The women were running in fear, but they had each other to witness their experience – after running i imagine they talked it out with each other – and as a reader of the story which ends abruptly, I pray they found their faithful open relationship with Jesus.

I pray we all find and open that relationship to Jesus… then we can Behold our belief in Christ…

Amen

Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there. —   Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid. Mark 15:40-41, 47

—

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”  Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. Mark 16:1-8

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. Mark 16:9

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What I Learned, 24Sep

I learned I’m human

I learned I’m blessed

I learned God has already been thinking about my next decision

I learned that I don’t need anything but to focus on His plans

I learned His plans need studying

I learned that when you dress up and put on cute shoes and your plans get changed that your shoes are still cute

I learned that you are the same person before and after the clock strikes midnight…

I learned in life that those things you can’t control don’t have to control you

I learned that you get to look at the one shoe remaining after midnight and remember how you felt wearing it just before

I learned to keep learning

I learned to learn faster

I learned to keep moving no matter what

I learned to “choose today whom I will serve” – every day – I learned I had no choice but to make the choice…

I learned I knew all this already

I learned that God still loves me even if I forget what I learned

I learned I had already learned

I learned to walk faster when walking thru the valley of death

I learned to try to BE STILL

I learned to wait upon the Lord

I learned to listen

I learned to call out

I learned to listen even more

I learned my cup overflows

I learned that I love learning

I learned:

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

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

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

4 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.

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

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23

591

I wrote this a few years ago, I expanded it…

Paul Simon – Hurricane Eye, 22SEP

Living in the hurricane eye feeling is as real to me today as it ever was… We live in hurricane eyes, if we choose to let Jesus pull us in…

Hurricanes of life surround us, Jesus holds us in the eye… There’s a Paul Simon song (of course), Hurricane Eye,  https://youtu.be/VyPD-N5PaeE

I truly “fell asleep in a washing machine, woke up in a hurricane eye” because Jesus cleansed me with his washing – and He pulled me into that hurricane eye – He gave me peace. But He must hold me anew each day – sometimes grabbing my arms – sometimes gently squeezing my hand. And each day I must hold on tight to Him too.  Each day i don’t always get into the eye completely,  and some days i can’t even see that eye… but He’s got me – He’s got all of us…

Yes, Jesus holds us and we can hold onto Him. Every day…

Finding peace means Jesus holding us tightly back from us running or simply drifting into the hurricane… Finding peace means Jesus sometimes lets us stand on His shoulders and see beyond the eye and remind ourselves that we shouldn’t want to leave His comfort.

And sometimes we need to turn away from looking at that hurricane and bury ourselves in Jesus’s robes and hide…

Peaceful as a hurricane eye is probably as peaceful as we are going to get on earth in a broken world… a spinning crazy broken world – and we do have to hold on because eventually peace will be all there is….

So Hold on… Hold Him…

Hold onto your faith… Hold onto Jesus…

——-

Here’s the end of the lyrics

Over the bridge of time
I’m walking with my family
And the road begins to climb
And it’s oh Lord how we going to pray
With crazy angel voices
All night
Until it’s a new day

Peaceful as a hurricane
Peaceful as a hurricane
Peaceful as a hurricane eye
Peaceful as a hurricane
Peaceful as a hurricane
Peaceful as a hurricane eye
Peaceful as a hurricane eye

You want to be leader?
You want to change the game?
Turn your back on money
Walk away from fame
You want to be a missionary?
Got that missionary zeal?
Let a stranger change your life
How does it make you feel?
You want to be a writer
But you don’t know how or when
Find a quiet place
Use a humble pen

You want to talk talk talk about it
All night squawk about
The ocean and the atmosphere
Well I’ve been away for a long time
And it looks like a mess around here
I’ll be away for a long time
So here’s how the story goes
There was an old woman
Who lived in a shoe
She was baking a cinnamon pie
She fell asleep in a washing machine
Woke up in a hurricane eye

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I don’t know why God took over my brain but ideas just form in my brain like clouds, yes clouds… get enough moisture together and precipitation happens…

Clouds of Faith, 17Jul

We think of the clouds in the sky when we think of our loved ones who’ve gone to heaven…

We also think about Jesus riding in on a cloud when He comes back to Earth…

We watched clouds as children imagining shapes, we still do, we are still children. And we need to become more childlike in God-wonder.

God says there is no way we can know or comprehend all His ways… So I wonder: where does He store all those clouds?

Clouds are puffy, clouds are wispy, clouds can be dark and ominous, high up and in low foggy zones… Clouds can just show up – both in relief to scorching hot Sun – and in disappointment for a sunny carnival about to get rained out… Clouds happen…

We know we need the rain, we need the precipitation… we need the rainy days to get our thoughts together… so we need clouds… both physical and spiritual clouds…

We need to gather and form faith clouds, yes, we as people, children of God, are actually pulled together by the HOLY SPIRIT to form faith bonds with others…  Sometimes cloud molecules are stretched far apart and sometimes they are condensed in a tight bonds… that is true with us too… we drift and we return, hopefully to connect… we create faith clouds…

Jesus said: 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Yes, sometimes our faith molecules – meaning God’s children – are stretched far apart and sometimes they are condensed in a tight bonds… tightened, gathered, grouped, grounded clouds of faith.

Clouds happen when the weather is just right… water molecules are gathered from the ground and evaporated up, the enormity of water weight we can not even begin to comprehend and yet these clouds float…

Our faith collectives do the same – children of faith are collected – gathering with faith brothers and sisters will lighten the situation of the darkest doom…  The problems of life we can not begin to comprehend and yet faith floats us thru it… where 2 or 3 gather? Watch Jesus pull together your personal faith cloud. He will.

Where does God keep all those clouds? Right here all the time… us too, we are made of God’s molecules waiting to be pulled together… we don’t always see the Holy spirit but when we are pushed, prodded, pulled and pooled TOGETHER, when we are spiritually moved together, we will then become an opportunity for Him to precipitate the faith… we are His people – we are held in his storehouses so that He can pull together His faith movers and shakers.

Clouds happen. Faith fulfills.  Faith lifts a situation.

Be still and watch for God…

Be the lift in someone else’s cloud today, lift them with their own faith, lift them with your collective faith – TOGETHER.

Amen

Job 26:8-10
He wraps up the waters in his clouds,
yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.
He covers the face of the full moon, spreading his clouds over it.
He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters for a boundary between light and darkness.

—-

Job 37:5-

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
6 He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’
7 So that everyone he has made may know his work,
he stops all people from their labor.
8 The animals take cover;
they remain in their dens.
9 The tempest comes out from its chamber,
the cold from the driving winds.
10 The breath of God produces ice,
and the broad waters become frozen.
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;
he scatters his lightning through them.
12 At his direction they swirl around
over the face of the whole earth
to do whatever he commands them.
13 He brings the clouds to punish people,
or to water his earth and show his love.

14 “Listen to this, Job;
stop and consider God’s wonders.
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
and makes his lightning flash?
16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,
those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?

589

Rebuilding a Temple of PRAISE, 14SEP

Ah – I love the internet – that lyric “And these are the days of Your servant David, Rebuilding a temple of praise.” From “Days of Elijah” sparked a question in my head and my education was in simple reach of my fingertips… that is an awesome resource of God – the people who fill the internet with scripture (instead of cat videos) are rebuilding their own temple of praise… and the song also was written to say that we too have to stand up against the evils of the world like Elijah did – these are the days that we are to “stand up and speak up for Him.”

I knew David’s son built the big temple – but I had forgotten (and found myself scarcely educated) on the fact that David had the Ark under a tent so that he could worship God – and that David had BUILT A TEMPLE OF PRAISE – actually rebuilt it (learning thru this readings below)… David could not enter the temple of Moses (and only a select few could) – so he made a temple of praise FOR praise – for everyone… So, before Indiana Jones found the Ark in time for the movies, LOL, the Ark of the Covenant (containing all those great God goodies) simply was under a tent – no matter the simple tent – it was all about the praise…

*** That’s us too!!! We are to build, and rebuild, and rebuild again our own temples of praise – find our place for reflection, find our own figurative tent, and find our place to praise the Lord – this also gave way to the saying/lyric “Sacrifice of Praise” – send up the praise – spend the time in praise – and spend the time in rebuilding our own temple – we are human – we are flawed – but when we invite the rebuilding our own temple of praise, God fills us – Jesus heals us – the Spirit moves us…. One of the commentaries below says: “When things do not go as we planned—when God closes a door—we should continue to praise the Lord and then move on in a new direction. Rather than complain about what we can’t do, we should do what we can, giving God the glory. “

Everyone can worship the Lord – everyone can build their temple of praise – everyone can do something to make a difference – and that is what we should do – truly we are blessed to be able to do that! – and we, like in the Days of Elijah, must stand up for God!!!!

AMEN!

Here are good internet reads and some of their text:

• From the author of the song “Days of Elijah” – https://robinmark.com/the-story-behind-days-of-elijah/

“Firstly the song came from watching a television “Review of the Year” at the end of 1994. This was the year of the Rwandan civil war tragedy which claimed 1 million people’s lives, and also when the first ceasefires in N.I. were declared. On this TV review were a lot of daft stories, happy stories, serious stories, and then absolutely devastating stories like the Rwandan situation. As I watched the review unfold I found myself despairing about the state of the world and, in prayer, began asking God if He was really in control and what sort of days were we living in.

I felt in my spirit that He replied to my prayer by saying that indeed He was very much in control and that the days we were living in were special times when He would require Christians to be filled with integrity and to stand up for Him just like Elijah did, particularly with the prophets of Baal. “These are ‘Elijah’ days”. Elijah’s story is in the book of Kings and you can read how he felt isolated and alone in the culture in which he lived. But God told him to stand up and speak for Him.

———-

“Of course David didn’t get to build the structural temple (that’s why the word in the song line is “rebuild”), that was left to Solomon his son, but David was used by God to introduce a revised form of worship, praise and thanksgiving into, firstly, his little tent which he pitched around the Ark of the covenant (the presence of God) and then the temple that Solomon his son built.

This worship, unlike the Mosaic Tabernacle, involved many people being able to come into Gods presence and worship him openly. (In Moses time only one man, the high priest, could enter the Holy of Holies, once a year. David’s tent was a picture of how Christ would enable us to come right into Gods presence, through his sacrifice, and worship openly there).

If you search carefully through the Book of Amos (chapter 9) you will find reference to this “Restoration of David’s Tabernacle”. In Acts this prophecy was used to explain, at the council of Jerusalem, why the “Gentiles” should be allowed to become Christians and worship their saviour without all the legal requirements of the Jewish law. It is also accepted among restoration theologians that this refers to restored Praise and Worship. The physical temple was “Solomon’s”, David’s “temple” was a little tent but you and I are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. It sounds complex, doesn’t it, but if you just understand that the line in the song refers to Praise and Worship before the presence of God just like David enjoyed, then that’s all there needs to be to it!”

———

• https://opentheword.org/2016/09/18/why-did-king-david-build-the-tabernacle-of-david/

“After David became king, he decided to move the Ark of the Covenant to a tent set up in Jerusalem — called the Tabernacle of David (see also 1 Chronicles 16) instead of returning it to the Tabernacle of Moses.

16 Then it happened as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.17 So they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.18 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offering, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 19 Further, he distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread and one of dates and one of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed each to his house. (2 Samuel 6:16-19 NASV)

Though the Ark of the Covenant was now in Jerusalem, the priests continued making sacrifices at the Tabernacle of Moses  (1 Chronicles 16:37-40).

David deeply desired to be in God’s presence, but he couldn’t do it at the Tabernacle of Moses because of his illegitimacy. But he could do it, if he moved the Ark of the Covenant to a different location and different home. And despite one glitch (2 Samuel 6:6-7), the move had God’s approval.

At the Tabernacle of David, King David now had full, free access to God’s Presence. Further, there was no veil separating people from Ark of the Covenant, as there was in Moses’s tabernacle.

Everyone could come before God’s Presence at this simple tent.

Many of the Psalms were written for worship in the Tabernacle of David. The move sparked a different type of worship than what typically occurred at Moses’s tabernacle. At David’s tabernacle, the people:

• Made sacrifices of praise (instead of animal sacrifices) to God (Psalm 27:6).
• Clapped their hands (Psalm 47:1).
• Lifted their hands in worship (Psalm 134).
• Shouted (Psalm 47:1, 5).
• Danced (2 Samuel 6:16; Psalm 149:3).
• Sought the Lord (1 Chronicles 16:10-11), and
• Played their instruments (1 Chronicles 23:5; Psalm 47:5; Psalm 149:3).

They had glory times in God’s presence.

Aside from these expressions of worship, the psalmists also wrote several time of gentiles coming into the Kingdom of God (Psalm 18:49; Psalm 117:1; Psalm 47:8-9). They would have the same access to God’s presence as the Jews.

The Tabernacle of David existed for a brief time between the Tabernacle of Moses and the Temple that David’s son Solomon constructed. After the temple was completed, the priests transported the Ark of the Covenant from David’s tent into the Temple’s Holy of Holies and the Glory of God fell (2 Chronicles 5:14).

• https://www.gotquestions.org/David-temple.html

Question: “Why didn’t God allow David to build the temple?”

Answer: In 1 Chronicles 17:1, David’s thoughts turn to building a temple for the Lord. The king sent for the prophet Nathan and said, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.” The discrepancy bothered David. Why should the king’s house be a palace, while the house of God was just a tent?

At first, Nathan encouraged David to follow through on his desire to build a temple for the Lord (1 Chronicles 17:2). Yet that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, changing their plans: “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in’” (verse 4). God then points out that, in all the long history of the tabernacle, He never once rebuked Israel’s leaders for not building a permanent temple (verses 5–6). Rather than David building a temple, God decided to allow David’s son to oversee this work (verses 11–12).

In response, David offered a prayer of praise: “You, Lord, are God! You have promised these good things to your servant. Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Lord, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever” (1 Chronicles 17:26–27). David considered God’s word as a tremendous blessing that affirmed his son would also serve as king.

First Chronicles 22:8 sheds some light on God’s decision not to allow David to build the temple: “You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.” David’s background of shedding blood in times of war was God’s reason for choosing David’s son instead (see also 1 Chronicles 28:3). God wanted a man of peace to construct the temple, not a man of war. His house was to be “a house of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah 56:7).

Since David was forbidden from building the temple himself, he helped to gather materials and prepare the plans for the temple’s construction. He said to Solomon, “I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the Lord a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them. You have many workers: stonecutters, masons and carpenters, as well as those skilled in every kind of work in gold and silver, bronze and iron—craftsmen beyond number. Now begin the work, and the Lord be with you” (1 Chronicles 22:14–16).

