Category: Spiritual discipline

Posted on in Book quotes, Faith, Illness and Health, Journal, Just do it, Listen, Nature, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Trust, Yield

The Pathless Path

Pain and then some more pain. Unrelenting even with Tylenol. I am ground to powder.

Pain and fatigue. The pillars of my life with fibromyalgia. I am certain that osteoarthritis, diabetes and aging are not helping the situation.

Mayo Clinic at https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fibromyalgia/symptoms-causes/syc-20354780 says the primary symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

  • Widespread pain. The pain associated with fibromyalgia often is described as a constant dull ache that has lasted for at least three months. To be considered widespread, the pain must occur on both sides of your body and above and below your waist.
  • Fatigue. People with fibromyalgia often awaken tired, even though they report sleeping for long periods of time. Sleep is often disrupted by pain, and many patients with fibromyalgia have other sleep disorders, such as restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea.
  • Cognitive difficulties. A symptom commonly referred to as “fibro fog” impairs the ability to focus, pay attention and concentrate on mental tasks.

Yep my pillars are pain and fatigue. A pillar is a slender, freestanding, vertical support; a column. I am not thinking a pillar of cloud by day or of fire by night. I am thinking the constant in my daily life, day or night. My pillars are not decorative such as the ones below.

One morning I wrote “I wake up in pain. Two fingers numb. Shoulder so stiff. Hip has not spoken up yet. This gets so old, tiresome, ridiculous. I choose to praise You, even when the pain is present. I love you better than life, even quality of life.”

Surgery was supposed to relieve the shoulder pain and return full function to my right shoulder. Surgery has the result of almost constant pain. If I do the stretches it is supposed to be fine by September of this year. Lord, I cry to You. Please come to me and help me in my distress.

I remember the lyrics from the Vineyard O Jesus Mine

O Jesus mine, O Jesus mine
You’ve filled us with a love divine
Our hearts have found no resting place but Thee, O Jesus, Jesus, Jesus mine.

I always thought I heard(Our hearts have found a resting place IN TIME)

The Celtic Prayer Book stated God has made us capable of life with Him and thus we are ever lonely and insatiable.

What occurs in private with Him is rarely seen in the open. What some admire about a Christian’s life they also have no idea how it actually came about. There is longing and at times anguish in His presence, which is often only seen after its transfiguration. Only God can transfigure longing and anguish.

Lord, make me aware of Your presence with me, even in the morning pain and afternoon/evening hip pain. Help me adapt and cope I pray.

In A Sunlit Absence by Martin Laird  P. 123 He writes “The pathless path of prayer knows only how to move through struggle; and the only way through is through – not around, over, under or alongside, but through.” Struggle – with chronic fatigue and pain, not knowing how to fulfill the call to create something else with the writing, how to ….

Moving through struggle with pain and fatigue is not easy to accomplish day after day, hour after hour. Yet millions of people do it daily, hourly, weekly, monthly year after year.

Perhaps my sharing is all too transparent for those of you who do not have physical struggles? For the rest of us I hope this is read as a means of helping you understand some of the ways I get through these times. I know full well that God is no respecter of persons and ways He has touched me He can touch you with also. (Acts 10:34)

In this chapter of Laird’s book he is describing how a woman learned to struggle beyond her depression. He wrote

The fourteenth-century anonymous English author of The Cloud of Unknowing suggests that instead of pushing away or clinging to thoughts and images that appear in our awareness, whether distracting or attracting, we should simply “look over their shoulder.” This ingeniously playful advice requires a serious and cultivated inner awareness. …We have to meet distractions with stillness instead of commentary. This implies not only do we allow distractions to be present but we also allow them to help us steady our gaze as we “look over their shoulders, as it were, searching for something else.”

This flowing vastness of simple awareness, what St. Hesychios calls ‘the sun rising in the heart,’ is untouched by depression just as it is untouched by time, by age, by pain, fear, anger or greed, or by anything else – though simple awareness is never separate from any of these any more than a spoke of a wheel is separated from its hub. The spoke is not the hub, yet the hub centers all the spokes.

