Category: Thanks

Posted on in Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Trust

Psalm and Cling

I cling to you;
    your right hand upholds me.

Psalm 63:8 NIV

March 21, 2024 I wrote about my fascination with finding dry, dead vines. https://wordpress.com/post/treasures-in-plain-sight.org/15865 The vines remind me of how I, too, need to cling to my Lord.

Recently while reading the Psalms in a month I came across the verse above. To read the Psalms in a month I basically read 5 per day with a portion of Psalm 119 per day. I thought you might like this reminder to cling to God at all times. He is worthy of our praise. He upholds us and accompanies us through all the areas of our lives.

Today may you be blessed by an increased awareness of His Presence!

 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

James 4:8a,10 NIV
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Nature, Special Event, Thanks

Eclipse Mania

We experienced some darkening of the sun during the 2017 total eclipse. This year the area around us went totally nuts!

Were you caught up in the total solar eclipse mania? We live just on the edge of totality. (Sounds like a title for another posting doesn’t it!)

Sonic offered blackout slushy drinks. Busken’s Bakery had eclipse cookies. Hotels and motels were fully booked months in advance with rates 3-4 times the usual price. All the Air B & B’s and similar places were sold out in the areas of totality. Four minutes of wonder and splendor in the sky and not only America went nuts, but people came to the path of totality from all over the world.

The Ohio Governor was constantly warning about using safety glasses to view the eclipse. It was stated in every news cast. The library carried free paper viewing glasses. The grocery store and the drug stores sold them. The warnings were so strong that it made me wonder how many new patients Cincinnati Eye Institute would be seeing on that day or the next?

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:1-4 NRSV

It would have been wonderful if God had used the occasion to speak to the earth, much like the coordinated music for fireworks displays! Oh Father, forgive us for not remembering that You created and planned all of this.

The radio story tellers were reminding us days in advance how many ancient people tracked each eclipse, kept records and could eventually predict an eclipse. They reminded us of how folks had fear beliefs such as “the King of our country will die this year because of the eclipse.” Such unusual events in the heavens caused fear and trembling. Sadly, in our day and age, the eclipse caused more amusement than wonder at the mighty creativity of God. We have been warned and warned not to look at the sun without eye protection or risk burning holes in the retinas of our eyes.

I have to wonder that not being in amazement of God’s creation risks burning holes in our heart and mind? He is a wonder working God! I mean, come on! You must admit that you would never be able to pull off a total solar eclipse!

More recently, Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of iconic evangelist Billy Graham, has seen speculation among some that the combined paths over the United States of this year’s eclipse and the previous two solar eclipses appear to mimic the shapes of the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet — in other words, the beginning and the end.

“Maybe people are reading too much into it,” she told USAToday recently. “But when you look at the world, you don’t need an eclipse to know that things are getting really dangerous. Maybe it’s telling us it’s time to get right with God and the people in our lives, so that we have no regrets.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/lifestyle/faith/2024/04/02/solar-eclipse-2024-warning-bible-eclipse-prophesy-islam-judaism-end-times/73148046007/

I give thanks to God for this event, Creator of the heavens and the earth, King of my heart, Lord of the Universe. All glory to You, Lord Christ. Amen.

Posted on in Aging, Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Listen, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Worship, Yield

A Blessing

Recently I attended a soul collage one day retreat led by Mooydeen Frees, retired Deacon of the Episcopal church and so many other titles and skills. She shared this blessing written by Jan Richardson. I was so moved that I want to share it with you, too. I pray you will read it once. And then read it again prayerfully with yourself in mind.

Blessing the Body

The blessing takes
one look at you
and all it can say is
holy.

Holy hands,
Holy face,
Holy feet, 
Holy everything
In between.

Holy even in pain.
Holy even when weary.
In brokenness, holy.
In shame, holy still.

Holy in delight. 
Holy in Distress.
Holy when being born.
Holy when we lay it down
at the hour of our death.

So friend,
Open your eyes
(holy eyes).
For one moment
see what this blessing sees,
this blessing that knows
how you have been formed
and knit together in wonder
and in love.

Welcome this blessing
that folds its hands
in prayer
when it meets you;
receive this blessing
that wants to kneel
in reverence
before you;
you who are temple,
sanctuary,
home for God
in this world.

