Just heard of a neighbor’s grandchild born last week. Delivery went fine. Then infant caught a virus of some kind that effected her organs. It went to her heart and other organs. She will definitely lose one leg to amputation.
She is still at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Her parents are staying with her 24/7.
Grandparents (our neighbors) are running the household with the other children.
They ask for our prayers.
This old hymn has blessed me many times through the years. There are times when I cannot remember the name, though I never forget the sentiment in verse one! Written by George Matheson, 1882. I usually envision the underside of the waves that I saw when snorkeling. Here are the lyrics to read as men sing below.
O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
O Light that foll’west all my way,
I yield my flick’ring torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.
O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.
O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.
Another comfort song when wrestling with my itching flesh. I listened to it repeatedly and envisioned my self in things like, “O cross that lifts up my head.” His love is more mighty than my flesh or any suffering we might know.
If you have never visited Holmes County, Ohio there are some fun things to do and learn. Though located in nearby Tuscarawas County, we always make a stop at Warther’s to get our knives sharpened or purchase a new one!
Ernest “Mooney” Warther was born on October 30th, 1885 in an old, one room school house in Dover, Ohio. The youngest boy of five children, Ernest learned at a young age the value of hard work. After his father passed away when Ernest was just three years old, times were tough for the Warther family, with young mother Anna, five children, twenty cents, and a cow. Upon turning five, Ernest began his first job as the local cow herder, taking cows to pasture for a penny a piece and earning him the nickname that would stay for the rest of his life, “Mooney.”
One fateful day, taking the cows out, Mooney found a rusty pocketknife in the dirt. This old knife would ultimately change the course of Mooney’s life forever as the young boy began whittling sticks, fence-posts, and anything else he could get his hands on. Because times were tough and money was short, Mooney would only finish the second grade and would eventually lie about his age at 14 to work at the American Sheet and Tin Company which was one of the local steel mills. Falling in love with the railroad and steam engines as a teenager, Mooney found his focus for carving, which became his hobby. When he was not working at the mill, he was carving. If he was not carving he was with his wife Frieda, his own five children, and their neighborhood friends. Mooney’s journey is one that is remarkable, with one man creating sixty-four scaled and working representations of steam history. His carvings were created between 1905 and 1971, between the ages of 20 and 86.
https://thewarthermuseum.com/meet-our-family
There is a museum of the carvings works of Mooney Warther. See the locomotive photo above. Well worth your time when you visit there! Just amazing that he made those things without lasers or any technology of our time.
There are only about 10 miles between the two locations. The fifth generation of Ernest “Mooney”, David Warther, has opened a new shop and his own museum.
David began carving full-time at age 29, and in 1993 he opened a carving exhibit in the nearby village of Sugarcreek which is considered a tourist enclave in the heart of Ohio’s Amish country. David found himself carving every day amidst interested visitors and groups from bus tours as well as the local schools.
In 2008 David Warther Carvings was established as an IRS recognized 501c3 non-profit organization and in 2013 the carvings were moved to the new 10,000 sq. ft.exhibit building known as David Warther Carvings Exhibit and Gift Shop. David’s carving studio has been incorporated into this new building, where he shows visitors his special techniques and complete workshop of hand tools.
David’s evenings are devoted to his family and to a musical instrument parts business he started years ago. In addition he has become an expert in knowing the laws and regulations regarding the buying, selling and gifting of estate elephant tusks and ivory carvings in the US.
David’s inborn interest and natural carving ability has resulted in an art collection that is highly educational in its conveyance of human history and progress. Of his creative abilities, David believes the words apply when Christ said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
We did not make the time to visit his shop and museum this time. Gives us a destination for next time!!
In 2013 I was put on a new prescription. While adjusting to the medication I wrote, “And so misery invited agony who brought along distraction.” Part of that phrase has been running through my mind the last couple weeks. Doctors took me off antihistamines in preparation for allergy testing. Itching has practically sent me out of my cotton pickin’ mind. Itch is not really understood well by the medical community. It does seem to run akin to pain. If you have ever suffered intense, prolonged itching you can well relate to what I am writing.
I have this bizarre itching on palms of my hands and soles of my feet. No rash, no other symptoms. If I scratch long enough and hard enough I skin turns bright red and at times seems bruised, but no lasting symptoms. Seems to be much worse when I lie down to sleep. Nothing eases it, I mean no cream, no lotion, no ointment. I even went so far as to apply Lidocaine patches to my palms and sleep with gloves on to keep them in place. Okay, that did give a little relief. Then I found I could not read my tablet in bed unless I cut one fingertip off the gloves so i could turn the pages! Which I did and then shed black fibers all over the bed.