Laird goes on to teach that although this is harder to do than to write about, there comes about a stillness that is from the simple awareness. We are to gaze into that stillness.

Yes, I have the constant pillars of pain and fatigue in my life. They do not, however, need to be the constant focus of my attention. Though I may feel ground to powder, I can look over the shoulders of those two life ingredients and find the vastness of simple awareness. Awareness that ‘there is always something to be thankful for!” When I am especially having difficulty it can be helpful to allow myself some self-pity, but only for about 5 minutes. Beyond that is NOT helpful. Sitting in silence, not trying to add words to the situation, but observe it, allow it and to look ‘over its shoulders’ that is most helpful to me. I do not always accomplish this, do not pull it off every single time. But the sooner I return to this practice the better off I am.

Just as the deer walks the forest in the same pattern regularly, yet does not wear a path like humans seem to, we are called to follow this ‘pathless path of prayer.’ The photo in the opening reminds me of this.

The stillness that come from simple awareness. Certainly a pearl of great price to seek after.

 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Matthew 13:45-46

May your heart rest in this Jesus, a simple awareness of the goodness of life, regardless of your struggle.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Book quotes, Faith, Nature, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Trust

The Red-shouldered Hawk

There is a red-shouldered hawk who inhabits our neighborhood. Some days I hear it screaming high above the earth as it flies in the sunlit sky. Sometimes it blasts like a rocket silently between the houses and the hedgerows. This morning I was hearing it. The Merlin app identified it for certain by its call. Then most surprisingly as I was trying to formulate words around a quote, unbelievably, the same hawk was perched on a sunlit branch right outside my window, looking at me in my prayer chair, the sun at times reflecting on its black, shiny eye. I was stunned. The smaller birds were going nuts trying to send out alarm calls to their brethren. I sat shocked into stillness and blessed.

my not very good photo
same photo cropped

photo from online

For Dubois, hawks symbolize the ability to rise above our earthly realm and view life from a higher vantage point: “Hawks soar far above and take in the whole landscape from above. They have great eyes and are adept at spotting movements of prey.”

In other words, hawks see the bigger picture that we often miss from our limited view on the ground. “As a symbol, a hawk is a reminder to see the world from thirty yards above; to see the big picture,” Dubois explains. Encountering a hawk invites us to similarly elevate our perspective.

What Does the Bible Say About Hawks?

Dubois also notes the hawk’s significance in biblical texts. “From a Biblical perspective, a hawk is a symbol of divine guidance and that we are being watched out for from above. It is a call to seek God’s wisdom and guidance in our lives.”

God asks Job in Job 39:26, “Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread its wings toward the south?”  

So within Judeo-Christian tradition, the hawk represents a watchful presence guiding us from above and urging us to tap into divine wisdom. https://parade.com/living/hawk-spiritual-meaning-symbolism

The quote I was working with read “The pathless path of prayer knows only how to move through struggle; and the only way through is through – not around, over, under or alongside, but through.” A Sunlit Absence by Martin Laird P. 123

Struggle – with chronic fatigue and pain, not knowing how to fulfill the call to create something else with the writing, how to ….

Later I did my morning challenging walk. As I returned down a street near us there was a red-shouldered hawk sitting atop someone’s garage. As I watched another red-shouldered hawk flew right past it into the tree line.

Lord, You are my flying bird, my guidance, my hope and my salvation. I trust in You. Show me Your path through these struggles. Grant me Your view from on high. Your are the watchful Presence guiding me and (as Dubois says) urging me to turn to Your divine wisdom. Continue to teach me how to turn to You and I will be careful to give You all of the glory. Amen.

Posted on in Art, Beagle, Faith, Humor, Nature, Praise, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

For Freedom

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 NIV

In Hinds Feet on High Places Much-Afraid calls her Shepherd too preposterously absurd, adding “Whatever will you do next?” What has the Shepherd done in your life that is preposterously absurd? Can you look back and see the nail-scarred hand at work in your life adding amazing delight and surprise?

One dominant yoke of slavery right now across all areas of America seems to be anxiety and depression. Are you willing to try, as we celebrate this day of freedom, try to see the good situations or gifts this in life that are all around you and just waiting for your attention?