Solomon faithfully fulfilled this command during his reign, leading Israel to the height of world power. David’s desire to build a house for the Lord was noble, but God had other plans. David’s reaction to God’s nixing his plan is a model for us. When things do not go as we planned—when God closes a door—we should continue to praise the Lord and then move on in a new direction. Rather than complain about what we can’t do, we should do what we can, giving God the glory. “

GROW, 07SEP

Christmas the crab has taken a back seat to our cat, of course,  but quietly he has grown throughout this year. I thought he was silly talking the biggest shell as his new one, but wow he has grown and filled it!…

I’ve been blessed to be the caretaker of my corner of this world: crab, cat, children..  It’s raining, but I’m in a shell of a beautiful house on a hill. My fingers reach outside my shell to type to the spirit that resides in you lovely friends… I’m encouraged that we encourage each other…

It’s early Saturday morning, I’ve grown to know for the last 3 years that there’s often a new devotion for me to write – but I have to I pause to let it out, and I haven’t been pausing enough lately…. It’s times like these quiet moments in my shell of a house that I stop to think about how blessed I am and like this pouring rain, today’s devotion about spiritual growth is going to pour out of me… I think with my 600 writings that I would have covered spiritual growth a lot, but there’s always room for more growth… I have grown… I urge you all to GROW. Grow in faith…

One should never stop growing in one’s faith…. just like the crab’s tremendous growth this year, our faith will grow to fill the shell around us – our shell is not small, our shell is as big as the hands of God. Do you know how big that is? No, nothing could measure the vastness of Him, therefore our faith could grow to unfathomable sizes too… The smallest growth in faith is HUGE growth, proportional to what we had before… yet we are not to worry about proportion – we simply are called to GROW – there is so much NEW opportunity to see how we connect to the vastness of the shell space of the higher and utmost greatest power around us…

Christmas the crab likes to run for cover, I put him on the openness of the bed and he bolts instantly for darker spaces by the covers, he knows instinctively to gain protection… we need to do that too, except our protection is not in the darkness – our protection is in the LIGHT – our protection is from being in the LIGHT.  Yes it might be tough out in this world, but our best future is to keep growing towards LIGHT anyway.
Instinctually as humans we might run for dark, but as spiritually-filled souls  we are called to grow towards the LIGHT… a smile induced in a sad person is growing towards LIGHT… a chance to make a situation better is growing towards LIGHT… granting forgiveness and mercy to others is growing towards LIGHT… growing humble is growing towards LIGHT…

Let LIGHT lift your eyes to see where to grow your FAITH – then just GROW…

Never stop growing…

Amen

587

Practice Peace, 04Sep

Light invaded my dark, and I had a productive weekend where I intensely felt moments of peace that surpassed the angst I had…

I pray you open this new morning looking for the peace that is looking for you.

Peace finds us and moves us. That’s God’s plan. He’s working those lights that we try to hide ourselves under our own baskets of angst…

My strife subsided – I did not ignore but I kept busy “in the moment” – and so did the Lord. My increasing peace made it possible for me to be a witness of others’ peace in the eye of their own hurricanes – they had difficulties too and yet they were practicing peace. If ever I wanted to hide under my basket of covers, I’m glad I didn’t, I slowly plugged back in and God kept me working – witnessing them on their paths of peace… Don’t hide those lights – besides God will blow the baskets off anyway…

Three church services that day. Three communion opportunities. These were the placeholders in my schedule that kept me moving and became the brackets to my day and I felt light invade my dark – I knew the light that was there – we hear the Lord – “my sheep know my voice and I know them, and they hear me” John 10:27.

One of my favorite moments in between church services was with meeting Bob, I asked him about the painted rock inside the drive-thru tip jar, he was a jovial young soul, I showed him my collection of painted rocks with scripture encouragements in my cup holder, ready to be hidden in hiking trails or wherever, it’s a new project of mine… He was excited about the whole thing and I offered him one, he chose “Practice Peace”… he told me why and I said God Bless you… I ask you reading this to pray for Bob too… I was excited to share, he said he was getting more spiritual – to practice peace is an action item for him… Bob was happy to receive encouragement and that also really encouraged me… basket blown off – the light shined thru my smile – God needs me to smile, I realize that – God needs each of us to shine His light, I knew that but to shine it in a drive-thru window opportunity ONLY happen when you actually drive yourself into them. Drive yourself to find opportunities to share HIS light.

Light invades dark – but we must crack the lid of our own boxes of darkness… We must let the light in…

Later, I got a healing hug from a friend who taught me that exact box thought in a spiritual retreat class – to think about how the light enters a box when it is cracked open even if just a sliver…. Jesus the light of the world. Light peeks in – and it is light – we need to let Jesus enter the box. We need to listen – we are His sheep…

My time that day was also spent at the nursing home, I witnessed with Joe, who sings “Let the be peace on Earth – and let it begin with me”… He clamors for peace and he can and does remind so many by his plea, he moves people to think just like he moves his wheelchair…  yes, we need to make the moves for world peace.  Joe is trying to do just that – no hiding that basket – God is using Joe to shine a very important message…

“Practicing peace” is no game for God, He knows where and what plays to run. We however, as humans, need to “practice peace” actively and put in the effort…

That’s because the Holy Spirit is actively swirling and guiding us – practicing peace means us putting ourselves into His service – a task for us to bring peace to others by giving them HOPE.

“If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” Luke 14:15-17 NLT

I pray you practice peace today – for yourself – and for others –  importantly for God…

Look for the spirit that lives in you to use you today…

Practice blowing off the basket – shine the wholeness of His light!

Practice Peace.

AMEN

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Peace Pieced Together, 02SEP

My tears of life overflowed yesterday at home and blessedly my teenager put his hand on my shoulder to comfort me and moved the tissue box close to me and told me to take deep breaths and to pet the cat for comfort… wow…. wow, how did God get me here? God pieced that blessing together a little at a time, everyday working a little in His world to piece together a peace-filling moment – JUST FOR ME – instead of my tears, I was then distracted by the awesomeness of my son knowing how to process this situation to help me…  did you see how mercy and love moved God to move that tissue box toward me using him? I did…. I hear God in the slide… I felt God in the touch… I was distracted by His love fading the world away… I picked up on the pieces of peace that God has been leaving like breadcrumbs along the path to Him…

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A piece I’ve been meaning to write for my whole life…

Distraction, 02Sep

Distraction should become focus.

In my anxiety, I know I am human – troubled, just uneasy, scared, worried, ugh…

In my Lord, I know I am HIS – I really don’t need to know anything else – because in being HIS I am always in HIS LOVE

I already know the truth – I already know God’s answer to all my anxiety – but I need to get the rest of me to get there I need to feel that peace too…

Here is the answer before all problems existed and the answer once problems arise: “Set your mind on things above.”

I’m not usually anxious but I’m miserable in angst for a particular problem – but there’s nothing I can do at this very moment until a certain day – a day that’s a long way off – therefore I can’t get rid of the burden, nor should I – I’m going to hold on to this issue and yet there’s no reason to burden others, so I guess I have to keep working on problems and tasks at hand, not the mental break or refreshing moment that I want, but I have to deal…. in life we have to deal… for all God’s timing, this angst makes me distracted from my normal angst which was upsetting enough – I pray God to distract me from me… I know I am a complainer when it comes to comparing my angst to HIS greatness!

God distracts us by what He attracts us to – in order to “set your mind on things above”…

Talking about my issues it does seem little to complain about, but big to me in this moment – and yes I am in the disconnect area right now – even though I can see peace ahead, but I’m not there yet…

One place I know to focus is praying on and remembering other friends’ problems instead of mine –  I should clam up about my issues and keep moving… and yes also I should be looking at God’s problem of this broken world – I should speak up instead and take the time to help Him – to tell of Him – yes, we are to spend our time going to God –  working for God – that is how the peace gets pieced back together.

In truth, we should spend ALL our time piecing peace together.

In truth, I can see God sending signs to distract me from me – and attract me to Him.

I pray to not to run into bad times to shock me into counting my blessings – but the world is still a broken place… I am not at peace with the world, nor should I be – worse yet we should not become complacent.

I appreciate hearing and seeing God distract me… “set your mind on things above“…

This morning I hear summer bugs, I hear my hermit crab crunching and clunking his shell, I hear the quiet but stirring of my sleeping teenage babies – do I need anything else to be thankful for?

I ask and know the most important question: Do I hear God? I do, I don’t need anything else but God here…

I have known that God is in all things – I have peace even if I can’t piece it together right now – I am the distraction – God is the peace.

Right now, I hear birds singing and have a warm place to sit. Right now, I hear the hum of the highway, even on a Sunday morning, there are others working much earlier and much harder than me – God is humming while He works us for His peace. Actually, He whistles as He works – that whistling wind will catch your ear – God will too…

I hear in rewind, in my head, my conversations this past week with others who have far worse off issues than me – I often think that God distracts us from our own problems by getting us to remember others… God distracts us from our own problems, we can also remember others being given the joyous opportunities that make the rest of the world fade away by them living in the moment…

Life is best lived in the present- the present is a gift… set your mind on things above and listen to the Lord for clues to discover that path today… we can only follow the Lord if we listen for Him…

I hope to work my peace out by writing – it’s a process – my peace and God’s peace is a process – if I stop to observe my progress then I can see that God placed me in the process to work for Him…

Let’s start the day by looking for His distractions…

His distractions should be our focus.

Amen

—-

PS

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My tears of life overflowed yesterday at home and blessedly my teenager put his hand on my shoulder to comfort me and moved the tissue box close to me and told me to take deep breaths and to pet the cat for comfort… wow…. wow, how did God get me here? God pieced that blessing together a little at a time, everyday working a little in His world to piece together a peace-filling moment – JUST FOR ME – instead of my tears, I was then distracted by the awesomeness of my son knowing how to process this situation to help me…  did you see how mercy and love moved God to move that tissue box toward me using him? I did…. I hear God in the slide… I felt God in the touch… I was distracted by His love fading the world away… I picked up on the pieces of peace that God has been leaving like breadcrumbs along the path to Him…

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Tip God’s Hand, 30AUG

Sometimes God lets you know what He’s thinking. Sometimes it might feel like a card game as we wait on the Lord and we don’t know what’s in store. But it’s no game to God, its played out on purpose.  Sometimes, just sometimes God lets you peek at His Cards…

In the end, God Wins! We already knew that! Therefore, we have to believe that He’s got a winning hand already and yes, He’s putting all His chips in…

Does He keep His plays secret? Does He whisper sometimes to you as He makes a move? Do you need to hear him say: “Watch this” or are you already watching?… Do you have a feeling,  as you watch Him rearrange His cards, for what His next play will be?…

When God lets you peek at His hand, does He actually want you to keep it a secret or not?. Maybe His plays need studying first so that we notice His subtle coordination, maybe His plays are way out in the open…. Actually, and in all ways, God wants us to know that He has plans for each of us. And yes, for everyone’s sake, God wants you to “Tip His Hand”…

Tip God’s Hand and tell the world His plans. God may surprise us, but it’s all written for us to know and see… Did He not already make His biggest move by sending Jesus? He has already told us, thru Jesus, that the most important commandment is LOVE – Love God, Love His people. Jesus has given us the directive that God wants us to “BELIEVE IN THE ONE HE SENT” … that’s because Jesus has been watching Gods moves from day 1. In the beginning there was the WORD…

And now? Jesus is now at His Right Hand, Jesus is watching inside every move that God deals. Jesus can and wants to direct your life… Jesus tells each of us individually that we do all fit into God’s plan. Jesus wants us to rest our minds and take comfort in Him, Jesus asks us to let His Holy Spirit lead. He wants us to empty our minds of our plans and fill them with His.

God wins… God wants LOVE to win. GOD made the world and God is sorting out all the cards right now – and we can watch Him as He plays them. We belong to Him!

Yes, God shows us His cards.

And it is no poker face – Love is written all over God’s face…

LET’S TIP GOD’S HAND – LET’S TELL THE WORLD about THE WORD, about the LOVE, about the PLAN…

AMEN

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For all my bluefish friends, and especially swimming souls, may you always be voracious for the Lord!

Voracious, 25AUG

Swells of the ocean up and down, I was getting used to navigating the waves and felt comfortable, not completely but enough… how amazing the ocean and the sand…. so much sand, so much beach and oh how I had so much to praise… Yes, a quick swim at sunrise was worth the drive… worth squashing fears of many things that predominated in my head but they didn’t stop me… I prayed: “please keep me swimming, Lord, even if i doubt my path at times…”

I was happy I was there, I didn’t know if I should have tried to fit that swim time in, with all the logistics, but oh I’m so glad I did… I didn’t know if when falling asleep at 1030pm if a 445 am wakeup alarm would feel terrible. I questioned if it worth that for a sunrise swim?  Yet this would be my first swim of the disappearing season… I also knew that the scriptures say: “all my days have been ordained” – and I thought I’m going to know either way at 4:45am if it was a mistake or not… So guess what? At 4:17am God says: “oh, is this enough pre-alarm time wake up time for you?” Yeah God, really… it’s 4:17am and I am wide awake huh?… God chuckled and I was wide awake? Yeah, all my days have been ordained,ordered and appointed huh?… I get it, I got it, I’m getting out of bed, I’m going Lord… up and out to the beach… LET’S GO!

The stealth outside cat greeted me, it was 5:15 am, and my swimming sister opened her door, smiled and grabbed snacks, and we were off… the drive was just 52 minutes… 52…

At the beach it felt right… the water was so warm! The sun said “welcome to your new day to live for God!” And there were so many people! They were there for the sunrise – they were there for people watching too… 6:30 am never felt so normal for a beach!

I was able to feel comfortable with my choice of an early morning adventure, it is good to know that all our days have been ordained – even if sometimes I doubt my steps…

Swells of the ocean up and down… swell… just keep swimming…

Swells for sure, but it was the calmest of water, I felt peace in motion… We swam and got great exercise.  Then all of a sudden in this calm water there was a Splash Splash Splash!… Wait, what? What in the world was going on? More sprinkled splash splash splashes again, and again – all around us – a big wow – it was coordinated schools of leaping little fish, jumping up at my ear and eye level…. my whole life I never imagined being INSIDE and seeing a school of fish synchronized leaping IN THE AIR! Cool… It was so very cool!!!

BUT WAIT…

“Keep swimming”… just then my VERY knowledgeable swimming sister says “It’s a good time to get out of the water!!!” – what? Oh! With hurried expression it was a sign to escape – not to overpanic but with precautionary and expedited strokes,  we kept swimming fast to shore,  the little bait fish meant a needed meal to bigger fish, maybe a Bluefish! We did NOT want to be on the menu!!!!!… Not necessarily a purposeful attack but we humans can get in the way of life and a fish’s lunch! Quickly we swam to shore, rested on the sand… Whew!  Later we got back in…. Little fish and big fish – all reminders that life may bring you trouble,  but you still have to get back in and keep swimming!

