My adult niece, (under 50 years old) has been sick for 2-1/2 weeks. Truly could not get out of bed. She did not have a cold. She had RSV that went to pneumonia.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract. It’s so common that most children have been infected with the virus by age 2. Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-ul) virus can also infect adults.
In adults and older, healthy children, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) symptoms are mild and typically mimic the common cold. Self-care measures are usually all that’s needed to relieve any discomfort.
RSV can cause severe infection in some people, including babies 12 months and younger (infants), especially premature infants, older adults, people with heart and lung disease, or anyone with a weak immune system (immunocompromised).
Mayo Clinic
RSV is on the rise in Ohio. Modern medicine has provided us with an immunization against this virus. My husband already had his immunization as his lungs are compromised. I did not get mine at the same time due to my immune system being in an uproar with many contributing factors. I got mine last weekend. This disease is viral, so antibiotics do not help if you get the illness.
Again, another respiratory illness we do not need to mess with. If my niece could be so ill she took to her bed for over a week, I do not want to imagine what would happen to us old folks if we should catch it. Please, get your shot!
My niece is on a course of steroids to help her lungs recover.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1: 1-5 RSV
This time of year as the wintry sky brings less sunlight where we live and the earlier sunset brings on the darkness, this verse comes to mind. As the Advent and Christmas messages ring out, again and again I remember the LIGHT of Christ shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot put it out, has never extinguished it, darkness cannot comprehend the light, darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it], darkness has not suppressed it … You can read translation after translation and continuously find that the Light conquers the darkness.
For many years we sang this song in our church. I could not help but bow at the waist when we hit certain parts of the song.
So in this season as we celebrate the Light of Christ coming into the world how do you respond? I pray you are taking time to worship and remember Whose Birthday we celebrate. The indwelling Christ can bring you joy in this hectic season. Just slow down, breathe His name, center on His love again.
In the Monday zoom group we are reading and discussing Richard Rohr’s book entitled Eager to Love, The Alternative Way of Francis of Assisi. Reading Chapter 6, “An Alternative Orthodoxy” I came across this statement by Rohr.
For example, I often change the wording of many of the official orations of the Catholic Mass, after I find myself praying for my or our own salvation 65 percent of the time (Count them yourself.)
Page 90, Eager to Love by R. Rohr
If you have ever attended a liturgical church this might be true of you, also. I know there are things I added to my prayer book when we regularly attended the Episcopal church. I will give you an example.
A portion of The General Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
Morning Prayer 2, Page 101
Christ in you, the hope of glory Colossians 1:27
I prayed this most every morning when I was a Third Order Franciscan. I eventually added:
…but above all for the means of grace, for the hope of glory and for the glory of hope.
Hope can be elusive and I find it glorious when I can grasp it! These are the things I often ponder with my prayers.
How about you? The hope of glory is a wondrous, majestic thing that only the Holy One can pull off for us. What about the glory of hope? Have you found holding on to it difficult in your life, too?
I have a clear blown-glass woman which I just love. Yes, I could live without it, but she reminds me of how I am to live before the Father as stated in the beginning of the Holy Eucharist.
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your Holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
BCP, Holy Eucharist: Rite Two, Page 355
Many people think they have to clean themselves up before they come to God. We each know we have fallen short of his calling. What we often fail to realize is that the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is sent to show us how to get cleaned up!
Christian society has decided that certain sins are worse than others, though no where in Scripture is one stated as being worse than others. Rohr wrote, “Organized religion has paid much attention to some things that Jesus never once mentioned and rather totally ignored others that he stated with utter clarity.” (God help us all!) “No pope, priest, or parishioner has ever been excommunicated for living too rich a lifestyle, or for being ambitious, greedy or prideful, even though Jesus condemned these things much more directly and openly than for what most (religions) usually excommunicate people.” Just like we sometimes try to clean ourselves up in our own strength, the Holy Spirit can show us the actual root of our unrighteousness and help us cleanse the thoughts of our hearts. “That we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name.”
