Read the Signs and KEEP MOVING

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I read the bus sign as it started to pull out – I wasn’t sure if that bus would save me any time – and likely it would not have – and the sign was clear – it said “KEEP MOVING” – yes Lord – YES!

I was sore from lots of walking yesterday [but it was worth it – bridges and the inclide ride and people and science and everything] – AND God’s Mercies are New every morning and the rest was needed for my feet and mind – and I got up this morning to KEEP MOVING…  Yes, the new pick up in me started with a pick up of my creaks and squeaks or muscles and joints – but the walking did help and it put a squash on my leaks of excuses – keeping moving actually was refreshing as well as what my body needed for warm up – especially with the great scenery of my walk.

Last night however I DID take the bus – my feet were tired and it was later at night, 930 so I thought maybe a bit safer for the 15 minutes walk turned into a five minute wait and 10 minute ride – but honestly I have felt save all throughout – there are hardly many people around to bother you here – just good folks and working working working folks. I found my few dollars for the bus and figured it out by my google maps and by the fact that many people were at the bus stop sign – just feet from the door of the evening event – a karaoke fun night with many of the meeting attendees – a night where I sat and sang along with almost every song but not actually on the diaz. I was seated right behind the band’s versatile piano player – wow they were great and would sing with the people and kept the party non-stop going – KEEP MOVING!!!

Keep Moving – that is the theme of my life right now – well isn’t it the best advice for everything from construction to digestion to traffic to walking with the Lord – KEEP MOVING…  The times we are still are still advices for how best for us to KEEP MOVING. The moving times are also pondering times that keep our mind more still by filling our eyes with the new sights – keep moving is also a good chunk of advice when things ARE bad – like “if you are going through Hell, KEEP GOING” – as in DON’T STOP – advice from Churchill. And Keep Moving is the right thing for finding a quiet space – which I just now have – I am in a “meditation room” – mental health room set aside here to have some break away – I simply loaded up my laptop to write instead of the coloring books and pencils, special rocks to handle and fidget spinners – it is a nice idea and therapeutic for those down times. And as for me – writing is the right moving that my fingers do when my body can rest. (and since there is no one here – the clicks of these keys are not disturbing anyone – however this squeaky table IS bothering me, LOL)…

OK – I am going to get up now for the rest/beginning of my networking day of this meeting – going to chat with many new people and a few from yesterday – so much more to learn and see and do today. Yesterday I met a new person who was enraged at something that happened to his collegue and one could tell that he needed a venting space and well – myself and three wonderful people vendors at a wonderful booth filled with light and sunshine and monarch butterfly pictures and logos – and I was wearing my monarch earring and they gave me a pin to match…  Well, sometime you have to realize that YOU are the one there for others – and we let this irate person get some of the steam out of his ears – and then when I was looking for a place to sit for the lunch – he flagged me over and thanked me for our long conversation which helped difuse and discuss some of his outlets for frustration (lots of topics) – well it was good for me to NOT keep moving at the moment (and I did have to eat my lunch) – and to let him speak and then himself keep moving forward. I think sometimes that I am a listener to let someone vent and therefore they don’t blow their top to someone that would not be beneficial to their cause – you know – help them talk it out before moving on…  Well, that is the Lord too – that is Jesus listening while guiding – that is the Walk to Emmaus – get it out – let us push through our theories and frustrations of this and that – just like those people on the walk to emmaus – and then take the moment to listen to Jesus – not even knowing that He was/IS Jesus – and take it all in of the truth – and process…

OK – thanks for the process – back to the meeting and posting this and yeah – more people people people today – and walking and lunch and whatever – you don’t always know where you are going until you get there – and that is when the purpose of your time is revealed (if it is) – so KEEP MOVING….

AMEN

Luke 24:13-35

On the Road to Emmaus
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;16 but they were kept from recognizing him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

19 “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulershanded him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

St Patrick’s Day Prayer – Be a Servant like Christ

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St Patrick’s Day is not necessarily a day to go out drinking – honestly it is a feast day for Irish in the Christian calendar – and a day to go to church.

St. Patrick’s Day could be considered a day to drink in the Holy Spirit – meaning walk with the Lord even more closely – and really think about St Patrick’s prayer: “Christ with me…” (see below) – which is Christ everything everywhere and every how INSIDE our actions – in me and through me.

St Patrick’s Day is truly an opportunity to be a servant in each situation, to be forgiving as in not let out noses get bent out of shape from people’s actions and just keep going, to be wise in realizing we are all broken people, and yes for us to be the peace in a situation

When we take our faith seriously, we can experience the JOY to be so much closer to Christ – draw nearer Him and He will draw nearer to us – and we will realize that this IS the walk of faith.