Bluefish, they are naturally hungry,  bluefish know how to chase, and they know how to bite! Bluefish school themselves travel in packs… if there is one hungry fish there are many! Bluefish are so voracious…. I’m grateful and blessed my swimming sister knew the signs of trouble, we rested after that and while we shared a snack we got to share also in the wonder of life… It is amazing that when you realize how far God has already brought you “safe thus far”, it’s a good sign that He wants you to keep hungry for life! Remembering that all LIFE and all LOVE is from God.

So, how can we be voracious Bluefish too? We know we have to eat for health, but what choices do we make for feeding our souls? We make that choice,  we have to nourish our own hungers with the spiritual milk that God provides… How could we even measure how much LOVE God provides for us? We can be minnows or we can be bigger and bigger fish, but we will find out that we are all part of one big ocean of God’s Love.  So when you start seeing all the little love God has already shown on you, it keeps your eyes open for the bigger and bigger LOVE,  and as you expend more of your energy by living for the Lord,  this keeps you hungry for more of God’s love…

God’s love is precious,  abundant,  freeing… it’s natural to be hungry…

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand When I awake, I am still with You. Psalm 139:17-18

It’s natural to know our humanness, it’s ok to feel our weakness,  it’s normal to feel doubts, or to feel weird, or to mourn, and it’s good to keep swimmin for the future… So let us all look for God’s love in all… let’s keep swimming… let’s enjoy all God gives us as opportunities… let’s enjoy life and share the joy… let’s look to each other for direction, motivation and knowledge.

Gobble up as much summer as you can,  every day before it gets cold,  splash your way thru the waves of life, make a school of fish type leap away from trouble, and keep swimming! Be ever vigilant for the signs of trouble! Don’t let fear stop you. Keep swimming.

Gobble up every nourishing bite of God’s love,  be voracious! And share your share. Be blessed to know how to crave spiritual milk…

Enjoy life and make the most of it, even if days are troubled…. each day there is a sunrise and a sunset reset – each day is a gift – each as a new day to bask in God’s Love…

Today is God’s day – everyday – all our days have been ordained…

Live life and love voraciously for God.

Amen

—–

Be Voracious for the Lord!

“2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ….

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”  from 1st Peter 2

—–

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? …..” From Psalm 139

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What about God’s Anger? Learning and Applying Wisdom, 21Aug

Wow, the Psalms were written over the course of 500 years, by multiple authors!

I erroneously thought it was just David… it shouldn’t surprise me, I know little old testament bible history, the bible is so vast that there is no way anyone could know it all,  so clearly there is a need to keep studying… and there are so many aspects to the bible, it’s important to know context to help interpret it,  like who was writing psalms while they were under stress,  who was writing while they were at peace…. I would like to understand the people and their feelings, but first and foremost, I need to understand God, … that’s where wisdom comes in. Thankfully we can always ask for more wisdom.

Here’s more info of the history of the psalms: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalms

One psalm by Moses, many by David, but odds and ends by others, many not in the modern bible and different cultures kept different ones…

I think it’s interesting that today’s world brushes the concept (and reality) of God’s anger under the rug. Do modern churches not want to scare people? Or do we acknowledge anger more lightly than we should?  Perhaps is God more selective showing anger these days? Or since we have Jesus with us, reflected in the distinct separation of old and new testament stories, does that mean that God is less angry now? Hmmm… Or do we just not attribute all aspects of life properly? Maybe we do mix up global correction vs individual corrective action by God… I question to understand more… If God can know every hair on our heads, then He can know how to use His anger purposely and very individually… Anger, rebuttal, teaching, it’s all mixed into life… we need to learn from anger, ours and others, and especially from God’s…. Jesus may feel like a golden ticket of relief, but we still have to walk that very narrow path – fear of the Lord means respect of the Lord – it is better to fear God than be flippant, that’s always true… Pray to listen, we all still need wisdom… wisdom means applying what we know. Fruit grows best on strong branches which know how to hold up the fruit of one’s blessings and give the bountiful crops away to balance – it takes wisdom in life to find balance…

I like how Jesus appreciated wisdom and intelligence, I recently read scripture in Mark detailing the conversation with the scribe. The scribe acknowledged that Jesus knew and taught the most important commandments, to love God and love each other… Peter’s recollections, thru Mark’s writings, saw Jesus’s appreciation of thoughtful intelligence – of wisdom… Now everyone would benefit from more wisdom, wisdom means we can have intelligent conversations with the Lord. We can always have conversations with Jesus walking alongside us… There are hard ways and less hard ways to get wisdom from our past history,  so using wisdom for our future is most crucial… Jesus taught for us to live our future.

Moses speaks about wisdom in Psalm 90 – the days are short, we should try to get as much wisdom as we can and use it. We should pray like Moses to get joy by asking the Lord to “establish the works of our hands” – that’s our job – applying wisdom for our future…

Wisdom is to love God and love our neighbors – these are commandments for right now and for the future too…

We need to ask Jesus to help us understand God, that’s a most important first step… wisdom means applying what we know. We know God wants us to apply what we know….

Love is an action. Pray for wisdom to put love into action.

Amen

——-

Psalm 90 – A prayer of Moses the man of God.

1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

3 You turn people back to dust,
saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”
4 A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.
5 Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—
they are like the new grass of the morning:
6 In the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it is dry and withered.

7 We are consumed by your anger
and terrified by your indignation.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.
10 Our days may come to seventy years,
or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
11 If only we knew the power of your anger!
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.
12 Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

13 Relent, Lord! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble.
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.

17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.

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Roll It Off Your Back, 18Aug

I recall reading about the decline of the penguin populations and I feel guilty that I haven’t saved the world yet in science efforts…. face it, I feel guilty about EVERYTHING (even feel guilty about feeling guilty!) – yes guilty,  we need to teach, we need to pray that folks become more in tune with whole world reality… we are in this together…

I know that Jesus was frustrated with the people, and I can be frustrated too, especially with myself, but I need to not let resentment keep me back, I need to keep moving FORWARD. Jesus moved FORWARD, teaching as He went.

I know that Jesus cried on His ride into Jerusalem, because the people were not all saved, I can be sad too, but I need to not let woe keep me back from still riding into my Jerusalem, I need to keep moving FORWARD. Jesus moved FORWARD, teaching as He went.

We must move forward with what we actually can do, and appreciate where each of us have come from… We all must keep moving.

Guilt may remind me to stop being so concerned with my picky “first world problems” and think about the bigger issues – but whether it’s too much guilt (or not enough) I will choose to focus myself knowing that it is NOT actually guilt that moves me forward… what actually moves us all forward is a MUCH STRONGER force, that’s the force of LOVE!!!!

LOVE is the force that beckons us to “seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with the Lord.” We are called to pay attention, we are called to act.

I appreciate that for our own problems God says “roll it off your back”, “Keep moving forward”…

Jesus tries to remind us, and the Holy Spirit guides us to do what we can… We know that there will always be world problems… Yes, the goal is no problems, but that’s not our current reality in a broken world, these issues are reminding us we still have God’s work to do.

God says “DO EVERYTHING IN LOVE”

I wake up every morning so very grateful that I’m alive, that I feel well enough and strong… I’m glad that if I remember that I am responsible for me, then I know what I deal with is deal-able, with God’s help… that I’m not responsible for solving ALL the world’s problems – but I am responsible for doing my part to fix them. If I wake up with a shoulderful of LOVE, there is little room from the problems to weigh me down. Actually, LOVE lifts us up from inside and carries us thru the day.

I’m thankful that God helped me thru yesterday.

I’m excited that God has plans for me today…

If we remember we are filled with the LOVE of the Lord, from the Lord, for the Lord, then how can we not roll with LIFE… YES, we need to roll our problems, insults, big and little things off our backs… we need to step forward and leave that pile behind us, and because of LOVE we will power thru.

Let LOVE carry you thru the day.

God lives LOVE, we live LIFE… we are placed in this world, but not of this world, because our treasure is in HEAVEN… we are on earth to use LOVE as a tool for witnessing LIFE, improving LIFE, forgiving LIFE, then LIVING LIFE.

Pick up the LOVE and LIFE moves FORWARD… everything else rolls away…

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Give it ALL back – Give it all FORWARD to God, 15Aug

Instead of giving SOME back to God – just give it ALL back – actually give it all FORWARD to God.

“Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.”  (Proverbs)

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to act.
Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
when you already have it with you.” (Proverbs)

Jesus commands us to give everything to God – that means EVERYTHING – that means the good and the bad –  the pain and the praise – we are not to think too highly of ourselves for achievements – we are not to get too down on ourselves for failures – the good and the bad and the uneasiness in between, give it all to God – and give God the credit for being able to wake up each day – therefore, each day give the fruits of your labor FORWARD to His credit and His plan…

Give Caesar what is Caesar’s – but to God give what is His – we are His!!! Let us give ourselves to Him!

We ask you Lord to help us remain thankful that we are fruitful – as always thank you for keeping us in Your plan!

—-

3 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words.14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

And they were amazed at him.

Link to https://debbieupper.wordpress.com/2017/05/29/proverbs-guard-your-heart-392/

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Give Some Back, 15AUG

We are reminded to give some of our fruit back – a share that the landowner asks for – and then even more. When God hangs fruit on us – when we prosper – when we have blessings – we should share – and give back to God… the tenant farmers in Jesus’ parable are us – in this story they were the authorities who questioned and eventually killed Jesus – but in today’s world we are the ones who need to keep Jesus alive – perhaps we are not “killing” Jesus – but if we fail to share our bountiful harvest of blessings then we are not doing our part to keep Him alive in our hearts and available to others…  and if we fail to share our fruit that God has given us, it will rot and will not be use as effectively as God using it… God would rather give the vineyard to those who appreciate it rather than those who hoard the bounty for themselves…  and if we fail to produce fruit at all, He will cast our dead branches into the fire…

Therefore, it is good for us to give back – we are gifted so much – we can give back – to God…

The Parable of the Tenants (Mark 12)

12 Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 2 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. 5 He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.

6 “He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 “But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

9 “What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
11 the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

12 Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.

LINK – Fruit with seeds
https://debbieupper.wordpress.com/2017/06/03/fruit-with-seeds-share-02jun-408/

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Warm Spot, 12AUG

Thousands of trees… Christmas trees… not one snowflake in sight… it’s August…

These are living, growing trees which need life-giving sunshine and warm growing time… me too… we all do, we need warm growth, from our roots to our shoots, we need to grow…

Maybe these mountains cool the jet streams just enough to keep the trees from frying, it’s in the 70s not 90s… maybe it’s going to take 10 years to mature a tree, 20, 30, 100 for the biggest, maybe it’s worth waiting for huge growth,  maybe for minimal growth, maybe the tree will still grow even if no one waits…

Like a tree firmly planted, our faith will grow – not because of the cold world, but in the warmth of God’s intricate LOVE. Maybe the world isn’t so cold because God’s plan is for re-vining the garden is working, of course it is… God is filling His world with His souls to prosper and grow, and we pray to find a warm-spot, like in a chilly lake, to anchor and breathe… pause and ponder our next move to the next warm spot… we are in this world but not of this world… we are all in this together…

The warm sunshine keeps these trees growing, it’s the law and pattern of the universe which helps the trees keep growing, if we give them enough space to grow… Albeit much slower, the trees will also persevere thru the cold harsh winter. It’s not that a tree itself would feel the warmth of people coming for Christmas – but we can imagine the scene – the people are going to come for this warm breathing tree at Christmas so they can fill a house with life – they meditate, with song and tinsel, that Christ Himself was born, nurtured, and sacrificed for our eternal warmth in God’s amazing puzzle…

Our collective Christmas souls also need the rest of the year to be nurtured and grow… let our souls soak up God’s warmth, let our souls stay green and not wither, let us try to catch the Holy Spirit jet stream… warm spots move, we should also sway to move thru God’s plan. If we are anchored, like a tree, we will move more freely, with less fear…

We do all fit in God’s plan… God has a warm spot waiting for us… soak up the Sun and soak up His Son… to know, feel and grow eternally grateful…

BE BLESSED…

BE WISE…

FIND GOD’S WARM SPOT…

Psalm 1

Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.

4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Psalm 2…

10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear
and celebrate his rule with trembling.
12 Kiss his son, or he will be angry
and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

577

Late night ramblings at camp, re-edited this morning… ramblings but it’s good (post-vbs) to unclog the writing spigots. I enjoyed the people I was with last night,  but when writing pulls me away, I have to listen – must be a spirit pull people like me need to connect with… God only knows… I feel so blessed to see Him at work… I had another writing spin out of this, it was worth spinning for a while… while camping I climb into a pocket and zipper it up for warmth… but soon I’m going to get out of my comfort zone and return to the Christmas tree farm next door to see the sunrise… (and a hot shower)

Pockets of PEOPLE, 11Aug

A new friend joked at the levels of multiple families I have… I am very very BLESSED to have found welcoming family within so many pockets of people … I just like PEOPLE… I love being placed into pockets of people like me, friendly and grateful…

Of course, I’m always still looking FORWARD – towards new people to connect with – NOT because I don’t appreciate the people I already know – it’s just that there are SO many interesting people with interesting stories – that’s my normal…. My family always chats with whomever is around – the grocery store, the airport line, anytime anyone, that’s just the way I was raised…

Not all people like to chat back, not all are ready to chat when I am – (and I retreat too, and I’m not always in a chatting mood)… I also notice a geographical difference, back home, people look for people, simply saying hi to everyone – I’m not weird, I’m just one of those people…

Here at tonight’s precious campground time there are SO MANY people – all different nationalities – all noisy hustling bustling – thousands it seems… PEOPLE

I have been pensive thinking about the PEOPLE – I pause here – worrying wondering and look across the multitudes – if anything I notice great levels of LOVE exuding from them towards their families – that’s when I hear God’s love… pockets of people…

Families are formed by God for LOVE… God has one big family, we should too…

How many people know that ALL love comes from the Lord? Some pockets of people do! How many know the Lord? Many don’t hop into those deep pockets of peace – I wish they did… That bugs me, it’s impossible to tell where people are… I think about that now and then, I worry about these people, I know many children of God who don’t know Him.  Actually, maybe they know Him, but some don’t know that He’s as active as He is… and do they know Jesus?

