Sometimes we find it hard to bare our soul to God. This blown glass sculpture from Blenko glass reminds me of the importance of being transparent with Him. I wrote this during one of those times. I have always wished someone would set it to music. I hear the melody in my head, but have no skill to work it out!
Psalm 139:1-5 (NIV2011) 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.
Came across some things I do not think I have published in this blog previously. So the next few days I will be sending out some “oldies, but goodies.”
Night time and the Unresolved
Come marching to my bedroom
Tramping through my head
Hurling accusations
Quoting words once said
Reason takes a low profile
While logic flees the scene
Where is the solution
For circumstances now turned mean
Never, shoulds, and woulds
Paint dismal, hopeless scenes
Understanding vanishes
Deep each insult bleed.
Forgiveness is the answer
That makes the war to cease
Let it go. Let go. Release.
Present moment calls to me
Be NowHere in God's sweet peace
A song can be resung
The past can't be undone
But pouring in forgiveness
The fall-out is made numb
Come to here and now
Feast on today's plenty
In gratitude for all
Dare to now drink deeply
From streams of joy and love
We are granted
Only to
"Live our lives by moments"
Aren't we now?
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.
Proverbs 18:10 NRSV
Many times this has been the verse I have lived and counted upon for deliverance in tough situations. As I reflected upon this recently I was reminded that I can only run into my strong tower if there are no hindrances and obstacles between God and me. The Holy Spirit is able to help clear those obstacles away. Daily I ask the Holy Spirit to show me if there are any obstructions between me and my Lord. If there are, I pray for help in clearing those away so I have clear and open access to my strong tower.
When oppression becomes familiar and identifiable, I need to push back the darkness – run to the LORD and stand up for what He has purchased for me with His blood.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Sometimes I collect quotes that speak to my faith and spiritual growth. here are a few that might inspire you, also.
I have been an Associate of the Convent of the Transfiguration for MANY years – at last count about 29! Wowsers! Even I am surprised. The Transfiguration is an Episcopalian convent located in Glendale, Ohio a neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information click here https://www.ctsisters.org/index.php/history.html
Let us have a little sanctuary of silence in our hearts into which the voice of God alone may come.
Mother Eva Mary, CT
What could you begin as a spiritual discipline to clear a space, a little sanctuary of silence in your heart where God might speak to you?
Another woman who has influenced my walk was Basilea Schlink. She was born Karla Schlink in 1094 Germany and became a Lutheran religious leader and writer. She co-founded the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary in 1947 to 2001. The Sisterhood has branches in Germany and Phoenix, Arizona. I have a tiny booklet of her writing entitled “The Weapon of Prayer.”
Prayer: being able to say anything and everything to Him whose love is measureless and whose power is boundless. He will supply all our needs.
M. Basilea Schlink
Would you dare to try this? My mother taught me early in my life to sing “In the Garden.” The refrain says, “And He walks with me and He talks with me…” Have you ever walked with Him and talked with Him throughout a day, a week, a month? This kind of prayer is powerful and not to be discounted.
When I was visiting recently with my friend, Betty, in New Mexico she shared this quote with me. It is taken from the ESV Global SB Notes regarding Abiding in Jesus.
To abide in Jesus means living in a daily, close relationship with Him, characterized by trust, prayer, obedience, and joy. The Holy Spirit’s presence and activity within Christians gives evidence that they are abiding in Christ (John 8:31, 6:56. 15:4; 1 John 2:6, 27-28; 3:6).
That is a meaty quote that will likely take the serious Christian some quality time to unpack. Can you say that all of these areas are functioning in your life, empowered by the Holy Spirit? I will be reviewing this as a form of self-examination for some time to come.
I recently had a birthday. Four weeks after my birthday comes my older sister’s birthday. Here she is as a child.
Now, mind you, she sent me a card for my birthday this year and asked me “Don’t we have a picture of you like this?” I think she forgot the photo of herself shown above!
Myself as a child
So below is the card. I opened it on my way in from the mailbox. And even in the midst of this awful pandemic, I LAUGHED OUT LOUD!!
And inside it read …
Yes, our mom cut our hair back then. She used to line up my bangs with a mole on my forehead. After years of that haircut I swore I would grow out those bangs and never have bangs again. I have only had a few times in my adult life when I had bangs. Besides, my hair grows so quickly it is hard to keep bangs! So here we are as adults laughing at Mom and remembering a funny memory together. That is a blessing!
It’s not all bad walking the dog in autumn! Especially when the sun surprises you with neon!
BOOM!
October 23 and the woods on our hill was showing more ground!
The Ginkgo tree is one of the last in our yard to turn. Here she is in her yellow gown with the Pyracantha shrub starting to glow red.
And SURPRISE! October 28 I was working at my desk and happened to look up. At first I wondered “Whose cat is that?” By the time I grabbed my iPhone I was fortunate to get you a photo of Mr. Chubbs, a groundhog! New to our bird feeder area as far as I know.
As Mom would say, “Will wonders never cease!” And off he waddled. Not underfed, that one!
We began noticing the autumn changes September 30.
Persian Shield
Chrysanthemum
Maple
And the changes just kept happening! For years I have referred to the maples in autumn colors as ladies in their Gowns. And then when the leaves fall, the Ladies dropped their gowns! Here is the Cotillion at Adams Lake.
Bob and I both love reflections in still water. We will return to Adams Lake next summer to try to capture good photos of the giant lily pads there.
Here are the ladies along St. Rt. 32 awaiting their Cotillion ball entrance!
Yes, it would be difficult to leave my maples, especially this time of year. I know, those are not only maple trees, but predominantly maples. And then there is my second favorite traveler, before she ever dreamed of getting hurt!
At our house, now in mid-November, we can see way into the woods on our backyard hill. Today the rain is to come and the temperatures to drop back into the normal range. It has been a lovely “Indian summer” defined by Wikipedia and others as: An Indian summer is a period of unseasonably warm, dry weather that sometimes occurs in autumn in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere during September to November. In an article on the US National Weather Service‘s website, weather historian William R. Deedler writes that Indian Summer can be defined as “any spell of warm, quiet, hazy weather that may occur in October or November.” Several references describe a true Indian Summer as not occurring until after the first frost, or more specifically the first “killing” frost.
Yes, we have had a killing frost. Oh those Persian shields turned black! A lovely “Indian Summer” indeed.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens
When Jesus died on the cross they needed a tomb for His body. If you are familiar with your Bible the Jews needed to put Him in a tomb so they could make preparation for their Sabbath. Sabbath was sunset Friday night to sunset Saturday night. The plan was to return Sunday morning to finish His burial.
Joseph of Arimathea was able to provide a tomb for Jesus. He is mentioned in all four gospels. He was part of the Sanhedrin Council but secretly a believer in Jesus. He was wealthy and at great risk to himself asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Luke 23:53, “Joseph took down the body of Jesus, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid.”
At our house we have been watching a program called The Chosen. It is available through an app. To learn more click on this link.
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 