So no antihistamines allowed for 5 days. I have cried out to the LORD so many times during this. Trying to be still and rest the other night a phrase from a song rolled through my mind, “Suffering children are safe in His arms.” Amazon music had no clue. You Tube found it though! I had no heard this regularly for over 20 years when we used to worship at the Milford Vineyard! Such comfort it brought me this particular night. I listened to it over and over again.
There is none like You,
No one else can touch my heart like You do,
I can search for all eternity Lord
And find, there is none like You.
There is none like You.
No one else can touch my heart like You do,
I can search for all eternity Lord
And find, there is none like You.
Your mercy flows like a river wide,
And healing comes from Your hand.
Suffering children are safe in Your arms,
There is none like You.
There is none like You, ( There is none like You, Lord)
There is none like You.
I can search for all eternity Lord,
There is none like You.
I can search for all eternity Lord,
There is none,( there is none,)
There is none Lord,
There is none like You.
By the time you read this I will have been to the allergist for a treatment plan. I did want to share how the Lord comforted me in the night. I know He can do the same for you if you cry out and listen for the still, small voice.
If you might be wondering where I went or why I quit posting here are a few reasons.
We traveled to Holmes County Ohio last week. Took a break for a couple of days. The last day there I had to stop taking all antihistamines as I will have allergy testing this week. The stoppage brought the symptoms of itching back like a herd of wild horses running in a stampede from a predator. I have been a basket case of misery.
We celebrated Bob’s 75th birthday with dinner out and then homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. (His favorite.)
Someone gave me this recipe years ago. It is such a favorite that Bob will drive miles to share a piece with two co-workers who have now also retired. This is one carrot cake that does NOT sink to your tummy like lead.
CARROT CAKE serves 10-12 MIX 1-1/2 T. oil 4 large eggs -2 c. sugar 2 c. grated carrot WITH 2-1/2 c. flour 2 t. cinnamon 1 t. soda ½ t. salt ½ t. vanilla ADD 1 c. chopped walnuts ¾ c. currants or raisins 1 c. crushed pineapple in its own juice POUR into large greased pan 13 x 9, or Bundt or large bread pan BAKE 1 hour Bundt or 40 min. 9 x 13 ICING Blend ½ lb. 10x sugar 4 oz. Cream cheese ¼ lb. Butter 1 t. vanilla
I always bake it 9 x 13. The cup of crushed pineapple in its own juice can sometimes be found in a can in just the right measurement.
I see the allergist tomorrow. They just told me to go ahead and take the antihistamines. Doctor will decide a treatment plan and when/how to test me. Geesh. Lots of misery for nothin’.
Yet, He is always with me.
She said, “I am very thankful for your insights. I have so much to learn. Don’t we all, I suppose? I would love for you to teach me more about prayer and how you came to be the prayer warrior you are. It has never come easily to me, and I know having more time in prayer with the Lord would dramatically grow my faith. If you’re willing, maybe we can figure out how you could best teach me?”
That was one email that sat me down hard. I feel as if at age 70 I am just now learning the prayer life. So I thought about her request.
The very first thing that comes to mind is just talk to God. Define a request and then let’s go together to Him and discuss it.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
Mark 10:36 NIV
Jesus likes me to be specific. Not to the point of dictating to Him what He SHOULD do in any given situation, but rather, what the desire of my heart is. Good communication is based upon truth. Tell Him honestly what you want.
Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4 NIV
If I take delight in Him, He will put His desires in my heart. When I pray for those desires, how can I go wrong?
I find that so many people are at a loss for words when it comes to speaking to God, or even speaking their heart to anyone. Years ago, one woman told me repeatedly, “You always give me the words.” I do not believe you have to be a “word smith” to pray well, but you do need to be able to express what your heart desires. Otherwise, how will you know when your prayer is answered?
When I pray for others I try to practice my best listening skills. Then say back to the person what I think they said, “Is this how you want me to pray?”
How did I become a prayer warrior? Well it was certainly gradual! I read the New Testament believing the passage that “God is no respecter of persons.” Acts 10:34 various translations say, “He shows no partiality, does not show favoritism.” He gave the Holy Spirit to people in the book of Acts after His resurrection and ascension. He would give it to me for the asking. So I believed and asked. Romans 2:11 reads God does not show favoritism or partiality. If the anointing of the Holy Spirit could be given 2,000 years ago, it can be given today. He gave to me in various ways at various times.
Then the Old Testament passages about giving a word to others in due season.
The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,
Isaiah 50:4 NIV
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.