If you read my posts with any regularity you likely know that one of my favorite sources of joy is our dog, Lucky. When we first adopted her from the shelter someone told we a good way to indicate to her that it was bedtime was to give her a natural hollow bone with a small treat inside. I bought the smallest bones I could find. They usually are sold overstuffed with some inedible looking stuff. Since she had many teeth pulled before she came to us I would dig out the factory stuff and make a treat for her or stuff the bone with a small piece of hot dog (her favorite). This has become a bedtime ritual. I have her sit and wait patiently, (Ha!) She is told to keep the bone on her ‘blankey.’ I do not want treat or hot dog on the carpet every night. She eats her treat and goes to sleep.

When you were a child did you ever wait for the tooth fairy to put a coin under your pillow in exchange for a lost tooth? The other morning I saw the photo below.

I laughed out loud wondering if Lucky was waiting for the dog fairy to refill the bone for her! Obviously she did not keep it on the blankey the night before!

I also laughed when I saw this bachelor button in the garden. These are true blue flowers. Last winter was so mild here that the root survived the freezing season and brought us flowers almost immediately in the spring. The root on top of the ground is about the size of my thumb! The branch below is just a tiny sampling of the plant.

The buttons do not have pink centers, at least until they are very old and almost going to seed. This one was fairly fresh. That is a tiny pink moth or butterfly resting in the center!

In times of peace and in times of war children find ways to play. Poor or wealthy their imaginations are free. Seeing this recently at the art museum just reminded me that children are free in ways that adults forget to be. {After much research Bob was able to help me find the information on the photograph. I usually take a photo of that when we are in a museum. I did not that day. 😦 } In 1933, Seville, Spain Henri Cartier-Bresson took this photo. the website https://www.theartstory.org/artist/cartier-bresson-henri/ says

This photograph captures a group of children playing in the rubble in Seville, Spain. Framed by the empty, bombed-out section of a wall, the children interact joyfully and uninhibitedly among the ruins and desolation, in a space that is profoundly unchildlike. They are completely unaware that they are being observed. The ragged edges of the white, stuccoed wall could just as easily be the very surface of the photograph tearing open and inviting the viewer to look on undiscovered. The ambiguity of the picture space is a testament to Cartier-Bresson’s engagement with Surrealism, of which visual puzzles were a major feature.

There seems to be one adult there, the woman on the right with the basket. She looks like the only one who might not be free among the group.

“It is for freedom that Christ set us free.” Regardless of your politics God wants you free. Give the Holy Trinity your chains and afflictions. There is almighty power among them to set you free.

Posted on in Aging, Amazing Creations, Beagle, Faith, Nature, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Thanks, Trust

July? Already?!?

Wow. Mom said time goes faster as you get older. I hardly believed her then. Now I know it is oh so true. Do you have things you do daily and feel at times as if you ‘meet yourself coming and going’? I certainly do!

Bob often laments that we do not live someplace such as New Mexico where they have “Big sky,” meaning vast expanses where you can seemingly see forever. Walking out the door last evening to take the dog for her after supper constitutional I looked up and experienced our version of ‘big sky.” Oh those clouds and the heavens seem vast!!

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world. Psalm 19:1-4 NIV

We had a 24 hour break from the dreaded heat and humidity that has plagued the US. The air was so clear and felt breathable. Today will be a return to the 90s and rising humidity. The relief of that one day made everyone smile.

See these flowers gone to seed?

As I walked past there were 2, no 5, no perhaps 10 goldfinch eating the seeds. They seem to take flight in squadrons as they sensed my presence. I have been seeing fluff drift past the windows occasionally. I figured it was from a tree. I now think it is more likely from these flowers growing near the pond. I was not fast enough with my camera to catch the birds on the plants. Here is an online photo.

Unfortunately, I did see there are still muskrats living in the retention pond. Someone is supposed to be trapping them, but I have never seen that activity.

Lucky continues to improve. I realize we will not have her with us forever, but this is certainly a far cry from thinking we would need to put her down due to her failing ability to walk. She seems to be thriving. She gets about 1/3 can of green beans with each meal and only a little bit of kibble. It is hard to get her weight down. She really likes the canned green beans and it helps her not feel quite so hungry. Maybe since she can walk further now we can get some more pounds off?

