Category: Praise

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Memories, Praise, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Worship

Did You Watch It?

Season 4 Episode 1 of The Chosen was broadcast last weekend and we were delighted to have it on again. Very interesting that the church we visited used many of the same Scriptures and images that the show did. Made me wonder if they have an “in” with the program or if it was just the Holy Spirit at work, again!

When I attended the Soul Collage retreat in May of this year I found this picture. It moved me deeply. I share it with you not knowing if there is a copyright on it or not. If there is, my apologies to the photographer.

I immediately thought of the prayer quoted in the Eucharist by some churches:

"Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for through your goodness we have received
the wine we offer you:
fruit of the vine and work of human hands,
it will become our spiritual drink."

And like in the Chosen, the website Jewish Voice says:

Blessed are You O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

To me, it is no small thing the the Lord draws all of these things together for us. It is my plan to write the prayer of blessing/thanksgiving on the photo.

When we had our very first house on 1/2 acre of land, Bob not only planted a large garden but also wanted to grow grapes. And grow them he did! I quickly learned that if I was going to help harvest the grapes I better wear rubber gloves (thicker than cotton garden gloves) in case the wasps and bees were there ahead of me. Now we are fortunate if we can purchase fresh concord grapes in a market.

Blessed are You O Lord our God, King of the Universe. May we always see Your hand at work in our midst.

Posted on in Aging, Faith, Illness and Health, medical treatment, Praise, Thanks, Writing Life

June 1st!

New Month and at the end we will be halfway through 2024. How did that happen?

The epidural I had did not take away the pain in my back/hip. The pain specialist decided I will benefit from a “Medial Branch Block.” Medicare requires two trial injections first. So I will go in this month and have the first injection. He says we should be able to tell immediately if it is effective. Then I return for a followup visit. They will then schedule the second trial. If that also works, I will get an injection that basically will burn the nerve that goes to that hip. It is not supposed to impair anything else. Relief can last 6-9 months? When the nerve grows back he can administer the burning of the nerve repeatedly without the trial injections. That is good news to me. I was plenty discouraged when the pain was there after the previous injection.

And more good new! Baby Francesca got he new heart and should be headed home soon. Lucky dog has responded well to first injection of arthritis medication. She has now had her second and things are looking good for her!

This month I also get to make another 6 day retreat with a spiritual director. I am so looking forward to that! Last year I learned so much about myself and my direction. This year my quest is similar.

I am seeking what the Lord would want me to do with all this writing. I believe I am to take selections from the blog and rework them, perhaps for a booklet? I will remove YouTube links and multiple photos. Trying to get at the gist of what I am saying … Words fail me to tell you more.

Suffice it to say if you have favorites among what you have read on this blog I would love to hear from you what that selection is. You can refer to the date or title. I am fairly certain I can locate with just that info. It is very hard to re-read what I have written and choose a few favorites for myself. I have 3 local people looking through the printouts and marking them with post-its. Rewriting will take a lot of work, but I don’t mind writing work. Just trying to find where I go, what I do from here.

Thanks for your help!

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
    even at night my heart instructs me. Psalm 16:7 NIV

Praise the Lord, all his works
    everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, my soul. Psalm 103:22 NIV

Posted on in Aging, Amazing Creations, Faith, Memories, Nature, Praise, Prayer

What to Write?

How about my day so far? Uncertain if I like the continuous glucose monitor. Sometimes it is so confusing. Guess I will know more once I meet with the doctor. Morning measurement seems to jump over 2 gingersnaps. Add a bowl of no sugar cereal with milk and the number went through the roof. Took a walk at the nature center and it still did not come down. Grr.

About that walk. It is good for me to go on the trail. See the turtles sunbathing. See the snapping turtle swim and then dive as if it saw a net or some other threat? None of them are concerned about my glucose reading. People feeding the turtles draw fish to the water, also. Always fun to watch.

There used to be an area where I could smell the pine trees, but so many of those trees have died that the fragrance is gone. The children on the trails always amuse me and some of the dogs are cute. I recognize most of the bird songs. The water striders still do not make sense to me, but they are fascinating. Perhaps you are not familiar with the water strider? Explanation follows.0000000

How do they do that?

National Wildlife Federation explains: Water striders are small insects that are adapted for life on top of still water, using surface tension to their advantage so they can “walk on water.”

Water acts different at the surface. Water molecules are attracted to each other and like to stay together, especially on the surface where there is only air above. The attraction between water molecules creates tension and a very delicate membrane. Water striders walk on this membrane.