Here is a reprise post from a few years ago – and the prayer of St. Patrick from so many years ago – but still fresh in our reminder… Let us walk today WITH HIM – with Jesus as the Christ.

Amen

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in the eye that sees me, Christ in the ear that hears me…Amen and here’s the whole prayer:

St Patrick’s Prayer,  5th century

I arise today

Through a mighty strength,

the invocation of the Trinity,

Through a belief in the Threeness,

Through confession of the Oneness

Of the Creator of creation.

I arise today

Through the strength of Christ’s birth and His baptism,

Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,

Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,

Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today

Through the strength of the love of cherubim,

In obedience of angels,

In service of archangels,

In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,

In the prayers of patriarchs,

In preachings of the apostles,

In faiths of confessors,

In innocence of virgins,

In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today

Through the strength of heaven;

Light of the sun,

Splendor of fire,

Speed of lightning,

Swiftness of the wind,

Depth of the sea,

Stability of the earth,

Firmness of the rock.

I arise today

Through God’s strength to pilot me;

God’s might to uphold me,

God’s wisdom to guide me,

God’s eye to look before me,

God’s ear to hear me,

God’s word to speak for me,

God’s hand to guard me,

God’s way to lie before me,

God’s shield to protect me,

God’s hosts to save me

From snares of the devil,

From temptations of vices,

From every one who desires me ill,

Afar and anear,

Alone or in a multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and evil,

Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,

Against incantations of false prophets,

Against black laws of pagandom,

Against false laws of heretics,

Against craft of idolatry,

Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,

Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.

Christ shield me today

Against poison, against burning,

Against drowning, against wounding,

So that reward may come to me in abundance.

Christ with me,

Christ before me,

Christ behind me,

Christ in me,

Christ beneath me,

Christ above me,

Christ on my right,

Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down,

Christ when I sit down,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,

Christ in the eye that sees me,

Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through a belief in the Threeness,

Through a confession of the Oneness Of the Creator of creation

https://debbieupper.blog/2024/03/17/a-st-patricks-reprise-post/

This post was from a couple years ago – a reminder of God’s faithfulness that day, 17MAR

I Heard the Lord – Stop being afraid, for I AM with you. 
They called upon me to go to the work audit – not just any audit but the BIG audit – that had the whole building all abuzz…  whew…  I knew it was a possibility to go speak, I even kinda wanted the opportunity. 
I didn’t have extra time to prep, we’ve been preparing for weeks, years. I had 30 minutes warning, I knew the ins and outs and loose ends and such of my small part of the big puzzle, but did not know what they specifically wanted to hear, but I really COULD talk for hours on the subject at hand. Obviously the best advice for me and everyone was/is: ‘Just ONLY answer what they ask. Make it SHORT and SWEET and SAIL OUT of there.’
I felt the nerves but not the fear. I KNEW I KNEW WHAT I KNEW. So joyous and smiling, decked out in St Patty’s GREEN. I went in, of course, to be SMART, the SME, Subject Matter Expert, with a SMILE.
The St Patrick’s prayer populated my palm, it really did land in my hand, in the form of a STICKER. Yes in handing out a pack of stickers with shamrocks and secular St Pats sayings, whoda thunk there WAS one in there for me. God did. A sticker to stick to me. I needed that prayer JUST THEN…
Let’s say there’s no luck but the blessed HOPE when the Holy Spirit hits like a Mack Truck.
Jesus says No Fear, Only Faith. 
I read the St Patrick’s Prayer as I walked toward the audit, read it over again and my step slowed, as it calmed me. I walked out of my ego, while reading it, the first lines, the middle lines, the last 2 lines are what really humbling, a chance to be whatever God needs me to be at that moment. This is God’s walk that allows me to NOT trip up when I take a trip WITH Him.
Let us show Christ Himself, by walking in to SERVE. It’s better to NOT stand out as unknowing then be a standout for knowing. 
God saved me today in the God way. By taking my way out of His way.
Yay.
Amen

The sticker:
Christ with me, 
Christ before me, 
Christ behind me,
Christ in me, 
Christ beneath me, 
Christ above me,
Christ on my right, 
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, 
Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.


Amen and here’s the whole prayer:
St Patrick’s Prayer,  5th century 
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, 
the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.

Christ with me, 
Christ before me, 
Christ behind me,
Christ in me, 
Christ beneath me, 
Christ above me,
Christ on my right, 
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, 
Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness Of the Creator of creation