Do they connect “the Word” (thru bible knowledge) with the “Word made flesh” Jesus Himself – it’s so individual a transition, one wouldn’t know what they know… (and we are to teach wherever and however we can teach – teach and even when we can’t reach, Jesus says keep moving “shake the sand off your sandals”, and keep moving to welcoming pockets)…

I can witness love but for sure I cannot always see everything that’s going on in God’s plan at the same time, even so I am blessed I get to see pockets.  One by one…

I took a walk to retreat not away from the people but towards a moment of God focus – I crossed into the Christmas tree farm next door – it was blissful and reminded me of my summers on the family farm as a kid… one sweet buttercup showed up into my view – nice reminder of home – one…

The milkweed are like those at home but there are now very few butterflies in nature compared to 30 years ago, I looked anyway for caterpillars, none – but then – one butterfly flew by… one…

I sat quiet back up at camp, loud neighbors playing soccer, then all of a sudden they gathered for dinner, and were drawn quiet – the Dad started saying Grace – not in my native language but in my ear shot, in my eyesight – in my appreciation of being in one pocket of prayer people… one…

A few minutes later a prayer request from a friend – “if you could ask your prayer people for…” – yes, one BIG pocket of prayer people I can call on… one…

See, I may look for more pockets of people – look and look for my people – like the buttercup, like the monarch, like the grace moment, like the prayer moment… one by one God shows us pockets…

One by one God will turn hearts towards Him, God keeps His hands warm, He keeps extra pockets for all…

There are pockets of people, my people, God’s people – even though much in this world fades away, it’s because God wants our ultimate focus…

So –

I’ll keep looking –

I’ll keep loving –

I’ll keep praising…

Thank You Lord, for taking the time to show me – one warm pocket at a time…

Amen

576

Find PEACE, Move Thru Your Mountain, 04Aug

I’m in a more peaceful spot, I’m back to reading my Michael Card “Imagination series” on the gospels – Mark 11 – that classic scripture of “Have faith in God – I assure you if anyone says to this mountain: ‘be lifted up and thrown into the sea’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen it will be done for him… therefore I tell you all things you pray and ask for – BELIEVE that you have received them and you will have them… and whenever you stand praying if you have anything against anyone forgive him so that your father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing…. But if you don’t forgive neither will your father in heaven forgive your wrongdoing.”

Michael Card reminds us that it’s a lesson on believing in personal prayer and focusing on forgiveness… Jesus said forgive. We can’t go anywhere or get over any mountain if first we don’t forgive others.

It’s summer, its variable hot weather, I know it’s going to be cold again way too soon… so I need to enjoy today before it goes away… my prayer today includes some healing of my hustle and bustle life – ask the Lord to forgive my preoccupation with myself – my prayer is to pause in prayer…

I long for the feeling of camping… Yet what am I longing for that I don’t already have? The freedom of not worrying, of leaving it all behind? Don’t I have that in Christ, ALREADY? I do but I forget that ALL THE TIME!… I pray for the freedom of being back in a place of nature and harmony with the world, of sitting quietly. Don’t I have that now? I do if I actually stop blocking my own PEACE… So will I achieve it? Christ says that I can.

It is quiet in my house at 6am, and I can open windows,  I have a window of opportunity for knowing peace… I can be quiet and listen to the morning birds, I can “Be Still” and hear the rustling of life moving… it’s just started raining, now pouring, the birds even hush…  my house can be considered a big tent… If I think in peace, then can I find peace and harmony inside my own tent? Can I move my mountains blocking my own peace?

Yes, I can move myself into PEACE.

Yes. I can Be Still and pray to not miss witnessing the peace that’s already here… I can pray to God to forgive my own mountain that blocks His peace… I have obstacles, yet I know they are nothing that God can’t handle… He already knows that He can handle them, and He is, so can I remember to rely on Him?

Christ assured us that we can move mountains, He was standing on a mountain when He said that, and then He moved – moved forward on foot – moved forward in the plan… So, in our prayers we are to believe that we have already obtained what we are praying for… then we have to move thru that plan too.

We can overcome obstacles by prayer, we can let God handle the obstacles for us.  We can believe in what God has ALREADY done… we can pray for God to forgive our doubtfulness in His plan… then get over ourselves, and move forward… we still have to walk over and thru the plan…

My Prayer:

Do I believe in God? I do.

I believe I ALREADY have seen His faithfulness in me.

Do I believe in Christ? I do. I can learn His ways and I do believe in His power…

Can I move a mountain? Not without Him. Has He already moved mountains for me? Oh yeah….

Will He move the next one? Believe in His power and watch what happens…

Will we be required to work thru our mountains? Of course.

Is there peace to be found? YES. I believe in His PEACE, do you?

I believe that you believe too. Thank you for believing too.

Amen

575

Unhindered Spirit Flow, Let the World Fade Away 26JUL

It’s been a spirit filled Vacation Bible School week…  I knew it would be…  It is important to know that directive of scripture to give up both the bad and the good to God, yes for sure…, It is important to let the world fade away and to LISTEN to the spirit,  watch for God,  and don’t block the flow… Let the children come unhindered. When we pay attention to the little ones, when we pay attention to the spirit, the whole world fades away…

Yesterday I sat down in front by the pew to watch one soulful slow song video, and just decompress for a second, a gratefulness moment and yet a stressful moment too because of a text message I had just received that I could not do anything about… I sat in decompression and then a little 5yr old girl came right over and sat on my lap, wow, God knew I needed that… with my 2 babies now big kids,  I’ve been gifted hundreds of kids now to enjoy… I’ve been gifted the opportunity to feel the spirit flow from the children, unhindered, and that helps me discern and tap into the existence of more spirit flow…  We can feel the healing flow of the love of children for God in an unhindered way…. it’s the spirit in each of us that want to re-connect, it is an emotional re-vining of the garden that God is working so hard to achieve…. This is why we befriend each other, because the Word of God changes people, and Jesus, the vine, is the Word, so as a branch connector, Jesus connects people… When we pay attention to the spirit, the whole world fades away…

I was present for a child getting sick. The supervisory duty transferred to me and I comforted best I could, then I called His mom, and I comforted some more… I had no choice but to be present. We chatted and he was so calm and yet so sad. When we pay attention to the spirit, whether it is in happy times or in sad, the whole world fades away…

Later that same day, another spirit flow moment – a friend asked me about a personal issue and I started to chat about it and very soon a little girl came over and spontaneously hugged me. I realized at that moment (and said to my friend) that God wants us to be present with these kids and not have me complaining Martha-style… Forgive me Lord. Yes the spirit flow of Grace came and sought me out… I had nothing more important to do than to hug back. When we pay attention to the little ones, the whole world fades away…

When we pay attention to the spirit, the whole world fades away…

I thank you for your VBS prayers… We are blessed to be scattering seeds thousands at a time at VBS… we don’t know what seeds will sprout, we scatter anyway… the littlest seed can grow into a plant that makes thousands of more seeds…. if we choose to stop seeding the garden,  God will find someone else to do it.  If we listen and learn from the CHILDREN,  if we follow the spirit, who knows where our faith will take us…. I urge you all: keep seeding the garden…

“Jesus told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

“His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”

“He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables,…

“…blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.

 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.  But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.  The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” (Matthew)

574B – revised

Today is the funeral service for my friend…

I love a certain photo of both of us because you can see both her and I are processing,  thinking seriously about God while our friend was teaching in a confirmation class…  He held up his cell phone and asked the teenagers and us to put his phone number in ours and said we could text for prayer anytime (i did)… that’s a great way to work for God,  simply be available for comforting your friends.  2Corinthians 1:3-5

With my cell phone I both had been able to remain in contact with my dear friend then also just about  a hundred friends before and when she passed… there’s a process to peace… and processing with friends has been a huge blessing for me to start healing…

—-

There is Peace in the Process, There is a Process to Peace

The gift of time to make peace is for each of us to achieve a little more peace – it is a time to pause and pray and place yourself where you mentally should be – Why? for God’s sake – ultimately it is ALL for God’s sake because He loves us, comforts us, and His ultimate goal is PEACE.

Those baptisms, weddings, and funerals – time to achieve some joy and some peace – time to witness that God pulls people closer in both their greatest joy and their greatest sorrow…  Often at a wedding people remember their own – often at a baptism people remember their little children – often at a funeral people look to comfort and be comforted – they look for that piece of peace that God is so eager to hand out – they look at their own lives and their own relationships while sitting in a funeral – they work out (or don’t) their own pain of loss – they nevertheless experience an opportunity to work for a peace that God wants them to have… peace in loss and peace in gain – God is all these things… that’s the truth.

See, God wants us to work out peace for us and others… We should ask to be found. Now is a good time to process our lost-ness, and our found-ness…

How much time did Mary and Martha need to process the death of their brother Lazarus? How much time after did they need to ALSO process that Lazarus then was raised from the dead? Wow… How many people witnessed that and then told their story for them so they could just sit there and take the new time with their brother??? God made time for them, and for Lazarus. He makes time for us too…

How many people were also moved to share repeatedly the tidbit of info that  “Jesus wept” – Jesus Himself wept. How did Jesus process this all? – He was as human as we are, so He weeps for peace too… How does He process knowing all those lost souls? And how much JOY tears are in His processing of the found souls? Can we feel His tears in ours? Will we feel His tears thru us? If we take time to process these deep truths of life, then we will. A piece of truth… A peace in truth…

So today, everyday, take time to process life death peace – there is no set time allotment – take all the time you need – God will make time for you… it’s a process…

… and look for Jesus to find you during that process… Jesus is the connection – gifted from our Father to us – to teach us how to live – to forgive our sins – and to bring us home.  no one goes to the father unless thru the Son…  well that takes time for each person to realize that…  it takes time to process that too…  Now is a good time to process the process that peace will come…

Lord, thank you for time to process – and heal – and for the peace…

There is Peace in the Process. There is a Process for Peace.

Amen

573

Thunderous Truth, 06JUL

Knowing God is like being a mom in a thunderstorm… Knowing how intensely powerful the storms around you are – yet it’s you comforting your kids with closeness and calmness – that’s your truth… it will be OK!

God calms His children – especially when they seek Him.

Massive storms in the sky and life bring massive fear… but knowing God is in control is even MORE massive a power – a believer’s brain is preoccupied in prayer.

Having life experiences in storms brings calmness and perspectives. “It will be alright” we can tell our children because it will and because we believe it. thunderstorms pass…

“It will be alright” God says – we will be alright – we can believe it because it’s the Truth…

God is good.

10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listento you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Jeremiah 29

572

EVERYTHING, 05JUL

So much these days I pray for focus,  so much I pray that I finish something so that I can focus on other things – I pray to finish then remove other distracting tasks… of course I pray to focus to use what God has put together within my skill set…,  Yes in EVERYTHING, I ALWAYS wonder if I’m being efficient,  useful, and focused…

If I am (if we are) made in God’s image (of course we are), then I wonder if maybe I need to focus on EVERYTHING at the same time, because isn’t that what God is doing? WOW that’s too much… probably doing EVERYTHING is not supposed to be my focus, maybe only a few things are supposed to be in focus right now – and other things will move closer or farther away and be in focus later – or never…

I don’t have an answer here…

Sometimes I look at poison ivy and say “why is that in God’s plan?” Is it because sometimes we aren’t supposed to go into certain spaces? Is poison ivy  – or mosquitoes – from unbalance in the world after Adam and Eve left the garden? Either way poison ivy blocks us, it makes us think… Life things that are not in focus should make us think – EVERYTHING should make us think about God’s plan.

If I can’t get everywhere, then I should not worry about doing everything at the same time.

If I should NOT worry, then I should be able to take more thinking time thinking about God’s plan. Don’t worry – just think – Don’t worry just Be Still – and focus on stillness too…

Ecclesiastes 3 scriptures remind us that there is a time and a season for everything, it is not supposed to happen or be done at the same time…

God has God focus, God has a plan, God has His Own timing – and even He is not doing everything for everyone at the same time – He is doing what needs to be done at the one time it needed to be done for each and every person – a very very personalization of the plan by God Himself – and that’s EVERYTHING I need to know…

God makes it personal – God makes His plan…

That’s my focus – God’s plan…

Focus

394.5

Yes – “The More We Live – Let Go” – music therapy of this song is therapeutic to writing about modeling Jesus, for the forgiving Jesus… Lots of new to me YES songs are very enlightening… Cool…

Let Go

Forgiveness… “Let go”… Jesus says forgive others as we ask (ok beg) God to forgive us… It’s tough, it’s going to take time… But it’s necessary… Maybe we don’t want to forgive others, maybe we just don’t know how… For people we don’t know, it can be easier, walk away and forget… Like the road rage incident I had, I was fine, the car was fine, he was in severe emotional pain which wasn’t my fault (see previous writing, I saw it over his face… pain… anger… frustration… I felt so sorry… Now if he had hurt my beloved blue Subaru window, when he punched at my face behind the window, this might be a completely different essay, one of a forgiveness that would have taken much longer, but it’s not… and I am fine, because the armor of God and armor of Subaru saved my face, and my faith, and I can forgive, I turned the other cheek and drove away… still scared, still aware, still I can see his face, but it was a need for giving forgiveness to him (and to myself for not being extra careful driving)… yeah maybe we more easily forgive IF incidents don’t hurt…

But what if they do? What if they hurt directly or someone we love? Recent or even if it’s twenty plus years ago? What if I would not personally want to, or seem to be able to, forgive them anyway??

It sounds easier said than done to forgive, and actually it might have to be a ripple effect forgiveness we seek… “Forgive me, oh Lord, because I find it hard to forgive this situation, this person… Forgive them Father for they know not what they do… Forgive them Father especially since they know what they did was wrong”… It’s easier to hear Jesus utter those words then for it to come out of our own mouths. Maybe God hears HIS children cry in pain because there is no glee in forgiveness, only tears in forgiveness – Jesus’s tears – Jesus wept – His cleansing tears for washing our souls… Jesus a gift for our salvation because he can walk the walk and talk the talk of asking God to forgive those people – which also means to forgive us, because we are unforgivable to some others too…

This level of forgiveness might work if whom pained you is someone your see daily, weekly… Maybe you can’t forgive them yet, yet you can try. Even if you are not there yet, God’s asks you to try and God has a mediator in place regardless… Jesus is the mediator – this ripple effect forgiveness might be your only hope: “Jesus help me forgive them for sake of my own forgiveness too – please Jesus ask God to forgive me”.

So this YES song, matches these forgiveness thoughts with the phrase: “Wanna change the world?”…    “The more we give, the more we love, the more we grow.”

That is forgiveness in a nutshell… The more we FORGIVE, the more we grow… Likewise, the more we shed light on the dark spots of our hearts, the more we ask forgiveness for, the more we grow… The more we move towards modeling Jesus the more we obtain the harmony God desires…  eternally in God’s house is where HE is calling all of us together, reassembles what was shattered at the biting of THAT apple…

Yea, we share the world, it’s up to us, we carry God’s burden of forgiving the snowball effect of man’s sins from eternity…

And we will help Jesus by forgiving, LET GO….