During my recent retreat one leader prayed over us saying, “I bless you in all the many names of God. Amen.” Isaiah has perhaps the most familiar list of those names?

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 NIV

While on the retreat I had difficulty one night falling asleep. I decided I would try to praise God by reciting as many names as I could think of.

Holy One 
Savior 
Shepherd 
Alpha and Omega 
I think I got to 14 before I fell asleep 
Almighty God 
King of kings 
Lord of lords 
Holder of the keys 
Resurrected King 
Friend 
Brother 
Comforter 
Light of the world 
Bread of Life 
Living Water

You might want to try this as a form of prayer for yourself. As we remind ourselves of Who we love and serve we are also reminded of the mighty power that is held there and used on our behalf.

Posted on in Art, Faith, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Trust, Worship

Did You Skin Your Knee?

As a child did you ever skin your knee? Remember how it burned and bled and seemed like the pain would not end? I was the princess of skinned knees. It took me years to learn to ride a bike. Often, I fell off my bike at the end of a neighbor’s drive. That area of the drive was coated with cinders from the winter weather. Yep, once I managed to pack them in my knee. The doctor (whom you may recall I was terrified of after six weeks in traction at age three) said either he could remove them or I could sit in a bathtub of water and scrub them out myself. I chose the bathtub. That was NOT an enjoyable bath time! I had scars on both knees most of my childhood. I did finally master bicycle riding and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Recently I was eating lunch at the Sisters of Charity Convent and looked up at the large crucifix on the dining room wall. Something struck me as unusual. This one depicted His knees bleeding. Regardless of what version we embrace, I think we can all agree that on the way to Golgotha, Jesus did fall down. I never before noticed His knees on any crucifix I have seen.

According to tradition and the Stations of the Cross, Jesus fell three times while carrying the Cross. The first fall symbolizes Jesus’s agony and suffering as He began His journey to Calvary. It serves as a reminder of the physical and emotional pain Jesus experienced for the salvation of humanity.

The second fall signifies Jesus’s enormous burden for the world’s sins. Despite the immense weight of the Cross, He continued to persevere, demonstrating His unwavering commitment to fulfilling the Father’s will.

The third fall represents the ultimate triumph of Jesus’ redemptive mission. Despite His exhaustion and suffering, He rose again, showcasing His resilience and conquering the powers of sin and death.

These three falls convey the physical and spiritual struggles Jesus faced, highlighting the depth of His love and sacrifice for humanity.

In the biblical context, the falls of Jesus while carrying the Cross are not explicitly mentioned. However, the Stations of the Cross have been widely accepted in Christian tradition as a means of meditating on the suffering and death of Jesus. https://christianpure.com/learn/jesus-cross-journey-distance/

We are often shown the scars on His hands and feet and side when there is a depiction of the Risen Lord. Have you considered His knees? Those knees that bent so often in prayer. Those knees that spent hours in the Garden of Olives praying.

I bend my knees in reverence to the One who bled and died for us. The One Who took our place and continues to intercede on our behalf. All glory be to You, Lord Christ.

33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Romans 8:33-34 NIV

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,  Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV1 John 2:1-13

My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one. 2 He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-3 CSB

Thank you, precious Lord, for all You have done and will do for us!

Posted on in Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Praise, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Worship, Yield

Offering Things to God

I have and know others who have offered their suffering to God on behalf of others. At Lent many of us give up or sacrifice certain foods or thoughts patterns to God. We have almost all heard of folks who have prayed “If You will just save my child (let this pass, fill in the blank) I will always serve You from now on.”

I am not the Lord, but I think He certainly honors some of those prayers. He is rather specific about what He wants the most from us. Read the passage below.

Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God,
    and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
15 Then call on me when you are in trouble,
    and I will rescue you,
    and you will give me glory. Psalm 50:14-15 NLT

Is thankfulness your sacrifice to God? Have you ever consciously made a sacrifice of praise to the Almighty One? Have you made vows to God? I do not mean vows like are made in religious institutions, but within your personal relationship with the Almighty.

