Are you tired of the day to day humdrum of life? This recent quote from Gratefulness.org reminded me how precious the humdrum can be.
Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, savor you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.
MARY JEAN IRION
Each year as Bob and I age we realize we have lost certain qualities of strength and health that we never even considered when we were younger. I am forever telling young folks they have NO IDEA how strong they are! The above quote made me wonder what am I taking for granted today that in all likelihood may be gone tomorrow, a mere memory?
Mid-January and the trees are reduced to absolute sticks Cypress needles have fallen Other trees have shed leaves that are lodged in its branches Yet Cypress is bare
Clump River Burch is stem with black scars Nothing to show for its summer growth Just another inch or so taller Stems rise from common base area
A few oaks have held their dead leaves In the winter wind they sound chilly And out of place Shrubs are all naked
And yet You promise to revive them come spring Hold my barren soul Lord I yield to You my bare scaffold of bony intentions I wait in the arctic arena of winter
You are my source of life The sap that fills my veins Grow me into a plant that delights You Hold me in this barren time
And when the season is right Fill me with Your life and fruit Shine Your light of life through me Make me a bush on fire with Your love
For now, I rest in Your arms Those everlasting arms of love Attached to the unseen vine of life Where my soul finds absolute meaning
We yield to the timing of the Almighty, we wait and hold fast to the promises.
Recently I was given a Kindle book from a friend. The title is “A Beautiful Year: 52 Meditations on Faith, Wisdom, and Perseverance” by Diana Butler Bass. I had never heard of her, but have read a couple of the entries. When I was praying through the book of Mark, I came upon the entry entitled Year-End Review. She is comparing Genesis with the opening passages in John.
John’s preamble: And the Word became flesh and lived among us. Then comes the ending of the beginning in Genesis: God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there’s an ending of the beginning of John: From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. Very good … grace upon grace. Matthew and Luke start their Jesus stories with birth narratives; Mark’s begins with the first actions in Jesus’s ministry. But John begins at the very beginning, before time, as things came into being, with the Word (breath) and Wisdom (spirit). This poetic Gospel insists that the beginning of Jesus was before his enfleshment: The One in the Cradle is also the One at the heart of the Cosmos. The baby Jesus is the Cosmic Christ. And the same God who brought creation from primeval chaos is, through the Christ, bringing new creation from the imperial chaos of this human-shattered world. The ever-creative God is still at work. And Jesus invites us to join in, extending his wounded hand to draw us into the dance.
I love this expansive thinking! “The One in the Cradle is also the One at the heart of the Cosmos. The baby Jesus is the Cosmic Christ.” Oh! how I wish we could get that message across to the Hollywood people who made famous the mocking of Christ with the guy who just prayed to the baby Jesus. Talladega Nights. Ugh what an awful mockery of many ways of prayer. I suppose it got laughs but the ignorance and blatant disregard for communication with the Cosmic Christ is offensive in so many ways.
May the world come to know the Cosmic Christ in 2026. Lord, forgive us our mockery we pray.
I have read portions of his work compiled in a book by Coleman Banks entitled The Essential Rumi. I find his work and wisdom quoted in so many places! He lived 1207-1273.
Recently Gratefulness.org posted
“Thankfulness brings you to the place where the Beloved lives.” Rumi
We could all benefit from more thankfulness and gratitude. It does our hears and minds good. Jesus gave thanks repeatedly in the Gospels. He took the five loaves and two fish and gave thanks. He thanked the Father for giving wisdom to the humble and lowly. And the Scriptures go on and on showing us how Jesus was thankful to the Father for the many blessings in life.
The Beloved, I read, as our Lord. God sent Jesus to redeem and save this world. Every person on earth needs the Beloved.
We are also called the Beloved of God. We are deeply loved, cherished and valued. Do you believe that about yourself? It is true. Utterly and amazingly true!
Sometimes I just quote online sources to save time!