Water striders are about a half-inch long with a thin body and three sets of legs. The water strider’s secret is its legs. The legs have tiny hairs that repel water and capture air. By repelling water, the tiny water striders stand on the water’s surface and the captured airs allows them to float and move easily.

There is a place near a nature center pool where I remember our son at about age 5 throwing little things into the water to try to fool the frogs.

Did I mention there are eyelashes on our deck? With all the younger women wearing false eyelashes these items make me think of them. Do you know what this is actually is?

Remember the blizzard of maple seeds? These are the stems those seeds were affixed to!

We are still pulling maple seedlings out of every flower bed. tough on the back! Wish I could hire a kid to do it. But there are also sweet alyssum seedlings and columbine and pansy/viola seedlings, so maybe not a good idea.

Praise the Lord.

Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
    praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
    praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,
    praise him with the strings and pipe,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
    praise him with resounding cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord. Psalm 150:1-6 NIV

Posted on in Aging, Cooking, Faith, Memories, Praise, Prayer, Trust

Nostalgia

When our children were little I would bake a special cake for our Easter celebration. I had a cake pan shaped like a lamb.

I used the James Beard recipe for 1-2-3-4 cake which is very rich! The recipe always made too much batter for the lamb cake pan.

Form made two layers similar to this.

When it was baked we stuck it together with rich butter cream frosting and used raw spaghetti to help it stay put. After frosting the outside we put coconut all over the lamb to look like wool.

I did not use a bow, but we did dye coconut green to look like grass.

I cooked the rest of the batter in a one layer pan and froze it for our celebration on Pentecost. Fifty days after demolishing the lamb cake we were each eager to taste the Pentecost cake. I pray my adult children and yours are eager to taste the Holy Spirit sent to us on Pentecost.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Just do it, Praise, Prayer, Special Event, Trust, Worship, Yield

Did You Celebrate Pentecost?

Last Sunday was the traditional time in the liturgical calendar to celebrate Pentecost. Forty-nine or fifty days after Easter this celebration commemorates “the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles of Jesus while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1–31). From Wikipedia the worldly font of wisdom!

In Christian tradition, this event represents fulfillment of the promise that Christ will baptize his followers with the Holy Spirit. Out of the four New Testament gospels, the distinction between baptism by water and the baptism by Christ with “Holy Spirit and fire” is only found in Matthew and Luke. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentecost

At Saint Timothy’s we celebrated and asked the Holy Spirit to fill us once more. I believe the promises of Jesus are real and for everyone. So in case you missed it, I pray that you will look to the Father of all good things and ask for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to guide, direct and order your life for the glory of God.

15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” John 14:15-21 NIV

This promise by Jesus comes from Father God and is for all who accept Jesus and love Him. Lord may the fullness of Your promise fill all who come to You. We look for You to manifest Yourself in our midst. And as You bring this to pass we will be careful to give You all of the glory. Amen.

Posted on in Aging, Amazing Creations, Faith, Just do it, Listen, Memories, Nature, Poetry, Praise

Never Crossed My Mind


Never Crossed My Mind ©Molly Lin Dutina  2024

Never crossed my mind
As a younger woman
Hiking the trail, searching for flowers
Savoring the sound of Living waters
That a time would come

When the trails would offer  a daunting challenge
Sitting on a low bench
Taking an inexpert selfie
Would create clenching back pain
Upon arising

The Living Water refreshes my soul
Grand vistas renew my high opinion
Of Your glorious creation
Most High and Holy God
You bless me.

Black bear lumbers through the woods
Even haphazard parking by tourists
Cannot disturb this peace

Trickle of the brook calls me to quiet
Splendor of mighty clouds
Marching across Your endless sky
Summon me to Your heart.

The woodland has changed 
Mighty windstorms have reshaped
Trails and brooks
Grateful the young rangers 
Care for these trails and not me

Posted on in Aging, Book quotes, Faith, Listen, Memories, Music, Praise, Prayer, Traveling

Psalm 84

So many things about this Psalm. Before my husband took me to Ireland in 2011 for my 60th birthday I obtained a 3 CD set of Hymns and Songs of the Celtic tradition. The following hymn has blessed me ever since I first heard it.

When we visited Teampall Bhreacain, County Galway, Ireland I had my first encounter with a “thin place.” Not only did the ancient altar mesmerize me, (Photo above by r m dutina) but the bird’s nest high in the wall took my breath away.

photo by r m dutina

“Even the sparrow finds a home where he can settle down, and the swallow,she can build a nest where she may lay her young” say the lyrics!

