Category: Thanks

Posted on in Book quotes, Faith, Listen, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

Inspiration From Amy Carmichael Again

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!

Your wise heart unwrapped

My son, if thine heart be wise,

my heart shall rejoice, even mine.

Proverbs 23:15 KJV
Posted on in Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

Puritan Prayers

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!

Posted on in Aging, Challenge, Faith, Family, Memories, Special Event, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Yield

Holiday Arrangements

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.

Romans 12:10 NIV
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Humor, Nature, Thanks

Bison That Should Have Posted

Earlier this week my post about Kentucky Bison went out with two of the same video. You see, my weeks have sort of become a mishmash and I have lost track of writing and posting. Maybe this is the new me?

I hope to get a new schedule for writing and posting. Until then, I may or may not post five times a week. Try to keep up! Oh, that was note to self?!?! LOL

How many times do we actually get to see the tongue of other animals? His lovely tongue was after the catalpa bean pods. (Underside is more white than this gray/black.)

A few seconds of yum!

Sort of like when you need just one more piece of pumpkin pie!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Humor, Thanks, Traveling

Buffalo/Bison

When we traveled the Dakotas in 2018 one of the highlights of the trip for me was seeing the buffalo up close. Custer State Park has a herd of about 1300 to 1500. Not as large as Yosemite, but accessible to tourists. Here is a short film of the Buffalo round up that occurs there each year. Listening to the conversation of the commentators I am amazed at the coordination. When the cowboy conversation comes up I wanted the commentators to hush, which they eventually did.

Might not need to watch all of the video, but I found it interesting.

Recently PBS aired a special by Ken Burns on the American Buffalo. It was tremendous. I did not know the history of the military in trying to destroy the buffalo. They were hunted relentlessly and Americans in the eastern states wanted all sorts of things from the buffalo. The buffalo suffered and were butchered. The American Indians suffered tremendously. If you have not seen the special there is a link below. It is worth your time to watch.

https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-american-buffalo/#watch

After watching both episodes by Burns I wanted to see the buffalo in Kentucky. Were you aware there is a small herd in Kentucky? The park is only about one hour from our house!

See https://www.nps.gov/places/big-bone-lick-state-historic-site.htm

photo by r m dutina
photo by r m dutina

Frankly I was amazed watching one trying to snag catalpa seed pods from under the fence (10 seconds of fast tongue) and drinking from a hole that filled with water .

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Nature, Poetry, Thanks, Writing Life

November 22 Verse

We were blessed to see this the day before Thanksgiving. I am still rejoicing!

Doe Among Us© Molly Lin Dutina

We entered the paved trail with a sure sense of adventure
Had never before walked this path
Not five feet into the woods
Not five feet from the pavement
Acutely aware doe watches us
Husband looking at his camera settings
I had to calmly say, “A deer, dear”
Touching his arm to get his full attention.

She started when he noticed her
She stood and slowly began to walk away
It was only then that we saw the fawn
Resting calmly a few feet behind her
How do they signal each other so silently?
Before long a small herd stood
Walked up the hillside
Vanished into the honeysuckle shrubbery
It wasn’t until Bob printed this that I saw the face of the fawn behind her! photo by r m dutina
photo by r m dutina

“And they walked up the hillside” so camouflaged had I not seen them go up I might have missed them totally! Deer are common in our area, but I do not tire of them (unless of course they are eating my garden plants!) I think one reason I love the white tailed deer is that deer are mentioned so often in Scripture.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights.

Habakkuk 3:19 NIV
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Beagle, Faith, Moving, Nature, Thanks

Drought and Worms

When there has been a weeks long drought, little rain, followed by weeks long drought. Does that mean when it finally rains it is moving day for the worms? They were all over the drenched sidewalks when I walked Lucky this morning. Itty bitty short ones and longer adults.

Then when we crossed the street in front of our house in the road was the longest, largest night crawler I have ever seen! At least ten inches long!! I was soaking wet and could not get my iPhone out of my pocket, but really, this surpassed Two Men and a Truck! More like a freight train!

Gloomy gray day, but the retention pond is getting more water, the dog poop scooper was easier the rinse (in the down spout). Lucky and I are indoors and getting dry as I work in the office on the blog.

Grateful for the much needed rain! 🙂 Yes, I am tempted to run out there with the camera now and see if I can show you that GIANT night crawler!! Naw! the rain is still coming down.

Also grateful that I no longer need to put bait on hooks. One year our son fractured his arm and had to wear a plaster cast most of the summer. One of the ways to amuse him was to go fishing. His cast went down to his fingers, so me, Mom, got to bait the hook each time he drowned a worm. Oh yippee! It was a gooey summer for me! He has a son of his own now, and so far, no broken arms!