As some of you know, I collect handmade cotton washcloths for Empower Youth, a ministry to underprivileged children in our county. Each year they hold a “Winterfest” where the kids get various blessings, a gift, a stocking and breakfast. This blog opens with a photo of some of the washcloths. We wrap them around a bar of soap and tie them with leftover yarn. The kids can use them in the bathtub or moms and grandmas can use them in the kitchen sink. Generous volunteers donated 300 this year! Cleansing is the idea.
So this Advent season leading into Christmas I pray you will let the Holy Spirit inspire you to stay open to God and learn how to let him cleanse the thoughts of your hearts that, indeed, “we may perfectly love God and worthily magnify His holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.” To God be the glory!
I frequently read dated selections from the writings of Amy Carmichael collected in a little book entitled The Edges of His Ways. I even love the humility in her title. She has experienced just the edges of the ways of Christ.
I have been helped very much by some of the “Evens” that the Revised Version brings to light. You know how sometimes words take life for us. It is as if they were made known to us in an altogether new way, and we are conscious of the Touch of God. I think Proverbs 22:19 R.V. explains that: “I have made them [those words] known to thee this day, even to thee.” So every such experience is a definite act of the Lord, even to me. Then in chapter 23:15 there is a lovely “Even.” It is all of Him if we are made aware of His Presence and listen when He speaks, and so receive wisdom; but in His extraordinary love He speaks as if it were all our doing: “If thine heart be wise, My heart shall be glad, even Mine.” Is that not an amazing word? Think of such as we being allowed to add to the gladness of God. It is an overwhelming thought. And then there is the dear “Even mine” of 2 Sam. 22:2 R.V.: “The Lord is my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Deliverer, even mine.” The comfort of that comes again and again.
The Edges of His Ways, December 5
I read my copy on my tablet and that is good because I likely would have worn out a paper copy by now!! I purchased it for a very minimal cost from Olive Tree. https://www.olivetree.com/store/search.php?q=Edges+of+his+ways They offer thousands of titles, Bibles, commentaries, audio and written.
Even is such a small word, with such powerful impact. Yes, let’s make the Lord’s heart glad this December with a wise heart (which He will direct us to).
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
James 1:5-6 RSV
This certainly not a gift you can wrap, yet one you can present to God daily!
Immanuel and Emmanuel point to the same meaning with two different spellings. Think of how we do this with modern names. For example, Cathy, Cathie, Kathy, and Kathi, or Alexander, Alexandre, Aleksander, and Aleksandr.
Christianty.com, Danielle Bernock
Regardless of our spelling, He is worthy. And we are created to have fellowship with Him and to praise Him. May your hands be lifted high in thanksgiving to Heaven!
…with this song. I cannot hear it too many times because it leads me into the Throne Room with praise and worship. What is it about Chandler Moore? Must be the anointing of the Holy Spirit. He knows how to enter the Presence of the Throne Room and lead us there with him. Twelve minutes is NOT too long to spend worshiping the Presence of the Mighty God.
One of my fondest memories is singing this refrain at Women’s Aglow as a way to enter into praise and His Presence. I was unfamiliar with Jekalyn. Watching this video gives me more perspective on her style. You have to be strong to sing peacefully with Chandler. He has such power !
Yes, Lord, we give You all the glory and praise, adoration and blessing! And the transition to another song, “You are worthy of it all!” How masterful! Yes, He deserves the glory!
Please listen to it prayerfully and worship Immanuel. “Born in the dirt and sitting on the Throne.”
