Category: Amazing Creations

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Book quotes, Faith, Journal, Just do it, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth

Cling as a Vine

Since childhood I have been fascinated with finding dead vines that have the tendril used to attach to another plant still affixed. It has always been a special pleasure to find one on a walk, especially one that I can collect without damaging the plant.

“Ultimately, Clinging, expresses a radical dependence on God.” So reads part of the cover flap from a wonderful small book about prayer that Emilie Griffin wrote Clinging: The Experience of Prayer The tome continues to impact me many years after reading it. I read it in 1990. It was first printed in 1984.

Contemplative, free, abandoned, authentic prayer is possible for every Christian, whatever his or her state in life; even in the most secular, crowded and busy, high-pressured lives, the peacefulness of prayer is a real possibility.

Emilie Griffin

When we cling to the Lord we are fulfilling his words in John 15:5a “I am the vine; you are the branches.” And how do vines cling to branches? With tendrils of contemplative, free, abandoned, authentic conversation with the Holy One.

Have you wrapped your mind and heart about Jesus lately? Do you choose to make clinging to the Trinity a life style? Did you discuss things with Him like whether to make the rice today? Boil the eggs? Start the laundry? Write a prayer? Run to the store? Write the blog?

I wish I could give each reader a piece of wooden tendril as a reminder to cling to the Lord of Heaven and earth. This is a clinging and dependence that is amazingly good.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not rely on your own insight.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6 RSV

Recently a friend was telling me how her cat dislikes it when she leaves their home. I imagined the cat clinging to her leg like a small child. Jesus never leaves us. Never lets us go out of the house without Him. Can you remember that when you get in your car? Can you imagine the Lord riding with you? There was a saying years ago that went something like “Jesus is my co-pilot.” I always wanted it to be Jesus is my pilot, driver, whatever.

As I learn more and more about clinging to Him, the more skilled I am at realizing that I am never alone. Send your tendrils towards Him. Wrap your mind and your life around Him.

A metaphor seen in many verses of the Bible is the term hold fast or holding fast, meaning “be diligent,” “cling to,” or “take a firm grasp of.” It is based on the idea of gripping tightly to an object. 

Holding fast to the Lord means loving Him with our whole being, following Him closely, diligently obeying His Word, devoting ourselves wholly to Him, and serving Him with all our heart and soul.

Holding fast involves not compromising in our relationships, behaviors, or anything that might pull us away from our total commitment to God and obedience to His Word.

https://www.gotquestions.org/hold-fast.html

How do you define “hold fast” and “”cling” in your daily life? Are you willing to cling right this minute?

Tendril in wrought iron
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Beagle, Faith, Music, Nature, Thanks

Spring

As I write this it is snowing out my window, though not expected to accumulate. I love that we are not in control of the seasons. Even though floods and blizzards and heat waves pound us, many refuse to remember the Maker of heaven and earth.

To me nothing says spring quite like yellow!

Even the beagle at the door sees it!

During October and November when our local forecaster says snow but no accumulation I am disappointed. In fact, this winter was a total disappointment as far as snow. Bah-Humbug!! Now in March when there are snow flurries there is a sort of dread. So many shrubs and bulbs and trees in bloom, and I do not want to see freeze damage to any of them. Fickle woman. So human and never satisfied for more than a moment.

One of my favorite musicians, Ludovico Einaudi. This song reminds me of snow falling.

The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof,
    the world and those who dwell therein;
2 for he has founded it upon the seas,
    and established it upon the rivers.

Psalm 24:1-2 RSV
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Humor, Nature, Thanks

What is A Woman to Do?

My sister has some nifty small purple/lilac flowers that grow every spring in her garden from bubs. I asked her what they are called. She had no clue. I saw a package of bulbs at Walmart last autumn. They reminded me of her flowers. I bought them and stuck them in the ground near my front door. I waited with anticipation all winter to see their flowers. Guess what! They bloomed as crocuses. WHAT?!?

I kept the top of the package with the almost unpronounceable name on it, “Chionodoxa.” But no, I did not keep the receipt. Package does say Walmart, but it is unlikely they have more of the bulbs or will make the purchase refund. Spring disappointment, though I do really like crocuses! Photo at top of blog is Chionodoxa.