I must listen to Him every single day to know the word that sustains. I must yield to Him listening, like on being instructed. Such truth there! This requires my admission that I do not ‘know it all.’ In fact, one of my frequent sayings is, “I know nothing.”
I pray this helps if you,too, are seeking to become a prayer warrior. I do not have the market cornered on how to, but these were my thoughts following that one email.
I attended an Associates retreat at the Convent of the Transfiguration in Glendale, Ohio. The theme was the Life and Inspiration of St. Clare. There is not much known about her. She was friends with St. Francis of Assisi. Like him, she removed herself from her aristocratic family and embraced a life of poverty and dedication to Jesus, praying in a cloistered monastery for 42 years until the end of her life. We are encouraged to follow her courage in finding our own place to follow Christ.
Here is a short prayer (called a collect) regarding Saint Clare.
O God, whose blessed Son became poor that we, through his poverty, might be rich: Deliver us from an immediate love of this world, that we, inspired by the devotion of your servant Clare, may serve you with singleness of heart and attain to the riches of the age to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Recently I learned that there is a Poor Clare convent in Cincinnati! I was thrilled to learn that the “female branch of the Franciscans” exists here. For a time I was a Third Order Franciscan through the Episcopal church. Below is a short video about the Poor Clare’s life together.
There are 20,000 Poor Clare’s worldwide in 70 countries. Francis wrote their initial rule of life. Clare added the commitment to poverty. The Poor Clare’s are a Catholic order.
The life of poverty centers around the beatitude in Matthew 5:3 when Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” And also
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.”
Matthew 19:21 NIV
Clare’s goal was to imitate Christ though total obedience to God. Francis said “You only know as much as you do.” Poverty was her way to unity with the Lord. The sisters made altar linens as a way to support themselves, as well as asking for alms.
Clare encourages us to transform our entire being into the image of God by contemplation. She urges us to go towards the margins, the edges of society and find the risen Lord there.
May her challenge lead you to a closer walk with the Risen Lord.
Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don’t claim them. Feel the artistry moving through and be silent.
Jalaluddin Rumi
(I had to look this up to be certain this is the work of Rumi the poet I am familiar with. Indeed, it is the same man. Never before saw the first name attached. Go figure.)
Made a retreat at Convent of the Transfiguration recently. As I left the last service Saturday evening it was almost dark. As I walked from one building to another, movement caught my eye. From behind the ‘chapel’ and over its roof a flock of birds flew. And then there were more and more of them. I stood in awe for several minutes. When I got back to my room I wrote,
"And billowing over the roof of the church Comes tens, no twenties, No, countless birds Occasional chirp or call But mostly just flying in formation Over the roof into the sky with a swirl Seemingly hundreds in the dusk murmuration." Molly L Dutina
This wonder which I have seen in other autumn skies was never this up-close or so personally touching before. Had I exited the convent earlier or a few moments later I would have missed it entirely.
Rumi wrote, “Feel the artistry moving through and be silent.” Truly this was holy artistry from the hand of the LORD on high.
Should you want more information about murmurations in the United States see https://birdwatchingpro.com/where-to-see-starling-murmuration-in-the-usa/#The_Fascinating_Science_Behind_Starling_Murmurations
These formations are not limited to the USA. Watch the evening sky and I pray you get to see one for yourself!
Here is a short film of a massive murmuration
If you watch to the end, you can sigh and say, “And then they are gone!”
Psalm 148:1, 10 NIVPraise the Lord.
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights above.Wild animals and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,
Yes, LORD, with all of creation we praise You. Thank you for this blessing. You know I do not appreciate starlings when they empty our feeders in a matter of minutes, yet they do fill Your sky with wonder when they form their murmurations. Thank you for letting me see this one up close and share it with my reader friends. You are the King of all glory. Amen.
Haven Ministries publishes a monthly booklet of devotions entitled “Anchor Devotional.” The month of September, 2023 featured the writings of John Newton, compiled by writer Miller Ferrie, “to celebrate the 250th anniversary of when the hymn “Amazing Grace” was first sung.”
The entry for September 16 reads:
The grace of Jesus Christ humbles us. Hymn-writer John Newton knew this well and wrote the following:
Self-righteousness has had a considerable hand in dictating many of my desires for an increase of comfort and spiritual strength. I have wanted some stock of my own, I have been wearied of being so perpetually beholden to {God}, needing to come to Him always … as a poor miserable sinner, I should have liked to have done something for myself in ordinary circumstances, and to have depended upon Him chiefly on extraordinary occasion.