My friend Dan gave me book entitled The Valley of Vision, Puritan Prayers and Devotions a few years ago. I pick it up occasionally, but regularly. While praying this morning about the blog posts for this week I came to this prayer. The editor, Arthur Bennett, has extracted the prayers and devotions from Puritan literature. The Preface says “The editor is thus responsible for the structure of the prayers as here printed.” First printed in 1975 the work is copyrighted by Arthur Bennett but says nothing about reproducing the prayers in other places. So, here is the one I read this morning and I pray I am not violating any laws by sharing it with you. I suggest you read it through to become acquainted with the older English and then read it again prayerfully, applying the phrases to your own life. I have even thought about adapting the prayers to modern English but have not done that so far!
O Christ, All thy ways of mercy tend to and end in my delight.
Thou didst weep, sorrow, suffer that I might rejoice. For my joy thou hast sent the Comforter, multiplied thy promises, shown me my future happiness, given me a living fountain.
Thou art preparing joy for me and me for joy; I pray for joy, wait for joy, long for joy; give me more than I can hold, desire, or think of. Measure out to me my times and degrees of joy, at my work, business, duties. If I weep at night, give me joy in the morning. Let me rest in the thought of thy love, pardon for sin, my title to heaven, my future unspotted state.
I am an unworthy recipient of thy grace. I often disesteem thy blood and slight thy love, but can in repentance draw water from the wells of thy forgiveness.
Let my heart leap towards the eternal sabbath, where the work of redemption, sanctification, preservation, glorification is finished and perfected for ever, where thou wilt rejoice over me with joy. There is no joy like the joy of heaven, for in that state are no sad divisions, unchristian quarrels, contentions, evil designs, weariness, hunger, cold, sadness, sin, suffering, persecutions, toils of duty.
O healthful place where none are sick! O happy land where all are kings! O holy assembly where all are priests! How free a state where none are servants except to thee! Bring me speedily to the land of joy.
If you are Bible literate you likely recognize phrases in the prayer taken directly from Scripture. I began to look up some of the references for you and there were just too many to list. I did place a few of them in the tag line.
As the pressure of the holiday traditions crowd about you, I challenge you to pray this often in the remaining weeks of December. Remind yourself of joy and mercy Christ brought to us. Look forward to the new heaven and earth, the ‘land of joy’ where we are headed! Fill you bucket at the fountain of living water God offers you. May you be blessed with an increased awareness of His Presence with you!
My mother-in-law held what we entitled “Command Performances” with all the family expected to celebrate where she said and when OR ELSE. My husband determined we would never become like that with our children as they left home and began their own families.
Are you in the midst of decisions about when to celebrate with which part of the family? What day or time? Afternoon, evening, etc. It’s the most difficult time of the year! Just 12 seconds says it all!
It’s the most difficult time of the year!
Conversations run like, “Well, she had Thanksgiving at her house at the time of her choosing. She ought to be able to cooperate with our desire to have Christmas at our house on the 25th at 4:30!” And it spins into an uproar from there. But does it have to? We were stunned during Covid to have such abbreviated celebrations with anyone at all. Then as we came out of the pandemic there was hesitation because this family member refused to be with anyone who was not vaccinated and that family member refused any sort of vaccinations at all.
Perhaps this year we can adapt this sentiment from Brother David?
Gratefulness has three steps: not missing the opportunity, appreciating the opportunity, and using or enjoying the opportunity. By this method we come fully alive, full of joy, which is what we are all longing for.
BR. DAVID STEINDL-RAST
So, let’s not miss the opportunity to be with others we care about with grace and love and acceptance. Maybe we will not get our own way as far as time, place or celebratory foods, but who cares? In the end we are together.
Appreciate the opportunity. In this time of wars around the world that is a wonderful gift in itself. A time to celebrate and share our lives.
And finally Brother David says using and enjoying the opportunity. Maybe this year we can truly express our love and appreciation to one another? This could be the year that son hears “I am really proud of you!” And that daughter “I love you dearly.” My parents have been dead a long time but there are others I can express my appreciation to. I bet you have others you can praise and show your appreciation for.
Brother David says this brings us fully alive, full of joy. And yes, isn’t that what we are longing for the most??