The word beloved is also used repeatedly throughout the New Testament. A notable use of the word is at the baptism of Jesus. In this scene, all three Persons of the Trinity are revealed. God the Father speaks to the Son from heaven: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22). Then the “Holy Spirit descended like a dove and rested on Him” (Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32). God again calls Jesus “beloved” at the Mount of Transfiguration: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Matthew 17:5). We can learn a little about the loving relationship shared by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit by God’s use of the word beloved. Jesus echoes that truth in John 10:17 when He says, “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.” https://www.gotquestions.org/beloved-in-the-Bible.html
He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:5-6 NRSVUE
Glorious grace bestowed freely upon us in Christ, the Beloved. That gives me cause to be thankful and reside where the Beloved lives!
Sufi Whirling, the prayerful dance such as Rumi participated in
How might you participate more in thankfulness? It’s not just for turkey anymore 🙂
I love to have music playing, especially piano solos in the background as I write or read, (like right now). Music helps me focus. And if I lose focus, music can often return me to the topic. Recently I asked Amazon music to play piano solo hymns for me. I am familiar with a few artists, but this name was new to me. Dan Musselman. What a neat find!
If you click on the link you can read about him. His arrangements are available for purchase.
If you have a music streaming service I hope you will request him. He even takes the most contemporary Christian music and plays it as a piano solo. His music is seamless and lovely. Below is a sampling. Enjoy!
I have been trying to apply myself to read through all of the Gospels, not as a study work, but just to absorb and pray the stories of Jesus afresh for 2026. Having finished Mark I am now in Matthew.
You have likely heard the Scripture story about the house built upon the sand?
24 “Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!” Matthew 7:24-27 NRSVUE
I think all too often I have heard it like a lesson in engineering. If you look for images about that passage you are given house upon house built upon rocks or sand. It hit me this morning that Jesus was teaching that the ones who HEAR the words and ACT on them are wise. He compares the wise to a good engineer, but the lesson is even for those who cannot build anything. Hear and act: the continuous call to obedience. Hear the words and act upon them. How do you personally accomplish that?
I have also decided to review music by some of my favorite artists. Recently Benjamin William Hastings has been my artist to listen to. He caught my attention about three years ago with his song “That’s the Thing about Praise.” This same chapter in Matthew has the verse he wrote about with Cody Carnes in “Take You At Your Word.” The YouTube video has the lyrics. The opening artwork caught my attention as an apt descriptor of the narrow gate.
13 “Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13-14 NRSVUE
Hear and act. Choose the narrow gate, the hard road that leads to life. We are also promised life and that more abundantly! (John 10:10)
You are wisdom, uncreated and eternal, the supreme first cause, above all being, sovereign Godhead, sovereign goodness, watching unseen, the God-inspired wisdom of Christian people. Raise us we pray, that we may totally respond to the supreme, unknown, ultimate, and splendid height of your words, mysterious and inspired… You fill to the full with most beautiful splendour those souls who close their eyes that they may see.
St Denis prayer from The Cloud of Unknowing , written anonymously in the fourteenth century.
If you have never used this app, I highly recommend it. No, I do not use it every single day, but I find it worthwhile practically every time I do use it.
The above prayer has kept me praising for several weeks now. I know it is from the 14th century, but it still applies to the God I worship in 2026! Scroll back to the top, then pray it instead of just reading it. When might you be finished praying this one?
The legend of Saint Denis is surrounded by fictional tales and a few facts. All I can be certain of is that if he indeed prayed like the prayer quoted above, he knew my God and how to draw me into a closer relationship with the Trinity.
The prayer is said to come from The Cloud of Unknowing, a powerful tome. “The medieval spiritual guidebook called The Cloud of Unknowing was written by an anonymous English monk. At the core is a mystical approach to Christian prayer, in which God is found not through rote knowledge, but through ‘blind love.’ It has been described as Christianity with a Zen outlook.” J.B. Hare
Saint Denis in his prayer is no less powerful. Come, Lord, and make us more like those who loved you then. Help us to totally respond to You! “You fill to the full with most beautiful splendour those souls who close their eyes that they may see.“
I could not remember when I posted this. I had to look it up! If you click on the link below it should take you to what I wrote on July 31, 2025 about the box turtle in our yard.
“As temperatures begin to drop, box turtles instinctively sense the impending winter and start preparing for their extended period of dormancy. This process typically begins in the late fall or early winter, depending on the region and specific climate conditions.
