Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.
Omar Khayyam
This moment. Right now. Just now.
How many of us even think about that idea? We are so far off in “If only” and “What if” that we are usually barely conscious of right now. But we can be conscious of right now? We most likely will have to train ourselves to do this present moment thinking. I cannot overstate the benefits!
Can you stay focused on God for more than a moment?
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
Mark 12:30 NIV
This moment is your life and your chance to love the Lord your God. This moment. Right now. Just now. Many people before us have tried multiple methods to accomplish this. What is your method? Have you developed a practice towards keeping happily with His presence in each moment? Turn your heart towards Him as you sip iced tea or hot coffee? As you walk through a door frame do you remember you are walking in His presence.
There are countless methods to mind the moments. What is yours? As we turn our hearts and minds continuously towards the Trinity we will find more satisfaction and happiness in each moment. Take the challenge for yourself. Practice His presence and find ways to be happy in this moment with Him.
Recently I was hit with a bout of nausea and other sickly symptoms. I had to stop everything I was doing to cope with my body and symptoms. Talking with a dear cousin she also was ill for a few days. She mentioned that she just cried out to the Father, “I know You have taken care of me and met all of my needs. I know You will do that just now, even while I am not feeling well.” And indeed, God did. Though she was not as energetic as usual, she was able to take care of herself and her attitude by staying conscious of God’s good care.
“Be happy for this moment.” Were either one of us happy to be sickly? Absolutely not! Rather than wasting time awfulizing or bemoaning our state of being we both made a decision to stay aware of our good Father and invite Him into the situation.
Is a hearse on a tow truck twice dead? Not what Scripture teaches:
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment
Hebrew 9:27 KJV
“Going to hell in a hand basket.” Now wait a minute. you cannot fit very much into a hand basket! Maybe a dozen eggs; certainly not a person! If you study the idiom, it means is to be rapidly deteriorating – on course for disaster.
Sign said, “Right on red arrow after stop.” Explain that to me! Lane only goes left.
And for a snippet of poetry:
The moon smeared the cloud strips with a large brush
She used a small brush to paint through my window
Is seeking for treasures in plain sight a turning away from the things of reality, especially challenging things? Not at all! The goal of seeking treasures in plain sight is to bring the reality of a relationship with the Almighty into the everyday world. Learning to seek the blessings surrounding us, regardless of the bleakness and in times in spite of the bleakness that sometimes accompanies human day to day life. Our paths are strewn with delights if we will open our eyes to see and believe.
Paul wrote:
Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Philippians 4:8 NRSVA
God used a donkey, (Numbers 22:21-39) He wants to use you, too!Petrified Wood – Lord, protect me from congealing or solidifying!
Brother Lawrence, named Nicholas Herman, “Seeing a dry, lifeless tree in the dead of winter, and realizing that soon it would burst forth into life as the sap rose in the spring, Herman knew that he was spiritually dead and asked God to give him a rebirth. It happened, too.” https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/brother-lawrence/
photo by r m dutina
I am ever aware that the LORD blesses me with seeing things for encouragement. He did not have to let me see this land snail in the heart of the nasturtium backlit by sunshine, and yet He did.
Blessings surround you and me. As I watch snow squalls whip about our yard, the male and female bluebirds are perched at the top of the oak tree. The tree is barely more than a stick!
Keep your eyes open for blessings abounding to you!
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
“Living gratefully offers a merciful path for walking through life with our eyes and hearts wide open.”
Kristi Nelson
“A merciful path,” think about that. Hearts and eyes wide open.
Let’s do that!
Walking about the yard I play Pick-up-Sticks with nature. The wind has brought down many twigs and branches that were loose or just waiting for a gust of wind to propel them to earth. Later I see my neighbor participating in the same game.
I see where the dogs have left their “pee-mail” as my friend Pat calls it. Tufts of grass higher than the others. Soon the neighbors will ask the Home Owners Association Board when the hired help is going to begin mowing!
Hearts wide open – I realize just how many folks my sometimes introverted husband has gotten to know by walking our beagle. Lucky will not ‘do her business’ unless we walk her. So 4 times a day we are out the door.
Bob told me recently about the conjunction of Jupiter and Venus. Walking Lucky for her last walk of the evening I have been enjoying the moonlight, clouds, stars and seeking out those two planets in our sky.
online photo
Last night when I walked Lucky the almost full moon was behind huge clouds. The interplay of light and shadow, the warmth of the evening, made me wish for a lounge chair outdoors! I could hear voices and knew others neighbors were outdoors, too. Could not see what deck though.