It rained hard and often for over a week. Not like the floods in other areas of the country, but yards remained drenched and soggy. Imagine my surprise when I walked the dog and this garage door showed one path of escape! How many people have opened their garage doors unaware of the hitchhikers?

Worms on white garage door

There were so many earthworms on the sidewalk I wondered why the Robins were not out cleaning up the free banquet! They would not even have to pull them out of the ground. Just slurp them up!

Walking the neighborhood other aspects of spring are popping!

We enjoy rising and tumbling temperatures in southwest Ohio. This time of year is no different. Keep your coat and hat and gloves handy. Oh right. Supposed to be 70 degrees later today.

Every place you go, treasures in plain sight!

For as the soil makes the sprout come up
    and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness
    and praise spring up before all nations.

Isaiah 61:11 NIV
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Book quotes, Challenge, Journal, Poetry, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

My Later Winter Poetry

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Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Illness and Health, Just do it, Listen, Music, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Yield

Forced to Wear A Sling for Six Weeks

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Posted on in Aging, Amazing Creations, Challenge, Faith, Illness and Health, medical treatment, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Worship

A New Year

For older folks, if their prescription drug coverage insurance company changed it means calling the new pharmacy to transfer your prescriptions from the other pharmacy to the new one. This morning the new pharmacy said my insurance card numbers did not work. What? the insurance company issued it. They said to just bring it in when refill is ready and they will work with me on it. Not a good beginning!

Are your Christmas decorations put away yet? Not all of mine. So far, we have undecorated the artificial tree. It is prelit but the weather has been so Ohio Gloomy that we have just left it up to brighten the room. Grandgirl will come help me put away nativity set on Wednesday. She is also tall enough that it is easy for her to clean the tops of the kitchen cabinets that do not go all the way to the ceiling. Our lights on the back deck will stay put until Valentine’s day. Another effort to push back the darkness.

Ha! Just realized that by then two of my neighbors who are both expecting baby boys will likely have given birth! Oh I do love babies. My husband calls me the baby whisperer.

But my passion might be mitigated by shoulder surgery. Still waiting to hear if that has been scheduled. My surgeon is having surgery for pinched nerve in his neck something like January 18? If he can’t get me in before then, I might have to wait until he recovers. Thanksgiving 2022 I pulled something in my shoulder. Later x-rays and MRI showed partially torn rotator cuff. Had 2 bouts of PT. The steroid injection last spring/summer did not provide lasting pain relief 6 months. I hurt it again last week when I reached across the counter for a piece of waxed paper. Not even lifting! Now reaching for the salt shaker hurts. Let’s just suffice it to say I am eager to have this fixed, but do so want to hold newborn babies.

Another year and always more health challenges for those of us blessed to be growing older. Thank You LORD for giving us life and love for another year. You have brought us safely this far. We trust You to walk with us into the future. We know You are the only thing going on for eternity. So we clasp Your hand in faith and with joy, knowing that we are never alone. You are always with us.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Challenge, Faith, Journal, Just do it, Listen, Music, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Yield

Light of The World

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1: 1-5 RSV

This time of year as the wintry sky brings less sunlight where we live and the earlier sunset brings on the darkness, this verse comes to mind. As the Advent and Christmas messages ring out, again and again I remember the LIGHT of Christ shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot put it out, has never extinguished it, darkness cannot comprehend the light, darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it], darkness has not suppressed it … You can read translation after translation and continuously find that the Light conquers the darkness.

For many years we sang this song in our church. I could not help but bow at the waist when we hit certain parts of the song.

So in this season as we celebrate the Light of Christ coming into the world how do you respond? I pray you are taking time to worship and remember Whose Birthday we celebrate. The indwelling Christ can bring you joy in this hectic season. Just slow down, breathe His name, center on His love again.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Humor, Nature, Thanks

Bison That Should Have Posted

Earlier this week my post about Kentucky Bison went out with two of the same video. You see, my weeks have sort of become a mishmash and I have lost track of writing and posting. Maybe this is the new me?

I hope to get a new schedule for writing and posting. Until then, I may or may not post five times a week. Try to keep up! Oh, that was note to self?!?! LOL

How many times do we actually get to see the tongue of other animals? His lovely tongue was after the catalpa bean pods. (Underside is more white than this gray/black.)

A few seconds of yum!

Sort of like when you need just one more piece of pumpkin pie!