At the Convent of the Transfiguration in Glendale where I am an Associate they often quote from the Celtic Daily Prayer book organized and printed by the Northumbria Community. After hearing these quotes for several years I recently allowed myself to purchase the book, used. Yes! the first thing I randomly opened to was Page 69, Meditations: Day 28, Psalm 84. Not kidding. The exact lyrics sung by John Begley on the CD. Oh my how blessed I was and am.

While in the Smoky Mountains the song came back. Sitting at my window in morning prayer the song comes back. This is what I mean when I say I am “haunted” by a hymn. 

How lovely is Thy dwelling-place
     O Lord of hosts, to me.
My soul is longing and fainting
     the courts of the Lord to see.
My heart and flesh, they are singing
     for joy to the living God.
 How lovely is Thy dwelling-place
     O Lord of hosts, to me.

Even the sparrow finds a home
     where he can settle down,
and the swallow , she can build a nest
     where she can lay her young,
within the courts of the Lord of hosts,
     my King, my Lord, and my God:
and happy are those who are dwelling where
     the song of praise is sung.

And I'd rather be a door-keeper
     and only stay a day,
than live the life of a sinner
    and have to stay away.
For the Lord is shining as the sun,
     and the Lord, He's like a shield;
and no good thing does He withhold
     from those who walk His way.

How lovely is Thy dwelling-place
     O Lord of hosts, to me.
My soul is longing and fainting
     the courts of the Lord to see.
My heart and flesh, they are singing
     for joy to the living God.
 How lovely is Thy dwelling-place
     O Lord of hosts, to me.

I believe the following thoughts are worth considering and using for your spiritual discipline and growth in the thing of God. What draws you to the Presence of the Lord repeatedly? Is there a means the Holy Spirit uses to draw you close? Have you considered using that very thing to calm your soul and center your thoughts upon the Holy One?

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Nature, Praise, Thanks, Worship

Just a Sampling of Both Iris

Here is the cultivated iris that grows in our yard.

Bought the root years ago at a commercial Iris Farm

In the Smokies we found the Crested Dwarf Iris. We have seen this flower before. This year I seemed to see more of it than usual. Perhaps it had to do with the weather or time of year we visited?

Our wildflower book describes it as:

Plant 4-9″ tall and 2-1/2″ flower. This complex flower has three blue-purple (rarely albino) petals as a standard above three unique petal-like sepals. On each sepal is a yellow crest which leads pollinating insects toward the nectar hidden deep in the flower. The insect pollinators first pass beneath the stigmas (depositing pollen) then the anthers (receiving new pollen) before exiting this one-way flower near the stem. This elaborate system assures cross-pollination. Wildflowers of the Smokies by Peter White and 5 contributing co-authors

So I saw some crested dwarf iris and thought there a lot of those.

Then later I saw hundreds and a day after that I figured thousands and then it hit me.

How many millions of these bloom in these mountains that mankind has never seen?

The God of heaven and earth delights me with endless miracles of creation! A walk in the springtime yields blessing upon blessing. I am grateful, thankful and give praise and worship to the Most High God. Every flower is His.

The Mighty One, God, the Lord,
    speaks and summons the earth
    from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
2 From Zion, perfect in beauty,
    God shines forth.

for every animal of the forest is mine,
    and the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know every bird in the mountains,
    and the insects in the fields are mine.

“Sacrifice thank offerings to God,
    fulfill your vows to the Most High,
15 and call on me in the day of trouble;
    I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

Psalm 50:1-2,10-11,14-15 NIV

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Listen, Praise, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Worship

The Most Important Thing

I signed up a long time ago for a newsletter from Joan Chittister. I so enjoy her writing! This one arrived recently in my email box and I thought you might enjoy her ideas. Here is a portion of the article. I have added a link at the end in case you want to read the entire article It is taken from her book The Monastic Heart.

What You Pay Attention to in Life

“Every afternoon, as I sit in my upstairs office, I hear the old monastery bells begin to ring in the once Benedictine church that then adjoined this inner-city monastery. In fact, the bells from Benedictine monasteries everywhere still peal out around the world. Our original monastery moved over 50 years ago from an in-town property to the edge of the city. So, we have another bell tower and a new electronic carillon. The big old brass bell, “Theodore,” shipped from Germany ages ago, now rests retired and reverenced on a brick base in the memorial garden of the new monastery. New bells go on ringing over our lakeside property daily, just as the old one did here in the inner city for more than 150 years. No bedroom clocks, no personal watches take their place as harbingers of spiritual time.
 