Gratitude, merciful path, today is gray and cloudy but the grateful memory of last evening still makes my heart light. What have you seen or heard lately that keeps your eyes wide open? Watch for those treasures in plain sight. They surround us for the discovering!
Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all his praise?
The quote below is from a novel I read recently. The wisdom of the LORD seems to show up in so many places!
The battle’s in here.’ Sunni tapped a finger against Jonah’s temple as he pushed himself upright on the bench. ‘Pain’s just your body’s way of telling you something’s wrong. It’s how you deal with it that matters.’ It was just hard to believe that when it hurt so much.
The Lost by Simon Beckett
The novelist knows that our biggest battle is between our ears. Whether it is bodily pain or the facts of life. Struggling with physical pain can be especially difficult. We can get lost in the facts and rumors and dismal dashing of hopes. What does the New Testament say about that?
… for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments 5 and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NRSV
We have the power to take every one of our thoughts captive to obey Christ. Are we using that power to His glory and for our well-being? Yes, it is a big job, but we are given what we need to accomplish it.
In my experience if I am willing to use the weapons given me to take every thought captive to obey Christ the experience can be like falling dominoes (or that series that Dan likes so much where one action causes other actions., Gabe somebody?)
Nope, I found it!
Wikipedia says: “Reuben Garrett Lucius Goldberg (July 4, 1883 – December 7, 1970), known best as Rube Goldberg, was an American cartoonist, sculptor, author, engineer, and inventor.
Goldberg is best known for his popular cartoons depicting complicated gadgets performing simple tasks in indirect, convoluted ways. The cartoons led to the expression “Rube Goldberg machines” to describe similar gadgets and processes.”
I take a negative or disquieting thought into the Light of Christ. Jesus, the Spirit of Truth, shines His light upon the thought. It can no longer hold darkness of untruth. That makes a whole sequence of things predicated upon that thought to come to the Light of Christ and be made captive unto Him. My thoughts change as each is taken captive. Maybe oversimplification, but I hope you get the idea.
Here is a Rube Goldberg video to illustrate how things can pass.
So what thought holds you captive? Are you willing to take it captive through the weapons of warfare you have been given? Do you want to see the sequence it controls fall to the LORD?
If you play the video and close your eyes you might get a sample of what we heard on this walk! Not chickens, but what were we hearing? Such a ruckus and we could not identify it. Another couple of hikers walking past us and seeing our confusion set us straight with one word. Frogs! We knew right away they were not our typical tree frogs – spring peepers.
We heard them long before we saw them! Jumping and calling, chuckling and beating the water with their legs. (I’ve never wanted to eat them but wondered how they would cook up for frog legs? Maybe not large enough but muscular for certain.) I hope the lady frogs were impressed. I thought they were just silly looking and sounding. Yep! they made me laugh. When I loaded this to YouTube I laughed again.
The naturalist was not certain. Bob found them on line with his phone. She gave a booklet “Amphibians of Ohio” and there they were. Enjoy!
now to catch up from being away and breaking the writing rhythm!
Okay – all the charges are entered and the checking account is balanced. Got groceries. Took dog to vet for kennel cough vaccine and as the tech called it Lucky’s “Mani – Pedi!” Oi! Saw my new internist and I really like him. We are going to change some meds and reduce some other ones, so please pray for me as my body adjusts!
The next couple days are booked for me. It will be fun, but on the run and no naps.
No, I have not downloaded or edited my vacation photos yet. But I might as well throw in a few, huh?
Rock face at street corner on the way to Ash Cave. I love the tree shadow lines on the rocks.
I have not gotten accomplished in selfie photos. Below I took one and when I looked at it I told Bob, “Now smile!” and took it again.
Who are these white haired folks?
I will have to ask Ellie for lessons. She is a pro!!
We are not rigid about stopping on the way to any destination when we see something unusual we want to photograph. I saw this young sycamore tree. Bob on the other hand saw this tree growing inside a silo! He stopped and turned around for that shot. I do not have his picture yet.
Ye,s we drove as far around the silo as we could go to make certain it was actually IN the silo! Short of puling into the farmyard, yep, it was growing in there!
I am feeling guilty about not walking very far today! But Lucky still gets two walks today, so maybe I can make up for the lack of steps compared to hiking in a State Park. More Vegetables! More steps! Fewer sweets of any kind!! And Lean HARD upon my LORD.
Last but not least the stream that runs in along and through Old Man’s Cave.
LORD I praise You for times of refreshing.