Traditionally most married folks made vows to one another to remain faithful to their relationship. That does not always work out, but it is logical starting place. There are many hymns about the promises of God but almost none about our vows or promises to Him! Why is that? Because we are ingrates.

In the New Testament Stephen is speaking to the Jews after Jesus had risen, this is just before he was stoned to death.

“You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.” Acts 7: 51-53 NIV

Lord, I have been a stiff-necked person, too. Help me to fulfill the vows I made to You. Help me to constantly offer the sacrifice of thankfulness to You. You alone are worthy of these things. Help me be faithful and true to You. Amen.

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. Hebrews 13:15 NLT

Posted on in Challenge, Collection of Quotes, Faith, Just do it, Listen, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Trust, Yield

Paved With

There are many fine things which you mean to do some day, under what you think will be more favorable circumstances. But the only time that is yours is the present. GRENVILLE KLEISER

My mother used to say, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Perhaps she got the saying from her dad, who was a Methodist minister? There is another saying, “There is no time like the present.”

When are we going to take seriously our relationship with the Almighty? Making time to listen for His still small voice is not something to be postponed. There may be wisdom you are in need of, but if you are NOT listening, how will you receive it?

Perhaps you are running the troubles on an endless loop in your brain? Years ago a local grocery store had an advertising campaign that involved a giant pair of scissors (telling you to clip their coupons and save). I adapted those scissors to remind myself to cut the tape! Cut the endless loop of futile thoughts. Let the Lord in on giving advice and wisdom as to what is to be done. In this present moment. Right now, which is all the time any of us have. This minute.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I meant to ask God but got consumed by the problem. Well don’t do that. Stop it. Step aside and ask for guidance. At times the wisdom might be to just go on doing what the Lord has previously instructed.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.  Colossians 3:15 NIV

Let – something you allow – Let. Simple word that can be difficult to allow. Have you allowed the holy peace of Christ to RULE in your heart? If not, when will you?

There are countless examples of things we put off. I pray this finds you determined to embrace and build a stronger relationship with the Almighty One starting today. In the story of the prodigal son, the Father ran out to meet him. I think that Father went more than half-way. I know the Holy God will applaud your efforts.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  Jeremiah 29:13 NIV

Posted on in Aging, Book quotes, Faith, Listen, Memories, Praise, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Trust, Worship, Yield

Knitting and Hinds Feet

Just before I left for retreat I decided to pick up the knitting I learned a few years ago. I have crocheted for over 50 years. About the time Bob retired I decided I should learn to knit. After all those years of crochet I was able to knit the continental method, but never very well. So I got out my needles and set to work. First thing you need to do to knit is called casting on. I could not remember how to do that! I watched YouTube videos. Did not get it. Asked at the Journey Together In Stitches group at Transfiguration Convent and voila! It came back to me with a little help from my friend Bonnie! “Slingshot method”

It can be difficult on a week-long silent retreat to stay quiet and listen. I know the Lord has spoken to me before while crocheting and doing hand work. I wondered how to keep my brain from taking off down unnecessary thought paths.

This is the cover of the first copy I purchased.

About 1997 I had read a book entitled Hinds Feet on High Places, A Christian Allegory.

The book impacted me so much that I gave away every paperback copy that I ever purchased. I finally found it in hardback and made my self buy it so I would keep it. The book is so chock full of Scripture and I delighted in finding the references to each one that I recognized. I wrote my notes in the front of the book. A few years after that a group of us were interested in the story as a study. There was no such thing in the Christian resource world. So I wrote a group study based on the text.

On retreat, I went to my computer link to the library wondering, hoping, they might have an audio version of the book? They not only had one, it was available! The recording is about 5-1/2 hours long. I spent some of the retreat knitting and listening to this wonderful book.

I remembered when I first read it and the Lord was teaching me some of the lessons He gave to Much-Afraid. Her first letter of the alphabet “Acceptance with Joy.”