And we will help God by picking ourselves up, and moving forward… LET’S GO…

LET GO of the past, LET’S GROW because that’s what God desires…

LET GOD work us over

LET GO

——–
YES
The More We Live – Let Go

“You and I can change the world;
The more we live, the more we learn, the more we know.
From this moment on we share the world;
The more we give, the more we love, the more we grow.
The spirit of imagination can lead us through the dark;
The more we see, the more we try, the more we show.
The evidence of our confusion, life has left its mark;
The more we fear, the more we lie, the more we hide.
As we walk into tomorrow
(Turning away from the path we know)
Holding the future with our hands
(We carry the weight of the world we go)
It’s up to you and I — We hold the key; we hold the answers
All our thoughts of doubt and fear are leaving one by one
The more we live, the more we learn, the more we know.
For each of us the road is clear and life has just begun;
The more we give, the more we love, the more we grow.
It’s time to reach the goals we’ve set for ourselves;
The more we fear, the more we lie, the more we hide.
All we need is just to believe in ourselves;
We face the truth, we see it clear, with no disguise.
Cast away our doubt and sorrow
(Turning away from the past we know)
The Universe at our command
(Conserving the fate of the world we grow)
Together you and I, we hold the key to all the answers
Let go
Let go
Let go
Let go
Let go”

——
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant – Matthew 18:21
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

571

Faith in the Flow – Only Tears, Only Love, 05JUL

I attended the funeral of a 64 year old last week but I actually didn’t cry as I didn’t know him at all,  instead I laughed at the amazing stories of his eccentric character… my spirit was joyfully filled and re-fortified with spirit at the sermonist’s sharing proclamations of spirit.  I REALLY appreciated how much life this “flash in the pan” had lived in crazy fun… an earthly life beautiful, flawed, and broken, now at REST. I have faith that he has flowed to heaven.

This week, a BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL but BROKEN 56-year old dear friend is nearing the end unexpectedly. I weep so much,  so many of us are, it bubbles up from our deepest soul pockets, my inbox explodes with messages, these are prayer warriors who have both unparalleled sorrow and collective knowledge of the complete healing that we know the Lord could and will provide. The truth is it’s a miracle either way – either a miracle beyond medical belief in Earthly healing or a miracle because of her belief in Jesus Christ – Jesus saving each of us now and eternally. It is a miracle whichever way – both ways – ALL ways… Always SPIRIT moves in miracles…

Thus this week our collective and individual weeping is our gifted spirit flow because of both miracle paths, because we know of the deepest sorrows of a life cut way too short and we know the highest joys of a life filled with seizing the opportunity to live life under His wing of LOVE.

Our weeping is like spreading the wealth of sorrow – our dear friend cannot medically or physically cry,  so we cry for her. She cannot speak the words of her immense pain,  so we call out for her.  She cannot laugh, so we giggle in our memories. We are the little holes of spirit flow that take over when a big flow is stoppered…. put your finger in a garden hose to stop the main flow and the water will shoot out the sides – maybe a couple or maybe thru hundreds of holes – that’s us – our connective brokenness makes for spirit flow in every way it can. God’s main flow of love is split and sent thru us… Our brokenness brings purposeful healing flow and we become a powerful witness – we have faith in the flow.

The Lord connects us children on Earth in non-random ways, seemingly coincidental but not. Conduits of spirit flow are purposeful in life – and purposeful in life after death – there’s a twisting lever on a garden hose – it’s not a back and forth toggle in real life, it’s one way… So which network of spirit flow that you are connected to will eventually switch over – from life to death – a communion of heaven and saints in Christ – the flow of the spirit is re-vining the garden now – the flow of the spirit might get clogged with earthly mud – but no worries, the pressure buildup will push the flow further down new paths… Have faith in the flow.

2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  Galatians 6:2

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 1Corinthians 1:3-5

You and I take on the burden of pain and the blessing of tears from (and for) our dear friends, who are finishing their races on earth. God connects us to share our burdens and our joys. We replace their tears with our own. We comfort others because we have been comforted. We love because we are loved. We cry for the same reasons. Our tears are because of LOVE. Our spirit will use our tears for healing our brokenness from within to push the flow thru the vine to better hydrate the fruitful branches… We grow and heal because of God. We are filled with His LOVE. We have faith in the flow.

Amen

Be God’s Glitter, 02JUL

My Friend, you put the BIG letter G in Glitter. The big G of God.

My Dear, you ARE God’s Glitter.

Your witness to your faith Glitters, you remind us that it is God who holds us TOGETHER. You show how God glues our very finite dust particles TOGETHER for His purpose. And He shines us, sparkles us to Shine HIS LOVE.  God places Glitter on His beloved children with their shining SMILES.

My Dear, how many Glitter specks have you spread? How many faith seeds did you plant?  How many children first heard of Jesus’s saving LOVE because of you? Immeasurable!

How many families and friends faithfully saw the light of Christ shine thru you? Immeasurable!

How many lives were saved by your work being God’s hands and feet and especially God’s Glitter? Only God knows… My Dear you spread the Good News as fast as Glitter could be shaken out of a can… You Shine.

God glued you TOGETHER My Dear to Glitter.

Someday a forgotten box will be opened and Glitter will fall out. That’s God’s Glitter – because you taught God’s child to glue it. Perhaps it created a sparkle in a grandparents’ eyes to receive such a precious homemade gift, a gift that was made with LOVE. Perhaps it Glittered on a photo of a child’s shining Spirit. Perhaps the glitter covered a slew of gluing messes – no matter – it’s the HEALING shake of Glitter that catches our eye.

Glitter My Dear – you know Glitter, you know God – you witnessed that God glues us TOGETHER no matter how broken we are. You taught us to shine thru the tears because Jesus loves us, and that’s all that matters… JESUS CHRIST LOVES US.

Perhaps someday the floor tiles will be replaced and Glitter will ooze out of the cracks – and we will say that God was there. The leaf blowers will never clear all of the Glitter spread with happiness on this Earth.

And we will take up our own Glitter work for you My Dear, because we will Glitter because of God, we will glue, heal, teach,  learn,  love because of God.

We will SMILE because of God.

God’s healing now and eternally can and will Glitter thru our souls.

God’s glorious children are made by His own hands, and His Almighty Hands are completely covered in Glitter.

AMEN

I wrote this for dear friend, I just looked at the VBS art frames she made with my kids – she was the one who started a Facebook group which triggered me to ask a mutual friend, a theology professor, important faith questions – I owe my knowledge of the realness of Jesus in part to the spirit moving thru her…

She was taken off life support last night. We have been praying for a complete healing miracle – I know that the Lord provides her and us the ultimate miracle of complete healing with Jesus – now and forever. I know the Lord glued her together from her brokenness and allowed her to serve Him in JOY – with sparkle – with Glitter…

I started weeping in the car driving and I had to stop to write this witness to her faith – I love her, I know she’s in the Lord’s miraculous hands, I pray that He heals her miraculously, I know He knows what is best. I trust in Him.

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Work It, Holy Spirit, Work It, 02JUL

Was great to have my son’s help lifting the heavy air conditioner into my window,  this annual occurrence is probably the clearest example of having to work TOGETHER – even if one strong person,  like my neighbor whom this year was out of town,  could lift it, the prep work and the guidance is still done best as a team…

It takes our coordination and often our humility to work as a team, to put aside our own way of doing things… ALWAYS we need guidance.   I’m not just talking about air conditioner placement, I’m talking about the Holy Spirit.

Yes my shoulder repair last year allowed me to lift that AC unit with no problem – YAY – but this year it was the first time this needed extra manpower came from a teenager, WOW how he has grown! YAY protein building muscles, for both of us! As you know, muscles not worked get atrophied weak… Yes this also us with the Holy Spirit. It’s not that the Spirit itself is weak, but our working of the spirit can be – we are in danger of not being used by the spirit for our and it’s full potential. Don’t let your branches wither and die…

But we can work it… The spirit urges us to move and be moved… the HOLY SPIRIT is here to work God’s plan… we should be thankful for the strength to work it too, because it comes from God with a purpose:

15  Jesus said: “If you love me, keep my commands.16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

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I decided to take a short vacation and work on my Mary… I planned this vacation to stop me from spinning my wheels and gathering no traction, I felt I was not even being a good Martha… So just me being me, I knew I could be a better me, if I recharged my batteries, took time for my kids, took time for myself…, if I looked for His hand to pull me up, if I prayed on a plan, if I acted and touched the robe. I knew…

So in front of a peaceful pool, birds singing, cardinals flying, teenagers sleeping, I stopped and wrote (with next morning edits) to thank the Lord for His Mercy, allowing me to tweak the system, my system… thank Him for His healing, both now and forever…

Tweak the System, 23JUN

In our daily travels, all signs point to Jesus waiting for us with open arms to help ourselves to His healing.

We have to tweak the system of our own brokenness to mentally let Him work thru us to heal… to heal ourselves and simultaneously bring His peace to the world. Thru that healing and for that healing we have to be willing to change.

I love the insight that author/singer  Michael Card gives for tidbits of scripture,  he imagines about Jesus’s first miracle of changing water to wine, at the urging of His mother Mary, that Jesus became willing to tweak the system… Even though Jesus knew God’s amazing plan, and said “my time has not yet come”, Jesus tweaked the system – He showed mercy on the situation – and/or knew that situation would come up and He made things happen… He came here to make the big plan happen and do small things too… Jesus is the Word made flesh therefore He spread the Word of God’s LOVE. Along the way, then and now, Jesus healed those seeking Mercy. He tweaked the plan. Maybe that’s the plan, do you think? For us to ask Jesus to heal us for our Father’s peace… Yes, the plan is all about PEACE.

That’s so true for our actions too – Jesus tweaks the system of us within us – and so can we… I bet you that’s the plan, the truth is that we ARE the plan. We need to tweak the plan too.

Jesus says don’t worry about all those unimportant tasks, yes, get them done but don’t dwell on them – instead focus on the most important tasks at hand… if we remember sisters Mary and Martha, we will understand that both had important ways to welcome Jesus: Martha prepped for all the visitors (very important) and yet was reminded by close friend Jesus to also be present (very urgent)… A reminder to be present… if Jesus is in the room, pay attention…

Invite Jesus to work thru your own temple so that you can worship and act on His behalf. Pause, pray, plan, praise. Tweak.

If life is changeable, then tweak it! Change what you can – create a new mission, existence, focus – all while listening to Jesus’s commands to LOVE – to seek justice, to love mercy, to walk humbly (Micah 6:8).

God is doing a new thing thru us!

19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43)

Jesus says: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 10:28-30)

Freedom is freeing and intentional: to free up your burdens just give them to Jesus…

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2nd Corinthians 5)

We can tweak the system because we should… we are being given freedom to live, humbly we should be thankful, pray on it, and restart if we fail…

We can become whom Jesus needs us to be – which is simply a better version of ourselves – whom He knew we could always become…

Jesus tweaking the plan, lingering slow enough to let us touch His robe, inviting us to accept His mercy, it’s our faith that heals us.

Tweak your system – Be healed – Tell of His power – Change the World.

Amen

—-

Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” Luke 8:46-48

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Just Need to Want Jesus, 17JUN

I just NEED Jesus, and I want to NEED Jesus, and I NEED to want Jesus.

I just WANT Jesus, and I WANT to need Jesus, and I need to WANT Jesus.

We all do, we just don’t all know that,

I surely didn’t…

I do now…

I LOVE that I know Jesus now, but I didn’t back when I didn’t,  how could I even know what I didn’t know?

I didn’t, but now I do…

Who told me I needed Jesus? God did.

Who told me God loves me? Jesus did.

So do I need more than Jesus?  Well no, but I’m human and humanly I want…

I WANT, because I’m human, therefore I WANT Jesus even more…

But do I REALLY need Him more then I already have Him? Well – No, because He has already been there for me BEFORE I even knew Him. Well – Yes, because He is still there for me to know Him more.

Yes, He knew me first!

So, do I really NEED Him if I already had Him?

Yes…

I still do…

I always will…

I always will WANT Jesus because He is a NEED.

I will always NEED to want Jesus.

We all do… We all do…  we just don’t all know that. But Jesus knows…

Jesus knows…

AMEN

Be the Dot. God is Drawing Us in His Plan, 01MAY-30JUN

God surely has a plan connecting us to Him, that plan is much bigger than we could ever see or imagine… We experience His LOVE – now how can we also be conduits of LOVING OUR NEIGHBORS? How can we connect to each other? How will God use His “connect the dots” plan? How can we BE THE DOTS?

We can be one of those encouraging dots… we can be one of those loving our neighbor dots…

We are able to connect with hundreds maybe thousands of dots of people for prayers… click click click…. dot dot dot…

Do you see all those dots that God is laying down? Can you see God drawing lines in between all those dots? Can you hear the Spirit moving? Can you feel His flow of actions and prayers passing thru us to help others? Oh that’s how God works…. we reach, we touch the robe of God fringe and His love transfers…

You and I are dots that God wants to connect…

I am not a solo lone or special dot, but all of us are HIS dots, made in ink, not just pencil…. God’s dots are all His own…. You are His!

Sometimes maybe it seems like my broken dot spills and splatters when the Spirit floods and flows… I reach for help and prayers whether I am strong or weak… My dot may be spilled out of it’s lines, but God still knows where I am.

Sometimes I open my big mouth to say “wow” at how God works, and maybe that’s the point,  we have to share however we share because God wants to use us as we are…. it’s ok even to be feeling lost and faded away, because God knows where He placed all His dots, and will find you when it is time to reconnect all His dots… (Psalm 139, God will hunt us down)

Weak or strong, faded or bold, ripped or rippling, convoluted or simple,  we dots are to be connected. God will re-light you and delight in you.

We do need to pray to be better dots too… we perhaps could strive to strongly hold the harp string of the harmonic sound wave that God wants to pluck and hear… and perhaps we can strive to create a trampoline bounce dot, so that new strings of praise can be bounced from our dot to new dot spots unknown…

Prayer is flow between the dots. Prayer is the SPIRIT travelling from your dot thru other dots and back and all around the net of life… God not only hears those prayers, HE MADE THOSE PRAYERS, God makes the SPIRIT flow from Him to within us and back to Him…

We can be His hands, feet, and dots… to do His work in His world.

BE THE DOTS, LOVE THE DOTS, look for the connecting stroke of God’s pen.

BE STILL to stop spinning and let God connect to you and thru you…

God’s timing, God’s puzzle, God’s plan

You are a chosen dot… Here is a fun thought:  “But you are a chosen dot, a royal dot, a holy nation of dots, God’s special dot, that you may strung together, lines drawn between, and you can bounce the praises of Him back to Him, who bounced you out of darkness and into His wonderful Light.” 1Peter 2:9 adapted

BE THE DOTS…

Amen

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Bear Fruit for VBS, 16JUN

In Mark 11 (see below about the fig tree and the temple),  Jesus humanly is frustrated at the withering of the people who are capable yet do not bear fruit… and He speaks and acts out. “And His disciples heard Him say it.”