Isn’t that wonderful? Jan Richardson is new to me but I would say she certainly has a ministry writing blessings! “The blessing takes one look at you and all it can say is holy.”

Regardless of what you may think of yourself at times; regardless of what the accuser says about you, know that God loves you always. Are you willing to align your thinking with His?

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:57 RSV
Posted on in Faith, Music, Special Event, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

Andrew Peterson’s Masterpiece

Just in time for the pandemic, this release drew Christians around the world together in praise of our Mighty God online. There is a saying if you sing, you pray twice. What a praise declaration to our God!

Knowing how many thousands of groups around the world posted this song just makes me smile. Some fussed because Christ Tomlin recorded the song and received great acclaim. Andrew, who wrote the song, was not perturbed and knew that if Jesus is proclaimed the target was hit spot on!

I love when the guy in the beret reaches over and kisses his wife after the line “From all peoples and tribes.” And those dimples when Andrew smiles! Bet God smiles, too!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Book quotes, Faith, Nature, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Worship, Yield

Casting our Crowns

I cannot approach Resurrection Sunday without remembering the work of Jesus on earth and in Heaven. He suffered on our behalf, was crucified, dead and buried. He rose again and is crowned the King of All, holding the keys of death and hell.

 The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.”

Revelation 4:10-11 NIV

Do you know that as a Christian you are crowned?

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

1 Peter 2:9-10

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Revelation 1:5-6 NIV

Royalty generally wears a crown. Jesus is crowned over all. You have a crown, too.

Lilias Trotter wrote as interesting take on this in her book Parables of the Cross. Writing about the calyx which is the outer part of a flower, the sepals. As the sepal folds back to allow the flower to emerge it typically remains like a cup to hold the flower. As the flower proceeds to create seeds the sepal becomes a cup-like vessel to hold them.

She writes:

“Have you ever noticed how often the emptied calyx grows into a diadem, and they stand crowned for their ministry as if they gloried in their power to give as the time draws near?

“Even here in measure the faithfulness unto death and the crown of life go together: even here, if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.”

But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

Hebrews 2:9 NIV

Diadem, crown, royalty. He made a way for us to have fellowship with the Father. He made a where where there was no way. We are His and He is ours.

Rejoice!

Posted on in Faith, Listen, Music, Poetry, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

Song Calling to Me

I have mentioned before how the Lord often gets my attention through a song. A snippet here. A lyric there, and soon I am on a chase like a dog after a rabbit. This week it has been “O Sacred Head Now Wounded.”

The photo on YouTube must be the guy who posted video and lyrics. That is certainly not Fernando Ortega!

Wikipedia says:  The poem (lyrics) is often attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux (1091–1153), but is now attributed to the medieval poet Arnulf of Leuven (died 1250). Originally the poem had 7 stanzas referring to the various parts of Christ’s crucified body. The last 2 stanzas are the most famous today. Regardless it is a very old poem that was set to music over the ages in the 1700s and 1800s, etc.

I cannot seem to play this once, but sing it repeatedly! Why not listen again and see where the lyrics take you?

1. O sacred Head, now wounded,
with grief and shame weighed down,
now scornfully surrounded
with thorns, thine only crown:
how pale thou art with anguish,
with sore abuse and scorn!
How does that visage languish
which once was bright as morn!

2. What thou, my Lord, has suffered
was all for sinners' gain;
mine, mine was the transgression,
but thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior!
'Tis I deserve thy place;
look on me with thy favor,
vouchsafe to me thy grace.

3. What language shall I borrow
to thank thee, dearest friend,
for this thy dying sorrow,
thy pity without end?
O make me thine forever;
and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never
outlive my love for thee.

How do you honor the Lord and His sacrifice on our behalf as Lent ends and Easter approaches?

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Nature, Thanks

Plant Surprise

Last April at the plant sale at Cincinnati Nature Center we decided to purchase a Virginia Bluebell for the garden we created in the backyard. It seemed the bugs made short work of it (pillbugs?) eating the leaves down to the ground. I was so sad. Made me wonder how the plants make it in the wild? I refused to plant anything in its place as I mourned the experiment.