Where the water drops fell one by one, there grew the little golden flower, though where the seed had come from, Much-Afraid could not imagine, for there were no birds anywhere and no other growing things….She asked, “What is your name, little flower, for I never saw one like you before.” The tiny plant answered at once in a tone as golden as itself, “Behold me! My name is Acceptance-with-Joy.” At that Much-Afraid decided, “I, too, will look up in to His face and say, “Behold me! I am thy little handmaiden Acceptance-with-Joy.” from H. Hurnard’s book Hinds Feet on High Places.

Can you declare the same thing to Christ? Regardless of what comes your way or how your body chooses to age, can you declare to the Almighty, “Behold me, Acceptance-with Joy?”

I have mastered casting on (for now). I have knit a couple small washcloths. I have remembered that this is what the Good Shepherd asks of me, that I follow Him with Acceptance and Joy. Are you able to pick up this challenge?

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Luke 12:25-31 NIV

Posted on in Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Listen, Praise, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Trust, Yield

Say Yes to Our Shepherd

This morning I listened to another wonderful sermon by Jordan Rice from Harlem Renaissance Church. He always gives me food for thought. https://renaissancenyc.com/media/dckm3vp/superficial-spirituality In this sermon he spoke a little bit about a good shepherd saying in effect, “the shepherd does not tell the sheep go up there to the corner, turn left, go about a mile and take 3 more rights… No, the Good Shepherd leads and goes with the sheep.”

Do you know the Shepherd I follow? It is such a comfort to remember that I never travel alone. I am always accompanied. You are also if you follow Him. Did you watch the latest episode of The Chosen? It has a great scene of Jesus identifying and teaching about the Good Shepherd.

 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” John 10:11-18 NIV

On my recent retreat we were encouraged to say yes to God. Everything that God asks of us, says we should do, to all of it a resounding YES! Cooperation with His will is no small thing. Even if it seems small at the time, obedience is the best path to follow.

But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22 NIV

Why should I say yes to God? There is a rather plain explanation in Isaiah.

For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are My ways higher than your ways
    and My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55: 8-9 ESV

The Holy One always has our best in mind. We usually do not see exactly where obedience will lead us, but we can always trust the Trinity to take us to a better place!

Jordan is one under-shepherd I gladly follow!

Posted on in Beagle, Faith, Family, medical treatment, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Writing Life, Yield

Currently

As you read this I am on my way to a six night, seven day retreat with my spiritual director. I made this adventure last year and am really looking forward to the experience once again. So I likely will not be posting on the blog next week. My typical routine is to write on Monday and Tuesday mornings and post Wednesday through Sunday. This week I will reside in a Sisters of Charity guest room. Private room with half bath, shared but private shower room. All meals included plus nice grounds for walking, rooms for prayer, art work. Just a lovely place. They even have a huge church in the building if I want to go there.

We changed from one internet/TV/phone provider to another last week so Bob in particular has been busy, busy this week with setting up remote controls, learning the remote basics and getting us all situated. I typed a smaller channel guide from the large one they provided.

I have been learning how to use the CGM, (Continuous Glucose Monitor) to make my decisions about foods I eat, how often I eat, etc. The two most annoying things are when the alarm from this device rings in the night and when it loses signal. I even changed the device implanted on my arm on my own this week! Took out the old one (painless). Inserted the new one which was painless but still foreign to me. The hardest thing was getting the container for the new one open. I had to get Bob to do it. I was not strong enough. Grrr. Doctor has changed when I take one of the diabetic medications. We are still working to adjust some aspects of my care.

Lucky, our special beagle is improving with her new monthly arthritis injection, Librela. Her tail is much more straight as she walks now and she can walk further than 2 months ago. She still gets stiff (we can relate!) but she seems to be in much less pain.

Bob has resumed riding his bike at least once a week. We both walk for exercise most every morning. I have been clocking at least one mile a day. Told myself I can take a day off when there is morning rain. Trying to work up to longer walks which will be a challenge in this hot, humid weather. Ha! at the convent I can even walk when it rains! No idea how many times I will need to circle a floor to get a mile! Not quite ready to attempt their indoor stairs.

Three old dogs living here and maybe not new tricks, but adapting to changing ages, technology and health. Whew! It can be a lot of work to keep up, stay calm and work at something you are unfamiliar with. So that is the Dutina update!

I pray you are each doing your fair share of adapting to change and growing in new technological advances!