This scripture set is about many things including Jesus very upset that the people forgot to honor the temple, it’s anger at the people who charged extra money for the doves, which were intended as sacrifices that the poorest of people gave (according to author Michael Card)…

Jesus curses the tree, even if it is out of season, that bears no fruit,  the people won’t either until they realize that they should…. the people with “empty works, empty words – that lights the fuse of Jesus’ smoldering frustration”

I pray people who do get it then try to give it,  try to help faith grow… VBS time is an opportunity to use resources to teach, provide, and give comfort to parents and direction to children… Our jobs are to give the doves away, let the children’s spirits shine,  set them up to blossom and fruit… that’s my prayer for VBS, the fruit we already bear is also to be used for His purposes!

VBS brings children’s energy into the church… that’s the spark to our faith – we get to see the fruit already being placed EARLY on these children of God – a church without children will wither..

We can be those children too,  we can bear the fruit that was drying – we can rehydrate – we can find the seeds that are in the fruits we were gifted – then we can plant those seeds… (and lo and behold God will hang more fruit)…

At VBS we send the seeds HOME too – seeds sprouting and seeds planted and preserved for future sprouting… in the children, and in all whom they meet…

Thank you all for your prayers and plantings, THIS IS YOUR/OUR MINISTRY – thanks to the children’s garden of VBS – it’s never too early to bear fruit,  it’s never too late to bear fruit,  it’s God’s timing of course….

God is NEVER out of season…

AMEN

12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’ ”

18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

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Open the Gift, 10JUN

I just now saw a beautiful photo of a beautiful daughter and Mom, both women strong and bold… I know some of their story;   I know it’s the Lord who made them strong!

It got me thinking about why God picks certain times for us to become strong not just for ourselves, but for Him…

It is seemingly as if the time we spend growing is so that we gather the strength and fortitude to stand up to the world – and I know so many in this world may not know it is strength grown from Him… So, when we realize His gift of time to heal, to grow, to shine, then how much MORE grateful we can be (I am) that He found us weak, then He grew us strong.

He Himself chooses us to be His messengers, sometimes subtle or over the top, humble yet direct, soft yet certain, and always thankful!

And He places us in the company of folks that He needs His message sent to… our brokenness not crippling but purposeful… His healing right on time…

He chooses to make us stronger by healing us, if we accept AND take time for His ways.

He gives healing and strength as a gift. When we receive gifts we could and should say thank you, because since it’s a gift we have nothing to do with its gifting – and yet it is up to us to actually open the present up!

Open the present, His present, as in a gift package, and open the present, His present, as in time…

Open the gift and gift it back to Him!

HIS LOVE, HIS PLAN…

HIS present

HIS presence

HIS PURPOSE becomes our purpose…

Open the gift of strength, of time, of healing – and then gift it back to Him!

AMEN

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Jesus Crossing Guard, 01Jun

The crossing guard at school this morning had such a stern look as she gazed down the road. She took a long view to see what was coming and what was going. Was she potentially looking for kids or watching the traffic? It was the most focused look you could imagine, not mean but very discerning… I’ve watched the same crossing guard for 6 years now and when the kids come she checks everything, she’s very thorough, and while her stop sign is up and the kids are crossing in front of her, her face changes and she smiles and greets them and is so happy to see them. She is a crossing guard who does just that – guards – protects – focuses on the task at hand – but she does not forget the joy of the children that she is tasked to take care of. Greeting and guarding go hand in hand.  She needs those kids to pay attention to her just as much as the cars need to pay attention to her. The kids need to cross safely, not hop across the intersection until permission, or jaywalk right into traffic.

That’s Jesus right there!! He is tasked with a mission. He wants us safe. He is our crossing guard – daily and eternally watching, discerning… It is through His cross that we cross to eternal life… It is His guard. He watches and protects. And it is thru His engagement with us that He can share Joy and peace loving smiles…

And Jesus has that long view of a crossing guard… He knows our past, He knows our future, and He’s ever vigilant to watch out for the big and the little things that can trip us up.

And Jesus does not forget to SMILE. Jesus wants to see life, see the joy of His children when they realize they are protected, when they realize they are being taken care of, and when they are crossing and walking WITH HIM.

The handheld stop sign which a crossing guard lifts does not prevent errant cars from speeding, it does not prevent people from completely being out of touch, it does not prevent all the evils in the world… Nor does it stop children who are not paying attention from cutting corners in the road – and in life… We are still children – we are still walking thru a broken world, a distracted and disheveled world, it is a messy world for sure…

Here’s hoping the stop sign for Jesus will catch our attention and we can look at our own actions and learn how to behave in all situations using His LOVE for guidance… Here’s hoping we know to move forward within His gaze.  Let’s hope we make it thru – and not lose our joy.

Remember Jesus has a long view – He sees our sin all the way back to original sin before we were even born – He sees it all, yet He does not judge it – and He forgives it all…. Since we do not even know all the sins we have committed, He forgives us… Since we know sins we still commit, even while we know Him, He forgives… And since we have no idea those sins we will make the future, He forgives.

Jesus has a long view in knowing that we need Him, He keeps that stop sign up and keeps watching, urging us to stay in this narrow path towards Our Father… No one crosses to the Father except thru Jesus – stray off the road and you might get delayed and lost without seeing the guard standing there ready to help.

Jesus will make sure those cars don’t block the box either when we cross, He wants to provide an open walkway – and then, while we are face to face with Him we can see His focusing Love and see His JOYful smiles to see us gazing directly at Him…  Jesus gives us the JOY of the Lord that we can hold on to now – and eternally…

Thank You for the cross Lord Jesus – the cross, the crossing and the crossing over  – thank you for our guiding path now. Greeting and Guarding – we will keep walking toward and with You.

Amen

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Let He Who Boasts, Boast in the Lord, 31May

Sometimes I wonder if I write too much,  but then I read my favorite verbose Paul…. he and I would understand each other… I’m thankful to know it’s a trickle effect of faith from one to another…. God “confirming testimony”…

I’ve been thru trials, but I’m BLESSED. I’m always thinking: “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” when I recount my many blessings… People might see me as a Pollyanna, or even ignorant, but I know whose HOPE I hold on to…

1 Corinthians 1 New International Version (NIV)

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God… 4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you.7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord…..

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

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God Watches, 26May

My friend said I could share this true story that shows God is watching out for us even if we are not doing the right things…

After a band gig, a friend’s husband was putting his equipment in his truck. He always locks his truck in between runs because his equipment is expensive. So on one run he comes out and his door is wide open and someone is inside passed out in the driver’s seat, so the cops came and took the man home. Turns out the passed out man mistook the truck for his and after he couldn’t start it he passed out   But my friend’s husband insists he had locked his truck, he said he remembers doing it – so how did he get in? Everyone says someone’s life was saved that night because if that man had gotten into his own truck and driven he certainly would have crashed….

God watches she says, she wonders how the truck got opened, but surely she doesn’t wonder why… 😉

God watches…

God saves…

God is cool…

WOW GOD!

Amen

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Spirit Heal Thyself, 24MAY

I try not to childishly whine, still do, I try not to complain, but that lack of venting out my soul is not good…. I realize as humans we have an internal bubbling volcano of emotions… as a vocal person, venting volcanoes keeps them from exploding….

Without whining, internal and external vocalizing also makes me realize how much others have similar and worse problems,  perspective is priceless… yup, I’m good Lord… I’m going to be fine… I rather should be complaining then acting about injustices in the world – I should be in the world, not of it, but  still walking thru it to work…. (Micah 6:8)

We need to be God’s hands and feet and mouthpiece of PEACE.

So that I can get back to my peace work, I will vent here,  then for the sake of your ears I will delete it all…. yes for privacy too, and yes also because you don’t have time to read all my vents… ready?

Sweet Jesus, here it goes…..

…….

……..

… whew …

Whew, I feel much better. Whether you know what my vents are or not, I feel much better spilling them out from clogging up my soul (but I’m glad I didn’t burden you with reading them!)…

You know what? All of our vents, desires, complaints, praises, and explosive moments, spoken and not, are heard and felt by the SPIRIT… God knows even our wordless groans… (Romans 8) (and they are loud and clear!)

Some folks barely sleep, but when I sleep I am out cold… like that collapse in the couch exhaustion sleep for forever… I praise sound sleep, I’m so grateful… isn’t that amazing that the body and the spirit need rest at the same time and couch coma sets in?… Why mentally are we required to sleep? Jesus wants us to find peace… even in small chunks… Without sleep and without peace we cannot live!

At 2:30 AM, waking me up a few years back, it was as if the SPIRIT said: “now just you and me have time to work things out”… Apparently I needed to question, ponder, praise and feel like I was being heard (by myself?) – but at 2:30 a.m.? …. But yea at 2:30 a.m. and at 4:00 a.m. and at 6:00 a.m. and at high noon and midnight, and every second in between, the SPIRIT IS heard…. God knows all…. who knows everything and is listening? God says “I AM” !!!

God says “I AM”

Jesus says “I AM” your friend, you must remember me!

The Spirit connection says “I AM” ready for healing… physically mentally emotionally spiritually blessedly healing is found in PEACE.

The SPIRIT is ready to move you and work you for God’s PEACE.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11.

Rest your vents, random moments and dreams in the healing SPIRIT of PEACE.

Rest in His PEACE and keep walking…

God loves your PEACE – because He loves you…

Amen

——

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. Romans 8

8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.  Micah 6

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Be STILL the Child Jesus wants you to be, 19MAY

The Little Children and Jesus

13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10

It’s raining – not super cold but dreary – I’m waiting for the warm up to my day, my life,  my future… I’ll get there, just take a moment to think about it first…  it’s a rainy day for a reason, even if I don’t see it… it’s a rainy day for thinking in… the future is filled with God’s plans, take the rainy day moments as a GIFT. Not a hindrance but an opportunity… be an opportunist for God’s work in you,  His child.

Jesus needs to feel the LOVE of the little children, as much as they need Him, we do too… As He needs them… He needs us too… hugging Him back…

Start to think about the message of a rainy day to regroup – as Jesus’s GIFT to us is too – recapture our inner child – not in childish ways but childlike wonder! Childlike innocence! Childlike JOY! Childlike LOVE!

If our doubts prevent ourselves from running like children into Jesus’s arms,  Jesus will rebuke those doubts for us. Remember we CAN run the race, let the Lord handle the rest… let no one steal your Joy!

So childlike “Receiving of the Kingdom of God” – what does that mean?

So many things…

Receiving the kingdom of God is receiving a heart that LOVES…

Receiving the kingdom of God is receiving a SPIRIT that connects to others…

Receiving the kingdom of God is receiving the opportunities that await us…

Receiving the kingdom of God is receiving it NOW, acting NOW like we are in the Kingdom of God – because we are!!! Maybe that garden is weighed down by the worldly things, but children deal with it and keep being children anyway – in awe of the kingdom…

Being a child is having seemingly endless energy… but needing the most rest…

We don’t always know how to deal with the world – a child just takes the world as it comes – deals with the moment – even sometimes tired, cranky (think grocery store moment of a toddler who needs a nap), and needy – a child who gets rest can then get back up to recieve the world in JOY once again… recharged… a child says “No” emphatically when someone tries to take away their JOY…

We have JOY in the Lord; don’t let anyone take away your JOY!

We need to rest our worldly troubles in the Lord, we need to regroup, retool, rebuke evil… We need to relax, rest up in His Love… wake up in His LOVE.

Children run into arms for joy and excitement, children run into arms for protection and reassurance. Are we those children too?

We need to RUN into Jesus’s arms to absorb His LOVE for us to know it’s there… We need to RUN into Jesus’s arms to absorb His LOVE for Him to know we love Him…. We need to RUN into Jesus’s arms to reshare His Love for His people…

Kingdom LOVE comes from within and it’s always present… children share LOVE without hindrance…

The everlasting kingdom might be here now – OR – the kingdom might feel like a long ways away…. But remember, the kingdom ALREADY has a King! The kingdom already has the LOVE!

Let Love reign over, rain on, rein in His children… We are children of the King!

Be still His child…

Be His child still…

Be still and know LOVE…

Amen

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Transplant, 13MAY

I’m amazed at how God connects us – His timing – His flock – His connections…

We believers should and do cling to each other to strengthen our resolve to put on the armor of God and get back out into the world to do His work… God pairs us up to double time, encourage, stand by, witness in His work… collective prayers are synergistic…

I know it’s a messy world, but we can witness God working the system… I don’t know how better to explain God living in each of us than the fact that He works us to work His system… we have to know that God is not external but intrinsically woven thru our dust particles.

I got such emotional healing as I read thru some beautiful comments in get well cards that I asked the folks at a recent gathering to sign for a local child, who just got a life-saving liver transplant… I saw an opportunity to speak to the 200 plus congregation and I took it – and I asked them to pray for this child and her family and her donor’s family… I didn’t mean to get emotional, but oh I cried instantly when I told them that she has her whole life ahead of her – because she does – and yes we do too – our whole life ahead with God leading – that opportunity to live makes my spirit sing!

Often I feel placed in an open praise loop in life, and at this moment God helped me slip into and thru this 15 second time slot opportunity…. my tears and emotion with my words welled up and instantly there was a smiling soul, right in front of me who enthusiastically said “I had two liver transplants and a kidney transplant!!” –  Oh, how does God do that?! Both giving me the “coincidence” moment, and the support, and thankfully the fitting conclusion to my plea of prayers which got me to finish this 15 second opportunity… it was a loop of praise that I completed –  a HOPE loop – healing on the go… I smiled internally and externally and that pulled my tears back in enough so that I could keep moving…

Oh, that recovery moment for me and that connection placed by God made me smile and realizing that God did that – He did that – I witnessed that connection – I still do… That moment make me weep even more to feel and see and hear an overflowing presence of SPIRIT in front of me (with me in it!)… God works to refill our cups… my spirit-fill to balance the overflow then re-absorb my tears and rehydrated my soul.

I am blessed to be but a transplant of His Spirit where He puts me – YES, God places each of us where He needs, therefore I surely pray to be off to my next spirit-led place… spread tears here and smiles there and Spirit connections everywhere… How wonderful to witness the spirit moving so that we ALL get to cleanse and recharge our many sections of this ONE body of us all together…

God works His system and we are but transplants thru it… He moves us thru the whole body – one body – one SPIRIT – so very many moving parts…

Transplant – we are gifted opportunities to see where we fit – we are gifted opportunities to re-gift how our lives are spirit-charged and recharged… by witness and presence…

How can I help, Lord? – sometimes it’s to take action, sometimes it’s simply to have the pause in deep healing tears to rehydrate the system…

Sometimes to “just” remind us all that we are HIS spirit-moved transplants – the SPIRIT moves us to move…

Happily I got the cards signed, and in doing so, I also got my SPIRIT lifted – I got my hope renewed – I got to step back to see the body of Christ function while also being in the system…

I have faith that this is so normal for God, and so unbelievable to me….

We are called to work the system because God works us in the system!

We are His hands, feet, voices, eyes, transplants…

Where are we going today, Lord?