“Box turtles showcase their innate digging skills as they seek out suitable locations. These locations are often found underneath the leaf litter, in soils, or beneath fallen logs. The chosen site offers insulation and protection from the frigid temperatures above ground.”
I would love to witness this happening! Guess I will not complain about my neighbor letting fallen branches and logs lie between our properties!
“Once a suitable location is identified, box turtles begin the process of burrowing. Using their robust forelimbs, they tirelessly dig into the ground, creating a small tunnel that leads them to a depth below the frost line. Here, the temperature remains relatively stable and provides the necessary environment for their winter slumber.
“Box turtles use their hind legs and strong carapace (upper shell) to push the soil aside, creating a cozy hollow in which they will spend the entire winter. This burrow serves as their shelter, shielding them from below-freezing temperatures, the absence of food, and other environmental stresses.
“Brumation is a complex adaptation that allows box turtles to conserve energy and survive in conditions unfavorable for active life. During this period, their metabolic rate slows down dramatically, reducing the need for energy intake. This slowing of bodily functions helps them conserve vital resources and endure the scarcity of food throughout the winter months.
“While in this period of rest, the box turtle’s heart rate, rate of respiration, and overall bodily functions decrease significantly, resulting in a state of deep sleep. Their body temperature aligns with the surrounding environment, allowing them to survive even in freezing temperatures.”
So this might be our turtle right now, out back!! I would not disturb her, but I am tempted to go look for her!
How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Psalm 104:24 NIV
Snow? Well, we are forecast to be in the high 60s later this week, so snow is unlikely. I am always amazed at how the air seems to change prior to and during/after a snowfall. The very air is charged with listening. Asking the web, “Does snow muffle sound?” this answer was written. “Freshly fallen snow significantly alters the acoustic environment. Its porous structure, composed of ice crystals and air pockets, effectively absorbs sound waves. This absorption reduces the reflection and transmission of auditory signals, creating a noticeable dampening effect on ambient noise.” Ha! Not just my imagination 🙂 Recently in church they played an instrumental version of “Still, still, still”. Do you know this song?
May you grow still enough to hear the stir of a single snowflake in the air, so that your inner silence may turn into hushed expectation.
BR. DAVID STEINDL-RAST
I love this Steindl-rast thought towards inner silence. Yes, Christmas has passed. The call to stillness continues throughout the year. Can you quiet your heart and mind this much? If not to the stir of a single snowflake perhaps to the quiet of a new fallen snow? The world will continue without our input or opinion for a few minutes. Practice, regardless of the weather. Next time it snows at your house go outside or open the door to experience this quietening effect of the crystals. It is good for your soul!
I just realized I never posted this to let you know I was taking a week off. Oops. Well here is this blog entry very late!!
John Mark Comer has written a phenomenal book entitled Practicing the Way. I have been devouring it and trying to live into it. There is also a website that I found only recently https://www.practicingtheway.org/
Even if you have no intention of purchasing the book or borrowing it from your local library, I would encourage you to look a these materials. At the website practice materials are offered freely. Of course, there are also ways to contribute to the effort of getting the materials out.
There was a saying years ago that if you aim at nothing you are bound to hit it! That is especially true of our spiritual walk.
There are one or more areas where we might ignore the teachings of Jesus. The materials help guide us in contemporary ways to apply the teachings and grow in our own walk. I was familiar with the nine practices, but had never applied some of them to my walk consistently. In the New Year I hope to take this material and use it as my own. Hoping for a more fulfilling, God-honoring, lifestyle by bringing the practices into focus in my own life.
As we wind down 2025, I hope you will take some time to rest. We are truly a driven society and rarely allow our Shepherd to lead us into rest and solitude.
I will be taking the first week of January off from writing. I will also be studying materials for Stephen Ministry as I venture into again becoming a Stephen Minister. May your New Year celebration be blessed and warmly celebrated as we begin again to follow the Lord.
Start 2016 with a practice of resting in Christ. I did take that time off. Now I am back at writing, continuing to study Stephen Ministry materials and planning to work on two separate writing projects. All prayers appreciated!
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 