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.
January 28 was a sunny lovely day. Bob asked where I wanted to go for a drive. I told him back to the park where we had seen a redwood tree. We were just in California in October and I was rather stunned that this gorgeous tree we saw in a Hamilton County Park was called a redwood. So we headed off for Withrow Nature Preserve, one of the great parks of Hamilton County.
Now all the foliage was gone. Just a few spangles that resemble seed.
Reminded me of millet we used to hang in the parakeet’s cage!
The tree itself was just as grand as my first sight of it!
We had fun trying photos at various angles. Finally, we were so focused that a young park ranger decided to stop and talk with us about why we were so interested in this tree. We were amused chatting with him.
Do you remember my many references to Ephesians 3?
that He would give you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being firmly rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:16-19 LSB
Look at the base of this tremendous tree. Can you imagine YOU being firmly rooted and grounded in love just as this tree is rooted and grounded in soil?
Hold firm to Christ our Lord! May your roots go deep into His love!
That very same day we continued our drive and wound up at a street along the Ohio River called Steamboat Drive. Over a potholed road you get to an Ohio River overlook. Here is one view from there.
As we walked further to the right I could see a tree on the edge of the precarious drop to the river bank. Could not quite catch it in the photo, but I could see where the soil had eroded from the roots in one area and there was daylight coming through.
8-10 foot drop to belowBetween the roots there was daylight
NOT you. Not firmly and deeply rooted, not secure in the love of Christ!
So choose today how you will grow your roots. I printed out the Ephesians passage and put it on bathroom counter. Then I got it wet and ink ran. So I printed it again and put it in a plastic recipe card cover. Do whatever it takes for you to get your head around the Ephesians passage and get your heart active in doing what Paul said to do.
The opening photo for this blog was the last photo at Withrow Nature Preserve. I think the spangle of clouds was for your benefit! It is a wonderful image of God’s Love for us!!
When I was looking for a career in 1968 I was directed to take data entry classes. We did “keypunch cards” and verification for computers that were the size of most offices. I never learned how to write computer language and really was not interested to learn, though my boss wanted me to learn. To this day I am not afraid of my computer, iPhone, tablet or other devices. Especially since kids these days say, “just start pushing the buttons until you get the result you want.” Ha! There is a new item available to the public.
I do not pretend to understand most of the technological leaps we are making, but this one caught my attention. It said you could ask it to write a poem or a term paper and it would. Schools are worried but not caught off guard. What??!?
Have you ever been online with a question and the site asked if you would like an online chat? Then you likely havehad interaction with a ‘chatbot.’ According to Wikipedia, “Chatbot is a software application used to conduct an online conversation via text in lieu of providing direct contact with a live human agent.”
There is a new computer ability that was released for free online called ChatGPT. It is causing quite a stir in the world. It was released November 30, 2022 by a company called OpenAI. (A I is artificial intelligence.)
This system is notable for ‘its detailed responses and articulate answers across many domains of knowledge. “It has the ability,” according to Wikipedia “to write and debug computer programs; to compose music, teleplays, fairy tales, and student essays; to answer test questions (sometimes, depending on the test, at a level above the average human test-taker); to write poetry and song lyrics; to emulate a Linux system; to simulate an entire chat room; to play games like tic-tac-toe; and to simulate an ATM.”
I tried to sign up so I could ask it to write a poem based on a few thoughts I had. Then I wanted to compare its creation to one of my poems. Since every news agency seems to be reporting on ChatGPT the system is too busy to accept new free accounts right now. That is okay. Not certain I want to give them my information or find out how the bot would do with my ideas! Open AI does collect data.
Wikipedia reports that “ChatGPT was met in December 2022 with generally positive reviews; The New York Times labeled it “the best artificial intelligence chatbot ever released to the general public.” Samantha Lock of The Guardian noted that it was able to generate “impressively detailed” and “human-like” text. Technology writer Dan Gillmor used ChatGPT on a student assignment, and found its generated text was on par with what a good student would deliver and opined that “academia has some very serious issues to confront.”
Oh my! Will there be any original human creativity left after the AI world finishes with us? I pray so. I wonder how extensive their knowledge base is of the Christian religion and how access to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit changes human creation? God save us all! And LORD, please help me keep writing to glorify Your name!
Is this beyond the Babel of the Scripture? God knows and time will tell.
Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.
3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”
8 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel —because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
Genesis 11:1-9 NIV
Yikes what happens when A I starts talking for us? It already talks to us. God knows and I believe He is in charge!
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 