The last couple weeks Bob and I walk along that garden to rejoice over the tiny daffodils that have emerged from bulbs. The daffodils he planted last fall are also starting to bloom. Then the best surprise! The bluebell leaves have not only sprouted but there is flower bud on them. I am so happy about this. I have never had bluebells before! Want to go back and purchase two more plants so we have a sizeable clump next year.

Tiny flower buds
Virginia Bluebells Resurrected!

Posted on in Challenge, Family, Humor, Just do it, Thanks, Traveling

Yeti?

Wordnik says Yeti is a noun An unidentified humanoid animal said to live in the Himalayas and also “a large hairy humanoid creature said to live in the Himalayas.” Lately in America is has taken on the meaning of a tough, insulated container that is able to keep things cold for hours upon hours.

For my birthday last year my sister bought me a Yeti tumbler. I outfitted it with a lid that will accommodate the new silicone straws. It fits in my car cup holder. If I leave it on the counter overnight with some tea in it the next morning that tea is still ice cold.

Then she brought me an enormous yeti type tumbler that does fit in the car cup holder. It is so large it gets in Bob’s way when he is driving. I have not been using that one lately. It also very, very heavy when filled with ice and tea. Good for a long day away from home though!

I have friends who are working in the Himalayas. I would be willing to bet that no person living in that area has heard of an insulated container named Yeti. The ‘hairy humanoid’ is not an image I would associate with cold beverages! Now I do though, since I own one.

Whether you use a drinking glass, water bottle, Stanley mug or Yeti Rambler I hope you can quench your thirst without adding to the environmental impact from millions of plastic water bottles!

Besides, the Yeti is insulated and made from stainless steel. Will likely outlast me!!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Beagle, Faith, Music, Nature, Thanks

Spring

As I write this it is snowing out my window, though not expected to accumulate. I love that we are not in control of the seasons. Even though floods and blizzards and heat waves pound us, many refuse to remember the Maker of heaven and earth.

To me nothing says spring quite like yellow!

Even the beagle at the door sees it!

During October and November when our local forecaster says snow but no accumulation I am disappointed. In fact, this winter was a total disappointment as far as snow. Bah-Humbug!! Now in March when there are snow flurries there is a sort of dread. So many shrubs and bulbs and trees in bloom, and I do not want to see freeze damage to any of them. Fickle woman. So human and never satisfied for more than a moment.

One of my favorite musicians, Ludovico Einaudi. This song reminds me of snow falling.

The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof,
    the world and those who dwell therein;
2 for he has founded it upon the seas,
    and established it upon the rivers.

Psalm 24:1-2 RSV
Posted on in Challenge, Collection of Quotes, Faith, Just do it, medical treatment, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

Think On These Things

At the beginning of the new year I brought the idea of Philippians 4:8 as a practice for 2024. How is your thinking coming along? Have you been able to pattern the ideas Paul gives us in Philippians?

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Philippians 4:8 NIV

Remember when I wrote it is not just reciting the attributes but actually naming things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, etc. that is beneficial? I find that was easier when I was sitting in a chair recovering. Never to late to return to the practice though! Thinking things that are beneficial to me will help me more than anything else I might think about. A mind running rampant in the negatives is certain to get me nowhere in the Kingdom of Light.

Even though I was frustrated when the therapist said I had lost ground in my recovery I was also thankful for the honesty of measuring range of motion from week to week. It must be difficult for the therapists to have to deliver news like that day after day to various patients. I am thankful for his honesty. My lack of progress was true.

How about you? Have you been able to train your thoughts to things that Paul says are best for us? When you get in a negative thought pattern are you able to catch yourself and turn to the things in Philippians 4:8? I believe that using this practice during my recovery has helped me continue the practice.

If I catch a negative wanting to lodge in my mind (like a nasty fish hook) I turn my thoughts to ideas about that situation or person that are right, pure, lovely, etc.

It is not easy to train our mind, but it is essential if we are to mature as the followers of Jesus. Yes, He loves us just as we are, but He does not want us to stay the same as we have always been. There is very little in my life that I can control, but I am told in Scripture to control myself. Reining in my mind to come alongside the Mind of Christ is a lifetime job. It is probably best to begin by thinking on things that are excellent and praiseworthy. Find at least one example of those. Then try finding examples of one or two others. Paul is not asking us to do something that is impossible to us. This will however take discipline!