Matthew 5:45
Posted on in Art, Beagle, Book quotes, Faith, Family, Humor, Just do it, medical treatment, Memories, Nature, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Worship, Yield

Mahalo, A Word We Learned in Hawaii

  • Mahalo – Thank You – (even on the garbage can flaps)
  • Bird feeders full and busy with bird traffic
  • Cake to bake and pies to create
  • Sweet potatoes 25 cents a pound and bound to cost less after Thursday!!
  • Lucky responding well to Glucosamine Chondroitin, though she still limps
  • turkey!
  • then turkey sandwich spread will follow
  • cranberry sauce
  • lately more sunny days than gloomy
  • Our Lord and Savior
  • Advent begins
  • books of our faith, including prayer books and hymnals
  • online Christian music I can search and play
  • shopping online makes some this so much easier
  • Baby Francesca continues to improve
  • white bread, mayonnaise and left over turkey slices sandwich!
  • fragrant candles
  • those who read my blog and comment
  • those who read my blog and are encouraged but do not comment
  • Betty continues to improve
  • Margie making great strides in her recovery
  • Outdoor Christmas lights
  • the wonders on our walk at Ten Mile Creek park
  • The joy of taking Lucky for a ride
  • wind moving the pinwheels reminds me of the movement of the Holy Spirit
  • those willing to help the less fortunate
  • landscaper who sweeps up leaves off the lawn
  • my friend Lori who absolutely loves all things Christmas
  • banyan tree sending out new leaves on Maui
  • Bob selected cookies for us
  • Willing contributors to Empower Youth toy drive
  • Zoom study of Franciscan book, meeting 10 people there weekly
  • union Township crochet and knit group
  • Crochet and knit monthly meeting at Convent
  • Bi-weekly group with church folks
  • Our family
  • Grandchildren!
  • Mint Chapstick
  • good medical care without too much waiting
  • dental care
  • safe walking area
  • my spiritual director
  • But wait! There’s more!! As Kathy says “There is ALWAYS something to be grateful for!”

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5: 18 KJV


Posted on in Faith, medical treatment, Prayer, Thanks

Keep Praying!

Great good news! Infant born recently is now off the ventilator. And the doctors have determined her leg will not need to be amputated. Grandfather is so delighted. Please keep praying for Baby Francesca.

Your prayer for the parents, grandparents and siblings are SO appreciated. I cannot thank you enough!!

Posted on in Collection of Quotes, Faith, Illness and Health, Just do it, medical treatment, Special Event, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

How Many Days?

Is November 23, 2023 the only day this year you will be giving thanks? Day 327 of the year.

Traditionally it is a time to give thanks for all the sacrifice and hard work done for the harvest. In modern times people take time off work (4 day weekend starting Thursday) and spend time with family and friends over a large feast held on Thanksgiving Day.

https://www.calendardate.com/thanksgiving_2023.htm

Few if any of us have participated in bringing in the harvest of food! Feasting, football and family we have a better understanding about.

I am asking though about giving thanks to the Lord of the Harvest. To God, “from whom all blessing flow.” Being grateful, giving thanks as a way of life can change us from the inside out. Forming the habit of thanksgiving we can change how our eyes see, how our brains interpret.

So how many days this year have you given thanks? There is rarely an easy way to answer that. Perhaps you have set aside a day per month to list things you are grateful about? Likely, more than one thing made that list?

This could be a good time to decide to change and make it a daily habit to give thanks. Not just a rote prayer at meal time, but an actual listing of things.

In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.

People feel and express gratitude in multiple ways. They can apply it to the past (retrieving positive memories and being thankful for elements of childhood or past blessings), the present (not taking good fortune for granted as it comes), and the future (maintaining a hopeful and optimistic attitude). Regardless of the inherent or current level of someone’s gratitude, it’s a quality that individuals can successfully cultivate further.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier

Then this comment from New York Presbyterian Hospital staffer

The holidays are about more than presents and being together with family and friends — they’re also about being thankful. Turns out, being thankful can have many positive health effects. Studies show practicing gratitude can lead to more intimate and connected relationships, less depression, more motivation and engagement, and better overall mental well-being.

https://healthmatters.nyp.org/is-gratitude-good-for-your-health/

I like the clarification above about past, present and future. This truly is a quality we can cultivate. Here in Ohio, this is not the time of year to cultivate the land, The soil of your heart, however, is waiting for you to sow the seeds of gratitude and gratefulness. Imagine the harvest you will reap in body, mind and spirit from this minimal conscious effort!

The research shows that 3 a day – three moments or events that you are grateful for – every day – every single day – can have a huge impact on your health and well-being. What do you have to lose? Why not begin now if you are not already doing this?

We can set our watches to remind us to stand or get a certain number of steps daily. Why not set your watch to remind you to pause and write out 3? Not so difficult when you think about it.

We do not have a record of how often Jesus was grateful and gave thanks, but there is this quote:

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

Matthew 11:25 NIV