“But why?
 
“The purpose of Benedictine bells is not to spell out the hour of the day at all; that task is left to horologists. Our bells, on the other hand, are there to wrench our attention back to what is really important in life: the memory of God in our midst. The memory of the purpose of life. The memory that time is moving on and so must we. The recognition that life today is different than yesterday, and we must not try to hold life back. The bells jog the memory that there are actually more important, more meaningful, more demanding dimensions of life than anything ordinary we can possibly be doing as they ring.”

https://joanchittister.org/articles/what-you-pay-attention-life

The bells are there to “wrench our attention back to what is really important in life: the memory of God in our midst.” I occasionally hear the bells from the Catholic church that is several blocks away and through the woods. When I notice them I stop to breathe deeply and pray. I more often hear the sirens going down the busy highway two blocks away. I have made it a habit to pray for the police, EMS and fire people responding to their various emergencies. I like Joan’s idea of ‘wrenching our attention back to what is really important in life.‘ I think I will continue to pray for the emergency workers but also pause to ask myself if I am remembering God in our midst whenever I hear the sirens.

What reminds you of the presence of God in your midst? We have two clocks that chime. A Cuckoo clock that was a gift from friends who traveled to Germany and my parents mantel clock that was a gift for their wedding in 1934, almost 90 years ago, and it still runs. At times, living with the clocks, I do not even hear them ring. Bob says they draw him back to what is really important.

What serves to wrench your attention back to God? Years ago when I taught Bible study I would encourage the students to find something they do daily. Then prayerfully dedicate that to the awareness of God. As a daily practice begins to build, the awareness of the Holy One becomes easier and easier. I used to dislike bracelets. I would wear one so that each time I was bothered or irritated by the bracelet I was reminded to turn my attention to God.

Sirens? Church bells? Bracelet? Huge water bottle you drink from all day? In this day and age it would be fairly simple to set your smart watch to ring once an hour as a reminder to pay attention to the Trinity in your midst. To stop and breathe, returning ‘back to what is really important in life.’

“The bells jog the memory that there are actually more important, more meaningful, more demanding dimensions of life than anything ordinary we can possibly be doing as they ring.”

The Verdin Bell Company is anchored in the Cincinnati area. They have made, installed and restored church bells for years. Perhaps this photo will encourage you to restore your attention to the Holy One?

Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.

Psalm 119:164 NKJV
Posted on in Aging, Amazing Creations, Challenge, Faith, Humor, Listen, Memories, Music, Nature, Praise, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

Bird Song and Merlin

My friend, Debbie, told me about a free app called “Merlin.” https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/ Cornell labs developed it and I just love it! Pictured below is how the screen looks for Merlin.

Years ago Bob and I went on a birding adventure with the Cincinnati Nature Center in the Lake Erie area. We were surrounded on a boardwalk by people from many areas. The birds were mostly high in the treetops. Even with binoculars I was unable to see most of them. The birdsong was glorious! I was very humbled when the Amish children walking with us were able to identify the birds by their song. Yes I live in an industrialized society. Sadly most of us lost touch with that sort of skill. I was taught to identify some spring wildflowers but never to identify bird song. Bob and I were not shamed as much as amazed at the abilities of those children!

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
2     Sing the glory of his name;
    make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
    So great is your power
    that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you;
    they sing praise to you,
    they sing the praises of your name.”

Psalm 66:1-4 NIV

I have my morning prayer and meditation in my bedroom next to a south facing window. One recent morning the serenade was amazing. There were so many birds that I asked the Merlin App to identify who was singing. Twelve different birds! What a wonder and a blessing. Here is the list the app created:

  • Carolina Wren
  • Northern Cardinal
  • House Finch
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • American Robin
  • Song Sparrow
  • Blue Jay
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • Canada Goose
  • Carolina Chickadee
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • Red-winged Blackbird

Along with the bird names that were linked with the songs there were photos. I could click on any one of them and get more details.

I know there are many folks who do not like modern technology. I am not saying that all of it is unequivocally good. But to me, this one app is absolutely amazing! Sparrows abound in our neck of the state. So did I see the one pictured above or this one?

So many sparrows, so little time. Will I ever learn to identify all of them by sight? If not, I have Merlin to aid me.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Luke 12:6-7 NIV

The April 15 New Yorker just arrived. Here is the cover artwork!

“Undercover” by Peter de Seve