May you use every opportunity you have this year to be with the ones you love as a time for less squabbling and more love and a grand harvest of joy!
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Urban dictionary says of this Hebrew phrase: “A reduplicative diminutive of oy expressing frustration or exasperation.”
The best laid plans for a schedule get blown to pieces by doc and dentist this week. Yep, Monday and Tuesday mornings have been my inviolable times to write. Dentist could see me at 11:40. Dermatologist can see me at 11 AM (her only opening all week), so I called dentist to take his 2PM opening, so guess what? This is my few minutes. Yep, I really need a new schedule. Especially if I am to continue being a volunteer to help sort and stock food stuff at Inter Parish Ministry on Tuesdays when Bob goes to work in their parking lot directing traffic. Drawing from my reading this morning …
O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, that so I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.” Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long. In Jesus’ name. Amen
A W Tozer The Pursuit of God
“Begin in mercy a new work of love within me.” To be drawn anew into His love by mercy. What an enormous gift! Oh yes, readers, yield to Him and ask for a new work of love within you.
He is never more delighted than when we yield to His work of love within us.
God is a Person, and in the deep of His mighty nature He thinks, wills, enjoys, feels, loves, desires and suffers as any other person may. In making Himself known to us He stays by the familiar pattern of personality. He communicates with us through the avenues of our minds, our wills and our emotions. The continuous and unembarrassed interchange of love and thought between God and the soul of the redeemed man is the throbbing heart of New Testament religion.
Tozer Pursuit of God
“The throbbing heart of New Testament religion,” I just love that! The church we currently attend places huge emphasis on how many are baptized each year. Tozer emphasizes “continuous and unembarrassed interchange of love and thought between God and the soul of the redeemed person” as the HEART of the New Testament. Where is that taught? Once baptized what happens to those souls? Is their growth in knowing Him as celebrated as their decision for baptism?
This time of year we are many times seeking the perfect gift for another. Are we seeking the heart of the New Testament for ourselves? Continuous and unembarrassed interchange with the Holy One. Oh yes, Lord help me to make that our gift exchange this year!
What do you think God would want the most?
Nope, not something necessarily in a box. I think what He most desires is our unhindered yieldedness to Him. Our ears open to listen. Our wills yielded to obey. Giving Him our all because He gave all for us. Each one of us. Individually. Unreservedly.
I think God is amused by the following song written by Woody Guthrie and sung by Pete Seeger. If God has a mailbox this is what He wants in it the most!
Of course, you must find a box you fit in, someone to help you with the stamps on top of your head, etc. I hope the song plants the idea firmly in your mind that most of all God desires all of you as His gift.
I mentioned a while ago that I am re-reading David Adam’s book The Cry of the Deer. This chapter is entitled ‘Let Loose in the World.’ Those of us who know the Risen Christ have been echoing this message for many centuries.
I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 1:25-27 NIV
“Christ in you, the hope of glory.” He lives in you, walks with you,etc. He is let loose in the world, not just in one body, but in the bodies of those who believe in Him and yield to His indwelling. David Adam wrote: “In many ways the Celtic Church took the Resurrection for granted, because they experienced in their lives and worship the real Presence of the Risen Lord. When we are faced with the Risen Lord, to spend our time looking into an empty grave is a foolishness. Christ the Risen Lord wants us to walk with Him in the fullness of life. He is not a theory about death and survival, He is a Person to be encountered, a Presence to meet. He is the Resurrection. He is let loose in the world.”
Have you yielded to His Spirit, that He might indwell you wherever you go? Do you practice the Garden Song in your everyday life? “And He walks with me, and He talks with me”? Is Jesus let loose in the world through you? My mother taught my sister and me this song as we rode in the car. She always made me sing the alto part so we could harmonize. To this day I love this song and practice the sentiment it portrays. Maybe A. W. Tozer said it best?
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 