I have found indeed, that I could do nothing without His assistance, nor anything even with it. I am now learning to glory only in my infirmities, … to be content to be nothing that He may be All in All. But I find this a hard lesson, …Humbled I ought to be, to find I am totally depraved – but not discouraged, since Jesus is appointed to me by God to be wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; and since I find that … He keeps alive the principle of grace which He has implanted in my heart.
John Newton
What a challenge I have had. In so many ways I feel like Newton. August I was exhausted by life and likely too many activities. September I had a decayed tooth cut out by oral surgeon, with anesthesia, antibiotic, gauze, ice packs and pain pills afterwards. My face was bruised and I was in a lot of pain. I kept hearing the Cory Asbury song lyric “You take good care of me.” And it is true.
A few days later I slammed the car door on two fingers of my left hand. So grateful they were not broken. As the saying goes, I “Could not win for losing!” Scalp psoriasis exploded and I began itching, not just on the scalp. Within a few days I was itching all over and hives developed on one side of my neck. Read about something called opioid itch. Wondered if it was the pain pills? Heard the song below. I love Einaudi’s compositions.
Out of my mind with itching I began Benadryl on my own along with my usual dose of Allegra. Kept hearing Brandon Lake lyric, “Praise, give Him praise, give Him praise in the highest; I’ll praise You anywhere.” Rough going, and truly a sacrifice of praise.(Hebrews 13:15) For several days a line I wrote in April, 2013 had been on my mind, “And so misery invited agony who brought along distraction and insomnia.” With all those medications I did not have insomnia though I did wake myself several times while scratching in my sleep. Eventually insatiable itching centered on palms of hands and soles of feet with NO rash, NO blisters, NO nothing, just usual skin. Wondered if I would actually scratch my skin open? Even at times itching the skin web between pointer and middle finger. What is this??
I saw the internist. He put me on steroid tablets with Allegra and Benadryl to continue. My appointment with Dermatologist October 5 was much awaited. I just wanted some answers to why is this happening? Assuming we can get it under control, how can I avoid this in the future? Itching stopped for two days and then returned.
October 5 I wrote:
Here am I naked before You Clearly bothered by itching and pain Ankles, shoulders and head all ache Steroids have surely about gone Driven to distraction I try to contain my hands nerve endings igniting continuously I bring my broken self to You Naked before Your eyes You see within, about, and through me Lord be my comfort I pray Show me how to cope with this Lead me in paths where I can write bring You glory and honor and praise Here am I naked before You.
Dermatologist too was stumped, concerned but uncertain what caused all of this. Did full body check up while asking questions and pondering my dilemma. She took a biopsy of my right upper arm which mimicked something on my chest.
She put me on Zyrtec in evening and Allegra in morning. New Clobetasol shampoo. Wondered if there might be liver or kidney problems. Even mentioned possibility of lymphoma. Ordered a slew of tests (at least eleven) from both blood and urine.
Eventually itching has tapered off. Certainly not gone, but live-able. The test results have been rolling in through My Chart. They are all normal. Occasional palm itch. Maybe once a day bout of sole itch.
I cannot say with Newton and Paul ‘I glory in my infirmities’. Guess that sounds like a hypochondriac to my ears. (Guess I need to study the commentators to gain a better understanding of the concept.) This is a very long post, but was uncertain how to shorten it. I have been enabled to write and post the blog. I went on a weekend retreat at the Convent where I have been an associate for many years. Life continues, but my body, which loves to play ‘Stump the Doctor” continues to baffle me and the professionals. John Newton was right, the grace of Christ does humble me. John 5:30a is such a powerful truth. “I can do nothing on my own.” By His grace I live and write.
During the retreat I was blessed with this portion of Celtic Compline
Calm me, O Lord, as You stilled the storm
Still me O Lord, keep me from harm
Let all the tumult within me cease
Enfold me, Lord, in Your peace.
The Felgild Compline
To read the entire Compline go to https://www.northumbriacommunity.org/offices/wednesday-the-felgild-compline/
Awoke from a nap with this in my brain. Worked to find it to share. Recorded 1963. Sadness here in 2023 over Israel, Palestine, Hamas. Please pray for the victims of yet another war.
People being taken prisoner. Even children. So many dead. Reserves being called up. Our ship moving to the area. Retired Israeli military officers grabbing their guns to protect their family. The unimaginable occurring. Possibly more militants from another nation moving into the war. And we hear nothing about the welfare of the Palestinian people. Hamas rages on. Death toll near 1,400.
Please pray for the victims. The leaders of the world are trying to decide their next move. Please pray for wisdom.
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
Matthew 24:6-8 NIV
It is possible we are about to see another world war in our lifetime. God forbid.
Not to mention earthquake in Afghanistan. Estimated 2,400 dead.
Lord, have mercy upon us all.
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 