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It should NOT surprise me how GOD WORKS…

I misheard a song lyric today at marvelous retreat wrap up service, and it’s now the most powerful praise burst that I must write about,  so strong I had to write the lyric on my hand… bugged me all afternoon to write… I will write then rest (like dough)… let the rest lead to a good rise…

ONE LOAF, 12MAY

One Loaf – no, that’s not the lyric, but that’s what I heard!, because I think the Lord loves reminding us all being a part of “ONE LOAF”.

“One bread, one body,

one Lord of all”…

Instead I heard: “One bread, one body,

ONE LOAF of all”…

ONE LOAF – we are all in this together… we collectively are together, vine together, dust to dust together, and as ONE LOAF (like of bread, NOT meatloaf, LOL) we grow and rise and transform together…. connected in a gooey way that grows, then matures into the whole body of Christ…

“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it”. 1Corinthians 12:27

No division – all together – supportive and sacred connections… all tears of JOY and angst equally mix into everyone else’s…. all lost and all found are together… all bowed knees and rocket ship like reaches are together… all made in ONE SPIRIT…

ONE LOAF

Are you still feeling on the edge of your connectedness? Like crumbled cracker meal, not stuck in a nook and cranny? You are NOT; you are within the ONE LOAF…

Are you burnt toast? Branches burnt, crumpled and fire toasted scrapes? You are NOT; you are just losing what hinders you, you are within the ONE LOAF…

Are you undone sticky dough under God’s fingernails? You are NOT forgotten; you are maturing and you are within the ONE LOAF…

Are you tucked and buttered inside the warmth of a nook and cranny? Take a moment to feel the heartiness of God, yes thank You Lord! Then, perhaps in a new way, you need to seek out those who need you as Christ’s messenger the MOST, stretching the loaf in new ways of LOVE, you can and will stick to some connections that God makes and pray that they can also find their own way, to realize they too are within the ONE LOAF…

“God has so composed the body,……. that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”

ONE LOAF – together – with – for – in – thru – Christ – ONE LOAF broken so that Christ could work us back in to Whole…

Grain TOGETHER – The LOAF is ingrained into the WORD – and the WORD is ingrained into you… “gathered together for all”…

One bread, one body, One LOAF, LOVE, LORD of all

Love never ends. LOAF never ends

ONE LOAF – ONE LOVE

AMEN

——-

1Corinthians 12:12-27  For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

—-

Lyrics:

One bread, one body, one Lord of all, one cup of blessing which we bless.

And we, though many, throughout the earth, we are one body in this one Lord.

Verse 1. Gentile or Jew, servant or free, woman or man, no more.

Verse 2. Many the gifts, many the works, one in the Lord of all.

Verse 3. Grain for the fields, scattered and grown, gathered to one, for all.

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I’m Tired Lord, 11MAY

I’m tired Lord. You woke me up 20 minutes before my alarm.

I’m tired Lord,  SNOOZE…. 5 more minutes…

I’m tired Lord,  it’s Friday… TGIF, SNOOZE… 5 more minutes…

I’m tired Lord, yet those birds sound happy, spring has sprung, SNOOZE… 5 more minutes…

I’m tired Lord, these covers are so nice, the house is warm, the sun shines in brightly, SNOOZE… 5 more minutes…

I’m tired Lord, my daughter’s alarm is now going off, she’s such a hard worker, she needs 5 more minutes to SNOOZE… 5 more minutes…

I’m tired Lord, my son’s alarm clock is actually me, he’s tired too, he did so great at his band concert… In addition to his trumpet playing, I’m even more proud and happy watching his social banter with the kids next to him, his smiles and laughter, he needs and gets 5 times 5 more minutes to SNOOZE… 5 more minutes…

I’m tired Lord, the kids are tired, they were up late laughing,  playing with the cat,  filling the house with life and how awesome hearing such intellectual chat, they are so grown up and yet still so wondrously wild!!!… they need 5 more minutes to SNOOZE… 5 more minutes…

I’m tired Lord – the cat’s meow – the crab’s crawl – the house stirs – I’m in awe Lord even if I’m not moving…. I’m listening Lord and I hear life…. that’s You Lord knocking on my head, You rustling Your leaves, You hustling me into the day…

I’m up Lord!!! I’ll take a couple of 5 minutes to write praises – I’m still comfy and warm, tired but happy… I’m still in awe Lord, always in AWE…

Sometimes, like last night, I withdraw, realize I am too quiet and too tired to be my normal social self, the circle of the day slows so that I can see the circle of life…. even tired I was still being Mom, I don’t know any other job that compares in benefits… I’ve worked hard as a mom to give my kids the best, but You gave them their SPIRIT, I take no credit there…

Well, there’s one way that I’m even more in awe – The only additional job to being a Mom, is being a child – more than a child of my parents is especially being a child of God – working for You Lord as Your child…. there is no better 5 MORE minutes or 10,000 MORE years in awe to know I am Yours….

I am awake now Lord,  thanks…. time to begin the day… tired but TGIF…. 5 MORE minutes to praise…

The kids say I’m late now, figures… “Come on Mom! Let’s go!”…  THANKS for making me a Mom,  thanks for the hustling me, Lord…

5 minutes – is that too many to use to write? 5 minutes – is that too many to rest in the PEACE of Our Lord? 5 minutes – is that too many to praise? I don’t think so…

5 MORE minutes…

5 MORE minutes…

THANK GOD! I HAVE 5 MORE MINUTES!

THANKS Lord for 5 more minutes and the all the REST!

AWAKE, ALIVE, A CHILD

Now I’m ready to GO!

Thanks God…

Thanks

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Encounter to Encourage, 26APR/06MAY

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It is God – it is not me, 03MAY

A big take home message from scripture over and over again is that God wants the credit… why? God wants others look to Him too –  and only to Him rather than worldly wins and woes!

A wiki page for Gideon recounts that: “God informed Gideon that the men he had gathered were too many – with so many men, there would be reason for the Israelites to claim the victory as their own instead of acknowledging that God had saved them.”

OH….. that is what speaks to me – when I payoff  a bill, when I make a deadline,  when I can take a moment to rest and SMILE … God found the way for me to get to that point – to get thru life… I have to still put in the effort,  and I have to pay attention… and I have to give credit where credit is due… yes it is still good to fear the Almighty Lord – as a Father – a loving Father –

God wants us to acknowledge that God is the one who saves us both here on Earth and eternally – and that is 100% the truth… we enter our lives with limited power of our own – and sometimes we are distracted and confused too – but GOD IS STILL WITH US…  “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

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Be the Dot. God is Drawing in His Plan, 01MAY

My friend got a kick out of the hoopla of a secret video of his basketball game with a “random” stranger that went viral,  200,000 views to date, TV news, in just 3 days,  but he takes it all in stride… Understandibly the man who took the video is so excited about it going viral!! His kids are excited too!! They saw the coolness of the moment and became the conduit of connectedness….  Another friend (a social media savvy friend) saw the newsfeed, tagged me on Facebook when she saw the story and I connected the video taker with my friend … not by social media but physical stopping by to find him at the pizza place on Sunday. He laughed – he said “look at that big dot of white hair” remarking at himself in the video… As he was just being normal friendly gentleman he is, the news here is the world is all looking for connecting to friendliness… it’s a feel good story… God knows we like feel good stories that tug our heartstring…

It’s bigger than the bouncing dot of white hair or the bouncing of a basketball, it’s a warm fuzzy feeling of having HOPE  in mankind… it’s a direction for connection that God wants us to be thinking about… how can we be conduits of LOVING OUR NEIGHBORS? How can we connect? How will God use this “randomness” in His “connect the dots” plan? How can we BE THE DOTS?

God surely has a plan which is connecting us to Him, that plan is much bigger than we could ever see or imagine… there were endless examples for me this week: a new drummer of an old band posted on facebook about his critics hounding him, and the flood of fan encouragement poured in… they were connecting dots of encouragement,  that’s what God’s SPIRIT can do… and we can be one of those encouraging dots…

Another few faith conversations with friends, time to encourage… we can be one of those encouraging dots… we of course can also be one of those loving our neighbor dots too!

So importantly, last night I was half awake on the couch and a text message comes through about one of our Vacation Bible School and girl scout families whose 4yr old daughter needs a liver transplant… So in the course of half an hour, not moving from the couch, I, my girl scout leader and others were able to connect with hundreds maybe thousands of people for prayers… click click click…. dot dot dot… including the person and social media outlet thru the basketball game… dot… dot… dot….

Do you see the dots that God is laying down? Then can you see God drawing lines in between those dots? Can you hear the spirit moving? Can you feel His flow of actions and prayers passing thru us to help others? Oh that’s how God works…. we reach, we touch the robe of God fringe and His love transfers…

I don’t know if any of these connections will come up with a liver donation but what I do know is that being in prayer is the most important thing we can be in. And I thank you for your prayers.

Prayer is flow between the dots. Prayer is the SPIRIT travelling from your dot thru other dots and back and all around the net of life… God not only hears those prayers, HE MADE THOSE PRAYERS, God makes the SPIRIT flow from Him to within us and back to Him…

You and I are dots that God wants to connect…

I am not a solo lone or special dot, but all of us are HIS dots, made in ink, not just pencil…. God’s dots are all His own…. You are His!

Sometimes maybe it seems like my broken dot spills and splatters when the Spirit floods and flows… I reach for help and prayers whether I am strong or weak… and I open my big mouth to say “wow”, and maybe that’s the point,  we all have to share however we share because God wants to use us as we are…. it’s ok even to be feeling lost and faded away, because God knows where He placed all His dots, and will find you (psalm 139 hunt us down) when it is time to reconnect all His dots…

Weak or strong, faded or bold, ripped or rippling, convoluted or simple,  we dots are to be connected. God will re-light you and delight in you.

We do need to pray to be better dots too… we perhaps could strive to strongly hold the harp string of the harmonic sound wave that God wants to pluck and hear… and perhaps we can strive to create a trampoline bounce dot, so that new strings of praise can be bounced from our dot to new dot spots unknown… and we can let our heartstrings be pulled too…

We can be His hands, feet, and dots… to do His work in His world.

BE THE DOTS, LOVE THE DOTS, look for the connecting stroke of God’s pen.

BE STILL to stop spinning and let God connect to you and thru you…

God’s timing, God’s puzzle, God’s plan

You are a chosen dot…

“But you are a chosen dot, a royal dot, a holy nation of dots, God’s special dot, that you may strung together, lines drawn between, and you can bounce the praises of Him back to Him, who bounced you out of darkness and into His wonderful Light.” 1peter 2:9 adapted

BE THE DOTS…

Amen

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Five MORE Minutes, 30APR

A follow up to the previous devotion… thx for prayers

https://debbieupper.wordpress.com/2018/05/14/5-years-5-minutes-27apr-552/

Oops…. car accident prevented by God…

Five more everything gifted by God saving me from the accident I almost caused… no accident whew… THANKS LORD!

I try to be good but I did allow some divisiveness sneak into my world and I allowed it to make me lose focus…

I got distracted…. without giving details, I’ll just say I saw an evil divisiveness invade a situation not involving me it did… and even though it was diffused (praying Jesus words: “Satan get behind me “), it still it had a ripple effect, and I was distracted rethinking about it while driving… evil sneaks in, therefore we are to be vigilant… I need to send a praise to God to let me see it clearly now… God unmasks the situations… I got His save…

I know we should not be surprised by divisive situations because they will present themselves again and again… they still surprise me because I am human… So we prepare and do the best we can and not let the evil in the world steal our focus or our JOY…. the truth is that JOY…

Therefore my needed self-control is to not let the distractions keep me from obeying the TRUTH – that is a gift from the SPIRIT !! A fruit from the spirit… I am blessed to “keep running the race!” Scripture from Paul says: “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through LOVE.

“7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you…

“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5

Thanks Lord for the save…

Five MORE minutes…

Thanks Lord for fruits of the SPIRIT…

Thanks Lord for the TRUTH!

Thanks Lord for helping me continue the race!

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5 years, 5 minutes, 27Apr

My favorite Bowie song – “5 years” – David screams it – I do too…

He sings about only five years left for the Earth… how urgent!… “oh my brain hurts a lot”, he screams!

“We’ve got five years, what a surprise
We’ve got five years, my brain hurts a lot
We’ve got five years, that’s all we’ve got”

I do think about life and death, especially with my long commute, I think about the time we have here, on this Earth… and I think about what Heaven is like…

I wonder looking at the clouds when things will end. I should…

I wonder how “to cram so many things” into such a short time… I should…

I wonder how to rest enough… I should…

I should keep moving. I should keep moving… I should…

What would you do with only 5 years left in life? 5 years? 5 months? 5 days? 5 minutes?

Would we start by thanking the Lord?

WOULD we say: “I LOVE YOU LORD!” constantly?

5 years, 5 minutes? Would I ask for the Lord’s mercy? I should…

5 years? Oh what could I accomplish in 5 years? How many lives could I help? How many times could I tell my kids, my parents that I love them? Tell them constantly? I should…

5 months? Would I take time for myself alone? or would I fill it with every person I could visit as fast as I could? How many hugs could I gather and give in that time? Should I SMILE? I should…

5 days?  Would I go back to finish the unfinished?

Finish that sewing pile? No!

How about finishing that stolen kiss? Maybe!

Would I “Finish the race? Yes! I would finish the race… I should…

5 anything? Would I even tell the people I would be gone? Would I want to burden them? Or inspire them? I should INSPIRE… I should…

5 minutes? How many times would I call out to the Lord? How many times could I question Him? How many times could I thank Him? How many times would I cry: “Why?” How many minutes would it take me to STOP my questioning? How many minutes would it take me to start listening? I should…

How long before the ONLY thing I say is:

“I love You, Lord”

I should…

I would…

I will…

How long before I LISTEN for the Lord?

5 years, 5 minutes?

Focus on loving the Lord?

Focus on loving everything He does and made?

I should…

I love to question “WHY?” – I do…

I love that the ONLY answer He ever gives me is:

“Because I LOVE you!”

I should use every moment to BELIEVE that…

“Because I LOVE you!”

For every moment we live is in His Love, of His Love, and with His Love.

Because of Him we LIVE to LOVE

We should…

Amen

551

I had to mirror my previous writing about the stars – from when I was on a blessing of a retreat 6 months prior –https://debbieupper.wordpress.com/2017/11/03/the-stars-27oct-496/

I HAD to write again – close to the same situation – same camp setting – same road – same nighttime climb of the hill – but different because I was not attending this retreat (and I snuck out early to get home to the kids) there was no one to talk to! – once again the ONLY praise and explosion of my thoughts could be shared with the one and only who deserves the praises – the Lord…

I felt like I was taking a mini retreat while dropping off someone to this retreat…  and this WAS different because instead of the Fall, it was SPRINGtime – yes there were different stars and oh the new sounds that sprung into my ears from the rare sound of the Peepers – “and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.” Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise from the ends of the earth… (Isaiah 42)

“There are Peepers, Lord!!!!”, 26APR

I am screaming in my head while walking up the EXACT same hill where just months prior I had screamed in my head: “The stars, Lord!” – To whom can I call out? Again with no one to talk to – I can only call out to YOU, Lord! Only and appropriately only have praise for YOU – “to whom all is due”

I can hear those PEEPERS, Lord! WOW!

I can see those stars!

There are people too, Lord! I can feel them calling out Your praises tonight, even if I can’t see them.

I know they are praising – after I leave camp I will not hear them, but You can hear them, and that makes me happy.

There are REALLY LOUD peepers, Lord. I am floored at how blessed I am at this very moment – to relive an awestruck moment – to hear Your creation so loud… but Lord, why are peepers SO LOUD??? Do they need to hear each other? or perhaps do we need to hear them loud and clear so that we know that they are from You – praising back to You?

Why are the stars SO bright, Lord? Do the stars need to shine to each other? or perhaps do we need to see them so bright so that we know they are a sign from You?

Why is the moon SO mesmerizing, Lord? Does the moon need to startle the world? or perhaps do we need to just say ‘I do not know how God does all these amazing things!’

There’s our world, Lord! Why is our world so diverse, Lord? Is the earth for us or is it for You, Lord? – dust to dust with YOU… Can we remember to look for You in our mesmerization?

Do we need to understand the world to love it? or perhaps do we just need to know that You love it? Can we take care of Your beautiful Earth, Lord? Can you help us? Can we take a moment to care? to stare? to see? to listen? Will Your future children ever get to hear praises out of the voices of peepers? I don’t know – but I pray that they will…

Do we need to understand the people in the world to love them? Or perhaps do we just need to know that You love them and we should too? Will Your future children ever get to hear praises out of the voices of people?  Will Your future children get to feel Your love? I know that answer – they WILL feel your LOVE – but of course I pray that they will know it is from You…

Can we truly ever know how much You love us?

Can I simply walk up this hill and know You are with me always? To the ends of the earth? I can Lord – I can!

Can we keep walking with you Lord? We can Lord – we can!

Can we understand that You most simply and most intricately want to show us that You love us! We can Lord – we can!

Can I hear praising peepers again?

Actually I still do hear those PRAISING PEEPERS – Your Spirit placed them in my head – and LORD, THEY ARE LOUD!

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I reached for my phone when this firecracker of a spirit thought connected in my head last night, but I was in a church service and I had to wait to write… but WOW, please tell me someone had already had this spirited thought, I don’t read much so I think God just has to repopulate these notions again and again in us… my view of the cross changed forever in that moment yesterday… I hold onto the cross not JUST for life after death but for OPEN ARMS – TODAY…

Open Arms, 23APR

The Cross, Jesus’s Cross, is a great physical shape to hold onto in our hands, and the spiritual Cross is essential to hold onto in our faith. The Cross crossed Jesus over, life-death-life.

The shape of the cross, the image, the message, is not JUST of a reminder of the physical torture of Jesus’s tired abused body. But THINK about that shape, Jesus died with OPEN ARMS!!!! Arms that were forced humanly open by nails on wood, but actively mentally held OPEN by Him. When Jesus was at HIS last earthly moments He still kept His open arms OPEN!

Jesus has opened His arms to hold us, His arms to rescue us, His arms to lift us…. look at that shape and remember that His arms on the cross, and forever more, are OPEN ARMS to welcome us HOME…

If we focus on the shape of the cross, we should already feel home… “for today you will be with ME  in paradise”… Feel the love preparing our way thru His way. Christ connects life-death-life by His crossing over for our salvation. He welcomes us today. I invite you to feel how Christ is ready to peel His arms off that cross and lift you today, lift from under your rib cage and hold you TODAY – just as He would hold you FOREVER.

Jesus has OPEN ARMS to hold, hug, lift, LOVE.

We can live again by first living in Jesus’s arms – TODAY…

Hold onto His OPEN ARMS and squeeze Him too. Lift Him up and He will Lift you!

Lift

LOVE

Live

LIVE!!!

AMEN!

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CAPABLE, 15APR

We are human, we are limited, God is INFINITE

God is God

God knits into us His GIFT of strength and His empowering lift of SPIRIT

God makes us CAPABLE…

WOW that is EXHAUSTING!!!

God wants to use us!

CAPABLE

I am stubborn,  short-sighted, cranky

I am simple

I am bold

I am rushed

I am lost

I am blind

I am SO very human, but God is SO very God

CAPABLE

God is CAPABLE of using my humanness for His purposes

Eye-opening for sure

CAPABLE

I am silly

I am flighty

I am a child

I am me

I am so very me, to a flaw, but God is so very God

CAPABLE

God is capable of using my flaws for His purposes

Maturing me

CAPABLE

I am so very shallow, but God is so very God

I look deep inside and know where I stop and God goes deeper, MUCH DEEPER

The infinite vast expansion of the universe is mirrored only in the infinite vast depth inside one’s own soul…

My words, my LOVE, my spirit are NOT from me

My God is infinitely more deep than the depth of me

My God is vaster than the widest expansions of the universe

My God is CAPABLE

My God connects all that is His

CAPABLE

My SPIRIT is His, lent to my mortal body for a flash of the most faint mark of His infinite time

My God gives me His SPIRIT anyway,  for His purpose

My SPIRIT is CAPABLE to reconnect to Him

My SPIRIT is CAPABLE to flow to His SPIRIT in others

My mission is to NOT hinder the flow… HIS FLOW

My mission is to LIVE

My mission is to LOVE

My God is LOVE

LOVE is CAPABLE

God, You are my God

You are CAPABLE

I am me, but

You are God

I LOVE You Lord

I wish to return the LOVE to You thru using Your LOVE

Thank you for making me CAPABLE to LOVE

Thank You for making me Yours

Amen

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Suffering for Christ, Not Ourselves, 14APR

Suffering…. Jesus says we will have struggles, suffering, and strife in life…

We need to choose, however, what is real suffering and what is caused by our focus on worldly things…

Scripture tells us to not worry about what we will eat or drink,  or overindulge in drinking and things that cloud our understanding of reality… what we worry about breeches our understanding of real suffering… our perception of suffering is what becomes an escapism drive… our placation of life to make everything alright for ourselves becomes our drug of choice. We all do this. We are human. Jesus is trying to open our eyes to let us shed our human ways and return to being the forces of LOVE in the world.

Choose suffering over stuff… Choose wisely what to suffer about… Choose to suffer for Christ and NOT for ourselves…

We often don’t understand or choose to negate our distractive ways which make us avoid the real problems in the world…. we are clouded… we continue to be a sinful generation… we forget to work on loving…

Choose LOVE over being lost….

As disciples, we could and should see that Jesus was and is suffering not simply thru physical pain (even though that was tremendous) but thru emotional aching to re-vine a garden of God’s children who are distracted, fighting, squabbling and lost. Can you see the burning branches (John 15) of fruitless human endeavors which make it hard for Jesus and us as disciples to rise a garden back out of the ashes when fires are still actively burning?… We know that we are supposed to shed our concerns but we keep getting distracted… we (you and me) are walking disciples… much of the world hasn’t even started walking yet… ignorance… much of the world can’t even get to disbelief then eventual belief if their ignorance still reigns… seeds not yet planted can not sprout.

Jesus walked continuously with the disciples and yet they were also so very clouded in their belief – but at least they kept walking with Jesus and asking questions… they witnessed miracle after miracle and still had continued disbelief – they even saw repetitions of miracles – loaf after loaf of bread – and yet could not convey the true meaning of their journey back to Christ when He asked them what was going to happen to the Son of Man… they barely grasped that Jesus was actually God’s chosen one… Imagine knowing what we faithfully believe now, that they could have unbelief? Imagine if we saw Jesus transfigured and talking with Moses and Elijah – if we saw Jesus not as a human but in His Godly radiance – would we hesitate for a moment to BELIEVE everything, no questions asked?… Would we?? Peter, John and James saw this REALLY happen and yet the continued discussing and questioning EVEN MORE after the fact than before…. “What does this all mean?” “Does Elijah come first?” “What does it mean to rise from the dead?” (See Mark 9)… Jesus keeps working His plan, but even Jesus was surprised at their disbelief… Jesus may have wished to transfigured them and each of us for a brief moment to show the SPIRIT-filled soul under our heavy humaness…

Jesus wondered and wonders now when His then and current disciples will shed their disbelief? When will they have the knowledge and willingness to move thru the world as God’s hands and feet? And the willingness to teach that Jesus REALLY was real? When?  The disciples were able to perform miracles, as needed – not to be used as sideshows –  but miracles as mercy moments to help the masses…

Similarly, when will we, you and I and the masses, believe that we can do the work that Jesus called us to do – when will can we ALSO provide mercy moments to the masses?  When will we, like they, accept Jesus’s GIFT of the Holy Spirit to guide us. And when will we BELIEVE in His power?

Back to the same question – when will we choose to suffer FOR Christ and NOT for ourselves?… to do this we need to choose to keep walking past our own distractions… to put ourselves last in order to help… to put LOVE first and hate last… to BELIEVE that LOVE will win… We must choose to play to win – for God!

Jesus’s first challenge to us is to BELIEVE. And to LOVE.

“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9

Jesus’s challenge to us is to accept the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Jesus’s challenge to us is to keep walking…

Jesus’s challenge to us is to testify about His LOVE,  to plant seeds of faith…. For seeds not yet planted can not sprout, but sprouting seeds give HOPE.

Jesus’s GIFT to us is HOPE

Jesus’s GIFT to us is HIS SPIRIT

Jesus’s GIFT to us is our forgiveness

Jesus’s GIFT to us is our lives

Jesus, “I do BELIEVE, help me overcome my disbelief”

Jesus, “I will keep walking… please light my way… God knows the plan, please help me hear and follow the SPIRIT…”

Jesus, “Please fill my soul with Your SPIRIT…”

Amen

Mark 8

34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?

John 15

If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’

26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”

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Foundation of LOVE, 10APR

I’m itching to get out in the garden, NOT that I’m gonna have a beautiful garden but I just know I should be out there tilling the soil. NOT that I’m ready to be out in the actual garden, because I still have leaves to rake and I just moved my bare Christmas tree LOL that’s been sitting for 4 months waiting for the compost recycling trash pick up to start again…

And I’m itching to plant, but that’s rushing it, as the garden itself needs a new fence, and the soil needs to be tilled and I need to put a good soil foundation base down before I can actually grow plants that are not choked by weeds…, because otherwise it’s ALL weeds and bunnies…

I’m also thinking this way about the church, the global church… I’m thinking about God’s garden – that He wants – that He is re-growing. We can’t start fixing all the world’s problems and negating all the hate unless 1st we put down a good foundation base and that foundation has to be LOVE! Love that comes from God, love that is pure and truly from God, and love that is meant to be spread through the world…

And just like the garden, sometimes we have to compost the old stuff to give a good rich base to grow again.

The garden that God wants to bring our world back to is right here in our mist, but it needs reconnecting! If Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches and God is the Vinedresser then naturally it’s a mission to reconnect the world, to re-grow the garden…. Our job is planting seeds, our job is tilling the soil, our job is spreading the Good News…

We live locally… but wouldn’t it be great to solve ALL the world’s hunger problems and jet off to every 3rd world country and clean up the air and the water and give food to all the starving children??!! Wouldn’t that be thrilling??. How are we gonna do that? In our churches we are called to develop the future leaders. Our churches are NOT supposed to be comfy zones for us to rest on Sunday morning, they are supposed to be trampolines to spring us into action, they are teaching grounds, they are testing real life situations in Christian love, situations that we can build upon by using the Word of God to move forward… We need to find NOT our comfort but our uncomfort in the world…. We have got work to do, we really really have work to do…

And we need to start with ourselves, clear up our own hate, learn to live more simply, love our enemies, see and share the LOVE that God wants us to share…

If we are a branch of God’s garden, we need to be willing to hold and share the fruit that He places on us…. The fruits of labor (ours and His) will ROT if they are not shared…

Yes, please do what you can…. work locally, teach, develop leaders, grow the collective garden… Yes, enjoy the fruits of our labor but remember that really we have to get back to the basics of garden preparation, we have to grow the LOVE underneath as a foundation, we need to dig down deep and remove the hate…

I can do this with God’s help, in my garden and in His garden.

Till the soil, mulch in the good, plant the seeds, protect LOVE with a fence of the armor of God…

Pray for rain…

Grow…

Start with a base Foundation of LOVE…

LOVE is from God…

Cultivate the LOVE…

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Bloom, 07APR

Winter is not yet releasing us into spring, snow in April? It’s just flurries, but still we are waiting and waiting for the warmth.

The forsythia started blooming anyway, it snuck its bright yellow flowers incrementally out with every degree of temperature increase…. It’s time to bloom, no matter the impending snow doom. The forsythia will get noticed for its boldness of color.

But oh! Wow, when we do get that big warm-up, wow EVERYTHING is going to bloom all at once!! Watch out my allergy-suffering friends, get ready to be overwhelmed, big time…

Our faith is that the blooms of spring will come eventually…  Our faith is also in God,  but that’s a fraction of God’s faith in us! God’s faith is that we ourselves will bloom in His Love for His Love. God wants us to awaken from our winter of life and see the NEW life in Him… God desires that we will recognize Him and feel how much He loves us. The warmth comes from WITHIN.

God waters the seeds of our faith like He waters the earth. Our faith could and will grow like the flowers of spring, some folks have faith that eeks out incrementally and noticeably early like the forsythia, some folks slowly wake to bloom with taking the time to grow their stems taller and their roots deeper, and some get a shock of faith bloom all at once…. and maybe like those dealing with allergy-inducing pollen bursts from the trees, some folks have to adjust to a new explosive faith that shakes them up and REALLY gets their attention… ACHOO!

Bloom, all God intercessions are for HIS Garden… “He who lives in you…”

God wants to bloom in you. Why? He’s planting and pruning His Garden (John 15).

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1John 4:4

Why???? Why does God want to bloom His LOVE thru us? Because we are the branches of His Love sent into the world today. We are to bear His fruit and share that SPIRIT of LOVE.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1John 4:7-8

LOVE will bloom, spring will come, and God will nurture us and all for His harvest… Let us pray for a new robust season to yield yet another future crop of seeds generated then joyfully spread for God’s future watering…

The SPIRIT of LOVE will burst thru the cold winters of faith. The Garden will Grow…

HOW? We need to tend to and strengthen our faith, develop our boldness, believe,

AND WE WILL BLOOM…

Amen

1 John 4 (below)

Also see

Galatians 2:20-

Romans 8:10-

John 14:20-

John 17:23-

Ephesians 3:17-

Colossians 1:27-

1John 3:24-

Revelation 3:20-

1John 4 KJV

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Knowing God Through Love

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Seeing God Through Love

12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

The Consummation of Love

17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us.

Obedience by Faith

20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.